scholarly journals Different underlying mechanisms for high and low arousal in probabilistic learning in humans

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luis F. Ciria ◽  
Marta Suarez-Pinilla ◽  
Alex G. Williams ◽  
Sridhar R. Jagannathan ◽  
Daniel Sanabria ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Relevant Information ◽  
Experimental Models ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Probabilistic Learning ◽  
Cognitive Dynamics ◽  
Performance Decline ◽  
Exercise Transitions ◽  
Behavioural Performance ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Healthy Participants

Humans are uniquely capable of adapting to highly changing environments by updating relevant information and adjusting ongoing behaviour accordingly. Here we show how this ability, termed cognitive flexibility, is differentially modulated by high and low arousal fluctuations. We implemented a probabilistic reversal learning paradigm in healthy participants as they transitioned towards sleep or physical extenuation. The results revealed, in line with our pre-registered hypotheses, that low arousal leads to diminished behavioural performance through increased decision volatility, while performance decline under high arousal was attributed to increased perseverative behaviour. These findings provide evidence for distinct patterns of maladaptive decision-making on each side of the arousal inverted u-shaped curve, differentially affecting participants' ability to generate stable evidence-based strategies, and introduces wake-sleep and physical exercise transitions as complementary experimental models for investigating neural and cognitive dynamics.

Patients’ Perceptions and Attitudes Regarding the Pre-Anesthesia Clinic (PAC) at the National Guard Hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: An Exploratory Study (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ghdeer Tashkandi ◽  
Samina Abidi
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Exploratory Study ◽  
National Guard ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Educational Interventions ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Quantitative Research Methods ◽  
Perceptions And Attitudes ◽  
Educational Information

BACKGROUND Preoperative services and education allow patients to take an active role in their recovery and reduce the risk of post-operative complications. Exploring patients’ perceptions and attitudes regarding pre-anesthesia services and education helps reveal gaps in patients’ uptake of them so that targeted educational interventions can be designed and implemented. OBJECTIVE This is an exploratory study aimed at increasing the understanding of patients’ perceptions and concerns about and the adequacy of the pre-anesthesia services and educational content provided to them at the pre-anesthesia clinic (PAC) of the National Guard Hospital (NGH) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The information gathered will be used to design and develop an electronic patient education system that will allow patients to access personalized, evidence-based pre-anesthesia information relevant to their upcoming surgeries. METHODS Quantitative research methods are used to collect relevant information from patients using a closed-ended questionnaire. The questionnaire includes items on demographics, patients’ perceptions and concerns regarding anesthesia, and the assessment of pre-anesthesia information adequacy. RESULTS Our results showed that 94% of the participants consider the PAC very important, and more than half of the participants (56%) were interested in receiving additional educational information about anesthesia via mobile applications. While 100% of the participants were satisfied with the information and services provided at the clinic, the assessment of this information and service adequacy indicated that participants were not adequately informed about anesthesia. Among the most common anesthesia-related concerns were the inability to wake up after anesthesia, becoming paralyzed after spinal anesthesia, the possibility of staying in the ICU after the surgery and developing back pain. CONCLUSIONS This gathered information will be used to design and develop an educational intervention that will deliver evidence-based, personalized and easy to understand educational instructions to patients to better prepare them for their upcoming surgery. The proposed system will overcome the problems of (i) the spread of generalized unrelated educational information and instructions, (ii) patients forgetting or misunderstanding the given instructions, (iii) issues with the accessibility of information, and (iv) a lack of communication and interaction between patients and their anesthetist.

scholarly journals Valorization of pikliz: a spicy meal garnishment in Haitian cuisine

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
James Louis-Jean ◽  
Debbie Sanon ◽  
Kevin Louis-Jean ◽  
Nicole Sanon ◽  
Ruthonce Stvil Louis-Jean ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
National Identity ◽  
Health Benefits ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Metabolic Process ◽  
Vitamin B ◽  
Fermented Foods ◽  
Biochemical Process ◽  
Potential Health ◽  
Nutritional Values ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms

AbstractThe biochemical process of fermentation (zymology) is widely practical for foods and beverages. This metabolic process involves microorganisms (bacteria) and their enzymes in the preparation and preservation of foods. Many studies have shown that fermented foods and beverages have various documented health benefits to humans, such as being high in vitamin b, and, among other benefits, having atherogenic and anticarcinogenic properties. This communication discusses the significance of fermentation in Haitian cuisine by focusing on pikliz—a spicy fermented meal garnishment that is widely popular among Haitian dishes. This analysis provides relevant information on Haitian cuisine while examining the underlying mechanisms, compositions, properties, nutritional values, and potential health benefits of pikliz. This spicy meal garnishment represents the regional, ethnic, and national identity of Haitians living in Haiti and abroad.

