Changing ideas about others' intentions: updating prior expectations tunes activity in the human motor system

Predicting intentions from observing another agent’s behaviours is often thought to depend on motor resonance – i.e., the motor system’s response to a perceived movement by the activation of its stored motor counterpart, but observers might also rely on prior expectations, especially when actions take place in perceptually uncertain situations. Here we assessed motor resonance during an action prediction task using transcranial magnetic stimulation to probe corticospinal excitability (CSE) and report that experimentally-induced updates in observers’ prior expectations modulate CSE when predictions are made under situations of perceptual uncertainty. We show that prior expectations are updated on the basis of both biomechanical and probabilistic prior information and that the magnitude of the CSE modulation observed across participants is explained by the magnitude of change in their prior expectations. These findings provide the first evidence that when observers predict others’ intentions, motor resonance mechanisms adapt to changes in their prior expectations. We propose that this adaptive adjustment might reflect a regulatory control mechanism that shares some similarities with that observed during action selection. Such a mechanism could help arbitrate the competition between biomechanical and probabilistic prior information when appropriate for prediction

Assessing health system responsiveness in primary health care facilities in Tanzania.

BACKGROUND: Health system performance is one of the important components of the health care delivery; its achievement depends on the quality of services rendered and the health system responsiveness of its beneficiaries. Health system responsiveness is a multi-dimensional concept and is usually measured through several domains. Health system responsiveness (HSR) remains to be a key indicator for evaluation of health system performance in any settings. This study aimed at assessing the situation of health system responsiveness in primary health facilities in Tanzania prior to introduction of the Direct Health Facility Financing (DHFF) program. METHODS: This was a cross sectional study conducted between January and February in 2018. We collected data from 42 primary health facilities (14 health centers and 28 dispensaries) where a questionnaire was administered to a total of 422 participants. The questionnaire collected information on attention, respect to dignity, clear communication, autonomy, access to care, respect to confidentiality and basic amenities. Descriptive analysis was done to determine the distribution of the variables whereas ANOVA and linear regression analysis was employed to discern the association between variables. RESULTS: More than 67% of participants had visited the same health facility more than 5 times. Sixty seven percent of the patients were residing within 5kms from the public primary health care facilities. The geographical access to health care scored the lowest (43.5% for Dispensaries and 36% for Health center) mean as compared to other domains of health system responsiveness. The highest score was in respect to confidentiality (86.7%) followed by respect to dignity (81.4%). Linear regression analysis revealed no statistical association between any of the social demographic features with the overall HSR performances. However, in post hoc analysis, Pwani and Shinyanga regions didn't differ significantly in terms of their performances whereas those two regions differ from all other regions. CONCLUSION: Based on the study findings health system responsiveness domains has performed relatively poor in many regions except for respect of dignity and confidentiality scored high of all the domains. Shinyanga and Pwani regions scored relatively well in all domains this could have been due to the effect of Results Based financing (RBF) in the respective regions. All in all the Government and other stakeholders in the health sector they should deliberately invest on the access to care domain as seem to be a challenge as compared to others

Gut microbiota profile in CDKL5 deficiency disorder patients

: CDKL5 deficiency disorder (CDD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by global developmental delay, early-onset seizures, intellectual disability, visual and motor impairments. Unlike Rett Syndrome (RTT), CDD lacks a clear regression period. Patients with CDD frequently encounter gastrointestinal (GI) disturbances and exhibit signs of subclinical immune dysregulation. However, the underlying causes of these conditions remain elusive. Emerging studies indicate a potential connection between neurological disorders and gut microbiota, an area completely unexplored in CDD. We conducted a pioneering study, analyzing fecal microbiota composition in individuals with CDD (n = 17) and their healthy relatives (n = 17). Notably, differences in intestinal bacterial diversity and composition were identified in CDD patients. In particular, at genus level, CDD microbial communities were characterized by an increase in the relative abundance of Clostridium_AQ, Eggerthella, Streptococcus, and Erysipelatoclostridium, and by a decrease in Eubacterium, Dorea, Odoribacter, Intestinomonas, and Gemmiger, pointing toward a dysbiotic profile. We further investigated microbiota changes based on the severity of GI issues, seizure frequency, sleep disorders, food intake type, impairment in neuro-behavioral features and ambulation capacity. Enrichment in Lachnoclostridium and Enterobacteriaceae was observed in the microbiota of patients with more severe GI symptoms, while Clostridiaceae, Peptostreptococcaceae, Coriobacteriaceae, Erysipelotrichaceae, Christensenellaceae, and Ruminococcaceae were enriched in patients experiencing daily epileptic seizures. Our findings suggest a potential connection between CDD, microbiota and symptom severity. This study marks the first exploration of the gut-microbiota-brain axis in subjects with CDD. It adds to the growing body of research emphasizing the role of the gut microbiota in neurodevelopmental disorders and opens doors to potential interventions that target intestinal microbes with the aim of improving the lives of patients with CDD

