Project Targets Research Articles

Exploring the long-term impact of a nurse-midwife mentorship intervention in Neno district, Malawi: a secondary data analysis of maternal and neonatal complications

Abstract Background There is critical need to strengthen the global nursing and midwifery workforce. This is especially true in Malawi where they are the primary providers of obstetric and neonatal care. In Neno district, Malawi, in 2017, we implemented an intensive training and longitudinal bedside mentorship intervention for nurses and midwives. From inception, there was a pre-planned project target completion after 5 years, including a staged handover to local ownership after 3 years. The objective of this study was to assess differences in reported maternal and neonatal complications following project completion and handover to local leadership. Methods The project was a partnership between an academic institution and local nongovernmental organization. In October 2020, the intervention was handed over and maintained by the local organization with limited support from the academic institution. Data from January 2019 to May 2023 were extracted from the Malawi District Health Information Software 2. Bivariate analyses explored differences in the pre- and post-handover periods for all government-collected, birth-related variables. The “pre-handover” period encompassed January 2019 to September 2020 and “post-handover” from October 2020 to May 2023. Multivariate linear regression explored outcomes while controlling for health facility. Results Data were collected from 10 health facilities in the district and included a total of 23,259 births. Overall, there were few significant changes between periods. Exceptions were in reporting of antepartum hemorrhage (p < 0.01), maternal sepsis (p = 0.01), and manual removal of the placenta (p < 0.01), where we observed decreases in reporting. There was a significant decrease in the reporting of neonatal sepsis (p = 0.01) in the bivariate analysis, which remained only borderline significant in the multivariate model (p = 0.05). Where differences occurred, they were associated with improvements in reported identification of complications and provision of associated emergency care. Conclusions Few differences in reported maternal and neonatal complications between the periods suggest positive impact of the intervention was sustained following project handover and transition of activities to local leadership. These findings strengthen support for longitudinal mentorship as a pivotal component for skill retention after training. Transparent partnerships which include pre-determined end points and time for handover of activities to local ownership are crucial components for sustainability.

Evaluation of the powering extrapolation of a ship with a gate rudder system, including ageing and fouling effects

This paper is based on the evaluation results of the calm water powering extrapolation of a 90-m general cargo vessel, originally built with a conventional rudder system (CRS) and later retrofitted with an innovative energy-saving device (ESD) known as the Gate Rudder System® (GRS), as part of the EU H2020 Project GATERS. The power estimation of the vessel was conducted using an adapted extrapolation procedure based on the scaled model tests of the vessel in a towing tank, validated by the three sets of sea trials. The first sea trial was performed when the ship was new, while the latter two were conducted during the project timeline, before and after the GRS retrofit. This paper aims to adapt the ITTC-78 power extrapolation method to predict the power performance of a ship retrofitted with the GRS for the first time in the maritime industry. Within this framework, the specific objectives of the paper are to describe and validate the proposed method using relevant power-speed data of the GATERS project target vessel (M/V ERGE) initially equipped with the CRS and later replaced by the retrofit GRS to achieve the project objective. Due to the real-world circumstances of retrofitting a 13-year-old ship with a novel energy-saving device, investigating the effects of ageing, hull roughness, and fouling has also become one of the key objectives of the paper. The findings demonstrate the ageing effect on the target ship's powering performance after retrofitting with GRS, highlighting the need for special consideration of power extrapolation alongside the hull fouling effects. The paper also demonstrates that the GRS is an emerging ESD, as a retrofit beside newly built ships with GRS, which improved the powering performance of the project target vessel, achieving a remarkable 25% power saving based on the comparative full-scale sea trials.

Perirhinal cortex to the nucleus accumbens circuit in novelty salience following methamphetamine self-administration

