Towards a computational model for stimulation of the Pedunculopontine nucleus

The pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) has recently been suggested as a new therapeutic target for deep brain stimulation (DBS) in patients suffering from Parkinson's disease, particularly those with severe gait and postural impairment [1]. Stimulation at this site is typically delivered at low frequencies in contrast to the high frequency stimulation required for therapeutic benefit in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) [1]. Despite real therapeutic successes, the fundamental physiological mechanisms underlying the effect of DBS are still not understood. A hypothesis is that DBS masks the pathological synchronized firing patterns of the basal ganglia that characterize the Parkinsonian state with a regularized firing pattern. It remains unclear why stimulation of PPN should be applied with low frequency in contrast to the high frequency stimulation of STN. To get a better understanding of PPN stimulation we construct a computational model for the PPN Type I neurons in a network

Monitoring the Paraguayan epidemiological dengue surveillance system (2009-2011) using Benford's law

Introduction: Dengue is the most widespread arbovirus worldwide. In Paraguay, it reappeared in 1988-1989, with one of the largest epidemic outbreaks occurring in 2011. Objective: To evaluate the performance of the dengue epidemiological surveillance system in Paraguay between 2009 and 2011. Materials and methods: We conducted an ecological study with secondary epidemiological surveillance data. We analyzed notified cases of the disease based on the distribution expected by Benford's law. To this end, we used the first and second digits from the global records stratified by region, season, population density, indicators of housing conditions and heads of cattle. Results: The epidemiological surveillance system performed better during non-epidemic periods and in the states with better housing conditions and fewer heads of cattle. Conclusion: Given that a difference in the performance existed, we recommended that the system remains operating at the same high alert level even during periods when fewer cases are expected. The technology used by the method proposed to monitor the notification of cases is easy to transfer to operational staff

Experimental and computational assessment of the temperature dependency of the stacking fault energy in face-centered cubic high-entropy alloys

The activation of deformation mechanisms in face-centered cubic materials is considered closely related with the stacking fault energy. Experimentally determined stacking fault energy (SFE) values are exclusively positive. However, results obtained by first principle methods predict that the intrinsic SFE of metastable face-centered cubic metals and alloys is negative. It was previously shown that SFE values from the first principle methods and experiments can be reconciled by accounting for the resolved shear stress for Shockley partial dislocations. Determining this resolved shear stress for Shockley partial dislocations is experimentally challenging, making the reconciliation of experimental and first-principles SFE values a laborious exercise. In the present contribution, we demonstrate that the critical resolved shear stress for Shockley partial dislocations and SFE values can be determined from a single in-situ neutron diffraction experiment, thus enabling more confident and efficient reconciliation of experimental and theoretical SFE values

Educational Innovation with Learning Networks: Tools and Developments

Professional Development is ill served by traditional ways of learning. It can profit from a Learning Networks approach, which emphasizes logistic, content and didactic flexibility. Learning Networks are online, social networks that have been de- signed and tooled to foster informal learning. Three European projects are discussed – idSpace, LTfLL, Handover - which have developed tools befitting networked learning. Each in its own way, the projects illustrate the benefits of a networked learning ap- proach. This goes for all three flexibilities but in particular for the need to be didactical- ly flexible. Finally, it is argued that formal education could profit from the tools dis- cussed

Towards Naturalistic Speech Decoding from Intracranial Brain Data

Speech decoding from brain activity can enable development of brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) to restore naturalistic communication in paralyzed patients. Previous work has focused on development of decoding models from isolated speech data with a clean background and multiple repetitions of the material. In this study, we describe a novel approach to speech decoding that relies on a generative adversarial neural network (GAN) to reconstruct speech from brain data recorded during a naturalistic speech listening task (watching a movie). We compared the GAN-based approach, where reconstruction was done from the compressed latent representation of sound decoded from the brain, with several baseline models that reconstructed sound spectrogram directly. We show that the novel approach provides more accurate reconstructions compared to the baselines. These results underscore the potential of GAN models for speech decoding in naturalistic noisy environments and further advancing of BCIs for naturalistic communication. Clinical Relevance - This study presents a novel speech decoding paradigm that combines advances in deep learning, speech synthesis and neural engineering, and has the potential to advance the field of BCI for severely paralyzed individuals

Vacancy-assisted domain-growth in asymmetric binary alloys: a Monte Carlo study

A Monte Carlo simulation study of the vacancy-assisted domain-growth in asymmetric binary alloys is presented. The system is modeled using a three-state ABV Hamiltonian which includes an asymmetry term, not considered in previous works. Our simulated system is a stoichiometric two-dimensional binary alloy with a single vacancy which evolves according to the vacancy-atom exchange mechanism. We obtain that, compared to the symmetric case, the ordering process slows down dramatically. Concerning the asymptotic behavior it is algebraic and characterized by the Allen-Cahn growth exponent x=1/2. The late stages of the evolution are preceded by a transient regime strongly affected by both the temperature and the degree of asymmetry of the alloy. The results are discussed and compared to those obtained for the symmetric case.Comment: 21 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in Phys. Rev.

Design of the POINT study: Pharmacotherapy Optimisation through Integration of a Non-dispensing pharmacist in a primary care Team (POINT)

__Background:__ In the Netherlands, 5.6 % of acute hospital admissions are medication-related. Almost half of these admissions are potentially preventable. Reviewing medication in patients at risk in primary care might prevent these hospital admissions. At present, implementation of medication reviews in primary care is suboptimal: pharmacists lack access to patient information, pharmacists are short of clinical knowledge and skills, and working processes of pharmacists (focus on dispensing) and general practitioners (focus on clinical practice) match poorly. Integration of the pharmacist in the primary health care team might improve pharmaceutical care outcomes. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of integration of a non-dispensing pharmacist in general practice on the safety of pharmacotherapy in the Netherlands. __Methods:__ The POINT study is a non-randomised controlled intervention study with pre-post comparison in an integrated primary care setting. We compare three different models of pharmaceutical care provision in primary care: 1) a non-dispensing pharmacist as an integral member of a primary care team, 2) a pharmacist in a community pharmacy with a predefined training in performing medication reviews and 3) a pharmacist in a community pharmacy (care as usual). In all models, GPs remain accountable for individual medication prescription. In the first model, ten non-dispensing clinical pharmacists are posted in ten primary care practices (including 5 – 10 000 patients each) for a period of 15 months. These non-dispensing pharmacists perform patient consultations, including medication reviews, and share responsibility for the pharmaceutical care provided in the practice. The two other groups consist of ten primary care practices with collaborating pharmacists. The main outcome measurement is the number of medication-related hospital admissions during follow-up. Secondary outcome measurements are potential medication errors, drug burden index and costs. Parallel to this study, a qualitative study is conducted to evaluate the feasibility of introducing a NDP in general practice. __Discussion:__ As the POINT study is a large-scale intervention study, it should provide evidence as to whether integration of a non-dispensing clinical pharmacist in primary care will result in safer pharmacotherapy. The qualitative study also generates knowledge on the optimal implementation of this model in primary care. Results are expected in 2016