Side effects of transcranial magnetic stimulation biased task performance in a cognitive neuroscience study

Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is increasingly used as a research tool for functional brain mapping in cognitive neuroscience. Despite being mostly tolerable, side effects of TMS could influence task performance in behavioural TMS studies. In order to test this issue, healthy subjects assessed the discomfort caused by the stimulation during a verbal working memory task. We investigated the relation between subjective disturbance and task performance. Subjects were stimulated during the delay period of a delayed-match-to-sample task above cortical areas that had been identified before to be involved in working memory. Task performance and subjective disturbance due to side effects were monitored. The subjects' grade of discomfort correlated with the error rates: the higher the discomfort, the more errors were made. Conclusively, TMS side effects may bias task performance in cognitive neuroscience studies and may thereby lead to misinterpretation of results. We emphasize the importance of controlling side effects of the stimulation as a source of biasing effects in TMS studies

Dynamics of notch pathway expression during mouse testis post-natal development and along the spermatogenic cycle

Articles in International JournalsThe transcription and expression patterns of Notch pathway components (Notch 1–3, Delta1 and 4, Jagged1) and effectors (Hes1, Hes2, Hes5 and Nrarp) were evaluated (through RT-PCR and IHC) in the mouse testis at key moments of post-natal development, and along the adult spermatogenic cycle. Notch pathway components and effectors are transcribed in the testis and expressed in germ, Sertoli and Leydig cells, and each Notch component shows a specific cell-type and timewindow expression pattern. This expression at key testis developmental events prompt for a role of Notch signaling in prepubertal spermatogonia quiescence, onset of spermatogenesis, and regulation of the spermatogenic cycle

Social circumstances and cultural beliefs influence maternal nutrition, breastfeeding and child feeding practices in South Africa:

Maternal and child undernutrition remain prevalent in developing countries with 45 and 11% of child deaths linked to poor nutrition and suboptimal breastfeeding, respectively. This also has adverse effects on child growth and development. The study determined maternal dietary diversity, breastfeeding and, infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices and identified reasons for such behavior in five rural communities in South Africa, in the context of cultural beliefs and social aspects