Altered intrinsic functional connectivity in language-related brain regions in association with verbal memory performance in euthymic bipolar patients

Potential abnormalities in the structure and function of the temporal lobes have been studied much less in bipolar disorder than in schizophrenia. This may not be justified because language-related symptoms, such as pressured speech and flight of ideas, and cognitive deficits in the domain of verbal memory are amongst the hallmark of bipolar disorder (BD), and contribution of temporal lobe dysfunction is therefore likely. In the current study, we examined resting-state functional connectivity (FC) between the auditory cortex (Heschl’s gyrus [HG], planum temporale [PT]) and whole brain using seed correlation analysis in n = 21 BD euthymic patients and n = 20 matched healthy controls and associated it with verbal memory performance. In comparison to controls BD patients showed decreased functional connectivity between Heschl’s gyrus and planum temporale and the left superior and middle temporal gyrus. Additionally, fronto-temporal functional connectivity with the right inferior frontal/precentral gyrus and the insula was increased in patients. Verbal episodic memory deficits in the investigated sample of BD patients and language-related symptoms might therefore be associated with a diminished FC within the auditory/temporal gyrus and a compensatory fronto-temporal pathway

Assessment of Airframe Noise Reduction Technologies Based on EPNL from Flight Tests

The acoustic performance of various airframe noise reduction technologies Adaptive Compliant Trailing Edge flap, main landing gear fairings, and gear cavity treatments was determined, individually and in combination, using the Effective Perceived Noise Level metric. These noise measurements and calculations closely follow the Federal Aviation Administration aircraft noise certification standards, specifically for the approach noise measurement point. The flyover data correspond to pole-mounted, single-microphone measurements obtained during a series of flight tests, conducted under the NASA Flight Demonstrations and Capabilities project, that evaluated flap and landing gear noise reduction technologies. To minimize contributions from the propulsion system, the aircraft was flown along the approach path with engine thrust set at ground idle. Although contamination from engine, background, and secondary airframe noise sources partially masked the true performance of the tested technologies, the resulting acoustic data clearly showed substantial noise reductions relative to baseline levels. The acoustic benefits measured by the single microphones are consistent with previously reported trends in acoustic levels obtained from phased microphone array data

Inequalities in the impact of having a chronic disease on entering permanent paid employment:A registry-based 10-year follow-up study

Background This study aimed to investigate among unemployed persons (1) the impact of having a chronic disease on entering paid employment and obtaining a permanent contract and (2) whether these associations differed by educational attainment. Methods Register data from Statistics Netherlands on employment status, contract type, medication and sociodemographic characteristics were linked. Dutch unemployed persons between 18 and 64 years (n=667 002) were followed up for 10 years (2011-2020). Restricted mean survival time analyses (RMSTs) were used to investigate differences in average months until entering paid employment and until obtaining a permanent contract between persons with and without cardiovascular diseases, inflammatory conditions, diabetes, respiratory illness, common mental disorders and psychotic disorders. Interaction terms were included for education. Results One-third of the unemployed persons at baseline entered paid employment during follow-up. Persons with chronic diseases spent more months in non-employment compared with persons without chronic diseases (difference ranging from 2.50 months (95% CI 1.97 to 3.03 months) to 10.37 months (95% CI 9.98 to 10.77 months)), especially for persons with higher education. Conditional on entering paid employment, the time until a permanent contract was longer for persons with cardiovascular diseases (4.42 months, 95% CI 1.85 to 6.99 months), inflammatory conditions (4.80 months, 95% CI 2.02 to 7.59 months) and diabetes (8.32 months, 95% CI 4.26 to 12.37 months) than for persons without these diseases. These latter differences were similar across educational attainment. Conclusions Having a chronic disease is a barrier to entering permanent paid employment. The findings underline the need to prevent chronic diseases and promote an inclusive workforce.</p

Reduced intrinsic visual cortical connectivity is associated with impaired perceptual closure in schizophrenia

Sensory perceptual processing deficits, such as impaired visual object identification and perceptual closure, have been reported in schizophrenia. These perceptual impairments may be associated with neural deficits in visual association areas, including lateral occipital cortex and inferior temporal areas. However, it remains unknown if such deficits can be found in the intrinsic architecture of the visual system. In the current study, we measured perceptual closure performance and resting-state functional connectivity using functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI) in 16 schizophrenia patients and 16 matched healthy controls. We estimated intrinsic functional connectivity using self-organized grouping spatial ICA, which clusters component maps in the subject space according to spatial similarity. Patients performed worse than controls in the perceptual closure task. This impaired closure performance of patients was correlated with increased severity of psychotic symptoms. We also found that intrinsic connectivity of the visual processing system was diminished in patients compared to controls. Lower perceptual closure performance was correlated to lower visual cortical intrinsic connectivity overall. We suggest that schizophrenia is associated with impaired intrinsic connectivity of the visual system, and that it is a potential mechanism leading to impaired visual object perception. These findings contribute to increasing evidence for impairments of higher visual functions in schizophrenia

Preliminary Analysis of Acoustic Measurements from the NASA-Gulfstream Airframe Noise Flight Test

