Attention-related potentials allow for a highly accurate discrimination of mild cognitive impairment subtypes.

The three most frequent forms of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are single-domain amnestic MCI (sd-aMCI), single-domain dysexecutive MCI (sd-dMCI) and multiple-domain amnestic MCI (md-aMCI). Brain imaging differences among single domain subgroups of MCI were recently reported supporting the idea that electroencephalography (EEG) functional hallmarks can be used to differentiate these subgroups. We performed event-related potential (ERP) measures and independent component analysis in 18 sd-aMCI, 13 sd-dMCI and 35 md-aMCI cases during the successful performance of the Attentional Network Test. Sensitivity and specificity analyses of ERP for the discrimination of MCI subgroups were also made. In center-cue and spatial-cue warning stimuli, contingent negative variation (CNV) was elicited in all MCI subgroups. Two independent components (ICA1 and 2) were superimposed in the time range on the CNV. The ICA2 was strongly reduced in sd-dMCI compared to sd-aMCI and md-aMCI (4.3 vs. 7.5% and 10.9% of the CNV component). The parietal P300 ERP latency increased significantly in sd-dMCI compared to md-aMCI and sd-aMCI for both congruent and incongruent conditions. This latency for incongruent targets allowed for a highly accurate separation of sd-dMCI from both sd-aMCI and md-aMCI with correct classification rates of 90 and 81%, respectively. This EEG parameter alone performed much better than neuropsychological testing in distinguishing sd-dMCI from md-aMCI. Our data reveal qualitative changes in the composition of the neural generators of CNV in sd-dMCI. In addition, they document an increased latency of the executive P300 component that may represent a highly accurate hallmark for the discrimination of this MCI subgroup in routine clinical settings.

Event-related potentials and changes of brain rhythm oscillations during working memory activation in patients with first-episode psychosis.

Background: Earlier contributions have documented significant changes in sensory, attention-related endogenous event-related potential (ERP) components and θ band oscillatory responses during working memory activation in patients with schizophrenia. In patients with first-episode psychosis, such studies are still scarce and mostly focused on auditory sensory processing. The present study aimed to explore whether subtle deficits of cortical activation are present in these patients before the decline of working memory performance. Methods: We assessed exogenous and endogenous ERPs and frontal θ event-related synchronization (ERS) in patients with first-episode psychosis and healthy controls who successfully performed an adapted 2-back working memory task, including 2 visual n-backworking memory tasks as well as oddball detection and passive fixation tasks. Results: We included 15 patients with first-episode psychosis and 18 controls in this study. Compared with controls, patients with first-episode psychosis displayed increased latencies of early visual ERPs and phasic θ ERS culmination peak in all conditions. However, they also showed a rapid recruitment of working memory-related neural generators, even in pure attention tasks, as indicated by the decreased N200 latency and increased amplitude of sustained θ ERS in detection compared with controls. Limitations: Owing to the limited sample size, no distinction was made between patients with first-episode psychosis with positive and negative symptoms. Although we controlled for the global load of neuroleptics, medication effect cannot be totally ruled out. Conclusion: The present findings support the concept of a blunted electroencephalographic response in patients with first-episode psychosis who recruit the maximum neural generators in simple attention conditions without being able to modulate their brain activation with increased complexity of working memory tasks.

Relationships between anthropometric measures and athletic performance, with special reference to repeated-sprint ability, in the Qatar national soccer team.

