Homeostasis, the dominant explanatory framework for physiological regulation, has undergone significant revision in recent years, with contemporary models differing significantly from the original ...formulation. Allostasis, an alternative view of physiological regulation, goes beyond its homeostatic roots, offering novel insights relevant to our understanding and treatment of several chronic health conditions. Despite growing enthusiasm for allostasis, the concept remains diffuse, due in part to ambiguity as to how the term is understood and used, impeding meaningful translational and clinical research on allostasis. Here, we provide a more focused understanding of homeostasis and allostasis by explaining how both play a role in physiological regulation, and a critical analysis of regulation suggests how homeostasis and allostasis can be distinguished. Rather than focusing on changes in the value of a regulated variable (e.g., body temperature, body adiposity, or reward), research investigating the activity and relationship among the multiple regulatory loops that influence the value of these regulated variables may be the key to distinguishing homeostasis and allostasis. The mechanisms underlying physiological regulation and dysregulation are likely to have important implications for health and disease.
Abstract
The brain at rest generates cycles of electrical activity that have been shown to be abnormal in people with schizophrenia. The alpha rhythm (~ 10 Hz) is the dominant resting state ...electrical cycle and each person has a propensity toward a particular frequency of oscillation for this rhythm. This individual alpha peak frequency (IAPF) is hypothesized to be central to visual perceptual processes and may have downstream influences on cognitive functions such as attention, working memory, or problem solving. In the current study we sought to determine whether IAPF was slower in schizophrenia, and whether lower IAPF predicted deficits in visual perception and cognition that are often observed in schizophrenia. Eyes-closed resting state EEG activity, visual attention, and global cognitive functioning were assessed in individuals with schizophrenia (N = 104) and a group of healthy controls (N = 101). Compared to controls, the schizophrenia group showed slower IAPF and was associated with poorer discrimination of visual targets and nontargets on a computerized attention task, as well as impaired global cognition measured using neuropsychological tests across groups. Notably, disruptions in visual attention fully mediated the relationship between IAPF and global cognition across groups. The current findings demonstrate that slower alpha oscillatory cycling accounts for global cognitive deficits in schizophrenia by way of impairments in perceptual discrimination measured during a visual attention task.
Cognitive remediation training (CRT) for schizophrenia has been found to improve cognitive functioning and influence neural plasticity. However, with various training approaches and mixed findings, ...the mechanisms driving generalization of cognitive skills from CRT are unclear. In this meta-analysis of extant imaging studies examining CRT's effects, we sought to clarify whether varying approaches to CRT suggest common neural changes and whether such mechanisms are restorative or compensatory. We conducted a literature search to identify studies appropriate for inclusion in an activation likelihood estimation (ALE) meta-analysis. Our criteria required studies to consist of training-based interventions designed to improve patients' cognitive or social functioning, including generalization to untrained circumstances. Studies were also required to examine changes in pre- vs posttraining functional activation using functional magnetic resonance imaging or positron emission tomography. The literature search identified 162 articles, 9 of which were appropriate for inclusion. ALE analyses comparing pre- and posttraining brain activation showed increased activity in the lateral and medial prefrontal cortex (PFC), parietal cortex, insula, and the caudate and thalamus. Notably, activation associated with CRT in the left PFC and thalamus partially overlapped with previous meta-analytically identified areas associated with deficits in working memory, executive control, and facial emotion processing in schizophrenia. We conclude that CRT interventions from varying theoretic modalities elicit plasticity in areas that support cognitive and socioemotional processes in this early set of studies. While preliminary, these changes appear to be both restorative and compensatory, though thalamocortical areas previously associated with dysfunction may be common sources of plasticity for cognitive remediation in schizophrenia.
The management of wildlife hosts for controlling parasites and disease has a history of mixed success. Deer can be important hosts for ticks, such as
Ixodes ricinus
, which is the primary vector of ...disease-causing zoonotic pathogens in Europe. Deer are generally managed by culling and fencing for forestry protection, habitat conservation, and commercial hunting, and in this study we test whether these deer management methods can be useful for controlling ticks, with implications for tick-borne pathogens. At different spatial scales and habitats we tested the hypotheses that tick abundance is reduced by (1) culling deer and (2) deer exclusion using fencing. We compared abundance indices of hosts and questing
I. ricinus
nymphs using a combination of small-scale fencing experiments on moorland, a large-scale natural experiment of fenced and unfenced pairs of forests, and cross-sectional surveys of forest and moorland areas with varying deer densities. As predicted, areas with fewer deer had fewer ticks, and fenced exclosures had dramatically fewer ticks in both large-scale forest and small-scale moorland plots. Fencing and reducing deer density were also associated with higher ground vegetation. The implications of these results on other hosts, pathogen prevalence, and disease risk are discussed. This study provides evidence of how traditional management methods of a keystone species can reduce a generalist parasite, with implications for disease risk mitigation.
