Aberrant Sensorimotor Integration in Musicians' Cramp Patients

AbstractSimple tapping and complex movements (Luria finger apposition task) were performed unimanually and bimanually by two groups of professional guitarists while EEG was recorded from electrodes over the sensorimotor cortex. One group had a task-specific movement disorder (focal dystonia or musicians' cramp), while the other group did not (controls). There were no significant group interactions in the task-related power (TRPow) within the alpha range of 8-10Hz (mu1). In contrast, there was a significant group interaction within the alpha range of 10-12Hz (mu2); these latter frequencies are associated with task-specific sensorimotor integration. The significant group interaction included task (simple and complex) by hand (left, right, and both) by electrodes (10 electrodes over the sensorimotor areas). In the rest conditions, the alpha power (10-12Hz) was comparable between the groups; during movement, however, compared to the controls, patients demonstrated the greatest TRPow (10-12Hz) over all conditions. This was particularly evident when patients used their affected hand and suggests that patients with musicians' cramp have impaired task-specific sensorimotor integration.

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Fostering Collaborative Autonomy: The Roles of Cooperative and Collaborative Learning

Relay Journal ◽

10.37237/relay/010212 ◽

2018 ◽

pp. 360-381

Author(s):

Gordon Myskow ◽

Phillip A. Bennett ◽

Hisako Yoshimura ◽

Kyoko Gruendel ◽

Takuto Marutani ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Collaborative Learning ◽

Cooperative Learning ◽

Learner Autonomy ◽

The Other ◽

Learning Activities ◽

Educational Context ◽

Learning Approaches ◽

Group Interactions ◽

Collaborative Autonomy ◽

Over Time

The distinction between Cooperative and Collaborative Learning approaches is not a clear one. Some use the terms interchangeably while others consider Cooperative Learning to be a type of Collaborative Learning. Still others clearly differentiate between them, characterizing Cooperative Learning as more highly structured in its procedures, involving a great deal of intervention by the teacher to plan and orchestrate group interactions. Collaborative Learning, on the other hand, presupposes some degree of learner autonomy－that groups can work effectively toward shared goals and monitor their own progress. This paper takes the view that the distinction between Cooperative and Collaborative Learning is a useful one and that both approaches can play valuable roles in fostering autonomous interaction. It argues that while Collaborative Learning formations may be the ultimate goal for teachers wishing to develop learner autonomy, Cooperative Learning is a valuable means for modeling the skills and abilities to help students get there. The discussion begins with an overview of the two approaches, focusing on their implementation in the Japanese educational context. It then presents seven highly structured Cooperative Learning activities and shows how they can be modified and extended over time to encourage more autonomous interaction.

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Competing Conventions with Costly Information Acquisition

Games ◽

10.3390/g12030053 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 (3) ◽

pp. 53

Author(s):

Roberto Rozzi

Keyword(s):

Information Acquisition ◽

Evolutionary Model ◽

Equilibrium Selection ◽

The Other ◽

Group Interactions ◽

Social Coordination ◽

Long Run ◽

Stochastic Stability Analysis ◽

The Stability ◽

The Cost

We consider an evolutionary model of social coordination in a 2 × 2 game where two groups of players prefer to coordinate on different actions. Players can pay a cost to learn their opponent’s group: if they pay it, they can condition their actions concerning the groups. We assess the stability of outcomes in the long run using stochastic stability analysis. We find that three elements matter for the equilibrium selection: the group size, the strength of preferences, and the information’s cost. If the cost is too high, players never learn the group of their opponents in the long run. If one group is stronger in preferences for its favorite action than the other, or its size is sufficiently large compared to the other group, every player plays that group’s favorite action. If both groups are strong enough in preferences, or if none of the groups’ sizes is large enough, players play their favorite actions and miscoordinate in inter-group interactions. Lower levels of the cost favor coordination. Indeed, when the cost is low, in inside-group interactions, players always coordinate on their favorite action, while in inter-group interactions, they coordinate on the favorite action of the group that is stronger in preferences or large enough.

