Time course of information processing in visual and haptic object classification

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A psychophysiology practical as part of the medical psychology course

Die Vermittlung der Zusammenhänge zwischen psychologischen Funktionen und körperlichen Veränderungen sowie deren Relevanz für die Entstehung und Aufrechterhaltung von Krankheiten stellt ein zentrales Ziel der Ausbildung in Medizinischer Psychologie dar. Zur Veranschaulichung dieser Zusammenhänge führten wir ein Psychophysiologie-Praktikum im ersten vorklinischen Semester ein. Die Studierenden führten in Vierergruppen mit Hilfe ausführlicher schriftlicher Instruktionen jeweils ca. 30 Minuten andauernde praktische Übungen durch, die die folgenden Themen behandelten: (1) Stress (abhängige Variable: Herzrate), (2) "Lügendetektor" (abhängige Variable: Hautleitwertsreaktionen), (3) Biofeedback (abhängige Variable: Hauttemperatur) und (4) Elektroenzephalogramm (abhängige Variable: Amplituden der vier klassischen Frequenzbänder). Die praktischen Übungen wurden durch theoretische Gruppenarbeiten und einen Termin zur Zusammenfassung der Ergebnisse der Übungen ergänzt. Die studentische Evaluation des Praktikums war durchweg positiv. So wurde das Praktikum als Bereicherung des Kurses angesehen, und der selbstbeurteilte Kenntnisstand auf dem Gebiet der Psychophysiologie zeigte eine signifikante Verbesserung. Diese Ergebnisse sowie unsere Eindrücke während des Praktikums bekräftigten unseren Entschluss, ein Psychophysiologie-Praktikum als Teil des Kurses der Medizinischen Psychologie und Medizinischen Soziologie fest zu etablieren.Teaching in medical psychology aims at establishing an understanding of the relationships between psychological functions and bodily reactions and of the relevance of these interactions for the development and maintenance of diseases. To illustrate these relationships, a psychophysiology practical was introduced in the first semester. Students performed practical 30-minute exercises in groups of four on the basis of comprehensive written instructions. The following topics were covered: (1) stress (dependent variable: heart rate), (2) "lie detection" (dependent variable: skin conductance response), (3) biofeedback (dependent variable: skin temperature), and (4) electroencephalogram (dependent variable: amplitude in the four classical frequency bands). The practical exercises were complemented by theoretical group work and a summary of the results of the exercises. Students evaluated the practical positively. It was considered a benefit to the course, and the self-rated knowledge in the area of psychophysiology increased significantly. These results, as well as our experiences during the practical, have reinforced our decision to establish a psychophysiology practical as part of the medical psychology/medical sociology course

Vom neuronalen Einzelfahrschein zur kortikalen Netzkarte : audio-visuelle Objekterkennung in der Großhirnrinde

Die Wahrnehmung von Objekten gelingt uns jeden Tag unzählige Male – zumeist rasend schnell und problemlos. Obwohl fast immer mehrere unserer Sinne gleichzeitig bei ihrer Wahrnehmung angesprochen werden, erscheinen uns diese Objekte dennoch als ganzheitlich und geschlossen. Für die neuronale Verarbeitung eines bellenden Hundes zum Beispiel empfängt die Großhirnrinde zumindest Eingangsdaten des Seh- und des Hörsystems. Sie werden auf getrennten Pfaden und in spezialisierten Arealen mit aufsteigender Komplexität analysiert. Dieses Funktionsprinzip der parallel verteilten Verarbeitung stellt die Wissenschaftler aber auch vor das so genannte »Bindungsproblem«: Wo und wie werden die Details wieder zu einem Ganzen – zu einer neuronalen Repräsentation – zusammengefügt? Am Institut für medizinische Psychologie der Universitätsklinik Frankfurt untersuchen Neurokognitionsforscher die crossmodale Objekterkennung mit einer Kombination modernster Verfahren der Hirnforschung und kommen dabei den Ver - arbeitungspfaden in der Großhirnrinde auf die Spur

