Effects of Sleep Duration, Sleep Quality, and Time of Day on Executive Function Performance in Children

Executive functions are the cognitive abilities that include self-regulation, inhibition of responding, planning, and mental flexibility. Previous studies on executive functions I I have focused on people with ADHD and other impairments. Studies on sleep and cognitive function abilities have focused on the effects of lack of sleep and the ability to perform executive function tasks. This study examined the cognitive abilities of children with no impairment in relationship to Time of Day, Sleep Duration and Sleep Quality. Thirty children ranging from age 7 to age 12 were recruited from the area. A self-report questionnaire on typical Sleep Duration and Sleep Quality, and the Child Behavior Checklist were sent one week in advance to be completed before the time of testing. The children were tested at either 9AM or 3PM on five executive function tasks. The executive function tasks included the Connors Continuous Performance Test, Digit Span, Tower of London, Controlled Oral Word Association Test and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task. This study showed that when the participants perceived themselves to be well rested, (sleep duration and sleep quality self-reports) cognitive performance in some executive function tasks was more proficient, and this effect varied as a function of Time of Day of testing

Topical negative pressure wound therapy enhances the local tissue perfusion – A pilot study

Background: Topical negative pressure wound therapy (TNPWT) is a regularly used method in modern wound treatment with a growing and diverse potential for clinical use. So far positive effects on microcirculation have been observed and examined, although precise statements on the underlying mechanism appear unsatisfying. Objective: The aim of our study was to extend the understanding of the effect of TNPWT on tissue perfusion and determine the time frame and the extent to which the tissue perfusion changes due to TNPWT. Material and methods: TNPWT was applied to the anterior thighs of 40 healthy individuals for 30 min, respectively. Before and up to 90 min after the application, measurements of the amount of regional haemoglobin (rHb), capillary venous oxygen saturation (sO2), blood flow (flow) and velocity were conducted with spectrophotometry (combining white light spectrometry and laser Doppler spectroscopy) within two different depths/skin layers. A superficial measuring probe for depths up to 3 mm and a deep measuring probe for up to 7 mm were used. Results: All parameters show significant changes after the intervention compared to baseline measurements. The greater effect was seen superficially. The superficially measured rHb, sO2 and flow showed a significant increase and stayed above the baseline at the end of the protocol. Whereas deeply measured, the rHb initially showed a decrease. The flow and sO2 showed a significant increase up to 60 min after the intervention. Conclusion: The application of TNPWT on healthy tissue shows an increase in capillary-venous oxygen saturation and haemoglobin concentration of at least 90 min after intervention. A possible use in clinical practice for preconditioning to enhance wound healing for high-risk patients to develop wound healing disorder, requires further studies to investigate the actual duration of the effect

University Collaboration and ERP Competence Centres - A Golden Era or Golden Handcuffs?

During 1999, SAP formalised their University Comp etence Centre (UCC) program, whereby selected, experienced universities around the world will receive several million dollars of computer hardware, software and support from SAP and hardware partners to establish showcase service bureaus in support of ERP-related teaching and research. Through the program, university activity with SAP products will to a large extent shift from in-house installations to the UCCs. Member university staff and students will have Internet access to the most recent versions of SAP’s software including New Dimension products (e.g. Business Warehouse, Knowledge Warehouse, Customer Relationship Management, etc.). While the program suggests compelling potential for cooperation across member universities and globalisation of related curricula, it also implies substantial commitment and increasing SAP control over UCC and member activ ities and resources. Application Service Provision, Education- by-wire, Industry-University Collaboration, and virtual competence centres for knowledge management/content generation are all manifested in the UCC project. These consequences and implications of participation in the UCC program for member universities, non-members and students will be explored by this panel