CAN BAYESIAN METHODS MAKE DATA AND ANALYSES MORE RELEVANT TO DECISION MAKERS?

2001 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 114-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven H. Sheingold
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Bayesian Methods ◽  
Paradigm Shift ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Decision Makers ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
Critical Importance ◽  
Bayesian Approaches ◽  
Bayesian Analyses ◽  
And Performance

Decision making in health care has become increasingly reliant on information technology, evidence-based processes, and performance measurement. It is therefore a time at which it is of critical importance to make data and analyses more relevant to decision makers. Those who support Bayesian approaches contend that their analyses provide more relevant information for decision making than do classical or “frequentist” methods, and that a paradigm shift to the former is long overdue. While formal Bayesian analyses may eventually play an important role in decision making, there are several obstacles to overcome if these methods are to gain acceptance in an environment dominated by frequentist approaches. Supporters of Bayesian statistics must find more accommodating approaches to making their case, especially in finding ways to make these methods more transparent and accessible. Moreover, they must better understand the decision-making environment they hope to influence. This paper discusses these issues and provides some suggestions for overcoming some of these barriers to greater acceptance.

scholarly journals The Liver and the Hepatic Immune Response in Trypanosoma cruzi Infection, a Historical and Updated View

Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 1074
Author(s):  
Natalia Vacani-Martins ◽  
Marcelo Meuser-Batista ◽  
Carina de Lima Pereira dos Santos ◽  
Alejandro Marcel Hasslocher-Moreno ◽  
Andrea Henriques-Pons
Keyword(s):  
Immune Response ◽  
Trypanosoma Cruzi ◽  
Chagas Disease ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Cell Types ◽  
Experimental Models ◽  
Chronic Patients ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Multiple Cell ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms

Chagas disease was described more than a century ago and, despite great efforts to understand the underlying mechanisms that lead to cardiac and digestive manifestations in chronic patients, much remains to be clarified. The disease is found beyond Latin America, including Japan, the USA, France, Spain, and Australia, and is caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. Dr. Carlos Chagas described Chagas disease in 1909 in Brazil, and hepatomegaly was among the clinical signs observed. Currently, hepatomegaly is cited in most papers published which either study acutely infected patients or experimental models, and we know that the parasite can infect multiple cell types in the liver, especially Kupffer cells and dendritic cells. Moreover, liver damage is more pronounced in cases of oral infection, which is mainly found in the Amazon region. However, the importance of liver involvement, including the hepatic immune response, in disease progression does not receive much attention. In this review, we present the very first paper published approaching the liver’s participation in the infection, as well as subsequent papers published in the last century, up to and including our recently published results. We propose that, after infection, activated peripheral T lymphocytes reach the liver and induce a shift to a pro-inflammatory ambient environment. Thus, there is an immunological integration and cooperation between peripheral and hepatic immunity, contributing to disease control.

scholarly journals Exposure to relaxing words during sleep promotes slow-wave sleep and subjective sleep quality

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonas Beck ◽  
Erna Loretz ◽  
Björn Rasch
Keyword(s):  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Slow Wave ◽  
Slow Wave Sleep ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Subjective Sleep Quality ◽  
Sleep Depth ◽  
Activity Band ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms ◽  
Healthy Participants ◽  
Subjective Level

AbstractOur thoughts alter our sleep, but the underlying mechanisms are still unknown. We propose that mental processes are active to a greater or lesser extent during sleep and that this degree of activation affects our sleep depth. We examined this notion by activating the concept of “relaxation” during sleep using relaxation-related words in 50 healthy participants. In support of our hypothesis, playing relaxing words during non-rapid eye movement sleep extended the time spent in slow-wave sleep, increased power in the slow-wave activity band after the word cue, and abolished an asymmetrical sleep depth during the word presentation period. On the subjective level, participants reported a higher sleep quality and elevated alertness ratings. Our results support the notion that the activation of mental concepts during sleep can influence sleep depth and provide a basis for interventions using targeted activations to promote sleep depth and sleep quality to foster well-being and health.

