Electroencephalographic evidence of vector inversion in antipointing

Mirror-symmetrical reaching movements (i.e., antipointing) produce a visual-field-specific pattern of endpoint bias consistent with a perceptual representation of visual space (Heath et al. in Exp Brain Res 192:275-286, 2009a; J Mot Behav 41:383-392 2009b). The goal of the present investigation was to examine the concurrent behavioural and event-related brain potentials (ERP) of pro- and antipointing to determine whether endpoint bias in the latter task is related to a remapping of the environmental parameters of a target (i.e., vector inversion hypothesis) or a shift of visual attention from a veridical to a cognitively represented target location (i.e., reallocation of attention hypothesis). As expected, results for antipointing-but not propointing-yielded a visual-field-specific pattern of endpoint bias. In terms of the ERP findings, an early component (i.e., the N100) related to the orienting of visuospatial attention was comparable across pro- and antipointing. In contrast, a later occurring component (i.e., the P300) demonstrated a reliable between-task difference in amplitude. Notably, the P300 has been linked to the revision of a 'mental model' when a mismatch is noted between a stimulus and a required task goal (so-called context-updating). Thus, we propose that the between-task difference in the P300 indicates that antipointing is associated with a remapping of a target's veridical location in mirror-symmetrical space (i.e., vector inversion). Moreover, our combined behavioural and ERP findings provide evidence that vector inversion is mediated via perception-based visual networks

Patients’ Mental Models and Adherence to Outpatient Physical Therapy Home Exercise Programs

Non-adherence to medical advice leads to costly physical and financial repercussions. Previous research suggests individuals’ mental models, comprising knowledge, beliefs, and prior experiences, may influence adherence behavior. This study explores these relationships by linking aspects of physical therapy patients’ mental models with their adherence to home exercise programs

Patients’ Mental Models and Adherence to Outpatient Physical Therapy Home Exercise Programs

This qualitative study identified aspects of patients’ mental models that relate to adherence to physical therapy home exercise programs. The findings may guide clinicians in designing interventions that effectively promote adherence to home exercise programs, improving patient outcomes and reducing personal and societal costs of musculoskeletal disease

Helicase Loading at Chromosomal Origins of Replication

Loading of the replicative DNA helicase at origins of replication is of central importance in DNA replication. As the first of the replication fork proteins assemble at chromosomal origins of replication, the loaded helicase is required for the recruitment of the rest of the replication machinery. In this work, we review the current knowledge of helicase loading at Escherichia coli and eukaryotic origins of replication. In each case, this process requires both an origin recognition protein as well as one or more additional proteins. Comparison of these events shows intriguing similarities that suggest a similar underlying mechanism, as well as critical differences that likely reflect the distinct processes that regulate helicase loading in bacterial and eukaryotic cells.Howard Hughes Medical InstituteNational Institutes of Health (U.S.) (Grant RO1 GM052339

Manufacturing single use systems with quality in mind: How to assure performance, robustness, and sterility of single use systems

Quality control during the manufacturing of single use systems is critical. With traditional stainless-steel systems, the end user has significant control over the design, construction, qualification, validation, and maintenance of the system. When implementing a single-use system, the supplier of the single use product takes responsibility for many of these functions from the user. It is therefore important that the single use supplier has established and uses a robust quality control system. This presentation will highlight the quality systems, processes, facilities, and personnel required to assure the performance, robustness, and sterility of single use systems. The following topics will be covered: Single-use assembly validation Qualification of components Sterilization qualification Manufacturing processes Quality control Release testing Certification Risk mitigation practices Process particulate control Operator training Leachables & Extractables Patient safety evaluation, study design Support by the supplie

Association Between Empathy and Burnout Among Emergency Medicine Physicians

Background: The association between physician self-reported empathy and burnout has been studied in the past with diverse findings. We aimed to determine the association between empathy and burnout among United States emergency medicine (EM) physicians using a novel combination of tools for validation. Methods: This was a prospective single-center observational study. Data were collected from EM physicians. From December 1, 2018 to January 31, 2019, we used the Jefferson scale of empathy (JSE) to assess physician empathy and the Copenhagen burnout inventory (CBI) to assess burnout. We divided EM physicians into different groups (residents in each year of training, junior/senior attendings). Empathy, burnout scores and their association were analyzed and compared among these groups. Results: A total of 33 attending physicians and 35 EM residents participated in this study. Median self-reported empathy scores were 113 (interquartile range (IQR): 105 - 117) in post-graduate year (PGY)-1, 112 (90 - 115) in PGY-2, 106 (93 - 118) in PGY-3 EM residents, 112 (105 - 116) in junior and 114 (101 - 125) in senior attending physicians. Overall burnout scores were 43 (33 - 50) in PGY-1, 51 (29 - 56) in PGY-2, 43 (42 - 53) in PGY-3 EM residents, 33 (24 - 47) in junior attending and 25 (22 - 53) in senior attending physicians separately. The Spearman correlation (ρ) was -0.11 and β-weight was -0.23 between empathy and patient-related burnout scores. Conclusion: Self-reported empathy declines over the course of EM residency training and improves after graduation. Overall high burnout occurs among EM residents and improves after graduation. Our analysis showed a weak negative correlation between self-reported empathy and patient-related burnout among EM physicians

J.S. Bell's Concept of Local Causality

John Stewart Bell's famous 1964 theorem is widely regarded as one of the most important developments in the foundations of physics. It has even been described as "the most profound discovery of science." Yet even as we approach the 50th anniversary of Bell's discovery, its meaning and implications remain controversial. Many textbooks and commentators report that Bell's theorem refutes the possibility (suggested especially by Einstein, Podolsky, and Rosen in 1935) of supplementing ordinary quantum theory with additional ("hidden") variables that might restore determinism and/or some notion of an observer-independent reality. On this view, Bell's theorem supports the orthodox Copenhagen interpretation. Bell's own view of his theorem, however, was quite different. He instead took the theorem as establishing an "essential conflict" between the now well-tested empirical predictions of quantum theory and relativistic \emph{local causality}. The goal of the present paper is, in general, to make Bell's own views more widely known and, in particular, to explain in detail Bell's little-known mathematical formulation of the concept of relativistic local causality on which his theorem rests. We thus collect and organize many of Bell's crucial statements on these topics, which are scattered throughout his writings, into a self-contained, pedagogical discussion including elaborations of the concepts "beable", "completeness", and "causality" which figure in the formulation. We also show how local causality (as formulated by Bell) can be used to derive an empirically testable Bell-type inequality, and how it can be used to recapitulate the EPR argument.Comment: 19 pages, 4 figure