Benchmarks for the Dichotic Sentence Identification test in Brazilian Portuguese for ear and age

IntroductionDichotic listening tests should be used in local languages and adapted for the population.ObjectiveStandardize the Brazilian Portuguese version of the Dichotic Sentence Identification test in normal listeners, comparing the performance for age and ear.MethodsThis prospective study included 200 normal listeners divided into four groups according to age: 13–19 years (GI), 20–29 years (GII), 30–39 years (GIII), and 40–49 years (GIV). The Dichotic Sentence Identification was applied in four stages: training, binaural integration and directed sound from right and left.ResultsBetter results for the right ear were observed in the stages of binaural integration in all assessed groups. There was a negative correlation between age and percentage of correct responses in both ears for free report and training. The worst performance in all stages of the test was observed for the age group 40–49 years old.ConclusionsReference values for the Brazilian Portuguese version of the Dichotic Sentence Identification test in normal listeners aged 13–49 years were established according to age, ear, and test stage; they should be used as benchmarks when evaluating individuals with these characteristics.     

Computational cognitive models of spatial memory in navigation space: A review

Spatial memory refers to the part of the memory system that encodes, stores, recognizes and recalls spatial information about the environment and the agent’s orientation within it. Such information is required to be able to navigate to goal locations, and is vitally important for any embodied agent, or model thereof, for reaching goals in a spatially extended environment.In this paper, a number of computationally implemented cognitive models of spatial memory are reviewed and compared. Three categories of models are considered: symbolic models, neural network models, and models that are part of a systems-level cognitive architecture. Representative models from each category are described and compared in a number of dimensions along which simulation models can differ (level of modeling, types of representation, structural accuracy, generality and abstraction, environment complexity), including their possible mapping to the underlying neural substrate.Neural mappings are rarely explicated in the context of behaviorally validated models, but they could be useful to cognitive modeling research by providing a new approach for investigating a model’s plausibility. Finally, suggested experimental neuroscience methods are described for verifying the biological plausibility of computational cognitive models of spatial memory, and open questions for the field of spatial memory modeling are outlined.     

2008-2017年全国肺结核发病的时空分布特征分析

目的 探讨2008 -2017年我国肺结核发病的流行趋势及时空分布特征，为探索我国结核病发病高危区域，合理制定疾病防控策略和措施提供理论依据。方法 收集2008-2017年全国31个省份（直辖市、自治区）报告的肺结核发病资料，结合中国矢量化省界电子地图，应用空间自相关和时空扫描分析等方法，研究肺结核病的时空分布特征。结果 2008-2017年我国肺结核发病率总体呈逐年下降趋势，肺结核发病分布存在着明显的全局空间正相关性（Moran’s I>0, P<0.05），西部地区高于东部地区，其中新疆、西藏、青海等中西部地区为高-高聚集模式地区（P<0.05），北京、江苏和河北为低-低聚集模式地区（P<0.05）。结论 从全国范围来看，我国肺结核发病存在着明显的空间聚集性，应针对近年来疾病出现高发的中西部地区，适当增加结核病防控方面的卫生资源配置和健康教育宣传力度，综合制定区域性结核病防控策略。     

How cognitive aging affects multisensory integration of navigational cues

Entorhinal grid cells and hippocampal place cells are key systems for mammalian navigation. By combining information from different sensory modalities, they provide abstract representations of space. Given that both structures are among the earliest to undergo age-related neurodegenerative changes, we asked whether age-related navigational impairments are related to deficient integration of navigational cues. Younger and older adults performed a homing task that required using visual landmarks, self-motion information, or a combination of both. Further, a conflict between cues assessed the influence of each sensory domain. Our findings revealed performance impairments in the older adults, suggestive of a higher noise in the underlying spatial representations. In addition, even though both groups integrated visual and self-motion information to become more accurate and precise, older adults did not place as much influence on visual information as would have been optimal. As these findings were unrelated to potential changes in balance or spatial working memory, this study provides the first evidence that increasing noise and a suboptimal weighting of navigational cues might contribute to the common problems with spatial representations experienced by many older adults. These findings are discussed in the context of the known age-related changes in the entorhinal-hippocampal network.     

