Neural differentiation is moderated by age in scene- but not face-selective cortical regions

The aging brain is characterized by neural dedifferentiation, an apparent decrease in the functional selectivity of category-selective cortical regions. Age-related reductions in neural differentiation have been proposed to play a causal role in cognitive aging. Recent findings suggest, however, that age-related dedifferentiation is not equally evident for all stimulus categories and, additionally, that the relationship between neural differentiation and cognitive performance is not moderated by age. In light of these findings, in the present experiment, younger and older human adults (males and females) underwent fMRI as they studied words paired with images of scenes or faces before a subsequent memory task. Neural selectivity was measured in two scene-selective (parahippocampal place area (PPA) and retrosplenial cortex (RSC)] and two face-selective [fusiform face area (FFA) and occipital face area (OFA)] regions using both a univariate differentiation index and multivoxel pattern similarity analysis. Both methods provided highly convergent results, which revealed evidence of age-related reductions in neural dedifferentiation in scene-selective but not face-selective cortical regions. Additionally, neural differentiation in the PPA demonstrated a positive, age-invariant relationship with subsequent source memory performance (recall of the image category paired with each recognized test word). These findings extend prior findings suggesting that age-related neural dedifferentiation is not a ubiquitous phenomenon, and that the specificity of neural responses to scenes is predictive of subsequent memory performance independently of age

Electrical Field Flow Fractionation (EFFF) Using an Electrically Insulated Flow Channel

The present invention is an apparatus and a process for separation and resolution of particles suspended in, or molecules dissolved in, a sample mixture or solution using electrical field flow fractionation (EFFF). Fractionation of individual components in the mixture/solution is obtained by the interaction of particles/molecules with an electric field applied perpendicular to the flow direction, and externally to the fractionation channel. The plate electrodes are electrically isolated from the sample and carrier within a thin, non-permeable, insulating coating on the inside surfaces electrodes. This coating forms a barrier between the solution phase and the electric circuit used to generate the working electric field. The flow channel is formed by sandwiching a shaped insulating gasket between the two parallel plate electrodes. The side walls of the channel are defined then by the inside walls of the shaped, insulating gasket

A Study of Factors That Influence the Swimming Performance of Hispanic High School Students

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of swimming performance to six factors including, swimming self-efficacy, fear of drowning, perceived swimming risk, previous swimming opportunities, body image, and perceived athletic skills among high school Hispanic/Latino males and females, ages 13-18. This research also compared differences for each of the variables based on gender. Participants in the study included 71 females and 73 males, ages 13-18, all of Hispanic/Latino ethnic background from one high school. Swimming performance was measured by a Swimming Self-Efficacy Scale. Perceived swimming risk was determined by The Perception of Drowning Risk Survey. Body image, previous swimming opportunities, fear of drowning, and perceived athletic skill were assessed through additional survey questions. Analysis of variance determined if there were significant differences in the means of the seven tests based on gender. Males demonstrated significantly higher means for each variable. Relationships between swimming performance and the other variables were calculated sing Pearson Product Moment Correlations. Swimming self-efficacy and swimming performance had the strongest positive correlation (+ 0.75). There was a moderate negative correlation between fear of drowning and swimming self-efficacy (-0.54). Early multilevel swimming programs for all children are strongly encouraged to help children overcome fear of the water, increase swimming efficacy, swimming performance, and ultimately, to increase the percentage of adult who can swim

Loperamide for treatment of acute diarrhoea in infants and young children

No Abstract

Synthesis and Characterisation of [Pd10(μ-CO)(μ3-CO)4(PEt3)6] and [Pd10(μ-CO)6(μ3-CO)2(μ-CNXylyl)2(PEt3)6]

The decanuclear palladium cluster compounds [Pdio(u-CO)g(^3-CO)4 (PEtglg] and [Pdio(/(-CO)g(ii3-CO)2(//-CNXyl)2(PEt3)g] (Xyl = CgH^M^- 2,6) have been synthesised and characterised by a combination of spectroscopic data and single crystal X-ray crystallographic analyses. The former has a distorted tetracapped octahedral skeletal geometry and the latter a hexacapped tetrahedral geometry. The latter is unique in cluster chemistry and the structural change induced by the addition of isocyanide represents an interesting example of the effect of the steric requirements of the isocyanide ligand influencing the total electron count and geometry of the cluster. [Pdio(/<-CO)8(/i3-CO)4(PEt3)g] reacts with SO2 to give [Pd5(/(-S02)2(p3-S02)2(PEt3)5]

Observational learning computations in neurons of the human anterior cingulate cortex

When learning from direct experience, neurons in the primate brain have been shown to encode a teaching signal used by algorithms in artificial intelligence: the reward prediction error (PE)—the difference between how rewarding an event is, and how rewarding it was expected to be. However, in humans and other species learning often takes place by observing other individuals. Here, we show that, when humans observe other players in a card game, neurons in their rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) encode both the expected value of an observed choice, and the PE after the outcome was revealed. Notably, during the same task neurons recorded in the amygdala (AMY) and the rostromedial prefrontal cortex (rmPFC) do not exhibit this type of encoding. Our results suggest that humans learn by observing others, at least in part through the encoding of observational PEs in single neurons in the rACC

Group treatments for sensitive health care problems : a randomised controlled trial of group versus individual physiotherapy sessions for female urinary incontinence

Background: The aim was to compare effectiveness of group versus individual sessions of physiotherapy in terms of symptoms, quality of life, and costs, and to investigate the effect of patient preference on uptake and outcome of treatment. Methods: A pragmatic, multi-centre randomised controlled trial in five British National Health Service physiotherapy departments. 174 women with stress and/or urge incontinence were randomised to receive treatment from a physiotherapist delivered in a group or individual setting over three weekly sessions. Outcome were measured as Symptom Severity Index; Incontinence-related Quality of Life questionnaire; National Health Service costs, and out of pocket expenses. Results: The majority of women expressed no preference (55%) or preference for individual treatment (36%). Treatment attendance was good, with similar attendance with both service delivery models. Overall, there were no statistically significant differences in symptom severity or quality of life outcomes between the models. Over 85% of women reported a subjective benefit of treatment, with a slightly higher rating in the individual compared with the group setting. When all health care costs were considered, average cost per patient was lower for group sessions (Mean cost difference £52.91 95%, confidence interval (£25.82 - £80.00)). Conclusion: Indications are that whilst some women may have an initial preference for individual treatment, there are no substantial differences in the symptom, quality of life outcomes or non-attendance. Because of the significant difference in mean cost, group treatment is recommended