A statistical comparison of EEG time- and time-frequency domain representations of error processing

Item does not contain fulltextSuccessful behavior relies on error detection and subsequent remedial adjustment of behavior. Researchers have identified two electrophysiological signatures of error processing: the time-domain error-related negativity (ERN), and the time-frequency domain increased power in the delta/theta frequency bands (~2-8 Hz). The relationship between these two signatures is not entirely clear: on the one hand they occur after the same type of event and with similar latency, but on the other hand, the time-domain ERP component contains only phase-locked activity whereas the time-frequency response additionally contains non-phase-locked dynamics. Here we examined the ERN and error-related delta/theta activity in relation to each other, focusing on within-subject analyses that utilize single-trial data. Using logistic regression, we constructed three statistical models in which the accuracy of each trial was predicted from the ERN, delta/theta power, or both. We found that both the ERN and delta/theta power worked roughly equally well as predictors of single-trial accuracy (~70% accurate prediction). Furthermore, a model including both measures provided a stronger overall prediction compared to either model alone. Based on these findings two conclusions are drawn: first, the phase-locked part of the EEG signal appears to be roughly as predictive of single-trial response accuracy as the non-phase-locked part; second, the single-trial ERP and delta/theta power contain both overlapping and independent information

Exercise therapy and other types of physical therapy for patients with neuromuscular diseases: a systematic review.

Contains fulltext : 51482.pdf (publisher's version ) (Closed access)OBJECTIVE: To summarize and critically appraise the available evidence on exercise therapy and other types of physical therapies for patients with neuromuscular diseases (NMD). DATA SOURCES: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Medline, CINAHL, EMBASE (Rehabilitation and Physical Medicine), and reference lists of reviews and articles. STUDY SELECTION: Randomized clinical trials (RCTs), controlled clinical trials (CCTs), and other designs were included. Study participants had to have any of the following types of NMD: motoneuron diseases, disorders of the motor nerve roots or peripheral nerves, neuromuscular transmission disorders, or muscle diseases. All types of exercise therapy and other physical therapy modalities were included. Outcome measures had to be at the level of body functions, activities, or participation according to the definitions of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF). DATA EXTRACTION: Two reviewers independently decided on inclusion or exclusion of articles and rated the methodologic quality of the studies included. All RCTs, CCTs, and other designs only if of sufficient methodologic quality were included in a best evidence synthesis. A level of evidence was attributed for each subgroup of NMD and each type of intervention. DATA SYNTHESIS: Initially 58 studies were included: 12 RCTs, 5 CCTs, and 41 other designs. After methodologic assessment, 19 other designs were excluded from further analysis. There is level II evidence ("likely to be effective") for strengthening exercises in combination with aerobic exercises for patients with muscle disorders. Level III evidence ("indications of effectiveness") was found for aerobic exercises in patients with muscle disorders and for the combination of muscle strengthening and aerobic exercises in a heterogeneous group of muscle disorders. Finally, there is level III evidence for breathing exercises for patients with myasthenia gravis and for patients with myotonic muscular dystrophy. Adverse effects of exercise therapy were negligible. CONCLUSIONS: The available evidence is limited, but relevant for clinicians. Future studies should be preferably multicentered, and use an international classification of the variables of exercise therapy and an ICF core set for NMD in order to improve comparability of results

Accelerometry based assessment of gait parameters in children

The objective of this study was to examine if spatio-temporal gait parameters in healthy children can be determined from accelerations measured at the lower trunk as has been demonstrated in adults, previously. Twenty children aged 3-16 years, participated in a protocol that involved repeated walks of different distances in an indoor environment. During walking, accelerations were measured by three orthogonally mounted acceleration sensors in a small wireless device (DynaPort MiniMod) that was attached to the lower back. Based on an inverted pendulum approach, spatio-temporal gait parameters and walking distances were computed from the acceleration signals. Results were compared to video observations and known walking distances and durations. Steps were successfully detected in 99.6+/-0.6% of all observed steps (n=5554). On average, walking distance was accurately estimated (100.6+/-3.3%, range 93-106.7%). No correlation was found between the number of miscounted steps and the total number of steps or the age of the subject. It can be concluded that the use of an inverted pendulum model provides the possibility to estimate spatio-temporal gait parameters in children as well as in adults. The method allows an inexpensive and comfortable assessment of gait parameters in children, is applicable in controlled, indoor environments and could be tested for applicability under free living conditions

The LHCb Upgrade I

The LHCb upgrade represents a major change of the experiment. The detectors have been almost completely renewed to allow running at an instantaneous luminosity five times larger than that of the previous running periods. Readout of all detectors into an all-software trigger is central to the new design, facilitating the reconstruction of events at the maximum LHC interaction rate, and their selection in real time. The experiment's tracking system has been completely upgraded with a new pixel vertex detector, a silicon tracker upstream of the dipole magnet and three scintillating fibre tracking stations downstream of the magnet. The whole photon detection system of the RICH detectors has been renewed and the readout electronics of the calorimeter and muon systems have been fully overhauled. The first stage of the all-software trigger is implemented on a GPU farm. The output of the trigger provides a combination of totally reconstructed physics objects, such as tracks and vertices, ready for final analysis, and of entire events which need further offline reprocessing. This scheme required a complete revision of the computing model and rewriting of the experiment's software