Statistical learning in patients in the minimally conscious state

When listening to an unknown language, listeners could learn the transitional probability between syllables and group frequently co-occurred syllables into a whole unit. Such statistical learning ability has been demonstrated for both pre-verbal infants and adults, even during passive listening. Here, we investigated whether statistical learning occurred in patients in minimally conscious state (MCS) and patients emerged from the minimally conscious state (EMCS) using electroencephalography (EEG). We presented to participants an isochronous sequence of syllables, which were composed of either 2-word real phrases or 2-word artificial phrases that were defined by the transitional probability between words. An inter-trial phase coherence (ITPC) analysis revealed that the phrase-rate EEG response was weakened in EMCS patients compared with healthy individuals, and was even more severely weakened in MCS patients. Although weak, the phrase-rate response or its harmonics remained statistically significant in MCS patients, suggesting that the statistical learning ability was preserved in MCS patients. The word-rate response was also weakened with a decreased level of consciousness. The harmonics of the word-rate response, however,were more salient in MCS than EMCS patients in the alpha and beta bands. Together with previous studies, the current results suggest that MCS patients retain residual learning ability, which can potentially be harnessed to induce neural plasticity, and that different frequency bands are differentially related to the consciousness level.

Psychological Dynamics In The Changing Of Bullying Victims Into Bullies At Student In Islamic Boarding School

Bullying case was one of the problems conducted in school that became an international concern. Bullying occurrence in school was not limited to regular school but also in boarding school, particularly in islamic boarding school; thus, this phenomenon had a higher chance to occur in boarding school due to seniority. It was also found that the bullies were previously had the experiences as the victims. According to this phenomenon, a qualitative study was held to formulate the substantial theory about the psychological dynamics of the victim becoming bullies, particularly in islamic boarding school context. This study conducted the systematic grounded theory. The data was collected through in-depth interviews and observations toward nine main participants, and some supported participants and analyzed with constant comparative technique. The finding of this study was The Dynamic of Bullying: The Victims Become Bullies, which contained six phases: 1) Become the victims, 2) Aggrieved phase, 3) Frustration phase, 4) Maladaptive coping phase, 5) Trial phase, 6) Become the bullies. This dynamic explained the psychological dynamics in the victims who become bullies. Some interesting findings found in the fourth phase, the maladaptive coping phase, in which the victims decide whether to be adaptive or maladaptive to bullying activity. The alternate in the adaptation phase indicated that the shifting role of victims to bullies could be prevented. Psychological support programs, both preventive and curative way, could be beneficial to prevent the possibility of the victim becoming bullies. The preventive program could prevent the victims from becoming bullies, and the curative program could help the victim heal the trauma of bullying.

Alternative Clinker Technologies for Reducing Carbon Emissions in Cement Industry: A Critical Review

Currently, the production of one ton of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) releases considerable amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere. As the need and demand for this material grows exponentially, it has become a challenge to increase its production at a time when climate-related problems represent a major global concern. The two main CO2 contributors in this process are fossil fuel combustion to heat the rotary kiln and the chemical reaction associated with the calcination process, in the production of the clinker, the main component of OPC. The current paper presents a critical review of the existent alternative clinker technologies (ACTs) that are under an investigation trial phase or under restricted use for niche applications and that lead to reduced emissions of CO2. Also, the possibility of transition of clinker production from traditional rotary kilns based on fuel combustion processes to electrification is discussed, since this may lead to the partial or even complete elimination of the CO2 combustion-related emissions, arising from the heating of the clinker kiln.

COVID-19: An Updated Insight of the Pandemic

Novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) out-broke in the city of Wuhan in China and widely spread across the globe in a pandemic manner, causing societal and economic disruptions. Though the origin of the novel virus is still a debating topic, it is certain that SARS-CoV-2 acquired human to human transmission capacity. Regardless of aggressive containment and quarantine approaches, the number of confirmed cases continues to rise and being reported due to its highly infectious nature. As of the time, there is a little scope for the antiviral drugs or vaccines for the treatment of coronavirus infection; due to the vigorous mutation rate in the viral genome. However, existing anti-parasite drugs like ivermectin and chloroquine could effectively inhibit the virus has been reported. Few of the vaccines have come up with certain degree of efficacy and many are under the clinical trial phase. The research on novel coronavirus is still in the preliminary stage. In this chapter, we systematically summarize the origin, transmission route, molecular characterization, pathogenic mechanism, contagious nature, clinical symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, mutation and infection as well as prevention strategy of coronavirus disease based on the recently available literature. In addition to this, this chapter presents updated insights of the current state of knowledge pertaining to novel coronavirus and can be referred for potential future studies.

Development of an Internet of Things (IoT) technology platform (The NEX system) to support older adults to live independently: Protocol for a Development and Usability Study (Preprint)

