Recommendations for the non-pharmacological treatment of apathy in brain disorders

Apathy is a common neuropsychiatric syndrome observed across many neurocognitive and psychiatric disorders. Although there are currently no definitive standard therapies for the treatment of apathy, non-pharmacological treatment (NPT) is often considered to be at the forefront of clinical management. However, guidelines on how to select, prescribe and administer NPT in clinical practice are lacking. Furthermore, although new Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) are beginning to be employed in NPT, their role is still unclear. The objective of the present work is to provide recommendations for the use of NPT for apathy, and to discuss the role of ICT in this domain, based on opinions gathered from experts in the field. The expert panel included 20 researchers and healthcare professionals working on brain disorders and apathy. Following a standard Delphi methodology, experts answered questions via several rounds of web-surveys, and then discussed the results in a plenary meeting. The experts suggested that NPT are useful to consider as therapy for people presenting with different neurocognitive and psychiatric diseases at all stages, with evidence of apathy across domains. The presence of a therapist and/or a caregiver is important in delivering NPT effectively, but parts of the treatment may be performed by the patient alone. NPT can be delivered both in clinical settings and at home. However, while remote treatment delivery may be cost and time-effective, it should be considered with caution, and tailored based on the patient's cognitive and physical profile and living conditions

Insulin-like growth factor-1 downregulates nuclear factor κB activation and upregulates interleukin-8 gene expression induced by tumor necrosis factor α

International audienc

In Vitro Cocktail Effects of PCB-DL (PCB118) and Bulky PCB (PCB153) with BaP on Adipogenesis and on Expression of Genes Involved in the Establishment of a Pro-Inflammatory State

(1) Objective: Highlight the in vitro effects of 3T3-L1 cell exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB118 and 153) or benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) alone or as a cocktail on adipogenesis (ADG) by focusing on changes in lipid metabolism and inflammatory-related genes expression (INFG) and ADG-related genes expression (ADGG); (2) Results: Treatment from the early stage of cell differentiation by BaP alone or in combination with PCBs decreased the expression of some of the ADGG (PPARγ Glut-4, FAS, Lipin-1a, Leptin, and Adiponectin). BaP enhanced the INFG, especially MCP-1 and TNFα. Co-exposure to BaP and PCB153 showed a synergistic effect on TNFα and IL6 expression. Treatment with BaP and PCBs during only the maturation period up-regulated the INFG (IL6, TNFα, CXCL-10 & MCP-1). PCB118 alone also enhanced TNFα, CXCL-10, and PAI-1 expression. The change in MCP-1 protein expression was in agreement with that of the gene. Finally, the BaP-induced up-regulation of the xenobiotic responsive element (XRE)-controlled luciferase activity was impaired by PCB153 but not by PCB118; (3) Conclusion: BaP and PCBs down-regulate a part of ADGG and enhance INFG. The direct regulatory effect of PCBs on both ADGG and INFG is usually rather lower than that of BaP and synergistic or antagonistic cocktail effects are clearly observed

Principles for knowledge co-production in sustainability research

Research practice, funding agencies and global science organizations suggest that research aimed at addressing sustainability challenges is most effective when 'co-produced' by academics and non-academics. Co-production promises to address the complex nature of contemporary sustainability challenges better than more traditional scientific approaches. But definitions of knowledge co-production are diverse and often contradictory. We propose a set of four general principles that underlie high-quality knowledge co-production for sustainability research. Using these principles, we offer practical guidance on how to engage in meaningful co-productive practices, and how to evaluate their quality and success.A.V.N. received support by the Swedish Research Council Formas (grant number 2017-01326) and the GRAID programme at SRC. M.F.L. received support by the foundation BalticSea2020 and the Stockholm University Baltic Sea Centre. S.W. received support by the Swedish Research Council Formas (mobility starting grant 2017-01631). H.Ö. received support from the Walton Family Foundation (grants 2017-693 and 2018-1371), The David and Lucile Packard Foundation (grants 2017-66205 and 2019-68336), and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (grants GBMF5668.01 and GBMF5668.02). R.B. received support from the South African Research Chairs Initiative (SARChI) of the Department of Science and Technology and National Research Foundation of South Africa (grant 98766); the GRAID programme at SRC; and the Swedish Research Council (grant 621-2014-5137). M.-F.L. received support by the Swiss Academy of Sciences (SCNAT) and the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). B.M.C. received support from the CGIAR Trust Fund and through bilateral funding agreements

