Comparing entropy measures of idea links in design protocols: Linkography entropy measurement and analysis of differently conditioned design sessions

This paper explores using Shannon's entropy of information to measure linkographs of 12 design sessions that involved six architects in two different experimental conditions. The aim is to find a quantitative tool to interpret the linkographs. This study examines if the differences in the design processes and the design outcomes can be reflected in the entropic interpretations. The results show that the overall entropy of one design condition is slightly higher than the other. Further, there are indications that the change of entropy might reflect design outcomes

Mental health care for parents of babies with congenital heart disease during intensive care unit admission: Systematic review and statement of best practice

INTRODUCTION: Congenital heart disease (CHD) is one of the most common causes of infant admission to pediatric intensive care and is associated with profound psychological stress for mothers, fathers and their infants. Intensive care unit admission represents an opportunity to offer evidence-based strategies to prevent or minimize severe psychological distress and promote secure bonding and attachment, alongside high-quality infant medical care. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to identify, synthesize and critically appraise published evidence on the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of mental health interventions delivered in neonatal, pediatric or cardiac intensive care units for parents of infants with CHD. A secondary goal was to develop recommendations for advancing health policy, practice and research in the field. METHODS: In accordance with a prospectively registered protocol (CRD42019114507), six electronic databases were systematically searched for studies reporting results of a controlled trial of a mental health intervention for parents of infants aged 0-12 months with a congenital anomaly requiring intensive care unit admission. To maximize generalizability of results, trials involving infants with any type of structural congenital anomaly requiring surgery were included. Outcomes included intervention type, process, efficacy, and cost-effectiveness. RESULTS: Across all forms of congenital anomaly, only five trials met inclusion criteria (four in CHD, one in gastrointestinal malformation). All interventions engaged parents face-to-face, but each had a distinct therapeutic approach (parent-infant interaction and bonding, early pediatric palliative care, psycho-education, parenting skills training, and family-centered nursing). Four of the five trials demonstrated efficacy in reducing maternal anxiety, although the quality of evidence was low. Positive results were also found for maternal coping, mother-infant attachment, parenting confidence and satisfaction with clinical care, as well as infant mental (but not psychomotor) development at 6 months. Mixed results were found for maternal depression and infant feeding. No evidence of efficacy was found for improving parent, infant or family quality of life, physical health or length of infant hospital stay, and there were no data on cost-effectiveness. CONCLUSIONS: Stronger evidence for the efficacy of mental health interventions to buffer the effects of intensive care unit admission for parents of infants with CHD is urgently needed. Robust, high-quality trials are lacking, despite the established need and demand, and health policies prioritizing parent mental health care in the context of early childhood adversity are needed

Content, cost and context: a framework for understanding human signaling systems

Humans frequently perform extravagant and seemingly costly behaviors, such as widely sharing hunted resources, erecting conspicuous monumental structures, and performing dramatic acts of religious devotion. Evolutionary anthropologists and archeologists have used signaling theory to explain the function of such displays, drawing inspiration from behavioral ecology, economics, and the social sciences. While signaling theory is broadly aimed at explaining honest communication, it has come to be strongly associated with the handicap principle, which proposes that such costly extravagance is in fact an adaptation for signal reliability. Most empirical studies of signaling theory have focused on obviously costly acts, and consequently anthropologists have likely overlooked a wide range of signals that also promote reliable communication. Here, we build on recent developments in signaling theory and animal communication, developing an updated framework that highlights the diversity of signal contents, costs, contexts, and reliability mechanisms present within human signaling systems. By broadening the perspective of signaling theory in human systems, we strive to identify promising areas for further empirical and theoretical work

Expression and Subcellular Localization of Mammalian Formin Fhod3 in the Embryonic and Adult Heart

The formin family proteins play pivotal roles in actin filament assembly via the FH2 domain. The mammalian formin Fhod3 is highly expressed in the heart, and its mRNA in the adult heart contains exons 11, 12, and 25, which are absent from non-muscle Fhod3 isoforms. In cultured neonatal cardiomyocytes, Fhod3 localizes to the middle of the sarcomere and appears to function in its organization, although it is suggested that Fhod3 localizes differently in the adult heart. Here we show, using immunohistochemical analysis with three different antibodies, each recognizing distinct regions of Fhod3, that Fhod3 localizes as two closely spaced bands in middle of the sarcomere in both embryonic and adult hearts. The bands are adjacent to the M-line that crosslinks thick myosin filaments at the center of a sarcomere but distant from the Z-line that forms the boundary of the sarcomere, which localization is the same as that observed in cultured cardiomyocytes. Detailed immunohistochemical and immuno-electron microscopic analyses reveal that Fhod3 localizes not at the pointed ends of thin actin filaments but to a more peripheral zone, where thin filaments overlap with thick myosin filaments. We also demonstrate that the embryonic heart of mice specifically expresses the Fhod3 mRNA isoform harboring the three alternative exons, and that the characteristic localization of Fhod3 in the sarcomere does not require a region encoded by exon 25, in contrast to an essential role of exons 11 and 12. Furthermore, the exon 25-encoded region appears to be dispensable for actin-organizing activities both in vivo and in vitro, albeit it is inserted in the catalytic FH2 domain

