Pelvic Inlet Shape Is Not as Dimorphic as Previously Suggested.

PubMed

Delprete, Hillary

2017-04-01

It is well known that there are significant differences in the pelves of males and females due, in part, to differing constraints. The male and female pelves must be suitable for upright posture and locomotion, but the female pelvis must also be suitable for reproduction. These differing requirements lead to differences in the shape and size of various pelvic dimensions. These differences are reflected in the pelvic inlet, midplane, and outlet. Current research has documented dimorphisms in the posterior and anterior spaces in all three of these planes. One measure however, that is calculated from the relationship between the length of the anterior-posterior diameter (APD) and the transverse diameter (TD) of the inlet, is not as dimorphic as previously suggested. This computed value is used to describe four main categories of inlet shape: android, gynecoid, anthropoid, and platypelloid. Current textbooks in anatomy and midwifery describe these forms and identify the typical male inlet shape as android and the typical female inlet shape as gynecoid. In this study, however, using skeletonized pelves of 378 adult individuals from three identified skeletal collections, the most common inlet shape for both males and females was android. In addition, when examining shape as a continuous variable, inlet shape is not sexually dimorphic in two of the three populations examined in this study. Based on the results of this study, the inlet shape for males and females is less dimorphic than previously thought, and we need to discontinue using pelvic categories to describe typical inlet shape. Anat Rec, 300:706-715, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Long working hours and sickness absence-a fixed effects design.

PubMed

Bernstrøm, Vilde Hoff

2018-05-02

While long working hours seem to lead to impaired health, several studies have also shown that long working hours are related to lower levels of sickness absence. Previous studies on the relationship between long working hours and sickness absence have compared those who work long hours to those who do not, looking only at between-individual correlations. Those results might therefore reflect relatively stable differences between employees who typically work long hours and employees who typically do not. The aim of the present study is to examine within-individual correlations between long working hours and sickness absence. Records from the Human Resources department in a large Norwegian hospital from 2012 to 2015 provided objective data on both working hours and sickness absence. Two analyses were performed: a prospective cohort analysis to replicate the results from previous between-individual analyses and a second analysis of within-individual correlations using a fixed effect design. In line with existing research, both between-individual and within-individual analyses showed a negative relationship between long working hours (> 48 h/week) and short-term sickness absence (1-8 days) and no significant difference in incidence of long-term sickness absence (> 8 days). The results indicate that the negative relationship between long working hours and sickness absence is not due only to relatively stable individual differences between those who typically work long hours and those who do not. The results from both analyses therefore still contrast with previous research showing a negative relationship between long working hours and other health indicators.

Acoustic emission monitoring of steel bridge members : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1997-01-01

This report describes the results of a study to characterize the acoustic emission (AE) associated with steel cracking and various sources of noise in a typical bridge environment. It summarizes previous applications ofAE monitoring of steel bridges ...

The Implications of Programme Assessment Patterns for Student Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jessop, Tansy; Tomas, Carmen

2017-01-01

Evidence from 73 programmes in 14 U.K universities sheds light on the typical student experience of assessment over a three-year undergraduate degree. A previous small-scale study in three universities characterised programme assessment environments using a similar method. The current study analyses data about assessment patterns using descriptive…

Intelligence Score Profiles of Female Juvenile Offenders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Werner, Shelby Spare; Hart, Kathleen J.; Ficke, Susan L.

2016-01-01

Previous studies have found that male juvenile offenders typically obtain low scores on measures of intelligence, often with a pattern of higher scores on measures of nonverbal relative to verbal tasks. The research on the intelligence performance of female juvenile offenders is limited. This study explored the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for…

Improving Approximate Number Sense Abilities in Preschoolers: PLUS Games

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Herwegen, Jo; Costa, Hiwet Mariam; Passolunghi, Maria Chiara

2017-01-01

Previous studies in both typically and atypically developing children have shown that approximate number system (ANS) abilities predict formal mathematical knowledge later on in life. The current study investigated whether playing specially designed training games that targets the ANS system using nonsymbolic stimuli only would improve preschool…

Face inversion effects in autism: a combined looking time and pupillometric study.

PubMed

Falck-Ytter, Terje

2008-10-01

Previous research has found that in typically developing individuals, behavioral performance declines and electrophysiological brain responses are altered when the face is inverted. Such effects are generally attributed to disruption of configural information. Individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been found to show less pronounced inversion effects, a result in line with the view that featural processing of faces is enhanced in ASD. No study has determined if, or how, such local bias is reflected in the eye movements used in face observation. In this eye tracking study, looking time and pupil dilation were investigated during the presentation of upright and inverted faces in preschool children with ASD and typically developing preschoolers. On average, both children with ASD and typically developing children looked less at the face and the eye areas during inverted presentations than during upright presentations. Nevertheless, individuals with ASD had a stronger tendency than typically developing children to look at the same face features during upright and inverted presentations, which is suggestive of a local bias. Pupil dilation, reflecting increased processing load, was larger for inverted than upright faces in the ASD group only, and pupillary inversion effects were stronger in ASD than in typically developing children.

A novel device using the Nordic hamstring exercise to assess eccentric knee flexor strength: a reliability and retrospective injury study.

PubMed

Opar, David A; Piatkowski, Timothy; Williams, Morgan D; Shield, Anthony J

2013-09-01

Reliability and case-control injury study. To determine if a novel device designed to measure eccentric knee flexor strength via the Nordic hamstring exercise displays acceptable test-retest reliability; to determine normative values for eccentric knee flexor strength derived from the device in individuals without a history of hamstring strain injury (HSI); and to determine if the device can detect weakness in elite athletes with a previous history of unilateral HSI. HSI and reinjury are the most common cause of lost playing time in a number of sports. Eccentric knee flexor weakness is a major modifiable risk factor for future HSI. However, at present, there is a lack of easily accessible equipment to assess eccentric knee flexor strength. Thirty recreationally active males without a history of HSI completed the Nordic hamstring exercise on the device on 2 separate occasions. Intraclass correlation coefficients, typical error, typical error as a coefficient of variation, and minimal detectable change at a 95% confidence level were calculated. Normative strength data were determined using the most reliable measurement. An additional 20 elite athletes with a unilateral history of HSI within the previous 12 months performed the Nordic hamstring exercise on the device to determine if residual eccentric muscle weakness existed in the previously injured limb. The device displayed high to moderate reliability (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.83-0.90; typical error, 21.7-27.5 N; typical error as a coefficient of variation, 5.8%-8.5%; minimal detectable change at a 95% confidence level, 60.1-76.2 N). Mean ± SD normative eccentric flexor strength in the uninjured group was 344.7 ± 61.1 N for the left and 361.2 ± 65.1 N for the right side. The previously injured limb was 15% weaker than the contralateral uninjured limb (mean difference, 50.3 N; 95% confidence interval: 25.7, 74.9; P<.01), 15% weaker than the normative left limb (mean difference, 50.0 N; 95% confidence interval: 1.4, 98.5; P = .04), and 18% weaker than the normative right limb (mean difference, 66.5 N; 95% confidence interval: 18.0, 115.1; P<.01). The experimental device offers a reliable method to measure eccentric knee flexor strength and strength asymmetry and to detect residual weakness in previously injured elite athletes.

Genetic, antigenic and pathogenic characterization of four infectious bursal disease virus isolates from China suggests continued evolution of very virulent viruses.

PubMed

Li, Kai; Courtillon, Céline; Guionie, Olivier; Allée, Chantal; Amelot, Michel; Qi, Xiaole; Gao, Yulong; Wang, Xiaomei; Eterradossi, Nicolas

2015-03-01

Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) causes an economically significant disease of young chickens worldwide. The emergence of very virulent IBDV (vvIBDV) strains has brought more challenges for effective prevention and control of this disease. The aim of the present study was to characterize four IBDV isolates from various regions of China between late 1990s and recent years and to compare them with previously isolated European IBDV strains. In this study, one Chinese vvIBDV strain isolated in 1999 and three strains isolated between 2005 and 2011 were analyzed at the genetic, antigenic and pathogenic levels. Strain SH99 was closely related and clustered in the same genetic lineage as the typical vvIBDV based on the genomic sequences of segments A and B. However, the three more recent Chinese vvIBDV (HLJ0504, HeB10 and HuN11) showed several genetic changes in both segments and clustered in a distinct lineage from the typical vvIBDV and the previously known Chinese vvIBDV. Based on the binding to a panel of neutralizing monoclonal antibodies in antigen capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays, all Chinese vvIBDVs exhibited similar antigenicity with the European typical vvIBDV strains. Nonetheless, the pathogenicity caused by the recent Chinese vvIBDV was higher than that induced by the European typical vvIBDV. This study calls for a sustained surveillance of IBD situation in China in order to support a better prevention and control of the disease. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Increased Resting-State Functional Connectivity in the Cingulo-Opercular Cognitive-Control Network after Intervention in Children with Reading Difficulties

PubMed Central

Horowitz-Kraus, Tzipi; Toro-Serey, Claudio; DiFrancesco, Mark

2015-01-01

Dyslexia, or reading difficulty, is characterized by slow, inaccurate reading accompanied by executive dysfunction. Reading training using the Reading Acceleration Program improves reading and executive functions in both children with dyslexia and typical readers. This improvement is associated with increased activation in and functional connectivity between the anterior cingulate cortex, part of the cingulo-opercular cognitive-control network, and the fusiform gyrus during a reading task after training. The objective of the current study was to determine whether the training also has an effect on functional connectivity of the cingulo-opercular and fronto-parietal cognitive-control networks during rest in children with dyslexia and typical readers. Fifteen children with reading difficulty and 17 typical readers (8-12 years old) were included in the study. Reading and executive functions behavioral measures and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data were collected before and after reading training. Imaging data were analyzed using a graphical network-modeling tool. Both reading groups had increased reading and executive-functions scores after training, with greater gains among the dyslexia group. Training may have less effect on cognitive control in typical readers and a more direct effect on the visual area, as previously reported. Statistical analysis revealed that compared to typical readers, children with reading difficulty had significantly greater functional connectivity in the cingulo-opercular network after training, which may demonstrate the importance of cognitive control during reading in this population. These results support previous findings of increased error-monitoring activation after reading training in children with dyslexia and confirm greater gains with training in this group. PMID:26197049

Proteomic analysis of the venom from the scorpion Mesobuthus martensii.

PubMed

Xu, Xiaobo; Duan, Zhigui; Di, Zhiyong; He, Yawen; Li, Jianglin; Li, Zhongjie; Xie, Chunliang; Zeng, Xiongzhi; Cao, Zhijian; Wu, Yingliang; Liang, Songping; Li, Wenxin

2014-06-25

The scorpion Mesobuthus martensii is the most populous species in eastern Asian countries, and several toxic components have been identified from their venoms. Nevertheless, a complete proteomic profile of the venom of M. martensii is still not available. In this study, the venom of M. martensii was analyzed by comprehensive proteomic approaches. 153 fractions were isolated from the M. martensii venom by 2-DE, SDS-PAGE and RP-HPLC. The ESI-Q-TOF MS results of all fractions were used to search the scorpion genomic and transcriptomic databases. Totally, 227 non-redundant protein sequences were unambiguously identified, composed of 134 previously known and 93 previously unknown proteins. Among 134 previously known proteins, 115 proteins were firstly confirmed from the M. martensii crude venom and 19 toxins were confirmed once again, involving 43 typical toxins, 7 atypical toxins, 12 venom enzymes and 72 cell associated proteins. In typical toxins, 7 novel-toxin sequences were identified, including 3 Na(+)-channel toxins, 3K(+)-channel toxins and 1 no-annotation toxin. These results increased 230% (115/50) venom components compared with previous studies from the M. martensii venom, especially 50% (24/48) typical toxins. Additionally, a mass fingerprint obtained by MALDI-TOF MS indicated that the scorpion venom contained more than 200 different molecular mass components. This work firstly gave a systematic investigation of the M. martensii venom by combined proteomics strategy coupled with genomics and transcriptomics. A large number of protein components were unambiguously identified from the venom of M. martensii, most of which were confirmed for the first time. We also contributed 7 novel-toxin sequences and 93 protein sequences previously unknown to be part of the venom, for which we assigned potential biological functions. Besides, we obtained a mass fingerprint of the M. martensii venom. Together, our study not only provides the most comprehensive catalog of the molecular diversity of the M. martensii venom at the proteomic level, but also enriches the composition information of scorpion venom. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Motor Coordination and Health-Related Physical Fitness of Children with Developmental Coordination Disorder: A Three-Year Follow-up Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Yao-Chuen; Wu, Sheng K.; Cairney, John; Hsieh, Chiu-Yun

2011-01-01

Health-related physical fitness is an important risk factor of cardiovascular disease. While previous studies have identified children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) to be less physically fit than typically developing (TD) peers, there is limited longitudinal research in this area. This study was undertaken to evaluate concomitant…

An experimental study of gully sidewall expansion

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Soil erosion, in its myriad forms, devastates arable land and infrastructure and strains the balance between economic stability and viability. Gullies may form in existing channels or where no previous channel drainage existed. Typically, gullies are a result of a disequilibrium between the eroding ...

Participation in Leisure Activities among Boys with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shimoni, Ma'ayan; Engel-Yeger, Batya; Tirosh, Emanuel

2010-01-01

ADHD is a neural developmental disorder expressed in various life settings. Yet, previous studies have focused mainly on children's function in school and academic achievement. The purpose of the present study was, therefore, to examine participation patterns in outside formal school activities among boys with ADHD compared to typical boys.…

Effect of Long-Term Cannabis Use on Axonal Fibre Connectivity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zalesky, Andrew; Solowij, Nadia; Yucel, Murat; Lubman, Dan I.; Takagi, Michael; Harding, Ian H.; Lorenzetti, Valentina; Wang, Ruopeng; Searle, Karissa; Pantelis, Christos; Seal, Marc

2012-01-01

Cannabis use typically begins during adolescence and early adulthood, a period when cannabinoid receptors are still abundant in white matter pathways across the brain. However, few studies to date have explored the impact of regular cannabis use on white matter structure, with no previous studies examining its impact on axonal connectivity. The…

THE MUTATION SPECTRA OF DRINKING WATER SAMPLES USING THE BASE-SPECIFIC TA7000 STRAINS OF SALMONELLA IN THE MICROSUSPENSION ASSAY

EPA Science Inventory

Previous studies showed that disinfected drinking water samples gave mutagenic spectra typical of halogenated furanones. In this study, we used the TA7000 base-¿specific Salmonella typhimurium tester strains to characterize water samples from two drinking water treatment plants (...

Contextual Effect in People with Williams Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hsu, Ching-Fen; Tzeng, Ovid J.-L.

2011-01-01

This study was aimed at investigating the semantic integration ability of people with WS in building up a coherent and gist theme from the context of presented sentences. Previous studies have indicated rich lexical semantic knowledge and typical semantic priming in this clinical group, but atypical brainwave patterns have been reported in studies…

Evaluating the additivity of perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) in binary combinations on peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-a(PPARa) activation

EPA Science Inventory

Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) are found globally in the environment, detected in humans and wildlife, and are typically present as mixtures of PFAA congeners. Mechanistic studies have found that responses to PFAAs are mediated in part by PPARa. Our previous studies showed that ind...

An Initial Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Word Processing in Preschoolers with Specific Language Impairment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haebig, Eileen; Leonard, Laurence; Usler, Evan; Deevy, Patricia; Weber, Christine

2018-01-01

Purpose: Previous behavioral studies have found deficits in lexical--semantic abilities in children with specific language impairment (SLI), including reduced depth and breadth of word knowledge. This study explored the neural correlates of early emerging familiar word processing in preschoolers with SLI and typical development. Method: Fifteen…

"…Their Opinions Mean Something": Care Staff's Attitudes to Health Research Involving People with Intellectual Disabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Natalie; Durand, Marie-Anne; Mengoni, Silvana E.

2017-01-01

Background: Despite experiencing health inequalities, people with intellectual disabilities are under-represented in health research. Previous research has identified barriers but has typically focused on under-recruitment to specific studies. This study aimed to explore care staff's attitudes to health research involving people with intellectual…

Frontal sinus depth at four landmarks in breeds of dog typically affected by sinonasal aspergillosis.

PubMed

Burrow, R; McCarroll, D; Baker, M; Darby, P; McConnell, F; Cripps, P

2012-01-07

The objective of this study was to assess whether the frontal sinuses in dogs with aspergillosis and of breeds typically affected by this condition were deeper at a more caudal location. CT scans of the head performed at the Small Animal Teaching Hospital, University of Liverpool, between April 2007 and March 2009 for dogs diagnosed with aspergillosis (group 1) and unaffected dogs of similar breeds (group 2) were selected for study. Sinus depth was measured at four standardised locations from reconstructed images of these CT scans. Data were compared for differences in sinus depth between groups and between landmarks. No significant difference was found between measurements within individual dogs or for each of the various landmarks between groups. Difference in depth of the sinuses between landmarks was significant (P<0.001). Sinus depth was significantly greater at the more caudal landmarks and was shallowest at the previously recommended landmark for sinus entry. In 54 per cent of dogs, the frontal sinus depth measured less than or equal to 2 cm at one or more of the landmarks. Sinus entry at the deepest point will reduce the risk of accidentally damaging underlying structures. This may be approximately 1 cm caudal, in breeds of dog that typically develop aspergillosis, to a previously suggested landmark.

Is a bear white in the woods? Parallel representation of implied object color during language comprehension.

PubMed

Connell, Louise; Lynott, Dermot

2009-06-01

Color is undeniably important to object representations, but so too is the ability of context to alter the color of an object. The present study examined how implied perceptual information about typical and atypical colors is represented during language comprehension. Participants read sentences that implied a (typical or atypical) color for a target object and then performed a modified Stroop task in which they named the ink color of the target word (typical, atypical, or unrelated). Results showed that color naming was facilitated both when ink color was typical for that object (e.g., bear in brown ink) and when it matched the color implied by the previous sentence (e.g., bear in white ink following Joe was excited to see a bear at the North Pole). These findings suggest that unusual contexts cause people to represent in parallel both typical and scenario-specific perceptual information, and these types of information are discussed in relation to the specialization of perceptual simulations.

Reading acceleration training changes brain circuitry in children with reading difficulties

PubMed Central

Horowitz-Kraus, Tzipi; Vannest, Jennifer J; Kadis, Darren; Cicchino, Nicole; Wang, Yingying Y; Holland, Scott K

2014-01-01

Introduction Dyslexia is characterized by slow, inaccurate reading. Previous studies have shown that the Reading Acceleration Program (RAP) improves reading speed and accuracy in children and adults with dyslexia and in typical readers across different orthographies. However, the effect of the RAP on the neural circuitry of reading has not been established. In the current study, we examined the effect of the RAP training on regions of interest in the neural circuitry for reading using a lexical decision task during fMRI in children with reading difficulties and typical readers. Methods Children (8–12 years old) with reading difficulties and typical readers were studied before and after 4 weeks of training with the RAP in both groups. Results In addition to improvements in oral and silent contextual reading speed, training-related gains were associated with increased activation of the left hemisphere in both children with reading difficulties and typical readers. However, only children with reading difficulties showed improvements in reading comprehension, which were associated with significant increases in right frontal lobe activation. Conclusions Our results demonstrate differential effects of the RAP on neural circuits supporting reading in both children with reading difficulties and typical readers and suggest that the intervention may stimulate use of typical neural circuits for reading and engage compensatory pathways to support reading in the developing brain of children with reading difficulties. PMID:25365797

Older Adults' Memory for Verbally Presented Medical Information

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bankoff, Sarah M.; Sandberg, Elisabeth Hollister

2012-01-01

Previous research demonstrates that patients typically have difficulty remembering information presented during healthcare consultations. This study examined how older adults learn and remember verbally presented medical information. Healthy older adults were tested for recall in experimental and field settings. Participants viewed a five-minute…

Energy monitoring in gins

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Energy costs are the second largest source of variable costs for cotton gins, accounting for 27% of variable costs. Energy use has typically not been a major consideration in gin design, and previous studies of energy use have utilized instantaneous readings or aggregated season-long values. In this...

Energy Monitoring in Gins - 2011

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Energy costs are the second largest source of variable costs for gins, accounting for 27% of variable costs. Energy use has typically not been a major consideration in gin design and previous studies of energy use have utilized instantaneous readings or aggregated season-long values. Electricity u...

Electricity use patterns in cotton gins

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Energy costs are the second largest source of variable costs for cotton gins, with electricity accounting for 18% of variable costs. Energy use has typically not been a major consideration in gin design and previous studies of energy use have utilized instantaneous readings or aggregated season-lon...

Cognitive Style as Related to Emotional Empathy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeVore, Cheryl H.; And Others

1989-01-01

A study compared the field dependence/independence and a measure of emotional empathy in 44 dental hygiene students and 42 students in an introductory psychology course. The results do not entirely support previous findings that dental hygiene students are typically more field independent. (Author/MSE)

Exploring the neural correlates of lexical stress perception in english among Chinese-English bilingual children with autism spectrum disorder: An ERP study.

PubMed

Zhang, Juan; Meng, Yaxuan; Tong, Xiuhong; Yuan, Zhen; Wu, Chenggang; Ieong, Sao Leng

2018-02-14

Previous studies found that individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were less sensitive to the variations of lexical stress in their native language than typically developing controls. However, no study has been conducted to explore the perception of lexical stress in the second language among individuals with ASD. Using ERPs (event-related potentials) measurement with an oddball paradigm, the current study examined and compared the neural responses by Chinese-English bilingual children with ASD and typically developing controls in the processing of English lexical stress. The results showed that when compared with typically developing controls, children with ASD manifested reduced MMN (mismatch negativity) amplitude at the left temporal-parietal and parietal sites, indicating that they were less sensitive to lexical stress. However, a more negative MMN response was found for ASD group than for typically developing group at the right central-parietal, temporal-parietal, and temporal sites. In addition, the right hemisphere was more activated than the left hemisphere for ASD group, which might be derived from the reversed asymmetry of brain activation for individuals with ASD when processing language-related stimuli. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The brain-sex theory of occupational choice: a counterexample.

PubMed

Esgate, Anthony; Flynn, Maria

2005-02-01

The brain-sex theory of occupational choice suggests that males and females in male-typical careers show a male pattern of cognitive ability in terms of better spatial than verbal performance on cognitive tests with the reverse pattern for females and males in female-typical careers. These differences are thought to result from patterns of cerebral functional lateralisation. This study sought such occupationally related effects using synonym generation (verbal ability) and mental rotation (spatial ability) tasks used previously. It also used entrants to these careers as participants to examine whether patterns of cognitive abilities might predate explicit training and practice. Using a population of entrants to sex-differentiated university courses, a moderate occupational effect on the synonym generation task was found, along with a weak (p < .10) sex effect on the mental rotation task. Highest performance on the mental rotation task was by female students in fashion design, a female-dominated occupation which makes substantial visuospatial demands and attracts many students with literacy problems such as dyslexia. This group then appears to be a counterexample to the brain-sex theory. However, methodological issues surrounding previous studies are highlighted: the simple synonym task appears to show limited discrimination of the sexes, leading to questions concerning the legitimacy of inferences about lateralisation based on scores from that test. Moreover, the human figure-based mental rotation task appears to tap the wrong aspect of visuospatial skill, likely to be needed for male-typical courses such as engineering. Since the fashion-design career is also one that attracts disproportionately many male students whose sexual orientation is homosexual, data were examined for evidence of female-typical patterns of cognitive performance among that subgroup. This was not found. This study therefore provides no evidence for the claim that female-pattern cerebral functional lateralisation is likely in gay males.

Numerical Simulation of the Effect of 3D Needle Movement on Cavitation and Spray Formation in a Diesel Injector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mandumpala Devassy, B.; Edelbauer, W.; Greif, D.

2015-12-01

Cavitation and its effect on spray formation and its dispersion play a crucial role in proper engine combustion and controlled emission. This study focuses on these effects in a typical common rail 6-hole diesel injector accounting for 3D needle movement and flow compressibility effects. Coupled numerical simulations using 1D and 3D CFD codes are used for this investigation. Previous studies in this direction have already presented a detailed structure of the adopted methodology. Compared to the previous analysis, the present study investigates the effect of 3D needle movement and cavitation on the spray formation for pilot and main injection events for a typical diesel engine operating point. The present setup performs a 3D compressible multiphase simulation coupled with a standalone 1D high pressure flow simulation. The simulation proceeds by the mutual communication between 1D and 3D solvers. In this work a typical common rail injector with a mini-sac nozzle is studied. The lateral and radial movement of the needle and its effect on the cavitation generation and the subsequent spray penetration are analyzed. The result indicates the effect of compressibility of the liquid on damping the needle forces, and also the difference in the spray penetration levels due to the asymmetrical flow field. Therefore, this work intends to provide an efficient and user-friendly engineering tool for simulating a complete fuel injector including spray propagation.

An Evaluation of Imitation Recognition Abilities in Typically Developing Children and Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

PubMed

Berger, Natalie I; Ingersoll, Brooke

2015-08-01

Previous work has indicated that both typically developing children and children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) display a range of imitation recognition behaviors in response to a contingent adult imitator. However, it is unknown how the two groups perform comparatively on this construct. In this study, imitation recognition behaviors for children with ASD and typically developing children were observed during periods of contingent imitation imbedded in a naturalistic imitation task. Results from this study indicate that children with ASD are impaired in their ability to recognize being imitated relative to typically developing peers as demonstrated both by behaviors representing basic social attention and more mature imitation recognition. Display of imitation recognition behaviors was independent of length of contingent imitation period in typically developing children, but rate of engagement in imitation recognition behaviors was positively correlated with length of contingent imitation period in children with ASD. Exploratory findings also suggest a link between the ability to demonstrate recognition of being imitated and ASD symptom severity, language, and object imitation for young children with ASD. © 2015 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Word Learning in Clear and Plain Speech in Quiet and Noisy Listening Conditions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Riley, Kristine Marie Grohne

2010-01-01

Previous research demonstrates enhanced speech perception abilities for typically hearing and hearing-impaired listeners when speakers use clear versus plain speech, particularly in the presence of background noise. To date, very few studies have investigated the effects of noise on word learning and no studies have examined the effects of clear…

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Story Listening in Adolescents and Young Adults with Down Syndrome: Evidence for Atypical Neurodevelopment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jacola, L. M.; Byars, A. W.; Hickey, F.; Vannest, J.; Holland, S. K.; Schapiro, M. B.

2014-01-01

Background: Previous studies have documented differences in neural activation during language processing in individuals with Down syndrome (DS) in comparison with typically developing individuals matched for chronological age. This study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to compare activation during language processing in young…

LTP in Hippocampal Area CA1 Is Induced by Burst Stimulation over a Broad Frequency Range Centered around Delta

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Grover, Lawrence M.; Kim, Eunyoung; Cooke, Jennifer D.; Holmes, William R.

2009-01-01

Long-term potentiation (LTP) is typically studied using either continuous high-frequency stimulation or theta burst stimulation. Previous studies emphasized the physiological relevance of theta frequency; however, synchronized hippocampal activity occurs over a broader frequency range. We therefore tested burst stimulation at intervals from 100…

Experiencing More Mathematics Anxiety than Expected? Contrasting Trait and State Anxiety in High Achieving Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roos, A.-L.; Bieg, M.; Goetz, T.; Frenzel, A. C.; Taxer, J.; Zeidner, M.

2015-01-01

This study examined mathematics anxiety among high and low achieving students (N = 237, grades 9 and 10) by contrasting trait (habitual) and state (momentary) assessments of anxiety. Previous studies have found that trait anxiety measures are typically rated higher than state measures. Furthermore, the academic self-concept has been identified to…

Prosodic Awareness Is Related to Reading Ability in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nash, Renae; Arciuli, Joanne

2016-01-01

Prosodic awareness has been linked with reading accuracy in typically developing children. Although children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) often have difficulty processing prosody and often have trouble learning to read, no previous study has looked at the link between explicit prosodic awareness and reading in ASD. In the current study, 29…

Slowed Speech Input Has a Differential Impact on On-Line and Off-Line Processing in Children's Comprehension of Pronouns

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Love, Tracy; Walenski, Matthew; Swinney, David

2009-01-01

The central question underlying this study revolves around how children process co-reference relationships--such as those evidenced by pronouns ("him") and reflexives ("himself")--and how a slowed rate of speech input may critically affect this process. Previous studies of child language processing have demonstrated that typical language…

Hemispheric Processing of Idioms and Irony in Adults with and without Pervasive Developmental Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saban-Bezalel, Ronit; Mashal, Nira

2015-01-01

Previous studies on individuals with pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) have pointed to difficulties in comprehension of figurative language. Using the divided visual field paradigm, the present study examined hemispheric processing of idioms and irony in 23 adults with PDD and in 24 typically developing (TD) adults. The results show that…

The Attitudes and Practices that Shape Children's Drawing Experience at Home and at School

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burkitt, Esther; Jolley, Richard; Rose, Sarah

2010-01-01

Concept: Few empirical studies have investigated the influence of teachers, parents and children on children's drawing experience. The current study aims to examine the attitudes and practices of these three key players that shape children's drawing experience. Method: A survey methodology was used, as typically found in previous research in this…

Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment for Specific Phobias with a Child Demonstrating Severe Problem Behavior and Developmental Delays

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Davis, Thompson E., III; Kurtz, Patricia F.; Gardner, Andrew W.; Carman, Nicole B.

2007-01-01

Cognitive-behavioral treatments (CBTs) are widely used for anxiety disorders in typically developing children; however, there has been no previous attempt to administer CBT for specific phobia (in this case study, one-session treatment) to developmentally or intellectually disabled children. This case study integrates both cognitive-behavioral and…

Spontaneous attention to faces in Asperger syndrome using ecologically valid static stimuli.

PubMed

Hanley, Mary; McPhillips, Martin; Mulhern, Gerry; Riby, Deborah M

2013-11-01

Previous eye tracking research on the allocation of attention to social information by individuals with autism spectrum disorders is equivocal and may be in part a consequence of variation in stimuli used between studies. The current study explored attention allocation to faces, and within faces, by individuals with Asperger syndrome using a range of static stimuli where faces were either viewed in isolation or viewed in the context of a social scene. Results showed that faces were viewed typically by the individuals with Asperger syndrome when presented in isolation, but attention to the eyes was significantly diminished in comparison to age and IQ-matched typical viewers when faces were viewed as part of social scenes. We show that when using static stimuli, there is evidence of atypicality for individuals with Asperger syndrome depending on the extent of social context. Our findings shed light on the previous explanations of gaze behaviour that have emphasised the role of movement in atypicalities of social attention in autism spectrum disorders and highlight the importance of consideration of the realistic portrayal of social information for future studies.

An assessment of the common carrier shipping environment

Treesearch

F. E. Ostrem; W. D. Godshall

1979-01-01

An assessment of available data and information describing the common carrier shipping environment was conducted. The assesment included the major shipping hazards of shock, vibration, impact, temperature, and humidity associated with the handling, transportation, and warehousing operations of typical distribution cycles. Previous environmental studies and current data...

Children's Syntactic-Priming Magnitude: Lexical Factors and Participant Characteristics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Foltz, Anouschka; Thiele, Kristina; Kahsnitz, Dunja; Stenneken, Prisca

2015-01-01

This study examines whether lexical repetition, syntactic skills, and working memory (WM) affect children's syntactic-priming behavior, i.e. their tendency to adopt previously encountered syntactic structures. Children with Specific Language Impairment (SLI) and typically developing (TD) children were primed with prenominal (e.g. "the yellow…

MODELING THE POTENTIAL SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION OF BEEF CATTLE GRAZING USING A GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM

EPA Science Inventory

Data regarding grazing utilization in the western United States are typically compiled within administrative boundaries(e.g. allotment,pasture). For large areas, an assumption of uniform distribution is seldom valid. Previous studies show that vegetation type, degree of slope, an...

Cultivating Deductive Thinking with Angle Chasing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Edwards, Michael todd; Quinlan, James; Harper, Suzanne R.; Cox, Dana C.; Phelps, Steve

2014-01-01

Despite Common Core State Standards for Mathematics (CCSSI 2010) recommendations, too often students' introduction to proof consists of the study of formal axiomatic systems--for example, triangle congruence proofs--typically in an introductory geometry course with no connection back to previous work in earlier algebra courses. Van Hiele…

Conceptualizing a Comparative Educational Research Framework.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Plomp, Tjeerd

1992-01-01

Presents reasons why nations should participate in international survey research. Reviews the mission and history of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA). Discusses the design of a typical IEA study and includes five graphic figures and one table illustrating results of previous international surveys.…

Individual differences in wisdom conceptions: relationships to gratitude and wisdom.

PubMed

König, Susanne; Glück, Judith

2013-01-01

Previous research has shown that most laypeople hold one of two typical conceptions of wisdom--a cognitive or an integrative conception. The current study extends previous research by including a qualitative assessment of people's views of what wisdom is and how it develops, and by relating wisdom conceptions are related to levels of wisdom and gratitude. A sample of 443 young adults rated the relevance of cognitive, reflective, and affective aspects for wisdom. Cluster analyses confirmed the two typical wisdom conceptions: a primarily cognitive view of wisdom and a view emphasizing the integration of cognition, reflection, and affect. The two groups also differed in freely-generated characteristics of wisdom and its development. Additionally, the integrative conception was more frequent in individuals with higher levels of gratitude and wisdom. In sum, laypeople's conceptions of wisdom vary along similar lines as those of wisdom psychologists.

Fear, Worry, and Ritualistic Behaviour in Childhood: Developmental Trends and Interrelations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laing, Sarah V.; Fernyhough, Charles; Turner, Michelle; Freeston, Mark H.

2009-01-01

Previous studies of childhood fear, worry, and ritualistic behaviour have been limited by restricted age ranges, narrow ranges of anxiety phenomena, non-comparable methodologies, and assessment of typical behaviour within a pathological context. Content and intensity of fear, worry, and ritualistic behaviour, and associations among these…

The Roles of Altitude and Fear in the Perception of Height

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stefanucci, Jeanine K.; Proffitt, Dennis R.

2009-01-01

Previous research on perceiving spatial layout has found that people often exhibit normative biases in their perception of the environment. For instance, slant is typically overestimated and distance is usually underestimated. Surprisingly, however, the perception of height has rarely been studied. The present experiments examined the perception…

The social context moderates the relationships between neighborhood safety and adolescents’ physical activities

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Background. Previous studies of neighborhood safety and physical (in)activity have typically neglected to consider the youth’s peer context as a modifier of these relationships. Objective. Test the independent and interactive effects of perceived neighborhood safety and time spent with friends and p...

Screen Miniatures as Icons for Backward Navigation in Content-Based Software.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boling, Elizabeth; Ma, Guoping; Tao, Chia-Wen; Askun, Cengiz; Green, Tim; Frick, Theodore; Schaumburg, Heike

Users of content-based software programs, including hypertexts and instructional multimedia, rely on the navigation functions provided by the designers of those program. Typical navigation schemes use abstract symbols (arrows) to label basic navigational functions like moving forward or backward through screen displays. In a previous study, the…

Widespread Cortical Thinning Is a Robust Anatomical Marker for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Narr, Katherine L.; Woods, Roger P.; Lin, James; Kim, John; Phillips, Owen R.; Del'Homme, Melissa; Caplan, Rochelle; Toga, Arthur W.; McCracken, James T.; Levitt, Jennifer G.

2009-01-01

Objective: This cross-sectional study sought to confirm the presence and regional profile of previously reported changes in laminar cortical thickness in children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) compared with typically developing control subjects. Method: High-resolution magnetic resonance images were obtained…

Personality Traits, Learning and Academic Achievements

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jensen, Mikael

2015-01-01

There has been an increased interest in personality traits (especially the five-factor model) in relation to education and learning over the last decade. Previous studies have shown a relation between personality traits and learning, and between personality traits and academic achievement. The latter is typically described in terms of Grade Point…

Diversity, Racial Threat and Metropolitan Housing Segregation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

DeFina, Robert; Hannon, Lance

2009-01-01

Previous studies have shown that as the percent black or percent Hispanic grows, that group's residential segregation from whites tends to increase as well. Typically, these findings are explained in terms of white discriminatory reaction to the perceived threat associated with minority population growth. The present analysis examines whether…

Decision-Making Accuracy of CBM Progress-Monitoring Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hintze, John M.; Wells, Craig S.; Marcotte, Amanda M.; Solomon, Benjamin G.

2018-01-01

This study examined the diagnostic accuracy associated with decision making as is typically conducted with curriculum-based measurement (CBM) approaches to progress monitoring. Using previously published estimates of the standard errors of estimate associated with CBM, 20,000 progress-monitoring data sets were simulated to model student reading…

Masked Priming Effects in Aphasia: Evidence of Altered Automatic Spreading Activation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Silkes, JoAnn P.; Rogers, Margaret A.

2012-01-01

Purpose: Previous research has suggested that impairments of automatic spreading activation may underlie some aphasic language deficits. The current study further investigated the status of automatic spreading activation in individuals with aphasia as compared with typical adults. Method: Participants were 21 individuals with aphasia (12 fluent, 9…

Predicting Reading Disability: Early Cognitive Risk and Protective Factors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Eklund, Kenneth Mikael; Torppa, Minna; Lyytinen, Heikki

2013-01-01

This longitudinal study examined early cognitive risk and protective factors for Grade 2 reading disability (RD). We first examined the reading outcome of 198 children in four developmental cognitive subgroups that were identified in our previous analysis: dysfluent trajectory, declining trajectory, unexpected trajectory and typical trajectory. We…

Comment on 'Three-dimensional numerical investigation of electron transport with rotating spoke in a cylindrical anode layer Hall plasma accelerator'[Phys. Plasmas 19, 073519 (2012)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ellison, C. L.; Parker, J. B.; Raitses, Y.

The oscillation behavior described by Tang et al.[Phys. Plasmas 19, 073519 (2012)] differs too greatly from previous experimental and numerical studies to claim observation of the same phenomenon. Most significantly, the rotation velocity by Tang et al.[Phys. Plasmas 19, 073519 (2012)] is three orders of magnitude larger than that of typical 'rotating spoke' phenomena. Several physical and numerical considerations are presented to more accurately understand the numerical results of Tang et al.[Phys. Plasmas 19, 073519 (2012)] in light of previous studies.

Three-dimensional Numerical Investigation of Electron Transport with Rotating Spoke in a Cylindrical Anode Layer Hall Plasma Accelerator

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ellison, C. Leland; Matyash, K.; Parker, J. B.

The oscillation behavior described in [Tang et. al, Phys. Plasmas 19, 073519 (2012)] di ers too greatly from previous experimental and numerical studies to claim observation of the same phenomenon. Most signi cantly, the rotation velocity in [Tang et. al, Phys. Plasmas 19, 073519 (2012)] is three orders of magnitude larger than that of typical \\rotating spoke" phenomena. Several physical and numerical considerations are presented to more accurately understand the numerical results of [Tang et. al, Phys. Plasmas 19, 073519 (2012)] in light of previous studies.

The GH-IGF-I response to typical field sports practices in adolescent athletes: a summary.

PubMed

Eliakim, Alon; Cooper, Dan M; Nemet, Dan

2014-11-01

The present study compares previous reports on the effect of "real-life" typical field individual (i.e., cross-country running and wrestling--representing combat versus noncombat sports) and team sports (i.e., volleyball and water polo-representing water and land team sports) training on GH and IGF-1, the main growth factors of the GH→IGF axis, in male and female late pubertal athletes. Cross-country running practice and volleyball practice in both males and females were associated with significant increases of circulating GH levels, while none of the practices led to a significant increase in IGF-I levels. The magnitude (percent change) of the GH response to the different practices was determined mainly by preexercise GH levels. There was no difference in the training-associated GH response between individual and team sports practices. The GH response to the different typical practices was not influenced by the practice-associated lactate change. Further studies are needed to better understand the effect of real-life typical training in prepubertal and adolescent athletes and their role in exercise adaptations.

Oral care experiences and challenges in children with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Stein, Leah I; Polido, José C; Najera, Sandy Oliver Lopez; Cermak, Sharon A

2012-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences between children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and their typically developing peers in relation to aspects of oral care. Participants included 396 parents of ASD children or typically developing 2- to 18-year-olds. Parents completed a 37-item questionnaire designed by authors to elicit information about oral care in the home and dental office. Descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate regression analyses were conducted to examine the association between diagnostic group and oral care variables. Significantly more parents of ASD children than parents of typically developing children reported difficulty across almost all oral care variables explored, including oral care in the home, oral care at the dentist, and access to oral care. Following multivariate regression to control for possible confounders-including age, gender, Hispanic status, and paternal education level-all previously significant variables remained significant. This study indicates that children with autism spectrum disorders experience greater difficulties and barriers to care in both the home and dental office settings than their typically developing peers.

Visual perspective taking impairment in children with autistic spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Hamilton, Antonia F de C; Brindley, Rachel; Frith, Uta

2009-10-01

Evidence from typical development and neuroimaging studies suggests that level 2 visual perspective taking - the knowledge that different people may see the same thing differently at the same time - is a mentalising task. Thus, we would expect children with autism, who fail typical mentalising tasks like false belief, to perform poorly on level 2 visual perspective taking as well. However, prior data on this issue are inconclusive. We re-examined this question, testing a group of 23 young autistic children, aged around 8years with a verbal mental age of around 4years and three groups of typical children (n=60) ranging in age from 4 to 8years on a level 2 visual perspective task and a closely matched mental rotation task. The results demonstrate that autistic children have difficulty with visual perspective taking compared to a task requiring mental rotation, relative to typical children. Furthermore, performance on the level 2 visual perspective taking task correlated with theory of mind performance. These findings resolve discrepancies in previous studies of visual perspective taking in autism, and demonstrate that level 2 visual perspective taking is a mentalising task.

Dense home-based recordings reveal typical and atypical development of tense/aspect in a child with delayed language development.

PubMed

Chin, Iris; Goodwin, Matthew S; Vosoughi, Soroush; Roy, Deb; Naigles, Letitia R

2018-01-01

Studies investigating the development of tense/aspect in children with developmental disorders have focused on production frequency and/or relied on short spontaneous speech samples. How children with developmental disorders use future forms/constructions is also unknown. The current study expands this literature by examining frequency, consistency, and productivity of past, present, and future usage, using the Speechome Recorder, which enables collection of dense, longitudinal audio-video recordings of children's speech. Samples were collected longitudinally in a child who was previously diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, but at the time of the study exhibited only language delay [Audrey], and a typically developing child [Cleo]. While Audrey was comparable to Cleo in frequency and productivity of tense/aspect use, she was atypical in her consistency and production of an unattested future form. Examining additional measures of densely collected speech samples may reveal subtle atypicalities that are missed when relying on only few typical measures of acquisition.

Gamma knife radiosurgery for typical trigeminal neuralgia: An institutional review of 108 patients

PubMed Central

Elaimy, Ameer L.; Lamm, Andrew F.; Demakas, John J.; Mackay, Alexander R.; Lamoreaux, Wayne T.; Fairbanks, Robert K.; Pfeffer, Robert D.; Cooke, Barton S.; Peressini, Benjamin J.; Lee, Christopher M.

2013-01-01

Background: In this study, we present the previously unreported pain relief outcomes of 108 patients treated at Gamma Knife of Spokane for typical trigeminal neuralgia (TN) between 2002 and 2011. Methods: Pain relief outcomes were measured using the Barrow Neurological Institute (BNI) pain intensity scale. In addition, the effects gender, age at treatment, pain laterality, previous surgical treatment, repeat Gamma Knife radiosurgery (GKRS), and maximum radiosurgery dose have on patient pain relief outcomes were retrospectively analyzed. Statistical analysis was performed using Andersen 95% confidence intervals, approximate confidence intervals for log hazard ratios, and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models. Results: All 108 patients included in this study were grouped into BNI class IV or V prior to GKRS. The median clinical follow-up time was determined to be 15 months. Following the first GKRS procedure, 71% of patients were grouped into BNI class I-IIIb (I = 31%; II = 3%; IIIa = 19%; IIIb = 18%) and the median duration of pain relief for those patients was determined to be 11.8 months. New facial numbness was reported in 19% of patients and new facial paresthesias were reported in 7% of patients after the first GKRS procedure. A total of 19 repeat procedures were performed on the 108 patients included in this study. Following the second GKRS procedure, 73% of patients were grouped into BNI class I-IIIb (I = 44%; II = 6%; IIIa = 17%, IIIb = 6%) and the median duration of pain relief for those patients was determined to be 4.9 months. For repeat procedures, new facial numbness was reported in 22% of patients and new facial paresthesias were reported in 6% of patients. Conclusions: GKRS is a safe and effective management approach for patients diagnosed with typical TN. However, further studies and supporting research is needed on the effects previous surgical treatment, number of radiosurgery procedures, and maximum radiosurgery dose have on GKRS clinical outcomes. PMID:23956935

Dyslexic children lack word selectivity gradients in occipito-temporal and inferior frontal cortex.

PubMed

Olulade, O A; Flowers, D L; Napoliello, E M; Eden, G F

2015-01-01

fMRI studies using a region-of-interest approach have revealed that the ventral portion of the left occipito-temporal cortex, which is specialized for orthographic processing of visually presented words (and includes the so-called "visual word form area", VWFA), is characterized by a posterior-to-anterior gradient of increasing selectivity for words in typically reading adults, adolescents, and children (e.g. Brem et al., 2006, 2009). Similarly, the left inferior frontal cortex (IFC) has been shown to exhibit a medial-to-lateral gradient of print selectivity in typically reading adults (Vinckier et al., 2007). Functional brain imaging studies of dyslexia have reported relative underactivity in left hemisphere occipito-temporal and inferior frontal regions using whole-brain analyses during word processing tasks. Hence, the question arises whether gradient sensitivities in these regions are altered in dyslexia. Indeed, a region-of-interest analysis revealed the gradient-specific functional specialization in the occipito-temporal cortex to be disrupted in dyslexic children (van der Mark et al., 2009). Building on these studies, we here (1) investigate if a word-selective gradient exists in the inferior frontal cortex in addition to the occipito-temporal cortex in normally reading children, (2) compare typically reading with dyslexic children, and (3) examine functional connections between these regions in both groups. We replicated the previously reported anterior-to-posterior gradient of increasing selectivity for words in the left occipito-temporal cortex in typically reading children, and its absence in the dyslexic children. Our novel finding is the detection of a pattern of increasing selectivity for words along the medial-to-lateral axis of the left inferior frontal cortex in typically reading children and evidence of functional connectivity between the most lateral aspect of this area and the anterior aspects of the occipito-temporal cortex. We report absence of an IFC gradient and connectivity between the lateral aspect of the IFC and the anterior occipito-temporal cortex in the dyslexic children. Together, our results provide insights into the source of the anomalies reported in previous studies of dyslexia and add to the growing evidence of an orthographic role of IFC in reading.

It Takes a Toll on Pre-Service Teachers and Programs: Case Studies of Teacher Candidates Who Withdrew from a Teacher Education Program

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lin, Pei-Ying; Childs, Ruth A.; Zhang, Jingshun

2016-01-01

Previous studies have examined patterns of withdrawal from initial teacher education (ITE) programs and have found that pre-service teachers are more likely to withdraw if they are male or older than the typical pre-service teacher. This study presents case studies based on semi-structured interviews with older male pre-service teachers who…

Strategic Role of Frontal White Matter Tracts in Vascular Cognitive Impairment: A Voxel-Based Lesion-Symptom Mapping Study in CADASIL

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Duering, Marco; Zieren, Nikola; Herve, Dominique; Jouvent, Eric; Reyes, Sonia; Peters, Nils; Pachai, Chahin; Opherk, Christian; Chabriat, Hugues; Dichgans, Martin

2011-01-01

Cerebral small vessel disease is the most common cause of vascular cognitive impairment. It typically manifests with lacunar infarcts and ischaemic white matter lesions. However, little is known about how these lesions relate to the cognitive symptoms. Previous studies have found a poor correlation between the burden of ischaemic lesions and…

A Comparison of Prose and Algorithms for Presenting Complex Instructions. Document Design Project, Technical Report No. 17.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holland, V. Melissa; Rose, Andrew

Complex conditional instructions ("if X, then do Y") are prevalent in public documents, where they typically appear in prose form. Results of two previous studies have shown that conditional instructions become very difficult to process as the structure becomes more complex. A study was designed to investigate whether this difficulty can…

Age and Schooling Effects on Early Literacy and Phoneme Awareness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cunningham, Anna; Carroll, Julia

2011-01-01

Previous research on age and schooling effects is largely restricted to studies of children who begin formal schooling at 6 years of age, and the measures of phoneme awareness used have typically lacked sensitivity for beginning readers. Our study addresses these issues by testing 4 to 6 year-olds (first 2 years of formal schooling in the United…

Prospective memory deficits in illicit polydrug users are associated with the average long-term typical dose of ecstasy typically consumed in a single session.

PubMed

Gallagher, Denis T; Hadjiefthyvoulou, Florentia; Fisk, John E; Montgomery, Catharine; Robinson, Sarita J; Judge, Jeannie

2014-01-01

Neuroimaging evidence suggests that ecstasy-related reductions in SERT densities relate more closely to the number of tablets typically consumed per session rather than estimated total lifetime use. To better understand the basis of drug related deficits in prospective memory (p.m.) we explored the association between p.m. and average long-term typical dose and long-term frequency of use. Study 1: Sixty-five ecstasy/polydrug users and 85 nonecstasy users completed an event-based, a short-term and a long-term time-based p.m. task. Study 2: Study 1 data were merged with outcomes on the same p.m. measures from a previous study creating a combined sample of 103 ecstasy/polydrug users, 38 cannabis-only users, and 65 nonusers of illicit drugs. Study 1: Ecstasy/polydrug users had significant impairments on all p.m. outcomes compared with nonecstasy users. Study 2: Ecstasy/polydrug users were impaired in event-based p.m. compared with both other groups and in long-term time-based p.m. compared with nonillicit drug users. Both drug using groups did worse on the short-term time-based p.m. task compared with nonusers. Higher long-term average typical dose of ecstasy was associated with poorer performance on the event and short-term time-based p.m. tasks and accounted for unique variance in the two p.m. measures over and above the variance associated with cannabis and cocaine use. The typical ecstasy dose consumed in a single session is an important predictor of p.m. impairments with higher doses reflecting increasing tolerance giving rise to greater p.m. impairment.

Amount of Postcue Encoding Predicts Amount of Directed Forgetting

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pastotter, Bernhard; Bauml, Karl-Heinz

2010-01-01

In list-method directed forgetting, participants are cued to intentionally forget a previously studied list (List 1) before encoding a subsequently presented list (List 2). Compared with remember-cued participants, forget-cued participants typically show impaired recall of List 1 and improved recall of List 2, referred to as List 1 forgetting and…

Small and Large Number Processing in Infants and Toddlers with Williams Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Herwegen, Jo; Ansari, Daniel; Xu, Fei; Karmiloff-Smith, Annette

2008-01-01

Previous studies have suggested that typically developing 6-month-old infants are able to discriminate between small and large numerosities. However, discrimination between small numerosities in young infants is only possible when variables continuous with number (e.g. area or circumference) are confounded. In contrast, large number discrimination…

Game-Day Survey Results: Looking at Football Fan Alcohol-Related Behaviors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haun, Jolie; Glassman, Tavis; Dodd, Virginia J.; Young, Gail C. Dale

2007-01-01

On college campuses, alcohol abuse is a challenge particularly on football game days. From previous research, it is known that fans drink more and are more affected by excessive alcohol consumption than non-fans. This study explored age and gender issues regarding behaviors and consequences of typical game-day alcohol consumption. A…

Cognitive and Behavioral Indicators of ADHD Symptoms Prior to School Age

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arnett, Anne Bernard; MacDonald, Beatriz; Pennington, Bruce F.

2013-01-01

Background: Previous research on the etiology of ADHD symptoms suggests that neuropsychological differences may be present as early as birth; however, the diagnosis is typically not given until school age. This study aimed to (a) identify early behavioral and cognitive markers of later significant parent and/or teacher ratings of ADHD…

Children with Comorbid Speech Sound Disorder and Specific Language Impairment Are at Increased Risk for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McGrath, Lauren M.; Hutaff-Lee, Christa; Scott, Ashley; Boada, Richard; Shriberg, Lawrence D.; Pennington, Bruce F.

2008-01-01

This study focuses on the comorbidity between attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms and speech sound disorder (SSD). SSD is a developmental disorder characterized by speech production errors that impact intelligibility. Previous research addressing this comorbidity has typically used heterogeneous groups of speech-language…

When Two Sources of Fluency Meet One Cognitive Mindset

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reggev, Niv; Hassin, Ran R.; Maril, Anat

2012-01-01

Fluency, the subjective experience of ease associated with information processing, has been shown to affect a host of judgments. Previous research has typically focused on specific factors that affect the use of a single, specific fluency source. In the present study we examine how cognitive mindsets, or processing modes, moderate fluency…

Reorientation in a Rhombic Environment: No Evidence for an Encapsulated Geometric Module

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hupbach, A.; Nadel, L.

2005-01-01

Reorientation behavior of young children has been described as dependent upon a geometric module that is incapable of interacting with landmark information. Whereas previous studies typically used rectangular spaces that provided geometric information about distance, we used a rhombic space that allowed us to explore the way children use geometric…

Symbol Grounding without Direct Experience: Do Words Inherit Sensorimotor Activation from Purely Linguistic Context?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Günther, Fritz; Dudschig, Carolin; Kaup, Barbara

2018-01-01

Theories of embodied cognition assume that concepts are grounded in non-linguistic, sensorimotor experience. In support of this assumption, previous studies have shown that upwards response movements are faster than downwards movements after participants have been presented with words whose referents are typically located in the upper vertical…

Brief Report: Chimpanzee Social Responsiveness Scale (CSRS) Detects Individual Variation in Social Responsiveness for Captive Chimpanzees

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Faughn, Carley; Marrus, Natasha; Shuman, Jeremy; Ross, Stephen R.; Constantino, John N.; Pruett, John R., Jr.; Povinelli, Daniel J.

2015-01-01

Comparative studies of social responsiveness, a core impairment in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), will enhance our understanding of typical and atypical social behavior. We previously reported a quantitative, cross-species (human-chimpanzee) social responsiveness measure, which included the development of the Chimpanzee Social Responsiveness…

Exploring the Core: An Examination of Required Courses in ALA-Accredited

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Russell A.

2009-01-01

This paper examines the required courses of ALA-accredited Library and Information Science programs as published on their websites. The study expands on previous research in this area. Findings show that the typical core curriculum has grown to include both research and information technology in addition to the more traditional subjects. The…

From Sound to Syntax: The Prosodic Bootstrapping of Clauses

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hawthorne, Kara

2013-01-01

It has long been argued that prosodic cues may facilitate syntax acquisition (e.g., Morgan, 1986). Previous studies have shown that infants are sensitive to violations of typical correlations between clause-final prosodic cues (Hirsh-Pasek et al., 1987) and that prosody facilitates memory for strings of words (Soderstrom et al., 2005). This…

A Rigid Mid-Lift-to-Drag Ratio Approach to Human Mars Entry, Descent, and Landing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cerimele, Christopher J.; Robertson, Edward A.; Sostaric, Ronald R.; Campbell, Charles H.; Robinson, Phil; Matz, Daniel A.; Johnson, Breanna J.; Stachowiak, Susan J.; Garcia, Joseph A.; Bowles, Jeffrey V.;

Perceived Friendship Quality of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder as Compared to their Peers in Mixed and Non-mixed Dyads.

PubMed

Petrina, Neysa; Carter, Mark; Stephenson, Jennifer; Sweller, Naomi

2016-04-01

There has been limited research exploring the similarity of perception of friendship quality between children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and their friends. In this study, 45 children with ASD participated together with their friends. Two levels of friendship quality congruency were investigated: reciprocity and mutuality. A high proportion of the friendships were reciprocated for both the mixed and non-mixed friendship groups. Nevertheless, students with ASD reported substantial differences in perceptions of their friendship quality as compared to their nominated friends. The findings of the present study mirrored those of previous research with typically developing children. Further study is required to systematically investigate the differences in friendship quality perceptions within friendship dyads for both typically developing children and those with ASD diagnosis.

An idiot savant calendrical calculator with Gilles de la Tourette syndrome: implications for an understanding of the savant syndrome.

PubMed

Moriarty, J; Ring, H A; Robertson, M M

1993-11-01

We describe the existence of the savant syndrome in association with Gilles de la Tourette's Syndrome (GTS). The presentation of savant abilities is typical of that previously described. Similarities between autism, the disorder most characteristically associated with savants, and GTS in terms of obsessionality are noted. Previously reported psychological studies of autistic savants are briefly reviewed and, together with evidence from neuroimaging in GTS, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and autism, used to support a model of the underpinnings of savant skills.

The dual-basin landscape in GFP folding

PubMed Central

Andrews, Benjamin T.; Gosavi, Shachi; Finke, John M.; Onuchic, José N.; Jennings, Patricia A.

2008-01-01

Recent experimental studies suggest that the mature GFP has an unconventional landscape composed of an early folding event with a typical funneled landscape, followed by a very slow search and rearrangement step into the locked, active chromophore-containing structure. As we have shown previously, the substantial difference in time scales is what generates the observed hysteresis in thermodynamic folding. The interconversion between locked and the soft folding structures at intermediate denaturant concentrations is so slow that it is not observed under the typical experimental observation time. Simulations of a coarse-grained model were used to describe the fast folding event as well as identify native-like intermediates on energy landscapes enroute to the fluorescent native fold. Interestingly, these simulations reveal structural features of the slow dynamic transition to chromophore activation. Experimental evidence presented here shows that the trapped, native-like intermediate has structural heterogeneity in residues previously linked to chromophore formation. We propose that the final step of GFP folding is a “locking” mechanism leading to chromophore formation and high stability. The combination of previous experimental work and current simulation work is explained in the context of a dual-basin folding mechanism described above. PMID:18713871

Does theory of mind performance differ in children with early-onset and regressive autism?

