Depth-Dependent Physiological Modulators of the BOLD Response in the Human Motor Cortex

This dissertation proposes a set of methods for improving spatial localization of cerebral metabolic changes using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) fMRI estabilished itself as the most frequently used technique for mapping brain activity in humans. It is non-invasive and allows to obtain information about brain oxygenation changes in a few minutes. It was discovered in 1990 and, since then, it contributed enormously to the developments in neuroscientific research. Nevertheless, the BOLD contrast suffers from inherent limitations. This comes from the fact that the observed response is the result of a complex interplay between cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral blood volume (CBV) and cerebral metabolic rate of oxygen consumption (CMRO2) and has a strong dependency on baseline blood volume and oxygenation. Therefore, the observed response is mislocalized from the site where the metabolic activity takes place and it is subject to high variability across experiments due to normal brain physiology. Since the peak of BOLD changes can be as much as 4 mm apart from the site of metabolic changes, the problem of spatial mislocalization is particularly constraining at submillimeter resolution. Three methods are proposed in this work in order to overcome this limitation and make data more comparable. The first method involves a modification of an estabilished model for calibration of BOLD responses (the dilution model), in order to render it applicable at higher resolutions. The second method proposes a model-free scaling of the BOLD response, based on spatial normalization by a purely vascular response pattern. The third method takes into account the hypothesis that the cortical vasculature could act as a low-pass filter for BOLD fluctuations as the blood is carried downstream, and investigates differences in frequency composition of cortical laminae. All methods are described and tested on a depth-dependent scale in the human motor cortex

Osteosarcoma in the Skull of a Holstein Heifer

A-2-years-old heifer showed a mass on the frontal part of the skull. Cytological analysis displayed pleomorphic, polyedric and fusiform cells with extracellular hyaline material. Histologically, the excised mass showed proliferation of spindle-to-polyhedral cells that exhibited anisocytosis and anisocaryosis. Osteoid substance was demonstrated by Masson´s thricromic stain. Tumoral cells and osteoid expressed osteocalcin. This case report communicates a very rare osteosarcoma in the corneal process of a young heifer. As the heifer was previously dehorned, it is possible that this procedure was a predisposing factor for malignant growth.Fil: Micheloud, Juan Francisco. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria. Centro de Investigaciones Agropecuarias. Instituto de Investigación Animal del Chaco Semiárido; ArgentinaFil: Guidi, Maria Guadalupe. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Cátedra de Patología General Veterinaria; ArgentinaFil: Gimeno, Eduardo Juan. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias. Cátedra de Patología General Veterinaria; Argentina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentin

Mergers and Acquisitions Between Mutual Banks in Italy :An analysis of the effects on performance and productive efficiency

The paper is aimed at testing the hypothesis that the M&A wave over the past ten years has increased the level of efficiency of co-operative credit banks (CCBs), both in terms of overall performance and productive efficiency. The logical development is hinged on two steps: 1) an explorative analysis which is based on the observation of balance sheet ratios by quantiles, 2) a DEA application for estimating productive efficiency scores. The analysis refers to 94 CCBs which have been involved in M&As over the period 1995-1998 and is carried out on both merged and non-merged banks, either before concentration or in the subsequent years.

Subjects Beyond Themselves

n its literal meaning, the term ἔκστασις (ekstasis) indicates a displacement, ‘being out of immobility’, and ultimately being outside oneself. To some extent, this term takes on a mystical connotation in late Antiquity, notably in book VI.9.11.24 of Plotinus’ Enneads, where ekstasis is described as a non-ordinary way of seeing. The notion of ecstasy, often inseparable from the concept of vision, would keep its mystical role, though altered in some ways, over the centuries, conceptualizing a specific kind of knowledge, which goes beyond the subject-object opposition, addressing the epistemological issues of perceiving and knowing the divine, and often challenging the nature of the self. This issue offers some attempts to track the constant reshaping and migration of the notions of ecstasy and intellectual or spiritual vision over the history of Western thought, unearthing their structural and constant persistence, from the Middle Ages to the contemporary ages, recurrently in many different non-ultimately-dialectical metaphysical systems. The papers in this volume provide some illustrative examples of the tangled history of the divergent meanings that the notions of ecstasy and vision have taken on, and their considerable reassessments and adaptations to constantly evolving conceptual frameworks, often redefining further notions such as those of rapture, prophecy, sleep, dream, and death

