Deficient maturation of aspects of attention and executive functions in early onset schizophrenia

The few existing long-term, neuropsychological follow-up studies of early onset schizophrenia (EOS) patients have reported relative stability in some cognitive functions but abnormal developmental trajectories in verbal memory, set shifting, aspects of attention, and speed of information processing throughout late adolescence into early adulthood. The current 5-year follow-up study compared the development of specific cognitive functions in EOS patients (N = 17) from the time of first-episode to chronic phase with that of healthy controls (N = 38) and secondarily to patients with other early onset, non-organic, non-affective psychoses (EOP) (N = 11). Speed of processing of executive functions, set shifting, and attention improved significantly in the healthy controls and reflected continuous functional maturation during late adolescence and early adulthood. The developmental progression of attention and set shifting but not speed of processing of executive functions was significantly subnormal in EOS patients. Other specific cognitive functions that had attained functional maturity in the healthy controls before or around the time of the baseline assessment showed normal development in EOS patients during the follow-up period, indicating stable cognitive deficits. These results suggest post-onset developmental deficits in two out of the three aspects of attention and executive functions that have protracted maturational trajectories and that overlap the age of onset of EOS. No significant difference in the development of any specific cognitive function was found between the EOS and EOP group

Course of intelligence deficits in early onset, first episode schizophrenia: a controlled, 5-year longitudinal study

Only few prospective longitudinal studies have assessed the course of intelligence deficits in early onset schizophrenia (EOS), and these have used different age appropriate versions of Wechsler Intelligence Scales and age appropriate norms. The post-psychotic development of intelligence in EOS has predominantly been characterized as relatively stable in these studies. However, comparisons of IQs from different test versions based on the different norms may not permit unequivocal interpretations. The objective of the current study was to compare the development of intelligence in EOS patients (N = 10) from their first psychotic episode to 5 years of post onset with that of healthy controls (N = 35) and patients who at baseline had been diagnosed with other non-affective psychoses (N = 8). The same version of a Wechsler Intelligence Scale was administered at both baseline and follow-up assessments, and the same norms were used to derive IQs at baseline and follow-up. Significantly smaller change in mean full scale intelligence quotient (FSIQ) was found in diagnostically stable EOS patients compared with healthy controls during the follow-up period. However, no statistically significant difference in mean FSIQ change was observed between patients with EOS and patients with other non-affective psychoses, although this result must be interpreted with caution due to the small sample sizes. The results suggest abnormally slow acquisition of new intellectual information and skills in EOS patients during the first 5 years after full clinical presentation

A young star-forming galaxy at z = 3.5 with an extended Ly\,α\alpha halo seen with MUSE

Spatially resolved studies of high redshift galaxies, an essential insight into galaxy formation processes, have been mostly limited to stacking or unusually bright objects. We present here the study of a typical (L$^{*}$, M$_\star$ = 6 $\times 10^9$ $M_\odot$) young lensed galaxy at $z=3.5$, observed with MUSE, for which we obtain 2D resolved spatial information of Ly$\alpha$ and, for the first time, of CIII] emission. The exceptional signal-to-noise of the data reveals UV emission and absorption lines rarely seen at these redshifts, allowing us to derive important physical properties (T$_e\sim$15600 K, n$_e\sim$300 cm$^{-3}$, covering fraction f$_c\sim0.4$) using multiple diagnostics. Inferred stellar and gas-phase metallicities point towards a low metallicity object (Z$_{\mathrm{stellar}}$ = $\sim$ 0.07 Z$_\odot$ and Z$_{\mathrm{ISM}}$ $<$ 0.16 Z$_\odot$). The Ly$\alpha$ emission extends over $\sim$10 kpc across the galaxy and presents a very uniform spectral profile, showing only a small velocity shift which is unrelated to the intrinsic kinematics of the nebular emission. The Ly$\alpha$ extension is $\sim$4 times larger than the continuum emission, and makes this object comparable to low-mass LAEs at low redshift, and more compact than the Lyman-break galaxies and Ly$\alpha$ emitters usually studied at high redshift. We model the Ly$\alpha$ line and surface brightness profile using a radiative transfer code in an expanding gas shell, finding that this model provides a good description of both observables.Comment: 19 pages, 15 figures, accepted in MNRA

Silicon-induced changes in antifungal phenolic acids, flavonoids, and key phenylpropanoid pathway genes during the interaction between miniature roses and the biotrophic pathogen <em>Podosphaera pannosa</em>

Application of 3.6 mm silicon (Si+) to the rose (Rosa hybrida) cultivar Smart increased the concentration of antimicrobial phenolic acids and flavonoids in response to infection by rose powdery mildew (Podosphaera pannosa). Simultaneously, the expression of genes coding for key enzymes in the phenylpropanoid pathway (phenylalanine ammonia lyase, cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase, and chalcone synthase) was up-regulated. The increase in phenolic compounds correlated with a 46% reduction in disease severity compared with inoculated leaves without Si application (Si−). Furthermore, Si application without pathogen inoculation induced gene expression and primed the accumulation of several phenolics compared with the uninoculated Si− control. Chlorogenic acid was the phenolic acid detected in the highest concentration, with an increase of more than 80% in Si+ inoculated compared with Si− uninoculated plants. Among the quantified flavonoids, rutin and quercitrin were detected in the highest concentrations, and the rutin concentration increased more than 20-fold in Si+ inoculated compared with Si− uninoculated plants. Both rutin and chlorogenic acid had antimicrobial effects on P. pannosa, evidenced by reduced conidial germination and appressorium formation of the pathogen, both after spray application and infiltration into leaves. The application of rutin and chlorogenic acid reduced powdery mildew severity by 40% to 50%, and observation of an effect after leaf infiltration indicated that these two phenolics can be transported to the epidermal surface. In conclusion, we provide evidence that Si plays an active role in disease reduction in rose by inducing the production of antifungal phenolic metabolites as a response to powdery mildew infection

