Oceanic biogeochemical characteristic maps identified with holistic use of satellite, model and data

This is the final published version.Ocean province level plankton community exhibit heterogeneity across Arctic, Nordic, Atlantic Gyre and Southern Ocean provinces. GreenSeas research is an international FP7 consortium that includes Arctic, Atlantic and Southern Ocean based research teams who are analysing the planktonic ecosystem. We are looking at how the planktonic ecosystem responds to environmental and climate change. Using Earth Observation monitoring data we report new results on identifying generic plankton characteristics observable at a province level, and also touch on spatial and temporal trends that are evident using a holistic analysis framework. Using advanced statistical methods this framework compares and combines Earth Observation information together with an in-situ Oceanic plankton Analytical Database and up to 40 year ocean general circulation biogeochemical model (OGCBM) time series of the equivalent plankton and sea-state measures of this system. Specifically, we outline the use of the GreenSeas Analytical Database, which is a harmonised set of Oceanic in-situ plankton and sea-state measures covering different cruises and time periods. The Analytical Database information ranges from plankton community, primary production, nutrient cycling to physical sea state temperature and salinity measures. The combined analysis utilises current, 10 year+ Earth Observations of ocean colour and sea surface temperature metrics and interprets these together with biogeochemical model outputs from PELAGOS, ERSEM & NORWECOM model runs to help identify planktonic based biomes. Generic planktonic characteristic maps that are equivalently observable in both the Earth Observations and numerical models are reported on. Both ocean surface and sub-surface signals are analysed together with relevant Analytical Database biome extracts. We present the current results of this inter-comparison & discuss challenges of identifying the province level plankton dominance with the satellite, model and data. In particular we discuss the strategic importance of systematically analysing the knowledge present in the existing key long term Oceanic observation platforms through such holistic analysis frameworks. These maps help to enhance and improve current biogeochemical models, our understanding of the plankton community structure and predictions used for future assessment of climate change

The prognosis of allocentric and egocentric neglect : evidence from clinical scans

We contrasted the neuroanatomical substrates of sub-acute and chronic visuospatial deficits associated with different aspects of unilateral neglect using computed tomography scans acquired as part of routine clinical diagnosis. Voxel-wise statistical analyses were conducted on a group of 160 stroke patients scanned at a sub-acute stage. Lesion-deficit relationships were assessed across the whole brain, separately for grey and white matter. We assessed lesions that were associated with behavioural performance (i) at a sub-acute stage (within 3 months of the stroke) and (ii) at a chronic stage (after 9 months post stroke). Allocentric and egocentric neglect symptoms at the sub-acute stage were associated with lesions to dissociated regions within the frontal lobe, amongst other regions. However the frontal lesions were not associated with neglect at the chronic stage. On the other hand, lesions in the angular gyrus were associated with persistent allocentric neglect. In contrast, lesions within the superior temporal gyrus extending into the supramarginal gyrus, as well as lesions within the basal ganglia and insula, were associated with persistent egocentric neglect. Damage within the temporo-parietal junction was associated with both types of neglect at the sub-acute stage and 9 months later. Furthermore, white matter disconnections resulting from damage along the superior longitudinal fasciculus were associated with both types of neglect and critically related to both sub-acute and chronic deficits. Finally, there was a significant difference in the lesion volume between patients who recovered from neglect and patients with chronic deficits. The findings presented provide evidence that (i) the lesion location and lesion size can be used to successfully predict the outcome of neglect based on clinical CT scans, (ii) lesion location alone can serve as a critical predictor for persistent neglect symptoms, (iii) wide spread lesions are associated with neglect symptoms at the sub-acute stage but only some of these are critical for predicting whether neglect will become a chronic disorder and (iv) the severity of behavioural symptoms can be a useful predictor of recovery in the absence of neuroimaging findings on clinical scans. We discuss the implications for understanding the symptoms of the neglect syndrome, the recovery of function and the use of clinical scans to predict outcome

Motor-Cortical Interaction in Gilles de la Tourette Syndrome

BACKGROUND: In Gilles de la Tourette syndrome (GTS) increased activation of the primary motor cortex (M1) before and during movement execution followed by increased inhibition after movement termination was reported. The present study aimed at investigating, whether this activation pattern is due to altered functional interaction between motor cortical areas. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: 10 GTS-patients and 10 control subjects performed a self-paced finger movement task while neuromagnetic brain activity was recorded using Magnetoencephalography (MEG). Cerebro-cerebral coherence as a measure of functional interaction was calculated. During movement preparation and execution coherence between contralateral M1 and supplementary motor area (SMA) was significantly increased at beta-frequency in GTS-patients. After movement termination no significant differences between groups were evident. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: The present data suggest that increased M1 activation in GTS-patients might be due to increased functional interaction between SMA and M1 most likely reflecting a pathophysiological marker of GTS. The data extend previous findings of motor-cortical alterations in GTS by showing that local activation changes are associated with alterations of functional networks between premotor and primary motor areas. Interestingly enough, alterations were evident during preparation and execution of voluntary movements, which implies a general theme of increased motor-cortical interaction in GTS

