Understanding cognitive processes across spatial scales of the brain.

Cognition arises from neural operations at multiple spatial scales, from individual neurons to large-scale networks. Despite extensive research on coding principles and emergent cognitive processes across brain areas, investigation across scales has been limited. Here, we propose ways to test the idea that different cognitive processes emerge from distinct information coding principles at various scales, which collectively give rise to complex behavior.

Predictive factors of rehabilitation outcomes of perioperative stroke after surgery of the coronary artery and aorta: A pilot study.

Background: Perioperative stroke is a devastating complication of coronary artery and aortic surgery, resulting in significantly increased mortality and morbidity rates. As such, predicting rehabilitation outcomes after perioperative stroke would be valuable in establishing rehabilitation plans.

Objective: To identify prognostic factors of rehabilitation outcomes in perioperative stroke after surgery of the aorta and coronary arteries.

Prior expectation enhances sensorimotor behavior by modulating population tuning and subspace activity in sensory cortex.

Prior knowledge facilitates our perception and goal-directed behaviors, particularly when sensory input is lacking or noisy. However, the neural mechanisms underlying the improvement in sensorimotor behavior by prior expectations remain unknown. In this study, we examine the neural activity in the middle temporal (MT) area of visual cortex while monkeys perform a smooth pursuit eye movement task with prior expectation of the visual target's motion direction.

Multivariate EEG activity reflects the Bayesian integration and the integrated Galilean relative velocity of sensory motion during sensorimotor behavior.

Humans integrate multiple sources of information for action-taking, using the reliability of each source to allocate weight to the data. This reliability-weighted information integration is a crucial property of Bayesian inference. In this study, participants were asked to perform a smooth pursuit eye movement task in which we independently manipulated the reliability of pursuit target motion and the direction-of-motion cue.

Proposal of Construction Method of Smart Liner to Block and Detect Spreading of Soil Contaminants by Oil Spill.

Soil is an important factor for public health, and when a soil contaminant occurs by oil spill, it has a great impact on the ecosystem, including humans. Accordingly, the area is blocked using a vertical barrier, and various remediation methods are being applied when an oil spill occurs. This study intends to use a smart liner to prevent and detect the spreading of soil contaminants in a situation in which oil spill detection is important.

Numerical Analysis of Factors Influencing the Ground Surface Settlement above a Cavity.

In this study, ground stability was evaluated through vertical displacement distribution and surface settlement results. In particular, a finite element analysis was conducted considering various factors (namely, cavity type and area, traffic load, pavement thickness, and elastic modulus) that affect a road above a cavity. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of pavement layer and traffic load condition on surface settlement according to the cavity shape.

Simulation on the Permeability Evaluation of a Hybrid Liner for the Prevention of Contaminant Diffusion in Soils Contaminated with Total Petroleum Hydrocarbon.

This study describes the test results to evaluate the impermeability efficiency, according to the total petroleum hydrocarbon (TPH) reaction time of a hybrid liner for preventing the TPH diffusion, and the numerical analysis results, according to the various TPH reaction times of the hybrid liner. The experimental results indicated that the hybrid liner performed effectively as an impermeable material under the condition of a 4 h reaction time between TPH and the hybrid liner. In other words, the permeability of the hybrid liner was lower than 7.

Clinical Outcomes and Effectiveness of Heart Transplantation in Patients With Systemic Light-chain Cardiac Amyloidosis.

Background: In systemic light-chain (AL) amyloidosis, cardiac involvement is a major determinant of survival; however, cardiac response is limited even after systemic treatment in a majority of patients, and some require heart transplantation. Additionally, limited information is available on specific indications for heart transplantation. We aimed to explore clinical outcomes of cardiac amyloidosis and its association with heart transplantation, including identifying factors favoring heart transplantation amenability.

Effective Length Prediction and Pullout Design of Geosynthetic Strips Based on Pullout Resistance.

In this study, pullout tests were conducted on geosynthetic strips which can be applied to a block-type front wall. Based on the test results, the effective length is predicted, and the pullout design results are presented. In other words, the pullout displacement-pullout load relationship of all geosynthetic strips was analyzed using the pullout test results, and their effective lengths were predicted.

