Subsequent Repetition Research Articles

Psychiatric follow-up and repeated hospital presentation of DSH: A national study on young adults

IntroductionPsychiatric care following discharge from general hospital treatment of deliberate self-harm (DSH) is important to reduce patients´ risk of relapse. Whether such follow-up is associated with DSH repetition in young adults is not sufficiently understood. This study examined the association between psychiatric service attendance within seven days of discharge and repeated hospital-presented DSH within 3, 6, and 12 months in patients aged 18–35 years. MethodsIncident episodes of hospital-presented DSH from 2010 to 2017 were identified from the Norwegian Patient Register. Those already psychiatrically admitted or who died during the general hospital or in the seven days after discharge were excluded. Psychiatric service attendance was categorized as ‘no attendance’, ‘outpatient attendance’, and ‘inpatient admissions.’ The association between psychiatric service attendance and subsequent DSH repetition was examined with an Inverse Probability of Treatment Weighted logistic regression model. ResultsOf the 11,308 patients identified, 17.3 % had a psychiatric outpatient attendance, and 19.9 % had an inpatient admission. Outpatient attendance was not associated with a reduced risk of repeated DSH and inpatient admissions were associated with an increased risk in certain subgroups, notably patients: aged 18–24 years; without a recorded mood disorder diagnosis; or no history of hospital-treated DSH. LimitationsOur data did not contain all relevant confounders. Unmeasured confounding is therefore likely to influence the results. ConclusionAlthough no conclusions regarding treatment effectiveness can be drawn from these findings, the study highlights that patients with the most severe psychiatric symptoms and at the highest risk of DSH relapse received follow-up.

Effectiveness of action observation treatment based on pathological model in hemiplegic children: a randomized-controlled trial.

Action observation treatment (AOT) is an innovative therapeutic approach consisting in the observation of actions followed by their subsequent repetition. The standard version of AOT consists in the observation/imitation of a typically developed individual, which is proposed as model (TDM-AOT). This study aims to compare the effectiveness of AOT based on a pathological ameliorative model (PAM-AOT) versus TDM-AOT in improving upper limb ability in children with unilateral cerebral palsy (UCP). The study consists in a prospective randomized controlled, evaluator-blinded trial (RCT), with two active arms, designed to evaluate the effectiveness of AOT based on pathological model (PAM-AOT) as compared to a standard AOT based on TDM (TDM-AOT). The 3-week AOT program was administered in a clinical setting. For some patients, the treatment was delivered at participant's home with the remote support of the physiotherapist (tele-rehabilitation). Twenty-six children with UCP (mean age 10.5±3.09 years; 14 females) participated in the study, with the experimental group observing a pathological model and the control group observing a typically developed model. Motor assessments included unimanual and bimanual ability measures conducted at T0 (baseline, before the treatment), T1 (3 weeks after T0), T2 (8-12 weeks after treatment) and T3 (24-28 weeks after treatment); a subset of 16 patients also underwent fMRI motor assessment. Generalized Estimating Equations models were used for statistical analysis. Both groups showed significant improvement in bimanual function (GEE, Wald 106.16; P<0.001) at T1 (P<0.001), T2 (P<0.001), and T3 (P<0.001). Noteworthy, the experimental group showed greater improvement than the control group immediately after treatment (P<0.013). Both groups exhibited similar improvement in unimanual ability (GEE, Wald 25.49; P<0.001). The fMRI assessments revealed increased activation of ventral premotor cortex after treatment in the experimental compared with control group (GEE, Wald 6.26; P<0.012). Overall, this study highlights the effectiveness of PAM-AOT in achieving short-term improvement of upper limb ability in children with UCP. These findings have significant implications for rehabilitative interventions based on AOT in hemiplegic children, by proposing a non-traditional approach focused on the most functional improvement achievable by imitating a pathological model.

Cling together, swing together? Assessing indirect retrieval of stimulus-response bindings for associated stimuli.

