Color Categorization Independent of Color Naming

Color is continuous, yet we group colors into discrete categories associated with color names (e.g., yellow, blue). Color categorization is a case in point in the debate on how language shapes human cognition. Evidence suggests that color categorization depends on top-down input from the language system to the visual cortex. We directly tested this hypothesis by assessing color categorization in a stroke patient, RDS, with a rare, selective deficit in naming visually presented chromatic colors, and relatively preserved achromatic color naming. Multimodal MRI revealed a left occipito-temporal lesion that directly damaged left color-biased regions, and functionally disconnected their right-hemisphere homologs from the language system. The lesion had a greater effect on RDS’s chromatic color naming than on color categorization, which was relatively preserved on a nonverbal task. Color categorization and naming can thus be independent in the human brain, challenging the mandatory involvement of language in adult human cognition

Characteristics and Outcomes of Patients With Cerebral Venous Sinus Thrombosis in SARS-CoV-2 Vaccine–Induced Immune Thrombotic Thrombocytopenia

Importance: Thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) has been reported after vaccination with the SARS-CoV-2 vaccines ChAdOx1 nCov-19 (Oxford-AstraZeneca) and Ad26.COV2.S (Janssen/Johnson & Johnson). Objective: To describe the clinical characteristics and outcome of patients with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination with and without TTS. Design, setting, and participants: This cohort study used data from an international registry of consecutive patients with CVST within 28 days of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination included between March 29 and June 18, 2021, from 81 hospitals in 19 countries. For reference, data from patients with CVST between 2015 and 2018 were derived from an existing international registry. Clinical characteristics and mortality rate were described for adults with (1) CVST in the setting of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia, (2) CVST after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination not fulling criteria for TTS, and (3) CVST unrelated to SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Exposures: Patients were classified as having TTS if they had new-onset thrombocytopenia without recent exposure to heparin, in accordance with the Brighton Collaboration interim criteria. Main outcomes and measures: Clinical characteristics and mortality rate. Results: Of 116 patients with postvaccination CVST, 78 (67.2%) had TTS, of whom 76 had been vaccinated with ChAdOx1 nCov-19; 38 (32.8%) had no indication of TTS. The control group included 207 patients with CVST before the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 63 of 78 (81%), 30 of 38 (79%), and 145 of 207 (70.0%) patients, respectively, were female, and the mean (SD) age was 45 (14), 55 (20), and 42 (16) years, respectively. Concomitant thromboembolism occurred in 25 of 70 patients (36%) in the TTS group, 2 of 35 (6%) in the no TTS group, and 10 of 206 (4.9%) in the control group, and in-hospital mortality rates were 47% (36 of 76; 95% CI, 37-58), 5% (2 of 37; 95% CI, 1-18), and 3.9% (8 of 207; 95% CI, 2.0-7.4), respectively. The mortality rate was 61% (14 of 23) among patients in the TTS group diagnosed before the condition garnered attention in the scientific community and 42% (22 of 53) among patients diagnosed later. Conclusions and relevance: In this cohort study of patients with CVST, a distinct clinical profile and high mortality rate was observed in patients meeting criteria for TTS after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Ensemble coding of color and luminance contrast

Ensemble coding has been demonstrated for many attributes including color, but the metrics on which this coding is based remain uncertain. We examined ensemble percepts for stimulus sets that varied in chromatic contrast between complementary hues, or that varied in luminance contrast between increments and decrements, in both cases focusing on the ensemble percepts for the neutral gray stimulus defining the category boundary. Each ensemble was composed of 16 circles with four contrast levels. Observers saw the display for 0.5 s and then judged whether a target contrast was a member of the set. False alarms were high for intermediate contrasts (within the range of the ensemble) and fell for higher or lower values. However, for ensembles with complementary hues, gray was less likely to be reported as a member, even when it represented the mean chromaticity of the set. When the settings were repeated for luminance contrast, false alarms for gray were higher and fell off more gradually for out-of-range contrasts. This difference implies that opposite luminance polarities represent a more continuous perceptual dimension than opponent-color variations, and that “gray” is a stronger category boundary for chromatic than luminance contrasts. For color, our results suggest that ensemble percepts reflect pooling within rather than between large hue differences, perhaps because the visual system represents hue differences more like qualitatively different categories than like quantitative differences within an underlying color “space.” The differences for luminance and color suggest more generally that ensemble coding for different visual attributes might depend on different processes that in turn depend on the format of the visual representation

