The spatio-temporal mapping of epileptic networks: Combination of EEG–fMRI and EEG source imaging

Simultaneous EEG–fMRI acquisitions in patients with epilepsy often reveal distributed patterns of Blood Oxygen Level Dependant (BOLD) change correlated with epileptiform discharges. We investigated if electrical source imaging (ESI) performed on the interictal epileptiform discharges (IED) acquired during fMRI acquisition could be used to study the dynamics of the networks identified by the BOLD effect, thereby avoiding the limitations of combining results from separate recordings. Nine selected patients (13 IED types identified) with focal epilepsy underwent EEG–fMRI. Statistical analysis was performed using SPM5 to create BOLD maps. ESI was performed on the IED recorded during fMRI acquisition using a realistic head model (SMAC) and a distributed linear inverse solution (LAURA). ESI could not be performed in one case. In 10/12 remaining studies, ESI at IED onset (ESIo) was anatomically close to one BOLD cluster. Interestingly, ESIo was closest to the positive BOLD cluster with maximal statistical significance in only 4/12 cases and closest to negative BOLD responses in 4/12 cases. Very small BOLD clusters could also have clinical relevance in some cases. ESI at later time frame (ESIp) showed propagation to remote sources co-localised with other BOLD clusters in half of cases. In concordant cases, the distance between maxima of ESI and the closest EEG–fMRI cluster was less than 33 mm, in agreement with previous studies. We conclude that simultaneous ESI and EEG–fMRI analysis may be able to distinguish areas of BOLD response related to initiation of IED from propagation areas. This combination provides new opportunities for investigating epileptic networks

Objects of Desire and of Disgust: Analysis and Design of Assistive Technologies

Following the principle of ‘one-size-fits-all’, patients of different ages and socio-cultural backgrounds are often supplied with similar aids with little consideration for their personal preferences and socio-emotional needs. Assistive Technologies (ATs), specialist products for those with long and short-term conditions, are often being abandoned because of people’s perception of themselves as disabled (Hocking 1999) and their fear of being stigmatised (Bright and Coventry 2013). A pilot study was conducted to explore how ATs may become ‘Objects of desire’ through design interventions, affording a more positive sense of self. This in return may increase the rate of adoption of ATs in everyday life. ATs are often invested by more positive personal meaning when supporting independent living. However, the ATs market is very underdeveloped, and limits individual choice. While older adults are resigned to use available products that, at best, match functionalities in order to compensate for their occurring physical deficiencies, they express a wish for personalised, elegant, discreet and at times bold artefacts matching their lifestyle and providing opportunities for self-expression. This study provides insights into the design language of medicalised products and the need to rethink the current approach.Brunel University Londo

Materiality, Assistive Technologies and Everyday Life

There has been increasing recognition of the significance of material culture, including the role of objects and technologies, in health and social care. Objects that are central to our mundane habitual everyday lives, are often experienced as taken-for-granted and unnoticed, with the objects embodied and embedded in our tacit and daily routines. Assistive technologies as objects can either be very small (glasses and hearing aids) or much larger in size (walking sticks, wheelchairs). Assistive technologies can become central to people’s daily routines and be experienced as mundane, taken-for-granted and invisible. Alternatively, assistive technologies can feel ever-present and highly visible within personal and social worlds. Assistive technologies are moreover imbued with sociocultural and emotional meanings. The aim of this paper is to: (1) draw attention to the materiality of assistive technologies as objects; and (2) explore the use of assistive technologies as material objects in the research process. Our research involved six focus groups – 4 with older adults and 2 with younger adults – to explore different and diverse perspectives around assistive technologies. We conclude by highlighting how a material approach can illuminate interconnections between the body, emotions, objects and the sociocultural context; the in/visibility of assistive technologies in everyday life; and the ways narratives around assistive technologies interconnect with positive and negative images of ageing.Brunel Research Institutes (INTER Award: Cross Boundaries User-Centred Design and Health Science = Objects of Desire and Objects of Disgust: Human centred Design for Assistive Medical Devices)

Topological aspects of geometrical signatures of phase transitions

Certain geometric properties of submanifolds of configuration space are numerically investigated for classical lattice phi^4 models in one and two dimensions. Peculiar behaviors of the computed geometric quantities are found only in the two-dimensional case, when a phase transition is present. The observed phenomenology strongly supports, though in an indirect way, a recently proposed topological conjecture about a topology change of the configuration space submanifolds as counterpart of a phase transition.Comment: REVTEX file, 4 pages, 5 figure

From Medical Devices to Everyday Products: Exploring cross-cultural perceptions of Assistive Technology