Camera-based assessment of cutaneous perfusion strength in a clinical setting

Objective. After skin flap transplants, perfusion strength monitoring is essential for the early detection of tissue perfusion disorders and thus to ensure the survival of skin flaps. Camera-based photoplethysmography (cbPPG) is a non-contact measurement method, using video cameras and ambient light, which provides spatially resolved information about tissue perfusion. It has not been researched yet whether the measurement depth of cbPPG, which is limited by the penetration depth of ambient light, is sufficient to reach pulsatile vessels and thus to measure the perfusion strength in regions that are relevant for skin flap transplants. Approach. We applied constant negative pressure (compared to ambient pressure) to the anterior thighs of 40 healthy subjects. Seven measurements (two before and five up to 90 min after the intervention) were acquired using an RGB video camera and photospectrometry simultaneously. We investigated the performance of different algorithmic approaches for perfusion strength assessment, including the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), its logarithmic components logS and logN, amplitude maps, and the amplitude height of alternating and direct signal components. Main results. We found strong correlations of up to r = 0.694 (p < 0.001) between photospectrometric measurements and all cbPPG parameters except SNR when using the green color channel. The transfer of cbPPG signals to POS, CHROM, and O3C did not lead to systematic improvements. However, for direct signal components, the transformation to O3C led to correlations of up to r = 0.744 (p < 0.001) with photospectrometric measurements. Significance. Our results indicate that a camera-based perfusion strength assessment in tissue with deep-seated pulsatile vessels is possible

“A very orderly retreat”: Democratic transition in East Germany, 1989-90

East Germany's 1989-90 democratisation is among the best known of East European transitions, but does not lend itself to comparative analysis, due to the singular way in which political reform and democratic consolidation were subsumed by Germany's unification process. Yet aspects of East Germany's democratisation have proved amenable to comparative approaches. This article reviews the comparative literature that refers to East Germany, and finds a schism between those who designate East Germany's transition “regime collapse” and others who contend that it exemplifies “transition through extrication”. It inquires into the merits of each position and finds in favour of the latter. Drawing on primary and secondary literature, as well as archival and interview sources, it portrays a communist elite that was, to a large extent, prepared to adapt to changing circumstances and capable of learning from “reference states” such as Poland. Although East Germany was the Soviet state in which the positions of existing elites were most threatened by democratic transition, here too a surprising number succeeded in maintaining their position while filing across the bridge to market society. A concluding section outlines the alchemy through which their bureaucratic power was transmuted into property and influence in the “new Germany”

Romosozumab (sclerostin monoclonal antibody) versus teriparatide in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis transitioning from oral bisphosphonate therapy : a randomised, open-label, phase 3 trial

Background: Previous bisphosphonate treatment attenuates the bone-forming effect of teriparatide. We compared the effects of 12 months of romosozumab (AMG 785), a sclerostin monoclonal antibody, versus teriparatide on bone mineral density (BMD) in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis transitioning from bisphosphonate therapy. Methods: This randomised, phase 3, open-label, active-controlled study was done at 46 sites in North America, Latin America, and Europe. We enrolled women (aged >= 55 to <= 90 years) with postmenopausal osteoporosis who had taken an oral bisphosphonate for at least 3 years before screening and alendronate the year before screening; an areal BMD T score of -2.5 or lower at the total hip, femoral neck, or lumbar spine; and a history of fracture. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1) via an interactive voice response system to receive subcutaneous romosozumab (210 mg once monthly) or subcutaneous teriparatide (20 mu g once daily). The primary endpoint was percentage change from baseline in areal BMD by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry at the total hip through month 12 (mean of months 6 and 12), which used a linear mixed effects model for repeated measures and represented the mean treatment effect at months 6 and 12. All randomised patients with a baseline measurement and at least one post-baseline measurement were included in the efficacy analysis. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT01796301. Findings: Between Jan 31, 2013, and April 29, 2014, 436 patients were randomly assigned to romosozumab (n=218) or teriparatide (n=218). 206 patients in the romosozumab group and 209 in the teriparatide group were included in the primary efficacy analysis. Through 12 months, the mean percentage change from baseline in total hip areal BMD was 2.6% (95% CI 2.2 to 3.0) in the romosozumab group and -0.6% (-1.0 to -0.2) in the teriparatide group; difference 3.2% (95% CI 2.7 to 3.8; p<0.0001). The frequency of adverse events was generally balanced between treatment groups. The most frequently reported adverse events were nasopharyngitis (28 [13%] of 218 in the romosozumab group vs 22 [10%] of 214 in the teriparatide group), hypercalcaemia (two [<1%] vs 22 [10%]), and arthralgia (22 [10%] vs 13 [6%]). Serious adverse events were reported in 17 (8%) patients on romosozumab and in 23 (11%) on teriparatide; none were judged treatment related. There were six (3%) patients in the romosozumab group compared with 12 (6%) in the teriparatide group with adverse events leading to investigational product withdrawal. Interpretation: Transition to a bone-forming agent is common practice in patients treated with bisphosphonates, such as those who fracture while on therapy. In such patients, romosozumab led to gains in hip BMD that were not observed with teriparatide. These data could inform clinical decisions for patients at high risk of fracture