Mineral Phosphate Solubilization in Burkholderia tropica Involves an Inducible PQQ-Glucose Dehydrogenase

Aims: The objective of this work was to provide knowledgement about the mechanism and regulation of the mineral phosphate solubilization in Burkholderia. tropica. To this end, the expression of the direct extracellular oxidative pathway in B. tropica was studied using different culture approaches.Study Design: Plate assays and batch cultures in flasks and bioreactor were carried out in this study with B. tropica Mto-293 like target organism. The experiments were achieved at least three times with two repetitions per time.Place and Duration of Study: Departamento de Química, Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Fermentaciones Industriales, UNLP, CCT-La Plata-CONICET, between November 2014-2015.Methodology: Qualitative plate assays with different Carbon sources were carried out for the evaluation of Mineral Phosphate Solubilization phenotype. Batch cultures in flasks were carried out with different Carbon, Phosphorus and Nitrogen sources to determine quantitatively soluble phosphorus, gluconic acid and other ketoacids in the supernatants, and also PQQ-linked glucose and gluconate dehydrogenase activities in whole cells. Cultures with some of the conditions mentioned before were carried out in bioreactor specifically to control pH.Results: This organism was able to produce significant amounts of gluconic acid via the expression of a PQQ-GDH and also showed a significant activity of GaDH. However, the direct oxidative pathway was only observed under conditions of Phosphorus starvation and/or Nitrogen fixation.Conclusion: The Mineral Phosphate Solubilization phenotype for B. tropica can be ascribed to the expression of the direct oxidative pathway which involves the expression of an active PQQ- linked glucose dehydrogenase. Nevertheless, this pathway is not expressed constitutively in this bacterium. Environmental conditions, like low P and N availability, led to an active extracellular glucose oxidation. Therefore, mineral phosphate solubilization in B. tropica involves an inducible pyrroloquinoline quinone-linked glucose dehydrogenase. These findings may contribute to the use of this bacterium as plant growth promoting bacteria reducing the dependence on chemical fertilizer.Fil: Bernabeu, Pamela Romina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Fermentaciones Industriales. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Fermentaciones Industriales; ArgentinaFil: Garcia, Sabrina Soledad. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Fermentaciones Industriales. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Fermentaciones Industriales; ArgentinaFil: Garcia Ferreyra, Gimena. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Fermentaciones Industriales. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Fermentaciones Industriales; ArgentinaFil: Guidi, Verónica Inés. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Fermentaciones Industriales. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Fermentaciones Industriales; ArgentinaFil: Galar, Maria Lina. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Fermentaciones Industriales. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Fermentaciones Industriales; ArgentinaFil: Boiardi, Jose Luis. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Fermentaciones Industriales. Universidad Nacional de la Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Fermentaciones Industriales; ArgentinaFil: Luna, Maria Flavia. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas; Argentin

Bioactive amines in soy sauce: Validation of method, occurrence and potential health effects

AbstractThe objective of this study was to investigate the levels of bioactive amines in soy sauce. A method for the extraction of amines was optimized and an ion pair-HPLC method was validated. Overall, tyramine was the prevalent amine, followed by putrescine, histamine, phenylethylamine and cadaverine. The concentrations of amines varied widely among samples. The brands could be divided into two groups. The first one contained three amines; there was prevalence of cadaverine followed by tyramine and putrescine; and total amine levels were low. The second group contained four amines; there was prevalence of tyramine followed by histamine, phenylethylamine and putrescine; and total amine levels were high. A brand with lower NaCl levels contained significantly higher amine levels. Based on the levels of amines detected, a high percentage of samples could cause adverse effects to human health

