A simple method for measuring brain asymmetry in children: application to autism.

A device for measuring signal transfer within and between hemispheres has been developed at the Center for Neuropsychological Research at the University of Trier, Germany. It contains two identical panels allowing both tactile stimulation and motor response with buttons for the fingers of each hand. The buttons have two functions. They can exert a slight tactile stimulation to a finger, and they can be pressed down by the finger to provide a motor response to the tactile stimulation allowing measuring the response time. The device was used for measuring brain asymmetry in tactile processing autistic children. The participants were given a finger tapping test followed by the procedures with unilateral and bilateral processing of tactile stimulation. All participants responded positively to the test procedure and accepted it as a kind of game. The results indicated that brains were more asymmetrical in autistic children than in controls: The right hemisphere functioned quicker than the left hemisphere.

A bioassessment approach for mid-continent great rivers: the Upper Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio (USA).

The objectives of the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program for Great River Ecosystems (EMAP-GRE) are to (1) develop and demonstrate, in collaboration with states, an assessment program yielding spatially unbiased estimates of the condition of mid-continent great rivers; (2) evaluate environmental indicators for assessing great rivers; and (3) assess the current condition of selected great river resources. The purpose of this paper is to describe EMAP-GRE using examples based on data collected in 2004-2006 with emphasis on an approach to determining reference conditions. EMAP-GRE includes the Upper Mississippi River, the Missouri River, and the Ohio River. Indicators include biotic assemblages (fish, macroinvertebrates, plankton, algae), water chemistry, and aquatic and riparian physical habitat. Reference strata (river reaches for which a single reference expectation is appropriate) were determined by ordination of the fish assemblage and examination of spatial variation in environmental variables. Least disturbed condition of fish assemblages for reference strata was determined by empirical modeling in which we related fish assemblage metrics to a multimetric stressor gradient. We inferred least disturbed condition from the y-intercept, the predicted condition when stress was least. Thresholds for dividing the resource into management-relevant condition classes for biotic indicators were derived using predicted least disturbed condition to set the upper bound on the least disturbed condition class. Also discussed are the outputs of EMAP-GRE, including the assessment document, multimetric indices of condition, and unbiased data supporting state and tribal Clean Water Act reporting, adaptive management, and river restoration.

[Psychometric properties of a German version of the Apathy Evaluation Scale]. / Die Apathy Evaluation Scale: Erste Ergebnisse zu den psychometrischen Eigenschaften einer deutschsprachigen Ubersetzung der Skala.

Apathy is a common feature of a variety of different psychiatric, neurological, and medical disorders. It can be defined as lack of motivation affecting cognitive, emotional, and overt behavioural aspects. Despite being associated with other clinical disorders, apathy can also occur as an independent syndrome (e. g., after brain injuries), now depicting a primary loss of motivation. However, apathy is predominantly assessed within the scope of superordinate psychiatric disorders. As a syndrome-independent scale, the Apathy Evaluation Scale (AES) claims to assess levels of apathy in different disorders. The aim of the present study is to provide German speaking researchers with an authorized German translation of the AES (AES (D)). The scale was evaluated in a sample of 217 subjects, consisting of patients suffering from dementia (n=120), remission-phase schizophrenia (n=20), Parkinson's disease (n=12), stroke (n=28), as well as elderly healthy controls (n=37). Preliminary results concerning the factorial structure, item characteristics, reliability, and construct validity demonstrate favourable statistical properties and suggest that the AESD is comparable to its original. The scale seems well-suited to detect apathy in different clinical groups. Differences between informant sources (clinician interview, self-, and informant ratings) seem to be related to the severity of symptoms or expert practice.

Contemplating the assessment of great river ecosystems.

The science and practice of assessing the status and trends of ecological conditions in great rivers have not kept pace with perturbation wrought on these systems. Participants at a symposium sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) and the Council of State Governments concluded that useful and efficient assessments of great river ecosystems require thoughtful alignment of sampling designs, spatial and temporal scales, indicators, management needs, and ecosystem characteristics. Site-specific physical, chemical, and biological data long accumulated by monitoring programs have value but fail to provide the integrated system-wide perspective required for adaptive management and the Clean Water Act. Use of existing data may be limited by methodological incompatibilities, access difficulties, and the exclusive applicability of data to specific habitats or sites. The transition from site-specific to system-wide assessments benefits from research being done by USEPA's Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) and other programs that use probability surveys and biological indicators. Indicators of various taxa (in particular fish, algae, and benthic invertebrates) have been successfully developed for great rivers. However, optimizing the information these ecological indicators convey to managers and the public is the subject of ongoing research.

Environmental monitoring and assessment of a Great River ecosystem: the Upper Missouri River pilot.

