Why we interact : on the functional role of the striatum in the subjective experience of social interaction

Acknowledgments We thank Neil Macrae and Axel Cleeremans for comments on earlier versions of this manuscript. Furthermore, we are grateful to Dorothé Krug and Barbara Elghahwagi for their assistance in data acquisition. This study was supported by a grant of the Köln Fortune Program of the Medical Faculty at the University of Cologne to L.S. and by a grant “Other Minds” of the German Ministry of Research and Education to K.V.Peer reviewedPreprin

Unconventional spin density wave in Bechgaard salt (TMTSF)2NO3

Among many Bechgaard salts, TMTSF2NO3 exhibits very anomalous low temperature properties. Unlike conventional spin density wave (SDW), TMTSF2NO3 undergoes the SDW transition at \T_SDW\approx 9.5 K and the low temperature quasiparticle excitations are gapless. Also, it is known that TMTSF2NO3 does not exhibit superconductivity even under pressure, while FISDW is found in TMTSF2NO3 only for P=8.5 kbar and B>20 T. Here we shall show that both the angle dependent magnetoresistance data and the nonlinear Hall resistance of TMTSF2NO3 at ambient pressure are interpreted satisfactory in terms of unconventional spin density wave (USDW). Based on these facts, we propose a new phase diagram for Bechgaards salts.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figs, RevTe

New method for determination of temperature in spallation reactions

We propose a new method for determination of temperature in spallation events. It is shown that temperature can be determined by applying the friction model of energy dissipation in participant-spectator model of a spallation process. First order estimate of temperature dependence of the participant zone on reaction Q-value is obtained from the Fermi gas model considerations. The heat diffusion process is also discussed

Lexical abilities in children with specific language impairment

Дефицити синтаксичких и фонолошких способности представљају доминантне симптоме специфичног језичког поремећаја (СЈП). Међутим, ова деца испољавају и значајне лексичке дефиците који се манифестују тешкоћама у учењу, разумевању, као и у употреби речи. У погледу дефицита лексичко-семантичких способности, код деце са СЈП можемо издвојити тешкоће у усвајању речи, смањен вокабулар, тешкоће у именовању, дефицити у лексичко-семантичком процесирању и тешкоће у употреби речи у спонтаном говору. Основни циљ овог истраживања је био да се утврде лексичке способности, као и образац и природа лексичког развоја деце са специфичним језичким поремећајем на предшколском и раном школском узрасту (5-8 год.). Поред тога, циљ истраживања је био и да се утврди утицај присуства ризико фактора неуролошке дисфункције на развој лексичких способности код деце са специфичним језичким поремећајем. Истраживање је спроведено на узорку од 115 деце, узраста од пет до осам година. Експерименталну групу је чинило 60 испитаника код којих је дијагностикован специфични поремећај у развоју говора и језика експресивног типа, док је контролну групу чинило 55 деце типичног језичког развоја. Експериментална група је подељена на две подгрупе: 30 деце са СЈП без присуства ризико фактора неуролошке дисфункције и 30 деце са СЈП и присутним неким од фактора неуролошке дисфункције. Лексичке способности процењиване су мултидимензионално, укључујући процену изолованог именовања, лексичког процесирања и употребе речи у спонтаном говору. За потребе наведене процене коришћени су: Бостонски тест именовања, за потребе овог истраживања конструисан Тест глагола, Тест слободних асоцијација речи и анализа лексичке разноврсности у узорку спонтаног говора добијеног причањем приче „Пепељуга“. Сумирањем резултата и постигнућа деце са СЈП и деце типичног развоја закључено је да деца са СЈП имају значајно лошија постигнућа на плану изолованог именовања (именица и глагола), лексичког процесирања, као и на плану употребе свих врста речи у спонтаном говору, у поређењу са њиховим вршњацима типичног развоја. Поред