Water Reservoirs as an Element of Shaping Water Resources of Post-Mining Areas

The aim of the study was to present the concepts of water reclamation and development of post-mining areas of the Adamów Lignite Mine following the termination of its excavating operation. The reclamation procedures will accelerate the process of restoring the devastated post-mining area to the natural environment and, above all, will contribute to the increase in local water resources. Several water reservoirs with different surface areas and capacities within the final excavations of opencasts were created. The reservoirs are used for water retention, recreation, melioration and flood control purposes, as well as for depositing overburden from other opencast excavations. In total, the construction of 5 water reservoirs will include 4 weirs, 7 monks and 3 culverts with damming as well as a number of kilometres of inflow and outflow channels. The schedule of works and expenditures of the investment amounts to PLN 14,509,512 and is divided into 5 stages, not only covering the construction of the reservoirs, but also the water and drainage infrastructure necessary for their proper operation. All constructed and planned water reservoirs (Przykona, Janiszew, Koźmin, Głowy, Adamów, Koźmin Końcowy and Władysławów) will become new permanent elements of the landscape and the hydrographic network, coupled with the catchment system of the Warta River. They will allow for an increase in the retention capacity of the Adamów Lignite Mine area from the previous 32.3 million m3 to 219.6 million m3 in the perspective of 2023. They will improve the microclimate of post-mining areas and have a positive impact on the lands created as a result of reclamation. They will provide retention for the irrigation of adjacent agricultural areas and help reduce the economic and natural losses caused by flooding. They will open recreational opportunities for the residents of the surrounding areas, characterized by water shortages. The post-mining reservoirs, formed during mining operations, fit perfectly into the Small Retention Program. The existing and planned water bodies are the best proof confirming that the decisions taken in the field of reclamation for water purposes were right. As practice shows, the landscape shaping during the exploitation of lignite is a great opportunity for the post-mining region to create reservoirs in the places where they do not occur in nature

Zastosowanie reaktora UASB do oczyszczania ścieków z zakładów mięsnych

The meat industry is a branch of the food sector, which significantly affects the degradation of the environment. Consuming large amounts of water consequently produces significant quantities of water which are characterised by a high organic content and high concentration of suspended solids, inorganic salts and nutrients. The study attempted to determine the influence of the HRT and OLR on biogas production and the treatment of wastewater from the meat industry, and it was found that the most preferred treatment process carried out was at HRT 3d (OLR-0.55 kgCOD/m3d). The anaerobic process under HRT 3d obtained a considerable degree of the removal of organic pollutants from raw wastewater designated as COD (79%), BOD (77%) and TOC (73%). The concentrations of COD and BOD were 350 mg/dm3 and 363 mg/dm3 respectively. The value of TOC reached a level of 142 mg/dm3. Due to its poor quality, effluent from a UASB reactor cannot be discharged into natural water without additional treatment processes. The addition of reverse osmosis in the meat industry wastewater treatment is suggested.W badaniach podjęto próbę określenie wpływu czasu zatrzymania ścieków z zakładu mięsnego w reaktorze UASB na efektywność ich oczyszczania oraz na wielkość dobowej produkcji biogazu. HRT zmieniano w zakresie od 2 do 6 dób co wiązało się ze zmianą obciążenia komory ładunkiem zanieczyszczeń z 0,27 kgChZT/m3d do 0,82 kgChZT/m3d. Stwierdzono, że wraz ze skracaniem czasu zatrzymania z 6d do 2d, jakość ścieków ulega pogorszeniu, ale ilość produkowanego biogazu zwiększała się. Zaobserwowano, że wielkość współczynnika biogazu ulegała obniżeniu. Stwierdzono, że najkorzystniej prowadzić proces oczyszczania badanych ścieków przy HRT równym 3 doby z uwagi na dobre efekty oczyszczania i wysoki współczynnik produkcji biogazu wynoszący 0,45 dm3 biogazu/gChZT_us. Prowadzenie procesu fermentacji przy tak ustalonych warunkach pozwoliło na wysoki stopień usunięcia zanieczyszczeń oznaczanych, jako ChZT (79%), BZT5 (77%) i OWO (73%). Stężenie ChZT ścieków oczyszczonych wynosiło 350 mg/dm3, BZT5 463mg/dm3 a OWO 142 mg/dm3. Pomimo wysokiego stopnia usunięcia zanieczyszczeń z badanych ścieków nie ma jednak możliwości odprowadzenia ich do odbiornika naturalnego. Proponuje się, aby w kolejnych etapach badań podjąć próbę doczyszczania ścieków w procesie odwróconej osmozy co w przyszłości może pozwolić na zamknięcie obiegu wody na terenie zakładu

