Inflammation in white matter: clinical and pathophysiological aspects

While the central nervous system (CNS) is generally thought of as an immunopriviledged site, immune-mediated CNS white matter damage can occur in both the perinatal period and in adults, and can result in severe and persistent neurological deficits. Periventricular leukomalacia (PVL) is an inflammatory white matter disease of premature infants that frequently results in cerebral palsy (CP). Clinical and experimental studies show that both hypoxic/ischemic and innate immune mechanisms contribute to the destruction of immature oligodendroglia and of axons in the deep cerebral white matter in PVL. No data are yet available as to whether there is any genetic predisposition to PVL or to its neurological sequelae. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory white matter disease that often begins in young adulthood, causes multifocal destruction of mature oligodendroglia and of axons, and eventually leads to substantial cumulative neurological disability. Certain genetic polymorphisms contribute to susceptibility to MS, and adaptive immune responses to myelin-associated self antigens, or to exogenous antigens that mimic these self antigens, play a central role in the pathophysiology of this disease.     

We-ness,Embodied Simulation,and Psychoanalysis: Reply to Commentaries

Neuroscience is progressively revealing the intimate relationship between embodied simulation and the understanding of verbal communication, including its affective quality. The neuroscientific investigation of linguistic aspects of interpersonal relations and the functional mechanism of embodied simulation are discussed in relation to the understanding of therapeutic action in psychoanalysis.     

A Unified Latent Curve,Latent State-Trait Analysis of the Developmental Trajectories and Correlates of Positive Orientation

The subgrouping strategy has been employed in a number of studies (Fredriksen &; Gilbert, 1960; Fredriksen &; Melville, 1964; Ghiselli, 1956; Klein, Rock &; Evans, 1968; Rock, Evans &; Klein, 1969; Malnig, 1969). In each of these studies it was shown that after partitioning a sample into g subgroups and performing a separate regression analysis within each group, one could identify one or more subgroups having a larger multiple correlation than the total sample regression. An important question is whether this type of result will be maintained under cross validation.     

A response to commentaries on positivity

In our response, we aim to further contribute to the ongoing discussion of the construct of positivity and of the related research. We believe that each of the three commentaries has something unique to offer to the literature. By this response we take the opportunity to discuss the ideas that they present, and to illustrate some additional thoughts about positivity and its relationships with germane psychological constructs.     

Phänomenologie und Realismus. Die Frage nach der Wirklichkeit im Streit zwischen Husserl und Ingarden

I deal with the relation between phenomenology and realism while examining Ingarden’s critique towards Husserl. I exhibit the empiricist nucleus of Husserl’s phenomenology, according to which the real is what can be sensuously experienced. On this basis, I argue that Husserl’s phenomenology is not idealistic, in opposition to the realistic phenomenology, according to which reality consists in entities which cannot be sensuously experienced and are thus ideal. Finally I attempt to show that the idealistic elements of Husserl’s thinking do not originate from the transcendental turn, but from a remainder of psychologism that contradicts his empiricism.