тога, закључено је да деца са СЈП и присутним неким од ризико фактора неуролошке дисфункције имају значајно лошија постигнућа на плану лексичког процесирања и употребе речи у спонтаном говору, као и да значајно лошије напредују у оквиру способности изолованог именовања, у поређењу са децом са СЈП без присутног неког од фактора неуролошке дисфункције. Додатно, закључено је да способности именовања активности представља значајан предиктор употребе речи у спонтаном говору код деце са СЈП. Добијени резултати указују на потребу осавремењивања тестова у процени лексичких способности код деце са СЈП, увођења нових тестова за детаљнију процену квалитативног и квантитативног аспекта лексичког дефицита, као и на потребу иновација у логопедској рехабилитацији којима би се додатно стимулисао развој лексичких способности код ове деце.Deficits of syntactic and phonological abilities are dominant symptoms of specific language impairment (SLI). However, these children have significant lexical deficits which are manifested as difficulties in learning, understanding, as well as in using words. In terms of lexical and semantic abilities the most dominant are difficulties in learning words, reduced vocabulary, difficulties in naming and in lexical-semantic processing, as well as in using words in spontaneous speech. The main objective of this study was evaluation of lexical abilities, as well as determination of the form and nature of lexical development in children with specific language impairment at preschool and early school age (5-8 yr.). Additionally, the aim of the research was also to determine the effect of neurological dysfunction risk factors on development of lexical abilities in children with specific language impairment. Sample consisted of 115 children between five and eight years of age. The experimental group consisted of 60 children with diagnosis of specific language impairment (expressive type), while the control group consisted of 55 typically developing children. The experimental group was divided into two subgroups, 30 children with SLI without risk factors of neurological dysfunction and 30 children with SLI with risk factors of neurological dysfunction. All aspects of lexical abilities were assessed, including the assessment of confrontation naming, lexical-semantic processing, as well as ability of using words in spontaneous speech. For the purposes of this assessment, the following tests were used: Boston Naming Test, test for naming verbs which was designed for the purpose of this study, Free Word Association Test and analysis of lexical diversity which was assessed in sample of spontaneous speech obtained through retelling of the "Cinderella" story. Summarizing the results of this study it was concluded that children with SLI have significantly poorer achievements in a term of confrontation naming (nouns and verbs), lexical-semantic processing, as well as in a term of using all type of words (open and closed class words) in spontaneous speech, compared to their typically developing peers. Additionally, it was concluded that SLI children with risk factors of neurological dysfunction have significantly poorer achievements in the field of lexical-semantic processing, as well in using of words in spontaneous speech. Also, development of confrontation naming ability in SLI children with risk factors is significantly slower comparing to children with SLI without factors of neurological dysfunction. Also, it was concluded that the score on naming verbs is a significant predictor of lexical and semantic diversity in the spontaneous speech of children with SLI. The obtained results of this study indicate a need for modernization of tests for lexical assessment in children with SLI, usage of new tests for a more detailed assessment of qualitative and quantitative aspect of lexical deficit in children with SLI, as well as the need for innovations in speech and language rehabilitation in order for more specific stimulation of lexical development in these children