The aim of this study was to determine potential relationships between anthropometric parameters and athletic performance with special consideration to repeated-sprint ability (RSA). Sixteen players of the senior male Qatar national soccer team performed a series of anthropometric and physical tests including countermovement jumps without (CMJ) and with free arms (CMJwA), straight-line 20 m sprint, RSA (6 × 35 m with 10 s recovery) and incremental field test. Significant (P < 0.05) relationships occurred between muscle-to-bone ratio and both CMJs height (r ranging from 0.56 to 0.69) as well as with all RSA-related variables (r < -0.53 for sprinting times and r = 0.54 for maximal sprinting speed) with the exception of the sprint decrement score (Sdec). The sum of six skinfolds and adipose mass index were largely correlated with Sdec (r = 0.68, P < 0.01 and r = 0.55, P < 0.05, respectively) but not with total time (TT, r = 0.44 and 0.33, P > 0.05, respectively) or any standard athletic tests. Multiple regression analyses indicated that muscular cross-sectional area for mid-thigh, adipose index, straight-line 20 m time, maximal sprinting speed and CMJwA are the strongest predictors of Sdec (r(2) = 0.89) and TT (r(2) = 0.95) during our RSA test. In the Qatar national soccer team, players' power-related qualities and RSA are associated with a high muscular profile and a low adiposity. This supports the relevance of explosive power for the soccer players and the larger importance of neuromuscular qualities determining the RSA.

Faster oxygen uptake kinetics during recovery is related to better repeated sprinting ability.

This study was designed to test the hypothesis that subjects having faster oxygen uptake (VO(2)) kinetics during off-transients to exercises of severe intensity would obtain the smallest decrement score during a repeated sprint test. Twelve male soccer players completed a graded test, two severe-intensity exercises, followed by 6 min of passive recovery, and a repeated sprint test, consisting of seven 30-m sprints alternating with 20 s of active recovery. The relative decrease in score during the repeated sprint test was positively correlated with time constants of the primary phase for the VO(2) off-kinetics (r = 0.85; p &lt; 0.001) and negatively correlated with the VO(2) peak (r = -0.83; p &lt; 0.001). These results strengthen the link found between VO(2) kinetics and the ability to maintain sprint performance during repeated sprints.

Performance Evaluation Of Iowa Bridge Decks Constructed With Epoxy-Coated Reinforcing Bars, RB06-011, 2011

Epoxy coatings have been used on the embedded reinforcing bars of bridge decks since the mid-1970s to mitigate deterioration caused by chloride-induced corrosion. The use of chloride-based deicers became common in the early 1960s and caused corrosion of conventional uncoated bars in bridge decks within 5 to 10 years of commencement of deicer applications. In response to this rapid deterioration, the National Bureau of Standards researched coatings to protect the reinforcement (National Bureau of Standards, 1975), resulting in the development of epoxy-coated reinforcing bars, which were used in bridge decks beginning in 1973. While corrosion-related deterioration has been prevalent on bridge decks with uncoated reinforcing bars in northern climates where the use of deicing salts is common, bridge decks constructed after 1973 with epoxy-coated reinforcing have shown good corrosion resistance with only limited exceptions. On the whole, previous laboratory and field studies regarding the performance of epoxy-coated reinforcing bars are very promising; however, some laboratory and field studies have yielded differing results. In recent years, maintenance personnel for the Iowa Department of Transportation (Iowa DOT) have reportedly performed patch repairs to some bridge decks reinforced with epoxy-coated bars. At one such bridge, the southbound US 65 bridge (Bridge No. 7788.5L065) over the Union Pacific Railroad near Bondurant in Polk County, Iowa, deck repairs were performed by Iowa DOT maintenance personnel in the Spring of 2010, based on our communications regarding this topic with Mr. Gordon Port of the Iowa DOT. These repairs were observed by engineers from the Iowa DOT Office of Bridges and Structures, who reported that significant corrosion was found at a number of epoxy-coated reinforcing bars uncovered during this patch work. These repairs were reportedly performed at spalls and delaminated areas corresponding to cracks over transverse reinforcing bars, and involved careful removal of the concrete from over the bars. Figures 1 through 4 contain photographs provided by Iowa DOT personnel showing the removal process (Figure 1), the conditions encountered (Figures 2 and 3), and close-up views of the corroded reinforcing (Figure 4). As a result of these observations, the Iowa Department of Transportation has requested this study to gain further understanding of the long-term performance of bridge decks reinforced with epoxy-coated bars. The two main objectives of this study are to determine the long-term effectiveness of the epoxy coatings and to determine the potential causes for the deterioration at locations where corrosion has occurred. Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc. (WJE) and the Iowa DOT identified eight different bridge decks across Iowa for this study that were constructed using epoxy-coated reinforcing bars. A field investigation consisting of visual inspections, a delamination survey, a concrete cover survey, electrical testing for susceptibility to corrosion, and concrete sampling was conducted within a survey area deemed to be representative of the condition of each bridge deck. Laboratory testing, including chloride ion content testing, characterization of the extracted bars, petrographic examination of the concrete, and carbonation testing, was conducted on the core samples taken from each bridge deck.

