Behavioral, electrophysiological and histopathological consequences of systemic manganese administration in MEMRI

Manganese (Mn2+)-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MEMRI) offers the possibility to generate longitudinal maps of brain activity in unrestrained and behaving animals. However, Mn2+ is a metabolic toxin and a competitive inhibitor for Ca2+, and therefore, a yet unsolved question in MEMRI studies is whether the concentrations of metal ion used may alter brain physiology. In the present work we have investigated the behavioral, electrophysiological and histopathological consequences of MnCl2 administration at concentrations and dosage protocols regularly used in MEMRI. Three groups of animals were sc injected with saline, 0.1 and 0.5 mmol/kg MnCl2, respectively. In vivo electrophysiological recordings in the hippocampal formation revealed a mild but detectable decrease in both excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSP) and population spike (PS) amplitude under the highest MnCl2 dose. The EPSP to PS ratio was preserved at control levels, indicating that neuronal excitability was not affected. Experiments of pair pulse facilitation demonstrated a dose dependent increase in the potentiation of the second pulse, suggesting presynaptic Ca2+ competition as the mechanism for the decreased neuronal response. Tetanization of the perforant path induced a long-term potentiation of synaptic transmission that was comparable in all groups, regardless of treatment. Accordingly, the choice accuracy tested on a hippocampal-dependent learning task was not affected. However, the response latency in the same task was largely increased in the group receiving 0.5 mmol/kg of MnCl2. Immunohistological examination of the hippocampus at the end of the experiments revealed no sign of neuronal toxicity or glial reaction. Although we show that MEMRI at 0.1 mmol/Kg MnCl2 may be safely applied to the study of cognitive networks, a detailed assessment of toxicity is strongly recommended for each particular study and Mn2+ administration protocol

Differences in functional brain organization during gesture recognition between autistic and neurotypical individuals

Persons with and without autism process sensory information differently. Differences in sensory processing are directly relevant to social functioning and communicative abilities, which are known to be hampered in persons with autism. We collected functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from 25 autistic individuals and 25 neurotypical individuals while they performed a silent gesture recognition task. We exploited brain network topology, a holistic quantification of how networks within the brain are organized to provide new insights into how visual communicative signals are processed in autistic and neurotypical individuals. Performing graph theoretical analysis, we calculated two network properties of the action observation network: local efficiency, as a measure of network segregation, and global efficiency, as a measure of network integration. We found that persons with autism and neurotypical persons differ in how the action observation network is organized. Persons with autism utilize a more clustered, local-processing-oriented network configuration (i.e., higher local efficiency), rather than the more integrative network organization seen in neurotypicals (i.e., higher global efficiency). These results shed new light on the complex interplay between social and sensory processing in autism

Translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and validation of a Dutch version of the actions and feelings questionnaire in autistic and neurotypical adult

The actions and feelings questionnaire (AFQ) provides a short, self-report measure of how well someone uses and understands visual communicative signals such as gestures. The objective of this study was to translate and cross-culturally adapt the AFQ into Dutch (AFQ-NL) and validate this new version in neurotypical and autistic populations. Translation and adaptation of the AFQ consisted of forward translation, synthesis, back translation, and expert review. In order to validate the AFQ-NL, we assessed convergent and divergent validity. We additionally assessed internal consistency using Cronbach’s alpha. Validation and reliability outcomes were all satisfactory. The AFQ-NL is a valid adaptation that can be used for both autistic and neurotypical populations in the Netherlands

Differences in the production and perception of communicative kinematics in autism

In human communication, social intentions and meaning are often revealed in the way we move. In this study, we investigate the flexibility of human communication in terms of kinematic modulation in a clinical population, namely, autistic individuals. The aim of this study was twofold: to assess (a) whether communicatively relevant kinematic features of gestures differ between autistic and neurotypical individuals, and (b) if autistic individuals use communicative kinematic modulation to support gesture recognition. We tested autistic and neurotypical individuals on a silent gesture production task and a gesture comprehension task. We measured movement during the gesture production task using a Kinect motion tracking device in order to determine if autistic individuals differed from neurotypical individuals in their gesture kinematics. For the gesture comprehension task, we assessed whether autistic individuals used communicatively relevant kinematic cues to support recognition. This was done by using stick-light figures as stimuli and testing for a correlation between the kinematics of these videos and recognition performance. We found that (a) silent gestures produced by autistic and neurotypical individuals differ in communicatively relevant kinematic features, such as the number of meaningful holds between movements, and (b) while autistic individuals are overall unimpaired at recognizing gestures, they processed repetition and complexity, measured as the amount of submovements perceived, differently than neurotypicals do. These findings highlight how subtle aspects of neurotypical behavior can be experienced differently by autistic individuals. They further demonstrate the relationship between movement kinematics and social interaction in high-functioning autistic individuals

We need to appreciate common synanthropic plants before they become rare: Case study in Latgale (Latvia)

Local ecological knowledge holds great potential in contributing to sustainable resource management and conservation activities. For this reason, the authors choose to analyse an ethnobotanical dataset from the Baltic Sea region by exploring the relationship between plants and humans on the basis of three main categories: habitat characteristics, distribution in the wild and plant sensitivity to human impact beyond physical distance. The study provides empirical evidence of widespread usage of so called common species which are widely distributed in the territory and benet from human activity. When considering the data via the intensity of use, based on detailed use-reports (DUR), the main category is shown to be apophytes (1001 DUR), followed by anthropophytes (426), hemeradiophores (255) and hemerophobes (54). The authors highlight the co-dependency of plants and humans in the medicinal and wild food domains and stress the need for integrated management strategies where local community knowledge plays a part

