Intrahemispheric cortico-cortical connections of the human auditory cortex.

The human auditory cortex comprises the supratemporal plane and large parts of the temporal and parietal convexities. We have investigated the relevant intrahemispheric cortico-cortical connections using in vivo DSI tractography combined with landmark-based registration, automatic cortical parcellation and whole-brain structural connection matrices in 20 right-handed male subjects. On the supratemporal plane, the pattern of connectivity was related to the architectonically defined early-stage auditory areas. It revealed a three-tier architecture characterized by a cascade of connections from the primary auditory cortex to six adjacent non-primary areas and from there to the superior temporal gyrus. Graph theory-driven analysis confirmed the cascade-like connectivity pattern and demonstrated a strong degree of segregation and hierarchy within early-stage auditory areas. Putative higher-order areas on the temporal and parietal convexities had more widely spread local connectivity and long-range connections with the prefrontal cortex; analysis of optimal community structure revealed five distinct modules in each hemisphere. The pattern of temporo-parieto-frontal connectivity was partially asymmetrical. In conclusion, the human early-stage auditory cortical connectivity, as revealed by in vivo DSI tractography, has strong similarities with that of non-human primates. The modular architecture and hemispheric asymmetry in higher-order regions is compatible with segregated processing streams and lateralization of cognitive functions

Integration of Argo trajectories in the Mediterranean Forecasting System and impact on the regional analysis of the western Mediterranean circulation

The impact of Argo float trajectory assimilation on the quality of ocean analyses is studied by means of an operational oceanographic model implemented in the Mediterranean Sea and a 3D-Var assimilation scheme. For the first time, both Argo trajectories and vertical profiles of temperature and salinity (TS) together with satellite altimeter data of sea level anomaly (SLA) are assimilated to produce analyses for short-term forecasts. The study period covers 3 months during winter 2005 when four Argo trajectories were present in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea. The scheme is first assessed computing the misfits between observations and model forecast and analysis. The misfit statistics appear improved for float trajectories, while they are not degraded for the other assimilated variables (TS profiles and SLA). This indicates that the trajectory integration is consistent with the other components of the assimilation system and provides new information on horizontal pressure gradients. Comparisons between analyses obtained with and without trajectory assimilation suggest that trajectory assimilation can have an impact on the description of boundary currents and their instabilities, as well as mesoscale activity at regional scales. Changes are depicted by intermediate water mass redistributions, mesoscale eddy relocations, and net transport modulations. These impacts are detailed and assessed considering historical and simultaneous in situ data sets. The results motivate the integration of Argo trajectories in the operational Mediterranean Forecasting System

Integration of ARGO trajectories in the Mediterranean Forecasting System and impact on the regional analysis of the Western Mediterranean circulation

The impact of ARGO float trajectory assimilation on the quality of ocean analyses is studied by means of an operational oceanographic model implemented in the Mediterranean Sea and a 3D-var assimilation scheme. For the first time, both ARGO trajectories and vertical profiles of temperature and salinity (TS) together with satellite altimeter data of sea level anomaly (SLA) are assimilated to produce analyses for short term forecasts. The study period covers three months during winter 2005 when four ARGO trajectories were present in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea. The scheme is first assessed computing the misfits between observations and model forecast and analysis. The misfit statistics appear improved for float trajectories, while they are not degraded for the other assimilated variables (TS profiles and SLA). This indicates that the trajectory integration is consistent with the other components of the assimilation system, and provides new information on horizontal pressure gradients. Comparisons between analyses obtained with and without trajectory assimilation suggest that trajectory assimilation can impact on the description of boundary currents and their instabilities, as well as mesoscale activity at regional scales. Changes are depicted by intermediate water mass redistributions, mesoscale eddy relocations and net transport modulations. These impacts are detailed and assessed considering historical and simultaneous in-situ datasets. The results motivate the integration of ARGO trajectories in the operational Mediterranean Forecasting System

Integration of ARGO trajectories in the Mediterranean Forecasting System and impact on the regional analysis of the Western Mediterranean circulation

