The Effects of Visual Attention Span and Phonological Decoding in Reading Comprehension in Dyslexia: A Path Analysis.

PubMed

Chen, Chen; Schneps, Matthew H; Masyn, Katherine E; Thomson, Jennifer M

2016-11-01

Increasing evidence has shown visual attention span to be a factor, distinct from phonological skills, that explains single-word identification (pseudo-word/word reading) performance in dyslexia. Yet, little is known about how well visual attention span explains text comprehension. Observing reading comprehension in a sample of 105 high school students with dyslexia, we used a pathway analysis to examine the direct and indirect path between visual attention span and reading comprehension while controlling for other factors such as phonological awareness, letter identification, short-term memory, IQ and age. Integrating phonemic decoding efficiency skills in the analytic model, this study aimed to disentangle how visual attention span and phonological skills work together in reading comprehension for readers with dyslexia. We found visual attention span to have a significant direct effect on more difficult reading comprehension but not on an easier level. It also had a significant direct effect on pseudo-word identification but not on word identification. In addition, we found that visual attention span indirectly explains reading comprehension through pseudo-word reading and word reading skills. This study supports the hypothesis that at least part of the dyslexic profile can be explained by visual attention abilities. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Development of new demi-span equations from a nationally representative sample of adults to estimate maximal adult height.

PubMed

Hirani, Vasant; Tabassum, Faiza; Aresu, Maria; Mindell, Jennifer

2010-08-01

Various measures have been used to estimate height when assessing nutritional status. Current equations to obtain demi-span equivalent height (DEH(Bassey)) are based on a small sample from a single study. The objectives of this study were to develop more robust DEH equations from a large number of men (n = 591) and women (n = 830) aged 25-45 y from a nationally representative cross-sectional sample (Health Survey for England 2007). Sex-specific regression equations were produced from young adults' (aged 25-45 y) measured height and demi-span to estimate new DEH equations (DEH(new)). DEH in people aged >or= 65 y was calculated using DEH(new). DEH(new) estimated current height in people aged 25-45 y with a mean difference of 0.04 in men (P = 0.80) and -0.29 in women (P = 0.05). Height, demi-span, DEH(new), and DEH(Bassey) declined by age group in both sexes aged >or=65 y (P < 0.05); DEH were larger than the measured height for all age groups (mean difference between DEH(new) and current height was -2.64 in men and -3.16 in women; both P < 0.001). Comparisons of DEH estimates showed good agreement, but DEH(new) was significantly higher than DEH(Bassey) in each age and sex group in older people. The new equations that are based on a large, randomly selected, nationally representative sample of young adults are more robust for predicting current height in young adults when height measurements are unavailable and can be used in the future to predict maximal adult height more accurately in currently young adults as they age.

Exploration of malingering indices in the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Fourth Edition Digit Span subtest.

PubMed

Reese, Caitlin S; Suhr, Julie A; Riddle, Tara L

2012-03-01

Prior research shows that Digit Span is a useful embedded measure of malingering. However, the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-IV (Wechsler, 2008) altered Digit Span in meaningful ways, necessitating another look at Digit Span as an embedded measure of malingering. Using a simulated malingerer design, we examined the predictive accuracy of existing Digit Span validity indices and explored whether patterns of performance utilizing the new version would provide additional evidence for malingering. Undergraduates with a history of mild head injury performed with best effort or simulated impaired cognition and were also compared with a large sample of non-head-injured controls. Previously established cutoffs for the age-corrected scaled score and Reliable Digit Span (RDS) performed similarly in the present samples. Patterns of RDS length using all three subscales of the new scale were different in malingerers when compared with both head-injured and non-head-injured controls. Two potential alternative RDS scores were introduced, which showed better sensitivity than the traditional RDS, while retaining specificity to malingering.

Personality, self-rated health, and subjective age in a life-span sample: the moderating role of chronological age.

PubMed

Stephan, Yannick; Demulier, Virginie; Terracciano, Antonio

2012-12-01

The present study tested whether chronological age moderates the association between subjective age and self-rated health and personality in a community-dwelling life-span sample (N = 1,016; age range: 18-91 years). Self-rated health, extraversion, and openness to experience were associated with a younger subjective age at older ages. Conscientious individuals felt more mature early in life. Conscientiousness, neuroticism, and agreeableness were not related to subjective age at older ages. These findings suggest that with aging self-rated health and personality traits are increasingly important for subjective age. 2013 APA, all rights reserved

The use of minimal spanning trees in particle physics

DOE PAGES

Rainbolt, J. Lovelace; Schmitt, M.

2017-02-14

Minimal spanning trees (MSTs) have been used in cosmology and astronomy to distinguish distributions of points in a multi-dimensional space. They are essentially unknown in particle physics, however. We briefly define MSTs and illustrate their properties through a series of examples. We show how they might be applied to study a typical event sample from a collider experiment and conclude that MSTs may prove useful in distinguishing different classes of events.

The use of minimal spanning trees in particle physics

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

Rainbolt, J. Lovelace; Schmitt, M.

Minimal spanning trees (MSTs) have been used in cosmology and astronomy to distinguish distributions of points in a multi-dimensional space. They are essentially unknown in particle physics, however. We briefly define MSTs and illustrate their properties through a series of examples. We show how they might be applied to study a typical event sample from a collider experiment and conclude that MSTs may prove useful in distinguishing different classes of events.

40 CFR 92.129 - Exhaust sample analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... the span drift between the pre-analysis and post-analysis checks on any range used may exceed 3...) CONTROL OF AIR POLLUTION FROM LOCOMOTIVES AND LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES Test Procedures § 92.129 Exhaust sample... and span each range to be used on each analyzer used prior to the beginning of the test sequence. The...

Bootstrapping Results of Exercise Therapy and Education for Patients with Congestive Heart Failure

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Witta, E. Lea; Brubaker, Craig

2003-01-01

When studies are conducted over a period of time, the sample size typically decreases. In a study of the effects of exercise therapy and education with recovering congestive heart failure (CHF) patients (Brubaker, Witta, & Angelopoulus, 2003), the sample size decreased from over 40 to 9 participants after an 18-month time span. Although the…

Self-esteem development across the life span: a longitudinal study with a large sample from Germany.

PubMed

Orth, Ulrich; Maes, Jürgen; Schmitt, Manfred

2015-02-01

The authors examined the development of self-esteem across the life span. Data came from a German longitudinal study with 3 assessments across 4 years of a sample of 2,509 individuals ages 14 to 89 years. The self-esteem measure used showed strong measurement invariance across assessments and birth cohorts. Latent growth curve analyses indicated that self-esteem follows a quadratic trajectory across the life span, increasing during adolescence, young adulthood, and middle adulthood, reaching a peak at age 60 years, and then declining in old age. No cohort effects on average levels of self-esteem or on the shape of the trajectory were found. Moreover, the trajectory did not differ across gender, level of education, or for individuals who had lived continuously in West versus East Germany (i.e., the 2 parts of Germany that had been separate states from 1949 to 1990). However, the results suggested that employment status, household income, and satisfaction in the domains of work, relationships, and health contribute to a more positive life span trajectory of self-esteem. The findings have significant implications, because they call attention to developmental stages in which individuals may be vulnerable because of low self-esteem (such as adolescence and old age) and to factors that predict successful versus problematic developmental trajectories. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved.

What Can Repeated Cross-Sectional Studies Tell Us about Student Growth? Research Report. ETS RR-12-17

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Almond, Russell G.; Sinharay, Sandip

2012-01-01

To answer questions about how students' proficiencies are changing over time, educational researchers are looking for data sources that span many years. Clearly, for answering questions about student growth, a longitudinal study--in which a single sample is followed over many years--is preferable to repeated cross-sectional samples--in which a…

Assessing working memory in children with ADHD: Minor administration and scoring changes may improve digit span backward's construct validity.

PubMed

Wells, Erica L; Kofler, Michael J; Soto, Elia F; Schaefer, Hillary S; Sarver, Dustin E

2018-01-01

Pediatric ADHD is associated with impairments in working memory, but these deficits often go undetected when using clinic-based tests such as digit span backward. The current study pilot-tested minor administration/scoring modifications to improve digit span backward's construct and predictive validities in a well-characterized sample of children with ADHD. WISC-IV digit span was modified to administer all trials (i.e., ignore discontinue rule) and count digits rather than trials correct. Traditional and modified scores were compared to a battery of criterion working memory (construct validity) and academic achievement tests (predictive validity) for 34 children with ADHD ages 8-13 (M=10.41; 11 girls). Traditional digit span backward scores failed to predict working memory or KTEA-2 achievement (allns). Alternate administration/scoring of digit span backward significantly improved its associations with working memory reordering (r=.58), working memory dual-processing (r=.53), working memory updating (r=.28), and KTEA-2 achievement (r=.49). Consistent with prior work, these findings urge caution when interpreting digit span performance. Minor test modifications may address test validity concerns, and should be considered in future test revisions. Digit span backward becomes a valid measure of working memory at exactly the point that testing is traditionally discontinued. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Development of Attentional Networks: Cross-Sectional Findings from a Life Span Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Waszak, Florian; Li, Shu-Chen; Hommel, Bernhard

2010-01-01

Using a population-based sample of 263 individuals ranging from 6 to 89 years of age, we investigated the gains and losses in the abilities to (a) use exogenous cues to shift attention covertly and (b) ignore conflicting information across the life span. The participants' ability to shift visual attention was tested by a typical Posner-type…

BEHAVIORAL PHARMACOLOGY OF THE ODOR SPAN TASK: EFFECTS OF FLUNITRAZEPAM, KETAMINE, METHAMPHETAMINE AND METHYLPHENIDATE

PubMed Central

Galizio, Mark; April, Brooke; Deal, Melissa; Hawkey, Andrew; Panoz-Brown, Danielle; Prichard, Ashley; Bruce, Katherine

2018-01-01

The Odor Span Task is an incrementing non-matching-to-sample procedure that permits the study of behavior under the control of multiple stimuli. Rats are exposed to a series of odor stimuli and selection of new stimuli is reinforced. Successful performance thus requires remembering which stimuli have previously been presented during a given session. This procedure has been frequently used in neurobiological studies as a rodent model of working memory; however, only a few studies have examined the effects of drugs on performance in this task. The present experiments explored the behavioral pharmacology of a modified version of the Odor Span Task by determining the effects of stimulant drugs methylphenidate and methamphetamine, NMDA antagonist ketamine, and positive GABAA modulator flunitrazepam. All four drugs produced dose-dependent impairment of performances on the Odor Span Task, but for methylphenidate and methamphetamine, these occurred only at doses that had similar effects on performance of a simple odor discrimination. Generally, these disruptions were based on omission of responding at the effective doses. The effects of ketamine and flunitrazepam were more selective in some rats. That is, some rats tested under flunitrazepam and ketamine showed decreases in accuracy on the Odor Span Task at doses that did not affect simple discrimination performance. These selective effects indicate disruption of within-session stimulus control. Overall, these findings support the potential of the Odor Span Task as a baseline for the behavioral pharmacological analysis of remembering. PMID:27747877

Baseline Acidity of Ancient Precipitation from the South Pole,

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-06-01

is to use samples of polar snow and ice that Most studies of acid precipitation have used were deposited before the industrial revolution relatively...saturated and C0 2-free South the onset of the industrial revolution . Older sam- Pole ice core samples spanning the last 2000 years pies were selected at 20-m

Maternal immune activation during pregnancy in rats impairs working memory capacity of the offspring.

PubMed

Murray, Brendan G; Davies, Don A; Molder, Joel J; Howland, John G

2017-05-01

Maternal immune activation during pregnancy is an environmental risk factor for psychiatric illnesses such as schizophrenia in the offspring. Patients with schizophrenia display an array of cognitive symptoms, including impaired working memory capacity. Rodent models have been developed to understand the relationship between maternal immune activation and the cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia. The present experiment was designed to test whether maternal immune activation with the viral mimetic polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (polyI:C) during pregnancy affects working memory capacity of the offspring. Pregnant Long Evans rats were treated with either saline or polyI:C (4mg/kg; i.v.) on gestational day 15. Male offspring of the litters (2-3months of age) were subsequently trained on a nonmatching-to-sample task with odors. After a criterion was met, the rats were tested on the odor span task, which requires rats to remember an increasing span of different odors to receive food reward. Rats were tested using delays of approximately 40s during the acquisition of the task. Importantly, polyI:C- and saline-treated offspring did not differ in performance of the nonmatching-to-sample task suggesting that both groups could perform a relatively simple working memory task. In contrast, polyI:C-treated offspring had reduced span capacity in the middle and late phases of odor span task acquisition. After task acquisition, the rats were tested using the 40s delay and a 10min delay. Both groups showed a delay-dependent decrease in span, although the polyI:C-treated offspring had significantly lower spans regardless of delay. Our results support the validity of the maternal immune activation model for studying the cognitive symptoms of neurodevelopmental disorders such as schizophrenia. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Evaluation and Comparison of Methods for Measuring Ozone ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Ambient evaluations of the various ozone and NO2 methods were conducted during field intensive studies as part of the NASA DISCOVER-AQ project conducted during July 2011 near Baltimore, MD; January – February 2013 in the San Juaquin valley, CA; September 2013 in Houston, TX; and July – August 2014 near Denver, CO. During field intensive studies, instruments were calibrated according to manufacturers’ operation manuals and in accordance with FRM requirements listed in 40 CFR 50. During the ambient evaluation campaigns, nightly automated zero and span checks were performed to monitor the validity of the calibration and control for drifts or variations in the span and/or zero response. Both the calibration gas concentrations and the nightly zero and span gas concentrations were delivered using a dynamic dilution calibration system (T700U/T701H, Teledyne API). The analyzers were housed within a temperature-controlled shelter during the sampling campaigns. A glass inlet with sampling height located approximately 5 m above ground level and a subsequent sampling manifold were shared by all instruments. Data generated by all analyzers were collected and logged using a field deployable data acquisition system (Envidas Ultimate). A summary of instruments used during DISCOVER-AQ deployment are listed in Table 1. Figure 1 shows a typical DISCOVER-AQ site (Houston 2013) where EPA (and others) instrumentation was deployed. Under the Clean Air Act, the U.S. EPA has estab

Multiple site receptor modeling with a minimal spanning tree combined with a Kohonen neural network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hopke, Philip K.

1999-12-01

A combination of two pattern recognition methods has been developed that allows the generation of geographical emission maps form multivariate environmental data. In such a projection into a visually interpretable subspace by a Kohonen Self-Organizing Feature Map, the topology of the higher dimensional variables space can be preserved, but parts of the information about the correct neighborhood among the sample vectors will be lost. This can partly be compensated for by an additional projection of Prim's Minimal Spanning Tree into the trained neural network. This new environmental receptor modeling technique has been adapted for multiple sampling sites. The behavior of the method has been studied using simulated data. Subsequently, the method has been applied to mapping data sets from the Southern California Air Quality Study. The projection of a 17 chemical variables measured at up to 8 sampling sites provided a 2D, visually interpretable, geometrically reasonable arrangement of air pollution source sin the South Coast Air Basin.

The Moderating Effect of Chronological Age on the Relation Between Neuroticism and Physical Functioning: Cross-Sectional Evidence From Two French Samples.

PubMed

Canada, Brice; Stephan, Yannick; Jaconelli, Alban; Duberstein, Paul R

2016-01-01

Prior studies of age-restricted samples have demonstrated that, in older adulthood, neuroticism is negatively associated with difficulties performing specific daily activities. No studies of neuroticism and physical functioning have been conducted on life-span samples. This study tested the hypothesis that the relationship between neuroticism and physical functioning is stronger in older people compared with younger and middle-aged adults. Data were obtained from 2 independent French samples (n = 1,132 and 1,661 for Samples 1 and 2, respectively) ranging in age from 18 to 97. In addition to reporting sociodemographics, participants completed the Big Five Inventory, the physical functioning scale of the 36-Item Short Form Health Survey, and measures of disease burden. In both samples, regression analysis indicated that neuroticism is more negatively associated with physical functioning with advancing age, controlling for gender, marital status, disease burden, and educational attainment. In life-span samples of more than 2,700 adults, neuroticism was more strongly associated with worse physical functioning among older people compared with younger and middle-aged adults. Longitudinal research is needed to confirm this finding and to identify potential mediators. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The Magic Number 70 (Plus or Minus 20): Variables Determining Performance in the Rodent Odor Span Task

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

April, L. Brooke; Bruce, Katherine; Galizio, Mark

2013-01-01

The olfactory span task (OST) uses an incrementing non-matching to sample procedure such that the number of stimuli to remember increases during the session. The number of consecutive correct responses (span length) and percent correct as a function of the memory load have been viewed as defining rodent working memory capacity limitations in…

40 CFR 1065.341 - CVS and batch sampler verification (propane check).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... contamination. Otherwise, zero, span, and verify contamination of the HC sampling system, as follows: (1) Select... flow rates. (2) Zero the HC analyzer using zero air introduced at the analyzer port. (3) Span the HC analyzer using C3H8 span gas introduced at the analyzer port. (4) Overflow zero air at the HC probe inlet...

40 CFR 1065.341 - CVS and batch sampler verification (propane check).

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... contamination. Otherwise, zero, span, and verify contamination of the HC sampling system, as follows: (1) Select... flow rates. (2) Zero the HC analyzer using zero air introduced at the analyzer port. (3) Span the HC analyzer using C3H8 span gas introduced at the analyzer port. (4) Overflow zero air at the HC probe inlet...

[Spanish normative studies in a young adult population (NEURONORMA young adults Project): norms for the verbal span, visuospatial span, Letter-Number Sequencing, Trail Making Test and Symbol Digit Modalities Test].

PubMed

Tamayo, F; Casals-Coll, M; Sánchez-Benavides, G; Quintana, M; Manero, R M; Rognoni, T; Calvo, L; Palomo, R; Aranciva, F; Peña-Casanova, J

2012-01-01

Verbal and visuospatial span, Letter-Number Sequencing, Trail Making Test, and Symbol Digit Modalities Test are frequently used in clinical practice to assess attention, executive functions and memory. In the present study, as part of the Spanish normative studies of NEURONORMA young adults Project, normative data adjusted by age and education are provided for digits, Corsi Block-Tapping Task, Letter-Number Sequencing, Trail Making Test, and Symbol Digit Modalities Test. The sample consisted of 179 participants from 18 to 49 years old, who were cognitively normal. Tables to convert raw scores to scaled scores are provided. Age and education adjusted scores are provided by applying linear regressions. Education affected scores in most of the attention tests; age was found to be related to the visuospatial span and to speed of visuomotor tracking, and there was no relationship as regards sex. The data obtained will be useful in the clinical evaluation of young Spanish adults. Copyright © 2011 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Structural covariance networks across the life span, from 6 to 94 years of age.

PubMed

DuPre, Elizabeth; Spreng, R Nathan

2017-10-01

Structural covariance examines covariation of gray matter morphology between brain regions and across individuals. Despite significant interest in the influence of age on structural covariance patterns, no study to date has provided a complete life span perspective-bridging childhood with early, middle, and late adulthood-on the development of structural covariance networks. Here, we investigate the life span trajectories of structural covariance in six canonical neurocognitive networks: default, dorsal attention, frontoparietal control, somatomotor, ventral attention, and visual. By combining data from five open-access data sources, we examine the structural covariance trajectories of these networks from 6 to 94 years of age in a sample of 1,580 participants. Using partial least squares, we show that structural covariance patterns across the life span exhibit two significant, age-dependent trends. The first trend is a stable pattern whose integrity declines over the life span. The second trend is an inverted-U that differentiates young adulthood from other age groups. Hub regions, including posterior cingulate cortex and anterior insula, appear particularly influential in the expression of this second age-dependent trend. Overall, our results suggest that structural covariance provides a reliable definition of neurocognitive networks across the life span and reveal both shared and network-specific trajectories.

Structural covariance networks across the life span, from 6 to 94 years of age

PubMed Central

DuPre, Elizabeth; Spreng, R. Nathan

2017-01-01

Structural covariance examines covariation of gray matter morphology between brain regions and across individuals. Despite significant interest in the influence of age on structural covariance patterns, no study to date has provided a complete life span perspective—bridging childhood with early, middle, and late adulthood—on the development of structural covariance networks. Here, we investigate the life span trajectories of structural covariance in six canonical neurocognitive networks: default, dorsal attention, frontoparietal control, somatomotor, ventral attention, and visual. By combining data from five open-access data sources, we examine the structural covariance trajectories of these networks from 6 to 94 years of age in a sample of 1,580 participants. Using partial least squares, we show that structural covariance patterns across the life span exhibit two significant, age-dependent trends. The first trend is a stable pattern whose integrity declines over the life span. The second trend is an inverted-U that differentiates young adulthood from other age groups. Hub regions, including posterior cingulate cortex and anterior insula, appear particularly influential in the expression of this second age-dependent trend. Overall, our results suggest that structural covariance provides a reliable definition of neurocognitive networks across the life span and reveal both shared and network-specific trajectories. PMID:29855624

40 plus or minus 10, a new magical number: reply to Russell.

PubMed

Larrabee, Glenn J; Millis, Scott R; Meyers, John E

2009-07-01

Russell (2009 this issue) has criticized our recently published investigation (Larrabee, Millis, & Meyers, 2008) comparing the diagnostic discrimination of an ability-focused neuropsychological battery (AFB) to that of the Halstead Reitan Battery (HRB). He contended that our symptom validity test (SVT) screening excluding 43% of brain dysfunction and 15% of control patients using computations based on Digit Span inappropriately excluded patients with brain damage, due to the correlation of Digit Span with the Average Index Score (AIS). Our exclusion of 43% of brain dysfunction participants matches the frequency of invalid neuropsychological data of 40-50% or more reported by numerous studies for a wide range of settings with external incentive. Moreover, our study was not an investigation of malingering; rather, we screened our data to insure that only valid data remained, for the most meaningful comparison of the AFB to the HRB. Russell's argument that Digit Span is correlated with brain damage confounds the criterion, AIS (a composite cognitive score), with the predictor, Digit Span (another cognitive score), rather than employing a truly independent neurologic criterion. The fact that Digit Span is notoriously insensitive to brain dysfunction underscores the robustness of our findings, for if we inappropriately excluded brain-damaged patients for low Digit Span, as Russell claimed, this resulted in our sample reflecting more subtle degree of brain dysfunction, and the superiority of the AFB over the HRB was demonstrated under the most challenging of discriminative conditions.

Microstructure as a function of the grain size distribution for packings of frictionless disks: Effects of the size span and the shape of the distribution.

PubMed

Estrada, Nicolas; Oquendo, W F

2017-10-01

This article presents a numerical study of the effects of grain size distribution (GSD) on the microstructure of two-dimensional packings of frictionless disks. The GSD is described by a power law with two parameters controlling the size span and the shape of the distribution. First, several samples are built for each combination of these parameters. Then, by means of contact dynamics simulations, the samples are densified in oedometric conditions and sheared in a simple shear configuration. The microstructure is analyzed in terms of packing fraction, local ordering, connectivity, and force transmission properties. It is shown that the microstructure is notoriously affected by both the size span and the shape of the GSD. These findings confirm recent observations regarding the size span of the GSD and extend previous works by describing the effects of the GSD shape. Specifically, we find that if the GSD shape is varied by increasing the proportion of small grains by a certain amount, it is possible to increase the packing fraction, increase coordination, and decrease the proportion of floating particles. Thus, by carefully controlling the GSD shape, it is possible to obtain systems that are denser and better connected, probably increasing the system's robustness and optimizing important strength properties such as stiffness, cohesion, and fragmentation susceptibility.

SEASONAL DOMINANCE OF CYANOBACTERIA IN PENSACOLA BAY, FLORIDA

EPA Science Inventory

A study was conducted during 1999-2000 in Pensacola Bay, Florida, USA to characterize the seasonal dynamics of nutrients, phytoplankton, and bacterioplankton. Monthly samples were collected from 5 sites spanning the salinity gradient. Abundances of non-heterocystous chroococcoid...

Phonological skills, visual attention span, and visual stress in developmental dyslexia.

PubMed

Saksida, Amanda; Iannuzzi, Stéphanie; Bogliotti, Caroline; Chaix, Yves; Démonet, Jean-François; Bricout, Laure; Billard, Catherine; Nguyen-Morel, Marie-Ange; Le Heuzey, Marie-France; Soares-Boucaud, Isabelle; George, Florence; Ziegler, Johannes C; Ramus, Franck

2016-10-01

In this study, we concurrently investigated 3 possible causes of dyslexia-a phonological deficit, visual stress, and a reduced visual attention span-in a large population of 164 dyslexic and 118 control French children, aged between 8 and 13 years old. We found that most dyslexic children showed a phonological deficit, either in terms of response accuracy (92.1% of the sample), speed (84.8%), or both (79.3%). Deficits in visual attention span, as measured by partial report ability, affected 28.1% of dyslexic participants, all of which also showed a phonological deficit. Visual stress, as measured by subjective reports of visual discomfort, affected 5.5% of dyslexic participants, not more than controls (8.5%). Although phonological variables explained a large amount of variance in literacy skills, visual variables did not explain any additional variance. Finally, children with comorbid phonological and visual deficits did not show more severe reading disability than children with a pure phonological deficit. These results (a) confirm the importance of phonological deficits in dyslexia; (b) suggest that visual attention span may play a role, but a minor one, at least in this population; (c) do not support any involvement of visual stress in dyslexia. Among the factors that may explain some differences with previously published studies, the present sample is characterized by very stringent inclusion criteria, in terms of the severity of reading disability and in terms of exclusion of comorbidities. This may exacerbate the role of phonological deficits to the detriment of other factors playing a role in reading acquisition. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Interacting with Nature Improves Cognition and Affect for Individuals with Depression

PubMed Central

Berman, Marc G.; Kross, Ethan; Krpan, Katherine M.; Askren, Mary K.; Burson, Aleah; Deldin, Patricia J.; Kaplan, Stephen; Sherdell, Lindsey; Gotlib, Ian H.; Jonides, John

2012-01-01

Background This study aimed to explore whether walking in nature may be beneficial for individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD). Healthy adults demonstrate significant cognitive gains after nature walks, but it was unclear whether those same benefits would be achieved in a depressed sample as walking alone in nature might induce rumination, thereby worsening memory and mood. Methods Twenty individuals diagnosed with MDD participated in this study. At baseline, mood and short term memory span were assessed using the PANAS and the backwards digit span (BDS) task, respectively. Participants were then asked to think about an unresolved negative autobiographical event to prime rumination, prior to taking a 50 minute walk in either a natural or urban setting. After the walk, mood and short-term memory span were reassessed. The following week, participants returned to the lab and repeated the entire procedure, but walked in the location not visited in the first session (i.e., a counterbalanced within-subjects design). Results Participants exhibited significant increases in memory span after the nature walk relative to the urban walk, p < .001, ηp2= .53 (a large effect-size). Participants also showed increases in mood, but the mood effects did not correlate with the memory effects, suggesting separable mechanisms and replicating previous work. Limitations Sample size and participants’ motivation. Conclusions These findings extend earlier work demonstrating the cognitive and affective benefits of interacting with nature to individuals with MDD. Therefore, interacting with nature may be useful clinically as a supplement to existing treatments for MDD. PMID:22464936

Interacting with nature improves cognition and affect for individuals with depression.

PubMed

Berman, Marc G; Kross, Ethan; Krpan, Katherine M; Askren, Mary K; Burson, Aleah; Deldin, Patricia J; Kaplan, Stephen; Sherdell, Lindsey; Gotlib, Ian H; Jonides, John

2012-11-01

This study aimed to explore whether walking in nature may be beneficial for individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD). Healthy adults demonstrate significant cognitive gains after nature walks, but it was unclear whether those same benefits would be achieved in a depressed sample as walking alone in nature might induce rumination, thereby worsening memory and mood. Twenty individuals diagnosed with MDD participated in this study. At baseline, mood and short term memory span were assessed using the PANAS and the backwards digit span (BDS) task, respectively. Participants were then asked to think about an unresolved negative autobiographical event to prime rumination, prior to taking a 50-min walk in either a natural or urban setting. After the walk, mood and short-term memory span were reassessed. The following week, participants returned to the lab and repeated the entire procedure, but walked in the location not visited in the first session (i.e., a counterbalanced within-subjects design). Participants exhibited significant increases in memory span after the nature walk relative to the urban walk, p<.001, η(p)(2)=.53 (a large effect-size). Participants also showed increases in mood, but the mood effects did not correlate with the memory effects, suggesting separable mechanisms and replicating previous work. Sample size and participants' motivation. These findings extend earlier work demonstrating the cognitive and affective benefits of interacting with nature to individuals with MDD. Therefore, interacting with nature may be useful clinically as a supplement to existing treatments for MDD. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Robust relationship between reading span and speech recognition in noise

PubMed Central

Souza, Pamela; Arehart, Kathryn

2015-01-01

Objective Working memory refers to a cognitive system that manages information processing and temporary storage. Recent work has demonstrated that individual differences in working memory capacity measured using a reading span task are related to ability to recognize speech in noise. In this project, we investigated whether the specific implementation of the reading span task influenced the strength of the relationship between working memory capacity and speech recognition. Design The relationship between speech recognition and working memory capacity was examined for two different working memory tests that varied in approach, using a within-subject design. Data consisted of audiometric results along with the two different working memory tests; one speech-in-noise test; and a reading comprehension test. Study sample The test group included 94 older adults with varying hearing loss and 30 younger adults with normal hearing. Results Listeners with poorer working memory capacity had more difficulty understanding speech in noise after accounting for age and degree of hearing loss. That relationship did not differ significantly between the two different implementations of reading span. Conclusions Our findings suggest that different implementations of a verbal reading span task do not affect the strength of the relationship between working memory capacity and speech recognition. PMID:25975360

A large-scale, higher-level, molecular phylogenetic study of the insect order Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Higher-level relationships within the Lepidoptera, and particularly within the species-rich subclade Ditrysia, are generally not well understood, although recent studies have yielded progress. 483 taxa spanning 115 of 124 families were sampled for 19 protein-coding nuclear genes. Their aligned nucle...

Working memory and intraindividual variability in processing speed: A lifespan developmental and individual-differences study.

PubMed

Mella, Nathalie; Fagot, Delphine; Lecerf, Thierry; de Ribaupierre, Anik

2015-04-01

Working memory (WM) and intraindividual variability (IIV) in processing speed are both hypothesized to reflect general attentional processes. In the present study, we aimed at exploring the relationship between WM capacity and IIV in reaction times (RTs) and its possible variation with development across the lifespan. Two WM tasks and six RT tasks of varying complexity were analyzed in a sample of 539 participants, consisting of five age groups: two groups of children (9-10 and 11-12 years of age), one group of young adults, and two groups of older adults (59-69 and 70-89 years of age). Two approaches were adopted. First, low-span and high-span individuals were identified, and analyses of variance were conducted comparing these two groups within each age group and for each RT task. The results consistently showed a span effect in the youngest children and oldest adults: High-span individuals were significantly faster and less variable than low-span individuals. In contrast, in young adults no difference was observed between high- and low-span individuals, whether in terms of their means or IIV. Second, multivariate analyses were conducted on the entire set of tasks, to determine whether IIV in RTs brought different information than the mean RT. The results showed that, although very strongly correlated, the mean and IIV in speed should be kept separate in terms of how they account for individual differences in WM. Overall, our results support the assumption of a link between WM capacity and IIV in RT, more strongly so in childhood and older adulthood.

Predictors of Disordered Eating in Adolescence and Young Adulthood: A Population-Based, Longitudinal Study of Females and Males in Norway

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Abebe, Dawit Shawel; Torgersen, Leila; Lien, Lars; Hafstad, Gertrud S.; von Soest, Tilmann

2014-01-01

We investigated longitudinal predictors for disordered eating from early adolescence to young adulthood (12-34 years) across gender and different developmental phases among Norwegian young people. Survey data from a population-based sample were collected at four time points (T) over a 13-year time span. A population-based sample of 5,679 females…

Are Cross-National Differences in IQ Profiles Stable? A Comparison of Finnish and U.S. WAIS Norms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Roivainen, Eka

2013-01-01

To study the concept of national IQ profile, we compared U.S. and Finnish WAIS, WAIS-R, and WAIS III nonverbal and working memory subtest norms. The U.S. standardization samples had consistently higher scores on the Coding and Digit span subtests, while the Finnish samples had higher scores on the Block design subtest. No stable cross-national…

Effects of metal- and fiber-reinforced composite root canal posts on flexural properties.

PubMed

Kim, Su-Hyeon; Oh, Tack-Oon; Kim, Ju-Young; Park, Chun-Woong; Baek, Seung-Ho; Park, Eun-Seok

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to observe the effects of different test conditions on the flexural properties of root canal post. Metal- and fiber-reinforced composite root canal posts of various diameters were measured to determine flexural properties using a threepoint bending test at different conditions. In this study, the span length/post diameter ratio of root canal posts varied from 3.0 to 10.0. Multiple regression models for maximum load as a dependent variable were statistically significant. The models for flexural properties as dependent variables were statistically significant, but linear regression models could not be fitted to data sets. At a low span length/post diameter ratio, the flexural properties were distorted by occurrence of shear stress in short samples. It was impossible to obtain high span length/post diameter ratio with root canal posts. The addition of parameters or coefficients is necessary to appropriately represent the flexural properties of root canal posts.

The structure of late-life depressive symptoms across a 20-year span: a taxometric investigation.

PubMed

Holland, Jason M; Schutte, Kathleen K; Brennan, Penny L; Moos, Rudolf H

2010-03-01

Past studies of the underlying structure of depressive symptoms have yielded mixed results, with some studies supporting a continuous conceptualization and others supporting a categorical one. However, no study has examined this research question with an exclusively older adult sample, despite the potential uniqueness of late-life depressive symptoms. In the present study, the underlying structure of late-life depressive symptoms was examined among a sample of 1,289 individuals across 3 waves of data collection spanning 20 years. The authors employed a taxometric methodology using indicators of depression derived from the Research Diagnostic Criteria (R. L. Spitzer, J. Endicott, & E. Robins, 1978). Maximum eigenvalue analyses and inchworm consistency tests generally supported a categorical conceptualization and identified a group that was primarily characterized by thoughts about death and suicide. However, compared to a categorical depression variable, depressive symptoms treated continuously were generally better predictors of relevant criterion variables. These findings suggest that thoughts of death and suicide may characterize a specific type of late-life depression, yet a continuous conceptualization still typically maximizes the predictive utility of late-life depressive symptoms.

Rate of Visual Information Pick-Up in Learning Disabled and Normal Boys.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bryant, Susan K.; And Others

1983-01-01

A span-of-apprehension task and a backward masking technique were combined to allow measurement of the apprehension span of a sample of 34 learning disabled and normal boys about 8 to 13 years old at various time intervals following stimulus presentation. (Author/SW)

A de novo redesign of the WW domain

PubMed Central

Kraemer-Pecore, Christina M.; Lecomte, Juliette T.J.; Desjarlais, John R.

2003-01-01

We have used a sequence prediction algorithm and a novel sampling method to design protein sequences for the WW domain, a small β-sheet motif. The procedure, referred to as SPANS, designs sequences to be compatible with an ensemble of closely related polypeptide backbones, mimicking the inherent flexibility of proteins. Two designed sequences (termed SPANS-WW1 and SPANS-WW2), using only naturally occurring l-amino acids, were selected for study and the corresponding polypeptides were prepared in Escherichia coli. Circular dichroism data suggested that both purified polypeptides adopted secondary structure features related to those of the target without the aid of disulfide bridges or bound cofactors. The structure exhibited by SPANS-WW2 melted cooperatively by raising the temperature of the solution. Further analysis of this polypeptide by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy demonstrated that at 5°C, it folds into a structure closely resembling a natural WW domain. This achievement constitutes one of a small number of successful de novo protein designs through fully automated computational methods and highlights the feasibility of including backbone flexibility in the design strategy. PMID:14500877

A de novo redesign of the WW domain.

PubMed

Kraemer-Pecore, Christina M; Lecomte, Juliette T J; Desjarlais, John R

2003-10-01

We have used a sequence prediction algorithm and a novel sampling method to design protein sequences for the WW domain, a small beta-sheet motif. The procedure, referred to as SPANS, designs sequences to be compatible with an ensemble of closely related polypeptide backbones, mimicking the inherent flexibility of proteins. Two designed sequences (termed SPANS-WW1 and SPANS-WW2), using only naturally occurring L-amino acids, were selected for study and the corresponding polypeptides were prepared in Escherichia coli. Circular dichroism data suggested that both purified polypeptides adopted secondary structure features related to those of the target without the aid of disulfide bridges or bound cofactors. The structure exhibited by SPANS-WW2 melted cooperatively by raising the temperature of the solution. Further analysis of this polypeptide by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy demonstrated that at 5 degrees C, it folds into a structure closely resembling a natural WW domain. This achievement constitutes one of a small number of successful de novo protein designs through fully automated computational methods and highlights the feasibility of including backbone flexibility in the design strategy.

Social Strategies during University Studies Predict Early Career Work Burnout and Engagement: 18-Year Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salmela-Aro, Katariina; Tolvanen, Asko; Nurmi, Jari-Erik

2011-01-01

This longitudinal study spanning 18 years examined the role of social strategies in early career adaptation. The aim was to find out whether individuals' social strategies measured during their university studies had an impact on work burnout and work engagement measured 10-18 years later. A sample of 292 university students completed the SAQ…

Spatial abilities across the adult life span.

PubMed

Borella, Erika; Meneghetti, Chiara; Ronconi, Lucia; De Beni, Rossana

2014-02-01

The study investigates age-related effects across the adult life span on spatial abilities (testing subabilities based on a distinction between spatial visualization, mental rotation, and perspective taking) and spatial self-assessments. The sample consisted of 454 participants (223 women and 231 men) from 20 to 91 years of age. Results showed nonlinear age-related effects for spatial visualization and perspective taking but linear effects for mental rotation; few or no age-related effects were found for spatial self-assessments. Working memory accounted for only a small proportion of the variance in all spatial tasks and had no effect on spatial self-assessments. Overall, our findings suggest that the influence of age on spatial skills across the adult life span is considerable, but the effects of age change as a function of the spatial task considered, and the effect on spatial self-assessment is more marginal.

Comovements in government bond markets: A minimum spanning tree analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilmore, Claire G.; Lucey, Brian M.; Boscia, Marian W.

2010-11-01

The concept of a minimum spanning tree (MST) is used to study patterns of comovements for a set of twenty government bond market indices for developed North American, European, and Asian countries. We show how the MST and its related hierarchical tree evolve over time and describe the dynamic development of market linkages. Over the sample period, 1993-2008, linkages between markets have decreased somewhat. However, a subset of European Union (EU) bond markets does show increasing levels of comovements. The evolution of distinct groups within the Eurozone is also examined. The implications of our findings for portfolio diversification benefits are outlined.

40 CFR 1066.425 - Performing emission tests.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... as described in paragraph (g)(5) of this section and zero and span all batch gas analyzers as soon as practical before any batch sample analysis. You may perform this batch analyzer zero and span before the end... value after stabilizing a zero gas to the analyzer. Stabilization may include time to purge the analyzer...

40 CFR 92.129 - Exhaust sample analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... the span drift between the pre-analysis and post-analysis checks on any range used may exceed 3... (CONTINUED) CONTROL OF AIR POLLUTION FROM LOCOMOTIVES AND LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES Test Procedures § 92.129 Exhaust... and span each range to be used on each analyzer used prior to the beginning of the test sequence. The...

40 CFR 92.129 - Exhaust sample analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... the span drift between the pre-analysis and post-analysis checks on any range used may exceed 3... (CONTINUED) CONTROL OF AIR POLLUTION FROM LOCOMOTIVES AND LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES Test Procedures § 92.129 Exhaust... and span each range to be used on each analyzer used prior to the beginning of the test sequence. The...

40 CFR 92.129 - Exhaust sample analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... the span drift between the pre-analysis and post-analysis checks on any range used may exceed 3... (CONTINUED) CONTROL OF AIR POLLUTION FROM LOCOMOTIVES AND LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES Test Procedures § 92.129 Exhaust... and span each range to be used on each analyzer used prior to the beginning of the test sequence. The...

40 CFR 92.129 - Exhaust sample analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... the span drift between the pre-analysis and post-analysis checks on any range used may exceed 3... (CONTINUED) CONTROL OF AIR POLLUTION FROM LOCOMOTIVES AND LOCOMOTIVE ENGINES Test Procedures § 92.129 Exhaust... and span each range to be used on each analyzer used prior to the beginning of the test sequence. The...

The Reliability of College Grades

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Beatty, Adam S.; Walmsley, Philip T.; Sackett, Paul R.; Kuncel, Nathan R.; Koch, Amanda J.

2015-01-01

Little is known about the reliability of college grades relative to how prominently they are used in educational research, and the results to date tend to be based on small sample studies or are decades old. This study uses two large databases (N > 800,000) from over 200 educational institutions spanning 13 years and finds that both first-year…

The chemical characteristics of soil in control and experimentally thinned plots in mesic oak forests along a historical deposition gradient

Treesearch

Ralph E. J. Boerner; Elaine Kennedy Sutherland

1997-01-01

This study examined the variations in the chemical parameters of soils of seven forests located along a historical deposition gradient spanning 8.5° longitude from southern Illinois to central West Virginia. Four to six mature control plots were sampled on two of the sites, and two experimentally thinned and two control plots were sampled on the remaining five sites....

Continuities and Discontinuities in Media Usage and Taste: A Longitudinal Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Himmelweit, Hilde; Swift, Betty

1976-01-01

The role of social, personality, and outlook factors in accounting for media usage and taste was examined at several developmental stages across a 20 year time span. This encompassed the period during which TV was introduced and absorbed into the leisure time of those sampled. (Author)

Grand Images: Exploring Images of Grandparents in Picture Books

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Crawford, Patricia A.; Bhattacharya, Sharika

2014-01-01

This exploratory study examined children's picture books as a source of socialization messages, specifically regarding ageism. Thus, the appearances, cultural backgrounds, and roles of grandparent characters were examined in a sample of 220 books published over a 20-year span. Findings indicate that grandparent characters have come to…

Reliability and validity of Web-SPAN, a web-based method for assessing weight status, diet and physical activity in youth.

PubMed

Storey, K E; McCargar, L J

2012-02-01

Web-based surveys are becoming increasing popular. The present study aimed to assess the reliability and validity of the Web-Survey of Physical Activity and Nutrition (Web-SPAN) for self-report of height and weight, diet and physical activity by youth. School children aged 11-15years (grades 7-9; n=459) participated in the school-based research (boys, n=225; girls, n=233; mean age, 12.8years). Students completed Web-SPAN (self-administered) twice and participated in on-site school assessments [height, weight, 3-day food/pedometer record, Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C), shuttle run]. Intraclass (ICC) and Pearson's correlation coefficients and paired samples t-tests were used to assess the test-retest reliability of Web-SPAN and to compare Web-SPAN with the on-site assessments. Test-retest reliability for height (ICC=0.90), weight (ICC=0.98) and the PAQ-C (ICC=0.79) were highly correlated, whereas correlations for nutrients were not as strong (ICC=0.37-0.64). There were no differences between Web-SPAN times 1 and 2 for height and weight, although there were differences for the PAQ-C and most nutrients. Web-SPAN was strongly correlated with the on-site assessments, including height (ICC=0.88), weight (ICC=0.93) and the PAQ-C (ICC=0.70). Mean differences for height and the PAQ-C were not significant, whereas mean differences for weight were significant resulting in an underestimation of being overweight/obesity prevalence (84% agreement). Correlations for nutrients were in the range 0.24-0.40; mean differences were small but generally significantly different. Correlations were weak between the web-based PAQ-C and 3-day pedometer record (r=0.28) and 20-m shuttle run (r=0.28). Web-SPAN is a time- and cost-effective method that can be used to assess the diet and physical activity status of youth in large cross-sectional studies and to assess group trends (weight status). © 2011 The Authors. Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics © 2011 The British Dietetic Association Ltd.

Age trends for failures of sustained attention.

PubMed

Carriere, Jonathan S A; Cheyne, J Allan; Solman, Grayden J F; Smilek, Daniel

2010-09-01

Recent research has revealed an age-related reduction in errors in a sustained attention task, suggesting that sustained attention abilities improve with age. Such results seem paradoxical in light of the well-documented age-related declines in cognitive performance. In the present study, performance on the sustained attention to response task (SART) was assessed in a supplemented archival sample of 638 individuals between 14 and 77 years old. SART errors and response speed appeared to decline in a linear fashion as a function of age throughout the age span studied. In contrast, other measures of sustained attention (reaction time coefficient of variation), anticipation, and omissions) showed a decrease early in life and then remained unchanged for the rest of the life span. Thus, sustained attention shows improvements with maturation in early adulthood but then does not change with aging in older adults. On the other hand, aging across the entire life span leads to a more strategic (i.e., slower) response style that reduces the overt and critical consequences (i.e., SART errors) of momentary task disengagement. (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved.

Relationships between Categorical Perception of Phonemes, Phoneme Awareness, and Visual Attention Span in Developmental Dyslexia.

