A hidden symmetry of a branching law

We consider branching laws for the restriction of some irreducible unitary representations $\Pi$ of $G=O(p,q)$ to its subgroup $H=O(p-1,q)$. In Kobayashi (arXiv:1907.07994), the irreducible subrepresentations of $O(p-1,q)$ in the restriction of the unitary $\Pi|_{O(p-1,q) }$ are determined. By considering the restriction of packets of irreducible representations we obtain another very simple branching law, which was conjectured in Orsted-Speh (arXiv:1907.07544).Comment: 16 page

Fixed points and amenability in non-positive curvature

Consider a proper cocompact CAT(0) space X. We give a complete algebraic characterisation of amenable groups of isometries of X. For amenable discrete subgroups, an even narrower description is derived, implying Q-linearity in the torsion-free case. We establish Levi decompositions for stabilisers of points at infinity of X, generalising the case of linear algebraic groups to Is(X). A geometric counterpart of this sheds light on the refined bordification of X (\`a la Karpelevich) and leads to a converse to the Adams-Ballmann theorem. It is further deduced that unimodular cocompact groups cannot fix any point at infinity except in the Euclidean factor; this fact is needed for the study of CAT(0) lattices. Various fixed point results are derived as illustrations.Comment: 33 page

Comparison of embedded and added motor imagery training in patients after stroke: Results of a randomised controlled pilot trial

Copyright @ 2012 Schuster et al; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.Background: Motor imagery (MI) when combined with physiotherapy can offer functional benefits after stroke. Two MI integration strategies exist: added and embedded MI. Both approaches were compared when learning a complex motor task (MT): ‘Going down, laying on the floor, and getting up again’. Methods: Outpatients after first stroke participated in a single-blinded, randomised controlled trial with MI embedded into physiotherapy (EG1), MI added to physiotherapy (EG2), and a control group (CG). All groups participated in six physiotherapy sessions. Primary study outcome was time (sec) to perform the motor task at pre and post-intervention. Secondary outcomes: level of help needed, stages of MT-completion, independence, balance, fear of falling (FOF), MI ability. Data were collected four times: twice during one week baseline phase (BL, T0), following the two week intervention (T1), after a two week follow-up (FU). Analysis of variance was performed. Results: Thirty nine outpatients were included (12 females, age: 63.4 ± 10 years; time since stroke: 3.5 ± 2 years; 29 with an ischemic event). All were able to complete the motor task using the standardised 7-step procedure and reduced FOF at T0, T1, and FU. Times to perform the MT at baseline were 44.2 ± 22s, 64.6 ± 50s, and 118.3 ± 93s for EG1 (N = 13), EG2 (N = 12), and CG (N = 14). All groups showed significant improvement in time to complete the MT (p < 0.001) and degree of help needed to perform the task: minimal assistance to supervision (CG) and independent performance (EG1+2). No between group differences were found. Only EG1 demonstrated changes in MI ability over time with the visual indicator increasing from T0 to T1 and decreasing from T1 to FU. The kinaesthetic indicator increased from T1 to FU. Patients indicated to value the MI training and continued using MI for other difficult-to-perform tasks. Conclusions: Embedded or added MI training combined with physiotherapy seem to be feasible and benefi-cial to learn the MT with emphasis on getting up independently. Based on their baseline level CG had the highest potential to improve outcomes. A patient study with 35 patients per group could give a conclusive answer of a superior MI integration strategy.The research project was partially funded by the Gottfried und Julia Bangerter-Rhyner Foundation

