Spiritualität in der psychodramatischen Praxis

The relationships of Hungarian psychotherapists and their praxis to spirituality are examined in a comprehensive qualitative research based on Grounded Theory. The study demonstrates what surplus originates according to the experience of psychotherapists from the means of psychodrama in psychotherapy applied to cases involving spiritual content.     

Two-step catalytic conversion of lignocellulose to alkanes

Direct conversion of lignocellulose to alkanes is challenged by the complex and recalcitrant nature of the starting material. Generally, alkanes are obtained from one of the main lignocellulose constituents (cellulose, hemicellulose or lignin) after their separation, and platform chemicals derived therein. Here we describe a two-step methodology, which uses unprocessed lignocellulose directly, targeting a mixture of alkanes. The first step involves the near-complete conversion of lignocellulose to alcohols, using a copper doped porous metal oxide (Cu-PMO) catalyst in supercritical methanol. The second step comprises a novel solvent exchange procedure and the exhaustive hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of the complex mixture of aliphatic alcohols, obtained upon depolymerization, to C₂–C₁₀ alkanes by either HZSM-5 or Nafion at 180 °C in conjunction with Pd/C in dodecane. This describes an unprecedented two-step process from lignocellulose to hydrocarbons, with an overall carbon yield of 50%.

This work described a simple two-step process for the complete lignocellulose conversion to alkanes with high carbon yield.     

Molecular Mechanisms Underlying the Nephroprotective Effects of PACAP in Diabetes

Diabetic nephropathy is the leading cause of end-stage renal failure and accounts for 30–40 % of patients entering renal transplant programmes. The nephroprotective effects of the neuropeptide pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP38) against diabetes have been shown previously, but the molecular mechanisms responsible for these effects remain unknown. In the present study, we showed that PACAP treatment counteracted the diabetes-induced increase in the level of the proapoptotic pp38MAPK and cleaved caspase-3 and also decreased the p60 subunit of NFκB. The examined antiapoptotic factors, including pAkt and pERK1/2, showed a slight increase in the diabetic kidneys, while PACAP treatment resulted in a notable elevation of these proteins. PCR and Western blot revealed the downregulation of fibrotic markers, like collagen IV and TGF-β1 in the kidney. PACAP treatment resulted in increased expression of the antioxidant glutathione. We conclude that the nephroprotective effect of PACAP in diabetes is, at least partly, due to its antiapoptotic, antifibrotic and antioxidative effect in addition to the previously described antiinflammatory effect.     

Motor function and respiratory capacity in patients with late‐onset pompe disease

Introduction: The relationship between skeletal muscle strength and respiratory dysfunction in Pompe disease has not been examined by quantitative methods. We investigated correlations among lower extremity proximal muscle strength, respiratory function, and motor performance. Methods: Concentric strength of the knee extensor and flexor muscles was measured with a dynamometer, and pulmonary function was evaluated using spirometry in 7 adult patients. The 6‐minute walk test and the 4‐step stair‐climb test were used for assessing aerobic endurance and anaerobic power, respectively. Results: Anaerobic motor performance correlated with strength of both thigh muscles. Respiratory function did not correlate with either muscle strength or motor function performance. Conclusions: Respiratory and lower extremity proximal muscles could be affected differentially by the disease in individual patients. Motor performance is influenced by thigh muscle strength and is less dependent of respiratory capacity in our cohort of ambulatory patients. Muscle Nerve 49:603–606, 2014     

Inclusion body myositis — a case based clinicopathological update

Inclusion body myositis is a slowly progressive myopathy affecting predominantly the middle-aged and older patient population. It is a major form of the idiopathic inflammatory myopathies which are chronic systemic autoimmune diseases characterized by symmetrical proximal muscle weakness. Unfortunately, there is no effective therapy yet; however, the early diagnosis is essential to provide treatment options which may significantly slow the progression of the disease. In our case-based clinicopathological study the importance of the close collaboration between the clinician and the neuropathologist is emphasised.     

Synaptic target selectivity and input of GABAergic basket and bistratified interneurons in the CA1 area of the rat hippocampus

To assess the position of interneurons in the hippocampal network, fast spiking cells were recorded intracellularly in vitro and filled with biocytin. Sixteen non-principal cells were selected on the basis of 1) cell bodies located in the pyramidal layer and in the middle of the slice, 2) extensive labeling of their axons, and 3) a branching pattern of the axon indicating that they were not axo-axonic cells. Examination of their efferent synapses (n = 400) demonstrated that the cells made synapses on cell bodies, dendritic shafts, spines, and axon initial segments (AIS). Statistical analysis of the distribution of different postsynaptic elements, together with published data (n = 288) for 12 similar cells, showed that the interneurons were heterogeneous with regard to the frequency of synapses given to different parts of pyramidal cells. When the cells were grouped according to whether they had less or more than 40% somatic synaptic targets, each population appeared homogeneous. The population (n = 19) innervating a high proportion of somata (53 ± 10%, SD) corresponds to basket cells. They also form synapses with proximal dendrites (44 ± 12%) and rarely with AISs and spines. One well-filled basket cell had 8,859 boutons within the slice, covering an area of 0.331 mm² of pyramidal layer tangentially and containing 7,150 pyramidal cells, 933 (13%) of which were calculated to be innervated, assuming that each pyramidal cell received nine to ten synapses. It was extrapolated that the intact axon probably had about 10,800 boutons innervating 1,140 pyramids. The proportion of innervated pyramidal cells decreased from 28% in the middle to 4% at the edge of the axonal field. The other group of neurons, the bistratified cells (n = 9), showed a preference for dendritic shafts (79 ± 8%) and spines (17 ± 8%) as synaptic targets, rarely terminating on somata (4 ± 8%). Their axonal field was significantly larger (1,250 ± 180 μm) in the medio-lateral direction than that of basket cells (760 ± 130 μm). The axon terminals of bistratified cells were smaller than those of basket cells. Furthermore, in contrast to bistratified cells, basket cells had a significant proportion of dendrites in stratum lacunosum-moleculare suggesting a direct entorhinal input. The results define two distinct types of GABAergic neuron innervating pyramidal cells in a spatially segregated manner and predict different functions for the two inputs. The perisomatic termination of basket cells is suited for the synchronization of a subset of pyramidal cells that they select from the population within their axonal field, whereas the termination of bistratified cells in conjunction with Schaffer collateral/commissural terminals may govern the timing of CA3 input and/or voltage-dependent conductances in the dendrites. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Engineering bacteria to control electron transport altering the synthesis of non-native polymer

The use of bacteria as catalysts for radical polymerisations of synthetic monomers has recently been established. However, the role of trans Plasma Membrane Electron Transport (tPMET) in modulating these processes is not well understood. We sort to study this by genetic engineering a part of the tPMET system NapC in E. coli. We show that this engineering altered the rate of extracellular electron transfer coincided with an effect on cell-mediated polymerisation using a model monomer. A plasmid with arabinose inducible PBAD promoters were shown to upregulate NapC protein upon induction at total arabinose concentrations of 0.0018% and 0.18%. These clones (E. coli_{(IP_0.0018%)} and E. coli_{(IP_0.18%)}, respectively) were used in iron-mediated atom transfer radical polymerisation (Fe ATRP), affecting the nature of the polymerisation, than cultures containing suppressed or empty plasmids (E. coli_{(IP_S)} and E. coli_(E), respectively). These results lead to the hypothesis that EET (Extracellular Electron Transfer) in part modulates cell instructed polymerisations.

The use of bacteria as catalysts for radical polymerisations of synthetic monomers has recently been established.