PubMed

Zoubrinetzky, Rachel; Collet, Gregory; Serniclaes, Willy; Nguyen-Morel, Marie-Ange; Valdois, Sylviane

2016-01-01

We tested the hypothesis that the categorical perception deficit of speech sounds in developmental dyslexia is related to phoneme awareness skills, whereas a visual attention (VA) span deficit constitutes an independent deficit. Phoneme awareness tasks, VA span tasks and categorical perception tasks of phoneme identification and discrimination using a d/t voicing continuum were administered to 63 dyslexic children and 63 control children matched on chronological age. Results showed significant differences in categorical perception between the dyslexic and control children. Significant correlations were found between categorical perception skills, phoneme awareness and reading. Although VA span correlated with reading, no significant correlations were found between either categorical perception or phoneme awareness and VA span. Mediation analyses performed on the whole dyslexic sample suggested that the effect of categorical perception on reading might be mediated by phoneme awareness. This relationship was independent of the participants' VA span abilities. Two groups of dyslexic children with a single phoneme awareness or a single VA span deficit were then identified. The phonologically impaired group showed lower categorical perception skills than the control group but categorical perception was similar in the VA span impaired dyslexic and control children. The overall findings suggest that the link between categorical perception, phoneme awareness and reading is independent from VA span skills. These findings provide new insights on the heterogeneity of developmental dyslexia. They suggest that phonological processes and VA span independently affect reading acquisition.

Relationships between Categorical Perception of Phonemes, Phoneme Awareness, and Visual Attention Span in Developmental Dyslexia

PubMed Central

Zoubrinetzky, Rachel; Collet, Gregory; Serniclaes, Willy; Nguyen-Morel, Marie-Ange; Valdois, Sylviane

2016-01-01

We tested the hypothesis that the categorical perception deficit of speech sounds in developmental dyslexia is related to phoneme awareness skills, whereas a visual attention (VA) span deficit constitutes an independent deficit. Phoneme awareness tasks, VA span tasks and categorical perception tasks of phoneme identification and discrimination using a d/t voicing continuum were administered to 63 dyslexic children and 63 control children matched on chronological age. Results showed significant differences in categorical perception between the dyslexic and control children. Significant correlations were found between categorical perception skills, phoneme awareness and reading. Although VA span correlated with reading, no significant correlations were found between either categorical perception or phoneme awareness and VA span. Mediation analyses performed on the whole dyslexic sample suggested that the effect of categorical perception on reading might be mediated by phoneme awareness. This relationship was independent of the participants’ VA span abilities. Two groups of dyslexic children with a single phoneme awareness or a single VA span deficit were then identified. The phonologically impaired group showed lower categorical perception skills than the control group but categorical perception was similar in the VA span impaired dyslexic and control children. The overall findings suggest that the link between categorical perception, phoneme awareness and reading is independent from VA span skills. These findings provide new insights on the heterogeneity of developmental dyslexia. They suggest that phonological processes and VA span independently affect reading acquisition. PMID:26950210

Front-line managers as boundary spanners: effects of span and time on nurse supervision satisfaction.

PubMed

Meyer, Raquel M; O'Brien-Pallas, Linda; Doran, Diane; Streiner, David; Ferguson-Paré, Mary; Duffield, Christine

2011-07-01

To examine the influence of nurse manager span (number of direct report staff), time in staff contact, transformational leadership practices and operational hours on nurse supervision satisfaction. Increasing role complexity has intensified the boundary spanning functions of managers. Because work demands and scope vary by management position, time in staff contact rather than span may better explain managers' capacity to support staff. A descriptive, correlational design was used to collect cross-sectional survey and prospective work log and administrative data from a convenience sample of 558 nurses in 51 clinical areas and 31 front-line nurse managers from four acute care hospitals in 2007-2008. Data were analysed using hierarchical linear modelling. Span, but not time in staff contact, interacted with leadership and operational hours to explain supervision satisfaction. With compressed operational hours, supervision satisfaction was lower with highly transformational leadership in combination with wider spans. With extended operational hours, supervision satisfaction was higher with highly transformational leadership, and this effect was more pronounced under wider spans. Operational hours, which influence the manager's daily span (average number of direct report staff working per weekday), should be factored into the design of front-line management positions. © 2011 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Processing speed and working memory span: their differential role in superficial and deep memory processes in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Brébion, Gildas; Bressan, Rodrigo A; Pilowsky, Lyn S; David, Anthony S

2011-05-01

Previous work has suggested that decrement in both processing speed and working memory span plays a role in the memory impairment observed in patients with schizophrenia. We undertook a study to examine simultaneously the effect of these two factors. A sample of 49 patients with schizophrenia and 43 healthy controls underwent a battery of verbal and visual memory tasks. Superficial and deep encoding memory measures were tallied. We conducted regression analyses on the various memory measures, using processing speed and working memory span as independent variables. In the patient group, processing speed was a significant predictor of superficial and deep memory measures in verbal and visual memory. Working memory span was an additional significant predictor of the deep memory measures only. Regression analyses involving all participants revealed that the effect of diagnosis on all the deep encoding memory measures was reduced to non-significance when processing speed was entered in the regression. Decreased processing speed is involved in verbal and visual memory deficit in patients, whether the task require superficial or deep encoding. Working memory is involved only insofar as the task requires a certain amount of effort.

Retrospective Recall of Sexual Orientation Identity Development Among Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Adults

PubMed Central

Calzo, Jerel P.; Antonucci, Toni C.; Mays, Vickie M.; Cochran, Susan D.

2011-01-01

Although recent attention has focused on the likelihood that contemporary sexual minority youth (i.e., gay, lesbian, bisexual [GLB]) are “coming out” at younger ages, few studies have examined if early sexual orientation identity development is also present in older GLB cohorts. We analyze retrospective data on the timing of sexual orientation milestones in a sample of sexual minorities drawn from the California Quality of Life Surveys. Latent profile analysis of 1,260 GLB adults, ages 18-84 years identified three trajectories of development: Early (n = 951, milestones spanning ages 12 to 20), Middle (n = 239, milestones spanning ages 18 to 31), and Late (n = 70, milestones spanning ages 32 to 43). Motivated by previous research on variability in adolescent developmental trajectories, post-hoc analyses of the Early Profile group identified two sub-groups: Child-Onset (n = 284, milestones spanning ages 8 to 18), and Teen-Onset (n = 667, milestones spanning ages 14 to 22). Nearly all patterns of development were identity-centered, with average age of self-identification as GLB preceding average age of first same-sex sexual activity. Overall, younger participants and the majority of older participants were classified to the Early Profile, suggesting that early development is common regardless of age cohort. The additional gender differences observed in the onset and pace of sexual orientation identity development warrant future research. PMID:21942662

High-Grading Lunar Samples

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, Carlton; Sellar, Glenn; Nunez, Jorge; Mosie, Andrea; Schwarz, Carol; Parker, Terry; Winterhalter, Daniel; Farmer, Jack

2009-01-01

Astronauts on long-duration lunar missions will need the capability to high-grade their samples to select the highest value samples for transport to Earth and to leave others on the Moon. We are supporting studies to define the necessary and sufficient measurements and techniques for high-grading samples at a lunar outpost. A glovebox, dedicated to testing instruments and techniques for high-grading samples, is in operation at the JSC Lunar Experiment Laboratory. A reference suite of lunar rocks and soils, spanning the full compositional range found in the Apollo collection, is available for testing in this laboratory. Thin sections of these samples are available for direct comparison. The Lunar Sample Compendium, on-line at http://www-curator.jsc.nasa.gov/lunar/compendium.cfm, summarizes previous analyses of these samples. The laboratory, sample suite, and Compendium are available to the lunar research and exploration community. In the first test of possible instruments for lunar sample high-grading, we imaged 18 lunar rocks and four soils from the reference suite using the Multispectral Microscopic Imager (MMI) developed by Arizona State University and JPL (see Farmer et. al. abstract). The MMI is a fixed-focus digital imaging system with a resolution of 62.5 microns/pixel, a field size of 40 x 32 mm, and a depth-of-field of approximately 5 mm. Samples are illuminated sequentially by 21 light emitting diodes in discrete wavelengths spanning the visible to shortwave infrared. Measurements of reflectance standards and background allow calibration to absolute reflectance. ENVI-based software is used to produce spectra for specific minerals as well as multi-spectral images of rock textures.

The Development of Musical Preference across the Life Span.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hargreaves, David J.; North, Adrian C.

This paper focuses on the relationship between the cognitive and affective aspects of listening to various music styles. The document describes two cross-sectional studies of the same sample of 275 subjects drawn from 5 age groups (9-10 years; 14-15 years; 18-24 years; 25-49 years; and 50+ years). The first study deals with the development of…

Magnetostratigraphy of the impact breccias and post-impact carbonates from borehole Yaxcopoil-1, Chicxulub impact crater, Yucatán, Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rebolledo-Vieyra, Mario; Urrutia-Fucugauchi, Jaime

2004-06-01

We report the magnetostratigraphy of the sedimentary sequence between the impact breccias and the post-impact carbonate sequence conducted on samples recovered by Yaxcopoil-1 (Yax-1). Samples of impact breccias show reverse polarities that span up to ~56 cm into the postimpact carbonate lithologies. We correlate these breccias to those of PEMEX boreholes Yucatán-6 and Chicxulub-1, from which we tied our magnetostratigraphy to the radiometric age from a melt sample from the Yucatán-6 borehole. Thin section analyses of the carbonate samples showed a significant amount of dark minerals and glass shards that we identified as the magnetic carriers; therefore, we propose that the mechanism of magnetic acquisition within the carbonate rocks for the interval studied is detrital remanent magnetism (DRM). With these samples, we constructed the scale of geomagnetic polarities where we find two polarities within the sequence, a reverse polarity event within the impact breccias and the base of the post-impact carbonate sequence (up to 794.07 m), and a normal polarity event in the last ~20 cm of the interval studied. The polarities recorded in the sequence analyzed are interpreted to span from chron 29r to 29n, and we propose that the reverse polarity event lies within the 29r chron. The magnetostratigraphy of the sequence studied shows that the horizon at 794.11 m deep, interpreted as the K/T boundary, lies within the geomagnetic chron 29r, which contains the K/T boundary.

Effects of lexical competition on immediate memory span for spoken words.

PubMed

Goh, Winston D; Pisoni, David B

2003-08-01

Current theories and models of the structural organization of verbal short-term memory are primarily based on evidence obtained from manipulations of features inherent in the short-term traces of the presented stimuli, such as phonological similarity. In the present study, we investigated whether properties of the stimuli that are not inherent in the short-term traces of spoken words would affect performance in an immediate memory span task. We studied the lexical neighbourhood properties of the stimulus items, which are based on the structure and organization of words in the mental lexicon. The experiments manipulated lexical competition by varying the phonological neighbourhood structure (i.e., neighbourhood density and neighbourhood frequency) of the words on a test list while controlling for word frequency and intra-set phonological similarity (family size). Immediate memory span for spoken words was measured under repeated and nonrepeated sampling procedures. The results demonstrated that lexical competition only emerged when a nonrepeated sampling procedure was used and the participants had to access new words from their lexicons. These findings were not dependent on individual differences in short-term memory capacity. Additional results showed that the lexical competition effects did not interact with proactive interference. Analyses of error patterns indicated that item-type errors, but not positional errors, were influenced by the lexical attributes of the stimulus items. These results complement and extend previous findings that have argued for separate contributions of long-term knowledge and short-term memory rehearsal processes in immediate verbal serial recall tasks.

Age and Time Population Differences: Young Adults, Gen Xers, and Millennials

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Menard, Lauren A.

2013-01-01

Age and Time disparities in young adult research populations are common because young adults are defined by varying age spans; members of Generation X and Millennial generations may both be considered young adults; study years vary, affecting populations; and qualitative methods with limited age/year samples are frequently utilized. The current…

Older Adults Have Difficulty in Decoding Sarcasm

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Phillips, Louise H.; Allen, Roy; Bull, Rebecca; Hering, Alexandra; Kliegel, Matthias; Channon, Shelley

2015-01-01

Younger and older adults differ in performance on a range of social-cognitive skills, with older adults having difficulties in decoding nonverbal cues to emotion and intentions. Such skills are likely to be important when deciding whether someone is being sarcastic. In the current study we investigated in a life span sample whether there are…

Constructing temporary sampling platforms for hydrologic studies

Treesearch

Manuel H. Martinez; Sandra E. Ryan

2000-01-01

This paper presents instructions for constructing platforms that span the width of stream channels to accommodate the measurement of hydrologic parameters over a wide range of discharges. The platforms provide a stable, safe, noninvasive, easily constructed, and relatively inexpensive means for permitting data collection without wading in the flow. We have used the...

Civic Engagement Patterns and Transitions over 8 Years: The AmeriCorps National Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Finlay, Andrea K.; Flanagan, Constance; Wray-Lake, Laura

2011-01-01

Latent transition analysis was used to examine civic engagement transitions across 2 waves spanning 8 years in a sample of AmeriCorps participants and a comparison group (N = 1,344; 77% female). Latent indicators of civic engagement included volunteering, community participation, civic organizational involvement, local and national voting, civic…

Anxiety and working memory capacity: A meta-analysis and narrative review.

PubMed

Moran, Tim P

2016-08-01

Cognitive deficits are now widely recognized to be an important component of anxiety. In particular, anxiety is thought to restrict the capacity of working memory by competing with task-relevant processes. The evidence for this claim, however, has been mixed. Although some studies have found restricted working memory in anxiety, others have not. Within studies that have found impairments, there is little agreement regarding the boundary conditions of the anxiety/WMC association. The aim of this review is to critically evaluate the evidence for anxiety-related deficits in working memory capacity. First, a meta-analysis of 177 samples (N = 22,061 individuals) demonstrated that self-reported measures of anxiety are reliably related to poorer performance on measures of working memory capacity (g = -.334, p < 10-29). This finding was consistent across complex span (e.g., OSPAN; g = -.342, k = 30, N = 3,196, p = .000001), simple span (e.g., digit span; g = -.318, k = 127, N = 17,547, p < 10-17), and dynamic span tasks (e.g., N-Back; g = -.437, k = 20, N = 1,318, p = .000003). Second, a narrative review of the literature revealed that anxiety, whether self-reported or experimentally induced, is related to poorer performance across a wide variety of tasks. Finally, the review identified a number of methodological limitations common in the literature as well as avenues for future research. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

40 CFR 86.540-90 - Exhaust sample analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... (CONTINUED) CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM NEW AND IN-USE HIGHWAY VEHICLES AND ENGINES Emission Regulations for... appropriate, NOX. concentrations of samples. (6) Check zero and span points. If difference is greater than 2...

40 CFR 86.540-90 - Exhaust sample analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... (CONTINUED) CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM NEW AND IN-USE HIGHWAY VEHICLES AND ENGINES Emission Regulations for... appropriate, NOX. concentrations of samples. (6) Check zero and span points. If difference is greater than 2...

Development and Characterization of Chitosan Cross-Linked With Tripolyphosphate as a Sustained Release Agent in Tablets, Part I: Design of Experiments and Optimization.

PubMed

Pinto, Colin A; Saripella, Kalyan K; Loka, Nikhil C; Neau, Steven H

2018-04-01

Certain issues with the use of particles of chitosan (Ch) cross-linked with tripolyphosphate (TPP) in sustained release formulations include inefficient drug loading, burst drug release, and incomplete drug release. Acetaminophen was added to Ch:TPP particles to test for advantages of drug addition extragranularly over drug addition made during cross-linking. The influences of Ch concentration, Ch:TPP ratio, temperature, ionic strength, and pH were assessed. Design of experiments allowed identification of factors and 2-factor interactions that have significant effects on average particle size and size distribution, yield, zeta potential, and true density of the particles, as well as drug release from the directly compressed tablets. Statistical model equations directed production of a control batch that minimized span, maximized yield, and targeted a t 50 of 90 min (sample A); sample B that differed by targeting a t 50 of 240-300 min to provide sustained release; and sample C that differed from sample B by maximizing span. Sample B maximized yield and provided its targeted t 50 and the smallest average particle size, with the higher zeta potential and the lower span of samples B and C. Extragranular addition of a drug to Ch:TPP particles achieved 100% drug loading, eliminated a burst drug release, and can accomplish complete drug release. Copyright © 2018 American Pharmacists Association®. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Micromechanics of Damage Accumulation in Micro- and Nano-Scale Laminates for Microelectromechanical Systems

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-04-06

samples to gauge their roughness. The study was conducted using a Dimension 3100 atomic force microscope produced by Veeco, and using tips produced...image of the sample, along with a close up of the gage section highlighting the notch. Gauge sections were 2 mm long, having 200, 160 and 100μm widths...and slots with semicircular ends which spanned 33% of the gauge widths and had a 3μm root radius. The thickness of the films was reported to be

Measuring Growth and Decline in Visual-Motor Processes with the Bender-Gestalt Second Edition

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Decker, Scott L.

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study is to develop a change-sensitive scale for evaluating developmental change in visual-motor ability across the life span. A partial-credit item-response model is used to estimate theta values for each age group between 4 and 90 using the Bender-Gestalt II standardization sample (N = 4,000). Results from this study suggest…

Moderation Effects of Personality and Organizational Support on the Relationship between Prior Job Experience and Academic Performance of Management Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Uppal, Nishant; Mishra, Sushanta Kumar

2014-01-01

The study investigates the relationship between prior job experience and current academic performance among management students in India. It further explores the impact of individual and situational factors on the above relationship. Based on a longitudinal study spanning over nine months in the academic year 2010-11 among a sample of 324…

Risperidone Added to Psychostimulant in Children with Severe Aggression and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Lack of Effect on Attention and Short-Term Memory.

PubMed

Farmer, Cristan A; Epstein, Jeffery N; Findling, Robert L; Gadow, Kenneth D; Arnold, L Eugene; Kipp, Heidi; Kolko, David J; Butter, Eric; Schneider, Jayne; Bukstein, Oscar G; McNamara, Nora K; Molina, Brooke S G; Aman, Michael G

2017-03-01

Professionals have periodically expressed concern that atypical antipsychotics may cause cognitive blunting in treated patients. In this study, we report data from a double-blind, randomized, controlled study of stimulant plus placebo versus combined stimulant and risperidone to evaluate the effects of the atypical antipsychotic on attention and short-term memory. A total of 165 (n = 83 combined treatment; n = 82 stimulant plus placebo) children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and severe physical aggression, aged 6-12 years, were evaluated with Conners' Continuous Performance Test (CPT-II) and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-III (WISC) Digit Span subscale at baseline, after 3 weeks of stimulant-only treatment, and after six additional weeks of randomized treatment (stimulant+placebo vs. stimulant+risperidone). At 3 weeks, improvement on CPT-II performance (Commissions and Reaction Time Standard Error; p < 0.001) and on Digit Span memory performance (p < 0.006) was noted for the full sample. At study week 9, no difference in CPT-II or Digit Span performance was observed between the randomized groups (ps = 0.41 to 0.83). Similar to other studies, we found no deleterious effects on attention and short-term memory associated with short-term use of risperidone. NCT00796302.

Language decline across the life span: findings from the Nun Study.

PubMed

Kemper, S; Greiner, L H; Marquis, J G; Prenovost, K; Mitzner, T L

2001-06-01

The present study examines language samples from the Nun Study. Measures of grammatical complexity and idea density were obtained from autobiographies written over a 60-year span. Participants who had met criteria for dementia were contrasted with those who did not. Grammatical complexity initially averaged 4.78 (on a 0-to-7-point scale) for participants who did not meet criteria for dementia and declined .04 units per year; grammatical complexity for participants who met criteria for dementia initially averaged 3.86 and declined .03 units per year. Idea density averaged 5.35 propositions per 10 words initially for participants who did not meet criteria for dementia and declined an average of .03 units per year, whereas idea density averaged 4.34 propositions per 10 words initially for participants who met criteria for dementia and declined .02 units per year. Adult experiences, in general, did not moderate these declines.

Assessment of liver size by ultrasonography.

PubMed

Patzak, Monika; Porzner, Marc; Oeztuerk, Suemeyra; Mason, Richard Andrew; Wilhelm, Manfred; Graeter, Tilmann; Kratzer, Wolfgang; Haenle, Mark Martin; Akinli, Atilla Serif

2014-09-01

To determine liver span sonographically in a randomly selected population sample and identify factors that affect liver size. A total of 1,789 subjects (963 females, 826 males; mean age 41.8 ± 12.8 years) underwent sonographic examination of the liver in the midclavicular line to determine liver span. Subjects underwent physical examination and blood tests and completed a standardized interview questionnaire. The average liver span in the midclavicular line for the overall collective was 15.0 ± 1.5 cm; the average for females was 14.9 ± 1.6 cm and 15.1 ± 1.5 cm for males. Liver span exceeded 16 cm in 24.3% of subjects. Results of the multivariate analysis showed that, of the factors potentially influencing liver span, gender, age, body mass index, body height, fatty liver (p < 0.0001), waist-to-hip ratio (p = 0.015), and metabolic syndrome (p = 0.032) are significant. By contrast, diabetes mellitus, alcohol consumption, tobacco consumption, physical activity, and laboratory findings showed no influence. Sonographic measurement of liver span in the midclavicular line is a simple method for routine clinical use. Gender, age, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, body height, hepatic steatosis, and metabolic syndrome are factors associated with liver span. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

ASSESSING THE ACCURACY OF SATELLITE-DERIVED LAND COVER CLASSIFICATION USING HISTORICAL AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY DIGITAL ORTHOPHOTO QUADRANGLES, AND AIRBORNE VIDEO DATA

EPA Science Inventory

As the rapidly growing archives of satellite remote sensing imagery now span decades'worth of data, there is increasing interest in the study of long-term regional land cover change across multiple image dates. In most cases, however, temporally coincident ground sampled data are...

Victimization Over the Life Span: A Comparison of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Heterosexual Siblings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balsam, Kimberly F.; Rothblum, Esther D.; Beauchaine, Theodore P.

2005-01-01

Lifetime victimization was examined in a primarily European American sample that comprised 557 lesbian/gay, 163 bisexual, and 525 heterosexual adults. Lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) participants were recruited via LGB e-mail lists, periodicals, and organizations; these participants recruited 1 or more siblings for participation in the study (81%…

ASSESSING THE ACCURACY OF SATELLITE-DERIVED LAND COVER CLASSIFICATION USING HISTORICAL AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY, DIGITAL ORTHOPHOTO QUADDRANGLES, AND AIRBORNE VIDEO DATA

EPA Science Inventory

As the rapidly growing archives of satellite remote sensing imagery now span decades'worth of data, there is increasing interest in the study of long-term regional land cover change across multiple image dates. In most cases, however, temporally coincident ground sampled data are...

ASSESSING THE ACCURACY OF SATELLITE-DERIVED LAND COVER CLASSIFICATION USING HISTORICAL AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY, DIGITAL ORTHOPHOTO QUADRANGLES, AND AIRBORNE VIDEO DATA

EPA Science Inventory

As the rapidly growing archives of satellite remote sensing imagery now span decades' worth of data, there is increasing interest in the study of long-term regional land cover change across multiple image dates. In most cases, however, temporally coincident ground sampled data ar...

Estimating True Short-Term Consistency in Vocational Interests: A Longitudinal SEM Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaudron, Jean-Philippe; Vautier, Stephane

2007-01-01

This study aimed at estimating the correlation between true scores (true consistency) of vocational interest over a short time span in a sample of 1089 adults. Participants were administered 54 items assessing vocational, family, and leisure interests twice over a 1-month period. Responses were analyzed with a multitrait (MT) model, which supposes…

Gender Differences in Symptom Reporting on Baseline Sport Concussion Testing Across the Youth Age Span.

PubMed

Moser, Rosemarie Scolaro; Olek, Lauren; Schatz, Philip

2018-02-06

Little is known regarding gender differences in concussion symptom reporting developmentally across the age span, specifically in pre-adolescent athletes. The present study asks: Do boys and girls differ in symptom reporting across the pre-adolescent to post-adolescent age span? This retrospective study utilized baseline assessments from 11,695 10-22 year-old athletes assigned to 3 independent groups: Pre-adolescent 10-12 year olds (n = 1,367; 12%), Adolescent 13-17 year olds (n = 2,974; 25%), and Late Adolescent 18-22 year olds (n = 7,354; 63%). Males represented 60% of the sample. Baseline ImPACT composite scores and Post-Concussion Symptom Scale scores (Total, Physical, Cognitive, Emotional, Sleep) were analyzed for the effects of age and gender. Statistically significant main effects were found for age and gender on all ImPACT composites, Total Symptoms, and Symptom factors. Significant interaction effects were noted between age and gender for all ImPACT composites, Total Symptoms, and Symptom factors. Total Symptoms and all Symptom factors were highest in adolescents (ages 13-17) for males and females. In the 10-12 age group, females displayed lower Total Symptoms, Physical, and Sleep factors than males. The notion of females being more likely than males to report symptoms does not appear to apply across the developmental age span, particularly prior to adolescence. Females show greater emotional endorsement across the youth age span (10-22 years). Adolescence (13-17 years) appears to be a time of increased symptomatology that may lessen after the age of 18. © The Author(s) 2018. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Automatic calibration and control system for a combined oxygen and combustibles analyzer

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

Woolbert, G.D.; Jewett, S.Y.; Robertson, J.W. Jr.

1989-08-01

This patent describes an automatic, periodically calibrating system for continuous output of calibrated signals from a combined oxygen and combustibles analyzer. It comprises: a combined oxygen and combustibles analyzer for sensing a level of oxygen and a level of combustibles in a volatile atmosphere and for producing a first sample signal indicative of the oxygen level and a second sample signal indicative of the combustibles level; means for introducing zero and span calibration test gases into the analyzer; means for periodically calibrating the analyzer. This including: a data control unit; a timer unit; a mechanical unit, means for calculating zeromore » and span values for oxygen and combustibles, means for comparing the calculated zero and span values for oxygen and combustibles to the preset alarm limits for oxygen and combustibles, means for activating an operator alarm, means for calculating oxygen and combustibles drift adjustments, a memory unit; and means for applying the oxygen and combustibles drift adjustments concurrently to the first and second sample signals, according to predetermined mathematical relationship, to obtain calibrated output signals indicative of the oxygen and combustibles level in the volatile atmosphere.« less

Lifespan development of pro- and anti-saccades: multiple regression models for point estimates.

PubMed

Klein, Christoph; Foerster, Friedrich; Hartnegg, Klaus; Fischer, Burkhart

2005-12-07

The comparative study of anti- and pro-saccade task performance contributes to our functional understanding of the frontal lobes, their alterations in psychiatric or neurological populations, and their changes during the life span. In the present study, we apply regression analysis to model life span developmental effects on various pro- and anti-saccade task parameters, using data of a non-representative sample of 327 participants aged 9 to 88 years. Development up to the age of about 27 years was dominated by curvilinear rather than linear effects of age. Furthermore, the largest developmental differences were found for intra-subject variability measures and the anti-saccade task parameters. Ageing, by contrast, had the shape of a global linear decline of the investigated saccade functions, lacking the differential effects of age observed during development. While these results do support the assumption that frontal lobe functions can be distinguished from other functions by their strong and protracted development, they do not confirm the assumption of disproportionate deterioration of frontal lobe functions with ageing. We finally show that the regression models applied here to quantify life span developmental effects can also be used for individual predictions in applied research contexts or clinical practice.

A Developmental Shift in Black-White Differences in Depressive Affect across Adolescence and Early Adulthood: The Influence of Early Adult Social Roles and Socio-Economic Status

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jager, Justin

2011-01-01

This study examined Black-White differences in growth of depressive affect using a longitudinal sample of middle-class, suburban U.S. subjects (n = 956) that spanned from adolescence to early adulthood. Specifically, this study examined whether Black-White differences in growth of depressive affect shift over time, and the extent to which that…

Rumination as a Mechanism Linking Stressful Life Events to Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety: Longitudinal Evidence in Early Adolescents and Adults

PubMed Central

Michl, Louisa C.; McLaughlin, Katie A.; Shepherd, Kathrine; Nolen-Hoeksema, Susan

2014-01-01

Rumination is a well-established risk factor for the onset of major depression and anxiety symptomatology in both adolescents and adults. Despite the robust associations between rumination and internalizing psychopathology, there is a dearth of research examining factors that might lead to a ruminative response style. In the current study, we examined whether social environmental experiences were associated with rumination. Specifically, we evaluated whether self-reported exposure to stressful life events predicted subsequent increases in rumination. We also investigated whether rumination served as a mechanism underlying the longitudinal association between self-reported stressful life events and internalizing symptoms. Self-reported stressful life events, rumination, and symptoms of depression and anxiety were assessed in 2 separate longitudinal samples. A sample of early adolescents (N = 1,065) was assessed at 3 time points spanning 7 months. A sample of adults (N = 1,132) was assessed at 2 time points spanning 12 months. In both samples, self-reported exposure to stressful life events was associated longitudinally with increased engagement in rumination. In addition, rumination mediated the longitudinal relationship between self-reported stressors and symptoms of anxiety in both samples and the relationship between self-reported life events and symptoms of depression in the adult sample. Identifying the psychological and neurobiological mechanisms that explain a greater propensity for rumination following stressors remains an important goal for future research. This study provides novel evidence for the role of stressful life events in shaping characteristic responses to distress, specifically engagement in rumination, highlighting potentially useful targets for interventions aimed at preventing the onset of depression and anxiety. PMID:23713497

Temporal-contextual processing in working memory: evidence from delayed cued recall and delayed free recall tests.

PubMed

Loaiza, Vanessa M; McCabe, David P

2012-02-01

Three experiments are reported that addressed the nature of processing in working memory by investigating patterns of delayed cued recall and free recall of items initially studied during complex and simple span tasks. In Experiment 1, items initially studied during a complex span task (i.e., operation span) were more likely to be recalled after a delay in response to temporal-contextual cues, relative to items from subspan and supraspan list lengths in a simple span task (i.e., word span). In Experiment 2, items initially studied during operation span were more likely to be recalled from neighboring serial positions during delayed free recall than were items studied during word span trials. Experiment 3 demonstrated that the number of attentional refreshing opportunities strongly predicts episodic memory performance, regardless of whether the information is presented in a spaced or massed format in a modified operation span task. The results indicate that the content-context bindings created during complex span trials reflect attentional refreshing opportunities that are used to maintain items in working memory.

Age Differences in the Monitoring of Learning: Cross-Sectional Evidence of Spared Resolution across the Adult Life Span

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hertzog, Christopher; Sinclair, Starlette M.; Dunlosky, John

2010-01-01

Researchers of metacognitive development in adulthood have exclusively used extreme-age-groups designs. We used a full cross-sectional sample (N = 285, age range: 18-80) to evaluate how associative relatedness and encoding strategies influence judgments of learning (JOLs) in adulthood. Participants studied related and unrelated word pairs and made…

Factor Structure and Measurement Invariance of the Cognitive Failures Questionnaire across the Adult Life Span

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rast, Philippe; Zimprich, Daniel; Van Boxtel, Martin; Jolles, Jellemer

2009-01-01

The Cognitive Failures Questionnaire (CFQ) is designed to assess a person's proneness to committing cognitive slips and errors in the completion of everyday tasks. Although the CFQ is a widely used instrument, its factor structure remains an issue of scientific debate. The present study used data of a representative sample (N = 1,303, 24-83 years…

The Role of Maternal Communication Patterns about Interparental Disputes in Associations between Interparental Conflict and Child Psychological Maladjustment

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gomulak-Cavicchio, Beata M.; Davies, Patrick T.; Cummings, E. Mark

2006-01-01

The present study examined the role of mothers' communication with children about interparental disputes in associations between interparental conflict and child psychological maladjustment in a sample of 227 children and their parents followed over a one-year span. Most of the time (i.e., 79.8%) mothers reported that they would communicate with…

A Ten-Year Analysis of the Post-Secondary Outcomes of Students with Disabilities at the Pennsylvania State University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hong, Barbara S. S.; Herbert, James T.; Petrin, Robert A.

2011-01-01

This proposed exploratory study represents the largest and first investigation in the USA that will purposefully analyse and track students who have sought disability services over a 10-year span (academic years 2000-2011). Using "ex post-facto" data on a non-probability purposive sample of approximately 6000 undergraduates, the research…

Effects of Age of English Exposure, Current Input/Output, and Grade on Bilingual Language Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bedore, Lisa M.; Pena, Elizabeth D.; Griffin, Zenzi M.; Hixon, J. Gregory

2016-01-01

This study evaluates the effects of Age of Exposure to English (AoEE) and Current Input/Output on language performance in a cross-sectional sample of Spanish-English bilingual children. First- (N = 586) and third-graders (N = 298) who spanned a wide range of bilingual language experience participated. Parents and teachers provided information…

The Effect of Pressure on High- and Low-Working-Memory Students: An Elaboration of the Choking under Pressure Hypothesis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Zuowei; Shah, Priti

2014-01-01

Sample: Fifty-three third and fourth graders from China participated in this study. Method: Participants' working memory (WM) was assessed by the Automated Operation Span task. Then, they solved mental addition problems of different types under low- and high-pressure conditions. Performance was analysed as a function of pressure condition, working…

Distributed MPC based consensus for single-integrator multi-agent systems.

PubMed

Cheng, Zhaomeng; Fan, Ming-Can; Zhang, Hai-Tao

2015-09-01

This paper addresses model predictive control schemes for consensus in multi-agent systems (MASs) with discrete-time single-integrator dynamics under switching directed interaction graphs. The control horizon is extended to be greater than one which endows the closed-loop system with extra degree of freedom. We derive sufficient conditions on the sampling period and the interaction graph to achieve consensus by using the property of infinite products of stochastic matrices. Consensus can be achieved asymptotically if the sampling period is selected such that the interaction graph among agents has a directed spanning tree jointly. Significantly, if the interaction graph always has a spanning tree, one can select an arbitrary large sampling period to guarantee consensus. Finally, several simulations are conducted to illustrate the effectiveness of the theoretical results. Copyright © 2015 ISA. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Integrating prospective longitudinal data: modeling personality and health in the Terman Life Cycle and Hawaii Longitudinal Studies.

PubMed

Kern, Margaret L; Hampson, Sarah E; Goldberg, Lewis R; Friedman, Howard S

2014-05-01

The present study used a collaborative framework to integrate 2 long-term prospective studies: the Terman Life Cycle Study and the Hawaii Personality and Health Longitudinal Study. Within a 5-factor personality-trait framework, teacher assessments of child personality were rationally and empirically aligned to establish similar factor structures across samples. Comparable items related to adult self-rated health, education, and alcohol use were harmonized, and data were pooled on harmonized items. A structural model was estimated as a multigroup analysis. Harmonized child personality factors were then used to examine markers of physiological dysfunction in the Hawaii sample and mortality risk in the Terman sample. Harmonized conscientiousness predicted less physiological dysfunction in the Hawaii sample and lower mortality risk in the Terman sample. These results illustrate how collaborative, integrative work with multiple samples offers the exciting possibility that samples from different cohorts and ages can be linked together to directly test life span theories of personality and health. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2014 APA, all rights reserved).

Article 7: Measures of digit span and verbal rehearsal speed in deaf children following more than 10 years of cochlear implantation

PubMed Central

Pisoni, David; Kronenberger, William; Roman, Adrienne; Geers, Ann

2011-01-01

Precis This paper reports results on the development of immediate memory capacity and verbal rehearsal speed in 112 children with more than ten years of CI use. We found less than half of the sample showed increases in both forward and backward digit spans suggesting disturbances in basic mechanisms related to storage or rehearsal of verbal information. Both spans and verbal rehearsal speeds in elementary school were found to be correlated with speech and language outcomes in high school. These developmental results provide new insights in the elementary neurocognitive information processes associated with high variability in speech and language outcomes. PMID:21832890

A Comparison of Laboratory and Clinical Working Memory Tests and Their Prediction of Fluid Intelligence

PubMed Central

Shelton, Jill T.; Elliott, Emily M.; Hill, B. D.; Calamia, Matthew R.; Gouvier, Wm. Drew

2010-01-01

The working memory (WM) construct is conceptualized similarly across domains of psychology, yet the methods used to measure WM function vary widely. The present study examined the relationship between WM measures used in the laboratory and those used in applied settings. A large sample of undergraduates completed three laboratory-based WM measures (operation span, listening span, and n-back), as well as the WM subtests from the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III and the Wechsler Memory Scale-III. Performance on all of the WM subtests of the clinical batteries shared positive correlations with the lab measures; however, the Arithmetic and Spatial Span subtests shared lower correlations than the other WM tests. Factor analyses revealed that a factor comprising scores from the three lab WM measures and the clinical subtest, Letter-Number Sequencing (LNS), provided the best measurement of WM. Additionally, a latent variable approach was taken using fluid intelligence as a criterion construct to further discriminate between the WM tests. The results revealed that the lab measures, along with the LNS task, were the best predictors of fluid abilities. PMID:20161647

Identity Processes and Intrinsic and Extrinsic Goal Pursuits: Directionality of Effects in College Students.

PubMed

Luyckx, Koen; Duriez, Bart; Green, Lindsey M; Negru-Subtirica, Oana

2017-08-01

Identity research has mainly focused on the degree to which adolescents and emerging adults engage in exploration and commitment to identity goals and strivings. Somewhat lacking from this research tradition is an explicit focus on the content of the identity goals that individuals deem important and pursue. The present manuscript describes two longitudinal studies sampling college students in which we examine how exploration and commitment processes relate to intrinsic and extrinsic goal pursuits as defined in Self-Determination Theory. Study 1 was a two-wave longitudinal study spanning 6 months (N = 370; 77.4% women; mean age 18.24 years); Study 2 was a three-wave longitudinal study spanning 6 months (N = 458 students; 84.9% women; mean age 18.25 years). Using cross-lagged path analyses, hypotheses were supported to various degrees of convergence between studies, pointing to the extent of which results were replicated across our two independent longitudinal samples. Whereas an intrinsic goal orientation positively predicted commitment making (Study 1) and identification with commitment over time (Studies 1 and 2), an extrinsic goal orientation positively predicted ruminative exploration over time, which led to decreases in intrinsic orientation over time (Study 2). Further, an intrinsic goal orientation negatively predicted ruminative exploration over time (Study 1). The findings in for pro-active exploration processes were inconsistent across both studies, being prospectively related to both intrinsic (Study 2) and extrinsic goal orientations (Study 1). Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.

Risperidone Added to Psychostimulant in Children with Severe Aggression and Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder: Lack of Effect on Attention and Short-Term Memory

PubMed Central

Epstein, Jeffery N.; Findling, Robert L.; Gadow, Kenneth D.; Arnold, L. Eugene; Kipp, Heidi; Kolko, David J.; Butter, Eric; Schneider, Jayne; Bukstein, Oscar G.; McNamara, Nora K.; Molina, Brooke S.G.; Aman, Michael G.

2017-01-01

Abstract Objective: Professionals have periodically expressed concern that atypical antipsychotics may cause cognitive blunting in treated patients. In this study, we report data from a double-blind, randomized, controlled study of stimulant plus placebo versus combined stimulant and risperidone to evaluate the effects of the atypical antipsychotic on attention and short-term memory. Methods: A total of 165 (n = 83 combined treatment; n = 82 stimulant plus placebo) children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder and severe physical aggression, aged 6–12 years, were evaluated with Conners' Continuous Performance Test (CPT-II) and the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-III (WISC) Digit Span subscale at baseline, after 3 weeks of stimulant-only treatment, and after six additional weeks of randomized treatment (stimulant+placebo vs. stimulant+risperidone). Results: At 3 weeks, improvement on CPT-II performance (Commissions and Reaction Time Standard Error; p < 0.001) and on Digit Span memory performance (p < 0.006) was noted for the full sample. At study week 9, no difference in CPT-II or Digit Span performance was observed between the randomized groups (ps = 0.41 to 0.83). Conclusions: Similar to other studies, we found no deleterious effects on attention and short-term memory associated with short-term use of risperidone. NCT00796302. PMID:27348211

Dielectric study of aqueous solutions of sodium dodecyl sulfate in the frequency span 20 Hz to 2 MHz

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kadve, A. M.; Vankar, H. P.; Rana, V. A.

2017-05-01

Dielectric measurements were carried out for aqueous solutions of Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate (SDS) in the frequency span of 20 Hz to 2 MHz at 300.15 K temperature using precision LCR meter. Also the refractive indices were measured for the solutions at 300.15 K temperature using Abbe's refractometer. The measurements were done for ten different concentrations of SDS in distilled water. Determined values of complex permittivity as a function of frequency were used to evaluate other parameters like loss tangent and electric modulus for the liquid samples. The permittivity at optical frequency were also calculated from the measured refractive indices for the aqueous solutions. The effect of concentration variation of SDS in the aqueous solutions on the determined parameters is discussed.

Measuring Working Memory With Digit Span and the Letter-Number Sequencing Subtests From the WAIS-IV: Too Low Manipulation Load and Risk for Underestimating Modality Effects.

PubMed

Egeland, Jens

2015-01-01

The Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) is one of the most frequently used tests among psychologists. In the fourth edition of the test (WAIS-IV), the subtests Digit Span and Letter-Number Sequencing are expanded for better measurement of working memory (WM). However, it is not clear whether the new extended tasks contribute sufficient complexity to be sensitive measures of manipulation WM, nor do we know to what degree WM capacity differs between the visual and the auditory modality because the WAIS-IV only tests the auditory modality. Performance by a mixed sample of 226 patients referred for neuropsychological examination on the Digit Span and Letter-Number Sequencing subtests from the WAIS-IV and on Spatial Span from the Wechsler Memory Scale-Third Edition was analyzed in two confirmatory factor analyses to investigate whether a unitary WM model or divisions based on modality or level/complexity best fit the data. The modality model showed the best fit when analyzing summed scores for each task as well as scores for the longest span. The clinician is advised to apply tests with higher manipulation load and to consider testing visual span as well before drawing conclusions about impaired WM from the WAIS-IV.

40 CFR 86.309-79 - Sampling and analytical system; schematic drawing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... or parts of components that are wetted by the sample or corrosive calibration gases shall be either... must be within 2 inches of the analyzer entrance port. (vi) Calibration or span gases for the NOX... calibration gases. (ii) V2—optional heated selector valve to purge the sample probe, perform leak checks, or...

40 CFR 86.309-79 - Sampling and analytical system; schematic drawing.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... or parts of components that are wetted by the sample or corrosive calibration gases shall be either... must be within 2 inches of the analyzer entrance port. (vi) Calibration or span gases for the NOX... calibration gases. (ii) V2—optional heated selector valve to purge the sample probe, perform leak checks, or...

Mitigation of NOx and smoke emissions in a diesel engine using novel emulsified lemon peel oil biofuel.

PubMed

Bragadeshwaran, Ashok; Kasianantham, Nanthagopal; Balusamy, Saravanan; Muniappan, SenthilKumar; Reddy, Dandu Madhu Sudan; Subhash, Randive Vishal; Pravin, Nashte Adarsh; Subbarao, Rayapati

2018-06-25

Lemon peel oil (LPO) is considered to be a viable alternative fuel for diesel engine applications due to its wider availability, renewable nature, easy extraction process, almost equivalent calorific value as neat diesel, and low viscosity. The present work aims to investigate the effect of novel emulsified LPO in a diesel engine in order to reduce the NOx emission without compromising the engine performance. A new ionic surfactant is introduced in the present study, namely methyl-dihydroxy propyl imidazolium chloride due to its higher hydrophilic-lipophilic balance value which helps to prepare stable water in oil emulsion. Also, Span 80 has been selected as another suitable surfactant for water in oil emulsion. Four emulsified fuel samples have been prepared using LPO, water, and different concentrations of surfactants. All the fuel samples are tested for their stability through gravitational technique for 7 days. Among the emulsified samples, 92% LPO + 5% water + 2% Span 80 + 1% methyl-dihydroxy propyl imidazolium chloride by volume (LPOE2) and 93.5% LPO + 5% water + 1.5% surfactant Span 80 by volume (LPOE4) have showed better stability when compared to other emulsion fuel samples. It is also revealed that the stability of LPO emulsion is improved by the addition of two emulsions. The experimental results showed that the brake thermal efficiency of LPO emulsion is reduced to 29.87 from 34.58% of pure LPO at full load condition. Oxides of nitrogen emission and smoke emission are reduced by 21-32 and 6-15% for the LPO emulsion samples compared to pure LPO. Moreover, the diesel engine operation with emulsified form of LPO increases the HC emission about 0.1 g/kWh for LPOE4 and 0.15 g/kWh for LPOE2 fuels from 0.053 g/kW for pure LPO at maximum power output condition. The reformulation of LPO into emulsified form increases the CO emission by 25-53% compared to pure LPO. Moreover, the reformulation of LPO into emulsions has resulted in lower cylinder pressure and heat release rate compared to pure LPO and diesel fuels.

A comparison of measured height and demi-span equivalent height in the assessment of body mass index among people aged 65 years and over in England.

PubMed

Hirani, Vasant; Mindell, Jennifer

2008-05-01

to examine differences between measured height and demi-span equivalent height (DEH) among people aged >or=65 and investigate the impact on body mass index (BMI) of using DEH. nationally representative cross-sectional sample of adults living in England. 3,346 non-institutionalised adults aged >or=65, taking part in the Health Survey for England (HSE) 2001. height, weight and demi-span measurements were taken according to standardised HSE protocols. DEH was calculated using Bassey's equation. the height measurement was lower than the DEH from age group 70-74 years onwards in men and in each age group in women. No significant differences in mean DEH and measured height were found for men (-0.46) or women (-2.64). BMI derived from measured height did not differ significantly from BMI derived from DEH. The prevalence of underweight was lower when using measured height than when using DEH in women aged >or=65, particularly in those aged 80 years and over. The prevalence of overweight and obesity was higher using measured height than DEH in women aged >or=65. we confirmed in a large nationally representative sample that demi-span measurement may be a useful estimate of stature in people (particularly women) aged >or=65 for BMI calculations.

