1,102 research outputs found
The sensory feedback mechanisms enabling couples to walk synchronously: An initial investigation
The inattentive eye often will not notice it, but synchronization among human walking partners is quite common. In this first investigation of this phenomenon, we studied its frequency and the mechanisms that contribute to this form of "entrainment." Specifically, by modifying the available communication links between two walking partners, we isolated the feedback mechanisms that enable couples to synchronize their stepping pattern when they walk side-by-side. Although subjects were unaware of the research aims and were not specifically asked to walk in synchrony, we observed synchronized walking in almost 50% of the walking trials, among couples who do not usually walk together. The strongest in-phase synchrony occurred in the presence of tactile feedback (i.e., handholding), perhaps because of lower and upper extremity coupling driven in part by arm swing. Interestingly, however, even in the absence of visual or auditory communication, couples also frequently walked in synchrony while 180 degrees out-of-phase, likely using different feedback mechanisms. These findings may partially explain how patients with certain gait disorders and disturbed rhythm enhance their gait when they walk with a partner and suggest alternative interventions that might improve the stepping pattern. Further, this preliminary investigation highlights the relatively ubiquitous nature of an interesting phenomenon that has not previously been studied and suggests that further work is needed to better understand the mechanisms that entrain the gait of two walking partners and allows couples to walk in synchrony with minimal or no conscious effort
Cardiac Resynchronization in Mild Heart Failure: All Issues Resolved?: Editorial to “Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in Patients with Mild Heart Failure: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials” by Ronghui Tu et al.
U.S. stock market interaction network as learned by the Boltzmann Machine
We study historical dynamics of joint equilibrium distribution of stock
returns in the U.S. stock market using the Boltzmann distribution model being
parametrized by external fields and pairwise couplings. Within Boltzmann
learning framework for statistical inference, we analyze historical behavior of
the parameters inferred using exact and approximate learning algorithms. Since
the model and inference methods require use of binary variables, effect of this
mapping of continuous returns to the discrete domain is studied. The presented
analysis shows that binarization preserves market correlation structure.
Properties of distributions of external fields and couplings as well as
industry sector clustering structure are studied for different historical dates
and moving window sizes. We found that a heavy positive tail in the
distribution of couplings is responsible for the sparse market clustering
structure. We also show that discrepancies between the model parameters might
be used as a precursor of financial instabilities.Comment: 15 pages, 17 figures, 1 tabl
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Disorder-specific functional abnormalities during sustained attention in youth with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and with Autism
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) are often comorbid and share behavioural-cognitive abnormalities in sustained attention. A key question is whether this shared cognitive phenotype is based on common or different underlying pathophysiologies. To elucidate this question, we compared 20 boys with ADHD to 20 age and IQ matched ASD and 20 healthy boys using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during a parametrically modulated vigilance task with a progressively increasing load of sustained attention. ADHD and ASD boys had significantly reduced activation relative to controls in bilateral striato–thalamic regions, left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and superior parietal cortex. Both groups also displayed significantly increased precuneus activation relative to controls. Precuneus was negatively correlated with the DLPFC activation, and progressively more deactivated with increasing attention load in controls, but not patients, suggesting problems with deactivation of a task-related default mode network in both disorders. However, left DLPFC underactivation was significantly more pronounced in ADHD relative to ASD boys, which furthermore was associated with sustained performance measures that were only impaired in ADHD patients. ASD boys, on the other hand, had disorder-specific enhanced cerebellar activation relative to both ADHD and control boys, presumably reflecting compensation. The findings show that ADHD and ASD boys have both shared and disorder-specific abnormalities in brain function during sustained attention. Shared deficits were in fronto–striato–parietal activation and default mode suppression. Differences were a more severe DLPFC dysfunction in ADHD and a disorder-specific fronto–striato–cerebellar dysregulation in ASD
Reclassification of Subspecies of \u3ci\u3eAcidovorax avenae\u3c/i\u3e as \u3ci\u3eA. Avenae\u3c/i\u3e (Manns 1905) emend., \u3ci\u3eA. cattleyae \u3c/i\u3e (Pavarino, 1911)comb.nov., \u3ci\u3eA. citrulli\u3c/i\u3e Schaad et al.,1978)comb.nov., and proposal of \u3ci\u3eA. oryzae \u3c/i\u3esp. nov.
The bacterium Acidovorax avenae causes disease in a wide range of economically important monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plants, including corn, rice, watermelon, anthurium, and orchids.Genotypic and phenotypic relatedness among strains of phytopathogenic A. avenae sub sp. avenae, A. avenae sub sp. citrulli, A. avenae subsp. cattleyae and A. konjaci, as well as all other Acidovorax species, including A. facilis, the type strain of Acidovorax, was determined.The16s rDNA sequencing confirmed previous studies showing the environmental species to be very distant from the phytopathogenic species. DNA/DNA reassociation assays on the different strains of A. avenae revealed four(A, B, C, and D) distinct genotypes. Taxon A included six A. avenae subsp. avenaestrains from corn that had a mean reciprocal similarity of 81%; taxon B included six A. avenae sub sp. avenae strains from rice that had a mean reciprocal similarity of 97%; taxon C contained 11 A. avenae sub sp. citrulli strains from cucurbits (cantaloupe, watermelon, and pumpkin) that had a mean reciprocal similarity of 88%, and taxon D contained four A. avenae sub sp. cattleyae strains from orchids that had a mean similarity of 98%
Linee guida ESC per la diagnosi e il trattamento dello scompenso cardiaco acuto e cronico 2008 = Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic heart failure 2008
First experience with the wearable cardioverter defibrillator in the Netherlands
The implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) has significantly improved survival in patients with an increased risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD). The wearable cardioverter defibrillator (WCD) is an alternative to the ICD in patients with a transient ICD indication or those in whom an ICD temporarily cannot be implanted. We describe here the technical details of the WCD and report three patients who were treated with a WCD in an outpatient setting. The WCD allowed the cardiac condition of two patients to improve to such an extent that permanent ICD implantation was deemed unnecessary. This new form of therapy may result in significant cost reduction, avoidance of unnecessary ICD implantation, and increased patient satisfaction
Genome-wide identification of <i>Medicago</i> peptides involved in macronutrient responses and nodulation
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