PubMed

Matthews, Nicole L; Goldberg, Wendy A; Lukowski, Angela F; Osann, Kathryn; Abdullah, Maryam M; Ly, Agnes R; Thorsen, Kara; Spence, M Anne

2012-01-01

A deficit in theory of mind (ToM), or the ability to infer the mental states of others, has been implicated as one of the major characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD); however, little attention has been devoted to possible differences in ToM ability within ASD. The current study examined ToM performance in children with early-onset autism and regressive autism in comparison to typically developing children. Results indicated that children in the regressive autism group performed significantly better than the early-onset autism group on the non-verbal appearance-reality task. Additionally, Fisher's exact tests indicated a pattern of lowest scores in the early-onset group and highest scores in the typically developing group, whereas the regressive autism group tended to score in between the early-onset and typically developing groups. The apparent heterogeneity in ToM performance within ASD could account for the lack of universality in ToM ability found in previous studies. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Levofloxacin-Induced Acute Immune-Mediated Thrombocytopenia of Rapid-Onset.

PubMed

Shih, Andrew W; Lam, Andy S; Warkentin, Theodore E

2018-04-01

Drug-induced immune thrombocytopenia (D-ITP) typically occurs after the patient has been receiving the implicated drug for at least 1 week, due to newly forming drug-dependent antibodies ("typical-onset" D-ITP). A "rapid-onset" form of D-ITP can occur when previous sensitization has occurred, where antibodies have thus already been formed, and a precipitous platelet count fall occurs upon reexposure. Typical-onset D-ITP has been reported after levofloxacin, but the rapid-onset form with a well-documented previous exposure has not been described. We report a 76-year-old male treated with levofloxacin for acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. After a single 750 mg oral dose of levofloxacin, his platelet count fell from 187 to 5 × 10 9 /L (nadir) over 4 days. Other causes of thrombocytopenia were ruled out. He had received a previous course of levofloxacin 6 months earlier. Discontinuation of levofloxacin and treatment with intravenous immunoglobulin and dexamethasone resulted in platelet count recovery. Levofloxacin-dependent antibodies were not detectable, consistent with the known low sensitivity of laboratory tests for drug-dependent antibodies, presumably indicating antibodies against levofloxacin metabolites, as is indirectly supported by the abrupt but relatively slow platelet count decline observed. This case illustrates a rapid-onset presentation of levofloxacin-induced D-ITP in the setting of previous drug exposure.

Memory for Sequences of Events Impaired in Typical Aging

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Timothy A.; Morris, Andrea M.; Stark, Shauna M.; Fortin, Norbert J.; Stark, Craig E. L.

2015-01-01

Typical aging is associated with diminished episodic memory performance. To improve our understanding of the fundamental mechanisms underlying this age-related memory deficit, we previously developed an integrated, cross-species approach to link converging evidence from human and animal research. This novel approach focuses on the ability to…

Perception vs. Reality: An Investigation of the Misperceptions Concerning the Extent of Peer Novel Drug Use

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sanders, Amber; Stogner, John M.; Miller, Bryan Lee

2013-01-01

Misperceptions of peer substance use have previously been implicated as significant influences on individual use of both alcohol and illicit drugs. However, research on perceived social norms and related interventions are typically limited to binge drinking and marijuana and no empirical studies have explored misperceptions related to "novel…

Performance of Children with Developmental Dyslexia on High and Low Topological Entropy Artificial Grammar Learning Task

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Katan, Pesia; Kahta, Shani; Sasson, Ayelet; Schiff, Rachel

2017-01-01

Graph complexity as measured by topological entropy has been previously shown to affect performance on artificial grammar learning tasks among typically developing children. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of graph complexity on implicit sequential learning among children with developmental dyslexia. Our goal was to determine…

Who Joins Teach for America and Why? Insights into the "Typical" Recruit in an Urban School District

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Straubhaar, Rolf; Gottfried, Michael

2016-01-01

Building upon previous research on how personal and demographic characteristics of teachers are correlated with larger issues in teacher recruitment and retention, this study contributes unique insight into the personal attributes, characteristics, and career aspirations of new teachers brought into teaching in Los Angeles through the Teach For…

Different Aberrant Mentalizing Networks in Males and Females with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Evidence from Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Jie; Lee, Jonathan

2018-01-01

Previous studies have found that individuals with autism spectrum disorders show impairments in mentalizing processes and aberrant brain activity compared with typically developing participants. However, the findings are mainly from male participants and the aberrant effects in autism spectrum disorder females and sex differences are still…

Neural Correlates of Visual Perceptual Expertise: Evidence from Cognitive Neuroscience Using Functional Neuroimaging

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gegenfurtner, Andreas; Kok, Ellen M.; van Geel, Koos; de Bruin, Anique B. H.; Sorger, Bettina

2017-01-01

Functional neuroimaging is a useful approach to study the neural correlates of visual perceptual expertise. The purpose of this paper is to review the functional-neuroimaging methods that have been implemented in previous research in this context. First, we will discuss research questions typically addressed in visual expertise research. Second,…

Changes in Behavior and Salivary Cortisol after Targeted Cognitive Training in Typical 12-Month-Old Infants

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wass, Sam V.; Cook, Clare; Clackson, Kaili

2017-01-01

Previous research has suggested that early development may be an optimal period to implement cognitive training interventions, particularly those relating to attention control, a basic ability that is essential for the development of other cognitive skills. In the present study, we administered gaze-contingent training (95 min across 2 weeks)…

PRESENTED AT SOCIETY OF TOXICOLOGY 2006: THE HERBICIDE LINURON REDUCES FETAL TESTOSTERONE PRODUCTION DURING BOTH IN UTERO AND IN VITRO EXPOSURES

EPA Science Inventory

Previous studies in our lab have shown that in utero exposure to Linuron, a urea-based herbicide, results in malformations of androgen dependent tissues in adult male offspring. The pattern of malformations, however, differs somewhat from that typically seen with a pure androgen...

Stress for Individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Effects of Age, Gender, and Intelligence Quotient

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hess, Kristen Louise

2009-01-01

Researchers previously have found that individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) experience higher levels of stress and anxiety than individuals who are typically developing and than those with other disabilities. The purpose of this study was to identify the nature and degree of stress reported for individuals with ASD, with particular…

Performance of bed-load transport equations relative to geomorphic significance: Predicting effective discharge and its transport rate

Treesearch

Jeffrey J. Barry; John M. Buffington; Peter Goodwin; John .G. King; William W. Emmett

2008-01-01

Previous studies assessing the accuracy of bed-load transport equations have considered equation performance statistically based on paired observations of measured and predicted bed-load transport rates. However, transport measurements were typically taken during low flows, biasing the assessment of equation performance toward low discharges, and because equation...

The Role of Children's Books in Classroom Discourse and Pedagogy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bailey, Deborah

2014-01-01

This qualitative case study explored the factors that contributed to how typical book reading practices and the time spent on book reading were implemented during the school day. Previous research has shown the importance of reading books to young children and that providing access to books has led to reading growth and progress. However, little…

The Selectivity of Aversive Memory Reconsolidation and Extinction Processes Depends on the Initial Encoding of the Pavlovian Association

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Debiec, Jacek; Diaz-Mataix, Lorenzo; Bush, David E. A.; Doyère, Valérie; LeDoux, Joseph E.

2013-01-01

In reconsolidation studies, memories are typically retrieved by an exposure to a single conditioned stimulus (CS). We have previously demonstrated that reconsolidation processes are CS-selective, suggesting that memories retrieved by the CS exposure are discrete and reconsolidate separately. Here, using a compound stimulus in which two distinct…

How Long is my Toilet Roll?--A Simple Exercise in Mathematical Modelling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Johnston, Peter R.

2013-01-01

The simple question of how much paper is left on my toilet roll is studied from a mathematical modelling perspective. As is typical with applied mathematics, models of increasing complexity are introduced and solved. Solutions produced at each step are compared with the solution from the previous step. This process exposes students to the typical…

Demand Shifting with Thermal Mass in Large Commercial Buildings in a California Hot Climate Zone

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xu, Peng; Yin, Rongxin; Brown, Carrie

2009-06-01

The potential for using building thermal mass for load shifting and peak energy demand reduction has been demonstrated in a number of simulation, laboratory, and field studies. Previous Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory research has demonstrated that the approach is very effective in cool and moderately warm climate conditions (California Climate Zones 2-4). However, this method had not been tested in hotter climate zones. This project studied the potential of pre-cooling the building early in the morning and increasing temperature setpoints during peak hours to reduce cooling-related demand in two typical office buildings in hotter California climates ? one in Visaliamore » (CEC Climate Zone 13) and the other in San Bernardino (CEC Climate Zone 10). The conclusion of the work to date is that pre-cooling in hotter climates has similar potential to that seen previously in cool and moderate climates. All other factors being equal, results to date indicate that pre-cooling increases the depth (kW) and duration (kWh) of the possible demand shed of a given building. The effectiveness of night pre-cooling in typical office building under hot weather conditions is very limited. However, night pre-cooling is helpful for office buildings with an undersized HVAC system. Further work is required to duplicate the tests in other typical buildings and in other hot climate zones and prove that pre-cooling is truly effective.« less

Regulation of positive and negative emotion: effects of sociocultural context

PubMed Central

Snyder, Sara A.; Heller, S. Megan; Lumian, Daniel S.; McRae, Kateri

2013-01-01

Previous research has demonstrated that the use of emotion regulation strategies can vary by sociocultural context. In a previous study, we reported changes in the use of two different emotion regulation strategies at an annual alternative cultural event, Burning Man (McRae et al., 2011). In this sociocultural context, as compared to typically at home, participants reported less use of expressive suppression (a strategy generally associated with maladaptive outcomes), and greater use of cognitive reappraisal (a strategy generally associated with adaptive outcomes). What remained unclear was whether these changes in self-reported emotion regulation strategy use were characterized by changes in the regulation of positive emotion, negative emotion, or both. We addressed this issue in the current study by asking Burning Man participants separate questions about positive and negative emotion. Using multiple datasets, we replicated our previous findings, and found that the decreased use of suppression is primarily driven by reports of decreased suppression of positive emotion at Burning Man. By contrast, the increased use of reappraisal is not characterized by differential reappraisal of positive and negative emotion at Burning Man. Moreover, we observed novel individual differences in the magnitude of these effects. The contextual changes in self-reported suppression that we observe are strongest for men and younger participants. For those who had previously attended Burning Man, we observed lower levels of self-reported suppression in both sociocultural contexts: Burning Man and typically at home. These findings have implications for understanding the ways in which certain sociocultural contexts may decrease suppression, and possibly minimize its associated maladaptive effects. PMID:23840191

Seeing without Seeing? Degraded Conscious Vision in a Blindsight Patient.

PubMed

Overgaard, Morten; Fehl, Katrin; Mouridsen, Kim; Bergholt, Bo; Cleeremans, Axel

2008-08-21

Blindsight patients, whose primary visual cortex is lesioned, exhibit preserved ability to discriminate visual stimuli presented in their "blind" field, yet report no visual awareness hereof. Blindsight is generally studied in experimental investigations of single patients, as very few patients have been given this "diagnosis". In our single case study of patient GR, we ask whether blindsight is best described as unconscious vision, or rather as conscious, yet severely degraded vision. In experiment 1 and 2, we successfully replicate the typical findings of previous studies on blindsight. The third experiment, however, suggests that GR's ability to discriminate amongst visual stimuli does not reflect unconscious vision, but rather degraded, yet conscious vision. As our finding results from using a method for obtaining subjective reports that has not previously used in blindsight studies (but validated in studies of healthy subjects and other patients with brain injury), our results call for a reconsideration of blindsight, and, arguably also of many previous studies of unconscious perception in healthy subjects.

Refinement of Objective Motion Cueing Criteria Investigation Based on Three Flight Tasks

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zaal, Petrus M. T.; Schroeder, Jeffery A.; Chung, William W.

2017-01-01

The objective of this paper is to refine objective motion cueing criteria for commercial transport simulators based on pilots' performance in three flying tasks. Actuator hardware and software algorithms determine motion cues. Today, during a simulator qualification, engineers objectively evaluate only the hardware. Pilot inspectors subjectively assess the overall motion cueing system (i.e., hardware plus software); however, it is acknowledged that pinpointing any deficiencies that might arise to either hardware or software is challenging. ICAO 9625 has an Objective Motion Cueing Test (OMCT), which is now a required test in the FAA's part 60 regulations for new devices, evaluating the software and hardware together; however, it lacks accompanying fidelity criteria. Hosman has documented OMCT results for a statistical sample of eight simulators which is useful, but having validated criteria would be an improvement. In a previous experiment, we developed initial objective motion cueing criteria that this paper is trying to refine. Sinacori suggested simple criteria which are in reasonable agreement with much of the literature. These criteria often necessitate motion displacements greater than most training simulators can provide. While some of the previous work has used transport aircraft in their studies, the majority used fighter aircraft or helicopters. Those that used transport aircraft considered degraded flight characteristics. As a result, earlier criteria lean more towards being sufficient, rather than necessary, criteria for typical transport aircraft training applications. Considering the prevalence of 60-inch, six-legged hexapod training simulators, a relevant question is "what are the necessary criteria that can be used with the ICAO 9625 diagnostic?" This study adds to the literature as follows. First, it examines well-behaved transport aircraft characteristics, but in three challenging tasks. The tasks are equivalent to the ones used in our previous experiment, allowing us to directly compare the results and add to the previous data. Second, it uses the Vertical Motion Simulator (VMS), the world's largest vertical displacement simulator. This allows inclusion of relatively large motion conditions, much larger than a typical training simulator can provide. Six new motion configurations were used that explore the motion responses between the initial objective motion cueing boundaries found in a previous experiment and what current hexapod simulators typically provide. Finally, a sufficiently large pilot pool added statistical reliability to the results.

A CANDELS WFC3 Grism Study of Emission-Line Galaxies at Z approximates 2: A mix of Nuclear Activity and Low-Metallicity Star Formation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Trump, Jonathan R.; Weiner, Benjamin J.; Scarlata, Claudia; Kocevski, Dale D.; Bell, Eric F.; McGrath, Elizabeth J.; Koo, David C.; Faber, S. M.; Laird, Elise S.; Mozena, Mark;

Absence of sex differences in mental rotation performance in autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Rohde, Melanie S; Georgescu, Alexandra L; Vogeley, Kai; Fimmers, Rolf; Falter-Wagner, Christine M

2017-08-01

Mental rotation is one of the most investigated cognitive functions showing consistent sex differences. The 'Extreme Male Brain' hypothesis attributes the cognitive profile of individuals with autism spectrum disorder to an extreme version of the male cognitive profile. Previous investigations focused almost exclusively on males with autism spectrum disorder with only limited implications for affected females. This study is the first testing a sample of 12 female adults with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder compared to 14 males with autism spectrum disorder, 12 typically developing females and 14 typically developing males employing a computerised version of the mental rotation test. Reaction time and accuracy served as dependent variables. Their linear relationship with degree of rotation allows separation of rotational aspects of the task, indicated by slopes of the psychometric function, and non-rotational aspects, indicated by intercepts of the psychometric function. While the typical and expected sex difference for rotational task aspects was corroborated in typically developing individuals, no comparable sex difference was found in autism spectrum disorder individuals. Autism spectrum disorder and typically developing individuals did not differ in mental rotation performance. This finding does not support the extreme male brain hypothesis of autism.

Immediate Neural Plasticity Involving Reaction Time in a Saccadic Eye Movement Task is Intact in Children With Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

PubMed

Paolozza, Angelina; Munoz, Douglas P; Brien, Donald; Reynolds, James N

2016-11-01

Saccades are rapid eye movements that bring an image of interest onto the retina. Previous research has found that in healthy individuals performing eye movement tasks, the location of a previous visual target can influence performance of the saccade on the next trial. This rapid behavioral adaptation represents a form of immediate neural plasticity within the saccadic circuitry. Our studies have shown that children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) are impaired on multiple saccade measures. We therefore investigated these previous trial effects in typically developing children and children with FASD to measure sensory neural plasticity and how these effects vary with age and pathology. Both typically developing control children (n = 102; mean age = 10.54 ± 3.25; 48 males) and children with FASD (n = 66; mean age = 11.85 ± 3.42; 35 males) were recruited from 5 sites across Canada. Each child performed a visually guided saccade task. Reaction time and saccade amplitude were analyzed and then assessed based on the previous trial. There was a robust previous trial effect for both reaction time and amplitude, with both the control and FASD groups displaying faster reaction times and smaller saccades during alternation trials (visual target presented on the opposite side to the previous trial). Children with FASD exhibited smaller overall mean amplitude and smaller amplitude selectively on alternation trials compared with controls. The effect of the previous trial on reaction time and amplitude did not differ across childhood and adolescent development. Children with FASD did not display any significant reaction time differences, despite exhibiting numerous deficits in motor and higher level cognitive control over saccades in other studies. These results suggest that this form of immediate neural plasticity in response to sensory information before saccade initiation remains intact in children with FASD. In contrast, the previous trial effect on amplitude suggests that the motor component of saccades may be affected, signifying differential vulnerability to prenatal alcohol exposure. Copyright © 2016 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

Sporadic pediatric meningiomas: a neuroradiological and neuropathological study of 15 cases.

PubMed

Huntoon, Kristin; Pluto, Charles P; Ruess, Lynne; Boué, Daniel R; Pierson, Christopher R; Rusin, Jerome A; Leonard, Jeffrey

2017-08-01

OBJECTIVE Sporadic meningiomas have been classified in many different ways. Radiographically, these lesions can be described as occurring in either typical or atypical locations. The purpose of this study was to determine if there are any histopathological differences between sporadic meningiomas that arise in these varying locations in children. METHODS The neuroimaging, histopathological findings, and clinical records in patients with sporadic pediatric meningiomas not associated with neurofibromatosis Type 2 or prior radiation therapy were retrospectively reviewed. Tumors were classified by radiological findings as either typical or atypical, and they were categorized histopathologically by using the latest WHO nomenclature and grading criteria. RESULTS Fifteen sporadic meningiomas in pediatric patients were biopsied or resected at the authors' institution between 1989 and 2013. Five (33%) were typical in radiographic appearance and/or location and 10 (67%) were atypical. Four (80%) typical meningiomas were WHO Grade I tumors. Most (60%) of the atypical meningiomas were WHO Grade II or III. CONCLUSIONS This study is the largest series of sporadic pediatric meningiomas in atypical locations to date. Although sporadic meningiomas are relatively infrequent in children, those with atypical imaging, specifically those with apparently intraparenchymal and intraosseous locations, may be more common than previously recognized. In this study, pediatric sporadic meningiomas arising in atypical locations, in particular intraparenchymal meningiomas, may be of higher histopathological grade. The authors' findings should alert clinicians to the potential for more aggressive clinical behavior in these tumors.

Retention of blinding at follow-up in a randomized clinical study using a sham-control cervical manipulation procedure for neck pain: secondary analyses from a randomized clinical study.

PubMed

Vernon, Howard; Triano, John T; Soave, David; Dinulos, Maricelle; Ross, Kim; Tran, Steven

2013-10-01

Participants in clinical trials of spinal manipulation have not been rigorously blinded to group assignment. This study reports on secondary analyses of the retention of participant blinding beyond the immediate posttreatment time frame following a single-session, randomized clinical study. A novel control cervical manipulation procedure that has previously been shown to be therapeutically inert was contrasted with a typical manipulation procedure. A randomized clinical study of a single session of typical vs sham-control manipulation in patients with chronic neck pain was conducted. Findings of self-reported group registration at 24 to 48 hours posttreatment were computed. The Blinding Index (BI) of Bang et al was then applied to both the immediate and post-24- to 48-hour results. Twenty-four to 48 hours after treatment, 94% and 22% of participants in the typical and control groups, respectively, correctly identified their group assignment. When analyzed with the BI of Bang et al, the immediate posttreatment BI for the group receiving a typical manipulation was 0.22 (95% confidence interval [CI], -0.03 to 0.47); for the group receiving a control manipulation, it was 0.19 (95% CI, -0.06 to 0.43). The BI at post-24 hours was as follows: typical = 0.75 (95% CI, 0.59-0.91) and control = -0.34 (95% CI, -0.58 to -0.11). This study found that the novel sham-control cervical manipulation procedure may be effective in blinding sham group allocation up to 48 hours posttreatment. It appears that, at 48 hours posttreatment, the modified form of the typical cervical manipulation was not. The sham-control procedure appears to be a promising procedure for future clinical trials. © 2013. Published by National University of Health Sciences All rights reserved.

The mind behind the message: Advancing theory of mind scales for typically developing children, and those with deafness, autism, or Asperger Syndrome

PubMed Central

Peterson, Candida C.; Wellman, Henry M.; Slaughter, Virginia

2013-01-01

Children aged 3 to 12 years (n=184) with typical development, deafness, autism or Asperger Syndrome took a series of theory-of-mind (ToM) tasks to confirm and extend previous developmental scaling evidence. A new sarcasm task, in the format of Wellman and Liu’s (2004) 5-step ToM scale, added a statistically reliable sixth step to the scale for all diagnostic groups. A key previous finding, divergence in task sequencing for children with autism, was confirmed. Comparisons among diagnostic groups, controlling age and language ability, showed that typical developers mastered the six ToM steps ahead of each of the three disabled groups, with implications for ToM theories. The final (sarcasm) task challenged even nondisabled 9-year-olds, demonstrating the new scale’s sensitivity to post-preschool ToM growth. PMID:22304467

¿Qué Pasa? Are ELL Students Remaining in English Learning Classes Too Long?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flores, Edward; Painter, Gary; Pachon, Harry

2009-01-01

This new study by the Tomás Rivera Policy Institute (TRPI) demonstrates that English Language Learners (ELLs) who learn English at school can do better academically than native English speakers, and that the window for mastering the English language is wider than previously thought. Typically ELLs perform at lower levels than their English-fluent…

Brief Report: Diminished Gaze Preference for Dynamic Social Interaction Scenes in Youth with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaffer, Rebecca C.; Pedapati, Ernest V.; Shic, Frederick; Gaietto, Kristina; Bowers, Katherine; Wink, Logan K.; Erickson, Craig A.

2017-01-01

In this study, we present an eye-tracking paradigm, adapted from previous work with toddlers, for assessing social-interaction looking preferences in youth ages 5-17 with ASD and typically-developing controls (TDC). Videos of children playing together (Social Scenes, SS) were presented side-by-side with animated geometric shapes (GS). Participants…

Randomized Controlled Double-Blind Trial of Optimal Dose Methylphenidate in Children and Adolescents with Severe Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Intellectual Disability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Simonoff, Emily; Taylor, Eric; Baird, Gillian; Bernard, Sarah; Chadwick, Oliver; Liang, Holan; Whitwell, Susannah; Riemer, Kirsten; Sharma, Kishan; Sharma, Santvana Pandey; Wood, Nicky; Kelly, Joanna; Golaszewski, Ania; Kennedy, Juliet; Rodney, Lydia; West, Nicole; Walwyn, Rebecca; Jichi, Fatima

2013-01-01

Background: Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is increased in children with intellectual disability. Previous research has suggested stimulants are less effective than in typically developing children but no studies have titrated medication for individual optimal dosing or tested the effects for longer than 4 weeks. Method: One hundred and…

Is Grammar Spared in Autism Spectrum Disorder? Data from Judgments of Verb Argument Structure Overgeneralization Errors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ambridge, Ben; Bannard, Colin; Jackson, Georgina H.

2015-01-01

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) aged 11-13 (N = 16) and an IQ-matched typically developing (TD) group aged 7-12 (N = 16) completed a graded grammaticality judgment task, as well as a standardized test of cognitive function. In a departure from previous studies, the judgment task involved verb argument structure overgeneralization…

Sentence Syntax and Content in the Human Temporal Lobe: An fMRI Adaptation Study in Auditory and Visual Modalities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Devauchelle, Anne-Dominique; Oppenheim, Catherine; Rizzi, Luigi; Dehaene, Stanislas; Pallier, Christophe

2009-01-01

Priming effects have been well documented in behavioral psycholinguistics experiments: The processing of a word or a sentence is typically facilitated when it shares lexico-semantic or syntactic features with a previously encountered stimulus. Here, we used fMRI priming to investigate which brain areas show adaptation to the repetition of a…

Motor Skills in Children Aged 7-10 Years, Diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Whyatt, Caroline P.; Craig, Cathy M.

2012-01-01

This study used the Movement Assessment Battery for Children (M-ABC2) to assess motor skills in children aged 7-10 years with autism (n = 18) in comparison to two groups of age-matched typically developing children; a receptive vocabulary matched group (n = 19) and a nonverbal IQ matched group (n = 22). The results supported previous work, as…

Perceived Teacher Credibility and Students' Affect as a Function of Instructors' Use of PowerPoint and Email

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ledbetter, Andrew M.; Finn, Amber N.

2018-01-01

In this study, we extend previous work on instructors' use of technology by examining how students' perceptions of teacher credibility and affective experience differ depending on how frequently instructors use two common forms of instructional technology: PowerPoint, which is typically used "inside" the classroom; and email, which is…

A search for precursors of ultracompact H II regions in a sample of luminous IRAS sources. III. Circumstellar dust properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Molinari, S.; Brand, J.; Cesaroni, R.; Palla, F.

2000-01-01

The James Clerk Maxwell Telescope has been used to obtain submillimeter and millimeter continuum photometry of a sample of 30 IRAS sources previously studied in molecular lines and centimeter radio continuum. All the sources have IRAS colours typical of very young stellar objects (YSOs) and are associated with dense gas.

Relationship between Gestures and Words in Children with Down's Syndrome and Typically Developing Children in the Early Stages of Communicative Development

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Iverson, Jana M.; Longobardi, Emiddia; Caselli, M. Cristina

2003-01-01

Background: Previous research has emphasized the importance of gesture in early communicative development. These studies have reported that gestures are used frequently during the first two years of life and may play a transitional role in the language acquisition process. Although there are now numerous descriptions of the relationship between…

Cross Syndrome Comparison of Sleep Problems in Children with Down Syndrome and Williams Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ashworth, Anna; Hill, Catherine M.; Karmiloff-Smith, Annette; Dimitriou, Dagmara

2013-01-01

Based on previous findings of frequent sleep problems in children with Down syndrome (DS) and Williams syndrome (WS), the present study aimed to expand our knowledge by using parent report and actigraphy to define sleep problems more precisely in these groups. Twenty-two school-aged children with DS, 24 with WS and 52 typically developing (TD)…

Racial Disparities and Similarities in Post-Release Recidivism and Employment among Ex-Prisoners with a Different Level of Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lockwood, Susan Klinker; Nally, John M.; Ho, Taiping; Knutson, Katie

2015-01-01

Previous studies, both international and domestic, rarely examined racial disparities in post-release employment and recidivism. Finding a job is an immediate challenge to all ex-prisoners, and often more difficult for African American ex-prisoners who typically return to economically-depressed neighborhoods upon release from prison. The present…

Face repetition detection and social interest: An ERP study in adults with and without Williams syndrome.

PubMed

Key, Alexandra P; Dykens, Elisabeth M

2016-12-01

The present study examined possible neural mechanisms underlying increased social interest in persons with Williams syndrome (WS). Visual event-related potentials (ERPs) during passive viewing were used to compare incidental memory traces for repeated vs. single presentations of previously unfamiliar social (faces) and nonsocial (houses) images in 26 adults with WS and 26 typical adults. Results indicated that participants with WS developed familiarity with the repeated faces and houses (frontal N400 response), but only typical adults evidenced the parietal old/new effect (previously associated with stimulus recollection) for the repeated faces. There was also no evidence of exceptional salience of social information in WS, as ERP markers of memory for repeated faces vs. houses were not significantly different. Thus, while persons with WS exhibit behavioral evidence of increased social interest, their processing of social information in the absence of specific instructions may be relatively superficial. The ERP evidence of face repetition detection in WS was independent of IQ and the earlier perceptual differentiation of social vs. nonsocial stimuli. Large individual differences in ERPs of participants with WS may provide valuable information for understanding the WS phenotype and have relevance for educational and treatment purposes.

Genetic structure of typical and atypical populations of Candida albicans from Africa.

PubMed

Forche, A; Schönian, G; Gräser, Y; Vilgalys, R; Mitchell, T G

1999-11-01

Atypical isolates of the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans have been reported with increasing frequency. To investigate the origin of a set of atypical isolates and their relationship to typical isolates, we employed a combination of molecular phylogenetic and population genetic analyses using rDNA sequencing, PCR fingerprinting, and analysis of co-dominant DNA nucleotide polymorphisms to characterize the population structure of one typical and two atypical populations of C. albicans from Angola and Madagascar. The extent of clonality and recombination was assessed in each population. The analyses revealed that the structure of all three populations of C. albicans was predominantly clonal but, as in previous studies, there was also evidence for recombination. Allele frequencies differed significantly between the typical and the atypical populations, suggesting very low levels of gene flow between them. However, allele frequencies were quite similar in the two atypical C. albicans populations, suggesting that they are closely related. Phylogenetic analysis of partial sequences encoding the nuclear 26S rDNA demonstrated that all three populations belong to a single monophyletic group, which includes the type strain of C. albicans. Copyright 1999 Academic Press.

Personality in 100,000 Words: A large-scale analysis of personality and word use among bloggers

PubMed Central

Yarkoni, Tal

2010-01-01

Previous studies have found systematic associations between personality and individual differences in word use. Such studies have typically focused on broad associations between major personality domains and aggregate word categories, potentially masking more specific associations. Here I report the results of a large-scale analysis of personality and word use in a large sample of blogs (N=694). The size of the dataset enabled pervasive correlations with personality to be identified for a broad range of lexical variables, including both aggregate word categories and individual English words. The results replicated category-level findings from previous offline studies, identified numerous novel associations at both a categorical and single-word level, and underscored the value of complementary approaches to the study of personality and word use. PMID:20563301

Reward System Activation in Response to Alcohol Advertisements Predicts College Drinking.

PubMed

Courtney, Andrea L; Rapuano, Kristina M; Sargent, James D; Heatherton, Todd F; Kelley, William M

2018-01-01

In this study, we assess whether activation of the brain's reward system in response to alcohol advertisements is associated with college drinking. Previous research has established a relationship between exposure to alcohol marketing and underage drinking. Within other appetitive domains, the relationship between cue exposure and behavioral enactment is known to rely on activation of the brain's reward system. However, the relationship between neural activation to alcohol advertisements and alcohol consumption has not been studied in a nondisordered population. In this cross-sectional study, 53 college students (32 women) completed a functional magnetic resonance imaging scan while viewing alcohol, food, and control (car and technology) advertisements. Afterward, they completed a survey about their alcohol consumption (including frequency of drinking, typical number of drinks consumed, and frequency of binge drinking) over the previous month. In 43 participants (24 women) meeting inclusion criteria, viewing alcohol advertisements elicited activation in the left orbitofrontal cortex and bilateral ventral striatum-regions of the reward system that typically activate to other appetitive rewards and relate to consumption behaviors. Moreover, the level of self-reported drinking correlated with the magnitude of activation in the left orbitofrontal cortex. Results suggest that alcohol cues are processed within the reward system in a way that may motivate drinking behavior.

RAD-Seq analysis of typical and minor Citrus accessions, including Bhutanese varieties

PubMed Central

Penjor, Tshering; Mimura, Takashi; Kotoda, Nobuhiro; Matsumoto, Ryoji; Nagano, Atsushi J.; Honjo, Mie N.; Kudoh, Hiroshi; Yamamoto, Masashi; Nagano, Yukio

2016-01-01

We analyzed the reduced-representation genome sequences of Citrus species by double-digest restriction site-associated DNA sequencing (ddRAD-Seq) using 44 accessions, including typical and minor accessions, such as Bhutanese varieties. The results of this analysis using typical accessions were consistent with previous reports that citron, papeda, pummelo, and mandarin are ancestral species, and that most Citrus species are derivatives or hybrids of these four species. Citrus varieties often reproduce asexually and heterozygosity is highly conserved within each variety. Because this approach could readily detect conservation of heterozygosity, it was able to discriminate citrus varieties such as satsuma mandarin from closely related species. Thus, this method provides an inexpensive way to protect citrus varieties from unintended introduction and to prevent the provision of incorrect nursery stocks to customers. One Citrus variety in Bhutan was morphologically similar to Mexican lime and was designated as Himalayan lime. The current analysis confirmed the previous proposition that Mexican lime is a hybrid between papeda and citron, and also suggested that Himalayan lime is a probable hybrid between mandarin and citron. In addition to Himalayan lime, current analysis suggested that several accessions were formed by previously undescribed combinations. PMID:28163596

Safety of long-term clozapine administration. Frequency of cardiomyopathy and hyponatraemia: two cross-sectional, naturalistic studies.

PubMed

Serrano, Ana; Rangel, Nairy; Carrizo, Edgardo; Uzcátegui, Euderruh; Sandia, Ignacio; Zabala, Angélica; Fernández, Erika; Tálamo, Eduardo; Servigna, Mercedes; Prieto, Dexi; Connell, Lisette; Baptista, Trino

2014-02-01

The antipsychotic drug (APD) clozapine (CLZ) is under-prescribed because of concerns about its safety. We evaluated in separate protocols the frequency of cardiomyopathy and hyponatraemia, which are adverse drug effects, where few comparative studies are available. Cross-sectional studies in subjects treated for at least 3 consecutive months with the same drug were conducted. Cardiomyopathy: Patients undergoing treatment either with CLZ (n = 125) or with other typical or atypical APDs (n = 59) were examined by a cardiologist who also recorded echocardiograms and electrocardiograms in order to diagnose cardiomyopathy. Hyponatraemia: Fasting sodium levels were assessed in patients receiving any of the following treatments: CLZ (n = 88), other atypical APDs (n = 61), typical APDs (n = 23), typical + atypical APDs (n = 11), and other drugs/drug-free (n = 36). Cardiomyopathy: No case of cardiomyopathy was detected. The frequency of abnormal ventricular ejection fraction (< 55%) was similar in both treatment groups (p = 1). Hyponatraemia: The frequency of hyponatraemia (percentage; 95% CI) was: CLZ (3.4%; -0.7, 7.1); other atypical APDs (4.9%; -0.5, 10.3); typical APDs (26.1%; 8.2, 44.0); typical + atypical APDs (9.1%; -7.8, 26.0); other drugs/drug-free (0%). None of the CLZ hyponatraemia subjects were on monotherapy. Our results are at odds with previous studies of CLZ-associated cardiomyopathy. However, they must be compared to further cross-sectional or prospective studies because most published data come from either case reports or pharmacovigilance systems. The frequency of hyponatraemia during CLZ administration was similar to that observed with other atypical APDs, and it was significantly lower than that recorded with typical agents. These results, along with numerous case reports on the effects of CLZ in patients with polydipsia and water intoxication, point to a safe or even positive profile of CLZ on electrolytic regulation.

A search for HI in some peculiar faint dwarf galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Begum, Ayesha; Chengalur, Jayaram N.

2005-09-01

We present a deep Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) search for HI 21-cm emission from three dwarf galaxies, viz. POX 186, SC 24 and KKR 25. Based, in part, on previous single-dish HI observations, these galaxies have been classified as a blue compact dwarf (BCD), a dwarf irregular and a transition galaxy, respectively. However, in conflict with previous single-dish detections, we do not detect HI in SC 24 or KKR 25. We suggest that the previous single-dish measurements were probably confused with the local Galactic emission. In the case of POX 186, we confirm the previous non-detection of HI but with substantially improved limits on its HI mass. Our derived upper limits on the HI mass of SC 24 and KKR 25 are similar to the typical HI mass limit for dwarf spheroidal (dSph) galaxies, whereas in the case of POX 186, we find that its gas content is somewhat smaller than is typical of BCD galaxies.

Bias in Cross-Sectional Analyses of Longitudinal Mediation: Partial and Complete Mediation under an Autoregressive Model

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maxwell, Scott E.; Cole, David A.; Mitchell, Melissa A.

2011-01-01

Maxwell and Cole (2007) showed that cross-sectional approaches to mediation typically generate substantially biased estimates of longitudinal parameters in the special case of complete mediation. However, their results did not apply to the more typical case of partial mediation. We extend their previous work by showing that substantial bias can…

Results of Percutaneous Balloon Compression in Trigeminal Pain Syndromes.

PubMed

Grewal, Sanjeet S; Kerezoudis, Panagiotis; Garcia, Oscar; Quinones-Hinojosa, Alfredo; Reimer, Ronald; Wharen, Robert E

2018-06-01

To investigate initial pain relief and subsequent recurrence after percutaneous balloon compression (PBC) and describe its association with the nature of trigeminal pain, previous procedures, or other clinical factors. A total of 222 patients with medically refractory trigeminal pain treated with PBC at Mayo Clinic Florida between 1998 and 2017 were enrolled into this study. Patients were divided into those with typical trigeminal neuralgia (TN) and those with atypical trigeminal pain. The postprocedural rate of pain recurrence and associations between patient characteristics and recurrence were studied. One hundred fifty-two patients had TN and 70 patients had atypical pain. At the last follow-up, 158 patients had excellent pain relief, 37 had good pain relief, 11 had fair pain relief, and 16 had poor pain relief. The median duration of follow-up was 31.1 months. Patients with atypical pain were less likely to have an excellent result compared with patients with typical pain (61.4% vs. 82.9%; P < 0.001). Recurrence was observed in 103 patients (46.4%) and was associated with previous procedures (hazard ratio, 1.658; 95% confidence interval, 1.09-2.49; P = 0.017). Other clinical factors were not significant. Our study demonstrates the safety and efficacy of PBC, with 88% of patients pain-free at last follow-up. Patients with atypical pain have worse outcomes, and patients with previous procedures have a higher risk of recurrence. Repeat surgery does not decrease efficacy. We recommend conservative parameter selection at the initial procedure. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Posterior alpha oscillations reflect attentional problems in boys with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

PubMed

Vollebregt, Madelon A; Zumer, Johanna M; Ter Huurne, Niels; Buitelaar, Jan K; Jensen, Ole

2016-05-01

This study aimed to characterize alpha modulations in children with ADHD in relation to their attentional performance. The posterior alpha activity (8-12Hz) was measured in 30 typically developing children and 30 children with ADHD aged 7-10years, using EEG while they performed a visuospatial covert attention task. We focused the analyses on typically developing boys (N=9) and boys with ADHD (N=17). Alpha activity in typically developing boys was similar to previous results of healthy adults: it decreased in the hemisphere contralateral to the attended hemifield, whereas it relatively increased in the other hemisphere. However, in boys with ADHD this hemispheric lateralization in the alpha band was not obvious (group contrast, p=.018). A robust relation with behavioral performance was lacking in both groups. The ability to modulate alpha oscillations in visual regions with the allocation of spatial attention was clearly present in typically developing boys, but not in boys with ADHD. These results open up the possibility to further study the underlying mechanisms of ADHD by examining how differences in the fronto-striatal network might explain different abilities in modulating the alpha band activity. Copyright © 2016 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Theory of mind understanding and empathic behavior in children with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Peterson, Candida

2014-12-01

This paper begins with a review of past research on theory of mind and empathy in children with ASD. Using varied operational definitions of empathy ranging from physiological heart rate through story vignettes to reports by privileged observers (e.g., teachers) of children's empathic behavior, results of previous studies are limited and contradictory. Thus new evidence is needed to answer two key questions: Are children with ASD less empathic than typically developing children? Do individual differences in theory of mind (ToM) understanding among children with ASD predict differences in their behavioral empathy? An original empirical study of 76 children aged 3-12 years (37 with ASD; 39 with typical development) addressed these. Results showed that children with ASD were significantly less empathic, according to their teachers, than typically developing children. However, this was not because of their slower ToM development. Findings showed equally clearly that ToM understanding was unrelated to empathy in children with ASD. The same was true for typically developing children once age and verbal maturity were controlled. Indeed, even the subgroup of older children with ASD in the sample who passed false belief tests were significantly less empathic than younger preschoolers who failed them. Copyright © 2014 ISDN. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Functional magnetic resonance imaging of story listening in adolescents and young adults with Down syndrome: evidence for atypical neurodevelopment.

PubMed

Jacola, L M; Byars, A W; Hickey, F; Vannest, J; Holland, S K; Schapiro, M B

2014-10-01

Previous studies have documented differences in neural activation during language processing in individuals with Down syndrome (DS) in comparison with typically developing individuals matched for chronological age. This study used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to compare activation during language processing in young adults with DS to typically developing comparison groups matched for chronological age or mental age. We hypothesised that the pattern of neural activation in the DS cohort would differ when compared with both typically developing cohorts. Eleven persons with DS (mean chronological age = 18.3; developmental age range = 4-6 years) and two groups of typically developing individuals matched for chronological (n = 13; mean age = 18.3 years) and developmental (mental) age (n = 12; chronological age range = 4-6 years) completed fMRI scanning during a passive story listening paradigm. Random effects group comparisons were conducted on individual maps of the contrast between activation (story listening) and rest (tone presentation) conditions. Robust activation was seen in typically developing groups in regions associated with processing auditory information, including bilateral superior and middle temporal lobe gyri. In contrast, the DS cohort demonstrated atypical spatial distribution of activation in midline frontal and posterior cingulate regions when compared with both typically developing control groups. Random effects group analyses documented reduced magnitude of activation in the DS cohort when compared with both control groups. Activation in the DS group differed significantly in magnitude and spatial extent when compared with chronological and mental age-matched typically developing control groups during a story listening task. Results provide additional support for an atypical pattern of functional organisation for language processing in this population. © 2013 MENCAP and International Association of the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A Comparison of Topography-based and Selection-based Verbal Behavior in Typically Developed Children and Developmentally Disabled Persons with Autism

PubMed Central

Vignes, Tore

2007-01-01

This study is a replication of Sundberg and Sundberg (1990) that compared topography-based verbal behavior with selection-based verbal behavior in terms of acquisition, accuracy, and testing for the emergence of a new verbal relation. Participants were three typical children and three developmentally disabled persons with autism. The study sought to determine which paradigm (topography-based or selection-based) resulted in more rapid acquisition of tacts and intraverbals, which was associated with the fewest errors, and which paradigm resulted in the emergence of the highest number of new verbal relations. The results of the study showed that the six participants performed quite differently from one another. Most importantly, the results from the person with autism contradicted previous findings favoring selection-based verbal behavior over topography-based approaches for teaching verbal behavior to low-functioning individuals. PMID:22477385

[Effect of Invasive Herb Species on the Structure of Soil Yeast Complexes in Mixed Forests Exemplified by Impatiens parviflora DC].

PubMed

Glushakova, A M; Kachalkin, A V; Chernov, I Yu

2015-01-01

Yeast abundance and diversity in a mixed forest sod-podzol soil under Impatiens parviflora DC plants was studied in comparison with unimpaired aboriginal herbaceous plants typical of the Mid-Russian secondary, after-forest meadow. The study was carried out throughout the vegetation period. Standard microbiological plating techniques revealed 36 yeast species. Typical pedobiotic (Cryptococcus podzolicus, Wickerhamomyces anomalus) and eurybiotic yeast species (Rhodotorula mucilaginosa) predominated in both biotopes. The relative abundance of the autochthonous soil yeast species Cryptococcus podzolicus was higher in the soil under aboriginal herbs than under Impatiens parviflora. Sites with aboriginal vegetation were also characterized by high abundance of the pedogamous species Schwanniomyces castelli and Torulaspora delbrueckii. The share of yeastlike Trichosporon fungi with high hydrolytic activity was considerably higher under adventitious plants Impatiens parviflora, as well as in the previously studied soil under Heracleum sosnowskyi.

Evidence for a differential interference of noise in sub-lexical and lexical reading routes in healthy participants and dyslexics.

PubMed

Pina Rodrigues, Ana; Rebola, José; Jorge, Helena; Ribeiro, Maria José; Pereira, Marcelino; Castelo-Branco, Miguel; van Asselen, Marieke

The ineffective exclusion of surrounding noise has been proposed to underlie the reading deficits in developmental dyslexia. However, previous studies supporting this hypothesis focused on low-level visual tasks, providing only an indirect link of noise interference on reading processes. In this study, we investigated the effect of noise on regular, irregular, and pseudoword reading in 23 dyslexic children and 26 age- and IQ-matched controls, by applying the white noise displays typically used to validate this theory to a lexical decision task. Reading performance and eye movements were measured. Results showed that white noise did not consistently affect dyslexic readers more than typical readers. Noise affected more dyslexic than typical readers in terms of reading accuracy, but it affected more typical than dyslexic readers in terms of response time and eye movements (number of fixations and regressions). Furthermore, in typical readers, noise affected more the speed of reading of pseudowords than real words. These results suggest a particular impact of noise on the sub-lexical reading route where attention has to be deployed to individual letters. The use of a lexical route would reduce the effect of noise. A differential impact of noise between words and pseudowords may therefore not be evident in dyslexic children if they are not yet proficient in using the lexical route. These findings indicate that the type of reading stimuli and consequent reading strategies play an important role in determining the effects of noise interference in reading processing and should be taken into account by further studies.

Plasma and breastmilk selenium in HIV-infected Malawian mothers is positively associated with infant selenium status at 2 or 6 and 24 weeks post-partum but is not associated with supplementation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Selenium (Se) levels are typically low in HIV-infected individuals, but have been increased by supplementation in previous studies. In HIV-infected populations, the effect of Se supplementation on breastmilk Se and, consequently, plasma Se levels in exclusively breastfed infants is unknown. HIV-inf...

Non-Native Japanese Learners' Perception of Consonant Length in Japanese and Italian

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsukada, Kimiko; Cox, Felicity; Hajek, John; Hirata, Yukari

2018-01-01

Learners of a foreign language (FL) typically have to learn to process sounds that do not exist in their first language (L1). As this is known to be difficult for adults, in particular, it is important for FL pedagogy to be informed by phonetic research. This study examined the role of FL learners' previous linguistic experience in the processing…

Impact Of Recent Timber Harvests On Autumn Scenic Beauty Of Near-Stand Views

Treesearch

Rebecca J. Ray Barlow; Victor A. Rudis

2004-01-01

Abstract - This study estimated the impact of 10 recent timber cutting regimes on the autumn scenic beauty of shortleaf pine-hardwood forests in the Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas. Scenes were photographed near forest stand edges—views typically observed by sightseeing visitors—from 36 treated areas cut the previous winter and 3 comparable untreated...

Nanoscale Measurements of Magnetism & Spin Coherence in Semiconductors

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-17

superconductor created by magnetic defects. These energy-resolved studies are distinct from typical spin-selective measurements performed previously using...MacDonald, B. A. Bernevig, A. Yazdani. Observation of Majorana fermions in ferromagnetic atomic chains on a superconductor , Science, (10 2014): 602... superconductor , Physical Review B, (07 2013): 0. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevB.88.020407 TOTAL: 4 Number of Papers published in peer-reviewed journals

The Development of Co-Speech Gesture and Its Semantic Integration with Speech in 6- to 12-Year-Old Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

So, Wing-Chee; Wong, Miranda Kit-Yi; Lui, Ming; Yip, Virginia

2015-01-01

Previous work leaves open the question of whether children with autism spectrum disorders aged 6-12?years have delay in producing gestures compared to their typically developing peers. This study examined gestural production among school-aged children in a naturalistic context and how their gestures are semantically related to the accompanying…

An Initial Investigation of the Neural Correlates of Word Processing in Preschoolers With Specific Language Impairment.

PubMed

Haebig, Eileen; Leonard, Laurence; Usler, Evan; Deevy, Patricia; Weber, Christine

2018-03-15

Previous behavioral studies have found deficits in lexical-semantic abilities in children with specific language impairment (SLI), including reduced depth and breadth of word knowledge. This study explored the neural correlates of early emerging familiar word processing in preschoolers with SLI and typical development. Fifteen preschoolers with typical development and 15 preschoolers with SLI were presented with pictures followed after a brief delay by an auditory label that did or did not match. Event-related brain potentials were time locked to the onset of the auditory labels. Children provided verbal judgments of whether the label matched the picture. There were no group differences in the accuracy of identifying when pictures and labels matched or mismatched. Event-related brain potential data revealed that mismatch trials elicited a robust N400 in both groups, with no group differences in mean amplitude or peak latency. However, the typically developing group demonstrated a more robust late positive component, elicited by mismatch trials. These initial findings indicate that lexical-semantic access of early acquired words, indexed by the N400, does not differ between preschoolers with SLI and typical development when highly familiar words are presented in isolation. However, the typically developing group demonstrated a more mature profile of postlexical reanalysis and integration, indexed by an emerging late positive component. The findings lay the necessary groundwork for better understanding processing of newly learned words in children with SLI.

Noninvasive Imaging Technologies Reveal Edema Toxin as a Key Virulence Factor in Anthrax

PubMed Central

Dumetz, Fabien; Jouvion, Grégory; Khun, Huot; Glomski, Ian Justin; Corre, Jean-Philippe; Rougeaux, Clémence; Tang, Wei-Jen; Mock, Michèle; Huerre, Michel; Goossens, Pierre Louis

2011-01-01

Powerful noninvasive imaging technologies enable real-time tracking of pathogen-host interactions in vivo, giving access to previously elusive events. We visualized the interactions between wild-type Bacillus anthracis and its host during a spore infection through bioluminescence imaging coupled with histology. We show that edema toxin plays a central role in virulence in guinea pigs and during inhalational infection in mice. Edema toxin (ET), but not lethal toxin (LT), markedly modified the patterns of bacterial dissemination leading, to apparent direct dissemination to the spleen and provoking apoptosis of lymphoid cells. Each toxin alone provoked particular histological lesions in the spleen. When ET and LT are produced together during infection, a specific temporal pattern of lesion developed, with early lesions typical of LT, followed at a later stage by lesions typical of ET. Our study provides new insights into the complex spatial and temporal effects of B. anthracis toxins in the infected host, suggesting a greater role than previously suspected for ET in anthrax and suggesting that therapeutic targeting of ET contributes to protection. PMID:21641378

Large Scale Flood Risk Analysis using a New Hyper-resolution Population Dataset

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, A.; Neal, J. C.; Bates, P. D.; Quinn, N.; Wing, O.

2017-12-01

Here we present the first national scale flood risk analyses, using high resolution Facebook Connectivity Lab population data and data from a hyper resolution flood hazard model. In recent years the field of large scale hydraulic modelling has been transformed by new remotely sensed datasets, improved process representation, highly efficient flow algorithms and increases in computational power. These developments have allowed flood risk analysis to be undertaken in previously unmodeled territories and from continental to global scales. Flood risk analyses are typically conducted via the integration of modelled water depths with an exposure dataset. Over large scales and in data poor areas, these exposure data typically take the form of a gridded population dataset, estimating population density using remotely sensed data and/or locally available census data. The local nature of flooding dictates that for robust flood risk analysis to be undertaken both hazard and exposure data should sufficiently resolve local scale features. Global flood frameworks are enabling flood hazard data to produced at 90m resolution, resulting in a mis-match with available population datasets which are typically more coarsely resolved. Moreover, these exposure data are typically focused on urban areas and struggle to represent rural populations. In this study we integrate a new population dataset with a global flood hazard model. The population dataset was produced by the Connectivity Lab at Facebook, providing gridded population data at 5m resolution, representing a resolution increase over previous countrywide data sets of multiple orders of magnitude. Flood risk analysis undertaken over a number of developing countries are presented, along with a comparison of flood risk analyses undertaken using pre-existing population datasets.

Presence of Contagious Yawning in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

PubMed Central

Kikuchi, Yukiko; Akechi, Hironori; Tojo, Yoshikuni; Osanai, Hiroo; Hasegawa, Toshikazu

2013-01-01

Most previous studies suggest diminished susceptibility to contagious yawning in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, it could be driven by their atypical attention to the face. To test this hypothesis, children with ASD and typically developing (TD) children were shown yawning and control movies. To ensure participants' attention to the face, an eye tracker controlled the onset of the yawning and control stimuli. Results demonstrated that both TD children and children with ASD yawned more frequently when they watched the yawning stimuli than the control stimuli. It is suggested therefore that the absence of contagious yawning in children with ASD, as reported in previous studies, might relate to their weaker tendency to spontaneously attend to others' faces. PMID:23970970

Consolidation of Episodic Memories During Sleep

PubMed Central

Racsmány, Mihály; Conway, Martin A.; Demeter, Gyula

2009-01-01

Two experiments investigated the long-term effects of retrieval practice. In the retrieval-practice procedure, selected items from a previously studied list are repeatedly recalled. The typical retrieval-practice effects are considerably enhanced memory for practiced items accompanied by low levels of recall, relative to baseline, for previously studied items that are associated with the practiced items but were not themselves practiced. The two experiments demonstrated that the former effect persisted over 12 hr; the latter effect also persisted over 12 hr, but only if a period of nocturnal sleep occurred during the retention interval. We propose that consolidation processes occurring during sleep, and possibly featuring some form of off-line rehearsal, mediate these long-term effects of retrieval practice. PMID:20424027

Consolidation of episodic memories during sleep: long-term effects of retrieval practice.

PubMed

Racsmány, Mihály; Conway, Martin A; Demeter, Gyula

2010-01-01

Two experiments investigated the long-term effects of retrieval practice. In the retrieval-practice procedure, selected items from a previously studied list are repeatedly recalled. The typical retrieval-practice effects are considerably enhanced memory for practiced items accompanied by low levels of recall, relative to baseline, for previously studied items that are associated with the practiced items but were not themselves practiced. The two experiments demonstrated that the former effect persisted over 12 hr; the latter effect also persisted over 12 hr, but only if a period of nocturnal sleep occurred during the retention interval. We propose that consolidation processes occurring during sleep, and possibly featuring some form of off-line rehearsal, mediate these long-term effects of retrieval practice.

The role of dispositional traits in accounting for country and ethnic group differences on adjustment.

PubMed

Matsumoto, David; Nakagawa, Sanae; Estrada, Aaron

2009-02-01

Country and ethnic group differences on adjustment have been demonstrated numerous times, and the source of these differences has been typically interpreted as cultural. We report two studies in which country (Study 1) and ethnic group (Study 2) differences on depression, anxiety, optimism versus pessimism, well-being, and self-esteem are mediated by dispositional traits. These findings provide an alternative explanation for previously reported country and ethnic group differences on these variables and encourage researchers to consider multiple sources, including traits, in their models and studies.

Payments, promotion, and the purple pill.

PubMed

Ridley, David B

2015-01-01

Understanding competition in the US drug market requires knowing how sensitive demand is to prices. The relevant prices for insured consumers are copayments. There are many studies of copayment elasticity in the health literature, but they are of limited applicability for studies of competition. Because of a paucity of data, such studies typically control for neither competitor copayment nor advertising. Whereas previous studies examined copayment sensitivity when copayments for branded drugs move in unison, this study examines copayment sensitivity when copayments diverge. This study uses unique panel data of insurance copayments and utilization for 77 insurance groups, as well as data on advertising. The results indicate that demand can be much more sensitive to copayment than previously recognized. Manufacturers selling drugs with higher copayments than branded competitors can lose substantial market share. Manufacturers can offset the loss of demand by increasing advertising to physicians, but it is costly. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Typical Vine or International Taste: Wine Consumers' Dilemma Between Beliefs and Preferences.

PubMed

Scozzafava, Gabriele; Boncinelli, Fabio; Contini, Caterina; Romano, Caterina; Gerini, Francesca; Casini, Leonardo

2016-01-01

The wine-growing sector is probably one of the agricultural areas where the ties between product quality and territory are most evident. Geographical indication is a key element in this context, and previous literature has focused on demonstrating how certification of origin influences the wine purchaser's behavior. However, less attention has been devoted to understanding how the value of a given name of origin may or may not be determined by the various elements that characterize the typicality of the wine product on that territory: vines, production techniques, etc. It thus seems interesting, in this framework, to evaluate the impacts of several characteristic attributes on the preferences of consumers. This paper will analyze, in particular, the role of the presence of autochthonous vines in consumers' choices. The connection between name of origin and autochthonous vines appears to be particularly important in achieving product "recognisability", while introducing "international" vines in considerable measure into blends might result in the loss of the peculiarity of certain characteristic and typical local productions. A standardization of taste could thus risk compromising the reputation of traditional production areas. The objective of this study is to estimate, through an experimental auction on the case study of Chianti, the differences in willingness to pay for wines produced with different shares of typical vines. The results show that consumers have a willingness to pay for wine produced with typical blends 34% greater than for wines with international blends. However, this difference is not confirmed by blind tasting, raising the issue of the relationship between exante expectations about vine typicality and real wine sensorial characteristics. Finally, some recent patents related to wine testing and wine packaging are reviewed.

The mind behind the message: advancing theory-of-mind scales for typically developing children, and those with deafness, autism, or Asperger syndrome.

PubMed

Peterson, Candida C; Wellman, Henry M; Slaughter, Virginia

2012-01-01

Children aged 3-12 years (n = 184) with typical development, deafness, autism, or Asperger syndrome took a series of theory-of-mind (ToM) tasks to confirm and extend previous developmental scaling evidence. A new sarcasm task, in the format of H. M. Wellman and D. Liu's (2004) 5-step ToM Scale, added a statistically reliable 6th step to the scale for all diagnostic groups. A key previous finding, divergence in task sequencing for children with autism, was confirmed. Comparisons among diagnostic groups, controlling age, and language ability, showed that typical developers mastered the 6 ToM steps ahead of each of the 3 disabled groups, with implications for ToM theories. The final (sarcasm) task challenged even nondisabled 9-year-olds, demonstrating the new scale's sensitivity to post-preschool ToM growth. © 2012 The Authors. Child Development © 2012 Society for Research in Child Development, Inc.

Mind and body: concepts of human cognition, physiology and false belief in children with autism or typical development.

