ORCID Profile
0000-0003-4619-5280
Current Organisations
La Trobe University
,
Universiteit Utrecht
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Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 06-07-2007
DOI: 10.1007/S00221-007-1028-7
Abstract: In this series of experiments, based on Biederman's Recognition by Components theory, we postulate that corners (vertices) of objects are crucial in programming and execution of goal-directed action. We used a distractor interference paradigm to present line drawings of letters (M and W) with distractors (also M and W), which were either nondegraded or degraded (that is, corners or line segments missing). Degraded distractors caused less interference overall (reduced response times and errors) than Nondegraded distractors, when these were presented peripherally or at fixation (Experiments 1 and 2). When presented at fixation, however, distractors with corners missing caused greater interference than distractors with line segments missing. This pattern was not replicated with non-identical, non-mirror reversed stimuli (H and E: Experiment 3). We speculate that corners are critical in determining the extent of distractor interference. When missing from view, and given sufficient attentional resources and structural similarity, they may be reconstructed by the visuomotor system to aid performance to the target.
Publisher: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
Date: 08-02-2021
DOI: 10.1101/2021.02.08.429707
Abstract: Phosphatidylcholine (PC) is an abundant membrane lipid component in most eukaryotes including yeast. PC has been assigned a multitude of functions in addition to that of building block of the lipid bilayer. Here we show that PC is evolvable essential in yeast by isolating suppressor mutants devoid of PC that exhibit robust growth. The requirement for PC is suppressed by monosomy of chromosome XV, or by a point mutation in the ACC1 gene encoding acetyl-CoA carboxylase. Although these two genetic adaptations rewire lipid biosynthesis differently, both decrease Acc1 activity thereby reducing the average acyl chain length. Accordingly, soraphen A, a specific inhibitor of Acc1, rescues a yeast mutant with deficient PC synthesis. In the aneuploid suppressor, up-regulation of lipid synthesis is instrumental to accomplish feed-back inhibition of Acc1 by acyl-CoA produced by the fatty acid synthase (FAS). The results show that yeast regulates acyl chain length by fine-tuning the activities of Acc1 and FAS, and indicate that PC evolved by benefitting the maintenance of membrane fluidity.
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 21-03-2017
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 2008
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Date: 07-04-2014
Abstract: Previous research has suggested cognitive similarities between schizophrenia and frontotemporal dementia. In the current study, we compared neurocognition in a group of hospitalised patients with chronic schizophrenia, who may have a more severe form of schizophrenia resembling Emil Kraepelin’s dementia praecox, with patients with frontotemporal dementia. We hypothesised minimal group differences in cognitive performance, and a large overlap in between-group score distributions in each cognitive domain. Retrospective neuropsychological data for 26 patients with severe chronic schizophrenia and 34 patients with frontotemporal dementia (behavioural variant) was collated. Neuropsychological measures were categorised into 16 cognitive domains. Raw scores were converted into standardised z-scores for each measure, which were then averaged across measures within each domain. In addition to difference analysis, equivalence testing was utilised, whereby overlap percentages were computed to reflect the amount of score distribution overlap in each domain between groups. A statistically significant difference was observed only in the executive function sub-domain of Switching. Small-to-moderate and moderate effect sizes were noted in four other domains. Equivalence testing showed more than 85% of overlap in score distribution in most domains. Our findings suggest that some patients with severe chronic schizophrenia have cognitive deficits similar in degree and pattern to patients with frontotemporal dementia. The few differences observed between both groups of patients are important for differential diagnostic purposes. One limitation is the retrospective nature of the study. Suggestions for future research include longitudinal follow-up studies of these two patient populations and studies of aspects beyond neurocognition. An implication of our findings is that the ‘dementia of schizophrenia’ concept may be applicable to patients with severe chronic schizophrenia.
No related grants have been discovered for Alexia Pavlis.