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Heart failure (HF) is a complex clinical syndrome with multiple interactions between the failing myocardium and cerebral (dys-)functions. Bi-directional feedback interactions between the heart and the brain are inherent in the pathophysiology of HF: (i) the impaired cardiac function affects cerebral structure and functional capacity, and (ii) neuronal signals impact on the cardiovascular continuum. These interactions contribute to the symptomatic presentation of HF patients and affect many co-morbidities of HF. Moreover, neuro-cardiac feedback signals significantly promote aggravation and further progression of HF and are causal in the poor prognosis of HF. The diversity and complexity of heart and brain interactions make it difficult to develop a comprehensive overview. In this paper a systematic approach is proposed to develop a comprehensive atlas of related conditions, signals and disease mechanisms of the interactions between the heart and the brain in HF. The proposed taxonomy is based on pathophysiological principles. Impaired perfusion of the brain may represent one major category, with acute (cardio-embolic) or chronic (haemodynamic failure) low perfusion being sub-categories with mostly different consequences (i.e. ischaemic stroke or cognitive impairment, respectively). Further categories include impairment of higher cortical function (mood, cognition), f brain stem function (sympathetic over-activation, neuro-cardiac reflexes). Treatment-related interactions could be categorized as medical, interventional and device-related interactions. Also interactions due to specific diseases are categorized. A methodical approach to categorize the interdependency of heart and brain may help to integrate individual research areas into an overall picture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2020 Technical Symposium in San Francisco will offer something for everyone—and many more dynamic papers and posters than we can cover in one sitting. We've compiled a few compelling research trends to keep in mind as you earmark your sessions; visit displayweek.org for a full schedule and more. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a commentary on the role of phosphatidylethanol in assessing postmortem ethanol intake in autopsies. The author highlights the use of the ethanol compound as a biomarker in determining alcohol consumption in an autopsied person's brain and serum blood level. The author also offers the detailed information on the research conducted on the effectiveness of phosphatidylethanol in autopsies.

The article presents a study which examines the natural endocast of Australopithecus africanus "Taung" in the context of Raymond Dart's perspectives based on his unpublished observations and illustrations from 1925-1929. It explores several issues related to the identities of lunate sulcus and luci and sutures to give light to the concept of A. africanus. Dart asserts that Taung's brain was reorganized globally and that it was closer to brain of Pithecanthropus compared to the living apes.

Aims To understand processes placing individuals at risk for stimulant (amphetamine and cocaine) use disorder. Design Longitudinal study. Setting University of California, San Diego Department of Psychiatry, CA, USA. Participants Occasional stimulant users (OSU; n = 184) underwent a baseline clinical interview and a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) session. On the basis of a follow-up clinical interview completed 3 years later, OSU ( n = 147) were then categorized as problem stimulant users (PSU: n = 36; those who developed stimulant use disorders in the interim) or desisted stimulant users (DSU: n = 74; those who stopped using). OSU who did not meet criteria for PSU or DSU ( n = 37) were included in dimensional analyses. Measurements fMRI blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) contrast percentage signal change from baseline collected during a Paper-Scissors-Rock task was examined during three decision-making conditions, those resulting in: (1) wins, (2) ties and (3) losses. These data were used as dependent variables in categorical analyses comparing PSU and DSU, as well as dimensional analyses including interim drug use as predictors, controlling for baseline drug use. Findings PSU exhibited lower anterior cingulate, middle insula, superior temporal, inferior parietal, precuneus and cerebellum activation than DSU across all three conditions (significant brain clusters required > 19 neighboring voxels to exceed F(1,108) = 5.58, P < 0.01 two-tailed; all Cohen's d > 0.83). Higher interim marijuana use was linked to lower pre-central and superior temporal activation during choices resulting in wins (> 19 neighboring voxels to exceed t = 2.61, P < 0.01 two-tailed; R2 change > 0.11). Conclusions Individuals who transition from stimulant use to stimulant use disorder appear to show alterations in neural processing of stimulus valuation and outcome monitoring, patterns also evident in chronic stimulant use disorder. Attenuated anterior cingulate and insular processing may constitute a high-risk neural processing profile, which could be used to calculate risk scores for individuals experimenting with stimulants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tasks, tools, and techniques that we perform, use, and acquire, define the elements of expertise which we value as the hallmarks of goal‐driven behavior. Somehow, the creation of tools enables us to define new tasks, or is it that the envisioning of new tasks drives us to invent new tools? Or maybe it is that new tools engender new techniques which then result in new tasks? This jumble of issues will be explored and discussed in this diverse collection of papers. Individually, few of the papers are related to each other by topic or by techniques of analysis. Collectively, all focus on tasks performed using tools and discuss the techniques of tool use which enable differences in performance and expertise across individuals, societies, and (even) species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, brain tumors are detected and diagnosed using machine learning approaches in brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which has many real time clinical applications. Noise variations in brain images are detected and removed using index filter, which is proposed in this paper. Brain images devoid of noise content are in spatial domain format, which are not suitable for further feature extraction process. Hence, there is a need for converting all the spatial pixels into multi orientation pixels. In this paper, Gabor transform is used for spatial into multi oriented image conversion. The noise filtered images are transformed into multi orientation‐based brain image using Gabor transform method. Then, the hybrid features which are the integration of statistical and texture features (GLCM, gray level co‐occurrence matrix, and LDP, local derivative pattern), are computed from this transformed brain image. These computed features are classified using extreme machine learning (EML) approach, which categorizes the source brain image as normal or abnormal. Then, the segmented tumor regions are diagnosed using co‐active adaptive neuro fuzzy inference system (CANFIS) classifier, which classifies the segmented regions as mild or severe. The proposed tumor detection and diagnosis methods are applied and tested on the brain images which are available as open access dataset. The performance of the proposed brain tumor detection method is analyzed in terms of sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy with classification rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an additive margin network with adaptive feature recalibration, AMNets, for handling a wide range of visual tasks, is proposed. The new AMNets consists of three improvements on convolutional neural networks: (1) squeeze‐and‐excitation mechanism was embedded into the the residual block of single layer to improve the performance of the classification, (2) softmax loss was replaced by the additive margin softmax loss to minimize intra‐class variance and maximize inter‐class variance, and (3) Adam optimizer was exploited to update iteratively the network parameters. Experiments on the Brain Stroke CT Image Dataset show that our additive margin network is quite effective to improve state‐of‐the‐art algorithms. Network algorithms have been extensively used in medical image field to pursuit a more accuracy of disease recognition. This paper proposes AMNets, an additive margin network with adaptive feature recalibration for handling a wide range of visual tasks in medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Cognitive