Transcranial Direct Corrent stimulation (tDCS) of the anterior prefrontal cortex (aPFC) modulates reinforcement learning and decision-making under uncertainty: A doubleblind crossover study

Reinforcement learning refers to the ability to acquire information from the outcomes of prior choices (i.e. positive and negative) in order to make predictions on the effect of future decision and adapt the behaviour basing on past experiences. The anterior prefrontal cortex (aPFC) is considered to play a key role in the representation of event value, reinforcement learning and decision-making. However, a causal evidence of the involvement of this area in these processes has not been provided yet. The aim of the study was to test the role of the orbitofrontal cortex in feedback processing, reinforcement learning and decision-making under uncertainly. Eighteen healthy individuals underwent three sessions of tDCS over the prefrontal pole (anodal, cathodal, sham) during a probabilistic learning (PL) task. In the PL task, participants were invited to learn the covert probabilistic stimulusoutcome association from positive and negative feedbacks in order to choose the best option. Afterwards, a probabilistic selection (PS) task was delivered to assess decisions based on the stimulus-reward associations acquired in the PL task. During cathodal tDCS, accuracy in the PL task was reduced and participants were less prone to maintain their choice after positive feedback or to change it after a negative one (i.e., winstay and lose-shift behavior). In addition, anodal tDCS affected the subsequent PS task by reducing the ability to choose the best alternative during hard probabilistic decisions. In conclusion, the present study suggests a causal role of aPFC in feedback trial-by-trial behavioral adaptation and decision-making under uncertainty

Sulle strade della musica. Jazz, immaginario, ideologia

Il volume affronta, in maniera critica e analitica, le interconnessioni che un universo di genere musicale, il jazz, intrattiene con le peculiari vicende storico-sociali del contesto che lo ha visto nascere e svilupparsi fino a condizionare interamente il divenire del suono e della canzone contemporanea. "Sulle strade della musica. Jazz, immaginario, ideologia" analizza il fenomeno della musicalità popolare moderna mediante un approccio sociologico, caratterizzato in senso storico-evolutivo, capace di rendere conto della complessità del fenomeno, con l’obiettivo di individuare le molteplici e diverse variabili, che contribuiscono a fare della musica un autentico mediatore sociale e una potente dimensione significante dei mondi di cui è espressione

Perspectives of people in Mali toward genetically-modified mosquitoes for malaria control

Background: Genetically-modified (GM) mosquitoes have been proposed as part of an integrated vector control strategy for malaria control. Public acceptance is essential prior to field trials, particularly since mosquitoes are a vector of human disease and genetically modified organisms (GMOs) face strong scepticism in developed and developing nations. Despite this, in sub-Saharan Africa, where the GM mosquito effort is primarily directed, very little data is available on perspectives to GMOs. Here, results are presented of a qualitative survey of public attitudes to GM mosquitoes for malaria control in rural and urban areas of Mali, West Africa between the months of October 2008 and June 2009. Methods: The sample consisted of 80 individuals - 30 living in rural communities, 30 living in urban suburbs of Bamako, and 20 Western-trained and traditional health professionals working in Bamako and Bandiagara. Questions were asked about the cause of malaria, heredity and selective breeding. This led to questions about genetic alterations, and acceptable conditions for a release of pest-resistant GM corn and malaria-refractory GM mosquitoes. Finally, participants were asked about the decision-making process in their community. Interviews were transcribed and responses were categorized according to general themes. Results: Most participants cited mosquitoes as one of several causes of malaria. The concept of the gene was not widely understood; however selective breeding was understood, allowing limited communication of the concept of genetic modification. Participants were open to a release of pest-resistant GM corn, often wanting to conduct a trial themselves. The concept of a trial was reapplied to GM mosquitoes, although less frequently. Participants wanted to see evidence that GM mosquitoes can reduce malaria prevalence without negative consequences for human health and the environment. For several participants, a mosquito control programme was preferred; however a transgenic release that satisfied certain requirements was usually acceptable. Conclusions: Although there were some dissenters, the majority of participants were pragmatic towards a release of GM mosquitoes. An array of social and cultural issues associated with malaria, mosquitoes and genetic engineering became apparent. If these can be successfully addressed, then social acceptance among the populations surveyed seems promising