Isolated brachydactyly type E caused by a HOXD13 nonsense mutation: a case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Brachydactyly type E (BDE; MIM#113300) is characterized by shortening of the metacarpal, metatarsal, and often phalangeal bones, and predominantly affects postaxial ray(s) of the limb. BDE may occur as an isolated trait or as part of a syndrome. Isolated BDE is rare and in the majority of cases the molecular pathogenesis has so far not been resolved. Originally, the molecular cause of isolated BDE has been unravelled in 2 families and shown to result from heterozygous missense mutations in the homeodomain of the <it>HOXD13 </it>gene. Since the initial manuscript, one further <it>HOXD13 </it>mutation has been reported only in a single family manifesting isolated BDE.</p> <p>Case Presentation</p> <p>In this paper, we report on a Polish family exhibiting isolated BDE caused by a novel nonsense heterozygous <it>HOXD13 </it>mutation. We investigated a Polish female proband and her father, both affected by isolated BDE, in whom we identified a nonsense heterozygous mutation c.820C > T(p.R274X) in the <it>HOXD13 </it>gene. So far, only two missense <it>HOXD13 </it>substitutions (p.S308C and p.I314L), localized within the homeodomain of the HOXD13 transcription factor, as well as a single nonsense mutation (p.E181X) were associated with BDE. Both missense changes were supposed to alter DNA binding affinity of the protein.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The variant p.R274X identified in our proband is the fourth <it>HOXD13 </it>mutation, and the second truncating (nonsense) mutation, reported to result in typical isolated BDE. We refer our clinical and molecular findings to the previously described <it>HOXD13 </it>associated phenotypes and mutations.</p

Dynamical Boson Stars

The idea of stable, localized bundles of energy has strong appeal as a model for particles. In the 1950s John Wheeler envisioned such bundles as smooth configurations of electromagnetic energy that he called {\em geons}, but none were found. Instead, particle-like solutions were found in the late 1960s with the addition of a scalar field, and these were given the name {\em boson stars}. Since then, boson stars find use in a wide variety of models as sources of dark matter, as black hole mimickers, in simple models of binary systems, and as a tool in finding black holes in higher dimensions with only a single killing vector. We discuss important varieties of boson stars, their dynamic properties, and some of their uses, concentrating on recent efforts.Comment: 79 pages, 25 figures, invited review for Living Reviews in Relativity; major revision in 201

Carbocyanine Dye Usage in Demarcating Boundaries of the Aged Human Red Nucleus

Background: Though the adult human magnocellular Red nucleus (mNr) is essentially vestigial and its boundaries with neighbouring structures have never been well demarcated, human studies in utero have shown a well developed semilunar mNr wrapping around the caudal parvicellular Red nucleus (pNr), similar to what is seen in quadrupeds. In the present study, we have sought to better delineate the morphological determinants of the adult human Red nucleus (ahRn). Methods and Findings: Serial sections of ahRn show fine myelinated fibers arising from pNr and turning toward the central tegmental tract. DiI was deposited within a well restricted region of ahRn at the fasciculus retroflexus level and the extent of label determined. Nissl-stained serial sections allowed production of a 3-D mNr model, showing rudimentary, vestigial morphology compared with its well developed infant homologue. DiI within this vestigial mNr region at the level of the oculomotor nerve showed labeled giant/large mNr neurons, coarse fiber bundles at the ventral tegmental decussation and lateral lemniscal label. Conclusions: Large amounts of DiI and a long incubation time have proven useful in aged human brain as a marker of long axons and large cell bodies of projecting neurons such as the rubrospinal projection and for clarifying nuclear boundaries of closed nuclei (e.g., the large human pNr). Our 3D model of adult human mNr appeared shrunken in shape and axiall

