Recently, we demonstrated using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) that the outcome of free decisions can be decoded from brain activity several seconds before reaching conscious awareness. ...Activity patterns in anterior frontopolar cortex (BA 10) were temporally the first to carry intention-related information and thus a candidate region for the unconscious generation of free decisions. In the present study, the original paradigm was replicated and multivariate pattern classification was applied to functional images of frontopolar cortex, acquired using ultra-high field fMRI at 7 Tesla. Here, we show that predictive activity patterns recorded before a decision was made became increasingly stable with increasing temporal proximity to the time point of the conscious decision. Furthermore, detailed questionnaires exploring subjects' thoughts before and during the decision confirmed that decisions were made spontaneously and subjects were unaware of the evolution of their decision outcomes. These results give further evidence that FPC stands at the top of the prefrontal executive hierarchy in the unconscious generation of free decisions.
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Background:
Multiple sclerosis (MS) quality of care guidelines are consensus-based. The effectiveness of the recommendations is unknown.
Objective:
To determine whether clinic-level quality of care ...affects clinical and patient-reported outcomes.
Methods:
This nationwide observational cohort study included patients with adult-onset MS in the Swedish MS registry with disease onset 2005–2015. Clinic-level quality of care was measured by four indicators: visit density, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) density, mean time to commencement of disease-modifying therapy, and data completeness. Outcomes were Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) and patient-reported symptoms measured by the Multiple Sclerosis Impact Scale (MSIS-29). Analyses were adjusted for individual patient characteristics and disease-modifying therapy exposure.
Results:
In relapsing MS, all quality indicators benefitted EDSS and physical symptoms. Faster treatment, frequent visits, and higher data completeness benefitted psychological symptoms. After controlling for all indicators and individual treatment exposures, faster treatment remained independently associated with lower EDSS (−0.06, 95% confidence interval (CI): −0.01, −0.10) and more frequent visits were associated with milder physical symptoms (MSIS-29 physical score: −16.2%, 95% CI: −1.8%, −29.5%). Clinic-level quality of care did not affect any outcomes in progressive-onset disease.
Conclusion:
Certain quality of care indicators correlated to disability and patient-reported outcomes in relapse-onset but not progressive-onset disease. Future guidelines should consider recommendations specific to disease course.
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3.
Predicting free choices for abstract intentions Soon, Chun Siong; He, Anna Hanxi; Bode, Stefan ...
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences - PNAS,
04/2013, Volume:
110, Issue:
15
Journal Article
Peer reviewed
Open access
Unconscious neural activity has been repeatedly shown to precede and potentially even influence subsequent free decisions. However, to date, such findings have been mostly restricted to simple motor ...choices, and despite considerable debate, there is no evidence that the outcome of more complex free decisions can be predicted from prior brain signals. Here, we show that the outcome of a free decision to either add or subtract numbers can already be decoded from neural activity in medial prefrontal and parietal cortex 4 s before the participant reports they are consciously making their choice. These choice-predictive signals co-occurred with the so-called default mode brain activity pattern that was still dominant at the time when the choice-predictive signals occurred. Our results suggest that unconscious preparation of free choices is not restricted to motor preparation. Instead, decisions at multiple scales of abstraction evolve from the dynamics of preceding brain activity.
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Functional surfaces with broadband ultralow optical reflectance have many potential applications in the fields of enhancing solar energy utilization, stray light shielding, infrared stealth, and so ...on. To fabricate broadband anti-reflection surfaces with low cost, high quality, and more controllability, a strategy of preparing multi-scale structures by thermal-assisted nanosecond laser was proposed. This strategy combines laser ablation with Marangoni flow of molten materials and in situ deposition of nanoparticles. The thermal-assisted strategy increases the depth to width ratio of the anti-reflection structures. The average reflectance of laser-textured TC4 (Ti-6Al-4V) surface is as low as 1.71% in the wavelength range of 200-2250 nm and 7.8% in the 2500-25,000 nm. The ultra-low reflectance surface has a significantly enhanced photothermal conversion performance. Meanwhile, the anti-reflection effect can be extended to the mid-infrared band, which has potential stealth application prospect. This synergetic manufacturing strategy has wide adaptability of materials, which provides new paths for the preparation of broadband ultralow reflectance surface. Moreover, this thermal-assisted laser fabrication strategy is prospective in the preparation of other functional micro-nano structures.
