Similarities and differences in the functional architecture of mother-infant communication in rhesus macaque and British mother-infant dyads

Similarly to humans, rhesus macaques engage in mother-infant face-to-face interactions. However, no previous studies have described the naturally occurring structure and development of mother-infant interactions in this population and used a comparative-developmental perspective to directly compare them to the ones reported in humans. Here, we investigate the development of infant communication, and maternal responsiveness in the two groups. We video-recorded mother-infant interactions in both groups in naturalistic settings and analysed them with the same micro-analytic coding scheme. Results show that infant social expressiveness and maternal responsiveness are similarly structured in humans and macaques. Both human and macaque mothers use specific mirroring responses to specific infant social behaviours (modified mirroring to communicative signals, enriched mirroring to affiliative gestures). However, important differences were identified in the development of infant social expressiveness, and in forms of maternal responsiveness, with vocal responses and marking behaviours being predominantly human. Results indicate a common functional architecture of mother-infant communication in humans and monkeys, and contribute to theories concerning the evolution of specific traits of human behaviour

The effect of autistic traits on disembedding and mental rotation in neurotypical women and men

Funder: Autism Research TrustFunder: Templeton World Charitable FundFunder: NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100018956Funder: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health ResearchFunder: Care East of England at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation TrustAbstractRecent data has revealed dissociations between social and non-social skills in both autistic and neurotypical populations. In the present study, we investigated whether specific visuospatial abilities, such as figure disembedding and mental rotation, are differently related to social and non-social autistic traits, in neurotypical women and men. University students (N = 426) completed the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), figure disembedding and mental rotation of two-dimensional figures tasks. AQ social skills (AQ-social) and attention-to-details (AQ-attention) subscales were used as measures of social and non-social autistic traits, respectively. Mental rotation was affected by a significant interaction between sex, social and non-social traits. When non-social traits were above the mean (+ 1 SD), no sex differences in mental rotation were found. Instead, below this value, sex differences depended on the social traits, with men on average outperforming women at middle-to-high social traits, and with a comparable performance, and with women on average outperforming men, at lower social traits. A small positive correlation between figure disembedding and social traits was observed in the overall sample. These results are interpreted in terms of the hyper-systemizing theory of autism and contribute to the evidence of individual differences in the cognitive style of autistic people and neurotypical people with autistic traits.</jats:p

The effect of autistic traits on disembedding and mental rotation in neurotypical women and men

Funder: Autism Research TrustFunder: Templeton World Charitable FundFunder: NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre; doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100018956Funder: National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Collaboration for Leadership in Applied Health ResearchFunder: Care East of England at Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation TrustAbstractRecent data has revealed dissociations between social and non-social skills in both autistic and neurotypical populations. In the present study, we investigated whether specific visuospatial abilities, such as figure disembedding and mental rotation, are differently related to social and non-social autistic traits, in neurotypical women and men. University students (N = 426) completed the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ), figure disembedding and mental rotation of two-dimensional figures tasks. AQ social skills (AQ-social) and attention-to-details (AQ-attention) subscales were used as measures of social and non-social autistic traits, respectively. Mental rotation was affected by a significant interaction between sex, social and non-social traits. When non-social traits were above the mean (+ 1 SD), no sex differences in mental rotation were found. Instead, below this value, sex differences depended on the social traits, with men on average outperforming women at middle-to-high social traits, and with a comparable performance, and with women on average outperforming men, at lower social traits. A small positive correlation between figure disembedding and social traits was observed in the overall sample. These results are interpreted in terms of the hyper-systemizing theory of autism and contribute to the evidence of individual differences in the cognitive style of autistic people and neurotypical people with autistic traits.</jats:p

Rappresentazioni neurali di azioni eseguite e trattenute nell’area intraparietale anteriore del macaco