The impact of ARGO trajectory assimilation on the quality of ocean analyses is studied by means of an operational oceanographic model implemented in the Mediterranean Sea and a 3D-var assimilation scheme. For the first time, both ARGO trajectories and vertical profiles together with satellite data are assimilated to produce analyses for short term forecasts. The study period covers three months during winter 2005 when four ARGO trajectories were present in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea. It is shown that their integration is consistent with the other components of the assimilation system, and it contributes to refine the model error structure with new information on horizontal pressure gradients. So the analysis benefits of a more accurate description of the boundary currents and their instabilities that drive the mesoscale activity of regional circulations. As a consequence, the trajectory assimilation remotely and significantly influences the basin scale circulation. Changes can be depicted by intermediate water mass redistributions, mesoscale eddy relocations or net transports modulations. These impacts are detailed and assessed considering historical and contemporary datasets. The obtained qualitative and quantitative agreements motivate the integration of ARGO trajectories in the operational Mediterranean Forecasting System

Morphological evaluation of buffelgrass cultivar “Lucero INTA-PEMAN” in drought conditions

In searching for new cultivars that are better adapted to edapho-climatic constraints existing in northwestern Argentina, mainly drought and salinity stress, a hybrid of buffelgrass (Cenchrus ciliaris L.) named Lucero INTA PEMAN was obtained by controlled crosses at the Instituto de Fitopatología y Fisiología Vegetal, INTA. The objective was to morphologically evaluate and compare Cenchrus ciliaris cv Lucero with Texas-4464, Biloela and Molopo cultivars in Dean Funes (North of the Province of Córdoba, Argentina) under drought field conditions using a randomized complete block design with three replications in two crop cycles (2006/2007 and 2007/2008) considering one-year plant and re-growth as ontogenic stages of the plant, respectively. Thirteen morphological characters were analyzed by ANOVA and DGC testing (p <0.05). Although most of the thirteen morphological characters evaluated showed decreased re-growth over one-year plants, Lucero was least affected by low water availability, showed highest values for seed production components in both ontogenic stages and was superior to Texas-4464 in biomass production characters and to Biloela and Molopo cultivars in most of them. Lucero showed a promising and considerable forage value for drought-affected regions, such as northwestern Argentina

Relationship between seed yield and its component characters in Cenchrus spp.

Cenchrus setigerus, C. sp., eleven obligate apomictic cultivars and a sexual line of Cenchrus ciliaris L. were studied to determine the relationship between seed production and its component characters, through principal component analysis, path correlation analysis and analysis of variance. A completely randomized field design was used. Ten vegetative and reproductive morphological characters were measured. Seed production was influenced directly by panicle weight and indirectly by panicle length, 1000 seed weight, length and width of flag leaf lamina and length of flag leaf sheath. Panicle weight showed high heritability and variability among genotypes. Hence, panicle weight can be considered a selection criterion to obtain increased seed production in Cenchrus. The cultivar Lucero INTA PEMAN exhibited the highest panicle weight and, therefore, greatest seed production, which makes it suitable for selection as parental cultivar to obtain new germplasm in Cenchrus with high seed yield.Fil: Griffa, S.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Instituto de Fisiología y Recursos Genéticos Vegetales; ArgentinaFil: Quiroga, M.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Instituto de Fisiología y Recursos Genéticos Vegetales; ArgentinaFil: Ribotta, Andrea Noemí. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Instituto de Fisiología y Recursos Genéticos Vegetales; ArgentinaFil: Lopez Colomba, Eliana. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Fitopatología y Fisiología Vegetal; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Carloni, Edgardo José. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Instituto de Fisiología y Recursos Genéticos Vegetales; ArgentinaFil: Tommasino, Exequiel Arturo. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Instituto de Fisiología y Recursos Genéticos Vegetales; ArgentinaFil: Luna, Celina Mercedes. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Instituto de Fisiología y Recursos Genéticos Vegetales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Grunberg, Karina Alejandra. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Unidad de Estudios Agropecuarios - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Unidad de Estudios Agropecuarios; Argentin

Sensorimotor Induction of Auditory Misattribution in Early Psychosis.