Pan-Cancer Analysis of lncRNA Regulation Supports Their Targeting of Cancer Genes in Each Tumor Context

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are commonly dys-regulated in tumors, but only a handful are known toplay pathophysiological roles in cancer. We inferredlncRNAs that dysregulate cancer pathways, onco-genes, and tumor suppressors (cancer genes) bymodeling their effects on the activity of transcriptionfactors, RNA-binding proteins, and microRNAs in5,185 TCGA tumors and 1,019 ENCODE assays.Our predictions included hundreds of candidateonco- and tumor-suppressor lncRNAs (cancerlncRNAs) whose somatic alterations account for thedysregulation of dozens of cancer genes and path-ways in each of 14 tumor contexts. To demonstrateproof of concept, we showed that perturbations tar-geting OIP5-AS1 (an inferred tumor suppressor) andTUG1 and WT1-AS (inferred onco-lncRNAs) dysre-gulated cancer genes and altered proliferation ofbreast and gynecologic cancer cells. Our analysis in-dicates that, although most lncRNAs are dysregu-lated in a tumor-specific manner, some, includingOIP5-AS1, TUG1, NEAT1, MEG3, and TSIX, synergis-tically dysregulate cancer pathways in multiple tumorcontexts

Pan-cancer Alterations of the MYC Oncogene and Its Proximal Network across the Cancer Genome Atlas

Although theMYConcogene has been implicated incancer, a systematic assessment of alterations ofMYC, related transcription factors, and co-regulatoryproteins, forming the proximal MYC network (PMN),across human cancers is lacking. Using computa-tional approaches, we define genomic and proteo-mic features associated with MYC and the PMNacross the 33 cancers of The Cancer Genome Atlas.Pan-cancer, 28% of all samples had at least one ofthe MYC paralogs amplified. In contrast, the MYCantagonists MGA and MNT were the most frequentlymutated or deleted members, proposing a roleas tumor suppressors.MYCalterations were mutu-ally exclusive withPIK3CA,PTEN,APC,orBRAFalterations, suggesting that MYC is a distinct onco-genic driver. Expression analysis revealed MYC-associated pathways in tumor subtypes, such asimmune response and growth factor signaling; chro-matin, translation, and DNA replication/repair wereconserved pan-cancer. This analysis reveals insightsinto MYC biology and is a reference for biomarkersand therapeutics for cancers with alterations ofMYC or the PMN

Genomic, Pathway Network, and Immunologic Features Distinguishing Squamous Carcinomas

This integrated, multiplatform PanCancer Atlas study co-mapped and identified distinguishing molecular features of squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs) from five sites associated with smokin

Spatial Organization and Molecular Correlation of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes Using Deep Learning on Pathology Images

Beyond sample curation and basic pathologic characterization, the digitized H&E-stained images of TCGA samples remain underutilized. To highlight this resource, we present mappings of tumorinfiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) based on H&E images from 13 TCGA tumor types. These TIL maps are derived through computational staining using a convolutional neural network trained to classify patches of images. Affinity propagation revealed local spatial structure in TIL patterns and correlation with overall survival. TIL map structural patterns were grouped using standard histopathological parameters. These patterns are enriched in particular T cell subpopulations derived from molecular measures. TIL densities and spatial structure were differentially enriched among tumor types, immune subtypes, and tumor molecular subtypes, implying that spatial infiltrate state could reflect particular tumor cell aberration states. Obtaining spatial lymphocytic patterns linked to the rich genomic characterization of TCGA samples demonstrates one use for the TCGA image archives with insights into the tumor-immune microenvironment