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Effects of Cool-Down Exercise and Cold-Water Immersion Ther-apy on Basic Fitness and Sport-Specific Skills among Korean College Soccer Players

Iranian Journal of Public Health ◽

10.18502/ijph.v50i11.7575 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yoon-Hyung Lee ◽

Jin-Ho Yoon ◽

Ki-Jae Song ◽

Jae-Keun Oh

Keyword(s):

Cold Water ◽

Water Immersion ◽

Group Interaction ◽

Cold Water Immersion ◽

Soccer Players ◽

Power Balance ◽

Balance Test ◽

Group Interactions ◽

Skill Performance ◽

Specific Skill

Background: We aimed to examine the effects of cool-down exercise and cold-water immersion therapy on agility, speed, power, balance, and sport-specific skill performance in college soccer players, and to provide baseline data for the development of effective recovery programs. Methods: In August 2020, 21 male college soccer players in Seoul, Korea, were randomly divided into the following groups: control group (CG, n=7), cool-down exercise group (CDG, n=7), and cool-down exercise plus cold-water immersion group (CDCWG, n=7). Agility, speed, power, balance, and sport-specific skill performance were assessed before and after the intervention. Results: No significant differences in Southeast Missouri (SEMO) Agility Test, 20-m sprint test, vertical jump test, or Y-balance test (right) were observed among the groups; however, there was a significant effect of time (P<0.05) and a significant time × group interaction (P<0.05). Significant effects of time (P<0.001), group (P=0.043), and a time × group interaction (P=0.009) were observed in the Y-balance test (left). There were no between-group differences in the 22-m dribble test, shooting test (left), or shooting test (right); however, there were significant effects of time (P<0.05) and significant time × group interactions (P<0.05). No significant effects of group or time × group interactions were observed for the kicking test (left or right); however, there were significant effects of time (P<0.001). Conclusion: Addition of cold-water immersion therapy to a recovery program including cool-down exercise can promote recovery of basic and sport-specific abilities among college soccer players.

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The Combination of Pairwise and Group Interactions Promotes Consensus in Opinion Dynamics

Complexity ◽

10.1155/2021/4382836 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 2021 ◽

pp. 1-8

Author(s):

Xiaoxuan Liu ◽

Changwei Huang ◽

Haihong Li ◽

Qionglin Dai ◽

Junzhong Yang

Keyword(s):

Complex Systems ◽

Numerical Simulations ◽

Complete Graph ◽

Group Interaction ◽

Opinion Dynamics ◽

Pairwise Interaction ◽

Network Structures ◽

Opinion Formation ◽

Group Interactions ◽

Bounded Confidence

In complex systems, agents often interact with others in two distinct types of interactions, pairwise interaction and group interaction. The Deffuant–Weisbuch model adopting pairwise interaction and the Hegselmann–Krause model adopting group interaction are the two most widely studied opinion dynamics. In this study, we propose a novel opinion dynamics by combining pairwise and group interactions for agents and study the effects of the combination on consensus in the population. In the model, we introduce a parameter α to control the weights of the two interactions in the dynamics. Through numerical simulations, we find that there exists an optimal α , which can lead to a highest probability of complete consensus and minimum critical bounded confidence for the formation of consensus. Furthermore, we show the effects of α on opinion formation by presenting the observations for opinion clusters. Moreover, we check the robustness of the results on different network structures and find the promotion of opinion consensus by α not limited to a complete graph.

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Taakspecifieke focale dystonie bij musici

Tijdschrift voor Geneeskunde ◽

10.47671/tvg.77.21.028 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

T. DOOMS

Keyword(s):

Movement Disorder ◽

Clinical Diagnosis ◽

Clinical Picture ◽

Specific Activity ◽

Muscle Contractions ◽

Focal Dystonia ◽

Lower Limbs ◽

Musical Activity ◽

Neurological Movement Disorder ◽

Rule Out

Task-specific focal dystonia in musicians Task-specific focal dystonia is a neurological movement disorder characterized by involuntary contractions during a specific activity. In musicians, the abnormal movement can occur while playing an instrument or while singing. The muscle contractions are usually painless, but the function of the affected region is disturbed. The clinical picture occurs more in men than in women and is most frequent in pianists or guitarists. The abnormality is usually localized in the fingers, the hands or the entire arm. Drummers can have problems in the lower limbs. Brass and woodwind players can lose control of the lips, tongue or facial muscles. This is called “embouchure dystonia”. Singers suffer from the larynx. The diagnosis is a clinical diagnosis. It is important to observe the musician making music. Outside the musical activity, all tests are normal. Technical examinations can be useful to rule out other diagnoses. The therapy is difficult and often unsatisfactory. In many cases, the disease predicts the end of the musical career.

