Supramodal neural networks support top‐down processing of social signals

The perception of facial and vocal stimuli is driven by sensory input and cognitive top‐down influences. Important top‐down influences are attentional focus and supramodal social memory representations. The present study investigated the neural networks underlying these top‐down processes and their role in social stimulus classification. In a neuroimaging study with 45 healthy participants, we employed a social adaptation of the Implicit Association Test. Attentional focus was modified via the classification task, which compared two domains of social perception (emotion and gender), using the exactly same stimulus set. Supramodal memory representations were addressed via congruency of the target categories for the classification of auditory and visual social stimuli (voices and faces). Functional magnetic resonance imaging identified attention‐specific and supramodal networks. Emotion classification networks included bilateral anterior insula, pre‐supplementary motor area, and right inferior frontal gyrus. They were pure attention‐driven and independent from stimulus modality or congruency of the target concepts. No neural contribution of supramodal memory representations could be revealed for emotion classification. In contrast, gender classification relied on supramodal memory representations in rostral anterior cingulate and ventromedial prefrontal cortices. In summary, different domains of social perception involve different top‐down processes which take place in clearly distinguishable neural networks.     

Power take-off injuries

Accidents with power take-off mechanisms often cause very serious injuries. In this study the clinical data and circumstances of the accidents of 14 patients who suffered a power take-off accident were analysed. From a total of 38 fractures, three primary and three secondary amputations were necessary. Fifty per cent of the accidents were due to human negligence, indicating the need not only for better safety shields but also for improved safety practices.     

Immediate effects of whole blood donation on the endothelial surface layer and glycocalyx shedding

BackgroundThe endothelium plays a pivotal role in regulating microvascular function, especially in situations associated with acute blood loss. Whether blood donation and the associated volume loss affects the dimensions of the endothelial surface layer (ESL) and glycocalyx integrity remains unknown.Materials and methodsThis study was designed to determine real-time ESL and perfusion measurements of the sublingual microcirculation using sidestream dark field imaging performed in healthy subjects shortly before and after a donation of 500 mL whole blood. A novel image acquisition and analysis software (GlycoCheck™) automatically calculated the perfused boundary region (PBR), an inverse parameter for red blood cell (RBC) penetration into the ESL, in vessels between 5 and 25 μm in diameter. Microvascular perfusion was measured by RBC filling percentage. Soluble glycocalyx components were determined in the peripheral circulation.ResultsThere was no significant immediate effect of whole blood donation on PBR and RBC filling percentage. Linear regression analysis revealed a distinct association between change in PBR and change in RBC filling percentage (regression coefficient β: −0.040; 95% confidence interval: −0.049 to −0.030; p<0.001). A significant reduction in plasma heparan sulphate (1,329±316 vs 1,237±275 ng/mL, p=0.005) and hyaluronan (94±18 vs 90±16 ng/mL, p=0.002) was noted, while syndecan-1 levels (30 [23–50] vs 29 [24–46] ng/mL, p=0.282) remained unchanged.DiscussionDimensions and integrity of the ESL appear to remain stable following a 500 mL whole blood donation and reflect its ability to ensure microvascular function and perfusion.     

Changing patterns in the causes of scalds in young Dutch children

The causes of burns in children who were treated as inpatients and outpatients were examined at a burn centre and a university hospital during the period 1972-85. In particular young children, from 0–5 years, were the victims of hot fluid burns caused mainly by coffee and tea. Over the years a change has taken place in the pattern of causes in spite of an increase in the consumption of tea and coffee. The number of coffee scalds has decreased markedly, probably as a result of the increasing use of electric coffee machines.     

Two distinct regions of the CD28 intracytoplasmic domain are involved in the tyrosine phosphorylation of Vav and GTPase activating protein- associated p62 protein

The T cell-associated CD28 molecule plays a key role in T cell co- stimulation. Its ligation induces the tyrosine phosphorylation of numerous proteins including CD28 itself as well as a restricted set of substrates of 97 and 62-68 kDa which are poorly phosphorylated by the tyrosine kinases induced by CD3-TCR triggering. In this study, we identify these substrates as the product of the vav proto-oncogene and as a 62 kDa protein that could correspond at least in part to p62dok, the 62 kDa adaptor molecule associated to p120 Ras-GTPase activating protein. Both p97vav and p62 are tyrosine phosphorylated upon CD28 ligation by mAb or by its counter-receptor B7-1/CD80. Using CD28 mutants, we also show that Vav and p62 tyrosine phosphorylation is regulated by distinct domains within the CD28 cytoplasmic tail: residues 173-181 for Vav and residues 182-202 for p62. Finally, the phosphorylation of Vav and p62 does not require an intact binding site for Grb-2 or p85 SH2 domains. We thus demonstrate that the CD28 cytoplasmic domain contains at least three functionally independent regions involved in CD28-induced signal transduction, since in addition to the Grb-2 and p85 SH2 domain binding site (Tyr173), residues 173-181 and 182-202 are associated with Vav and p62 tyrosine phosphorylation respectively.      

Sektorübergreifende schmerzmedizinische Versorgung

Cross-sectoral clinical pathways for chronic pain patients in standard and routine care are a major challenge for the German healthcare system. The Algesiologikum group has developed such clinical pathways including an essential infrastructure. Cooperation partners of the Algesiologikum group are two outpatient medical care units, one neurosurgery practice and four hospitals. In the outpatient sector as well as in the inpatient sector the Algesiologikum group provides a multidisciplinary team caring for chronic pain patients. The range of treatment in the hospitals includes multimodal, invasive and surgical pain therapy. The present report illustrates possibilities and frontiers of the Algesiologikum concept based on all patients treated since 2009.     

Multiple trauma and mental health in former Ugandan child soldiers

The present study examines the effect of war and domestic violence on the mental health of child soldiers in a sample consisting of 330 former Ugandan child soldiers (age: 11-17 years, female: 49%). All children had experienced at least 1 war-related event and 78% were additionally exposed to at least 1 incident of domestic violence. Prevalences of posttraumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder were 33%, and 36%, respectively. Behavioral and emotional problems above clinical cutoff were measured in 61%. No gender differences were found regarding mental health outcomes. War experience and domestic violence were significantly associated with all mental health outcomes. The authors' findings point to the detrimental effects of domestic violence in addition to traumatizing war experiences in child soldiers.     

Flare up of joint inflammations induced by cloned helper T cells. Retention of the helper T cells

Joint inflammations were induced in mice by intra articular (ia) injection of cloned helper T cells specific for methylated bovine serum albumin (mBSA) together with mBSA. Local injection of mBSA several weeks after waning of a joint inflammation induced by cloned helper T cells caused a flare up reaction. This indicates that the helper T cells persisted in the joint after the primary inflammation. In the present paper we show that the helper T cells can also persist for some time in a knee joint in the absence of the specific antigen and/or an inflammatory reaction.