Changing your body changes your eating attitudes: embodiment of a slim virtual avatar induces avoidance of high-calorie food.

The virtual-reality full-body illusion paradigm has been suggested to not only trigger the illusory ownership of the avatar's body but also the attitudinal and behavioral components stereotypically associated to that kind of virtual body. In the present study, we investigated whether this was true for stereotypes related to body size: body satisfaction and eating control behavior. Healthy participants underwent the full-body illusion paradigm with an avatar having either a larger or a slimmer body than their own, and were assessed for implicit attitudes towards body image and food calorie content at baseline and after each full-body illusion session.

Two-year safety and clinical outcomes in chronic ischemic stroke patients after implantation of modified bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (SB623): a phase 1/2a study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the safety and clinical outcomes associated with stereotactic surgical implantation of modified bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (SB623) in patients with stable chronic ischemic stroke.

Methods: This was a 2-year, open-label, single-arm, phase 1/2a study; the selected patients had chronic motor deficits between 6 and 60 months after nonhemorrhagic stroke. SB623 cells were administered to the target sites surrounding the subcortical stroke region using MRI stereotactic image guidance.

The phytoremediation of an organic and inorganic polluted soil: A real scale experience.

A phytoremediation process with horse manure, plants (Populus alba, Cytisus scoparius, Paulownia tomentosa) and naturally growing vegetation was carried out at a real-scale in order to phytoremediate and functionally recover a soil contaminated by metals (Zn, Pb, Cd, Ni, Cu, Cr), hydrocarbons (TPH) and polychlorobiphenyls (PCB). All the plants were effective in two years in the reclamation of the polluted soil, showing an average reduction of about 35%, 40%, and 70% in metals, TPH and PCB content, respectively. As regards the plants, the poplar contributed the most to organic removal.

Soil physical changes and plant availability of Zn and Pb in a treatability test of phytostabilization.

A treatability test of phytostabilization was carried out on two soils sampled downstream a mining Italian area with Lolium italicum and Festuca arundinacea. Beside chemical content of Pb and Zn in aerial parts and in roots, also some physical parameters were determined at the end of the growth cycle of plants. Particle size distribution was analysed with a laser granulometer while cracking patterns and porosity were determined by means of image analysis.

[Left main coronary artery aneurysm detected by myocardial scintigraphy, coronary angiography and multislice computed tomography].

Aneurysm of the left main coronary artery is rare and is found in 0.1% of angiograms. A case of left main coronary aneurysm with no flow-limiting atherosclerotic coronary disease in a 53-year-old male is reported.

Neural substrates of memory, affective functions, and conscious experience.

This review presents an account of the areas and circuits of the brain that are thought to be involved in such cognitive functions as memory, affect and consciousness. Considerable progress has been made in the past two decades in the identification of the cerebral areas and in our understanding of the brain mechanisms involved in these functions, thanks in large parts to a number of imaging observations (PET and fMRI), together with many clinical neurological and experimental studies. Thus, there is now convincing evidence that these high level functions are represented in a complex organization of interconnected cortical and subcortical areas that operate as spatially distributed systems, specialized for the different cognitive activities.

[Diagnosis of tuberculosis in children in provinces of Argentina].

Confirming the diagnosis of pediatric tuberculosis is cumbersome, due to the clinical features (generally paucibacillary forms) of the disease. This national study was undertaken in order to establish: the features of childhood tuberculosis at the time of diagnosis, the criteria on which the pediatricians based the diagnosis, the bacteriologic contribution to the diagnosis and the quality of notifications to the National Programme. Medical and laboratory records were reviewed for children under 15 years of age who were diagnosed with tuberculosis disease or primary infection during 1995.

Nested PCR for rapid detection of mumps virus in cerebrospinal fluid from patients with neurological diseases.

In this study, we have developed a reverse transcription (RT)-nested polymerase chain reaction (n-PCR) for the detection of mumps virus RNA in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from patients with neurological infections. A specific 112-bp fragment was amplified by this method with primers from the nucleoprotein of the mumps virus genome. The mumps virus RT-n-PCR was capable of detecting 0.

[Nontuberculous mycobacteria in patients with cystic fibrosis].

The prevalence of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) isolated from the lower airways of adult cystic fibrosis (CF) patients appears to be increasing. Different centers of USA, England, Sweden and Ireland have reported a prevalence ranging from 1.5 to 19.

Increased prevalence of genotype F hepatitis B virus isolates in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

The genomic coding region of the hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) was partially sequenced from 12 HBsAg-positive sera of carriers residing in Buenos Aires, Argentina. A phylogenetic analysis groups the 12 isolates into genotypes A (n = 4), B (n = 1), D (n = 2), and F (n = 5). The occurrence of genotypes A and D is not unexpected, considering the mainly European origin of the studied population.