When a stimulus is paired with a response, a stimulus-response (SR) binding (or event file) is formed. Subsequent stimulus repetition retrieves the SR binding from memory, which facilitates (impedes) performance when the same (a different) response is required. We aimed to explore whether indirect retrieval of SR bindings by a newly learnt associated stimulus is possible. Participants first went through a learning task to acquire novel stimulus-stimulus associations. The same stimulus pairs were then presented in a prime-probe task to assess direct and indirect retrieval effects. Participants responded by classifying word color in prime and probe trials. Probe words were either identical to prime words (test for direct retrieval) or corresponded to the associated stimulus (test for indirect retrieval) or were unrelated words (baseline). Independently of word relation, response relation (repetition vs. change) across prime and probe trials was manipulated. In two highly powered preregistered studies (total N = 260) using different types of stimulus associations, we obtained evidence for direct retrieval due to identical word repetition in the probe. Crucially, evidence for indirect retrieval upon presentation of an associated probe word was absent. Controlling for memory of each stimulus-stimulus association did not alter the findings. Our results show that indirect retrieval through newly acquired associations does not occur at the level of SR bindings, at least not for recently acquired stimulus-stimulus associations. Our study illustrates the scope of binding principles and highlights boundary conditions for the stimulus properties that can elicit automatic response retrieval.

Exploring protocol development: Implementing systematic contextual memory to enhance real-time fMRI neurofeedback.

The goal of this study was to explore the development and implementation of a protocol for real-time fMRI neurofeedback (rtfMRI-nf) and to assess the potential for enhancing the selective brain activation using stimuli from Virtual Reality (VR). In this study we focused on two specific brain regions, supplementary motor area (SMA) and right inferior frontal gyrus (rIFG). Publications by other study groups have suggested impaired function in these specific brain regions in patients with the diagnoses Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Tourette's Syndrome (TS). This study explored the development of a protocol to investigate if attention and contextual memory may be used to systematically strengthen the procedure of rtfMRI-nf. We used open-science software and platforms for rtfMRI-nf and for developing a simulated repetition of the rtfMRI-nf brain training in VR. We conducted seven exploratory tests in which we updated the protocol at each step. During rtfMRI-nf, MRI images are analyzed live while a person is undergoing an MRI scan, and the results are simultaneously shown to the person in the MRI-scanner. By focusing the analysis on specific regions of the brain, this procedure can be used to help the person strengthen conscious control of these regions. The VR simulation of the same experience involved a walk through the hospital toward the MRI scanner where the training sessions were conducted, as well as a subsequent simulated repetition of the MRI training. The VR simulation was a 2D projection of the experience.The seven exploratory tests involved 19 volunteers. Through this exploration, methods for aiming within the brain (e.g. masks/algorithms for coordinate-system control) and calculations for the analyses (e.g. calculations based on connectivity versus activity) were updated by the project team throughout the project. The final procedure involved three initial rounds of rtfMRI-nf for learning brain strategies. Then, the volunteers were provided with VR headsets and given instructions for one week of use. Afterward, a new session with three rounds of rtfMRI-nf was conducted. Through our exploration of the indirect effect parameters - brain region activity (directed oxygenated blood flow), connectivity (degree of correlated activity in different regions), and neurofeedback score - the volunteers tended to increase activity in the reinforced brain regions through our seven tests. Updates of procedures and analyses were always conducted between pilots, and never within. The VR simulated repetition was tested in pilot 7, but the role of the VR contribution in this setting is unclear due to underpowered testing. This proof-of-concept protocol implies how rtfMRI-nf may be used to selectively train two brain regions (SMA and rIFG). The method may likely be adapted to train any given region in the brain, but readers are advised to update and adapt the procedure to experimental needs.