Diverse in Local, Overlapping in Official Medical Botany: Critical Analysis of Medicinal Plant Records from the Historic Regions of Livonia and Courland in Northeast Europe, 1829–1895

Works on historical ethnobotany can help shed light on past plant uses and humankind’s relationships with the environment. We analyzed medicinal plant uses from the historical regions of Livonia and Courland in Northeast Europe based on three studies published within the 19th century by medical doctors researching local ethnomedicine. The sources were manually searched, and information extracted and entered into a database. In total, there were 603 detailed reports of medicinal plant use, which refer to 219 taxa belonging to 69 families and one unidentified local taxon. Dominant families were Asteraceae (14%), Solanaceae (7%), Rosaceae (6%), and Apiaceae (5%). The majority of use reports were attributed to the treatment of four disease categories: digestive (24%), skin (22%), respiratory (11%), and general (11%). The small overlapping portion (14 taxa mentioned by all three authors and another 27 taxa named by two authors) contained a high proportion of taxa (46%) mentioned in Dioscorides, which were widespread during that period in scholarly practice. Despite the shared flora, geographical vicinity, and culturally similar backgrounds, the medicinal use of plants in historical Courland and Livonia showed high biocultural diversity and reliance on wild taxa. We encourage researchers to study and re-evaluate the historical ethnobotanical literature and provide some suggestions on how to do this effectively

Mecanismo civil para prevenir y resolver conflictos de intereses en el derecho privado ruso

The article studies the legal mechanism preventing and resolving a conflict of interest in civil law. The Russian public law pays much attention to the prevention of competitive interests but there are still no studies on a conflict of interest in private law. The authors have written this article to consider the relevant legal studies and draw their conclusions. Methods: The authors used the methods of comparative and systemic analysis, synthesis and scientific research to examine such a legal concept as a "conflict of interest in private law". The study aims at analyzing the category of competitive interests in relation to private law, determining its prerequisites, reasons and possible solutions. The authors have concluded that a conflict of interest often causes corporate conflicts among parties involved in corporate relations. Moreover, this type of conflicts arises due to the realization of individual property interests and the possibility of one person to influence the other, for example, a conflict between majority and minority shareholders.El artículo explora el mecanismo legal para prevenir y resolver conflictos de intereses en el derecho civil. En Rusia, a la prevención del conflicto de intereses se presta bastante atención en el derecho público, pero, desafortunadamente, no hay estudios dedicados a la investigación del conflicto de intereses en el derecho privado. Los autores han preparado un artículo analítico sobre la investigación en este campo del derecho, utilizando métodos de análisis comparativo y sistémico, síntesis, e investigación científica del aparato legal «conflicto de intereses en derecho privado». El objetivo es investigar la categoría conflicto de intereses en relación con el derecho privado, identificar dónde y en qué circunstancias ocurren con mayor frecuencia el conflicto de intereses, así como las razones determinantes del conflicto de intereses y las formas de resolverlo. Llegando a concluir que, el conflicto de intereses es una de las principales causas de conflictos corporativos entre los participantes en las relaciones corporativas; y al mismo tiempo, surge con mayor frecuencia, como consecuencia de la realización de los intereses de propiedad de las personas, así como la posibilidad de ciertas persona a ejerzer influencia sobre otra, por ejemplo, un conflicto entre accionistas mayoritarios y minoritarios

Mecanismo civil para prevenir y resolver conflictos de intereses en el derecho privado ruso

The article studies the legal mechanism preventing and resolving a conflict of interest in civil law. The Russian public law pays much attention to the prevention of competitive interests but there are still no studies on a conflict of interest in private law. The authors have written this article to consider the relevant legal studies and draw their conclusions. Methods: The authors used the methods of comparative and systemic analysis, synthesis and scientific research to examine such a legal concept as a "conflict of interest in private law". The study aims at analyzing the category of competitive interests in relation to private law, determining its prerequisites, reasons and possible solutions. The authors have concluded that a conflict of interest often causes corporate conflicts among parties involved in corporate relations. Moreover, this type of conflicts arises due to the realization of individual property interests and the possibility of one person to influence the other, for example, a conflict between majority and minority shareholders.El artículo explora el mecanismo legal para prevenir y resolver conflictos de intereses en el derecho civil. En Rusia, a la prevención del conflicto de intereses se presta bastante atención en el derecho público, pero, desafortunadamente, no hay estudios dedicados a la investigación del conflicto de intereses en el derecho privado. Los autores han preparado un artículo analítico sobre la investigación en este campo del derecho, utilizando métodos de análisis comparativo y sistémico, síntesis, e investigación científica del aparato legal «conflicto de intereses en derecho privado». El objetivo es investigar la categoría conflicto de intereses en relación con el derecho privado, identificar dónde y en qué circunstancias ocurren con mayor frecuencia el conflicto de intereses, así como las razones determinantes del conflicto de intereses y las formas de resolverlo. Llegando a concluir que, el conflicto de intereses es una de las principales causas de conflictos corporativos entre los participantes en las relaciones corporativas; y al mismo tiempo, surge con mayor frecuencia, como consecuencia de la realización de los intereses de propiedad de las personas, así como la posibilidad de ciertas persona a ejerzer influencia sobre otra, por ejemplo, un conflicto entre accionistas mayoritarios y minoritarios