SCAN Fact Sheets: Current, Accurate, Evidence-Based, and Relevant Information now and in the Future

2015 ◽  
Vol 115 (9) ◽  
pp. A54
Author(s):  
S. Stastny ◽  
S. Chaffee ◽  
K. Kester ◽  
A. Clark ◽  
R. Gonzalez
Keyword(s):  
Relevant Information ◽  
Evidence Based ◽  
The Future

Neural substrate and underlying mechanisms of working memory: insights from brain stimulation studies

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zakia Z Haque ◽  
Ranshikha Samandra ◽  
Farshad Alizadeh Mansouri
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Brain Stimulation ◽  
Cognitive Functions ◽  
Cognitive Abilities ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Electrophysiological Recording ◽  
Great Opportunity ◽  
Neural Substrate ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms

The concept of working memory refers to a collection of cognitive abilities and processes involved in the short-term storage of task-relevant information to guide the ongoing and upcoming behaviour and therefore describes an important aspect of executive control of behaviour for achieving goals. Deficits in working memory and related cognitive abilities have been observed in patients with brain damage or neuropsychological disorders and therefore it is important to better understand neural substrate and underlying mechanisms of working memory. Working memory relies on neural mechanisms that enable encoding, maintenance and manipulation of stored information as well as integrating them with ongoing and future goals. Recently, a surge in brain stimulation studies have led to development of various non-invasive techniques for localized stimulation of prefrontal and other cortical regions in humans. These brain stimulation techniques can potentially be tailored to influence neural activities in particular brain regions and modulate cognitive functions and behaviour. Combined use of brain stimulation with neuroimaging and electrophysiological recording have provided a great opportunity to monitor neural activity in various brain regions and non-invasively intervene and modulate cognitive functions in cognitive tasks. These studies have shed more light on the neural substrate and underlying mechanisms of working memory in humans. Here, we review findings and insight from these brain stimulation studies about the contribution of brain regions, and particularly prefrontal cortex, to working memory.

scholarly journals Techniques for Molecular Imaging Probe Design

2011 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 7290.2011.00003 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fred Reynolds ◽  
Kimberly A. Kelly
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Imaging ◽  
Target Selection ◽  
Relevant Information ◽  
Probe Design ◽  
Imaging Probe ◽  
Molecular Imaging Probes ◽  
Genomics And Proteomics ◽  
Imaging Probes ◽  
Molecular Imaging Probe ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms

Molecular imaging allows clinicians to visualize disease-specific molecules, thereby providing relevant information in the diagnosis and treatment of patients. With advances in genomics and proteomics and underlying mechanisms of disease pathology, the number of targets identified has significantly outpaced the number of developed molecular imaging probes. There has been a concerted effort to bridge this gap with multidisciplinary efforts in chemistry, proteomics, physics, material science, and biology—all essential to progress in molecular imaging probe development. In this review, we discuss target selection, screening techniques, and probe optimization with the aim of developing clinically relevant molecularly targeted imaging agents.

scholarly journals Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Citrus Flavonoid Hesperetin: Special Focus on Neurological Disorders

Antioxidants ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (7) ◽  
pp. 609 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amjad Khan ◽  
Muhammad Ikram ◽  
Jong Ryeal Hahm ◽  
Myeong Ok Kim
Keyword(s):  
Neurodegenerative Disorders ◽  
In Vitro Models ◽  
Experimental Models ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Neuroprotective Effects ◽  
Beneficial Effects ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Underlying Mechanisms

Neurodegenerative disorders have emerged as a serious health issue in the current era. The most common neurodegenerative disorders are Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). These diseases involve progressive impairment of neurodegeneration and memory impairment. A wide range of compounds have been identified as potential neuroprotective agents against different models of neurodegeneration both in vivo and in vitro. Hesperetin, a flavanone class of citrus flavonoid, is a derivative of hesperidin found in citrus fruits such as oranges, grapes, and lemons. It has been extensively reported that hesperetin exerts neuroprotective effects in experimental models of neurodegenerative diseases. In this systematic review, we have compiled all the studies conducted on hesperetin in both in vivo and in vitro models of neurodegeneration. Here, we have used an approach to lessen the bias in each study, providing a least biased, broad understanding of findings and impartial conclusions of the strength of evidence and the reliability of findings. In this review, we collected different papers from a wide range of journals describing the beneficial effects of hesperetin on animal models of neurodegeneration. Our results demonstrated consistent neuroprotective effects of hesperetin against different models of neurodegeneration. In addition, we have summarized its underlying mechanisms. This study provides the foundations for future studies and recommendations of further mechanistic approaches to conduct preclinical studies on hesperetin in different models.

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