La Biblioteca Speleo della Società Alpina delle Giulie – Commissione Grotte, Eugenio Boegan, Trieste

Gli Autori presentano una breve panoramica della struttura e consistenza della biblioteca della Commissione Grotte della Società Alpina delle Giulie, formata da circa un migliaio di monografie, quasi 500 periodici, manuali, guide, atti di convegni ecc. A questa fanno seguire le linee guida sugli sviluppi futuri della stessa, con particolare riguardo alle possibilità fornite dall’informatica.The authors present an overview of the structure of the library of the CGEB (Società Alpina delle Giulie), formed nearly a thousand monographs, 500 between periodicals, manuals, guides, conference proceedings, etc. Follow the guide lines on future developments of the same library, with particular regard to the possibilities provided by information technology

Contribuição para o estudo do papel dos educadores pré-escolares na formação da identidade e papel de gênero dos educandos

Orientador: Prof. Alvino MoserDissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal do Paraná, Setor de Educação, Curso de Pós-Graduação em EducaçãoInclui referências: p. 147-150Resumo: O objeto de estudo desta dissertação ê a formação conceitual de masculinidade e feminilidade durante a idade pré-escolar, procedendo-se um estudo teórico-prático. As obras selecionadas para a parte teórica são as que abordam o tema de estudo a partir de uma visão psicossocial, exceção feita aos textos clássicos e á literatura pertinente á genética e endocrinologia. A parte prática compreende a elaboração e aplicação de uma escala tipo Lickert á 230 sujeitos formandos e profissionais em educação pré-escolar na cidade de Curitiba. O instrumento explora basicamente quatro áreas: estereotipias sexuais no contexto familiar, escolar, profissional e estereotipias relativas à sexualidade da criança. São consideradas atitudes ou estereótipos, neste estudo, expectativas, predisposições ou avaliações carentes de confirmação científica. As bases ditas científicas são as constantes da parte teórica do trabalho, razão pela qual a mesma abrange posições diversas, em se falando de fundamentos filosófico-metodológicos. Pelos resultados da parte teórica, conclui-se que: (a) até o momento o único comportamento diferenciado entre meninos e meninas com fortes indicativos de caracterizar-se como inato é a agressão; (b) os comportamentos - dominância e gosto por atividades que requeiram altos gastos de energia física indicam tendência para uma predisposição inata, porém até o momento, os resultados das pesquisas não trazem a alta consistência apresentada pelo comportamento agressão; (c) outras condutas - ou aptidões não apresentam qualquer indicativo de influência - biológica, caracterizando-se clara e unanimemente como ocasionados por influência social; (d) quando se trata de descrição de comportamentos sexualmente tipificados, a pesquisa bibliográfica apresenta contribuições plausíveis, com boa margem de generalização e inclusive muitas bem estabelecidas, porém, em se tratando de explicar as causas de tais comportamentos, há sérios problemas metodológicos nas pesquisas, grande divergência entre os teóricos revisados e pouca margem de generalização impedindo conclusões seguras, mesmo em um dado momento de determinada cultura; (e) a maioria das diferenças entre os sexos aparece na adolescência, mas, há diferenças que se fazem presentes em determinadas idades, desaparecendo ou reaparecendo posteriormente; (f) a influência da instituição pré-escolar mais efetiva para a maioria dos autores pesquisados diz respeito a ação de pessoas que por motivos diversos caracterizam- se como significativas para a criança. Também, a instituição pré-escolar vai influir na formação da identidade sexual através de sua congruência ou incongruência com outros agentes socializadores que agem no mesmo período cronológico da vida da criança. Os resultados da parte prática permitem concluir que os educadores e futuros educadores pré-escolares da cidade de Curitiba apresentam: (a) condutas demonstrativas de alteração de estereótipos tradicionais tocantes a diferenças de capacidade profissional entre homens c mulheres e ao papel de marido e mulher, em especial quanto a divisão de trabalho doméstico e distribuição de direitos e deveres. Cabe ressaltar que a pesquisa indica uma tendência sexista, isto é, parece haver alterações no que concerne a mudança de comportamentos ditos femininos para masculinos, nas expectativas quanto ao papel das mulheres, mas a mesma mudança não parece ocorrer em se falando de alterações de comportamentos masculinos em femininos para os homens; (b) há tendências para alteração de estereotipias no que diz respeito ao comportamento sexual da criança e a maneira de intervenção dos adultos diante de tais comportamentos. Há também tendência para mudança de estereotipia quanto à sexualidade no contexto escolar. Frise-se tendências pois os resultados apresentam significativa margem de indecisão quanto a determinadas questões e também fortes contradições; (c) os sujeitos apresentam fortes estereótipos quanto ao papel mãe e à orientação homossexual. Há forte consistência nos resultados indicando expectativa ligada, a certo mandonismo com relação à maternidade e a consideração negativa no tocante à orientação homossexual