Most Great River ecosystems (GREs) are extensively modified and are not receiving adequate protection to prevent further habitat degradation and loss of biotic integrity. In the United States, ecological monitoring and assessment of GREs has lagged behind streams and estuaries, and the management of GREs is hampered by the lack of unbiased data at appropriate spatial scales. Properties of GREs that make them challenging to monitor and assess include difficult sample logistics and high habitat diversity. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) has developed a comprehensive, regional-scale, survey-based monitoring approach to assessment of streams and estuaries, but has not yet conducted research on applying these tools to GRE monitoring. In this paper we present an overview of an EMAP research project on the Upper Missouri River (UMR). We summarize the assessment objectives for the study, the design for selecting sample locations, the indicators measured at these sites and the tools used to analyze data. We present an example of the type of statements that can be made with EMAP monitoring data. With modification, the set of methodologies developed by EMAP may be well suited for assessment of GREs in general.

Radioguided occult lesion localization (ROLL) of the nonpalpable breast lesions.

Standard localization techniques of the nonpalpable breast lesions (guide wire, carbon, skin marking) have several disadvantages. Radioguided occult lesion localization (ROLL) was recently proposed as a better alternative resulting in wider surgical margins and lower average specimen weight. The aim of our study was to compare ROLL to our previously published series of the standard guidewire localization, performed at the Institute of Oncology Ljubljana. ROLL was performed in 110 nonpalpable breast lesions. Human serum albumin macroaggregats, marked with 1.8-5.5 MBq 99mTc was injected in the nonpalpable lesion. During surgery the radioactive breast tissue was excised using hand held gamma probe. Nonpalpable breast lesions were excised in all 110 patients. The definitive histology revealed 32 invasive carcinomas, 19 DCIS, 5 LCIS in and 54 benign breast lesions. Mean specimen weight was 40 g which is less in comparison to 53 g of the guidewire series (p=0.002). Surgical margins were clear in 36/51 (70%) invasive breast cancer or DCIS patients and close or involved in 15/51 (30%) patients. Compared to the guidewire series, where 41/92 (44%) margins were clear and 51/92 (56%) were close or involved, the difference was statistically significant (p=0.005). ROLL proved to be superior to guidewire localization in our series, allowing excision of the nonpalpable breast lesion with wider surgical margins despite lower average specimen weight.

TRAF-3 interacts with p62 nucleoporin, a component of the nuclear pore central plug that binds classical NLS-containing import complexes.

The TRAF-3 gene encodes a number of splice-variant isoforms that function as adapter molecules in NF-kappaB signaling, in part by associating with the cytoplasmic tails of CD40 or other TNF-receptor (TNF-R) family members. To identify downstream molecules in TRAF-3 signaling, a yeast two-hybrid library was screened with a full-length TRAF-3 construct. Nine independent TRAF-3 interacting clones encoded fragments of p62 Nucleoporin (p62), a 522 amino acid (aa) component of the nuclear pore central plug, that is known to bind karyopherin-beta/classical-NLS import factor complexes. The interaction of p62 with TRAF-3 was specific, since p62 failed to interact with TRAF-2, -4, -5, or -6. Deletional analysis in yeast revealed that the p62:TRAF-3 interaction is mediated by a p62 carboxy (C)-terminal coiled-coil domain and TRAF-3's fifth zinc (Zn) finger and coiled-coil domain. In human 293 T cells, recombinant TRAF-3 or p62 specifically co-immunoprecipitates the other species. In addition, endogenous p62 co-precipitates over-expressed TRAF-3. The functional effects of over-expressing a TRAF-3 binding fragment, p62(aa 336-522) were studied on NF-kappaB-dependent, or control STAT1-dependent reporter activity in 293 T cells, either resting or after stimulation by CD40 or IFN-gamma, respectively. Over-expression of p62(aa 336-522) induces NF-kappaB activation in resting cells and augments CD40-induced NF-kappaB activation, but has no effect on control STAT1 reporter activity, either at baseline or after IFN-gamma induction. The finding that TRAF-3 binds p62, suggests that TRAF-3 may serve as an adapter molecule at the nuclear membrane, in addition to its known adapter function at the plasma membrane.

Effects of an ELF (50 Hz, 1 mT) electromagnetic field (EMF) on concentration in visual attention, perception and memory including effects of EMF sensitivity.

