Evidence for retarded extinction of aversive learning in anxious children

The habituation to intense acoustic stimuli and the acquisition of differentially conditioned fear were assessed in 53 clinically anxious and 30 non-anxious control children and young adolescents. Anxious children tended to show larger electrodermal responses during habituation, but did not differ in blink startle latency or magnitude. After acquisition training, non-anxious children rated the CS + as more fear provoking and arousing than the CS- whereas the ratings of anxious children did not differ. However, anxious children rated the CS + as more fear provoking after extinction, a difference that was absent in non-anxious children. During extinction training, anxious children displayed larger blink magnitude facilitation during CS + and a trend towards larger electrodermal responses, a tendency not seen in nonanxious children. These data suggest that extinction of fear learning is retarded in anxious children. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Differential impact of posterior lesions in the left and right hemisphere on visual category learning and generalization to contrast reversal

Hemispheric differences in the learning and generalization of pattern categories were explored in two experiments involving sixteen patients with unilateral posterior, cerebral lesions in the left (LH) or right (RH) hemisphere. In each experiment participants were first trained to criterion in a supervised learning paradigm to categorize a set of patterns that either consisted of simple geometric forms (Experiment 1) or unfamiliar grey-level images (Experiment 2). They were then tested for their ability to generalize acquired categorical knowledge to contrast-reversed versions of the learning patterns. The results showed that RH lesions impeded category learning of unfamiliar grey-level images more severely than LH lesions, whereas this relationship appeared reversed for categories defined by simple geometric forms. With regard to generalization to contrast reversal, categorization performance of LH and RH patients was unaffected in the case of simple geometric forms. However, generalization to of contrast-reversed grey-level images distinctly deteriorated for patients with LH lesions relative to those with RH lesions, with the latter (but not the former) being consistently unable to identify the pattern manipulation. These findings suggest a differential use of contrast information in the representation of pattern categories in the two hemispheres. Such specialization appears in line with previous distinctions between a predominantly lefthemispheric, abstract-analytical and a righthemispheric, specific-holistic representation of object categories, and their prediction of a mandatory representation of contrast polarity in the RH. Some implications for the well-established dissociation of visual disorders for the recognition of faces and letters are discussed.

Machine learning for large-scale wearable sensor data in Parkinson disease:concepts, promises, pitfalls, and futures

For the treatment and monitoring of Parkinson's disease (PD) to be scientific, a key requirement is that measurement of disease stages and severity is quantitative, reliable, and repeatable. The last 50 years in PD research have been dominated by qualitative, subjective ratings obtained by human interpretation of the presentation of disease signs and symptoms at clinical visits. More recently, “wearable,” sensor-based, quantitative, objective, and easy-to-use systems for quantifying PD signs for large numbers of participants over extended durations have been developed. This technology has the potential to significantly improve both clinical diagnosis and management in PD and the conduct of clinical studies. However, the large-scale, high-dimensional character of the data captured by these wearable sensors requires sophisticated signal processing and machine-learning algorithms to transform it into scientifically and clinically meaningful information. Such algorithms that “learn” from data have shown remarkable success in making accurate predictions for complex problems in which human skill has been required to date, but they are challenging to evaluate and apply without a basic understanding of the underlying logic on which they are based. This article contains a nontechnical tutorial review of relevant machine-learning algorithms, also describing their limitations and how these can be overcome. It discusses implications of this technology and a practical road map for realizing the full potential of this technology in PD research and practice. © 2016 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.

Adults with autism spectrum disorders exhibit decreased sensitivity to reward parameters when making effort-based decisions.

BACKGROUND: Efficient effort expenditure to obtain rewards is critical for optimal goal-directed behavior and learning. Clinical observation suggests that individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) may show dysregulated reward-based effort expenditure, but no behavioral study to date has assessed effort-based decision-making in ASD. METHODS: The current study compared a group of adults with ASD to a group of typically developing adults on the Effort Expenditure for Rewards Task (EEfRT), a behavioral measure of effort-based decision-making. In this task, participants were provided with the probability of receiving a monetary reward on a particular trial and asked to choose between either an "easy task" (less motoric effort) for a small, stable reward or a "hard task" (greater motoric effort) for a variable but consistently larger reward. RESULTS: Participants with ASD chose the hard task more frequently than did the control group, yet were less influenced by differences in reward value and probability than the control group. Additionally, effort-based decision-making was related to repetitive behavior symptoms across both groups. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that individuals with ASD may be more willing to expend effort to obtain a monetary reward regardless of the reward contingencies. More broadly, results suggest that behavioral choices may be less influenced by information about reward contingencies in individuals with ASD. This atypical pattern of effort-based decision-making may be relevant for understanding the heightened reward motivation for circumscribed interests in ASD.

Child Safety Signal Learning in the Context of Parental Worry, Overprotection, PTSD, and Depression

Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Washington, 2016-08

Brief report: preliminary proposal of a conceptual model of a digital environment for developing mathematical reasoning in students with Autism Spectrum Disorders

There is clear evidence that in typically developing children reasoning and sense-making are essential in all mathematical learning and understanding processes. In children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), however, these become much more significant, considering their importance to successful independent living. This paper presents a preliminary proposal of a digital environment, specifically targeted to promote the development of mathematical reasoning in students with ASD. Given the diversity of ASD, the prototyping of this environment requires the study of dynamic adaptation processes and the development of activities adjusted to each user’s profile. We present the results obtained during the first phase of this ongoing research, describing a conceptual model of the proposed digital environment. Guidelines for future research are also discussed.