Methamphetamine (meth) use disorder is part of an overarching use disorder that encompasses continued drug seeking and an increased risk of returning to drug use following periods of abstaining. Chronic meth use results in drug-induced cortical plasticity in the perirhinal cortex (PRC) that mediates responses to novelty. PRH projection targets are numerous and include the nucleus accumbens core (NAc). Whereas the PRH-prefrontal cortex is involved in object recognition; we propose that the PRHNAc is involved in novelty salience. Rats underwent short-access (ShA, 1 hr) or long-access (LgA, 6 hr) meth self-administration (SA). We then used a dual viral strategy to inhibit or activate PRHNAc during a novel cue test in which rats were presented with meth‑associated and novel levers. Response patterns on these levers differ depending on the meth access protocol: ShA meth SA results in equal responding on both novel- and meth‑associated levers, whereas LgA meth results in perseverative responding on the meth‑associated lever. Inactivation of the PRHNAc increased responding on the meth lever relative to the novel lever, resulting in a LgA behavioral phenotype. In contrast, activation in LgA rats was without a behavioral effect. We also report that male LgA sucrose SA animals perseverated on the novel lever rather than the meth‑associated lever, which contrast their meth SA counter parts and female specific patterns of behavior. These data open a new line of interest in the role of the PRHNAc circuit in novelty salience through identification of the behavioral relevance of this circuit.

Record of albinism in European ground squirrel (Spermophilus citellus) (Rodentia: Sciuridae) in Slovakia

The European ground squirrel is a mammalian species whose populations are declining and has therefore become the target of various conservation projects in recent years. Currently, there are only a few dozen isolated populations in the Central European region. Increased interest in these animals has contributed to the first record of albino specimens of this species. A total of four juvenile individuals from two litters from one colony were observed, and in addition to the documentation itself, elementary behaviour notes were also made. All specimens did not survive to adulthood, confirming the low survival rate of aberrant individuals in the wild.

Effective Information Flow In Project Management: Lessons From An Information Technology Project

Network analysis of scheduled activities is a widely-applied project management tool which promotes timely and efficient project delivery. However, lack of coherent network of information flow during the project implementation can render the project objectives and targets unrealisable. In this study, the researcher analysed lessons on information management from a plant installation process in an information technology (IT) company within the Manchester neighbourhood. The lessons were relatable because the researcher was a member of the team who managed the plant installation. In particular, an electronic information model (under the auspices of Excel software) was designed and implemented in collaboration with the project team. This immediately kept the team well informed of the project progress, corrected slowdowns in activity execution and facilitated timely completion of the plant assembly. The multiple-machine plant was successfully prepared for production operation within the specified timeline. This study therefore argues that project managers may take lessons from this experience in creating a network of information flow such that the project team implements their assigned activities with full information knowledge of what comes before and after each activity.

Variations of neuronal properties in the region of locus coeruleus of mice

Neurons in the locus coeruleus (LC) have been traditionally viewed as a homogenous population. Recent studies begin to reveal their heterogeneity at multiple levels, ranging from molecular compositions to projection targets. To further uncover variations of neuronal properties in the LC, we took a genetic-based tagging approach to identify these neurons. Our data revealed diverse spike waveforms among neurons in the LC region, including a considerable fraction of narrow-spiking units. While all wide-spiking units possessed the regular waveform polarity (negative-positive deflection), the narrow units can be further divided based on opposing waveform polarities. Under anesthesia, wide units emitted action potential at a higher rate than the narrow units. Under wakefulness, only one subtype of narrow units exhibited fast-spiking phenotype. These neurons also had long latencies to optogenetic stimulation. In-situ hybridization further supported the existence of a small population of putative GABAergic neurons in the LC core. Together, our data reveal characteristic differences among neurons in the LC region, and suggest that a fraction of electrophysiologically-identified narrow-spiking neurons can be fast-spiking interneurons, and their fast-spiking feature is masked by anesthesia.

Massive multiplexing of spatially resolved single neuron projections with axonal BARseq

Neurons in the cortex are heterogeneous, sending diverse axonal projections to multiple brain regions. Unraveling the logic of these projections requires single-neuron resolution. Although a growing number of techniques have enabled high-throughput reconstruction, these techniques are typically limited to dozens or at most hundreds of neurons per brain, requiring that statistical analyses combine data from different specimens. Here we present axonal BARseq, a high-throughput approach based on reading out nucleic acid barcodes using in situ RNA sequencing, which enables analysis of even densely labeled neurons. As a proof of principle, we have mapped the long-range projections of >8000 primary auditory cortex neurons from a single male mouse. We identified major cell types based on projection targets and axonal trajectory. The large sample size enabled us to systematically quantify the projections of intratelencephalic (IT) neurons, and revealed that individual IT neurons project to different layers in an area-dependent fashion. Axonal BARseq is a powerful technique for studying the heterogeneity of single neuronal projections at high throughput within individual brains.