Relative sea level trend and variability in the central Mediterranean in the time span 1872-2014 from tide gauge data: implications for future projections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anzidei, Marco; Vecchio, Antonio

2015-04-01

We used tidal data collected in the time span 1872-2014 from a set of historical and modern stations located in the central Mediterranean, along the coasts of Italy, France, Slovenia and Croatia. The longest records span across the last two or three centuries for the tidal stations of Genova, Marseille, Trieste and Venice. While data from Bakar, Dubrovink, Rovinji and Split, all located along the coast of the Adriatic sea, provide valid records for a time span about 50 years long. In addition to these stations, since 1998 become available for the Italian region new sea level data from the dense national tidal network (www.mareografico.it). These digital stations are collecting data continuously at 10 minute sampling interval with a nominal accuracy at 1 mm. Therefore, in addition to the historical stations, we have the opportunity to analyze a sea level data set that cover about the last 16 years. In this study we show and discuss the results of our analysis of sea level data for the central Mediterranean, providing new insights on sea level trend and variability for about the past 140 years. Finally, based on sea level data and IPCC reports, we provide future sea level projections for this region for the year 2100 with implications for coastal flooding of lowland areas.

Is Student Performance on the Information Systems Analyst Certification Exam Affected by Form of Delivery of Information Systems Coursework?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haga, Wayne; Moreno, Abel; Segall, Mark

2012-01-01

In this paper, we compare the performance of Computer Information Systems (CIS) majors on the Information Systems Analyst (ISA) Certification Exam. The impact that the form of delivery of information systems coursework may have on the exam score is studied. Using a sample that spans three years, we test for significant differences between scores…

Semantics in support of biodiversity knowledge discovery: an introduction to the biological collections ontology and related ontologies.

PubMed

Walls, Ramona L; Deck, John; Guralnick, Robert; Baskauf, Steve; Beaman, Reed; Blum, Stanley; Bowers, Shawn; Buttigieg, Pier Luigi; Davies, Neil; Endresen, Dag; Gandolfo, Maria Alejandra; Hanner, Robert; Janning, Alyssa; Krishtalka, Leonard; Matsunaga, Andréa; Midford, Peter; Morrison, Norman; Ó Tuama, Éamonn; Schildhauer, Mark; Smith, Barry; Stucky, Brian J; Thomer, Andrea; Wieczorek, John; Whitacre, Jamie; Wooley, John

2014-01-01

The study of biodiversity spans many disciplines and includes data pertaining to species distributions and abundances, genetic sequences, trait measurements, and ecological niches, complemented by information on collection and measurement protocols. A review of the current landscape of metadata standards and ontologies in biodiversity science suggests that existing standards such as the Darwin Core terminology are inadequate for describing biodiversity data in a semantically meaningful and computationally useful way. Existing ontologies, such as the Gene Ontology and others in the Open Biological and Biomedical Ontologies (OBO) Foundry library, provide a semantic structure but lack many of the necessary terms to describe biodiversity data in all its dimensions. In this paper, we describe the motivation for and ongoing development of a new Biological Collections Ontology, the Environment Ontology, and the Population and Community Ontology. These ontologies share the aim of improving data aggregation and integration across the biodiversity domain and can be used to describe physical samples and sampling processes (for example, collection, extraction, and preservation techniques), as well as biodiversity observations that involve no physical sampling. Together they encompass studies of: 1) individual organisms, including voucher specimens from ecological studies and museum specimens, 2) bulk or environmental samples (e.g., gut contents, soil, water) that include DNA, other molecules, and potentially many organisms, especially microbes, and 3) survey-based ecological observations. We discuss how these ontologies can be applied to biodiversity use cases that span genetic, organismal, and ecosystem levels of organization. We argue that if adopted as a standard and rigorously applied and enriched by the biodiversity community, these ontologies would significantly reduce barriers to data discovery, integration, and exchange among biodiversity resources and researchers.

Semantics in Support of Biodiversity Knowledge Discovery: An Introduction to the Biological Collections Ontology and Related Ontologies

PubMed Central

Baskauf, Steve; Blum, Stanley; Bowers, Shawn; Davies, Neil; Endresen, Dag; Gandolfo, Maria Alejandra; Hanner, Robert; Janning, Alyssa; Krishtalka, Leonard; Matsunaga, Andréa; Midford, Peter; Tuama, Éamonn Ó.; Schildhauer, Mark; Smith, Barry; Stucky, Brian J.; Thomer, Andrea; Wieczorek, John; Whitacre, Jamie; Wooley, John

2014-01-01

The study of biodiversity spans many disciplines and includes data pertaining to species distributions and abundances, genetic sequences, trait measurements, and ecological niches, complemented by information on collection and measurement protocols. A review of the current landscape of metadata standards and ontologies in biodiversity science suggests that existing standards such as the Darwin Core terminology are inadequate for describing biodiversity data in a semantically meaningful and computationally useful way. Existing ontologies, such as the Gene Ontology and others in the Open Biological and Biomedical Ontologies (OBO) Foundry library, provide a semantic structure but lack many of the necessary terms to describe biodiversity data in all its dimensions. In this paper, we describe the motivation for and ongoing development of a new Biological Collections Ontology, the Environment Ontology, and the Population and Community Ontology. These ontologies share the aim of improving data aggregation and integration across the biodiversity domain and can be used to describe physical samples and sampling processes (for example, collection, extraction, and preservation techniques), as well as biodiversity observations that involve no physical sampling. Together they encompass studies of: 1) individual organisms, including voucher specimens from ecological studies and museum specimens, 2) bulk or environmental samples (e.g., gut contents, soil, water) that include DNA, other molecules, and potentially many organisms, especially microbes, and 3) survey-based ecological observations. We discuss how these ontologies can be applied to biodiversity use cases that span genetic, organismal, and ecosystem levels of organization. We argue that if adopted as a standard and rigorously applied and enriched by the biodiversity community, these ontologies would significantly reduce barriers to data discovery, integration, and exchange among biodiversity resources and researchers. PMID:24595056

The Role of Covert Retrieval in Working Memory Span Tasks: Evidence from Delayed Recall Tests

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCabe, David P.

2008-01-01

The current study examined delayed recall of items that had been processed during simple and complex span tasks. Three experiments were reported showing that despite more items being recalled initially from a simple span task (i.e., word span) than a complex span task (i.e., operation span), on a delayed recall test more items were recalled that…

MAP1B and NOS1 genes are associated with working memory in youths with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Salatino-Oliveira, Angélica; Wagner, Flávia; Akutagava-Martins, Glaucia C; Bruxel, Estela M; Genro, Júlia P; Zeni, Cristian; Kieling, Christian; Polanczyk, Guilherme V; Rohde, Luis A; Hutz, Mara H

2016-06-01

Diverse efforts have been done to improve the etiologic understanding of mental disorders, such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It becomes clear that research in mental disorders needs to move beyond descriptive syndromes. Several studies support recent theoretical models implicating working memory (WM) deficits in ADHD complex neuropsychology. The aim of this study was to examine the association between rs2199161 and rs478597 polymorphisms at MAP1B and NOS1 genes with verbal working memory in children and adolescents with ADHD. A total of 253 unrelated ADHD children/adolescents were included. The sample was diagnosed according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-4th edition criteria. Digit Span from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition was used to assess verbal WM. The raw scores from both forward and backward conditions of Digit Span were summed and converted into scaled scores according to age. The means of scaled Digit Span were compared according to genotypes by ANOVA. Significant differences in Digit Span scores between MAP1B genotype groups (rs2199161: F = 5.676; p = 0.018) and NOS1 (rs478597: F = 6.833; p = 0.009) genes were detected. For both polymorphisms, the CC genotype carriers showed a worse performance in WM task. Our findings suggest possible roles of NOS1 and MAP1B genes in WM performance in ADHD patients, replicating previous results with NOS1 gene in this cognitive domain in ADHD children.

Distribution of the anther-smut pathogen Microbotryum on species of the Caryophyllaceae

PubMed Central

Hood, Michael E; Mena-Alí, Jorge I; Gibson, Amanda K; Oxelman, Bengt; Giraud, Tatiana; Yockteng, Roxana; Arroyo, Mary T K; Conti, Fabio; Pedersen, Amy B; Gladieux, Pierre; Antonovics, Janis

2010-01-01

Summary Understanding disease distributions is of fundamental and applied importance, yet few studies benefit from integrating broad sampling with ecological and phylogenetic data. Here, anther-smut disease, caused by the fungus Microbotryum, was assessed using herbarium specimens of Silene and allied genera of the Caryophyllaceae.A total of 42 000 herbarium specimens were examined, and plant geographical distributions and morphological and life history characteristics were tested as correlates of disease occurrence. Phylogenetic comparative methods were used to determine the association between disease and plant life-span.Disease was found on 391 herbarium specimens from 114 species and all continents with native Silene. Anther smut occurred exclusively on perennial plants, consistent with the pathogen requiring living hosts to overwinter. The disease was estimated to occur in 80% of perennial species of Silene and allied genera. The correlation between plant life-span and disease was highly significant while controlling for the plant phylogeny, but the disease was not correlated with differences in floral morphology.Using resources available in natural history collections, this study illustrates how disease distribution can be determined, not by restriction to a clade of susceptible hosts or to a limited geographical region, but by association with host life-span, a trait that has undergone frequent evolutionary transitions. PMID:20406409

Experimental study of tail-span effects on a generic canard-controlled missile

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blair, A. B., Jr.; Dillon, James L.; Watson, Carolyn B.

1992-01-01

An experimental investigation was conducted on a cruciform canard controlled missile configuration to determine the effects of tail span/canard span ratio on controllability. The investigation was conducted over the Mach number range of 1.75 to 3.50. Reductions of tail span/canard span ratio produced lower static margins and higher trim angle of attack. The results show that canard controls can provide pitch- and yaw-control as well as roll-control by proper selection of the tail span/canard span ratio.

Developing a Non-Language Related Span Test for the Use in Language-Specific and Cross-Language Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shahnazari-Dorcheh, Mohammadtaghi; Roshan, Saeed

2012-01-01

Due to the lack of span test for the use in language-specific and cross-language studies, this study provides L1 and L2 researchers with a reliable language-independent span test (math span test) for the measurement of working memory capacity. It also describes the development, validation, and scoring method of this test. This test included 70…

Age differences in big five behavior averages and variabilities across the adult life span: moving beyond retrospective, global summary accounts of personality.

PubMed

Noftle, Erik E; Fleeson, William

2010-03-01

In 3 intensive cross-sectional studies, age differences in behavior averages and variabilities were examined. Three questions were posed: Does variability differ among age groups? Does the sizable variability in young adulthood persist throughout the life span? Do past conclusions about trait development, based on trait questionnaires, hold up when actual behavior is examined? Three groups participated: young adults (18-23 years), middle-aged adults (35-55 years), and older adults (65-81 years). In 2 experience-sampling studies, participants reported their current behavior multiple times per day for 1- or 2-week spans. In a 3rd study, participants interacted in standardized laboratory activities on 8 occasions. First, results revealed a sizable amount of intraindividual variability in behavior for all adult groups, with average within-person standard deviations ranging from about half a point to well over 1 point on 6-point scales. Second, older adults were most variable in Openness, whereas young adults were most variable in Agreeableness and Emotional Stability. Third, most specific patterns of maturation-related age differences in actual behavior were more greatly pronounced and differently patterned than those revealed by the trait questionnaire method. When participants interacted in standardized situations, personality differences between young adults and middle-aged adults were larger, and older adults exhibited a more positive personality profile than they exhibited in their everyday lives.

Arm span as a proxy measure for height and estimation of nutritional status: a study among Dhimals of Darjeeling in West Bengal India.

PubMed

Datta Banik, Sudip

2011-11-01

This study aimed to understand the interrelationship between height and arm span and also to estimate nutritional status from arm span. In an anthropometric survey conducted among the Dhimals (227 males and 223 females, total = 450) of Naxalbari in West Bengal, India, measurements were recorded in age groups ranging between 10-59 years. Males were taller and had longer arm spans than females. The height-arm span ratio was 0.98-0.99, indicating height to be slightly less than arm span in both sexes. High correlation between these two dimensions was also observed. Regression equations provided a good model for estimating height from arm span (predictor). In all age groups of both sexes, values of standardized coefficient beta exhibited high significance (p ( 0.001). Residuals showed no pattern and were random. No significant difference between height-based body mass index or BMI (body weight/height(2)) and estimated arm span-based BMI (body weight/arm span(2)) was observed in any age group. Arm span was found to be an effective surrogate measure for BMI.

Blood volume and red cell life span (M113), part C

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, P. C., Jr.

1973-01-01

Prechamber, in-chamber, and postchamber blood samples taken from Skylab simulation crewmembers did not indicate significant shortening of the red cell life span during the mission. This does not suggest that the space simulation environment could not be associated with red cell enzyme changes. It does show that any changes in enzymes were not sufficiently great to significantly shorten red cell survival. There was no evidence of bone marrow erythropoetic suppression nor was there any evidence of increased red cell destruction.

Relating Life-Span Research to the Development of Gifted and Talented Children. Abstracts of Selected Papers [from] The Annual Esther Katz Rosen Symposium on the Psychological Development of Gifted Children (3rd, Lawrence, Kansas, February 19-20, 1993).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kansas Univ., Lawrence.

This monograph presents abstracts of 29 papers that relate life-span research to the development of gifted and talented children. Sample topics include: attitudes about rural schools and programs for the gifted; social competence, self-esteem, and parent-child time and interaction in an advantaged subculture; helping families of gifted children…

Span of control matters.

PubMed

Cathcart, Deb; Jeska, Susan; Karnas, Joan; Miller, Sue E; Pechacek, Judy; Rheault, Lolita

2004-09-01

Prompted by manager concerns about span of control, a large, integrated health system set out to determine if span of control really mattered. Was there something to it, or was it just an excuse for poor performance? A team of middle managers studied the problem and ultimately demonstrated a strong relationship between span of control and employee engagement. Consequently, it was decided to add 4 management positions to note the effect. One year later, positive changes were observed in employee engagement scores in all 4 areas. This study suggests careful review of manager spans of control to address the untoward effects of large spans of control on employee engagement.

40 CFR 86.140-94 - Exhaust sample analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

...) and (2) of this section if required. (4) Check flow rates and pressures. (5) Measure THC, CO, CO2, CH4... accomplished by either of the following methods: (i) Close heated valve in THC sample (see Figures B94-5 or B94... pressure. (ii) Connect zero and span line directly to THC sample probe and introduce gases at a flow rate...

40 CFR 86.140-94 - Exhaust sample analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

...) and (2) of this section if required. (4) Check flow rates and pressures. (5) Measure THC, CO, CO2, CH4... accomplished by either of the following methods: (i) Close heated valve in THC sample (see Figures B94-5 or B94... pressure. (ii) Connect zero and span line directly to THC sample probe and introduce gases at a flow rate...

40 CFR 86.140-94 - Exhaust sample analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

...) and (2) of this section if required. (4) Check flow rates and pressures. (5) Measure THC, CO, CO2, CH4... accomplished by either of the following methods: (i) Close heated valve in THC sample (see Figures B94-5 or B94... pressure. (ii) Connect zero and span line directly to THC sample probe and introduce gases at a flow rate...

40 CFR 86.540-90 - Exhaust sample analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

..., if appropriate, NOX: (1) Zero the analyzers and obtain a stable zero reading. Recheck after tests. (2... actual concentrations on chart. (3) Check zeros; repeat the procedure in paragraphs (a) (1) and (2) of... appropriate, NOX. concentrations of samples. (6) Check zero and span points. If difference is greater than 2...

Deficiency mapping of quantitative trait loci affecting longevity in Drosophila melanogaster.

PubMed Central

Pasyukova, E G; Vieira, C; Mackay, T F

2000-01-01

In a previous study, sex-specific quantitative trait loci (QTL) affecting adult longevity were mapped by linkage to polymorphic roo transposable element markers, in a population of recombinant inbred lines derived from the Oregon and 2b strains of Drosophila melanogaster. Two life span QTL were each located on chromosomes 2 and 3, within sections 33E-46C and 65D-85F on the cytological map, respectively. We used quantitative deficiency complementation mapping to further resolve the locations of life span QTL within these regions. The Oregon and 2b strains were each crossed to 47 deficiencies spanning cytological regions 32F-44E and 64C-76B, and quantitative failure of the QTL alleles to complement the deficiencies was assessed. We initially detected a minimum of five and four QTL in the chromosome 2 and 3 regions, respectively, illustrating that multiple linked factors contribute to each QTL detected by recombination mapping. The QTL locations inferred from deficiency mapping did not generally correspond to those of candidate genes affecting oxidative and thermal stress or glucose metabolism. The chromosome 2 QTL in the 35B-E region was further resolved to a minimum of three tightly linked QTL, containing six genetically defined loci, 24 genes, and predicted genes that are positional candidates corresponding to life span QTL. This region was also associated with quantitative variation in life span in a sample of 10 genotypes collected from nature. Quantitative deficiency complementation is an efficient method for fine-scale QTL mapping in Drosophila and can be further improved by controlling the background genotype of the strains to be tested. PMID:11063689

Visual-Attentional Span and Lexical ­Decision in Skilled Adult Readers

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmes, Virginia M.; Dawson, Georgia

2014-01-01

The goal of the study was to examine the association between visual-attentional span and lexical decision in skilled adult readers. In the span tasks, an array of letters was presented briefly and recognition or production of a single cued letter (partial span) or production of all letters (whole span) was required. Independently of letter…

ATLASGAL -- A molecular view of an unbiased sample of massive star forming clumps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Figura, Charles; Urquhart, James; Wyrowski, Friedrich; Giannetti, Andrea; Kim, Wonju

2018-01-01

Massive stars play an important role in many areas of astrophysics, from regulating star formation to driving the evolution of their host galaxy. Study of these stars is made difficult by their short evolutionary timescales, small populations and greater distances, and further complicated because they reach the main sequence while still shrouded in their natal clumps. As a result, many aspects of their formation are still poorly understood.We have assembled a large and statistically representative collection of massive star-forming environments that span all evolutionary stages of development by correlating mid-infrared and dust continnum surveys. We have conducted follow-up single-pointing observations toward a sample of approximately 600 of these clumps with the Mopra telescope using an 8 GHz bandwidth that spans some 27 molecular and mm-radio recombination line transitions. These lines trace a wide range of interstellar conditions with varying thermal, chemical, and kinematic properties. Many of these lines exhibit hyperfine structure allowing more detailed measurements of the clump environment (e.g. rotation temperatures and column densities).From these twenty-seven lines, we have identified thirteen line intensity ratios that strongly trace the evolutionary state of these clumps. We have investigated individual molecular and mm-radio recombination lines, contrasting these with radio and sub-mm continuum observations. We present a summary of the results of the statistical analysis of the sample, and compare them with previous similar studies to test their utility as chemical clocks of the evolutionary processes.

Working Memory, Sleep, and Hearing Problems in Patients with Tinnitus and Hearing Loss Fitted with Hearing Aids.

PubMed

Zarenoe, Reza; Hällgren, Mathias; Andersson, Gerhard; Ledin, Torbjörn

2017-02-01

Tinnitus is a common condition and there is a need to evaluate effects of tinnitus management in relation to moderating factors such as degree of hearing loss. As it is possible that tinnitus influences concentration, and thus is likely to disturb cognitive processing, the role of cognitive functioning also needs to be investigated. To compare a group of patients with sensorineural hearing loss and tinnitus to a control group with only sensorineural hearing loss (and no tinnitus). To investigate working memory, sleep, and hearing problems measured before and after hearing rehabilitation. A prospective study. The sample consisted of 100 patients, 50 with hearing loss and tinnitus, and 50 controls with hearing loss but no tinnitus. All patients were between 40 and 82 yr old and had a pure-tone average (PTA; average of 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 kHz) <70 dB HL. Patients were tested before and after rehabilitation with hearing aids with regard to their working memory capacity, sleep quality, hearing problems, speech recognition, and tinnitus annoyance. Eight patients dropped out of the study. Thus, a total of 92 patients were included for analysis, with 46 in each group. As a consequence of unplanned age and PTA differences between the groups, an age-matched subsample (n = 30 + 30) was selected for further analysis. Tests including the Reading Span, Hearing-in-Noise Test (HINT), Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI), Hearing Handicap Inventory for the Elderly (HHIE), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were administered before and after hearing aid rehabilitation. There were no between-group differences at baseline in the full sample (n = 92), with the exception of the THI (p < 0.001) and the PSQI (p < 0.002), on which the hearing loss and tinnitus group had significantly higher scores. Pre/post changes were significant for both groups on the Reading Span, and HHIE. However, these improvements were significantly larger for the patients in the hearing loss and tinnitus group on the Reading Span test (p < 0.001) and the PSQI (p < 0.001). Patients with tinnitus and hearing loss also exhibited significantly improved THI scores at follow-up, compared to baseline (p < 0.001). We conducted the same analyses for the age-matched subsample (n = 30 + 30). For the baseline data, only the THI (p < 0.001) and the PSQI (p < 0.015) difference remained significant. With regard to the pre/post changes, we found the same differences in improvement in Reading Span (p < 0.001) and the PSQI (p < 0.015) as in the full sample. Patients with tinnitus benefited from hearing aid rehabilitation. The observed differences in cognitive function were unexpected, and there were larger score improvements on the Reading Span test in the hearing loss and tinnitus group than in the hearing loss group. Patients with tinnitus and hearing loss may receive extra benefit in terms of cognitive function following hearing aid rehabilitation. American Academy of Audiology

Preservation Methods Differ in Fecal Microbiome Stability, Affecting Suitability for Field Studies

PubMed Central

Amir, Amnon; Metcalf, Jessica L.; Amato, Katherine R.; Xu, Zhenjiang Zech; Humphrey, Greg

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT Immediate freezing at −20°C or below has been considered the gold standard for microbiome preservation, yet this approach is not feasible for many field studies, ranging from anthropology to wildlife conservation. Here we tested five methods for preserving human and dog fecal specimens for periods of up to 8 weeks, including such types of variation as freeze-thaw cycles and the high temperature fluctuations often encountered under field conditions. We found that three of the methods—95% ethanol, FTA cards, and the OMNIgene Gut kit—can preserve samples sufficiently well at ambient temperatures such that differences at 8 weeks are comparable to differences among technical replicates. However, even the worst methods, including those with no fixative, were able to reveal microbiome differences between species at 8 weeks and between individuals after a week, allowing meta-analyses of samples collected using various methods when the effect of interest is expected to be larger than interindividual variation (although use of a single method within a study is strongly recommended to reduce batch effects). Encouragingly for FTA cards, the differences caused by this method are systematic and can be detrended. As in other studies, we strongly caution against the use of 70% ethanol. The results, spanning 15 individuals and over 1,200 samples, provide our most comprehensive view to date of storage effects on stool and provide a paradigm for the future studies of other sample types that will be required to provide a global view of microbial diversity and its interaction among humans, animals, and the environment. IMPORTANCE Our study, spanning 15 individuals and over 1,200 samples, provides our most comprehensive view to date of storage and stabilization effects on stool. We tested five methods for preserving human and dog fecal specimens for periods of up to 8 weeks, including the types of variation often encountered under field conditions, such as freeze-thaw cycles and high temperature fluctuations. We show that several cost-effective methods provide excellent microbiome stability out to 8 weeks, opening up a range of field studies with humans and wildlife that would otherwise be cost-prohibitive. PMID:27822526

Preservation Methods Differ in Fecal Microbiome Stability, Affecting Suitability for Field Studies.

PubMed

Song, Se Jin; Amir, Amnon; Metcalf, Jessica L; Amato, Katherine R; Xu, Zhenjiang Zech; Humphrey, Greg; Knight, Rob

2016-01-01

Immediate freezing at -20°C or below has been considered the gold standard for microbiome preservation, yet this approach is not feasible for many field studies, ranging from anthropology to wildlife conservation. Here we tested five methods for preserving human and dog fecal specimens for periods of up to 8 weeks, including such types of variation as freeze-thaw cycles and the high temperature fluctuations often encountered under field conditions. We found that three of the methods-95% ethanol, FTA cards, and the OMNIgene Gut kit-can preserve samples sufficiently well at ambient temperatures such that differences at 8 weeks are comparable to differences among technical replicates. However, even the worst methods, including those with no fixative, were able to reveal microbiome differences between species at 8 weeks and between individuals after a week, allowing meta-analyses of samples collected using various methods when the effect of interest is expected to be larger than interindividual variation (although use of a single method within a study is strongly recommended to reduce batch effects). Encouragingly for FTA cards, the differences caused by this method are systematic and can be detrended. As in other studies, we strongly caution against the use of 70% ethanol. The results, spanning 15 individuals and over 1,200 samples, provide our most comprehensive view to date of storage effects on stool and provide a paradigm for the future studies of other sample types that will be required to provide a global view of microbial diversity and its interaction among humans, animals, and the environment. IMPORTANCE Our study, spanning 15 individuals and over 1,200 samples, provides our most comprehensive view to date of storage and stabilization effects on stool. We tested five methods for preserving human and dog fecal specimens for periods of up to 8 weeks, including the types of variation often encountered under field conditions, such as freeze-thaw cycles and high temperature fluctuations. We show that several cost-effective methods provide excellent microbiome stability out to 8 weeks, opening up a range of field studies with humans and wildlife that would otherwise be cost-prohibitive.

Student Characteristics and Behaviors at Age 12 Predict Occupational Success 40 Years Later over and above Childhood IQ and Parental Socioeconomic Status

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spengler, Marion; Brunner, Martin; Damian, Rodica I.; Lüdtke, Oliver; Martin, Romain; Roberts, Brent W.

2015-01-01

Drawing on a 2-wave longitudinal sample spanning 40 years from childhood (age 12) to middle adulthood (age 52), the present study was designed to examine how student characteristics and behaviors in late childhood (assessed in Wave 1 in 1968) predict career success in adulthood (assessed in Wave 2 in 2008). We examined the influence of parental…

Psychometrics Matter in Health Behavior: A Long-term Reliability Generalization Study.

PubMed

Pickett, Andrew C; Valdez, Danny; Barry, Adam E

2017-09-01

Despite numerous calls for increased understanding and reporting of reliability estimates, social science research, including the field of health behavior, has been slow to respond and adopt such practices. Therefore, we offer a brief overview of reliability and common reporting errors; we then perform analyses to examine and demonstrate the variability of reliability estimates by sample and over time. Using meta-analytic reliability generalization, we examined the variability of coefficient alpha scores for a well-designed, consistent, nationwide health study, covering a span of nearly 40 years. For each year and sample, reliability varied. Furthermore, reliability was predicted by a sample characteristic that differed among age groups within each administration. We demonstrated that reliability is influenced by the methods and individuals from which a given sample is drawn. Our work echoes previous calls that psychometric properties, particularly reliability of scores, are important and must be considered and reported before drawing statistical conclusions.

Neural Mechanisms of Interference Control Underlie the Relationship between Fluid Intelligence and Working Memory Span

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Burgess, Gregory C.; Gray, Jeremy R.; Conway, Andrew R. A.; Braver, Todd S.

2011-01-01

Fluid intelligence (gF) and working memory (WM) span predict success in demanding cognitive situations. Recent studies show that much of the variance in gF and WM span is shared, suggesting common neural mechanisms. This study provides a direct investigation of the degree to which shared variance in gF and WM span can be explained by neural…

Diamond brecciation and annealing accompanying major metasomatism in eclogite xenoliths from the Sask Craton, Canada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czas, Janina; Stachel, Thomas; Pearson, D. Graham; Stern, Richard A.; Read, George H.

2018-05-01

We studied eclogite xenoliths (diamond-free n = 28; diamondiferous n = 22) from the Cretaceous Fort à la Corne Kimberlite Field in Western Canada for their major element, trace element and oxygen isotope compositions to assess their origin and metasomatic history, and possible relationships between metasomatism and diamond formation. All eclogites have major element and oxygen isotope compositions consistent with a derivation from different levels of subducted, seawater altered oceanic crust. While barren xenoliths are more likely to be of gabbroic origin, diamond-bearing samples commonly have signatures consistent with shallow basaltic protoliths. The mineral chemistry in bimineralic diamond-free eclogites spans a wide compositional range, yet it is typically homogenous within individual xenoliths. Temperatures calculated from Mg-Fe exchange between garnet and clinopyroxene range widely for these eclogites, from 740 to 1300 °C, indicating the presence of eclogite through most of the lithospheric mantle. Diamondiferous samples are restricted to high temperatures (1180-1390 °C), consistent with derivation from the zone of diamond stability. Compositionally, diamond-bearing eclogites span a broad range similar to their barren counterparts, but there is also heterogeneity in mineral chemistry on the intra-sample level and in particular garnets are characterised by strong internal chemical gradients. This intra-sample heterogeneity is interpreted as the result of intense melt metasomatism, which occurred in temporal proximity to host kimberlite magmatism, strongly affected major, trace and even oxygen isotope values and resulted in diamond brecciation and annealing.

Why Do the Braking Indices of Pulsars Span a Range of More Than 100 Millions?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Shuang-Nan; Xie, Yi

2012-12-01

Here we report that the observed braking indices of the 366 pulsars in the sample of Hobbs et al. range from about -108 to about +108 and are significantly correlated with their characteristic ages. Using the model of magnetic field evolution we developed previously based on the same data, we derive an analytical expression for the braking index which agrees with all the observed statistical properties of the braking indices of the pulsars in the sample of Hobbs et al. Our model is, however, incompatible with the previous interpretation that magnetic field growth is responsible for the small values of braking indices (<3) observed for "baby" pulsars with characteristic ages of less than 2 × 103 yr. We find that the "instantaneous" braking index of a pulsar may be different from the "averaged" braking index obtained from fitting the data over a certain time span. The close match between our model-predicted "instantaneous" braking indices and the observed "averaged" braking indices suggests that the time spans used previously are usually smaller than or comparable to their magnetic field oscillation periods. Our model can be tested with the existing data by calculating the braking index as a function of the time span for each pulsar. In doing so, one can obtain for each pulsar all the parameters in our magnetic field evolution model, and may be able to improve the sensitivity of using pulsars to detect gravitational waves.

Measures of digit span and verbal rehearsal speed in deaf children after more than 10 years of cochlear implantation.

PubMed

Pisoni, David B; Kronenberger, William G; Roman, Adrienne S; Geers, Ann E

2011-02-01

Conventional assessments of outcomes in deaf children with cochlear implants (CIs) have focused primarily on endpoint or product measures of speech and language. Little attention has been devoted to understanding the basic underlying core neurocognitive factors involved in the development and processing of speech and language. In this study, we examined the development of factors related to the quality of phonological information in immediate verbal memory, including immediate memory capacity and verbal rehearsal speed, in a sample of deaf children after >10 yrs of CI use and assessed the correlations between these two process measures and a set of speech and language outcomes. Of an initial sample of 180 prelingually deaf children with CIs assessed at ages 8 to 9 yrs after 3 to 7 yrs of CI use, 112 returned for testing again in adolescence after 10 more years of CI experience. In addition to completing a battery of conventional speech and language outcome measures, subjects were administered the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-III Digit Span subtest to measure immediate verbal memory capacity. Sentence durations obtained from the McGarr speech intelligibility test were used as a measure of verbal rehearsal speed. Relative to norms for normal-hearing children, Digit Span scores were well below average for children with CIs at both elementary and high school ages. Improvement was observed over the 8-yr period in the mean longest digit span forward score but not in the mean longest digit span backward score. Longest digit span forward scores at ages 8 to 9 yrs were significantly correlated with all speech and language outcomes in adolescence, but backward digit spans correlated significantly only with measures of higher-order language functioning over that time period. While verbal rehearsal speed increased for almost all subjects between elementary grades and high school, it was still slower than the rehearsal speed obtained from a control group of normal-hearing adolescents. Verbal rehearsal speed at ages 8 to 9 yrs was also found to be strongly correlated with speech and language outcomes and Digit Span scores in adolescence. Despite improvement after 8 additional years of CI use, measures of immediate verbal memory capacity and verbal rehearsal speed, which reflect core fundamental information processing skills associated with representational efficiency and information processing capacity, continue to be delayed in children with CIs relative to NH peers. Furthermore, immediate verbal memory capacity and verbal rehearsal speed at 8 to 9 yrs of age were both found to predict speech and language outcomes in adolescence, demonstrating the important contribution of these processing measures for speech-language development in children with CIs. Understanding the relations between these core underlying processes and speech-language outcomes in children with CIs may help researchers to develop new approaches to intervention and treatment of deaf children who perform poorly with their CIs. Moreover, this knowledge could be used for early identification of deaf children who may be at high risk for poor speech and language outcomes after cochlear implantation as well as for the development of novel targeted interventions that focus selectively on these core elementary information processing variables.

Solar flares associated coronal mass ejection accompanied with DH type II radio burst in relation with interplanetary magnetic field, geomagnetic storms and cosmic ray intensity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chandra, Harish; Bhatt, Beena

2018-04-01

In this paper, we have selected 114 flare-CME events accompanied with Deca-hectometric (DH) type II radio burst chosen from 1996 to 2008 (i.e., solar cycle 23). Statistical analyses are performed to examine the relationship of flare-CME events accompanied with DH type II radio burst with Interplanetary Magnetic field (IMF), Geomagnetic storms (GSs) and Cosmic Ray Intensity (CRI). The collected sample events are divided into two groups. In the first group, we considered 43 events which lie under the CME span and the second group consists of 71 events which are outside the CME span. Our analysis indicates that flare-CME accompanied with DH type II radio burst is inconsistent with CSHKP flare-CME model. We apply the Chree analysis by the superposed epoch method to both set of data to find the geo-effectiveness. We observed different fluctuations in IMF for arising and decay phase of solar cycle in both the cases. Maximum decrease in Dst during arising and decay phase of solar cycle is different for both the cases. It is noted that when flare lie outside the CME span CRI shows comparatively more variation than the flare lie under the CME span. Furthermore, we found that flare lying under the CME span is more geo effective than the flare outside of CME span. We noticed that the time leg between IMF Peak value and GSs, IMF and CRI is on average one day for both the cases. Also, the time leg between CRI and GSs is on average 0 to 1 day for both the cases. In case flare lie under the CME span we observed high correlation (0.64) between CRI and Dst whereas when flare lie outside the CME span a weak correlation (0.47) exists. Thus, flare position with respect to CME span play a key role for geo-effectiveness of CME.

Attention and Activity in the Young Child.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Tyler, S.; And Others

1979-01-01

Study I examined activity spans in four types of preschool establishments. Overall span was greatest in the nursery school and lowest in the day nursery. Study II examined attention spans in a primary school. Both studies demonstrated the influence of adults in increasing children's attention. (Author/SJL)

Demography of birds in a neotropical forest: Effects of allometry, taxonomy, and ecology

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brawn, J.D.; Karr, J.R.; Nichols, J.D.

1995-01-01

Comparative demographic studies of terrestrial vertebrates have included few samples of species from tropical forests. We analyzed 9 yr of mark-recapture data and estimated demographic parameters for 25 species of birds inhabiting lowland forests in central Panama. These species were all songbirds (Order Passeriformes) ranging in mass from 7 to 57 g. Using Jolly-Seber stochastic models for open populations, we estimated annual survival rate, population size, and recruitment between sampling periods for each species. We then explored relationships between these parameters and attributes such as body size, phylogenetic affiliation, foraging guild, and social behavior. Larger birds had comparatively long life-spans and low recruitment, but body size was not associated with population size. After adjusting for effects of body size, we found no association between phylogenetic affiliation and any demographic trait. Ecological attributes, especially foraging guild, were more clearly associated with interspecific variation in all demographic traits. Ant-followers had comparatively long life-spans, but species that participate in flocks did not live longer than solitary species. The allometric associations we observed were consistent with those demonstrated in other studies of vertebrates; thus. these relationships appear to be robust. Our finding that ecological factors were more influential than phylogenetic affiliation contrasts with comparative studies of temperate-zone birds and suggests that the relative importance of environmental vs. historical factors varies geographically.

Magnetostratigraphic correlations of Permian-Triassic marine-to-terrestrial sections from China

USGS Publications Warehouse

Glen, J.M.G.; Nomade, S.; Lyons, J.J.; Metcalfe, I.; Mundil, R.; Renne, P.R.

2009-01-01

We have studied three Permian–Triassic (PT) localities from China as part of a combined magnetostratigraphic, 40Ar/39Ar and U–Pb radioisotopic, and biostratigraphic study aimed at resolving the temporal relations between terrestrial and marine records across the Permo-Triassic boundary, as well as the rate of the biotic recovery in the Early Triassic. The studied sections from Shangsi (Sichuan Province), Langdai (Guihzou Province), and the Junggar basin (Xinjiang Province), span marine, paralic, and terrestrial PT environments, respectively. Each of these sections was logged in detail in order to place geochronologic, paleomagnetic, geochemical, conodont and palynologic samples within a common stratigraphic context. Here we present rock-magnetic, paleomagnetic and magnetostratigraphic results from the three localities.At Shangsi, northern Sichuan Province, we sampled three sections spanning Permo-Triassic marine carbonates. Magnetostratigraphic results from the three sections indicate that the composite section contains at least eight polarity chrons and that the PT boundary occurs within a normal polarity chron a short distance above the mass extinction level and a reversed-to-normal (R-N) polarity reversal. Furthermore, the onset of the Illawarra mixed interval lies below the sampled section indicating that the uppermost Permian Changhsingian and at least part of the Wuchiapingian stages postdate the end of the Kiaman Permo-Carboniferous Reversed Superchron.At Langdai, Guizhou Province, we studied magnetostratigraphy of PT paralic mudstone and carbonate sediments in two sections. The composite section spans an R-N polarity sequence. Section-mean directions pass a fold test at the 95% confidence level, and the section-mean poles are close to the mean PT pole for the South China block. Based on biostratigraphic constraints, the R-N transition recorded at Langdai is consistent with that at Shangsi and demonstrates that the PT boundary occurred within a normal polarity chron a short distance above the mass extinction level.In the southern Junggar basin, Xinjiang Province, in northwest China, we determined the magnetostratigraphy of three sections of a terrestrial sequence. Normal and reversed polarity directions are roughly antipodal, and magnetostratigraphies from the three sections are highly consistent. Combined bio- and magneto-stratigraphy used to correlate this sequence to other PT sequences suggests that the previously-proposed biostratigraphic PT boundary in the Junggar sections was most likely misplaced by earlier workers suggesting that further work is necessary to confidently place the PT boundary there.

Age Stereotypes and Self-Views Revisited: Patterns of Internalization and Projection Processes Across the Life Span.

PubMed

Kornadt, Anna E; Voss, Peggy; Rothermund, Klaus

2017-07-01

We investigated processes of age stereotype internalization into the self and projection of self-views onto age stereotypes from a life-span perspective, taking age-related differences in the relevance of life domains into account. Age stereotypes and self-views in eight life domains were assessed in a sample of N = 593 persons aged 30-80 years (T1) at two time points that were separated by a 4-year time interval. We estimated cross-lagged projection and internalization effects in multigroup structural equation models. Internalization and projection effects were contingent on age group and life domain: Internalization effects were strongest in the young and middle-aged groups and emerged in the domains family, personality, work, and leisure. Projection effects in different domains were most pronounced for older participants. Our findings suggest that the internalization of age stereotypes is triggered by domain-specific expectations of impending age-related changes and transitions during certain phases of the life span. Projection processes, however, seem to occur in response to changes that have already been experienced by the individual. Our study demonstrates the dynamic interrelation of age stereotypes and self-views across the life course and highlights the importance of a differentiated, life-span perspective for the understanding of these mechanisms. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Measuring body mass index (BMI) in nursing home residents: The usefulness of measurement of arm span

PubMed Central

Nygaard, Harald A.

2008-01-01

Objective To study whether arm span can be used as substitute for measurement of height in nursing home patients for calculating body mass index (BMI). Design Explanatory observational study. Setting Assessment of 35 nursing home residents admitted to long-term stay in a nursing home. Main outcome measures Correlation between measured height and arm span and of BMI based on both measures. Results Measured height and arm span, and BMI calculated from either measure were significantly correlated, rs=0.75, p <0.001 and rs=0.89, p <0.001, respectively. The ratios of measured height and arm span and between BMIs based on height or arm span are close to 1, but the dispersion is rather large. Conclusion Arm span is a reliable substitute for measurement of height in nursing home patients. In persons with severe height reduction, arm-span-based BMI is probably more accurate than conventional height-based BMI. PMID:18297563

A Quantitative Study on the Correlation between Grade Span Configuration of Sixth Grade Students in Private Florida Schools and Academic Achievement on Standardized Achievement Scores

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rantin, Deborah

2017-01-01

The applied dissertation was designed to investigate the three models of grade span configurations of sixth grade and the effects grade span configuration has on results of the standardized achievement scores of sixth grade students in private, Florida schools. Studies that have been conducted on sixth grade students and grade span configuration…

40 CFR 86.1434 - Equipment preparation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... New Gasoline-Fueled Otto-Cycle Light-Duty Vehicles and New Gasoline-Fueled Otto-Cycle Light-Duty... the device(s) for removing water from the exhaust sample and the sample filter(s). Remove any water from the water trap(s). Clean and replace the filter(s) as necessary. (c) Set the zero and span points...

40 CFR 86.1434 - Equipment preparation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... New Gasoline-Fueled Otto-Cycle Light-Duty Vehicles and New Gasoline-Fueled Otto-Cycle Light-Duty... the device(s) for removing water from the exhaust sample and the sample filter(s). Remove any water from the water trap(s). Clean and replace the filter(s) as necessary. (c) Set the zero and span points...

40 CFR 86.1434 - Equipment preparation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... New Gasoline-Fueled Otto-Cycle Light-Duty Vehicles and New Gasoline-Fueled Otto-Cycle Light-Duty... the device(s) for removing water from the exhaust sample and the sample filter(s). Remove any water from the water trap(s). Clean and replace the filter(s) as necessary. (c) Set the zero and span points...

40 CFR 86.1434 - Equipment preparation.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... New Gasoline-Fueled Otto-Cycle Light-Duty Vehicles and New Gasoline-Fueled Otto-Cycle Light-Duty... the device(s) for removing water from the exhaust sample and the sample filter(s). Remove any water from the water trap(s). Clean and replace the filter(s) as necessary. (c) Set the zero and span points...

40 CFR 89.411 - Exhaust sample procedure-gaseous components.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... and the values recorded. The number of events that may occur between the pre- and post-analysis checks... drift nor the span drift between the pre-analysis and post-analysis checks on any range used may exceed... Emission Test Procedures § 89.411 Exhaust sample procedure—gaseous components. (a) Automatic data...

40 CFR 89.411 - Exhaust sample procedure-gaseous components.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... and the values recorded. The number of events that may occur between the pre- and post-analysis checks... drift nor the span drift between the pre-analysis and post-analysis checks on any range used may exceed... Emission Test Procedures § 89.411 Exhaust sample procedure—gaseous components. (a) Automatic data...

40 CFR 90.413 - Exhaust sample procedure-gaseous components.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... the values recorded. The number of events that may occur between the pre- and post-checks is not.... (9) Neither the zero drift nor the span drift between the pre-analysis and post-analysis checks on... Gaseous Exhaust Test Procedures § 90.413 Exhaust sample procedure—gaseous components. (a) Automatic data...

40 CFR 90.413 - Exhaust sample procedure-gaseous components.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... the values recorded. The number of events that may occur between the pre- and post-checks is not.... (9) Neither the zero drift nor the span drift between the pre-analysis and post-analysis checks on... Gaseous Exhaust Test Procedures § 90.413 Exhaust sample procedure—gaseous components. (a) Automatic data...

40 CFR 90.413 - Exhaust sample procedure-gaseous components.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... the values recorded. The number of events that may occur between the pre- and post-checks is not.... (9) Neither the zero drift nor the span drift between the pre-analysis and post-analysis checks on... Gaseous Exhaust Test Procedures § 90.413 Exhaust sample procedure—gaseous components. (a) Automatic data...

40 CFR 90.413 - Exhaust sample procedure-gaseous components.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... the values recorded. The number of events that may occur between the pre- and post-checks is not.... (9) Neither the zero drift nor the span drift between the pre-analysis and post-analysis checks on... Gaseous Exhaust Test Procedures § 90.413 Exhaust sample procedure—gaseous components. (a) Automatic data...

40 CFR 89.411 - Exhaust sample procedure-gaseous components.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... and the values recorded. The number of events that may occur between the pre- and post-analysis checks... drift nor the span drift between the pre-analysis and post-analysis checks on any range used may exceed... Emission Test Procedures § 89.411 Exhaust sample procedure—gaseous components. (a) Automatic data...

40 CFR 89.411 - Exhaust sample procedure-gaseous components.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... and the values recorded. The number of events that may occur between the pre- and post-analysis checks... drift nor the span drift between the pre-analysis and post-analysis checks on any range used may exceed... Emission Test Procedures § 89.411 Exhaust sample procedure—gaseous components. (a) Automatic data...

40 CFR 89.411 - Exhaust sample procedure-gaseous components.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... and the values recorded. The number of events that may occur between the pre- and post-analysis checks... drift nor the span drift between the pre-analysis and post-analysis checks on any range used may exceed... Emission Test Procedures § 89.411 Exhaust sample procedure—gaseous components. (a) Automatic data...

40 CFR 90.413 - Exhaust sample procedure-gaseous components.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... the values recorded. The number of events that may occur between the pre- and post-checks is not.... (9) Neither the zero drift nor the span drift between the pre-analysis and post-analysis checks on... Gaseous Exhaust Test Procedures § 90.413 Exhaust sample procedure—gaseous components. (a) Automatic data...

Evaluating relationships among clinical working memory assessment and inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive behaviors in a community sample of children.