PubMed

Peterson, Candida C

2005-08-01

This study examined theory of mind (ToM) and concepts of human biology (eyes, heart, brain, lungs and mind) in a sample of 67 children, including 25 high functioning children with autism (age 6-13), plus age-matched and preschool comparison groups. Contrary to Baron-Cohen [1989, Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 19(4), 579-600], most children with autism correctly understood the functions of the brain (84%) and the mind (64%). Their explanations were predominantly mentalistic. They outperformed typically developing preschoolers in understanding inner physiological (heart, lungs) and cognitive (brain, mind) systems, and scored as high as age-matched typical children. Yet, in line with much previous ToM research, most children with autism (60%) failed false belief, and their ToM performance was unrelated to their understanding of. human biology. Results were discussed in relation to neurobiological and social-experiential accounts of the ToM deficit in autism.

The Role of the Broader Autism Phenotype and Environmental Stressors in the Adjustment of Siblings of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders in Taiwan and the United Kingdom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tsai, Hsiao-Wei Joy; Cebula, Katie; Fletcher-Watson, Sue

2017-01-01

The influence of the broader autism phenotype (BAP) on the adjustment of siblings of children with autism has previously been researched mainly in Western cultures. The present research evaluated a diathesis-stress model of sibling adjustment using a questionnaire study including 80 and 75 mother-typically developing sibling dyads in Taiwan and…

Object-based spatial attention when objects have sufficient depth cues.

PubMed

Takeya, Ryuji; Kasai, Tetsuko

2015-01-01

Attention directed to a part of an object tends to obligatorily spread over all of the spatial regions that belong to the object, which may be critical for rapid object-recognition in cluttered visual scenes. Previous studies have generally used simple rectangles as objects and have shown that attention spreading is reflected by amplitude modulation in the posterior N1 component (150-200 ms poststimulus) of event-related potentials, while other interpretations (i.e., rectangular holes) may arise implicitly in early visual processing stages. By using modified Kanizsa-type stimuli that provided less ambiguity of depth ordering, the present study examined early event-related potential spatial-attention effects for connected and separated objects, both of which were perceived in front of (Experiment 1) and in back of (Experiment 2) the surroundings. Typical P1 (100-140 ms) and N1 (150-220 ms) attention effects of ERP in response to unilateral probes were observed in both experiments. Importantly, the P1 attention effect was decreased for connected objects compared to separated objects only in Experiment 1, and the typical object-based modulations of N1 were not observed in either experiment. These results suggest that spatial attention spreads over a figural object at earlier stages of processing than previously indicated, in three-dimensional visual scenes with multiple depth cues.

Evaluative Conditioning Can Be Modulated by Memory of the CS-US Pairings at the Time of Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gast, Anne; De Houwer, Jan; De Schryver, Maarten

2012-01-01

Evaluative conditioning (EC) is the valence change of a (typically neutral) stimulus (CS) that is due to the previous pairing with another (typically valent) stimulus (US). It has been repeatedly shown that EC effects are stronger or existent only if participants know which US was paired with which CS. Knowledge of the CS-US pairings is usually…

New Meanings of Thin-Skinned: The Contrasting Attentional Profiles of Typical 12-Month-Olds Who Show High, and Low, Stress Reactivity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wass, Sam V.; de Barbaro, Kaya; Clackson, Kaili; Leong, Victoria

2018-01-01

Previous research is inconsistent as to whether a more labile (faster-changing) autonomic system confers performance advantages, or disadvantages, in infants and children. To examine this, we presented a stimulus battery consisting of mixed static and dynamic viewing materials to a cohort of 63 typical 12-month-old infants. While viewing the…

Inversion Effects in the Perception of the Moving Human Form: A Comparison of Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Typically Developing Adolescents

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cleary, Laura; Looney, Kathy; Brady, Nuala; Fitzgerald, Michael

2014-01-01

The "body inversion effect" refers to superior recognition of upright than inverted images of the human body and indicates typical configural processing. Previous research by Reed et al. using static images of the human body shows that people with autism fail to demonstrate this effect. Using a novel task in which adults, adolescents…

Reduced Delay of Gratification and Effortful Control among Young Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Faja, Susan; Dawson, Geraldine

2015-01-01

We explored internal control of behavior using direct observation and parent report. Previous research has found that both the delay of gratification task and parent-reported effortful control predict later social ability and more positive outcomes in typically developing children. Children with autism spectrum disorder have previously been…

Demographic and psychological variables affecting test subject evaluations of ride quality

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duncan, N. C.; Conley, H. W.

1975-01-01

Ride-quality experiments similar in objectives, design, and procedure were conducted, one using the U.S. Air Force Total In-Flight Simulator and the other using the Langley Passenger Ride Quality Apparatus to provide the motion environments. Large samples (80 or more per experiment) of test subjects were recruited from the Tidewater Virginia area and asked to rate the comfort (on a 7-point scale) of random aircraft motion typical of that encountered during STOL flights. Test subject characteristics of age, sex, and previous flying history (number of previous airplane flights) were studied in a two by three by three factorial design. Correlations were computed between one dependent measure, the subject's mean comfort rating, and various demographic characteristics, attitudinal variables, and the scores on Spielberger's State-Trait Anxiety Inventory. An effect of sex was found in one of the studies. Males made higher (more uncomfortable) ratings of the ride than females. Age and number of previous flights were not significantly related to comfort ratings. No significant interactions between the variables of age, sex, or previous number of flights were observed.

The rise and fall of redundancy in decoherence and quantum Darwinism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jess Riedel, C.; Zurek, Wojciech H.; Zwolak, Michael

2012-08-01

A state selected at random from the Hilbert space of a many-body system is overwhelmingly likely to exhibit highly non-classical correlations. For these typical states, half of the environment must be measured by an observer to determine the state of a given subsystem. The objectivity of classical reality—the fact that multiple observers can agree on the state of a subsystem after measuring just a small fraction of its environment—implies that the correlations found in nature between macroscopic systems and their environments are exceptional. Building on previous studies of quantum Darwinism showing that highly redundant branching states are produced ubiquitously during pure decoherence, we examine the conditions needed for the creation of branching states and study their demise through many-body interactions. We show that even constrained dynamics can suppress redundancy to the values typical of random states on relaxation timescales, and prove that these results hold exactly in the thermodynamic limit.

[Voxel-Based Morphometry in Autism Spectrum Disorder].

PubMed

Yamasue, Hidenori

2017-05-01

Autism spectrum disorder shows deficits in social communication and interaction including nonverbal communicative behaviors (e.g., eye contact, gestures, voice prosody, and facial expressions) and restricted and repetitive behaviors as its core symptoms. These core symptoms are emerged as an atypical behavioral development in toddlers with the disorder. Atypical neural development is considered to be a neural underpinning of such behaviorally atypical development. A number of studies using voxel-based morphometry have already been conducted to compare regional brain volumes between individuals with autism spectrum disorder and those with typical development. Furthermore, more than ten papers employing meta-analyses of the comparisons using voxel based morphometry between individuals with autism spectrum disorder and those with typical development have already been published. The current review paper adds some brief discussions about potential factors contributing to the inconsistency observed in the previous findings such as difficulty in controlling the confounding effects of different developmental phases among study participants.

Sensitivity of the Autonomic Nervous System to Visual and Auditory Affect Across Social and Non-Social Domains in Williams Syndrome

PubMed Central

Järvinen, Anna; Dering, Benjamin; Neumann, Dirk; Ng, Rowena; Crivelli, Davide; Grichanik, Mark; Korenberg, Julie R.; Bellugi, Ursula

2012-01-01

Although individuals with Williams syndrome (WS) typically demonstrate an increased appetitive social drive, their social profile is characterized by dissociations, including socially fearless behavior coupled with anxiousness, and distinct patterns of “peaks and valleys” of ability. The aim of this study was to compare the processing of social and non-social visually and aurally presented affective stimuli, at the levels of behavior and autonomic nervous system (ANS) responsivity, in individuals with WS contrasted with a typically developing (TD) group, with the view of elucidating the highly sociable and emotionally sensitive predisposition noted in WS. Behavioral findings supported previous studies of enhanced competence in processing social over non-social stimuli by individuals with WS; however, the patterns of ANS functioning underlying the behavioral performance revealed a surprising profile previously undocumented in WS. Specifically, increased heart rate (HR) reactivity, and a failure for electrodermal activity to habituate were found in individuals with WS contrasted with the TD group, predominantly in response to visual social affective stimuli. Within the auditory domain, greater arousal linked to variation in heart beat period was observed in relation to music stimuli in individuals with WS. Taken together, the findings suggest that the pattern of ANS response in WS is more complex than previously noted, with increased arousal to face and music stimuli potentially underpinning the heightened behavioral emotionality to such stimuli. The lack of habituation may underlie the increased affiliation and attraction to faces characterizing individuals with WS. Future research directions are suggested. PMID:23049519

Deaf children's use of clear visual cues in mindreading.

PubMed

Hao, Jian; Su, Yanjie

2014-11-01

Previous studies show that typically developing 4-year old children can understand other people's false beliefs but that deaf children of hearing families have difficulty in understanding false beliefs until the age of approximately 13. Because false beliefs are implicit mental states that are not expressed through clear visual cues in standard false belief tasks, the present study examines the hypothesis that the deaf children's developmental delay in understanding false beliefs may reflect their difficulty in understanding a spectrum of mental states that are not expressed through clear visual cues. Nine- to 13-year-old deaf children of hearing families and 4-6-year-old typically developing children completed false belief tasks and emotion recognition tasks under different cue conditions. The results indicated that after controlling for the effect of the children's language abilities, the deaf children inferred other people's false beliefs as accurately as the typically developing children when other people's false beliefs were clearly expressed through their eye-gaze direction. However, the deaf children performed worse than the typically developing children when asked to infer false beliefs with ambiguous or no eye-gaze cues. Moreover, the deaf children were capable of recognizing other people's emotions that were clearly conveyed by their facial or body expressions. The results suggest that although theory-based or simulation-based mental state understanding is typical of hearing children's theory of mind mechanism, for deaf children of hearing families, clear cue-based mental state understanding may be their specific theory of mind mechanism. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Phrase-Final Words in Greek Storytelling Speech: A Study on the Effect of a Culturally-Specific Prosodic Feature on Short-Term Memory.

PubMed

Loutrari, Ariadne; Tselekidou, Freideriki; Proios, Hariklia

2018-02-27

Prosodic patterns of speech appear to make a critical contribution to memory-related processing. We considered the case of a previously unexplored prosodic feature of Greek storytelling and its effect on free recall in thirty typically developing children between the ages of 10 and 12 years, using short ecologically valid auditory stimuli. The combination of a falling pitch contour and, more notably, extensive final-syllable vowel lengthening, which gives rise to the prosodic feature in question, led to statistically significantly higher performance in comparison to neutral phrase-final prosody. Number of syllables in target words did not reveal substantial difference in performance. The current study presents a previously undocumented culturally-specific prosodic pattern and its effect on short-term memory.

Speech disruptions in relation to language growth in children who stutter: an exploratory study.

PubMed

Wagovich, Stacy A; Hall, Nancy E; Clifford, Betsy A

2009-12-01

Young children with typical fluency demonstrate a range of disfluencies, or speech disruptions. One type of disruption, revision, appears to increase in frequency as syntactic skills develop. To date, this phenomenon has not been studied in children who stutter (CWS). Rispoli, Hadley, and Holt (2008) suggest a schema for categorizing speech disruptions in terms of revisions and stalls. The purpose of this exploratory study was to use this schema to evaluate whether CWS show a pattern over time in their production of stuttering, revisions, and stalls. Nine CWS, ages 2;1 to 4;11, participated in the study, producing language samples each month for 10 months. MLU and vocd analyses were performed for samples across three time periods. Active declarative sentences within these samples were examined for the presence of disruptions. Results indicated that the proportion of sentences containing revisions increased over time, but proportions for stalls and stuttering did not. Visual inspection revealed that more stuttering and stalls occurred on longer utterances than on shorter utterances. Upon examination of individual children's language, it appears two-thirds of the children showed a pattern in which, as MLU increased, revisions increased as well. Findings are similar to studies of children with typical fluency, suggesting that, despite the fact that CWS display more (and different) disfluencies relative to typically fluent peers, revisions appear to increase over time and correspond to increases in MLU, just as is the case with peers. The reader will be able to: (1) describe the three types of speech disruptions assessed in this article; (2) compare present findings of disruptions in children who stutter to findings of previous research with children who are typically fluent; and (3) discuss future directions in this area of research, given the findings and implications of this study.

Agricultural, domestic and handicraft folk uses of plants in the Tyrrhenian sector of Basilicata (Italy)

PubMed Central

Salerno, Giovanni; Guarrera, Paolo Maria; Caneva, Giulia

2005-01-01

Background Research was carried out into agricultural and domestic-handicraft uses in folk traditions in the Tyrrhenian sector of the Basilicata region (southern Italy), as it is typically representative of ethnobotanical applications in the Mediterranean area. From the point of view of furnishing a botanical support for the study of local "material culture" data was collected through field interviews of 49 informants, most of whom were farmers. Results The taxa cited are 60, belonging to 32 botanical families, of which 18 are employed for agricultural uses and 51 for domestic-handicraft folk uses. Data show a diffuse use of plants for many purposes, both in agricultural (present uses 14%; past uses 1%) and for domestic-handicraft use (present uses 40%; past uses 45%); most of the latter are now in decline. Conclusion 60 data look uncommon or typical of the places studied. Some domestic-handicraft folk uses are typical of southern Italy (e.g. the use of Ampelodesmos mauritanicus for making ties, ropes, torches, baskets or that of Acer neapolitanum for several uses). Other uses (e.g. that of Inula viscosa and Calamintha nepeta for peculiar brooms, and of Origanum heracleoticum for dyeing wool red) are previously unpublished. PMID:16270919

Spanish norms for age of acquisition, concept familiarity, lexical frequency, manipulability, typicality, and other variables for 820 words from 14 living/nonliving concepts.

PubMed

Moreno-Martínez, F Javier; Montoro, Pedro R; Rodríguez-Rojo, Inmaculada C

2014-12-01

This article presents a new corpus of 820 words pertaining to 14 semantic categories, 7 natural (animals, body parts, insects, flowers, fruits, trees, and vegetables) and 7 man-made (buildings, clothing, furniture, kitchen utensils, musical instruments, tools, and vehicles); each word in the database was collected empirically in a previous exemplar generation study. In the present study, 152 Spanish speakers provided data for four psycholinguistic variables known to affect lexical-semantic processing in both neurologically intact and brain-damaged participants: age of acquisition, familiarity, manipulability, and typicality. Furthermore, we collected lexical frequency data derived from Internet search hits, plus three additional Spanish lexical frequency indexes. Word length, number of syllables, and the proportion of respondents citing the exemplar as a category member-which can be useful as an additional measure of typicality-are also provided. Reliability and validity indexes showed that our items display characteristics similar to those of other corpora. Overall, this new corpus of words provides a useful tool for scientists engaged in cognitive- and neuroscience-based research focused on examining language, memory, and object processing. The full set of norms can be downloaded from www.psychonomic.org/archive.

Visual search in divided areas: dividers initially interfere with and later facilitate visual search.

PubMed

Nakashima, Ryoichi; Yokosawa, Kazuhiko

2013-02-01

A common search paradigm requires observers to search for a target among undivided spatial arrays of many items. Yet our visual environment is populated with items that are typically arranged within smaller (subdivided) spatial areas outlined by dividers (e.g., frames). It remains unclear how dividers impact visual search performance. In this study, we manipulated the presence and absence of frames and the number of frames subdividing search displays. Observers searched for a target O among Cs, a typically inefficient search task, and for a target C among Os, a typically efficient search. The results indicated that the presence of divider frames in a search display initially interferes with visual search tasks when targets are quickly detected (i.e., efficient search), leading to early interference; conversely, frames later facilitate visual search in tasks in which targets take longer to detect (i.e., inefficient search), leading to late facilitation. Such interference and facilitation appear only for conditions with a specific number of frames. Relative to previous studies of grouping (due to item proximity or similarity), these findings suggest that frame enclosures of multiple items may induce a grouping effect that influences search performance.

Aging Studies of VCE Dismantlement Returns

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Letant, S; Alviso, C; Pearson, M

2011-10-17

VCE is an ethylene/vinyl acetate/vinyl alcohol terpolymer binder for filled elastomers which is designed to accept high filler loadings. Filled elastomer parts consist of the binder (VCE), a curing agent (Hylene MP, diphenol-4-4{prime}-methylenebis(phenylcarbamate)), a processing aid (LS, lithium stearate), and filler particles (typically 70% fraction by weight). The curing of the filled elastomer parts occurs from the heat-activated reaction between the hydroxyl groups of VCE with the Hylene MP curing agent, resulting in a cross-linked network. The final vinyl acetate content is typically between 34.9 and 37.9%, while the vinyl alcohol content is typically between 1.27 and 1.78%. Surveillance datamore » for this material is both scarce and scattered, complicating the assessment of any aging trends in systems. In addition, most of the initial surveillance efforts focused on mechanical properties such as hardness and tensile strength, and chemical information is therefore lacking. Material characterization and aging studies had been performed on previous formulations of the VCE material but the Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (EVA) starting copolymer is no longer commercially available. New formulations with replacement EVA materials are currently being established and will require characterization as well as updated aging models.« less

An fMRI investigation of responses to peer rejection in adolescents with autism spectrum disorders.

PubMed

Masten, Carrie L; Colich, Natalie L; Rudie, Jeffrey D; Bookheimer, Susan Y; Eisenberger, Naomi I; Dapretto, Mirella

2011-07-01

Peer rejection is particularly pervasive among adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, how adolescents with ASD differ from typically developing adolescents in their responses to peer rejection is poorly understood. The goal of the current investigation was to examine neural responses to peer exclusion among adolescents with ASD compared to typically developing adolescents. Nineteen adolescents with ASD and 17 typically developing controls underwent fMRI as they were ostensibly excluded by peers during an online game called Cyberball. Afterwards, participants reported their distress about the exclusion. Compared to typically developing adolescents, those with ASD displayed less activity in regions previously linked with the distressing aspect of peer exclusion, including the subgenual anterior cingulate and anterior insula, as well as less activity in regions previously linked with the regulation of distress responses during peer exclusion, including the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex and ventral striatum. Interestingly, however, both groups self-reported equivalent levels of distress. This suggests that adolescents with ASD may engage in differential processing of social experiences at the neural level, but be equally aware of, and concerned about, peer rejection. Overall, these findings contribute new insights about how this population may differentially experience negative social events in their daily lives.

An fMRI investigation of responses to peer rejection in adolescents with autism spectrum disorders

PubMed Central

Masten, Carrie L.; Colich, Natalie L.; Rudie, Jeffrey D.; Bookheimer, Susan Y.; Eisenberger, Naomi I.; Dapretto, Mirella

2011-01-01

Peer rejection is particularly pervasive among adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). However, how adolescents with ASD differ from typically developing adolescents in their responses to peer rejection is poorly understood. The goal of the current investigation was to examine neural responses to peer exclusion among adolescents with ASD compared to typically developing adolescents. Nineteen adolescents with ASD and 17 typically developing controls underwent fMRI as they were ostensibly excluded by peers during an online game called Cyberball. Afterwards, participants reported their distress about the exclusion. Compared to typically developing adolescents, those with ASD displayed less activity in regions previously linked with the distressing aspect of peer exclusion, including the subgenual anterior cingulate and anterior insula, as well as less activity in regions previously linked with the regulation of distress responses during peer exclusion, including the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex and ventral striatum. Interestingly, however, both groups self-reported equivalent levels of distress. This suggests that adolescents with ASD may engage in differential processing of social experiences at the neural level, but be equally aware of, and concerned about, peer rejection. Overall, these findings contribute new insights about how this population may differentially experience negative social events in their daily lives. PMID:22318914

Adolescent athletes with learning disability display atypical maturational trajectories on concussion baseline testing: Implications based on a Finnish sample.

PubMed

Peltonen, Kati; Vartiainen, Matti; Laitala-Leinonen, Tiina; Koskinen, Sanna; Luoto, Teemu; Pertab, Jon; Hokkanen, Laura

2018-05-21

Previous research has reported lower cognitive test scores on baseline testing in athletes reporting multiple previous concussions or a history of learning disability (LD). Age also has an important influence on cognitive performance. While these factors have been considered individually in previous studies, the present study is the first to explore the interaction of age, self-reported LD, and history of concussion on baseline Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing (ImPACT®) in a nationwide study of adolescent athletes. ImPACT® was administered to 1823 Finnish male ice hockey players (aged 12-21 years old) prior to the 2015-2016 or 2016-2017 playing seasons. Linear regressions and simple slopes analyses were used for clarifying the impact of LD and previous concussion history on maturational trajectories. In comparison to typically developing athletes, athletes with LD had lower neurocognitive scores in all composites and differing maturational trajectory in verbal memory and visual motor speed. The number of previous concussions did not impair neurocognitive performance at baseline assessment. Application of standard age-based norms to adolescent athletes with a history of LD has the potential to negatively skew clinical decision-making. Separate reference values for LD athletes are warranted due to their unique developmental cognitive trajectories. The reference values for the Finnish participants in this study are presented.

Operation Ivy. Project 8. 4. Report to the Scientific Director. High-resolution spectroscopy at Ivy compared with previous tests

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Beck, C.A.

1985-04-01

The high-resolution ultraviolet and visible spectra of typical test nuclear detonations up to and including Operation Ivy were analyzed and compared. Topics studied include the types of atomc and molecular material observed (with calculations, in some cases, of the relative quantities involved), the ultraviolet cutoff, and rotational temperatures. Variation of these quantities with the radiochemical yield of the bomb is indicated.

Decontamination of Subway Infrastructure Materials ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Report This report provides the results of an assessment to determine the decontamination efficacy of methyl bromide (MB) fumigant in inactivating Bacillus anthracis (B.a.; causative agent for anthrax) spores on materials typically found in subway system infrastructure. To facilitate future decontaminations employing MB in a subway environment, this investigation focused on finding efficacious conditions when using MB at temperatures that may be encountered in an underground subway system (i.e., temperatures lower than used in previous studies).

Atypicalities in Perceptual Adaptation in Autism Do Not Extend to Perceptual Causality

PubMed Central

Karaminis, Themelis; Turi, Marco; Neil, Louise; Badcock, Nicholas A.; Burr, David; Pellicano, Elizabeth

2015-01-01

A recent study showed that adaptation to causal events (collisions) in adults caused subsequent events to be less likely perceived as causal. In this study, we examined if a similar negative adaptation effect for perceptual causality occurs in children, both typically developing and with autism. Previous studies have reported diminished adaptation for face identity, facial configuration and gaze direction in children with autism. To test whether diminished adaptive coding extends beyond high-level social stimuli (such as faces) and could be a general property of autistic perception, we developed a child-friendly paradigm for adaptation of perceptual causality. We compared the performance of 22 children with autism with 22 typically developing children, individually matched on age and ability (IQ scores). We found significant and equally robust adaptation aftereffects for perceptual causality in both groups. There were also no differences between the two groups in their attention, as revealed by reaction times and accuracy in a change-detection task. These findings suggest that adaptation to perceptual causality in autism is largely similar to typical development and, further, that diminished adaptive coding might not be a general characteristic of autism at low levels of the perceptual hierarchy, constraining existing theories of adaptation in autism. PMID:25774507

Language specificity in the perception of voiceless sibilant fricatives in Japanese and English: Implications for cross-language differences in speech-sound development

PubMed Central

Li, Fangfang; Munson, Benjamin; Edwards, Jan; Yoneyama, Kiyoko; Hall, Kathleen

2011-01-01

Both English and Japanese have two voiceless sibilant fricatives, an anterior fricative ∕s∕ contrasting with a more posterior fricative ∕∫∕. When children acquire sibilant fricatives, English children typically substitute [s] for ∕∫∕, whereas Japanese children typically substitute [∫] for ∕∫∕. This study examined English- and Japanese-speaking adults’ perception of children’s productions of voiceless sibilant fricatives to investigate whether the apparent asymmetry in the acquisition of voiceless sibilant fricatives reported previously in the two languages was due in part to how adults perceive children’s speech. The results of this study show that adult speakers of English and Japanese weighed acoustic parameters differently when identifying fricatives produced by children and that these differences explain, in part, the apparent cross-language asymmetry in fricative acquisition. This study shows that generalizations about universal and language-specific patterns in speech-sound development cannot be determined without considering all sources of variation including speech perception. PMID:21361456

Preschoolers' Performance on the Brazilian Adaptation of the Preschool Language Assessment Instrument - Second Edition.

PubMed

Lindau, Tâmara Andrade; Rossi, Natalia Freitas; Giacheti, Celia Maria

2016-01-01

The objective was to test whether the Brazilian version of the Preschool Language Assessment Instrument - Second Edition (PLAI-2) has the potential to assess and identify differences in typical language development of Portuguese-speaking preschoolers. The study included 354 children of both genders with typical language development who were between the ages of 3 years and 5 years 11 months. The version of the PLAI-2 previously translated into Brazilian Portuguese was used to assess the communication skills of these preschool-age children. Statistically significant differences were found between the age groups, and the raw score tended to increase as a function of age. With nonstandardized assessments, the performances of the younger groups revealed behavioral profiles (e.g., nonresponsive, impulsive behavior) that directly influenced the evaluation. The findings of this study show that the PLAI-2 is effective in identifying differences in language development among Brazilian children of preschool age. Future research should include studies validating and standardizing these findings. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Emotional reactivity across the adult life span: the cognitive pragmatics make a difference.

PubMed

Kunzmann, Ute; Richter, David

2009-12-01

Previously, we found that during films about age-typical losses, older adults experienced greater sadness than young adults, whereas their physiological responses were just as large. In the present study, our goal was to replicate this finding and extend past work by examining the role of cognitive functioning in age differences in emotional reactivity. We measured the autonomic and subjective responses of 240 adults (age range=20 to 70) while they viewed films about age-typical losses from our previous work. Findings were fully supportive of our past work: The magnitude of subjective reactions to our films increased linearly over the adult years, whereas there were no age differences on the level of physiological reactivity. We also found that the subjective reactions of adults with high pragmatic intelligence were of moderate size independent of their own age or the age relevance of the emotion elicitor. In contrast, the subjective reactions of adults low on pragmatic intelligence were more variable. Together, this evidence suggests that research on age differences in emotional reactivity may benefit from a perspective that considers individual difference variables as well as contextual variations. PsycINFO Database Record Copyright (c) 2009 APA, all rights reserved

Noninvasive imaging technologies reveal edema toxin as a key virulence factor in anthrax.

PubMed

Dumetz, Fabien; Jouvion, Grégory; Khun, Huot; Glomski, Ian Justin; Corre, Jean-Philippe; Rougeaux, Clémence; Tang, Wei-Jen; Mock, Michèle; Huerre, Michel; Goossens, Pierre Louis

2011-06-01

Powerful noninvasive imaging technologies enable real-time tracking of pathogen-host interactions in vivo, giving access to previously elusive events. We visualized the interactions between wild-type Bacillus anthracis and its host during a spore infection through bioluminescence imaging coupled with histology. We show that edema toxin plays a central role in virulence in guinea pigs and during inhalational infection in mice. Edema toxin (ET), but not lethal toxin (LT), markedly modified the patterns of bacterial dissemination leading, to apparent direct dissemination to the spleen and provoking apoptosis of lymphoid cells. Each toxin alone provoked particular histological lesions in the spleen. When ET and LT are produced together during infection, a specific temporal pattern of lesion developed, with early lesions typical of LT, followed at a later stage by lesions typical of ET. Our study provides new insights into the complex spatial and temporal effects of B. anthracis toxins in the infected host, suggesting a greater role than previously suspected for ET in anthrax and suggesting that therapeutic targeting of ET contributes to protection. Copyright © 2011 American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Iodine-131 induced hepatotoxicity in previously healthy patients with Grave's disease.

PubMed

Jhummon, Navina Priya; Tohooloo, Bhavna; Qu, Shen

2013-01-01

To describe the association of the rare and serious complication of liver toxicity in previously healthy Grave's disease (GD) patients after the treatment with radioactive iodine (131)I (RAI). We report the clinical, laboratory and pathologic findings of 2 cases of severe liver toxicity associated with the treatment with RAI in previously healthy patients with GD. Clinical examination and laboratory investigations excluded viral hepatitis, autoimmune hepatitis, granulomatous disease, primary biliary disease, extrahepatic biliary obstruction, and heart failure. Case 1: A previously healthy 52-years old man reportedly having a typical GD but following RAI treatment, concomitantly developed severe liver toxicity that required 1 week of treatment in hospital. Case 2: A previously healthy 34-years old woman is reported as having a typical GD but developed jaundice following RAI treatment that required several weeks of in hospital treatment in the hepato-biliary department. In both cases, the liver dysfunction resolved after intensive treatment with hepato-protective agents. In this report the therapeutic considerations as well as the pathogenetic possibilities are reviewed. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first description of the association observed, which is rare but may be severe and should be considered in any case of thyrotoxicosis where a liver dysfunction develops after the treatment with radioactive iodine (131)I.

Single-trial evaluative conditioning can be moderated by instructed forgetting.

PubMed

Gast, Anne; Kattner, Florian

2016-09-01

Evaluative conditioning (EC) is a change in the valence of a conditioned stimulus (CS) due to previous pairing with an affective unconditioned stimulus (US). Several previous studies indicate that EC is related to memory of the CS-US pairs. Previous studies, however, typically cannot distinguish between the influence of CS-US knowledge during measurement and during encoding. In addition, by measuring rather than manipulating memory, they do not test the causal effect of memory on EC. The present study employed a "directed forgetting" procedure to the EC paradigm instructing participants to either forget or remember certain CS-US pairs. We found that EC effects after single learning trials were stronger for to-be-remembered than for to-be-forgotten pairs. Manipulation checks showed that the forgetting manipulation also successfully modulated memory for the target pairs and reduced both retroactive and proactive interference on memory for other pairs. Item-based analyses further demonstrated that the size of EC depended on CS-US memory. The results suggest that EC relies on available memory during measurement of the EC effect.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Farmer, J.D.; Ott, E.; Yorke, J.A.

Dimension is perhaps the most basic property of an attractor. In this paper we discuss a variety of different definitions of dimension, compute their values for a typical example, and review previous work on the dimension of chaotic attractors. The relevant definitions of dimension are of two general types, those that depend only on metric properties, and those that depend on probabilistic properties (that is, they depend on the frequency with which a typical trajectory visits different regions of the attractor). Both our example and the previous work that we review support the conclusion that all of the probabilistic dimensionsmore » take on the same value, which we call the dimension of the natural measure, and all of the metric dimensions take on a common value, which we call the fractal dimension. Furthermore, the dimension of the natural measure is typically equal to the Lyapunov dimension, which is defined in terms of Lyapunov numbers, and thus is usually far easier to calculate than any other definition. Because it is computable and more physically relevant, we feel that the dimension of the natural measure is more important than the fractal dimension.« less

Feline leprosy due to Candidatus 'Mycobacterium lepraefelis': Further clinical and molecular characterisation of eight previously reported cases and an additional 30 cases.

PubMed

O'Brien, Carolyn R; Malik, Richard; Globan, Maria; Reppas, George; McCowan, Christina; Fyfe, Janet A

2017-09-01

This paper, the last in a series of three on 'feline leprosy', provides a detailed description of disease referable to the previously unnamed species, Candidatus 'Mycobacterium lepraefelis', a close relative of the human pathogens Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium lepromatosis. Cases were sourced retrospectively and prospectively for this observational study, describing clinical, geographical and molecular microbiological data for cats definitively diagnosed with Candidatus 'M lepraefelis' infection. A total of 145 cases of feline leprosy were scrutinised; 114 'new' cases were sourced from the Victorian Infectious Diseases Reference Laboratory (VIDRL) records, veterinary pathology laboratories or veterinarians, and 31 cases were derived from six published studies. Thirty-eight cats were definitively diagnosed with Candidatus 'M lepraefelis' infection. Typically, cats tended to be middle-aged or older when first infected, with a male predilection. Affected cats typically had widespread cutaneous lesions, in some cases after initially localised disease. Advanced cases were often systemically unwell. All cats had outdoor access. The histological picture was lepromatous in the majority of patients, although two cases had tuberculoid disease. In one case that underwent necropsy, lesions were evident in the liver, spleen and lungs. Treatment was varied, although most cats received a combination of oral clarithromycin and rifampicin. Prognosis for recovery was variable, but typically poor. Candidatus 'M lepraefelis' typically causes high bacterial index (lepromatous) feline leprosy that in some cases progresses to systemic mycobacteriosis. The disease has a variable clinical course and prognosis. Many cases either died or were euthanased due to the infection. Multilocus sequence analysis reveals a heterogeneous picture and further analysis of draft genome sequencing may give clues to the taxonomy and epidemiology of this organism. Prospective treatment trials and/or additional drug susceptibility testing in specialised systems would further inform treatment recommendations. Comparative aspects: This paper finishes with a discussion of comparative aspects of infection caused by the three feline leproid disease agents that have been the subject of this series: Candidatus 'Mycobacterium tarwinense', Mycobacterium lepraemurium and Candidatus 'M lepraefelis'.

The Role of Prediction In Perception: Evidence From Interrupted Visual Search

PubMed Central

Mereu, Stefania; Zacks, Jeffrey M.; Kurby, Christopher A.; Lleras, Alejandro

2014-01-01

Recent studies of rapid resumption—an observer’s ability to quickly resume a visual search after an interruption—suggest that predictions underlie visual perception. Previous studies showed that when the search display changes unpredictably after the interruption, rapid resumption disappears. This conclusion is at odds with our everyday experience, where the visual system seems to be quite efficient despite continuous changes of the visual scene; however, in the real world, changes can typically be anticipated based on previous knowledge. The present study aimed to evaluate whether changes to the visual display can be incorporated into the perceptual hypotheses, if observers are allowed to anticipate such changes. Results strongly suggest that an interrupted visual search can be rapidly resumed even when information in the display has changed after the interruption, so long as participants not only can anticipate them, but also are aware that such changes might occur. PMID:24820440

Religious beliefs influence neural substrates of self-reflection in Tibetans

PubMed Central

Wang, Cheng; He, Xi; Mao, Lihua

2010-01-01

Previous transcultural neuroimaging studies have shown that the neural substrates of self-reflection can be shaped by different cultures. There are few studies, however, on the neural activity of self-reflection where religion is viewed as a form of cultural expression. The present study examined the self-processing of two Chinese ethnic groups (Han and Tibetan) to investigate the significant role of religion on the functional anatomy of self-representation. We replicated the previous results in Han participants with the ventral medial prefrontal cortex and left anterior cingulate cortex showing stronger activation in self-processing when compared with other-processing conditions. However, no typical self-reference pattern was identified in Tibetan participants on behavioral or neural levels. This could be explained by the minimal subjective sense of 'I-ness’ in Tibetan Buddhists. Our findings lend support to the presumed role of culture and religion in shaping the neural substrate of self. PMID:20197287

Religious beliefs influence neural substrates of self-reflection in Tibetans.

PubMed

Wu, Yanhong; Wang, Cheng; He, Xi; Mao, Lihua; Zhang, Li

2010-06-01

Previous transcultural neuroimaging studies have shown that the neural substrates of self-reflection can be shaped by different cultures. There are few studies, however, on the neural activity of self-reflection where religion is viewed as a form of cultural expression. The present study examined the self-processing of two Chinese ethnic groups (Han and Tibetan) to investigate the significant role of religion on the functional anatomy of self-representation. We replicated the previous results in Han participants with the ventral medial prefrontal cortex and left anterior cingulate cortex showing stronger activation in self-processing when compared with other-processing conditions. However, no typical self-reference pattern was identified in Tibetan participants on behavioral or neural levels. This could be explained by the minimal subjective sense of 'I-ness' in Tibetan Buddhists. Our findings lend support to the presumed role of culture and religion in shaping the neural substrate of self.

Melatonin in children with autism spectrum disorders: endogenous and pharmacokinetic profiles in relation to sleep.

PubMed

Goldman, Suzanne E; Adkins, Karen W; Calcutt, M Wade; Carter, Melissa D; Goodpaster, Robert L; Wang, Lily; Shi, Yaping; Burgess, Helen J; Hachey, David L; Malow, Beth A

2014-10-01

Supplemental melatonin has been used to treat sleep onset insomnia in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), although the mechanism of action is uncertain. We assessed endogenous and supplemental melatonin profiles in relation to sleep in nine children with ASD. In endogenous samples, maximal melatonin concentration (C(max)) and time to peak concentration (T(max)) were comparable to those previously published in the literature for typically developing children, and dim light melatonin onsets were captured in the majority of children. In treatment samples (supplemental melatonin), melatonin parameters were also comparable to those previously published for typically developing children. Our findings support that children with ASD and insomnia responsive to low dose melatonin treatment have relatively normal profiles of endogenous and supplemental melatonin.

Melatonin in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Endogenous and Pharmacokinetic Profiles in Relation to Sleep

PubMed Central

Goldman, Suzanne E.; Adkins, Karen W.; Calcutt, M. Wade; Carter, Melissa D.; Goodpaster, Robert L.; Wang, Lily; Shi, Yaping; Burgess, Helen J.; Hachey, David L.

2015-01-01

Supplemental melatonin has been used to treat sleep onset insomnia in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), although the mechanism of action is uncertain. We assessed endogenous and supplemental melatonin profiles in relation to sleep in nine children with ASD. In endogenous samples, maximal melatonin concentration (Cmax) and time to peak concentration (Tmax) were comparable to those previously published in the literature for typically developing children, and dim light melatonin onsets were captured in the majority of children. In treatment samples (supplemental melatonin), melatonin parameters were also comparable to those previously published for typically developing children. Our findings support that children with ASD and insomnia responsive to low dose melatonin treatment have relatively normal profiles of endogenous and supplemental melatonin. PMID:24752680

Hypothesis testing on the fractal structure of behavioral sequences: the Bayesian assessment of scaling methodology.

PubMed

Moscoso del Prado Martín, Fermín

2013-12-01

I introduce the Bayesian assessment of scaling (BAS), a simple but powerful Bayesian hypothesis contrast methodology that can be used to test hypotheses on the scaling regime exhibited by a sequence of behavioral data. Rather than comparing parametric models, as typically done in previous approaches, the BAS offers a direct, nonparametric way to test whether a time series exhibits fractal scaling. The BAS provides a simpler and faster test than do previous methods, and the code for making the required computations is provided. The method also enables testing of finely specified hypotheses on the scaling indices, something that was not possible with the previously available methods. I then present 4 simulation studies showing that the BAS methodology outperforms the other methods used in the psychological literature. I conclude with a discussion of methodological issues on fractal analyses in experimental psychology. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Copper-catalyzed decarboxylative trifluoromethylation of allylic bromodifluoroacetates.

PubMed

Ambler, Brett R; Altman, Ryan A

2013-11-01

The development of new synthetic fluorination reactions has important implications in medicinal, agricultural, and materials chemistries. Given the prevalence and accessibility of alcohols, methods to convert alcohols to trifluoromethanes are desirable. However, this transformation typically requires four-step processes, specialty chemicals, and/or stoichiometric metals to access the trifluoromethyl-containing product. A two-step copper-catalyzed decarboxylative protocol for converting allylic alcohols to trifluoromethanes is reported. Preliminary mechanistic studies distinguish this reaction from previously reported Cu-mediated reactions.

Preparation and characterization of the magnetic superconductor EuSr2RuCu2O8-δ (RuEu-1212) by partial melting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamaki, K.; Kitagawa, N.; Funahashi, S.; Bamba, Y.; Irie, A.

2018-07-01

In this study, fine single crystals of the magnetic superconductor EuSr2RuCu2O8-δ (RuEu-1212) were successfully prepared using the partial melting technique. The obtained single crystals had a cubic shape, which coincides with the results of previous studies of RuGd-1212 single crystals. The single crystals had a typical length of 20-30 μm and the diffraction pattern observed from a sample prepared by partial melting was consistent with patterns of previously reported polycrystalline RuEu-1212 samples. A sample subjected to prolonged sintering, which consisted of a large number of combined micro single crystals prepared by partial melting, exhibited a superconducting transition with Tc-onset of 30.9 K and Tc-zero of 10.5 K.

Heterogeneous patterns of brain atrophy in Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Poulakis, Konstantinos; Pereira, Joana B; Mecocci, Patrizia; Vellas, Bruno; Tsolaki, Magda; Kłoszewska, Iwona; Soininen, Hilkka; Lovestone, Simon; Simmons, Andrew; Wahlund, Lars-Olof; Westman, Eric

2018-05-01

There is increasing evidence showing that brain atrophy varies between patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD), suggesting that different anatomical patterns might exist within the same disorder. We investigated AD heterogeneity based on cortical and subcortical atrophy patterns in 299 AD subjects from 2 multicenter cohorts. Clusters of patients and important discriminative features were determined using random forest pairwise similarity, multidimensional scaling, and distance-based hierarchical clustering. We discovered 2 typical (72.2%) and 3 atypical (28.8%) subtypes with significantly different demographic, clinical, and cognitive characteristics, and different rates of cognitive decline. In contrast to previous studies, our unsupervised random forest approach based on cortical and subcortical volume measures and their linear and nonlinear interactions revealed more typical AD subtypes with important anatomically discriminative features, while the prevalence of atypical cases was lower. The hippocampal-sparing and typical AD subtypes exhibited worse clinical progression in visuospatial, memory, and executive cognitive functions. Our findings suggest there is substantial heterogeneity in AD that has an impact on how patients function and progress over time. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Off the top of my head: Malleability and stability in natural categories.

PubMed

Palma, Tomás A; Santos, Ana Sofia; Garcia-Marques, Leonel

2018-04-01

Previous research has found that category representations are highly malleable knowledge structures, varying widely across different contexts and individuals. However, it has also been found that such malleability does not apply equally to all types of category information. The present research further investigates the representational malleability versus stability of natural taxonomic categories. Using perceptual fluency as means to induce malleability, we explored whether malleability is moderated by the degree of typicality of category information. In the first experiment, we found that fluency-based malleability only occurs for non-typical category information. In follow-up experiments, we investigated the boundary conditions under which such fluency-based malleability occurs. Namely, in Experiment 2, we showed that the effect of fluency on non-typical features disappeared when there is a sensory modality mismatch between study and test phases. Finally, in Experiment 3, we demonstrated that this effect reappears in the modality mismatch condition when participants are given a response deadline. The implications of these findings to current theories of category representation and the perceptual fluency literature are discussed. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Detecting nitrous oxide reductase (NosZ) genes in soil metagenomes: method development and implications for the nitrogen cycle.

PubMed

Orellana, L H; Rodriguez-R, L M; Higgins, S; Chee-Sanford, J C; Sanford, R A; Ritalahti, K M; Löffler, F E; Konstantinidis, K T

2014-06-03

Microbial activities in soils, such as (incomplete) denitrification, represent major sources of nitrous oxide (N2O), a potent greenhouse gas. The key enzyme for mitigating N2O emissions is NosZ, which catalyzes N2O reduction to N2. We recently described "atypical" functional NosZ proteins encoded by both denitrifiers and nondenitrifiers, which were missed in previous environmental surveys (R. A. Sanford et al., Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 109:19709-19714, 2012, doi:10.1073/pnas.1211238109). Here, we analyzed the abundance and diversity of both nosZ types in whole-genome shotgun metagenomes from sandy and silty loam agricultural soils that typify the U.S. Midwest corn belt. First, different search algorithms and parameters for detecting nosZ metagenomic reads were evaluated based on in silico-generated (mock) metagenomes. Using the derived cutoffs, 71 distinct alleles (95% amino acid identity level) encoding typical or atypical NosZ proteins were detected in both soil types. Remarkably, more than 70% of the total nosZ reads in both soils were classified as atypical, emphasizing that prior surveys underestimated nosZ abundance. Approximately 15% of the total nosZ reads were taxonomically related to Anaeromyxobacter, which was the most abundant genus encoding atypical NosZ-type proteins in both soil types. Further analyses revealed that atypical nosZ genes outnumbered typical nosZ genes in most publicly available soil metagenomes, underscoring their potential role in mediating N2O consumption in soils. Therefore, this study provides a bioinformatics strategy to reliably detect target genes in complex short-read metagenomes and suggests that the analysis of both typical and atypical nosZ sequences is required to understand and predict N2O flux in soils. Nitrous oxide (N2O) is a potent greenhouse gas with ozone layer destruction potential. Microbial activities control both the production and the consumption of N2O, i.e., its conversion to innocuous dinitrogen gas (N2). Until recently, consumption of N2O was attributed to bacteria encoding "typical" nitrous oxide reductase (NosZ). However, recent phylogenetic and physiological studies have shown that previously uncharacterized, functional, "atypical" NosZ proteins are encoded in genomes of diverse bacterial groups. The present study revealed that atypical nosZ genes outnumbered their typical counterparts, highlighting their potential role in N2O consumption in soils and possibly other environments. These findings advance our understanding of the diversity of microbes and functional genes involved in the nitrogen cycle and provide the means (e.g., gene sequences) to study N2O fluxes to the atmosphere and associated climate change. Copyright © 2014 Orellana et al.

Coincidence charged-current neutrino-induced deuteron disintegration for H 2 2 O 16

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Van Orden, J. W.; Donnelly, T. W.; Moreno, O.

Semi-inclusive charge-changing neutrino reactions on targets of heavy water are investigated with the goal of determining the relative contributions to the total cross section of deuterium and oxygen in kinematics chosen to emphasize the former. The study is undertaken for conditions where the typical neutrino beam energies are in the few GeV region, and hence relativistic modeling is essential. For this, the previous relativistic approach for the deuteron is employed, together with a spectral function approach for the case of oxygen. Upon optimizing the kinematics of the final-state particles assumed to be detected (typically a muon and a proton) it is shown that the oxygen contribution to the total cross section is suppressed by roughly an order or magnitude compared with the deuterium cross section, thereby confirming that CCmore » $$\

Coincidence charged-current neutrino-induced deuteron disintegration for H 2 2 O 16

DOE PAGES

Van Orden, J. W.; Donnelly, T. W.; Moreno, O.

2017-12-26

Semi-inclusive charge-changing neutrino reactions on targets of heavy water are investigated with the goal of determining the relative contributions to the total cross section of deuterium and oxygen in kinematics chosen to emphasize the former. The study is undertaken for conditions where the typical neutrino beam energies are in the few GeV region, and hence relativistic modeling is essential. For this, the previous relativistic approach for the deuteron is employed, together with a spectral function approach for the case of oxygen. Upon optimizing the kinematics of the final-state particles assumed to be detected (typically a muon and a proton) it is shown that the oxygen contribution to the total cross section is suppressed by roughly an order or magnitude compared with the deuterium cross section, thereby confirming that CCmore » $$\

A conflict analysis of 4D descent strategies in a metered, multiple-arrival route environment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Izumi, K. H.; Harris, C. S.

1990-01-01

A conflict analysis was performed on multiple arrival traffic at a typical metered airport. The Flow Management Evaluation Model (FMEM) was used to simulate arrival operations using Denver Stapleton's arrival route structure. Sensitivities of conflict performance to three different 4-D descent strategies (clear-idle Mach/Constant AirSpeed (CAS), constant descent angle Mach/CAS and energy optimal) were examined for three traffic mixes represented by those found at Denver Stapleton, John F. Kennedy and typical en route metering (ERM) airports. The Monte Carlo technique was used to generate simulation entry point times. Analysis results indicate that the clean-idle descent strategy offers the best compromise in overall performance. Performance measures primarily include susceptibility to conflict and conflict severity. Fuel usage performance is extrapolated from previous descent strategy studies.

Role of deuterium desorption kinetics on the thermionic emission properties of polycrystalline diamond films with respect to kinetic isotope effects

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Paxton, W. F., E-mail: william.f.paxton@vanderbilt.edu; Howell, M.; Kang, W. P.

2014-06-21

The desorption kinetics of deuterium from polycrystalline chemical vapor deposited diamond films were characterized by monitoring the isothermal thermionic emission current behavior. The reaction was observed to follow a first-order trend as evidenced by the decay rate of the thermionic emission current over time which is in agreement with previously reported studies. However, an Arrhenius plot of the reaction rates at each tested temperature did not exhibit the typical linear behavior which appears to contradict past observations of the hydrogen (or deuterium) desorption reaction from diamond. This observed deviation from linearity, specifically at lower temperatures, has been attributed to non-classicalmore » processes. Though no known previous studies reported similar deviations, a reanalysis of the data obtained in the present study was performed to account for tunneling which appeared to add merit to this hypothesis. Additional investigations were performed by reevaluating previously reported data involving the desorption of hydrogen (as opposed to deuterium) from diamond which further indicated this reaction to be dominated by tunneling at the temperatures tested in this study (<775 °C). An activation energy of 3.19 eV and a pre-exponential constant of 2.3 × 10{sup 12} s{sup −1} were determined for the desorption reaction of deuterium from diamond which is in agreement with previously reported studies.« less

The Mind behind the Message: Advancing Theory-of-Mind Scales for Typically Developing Children, and Those with Deafness, Autism, or Asperger Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peterson, Candida C.; Wellman, Henry M.; Slaughter, Virginia

2012-01-01

Children aged 3-2 years (n = 184) with typical development, deafness, autism, or Asperger syndrome took a series of theory-of-mind (ToM) tasks to confirm and extend previous developmental scaling evidence. A new sarcasm task, in the format of H. M. Wellman and D. Liu's (2004) 5-step ToM Scale, added a statistically reliable 6th step to the scale…

Naming and categorizing objects: task differences modulate the polarity of semantic effects in the picture-word interference paradigm.

PubMed

Hantsch, Ansgar; Jescheniak, Jörg D; Mädebach, Andreas

2012-07-01

The picture-word interference paradigm is a prominent tool for studying lexical retrieval during speech production. When participants name the pictures, interference from semantically related distractor words has regularly been shown. By contrast, when participants categorize the pictures, facilitation from semantically related distractors has typically been found. In the extant studies, however, differences in the task instructions (naming vs. categorizing) were confounded with the response level: While responses in naming were typically located at the basic level (e.g., "dog"), responses were located at the superordinate level in categorization (e.g., "animal"). The present study avoided this confound by having participants respond at the basic level in both naming and categorization, using the same pictures, distractors, and verbal responses. Our findings confirm the polarity reversal of the semantic effects--that is, semantic interference in naming, and semantic facilitation in categorization. These findings show that the polarity reversal of the semantic effect is indeed due to the different tasks and is not an artifact of the different response levels used in previous studies. Implications for current models of language production are discussed.

Evolution of semilocal string networks. II. Velocity estimators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lopez-Eiguren, A.; Urrestilla, J.; Achúcarro, A.; Avgoustidis, A.; Martins, C. J. A. P.

2017-07-01

We continue a comprehensive numerical study of semilocal string networks and their cosmological evolution. These can be thought of as hybrid networks comprised of (nontopological) string segments, whose core structure is similar to that of Abelian Higgs vortices, and whose ends have long-range interactions and behavior similar to that of global monopoles. Our study provides further evidence of a linear scaling regime, already reported in previous studies, for the typical length scale and velocity of the network. We introduce a new algorithm to identify the position of the segment cores. This allows us to determine the length and velocity of each individual segment and follow their evolution in time. We study the statistical distribution of segment lengths and velocities for radiation- and matter-dominated evolution in the regime where the strings are stable. Our segment detection algorithm gives higher length values than previous studies based on indirect detection methods. The statistical distribution shows no evidence of (anti)correlation between the speed and the length of the segments.

Reading Aloud: Does Previous Trial History Modulate the Joint Effects of Stimulus Quality and Word Frequency?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Malley, Shannon; Besner, Derek

2013-01-01

No one would argue with the proposition that how we process events in the world is strongly affected by our experience. Nonetheless, recent experience (e.g., from the previous trial) is typically not considered in the analysis of timed cognitive performance in the laboratory. Masson and Kliegl (2013) reported that, in the context of the lexical…

Health research participants' preferences for receiving research results.

PubMed

Long, Christopher R; Stewart, M Kathryn; Cunningham, Thomas V; Warmack, T Scott; McElfish, Pearl A

2016-12-01

Participants in health research studies typically express interest in receiving the results from the studies in which they participate. However, participants' preferences and experiences related to receiving the results are not well understood. In general, the existing studies have had relatively small sample sizes and typically address specific and often sensitive issues within targeted populations. This study used an online survey to explore attitudes and experiences of registrants in ResearchMatch, a large database of past, present, and potential health research participants. Survey respondents provided information related to whether or not they received research results from studies in which they participated, the methods used to communicate the results, their satisfaction with the results, and when and how they would like to receive research results from future studies. In all, 70,699 ResearchMatch registrants were notified of the study's topic. Of the 5207 registrants who requested full information about the study, 3381 respondents completed the survey. Approximately 33% of respondents with previous health research participation reported receiving the results. Approximately half of respondents with previous research participation reported no opportunity to request the results. However, almost all respondents said researchers should always or sometimes offer the results to participants. Respondents expressed particular interest in the results related to their (or a loved one's) health, as well as information about studies' purposes and any medical advances based on the results. In general, respondents' most preferred dissemination methods for the results were email and website postings. The least desirable dissemination methods for the results included Twitter, conference calls, and text messages. Across all the results, we compare the responses of respondents with and without previous research participation experience and those who have worked in research organizations versus those who have not. Compared to respondents who have previous participation experience, a greater proportion of respondents with no participation experience indicated that the results should always be shared with participants. Likewise, respondents with no participation experience placed higher importance on the receipt of each type of results' information included in the survey. We present findings from a survey assessing attitudes and experiences of a broad sample of respondents that addresses gaps in knowledge related to participants' preferences for receiving the results. The study's findings highlight the potential for inconsistency between respondents' expressed preferences to receive specific types of results via specific methods and researchers' unwillingness or inability to provide them. We present specific recommendations to shift the approach of new studies to investigate participants' preferences for receiving research results. © The Author(s) 2016.

Polygenic risk for psychiatric disorders correlates with executive function in typical development.

PubMed

Schork, A J; Brown, T T; Hagler, D J; Thompson, W K; Chen, C-H; Dale, A M; Jernigan, T L; Akshoomoff, N

2018-04-16

Executive functions are a diverse and critical suite of cognitive abilities that are often disrupted in individuals with psychiatric disorders. Despite their moderate to high heritability, little is known about the molecular genetic factors that contribute to variability in executive functions and how these factors may be related to those that predispose to psychiatric disorders. We examined the relationship between polygenic risk scores built from large genome-wide association studies of psychiatric disorders and executive functioning in typically developing children. In our discovery sample (N = 417), consistent with previous reports on general cognitive abilities, polygenic risk for autism spectrum disorder was associated with better performance on the Dimensional Change Card Sort test from the NIH Cognition Toolbox, with the largest effect in the youngest children. Polygenic risk for major depressive disorder was associated with poorer performance on the Flanker test in the same sample. This second association replicated for performance on the Penn Conditional Exclusion Test in an independent cohort (N = 3681). Our results suggest that the molecular genetic factors contributing to variability in executive function during typical development are at least partially overlapping with those associated with psychiatric disorders, although larger studies and further replication are needed. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons Ltd and International Behavioural and Neural Genetics Society.

The Reactivation of Motion influences Size Categorization in a Visuo-Haptic Illusion.

PubMed

Rey, Amandine E; Dabic, Stephanie; Versace, Remy; Navarro, Jordan

2016-09-01

People simulate themselves moving when they view a picture, read a sentence, or simulate a situation that involves motion. The simulation of motion has often been studied in conceptual tasks such as language comprehension. However, most of these studies investigated the direct influence of motion simulation on tasks inducing motion. This article investigates whether a mo- tion induced by the reactivation of a dynamic picture can influence a task that did not require motion processing. In a first phase, a dynamic picture and a static picture were systematically presented with a vibrotactile stimulus (high or low frequency). The second phase of the experiment used a priming paradigm in which a vibrotactile stimulus was presented alone and followed by pictures of objects. Participants had to categorize objects as large or small relative to their typical size (simulated size). Results showed that when the target object was preceded by the vibrotactile stimulus previously associated with the dynamic picture, participants perceived all the objects as larger and categorized them more quickly when the objects were typically "large" and more slowly when the objects were typically "small." In light of embodied cognition theories, this bias in participants' perception is assumed to be caused by an induced forward motion. generated by the reactivated dynamic picture, which affects simulation of the size of the objects.

Parent-child interaction over time in families of young children with borderline intellectual functioning.

PubMed

Fenning, Rachel M; Baker, Jason K; Baker, Bruce L; Crnic, Keith A

2014-06-01

A previous study suggested that mothers of 5-year-old children with borderline intellectual functioning displayed lower positive engagement with their children as compared with both mothers of typically developing children and mothers of children with significant developmental delays (Fenning, Baker, Baker, & Crnic, 2007). The current study integrated father data and followed these families over the subsequent 1-year period. Parent and child behavior were coded from naturalistic home observations at both waves. Results revealed that mothers of children with borderline intellectual functioning displayed a greater increase in negative-controlling parenting from child age 5 to 6 than did other mothers; fathers displayed more negative-controlling behavior in comparison to fathers of typically developing children. In addition, children with borderline intellectual functioning themselves exhibited a more significant escalation in difficult behavior than did typically developing children. Cross-lagged analyses for the sample as a whole indicated that maternal negative-controlling behavior predicted subsequent child difficulties, whereas negative paternal behavior was predicted by earlier child behavior. In conjunction with evidence from Fenning et al. (2007), these findings suggest a complex, dynamic, and systemic developmental pattern in the emotional behavior of families of children with borderline intellectual functioning. Implications and areas in need of additional research are discussed. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved.