modeling is the effort to understand the mind by implementing theories of the mind in computer code, producing measures comparable to human behavior and mental activity. The community of cognitive modelers has traditionally met twice every 3 years at the International Conference on Cognitive Modeling (ICCM). In this special issue of topiCS, we present the best papers from the ICCM meeting. (The full proceedings are available on the ICCM website.) These best papers represent advances in the state of the art in cognitive modeling. Since ICCM was for the first time also held jointly with the Society for Mathematical Psychology, we use this preface to also reflect on the similarities and differences between mathematical psychology and cognitive modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The uncontrolled growth of cells in brain regions leads to the tumor regions and these abnormal tumor regions are scanned by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique as an image. This paper proposes random forest classifier based Glioma brain tumor detection and segmentation methodology using feature optimization technique. The texture features are derived from brain MRI image and these derived feature set are now optimized by ant colony optimization algorithm. These optimized set of features are trained and classified using random forest classification method. This classifier classifies the brain MRI image into Glioma or non‐Glioma image based on the optimized set of features. Furthermore, energy‐based segmentation method is applied on the classified Glioma image for segmenting the tumor regions. The proposed methodology for Glioma brain tumor stated in this paper achieves 97.7% of sensitivity, 96.5% of specificity, and 98.01% of accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Right hemisphere communication disorders are neither consistently labelled nor adequately defined. Labels associated with right hemisphere brain damage (RHD) are broad and fail to capture the essence of communication challenges needed for stroke‐related service provisions. Determination of rehabilitation needs and best‐practice guidelines for the education, management and functional improvement of communication disorders after RHD are all predicated on an apt diagnostic label and disorder characteristics. Aims: In this paper apragmatism is proposed as a potential communication‐specific diagnostic label for the impairments in communication that occur after RHD. In particular, the researchers aimed: (1) to establish an operational definition of apragmatism; and (2) to describe the linguistic, paralinguistic and extralinguistic communication deficits under the umbrella term apragmatism. Methods & Procedures: An international collaborative of researchers with expertise in RHD followed a multilevel approach to consider the utility of apragmatism as a diagnostic label. Adopting the relational approach to concept mapping, the researchers engaged in a series of group meetings to complete four levels of mapping: (1) identify and review, (2) define, (3) expert discussion and (4) label determination. Main Contribution: Apragmatism was established as a suitable diagnostic label for the impairments in communication associated with RHD. The paper offers an operational definition and description of the linguistic, paralinguistic and extralinguistic features of apragmatism through evidence summaries and examples from people with RHD retrieved from the RHDBank. Conclusions & Implications: The adoption of the term apragmatism offers an opportunity to capture the hallmark of RHD communication deficits. The use of the term is recommended when referencing the pragmatic language impairments in this population. Apragmatism, which may co‐occur with or be exacerbated by cognitive impairments, can interfere with the ability to interpret and convey intended meaning and impact the lives of right hemisphere stroke survivors and their families. What this paper adds: What is already known on the subject: RHD results in a heterogeneous group of deficits that range in cognitive–communicative complexity. Many of the deficits are subsumed under pragmatics. For example, adults with RHD may demonstrate tangential or verbose communication, insensitivity to others' needs and feelings, prosodic changes, minimal gesture use and facial expression, and more. While descriptions of pragmatic impairments pervade the literature, there is no consistently used diagnostic label. The clinical consequences of this absence include difficulty with inter‐ and intra‐disciplinary communication about these patients, difficulty consolidating findings across research studies, and challenges in communicating about these pragmatic changes with patients, families and other stakeholders. What this paper adds to existing knowledge: The term apragmatism is proposed as a diagnostic label to consistently describe pragmatic communication changes after RHD. Apragmatism is characterized using three components of pragmatics: linguistic, paralinguistic and extralinguistic. Descriptions and examples of these three components are provided with supplemental transcripts retrieved from the RHDBank. What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?: Adoption of the term apragmatism by speech and language therapists and other medical and rehabilitation professionals has the potential to provide consistency in describing the abilities and challenges experienced by people following a right hemisphere stroke. Such improvements may help drive the development of evidence‐based assessments and treatments for this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease, often known as dementia, is a severe neurodegenerative disorder that causes irreversible memory loss by destroying brain cells. People die because there is no specific treatment for this disease. Alzheimer's is most common among seniors 65 years and older. However, the progress of this disease can be reduced if it can be diagnosed earlier. Recently, artificial intelligence has instilled hope in the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease by performing sophisticated analyses on extensive patient datasets, enabling the identification of subtle patterns that may elude human experts. Researchers have investigated various deep learning and machine learning models to diagnose this disease at an early stage using image datasets. In this paper, a new Deep learning (DL) methodology is proposed, where MRI images are fed into the model after applying various pre‐processing techniques. The proposed Alzheimer's disease detection approach adopts transfer learning for multi‐class classification using brain MRIs. The MRI Images are classified into four categories: mild dementia (MD), moderate dementia (MOD), very mild dementia (VMD), and non‐dementia (ND). The model is implemented and extensive performance analysis is performed. The finding shows that the model obtains 97.31% accuracy. The model outperforms the state‐of‐the‐art models in terms of accuracy, precision, recall, and F‐score. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How to collect relevance judgment has long been an important problem in Information Retrieval (IR). A popular method is to collect relevance judgment in a point‐wise manner, in which assessors examine and give an absolute relevance score for each item independently of the others. As an alternative, pair‐wise relevance judgment, also named preference judgment, allows an assessor to compare two items side‐by‐side and express their preference for one over the other. Previous work has explored the differences between these two paradigms of relevance judgments from many different aspects. Most of these works are conducted through explicit/implicit feedback. However, few works investigate the underlying neurological mechanisms of the two paradigms. In this paper, we conduct a lab study to investigate and compare point‐wise and pair‐wise relevance judgment in image search scenarios. We study the neurological mechanisms of the two paradigms through an event‐related potential (ERP) analysis of the users' brain signals while viewing images during a search process. We have obtained several observations, such as search engine users tend to pay more attention to preferred items in the point‐wise paradigm but unpreferred items in the pair‐wise paradigm. Furthermore, we test the adoption of brain signals as implicit feedback for predicting pair‐wise relevance judgment, highlighting the feasibility of leveraging brain signals to understand users' relevance judgments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liver, an important regulator of metabolic homeostasis, is critical for healthy brain