Motor Task Processing After Constraint- Induced Movement Therapy in Children With Cerebral Palsy: A Case Series

Constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) has shown positive results in children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy (CP). However, studies on neural basis of such functional gains are limited. This study reports the event-related potential (ERP) changes in two children with hemiplegic CP after receiving CIMT for three weeks. Both cases were nine years old, had a diagnosis of left hemiplegic CP, had normal intelligence, and were able to extend the wrist at least 20° and the metacarpophalangeal joint at least 10° from full flexion. Before and after the three-week intervention, the children participated in ERP sessions with a choice reaction task to capture the changes in neural mechanism after intervention. Both children exhibited improvement in reaction time (RT) in both hand tasks after the intervention. The improvement was larger in the affected hand than the unaffected hand. Improved accuracy rate (AC) and shortened P300 latencies in the affected hand were also demonstrated in both cases. Topographical maps showed that in centro-parietal regions, patterns shifted from central and left-lateralized to more central and right-lateralized. CMIT was a useful method in improving upper limb function in our cases

Neutron powder diffraction:New opportunities in hydrogen location in molecular and materials structure

The potential of neutron powder diffraction in the location of hydrogen atoms in molecular materials and inorganic-molecular complexes is reviewed. Advances in instrumentation and data collection techniques that have made this field accessible are reviewed, along with a wide range of applications carried out by our collaboration investigating functional materials, hydrogen-containing minerals and molecular compounds. Some of the limitations in this area, particularly for molecular systems, are also addressed

Novel modeling and optimization for joint Cybersecurity-vs-QoS Intrusion Detection Mechanisms in 5G networks

The rapid emergence of 5G technology brings new cybersecurity challenges that hold significant implications for our economy, society, and environment. Among these challenges, ensuring the effectiveness of Intrusion Detection Mechanisms (IDMs) in monitoring networks and detecting 5G-related cyberattacks is of utmost importance. However, optimizing cybersecurity levels and selecting appropriate IDMs remain as critical and ongoing challenges. This work considers multiple pre-deployed distributed Security Agents (SAs) across the network, each capable of running various IDMs, where they differ by their effectiveness in detecting the attacks (referred to as security term) and the consumption of resources (referred to as Quality of Service (QoS) costs). We formulate a joint security and QoS utility function leveraging the Cobb–Douglas production utility function. There are several parameters that impact the joint objective problem, including the set of elasticity parameters, that reflect the importance of the two objectives. We derive an optimal set of elasticity parameters in closed form to identify the balancing point where both objectives have equal utility values. Through comprehensive simulations, we demonstrate that increasing the detection level of SAs enhances the security utility while simultaneously diminishing the QoS utility, as more computational, bandwidth, and monetary resources are utilized for IDM processing. After optimization, our mechanism can strike an effective balance between cybersecurity and QoS overhead while demonstrating the importance of different parameters in the joint problem

Effective Field Theory for Layered Quantum Antiferromagnets with Non-Magnetic Impurities

We propose an effective two-dimensional quantum non-linear sigma model combined with classical percolation theory to study the magnetic properties of site diluted layered quantum antiferromagnets like La$_{2}$Cu$_{1-x}$M$_x$O$_{4}$ (M$=$Zn, Mg). We calculate the staggered magnetization at zero temperature, $M_s(x)$, the magnetic correlation length, $\xi(x,T)$, the NMR relaxation rate, $1/T_1(x,T)$, and the N\'eel temperature, $T_N(x)$, in the renormalized classical regime. Due to quantum fluctuations we find a quantum critical point (QCP) at $x_c \approx 0.305$ at lower doping than the two-dimensional percolation threshold $x_p \approx 0.41$. We compare our results with the available experimental data.Comment: Final version accepted for publication as a Rapid Communication on Physical Review B. A new discussion on the effect of disorder in layered quantum antiferromagnets is include

Vasorelaxant effect of a phenylethylamine analogue based on schwarzinicine A an alkaloid isolated from the leaves of Ficus schwarzii