Main contents and revision direction of the Urban Complex Development Act

The Act on Support for Urban Complex Development was enacted and promulgated on February 6, 2024. It is scheduled to take effect on February 7, 2025. This new law encourages private project implementers to actively participate in urban complex development, unlike the urban public housing complex project (under the public housing special law) that was introduced in accordance with the government’s plan to drastically expand the supply of 3080+ publicly led metropolitan housing announced on February 4, 2021. The urban public housing complex project is a system designed to establish a new business model for station areas, semi-industrial areas, and low-rise residential areas that are underutilized and aging because of difficulties with redevelopment and reconstruction projects. Public institutions have become project implementers instead of existing cooperative-centered redevelopment and reconstruction projects. The urban public housing complex project is a development project that utilizes comprehensive acquisition (including land expropriation) to quickly promote the project and supply new buildings in the form of compensation in kind if the landowner so desires. However, the complex development project introduced in the Act on Support for Urban Complex Development differs significantly from the plan described above in that the private sector, including landowners, trustees, and real estate investment trusts (REITs), become the main project implementers, promoting the project by utilizing management, disposal plans, and sales claims. In this article, I examine the concept and characteristics of complex development projects, procedures, and special provisions for these projects and identify problems and revision directions for relevant laws. Since complex development projects utilize management, disposal plans, and sales claims as business methodsand the project target is an urban area with a high concentration of old and substandardbuildings, I describe such projects by comparing them with the provisions of the Urban and Housing Environment Improvement Act, which regulates redevelopment and reconstruction projects. Finally, I suggest that necessary actions to smoothly implement complex development projects include securing differentiation from other development projects, supplementing specific provisions on REITs as the newly introduced project implementers, and improving the sales claim system and consent rate centered on land area.

Simulated and measured performance of the ISIS TS-1 Project target

A new design of spallation target has been installed and operated at the first target station of the ISIS Neutron and Muon Source (ISIS TS-1), as part of the recently completed “TS-1 Project”. Detailed Finite Element Analysis (FEA) simulations were used to guide the design process and predict target performance. Since the TS-1 Project target began operation in November 2022, operating data has been collected and used to validate the target simulation approach. Measured temperatures of 9 out of 10 target plates showed good agreement with FEA simulations of both steady-state and transient behaviour. However, the front target plate temperature was elevated compared to predictions. Because the installed target was now too radioactive to permit hands-on inspection, FEA simulations became an indispensable tool to understand the possible causes and safety implications of this anomalous behaviour. The anomalous elevated temperature appears to be highly localised; a combination of simulations and experiments indicates the mostly likely cause is poor thermal contact between the thermocouple and the bulk of the target plate. In all other respects the target is operating as predicted, and is running reliably at up to 120 kW.

Historical drivers of HCV Subtypes 1b and 3a in Thailand and 6f in Phetchabun, an HCV endemic area of the country.

The World Health Organization has set a target to eliminate viral hepatitis as a public threat by 2030. In pursuit of this goal, Thailand initiated a hepatitis C virus (HCV) microelimination project targeting Phetchabun province, a well-recognized high-burden HCV endemic area. However, the historical transmission dynamics of HCV in Phetchabun, and in Thailand in general, remain unclear. This study investigates the epidemic histories of HCV in Phetchabun, focusing on Subtypes 1b, 3a, and 6f, and their relationship with HCV in other regions of Thailand, using molecular phylogenetic analyses. Our results reveal nationwide the presence of Subtypes 1b and 3a, while Subtype 6f is mainly confined to Phetchabun. The initial spread of Subtype 1b was inferred to coincide with World War II and the period of suboptimal medical and hygienic standards in Thai blood transfusion services, suggesting a correlation between the two. The early expansion of Subtype 3a was, on the other hand, found to correlate with the epidemic of intravenous drug use in Thailand during the time of Vietnam War. The early expansion of Subtype 6f, in contrast, appears to coincide with the period of severe regional political conflict and social and economic instability. All these findings suggest the complex interplay between social determinants of health and HCV transmission. Post the mid-1990s/early 2000s, all subtypes showed significantly reduced population growth rates, aligning with improvements in blood transfusion safety standards, the nationwide "War on Drugs" policy, and enhanced accessibility to public healthcare and HCV treatments. These combined efforts likely have contributed to curbing the spread of HCV in Thailand. Nevertheless, our analyses reveal that the prevalence of HCV in Thailand remains high overall, emphasizing the need for further research and a nationwide approach to more effectively reduce the HCV burden in Thailand.