function. In particular, age‐related neurodegenerative diseases seriously reduce the quality of life for the elderly. As population aging progresses rapidly, unraveling the mechanisms that effectively delay aging has become critical. Appropriate exercise is reported to improve aging‐related cognitive impairment. Whereas current studies focused on exploring the effect of exercise on the aging brain itself, ignoring the persistent effects of peripheral organs on the brain through the blood circulation. The aim of this paper is to summarize the communication and aging processes of the liver and brain and to emphasize the metabolic mechanisms of the liver–brain axis about exercise ameliorating aging‐related neurodegenerative diseases. A comprehensive understanding of the potential mechanisms about exercise ameliorating aging is critical for improving adaptation to age‐related brain changes and formulating effective interventions against age‐related cognitive decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The March 2024 issue of JCPP Advances features two neuroimaging studies that investigate links between early environmental risk factors for mental health problems, brain development and psychopathology in children and young adults. The papers provide new insights into how adverse environments and negative experiences in childhood increase risk for depression and mental health problems, and how this may or may not be mediated, or moderated, by individual differences in the brain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glioma represents one of the most aggressive cancers, which can develop in the brain. The automatic tumor segmentation and its sub‐regions represent a challenging task owing to their considerable structural variation. It can appear in different ways and with several shapes, which makes tissue identification a crucial task. Reliable and accurate segmentation presents an important component in tumor treatment and diagnosis planning. To overcome these drawbacks, various Deep Learning (DL) schemes are proposed to aid doctors. In this paper, a novel Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) scheme for glioma segmentation was proposed. Our suggested technique consists of three phases. First, we use intensity normalization to ameliorate the image quality as a preprocessing step. Second, an automatic segmentation technique based on CNN has been proposed. The new model has several layers. Finally, and with the goal of refining the segmentation results, we employ a post‐processing approach. We use the public benchmark BraTS datasets from 2018 and 2020 with low‐grade and high‐grade glioma tumors to test the suggested framework. These datasets contain about 285 and 369 patients, respectively. The four modalities are exploited. Each patient has about 155 2D images from every modality. All the images have the same size (240 × 240 pixels). Our technique performs well compared to new methods, with Dice scores of 0.88 for the Whole Tumor, 0.84 for Tumor Core, and 0.71 for Enhancing Tumor based on the first dataset. According to the second dataset, the three regions had an average of 0.88, 0.9, and 0.75, respectively. The Jaccard indexes for the first data set are 0.8, 0.73, and 0.56 for the three regions, respectively. The second data set attains 0.8, 0.82, and 0.6 for the three regions. The results show that the suggested framework is an excellent way to segment data, especially compared to other methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The acquired immobility response during the "forced swim test (FST)" is not a rodent model of depression, but the test has some validity in predicting a compound's antidepressant potential. Nevertheless, 60% of the about 600 papers that were published annually the past 2 years label the rodent's immobility response as depression‐like behaviour, but the relative contribution per country is changing. When the Editors‐in‐Chief of 5 journals publishing most FST papers were asked for their point of view on labelling immobility as depression‐like behaviour and despair, they responded that they primarily rely on the reviewers regarding scientific merit of the submission. One Editor informs authors of the recent NIMH notice (https://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice‐files/NOT‐MH‐19‐053.html) which encourages investigators to use animal models "for" addressing neurobiological questions rather than as model "of" specific mental disorders. The neurobiological questions raised by use of the FST fall in two categories. First, research on the role of endocrine and metabolic factors, with roots in the 1980s, and with focus on the bottom‐up action of glucocorticoids on circuits processing salient information, executive control and memory consolidation. Second, recent findings using novel technological and computational advances that have allowed great progress in charting top‐down control in the switch from active to passive coping with the inescapable stressor executed by neuronal ensembles of the medial prefrontal cortex via the peri‐aquaductal grey. It is expected that combining neural top‐down and endocrine bottom‐up approaches will provide new insights in the role of stress‐coping and adaptation in pathogenesis of mental disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By employing a firm‐level linked employer–employee dataset for Danish manufacturing firms, this paper investigates whether offshoring is complementary to, or a substitute for, research and development (R&D) activities. Offshoring is instrumented with world export supply to circumvent the inherent endogenous nature of the firm's decision to offshore. Results suggest that firms with increased offshoring do in fact tend to engage in further R&D activities at home. Moreover, they also tend to reallocate R&D resources toward product R&D, possibly at the expense of process R&D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents information on certain features of the short research papers presented at the interdisciplinary conference "Adolescent Brain Development: Vulnerabilities and Opportunities," which was held at The Lighthouse Conference Center in New York from September 18 to 20, 2003. It is informed that these research papers reflect on several research programs on adolescent vulnerabilities.

Purpose: To make an adaptable, head shaped radionuclide phantom to simulate molecular imaging of the brain using clinical acquisition and reconstruction protocols. This will allow the characterization and correction of scanner characteristics, and improve the accuracy of clinical image analysis, including the application of databases of normal subjects. Methods: A fused deposition modeling 3D printer was used to create a head shaped phantom made up of transaxial slabs, derived from a simulated MRI dataset. The attenuation of the printed polylactide (PLA), measured by means of the Hounsfield unit on CT scanning, was set to match that of the brain by adjusting the proportion of plastic filament and air (fill ratio). Transmission measurements were made to verify the attenuation of the printed slabs. The radionuclide distribution within the phantom was created by adding 99mTc pertechnetate to the ink cartridge of a paper printer and printing images of gray and white matter anatomy, segmented from the same MRI data. The complete subresolution sandwich phantom was assembled from alternate 3D printed slabs and radioactive paper sheets, and then imaged on a dual headed gamma camera to simulate an HMPAO SPECT scan. Results: Reconstructions of phantom scans successfully used automated ellipse fitting to apply attenuation correction. This removed the variability inherent in manual application of attenuation correction and registration inherent in existing cylindrical phantom designs. The resulting images were assessed visually and by count profiles and found to be similar to those from an existing elliptical PMMA phantom. Conclusions: The authors have demonstrated the ability to create physically realistic HMPAO SPECT simulations using a novel head-shaped 3D printed subresolution sandwich method phantom. The phantom can be used to validate all neurological SPECT imaging applications. A simple modification of the phantom design to use thinner slabs would make it suitable for use in PET. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is becoming increasingly important in precision radiotherapy owing to its excellent soft‐tissue contrast and versatile scan options. Many recent advances in MRI have been shown to be promising for MRI‐guided radiotherapy and for improved treatment outcomes. This paper summarizes these advances into six sections: MRI simulators, MRI‐linear accelerator hybrid machines, MRI‐only workflow, four‐dimensional MRI, MRI‐based radiomics, and magnetic resonance fingerprinting. These techniques can be implemented before, during, or after radiotherapy for various precision radiotherapy applications, such as tumor delineation, tumor motion management, treatment adaptation, and clinical decision making. For each of these techniques, this paper describes its technical details and discusses its clinical benefits and challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression is a serious public health problem, and adolescence is an 'age of risk' for the onset of Major Depressive Disorder. Recently, we and others have proposed neuroimmune network models that highlight bidirectional communication between the brain and the immune system in both mental and physical health, including depression. These models draw on research indicating that the cellular actors (particularly monocytes) and signaling molecules (particularly cytokines) that orchestrate inflammation in the periphery can directly modulate the structure and function of the brain. In the brain, inflammatory activity heightens sensitivity to threats in the cortico‐amygdala circuit, lowers sensitivity to rewards in the cortico‐striatal circuit, and alters executive control and emotion regulation in the prefrontal cortex. When dysregulated, and particularly under conditions of chronic stress, inflammation can generate feelings of dysphoria, distress, and anhedonia. This is proposed to initiate unhealthy, self‐medicating behaviors (e.g. substance use, poor diet) to manage the dysphoria, which further heighten inflammation. Over time, dysregulation in these brain circuits and the inflammatory response may compound each other to form a positive feedback loop, whereby dysregulation in one organ system exacerbates the other. We and others suggest that this neuroimmune dysregulation is a dynamic joint vulnerability for depression, particularly during adolescence. We have three goals for the present paper. First, we extend neuroimmune network models of mental and physical health to generate a developmental framework of risk for the onset of depression during adolescence. Second, we examine how a neuroimmune network perspective can help explain the high rates of comorbidity between depression and other psychiatric disorders across development, and multimorbidity between depression and stress‐related medical illnesses. Finally, we consider how identifying neuroimmune pathways to depression can facilitate a 'next generation' of behavioral and biological interventions that target neuroimmune signaling to treat, and ideally prevent, depression in youth and adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several obstacles limit the efficacy of brain tumour treatment, most notably the blood‐brain barrier (BBB), which prevents the brain uptake of the majority of accessible medicines due to tight junctions. The presence of glutathione (GSH) receptors on the BBB surface has been demonstrated in numerous papers; consequently, products containing glutathione as a targeting ligand coupled with nanoliposomes are used to enhance drug delivery across the BBB. Here, the 5% pre‐inserted PEG2000‐GSH PEGylated liposomal doxorubicin was conducted according to 2B3‐101 being tested in clinical trials. In addition, PEGylated nanoliposomal doxorubicin connected to the spacer‐GSH targeting ligand (GSGGCE) and the PEG3400 was conducted using post‐insertion method. Next, in vivo biodistribution of the produced formulations was tested on healthy mice to see if GSGGCE, as the targeted ligand, could cross the BBB compared to 5% pre‐inserted PEG2000‐GSH and Caelyx®. Compared to the pre‐inserted formulation and Caelyx®, the post‐inserted formulations' concentration was lower in the heart and higher in brain tissues, resulting in boosting the brain concentration of accumulated doxorubicin with fewer possible side effects, including cardiotoxicity. In comparison to the pre‐insertion procedure, the post‐insertion method is easier, faster, and more cost‐effective. Moreover, employing PEG3400 and the post‐insertion approach in the PEG3400‐GSGGCE liposomal formulations was found to be effective in crossing the BBB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many aspects of chemistry and biology are mediated by electromagnetic field (EMF) interactions. The central nervous system (CNS) is particularly sensitive to EMF stimuli. Studies have explored the direct effect of different EMFs on the electrical properties of neurons in the last two decades, particularly focusing on the role of voltage‐gated ion channels (VGCs). This work aims to systematically review published evidence in the last two decades detailing the effects of EMFs on neuronal ion channels as per the PRISM guidelines. Following a predetermined exclusion and inclusion criteria, 22 papers were included after searches on three online databases. Changes in calcium homeostasis, attributable to the voltage‐gated calcium channels, were found to be the most commonly reported result of EMF exposure. EMF effects on the neuronal landscape appear to be diverse and greatly dependent on parameters, such as the field's frequency, exposure time, and intrinsic properties of the irradiated tissue, such as the expression of VGCs. Here, we systematically clarify how neuronal ion channels are particularly affected and differentially modulated by EMFs at multiple levels, such as gating dynamics, ion conductance, concentration in the membrane, and gene and protein expression. Ion channels represent a major transducer for EMF‐related effects on the CNS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To provide instructive clues for clinical practice and further research of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection, we analyzed the existing literature on viral neuroinvasion of SARS‐CoV‐2 in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) patients. To date, SARS‐CoV‐2 has been detected in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) or brain parenchyma in quite a few patients, which provide undeniable evidence for the neuroinvasive potential of this novel coronavirus. In contrast with the cerebrum and cerebellum, the detection rate of SARS‐CoV‐2 was higher in the olfactory system and the brainstem, both of which also showed severe microgliosis and lymphocytic infiltrations. As compared with the number of patients who underwent viral testing in the central nervous system (CNS), the number of patients showing positive results seems very small. However, it seems too early to conclude that the neuroinvasion of SARS‐CoV‐2 is rare in COVID‐19 patients because the detection methods or sampling procedures in some studies may not be suitable or sufficient to reveal the CNS infection induced by neurotropic viruses. Moreover, the primary symptoms and/or causes of death were distinctly different among examined patients, which probably caused more conspicuous pathological changes than those due to the direct infection that usually localized to specific brain areas. Unfortunately, most autopsy studies did not provide sufficient details about neurological symptoms or suspected diagnoses of the examined patients, and the documentation of neuropathological changes was often incomplete. Given the complex pathophysiology of COVID‐19 and the characteristics of neurotropic viruses, it is understandable that any study of the CNS infection may inevitably have limitations. Highlights: We analyzed the papers on CSF testing and brain autopsies in COVID‐19 patients.SARS‐CoV‐2 has been detected in the CSF or brain parenchyma in a few patients.The detection rate of SARS‐CoV‐2 is high in the olfactory system and the brainstem.Some detection methods are not sufficient to reveal the CNS infection of SARS‐CoV‐2.Symptoms or death causes of examined patients are not often provided in some papers.It cannot be simply concluded that viral neuroinvasion is rare in COVID‐19 patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ethical deliberations are unfolding for potentially controversial organoid‐entities such as brain organoids and embryoids. Much of the ethical deliberation centers on the questionable moral status of such organoid‐entities. However, while such work is important and appropriate, ethical deliberations may become too exclusively rooted in moral status and potentially overshadow other relevant moral dilemmas. The ethical discussion on organoid models can benefit from insights brought forth by both Judith Jarvis Thomson and Don Marquis in how they attempted to advance the abortion debate. To discuss other abortion ethical issues more fully, both Thomson and Marquis assumed differing moral status positions of the conceptus