Towards a Word Sheriff 2.0: Lessons learnt and the road ahead

In this extended abstract we report on the ongoing work of improving a previously introduced Game With A Purpose. While the previous work argued that basing a Game With A Purpose on a wellestablished game would improve game design and long-term sustainability – we report several shortcomings with its implementation and how we strive to alleviate them based on current game trends and user feedback

White Matter Network Architecture Guides Direct Electrical Stimulation Through Optimal State Transitions

Electrical brain stimulation is currently being investigated as a therapy for neurological disease. However, opportunities to optimize such therapies are challenged by the fact that the beneficial impact of focal stimulation on both neighboring and distant regions is not well understood. Here, we use network control theory to build a model of brain network function that makes predictions about how stimulation spreads through the brain's white matter network and influences large-scale dynamics. We test these predictions using combined electrocorticography (ECoG) and diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) data who volunteered to participate in an extensive stimulation regimen. We posit a specific model-based manner in which white matter tracts constrain stimulation, defining its capacity to drive the brain to new states, including states associated with successful memory encoding. In a first validation of our model, we find that the true pattern of white matter tracts can be used to more accurately predict the state transitions induced by direct electrical stimulation than the artificial patterns of null models. We then use a targeted optimal control framework to solve for the optimal energy required to drive the brain to a given state. We show that, intuitively, our model predicts larger energy requirements when starting from states that are farther away from a target memory state. We then suggest testable hypotheses about which structural properties will lead to efficient stimulation for improving memory based on energy requirements. Our work demonstrates that individual white matter architecture plays a vital role in guiding the dynamics of direct electrical stimulation, more generally offering empirical support for the utility of network control theoretic models of brain response to stimulation

Efek neuroprotektif fraksi air daun Semanggi (Marsilea crenata Presl.) secara in vitro

Pendahuluan: Defisiensi estrogen dapat menimbulkan beberapa penyakit, salah satunya neurodegeneratif. Neurodegeneratif diawali dengan neuroinflamasi yang memicu aktifnya sel mikroglia sehingga berakibat pada aktivitas pro-inflamasi. Terapi yang potensial dan relatif aman digunakan untuk mengatasinya yaitu dengan menggunakan senyawa fitoestrogen. Marsilea crenata Presl. merupakan salah satu tanaman yang mengandung fitoestrogen. Tujuan: Tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk menganalisis efek neuroprotektif dari fraksi air daun Marsilea crenata Presl. yang ditunjukkan dengan penghambatan neuroinflamasi dan ditandai dengan meningkatnya kadar MHC II terhadap sel mikroglia HMC3. Metode: IFN-γ diinduksikan ke dalam sel mikroglia HMC3 selama 24 jam untuk menimbulkan kondisi inflamasi. Fraksi air daun Marsilea crenata Presl. diberikan dengan dosis 62,5; 125; dan 250 μg/ml. Analisis efek neuroprotektif sel mikroglia HMC3 menggunakan metode ICC dengan bantuan instrumen CLSM. Hasil: Hasil dari penelitian ini menunjukkan bahwa fraksi air daun Marsilea crenata Presl. dapat menurunkan ekspresi MHC II pada konsentrasi 125 dan 250 μg/ml dengan nilai 465,748 dan 460,884 AU pada p<0,005. Kesimpulan: Kesimpulan dari penelitian ini yaitu fraksi air daun Marsilea crenata Presl. memiliki aktivitas neuroprotektif ditunjukkan dengan dosis 125 dan 250 μg/ml yang dapat menurunkan ekspresi MHC II pada sel mikroglia HMC3 yang diinduksi oleh IFN-γ. Nilai ED50 yang mempunyai efek neuroprotektif yaitu pada dosis 0,582 μg/ml

Uncovering the Biological Basis of Control Energy: Structural and Metabolic Correlates of Energy Inefficiency in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

Network control theory is increasingly used to profile the brain\u27s energy landscape via simulations of neural dynamics. This approach estimates the control energy required to simulate the activation of brain circuits based on structural connectome measured using diffusion magnetic resonance imaging, thereby quantifying those circuits\u27 energetic efficiency. The biological basis of control energy, however, remains unknown, hampering its further application. To fill this gap, investigating temporal lobe epilepsy as a lesion model, we show that patients require higher control energy to activate the limbic network than healthy volunteers, especially ipsilateral to the seizure focus. The energetic imbalance between ipsilateral and contralateral temporolimbic regions is tracked by asymmetric patterns of glucose metabolism measured using positron emission tomography, which, in turn, may be selectively explained by asymmetric gray matter loss as evidenced in the hippocampus. Our investigation provides the first theoretical framework unifying gray matter integrity, metabolism, and energetic generation of neural dynamics

Analysis, Reconstruction and Establishment Tourist Destination in Toba Samosir, North Sumatera, Indonesia

This study aimed to provide inputs for local government of Toba Samosir (Tobasa) in preparing strategic development plan of tourist destinations in District Tobasa. This study is a qualitative approach through in-depth interviews and feedback from forum discussion groups with participants representing community leaders, indigenous peoples, governments and travel business. Total participants are 15 people collected on June 1, 2012 at Balige government office. Discussion forums formulated nine locations of tourist destination spread in Toba Samosir. As result this research, we formulated four strategic plans with tactical plans; (1) specifying and establish the location of tourist destinations in the District Tobasa; (2) submitting plans to the government budget or through the budget of Tobasa district in five years starting in 2014 to follow; (3) conducting government financing for infrastructure development and tourism industry participation; (4) doing tourism and cultural promotion. We found limitations for the plan. Some of them were: the low budget provided by the District government so that we expected supports from domestic investors to accelerate tourism development in the area. Most activities were proposed under the action plan of both Tobasa District government and North Sumatra Government