Deficiency of immunity to poliovirus type 3: a lurking danger?

Background: Europe was certified to be polio-free in 2002 by the WHO. However, wild polioviruses remain endemic in India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria, occasionally causing polio outbreaks, as in Tajikistan in 2010. Therefore, effective surveillance measures and vaccination campaigns remain important. To determine the poliovirus immune status of a German study population, we retrospectively evaluated the seroprevalence of neutralizing antibodies (NA) to the poliovirus types 1, 2 and 3 (PV1, 2, 3) in serum samples collected from 1,632 patients admitted the University Hospital of Frankfurt am Main, Germany, in 2001, 2005 and 2010. Methods: Testing was done by using a standardized microneutralization assay. Results: Level of immunity to PV1 ranged between 84.2% (95%CI: 80.3-87.5), 90.4% (88.3-92.3) and 87.5% (85.4-88.8) in 2001, 2005 and 2010. For PV2, we found 90.8% (87.5-90.6), 91.3% (89.3-93.1) and 89.8% (88.7-90.9), in the same period. Seroprevalence to PV3 was 76.6% (72.2-80.6), 69.8% (66.6-72.8) and 72.9% (67.8-77.5) in 2001 and 2005 and 2010, respectively. In 2005 and 2010 significant lower levels of immunity to PV3 in comparison to PV1 and 2 were observed. Since 2001, immunity to PV3 is gradually, but not significantly decreasing. Conclusion: Immunity to PV3 is insufficient in our cohort. Due to increasing globalization and worldwide tourism, the danger of polio-outbreaks is not averted - even not in developed countries, such as Germany. Therefore, vaccination remains necessary

Alien Hand Syndrome: Neural Correlates of Movements without Conscious Will

BACKGROUND: The alien hand syndrome is a striking phenomenon characterized by purposeful and autonomous movements that are not voluntarily initiated. This study aimed to examine neural correlates of this rare neurological disorder in a patient with corticobasal degeneration and alien hand syndrome of the left hand. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We employed functional magnetic resonance imaging to investigate brain responses associated with unwanted movements in a case study. Results revealed that alien hand movements involved a network of brain activations including the primary motor cortex, premotor cortex, precuneus, and right inferior frontal gyrus. Conscious and voluntary movements of the alien hand elicited a similar network of brain responses but lacked an activation of the inferior frontal gyrus. The results demonstrate that alien and unwanted movements may engage similar brain networks than voluntary movements, but also imply different functional contributions of prefrontal areas. Since the inferior frontal gyrus was uniquely activated during alien movements, the results provide further support for a specific role of this brain region in inhibitory control over involuntary motor responses. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We discuss the outcome of this study as providing evidence for a distributed neural network associated with unwanted movements in alien hand syndrome, including brain regions known to be related to movement execution and planning as well as areas that have been linked to inhibition control (inferior frontal gyrus) and experience of agency (precuneus)

A Case of Right Alien Hand Syndrome Coexisting with Right-Sided Tactile Extinction

The alien hand syndrome (AHS) is a fascinating movement disorder. Patients with AHS experience one of their limbs as alien, which acts autonomously and performs meaningful movements without being guided by the intention of the patient. Here, we report a case of a 74-years old lady diagnosed with an atypical Parkinson syndrome by possible corticobasal degeneration. The patient stated that she could not control her right hand and that she felt like this hand had her own life. We tested the patient for ownership illusions of the hands and general tactile processing. Results revealed that when blindfolded, the patient recognized touch to her alien hand only if it was presented separated from touch to the other hand (bilateral asynchronous touch). Delivering touch synchronously to both the alien and the healthy hand resulted in failure of recognizing touch to the alien hand (bilateral synchronous touch). Thus, AHS here co-existed with right-sided tactile extinction and is one of only very few cases in which the alien hand was felt on the right side. We discuss the results in the light of recent research on AHS