ARGs & Chronic Disease: How Antibiotic Resistance Genes Impact the Progression of Type II Diabetes

Antibiotics are typically offered to patients with no warning of long-term consequences, though increasing evidence suggests this may not be entirely true. When antibiotics enter the body, they kill both good and bad bacterial populations in the gut - collectively known as the human microbiome. Repeated use of these drugs encourages mutations in this bacterial population [2]. This leads to the creation of antibiotic-resistant genes (ARGs) in antibiotic resistant bacteria (ARB). The causal relationship between antibiotic use and bacterial resistance is well established. However, recent research suggests a newly discovered relationship between the presence of specific ARGs in the microbiome and the incidence of certain chronic diseases such as diabetes, liver cirrhosis, chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, autism spectrum disorder, and inflammatory bowel disease [6]. This review of literature intends to illustrate a link between regional antibiotic use and the progression of Type II diabetes (T2D) in mainland China. In 2024, Zang et al. used wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) as a proxy to analyze antibiotic usage in Eastern China, finding the highest concentrations and prescriptions were associated with macrolide and quinolone antibiotics [8]. These results provide context to a 2022 study performed by Shuai et al. which showed that ARGs caused by these antibiotic classes were strongly correlated with the T2D disease state [7]. Together, this data adds to a growing body of evidence that stresses the importance of antibiotic stewardship in preventing human disease worldwide

Future Combustion Technology for Synthetic and Renewable Fuels in Compression Ignition Engines (REFUEL) - Final report

This domestic project, Future Combustion Technology for Synthetic and Renewable Fuels in Compression Ignition Engines (ReFuel), was part of a Collaborative Task "Future Combustion Technology for Synthetic and Renewable Fuels in Transport" of International Energy Agency (IEA) Combustion Agreement. This international Collaborative Task is coordinated by Finland. The three-year (2009-2011) project was a joint research project with Aalto University (Aalto), Tampere University of Technology (TUT), Technical Research Centre of Finland (VTT) and Åbo Akademi University (ÅAU). The project was funded by TEKES, Wärtsilä Oyj, Neste Oil Oyj, Agco Sisu Power, Aker Arctic Technology Oy and the research partners listed above. Modern renewable diesel fuels have excellent physical and chemical properties, in comparison to traditional crude oil based fuels. Purely paraffinic fuels do not contain aromatic compounds and they are totally sulphur free. Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) was studied as an example of paraffinic high cetane number (CN) diesel fuels. HVO has no storage and low temperature problems like the fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) have. The combustion properties are better than those of crude oil based fuels and FAME, because they have very high cetane numbers and contain no polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH). With low HVO density, viscosity and distillation temperatures, these advantageous properties allow far more advanced combustion strategies, such as very high exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) rates or extreme Miller timings, than has been possible with current fossil fuels. The implementation of these advanced combustion technologies, together with the novel renewable diesel fuel, brought significant nitrogen oxides (NOx), particulate matter (PM) emission reductions with no efficiency losses. The objective of ReFuel project was to develop new extremely low emission combustion technologies for new renewable fuels in compression ignition engines. The target was to decrease emissions at least by 70%. The scope was to utilize the physical and chemical properties of the renewable fuels that differ from properties of the traditional crude oil based fuels and to develop optimum combustion technologies for them. The project focused firstly, on paraffinic high cetane number fuels i.e. hydrotreated vegetable oil fuel as a typical representative of this kind of fuel and secondly, on fuels with high content of oxygenates. This was implemented by blending oxygenate to HVO fuel.

