Recurrent amnesia caused by early seizures after hippocampal infarction: a case report

Background We report the case of a patient with recurrent episodes of disturbed memory suggestive of transient epileptic amnesia, and a focal hippocampal lesion typically associated with transient global amnesia. We argue how careful consideration of clinical, electrophysiological and imaging findings can resolve this apparent contradiction and lead to a diagnosis of early symptomatic post-stroke seizures that links brain structure to function in a new, clinically relevant way. Case presentation A 70-year-old patient was identified in clinical practice in our tertiary care centre and was evaluated clinically as well as by repeated electroencephalography and magnetic resonance imaging. The presenting complaint were recurrent episodes of short-term memory disturbance which manifested as isolated anterograde amnesia on neurocognitive evaluation. EEG and MRI revealed predominantly right frontotemporal spikes and a punctate diffusion-restricted lesion in the left hippocampus, respectively. Both symptoms and EEG changes subsided under anticonvulsant treatment with levetiracetam. Conclusions Our report contributes to the current discussion of clinical challenges in the differential diagnosis of transient memory disturbance. It suggests that focal diffusion-restricted hippocampal lesions, as seen in TGA, might be ischemic and thus highlights the importance of considering post-stroke seizures as a possible cause of transient memory disturbance.

Study of mechanisms on vason-strengthening action of flavonoids

Based on the analysis of the spectra, it has been found that compounds of flavonoid nature, binding to cell membranes, change not in all cases the fluidity of membrane lipids depending on the cell type. Obviously, vascular tissue cells are a kind of "target cells" for these substances, i.e. there is a selectivity of flavonoids to certain tissues of organs. A particularly noticeable increase in the lipid fluidity of membranes was observed due to the addition of flavonoid glycosides - hyperoside, stachanoaceside and liquiritin to segments of venous tissue, which correlated with the high affinity of these substances to liposomes. The addition to the vessels of the metabolite quercetin - chalcone also led to a sharp increase in the lipid fluidity of cells of arterial and venous tissue, what suggests the presence of biological activity in flavonoid metabolites. One of the mechanisms of increasing the resistance of arterial and venous vessels under the action of flavonoid substances is an increase in the lipid fluidity of cell membranes of these vessels, which reduces the fragility of blood vessels and increases their flexibility and elasticity. The apparent contradiction between the rapid metabolism of many flavonoids in animals and the prolonged pharmacological action can be explained by the capability of their metabolites, such as chalcone, to increase the lipid fluidity of vascular cell membranes, changing their resistance to external influences. Reducing the fragility of the pulmonary vessels and increasing their flexibility and elasticity can have a positive effect on a human body in the fight against coronavirus.

An electrostatics paradox

An electric charge located outside a closed metal box does not produce an electric field inside the box. On the other hand, an electric charge located inside the box can generate an electric field outside the box. A charge inside the box can therefore exert a force on a charge outside the box, but not vice-versa, in apparent contradiction of Newton’s third law.

Killing Goliath? Elhanan the Bethlehemite and the Text of 2 Samuel 21:19

The text of 2 Sam 21:19 states in summary fashion that a certain Elhanan, son of Jaare-oregim the Bethlehemite, killed Goliath the Gittite in battle (thus, in apparent contradiction to the famous extended pericope of 1 Sam 17). A text-critical reconstruction of the verse is presented which accounts for the relationship between “the Bethlehemite” in 2 Sam 21:19 and the name “Lahmi” which is recorded as belonging to Goliath’s brother in 1 Chr 20:5. Along these lines it is further argued that a text-critical analysis is a viable option for resolving the tension with 1 Sam 17, without the need to resort to additional literary or source-critical solutions.

Extraterritorial Use of Force against Non-State Actors: PS to Hague Academy Lectures

In July 2021, the author presented a Special Course for the Hague Academy of International Law Summer Courses on the Extraterritorial Use of Force against Non-State Actors. The course focused on two bases for the extraterritorial use of force against non-state actors, namely self-defence and intervention by invitation. The lectures came to a conclusion that may, at first glance, appear contradictory. With respect to the use of force in self-defence, the lectures adopted a restrictive (non-permissive) approach in which the use of force is not permitted save in narrowly construed exceptions. With respect to intervention by invitation, the lectures adopted a more permissive approach in which the use of force is generally permitted and prohibited only in narrowly construed exceptions. This article serves as post-script (PS), to explain the apparent contradiction. It concludes that the main reason for this apparent contradiction is the application of the fundamental principles of international law—sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence—which are consistent with intervention by invitation but are undermined by self-defence against non-state actors.

Proposition of a Modern Theological Interpretation of Death as a Consequence of Sin Introduction

There is an apparent contradiction between the catholic doctrine of death as a result of the Original Sin and the fact that the biological death is a common and somewhat necessary phenomenon in the world of nature. Analysis of biblical data and interpretation of the Magisterium of the Church’s dogmatic teaching allows us to propose a solution to the problem by stating that the primary consequence of sin is spiritual death, that is, breaking communion with God, and bodily death is only a secondary, consequence result of sin, which means that the experience of bodily death has changed for man after the fall. This proposal is corroborated by opinions of some recognized contemporary theologians.