Geographic variation in predictors of ED admission rates in U.S. Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries

IntroductionWe study community-level factors associated with emergency department (ED) admission rates and assessed how they vary across geography.MethodsWe conducted an ecological study using 2012 data from 100% of U.S. Medicare Fee-for-Service beneficiaries to calculate county-level ED admission rates, adjusted by Hierarchical Condition Categories to control for patient health. We tested community-level measures related to healthcare market concentration, healthcare delivery, and socioeconomic factors potentially associated with admission rates and assessed whether these factors predicted ED admission rates across counties using ordinary least squares (OLS) regression and whether they varied across geography using geographically weighted regression (GWR).ResultsIn 3031 U.S. counties, the ED admission rate varied from 3.9% to 82.2%. The lowest ED admission rates were concentrated in counties in Kansas, Oregon, and Vermont and the highest ED admission rates were in counties throughout Washington, Wyoming, Texas, and Colorado. The OLS model found several community-level factors that negatively impacted admission rates, specifically hospital market concentration, the rate of hospital beds with urgent care, and the rate of hospital beds. The factors that had a positive impact on the admission rate include the rate of MDs and factors for disadvantage, affluence, and foreign born/Hispanic. However, GWR showed the relationship between the ED admission rate and predictors varied across U.S. countiesConclusionsThe association between healthcare market concentration, healthcare delivery, and socioeconomic factors with ED admissions differed across communities in Medicare beneficiaries. This suggests that policy and interventions to reduce ED admissions need to be tailored to specific community contexts.     

Catastrophic strut collapse with the Taylor Spatial Frame: preventing a disaster

Circular external fixators, and in particular hexapod circular external fixators, are increasingly being used in orthopaedic traumatology and limb reconstruction. Their ability to provide three dimensional stability throughout the treatment period make these external fixators indispensable in the management of complex reconstructive work. This study has identified a unique mode of failure with the use of Taylor Spatial Frame Fast-Fx struts and termed this complication catastrophic strut collapse. In this article a lab model is used to demonstrate the consequences of catastrophic strut collapse and warn users of the importance of using the ID bands and locking nuts to prevent inadvertent fragment displacement.     

Glucosamine alleviates scopolamine induced spatial learning and memory deficits in rats

Introduction and objectiveBeneficial effects of glucosamine in spatial learning and memory impairment induced by scopolamine has been evaluated in rats by using Morris water maze.MethodsMale Wistar rats were randomly divided into control, scopolamine and scopolamine plus glucosamine groups. All injections were given in 5 consecutive days and 30 min after each injection, the rats were tested in the Morris water maze test. Escape latency and path length to reach the hidden platform were subjected to analysis of variance [ANOVA].ResultsThe rats treated with scopolamine showed increased escape latency and path length to reach the hidden platform compared to control group (P < 0.001). Both escape latency and traveled path length to reach the hidden platform in glucosamine treated animals (1 and 2 g/kg) were significantly lower (P < 0.05 to P < 0.001) than in the scopolamine group.ConclusionThe results of this study showed that the glucosamine can inhibit scopolamine-induced impairments of spatial learning and memory in rats. Glucosamine might offer a promise in either the prevention or the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.     

Persistent variations in average height between countries and between socio-economic groups: an overview of 10 European countries

Primary objectives: This paper aims to provide an overview of variations in average height between 10 European countries, and between socio-economic groups within these countries.

Data and methods: Data on self-reported height of men and women aged 20-74 years were obtained from national health, level of living or multipurpose surveys for 1987-1994. Regression analyses were used to estimate height differences between educational groups and to evaluate whether the differences in average height between countries and between educational groups were smaller among younger than among older birth cohorts.

Results: Men and women were on average tallest in Norway, Sweden, Denmark and the Netherlands and shortest in France, Italy and Spain (range for men: 170-179 cm; range for women: 160-167 cm). The differences in average height between northern and southern European countries were not smaller among younger than among older birth cohorts. In most countries average height increased linearly with increasing birth-year (≈0.7-0.8cm/5 years for men and ≈0.4cm/5 years for women). In all countries, lower educated men and women on average were shorter than higher educated men (range of differences: 1.6-3.0 cm) and women (range of differences: 1.2-2.2 cm). In most countries, education-related height differences were not smaller among younger than among older birth cohorts.

Conclusions: The persistence of international differences in average height into the youngest birth cohorts indicates a high degree of continuity of differences between countries in childhood living conditions. Similarly, the persistence of education-related height differences indicates continuity of socio-economic differences in childhood living conditions, and also suggests that socio-economic differences in childhood living conditions will continue to contribute to socio-economic differences in health at adult ages.