© 2019 The Author(s). Currently, the assistive technologies (ATs) market is underdeveloped, which limits individual choices. Many people appear reconciled to using available products that, at best, match functionalities to compensate for physical deficiencies. Yet people express a desire for personalized, elegant, discreet and bold artefacts that match their lifestyle and provide opportunities for self-expression. This study adopts a materiality-inspired methodology to explore ATs and to elicit insights into the perceptions and emotions of the study participants towards them. A comparative exploratory study between the UK and Taiwan has been conducted to explore diverse and cross-cultural perceptions. The findings suggest that the design of ATs needs to go beyond traditional considerations, such as price and compliance, and instead focus on how these products enhance users’ positive sense of self. This in return may increase the rate of successful adoption of ATs in everyday life

Patterns and localized structures in bistable semiconductor resonators

We report experiments on spatial switching dynamics and steady state structures of passive nonlinear semiconductor resonators of large Fresnel number. Extended patterns and switching front dynamics are observed and investigated. Evidence of localization of structures is given.Comment: 5 pages with 9 figure

Frequency selection by soliton excitation in nondegenerate intracavity downconversion

We show that soliton excitation in intracavity downconversion naturally selects a strictly defined frequency difference between the signal and idler fields. In particular, this phenomenon implies that if the signal has smaller losses than the idler then its frequency is pulled away from the cavity resonance and the idler frequency is pulled towards the resonance and {\em vice versa}. The frequency selection is shown to be closely linked with the relative energy balance between the idler and signal fields.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figures. To appear in Phys Rev Let

Current status of technology-use for plantation re-establishment in South Africa

Plantation re-establishment is a key component of silviculture as it deals with the creation of a suitable environment when planting or seeding a stand. Re-establishment practices include slash management, site preparation, marking and preparation of a planting position, planting, fertilisation and vegetation management. Over the past decade, there has been a shift towards mechanising re-establishment activities primarily due to labour challenges such as: aging rural workforce; increasing labour costs; high labour turnover; problematic health issues leading to lower productivity; inconsistent work quality by manual labour; and poor ergonomic practices. A survey was conducted to assess and gauge the level of mechanisation within these re-establishment practices in South Africa. Responses to an e-mail questionnaire were received from 43 contractors and 11 grower companies from within the different provinces where commercial forestry is practiced in South Africa. The survey, a first of its kind, was designed and administered following the techniques used in conducting the Forest Engineering technical survey. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyse the data. The results showed that the total area re-planted by respondent contractors and grower companies was ± 36 923 ha–1 per year. The predominant activities conducted prior to planting comprised: burning (78%); marking a planting position using the baseline method (71%); preparation of a planting position using a road pick (57%) and pre-plant chemical weeding with a knapsack (70%). Furthermore, 45% of planting and 77% of blanking operations were carried out manually with a trowel. Post planting activities such as fertilizing and weeding were carried out through manual spot application of fertiliser (61%) and herbicide application with a knapsack (43%). Overall, the results indicated that typical re-establishment activities are still dominated by manual methods. This study is a baseline for future, periodic surveys that can be conducted to analyse trends and identify areas for improvement in re-establishment activities in South Africa.The Nelson Mandela University and FP&M SETA.https://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tsfs202021-11-18hj2021Plant Production and Soil Scienc

Observing conversational laughter in frontotemporal dementia.

BackgroundWe performed an observational study of laughter during seminaturalistic conversations between patients with dementia and familial caregivers. Patients were diagnosed with (1) behavioural variant frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD), (2) right temporal variant frontotemporal dementia (rtFTD), (3) semantic variant of primary progressive aphasia (svPPA), (4) non-fluent variant primary progressive aphasia (nfvPPA) or (5) early onset Alzheimer's disease (eoAD). We hypothesised that those with bvFTD would laugh less in response to their own speech than other dementia groups or controls, while those with rtFTD would laugh less regardless of who was speaking.MethodsPatients with bvFTD (n=39), svPPA (n=19), rtFTD (n=14), nfvPPA (n=16), eoAD (n=17) and healthy controls (n=156) were recorded (video and audio) while discussing a problem in their relationship with a healthy control companion. Using the audio track only, laughs were identified by trained coders and then further classed by an automated algorithm as occurring during or shortly after the participant's own vocalisation ('self' context) or during or shortly after the partner's vocalisation ('partner' context).ResultsIndividuals with bvFTD, eoAD or rtFTD laughed less across both contexts of self and partner than the other groups. Those with bvFTD laughed less relative to their own speech comparedwith healthy controls. Those with nfvPPA laughed more in the partner context compared with healthy controls.ConclusionsLaughter in response to one's own vocalisations or those of a conversational partner may be a clinically useful measure in dementia diagnosis