Neck atonia with a focal stimulation-induced seizure arising from the SMA: pathophysiological considerations.

A 28-year-old patient with pharmacoresistant non-lesional right frontal epilepsy underwent extra-operative intracranial EEG recordings and electrical cortical stimulation (ECS) to map eloquent cortex. Right supplementary motor area (SMA) ECS induced a brief seizure with habitual symptoms involving neck tingling followed by asymmetric tonic posturing. An additional feature was neck atonia. During atonia and sensory aura, discharges were seen in the mesial frontal electrodes and precentral gyrus. Besides motor signs, atonia, although rare and not described in the neck muscles, and sensations have been reported with SMA stimulation. The mechanisms underlying neck atonia in seizures arising from the SMA can be explained by supplementary negative motor area (SNMA) - though this was not mapped in electrodes overlying the ictal onset zone in our patient - or primary sensorimotor cortex activation through rapid propagation. Given the broad spectrum of signs elicited by SMA stimulation and rapid spread of seizures arising from the SMA, caution should be taken to not diagnose these as non-epileptic, as had previously occurred in this patient

The Design Process and Usability Assessment of an Exergame System to Facilitate Strength for Task Training for Lower Limb Stroke Rehabilitation

Successful stroke rehabilitation relies on early, long-term, repetitive and intensive treatment, which is rarely adhered to by patients. Exergames can increase patients’ engagement with their therapy. Marketed exergaming systems for lower limb rehabilitation are hard to find and, none yet, facilitate Strength for Task Training (STT), a novel physiotherapeutic method for stroke rehabilitation. STT involves performing brief but intensive strength training (priming) prior to task-specific training to promote neural plasticity and maximize the gains in locomotor ability. This research investigates how the design of an exergame system (game and game controller) for lower limb stroke rehabilitation can facilitate unsupervised STT and therefore allow stroke patients to care for their own health. The findings suggest that specific elements of STT can be incorporated in an exergame system. Barriers to use can be reduced through considering the diverse physiological and cognitive abilities of patients and aesthetic consideration can help create a meaningful system than promotes its use in the home. The semantics of form and movement play an essential role for stroke patients to be able to carry out their exercises