PubMed

Colbert, Alison M; Bo, Jin

2017-07-01

This study examined relationships between inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive behaviors and working memory (WM) functioning, and the utility of WM in categorical diagnosis of ADHD versus considering ADHD symptoms on a continuum. The study included 50 male children (6-12 years). Inattentive and hyperactive/impulsive behaviors were measured by the Conners-3P parent report, and WM was assessed by the WISC-IV WM subtests and Working Memory Index (WMI). WISC-IV Arithmetic and Digit Span Backward were most consistently related to inattentive behaviors, and no WM measure was consistently related to ADHD hyperactive/impulsive behaviors. Arithmetic and Digit Span Backward also accounted for significant variance in inattentive behaviors and ADHD inattention symptoms, respectively. Neither the WMI nor the Arithmetic subtest correctly classified individuals diagnosed with ADHD. Measurement of inattentive behaviors on a continuum best characterized relationships between symptoms of ADHD and WM functioning; WM functioning did not have utility in categorical understanding of ADHD. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Functional roles of the cingulo-frontal network in performance on working memory.

PubMed

Kondo, Hirohito; Morishita, Masanao; Osaka, Naoyuki; Osaka, Mariko; Fukuyama, Hidenao; Shibasaki, Hiroshi

2004-01-01

We examined the relationship between brain activities and task performance on working memory. A large-scale study was initially administered to identify good and poor performers using the operation span and reading span tasks. On the basis of those span scores, we divided 20 consenting participants into high- and low-span groups. In an fMRI study, the participants performed verification of arithmetic problems and retention of target words either concurrently or separately. The behavioral results showed that performance was better in the high-span group than in the low-span group under a dual-task condition, but not under two single-task conditions. The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), left prefrontal cortex (PFC), left inferior frontal cortex, and bilateral parietal cortex were primarily activated for both span groups. We found that signal changes in the ACC were greater in the high-span group than in the low-span group under the dual-task condition, but not under the single-task conditions. Structural equation modeling indicated that an estimate of effective connectivity from the ACC to the left PFC was positive for the high-span group and negative for the-low span group, suggesting that closer cooperation between the two brain regions was strongly related to working memory performance. We conclude that central executive functioning for attention shifting is modulated by the cingulo-frontal network.

Exploring the Perceptions and Experiences of Inductive Teachers in Secondary Education: How Do Inductive Teachers "Find Their Place" in the Teaching Profession, and What Motivates Them to Remain in the Field?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hollabaugh, Jaliene R.

2012-01-01

The purpose of my study was to explore the perceptions and experiences of inductive teachers in secondary education. My purposive sample included 11 licensed, inductive teachers from 10 different schools spanning eight school districts within a large metropolitan area of the Pacific Northwest. I used personal interviews, within a microethnographic…

Links between Early Oral Narrative and Decoding Skills and Later Reading in a New Zealand Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schaughency, Elizabeth; Suggate, Sebastian; Reese, Elaine

2017-01-01

We examined earlier oral narrative and decoding and later reading in two samples spanning the first four years of reading instruction. The Year 1 sample (n = 44) was initially assessed after one year of instruction (M = 6; 1 years) and followed through their third year (M = 8; 1 years); the Year 2 sample (n = 34) assessed after two years of…

Working memory effects of gap-predictions in normal adults: an event-related potentials study.

PubMed

Hestvik, Arild; Bradley, Evan; Bradley, Catherine

2012-12-01

The current study examined the relationship between verbal memory span and the latency with which a filler-gap dependency is constructed. A previous behavioral study found that low span listeners did not exhibit antecedent reactivation at gap sites in relative clauses, in comparison to high verbal memory span subjects (Roberts et al. in J Psycholinguist Res 36(2):175-188, 2007), which suggests that low span subjects are delayed at gap filling. This possibility was examined in the current study. Using an event-related potentials paradigm, it was found that low span subjects have an onset latency delay of about 200 ms in brain responses to violations of syntactic expectancies after the gap site, thus providing a time course measure of the delay hypothesized by previous literature.

Effects on Cognition of Stereotactic Lesional Surgery For the Treatment of Tremor in Multiple Sclerosis

PubMed Central

Jahanshahi, Marjan; Pieter, Socorro; Alusi, Sundus H.; Jones, Catherine R. G.; Glickman, Scott; Stein, John; Aziz, Tipu; Bain, Peter G.

2008-01-01

Objective: To assess the effect of stereotactic lesional surgery for treatment of tremor in multiple sclerosis on cognition. Methods: Eleven patients (3 males, 8 females) with multiple sclerosis participated in the study. Six subjects comprised the surgical group and five the matched control group. All patients were assessed at baseline and three months using a neuropsychological test battery that included measures of intellectual ability, memory, language, perception and executive function. Results: There were no significant differences between the surgical and control groups and no change from pre to post testing except for a decline in scores on the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), WAIS-R Digit Span and Verbal Fluency in the surgical group. Conclusions: The results indicate that stereotactic lesional surgery does not result in major cognitive impairment in multiple sclerosis. However, the decline in MMSE scores, digit span and verbal fluency require further investigation in a larger sample. PMID:19491469

Dopa decarboxylase (Ddc) affects variation in Drosophila longevity.

PubMed

De Luca, Maria; Roshina, Nataliya V; Geiger-Thornsberry, Gretchen L; Lyman, Richard F; Pasyukova, Elena G; Mackay, Trudy F C

2003-08-01

Mutational analyses in model organisms have shown that genes affecting metabolism and stress resistance regulate life span, but the genes responsible for variation in longevity in natural populations are largely unidentified. Previously, we mapped quantitative trait loci (QTLs) affecting variation in longevity between two Drosophila melanogaster strains. Here, we show that the longevity QTL in the 36E;38B cytogenetic interval on chromosome 2 contains multiple closely linked QTLs, including the Dopa decarboxylase (Ddc) locus. Complementation tests to mutations show that Ddc is a positional candidate gene for life span in these strains. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) mapping in a sample of 173 alleles from a single population shows that three common molecular polymorphisms in Ddc account for 15.5% of the genetic contribution to variance in life span from chromosome 2. The polymorphisms are in strong LD, and the effects of the haplotypes on longevity suggest that the polymorphisms are maintained by balancing selection. DDC catalyzes the final step in the synthesis of the neurotransmitters, dopamine and serotonin. Thus, these data implicate variation in the synthesis of bioamines as a factor contributing to natural variation in individual life span.

Physics of smectic membranes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pieranski, P.; Beliard, L.; Tournellec, J.-Ph.; Leoncini, X.; Furtlehner, C.; Dumoulin, H.; Riou, E.; Jouvin, B.; Fénerol, J.-P.; Palaric, Ph.; Heuving, J.; Cartier, B.; Kraus, I.

1993-03-01

Due to their layered structure, smectic liquid crystals can form membranes, similar to soap bubbles, that can be spanned on frames. Such smectic membranes have been used extensively as samples in many structural X-ray studies of smectic liquid crystals. In this context they have been considered as very convenient and highly perfect samples but little attention has been paid to the reasons for their existence and to the process of their formation. Our aim here is to address a first list of questions, which are the most urgent to answer. We will also describe experiments and models that have been conceived especially in order to understand the physics of these fascinating systems.

Sodium Intake of Special Populations in the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity Across the Life Span (HANDLS) Study

PubMed Central

Cotugna, Nancy; Fanelli-Kuczmarksi, Marie; Clymer, Julie; Hotchkiss, Lawrence; Zonderman, Alan B.; Evans, Michele K.

2013-01-01

Objective The sodium intake of participants of the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span study who were in three of the special population groups identified by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010 (those with hypertension, African Americans, and those ≥51 years) was analyzed to determine if they met sodium recommendations. Methods The sample included 2152 African American and White subjects, aged 30-64 years. Major dietary sources of sodium for each group were determined from two 24-hour dietary recalls, and dietary intakes were compared with sodium recommendations. Dietary potassium was also evaluated. Results The intakes of the groups studied exceeded 1500 mg sodium while their potassium intakes were lower than the Adequate Intake of 4700 mg. The major contributors of sodium included “cold cuts, sausage, and franks,” “protein foods”, and yeast breads. Conclusions Excessive sodium intake characterized the diet of an urban, socioeconomically diverse population who are hypertensive or at risk for having hypertension. These findings have implications for health professionals and the food industry. PMID:23769900

Estimation of height and body mass index from demi-span in elderly individuals.

PubMed

Weinbrenner, Tanja; Vioque, Jesús; Barber, Xavier; Asensio, Laura

2006-01-01

Obtaining accurate height and, consequently, body mass index (BMI) measurements in elderly subjects can be difficult due to changes in posture and loss of height during ageing. Measurements of other body segments can be used as an alternative to estimate standing height, but population- and age-specific equations are necessary. Our objectives were to validate existing equations, to develop new simple equations to predict height in an elderly Spanish population and to assess the accuracy of the BMI calculated by estimated height from the new equations. We measured height and demi-span in a representative sample of 592 individuals, 271 men and 321 women, 65 years and older (mean +/- SD, 73.8 +/- 6.3 years). We suggested equations to predict height from demi-span by multiple regression analyses and performed an agreement analysis between measured and estimated indices. Height estimated from demi-span correlated significantly (p < 0.001) with measured height (men: r = 0.708, women: r = 0.625). The best prediction equations were as follows: men, height (in cm) = 77.821 + (1.132 x demi-span in cm) + (-0.215 x 5-year age category); women: height (in cm) = 88.854 + (0.899 x demi-span in cm) + (-0.692 x 5-year age category). No significant differences between the mean values of estimated and measured heights were found for men (-0.03 +/- 4.6 cm) or women (-0.02 +/- 4.1 cm). The BMI derived from measured height did not differ significantly from the BMI derived from estimated height either. Predicted height values from equations based on demi-span and age may be acceptable surrogates to derive accurate nutritional indices such as the BMI, particularly in elderly populations, where height may be difficult to measure accurately.

Effect of pattern complexity on the visual span for Chinese and alphabet characters

PubMed Central

Wang, Hui; He, Xuanzi; Legge, Gordon E.

2014-01-01

The visual span for reading is the number of letters that can be recognized without moving the eyes and is hypothesized to impose a sensory limitation on reading speed. Factors affecting the size of the visual span have been studied using alphabet letters. There may be common constraints applying to recognition of other scripts. The aim of this study was to extend the concept of the visual span to Chinese characters and to examine the effect of the greater complexity of these characters. We measured visual spans for Chinese characters and alphabet letters in the central vision of bilingual subjects. Perimetric complexity was used as a metric to quantify the pattern complexity of binary character images. The visual span tests were conducted with four sets of stimuli differing in complexity—lowercase alphabet letters and three groups of Chinese characters. We found that the size of visual spans decreased with increasing complexity, ranging from 10.5 characters for alphabet letters to 4.5 characters for the most complex Chinese characters studied. A decomposition analysis revealed that crowding was the dominant factor limiting the size of the visual span, and the amount of crowding increased with complexity. Errors in the spatial arrangement of characters (mislocations) had a secondary effect. We conclude that pattern complexity has a major effect on the size of the visual span, mediated in large part by crowding. Measuring the visual span for Chinese characters is likely to have high relevance to understanding visual constraints on Chinese reading performance. PMID:24993020

Age differences in five personality domains across the life span.

PubMed

Allemand, Mathias; Zimprich, Daniel; Hendriks, A A Jolijn

2008-05-01

The present study addresses the issue of age differences in 5 personality domains across the life span in a cross-sectional study. In contrast to most previous studies, the present study follows a methodologically more rigorous approach to warrant that age-related differences in personality structure and mean level can be meaningfully compared. It uses data on 50 items of the Five-Factor Personality Inventory (FFPI) available from a study in a large and representative Dutch sample (N = 2,494; age range: 16 to 91 years) conducted in 1996 for the purpose of establishing norms for the FFPI. After having established strict measurement invariance, tests were made for factor covariances to be equal across age groups, revealing structural continuity of personality. Additionally, factor variances were shown to be equal across age groups. A number of age differences in the mean level of the five personality domains emerged. Specifically, older adults were, on average, more agreeable and, especially, more conscientious than middle-aged and younger adults. Findings from our study suggest that both continuity and change may mark personality over the course of life. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2008 APA, all rights reserved).

Effects of a cochlear implant simulation on immediate memory in normal-hearing adults

PubMed Central

Burkholder, Rose A.; Pisoni, David B.; Svirsky, Mario A.

2012-01-01

This study assessed the effects of stimulus misidentification and memory processing errors on immediate memory span in 25 normal-hearing adults exposed to degraded auditory input simulating signals provided by a cochlear implant. The identification accuracy of degraded digits in isolation was measured before digit span testing. Forward and backward digit spans were shorter when digits were degraded than when they were normal. Participants’ normal digit spans and their accuracy in identifying isolated digits were used to predict digit spans in the degraded speech condition. The observed digit spans in degraded conditions did not differ significantly from predicted digit spans. This suggests that the decrease in memory span is related primarily to misidentification of digits rather than memory processing errors related to cognitive load. These findings provide complementary information to earlier research on auditory memory span of listeners exposed to degraded speech either experimentally or as a consequence of a hearing-impairment. PMID:16317807

Ozone trends in Great Smoky Mountains National Park over the past two decades: Implications for plants and ecosystems

EPA Science Inventory

Hourly ozone data from five sampling locations in Great Smoky Mountains National Park and one low elevation location adjacent to the Park in NC were analyzed over the period 1989 to 2012 for diurnal and season trends. Sampling locations spanned an elevational range from 564 m at...

Brief communication: Hip joint mobility in free-ranging rhesus macaques

PubMed Central

Hammond, Ashley S.; Johnson, Victoria P.; Higham, James P.

2016-01-01

Objectives We aimed to test for differences in hip joint range of motion (ROM) between captive and free-ranging rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta), particularly for hip joint abduction, which previous studies of captive macaques have found to be lower than predicted. Materials and Methods Hip ROM was assessed following standard joint measurement methodology in anesthetized adult free-ranging rhesus macaques (n=39) from Cayo Santiago, and compared to published ROM data from captive rhesus macaques (n=16) (Hammond 2014a, American Journal of Physical Anthropology). Significant differences between populations were detected using one-way analysis of variance (p<0.05). Results In a sample of pooled sexes and ages, free-ranging macaques are capable of increased hip abduction, flexion, and internal rotation compared to captive individuals. These differences in joint excursion resulted in free-ranging individuals having significantly increased ROM for hip adduction-abduction, rotation, flexion-extension, and the distance spanned by the knee during hip abduction. When looking at data for a smaller sample of age-matched males, fewer ROM differences are significant, but free-ranging males have significantly increased hip abduction, internal rotation, range of flexion-extension, and distance spanned by the knee during hip abduction compared to captive males of similar age. Discussion Our results suggest that a spatially restrictive environment results in decreased hip mobility in cage-confined animals and ultimately limits the potential limb postures in captive macaques. These results have implications for selection of animal samples in model validation studies, as well as laboratory animal husbandry practices. PMID:27731892

Reliability and validity of neurobehavioral function on the Psychology Experimental Building Language test battery in young adults

PubMed Central

Mueller, Shane T.; Geerken, Alexander R.; Dixon, Kyle L.; Kroliczak, Gregory; Olsen, Reid H.J.; Miller, Jeremy K.

2015-01-01

Background. The Psychology Experiment Building Language (PEBL) software consists of over one-hundred computerized tests based on classic and novel cognitive neuropsychology and behavioral neurology measures. Although the PEBL tests are becoming more widely utilized, there is currently very limited information about the psychometric properties of these measures. Methods. Study I examined inter-relationships among nine PEBL tests including indices of motor-function (Pursuit Rotor and Dexterity), attention (Test of Attentional Vigilance and Time-Wall), working memory (Digit Span Forward), and executive-function (PEBL Trail Making Test, Berg/Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Iowa Gambling Test, and Mental Rotation) in a normative sample (N = 189, ages 18–22). Study II evaluated test–retest reliability with a two-week interest interval between administrations in a separate sample (N = 79, ages 18–22). Results. Moderate intra-test, but low inter-test, correlations were observed and ceiling/floor effects were uncommon. Sex differences were identified on the Pursuit Rotor (Cohen’s d = 0.89) and Mental Rotation (d = 0.31) tests. The correlation between the test and retest was high for tests of motor learning (Pursuit Rotor time on target r = .86) and attention (Test of Attentional Vigilance response time r = .79), intermediate for memory (digit span r = .63) but lower for the executive function indices (Wisconsin/Berg Card Sorting Test perseverative errors = .45, Tower of London moves = .15). Significant practice effects were identified on several indices of executive function. Conclusions. These results are broadly supportive of the reliability and validity of individual PEBL tests in this sample. These findings indicate that the freely downloadable, open-source PEBL battery (http://pebl.sourceforge.net) is a versatile research tool to study individual differences in neurocognitive performance. PMID:26713233

Reliability and validity of neurobehavioral function on the Psychology Experimental Building Language test battery in young adults.

PubMed

Piper, Brian J; Mueller, Shane T; Geerken, Alexander R; Dixon, Kyle L; Kroliczak, Gregory; Olsen, Reid H J; Miller, Jeremy K

2015-01-01

Background. The Psychology Experiment Building Language (PEBL) software consists of over one-hundred computerized tests based on classic and novel cognitive neuropsychology and behavioral neurology measures. Although the PEBL tests are becoming more widely utilized, there is currently very limited information about the psychometric properties of these measures. Methods. Study I examined inter-relationships among nine PEBL tests including indices of motor-function (Pursuit Rotor and Dexterity), attention (Test of Attentional Vigilance and Time-Wall), working memory (Digit Span Forward), and executive-function (PEBL Trail Making Test, Berg/Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, Iowa Gambling Test, and Mental Rotation) in a normative sample (N = 189, ages 18-22). Study II evaluated test-retest reliability with a two-week interest interval between administrations in a separate sample (N = 79, ages 18-22). Results. Moderate intra-test, but low inter-test, correlations were observed and ceiling/floor effects were uncommon. Sex differences were identified on the Pursuit Rotor (Cohen's d = 0.89) and Mental Rotation (d = 0.31) tests. The correlation between the test and retest was high for tests of motor learning (Pursuit Rotor time on target r = .86) and attention (Test of Attentional Vigilance response time r = .79), intermediate for memory (digit span r = .63) but lower for the executive function indices (Wisconsin/Berg Card Sorting Test perseverative errors = .45, Tower of London moves = .15). Significant practice effects were identified on several indices of executive function. Conclusions. These results are broadly supportive of the reliability and validity of individual PEBL tests in this sample. These findings indicate that the freely downloadable, open-source PEBL battery (http://pebl.sourceforge.net) is a versatile research tool to study individual differences in neurocognitive performance.

Angular Momentum Evolution of Young Stars in the nearby Scorpius-Centaurus OB Association

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mellon, Samuel N.; Mamajek, Eric E.; Oberst, Thomas E.; Pecaut, Mark J.

2017-07-01

We report the results of a study of archival SuperWASP light curves for stars in Scorpius-Centaurus (Sco-Cen), the nearest OB association. We use SuperWASP time-series photometry to extract rotation periods for 189 candidate members of the Sco-Cen complex and verify that 162 of those are members of the classic Sco-Cen subgroups of Upper Scorpius (US), Upper Centaurus-Lupus (UCL), and Lower Centaurus-Crux (LCC). This study provides the first measurements of rotation periods explicitly for large samples of pre-main-sequence (pre-MS) stars spanning the UCL and LCC subgroups. Our final sample of 157 well-characterized pre-MS stars spans ages of ˜10-20 Myr, spectral types of ˜F3-M0, and masses of M ≃ 0.3-1.5 {{ M }}⊙ {{N}}. For this sample, we find a distribution of stellar rotation periods with a median of P rot ≃ 2.4 days, an overall range of 0.2 < P rot < 8 days, and a fairly well-defined mass-dependent upper envelope of rotation periods. This distribution of periods is consistent with recently developed stellar angular momentum evolution models. These data are significant because they represent an undersampled age range and the number of measurable rotation periods is large compared to recent studies of other regions. We also search for new examples of eclipsing disk or ring systems analogous to 1SWASP J140747.93-394542.6 (J1407), but find none. Our survey yielded five eclipsing binaries, but only one appears to be physically associated with the Sco-Cen complex. V2394 Oph is a heavily reddened (A V ≃ 5 mag) massive contact binary in the LDN 1689 cloud whose Gaia astrometry is clearly consistent with kinematic membership with the Ophiuchus star-forming region.

Magnetostratigraphy in the Lodo Formation, CA: An Attempt to Locate Hyperthermals of the Early Eocene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aldrich, N. C.; Pluhar, C. J.; Gibbs, S.; Rieth, J. A.

2015-12-01

The Lodo Formation in the California Coast Range, Fresno County records the Paleocene Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM) and possibly other Early Eocene hyperthermal events. The Eocene Thermal Maximum 2 (ETM2, ELMO, or H1) represents a hyperthermal event that occurred approximately 2 million years after the PETM and just prior to the C24r - C24n magnetic reversal (≈ 53.9 Ma) in the Ypresian. While the ETM2 event has been located in offshore samples, it has been more difficult to locate in a terrestrial section. This project attempts to locate the ETM2 magnetostratigraphically by finding the paleomagnetic reversal at C24r-C24n.3n, provide geochronological framework, and assess sedimentation rate changes during this time. This area is known to have had a high rate of deposition (16.8 cm/kyr ) during the PETM, which is found lower in the section. We collected 36 new samples from a 13.44m section spanning stratigraphy thought to cover the ETM2 along with 31 previous samples spanning the PETM, and prepared them for paleomagnetic and paleontological analysis. We analyzed samples using standard paleomagnetic methods including low-temperature and thermal demagnetization. Preliminary results suggest that the magnetostratigraphy spans the C24r-C24n boundary, while the micropaleontology shows the NP10-NP11 boundary, which occurs near the ETM2 as well as the NP11-NP12 boundary. The data indicate an order-of-magnitude drop in sedimentation rate in the lower Eocene at this site, concomitant with a drop in grain size, compared with the PETM.

Quartz c-axis orientation patterns in fracture cement as a measure of fracture opening rate and a validation tool for fracture pattern models

DOE PAGES

Ukar, Estibalitz; Laubach, Stephen E.; Marrett, Randall

2016-03-09

Here, we evaluate a published model for crystal growth patterns in quartz cement in sandstone fractures by comparing crystal fracture-spanning predictions to quartz c-axis orientation distributions measured by electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) of spanning quartz deposits. Samples from eight subvertical opening-mode fractures in four sandstone formations, the Jurassic– Cretaceous Nikanassin Formation, northwestern Alberta Foothills (Canada), Cretaceous Mesaverde Group (USA; Cozzette Sandstone Member of the Iles Formation), Piceance Basin, Colorado (USA), and upper Jurassic–lower Cretaceous Cotton Valley Group (Taylor sandstone) and overlying Travis Peak Formation, east Texas, have similar quartzose composition and grain size but contain fractures with different temperature historiesmore » and opening rates based on fluid inclusion assemblages and burial history. Spherical statistical analysis shows that, in agreement with model predictions, bridging crystals have a preferred orientation with c-axis orientations at a high angle to fracture walls. The second form of validation is for spanning potential that depends on the size of cut substrate grains. Using measured cut substrate grain sizes and c-axis orientations of spanning bridges, we calculated the required orientation for the smallest cut grain to span the maximum gap size and the required orientation of the crystal with the least spanning potential to form overgrowths that span across maximum measured gap sizes. We find that within a 10° error all spanning crystals conform to model predictions. Using crystals with the lowest spanning potential based on crystallographic orientation (c-axis parallel to fracture wall) and a temperature range for fracture opening measured from fluid inclusion assemblages, we calculate maximum fracture opening rates that allow crystals to span. These rates are comparable to those derived independently from fracture temperature histories based on burial history and multiple sequential fluid inclusion assemblages. Results support the R. Lander and S. Laubach model, which predicts that for quartz deposited synchronously with fracture opening, spanning potential, or likelihood of quartz deposits that are thick enough to span between fracture walls, depends on temperature history, fracture opening rate, size of opening increments, and size, mineralogy, and crystallographic orientation of substrates in the fracture wall (transected grains). Results suggest that EBSD maps, which can be more rapidly acquired than measurement of tens to hundreds of fluid inclusion assemblages, can provide a useful measure of relative opening rates within populations of quartz-filled fractures formed under sedimentary basin conditions. Such data are useful for evaluating fracture pattern development models.« less

Quartz c-axis orientation patterns in fracture cement as a measure of fracture opening rate and a validation tool for fracture pattern models

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

Ukar, Estibalitz; Laubach, Stephen E.; Marrett, Randall

Here, we evaluate a published model for crystal growth patterns in quartz cement in sandstone fractures by comparing crystal fracture-spanning predictions to quartz c-axis orientation distributions measured by electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) of spanning quartz deposits. Samples from eight subvertical opening-mode fractures in four sandstone formations, the Jurassic– Cretaceous Nikanassin Formation, northwestern Alberta Foothills (Canada), Cretaceous Mesaverde Group (USA; Cozzette Sandstone Member of the Iles Formation), Piceance Basin, Colorado (USA), and upper Jurassic–lower Cretaceous Cotton Valley Group (Taylor sandstone) and overlying Travis Peak Formation, east Texas, have similar quartzose composition and grain size but contain fractures with different temperature historiesmore » and opening rates based on fluid inclusion assemblages and burial history. Spherical statistical analysis shows that, in agreement with model predictions, bridging crystals have a preferred orientation with c-axis orientations at a high angle to fracture walls. The second form of validation is for spanning potential that depends on the size of cut substrate grains. Using measured cut substrate grain sizes and c-axis orientations of spanning bridges, we calculated the required orientation for the smallest cut grain to span the maximum gap size and the required orientation of the crystal with the least spanning potential to form overgrowths that span across maximum measured gap sizes. We find that within a 10° error all spanning crystals conform to model predictions. Using crystals with the lowest spanning potential based on crystallographic orientation (c-axis parallel to fracture wall) and a temperature range for fracture opening measured from fluid inclusion assemblages, we calculate maximum fracture opening rates that allow crystals to span. These rates are comparable to those derived independently from fracture temperature histories based on burial history and multiple sequential fluid inclusion assemblages. Results support the R. Lander and S. Laubach model, which predicts that for quartz deposited synchronously with fracture opening, spanning potential, or likelihood of quartz deposits that are thick enough to span between fracture walls, depends on temperature history, fracture opening rate, size of opening increments, and size, mineralogy, and crystallographic orientation of substrates in the fracture wall (transected grains). Results suggest that EBSD maps, which can be more rapidly acquired than measurement of tens to hundreds of fluid inclusion assemblages, can provide a useful measure of relative opening rates within populations of quartz-filled fractures formed under sedimentary basin conditions. Such data are useful for evaluating fracture pattern development models.« less

Age Differentiation within Gray Matter, White Matter, and between Memory and White Matter in an Adult Life Span Cohort.

PubMed

de Mooij, Susanne M M; Henson, Richard N A; Waldorp, Lourens J; Kievit, Rogier A

2018-06-20

It is well established that brain structures and cognitive functions change across the life span. A long-standing hypothesis called "age differentiation" additionally posits that the relations between cognitive functions also change with age. To date, however, evidence for age-related differentiation is mixed, and no study has examined differentiation of the relationship between brain and cognition. Here we use multigroup structural equation models (SEMs) and SEM trees to study differences within and between brain and cognition across the adult life span (18-88 years) in a large ( N > 646, closely matched across sexes), population-derived sample of healthy human adults from the Cambridge Centre for Ageing and Neuroscience (www.cam-can.org). After factor analyses of gray matter volume (from T1- and T2-weighted MRI) and white matter organization (fractional anisotropy from diffusion-weighted MRI), we found evidence for the differentiation of gray and white matter, such that the covariance between brain factors decreased with age. However, we found no evidence for age differentiation among fluid intelligence, language, and memory, suggesting a relatively stable covariance pattern among cognitive factors. Finally, we observed a specific pattern of age differentiation between brain and cognitive factors, such that a white matter factor, which loaded most strongly on the hippocampal cingulum, became less correlated with memory performance in later life. These patterns are compatible with the reorganization of cognitive functions in the face of neural decline, and/or with the emergence of specific subpopulations in old age. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The theory of age differentiation posits age-related changes in the relationships among cognitive domains, either weakening (differentiation) or strengthening (dedifferentiation), but evidence for this hypothesis is mixed. Using age-varying covariance models in a large cross-sectional adult life span sample, we found age-related reductions in the covariance among both brain measures (neural differentiation), but no covariance change among cognitive factors of fluid intelligence, language, and memory. We also observed evidence of uncoupling (differentiation) between a white matter factor and cognitive factors in older age, most strongly for memory. Together, our findings support age-related differentiation as a complex, multifaceted pattern that differs for brain and cognition, and discuss several mechanisms that might explain the changing relationship between brain and cognition. Copyright © 2018 de Mooij et al.

Examining unusual digit span performance in a population of postsecondary students assessed for academic difficulties.

PubMed

Harrison, Allyson G; Rosenblum, Yoni; Currie, Shannon

2010-09-01

Methods of identifying poor test-related motivation using the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale Digit Span subtest are based on identification of performance patterns that are implausible if the test taker is investing full effort. No studies to date, however, have examined the specificity of such measures, particularly when evaluating persons with either known or suspected learning or attention disorders. This study investigated performance of academically challenged students on three measures embedded in the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-III, namely, low Digit Span, high Vocabulary-Digit span (Voc-DS), and low Reliable Digit Span scores. Evaluating subjects believed to be investing full effort in testing, it was found that both Digit Span and Reliable Digit Span had high specificity, although both showed relatively lower sensitivity. In contrast, VOC-DS was especially weak in both sensitivity and specificity, with an apparent false positive rate of 28%. Use of VOC-DS is therefore not appropriate for those with a history of learning or attention problems.

The Reading Span Test and Its Predictive Power for Reading Comprehension Ability

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedman, Naomi P.; Miyake, Akira

2004-01-01

This study had two major goals: to test the effect of administration method on the criterion validity of a commonly used working memory span test, the reading span task, and to examine the relationship between processing and storage in this task. With respect to the first goal, although experimenter- and participant-administered reading span tasks…

Working Memory Effects of Gap-Predictions in Normal Adults: An Event-Related Potentials Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hestvik, Arild; Bradley, Evan; Bradley, Catherine

2012-01-01

The current study examined the relationship between verbal memory span and the latency with which a filler-gap dependency is constructed. A previous behavioral study found that low span listeners did not exhibit antecedent reactivation at gap sites in relative clauses, in comparison to high verbal memory span subjects (Roberts et al. in "J…

[Speech fluency developmental profile in Brazilian Portuguese speakers].

PubMed

Martins, Vanessa de Oliveira; Andrade, Claudia Regina Furquim de

2008-01-01

speech fluency varies from one individual to the next, fluent or stutterer, depending on several factors. Studies that investigate the influence of age on fluency patterns have been identified; however these differences were investigated in isolated age groups. Studies about life span fluency variations were not found. to verify the speech fluency developmental profile. speech samples of 594 fluent participants of both genders, with ages between 2:0 and 99:11 years, speakers of the Brazilian Portuguese language, were analyzed. Participants were grouped as follows: pre-scholars, scholars, early adolescence, late adolescence, adults and elderlies. Speech samples were analyzed according to the Speech Fluency Profile variables and were compared regarding: typology of speech disruptions (typical and less typical), speech rate (words and syllables per minute) and frequency of speech disruptions (percentage of speech discontinuity). although isolated variations were identified, overall there was no significant difference between the age groups for the speech disruption indexes (typical and less typical speech disruptions and percentage of speech discontinuity). Significant differences were observed between the groups when considering speech rate. the development of the neurolinguistic system for speech fluency, in terms of speech disruptions, seems to stabilize itself during the first years of life, presenting no alterations during the life span. Indexes of speech rate present variations in the age groups, indicating patterns of acquisition, development, stabilization and degeneration.

CONDOM USE AT LAST SEX AS A PROXY FOR OTHER MEASURES OF CONDOM USE: IS IT GOOD ENOUGH?

PubMed Central

Younge, Sinead N.; Salazar, Laura F.; Crosby, Richard F.; DiClemente, Richard J.; Wingood, Gina M.; Rose, Eve

2009-01-01

Condom use at last sex is a widely used indicator in sexual behavior research; however, there is little empirical research validating this indicator. This study examined whether a single-event recall period (the last time coitus occurred) was consistent with longer recall periods (14 days and 60 days) for a sample of African American adolescent females (N = 566). The findings from this study demonstrate that condom use at last coitus is a valid proxy for condom use behaviors spanning longer time periods. PMID:19149154

White Matter Integrity Dissociates Verbal Memory and Auditory Attention Span in Emerging Adults with Congenital Heart Disease.

PubMed

Brewster, Ryan C; King, Tricia Z; Burns, Thomas G; Drossner, David M; Mahle, William T

2015-01-01

White matter disruptions have been identified in individuals with congenital heart disease (CHD). However, no specific theory-driven relationships between microstructural white matter disruptions and cognition have been established in CHD. We conducted a two-part study. First, we identified significant differences in fractional anisotropy (FA) of emerging adults with CHD using Tract-Based Spatial Statistics (TBSS). TBSS analyses between 22 participants with CHD and 18 demographically similar controls identified five regions of normal appearing white matter with significantly lower FA in CHD, and two higher. Next, two regions of lower FA in CHD were selected to examine theory-driven differential relationships with cognition: voxels along the left uncinate fasciculus (UF; a tract theorized to contribute to verbal memory) and voxels along the right middle cerebellar peduncle (MCP; a tract previously linked to attention). In CHD, a significant positive correlation between UF FA and memory was found, r(20)=.42, p=.049 (uncorrected). There was no correlation between UF and auditory attention span. A positive correlation between MCP FA and auditory attention span was found, r(20)=.47, p=.027 (uncorrected). There was no correlation between MCP and memory. In controls, no significant relationships were identified. These results are consistent with previous literature demonstrating lower FA in younger CHD samples, and provide novel evidence for disrupted white matter integrity in emerging adults with CHD. Furthermore, a correlational double dissociation established distinct white matter circuitry (UF and MCP) and differential cognitive correlates (memory and attention span, respectively) in young adults with CHD.

Profiles of verbal working memory growth predict speech and language development in children with cochlear implants.

PubMed

Kronenberger, William G; Pisoni, David B; Harris, Michael S; Hoen, Helena M; Xu, Huiping; Miyamoto, Richard T

2013-06-01

Verbal short-term memory (STM) and working memory (WM) skills predict speech and language outcomes in children with cochlear implants (CIs) even after conventional demographic, device, and medical factors are taken into account. However, prior research has focused on single end point outcomes as opposed to the longitudinal process of development of verbal STM/WM and speech-language skills. In this study, the authors investigated relations between profiles of verbal STM/WM development and speech-language development over time. Profiles of verbal STM/WM development were identified through the use of group-based trajectory analysis of repeated digit span measures over at least a 2-year time period in a sample of 66 children (ages 6-16 years) with CIs. Subjects also completed repeated assessments of speech and language skills during the same time period. Clusters representing different patterns of development of verbal STM (digit span forward scores) were related to the growth rate of vocabulary and language comprehension skills over time. Clusters representing different patterns of development of verbal WM (digit span backward scores) were related to the growth rate of vocabulary and spoken word recognition skills over time. Different patterns of development of verbal STM/WM capacity predict the dynamic process of development of speech and language skills in this clinical population.

Enhancing reading performance through action video games: the role of visual attention span.

PubMed

Antzaka, A; Lallier, M; Meyer, S; Diard, J; Carreiras, M; Valdois, S

2017-11-06

Recent studies reported that Action Video Game-AVG training improves not only certain attentional components, but also reading fluency in children with dyslexia. We aimed to investigate the shared attentional components of AVG playing and reading, by studying whether the Visual Attention (VA) span, a component of visual attention that has previously been linked to both reading development and dyslexia, is improved in frequent players of AVGs. Thirty-six French fluent adult readers, matched on chronological age and text reading proficiency, composed two groups: frequent AVG players and non-players. Participants performed behavioural tasks measuring the VA span, and a challenging reading task (reading of briefly presented pseudo-words). AVG players performed better on both tasks and performance on these tasks was correlated. These results further support the transfer of the attentional benefits of playing AVGs to reading, and indicate that the VA span could be a core component mediating this transfer. The correlation between VA span and pseudo-word reading also supports the involvement of VA span even in adult reading. Future studies could combine VA span training with defining features of AVGs, in order to build a new generation of remediation software.

Longitudinal study of fingerprint recognition.

PubMed

Yoon, Soweon; Jain, Anil K

2015-07-14

Human identification by fingerprints is based on the fundamental premise that ridge patterns from distinct fingers are different (uniqueness) and a fingerprint pattern does not change over time (persistence). Although the uniqueness of fingerprints has been investigated by developing statistical models to estimate the probability of error in comparing two random samples of fingerprints, the persistence of fingerprints has remained a general belief based on only a few case studies. In this study, fingerprint match (similarity) scores are analyzed by multilevel statistical models with covariates such as time interval between two fingerprints in comparison, subject's age, and fingerprint image quality. Longitudinal fingerprint records of 15,597 subjects are sampled from an operational fingerprint database such that each individual has at least five 10-print records over a minimum time span of 5 y. In regard to the persistence of fingerprints, the longitudinal analysis on a single (right index) finger demonstrates that (i) genuine match scores tend to significantly decrease when time interval between two fingerprints in comparison increases, whereas the change in impostor match scores is negligible; and (ii) fingerprint recognition accuracy at operational settings, nevertheless, tends to be stable as the time interval increases up to 12 y, the maximum time span in the dataset. However, the uncertainty of temporal stability of fingerprint recognition accuracy becomes substantially large if either of the two fingerprints being compared is of poor quality. The conclusions drawn from 10-finger fusion analysis coincide with the conclusions from single-finger analysis.

Longitudinal study of fingerprint recognition

PubMed Central

Yoon, Soweon; Jain, Anil K.

2015-01-01

Human identification by fingerprints is based on the fundamental premise that ridge patterns from distinct fingers are different (uniqueness) and a fingerprint pattern does not change over time (persistence). Although the uniqueness of fingerprints has been investigated by developing statistical models to estimate the probability of error in comparing two random samples of fingerprints, the persistence of fingerprints has remained a general belief based on only a few case studies. In this study, fingerprint match (similarity) scores are analyzed by multilevel statistical models with covariates such as time interval between two fingerprints in comparison, subject’s age, and fingerprint image quality. Longitudinal fingerprint records of 15,597 subjects are sampled from an operational fingerprint database such that each individual has at least five 10-print records over a minimum time span of 5 y. In regard to the persistence of fingerprints, the longitudinal analysis on a single (right index) finger demonstrates that (i) genuine match scores tend to significantly decrease when time interval between two fingerprints in comparison increases, whereas the change in impostor match scores is negligible; and (ii) fingerprint recognition accuracy at operational settings, nevertheless, tends to be stable as the time interval increases up to 12 y, the maximum time span in the dataset. However, the uncertainty of temporal stability of fingerprint recognition accuracy becomes substantially large if either of the two fingerprints being compared is of poor quality. The conclusions drawn from 10-finger fusion analysis coincide with the conclusions from single-finger analysis. PMID:26124106

Longitudinal analysis of attitudes toward wolves.

PubMed

Treves, Adrian; Naughton-Treves, Lisa; Shelley, Victoria

2013-04-01

Understanding individual attitudes and how these predict overt opposition to predator conservation or direct, covert action against predators will help to recover and maintain them. Studies of attitudes toward wild animals rely primarily on samples of individuals at a single time point. We examined longitudinal change in individuals' attitudes toward gray wolves (Canis lupus). In the contiguous United States, amidst persistent controversy and opposition, abundances of gray wolves are at their highest in 60 years. We used mailed surveys to sample 1892 residents of Wisconsin in 2001 or 2004 and then resampled 656 of these individuals who resided in wolf range in 2009. Our study spanned a period of policy shifts and increasing wolf abundance. Over time, the 656 respondents increased agreement with statements reflecting fear of wolves, the belief that wolves compete with hunters for deer (Odocoileus virginianus), and inclination to poach a wolf. Endorsement of lethal control of wolves by the state and public hunting of wolves also increased. Neither the time span over which respondents reported exposure to wolves locally nor self-reported losses of domestic animals to wolves correlated with changes in attitude. We predict future increases in legal and illegal killing of wolves that may reduce their abundance in Wisconsin unless interventions are implemented to improve attitudes and behavior toward wolves. To assess whether interventions change attitudes, longitudinal studies like ours are needed. Análisis Longitudinal de las Actitudes Hacia Lobos. © 2013 Society for Conservation Biology.

Handle grip span for optimising finger-specific force capability as a function of hand size.

PubMed

Lee, Soo-Jin; Kong, Yong-Ku; Lowe, Brian D; Song, Seongho

2009-05-01

Five grip spans (45 to 65 mm) were tested to evaluate the effects of handle grip span and user's hand size on maximum grip strength, individual finger force and subjective ratings of comfort using a computerised digital dynamometer with independent finger force sensors. Forty-six males participated and were assigned into three hand size groups (small, medium, large) according to their hands' length. In general, results showed the 55- and 50-mm grip spans were rated as the most comfortable sizes and showed the largest grip strength (433.6 N and 430.8 N, respectively), whereas the 65-mm grip span handle was rated as the least comfortable size and the least grip strength. With regard to the interaction effect of grip span and hand size, small and medium-hand participants rated the best preference for the 50- to 55-mm grip spans and the least for the 65-mm grip span, whereas large-hand participants rated the 55- to 60-mm grip spans as the most preferred and the 45-mm grip span as the least preferred. Normalised grip span (NGS) ratios (29% and 27%) are the ratios of user's hand length to handle grip span. The NGS ratios were obtained and applied for suggesting handle grip spans in order to maximise subjective comfort as well as gripping force according to the users' hand sizes. In the analysis of individual finger force, the middle finger force showed the highest contribution (37.5%) to the total finger force, followed by the ring (28.7%), index (20.2%) and little (13.6%) finger. In addition, each finger was observed to have a different optimal grip span for exerting the maximum force, resulting in a bow-contoured shaped handle (the grip span of the handle at the centre is larger than the handle at the end) for two-handle hand tools. Thus, the grip spans for two-handle hand tools may be designed according to the users' hand/finger anthropometrics to maximise subjective ratings and performance based on this study. Results obtained in this study will provide guidelines for hand tool designers and manufacturers for designing grip spans of two-handle tools, which can maximise handle comfort and performance.

Contribution of strategy use to performance on complex and simple span tasks.

PubMed

Bailey, Heather; Dunlosky, John; Kane, Michael J

2011-04-01

Simple and complex span tasks are widely thought to measure related but separable memory constructs. Recently, however, research has demonstrated that simple and complex span tasks may tap, in part, the same construct because both similarly predict performance on measures of fluid intelligence (Gf) when the number of items retrieved from secondary memory (SM) is equated (Unsworth & Engle, Journal of Memory and Language 54:68-80 2006). Two studies (n = 105 and n = 152) evaluated whether retrieval from SM is influenced by individual differences in the use of encoding strategies during span tasks. Results demonstrated that, after equating the number of items retrieved from SM, simple and complex span performance similarly predicted Gf performance, but rates of effective strategy use did not mediate the span-Gf relationships. Moreover, at the level of individual differences, effective strategy use was more highly related to complex span performance than to simple span performance. Thus, even though individual differences in effective strategy use influenced span performance on trials that required retrieval from SM, strategic behavior at encoding cannot account for the similarities between simple and complex span tasks.

Digit Span as a measure of everyday attention: a study of ecological validity.

PubMed

Groth-Marnat, Gary; Baker, Sonya

2003-12-01

This study investigated the effectiveness of the WAIS-III Digit Span subtest to predict the everyday attention of 75 participants with heterogeneous neurological conditions who were administered the Digit Span subtest as well as the ecologically valid Test of Everyday Attention. In addition, the more visually oriented Picture Completion subtest along with the verbally loaded National Adult Reading Test were administered. Analysis indicated that, although Digit Span was a weak but statistically significant predictor of attentional ability (accounting for 12.7% of the unique variance). Picture Completion was a somewhat stronger predictor (accounting for 19% of the unique variance). The weak association of Digit Span and the Test of Everyday Attention, along with the finding that Picture Completion was a better predictor of performance on the Test of Everyday Attention, question the clinical utility of using Digit Span as a measure of everyday attention.

Modular time division multiplexer: Efficient simultaneous characterization of fast and slow transients in multiple samples

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Stephan D.; Luo, Jiajun; Buchholz, D. Bruce; Chang, R. P. H.; Grayson, M.

2016-09-01

A modular time division multiplexer (MTDM) device is introduced to enable parallel measurement of multiple samples with both fast and slow decay transients spanning from millisecond to month-long time scales. This is achieved by dedicating a single high-speed measurement instrument for rapid data collection at the start of a transient, and by multiplexing a second low-speed measurement instrument for slow data collection of several samples in parallel for the later transients. The MTDM is a high-level design concept that can in principle measure an arbitrary number of samples, and the low cost implementation here allows up to 16 samples to be measured in parallel over several months, reducing the total ensemble measurement duration and equipment usage by as much as an order of magnitude without sacrificing fidelity. The MTDM was successfully demonstrated by simultaneously measuring the photoconductivity of three amorphous indium-gallium-zinc-oxide thin films with 20 ms data resolution for fast transients and an uninterrupted parallel run time of over 20 days. The MTDM has potential applications in many areas of research that manifest response times spanning many orders of magnitude, such as photovoltaics, rechargeable batteries, amorphous semiconductors such as silicon and amorphous indium-gallium-zinc-oxide.