Network analysis and machine learning assist drug repurposing and safety assessment in neurological diseases

In recent decades, two prominent trends have influenced the data modeling field, namely network analysis and machine learning. This thesis explores the practical applications of these techniques within the domain of drug research, unveiling their multifaceted potential for advancing our comprehension of complex biological systems. The research undertaken during this PhD program is situated at the intersection of network theory, computational methods, and drug research. Across six projects presented herein, there is a gradual increase in model complexity. These projects traverse a diverse range of topics, with a specific emphasis on drug repurposing and safety in the context of neurological diseases. The aim of these projects is to leverage existing biomedical knowledge to develop innovative approaches that bolster drug research. The investigations have produced practical solutions, not only providing insights into the intricacies of biological systems, but also allowing the creation of valuable tools for their analysis. In short, the achievements are: • A novel computational algorithm to identify adverse events specific to fixed-dose drug combinations. • A web application that tracks the clinical drug research response to SARS-CoV-2. • A Python package for differential gene expression analysis and the identification of key regulatory "switch genes". • The identification of pivotal events causing drug-induced impulse control disorders linked to specific medications. • An automated pipeline for discovering potential drug repurposing opportunities. • The creation of a comprehensive knowledge graph and development of a graph machine learning model for predictions. Collectively, these projects illustrate diverse applications of data science and network-based methodologies, highlighting the profound impact they can have in supporting drug research activities.

[the Use Of Fish On Buccal Smear To Investigate Mosaicism With A 45,x Cell Line: Study On Healthy Men And Patients With Disorders Of Sex Development].

To verify whether fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) of cells from the buccal epithelium could be employed to detect cryptomosaicism with a 45,X lineage in 46,XY patients. Samples of nineteen 46,XY healthy young men and five patients with disorders of sex development (DSD), four 45,X/46,XY and one 46,XY were used. FISH analysis with X and Y specific probes on interphase nuclei from blood lymphocytes and buccal epithelium were analyzed to investigate the proportion of nuclei containing only the signal of the X chromosome. The frequency of nuclei containing only the X signal in the two tissues of healthy men did not differ (p = 0.69). In all patients with DSD this frequency was significantly higher, and there was no difference between the two tissues (p = 0.38), either. Investigation of mosaicism with a 45,X cell line in patients with 46,XY DSD or sterility can be done by FISH directly using cells from the buccal epithelium.

[association Between Physical And Psychosocial Impacts Of Oral Disorders And Quality Of Life Among The Elderly].

This study sought to evaluate the association between the impact of oral disorders in terms of physical/psychosocial dimensions and quality of life among the elderly. It involved a cross-sectional study conducted among the elderly (65-74 years) in 2008/2009. The social impact was assessed using the Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP 14) and the quality of life using the SF 12 Short-Form Health Survey. Descriptive, univariate and multivariate (logistic regression) analysis was conducted with correction for the design effect, using SPSS(r)18.0 software. Of the 800 individuals approached, 736 elderly individuals participated (TR = 92%), with a mean age of 67.77 years, the majority of whom showed no impact based on the measurement of the prevalence of OHIP. The functional limitation dimension of the OHIP was associated with the physical domain of the SF12, irrespective of the other variables investigated. However, the seriousness of OHIP and its psychological discomfort and disability dimensions was associated with the mental domain of the SF12. The conclusion reached is that some impacts of oral disorders were associated with unsatisfactory quality of life in the physical and mental domains.

Sinonasal Disorders In Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation.

hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is associated with more respiratory infections due to immunosuppression. this study aimed to verify the frequency of rhinosinusitis after HSCT, and the association between rhinosinusitis and chronic graft vs. host disease (GVHD) and type of transplantation, clinical treatment, surgical treatment, and survival. this was a retrospective study in a tertiary university hospital. A total of 95 patients with hematological diseases undergoing HSCT between 1996 and 2011 were selected. chronic myeloid leukemia was the most prevalent disease. The type of transplant most often performed was the allogenic type (85.26%). The frequency of rhinosinusitis was 36%, with no difference between the autologous and the allogenic types. Chronic GVHD occurred in 30% of patients. Patients with GVHD had a higher frequency and recurrence of rhinosinusitis, in addition to more frequent need for endoscopic sinusectomy and decreased overall survival. there was a higher frequency of rhinosinusitis in HSCT and GVHD. The type of transplant does not appear to predispose to the occurrence of rhinosinusitis. GVHD seems to be an aggravating factor and requires a more stringent treatment.

[temporomandibular Disorders In Fibromyalgia Syndrome: A Short-communication.]

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a chronic painful syndrome and the coexistence of a painful condition caused by Temporomandibular Disorders (TMD) and FMS has been frequently raised for several studies, however, more likely hypothesis is that a set of FMS characteristics may lead to the onset of TMD symptoms and they are not merely coexisting conditions. Therefore, our aim is presenting a review of literature about the relation between fibromyalgia and the signs and symptoms of temporomandibular disorders. For this purpose, a bibliographic search was performed of the period of 1990-2013, in the Medline, Pubmed, Lilacs and Scielo databases, using the keywords fibromyalgia, temporomandibular disorders and facial pain. Here we present a set of findings in the literature showing that fibromyalgia can lead to TMD symptoms. These studies demonstrated greater involvement of the stomatognathic system in FMS and myogenic disorders of masticatory system are the most commonly found in those patients. FMS appears to have a series of characteristics that constitute predisposing and triggering factors for TMD.