An empirical investigation of dance addiction

Although recreational dancing is associated with increased physical and psychological well-being, little is known about the harmful effects of excessive dancing. The aim of the present study was to explore the psychopathological factors associated with dance addiction. The sample comprised 447 salsa and ballroom dancers (68% female, mean age: 32.8 years) who danced recreationally at least once a week. The Exercise Addiction Inventory (Terry, Szabo, & Griffiths, 2004) was adapted for dance (Dance Addiction Inventory, DAI). Motivation, general mental health (BSI-GSI, and Mental Health Continuum), borderline personality disorder, eating disorder symptoms, and dance motives were also assessed. Five latent classes were explored based on addiction symptoms with 11% of participants belonging to the most problematic class. DAI was positively associated with psychiatric distress, borderline personality and eating disorder symptoms. Hierarchical linear regression model indicated that Intensity (ß=0.22), borderline (ß=0.08), eating disorder (ß=0.11) symptoms, as well as Escapism (ß=0.47) and Mood Enhancement (ß=0.15) (as motivational factors) together explained 42% of DAI scores. Dance addiction as assessed with the Dance Addiction Inventory is associated with indicators of mild psychopathology and therefore warrants further research

One year soy protein supplementation has positive effects on bone formation markers but not bone density in postmenopausal women

BACKGROUND: Although soy protein and its isoflavones have been reported to reduce the risk of osteoporosis in peri- and post-menopausal women, most of these studies are of short duration (i.e. six months). The objective of this study was to examine if one year consumption of soy-containing foods (providing 25 g protein and 60 mg isoflavones) exerts beneficial effects on bone in postmenopausal women. METHODS: Eighty-seven eligible postmenopausal women were randomly assigned to consume soy or control foods daily for one year. Bone mineral density (BMD) and bone mineral content (BMC) of the whole body, lumbar (L1-L4), and total hip were measured using dual energy x-ray absorptiometry at baseline and after one year. Blood and urine markers of bone metabolism were also assessed. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Sixty-two subjects completed the one-year long study. Whole body and lumbar BMD and BMC were significantly decreased in both the soy and control groups. However, there were no significant changes in total hip BMD and BMC irrespective of treatment. Both treatments positively affected markers of bone formation as indicated by increased serum bone-specific alkaline phosphatase (BSAP) activity, insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), and osteocalcin (BSAP: 27.8 and 25.8%, IGF-I: 12.8 and 26.3%, osteocalcin: 95.2 and 103.4% for control and soy groups, respectively). Neither of the protein supplements had any effect on urinary deoxypyridinoline excretion, a marker of bone resorption. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that although one year supplementation of 25 g protein per se positively modulated markers of bone formation, this amount of protein was unable to prevent lumbar and whole body bone loss in postmenopausal women

Reliability of two goniometric methods of measuring active inversion and eversion range of motion at the ankle

BACKGROUND: Active inversion and eversion ankle range of motion (ROM) is widely used to evaluate treatment effect, however the error associated with the available measurement protocols is unknown. This study aimed to establish the reliability of goniometry as used in clinical practice. METHODS: 30 subjects (60 ankles) with a wide variety of ankle conditions participated in this study. Three observers, with different skill levels, measured active inversion and eversion ankle ROM three times on each of two days. Measurements were performed with subjects positioned (a) sitting and (b) prone. Intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC([2,1])) were calculated to determine intra- and inter-observer reliability. RESULTS: Within session intra-observer reliability ranged from ICC([2,1] )0.82 to 0.96 and between session intra-observer reliability ranged from ICC([2,1] )0.42 to 0.80. Reliability was similar for the sitting and the prone positions, however, between sessions, inversion measurements were more reliable than eversion measurements. Within session inter-observer measurements in sitting were more reliable than in prone and inversion measurements were more reliable than eversion measurements. CONCLUSION: Our findings show that ankle inversion and eversion ROM can be measured with high to very high reliability by the same observer within sessions and with low to moderate reliability by different observers within a session. The reliability of measures made by the same observer between sessions varies depending on the direction, being low to moderate for eversion measurements and moderate to high for inversion measurements in both positions

MultiSig: a new high-precision approach to the analysis of complex biomolecular systems