Strength Characteristics of Controlled Low-Strength Materials with Waste Paper Sludge Ash (WPSA) for Prevention of Sewage Pipe Damage.

In this study, the effects of the mixing conditions of waste paper sludge ash (WPSA) on the strength and bearing capacity of controlled low-strength material (CLSM) were evaluated, and the optimal mixing conditions were used to evaluate the strength characteristics of CLSM with recyclable WPSA. The strength and bearing capacity of CLSM with WPSA were evaluated using unconfined compressive strength tests and plate bearing tests, respectively. The unconfined compressive strength test results show that the optimal mixing conditions for securing 0.

Tim-4 functions as a scavenger receptor for phagocytosis of exogenous particles.

The phosphatidylserine (PS) receptor Tim-4 mediates phagocytosis of apoptotic cells by binding to PS exposed on the surface of these cells, and thus functions as a PS receptor for apoptotic cells. Some of PS receptors are capable of recognizing other molecules, such as LPS on bacteria, besides PS on apoptotic cells. However, it is unclear whether Tim-4 perceives other molecules like the PS receptors.

Effect of Prior Direction Expectation on the Accuracy and Precision of Smooth Pursuit Eye Movements.

The integration of sensory with top-down cognitive signals for generating appropriate sensory-motor behaviors is an important issue in understanding the brain's information processes. Recent studies have demonstrated that the interplay between sensory and high-level signals in oculomotor behavior could be explained by Bayesian inference. Specifically, prior knowledge for motion speed introduces a bias in the speed of smooth pursuit eye movements.

A scaffold for signaling of Tim-4-mediated efferocytosis is formed by fibronectin.

An essential step during clearance of apoptotic cells is the recognition of phosphatidylserine (PS) exposed on apoptotic cells by its receptors on phagocytes. Tim-4 directly binding to PS and functioning as a tethering receptor for phagocytosis of apoptotic cells has been extensively studied over the past decade. However, the molecular mechanisms by which Tim-4 collaborates with other engulfment receptors during efferocytosis remain elusive.

Management of Coronary Sinus Ostial Atresia during a Staged Operation of a Functional Single Ventricle.

Coronary sinus ostial atresia (CSOA) with persistent left superior vena cava (LSVC) in the absence of an unroofed coronary sinus is a benign and rare anomaly that may be taken lightly in most instances. However, if overlooked in patients undergoing univentricular heart repair such as bidirectional Glenn or Fontan-type surgery, fatal surgical outcomes may occur due to coronary venous drainage failure. We report a case of CSOA with a persistent LSVC that was managed through coronary sinus rerouting during a total cavopulmonary connection, and provide a review of the literature regarding this rare anomaly.

Prenatal diagnosis of isolated coronary arteriovenous fistula.

Coronary arteriovenous fistula (CAVF) is a rare condition defined as an anomalous termination of the coronary arteries. The etiology of CAVF is either congenital or acquired, and iatrogenic CAVF is most commonly caused by cardiovascular surgery or percutaneous intervention. Most of the prenatally diagnosed CAVFs were related to complex heart disease, and only few cases of an isolated CAVF have been reported to date.

Fontan Revision with Y-Graft in a Patient with Unilateral Pulmonary Arteriovenous Malformation.

The extracardiac conduit Fontan procedure is the last surgical step in the treatment of patients with a functional single ventricle. An acquired pulmonary arteriovenous malformation may appear perioperatively or postoperatively due to an uneven hepatic flow distribution. Here we report a case of a bifurcated Y-graft Fontan operation in a 15-year-old male patient with a unilateral pulmonary arteriovenous malformation after an extracardiac conduit Fontan operation.

Evaluation of commissural malalignment of aortic-pulmonary sinus using cardiac CT for arterial switch operation: comparison with transthoracic echocardiography.

Background: There are limited data regarding the influence of commissural malalignment of the aortic-pulmonary sinus on the arterial switch operation.

Objective: To compare diagnostic accuracy between cardiac CT and echocardiography for evaluating commissural malalignment of aortic-pulmonary sinus in children with complete transposition of the great arteries and to seek potential clinical implication of commissural malalignment on the arterial switch operation.

