Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Quebec actress Melissa Desormeaux-Poulin's career is booming following her performance in Incednies | Montreal Gazette

Quebec actress Melissa Desormeaux-Poulin's career is booming following her performance in Incednies | Montreal Gazette:

"Right now, she’s shooting Gabrielle, a new Quebec movie produced by micro_scope, the same production house behind Incendies and Monsieur Lazhar. The second film from filmmaker Louise Archambault is about a young woman with Williams syndrome, a rare neurodevelopmental disorder. Désormeaux-Poulin plays the woman’s sister."

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PLoS ONE: Oxytocin and Vasopressin Are Dysregulated in Williams Syndrome, a Genetic Disorder Affecting Social Behavior

PLoS ONE: Oxytocin and Vasopressin Are Dysregulated in Williams Syndrome, a Genetic Disorder Affecting Social Behavior:

The results of this study provide the first evidence that OT and AVP are both dysregulated in WS. Specifically, basal OT and to a lesser extent AVP, are elevated in WS versus TC, and are related to measures of WS social behavior. Moreover, results indicate that emotional (music) and physically aversive (cold) stimuli cause an exaggerated release of OT and AVP (to music and trend to cold) in people with WS, independent of their basal levels. With respect to WS social behavior, as hypothesized, higher levels of basal OT were correlated with increased approach to strangers but unexpectedly, also to decreased adaptive social behaviors. These results support our hypothesis that in WS, the neurobiological mechanisms that underly intensified emotional responses to music and possibly social behavior, may in part involve the dysregulated synthesis or release of both OT and AVP from the hypothalamic-neurohypophyseal system. Finally, the results indicate that subset(s) of the ~28 WS deleted genes and their altered expression ultimately disturb the mechanisms underlying the development or adult regulation of OT and AVP-related brain structures and consequently insight into their role in human emotion.


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A bond built through football goes way beyond the field for Mechanicsburg grad

Cumberlink.com: Buddies: A bond built through football goes way beyond the field for Mechanicsburg grad:


HERSHEY — Bryton Barr had never been more popular in his life.
Surrounded by grinning children and well-wishers seeking autographs and pictures after Saturday’s Big 33 Football Classic, the former Mechanicsburg linebacker did his best to meet every request in the wake of Pennsylvania’s 24-21 overtime loss to Ohio.
But when a blonde-haired little girl in a blue Pennsylvania cheerleader uniform yelled his name and ran toward him, everyone else around seemed to be an afterthought as Barr dropped to one knee to meet the girl, 9-year-old Katie Costello, with a hug.
The two were paired together through the Big 33’s Buddy Program, which unites Big 33 players, coaches and cheerleaders with a special-needs child. The buddies spend time together on and off the field during the week leading up to the game, and many keeps those bonds beyond that Saturday night.
For Barr and Costello, though, the embrace meant a little more.
For the last four years, the pair have shared that same moment after every Mechanicsburg football game. Katie, daughter of Mechanicsburg assistant coach Jeff Costello, would seek out Bryton, win or lose, and present that infectious smile that would sweeten the feel of a win or help soften the blow of a loss.
Having Katie there after Saturday’s loss, the last of his high school career, helped Barr put things into perspective.


Read more: http://cumberlink.com/news/local/buddies-a-bond-built-through-football-goes-way-beyond-the/article_f0d6887e-b8ef-11e1-b4b8-001a4bcf887a.html#ixzz1yFV1LxGl

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Elvis tune reveals clues to Williams syndrome and the genes tied to emotions | MNN - Mother Nature Network

Elvis tune reveals clues to Williams syndrome and the genes tied to emotions | MNN - Mother Nature Network:


Even the toughest of hearts might melt at the sound of Elvis Presley crooning his classic song, “Love Me Tender.” Now a new study shows that when people with the genetic disorder Williams syndrome listen to that song or others, they experience changes in levels of the hormones associated with feelings of love. The findings provide clues about the genes that are tied to people's emotions, the researchers say. Researchers observed 21 people while they listened to music, and took blood samples to track levels of the hormones oxytocin and arginine vasopressin (AVP). The 13 participants with Williams syndrome — a genetic disorder that can bring developmental delays and mild mental retardation, along with an overly friendly and trusting personality — experienced a spike in both hormones when music played. Individuals without the condition saw little change to their oxytocin and AVP levels while listening.  One woman with Williams syndrome experienced significantly higher spikes in the hormones, compared with everyone else in the study; in the experiment, she listened to the Elvis tune.


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