Modular time division multiplexer: Efficient simultaneous characterization of fast and slow transients in multiple samples.

PubMed

Kim, Stephan D; Luo, Jiajun; Buchholz, D Bruce; Chang, R P H; Grayson, M

2016-09-01

A modular time division multiplexer (MTDM) device is introduced to enable parallel measurement of multiple samples with both fast and slow decay transients spanning from millisecond to month-long time scales. This is achieved by dedicating a single high-speed measurement instrument for rapid data collection at the start of a transient, and by multiplexing a second low-speed measurement instrument for slow data collection of several samples in parallel for the later transients. The MTDM is a high-level design concept that can in principle measure an arbitrary number of samples, and the low cost implementation here allows up to 16 samples to be measured in parallel over several months, reducing the total ensemble measurement duration and equipment usage by as much as an order of magnitude without sacrificing fidelity. The MTDM was successfully demonstrated by simultaneously measuring the photoconductivity of three amorphous indium-gallium-zinc-oxide thin films with 20 ms data resolution for fast transients and an uninterrupted parallel run time of over 20 days. The MTDM has potential applications in many areas of research that manifest response times spanning many orders of magnitude, such as photovoltaics, rechargeable batteries, amorphous semiconductors such as silicon and amorphous indium-gallium-zinc-oxide.

Measuring change in relating and interrelating during the early stages of psychotherapy: Comparison with a nonpatients' sample.

PubMed

Kalaitzaki, Argyroula E; Birtchnell, John; Hammond, Sean

2016-01-01

The study examined whether the relative short time period of two months of individual psychotherapy improved patients' psychiatric symptoms, their negative relating (i.e., destructive and undesirable interpersonal attitudes and behavior to others) and their negative interrelating (i.e., destructive and undesirable relationship with their partners). A sample of 60 outpatients, reportedly suffering mainly from a mood or anxiety disorder, were compared with a sample of 48 nonpatients and their partners, over a comparable time span. It was shown that the patients' psychopathology scores dropped significantly. Significant changes in some relating and interrelating scores also occurred, even though the therapy had not specifically addressed these issues. Unexpectedly, the partners demonstrated some degree of deterioration both in their relating and their interrelating scores.

WISC-III cognitive profiles in children with developmental dyslexia: specific cognitive disability and diagnostic utility.

PubMed

Moura, Octávio; Simões, Mário R; Pereira, Marcelino

2014-02-01

This study analysed the usefulness of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition in identifying specific cognitive impairments that are linked to developmental dyslexia (DD) and the diagnostic utility of the most common profiles in a sample of 100 Portuguese children (50 dyslexic and 50 normal readers) between the ages of 8 and 12 years. Children with DD exhibited significantly lower scores in the Verbal Comprehension Index (except the Vocabulary subtest), Freedom from Distractibility Index (FDI) and Processing Speed Index subtests, with larger effect sizes than normal readers in Information, Arithmetic and Digit Span. The Verbal-Performance IQs discrepancies, Bannatyne pattern and the presence of FDI; Arithmetic, Coding, Information and Digit Span subtests (ACID) and Symbol Search, Coding, Arithmetic and Digit Span subtests (SCAD) profiles (full or partial) in the lowest subtests revealed a low diagnostic utility. However, the receiver operating characteristic curve and the optimal cut-off score analyses of the composite ACID; FDI and SCAD profiles scores showed moderate accuracy in correctly discriminating dyslexic readers from normal ones. These results suggested that in the context of a comprehensive assessment, the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition provides some useful information about the presence of specific cognitive disabilities in DD. Practitioner Points. Children with developmental dyslexia revealed significant deficits in the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition subtests that rely on verbal abilities, processing speed and working memory. The composite Arithmetic, Coding, Information and Digit Span subtests (ACID); Freedom from Distractibility Index and Symbol Search, Coding, Arithmetic and Digit Span subtests (SCAD) profile scores showed moderate accuracy in correctly discriminating dyslexics from normal readers. Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children-Third Edition may provide some useful information about the presence of specific cognitive disabilities in developmental dyslexia. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Influence of the Visual Attention Span on Child Reading Performance: A Cross-Sectional Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bosse, Marie-Line; Valdois, Sylviane

2009-01-01

The visual attention (VA) span deficit hypothesis was found successfully to account for variability in developmental dyslexia (Bosse, Tainturier & Valdois, 2007). We conducted a cross-sectional study on 417 typically developing children from first, third and fifth grades examining the role of VA span on the development of reading skills. A battery…

Time Span of Discretion and Administrative Work in School Systems: Results of a Pilot Study.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allison, Derek J.; Morfitt, Grace

This paper presents findings of a study that utilized Elliott Jaques' theories of organizational depth structure and time span of discretion in administrative work to examine administrators' responsibilities in two Ontario (Canada) school systems. The theory predicts that the time-span of discretion associated with the administrative tasks will…

Assessment of Local Biodiversity Loss in Uranium Mining-Tales And Its Projections On Global Scale

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharshenova, D.; Zhamangulova, N.

2015-12-01

In Min-Kush, northern Kyrgyzstan there are 8 mining tales with an estimate of 1 961 000 tones of industrial Uranium. Local ecosystem services have declined rapidly. We analyzed a terrestrial assemblage database of Uranium mine-tale to quantify local biodiversity responses to land use and environmental changes. In the worst-affected habitats species richness reduced by 95.7%, total abundance by 60.9% and rarefaction-based richness by 72.5%. We estimate that, regional mountain ecosystem affected by this pressure reduced average within-sample richness (by 17.01%), total abundance (16.5%) and rarefaction-based richness (14.5%). Business-as-usual scenarios are the widely practiced in the region and moreover, due to economic constraints country can not afford any mitigation scenarios. We project that biodiversity loss and ecosystem service impairment will spread in the region through ground water, soil, plants, animals and microorganisms at the rate of 1km/year. Entire Tian-Shan mountain chain will be in danger within next 5-10 years. Our preliminary data shows that local people live in this area developed various forms of cancer, and the rate of premature death is as high as 40%. Strong international scientific and socio-economic partnership is needed to develop models and predictions.

Malingering in Toxic Exposure. Classification Accuracy of Reliable Digit Span and WAIS-III Digit Span Scaled Scores

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Greve, Kevin W.; Springer, Steven; Bianchini, Kevin J.; Black, F. William; Heinly, Matthew T.; Love, Jeffrey M.; Swift, Douglas A.; Ciota, Megan A.

2007-01-01

This study examined the sensitivity and false-positive error rate of reliable digit span (RDS) and the WAIS-III Digit Span (DS) scaled score in persons alleging toxic exposure and determined whether error rates differed from published rates in traumatic brain injury (TBI) and chronic pain (CP). Data were obtained from the files of 123 persons…

Differences in short-term memory span of social sciences, science and engineering, and business majors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Naeem Ullah

This study investigated the difference in the short-term memory span of students of three major groups, namely Social Sciences, Science and Engineering, and Business. This study was designed to answer the following two questions: (1) Is there a difference between short-term memory span, measured by digit span, among the students in or intended for Social Sciences, Science and Engineering, and Business majors? (2) Is there a difference of short-term memory span, measured by word span, among students in or intended for Social Sciences, Science and Engineering, and Business majors? For answering these two questions, inferential and descriptive statistics were used. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the means of the scores of digit span and word span among the three major groups. The means of digit span and word span among the three groups were compared to find out if a statistically significant difference existed among them or not. The observations were recorded at the level of significance at alpha = .05, and highly significant at alpha = .01. The answer to the first question is yes. The results of this study showed a statistically significant difference in the means of the digit span of the three major groups of students in or intended for Social Sciences, Science and Engineering, and Business. The mean scaled score for digit span was 12.88 for Social Sciences, 14.27 for Science and Engineering, and 15.33 for Business majors, respectively. The means of the free recalls word span of the three groups was 7.23 for Social Sciences, 7.89 for Science and Engineering, and 7.12 for Business majors, respectively. No significant difference was observed in the means of the word span of the three groups. In general observations, it is noted that students want to stay in the subjects or majors in which they can perform well or feel comfortable. In addition to this, students are screened in the school system due to levels of performance or selection pressure. Students' academic performances are dependent on their academic environment and on their inherited construct of short-term and long-term memory span. The use of the memory in certain majors, such as Science and Engineering and Business, are more demanding as compared to Social Science majors. For example, for Science and Engineering majors, students need to memorize complex structures and also need to keep larger information at a stretch in their short-term memory to incorporate it into incoming and outgoing information. Of the other memory related constructs, the present study examined only the short-term memory of the students of different majors, and it was found that the students of the Social Sciences had a shorter digit span as compared to the Science and Engineering and Business majors. Business major students had the largest digit span as compared to the Social Sciences and Science and Engineering majors. This supports the idea that memory construct plays a role in the selection of student majors.

Isolation and characterization of Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Typhimurium from chicken meat in Egypt.

PubMed

Tarabees, Reda; Elsayed, Mohamed S A; Shawish, Reyad; Basiouni, Shereen; Shehata, Awad A

2017-04-30

Salmonella enterica serovars Enteritidis and Typhimurium represent the major serovars associated with human salmonellosis. Contamination of meat products with these serovars is considered the main source of infection. In this study, 100 raw chicken meat samples were investigated for the presence of Salmonella spp., which were subsequently identified based on biochemical and serological tests as well as matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) profile. Furthermore, the isolated serovars were examined using multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for the presence of virulence genes suspected to have a role in infection. S. Enteritidis was isolated from two samples (2%), while S. Typhimurium was isolated from three samples (3%) of chicken meat. Of the 17 examined virulence genes using multiplex PCR, the sitC, sopB, sifA, lpfC, spaN, sipB, invA, spiA, and msgA genes were detected in S. Enteritidis. However, the sitC, iroN, sopB, sifA, lpfC, spaN, sipB, invA, and tolC genes were successfully amplified in S. Typhimurium. The detection of S. Enteritidis and S. Typhimurium in meat, even at low incidence, has important implications. In addition, the data presented here is the first attempt to identify a wide range of virulence genes in Egyptian Salmonella isolates recovered from meat products. A strict public health and food safety regime is urgently needed in order to decrease the human health hazard risk associated with salmonellosis.

The Effects of Green Tea Extract on Working Memory in Healthy Women.

PubMed

Liu, Y; Fly, A D; Wang, Z; Klaunig, J E

2018-01-01

This study aimed to examine the effects of green tea extract on working memory in healthy younger (21 - 29 y) and older (50 - 63 y) women. A single-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover design was used. A university laboratory. Twenty non-smoking Caucasian women were recruited in the younger (10) and older (10) age group. Subjects received 5.4 g green tea extract (at least 45% epigallocatechin-3-gallate) or placebo (cornstarch) within a 24-hour period. Working memory was measured by reading span and N-back task paradigm. Blood sample (20 mL) was collected and measured for plasma malondialdehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant capacity (TEAC) concentration. A 24-hour recall was conducted for each treatment period to ensure similar dietary patterns. Green tea extract significantly improved reading span performance in older women, indicated by higher absolute and partial scores of reading span. No significant changes were observed in the younger group. N-back latencies and accuracies were not significantly different after green tea treatment in either age group. Plasma concentration of MDA and TEAC were not different after green tea extract in either group. Acute supplementation of decaffeinated green tea extract may enhance working memory capacity of women between 50 to 63 years of age. This study provides preliminary evidence that consumption of green tea extract may enhance the cognitive performance in older adults and thus provide potential chemopreventive benefits in this group. The mechanism should be explored in future research.

Insights into Regolith Evolution from TEM Studies of Space Weathering of Itokawa Particles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berger, Eve L.; Keller, Lindsay P.

2015-01-01

Exposure to solar wind irradiation and micrometeorite impacts alter the properties of regolith materials exposed on airless bodies. However, estimates of space weathering rates for asteroid regoliths span many orders of magnitude. Timescales for space weathering processes on airless bodies can be anchored by analyzing surface samples returned by JAXA's Hayabusa mission to asteroid 25143 Itokawa. Constraints on timescales of solar flare particle track accumulation and formation of solar wind produced ion-damaged rims yield information on regolith dynamics.

Age-related decline in verbal learning is moderated by demographic factors, working memory capacity, and presence of amnestic mild cognitive impairment.

PubMed

Constantinidou, Fofi; Zaganas, Ioannis; Papastefanakis, Emmanouil; Kasselimis, Dimitrios; Nidos, Andreas; Simos, Panagiotis G

2014-09-01

Age-related memory changes are highly varied and heterogeneous. The study examined the rate of decline in verbal episodic memory as a function of education level, auditory attention span and verbal working memory capacity, and diagnosis of amnestic mild cognitive impairment (a-MCI). Data were available on a community sample of 653 adults aged 17-86 years and 70 patients with a-MCI recruited from eight broad geographic areas in Greece and Cyprus. Measures of auditory attention span and working memory capacity (digits forward and backward) and verbal episodic memory (Auditory Verbal Learning Test [AVLT]) were used. Moderated mediation regressions on data from the community sample did not reveal significant effects of education level on the rate of age-related decline in AVLT indices. The presence of a-MCI was a significant moderator of the direct effect of Age on both immediate and delayed episodic memory indices. The rate of age-related decline in verbal episodic memory is normally mediated by working memory capacity. Moreover, in persons who display poor episodic memory capacity (a-MCI group), age-related memory decline is expected to advance more rapidly for those who also display relatively poor verbal working memory capacity.

Student characteristics and behaviors at age 12 predict occupational success 40 years later over and above childhood IQ and parental socioeconomic status.

PubMed

Spengler, Marion; Brunner, Martin; Damian, Rodica I; Lüdtke, Oliver; Martin, Romain; Roberts, Brent W

2015-09-01

Drawing on a 2-wave longitudinal sample spanning 40 years from childhood (age 12) to middle adulthood (age 52), the present study was designed to examine how student characteristics and behaviors in late childhood (assessed in Wave 1 in 1968) predict career success in adulthood (assessed in Wave 2 in 2008). We examined the influence of parental socioeconomic status (SES), childhood intelligence, and student characteristics and behaviors (inattentiveness, school entitlement, responsible student, sense of inferiority, impatience, pessimism, rule breaking and defiance of parental authority, and teacher-rated studiousness) on 2 important real-life outcomes (i.e., occupational success and income). The longitudinal sample consisted of N = 745 persons who participated in 1968 (M = 11.9 years, SD = 0.6; 49.9% female) and 2008 (M = 51.8 years, SD = 0.6; 53.3% female). Regression analyses and path analyses were conducted to evaluate the direct and indirect effects (via education) of the predictors on career success. The results revealed direct and indirect influences of student characteristics (responsible student, rule breaking and defiance of parental authority, and teacher-rated studiousness) across the life span on career success after adjusting for differences in parental SES and IQ at age 12. rd (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

The influence of levels of processing on recall from working memory and delayed recall tasks.

PubMed

Loaiza, Vanessa M; McCabe, David P; Youngblood, Jessie L; Rose, Nathan S; Myerson, Joel

2011-09-01

Recent research in working memory has highlighted the similarities involved in retrieval from complex span tasks and episodic memory tasks, suggesting that these tasks are influenced by similar memory processes. In the present article, the authors manipulated the level of processing engaged when studying to-be-remembered words during a reading span task (Experiment 1) and an operation span task (Experiment 2) in order to assess the role of retrieval from secondary memory during complex span tasks. Immediate recall from both span tasks was greater for items studied under deep processing instructions compared with items studied under shallow processing instructions regardless of trial length. Recall was better for deep than for shallow levels of processing on delayed recall tests as well. These data are consistent with the primary-secondary memory framework, which suggests that to-be-remembered items are displaced from primary memory (i.e., the focus of attention) during the processing phases of complex span tasks and therefore must be retrieved from secondary memory. (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved.

For whom the mind wanders, and when: an experience-sampling study of working memory and executive control in daily life.

PubMed

Kane, Michael J; Brown, Leslie H; McVay, Jennifer C; Silvia, Paul J; Myin-Germeys, Inez; Kwapil, Thomas R

2007-07-01

An experience-sampling study of 124 undergraduates, pretested on complex memory-span tasks, examined the relation between working memory capacity (WMC) and the experience of mind wandering in daily life. Over 7 days, personal digital assistants signaled subjects eight times daily to report immediately whether their thoughts had wandered from their current activity, and to describe their psychological and physical context. WMC moderated the relation between mind wandering and activities' cognitive demand. During challenging activities requiring concentration and effort, higher-WMC subjects maintained on-task thoughts better, and mind-wandered less, than did lower-WMC subjects. The results were therefore consistent with theories of WMC emphasizing the role of executive attention and control processes in determining individual differences and their cognitive consequences.

Mice Producing Reduced Levels of Insulin-Like Growth Factor Type 1 Display an Increase in Maximum, but not Mean, Life Span

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Reduced signaling through the IGF type 1 (IGF-1) receptor increases life span in multiple invertebrate organisms. Studies on mammalian longevity suggest that reducing levels of IGF-1 may also increase life span. However, the data are conflicting and complicated by the physiology of the mammalian neuroendocrine system. We have performed life-span analysis on mice homozygous for an insertion in the Igf1 gene. These mice produce reduced levels of IGF-1 and display a phenotype consistent with a significant decrease in IGF-1. Life-span analysis was carried out at three independent locations. Although the life-span data varied between sites, the maximum life span of the IGF-1-deficient mice was significantly increased and age-specific mortality rates were reduced in the IGF-1-deficient mice; however, mean life span did not differ except at one site, where mean life span was increased in female IGF-1-deficient animals. Early life mortality was noted in one cohort of IGF-1-deficient mice. The results are consistent with a significant role for IGF-1 in the modulation of life span but contrast with the published life-span data for the hypopituitary Ames and Snell dwarf mice and growth hormone receptor null mice, indicating that a reduction in IGF-1 alone is insufficient to increase both mean and maximal life span in mice. PMID:23873963

Vibration localization in dual-span, axially moving beams. Part I: Formulation and results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Jawi, A. A. N.; Pierre, C.; Ulsoy, A. G.

1995-01-01

An investigation of the vibration localization phenomenon in dual-span, axially moving beams is presented. The effects of a tension difference among the spans, also referred to as disorder, on the natural modes of free vibration are studied in terms of inter-span coupling and transport speed. The equations governing the transverse vibration of the two-span, axially moving beam are derived through Hamilton's principle and solution methods are developed. Results demonstrate that normal mode localizationindeed occurs for both stationary and translating disordered two-span beams, especially for small inter-span coupling. The occurrence of localization is characterized by a peak deflection much greater in one span than in the other. In the stationary disordered case, localization becomes more pronounced as inter-span coupling decreases, i.e., as the span axial tension increases. In the axially moving disordered case, the transport speed has a significant influence on localization and, generally speaking, localization becomes stronger with increasing speed. For a moving beam with identical spans, the two loci of each pair of natural frequencies may exhibit one or more crossing(s) (depending on the value of tension) when plotted against the axial transport speed. These crossings become veerings when the beam is disordered, and localization is strongest at those speeds at which the eigenvalue veerings occur.

Study of the Effect of Temporal Sampling Frequency on DSCOVR Observations Using the GEOS-5 Nature Run Results (Part I): Earths Radiation Budget

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holdaway, Daniel; Yang, Yuekui

2016-01-01

Satellites always sample the Earth-atmosphere system in a finite temporal resolution. This study investigates the effect of sampling frequency on the satellite-derived Earth radiation budget, with the Deep Space Climate Observatory (DSCOVR) as an example. The output from NASA's Goddard Earth Observing System Version 5 (GEOS-5) Nature Run is used as the truth. The Nature Run is a high spatial and temporal resolution atmospheric simulation spanning a two-year period. The effect of temporal resolution on potential DSCOVR observations is assessed by sampling the full Nature Run data with 1-h to 24-h frequencies. The uncertainty associated with a given sampling frequency is measured by computing means over daily, monthly, seasonal and annual intervals and determining the spread across different possible starting points. The skill with which a particular sampling frequency captures the structure of the full time series is measured using correlations and normalized errors. Results show that higher sampling frequency gives more information and less uncertainty in the derived radiation budget. A sampling frequency coarser than every 4 h results in significant error. Correlations between true and sampled time series also decrease more rapidly for a sampling frequency less than 4 h.

Neural Mechanisms of Interference Control Underlie the Relationship Between Fluid Intelligence and Working Memory Span

PubMed Central

Burgess, Gregory C.; Gray, Jeremy R.; Conway, Andrew R. A.; Braver, Todd S.

2014-01-01

Fluid intelligence (gF) and working memory (WM) span predict success in demanding cognitive situations. Recent studies show that much of the variance in gF and WM span is shared, suggesting common neural mechanisms. This study provides a direct investigation of the degree to which shared variance in gF and WM span can be explained by neural mechanisms of interference control. We measured performance and fMRI activity in 102 participants during the n-back WM task, focusing on the selective activation effects associated with high-interference lure trials. Brain activity on these trials was correlated with gF, WM span, and task performance in core brain regions linked to WM and executive control, including bilateral dorsolateral PFC (middle frontal gyrus, BA9) and parietal cortex (inferior parietal cortex; BA 40/7). Interference-related performance and interference-related activity accounted for a significant proportion of the shared variance in gF and WM span. Path analyses indicate that interference control activity may affect gF through a common set of processes that also influence WM span. These results suggest that individual differences in interference control mechanisms are important for understanding the relationship between gF and WM span. PMID:21787103

Study of Semi-Span Model Testing Techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gatlin, Gregory M.; McGhee, Robert J.

1996-01-01

An investigation has been conducted in the NASA Langley 14- by 22-Foot Subsonic Tunnel in order to further the development of semi-span testing capabilities. A twin engine, energy efficient transport (EET) model with a four-element wing in a takeoff configuration was used for this investigation. Initially a full span configuration was tested and force and moment data, wing and fuselage surface pressure data, and fuselage boundary layer measurements were obtained as a baseline data set. The semi-span configurations were then mounted on the wind tunnel floor, and the effects of fuselage standoff height and shape as well as the effects of the tunnel floor boundary layer height were investigated. The effectiveness of tangential blowing at the standoff/floor juncture as an active boundary-layer control technique was also studied. Results indicate that the semi-span configuration was more sensitive to variations in standoff height than to variations in floor boundary layer height. A standoff height equivalent to 30 percent of the fuselage radius resulted in better correlation with full span data than no standoff or the larger standoff configurations investigated. Undercut standoff leading edges or the use of tangential blowing in the standoff/ floor juncture improved correlation of semi-span data with full span data in the region of maximum lift coefficient.

Spatial short-term memory is impaired in dependent betel quid chewers.

PubMed

Chiu, Meng-Chun; Shen, Bin; Li, Shuo-Heng; Ho, Ming-Chou

2016-08-01

Betel quid is regarded as a human carcinogen by the World Health Organization. It remains unknown whether chewing betel quid has a chronic effect on healthy betel quid chewers' memory. The present study aims to investigate whether chewing betel quid can affect short-term memory (STM). Three groups of participants (24 dependent chewers, 24 non-dependent chewers, and 24 non-chewers) were invited to carry out the matrix span task, the object span task, and the digit span task. All span tasks' results were adopted to assess spatial STM, visual STM, and verbal STM, respectively. Besides, there are three set sizes (small, medium, and large) in each span task. For the matrix span task, results showed that the dependent chewers had worse performances than the non-dependent chewers and the non-chewers at medium and large set sizes. For the object span task and digit span task, there were no differences in between groups. In each group, recognition performances were worse with the increasing set size and showing successful manipulation of memory load. The current study provided the first evidence that dependent betel quid chewing can selectively impair spatial STM rather than visual STM and verbal STM. Theoretical and practical implications of this result are discussed.

Controlling the spotlight of attention: visual span size and flexibility in schizophrenia.

PubMed

Elahipanah, Ava; Christensen, Bruce K; Reingold, Eyal M

2011-10-01

The current study investigated the size and flexible control of visual span among patients with schizophrenia during visual search performance. Visual span is the region of the visual field from which one extracts information during a single eye fixation, and a larger visual span size is linked to more efficient search performance. Therefore, a reduced visual span may explain patients' impaired performance on search tasks. The gaze-contingent moving window paradigm was used to estimate the visual span size of patients and healthy participants while they performed two different search tasks. In addition, changes in visual span size were measured as a function of two manipulations of task difficulty: target-distractor similarity and stimulus familiarity. Patients with schizophrenia searched more slowly across both tasks and conditions. Patients also demonstrated smaller visual span sizes on the easier search condition in each task. Moreover, healthy controls' visual span size increased as target discriminability or distractor familiarity increased. This modulation of visual span size, however, was reduced or not observed among patients. The implications of the present findings, with regard to previously reported visual search deficits, and other functional and structural abnormalities associated with schizophrenia, are discussed. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

40 CFR 86.1310-90 - Exhaust gas sampling and analytical system; diesel engines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... the port entrance to the analyzer to within 90 percent of the step change. (B) 20 seconds from an instantaneous step change at the entrance to the sample probe or overflow span gas port to within 90 percent of... avoid moisture condensation. A filter pair loading of 1 mg is typically proportional to a 0.1 g/bhp-hr...

40 CFR 86.1310-90 - Exhaust gas sampling and analytical system; diesel engines.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... the port entrance to the analyzer to within 90 percent of the step change. (B) 20 seconds from an instantaneous step change at the entrance to the sample probe or overflow span gas port to within 90 percent of... avoid moisture condensation. A filter pair loading of 1 mg is typically proportional to a 0.1 g/bhp-hr...

Excellent amino acid racemization results from Holocene sand dollars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kosnik, M.; Kaufman, D. S.; Kowalewski, M.; Whitacre, K.

2015-12-01

Amino acid racemization (AAR) is widely used as a cost-effective method to date molluscs in time-averaging and taphonomic studies, but it has not been attempted for echinoderms despite their paleobiological importance. Here we demonstrate the feasibility of AAR geochronology in Holocene aged Peronella peronii (Echinodermata: Echinoidea) collected from Sydney Harbour (Australia). Using standard HPLC methods we determined the extent of AAR in 74 Peronella tests and performed replicate analyses on 18 tests. We sampled multiple areas of two individuals and identified the outer edge as a good sampling location. Multiple replicate analyses from the outer edge of 18 tests spanning the observed range of D/Ls yielded median coefficients of variation < 4% for Asp, Phe, Ala, and Glu D/L values, which overlaps with the analytical precision. Correlations between D/L values across 155 HPLC injections sampled from 74 individuals are also very high (pearson r2 > 0.95) for these four amino acids. The ages of 11 individuals spanning the observed range of D/L values were determined using 14C analyses, and Bayesian model averaging was used to determine the best AAR age model. The averaged age model was mainly composed of time-dependent reaction kinetics models (TDK, 71%) based on phenylalanine (Phe, 94%). Modelled ages ranged from 14 to 5539 yrs, and the median 95% confidence interval for the 74 analysed individuals is ±28% of the modelled age. In comparison, the median 95% confidence interval for the 11 calibrated 14C ages was ±9% of the median age estimate. Overall Peronella yields exceptionally high-quality AAR D/L values and appears to be an excellent substrate for AAR geochronology. This work opens the way for time-averaging and taphonomic studies of echinoderms similar to those in molluscs.

Character strengths and well-being across the life span: data from a representative sample of German-speaking adults living in Switzerland

PubMed Central

Martínez-Martí, María L.; Ruch, Willibald

2014-01-01

Character strengths are positive, morally valued traits of personality. This study aims at assessing the relationship between character strengths and subjective well-being (i.e., life satisfaction, positive and negative affect) in a representative sample of German-speaking adults living in Switzerland (N = 945). We further test whether this relationship is consistent at different stages in life. Results showed that hope, zest, love, social intelligence and perseverance yielded the highest positive correlations with life satisfaction. Hope, zest, humor, gratitude and love presented the highest positive correlations with positive affect. Hope, humor, zest, honesty, and open-mindedness had the highest negative correlations with negative affect. When examining the relationship between strengths and well-being across age groups, in general, hope, zest and humor consistently yielded the highest correlations with well-being. Additionally, in the 27–36 years group, strengths that promote commitment and affiliation (i.e., kindness and honesty) were among the first five positions in the ranking of the relationship between strengths and well-being. In the 37–46 years group, in addition to hope, zest and humor, strengths that promote the maintenance of areas such as family and work (i.e., love, leadership) were among the first five positions in the ranking. Finally, in the 47–57 years group, in addition to hope, zest and humor, strengths that facilitate integration and a vital involvement with the environment (i.e., gratitude, love of learning) were among the first five positions in the ranking. This study partially supports previous findings with less representative samples on the association between character strengths and well-being, and sheds light on the relative importance of some strengths over others for well-being across the life span. PMID:25408678

Parents' and Teachers' Perceptions of Abnormal Attention Span of Elementary School-Age Children.

PubMed

Segal-Triwitz, Yael; Kirchen, Louisa M; Shani Sherman, Tal; Levav, Miriam; Schonherz-Pine, Yael; Kushnir, Jonathan; Ariel, Raya; Gothelf, Doron

2016-01-01

To determine teacher and parental perception of minimal expected sustained attention span during various daily tasks among elementary school children. 54 parents and 47 teachers completed the attention span questionnaire (AtSQ) that was developed for this study. The AtSQ consists of 15 academic and leisure tasks that require a child's sustained attention. The study focused on third and fourth graders in Israel. There was a high degree of variability among teachers and parents in their responses to the AtSQ. The expected attention span of children as judged by parents was higher and more varied compared to teachers, and higher for girls than for boys. Our results indicate poor agreement in cutoff values for sustained attention span between teachers and parents and within each group.

The Development of Memory Efficiency and Value-Directed Remembering across the Life Span: A Cross-Sectional Study of Memory and Selectivity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Castel, Alan D.; Humphreys, Kathryn L.; Lee, Steve S.; Galvan, Adriana; Balota, David A.; McCabe, David P.

2011-01-01

Although attentional control and memory change considerably across the life span, no research has examined how the ability to strategically remember important information (i.e., value-directed remembering) changes from childhood to old age. The present study examined this in different age groups across the life span (N = 320, 5-96 years old). A…

Deployment of a Smart Structural Health Monitoring System for Long-Span Arch Bridges: A Review and a Case Study

PubMed Central

Chen, Zengshun; Zhou, Xiao; Wang, Xu; Dong, Lili; Qian, Yuanhao

2017-01-01

Structural health monitoring (SHM) technology for surveillance and evaluation of existing and newly built long-span bridges has been widely developed, and the significance of the technique has been recognized by many administrative authorities. The paper reviews the recent progress of the SHM technology that has been applied to long-span bridges. The deployment of a SHM system is introduced. Subsequently, the data analysis and condition assessment including techniques on modal identification, methods on signal processing, and damage identification were reviewed and summarized. A case study about a SHM system of a long-span arch bridge (the Jiubao bridge in China) was systematically incorporated in each part to advance our understanding of deployment and investigation of a SHM system for long-span arch bridges. The applications of SHM systems of long-span arch bridge were also introduced. From the illustrations, the challenges and future trends for development a SHM system were concluded. PMID:28925943

VizieR Online Data Catalog: LMC and Cen A 1.3-10GHz polarization behavior (Anderson+, 2016)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anderson, C. S.; Gaensler, B. M.; Feain, I. J.

2016-08-01

The targets for our study were selected from among two archival polarization data sets, which were observed and processed by several independent groups. i.e. LMC observations spanning from 1994 Oct to 1996 Jan in 1.328-1.432GHz band; Cen A observations spanning from 2006 Dec to 2008 Feb in 1.296-1.480GHz band. We observed the 40 sample sources using the Australia Telescope Compact Array (ATCA) over 1.1-3.1GHz (16cm), 4.5-6.5GHz (6cm), and 8.0-10.0GHz (3cm) in full polarization with a nominal 1MHz channel resolution between 2012 Feb 10-12 and 2012 Aug 17-19. We imaged each source in Stokes I, Q, and U at 20MHz intervals through the 16 and 6cm bands, and at a substantially coarser resolution of 200MHz in the 3cm band. See sections 2 and 3 for further explanations. (2 data files).

A model of memory impairment in schizophrenia: cognitive and clinical factors associated with memory efficiency and memory errors.

PubMed

Brébion, Gildas; Bressan, Rodrigo A; Ohlsen, Ruth I; David, Anthony S

2013-12-01

Memory impairments in patients with schizophrenia have been associated with various cognitive and clinical factors. Hallucinations have been more specifically associated with errors stemming from source monitoring failure. We conducted a broad investigation of verbal memory and visual memory as well as source memory functioning in a sample of patients with schizophrenia. Various memory measures were tallied, and we studied their associations with processing speed, working memory span, and positive, negative, and depressive symptoms. Superficial and deep memory processes were differentially associated with processing speed, working memory span, avolition, depression, and attention disorders. Auditory/verbal and visual hallucinations were differentially associated with specific types of source memory error. We integrated all the results into a revised version of a previously published model of memory functioning in schizophrenia. The model describes the factors that affect memory efficiency, as well as the cognitive underpinnings of hallucinations within the source monitoring framework. © 2013.

Measurements of auditory-verbal STM span in aphasia: effects of item, task, and lexical impairment.

PubMed

Martin, Nadine; Ayala, Jennifer

2004-06-01

In the first part of this study, we investigated effects of item and task type on span performance in a group of aphasic individuals with word processing and STM deficits. Group analyses revealed significant effects of item on span performance with span being greater for digits than for words. We also investigated associations between subjects' lexical-semantic and phonological processing abilities and performance on four measures of verbal span (digit and word span, each varied for type of response, verbal vs. pointing) as well as one measure of nonverbal span. We predicted and found that the patterns of association between verbal span tasks and lexical abilities reflected the integrity of language processes and representations deployed in each paradigm used to assess span. Performance on the pointing span task, which engages both lexical-semantic and phonological processes, correlated with measures of both lexical-semantic and phonological abilities. Performance on repetition span, which engages primarily input and output phonological processes, correlated with measures of phonological abilities but not measures of lexical-semantic abilities. However, when partial correlations were performed for two subject groups based on their relative preservation of lexical-semantic ability (less or more than phonological ability), repetition span correlated with lexical-semantic measures only in the subgroup with relatively impaired lexical-semantics. Additionally, performance on the nonverbal span task correlated with measures of phonological abilities, suggesting either a general cognitive deficit affecting verbal and nonverbal STM or possibly, the use of a verbal strategy to perform this task. Our discussion focuses on the interpretation of span measurements in clinical practice and research, as well as the implications of these data for theories of short-term memory and word processing.

Controlling for anthropogenically induced atmospheric variation in stable carbon isotope studies

USGS Publications Warehouse

Long, E.S.; Sweitzer, R.A.; Diefenbach, D.R.; Ben-David, M.

2005-01-01

Increased use of stable isotope analysis to examine food-web dynamics, migration, transfer of nutrients, and behavior will likely result in expansion of stable isotope studies investigating human-induced global changes. Recent elevation of atmospheric CO2 concentration, related primarily to fossil fuel combustion, has reduced atmospheric CO2 ??13C (13C/12C), and this change in isotopic baseline has, in turn, reduced plant and animal tissue ??13C of terrestrial and aquatic organisms. Such depletion in CO2 ??13C and its effects on tissue ??13C may introduce bias into ??13C investigations, and if this variation is not controlled, may confound interpretation of results obtained from tissue samples collected over a temporal span. To control for this source of variation, we used a high-precision record of atmospheric CO2 ??13C from ice cores and direct atmospheric measurements to model modern change in CO2 ??13C. From this model, we estimated a correction factor that controls for atmospheric change; this correction reduces bias associated with changes in atmospheric isotopic baseline and facilitates comparison of tissue ??13C collected over multiple years. To exemplify the importance of accounting for atmospheric CO2 ??13C depletion, we applied the correction to a dataset of collagen ??13C obtained from mountain lion (Puma concolor) bone samples collected in California between 1893 and 1995. Before correction, in three of four ecoregions collagen ??13C decreased significantly concurrent with depletion of atmospheric CO2 ??13C (n ??? 32, P ??? 0.01). Application of the correction to collagen ??13C data removed trends from regions demonstrating significant declines, and measurement error associated with the correction did not add substantial variation to adjusted estimates. Controlling for long-term atmospheric variation and correcting tissue samples for changes in isotopic baseline facilitate analysis of samples that span a large temporal range. ?? Springer-Verlag 2005.

The effects of perceived organisational support and span of control on the organisational commitment of novice leaders.

PubMed

Havaei, Farinaz; Dahinten, V Susan; MacPhee, Maura

2015-04-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the main and interaction effects of perceived organisational support, span of control and leadership rank on novice nurse leaders' organisational commitment. As nurse leaders' organisational commitment is eroded at times of healthcare restructuring, it is important to study factors associated with organisational commitment. Cross-sectional data from 69 novice nurse leaders, collected via mailed surveys at two time points, were analysed using hierarchical regression. The findings supported our hypotheses about the positive effect of perceived organisational support, the positive effect of leadership rank and the negative effect of span of control on novice nurse leaders' organisational commitment. In addition, perceived organisational support was shown to moderate the negative effect of span of control on novice nurse leaders' organisational commitment at time 2. Organisational strategies aimed at supporting nurse leaders, and attention to span of control, are required to enhance the organisational commitment of novice nurse leaders. Nurse leaders with a wide span of control, in particular those with little leadership experience, need to adopt leadership strategies that maximise their effectiveness, such as organising smaller work groups or teams within their wide span of control. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A field investigation on the effects of background erosion on the free span development of a submarine pipeline

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen, Shipeng; Xu, Jishang; Hu, Guanghai; Dong, Ping; Shen, Hong

2015-08-01

The safety of submarine pipelines is largely influenced by free spans and corrosions. Previous studies on free spans caused by seabed scours are mainly based on the stable environment, where the background seabed scour is in equilibrium and the soil is homogeneous. To study the effects of background erosion on the free span development of subsea pipelines, a submarine pipeline located at the abandoned Yellow River subaqueous delta lobe was investigated with an integrated surveying system which included a Multibeam bathymetric system, a dual-frequency side-scan sonar, a high resolution sub-bottom profiler, and a Magnetic Flux Leakage (MFL) sensor. We found that seabed homogeneity has a great influence on the free span development of the pipeline. More specifically, for homogeneous background scours, the morphology of scour hole below the pipeline is quite similar to that without the background scour, whereas for inhomogeneous background scour, the nature of spanning is mainly dependent on the evolution of seabed morphology near the pipeline. Magnetic Flux Leakage (MFL) detection results also reveal the possible connection between long free spans and accelerated corrosion of the pipeline.

Economic impact of multi-span, prestressed concrete girder bridges designed as simple span versus continuous span : final report.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-10-01

The objective of this study was to determine the economic impact of designing pre-tensioned prestressed concrete beam (PPCB) : bridges utilizing the continuity developed in the bridge deck as opposed to the current Iowa Department of Transportation (...

Exploratory and problem-solving consumer behavior across the life span.

PubMed

Lesser, J A; Kunkel, S R

1991-09-01

Different cognitive functioning, social, and personality changes appear to occur systematically during the adult life span. This article synthesizes research on life span changes in order to develop age-specific models of shopping behavior. The models are tested within a naturalistic field study of shoppers.

Electrodialytic matrix isolation for metal cations.

PubMed

Ohira, Shin-Ichi; Hiroyama, Yuri; Nakamura, Koretaka; Koda, Takumi; Dasgupta, Purnendu K; Toda, Kei

2015-01-01

Electrodialytic ion transfer was studied as a matrix isolation tool for heavy metal determinations. An ion transfer device (ITD) was used for the transfer of heavy metal cations. Under optimized flow rates applied voltage and receptor composition, heavy metal ions were quantitatively transferred at concentrations spanning µg L(-1) to mg L(-1). As long as the sample pH was acidic, there was no significant sample pH effect on the transfer efficiencies. Significant salt concentrations (>1 mM NaCl), however, decreased the transfer efficiency. This could be ameliorated (up to 5 mM NaCl) by transient instead of continuous sample introduction. The device was applied to the determination of Fe, Cu and Zn in equine and bovine serum; the reproducibility was better than conventional digestion method. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Implications of Extreme Life Span in Clonal Organisms: Millenary Clones in Meadows of the Threatened Seagrass Posidonia oceanica

PubMed Central

Arnaud-Haond, Sophie; Duarte, Carlos M.; Diaz-Almela, Elena; Marbà, Núria; Sintes, Tomas; Serrão, Ester A.

2012-01-01

The maximum size and age that clonal organisms can reach remains poorly known, although we do know that the largest natural clones can extend over hundreds or thousands of metres and potentially live for centuries. We made a review of findings to date, which reveal that the maximum clone age and size estimates reported in the literature are typically limited by the scale of sampling, and may grossly underestimate the maximum age and size of clonal organisms. A case study presented here shows the occurrence of clones of slow-growing marine angiosperm Posidonia oceanica at spatial scales ranging from metres to hundreds of kilometres, using microsatellites on 1544 sampling units from a total of 40 locations across the Mediterranean Sea. This analysis revealed the presence, with a prevalence of 3.5 to 8.9%, of very large clones spreading over one to several (up to 15) kilometres at the different locations. Using estimates from field studies and models of the clonal growth of P. oceanica, we estimated these large clones to be hundreds to thousands of years old, suggesting the evolution of general purpose genotypes with large phenotypic plasticity in this species. These results, obtained combining genetics, demography and model-based calculations, question present knowledge and understanding of the spreading capacity and life span of plant clones. These findings call for further research on these life history traits associated with clonality, considering their possible ecological and evolutionary implications. PMID:22312426

Estimation of true height: a study in population-specific methods among young South African adults.

PubMed

Lahner, Christen Renée; Kassier, Susanna Maria; Veldman, Frederick Johannes

2017-02-01

To investigate the accuracy of arm-associated height estimation methods in the calculation of true height compared with stretch stature in a sample of young South African adults. A cross-sectional descriptive design was employed. Pietermaritzburg, Westville and Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, 2015. Convenience sample (N 900) aged 18-24 years, which included an equal number of participants from both genders (150 per gender) stratified across race (Caucasian, Black African and Indian). Continuous variables that were investigated included: (i) stretch stature; (ii) total armspan; (iii) half-armspan; (iv) half-armspan ×2; (v) demi-span; (vi) demi-span gender-specific equation; (vii) WHO equation; and (viii) WHO-adjusted equations; as well as categorization according to gender and race. Statistical analysis was conducted using IBM SPSS Statistics Version 21.0. Significant correlations were identified between gender and height estimation measurements, with males being anatomically larger than females (P<0·001). Significant differences were documented when study participants were stratified according to race and gender (P<0·001). Anatomical similarities were noted between Indians and Black Africans, whereas Caucasians were anatomically different from the other race groups. Arm-associated height estimation methods were able to estimate true height; however, each method was specific to each gender and race group. Height can be calculated by using arm-associated measurements. Although universal equations for estimating true height exist, for the enhancement of accuracy, the use of equations that are race-, gender- and population-specific should be considered.

Temporal and spatial variability of aeolian sand transport: Implications for field measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ellis, Jean T.; Sherman, Douglas J.; Farrell, Eugene J.; Li, Bailiang

2012-01-01

Horizontal variability is often cited as one source of disparity between observed and predicted rates of aeolian mass flux, but few studies have quantified the magnitude of this variability. Two field projects were conducted to evaluate meter-scale spatial and temporal in the saltation field. In Shoalhaven Heads, NSW, Australia a horizontal array of passive-style sand traps were deployed on a beach for 600 or 1200 s across a horizontal span of 0.80 m. In Jericoacoara, Brazil, traps spanning 4 m were deployed for 180 and 240 s. Five saltation sensors (miniphones) spaced 1 m apart were also deployed at Jericoacoara. Spatial variation in aeolian transport rates over small spatial and short temporal scales was substantial. The measured transport rates ( Q) obtained from the passive traps ranged from 0.70 to 32.63 g/m/s. When considering all traps, the coefficient of variation ( CoV) values ranged from 16.6% to 67.8%, and minimum and maximum range of variation coefficient ( RVC) values were 106.1% to 152.5% and 75.1% to 90.8%, respectively. The miniphone Q and CoV averaged 47.1% and 4.1% for the 1260 s data series, which was subsequently sub-sampled at 60-630 s intervals to simulate shorter deployment times. A statistically significant ( p < 0.002), inverselinear relationship was found between sample duration and CoV and between Q and CoV, the latter relationship also considering data from previous studies.

Visual attention in posterior stroke and relations to alexia.

PubMed

Petersen, A; Vangkilde, S; Fabricius, C; Iversen, H K; Delfi, T S; Starrfelt, R

2016-11-01

Impaired visual attention is common following strokes in the territory of the middle cerebral artery, particularly in the right hemisphere, while attentional effects of more posterior lesions are less clear. Commonly, such deficits are investigated in relation to specific syndromes like visual agnosia or pure alexia. The aim of this study was to characterize visual processing speed and apprehension span following posterior cerebral artery (PCA) stroke. In addition, the relationship between these attentional parameters and single word reading is investigated, as previous studies have suggested that reduced visual speed and span may explain pure alexia. Eight patients with unilateral PCA strokes (four left hemisphere, four right hemisphere) were selected on the basis of lesion location, rather than the presence of any visual symptoms. Visual attention was characterized by a whole report paradigm allowing for hemifield-specific measurements of processing speed and apprehension span. All patients showed reductions in visual span contralateral to the lesion site, and four patients showed bilateral reductions in visual span despite unilateral lesions (2L; 2R). Six patients showed selective deficits in visual span, though processing speed was unaffected in the same field (ipsi- or contralesionally). Only patients with right hemifield reductions in visual span were impaired in reading, and this could follow either right or left lateralized stroke and was irrespective of visual field impairments. In conclusion, visual span may be affected bilaterally by unilateral PCA-lesions. Reductions in visual span may also be confined to one hemifield, and may be affected in spite of preserved visual processing speed. Furthermore, reduced span in the right visual field seems to be related to reading impairment in this group, regardless of lesion lateralization. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Developmental Changes in the Visual Span for Reading

PubMed Central

Kwon, MiYoung; Legge, Gordon E.; Dubbels, Brock R.

