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The aim of this paper is to introduce the notion of (α,β)-Zb-Geraghty type contraction via b-simulation function and use this contraction to establish a common fixed point theorem for a pair of self-mappings in the context of a b-metric-like space. Our result extends and generalizes the result of Matthews [21], Khojasteh et al. [20], Demma et al. [15], Chandok [12] and some others also. We deduce some corollaries from our main result and provide examples to illustrate our results. Moreover, we apply our result to obtain a solution of second order differential equation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Migraine has been associated with functional brain changes including altered connectivity and activity both during and between headache attacks. Recent studies established that the variability of the blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) signal is an important attribute of brain activity, which has so far been understudied in migraine. In this study, we investigate how time-varying measures of BOLD variability change interictally in episodic migraine patients., Methods: Two independent resting state functional MRI datasets acquired on 3T (discovery cohort) and 1.5T MRI scanners (replication cohort) including 99 episodic migraine patients (n 3T  = 42, n 1.5T =57) and 78 healthy controls (n 3T  = 46, n 1.5T =32) were analyzed in this cross-sectional study. A framework using time-varying measures of BOLD variability was applied to derive BOLD variability states. Descriptors of BOLD variability states such as dwell time and fractional occupancy were calculated, then compared between migraine patients and healthy controls using Mann-Whitney U-tests. Spearman's rank correlation was calculated to test associations with clinical parameters., Results: Resting-state activity was characterized by states of high and low BOLD signal variability. Migraine patients in the discovery cohort spent more time in the low variability state (mean dwell time: p = 0.014, median dwell time: p = 0.022, maximum dwell time: p = 0.013, fractional occupancy: p = 0.013) and less time in the high variability state (mean dwell time: p = 0.021, median dwell time: p = 0.021, maximum dwell time: p = 0.025, fractional occupancy: p = 0.013). Higher uptime of the low variability state was associated with greater disability as measured by MIDAS scores (maximum dwell time: R = 0.45, p = 0.007; fractional occupancy: R = 0.36, p = 0.035). Similar results were observed in the replication cohort., Conclusion: Episodic migraine patients spend more time in a state of low BOLD variability during rest in headache-free periods, which is associated with greater disability. BOLD variability states show potential as a replicable functional imaging marker in episodic migraine., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Visual dysfunction is a recognized early symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD) that partly scales motor symptoms, yet its background is heterogeneous. With additional deficits in visuospatial attention, the two systems are hard to disentangle and it is not known whether impaired functional connectivity in the visual cortex is translative in nature or disrupted attentional modulation also contributes. In this study, we investigate functional connectivity modulation during a visuospatial attention task in patients with PD. In total, 15 PD and 16 age-matched healthy controls performed a visuospatial attention task while undergoing fMRI, in addition to a resting-state fMRI scan. Tensorial independent component analysis was used to investigate task-related network activity patterns. Independently, an atlas-based connectivity modulation analysis was performed using the task potency method. Spearman's rank correlation was calculated between task-related network expression, connectivity modulation, and clinical characteristics. Task-related networks including mostly visual, parietal, and prefrontal cortices were expressed to a significantly lesser degree in patients with PD ( p < 0.027). Resting-state functional connectivity did not differ between the healthy and diseased cohorts. Connectivity between the precuneus and ventromedial prefrontal cortex was modulated to a higher degree in patients with PD ( p < 0.004), while connections between the posterior parietal cortex and primary visual cortex, and also the superior frontal gyrus and opercular cortex were modulated to a lesser degree ( p < 0.001 and p < 0.011). Task-related network expression and superior frontal gyrus-opercular cortex connectivity modulation were significantly associated with UPDRSIII motor scores and the Hoehn-Yahr stages ( R = -0.72, p < 0.006 and R = -0.90, p < 0.001; R = -0.68, p < 0.01 and R = -0.71, p < 0.007). Task-related networks function differently in patients with PD in association with motor symptoms, whereas impaired modulation of visual and default-mode network connectivity was not correlated with motor function., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Veréb, Kovács, Antal, Kocsis, Szabó, Kincses, Bozsik, Faragó, Tóth, Király, Klivényi, Zádori and Kincses.)