Developing Literacy Learning Model Based on Multi Literacy, Integrated, and Differentiated Concept at Primary School

The main issue addressed in this research is the low writing skills of primary school students. One of the reasons for this condition is that the existing model of writing literacy learning is not appropriate. The purpose of this study is to explain MID-based literacy teaching model and the impact of the model in increasing primary school students\u27 writing skills. This study used combined methods of exploratory type. The samples were elementary school students coming from six schools with three different characteristics. Based on the data analysis, it can be concluded that the implementation of MID-based literacy learning model has proven to signi cantly contribute to the improvement of students\u27 writing skills. Taking place in all sample schools, the improvement may suggest that the model ts not only to students with high- ability but also those with low-ability. Therefore, the MID-based literacy learning model is needed to improve the ability to write various text types appropriately

Anatomical Alterations of the Visual Motion Processing Network in Migraine with and without Aura

BACKGROUND: Patients suffering from migraine with aura (MWA) and migraine without aura (MWoA) show abnormalities in visual motion perception during and between attacks. Whether this represents the consequences of structural changes in motion-processing networks in migraineurs is unknown. Moreover, the diagnosis of migraine relies on patient's history, and finding differences in the brain of migraineurs might help to contribute to basic research aimed at better understanding the pathophysiology of migraine. METHODS AND FINDINGS: To investigate a common potential anatomical basis for these disturbances, we used high-resolution cortical thickness measurement and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to examine the motion-processing network in 24 migraine patients (12 with MWA and 12 MWoA) and 15 age-matched healthy controls (HCs). We found increased cortical thickness of motion-processing visual areas MT+ and V3A in migraineurs compared to HCs. Cortical thickness increases were accompanied by abnormalities of the subjacent white matter. In addition, DTI revealed that migraineurs have alterations in superior colliculus and the lateral geniculate nucleus, which are also involved in visual processing. CONCLUSIONS: A structural abnormality in the network of motion-processing areas could account for, or be the result of, the cortical hyperexcitability observed in migraineurs. The finding in patients with both MWA and MWoA of thickness abnormalities in area V3A, previously described as a source in spreading changes involved in visual aura, raises the question as to whether a “silent” cortical spreading depression develops as well in MWoA. In addition, these experimental data may provide clinicians and researchers with a noninvasively acquirable migraine biomarker

Penumbral Rescue by normobaric O = O administration in patients with ischemic stroke and target mismatch proFile (PROOF): Study protocol of a phase IIb trial.

Oxygen is essential for cellular energy metabolism. Neurons are particularly vulnerable to hypoxia. Increasing oxygen supply shortly after stroke onset could preserve the ischemic penumbra until revascularization occurs. PROOF investigates the use of normobaric oxygen (NBO) therapy within 6 h of symptom onset/notice for brain-protective bridging until endovascular revascularization of acute intracranial anterior-circulation occlusion. Randomized (1:1), standard treatment-controlled, open-label, blinded endpoint, multicenter adaptive phase IIb trial. Primary outcome is ischemic core growth (mL) from baseline to 24 h (intention-to-treat analysis). Secondary efficacy outcomes include change in NIHSS from baseline to 24 h, mRS at 90 days, cognitive and emotional function, and quality of life. Safety outcomes include mortality, intracranial hemorrhage, and respiratory failure. Exploratory analyses of imaging and blood biomarkers will be conducted. Using an adaptive design with interim analysis at 80 patients per arm, up to 456 participants (228 per arm) would be needed for 80% power (one-sided alpha 0.05) to detect a mean reduction of ischemic core growth by 6.68 mL, assuming 21.4 mL standard deviation. By enrolling endovascular thrombectomy candidates in an early time window, the trial replicates insights from preclinical studies in which NBO showed beneficial effects, namely early initiation of near 100% inspired oxygen during short temporary ischemia. Primary outcome assessment at 24 h on follow-up imaging reduces variability due to withdrawal of care and early clinical confounders such as delayed extubation and aspiration pneumonia. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03500939; EudraCT: 2017-001355-31