and followed lines of reasoning based on these moral status assumptions. We suggest a similar approach with controversial organoid‐entities like brain organoids and embryoids. To avoid overshadowing or overlooking other relevant ethical issues, ethicists ought to first assume an organoid‐entity moral status position (such as a high moral status or no moral status) and explore any possible arguments that may result from such a position. While we ought not to copy the content of Thomson and Marquis' arguments exactly for organoid‐entities, it is worthwhile to translate their arguments' overarching structures. This paper explores the relevant insights of Thomson and Marquis, how they can be translated into the organoid ethics debate, and what possible lines of inquiry may be worth exploring based on particular moral status assumptions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zebrafish brain imaging is very important for the study of brain disease and regeneration. We scanned the adult zebrafish brain before and after skull removal and monitored the recovery process of a head wound by polarization‐sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS‐OCT) in this paper. We analyzed the structure and polarization characteristics of the brain and skull in PS‐OCT images, and found their internal microstructure can be clearly identified with the polarization information. Further, we estimated the pigment distribution of the skull area and found that the density of pigment in skull is a critical factor of affecting zebrafish brain in vivo polarization imaging. Our results demonstrated that more features of brain can be displayed by introducing the polarization information, and proved high‐resolution PS‐OCT will play a great potential role in studying the zebrafish brain and skull. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Every language has certain specific idiosyncrasies in its writing system. Cross‐linguistic analyses of alexias and agraphias are fundamental to understand commonalities and differences in the brain organization of written language. Few reports of alexias and agraphias in the Spanish language are currently available. Aims: To analyse the clinical manifestations of alexias and agraphias in Spanish, and the effect of demographic variables. Methods & Procedures: Spanish versions of the Western Aphasia Battery (WAB) and Boston Diagnostic Aphasia Examination (BDAE) were used for language assessment. Lesion localization was obtained by using computed axial tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. The final sample included 200 patients: 195 (97.5%) right‐handed and five (2.5%) left‐handed; 119 men and 81 women with a mean age of 57.37 years (SD = 15.56), education of 13.52 years (SD = 4.08), and mean time post‐onset of 6.58 months (SD = 12.94). Using the WAB, four quotients were calculated: aphasia quotient (AQ), reading–writing quotient (RWQ), language quotient (LQ) and cortical quotient (CQ). Outcomes & Results: The types of aphasia were: global = 11 patients (5.5%), Broca = 31 (15.5%), Wernicke = 30 (15.0%), conduction = 22 (11.0%), transcortical sensory = 17 (8.5%), transcortical motor = 3 (1.5%), amnesic or anomic = 54 (27.0%) and mixed non‐fluent = 32 (16.0%). The degree of oral and written language impairment differed across the various aphasia types. Most severe reading and writing difficulties were found in global, mixed non‐fluent and transcortical motor aphasia; fewer difficulties were observed in amnesic, Broca and conduction aphasia. The severity of the written language impairments paralleled the severity of the oral language disturbances. Age negatively, while schooling positively, correlated with the scores in reading and writing tests. No effect of sex and time since onset was found. Conclusions & Implications: In Spanish‐speaking aphasia patients, difficulties in reading and writing are similar to oral language difficulties. This similarity of performance is mostly based on severity rather than the participants' patterns of errors. What this paper addsWhat is already known on the subjectThere is limited information about alexia and agraphia in Spanish.What this paper adds to existing knowledgeAn extensive study with a large sample of patients.What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?The study contributes to the clinical management of patients with reading and writing disturbances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psychiatric and neurocognitive symptoms due to hypercortisolism were already described by Harvey Cushing in his original paper on patients with Cushing's syndrome (CS). Nowadays, it is well known that psychiatric and cognitive complaints are two of the most common, and most distressing, symptoms in patients with CS. Psychiatric symptoms are indeed a major clinical manifestation of CS. The most commonly observed psychiatric conditions are depression and anxiety, whilst mania and psychosis are less common. Several domains of cognitive function are impaired at diagnosis, including episodic and working memory, executive function and attention. Following treatment, one-fourth of the patients still experience depressed mood, and the cognitive impairments are only partially restored. Consequently, quality of life in patients with CS is severely and persistently affected. Neuroimaging studies have also illustrated the deleterious effects of hypercortisolism on the brain by demonstrating reduced grey matter volumes and cortical thickness, altered resting-state functional responses and during cognitive tasks, as well as widespread reduced white matter integrity, especially in structures important for cognitive function and emotional processing, both before and after successful abrogation of hypercortisolism. In this paper, we summarize the current knowledge on the psychiatric and neurocognitive consequences of hypercortisolism in patients with CS, both before, and after successful treatment. In addition, we review the structural and functional brain abnormalities associated with hypercortisolism and discuss the influence of these factors on quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The special issue resulting from the 2018 Earli‐SIG22 conference reflects the current state of the field, the diversity of methods, the persevering limitations and promising directions towards solutions. About half of the empirical papers in this special issue that consist of three parts, uses behavioral, self‐report or qualitative measures to understand the "mind" level of Mind, Brain, and Education. The other half investigates the "brain" level, using neuroimaging but also genetics or eye‐tracking to gain access to the wider range of biological substrates of learning and cognition. These biological studies mostly have added value by refining psychological theories, such that these inspire new hypotheses to test in the field, to ultimately better inform teaching. Importantly, the special issue presents several approaches to more intensive, bi‐directional and systematic practice‐research collaborations to better connect the "mind" and "brain" levels to education, and to equip researchers to realize such collaborations successfully in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper summarizes the current literature on public responses to climate change in China. The paper first provides a "macro view" by reviewing what we know about public climate change knowledge, risk perceptions, policy preferences, and behaviors based on large‐scale survey research. The paper also examines what sociodemographic, psychological, and cultural variables – such as age, gender, rural/urban status, and income – can best predict public understanding and responses to climate change. Second, it provides a "micro view" by presenting findings from place‐based and contextualized research projects in China. The review concludes by suggesting next steps to advance the understanding of public engagement with climate change in China. This article is categorized under:Perceptions, Behavior, and Communication of Climate Change > Perceptions of Climate Change [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is because such groups not only possess "minds of their own" (Pettit [22]), but can also, as Pettit now puts it, "make up their minds" (Pettit [27], [28]). In a more recent paper, Pettit details a step-by-step method for making up your mind on some proposition (Pettit [28], 10-11, bullets in original): According to Pettit, by avowing the belief that Oslo is south of Bergen, Per has not undertaken this "content-related" form of responsibility, but has instead undertaken only an "attitude-related" responsibility - a responsibility in respect of his believing Oslo is south of Bergen. One philosopher who has developed the notion of "making up one's mind" in a very different way from Pettit is Richard Moran.[15] The key difference between their accounts is that whereas Pettit spells out "making up one's mind" in terms of I control i , Moran makes use of the notion of I authorial power i . 3 Note that the account I attribute to Pettit in this paper has been developed, in significant ways, through co-authored publications (notably List and Pettit [11], [12]; McGeer and Pettit [15]; Pettit and Schweikard [30]). [Extracted from the article]