The biomechanic origin of sprint performance enhancement after one-week creatine supplementation.

In order to test whether an improvement of maximal sprinting speed after creatine (Cr) supplementation was due to the increase of stride frequency (SF), stride length (SL) or both, 7 subjects ran 4 consecutive sprints after 1 week of placebo or Cr supplementation. SF and SL were assessed by a triaxial accelerometer. Compared to the placebo, Cr induced an increase of running speed (+1.4% p < 0.05) and SF (+1.5%, p < 0.01), but not of SL. The drop in performance following repeated sprints was partially prevented by Cr. In conclusion, exogenous Cr enhanced sprinting performance by increasing SF. This result may be related to the recent findings of shortening in muscular relaxation time after Cr supplementation.

State Public Defender's Office Performance Report, FY 2013

This report pursuant to Department of Management procedures provides an overview of the State Public Defender’s fiscal year 2013 operations related to court-appointed counsel, claims processing, and other indigent defense matters. This information, in accordance with the Accountable Government Act, is meant to help improve decision making and increase accountability to stakeholders and the citizens of Iowa. Iowa’s indigent defense system remains strong. The more than 200 employees of the State Public Defender System have been efficiently providing high quality representation on more cases than ever before. In Fiscal Year 2013, public defender offices closed more than 91,000 cases, at an average cost per case of $282.02, and there was a final finding of ineffective assistance of counsel in less than .002% of these cases. Similarly, more than 1,000 contract attorneys continue to provide high quality representation throughout all 99 of Iowa’s counties. In Fiscal Year 2013, 60,929 claims were submitted to the indigent defense fund, at an average cost per claim of $507.86. This was an decrease of nearly 350 claims from Fiscal Year 2012, and the total amount spent from the indigent defense fund increased slightly.

Association of working conditions with self-reported work-related symptoms: results from the Swiss dataset of the European Working Conditions Survey

Working conditions are important determinants of health. The aims of this article are to 1) identify working conditions and work characteristics that are associated with workers' perceptions that their work is harmful to their health and 2) identify with what symptoms these working conditions are associated.We used the Swiss dataset from the 2005 edition of the European Working Conditions Survey. The dependent variable was based on the question "Does your work affect your health?". Logistic regression was used to identify a set of variables collectively associated with self-reported work-related adverse health effects.A total of 330 (32%) participants reported having their health affected by work. The most frequent symptoms included backache (17.1%), muscular pains (13.1%), stress (18.3%) and overall fatigue (11.7%). Scores for self-reported exposure to physicochemical risks, postural and physical risks, high work demand, and low social support were all significantly associated with workers' perceptions that their work is harmful to their health, regardless of gender or age. A high level of education was associated with stress symptoms, and reports that health was affected by work was associated with low job satisfaction.Many workers believe that their work affects their health. Health specialists should pay attention to the potential association between work and their patients' health complaints. This is particularly relevant when patients mention symptoms such as muscular pains, backache, overall fatigue, and stress. Specific attention should be given to complaints of stress in highly educated workers.

