David Marr's three-level method for completely understanding a cognitive system and the importance he attaches to the computational level are so familiar as to scarcely need repeating. Fewer seem to recognize that Marr defends his famous method by criticizing the “reductionistic approach.” This sets up a more interesting relationship between Marr and reductionism than is usually acknowledged. I argue that Marr was correct in his criticism of the reductionists of his time—they were only describing (cellular activity), not explaining (cognitive functions). But a careful metascientific account of reductionistic neuroscience over the past two decades reveals that Marr's criticisms no longer have force. Contemporary neuroscience now explains cognition directly, although in a fashion—causal-mechanistically—quite different than Marr recommended. So while Marr was correct to reject the reductionism of his day and offer an alternative method for genuinely explaining cognition, contemporary cognitive scientists now owe us a new defense of Marr's famous method and the advantages of its explanations over the type now pursued successfully in current reductionist neuroscience. There are familiar reasons for thinking that this debt will not be paid easily. 相似文献
IntroductionToward the Global Vaccine Action Plan 2020 goal, almost 90% of countries have established a National Immunization Technical Advisory Group (NITAG). However, little is known about NITAG's contributions to governance.MethodsIn 2017–2018, a two-step, qualitative retrospective study was conducted. Jordan (JO), Argentina (AR), and South Africa (SA) were selected owing to government-financed NITAGs from middle-income countries (MICs), geographic diversity, and a vaccine introduction with NITAG support. Country case studies were developed, collecting data through desk review and face-to-face key informant interviews (KIIs) from Ministry of Health (MoH) and NITAG. Case studies were analyzed together, to assess governance applying the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies framework focusing on transparency, accountability, participation, integrity, and policy capacity (TAPIC).ResultsDocument review and 53 KII (22 AR, 20 SA, 11 JO) showed NITAGs played a pivotal role as advisors promoting a culture of evidence-informed policies. NITAGs strengthened governance, although practices varied among countries. Meetings were conducted behind-closed-doors, participation restricted to members, only in one country agendas, and recommendations were public (AR). To increase participation, policy capacity, and transparency, countries considered adding experts in communications, advocacy, and economics. AR and SA contemplated including community members. NITAGs functioned autonomously from the government, with no established internal or external monitoring or supervision. NITAG meeting minutes allowed the review of integrity, adherence to terms of reference, standard operating procedures, and conflict of interest (CoI). For the most part, NITAGs abided by their mandates. Significant issues were related to the level of MoH support and oversight of CoI declaration and documentation.ConclusionsSystematically implementing governance approaches could improve processes, better tailor policies, and implementation. The long-term survival and resilience of NITAGs in these countries showed they play a significant role in strengthening governance. Lessons learned could be useful to those promoting country-driven evidence-informed decision-making. 相似文献
ObjectiveProstate cancer (PCa) is the second most common solid tumor in men and the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death. In advanced stage, palliative treatments are used instead of curative therapies. Therefore, finding predictive indicators seems crucial. Patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) that received Dx chemotherapy have been retrospectively reviewed. The aim of this study was to investigate whether docetaxel (Dx)-free interval could have a predictive value for PCa and influence other sequential therapies.Material and methodsThis clinical trial study was performed on 104 patients at Medeniyet University Oncology Clinic in 2018-2020. All CRPC patients had metastases, received Dx as first-line treatment and underwent androgen receptor axis targeted (ARAT) therapy after disease progression. We analyzed patients’ progression time after Dx therapy and the effects on sequential treatment.ResultsAfter Dx therapy, all patients received ARAT (abiraterone (ABI) n: 49 (47.1%) and enzalutamide (ENZ) n: 54 (51.9%)) as a second-line treatment, except for one patient who received cabazitaxel. There was a statistically significant relationship between the Dx-free interval and duration of response to ARAT (P<.001). The response time of ARAT treatment was <10.5 months in all patients whose Dx-free interval period was <9 months.ConclusionsOur findings support the theory that Dx-free interval can be a predictive factor for CRPC. CRPC disease can be classified as Dx-sensitive disease or Dx-resistance disease, based on the Dx-free interval. Decision on subsequent treatments could be made considering this information. 相似文献
ObjectivesFasciculation potentials (FP) are an important consideration in the electrophysiological diagnosis of ALS. Muscle ultrasonography (MUS) has a higher sensitivity in detecting fasciculations than electromyography (EMG), while in some cases, it is unable to detect EMG-detected fasciculations. We aimed to investigate the differences of FP between the muscles with and without MUS-detected fasciculations (MUS-fas).MethodsThirty-one consecutive patients with sporadic ALS were prospectively recruited and in those, both needle EMG and MUS were performed. Analyses of the amplitude, duration, and number of phases of EMG-detected FPs were performed for seven muscles per patient, and results were compared between the muscles with and without MUS-fas in the total cohort.ResultsThe mean amplitude and phase number of FP were significantly lower in patients with EMG-detected FP alone (0.39 ± 0.25 mV and 3.21 ± 0.88, respectively) than in those with both FP and MUS-fas (1.22 ± 0.92 mV and 3.74 ± 1.39, respectively; p < 0.0001 and p = 0.017, Welch’s t-test).ConclusionSmall FP may be undetectable with MUS. MUS cannot replace EMG in the diagnostic approach for ALS.SignificanceClinicians should use a combination of EMG and MUS for the detection and quantitative analysis of fasciculation in ALS. 相似文献
Resistin is an immunometabolic mediator that is elevated in several inflammatory disorders. A ligand for Toll-like receptor 4, resistin modulates the recruitment and activation of myeloid cells, notably neutrophils. Neutrophils are major drivers of cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease, in part due to the release of human neutrophil elastase- and myeloperoxidase-rich primary granules, leading to tissue damage. Here we assessed the relationship of resistin to CF lung disease.
Methods
Resistin levels were measured in plasma and sputum from three retrospective CF cohorts spanning a wide range of disease. We also assessed the ability of neutrophils to secrete resistin upon activation in vitro. Finally, we constructed a multivariate model assessing the relationship between resistin levels and lung function.
Results
Plasma resistin levels were only marginally higher in CF than in healthy control subjects. By contrast, sputum resistin levels were very high in CF, reaching 50–100 fold higher levels than in plasma. Among CF patients, higher plasma resistin levels were associated with allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, and higher sputum resistin levels were associated with CF-related diabetes. Mechanistically, in vitro release of neutrophil primary granules was concomitant with resistin secretion. Overall, sputum resistin levels were negatively correlated with CF lung function, independently of other variables (age, sex, and genotype).
Conclusions
Our data establish relationships between resistin levels in the plasma and sputum of CF patients that correlate with disease status, and identify resistin as a novel mechanistic link between neutrophilic inflammation and lung disease in CF. 相似文献
Central illustration: cumulative major adverse cardiac events (MACE) and bioresorbable vascular scaffold (BVS) thrombosis rates after 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 years.相似文献