HABILIDADES DE RACIOCÍNIO CRÍTICO DE ALUNOS DE CONTABILIDADE

Educational systems around the world judge student academic performance based upon reading and writing abilities, with evidence of critical thinking playing an essential role. In order to improve business education, a better understanding of students’ critical thinking and communication skill is required. This study aimed at assessing reading, writing, and critical thinking skills of accounting students using validated instruments: (a) Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire, (b) Ennis-Weir Critical Thinking Essay Test, and (c) Flesch Reading Ease (English and Portuguese). Students wrote a short essay that was evaluated for writing quality and critical thinking based on the EW-CTET. Scores provided indications of good writing quality and evidence of high levels of critical thinking. No significant differences (i.e., gender, parenthood, program level, and program stage) of measured reading levels of the written products were found. Elements for improving learners’ performance aligned with their critical thinking skills are discussed along with a deep reflection on how educators would behave as agents of change in the reported scenario. Observed cultural differences in critical thinking related to perception of authority should be examined in further investigations.Sistemas educacionales alrededor del mundo evalúan el desempeño académico de los alumnos con base en habilidades de lectura y redacción, con evidencias sobre el papel esencial del raciocinio crítico. Para mejorar la educación en el área de negocios es necesario mejor entendimiento sobre el raciocinio crítico de los alumnos, así como sobre sus habilidades de comunicación. Esta investigación se centró en la evaluación de habilidades de lectura, redacción y raciocinio crítico de alumnos de contabilidad utilizando instrumentos validados: (a) Cuestionario de Estrategias Motivadoras para Aprendizaje (Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire, MSLQ), (b) Prueba Escrita de Raciocinio Crítico de Ennis-Weir (Ennis-Weir Critical Thinking Essay Test, EW-CTET), y (c) Indicador Flesch de Facilidad de Lectura (Flesch Reading Ease, en Inglés y versión adaptada al Portugués). Los participantes escribieron una pequeña redacción que fue evaluada en términos de calidad de escrita y de raciocinio crítico con base en el EW-CTET. Los resultados mostraron la buena calidad de la escrita e hicieron evidentes los niveles elevados de raciocinio crítico. Diferencias significativas (por ejemplo: género, maternidad / paternidad, nivel de estudios, y nivel en el programa) no fueron observadas en las métricas sobre niveles de facilidad de lectura de los productos escritos generados por los participantes. Elementos para la mejora del desempeño de los participantes alineados con sus habilidades de raciocinio crítico son discutidos juntamente con la reflexión profunda sobre el comportamiento de educadores como agentes de cambio en este escenario. Se sugiere que las diferencias culturales sobre raciocinio crítico observadas en este estudio relacionadas con la percepción de autoridad sean examinadas en futuras investigaciones.Sistemas educacionais ao redor do mundo avaliam o desempenho acadêmico de alunos com base em habilidades de leitura e redação, com evidências sobre o papel essencial do raciocínio crítico. Para aprimorar a educação na área de negócios é necessário melhor entendimento sobre o raciocínio crítico dos alunos, bem como sobre suas habilidades de comunicação. Esta pesquisa focou na avaliação de habilidades de leitura, redação e raciocínio crítico de alunos de contabildiade utilizando instrumentos validados: (a) Questionário de Estratégias Motivadoras para Aprendizagem (Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire, MSLQ), (b) Teste Escrito de Raciocínio Crítico de Ennis-Weir (Ennis-Weir Critical Thinking Essay Test, EW-CTET), e (c) Indicador Flesch de Facilidade de Leitura (Flesch Reading Ease, em Inglês e versão adaptada para o Português). Os participantes escreveram uma pequena redação que foi avaliada em termos de qualidade de escrita e raciocínio crítico com base no EW-CTET. Os resultados trouxeram indicações de boa qualidade de escrita e evidência de níveis elevados de raciocínio crítico. Diferenças significativas (e.g., gênero, maternidade/paternidade, nível de estudos, e estágio no programa) não foram observadas nas métricas sobre níveis de facilidade de leitura dos produtos escritos gerados pelos participantes. Elementos para o aprimoramento de desempenho dos participantes alinhados com suas habilidades de raciocínio crítico são discutidos juntamente com reflexão profunda sobre comportamento de educadores como agentes de mudança neste cenário. Sugere-se que diferenças culturais sobre raciocínio crítico observadas neste estudo relacionadas com a percepção de autoridade sejam examinadas em futuras investigações

A Population Of Non-Recycled Pulsars Originating In Globular Clusters

We explore the enigmatic population of long-period, apparently non-recycled pulsars in globular clusters, building on recent work by Boyles et al. This population is difficult to explain if it formed through typical core-collapse supernovae, leading many authors to invoke electron capture supernovae. While Boyles et al. dealt only with non-recycled pulsars in clusters, we focus on the pulsars that originated in clusters but then escaped into the field of the Galaxy due to the kicks they receive at birth. The magnitude of the kick induced by electron capture supernovae is not well known, so we explore various models for the kick velocity distribution and size of the population. The most realistic models are those where the kick velocity is 10 km s–1 and where the number of pulsars scales with the luminosity of the cluster (as a proxy for cluster mass). This is in good agreement with other estimates of the electron capture supernovae kick velocity. We simulate a number of large-area pulsar surveys to determine if a population of pulsars originating in clusters could be identified as being separate from normal disk pulsars. We find that the spatial and kinematical properties of the population could be used, but only if large numbers of pulsars are detected. In fact, even the most optimistic surveys carried out with the future Square Kilometer Array are likely to detect \u3c10% of the total population, so the prospects for identifying these as a separate group of pulsars are presently poor

Resolution of Nodular Fasciitis in the Upper Arm

AbstractNodular fasciitis is a benign fibroblastic lesion that was historically misdiagnosed as a malignant neoplasm. Patients present with pain and swelling of relatively brief duration. The clinical presentation is suggestive of an aggressive lesion, usually occurring in muscle fascia. Histologic features can cause it to be mistaken for sarcoma. After the diagnosis is established histologically, observation is the suggested treatment. We present the case of a patient who had a large soft-tissue tumor in the upper arm with a clinical picture indicative of sarcoma, which ultimately was diagnosed as nodular fasciitis. The patient was treated with anti-inflammatory agents and observation. Within 7 months, the mass almost completely resolved, as documented by magnetic resonance imaging