Iodine-131 induced hepatotoxicity in previously healthy patients with Grave’s disease

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Objective To describe the association of the rare and serious complication of liver toxicity in previously healthy Grave’s disease (GD) patients after the treatment with radioactive iodine 131I (RAI). Case presentation We report the clinical, laboratory and pathologic findings of 2 cases of severe liver toxicity associated with the treatment with RAI in previously healthy patients with GD. Clinical examination and laboratory investigations excluded viral hepatitis, autoimmune hepatitis, granulomatous disease, primary biliary disease, extrahepatic biliary obstruction, and heart failure. Case 1: A previously healthy 52-years old man reportedly having a typical GD but following RAI treatment, concomitantly developed severe liver toxicity that required 1 week of treatment in hospital. Case 2: A previously healthy 34-years old woman is reported as having a typical GD but developed jaundice following RAI treatment that required several weeks of in hospital treatment in the hepato-biliary department. In both cases, the liver dysfunction resolved after intensive treatment with hepato-protective agents. In this report the therapeutic considerations as well as the pathogenetic possibilities are reviewed. Conclusion To the best of our knowledge, this is the first description of the association observed, which is rare but may be severe and should be considered in any case of thyrotoxicosis where a liver dysfunction develops after the treatment with radioactive iodine 131I. PMID:23497434

The observational case for Jupiter being a typical massive planet.

PubMed

Lineweaver, Charles H; Grether, Daniel

2002-01-01

We identify a subsample of the recently detected extrasolar planets that is minimally affected by the selection effects of the Doppler detection method. With a simple analysis we quantify trends in the surface density of this subsample in the period-Msin(i) plane. A modest extrapolation of these trends puts Jupiter in the most densely occupied region of this parameter space, thus indicating that Jupiter is a typical massive planet rather than an outlier. Our analysis suggests that Jupiter is more typical than indicated by previous analyses. For example, instead of MJup mass exoplanets being twice as common as 2 MJup exoplanets, we find they are three times as common.

Tracking development from early speech-language acquisition to reading skills at age 13.

PubMed

Bartl-Pokorny, Katrin D; Marschik, Peter B; Sachse, Steffi; Green, Vanessa A; Zhang, Dajie; Van Der Meer, Larah; Wolin, Thomas; Einspieler, Christa

2013-06-01

Previous studies have indicated a link between speech-language and literacy development. To add to this body of knowledge, we investigated whether lexical and grammatical skills from toddler to early school age are related to reading competence in adolescence. Twenty-three typically developing children were followed from age 1;6 to 13;6 (years;months). Parental checklists and standardized tests were used to assess the development of mental lexicon, grammatical and reading capacities of the children. Direct assessment of early speech-language functions positively correlated with later reading competence, whereas lexical skills reported by parents were not associated with this capacity. At (pre-) school age, larger vocabulary and better grammatical abilities predicted advanced reading abilities in adolescence. Our study contributes to the understanding of typical speech-language development and its relation to later reading outcome, extending the body of knowledge on these developmental domains for future early identification of children at risk for reading difficulties.

Trends and demographic characteristics of Saudi cosmetic surgery patients.

PubMed

Alharethy, Sami E

2017-07-01

To  present the demographic characteristics of Saudi patients undergoing cosmetic procedures.  Methods: This prospective study survey was conducted in 3 private cosmetic surgery centers in different regions of Saudi Arabia (Riyadh and Jeddah) between January and August 2016. Validated questionnaire with modification was used and the following patient's information were provided: age group, height and weight, marital status, number of children, age of the patient's spouse, educational level, monthly income, name of the cosmetic procedure, names of any previous cosmetic procedures and their reason for cosmetic procedure. Results: The present study revealed that a typical Saudi cosmetic surgery patients are university graduates, married (46.8%), employed (68.3%), and middle aged 20-40 years of age (70%), with a fairly high typical monthly income.  Conclusion: There is a possible positive correlation between gender and undergoing cosmetic procedure. Laser hair removal, botox, liposuction, filler, and scar revision are common among females, while rhinoplasty is a common procedure among males.

Global Analysis of Ecosystem Evapotranspiration Response to Precipitation Deficits

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Bin; Wang, Haiyan; Guo, Lanlan; Liu, Junjie

2017-12-01

Changes in ecosystem evapotranspiration (ET) due to precipitation deficits (PD) can relieve or aggravate soil moisture shortages, thus impacting drought severity. Previous findings have conflicted with regard to response of ET to PD. The present study relies on a global land ET synthesis data set (ETsyn) and observations from eddy-covariance towers (ETobs) to thoroughly examine the sensitivity of ET to PD, which is represented by the standardized precipitation index. There was a contrast in the response to PD between arid and humid ecosystems. ETsyn of arid ecosystems was typically reduced promptly in response to a reduction of precipitation, while ETsyn in humid ecosystems experienced a two-staged change: First, there was an enhancement, and then a reduction associated with persisting PD. Compared with ETsyn, ETobs suggests the occurrence of a more significant ET transition in response to PD. In arid ecosystems, ET typically negatively correlated with low PD, but this was limited by a large PD. Findings from this study are crucial for understanding the role of ET in drought evolution.

Longitudinal Heschl's gyrus growth during childhood and adolescence in typical development and autism.

PubMed

Prigge, Molly D; Bigler, Erin D; Fletcher, P Thomas; Zielinski, Brandon A; Ravichandran, Caitlin; Anderson, Jeffrey; Froehlich, Alyson; Abildskov, Tracy; Papadopolous, Evangelia; Maasberg, Kathryn; Nielsen, Jared A; Alexander, Andrew L; Lange, Nicholas; Lainhart, Janet

2013-04-01

Heightened auditory sensitivity and atypical auditory processing are common in autism. Functional studies suggest abnormal neural response and hemispheric activation to auditory stimuli, yet the neurodevelopment underlying atypical auditory function in autism is unknown. In this study, we model longitudinal volumetric growth of Heschl's gyrus gray matter and white matter during childhood and adolescence in 40 individuals with autism and 17 typically developing participants. Up to three time points of magnetic resonance imaging data, collected on average every 2.5 years, were examined from individuals 3-12 years of age at the time of their first scan. Consistent with previous cross-sectional studies, no group differences were found in Heschl's gyrus gray matter volume or asymmetry. However, reduced longitudinal gray matter volumetric growth was found in the right Heschl's gyrus in autism. Reduced longitudinal white matter growth in the left hemisphere was found in the right-handed autism participants. Atypical Heschl's gyrus white matter volumetric growth was found bilaterally in the autism individuals with a history of delayed onset of spoken language. Heightened auditory sensitivity, obtained from the Sensory Profile, was associated with reduced volumetric gray matter growth in the right hemisphere. Our longitudinal analyses revealed dynamic gray and white matter changes in Heschl's gyrus throughout childhood and adolescence in both typical development and autism. © 2013 International Society for Autism Research, Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Initial study of deep inelastic scattering with ZEUS at HERA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Derrick, M.; Krakauer, D.; Magill, S.; Musgrave, B.; Repond, J.; Repond, S.; Stanek, R.; Talaga, R. L.; Thron, J.; Arzarello, F.; Ayad, R.; Barbagli, G.; Bari, G.; Basile, M.; Bellagamba, L.; Boscherini, D.; Bruni, A.; Bruni, G.; Bruni, P.; Cara Romeo, G.; Castellini, G.; Chiarini, M.; Cifarelli, L.; Cindolo, F.; Ciralli, F.; Contin, A.; D'Auria, S.; del Papa, C.; Frasconi, F.; Giusti, P.; Iacobucci, G.; Laurenti, G.; Levi, G.; Lin, Q.; Lisowski, B.; Maccarrone, G.; Margotti, A.; Massam, T.; Nania, R.; Nemoz, C.; Palmonari, F.; Sartorelli, G.; Timellini, R.; Zamora Garcia, Y.; Zichichi, A.; Bargende, A.; Crittenden, J.; Dabbous, H.; Desch, K.; Diekmann, B.; Doeker, T.; Geerts, M.; Geitz, G.; Gutjahr, B.; Hartmann, H.; Hartmann, J.; Haun, D.; Heinloth, K.; Hilger, E.; Jakob, H.-P.; Kramarczyk, S.; Kückes, M.; Mass, A.; Mengel, S.; Mollen, J.; Monaldi, D.; Müsch, H.; Paul, E.; Schattevoy, R.; Schneider, J.-L.; Wedemeyer, R.; Cassidy, A.; Cussans, D. G.; Dyce, N.; Fawcett, H. F.; Foster, B.; Gilmore, R.; Heath, G. P.; Lancaster, M.; Llewellyn, T. J.; Malos, J.; Morgado, C. J. S.; Tapper, R. J.; Wilson, S. S.; Rau, R. R.; Barillari, T.; Schioppa, M.; Susinno, G.; Bernstein, A.; Caldwell, A.; Gialas, I.; Parsons, J. A.; Ritz, S.; Sciulli, F.; Straub, P. B.; Wai, L.; Yang, S.; Burkot, W.; Eskreys, A.; Piotrzkowski, K.; Zachara, M.; Zawiejski, L.; Borzemski, P.; Jeleń, K.; Kisielewska, D.; Kowalski, T.; Rulikowska-Zerȩbska, E.; Suszycki, L.; Zajc, J.; Kȩdzierski, T.; Kotański, A.; Przybycień, M.; Bauerdick, L. A. T.; Behrens, U.; Bienlein, J. K.; Coldewey, C.; Dannemann, A.; Dierks, K.; Dorth, W.; Drews, G.; Erhard, P.; Flasiński, M.; Fleck, I.; Fürtjes, A.; Gläser, R.; Göttlicher, P.; Hass, T.; Hagge, L.; Hain, W.; Hasell, D.; Hultschig, H.; Jahnen, G.; Joos, P.; Kasemann, M.; Klanner, R.; Koch, W.; Kötz, U.; Kowalski, H.; Labs, J.; Ladage, A.; Löhr, B.; Lüke, D.; Mainusch, J.; Manczak, O.; Momayezi, M.; Ng, J. S. T.; Nicel, S.; Notz, D.; Park, I. H.; Pösnecker, K.-U.; Rohde, M.; Ros, E.; Schneekloth, S.; Schroeder, J.; Schulz, W.; Selonke, F.; Stiliaris, E.; Tscheslog, E.; Tsurugai, T.; Turkot, F.; Vogel, W.; Woeniger, T.; Wolf, G.; Youngman, C.; Grabosch, H. J.; Leich, A.; Meyer, A.; Rethfeldt, C.; Schlensthdt, S.; Casalbuoni, R.; de Curtis, S.; Dominici, D.; Francescato, A.; Nuti, M.; Pelfer, P.; Anzivino, G.; Casaccia, R.; de Pasquale, S.; Qian, S.; Votano, L.; Bamberger, A.; Freidhof, A.; Poser, T.; Söldner-Rembold, S.; Theisen, G.; Trefzger, T.; Brook, N. H.; Bussey, P. J.; Doyle, A. T.; Forbes, J. R.; Jamieson, V. A.; Raine, C.; Saxon, D. H.; Brückmann, H.; Gloth, G.; Holm, U.; Kammerdocher, H.; Krebs, B.; Neumann, T.; Wick, K.; Hofmann, A.; Kröger, W.; Krüger, J.; Lohrmann, E.; Milewski, J.; Nakahata, M.; Pavel, N.; Poelz, G.; Salomon, R.; Seidman, A.; Schott, W.; Wiik, B. H.; Zetsche, F.; Bacon, T. C.; Butterworth, I.; Markou, C.; McQuillan, D.; Miller, D. B.; Mobayyen, M. M.; Prinias, A.; Vorvolakos, A.; Bienz, T.; Kreutzmann, H.; Mallik, U.; McCliment, E.; Roco, M.; Wang, M. Z.; Cloth, P.; Filges, D.; Chen, L.; Imlay, R.; Kartik, S.; Kim, H.-J.; McNeil, R. R.; Metcalf, W.; Barreiro, F.; Cases, G.; Hervás, L.; Labarga, L.; del Peso, J.; Roldán, J.; Terrón, J.; de Trocóniz, J. F.; Ikraiam, F.; Mayer, J. K.; Smith, G. R.; Corriveau, F.; Gilkinson, D. J.; Hanna, D. S.; Hung, L. W.; Mitchell, J. W.; Patel, P. M.; Sinclair, L. E.; Stairs, D. G.; Ullmann, R.; Bashindzhagyan, G. L.; Ermolov, P. F.; Golubkov, Y. A.; Kuzmin, V. A.; Kuznetsov, E. N.; Savin, A. A.; Voronin, A. G.; Zotov, N. P.; Bentvelsen, S.; Dake, A.; Engelen, J.; de Jong, P.; de Jong, S.; de Kamps, M.; Kooijman, P.; Kruse, A.; van der Lugt, H.; O'dell, V.; Straver, J.; Tenner, A.; Tiecke, H.; Uijterwaal, H.; Vermeulen, J.; Wiggers, L.; de Wolf, E.; van Woudenberg, R.; Yoshida, R.; Bylsma, B.; Durkin, L. S.; Li, C.; Ling, T. Y.; McLean, K. W.; Murray, W. N.; Park, S. K.; Romanowski, T. A.; Seidlein, R.; Blair, G. A.; Butterworth, J. M.; Byrne, A.; Cashmore, R. J.; Cooper-Sarkar, A. M.; Devenish, R. C. E.; Gingrich, D. M.; Hallam-Baker, P. M.; Harnew, N.; Khatri, T.; Long, K. R.; Luffman, P.; McArthur, I.; Morawitz, P.; Nash, J.; Smith, S. J. P.; Roocroft, N. C.; Wilson, F. F.; Abbiendi, G.; Brugnera, R.; Carlin, R.; dal Corso, F.; de Giorgi, M.; Dosselli, U.; Gasparini, F.; Limentani, S.; Morandin, M.; Posocco, M.; Stanco, L.; Stroili, R.; Voci, C.; Field, G.; Lim, J. N.; Oh, B. Y.; Whitmore, J.; Contino, U.; D'Agostini, G.; Guida, M.; Iori, M.; Mari, S. M.; Marini, G.; Mattioli, M.; Nigro, A.; Hart, J. C.; McCubbin, N. A.; Shah, T. P.; Short, T. L.; Barberis, E.; Cartiglia, N.; Heusch, C.; Hubbard, B.; Leslie, J.; O'Shaughnessy, K.; Sadrozinski, H. F.; Seiden, A.; Badura, E.; Biltzinger, J.; Chaves, H.; Rost, M.; Seifert, R. J.; Walenta, A. H.; Weihs, W.; Zech, G.; Dagan, S.; Levy, A.; Zer-Zion, D.; Hasegawa, T.; Hazumi, M.; Ishii, T.; Kasai, S.; Kuze, M.; Nagasawa, Y.; Nakao, M.; Okuno, H.; Tokushuku, K.; Watanabe, T.; Yamada, S.; Chiba, M.; Hamatsu, R.; Hirose, T.; Kitamura, S.; Nagayama, S.; Nakamitsu, Y.; Arneodo, M.; Costa, M.; Ferrero, M. I.; Lamberti, L.; Maselli, S.; Peroni, C.; Solano, A.; Staiano, A.; Dardo, M.; Bailey, D. C.; Bandyopadhyay, D.; Benard, F.; Bhadra, S.; Brkic, M.; Burow, B. D.; Chlebana, F. S.; Crombie, M. B.; Hartner, G. F.; Levman, G. M.; Martin, J. F.; Orr, R. S.; Prentice, J. D.; Sampson, C. R.; Stairs, G. G.; Teuscher, R. J.; Yoon, T.-S.; Bullock, F. W.; Catterall, C. D.; Giddings, J. C.; Jones, T. W.; Khan, A. M.; Lane, J. B.; Makkar, P. L.; Shaw, D.; Shulman, J.; Blankenship, K.; Gibaut, D. B.; Kochocki, J.; Lu, B.; Mo, L. W.; Charchula, K.; Ciborowski, J.; Gajewski, J.; Grzelak, G.; Kasprzak, M.; Krzyżanowski, M.; Muchorowski, K.; Nowak, R. J.; Pawlak, J. M.; Stojda, K.; Stopczyński, A.; Szwed, R.; Tymieniecka, T.; Walczak, R.; Wróblewski, A. K.; Zakrzewski, J. A.; Zarnecki, A. F.; Adamus, M.; Abramowicz, H.; Eisenberg, Y.; Glasman, C.; Karshon, U.; Montag, A.; Revel, D.; Shapira, A.; Ali, I.; Behrens, B.; Camerini, U.; Dasu, S.; Fordham, C.; Foudas, C.; Goussiou, A.; Lomperski, M.; Loveless, R. J.; Nylander, P.; Ptacek, M.; Reeder, D. D.; Smith, W. H.; Silverstein, S.; Frisken, W. R.; Furutani, K. M.; Iga, Y.

1993-04-01

Results are presented on neutral current, deep inelastic scattering measured in collisions of 26.7 GeV electrons and 820 GeV protons. The events typically populate a range in Q2 from 10 to 100 GeV2. The values of x extend down to x ~ 10-4 which is two orders of magnitude lower than previously measured at such Q2 values in fixed target experiments. The measured cross sections are in accord with the extrapolations of current parametrisations of parton distributions.

Genetic predisposition to neuroblastoma mediated by a LMO1 super-enhancer polymorphism | Office of Cancer Genomics

Cancer.gov

Neuroblastoma is a paediatric malignancy that typically arises in early childhood, and is derived from the developing sympathetic nervous system. Clinical phenotypes range from localized tumours with excellent outcomes to widely metastatic disease in which long-term survival is approximately 40% despite intensive therapy. A previous genome-wide association study identified common polymorphisms at the LMO1 gene locus that are highly associated with neuroblastoma susceptibility and oncogenic addiction to LMO1 in the tumour cells.

F-111 Adhesive Bonded Repairs Assessment Program - Progress Report 2: Analysis of FM300-2K Repairs

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-01-01

primarily the effect of panel skin thickness The previous report found that while repair location on the aircraft structure may have had some effect...typically are manufactured by adhesively bonding an upper and lower aluminium skin to aluminium honeycomb-core. The structure provides added stiffness to...component, one of the typical repair techniques requires removal of the damaged skin and honeycomb core. New core is adhesively bonded back in place and an

Is the recall of verbal-spatial information from working memory affected by symptoms of ADHD?

PubMed

Caterino, Linda C; Verdi, Michael P

2012-10-01

OJECTIVE: The Kulhavy model for text learning using organized spatial displays proposes that learning will be increased when participants view visual images prior to related text. In contrast to previous studies, this study also included students who exhibited symptoms of ADHD. Participants were presented with either a map-text or text-map condition. The map-text condition led to a significantly higher performance than the text-map condition, overall. However, students who endorsed more symptoms of inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity scored more poorly when asked to recall text facts, text features, and map features and were less able to correctly place map features on a reconstructed map than were students who endorsed fewer symptoms. The results of the study support the Kulhavy model for typical students; however, the benefit of viewing a display prior to text was not seen for students with ADHD symptoms, thus supporting previous studies that have demonstrated that ADHD appears to negatively affect operations that occur in working memory.

Vowel normalization for accent: An investigation of perceptual plasticity in young adults

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Evans, Bronwen G.; Iverson, Paul

2004-05-01

Previous work has emphasized the role of early experience in the ability to accurately perceive and produce foreign or foreign-accented speech. This study examines how listeners at a much later stage in language development-early adulthood-adapt to a non-native accent within the same language. A longitudinal study investigated whether listeners who had had no previous experience of living in multidialectal environments adapted their speech perception and production when attending university. Participants were tested before beginning university and then again 3 months later. An acoustic analysis of production was carried out and perceptual tests were used to investigate changes in word intelligibility and vowel categorization. Preliminary results suggest that listeners are able to adjust their phonetic representations and that these patterns of adjustment are linked to the changes in production that speakers typically make due to sociolinguistic factors when living in multidialectal environments.

Presence of cysts on magnetic resonance images (MRIs) in children with asperger disorder and nonverbal learning disabilities.

PubMed

Semrud-Clikeman, Margaret; Fine, Jodene

2011-04-01

The main purpose of this study was to report the existence of previously unidentified brain cysts or lesions in children with nonverbal learning disabilities, Asperger syndrome, or controls. The authors compared the incidence of cysts or lesions on magnetic resonance images (MRIs) in 28 children with nonverbal learning disability, 26 children with Asperger syndrome, and 24 typical controls for abnormalities. In this study, the authors found 25% of children previously diagnosed with nonverbal learning disability to have unsuspected brain abnormalities generally including cysts or lesions in the occipital region, compared with approximately 4% in the Asperger syndrome or control group. The cysts/lesions were found mainly in the occipital lobe, an area responsible for visual/spatial reasoning. It is appropriate to speculate that there might be a connection between anomalous brain development and skill differences among these groups.

Uncovering Dangerous Cheats: How Do Avian Hosts Recognize Adult Brood Parasites?

PubMed Central

Trnka, Alfréd; Prokop, Pavol; Grim, Tomáš

2012-01-01

Background Co-evolutionary struggles between dangerous enemies (e.g., brood parasites) and their victims (hosts) lead to the emergence of sophisticated adaptations and counter-adaptations. Salient host tricks to reduce parasitism costs include, as front line defence, adult enemy discrimination. In contrast to the well studied egg stage, investigations addressing the specific cues for adult enemy recognition are rare. Previous studies have suggested barred underparts and yellow eyes may provide cues for the recognition of cuckoos Cuculus canorus by their hosts; however, no study to date has examined the role of the two cues simultaneously under a consistent experimental paradigm. Methodology/Principal Findings We modify and extend previous work using a novel experimental approach – custom-made dummies with various combinations of hypothesized recognition cues. The salient recognition cue turned out to be the yellow eye. Barred underparts, the only trait examined previously, had a statistically significant but small effect on host aggression highlighting the importance of effect size vs. statistical significance. Conclusion Relative importance of eye vs. underpart phenotypes may reflect ecological context of host-parasite interaction: yellow eyes are conspicuous from the typical direction of host arrival (from above), whereas barred underparts are poorly visible (being visually blocked by the upper part of the cuckoo's body). This visual constraint may reduce usefulness of barred underparts as a reliable recognition cue under a typical situation near host nests. We propose a novel hypothesis that recognition cues for enemy detection can vary in a context-dependent manner (e.g., depending on whether the enemy is approached from below or from above). Further we suggest a particular cue can trigger fear reactions (escape) in some hosts/populations whereas the same cue can trigger aggression (attack) in other hosts/populations depending on presence/absence of dangerous enemies that are phenotypically similar to brood parasites and costs and benefits associated with particular host responses. PMID:22624031

Acoustic and perceptual effects of overall F0 range in a lexical pitch accent distinction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wade, Travis

2002-05-01

A speaker's overall fundamental frequency range is generally considered a variable, nonlinguistic element of intonation. This study examined the precision with which overall F0 is predictable based on previous intonational context and the extent to which it may be perceptually significant. Speakers of Tokyo Japanese produced pairs of sentences differing lexically only in the presence or absence of a single pitch accent as responses to visual and prerecorded speech cues presented in an interactive manner. F0 placement of high tones (previously observed to be relatively variable in pitch contours) was found to be consistent across speakers and uniformly dependent on the intonation of the different sentences used as cues. In a subsequent perception experiment, continuous manipulation of these same sentences between typical accented and typical non-accent-containing versions were presented to Japanese listeners for lexical identification. Results showed that listeners' perception was not significantly altered in compensation for artificial manipulation of preceding intonation. Implications are discussed within an autosegmental analysis of tone. The current results are consistent with the notion that pitch range (i.e., specific vertical locations of tonal peaks) does not simply vary gradiently across speakers and situations but constitutes a predictable part of the phonetic specification of tones.

Genetic analysis of a human rotavirus that belongs to subgroup I but has an RNA pattern typical of subgroup II human rotaviruses.

PubMed Central

Nakagomi, O; Nakagomi, T; Hoshino, Y; Flores, J; Kapikian, A Z

1987-01-01

We have previously found (O. Nakagomi, T. Nakagomi, H. Oyamada, and T. Suto, J. Med. Virol. 17:29-34, 1985), during an epidemiological study in Japan, a novel human rotavirus that belongs to subgroup I but has a long RNA pattern typical of subgroup II human rotaviruses. From the stool specimen containing this virus, we successfully isolated in MA104 cells a rotavirus, designated AU-1, which possesses these novel characteristics. The possibility that strain AU-1 was a laboratory contaminant of an animal rotavirus previously adapted to tissue culture cells was ruled out, and the identity of the AU-1 strain was established. Genetic analysis by RNA-RNA hybridization revealed that the AU-1 strain is not a simple reassortant between subgroup I and II human rotaviruses but that it shares a high level of sequence homology only with the gene encoding VP7 (the major neutralization protein) of serotype 3 human rotaviruses. Weak homology of the genomic RNA segments was also observed between the AU-1 strain and animal rotavirus strains, including rhesus rotavirus strain RRV and bovine rotavirus strain NCDV. These results suggest that the AU-1 strain may be an animal rotavirus that infected a human. Images PMID:3038947

What's your number? The effects of trial order on the one-target advantage.

PubMed

Bested, Stephen R; Khan, Michael A; Lawrence, Gavin P; Tremblay, Luc

2018-05-01

When moving our upper-limb towards a single target, movement times are typically shorter than when movement to a second target is required. This is known as the one-target advantage. Most studies that have demonstrated the one-target advantage have employed separate trial blocks for the one- and two-segment movements. To test if the presence of the one-target advantage depends on advance knowledge of the number of segments, the present study investigated whether the one-target advantage would emerge under different trial orders/sequences. One- and two-segment responses were organized in blocked (i.e., 1-1-1, 2-2-2), alternating (i.e., 1-2-1-2-1-2), and random (i.e., 1-1-2-1-2-2) trial sequences. Similar to previous studies, where only blocked schedules have typically been utilized, the one-target advantage emerged during the blocked and alternate conditions, but not in the random condition. This finding indicates that the one-target advantage is contingent on participants knowing the number of movement segments prior to stimulus onset. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impaired Visuospatial Short-Term Memory in Children with ADHD.

PubMed

Narimoto, Tadamasa; Matsuura, Naomi; Hiratani, Michio

2018-01-01

Previous studies provide clear evidence that visuospatial memory performance in children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is significantly lower than in typically developing children. In the present study, we investigated a major cause of their low performance using a spatial span test. Possibly, inattention resulting from lack of motivation or interest causes their low performance so that they do not correctly encode targets to be remembered. On the other hand, a deficit in temporary maintenance per se may cause their low performance; that is, their inefficient use of rehearsal during a retention interval may lead to memory traces' fast decay. Results in this study indicated that children with ADHD could sustain attention during the encoding phase. Furthermore, their performance at delayed recall was significantly lower than immediate recall, but delayed recall did not affect typically developing children's performance. These results provide evidence for the likelihood that a factor causing children with ADHD difficulty in temporarily maintaining visuospatial information is fast decay of memory traces as a result of inefficient use of rehearsal, not inattention in the encoding phase.

Core strength training for patients with chronic low back pain.

PubMed

Chang, Wen-Dien; Lin, Hung-Yu; Lai, Ping-Tung

2015-03-01

[Purpose] Through core strength training, patients with chronic low back pain can strengthen their deep trunk muscles. However, independent training remains challenging, despite the existence of numerous core strength training strategies. Currently, no standardized system has been established analyzing and comparing the results of core strength training and typical resistance training. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review of the results of previous studies to explore the effectiveness of various core strength training strategies for patients with chronic low back pain. [Methods] We searched for relevant studies using electronic databases. Subsequently, we evaluated their quality by analyzing the reported data. [Results] We compared four methods of evaluating core strength training: trunk balance, stabilization, segmental stabilization, and motor control exercises. According to the results of various scales and evaluation instruments, core strength training is more effective than typical resistance training for alleviating chronic low back pain. [Conclusion] All of the core strength training strategies examined in this study assist in the alleviation of chronic low back pain; however, we recommend focusing on training the deep trunk muscles to alleviate chronic low back pain.

A four-panel enclosure protects from explosion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

King, P. V.

1972-01-01

Development of multi-layered baffle as enclosure to protect personnel from effects of explosion during production of ammunition is discussed. Advantages of new system over previous systems are described. Illustration of typical panel structure is provided.

Audio-visual temporal perception in children with restored hearing.

PubMed

Gori, Monica; Chilosi, Anna; Forli, Francesca; Burr, David

2017-05-01

It is not clear how audio-visual temporal perception develops in children with restored hearing. In this study we measured temporal discrimination thresholds with an audio-visual temporal bisection task in 9 deaf children with restored audition, and 22 typically hearing children. In typically hearing children, audition was more precise than vision, with no gain in multisensory conditions (as previously reported in Gori et al. (2012b)). However, deaf children with restored audition showed similar thresholds for audio and visual thresholds and some evidence of gain in audio-visual temporal multisensory conditions. Interestingly, we found a strong correlation between auditory weighting of multisensory signals and quality of language: patients who gave more weight to audition had better language skills. Similarly, auditory thresholds for the temporal bisection task were also a good predictor of language skills. This result supports the idea that the temporal auditory processing is associated with language development. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Burying by rats in response to aversive and nonaversive stimuli

PubMed Central

Poling, Alan; Cleary, James; Monaghan, Michael

1981-01-01

Previous investigations have shown that rats bury a variety of conditioned and unconditioned aversive stimuli. Such burying has been considered as a species-typical defensive reaction. In the present studies, rats buried spouts filled with Tabasco sauce, or condensed milk to which a taste aversion was conditioned, but did not bury water-filled spouts or spouts filled with a palatable novel food (apple juice) to which a taste aversion was not conditioned. However, in other experiments rats consistently and repeatedly buried Purina Rat Chow, Purina Rat Chow coated with quinine, and glass marbles. This indicates that a variety of stimuli, not all aversive or novel, evoke burying by rats. Whereas the behavior may reasonably be considered as a species-typical defensive behavior in some situations, the wide range of conditions that occasion burying suggests that the behavior has no single biological function. PMID:16812198

Efficient estimation of the maximum metabolic productivity of batch systems

DOE PAGES

St. John, Peter C.; Crowley, Michael F.; Bomble, Yannick J.

2017-01-31

Production of chemicals from engineered organisms in a batch culture involves an inherent trade-off between productivity, yield, and titer. Existing strategies for strain design typically focus on designing mutations that achieve the highest yield possible while maintaining growth viability. While these methods are computationally tractable, an optimum productivity could be achieved by a dynamic strategy in which the intracellular division of resources is permitted to change with time. New methods for the design and implementation of dynamic microbial processes, both computational and experimental, have therefore been explored to maximize productivity. However, solving for the optimal metabolic behavior under the assumptionmore » that all fluxes in the cell are free to vary is a challenging numerical task. Here, previous studies have therefore typically focused on simpler strategies that are more feasible to implement in practice, such as the time-dependent control of a single flux or control variable.« less

Hi-C and AIA observations of transverse magnetohydrodynamic waves in active regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morton, R. J.; McLaughlin, J. A.

2013-05-01

The recent launch of the High resolution Coronal imager (Hi-C) provided a unique opportunity of studying the EUV corona with unprecedented spatial resolution. We utilize these observations to investigate the properties of low-frequency (50-200 s) active region transverse waves, whose omnipresence had been suggested previously. The five-fold improvement in spatial resolution over SDO/AIA reveals coronal loops with widths 150-310 km and that these loops support transverse waves with displacement amplitudes <50 km. However, the results suggest that wave activity in the coronal loops is of low energy, with typical velocity amplitudes <3 km s-1. An extended time-series of SDO data suggests that low-energy wave behaviour is typical of the coronal structures both before and after the Hi-C observations. Appendix A and five movies associated to Figs. A.2-A.6 are available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org

Visuo-spatial processing in autism--testing the predictions of extreme male brain theory.

PubMed

Falter, Christine M; Plaisted, Kate C; Davis, Greg

2008-03-01

It has been hypothesised that autism is an extreme version of the male brain, caused by high levels of prenatal testosterone (Baron-Cohen 1999). To test this proposal, associations were assessed between three visuo-spatial tasks and prenatal testosterone, indexed in second-to-fourth digit length ratios (2D:4D). The study included children with Autism Spectrum Disorder, ASD (N = 28), and chronological as well as mental age matched typically-developing children (N = 31). While the group with ASD outperformed the control group at Mental Rotation and Figure-Disembedding, these group differences were not related to differences in prenatal testosterone level. Previous findings of an association between Targeting and 2D:4D were replicated in typically-developing children and children with ASD. The implications of these results for the extreme male brain (EMB) theory of autism are discussed.

Plasma brake model for preliminary mission analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orsini, Leonardo; Niccolai, Lorenzo; Mengali, Giovanni; Quarta, Alessandro A.

2018-03-01

Plasma brake is an innovative propellantless propulsion system concept that exploits the Coulomb collisions between a charged tether and the ions in the surrounding environment (typically, the ionosphere) to generate an electrostatic force orthogonal to the tether direction. Previous studies on the plasma brake effect have emphasized the existence of a number of different parameters necessary to obtain an accurate description of the propulsive acceleration from a physical viewpoint. The aim of this work is to discuss an analytical model capable of estimating, with the accuracy required by a preliminary mission analysis, the performance of a spacecraft equipped with a plasma brake in a (near-circular) low Earth orbit. The simplified mathematical model is first validated through numerical simulations, and is then used to evaluate the plasma brake performance in some typical mission scenarios, in order to quantify the influence of the system parameters on the mission performance index.

Performance of JT-60SA divertor Thomson scattering diagnostics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kajita, Shin, E-mail: kajita.shin@nagoya-u.jp; Hatae, Takaki; Tojo, Hiroshi

2015-08-15

For the satellite tokamak JT-60 Super Advanced (JT-60SA), a divertor Thomson scattering measurement system is planning to be installed. In this study, we improved the design of the collection optics based on the previous one, in which it was found that the solid angle of the collection optics became very small, mainly because of poor accessibility to the measurement region. By improvement, the solid angle was increased by up to approximately five times. To accurately assess the measurement performance, background noise was assessed using the plasma parameters in two typical discharges in JT-60SA calculated from the SONIC code. Moreover, themore » influence of the reflection of bremsstrahlung radiation by the wall is simulated by using a ray tracing simulation. The errors in the temperature and the density are assessed based on the simulation results for three typical field of views.« less

Brain correlates of subjective freedom of choice.

PubMed

Filevich, Elisa; Vanneste, Patricia; Brass, Marcel; Fias, Wim; Haggard, Patrick; Kühn, Simone

2013-12-01

The subjective feeling of free choice is an important feature of human experience. Experimental tasks have typically studied free choice by contrasting free and instructed selection of response alternatives. These tasks have been criticised, and it remains unclear how they relate to the subjective feeling of freely choosing. We replicated previous findings of the fMRI correlates of free choice, defined objectively. We introduced a novel task in which participants could experience and report a graded sense of free choice. BOLD responses for conditions subjectively experienced as free identified a postcentral area distinct from the areas typically considered to be involved in free action. Thus, the brain correlates of subjective feeling of free action were not directly related to any established brain correlates of objectively-defined free action. Our results call into question traditional assumptions about the relation between subjective experience of choosing and activity in the brain's so-called voluntary motor areas. Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Brain correlates of subjective freedom of choice

PubMed Central

Filevich, Elisa; Vanneste, Patricia; Brass, Marcel; Fias, Wim; Haggard, Patrick; Kühn, Simone

2013-01-01

The subjective feeling of free choice is an important feature of human experience. Experimental tasks have typically studied free choice by contrasting free and instructed selection of response alternatives. These tasks have been criticised, and it remains unclear how they relate to the subjective feeling of freely choosing. We replicated previous findings of the fMRI correlates of free choice, defined objectively. We introduced a novel task in which participants could experience and report a graded sense of free choice. BOLD responses for conditions subjectively experienced as free identified a postcentral area distinct from the areas typically considered to be involved in free action. Thus, the brain correlates of subjective feeling of free action were not directly related to any established brain correlates of objectively-defined free action. Our results call into question traditional assumptions about the relation between subjective experience of choosing and activity in the brain’s so-called voluntary motor areas. PMID:24021855

Performance of JT-60SA divertor Thomson scattering diagnostics.

PubMed

Kajita, Shin; Hatae, Takaki; Tojo, Hiroshi; Enokuchi, Akito; Hamano, Takashi; Shimizu, Katsuhiro; Kawashima, Hisato

2015-08-01

For the satellite tokamak JT-60 Super Advanced (JT-60SA), a divertor Thomson scattering measurement system is planning to be installed. In this study, we improved the design of the collection optics based on the previous one, in which it was found that the solid angle of the collection optics became very small, mainly because of poor accessibility to the measurement region. By improvement, the solid angle was increased by up to approximately five times. To accurately assess the measurement performance, background noise was assessed using the plasma parameters in two typical discharges in JT-60SA calculated from the SONIC code. Moreover, the influence of the reflection of bremsstrahlung radiation by the wall is simulated by using a ray tracing simulation. The errors in the temperature and the density are assessed based on the simulation results for three typical field of views.

Early conversational environment enables spontaneous belief attribution in deaf children.

PubMed

Meristo, Marek; Strid, Karin; Hjelmquist, Erland

2016-12-01

Previous research suggests that deaf children who grow up with hearing parents display considerable difficulties in understanding mental states of others, up to their teenage years when explicitly asked in a verbal test situation (Meristo et al., 2007). On the other hand, typically developing pre-verbal infants display evidence of spontaneous false belief attribution when tested in looking-time tasks, although verbal tests are typically not passed before the age of 4years (Onishi & Baillargeon, 2005). The purpose of the present study was to examine whether deaf children of hearing parents are able to demonstrate spontaneous belief attribution in a non-verbal eye-tracking task. Thirty 4- to 8-year-old, deaf and hearing children, completed a non-verbal spontaneous-response false-belief task and a verbal elicited-response false-belief task. The deaf children were either children with cochlear implants or children with hearing aids. Comparative analyses were also carried out with a previous sample of deaf and hearing 2-year-olds (reported in Meristo, Morgan, et al., 2012). We found that in the non-verbal spontaneous-response task typically hearing children, but not deaf children, were able to predict that a person with a false belief about an object's location will search erroneously for the object. However, hearing children and deaf children with implants, but not deaf children with hearing aids, passed the verbal elicited-response task. Language development was significantly correlated with both types of false-belief tasks for the whole sample. Our findings strengthen the hypothesis that the emergence of the ability to recognize others' beliefs needs to be supported initially by very early conversational input in dialogues with caregivers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Iconicity influences how effectively minimally verbal children with autism and ability-matched typically developing children use pictures as symbols in a search task.

PubMed

Hartley, Calum; Allen, Melissa L

2015-07-01

Previous word learning studies suggest that children with autism spectrum disorder may have difficulty understanding pictorial symbols. Here we investigate the ability of children with autism spectrum disorder and language-matched typically developing children to contextualize symbolic information communicated by pictures in a search task that did not involve word learning. Out of the participant's view, a small toy was concealed underneath one of four unique occluders that were individuated by familiar nameable objects or unfamiliar unnamable objects. Children were shown a picture of the hiding location and then searched for the toy. Over three sessions, children completed trials with color photographs, black-and-white line drawings, and abstract color pictures. The results reveal zero group differences; neither children with autism spectrum disorder nor typically developing children were influenced by occluder familiarity, and both groups' errorless retrieval rates were above-chance with all three picture types. However, both groups made significantly more errorless retrievals in the most-iconic photograph trials, and performance was universally predicted by receptive language. Therefore, our findings indicate that children with autism spectrum disorder and young typically developing children can contextualize pictures and use them to adaptively guide their behavior in real time and space. However, this ability is significantly influenced by receptive language development and pictorial iconicity. © The Author(s) 2014.

Fingolimod promotes blood-nerve barrier properties in vitro.

PubMed

Nishihara, Hideaki; Maeda, Toshihiko; Sano, Yasuteru; Ueno, Maho; Okamoto, Nana; Takeshita, Yukio; Shimizu, Fumitaka; Koga, Michiaki; Kanda, Takashi

2018-04-01

The main effect of fingolimod is thought to be functional antagonism of lymphocytic S1P1 receptors and the prevention of lymphocyte egress from lymphoid tissues, thereby reducing lymphocyte infiltration into the nervous system. However, a growing number of reports suggest that fingolimod also has a direct effect on several cell types in the nervous system. Although we previously reported that fingolimod enhances blood-brain barrier (BBB) functions, there have been no investigations regarding the blood-nerve barrier (BNB). In this study, we examine how fingolimod affects the BNB. An immortalized human peripheral nerve microvascular endothelial cell line (HPnMEC) was used to evaluate BNB barrier properties. We examined tight junction proteins and barrier functions of HPnMECs in conditioned medium with or without fingolimod-phosphate and blood sera from patients with typical chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP). Incubation with fingolimod-phosphate increased levels of claudin-5 mRNA and protein as well as TEER values in HPnMECs. Conversely, typical CIDP sera decreased claudin-5 mRNA/protein levels and TEER values in HPnMECs; however, pretreatment with fingolimod-phosphate inhibited the effects of the typical CIDP sera. Fingolimod-phosphate directly modifies the BNB and enhances barrier properties. This mechanism may be a viable therapeutic target for CIDP, and fingolimod may be useful in patients with typical CIDP who have severe barrier disruption.

Learning about the internal structure of categories through classification and feature inference.

PubMed

Jee, Benjamin D; Wiley, Jennifer

2014-01-01

Previous research on category learning has found that classification tasks produce representations that are skewed toward diagnostic feature dimensions, whereas feature inference tasks lead to richer representations of within-category structure. Yet, prior studies often measure category knowledge through tasks that involve identifying only the typical features of a category. This neglects an important aspect of a category's internal structure: how typical and atypical features are distributed within a category. The present experiments tested the hypothesis that inference learning results in richer knowledge of internal category structure than classification learning. We introduced several new measures to probe learners' representations of within-category structure. Experiment 1 found that participants in the inference condition learned and used a wider range of feature dimensions than classification learners. Classification learners, however, were more sensitive to the presence of atypical features within categories. Experiment 2 provided converging evidence that classification learners were more likely to incorporate atypical features into their representations. Inference learners were less likely to encode atypical category features, even in a "partial inference" condition that focused learners' attention on the feature dimensions relevant to classification. Overall, these results are contrary to the hypothesis that inference learning produces superior knowledge of within-category structure. Although inference learning promoted representations that included a broad range of category-typical features, classification learning promoted greater sensitivity to the distribution of typical and atypical features within categories.

Health Research Participants’ Preferences for Receiving Research Results

PubMed Central

Long, Christopher R.; Stewart, M. Kathryn; Cunningham, Thomas V.; Warmack, T. Scott; McElfish, Pearl A.

2017-01-01

Background Participants in health research studies typically express interest in receiving results from the studies in which they participate. However, participants’ preferences and experiences related to receiving results are not well understood. In general, existing studies have had relatively small sample sizes and typically address specific and often sensitive issues within targeted populations. Methods The present study used an online survey to explore attitudes and experiences of registrants in ResearchMatch, a large database of past, present, and potential health research participants. Survey respondents provided information related to whether or not they received research results from studies in which they participated, the methods used to communicate results, their satisfaction with results, and when and how they would like to receive research results from future studies. 70,699 ResearchMatch registrants were notified of the study’s topic. Of the 5,207 registrants who requested full information about the study, 3,381 respondents completed the survey. Results Approximately 33% of respondents with previous health research participation reported receiving results. Approximately half of respondents with previous research participation reported no opportunity to request results. However, almost all respondents said researchers should always or sometimes offer results to participants. Respondents expressed particular interest in results related to their (or a loved one's) health, as well as information about studies’ purposes and any medical advances based on the results. In general, respondents’ most preferred dissemination methods for results were email and website postings. The least desirable dissemination methods for results included Twitter, conference calls, and text messages. Across all results, we compare the responses of respondents with and without previous research participation experience, and those who have worked in research organizations vs. those who have not. Compared to respondents who have previous participation experience, a greater proportion of respondents with no participation experience indicated that results should always be shared with participants. Likewise, respondents with no participation experience placed higher importance on the receipt of each type of results information included in the survey. Conclusions We present findings from a survey assessing attitudes and experiences of a broad sample of respondents that addresses gaps in knowledge related to participants’ preferences for receiving results. The study’s findings highlight the potential for inconsistency between respondents’ expressed preferences to receive specific types of results via specific methods and researchers’ unwillingness or inability to provide them. We present specific recommendations to shift the approach of new studies to investigate participants’ preferences for receiving research results. PMID:27562368

Detection and characterization of feline Bartonella henselae in the Czech Republic.

PubMed

Melter, O; Hercík, K; Weyant, R S; Janecek, J; Nemec, A; Mecera, J; Gonzorová, L'; Branny, P

2003-05-29

The aims of the study were to characterize isolates of Bartonella henselae and to determine the prevalence of bacteremic domestic cats in urban and suburban parts of Prague, Czech Republic. Five (18%) gram-negative fastidious bacterial single-cat isolates were recovered from 27 hemocultures incubated without previous freezing. Four of these isolates originated from flea infested stray cats (n=6) and one from a shelter cat without any ectoparasites (n=21). None of the 34 previously frozen specimens from flea free pet cats yielded any bacteria. All five isolates were catalase and oxidase negative. Their enzymatic activity, RFLP profile of citrate synthetase gene (gltA) and DNA-DNA hybridization results were typical of B. henselae. According to their PvuII and BglI ribotypes the isolates could be allocated to two homogeneous groups. Ribotype HindIII and RFLP of 16S-23S rRNA spacer region analysis gave unique profiles different from those of Bartonella quintana, Bartonella elizabethae and Bartonella clarridgeiae. The 16S rRNA type-specific amplification revealed an identical profile typical of B. henselae genotype II for all the cat isolates studied. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) assigned a different profile to each of the isolates studied. Determination of the enzymatic activity, RFLP of gltA gene, RFLP of 16S-23S rRNA spacer region, and HindIII ribotype could be efficient tools for identification of B. henselae isolates. Ribotyping (PvuII, BglI), 16S rRNA typing and PFGE may be useful methods to prospect ecology and epidemiology of the agent.

The effect of different stimulus attributes on the attentional performance of children with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder and dyslexia.

PubMed

Wang, Li-Chih; Tsai, Huang-Ju; Yang, Hsien-Ming

2013-11-01

While teachers have traditionally used the interesting objects to increase student attention in the classroom, evidence supporting the effectiveness of this method is lacking. The present study investigated the influence of different stimulus attributes for typical developing students and for students with attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and dyslexia. Thirty children with ADHD, 30 children with dyslexia, and 30 typical developing students were tested using a measuring tool that was constructed by the authors to assess their sustained attention and selective attention on the geometric-figure assessment and the interesting-figure assessment. The geometric-figure assessment included a square, circle, trapezium, and triangle; and the interesting-figure assessment included a house, cat, hand, and tree. While the typical developing group showed better selective attention on the geometric-figure assessment, there was no difference between the dyslexic group and the ADHD group with respect to selective attention. Furthermore, the typical developing and dyslexic groups did not differ in the geometric-figure assessment in sustained attention and were both better in this area than the ADHD group. In the interesting-figure assessment, the typical developing and dyslexic groups performed similarly in sustained attention, but selective attention of the dyslexic group improved more than the ADHD group, similar to the typical developing group. Both selective attention of the dyslexic group and sustained attention of the ADHD group showed positive significant differences in the interesting-figure assessment, but sustained attention of the dyslexic group and selective attention of the ADHD group showed little difference in the interesting-figure assessment. Surprisingly, the typical developing group did not show any significant difference in the interesting-figure assessment, possibly because they had previously demonstrated a ceiling effect in the geometric-figure assessment. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Restricted Arm Swing Affects Gait Stability and Increased Walking Speed Alters Trunk Movements in Children with Cerebral Palsy

PubMed Central

Delabastita, Tijs; Desloovere, Kaat; Meyns, Pieter

2016-01-01

Observational research suggests that in children with cerebral palsy, the altered arm swing is linked to instability during walking. Therefore, the current study investigates whether children with cerebral palsy use their arms more than typically developing children, to enhance gait stability. Evidence also suggests an influence of walking speed on gait stability. Moreover, previous research highlighted a link between walking speed and arm swing. Hence, the experiment aimed to explore differences between typically developing children and children with cerebral palsy taking into account the combined influence of restricting arm swing and increasing walking speed on gait stability. Spatiotemporal gait characteristics, trunk movement parameters and margins of stability were obtained using three dimensional gait analysis to assess gait stability of 26 children with cerebral palsy and 24 typically developing children. Four walking conditions were evaluated: (i) free arm swing and preferred walking speed; (ii) restricted arm swing and preferred walking speed; (iii) free arm swing and high walking speed; and (iv) restricted arm swing and high walking speed. Double support time and trunk acceleration variability increased more when arm swing was restricted in children with bilateral cerebral palsy compared to typically developing children and children with unilateral cerebral palsy. Trunk sway velocity increased more when walking speed was increased in children with unilateral cerebral palsy compared to children with bilateral cerebral palsy and typically developing children and in children with bilateral cerebral palsy compared to typically developing children. Trunk sway velocity increased more when both arm swing was restricted and walking speed was increased in children with bilateral cerebral palsy compared to typically developing children. It is proposed that facilitating arm swing during gait rehabilitation can improve gait stability and decrease trunk movements in children with cerebral palsy. The current results thereby partly support the suggestion that facilitating arm swing in specific situations possibly enhances safety and reduces the risk of falling in children with cerebral palsy. PMID:27471457

Rolling-element fatigue life of silicon nitride balls: Preliminary test results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parker, R. J.; Zaretsky, E. V.

1972-01-01

Hot pressed silicon nitride was evaluated as a rolling element bearing material. The five-ball fatigue tester was used to test 12.7 mm (0.500 in.) diameter balls at a maximum Hertz stress of 800,000 psi at a race temperature of 130 F. The fatigue spalls in the silicon nitride resembled those in typical bearing steels. The ten-percent fatigue life of the silicon nitride balls was approximately one-eighth to one-fifth that of typical bearing steels (52100 and M-50). The load capacity of the silicon nitride was approximately one-third that of typical bearing steels. The load capacity of the silicon nitride was significantly higher than previously tested ceramic materials for rolling element bearings.

Gross Motor Development, Movement Abnormalities, and Early Identification of Autism

PubMed Central

Young, Gregory S.; Goldring, Stacy; Greiss-Hess, Laura; Herrera, Adriana M.; Steele, Joel; Macari, Suzanne; Hepburn, Susan; Rogers, Sally J.

2015-01-01

Gross motor development (supine, prone, rolling, sitting, crawling, walking) and movement abnormalities were examined in the home videos of infants later diagnosed with autism (regression and no regression subgroups), developmental delays (DD), or typical development. Group differences in maturity were found for walking, prone, and supine, with the DD and Autism-No Regression groups both showing later developing motor maturity than typical children. The only statistically significant differences in movement abnormalities were in the DD group; the two autism groups did not differ from the typical group in rates of movement abnormalities or lack of protective responses. These findings do not replicate previous investigations suggesting that early motor abnormalities seen on home video can assist in early identification of autism. PMID:17805956

Extended Area Exit Pupil Viewer.

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-08-01

viewing to normal Zoom-500 stereomicroscope viewing. Previous EAEP viewers typically have incorporated a spinning lenticular screen and associated...is uncorrected spherical aberration and astigmatism that limit image resolution. The complex optical path in the microscope also makes it inefficient

75 FR 42473 - Request for Renewal of a Previously Approved Information Collection

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-21

.... Typically, subsidized air carriers are small businesses and operate only aircraft of limited size over a... the Office of Management and Budget, Attention: Desk Officer for the Office of the Secretary of...

Waste streams in a typical crewed space habitat: An update

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Golub, M. A.; Wydeven, T.

1992-01-01

A compilation of generation rates and chemical compositions of potential waste streams in a typical crewed space habitat, reported in a prior NASA Technical Memorandum and a related journal article, was updated. This report augments that compilation by the inclusion of the following new data: those data uncovered since completion of the prior report; those obtained from Soviet literature relevant to life support issues; and those for various minor human body wastes not presented previously (saliva, flatus, hair, finger- and toenails, dried skin and skin secretions, tears, and semen), but included here for purposes of completeness. These waste streams complement those discussed previously: toilet waste (urine, feces, etc.), hygiene water (laundry, shower/handwash, dishwasher water and cleansing agents), trash, humidity condensate, perspiration and respiration water, trace contaminants, and dust generation. This report also reproduces the latest information on the environmental control and life support system design parameters for Space Station Freedom.

A Systematic Study on the Generation of Multimetallic Lanthanide Fullerene ions by Laser Ablation Mass Spectrometry.

PubMed

Wang, Yiyun; Ma, LiFu; Mu, Lei; Ren, Juan; Kong, Xianglei

2018-06-01

Laser ablation masss spectromety has been previously proved to be a powerful tool for studying endohedro metallofullerene (EMF) ions. Our previous study showed the possiblity of forming multi-metallofullerene ions containg more than six metal atoms for La, Y and Lu. Thus, it is important to conduct a systematic study on the generation of multi-metallofullerenes and their distribuitons for all lanthanide elements. Experiments were performed on a 7.0 T Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT ICR) mass spectrometer. Laser ablation mass spectra were obtained by laser irradiation on mixtures of graphene and MCl 3 on a stainless steel plate, applying a 355 nm Nd: YAG laser with a typical energy of 2.5 mJ/pulse. Reaction test experiments were performed by introducing O 2 into the FT ICR cell with a pulse valve. Multi-metallofullerene ions Ce2-4C2m+, Pr2-4C2m+, Gd2-4C2m+, Nd3C2m+, Dy2-3C2m+, Tb2-7C2m+, Ho2-6C2m+ were observed in the mass spectra. For metal Sm and Eu, no multi-metallofullerene ion was observed. No reaction with O 2 was observed in the reaction experiments, verifying that these species had endohedral structures. For the observed series of multi-metallofullerene ions, tri-metallofullerene ions dominated their mass spectra. The results were further compared with previously generated EMF ions for La, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu. Endohedral lanthanide metallofullerene ions were generated by laser ablation of graphene and the corresponding metal salts MCl 3 (M = Ce, Pr, Nd, Gd, Tb, Dy and Ho) and studied with a FT ICR mass spectrometer. Typically, multi-metallofullerene ions of TbnC2m+2≤n≤780≤2m≤176, Ho6C2m+2≤n≤674≤2m≤162 were observed. The results show that the formation of multi-EMF ions containing lanthanides that have +3 and +4 oxidation states is easier than those containing +2 oxidation states in the process of laser ablation. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

An investigation of the security of caregiver attachment during middle childhood in children with high-functioning autistic disorder.

PubMed

Chandler, Felicity; Dissanayake, Cheryl

2014-07-01

Previous research has investigated caregiver attachment relationships in children with autism during early childhood, with few differences found from matched control groups. However, little is known of this relationship during middle childhood (ages 8-12 years). In this study, the aim was to establish whether there are differences in the security of attachment in children with high-functioning autism compared to typically developing children. A secondary aim was to establish whether caregivers' perceptions of their child's attachment to them accorded with the children's own reports. Twenty-one children with high-functioning autism and 17 typically developing children were administered the Kerns Security Scale and the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment-Revised, and caregivers completed the same questionnaires from the viewpoint of their child. There were no differences between the groups in the children's and parents' reports of attachment security. Parents' and children's reports were moderately correlated on the Kerns Security Scale but were not correlated on the Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment-Revised. The results indicate that levels of attachment security in children with high-functioning autism are not different from those in typically developing children. © The Author(s) 2013.

Classifying sensory profiles of children in the general population.

PubMed

Little, L M; Dean, E; Tomchek, S D; Dunn, W

2017-01-01

The aim of this study was to subtype groups of children in a community sample with and without developmental conditions, based on sensory processing patterns. We used latent profile analysis to determine the number of sensory subtypes in a sample of n = 1132 children aged 3-14 years with typical development and developmental conditions, including autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and learning disabilities. A five-subtype solution was found to best characterize the sample, which differed on overall degree and differential presentation of sensory processing patterns. Children with and without developmental conditions presented across subtypes, and one subtype was significantly younger in age than others (P < 0.05). Our results show that sensory subtypes include both children with typical development and those with developmental conditions. Sensory subtypes have previously been investigated in ASD only, and our results suggest that similar sensory subtypes are present in a sample reflective of the general population of children including those largely with typical development. Elevated scores on sensory processing patterns are not unique to ASD but rather are reflections of children's abilities to respond to environmental demands. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The non-evaluative circumplex of personality adjectives.

PubMed

Saucier, G; Ostendorf, F; Peabody, D

2001-08-01

In judgments about personality, descriptive and evaluative aspects are ordinarily combined; separating them can be important both theoretically and practically. Study 1 showed that two similar descriptive factors can be found in analyses of personality terms, selected independently in English and in German and using different methods to control for evaluation. The factors relate to two pairs of independent axes suggested by previous work: Assertive-Unassertive and Tight-Loose, or alternatively, Interactional Orientation (Extraversion-Introversion) and Affective Orientation. These two pairs of axes are shown to be rotations of each other, and to form the prime non-evaluative circumplex. As in previous studies, non-evaluative scales elicited higher levels of self-peer agreement than did more typical evaluation-confounded scales. Study 2 showed that adjective scales for the octants of this circumplex have circular ordering, can fit even very stringent constraints of a circumplex model, have mild to strong isomorphism with the interpersonal circumplex, but represent somewhat broader constructs, and are systematically related to the Big Five and the Big Three personality factors.