N-Phenethyl-1-phenyl-pentan-3-amine (1) is a new compound synthesised as a simplified analogue of schwarzinicine A (2), a natural compound extracted from Ficus schwarzii. Compound 1 differs from compound 2 due to its structural simplification, featuring two phenyl rings without methoxy substitution, as opposed to compound 2, which possesses three 3,4-dimethoxy aromatic rings. Our previous research findings highlighted the calcium-inhibitory effects of compound 2, but the mechanism of action for compound 1 remains unexplored, serving as the primary focus of this study. Building upon our earlier research, this study aimed to elucidate compound 1's calcium-modulating potential by using rat-isolated aortae in an organ bath set-up and HEK cells expressing hTRPC channels with the fluorometric assay to measure calcium influx. Compound 1 elicited a vasorelaxation response (Emax 111.4%) similar to its parent compound 2 (Emax 123.1%), and inhibited hTRPC3-, hTRPC4-, hTRPC5-, and hTRPC6-mediated calcium influx into HEK cells with IC50 values of 6, 2, 2, 5 µM, respectively. Compound 1 has a similar pharmacological profile as its parent compound 2, whereby it exerts a vasorelaxant effect by attenuating calcium influx and inhibits multiple TRPC channels

A transcribed enhancer dictates mesendoderm specification in pluripotency.

Enhancers and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are key determinants of lineage specification during development. Here, we evaluate remodeling of the enhancer landscape and modulation of the lncRNA transcriptome during mesendoderm specification. We sort mesendodermal progenitors from differentiating embryonic stem cells (ESCs) according to Eomes expression, and find that enhancer usage is coordinated with mesendoderm-specific expression of key lineage-determining transcription factors. Many of these enhancers are associated with the expression of lncRNAs. Examination of ESC-specific enhancers interacting in three-dimensional space with mesendoderm-specifying transcription factor loci identifies MesEndoderm Transcriptional Enhancer Organizing Region (Meteor). Genetic and epigenetic manipulation of the Meteor enhancer reveal its indispensable role during mesendoderm specification and subsequent cardiogenic differentiation via transcription-independent and -dependent mechanisms. Interestingly, Meteor-deleted ESCs are epigenetically redirected towards neuroectodermal lineages. Loci, topologically associating a transcribed enhancer and its cognate protein coding gene, appear to represent therefore a class of genomic elements controlling developmental competence in pluripotency

The application of thin-plate spark chambers to high-energy [pi]-p experiments

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/32259/1/0000321.pd

Protons in near earth orbit

The proton spectrum in the kinetic energy range 0.1 to 200 GeV was measured by the Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) during space shuttle flight STS-91 at an altitude of 380 km. Above the geomagnetic cutoff the observed spectrum is parameterized by a power law. Below the geomagnetic cutoff a substantial second spectrum was observed concentrated at equatorial latitudes with a flux ~ 70 m^-2 sec^-1 sr^-1. Most of these second spectrum protons follow a complicated trajectory and originate from a restricted geographic region.Comment: 19 pages, Latex, 7 .eps figure

Search for antihelium in cosmic rays

The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS) was flown on the space shuttle Discovery during flight STS-91 in a 51.7 degree orbit at altitudes between 320 and 390 km. A total of 2.86 * 10^6 helium nuclei were observed in the rigidity range 1 to 140 GV. No antihelium nuclei were detected at any rigidity. An upper limit on the flux ratio of antihelium to helium of < 1.1 * 10^-6 is obtained.Comment: 18 pages, Latex, 9 .eps figure

A Study of Cosmic Ray Secondaries Induced by the Mir Space Station Using AMS-01

The Alpha Magnetic Spectrometer (AMS-02) is a high energy particle physics experiment that will study cosmic rays in the $\sim 100 \mathrm{MeV}$ to $1 \mathrm{TeV}$ range and will be installed on the International Space Station (ISS) for at least 3 years. A first version of AMS-02, AMS-01, flew aboard the space shuttle \emph{Discovery} from June 2 to June 12, 1998, and collected $10^8$ cosmic ray triggers. Part of the \emph{Mir} space station was within the AMS-01 field of view during the four day \emph{Mir} docking phase of this flight. We have reconstructed an image of this part of the \emph{Mir} space station using secondary $\pi^-$ and $\mu^-$ emissions from primary cosmic rays interacting with \emph{Mir}. This is the first time this reconstruction was performed in AMS-01, and it is important for understanding potential backgrounds during the 3 year AMS-02 mission.Comment: To be submitted to NIM B Added material requested by referee. Minor stylistic and grammer change