Houttuynia cordata Thunb. is an important traditional medical herb in China and other Asian countries, with high medicinal and economic value. However, a lack of available genomic information has ...become a limitation for research on this species. Thus, we carried out high-throughput transcriptomic sequencing of H. cordata to generate an enormous transcriptome sequence dataset for gene discovery and molecular marker development.
Illumina paired-end sequencing technology produced over 56 million sequencing reads from H. cordata mRNA. Subsequent de novo assembly yielded 63,954 unigenes, 39,982 (62.52%) and 26,122 (40.84%) of which had significant similarity to proteins in the NCBI nonredundant protein and Swiss-Prot databases (E-value <10(-5)), respectively. Of these annotated unigenes, 30,131 and 15,363 unigenes were assigned to gene ontology categories and clusters of orthologous groups, respectively. In addition, 24,434 (38.21%) unigenes were mapped onto 128 pathways using the KEGG pathway database and 17,964 (44.93%) unigenes showed homology to Vitis vinifera (Vitaceae) genes in BLASTx analysis. Furthermore, 4,800 cDNA SSRs were identified as potential molecular markers. Fifty primer pairs were randomly selected to detect polymorphism among 30 samples of H. cordata; 43 (86%) produced fragments of expected size, suggesting that the unigenes were suitable for specific primer design and of high quality, and the SSR marker could be widely used in marker-assisted selection and molecular breeding of H. cordata in the future.
This is the first application of Illumina paired-end sequencing technology to investigate the whole transcriptome of H. cordata and to assemble RNA-seq reads without a reference genome. These data should help researchers investigating the evolution and biological processes of this species. The SSR markers developed can be used for construction of high-resolution genetic linkage maps and for gene-based association analyses in H. cordata. This work will enable future functional genomic research and research into the distinctive active constituents of this genus.
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Background
Intra-arterial therapy has improved recanalization rates compared with intravenous thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke; however, superior clinical efficacy has not been convincingly ...demonstrated. Time to recanalization is postulated as a mechanism hindering the efficacy of intra-arterial therapy.
Aim
To investigate the effects of time to recanalization on clinical outcome postintra-arterial therapy for acute ischemic stroke.
Methods
Clinical data were collected prospectively for consecutive patients undergoing intra-arterial therapy for acute ischemic stroke at a single center between 2009 and 2013. Ninety-day functional outcome was assessed by the modified Rankin scale. Univariate analyses identified candidate clinical variables for inclusion in the multivariable model; multivariable logistic regression analyses identified variables independently associated with good outcome, defined as modified Rankin scale 0–2.
Results
One hundred and seven patients were included in the analysis. Median (interquartile range) age was 67 (54–77) years, 41 (38%) were female, and median (interquartile range) baseline National Institute of Health Stroke Severity score was 18 (13–22). Median time from symptom onset to recanalization was 330 min (interquartile range 277–397). Fifty-four (50%) patients achieved a favorable modified Rankin scale at 90 days. Age, successful recanalization, and time to recanalization were independently associated with good outcome at 90 days in multivariable logistic regression analysis. For every 15 min delay in recanalization, the odds of good outcome decreased by 10%.
Conclusions
Longer time to recanalization was associated with poorer functional outcome post intra-arterial therapy. We recommend that a systematic approach to minimize time delay to treatment is warranted in intra-arterial therapy for acute ischemic stroke.
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Cognitive composite scores are used as the primary outcome measures for Alzheimer's disease (AD) prevention trials; however, the extent to which these composite measures correlate with AD pathology ...has not been fully investigated. Since many on-going AD prevention studies are testing therapies that target either amyloid or tau, we sought to establish an association between a cognitive composite score and the underlying pathology of AD.
Data from 192 older deceased and autopsied persons from the Rush Religious Order Study were used in this study. All participants were classified at their initial evaluations with a clinical diagnosis of no cognitive impairment (NCI). Of these individuals, 105 remained NCI at the time of their death while the remaining 87 progressed to mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or AD. A cognitive composite score composed of eight cognitive tests was used as the outcome measure. Individuals were classified into groups based on Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD) neuropathological diagnosis and Braak stage.
The rate of annualized composite score decline was significantly greater for the high CERAD (p < 0.001, d = 0.56) and Braak (p < 0.001, d = 0.55) groups compared with the low CERAD and Braak groups, respectively. Mixed-model repeated measure (MMRM) analyses revealed a significantly greater difference in composite score change from baseline for the high CERAD group relative to the low CERAD group after 5 years (Δ = -2.74, 95% confidence interval (CI) -5.01 to -0.47; p = 0.02). A similar analysis between low and high Braak stage groups found no significant difference in change from baseline (Δ = -0.69, 95% CI -3.03 to 1.66; p = 0.56).
