Dyspraxia in a patient with corticobasal degeneration: the role of visual and tactile inputs to action

Objectives-To investigate the roles of visual and tactile information in a dyspraxic patient with corticobasal degeneration (CBD) who showed dramatic facilitation in miming the use of a tool or object when he was given a tool to manipulate; and to study the nature of the praxic and neuropsychological deficits in CBD. Methods-The subject had clinically diagnosed CBD, and exhibited alien limb behaviour and striking ideomotor dyspraxia. General neuropsychological evaluation focused on constructional and visuospatial abilities, calculation, verbal fluency, episodic and semantic memory, plus spelling and writing because impairments in this domain were presenting complaints. Four experiments assessed the roles of visual and tactile information in the facilitation of motor performance by tools. Experiment I evaluated the patient's performance of six limb transitive actions under six conditions: (1) after he described the relevant tool from memory, (2) after he was shown a Line drawing of the tool, (3) after he was shown a real exemplar of the tool, (4) after he watched the experimenter perform the action, (5) while he was holding the tool, and (6) immediately after he had performed the action with the tool but with the tool removed from his grasp. Experiment 2 evaluated the use of the same six tools when the patient had tactile but no visual information (while he was blindfolded). Experiments 3 and 4 assessed performance of actions appropriate to the same six tools when the patient had either neutral or inappropriate tactile feedback-that is, while he was holding a non-tool object or a different tool. Results-Miming of tool use was not facilitated by visual input; moreover, lack of visual information in the blindfolded condition did not reduce performance. The principal positive finding was a dramatic facilitation of the patient's ability to demonstrate object use when he was holding either the appropriate tool or a neutral object. Tools inappropriate to the requested action produced involuntary performance of the stimulus relevant action. Conclusions-Tactile stimulation was paramount in the facilitation of motor performance in tool use by this patient with CBD. This outcome suggests that tactile information should be included in models which hypothesise modality specific inputs to the action production system. Significant impairments in spelling and letter production that have not previously been reported in CBD have also been documented

Effects of Tip Clearance on Stall Inception in a Multistage Compressor

Rotor tip clearance height and the associated tip leakage flow have a significant effect on the performance and stability of compressors. Existing studies considering tip clearance effects on stability have been primarily limited to low-speed compressors, and many of these evaluated single-stage machines, which may not adequately represent stall trends for engine-scale compressors. Furthermore, test campaigns for engine-scale compressors cannot provide instrumentation accessibility required for detailed stage performance and stall investigations. Using results collected from a three-stage intermediate-speed axial compressor with appreciable density rise, this study addresses these needs. In this paper, three rotor tip clearances are tested, ranging from 1.5 to 4% span (1 to 3% chord). Previous studies have primarily shown a transition from short-length-scale spikes to long-length-scale modes as the clearance is increased, whereas the present study shows the opposite: a transition from modes to spikes with increased tip clearance. As a result, these data emphasize that a definitive trend does not exist between the stall inception mechanism and increasing tip clearance. Instead, the clearance effects alter stage matching with speed and change the stall inception mechanism. These results also elicit future research by preliminarily suggesting that stall inception mechanisms may be predictable from steady performance measurements collected in the stalling stage. Read More: https://arc.aiaa.org/doi/10.2514/1.B36364This material is based upon work supported by NASA under the ROA-2010 NRA of the Subsonic Fixed Wing project, with Technical Monitor Mark Celestina, and in part by the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program under grant DGE-1333468

Justice at Sea: Fishers’ politics and marine conservation in coastal Odisha, India

This is a paper about the politics of fishing rights in and around the Gahirmatha marine sanctuary in coastal Odisha, in eastern India. Claims to the resources of this sanctuary are politicised through the creation of a particularly damaging narrative by influential Odiya environmental actors about Bengalis, as illegal immigrants who have hurt the ecosystem through their fishing practices. Anchored within a theoretical framework of justice as recognition, the paper considers the making of a regional Odiya environmentalism that is, potentially, deeply exclusionary. It details how an argument about ‘illegal Bengalis’ depriving ‘indigenous Odiyas’ of their legitimate ‘traditional fishing rights’ derives from particular notions of indigeneity and territory. But the paper also shows that such environmentalism is tenuous, and fits uneasily with the everyday social landscape of fishing in coastal Odisha. It concludes that a wider class conflict between small fishers and the state over a sanctuary sets the context in which questions about legitimate resource rights are raised, sometimes with important effects, like when out at sea