2007-01-01

The visual span for reading refers to the range of letters, formatted as in text, that can be recognized reliably without moving the eyes. It is likely that the size of the visual span is determined primarily by characteristics of early visual processing. It has been hypothesized that the size of the visual span imposes a fundamental limit on reading speed (Legge, Mansfield, & Chung, 2001). The goal of the present study was to investigate developmental changes in the size of the visual span in school-age children, and the potential impact of these changes on children’s reading speed. The study design included groups of 10 children in 3rd, 5th, and 7th grade, and 10 adults. Visual span profiles were measured by asking participants to recognize letters in trigrams (random strings of three letters) flashed for 100 ms at varying letter positions left and right of the fixation point. Two print sizes (0.25° and 1.0°) were used. Over a block of trials, a profile was built up showing letter recognition accuracy (% correct) versus letter position. The area under this profile was defined to be the size of the visual span. Reading speed was measured in two ways: with Rapid Serial Visual Presentation (RSVP) and with short blocks of text (termed Flashcard presentation). Consistent with our prediction, we found that the size of the visual span increased linearly with grade level and it was significantly correlated with reading speed for both presentation methods. Regression analysis using the size of the visual span as a predictor indicated that 34% to 52% of variability in reading speeds can be accounted for by the size of the visual span. These findings are consistent with a significant role of early visual processing in the development of reading skills. PMID:17845810

Paternal smoking habits affect the reproductive life span of daughters.

PubMed

Fukuda, Misao; Fukuda, Kiyomi; Shimizu, Takashi; Nobunaga, Miho; Andersen, Elisabeth Wreford; Byskov, Anne Grete; Andersen, Claus Yding

2011-06-30

The present study assessed whether the smoking habits of fathers around the time of conception affected the period in which daughters experienced menstrual cycles (i.e., the reproductive life span). The study revealed that the smoking habits of the farther shortened the daughters' reproductive life span compared with daughters whose fathers did not smoke. Copyright © 2011 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The cost of the muse: poets die young.

PubMed

Kaufman, James C

2003-11-01

Although several investigations have found that poets tend to die younger than other types of writers, these studies often do not take into account variables of gender and culture. This study examines 1,987 deceased writers from four different cultures: American, Chinese, Turkish, and Eastern European. Both male and female poets had the shortest life spans of all four types of writers (fiction writers, poets, playwrights, and non-fiction writers), and poets had the shortest life spans in three of the four cultures (and the second shortest life span among Eastern European writers). Possible reasons for the poet's shorter life span are then discussed.

Seasonal trends in Ceratitis capitata reproductive potential derived from live-caught females in Greece

PubMed Central

Kouloussis, Nikos A.; Papadopoulos, Nikos T.; Katsoyannos, Byron I.; Müller, Hans-Georg; Wang, Jane-Ling; Su, Yu-Ru; Molleman, Freerk; Carey, James R.

2012-01-01

Reproductive data of individual insects are extremely hard to collect under natural conditions, thus the study of research questions related to oviposition has not advanced. Patterns of oviposition are often inferred only indirectly, through monitoring of host infestation, whereas the influence of age structure and several other factors on oviposition remains unknown. Using a new approach, in this article, we live-trapped wild Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae) females on the Greek island of Chios during two field seasons. For their remaining lifetime, these females were placed individually in small cages and their daily oviposition was monitored. Reproduction rates between cohorts from different collection dates were then compared. The results showed that in the different captive cohorts the average remaining lifetime and reproduction were highly variable within and between seasons. Multivariate regression analysis showed that the month of capture had a significant effect on captive life span, average daily reproduction, and patterns of egg laying. The effect of year was significant on reproduction, but not on captive life span. These differences between sampling periods probably reflect differences in the availability of hosts and other factors that vary during the season and affect age structure and reproduction. Using a non-parametric generalized additive model, we found a statistically significant correlation between the captive life span and the average daily reproduction. These findings and the experimental approach have several important implications. PMID:22791908

Life-span development of self-esteem and its effects on important life outcomes.

PubMed

Orth, Ulrich; Robins, Richard W; Widaman, Keith F

2012-06-01

We examined the life-span development of self-esteem and tested whether self-esteem influences the development of important life outcomes, including relationship satisfaction, job satisfaction, occupational status, salary, positive and negative affect, depression, and physical health. Data came from the Longitudinal Study of Generations. Analyses were based on 5 assessments across a 12-year period of a sample of 1,824 individuals ages 16 to 97 years. First, growth curve analyses indicated that self-esteem increases from adolescence to middle adulthood, reaches a peak at about age 50 years, and then decreases in old age. Second, cross-lagged regression analyses indicated that self-esteem is best modeled as a cause rather than a consequence of life outcomes. Third, growth curve analyses, with self-esteem as a time-varying covariate, suggested that self-esteem has medium-sized effects on life-span trajectories of affect and depression, small to medium-sized effects on trajectories of relationship and job satisfaction, a very small effect on the trajectory of health, and no effect on the trajectory of occupational status. These findings replicated across 4 generations of participants--children, parents, grandparents, and their great-grandparents. Together, the results suggest that self-esteem has a significant prospective impact on real-world life experiences and that high and low self-esteem are not mere epiphenomena of success and failure in important life domains. 2012 APA, all rights reserved

Relations between Preschool Attention Span-Persistence and Age 25 Educational Outcomes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McClelland, Megan M.; Acock, Alan C.; Piccinin, Andrea; Rhea, Sally Ann; Stallings, Michael C.

2013-01-01

This study examined relations between children's attention span-persistence in preschool and later school achievement and college completion. Children were drawn from the Colorado Adoption Project using adopted and non-adopted children (N = 430). Results of structural equation modeling indicated that children's age 4 attention span-persistence…

Validating the Food Behavior Questions from the Elementary School SPAN Questionnaire

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thiagarajah, Krisha; Fly, Alyce D.; Hoelscher, Deanna M.; Bai, Yeon; Lo, Kaman; Leone, Angela; Shertzer, Julie A.

2008-01-01

Background: The School Physical Activity and Nutrition (SPAN) questionnaire was developed as a surveillance instrument to measure physical activity, nutrition attitudes, and dietary and physical activity behaviors in children and adolescents. The SPAN questionnaire has 2 versions. Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the validity of…

Economic impact of multi-span, prestressed concrete girder bridges designed as simple span versus continuous span : tech transfer summary.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2016-10-01

The objective of this study was to determine the economic impact of : designing pre-tensioned prestressed concrete beam (PPCB) bridges : utilizing the continuity developed in the bridge deck as opposed to the : current Iowa Department of Transportati...

Widely tunable mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers using sampled grating reflectors.

PubMed

Mansuripur, Tobias S; Menzel, Stefan; Blanchard, Romain; Diehl, Laurent; Pflügl, Christian; Huang, Yong; Ryou, Jae-Hyun; Dupuis, Russell D; Loncar, Marko; Capasso, Federico

2012-10-08

We demonstrate a three-section, electrically pulsed quantum cascade laser which consists of a Fabry-Pérot section placed between two sampled grating distributed Bragg reflectors. The device is current-tuned between ten single modes spanning a range of 0.46 μm (63 cm(-1)), from 8.32 to 8.78 μm. The peak optical output power exceeds 280 mW for nine of the modes.

The effect of inquiry teaching and advance organizers upon student outcomes in science education

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lott, Gerald W.

Two areas of research were explored in this meta-analysis: comparison of inductive versus deductive teaching approachs, and the use of advance organizers. This study involved the coding of 128 characteristics for 39 studies which spanned the period from 1957 through 1980. The coding variables included 57 which were concerned with features of the treatment while 12 were concerned with outcome attributes. Aspects such as research methodology, sample characteristics, and instructional experiences were examined quantitatively in terms of their relationships to the treatment effects through the use of a common metric for all studies. Mean effect sizes were calculated and reported.

Working memory capacity accounts for the ability to switch between object-based and location-based allocation of visual attention.

PubMed

Bleckley, M Kathryn; Foster, Jeffrey L; Engle, Randall W

2015-04-01

Bleckley, Durso, Crutchfield, Engle, and Khanna (Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 10, 884-889, 2003) found that visual attention allocation differed between groups high or low in working memory capacity (WMC). High-span, but not low-span, subjects showed an invalid-cue cost during a letter localization task in which the letter appeared closer to fixation than the cue, but not when the letter appeared farther from fixation than the cue. This suggests that low-spans allocated attention as a spotlight, whereas high-spans allocated their attention to objects. In this study, we tested whether utilizing object-based visual attention is a resource-limited process that is difficult for low-span individuals. In the first experiment, we tested the uses of object versus location-based attention with high and low-span subjects, with half of the subjects completing a demanding secondary load task. Under load, high-spans were no longer able to use object-based visual attention. A second experiment supported the hypothesis that these differences in allocation were due to high-spans using object-based allocation, whereas low-spans used location-based allocation.

Sampling functions for geophysics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Giacaglia, G. E. O.; Lunquist, C. A.

1972-01-01

A set of spherical sampling functions is defined such that they are related to spherical-harmonic functions in the same way that the sampling functions of information theory are related to sine and cosine functions. An orderly distribution of (N + 1) squared sampling points on a sphere is given, for which the (N + 1) squared spherical sampling functions span the same linear manifold as do the spherical-harmonic functions through degree N. The transformations between the spherical sampling functions and the spherical-harmonic functions are given by recurrence relations. The spherical sampling functions of two arguments are extended to three arguments and to nonspherical reference surfaces. Typical applications of this formalism to geophysical topics are sketched.

46 CFR 39.40-3 - Design and equipment for vapor balancing-TB/ALL.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... vapor; and (2) Have an oxygen analyzer with a sensor or sampling connection fitted within 3 meters (9.74... service vessel where the cargo transfer is controlled; and (iii) Has a connection for injecting a span gas...

46 CFR 39.40-3 - Design and equipment for vapor balancing-TB/ALL.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... vapor; and (2) Have an oxygen analyzer with a sensor or sampling connection fitted within 3 meters (9.74... service vessel where the cargo transfer is controlled; and (iii) Has a connection for injecting a span gas...

Performance Assessment Examples from the Quality Performance Assessment Network

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kuriacose, Christina

2017-01-01

In this brief article, Christina Kuriacose provides four sample performance assessments. Spanning grade levels, these assessments are strong examples of teacher-developed performance assessments from schools within the Center for Collaborative Education's Quality Performance Assessment network. These performance tasks demonstrate the pedagogical…

Individual differences in memory span: the contribution of rehearsal, access to lexical memory, and output speed.

PubMed

Tehan, G; Lalor, D M

2000-11-01

Rehearsal speed has traditionally been seen to be the prime determinant of individual differences in memory span. Recent studies, in the main using young children as the subject population, have suggested other contributors to span performance, notably contributions from long-term memory and forgetting and retrieval processes occurring during recall. In the current research we explore individual differences in span with respect to measures of rehearsal, output time, and access to lexical memory. We replicate standard short-term phenomena; we show that the variables that influence children's span performance influence adult performance in the same way; and we show that lexical memory access appears to be a more potent source of individual differences in span than either rehearsal speed or output factors.

Are old people so gentle? Functional and dysfunctional impulsivity in the elderly.

PubMed

Morales-Vives, Fabia; Vigil-Colet, Andreu

2012-03-01

Although old people may seem less impulsive than adults, numerous experimental studies report that they have inhibitory deficits. Bearing in mind that there is a relationship between inhibition processes and impulsivity, age-related inhibition deficits suggest that older people could be more impulsive than adults. The aim of the current study was to compare the functional and dysfunctional impulsivity scores obtained in a sample of elderly people (65 years old and above) with those obtained in previous studies on samples of adolescents and adults. Dickman's Impulsivity Inventory was administered to 190 individuals aged between 65 and 94 years without dementia or cognitive impairment. Results indicated that the elderly sample showed higher dysfunctional impulsivity levels than the adult samples, which is consistent with the inhibition deficits mentioned above. There were no significant differences in functional impulsivity. Furthermore, old women had higher scores than old men on dysfunctional impulsivity. This study provides evidence of age-related changes in dysfunctional impulsivity. Functional impulsivity did not show the same pattern as dysfunctional impulsivity, being quite stable across the age span. it seems, then, that impulsivity cannot be considered to decrease with age and dysfunctional impulsivity may even increase.

Does Cognitive Function Increase over Time in the Healthy Elderly?

PubMed Central

de Rotrou, Jocelyne; Wu, Ya-Huei; Mabire, Jean-Bernard; Moulin, Florence; de Jong, Laura W.; Rigaud, Anne-Sophie; Hanon, Olivier; Vidal, Jean-Sébastien

2013-01-01

Background In dementia screening, most studies have focused on early cognitive impairment by comparing patients suffering from mild dementia or mild cognitive impairment with normal subjects. Few studies have focused on modifications over time of the cognitive function in the healthy elderly. The objective of the present study was to analyze the cognitive function changes of two different samples, born > 15 years apart. Method A first sample of 204 cognitively normal participants was recruited in the memory clinic of Broca hospital between 1991 and 1997. A second sample of 177 cognitively normal participants was recruited in 2008–2009 in the same institution. Both samples were from the same districts of Paris and were assessed with the same neuropsychological test battery. Mean cognitive test scores were compared between 1991 and 2008 samples, between < 80 years old and ≥ 80 years old in 1991 and 2008 samples, and finally between subjects < 80 year old of 1991 sample and subjects ≥ 80 years old of the 2008 sample. Means were compared with T-tests stratified on gender, age-groups and educational level. Results Cognitive scores were significantly higher in the 2008 sample. Participants < 80 years old outperformed those ≥ 80 in both samples. However, participants < 80 years old in 1991 sample and subjects ≥ 80 in the 2008 sample, born on average in 1923, performed mostly identically. Conclusion This study showed a significant increase of cognitive scores over time. Further, contemporary octogenarians in the later sample performed like septuagenarians in the former sample. These findings might be consistent with the increase in life expectancy and life span in good health. The study highlights the necessity to take into account factors which may contaminate and artificially inflate the age-related differences in favor of younger to the older adults. PMID:24244332

Holistic life-span health outcomes among elite intercollegiate student-athletes.

PubMed

Sorenson, Shawn C; Romano, Russell; Scholefield, Robin M; Martin, Brandon E; Gordon, James E; Azen, Stanley P; Schroeder, E Todd; Salem, George J

2014-01-01

Competitive sports are recognized as having unique health benefits and risks, and the effect of sports on life-span health among elite athletes has received increasing attention. However, supporting scientific data are sparse and do not represent modern athletes. To assess holistic life-span health and health-related quality-of-life (HRQL) among current and former National Collegiate Athletic Association student-athletes (SAs). Cross-sectional study. A large Division I university. Population-based sample of 496 university students and alumni (age 17-84 years), including SAs and an age-matched and sex-matched nonathlete (NA) control group. Participants completed anonymous, self-report questionnaires. We measured the Short-Form 12 (SF-12) physical and mental component HRQL scores and cumulative lifetime experience and relative risk of treatment for joint, cardiopulmonary, and psychosocial health concerns. Older alumni (age 43+ years) SAs reported greater joint health concerns than NAs (larger joint summary scores; P = .04; Cohen d = 0.69; probability of clinically important difference [pCID] = 77%; treatment odds ratio [OR] = 14.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.6, 126). Joint health for current and younger alumni SAs was similar to that for NAs. Older alumni reported greater cardiopulmonary health concerns than younger alumni (summary score P < .001; d = 1.05; pCID = 85%; OR = 5.8, 95% CI = 2.0, 16) and current students (P < .001; d = 2.25; pCID >99.5%; OR = 7.1, 95% CI = 3.3, 15), but the risk was similar for SAs and NAs. Current SAs demonstrated evidence of better psychosocial health (summary score P = .006; d = -0.52; pCID = 40%) and mental component HRQL (P = .008; d = 0.50; pCID = 48%) versus NAs but similar psychosocial treatment odds (OR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.39, 1.9). Psychosocial health and mental component HRQL were similar between alumni SAs and NAs. No differences were observed between SAs and NAs in physical component HRQL. The SAs demonstrated significant, clinically meaningful evidence of greater joint health concerns later in life, comparable cardiopulmonary health, and differences in life-span psychosocial health and HRQL profiles compared with NAs. These data provide timely evidence regarding a compelling public issue and highlight the need for further study of life-span health among modern athletes.

Holistic Life-Span Health Outcomes Among Elite Intercollegiate Student–Athletes

PubMed Central

Sorenson, Shawn C.; Romano, Russell; Scholefield, Robin M.; Martin, Brandon E.; Gordon, James E.; Azen, Stanley P.; Schroeder, E. Todd; Salem, George J.

2014-01-01

Context: Competitive sports are recognized as having unique health benefits and risks, and the effect of sports on life-span health among elite athletes has received increasing attention. However, supporting scientific data are sparse and do not represent modern athletes. Objective: To assess holistic life-span health and health-related quality-of-life (HRQL) among current and former National Collegiate Athletic Association student–athletes (SAs). Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: A large Division I university. Patients or Other Participants: Population-based sample of 496 university students and alumni (age 17–84 years), including SAs and an age-matched and sex-matched nonathlete (NA) control group. Main Outcome Measure(s): Participants completed anonymous, self-report questionnaires. We measured the Short-Form 12 (SF-12) physical and mental component HRQL scores and cumulative lifetime experience and relative risk of treatment for joint, cardiopulmonary, and psychosocial health concerns. Results: Older alumni (age 43+ years) SAs reported greater joint health concerns than NAs (larger joint summary scores; P = .04; Cohen d = 0.69; probability of clinically important difference [pCID] = 77%; treatment odds ratio [OR] = 14.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.6, 126). Joint health for current and younger alumni SAs was similar to that for NAs. Older alumni reported greater cardiopulmonary health concerns than younger alumni (summary score P < .001; d = 1.05; pCID = 85%; OR = 5.8, 95% CI = 2.0, 16) and current students (P < .001; d = 2.25; pCID >99.5%; OR = 7.1, 95% CI = 3.3, 15), but the risk was similar for SAs and NAs. Current SAs demonstrated evidence of better psychosocial health (summary score P = .006; d = −0.52; pCID = 40%) and mental component HRQL (P = .008; d = 0.50; pCID = 48%) versus NAs but similar psychosocial treatment odds (OR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.39, 1.9). Psychosocial health and mental component HRQL were similar between alumni SAs and NAs. No differences were observed between SAs and NAs in physical component HRQL. Conclusions: The SAs demonstrated significant, clinically meaningful evidence of greater joint health concerns later in life, comparable cardiopulmonary health, and differences in life-span psychosocial health and HRQL profiles compared with NAs. These data provide timely evidence regarding a compelling public issue and highlight the need for further study of life-span health among modern athletes. PMID:25117874

Experimental study of the effect on span loading on aircraft wakes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Corsiglia, V. R.; Rossow, V. J.; Ciffone, D. L.

1975-01-01

Measurements were made in the NASA-Ames 40- by 80-foot wind tunnel of the rolling moment induced on a following model in the wake 13.6 spans behind a subsonic transport model for a variety of trailing edge flap settings of the generator. It was found that the rolling moment on the following model was reduced substantially, compared to the conventional landing configuration, by reshaping the span loading on the generating model to approximate a span loading, found in earlier studies, which resulted in reduced wake velocities. This was accomplished by retracting the outboard trailing edge flaps. It was concluded, based on flow visualization conducted in the wind tunnel as well as in a water tow facility, that this flap arrangement redistributes the vorticity shed by the wing along the span to form three vortex pairs that interact to disperse the wake.

Developmental Dyslexia: The Visual Attention Span Deficit Hypothesis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bosse, Marie-Line; Tainturier, Marie Josephe; Valdois, Sylviane

2007-01-01

The visual attention (VA) span is defined as the amount of distinct visual elements which can be processed in parallel in a multi-element array. Both recent empirical data and theoretical accounts suggest that a VA span deficit might contribute to developmental dyslexia, independently of a phonological disorder. In this study, this hypothesis was…

Effects of Skill Training on Working Memory Capacity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Yuh-shiow; Lu, Min-ju; Ko, Hsiu-ping

2007-01-01

In this study we examined the effects of skill training, in particular mental abacus and music training, on working memory. Two groups of participants--children who had received mental abacus training and their controls--participated in Experiment 1. All participants performed the following span tasks: forward digit span, backward digit span,…

Processing Efficiency in Preschoolers' Memory Span: Individual Differences Related to Age and Anxiety

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Visu-Petra, Laura; Miclea, Mircea; Cheie, Lavinia; Benga, Oana

2009-01-01

In self-paced auditory memory span tasks, the microanalysis of response timing measures represents a developmentally sensitive measure, providing insights into the development of distinct processing rates during recall performance. The current study first examined the effects of age and trait anxiety on span accuracy (effectiveness) and response…

The Effect of Orthographic Neighborhood in the Reading Span Task

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robert, Christelle; Postal, Virginie; Mathey, Stéphanie

2015-01-01

This study aimed at examining whether and to what extent orthographic neighborhood of words influences performance in a working memory span task. Twenty-five participants performed a reading span task in which final words to be memorized had either no higher frequency orthographic neighbor or at least one. In both neighborhood conditions, each…

[Psychiatry of the life span?--relevance of age in psychiatric research].

PubMed

Sikorski, Claudia; Motzek, Tom

2010-11-01

The aim of this study was to determine to what extent studies published in two German journals took the age of their sample into consideration. All publications of the two journals were viewed. Only empirical research papers were included. It was then assessed whether they included information on age of the sample and, if that was the case, the studies were further categorized as only giving descriptive sample information, reporting age-specific results of dependent variables or using age as a predictor in regression analyses. Furthermore, the age range covered was assessed. 88 % of all studies included information on age. Of those, about half only provided descriptive information on the age of the study sample, while more than one third used the age variable as a predictor in multivariate models. Few studies reported age-specific outcomes. Main focus of research was on adult populations aged 18 to 65. Only few studies concentrated on children and adolescents. In light of demographic change and age specificity of psychological disorders, it will be necessary to further differentiate and report age-specific results of psychiatric research. A change in what is considered normative aging and developmental tasks for certain age groups calls for further research in those age groups. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Insight Into Illness and Cognition in Schizophrenia in Earlier and Later Life.

PubMed

Gerretsen, Philip; Voineskos, Aristotle N; Graff-Guerrero, Ariel; Menon, Mahesh; Pollock, Bruce G; Mamo, David C; Mulsant, Benoit H; Rajji, Tarek K

2017-04-01

Impaired insight into illness in schizophrenia is associated with illness severity and deficits in premorbid intellectual function, executive function, and memory. A previous study of patients aged 60 years and older found that illness severity and premorbid intellectual function accounted for variance in insight impairment. As such, we aimed to test whether similar relationships would be observed in earlier life. A retrospective analysis was performed on 1 large sample of participants (n = 171) with a DSM-IV-TR diagnosis of schizophrenia aged 19 to 79 years acquired from 2 studies: (1) a psychosocial intervention trial for older persons with schizophrenia (June 2008 to May 2014) and (2) a diffusion tensor imaging and genetics study of psychosis across the life span (February 2007 to December 2013). We assessed insight into illness using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) item G12 and explored its relationship to illness severity (PANSS total modified), premorbid intellectual function (Wechsler Test of Adult Reading [WTAR]), and cognition. Insight impairment was more severe in later life (≥ 60 years) than in earlier years (t = -3.75, P < .001). Across the whole sample, the variance of impaired insight was explained by PANSS total modified (Exp[B] = 1.070, P < .001) and WTAR scores (Exp[B] = 0.970, P = .028). Although age and cognition were correlated with impaired insight, they did not independently contribute to its variance. However, the relationships between impaired insight and illness severity and between impaired insight and cognition, particularly working memory, were stronger in later life than in earlier life. These results suggest an opportunity for intervention may exist with cognitive-enhancing neurostimulation or medications to improve insight into illness in schizophrenia across the life span. Original study registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (identifier: NCT00832845). © Copyright 2017 Physicians Postgraduate Press, Inc.

Episodic memory change in late adulthood: generalizability across samples and performance indices.

PubMed

Dixon, Roger A; Wahlin, Ake; Maitland, Scott B; Hultsch, David F; Hertzog, Christopher; Bäckman, Lars

2004-07-01

Younger adults recall more information from episodic memory tasks than do older adults. Because longitudinal studies are rare and often incompatible, the extent of actual late-life memory change is not well established. We assemble two different longitudinal samples of normal older adults, each of which is tested twice at a 3-year interval, using a large battery of episodic memory indicators. Together, two-wave data from both the Victoria Longitudinal Study in Canada (n = 400) and the Kungsholmen Project in Sweden (n = 168) cover a 40-year span of adulthood, ranging from 54 to 94 years of age. Principal memory tasks include categorizable word lists, story recall, and random word lists, as well as indicators of cognitive support. Overall, an examination of performance on sets of common and complementary episodic tasks reveals that, for both samples, actual 3-year changes are modest and that, when decline occurs, it is gradual. The exception-greater decline for more supported tasks-suggests that these may be especially sensitive to late-life changes.

Insights into microbial communities involved in mercury methylation in the San Francisco Bay estuary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Machak, C.; Francis, C. A.

2013-12-01

San Francisco Bay (SFB) estuary is the largest estuary on the western coast of the United States, draining a watershed covering more than one third of the state of California. Mercury (Hg) contamination in SFB, as a result of gold and mercury mining in the Coast Range and Sierra Nevada region, has been observed for at least 150 years. Additional sources of Hg contamination to SFB come from active oil refineries, manufacturing, and wastewater treatment plants in the area. Concentrations of methylmercury in the sediment at the time of sample collection for the present study ranged from 0.011-3.88 μg/kg (dry weight). At some sites, the concentration exceeds wetland toxicity limits, posing a threat to the health of the ecosystem and potentially endangering humans that use the estuary for food and recreation. This study attempts to understand the factors that control the transformation of Hg to methylmercury by microorganisms in aquatic sediments, where the majority of Hg methylation is known to occur. Under anoxic conditions, some sulfate- and iron-reducing bacteria have the capacity to transform Hg into methylmercury. To better understand the microbial communities involved in Hg methylation, an extensive library of 16S rRNA sequences was generated (via Illumina sequencing) from sediment samples at 20 sites throughout the SFB estuary. In addition to genomic data, we have access to a massive database of geochemical measurements made by the SFB Regional Monitoring Program at the sampling locations. These measurements show that our sediment samples have varying methylmercury concentrations and span gradients in porewater sulfate and Fe(III), which are the two known alternative electron acceptors for mercury-methylating anaerobic bacteria. The sampling sites also span gradients in other geochemical factors known to influence microbial community composition (and potentially Hg mercury methylation), such as available organic carbon, pH, and salinity. We will present the results of our analysis of the effect of various physical and geochemical parameters on the microbial community composition and abundance of known Hg methylators throughout SFB sediments.

Validating the food behavior questions from the elementary school SPAN questionnaire.

PubMed

Thiagarajah, Krisha; Fly, Alyce D; Hoelscher, Deanna M; Bai, Yeon; Lo, Kaman; Leone, Angela; Shertzer, Julie A

2008-01-01

The School Physical Activity and Nutrition (SPAN) questionnaire was developed as a surveillance instrument to measure physical activity, nutrition attitudes, and dietary and physical activity behaviors in children and adolescents. The SPAN questionnaire has 2 versions. This study was conducted to evaluate the validity of food consumption items from the elementary school version of the SPAN questionnaire. Validity was assessed by comparing food items selected on the questionnaire with food items reported from a single 24-hour recall covering the same reference period. 5 elementary schools in Indiana. Fourth-grade student volunteers (N = 121) from 5 elementary schools. Agreement between responses to SPAN questionnaire items and reference values obtained through 24-hour dietary recall. The agreement between the questionnaire and the 24-hour recall was measured using Spearman correlation, percentage agreement, and kappa statistic. Correlation between SPAN item responses and recall data ranged from .25 (bread and related products) to .67 (gravy). The percentage agreement ranged from 26% (bread and related products) to 90% (gravy). The kappa statistic varied from .06 (chocolate candy) to .60 (beans). Results from this study indicate that the SPAN questionnaire can be administered in the classroom quickly and easily to measure many previous day dietary behaviors of fourth graders. However, questions addressing consumption of "vegetables," "candy," and "snacks" need further investigation.

Life Span Studies of ADHD-Conceptual Challenges and Predictors of Persistence and Outcome.

PubMed

Caye, Arthur; Swanson, James; Thapar, Anita; Sibley, Margaret; Arseneault, Louise; Hechtman, Lily; Arnold, L Eugene; Niclasen, Janni; Moffitt, Terrie; Rohde, Luis Augusto

2016-12-01

There is a renewed interest in better conceptualizing trajectories of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) from childhood to adulthood, driven by an increased recognition of long-term impairment and potential persistence beyond childhood and adolescence. This review addresses the following major issues relevant to the course of ADHD in light of current evidence from longitudinal studies: (1) conceptual and methodological issues related to measurement of persistence of ADHD, (2) estimates of persistence rate from childhood to adulthood and its predictors, (3) long-term negative outcomes of childhood ADHD and their early predictors, and (4) the recently proposed new adult-onset ADHD. Estimates of persistence vary widely in the literature, and diagnostic criteria, sample characteristics, and information source are the most important factors explaining variability among studies. Evidence indicates that ADHD severity, comorbid conduct disorder and major depressive disorder, and treatment for ADHD are the main predictors of ADHD persistence from childhood to adulthood. Comorbid conduct disorder and ADHD severity in childhood are the most important predictors of adverse outcomes in adulthood among children with ADHD. Three recent population studies suggested the existence of a significant proportion of individuals who report onset of ADHD symptoms and impairments after childhood. Finally, we highlight areas for improvement to increase our understanding of ADHD across the life span.

Life Span Studies of ADHD—Conceptual Challenges and Predictors of Persistence and Outcome

PubMed Central

Caye, Arthur; Swanson, James; Thapar, Anita; Sibley, Margaret; Arseneault, Louise; Hechtman, Lily; Arnold, L. Eugene; Niclasen, Janni; Moffitt, Terrie

2018-01-01

There is a renewed interest in better conceptualizing trajectories of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) from childhood to adulthood, driven by an increased recognition of long-term impairment and potential persistence beyond childhood and adolescence. This review addresses the following major issues relevant to the course of ADHD in light of current evidence from longitudinal studies: (1) conceptual and methodological issues related to measurement of persistence of ADHD, (2) estimates of persistence rate from childhood to adulthood and its predictors, (3) long-term negative outcomes of childhood ADHD and their early predictors, and (4) the recently proposed new adult-onset ADHD. Estimates of persistence vary widely in the literature, and diagnostic criteria, sample characteristics, and information source are the most important factors explaining variability among studies. Evidence indicates that ADHD severity, comorbid conduct disorder and major depressive disorder, and treatment for ADHD are the main predictors of ADHD persistence from childhood to adulthood. Comorbid conduct disorder and ADHD severity in childhood are the most important predictors of adverse outcomes in adulthood among children with ADHD. Three recent population studies suggested the existence of a significant proportion of individuals who report onset of ADHD symptoms and impairments after childhood. Finally, we highlight areas for improvement to increase our understanding of ADHD across the life span. PMID:27783340

Metabolomics Workbench: An international repository for metabolomics data and metadata, metabolite standards, protocols, tutorials and training, and analysis tools

PubMed Central

Sud, Manish; Fahy, Eoin; Cotter, Dawn; Azam, Kenan; Vadivelu, Ilango; Burant, Charles; Edison, Arthur; Fiehn, Oliver; Higashi, Richard; Nair, K. Sreekumaran; Sumner, Susan; Subramaniam, Shankar

2016-01-01

The Metabolomics Workbench, available at www.metabolomicsworkbench.org, is a public repository for metabolomics metadata and experimental data spanning various species and experimental platforms, metabolite standards, metabolite structures, protocols, tutorials, and training material and other educational resources. It provides a computational platform to integrate, analyze, track, deposit and disseminate large volumes of heterogeneous data from a wide variety of metabolomics studies including mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry (NMR) data spanning over 20 different species covering all the major taxonomic categories including humans and other mammals, plants, insects, invertebrates and microorganisms. Additionally, a number of protocols are provided for a range of metabolite classes, sample types, and both MS and NMR-based studies, along with a metabolite structure database. The metabolites characterized in the studies available on the Metabolomics Workbench are linked to chemical structures in the metabolite structure database to facilitate comparative analysis across studies. The Metabolomics Workbench, part of the data coordinating effort of the National Institute of Health (NIH) Common Fund's Metabolomics Program, provides data from the Common Fund's Metabolomics Resource Cores, metabolite standards, and analysis tools to the wider metabolomics community and seeks data depositions from metabolomics researchers across the world. PMID:26467476

A new look at the Lake Superior biomass size-spectrum

EPA Science Inventory

We combined data from multiple sampling programs to describe the Lake Superior pelagic biomass size structure. The data represented phytoplankton, zooplankton and prey-fish that spanned over 10 orders of magnitude in size and two time periods separated by five years. The biomas...

Neutron physics with accelerators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colonna, N.; Gunsing, F.; Käppeler, F.

2018-07-01

Neutron-induced nuclear reactions are of key importance for a variety of applications in basic and applied science. Apart from nuclear reactors, accelerator-based neutron sources play a major role in experimental studies, especially for the determination of reaction cross sections over a wide energy span from sub-thermal to GeV energies. After an overview of present and upcoming facilities, this article deals with state-of-the-art detectors and equipment, including the often difficult sample problem. These issues are illustrated at selected examples of measurements for nuclear astrophysics and reactor technology with emphasis on their intertwined relations.

Working memory and inhibitory control across the life span: Intrusion errors in the Reading Span Test.

PubMed

Robert, Christelle; Borella, Erika; Fagot, Delphine; Lecerf, Thierry; de Ribaupierre, Anik

2009-04-01

The aim of this study was to examine to what extent inhibitory control and working memory capacity are related across the life span. Intrusion errors committed by children and younger and older adults were investigated in two versions of the Reading Span Test. In Experiment 1, a mixed Reading Span Test with items of various list lengths was administered. Older adults and children recalled fewer correct words and produced more intrusions than did young adults. Also, age-related differences were found in the type of intrusions committed. In Experiment 2, an adaptive Reading Span Test was administered, in which the list length of items was adapted to each individual's working memory capacity. Age groups differed neither on correct recall nor on the rate of intrusions, but they differed on the type of intrusions. Altogether, these findings indicate that the availability of attentional resources influences the efficiency of inhibition across the life span.

Estimation of river and stream temperature trends under haphazard sampling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gray, Brian R.; Lyubchich, Vyacheslav; Gel, Yulia R.; Rogala, James T.; Robertson, Dale M.; Wei, Xiaoqiao

2015-01-01

Long-term temporal trends in water temperature in rivers and streams are typically estimated under the assumption of evenly-spaced space-time measurements. However, sampling times and dates associated with historical water temperature datasets and some sampling designs may be haphazard. As a result, trends in temperature may be confounded with trends in time or space of sampling which, in turn, may yield biased trend estimators and thus unreliable conclusions. We address this concern using multilevel (hierarchical) linear models, where time effects are allowed to vary randomly by day and date effects by year. We evaluate the proposed approach by Monte Carlo simulations with imbalance, sparse data and confounding by trend in time and date of sampling. Simulation results indicate unbiased trend estimators while results from a case study of temperature data from the Illinois River, USA conform to river thermal assumptions. We also propose a new nonparametric bootstrap inference on multilevel models that allows for a relatively flexible and distribution-free quantification of uncertainties. The proposed multilevel modeling approach may be elaborated to accommodate nonlinearities within days and years when sampling times or dates typically span temperature extremes.

Combining Textural Techniques to Explore Effects of Diagenesis and Low-grade Metamorphism on Iron Mineralogy and Iron Speciation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slotznick, S. P.; Webb, S.; Eiler, J. M.; Kirschvink, J. L.; Fischer, W. W.

2016-12-01

Iron chemistry and mineralogy in the sedimentary rocks provide a valuable tool for studying paleoenvironmental conditions due to the fact that iron atoms can take on either the +II or +III valence state under geological redox conditions. One method utilizing this redox chemistry is `iron speciation', a bulk chemical sequential extraction technique that maps proportions of iron species to redox conditions empirically calibrated from modern sediments. However, all Precambrian and many Phanerozoic rocks have experienced post-depositional processes; it is vital to explore their effects on iron mineralogy and speciation. We combined light and electron microscopy, magnetic microscopy, (synchrotron-based) microprobe x-ray spectroscopy, and rock magnetic measurements in order to deconvolve secondary overprints from primary phases and provide quantitative measurement of iron minerals. These techniques were applied to excellently-preserved shale and siltstone samples of the 1.4 Ga lower Belt Supergroup, Montana and Idaho, USA, spanning a metamorphic gradient from sub-biotite to garnet zone. Previously measured Silurian-Devonian shales, sandstones, and carbonates in Maine and Vermont, USA spanning from the chlorite to kyanite zone provided additional well-constrained, quantitative data for comparison and to extend our analysis. In all of the studied samples, pyrrhotite formation occurred at the sub-biotite or sub-chlorite zone. Pyrrhotite was interpreted to form from pyrite and/or other iron phases based on lithology; these reactions can affect the paleoredox proxy. Iron carbonates can also severely influence iron speciation results since they often form in anoxic pore fluids during diagenesis; textural analyses of the Belt Supergroup samples highlighted that iron-bearing carbonates were early diagenetic cements or later diagenetic overprints. The inclusion of iron from diagenetic minerals during iron speciation analyses will skew results by providing a view of pore-fluid redox, not ancient water column chemistry. While our analyses and biological indicators suggest that the studied samples of the lower Belt Supergroup and New England were deposited in oxic water columns, iron speciation results imply anoxic/ferruginous conditions due to diagenetic alterations affecting the record.

Arm span and ulnar length are reliable and accurate estimates of recumbent length and height in a multiethnic population of infants and children under 6 years of age.

PubMed

Forman, Michele R; Zhu, Yeyi; Hernandez, Ladia M; Himes, John H; Dong, Yongquan; Danish, Robert K; James, Kyla E; Caulfield, Laura E; Kerver, Jean M; Arab, Lenore; Voss, Paula; Hale, Daniel E; Kanafani, Nadim; Hirschfeld, Steven

2014-09-01

Surrogate measures are needed when recumbent length or height is unobtainable or unreliable. Arm span has been used as a surrogate but is not feasible in children with shoulder or arm contractures. Ulnar length is not usually impaired by joint deformities, yet its utility as a surrogate has not been adequately studied. In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to examine the accuracy and reliability of ulnar length measured by different tools as a surrogate measure of recumbent length and height. Anthropometrics [recumbent length, height, arm span, and ulnar length by caliper (ULC), ruler (ULR), and grid (ULG)] were measured in 1479 healthy infants and children aged <6 y across 8 study centers in the United States. Multivariate mixed-effects linear regression models for recumbent length and height were developed by using ulnar length and arm span as surrogate measures. The agreement between the measured length or height and the predicted values by ULC, ULR, ULG, and arm span were examined by Bland-Altman plots. All 3 measures of ulnar length and arm span were highly correlated with length and height. The degree of precision of prediction equations for length by ULC, ULR, and ULG (R(2) = 0.95, 0.95, and 0.92, respectively) was comparable with that by arm span (R(2) = 0.97) using age, sex, and ethnicity as covariates; however, height prediction by ULC (R(2) = 0.87), ULR (R(2) = 0.85), and ULG (R(2) = 0.88) was less comparable with arm span (R(2) = 0.94). Our study demonstrates that arm span and ULC, ULR, or ULG can serve as accurate and reliable surrogate measures of recumbent length and height in healthy children; however, ULC, ULR, and ULG tend to slightly overestimate length and height in young infants and children. Further testing of ulnar length as a surrogate is warranted in physically impaired or nonambulatory children. © 2014 American Society for Nutrition.

Learning and memory performance in a cohort of clinically referred breast cancer survivors: the role of attention versus forgetting in patient-reported memory complaints.

PubMed

Root, James C; Ryan, Elizabeth; Barnett, Gregory; Andreotti, Charissa; Bolutayo, Kemi; Ahles, Tim

2015-05-01

While forgetfulness is widely reported by breast cancer survivors, studies documenting objective memory performance yield mixed, largely inconsistent, results. Failure to find consistent, objective memory issues may be due to the possibility that cancer survivors misattribute their experience of forgetfulness to primary memory issues rather than to difficulties in attention at the time of learning. To clarify potential attention issues, factor scores for Attention Span, Learning Efficiency, Delayed Memory, and Inaccurate Memory were analyzed for the California Verbal Learning Test-Second Edition (CVLT-II) in 64 clinically referred breast cancer survivors with self-reported cognitive complaints; item analysis was conducted to clarify specific contributors to observed effects, and contrasts between learning and recall trials were compared with normative data. Performance on broader cognitive domains is also reported. The Attention Span factor, but not Learning Efficiency, Delayed Memory, or Inaccurate Memory factors, was significantly affected in this clinical sample. Contrasts between trials were consistent with normative data and did not indicate greater loss of information over time than in the normative sample. Results of this analysis suggest that attentional dysfunction may contribute to subjective and objective memory complaints in breast cancer survivors. These results are discussed in the context of broader cognitive effects following treatment for clinicians who may see cancer survivors for assessment. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Asymmetry in auditory and spatial attention span in normal elderly genetically at risk for Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Jacobson, Mark W; Delis, Dean C; Bondi, Mark W; Salmon, David P

2005-02-01

Some studies of elderly individuals with the ApoE-e4 genotype noted subtle deficits on tests of attention such as the WAIS-R Digit Span subtest, but these findings have not been consistently reported. One possible explanation for the inconsistent results could be the presence of subgroups of e4+ individuals with asymmetric cognitive profiles (i.e., significant discrepancies between verbal and visuospatial skills). Comparing genotype groups with individual, modality-specific tests might obscure subtle differences between verbal and visuospatial attention in these asymmetric subgroups. In this study, we administered the WAIS-R Digit Span and WMS-R Visual Memory Span subtests to 21 nondemented elderly e4+ individuals and 21 elderly e4- individuals matched on age, education, and overall cognitive ability. We hypothesized that a) the e4+ group would show a higher incidence of asymmetric cognitive profiles when comparing Digit Span/Visual Memory Span performance relative to the e4- group; and (b) an analysis of individual test performance would fail to reveal differences between the two subject groups. Although the groups' performances were comparable on the individual attention span tests, the e4+ group showed a significantly larger discrepancy between digit span and spatial span scores compared to the e4- group. These findings suggest that contrast measures of modality-specific attentional skills may be more sensitive to subtle group differences in at-risk groups, even when the groups do not differ on individual comparisons of standardized test means. The increased discrepancy between verbal and visuospatial attention may reflect the presence of "subgroups" within the ApoE-e4 group that are qualitatively similar to asymmetric subgroups commonly associated with the earliest stages of AD.

Neural Dissociation of Phonological and Visual Attention Span Disorders in Developmental Dyslexia: fMRI Evidence from Two Case Reports

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peyrin, C.; Lallier, M.; Demonet, J. F.; Pernet, C.; Baciu, M.; Le Bas, J. F.; Valdois, S.

2012-01-01

A dissociation between phonological and visual attention (VA) span disorders has been reported in dyslexic children. This study investigates whether this cognitively-based dissociation has a neurobiological counterpart through the investigation of two cases of developmental dyslexia. LL showed a phonological disorder but preserved VA span whereas…

The Interaction of Eye-Voice Span with Syntactic Chunking and Predictability in Right- and Left-Embedded Sentences.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Balajthy, Ernest P., Jr.

Sixty tenth graders participated in this study of relationships between eye/voice span, phrase and clause boundaries, reading ability, and sentence structure. Results indicated that sentences apparently are "chunked" into surface constituents during processing. Better tenth grade readers had longer eye/voice spans than did poorer readers and…

Ventilation of Wide-Span Schools in the Hot, Humid Tropics. Educational Building Report 6.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chand, Ishwar

This report describes studies on natural air motion induced in wide-span educational buildings. It includes a discussion on the influence of air motion indoors on various factors such as the span of buildings, orientation in relation to outdoor wind, open spaces such as courtyards, plan form, semi-partitions, external projections, adjacent…

Working Memory Deficits in Children with Reading Difficulties: Memory Span and Dual Task Coordination

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wang, Shinmin; Gathercole, Susan E.

2013-01-01

The current study investigated the cause of the reported problems in working memory in children with reading difficulties. Verbal and visuospatial simple and complex span tasks, and digit span and reaction times tasks performed singly and in combination, were administered to 46 children with single word reading difficulties and 45 typically…

A loading study of older highway bridges in Virginia. Pt. 3, Concrete tee-beam bridge in Nelson County.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1977-01-01

A 40-foot clear span, standard reinforced tee-beam bridge over the Tye River in Nelson County was tested with a 23-ton, tandem axle test vehicle in July 1976. The test span was one of four identical spans making a total bridge length of 170 feet. Str...

