Glutamatergic deficits and parvalbumin-containing inhibitory neurons in the prefrontal cortex in schizophrenia

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We have previously reported that the expression of the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) for the NR2A subunit of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) class of glutamate receptor was decreased in a subset of inhibitory interneurons in the cerebral cortex in schizophrenia. In this study, we sought to determine whether a deficit in the expression of NR2A mRNA was present in the subset of interneurons that contain the calcium buffer parvalbumin (PV) and whether this deficit was associated with a reduction in glutamatergic inputs in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in schizophrenia.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We examined the expression of NR2A mRNA, labeled with a ³⁵S-tagged riboprobe, in neurons that expressed PV mRNA, visualized with a digoxigenin-labeled riboprobe via an immunoperoxidase reaction, in twenty schizophrenia and twenty matched normal control subjects. We also immunohistochemically labeled the glutamatergic axon terminals with an antibody against vGluT1.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The density of the PV neurons that expressed NR2A mRNA was significantly decreased by 48-50% in layers 3 and 4 in the subjects with schizophrenia, but the cellular expression of NR2A mRNA in the PV neurons that exhibited a detectable level of this transcript was unchanged. In addition, the density of vGluT1-immunoreactive boutons was significantly decreased by 79% in layer 3, but was unchanged in layer 5 of the PFC in schizophrenia.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>These findings suggest that glutamatergic neurotransmission via NR2A-containing NMDA receptors on PV neurons in the PFC may be deficient in schizophrenia. This may disinhibit the postsynaptic excitatory circuits, contributing to neuronal injury, aberrant information flow and PFC functional deficits in schizophrenia.</p

An evaluation test bed for enhanced vision

DLR's Institute of Flight Guidance is involved in many projects dealing with the development of new concepts for flight procedures and pilot assistance functions. This includes especially the topic of enhanced vision (EVS), where processed data from radar and infrared sensors is utilized to augment the pilot's vision. For evaluating these concepts extensive flight testing has been conducted and results have been published during the last years. Now, DLR has combined its expertise in the field of high performance sensor simulation on the one hand side, together with the visual simulation for its generic cockpit simulator, on the other hand. Sensor simulation of imaging radar, lidar, infrared, etc., is based mainly on the application of high performance functions of modern computer graphics hardware (vertex and fragment shaders). The direct combination of these functions with the "outside-vision" software, which is now based on exactly the same terrain and object geometry, delivers sensor data that perfectly correlate to the visual channel. This combined simulation environment will be the basis for various evaluation trials within the near future, including simulation trails for fixed-wing and rotary-wing applications. The paper presents the implemented software and hardware architecture of the cockpit's visual simulator and its coupling to the sensor simulation test-suite. First results of recently conducted simulation experiments including the evaluation of new proposed flight procedures, which apply EVS technology, are given

Joint and several liability of the investor and general contractor for consideration due to the subcontractors after the changes introduced by the Act of 7 April 2017

Publikacja recenzowana / Peer-reviewed publicationPublikacja dotyczy niezmiernie istotnego z punktu widzenia praktyki budowlanej zagadnienia odpowiedzialności solidarnej inwestora i generalnego wykonawcy za zapłatę wynagrodzenia należnego podwykonawcy. Analizą objęte zostały nowe rozwiązania prawne, które wprowadzono ustawą z dnia 7 kwietnia 2017 r. o zmianie niektórych ustaw w celu ułatwienia dochodzenia wierzytelności. Na pierwszy rzut oka wydaje się, że rozstrzygają one wszelkie wątpliwości, jakie pojawiały się na gruncie wykładni art. 6471 k.c. Wnikliwa lektura rzeczonego przepisu prawnego pozwala stwierdzić, że jest to mylne odczucie.Th is article considers the problem of joint and several liability of the investor and general contractor for consideration due to the subcontractors what is an extremely principal issue from the point of view of construction industry. Th e analysis includes the new legal solutions which were introduced by the Act of 7 April 2017 about the changes of some acts to facilitate debt recovery. It seems at fi rst sight that the mentioned changes solve any kind of doubt which existed on basis of the interpretation of the Article 6471 of the Civil Code. A thorough reading of the said legal provision leads to a conclusion that it might be a confusing impression