Firm's network capability and innovation performance: evidences from China hi-tech industry

ABSTRACT : A firm's competitive advantage can arise from internal resources as well as from an interfirm network. -This dissertation investigates the competitive advantage of a firm involved in an innovation network by integrating strategic management theory and social network theory. It develops theory and provides empirical evidence that illustrates how a networked firm enables the network value and appropriates this value in an optimal way according to its strategic purpose. The four inter-related essays in this dissertation provide a framework that sheds light on the extraction of value from an innovation network by managing and designing the network in a proactive manner. The first essay reviews research in social network theory and knowledge transfer management, and identifies the crucial factors of innovation network configuration for a firm's learning performance or innovation output. The findings suggest that network structure, network relationship, and network position all impact on a firm's performance. Although the previous literature indicates that there are disagreements about the impact of dense or spare structure, as well as strong or weak ties, case evidence from Chinese software companies reveals that dense and strong connections with partners are positively associated with firms' performance. The second essay is a theoretical essay that illustrates the limitations of social network theory for explaining the source of network value and offers a new theoretical model that applies resource-based view to network environments. It suggests that network configurations, such as network structure, network relationship and network position, can be considered important network resources. In addition, this essay introduces the concept of network capability, and suggests that four types of network capabilities play an important role in unlocking the potential value of network resources and determining the distribution of network rents between partners. This essay also highlights the contingent effects of network capability on a firm's innovation output, and explains how the different impacts of network capability depend on a firm's strategic choices. This new theoretical model has been pre-tested with a case study of China software industry, which enhances the internal validity of this theory. The third essay addresses the questions of what impact network capability has on firm innovation performance and what are the antecedent factors of network capability. This essay employs a structural equation modelling methodology that uses a sample of 211 Chinese Hi-tech firms. It develops a measurement of network capability and reveals that networked firms deal with cooperation between, and coordination with partners on different levels according to their levels of network capability. The empirical results also suggests that IT maturity, the openness of culture, management system involved, and experience with network activities are antecedents of network capabilities. Furthermore, the two-group analysis of the role of international partner(s) shows that when there is a culture and norm gap between foreign partners, a firm must mobilize more resources and effort to improve its performance with respect to its innovation network. The fourth essay addresses the way in which network capabilities influence firm innovation performance. By using hierarchical multiple regression with data from Chinese Hi-tech firms, the findings suggest that there is a significant partial mediating effect of knowledge transfer on the relationships between network capabilities and innovation performance. The findings also reveal that the impacts of network capabilities divert with the environment and strategic decision the firm has made: exploration or exploitation. Network constructing capability provides a greater positive impact on and yields more contributions to innovation performance than does network operating capability in an exploration network. Network operating capability is more important than network constructing capability for innovative firms in an exploitation network. Therefore, these findings highlight that the firm can shape the innovation network proactively for better benefits, but when it does so, it should adjust its focus and change its efforts in accordance with its innovation purposes or strategic orientation.

Age-related changes in the bimanual advantage and in brain oscillatory activity during tapping movements suggest a decline in processing sensory reafference

Deficits in the processing of sensory reafferences have been suggested as accounting for age-related decline in motor coordination. Whether sensory reafferences are accurately processed can be assessed based on the bimanual advantage in tapping: because of tapping with an additional hand increases kinesthetic reafferences, bimanual tapping is characterized by a reduced inter-tap interval variability than unimanual tapping. A suppression of the bimanual advantage would thus indicate a deficit in sensory reafference. We tested whether elderly indeed show a reduced bimanual advantage by measuring unimanual (UM) and bimanual (BM) self-paced tapping performance in groups of young (n = 29) and old (n = 27) healthy adults. Electroencephalogram was recorded to assess the underlying patterns of oscillatory activity, a neurophysiological mechanism advanced to support the integration of sensory reafferences. Behaviorally, there was a significant interaction between the factors tapping condition and age group at the level of the inter-tap interval variability, driven by a lower variability in BM than UM tapping in the young, but not in the elderly group. This result indicates that in self-paced tapping, the bimanual advantage is absent in elderly. Electrophysiological results revealed an interaction between tapping condition and age group on low beta band (14âeuro"20 Hz) activity. Beta activity varied depending on the tapping condition in the elderly but not in the young group. Source estimations localized this effect within left superior parietal and left occipital areas. We interpret our results in terms of engagement of different mechanisms in the elderly depending on the tapping mode: a âeuro~kinestheticâeuro? mechanism for UM and a âeuro~visual imageryâeuro? mechanism for BM tapping movement.