Culture Representations Incorporated within the English Textbook Used for Teaching Seventh-Grade Students in Indonesia

This study aims to examine the cultural representation incorporated within the English textbook that the teachers utilized for instructing seventh-grade students in Indonesia. The Study employed qualitative content analysis techniques. The study utilized documentation and a checklist table containing criteria to assess the presence of cultural aspects in the textbook recommended by experts in teaching English as a foreign language. The results indicated that the textbook has successfully fulfilled specific criteria for including cultural information. A distinct and well-defined learning objective accompanies every chapter within this English textbook. The textbook organizes its content into individual chapters, each exploring diverse topics about various cultural aspects. The introduction of vocabulary on the topic of each unit occurs exclusively within the respective unit, without subsequent repetition in subsequent chapters. The content covered in Chapters 1 to 5 of the textbook has encompassed a wide range of cultural elements, exhibiting significant diversity. The material has been tailored to suit the student's age group. Every chapter within this English textbook also presents four distinct categories of language skills. However, the learning materials primarily emphasize Indonesian culture through the inclusion of cultural materials. The chapters within the textbook need to cultivate students' awareness of intercultural understanding. There need to be more activities that facilitate students' engagement in intercultural understanding and cross-cultural communication

Caliphs and Merchants: Cities and Economies of Power in the Near East (700–950)

Caliphs and Merchants: Cities and Economies of Power in the Near East (700–950)

Stimulus decay functions in action control

When facing particular combinations of stimuli and responses, people create temporary event-files integrating the corresponding stimulus and response features. Subsequent repetition of one or more of these features retrieves the entire event-file, which impairs performance if not all features are repeated (partial-repetition costs). In the literature, different decay functions have been reported presumably dependent on the type of feature that is repeated (e.g. target vs. distractor features). Here, we use a variant of the S1R1-S2R2 and distractor-response binding task and analyze for the first time target-based and distractor-based event-file decay functions within the same task and sample. While we found evidence for decay functions and also stronger retrieval due to target than distractor repetitions, slopes of the decay functions were comparable suggesting that the decay process itself is equal irrespective of the type of stimulus feature that is repeated. Our study thereby confirms overarching approaches that summarize paradigm specific findings with the same set of core processes.

Clinical determinants of hospital treated deliberate self-harm repetition: A time to recurrent event analysis.

Psychiatric disorders are strongly associated with hospital treated deliberate self-harm (DSH). However, the effect of specific disorders on risk for DSH repetition in sex-age-subgroups is understudied. The present study aims to assess the influence of various specific psychiatric disorders on risk for subsequent DSH repetition by way of time to recurrent event analysis on a national cohort of DSH patients. Individuals aged 18 and older presenting to somatic hospital for DSH during the period 2008-2018 was identified through national registers. A parametric shared frailty survival analysis was used to investigate the impact of various psychiatric disorders on risk of DSH repetition. The cohort consisted of 39,508 individuals of which 8634 (21.8%) presented with 24,028 repeated episodes of hospital treated DSH. Borderline personality disorder increased the risk of DSH repetition in females (adjusted HR 1.49, CI 1.41-1.57), while alcohol use disorder (HR 1.12, CI 1.04-1.19) and substance use disorders (adjusted HR 1.22, CI 1.14-1.32) increased the risk of repetition in males. The strongest impact of psychiatric disorder on risk of repetition was found among the elderly. Previous history of DSH was associated with the highest increased risk of repetition. Prior history of DSH was strongly associated with DSH repetition, but the influence of psychiatric disorder varied significantly by specific diagnoses and by sex and age of the patients. Efforts to prevent DSH repetition should be age and gender specific and designed to meet the needs of people with different specific psychiatric disorders.