Conservation assessment of the endemic plants of the Tuscan Archipelago, Italy.

The Mediterranean islands support a rich diversity of flora, with a high percentage of endemic species. We used the IUCN categories and criteria to assess the conservation status of 16 endemic plant taxa (species and subspecies) of the Tuscan Archipelago, based on data collected during field surveys over 4 years. Our data were sufficient to use criteria B, C and D in our assessment. We used criterion B in the assessment of all 16 taxa, criterion C for four taxa, criterion D for 11 taxa and criteria B, C and D for three taxa, Centaurea gymnocarpa, Limonium doriae and Silene capraria. According to our results L. doriae, Romulea insularis and S. capraria are categorized as Critically Endangered and therefore require immediate conservation measures; eight taxa are categorized as Endangered, two as Vulnerable and three as Near Threatened. Compared to earlier assessments, eight species are recategorized with a higher degree of threat, two species are recategorized with a lower degree of threat, five are unchanged, and one species is assessed for the first time. Based on the IUCN categorization our results show that all the endemic species of the Tuscan Archipelago are directly and/or indirectly threatened by human activities, such as tourism and agriculture, and invasive species of plants and animals. The Tuscan Archipelago National Park is responsible for the conservation of all endemic species in the area

Cortical lamina-dependent blood volume changes in human brain at 7T

Cortical layer-dependent high (sub-millimeter) resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in human or animal brain can be used to address questions regarding the functioning of cortical circuits, such as the effect of different afferent and efferent connectivities on activity in specific cortical layers. The sensitivity of gradient echo (GE) blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) responses to large draining veins reduces its local specificity and can render the interpretation of the underlying laminar neural activity impossible. The application of the more spatially specific cerebral blood volume (CBV)-based fMRI in humans has been hindered by the low sensitivity of the noninvasive modalities available. Here, a vascular space occupancy (VASO) variant, adapted for use at high field, is further optimized to capture layer-dependent activity changes in human motor cortex at sub-millimeter resolution. Acquired activation maps and cortical profiles show that the VASO signal peaks in gray matter at 0.8–1.6 mm depth, and deeper compared to the superficial and vein-dominated GE-BOLD responses. Validation of the VASO signal change versus well-established iron-oxide contrast agent based fMRI methods in animals showed the same cortical profiles of CBV change, after normalization for lamina-dependent baseline CBV. In order to evaluate its potential of revealing small lamina-dependent signal differences due to modulations of the input-output characteristics, layer-dependent VASO responses were investigated in the ipsilateral hemisphere during unilateral finger tapping. Positive activation in ipsilateral primary motor cortex and negative activation in ipsilateral primary sensory cortex were observed. This feature is only visible in high-resolution fMRI where opposing sides of a sulcus can be investigated independently because of a lack of partial volume effects. Based on the results presented here, we conclude that VASO offers good reproducibility, high sensitivity and lower sensitivity than GE-BOLD to changes in larger vessels, making it a valuable tool for layer-dependent fMRI studies in humans