MultiSig is a newly developed mode of analysis of sedimentation equilibrium (SE) experiments in the analytical ultracentrifuge, having the capability of taking advantage of the remarkable precision (~0.1 % of signal) of the principal optical (fringe) system employed, thus supplanting existing methods of analysis through reducing the ‘noise’ level of certain important parameter estimates by up to orders of magnitude. Long-known limitations of the SE method, arising from lack of knowledge of the true fringe number in fringe optics and from the use of unstable numerical algorithms such as numerical differentiation, have been transcended. An approach to data analysis, akin to ‘spatial filtering’, has been developed, and shown by both simulation and practical application to be a powerful aid to the precision with which near-monodisperse systems can be analysed, potentially yielding information on protein-solvent interaction. For oligo- and poly-disperse systems the information returned includes precise average mass distributions over both cell radial and concentration ranges and mass-frequency histograms at fixed radial positions. The application of MultiSig analysis to various complex heterogenous systems and potentially multiply-interacting carbohydrate oligomers is described

A Prospective Evaluation of Quick Intraoperative Parathyroid Hormone Assay at the Time of Skin Closure in Predicting Clinically Relevant Hypocalcemia after Thyroidectomy

BACKGROUND: Post-thyroidectomy hypocalcemia is a major contributing factor in delayed hospital discharge and dissuading surgeons from ambulatory thyroidectomy. We prospectively evaluated the accuracy and reliability of quick parathyroid hormone level measurement at skin closure (PTH-SC) in predicting clinically relevant hypocalcemia (i.e., patients requiring calcium +/- calcitriol supplements on hospital discharge). METHODS: Of the 117 patients who underwent a total or completion total thyroidectomy and PTH-SC, 17 (14.5 %) had hypocalcemic symptoms or adjusted calcium 1 pmol/L) had a higher specificity (95.0 %) and AUC (0.887) than serial calcium monitoring or PTH-D1 alone. Although 3/98 of patients with PTH-SC >1 pmol/L required calcium supplements on discharge, they required only the minimum amount to maintain normocalcemia. CONCLUSION: PTH-SC is an accurate and reliable means of predicting clinically relevant hypocalcemia. It would be reasonable to discharge those with PTH-SC >1 pmol/L on the same operative day as the risk of life-threatening hypocalcemia would seem unlikely.published_or_final_versio

The ADAMTS (A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase with Thrombospondin motifs) family

The ADAMTS (A Disintegrin and Metalloproteinase with Thrombospondin motifs) enzymes are secreted, multi-domain matrix-associated zinc metalloendopeptidases that have diverse roles in tissue morphogenesis and patho-physiological remodeling, in inflammation and in vascular biology. The human family includes 19 members that can be sub-grouped on the basis of their known substrates, namely the aggrecanases or proteoglycanases (ADAMTS1, 4, 5, 8, 9, 15 and 20), the procollagen N-propeptidases (ADAMTS2, 3 and 14), the cartilage oligomeric matrix protein-cleaving enzymes (ADAMTS7 and 12), the von-Willebrand Factor proteinase (ADAMTS13) and a group of orphan enzymes (ADAMTS6, 10, 16, 17, 18 and 19). Control of the structure and function of the extracellular matrix (ECM) is a central theme of the biology of the ADAMTS, as exemplified by the actions of the procollagen-N-propeptidases in collagen fibril assembly and of the aggrecanases in the cleavage or modification of ECM proteoglycans. Defects in certain family members give rise to inherited genetic disorders, while the aberrant expression or function of others is associated with arthritis, cancer and cardiovascular disease. In particular, ADAMTS4 and 5 have emerged as therapeutic targets in arthritis. Multiple ADAMTSs from different sub-groupings exert either positive or negative effects on tumorigenesis and metastasis, with both metalloproteinase-dependent and -independent actions known to occur. The basic ADAMTS structure comprises a metalloproteinase catalytic domain and a carboxy-terminal ancillary domain, the latter determining substrate specificity and the localization of the protease and its interaction partners; ancillary domains probably also have independent biological functions. Focusing primarily on the aggrecanases and proteoglycanases, this review provides a perspective on the evolution of the ADAMTS family, their links with developmental and disease mechanisms, and key questions for the future