Peripheral inflammation is associated with altered substantia nigra activity and psychomotor slowing in humans

BACKGROUND: Systemic infections commonly cause sickness symptoms including psychomotor retardation. Inflammatory cytokines released during the innate immune response are implicated in the communication of peripheral inflammatory signals to the brain. METHODS: We used functional magnetic resonance brain imaging (fMRI) to investigate neural effects of peripheral inflammation following typhoid vaccination in 16 healthy men, using a double-blind, randomized, crossover-controlled design. RESULTS: Vaccination had no global effect on neurovascular coupling but markedly perturbed neural reactivity within substantia nigra during low-level visual stimulation. During a cognitive task, individuals in whom typhoid vaccination engendered higher levels of circulating interleukin-6 had significantly slower reaction time responses. Prolonged reaction times and larger interleukin-6 responses were associated with evoked neural activity within substantia nigra. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide mechanistic insights into the interaction between inflammatio

Enhanced propagation of motile bacteria on surfaces due to forward scattering

How motile bacteria move near a surface is a problem of fundamental biophysical interest and is key to the emergence of several phenomena of biological, ecological and medical relevance, including biofilm formation. Solid boundaries can strongly influence a cell's propulsion mechanism, thus leading many flagellated bacteria to describe long circular trajectories stably entrapped by the surface. Experimental studies on near-surface bacterial motility have, however, neglected the fact that real environments have typical microstructures varying on the scale of the cells' motion. Here, we show that micro-obstacles influence the propagation of peritrichously flagellated bacteria on a flat surface in a non-monotonic way. Instead of hindering it, an optimal, relatively low obstacle density can significantly enhance cells' propagation on surfaces due to individual forward-scattering events. This finding provides insight on the emerging dynamics of chiral active matter in complex environments and inspires possible routes to control microbial ecology in natural habitats

Attenuation of choroidal tickness in patients with Alzheimer disease: evidence from an Italian prospective study

INTRODUCTION: To compare the 12-month choroidal thickness (CT) change between Alzheimer disease (AD) patients and normal subjects. METHODS: In this prospective, observational study, 39 patients with a diagnosis of mild to moderate AD and 39 age-matched control subjects were included. All the subjects underwent neuropsychological (Mini Mental State Examination, Alzheimer disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive Subscale, and the Clinical Dementia Rating Scale) and ophthalmological evaluation, including spectral domain optical coherence tomography, at baseline and after 12 months. CT was measured manually using the caliper tool of the optical coherence tomography device. RESULTS: After 12 months, AD patients had a greater reduction of CT than controls (P≤0.05, adjusted for baseline CT, age, sex, axial length, and smoking). DISCUSSION: CT in patients with AD showed a rate of thinning greater than what could be expected during the natural course of aging

Characterisation of a candidate dual AGN

We present Chandra and optical observations of a candidate dual AGN discovered serendipitously while searching for recoiling black holes via a cross-correlation between the serendipitous XMM source catalog (2XMMi) and SDSS-DR7 galaxies with a separation no larger than ten times the sum of their Petrosian radii. The system has a stellar mass ratio M$_{1}$/M$_{2}\approx 0.7$. One of the galaxies (Source 1) shows clear evidence for AGN activity in the form of hard X-ray emission and optical emission-line diagnostics typical of AGN ionisation. The nucleus of the other galaxy (Source 2) has a soft X-ray spectrum, bluer colours, and optical emission line ratios dominated by stellar photoionisation with a "composite" signature, which might indicate the presence of a weak AGN. When plotted on a diagram with X-ray luminosity vs [OIII] luminosity both nuclei fall within the locus defined by local Seyfert galaxies. From the optical spectrum we estimate the electron densities finding n$_{1} < 27$ e$^{-}$ cm$^{-3}$ and n$_{2} \approx 200$ e$^{-}$ cm$^{-3}$. From a 2D decomposition of the surface brightness distribution we infer that both galaxies host rotationally supported bulges (Sersic index $< 1$). While the active nature of Source 1 can be established with confidence, whether the nucleus of Source 2 is active remains a matter of debate. Evidence that a faint AGN might reside in its nucleus is, however, tantalising.Comment: 16 pages, 9 figures. Accepted for publication on MNRAS. Comments welcom

Keanekaragaman Makrofauna Tanah pada Lahan Polikultur di Desa Pulau Semambu Kecamatan Indralaya Utara

Weni L,  Madjid A.  2020. Diversity of soil macrofauna on polyculture land in pulau semambu village north Indralaya district. In: Herlinda S et al. (Eds.), Prosiding Seminar Nasional Lahan Suboptimal ke-8 Tahun 2020, Palembang 20 Oktober 2020. pp. xx.  Palembang: Penerbit & Percetakan Universitas Sriwijaya (UNSRI).Soil macrofauna can improve the physical, chemical and biological properties of soil, its existence is influenced by the diversity of vegetation. The research aimed to compare the diversity of soil macrofauna. The method used is a survey method. Sampling of soil macrofauna used quadrant method 50 cm x 50 cm and 100 cm x 100 cm by hand sorting in the depth of 0-20 cm. The results showed that keluwing was only found in eggplant fields, mole cricket and white grub were only found in spinach fields, large black ants were only found in the Experimental Field Station of FP UNSRI at 100 cm × 100 cm quadrant. Spiders were found in each land of the research site at 100 cm × 100 cm quadrant. The species diversity index for each quadrant of 50 cm × 50 cm had low criteria. The species diversity index of 100 cm × 100 cm quadrant had low in water spinach, eggplant, post-water spinach cropping, Experimental Field Station of FP UNSRI, with moderate criteria on spinach land. The evenness index of 50 cm × 50 cm quadrant in the fields of water spinach, spinach, eggplant and the Experimental Field Station of FP UNSRI had high criteria, and the post-water spinach cropping had medium criteria. Evenness index of 100 cm × 100 cm quadrant in spinach land with high criteria, medium criteria in water spinach, eggplant, post-water spinach cropping, Experimental Field Station of FP UNSRI