When is a wandering mind unhappy? The role of thought valence.

The current research represents one of the first attempts to investigate how various thought qualities that naturally fluctuate across attention states (i.e., mind wandering vs.

Standing out: an atypical salience account of creativity.

Creativity often entails gaining a novel perspective, yet it remains uncertain how this is accomplished. Atypical salience processing may foster creative thinking by prioritizing putatively irrelevant information, thereby broadening the material accessible for idea generation and inhibiting attentional fixedness; in essence, motivating creative individuals to incorporate information that others overlook.

Why creatives don't find the oddball odd: Neural and psychological evidence for atypical salience processing.

Creativity has previously been linked with various attentional phenomena, including unfocused or broad attention. Although this has typically been interpreted through an executive functioning framework, such phenomena may also arise from atypical incentive salience processing. Across two studies, we examine this hypothesis both neurally and psychologically.

LSD and creativity: Increased novelty and symbolic thinking, decreased utility and convergent thinking.

Background: Controversy surrounds psychedelics and their potential to boost creativity. To date, psychedelic studies lack a uniform conceptualization of creativity and methodologically rigorous designs.

Aims: This study aimed at addressing previous issues by examining the effects of lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) on creativity using multimodal tasks and multidimensional approaches.

Is perception the missing link between creativity, curiosity and schizotypy? Evidence from spontaneous eye-movements and responses to auditory oddball stimuli.

What is the relationship between creativity, curiosity, and schizotypy? Schizophrenia-spectrum conditions and creativity have been linked to deficits in filtering sensory information, and curiosity is associated with information-seeking. This raises the possibility of a perception-based link between all three concepts. Here, we investigated whether the same individual differences in perceptual encoding explain variance in creativity, curiosity, and schizotypy.

Immunochemical detection of mycotoxins in donkey milk.

The applicability of enzyme immunoassays (EIA) for aflatoxin M (AFM), ochratoxin A (OTA) and zearalenone (ZEN) to analyse these toxins in donkey milk (Equus asinus) was studied. For AFM and OTA analysis, milk could be analysed by EIA without sample pretreatment. For ZEN, heat treatment at 78 °C for 30 min prior EIA analysis was required to avoid false positives.

Immunochemical Analysis of Paxilline and Ergot Alkaloid Mycotoxins in Grass Seeds and Plants.

Limited availability of toxin standards for lolitrem B and ergovaline impedes routine control of grasses for endophyte toxins. This study aimed at assessing the applicability of an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for the indole-diterpene mycotoxin paxilline, in combination with a generic EIA for ergot alkaloids, as alternative parameters for screening purposes. Analysis of grass seeds and model pastures of four different grass species showed that both EIAs yielded highly positive results for paxilline and ergot alkaloids in perennial ryegrass seeds.

Detection of Total Ergot Alkaloids in Cereal Flour and in Bread by a Generic Enzyme Immunoassay Method.

Four sets of polyclonal antibodies against ergot alkaloids ergometrine, ergotamine, α-ergocryptine, and ergocornine were produced and characterized in a competitive direct or indirect enzyme immunoassay (EIA). Standard curve LODs were 0.03 ng/mL (ergometrine EIA) to 2.

Detection of the tremorgenic mycotoxin paxilline and its desoxy analog in ergot of rye and barley: a new class of mycotoxins added to an old problem.

A newly developed enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for the detection of the tremorgenic indole-diterpene alkaloid paxilline (PAX) and closely related analogs was used to analyze ergot sclerotia collected from rye and barley fields. The mean EIA standard curve detection limit was 0.47 ± 0.

Reassessment of Cronobacter spp. originally isolated as Enterobacter sakazakii from infant food.

Cronobacter spp. cause infant disease, several cases have been associated with powdered infant formulae (PIF). In the early 2000s, contamination of German PIF with these opportunistic pathogens was quite common.

Evaluation of an enzyme immunoassay for the detection of the mycotoxin tenuazonic acid in sorghum grains and sorghum-based infant food.

An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for the Alternaria mycotoxin tenuazonic acid (TeA) was evaluated by comparative analysis of naturally contaminated sorghum grains and sorghum-based infant food, using a stable isotope dilution LC-MS assay (SIDA; limit of detection (LOD) 1.0 μg/kg) as the reference method. LODs of the ELISA were 30 μg/kg in sorghum grains and 220 μg/kg in sorghum-based infant cereals.

Microbiological Quality of Raw Dried Pasta from the German Market, with Special Emphasis on Cronobacter Species.

The microbiological quality of 132 dried pasta products available on the German market, originating from 11 different countries, was studied. Sample materials included soft or durum wheat products, some of which produced with other ingredients such as eggs, spices, or vegetables. Parameters included hygiene indicators (aerobic plate count, mold count, the presence of Enterobacteriaceae) and pathogenic/toxinogenic bacterial species (Salmonella spp.

Ochratoxin A in brewer's yeast used as food supplement.

Brewer's yeasts are rich in vitamins of the B-group and contain other nutritive factors; therefore, they are recommended as valuable food supplements for people with special dietary requirements like pregnant women, children, and adolescents, or for people with high physical activity. Additionally, certain strains of brewer's yeast are known to be capable of adsorbing xenobiotics such as mycotoxins. Because of that, these yeasts are regarded as having positive effects in food, beverage, and feed technology.

Immunochemical analysis of fumigaclavine mycotoxins in respiratory tissues and in blood serum of birds with confirmed aspergillosis.

The ergoline alkaloid fumigaclavine A (FuA) is one of the major mycotoxins produced by Aspergillus fumigatus, the main causative fungal agent of avian aspergillosis. To study in situ production of FuA, post-mortem respiratory tissues of various avian species, as well as blood samples of falcons (Falco sp.), were analysed by enzyme immunoassay (EIA).

Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase (ESBL)-Producing Klebsiella pneumoniae in Bulk Tank Milk from Dairy Farms in Indonesia.

Bulk tank milk from 80 dairy farms located in the West Java Region of Indonesia was analyzed for the presence of extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Enterobacteriaceae. Isolates from seven dairy farms were ESBL positive, and all were identified as Klebsiella pneumoniae. The isolates showed ESBL-characteristic antibiotic resistance patterns.

Loss of SOX2 expression induces cell motility via vimentin up-regulation and is an unfavorable risk factor for survival of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.

Recurrent gain on chromosome 3q26 encompassing the gene locus for the transcription factor SOX2 is a frequent event in human squamous cell carcinoma, including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Numerous studies demonstrated that SOX2 expression and function is related to distinct aspects of tumor cell pathophysiology. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not well understood, and the correlation between SOX2 expression and clinical outcome revealed conflicting data.

Enzyme immunoassay for tenuazonic acid in apple and tomato products.

The Alternaria mycotoxin tenuazonic acid was derivatized with succinic anhydride and conjugated to keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH) and to horseradish peroxidase (HRP), respectively. The KLH conjugate was used to produce polyclonal antibodies in rabbits. A competitive direct enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for tenuazonic acid was established, which was moderately sensitive for tenuazonic acid [50% inhibition concentration (IC(50)): 320 ± 130 ng/mL] but strongly reacted with tenuazonic acid acetate (IC(50): 23.

Altered tissue distribution of 2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine-DNA adducts in mice transgenic for human sulfotransferases 1A1 and 1A2.

Soluble sulfotransferases (SULTs) generate electrophilically reactive metabolites from numerous food-borne compounds, environmental contaminants and drugs, often resulting in mutagenicity and carcinogenicity. Substrate specificity, regulation and tissue distribution of SULTs show large interspecies differences. In humans, therefore, SULTs may be involved in the induction of cancer in different tissues than in standard animal models.

Widespread occurrence of low levels of alternariol in apple and tomato products, as determined by comparative immunochemical assessment using monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies.

This study investigated the production of polyclonal (pAB) antibodies and the first time production of monoclonal (mAB) antibodies against the mycotoxin alternariol, and their implementation in enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for the rapid determination of alternariol in foods. Both EIAs were highly sensitive, with detection limits (IC₂₀) of 35 ± 6.9 pg/mL (mAb EIA) and 59 ± 16 pg/mL (pAb EIA).

The human genome puzzle - the role of copy number variation in somatic mosaicism.

The discovery of copy number variations (CNV) in the human genome opened new perspectives in the study of the genetic causes of inherited disorders and the etiology of common diseases. Differently patterned instances of somatic mosaicism in CNV regions have been shown to be present in monozygotic twins and throughout different tissues within an individual. A single-cell-level investigation of CNV in different human cell types led us to uncover mitotically derived genomic mosaicism, which is stable in different cell types of one individual.

POD-FISH: a new technique for parental origin determination based on copy number variation polymorphism.

With the progress of array technologies and the enabled screening of individual human genomes, a new kind of polymorphism has been described - the so-called copy number variation (CNV) polymorphism. Copy number variants can be found in around 12% of the human genome sequence and have a size of up to several hundred kilobase pairs. These variants can not only differ between individuals, but also between corresponding alleles on homologous chromosomes.

Early embryonic chromosome instability results in stable mosaic pattern in human tissues.

The discovery of copy number variations (CNV) in the human genome opened new perspectives on the study of the genetic causes of inherited disorders and the aetiology of common diseases. Here, a single-cell-level investigation of CNV in different human tissues led us to uncover the phenomenon of mitotically derived genomic mosaicism, which is stable in different cell types of one individual. The CNV mosaic ratios were different between the 10 individuals studied.

Cytogenetic characterization of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma cell lines as model systems for the functional analyses of tumor-associated genes.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a solid malignant neoplasm exhibiting aggressive phenotypes and high recurrence rates. To improve its clinical management, understanding the molecular basis of HNSCC development is of critical importance. For the investigation of tumor-associated genes, functional analyses in well-characterized tumor cell systems are required.

Production and characterization of antibodies against fumigaclavine A.

Polyclonal antibodies against fumigaclavine A (FuA) were obtained from rabbits after immunization with a FuA-keyhole limpet hemocyanine conjugate prepared by formaldehyde condensation. Using these antibodies and a FuA-bovine serum albumine conjugate, a competitive indirect enzyme immunoassay (EIA) was established. The antiserum obtained from one rabbit enabled highly sensitive detection of FuA, with an IC50 level and detection limit of the standard curve of 3.