Dysfunction of sensorimotor predictive processing is thought to underlie abnormalities in self-monitoring producing passivity symptoms in psychosis. Experimentally induced sensorimotor conflict can produce a failure in bodily self-monitoring (presence hallucination [PH]), yet it is unclear how this is related to auditory self-monitoring and psychosis symptoms. Here we show that the induction of sensorimotor conflict in early psychosis patients induces PH and impacts auditory-verbal self-monitoring. Participants manipulated a haptic robotic system inducing a bodily sensorimotor conflict. In experiment 1, the PH was measured. In experiment 2, an auditory-verbal self-monitoring task was performed during the conflict. Fifty-one participants (31 early psychosis patients, 20 matched controls) participated in the experiments. The PH was present in all participants. Psychosis patients with passivity experiences (PE+) had reduced accuracy in auditory-verbal self-other discrimination during sensorimotor stimulation, but only when sensorimotor stimulation involved a spatiotemporal conflict (F(2, 44) = 6.68, P = .002). These results show a strong link between robotically controlled alterations in sensorimotor processing and auditory misattribution in psychosis and provide evidence for the role of sensorimotor processes in altered self-monitoring in psychosis

Relationship between seed yield and its component characters in Cenchrus spp.

Cenchrus setigerus, C. sp., eleven obligate apomictic cultivars and a sexual line of Cenchrus ciliaris L. were studied to determine the relationship between seed production and its component characters, through principal component analysis, path correlation analysis and analysis of variance. A completely randomized field design was used. Ten vegetative and reproductive morphological characters were measured. Seed production was influenced directly by panicle weight and indirectly by panicle length, 1000 seed weight, length and width of flag leaf lamina and length of flag leaf sheath. Panicle weight showed high heritability and variability among genotypes. Hence, panicle weight can be considered a selection criterion to obtain increased seed production in Cenchrus. The cultivar Lucero INTA PEMAN exhibited the highest panicle weight and, therefore, greatest seed production, which makes it suitable for selection as parental cultivar to obtain new germplasm in Cenchrus with high seed yield.Fil: Griffa, S.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Instituto de Fisiología y Recursos Genéticos Vegetales; ArgentinaFil: Quiroga, M.. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Instituto de Fisiología y Recursos Genéticos Vegetales; ArgentinaFil: Ribotta, Andrea Noemí. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Instituto de Fisiología y Recursos Genéticos Vegetales; ArgentinaFil: Lopez Colomba, Eliana. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Veterinarias y Agronómicas. Instituto de Fitopatología y Fisiología Vegetal; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Carloni, Edgardo José. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Instituto de Fisiología y Recursos Genéticos Vegetales; ArgentinaFil: Tommasino, Exequiel Arturo. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Instituto de Fisiología y Recursos Genéticos Vegetales; ArgentinaFil: Luna, Celina Mercedes. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Instituto de Fisiología y Recursos Genéticos Vegetales; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; ArgentinaFil: Grunberg, Karina Alejandra. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Unidad de Estudios Agropecuarios - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Unidad de Estudios Agropecuarios; Argentin

Connectome-Based Patterns of First-Episode Medication-Naïve Patients With Schizophrenia

Emerging evidence indicates that a disruption in brain network organization may play an important role in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. The neuroimaging fingerprint reflecting the pathophysiology of first-episode schizophrenia remains to be identified. Here, we aimed at characterizing the connectome organization of first-episode medication-naïve patients with schizophrenia. A cross-sectional structural and functional neuroimaging study using two independent samples (principal dataset including 42 medication-naïve, previously untreated patients and 48 healthy controls; replication dataset including 39 first-episode patients [10 untreated patients] and 66 healthy controls) was performed. Brain network architecture was assessed by means of white matter fiber integrity measures derived from diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) and by means of structural-functional (SC-FC) coupling measured by combining DWI and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging. Connectome rich club organization was found to be significantly disrupted in medication-naïve patients as compared with healthy controls (P = .012, uncorrected), with rich club connection strength (P = .032, uncorrected) and SC-FC coupling (P < .001, corrected for false discovery rate) decreased in patients. Similar results were found in the replication dataset. Our findings suggest that a disruption of rich club organization and functional dynamics may reflect an early feature of schizophrenia pathophysiology. These findings add to our understanding of the neuropathological mechanisms of schizophrenia and provide new insights into the early stages of the disorder