Galectin-3 in experimental model of acute colitis

Galektin 3 (engl. Galectin-3, Gal-3) je lektin koji ima važnu ulogu u inflamaciji i malignim bolestima, ali je njegov značaj u patogenezi ulceroznog kolitisa nepoznat. U ovom istraživanju ispitivan je uticaj delecije gena za Gal-3 i farmakološke inhibicije Gal-3 na patogenezu akutnog kolitisa izazvanog dekstran natrijum sulfatom (engl. Dextran sulphate sodium, DSS). U istraživanju su korišćeni C57BL/6 wild type (WT) i knockout miševi (Gal-3-/- na C57BL/6 podlozi). Akutni kolitis je izazvan sedmodnevnom primenom 3% vodenog rastvora DSS-a (molekulska težina 40kDa, per os). Davanat (100μg), antagonist Gal-3 je davan WT miševima intraperitonealno svakog drugog dana. Analiziran je klinički tok bolesti, patohistološke promene, određivana je koncentracija citokina u serumima i izolatima tkiva kolona kao i fenotip inflamacijskih ćelija u tkivu kolona. Delecija gena za Gal-3 kao i primena Davanat-a je značajno smanjila oštećenje kolona DSS-tretiranih životinja. U poređenju sa WT miševima, u tkivu kolona DSS-tretiranih Gal-3-/- životinja bila je niža koncentracija inflamacijskih citokina (IL-1β, TNF-α i IL-6) uz manje prisustvo inflamacijskih ćelija. Broj F4/80+CD11b+ makrofaga koji produkuju IL-1β i IL-6 kao i broj F4/80+CD11b+SinglecF- colonic makrofaga, CD11c+ inflamacijskih dendritskih ćelija koje eksprimiraju CD80 i I-A i produkuju inflamacijske citokine (TNF-α i IL-6), CD45+CD11c-Ly6G+ neutrofila koji produkuju TNF-α i IL-1β je bio značajno manji u tkivu kolona DSS-tretiranih Gal-3-/- miševa. Uz to, broj alternativno aktiviranih F4/80+CD206+ makrofaga i CD11c+CD8+ dendritskih ćelija koje produkuju IL-10 je bio značajno veći u tkivu kolona DSS-tretiranih Gal-3-/- životinja. In vitro lipopolisaharidom i DSS-om aktivisani makrofagi, izolovani iz peritoneuma zdravih Gal-3-/- miševa, produkovali su značajno manje TNF-α i IL-1β u poređenju sa WT makrofagima. Adoptivni transfer peritonealnih makrofaga izolovanih iz zdravih WT životinja značajno je pogoršao oštećenje kolona DSS-tretiranih Gal-3-/- miševa. Najvažniji zaključak ove disertacije je da Gal-3 ima proinflamacijsku ulogu u patogenezi akutnog kolitisa, jer aktivacijom inflamazoma u makrofagima uzrokuje snažan inflamacijski odgovor, migraciju i aktivaciju makrofaga, neutrofila i dendritskih ćelija.Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is an endogenous lectin with a broad spectrum of immunoregulatory effects: it plays an important role in autoimmune/inflammatory and malignant diseases, but the precise role of Gal-3 in pathogenesis of ulcerative colitis is still unknown. We used a model of Dextran Sulphate Sodium (DSS)-induced colitis, that has a high degree of uniformity and reproducibility to human colitis, to test susceptibility of wild-type C57BL/6 and Gal-3-deficient mice (Gal-3-/-) to this disease. DSS (3%, molecular weight 40kDa) was dissolved in water and given to C57Bl/6 and Gal-3-/- mice in place of normal drinking water (ad libitum) for 7 days. Disease Activity Index (DAI: weight loss, stool consistency, visible blood in feces), was used to assess the clinical signs of colitis. The cellular make up of colon and phenotype of colon-infiltrated immune cells were determined by flow cytometry. Genetic deletion of Gal-3 significantly reduces the damage of colon tissue of DSS-treated mice. Level of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, TNF-α и IL-6) was significantly lower in sera and colons of DSS-treated Gal-3-/- mice when compared to WT DSS-treated mice. The total number of CD11c+ inflammatory dendritic cells (DC) which expressed CD80 and I-A and produce pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-6) as well as TNF-α and IL-1β producing CD45+CD11c-Ly6G+ neutrophils were significantly lower in colons of Gal-3-/- DSS-treated mice. In addition, the total number of inflammatory colonic (F4/80+CD11b+SiglecF-, F4/80+CD11b+I-A+, IL-1, IL-6 and IL-12 producing) macrophages were significantly lower in Gal-3-/- mice compared with WT DSS-treated mice. On contrary, there was significantly higher number of IL-10 producing regulatory DCs and alternatively activated M2 macrophages in colon tissue of Gal3-/- DSS-treated mice. In vitro lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and DSS-stimulated peritoneal macrophages isolated from untreated Gal-3-/- mice produce lower amounts of TNF-α and IL-1β when compared to WT cells. Adoptive transfer of WT macrophages managed to significantly enhance the severity of DSS-induced colitis of Gal-3-/- mice. Gal-3 expression promotes acute DSS-induced colitis and plays an important pro-inflammatory role in the induction phase of colitis by promoting the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome and production of IL-1β in macrophages

Electroclinical characteristics of MRI negative focal epilepsy: A video-EEG study

Background/Aim. Epileptogenic lesions carry intrinsic epileptogenicity or epileptogenic potential in their close vicinity. One third of patients with focal epilepsy have no epileptogenic lesions magnetic resonance imaging [MRI(-)]. The aim of this study was to determine the epileptogenic zone investigating electrical and clinical properties of MRI-patients. Methods. In 180 patients with focal epilepsy we analyzed 1,712 seizures for interictal and ictal electroencephalography (EEG) and seizure semiology. If multiple seizures occurred we took the best seen on video as an example, with secondary generalized tonic-clonic seizures (GTCS) if it occurred. Brain MRI was focused to investigate the zone of ictal EEG onset. Electroclinical properties of the MRI-patients were compared to lesion positive patients [MRI(+)]. Results. A single epileptogenic lesion was identified in 68.89% [hippocampal sclerosis (HS) in 58, focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) in 28 and other pathologies in 38 patients]. MRI(-) patients had significantly less interictal epileptiform abnormalities, and presented more often (p lt 0.001) with secondary GTCS as the only seizure. Eye opening, hypermotor seizure, bilateral asymmetric clonic seizure, vocalization, and contralateral body turning occurred more frequently in the MRI-group compared to the MRI+ one. MRI-patients share some semiological features with FCD as opposed to HS patients. Conclusion. MRIepilepsy patients frequently present with electroclinical features seen in frontal lobe epilepsy or in epilepsy associated with FCD

