Study on the neuronal circuits implicated in postural tremor and hypokinesia

The effect of various tegmentary lesions at the level of the pontomesenchphalon in monkeys on motor function was observed. The importance of the monoaminergic mechanisms of the brainstem is discussed. The results also show the importance of the descending tegmentary rubral system and the rubroolivocerebellar circuit in controlling peripheral motor activity. The destruction of the sensory motor cortex proves to be a more effective way of eliminating spontaneous or harmaline induced tremor than the complete interruption of the pyramidal system on the level of the cerebral peduncle

Does the 1/f frequency-scaling of brain signals reflect self-organized critical states?

Many complex systems display self-organized critical states characterized by 1/f frequency scaling of power spectra. Global variables such as the electroencephalogram, scale as 1/f, which could be the sign of self-organized critical states in neuronal activity. By analyzing simultaneous recordings of global and neuronal activities, we confirm the 1/f scaling of global variables for selected frequency bands, but show that neuronal activity is not consistent with critical states. We propose a model of 1/f scaling which does not rely on critical states, and which is testable experimentally.Comment: 3 figures, 6 page

Bi-cultural bi-national benchmarking and assessment of clinical reasoning in Obstetrics and Gynaecology

Published: 23/06/2016Background: The Script Concordance Test (SCT) is being increasingly used in professional development in clinical reasoning (CR) in postgraduate medicine. On-line delivery favours multi-institutional collaboration. Objectives: To establish if: 1) SCT questions developed in the French-speaking University of Montreal were readily adaptable for use in the English-speaking University of Adelaide 2) expert reference panels (ERP) from both institutions could be used interchangeably 3) student cohorts would perform similarly in the same test. Study Design: 82 SCT questions based on 27 clinical cases in Obstetrics and Gynaecology were developed in Montreal and run in a volunteer cohort of year 3 and year 4 medical students (n=154). Local faculty translated all questions, selecting 31 based on 17 clinical cases for use in summative examinations a year 5 student cohort in Adelaide (n=123). Results: Mean (SD) percentage scores using each ERP key were: 74.2 (6.4) versus 73.3 (6.9), p<0.001 for Adelaide students and 72.5 (7.8) versus 70.6 (8.8), p<0.001 for Montreal students. The correlation coefficients were ≥ 0.928 (p<0.001). Conclusions: Student cohorts performed similarly regardless of which ERP key was used. With appropriate editorial control, SCT’s can be effectively shared between French and English-speaking institutions located in different hemispheres. Potential advantages include the creation of an international database of assessment items, benchmarking and cost sharing.Paul Duggan, Patricia Monnier, Alphonse Roex, Marie-Josée Bédard, Bernard Charli

Sneak preview of the Saskatchewan soil information system (SKSIS)

Non-Peer Reviewe

Saskatchewan Soil Information System (SKSIS)-The Launch!

Non-Peer Reviewe

Neuronal Modulation of Brown Adipose Activity Through Perturbation of White Adipocyte Lipogenesis [preprint]

White adipose tissue (WAT) secretes factors to communicate with other metabolic organs to maintain energy homeostasis. We previously reported that perturbation of adipocyte de novo lipogenesis (DNL) by deletion of fatty acid synthase (FASN) causes expansion of sympathetic neurons within white adipose tissue (WAT) and the appearance of beige adipocytes. Here we report evidence that white adipocyte DNL activity is also coupled to neuronal regulation and thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue (BAT). Induced deletion of FASN in all adipocytes in mature mice (iAdFASNKO) enhanced sympathetic innervation and neuronal activity as well as UCP1 expression in both WAT and BAT. In contrast, selective ablation of FASN in brown adipocytes of mice (iUCP1FASNKO) failed to modulate sympathetic innervation and the thermogenic program in BAT. Surprisingly, DNL in brown adipocytes was also dispensable in maintaining euthermia when UCP1FASNKO mice were cold-exposed. These results indicate that DNL in white adipocytes influences long distance signaling to BAT, which can modify BAT sympathetic innervation and expression of genes involved in thermogenesis

Development of intuitive rules: Evaluating the application of the dual-system framework to understanding children's intuitive reasoning

This is an author-created version of this article. The original source of publication is Psychon Bull Rev. 2006 Dec;13(6):935-53 The final publication is available at www.springerlink.com Published version: http://dx.doi.org/10.3758/BF0321390