Energy Performance and Optimal Control of Air-conditioned Buildings Integrated with Phase Change Materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Na

This thesis presents an overview of the previous research work on dynamic characteristics and energy performance of buildings due to the integration of PCMs. The research work on dynamic characteristics and energy performance of buildings using PCMs both with and without air-conditioning is reviewed. Since the particular interest in using PCMs for free cooling and peak load shifting, specific research efforts on both subjects are reviewed separately. A simplified physical dynamic model of building structures integrated with SSPCM (shaped-stabilized phase change material) is developed and validated in this study. The simplified physical model represents the wall by 3 resistances and 2 capacitances and the PCM layer by 4 resistances and 2 capacitances respectively while the key issue is the parameter identification of the model. This thesis also presents the studies on the thermodynamic characteristics of buildings enhanced by PCM and on the investigation of the impacts of PCM on the building cooling load and peak cooling demand at different climates and seasons as well as the optimal operation and control strategies to reduce the energy consumption and energy cost by reducing the air-conditioning energy consumption and peak load. An office building floor with typical variable air volume (VAV) air-conditioning system is used and simulated as the reference building in the comparison study. The envelopes of the studied building are further enhanced by integrating the PCM layers. The building system is tested in two selected cities of typical climates in China including Hong Kong and Beijing. The cold charge and discharge processes, the operation and control strategies of night ventilation and the air temperature set-point reset strategy for minimizing the energy consumption and electricity cost are studied. This thesis presents the simulation test platform, the test results on the cold storage and discharge processes, the air-conditioning energy consumption and demand reduction potentials in typical air-conditioning seasons in typical China cites as well as the impacts of operation and control strategies.

Infrared properties of serendipitous X-ray quasars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neugebauer, G.; Soifer, B. T.; Matthews, K.; Margon, B.; Chanan, G. A.

1982-01-01

Near infrared measurements were obtained of 30 quasars originally found serendipitously as X-ray sources in fields of other objects. The observations show that the infrared characteristics of these quasars do not differ significantly from those of quasars selected by other criteria. Because this X-ray selected sample is subject to different selection biases than previous radio and optical surveys, this conclusion is useful in validating previous inferences regarding the infrared colors of 'typical' quasars.

Ulcerative colitis followed by the development of typical intestinal Behçet disease: A case report.

PubMed

Zhu, Zhenhua; Shu, Xu; Long, Shunhua; Jiang, Xiaozhen; Lu, Nonghua; Zhu, Xuan; Liao, Wangdi

2018-02-01

Intestinal Behçet disease (intestinal BD) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) share a lot of characteristics, including genetic background, clinical manifestations, and therapeutic strategies, especially the extraintestinal manifestations, such as oral ulcers, arthralgia, eye lesions, skin lesions, etc, but the coexistence of these 2 diseases are uncommon. Behçet disease with gastrointestinal involvement in ulcerative colitis (UC) patient has been reported in just 1 previous case report, but, which can not be diagnosed as definite intestinal BD based on Korean novel diagnositic criteria due to lacking the typical ileocecal ulcer. We present a 23-year-old woman with ulcerative disease who developed typical intestinal BD, which is the first case report of patient with coexisting UC and typical intestinal BD. This patient was diagnosed as coexistence of intestinal BD and UC base on the clinical manifestations, extra intestinal manifestations and typical colonoscopic findings. Steroid and methotrexate were administered. This patient achieved clinical remission and mucosal healing. Coexistence of intestinal BD and UC is uncommon, and the combination with steroid, methotrexate, and 5-aminosalicylic acids is an effective therapy.

Disorders of representation and control in semantic cognition: Effects of familiarity, typicality, and specificity

PubMed Central

Rogers, Timothy T.; Patterson, Karalyn; Jefferies, Elizabeth; Lambon Ralph, Matthew A.

2015-01-01

We present a case-series comparison of patients with cross-modal semantic impairments consequent on either (a) bilateral anterior temporal lobe atrophy in semantic dementia (SD) or (b) left-hemisphere fronto-parietal and/or posterior temporal stroke in semantic aphasia (SA). Both groups were assessed on a new test battery designed to measure how performance is influenced by concept familiarity, typicality and specificity. In line with previous findings, performance in SD was strongly modulated by all of these factors, with better performance for more familiar items (regardless of typicality), for more typical items (regardless of familiarity) and for tasks that did not require very specific classification, consistent with the gradual degradation of conceptual knowledge in SD. The SA group showed significant impairments on all tasks but their sensitivity to familiarity, typicality and specificity was more variable and governed by task-specific effects of these factors on controlled semantic processing. The results are discussed with reference to theories about the complementary roles of representation and manipulation of semantic knowledge. PMID:25934635

Differential immune responses and microbiota profiles in children with autism spectrum disorders and co-morbid gastrointestinal symptoms.

PubMed

Rose, Destanie R; Yang, Houa; Serena, Gloria; Sturgeon, Craig; Ma, Bing; Careaga, Milo; Hughes, Heather K; Angkustsiri, Kathy; Rose, Melissa; Hertz-Picciotto, Irva; Van de Water, Judy; Hansen, Robin L; Ravel, Jacques; Fasano, Alessio; Ashwood, Paul

2018-05-01

Many studies have reported the increased presence of gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Altered microbiome profiles, pro-inflammatory responses and impaired intestinal permeability have been observed in children with ASD and co-morbid GI symptoms, yet few studies have compared these findings to ASD children without GI issues or similarly aged typical developing children. The aim of this study was to determine whether there are biological signatures in terms of immune dysfunction and microbiota composition in children with ASD with GI symptoms. Children were enrolled in one of four groups: ASD and GI symptoms of irregular bowel habits (ASD GI ), children with ASD but without current or previous GI symptoms (ASD NoGI ), typically developing children with GI symptoms (TD GI ) and typically developing children without current or previous GI symptoms (TD NoGI ). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were isolated from the blood, stimulated and assessed for cytokine production, while stool samples were analyzed for microbial composition. Following Toll-Like receptor (TLR)-4 stimulation, the ASD GI group produced increased levels of mucosa-relevant cytokines including IL-5, IL-15 and IL-17 compared to ASD NoGI . The production of the regulatory cytokine TGFβ1 was decreased in the ASD GI group compared with both the ASD NoGI and TD NoGI groups. Analysis of the microbiome at the family level revealed differences in microbiome composition between ASD and TD children with GI symptoms; furthermore, a predictive metagenome functional content analysis revealed that pathways were differentially represented between ASD and TD subjects, independently of the presence of GI symptoms. The ASD GI also showed an over-representation of the gene encoding zonulin, a molecule regulating gut permeability, compared to the other groups. Overall our findings suggest that children with ASD who experience GI symptoms have an imbalance in their immune response, possibly influenced by or influencing metagenomic changes, and may have a propensity to impaired gut barrier function which may contribute to their symptoms and clinical outcome. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Rubella maculopathy.

PubMed Central

Orth, D H; Fishman, G A; Segall, M; Bhatt, A; Yassur, Y

1980-01-01

Three patients with known history of congenital rubella and sudden decrease of vision are presented. Two of the 3 patients had previous eye examinations which showed typical rubella (salt and pepper) retinopathy. All 3 showed macular lesions associated with presumed subretinal neovascularisation. Images PMID:6155934

Selectivity of N170 for visual words in the right hemisphere: Evidence from single-trial analysis.

PubMed

Yang, Hang; Zhao, Jing; Gaspar, Carl M; Chen, Wei; Tan, Yufei; Weng, Xuchu

2017-08-01

Neuroimaging and neuropsychological studies have identified the involvement of the right posterior region in the processing of visual words. Interestingly, in contrast, ERP studies of the N170 typically demonstrate selectivity for words more strikingly over the left hemisphere. Why is right hemisphere selectivity for words during the N170 epoch typically not observed, despite the clear involvement of this region in word processing? One possibility is that amplitude differences measured on averaged ERPs in previous studies may have been obscured by variation in peak latency across trials. This study examined this possibility by using single-trial analysis. Results show that words evoked greater single-trial N170s than control stimuli in the right hemisphere. Additionally, we observed larger trial-to-trial variability on N170 peak latency for words as compared to control stimuli over the right hemisphere. Results demonstrate that, in contrast to much of the prior literature, the N170 can be selective to words over the right hemisphere. This discrepancy is explained in terms of variability in trial-to-trial peak latency for responses to words over the right hemisphere. © 2017 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

Warfarin sensitivity genotyping: a review of the literature and summary of patient experience.

PubMed

Moyer, Thomas P; O'Kane, Dennis J; Baudhuin, Linnea M; Wiley, Carmen L; Fortini, Alexandre; Fisher, Pamela K; Dupras, Denise M; Chaudhry, Rajeev; Thapa, Prabin; Zinsmeister, Alan R; Heit, John A

2009-12-01

The antithrombotic benefits of warfarin are countered by a narrow therapeutic index that contributes to excessive bleeding or cerebrovascular clotting and stroke in some patients. This article reviews the current literature describing warfarin sensitivity genotyping and compares the results of that review to the findings of our study in 189 patients at Mayo Clinic conducted between June 2001 and April 2003. For the review of the literature, we identified relevant peer-reviewed articles by searching the Web of Knowledge using key word warfarin-related adverse event. For the 189 Mayo Clinic patients initiating warfarin therapy to achieve a target international normalized ratio (INR) in the range of 2.0 to 3.5, we analyzed the CYP2C9 (cytochrome P450 2C9) and VKORC1 (vitamin K epoxide reductase complex, subunit 1) genetic loci to study the relationship among the initial warfarin dose, steady-state dose, time to achieve steady-state dose, variations in INR, and allelic variance. Results were compared with those previously reported in the literature for 637 patients. The relationships between allelic variants and warfarin sensitivity found in our study of Mayo Clinic patients are fundamentally the same as in those reported by others. The Mayo Clinic population is predominantly white and shows considerable allelic variability in CYP2C9 and VKORC1. Certain of these alleles are associated with increased sensitivity to warfarin. Polymorphisms in CYP2C9 and VKORC1 have a considerable effect on warfarin dose in white people. A correlation between steady-state warfarin dose and allelic variants of CYP2C9 and VKORC1 has been demonstrated by many previous reports and is reconfirmed in this report. The allelic variants found to most affect warfarin sensitivity are CYP2C9*1*1-VKORC1BB (less warfarin sensitivity than typical); CYP2C9*1*1-VKORC1AA (considerable variance in INR throughout initiation); CYP2C9*1*2-VKORC1AB (more sensitivity to warfarin than typical); CYP2C9*1*3-VKORC1AB (much more sensitivity to warfarin than typical); CYP2C9*1*2-VKORC1AB (much more sensitivity to warfarin than typical); CYP2C9*1*3-VKORC1AA (much more sensitivity to warfarin than typical); and CYP2C9*2*2-VKORC1AB (much more sensitivity to warfarin than typical). Although we were unable to show an association between allelic variants and initial warfarin dose or dose escalation, an association was seen between allelic variant and steady-state warfarin dose. White people show considerable variance in CYP2C9 allele types, whereas people of Asian or African descent infrequently carry CYP2C9 allelic variants. The VKORC1AA allele associated with high warfarin sensitivity predominates in those of Asian descent, whereas white people and those of African descent show diversity, carrying either the VKORC1BB, an allele associated with low warfarin sensitivity, or VKORC1AB or VKORC1AA, alleles associated with moderate and high warfarin sensitivity, respectively.

Personality traits, autobiographical memory and knowledge of self and others: A comparative study in young people with autism spectrum disorder.

PubMed

Robinson, Sally; Howlin, Patricia; Russell, Ailsa

2017-04-01

The relationship between dissociable components of autobiographical memory (e.g. semantic personality traits and episodic memory retrieval) and other cognitive skills that are proposed to enable one to develop a sense of self (e.g. introspection) have not previously been explored for children with autism spectrum disorder. This study compared autobiographical memory (semantic and episodic) and knowledge of self (internal/external self-knowledge and introspection/mentalising abilities) in children (aged 11-18 years) with high-functioning autism spectrum disorder and typically developing controls (total N = 48). Novel and standard tasks were employed. Compared to typically developing controls, young people with autism spectrum disorder had autobiographical memory difficulties that were characterised by a reduction in the retrieval of semantic personality traits, with more initial prompts required to facilitate episodic memory retrieval and fewer episodic memories containing emotional and sensory information. Knowledge of the self and others was also impaired, with reduced introspection and poorer mentalising abilities. Young people with autism spectrum disorder were also identified as presenting with an atypical relationship between autobiographical memory and self-knowledge, which was significantly different from typically developing controls. Test performance is discussed in relation to the functions of autobiographical memory, with consideration of how these cognitive difficulties may contribute to clinical practices and the social and behavioural characteristics of autism spectrum disorder.

Inhibition of misleading heuristics as a core mechanism for typical cognitive development: evidence from behavioural and brain-imaging studies.

PubMed

Borst, Grégoire; Aïte, Ania; Houdé, Olivier

2015-04-01

Cognitive development is generally conceived as incremental with knowledge of increasing complexity acquired throughout childhood and adolescence. However, several studies have now demonstrated not only that infants possess complex cognitive abilities but also that older children, adolescents, and adults tend to make systematic errors even in simple logical reasoning tasks. Therefore, one of the main issues for any theory of typical cognitive development is to provide an explanation of why at some age and in some contexts children, adolescents, and adults do not express a knowledge or cognitive principle that they already acquired when they were younger. In this review, we present convergent behavioural and neurocognitive evidence that cognitive development is more similar to a non-linear dynamic system than to a linear, stage-like system. In this theoretical framework, errors can emerge in problems similar to the ones infants or young children were succeeding when older children, adolescents, and adults rely on a misleading heuristic rather than on the correct logical algorithm to solve such problems. And the core mechanism for overcoming these errors is inhibitory control (i.e. the ability to inhibit the misleading heuristics). Therefore, typical cognitive development relies not only on the ability to acquire knowledge of incremental complexity but also to inhibit previously acquired knowledge. © 2015 The Authors. Developmental Medicine & Child Neurology © 2015 Mac Keith Press.

Ovarian Epithelial Inclusions With Mucinous Differentiation: A Clinicopathologic Study of 42 Cases.

PubMed

Seidman, Jeffrey D; Krishnan, Jayashree

2017-07-01

Ovarian epithelial inclusions lined by mucinous epithelium are rare and of uncertain origin. Ovaries containing such inclusions were studied in 42 women. The inclusions were divided into 3 groups: serous epithelial lined with typical ciliated morphology but with distinct basophilic cytoplasmic mucin in some or all of the lining cells, those lined by typical mucinous epithelium, and those lined by a combination of typical mucinous epithelium and serous epithelium. The mean patient age was 61.5 years. Pure mucinous inclusions were found in 27 patients, serous-type inclusions with cytoplasmic mucin in 20, and mixed type in 10. All 3 types of inclusions were found in 1 patient. Two types of inclusions were found in 13. Four patients had associated mucinous neoplasms (1 mucinous cystadenoma, 1 atypical proliferative seromucinous tumor, and 2 seromucinous cystadenomas), and 11 patients (26%) had endometriosis. The fallopian tubes in 4 patients (9.5%) also displayed mucinous metaplasia; this was not significantly different from the 3.1% we found in our previously reported series of unselected tubes from the same population. These findings suggest that mucinous inclusions may arise as a direct metaplastic change in serous-type inclusions. Other possible origins of mucinous inclusions in the ovarian cortex include endometriosis and Brenner (transitional cell) nests. Whether such inclusions can be a source of mucinous ovarian neoplasms as are Brenner tumors and mature cystic teratomas is unknown and may warrant further investigation.

Walking like an ant: a quantitative and experimental approach to understanding locomotor mimicry in the jumping spider Myrmarachne formicaria

PubMed Central

Hoy, Ron R.; Cohen, Itai; Beatus, Tsevi

2017-01-01

Protective mimicry, in which a palatable species avoids predation by being mistaken for an unpalatable model, is a remarkable example of adaptive evolution. These complex interactions between mimics, models and predators can explain similarities between organisms beyond the often-mechanistic constraints typically invoked in studies of convergent evolution. However, quantitative studies of protective mimicry typically focus on static traits (e.g. colour and shape) rather than on dynamic traits like locomotion. Here, we use high-speed cameras and behavioural experiments to investigate the role of locomotor behaviour in mimicry by the ant-mimicking jumping spider Myrmarachne formicaria, comparing its movement to that of ants and non-mimicking spiders. Contrary to previous suggestions, we find mimics walk using all eight legs, raising their forelegs like ant antennae only when stationary. Mimics exhibited winding trajectories (typical wavelength = 5–10 body lengths), which resemble the winding patterns of ants specifically engaged in pheromone-trail following, although mimics walked on chemically inert surfaces. Mimics also make characteristically short (approx. 100 ms) pauses. Our analysis suggests that this makes mimics appear ant-like to observers with slow visual systems. Finally, behavioural experiments with predatory spiders yield results consistent with the protective mimicry hypothesis. These findings highlight the importance of dynamic behaviours and observer perception in mimicry. PMID:28701553

Higgs enhancement for the dark matter relic density

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harz, Julia; Petraki, Kalliopi

2018-04-01

We consider the long-range effect of the Higgs on the density of thermal-relic dark matter. While the electroweak gauge boson and gluon exchange have been previously studied, the Higgs is typically thought to mediate only contact interactions. We show that the Sommerfeld enhancement due to a 125 GeV Higgs can deplete TeV-scale dark matter significantly and describe how the interplay between the Higgs and other mediators influences this effect. We discuss the importance of the Higgs enhancement in the minimal supersymmetric standard model and its implications for experiments.

[Proprioceptive sensitivity and orofacial functions].

PubMed

Auriol, M; Coutand, A; Crinetz, V; Chomette, G; Doumit, A; Lucht, M

1985-01-01

Proprioceptive sensibility from stimulation of muscle, ligament articular and vestibular receptors plays a determining role in the regulation of tone, of the resting position of the mandible, of head posture and of the closure pathway of the mandible. Studies conducted on temporomandibular joints of fetuses and adult subjects failed to demonstrate the specialized corpuscles (a fact previously noted by Ramfjord) in the temporomaxillary joint capsule, described typically in other joints. In contrast, however, histology showed a particularly rich population of muscle receptors adjacent to this joint, this being only one of several particular characteristics.

Uxoricide in pregnancy: ancient Greek domestic violence in evolutionary perspective.

PubMed

Deacy, Susan; McHardy, Fiona

2013-10-24

Previous studies of ancient Greek examples of uxoricide in pregnancy have concluded that the theme is used to suggest tyrannical abuse of power and that the violence is a product of the patriarchal nature of ancient society. This article uses evolutionary analyses of violence during pregnancy to argue that the themes of sexual jealousy and uncertainty over paternity are as crucial as the theme of power to an understanding of these examples and that the examples can be seen as typical instances of spousal abuse as it occurs in all types of society.

From the front line, report from a near paperless hospital: mixed reception among health care professionals.

PubMed

Lium, Jan-Tore; Laerum, Hallvard; Schulz, Tom; Faxvaag, Arild

2006-01-01

Many Norwegian hospitals that are equipped with an electronic medical record (EMR) system now have proceeded to withdraw the paper-based medical record from clinical workflow. In two previous survey-based studies on the effect of removing the paper-based medical record on the work of physicians, nurses and medical secretaries, we concluded that to scan and eliminate the paper based record was feasible, but that the medical secretaries were the group that reported to benefit the most from the change. To further explore the effects of removing the paper based record, especially in regard to medical personnel, we now have conducted a follow up study of a hospital that has scanned and eliminated its paper-based record. A survey of 27 physicians, 60 nurses and 30 medical secretaries was conducted. The results were compared with those from a previous study conducted three years earlier at the same department. The questionnaire (see online Appendix) covered the frequency of use of the EMR system for specific tasks by physicians, nurses and medical secretaries, the ease of performing these tasks compared to previous routines, user satisfaction and computer literacy. Both physicians and nurses displayed increased use of the EMR compared to the previous study, while medical secretaries reported generally unchanged but high use. The increase in use was not accompanied by a similar change in factors such as computer literacy or technical changes, suggesting that these typical success factors are necessary but not sufficient.

An Experimental Characterization of Damping Properties of Thermal Barrier Coatings at Elevated Temperatures

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-01

zirconium. For the standard, Brayton open-cycle, gas turbine, typical of modern aircraft power plants, the thermodynamic efficiency is heavily driven by...linearize the radiation emission term around Ti,j0 from a previous the previous step, Taylor expand, and rearrange Eq. (23) in terms of Ti,j to apply as...York: Wiley. 2004. Nilsson, J. W., and Riedel, S. A. Electric Circuits. Prentice Hall. 2007. 512 Noda, N. Thermal Stresses. Taylor & Francis. 2002

Advanced High-Power Generator Research Program

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-05-01

lOOx ............. ... 3A-6 3A-3 Carbides in the Inconel are Well Broken Up. No Continuous Networks as in Previous Bonds. Unetched. Magnified 225X.. 3A...7 3A-4 Carbides in the Inconel are Well Broken Uo. No Continuous Networks as in Previous Bonds. Unetched. Magnified 225X.. 3A-7 3A-5 Carbides are Well...3A-9 3A-8 Typical Tensile Rupture. Failure Occurred with Inconel 718 Carbide Precipitation Zone. Magnified 225X

A quantitative approach to combine sources in stable isotope mixing models

EPA Science Inventory

Stable isotope mixing models, used to estimate source contributions to a mixture, typically yield highly uncertain estimates when there are many sources and relatively few isotope elements. Previously, ecologists have either accepted the uncertain contribution estimates for indiv...

Neurocognitive findings in compulsive sexual behavior: a preliminary study.

PubMed

Derbyshire, Katherine L; Grant, Jon E

2015-06-01

BACKGROUND AND AIMS :Compulsive sexual behavior (CSB) is a common behavior affecting 3-6% of the population, characterized by repetitive and intrusive sexual urges or behaviors that typically cause negative social and emotional consequences. For this small pilot study on neurological data, we compared 13 individuals with CSB and gender- matched healthy controls on diagnostic assessments and computerized neurocognitive testing. No significant differences were found between the groups. These data contradict a common hypothesis that CSB is cognitively different from those without psychiatric comorbidities as well as previous research on impulse control disorders and alcohol dependence. Further research is needed to better understand and classify CSB based on these findings.

Cultural Differences in Donation Decision-Making.

PubMed

Wang, Yan; Tang, Yi-Yuan; Wang, Jinjun

2015-01-01

Decisions to help those in need are essential for human development and survival. Previous studies have demonstrated the "identified effect", in which one identifiable individual typically invokes stronger feelings of compassion and receives greater aid than statistical victim. However, this preference might be influenced by cultural differences. In the current study, Chinese respondents' ratings of distress and sympathy and their willingness to contribute are greater for a group of sick children than an individual. In the U.S., greater willingness to help and sympathy are elicited by an identified victim in comparison with an unidentified one. The different results may demonstrate the importance of cultural differences when trying to understand people's prosocial behavior.

HIV Transmission: Myths about Casual Contact and Fear about Medical Procedures Persist Among Older Adults.

PubMed

Hughes, Anne K; Alford, Kristen R

2017-01-02

HIV infection among older adults is increasing. Previous research suggests that many older adults do not see themselves as at risk for HIV and that many subscribe to myths related to HIV transmission. In this focus group study (N = 48) we solicited the beliefs that older adults held about HIV. The older adults in this study were knowledgeable about how HIV is typically transmitted. However, we also identified that they subscribed to misconceptions regarding casual contact transmission and were fearful of transmission from the medical system. Educational efforts aimed at older adults must be tailored to address these persistent misconceptions.

Laterality and unilateral deafness: Patients with congenital right ear deafness do not develop atypical language dominance.

PubMed

Van der Haegen, Lise; Acke, Frederic; Vingerhoets, Guy; Dhooge, Ingeborg; De Leenheer, Els; Cai, Qing; Brysbaert, Marc

2016-12-01

Auditory speech perception, speech production and reading lateralize to the left hemisphere in the majority of healthy right-handers. In this study, we investigated to what extent sensory input underlies the side of language dominance. We measured the lateralization of the three core subprocesses of language in patients who had profound hearing loss in the right ear from birth and in matched control subjects. They took part in a semantic decision listening task involving speech and sound stimuli (auditory perception), a word generation task (speech production) and a passive reading task (reading). The results show that a lack of sensory auditory input on the right side, which is strongly connected to the contralateral left hemisphere, does not lead to atypical lateralization of speech perception. Speech production and reading were also typically left lateralized in all but one patient, contradicting previous small scale studies. Other factors such as genetic constraints presumably overrule the role of sensory input in the development of (a)typical language lateralization. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Geocode of River Networks in Global Plateaus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ni, J.; Wang, Y.; Wang, T.

2017-12-01

As typical hierarchical systems, river networks are of great significance to aquatic organisms and its diversity. Different aspects of river networks have been investigated in previous studies such as network structure, formation cause, material transport, nutrient cycle and habitat variation. Nevertheless, river networks function as biological habitat is far from satisfactory in plateau areas. This paper presents a hierarchical method for habitat characterization of plateau river networks with the geocode extracted from abiotic factors including historical geologic period, climate zone, water source and geomorphic process at different spatial scales. As results, characteristics of biological response with vertical differentiation within typical plateau river networks are elucidated. Altitude, climate and landform are of great influence to habitat and thereby structure of aquatic community, while diverse water source and exogenic action would influence biological abundance or spatiotemporal distribution. Case studies are made in the main stream of the Yellow River and the Yangtze River, respectively extended to the river source to Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, which demonstrate high potentials for decision making support to river protection, ecological rehabilitation and sustainable management of river ecosystems.

a Study on Satellite Diagnostic Expert Systems Using Case-Based Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Young-Tack; Kim, Jae-Hoon; Park, Hyun-Soo

1997-06-01

Many research works are on going to monitor and diagnose diverse malfunctions of satellite systems as the complexity and number of satellites increase. Currently, many works on monitoring and diagnosis are carried out by human experts but there are needs to automate much of the routine works of them. Hence, it is necessary to study on using expert systems which can assist human experts routine work by doing automatically, thereby allow human experts devote their expertise more critical and important areas of monitoring and diagnosis. In this paper, we are employing artificial intelligence techniques to model human experts' knowledge and inference the constructed knowledge. Especially, case-based approaches are used to construct a knowledge base to model human expert capabilities which use previous typical exemplars. We have designed and implemented a prototype case-based system for diagnosing satellite malfunctions using cases. Our system remembers typical failure cases and diagnoses a current malfunction by indexing the case base. Diverse methods are used to build a more user friendly interface which allows human experts can build a knowledge base in as easy way.

Novel Maximum-based Timing Acquisition for Spread-Spectrum Communications

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sibbetty, Taylor; Moradiz, Hussein; Farhang-Boroujeny, Behrouz

This paper proposes and analyzes a new packet detection and timing acquisition method for spread spectrum systems. The proposed method provides an enhancement over the typical thresholding techniques that have been proposed for direct sequence spread spectrum (DS-SS). The effective implementation of thresholding methods typically require accurate knowledge of the received signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), which is particularly difficult to estimate in spread spectrum systems. Instead, we propose a method which utilizes a consistency metric of the location of maximum samples at the output of a filter matched to the spread spectrum waveform to achieve acquisition, and does not require knowledgemore » of the received SNR. Through theoretical study, we show that the proposed method offers a low probability of missed detection over a large range of SNR with a corresponding probability of false alarm far lower than other methods. Computer simulations that corroborate our theoretical results are also presented. Although our work here has been motivated by our previous study of a filter bank multicarrier spread-spectrum (FB-MC-SS) system, the proposed method is applicable to DS-SS systems as well.« less

Participation in leisure activities among boys with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Shimoni, Ma'ayan; Engel-Yeger, Batya; Tirosh, Emanuel

2010-01-01

ADHD is a neural developmental disorder expressed in various life settings. Yet, previous studies have focused mainly on children's function in school and academic achievement. The purpose of the present study was, therefore, to examine participation patterns in outside formal school activities among boys with ADHD compared to typical boys. Participants included 25 boys aged 8-11 years with ADHD and 25 age-matched typical boys. All participants completed the Children's Assessment of Participation and Enjoyment (CAPE). Several aspects of participation were examined: diversity, intensity, enjoyment, place, and partners in 49 extra curricular activities. The findings indicate that boys with ADHD reported significant lower intensity rates of participation in most activity domains. Furthermore, boys with ADHD also reported higher diversity scores and lower enjoyment in 'formal' activities. Yet, no significant differences were found with regard to activity place and partners. These findings enhance the importance of providing therapy that refers to after school activities. Accordingly, CAPE can be useful for assessing boys with ADHD and planning appropriate intervention programs. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Origin of temperature plateaus in laser-heated diamond anvil cell experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Geballe, Zachary M.; Jeanloz, Raymond

2012-06-01

Many high-pressure high-temperature studies using laser-heated diamond cells have documented plateaus in the increase of temperature with increasing laser power or with time. By modeling heat transfer in typical laser-heated diamond anvil cell experiments, we demonstrate that latent heat due to melting or other phase transformation is unlikely to be the source of observed plateaus in any previously published studies, regardless of whether pulsed or continuous lasers were used. Rather, large increases (˜10-fold) in thermal conductivity can explain some of the plateaus, and modest increases in reflectivity (tens of percent) can explain any or all of them. Modeling also shows that the sub-microsecond timescale of heating employed in recent pulsed heating experiments is fast enough compared to heat transport into and through typical insulations, but too slow compared to heat transport into metallic laser absorbers themselves to allow the detection of a large plateau due to latent heat of fusion. Four new designs are suggested for future experiments that could use the simple observation of a latent heat-induced plateau to provide reliable high-pressure melting data.

The effect of pressure anisotropy on ballooning modes in tokamak plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnston, A.; Hole, M. J.; Qu, Z. S.; Hezaveh, H.

2018-06-01

Edge Localised Modes are thought to be caused by a spectrum of magnetohydrodynamic instabilities, including the ballooning mode. While ballooning modes have been studied extensively both theoretically and experimentally, the focus of the vast majority of this research has been on isotropic plasmas. The prevalence of pressure anisotropy in modern tokamaks thus motivates further study of these modes. This paper presents a numerical analysis of ballooning modes in anisotropic equilibria. The investigation was conducted using the newly-developed codes HELENA+ATF and MISHKA-A, which adds anisotropic physics to equilibria and stability analysis. We have examined the impact of anisotropy on the stability of an n = 30 ballooning mode, confirming results conform to previous calculations in the isotropic limit. Growth rates of ballooning modes in equilibria with different levels of anisotropy were then calculated using the stability code MISHKA-A. The key finding was that the level of anisotropy had a significant impact on ballooning mode growth rates. For {T}\\perp > {T}| | , typical of ICRH heating, the growth rate increases, while for {T}\\perp < {T}| | , typical of neutral beam heating, the growth rate decreases.

Active Learning Not Associated with Student Learning in a Random Sample of College Biology Courses

PubMed Central

Andrews, T. M.; Leonard, M. J.; Colgrove, C. A.; Kalinowski, S. T.

2011-01-01

Previous research has suggested that adding active learning to traditional college science lectures substantially improves student learning. However, this research predominantly studied courses taught by science education researchers, who are likely to have exceptional teaching expertise. The present study investigated introductory biology courses randomly selected from a list of prominent colleges and universities to include instructors representing a broader population. We examined the relationship between active learning and student learning in the subject area of natural selection. We found no association between student learning gains and the use of active-learning instruction. Although active learning has the potential to substantially improve student learning, this research suggests that active learning, as used by typical college biology instructors, is not associated with greater learning gains. We contend that most instructors lack the rich and nuanced understanding of teaching and learning that science education researchers have developed. Therefore, active learning as designed and implemented by typical college biology instructors may superficially resemble active learning used by education researchers, but lacks the constructivist elements necessary for improving learning. PMID:22135373

Theory of mind in children with and without autism spectrum disorder: Associations with the sibling constellation.

PubMed

Matthews, Nicole L; Goldberg, Wendy A

2018-04-01

The two prior studies that have examined associations between the sibling constellation and theory of mind in autism spectrum disorder yielded discrepant findings. Thus, efforts to better understand the sibling-theory of mind link in autism spectrum disorder are necessary. This study examined a sample of prekindergarten- and kindergarten-aged (i.e. 4-6 years) typically developing children ( n = 39) and verbal children with autism spectrum disorder ( n = 61). Sibling presence, number of siblings, and having younger and older siblings were positively associated with theory of mind in typically developing children, but not in the full sample of children with autism spectrum disorder. However, in the subgroup of children with autism spectrum disorder without sibling recurrence, the presence of at least one older sibling was positively associated with theory of mind. Findings expand previous limited research on the sibling-theory of mind link in children with autism spectrum disorder by demonstrating a potential difference in the influence of the sibling constellation between children from simplex and multiplex families.

Quantitative force measurements in liquid using frequency modulation atomic force microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uchihashi, Takayuki; Higgins, Michael J.; Yasuda, Satoshi; Jarvis, Suzanne P.; Akita, Seiji; Nakayama, Yoshikazu; Sader, John E.

2004-10-01

The measurement of short-range forces with the atomic force microscope (AFM) typically requires implementation of dynamic techniques to maintain sensitivity and stability. While frequency modulation atomic force microscopy (FM-AFM) is used widely for high-resolution imaging and quantitative force measurements in vacuum, quantitative force measurements using FM-AFM in liquids have proven elusive. Here we demonstrate that the formalism derived for operation in vacuum can also be used in liquids, provided certain modifications are implemented. To facilitate comparison with previous measurements taken using surface forces apparatus, we choose a model system (octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane) that is known to exhibit short-ranged structural ordering when confined between two surfaces. Force measurements obtained are found to be in excellent agreement with previously reported results. This study therefore establishes FM-AFM as a powerful tool for the quantitative measurement of forces in liquid.

Does beverage type and drinking context matter in an alcohol-related injury? Evidence from emergency department patients in Latin America.

PubMed

Andreuccetti, Gabriel; Carvalho, Heraclito B; Ye, Yu; Bond, Jason; Monteiro, Maristela; Borges, Guilherme; Cherpitel, Cheryl J

2014-04-01

Previous studies have already substantiated alcohol's causal role in injuries. Yet the role that alcoholic beverage preferences and the drinking context play in the risk for injury is still under-investigated. In this study, a cross-national comparison of the association between alcohol and injury focusing on beverage type preference and the drinking context is reported. Emergency department (ED) injured patients were interviewed in eight countries from the Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) region. Data on the type of alcoholic beverage, total alcohol volume, and the place where the injury occurred were obtained from patients who reported any alcohol consumption within 6h prior to being injured. Patients who did not drink prior to injury were also asked about their typical drinking pattern and the injury place. Differences within- and between-groups were evaluated regarding patients' typical drinking and drinking before injury. Beer was the most prevalent beverage type usually consumed among injured patients across countries, however, patients who drank before injury had a higher typical consumption of spirits than those not drinking prior to injury. The total alcohol volume typically consumed and drinking in public settings were also found to be positively associated with alcohol-related injury. A similar beverage-specific association with alcohol-related injury was found across LAC countries, mainly attributed to beer consumption, and spirits drinkers seem to have a greater chance of becoming involved in injury events. Future prevention strategies should inform the public about harms from drinking associated with the context in which drinking takes place. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Extraversion Is a Mediator of Gelotophobia: A Study of Autism Spectrum Disorder and the Big Five.

PubMed

Tsai, Meng-Ning; Wu, Ching-Lin; Tseng, Lei-Pin; An, Chih-Pei; Chen, Hsueh-Chih

2018-01-01

Previous research has shown that individuals with autism are frequently mocked in their childhood and are consequently more anxious about being ridiculed. Research has also shown that autistic individuals have a higher level of gelotophobia (fear of being laughed at) compared to typically developed individuals. However, recent studies have also found that gelotophobia is strongly related to personality, which suggests that personality is a factor that helps to create a higher level of gelotophobia in autistic individuals. To investigate whether this is the case, we recruited 279 Taiwanese high school students, 123 with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and 156 typically developed students as a control group. Self-reporting questionnaires were used to gather data on the Big Five personality traits and on the gelotophobia-related traits of gelotophobia, gelotophilia, and katagelasticism. The results were analyzed and the two groups were compared for differences in gelotophobia and personality. The ASD group was found to have a higher level of gelotophobia than the typically developed group, but lower levels of gelotophilia and katagelasticism. Additionally, the ASD group was found to have lower levels of extraversion and agreeableness than the typically developed group, but no significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of conscientiousness, openness, and emotional stability. We then investigated the possible correlations between gelotophobia-related traits and the Big Five, and consequently the mediation effect of the Big Five on gelotophobia. The results show, firstly, that extraversion rather than ASD is a direct factor in gelotophobia. Secondly, the level of gelotophilia was partly influenced by autism but also to a certain extent by the level of extraversion. Lastly, the results indicate that autism and the level of agreeableness are in conflict when predicting the level of katagelasticism.

Foveal Processing Under Concurrent Peripheral Load in Profoundly Deaf Adults

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Development of the visual system typically proceeds in concert with the development of audition. One result is that the visual system of profoundly deaf individuals differs from that of those with typical auditory systems. While past research has suggested deaf people have enhanced attention in the visual periphery, it is still unclear whether or not this enhancement entails deficits in central vision. Profoundly deaf and typically hearing adults were administered a variant of the useful field of view task that independently assessed performance on concurrent central and peripheral tasks. Identification of a foveated target was impaired by a concurrent selective peripheral attention task, more so in profoundly deaf adults than in the typically hearing. Previous findings of enhanced performance on the peripheral task were not replicated. These data are discussed in terms of flexible allocation of spatial attention targeted towards perceived task demands, and support a modified “division of labor” hypothesis whereby attentional resources co-opted to process peripheral space result in reduced resources in the central visual field. PMID:26657078

Meteorological variables associated with deep slab avalanches on persistent weak layers

USGS Publications Warehouse

Marienthal, Alex; Hendrikx, Jordy; Birkeland, Karl; Irvine, Kathryn M.

2014-01-01

Deep slab avalanches are a particularly challenging avalanche forecasting problem. These avalanches are typically difficult to trigger, yet when they are triggered they tend to propagate far and result in large and destructive avalanches. For this work we define deep slab avalanches as those that fail on persistent weak layers deeper than 0.9m (3 feet), and that occur after February 1st. We utilized a 44-year record of avalanche control and meteorological data from Bridger Bowl Ski Area to test the usefulness of meteorological variables for predicting deep slab avalanches. As in previous studies, we used data from the days preceding deep slab cycles, but we also considered meteorological metrics over the early months of the season. We utilized classification trees for our analyses. Our results showed warmer temperatures in the prior twenty-four hours and more loading over the seven days before days with deep slab avalanches on persistent weak layers. In line with previous research, extended periods of above freezing temperatures led to days with deep wet slab avalanches on persistent weak layers. Seasons with either dry or wet avalanches on deep persistent weak layers typically had drier early months, and often had some significant snow depth prior to those dry months. This paper provides insights for ski patrollers, guides, and avalanche forecasters who struggle to forecast deep slab avalanches on persistent weak layers late in the season.

Parametrization of DFTB3/3OB for Magnesium and Zinc for Chemical and Biological Applications

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

We report the parametrization of the approximate density functional theory, DFTB3, for magnesium and zinc for chemical and biological applications. The parametrization strategy follows that established in previous work that parametrized several key main group elements (O, N, C, H, P, and S). This 3OB set of parameters can thus be used to study many chemical and biochemical systems. The parameters are benchmarked using both gas-phase and condensed-phase systems. The gas-phase results are compared to DFT (mostly B3LYP), ab initio (MP2 and G3B3), and PM6, as well as to a previous DFTB parametrization (MIO). The results indicate that DFTB3/3OB is particularly successful at predicting structures, including rather complex dinuclear metalloenzyme active sites, while being semiquantitative (with a typical mean absolute deviation (MAD) of ∼3–5 kcal/mol) for energetics. Single-point calculations with high-level quantum mechanics (QM) methods generally lead to very satisfying (a typical MAD of ∼1 kcal/mol) energetic properties. DFTB3/MM simulations for solution and two enzyme systems also lead to encouraging structural and energetic properties in comparison to available experimental data. The remaining limitations of DFTB3, such as the treatment of interaction between metal ions and highly charged/polarizable ligands, are also discussed. PMID:25178644

Performance of children with developmental dyslexia on high and low topological entropy artificial grammar learning task.

PubMed

Katan, Pesia; Kahta, Shani; Sasson, Ayelet; Schiff, Rachel

2017-07-01

Graph complexity as measured by topological entropy has been previously shown to affect performance on artificial grammar learning tasks among typically developing children. The aim of this study was to examine the effect of graph complexity on implicit sequential learning among children with developmental dyslexia. Our goal was to determine whether children's performance depends on the complexity level of the grammar system learned. We conducted two artificial grammar learning experiments that compared performance of children with developmental dyslexia with that of age- and reading level-matched controls. Experiment 1 was a high topological entropy artificial grammar learning task that aimed to establish implicit learning phenomena in children with developmental dyslexia using previously published experimental conditions. Experiment 2 is a lower topological entropy variant of that task. Results indicated that given a high topological entropy grammar system, children with developmental dyslexia who were similar to the reading age-matched control group had substantial difficulty in performing the task as compared to typically developing children, who exhibited intact implicit learning of the grammar. On the other hand, when tested on a lower topological entropy grammar system, all groups performed above chance level, indicating that children with developmental dyslexia were able to identify rules from a given grammar system. The results reinforced the significance of graph complexity when experimenting with artificial grammar learning tasks, particularly with dyslexic participants.

Combinatorial semantics strengthens angular-anterior temporal coupling.

PubMed

Molinaro, Nicola; Paz-Alonso, Pedro M; Duñabeitia, Jon Andoni; Carreiras, Manuel

2015-04-01

The human semantic combinatorial system allows us to create a wide number of new meanings from a finite number of existing representations. The present study investigates the neural dynamics underlying the semantic processing of different conceptual constructions based on predictions from previous neuroanatomical models of the semantic processing network. In two experiments, participants read sentences for comprehension containing noun-adjective pairs in three different conditions: prototypical (Redundant), nonsense (Anomalous) and low-typical but composable (Contrastive). In Experiment 1 we examined the processing costs associated to reading these sentences and found a processing dissociation between Anomalous and Contrastive word pairs, compared to prototypical (Redundant) stimuli. In Experiment 2, functional connectivity results showed strong co-activation across conditions between inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) and posterior middle temporal gyrus (MTG), as well as between these two regions and middle frontal gyrus (MFG), anterior temporal cortex (ATC) and fusiform gyrus (FG), consistent with previous neuroanatomical models. Importantly, processing of low-typical (but composable) meanings relative to prototypical and anomalous constructions was associated with a stronger positive coupling between ATC and angular gyrus (AG). Our results underscore the critical role of IFG-MTG co-activation during semantic processing and how other relevant nodes within the semantic processing network come into play to handle visual-orthographic information, to maintain multiple lexical-semantic representations in working memory and to combine existing representations while creatively constructing meaning. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fathers' Depression Related to Positive and Negative Parenting Behaviors With 1-Year-Old Children

PubMed Central

Davis, Matthew M.; Freed, Gary L.; Clark, Sarah J.

2011-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To examine the associations between depression in fathers of 1-year-old children and specific positive and negative parenting behaviors discussed by pediatric providers at well-child visits. METHODS: We performed a cross-sectional secondary analysis by using interview data from 1746 fathers of 1-year-old children in the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study. Positive parenting behaviors included fathers' reports of playing games, singing songs, and reading stories to their children ≥3 days in a typical week. Negative parenting behavior included fathers' reports of spanking their 1-year-old children in the previous month. Depression was assessed by using the World Health Organization Composite International Diagnostic Interview Short Form. Weighted bivariate and multivariate analyses of parenting behaviors were performed while controlling for demographics and paternal substance abuse. RESULTS: Overall, 7% of fathers had depression. In bivariate analyses, depressed fathers were more likely than nondepressed fathers to report spanking their 1-year-old children in the previous month (41% compared with 13%; P < .01). In multivariate analyses, depressed fathers were less likely to report reading to their children ≥3 days in a typical week (adjusted odds ratio: 0.38 [95% confidence interval: 0.15–0.98]) and much more likely to report spanking (adjusted odds ratio: 3.92 [95% confidence interval: 1.23–12.5]). Seventy-seven percent of depressed fathers reported talking to their children's doctor in the previous year. CONCLUSIONS: Paternal depression is associated with parenting behaviors relevant to well-child visits. Pediatric providers should consider screening fathers for depression, discussing specific parenting behaviors (eg, reading to children and appropriate discipline), and referring for treatment if appropriate. PMID:21402627

Resounding failure to replicate links between developmental language disorder and cerebral lateralisation

PubMed Central

Bishop, Dorothy V.M.

2018-01-01

Background It has been suggested that failure to establish cerebral lateralisation may be related to developmental language disorder (DLD). There has been weak support for any link with handedness, but more consistent reports of associations with functional brain lateralisation for language. The consistency of lateralisation across different functions may also be important. We aimed to replicate previous findings of an association between DLD and reduced laterality on a quantitative measure of hand preference (reaching across the midline) and on language laterality assessed using functional transcranial Doppler ultrasound (fTCD). Methods From a sample of twin children aged from 6;0 to 11;11 years, we identified 107 cases of DLD and 156 typically-developing comparison cases for whom we had useable data from fTCD yielding a laterality index (LI) for language function during an animation description task. Handedness data were also available for these children. Results Indices of handedness and language laterality for this twin sample were similar to those previously reported for single-born children. There were no differences between the DLD and TD groups on measures of handedness or language lateralisation, or on a categorical measure of consistency of left hemisphere dominance. Contrary to prediction, there was a greater incidence of right lateralisation for language in the TD group (19.90%) than the DLD group (9.30%), confirming that atypical laterality is not inconsistent with typical language development. We also failed to replicate associations between language laterality and language test scores. Discussion and Conclusions Given the large sample studied here and the range of measures, we suggest that previous reports of atypical manual or language lateralisation in DLD may have been false positives. PMID:29333343

Impact of finite rate chemistry on the hydrodynamic stability of shear flows in turbulent lean premixed combustion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dagan, Yuval; Ghoniem, Ahmed

2017-11-01

Recent experimental observations show that the dynamic response of a reactive flow is strongly impacted by the fuel chemistry. In order to gain insight into some of the underlying mechanisms we formulate a new linear stability model that incorporates the impact of finite rate chemistry on the hydrodynamic stability of shear flows. Contrary to previous studies which typically assume that the velocity field is independent of the kinetic rates, the velocity field in our study is coupled with the temperature field. Using this formulation, we reproduce previous results, e.g., most unstable global modes, obtained for non-reacting shear flow. Moreover, we show that these modes are significantly altered in frequency and gain by the presence of a reaction region within the shear layer. This qualitatively agrees with results of our recent experimental and numerical studies, which show that the flame surface location relative to the shear layer influences the stability characteristics in combustion tunnels. This study suggests a physical explanation for the observed impact of finite rate chemistry on shear flow stability.

Modulation of network pacemaker neurons by oxygen at the anaerobic threshold.

PubMed

Hill, Andrew A V; Simmers, John; Meyrand, Pierre; Massabuau, Jean-Charles

2012-07-01

Previous in vitro and in vivo studies showed that the frequency of rhythmic pyloric network activity in the lobster is modulated directly by oxygen partial pressure (PO(2)). We have extended these results by (1) increasing the period of exposure to low PO(2) and by (2) testing the sensitivity of the pyloric network to changes in PO(2) that are within the narrow range normally experienced by the lobster (1 to 6 kPa). We found that the pyloric network rhythm was indeed altered by changes in PO(2) within the range typically observed in vivo. Furthermore, a previous study showed that the lateral pyloric constrictor motor neuron (LP) contributes to the O(2) sensitivity of the pyloric network. Here, we expanded on this idea by testing the hypothesis that pyloric pacemaker neurons also contribute to pyloric O(2) sensitivity. A 2-h exposure to 1 kPa PO(2), which was twice the period used previously, decreased the frequency of an isolated group of pacemaker neurons, suggesting that changes in the rhythmogenic properties of these cells contribute to pyloric O(2) sensitivity during long-term near-anaerobic (anaerobic threshold, 0.7-1.2 kPa) conditions.

Ultraendurance triathlon participation: typical race preparation of lower level triathletes.

PubMed

Gulbin, J P; Gaffney, P T

1999-03-01

This study sought to describe the training preparations and performances of lower level ultraendurance triatheletes. The lower level or typical ultraendurance athlete was defined as any participant eligible to compete, irrespective of ability. participants completed a retrospective questionnaire related to their athletic background, triathlon experience and performances, and training preparation. all competitors in the 1995 Lanzarote Ironman (i.m.) triathlon had the opportunity to complete the questionnaire in the days prior to the race. 242 (230 m, 12 f) or 45% of the entire race field completed the questionnaire. measures of central tendency were used to describe all data. Forward step-wise multiple regression techniques were used to predict performance from training variables. Statistical significance was accepted at p < 0.05. Mean finish time for all study participants was 11.76 hours. Subjects were 34.2 +/- 8.8 years, 1.77 +/- 0.07 m, and 70.8 +/- 7.1 kg. They had 6.0 +/- 3.2 years experience in triathlon, had completed 3.0 +/- 4.1 IM races, and spent 21.5 +/- 10.8 weeks preparing for the IM. Training distances/week for swimming, cycling and running, were 8.8 +/- 4.3 km, 270 +/- 107 km, and 58.2 +/- 21.9 km, at a pace of 18.1 min/km, 31.8 km/hr, and 4.55 min/km respectively. Previous best performances in Olympic distance triathlon (1.5/40/10) coupled with weekly cycling distances and longest training ride, could partially predict overall performance (R2 = 0.57). Finishing an IM requires less training than has been previously reported in studies that have primarily focused on elite competitors. Additionally, training distances appear to be a more important factor for competitive success than training paces.

Ghosts in the machine: memory interference from the previous trial.

PubMed

Papadimitriou, Charalampos; Ferdoash, Afreen; Snyder, Lawrence H

2015-01-15

Previous memoranda can interfere with the memorization or storage of new information, a concept known as proactive interference. Studies of proactive interference typically use categorical memoranda and match-to-sample tasks with categorical measures such as the proportion of correct to incorrect responses. In this study we instead train five macaques in a spatial memory task with continuous memoranda and responses, allowing us to more finely probe working memory circuits. We first ask whether the memoranda from the previous trial result in proactive interference in an oculomotor delayed response task. We then characterize the spatial and temporal profile of this interference and ask whether this profile can be predicted by an attractor network model of working memory. We find that memory in the current trial shows a bias toward the location of the memorandum of the previous trial. The magnitude of this bias increases with the duration of the memory period within which it is measured. Our simulations using standard attractor network models of working memory show that these models easily replicate the spatial profile of the bias. However, unlike the behavioral findings, these attractor models show an increase in bias with the duration of the previous rather than the current memory period. To model a bias that increases with current trial duration we posit two separate memory stores, a rapidly decaying visual store that resists proactive interference effects and a sustained memory store that is susceptible to proactive interference. Copyright © 2015 the American Physiological Society.

Ghosts in the machine: memory interference from the previous trial

PubMed Central

Ferdoash, Afreen; Snyder, Lawrence H.

2014-01-01

Previous memoranda can interfere with the memorization or storage of new information, a concept known as proactive interference. Studies of proactive interference typically use categorical memoranda and match-to-sample tasks with categorical measures such as the proportion of correct to incorrect responses. In this study we instead train five macaques in a spatial memory task with continuous memoranda and responses, allowing us to more finely probe working memory circuits. We first ask whether the memoranda from the previous trial result in proactive interference in an oculomotor delayed response task. We then characterize the spatial and temporal profile of this interference and ask whether this profile can be predicted by an attractor network model of working memory. We find that memory in the current trial shows a bias toward the location of the memorandum of the previous trial. The magnitude of this bias increases with the duration of the memory period within which it is measured. Our simulations using standard attractor network models of working memory show that these models easily replicate the spatial profile of the bias. However, unlike the behavioral findings, these attractor models show an increase in bias with the duration of the previous rather than the current memory period. To model a bias that increases with current trial duration we posit two separate memory stores, a rapidly decaying visual store that resists proactive interference effects and a sustained memory store that is susceptible to proactive interference. PMID:25376781

Ameloblastic fibrosarcoma. Report of a case in a Nigerian.

PubMed

Adekeye, E O; Edwards, M B; Goubran, G F

1978-08-01

Ameloblastic fibrosarcoma is very rare and has not previously been reported from Nigeria. The case described here had typical clinical features, but the microscopic findings were unusual and difficult to interpret. The pathogenetic relationship between ameloblastic fibroma and fibrosarcoma is discussed.

The Role of Religiosity on Postsecondary Degree Attainment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Sang Min; Puig, Ana; Clark, Mary Ann

2007-01-01

Although previous researchers found that several individual, family, and school characteristics influenced adolescents' academic performance, religion related factors have not typically been considered for models of bachelor's degree attainment. Using longitudinal data in a national database, the authors examined the relationship between high…

Color Perception in Pediatric Patient Room Design: American versus Korean Pediatric Patients.

PubMed

Phillip Park, Jin Gyu; Park, Changbae

2013-01-01

This study simultaneously addresses the issues of the scarcity of information about pediatric patient color preferences, conflicting findings about the impact of culture on color preferences, and limitations of previous research instruments. Effects of culture and gender on color preferences were investigated using American and Korean pediatric patients. Much of the existing research in environmental design has focused on environments for healthy children and adults, but those findings cannot be confidently applied to environments for pediatric patients. In previous studies, the impact of culture on color preferences has been suggested, though the effects appear to vary. Moreover, the results of previous studies were typically based on perceptions of small color chips, which are different from seeing a color on wall surfaces. Previous studies also failed to control for confounding variables such as color attributes and light sources. Instead of using color chips, this study used physical model simulation to investigate environmental color preferences in real contexts. Cultural difference was found in white. Other than white, no significant cultural difference was found. Gender differences were found across both of the groups. Korean pediatric patients showed significantly higher preference scores for white than Americans did. Other than white, both groups reported blue and green as their most preferred colors; white was the least preferred. Both groups reported similar gender effects. Overall, male patients reported significantly lower preference scores for red and purple than female patients did. These results can help healthcare providers and professionals better understand appropriate colors for pediatric populations. Evidence-based design, healing environment, patients, pediatric, satisfaction.

On the influence of typicality and age of acquisition on semantic processing: Diverging evidence from behavioural and ERP responses.

PubMed

Räling, Romy; Holzgrefe-Lang, Julia; Schröder, Astrid; Wartenburger, Isabell

2015-08-01

Various behavioural studies show that semantic typicality (TYP) and age of acquisition (AOA) of a specific word influence processing time and accuracy during the performance of lexical-semantic tasks. This study examines the influence of TYP and AOA on semantic processing at behavioural (response times and accuracy data) and electrophysiological levels using an auditory category-member-verification task. Reaction time data reveal independent TYP and AOA effects, while in the accuracy data and the event-related potentials predominantly effects of TYP can be found. The present study thus confirms previous findings and extends evidence found in the visual modality to the auditory modality. A modality-independent influence on semantic word processing is manifested. However, with regard to the influence of AOA, the diverging results raise questions on the origin of AOA effects as well as on the interpretation of offline and online data. Hence, results will be discussed against the background of recent theories on N400 correlates in semantic processing. In addition, an argument in favour of a complementary use of research techniques will be made. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integration of chemical scrubber with sodium hypochlorite and surfactant for removal of hydrocarbons in cooking oil fume.

PubMed

Cheng, Hsin-Han; Hsieh, Chu-Chin

2010-10-15

There are many types of technologies to control cooking oil fumes (COFs), but current typical technologies, such as electrostatic precipitator, conventional scrubber, catalyst, or condenser, are unable to efficiently remove the odorous materials present in COFs which are the primary cause of odor-complaint cases. There is also a lack of information about using sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl) and surfactants to remove contaminants in COFs, and previous studies lack on-site investigations in restaurants. This study presents a chemical scrubber integrated with an automatic control system (ACS) to treat hydrocarbons (HCs) in COFs, and to monitor non-methane HCs (NMHC) and odor as indicators for its efficiency evaluation. The chemical scrubber effectively treats hydrophobic substances in COFs by combining surfactant and NaOCl under optimal operational conditions with NHMC removal efficiency as high as 85%. The mass transfer coefficient (K(L)a) of NMHC was enhanced by 50% under the NaOCl and surfactant conditions, as compared to typical wet scrubber. Further, this study establishes the fuzzy equations of the ACS, including the relationship between the removal efficiency and K(L)a, liquid/gas ratio, pH and C(NaOCl). 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Three-dimensional particle tracking in concave structures made by ultraviolet nanoimprint via total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy and refractive-index-matching method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujinami, Taku; Kigami, Hiroshi; Unno, Noriyuki; Taniguchi, Jun; Satake, Shin-ichi

2018-06-01

Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM) is a promising method for measuring fluid flow close to a wall with nanoscale resolution in a process that is termed "multilayer nanoparticle image velocimetry" (MnPIV). TIRFM uses evanescent light that is generated on a substrate (typically a glass slide) by total internal reflection of light. Many researchers have previously studied x- y- z (3D) flows of water close to flat glass slides using MnPIV. On the other hand, a fluid flow close to a structured surface is also important. To measure flows of water near micro-patterns, we previously developed an MnPIV technique that uses a refractive-index-matching method. In previous study, the micropattern is made of a thermoplastic material with a refractive index that closely matches that of water. In this study, ultraviolet nanoimprint lithography was used for fabricating the appropriate micro-patterns because this technique can fabricate a pattern with a high resolution. As a result, we succeeded in performing MnPIV in water with a circular hole array pattern made by ultraviolet nanoimprint using a refractive-index-matching method. We believe that this technique will be helpful in elucidating fluid flows around microstructures.

