University of Nebraska Omaha

About: University of Nebraska Omaha is a education organization based out in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 4526 authors who have published 8905 publications receiving 213914 citations. The organization is also known as: UNO & University of Omaha.

Neurophysiological abnormalities in the sensorimotor cortices during the motor planning and movement execution stages of children with cerebral palsy

Abstract: A considerable amount of research effort has been placed on cataloging and quantifying the impairments seen in the final motor output of children with cerebral palsy (CP). These efforts have revealed that children with CP may present a wide variety of musculoskeletal impairments, and this has promoted the idea that the movement deficits seen in these children primarily reside in the musculoskeletal machinery. Unfortunately, treatment strategies that have focused on musculoskeletal impairments (i.e. surgical and strength training) have had mixed results, and their outcomes have not been clearly successful.1,2 More recent therapeutic trends have shifted toward a task-orientated approach that focuses on the neurological impairments first, with the musculoskeletal impairments resulting from the neurological insult as a secondary issue. This approach places greater emphasis on the neurological basis for the impaired timing of the muscle activation patterns that result in co-contractions, spasticity, and weakness.3 Despite this new paradigm shift, there is still only limited insight into the neurological foundation for how children plan and execute their movements. Neural oscillatory activity in the sensorimotor cortices has received significant attention in electrophysiological studies of the motor system because it has been linked to the processes that occur during the planning and execution stages of movements. A plethora of electroencephalography (EEG) and magnetoencephalography (MEG) experiments have shown that cortical oscillatory activity across the sensorimotor cortices decreases in the beta frequency range (15–30Hz) before the onset of movement.4–8 This decrease in the power of the beta band frequency, commonly termed beta desynchronization, is thought to reflect task-related changes in the firing rate of local populations of neurons as they begin to prepare for the specific demands of the pending movement. The consensus is that this beta event-related desynchronization (ERD) is related to the formulation of a motor plan, because it occurs well before the onset of movement and is influenced by the certainty of the movement pattern to be performed.4–8 Invasive electrocorticographic (ECoG) studies have also shown that the beta ERD is followed by an increase (or synchronization) in the high gamma frequency range (~50Hz) as the motor plan is executed.9 This high frequency activity is restricted to a smaller population of neurons within the primary motor cortex and appears to follow the homuncular organization common in rolandic regions. Only within the past 5 years have MEG studies reported gamma-band neural oscillatory activity during movement, and the few studies that exist have shown that gamma band oscillations are concentrated in the pre-central gyrus and closely yoked to the onset of muscular activation.5,6,10 Based on these initial findings, it has been proposed that the rapid and temporally succinct gamma response reflects the motor command execution signal. While the central role of beta and gamma neural oscillatory activity before and at the movement onset is well appreciated, there has been limited effort to use this knowledge to more precisely characterize the neurological basis of motor deficits seen in children with CP. Applying this knowledge has the potential to elucidate whether children with CP have motor planning deficits, or whether their poor motor control partly resides in the feed-forward motor execution command, or whether both of these alternatives play a significant role. In this investigation, we used high-density MEG and beamforming methodology to examine the stage-like neural oscillatory activity in the sensorimotor cortices of children with CP, and children with typical development as they initiated the extension of their knee joint to a physical target. The knee joint was selected for this investigation because it is well recognized as a critical factor that limits the mobility of children with CP.11 Our primary hypothesis was that children with CP would have altered beta ERD during the motor planning stage. Our secondary hypothesis was that children with CP would have an altered gamma ERS at the onset of the movement.

Expatriate Selection: Evaluating the Discriminant, Convergent, and Predictive Validity of Five Measures of Interpersonal and Intercultural Competence

Abstract: Effective screening and selection of expatriates is a critical function in organizations, yet the use of paper and pencil instruments in expatriate selection is limited by the paucity of existing validity evidence. This study assessed the discriminant, convergent, and predictive validity of two Intercultural Competence measures (the Behavioral Assessment Scale for Intercultural Communication Effectiveness and the Intercultural Sensitivity Scale) and three Interpersonal Competence measures (the Interpersonal Competence Questionnaire, the Social Problem-Solving Inventory-Revised: Short Version, and the Self-Monitoring Scale). The Intercultural competence measures exhibited discriminant validity with the Interpersonal competence measures and none of the five measures exhibited convergent validity. However, four of the five measures did predict ratings of intercultural decision quality in an intercultural organizational scenario.

Income Smoothing and Discretionary R&D Expenditures of Japanese Firms*

Abstract: During the recent recession (1991 to present), Japanese firms decreased their spending on R&D for the first time since World War II. The decreases have raised concerns that Japanese managers may be making suboptimal allocations to R&D. We test whether Japanese managers adjust R&D based on short-term performance. Our results show that Japanese firms in several industries adjust their R&D budgets to smooth profits. Interestingly, adjustments to R&D are larger in expansion years. These results, similar to those documented with U.S. managers, point to myopic decision making by Japanese managers.

Gender and case processing decisions: A comparison of case outcomes for male and female defendants charged with violent felonies

Abstract: Research conducted during the past twenty years has not provided definitive answers to questions concerning the effect of gender on criminal justice decision making. Some researchers conclude that females receive preferential treatment, while other conclude either that there are no differences or that females are treated more harshly than males. This study uses data on male and female defendants charged with violent felonies to examine the effect of gender on seven case processing decisions. We also probe for interactions between defendant gender and defendant race. We find that female defendants are more likely than male defendants to have all of the charges against them dismissed and that females are sentenced less harshly than males. We also find that gender and race interact. The results of our analysis cast doubt on the validity of the so-called “evil woman thesis” and highlight the importance of testing an interactive model that incorporates the effects of both gender and race.

Toxoplasma on the brain: understanding host-pathogen interactions in chronic CNS infection.

Abstract: Toxoplasma gondii is a prevalent obligate intracellular parasite which chronically infects more than a third of the world's population. Key to parasite prevalence is its ability to form chronic and nonimmunogenic bradyzoite cysts, which typically form in the brain and muscle cells of infected mammals, including humans. While acute clinical infection typically involves neurological and/or ocular damage, chronic infection has been more recently linked to behavioral changes. Establishment and maintenance of chronic infection involves a balance between the host immunity and parasite evasion of the immune response. Here, we outline the known cellular interplay between Toxoplasma gondii and cells of the central nervous system and review the reported effects of Toxoplasma gondii on behavior and neurological disease. Finally, we review new technologies which will allow us to more fully understand host-pathogen interactions.