МЕТОД ОБНАРУЖЕНИЯ ВРЕДОНОСНЫХ ПРОГРАММ И ИХ ЭЛЕМЕНТОВ

Introduction. Modern information systems require special measures to protect against malware. Virus programs are being improved ahead of antivirus tools, so information systems must have a monitoring and development mechanism. The paper proposes a new method of stealthy search for malware and their elements. There is an opinion that static analysis is not effective enough, but this is the safest stage of antivirus protection. The more effective this process is, the higher the security of the information system. A new method of scanning incoming traffic using new transformations has been developed to achieve this goal. The search for technologies to improve the efficiency of antivirus scanning in static mode is relevant. The purpose of the study is to increase the probability of detecting malware. To achieve this goal, a number of tasks have been solved to expand the processes of working with white and black lists. The novelty of the method lies in the application of new interrelated procedures for analyzing the input file: structure, relationships, functionality of elements and parallel search for coincidences using fragments in accordance with the length of the available signatures, replacing the detected elements with the basic ones from the white list, dividing the dangerous fragment with the subsequent repetition of the chain of procedures to a given level of the elementary component and replacing it with a similar functional element from the white list. The results of simulation modeling showed that the number of correctly detected files with the virus in relation to the total number of accepted ones increased by 15.3%. The practical significance of the application of the new method is to increase the efficiency of static analysis. The use of forward and feedback links between static and dynamic scanning increases the effectiveness of antivirus protection.

Can a pathological model improve the abilities of the paretic hand in hemiplegic children? The PAM-AOT study protocol of a randomised controlled trial

IntroductionAction Observation Treatment (AOT) is an innovative therapeutic approach consisting in the observation of actions followed by subsequent repetition. In children with unilateral cerebral palsy (UCP), it improves upper limb...

Illuminating the prefrontal neural correlates of action sequence disassembling in response–response binding

Execution of two independent actions in quick succession results in transient binding of these two actions. Subsequent repetition of any of these actions automatically retrieves the other. This process is probably fundamental for developing complex action sequences. However, rigid bindings between two actions are not always adaptive. Sometimes, it is necessary to repeat only one of the two previously executed actions. In such situations, stored action sequences must be disassembled, for the sake of flexibility. Exact mechanisms that allow for such an active unbinding of actions remain largely unknown, but it stands to reason, that some form of prefrontal executive control is necessary. Building on prior neuronal research that explored other forms of binding (e.g. between distractors and responses and abstract representations and responses), we explored middle and superior frontal correlates of -response binding in a sequential classification task with functional near-infrared spectroscopy. We found that anterior dorsolateral prefrontal cortex activity varied as a function of response–repetition condition. Activity in the right anterior dorsolateral prefrontal cortex correlated with changes in reaction times due to response–response binding. Our results indicate that the right anterior dorsolateral prefrontal cortex dismantles bindings between consecutive actions, whenever such bindings interfere with current action goals.

Ana María Laguna and John Beusterien, eds. Goodbye Eros: Recasting Forms and Norms of Love in the Age of Cervantes

Ana María Laguna and John Beusterien, eds. <i>Goodbye Eros: Recasting Forms and Norms of Love in the Age of Cervantes</i>

SARS-CoV-2 is not found in human semen during mild COVID-19 acute stage.

The aim of this study was to verify the presence of SARS‐CoV‐2 in the seminal sample of men during the acute phase of COVID‐19. A prospective study was performed with inclusion of twenty‐two men diagnosed with COVID‐19 through RT‐PCR from pharyngeal smear samples and who were in the acute phase of infection. These men were evaluated regarding medical history and physical examination. Furthermore, seminal samples of each men were collected 7, 14 and 21 days after the infection was confirmed. The sample were used for seminal analysis, as well as for the presence of SARS‐CoV‐2 using RT‐PCR technique. In addition, cell culture was performed with subsequent repetition of the analysis of viral presence. None of the semen samples collected was positive for the detection of the virus that causes COVID‐19. Most of the men evaluated had a mild condition and the loss of smell was the most frequent symptom. There were no significant changes in seminal parameters within the period of study. Based on our pilot data, patients with a mild form of COVID‐19 in the acute stage of the disease are unlikely to have SARS‐CoV‐2 in semen.