Three-dimensional particle tracking in concave structures made by ultraviolet nanoimprint via total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy and refractive-index-matching method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujinami, Taku; Kigami, Hiroshi; Unno, Noriyuki; Taniguchi, Jun; Satake, Shin-ichi

2018-03-01

Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM) is a promising method for measuring fluid flow close to a wall with nanoscale resolution in a process that is termed "multilayer nanoparticle image velocimetry" (MnPIV). TIRFM uses evanescent light that is generated on a substrate (typically a glass slide) by total internal reflection of light. Many researchers have previously studied x-y-z (3D) flows of water close to flat glass slides using MnPIV. On the other hand, a fluid flow close to a structured surface is also important. To measure flows of water near micro-patterns, we previously developed an MnPIV technique that uses a refractive-index-matching method. In previous study, the micropattern is made of a thermoplastic material with a refractive index that closely matches that of water. In this study, ultraviolet nanoimprint lithography was used for fabricating the appropriate micro-patterns because this technique can fabricate a pattern with a high resolution. As a result, we succeeded in performing MnPIV in water with a circular hole array pattern made by ultraviolet nanoimprint using a refractive-index-matching method. We believe that this technique will be helpful in elucidating fluid flows around microstructures.

Application of spatial synoptic classification in evaluating links between heat stress and cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in Prague, Czech Republic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urban, Aleš; Kyselý, Jan

2018-01-01

Spatial synoptic classification (SSC) is here first employed in assessing heat-related mortality and morbidity in Central Europe. It is applied for examining links between weather patterns and cardiovascular (CVD) mortality and morbidity in an extended summer season (16 May-15 September) during 1994-2009. As in previous studies, two SSC air masses (AMs)—dry tropical (DT) and moist tropical (MT)—are associated with significant excess CVD mortality in Prague, while effects on CVD hospital admissions are small and insignificant. Excess mortality for ischaemic heart diseases is more strongly associated with DT, while MT has adverse effect especially on cerebrovascular mortality. Links between the oppressive AMs and excess mortality relate also to conditions on previous days, as DT and MT occur in typical sequences. The highest CVD mortality deviations are found 1 day after a hot spell's onset, when temperature as well as frequency of the oppressive AMs are highest. Following this peak is typically DT- to MT-like weather transition, characterized by decrease in temperature and increase in humidity. The transition between upward (DT) and downward (MT) phases is associated with the largest excess CVD mortality, and the change contributes to the increased and more lagged effects on cerebrovascular mortality. The study highlights the importance of critically evaluating SSC's applicability and benefits within warning systems relative to other synoptic and epidemiological approaches. Only a subset of days with the oppressive AMs is associated with excess mortality, and regression models accounting for possible meteorological and other factors explain little of the mortality variance.

Compensatory processing during rule-based category learning in older adults.

PubMed

Bharani, Krishna L; Paller, Ken A; Reber, Paul J; Weintraub, Sandra; Yanar, Jorge; Morrison, Robert G

2016-01-01

Healthy older adults typically perform worse than younger adults at rule-based category learning, but better than patients with Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease. To further investigate aging's effect on rule-based category learning, we monitored event-related potentials (ERPs) while younger and neuropsychologically typical older adults performed a visual category-learning task with a rule-based category structure and trial-by-trial feedback. Using these procedures, we previously identified ERPs sensitive to categorization strategy and accuracy in young participants. In addition, previous studies have demonstrated the importance of neural processing in the prefrontal cortex and the medial temporal lobe for this task. In this study, older adults showed lower accuracy and longer response times than younger adults, but there were two distinct subgroups of older adults. One subgroup showed near-chance performance throughout the procedure, never categorizing accurately. The other subgroup reached asymptotic accuracy that was equivalent to that in younger adults, although they categorized more slowly. These two subgroups were further distinguished via ERPs. Consistent with the compensation theory of cognitive aging, older adults who successfully learned showed larger frontal ERPs when compared with younger adults. Recruitment of prefrontal resources may have improved performance while slowing response times. Additionally, correlations of feedback-locked P300 amplitudes with category-learning accuracy differentiated successful younger and older adults. Overall, the results suggest that the ability to adapt one's behavior in response to feedback during learning varies across older individuals, and that the failure of some to adapt their behavior may reflect inadequate engagement of prefrontal cortex.

Incremental Phonological Encoding during Unscripted Sentence Production

PubMed Central

Jaeger, T. Florian; Furth, Katrina; Hilliard, Caitlin

2012-01-01

We investigate phonological encoding during unscripted sentence production, focusing on the effect of phonological overlap on phonological encoding. Previous work on this question has almost exclusively employed isolated word production or highly scripted multi-word production. These studies have led to conflicting results: some studies found that phonological overlap between two words facilitates phonological encoding, while others found inhibitory effects. One worry with many of these paradigms is that they involve processes that are not typical to everyday language use, which calls into question to what extent their findings speak to the architectures and mechanisms underlying language production. We present a paradigm to investigate the consequences of phonological overlap between words in a sentence while leaving speakers much of the lexical and structural choices typical in everyday language use. Adult native speakers of English described events in short video clips. We annotated the presence of disfluencies and the speech rate at various points throughout the sentence, as well as the constituent order. We find that phonological overlap has an inhibitory effect on phonological encoding. Specifically, if adjacent content words share their phonological onset (e.g., hand the hammer), they are preceded by production difficulty, as reflected in fluency and speech rate. We also find that this production difficulty affects speakers’ constituent order preferences during grammatical encoding. We discuss our results and previous works to isolate the properties of other paradigms that resulted in facilitatory or inhibitory results. The data from our paradigm also speak to questions about the scope of phonological planning in unscripted speech and as to whether phonological and grammatical encoding interact. PMID:23162515

Compensatory Processing During Rule-Based Category Learning in Older Adults

PubMed Central

Bharani, Krishna L.; Paller, Ken A.; Reber, Paul J.; Weintraub, Sandra; Yanar, Jorge; Morrison, Robert G.

2016-01-01

Healthy older adults typically perform worse than younger adults at rule-based category learning, but better than patients with Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease. To further investigate aging's effect on rule-based category learning, we monitored event-related potentials (ERPs) while younger and neuropsychologically typical older adults performed a visual category-learning task with a rule-based category structure and trial-by-trial feedback. Using these procedures, we previously identified ERPs sensitive to categorization strategy and accuracy in young participants. In addition, previous studies have demonstrated the importance of neural processing in the prefrontal cortex and the medial temporal lobe for this task. In this study, older adults showed lower accuracy and longer response times than younger adults, but there were two distinct subgroups of older adults. One subgroup showed near-chance performance throughout the procedure, never categorizing accurately. The other subgroup reached asymptotic accuracy that was equivalent to that in younger adults, although they categorized more slowly. These two subgroups were further distinguished via ERPs. Consistent with the compensation theory of cognitive aging, older adults who successfully learned showed larger frontal ERPs when compared with younger adults. Recruitment of prefrontal resources may have improved performance while slowing response times. Additionally, correlations of feedback-locked P300 amplitudes with category-learning accuracy differentiated successful younger and older adults. Overall, the results suggest that the ability to adapt one's behavior in response to feedback during learning varies across older individuals, and that the failure of some to adapt their behavior may reflect inadequate engagement of prefrontal cortex. PMID:26422522

Atypical antipsychotic usage among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.

PubMed

Takeshita, Junji; Goebert, Deborah; Else, Iwalani; Carlton, Barry; Matsu, Courtenay; Guerrero, Anthony

2014-09-01

Previous studies have shown significant ethnic differences in prescribing patterns of two or more antipsychotics. This study examined changes in atypical and typical antipsychotic prescriptions among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Five hundred consecutive charts were reviewed for antipsychotics at the time of admission and discharge from each of two inpatient psychiatric facilities in Hawai'i. Multiple antipsychotic prescription rates were 9% at intake and 6% at discharge. For the ethnic groups studied, there were no statistically significant differences by patient ethnicity regarding antipsychotics at intake (χ(2) = 29.2, df = 21, P = .110) or discharge (χ(2) = 20.5, df = 24, P = .667). There were no significant differences in prescription and polypharmacy patterns among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders ethnic groups in this study.

Phase transition of traveling waves in bacterial colony pattern

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wakano, Joe Yuichiro; Komoto, Atsushi; Yamaguchi, Yukio

2004-05-01

Depending on the growth condition, bacterial colonies can exhibit different morphologies. Many previous studies have used reaction diffusion equations to reproduce spatial patterns. They have revealed that nonlinear reaction term can produce diverse patterns as well as nonlinear diffusion coefficient. Typical reaction term consists of nutrient consumption, bacterial reproduction, and sporulation. Among them, the functional form of sporulation rate has not been biologically investigated. Here we report experimentally measured sporulation rate. Then, based on the result, a reaction diffusion model is proposed. One-dimensional simulation showed the existence of traveling wave solution. We study the wave form as a function of the initial nutrient concentration and find two distinct types of solution. Moreover, transition between them is very sharp, which is analogous to phase transition. The velocity of traveling wave also shows sharp transition in nonlinear diffusion model, which is consistent with the previous experimental result. The phenomenon can be explained by separatrix in reaction term dynamics. Results of two-dimensional simulation are also shown and discussed.

Speaking Two Languages for the Price of One: Bypassing Language Control Mechanisms via Accessibility-Driven Switches

PubMed Central

Kleinman, Daniel; Gollan, Tamar H.

2016-01-01

How do bilinguals switch easily between languages in everyday conversation, when thousands of studies have found that switching slows responses? Previous research has not considered that although switches may happen for different reasons, only some switches – including those typically studied in laboratory experiments – might be costly. Using a repeated picture naming task, we show that bilinguals can maintain and use two languages as efficiently as a single language, switching between them frequently without any cost, if they switch only when a word is more accessible in the other language. These results suggest that language switch costs arise during lexical selection, that top-down language control mechanisms can be suspended, and that language-mixing efficiency can be strategically increased with instruction. Thus, bilinguals might switch languages spontaneously because doing so is not always costly, and there appears to be greater flexibility and efficiency in the cognitive mechanisms that enable switching than previously assumed. PMID:27016240

Young children's tool innovation across culture: Affordance visibility matters.

PubMed

Neldner, Karri; Mushin, Ilana; Nielsen, Mark

2017-11-01

Young children typically demonstrate low rates of tool innovation. However, previous studies have limited children's performance by presenting tools with opaque affordances. In an attempt to scaffold children's understanding of what constitutes an appropriate tool within an innovation task we compared tools in which the focal affordance was visible to those in which it was opaque. To evaluate possible cultural specificity, data collection was undertaken in a Western urban population and a remote Indigenous community. As expected affordance visibility altered innovation rates: young children were more likely to innovate on a tool that had visible affordances than one with concealed affordances. Furthermore, innovation rates were higher than those reported in previous innovation studies. Cultural background did not affect children's rates of tool innovation. It is suggested that new methods for testing tool innovation in children must be developed in order to broaden our knowledge of young children's tool innovation capabilities. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Risk factors at the low end of the psychosis continuum: much the same as at the upper end?

PubMed

Rössler, Wulf; Vetter, Stefan; Müller, Mario; Gallo, William Thomas; Haker, Helene; Kawohl, Wolfram; Lupi, Gianpiero; Ajdacic-Gross, Vladeta

2011-08-30

We investigated risk factors for subclinical symptoms of psychosis, and focused on two psychosis dimensions previously identified in the Zurich Study, namely "schizophrenia nuclear symptoms" and "schizotypal signs". We examined the data from 9814 Swiss conscripts from 2003. The psychosis symptom dimensions were derived from the Symptom-Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R), and were regressed on a broad range of known risk factors for psychosis. Risk factors typically assigned to schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders - cannabis use, childhood adversity, reading and writing difficulties, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), psychiatric disorders and addiction in parents and the extended family - are relevant also at subclinical levels. Our analyses suggested that specific risk factors may be assigned to distinct psychosis dimensions, as previously determined in an analysis from the Zurich Study. If there are different pathways to psychosis characterized by specific symptom dimensions and risk factors, they mostly co-exist and interact at different symptom load levels. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Partial least squares based identification of Duchenne muscular dystrophy specific genes.

PubMed

An, Hui-bo; Zheng, Hua-cheng; Zhang, Li; Ma, Lin; Liu, Zheng-yan

2013-11-01

Large-scale parallel gene expression analysis has provided a greater ease for investigating the underlying mechanisms of Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Previous studies typically implemented variance/regression analysis, which would be fundamentally flawed when unaccounted sources of variability in the arrays existed. Here we aim to identify genes that contribute to the pathology of DMD using partial least squares (PLS) based analysis. We carried out PLS-based analysis with two datasets downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database to identify genes contributing to the pathology of DMD. Except for the genes related to inflammation, muscle regeneration and extracellular matrix (ECM) modeling, we found some genes with high fold change, which have not been identified by previous studies, such as SRPX, GPNMB, SAT1, and LYZ. In addition, downregulation of the fatty acid metabolism pathway was found, which may be related to the progressive muscle wasting process. Our results provide a better understanding for the downstream mechanisms of DMD.

Large Well-Exposed Alluvial Fans in Deep Late-Noachian Craters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, J. M.; Howard, A. D.

2004-01-01

Large, fresh-appearing alluvial fans (typically greater than 10 km long) have been identified during a systematic search of 100 m/pixel low-sun daylight THEMIS IR imaging in deep late-Noachian or early-Hesperian craters. Our study of these fans was augmented with MOLA-derived topography and high-resolution MOC and THEMIS VIS images where available. The influence of alluvial fan deposition on the topography of crater floors has been recognized in previous topographic studies. Recent Mars Odyssey-era studies have also identified and described in detail a fluvial delta or fan of approximately the same age as the alluvial fans of this study. Our results, at the time of this writing, indicate that these fans are only found in less than 5% of all craters greater than or equal to 70 kilometers in diameter within a large study region. In every case the fan-containing craters were restricted to a latitude belt between 20 degrees S and 30 degrees S. All of which had significant topographic relief and appeared morphologically younger than typical mid-Noachian craters in the size range. However, large fans were not found in the most pristine (and presumably youngest) craters in this size range. Most Martian fans have morphologies consistent with terrestrial debris-flow-dominated fans.

Contraceptive failure in the United States

PubMed Central

Trussell, James

2013-01-01

This review provides an update of previous estimates of first-year probabilities of contraceptive failure for all methods of contraception available in the United States. Estimates are provided of probabilities of failure during typical use (which includes both incorrect and inconsistent use) and during perfect use (correct and consistent use). The difference between these two probabilities reveals the consequences of imperfect use; it depends both on how unforgiving of imperfect use a method is and on how hard it is to use that method perfectly. These revisions reflect new research on contraceptive failure both during perfect use and during typical use. PMID:21477680

Sub-micro-Newton resolution thrust balance.

PubMed

Hathaway, G

2015-10-01

Herein is described a sensitive vacuum balance for measuring the thrust produced by small (∼0.5 kg) thrusters typically employed in microsat station-keeping. The balance is based on a torsion design but incorporates jewel-pivot bearings instead of the more typical torsion spring bearings. Novel tilt control allows maintenance of true verticality of the bearing axis even while under vacuum. The low moment of inertia design allows it to measure small thrusts from high-voltage devices without direct wire conductor connections. Calibration by several means is described including use of a previously calibrated dielectric barrier discharge thruster.

Unusual scarring patterns on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging: A potentially treatable etiology not to be missed.

PubMed

Jordan, Andrew; Lyne, Jonathan; Wong, Tom

2010-04-01

A case of cardiomyopathy and ventricular tachycardia previously assumed to be idiopathic in origin is described. Investigation with cardiac magnetic resonance imaging prompted the diagnosis and successful treatment of an underlying disorder based on typical scarring patterns seen with late gadolinium enhancement. The present report suggests that clinicians should have a low threshold for actively excluding this condition in patients presenting with cardiomyopathy, even in the absence of other disease features, particularly if typical scarring patterns are found on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging because disease-specific therapy appears to significantly improve both symptoms and prognosis.

Evaluation of the kinetic oxidation of aqueous volatile organic compounds by permanganate.

PubMed

Mahmoodlu, Mojtaba G; Hassanizadeh, S Majid; Hartog, Niels

2014-07-01

The use of permanganate solutions for in-situ chemical oxidation (ISCO) is a well-established groundwater remediation technology, particularly for targeting chlorinated ethenes. The kinetics of oxidation reactions is an important ISCO remediation design aspect that affects the efficiency and oxidant persistence. The overall rate of the ISCO reaction between oxidant and contaminant is typically described using a second-order kinetic model while the second-order rate constant is determined experimentally by means of a pseudo first order approach. However, earlier studies of chlorinated hydrocarbons have yielded a wide range of values for the second-order rate constants. Also, there is limited insight in the kinetics of permanganate reactions with fuel-derived groundwater contaminants such as toluene and ethanol. In this study, batch experiments were carried out to investigate and compare the oxidation kinetics of aqueous trichloroethylene (TCE), ethanol, and toluene in an aqueous potassium permanganate solution. The overall second-order rate constants were determined directly by fitting a second-order model to the data, instead of typically using the pseudo-first-order approach. The second-order reaction rate constants (M(-1) s(-1)) for TCE, toluene, and ethanol were 8.0×10(-1), 2.5×10(-4), and 6.5×10(-4), respectively. Results showed that the inappropriate use of the pseudo-first-order approach in several previous studies produced biased estimates of the second-order rate constants. In our study, this error was expressed as a function of the extent (P/N) in which the reactant concentrations deviated from the stoichiometric ratio of each oxidation reaction. The error associated with the inappropriate use of the pseudo-first-order approach is negatively correlated with the P/N ratio and reached up to 25% of the estimated second-order rate constant in some previous studies of TCE oxidation. Based on our results, a similar relation is valid for the other volatile organic compounds studied. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Default Mode and Executive Networks Areas: Association with the Serial Order in Divergent Thinking

PubMed Central

Heinonen, Jarmo; Numminen, Jussi; Hlushchuk, Yevhen; Antell, Henrik; Taatila, Vesa; Suomala, Jyrki

2016-01-01

Scientific findings have suggested a two-fold structure of the cognitive process. By using the heuristic thinking mode, people automatically process information that tends to be invariant across days, whereas by using the explicit thinking mode people explicitly process information that tends to be variant compared to typical previously learned information patterns. Previous studies on creativity found an association between creativity and the brain regions in the prefrontal cortex, the anterior cingulate cortex, the default mode network and the executive network. However, which neural networks contribute to the explicit mode of thinking during idea generation remains an open question. We employed an fMRI paradigm to examine which brain regions were activated when participants (n = 16) mentally generated alternative uses for everyday objects. Most previous creativity studies required participants to verbalize responses during idea generation, whereas in this study participants produced mental alternatives without verbalizing. This study found activation in the left anterior insula when contrasting idea generation and object identification. This finding suggests that the insula (part of the brain’s salience network) plays a role in facilitating both the central executive and default mode networks to activate idea generation. We also investigated closely the effect of the serial order of idea being generated on brain responses: The amplitude of fMRI responses correlated positively with the serial order of idea being generated in the anterior cingulate cortex, which is part of the central executive network. Positive correlation with the serial order was also observed in the regions typically assigned to the default mode network: the precuneus/cuneus, inferior parietal lobule and posterior cingulate cortex. These networks support the explicit mode of thinking and help the individual to convert conventional mental models to new ones. The serial order correlated negatively with the BOLD responses in the posterior presupplementary motor area, left premotor cortex, right cerebellum and left inferior frontal gyrus. This finding might imply that idea generation without a verbal processing demand reflecting lack of need for new object identification in idea generation events. The results of the study are consistent with recent creativity studies, which emphasize that the creativity process involves working memory capacity to spontaneously shift between different kinds of thinking modes according to the context. PMID:27627760

Essentiality, Toxicity and Uncertainty in the Risk Assessment of Manganese

EPA Science Inventory

Risk assessments of manganese by inhalation or oral routes of exposure typically acknowledge the duality of manganese as an essential element at low doses and a toxic metal at high doses. Previously, however, risk assessors were unable to describe manganese pharmacokinetics quant...

Beneath the District Averages: Intradistrict Differences in Teacher Compensation Expenditures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Malkus, Nathaniel

2012-01-01

Previous research indicates that typical district budgeting practices mask large between-school teacher compensation expenditures (TCE) differences, that teacher sorting drives those TCE differences, and that TCE differences drive overall resource inequities. While scarce accurate school-level resource data has hindered intradistrict equity…

Perinatal findings of Seckel syndrome: a case report of a fetus showing primordial dwarfism and severe microcephaly.

PubMed

Takikawa, Keiko Miyachi; Kikuchi, Akihiko; Yokoyama, Akiko; Ono, Kyoko; Iwasawa, Yuki; Sunagawa, Sorahiro; Takagi, Kimiyo; Kawame, Hiroshi; Nakamura, Tomohiko

2008-01-01

Seckel syndrome is a rare form of primordial dwarfism and most of the previous reports have been limited to postnatal findings. We report on a fetus showing severe microcephaly, intrauterine growth restriction and a few gyri with shallow sulci on the fetal brain suggesting cortical dysplasia, followed by ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging in the prenatal period. Cardiotocograph revealed a reassuring fetal status throughout the whole pregnancy period. A male infant weighing 1,556 g was delivered at 39 weeks' gestation, and a diagnosis of Seckel syndrome was made based on postnatal typical findings. Although previous reports on prenatal findings of Seckel syndrome are quite limited, we think that our case presents typical features of a fetus affected by this syndrome. When prenatal ultrasound shows severe microcephaly and intrauterine growth restriction, this rare syndrome should be included in the differential diagnosis. Moreover, magnetic resonance imaging of the affected fetal brain provides further diagnostic clues. Copyright 2008 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Lightening the load: perceptual load impairs visual detection in typical adults but not in autism.

PubMed

Remington, Anna M; Swettenham, John G; Lavie, Nilli

2012-05-01

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) research portrays a mixed picture of attentional abilities with demonstrations of enhancements (e.g., superior visual search) and deficits (e.g., higher distractibility). Here we test a potential resolution derived from the Load Theory of Attention (e.g., Lavie, 2005). In Load Theory, distractor processing depends on the perceptual load of the task and as such can only be eliminated under high load that engages full capacity. We hypothesize that ASD involves enhanced perceptual capacity, leading to the superior performance and increased distractor processing previously reported. Using a signal-detection paradigm, we test this directly and demonstrate that, under higher levels of load, perceptual sensitivity was reduced in typical adults but not in adults with ASD. These findings confirm our hypothesis and offer a promising solution to the previous discrepancies by suggesting that increased distractor processing in ASD results not from a filtering deficit but from enhanced perceptual capacity.

Recombination in the evolution of enterovirus C species sub-group that contains types CVA-21, CVA-24, EV-C95, EV-C96 and EV-C99.

PubMed

Smura, Teemu; Blomqvist, Soile; Vuorinen, Tytti; Ivanova, Olga; Samoilovich, Elena; Al-Hello, Haider; Savolainen-Kopra, Carita; Hovi, Tapani; Roivainen, Merja

2014-01-01

Genetic recombination is considered to be a very frequent phenomenon among enteroviruses (Family Picornaviridae, Genus Enterovirus). However, the recombination patterns may differ between enterovirus species and between types within species. Enterovirus C (EV-C) species contains 21 types. In the capsid coding P1 region, the types of EV-C species cluster further into three sub-groups (designated here as A-C). In this study, the recombination pattern of EV-C species sub-group B that contains types CVA-21, CVA-24, EV-C95, EV-C96 and EV-C99 was determined using partial 5'UTR and VP1 sequences of enterovirus strains isolated during poliovirus surveillance and previously published complete genome sequences. Several inter-typic recombination events were detected. Furthermore, the analyses suggested that inter-typic recombination events have occurred mainly within the distinct sub-groups of EV-C species. Only sporadic recombination events between EV-C species sub-group B and other EV-C sub-groups were detected. In addition, strict recombination barriers were inferred for CVA-21 genotype C and CVA-24 variant strains. These results suggest that the frequency of inter-typic recombinations, even within species, may depend on the phylogenetic position of the given viruses.

Amplitude Variations in Pulsating Red Giants. II. Some Systematics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Percy, J. R.; Laing, J.

2017-12-01

In order to extend our previous studies of the unexplained phenomenon of cyclic amplitude variations in pulsating red giants, we have used the AAVSO time-series analysis package vstar to analyze long-term AAVSO visual observations of 50 such stars, mostly Mira stars. The relative amount of the variation, typically a factor of 1.5, and the time scale of the variation, typically 20-35 pulsation periods, are not significantly different in longer-period, shorter-period, and carbon stars in our sample, and they also occur in stars whose period is changing secularly, perhaps due to a thermal pulse. The time scale of the variations is similar to that in smaller-amplitude SR variables, but the relative amount of the variation appears to be larger in smaller-amplitude stars, and is therefore more conspicuous. The cause of the amplitude variations remains unclear, though they may be due to rotational modulation of a star whose pulsating surface is dominated by the effects of large convective cells.

Normalisation of brain connectivity through compensatory behaviour, despite congenital hand absence.

PubMed

Hahamy, Avital; Sotiropoulos, Stamatios N; Henderson Slater, David; Malach, Rafael; Johansen-Berg, Heidi; Makin, Tamar R

2015-01-06

Previously we showed, using task-evoked fMRI, that compensatory intact hand usage after amputation facilitates remapping of limb representations in the cortical territory of the missing hand (Makin et al., 2013a). Here we show that compensatory arm usage in individuals born without a hand (one-handers) reflects functional connectivity of spontaneous brain activity in the cortical hand region. Compared with two-handed controls, one-handers showed reduced symmetry of hand region inter-hemispheric resting-state functional connectivity and corticospinal white matter microstructure. Nevertheless, those one-handers who more frequently use their residual (handless) arm for typically bimanual daily tasks also showed more symmetrical functional connectivity of the hand region, demonstrating that adaptive behaviour drives long-range brain organisation. We therefore suggest that compensatory arm usage maintains symmetrical sensorimotor functional connectivity in one-handers. Since variability in spontaneous functional connectivity in our study reflects ecological behaviour, we propose that inter-hemispheric symmetry, typically observed in resting sensorimotor networks, depends on coordinated motor behaviour in daily life.

A Modal Model to Simulate Typical Structural Dynamic Nonlinearity [PowerPoint

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mayes, Randall L.; Pacini, Benjamin Robert; Roettgen, Dan

2016-01-01

Some initial investigations have been published which simulate nonlinear response with almost traditional modal models: instead of connecting the modal mass to ground through the traditional spring and damper, a nonlinear Iwan element was added. This assumes that the mode shapes do not change with amplitude and there are no interactions between modal degrees of freedom. This work expands on these previous studies. An impact experiment is performed on a structure which exhibits typical structural dynamic nonlinear response, i.e. weak frequency dependence and strong damping dependence on the amplitude of vibration. Use of low level modal test results in combinationmore » with high level impacts are processed using various combinations of modal filtering, the Hilbert Transform and band-pass filtering to develop response data that are then fit with various nonlinear elements to create a nonlinear pseudo-modal model. Simulations of forced response are compared with high level experimental data for various nonlinear element assumptions.« less

A Modal Model to Simulate Typical Structural Dynamic Nonlinearity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pacini, Benjamin Robert; Mayes, Randall L.; Roettgen, Daniel R

2015-10-01

Some initial investigations have been published which simulate nonlinear response with almost traditional modal models: instead of connecting the modal mass to ground through the traditional spring and damper, a nonlinear Iwan element was added. This assumes that the mode shapes do not change with amplitude and there are no interactions between modal degrees of freedom. This work expands on these previous studies. An impact experiment is performed on a structure which exhibits typical structural dynamic nonlinear response, i.e. weak frequency dependence and strong damping dependence on the amplitude of vibration. Use of low level modal test results in combinationmore » with high level impacts are processed using various combinations of modal filtering, the Hilbert Transform and band-pass filtering to develop response data that are then fit with various nonlinear elements to create a nonlinear pseudo-modal model. Simulations of forced response are compared with high level experimental data for various nonlinear element assumptions.« less

Gender identity: a multidimensional analysis with implications for psychosocial adjustment.

PubMed

Egan, S K; Perry, D G

2001-07-01

This study examined the relations between components of gender identity and psychosocial adjustment. The aspects of gender identity assessed were (a) feelings of psychological compatibility with one's gender (i.e.. feeling one is a typical member of one's sex and feeling content with one's biological sex), (b) feelings of pressure from parents, peers, and self for conformity to gender stereotypes. and (c) the sentiment that one's own sex is superior to the other (intergroup bias). Adjustment was assessed in terms of self-esteem and peer acceptance. Participants were 182 children in Grades 4 through 8. Felt gender compatibility (when operationalized as either self-perceived gender typicality or feelings of contentment with one's biological sex) was positively related to adjustment, whereas felt pressure and intergroup bias were negatively associated with adjustment. The results provide new insights into the role of gender identity in children's well-being, help identify sources of confusion in previous work, and suggest directions for future inquiry.

Significant advantages of sulfur-doped graphene in neutral media as electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction comparing with Pt/C

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Xinxin; Zhang, Jiaona; Huang, Tinglin

2018-02-01

Sulfur-doped graphene (SDG) has been found to be an efficient electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction. However, previous studies on the catalytic activity of SDG have been mainly confined to O2-saturated alkaline media which is a typical alkaline fuel cell environment. Air-cathode microbial fuel cells (ACMFCs), as a novel energy conversion and wastewater treatment technology, use the oxygen from air as cathodic reactant in neutral media with low concentration of O2. Thus, it is meaningful to explore the catalytic performance of SDG in such ACMFC environment. The result showed that in ACMFC environment, the peak current density of SDG in CV test was surprisingly 4.5 times higher than that of Pt/C, indicating a much stronger catalytic activity of SDG. Moreover, SDG exhibited a stronger tolerance against the crossover of glucose (a typical anodic fuel in ACMFC) and better stability than Pt/C in neutral media.

Effects of Mesh Irregularities on Accuracy of Finite-Volume Discretization Schemes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Diskin, Boris; Thomas, James L.

2012-01-01

The effects of mesh irregularities on accuracy of unstructured node-centered finite-volume discretizations are considered. The focus is on an edge-based approach that uses unweighted least-squares gradient reconstruction with a quadratic fit. For inviscid fluxes, the discretization is nominally third order accurate on general triangular meshes. For viscous fluxes, the scheme is an average-least-squares formulation that is nominally second order accurate and contrasted with a common Green-Gauss discretization scheme. Gradient errors, truncation errors, and discretization errors are separately studied according to a previously introduced comprehensive methodology. The methodology considers three classes of grids: isotropic grids in a rectangular geometry, anisotropic grids typical of adapted grids, and anisotropic grids over a curved surface typical of advancing layer grids. The meshes within the classes range from regular to extremely irregular including meshes with random perturbation of nodes. Recommendations are made concerning the discretization schemes that are expected to be least sensitive to mesh irregularities in applications to turbulent flows in complex geometries.

Operational level for unconditional release of contaminated property from affected areas around Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant

PubMed Central

Ogino, Haruyuki; Hattori, Takatoshi

2013-01-01

This paper focuses on the surface contamination control of slightly contaminated property after the Fukushima nuclear accident. The operational level for the unconditional release of contaminated properties is calculated in counts per minute (cpm) to enable the use of a typical Geiger-Muller (GM) survey meter with a 50-mm bore, on the basis of the surficial clearance level of 10 Bq cm−2 for 134Cs and 137Cs derived in the previous studies of the authors. By applying a factor for the conversion of the unit surface contamination to the count rate of a survey meter widely used after the Fukushima accident, the operational level for the unconditional release of contaminated properties was calculated to be 2300 cpm on average and 23 000 cpm at the highest-contamination part. The calculated numerical values of the operational levels are effective as long as the typical GM survey meter is used in the radiation measurement. PMID:23778575

Correlation between changes in quality of life and symptomatic improvement in Chinese patients switched from typical antipsychotics to olanzapine.

PubMed

Montgomery, William; Kadziola, Zbigniew; Ye, Wenye; Xue, Hai Bo; Liu, Li; Treuer, Tamás

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between changes in symptoms and changes in self-reported quality of life among Chinese patients with schizophrenia who were switched from a typical antipsychotic to olanzapine during usual outpatient care. This post hoc analysis was conducted using data from the Chinese subgroup (n=475) of a multicountry, 12-month, prospective, noninterventional, observational study. The primary publication previously reported the efficacy, safety, and quality of life among patients who switched from a typical antipsychotic to olanzapine. Patients with schizophrenia were included if their symptoms were inadequately controlled with a typical antipsychotic and they were switched to olanzapine. Symptom severity was measured using the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and the Clinical Global Impressions-Severity scale (CGI-S). Health-Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) was assessed using the World Health Organization Quality of Life-Abbreviated (WHOQOL-BREF). Paired t-tests were performed to assess changes from baseline to endpoint. Pearson's correlation coefficients (r) were used to assess the correlations between change in symptoms (BPRS and CGI-S scores) and change in HRQOL (WHOQOL-BREF scores). Symptoms and HRQOL both improved significantly over the 12 months of treatment (P<0.001). Significant correlations were observed between changes from baseline to end of study on the BPRS and the CGI-S and each of the WHOQOL-BREF four domain scores and two overall quality-of-life questions. The correlation coefficients ranged from r=-0.45 to r=-0.53 for the BPRS and WHOQOL-BREF. The correlation coefficients were slightly smaller between the CGI-S and WHOQOL-BREF, ranging from r=-0.33 to r=-0.40. For patients with schizophrenia, assessing quality of life has the potential to add valuable information to the clinical assessment that takes into account the patient's own perspective of well-being.

A new plant chamber facility PLUS coupled to the atmospheric simulation chamber SAPHIR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hohaus, T.; Kuhn, U.; Andres, S.; Kaminski, M.; Rohrer, F.; Tillmann, R.; Wahner, A.; Wegener, R.; Yu, Z.; Kiendler-Scharr, A.

2015-11-01

A new PLant chamber Unit for Simulation (PLUS) for use with the atmosphere simulation chamber SAPHIR (Simulation of Atmospheric PHotochemistry In a large Reaction Chamber) has been build and characterized at the Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Germany. The PLUS chamber is an environmentally controlled flow through plant chamber. Inside PLUS the natural blend of biogenic emissions of trees are mixed with synthetic air and are transferred to the SAPHIR chamber where the atmospheric chemistry and the impact of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOC) can be studied in detail. In PLUS all important enviromental parameters (e.g. temperature, PAR, soil RH etc.) are well-controlled. The gas exchange volume of 9.32 m3 which encloses the stem and the leafes of the plants is constructed such that gases are exposed to FEP Teflon film and other Teflon surfaces only to minimize any potential losses of BVOCs in the chamber. Solar radiation is simulated using 15 LED panels which have an emission strength up to 800 μmol m-2 s-1. Results of the initial characterization experiments are presented in detail. Background concentrations, mixing inside the gas exchange volume, and transfer rate of volatile organic compounds (VOC) through PLUS under different humidity conditions are explored. Typical plant characteristics such as light and temperature dependent BVOC emissions are studied using six Quercus Ilex trees and compared to previous studies. Results of an initial ozonolysis experiment of BVOC emissions from Quercus Ilex at typical atmospheric concentrations inside SAPHIR are presented to demonstrate a typical experimental set up and the utility of the newly added plant chamber.

Detecting Superior Face Recognition Skills in a Large Sample of Young British Adults

PubMed Central

Bobak, Anna K.; Pampoulov, Philip; Bate, Sarah

2016-01-01

The Cambridge Face Memory Test Long Form (CFMT+) and Cambridge Face Perception Test (CFPT) are typically used to assess the face processing ability of individuals who believe they have superior face recognition skills. Previous large-scale studies have presented norms for the CFPT but not the CFMT+. However, previous research has also highlighted the necessity for establishing country-specific norms for these tests, indicating that norming data is required for both tests using young British adults. The current study addressed this issue in 254 British participants. In addition to providing the first norm for performance on the CFMT+ in any large sample, we also report the first UK specific cut-off for superior face recognition on the CFPT. Further analyses identified a small advantage for females on both tests, and only small associations between objective face recognition skills and self-report measures. A secondary aim of the study was to examine the relationship between trait or social anxiety and face processing ability, and no associations were noted. The implications of these findings for the classification of super-recognizers are discussed. PMID:27713706

Observed Free-Play Patterns of Children with ADHD and Their Real-Life Friends.

PubMed

Normand, Sébastien; Soucisse, Marie Michèle; Melançon, Marie Pier Vézina; Schneider, Barry H; Lee, Matthew D; Maisonneuve, Marie-France

2018-04-26

Previous observational studies conducted in highly structured, analog situations indicate that children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) mismanage their relationships with same-age peers and friends. Such structured situations may not, however, fully represent the true nature of children's play, which is typically characterized by free choice, intrinsic motivation, and spontaneity. The unique objective of the current observational study was to describe how 87 children with ADHD and 46 comparison (76% boys) aged 7-13 years behave when interacting with their real-life dyadic friends during an unstructured, free-play situation. Results indicate that dyads comprising one referred child with ADHD and an invited friend ("ADHD dyads") engaged in less cooperative play, displayed less companionship, and showed less sensitivity to friends than comparison dyads. ADHD dyads also engaged in more conflict and exhibited significantly more negative affect than comparison dyads. These findings complement and extend, possibly with somewhat enhanced ecological validity, results obtained in previous studies on the friendships of children with ADHD featuring closed-field observations and questionnaire methodology.

Lattice hydrodynamic model based traffic control: A transportation cyber-physical system approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Hui; Sun, Dihua; Liu, Weining

2016-11-01

Lattice hydrodynamic model is a typical continuum traffic flow model, which describes the jamming transition of traffic flow properly. Previous studies in lattice hydrodynamic model have shown that the use of control method has the potential to improve traffic conditions. In this paper, a new control method is applied in lattice hydrodynamic model from a transportation cyber-physical system approach, in which only one lattice site needs to be controlled in this control scheme. The simulation verifies the feasibility and validity of this method, which can ensure the efficient and smooth operation of the traffic flow.

High breakdown electric field in β-Ga2O3/graphene vertical barristor heterostructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yan, Xiaodong; Esqueda, Ivan S.; Ma, Jiahui; Tice, Jesse; Wang, Han

2018-01-01

In this work, we study the high critical breakdown field in β-Ga2O3 perpendicular to its (100) crystal plane using a β-Ga2O3/graphene vertical heterostructure. Measurements indicate a record breakdown field of 5.2 MV/cm perpendicular to the (100) plane that is significantly larger than the previously reported values on lateral β-Ga2O3 field-effect-transistors (FETs). This result is compared with the critical field typically measured within the (100) crystal plane, and the observed anisotropy is explained through a combined theoretical and experimental analysis.

A THEORETICAL STUDY OF BISTABILITY OF POLYDIACETYLENE:. TCDU(poly(5,7-dodecadiyne-1,12-diyl-bis-phenylurethane)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katagiri, Hideki; Shimoi, Yukihiro; Abe, Shuji

2001-08-01

We performed a first-principles calculation of typical polydiacetylene (PDA), TCDU (poly(5,7-dodecadiyne-1,12-diyl-bis-phenylurethane)). Potential energy curves (PEC's) as a function of two bond lengths of the backbone chain are presented. The present PEC's show that TCDU has only an acetylene-type stable structure and a butatriene-type structure is unstable, consistent with our previous calculations with a geometry optimization procedure. This result is in contrast to the case of a hypothetical hydrogen-substituted PDA where a butatriene-type structure is obtained as a meta-stable structure.

A THEORETICAL STUDY OF BISTABILITY OF POLYDIACETYLENE:. TCDU(poly(5,7-dodecadiyne-1,12-diyl-bis-phenylurethane)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katagiri, Hideki; Shimoi, Yukihiro; Abe, Shuji

We performed a first-principles calculation of typical polydiacetylene (PDA), TCDU (poly(5,7-dodecadiyne-1,12-diyl-bis-phenylurethane)). Potential energy curves (PEC's) as a function of two bond lengths of the backbone chain are presented. The present PEC's show that TCDU has only an acetylene-type stable structure and a butatriene-type structure is unstable, consistent with our previous calculations with a geometry optimization procedure. This result is in contrast to the case of a hypothetical hydrogen-substituted PDA where a butatriene-type structure is obtained as a meta-stable structure.

How and when do students use flashcards?

PubMed

Wissman, Kathryn T; Rawson, Katherine A; Pyc, Mary A

2012-01-01

Previous survey research has documented students' use of self-regulated study strategies, with a particular interest in self-testing. These surveys indicate that students frequently use flashcards to self-test and that self-testing is primarily used as a way to monitor learning. Whereas previous surveys provide information about whether and why students self-test, they provide minimal information about how and when students choose to self-test. Accordingly, the primary purpose of the current survey was to explore how and when students engage in self-testing. We surveyed 374 undergraduates about the amount of practice and the timing of practice, two factors that strongly affect the efficacy of self-testing. Results indicate that students understand the benefits of practising to higher criterion levels (amount of practice) but do not typically implement or understand the benefits of practising with longer lags (timing of practice). We discuss practical implications for supporting more successful student learning.

Modeling uranium(VI) adsorption onto montmorillonite under varying carbonate concentrations: A surface complexation model accounting for the spillover effect on surface potential

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tournassat, C.; Tinnacher, R. M.; Grangeon, S.

The prediction of U(VI) adsorption onto montmorillonite clay is confounded by the complexities of: (1) the montmorillonite structure in terms of adsorption sites on basal and edge surfaces, and the complex interactions between the electrical double layers at these surfaces, and (2) U(VI) solution speciation, which can include cationic, anionic and neutral species. Previous U(VI)-montmorillonite adsorption and modeling studies have typically expanded classical surface complexation modeling approaches, initially developed for simple oxides, to include both cation exchange and surface complexation reactions. However, previous models have not taken into account the unique characteristics of electrostatic surface potentials that occur at montmorillonitemore » edge sites, where the electrostatic surface potential of basal plane cation exchange sites influences the surface potential of neighboring edge sites (‘spillover’ effect).« less

Measurement of sub-parts-per-billion levels of carbonyl compounds in marine air by a simple cartridge trapping procedure followed by liquid chromatography

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xianliang, Zhou; Mopper, K.

1990-10-01

Carbonyl compounds in clean marine air were trapped onto 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazine- (DNPH-) coated cartridges, and their hydrazone derivatives were separated by HPLC and detected by UV absorbance. More than 20 carbonyl compounds were isolated from marine air with >92% collection efficiency. The technique employs a highly effective reagent purification procedure, which results in much lower blanks compared to previously reported trapping techniques for carbonyl compounds. Blanks were routinely <0.07 ppb for formaldehyde and acetone and <0.02 ppb for the others. Humidity and reactive gases have no detectable effect on collection efficiencies. Carbonyl-DNPH derivatives eluted from the cartridges are stable in acetonitrilemore » for at least 2 weeks, which facilitates field studies. Several previously undetected unknown carbonyl compounds were found in marine air by this technique. Typical results for open ocean and coastal marine air are shown.« less

Pandoraviruses: amoeba viruses with genomes up to 2.5 Mb reaching that of parasitic eukaryotes.

PubMed

Philippe, Nadège; Legendre, Matthieu; Doutre, Gabriel; Couté, Yohann; Poirot, Olivier; Lescot, Magali; Arslan, Defne; Seltzer, Virginie; Bertaux, Lionel; Bruley, Christophe; Garin, Jérome; Claverie, Jean-Michel; Abergel, Chantal

2013-07-19

Ten years ago, the discovery of Mimivirus, a virus infecting Acanthamoeba, initiated a reappraisal of the upper limits of the viral world, both in terms of particle size (>0.7 micrometers) and genome complexity (>1000 genes), dimensions typical of parasitic bacteria. The diversity of these giant viruses (the Megaviridae) was assessed by sampling a variety of aquatic environments and their associated sediments worldwide. We report the isolation of two giant viruses, one off the coast of central Chile, the other from a freshwater pond near Melbourne (Australia), without morphological or genomic resemblance to any previously defined virus families. Their micrometer-sized ovoid particles contain DNA genomes of at least 2.5 and 1.9 megabases, respectively. These viruses are the first members of the proposed "Pandoravirus" genus, a term reflecting their lack of similarity with previously described microorganisms and the surprises expected from their future study.

A simple two-stage model predicts response time distributions.

PubMed

Carpenter, R H S; Reddi, B A J; Anderson, A J

2009-08-15

The neural mechanisms underlying reaction times have previously been modelled in two distinct ways. When stimuli are hard to detect, response time tends to follow a random-walk model that integrates noisy sensory signals. But studies investigating the influence of higher-level factors such as prior probability and response urgency typically use highly detectable targets, and response times then usually correspond to a linear rise-to-threshold mechanism. Here we show that a model incorporating both types of element in series - a detector integrating noisy afferent signals, followed by a linear rise-to-threshold performing decision - successfully predicts not only mean response times but, much more stringently, the observed distribution of these times and the rate of decision errors over a wide range of stimulus detectability. By reconciling what previously may have seemed to be conflicting theories, we are now closer to having a complete description of reaction time and the decision processes that underlie it.

Modeling uranium(VI) adsorption onto montmorillonite under varying carbonate concentrations: A surface complexation model accounting for the spillover effect on surface potential

DOE PAGES

Tournassat, C.; Tinnacher, R. M.; Grangeon, S.; ...

2017-10-06

The prediction of U(VI) adsorption onto montmorillonite clay is confounded by the complexities of: (1) the montmorillonite structure in terms of adsorption sites on basal and edge surfaces, and the complex interactions between the electrical double layers at these surfaces, and (2) U(VI) solution speciation, which can include cationic, anionic and neutral species. Previous U(VI)-montmorillonite adsorption and modeling studies have typically expanded classical surface complexation modeling approaches, initially developed for simple oxides, to include both cation exchange and surface complexation reactions. However, previous models have not taken into account the unique characteristics of electrostatic surface potentials that occur at montmorillonitemore » edge sites, where the electrostatic surface potential of basal plane cation exchange sites influences the surface potential of neighboring edge sites (‘spillover’ effect).« less

Linear Mapping of Numbers onto Space Requires Attention

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anobile, Giovanni; Cicchini, Guido Marco; Burr, David C.

2012-01-01

Mapping of number onto space is fundamental to mathematics and measurement. Previous research suggests that while typical adults with mathematical schooling map numbers veridically onto a linear scale, pre-school children and adults without formal mathematics training, as well as individuals with dyscalculia, show strong compressive,…

A Signal Detection Theory Analysis of Behavioral Pattern Separation Paradigms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loiotile, Rita E.; Courtney, Susan M.

2015-01-01

Behavioral pattern separation (BPS) paradigms ask participants to discriminate previously encoded (old) stimuli from highly similar (lure) and categorically distinct (novel) stimuli. The lure-old discrimination, thought to uniquely reflect pattern separation in the hippocampal formation, is typically pitted against the traditional novel-old…

41 CFR 60-20.6 - Affirmative action.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... considered equally with men for jobs. (b) Women have not been typically found in significant numbers in... Contracts OFFICE OF FEDERAL CONTRACT COMPLIANCE PROGRAMS, EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR... affirmative action to recruit women to apply for those jobs where they have been previously excluded. Note...

PARSEC-SCALE SHOCKS IN THE KILOPARSEC-SCALE JET OF CENTAURUS A

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tingay, S. J.; Lenc, E.

2009-09-15

High angular resolution very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations of Centaurus A have been undertaken that allow access to a wide field of view, encompassing both the well-studied parsec-scale jet and the inner part of the kiloparsec-scale jet. The VLBI observations have detected compact regions of synchrotron emission in the kiloparsec-scale jet that coincide with three stationary features identified from previous VLA monitoring observations. Each of these stationary features is associated with strong localized X-ray emission. The VLBI results strengthen arguments made by previous authors suggesting that the stationary features may be the result of stellar objects or gas cloudsmore » traversing the jet flow, intercepting the jet and causing strong shocks. The VLBI data show that the most strongly shocked regions in these features are resolved but have extents no larger than a few pc, reducing the required mass of the typical intercepting object by a factor of {approx}10 relative to previous estimates, making explanations based on high mass-loss stars or low-density gas clouds more plausible.« less

[How to start a neuroimaging study].

PubMed

Narumoto, Jin

2012-06-01

In order to help researchers understand how to start a neuroimaging study, several tips are described in this paper. These include 1) Choice of an imaging modality, 2) Statistical method, and 3) Interpretation of the results. 1) There are several imaging modalities available in clinical research. Advantages and disadvantages of each modality are described. 2) Statistical Parametric Mapping, which is the most common statistical software for neuroimaging analysis, is described in terms of parameter setting in normalization and level of significance. 3) In the discussion section, the region which shows a significant difference between patients and normal controls should be discussed in relation to the neurophysiology of the disease, making reference to previous reports from neuroimaging studies in normal controls, lesion studies and animal studies. A typical pattern of discussion is described.

Neural signatures of experimentally induced flow experiences identified in a typical fMRI block design with BOLD imaging

PubMed Central

Keller, Johannes; Grön, Georg

2016-01-01

Previously, experimentally induced flow experiences have been demonstrated with perfusion imaging during activation blocks of 3 min length to accommodate with the putatively slowly evolving “mood” characteristics of flow. Here, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in a sample of 23 healthy, male participants to investigate flow in the context of a typical fMRI block design with block lengths as short as 30 s. To induce flow, demands of arithmetic tasks were automatically and continuously adjusted to the individual skill level. Compared against conditions of boredom and overload, experience of flow was evident from individuals’ reported subjective experiences and changes in electrodermal activity. Neural activation was relatively increased during flow, particularly in the anterior insula, inferior frontal gyri, basal ganglia and midbrain. Relative activation decreases during flow were observed in medial prefrontal and posterior cingulate cortex, and in the medial temporal lobe including the amygdala. Present findings suggest that even in the context of comparably short activation blocks flow can be reliably experienced and is associated with changes in neural activation of brain regions previously described. Possible mechanisms of interacting brain regions are outlined, awaiting further investigation which should now be possible given the greater temporal resolution compared with previous perfusion imaging. PMID:26508774

[Research progress in lampbrush chromosomes and some suggestions for their use in genetics teaching].

PubMed

Chen, Fan-guo; Li, Qing-qing

2016-02-01

Lampbrush chromosomes (LBCs) are transient giant transcripts that exist at the diplotene stage of the first meiotic division in female gametocytes of almost all animals except mammals. LBCs are named for their lampbrush-like structure, however, they received the lowest research attention in studies of three classical cytogenetic chromosomes. They have been excellent models for studying the structure, organization, transcription, and transcriptional processing of chromosomes during meiosis. Here we briefly summarized these studies and LBCs forming mechanism and also discussed their possible functions, such as providing enough transcriptional products for embryonic development by oocytes LBCs or polyploidy demonstrated by previous reports. Finally, we discussed the possibility of introducing this typical case into our genetics teaching to inspire students' interest in genetics.

Cultural Differences in Donation Decision-Making

PubMed Central

Wang, Jinjun

2015-01-01

Decisions to help those in need are essential for human development and survival. Previous studies have demonstrated the “identified effect”, in which one identifiable individual typically invokes stronger feelings of compassion and receives greater aid than statistical victim. However, this preference might be influenced by cultural differences. In the current study, Chinese respondents’ ratings of distress and sympathy and their willingness to contribute are greater for a group of sick children than an individual. In the U.S., greater willingness to help and sympathy are elicited by an identified victim in comparison with an unidentified one. The different results may demonstrate the importance of cultural differences when trying to understand people’s prosocial behavior. PMID:26372014

An examination of reactivity to craving assessment: craving to smoke does not change over the course of a multi-item craving questionnaire.

PubMed

Germeroth, Lisa J; Tiffany, Stephen T

2015-06-01

Self-report measures are typically used to assess drug craving, but researchers have questioned whether completing these assessments can elicit or enhance craving. Previous studies have examined cigarette craving reactivity and found null craving reactivity effects. Several methodological limitations of those studies, however, preclude definitive conclusions. The current study addresses limitations of previous studies and extends this area of research by using a large sample size to examine: (1) item-by-item changes in craving level during questionnaire completion, (2) craving reactivity as a function of craving intensity reflected in item content, (3) craving reactivity differences between nicotine dependent and nondependent smokers, and (4) potential reactivity across multiple sessions. This study also used a more comprehensive craving assessment (the 32-item Questionnaire on Smoking Urges; QSU) than employed in previous studies. Nicotine dependent and nondependent smokers (n=270; nicotine dependence determined by the Nicotine Addiction Taxon Scale) completed the QSU on six separate occasions across 12 weeks. Craving level was observed at the item level and across various subsets of items. Analyses indicated that there was no significant effect of item/subset position on craving ratings, nor were there any significant interactions between item/subset position and session or level of nicotine dependence. These findings indicate that, even with relatively sensitive procedures for detecting potential reactivity, there was no evidence that completing a craving questionnaire induces craving. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Revised history of the great Kanto earthquakes from the ages of Holocene marine terraces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Komori, J.; Shishikura, M.; Ando, R.; Yokoyama, Y.; Miyairi, Y.

2017-12-01

The Sagami Trough, where the Philippine Sea Plate subducts beneath the continental plate of the Japanese Archipelago, is considered to be a typical example where characteristic earthquakes repeat. Previous studies in some decades claimed that approximate M8 interplate earthquakes, called Genroku type earthquakes, occur with the interval of 2,000―2,700 years. In this study, we measured the emergence ages of the marine terraces in the Chikura lowland, which lies to the southeast of the Boso Peninsula, to reevaluate the history of the great earthquake over the past 10,000 years. The dates of the marine terraces are measured via radiocarbon dating of shell fossils obtained from the marine deposits. The sampling method employed in this study collects core samples using a dense and systematic drilling survey, which increased the reliability when correlating shell fossils with marine terraces. Moreover, we explored the surface profiles of the terraces with detailed digital elevation model (DEM) data obtained using LiDAR. The maximum emergence ages of the marine terraces were dated at 6300 cal yBP, 3000 cal yBP, and 2200 cal yBP from the top terrace excepting the lowest terrace (which was estimated at AD1703). In addition, another previously unrecognized terrace was detected between the highest and the second terrace in both the dating and the geomorphological analyses and was dated at 5800 cal yBP. The newly obtained ages are nearly a thousand of years younger than previously estimated ages; consequently, the intervals of the great earthquakes that occurred along the Sagami Trough are estimated to be much shorter and more varied than those of previous estimations. This result indicates that the temporal pattern of the large earthquakes occur along the Sagami Trough does not follow a characteristic pattern as previously considered.

Altered Activation and Functional Asymmetry of Exner's Area but not the Visual Word Form Area in a Child with Sudden-onset, Persistent Mirror Writing.

PubMed

Linke, Annika; Roach-Fox, Elizabeth; Vriezen, Ellen; Prasad, Asuri Narayan; Cusack, Rhodri

2018-06-02

Mirror writing is often produced by healthy children during early acquisition of literacy, and has been observed in adults following neurological disorders or insults. The neural mechanisms responsible for involuntary mirror writing remain debated, but in healthy children, it is typically attributed to the delayed development of a process of overcoming mirror invariance while learning to read and write. We present an unusual case of sudden-onset, persistent mirror writing in a previously typical seven-year-old girl. Using her dominant right hand only, she copied and spontaneously produced all letters, words and sentences, as well as some numbers and objects, in mirror image. Additionally, she frequently misidentified letter orientations in perceptual assessments. Clinical, neuropsychological, and functional neuroimaging studies were carried out over sixteen months. Neurologic and ophthalmologic examinations and a standard clinical MRI scan of the head were normal. Neuropsychological testing revealed average scores on most tests of intellectual function, language function, verbal learning and memory. Visual perception and visual reasoning were average, with the exception of below average form constancy, and mild difficulties on some visual memory tests. Activation and functional connectivity of the reading and writing network was assessed with fMRI. During a reading task, the VWFA showed a strong response to words in mirror but not in normal letter orientation - similar to what has been observed in typically developing children previously - but activation was atypically reduced in right primary visual cortex and Exner's Area. Resting-state connectivity within the reading and writing network was similar to that of age-matched controls, but hemispheric asymmetry between the balance of motor-to-visual input was found for Exner's Area. In summary, this unusual case suggests that a disruption to visual-motor integration rather than to the VWFA can contribute to sudden-onset, persistent mirror writing in the absence of clinically detectable neurological insult. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

DISRUPTION OF CONDITIONED REWARD ASSOCIATION BY TYPICAL AND ATYPICAL ANTIPSYCHOTICS

PubMed Central

Danna, C.L.; Elmer, G.I.

2013-01-01

Antipsychotic drugs are broadly classified into typical and atypical compounds; they vary in their pharmacological profile however a common component is their antagonist effects at the D2 dopamine receptors (DRD2). Unfortunately, diminished DRD2 activation is generally thought to be associated with the severity of neuroleptic-induced anhedonia. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the atypical antipsychotic olanzapine and typical antipsychotic haloperidol in a paradigm that reflects the learned transfer of incentive motivational properties to previously neutral stimuli, namely autoshaping. In order to provide a dosing comparison to a therapeutically relevant endpoint, both drugs were tested against amphetamine-induced disruption of prepulse inhibition as well. In the autoshaping task, rats were exposed to repeated pairings of stimuli that were differentially predictive of reward delivery. Conditioned approach to the reward predictive cue (sign-tracking) and to the reward (goal-tracking) increased during repeated pairings in the vehicle treated rats. Haloperidol and olanzapine completely abolished this behavior at relatively low doses (100 μg/kg). This same dose was the threshold dose for each drug to antagonize the sensorimotor gating deficits produced by amphetamine. At lower doses (3–30 μg/kg) both drugs produced a dose-dependent decrease in conditioned approach to the reward predictive cue. There was no difference between drugs at this dose range which indicates that olanzapine disrupts autoshaping at a significantly lower proposed DRD2 receptor occupancy. Interestingly, neither drug disrupted conditioned approach to the reward at the same dose range that disrupted conditioned approach to the reward predictive cue. Thus, haloperidol and olanzapine, at doses well below what is considered therapeutically relevant, disrupts the attribution of incentive motivational value to previously neutral cues. Drug effects on this dimension of reward processing are an important consideration in the development of future pharmacological treatments for schizophrenia. PMID:20416333

Biological characterization of metanephric mesenchymal stem cells from the Beijing duck.