Oczyszczanie ścieków zakładów mięsnych w procesie koagulacji i z zastosowaniem odczynnika Fentona

The aim of the paper was to study meat industry wastewater treatment efficiency during chemical processes. The research was carried out in two steps. The first step was the coagulation process and the second step was the Fenton reaction. It was found that wastewater treatment with the use of Fenton's reagent achieved a higher degree of removal of the pollutants determined as COD, TOC and TN in comparison to the coagulation of PIX 113. The most profitable dose of the Fenton's reagent was 0.6/1.8 Fe2+/H2O2 g/dm3. The degree of COD removal from the wastewater with the use of the Fenton's reagent was higher by 10% on average compared to PIX 113. TOC and TN removal efficiency, using the Fenton's reagent was higher by 13% and 40.5% respectively when compared to the coagulation process. The aim of the paper was to study meat industry wastewater treatment efficiency during chemical processes. The research was carried out in two steps. The first step was the coagulation process and the second step was the Fenton reaction. It was found that wastewater treatment with the use of Fenton's reagent achieved a higher degree of removal of the pollutants determined as COD, TOC and TN in comparison to the coagulation of PIX 113. The most profitable dose of the Fenton's reagent was 0.6/1.8 Fe2+/H2O2 g/dm3. The degree of COD removal from the wastewater with the use of the Fenton's reagent was higher by 10% on average compared to PIX 113. TOC and TN removal efficiency, using the Fenton's reagent was higher by 13% and 40.5% respectively when compared to the coagulation process.W badaniach porównano efektywności oczyszczania ścieków powstających podczas uboju i przetwórstwa mięsa w procesie koagulacji oraz w procesie utleniania z zastosowaniem odczynnika Fentona. W procesie koagulacji wykorzystano dwa rodzaje koagulantów (PIX 113 i PAX XL 19). Stwierdzono, że stopień usunięcia ChZT przy użyciu PIX 113 był średnio o 9% wyższy w porównaniu do PAX XL 19. Stosując wyznaczoną jako najkorzystniejszą dawkę PIX 113 wynoszącą 0,6 g/dm3 ścieki po procesie koagulacji charakteryzowały się wartością ChZT, OWO i CA odpowiednio na poziomie 836 mg/dm3, 363 mg/dm3 i 359 mg/dm3. Porównując efektywność usunięcia zanieczyszczeń z oczyszczanych ścieków stwierdzono, że korzystniej prowadzić chemiczny proces ich oczyszczania z zastosowanie odczynnika Fentona. Jako najkorzystniejszą dawkę odczynnika Fentona wyznaczono 0,6/1,8 Fe2+/H2O2 g/dm3. Wartość ChZT ścieków oczyszczonych na drodze koagulacji oraz z zastosowaniem odczynnika Fentona wynosiła odpowiednio 515 mg/dm3 i 834 mg/dm3. Stopień usunięcia OWO ze ścieków z zastosowaniem odczynnika Fentona był średnio o 13% wyższy w porównaniu do procesu koagulacji. Stężenie OWO ścieków oczyszczonych w przypadku reakcji Fentona było na poziomie 241,4 mg/dm3 a po procesie koagulacji 363 mg/dm3. Przeprowadzone badania pokazały również, że pomimo wysokiego stopnia usunięcia zanieczyszczeń ścieki oczyszczone w obu procesach chemicznych nie mogą być odprowadzone do odbiornika naturalnego. Po obu procesach wartość ChZT ścieków oczyszczonych była prawie 7-krotnie (proces koagulacji) i 4- krotnie (reakcja Fentona) przekroczona w stosunku do dopuszczalnych wartości. Wartość OWO po procesie koagulacji i Fentona została przekroczona odpowiednio 12 i 8-krotnie. Prawie 5-krotnie (odczynnik Fentona) i 12-krotnie (proces koagulacji) w ściekach oczyszczonych została przekroczona wartość azotu całkowitego. Z uwagi na to sugeruje się łączenie tych procesów z innym procesami jednostkowymi np. procesem biologicznym lub ciśnieniowymi technikami membranowymi