BACKGROUND In a rapidly ageing population new and efficient ways of providing health and social support to older adults are required that not only preserve independence but also maintain quality of life and safety. OBJECTIVE The NEX project aims to develop an Internet of Things integrated system coupled with Artificial Intelligence to offer unobtrusive health and wellness monitoring to support older adults to live independently in their home environment. The primary objective of this study is to develop and evaluate the technical performance and user acceptability of “The NEX system”. The secondary objective is to apply machine learning algorithms to the data collected via the NEX system to identify and eventually predict changes in the routines of older adults in their own home environment. METHODS Mixed methods research (online survey and focus groups) was conducted with 426 participants including older adults (aged 60 and above), family caregivers, health care professionals and home care workers to inform the development of the NEX system (Phase 1). The primary outcome will be evaluated in two successive trials (the Friendly Trial (Phase 2) and the Action Research Cycle trial (Phase 3). The secondary objective will be explored in the Action Research trial (Phase 3). For the Friendly Trial, 7 older adult participants aged 60 years and above and living alone in their own homes for a 10-week period were enrolled in the trial. Thirty older adult participants aged 60 years and above and living alone in their own homes will be recruited for the Action Research trial for a 10-week period (Phase 3). RESULTS Phase 1 of the project (n=426) participants was completed in December 2020 and Phase 2 (n=7 participants for a 10-week pilot study) was completed in September 2021. The expected completion date for the third project phase (30 participants for 10-week usability study) is June 2022. CONCLUSIONS The NEX project has considered the specific everyday needs of older adults and other stakeholders which have contributed to the design of the integrated system. The innovation of the NEX system lies in the use of IoT technologies and AI to identify and predict changes in the routines of older adults. The findings of this overall project will contribute to the e-Health research agenda focusing on the improvement of healthcare provision and patient support in home and community environments.

Molnupiravir: a novel efficacious antiviral candidate to COVID-19

An unknown pneumonia-like disease has emerged in Wuhan, China, in late 2019. It is later named as SARS-CoV-2 which cause COVID-19. This virus spreads easily due to high mobilization and its transmission through droplets or aerosol and fomite. The World Health Organization (WHO) then declared this disease as a global outbreak in March 2020. As the world faces the outbreak of SARS-CoV-2, many researchers race to find the most efficacious treatment for COVID-19. Until now, the most common treatments for COVID-19 were only symptomatic such as decongestant, corticosteroid, interleukin inhibitor, and existing antiviral. The researchers then develop a brand new antiviral that works efficiently to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 and might become prophylaxis. This disease is called Molnupiravir or EIDD-2801, a nucleotide analog which inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication, resulting in damaged mRNA and lethal virions. Molnupiravir works to produce mutagenesis in RNA viruses and prevent the virus from spreading widely throughout the human body. However, this drug is still needed to undergo clinical trial phase three. In this article, we will discuss how Molnupiravir works and its efficacy compared to existing drugs. This review article aims to provide an update about novel efficacious antiviral for COVID-19, Molnupiravir.

PENGEMBANGAN ALAT IMITASI RANTAI UNTUK TEKNIK PUTARAN PADA CABANG OLAHRAGA ATLETIK LONTAR MARTIL

This study aims to develop a rotary technique tool in the athletic sport of hammer throwing. Hammerhead throwing has an average of 81.00%, it can be concluded that it takes a tool that can train the rotation technique in the hammer-throwing athletic sport in the Hammerhead Throwing sport which includes the rotation in the throwing process. At the validation stage, the expert design assessed by 6 experts namely Sports Expert, Coach, and Media Expert had an average score of 79.00%. In the period after design validation there was a pandemic that hit the world caused by a virus with the name Covid-19, the whole world went into lockdown or quarantine including the Lontar Hammer athlete community, therefore the trials carried out in each club were abolished but the testing method was replaced by increasing the number experts who assess the feasibility of the tool to be used in the training process. The product trial stage was carried out by an athlete at the provincial level who represented North Sumatra at the 2016 PON event in West Java on this training tool and then assessed by 6 experts, namely 2 Sports Experts, 2 Coaches, and 2 Media Experts, the average value of the validity of the six being 82.00 %. Then made improvements according to input from experts. After that, the use trial phase was carried out using the same method and number of experts with the average value of the validity of the six being 90.00%. The conclusion that resulted from the trial use or the last stage of this research was the creation of a chain imitation exercise tool for the round technique of the athletic sport of hammer throwing numbers that was sophisticated and flexible for all user groups to help train rotation techniques in athletic sports, especially in the rotating movement of the hammer throwing tool. . From the results of the assessment of 2 sports experts (academics), 2 material experts (coaches) and 2 media experts, the tool is categorized as good/worthy to be used as an exercise tool in sports. In the conditions of the Covid-19 pandemic, the device was not tested on athletes widely to prevent transmission, but was only tested by an athlete at the national level, after which the performance of the device would be assessed by an expert.

Predictors of Citation Rates in High Impact Glioblastoma Trials

Background Clinical trials are at the top of research study designs and tend to attract high citation numbers. Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a multidisciplinary disease that continues to be the subject of peak research interest. The literature relating to predictors of citation rates in clinical trials in general remains limited. We aim to identify the factors that influence citation numbers in high impact GBM trials. Methods The 100 most cited published GBM trials were identified and reviewed. The primary analysis was correlating articles citation numbers with various trial and publication-related predictors using Pearson correlation coefficient. The secondary analysis was comparing the mean citation numbers for the different subgroups using mean difference test. Results The median (range) citation numbers for the selected 100 trials were 349 (135- 16384). The primary analysis showed significant correlation between articles citation numbers and study population (P=0.024), trial phase (P=0.0427) and journal’s IF (P<0.0001). The secondary analysis demonstrated significantly higher mean citation numbers in trials with the following features: study population ≥ 115 (P=0.0208), phase III (P=0.0372), treatment protocol that included radiotherapy (RT) (P=0.0189) and temozolomide (TMZ) (P=0.0343), journal’s IF ≥ 14.9 (P=0.02) and general medical journals (P=0.28). Conclusions The most significant predictors of citation rates in high impact GBM trials were study population, trial phase, and journal IF. The treatment protocol was a positive predictor when it included the currently widely accepted treatment modalities (RT and TZM). Randomization, age of publication as well as the numbers of arms, authors, centres, countries, and references were not significant predictors. Increasing awareness of the factors that could affect citations may be useful to researchers undertaking clinical trials.