PubMed

Chen, Jia; Pu, Yabin; Sun, Yujiao; Zhang, Ping; Li, Qian; Wang, Kunfu; Wang, Wenjie; Ma, Yuehui; Guan, Weijun

2016-02-01

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) possess self-proliferation and multi-directional differentiation abilities. Previous studies on MSCs have mostly focused on the bone marrow, lungs, pancreas and umbilical cord blood, with few studies on metanephric tissues in ducks. For the present study, the Beijing duck was selected as an experimental animal. Duck embryo metanephric mesenchymal stem cells (MMSCs) were studied. MMSC isolation culture, analysis of biological characteristics, induced differentiation and identification were performed in preliminary experiments. In the current study, surface antigens and gene expression patterns were detected using immunofluorescence, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and flow cytometry. The induced cells, adipocytes, hepatocytes, epithelial cells and islet cells were identified by oil red O staining, periodic acid-Schiff staining, immunofluorescence and dithizone staining, respectively. RT-PCR was performed for detection of specific marker genes. The results suggested that the biological characteristics of MMSCs were similar to those of the MSCs previously analyzed. Primary MMSCs were sub-cultured to passage 21. The induced cells exhibit typical staining and immunofluorescence indicating the expression of specific genes. This demonstrates that MMSCs may be a novel alternative source of MSCs for experimental and clinical applications.

Newly diagnosed and previously known diabetes mellitus and short-term outcomes in patients with acute myocardial infarction.

PubMed

Tian, Li; Wei, Chang; Zhu, Jun; Liu, Lisheng; Liang, Yan; Li, Jiandong; Yang, Yanmin

2013-12-01

The prognostic value of diabetes mellitus (DM) on the long-term outcomes of patients after myocardial infarction has been well established. The correlation between DM, including newly diagnosed DM, and short-term outcomes needs to be validated. A total of 5410 ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) patients with typical chest pain onset in the past 12 h were enrolled. Follow-ups were carried out on days 7 and 30 after hospital admission. According to 2013 Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes, the study population was stratified into the following three groups: no diabetes, newly diagnosed diabetes, and previously known diabetes. The primary outcomes of our study were mortality from all causes and major adverse cardiac events (MACE) at days 7 and 30. Patients with previously known diabetes were older and had a higher incidence of previous history of cardiovascular disease compared with the other groups. The 7-day and 30-day mortality was similar between patients without DM and patients with newly diagnosed DM. For both groups, this was significantly lower than that in patients with DM. Similar results were observed for 7-day and 30-day MACE. Multivariable Cox regression analysis indicated that newly diagnosed diabetes did not correlate with 30-day MACE (hazard ratio, 0.901; 95% confidence interval, 0.759-1.069), but that previously known DM correlated with short-term MACE (hazard ratio, 1.211; 95% confidence interval, 1.009-1.453). Previously known DM, but not newly diagnosed DM, was an independent predictor for short-term MACE in patients with STEMI. To reduce the incidence of short-term MACE and the detrimental effects of stress hyperglycemia after STEMI, intensive insulin therapy should be provided to diabetic patients with STEMI.

Disentangling inhibition-based and retrieval-based aftereffects of distractors: Cognitive versus motor processes.

PubMed

Singh, Tarini; Laub, Ruth; Burgard, Jan Pablo; Frings, Christian

2018-05-01

Selective attention refers to the ability to selectively act upon relevant information at the expense of irrelevant information. Yet, in many experimental tasks, what happens to the representation of the irrelevant information is still debated. Typically, 2 approaches to distractor processing have been suggested, namely distractor inhibition and distractor-based retrieval. However, it is also typical that both processes are hard to disentangle. For instance, in the negative priming literature (for a review Frings, Schneider, & Fox, 2015) this has been a continuous debate since the early 1980s. In the present study, we attempted to prove that both processes exist, but that they reflect distractor processing at different levels of representation. Distractor inhibition impacts stimulus representation, whereas distractor-based retrieval impacts mainly motor processes. We investigated both processes in a distractor-priming task, which enables an independent measurement of both processes. For our argument that both processes impact different levels of distractor representation, we estimated the exponential parameter (τ) and Gaussian components (μ, σ) of the exponential Gaussian reaction-time (RT) distribution, which have previously been used to independently test the effects of cognitive and motor processes (e.g., Moutsopoulou & Waszak, 2012). The distractor-based retrieval effect was evident for the Gaussian component, which is typically discussed as reflecting motor processes, but not for the exponential parameter, whereas the inhibition component was evident for the exponential parameter, which is typically discussed as reflecting cognitive processes, but not for the Gaussian parameter. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Foveal Processing Under Concurrent Peripheral Load in Profoundly Deaf Adults.

PubMed

Dye, Matthew W G

2016-04-01

Development of the visual system typically proceeds in concert with the development of audition. One result is that the visual system of profoundly deaf individuals differs from that of those with typical auditory systems. While past research has suggested deaf people have enhanced attention in the visual periphery, it is still unclear whether or not this enhancement entails deficits in central vision. Profoundly deaf and typically hearing adults were administered a variant of the useful field of view task that independently assessed performance on concurrent central and peripheral tasks. Identification of a foveated target was impaired by a concurrent selective peripheral attention task, more so in profoundly deaf adults than in the typically hearing. Previous findings of enhanced performance on the peripheral task were not replicated. These data are discussed in terms of flexible allocation of spatial attention targeted towards perceived task demands, and support a modified "division of labor" hypothesis whereby attentional resources co-opted to process peripheral space result in reduced resources in the central visual field. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Programmed Lab Experiments for Biochemical Investigation of Quorum-Sensing Signal Molecules in Rhizospheric Soil Bacteria

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nievas, Fiorela L.; Bogino, Pablo C.; Giordano, Walter

2016-01-01

Biochemistry courses in the Department of Molecular Biology at the National University of Río Cuarto, Argentina, are designed for undergraduate students in biology, microbiology, chemistry, agronomy, and veterinary medicine. Microbiology students typically have previous coursework in general, analytical, and organic chemistry. Programmed sequences…

An Examination of Iconic Memory in Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McMorris, Carly A.; Brown, Stephanie M.; Bebko, James M.

2013-01-01

"Iconic memory" is the ability to accurately recall a number of items after a very brief visual exposure. Previous research has examined these capabilities in typically developing (TD) children and individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID); however, there is limited research on these abilities in children with Autism Spectrum…

Overconfidence in Interval Estimates: What Does Expertise Buy You?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKenzie, Craig R. M.; Liersch, Michael J.; Yaniv, Ilan

2008-01-01

People's 90% subjective confidence intervals typically contain the true value about 50% of the time, indicating extreme overconfidence. Previous results have been mixed regarding whether experts are as overconfident as novices. Experiment 1 examined interval estimates from information technology (IT) professionals and UC San Diego (UCSD) students…

Developmental Trajectories of Agency and Communion in Moral Motivation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Lawrence J.; Frimer, Jeremy A.

2015-01-01

How does moral motivation develop across the life span? Previous research has indicated that moral exemplars have integrated the typically oppositional motives of agency and communion. The present research maps developmental trajectories in these motives that may lead to this end-point integration. Participants were 140 Canadians comprising four…

Facilitating nutrient aquisition of black walnut and other hardwoods at plantation establishment

Treesearch

Douglass F. Jacobs; John R. Seifert

2004-01-01

Bareroot hardwood seedlings typically undergo transplant shock immediately following planting before root systems are established. Fertilization at planting may act to minimize transplant shock by reducing nutrient stresses. However, previous work with fertilization of hardwoods at planting has generally relied on fertilizers with nutrient forms immediately available....

Greenhouse gas emissions and management practices that impact them in US rice systems

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Previous reviews have quantified factors affecting greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from Asian rice (Oryza sativa L.) systems, but not from rice systems typical for the United States, which often vary considerably particularly in practices (i.e., water and carbon management) that affect emissions. Usi...

Ecologically-based management improves soil health in an organic orchard production system

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Prairie Birthday Farm (PBF), a diversified, organic enterprise on the loess hill landscape in northwestern Missouri, was previously managed as a conventional corn-soybean production system. The soil (Sharpsburg silt loam; fine, montmorillonitic, mesic Typic Argiudolls) is mapped as an ‘eroded soil p...

Game Relativity: How Context Influences Strategic Decision Making

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vlaev, Ivo; Chater, Nick

2006-01-01

Existing models of strategic decision making typically assume that only the attributes of the currently played game need be considered when reaching a decision. The results presented in this article demonstrate that the so-called "cooperativeness" of the previously played prisoner's dilemma games influence choices and predictions in the current…

Phonological and Morphophonological Effects on Grammatical Development in Children with Specific Language Impairment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tomas, Ekaterina; Demuth, Katherine; Smith-Lock, Karen M.; Petocz, Peter

2015-01-01

Background: Five-year-olds with specific language impairment (SLI) often struggle with mastering grammatical morphemes. It has been proposed that verbal morphology is particularly problematic in this respect. Previous research has also shown that in young typically developing children grammatical markers appear later in more phonologically…

Evaluation of Propellant Erosivity with Vented Erosion Apparatus

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-03-01

decision, unless so designated by other documentation. Destroy this report when no longer needed. Do not return it to the originator. UNCLASSIFIED...of specimens 1 and 2. This type of variation is typical of that observed in the previous eperimental series. The fourth test in each series was

Body Representation in the First Year of Life

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zieber, Nicole; Bhatt, Ramesh S.; Hayden, Angela; Kangas, Ashley; Collins, Rebecca; Bada, Henrietta

2010-01-01

Like faces, bodies are significant sources of social information. However, research suggests that infants do not develop body representation (i.e., knowledge about typical human bodies) until the second year of life, although they are sensitive to facial information much earlier. Yet, previous research only examined whether infants are sensitive…

Evaluation of Subsurface Engineered Barriers at Waste Sites

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-08-01

28 3-4 MATRIX FOR EVALUATING BARRIER CQA/CQC AGAINST ACCEPTABLE INDSUTRY PRACTICES...STANDARDS................................................................. 66 4-2 MATRIX FOR EVALUATING CAP AGAINST ACCEPTABLE INDSUTRY PRACTICES...stated previously, the most widely used technique for containment is the soil-bentonite slurry wall. It is typically the most economical , utilizes low

Video Game Use and Problem Behaviors in Boys with Autism Spectrum Disorders

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mazurek, Micah O.; Engelhardt, Christopher R.

2013-01-01

Children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) have strong preferences for screen-based media, particularly video games. Although problematic video game use has been associated with behavior problems among typically developing children, the relationship between these variables has not been previously examined among children with ASD. The current…

Geno- and phenotypic characteristics of a transfected babesia bovis 6-Cys-E knockout clonal line

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Babesia bovis is an intra-erythrocytic tick transmitted apicomplexan protozoan parasite. It has a complex life style including asexual replication in the mammalian host and sexual replication occurring in the midgut of host tick vector, typically, Rhipicephalus microplus. Previous evidence showed th...

Learning from Avatars: Learning Assistants Practice Physics Pedagogy in a Classroom Simulator

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chini, Jacquelyn J.; Straub, Carrie L.; Thomas, Kevin H.

2016-01-01

Undergraduate students are increasingly being used to support course transformations that incorporate research-based instructional strategies. While such students are typically selected based on strong content knowledge and possible interest in teaching, they often do not have previous pedagogical training. The current training models make use of…

Biochemical and physiological consequences of the Apollo flight diet.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hander, E. W.; Leach, C. S.; Fischer, C. L.; Rummel, J.; Rambaut, P.; Johnson, P. C.

1971-01-01

Six male subjects subsisting on a typical Apollo flight diet for five consecutive days were evaluated for changes in biochemical and physiological status. Laboratory examinations failed to demonstrate any significant changes of the kind previously attributed to weightlessness, such as in serum electrolytes, endocrine values, body fluid, or hematologic parameters.

Ceratocystis Wilt of ‘Ohi‘a

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

A newly identified disease has killed large numbers of mature ‘ohi‘a trees (Metrosideros poly¬morpha) in forests and residential areas of the Puna and Hilo Districts of Hawai‘i Island. Land¬owners have observed that when previously healthy-looking trees begin to exhibit symptoms they typically die w...

Cortical Variability in the Sensory-Evoked Response in Autism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haigh, Sarah M.; Heeger, David J.; Dinstein, Ilan; Minshew, Nancy; Behrmann, Marlene

2015-01-01

Previous findings have shown that individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) evince greater intra-individual variability (IIV) in their sensory-evoked fMRI responses compared to typical control participants. We explore the robustness of this finding with a new sample of high-functioning adults with autism. Participants were presented with…

Caregivers' suffix frequencies and suffix acquisition by language impaired, late talking, and typically developing children.

PubMed

Warlaumont, Anne S; Jarmulowicz, Linda

2012-11-01

Acquisition of regular inflectional suffixes is an integral part of grammatical development in English and delayed acquisition of certain inflectional suffixes is a hallmark of language impairment. We investigate the relationship between input frequency and grammatical suffix acquisition, analyzing 217 transcripts of mother-child (ages 1 ; 11-6 ; 9) conversations from the CHILDES database. Maternal suffix frequency correlates with previously reported rank orders of acquisition and with child suffix frequency. Percentages of children using a suffix are consistent with frequencies in caregiver speech. Although late talkers acquire suffixes later than typically developing children, order of acquisition is similar across populations. Furthermore, the third person singular and past tense verb suffixes, weaknesses for children with language impairment, are less frequent in caregiver speech than the plural noun suffix, a relative strength in language impairment. Similar findings hold across typical, SLI and late talker populations, suggesting that frequency plays a role in suffix acquisition.

Characteristic aroma components of rennet casein.

PubMed

Karagül-Yüceer, Yonca; Vlahovich, Katrina N; Drake, MaryAnne; Cadwallader, Keith R

2003-11-05

Rennet casein, produced by enzymatic (rennet) precipitation of casein from pasteurized skim milk, is used in both industrial (technical) and food applications. The flavor of rennet casein powder is an important quality parameter; however, the product often contains an odor described as like that of animal/wet dog. Two commercial rennet casein powders were evaluated to determine the compounds responsible for the typical odor. Aroma extracts were prepared by high-vacuum distillation of direct solvent (ether) extracts and analyzed by gas chromatography-olfactometry (GCO), aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA), and GC-mass spectrometry (MS). Odorants detected by GCO were typical of those previously reported in skim milk powders and consisted mainly of short-chain volatile acids, phenolic compounds, lactones, and furanones. Results of AEDA indicated o-aminoacetophenone to be a potent odorant; however, sensory descriptive sensory analysis of model aroma systems revealed that the typical odor of rennet casein was principally caused by hexanoic acid, indole, guaiacol, and p-cresol.

Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance Consensus Clinical Treatment Plans for Juvenile Dermatomyositis with Persistent Skin Rash.

PubMed

Huber, Adam M; Kim, Susan; Reed, Ann M; Carrasco, Ruy; Feldman, Brian M; Hong, Sandy D; Kahn, Philip; Rahimi, Homaira; Robinson, Angela Byun; Vehe, Richard K; Weiss, Jennifer E; Spencer, Charles

2017-01-01

Juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) is the most common form of idiopathic inflammatory myopathy in children. While outcomes are generally thought to be good, persistence of skin rash is a common problem. The goal of this study was to describe the development of clinical treatment plans (CTP) for children with JDM characterized by persistent skin rash despite complete resolution of muscle involvement. The Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance, a North American consortium of pediatric rheumatologists and other healthcare providers, used a combination of Delphi surveys and nominal group consensus meetings to develop CTP that reflected consensus on typical treatments for patients with JDM with persistent skin rash. Consensus was reached on patient characteristics and outcome assessment. Patients should have previously received corticosteroids and methotrexate (MTX). Three consensus treatment plans were developed. Plan A added intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) if it was not already being used. Plan B added mycophenolate mofetil, while Plan C added cyclosporine. Continuation of previous treatments, including corticosteroids, MTX, and IVIG, was permitted in plans B and C. Three consensus CTP were developed for use in children with JDM and persistent skin rash despite complete resolution of muscle disease. These CTP reflect typical treatment approaches and are not to be considered treatment recommendations or standard of care. Using prospective data collection and statistical methods to account for nonrandom treatment assignment, it is expected that these CTP will be used to allow treatment comparisons, and ultimately determine the best treatment for these patients.

Mathematical Rigor vs. Conceptual Change: Some Early Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alexander, W. R.

2003-05-01

Results from two different pedagogical approaches to teaching introductory astronomy at the college level will be presented. The first of these approaches is a descriptive, conceptually based approach that emphasizes conceptual change. This descriptive class is typically an elective for non-science majors. The other approach is a mathematically rigorous treatment that emphasizes problem solving and is designed to prepare students for further study in astronomy. The mathematically rigorous class is typically taken by science majors. It also fulfills an elective science requirement for these science majors. The Astronomy Diagnostic Test version 2 (ADT 2.0) was used as an assessment instrument since the validity and reliability have been investigated by previous researchers. The ADT 2.0 was administered as both a pre-test and post-test to both groups. Initial results show no significant difference between the two groups in the post-test. However, there is a slightly greater improvement for the descriptive class between the pre and post testing compared to the mathematically rigorous course. There was great care to account for variables. These variables included: selection of text, class format as well as instructor differences. Results indicate that the mathematically rigorous model, doesn't improve conceptual understanding any better than the conceptual change model. Additional results indicate that there is a similar gender bias in favor of males that has been measured by previous investigators. This research has been funded by the College of Science and Mathematics at James Madison University.

Novel quad-band terahertz metamaterial absorber based on single pattern U-shaped resonator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Ben-Xin; Wang, Gui-Zhen

2017-03-01

A novel quad-band terahertz metamaterial absorber using four different modes of single pattern resonator is demonstrated. Four obvious frequencies with near-perfect absorption are realized. Near-field distributions of the four modes are provided to reveal the physical picture of the multiple-band absorption. Unlike most previous quad-band absorbers that typically require four or more patterns, the designed absorber has only one resonant structure, which is simpler than previous works. The presented quad-band absorber has potential applications in biological sensing, medical imaging, and material detection.

Haemophilus influenzae type B meningitis in a previously healthy child.

PubMed

Horowitz, Ira N; Baorto, Elizabeth; Davis, Jennifer; Barisciano, Lisa

2010-10-01

Vaccines have proven successful in virtually eradicating certain infectious diseases that typically attack the pediatric population. Since 1988, when the conjugate vaccine was introduced, the incidence of invasive Haemophilus influenzae type B disease was reduced dramatically. However, immunization rates have decreased in certain parts of the country because of a combination of vaccine shortage and widespread parental perception that vaccines are harmful. We present the case of a previous healthy child, who ultimately succumbed to H. influenzae type B meningitis where multiple factors were likely responsible for his acquisition of the disease.

Specific language impairment in language-minority children from low-income families.

PubMed

Engel de Abreu, Pascale M J; Cruz-Santos, Anabela; Puglisi, Marina L

2014-11-01

Recent evidence suggests that specific language impairment (SLI) might be secondary to general cognitive processing limitations in the domain of executive functioning. Previous research has focused almost exclusively on monolingual children with SLI and offers little evidence-based guidance on executive functioning in bilingual children with SLI. Studying bilinguals with SLI is important, especially in the light of increasing evidence that bilingualism can bring advantages in certain domains of executive functioning. To determine whether executive functioning represents an area of difficulty for bilingual language-minority children with SLI and, if so, which specific executive processes are affected. This cross-cultural research was conducted with bilingual children from Luxembourg and monolingual children from Portugal who all had Portuguese as their first language. The data from 81 eight-year-olds from the following three groups were analysed: (1) 15 Portuguese-Luxembourgish bilinguals from Luxembourg with an SLI diagnosis; (2) 33 typically developing Portuguese-Luxembourgish bilinguals from Luxembourg; and (3) 33 typically developing Portuguese-speaking monolinguals from Portugal. Groups were matched on first language, ethnicity, chronological age and socioeconomic status, and they did not differ in nonverbal intelligence. Children completed a battery of tests tapping: expressive and receptive vocabulary, syntactic comprehension, verbal and visuospatial working memory, selective attention and interference suppression. The bilingual SLI group performed equally well compared with their typically developing peers on measures of visuospatial working memory, but had lower scores than both control groups on tasks of verbal working memory. On measures of selective attention and interference suppression, typically developing children who were bilingual outperformed their monolingual counterparts. For selective attention, performance of the bilingual SLI group did not differ significantly from the controls. For interference suppression the bilingual SLI group performed significantly less well than typically developing bilinguals but not monolinguals. This research provides further support to the position that SLI is not a language-specific disorder. The study indicates that although bilingual children with SLI do not demonstrate the same advantages in selective attention and interference suppression as typically developing bilinguals, they do not lag behind typically developing monolinguals in these domains of executive functioning. This finding raises the possibility that bilingualism might represent a protective factor against some of the cognitive limitations that are associated with SLI in monolinguals. © 2014 The Authors International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists.

Daily time management in children with spina bifida.

PubMed

Persson, Marika; Janeslätt, Gunnel; Peny-Dahlstrand, Marie

2017-12-11

Spina bifida (SB) often results in a complex disability and can also cause cognitive dysfunction. No previous study has investigated the ability to adapt to time in children with SB. This ability is crucial for an individual's possibility to develop autonomy in life. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether children aged 10-17 with SB have lower time-processing abilities than typically-developing children, and to describe the profile of time-processing in children with SB. Participants comprised a consecutive sample of 21 children (drawn from a geographical cohort of 45) aged 10-17 years (mean: 14 years, SD: 2 years); 13 were boys. The instruments used were KaTid-Y, Time-S, and Time-P. The children with SB had lower time-processing abilities than typically-developing children (52.4% under -2SD), particularly difficulties to orient to and to estimate objective time, to understand time perspectives and with time planning. They also self-rated low use of strategies to adapt to time. The parents rated their children as having extensive difficulties in daily time management. The low time-processing ability found in children with SB is likely to be an important contributing factor to low autonomy and independence.

Attentional Disengagement in Adults with Williams syndrome

PubMed Central

Lense, Miriam D.; Key, Alexandra P.; Dykens, Elisabeth M.

2011-01-01

Williams syndrome (WS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by a distinctive behavioral and cognitive profile, including widespread problems with attention. However, the specific nature of their attentional difficulties, such as inappropriate attentional allocation and/or poor attentional disengagement abilities, has yet to be elucidated. Furthermore, it is unknown if there is an underlying difficulty with the temporal dynamics of attention in WS or if their attentional difficulties are task-dependent, because previous studies have examined attention in established areas of deficit and atypicality (specifically, visuospatial and face processing). In this study, we examined attentional processing in 14 adults with WS (20-59 years) and 17 typically developing controls (19-39 years) using an attentional blink (AB) paradigm. The AB is the decreased ability to detect a second target when it is presented in close proximity to an initial target. Overall, adults with WS had an AB that was prolonged in duration, but no different in magnitude, compared with typically developing control participants. AB performance was not explained by IQ, working memory, or processing speed in either group. Thus, results suggest that the attention problems in WS are primarily due to general attentional disengagement difficulties rather than inappropriate attentional allocation. PMID:21885176

Auditory Phenotype of Smith-Magenis Syndrome.

PubMed

Brendal, Megan A; King, Kelly A; Zalewski, Christopher K; Finucane, Brenda M; Introne, Wendy; Brewer, Carmen C; Smith, Ann C M

2017-04-14

The purpose of this study was to describe the auditory phenotype of a large cohort with Smith-Magenis syndrome (SMS), a rare disorder including physical anomalies, cognitive deficits, sleep disturbances, and a distinct behavioral phenotype. Hearing-related data were collected for 133 individuals with SMS aged 1-49 years. Audiogram data (97 participants) were used for cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses. Caregivers completed a sound sensitivity survey for 98 individuals with SMS and a control group of 24 unaffected siblings. Nearly 80% of participants with interpretable audiograms (n = 76) had hearing loss, which was typically slight to mild in degree. When hearing loss type could be determined (40 participants), sensorineural hearing loss (48.1%) occurred most often in participants aged 11-49 years. Conductive hearing loss (35.2%) was typically observed in children aged 1-10 years. A pattern of fluctuating and progressive hearing decline was documented. Hyperacusis was reported in 73.5% of participants with SMS compared with 12.5% of unaffected siblings. This study offers the most comprehensive characterization of the auditory phenotype of SMS to date. The auditory profile in SMS is multifaceted and can include a previously unreported manifestation of hyperacusis. Routine audiologic surveillance is recommended as part of standard clinical care.

Effects of cure temperature, electron radiation, and thermal cycling on P75/930 composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Funk, Joan G.

1990-01-01

Graphite/epoxy composites are candidates for future space structures due to high stiffness and dimensional stability requirements of these structures. Typical graphite/epoxy composites are brittle and have high residual stresses which often result in microcracking during the thermal cycling typical of the space environment. Composite materials used in geosynchronous orbit applications will also be exposed to high levels of radiation. The purpose of the present study was to determine the effects of cure temperature and radiation exposure on the shear strength and thermal cycling-induced microcrack density of a high modulus, 275 F cure epoxy, P75/930. The results from the P75/930 are compared to previously reported data on P75/934 and T300/934 where 934 is a standard 350 F cure epoxy. The results of this study reveal that P75/930 is significantly degraded by total doses of electron radiation greater than 10(exp 8) rads and by thermally cycling between -250 F and 150 F. The P75/930 did not have improved microcrack resistance over the P75/934, and the 930 resin system appears to be more sensitive to electron radiation-induced degradation than the 934 resin system.

The role of affective evaluation in conflict adaptation: An LRP study.

PubMed

Fröber, Kerstin; Stürmer, Birgit; Frömer, Romy; Dreisbach, Gesine

2017-08-01

Conflict between incompatible response tendencies is typically followed by control adjustments aimed at diminishing subsequent conflicts, a phenomenon often called conflict adaptation. Dreisbach and Fischer (2015, 2016) recently proposed that it is not the conflict per se but the aversive quality of a conflict that originally motivates this kind of sequential control adjustment. With the present study we tested the causal role of aversive signals in conflict adaptation in a more direct way. To this end, after each trial of a vertical Simon task participants rated whether they experienced the last trial as rather pleasant or unpleasant. Conflict adaptation was measured via lateralized readiness potentials as a measure of early motor-related activation that were computed on the basis of event-related brain potentials. Results showed the typical suppression of automatic response activation following trials rated as unpleasant, whereas suppression was relaxed following trials rated as pleasant. That is, sequential control adaptation was not based on previous conflict but on the subjective affective experience. This is taken as evidence that negative affect even in the absence of actual conflict triggers subsequent control adjustments. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Direct liquefaction of plastics and coprocessing of coal with plastics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Huffman, G.P.; Feng, Z.; Mahajan, V.

1995-12-31

The objectives of this work were to optimize reaction conditions for the direct liquefaction of waste plastics and the coprocessing of coal with waste plastics. In previous work, the direct liquefaction of medium and high density polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PPE), poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), and a mixed plastic waste, and the coliquefaction of these plastics with coals of three different ranks was studied. The results established that a solid acid catalyst (HZSM-5 zeolite) was highly active for the liquefaction of the plastics alone, typically giving oil yields of 80-95% and total conversions of 90-100% at temperatures of 430-450 {degrees}C. In themore » coliquefaction experiments, 50:50 mixtures of plastic and coal were used with a tetralin solvent (tetralin:solid = 3:2). Using approximately 1% of the HZSM-5 catalyst and a nanoscale iron catalyst, oil yields of 50-70% and total conversion of 80-90% were typical. In the current year, further investigations were conducted of the liquefaction of PE, PPE, and a commingled waste plastic obtained from the American Plastics Council (APC), and the coprocessing of PE, PPE and the APC plastic with Black Thunder subbituminous coal. Several different catalysts were used in these studies.« less

An anti-herbivore defense mutualism under elevated CO2 levels

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Marks, S.; Lincoln, D.E.

Previous studies have shown that insects typically consume more when fed leaf tissue grown under CO2 enrichment, but with few negative effects on growth. On the other hand, Lepidopteran larvae fed tissue infected with Balansiae fungal endophytes (which produce toxic alkaloids) typically eat less but suffer negative effects on growth and survival. This study was carried out to see how these two factors would interact to affect consumption and growth of Fall Armyworm larvae (Spodoptera frugiperda). Infected and uninfected ramets of a single genotype of tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea) were grown under CO2 concentrations of 400 and 700 ul/L. Larvaemore » had increased relative growth in the high CO2 treatment, but decreased growth when fed infected tissue. Relative consumption of leaf tissue was greater in the high CO2 treatment, but was not effected by infection. CO2 level, infection, and their interaction all significantly reduced the efficiency of conversion of food ingested (ECI). It appears that tall fescue may not be as well defended against herbivores under CO2 enrichment, although insects may still avoid and be negatively effected by endophyte infected plants.« less

Full-vector geomagnetic field records from the East Eifel, Germany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monster, Marilyn W. L.; Langemeijer, Jaap; Wiarda, Laura R.; Dekkers, Mark J.; Biggin, Andy J.; Hurst, Elliot A.; Groot, Lennart V. de

2018-01-01

To create meaningful models of the geomagnetic field, high-quality directional and intensity input data are needed. However, while it is fairly straightforward to obtain directional data, intensity data are much scarcer, especially for periods before the Holocene. Here, we present data from twelve flows (age range ∼ 200 to ∼ 470 ka) in the East Eifel volcanic field (Germany). These sites had been previously studied and are resampled to further test the recently proposed multi-method palaeointensity approach. Samples are first subjected to classic palaeomagnetic and rock magnetic analyses to optimise the subsequent palaeointensity experiments. Four different palaeointensity methods - IZZI-Thellier, the multispecimen method, calibrated pseudo-Thellier, and microwave-Thellier - are being used in the present study. The latter should be considered as supportive because only one or two specimens per site could be processed. Palaeointensities obtained for ten sites pass our selection criteria: two sites are successful with a single approach, four sites with two approaches, three more sites work with three approaches, and one site with all four approaches. Site-averaged intensity values typically range between 30 and 35 μT. No typically low palaeointensity values are found, in line with paleodirectional results which are compatible with regular palaeosecular variation of the Earth's magnetic field. Results from different methods are remarkably consistent and generally agree well with the values previously reported. They appear to be below the average for the Brunhes chron; there are no indications for relatively higher palaeointensities for units younger than 300 ka. However, our young sites could be close in age, and therefore may not represent the average intensity of the paleofield. Three of our sites are even considered coeval; encouragingly, these do yield the same palaeointensity within uncertainty bounds.

Reduction in spread of excitation from current focusing at multiple cochlear locations in cochlear implant users.

PubMed

Padilla, Monica; Landsberger, David M

2016-03-01

Channel interaction from a broad spread of excitation is likely to be a limiting factor in performance by cochlear implant users. Although partial tripolar stimulation has been shown to reduce spread of excitation, the magnitude of the reduction is highly variable across subjects. Because the reduction in spread of excitation is typically only measured at one electrode for a given subject, the degree of variability across cochlear locations is unknown. The first goal of the present study was to determine if the reduction in spread of excitation observed from partial tripolar current focusing systematically varies across the cochlea. The second goal was to measure the variability in reduction of spread of excitation relative to monopolar stimulation across the cochlea. The third goal was to expand upon previous results that suggest that scaling of verbal descriptors can be used to predict the reduction in spread of excitation, by increasing the limited number of sites previously evaluated and verify the relationships remain with the larger dataset. The spread of excitation for monopolar and partial tripolar stimulation was measured at 5 cochlear locations using a psychophysical forward masking task. Results of the present study suggest that although partial tripolar stimulation typically reduces spread of excitation, the degree of reduction in spread of excitation was found to be highly variable and no effect of cochlear location was found. Additionally, subjective scaling of certain verbal descriptors (Clean/Dirty, Pure/Noisy) correlated with the reduction in spread of excitation suggesting sound quality scaling might be used as a quick clinical estimate of channels providing a reduction in spread of excitation. This quick scaling technique might help clinicians determine which patients would be most likely to benefit from a focused strategy. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reduction in Spread of Excitation from Current Focusing at Multiple Cochlear Locations in Cochlear Implant Users

PubMed Central

Padilla, Monica; Landsberger, David M.

2016-01-01

Channel interaction from a broad spread of excitation is likely to be a limiting factor in performance by cochlear implant users. Although partial tripolar stimulation has been shown to reduce spread of excitation, the magnitude of the reduction is highly variable across subjects. Because the reduction in spread of excitation is typically only measured at one electrode for a given subject, the degree of variability across cochlear locations is unknown. The first goal of the present study was to determine if the reduction in spread of excitation observed from partial tripolar current focusing systematically varies across the cochlea. The second goal was to measure the variability in reduction of spread of excitation relative to monopolar stimulation across the cochlea. The third goal was to expand upon previous results that suggest that scaling of verbal descriptors can be used to predict the reduction in spread of excitation, by increasing the limited number of sites previously evaluated and verify the relationships remain with the larger dataset. The spread of excitation for monopolar and partial tripolar stimulation was measured at 5 cochlear locations using a psychophysical forward masking task. Results of the present study suggest that although partial tripolar stimulation typically reduces spread of excitation, the degree of reduction in spread of excitation was found to be highly variable and no effect of cochlear location was found. Additionally, subjective scaling of certain verbal descriptors (Clean/Dirty, Pure/Noisy) correlated with the reduction in spread of excitation suggesting sound quality scaling might be used as a quick clinical estimate of channels providing a reduction in spread of excitation. This quick scaling technique might help clinicians determine which patients would be most likely to benefit from a focused strategy. PMID:26778546

Low pathogenic avian influenza isolates from wild birds replicate and transmit via contact in ferrets without prior adaptation.

PubMed

Driskell, Elizabeth A; Pickens, Jennifer A; Humberd-Smith, Jennifer; Gordy, James T; Bradley, Konrad C; Steinhauer, David A; Berghaus, Roy D; Stallknecht, David E; Howerth, Elizabeth W; Tompkins, Stephen Mark

2012-01-01

Direct transmission of avian influenza viruses to mammals has become an increasingly investigated topic during the past decade; however, isolates that have been primarily investigated are typically ones originating from human or poultry outbreaks. Currently there is minimal comparative information on the behavior of the innumerable viruses that exist in the natural wild bird host. We have previously demonstrated the capacity of numerous North American avian influenza viruses isolated from wild birds to infect and induce lesions in the respiratory tract of mice. In this study, two isolates from shorebirds that were previously examined in mice (H1N9 and H6N1 subtypes) are further examined through experimental inoculations in the ferret with analysis of viral shedding, histopathology, and antigen localization via immunohistochemistry to elucidate pathogenicity and transmission of these viruses. Using sequence analysis and glycan binding analysis, we show that these avian viruses have the typical avian influenza binding pattern, with affinity for cell glycoproteins/glycolipids having terminal sialic acid (SA) residues with α 2,3 linkage [Neu5Ac(α2,3)Gal]. Despite the lack of α2,6 linked SA binding, these AIVs productively infected both the upper and lower respiratory tract of ferrets, resulting in nasal viral shedding and pulmonary lesions with minimal morbidity. Moreover, we show that one of the viruses is able to transmit to ferrets via direct contact, despite its binding affinity for α 2,3 linked SA residues. These results demonstrate that avian influenza viruses, which are endemic in aquatic birds, can potentially infect humans and other mammals without adaptation. Finally this work highlights the need for additional study of the wild bird subset of influenza viruses in regard to surveillance, transmission, and potential for reassortment, as they have zoonotic potential.

Enhanced intensity dependence and aggression history indicate previous regular ecstasy use in abstinent polydrug users.

PubMed

Wan, Li; Baldridge, Robyn M; Colby, Amanda M; Stanford, Matthew S

2009-11-13

Intensity dependence is an electrophysiological measure of intra-individual stability of the augmenting/reducing characteristic of N1/ P2 event-related potential amplitudes in response to stimuli of varying intensities. Abstinent ecstasy users typically show enhanced intensity dependence and higher levels of impulsivity and aggression. Enhanced intensity dependence and high impulsivity and aggression levels may be due to damage in the brain's serotonergic neurons as a result of ecstasy use. The present study investigated whether intensity dependence, impulsivity and aggression history can be used as indicators of previous chronic ecstasy usage. Forty-four abstinent polydrug users (8 women; age 19 to 61 years old) were recruited. All participants were currently residents at a local substance abuse facility receiving treatment and had been free of all drugs for a minimum of 21 days. The study found significantly enhanced intensity dependence of tangential dipole source activity and a history of more aggressive behavior in those who had previously been involved in chronic ecstasy use. Intensity dependence of the tangential dipole source and aggressive behavior history correctly identified 73.3% of those who had been regular ecstasy users and 78.3% of those who had not. Overall, 76.3% of the participants were correctly classified.

Accounting for the listener: comparing the production of contrastive intonation in typically-developing speakers and speakers with autism.

PubMed

Kaland, Constantijn; Swerts, Marc; Krahmer, Emiel

2013-09-01

The present research investigates what drives the prosodic marking of contrastive information. For example, a typically developing speaker of a Germanic language like Dutch generally refers to a pink car as a "PINK car" (accented words in capitals) when a previously mentioned car was red. The main question addressed in this paper is whether contrastive intonation is produced with respect to the speaker's or (also) the listener's perspective on the preceding discourse. Furthermore, this research investigates the production of contrastive intonation by typically developing speakers and speakers with autism. The latter group is investigated because people with autism are argued to have difficulties accounting for another person's mental state and exhibit difficulties in the production and perception of accentuation and pitch range. To this end, utterances with contrastive intonation are elicited from both groups and analyzed in terms of function and form of prosody using production and perception measures. Contrary to expectations, typically developing speakers and speakers with autism produce functionally similar contrastive intonation as both groups account for both their own and their listener's perspective. However, typically developing speakers use a larger pitch range and are perceived as speaking more dynamically than speakers with autism, suggesting differences in their use of prosodic form.

Auditory white noise reduces age-related fluctuations in balance.

PubMed

Ross, J M; Will, O J; McGann, Z; Balasubramaniam, R

2016-09-06

Fall prevention technologies have the potential to improve the lives of older adults. Because of the multisensory nature of human balance control, sensory therapies, including some involving tactile and auditory noise, are being explored that might reduce increased balance variability due to typical age-related sensory declines. Auditory white noise has previously been shown to reduce postural sway variability in healthy young adults. In the present experiment, we examined this treatment in young adults and typically aging older adults. We measured postural sway of healthy young adults and adults over the age of 65 years during silence and auditory white noise, with and without vision. Our results show reduced postural sway variability in young and older adults with auditory noise, even in the absence of vision. We show that vision and noise can reduce sway variability for both feedback-based and exploratory balance processes. In addition, we show changes with auditory noise in nonlinear patterns of sway in older adults that reflect what is more typical of young adults, and these changes did not interfere with the typical random walk behavior of sway. Our results suggest that auditory noise might be valuable for therapeutic and rehabilitative purposes in older adults with typical age-related balance variability. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

When gentlemen are first and ladies are last: effects of gender stereotypes on the order of romantic partners' names.

PubMed

Hegarty, Peter; Watson, Nila; Fletcher, Laura; McQueen, Grant

2011-03-01

A preference to name stereotypically masculine before stereotypically feminine individuals explains why men are typically named before women, as on the Internet, for example (Study 1). Heterosexual couples are named with men's names first more often when such couples are imagined to conform to gender stereotypes (Studies 2 and 3). First-named partners of imaginary same-sex couples are attributed more stereotypically masculine attributes (Study 4). Familiarity bounds these effects of stereotypes on name order. People name couples they know well with closer people first (Study 5), and consequently name familiar heterosexual couples with members of their own gender first (Study 6). These studies evidence a previously unknown effect of the semantics of gender stereotypes on sentence structure in the everyday use of English. ©2010 The British Psychological Society.

Risk Preferences and Predictions about Others: No Association with 2D:4D Ratio

PubMed Central

Lima de Miranda, Katharina; Neyse, Levent; Schmidt, Ulrich

2018-01-01

Prenatal androgen exposure affects the brain development of the fetus which may facilitate certain behaviors and decision patterns in the later life. The ratio between the lengths of second and the fourth fingers (2D:4D) is a negative biomarker of the ratio between prenatal androgen and estrogen exposure and men typically have lower ratios than women. In line with the typical findings suggesting that women are more risk averse than men, several studies have also shown negative relationships between 2D:4D and risk taking although the evidence is not conclusive. Previous studies have also reported that both men and women believe women are more risk averse than men. In the current study, we re-test the relationship between 2D:4D and risk preferences in a German student sample and also investigate whether the 2D:4D ratio is associated with people’s perceptions about others’ risk preferences. Following an incentivized risk elicitation task, we asked all participants their predictions about (i) others’ responses (without sex specification), (ii) men’s responses, and (iii) women’s responses; then measured their 2D:4D ratios. In line with the previous findings, female participants in our sample were more risk averse. While both men and women underestimated other participants’ (non sex-specific) and women’s risky decisions on average, their predictions about men were accurate. We also found evidence for the false consensus effect, as risky choices are positively correlated with predictions about other participants’ risky choices. The 2D:4D ratio was not directly associated either with risk preferences or the predictions of other participants’ choices. An unexpected finding was that women with mid-range levels of 2D:4D estimated significantly larger sex differences in participants’ decisions. This finding needs further testing in future studies. PMID:29472846

Assessing the temporal aspects of attention and its correlates in aging and chronic stroke patients.

PubMed

Shalev, Nir; Humphreys, Glyn; Demeyere, Nele

2016-11-01

Temporal dynamics of attention have been in the spotlight of research since the earliest days of cognitive psychology. Typically, researchers describe two different aspects of the temporal fluctuations of attention: one is in intervals of milliseconds (phasic alertness), and the other over minutes or even hours (tonic alertness or sustained attention). In order to evaluate individual capacities for sustained attention and phasic alertness, most studies rely on variations of the Continuous Performance Task (CPT). Indices of sustained attention and phasic alertness are typically based on reaction times to targets; phasic alertness is related to the change in reaction times following a cue, and sustained attention is related to variability of reaction times during the task. In the following study, we attempted to establish a new approach for studying sustained attention and phasic alertness, not reliant solely on reaction time measures. We developed a new variation of the CPT with conjunctive feature targets and forward and backward masking to induce a higher variability in accuracy. This allowed us to assess an individual's ability to maintain the same level of sensitivity to targets (d-prime) across a ten minute period on the task as an index for sustained attention. We also assessed reaction times as a function of previous trial type, and suggest previous trial RT benefit might be a marker for an individual's phasic alertness. We demonstrated the use of this task with healthy aging controls and stroke survivors. As a demonstration of external validity of the novel paradigm, we present a correlation between how individual performance drops over time and individual reports of distractibility in everyday life on the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire. In addition, we found significant differences between the patient and control groups in our proposed marker of phasic alertness. We discuss the implications of our study for current assessment tools, as well as general differences in phasic alertness between clinical and neurologically unimpaired groups. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Probing the Initial Mass Function in Extended Ultraviolet (XUV) Disks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koda, Jin

2013-01-01

"The GALEX UV satellite discovered tantalizing evidence of star formation (SF) far beyond the optical edge of galactic disks (i.e. extended UV disk, or XUV disk). This discovery provides a new opportunity for studying SF in the exceedingly low-density environment (˜1/10 of typical SF density), spurring intense debate on the universality of the initial mass function (IMF) in such exceptional environments. Our pilot S-Cam study of M83’s XUV disk led to support for the universal IMF at least in M83 (Koda et al. 2012). We propose an expansion of the pilot study by about an order of magnitude, by observing 6 XUV disks in NA656(Hα), B, I, and R-band with S-Cam in S13B. In conjunction with GALEX UV bands, these images will reveal the presence of O stars (Hα) and O&B stars (UV) in stellar clusters -thus, constraining the high-mass end of the IMF. These multi-broadband images will enable us to determine the masses of the clusters with much improved accuracy (previously, relied only on R). The proposed observations will not only increase the statistical significance of our previous result, but also enable us to analyze the stochastic effect of IMF sampling in very low-mass - clusters (10^{2+3} M_sun) - the regime of ongoing debate. Previously allocated 1+2 nights were cancelled (telescope failures)."

Functional Movement ScreenTM and history of injury in assessment of potential risk of injury among team handball players.

PubMed

Slodownik, Robert; Ogonowska-Slodownik, Anna; Morgulec-Adamowicz, Natalia

2017-09-29

Handball is known to be one of the team sports representing the highest risk of injury. Several investigators have tried to identify injury risk factors in team sports including handball and suggested the need to develop an optimal tool to capture and quantify the potential risk of injury. The aim of the study was to evaluate potential risk of injury among handball players. It was a mixed design study. Handball players from 1st and 2nd division were evaluated (n = 30) using the Functional Movement ScreenTM (FMSTM). Additionally, self-reported history of injury was collected during FMSTM evaluation and after 6 months. Competitive level, training experience, playing position, anthropometric features, symmetry of movement patterns and history of previous injury were analysed while assessing the potential risk of injury. Significant difference between the right and left side (upper limb) was revealed for Shoulder Mobility Test (U = 308.5, p = 0.014). Odds Ratio analysis revealed that having previous injury in the last 12 months is the only statistically significant injury risk factor (OR = 13.71, p = 0.02). Based on this study we can assume that previous injury history reports are crucial in predicting injuries. FMSTM can help in identifying a typical adaptation in throwing shoulder among handball players, but should not be used alone to assess injury risk.

Finding topological center of a geographic space via road network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Liang; Miao, Yanan; Qin, Yuhao; Zhao, Xiaomei; Gao, Zi-You

2015-02-01

Previous studies show that the center of a geographic space is of great importance in urban and regional studies, including study of population distribution, urban growth modeling, and scaling properties of urban systems, etc. But how to well define and how to efficiently extract the center of a geographic space are still largely unknown. Recently, Jiang et al. have presented a definition of topological center by their block detection (BD) algorithm. Despite the fact that they first introduced the definition and discovered the 'true center', in human minds, their algorithm left several redundancies in its traversal process. Here, we propose an alternative road-cycle detection (RCD) algorithm to find the topological center, which extracts the outmost road-cycle recursively. To foster the application of the topological center in related research fields, we first reproduce the BD algorithm in Python (pyBD), then implement the RCD algorithm in two ways: the ArcPy implementation (arcRCD) and the Python implementation (pyRCD). After the experiments on twenty-four typical road networks, we find that the results of our RCD algorithm are consistent with those of Jiang's BD algorithm. We also find that the RCD algorithm is at least seven times more efficient than the BD algorithm on all the ten typical road networks.

Changes in otoacoustic emissions during selective auditory and visual attention

PubMed Central

Walsh, Kyle P.; Pasanen, Edward G.; McFadden, Dennis

2015-01-01

Previous studies have demonstrated that the otoacoustic emissions (OAEs) measured during behavioral tasks can have different magnitudes when subjects are attending selectively or not attending. The implication is that the cognitive and perceptual demands of a task can affect the first neural stage of auditory processing—the sensory receptors themselves. However, the directions of the reported attentional effects have been inconsistent, the magnitudes of the observed differences typically have been small, and comparisons across studies have been made difficult by significant procedural differences. In this study, a nonlinear version of the stimulus-frequency OAE (SFOAE), called the nSFOAE, was used to measure cochlear responses from human subjects while they simultaneously performed behavioral tasks requiring selective auditory attention (dichotic or diotic listening), selective visual attention, or relative inattention. Within subjects, the differences in nSFOAE magnitude between inattention and attention conditions were about 2–3 dB for both auditory and visual modalities, and the effect sizes for the differences typically were large for both nSFOAE magnitude and phase. These results reveal that the cochlear efferent reflex is differentially active during selective attention and inattention, for both auditory and visual tasks, although they do not reveal how attention is improved when efferent activity is greater. PMID:25994703

Refining Field Measurements of Methane Flux Rates from Abandoned Oil and Gas Wells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lagron, C. S.; Kang, M.; Riqueros, N. S.; Jackson, R. B.

2015-12-01

Recent studies in Pennsylvania demonstrate the potential for significant methane emissions from abandoned oil and gas wells. A subset of tested wells was high emitting, with methane flux rates up to seven orders of magnitude greater than natural fluxes (up to 105 mg CH4/hour, or about 2.5LPM). These wells contribute disproportionately to the total methane emissions from abandoned oil and gas wells. The principles guiding the chamber design have been developed for lower flux rates, typically found in natural environments, and chamber design modifications may reduce uncertainty in flux rates associated with high-emitting wells. Kang et al. estimate errors of a factor of two in measured values based on previous studies. We conduct controlled releases of methane to refine error estimates and improve chamber design with a focus on high-emitters. Controlled releases of methane are conducted at 0.05 LPM, 0.50 LPM, 1.0 LPM, 2.0 LPM, 3.0 LPM, and 5.0 LPM, and at two chamber dimensions typically used in field measurements studies of abandoned wells. As most sources of error tabulated by Kang et al. tend to bias the results toward underreporting of methane emissions, a flux-targeted chamber design modification can reduce error margins and/or provide grounds for a potential upward revision of emission estimates.

Does IQ affect the functional brain network involved in pseudoword reading in students with reading disability? A magnetoencephalography study

PubMed Central

Simos, Panagiotis G.; Rezaie, Roozbeh; Papanicolaou, Andrew C.; Fletcher, Jack M.

2014-01-01

The study examined whether individual differences in performance and verbal IQ affect the profiles of reading-related regional brain activation in 127 students experiencing reading difficulties and typical readers. Using magnetoencephalography in a pseudoword read-aloud task, we compared brain activation profiles of students experiencing word-level reading difficulties who did (n = 29) or did not (n = 36) meet the IQ-reading achievement discrepancy criterion. Typical readers assigned to a lower-IQ (n = 18) or a higher IQ (n = 44) subgroup served as controls. Minimum norm estimates of regional cortical activity revealed that the degree of hypoactivation in the left superior temporal and supramarginal gyri in both RD subgroups was not affected by IQ. Moreover, IQ did not moderate the positive association between degree of activation in the left fusiform gyrus and phonological decoding ability. We did find, however, that the hypoactivation of the left pars opercularis in RD was restricted to lower-IQ participants. In accordance with previous morphometric and fMRI studies, degree of activity in inferior frontal, and inferior parietal regions correlated with IQ across reading ability subgroups. Results are consistent with current views questioning the relevance of IQ-discrepancy criteria in the diagnosis of dyslexia. PMID:24409136

Does IQ affect the functional brain network involved in pseudoword reading in students with reading disability? A magnetoencephalography study.

PubMed

Simos, Panagiotis G; Rezaie, Roozbeh; Papanicolaou, Andrew C; Fletcher, Jack M

2014-01-01

The study examined whether individual differences in performance and verbal IQ affect the profiles of reading-related regional brain activation in 127 students experiencing reading difficulties and typical readers. Using magnetoencephalography in a pseudoword read-aloud task, we compared brain activation profiles of students experiencing word-level reading difficulties who did (n = 29) or did not (n = 36) meet the IQ-reading achievement discrepancy criterion. Typical readers assigned to a lower-IQ (n = 18) or a higher IQ (n = 44) subgroup served as controls. Minimum norm estimates of regional cortical activity revealed that the degree of hypoactivation in the left superior temporal and supramarginal gyri in both RD subgroups was not affected by IQ. Moreover, IQ did not moderate the positive association between degree of activation in the left fusiform gyrus and phonological decoding ability. We did find, however, that the hypoactivation of the left pars opercularis in RD was restricted to lower-IQ participants. In accordance with previous morphometric and fMRI studies, degree of activity in inferior frontal, and inferior parietal regions correlated with IQ across reading ability subgroups. Results are consistent with current views questioning the relevance of IQ-discrepancy criteria in the diagnosis of dyslexia.

Investigating effect of environmental controls on dynamics of CO2 budget in a subtropical estuarial marsh wetland ecosystem

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Sung-Ching; Fan, Chao-Jung; Wu, Zih-Yi; Juang, Jehn-Yih

2015-02-01

In this study, we quantified the ecosystem-scale CO2 exchange of two different but typical low-latitude vegetation types, para grass and reed, in a subtropical wetland ecosystem by integrating flux observation with the parameterization of environmental variables. In addition, we explored how seasonal dynamics of environmental factors affected variations in CO2 budget. The results suggest that gross primary production (GPP, in the order of 1700 gC m-2 yr-1) of CO2 was higher in this site than in previous studies of northern peatlands and estuarial wetlands because of the direct effect of environmental factors. Temperature and radiation had a larger effect than water status (soil moisture content and vapor pressure deficit) on GPP for the two low-latitude ecosystems, which differ from the results for high-latitude regions. Environmental variables had a strong but different impact on the CO2 budget for para grass and reed areas. This diversity led to different potential shifts and trends of biomass accumulation and distribution of these two typical low-latitude vegetation types under different scenarios of environmental change. The findings from this study can sufficiently provide quantitative understanding of CO2 budgets in low-latitude wetlands.

Meditation leads to reduced default mode network activity beyond an active task

PubMed Central

Garrison, Kathleen A.; Zeffiro, Thomas A.; Scheinost, Dustin; Constable, R. Todd; Brewer, Judson A.

2015-01-01

Meditation has been associated with relatively reduced activity in the default mode network, a brain network implicated in self-related thinking and mind wandering. However, previous imaging studies have typically compared meditation to rest despite other studies reporting differences in brain activation patterns between meditators and controls at rest. Moreover, rest is associated with a range of brain activation patterns across individuals that has only recently begun to be better characterized. Therefore, this study compared meditation to another active cognitive task, both to replicate findings that meditation is associated with relatively reduced default mode network activity, and to extend these findings by testing whether default mode activity was reduced during meditation beyond the typical reductions observed during effortful tasks. In addition, prior studies have used small groups, whereas the current study tested these hypotheses in a larger group. Results indicate that meditation is associated with reduced activations in the default mode network relative to an active task in meditators compared to controls. Regions of the default mode showing a group by task interaction include the posterior cingulate/precuneus and anterior cingulate cortex. These findings replicate and extend prior work indicating that suppression of default mode processing may represent a central neural process in long-term meditation, and suggest that meditation leads to relatively reduced default mode processing beyond that observed during another active cognitive task. PMID:25904238

Transfer of dimensional associability in human contingency learning.

PubMed

Kattner, Florian; Green, C Shawn

2016-01-01

Several studies have demonstrated processing advantages for stimuli that were experienced to be reliable predictors of an outcome relative to other stimuli. The present study tested whether such increases in associability apply at the level of entire stimulus dimensions (as suggested by Sutherland & Mackintosh, 1971). In 4 experiments, participants had to learn associations between Gabor gratings and particular responses. In a first experiment, some gratings were more predictive of the response than other gratings, whereas in 3 subsequent experiments, one stimulus dimension (i.e., either the orientation or spatial frequency of the grating) was more predictive than the other dimension. In contrast to the learned predictiveness of individual gratings (Experiment 1), dimensional predictiveness did not affect the subsequent rate of learning (Experiments 2 and 3), suggesting changes in the associability of specific stimuli, but not of stimulus dimensions. Moreover, greater transfer of predictiveness was found in all experiments when particular stimulus values of the test discrimination did not lie between the previously relevant stimuli. In Experiment 4, an increased learning rate was found for discriminations along the previously predictive dimension compared with a dimension that was indicative of uncertainty, but again the transfer was more pronounced for specific stimuli that were compatible with the previously learned discrimination. Taken together, the results imply that a transfer of associability typically applies to individual stimuli and depends on how the transfer stimuli relate to those stimuli that individuals previously learned to attend. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Generalizability of Pharmacologic and Psychotherapy Clinical Trial Results for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder to Community Samples.

PubMed

Franco, Silvia; Hoertel, Nicolas; McMahon, Kibby; Wang, Shuai; Rodríguez-Fernández, Jorge Mario; Peyre, Hugo; Limosin, Frédéric; Blanco, Carlos

2016-08-01

The present study sought to quantify the generalizability of pharmacologic and psychotherapy clinical trial results in individuals with a DSM-IV diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) to a large representative community sample. Data were derived from the 2004-2005 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions (NESARC), a large nationally representative sample of the adult US population. We applied a standard set of exclusion criteria representative of pharmacologic and psychotherapy clinical trials to all adults with a DSM-IV diagnosis of PTSD in the previous 12 months (n = 1,715) and then to a subsample of participants seeking treatment (n = 366). Our aim was to assess how many participants with PTSD would fulfill typical eligibility criteria. We found that more than 6 of 10 respondents from the overall PTSD sample and more than 7 of 10 respondents seeking treatment for PTSD would have been excluded by 1 exclusion criterion or more in a typical pharmacologic trial. In contrast, about 2 of 10 participants in the full sample and about 3 of 10 participants seeking treatment for PTSD would have been excluded in a typical psychotherapy efficacy trial. We found that psychotherapy trial results may be applied to most patients with PTSD in routine clinical practice. The designers of pharmacologic clinical trials should carefully consider the trade-offs between the application of each exclusion criterion and its impact on representativeness. Specification a priori of the goals of the study, better justification for each exclusion criterion, and estimation of the proportion of individuals ineligible for the trial would assist study design. Developing integrated forms of pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy that simultaneously target commonly overlapping psychiatric disorders may yield more informative results for mental health care providers and research funding agencies. © Copyright 2016 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

Femicide in Turkey between 2000 and 2010

PubMed Central

Toprak, Sadik; Ersoy, Gokhan

2017-01-01

Although intimate partner violence (IPV) is an important problem that threatens women’s health, very few studies focus on the victim—perpetrator relationship or examine this relationship across Turkey. The aim of this study is to contribute to a better understanding of femicide cases in Turkey and to describe the socio-demographic, clinical, forensic, and criminological characteristics of femicide victims and offenders. This study analysed 162 femicide cases that occurred in 12 cities in Turkey from 1 January 2000 to 31 December 2010. Eighty women were killed by their partners (classified as intimate partner femicide, IPF), and 81 women were killed by one of their relatives, friends, or strangers (classified as non-intimate partner femicide, non-IPF). According to our results, the typical IPF victim is of child-bearing age, does not have a paid job, is married or divorced, is killed in a domestic setting due to injuries to the thorax or abdomen produced by an edged/pointed weapon or firearm, and is possibly a victim of overkill. The typical IPF perpetrator is close to his victim’s age, has a paid job, has no mental disability, owns a gun, and has threatened his partner or ex-partner previously because of jealousy/infidelity/honour or separation. The typical non-IPF victim is very similar to the IPF victim; however, her marital status can be single, married or divorced, and she is commonly killed by a relative. The surveillance and screening of femicide and IPV is an important step when analysing and attempting to prevent femicide. Second, the training and sensitization of health professionals are important. Moreover, health staff should be encouraged to participate in advocacy interventions. Third, gun ownership must be brought under control. PMID:28832596

A new plant chamber facility, PLUS, coupled to the atmosphere simulation chamber SAPHIR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hohaus, T.; Kuhn, U.; Andres, S.; Kaminski, M.; Rohrer, F.; Tillmann, R.; Wahner, A.; Wegener, R.; Yu, Z.; Kiendler-Scharr, A.