The hepatitis B virus PRE contains a splicing regulatory element

The posttranscriptional regulatory element (PRE) is considered to enhance hepatitis B virus (HBV) gene expression by facilitating the nuclear export of intronless viral subgenomic RNAs. Its role in the RNA metabolism of the viral pregenomic RNA (pgRNA) is currently unknown. We identified a positively cis-acting splicing regulatory element (SRE-1) and present two lines of evidence for its functionality. Firstly, in a heterologous context SRE-1 functionally substitutes for a retroviral bidirectional exonic splicing enhancer (ESE). As expected, SRE-1 is a splicing enhancer also in its natural viral sequence context, since deletion of SRE-1 reduces splicing of pgRNA in cell culture experiments. Secondly, we show that stimulation of HBV RNA splicing by the splicing factor PSF was repressed by the PRE. Analysis of a variety of PSF mutants indicated that RNA-binding and protein–protein interaction were required to enhance splicing. In addition, we show that the PRE contributed to pgRNA stability, but has little influence on its nuclear export. Herein, we report for the first time that the PRE harbors splicing stimulating and inhibiting regulatory elements controlling processing of the viral pregenome. We discuss a model in which the regulation of pgRNA splicing depends on cellular factors interacting with the PRE

The effects of nonsuicidal self-injury on parenting behaviors: A longitudinal analyses of the perspective of the parent

Background: The present study is the first to examine predictors and consequences of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) in adolescence using parent-reported data in a longitudinal design. Across three time points, we examined the reciprocal effects of parent-reported parenting behaviors as they are related to adolescents' NSSI. Methods: The present study is a three-wave prospective study in a large sample of community adolescents and their parents. At time 1 (age 12), the sample consisted of 1396 adolescent reports and 1438 parent reports. Time 2 (age 13) included 827 adolescent and 936 parent reports. At time 3 (age 14), 754 adolescent and 790 parent reports were obtained. Engagement in NSSI (adolescent report) was determined by an affirmative response to the item 'Have you intentionally injured yourself (e.g., cut, burn, scratch) this year, without the intent to die?'. Parental awareness of NSSI at age 13 and 14 was examined using a single-item screening question. Parenting behaviors were examined by the parent versions of the Parental Behavior Scale. Results: Results showed that although NSSI was reported by 10 % of the adolescents, only 3 % of the parents were aware of the NSSI behaviors of their children. Cross-lagged analyses showed a reciprocal relationship between NSSI and parenting behaviors over time. We found a significant effect of both positive parenting and controlling parenting on the presence of NSSI at time 2. But vice versa NSSI also has an effect on parenting behaviors over time. Results showed that NSSI at time 1 has an impact on controlling parenting behaviors, namely punishment at time 2. NSSI at time 2 showed an impact on parent's perception of positive parenting, parental rule setting, punishment and harsh punishment. Conclusions: The present study examined predictors and consequences of NSSI in a longitudinal design, and emphasized the importance of examining reciprocal interactions between NSSI and parenting behaviors. Furthermore, it is the first study to examine parent-reported data in a longitudinal design and gives insight into parents' perspectives

Überzeugungen und Selbstwirksamkeitserwartungen im Umgang mit kultureller Diversität in ihrem Zusammenspiel mit sprachpädagogischen Förderstrategien

Die vorliegende Studie untersucht die Überzeugungen und die Selbstwirksamkeitserwartungen in Bezug auf kulturelle Diversität von frühpädagogischen Fachkräften. Es wurde (1) untersucht, inwieweit multikulturelle Überzeugungen und diversitätsspezifische Selbstwirksamkeitserwartungen miteinander in Beziehung stehen und sich im zeitlichen Verlauf verändern, und (2) in welchem Zusammenhang die beiden Konstrukte mit der wahrgenommenen Wichtigkeit verschiedener sprachpädagogischer Förderstrategien in Kindertageseinrichtungen stehen. Dazu wurden in einer Längsschnittstudie 251 frühpädagogische Fachkräfte mit spezieller sprachpädagogischer Qualifikation zu zwei Messzeitpunkten befragt. Die Ergebnisse des Strukturgleichungsmodells zeigten, dass multikulturelle Überzeugungen und diversitätsspezifische Selbstwirksamkeitserwartungen in Zusammenhang stehende, aber eigenständige Konstrukte sind, die auf unterschiedliche Weise mit der eingeschätzten Wichtigkeit alltagsintegrierter und additiver Sprachförderansätze in kulturell diversen Gruppen assoziiert sind. So konnte für die multikulturellen Überzeugungen – im Vergleich zu den diversitätsspezifischen Selbstwirksamkeitserwartungen – ein signifikanter Zusammenhang zu der intendierten alltagsintegrierten sprachlichen Förderung festgestellt werden. Die Ergebnisse werden abschließend vor dem Hintergrund ihrer Relevanz für zukünftige Forschung und die Ausbildung frühpädagogischer Fachkräfte diskutiert

Comparison of diagnostic value of 68 Ga-DOTATOC PET/MRI and standalone MRI for the detection of intracranial meningiomas

To evaluate the diagnostic performance of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) alone in comparison to positron emission tomography/ magnetic resonance imaging (PET/MRI) in patients with meningiomas. 57 patients with a total of 112 meningiomas of the brain were included. PET/MRI, including a fully diagnostic contrast enhanced MRI and PET, were acquired. PET/MRI was used as reference standard. The size and location of meningiomas was recorded. Likelihood-ratio chi-square tests were used to calculate p-values within logistic regression in order to compare different models. A multi-level logistic regression was applied to comply the hierarchical data structure. Multi-level regression adjusts for clustering in data was performed. The majority (n=103) of meningiomas could be identified based on standard MRI sequences compared to PET/MRI. MRI alone achieved a sensitivity of 95% (95% CI 0.78, 0.99) and specificity of 88% (95% CI 0.58, 0.98). Based on intensity of contrast medium uptake, 97 meningiomas could be diagnosed with intense uptake (93.75%). Sensitivity was lowest with 74% for meningiomas2cm(3) and highest with 100% for meningiomas 0.5-1.0 cm(3). Petroclival meningiomas showed lowest sensitivity with 88% compared to sphenoidal meningiomas with 94% and orbital meningiomas with 100%. Specificity of meningioma diagnostic with MRI was high with 100% for sphenoidal and hemispherical-dural meningiomas and meningiomas with 0.5-1.0 and 1.0-2.0 cm(3). Overall MRI enables reliable detection of meningiomas compared to PET/MRI. PET/MRI imaging offers highest sensitivity and specificity for small or difficult located meningiomas

Counteracting incentive sensitization in severe alcohol dependence using deep brain stimulation of the nucleus accumbens: clinical and basic science aspects

The ventral striatum / nucleus accumbens has been implicated in the craving for drugs and alcohol which is a major reason for relapse of addicted people. Craving might be induced by drug-related cues. This suggests that disruption of craving-related neural activity in the nucleus accumbens may significantly reduce craving in alcohol-dependent patients. Here we report on preliminary clinical and neurophysiological evidence in three male patients who were treated with high frequency deep brain stimulation of the nucleus accumbens bilaterally. All three had been alcohol dependent for many years, unable to abstain from drinking, and had experienced repeated relapses prior to the stimulation. After the operation, craving was greatly reduced and all three patients were able to abstain from drinking for extended periods of time. Immediately after the operation but prior to connection of the stimulation electrodes to the stimulator, local field potentials were obtained from the externalized cables in two patients while they performed cognitive tasks addressing action monitoring and incentive salience of drug related cues. LFPs in the action monitoring task provided further evidence for a role of the nucleus accumbens in goal-directed behaviors. Importantly, alcohol related cue stimuli in the incentive salience task modulated LFPs even though these cues were presented outside of the attentional focus. This implies that cue-related craving involves the nucleus accumbens and is highly automatic