New organic solvents based on carbohydrates

Nature provides a vast new vista of opportunities for the preparation of new recyclable solvents. Natural compounds have been recently used to prepare the cationic or anionic moiety of room temperature ionic liquids. In many cases, these new solvents based on modification of natural products contain chiral centres and/or specific functional groups. This paper is an overview in an area of research that is destined to a rapid development and expansion

Role of the MLL-AF4 chimeric protein in the molecular pathogenesis of t(4;11) acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Chromosomal rearrangements involving the Mixed Lineage Leukemia (MLL) gene are associated with very aggressive forms of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), often refractory to conventional therapies. In particular, patients carrying the translocation t(4;11)(q21;q23) have the worst prognosis among patients with other MLL-associated malignancies. Although it has been largely shown that the MLL-AF4 fusion protein has the capability to up-regulate genes involved in the self-renewal/differentiation balance of the hematopoietic stem cell, the mechanism induced by this oncoprotein is still poorly understood. Previous functional proteomic studies performed in our group identified the molecular partners of the native AF4 protein, the most common MLL translocation partner in infant ALL, and confirmed that this protein is deeply involved in a complex protein network, important for the regulation of the Pol II-dependent transcription. In this study, we cloned in an eukaryotic expression vector the complete cDNA encoding MLL-AF4 and transiently expressed the recombinant protein in Hek293 cells. In order to understand which molecules take part in the aberrant pathway induced by the MLL-AF4 oncoprotein, we aimed to identify some of its molecular interactors, starting from the proteins that are already known to interact with AF4. We showed that MLL-AF4 binds to CdK9 that by interacting with cyclin T1 forms the positive elongation factor (P-TEFb), which is involved in the activation of the Pol II elongation machinery. We also found that MLL-AF4 interacts with CRSP130 and CRSP33, two members of the so-called “Mediator Complex”, thus suggesting that MLL-AF4 is involved in the regulation of the Pol II-dependent transcription. Interestingly, we found that MLL-AF4 also interacts with the tyrosine-kinase receptor FGFR2, and with a protein belonging to the family of 14-3-3s (the isoform θ), involved in diverse intracellular pathways. Moreover, we observed down-regulation in the expression of HoxA9, one of the MLL target genes, in the cells co-expressing both recombinant MLL-AF4 and 14-3-3 θ, thus suggesting that this interaction could modulate transcriptional processes induced by MLL-AF4. Elucidating the role of fusion protein interactors such as FGFR2 and 14-3-3 θ is very important for identifying new molecular targets for the therapy of the MLL-AF4-dependent B-cell ALL

Increased ventral striatal volume in college-aged binge drinkers

BACKGROUND Binge drinking is a serious public health issue associated with cognitive, physiological, and anatomical differences from healthy individuals. No studies, however, have reported subcortical grey matter differences in this population. To address this, we compared the grey matter volumes of college-age binge drinkers and healthy controls, focusing on the ventral striatum, hippocampus and amygdala. METHOD T1-weighted images of 19 binge drinkers and 19 healthy volunteers were analyzed using voxel-based morphometry. Structural data were also covaried with Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) scores. Cluster-extent threshold and small volume corrections were both used to analyze imaging data. RESULTS Binge drinkers had significantly larger ventral striatal grey matter volumes compared to controls. There were no between group differences in hippocampal or amygdalar volume. Ventral striatal, amygdalar, and hippocampal volumes were also negatively related to AUDIT scores across groups. CONCLUSIONS Our findings stand in contrast to the lower ventral striatal volume previously observed in more severe forms of alcohol use disorders, suggesting that college-age binge drinkers may represent a distinct population from those groups. These findings may instead represent early sequelae, compensatory effects of repeated binge and withdrawal, or an endophenotypic risk factor

Exploring the Role of Problematic Social Network Site Use in the Link Between Reflective Functioning and Identity Processes in Adolescents

Literature highlighted that problematic social network site use might have relevant detrimental consequences on users’ well-being, particularly in adolescence. However, it is still not clear which variables could be considered protective or risk factors for such problematic use. The present study aimed to fill this gap, examining the relationship between reflective functioning and adolescents’ identity development, while taking problematic SNS use into account. A sample of 354 students (age range = 13–19; Mage = 16.18, SD = 1.58; 19.9% males) from two Italians high schools participated in the study. Results from structural equation modeling showed that adolescents with high levels of reflective functioning reported lower levels of problematic SNS use. Furthermore, problematic SNS use mediated the relationship between reflective functioning and identity development, by disfavouring identity in-depth exploration and favouring reconsideration of commitment. We discussed clinical and research implications

FP616CHOLECALCIFEROL SUPPLEMENTATION IMPROVES SECONDARY HYPERPARATHYROIDISM CONTROL IN HEMODIALYSIS PATIENTS

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