To investigate psychological effects of an extremely low frequency (ELF)-electromagnetic field (EMF), an experiment with three conditions was designed. EMF field of 50 Hz and 1 mT accompanied by 45 dB SPL noise (EMF + noise), noise, and control. A group of 66 subjects (Ss) participated in the control and in one of the experimental conditions. The sequence of conditions (expositions) was balanced. Expositions were double-blind (except for the obvious control), lasted 1 h and were separated by a 1 h pause. During exposition Ss (three by three) performed tests on attention, perception, memory and filled out a psychological questionnaire. Statistical analysis (one-tailed probability) showed less attention (P < 0.05), perception (P < 0.05) and memory performance (P < 0.1) in Ss exposed to EMF + noise compared with control, whereas for noise versus control no difference was found. Comparing EMF + noise versus noise related to control, reduced perception, less memory performance and more discomfort was observed (P < 0.1). Dividing Ss according to their self-rated sensitivity to EMF, all differences disappeared in the low sensitivity group (N = 30) and were pronounced in sensitive Ss (N = 36). Results indicate an immediate reduction of cognitive performance in attention, perception and memory performance by a 50 Hz EMF of 1 mT. These effects seem to be modulated by the self-perception of sensitivity to EMF.

Hemisphere asymmetry in sympathetic control of the human myocardium.

Hemisphere asymmetry in sympathetic control of myocardial performance was studied in healthy human subjects using lateralized film presentation for selective sensory stimulation of the hemispheres and impedance cardiography for the evaluation of cardiac output, systolic time intervals and myocardial contractility. Results revealed a clear and consistent right hemisphere predominance in sympathetically mediated control of various components of myocardial performance. There is reason to assume that the obtained hemisphere differences in autonomic control of the heart are self-reliant processes not depending on emotion-related hemisphere asymmetry. As far as we know, this is the first study examining the distinct roles of the cerebral hemispheres in neural control of ventricular myocardial functions.

Hemisphere asymmetry in parasympathetic control of the heart.

Hemisphere asymmetry in the control of parasympathetic outflow to the sino-atrial node of the heart was studied in healthy human subjects using lateralized film presentation for selective sensory stimulation of the hemispheres and power spectral analysis of heart rate variability as a measure of vagal tone. There was a clear and consistent left hemisphere predominance in the control of parasympathetic modulation of cardiac activity which cannot be attributed to differences in emotional processing. Supplementing previous findings of our research group, the present study indicates that control of autonomic cardiac activity at the level of the cerebral cortex seems to be characterized by a division of responsibility between both hemispheres, sympathetic activity being mainly controlled by the right hemisphere and parasympathetic activity being under the left hemisphere's main control.

Neuroendocrine brain asymmetry and physical complaints.

It was examined whether there is an association between physical health and alterations of normal brain asymmetry in cerebral control of neuroendocrine activity. In particular, it was studied whether right-handed subjects showing a high amount of physical complaints and recurrent diseases differ in direction and degree of brain asymmetry in cerebral control of cortisol secretion from subjects with only few physical complaints. Lateralized brain activation was achieved by presenting an emotionally aversive film to the subjects' left or right visual hemifield, using a technique for lateralizing visual input that allows prolonged viewing while permitting free ocular scanning. Results revealed a clear association between a high degree of physical complaints and altered brain asymmetry in cerebral control of neuroendocrine activity.

Alterations of neuroendocrine brain asymmetry: a neural risk factor affecting physical health.

It was examined whether the specific pattern of brain asymmetry in cerebral control of cortisol secretion existing in a specific individual is suitable to predict the individual's physical health status. Results indicate that subjects with an altered, strong left hemisphere dominance of cortisol regulation show a clearly higher amount of physical complaints than subjects with a normal, strong right hemisphere dominance. In addition, results suggest that the subjects' specific pattern of neuroendocrine brain asymmetry can be used with relatively good success to separate individuals with high versus low degrees of physical complaints and thus, probably, to predict physical complaints of an individual.

Prostaglandin synthesis in aorta of atherosclerosis susceptible and atherosclerosis resistant pigeons.

The aortas of 9 months aged Show Racer and White Carneau pigeons were examined for their PGE2, PGF2 alpha and 6-keto-PGF1 alpha synthesis from labelled arachidonic acid by radiothinlayer chromatography. The prostacyclin formation was estimated by means of Moncada's bioassay. PGE2 and PGF 2 alpha synthesis in the aorta of pigeons is higher than in rats, whereas less 6-keto-PGF1 alpha is formed in pigeon aortas. The susceptible White Carneau pigeons synthesitize more prostaglandins than the resistant Show Racer pigeons. PGI2 and 6-keto-PGF 1 alpha-formation is extremely low in avian arota. These data are in part contradicting to our findings im mammalians (where the atherosclerosis susceptible animals generate less PGI2) and warrants sequential measurements of prostaglandin synthesis in aorta to assess its significance during various stages of atherogenesis.