Factors associated with psychiatric admission and subsequent self-harm repetition: a cohort study of high-risk hospital-presenting self-harm

Background Individuals presenting to hospital with self-harm of high lethality or high suicidal intent are at high risk of subsequent suicide. Aim To examine factors associated with psychiatric admission and self-harm repetition following high-risk self-harm (HRSH). Method A cohort study of 324 consecutive HRSH patients was conducted across three urban hospitals (December 2014–February 2018). Information on self-harm repetition was extracted from the National Self-harm Registry Ireland. Logistic regression models examined predictors of psychiatric admission and self-harm repetition. Propensity score (PS) methods were used to address confounding. Results Forty percent of the cohort were admitted to a psychiatric inpatient setting. Factors associated with admission were living alone, depression, previous psychiatric admission, suicide note and uncommon self-harm methods. History of emotional, physical or sexual abuse was associated with not being admitted. Twelve-month self-harm repetition occurred in 17.3% of cases. Following inverse probability weighting according to the PS, psychiatric admission following HRSH was not associated with repetition. Predictors of repetition were recent self-harm history, young age (18–24 years) and previous psychiatric admission. Conclusion(s) Findings indicate that psychiatric admission following HRSH is not associated with repeated self-harm and reaffirms the consistent finding that history of self-harm and psychiatric treatment are strong predictors of repetition.

Consolidation of memory traces in cultured cortical networks requires low cholinergic tone, synchronized activity and high network excitability

In systems consolidation, encoded memories are replayed by the hippocampus during slow-wave sleep (SWS), and permanently stored in the neocortex. Declarative memory consolidation is believed to benefit from the oscillatory rhythms and low cholinergic tone observed in this sleep stage, but underlying mechanisms remain unclear. To clarify the role of cholinergic modulation and synchronized activity in memory consolidation, we applied repeated electrical stimulation in mature cultures of dissociated rat cortical neurons with high or low cholinergic tone, mimicking the cue replay observed during systems consolidation under distinct cholinergic concentrations. In the absence of cholinergic input, these cultures display activity patterns hallmarked by network bursts, synchronized events reminiscent of the low frequency oscillations observed during SWS. They display stable activity and connectivity, which mutually interact and achieve an equilibrium. Electrical stimulation reforms the equilibrium to include the stimulus response, a phenomenon interpreted as memory trace formation. Without cholinergic input, activity was burst-dominated. First application of a stimulus induced significant connectivity changes, while subsequent repetition no longer affected connectivity. Presenting a second stimulus at a different electrode had the same effect, whereas returning to the initial stimuli did not induce further connectivity alterations, indicating that the second stimulus did not erase the ‘memory trace’ of the first. Distinctively, cultures with high cholinergic tone displayed reduced network excitability and dispersed firing, and electrical stimulation did not induce significant connectivity changes. We conclude that low cholinergic tone facilitates memory formation and consolidation, possibly through enhanced network excitability. Network bursts or SWS oscillations may merely reflect high network excitability.

Neural network technologies in system synthesis

Work of artificial neural networks does not ensure the identification of order parameters (which are the principal diagnostic characters xi in biomedicine). We suggest to eliminate the 1st type uncertainties (when samplings xi statistically match for different physiological states of a human body) by introducing random setting of initial weight values wio of xi and subsequent multiple repetition (n≥1000) of artificial neural network settings. The xi ranking is made according to the weight samplings wi collected after such settings are applied.

A Method to Promote the Development of Intelligence and Game Skills in Youth Football

Research purpose. The aim of the study is to evaluate the playing skills of the young players under investigation in a global context. Specifically, it is intended to test whether the proposed training methodology favorably influenced the development of game skills, increasing the efficiency of game performance.&#x0D; Materials and methods. The study participants are 24 young players, aged between 13 and 14. To achieve the tasks set, the study relied on the following methods: analysis of scientific literature, field testing and methods of mathematical statistics. The experimental group performed a specific training mesocycle (that of the Brain Kinetic), while the control group performed a traditional working mesocycle. To detect the effects of the training methodologies, field tests were used both before and after the training period, respecting the execution protocols described by H. Wein. The study materials were processed by the statistical analysis software-IBM SPSS 22. A paired sample t-test was used to compare the results of the two groups.&#x0D; Results. The t-test analysis indicates statistically significant changes in the training effect of the experimental group. A better performance index found in the experimental group in the execution of skills, compared to the control group, is due to the diversification of the methodology to which they were subjected. Therefore, the changes after training at each skill index are amplified by the subsequent repetition of the tests. Differences between test indicators are statistically significant (p = 0.25)&#x0D; Conclusions. The study, through the use of field tests, has confirmed the hypothesis that the use of the Brain Kinetic training method determines a positive training effect in skill exercises. This method allowed the players involved in the experimental group to take personal, individual and group actions that had a real impact on the outcome of the game.

On the use and abuse of verbatim quotations in qualitative research reports

On the use and abuse of verbatim quotations in qualitative research reports

Inter-Repetition Rest Interval Affects Peak Power Independent Of Its Rate Of Development

Numerous variables influence performance in resistance training. The duration between sets has been explored both for its acute effect on the subsequent set as well as its effect on the physiological responses to exercise. However, the duration of rest between repetitions is relatively unexplored. PURPOSE: To evaluate the effect of inter-repetition rest interval (IRRI) duration on power parameters within a single set. METHODS: We tested 206 healthy men and women between the ages of 15 and 70 using Proteus technology (Proteus Motion, USA). Subjects performed 36,728 repetitions across 4,566 sets of 25 exercises at various loads (1lb to 25lb) of three-dimensional isotonic resistance. Proteus software calculated the IRRI duration (milliseconds) and each repetition's peak power (watts) and peak force development rate (watts/sec). Linear regression models tested the effect of IRRI duration on the peak power and peak force development rate of the subsequent repetition while controlling for other significant predictors. RESULTS: In upper body motions, holding constant exercise performed (p<0.001), resistance applied (p<0.001), and repetition number (p=0.045), each additional second of IRRI predicted a 2.23-watt increase of peak power in the next repetition (p<0.001; 95% CI: 1.81-2.65). The overall model was significant (R2=0.613; p<0.001). Lower limb motions displayed a similar pattern (R2=0.620; p<0.001) but the magnitude of effect by IRRI duration was smaller (p=0.001; β=1.13; 95% CI:0.67-1.59). Lower limb peak force development rate was unaffected by IRRI (p=0.714); in upper body motions, there was a weak negative trend (β=-2.08; p=0.090). At loads under 20lb, IRRI was less influential to performance; for loads of 20-25lb, the optimal IRRI duration was 2.50-3.00 seconds. Holding confounders constant, repetitions that followed this duration of IRRI experienced a 40.99-watt increase in power (p<0.001; 95% CI: 17.76-64.22). That duration had no effect on peak force development rate (p=0.443). CONCLUSIONS: Performance in resistance training is affected by innumerable factors. Our findings add one more for consideration: the duration of rest between repetitions within a single set. To achieve maximum power in the subsequent repetition, a rest interval of 2.50 to 3.00 seconds appears ideal.

Critical Events throughout the Educational Career: The Effect of Grade Retention and Repetition on School-Aged Children's Well-Being.

More than 20% of all school-aged children in Germany experience a grade retention and repetition during the educational career which is likely to affect their well-being as a central element of school success. This study aims at revealing the temporal dynamics of general and school well-being around the event of grade retention (i.e., the year when the decision to repeat a grade is taken) and the subsequent grade repetition (i.e., the repeated school year) during secondary school in Germany. Longitudinal data from the National Educational Panel Study (NEPS) is used on native students attending grades 5 through to 12 (N = 4581 from originally 273 schools). Distributed fixed-effects regressions by gender and school type have been conducted, using satisfaction with school and life as outcomes. Although retention decisions often trigger an immediate decrease in students’ well-being, there arise still benefits from this event in the short-term, middle-term and long-term, though trajectories differ by gender and school type. Overall, it is necessary to promote students´ well-being throughout their educational career, particularly in those critical periods when they face grade retention. Results highlight that tailored programs for both genders and students in different school types should be provided to foster well-being during this phase.