Ocular-Following Response - Ein möglicher subklinischer Marker in der Diagnostik der Migräne

Migräneerkrankte haben, im Vergleich zu einer gesunden Kontrollgruppe, im kopfschmerzfreien Intervall eine andere Verarbeitung von sensorischen Stimuli. Die vorliegende Promotionsarbeit untersuchte die Bewegungsverarbeitung bei Migräneerkrankten mittels Augenbewegungen: Ocular following response (OFR), ausgelöst durch ein Random-Dot-Muster und die langsame Blickfolge (PS), hervorgerufen durch das Verfolgen eines Punktes auf einem homogenen Hintergrund. Augenbewegungen wurden mittels eines Videookulographie Systems (EyeSeeTec®) aufgezeichnet. Die Stimuli wurden auf einem Röhrenmonitor (100Hz) präsentiert. Die Stimulusgeschwindigkeit betrug 2,5 – 160 °/s. Wir untersuchten 43 Patienten mit einer Migräne: davon 14 Patienten mit Migräne mit Aura, 19 mit Migräne ohne Aura und 10 mit einer vestibulären Migräne. Die Kontrollgruppe umfasste 16 Personen. Im Vergleich zu der Kontrollgruppe waren die OFR-Antworten für die Migräne mit Aura und vestibuläre Migräne erhöht. Im Gegensatz hierzu, waren die initialen Openloop-PS-Antworten für die drei Migränesubgruppen im Vergleich zu Kontrollgruppe nicht verändert. Aus diesen Ergebnissen kann man schlussfolgern, dass es für die Migräne mit Aura und für die Vestibuläre Migräne eine veränderte Verarbeitung von Bewegungsreizen im Vergleich zu einer Migräne ohne Aura und zu einer gesunden Kontrollgruppe geben muss. Die Ergebnisse können nicht durch eine generelle Hyperexzitabilität im Areal V5 erklärt werden. Die OFR kann zukünftig ein subklinischer Marker zur Unterstützung der Diagnose einer Migräne mit Aura und einer Vestibulären Migräne sein

Current pretreatment technologies for the development of cellulosic ethanol and biorefineries

Lignocellulosic materials, such as forest, agriculture, and agroindustrial residues, are among the most important resources for biorefineries to provide fuels, chemicals, and materials in such a way to substitute for, at least in part, the role of petrochemistry in modern society. Most of these sustainable biorefinery products can be produced from plant polysaccharides (glucans, hemicelluloses, starch, and pectic materials) and lignin. In this scenario, cellulosic ethanol has been considered for decades as one of the most promising alternatives to mitigate fossil fuel dependence and carbon dioxide accumulation in the atmosphere. However, a pretreatment method is required to overcome the physical and chemical barriers that exist in the lignin–carbohydrate composite and to render most, if not all, of the plant cell wall components easily available for conversion into valuable products, including the fuel ethanol. Hence, pretreatment is a key step for an economically viable biorefinery. Successful pretreatment method must lead to partial or total separation of the lignocellulosic components, increasing the accessibility of holocellulose to enzymatic hydrolysis with the least inhibitory compounds being released for subsequent steps of enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation. Each pretreatment technology has a different specificity against both carbohydrates and lignin and may or may not be efficient for different types of biomasses. Furthermore, it is also desirable to develop pretreatment methods with chemicals that are greener and effluent streams that have a lower impact on the environment. This paper provides an overview of the most important pretreatment methods available, including those that are based on the use of green solvents (supercritical fluids and ionic liquids)

Pre-treatment and extraction techniques for recovery of added value compounds from wastes throughout the agri-food chain

The enormous quantity of food wastes discarded annually force to look for alternatives for this interesting feedstock. Thus, food bio-waste valorisation is one of the imperatives of the nowadays society. This review is the most comprehensive overview of currently existing technologies and processes in this field. It tackles classical and innovative physical, physico-chemical and chemical methods of food waste pre-treatment and extraction for recovery of added value compounds and detection by modern technologies and are an outcome of the COST Action EUBIS, TD1203 Food Waste Valorisation for Sustainable Chemicals, Materials and Fuels

So what do you do with it? : how professionals are using attachment theory for therapeutic intervention

Attachment theory has provided 1ich and valuable information for practitioners in understanding the link between the relationship with a primary caregiver in infancy and the development of problematic behaviours in childhood. What is lacking in the literature, however, is the means by which relationship and, hence, child development can be restored through therapeutic intervention. The purpose of this investigation is to explore how practitioners in the field are applying attachment principles in their therapeutic practice to stabilize children's functioning. As the information regarding the application of attachment theory is sparse within the literature, an exploratory study was conducted through interviews with four participants using a qualitative multiple case study design. This study reveals the philosophies and practices of participants using attachment as their main therapeutic intervention. It was found that practitioners were using systematic methods to work with children and their families from an attachment perspective