Many Early Intensive Behavioral Intervention (EIBI) curricula recommend teaching receptive responding before targeting expressive responding (Leaf & McEachin, 1999; Lovaas, 2003). However, a small literature base suggests that teaching expressive responses first may be more efficient when teaching children with ASD and other developmental disabilities (Petursdottir & Carr, 2011). The present study employed an alternating treatments design to compare the effects of three instructional sequences to teach feature, function, and class to three children diagnosed with ASD: (a) receptive-expressive, (b) expressive-receptive, and (c) mixed. The results suggested that expressive-receptive was the most efficient training sequence for all three participants. Additionally, greater emergent responding was observed with the expressive-receptive training sequence., (© 2017 Society for the Experimental Analysis of Behavior.)

Background: The local application of drugs is an efficient method for treating diseases of the external eye. However, some active substances can also cause a chronic toxic reaction at the ocular surface. No results from clinical experiments on the local tolerance of kanamycin which would meet the requirements of evidence-based medicine are as yet available., Methods: Thus, the cytomorphological processes of the treatment with kanamycin were examined in a prospective randomised placebo-controlled double blind cross-over study. The effect of the topical application (5 times a day for 7 days) of Kanamycin POS® eye ointment on the conjunctival epithelial barrier was studied in comparison with an eye ointment base (placebo) in 25 healthy subjects. To detect cytopathological microchanges of the epithelium, we carried out a standardised impression cytology (primary compatibility parameter). Biomicroscopy, Schirmer II test and non-invasive measurement of the break-up-time (tearscope) were also examined. The subjective compatibility parameters (itching, tearing, foreign body sensation, burning sensation, mucus) were measured on a 0 - 10 visual analogue scale., Results: The cytological findings of 23 subjects were included in the final evaluation of the study. The impression cytology did not reveal a different effect of kanamycin ophthalmic ointment on the conjunctival ocular surface in comparison with the placebo. Only in one subject was a marked shift found in the nuclear-cytoplasmic ratio after application of verum. No signs of increased apoptosis ("snake-like chromatin") were found at the conjunctival epithelial barrier. The mean goblet cell count was 109 goblet cells per mm (2). No significant reduction of the goblet cell density was found in any treatment group. Among the subjective compatibility parameters, only the mean for itching constantly remained above the placebo group after application of kanamycin. Statistically significant differences were not found by the Wilcoxon test., Conclusions: In contrast to the clinical experience with the systematic application of kanamycin, the standardised evaluation of this study confirmed the very good topical tolerability of the tested kanamycin eye ointment. In view of the continuing clinically relevant aspect of the availability of a wide spectrum of antibiotics to avoid the development of resistance while at the same time keeping within what is reasonable economically, Kanamycin POS® for topical application supplements the options of ophthalmological antibacterial chemotherapy., (© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)

Background: This study compared the new Ocuton S*TT-MV to the Ocuton S (former configuration) and GAT. The effect of the reconfiguration on measuring accuracy and device handling of glaucoma patients was evaluated., Material/methods: 101 glaucoma patients performed self-measurements using the old Ocuton S and the Ocuton S*TT-MV. The new Ocuton S*TT-MV automatically verifies the applanated area. We used GAT as the gold standard reference. Three series of measurements were performed in random order., Results: The mean IOP was 18.3+/-4.2 mmHg with Ocuton S, 17.5+/-3.6 mmHg with the reconfigured Ocuton S*TT-MV, and 15.1+/-3.4 mmHg with GAT. IOP ranged from 9 to 30.5 mmHg with GAT, 7 to 42 mmHg with Ocuton S*TT-MV, and 5 to 38 mmHg with the old Ocuton S. The mean difference between the old Ocuton S and GAT was 3.2+/-3.5 mmHg, between Ocuton S*TT-MV and GAT 2.4+/-3.3 mmHg, and between old and new Ocuton S 0.9+/-2.9 mmHg (p<0.01). The standard deviation within an individual row of 4 readings per eye with the old Ocuton S averaged 1.9 mmHg, while with the new Ocuton S*TT-MV the standard deviation averaged 1.7 mmHg. This measuring accuracy showed no age correlation for either self-tonometer (old Ocuton S: coefficient of correlation R=0.2; Ocuton S*TT-MV: coefficient of correlation R=0.053)., Conclusions: The newly reconfigured Ocuton S*TT-MV improves measuring accuracy significantly and approaches the accuracy achieved using GAT. Improved usability of self-tonometers has clinical relevance, as patients don't have to check the corneal cast on the measuring prism. This could lead to an increased usage of self-tonometry in glaucoma monitoring.