Mirror neuron brain regions contribute to identifying actions, but not intentions

Previous studies have struggled to determine the relationship between mirror neuron brain regions and two distinct “action understanding” processes: identifying actions and identifying the intentions underlying those actions. This may be because the identification of intentions from others' actions requires an initial action identification process. Disruptive transcranial magnetic stimulation was administered to left inferior frontal gyrus (lIFG) during a novel cognitive task to determine which of these “action understanding” processes is subserved by mirror neuron brain regions. Participants identified either the actions performed by observed hand actions or the intentions underlying those actions. The extent to which intention identification was disrupted by lIFG (vs. control site) stimulation was dependent on the level of disruption to action identification. We subsequently performed functional magnetic resonance imaging during the same task. During action identification, responses were widespread within mirror neuron areas including lIFG and inferior parietal lobule. However, no independent responses were found in mirror neuron brain regions during intention identification. Instead, responses occurred in brain regions associated with two distinct mentalizing localizer tasks. This supports an account in which mirror neuron brain regions are involved in an initial action identification process, but the subsequent identification of intentions requires additional processing in mentalizing brain regions

Do pain-related beliefs influence adherence to multidisciplinary rehabilitation? A systematic review

OBJECTIVES: To understand how pain-related cognitions predict and influence treatment retention and adherence during and after a multidisciplinary rehabilitation program. METHODS: Electronic databases including Medline, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Academic Search Complete, and Scopus were used to search three combinations of keywords: chronic pain, beliefs, and treatment adherence. RESULTS: The search strategy yielded 591 results, with an additional 12 studies identified through reference screening. 81 full-text papers were assessed for eligibility and 10 papers met the inclusion and exclusion criteria for this review. The pain-related beliefs that have been measured in relation to treatment adherence include: pain-specific self-efficacy, perceived disability, catastrophizing, control beliefs, fear-avoidance beliefs, perceived benefits and barriers, as well as other less commonly measured beliefs. The most common pain-related belief investigated in relation to treatment adherence was pain-related self-efficacy. Findings for the pain-related beliefs investigated among the studies were mixed. Collectively, all of the aforementioned pain-related beliefs, excluding control beliefs, were found to influence treatment adherence behaviours. DISCUSSION: The findings suggest that treatment adherence is determined by a combination of pain-related beliefs either supporting or inhibiting chronic pain patients\u27 ability to adhere to treatment recommendations over time. In the studies reviewed, self-efficacy appears to be the most commonly researched predictor of treatment adherence, its effects also influencing other pain-related beliefs. More refined and standardised methodologies, consistent descriptions of pain-related beliefs and methods of measurement will improve our understanding of adherence behaviours

Diagnostic odyssey of patients with mitochondrial disease: Results of a survey

Objective To document the complex “diagnostic odyssey” of patients with mitochondrial disease. Methods We analyzed data from 210 Rare Diseases Clinical Research Network Contact Registry participants who were patients with a biochemical deficiency or self-reported diagnosis of mitochondrial disease, or their caregivers. Results Participants saw an average of 8.19 clinicians (SD 8.0, median 5). The first clinician consulted about symptoms was typically a primary care physician (56.7%), although 35.2% of participants initially sought a specialist. Of note, 55.2% of participants received their diagnosis from a neurologist, 18.2% from a clinical geneticist, and 11.8% from a metabolic disease specialist. A majority of the participants (54.6%) received 1 or more nonmitochondrial diagnoses before their final mitochondrial diagnosis. In their pursuit of a diagnosis, 84.8% of participants received blood tests, 71% a muscle biopsy, 60.5% MRI, and 38.6% urine organic acids. In addition, 39.5% of the participants underwent mitochondrial DNA sequencing, 19% sequencing of nuclear gene(s), and 11.4% whole-exome sequencing. Conclusions The diagnostic odyssey of patients with mitochondrial disease is complex and burdensome. It features multiple consultations and tests, and, often, conflicting diagnoses. These reflect disease variety, diagnostic uncertainty, and clinician unfamiliarity. The current survey provides an important benchmark. Its replication at appropriate intervals will assist in tracking changes that may accompany increased popularity of exome testing, more rigorous diagnostic criteria, increased patient reported outcome activity, and trials for promising therapies