Widespread occurrence of neonicotinoid insecticides in streams in a high corn and soybean producing region, USA

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hladik, Michelle; Kolpin, Dana W.; Kuivila, Kathryn

2014-01-01

Neonicotinoid insecticides are of environmental concern, but little is known about their occurrence in surface water. An area of intense corn and soybean production in the Midwestern United States was chosen to study this issue because of the high agricultural use of neonicotinoids via both seed treatments and other forms of application. Water samples were collected from nine stream sites during the 2013 growing season. The results for the 79 water samples documented similar patterns among sites for both frequency of detection and concentration (maximum:median) with clothianidin (75%, 257 ng/L:8.2 ng/L) > thiamethoxam (47%, 185 ng/L: imidacloprid (23%, 42.7 ng/L: <2 ng/L). Neonicotinoids were detected at all nine sites sampled even though the basin areas spanned four orders of magnitude. Temporal patterns in concentrations reveal pulses of neonicotinoids associated with rainfall events during crop planting, suggesting seed treatments as their likely source.

Nutrients, suspended sediment, and pesticides in waters of the Red River of the North Basin, Minnesota, North Dakota, and South Dakota, 1970-90

USGS Publications Warehouse

Tornes, L.H.; Brigham, M.E.

1994-01-01

A relatively large fraction of stream samples had detectable quantities of 2,4-D, a- and y-HCH, and atrazine. These samples covered time spans of as much as 15 years and were from sites downstream from large drainage basins; however, concentrations were well below US EPA MCLs. One county-level study showed higher 2,4-D concentrations at upstream sites than at the outlet from a small basin. This indicates that downstream sites may fail to show impaired water-quality and the fate of pesticides used in the basin. Following the 1972 ban on DDT, concentrations of DDT in fish samples from the Red River of the North quickly decreased. Fish concentrations of DDE and DDD decreased more slowly. Low levels of DDE and DDD were detected in fish 14 years after the DDT ban.

Snapshot Survey of the Globular Cluster Populations of Isolated Early Type Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gregg, Michael

2017-08-01

We propose WFC3/UVIS snapshot observations of a sample of 75 isolated early type galaxiesresiding in cosmic voids or extremely low density regions. The primary aim is to usetheir globular cluster populations to reconstruct their evolutionary history, revealingif, how, and why void ellipticals differ from cluster ellipticals. The galaxies span arange of luminosities, providing a varied sample for comparison with the well-documentedglobular cluster populations in denser environments. This proposed WFC3 study of isolatedearly type galaxies breaks new ground by targeting a sample which has thus far receivedlittle attention, and, significantly, this will be the first such study with HST.Characterizing early type galaxies in voids and their GC systems promises to increase ourunderstanding of galaxy formation and evolution of galaxies in general because isolatedobjects are the best approximation to a control sample that we have for understanding theinfluence of environment on formation and evolution. Whether these isolated objects turnout to be identical to or distinct from counterparts in other regions of the Universe,they will supply insight into the formation and evolution of all galaxies. Parallel ACSimaging will help to characterize the near field environments of the sample.

Inferring patterns in mitochondrial DNA sequences through hypercube independent spanning trees.

PubMed

Silva, Eduardo Sant Ana da; Pedrini, Helio

2016-03-01

Given a graph G, a set of spanning trees rooted at a vertex r of G is said vertex/edge independent if, for each vertex v of G, v≠r, the paths of r to v in any pair of trees are vertex/edge disjoint. Independent spanning trees (ISTs) provide a number of advantages in data broadcasting due to their fault tolerant properties. For this reason, some studies have addressed the issue by providing mechanisms for constructing independent spanning trees efficiently. In this work, we investigate how to construct independent spanning trees on hypercubes, which are generated based upon spanning binomial trees, and how to use them to predict mitochondrial DNA sequence parts through paths on the hypercube. The prediction works both for inferring mitochondrial DNA sequences comprised of six bases as well as infer anomalies that probably should not belong to the mitochondrial DNA standard. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Iodine-xenon studies of petrographically and chemically characterized Chainpur chondrules

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swindle, T. D.; Caffee, M. W.; Hohenberg, C. M.; Lindstrom, M. M.; Taylor, G. J.

1991-01-01

INAA, noble gas, and petrographic studies conducted on samples of 18 chondrules and matric material from the Chainpur (LL3) indicate that the I-129/I-127 ratio, R(0), varies by a factor of more than 10 among the chondrules. This corresponds to a greater-than-50 Ma span in apparent I-Xe ages. Models which invoke either gas-dust mixing or nebular heterogeneity cannot satisfactorily explain these data, any more than can hypotheses which attribute the variations to differences in formation age, metamorphic rate, or time of aqueous alteration. It is alternatively suggested that the variations represent periods of low-grade shock events.

The neural correlates of auditory and visuospatial span in logopenic progressive aphasia and Alzheimer's disease.

PubMed

Foxe, David; Leyton, Cristian E; Hodges, John R; Burrell, James R; Irish, Muireann; Piguet, Olivier

2016-10-01

Logopenic progressive aphasia (lv-PPA) is a form of primary progressive aphasia and is predominantly associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. The neuropsychological profiles of lv-PPA and typical clinical AD are, however, distinct. In particular, these two syndromes differ on attention span measures, where auditory attention span is more impaired in lv-PPA than in AD and visuospatial span appears more impaired in AD than in lv-PPA. The neural basis of these span profiles, however, remains unclear. Sixteen lv-PPA and 21 AD matched patients, and 15 education-matched healthy controls were recruited. All participants were assessed by a neurologist and completed a neuropsychological assessment that included the Wechsler Memory Scale-III Digit and Spatial Span tasks, and underwent a high-resolution structural brain MRI to conduct cortical thickness analyses. Patient groups were impaired on all span tasks compared to Controls. In addition, performance on Digit Span Forward (DSF) was significantly lower in the lv-PPA than the AD group, while Spatial Span Forward (SSF) was significantly lower in the AD than the lv-PPA group. No differences were found between patient groups on the Digit or Spatial Span Backward tasks. Neuroimaging analyses revealed that reduced DSF performance correlated to thinning of the left superior temporal gyrus in the lv-PPA group, whereas reduced SSF performance was related to bilateral precentral sulcus and parieto-occipital thinning in the AD group. Analyses of the backward span tasks revealed that reduced Spatial Span Backward (SSB) performance in the lv-PPA group related to cortical thinning of the left superior parietal lobule. This study demonstrates that while lv-PPA and AD commonly share the same underlying neuropathology, their span profiles are distinct and are mediated by divergent patterns of cortical degeneration. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mapping the developmental constraints on working memory span performance.

PubMed

Bayliss, Donna M; Jarrold, Christopher; Baddeley, Alan D; Gunn, Deborah M; Leigh, Eleanor

2005-07-01

This study investigated the constraints underlying developmental improvements in complex working memory span performance among 120 children of between 6 and 10 years of age. Independent measures of processing efficiency, storage capacity, rehearsal speed, and basic speed of processing were assessed to determine their contribution to age-related variance in complex span. Results showed that developmental improvements in complex span were driven by 2 age-related but separable factors: 1 associated with general speed of processing and 1 associated with storage ability. In addition, there was an age-related contribution shared between working memory, processing speed, and storage ability that was important for higher level cognition. These results pose a challenge for models of complex span performance that emphasize the importance of processing speed alone.

Perceptual Span Depends on Font Size during the Reading of Chinese Sentences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yan, Ming; Zhou, Wei; Shu, Hua; Kliegl, Reinhold

2015-01-01

The present study explored the perceptual span (i.e., the physical extent of an area from which useful visual information is extracted during a single fixation) during the reading of Chinese sentences in 2 experiments. In Experiment 1, we tested whether the rightward span can go beyond 3 characters when visually similar masks were used. Results…

The Effect of Old Age on Supra-Span Learning of Visuo-Spatial Sequences under Incidental and Intentional Encoding Instructions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gagnon, Sylvain; Bedard, Marie-Josee; Turcotte, Josee

2005-01-01

Recent findings [Turcotte, Gagnon, & Poirier, 2005. The effect of old age on the learning of supra-span sequences. "Psychology and Aging," 20, 251-260.] indicate that incidental learning of visuo-spatial supra-span sequences through immediate serial recall declines with old age (Hebb's paradigm). In this study, we examined whether…

The dust attenuation of star-forming galaxies at z ˜ 3 and beyond: New insights from ALMA observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fudamoto, Y.; Oesch, P. A.; Schinnerer, E.; Groves, B.; Karim, A.; Magnelli, B.; Sargent, M. T.; Cassata, P.; Lang, P.; Liu, D.; Le Fèvre, O.; Leslie, S.; Smolčić, V.; Tasca, L.

2017-11-01

We present results on the dust attenuation of galaxies at redshift ∼3-6 by studying the relationship between the UV spectral slope (βUV) and the infrared excess (IRX; LIR/LUV) using Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) far-infrared continuum observations. Our study is based on a sample of 67 massive, star-forming galaxies with a median mass of M* ∼ 1010.7 M⊙ spanning a redshift range z = 2.6-3.7 (median z = 3.2) that were observed with ALMA at λ _{rest}=300 {μ m}. Both the individual ALMA detections (41 sources) and stacks including all galaxies show the IRX-βUV relationship at z ∼ 3 is mostly consistent with that of local starburst galaxies on average. However, we find evidence for a large dispersion around the mean relationship by up to ±0.5 dex. Nevertheless, the locally calibrated dust correction factors based on the IRX-βUV relation are on average applicable to main-sequence z ∼ 3 galaxies. This does not appear to be the case at even higher redshifts, however. Using public ALMA observations of z ∼ 4-6 galaxies we find evidence for a significant evolution in the IRX-βUV and the IRX-M* relations beyond z ∼ 3 towards lower IRX values. We discuss several caveats that could affect these results, including the assumed dust temperature. ALMA observations of larger z > 3 galaxy sample spanning a wide range of physical parameters (e.g. lower stellar mass) will be important to investigate this intriguing redshift evolution further.

Diet quality and cognitive function in an urban sample: findings from the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span (HANDLS) study.

PubMed

Wright, Regina S; Waldstein, Shari R; Kuczmarski, Marie Fanelli; Pohlig, Ryan T; Gerassimakis, Constance S; Gaynor, Beatrice; Evans, Michele K; Zonderman, Alan B

2017-01-01

Poor diet quality contributes to morbidity, including poor brain health outcomes such as cognitive decline and dementia. African Americans and individuals living in poverty may be at greater risk for cognitive decrements from poor diet quality. Cross-sectional. Baltimore, MD, USA. Participants were 2090 African Americans and Whites (57 % female, mean age=47·9 years) who completed two 24 h dietary recalls. We examined cognitive performance and potential interactions of diet quality with race and poverty status using baseline data from the Healthy Aging in Neighborhoods of Diversity across the Life Span (HANDLS) study. Healthy Eating Index-2010 (HEI-2010) scores were calculated and interpreted using federal guidelines. A neurocognitive test battery was administered to evaluate cognitive function over several domains. Linear regression analyses showed that lower HEI-2010 scores were associated with poorer verbal learning and memory (P<0·05) after adjustment for covariates. Diet quality within the sample was poor. Significant interactions of HEI-2010 and poverty status (all P<0·05) indicated that higher diet quality was associated with higher performance on tests of attention and cognitive flexibility, visuospatial ability and perceptual speed among those below the poverty line. No significant race interactions emerged. Higher diet quality was associated with better performance on two measures of verbal learning and memory, irrespective of race and poverty status. Findings suggest that diet quality and cognitive function are likely related at the population level. Future research is needed to determine whether the association is clinically significant.

Tracking niche variation over millennial timescales in sympatric killer whale lineages

PubMed Central

Foote, Andrew D.; Newton, Jason; Ávila-Arcos, María C.; Kampmann, Marie-Louise; Samaniego, Jose A.; Post, Klaas; Rosing-Asvid, Aqqalu; Sinding, Mikkel-Holger S.; Gilbert, M. Thomas P.

2013-01-01

Niche variation owing to individual differences in ecology has been hypothesized to be an early stage of sympatric speciation. Yet to date, no study has tracked niche width over more than a few generations. In this study, we show the presence of isotopic niche variation over millennial timescales and investigate the evolutionary outcomes. Isotopic ratios were measured from tissue samples of sympatric killer whale Orcinus orca lineages from the North Sea, spanning over 10 000 years. Isotopic ratios spanned a range similar to the difference in isotopic values of two known prey items, herring Clupea harengus and harbour seal Phoca vitulina. Two proxies of the stage of speciation, lineage sorting of mitogenomes and genotypic clustering, were both weak to intermediate indicating that speciation has made little progress. Thus, our study confirms that even with the necessary ecological conditions, i.e. among-individual variation in ecology, it is difficult for sympatric speciation to progress in the face of gene flow. In contrast to some theoretical models, our empirical results suggest that sympatric speciation driven by among-individual differences in ecological niche is a slow process and may not reach completion. We argue that sympatric speciation is constrained in this system owing to the plastic nature of the behavioural traits under selection when hunting either mammals or fish. PMID:23945688

Tracking niche variation over millennial timescales in sympatric killer whale lineages.

PubMed

Foote, Andrew D; Newton, Jason; Ávila-Arcos, María C; Kampmann, Marie-Louise; Samaniego, Jose A; Post, Klaas; Rosing-Asvid, Aqqalu; Sinding, Mikkel-Holger S; Gilbert, M Thomas P

2013-10-07

Niche variation owing to individual differences in ecology has been hypothesized to be an early stage of sympatric speciation. Yet to date, no study has tracked niche width over more than a few generations. In this study, we show the presence of isotopic niche variation over millennial timescales and investigate the evolutionary outcomes. Isotopic ratios were measured from tissue samples of sympatric killer whale Orcinus orca lineages from the North Sea, spanning over 10 000 years. Isotopic ratios spanned a range similar to the difference in isotopic values of two known prey items, herring Clupea harengus and harbour seal Phoca vitulina. Two proxies of the stage of speciation, lineage sorting of mitogenomes and genotypic clustering, were both weak to intermediate indicating that speciation has made little progress. Thus, our study confirms that even with the necessary ecological conditions, i.e. among-individual variation in ecology, it is difficult for sympatric speciation to progress in the face of gene flow. In contrast to some theoretical models, our empirical results suggest that sympatric speciation driven by among-individual differences in ecological niche is a slow process and may not reach completion. We argue that sympatric speciation is constrained in this system owing to the plastic nature of the behavioural traits under selection when hunting either mammals or fish.

Mixed emotions across the adult life span in the United States

PubMed Central

Schneider, Stefan; Stone, Arthur A.

2015-01-01

Mixed emotions involve the co-occurrence of positive and negative affect, such that people feel happy and sad at the same time. The purpose of the present study was to investigate age-related differences in the experience of mixed emotions across the adult life span in two nationally representative samples of U.S. residents. Data collected by the Princeton Affect and Time Survey (PATS, n = 3,948) and by the 2010 Wellbeing Module of the American Time Use Survey (ATUS, n = 12,828) were analyzed. In both surveys, respondents (aged 15 years or older) provided a detailed time diary about the preceding day and rated their happiness and sadness for three of the day's episodes. From these reports, three different indices of mixed emotions were derived. Results indicated small, but robust, increases in mixed emotions with age. Linear age increases were consistently evident in both PATS and ATUS, and replicated across the different indices of mixed emotions. There was no significant evidence for curvilinear age trends in either study. Several sociodemographic factors that could plausibly explain age-differences in mixed emotions (e.g., retirement, disability) did not alter the age-effects. The present study adds to the growing literature documenting vital changes in the complexity of emotional experience over the lifespan. PMID:25894487

40 CFR 86.140-94 - Exhaust sample analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

...-cycle and methanol-fueled, natural gas-fueled and liquefied petroleum gas-fueled (if non-heated FID option is used) diesel vehicle HC: (1) Zero the analyzers and obtain a stable zero reading. Recheck after...: (1) Zero HFID analyzer and obtain a stable zero reading. (2) Introduce span gas and set instrument...

40 CFR 86.140-94 - Exhaust sample analysis.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

...-cycle and methanol-fueled, natural gas-fueled and liquefied petroleum gas-fueled (if non-heated FID option is used) diesel vehicle HC: (1) Zero the analyzers and obtain a stable zero reading. Recheck after...: (1) Zero HFID analyzer and obtain a stable zero reading. (2) Introduce span gas and set instrument...

40 CFR 91.413 - Exhaust sample procedure-gaseous components.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... that may occur between the pre and post checks is not specified. However, the difference between pre... drift nor the span drift between the pre-analysis and post-analysis checks on any range used may exceed... PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM MARINE SPARK-IGNITION ENGINES Gaseous Exhaust Test...

40 CFR 91.413 - Exhaust sample procedure-gaseous components.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... that may occur between the pre and post checks is not specified. However, the difference between pre... drift nor the span drift between the pre-analysis and post-analysis checks on any range used may exceed... PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM MARINE SPARK-IGNITION ENGINES Gaseous Exhaust Test...

40 CFR 91.413 - Exhaust sample procedure-gaseous components.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... that may occur between the pre and post checks is not specified. However, the difference between pre... drift nor the span drift between the pre-analysis and post-analysis checks on any range used may exceed... PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM MARINE SPARK-IGNITION ENGINES Gaseous Exhaust Test...

40 CFR 91.413 - Exhaust sample procedure-gaseous components.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... that may occur between the pre and post checks is not specified. However, the difference between pre... drift nor the span drift between the pre-analysis and post-analysis checks on any range used may exceed... PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM MARINE SPARK-IGNITION ENGINES Gaseous Exhaust Test...

40 CFR 91.413 - Exhaust sample procedure-gaseous components.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... that may occur between the pre and post checks is not specified. However, the difference between pre... drift nor the span drift between the pre-analysis and post-analysis checks on any range used may exceed... PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) CONTROL OF EMISSIONS FROM MARINE SPARK-IGNITION ENGINES Gaseous Exhaust Test...

Life span effects of Hypericum perforatum extracts on Caenorhabditis elegans under heat stress.

PubMed

Kılıçgün, Hasan; Göksen, Gülden

2012-10-01

The beneficial effects of antioxidants in plants are mainly extrapolated from in vitro studies or short-term dietary supplementation studies. Due to cost and duration, relatively little is known about whether dietary antioxidants are beneficial in whole animals' life span or not. To address this question, under heat stress (35°C), Hypericum perforatum was extracted with petroleum ether and the nematodes Caenorhabditis elegans exposed to three different extract concentrations (1mg/mL, 0.1mg/mL, 0.01mg/mL) of H. perforatum. We report that Hypericum perforatum extracts did not increase life span and slow aging related increase in C. elegans. Moreover, one fraction (1mg/mL) increased declines of C. elegans life span and thermotolerance. Given this mounting evidence for life span role of H. perforatum in the presence of heat stress in vivo, the question whether H. perforatum acts as a prooxidant or an antioxidant in vivo under heat stress arises.

Life span effects of Hypericum perforatum extracts on Caenorhabditis elegans under heat stress

PubMed Central

Kılıçgün, Hasan; Göksen, Gülden

2012-01-01

Background: The beneficial effects of antioxidants in plants are mainly extrapolated from in vitro studies or short-term dietary supplementation studies. Due to cost and duration, relatively little is known about whether dietary antioxidants are beneficial in whole animals’ life span or not. Materials and Methods: To address this question, under heat stress (35°C), Hypericum perforatum was extracted with petroleum ether and the nematodes Caenorhabditis elegans exposed to three different extract concentrations (1mg/mL, 0.1mg/mL, 0.01mg/mL) of H. perforatum. Results: We report that Hypericum perforatum extracts did not increase life span and slow aging related increase in C. elegans. Moreover, one fraction (1mg/mL) increased declines of C. elegans life span and thermotolerance. Conclusion: Given this mounting evidence for life span role of H. perforatum in the presence of heat stress in vivo, the question whether H. perforatum acts as a prooxidant or an antioxidant in vivo under heat stress arises. PMID:24082638

Cluster Stability Estimation Based on a Minimal Spanning Trees Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Volkovich, Zeev (Vladimir); Barzily, Zeev; Weber, Gerhard-Wilhelm; Toledano-Kitai, Dvora

2009-08-01

Among the areas of data and text mining which are employed today in science, economy and technology, clustering theory serves as a preprocessing step in the data analyzing. However, there are many open questions still waiting for a theoretical and practical treatment, e.g., the problem of determining the true number of clusters has not been satisfactorily solved. In the current paper, this problem is addressed by the cluster stability approach. For several possible numbers of clusters we estimate the stability of partitions obtained from clustering of samples. Partitions are considered consistent if their clusters are stable. Clusters validity is measured as the total number of edges, in the clusters' minimal spanning trees, connecting points from different samples. Actually, we use the Friedman and Rafsky two sample test statistic. The homogeneity hypothesis, of well mingled samples within the clusters, leads to asymptotic normal distribution of the considered statistic. Resting upon this fact, the standard score of the mentioned edges quantity is set, and the partition quality is represented by the worst cluster corresponding to the minimal standard score value. It is natural to expect that the true number of clusters can be characterized by the empirical distribution having the shortest left tail. The proposed methodology sequentially creates the described value distribution and estimates its left-asymmetry. Numerical experiments, presented in the paper, demonstrate the ability of the approach to detect the true number of clusters.

Individuals with Low Working Memory Spans Show Greater Interference from Irrelevant Information Because of Poor Source Monitoring, Not Greater Activation

PubMed Central

Lilienthal, Lindsey; Rose, Nathan S.; Tamez, Elaine; Myerson, Joel; Hale, Sandra

2014-01-01

Although individuals with high and low working memory (WM) span appear to differ in the extent to which irrelevant information interferes with their performance on WM tasks, the locus of this interference is not clear. The present study investigated whether, when performing a WM task, high- and low-span individuals differ in the activation of formerly relevant, but now irrelevant items, and/or in their ability to correctly identify such irrelevant items. This was done in two experiments, both of which used modified complex WM span tasks. In Experiment 1, the span task included an embedded lexical decision task designed to obtain an implicit measure of the activation of both currently and formerly relevant items. In Experiment 2, the span task included an embedded recognition judgment task designed to obtain an explicit measure of both item and source recognition ability. The results of these experiments indicate that low-span individuals do not hold irrelevant information in a more active state in memory than high-span individuals, but rather that low-span individuals are significantly poorer at identifying such information as irrelevant at the time of retrieval. These results suggest that differences in the ability to monitor the source of information, rather than differences in the activation of irrelevant information, are the more important determinant of performance on WM tasks. PMID:25921723

Health Span-Extending Activity of Human Amniotic Membrane- and Adipose Tissue-Derived Stem Cells in F344 Rats

PubMed Central

Kim, Dajeong; Kyung, Jangbeen; Park, Dongsun; Choi, Ehn-Kyoung; Kim, Kwang Sei; Shin, Kyungha; Lee, Hangyoung; Shin, Il Seob; Kang, Sung Keun

2015-01-01

Aging brings about the progressive decline in cognitive function and physical activity, along with losses of stem cell population and function. Although transplantation of muscle-derived stem/progenitor cells extended the health span and life span of progeria mice, such effects in normal animals were not confirmed. Human amniotic membrane-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AMMSCs) or adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs) (1 × 106 cells per rat) were intravenously transplanted to 10-month-old male F344 rats once a month throughout their lives. Transplantation of AMMSCs and ADMSCs improved cognitive and physical functions of naturally aging rats, extending life span by 23.4% and 31.3%, respectively. The stem cell therapy increased the concentration of acetylcholine and recovered neurotrophic factors in the brain and muscles, leading to restoration of microtubule-associated protein 2, cholinergic and dopaminergic nervous systems, microvessels, muscle mass, and antioxidative capacity. The results indicate that repeated transplantation of AMMSCs and ADMSCs elongate both health span and life span, which could be a starting point for antiaging or rejuvenation effects of allogeneic or autologous stem cells with minimum immune rejection. Significance This study demonstrates that repeated treatment with stem cells in normal animals has antiaging potential, extending health span and life span. Because antiaging and prolonged life span are issues currently of interest, these results are significant for readers and investigators. PMID:26315571

Relations between Preschool Attention Span-Persistence and Age 25 Educational Outcomes

PubMed Central

McClelland, Megan M.; Acock, Alan C.; Piccinin, Andrea; Rhea, Sally Ann; Stallings, Michael C.

2012-01-01

This study examined relations between children’s attention span-persistence in preschool and later school achievement and college completion. Children were drawn from the Colorado Adoption Project using adopted and non-adopted children (N = 430). Results of structural equation modeling indicated that children’s age 4 attention span-persistence significantly predicted math and reading achievement at age 21 after controlling for achievement levels at age 7, adopted status, child vocabulary skills, gender, and maternal education level. Relations between attention span-persistence and later achievement were not fully mediated by age 7 achievement levels. Logistic regressions also revealed that age 4 attention span-persistence skills significantly predicted the odds of completing college by age 25. The majority of this relationship was direct and was not significantly mediated by math or reading skills at age 7 or age 21. Specifically, children who were rated one standard deviation higher on attention span-persistence at age 4 had 48.7% greater odds of completing college by age 25. Discussion focuses on the importance of children’s early attention span-persistence for later school achievement and educational attainment. PMID:23543916

Relations between Preschool Attention Span-Persistence and Age 25 Educational Outcomes.

PubMed

McClelland, Megan M; Acock, Alan C; Piccinin, Andrea; Rhea, Sally Ann; Stallings, Michael C

2013-04-01

This study examined relations between children's attention span-persistence in preschool and later school achievement and college completion. Children were drawn from the Colorado Adoption Project using adopted and non-adopted children ( N = 430). Results of structural equation modeling indicated that children's age 4 attention span-persistence significantly predicted math and reading achievement at age 21 after controlling for achievement levels at age 7, adopted status, child vocabulary skills, gender, and maternal education level. Relations between attention span-persistence and later achievement were not fully mediated by age 7 achievement levels. Logistic regressions also revealed that age 4 attention span-persistence skills significantly predicted the odds of completing college by age 25. The majority of this relationship was direct and was not significantly mediated by math or reading skills at age 7 or age 21. Specifically, children who were rated one standard deviation higher on attention span-persistence at age 4 had 48.7% greater odds of completing college by age 25. Discussion focuses on the importance of children's early attention span-persistence for later school achievement and educational attainment.

Development of Semi-Span Model Test Techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pulnam, L. Elwood (Technical Monitor); Milholen, William E., II; Chokani, Ndaona; McGhee, Robert J.

1996-01-01

A computational investigation was performed to support the development of a semi-span model test capability in the NASA Langley Research Center's National Transonic Facility. This capability is desirable for the testing of advanced subsonic transport aircraft at full-scale Reynolds numbers. A state-of-the-art three-dimensional Navier-Stokes solver was used to examine methods to improve the flow over a semi-span configuration. First, a parametric study is conducted to examine the influence of the stand-off height on the flow over the semi-span model. It is found that decreasing the stand-off height, below the maximum fuselage radius, improves the aerodynamic characteristics of the semi-span model. Next, active sidewall boundary layer control techniques are examined. Juncture region blowing jets, upstream tangential blowing, and sidewall suction are found to improve the flow over the aft portion of the semi-span model. Both upstream blowing and suction are found to reduce the sidewall boundary layer separation. The resulting near surface streamline patterns are improved, and found to be quite similar to the full-span results. Both techniques however adversely affect the pitching moment coefficient.

Short-term memory predictions across the lifespan: monitoring span before and after conducting a task.

PubMed

Bertrand, Julie Marilyne; Moulin, Chris John Anthony; Souchay, Céline

2017-05-01

Our objective was to explore metamemory in short-term memory across the lifespan. Five age groups participated in this study: 3 groups of children (4-13 years old), and younger and older adults. We used a three-phase task: prediction-span-postdiction. For prediction and postdiction phases, participants reported with a Yes/No response if they could recall in order a series of images. For the span task, they had to actually recall such series. From 4 years old, children have some ability to monitor their short-term memory and are able to adjust their prediction after experiencing the task. However, accuracy still improves significantly until adolescence. Although the older adults had a lower span, they were as accurate as young adults in their evaluation, suggesting that metamemory is unimpaired for short-term memory tasks in older adults. •We investigate metamemory for short-term memory tasks across the lifespan. •We find younger children cannot accurately predict their span length. •Older adults are accurate in predicting their span length. •People's metamemory accuracy was related to their short-term memory span.

Time and resource limits on working memory: cross-age consistency in counting span performance.

PubMed

Ransdell, Sarah; Hecht, Steven

2003-12-01

This longitudinal study separated resource demand effects from those of retention interval in a counting span task among 100 children tested in grade 2 and again in grades 3 and 4. A last card large counting span condition had an equivalent memory load to a last card small, but the last card large required holding the count over a longer retention interval. In all three waves of assessment, the last card large condition was found to be less accurate than the last card small. A model predicting reading comprehension showed that age was a significant predictor when entered first accounting for 26% of the variance, but counting span accounted for a further 22% of the variance. Span at Wave 1 accounted for significant unique variance at Wave 2 and at Wave 3. Results were similar for math calculation with age accounting for 31% of the variance and counting span accounting for a further 34% of the variance. Span at Wave 1 explained unique variance in math at Wave 2 and at Wave 3.

Global bioanalytical support.

PubMed

John Lin, Zhongping; Zhang, Tianyi; Pasas-Farmer, Stephanie; Brooks, Stephen D; Moyer, Michael; Connolly, Ron

2014-05-01

With the globalization of drug development, there is an increasing need for global bioanalytical support. Bioanalysis provides pivotal data for toxicokinetic, pharmacokinetic, bioavailability and bioequivalence studies used for regional or global regulatory submission. There are many known complications in building a truly global bioanalytical operation, ranging from lack of global regulatory guidelines and global standard operating procedures to barriers in regional requirements on sample shipping, importation and exportation. The primary objective of this article is to discuss common experiences and challenges facing the biopharmaceutical industry when providing bioanalytical support in a global setting. The key components of global bioanalytical services include the supporting infrastructure, spanning project management, IT support of data management, best practices in bioanalytical method transfer and sample analysis, and comprehensive knowledge of the requirements of bioanalysis guidelines and differences in these guidelines. A case study will highlight best practices for successful management of a global project.

Proteome Studies of Filamentous Fungi

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

Baker, Scott E.; Panisko, Ellen A.

2011-04-20

The continued fast pace of fungal genome sequence generation has enabled proteomic analysis of a wide breadth of organisms that span the breadth of the Kingdom Fungi. There is some phylogenetic bias to the current catalog of fungi with reasonable DNA sequence databases (genomic or EST) that could be analyzed at a global proteomic level. However, the rapid development of next generation sequencing platforms has lowered the cost of genome sequencing such that in the near future, having a genome sequence will no longer be a time or cost bottleneck for downstream proteomic (and transcriptomic) analyses. High throughput, non-gel basedmore » proteomics offers a snapshot of proteins present in a given sample at a single point in time. There are a number of different variations on the general method and technologies for identifying peptides in a given sample. We present a method that can serve as a “baseline” for proteomic studies of fungi.« less

Proteome studies of filamentous fungi.

PubMed

Baker, Scott E; Panisko, Ellen A

2011-01-01

The continued fast pace of fungal genome sequence generation has enabled proteomic analysis of a wide variety of organisms that span the breadth of the Kingdom Fungi. There is some phylogenetic bias to the current catalog of fungi with reasonable DNA sequence databases (genomic or EST) that could be analyzed at a global proteomic level. However, the rapid development of next generation sequencing platforms has lowered the cost of genome sequencing such that in the near future, having a genome sequence will no longer be a time or cost bottleneck for downstream proteomic (and transcriptomic) analyses. High throughput, nongel-based proteomics offers a snapshot of proteins present in a given sample at a single point in time. There are a number of variations on the general methods and technologies for identifying peptides in a given sample. We present a method that can serve as a "baseline" for proteomic studies of fungi.

A spectroscopic study of the blue stragglers in M67

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, G. Q.; Deng, L.; Chávez, M.; Bertone, E.; Davo, A. Herrero; Mata-Chávez, M. D.

2008-10-01

Based on spectrophotometric observations from the Guillermo Haro Observatory (Cananea, Mexico), a study of the spectral properties of the complete sample of 24 blue straggler stars (BSs) in the old Galactic open cluster M67 (NGC 2682) is presented. All spectra, calibrated using spectral standards, were recalibrated by means of photometric magnitudes in the Beijing-Arizona-Taipei-Connecticut system, which includes fluxes in 11 bands covering ~3500-10000 Å. The set of parameters was obtained using two complementary approaches that rely on a comparison of the spectra with (i) an empirical sample of stars with well-established spectral types and (ii) a theoretical grid of optical spectra computed at both low and high resolution. The overall results indicate that the BSs in M67 span a wide range in Teff(~ 5600 -12600 K) and surface gravities that are fully compatible with those expected for main-sequence objects (log g = 3.5 -5.0 dex).

Host-specificity among abundant and rare taxa in the sponge microbiome.

PubMed

Reveillaud, Julie; Maignien, Loïs; Murat Eren, A; Huber, Julie A; Apprill, Amy; Sogin, Mitchell L; Vanreusel, Ann

2014-06-01

Microbial communities have a key role in the physiology of the sponge host, and it is therefore essential to understand the stability and specificity of sponge-symbiont associations. Host-specific bacterial associations spanning large geographic distance are widely acknowledged in sponges. However, the full spectrum of specificity remains unclear. In particular, it is not known whether closely related sponges host similar or very different microbiota over wide bathymetric and geographic gradients, and whether specific associations extend to the rare members of the sponge microbiome. Using the ultra-deep Illumina sequencing technology, we conducted a comparison of sponge bacterial communities in seven closely related Hexadella species with a well-resolved host phylogeny, as well as of a distantly related sponge Mycale. These samples spanned unprecedentedly large bathymetric (15-960 m) gradients and varying European locations. In addition, this study included a bacterial community analysis of the local background seawater for both Mycale and the widespread deep-sea taxa Hexadella cf. dedritifera. We observed a striking diversity of microbes associated with the sponges, spanning 47 bacterial phyla. The data did not reveal any Hexadella microbiota co-speciation pattern, but confirmed sponge-specific and species-specific host-bacteria associations, even within extremely low abundant taxa. Oligotyping analysis also revealed differential enrichment preferences of closely related Nitrospira members in closely related sponges species. Overall, these results demonstrate highly diverse, remarkably specific and stable sponge-bacteria associations that extend to members of the rare biosphere at a very fine phylogenetic scale, over significant geographic and bathymetric gradients.

Cross-Language Modulation of Visual Attention Span: An Arabic-French-Spanish Comparison in Skilled Adult Readers.

PubMed

Awadh, Faris H R; Phénix, Thierry; Antzaka, Alexia; Lallier, Marie; Carreiras, Manuel; Valdois, Sylviane

2016-01-01

In delineating the amount of orthographic information that can be processed in parallel during a single fixation, the visual attention (VA) span acts as a key component of the reading system. Previous studies focused on the contribution of VA span to normal and pathological reading in monolingual and bilingual children from different European languages, without direct cross-language comparison. In the current paper, we explored modulations of VA span abilities in three languages -French, Spanish, and Arabic- that differ in transparency, reading direction and writing systems. The participants were skilled adult readers who were native speakers of French, Spanish or Arabic. They were administered tasks of global and partial letter report, single letter identification and text reading. Their VA span abilities were assessed using tasks that require the processing of briefly presented five consonant strings (e.g., R S H F T). All five consonants had to be reported in global report but a single cued letter in partial report. Results showed that VA span was reduced in Arabic readers as compared to French or Spanish readers who otherwise show a similar high performance in the two report tasks. The analysis of VA span response patterns in global report showed a left-right asymmetry in all three languages. A leftward letter advantage was found in French and Spanish but a rightward advantage in Arabic. The response patterns were symmetric in partial report, regardless of the language. Last, a significant relationship was found between VA span abilities and reading speed but only for French. The overall findings suggest that the size of VA span, the shape of VA span response patterns and the VA Span-reading relationship are modulated by language-specific features.

Cross-Language Modulation of Visual Attention Span: An Arabic-French-Spanish Comparison in Skilled Adult Readers

PubMed Central

Awadh, Faris H. R.; Phénix, Thierry; Antzaka, Alexia; Lallier, Marie; Carreiras, Manuel; Valdois, Sylviane

2016-01-01

In delineating the amount of orthographic information that can be processed in parallel during a single fixation, the visual attention (VA) span acts as a key component of the reading system. Previous studies focused on the contribution of VA span to normal and pathological reading in monolingual and bilingual children from different European languages, without direct cross-language comparison. In the current paper, we explored modulations of VA span abilities in three languages –French, Spanish, and Arabic– that differ in transparency, reading direction and writing systems. The participants were skilled adult readers who were native speakers of French, Spanish or Arabic. They were administered tasks of global and partial letter report, single letter identification and text reading. Their VA span abilities were assessed using tasks that require the processing of briefly presented five consonant strings (e.g., R S H F T). All five consonants had to be reported in global report but a single cued letter in partial report. Results showed that VA span was reduced in Arabic readers as compared to French or Spanish readers who otherwise show a similar high performance in the two report tasks. The analysis of VA span response patterns in global report showed a left-right asymmetry in all three languages. A leftward letter advantage was found in French and Spanish but a rightward advantage in Arabic. The response patterns were symmetric in partial report, regardless of the language. Last, a significant relationship was found between VA span abilities and reading speed but only for French. The overall findings suggest that the size of VA span, the shape of VA span response patterns and the VA Span-reading relationship are modulated by language-specific features. PMID:27014125

Anatomy structure creation and editing using 3D implicit surfaces

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

Hibbard, Lyndon S.

2012-05-15

Purpose: To accurately reconstruct, and interactively reshape 3D anatomy structures' surfaces using small numbers of 2D contours drawn in the most visually informative views of 3D imagery. The innovation of this program is that the number of 2D contours can be very much smaller than the number of transverse sections, even for anatomy structures spanning many sections. This program can edit 3D structures from prior segmentations, including those from autosegmentation programs. The reconstruction and surface editing works with any image modality. Methods: Structures are represented by variational implicit surfaces defined by weighted sums of radial basis functions (RBFs). Such surfacesmore » are smooth, continuous, and closed and can be reconstructed with RBFs optimally located to efficiently capture shape in any combination of transverse (T), sagittal (S), and coronal (C) views. The accuracy of implicit surface reconstructions was measured by comparisons with the corresponding expert-contoured surfaces in 103 prostate cancer radiotherapy plans. Editing a pre-existing surface is done by overdrawing its profiles in image views spanning the affected part of the structure, deleting an appropriate set of prior RBFs, and merging the remainder with the new edit contour RBFs. Two methods were devised to identify RBFs to be deleted based only on the geometry of the initial surface and the locations of the new RBFs. Results: Expert-contoured surfaces were compared with implicit surfaces reconstructed from them over varying numbers and combinations of T/S/C planes. Studies revealed that surface-surface agreement increases monotonically with increasing RBF-sample density, and that the rate of increase declines over the same range. These trends were observed for all surface agreement metrics and for all the organs studied--prostate, bladder, and rectum. In addition, S and C contours may convey more shape information than T views for CT studies in which the axial slice thickness is greater than the pixel size. Surface editing accuracy likewise improves with larger sampling densities, and the rate of improvement similarly declines over the same conditions. Conclusions: Implicit surfaces based on RBFs are accurate representations of anatomic structures and can be interactively generated or modified to correct segmentation errors. The number of input contours is typically smaller than the number of T contours spanned by the structure.« less

Introduction to the special section: Mind and matter: New insights on the role of parental cognitive and neurobiological functioning in process models of parenting.

PubMed

Deater-Deckard, Kirby; Sturge-Apple, Melissa L

2017-02-01

This is an introduction to the special section on neurobiological and neurocognitive factors in parenting. The collection of 11 papers are published in 2 serial subsections of consecutive issues of the journal. The science they present captures the leading edge of work examining the interface of cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and physiological self-regulation in parenting and how these operate to protect or increment risk for poorer parenting among families who face chronic stressors (e.g., poverty, single parenthood, homelessness, mood disorders). Samples span the poor to the affluent, many ethnicities, several nationalities, and a wide variety of geographic locations. The studies also are diverse in the methods employed, spanning behavioral and questionnaire indicators of executive function and effortful control, attentional and social-cognitive biases, and psychophysiology. Taken together, the papers present clear and compelling evidence for the crucial role of parental neurobiological and neurocognitive deficits and strengths in the etiology of distressed and resilient parenting. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Evaluative ratings and attention across the life span: emotional arousal and gender.

PubMed

Ferrari, Vera; Bruno, Nicola; Chattat, Rabih; Codispoti, Maurizio

2017-04-01

This study was designed to investigate the evolution of emotional processing over the whole adult life span as a function of stimulus arousal and participants' gender. To this end, self-reported affective evaluation and attentional capture prompted by pleasant and unpleasant pictures varying in arousal were measured in a large sample of participants (n = 211) balanced by gender and equally spread across seven decades from 20 to 90 years. Results showed age differences only for affective evaluation of pleasant stimuli, with opposite patterns depending on stimulus arousal. As age increased, low-arousing pleasant cues (e.g. images of babies) were experienced as more pleasant and arousing by both males and females, whereas high-arousing stimuli (e.g. erotic images) were experienced as less pleasant only by females. In contrast, emotional pictures (both pleasant and unpleasant) were effective at capturing attention in a similar way across participants, regardless of age and gender. Taken together, these findings suggest that specific emotional cues prompt different subjective responses across different age groups, while basic mechanisms involved in attentional engagement towards both pleasant and unpleasant stimuli are preserved in healthy ageing.

Dynamical initial-state model for relativistic heavy-ion collisions

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

Shen, Chun; Schenke, Bjorn

We present a fully three-dimensional model providing initial conditions for energy and net-baryon density distributions in heavy ion collisions at arbitrary collision energy. The model includes the dynamical deceleration of participating nucleons or valence quarks, depending on the implementation. The duration of the deceleration continues until the string spanned between colliding participants is assumed to thermalize, which is either after a fixed proper time, or a uctuating time depending on sampled final rapidities. Energy is deposited in space-time along the string, which in general will span a range of space-time rapidities and proper times. We study various observables obtained directlymore » from the initial state model, including net-baryon rapidity distributions, 2-particle rapidity correlations, as well as the rapidity decorrelation of the transverse geometry. Their dependence on the model implementation and parameter values is investigated. Here, we also present the implementation of the model with 3+1 dimensional hydrodynamics, which involves the addition of source terms that deposit energy and net-baryon densities produced by the initial state model at proper times greater than the initial time for the hydrodynamic simulation.« less

Dynamical initial-state model for relativistic heavy-ion collisions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Chun; Schenke, Björn

2018-02-01

We present a fully three-dimensional model providing initial conditions for energy and net-baryon density distributions in heavy-ion collisions at arbitrary collision energy. The model includes the dynamical deceleration of participating nucleons or valence quarks, depending on the implementation. The duration of the deceleration continues until the string spanned between colliding participants is assumed to thermalize, which is either after a fixed proper time, or a fluctuating time depending on sampled final rapidities. Energy is deposited in space time along the string, which in general will span a range of space-time rapidities and proper times. We study various observables obtained directly from the initial-state model, including net-baryon rapidity distributions, two-particle rapidity correlations, as well as the rapidity decorrelation of the transverse geometry. Their dependence on the model implementation and parameter values is investigated. We also present the implementation of the model with 3+1-dimensional hydrodynamics, which involves the addition of source terms that deposit energy and net-baryon densities produced by the initial-state model at proper times greater than the initial time for the hydrodynamic simulation.

Dynamical initial-state model for relativistic heavy-ion collisions

DOE PAGES

Shen, Chun; Schenke, Bjorn

2018-02-15

We present a fully three-dimensional model providing initial conditions for energy and net-baryon density distributions in heavy ion collisions at arbitrary collision energy. The model includes the dynamical deceleration of participating nucleons or valence quarks, depending on the implementation. The duration of the deceleration continues until the string spanned between colliding participants is assumed to thermalize, which is either after a fixed proper time, or a uctuating time depending on sampled final rapidities. Energy is deposited in space-time along the string, which in general will span a range of space-time rapidities and proper times. We study various observables obtained directlymore » from the initial state model, including net-baryon rapidity distributions, 2-particle rapidity correlations, as well as the rapidity decorrelation of the transverse geometry. Their dependence on the model implementation and parameter values is investigated. Here, we also present the implementation of the model with 3+1 dimensional hydrodynamics, which involves the addition of source terms that deposit energy and net-baryon densities produced by the initial state model at proper times greater than the initial time for the hydrodynamic simulation.« less

Studying the Motivated Agent Through Time: Personal Goal Development During the Adult Life Span.

PubMed

Dunlop, William L; Bannon, Brittany L; McAdams, Dan P

2017-04-01

This research examined the rank-order and mean-level consistency of personal goals at two periods in the adult life span. Personal goal continuity was considered among a group of young adults (N = 145) who reported their goals three times over a 3-year period and among a group of midlife adults (N = 163) who specified their goals annually over a 4-year period. Goals were coded for a series of motive-based (viz., achievement, affiliation, intimacy, power) and domain-based (viz., finance, generativity, health, travel) categories. In both samples, we noted a moderate degree of rank-order consistency across assessment periods. In addition, the majority of goal categories exhibited a high degree of mean-level consistency. The results of this research suggest that (a) the content of goals exhibits a modest degree of rank-order consistency and a substantial degree of mean-level consistency over time, and (b) considering personality continuity and development as manifest via goals represents a viable strategy for personality psychologists. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Linkage analysis of chromosome 22q12-13 in a United Kingdom/Icelandic sample of 23 multiplex schizophrenia families

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

Kalsi, G.; Read, T.; Butler, R.