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Structural brain network fingerprints of focal dystonia

Therapeutic Advances in Neurological Disorders ◽

10.1177/1756286419880664 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

pp. 175628641988066 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Venkata C. Chirumamilla ◽

Christian Dresel ◽

Nabin Koirala ◽

Gabriel Gonzalez-Escamilla ◽

Günther Deuschl ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Frontal Cortex ◽

Sensorimotor Cortex ◽

Temporal Cortex ◽

Brain Regions ◽

Brain Network ◽

Focal Dystonia ◽

Global Network ◽

Grey Matter Volume ◽

Structural Brain Network ◽

Structural Brain

Background: Focal dystonias are severe and disabling movement disorders of a still unclear origin. The structural brain networks associated with focal dystonia have not been well characterized. Here, we investigated structural brain network fingerprints in patients with blepharospasm (BSP) compared with those with hemifacial spasm (HFS), and healthy controls (HC). The patients were also examined following treatment with botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT). Methods: This study included matched groups of 13 BSP patients, 13 HFS patients, and 13 HC. We measured patients using structural-magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at baseline and after one month BoNT treatment, at time points of maximal and minimal clinical symptom representation, and HC at baseline. Group regional cross-correlation matrices calculated based on grey matter volume were included in graph-based network analysis. We used these to quantify global network measures of segregation and integration, and also looked at local connectivity properties of different brain regions. Results: The networks in patients with BSP were more segregated than in patients with HFS and HC ( p < 0.001). BSP patients had increased connectivity in frontal and temporal cortices, including sensorimotor cortex, and reduced connectivity in the cerebellum, relative to both HFS patients and HC ( p < 0.05). Compared with HC, HFS patients showed increased connectivity in temporal and parietal cortices and a decreased connectivity in the frontal cortex ( p < 0.05). In BSP patients, the connectivity of the frontal cortex diminished after BoNT treatment ( p < 0.05). In contrast, HFS patients showed increased connectivity in the temporal cortex and reduced connectivity in cerebellum after BoNT treatment ( p < 0.05). Conclusions: Our results show that BSP patients display alterations in both segregation and integration in the brain at the network level. The regional differences identified in the sensorimotor cortex and cerebellum of these patients may play a role in the pathophysiology of focal dystonia. Moreover, symptomatic reduction of hyperkinesia by BoNT treatment was associated with different brain network fingerprints in both BSP and HFS patients.

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Electroencephalography in Predicting Short-Term Clinical Outcomes after Cardiac Arrest

Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences / Journal Canadien des Sciences Neurologiques ◽

10.1017/cjn.2020.65 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 47 (4) ◽

pp. 519-524

Author(s):

Yun Ho Choi ◽

In-Uk Song ◽

Sung-Woo Chung ◽

Taewon Kim

Keyword(s):

Cardiac Arrest ◽

Clinical Outcomes ◽

Low Voltage ◽

Burst Suppression ◽

The Other ◽

Temperature Management ◽

Early Recovery ◽

Significant Group ◽

Gcs Score ◽

Eeg Pattern

ABSTRACT:Background:Early consciousness recovery after cardiac arrest (CA) is one of the most explicit and self-evident prognostic factors for clinical outcomes. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of electroencephalography (EEG) phenotypes according to the American Clinical Neurophysiology Society’s Critical Care EEG classification for predicting early recovery after CA.Methods:Consecutive patients admitted to the ICU after CA were enrolled. We analyzed Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score within 10 days after CA and evaluated mortality within 28 days according to EEG pattern subtype.Results:Among the total of 71 patients, 9 had periodic discharges (PDs) EEG pattern, 4 had rhythmic delta activity (RDA), 8 had spike-and-wave (SW), 22 had low voltage, 5 had burst suppression, and 23 had other EEG patterns. Initial GCS scores, GCS scores 3 days after CA (or 3 days after targeted temperature management [TTM]), and 10 days after CA (or 10 days after TTM) were significantly different among EEG subtypes (p < 0.001, respectively) (Table 2). GCS scores were significantly higher in RDA and the other EEG group compared to the PDs, SW, low voltage, and burst suppression groups (p < 0.001). Significant group × time interactions were observed for the follow-up period between EEG phenotypes (p < 0.001) demonstrating the most increase in the other EEG pattern group.Conclusions:Consciousness states were significantly worse in the PDs, SW, burst suppression, and low-voltage groups compared to the RDA and the other EEG pattern within 10 days after CA. The degree of consciousness recovery differed significantly by EEG pattern subtype within 10 days.