To detect targets from synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images, this study describes a visual time-sensitive SAR target detection technology based on human brain mapping. Expert brain central responding messages are introduced into the automatic analysis method of SAR images. A fusing detection model between brain central responding messages and features of SAR targets is built by expert on-line brain–machine combined modelling. The experimental results show that the technology paper proposed succeeds in automatically detecting and recognising targets of SAR images in actual combat environment, and owns better detection results and higher detection efficiency than DARPA's work. In conclusion, this study proposes an ideal man–machine fusion technology which is worthy of high research value and broad application prospect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reimagines the traditional problem of other minds. On a Cartesian view, the problem involves humans' inability to perceive other persons' minds. Similarly, Gilbert Ryle claims that we cannot directly access another's mind. The paper's rethinking of the problem of other minds moves beyond these questions of perceptibility and accessibility. It asks whether there are certain groups of people whose minds are systematically misinterpreted, or even denied mentality. It argues that there are. This claim builds off recent work in philosophy and social psychology on epistemic injustice and the role of social categories in mental state attribution. The paper proposes the Problem of the Other's Mind: the phenomenon of a (relatively) socially privileged person's inability or lack of desire to understand the mind of a (relatively) socially underprivileged person. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This special issue of Mind, Brain, and Education includes articles on the role of executive functions (EFs) in academic skills and learning disabilities, a commentary on the construct of EF and the neurobiology of reading, and a commentary on connecting research to practice. These products are the result of a weeklong TDF (The Dyslexia Foundation) conference in Bermuda, during the summer of 2022. Each paper in the second half of this issue considers EFs from a different perspective or relates them to a different academic skill or outcome (e.g., reading, math, response to intervention). In this commentary, I discuss how consideration of EFs improves our understanding of individual differences in academic skills and learning disabilities, such as reading disability (RD) and math disability (MD). I also discuss the implications of the reported findings and ideas for improving future research, practice, and policy. Executive functions (EFs) are a set of cognitive processes such as planning, reasoning, problem solving, self‐regulation and goal directed behavior, which support academic learning. In this commentary I introduce a set of articles that consider the role of EFs in a variety of academic domains and in learning disabilities. I also discuss the implications of the reported findings and ideas for improving future research, practice and policy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This paper describes the effect of Porphyromonas gingivalis (P gingivalis) lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on the expression of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-C motif chemokine ligand 2 (CCL2) in cultured hCMEC/D3 human brain microvascular endothelial cells.Background: P gingivalis is one of the important pathogens in periodontitis, and periodontitis is a risk factor for brain disorders including cerebrovascular diseases and Alzheimer's disease. However, the mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of P gingivalis-mediated brain diseases are incompletely understood. Effects of P gingivalis LPS on brain endothelial cells are not known well.Methods: The hCMEC/D3 human brain microvascular endothelial cells were cultured and treated with P gingivalis LPS. The expression of IL-6 and CCL2 mRNA and protein was examined using quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. Effect of inhibitors of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2, TLR4, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) was also investigated. Phosphorylation of NF-κB p65, p38 MAPK and JNK was examined using Western blotting.Results: P gingivalis LPS-induced mRNA and protein expression of IL-6 and CCL2 in hCMEC/D3 cells in a concentration-dependent manner at the concentration of 0.5-50 µg/mL. Maximal mRNA expression of IL-6 and CCL2 was found 2 and 4 hours after stimulation, respectively. Induction of IL-6 and CCL2 by P gingivalis LPS was almost completely inhibited by pretreatment of cells with TLR4 inhibitor but not by TLR2 inhibitor. Treatment of cells with P gingivalis LPS for up to 2 hours induced phosphorylation of NF-κB p65, p38 MAPK and JNK. IL-6 induction was decreased by pretreatment of cells with NF-κB inhibitor SN50 or p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580, while CCL2 induction was reduced by SN50 or JNK inhibitor SP600125.Conclusions: IL-6 and CCL2 produced upon P gingivalis LPS stimulation may contribute to the inflammatory reactions in brain endothelial cells and subsequent neurological disorders such as cerebrovascular and Alzheimer's diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stem cells play key roles in development, tissue homeostasis, regeneration, ageing and diseases. Comprehensive reviews on stem cells are available for the determinately growing mammals and insects and some lower invertebrates like hydra but are rare for larger, indeterminately growing invertebrates that can live for many decades. This paper reviews the cytology, function and dynamics of stem and progenitor cells in the decapod crustaceans, a species‐rich and ecologically and economically important animal group that includes mainly indeterminate growers but also some determinate growers. Further advantages of decapods for stem cell research are almost 1000‐fold differences in body size and longevity, the regeneration of damaged appendages and the virtual absence of age‐related diseases and tumours in the indeterminately growing species. The available data demonstrate that the Decapoda possess a remarkable variety of structurally and functionally different stem cells in embryos and larvae, and in the epidermis, musculature, haematopoietic tissue, heart, brain, hepatopancreas, olfactory sense organs and gonads of adults. Some of these seem to be rather continuously active over a lifetime but others are cyclically activated and silenced in periods of days, weeks and years, depending on the specific organ and function. Stem cell proliferation is triggered by signals related to development, moulting, feeding, reproduction, injury, infection, environmental enrichment and social status. Some regulatory pathways have already been identified, including the evolutionarily conserved GATA‐binding and runt‐domain transcription factors, the widespread neurotransmitter serotonin, the arthropod‐specific hormone 20‐hydroxyecdysone and the novel astakine growth factors. Knowledge of stem cells in decapods primarily refines our picture on the development, growth and maintenance of tissues and organs in this animal group. Cultured decapod stem cells have good potential for toxicity testing and virus research with practical relevance for aquaculture. Knowledge of stem cells in decapods also broadens our understanding of the evolution of stem cells and regeneration in the animal kingdom. The stem cells of long‐lived, indeterminately growing decapods may hold the key to understanding how stem and progenitor cells function into old age without adverse side effects, possibly evoking new ideas for the development of anti‐ageing and anti‐cancer treatments in humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This invited commentary on the paper 'White Matter Connectivity and Internet gaming disorder' by Jeong et al. (unpublished) looks at the implications and importance of the MRI findings in the present study-one of the largest to date-and also considers the broader developments of neuroimaging within the complex, emerging field of 'Internet psychology' and problematic Internet usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues for the sociological relevance of contemporary research from 'relational' or 'systems' biology on the microbiome‐gut‐brain (MGB) axis. I review research on the MGB from microbial neuroendocrinology, nutritional psychiatry and other fields with a specific focus on nutrition as a critical element of the social environment influencing gene‐environment interactions and a range of social behaviors. I discuss two plausible causal pathways from nutritional factors such as dietary inflammatory potential and hypocholesterolemia to social bonding, violence, and political extremism, and conclude with a discussion of the theoretical, methodological, and epistemological implications of these pathways, and of MGB research and relational biology generally, for social science. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In vocal learning birds, memorization and song production rely on a set of telencephalic nuclei referred to as the song control system. Seasonal changes in song production are correlated with changes in the volume of the song control nuclei and are influenced by photoperiodic conditions and hormonal cues. The seasonal volume changes in the avian brain that controls singing are thought to involve regulation of neuronal replacement, which is a striking example of neuronal plasticity. The Rufous‐bellied Thrush (Turdus rufiventris) is a seasonally breeding bird that actively sings during the spring and summer (breeding season) and is relatively silent in the fall, yet possible mechanisms behind the periodic changes in song production remain unknown. Here, we have examined two song control nuclei: High vocal center (HVC) and robust nucleus of arcopallium (RA) in fall males, spring males, and fall females of Rufous‐bellied Thrush. The cytoarchitectonic organization was analyzed and quantified from Nissl‐stained sections, and gene expression of song nuclei markers was examined by in situ hybridization during breeding and nonbreeding seasons. We observed a reduction in HVC volume and reductions in parvalbumin, and RGS4 expression in HVC and RA in males during the nonbreeding season. These findings provide evidence of seasonal changes in the song system of a representative tropical‐breeding Turdidae species that does not maintain territories or mate bonding, setting the histological and molecular groundwork for future studies aimed at better understanding of song nuclei changes in seasonally breeding songbirds. Research Highlight: Vocal learning is an attribute present in three orders of birds (hummingbirds, parrots, and songbirds), cetaceans, and humans. In songbirds, vocal learning and song production depend on a set of specialized brain nuclei known as the song system. The ability to learn and produce song serves as a basis for the acquisition of spoken language in humans. In vocal learning birds, the memorization and production of song share many important parallels with the process of speech acquisition in humans. In this paper, we report for the first time the neuroanatomical changes of the seasonal tropical bird, Turdus rufiventris. We show seasonal changes in the HVC song nucleus of the male during breeding and nonbreeding periods. Gene expression analysis showed a reduction of song nuclei markers during the nonbreeding season. Our data support the hypothesis that the song nucleus HVC undergoes morphological and molecular changes during breeding seasons and this accompanies changes in gene expression. Finally, we show that female T. rufiventris have a reduced song nuclei system similar to nonbreeding male. This paper should be of broad interest to readers in the area of evo‐devo because it contributes to the understanding of the seasonal changes in vocalization in tropical birds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lactate's role in the brain is understood as a contributor to brain energy metabolism, but it may also regulate the cerebral microcirculation. The purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate evidence of lactate as a physiological effector within the normal cerebral microcirculation in reports ranging from in vitro experiments to in vivo studies in animals and humans. Following pre‐registration of a review protocol, we systematically searched the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases for literature covering themes of 'lactate', 'the brain', and 'microcirculation'. Abstracts were screened, and data extracted independently by two individuals. We excluded studies evaluating lactate in disease models. Twenty‐eight papers were identified, 18 of which were in vivo animal experiments (65%), four on human studies (14%), and six on in vitro or ex vivo experiments (21%). Approximately half of the papers identified lactate as an augmenter of the hyperemic response to functional activation by a visual stimulus or as an instigator of hyperemia in a dose‐dependent manner, without external stimulation. The mechanisms are likely to be coupled to NAD+/NADH redox state influencing the production of nitric oxide. Unfortunately, only 38% of these studies demonstrated any control for bias, which makes reliable generalizations of the conclusions insecure. This systematic review identifies that lactate may act as a dose‐dependent regulator of cerebral microcirculation by augmenting the hyperemic response to functional activation below 5 mmol/kg, and by initiating a hyperemic response above 5 mmol/kg. Open Science Badges: This article has received a badge for *Pre‐registration* because it made the data publicly available. The data can be accessed at www.radboudumc.nl/getmedia/53625326-d1df-432c-980f-27c7c80d1a90/THollyer%5flactate%5fprotocol.aspx. The complete Open Science Disclosure form for this article can be found at the end of the article. More information about the Open Practices badges can be found at https://cos.io/our-services/open-science-badges/. This systematic review evaluated the role of lactate in the cerebral microcirculation across in vitro, in vivo, and clinical studies. We identified that when administered exogenously, at 5 mmol/kg or higher, lactate is an initiator of cerebral hyperemia and acts as an augmenter of functional hyperemia at lower doses. These findings shine light on novel aspects of lactate biochemistry in the brain. This manuscript was awarded with the Pre‐registration Badge. The pre‐registration protocol can be accessed at http://www.radboudumc.nl/getmedia/53625326-d1df-432c-980f-27c7c80d1a90/THollyer%5flactate%5fprotocol.aspx. For more information see: https://cos.io/our-services/open-science-badges/ [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New Findings: What is the topic of this review?It provides an overview of the recent papers linking brain neurotransmission with exercise‐induced and/or mental fatigue.What advances does it highlight?The noradrenergic neurotransmitter system hastens central fatigue during prolonged exercise, a finding that coincides with a faster rate of increase in the rating of perceived exertion. 2) Mental fatigue affects several neurotransmitter systems, with presumably an important role for dopamine and adenosine, in multiple brain regions such as the prefrontal cortex and the anterior cingulate cortex. In sports and exercise science, fatigue is an elusive concept that has important implications in performance during exercise. It has been described in many ways (tiredness, exhaustion, lethargy or weariness) and describes a physical and/or mental state of being tired and lack of energy. Exercise‐induced fatigue can be defined as an acute impairment of exercise performance, and a distinction has been made between peripheral and central fatigue. Mental fatigue can be defined as a psychobiological state caused by prolonged exertion that has the potential to reduce cognitive performance and exercise performance. Recent studies have given clear indications that brain catecholamines are involved in the onset of fatigue during endurance exercise. Evidence is provided indicating that the noradrenergic neurotransmitter system hastens central fatigue, a finding that coincides with a faster rate of increase in the rating of perceived exertion. Brain neurotransmission is also suggested to play an important role in mental fatigue. Several neurotransmitter systems might be implicated (with the most important role for dopamine and adenosine) in multiple brain regions, such as the prefrontal cortex and the anterior cingulate cortex, and the summation of these alterations might explain the impairment in endurance performance in a