Resting State Alpha Electroencephalographic Rhythms Are Differently Related to Aging in Cognitively Unimpaired Seniors and Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease and Amnesic Mild Cognitive Impairment

Background: In relaxed adults, staying in quiet wakefulness at eyes closed is related to the so-called resting state electroencephalographic (rsEEG) rhythms, showing the highest amplitude in posterior areas at alpha frequencies (8–13 Hz). Objective: Here we tested the hypothesis that age may affect rsEEG alpha (8–12 Hz) rhythms recorded in normal elderly (Nold) seniors and patients with mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer’s disease (ADMCI). Methods: Clinical and rsEEG datasets in 63 ADMCI and 60 Nold individuals (matched for demography, education, and gender) were taken from an international archive. The rsEEG rhythms were investigated at individual delta, theta, and alpha frequency bands, as well as fixed beta (14–30 Hz) and gamma (30–40 Hz) bands. Each group was stratified into three subgroups based on age ranges (i.e., tertiles). Results: As compared to the younger Nold subgroups, the older one showed greater reductions in the rsEEG alpha rhythms with major topographical effects in posterior regions. On the contrary, in relation to the younger ADMCI subgroups, the older one displayed a lesser reduction in those rhythms. Notably, the ADMCI subgroups pointed to similar cerebrospinal fluid AD diagnostic biomarkers, gray and white matter brain lesions revealed by neuroimaging, and clinical and neuropsychological scores. Conclusion: The present results suggest that age may represent a deranging factor for dominant rsEEG alpha rhythms in Nold seniors, while rsEEG alpha rhythms in ADMCI patients may be more affected by the disease variants related to earlier versus later onset of the AD.

Workshop on biodiversity and functioning of arctic ecosystems — continuing work on the «Arctic Vegetation Archive» (Arkhangelsk, 21–23 May 2019)

The three-days Arctic Vegetation Archive and Classification Workshop, in which 32 participants from 9 countries (Canada, Finland, Germany, Italy, Norway, Republic of Slovakia, Russia, Switzerland, USA) participated, took place at the Northern Arctic Federal University, Arkhangelsk, Russia on 21–23 May 2019. The participants reviewed success in archiving data into the AVA and regional Archives, which has been achieved in the last 2 years. International Archive already contains large number of datasets, which allowed to define the ways to use this data for the assessment the dynamic of vegetation due to climate change. Discussion was also focused on the results of regional classification with an attempt to come up with a common approach. During the breakout session, attention was brought to the necessity of international communication: everyone agreed that developing a network will make cooperation easier. At the end of the meeting on 23 May the participants stated long-term goals for the next 4 years: Integrate Russian data entries into AVA by Komarov Botanical Institute and A. N. Severtsov Institute working groups; Develop standardized methods for surveys, archiving and classification; Establish the system of databases management and rules for sharing data; Create a central website containing basic information about national Archives, georeferences and links; Establish funding to complete AVA, AVC and the website. Next meeting will take place at Arctic Science Summit Week in Portugal 2021.

Sister Outsider and Audre Lorde in the Netherlands: On Transnational Queer Feminisms and Archival Methodological Practices

This article takes direction from the transnational feminist lesbian encounter that took place between the Dutch collective Sister Outsider and Audre Lorde in the 1980s to reflect on the role of archives within transnational feminist research. Drawing on archival materials from the International Archive for the Women’s Movement (IAV) at Atria (Institute on Gender Equality and Women’s History) in Amsterdam in the Netherlands, and the Audre Lorde Papers at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia in the United States, I consider how fragmented archives offer stories on kinship, intimacy and loss. Taking into account the ‘absences’ and ‘presences’ (Lewis, 2017) produced in this archival research project, I propose an archival research methodology that is rooted in a practice of ‘orientation’ (Ahmed, 2006a, 2006b), ‘listening’ (Campt, 2017) and ‘intervention’ (Appadurai, 2003).