How parents perceive screen viewing in their 5-6 year old child within the context of their own screen viewing time:a mixed-methods study

Abstract Background Few studies have examined parental perceptions of their child’s screen-viewing (SV) within the context of parental SV time. This study qualitatively examined parents’ perceptions of their 5–6-year-old child’s SV within the context of their own quantitatively measured SV. Methods A mixed-methods design employed semi-structured telephone interviews, demographic and SV questionnaires, objectively-measured physical activity and sedentary time. Deductive content analysis was used to explore parents’ perceptions of, and concerns about, their child’s SV, and management of their child’s SV. Comparisons were made between parent-child dyads reporting low (<2-h per day) versus high SV time. Results Fifty-three parents were interviewed (94.3% mothers), with 52 interviews analysed. Fifteen parent-child dyads (28.8%) exceeded the 2-h SV threshold on both weekdays and weekend days; 5 parent-child dyads (9.6%) did not exceed this threshold. The remaining 32 dyads reported a combination of parent or child exceeding/not exceeding the SV threshold on either weekdays or weekend days. Three main themes distinguished the 15 parent-child dyads exceeding the SV threshold from the 5 dyads that did not: 1) parents’ personal SV-related views and behaviours; 2) the family SV environment; and 3) setting SV rules and limits. Parents in the dyads not exceeding the SV threshold prioritized and engaged with their children in non-SV behaviours for relaxation, set limits around their own and their child’s SV-related behaviours, and described an environment supportive of physical activity. Parents in the dyads exceeding the SV threshold were more likely to prioritise SV as a shared family activity, and described a less structured SV environment with minimal rule setting, influenced their child’s need for relaxation time. Conclusions The majority of parents in this study who exceeded the SV threshold expressed minimal concern and a relaxed approach to managing SV for themselves and their child(ren), suggesting a need to raise awareness amongst these parents about the time they spend engaging in SV. Parents may understand their SV-related parenting practices more clearly if they are encouraged to examine their own SV behaviours. Designing interventions aimed to create environments that are less supportive of SV, with more structured approaches to SV parenting strategies are warranted

Managing the screen-viewing behaviours of 5-6 year old children:a qualitative analysis of parental strategies

OBJECTIVES: The present study used qualitative methods to: (1) examine the strategies that were used by parents of children aged 5–6 years to manage screen viewing; (2) identify key factors that affect the implementation of the strategies and (3) develop suggestions for future intervention content. DESIGN: Telephone interviews were conducted with parents of children aged 5–6 years participating in a larger study. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using an inductive and deductive content analysis. Coding and theme generation was iterative and refined throughout. SETTING: Parents were recruited through 57 primary schools located in the greater Bristol area (UK). PARTICIPANTS: 53 parents of children aged 5–6 years. RESULTS: Parents reported that for many children, screen viewing was a highly desirable behaviour that was difficult to manage, and that parents used the provision of screen viewing as a tool for reward and/or punishment. Parents managed screen viewing by setting limits in relation to daily events such as meals, before and after school, and bedtime. Screen-viewing rules were often altered depending on parental preferences and tasks. Inconsistent messaging within and between parents represented a source of conflict at times. Potential strategies to facilitate reducing screen viewing were identified, including setting screen-viewing limits in relation to specific events, collaborative rule setting, monitoring that involves mothers, fathers and the child, developing a family-specific set of alternative activities to screen viewing and developing a child's ability to self-monitor their own screen viewing. CONCLUSIONS: Managing screen viewing is a challenge for many parents and can often cause tension in the home. The data presented in this paper provide key suggestions of new approaches that could be incorporated into behaviour change programmes to reduce child screen viewing

Use of short-tandem repeat (STR) fingerprinting to validate sample origins in hepatitis C virus molecular epidemiology studies

Sequence analysis is used to define the molecular epidemiology and evolution of the hepatitis C virus. Whilst most studies have shown that individual patients harbour viruses that are derived from a limited number of highly related strains, some recent reports have shown that some patients can be co-infected with very distinct variants whose frequency can fluctuate greatly. Whilst co-infection with highly divergent strains is possible, an alternative explanation is that such data represent contamination or sample mix-up. In this study, we have shown that DNA fingerprinting techniques can accurately assess sample provenance and differentiate between samples that are truly exhibiting mixed infection from those that harbour distinct virus populations due to sample mix-up. We have argued that this approach should be adopted routinely in virus sequence analyses to validate sample provenance

Maternal Postsecondary Education Associated With Improved Cerebellar Growth After Preterm Birth.

