Autobiographically Significant Concepts: More Episodic than Semantic in Nature? An Electrophysiological Investigation of Overlapping Types of Memory

A common assertion is that semantic memory emerges from episodic memory, shedding the distinctive contexts associated with episodes over time and/or repeated instances. Some semantic concepts, however, may retain their episodic origins or acquire episodic information during life experiences. The current study examined this hypothesis by investigating the ERP correlates of autobiographically significant (AS) concepts, that is, semantic concepts that are associated with vivid episodic memories. We inferred the contribution of semantic and episodic memory to AS concepts using the amplitudes of the N400 and late positive component, respectively. We compared famous names that easily brought to mind episodic memories (high AS names) against equally famous names that did not bring such recollections to mind (low AS names) on a semantic task (fame judgment) and an episodic task (recognition memory). Compared with low AS names, high AS names were associated with increased amplitude of the late positive component in both tasks. Moreover, in the recognition task, this effect of AS was highly correlated with recognition confidence. In contrast, the N400 component did not differentiate the high versus low AS names but, instead, was related to the amount of general knowledge participants had regarding each name. These results suggest that semantic concepts high in AS, such as famous names, have an episodic component and are associated with similar brain processes to those that are engaged by episodic memory. Studying AS concepts may provide unique insights into how episodic and semantic memory interact

Complete genome sequence of the Clostridium difficile laboratory strain 630Δerm reveals differences from strain 630, including translocation of the mobile element CTn5

Molecular Technology and Informatics for Personalised Medicine and Healt

Condições higiênico-sanitárias das cantinas de escolas públicas e privadas do Distrito Federal – Brasil e seus fatores associados

The aim of this study was to survey the health conditions of school canteens in the Federal District, Brazil and identify possible matches between their sanitation profile and other characteristics. This included type of school, canteen manager’s educational level, and management system. We observed a few nutritionists, employees, and qualified technical personnel in charge in most of the 182 canteens that we visited. In 80% of the canteens, the sanitation and hygiene conditions were considered “inadequate” and only 8% were considered “good” or “very good.” Of all the inspection items, potable water supply had the highest compliance rate (98.4%); however, safe food handling practices had the lowest compliance rate (2.7%). Among the other observed items, canteens in private schools, management system, canteen manager’s educational level, employee training, and the presence of a nutritionist were positively associated (p < 0.05) with the best hygiene conditions. Overall, we observed that the sanitation/hygiene inspection performance of canteens in the Federal District, particularly in public schools, is critical to the health of students. It is our hope that the government and school communities implement cooperative actions to raise the sanitation/hygiene levels at school canteens.Esta pesquisa teve como objetivos avaliar as condições higiênico-sanitárias das cantinas escolares do Distrito Federal – Brasil e verificar a existência de correlação entre o perfil sanitário e outras características previamente elencadas. Foram visitadas 182 cantinas, onde foram constatadas a inexistência de responsável técnico habilitado, o nutricionista, e uma pequena quantidade de funcionários, na maioria delas. Destas, 80% foram classificadas como “deficientes” em relação às condições higiênico-sanitárias, enquanto menos de 8% foram consideradas “boas” ou “muito boas”. Dos aspectos avaliados, o abastecimento com água potável apresentou o maior percentual de conformidade (98,4%), enquanto o item relativo às práticas de higiene do manipulador alcançou a menor prevalência de adequação (2,7%). Dentre as variáveis observadas, a localização da cantina em escola particular, o tipo de gestão, a escolaridade de seu representante, o treinamento de funcionários e a presença de nutricionista se correlacionaram positiva e significativamente (p > 0,05) às melhores condições de higiene. Este estudo conclui que a precariedade da situação higiênico-sanitária das cantinas escolares do Distrito Federal, principalmente nas escolas públicas, é extremamente desfavorável à saúde dos escolares e propõe o estabelecimento de ações envolvendo governo, comunidade escolar e cantinas, de maneira integrada e corresponsável

Chemical and Biological Characterization of Particulate Matter (PM 2.5) and Volatile Organic Compounds Collected at Different Sites in the Los Angeles Basin

Background: Most studies on air pollution (AP) exposure have focused on adverse health effects of particulate matter (PM). Less well-studied are the actions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) not retained in PM collections. These studies quantified chemical and biological properties of both PM2.5 and VOCs. Methods: Samples were collected near the Port of Los Angeles (Long Beach, LB), railroads (Commerce, CM), and a pollution-trapping topography-site (San Bernardino, SB). Quantitative assays were conducted: (1) chemical—prooxidant and electrophile content, (2) biological—tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) expression (3), VOC modulation of PM effects and (4), activation of the antioxidant response element (ARE) using murine RAW 264.7 macrophages. Results: SB site samples were the most potent in the chemical and biological assays, followed by a CM railroad site. Only PM2.5 exhibited significant proinflammatory responses. VOCs were more potent than PM2.5 in generating anti-inflammatory responses; further, VOC pretreatment reduced PM-associated TNF-α expression. VOCs significantly increased ARE activation compared to their corresponding PM2.5 which remained at background levels. Conclusion: Ambient VOCs are major contributors to adaptive responses that can modulate PM effects, in vitro, and, as such, need to be included in comprehensive assessments of AP