Avaliação do padrão tecnológico e tendências da Agricultura de Precisão - Safra 2011/12.

Resumo: Embora os conceitos e tecnologias da Agricultura de Precisão (AP) são bastante difundidos no Brasil, a AP ainda é pouco utilizada em algumas regiões produtoras de grãos. O presente trabalho teve como objetivo fazer um levantamento sobre a utilização da AP, por meio da aplicação de um questionário via web e impresso. Foram encaminhados 250 e-mails convidando produtores e técnicos a responderem o questionário, além da realização de uma reunião técnica sobre AP em Guaraí/TO. Após análise das respostas obtidas, 67% dos produtores que responderam ao questionário informaram que iniciaram as atividades de AP entre dois e cinco anos. O tamanho do grid mais utilizado é de 5 hectares, sendo o serviço predominantemente realizado por empresas prestadoras de serviço, contudo os equipamentos e a interpretação dos resultados é realizada pela equipe técnica da propriedade. Embora não consigam observar a redução no custo de produção com a utilização da AP, os produtores discordam que os custos da AP sejam maiores que os benefícios observados. Além disso, os equipamentos e softwares hoje empregados na AP são um obstáculo ao crescimento e ao investimento na tecnologia. Como o questionário foi respondido por produtores e técnicos de diversas regiões do Brasil, constatou-se que o trabalho com AP ainda é bastante recente. Mesmo com conhecimento sobre a técnica e os benefícios que a tecnologia proporciona a utilização ainda é bastante restrita e necessita de mais acesso à informação e capacitação técnica, a fim de ter um uso mais eficaz e eficiente

Understanding the influence of surgical parameters on craniofacial surgery outcomes: a computational study

Sagittal craniosynostosis (SC) is a congenital condition whereby the newborn skull develops abnormally owing to the premature ossification of the sagittal suture. Spring-assisted cranioplasty (SAC) is a minimally invasive surgical technique to treat SC, where metallic distractors are used to reshape the newborn’s head. Although safe and effective, SAC outcomes remain uncertain owing to the limited understanding of skull−distractor interaction and the limited information provided by the analysis of single surgical cases. In this work, an SC population-averaged skull model was created and used to simulate spring insertion by means of the finite-element analysis using a previously developed modelling framework. Surgical parameters were varied to assess the effect of osteotomy and spring positioning, as well as distractor combinations, on the final skull dimensions. Simulation trends were compared with retrospective measurements from clinical imaging (X-ray and three-dimensional photogrammetry scans). It was found that the on-table post-implantation head shape change is more sensitive to spring stiffness than to the other surgical parameters. However, the overall end-of-treatment head shape is more sensitive to spring positioning and osteotomy size parameters. The results of this work suggest that SAC surgical planning should be performed in view of long-term results, rather than immediate on-table reshaping outcomes

Nitrogen fertilization (15 NH4 NO3) of palisadegrass and residual effect on subsequent no-tillage corn.

