Functional Hemispheric (A)symmetries in the Aged Brain-Relevance for Working Memory

Functional hemispheric asymmetries have been described in different cognitive processes, such as decision-making and motivation. Variations in the pattern of left/right activity have been associated with normal brain functioning, and with neuropsychiatric diseases. Such asymmetries in brain activity evolve throughout life and are thought to decrease with aging, but clear associations with cognitive function have never been established. Herein, we assessed functional laterality during a working memory task (N-Back) in a healthy aging cohort (over 50 years old) and associated these asymmetries with performance in the test. Activity of lobule VI of the cerebellar hemisphere and angular gyrus was found to be lateralized to the right hemisphere, while the precentral gyrus presented left > right activation during this task. Interestingly, 1-Back accuracy was positively correlated with left > right superior parietal lobule activation, which was mostly due to the influence of the left hemisphere. In conclusion, although regions were mostly symmetrically activated during the N-Back task, performance in working memory in aged individuals seems to benefit from lateralized involvement of the superior parietal lobule.NORTE-01-0145-FEDER-000013, supported by the Northern Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the Portugal 2020 Partnership Agreement, through the European Regional Development Fund (FEDER), and was funded by the European Commission (FP7) “SwitchBox—Maintaining health in old age through homeostasis” (Seventh Framework Programme; Contract HEALTH-F2-2010-259772), by FEDER through the Competitiveness Factors Operational Programme (COMPETE) and by National Funds, through the Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) under the scope of the project POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007038, by the Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian (Portugal; Contract Grant No: P-139977; project “TEMPO—Better mental health during ageing based on temporal prediction of individual brain ageing trajectories”) and by “PANINI—Physical Activity and Nutrition Influences In Ageing” (European Commission (Horizon 2020), Contract GA 675003); Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (FCT) (Grant Nos. SFRH/BD/52291/2013 to ME and PD/BD/106050/2015 to CP-N via Inter-University Doctoral Programme in Ageing and Chronic Disease (PhDOC), SFRH/BPD/80118/2011 to HL-A and SFRH/BD/90078/2012 to TCC); and FCT/MEC and ON.2–ONOVONORTE—North Portugal Regional Operational Programme 2007/2013, of the National Strategic Reference Framework (NSRF) 2007/2013, through FEDER (project FCTANR/NEU-OSD/0258/2012 to RM)info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

The role of blood cell membrane lipids on the mode of action of HIV-1 fusion inhibitor sifuvirtide

© 2010 Elsevier Inc.Sifuvirtide is a gp41 based peptide that inhibits HIV-1 fusion with the host cells and is currently under clinical trials. Previous studies showed that sifuvirtide partitions preferably to saturated phosphatidylcholine lipid membranes, instead of fluid-phase lipid vesicles. We extended the study to the interaction of the peptide with circulating blood cells, by using the dipole potential sensitive probe di-8-ANEPPS. Sifuvirtide decreased the dipole potential of erythrocyte and lymphocyte membranes in a concentration dependent manner, demonstrating its interaction. Also, the lipid selectivity of the peptide towards more rigid phosphatidylcholines was confirmed based on the dipole potential variations. Overall, the interaction of the peptide with the cell membranes is a contribution of different lipid preferences that presumably directs the peptide towards raft-like domains where the receptors are located, facilitating the reach of the peptide to its molecular target, the gp41 in its pre-fusion conformation.This work was funded by Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT) of the Portuguese Ministry of Science, Technology and Higher Education (MCTES), including project PTDC/QUI-BIQ/104787/2008 and Ph.D. Grant SFRH/BD/42205/2007 for P.M.M. The funding source did not have a direct involvement in this study

Coffee consumption decreases the connectivity of the posterior Default Mode Network (DMN) at rest