A possible linkage to a genetic subtype of schizophrenia and related disorders has been reported on the long arm of chromosome 22 at q12-13. However formal statistical tests in a combined sample could not reject homogeneity and prove that there was linked subgroup of families. We have studied 23 schizophrenia pedigrees to test whether some multiplex schizophrenia families may be linked to the microsatellite markers D22S274 and D22S283 which span the 22q12-13 region. Two point followed by multipoint lod and non-parametric linkage analyses under the assumption of heterogeneity provided no evidence for linkage over the relevant region. 16 refs., 4more » tabs.« less

Characterization of a Ultra-high Temperature Ceramic Composite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Levine, Stanley R.; Opila, Elizabeth J.; Robinson, Raymond C.; Lorincz, Jonathan A.

2003-01-01

Ultra-high temperature ceramics (UHTC) are of interest for hypersonic vehicle leading edge applications. Monolithic UHTCs are of concern because of their low fracture toughness and brittle behavior. UHTC composites (UHTCC) are being investigated as a possible approach to overcome these deficiencies. In this study a small sample of a UHTCC was evaluated by limited mechanical property tests, furnace oxidation exposures, and oxidation exposures in a flowing environment. The composite was prepared from a carbon fiber perform using ceramic particulates and a preceramic polymer. The as-received composite plate was non-uniform from front to back surface. Plate dimensions were 150 x 150 x 6 mm. The back surface had a fibrous, uniform appearance; XRD analysis revealed the presence of Sic and C. The front surface was smooth and non-uniform in appearance with evidence of a coarse grain structure produced by a liquid phase; XRD analysis revealed the presence of HfB2. Microcracks were present throughout the thickness as one might expect from a carbon fiber reinforced composite with attendant large thermal expansion mismatch between the matrix phases and the fibers. The HfB2 phase on the front surface was comparable in thickness to a fiber ply or about 0.6 mm, and surface microcracks were evident. Limited four point flexural tests were carried out at span to depth ratios of approximately 14 and 16 with markedly different results. Tests were run with the front or the back surface in tension. At the shorter span to depth failures occurred under a loading pin for both orientations. At a span to depth of 16 failures occurred in the center of the span with fracture clearly initiating from a tensile failure. Ultimate flexural strength, strain at ultimate stress, stress and strain at deviation from linear elastic behavior are reported. Strains at ultimate stress ranged from about 0.6 to 0.7 % for the back surface in tension, and 0.4 to 0.6 for the front surface in tension. At constant span to depth the strain at ultimate stress was about 0.2% greater for the back surface in tension and the ultimate strength was also higher. Strengths were in line with predictions from theory. Furnace oxidation studies were carried out at 1627 and 1927OC in a static furnace environment using ten minute cycles and one, five, and ten cycles. Limited oxidation studies were also carried out in a flowing oxyacetylene torch environment. Specimens were photographed, and weight and dimensional changes were determined. XRD and SEM characterizations were performed. Weight losses were attributed primarily to carbon fiber oxidation. The composite survived the torch test with little visible distress. Further details will be determined once metallographic studies are completed.

How stable are diurnal cortisol activity indices in healthy individuals? Evidence from three multi-wave studies

PubMed Central

Ross, Kharah M.; Murphy, Michael L.M.; Adam, Emma K.; Chen, Edith; Miller, Gregory E.

2013-01-01

Summary Background Indices of cortisol activity, including the cortisol awakening response (CAR), diurnal slope, and cortisol output across the day (total daily output), are often studied as mechanistic indicators that could link stress with health. Yet there is a paucity of data speaking to their temporal features, particularly whether they behave in a more state- or trait-like manner across time. Methods To address this issue, data from 3 studies were used to assess CAR, diurnal slope and total daily output stability over different age groups and time spans: 130 healthy children and adolescents collected salivary cortisol samples 5 times/day (1, 4, 9 and 11 h after wake) over 2 days at 5 visits spaced 6 months apart (Study 1); 147 adolescent girls collected saliva 6 times/day (wake, 1, 4, 9 and 14 h after wake) for 2 days at 3 visits, each a year apart (Study 2); and 47 healthy, primarily middle age adults collected saliva 6 times/day (wake, 1, 4, 9 and 14 h after wake) for 3 days at 4 visits spaced 2–3 months apart (Study 3). Stability was estimated by multilevel model-derived intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Results Across studies, approximately 50% of the variance in cortisol indices was attributable to day-to-day fluctuations, suggesting state-like properties. Of the indices, total daily output emerged as the most stable over time, followed by diurnal slope and CAR, but stability estimates were generally quite modest regardless of index and sample. Over time spans of >1 year, ICCs were ≤.13. Conclusions Most of the variance in CAR, diurnal slope and total daily output reflects day-to-day fluctuation; there was little evidence for more stable trait-like influences. These findings suggest that future research should focus on short-term fluctuations in stress, cortisol and health, as opposed to lengthy disease processes. PMID:24119668

Comparison of femtosecond and nanosecond laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for uranium isotopic measurements

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

Havrilla, George Joseph; McIntosh, Kathryn Gallagher; Judge, Elizabeth

2016-10-20

Feasibility tests were conducted using femtosecond and nanosecond laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry for rapid uranium isotopic measurements. The samples used in this study consisted of a range of pg quantities of known 235/238 U solutions as dried spot residues of 300 pL drops on silicon substrates. The samples spanned the following enrichments of 235U: 0.5, 1.5, 2, 3, and 15.1%. In this direct comparison using these particular samples both pulse durations demonstrated near equivalent data can be produced on either system with respect to accuracy and precision. There is no question that either LA-ICP-MS method offers themore » potential for rapid, accurate and precise isotopic measurements of U10Mo materials whether DU, LEU or HEU. The LA-ICP-MS equipment used for this work is commercially available. The program is in the process of validating this work for large samples using center samples strips from Y-12 MP-1 LEU-Mo Casting #1.« less

Maternal caloric restriction partially rescues the deleterious effects of advanced maternal age on offspring

PubMed Central

Gribble, Kristin E; Jarvis, George; Bock, Martha; Mark Welch, David B

2014-01-01

While many studies have focused on the detrimental effects of advanced maternal age and harmful prenatal environments on progeny, little is known about the role of beneficial non-Mendelian maternal inheritance on aging. Here, we report the effects of maternal age and maternal caloric restriction (CR) on the life span and health span of offspring for a clonal culture of the monogonont rotifer Brachionus manjavacas. Mothers on regimens of chronic CR (CCR) or intermittent fasting (IF) had increased life span compared with mothers fed ad libitum (AL). With increasing maternal age, life span and fecundity of female offspring of AL-fed mothers decreased significantly and life span of male offspring was unchanged, whereas body size of both male and female offspring increased. Maternal CR partially rescued these effects, increasing the mean life span of AL-fed female offspring but not male offspring and increasing the fecundity of AL-fed female offspring compared with offspring of mothers of the same age. Both maternal CR regimens decreased male offspring body size, but only maternal IF decreased body size of female offspring, whereas maternal CCR caused a slight increase. Understanding the genetic and biochemical basis of these different maternal effects on aging may guide effective interventions to improve health span and life span. PMID:24661622

Comparative transcriptional profiling identifies takeout as a gene that regulates life span

PubMed Central

Bauer, Johannes; Antosh, Michael; Chang, Chengyi; Schorl, Christoph; Kolli, Santharam; Neretti, Nicola; Helfand, Stephen L.

2010-01-01

A major challenge in translating the positive effects of dietary restriction (DR) for the improvement of human health is the development of therapeutic mimics. One approach to finding DR mimics is based upon identification of the proximal effectors of DR life span extension. Whole genome profiling of DR in Drosophila shows a large number of changes in gene expression, making it difficult to establish which changes are involved in life span determination as opposed to other unrelated physiological changes. We used comparative whole genome expression profiling to discover genes whose change in expression is shared between DR and two molecular genetic life span extending interventions related to DR, increased dSir2 and decreased Dmp53 activity. We find twenty-one genes shared among the three related life span extending interventions. One of these genes, takeout, thought to be involved in circadian rhythms, feeding behavior and juvenile hormone binding is also increased in four other life span extending conditions: Rpd3, Indy, chico and methuselah. We demonstrate takeout is involved in longevity determination by specifically increasing adult takeout expression and extending life span. These studies demonstrate the power of comparative whole genome transcriptional profiling for identifying specific downstream elements of the DR life span extending pathway. PMID:20519778

The visual attention span deficit in dyslexia is visual and not verbal.

PubMed

Lobier, Muriel; Zoubrinetzky, Rachel; Valdois, Sylviane

2012-06-01

The visual attention (VA) span deficit hypothesis of dyslexia posits that letter string deficits are a consequence of impaired visual processing. Alternatively, some have interpreted this deficit as resulting from a visual-to-phonology code mapping impairment. This study aims to disambiguate between the two interpretations by investigating performance in a non-verbal character string visual categorization task with verbal and non-verbal stimuli. Results show that VA span ability predicts performance for the non-verbal visual processing task in normal reading children. Furthermore, VA span impaired dyslexic children are also impaired for the categorization task independently of stimuli type. This supports the hypothesis that the underlying impairment responsible for the VA span deficit is visual, not verbal. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Srl. All rights reserved.

Influence of working memory and executive function on stair ascent and descent in young and older adults.

PubMed

Gaillardin, Florence; Baudry, Stéphane

2018-06-01

This study assessed the influence of attention division, working memory and executive function on stair ascent and descent in young and older adults. Twenty young (25.5 ± 2.1 yrs) and 20 older adults (68.4 ± 5.4 yrs) ascended and descended a 3-step staircase with no simultaneous cognitive task (single-motor task) or while performing a cognitive task (dual-task condition). The cognitive task involved either 1) recalling a word list of the subject's word-span minus 2 words (SPAN-2) to assess the attention division effect, 2) a word list of subject's word-span (SPAN-O) to assess the working memory effect, or 3) recalling in alphabetical order, a word list of the subject's word-span (SPAN-A) to assess the executive function effect. Word-span corresponds to the longest string of words that can be recalled correctly. The duration of ascent and descent of stairs was used to assess the cognitive-motor interaction. Stair ascent and descent duration did not differ between age groups for the single-motor task, and was similar between single-motor task and SPAN-2 in both groups (p > 0.05). In contrast, stair ascent and descent duration increased with SPAN-O compared with SPAN-2 for both groups (p < 0.01). Stair ascent (p = 0.017) and descent (p = 0.008) were longer in SPAN-A than SPAN-O only in older adults. Healthy aging was not associated with a decrease in the capacity to perform motor-cognitive dual tasks that involved ascending and descending of stairs when the cognitive task only required working memory. However, the decrease in dual-task performance involving executive functioning may reflect a subclinical cognitive decline in healthy older adults. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Variability within the 10-Year Pollen Rain of a Seasonal Neotropical Forest and Its Implications for Paleoenvironmental and Phenological Research

PubMed Central

Haselhorst, Derek S.; Moreno, J. Enrique; Punyasena, Surangi W.

2013-01-01

Tropical paleoecologists use a combination of mud-water interface and modern pollen rain samples (local samples of airborne pollen) to interpret compositional changes within fossil pollen records. Taxonomic similarities between the composition of modern assemblages and fossil samples are the basis of reconstructing paleoclimates and paleoenvironments. Surface sediment samples reflect a time-averaged accumulation of pollen spanning several years or more. Due to experimental constraints, modern pollen rain samples are generally collected over shorter timeframes (1–3 years) and are therefore less likely to capture the full range of natural variability in pollen rain composition and abundance. This potentially biases paleoenvironmental interpretations based on modern pollen rain transfer functions. To determine the degree to which short-term environmental change affects the composition of the aerial pollen flux of Neotropical forests, we sampled ten years of the seasonal pollen rain from Barro Colorado Island, Panama and compared it to climatic and environmental data over the same ten-year span. We establish that the pollen rain effectively captured the strong seasonality and stratification of pollen flow within the forest canopy and that individual taxa had variable sensitivity to seasonal and annual changes in environmental conditions, manifested as changes in pollen productivity. We conclude that modern pollen rain samples capture the reproductive response of moist tropical plants to short-term environmental change, but that consequently, pollen rain-based calibrations need to include longer sampling periods (≥7 years) to reflect the full range of natural variability in the pollen output of a forest and simulate the time-averaging present in sediment samples. Our results also demonstrate that over the long-term, pollen traps placed in the forest understory are representative samples of the pollen output of both canopy and understory vegetation. Aerial pollen traps, therefore, also represent an underutilized means of monitoring the pollen productivity and reproductive behavior of moist tropical forests. PMID:23320089

Variability within the 10-year pollen rain of a seasonal neotropical forest and its implications for paleoenvironmental and phenological research.

PubMed

Haselhorst, Derek S; Moreno, J Enrique; Punyasena, Surangi W

2013-01-01

Tropical paleoecologists use a combination of mud-water interface and modern pollen rain samples (local samples of airborne pollen) to interpret compositional changes within fossil pollen records. Taxonomic similarities between the composition of modern assemblages and fossil samples are the basis of reconstructing paleoclimates and paleoenvironments. Surface sediment samples reflect a time-averaged accumulation of pollen spanning several years or more. Due to experimental constraints, modern pollen rain samples are generally collected over shorter timeframes (1-3 years) and are therefore less likely to capture the full range of natural variability in pollen rain composition and abundance. This potentially biases paleoenvironmental interpretations based on modern pollen rain transfer functions. To determine the degree to which short-term environmental change affects the composition of the aerial pollen flux of Neotropical forests, we sampled ten years of the seasonal pollen rain from Barro Colorado Island, Panama and compared it to climatic and environmental data over the same ten-year span. We establish that the pollen rain effectively captured the strong seasonality and stratification of pollen flow within the forest canopy and that individual taxa had variable sensitivity to seasonal and annual changes in environmental conditions, manifested as changes in pollen productivity. We conclude that modern pollen rain samples capture the reproductive response of moist tropical plants to short-term environmental change, but that consequently, pollen rain-based calibrations need to include longer sampling periods (≥7 years) to reflect the full range of natural variability in the pollen output of a forest and simulate the time-averaging present in sediment samples. Our results also demonstrate that over the long-term, pollen traps placed in the forest understory are representative samples of the pollen output of both canopy and understory vegetation. Aerial pollen traps, therefore, also represent an underutilized means of monitoring the pollen productivity and reproductive behavior of moist tropical forests.

Patterns and trends in lead (Pb) concentrations in bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) nestlings from the western Great Lakes region.

PubMed

Bruggeman, Jason E; Route, William T; Redig, Patrick T; Key, Rebecca L

2018-04-10

Most studies examining bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) exposure to lead (Pb) have focused on adults that ingested spent Pb ammunition during the fall hunting season, often at clinical or lethal levels. We sampled live bald eagle nestlings along waterbodies to quantify Pb concentrations in 3 national park units and 2 nearby study areas in the western Great Lakes region. We collected 367 bald eagle nestling feather samples over 8 years during spring 2006-2015 and 188 whole blood samples over 4 years during spring 2010-2015. We used Tobit regression models to quantify relationships between Pb concentrations in nestling feathers and blood using study area, year, and nestling attributes as covariates. Pb in nestling feather samples decreased from 2006 to 2015, but there was no trend for Pb in blood samples. Pb concentrations in nestling feather and blood samples were significantly higher in study areas located closer to and within urban areas. Pb in feather and blood samples from the same nestling was positively correlated. Pb in feathers increased with nestling age, but this relationship was not observed for blood. Our results reflect how Pb accumulates in tissues as nestlings grow, with Pb in feathers and blood indexing exposure during feather development and before sampling, respectively. Some nestlings had Pb concentrations in blood that suggested a greater risk to sublethal effects from Pb exposure. Our data provides baselines for Pb concentrations in feathers and blood of nestling bald eagles from a variety of waterbody types spanning remote, lightly populated, and human-dominated landscapes.

Span graphics display utilities handbook, first edition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gallagher, D. L.; Green, J. L.; Newman, R.

1985-01-01

The Space Physics Analysis Network (SPAN) is a computer network connecting scientific institutions throughout the United States. This network provides an avenue for timely, correlative research between investigators, in a multidisciplinary approach to space physics studies. An objective in the development of SPAN is to make available direct and simplified procedures that scientists can use, without specialized training, to exchange information over the network. Information exchanges include raw and processes data, analysis programs, correspondence, documents, and graphite images. This handbook details procedures that can be used to exchange graphic images over SPAN. The intent is to periodically update this handbook to reflect the constantly changing facilities available on SPAN. The utilities described within reflect an earnest attempt to provide useful descriptions of working utilities that can be used to transfer graphic images across the network. Whether graphic images are representative of satellite servations or theoretical modeling and whether graphics images are of device dependent or independent type, the SPAN graphics display utilities handbook will be the users guide to graphic image exchange.

Proactive and coactive interference in age-related performance in a recognition-based operation span task.

PubMed

Zeintl, Melanie; Kliegel, Matthias

2010-01-01

Generally, older adults perform worse than younger adults in complex working memory span tasks. So far, it is unclear which processes mainly contribute to age-related differences in working memory span. The aim of the present study was to investigate age effects and the roles of proactive and coactive interference in a recognition-based version of the operation span task. Younger and older adults performed standard versions and distracter versions of the operation span task. At retrieval, participants had to recognize target words in word lists containing targets as well as proactive and/or coactive interference-related lures. Results show that, overall, younger adults outperformed older adults in the recognition of target words. Furthermore, analyses of error types indicate that, while younger adults were only affected by simultaneously presented distracter words, older adults had difficulties with both proactive and coactive interference. Results suggest that age effects in complex span tasks may not be mainly due to retrieval deficits in old age. Copyright 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel.

How long will my mouse live? Machine learning approaches for prediction of mouse life span.

PubMed

Swindell, William R; Harper, James M; Miller, Richard A

2008-09-01

Prediction of individual life span based on characteristics evaluated at middle-age represents a challenging objective for aging research. In this study, we used machine learning algorithms to construct models that predict life span in a stock of genetically heterogeneous mice. Life-span prediction accuracy of 22 algorithms was evaluated using a cross-validation approach, in which models were trained and tested with distinct subsets of data. Using a combination of body weight and T-cell subset measures evaluated before 2 years of age, we show that the life-span quartile to which an individual mouse belongs can be predicted with an accuracy of 35.3% (+/-0.10%). This result provides a new benchmark for the development of life-span-predictive models, but improvement can be expected through identification of new predictor variables and development of computational approaches. Future work in this direction can provide tools for aging research and will shed light on associations between phenotypic traits and longevity.

Age Differences in Five Personality Domains across the Life Span

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allemand, Mathias; Zimprich, Daniel; Hendriks, A. A. Jolijn

2008-01-01

The present study addresses the issue of age differences in 5 personality domains across the life span in a cross-sectional study. In contrast to most previous studies, the present study follows a methodologically more rigorous approach to warrant that age-related differences in personality structure and mean level can be meaningfully compared. It…

Health Span-Extending Activity of Human Amniotic Membrane- and Adipose Tissue-Derived Stem Cells in F344 Rats.

PubMed

Kim, Dajeong; Kyung, Jangbeen; Park, Dongsun; Choi, Ehn-Kyoung; Kim, Kwang Sei; Shin, Kyungha; Lee, Hangyoung; Shin, Il Seob; Kang, Sung Keun; Ra, Jeong Chan; Kim, Yun-Bae

2015-10-01

Aging brings about the progressive decline in cognitive function and physical activity, along with losses of stem cell population and function. Although transplantation of muscle-derived stem/progenitor cells extended the health span and life span of progeria mice, such effects in normal animals were not confirmed. Human amniotic membrane-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AMMSCs) or adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs) (1×10(6) cells per rat) were intravenously transplanted to 10-month-old male F344 rats once a month throughout their lives. Transplantation of AMMSCs and ADMSCs improved cognitive and physical functions of naturally aging rats, extending life span by 23.4% and 31.3%, respectively. The stem cell therapy increased the concentration of acetylcholine and recovered neurotrophic factors in the brain and muscles, leading to restoration of microtubule-associated protein 2, cholinergic and dopaminergic nervous systems, microvessels, muscle mass, and antioxidative capacity. The results indicate that repeated transplantation of AMMSCs and ADMSCs elongate both health span and life span, which could be a starting point for antiaging or rejuvenation effects of allogeneic or autologous stem cells with minimum immune rejection. This study demonstrates that repeated treatment with stem cells in normal animals has antiaging potential, extending health span and life span. Because antiaging and prolonged life span are issues currently of interest, these results are significant for readers and investigators. ©AlphaMed Press.

Heavy Lift Helicopter - Cargo Handling ATC Program, Volume III. Results of Tests, Inspections, and Evaluations

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-10-01

construc- tion should consider the losses incurred by the E samples and the 2.4% bending/wrap pressure los1 (TOD) incurred by the A-6 sample with respect...charging condi- tions. These elements should be deleted . 418j 2. Grounding Pole a) The contact hook did not ensure positive contact with the load or... deleted as a requirement for the HLH prototype during the ATC program. However, the system was included in the ITR and span position changes were

Impact of direct substitution of arm span length for current standing height in elderly COPD.

PubMed

Pothirat, Chaicharn; Chaiwong, Warawut; Phetsuk, Nittaya

2015-01-01

Arm span length is related to standing height and has been studied as a substitute for current standing height for predicting lung function parameters. However, it has never been studied in elderly COPD patients. To evaluate the accuracy of substituting arm span length for current standing height in the evaluation of pulmonary function parameters and severity classification in elderly Thai COPD patients. Current standing height and arm span length were measured in COPD patients aged >60 years. Postbronchodilator spirometric parameters, forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in first second (FEV1), and ratio of FEV1/FVC (FEV1%), were used to classify disease severity according to global initiative for chronic obstructive lung disease criteria. Predicted values for each parameter were also calculated separately utilizing current standing height or arm span length measurements. Student's t-tests and chi-squared tests were used to compare differences between the groups. Statistical significance was set at P<0.05. A total of 106 COPD patients with a mean age of 72.1±7.8 years, mean body mass index of 20.6±3.8 kg/m(2), and mean standing height of 156.4±8.3 cm were enrolled. The mean arm span length exceeded mean standing height by 7.7±4.6 cm (164.0±9.0 vs 156.4±8.3 cm, P<0.001), at a ratio of 1.05±0.03. Percentages of both predicted FVC and FEV1 values based on arm span length were significantly lower than those using current standing height (76.6±25.4 vs 61.6±16.8, P<0.001 and 50.8±25.4 vs 41.1±15.3, P<0.001). Disease severity increased in 39.6% (42/106) of subjects using arm span length over current standing height for predicted lung function. Direct substitution of arm span length for current standing height in elderly Thai COPD patients should not be recommended in cases where arm span length exceeds standing height by more than 4 cm.

Alteration of travel patterns with vision loss from glaucoma and macular degeneration.

PubMed

Curriero, Frank C; Pinchoff, Jessie; van Landingham, Suzanne W; Ferrucci, Luigi; Friedman, David S; Ramulu, Pradeep Y

2013-11-01

The distance patients can travel outside the home influences how much of the world they can sample and to what extent they can live independently. Recent technological advances have allowed travel outside the home to be directly measured in patients' real-world routines. To determine whether decreased visual acuity (VA) from age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and visual field (VF) loss from glaucoma are associated with restricted travel patterns in older adults. Cross-sectional study. Patients were recruited from an eye clinic, while travel patterns were recorded during their real-world routines using a cellular tracking device. Sixty-one control subjects with normal vision, 84 subjects with glaucoma with bilateral VF loss, and 65 subjects with AMD with bilateral or severe unilateral loss of VA had their location tracked every 15 minutes between 7 am and 11 pm for 7 days using a tracking device. Average daily excursion size (defined as maximum distance away from home) and average daily excursion span (defined as maximum span of travel) were defined for each individual. The effects of vision loss on travel patterns were evaluated after controlling for individual and geographic factors. In multivariable models comparing subjects with AMD and control subjects, average excursion size and span decreased by approximately one-quarter mile for each line of better-eye VA loss (P ≤ .03 for both). Similar but not statistically significant associations were observed between average daily excursion size and span for severity of better-eye VF loss in subjects with glaucoma and control subjects. Being married or living with someone and younger age were associated with more distant travel, while less-distant travel was noted for older individuals, African Americans, and those living in more densely populated regions. Age-related macular degeneration-related loss of VA, but not glaucoma-related loss of VF, is associated with restriction of travel to more nearby locations. This constriction of life space may impact quality of life and restrict access to services.

Influence of pharmacological manipulations of NMDA and cholinergic receptors on working versus reference memory in a dual component odor span task.

PubMed

MacQueen, David A; Dalrymple, Savannah R; Drobes, David J; Diamond, David M

2016-06-01

Developed as a tool to assess working memory capacity in rodents, the odor span task (OST) has significant potential to advance drug discovery in animal models of psychiatric disorders. Prior investigations indicate OST performance is impaired by systemic administration of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDA-r) antagonists and is sensitive to cholinergic manipulations. The present study sought to determine whether an impairment in OST performance can be produced by systemic administration of the competitive NMDA-r antagonist 3-(2-carboxypiperazin-4-yl)propyl-1-phosphonic acid (CPP; 3, 10, 17 mg/kg i.p.) in a unique dual-component variant of the OST, and whether this impairment is ameliorated by nicotine (0.75 mg/kg i.p.). Male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to asymptotic level of performance on a 24-trial two-comparison incrementing nonmatching to sample OST. In addition, rats were administered a two-comparison olfactory reference memory (RM) task, which was integrated into the OST. The RM task provided an assessment of the effects of drug administration on global behavioral measures, long-term memory and motivation. Several measures of working memory (span, longest run, and accuracy) were dose dependently impaired by CPP without adversely affecting RM. Analysis of drug effects across trial blocks demonstrated a significant impairment of performance even at low memory loads, suggesting a CPP-induced deficit of olfactory short-term memory that is not load-dependent. Although nicotine did not ameliorate CPP-induced impairments in span or accuracy, it did block the impairment in longest run produced by the 10 mg/kg dose of CPP. Overall, our results indicate that performance in our 24 odor two-comparison OST is capacity dependent and that CPP impaired OST working, but not reference, memory. © 2016 MacQueen et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

Reliable Digit Span: A Systematic Review and Cross-Validation Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schroeder, Ryan W.; Twumasi-Ankrah, Philip; Baade, Lyle E.; Marshall, Paul S.

2012-01-01

Reliable Digit Span (RDS) is a heavily researched symptom validity test with a recent literature review yielding more than 20 studies ranging in dates from 1994 to 2011. Unfortunately, limitations within some of the research minimize clinical generalizability. This systematic review and cross-validation study was conducted to address these…

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Stellar mass of brightest cluster galaxies (Bellstedt+, 2016)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bellstedt, S.; Lidman, C.; Muzzin, A.; Franx, M.; Guatelli, S.; Hill, A. R.; Hoekstra, H.; Kurinsky, N.; Labbe, I.; Marchesini, D.; Marsan, Z. C.; Safavi-Naeini, M.; Sifon, C.; Stefanon, M.; van de Sande, J.; van Dokkum, P.; Weigel, C.

2017-11-01

We utilize a sample of 98 newly imaged galaxy clusters from the RELICS (REd Lens Infrared Cluster Survey) survey within this study. The data were collected during six observing runs on three instruments over a period spanning from 2013 October to 2015 March. The instruments utilized were the SofI2 camera on the New Technology Telescope at the European Southern Observatory (ESO) La Silla Observatory in Chile, WHIRC3 on the WIYN telescope at the Kitt Peak National Observatory and LIRIS4 on the William Herschel Telescope (WHT) in La Palma, Spain. (2 data files).

Study on ultra-fast single photon counting spectrometer based on PCI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xi-feng

2010-10-01

The time-correlated single photon counting spectrometer developed uses PCI bus technology. We developed the ultrafast data acquisition card based on PCI, replace multi-channel analyzer primary. The system theory and design of the spectrometer are presented in detail, and the process of operation is introduced with the integration of the system. Many standard samples have been measured and the data have been analyzed and contrasted. Experimental results show that the spectrometer, s sensitive is single photon counting, and fluorescence life-span and time resolution is picosecond level. And the instrument could measure time-resolved spectroscopy.

Clan Genomics and the Complex Architecture of Human Disease

PubMed Central

Belmont, John W.; Boerwinkle, Eric

2013-01-01

Human diseases are caused by alleles that encompass the full range of variant types, from single-nucleotide changes to copy-number variants, and these variations span a broad frequency spectrum, from the very rare to the common. The picture emerging from analysis of whole-genome sequences, the 1000 Genomes Project pilot studies, and targeted genomic sequencing derived from very large sample sizes reveals an abundance of rare and private variants. One implication of this realization is that recent mutation may have a greater influence on disease susceptibility or protection than is conferred by variations that arose in distant ancestors. PMID:21962505

VA Suicide Prevention Applications Network

PubMed Central

Stephens, Brady; Morley, Sybil; Thompson, Caitlin; Kemp, Janet; Bossarte, Robert M.

2016-01-01

Objectives: The US Department of Veterans Affairs’ Suicide Prevention Applications Network (SPAN) is a national system for suicide event tracking and case management. The objective of this study was to assess data on suicide attempts among people using Veterans Health Administration (VHA) services. Methods: We assessed the degree of data overlap on suicide attempters reported in SPAN and the VHA’s medical records from October 1, 2010, to September 30, 2014—overall, by year, and by region. Data on suicide attempters in the VHA’s medical records consisted of diagnoses documented with E95 codes from the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision. Results: Of 50 518 VHA patients who attempted suicide during the 4-year study period, data on fewer than half (41%) were reported in both SPAN and the medical records; nearly 65% of patients whose suicide attempt was recorded in SPAN had no data on attempted suicide in the VHA’s medical records. Conclusion: Evaluation of administrative data suggests that use of SPAN substantially increases the collection of data on suicide attempters as compared with the use of medical records alone, but neither SPAN nor the VHA’s medical records identify all suicide attempters. Further research is needed to better understand the strengths and limitations of both systems and how to best combine information across systems. PMID:28123228

VA Suicide Prevention Applications Network: A National Health Care System-Based Suicide Event Tracking System.

PubMed

Hoffmire, Claire; Stephens, Brady; Morley, Sybil; Thompson, Caitlin; Kemp, Janet; Bossarte, Robert M

2016-11-01

The US Department of Veterans Affairs' Suicide Prevention Applications Network (SPAN) is a national system for suicide event tracking and case management. The objective of this study was to assess data on suicide attempts among people using Veterans Health Administration (VHA) services. We assessed the degree of data overlap on suicide attempters reported in SPAN and the VHA's medical records from October 1, 2010, to September 30, 2014-overall, by year, and by region. Data on suicide attempters in the VHA's medical records consisted of diagnoses documented with E95 codes from the International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision . Of 50 518 VHA patients who attempted suicide during the 4-year study period, data on fewer than half (41%) were reported in both SPAN and the medical records; nearly 65% of patients whose suicide attempt was recorded in SPAN had no data on attempted suicide in the VHA's medical records. Evaluation of administrative data suggests that use of SPAN substantially increases the collection of data on suicide attempters as compared with the use of medical records alone, but neither SPAN nor the VHA's medical records identify all suicide attempters. Further research is needed to better understand the strengths and limitations of both systems and how to best combine information across systems.

Attention Restoration Theory: A systematic review of the attention restoration potential of exposure to natural environments.

PubMed

Ohly, Heather; White, Mathew P; Wheeler, Benedict W; Bethel, Alison; Ukoumunne, Obioha C; Nikolaou, Vasilis; Garside, Ruth

2016-01-01

Attention Restoration Theory (ART) suggests the ability to concentrate may be restored by exposure to natural environments. Although widely cited, it is unclear as to the quantity of empirical evidence that supports this. A systematic review regarding the impact of exposure to natural environments on attention was conducted. Seven electronic databases were searched. Studies were included if (1) they were natural experiments, randomized investigations, or recorded "before and after" measurements; (2) compared natural and nonnatural/other settings; and (3) used objective measures of attention. Screening of articles for inclusion, data extraction, and quality appraisal were performed by one reviewer and checked by another. Where possible, random effects meta-analysis was used to pool effect sizes. Thirty-one studies were included. Meta-analyses provided some support for ART, with significant positive effects of exposure to natural environments for three measures (Digit Span Forward, Digit Span Backward, and Trail Making Test B). The remaining 10 meta-analyses did not show marked beneficial effects. Meta-analysis was limited by small numbers of investigations, small samples, heterogeneity in reporting of study quality indicators, and heterogeneity of outcomes. This review highlights the diversity of evidence around ART in terms of populations, study design, and outcomes. There is uncertainty regarding which aspects of attention may be affected by exposure to natural environments.

Metabolomics Workbench: An international repository for metabolomics data and metadata, metabolite standards, protocols, tutorials and training, and analysis tools.

PubMed

Sud, Manish; Fahy, Eoin; Cotter, Dawn; Azam, Kenan; Vadivelu, Ilango; Burant, Charles; Edison, Arthur; Fiehn, Oliver; Higashi, Richard; Nair, K Sreekumaran; Sumner, Susan; Subramaniam, Shankar

2016-01-04

The Metabolomics Workbench, available at www.metabolomicsworkbench.org, is a public repository for metabolomics metadata and experimental data spanning various species and experimental platforms, metabolite standards, metabolite structures, protocols, tutorials, and training material and other educational resources. It provides a computational platform to integrate, analyze, track, deposit and disseminate large volumes of heterogeneous data from a wide variety of metabolomics studies including mass spectrometry (MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry (NMR) data spanning over 20 different species covering all the major taxonomic categories including humans and other mammals, plants, insects, invertebrates and microorganisms. Additionally, a number of protocols are provided for a range of metabolite classes, sample types, and both MS and NMR-based studies, along with a metabolite structure database. The metabolites characterized in the studies available on the Metabolomics Workbench are linked to chemical structures in the metabolite structure database to facilitate comparative analysis across studies. The Metabolomics Workbench, part of the data coordinating effort of the National Institute of Health (NIH) Common Fund's Metabolomics Program, provides data from the Common Fund's Metabolomics Resource Cores, metabolite standards, and analysis tools to the wider metabolomics community and seeks data depositions from metabolomics researchers across the world. © The Author(s) 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Large fluxes and rapid turnover of mineral-associated carbon across topographic gradients in a humid tropical forest: insights from paired 14C analysis

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

Hall, S. J.; McNicol, G.; Natake, T.

2015-04-29

It has been proposed that the large soil carbon (C) stocks of humid tropical forests result predominantly from C stabilization by reactive minerals, whereas oxygen (O 2) limitation of decomposition has received much less attention. We examined the importance of these factors in explaining patterns of C stocks and turnover in the Luquillo Experimental Forest, Puerto Rico, using radiocarbon ( 14C) measurements of contemporary and archived samples. Samples from ridge, slope, and valley positions spanned three soil orders (Ultisol, Oxisol, Inceptisol) representative of humid tropical forests, and differed in texture, reactive metal content, O 2 availability, and root biomass. Mineral-associatedmore » C comprised the large majority (87 ± 2%, n = 30) of total soil C. Turnover of most mineral-associated C (66 ± 2%) was rapid (11 to 26 years; mean and SE: 18 ± 3 years) in 25 of 30 soil samples across surface horizons (0–10 and 10–20 cm depths) and all topographic positions, independent of variation in reactive metal concentrations and clay content. Passive C with centennial–millennial turnover was typically much less abundant (34 ± 3%), even at 10–20 cm depths. Carbon turnover times and concentrations significantly increased with concentrations of reduced iron (Fe(II)) across all samples, suggesting that O 2 availability may have limited the decomposition of mineral-associated C over decadal scales. Steady-state inputs of mineral-associated C were statistically similar among the three topographic positions, and could represent 10–25% of annual litter production. Observed trends in mineral-associated Δ 14C over time could not be fit using the single-pool model used in many other studies, which generated contradictory relationships between turnover and Δ 14C as compared with a more realistic two-pool model. The large C fluxes in surface and near-surface soils documented here are supported by findings from paired 14C studies in other types of ecosystems, and suggest that most mineral-associated C cycles relatively rapidly (decadal scales) across ecosystems that span a broad range of state factors.« less

Simple Predictions Fueled by Capacity Limitations: When Are They Successful?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gaissmaier, Wolfgang; Schooler, Lael J.; Rieskamp, Jorg

2006-01-01

Counterintuitively, Y. Kareev, I. Lieberman, and M. Lev (1997) found that a lower short-term memory capacity benefits performance on a correlation detection task. They assumed that people with low short-term memory capacity (low spans) perceived the correlations as more extreme because they relied on smaller samples, which are known to exaggerate…

Youth Engagement and Suicide Risk: Testing a Mediated Model in a Canadian Community Sample

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ramey, Heather L.; Busseri, Michael A.; Khanna, Nishad; Rose-Krasnor, Linda

2010-01-01

Suicide is a leading cause of death among adolescents in many industrialized countries. We report evidence from a mediation model linking greater youth activity engagement, spanning behavioral and psychological components, with lower suicide risk through five hypothesized intrapersonal and interpersonal mediating factors. Self-report survey data…

40 CFR 1065.390 - PM balance verifications and weighing process verification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... days before weighing any filter. (2) Zero and span the balance within 12 h before weighing any filter. (3) Verify that the mass determination of reference filters before and after a filter weighing... reference PM sample media (e.g., filters) before and after a weighing session. A weighing session may be as...

40 CFR 1065.390 - PM balance verifications and weighing process verification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... days before weighing any filter. (2) Zero and span the balance within 12 h before weighing any filter. (3) Verify that the mass determination of reference filters before and after a filter weighing... reference PM sample media (e.g., filters) before and after a weighing session. A weighing session may be as...

40 CFR 1065.390 - PM balance verifications and weighing process verification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... days before weighing any filter. (2) Zero and span the balance within 12 h before weighing any filter. (3) Verify that the mass determination of reference filters before and after a filter weighing... reference PM sample media (e.g., filters) before and after a weighing session. A weighing session may be as...

40 CFR 1065.390 - PM balance verifications and weighing process verification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... days before weighing any filter. (2) Zero and span the balance within 12 h before weighing any filter. (3) Verify that the mass determination of reference filters before and after a filter weighing... reference PM sample media (e.g., filters) before and after a weighing session. A weighing session may be as...

40 CFR 1065.390 - PM balance verifications and weighing process verification.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... days before weighing any filter. (2) Zero and span the balance within 12 h before weighing any filter. (3) Verify that the mass determination of reference filters before and after a filter weighing... weighing session by weighing reference PM sample media (e.g., filters) before and after a weighing session...

30 CFR 7.88 - Test to determine the gaseous ventilation rate.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... TESTING, EVALUATION, AND APPROVAL OF MINING PRODUCTS TESTING BY APPLICANT OR THIRD PARTY Diesel Engines... engine to the dynamometer and attach the sampling and measurement devices specified in § 7.86. (2) A... zeroed and spanned at the analyzer range to be used prior to testing. (4) Run the engine. (i) The...

30 CFR 7.88 - Test to determine the gaseous ventilation rate.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... TESTING, EVALUATION, AND APPROVAL OF MINING PRODUCTS TESTING BY APPLICANT OR THIRD PARTY Diesel Engines... engine to the dynamometer and attach the sampling and measurement devices specified in § 7.86. (2) A... zeroed and spanned at the analyzer range to be used prior to testing. (4) Run the engine. (i) The...

30 CFR 7.88 - Test to determine the gaseous ventilation rate.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... TESTING, EVALUATION, AND APPROVAL OF MINING PRODUCTS TESTING BY APPLICANT OR THIRD PARTY Diesel Engines... engine to the dynamometer and attach the sampling and measurement devices specified in § 7.86. (2) A... zeroed and spanned at the analyzer range to be used prior to testing. (4) Run the engine. (i) The...

30 CFR 7.88 - Test to determine the gaseous ventilation rate.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... TESTING, EVALUATION, AND APPROVAL OF MINING PRODUCTS TESTING BY APPLICANT OR THIRD PARTY Diesel Engines... engine to the dynamometer and attach the sampling and measurement devices specified in § 7.86. (2) A... zeroed and spanned at the analyzer range to be used prior to testing. (4) Run the engine. (i) The...

30 CFR 7.88 - Test to determine the gaseous ventilation rate.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... TESTING, EVALUATION, AND APPROVAL OF MINING PRODUCTS TESTING BY APPLICANT OR THIRD PARTY Diesel Engines... engine to the dynamometer and attach the sampling and measurement devices specified in § 7.86. (2) A... zeroed and spanned at the analyzer range to be used prior to testing. (4) Run the engine. (i) The...

Perceived Closeness in Adult Sibling Relationships: Origins, Maintenance, and Meaning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ross, Helgola G.; Dalton, Mary Jo

Research on adult sibling relationships suggests a concern about the quality of these relationships. The meaning of closeness in sibling relationships across the adult life span, its perceived origins, maintenance, and dynamics, were investigated in a sample of 55 adults ranging in age from 25 to 93 years. Semi-structured interviews with the…

Preparation for Old Age in Different Life Domains: Dimensions and Age Differences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kornadt, Anna E.; Rothermund, Klaus

2014-01-01

We investigated preparation for age-related changes from a multidimensional, life span perspective and administered a newly developed questionnaire to a large sample aged 30-80 years. Preparing for age-related changes was organized by life domains, with domain-specific types of preparation addressing obstacles and opportunities in the respective…

Proactive interference and practice effects in visuospatial working memory span task performance.

PubMed

Blalock, Lisa Durrance; McCabe, David P

2011-01-01

In the current study the influence of proactive interference (PI) and practice on recall from a visuospatial working memory (WM) task was examined. Participants completed a visuospatial WM span task under either high-PI conditions (a traditional span task) or low-PI conditions (a span task with breaks between trials). Trials of each length (i.e., two to five to-be-remembered items) were equally distributed across three blocks in order to examine practice effects. Recall increased across blocks to a greater extent in the low-PI condition than in the high-PI condition, indicating that reducing PI increased recall from WM. Additionally, in the final block the correlation between fluid intelligence and WM recall was stronger for the high-PI condition than the low-PI condition, indicating that practice reduced the strength of the correlation between span task recall and fluid intelligence, but only in the low-PI condition. These results support current theories that propose that one source of variability in recall from WM span task is the build-up of PI, and that PI build-up is an important contributing factor to the relation between visuospatial WM span task recall and higher-level cognition.

Wild birds and urban ecology of ticks and tick-borne pathogens, Chicago, Illinois, USA, 2005-2010.

PubMed

Hamer, Sarah A; Goldberg, Tony L; Kitron, Uriel D; Brawn, Jeffrey D; Anderson, Tavis K; Loss, Scott R; Walker, Edward D; Hamer, Gabriel L

2012-10-01

Bird-facilitated introduction of ticks and associated pathogens is postulated to promote invasion of tick-borne zoonotic diseases into urban areas. Results of a longitudinal study conducted in suburban Chicago, Illinois, USA, during 2005-2010 show that 1.6% of 6,180 wild birds captured in mist nets harbored ticks. Tick species in order of abundance were Haemaphysalis leporispalustris, Ixodes dentatus, and I. scapularis, but 2 neotropical tick species of the genus Amblyomma were sampled during the spring migration. I. scapularis ticks were absent at the beginning of the study but constituted the majority of ticks by study end and were found predominantly on birds captured in areas designated as urban green spaces. Of 120 ticks, 5 were infected with Borrelia burgdorferi, spanning 3 ribotypes, but none were infected with Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Results allow inferences about propagule pressure for introduction of tick-borne diseases and emphasize the large sample sizes required to estimate this pressure.

Wild Birds and Urban Ecology of Ticks and Tick-borne Pathogens, Chicago, Illinois, USA, 2005–2010

PubMed Central

Goldberg, Tony L.; Kitron, Uriel D.; Brawn, Jeffrey D.; Anderson, Tavis K.; Loss, Scott R.; Walker, Edward D.; Hamer, Gabriel L.

2012-01-01

Bird-facilitated introduction of ticks and associated pathogens is postulated to promote invasion of tick-borne zoonotic diseases into urban areas. Results of a longitudinal study conducted in suburban Chicago, Illinois, USA, during 2005–2010 show that 1.6% of 6,180 wild birds captured in mist nets harbored ticks. Tick species in order of abundance were Haemaphysalis leporispalustris, Ixodes dentatus, and I. scapularis, but 2 neotropical tick species of the genus Amblyomma were sampled during the spring migration. I. scapularis ticks were absent at the beginning of the study but constituted the majority of ticks by study end and were found predominantly on birds captured in areas designated as urban green spaces. Of 120 ticks, 5 were infected with Borrelia burgdorferi, spanning 3 ribotypes, but none were infected with Anaplasma phagocytophilum. Results allow inferences about propagule pressure for introduction of tick-borne diseases and emphasize the large sample sizes required to estimate this pressure. PMID:23017244

Effect of surfactants on the characteristics of fluconazole niosomes for enhanced cutaneous delivery.

PubMed

Gupta, Madhu; Vaidya, Bhuvaneshwar; Mishra, Neeraj; Vyas, Suresh P

2011-12-01

Fluconazole-loaded niosomes were prepared by the film hydration method with different surfactants (Span and Brij series) and characterized for various parameters. Results showed that niosomes composed of Span 40, Span 60, and Brij 72 were most stable with smaller size, i.e. 0.378 ± 0.022 μm, 0.343 ± 0.063 μm, and 0.287 ± 0.012 μm, respectively, along with higher entrapment efficiency (approx. > 41%). In vitro skin permeation and retention studies suggested that cutaneous accumulation was affected by surfactant property and vesicle size. Therefore the niosomes consisting of Span 40, Span 60, and Brij 72 surfactant are seemingly accumulated and form localized drug depots in the skin, thereby releasing the contents in a sustained manner and able to greatly enhance cutaneous retention of the drug.

Three-dimensional nonlinear responses to impact loads on free-span pipeline: Torsional coupling and load steps

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

Chung, J.S.; