High-frequency neural oscillations and visual processing deficits in schizophrenia

Visual information is fundamental to how we understand our environment, make predictions, and interact with others. Recent research has underscored the importance of visuo-perceptual dysfunctions for cognitive deficits and pathophysiological processes in schizophrenia. In the current paper, we review evidence for the relevance of high frequency (beta/gamma) oscillations towards visuo-perceptual dysfunctions in schizophrenia. In the first part of the paper, we examine the relationship between beta/gamma band oscillations and visual processing during normal brain functioning. We then summarize EEG/MEG-studies which demonstrate reduced amplitude and synchrony of high-frequency activity during visual stimulation in schizophrenia. In the final part of the paper, we identify neurobiological correlates as well as offer perspectives for future research to stimulate further inquiry into the role of high-frequency oscillations in visual processing impairments in the disorder

Second Generation Korean-American Parents: Social Context Influence on Parenting

Korean-American families are an underrepresented group within the family therapy literature. In particular, the realities and lived experiences of American born second generation Korean-American parenting couples is limited. Therefore, this qualitative grounded theory dissertation used a social constructionist lens to understand how American born second generation Korean-Americans, raised amidst contrasting Korean and western cultural ideologies, conceptualize parenting and position themselves in relation to their children within parent-child relationships. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 parenting couples of children between 0-10 years of age to illuminate ways in which multiple cultural discourses, bicultural socialization, and racialized experiences influence the parenting process. Two publishable papers resulted from this study. The first paper focuses on understanding how American born second generation Korean-American couples come to locate themselves in the social context and draw from sociocultural discourses to construct a parenting ideology. Second generation couples: (a) draw from the emotion generated upon reflections on first generation marginalization, and their own experiences of racism coupled with awareness of increased societal privilege, (b) consciously foster a sense of belonging in multiple worlds, and (c) nurture a strong sense of relational accountability within third generation children. The second paper features a grounded theory that explains how American born second generation Korean-American parents deliberately parent in ways to move away from rule-directed parenting approaches and instead foster relational connection. Three main parenting processes that were identified are: (a) subscribing to dominant culture socialization goals, (b) inviting open communication, and (c) promoting mutuality. In this study, particular attention was given to exploring the applicability of Tuttle et al.\u27s (2012) typology of parent-child relational orientations (TP-CRO) to this group. These findings suggest that it is important for therapists to not assume that American born second generation Korean-American couples carry forward the ethnic ideas that dominant discourses assume about them. It is important to locate their experiences within the larger social context and understand how multiple cultural ideologies impact their views on parenting. Furthermore, the TP-CRO (Tuttle et al., 2012) appears to be a useful resource to help therapists facilitate collaborative conversations with bicultural parenting couples around parenting concerns

Security Proof for Quantum Key Distribution Using Qudit Systems

We provide security bounds against coherent attacks for two families of quantum key distribution protocols that use $d$-dimensional quantum systems. In the asymptotic regime, both the secret key rate for fixed noise and the robustness to noise increase with $d$. The finite-key corrections are found to be almost insensitive to $d\lesssim 20$.Comment: 5 pages, 1 figure, version 3 corrects equations (9) and (11), and slightly modifies the figure to reflect the change to equation (11

Time-lapse 3-D measurements of a glucose biosensor in multicellular spheroids by light sheet fluorescence microscopy in commercial 96-well plates

Light sheet fluorescence microscopy has previously been demonstrated on a commercially available inverted fluorescence microscope frame using the method of oblique plane microscopy (OPM). In this paper, OPM is adapted to allow time-lapse 3-D imaging of 3-D biological cultures in commercially available glass-bottomed 96-well plates using a stage-scanning OPM approach (ssOPM). Time-lapse 3-D imaging of multicellular spheroids expressing a glucose Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) biosensor is demonstrated in 16 fields of view with image acquisition at 10 minute intervals. As a proof-of-principle, the ssOPM system is also used to acquire a dose response curve with the concentration of glucose in the culture medium being varied across 42 wells of a 96-well plate with the whole acquisition taking 9 min. The 3-D image data enable the FRET ratio to be measured as a function of distance from the surface of the spheroid. Overall, the results demonstrate the capability of the OPM system to measure spatio-temporal changes in FRET ratio in 3-D in multicellular spheroids over time in a multi-well plate format

Vitamin A in the Vision of Insects

Acetone-methanol extracts of honeybees (Apis mellifera) were chromatographed from petroleum ether on columns of aluminum oxide and magnesium oxide:celite. Vitamin A1 was identified by the Carr-Price (antimony chloride) reaction. These experiments provide the first demonstration of vitamin A in the tissues of an insect. Like retinene, vitamin A is confined to the heads and is not found in either thoraces or abdomens. Dark-adapted bees have very little vitamin A. During light adaptation the vitamin A increases, but at the expense of retinene, which decreases. As much as 0.1 µg of vitamin A/gm of heads has been recovered from light-adapted bees. Two methods are described for demonstrating the enzymic reduction of retinene to vitamin A, using an extract of the heads of honeybees

Caracterização molecular dos isolados 344 e 1644 de Bacillus thuringiensis (Berliner), eficazes no controle da lagarta-do-cartucho Spodoptera frugiperda (J.E. Smith).

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Molecular characterization of the Bacillus thuringiensis (BERLINER) strains 344 and 1644, efficient against fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. SMITH).

Bacillus thuringiensis (Berliner) strains 344 and 1644 belonging to the CNPMS/Embrapa (Maize and Sorghum National Research Center) Microorganism Bank, located in Sete Lagoas, MG, showed to be highly efficient in controlling fall armyworm, Spodotpera frugiperda (J.E. Smith). Strains 344 and 1644 were isolated from soil samples originated from Iguassu Falls and Rolândia, respectively, Paraná State, Brazil. While strain 344 harbors cry1Ab, cry1B, cry1E and cry1Fb genes, strain 1644 showed cry1B, cry1C, and cry1D and cry1Fb genes. The strain 344 crystal has bipyramidal shape and showed LC50 equal to 8.21 x 106 spores/mL. Strain 1644 has cuboid crystal and showed LC50 equal to 2.07 x 106 spores/mL. Comparative analysis of protein profile, plasmid and amplification with primers ERIC allowed the differentiation of the evaluated strains

Intraperitoneal Gemcitabine Chemotherapy Treatment for Patients with Resected Pancreatic Cancer: Rationale and Report of Early Data

Currently, the surgical management of pancreas cancer is recognized around the world as inadequate. Despite a potentially curative R0 resection, long-term survival is rare. There is a strong rationale for the use of chemotherapy in the operating room to reduce local-regional of recurrent/progressive disease. Gemcitabine monotherapy administered by an intraperitoneal route in the operating room with hyperthermia and then for long-term treatment postoperatively has a pharmacologic basis in that the exposure of peritoneal surfaces to intraperitoneal gemcitabine is approximately 200–500 times the exposure that occurs within the plasma. A standardized treatment with intraoperative and long-term chemotherapy that is well tolerated would greatly facilitate further improvements in pancreas cancer treatment and may lead the way to an evolution of more successful treatment strategies of this dread disease. The aim of this paper is to present the early data on a protocol in progress in patients with resected pancreatic cancer