2016-03-01

A new PLant chamber Unit for Simulation (PLUS) for use with the atmosphere simulation chamber SAPHIR (Simulation of Atmospheric PHotochemistry In a large Reaction Chamber) has been built and characterized at the Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Germany. The PLUS chamber is an environmentally controlled flow-through plant chamber. Inside PLUS the natural blend of biogenic emissions of trees is mixed with synthetic air and transferred to the SAPHIR chamber, where the atmospheric chemistry and the impact of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) can be studied in detail. In PLUS all important environmental parameters (e.g., temperature, photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), soil relative humidity (RH)) are well controlled. The gas exchange volume of 9.32 m3 which encloses the stem and the leaves of the plants is constructed such that gases are exposed to only fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) Teflon film and other Teflon surfaces to minimize any potential losses of BVOCs in the chamber. Solar radiation is simulated using 15 light-emitting diode (LED) panels, which have an emission strength up to 800 µmol m-2 s-1. Results of the initial characterization experiments are presented in detail. Background concentrations, mixing inside the gas exchange volume, and transfer rate of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) through PLUS under different humidity conditions are explored. Typical plant characteristics such as light- and temperature- dependent BVOC emissions are studied using six Quercus ilex trees and compared to previous studies. Results of an initial ozonolysis experiment of BVOC emissions from Quercus ilex at typical atmospheric concentrations inside SAPHIR are presented to demonstrate a typical experimental setup and the utility of the newly added plant chamber.

The implications of selective attrition for estimates of intergenerational elasticity of family income

PubMed Central

Schoeni, Robert F.

2015-01-01

Numerous studies have estimated a high intergenerational correlation in economic status. Such studies do not typically attend to potential biases that may arise due to survey attrition. Using the Panel Study of Income Dynamics – the data source most commonly used in prior studies – we demonstrate that attrition is particularly high for low-income adult children with low-income parents and particularly low for high-income adult children with high-income parents. Because of this pattern of attrition, intergenerational upward mobility has been overstated for low-income families and downward mobility has been understated for high-income families. The bias among low-income families is greater than the bias among high-income families implying that intergenerational elasticity in family income is higher than previous estimates with the Panel Study of Income Dynamics would suggest. PMID:26251655

Recombination in the Evolution of Enterovirus C Species Sub-Group that Contains Types CVA-21, CVA-24, EV-C95, EV-C96 and EV-C99

PubMed Central

Smura, Teemu; Blomqvist, Soile; Vuorinen, Tytti; Ivanova, Olga; Samoilovich, Elena; Al-Hello, Haider; Savolainen-Kopra, Carita; Hovi, Tapani; Roivainen, Merja

2014-01-01

Genetic recombination is considered to be a very frequent phenomenon among enteroviruses (Family Picornaviridae, Genus Enterovirus). However, the recombination patterns may differ between enterovirus species and between types within species. Enterovirus C (EV-C) species contains 21 types. In the capsid coding P1 region, the types of EV-C species cluster further into three sub-groups (designated here as A–C). In this study, the recombination pattern of EV-C species sub-group B that contains types CVA-21, CVA-24, EV-C95, EV-C96 and EV-C99 was determined using partial 5′UTR and VP1 sequences of enterovirus strains isolated during poliovirus surveillance and previously published complete genome sequences. Several inter-typic recombination events were detected. Furthermore, the analyses suggested that inter-typic recombination events have occurred mainly within the distinct sub-groups of EV-C species. Only sporadic recombination events between EV-C species sub-group B and other EV-C sub-groups were detected. In addition, strict recombination barriers were inferred for CVA-21 genotype C and CVA-24 variant strains. These results suggest that the frequency of inter-typic recombinations, even within species, may depend on the phylogenetic position of the given viruses. PMID:24722726

Effects of two-dimensional magnetic uncertainties and three-dimensional error and perturbation fields on the Small Angle Slot divertor geometry and topology [Effects of two- and three-dimensional magnetic fields on the Small Angle Slot divertor magnetic topology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Trevisan, Gregorio L.; Lao, Lang L.; Evans, Todd E.

The Small Angle Slot (SAS) was recently installed on DIII-D as an advanced divertor, promising easier plasma detachment and lower temperatures across the whole target. A twofold study of the SAS magnetic topology is presented in this paper. On one hand, a twodimensional uncertainty quantification analysis is carried out through a Monte Carlo approach in order to understand the level of accuracy of two-dimensional equilibrium computations in reconstructing the strike point and angle onto the divertor. Under typical experimental conditions, the uncertainties are found to be roughly 6.8 mm and 0.56 deg, respectively. On the other hand, a three-dimensional “vacuum”more » analysis is carried out to understand the effects of typical external perturbation fields on the scrape-off layer topology. When the threedimensional I-coils are switched on, poloidally-localized lobes are found to appear, grow, and hit the SAS target, although barely, even for 5 kA; at the same time, the strike point modulation is found to be roughly 1.8 mm and thus negligible for most purposes. Furthermore, such results complement previous two-dimensional analyses in characterizing typical SAS equilibria and provide useful background information for planning and interpreting SAS experiments.« less

Effects of two-dimensional magnetic uncertainties and three-dimensional error and perturbation fields on the Small Angle Slot divertor geometry and topology [Effects of two- and three-dimensional magnetic fields on the Small Angle Slot divertor magnetic topology

DOE PAGES

Trevisan, Gregorio L.; Lao, Lang L.; Evans, Todd E.; ...

2018-01-04

The Small Angle Slot (SAS) was recently installed on DIII-D as an advanced divertor, promising easier plasma detachment and lower temperatures across the whole target. A twofold study of the SAS magnetic topology is presented in this paper. On one hand, a twodimensional uncertainty quantification analysis is carried out through a Monte Carlo approach in order to understand the level of accuracy of two-dimensional equilibrium computations in reconstructing the strike point and angle onto the divertor. Under typical experimental conditions, the uncertainties are found to be roughly 6.8 mm and 0.56 deg, respectively. On the other hand, a three-dimensional “vacuum”more » analysis is carried out to understand the effects of typical external perturbation fields on the scrape-off layer topology. When the threedimensional I-coils are switched on, poloidally-localized lobes are found to appear, grow, and hit the SAS target, although barely, even for 5 kA; at the same time, the strike point modulation is found to be roughly 1.8 mm and thus negligible for most purposes. Furthermore, such results complement previous two-dimensional analyses in characterizing typical SAS equilibria and provide useful background information for planning and interpreting SAS experiments.« less

The Implications of Summer Learning Loss for Value-Added Estimates of Teacher Effectiveness

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gershenson, Seth; Hayes, Michael S.

2018-01-01

School districts across the United States increasingly use value-added models (VAMs) to evaluate teachers. In practice, VAMs typically rely on lagged test scores from the previous academic year, which necessarily conflate summer with school-year learning and potentially bias estimates of teacher effectiveness. We investigate the practical…

Influence of photoperiod duration and phloem disruption through scoring on growth, disease symptoms and bacterial titer in citrus graft-inoculated with Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Plants inoculated with the huanglongbing (HLB)-associated bacterium, Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) are typically monitored for 8-10 months to identify differences in susceptibility between genotypes. A previous report indicated that continuous light accelerated development of HLB symptoms...

The Narrative Waltz: The Role of Flexibility in Writing Proficiency

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Laura K.; Snow, Erica L.; McNamara, Danielle S.

2016-01-01

A commonly held belief among educators, researchers, and students is that high-quality texts are easier to read than low-quality texts, as they contain more engaging narrative and story-like elements. Interestingly, these assumptions have typically failed to be supported by the literature on writing. Previous research suggests that higher quality…

Analyzing Army Reserve Unsatisfactory Participants through Logistic Regression

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-06-08

Unsatisfactory Participants by State/Territory ...............................45 Figure 14. Observed vs . Expected Unsatisfactory Participants by Grade...47 Figure 15. Observed vs . Expected Unsatisfactory Participants by Age ............................47 x TABLES Page Table...rank, and previous military experience. “A typical 1995-96 USAR Unsatisfactory Participant was a white, unmarried male whose highest level of

Aggregating Polytomous DIF Results over Multiple Test Administrations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zwick, Rebecca; Ye, Lei; Isham, Steven

2018-01-01

In typical differential item functioning (DIF) assessments, an item's DIF status is not influenced by its status in previous test administrations. An item that has shown DIF at multiple administrations may be treated the same way as an item that has shown DIF in only the most recent administration. Therefore, much useful information about the…

Exploration and Evaluation of Nanometer Low-power Multi-core VLSI Computer Architectures

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-03-01

ICC, the Milkway database was created using the command: milkyway –galaxy –nogui –tcl –log memory.log one.tcl As stated previously, it is...EDA tools. Typically, Synopsys® tools use Milkway databases, whereas, Cadence Design System® use Layout Exchange Format (LEF) formats. To help

Quantitative trait loci affecting response to crowding stress in an F2 generation of rainbow trout produced through phenotypic selection

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Selective breeding programs for salmonids typically aim to improve traits associated with growth and disease resistance. It has been established that stressors common to production environments can adversely affect these and other traits which are important to producers and consumers. Previously,...

Stand structure and local distribution of Phytophthora ramorum in Oregon forests

Treesearch

E. Peterson; M. Botts; E. Hansen

2009-01-01

The Phytophthora ramorum eradication program in effect in Oregon has allowed for the rapid detection of new infection foci, typically before they develop within each stand and expand into adjacent sites. Yet despite gallant efforts, new locations that previously harbored no apparent infection have been identified each year since the original...

Changing Fonts in Education: How the Benefits Vary with Ability and Dyslexia

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

French, M. M. J.; Blood, Arabella; Bright, N. D.; Futak, Dez; Grohmann, M. J.; Hasthorpe, Alex; Heritage, John; Poland, Remy L.; Reece, Simon; Tabor, Jennifer

2013-01-01

Previous research has shown that presenting educational materials in slightly harder to read fonts than is typical engenders deeper processing. This leads to better retention and subsequent recall of information. Before this extremely simple-to-implement and cost-effective adaptation can be made routinely to educational materials, it needs to be…

Cue Salience and Infant Perseverative Reaching: Tests of the Dynamic Field Theory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clearfield, Melissa W.; Dineva, Evelina; Smith, Linda B.; Diedrich, Frederick J.; Thelen, Esther

2009-01-01

Skilled behavior requires a balance between previously successful behaviors and new behaviors appropriate to the present context. We describe a dynamic field model for understanding this balance in infant perseverative reaching. The model predictions are tested with regard to the interaction of two aspects of the typical perseverative reaching…

Seeing Deep Structure from the Interactions of Surface Features

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chi, Michelene T. H.; VanLehn, Kurt A.

2012-01-01

Transfer is typically thought of as requiring individuals to "see" what is the same in the deep structure between a new target problem and a previously encountered source problem, even though the surface features may be dissimilar. We propose that experts can "see" the deep structure by considering the first-order interactions…

Inhibition of Return across Eye and Object Movements: The Role of Prediction

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kruger, Hannah M.; Hunt, Amelia R.

2013-01-01

Responses are slower to targets appearing in recently inspected locations, an effect known as Inhibition of Return (IOR). IOR is typically viewed as the consequence of an involuntary mechanism that prevents reinspection of previously visited locations and thereby biases attention toward novel locations during visual search. For an inhibitory…

Separation of the Carotenoid Bixin from Annatto Seeds Using Thin-Layer and Column Chromatography

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCullagh, James V.; Ramos, Nicholas

2008-01-01

In this experiment the carotenoid bixin is isolated from annatto ("Bixa orellana") seeds using column chromatography. The experiment has several key advantages over previous pigment separation experiments. First, unlike other experiments significant quantities of the carotenoid (typically 20 to 25 mg) can be isolated from small quantities of plant…

Kick-Starting Discussions with the Flipped Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Strayer, Jeremy F.; Hart, James B.; Bleiler-Baxter, Sarah K.

2016-01-01

On a typical day in a university precalculus classroom, as students arrive, they settle into their small groups and begin sharing their ideas and questions from the homework assigned the previous night. It can be quite challenging to create a learning environment in which students engage in mathematical thinking outside class and are prepared to…

Application of First Principles Model to Spacecraft Operations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Timmerman, Paul; Bugga, Ratnakumar; DiStefano, Salvidor

1996-01-01

Previous models use a single phase reaction; cycled cell predicts cannot be met with a single phase; interphase conversion provides means for film aging; aging cells predictions display typical behaviors: pressure changes in NiH² cells; voltage fading upon cycling; second plateau on discharge of cycled cells; negative limited behavior for Ni-Cds.

Flexible, Carbon-Based Ohmic Contacts for Organic Transistors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brandon, Erik

2005-01-01

A low-temperature process for fabricating flexible, ohmic contacts for use in organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs) has been developed. Typical drainsource contact materials used previously for OTFTs include (1) vacuum-deposited noble-metal contacts and (2) solution-deposited intrinsically conducting molecular or polymeric contacts. Both of these approaches, however, have serious drawbacks.

Using AUVs and Sources of Opportunity to Evaluate Acoustic Propagation

DTIC Science & Technology

1999-09-30

pattern simulated that of a typical minefield survey. The AUV followed a lawn mower pattern with a constant 3-knot speed inside a 500-m square grid box...same lawn mower pattern as used in the previous experiment, except it only surfaced at the east turns. Thirdly, the MFSK modem signal was only

The Role of Socioscientific Issues in Biology Teaching: From the Perspective of Teachers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tidemand, Sofie; Nielsen, Jan Alexis

2017-01-01

Previous research has documented that students who engage with socioscientific issues can acquire some of the complex competences and skills typically related to scientific literacy. But an emerging field of research on science teachers' understanding and use of socioscientific issues, has documented that a range of challenges hinders the uptake…

Hidden Covariation Detection Produces Faster, Not Slower, Social Judgments

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barker, Lynne A.; Andrade, Jackie

2006-01-01

In P. Lewicki's (1986b) demonstration of hidden covariation detection (HCD), responses of participants were slower to faces that corresponded with a covariation encountered previously than to faces with novel covariations. This slowing contrasts with the typical finding that priming leads to faster responding and suggests that HCD is a unique type…

Comet 29P/SW1 outburst

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trigo-Rodriguez, Josep M.

2008-10-01

The present outburst experienced by this Centaur (#IAUC 8978) is the brightest detected since September 2004 [for more details see Trigo-Rodriguez et al. (2008) A&A485, pp. 599-606]. In the previously reported work the outburst frequency was established in 7.3 outbursts/year, typically reaching a +13 maximum magnitude or less.

Performance tests of a two phase ejector

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Harrell, G.S.; Kornhauser, A.A.

1995-12-31

The ejector expansion refrigeration cycle is a modified vapor compression cycle in which a two phase ejector is used to recover a portion of the work otherwise lost in the expansion valve. The ejector improves cycle performance by increasing compressor inlet pressure and by lowering the quality of liquid entering the evaporator. Theoretically, a cooling COP improvement of approximately 23% is achievable for a typical refrigerating cycle and an ideal ejector. If the ejector performed as well as typical single phase ejectors an improvement of 12% could be achieved. Previous tests have demonstrated a smaller 3.7% improvement; the difference ismore » in the poor performance of the two phase ejector. The purpose of this research is to understand the operating characteristics of the two phase ejector and to devise design improvements. A two phase ejector test rig has been constructed and tested. Preliminary data show performance superior to previously tested two phase ejectors, but still inferior to single phase ejectors. Ejector performance corresponds to refrigeration cycle COP improvements ranging from 3.9% to 7.6%.« less

Optical Detection of Degraded Therapeutic Proteins.

PubMed

Herrington, William F; Singh, Gajendra P; Wu, Di; Barone, Paul W; Hancock, William; Ram, Rajeev J

2018-03-23

The quality of therapeutic proteins such as hormones, subunit and conjugate vaccines, and antibodies is critical to the safety and efficacy of modern medicine. Identifying malformed proteins at the point-of-care can prevent adverse immune reactions in patients; this is of special concern when there is an insecure supply chain resulting in the delivery of degraded, or even counterfeit, drug product. Identification of degraded protein, for example human growth hormone, is demonstrated by applying automated anomaly detection algorithms. Detection of the degraded protein differs from previous applications of machine-learning and classification to spectral analysis: only example spectra of genuine, high-quality drug products are used to construct the classifier. The algorithm is tested on Raman spectra acquired on protein dilutions typical of formulated drug product and at sample volumes of 25 µL, below the typical overfill (waste) volumes present in vials of injectable drug product. The algorithm is demonstrated to correctly classify anomalous recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) with 92% sensitivity and 98% specificity even when the algorithm has only previously encountered high-quality drug product.

Measuring reward assessment in a semi-naturalistic context

PubMed Central

Machado, Christopher J.; Bachevalier, Jocelyne

2007-01-01

Studying the neural mechanisms underlying complex goal-directed behaviors, such as social behavior, reward seeking or punishment avoidance, has become increasingly tractable in humans, nonhuman primates and rodents. In most experiments, however, goal-directed behaviors are measured in a laboratory setting, which is vastly different from the context in which these behaviors naturally occur. This study adapted a reward assessment paradigm, previously conducted with nonhuman primates in the controlled environment of a WGTA (Machado and Bachevalier, 2007), to a more naturalistic context. We used this new paradigm to examine the effects of bilateral amygdaloid, hippocampal or orbital frontal cortex lesions on established food and nonfood preferences. Behavioral modification following reinforcer devaluation was also measured. Consistent with our previous study, none of the lesions produced changes in preference for palatable foods relative to pre-surgery, but animals with amygdala lesions displayed heightened preference for unpalatable foods that control or other operated animals typically avoided. In contrast to several previous WGTA-based experiments, nonfood preference was not affected by any of the lesions. Finally, animals with orbital frontal cortex lesions continued to select preferred foods after satiation, but those with amygdala, hippocampal or sham lesions altered their foraging behavior appropriately and selected less of the sated food. These findings parallel food devaluation results obtained with these same animals when tested in the WGTA. Overall, this study stresses the importance of testing context when measuring decision-making abilities in nonhuman primates with selective brain lesions. PMID:17693034

Impedance Spectrum in Cortical Tissue: Implications for Propagation of LFP Signals on the Microscopic Level

PubMed Central

Miceli, Stéphanie

2017-01-01

Brain research investigating electrical activity within neural tissue is producing an increasing amount of physiological data including local field potentials (LFPs) obtained via extracellular in vivo and in vitro recordings. In order to correctly interpret such electrophysiological data, it is vital to adequately understand the electrical properties of neural tissue itself. An ongoing controversy in the field of neuroscience is whether such frequency-dependent effects bias LFP recordings and affect the proper interpretation of the signal. On macroscopic scales and with large injected currents, previous studies have found various grades of frequency dependence of cortical tissue, ranging from negligible to strong, within the frequency band typically considered relevant for neuroscience (less than a few thousand hertz). Here, we performed a detailed investigation of the frequency dependence of the conductivity within cortical tissue at microscopic distances using small current amplitudes within the typical (neuro)physiological micrometer and sub-nanoampere range. We investigated the propagation of LFPs, induced by extracellular electrical current injections via patch-pipettes, in acute rat brain slice preparations containing the somatosensory cortex in vitro using multielectrode arrays. Based on our data, we determined the cortical tissue conductivity over a 100-fold increase in signal frequency (5–500 Hz). Our results imply at most very weak frequency-dependent effects within the frequency range of physiological LFPs. Using biophysical modeling, we estimated the impact of different putative impedance spectra. Our results indicate that frequency dependencies of the order measured here and in most other studies have negligible impact on the typical analysis and modeling of LFP signals from extracellular brain recordings. PMID:28197543

Visuo–spatial working memory is an important source of domain-general vulnerability in the development of arithmetic cognition

PubMed Central

Ashkenazi, Sarit; Rosenberg-Lee, Miriam; Metcalfe, Arron W.S.; Swigart, Anna G.; Menon, Vinod

2014-01-01

The study of developmental disorders can provide a unique window into the role of domain-general cognitive abilities and neural systems in typical and atypical development. Mathematical disabilities (MD) are characterized by marked difficulty in mathematical cognition in the presence of preserved intelligence and verbal ability. Although studies of MD have most often focused on the role of core deficits in numerical processing, domain-general cognitive abilities, in particular working memory (WM), have also been implicated. Here we identify specific WM components that are impaired in children with MD and then examine their role in arithmetic problem solving. Compared to typically developing (TD) children, the MD group demonstrated lower arithmetic performance and lower visuo-spatial working memory (VSWM) scores with preserved abilities on the phonological and central executive components of WM. Whole brain analysis revealed that, during arithmetic problem solving, left posterior parietal cortex, bilateral dorsolateral and ventrolateral prefrontal cortex, cingulate gyrus and precuneus, and fusiform gyrus responses were positively correlated with VSWM ability in TD children, but not in the MD group. Additional analyses using a priori posterior parietal cortex regions previously implicated in WM tasks, demonstrated a convergent pattern of results during arithmetic problem solving. These results suggest that MD is characterized by a common locus of arithmetic and VSWM deficits at both the cognitive and functional neuroanatomical levels. Unlike TD children, children with MD do not use VSWM resources appropriately during arithmetic problem solving. This work advances our understanding of VSWM as an important domain-general cognitive process in both typical and atypical mathematical skill development. PMID:23896444

Impedance Spectrum in Cortical Tissue: Implications for Propagation of LFP Signals on the Microscopic Level.

PubMed

Miceli, Stéphanie; Ness, Torbjørn V; Einevoll, Gaute T; Schubert, Dirk

2017-01-01

Brain research investigating electrical activity within neural tissue is producing an increasing amount of physiological data including local field potentials (LFPs) obtained via extracellular in vivo and in vitro recordings. In order to correctly interpret such electrophysiological data, it is vital to adequately understand the electrical properties of neural tissue itself. An ongoing controversy in the field of neuroscience is whether such frequency-dependent effects bias LFP recordings and affect the proper interpretation of the signal. On macroscopic scales and with large injected currents, previous studies have found various grades of frequency dependence of cortical tissue, ranging from negligible to strong, within the frequency band typically considered relevant for neuroscience (less than a few thousand hertz). Here, we performed a detailed investigation of the frequency dependence of the conductivity within cortical tissue at microscopic distances using small current amplitudes within the typical (neuro)physiological micrometer and sub-nanoampere range. We investigated the propagation of LFPs, induced by extracellular electrical current injections via patch-pipettes, in acute rat brain slice preparations containing the somatosensory cortex in vitro using multielectrode arrays. Based on our data, we determined the cortical tissue conductivity over a 100-fold increase in signal frequency (5-500 Hz). Our results imply at most very weak frequency-dependent effects within the frequency range of physiological LFPs. Using biophysical modeling, we estimated the impact of different putative impedance spectra. Our results indicate that frequency dependencies of the order measured here and in most other studies have negligible impact on the typical analysis and modeling of LFP signals from extracellular brain recordings.

Adaptive behaviour in children and adolescents with foetal alcohol spectrum disorders: a comparison with specific learning disability and typical development

PubMed Central

Autti-Rämö, Ilona; Kalland, Mirjam; Santtila, Pekka; Hoyme, H. Eugene; Mattson, Sarah N.; Korkman, Marit

2013-01-01

Foetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) is a leading cause of intellectual disability in the western world. Children and adolescents with FASD are often exposed to a double burden in life, as their neurological sequelae are accompanied by adverse living surroundings exposing them to further environmental risk. In the present study, the adaptive abilities of a group of children and adolescents with FASD were examined using the Vineland Adaptive Behaviour Scales (VABS) and compared to those of a group of IQ-matched children with specific learning disorder (SLD) as well as with typically developing controls (CON). The results showed significantly different adaptive abilities among the groups: Children with FASD performed worse than IQ-matched children with SLD, who in turn performed worse than typically developing children on all domains (communication, daily living skills and socialization) on the VABS. Compared to the other groups, social skills declined with age in the FASD group. These results support previous studies of adaptive behaviour deficits in children with FASD and provide further evidence of the specificity of these deficits. On a societal level, more efforts and resources should be focused on recognizing and diagnosing FASD and supporting communication skills, daily living skills and most of all social skills across diagnostic groups within FASD. Without adequate intervention, adolescents and young adults with FASD run a great risk of marginalization and social maladjustment, costly not only to society but also to the lives of the many young people with FASD. PMID:22358422

Longitudinal Change in Women's Sexual Victimization Experiences as a Function of Alcohol Consumption and Sexual Victimization History: A Latent Transition Analysis.

PubMed

Bryan, Amanda E B; Norris, Jeanette; Abdallah, Devon Alisa; Stappenbeck, Cynthia A; Morrison, Diane M; Davis, Kelly C; George, William H; Danube, Cinnamon L; Zawacki, Tina

2016-04-01

Women's alcohol consumption and vulnerability to sexual victimization (SV) are linked, but findings regarding the nature and direction of the association are mixed. Some studies have found support for the self-medication hypothesis (i.e., victimized women drink more to alleviate SV-related distress); others have supported routine activity theory (i.e., drinking increases SV vulnerability). In this study, we aimed to clarify the interplay between women's prior SV, typical drinking, and SV experiences prospectively over one year. Participants ( N = 530) completed a baseline survey and weekly follow-up surveys across Months 3, 6, 9, and 12. Latent class analysis (LCA) suggested that women could be classified as victimized or non-victimized at each assessment month; 28% of participants were classified as victimized at one or more assessment months. Latent transition analysis (LTA) revealed that childhood sexual abuse and adult SV history each predicted greater likelihood of being victimized during the year. Typical drinking during a given assessment month was associated with (1) greater likelihood of victimized status at that assessment month and (2) greater likelihood of having transitioned into (or remained in) the victimized status since the previous assessment month. Furthermore, victimized status at a given assessment month predicted a higher quantity of subsequent drinking. These findings indicate a reciprocal relationship between typical drinking and SV, supporting both the self-medication hypothesis and routine activity theory, and suggesting that hazardous drinking levels may be one important target for both SV vulnerability reduction and interventions for women who have been sexually victimized.

Longitudinal Change in Women's Sexual Victimization Experiences as a Function of Alcohol Consumption and Sexual Victimization History: A Latent Transition Analysis

PubMed Central

Bryan, Amanda E. B.; Norris, Jeanette; Abdallah, Devon Alisa; Stappenbeck, Cynthia A.; Morrison, Diane M.; Davis, Kelly C.; George, William H.; Danube, Cinnamon L.; Zawacki, Tina

2015-01-01

Objective Women's alcohol consumption and vulnerability to sexual victimization (SV) are linked, but findings regarding the nature and direction of the association are mixed. Some studies have found support for the self-medication hypothesis (i.e., victimized women drink more to alleviate SV-related distress); others have supported routine activity theory (i.e., drinking increases SV vulnerability). In this study, we aimed to clarify the interplay between women's prior SV, typical drinking, and SV experiences prospectively over one year. Method Participants (N = 530) completed a baseline survey and weekly follow-up surveys across Months 3, 6, 9, and 12. Results Latent class analysis (LCA) suggested that women could be classified as victimized or non-victimized at each assessment month; 28% of participants were classified as victimized at one or more assessment months. Latent transition analysis (LTA) revealed that childhood sexual abuse and adult SV history each predicted greater likelihood of being victimized during the year. Typical drinking during a given assessment month was associated with (1) greater likelihood of victimized status at that assessment month and (2) greater likelihood of having transitioned into (or remained in) the victimized status since the previous assessment month. Furthermore, victimized status at a given assessment month predicted a higher quantity of subsequent drinking. Conclusion These findings indicate a reciprocal relationship between typical drinking and SV, supporting both the self-medication hypothesis and routine activity theory, and suggesting that hazardous drinking levels may be one important target for both SV vulnerability reduction and interventions for women who have been sexually victimized. PMID:27213101

Revisiting the "enigma" of musicians with dyslexia: Auditory sequencing and speech abilities.

PubMed

Zuk, Jennifer; Bishop-Liebler, Paula; Ozernov-Palchik, Ola; Moore, Emma; Overy, Katie; Welch, Graham; Gaab, Nadine

2017-04-01

Previous research has suggested a link between musical training and auditory processing skills. Musicians have shown enhanced perception of auditory features critical to both music and speech, suggesting that this link extends beyond basic auditory processing. It remains unclear to what extent musicians who also have dyslexia show these specialized abilities, considering often-observed persistent deficits that coincide with reading impairments. The present study evaluated auditory sequencing and speech discrimination in 52 adults comprised of musicians with dyslexia, nonmusicians with dyslexia, and typical musicians. An auditory sequencing task measuring perceptual acuity for tone sequences of increasing length was administered. Furthermore, subjects were asked to discriminate synthesized syllable continua varying in acoustic components of speech necessary for intraphonemic discrimination, which included spectral (formant frequency) and temporal (voice onset time [VOT] and amplitude envelope) features. Results indicate that musicians with dyslexia did not significantly differ from typical musicians and performed better than nonmusicians with dyslexia for auditory sequencing as well as discrimination of spectral and VOT cues within syllable continua. However, typical musicians demonstrated superior performance relative to both groups with dyslexia for discrimination of syllables varying in amplitude information. These findings suggest a distinct profile of speech processing abilities in musicians with dyslexia, with specific weaknesses in discerning amplitude cues within speech. Because these difficulties seem to remain persistent in adults with dyslexia despite musical training, this study only partly supports the potential for musical training to enhance the auditory processing skills known to be crucial for literacy in individuals with dyslexia. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Upper crustal structure of central Java, Indonesia, from transdimensional seismic ambient noise tomography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zulfakriza, Z.; Saygin, E.; Cummins, P. R.; Widiyantoro, S.; Nugraha, A. D.; Lühr, B.-G.; Bodin, T.

2014-04-01

Delineating the crustal structure of central Java is crucial for understanding its complex tectonic setting. However, seismic imaging of the strong heterogeneity typical of such a tectonically active region can be challenging, particularly in the upper crust where velocity contrasts are strongest and steep body wave ray paths provide poor resolution. To overcome these difficulties, we apply the technique of ambient noise tomography (ANT) to data collected during the Merapi Amphibious Experiment (MERAMEX), which covered central Java with a temporary deployment of over 120 seismometers during 2004 May-October. More than 5000 Rayleigh wave Green's functions were extracted by cross-correlating the noise simultaneously recorded at available station pairs. We applied a fully non-linear 2-D Bayesian probabilistic inversion technique to the retrieved traveltimes. Features in the derived tomographic images correlate well with previous studies, and some shallow structures that were not evident in previous studies are clearly imaged with ANT. The Kendeng Basin and several active volcanoes appear with very low group velocities, and anomalies with relatively high velocities can be interpreted in terms of crustal sutures and/or surface geological features.

Impact assessment and remediation strategies for roadway construction in acid-bearing media: case study from Mid-Appalachia

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Viadero, R.C.; Fortney, R.H.; Creel, A.T.

2008-09-15

The likelihood of encountering land impacted by current and/or historic coal mining activities is high when constructing roadways in the Mid-Appalachian region. Through additional disturbance of these lands, environmental impacts such as acid and dissolved metals loading and subsequent impacts to aquatic flora and fauna will ensue. Consequently, it is necessary to affect a paradigm shift in roadway design and construction to account for the presence of factors that compound the already difficult task of working in a region characterized by steep topography and aggressive geochemistry. In this study, assessments of the water chemistry and biological impacts of a wastemore » pile containing spoils from previous mining and the presence of an exposed coal mine bench were made as representative microcosmic examples of typical conditions found in the region. Based on quantitative measurements of water quality and biological conditions, recommendations are presented for the assessment and avoidance of impacts prior to construction through acid-bearing materials and suggestions are offered for postconstruction remediation at previously impacted sites.« less

[Asymmetric confusability effect in recognition memory of cats pictures].

PubMed

Ando, M; Hakoda, Y

1999-06-01

Performance superiority of the addition of features in the stimuli over the deletion on recognition (asymmetric confusability effect) has been shown in previous studies (Pezdek, Maki, Valencia-Laver, Whetstone, Stoeckert, & Dougherty, 1988; Ando & Hakoda, 1998). We investigated the same effect by using a familiar living thing (cat) as a stimulus. Ten subjects were given a recognition task using pictures of cats with feature changes (additions, deletions, or no change). Results showed that the picture with deletions were easier to recognize than those with additions, which was opposite to the previous studies. Then, we examined the possibility that performance superiority of the deletions over the additions was mediated by the factor of impression. Another group of 18 subjects was asked to rate the impression scales consisting of a "typicality-reality factor", a "stability-balance factor", and a "grotesque-disgust factor". Results showed that there was a significant difference in impression ratings for each factor between the additions and the deletions, and that impression ratings predicted recognition performance well. It was concluded that performance superiority of the deletions over the additions was mediated by the factor of impression.

Processing fluency affects subjective claims of recollection.

PubMed

Kurilla, Bran P; Westerman, Deanne L

2008-01-01

Previous studies that have used the remember-know paradigm to investigate subjective awareness in memory have shown that fluency manipulations have an impact on "know" responses but not on "remember" responses (e.g., Rajaram, 1993), a finding typically accounted for by invoking inferential processing in judgments of familiarity but not of recollection. However, in light of several researchers' criticisms of this procedure, as well as findings documenting the influence of processing fluency on various subjective judgments, the present study was conducted in order to investigate whether judgments of recollection might also be subject to inferential processes and not solely the product of conscious retrieval. When the standard remember-know procedure was used (Experiment 1), manipulations of perceptual fluency increased "know" responses but had no effect on "remember" responses, replicating previous findings. However, when an independent ratings method was employed (Higham & Vokey, 2004), manipulations of perceptual fluency (Experiment 2) and conceptual fluency (Experiment 3) reliably increased claims of both familiarity and recollection, suggesting that the conclusion that fluency affects only "know" responses may be an artifact of the standard remember-know procedure.

Exploring the role of auditory analysis in atypical compared to typical language development.

PubMed

Grube, Manon; Cooper, Freya E; Kumar, Sukhbinder; Kelly, Tom; Griffiths, Timothy D

2014-02-01

The relationship between auditory processing and language skills has been debated for decades. Previous findings have been inconsistent, both in typically developing and impaired subjects, including those with dyslexia or specific language impairment. Whether correlations between auditory and language skills are consistent between different populations has hardly been addressed at all. The present work presents an exploratory approach of testing for patterns of correlations in a range of measures of auditory processing. In a recent study, we reported findings from a large cohort of eleven-year olds on a range of auditory measures and the data supported a specific role for the processing of short sequences in pitch and time in typical language development. Here we tested whether a group of individuals with dyslexic traits (DT group; n = 28) from the same year group would show the same pattern of correlations between auditory and language skills as the typically developing group (TD group; n = 173). Regarding the raw scores, the DT group showed a significantly poorer performance on the language but not the auditory measures, including measures of pitch, time and rhythm, and timbre (modulation). In terms of correlations, there was a tendency to decrease in correlations between short-sequence processing and language skills, contrasted by a significant increase in correlation for basic, single-sound processing, in particular in the domain of modulation. The data support the notion that the fundamental relationship between auditory and language skills might differ in atypical compared to typical language development, with the implication that merging data or drawing inference between populations might be problematic. Further examination of the relationship between both basic sound feature analysis and music-like sound analysis and language skills in impaired populations might allow the development of appropriate training strategies. These might include types of musical training to augment language skills via their common bases in sound sequence analysis. Copyright © 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Sensory-motor deficits in children with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder assessed using a robotic virtual reality platform.

PubMed

Williams, Loriann; Jackson, Carl P T; Choe, Noreen; Pelland, Lucie; Scott, Stephen H; Reynolds, James N

2014-01-01

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) is associated with a large number of cognitive and sensory-motor deficits. In particular, the accurate assessment of sensory-motor deficits in children with FASD is not always simple and relies on clinical assessment tools that may be coarse and subjective. Here we present a new approach: using robotic technology to accurately and objectively assess motor deficits of children with FASD in a center-out reaching task. A total of 152 typically developing children and 31 children with FASD, all aged between 5 and 18 were assessed using a robotic exoskeleton device coupled with a virtual reality projection system. Children made reaching movements to 8 peripheral targets in a random order. Reach trajectories were subsequently analyzed to extract 12 parameters that had been previously determined to be good descriptors of a reaching movement, and these parameters were compared for each child with FASD to a normative model derived from the performance of the typically developing population. Compared with typically developing children, the children with FASD were found to be significantly impaired on most of the parameters measured, with the greatest deficits found in initial movement direction error. Also, children with FASD tended to fail more parameters than typically developing children: 95% of typically developing children failed fewer than 3 parameters compared with 69% of children with FASD. These results were particularly pronounced for younger children. The current study has shown that robotic technology is a sensitive and powerful tool that provides increased specificity regarding the type of motor problems exhibited by children with FASD. The high frequency of motor deficits in children with FASD suggests that interventions aimed at stimulating and/or improving motor development should routinely be considered for this population. Copyright © 2013 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

Analysis of cursive letters, syllables, and words handwriting in a French second-grade child with Developmental Coordination Disorder and comparison with typically developing children.

PubMed

Jolly, Caroline; Gentaz, Edouard

2013-01-01

Poor handwriting is a core deficit in Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). In a previous study, we compared the evolution of cursive letters handwriting in a girl with DCD throughout her second-grade year with that of typically developing (TD) children. We found that her handwriting evolved much less than that of TD children and remained similar to that of pre-schoolers at all stages, suggesting that her handwriting skills have reached a steady state level. We present here a continuation of this work, in which we focused on the velocity aspects of handwriting in another French child with DCD. Indeed, different velocity patterns have been observed in Chinese and English children with DCD. In the French cursive style of writing, consecutive letters are joined, a major difference with the English script style of writing. We thus analyzed the handwriting of a second-grade French girl with DCD, not only for isolated letters but also for syllables and words, in comparison to that of TD first-graders (6-7 years old; N = 85) and second-graders (7-8 years old; N = 88). Each written track was digitized, and nine kinematic parameters were measured to evaluate writing fluency. Results showed that the productions of the child with DCD were more similar to those of first-graders than to those of second-graders. In line with our previous study, the most discriminative parameters between the child with DCD and TD children were size and mean speed. Moreover, her handwriting was less fluent than that of TD children. In contrast to previous observations, we observed a higher writing velocity of the child with DCD when compared to TD children, whatever the complexity of the item, and no significant difference with TD children in the pausing time during writing. These differences may reflect linguistic specificities. For syllables and words, each letter was treated separately as a single unit, thus reflecting a problem in anticipation and automation.

Analysis of cursive letters, syllables, and words handwriting in a French second-grade child with Developmental Coordination Disorder and comparison with typically developing children

PubMed Central

Jolly, Caroline; Gentaz, Edouard

2014-01-01

Poor handwriting is a core deficit in Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD). In a previous study, we compared the evolution of cursive letters handwriting in a girl with DCD throughout her second-grade year with that of typically developing (TD) children. We found that her handwriting evolved much less than that of TD children and remained similar to that of pre-schoolers at all stages, suggesting that her handwriting skills have reached a steady state level. We present here a continuation of this work, in which we focused on the velocity aspects of handwriting in another French child with DCD. Indeed, different velocity patterns have been observed in Chinese and English children with DCD. In the French cursive style of writing, consecutive letters are joined, a major difference with the English script style of writing. We thus analyzed the handwriting of a second-grade French girl with DCD, not only for isolated letters but also for syllables and words, in comparison to that of TD first-graders (6–7 years old; N = 85) and second-graders (7–8 years old; N = 88). Each written track was digitized, and nine kinematic parameters were measured to evaluate writing fluency. Results showed that the productions of the child with DCD were more similar to those of first-graders than to those of second-graders. In line with our previous study, the most discriminative parameters between the child with DCD and TD children were size and mean speed. Moreover, her handwriting was less fluent than that of TD children. In contrast to previous observations, we observed a higher writing velocity of the child with DCD when compared to TD children, whatever the complexity of the item, and no significant difference with TD children in the pausing time during writing. These differences may reflect linguistic specificities. For syllables and words, each letter was treated separately as a single unit, thus reflecting a problem in anticipation and automation. PMID:24478735

Effects of Short-Term Thermal Alteration on Organic Matter in Experimentally-Heated Tagish Lake Observed by Raman Spectroscopy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chan, Q. H. S.; Nakato, A.; Zolensky, M. E.; Nakamura, T.; Kebukawa, Y.; Maisano, J.; Colbert, M.; Martinez, J. E.

2017-01-01

Carbonaceous chondrites exhibit a wide range of aqueous and thermal alteration characteristics, while some are known to demonstrate mineralogical and petrologic evidence of having been thermally metamorphosed after aqueous alteration. This group of meteorites are commonly referred as thermally met-amorphosed carbonaceous chondrites (TMCCs), and their reflectance spectra show resemblances to that of C-type asteroids which typically have low albedos. This suggests that the surfaces of the C-type asteroids are also composed of both hydrous and dehydrated minerals, and thus TMCCs are among the best samples that can be studied in laboratory to reveal the true nature of the C-type asteroids. Although TMCCs are usually meteorites that were previously categorized as CI and CM chondrites, they are not strictly CI/CM because they exhibit isotopic and petrographic characteristics that significantly deviate from typical CI/CM. More appropriately, they are called CI-like and/or CM-like chondrites. Typical examples of TMCCs include the C2-ung/CM2TIV Belgica (B)-7904 and Yamato (Y) 86720. Thermal alteration is virtually complete in these meteorites and thus they are considered typical end-members of TMCCs exhibiting complete dehydration of matrix phyllosilicates. The estimated heating conditions are 10 to 103 days at 700 C to 1 to 100 hours at 890 C, i.e. short-term heating induced by impact and/or solar radiation. While the petrology and chemistry of TMCCs have only recently been extensively characterized, we have just begun to study in detail their organic contents. In order to understand how short-term heating affects the maturity of insoluble organic matter (IOM) in hydrous chondrites, we investigated experimentally-heated Tagish Lake meteorite using Raman spectroscopy, as the chemical and bulk oxygen isotopic compositions of the matrix of the carbonate (CO3)-poor lithology of the Tagish Lake (hereafter Tag) meteorite bears similarities to the TMCCs.

Distinguishing the genotype 1 genes and proteins of human Wa-like rotaviruses vs. porcine rotaviruses

PubMed Central

Silva, Fernanda D.F.; Gregori, F.; McDonald, Sarah M.

2016-01-01

Group A rotaviruses (RVAs) are 11-segmented, double-stranded RNA viruses and important causes of gastroenteritis in the young of many animal species. Previous studies have suggested that human Wa-like RVAs share a close evolutionary relationship with porcine RVAs. Specifically, the VP1-VP3 and NSP2-5/6 genes of these viruses are usually classified as genotype 1 with >81% nucleotide sequence identity. Yet, it remains unknown whether the genotype 1 genes and proteins of human Wa-like strains are distinguishable from those of porcine strains. To investigate this, we performed comprehensive bioinformatic analyses using all known genotype 1 gene sequences. The RVAs analyzed represent wildtype strains isolated from humans or pigs at various geographical locations during the years of 2004–2013, including 11 newly-sequenced porcine RVAs from Brazil. We also analyzed archival strains that were isolated during the years of 1977–1992 as well as atypical strains involved in inter-species transmission between humans and pigs. We found that, in general, the genotype 1 genes of typical modern human Wa-like RVAs clustered together in phylogenetic trees and were separate from those of typical modern porcine RVAs. The only exception was for the NSP5/6 gene, which showed no host-specific phylogenetic clustering. Using amino acid sequence alignments, we identified 34 positions that differentiated the VP1-VP3, NSP2, and NSP3 genotype 1 proteins of typical modern human Wa-like RVAs versus typical modern porcine RVAs and documented how these positions vary in the archival/unusual isolates. No host-specific amino acid positions were identified for NSP4, NSP5, or NSP6. Altogether, the results of this study support the notion that human Wa-like RVAs and porcine RVAs are evolutionarily related, but indicate that some of their genotype 1 genes and proteins have diverged over time possibly as a reflection of sequestered replication and protein co-adaptation in their respective hosts. PMID:27180895

The effects of message framing, involvement, and nicotine dependence on anti-smoking public service announcements.

PubMed

Jung, Wan S; Villegas, Jorge

2011-01-01

Anti-smoking Public Service Announcements (PSAs) typically emphasize the negative consequences of failing to quit smoking (negative frame), as opposed to emphasizing the benefits of quitting (positive frame). However, stressing the benefits of quitting sometimes produces better communication outcomes. Previous research on message framing has tried to identify factors affecting the impact of positive framing and negative framing. Data were collected on 188 undergraduates attending a southeastern university in the United States who were assigned randomly to view either positive or negative messages. Our study found that involvement and nicotine dependence moderated the impact of framed smoking-cessation messages on attitude toward the ad.

Developing an Enhanced Lightning Jump Algorithm for Operational Use

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schultz, Christopher J.; Petersen, Walter A.; Carey, Lawrence D.

2009-01-01

Overall Goals: 1. Build on the lightning jump framework set through previous studies. 2. Understand what typically occurs in nonsevere convection with respect to increases in lightning. 3. Ultimately develop a lightning jump algorithm for use on the Geostationary Lightning Mapper (GLM). 4 Lightning jump algorithm configurations were developed (2(sigma), 3(sigma), Threshold 10 and Threshold 8). 5 algorithms were tested on a population of 47 nonsevere and 38 severe thunderstorms. Results indicate that the 2(sigma) algorithm performed best over the entire thunderstorm sample set with a POD of 87%, a far of 35%, a CSI of 59% and a HSS of 75%.

Separating Test Artifacts from Material Behavior in the Oxidation Studies of HfB2 SiC at 2000 deg C and Above (POSTPRINT)

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-02-01

h. Typical weight loss of the SiC grinding media after milling was 0.2 mg (0.2 wt% of the total batch). The powders were sieved through an 80-mesh...crucible (Advalue, Tuscon, AZ; 10 mL Ca -stabilized ZrO2 crucible; 95% ZrO2 and 4 ± 1% Ca ). Direct electrical resistance heat- ing was controlled by the...in furnace heating has been described previously by the authors, which was shown to contain Al and Ca as major impu- rities.15 In addition, HfSiO4

Separating Test Artifacts from Material Behavior in the Oxidation Studies of HfB2-SiC at 2000 degs C and Above (Preprint)

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-11-01

milled for 12 h. Typical weight loss of the SiC grinding media after milling was 0.2 mg (0.2 wt% of the total batch). The powders were sieved...10-mL Ca -stabilized ZrO2 crucible; 95% ZrO2 and 4±1% Ca ). Direct electrical resistance heating was controlled by the power output of an AC power...furnace heating has been described previously by the authors, which was shown to contain Al and Ca as major impurities [14]. Additionally, HfSiO4 (with

Control characteristics for wrap-around fins on cruise missiles configurations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sawyer, W. C.; Monta, W. J.; Carter, W. V.; Alexander, W. K.

1981-01-01

This paper presents selected results of a panel loads study conducted as part of the final phase of an extensive investigation of an air-breathing missile concept employing wrap-around aerodynamic surfaces. Typical results for M = 2.36 are presented for the fin load results, plus a brief review of basic results of the previously reported tests. Vapor screen results are also discussed. The present results indicate that the fin load characteristics are nearly identical for planar and curved fins having the same projected planform and would permit the use of planar-surface predictions for supersonic speeds in the preliminary design stages of missiles employing wrap-around curved fins.

Researcher’s Perspective of Substitution Method on Text Steganography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zamir Mansor, Fawwaz; Mustapha, Aida; Azah Samsudin, Noor

2017-08-01

The linguistic steganography studies are still in the stage of development and empowerment practices. This paper will present several text steganography on substitution methods based on the researcher’s perspective, all scholar paper will analyse and compared. The objective of this paper is to give basic information in the substitution method of text domain steganography that has been applied by previous researchers. The typical ways of this method also will be identified in this paper to reveal the most effective method in text domain steganography. Finally, the advantage of the characteristic and drawback on these techniques in generally also presented in this paper.

Optical emission of directly contacted copper/sapphire interface under shock compression of megabar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hao, G. Y.; Liu, F. S.; Zhang, D. Y.; Zhang, M. J.

2007-06-01

The shock-induced optical emission histories from copper/sapphire interface were measured under two different contact conditions, which simulated the typical situations of pyrometry experiments. Results showed that the "peak" feature of the radiation, previously interpreted as the appearance of so-called high-temperature layer, was nearly diminished by finely polishing and uniformly prepressing technique, and that it is possible to directly measure the equilibrium temperature of bulk metal/window interface. Study also demonstrated that the saturated value of the apparent temperature in nonideal contact situation is related to the color temperature of the shock-induced "bright spot" in sapphire window under megabar pressures.

Myasthenic decrement and myasthenic myopathy. A study on the effects of thymectomy.

PubMed Central

Pinelli, P; Arrigo, A; Moglia, A

1975-01-01

Motor unit action potentials, M responses to repetitive nerve stimulation, and anticholinesterase tests were investigated in 12 myasthenic patients before and after thymectomy. In six of them the endarterial acetylcholine test was also carried out. Responsiveness to ACTH or to prednisone treatment was evaluated before and after thymectomy. The typical myasthenic presynaptic disorders were improved by thymectomy, while signs of myasthenic myopathy (according to Rowland's definition) were apparently increased. This process of 'functional myopathophanerosis' is discussed and explained in terms of a previous presynaptic disorder blocking the voluntary recruitment threshold of those motor units which are most affected at both presynaptic and postsynaptic level. Images PMID:168321

For Your Local Eyes Only: Culture-Specific Face Typicality Influences Perceptions of Trustworthiness.

PubMed

Sofer, Carmel; Dotsch, Ron; Oikawa, Masanori; Oikawa, Haruka; Wigboldus, Daniel H J; Todorov, Alexander

2017-08-01

Recent findings show that typical faces are judged as more trustworthy than atypical faces. However, it is not clear whether employment of typicality cues in trustworthiness judgment happens across cultures and if these cues are culture specific. In two studies, conducted in Japan and Israel, participants judged trustworthiness and attractiveness of faces. In Study 1, faces varied along a cross-cultural dimension ranging from a Japanese to an Israeli typical face. Own-culture typical faces were perceived as more trustworthy than other-culture typical faces, suggesting that people in both cultures employ typicality cues when judging trustworthiness, but that the cues, indicative of typicality, are culture dependent. Because perceivers may be less familiar with other-culture typicality cues, Study 2 tested the extent to which they rely on available facial information other than typicality, when judging other-culture faces. In Study 2, Japanese and Israeli faces varied from either Japanese or Israeli attractive to unattractive with the respective typical face at the midpoint. For own-culture faces, trustworthiness judgments peaked around own-culture typical face. However, when judging other-culture faces, both cultures also employed attractiveness cues, but this effect was more apparent for Japanese participants. Our findings highlight the importance of culture when considering the effect of typicality on trustworthiness judgments.

The Use of AC-DC-AC Methods in Assessing Corrosion Resistance Performance of Coating Systems for Magnesium Alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCune, Robert C.; Upadhyay, Vinod; Wang, Yar-Ming; Battocchi, Dante

The potential utility of AC-DC-AC electrochemical methods in comparative measures of corrosion-resisting coating system performance for magnesium alloys under consideration for the USAMP "Magnesium Front End Research and Development" project was previously shown in this forum [1]. Additional studies of this approach using statistically-designed experiments have been conducted with focus on alloy types, pretreatment, topcoat material and topcoat thickness as the variables. Additionally, sample coupons made for these designed experiments were also subjected to a typical automotive cyclic corrosion test cycle (SAE J2334) as well as ASTM B117 for comparison of relative performance. Results of these studies are presented along with advantages and limitations of the proposed methodology.

Hemispheric Processing of Idioms and Irony in Adults With and Without Pervasive Developmental Disorder.

PubMed

Saban-Bezalel, Ronit; Mashal, Nira

2015-11-01

Previous studies on individuals with pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) have pointed to difficulties in comprehension of figurative language. Using the divided visual field paradigm, the present study examined hemispheric processing of idioms and irony in 23 adults with PDD and in 24 typically developing (TD) adults. The results show that adults with PDD were relatively unimpaired in understanding figurative language. While the TD group demonstrated a right hemisphere advantage in processing the non-salient meanings of idioms as well as the ironic endings of paragraphs, the PDD group processed these stimuli bilaterally. Our findings suggest that brain lateralization is atypical in adults with PDD. Successful performance along with bilateral brain activation suggests that the PDD group uses a compensation mechanism.

Age differences in attention toward decision-relevant information: education matters.

PubMed

Xing, Cai; Isaacowitz, Derek

2011-01-01

Previous studies suggested that older adults are more likely to engage in heuristic decision-making than young adults. This study used eye tracking technique to examine young adults' and highly educated older adults' attention toward two types of decision-relevant information: heuristic cue vs. factual cues. Surprisingly, highly educated older adults showed the reversed age pattern-they looked more toward factual cues than did young adults. This age difference disappeared after controlling for educational level. Additionally, education correlated with attentional pattern to decision-relevant information. We interpret this finding as an indication of the power of education: education may modify what are thought to be "typical" age differences in decision-making, and education may influence young and older people's decision-making via different paths.

Pituitary gland levels of mercury, selenium, iron, and zinc in an Alzheimer`s disease study

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cornett, C.R.; Markesbery, W.R.; Wekstein, D.R.

1996-12-31

Mercury, iron, selenium, and zinc imbalances have been observed in comparisons between Alzheimer`s disease (AD) and control subject brains. Analyses of the pituitary gland have demonstrated that this organ retains relatively high concentrations of trace elements, including mercury, iron, and zinc. Our previous work has shown that the pituitary glands of AD and control subjects are typically higher in these trace elements than brain samples from the same subject. Instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was used to compare the pituitary trace element levels of AD and control subjects. This study also describes the intrasubject relationships of brain trace element levelsmore » to those in the pituitary gland of AD and control subjects.« less

Framing matters: contextual influences on interracial interaction outcomes.

PubMed

Babbitt, Laura G; Sommers, Samuel R

2011-09-01

Previous studies indicate that interracial interactions frequently have negative outcomes but have typically focused on social contexts. The current studies examined the effect of manipulating interaction context. In Study 1, Black and White participants worked together with instructions that created either a social focus or a task focus. With a task focus, interracial pairs were more consistently synchronized, Black participants showed less executive function depletion, and White participants generally showed reduced implicit bias. Follow-up studies suggested that prejudice concerns help explain these findings: White participants reported fewer concerns about appearing prejudiced when they imagined an interracial interaction with a task focus rather than a social focus (Study 2a), and Black participants reported less vigilance against prejudice in an imagined interracial interaction with a task focus rather than a social focus (Study 2b). Taken together, these studies illustrate the importance of interaction context for the experiences of both Blacks and Whites.

Reported sexual desire predicts men's preferences for sexually dimorphic cues in women's faces.

PubMed

Jones, Benedict C; Little, Anthony C; Watkins, Christopher D; Welling, Lisa L M; DeBruine, Lisa M

2011-12-01

Recent studies investigating the relationship between sexual desire and sexual attraction have found that heterosexual women's reported sexual desire is positively correlated with their reported attraction to both own- and opposite-sex individuals, but that heterosexual men's reported sexual desire is positively correlated with their reported attraction to opposite-sex individuals only. These findings have led to the proposal that sexual desire is a generalized energizer of sexual attraction in heterosexual women (i.e., influences women's attraction to both men and women), but only energizes heterosexual men's sexual attraction to women. Here we show that heterosexual men's scores on the Sexual Desire Inventory-2 were positively correlated with their preferences for exaggerated sex-typical shape cues in opposite-sex, but not own-sex, faces. Together with previous research showing that heterosexual women's reported sexual desire is positively correlated with their preferences for exaggerated sex-typical shape cues in both own- and opposite-sex faces, our findings present novel converging evidence for sex-specific relationships between sexual desire and attractiveness judgments of own- and opposite-sex individuals.

Observations of cocooned Hydrobaenus (Diptera: Chironomidae) larvae in Lake Michigan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tucker, Taaja R.; Hudson, Patrick L.; Riley, Stephen

2016-01-01

Larvae of the family Chironomidae have developed a variety of ways to tolerate environmental stress, including the formation of cocoons, which allows larvae to avoid unfavorable temperature conditions, drought, or competition with other chironomids. Summer cocoon formation by younger instars of the genus Hydrobaenus Fries allows persistence through increased temperatures and/or intermittent dry periods in arid regions or temporary habitats, but this behavior was not observed in the Great Lakes until the current study. Cocoon-aestivating Hydrobaenus sp. larvae were found in benthic grab samples collected in 2010–2013 near Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in northern Lake Michigan with densities up to 7329/m2. The aestivating species was identified as Hydrobaenus johannseni (Sublette, 1967), and the associated chironomid community was typical for an oligotrophic nearshore system. Hydrobaenus cocoon formation in the Great Lakes was likely previously unnoticed due to the discrepancies between the genus' life history and typical benthos sampling procedures which has consequences for describing chironomid communities where Hydrobaenus is present.