Comparison of Group-based Outpatient Physiotherapy With Usual Care After Total Knee Replacement: a Feasibility Study For a Randomized Controlled Trial

Objective: To evaluate the feasibility of conducting a randomized controlled trial comparing group-based outpatient physiotherapy with usual care in patients following total knee replacement. Design: A feasibility study for a randomized controlled trial. Setting: One secondary-care hospital orthopaedic centre, Bristol, UK. Participants: A total of 46 participants undergoing primary total knee replacement. Interventions: The intervention group were offered six group-based exercise sessions after surgery. The usual care group received standard postoperative care. Participants were not blinded to group allocation. Outcome measures: Feasibility was assessed by recruitment, reasons for non-participation, attendance, and completion rates of study questionnaires that included the Lower Extremity Functional Scale and Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score. Results: Recruitment rate was 37%. Five patients withdrew or were no longer eligible to participate. Intervention attendance was high (73%) and 84% of group participants reported they were ‘very satisfied’ with the exercises. Return of study questionnaires at six months was lower in the usual care (75%) than in the intervention group (100%). Mean (standard deviation) Lower Extremity Functional Scale scores at six months were 45.0 (20.8) in the usual care and 57.8 (15.2) in the intervention groups. Conclusion: Recruitment and retention of participants in this feasibility study was good. Group-based physiotherapy was acceptable to participants. Questionnaire return rates were lower in the usual care group, but might be enhanced by telephone follow-up. The Lower Extremity Functional Scale had high responsiveness and completion rates. Using this outcome measure, 256 participants would be required in a full-scale randomized controlled trial

COVID-19 unmasked global collaboration protocol:Longitudinal cohort study examining mental health of young children and caregivers during the pandemic

Background: Early empirical data shows that school-aged children, adolescents and adults are experiencing elevated levels of anxiety and depression during the COVID-19 pandemic. Currently, there is very little research on mental health outcomes for young children. Objectives: To describe the formation of a global collaboration entitled, 'COVID-19 Unmasked'. The collaborating researchers aim to (1) describe and compare the COVID-19 related experiences within and across countries; (2) examine mental health outcomes for young children (1 to 5 years) and caregivers over a 12-month period during the COVID-19 pandemic; (3) explore the trajectories/time course of psychological outcomes of the children and parents over this period and (4) identify the risk and protective factors for different mental health trajectories. Data will be combined from all participating countries into one large open access cross-cultural dataset to facilitate further international collaborations and joint publications. Methods: COVID-19 Unmasked is an online prospective longitudinal cohort study. An international steering committee was formed with the aim of starting a global collaboration. Currently, partnerships have been formed with 9 countries (Australia, Cyprus, Greece, the Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Turkey, the UK, and the United States of America). Research partners have started to start data collection with caregivers of young children aged 1-5 years old at baseline, 3-months, 6-months, and 12-months. Caregivers are invited to complete an online survey about COVID-19 related exposure and experiences, child's wellbeing, their own mental health, and parenting. Data analysis: Primary study outcomes will be child mental health as assessed by scales from the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System - Early Childhood (PROMIS-EC) and caregiver mental health as assessed by the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21). The trajectories/time course of mental health difficulties and the impact of risk and protective factors will be analysed using hierarchical linear models, accounting for nested effects (e.g. country) and repeated measures

IRX-2, a Novel Immunotherapeutic, Enhances Functions of Human Dendritic Cells

Background: In a recent phase II clinical trial for HNSCC patients, IRX-2, a cell-derived biologic, promoted T-cell infiltration into the tumor and prolonged overall survival. Mechanisms responsible for these IRX-2-mediated effects are unknown. We hypothesized that IRX-2 enhanced tumor antigen-(TA)-specific immunity by up-regulating functions of dendritic cells (DC). Methodology/Principal Findings: Monocyte-derived DC obtained from 18 HNSCC patients and 12 healthy donors were matured using IRX-2 or a mix of TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6 ("conv. mix"). Multicolor flow cytometry was used to study the DC phenotype and antigen processing machinery (APM) component expression. ELISPOT and cytotoxicity assays were used to evaluate tumor-reactive cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL). IL-12p70 and IL-10 production by DC was measured by Luminex® and DC migration toward CCL21 was tested in transwell migration assays. IRX-2-matured DC functions were compared with those of conv. mix-matured DC. IRX-2-matured DC expressed higher levels (p<0.05) of CD11c, CD40, CCR7 as well as LMP2, TAP1, TAP2 and tapasin than conv. mix-matured DC. IRX-2-matured DC migrated significantly better towards CCL21, produced more IL-12p70 and had a higher IL12p70/IL-10 ratio than conv. mix-matured DC (p<0.05 for all). IRX-2-matured DC carried a higher density of tumor antigen-derived peptides, and CTL primed with these DC mediated higher cytotoxicity against tumor targets (p<0.05) compared to the conv. mix-matured DC. Conclusion: Excellent ability of IRX-2 to induce ex vivo DC maturation in HNSCC patients explains, in part, its clinical benefits and emphasizes its utility in ex vivo maturation of DC generated for therapy. © 2013 Schilling et al

