Studies suggest that exercise may be neuroprotective when implemented before the clinical presentation of Parkinson's disease (PD). Levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), theorized to ...play a role in neuroprotection, are affected by its genotype and exercise. Here we explore this previously unstudied interaction on age at diagnosis and severity of symptoms.
76 participants with PD submitted buccal cells to determine BDNF genotype, completed the modified Lifetime Physical Activity Questionnaire to determine exercise habits, and were assessed using the Movement Disorder Society – Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale III (MDS-UPDRS-III) and the Mini-Balance Evaluations Test (MBT). For aim 1 (age at diagnosis), 60 participants (age = 69.6 ± 7.4; males = 45, females = 15) were analyzed. For aim 2 (severity of symptoms), 54 participants (age = 70.0 ± 7.6; males = 41, females = 13) were analyzed.
The final hierarchical regression model for age at diagnosis produced an R2 = 0.146, p = .033; however, the only significant variable in the final model was average moderate physical activity from ages 20s to 40s (p = .009). The regression for MDS-UPDRS III was not significant; however, the regression for MBT was, p = .0499. In the final model, 23.1% of the variance was explained. Years since diagnosis (p = .014) and average vigorous physical activity from ages 20s to 40s (p = .047) were the only predictors in the final model.
While a strong interaction between BDNF genotype and lifetime physical activity was not observed, our results suggest that lifetime exercise may be neuroprotective in PD. Specifically, higher amounts of moderate PA were associated with an older age at diagnosis.
•This is the first study to show that pre-diagnosis exercise is associated with age at diagnosis.•Higher amounts of moderate physical activity were associated with an older age at diagnosis.•Every hour increase in weekly moderate physical activity from ages 20–40 was associated with a PD diagnosis 3 months later.
The availability of research data (datasets) and compliance with FAIR principles—Findability, Accessibility, Interoperability, and Reusability—is critical to progressing digital forensics. This study ...evaluates metadata completeness and assesses the alignment with the FAIR principles using all 212 datasets from NIST's Computer Forensic Reference DataSet Portal (CFReDS). The findings underscore deficiencies in metadata quality and FAIR compliance, emphasizing the need for improved data management standards. Based on our critical review, we then propose and discuss various approaches to improve the status quo.
Wireless capsule endoscopes (WCEs) are a class of ingestible, robotic devices designed for imaging the digestive tract during diagnostic procedures. Sightless localization of these devices is ...achieved in 5DOF by embedding a single permanent magnet within the device and detecting its emitted magnetic field remotely via magnetic field sensors. The work in this thesis applies magnetic localization techniques to track two WCE-based, dual-dipole magnetic sampling capsule devices (SCDs) across ten degrees of freedom; providing full device pose and actuation state estimation in real time. A magnetic field sensing system is developed to localize the SCDs designed for obtaining targeted samples of the gut microbiome. The unique ability to determine 6DOF pose and actuation state is achieved by tracking the relative positions and orientations of the two embedded permanent magnets. The localization speed and accuracy of this system are analyzed and compared across three different SCD models.
The intent of this dissertation is to explore the rhetorical nature of parody in the context of the American electoral process. This work draws on existing research in the field to show how humor is ...an important method for engaging the public sphere. This project develops the rhetorical nature of humor, works through existing research on conceptualizations of humor and its importance for societal dialogue, and then addresses the specific contributions to the study of parody offered by Mikhail Bakhtin and Kenneth Burke to demonstrate the potential for parody to act as a form of rhetorical illumination of existing rhetorical texts and styles. After documenting the contemporary research that has further articulated the significance of parody in understanding American political engagement, the final chapter offers a case study of parody surrounding the campaign of Donald J. Trump in the 2016 presidential election. The dissertation concludes that parody had important implications for how Donald Trump’s character was expressed and understood by the media and the electorate, facilitating a more acceptable perception of who Trump was as someone who might be presidential.
The Daubert decision motivates attempts to establish error rates for digital forensic tools. Many scientific procedures have been devised that can answer simple questions. For example, does a soil ...sample contain component X? A procedure can be followed that gives an answer with known rates of error. Usually the error rate of a process that tries to detect something is associated with a random component of some measurement. Typically there are two types of error, type I, also called a
false positive (detecting it when it is not really there), and type II, also called a
false negative (missing it when it really is there). At first thought, an error rate for a forensic acquisition tool or a write blocking tool is a simple concept. An obvious possibility for the error rate of an acquisition is
k/
n, where
n is the total number of bits acquired and
k is the number of incorrectly acquired bits. However, the kinds of errors in the soil test and in digital acquisition are fundamentally different. The errors in the soil test can be modeled with a random distribution that can be treated statistically, but the errors that occur in a digital acquisition are systematic and triggered by specific conditions. The purpose of this paper is not to define any error rates for forensic tools, but identification of some of the basic issues to stimulate discussion and further work on the topic.
The recognition that sexual desire is associated with relationship quality and other important interpersonal experiences has led to a corresponding interest in identifying the correlates and causes ...of this aspect of human sexual response. Most researchers have focused on intraindividual
factors, including hormonal processes. The present review explores the relationship between one hormonally mediated female life event - pregnancy - and sexual desire. Sexual desire is defined and distinguished from other sexual experiences (e.g., arousal, activity), and its common
operationalizations are discussed. Next, the hormonal changes that characterize each trimester of pregnancy are considered. Empirical research conducted to determine whether these hormonal changes correspond to alterations in the experience of desire is then reviewed. It is concluded that
the hormonal fluctuations that occur during pregnancy are reliably associated with progressive decreases in feelings of sexual desire in the majority of women.
A new technique for performing static analysis of programs that contain unconstrained pointers is presented. The technique is based on the
pointer state subgraph: a reduced control flow graph that ...takes advantage of the fact that in any program there exists a smaller program that computes only the values of pointer variables. The pointer state subgraph is useful in building static analysis tools. As an example, the application of the pointer state subgraph to program slicing is considered. Finally, some experimental results, obtained using the ANSI-C slicer Unravel, are reported. These results show a clear reduction in the time taken to compute data-flow information from programs that contain pointers. They also show a substantial reduction in the space needed to store this information.
The United States Navy needed a replacement for aging T-39 Naval Flight Officer (NFO) training aircraft. NFOs perform radar and navigation functions on Navy aircraft. It was decided that conversion ...of FAA certified business aircraft would be the most economical approach. They also upgraded the ground-based training systems. The Cessna Aircraft Company won the competition, proposing the Citation Model 550 which had to be heavily modified to meet the rigorous training requirements, including high G air intercept maneuvers and high-speed low-level flight. Wing, tail, tailcone, and windshield beef-up and higher thrust engines resulted in a new FAA certification and a new model number assigned to the aircraft as well as the Military T-47A designation. The interior of the aircraft was changed to accommodate an instructor, two students in the cabin and one in the copilot position. The copilot instrument panel was dominated by the radar display similar to Navy attack aircraft and the airplane was flown single pilot. Cessna, on its own initiative, performed a full-scale fatigue life test and gathered field service data to prove the design was satisfactory. The Navy declared the T-47A training system was the most successful during the T-47A tenure.
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