ABSTRACT
Formal narrative descriptions of primates have long been used by primatologists to describe novel events that are not captured by other data collection methods. However, there has been a ...shift away from narrative accounts toward more quantitative methods both within primatology and more broadly in the natural sciences. Our objective was to investigate the shifting use of anecdotal evidence in primatology. We systematically reviewed anecdotal accounts published in the four major primatology journals since the year 2000. We found 163 published anecdotal accounts out of 3,960 total articles published between 2000 and 2016. There was an overall decrease in the rates of anecdotes published during this time. Those published covered a wide range of topics and taxa but were skewed toward larger, diurnal primates—in particular, apes. We suggest that anecdotal evidence should continue to be published but that the publication of these data should better reflect the taxonomic diversity of primates. We also suggest potential venues for anecdote publication that may compensate for their loss from formal scientific journals. narratives, qualitative data, anthropomorphic, primates, observation
RESUMEN
Las descripciones narrativas formales de primates han sido utilizadas por largo tiempo por primatólogos para describir eventos novedosos que no son capturados por otros métodos de colección de datos. Sin embargo, ha habido un distanciamiento de los relatos narrativos hacia métodos más cuantitativos tanto dentro de la primatología como más ampliamente en las ciencias naturales. Nuestro objetivo era investigar el uso cambiante de evidencia anecdótica en primatología. Revisamos sistemáticamente los relatos anecdóticos publicados en las cuatro revistas académicas principales de primatología desde el año 2000. Encontramos 163 relatos anecdóticos publicados de un total de 3.960 artículos. Hubo una disminución general en las tasas de anécdotas publicadas durante este tiempo. Aquellas publicadas cubrían un amplio rango de temas y taxones, pero estaban sesgadas hacia primates diurnos, más grandes –en particular, simios. Sugerimos que la evidencia anecdótica debe continuar siendo publicada, pero que la publicación de estos datos debe reflejar mejor la diversidad taxonómica de los primates. También sugerimos lugares potenciales para la publicación de anécdotas que pueden compensar por su pérdida de las revistas académicas formales. narrativas, datos cualitativos, antropomórfico, primates, observación
RÉSUMÉ
Des descriptions narratives formelles ont longtemps été utilisées par les primatologues pour décrire des phénomènes nouveaux observés. Toutefois, une transition vers l'utilisation de méthodes quantitatives plutôt que de comptes‐rendus narratifs a progressivement été observée en primatologie. L'objectif de cette recherche était d'examiner cette transition en faisant une revue systématique des comptes‐rendus anecdotiques publiés dans les journaux de primatologie. Nous avons trouvé 163 anecdotiques sur un total de 3960 articles publiés entre 2000 et 2016 et avons observé une diminution du nombre de comptes‐rendus publiés pendant cette période. Les anecdotes publiées portaient sur un grand nombre de sujets et de taxons, mais portaient davantage sur de larges primates diurnes, et surtout sur des grands singes. Nous croyons que des comptes‐rendus anecdotiques méritent d’être publiés, mais qu'ils devraient refléter davantage la diversité des primates. Par ailleurs, nous proposons dans cet article d'autres types de sources où ces anecdotes pourraient être publiées. récit, données qualitatives, anthropomorphique, primates, observation
Pyogenic spondylodiscitis presents significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. In Germany, a comprehensive understanding of its epidemiology and inpatient management outcomes is limited, ...hindering the optimisation of therapeutic strategies. This study aimed to characterise the evolving epidemiological trends of pyogenic spondylodiscitis in Germany, and concurrently evaluate inpatient management strategies and outcomes. We performed a retrospective population-based study of spondylodiscitis cases in Germany from 2005 to 2021, utilising data from the German Federal Statistical Office database. The parameters assessed were incidence trends, demographic characteristics, inpatient management strategies, and inpatient mortality. The study found a significant rise in the population-adjusted incidence of spondylodiscitis in Germany from 2005 to 2021, increasing by 104% from 5.4 to 11.0 cases per 100,000 individuals (p < 0.001). The highest number of diagnoses was recorded in 2019. Age group-adjusted data revealed the largest relative changes in the "90 + " age group, followed by the "80-89" and "70-79" age groups. These increases were not solely attributable to population changes but were also confirmed after calculating the age-group-adjusted incidence rates. Additionally, our statistical analysis demonstrated that both age and year significantly influenced the incidence of spondylodiscitis. Over the same period, inpatient mortality also surged significantly by 347% (p < 0.001), with the highest increase recorded in the 90 + age group, observing a 2450% rise (p < 0.001). The mean length of inpatient stay decreased by 15% (p < 0.05). Concurrently, there was a significant increase in surgical interventions using spinal stabilisation procedures (p < 0.001), which might suggest a shift in the treatment paradigm for spondylodiscitis. The results underscore a concerning rise in spondylodiscitis incidence and mortality in Germany, particularly affecting the ageing population. A notable shift towards surgical intervention was observed. The data highlights the urgent necessity for high-level evidence studies comparing surgical versus conservative treatment, thereby guiding optimised therapeutic strategies.
Contrary to dogma, much physiological regulation utilizes learning from past experience to make responses that preemptively and effectively neutralize anticipated regulatory challenges. Understanding ...physiological regulation therefore requires expanding explanatory models beyond homeostasis and allostasis to emphasize the prominence of conditioning.
Contrary to dogma, much physiological regulation utilizes learning from past experience to make responses that preemptively and effectively neutralize anticipated regulatory challenges. Understanding physiological regulation therefore requires expanding explanatory models beyond homeostasis and allostasis to emphasize the prominence of conditioning.
Summary
In order to replace particularly biohazardous nematocides, there is a strong drive to finding natural product‐based alternatives with the aim of containing nematode pests in agriculture. The ...metabolites produced by the fungal endophyte Fusarium oxysporum 162 when cultivated on rice media were isolated and their structures elucidated. Eleven compounds were obtained, of which six were isolated from a Fusarium spp. for the first time. The three most potent nematode‐antagonistic compounds, 4‐hydroxybenzoic acid, indole‐3‐acetic acid (IAA) and gibepyrone D had LC50 values of 104, 117 and 134 μg ml−1, respectively, after 72 h. IAA is a well‐known phytohormone that plays a role in triggering plant resistance, thus suggesting a dual activity, either directly, by killing or compromising nematodes, or indirectly, by inducing defence mechanisms against pathogens (nematodes) in plants. Such compounds may serve as important leads in the development of novel, environmental friendly, nematocides.
GA text‐Biochemical and biological analysis of constituents produced by an endophyte can lead to the discovery of individual compounds with a dual protective role in plant‐pathogen interactions, i.e., directly, by intoxicating a plant pathogen on the one hand and, indirectly, by inducing an increase in plant vigor and triggering plant defenses against a pathogen on the other. This supports the discovery of new nematocides that are environmentally more sound and, from the perspective of resistance development, potentially more robust than those that are currently available on the market.
The aim of this study was to examine the extent to which neighborhood-level socioeconomic factors (objective and perceived) are associated with poor oral health in older adults over time, independent ...of individual socioeconomic position. Data for this cross-sectional and longitudinal observation study came from a socially and geographically representative cohort of men aged 71 to 92 y in 2010–12 (n = 1,622), drawn from British general practices, which was followed up in 2018–19 (aged 78–98 y; N = 667). Dental measures at both times included number of teeth, periodontal pocket depth, self-rated oral health, and dry mouth. Neighborhood deprivation was based on Index of Multiple Deprivation (IMD) and a cumulative index measuring perceptions about local environment. Individual-level socioeconomic position was based on longest-held occupation. Multilevel and multivariate logistic regressions, adjusted for relevant sociodemographic, behavioral, and health-related factors, were performed to examine the relationships of dental measures with IMD and perceived neighborhood quality index, respectively. Cross-sectionally, risks of tooth loss, periodontal pockets, and dry mouth increased from IMD quintiles 1 to 5 (least to most deprived); odds ratios (ORs) for quintile 5 were 2.22 (95% confidence interval CI, 1.41–3.51), 2.82 (95% CI, 1.72–4.64), and 1.51 (95% CI, 1.08–2.09), respectively, after adjusting for sociodemographic, behavioral, and health-related factors. Risks of increased pocket depth and dry mouth were significantly greater in quintile 5 (highest problems) of perceived neighborhood quality index compared to quintile 1. Over the 8-y follow-up, deterioration of dentition (tooth loss) was significantly higher in the most deprived IMD quintiles after full adjustment (OR for quintile 5 = 2.32; 95% CI, 1.09–4.89). Deterioration of dentition and dry mouth were significantly greater in quintile 5 of perceived neighborhood quality index. Neighborhood-level factors were associated with poor oral health in older age, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally, particularly with tooth loss, and dry mouth, independent of individual-level socioeconomic position.
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