디지털 헬스케어를 활용한 수원특례시 노인복지시스템 구축 연구

The pace of aging in Korea is the highest in the world, and Suwon City is also expected to enter a super-aged society in 2030, so preparations for the medical and welfare sectors for the elderly are urgent. In addition, interest in digital healthcare, which focuses on non-face-to-face treatment, has increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic crisis in 2019. In this study aimed to propose a plan to build an elderly welfare system for Suwon based on previous studies through literature review and expert focus group interviews As a result of literature survey, in developed countries, digital healthcare services have been developed mainly in the U.S., Japan, and Israel. In particular, the U.S., which has been promoting non-face-to-face telemedicine since early on due to its large land area, has developed a business centered on private companies, but has also been able to grow into a digital health powerhouse due to government support such as deregulation. In Korea, the development of the digital healthcare industry has been limited due to problems such as the regulation of telemedicine practices and unclear core. In addition, according to the results of the expert group interviews, those involved in the mobile healthcare project at the Suwon City Health Center pointed out errors in the system app and difficult input methods as the main factors for negative participation in the project. Therefore, it is expected that for self-healthcare through digital healthcare to be actively implemented, it is necessary not only for the right understanding and participation of the project targets, but also for the active cooperation of the government and private companies.

Distinct Neuromodulatory Effects of Endogenous Orexin and Dynorphin Corelease on Projection-Defined Ventral Tegmental Dopamine Neurons.

Dopamine (DA) neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) respond to motivationally relevant cues, and circuit-specific signaling drives different aspects of motivated behavior. Orexin (ox; also known as hypocretin) and dynorphin (dyn) are coexpressed lateral hypothalamic (LH) neuropeptides that project to the VTA. These peptides have opposing effects on the firing activity of VTADA neurons via orexin 1 (Ox1R) or kappa opioid (KOR) receptors. Given that Ox1R activation increases VTADA firing, and KOR decreases firing, it is unclear how the coreleased peptides contribute to the net activity of DA neurons. We tested if optical stimulation of LHox/dyn neuromodulates VTADA neuronal activity via peptide release and if the effects of optically driven LHox/dyn release segregate based on VTADA projection targets including the basolateral amygdala (BLA) or the lateral or medial shell of the nucleus accumbens (lAcbSh, mAchSh). Using a combination of circuit tracing, optogenetics, and patch-clamp electrophysiology in male and female orexincre mice, we showed a diverse response of LHox/dyn optical stimulation on VTADA neuronal firing, which is not mediated by fast transmitter release and is blocked by antagonists to KOR and Ox1R signaling. Additionally, where optical stimulation of LHox/dyn inputs in the VTA inhibited firing of the majority of BLA-projecting VTADA neurons, optical stimulation of LHox/dyn inputs in the VTA bidirectionally affects firing of either lAcbSh- or mAchSh-projecting VTADA neurons. These findings indicate that LHox/dyn corelease may influence the output of the VTA by balancing ensembles of neurons within each population which contribute to different aspects of reward seeking.

Smart FOX - Enabling Citizen-Based Donation of EHR-Standardised Data for Clinical Research in Austria.

Access to healthcare data for secondary use in clinical research is often restricted due to privacy concerns or business interests, hindering comprehensive analysis across patient pathways. The Smart FOX project seeks to address this challenge by developing concepts, methods, and tools to facilitate citizen/patient-driven donations of health data for clinical research. Leveraging the groundwork, laid by the national Electronic Health Record implementation in Austria (called ELGA), Smart FOX aims to harness structured datasets from ELGA for research purposes through an opt-in approach. With funding secured from the Austrian Research Promotion Agency, the project embarks on innovative solutions encompassing governance frameworks, community engagement, and technical infrastructure. The Smart FOX consortium, comprising key stakeholders across various healthcare-associated domains, will evaluate these efforts through demonstrators focusing on clinical registries, patient-generated data, and recruitment services. The project targets to accompany the development of future data donation infrastructure while ultimately advancing clinical research efficiency and bolstering Austria's preparedness for the European Health Data Space. This paper presents the first systematic evaluation of the technical concept and proposal for the federated system architecture of the Austrian Health Data Donation Space, which is the socio-technical goal of Smart FOX.

AI-based derivation of atrial fibrillation phenotypes in the general and critical care populations

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common heart arrhythmia worldwide and is linked to a higher risk of mortality and morbidity. To predict AF and AF-related complications, clinical risk scores are commonly employed, but their predictive accuracy is generally limited, given the inherent complexity and heterogeneity of patients with AF. By classifying different presentations of AF into coherent and manageable clinical phenotypes, the development of tailored prevention and treatment strategies can be facilitated. In this study, we propose an artificial intelligence (AI)-based methodology to derive meaningful clinical phenotypes of AF in the general and critical care populations. Our approach employs generative topographic mapping, a probabilistic machine learning method, to identify micro-clusters of patients with similar characteristics. It then identifies macro-cluster regions (clinical phenotypes) in the latent space using Ward's minimum variance method. We applied it to two large cohort databases (UK-Biobank and MIMIC-IV) representing general and critical care populations. The proposed methodology showed its ability to derive meaningful clinical phenotypes of AF. Because of its probabilistic foundations, it can enhance the robustness of patient stratification. It also produced interpretable visualisation of complex high-dimensional data, enhancing understanding of the derived phenotypes and their key characteristics. Using our methodology, we identified and characterised clinical phenotypes of AF across diverse patient populations. Our methodology is robust to noise, can uncover hidden patterns and subgroups, and can elucidate more specific patient profiles, contributing to more robust patient stratification, which could facilitate the tailoring of prevention and treatment programs specific to each phenotype. It can also be applied to other datasets to derive clinically meaningful phenotypes of other conditions. This study was funded by the DECIPHER project (LJMU QR-PSF) and the EU project TARGET (10113624).

Adolescent Thalamoprefrontal Inhibition Leads to Changes in Intrinsic Prefrontal Network Connectivity.

Adolescent inhibition of thalamocortical projections from postnatal days P20 to 50 leads to long-lasting deficits in prefrontal cortex function and cognition in the adult mouse. While this suggests a role of thalamic activity in prefrontal cortex maturation, it is unclear how inhibition of these projections affects prefrontal circuitry during adolescence. Here, we used chemogenetic tools to inhibit thalamoprefrontal projections in male/female mice from P20 to P35 and measured synaptic inputs to prefrontal pyramidal neurons by layer (either II/III or V/VI) and projection target (mediodorsal thalamus (MD), nucleus accumbens (NAc), or callosal prefrontal projections) 24 h later using slice physiology. We found a decrease in the frequency of excitatory and inhibitory currents in layer II/III NAc and layer V/VI MD-projecting neurons while layer V/VI NAc-projecting neurons showed an increase in the amplitude of excitatory and inhibitory currents. Regarding cortical projections, the frequency of inhibitory but not excitatory currents was enhanced in contralateral mPFC-projecting neurons. Notably, despite these complex changes in individual levels of excitation and inhibition, the overall balance between excitation and inhibition in each cell was only altered in the contralateral mPFC projections. This finding suggests homeostatic regulation occurs within subcortically but not intracortical callosal-projecting neurons. Increased inhibition of intraprefrontal connectivity may therefore be particularly important for prefrontal cortex circuit maturation. Finally, we observed cognitive deficits in the adult mouse using this narrowed window of thalamocortical inhibition.

Sistem Informasi Bimbingan Tugas Akhir Mahasiswa menggunakan Model SDLC Berbasis Iconix Process

The final thesis assignment plays a crucial role in enabling students to meet the graduation requirements from college. However, the process of scheduling guidance for the final assignment between students and lecturers still relies on several common applications such as WhatsApp or email, which are not specifically designed for this purpose. The accumulation of incoming messages and various types of message information poses a challenge in the guidance process, leading to missed messages between students and lecturers and a lack of recorded information regarding the history of the process and guidance materials. These are some of the current issues. This paper aims to evaluate the functionality, quality, and reliability of the system by conducting black box testing on the application developed for the student final project guidance information system. This application uses the Iconix process-based SDLC (system development life cycle) model, covering student and lecturer profile information, guidance information, proposal submission, progress of the final thesis assignment, meeting schedule, guidance material, discussion forum, survey evaluation, and contact information. The SDLC model is employed in this research because it can effectively and efficiently achieve project targets, enhance software quality standards, and assist in better risk management and adaptation to change. The model comprises planning, needs analysis, design using the Iconix process, implementation, system testing, and maintenance. The Iconix process is utilized for system design modeling and analysis. Black box testing is performed on the system to verify that the system’s functional requirements are operating correctly. The findings of this research can serve as a control for management in the service and administration of final assignment guidance in higher education.