The NASA-Gulfstream joint Airframe Noise Flight Test program was conducted at the NASA Wallops Flight Facility during October, 2006. The primary objective of the AFN flight test was to acquire baseline airframe noise data on a regional jet class of transport in order to determine noise source strengths and distributions for model validation. To accomplish this task, two measuring systems were used: a ground-based microphone array and individual microphones. Acoustic data for a Gulfstream G550 aircraft were acquired over the course of ten days. Over twenty-four test conditions were flown. The test matrix was designed to provide an acoustic characterization of both the full aircraft and individual airframe components and included cruise to landing configurations. Noise sources were isolated by selectively deploying individual components (flaps, main landing gear, nose gear, spoilers, etc.) and altering the airspeed, glide path, and engine settings. The AFN flight test program confirmed that the airframe is a major contributor to the noise from regional jets during landing operations. Sound pressure levels from the individual microphones on the ground revealed the flap system to be the dominant airframe noise source for the G550 aircraft. The corresponding array beamform maps showed that most of the radiated sound from the flaps originates from the side edges. Using velocity to the sixth power and Strouhal scaling of the sound pressure spectra obtained at different speeds failed to collapse the data into a single spectrum. The best data collapse was obtained when the frequencies were left unscaled

Improved induction of anti-melanoma T cells by adenovirus-5/3 fiber modification to target human DCs

To mount a strong anti-tumor immune response, non T cell inflamed (cold) tumors may require combination treatment encompassing vaccine strategies preceding checkpoint inhibition. In vivo targeted delivery of tumor-associated antigens (TAA) to dendritic cells (DCs), relying on the natural functions of primary DCs in situ, represents an attractive vaccination strategy. In this study we made use of a full-length MART-1 expressing C/B-chimeric adenoviral vector, consisting of the Ad5 capsid and the Ad3 knob (Ad5/3), which we previously showed to selectively transduce DCs in human skin and lymph nodes. Our data demonstrate that chimeric Ad5/3 vectors encoding TAA, and able to target human DCs in situ, can be used to efficiently induce expansion of functional tumor-specific CD8⁺ effector T cells, either from a naïve T cell pool or from previously primed T cells residing in the melanoma-draining sentinel lymph nodes (SLN). These data support the use of Ad3-knob containing viruses as vaccine vehicles for in vivo delivery. "Off-the-shelf" DC-targeted Ad vaccines encoding TAA could clearly benefit future immunotherapeutic approaches

Are workplace health promotion programmes effective for all socioeconomic groups?

Decreasing socioeconomic health inequalities is considered an important policy priority in many countries. Workplace health promotion programmes (WHPPs) have shown modest improvements in health behaviour. This systematic review aims to determine the presence and magnitude of socioeconomic differences in effectiveness and the influence of programme characteristics on differential effectiveness of WHPPs. Three electronic databases were searched for systematic reviews published from 2013 onwards and for original studies published from 2015 onwards. We synthesised the reported socioeconomic differences in effectiveness of WHPPs on health behaviours, and calculated effectiveness ratios by dividing the programme effects in the lowest socioeconomic group by the programme effects in the highest socioeconomic group. Thirteen studies with 75 comparisons provided information on the effectiveness of WHPPs across socioeconomic groups. Ten studies with 54 comparisons reported equal effectiveness and one study with 3 comparisons reported higher effectiveness for lower socioeconomic groups. Quantitative information on programme effects was available for six studies with 18 comparisons, of which 13 comparisons showed equal effectiveness and 5 comparisons showed significantly higher effect sizes among workers in low socioeconomic position. The differential effectiveness of WHPPs did not vary across programme characteristics. In this study no indications are found that WHPPs increase socioeconomic inequalities in health behaviour. The limited quantitative information available suggests that WHPPs may contribute to reducing socioeconomic inequalities. Better insight is needed on socioeconomic differences in effectiveness of WHPPs to develop strategies to decrease socioeconomic inequalities in health in the workforce

Associations of within-individual changes in working conditions, health behaviour and BMI with work ability and self-rated health:a fixed effects analysis among Dutch workers

OBJECTIVES: This study assessed the associations of (1) within-individual improvements and (2) within-individual deteriorations in working conditions, health behaviour and body mass index (BMI) with changes in work ability and self-rated health among workers. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: The Netherlands. PARTICIPANTS: Persons in paid employment, aged 45-64 years, who participated in the Dutch Study on Transitions in Employment, Ability and Motivation (STREAM) between 2010 and 2017, and improved or deteriorated at least once with respect to working conditions (psychological and emotional job demands, autonomy, social support, physical workload), health behaviour (moderate and vigorous physical activity, smoking status), or BMI between any of two consecutive measurements during the 7-year follow-up. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Changes in self-reported work ability on a scale from 0 to 10 (1st item of the work ability index) and self-rated health on a scale from 1 to 5 (SF-12). RESULTS: Of the 21 856 STREAM participants, ultimately 14 159 workers were included in the fixed effects analyses on improvements (N=14 045) and deteriorations (N=14 066). Workers with deteriorated working conditions decreased in work ability (β's: -0.21 (95% CI: -0.25 to -0.18) to -0.28 (95% CI: -0.33 to -0.24)) and health (β's: -0.07 (95% CI: -0.09 to -0.06) to -0.10 (95% CI: -0.12 to -0.08)), whereas improvements were to a lesser extent associated with increased work ability (β's: 0.06 (95% CI: 0.02 to 0.09) to 0.11 (95% CI: 0.06 to 0.16)) and health (β's: 0.02 (95% CI: 0.00 to 0.03) to 0.04 (95% CI: 0.02 to 0.06)). Workers with increased BMI or decreased physical activity reduced in work ability and health. Likewise, decreased BMI or increased vigorous physical activity was associated with improved health. An increase in moderate or vigorous physical activity was modestly associated with a reduced work ability. Quitting smoking was associated with reduced work ability and health. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with improvements, preventing deteriorations in working conditions, health behaviour and BMI, might be more beneficial for work ability and workers' health