Functional MRI, DTI and neurophysiology in horizontal gaze palsy with progressive scoliosis

Introduction: Horizontal gaze palsy with progressive scoliosis (HGPPS) is an autosomal recessive disease due to a mutation in the ROBO3 gene. This rare disease is of particular interest because the absence, or at least reduction, of crossing of the ascending lemniscal and descending corticospinal tracts in the medulla predicts abnormal ipsilateral sensory and motor systems. Methods: We evaluated the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) for the first time in this disease and compared it to diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) tractography and neurophysiological findings in the same patient with genetically confirmed ROBO3 mutation. Results: As expected, motor fMRI, somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP) and motor evoked potentials (MEP) were dominantly ipsilateral to the stimulation side. DTI tractography revealed ipsilateral ascending and descending connectivity in the brainstem yet normal interhemispheric connections in the corpus callosum. Auditory fMRI revealed bilateral auditory activation to monaural left-sided auditory stimulation. No significant cortical activation was observed after monaural right-sided stimulation, a hearing defect having been excluded. Prosaccades fMRI showed no activations in the eye-movement network. Conclusion: Motor fMRI confirmed the established findings of DTI and neurophysiology in the same patient. In suspected HGPPS, any technique appears appropriate for further investigation. Auditory fMRI suggests that a monaural auditory system with bilateral auditory activations might be a physiological advantage as compared to a binaural yet only unilateral auditory system, in analogy to anisometropic amblyopia. Moving-head fMRI studies in the future might show whether the compensatory head movements instead of normal eye movements activate the eye-movement networ

Interleukin 31 mediates MAP kinase and STAT1/3 activation in intestinal epithelial cells and its expression is upregulated in inflammatory bowel disease

Background/aim: Interleukin 31 (IL31), primarily expressed in activated lymphocytes, signals through a heterodimeric receptor complex consisting of the IL31 receptor alpha (IL31R\textgreeka) and the oncostatin M receptor (OSMR). The aim of this study was to analyse IL31 receptor expression, signal transduction, and specific biological functions of this cytokine system in intestinal inflammation.Methods: Expression studies were performed by RT-PCR, quantitative PCR, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. Signal transduction was analysed by western blotting. Cell proliferation was measured by MTS assays, cell migration by restitution assays.Results: Colorectal cancer derived intestinal epithelial cell (IEC) lines express both IL31 receptor subunits, while their expression in unstimulated primary murine IEC was low. LPS and the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-\textgreeka, IL1\textgreekb, IFN-\textgreekg, and sodium butyrate stimulation increased IL31, IL31R\textgreeka, and OSMR mRNA expression, while IL31 itself enhanced IL8 expression in IEC. IL31 mediates ERK-1/2, Akt, STAT1, and STAT3 activation in IEC resulting in enhanced IEC migration. However, at low cell density, IL31 had significant antiproliferative capacities (p<0.005). IL31 mRNA expression was not increased in the TNF\textgreekDARE mouse model of ileitis but in inflamed colonic lesions compared to non-inflamed tissue in patients with Crohn's disease (CD; average 2.4-fold increase) and in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC; average 2.6-fold increase) and correlated with the IL-8 expression in these lesions (r = 0.564 for CD; r = 0.650 for UC; total number of biopsies analysed: n = 88).Conclusion: IEC express the functional IL31 receptor complex. IL31 modulates cell proliferation and migration suggesting a role in the regulation of intestinal barrier function particularly in intestinal inflammation

Risk attitude, beliefs, and information in a corruption game: An experimental analysis

For our experiment on corruption we designed a coordination game to model the influence of risk attitudes, beliefs, and information on behavioral choices and determined the equilibria. We observed that the participants' risk attitudes failed to explain their choices between corrupt and non-corrupt behavior. Instead, beliefs appeared to be a better predictor of whether or not they would opt for the corrupt alternative. Furthermore, varying the quantity of information available to players (modeled by changing the degree of uncertainty) provided additional insight into the players' propensity to engage in corrupt behavior. The experimental results show that a higher degree of uncertainty in the informational setting reduces corruption. --Corruption,game theory,experiment,risk attitude,beliefs

Perspectives on Smart Cities Strategies: Sketching a Framework and Testing First Uses

Many cities today claim to be or to become a "smart city". The approaches and public policy foci taken by cities differ depending on the particular context of each city, e.g., size, technology strategy, political system, current challenges and history. This paper is proposing a Smart City Strategy Framework in the form of a morphological box, describing elements relevant for a smart city strategy and their possible manifestations. The framework is based on a literature analysis and the contained elements are grouped into four dimensions: city context, governance, implementation, and infrastructure. The framework can be used to compare different cities in their approach towards becoming a smart city, and we claim that it also helps city planners to develop a strategy, guiding the evolutionary and continuous processes in their smart city. To validate the applicability of the framework, we used it in the drafting and structuring of a questionnaire to city representatives that served as preparation for an international stakeholder workshop on smart cities strategies in order to find out what strategies cities are following and what their current status is. The results of the questionnaire and the workshop hinted at common patterns for smart city strategies, and shows that maturity levels as well as cultural differences need to be taken more into account in future versions of the framework