These data provide evidence that decreased cognitive composite scores were significantly associated with increased AD pathology and provide support for the use of cognitive composite scores in AD prevention trials.
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For short-term stock market traders who trade with large amounts of capital within a short time frame, having the analytical tool to predict stock price is crucial for the risk management and ...planning of entry and exit. While retail traders rely on the visualizations of technical indicators to anticipate general price direction and trend lines to estimate areas of concentrated demand or supply, multiple regression modeling uses known quantifiable indices whose functions are based on historical prices of an equity to yield a concise price prediction. This study aims to build an accessible and accurate model for retail traders without advanced software. In order to do that, we must optimize the quality of forecast while minimizing the number of independent variables. Through multiple linear regression and forward stepwise regression, we isolated 3 key variables – the daily closing price, Nasdaq 10-day moving average, and the Dow intraday average – which, when combined again in multiple regression, would produce a model with a multiple-R of 0.9995 and a low standard error of 2.44556268.
Human papillomavirus (HPV) 6 and 11 are the two most common low-risk HPV subtypes, accounting for more than 90% of condyloma acuminatum. A simple, accurate and rapid screening method to be applied in ...community-level hospitals is in high demand.
Endogenous internally controlled recombinase-assisted amplification (EIC-RAA) assays for HPV6 and 11 were performed in a single closed-tube at 39 °C within 30 min. The sensitivity and specificity of EIC-RAA were examined using recombinant plasmids and pre-tested HPV DNA. A total of 233 clinical samples were collected, and the DNA was extracted by traditional multi-step extraction, or sample releasing agent, before analysis by EIC-RAA. For comparison, HPV detection via Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) was also performed.
The sensitivity of EIC-RAA analysis was 10 copies/reaction for HPV6, 100 copies/reaction for HPV11, and 100 copies/reaction for the human β-globin gene. No cross-reaction was observed with other HPV subtypes. Clinical performance of the EIC-RAA assay achieved a 100% of concordance rate with the commercial HPV qPCR kit. Further, the EIC-RAA assay achieved a 100% of concordance rate when using multi-step extracted DNA and sample releasing agent-processed DNA.
The EIC-RAA assay for HPV6 and 11 detection possesses the advantages of accuracy, simplicity and rapidity, and demonstrates great potential to be used in community-level hospitals for field investigation.
•The EIC-RAA assays for HPV6 and 11 possess high sensitivity and specificity.•The endogenous human β-globin can effectively eliminate false-negatives or invalid amplification results, increasing the reliability of the EIC-RAA assay.•The EIC-RAA assays for the detection of HPV 6 and 11 using sample releasing agent show the advantages of fast detection speed and simple operation.
Human papillomavirus 6 and 11; Human β-globin gene; Endogenous internally controlled recombinase-assisted amplification; Sample releasing agent.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Human activities alter land use patterns and affect landscape sustainability. It is therefore very important to investigate the relationship between land use change and human activities. This study ...focuses on the detection of changing land use patterns in the Yanhe River Basin in northern Loess Plateau of China between 1995 and 2008. Landscape metrics were used to analyze the changing land use patterns and to explore the related anthropogenic driving forces. Results show that： 1） Totally, 186 590 ha of croplands were converted into alternate land-use types （equivalent to 61.7% of the original cropland area）. The majority of cropland areas were found to be converted into grassland and woodland areas （accounting for 55.9% and 4.9% respectively of the original cropland areas）. 2） Both cropland and woodland demonstrated an increasing fragmentation tendency while grasslands showed a decreasing fragmentation tendency. 3） Multiple driving forces of land use change were thought to act together to changes in landscape metrics in the Yanhe River Basin. The anthropogenic driving forces were analyzed from four perspectives： ecological conservation policy, labor force transfer, industrial development, and rural settlement. The policy of the GfG （Grain for Green） project was the main driving factor which expedited the conversion from cropland to woodland and grassland. Industrial development was also found to affect land use change through the direct impact of economic activities such as oil exploration and agricultural production, or through indirect impacts such as the industrial structures readjustment. La- bor force transfer from rural to urban areas was found to follow the industrial structure readjustment and further drove land use change from cropland to off-farm land use. Establishment of new tile-roofed houses instead of cave-type dwellings in rural settlements has helped to aggregate the original scattered land-use type of construction.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
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