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Giving to versus Taking from In- and Out-Group Members

Games ◽

10.3390/g9030057 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 9 (3) ◽

pp. 57 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Marius Alt ◽

Carlo Gallier ◽

Achim Schlüter ◽

Katherine Nelson ◽

Eva Anggraini

Keyword(s):

Social Norms ◽

Cultural Context ◽

Group Identity ◽

Dictator Game ◽

The Other ◽

Group Interactions ◽

Minimal Group Paradigm ◽

Group Identities ◽

Group Members ◽

Full Factorial

In this experiment, we test whether subjects’ responses to variations in the action set in a dictator game depends on induced group identities. The action set includes choices in which the dictator can either give money to or take money from the other player. As an extension to the anonymous setting, we introduce induced group identities using the minimal group paradigm. Based on a dictator game conducted with more than 300 students in Indonesia, we implement a full factorial design in order to analyze the framing of the action set in a varied cultural context and to examine varied prevalence of social norms given a group identity context. If group identity is not salient, we find that participants are slightly more generous when they have an opportunity to give to rather than to take from the recipient. However, when participants are matched with in-group members, this result is reversed and highly significant. The result of differing responses to framing effects in within-group interactions compared to a neutral setting are largely ascribed to the varied compliance with existing social norms.

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Botulinum Toxin Effects on Sensorimotor Integration in Focal Dystonias

Toxins ◽

10.3390/toxins12050277 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (5) ◽

pp. 277

Author(s):

Maria Ilenia De Bartolo ◽

Nicoletta Manzo ◽

Gina Ferrazzano ◽

Viola Baione ◽

Daniele Belvisi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Botulinum Toxin ◽

Sensorimotor Integration ◽

Index Finger ◽

Botulinum Toxin A ◽

Temporal Discrimination ◽

Discrimination Threshold ◽

Focal Dystonia ◽

Movement Execution ◽

Proprioceptive Input ◽

Hand Dystonia

(1) Background: In dystonia, the somatosensory temporal discrimination threshold (STDT) is abnormally increased at rest and higher and longer-lasting during movement execution in comparison with healthy subjects (HS), suggesting an abnormal sensorimotor integration. These abnormalities are thought to depend on abnormal proprioceptive input coming from dystonic muscles. Since Botulinum toxin-A (BT-A) reduces proprioceptive input in the injected muscles, our study investigated the effects of BT-A on STDT tested at rest and during voluntary movement execution in patients with focal dystonia. (2) Methods: We enrolled 35 patients with focal dystonia: 14 patients with cervical dystonia (CD), 11 patients with blepharospasm (BSP), and 10 patients with focal hand dystonia (FHD); and 12 age-matched HS. STDT tested by delivering paired stimuli was measured in all subjects at rest and during index finger abductions. (3) Results: Patients with dystonia had higher STDT values at rest and during movement execution than HS. While BT-A did not modify STDT at rest, it reduced the abnormal values of STDT during movement in CD and FHD patients, but not in BSP patients. (4) Conclusions: BT-A improved abnormal sensorimotor integration in CD and FHD, most likely by decreasing the overflow of proprioceptive signaling from muscle dystonic activity to the thalamus.

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The Effects of Corrective Feedback on Chinese Learners’ Writing Accuracy: A Quantitative Analysis in an EFL Context

World Journal of Education ◽

10.5430/wje.v7n2p74 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 7 (2) ◽

pp. 74

Author(s):

Xin Wang

Keyword(s):

Corrective Feedback ◽

The Other ◽

Control Group ◽

Grammar Instruction ◽

College Level ◽

Significant Group ◽

L2 Learners ◽

Grammatical Accuracy ◽

Quasi Experimental ◽

Writing Accuracy

Scholars debate whether corrective feedback contributes to improving L2 learners’ grammatical accuracy in writingperformance. Some researchers take a stance on the ineffectiveness of corrective feedback based on theimpracticality of providing detailed corrective feedback for all L2 learners and detached grammar instruction inlanguage classrooms. On the other hand, many researchers promote the efficacy and significance of the role playedby corrective feedback in the process of L2 writing. This research employs a quasi-experimental design andexamines two major issues: (1) the extent to which CF facilitates or improves students’ writing accuracy; (2) students’expectations and preferences for CF. The research consists of 105 college level EFL learners from three intact classesin an Eastern Chinese University. One class was assigned to the control group which only received comments oncontent of their writing. The other two classes were then assigned to each of the two experimental groups whichreceived indirect or direct CF. Data collection includes student text/error analysis, treatments (i.e., provision ofcorrective feedback), examination of tests (i.e., pretest, posttest and delayed posttest), and questionnaires. Within aresearch period of ten weeks, this study did not reveal statistically significant group differences between the two CFgroups and the control group on overall error reduction. However, students believed CF was important and beneficial,although there is contradiction between what the students believed and their teachers’ actual practices in theclassroom. Pedagogical recommendations for EFL teachers are also discussed.

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