The Interplay of Mastery and Performance Goals in Social Comparison: A Multiple-Goal Perspective.

Régner, Escribe, and Dupeyrat (2007) recently demonstrated that not only performance-approach and performance-avoidance goals (respectively, the desire to outperform others and not to be outperformed by others) but also mastery goals (the desire to acquire knowledge) were related to social comparison orientation (SCO, the tendency to search for social comparison information). In the present article, the possibility of a link between mastery goals and social comparison that depends on the level of performance-approach goals-a possibility supported by a multiple-goal perspective-was tested by examining the interaction effect between mastery and performance-approach goals. This is an important endeavor, as educational settings are rarely free from performance-approach goals, even when mastery goals are promoted. In Study 1, we tested self-set achievement goals (mastery, performance-approach, and performance-avoidance goals) as predictors of SCO; the interaction between mastery goals and performance-approach goals indicated that the higher the performance-approach goal endorsement, the stronger the link between mastery goals and SCO. In Study 2, we manipulated goal conditions; mastery goals predicted interest in social comparison in the performance-approach goal condition only. Results are discussed in terms of the importance of multiple-goal pursuit in academic settings. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved)

Evaluation of Long-Term Field Performance of Cold In-Place Recycled Roads: Field Distress Survey, TR-502, 2007

Cold in-place recycling (CIR) has become an attractive method for rehabilitating asphalt roads that have good subgrade support and are suffering distress related to non-structural aging and cracking of the pavement layer. Although CIR is widely used, its use could be expanded if its performance were more predictable. Transportation officials have observed roads that were recycled under similar circumstances perform very differently for no clear reason. Moreover, a rational mix design has not yet been developed, design assumptions regarding the structural support of the CIR layer remain empirical and conservative, and there is no clear understanding of the cause-effect relationships between the choices made during the design/construction process and the resulting performance. The objective of this project is to investigate these relationships, especially concerning the age of the recycled pavement, cumulative traffic volume, support conditions, aged engineering properties of the CIR materials, and road performance. Twenty-four CIR asphalt roads constructed in Iowa from 1986 to 2004 were studied: 18 were selected from a sample of roads studied in a previous research project (HR-392), and 6 were selected from newer CIR projects constructed after 1999. This report summarizes the results of a comprehensive program of field distress surveys, field testing, and laboratory testing for these CIR asphalt roads. The results of this research can help identify changes that should be made with regard to design, material selection, and construction in order to lengthen the time between rehabilitation cycles and improve the performance and cost-effectiveness of future recycled roads.

Review: Contact sport-related chronic traumatic encephalopathy in the elderly: clinical expression and structural substrates.