Moving beyond organic – A food system approach to assessing sustainable and resilient farming

Organic farming aims to minimize negative impacts on the local environment, but its contributions to global food sustainability also depend on a resilient food supply. We studied a farm aiming to move beyond organic and become “a sustainable farm of the future”, in the farmer’s own words. This meant going beyond local impacts to consider how the farm could contribute to global food security by transitioning to production of more crops for direct human consumption. Over a five-year period (2015–2019), the farm improved on the food security and resilience indicators included in the assessment (e.g., number of persons fed per hectare, diversity of products, and connections), while producing food at greenhouse gas intensity similar to regional averages. This approach of including global food security aspects along with environmental efficiency and resilience in farm-level sustainability assessments provides a way for farmers to engage as globally responsible biosphere stewards

Biosynthesis of xanthan gum on wastewater from confectionary industry

Xanthan gum is one of the major commercial biopolymers employed in many industrial processes owing to its unique physical properties such as a high degree of pseudoplasticity and high viscosity even at low concentrations. Commercially available xanthan gum is relatively expensive due to glucose or sucrose being used as the sole carbon source for its production and cost reduction could be achieved by using less expensive substrates, such as food industrial wastewaters. Effluents from the confectionery industry, because of its high organic content, are significant environmental pollutants and before their release into environment it is necessary to purify them. The present study examines xanthan production by Xanthomonas campestris under aerobic conditions on wastewaters from five different factories of the confectionery industry. Xanthan yield was obtained as a quantitative characteristic of the process and was in the range between 4.28 g/L and 10.03 g/L and its quality is determined by following rheological characteristics of obtained cultivation media. The results obtained in this study indicate that wastewater from confectionary industry can be used as the basis of media for the production of this highly valuable product

Sex steroid hormones status influence on antidepressant pharmacotherapy effect in male and female patients

Depression causes immense burden on health care systems worldwide with two time s higher prevalence in women. However, both male and female patients are treated with antidepressants under same protocols. As it was demonstrated that estrogen has a prodepressant and testosterone an antidepressant affect, it is reasonable to assume that pharmacotherapeutic effect might depend also on sex hormones status. The aim of this pilot study was to explore hormonal status of female and male patients upon hospitalization on occurrence of depressive episode and to correlate it with pharmacotherapy effect after four weeks of therapy. Subjects were 42 patients, 14 males, 14 females in the first (follicular) phase of menstrual cycle and 14 females in the second (luteal) phase of menstrual cycle upon hospitalization. The Hamilton scale was used to determine degree of depressive state upon hospitalization an after 28 days. At both time points, blood was sampled and level of testosterone and estrogen for male and estrogen, progesterone and testosterone for female patients was analysed. Results of the study showed that antidepressant effect calculated as a difference in Hamilton scale was highest in male group of patients and significantly higher than in women in the second phase of the cycle (10.4 vs 8.1). This correlated with increase of testosterone in male patients during four weeks treatment (12.08 vs. 9.46), while there was no significant change in the level of testosterone in both female groups of patients. Furthermore, in female patients in the luteal phase of the cycle, with lowest response to antidepressants, both estrogen and progesterone were significantly reduced during four weeks of treatment. In conclusion, results of our pilot study suggest sex differences in response to antidepressant therapy and level of hormonal status should be evaluated for better personalized pharmacotherapy.The Biochemistry Global Summit, 25th IUBMB Congress, 46th FEBS Congress, 15th PABMB Congress, July 9–14, 2022, Lisbon, Portuga

Unconventional charge density wave in the organic conductor alpha-(BEDT-TTF)_2KHg(SCN)_4

The low temperature phase (LTP) of alpha-(BEDT-TTF)_2KHg(SCN)_4 salt is known for its surprising angular dependent magnetoresistance (ADMR), which has been studied intensively in the last decade. However, the nature of the LTP has not been understood until now. Here we analyse theoretically ADMR in unconventional (or nodal) charge density wave (UCDW). In magnetic field the quasiparticle spectrum in UCDW is quantized, which gives rise to spectacular ADMR. The present model accounts for many striking features of ADMR data in alpha-(BEDT-TTF)_2KHg(SCN)_4.Comment: 5 pages, 6 figure