In questo studio abbiamo registrato l’attività di neuroni dell’area intraparietale anteriore (AIP) della corteccia parietale, la quale è considerata essere un nodo cruciale per la codifica di oggetti afferrabili ed azioni dirette ad oggetti. Uno studio recente (Bonini et al. 2014) ha dimostrato che i neuroni dell’area premotoria ventrale (F5) codificano rappresentazioni motorie anche in assenza di alcun movimento esplicito o alcuno stimolo visivo, indicando che F5 possa essere coinvolta in funzioni cognitive di alto livello, una rappresentazione simil-concettuale delle azioni. In virtù delle consistenti e reciproche connessioni tra F5 e AIP, il presente progetto si pone come scopo quello di sottolineare un possibile contributo dell’area AIP nella rappresentazione di azioni ad un livello pragmatico e/o concettuale. Abbiamo testato l’attività di 127 singoli neuron durante sia un compito visuomotorio che un compito osservazionale, nel quale la scimmia era stata addestrata a compiere o trattenere (ed a osservare lo sperimentatore compiere o trattenere) un’azione di affioramento diretto ad oggetti, in relazione ad una istruzione convogliata da un segnale acustico. Questo tipo di paradigma ci ha permesso di investigare le risposte neuroni durante una condizione di inazione a di riportare la prima evidenza riguardo l’attività dell’area AIP non solo quando la scimmia afferra un oggetto o osserva qualcun altro compiere l’azione, come già largamente dimostrato e qui, in questo lavoro, confermato dalla sub-popolazione H, ma anche quando l’animale si frena volontariamente dal compiere l’azione (condizione di inazione), come rivelato dalle sub-popolazioni HL e L. Questi risultati suggeriscono che l’area AIP partecipa, insieme all’area premotoria F5, alla codifica delle rappresentazioni simil-concettuali delle azioni le quali, anche se in assenza di movimento esplicito, sembrano mantenerne la valenza pragmatica attraverso una rappresentazione mnemonica visuomotoria dell’oggetto, codificata indipendentemente dal fatto che l’azione venga eseguita o meno; allo stesso tempo, il feedback premotorio relato alla scelta di agire o non agire, potrebbe rendere AIP capace di distinguere la rappresentazione interna della propria inazione da quella associata all'osservazione passiva dell'azione dell’altro.In this study we recorded neurons from the anterior intraparietal (AIP) area of the parietal cortex, a cortical hub for the encoding of graspable objects and object-directed actions. Recent findings demonstrate that ventral premotor (F5) neurons can code motor representations even in the absence of any overt movement and visual stimulus, indicating that it could be involved in high-order cognitive functions, such as a conceptual-like representation of actions. By virtue of the consistent and reciprocal anatomical connections between F5 and AIP, the project aims to highlight the possible contribution of the area AIP in the representation of actions at a pragmatic and/or conceptual level. We tested 127 AIP single neuron activity during both a visuomotor task and an observation task, in which the monkeys had to perform or withhold (and to observe the experimenter performing or withholding) actions of grasping directed to graspable objects, in relation to instructional information conveyed by an acoustic signal. This paradigm allowed us to investigate the neuronal responses during inaction condition and to provide the first evidence of AIP neuronal activity not only when the monkey grasps an object (action) or observes someone else performing it, as previously demonstrated and here confirmed in population H, but also when it refrains from doing so (inaction), as revealed by populations HL and L. These findings suggest that area AIP partecipates with the premotor area F5 to the coding of conceptual-like representation of actions. Even during inaction, AIP appears to maintain its pragmatic valence. Indeed, memory-based visuomotor traces of object representation can be decoded from AIP population activity all along task unfolding period. Feedback signals related to the action/inaction choice and originating from premotor regions may enable area AIP activity to distinguish internal representations of one’s own withheld action from inaction associated with passive observation of others’ action

The Views of Non-psychiatric Medical Specialists About People with Schizophrenia and Depression

This study explored the views of non-psychiatric medical specialists about people with schizophrenia and depression and examined whether specialists’ approach to these clients, and their perception of dangerousness and social distance, differed by disorder. Non-psychiatric medical specialists working in community centers in Italy read either a schizophrenia or depression description and then completed a questionnaire on their views about people with that disorder. The schizophrenia-group (N=114) was more sure than the depression-group (N=97) that the patients should be approached differently in outpatient specialized clinics like those where the respondents worked; are incapable of caring for their own health; and are kept at distance by others. Perceived dangerousness did not significantly differ between the two groups. These findings highlight the potential effects of attitudes on medical practice and outline the need to educate non-psychiatric medical specialists on stigma as a strategy to reduce health discrepancies, particularly toward people diagnosed with schizophrenia

Guccification: redefining luxury through art The Gucci revolution

The relationship between art and luxury is not a simple coincidence (Chailan, 2018). Indeed, art arguably can enhance both the symbolic and the aesthetic aspects of brand perceptions and may help overcome the problems associated with the industrialization of luxury (Chailan, 2018; Lee et al., 2015; Kapferer, 2014). Among the companies attempting to invest in their relationship with art, Gucci presents a focused, innovative example. This case study shows how a company constituting a significant part of a global group has grown in a fragmented global luxury market characterized by a few large multi-brand groups and small independent players competing in different segments. In particular, Gucci\u2019s artistic directors have tried to bring together ethics and aesthetics and to use art to create exclusive experiences linked to the brand also drawing attention to the brand\u2019s heritage trough contamination