Rib fracture after stereotactic radiotherapy on follow-up thin-section computed tomography in 177 primary lung cancer patients

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Chest wall injury after stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) for primary lung cancer has recently been reported. However, its detailed imaging findings are not clarified. So this study aimed to fully characterize the findings on computed tomography (CT), appearance time and frequency of chest wall injury after stereotactic radiotherapy (SRT) for primary lung cancer</p> <p>Materials and methods</p> <p>A total of 177 patients who had undergone SRT were prospectively evaluated for periodical follow-up thin-section CT with special attention to chest wall injury. The time at which CT findings of chest wall injury appeared was assessed. Related clinical symptoms were also evaluated.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Rib fracture was identified on follow-up CT in 41 patients (23.2%). Rib fractures appeared at a mean of 21.2 months after the completion of SRT (range, 4 -58 months). Chest wall edema, thinning of the cortex and osteosclerosis were findings frequently associated with, and tending to precede rib fractures. No patients with rib fracture showed tumors > 16 mm from the adjacent chest wall. Chest wall pain was seen in 18 of 177 patients (10.2%), of whom 14 patients developed rib fracture. No patients complained of Grade 3 or more symptoms.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Rib fracture is frequently seen after SRT for lung cancer on CT, and is often associated with chest wall edema, thinning of the cortex and osteosclerosis. However, related chest wall pain is less frequent and is generally mild if present.</p

Supervised exercise training as an adjunctive therapy for venous leg ulcers: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

Background: Venous leg ulcers are common, chronic wounds that are painful and reduce quality of life. Compression therapy is known to assist in the healing of venous leg ulceration. Supervised exercise training that targets an improvement in calf muscle pump function might be a useful adjunctive therapy for enhancing ulcer healing and other aspects of physical and mental health. However, the evidence of exercise for individuals with venous ulcers is sparse. Here, we describe the protocol for a study that aims to assess the feasibility of undertaking a randomised controlled trial of a supervised exercise programme in people who are receiving compression for venous ulceration. Methods/Design: This is a randomised, controlled, assessor-blinded, two-centre, feasibility trial with two parallel groups. Eighty adults who are receiving lower-limb compression for a venous leg ulcer will be randomly assigned to receive usual care (compression only) or usual care plus a 12-week supervised exercise programme. Participants in the exercise group will be invited to undertake three, 60-minute sessions of supervised exercise each week, and each session will involve a combination of treadmill walking, upright cycling and strength and flexibility exercises for the lower limbs. Participants will be assessed before randomisation and 3, 6 and 12 months after randomisation. Primary outcomes include rates of recruitment, retention and adherence. Secondary outcomes include time to ulcer healing, proportion of participants healed, percentage and absolute change in ulcer size, health-related quality of life (EQ-5D-5L and VEINES-QOL/Sym), lower-limb cutaneous microvascular function (laser Doppler flowmetry coupled with iontophoresis) and physical fitness (30-second sit-to-stand test, chair sit and reach test, 6-minute walk test and ankle range of motion). The costs associated with the exercise programme and health-care utilisation will be calculated. We will also complete interviews with a sub-sample of participants to explore their experiences of having a venous ulcer and the acceptability of the exercise intervention and study procedures. Discussion: Data from this study will be used to refine the supervised exercise programme, investigate the acceptability of the intervention and study design and determine the most appropriate outcome measures, thereby providing estimates of the factors needed to design an adequately powered trial across several centres

What is the potential of oligodendrocyte progenitor cells to successfully treat human spinal cord injury?

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Spinal cord injury is a serious and debilitating condition, affecting millions of people worldwide. Long seen as a permanent injury, recent advances in stem cell research have brought closer the possibility of repairing the spinal cord. One such approach involves injecting oligodendrocyte progenitor cells, derived from human embryonic stem cells, into the injured spinal cord in the hope that they will initiate repair. A phase I clinical trial of this therapy was started in mid 2010 and is currently underway.</p> <p>Discussion</p> <p>The theory underlying this approach is that these myelinating progenitors will phenotypically replace myelin lost during injury whilst helping to promote a repair environment in the lesion. However, the importance of demyelination in the pathogenesis of human spinal cord injury is a contentious issue and a body of literature suggests that it is only a minor factor in the overall injury process.</p> <p>Summary</p> <p>This review examines the validity of the theory underpinning the on-going clinical trial as well as analysing published data from animal models and finally discussing issues surrounding safety and purity in order to assess the potential of this approach to successfully treat acute human spinal cord injury.</p