Pequeno Relato de um Grande Esforço: “Jovem e consumo midiático em tempos de convergência” // Short Report of a Great Effort: "Young and media consumption in convergence times"

O texto trata das principais estratégias e procedimentos de uma pesquisa nacional comparativa, desenvolvida por 27 equipes estaduais, sobre as práticas e consumo midiático de jovens brasileiros, em tempos de convergência midiática. Apresenta também alguns aspectos conceituais referentes ao âmbito do método, da metodologia e dos procedimentos técnicos. Sumary The text deals with the main strategies and procedures of a National Comparative Research, develop by 27 states teams about media practices and consumption of brazilian youth in times of media convergence. It also introduces some conceptual aspects about the framework of the method, methodology and technical procedures

Interaction between Amyloid Beta Peptide and an Aggregation Blocker Peptide Mimicking Islet Amyloid Polypeptide

Assembly of amyloid-beta peptide (Aβ) into cytotoxic oligomeric and fibrillar aggregates is believed to be a major pathologic event in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and interfering with Aβ aggregation is an important strategy in the development of novel therapeutic approaches. Prior studies have shown that the double N-methylated analogue of islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) IAPP-GI, which is a conformationally constrained IAPP analogue mimicking a non-amyloidogenic IAPP conformation, is capable of blocking cytotoxic self-assembly of Aβ. Here we investigate the interaction of IAPP-GI with Aβ40 and Aβ42 using NMR spectroscopy. The most pronounced NMR chemical shift changes were observed for residues 13–20, while residues 7–9, 15–16 as well as the C-terminal half of Aβ - that is both regions of the Aβ sequence that are converted into β-strands in amyloid fibrils - were less accessible to solvent in the presence of IAPP-GI. At the same time, interaction of IAPP-GI with Aβ resulted in a concentration-dependent co-aggregation of Aβ and IAPP-GI that was enhanced for the more aggregation prone Aβ42 peptide. On the basis of the reduced toxicity of the Aβ peptide in the presence of IAPP-GI, our data are consistent with the suggestion that IAPP-GI redirects Aβ into nontoxic “off-pathway” aggregates

Biography – A Play? Poetologische Experimente mit einer Gattung ohne Poetik

Im Unterschied zu vielen Genres in der abendländischen Tradition gibt es für biographisches Schreiben keine Gattungspoetiken, nur Prototypen, Vorbilder, und die bis heute dominante Erzählordnung ist die chronologische. Kausal- und Finalnexus eines Lebens werden so in wissenschaftlichen wie literarischen Biographien in der Regel behauptet und miteinander verbunden. Die Aufsätze dieses Bandes stellen im Kontrast dazu Variationsmöglichkeiten biographischer Poetologie vor, historische wie gegenwärtige Experimente, (inter-)mediale Spielformen wie Alternativen der Narration. Einige der Beiträge sind zugleich Werkstattberichte von Biographen, die Auskunft über die Konstruktionsprinzipien ihres Schreibens geben. Der Titel des Bandes bezieht sich auf Max Frischs Theaterstück Biografie: Ein Spiel, das 1967 entstand und 1968 im Schauspielhaus Zürich uraufgeführt wurde, und variiert dessen Ausgangsbedingung, ersetzt den Registrator, der dem Helden Kürmann erlaubt, sein Leben – immer wieder dessen entscheidende Situationen verändernd – neu zu leben, durch den Biographen, der die Vita des Biographierten in allen ihren Handlungsoptionen als ein offenes Experiment zu beschreiben versucht

Strong HIV-1-Specific T Cell Responses in HIV-1-Exposed Uninfected Infants and Neonates Revealed after Regulatory T Cell Removal

BACKGROUND: In utero transmission of HIV-1 occurs on average in only 3%–15% of HIV-1-exposed neonates born to mothers not on antiretroviral drug therapy. Thus, despite potential exposure, the majority of infants remain uninfected. Weak HIV-1-specific T-cell responses have been detected in children exposed to HIV-1, and potentially contribute to protection against infection. We, and others, have recently shown that the removal of CD4(+)CD25(+) T-regulatory (Treg) cells can reveal strong HIV-1 specific T-cell responses in some HIV-1 infected adults. Here, we hypothesized that Treg cells could suppress HIV-1-specific immune responses in young children. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We studied two cohorts of children. The first group included HIV-1-exposed-uninfected (EU) as well as unexposed (UNEX) neonates. The second group comprised HIV-1-infected and HIV-1-EU children. We quantified the frequency of Treg cells, T-cell activation, and cell-mediated immune responses. We detected high levels of CD4(+)CD25(+)CD127(−) Treg cells and low levels of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cell activation in the cord blood of the EU neonates. We observed HIV-1-specific T cell immune responses in all of the children exposed to the virus. These T-cell responses were not seen in the cord blood of control HIV-1 unexposed neonates. Moreover, the depletion of CD4(+)CD25(+) Treg cells from the cord blood of EU newborns strikingly augmented both CD4(+) and CD8(+) HIV-1-specific immune responses. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: This study provides new evidence that EU infants can mount strong HIV-1-specific T cell responses, and that in utero CD4(+)CD25(+) T-regulatory cells may be contributing to the lack of vertical transmission by reducing T cell activation