Materials And Methods: In 37 patients (35 boys; median age: 8 days, range: 3-80 days) with complete transposition of the great arteries who had tricuspid semilunar valves and underwent an arterial switch operation, the degree of the commissural rotation of the aortic-pulmonary sinus was assessed on cardiac CT (n=37) and echocardiography (n=35).

Cardiac allograft vasculopathy after heart transplantation: Is it really ominous?

Objectives: Cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) remains a major impediment to long-term survival after heart transplantation (HT). We investigated the incidence, disease course, and risk factors for CAV.

Methods: Among 399 patients who underwent HT between November 1992 and July 2014, 297 survivors were reviewed.

Systemic-Pulmonary Shunt Facilitates the Growth of the Pulmonary Valve Annulus in Patients With Tetralogy of Fallot.

Background: Transannular patching (TAP) frequently accompanies primary repairs (PRs) in symptomatic neonates with tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). If a systemic-pulmonary shunt (SPS) facilitates the growth of the pulmonary valve annulus (PVA), patients with a marginally small PVA could benefit from a staged repair in terms of lowering the risk of TAP.

Methods: Among 216 infants with TOF who underwent surgical intervention between January 2004 and December 2013, 29 infants underwent SPS with a subsequent repair (SPS group), whereas 187 infants received a PR (PR group).

Aortic Root Translocation with Arterial Switch for Transposition of the Great Arteries or Double Outlet Right Ventricle with Ventricular Septal Defect and Pulmonary Stenosis.

Double outlet right ventricle (DORV) and transposition of the great arteries (TGA) with ventricular septal defect (VSD) and pulmonary stenosis (PS) are complex heart diseases, the treatment of which remains a surgical challenge. The Rastelli procedure is still the most commonly performed treatment. Aortic root translocation including an arterial switch operation is advantageous anatomically since it has a lower possibility of conduit blockage and the left ventricle outflow tract remains straight.

Detachment of the tricuspid valve for ventricular septal defect closure in infants younger than 3 months.

Objectives: Although several previous studies have reported that a ventricular septal defect (VSD) can be closed safely through the detached tricuspid valve (TV) without impairing TV function, this has not been demonstrated for infants younger than 3 months.

Methods: We enrolled 296 infants younger than 3 months who underwent VSD closure through the right atrium between January 2004 and December 2013. In the study group of 49 patients (16.

The First Successful Heart-Lung Transplant in a Korean Child with Humidifier Disinfectant-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease.

From 2006 to 2011, an outbreak of a particular type of childhood interstitial lung disease occurred in Korea. The condition was intractable and progressed to severe respiratory failure, with a high mortality rate. Moreover, in several familial cases, the disease affected young women and children simultaneously.

Biventricular Repair after Bilateral Pulmonary Artery Banding as a Rescue Procedure for a Neonate with Hypoplastic Left Heart Complex.

Hypoplastic left heart complex (HLHC) consists of less severe underdevelopment of the left ventricle without intrinsic left valvular stenosis, i.e., a subset of hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS).

Restoration of Tricuspid Valve Mechanism at the Level of Displaced Septal and Posterior Leaflets in Ebstein's Anomaly.

Background: Surgical techniques currently used for the repair of Ebstein's anomaly comprise reconstruction of the tricuspid valve mechanism at the level of the true annulus with or without plication of the atrialized right ventricle. However, performing this procedure for patients with a dysmorphic anterior leaflet (i.e.

Individual Pulmonary Veins Outgrow Somatic Growth After Primary Sutureless Repair for Total Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Drainage.

Indications of sutureless repair (SR) for pulmonary vein anomalies have evolved from re-operational SR for pulmonary vein stenosis after the repair of total anomalous pulmonary venous drainage (TAPVD) to primary SR for TAPVD associated with right atrial isomerism or isolated TAPVD with small individual pulmonary veins (IPVs) and an unfavorable pulmonary vein anatomy. We sought to determine whether small IPVs outgrow somatic growth after primary SR. Between 2004 and 2013, 21 children underwent primary SR for TAPVD: 13 with a functionally single ventricle, 11 with right atrial isomerism, six with isolated TAPVD, and 13 with a pulmonary venous obstruction.