A network-level approach of cognitive flexibility impairment after surgery of a right temporo-parietal glioma

International audienceObjectiveThe right “non-dominant” temporo-parietal junction is usually not considered as a highly eloquent area. This contrasts with its mirrored left “dominant” counterpart, which is known as highly eloquent regarding language function. The question arises about which functions should be monitored when operating lesions of the right temporo-parietal junction under awake conditions.MethodsWe report the case of a patient who underwent a surgical resection of a glioma located in the right temporo-parietal junction. Cognitive evaluations were performed preoperatively and 4 months after surgery, as well as resting state fMRI and diffusion-based tractography.ResultsLong-term postoperative cognitive examination revealed an important deterioration of cognitive control abilities, especially regarding set-shifting abilities as measured by Trail making test part B. Based on pre- and postoperative resting state fMRI and diffusion-based tractography, we demonstrate that surgical resection massively impacted structural and functional connectivity of the right fronto-parieto-temporal network, a network that is classically involved in cognitive control, reasoning and working memory.ConclusionThis case clearly illustrates how a white matter focal lesion can generate a neuropsychological deficit by remotely disconnecting distant cortical areas belonging to a functional network. Furthermore, our observation strongly supports the use of intraoperative cognitive control tests during surgery of the right temporo-parietal junction and promote the interest of pre and postoperative resting state functional connectivity to explore the potential mechanisms causing cognitive deficit

Differentiation of mild cognitive impairment using an entorhinal cortex-based test of VR navigation:

The entorhinal cortex is one of the first regions to exhibit neurodegeneration in Alzheimer's disease, and as such identification of entorhinal cortex dysfunction may aid detection of the disease in its earliest stages. Extensive evidence demonstrates that the entorhinal cortex is critically implicated in navigation underpinned by the firing of spatially modulated neurons. This study tested the hypothesis that entorhinal-dependent navigation is impaired in pre-dementia Alzheimer's disease. Forty-five patients with mild cognitive impairment (26 with CSF Alzheimer's disease biomarker data: 12 biomarker-positive and 14 biomarker-negative) and 41 healthy control participants undertook an immersive virtual reality path integration test, as a measure of entorhinal-dependent navigation. Behavioural performance was correlated with MRI measures of entorhinal cortex volume, and the classification accuracy of the path integration task was compared with a battery of cognitive tests considered sensitive and specific for early Alzheimer's Disease. Biomarker-positive patients exhibited larger errors in the navigation task than biomarker-negative patients, whose performance did not significantly differ from controls participants. Path-integration errors were negatively correlated with the volumes of the total entorhinal cortex and of its posteromedial subdivision. The path integration task demonstrated higher diagnostic sensitivity and specificity for differentiating biomarker positive versus negative patients (area under the curve = 0.90) than was achieved by the best of the cognitive tests (area under the curve = 0.57). This study demonstrates that an entorhinal cortex-based virtual reality navigation task can differentiate patients with mild cognitive impairment at low and high risk of developing dementia, with classification accuracy superior to reference cognitive tests considered to be highly sensitive to early Alzheimer's disease. This study provides evidence that navigation tasks may aid early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, and the basis of this in animal cellular and behavioural studies provides the opportunity to answer the unmet need for translatable outcome measures for comparing treatment effect across preclinical and clinical trial phases of future anti-Alzheimer's drugs.Wellcome Trust Fellowship (202805/Z/16/Z), European Research Council grant (ERC-2015-Adg, 694779), UK Medical Research Council/Raymond and Beverly Sackler PhD studentship, MRC Programme Grant SUAG/010 RG91365. DC is funded by the Wellcome Trust, Isaac Newton Trust and the Cambridge NIHR Biomedical Research Centr