Habitual coffee consumers justify their life choices by arguing that they become more alert and increase motor and cognitive performance and efficiency; however, these subjective impressions still do not have a neurobiological correlation. Using functional connectivity approaches to study resting-state fMRI data in a group of habitual coffee drinkers, we herein show that coffee consumption decreased connectivity of the posterior default mode network (DMN) and between the somatosensory/motor networks and the prefrontal cortex, while the connectivity in nodes of the higher visual and the right executive control network (RECN) is increased after drinking coffee; data also show that caffeine intake only replicated the impact of coffee on the posterior DMN, thus disentangling the neurochemical effects of caffeine from the experience of having a coffee

Biocide glass based on Nb2O5-SiO-CaO-Na2O system

In this work, glasses based on SiO-CaO-NaO system containing different NbO contents were developed. Glasses were melted at 1500 °C and quenched in a metallic mould. Citotoxicity tests were performed using neutral red uptake methodology and indicated normal cell growth, which enables the use as biomaterial. Biocide activity was evaluated through glass incubation in bacterial suspension (Escherichia coli) at 37 °C under shaking. The composition with higher content of SiO and lower content of NbO presented higher biocide activity and the coefficient of thermal expansion indicate thermal compatibility with stainless steel 316 L and titanium alloys.This study was realized with financial support by FAPESP, Brazilian Bureau (process number 2012/17646-8)

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<p>Functional hemispheric asymmetries have been described in different cognitive processes, such as decision-making and motivation. Variations in the pattern of left/right activity have been associated with normal brain functioning, and with neuropsychiatric diseases. Such asymmetries in brain activity evolve throughout life and are thought to decrease with aging, but clear associations with cognitive function have never been established. Herein, we assessed functional laterality during a working memory task (N-Back) in a healthy aging cohort (over 50 years old) and associated these asymmetries with performance in the test. Activity of lobule VI of the cerebellar hemisphere and angular gyrus was found to be lateralized to the right hemisphere, while the precentral gyrus presented left > right activation during this task. Interestingly, 1-Back accuracy was positively correlated with left > right superior parietal lobule activation, which was mostly due to the influence of the left hemisphere. In conclusion, although regions were mostly symmetrically activated during the N-Back task, performance in working memory in aged individuals seems to benefit from lateralized involvement of the superior parietal lobule.</p

Criatividade na educação superior: fatores inibidores Creativity in higher education: inhibiting factors

O objetivo deste estudo foi investigar elementos percebidos por professores da educação superior como inibidores à promoção de condições adequadas ao desenvolvimento e expressão da criatividade de seus alunos. Trezentos e trinta e oito professores de instituições públicas e particulares de ensino superior responderam a uma checklist de barreiras à promoção de condições favoráveis à criatividade em sala de aula. Alunos com dificuldades de aprendizagem em sala de aula, desinteresse do aluno pelo conteúdo ministrado, poucas oportunidades para discutir e trocar ideias com colegas de trabalho sobre estratégias instrucionais e elevado número de alunos em sala de aula foram os itens com maior percentual de respostas. Alguns elementos cerceadores foram mais indicados por docentes de instituições públicas e outros por docentes de instituições particulares. Ademais, maior percentual de docentes do gênero feminino, comparativamente ao do gênero masculino, apontou cobrança de aulas expositivas pelos alunos e extensão do programa das disciplinas.<br>The purpose of this study was to investigate the perception of higher education professors regarding inhibiting elements to the promotion of adequate conditions for the development and expression of students' creativity in the classroom. The participants were 338 professors from public and private higher education institutions, who completed a checklist of obstacles to the promotion of creativity in the classroom. Students with learning difficulties, students' lack of interest in the content taught, few opportunities to discuss and exchange ideas with colleagues about instructional strategies and large number of students in the classroom were the items with greater number of responses. Significant differences were observed among professors from public and private institutions of higher education in several items. Furthermore, a greater percentage of female, comparatively to male professors, pointed out the pressure to lecture classes on the part of the students and the extent of the course content to be covered during the semester