A phase II study evaluating the efficacy of enzalutamide and the role of liquid biopsy for evaluation of ARv7 in mCRPC patients with measurable metastases including visceral disease (Excalibur study)

Background: Up to 30% of patients with metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) develop visceral metastases, which are associated with a poor prognosis. Objectives: Efficacy of enzalutamide in mCRPC patients with measurable metastases, including visceral and/or extra-regional lymph nodes. Methods: In this phase II multicenter study, patients with mCRPC and measurable metastases received enzalutamide as the first line. Primary endpoint: 3-month (mo) disease control rate (DCR) defined as the proportion of patients with complete (CR) or partial response (PR) or stable disease (SD) as per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors 1.1. Secondary endpoint: safety. Exploratory endpoint: the association between ARv7 splicing variants in basal circulating tumor cell (CTC)-enriched blood samples and treatment response/resistance using the AdnaTest ProstateCancerSelect kit and the AdnaTest ProstateCancer Panel AR-V7. Results: From March 2017 to January 2021, 68 patients were enrolled. One patient never started treatment. Median age: 72 years. A total of 52 patients (78%) received enzalutamide as a first line for mCRPC. The median follow-up was 32 months. At the 3-month assessment, 24 patients presented an SD, 1 patient achieved a CR, and 23 patients had a PR (3-mo-DCR of 72%). Discontinuations due to adverse events (AEs), disease-related death, or disease progression occurred in 9%, 6%, and 48% of patients. All patients reported at least one grade (G) 1–2 AE: the most common were fatigue (49%) and hypertension (33%). Six G3 AEs were reported: two hypertension, one seizure, one fatigue, one diarrhea, and one headache. Basal detection of ARv7 was significantly associated with poor treatment response (p = 0.034) and a nonsignificant association (p = 0.15) was observed between ARv7 detection and response assessments. At month 3, ARv7 was detected in 57%, 25%, and 15% of patients undergoing progressive disease, SD, and PR, respectively. Conclusion: The study met its primary endpoint, showing the efficacy of enzalutamide in men with mCRPC and measurable metastatic lesions in visceral and/or lymph node sites. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03103724. First Posted: 6 April 2017. First patient enrollment: 19 April 2017

Thrombolysis and bridging therapy in patients with acute ischemic stroke and Covid-19

Comorbidity of acute ischemic stroke with Covid-19 is a challenging condition, potentially influencing the decision whether administering intravenous thrombolysis (IVT). We aimed to assess 1-month outcome in ischemic stroke patients with Covid-19 infection who received IVT alone or before thrombectomy (bridging therapy)

Real-world data on cabozantinib in previously treated patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma: Focus on sequences and prognostic factors

Cabozantinib is approved for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). However, prognostic factors are still lacking in this context. The aim of this study was to evaluate prognostic factors in RCC patients treated with second-or third-line cabozantinib. A multicenter retrospective real-world study was conducted, involving 32 worldwide centers. A total of 237 patients with histologically confirmed clear-cell and non-clear-cell RCC who received cabozantinib as second-or third-line therapy for metastatic disease were included. We analyzed overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS) and time-to-strategy failure (TTSF) using Kaplan–Meier curves. Cox proportional models were used at univariate and multivariate analyses.The median PFS and OS of cabozantinib were 7.76 months (95% CI 6.51–10.88) and 11.57 months (95% CI 10.90–not reached (NR)) as second-line and 11.38 months (95% CI 5.79–NR) and NR (95% CI 11.51–NR) as third-line therapy. The median TTSF and OS were 11.57 and 15.52 months with the sequence of cabozantinib–nivolumab and 25.64 months and NR with nivolumab–cabozantinib, respectively. The difference between these two sequences was statistically significant only in good-risk patients. In the second-line setting, hemoglobin (Hb) levels (HR= 2.39; 95% CI 1.24–4.60, p = 0.009) and IMDC (International Metastatic Renal Cell Carcinoma Database Consortium) group (HR = 1.72, 95% CI 1.04–2.87, p = 0.037) were associated with PFS while ECOG-PS (HR = 2.33; 95%CI, 1.16–4.69, p = 0.018) and Hb levels (HR = 3.12; 95%CI 1.18–8.26, p = 0.023) correlated with OS at multivariate analysis, while in the third-line setting, only Hb levels (HR = 2.72; 95%CI 1.04–7.09, p = 0.042) were associated with OS. Results are limited by the retrospective nature of the study.This real-world study provides evidence on the presence of prognostic factors in RCC patients receiving cabozantinib.</p