ABSTRACT - Nitrogen is required in large amounts by plants and their dinamics in corn and perennial forages intercropped is little known. This study analyzed the efficiency of nitrogen fertilization (15NH4NO3) applied after corn grain harvest to palisadegrass (Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu) in intercrops sown at two times, as well as the N residual effect on the subsequent corn crop. The field experiment was performed in Botucatu, São Paulo State, in southeastern Brazil, on a structured Alfisol under no-tillage. The experiment was arranged in a randomized block design in a split plot scheme with four replications. The main plots consisted of two intercropping systems (corn and palisadegrass sown together and palisadegrass sown later, at corn top-dressing fertilization). The subplots consisted of four N rates (0, 30, 60, and 120 kg ha-1 N). The subplots contained microplots, in which enriched ammonium nitrate (15NH4NO3) was applied at the same rates. The time of intercrop sowing affected forage dry matter production, the amount of fertilizer-derived N in and the N use efficiency by the forage plants. Nitrogen applied in autumn to palisadegrass intercropped with corn, planted either at corn sowing or at N top-dressing fertilization, increased the forage yield up to a rate of 60 kg ha-1 The amount of fertilizer-derived N by the forage plants and the fertilizer use efficiency by palisadegrass were highest 160 days after fertilization for both intercrop sowing times, regardless of N rates. Residual N did not affect the N nutrition of corn plants grown in succession to palisadegrass, but increased grain yield at rates of 60 and 120 kg ha-1 N, when corn was grown on palisadegrass straw from the intercrop installed at corn fertilization (top-dressing). Our results indicated that the earlier intercropping allowed higher forage dry matter production. On the other hand, the later intercrop allowed a higher corn grain yield in succession to N-fertilized palisadegrass. RESUMO - O nitrogênio é requerido em grandes quantidades pelas plantas e sua dinâmica no consórcio entre milho e forrageiras tropicais perenes é pouco conhecida. Objetivou-se avaliar a eficiência de utilização da adubação nitrogenada (15NH4NO3) no capim-marandu (Brachiaria brizantha cv. Marandu), proveniente de duas épocas de consórcios com o milho, realizadas após a colheita da cultura granífera, bem como o efeito residual no milho cultivado em sucessão. O experimento foi conduzido na Faculdade de Ciências Agronômicas da UNESP em Botucatu, SP, em Nitossolo Vermelho sob sistema plantio direto. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos casualizados em parcelas subdivididas. As parcelas foram constituídas pelas épocas de consórcio: milho e capim-marandu semeados simultaneamente; e capim-marandu semeado na adubação de cobertura do milho. As subparcelas foram compostas pelas doses de 30, 60 e 120 kg ha-1 de N, aplicadas no capim-marandu após a colheita da cultura do milho. Nas subparcelas, foram alocadas microparcelas para aplicação de nitrato de amônio enriquecido (15NH4NO3) nessas mesmas doses. A época de implantação do consórcio influenciou a produção de massa de matéria seca da forrageira, a quantidade de N na planta proveniente do fertilizante e a eficiência de utilização do N pelas plantas forrageiras. A aplicação de N no outono no capimmarandu, implantado por meio do consórcio com o milho, tanto na semeadura quanto na adubação nitrogenada de cobertura, proporcionou aumento de produtividade da forrageira até a dose de 60 kg ha-1. Os maiores acúmulos de N e a eficiência de utilização do fertilizante pelo capim-marandu, oriundo de ambas as épocas de consórcio, ocorreram aos 160 dias após a fertilização, independentemente das doses de N. O residual das doses de N, aplicadas no capimmarandu, não interferiu na nutrição nitrogenada do milho em sucessão, porém incrementou a produtividade de grãos nas doses de 60 e 120 kg ha-1 de N, quando o cereal foi cultivado sobre palhada proveniente do consórcio implantado na adubação de cobertura do milho. Com base nos resultados, pode-se inferir que a implantação antecipada do consórcio proporciona maior produtividade de massa de matéria seca da forrageira, enquanto quando implantado mais tarde propicia maior produtividade de grãos do milho em sucessão à forrageira adubada com N

Produção de soja no Estado do Tocantins: percepções inicias sobre o sistema produtivo.

O trabalho foi desenvolvido nos anos de 2011 e 2012, através da sistematização de informações dos principais municípios produtores de soja, segundo dados da CONAB e da Secretaria da Agricultura do Estado do Tocantins (SEAGRO).Editado por Adilson de Oliveira Junior, Regina Maria Villas Bôas de Campos Leite, Cesar de Castro