Quality of care for people with multimorbidity:a case series

Abstract Background Multimorbidity is becoming increasingly prevalent and presents challenges for healthcare providers and systems. Studies examining the relationship between multimorbidity and quality of care report mixed findings. The purpose of this study was to investigate quality of care for people with multimorbidity in the publicly funded healthcare system in Denmark. Methods To investigate the quality of care for people with multimorbidity different groups of clinicians from the hospital, general practice and the municipality reviewed records from 23 persons with multimorbidity and discussed them in three focus groups. Before each focus group, clinicians were asked to review patients’ medical records and assess their care by responding to a questionnaire. Medical records from 2013 from hospitals, general practice, and health centers in the local municipality were collected and linked for the 23 patients. Further, two clinical pharmacologists reviewed the appropriateness of medications listed in patient records. Results The review of the patients’ records conducted by three groups of clinicians revealed that around half of the patients received adequate care for the single condition which prompted the episode of care such as a hospitalization, a visit to an outpatient clinic or the general practitioner. Further, the care provided to approximately two-thirds of the patients did not take comorbidities into account and insufficiently addressed more diffuse symptoms or problems. The review of the medication lists revealed that the majority of the medication lists contained inappropriate medications and that there were incongruity in medication listed in the primary and secondary care sector. Several barriers for providing high quality care were identified. These included relative short consultation times in general practice and outpatient clinics, lack of care coordinators, and lack of shared IT-system proving an overview of the treatment. Conclusions Our findings reveal quality of care deficiencies for people with multimorbidity. Suggestions for care improvement for people with multimorbidity includes formally assigned responsibility for care coordination, a change in the financial incentive structure towards a system rewarding high quality care and care focusing on prevention of disease exacerbation, as well as implementing shared medical record systems

Postgraduate Students’ Experience of Using a Learning Management System to Support Their Learning: A Qualitative Descriptive Study

Introduction Educational institutions worldwide have implemented learning management systems (LMSs) to centralise and manage learning resources, educational services, learning activities and institutional information. LMS has mainly been used by teachers as storage and transfer of course material. To effectively utilise digital technologies in education, there is a need for more knowledge of student experiences with digital technology, such as LMSs and especially regarding how LMSs can contribute to student engagement and learning. Objective This study aimed to gain knowledge about postgraduate nursing students’ experiences with the use of LMS in a subject in an advanced practice nursing master's programme. Methods A qualitative method with a descriptive design was employed. Two focus group interviews were performed with eight postgraduate nursing students from an advanced practice nursing programme at a university college in Norway. Data were analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results Three themes emerged from the data material: 1) A course structure that supports learning; 2) LMS tools facilitate preparation, repetition and flexibility; and 3) own responsibility for using the LMS for preparation before on-campus activities. Conclusion The course structure within the LMS seemed to be important to enhance postgraduate students’ ability to prepare before on-campus activities. Implementation and use of LMS tools can facilitate preparation, repetition and flexibility, especially when postgraduate students study difficult topics. Postgraduate students seem to have different views regarding their own responsibility for using the LMS to prepare before on-campus activities.publishedVersio

Are short-term variations in solar oscillation frequencies the signature of a second solar dynamo?

In addition to the well-known 11-year solar cycle, the Sun's magnetic activity also shows significant variation on shorter time scales, e.g. between one and two years. We observe a quasi-biennial (2-year) signal in the solar p-mode oscillation frequencies, which are sensitive probes of the solar interior. The signal is visible in Sun-as-a-star data observed by different instruments and here we describe the results obtained using BiSON, GOLF, and VIRGO data. Our results imply that the 2-year signal is susceptible to the influence of the main 11-year solar cycle. However, the source of the signal appears to be separate from that of the 11-year cycle. We speculate as to whether it might be the signature of a second dynamo, located in the region of near-surface rotational shear.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, proceedings for SOHO-24/GONG 2010 conference, to be published in JPC

Gravity modes as a way to distinguish between hydrogen- and helium-burning red giant stars

Red giants are evolved stars that have exhausted the supply of hydrogen in their cores and instead burn hydrogen in a surrounding shell. Once a red giant is sufficiently evolved, the helium in the core also undergoes fusion. Outstanding issues in our understanding of red giants include uncertainties in the amount of mass lost at the surface before helium ignition and the amount of internal mixing from rotation and other processes. Progress is hampered by our inability to distinguish between red giants burning helium in the core and those still only burning hydrogen in a shell. Asteroseismology offers a way forward, being a powerful tool for probing the internal structures of stars using their natural oscillation frequencies. Here we report observations of gravity-mode period spacings in red giants that permit a distinction between evolutionary stages to be made. We use high-precision photometry obtained with the Kepler spacecraft over more than a year to measure oscillations in several hundred red giants. We find many stars whose dipole modes show sequences with approximately regular period spacings. These stars fall into two clear groups, allowing us to distinguish unambiguously between hydrogen-shell-burning stars (period spacing mostly about 50 seconds) and those that are also burning helium (period spacing about 100 to 300 seconds).Comment: to appear as a Letter to Natur