Integrating mind and body: Investigating differential activation of nodes of the default mode network.

BACKGROUND: The default mode network (DMN) is a large-scale brain network tightly correlated with self and self-referential processing, activated by intrinsic tasks and deactivated by externally-directed tasks. OBJECTIVE: In this study, we aim to investigate the novel approach of default mode activation during progressive muscle relaxation and examine whether differential activation patterns result from the movement of different body parts. METHODS: We employed neuroimaging to investigate DMN activity during simple body movements, while performing progressive muscle relaxation. We focused on differentiating the neural response between facial movements and movements of other body parts. RESULTS: Our results show that the movement of different body parts led to deactivation in several DMN nodes, namely the temporal poles, hippocampus, medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and posterior cingulate cortex. However, facial movement induced an inverted and selective positive BOLD pattern in some of these areas precisely. Moreover, areas in the temporal poles selective for face movement showed functional connectivity not only with the hippocampus and mPFC but also with the nucleus accumbens. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that both conceptual and embodied self-related processes, including body movements during progressive muscle relaxation, may be mapped onto shared brain networks. This could enhance our understanding of how practices like PMR influence DMN activity and potentially offer insights to inform therapeutic strategies that rely on mindful body movements.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae vaccine protective efficacy and adverse reactions--Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Mycoplasma pneumoniae is a leading cause of both upper and lower respiratory infections that can lead to devastating sequela. Currently no primary prevention measures are available. During the 1960s and 1970s several inactivated M. pneumoniae vaccines were tested, some with encouraging results. Here we present a systematic review and meta-analysis on the efficacy and adverse effects of M. pneumoniae inactivated vaccines. Six clinical trials were found for efficacy calculation, with a total of 67,268 subjects. Vaccine associated adverse events were described in 15 studies. The summarized efficacy of M. pneumoniae vaccines against pneumonia regardless of etiologies was 36% (confidence interval (CI(95%)) 25 -- 45). The efficacy of the vaccines against M. pneumoniae associated pneumonia was 54% (35 -- 67) or 42% (12 -- 63) depending on diagnostic approach. Results were homogeneous without publication bias. No significant adverse reactions (including autoimmune effects) were observed. This study suggests that inactivated M. pneumoniae vaccines may reduce the total rates of both pneumonia and respiratory infections by approximately 40%. We therefore suggest redeveloping M. pneumoniae vaccines, particularly for high-risk settings as well as in the general population.

Expression and purification of active PKB kinase from Escherichia coli.

PKB/Akt is a protein involved in control of apoptosis, proliferation and cellular metabolism, and it has been found to be activated in many cancers. Activation of PKB involves recruitment of the enzyme by its PH domain to the cell membrane, and phosphorylation at two residues, T308 and S473. To produce active PKB kinase from Escherichia coli, we constructed a derivative of PKB lacking the PH domain and mutated to glutamate at residues S124, T450 and the activating residue S473 (DeltaPH-PKB-EEE). DeltaPH-PKB-EEE was expressed in E. coli together with PDK1, the kinase responsible for phosphorylating PKB at T308, which was expressed as a GST-fusion. Full-length DeltaPH-PKB-EEE was obtained by using a double tag strategy: His6 at the N-terminus and FLAG at the C-terminus. The protein was purified by nickel affinity chromatography, followed by passage over an anti-FLAG column. The final purification step, anion exchange over a monoQ column, separated phosphorylated from unphosphorylated protein. Active recombinant PKB kinase was thus produced from E. coli, by a simple, reproducible procedure.