mentally fatigued state. Obviously, we have to keep in mind that fatigue is a very complex construct and that, besides brain neurochemistry, several other factors play a role in its onset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Positron emission tomography (PET) is a nuclear medical imaging technology that produces 3D images reflecting tissue metabolic activity in human body. PET has been widely used in various clinical applications, such as in diagnosis of brain disorders. High-quality PET images play an essential role in diagnosing brain diseases/disorders. In practice, in order to obtain high-quality PET images, a standard-dose radionuclide (tracer) needs to be used and injected into a living body. As a result, it will inevitably increase the patient's exposure to radiation. One solution to solve this problem is predicting standard-dose PET images using low-dose PET images. As yet, no previous studies with this approach have been reported. Accordingly, in this paper, the authors propose a regression forest based framework for predicting a standard-dose brain [18F]FDG PET image by using a low-dose brain [18F]FDG PET image and its corresponding magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) image. Methods: The authors employ a regression forest for predicting the standard-dose brain [18F]FDG PET image by low-dose brain [18F]FDG PET and MRI images. Specifically, the proposed method consists of two main steps. First, based on the segmented brain tissues (i.e., cerebrospinal fluid, gray matter, and white matter) in the MRI image, the authors extract features for each patch in the brain image from both low-dose PET and MRI images to build tissue-specific models that can be used to initially predict standard-dose brain [18F]FDG PET images. Second, an iterative refinement strategy, via estimating the predicted image difference, is used to further improve the prediction accuracy. Results: The authors evaluated their algorithm on a brain dataset, consisting of 11 subjects with MRI, low-dose PET, and standard-dose PET images, using leave-one-out cross-validations. The proposed algorithm gives promising results with well-estimated standard-dose brain [18F]FDG PET image and substantially enhanced image quality of low-dose brain [18F]FDG PET image. Conclusions: In this paper, the authors propose a framework to generate standard-dose brain [18F]FDG PET image using low-dose brain [18F]FDG PET and MRI images. Both the visual and quantitative results indicate that the standard-dose brain [18F]FDG PET can be well-predicted using MRI and low-dose brain [18F]FDG PET. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we evaluated the effects of olive oil on human's stress level. In recent years, mental stress from harsh working environment have been causing serious problems to human health, both mentally and physically. Symptoms of stress may include feelings of worthlessness, agitation, anxiety, lethargy, insomnia, and behavioral changes. Additionally, the harsh working environments may cause the workers to adopt unhealthy dietary habits, contributing to the health issue. On the other hand, olive oil has been known to provide stress‐relieving effects both by ingestion and by inhaling the scent. Here, we examined the effects of extravirgin olive oil ingestion for mitigating stress from deskwork. Three best‐selling extravirgin olive oil in Japan were tested, and typing task was selected to emulate deskwork situation. Near‐infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) is utilized in this study to visualize the response in brain via cerebral blood flow analysis and to measure participants' stress level. Statistical analysis showed that the stress levels were lower during the olive oil ingestion experiment compared to no‐oil experiment, even when measured one hour after the ingestion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Aim: To describe the trajectory of clinical signs in children who developed human immunodeficiency virus encephalopathy (HIVE) after starting early antiretroviral therapy (ART).Method: This was a retrospective case-cohort description of HIVE among Cape Town participants from the Children with HIV Early AntiRetroviral treatment (CHER) trial. Criteria for HIVE diagnosis were at least two of: (1) acquired central motor deficit, (2) impaired brain growth, and (3) failure to attain or loss of developmental milestones in the absence of an alternative aetiology.Results: Of 133 surviving participants who initiated ART at a median age of 9 weeks and who were followed until a median age of 6 years, 20 (12%) developed HIVE at a median age 31 months (interquartile range 19-37). In these, the first neurological deterioration was noticed at a median age of 19 months, when 16 were on ART and nine had undetectable HIV viral load for a median of 12 months. Signs of upper motor neurons were present in 18, of whom 12 resolved and four had persistent spastic diplegia; 19 had motor delay, of whom 14 resolved; 12 had language delay, of whom 11 resolved; and 16 had impaired brain growth, of whom only five recovered. For the 16 participants already on ART at HIVE diagnosis, regimens were not altered in response to diagnosis.Interpretation: HIVE may occur despite early ART initiation and virological suppression and then resolve on unchanged ART, most likely as intrathecal inflammation subsides.What This Paper Adds: Despite suppressive antiretroviral therapy, children can develop human immunodeficiency virus encephalopathy, The most common manifestations are motor deficits and impaired brain growth. Most experience improvement, with many resolving without additional intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Analytical Psychology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Epimedii Herba (EH) is an herbal medicine originating from several plants of the genus Epimedium. It is a major therapeutic option for kidney yang deficiency syndrome, which is closely related to androgen hormones and also has been used to treat hemiplegia following a stroke in traditional medicine of Korea and PR China. To date, many clinical and basic researches of EH have shown the activities on functional recovery from brain diseases. Recently, neuroplasticity, which is the spontaneous reaction of the brain in response to diseases, has been shown to accelerate functional recovery. In addition, androgen hormones including testosterone are known to be the representative of neuroplasticity factors in the brain recovery processes. In this review, we described the neuro-pharmacological activities of EH, focusing on neuroplasticity. Thirty-three kinds of papers from MEDLINE/PubMed, EMBASE, and CNKI were identified and analyzed. We categorized the results into five types based on neuroplasticity mechanisms and presented the definition of each category and briefly described the results of these papers. Altogether, we can suggest that neuroplasticity is a novel viewpoint for guiding future brain research of EH and provide the evidence for the development of new clinical applications using EH in the treatment of brain diseases. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most mental pathologies are diagnosed on the sole basis of the symptoms reported by patients, such as 'I'm feeling low.' The thrust of this paper is the proposal to reconceptualize mental disorders as dysfunctions of brain subsystems. This shift from symptom to organ would bring psychiatry in line with the rest of medicine, and is analogous to the change in status of venereal infections from skin pathologies, such as chancres, to bacterial infections. The proposal in question is part of the reconceptualization of mental processes as brain processes, in line with the materialist conception of the mind as neural. A practical advantage of this conceptual change is that it suggests approaching mental disorders as brain dysfunctions treatable by biological and chemical means, in addition to social measures, such as accommodating mental patients in ordinary hospitals rather than in isolated 'madhouses' at the mercy of amateurs or even charlatans. An additional advantage of the 'embodiment' of mental diseases is that it suggests reframing some new research projects, such as explaining why the common cold causes mental fogginess, why hypertension can cause irritability, and why nicotine dependence can be even stronger than cocaine addiction. In other words, the present proposal is to complete the so-called 'mapping of the mind onto the brain' by including the abnormal mental processes, which used to be treated by shamans at a time when the mind was conceived of as an immaterial entity detachable from the body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]