Attention deficit hyperactivity symptoms predict problematic mobile phone use

Attention-deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is the most commonly diagnosed childhood disorder characterised by inattention, hyperactivity/impulsivity, or both. Some of the key traits of ADHD have previously been linked to addictive and problematic behaviours. The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between problematic mobile phone use, smartphone addiction risk and ADHD symptoms in an adult population. A sample of 273 healthy adult volunteers completed the Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale (ASRS), the Mobile Phone Problem Usage Scale (MPPUS), and the Smartphone Addiction Scale (SAS). A significant positive correlation was found between the ASRS and both scales. More specifically, inattention symptoms and age predicted smartphone addiction risk and problematic mobile phone use. Our results suggest that there is a positive relationship between ADHD traits and problematic mobile phone use. In particular, younger adults with higher level of inattention symptoms could be at higher risk of developing smartphone addiction. The implication of our findings for theoretical frameworks of problematic mobile phone use and clinical practice are discussed

The case for home based telehealth in pediatric palliative care: a systematic review

Background: Over the last decade technology has rapidly changed the ability to provide home telehealth services. At the same time, pediatric palliative care has developed as a small, but distinct speciality. Understanding the experiences of providing home telehealth services in pediatric palliative care is therefore important

Prioritization of fish communities with a view to conservation and restoration on a large scale European basin, the Loire (France)

The hierarchical organization of important sites for the conservation or the restoration of fish communities is a great challenge for managers, especially because of financial or time constraints. In this perspective, we developed a methodology, which is easy to implement in different locations. Based on the fish assemblage characteristics of the Loire basin (France), we created a synthetic conservation value index including the rarity, the conservation status and the species origin. The relationship between this new synthetic index and the Fish-Based Index allowed us to establish a classification protocol of the sites along the Loire including fish assemblages to be restored or conserved. Sites presenting disturbed fish assemblages, a low rarity index, few threatened species, and a high proportion of non-native species were considered as important for the restoration of fish biodiversity. These sites were found mainly in areas where the assemblages are typical of the bream zone, e.g. with a higher number of eurytopic and limnophilic species. On the contrary, important sites for conservation were defined as having an important conservation potential (high RI, a lot of threatened species, and few nonnatives fish species) and an undisturbed fish assemblage similar to the expected community if habitats are undisturbed. Important sites for conservation were found in the Loire basin’s medium reaches which host assemblages typical for the grayling and the barbell zones, e.g. with a higher number of rheophilic species. The synthetic conservation value index could be adapted and completed with other criteria according to management priorities and capacities

Joint EANM/SIOPE/RAPNO practice guidelines/SNMMI procedure standards for imaging of paediatric gliomas using PET with radiolabelled amino acids and [¹⁸F]FDG: version 1.0

Positron emission tomography (PET) has been widely used in paediatric oncology. 2-Deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-D-glucose ([18F]FDG) is the most commonly used radiopharmaceutical for PET imaging. For oncological brain imaging, different amino acid PET radiopharmaceuticals have been introduced in the last years. The purpose of this document is to provide imaging specialists and clinicians guidelines for indication, acquisition, and interpretation of [18F]FDG and radiolabelled amino acid PET in paediatric patients affected by brain gliomas. There is no high level of evidence for all recommendations suggested in this paper. These recommendations represent instead the consensus opinion of experienced leaders in the field. Further studies are needed to reach evidence-based recommendations for the applications of [18F]FDG and radiolabelled amino acid PET in paediatric neuro-oncology. These recommendations are not intended to be a substitute for national and international legal or regulatory provisions and should be considered in the context of good practice in nuclear medicine. The present guidelines/standards were developed collaboratively by the EANM and SNMMI with the European Society for Paediatric Oncology (SIOPE) Brain Tumour Group and the Response Assessment in Paediatric Neuro-Oncology (RAPNO) working group. They summarize also the views of the Neuroimaging and Oncology and Theranostics Committees of the EANM and reflect recommendations for which the EANM and other societies cannot be held responsible