Good stories well told? Former right-wing extremists’ self-narratives in German schools for preventing hate, radicalization, and violence

This paper concentrates on German school interventions with former right-wing extremists for preventive and educational purposes, in view of storytelling. The involvement of former extremists in schools is associated with well-intentioned aims and various assumptions about impacts and attributions. However, current research reveals that these projects feature more challenges than positive potentials. Thus, in this paper we take former right-wing extremists’ self-narratives during these school talk interventions as a starting point for an in-depth examination of potential risks and challenges. Considering the present state of the art, we attempt to provide preliminary answers to the questions of whom these projects target, why they are conducted, what are their contents, and how they transfer information. In sum, we are inclined to conclude that caution is advisable when contemplating such interventions for educational settings with young people.

Synaptic Connectivity and Electrophysiological Properties of the Nucleus of the Lateral Olfactory Tract.

The sense of smell is tightly linked to emotions, a link that is thought to rely on the direct synaptic connections between the olfactory bulb (OB) and nuclei of the amygdala. However, there are multiple pathways projecting olfactory information to the amygdala, and their unique functions are unknown. The pathway via the nucleus of the lateral olfactory tract (NLOT) that receives input from olfactory regions and projects to the basolateral amygdala (BLA) is among them. NLOT has been very little studied, and consequentially its function is unknown. Furthermore, formulation of informed hypotheses about NLOT function is at this stage limited by the lack of knowledge about its connectivity and physiological properties. Here, we used virus-based tracing methods to systematically reveal inputs into NLOT, as well as NLOT projection targets in mice of both sexes. We found that the NLOT is interconnected with several olfactory brain regions and with the BLA. Some of these connections were reciprocal, and some showed unique interhemispheric patterns. We tested the excitable properties of NLOT neurons and the properties of each of the major synaptic inputs. We found that the NLOT receives powerful input from the piriform cortex, tenia tecta, and the BLA but only very weak input from the OB. When input crosses threshold, NLOT neurons respond with calcium-dependent bursts of action potentials. We hypothesize that this integration of olfactory and amygdalar inputs serves behaviors that combine smell and emotion.

Disentangling transcriptomic heterogeneity within the human subgenual anterior cingulate cortex.

The subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC) is a critical site for understanding the neural correlates of affect and emotion. While the activity of the sgACC is functionally homogenous, it is comprised of multiple Brodmann Areas (BAs) that possess different cytoarchitectures. In some sgACC BAs, Layer 5 is sublaminated into L5a and L5b which has implications for its projection targets. To understand how the transcriptional profile differs between the BAs, layers, and sublayers of human sgACC, we collected layer strips using laser capture microdissection followed by RNA sequencing. We found no significant differences in transcript expression in these specific cortical layers between BAs within the sgACC. In contrast, we identified striking differences between Layers 3 and 5a or 5b that were concordant across sgACC BAs. We found that sublayers 5a and 5b were transcriptionally similar. Pathway analyses of L3 and L5 revealed overlapping biological processes related to synaptic function. However, L3 was enriched for pathways related to cell-to-cell junction and dendritic spines whereas L5 was enriched for pathways related to brain development and presynaptic function, indicating potential functional differences across layers. Our study provides important insight into normative transcriptional features of the sgACC.

Functional architecture of the forebrain cholinergic system in rodents.

The basal forebrain cholinergic system (BFCS) participates in functions that are global across the brain, such as sleep-wake cycles, but also participates in capacities that are more behaviorally and anatomically specific, including sensory perception. To better understand the underlying organization principles of the BFCS, more and higher quality anatomical data and analysis is needed. Here, we created a "virtual Basal Forebrain", combining data from numerous rats with cortical retrograde tracer injections into a common 3D reference coordinate space and developed a "spatial density correlation" methodology to analyze patterns in BFCS cortical projection targets, revealing that the BFCS is organized into three principal networks: somatosensory-motor, auditory, and visual. Within each network, clusters of cholinergic cells with increasing complexity innervate cortical targets. These networks represent hierarchically organized building blocks that may enable the BFCS to coordinate spatially selective signaling, including parallel modulation of multiple functionally interconnected yet diverse groups of cortical areas.