An Empirical Analysis of the Perceived Usefulness of Digital Governance Tools among Heterogeneous Swiss Municipalities

Digital governance tools have the potential to enable more efficient and less error-prone governance processes. However, the heterogeneity among municipalities might affect their willingness and purposes to use such tools, for which we have limited evidence. This study analyzes results from a survey among Swiss municipalities with different population sizes, focusing on their evaluation and prioritization of digital governance tools. The results show that for some governance areas, such as strategy formation & monitoring and project portfolio management, the perceived usefulness of these tools increases with municipality size, while the perceived use of them for data collection is generally lower. Smaller municipalities are more likely to reject new digital governance tools, with a general skepticism of the usefulness and the financial situation indicated as the most common reasons. Medium to large municipalities show additional reasons for the rejection, rooted in their more prevalent previous or current use of digital tools

Time-resolved 3D contrast-enhanced MRA with GRAPPA on a 1.5-T system for imaging of craniocervical vascular disease: initial experience

Introduction: For three-dimensional (3D) imaging with magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) of the cerebral and cervical circulation, both a high temporal and a high spatial resolution with isovolumetric datasets are of interest. In an initial evaluation, we analyzed the potential of contrast-enhanced (CE) time-resolved 3D-MRA as an adjunct for neurovascular MR imaging. Methods: In ten patients with various cerebrovascular disorders and vascularized tumors in the cervical circulation, high-speed MR acquisition using parallel imaging with the GeneRalized Autocalibrating Partially Parallel Acquisitions (GRAPPA) algorithm on a 1.5-T system with a temporal resolution of 1.5s per dataset and a nearly isovolumetric spatial resolution was applied. The results were assessed and compared with those from conventional MRA and digital subtraction angiography (DSA). Results: CE time-resolved 3D-MRA enabled the visualization and characterization of high-flow arteriovenous shunts in cases of vascular malformations or hypervascularized tumors. In steno-occlusive disease, the method provided valuable additional information about altered vessel perfusion compared to standard MRA techniques such as time-of-flight (TOF) MRA. The use of a nearly isovolumetric voxel size allowed a free-form interrogation of 3D datasets. Its comparatively low spatial resolution was found to be the major limitation. Conclusion: In this preliminary analysis, CE time-resolved 3D-MRA was revealed to be a promising complementary MRA sequence that enabled the visualization of contrast flow dynamics in various types of neurovascular disorders and vascularized cervical tumor

Grundlagen der Robotic Process Automation. Stand der Forschung und Diskussion in der Praxis

Große Teile der Arbeitswelt stecken aktuell in der Transformation zur Industrie 4.0. Ziel dieser vierten industriellen Revolution ist eine wirtschaftliche Produktion durch dezentral gesteuerte, autonome Prozesse, unterstützt durch Digitalisierung und Automatisierung sowie durch die Vernetzung von Maschinen, Robotern, Werkstücken und Mitarbeitenden. Die Auswirkungen dieser Entwicklung auf die Arbeitswelt werden kontrovers diskutiert; Szenarien von der Vernichtung von Millionen von Arbeitsplätzen in den nächsten fünf Jahren bis hin zur Schaffung praktisch ebenso vieler neuer Beschäftigungsmöglichkeiten mit veränderten Qualifikationsanforderungen über alle Branchen hinweg stehen in Literatur und Praxis einander gegenüber. Robotic Process Automation stellt in dieser Entwicklung einen ersten Schritt auf dem Weg zu einer intelligenten Prozessautomation dar und bietet Unternehmen den Einstieg in die Digitalisierung und Automatisierung von Prozessen sowie in die Kollaboration von Menschen und Softwarerobotern

Risk attitude, beliefs, and information in a corruption game - An experimental analysis

For our experiment on corruption we designed a coordination game to model the influence of risk attitudes, beliefs, and information on behavioral choices and determined the equilibria. We observed that the participants' risk attitudes failed to explain their choices between corrupt and non-corrupt behavior. Instead, beliefs appeared to be a better predictor of whether or not they would opt for the corrupt alternative. Furthermore, varying the quantity of information available to players (modeled by changing the degree of uncertainty) provided additional insight into the players' propensity to engage in corrupt behavior. The experimental results show that a higher degree of uncertainty in the informational setting reduces corruption