A. Costanza, K. Weber, S. Gandy, C. Bouras, P. R. Hof, P. Giannakopoulos and A. Canuto (2011) Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology37, 570-584 Contact sport-related chronic traumatic encephalopathy in the elderly: clinical expression and structural substrates Professional boxers and other contact sport athletes are exposed to repetitive brain trauma that may affect motor functions, cognitive performance, emotional regulation and social awareness. The term of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) was recently introduced to regroup a wide spectrum of symptoms such as cerebellar, pyramidal and extrapyramidal syndromes, impairments in orientation, memory, language, attention, information processing and frontal executive functions, as well as personality changes and behavioural and psychiatric symptoms. Magnetic resonance imaging usually reveals hippocampal and vermis atrophy, a cavum septum pellucidum, signs of diffuse axonal injury, pituitary gland atrophy, dilated perivascular spaces and periventricular white matter disease. Given the partial overlapping of the clinical expression, epidemiology and pathogenesis of CTE and Alzheimer's disease (AD), as well as the close association between traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) and neurofibrillary tangle formation, a mixed pathology promoted by pathogenetic cascades resulting in either CTE or AD has been postulated. Molecular studies suggested that TBIs increase the neurotoxicity of the TAR DNA-binding protein 43 (TDP-43) that is a key pathological marker of ubiquitin-positive forms of frontotemporal dementia (FTLD-TDP) associated or not with motor neurone disease/amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Similar patterns of immunoreactivity for TDP-43 in CTE, FTLD-TDP and ALS as well as epidemiological correlations support the presence of common pathogenetic mechanisms. The present review provides a critical update of the evolution of the concept of CTE with reference to its neuropathological definition together with an in-depth discussion of the differential diagnosis between this entity, AD and frontotemporal dementia.

Age-related differences on event-related potentials and brain rhythm oscillations during working memory activation.

Previous functional imaging studies have pointed to the compensatory recruitment of cortical circuits in old age in order to counterbalance the loss of neural efficiency and preserve cognitive performance. Recent electroencephalographic (EEG) analyses reported age-related deficits in the amplitude of an early positive-negative working memory (PN(wm)) component as well as changes in working memory (WM)-load related brain oscillations during the successful performance of the n-back task. To explore the age-related differences of EEG activation in the face of increasing WM demands, we assessed the PN(wm) component area, parietal alpha event-related synchronization (ERS) as well as frontal theta ERS in 32 young and 32 elderly healthy individuals who successfully performed a highly WM demanding 3-back task. PN(wm) area increased with higher memory loads (3- and 2-back > 0-back tasks) in younger subjects. Older subjects reached the maximal values for this EEG parameter during the less WM demanding 0-back task. They showed a rapid development of an alpha ERS that reached its maximal amplitude at around 800 ms after stimulus onset. In younger subjects, the late alpha ERS occurred between 1,200 and 2,000 ms and its amplitude was significantly higher compared with elders. Frontal theta ERS culmination peak decreased in a task-independent manner in older compared with younger cases. Only in younger individuals, there was a significant decrease in the phasic frontal theta ERS amplitude in the 2- and 3-back tasks compared with the detection and 0-back tasks. These observations suggest that older adults display a rapid mobilization of their neural generators within the parietal cortex to manage very low demanding WM tasks. Moreover, they are less able to activate frontal theta generators during attentional tasks compared with younger persons.

Performance and hormonal profile in broiler chickens fed with different energy levels during post restriction period

The aim of this work was to investigate the influence of diet energy level on performance and hormonal profiles of broilers during post restriction period. It was a split-plot experiment, and the main treatments were in a 2x2 factorial scheme. Birds were fed restricted to 30% of the ad libitum intake, from 7 to 14 days of age. After the restriction period, birds were fed ad libitum with diets containing low (2,900 kcal ME/kg) or high (3,200 kcal ME/kg) energy until 49 days of age. Broilers fed with high energy ration showed lower feed intake and better feed conversion and decreased carcass protein; however, abdominal fat pad, and total carcass fat were not affected by ration energy levels or feeding program. Neither diet energy level nor feed restriction program changed body weight at 49 days. The profile of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) was reduced during the feed restriction period, but increased at refeeding period. Feeding program and ration energy level did not affect T3, T4 and growth hormone serum concentrations. Feed restriction at 30% of ad libitum intake is not enough to promote changes on carcass quality, related to fat deposition, and on metabolic hormone levels, except IGF-1 seric level that has rapid increase after feed restriction.