AI Development and the ‘Fuzzy Logic' of Chinese Cyber Security and Data Laws

The book examines the extent to which Chinese cyber and network security laws and policies act as a constraint on the emergence of Chinese entrepreneurialism and innovation. Specifically, how the contradictions and tensions between data localisation laws (as part of Network Sovereignty policies) affect innovation in artificial intelligence (AI). The book surveys the globalised R&D networks, and how the increasing use of open-source platforms by leading Chinese AI firms during 2017–2020, exacerbated the apparent contradiction between Network Sovereignty and Chinese innovation. The drafting of the Cyber Security Law did not anticipate the changing nature of globalised AI innovation. It is argued that the deliberate deployment of what the book refers to as 'fuzzy logic' in drafting the Cyber Security Law allowed regulators to subsequently interpret key terms regarding data in that Law in a fluid and flexible fashion to benefit Chinese innovation.

Preeclampsia—an immune disease? An epidemiologic narrative

The maternal syndrome preeclampsia is triggered by syncytiotrophoblast (STB) stress; the heterogeneity of the syndrome is caused by the different pathways leading to this STB stress. Inflammation plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. While, the immune system at large is therefore intimately involved in the causation of this heterogeneous syndrome, the role of the adaptive immune system is more controversial. The classic paradigm placed preeclampsia as the disease of the nulliparous pregnant women. Up to the later part of the 20th century, human reproduction, particularly in Western societies, was characterised by a low rate of pre-marital sex, and the great majority of children being born within one stable sexual relationship. More prolonged periods of regular sexual intercourse within a stable relationship have been demonstrated to reduce the risk of preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction. Primarily animal studies have indeed shown that repetitive sperm exposure leads to partner specific mucosal tolerance. Societal changes made partner change over the reproductive period of individual women extremely common. For the adaptive immune system of multiparous women, being pregnant in a new sexual relationship (primipaternity) would represent being faced with a new “hemi-allograft”. In these pregnancies, potential couple-specific immune “maladaptation” could lead to the superficial cytotrophoblast invasion of the spiral arteries, known to be associated with early-onset preeclampsia. Having a new pregnancy in a different relationship does indeed increase the risk for this type of preeclampsia. Large epidemiologic population studies identified prolonged birth interval but not “primipaternity” as a risk factor for preeclampsia in multiparous women. This apparent contradiction is explained by the fact that the great majority of preeclampsia cases in these population studies involve term preeclampsia. In late-onset preeclampsia, the far more common phenotype of the syndrome, STB stress is not caused by lack of proper spiral artery modification, but involves maternal genetic predisposition to cardiovascular and metabolic disease, with in particular obesity/metabolic syndrome representing major players. Partner or couple specific issues are not detectable in this disease phenotype.

Rhythm Quantization: Notes on the History of a Technocultural Practice

This chapter sketches a general history of rhythm quantization as a widespread practice in popular music culture. Quantization—a sound technology that automatically maps microrhythmic fluctuations onto the nearest beat available within a predefined metric grid—challenges traditional notions of musicking as an embodied activity that is grounded in the co-presence of human agents. At the same time, it encapsulates cultural and cognitive processes that are entirely human, fitting into a broader historical shift towards chronometric precision in Western music. Questions arising from this apparent contradiction are taken up in this chapter, which situates rhythm quantization as an emergent technocultural practice, examining its attendant technologies and requisite structures of music-theoretical knowledge, as well as its reception within the context of different musical genres.

Genomic Analysis Of NAD+ Synthesis Pathways Involved In Aging and Cancer

Cancer cells have elevated energy demands to sustain continuous growth and other malignant processes and undergo extensive metabolic reprogramming to meet these demands. One element of this reprogramming in many cancer subtypes is elevated synthesis of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), a critical co-enzyme that supports energy production through both glycolysis and the TCA cycle. The kynurenine metabolic pathway is the evolutionarily conserved means by which cells produce NAD+ de novo from tryptophan. NAD+ levels drop with age, a contributing factor to many forms of age-related disease. While interventions that increase NAD+ have been shown to extend lifespan, previous work from our lab demonstrates that knockdown of several kynurenine pathway enzymes, thus decreasing de novo NAD+ production, results in increased longevity of Caenorhabditis elegans by 20-30%. To address this apparent contradiction, we propose that kynurenine pathway inhibition may produce metabolic feedback that results in upregulation of NAD+ recycling. Eukaryotic cells recycle NAD+ from nicotinamide (NAM) through one of two pathways: the Salvage pathway in mammalian cells and the Preiss-Handler pathway in C. elegans and related invertebrates species. We are using tools in C. elegans and human cell culture to examine the interaction between kynurenine/de novo NAD+ synthesis and NAD+ recycling through Salvage and Preiss-Handler. In particular, we are interested in how combining interventions between these pathways will influence activity throughout the NAD+ metabolic networks (measured via mass spectrometry), physiological phenotypes, and transcriptomic changes (via RNA sequence data) involved in aging and age-associated disease.