A Giant Sample of Giant Pulses from the Crab Pulsar

We observed the Crab pulsar with the 43-m telescope in Green Bank, WV over a timespan of 15 months. In total we obtained 100 hours of data at 1.2 GHz and seven hours at 330 MHz, resulting in a sample of about 95000 giant pulses (GPs). This is the largest sample, to date, of GPs from the Crab pulsar taken with the same telescope and backend and analyzed as one data set. We calculated power-law fits to amplitude distributions for main pulse (MP) and interpulse (IP) GPs, resulting in indices in the range of 2.1-3.1 for MP GPs at 1.2 GHz and in the range of 2.5-3.0 and 2.4-3.1 for MP and IP GPs at 330 MHz. We also correlated the GPs at 1.2 GHz with GPs from the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT), which were obtained simultaneously at a higher frequency (8.9 GHz) over a span of 26 hours. In total, 7933 GPs from the 43-m telescope at 1.2 GHz and 39900 GPs from the GBT were recorded during these contemporaneous observations. At 1.2 GHz, 236 (3%) MP GPs and 23 (5%) IP GPs were detected at 8.9 GHz, both with zero chance probability. Another 15 (4%) low-frequency IP GPs were detected within one spin period of high-frequency IP GPs, with a chance probability of 9%. This indicates that the emission processes at high and low radio frequencies are related, despite significant pulse profile shape differences. The 43-m GPs were also correlated with Fermi gamma-ray photons to see if increased pair production in the magnetosphere is the mechanism responsible for GP emission. A total of 92022 GPs and 393 gamma-ray photons were used in this correlation analysis. No significant correlations were found between GPs and gamma-ray photons. This indicates that increased pair production in the magnetosphere is likely not the dominant cause of GPs. Possible methods of GP production may be increased coherence of synchrotron emission or changes in beaming direction.Comment: 33 pages, 10 figures, 6 tables, accepted for publication in Ap

Diagnostic Imaging in the Medical Support of the Future Missions to the Moon

This viewgraph presentation is a course that reviews the diagnostic imaging techniques available for medical support on the future moon missions. The educational objectives of the course are to: 1) Update the audience on the curreultrasound imaging in space flight; 2) Discuss the unique aspects of conducting ultrasound imaging on ISS, interplanetary transit, ultrasound imaging on ISS, interplanetary transit, and lunar surface operations; and 3) Review preliminary data obtained in simulations of medical imaging in lunar surface operations

The Nature of SN 1961V

The nature of SN 1961V has been uncertain. Its peculiar optical light curve and slow expansion velocity are similar to those of super-outbursts of luminous blue variables (LBVs), but its nonthermal radio spectral index and declining radio luminosity are consistent with decades-old supernovae (SNe). We have obtained Hubble Space Telescope STIS images and spectra of the stars in the vicinity of SN 1961V, and find Object 7 identified by Filippenko et al. to be the closest to the optical and radio positions of SN 1961V. Object 7 is the only point source detected in our STIS spectra and only its H-alpha emission is detected; it cannot be the SN or its remnant because of the absence of forbidden lines. While the H-alpha line profile of Object 7 is remarkably similar to that of eta Car, the blue color (similar to an A2Ib supergiant) and lack of appreciable variability are unlike known post-outburst LBVs. We have also obtained Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) observations of SN 1961V at 18 cm. The non-detection of SN 1961V places a lower limit on the size of the radio-emitting region, 7.6 mas or 0.34 pc, which implies an average expansion velocity in excess of 4,400 km/s, much higher than the optical expansion velocity measured in 1961. We conclude the following: (1) A SN occurred in the vicinity of SN 1961V a few decades ago. (2) If the SN 1961V light maximum originates from a giant eruption of a massive star, Object 7 is the most probable candidate for the survivor, but its blue color and lack of significant variability are different from a post-outburst eta Car. (3) The radio SN and Object 7 could be physically associated with each other through a binary system. (4) Object 7 needs to be monitored to determine its nature and relationship to SN 1961V.Comment: 16 pages, 3 figures, accepted by the Astronomical Journal for the 2004 May issu