The preterm cerebellum is vulnerable to impaired development impacting long-term outcome. Preterm newborns (\u3c32 \u3eweeks) underwent serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. The association between parental education and cerebellar volume at each time point was assessed, adjusting for age at scan. In 26 infants, cerebellar volumes at term (P = .001), but not birth (P = .4), were associated with 2-year volumes. For 1 cm(3) smaller cerebellar volume (4% total volume) at term, the cerebellum was 3.18 cm(3) smaller (3% total volume) by 2 years. Maternal postsecondary education was not associated with cerebellar volume at term (P = .16). Maternal postsecondary education was a significant confounder in the relationship between term and 2-year cerebellar volumes (P = .016), with higher education associated with improved volumes by 2 years. Although preterm birth has been found to be associated with smaller cerebellar volumes at term, maternal postsecondary education is associated with improved growth detectable by 2 years

Hospital usage of TOXBASE in Great Britain:Temporal trends in accesses 2008 to 2015

Aim: Examining temporal trends in accesses to the UK's National Poison Information Service's TOXBASE database in Britain. Methods: Generalised additive models were used to examine trends in daily numbers of accesses to TOXBASE from British emergency departments between January 2008 and December 2015. Day-of-the-week, seasonality and long term trends were analysed at national and regional levels (Wales, Scotland and the 9 English Government Office Regions). Results: The long-term trend in daily accesses increases from 2.8 (95% CI:2.6, 3.0) per user on 1st January 2008 to 4.6 (95% CI:4.3, 4.9) on 31st December 2015, with small but significant differences in population-corrected accesses by region (p<0.001). There are statistically significant seasonal and day of the week patterns (p<0.001) across all regions. Accesses are 18 % (95% CI:14%, 22%) higher in summer than in January and at the weekend compared to weekdays in all regions; there is a 7.5% (95% CI:6.1%, 8.9%) increase between Friday and Sunday. Conclusions: There are consistent in-year patterns in access to TOXBASE indicating potential seasonal patterns in poisonings in Britain, with location-dependant rates of usage. This novel descriptive work lays the basis for future work on the interaction of TOXBASE use with emergency admission of patients into hospital

Associations within school-based same-sex friendship networks of children's physical activity and sedentary behaviours:A cross-sectional social network analysis

Abstract Background Physical activity in children is associated with better physical and mental health but many children do not meet physical activity guidelines. Friendship groups are potentially an important influence on children’s physical activity and sedentary time. This paper examines the association between children of physical activity and sedentary time in school-based same-sex friendship networks, for both moderate-to-vigorous intensity physical activity (MVPA) and sedentary time. Moreover, considering the methodological challenges of conducting and interpreting these analyses, we provide examples of how to analyse these data and interpret results to encourage further work in the area. Methods Accelerometer data for 1223 children, aged 8-9 years, were collected in 2015-2016 and analysed in 2017. Mean accelerometer minutes of MVPA and sedentary time were calculated. Children named up to four school friends and same-sex school-based friendship networks were constructed. Network models, which include correlation between friends, were fitted by sex. Results Both MVPA and sedentary time were found to be associated via the friendship networks, for both boys and girls. The network autocorrelation was 0.21 (95% CI: 0.15 to 0.26) for boys’ MVPA, and 0.14 (95% CI: 0.07 to 0.21) for sedentary time. Network autocorrelation between girls was weaker, with 0.13 (95% CI: 0.06 to 0.19) for MVPA and 0.11 (95% CI: 0.05 to 0.17) for sedentary time. Conclusions Physical activity and sedentary time of boys and girls are associated with the physical activity and sedentary time respectively of others within same-sex friendship networks, and these associations are comparable to other known factors. In this study, the correlation between friends was stronger for boys than girls, and stronger for MVPA than for sedentary time. These findings suggest that friendship networks play a part in understanding children’s physical activity and sedentary time and could play a valuable role in developing effective interventions