Towards Flash Floods Management Using Temporal Loops

Floods, particularly fast ones, are recurrent natural disasters with a large impact on people and infrastructures. To handle such disasters it is needed to combine important quantities of data from different fields. In this article, we attempt to show how data and data-management methods can be used to contribute to the goal of improved disaster and crisis management, especially in the phases of mitigation and crisis response. We propose a concrete methodology to exploit various types of data. We apply it to two floods that occurred in France in 2010 and 2013

Principles for knowledge co-production in sustainability research

Research practice, funding agencies and global science organizations suggest that research aimed at addressing sustainability challenges is most effective when ‘co-produced’ by academics and non-academics. Co-production promises to address the complex nature of contemporary sustainability challenges better than more traditional scientific approaches. But definitions of knowledge co-production are diverse and often contradictory. We propose a set of four general principles that underlie high-quality knowledge co-production for sustainability research. Using these principles, we offer practical guidance on how to engage in meaningful co-productive practices, and how to evaluate their quality and success

Principles for knowledge co-production in sustainability research

Research practice, funding agencies and global science organizations suggest that research aimed at addressing sustainability challenges is most effective when ‘co-produced’ by academics and non-academics. Co-production promises to address the complex nature of contemporary sustainability challenges better than more traditional scientific approaches. But definitions of knowledge co-production are diverse and often contradictory. We propose a set of four general principles that underlie high-quality knowledge co-production for sustainability research. Using these principles, we offer practical guidance on how to engage in meaningful co-productive practices, and how to evaluate their quality and success

Risdiplam in Patients Previously Treated with Other Therapies for Spinal Muscular Atrophy: An Interim Analysis from the JEWELFISH Study

Introduction: Risdiplam is a survival of motor neuron 2 (SMN2) splicing modifier for the treatment of patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). The JEWELFISH study (NCT03032172) was designed to assess the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), and pharmacodynamics (PD) of risdiplam in previously treated pediatric and adult patients with types 1–3 SMA. Here, an analysis was performed after all patients had received at least 1 year of treatment with risdiplam. Methods: Patients with a confirmed diagnosis of 5q-autosomal recessive SMA between the ages of 6 months and 60 years were eligible for enrollment. Patients were previously enrolled in the MOONFISH study (NCT02240355) with splicing modifier RG7800 or treated with olesoxime, nusinersen, or onasemnogene abeparvovec. The primary objectives of the JEWELFISH study were to evaluate the safety and tolerability of risdiplam and investigate the PK after 2 years of treatment. Results: A total of 174 patients enrolled: MOONFISH study (n = 13), olesoxime (n = 71 patients), nusinersen (n = 76), onasemnogene abeparvovec (n = 14). Most patients (78%) had three SMN2 copies. The median age and weight of patients at enrollment was 14.0 years (1–60 years) and 39.1 kg (9.2–108.9 kg), respectively. About 63% of patients aged 2–60 years had a baseline total score of less than 10 on the Hammersmith Functional Motor Scale–Expanded and 83% had scoliosis. The most common adverse event (AE) was upper respiratory tract infection and pyrexia (30 patients each; 17%). Pneumonia (four patients; 2%) was the most frequently reported serious AE (SAE). The rates of AEs and SAEs per 100 patient-years were lower in the second 6-month period compared with the first. An increase in SMN protein was observed in blood after risdiplam treatment and was comparable across all ages and body weight quartiles. Conclusions: The safety and PD of risdiplam in patients who were previously treated were consistent with those of treatment-naïve patients