Interference between items stored for distinct tasks in visual working memory

The action perspective on working memory suggests that memory representations are coded according to their specific temporal and behavioral task demands. This stands in contrast to theories that assume representations are stored in a task-agnostic format within a “common workspace”. Here, we tested whether visual items that are memorized for different tasks are stored separately from one another or show evidence of inter-item interference during concurrent maintenance, indicating a common storage. In two experiments, we combined a framing memory task (memorize a motion direction for continuous direction report) with an embedded memory task (memorize a motion direction for a binary direction discrimination) that was placed within the retention period of the framing task. Even though the temporal and action demands were item specific, we observed two types of interference effects between the items: The embedded motion direction was (1) repulsed away and (2) degraded in precision by the motion direction of the item in the framing task. Repulsion and precision degradation increased with item similarity when both items were concurrently held in working memory. In contrast, perceptual and iconic memory control conditions revealed weaker repulsion overall and no interference effect on precision during the stimulus processing stages prior to working memory consolidation. Thus, additional inter-item interference arose uniquely within working memory. Together, our results present evidence that items that are stored for distinct tasks to be performed at distinct points in time, reside in a common workspace in working memory

Die europäische Integration und die Kirchen, Teil 2

Das Institut für Europäische Geschichte Mainz und die Johannes Gutenberg-Universität veranstalteten im akademischen Jahr 2010/2011 im Rahmen des Studienprogramms des gemeinsamen Graduiertenkollegs »Die christlichen Kirchen vor der Herausforderung ›Europa‹ (1890 bis zur Gegenwart)« eine Vorlesungsreihe, die unter dem Titel »Die Kirchen in Europa: Denker und Querdenker«. Die Vorträge gingen der Frage nach, wie sich kirchennahe Organisationen und ihre Entscheidungsträger zum Gedanken einer Einigung Europas positionierten und sich dem Prozess der europäischen Integration stellten. Der Fokus der Reihe richtete sich – als Pendant zu der ersten Ringvorlesung, die 2009–2010 stattfand und in einem Band »Die europäische Integration und die Kirchen. Akteure und Rezipienten« dokumentiert wurde – auf Persönlichkeiten und Gruppierungen, die in die Öffentlichkeit hineinwirkten und deren Meinungsbildung mitgestalteten. Der Band versammelt acht Beiträge von Kirchenhistorikern, Historikern und Politikwissenschaftlern. Die Beiträge decken einen langen Zeitraum ab und beleuchten in Fallbeispielen oder überblicksartig die Zeit vom ausgehenden 19. Jahrhundert bis an die Schwelle der Gegenwart. Trotz eines gewissen Schwerpunkts im deutschsprachigen Raum wird der Blick auch nach Estland und Italien gelenkt. In Betracht kommen Gruppen, wie politische Parteien; Konfessionskirchen, wie z. B. das Luthertum, und Institutionen, wie der Heilige Stuhl. Vorgestellt werden aber auch und vor allem Einzelpersonen und deren Haltung, wobei auch hier das Spektrum sehr weit ist und von der »Prominenz« bis hin zu weniger bekannten »Einzelgängern« reicht

Drug-coated balloons for small coronary artery disease in patients with chronic kidney disease: a pre-specified analysis of the BASKET-SMALL 2 trial

Background Data on the safety and efcacy of drug-coated balloon (DCB) compared to drug-eluting stent (DES) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are scarce, particularly at long term. This pre-specifed analysis aimed to investigate the 3-year efcacy and safety of DCB versus DES for small coronary artery disease (<3 mm) according to renal function at baseline. Methods BASKET-SMALL-2 was a large multi-center, randomized, controlled trial that tested the efcacy and safety of DCBs (n=382) against DESs (n=376) in small vessel disease. CKD was defned as eGFR<60 ml/min/1.73m2 . The primary endpoint was the composite of cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and target vessel revascularization (MACE) during 3 years. Results A total of 174/758 (23%) patients had CKD, out of which 91 were randomized to DCB and 83 to DES implantation. The primary efcacy outcome during 3 years was similar in both, DCB and DES patients (HR 0.98; 95%-CI 0.67–1.44; p=0.937) and patients with and without CKD (HR 1.18; 95%-CI 0.76–1.83; p=0.462), respectively. Rates of cardiac death and all-cause death were signifcantly higher among patients with CKD but not afected by treatment with DCB or DES. Major bleeding events were lower in the DCB when compared to the DES group (12 vs. 3, HR 0.26; 95%-CI 0.07–0.92; p=0.037) and not infuenced by presence of CKD. Conclusions The long-term efcacy and safety of DCB was similar in patients with and without CKD. The use of DCB was associated with signifcantly fewer major bleeding events (NCT 01574534)

Impact of Insulin-Treated Compared to Non-Insulin-Treated Diabetes Mellitus on Outcome of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention with Drug-Coated Balloons versus Drug-Eluting Stents in De Novo Coronary Artery Disease: The Randomized BASKET-SMALL 2 Trial

