Self-organization in a simple brain model

Simulations on a simple model of the brain are presented. The model consists of a set of randomly connected neurons. Inputs and outputs are also connected randomly to a subset of neurons. For each input there is a set of output neurons which must fire in order to achieve success. A signal giving information as to whether or not the action was successful is fed back to the brain from the environment. The connections between firing neurons are strengthened or weakened according to whether or not the action was successful. The system learns, through a self-organization process, to react intelligently to input signals, i.e. it learns to quickly select the correct output for each input. If part of the network is damaged, the system relearns the correct response after a training period

Therapist guided internet based cognitive behavioural therapy for body dysmorphic disorder: single blind randomised controlled trial

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the efficacy of therapist guided internet based cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) programme for body dysmorphic disorder (BDD-NET) compared with online supportive therapy. DESIGN A 12 week single blind parallel group randomised controlled trial. SETTING Academic medical centre. PARTICIPANTS 94 self referred adult outpatients with a diagnosis of body dysmorphic disorder and a modified Yale-Brown obsessive compulsive scale (BDD-YBOCS) score of &amp;gt;= 20. Concurrent psychotropic drug treatment was permitted if the dose had been stable for at least two months before enrolment and remained unchanged during the trial. INTERVENTIONS Participants received either BDD-NET (n=47) or supportive therapy (n=47) delivered via the internet for 12 weeks. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The primary outcome was the BDD-YBOCS score after treatment and follow-up (three and six months from baseline) as evaluated by a masked assessor. Responder status was defined as a &amp;gt;= 30% reduction in symptoms on the scale. Secondary outcomes were measures of depression (MADRS-S), global functioning (GAF), clinical global improvement (CGI-I), and quality of life (EQ5D). The six month follow-up time and all outcomes other than BDD-YBOCS and MADRS-S at 3 months were not pre-specified in the registration at clinicaltrials.gov because of an administrative error but were included in the original trial protocol approved by the regional ethics committee before the start of the trial. RESULTS BDD-NET was superior to supportive therapy and was associated with significant improvements in severity of symptoms of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD-YBOCS group difference -7.1 points, 95% confidence interval -9.8 to -4.4), depression (MADRS-S group difference -4.5 points, -7.5 to -1.4), and other secondary measures. At follow-up, 56% of those receiving BDD-NET were classed as responders, compared with 13% receiving supportive therapy. The number needed to treat was 2.34 (1.71 to 4.35). Self reported satisfaction was high. CONCLUSIONS CBT can be delivered safely via the internet to patients with body dysmorphic disorder. BDD-NET has the potential to increase access to evidence based psychiatric care for this mental disorder, in line with NICE priority recommendations. It could be particularly useful in a stepped care approach, in which general practitioner or other mental health professionals can offer treatment to people with mild to moderate symptoms at low risk of suicide.Funding Agencies|Stockholm County Council; Karolinska Institutet; Swedish Research Council [K2013-61X-22168-01-3]; Swedish Society of Medicine (Soderstromska Konigska sjukhemmet) [SLS3B4451]</p

Study on resting, roosting, foraging and nesting sites of few bird species at Mysore district, Karnataka, India

Three rhizosphere fungal isolates viz., PGPFYCM-2, PGPFYCM-8 and PGPFYCM-14 of Trichoderma harzianum, applied as seed treatment to a highly susceptible sunflower cultivar were evaluated for their ability to promote growth and induce resistance in sunflower against downy mildew disease caused by Plasmopara halstedii. Treatment of sunflower seeds with both conidial suspension (1þinspace×þinspace108 spores ml−1) and talc formulations (2.1þinspace×þinspace107 spores g−1) at 8 gþinspacekg−1 seeds and 10 gþinspacekg−1 seeds, significantly promoted growth and reduced disease incidence under both greenhouse and field conditions. Among the treatments, PGPFYCM-14 (1þinspace×þinspace108 spores ml−1) was highly significant (Pþinspace=þinspace0.05) in inducing resistance of 63 and 69 %, followed by PGPFYCM-2 which offered 41 and 42 % disease protection under greenhouse and field conditions respectively. Formulation treatments of PGPFYCM-14 also protected the plants significantly (Pþinspace=þinspace0.05) when compared to the untreated control. There was a significant increase in NPK macronutrients uptake in all the treated plants compared to the untreated control and maximum NPK uptake was observed with PGPFYCM-14 (1þinspace×þinspace108 spores ml−1). Under in vitro conditions, all the tested isolates expressed increase in seed germination and vigour index over the control. Tested plant growth promoting fungal (PGPF) isolates remain significant in enhancing vegetative and reproductive growth parameters, including plant height, early flowering, reduced crop duration, ear head size and crop yield under field conditions when compared to the untreated control