Different levels of visual perceptual skills are associated with specific modifications in functional connectivity and global efficiency

Publication date: Available online 5 October 2017
Source:International Journal of Psychophysiology
Author(s): Sabrina Danti, Giacomo Handjaras, Luca Cecchetti, Helen Beuzeron-Mangina, Pietro Pietrini, Emiliano Ricciardi
The disembedding ability (i.e., the ability to identify a simple masked figure within a complex one) depends on attentional mechanisms, executive functions and working memory. Recent cognitive models ascribed different levels of disembedding task performance to the efficiency of the subtended mental processes engaged during visuo-spatial perception.Here we aimed at assessing whether different levels of the disembedding ability were associated to the functional signatures of neural efficiency, defined as a specific modulation in response magnitude and functional connectivity strength in task-related areas. Consequently, brain activity evoked by a visual task involving the disembedding ability was acquired using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in a sample of 23 right-handed healthy individuals. Brain activity was analyzed at different levels of information processing, from local responses to connectivity interactions between brain nodes, as far as to network topological properties.All different levels of information processing were significantly modulated by individual behavioral performance. Specifically, single voxel response magnitude, connectivity strength of the right intrahemispheric and interhemispheric edges, and graph measures (i.e., local and global efficiency) were negatively associated to behavioral performance. Altogether, these results indicate that efficiency during a disembedding task cannot be merely attributed to a reduced neural recruitment of task-specific regions, but can be better characterized as an enhanced functional hemispherical asymmetry.



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Cancer Drugs Dominate New FDA Watch List

Making the list does not mean that the FDA has determined the drug causes the reported adverse event.
Medscape Medical News

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FTIR and GC-MS spectral datasets of wax from Pinus roxburghii Sarg. needles biomass

Publication date: Available online 11 October 2017
Source:Data in Brief
Author(s): Pallavi Dubey, Pradeep Sharma, Vineet Kumar
The study has been carried out to investigate the chemical composition and type of linkages present in wax obtained from Pinus roxburghii Sarg. needles biomass. The spectroscopic techniques viz. FT-IR and GC-MS were employed to obtain spectral datasets. The results were analysed to identify major structural components constituting wax in native state. The spectral recordings were carried out at three different stages which include native wax, hydrolysed fatty acids and their corresponding methyl esters. Further, mass fragmentation has been discussed to represent the observed m/z values obtained in electron impact spectrum of fatty acid methyl esters.



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Microarray analysis of subcutaneous adipose tissue from mature cows with divergent body weight gain after feed restriction and realimentation

Publication date: Available online 10 October 2017
Source:Data in Brief
Author(s): H.C. Cunningham, K.M. Cammack, K.E. Hales, H.C. Freetly, A.K. Lindholm-Perry
Body weight response to periods of feed restriction and realimentation is critical and relevant to the agricultural industry. The purpose of this study was to evaluate differentially expressed genes identified in subcutaneous adipose tissue collected from cows divergent in body weight (BW) gain after feed restriction and realimentation. We compared adipose samples from cows with greater gain based on average daily gain (ADG) during realimentation with samples from cows with lesser gain. Specifically, there were four comparisons including two comparing the high and low gain animals across each feeding period (feed restriction and realimentation) and two that compared differences in feed restriction and realimentation across high or low gain classifications. Using microarray analysis, we provide a set of differentially expressed genes identified between the high and low gain at both periods of nutrient restriction and realimentation. These data identify multiple differentially expressed genes between these two phenotypes across both nutritional environments.



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Survival Disparity Following Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair Highlights Inequality in Ethnic and Socio-economic Status

Publication date: Available online 10 October 2017
Source:European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery
Author(s): Manar Khashram, Suzanne Pitama, Jonathan A. Williman, Gregory T. Jones, Justin A. Roake
ObjectivesSocio-economic status (SES) and ethnicity have been reported as markers influencing the likelihood of increased mortality. The aim of this study was to investigate how SES and ethnicity impacted patient survival after abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair.MethodsConsecutive patients undergoing open and endovascular AAA repair during a 14.5 year period were identified. Ethnicity was defined as recorded on health records and SES (a score of 10, where 1 is least deprived and 10 being most deprived) and was linked to census data. Operative outcomes were reported at 30 days and a medium-term survival analysis used the Cox model to report adjusted hazard ratios (HR).ResultsA total of 6239 patients with a median age of 75 years and 78.7% males were included. The majority (5,654) were identified as New Zealand (NZ) Europeans, with 421 identified as NZ Maori, 97 identified as belonging to a Pacific ethnic group, and 67 identified as an Asian ethnic group. The median survival follow-up period was 5 years and after adjusting for confounders, those who identified as NZ Maori had the lowest survival compared with all other ethnic groups with a HR of 1.46 (95% CI 1.23–1.72). Living in areas of high social deprivation ≥ 7 was an independent predictor of short and medium-term overall mortality when compared with living in deprivation deciles 1 or 2.ConclusionsLow SES was identified as a marker of risk for all ethnic groups in relation to both reduced short and medium-term survival. However, regardless of SES, NZ Maori had worse overall medium-term survival following AAA repair than the other ethnic groups. Therefore it appears that both SES and being Maori were markers of increased exposure to risk that negatively impact upon survival after AAA repair. There is a need to ensure systemic processes support initiatives that reduce this inequality.



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Prevalence of pediatric alopecia areata among 572,617 dermatology patients

Publication date: November 2017
Source:Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, Volume 77, Issue 5
Author(s): Chauncey C. Caldwell, Sami K. Saikaly, Robert P. Dellavalle, James A. Solomon




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A meta-analysis of nevus-associated melanoma: Prevalence and practical implications

Publication date: November 2017
Source:Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, Volume 77, Issue 5
Author(s): Riccardo Pampena, Athanassios Kyrgidis, Aimilios Lallas, Elvira Moscarella, Giuseppe Argenziano, Caterina Longo
The reported prevalence of nevus-associated melanoma varies substantially. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the incidence and prevalence of this disease; we also performed subanalyses considering age, tumor thickness, and nevus-type classification. In 38 observational cohort and case–control studies, 29.1% of melanomas likely arose from a preexisting nevus and 70.9% de novo. Any given melanoma was 64% less likely to be nevus-associated than de novo (risk ratio 0.36, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.29-0.44; P < .001; I² = 99%); nevus-associated melanomas had a lower mean Breslow thickness than de novo melanomas (mean difference –0.39 mm; 95% CI –0.60 to –0.18; P = .0003; I² = 66%). No significant differences were noted regarding the association of nevus-associated melanomas with nondysplastic nevi or dysplastic nevi (risk ratio 0.77, 95% CI 0.49-1.20; P = .24; I² = 98%).



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