Mechanisms of stereopsis in monkey visual cortex.

A substantial proportion of neurons in the striate and prestriate cortex of monkeys have stereoscopic properties; that is, they respond differentially to binocular stimuli that are known in humans to provide cues for stereoscopic depth perception. Stereoscopic neurons, as these cells may be called, are selective for horizontal positional disparity (i.e.

[Transient hyperglycemia in acute myocardial infarct: the short- and long-term risk factor for mortality].

To evaluate the prevalence and prognostic significance of hyperglycemia in acute myocardial infarction, we studied 700 patients (mean age 63.3 +/- 10.97) subsequently admitted to the UCIC of Tradate Hospital during the period January 1976 to December 1987.

Adaptation of the Reitboeck method of multiple microelectrode recording to the neocortex of the waking monkey.

We adapted to the neocortex of waking monkeys a method for multiple microelectrode recording devised by Reitboeck. A sliding platform allows micropositioning of 7 electrodes independently, in 2 microns steps. Microelectrodes are quartz glass filaments (80 microns o.

Influences of uniform and textured backgrounds on the impulse activity of neurons in area V1 of the alert macaque.

The influences of the visual background on the spontaneous and evoked activity of neurons in the striate cortex (V1) of the awake and behaving macaque were investigated using uniform (dark and bright) and textured (dynamic random-dot) large fields (10 degrees) centered on the receptive field of the cell under study. Rhesus monkeys were trained to fixate a small target while visual patterns were presented on monitor displays and the impulse activity of single cortical neurons recorded extracellularly with metal microelectrodes. The discharge rates of the ongoing, spontaneous activity of the vast majority of V1 neurons, as well as their responses to optimally adjusted bar stimuli, were not significantly influenced by the luminance of a uniform background.

[Dilated cardiomyopathy in infants. Report of a clinical case with particularly favorable outcome].

Dilated cardiomyopathy has a poor prognosis in infants and children. We report the favourable long term outcome of a case of dilated cardiomyopathy discovered at age seven months. The knowledge of natural history of these patients is very important to develop predictive indexes to select patients who might respond to medical management and those who might be suitable candidates for cardiac transplantation.

Dynamic stabilization of receptive fields of cortical neurons (VI) during fixation of gaze in the macaque.

The positions of receptive field borders of striate cortical neurons were measured repeatedly in awake monkeys during attentive fixation of a small target. The border position, as marked by the onset of evoked activity in response to a moving stimulus, did not show the variability expected from previous measures of eye position variability during fixation. Measured variability was smaller than expected.

Stereoscopic mechanisms in monkey visual cortex: binocular correlation and disparity selectivity.

The neural signals in visual cortex associated with positional disparity and contrast texture correlation of binocular images are the subject of this study. We have analyzed the effects of stereoscopically presented luminous bars and of dynamic random-dot patterns on the activity of single neurons in cortical visual areas V1, V2, and V3-V3A of the alert, visually trained rhesus macaque. The interpretation of the results and considerations of possible neural mechanisms led us to recognize 2 functional sets of stereoscopic neurons.

Responses of neurons in visual cortex (V1 and V2) of the alert macaque to dynamic random-dot stereograms.

A substantial proportion of both simple and complex neurons in the cortex subserving central vision are differentially sensitive to binocular disparity of isolated line patterns (local stereopsis), a sensitivity based on a positional disparity between the neuron's receptive fields in the two eyes. In addition, a subset of cortical neurons, nearly all complex neurons, responds to dynamic random-dot stereograms containing no depth cues other than disparity. These neurons are capable of signaling the correct binocular matches among a multitude of false matches in the stereograms (global stereopsis).

[M-mode echocardiography: determination of morphological parameters in the normal newborn infant].

The purpose of this study is to establish normal echocardiographic values of 25 parameters in the newborn infants. The study group is composed of 100 normal, healty neonates (of 72 to 96 hours of age), from whom echocardiograms and measurements were obtained in a standardized manner. Criteria have been established for a complete echocardiographic profile in the full-term newborn.

Binocular fixation in the rhesus monkey: spatial and temporal characteristics.

The horizontal and vertical components of the positions of both eyes of rhesus monkeys were measured during periods of binocularly stable eye positions (eye pauses) while the animals fixated a small target. Differences between monocular and binocular viewing, as well as effects of target size and background illumination, were assessed and found to be comparable to similar measures for humans. The scatter of eye position for either eye during binocular viewing had a standard deviation of 6-8 min arc in the horizontal and 7-13 min arc in the vertical meridia.