Determining the optimal current direction of transcranial magnetic stimulation to induce motor responses in the tongue: A preliminary study of neurologically healthy individuals

Objective
To determine the optimal transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) coil direction for inducing motor responses in the tongue in a group of non-neurologically impaired participants.
Methods
Single-pulse TMS was delivered using a figure-of-eight Magstim 2002 TMS coil. Study 1 investigated the effect of eight different TMS coil directions on the motor-evoked potentials elicited in the tongue in eight adults. Study 2 examined active motor threshold levels at optimal TMS coil direction compared to a customarily-used ventral-caudal direction. Study 3 repeated the procedure of Study 1 at five different sites across the tongue motor cortex in one adult.
Results
Inter-individual variability in optimal direction was observed, with an optimal range of directions determined for the group. Active motor threshold was reduced when a participant's own optimal TMS coil direction was used compared to the ventral-caudal direction. A restricted range of optimal directions was identified across the five cortical positions tested.
Conclusions
There is a need to identify each individual's own optimal TMS coil direction in investigating tongue motor cortex function. A recommended procedure for determining optimal coil direction is described.
Significance
Optimized TMS procedures are needed so that TMS can be utilized in determining the underlying neurophysiological basis of various motor speech disorders.

Diagnostic performance on briefly presented digital pathology images

Background: Identifying new and more robust assessments of proficiency/expertise (finding new "biomarkers of expertise") in histopathology is desirable for many reasons. Advances in digital pathology permit new and innovative tests such as flash viewing tests and eye tracking and slide navigation analyses that would not be possible with a traditional microscope. The main purpose of this study was to examine the usefulness of time-restricted testing of expertise in histopathology using digital images.
Methods: 19 novices (undergraduate medical students), 18 intermediates (trainees), and 19 experts (consultants) were invited to give their opinion on 20 general histopathology cases after 1 s and 10 s viewing times. Differences in performance between groups were measured and the internal reliability of the test was calculated.
Results: There were highly significant differences in performance between the groups using the Fisher's least significant difference method for multiple comparisons. Differences between groups were consistently greater in the 10-s than the 1-s test. The Kuder-Richardson 20 internal reliability coefficients were very high for both tests: 0.905 for the 1-s test and 0.926 for the 10-s test. Consultants had levels of diagnostic accuracy of 72% at 1 s and 83% at 10 s.
Conclusions: Time-restricted tests using digital images have the potential to be extremely reliable tests of diagnostic proficiency in histopathology. A 10-s viewing test may be more reliable than a 1-s test. Over-reliance on "at a glance" diagnoses in histopathology is a potential source of medical error due to over-confidence bias and premature closure.

On the triple peaks of SNHunt248 in NGC 5806

We present our findings on a supernova (SN) impostor, SNHunt248, based on optical and near-IR data spanning ~15 yr before discovery, to ~1 yr post-discovery. The light curve displays three distinct peaks, the brightest of which is at MR ~ −15.0 mag. The post-discovery evolution is consistent with the ejecta from the outburst interacting with two distinct regions of circumstellar material. The 0.5–2.2 μm spectral energy distribution at −740 d is well-matched by a single 6700 K blackbody with log (L/L⊙) ~ 6.1. This temperature and luminosity support previous suggestions of a yellow hypergiant progenitor; however, we find it to be brighter than the brightest and most massive Galactic late-F to early-G spectral type hypergiants. Overall the historical light curve displays variability of up to ~ ± 1 mag. At current epochs (~1 yr post-outburst), the absolute magnitude (MR ~ − 9 mag) is just below the faintest observed historical absolute magnitude ~10 yr before discovery.

Novel polymorphic microsatellite loci for the protogynous hermaphrodite slinger sea bream (Chrysoblephus puniceus, Sparidae)

As a result of the global decline of fish stocks, an increasing number of fish species are becoming targets of heavy exploitation, often concomitantly with a lack of biological knowledge on their structure and demographics. Here we present 11 new polymorphic microsatellite loci, isolated from the slinger sea bream (Chrysoblephus puniceus, Sparidae), a relatively recent target of coastal fisheries in eastern South Africa. Levels of genetic diversity were assessed in 39 individuals collected from the KwaZulu-Natal coast (Park Rynie, South Africa). Observed and expected heterozygosities varied between 0.39 and 0.97 and between 0.53 and 0.96, respectively. One locus (SL35) showed significant heterozygote deficiency and linkage disequilibrium was detected between SL35 and SL1. Importantly, five of these microsatellites cross-amplify in Cheimerius nufar, a sympatric species also subjected to exploitation.

Spectacle design preferences among Chinese primary and secondary students and their parents: A qualitative and quantitative study

Purpose: To identify the specific characteristics making glasses designs, particularly those compatible with adjustable glasses, more or less appealing to Chinese children and their parents. Patients and Methods: Primary and secondary school children from urban and rural China with < = -1.00 diopters of bilateral myopia and their parents ranked four conventional-style frames identified by local optical shops as popular versus four child-specific frames compatible with adjustable spectacles. Scores based on the proportion of maximum possible ranking were computed for each style. Selected children and their parents also participated in Focus Groups (FGs) discussing spectacle design preference. Recordings were transcribed and coded by two independents reviewers using NVivo software. Results: Among 136 urban primary school children (age range 9-11 years), 290 rural secondary school children (11-17 years) and 16 parents, all adjustable-style frames (scores on 0-100 scale 25.7-62.4) were ranked behind all conventional frames (63.0-87.5). For eight FGs including 12 primary children, 26 secondary children and 16 parents, average kappa values for NVivo coding were 0.81 (students) and 0.70 (parents). All groups agreed that the key changes to make adjustable designs more attractive were altering the round lenses to rectangular or oval shapes and adding curved earpieces for more stable wear. The thick frames of the adjustable designs were considered stylish, and children indicated they would wear them if the lens shape were modified. Conclusions: Current adjustable lens designs are unattractive to Chinese children and their parents, though this study identified specific modifications which would make them more appealing.

Fractionated Radiation Exposure of Rat Spinal Cords Leads to Latent Neuro- Inflammation in Brain, Cognitive Deficits,and Alterations in Apurinic Endonuclease 1

Ionizing radiation causes degeneration of myelin, the insulating sheaths of neuronal axons, leading to neurological impairment. As radiation research on the central nervous system has predominantly focused on neurons, with few studies addressing the role of glial cells, we have focused our present research on identifying the latent effects of single/ fractionated -low dose of low/ high energy radiation on the role of base excision repair protein Apurinic Endonuclease-1, in the rat spinal cords oligodendrocyte progenitor cells’ differentiation. Apurinic endonuclease-1 is predominantly upregulated in response to oxidative stress by low- energy radiation, and previous studies show significant induction of Apurinic Endonuclease-1 in neurons and astrocytes. Our studies show for the first time, that fractionation of protons cause latent damage to spinal cord architecture while fractionation of HZE (28Si) induce increase in APE1 with single dose, which then decreased with fractionation. The oligodendrocyte progenitor cells differentiation was skewed with increase in immature oligodendrocytes and astrocytes, which likely cause the observed decrease in white matter, increased neuro-inflammation, together leading to the observed significant cognitive defects.