Background: We evaluated the outcome of PCI of de novo stenosis with drug-coated balloons (DCB) versus drug-eluting stents (DES) in patients with insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (ITDM) versus non-insulin-treated diabetes mellitus (NITDM). Methods: Patients were randomized in the BASKET-SMALL 2 trial to DCB or DES and followed over 3 years for MACE (cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction [MI], and target vessel revascularization [TVR]). Outcome in the diabetic subgroup (n = 252) was analyzed with respect to ITDM or NITDM. Results: In NITDM patients (n = 157), rates of MACE (16.7% vs. 21.9%, hazard ratio [HR] 0.68, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.29–1.58, p = 0.37), death, non-fatal MI, and TVR (8.4% vs. 14.5%, HR 0.30, 95% CI 0.09–1.03, p = 0.057) were similar between DCB and DES. In ITDM patients (n = 95), rates of MACE (DCB 23.4% vs. DES 22.7%, HR 1.12, 95% CI 0.46–2.74, p = 0.81), death, non-fatal MI, and TVR (10.1% vs. 15.7%, HR 0.64, 95% CI 0.18–2.27, p = 0.49) were similar between DCB and DES. TVR was significantly lower with DCB versus DES in all diabetic patients (HR 0.41, 95% CI 0.18–0.95, p = 0.038). Conclusions: DCB compared to DES for treatment of de novo coronary lesions in diabetic patients was associated with similar rates of MACE and numerically lower need for TVR both for ITDM and NITDM patients

Drug-coated balloons for small coronary artery disease (BASKET-SMALL 2): an open-label randomised non-inferiority trial

Drug-coated balloons (DCB) are a novel therapeutic strategy for small native coronary artery disease. However, their safety and efficacy is poorly defined in comparison with drug-eluting stents (DES).; BASKET-SMALL 2 was a multicentre, open-label, randomised non-inferiority trial. 758 patients with de-novo lesions (&lt;3 mm in diameter) in coronary vessels and an indication for percutaneous coronary intervention were randomly allocated (1:1) to receive angioplasty with DCB versus implantation of a second-generation DES after successful predilatation via an interactive internet-based response system. Dual antiplatelet therapy was given according to current guidelines. The primary objective was to show non-inferiority of DCB versus DES regarding major adverse cardiac events (MACE; ie, cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and target-vessel revascularisation) after 12 months. The non-inferiority margin was an absolute difference of 4% in MACE. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01574534.; Between April 10, 2012, and February 1, 2017, 382 patients were randomly assigned to the DCB group and 376 to DES group. Non-inferiority of DCB versus DES was shown because the 95% CI of the absolute difference in MACE in the per-protocol population was below the predefined margin (-3·83 to 3·93%, p=0·0217). After 12 months, the proportions of MACE were similar in both groups of the full-analysis population (MACE was 7·5% for the DCB group vs 7·3% for the DES group; hazard ratio [HR] 0·97 [95% CI 0·58-1·64], p=0·9180). There were five (1·3%) cardiac-related deaths in the DES group and 12 (3·1%) in the DCB group (full analysis population). Probable or definite stent thrombosis (three [0·8%] in the DCB group vs four [1·1%] in the DES group; HR 0·73 [0·16-3·26]) and major bleeding (four [1·1%] in the DCB group vs nine [2·4%] in the DES group; HR 0·45 [0·14-1·46]) were the most common adverse events.; In small native coronary artery disease, DCB was non-inferior to DES regarding MACE up to 12 months, with similar event rates for both treatment groups.; Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung, Basel Cardiovascular Research Foundation, and B Braun Medical AG

Molecular mechanisms of cell death: recommendations of the Nomenclature Committee on Cell Death 2018.

Over the past decade, the Nomenclature Committee on Cell Death (NCCD) has formulated guidelines for the definition and interpretation of cell death from morphological, biochemical, and functional perspectives. Since the field continues to expand and novel mechanisms that orchestrate multiple cell death pathways are unveiled, we propose an updated classification of cell death subroutines focusing on mechanistic and essential (as opposed to correlative and dispensable) aspects of the process. As we provide molecularly oriented definitions of terms including intrinsic apoptosis, extrinsic apoptosis, mitochondrial permeability transition (MPT)-driven necrosis, necroptosis, ferroptosis, pyroptosis, parthanatos, entotic cell death, NETotic cell death, lysosome-dependent cell death, autophagy-dependent cell death, immunogenic cell death, cellular senescence, and mitotic catastrophe, we discuss the utility of neologisms that refer to highly specialized instances of these processes. The mission of the NCCD is to provide a widely accepted nomenclature on cell death in support of the continued development of the field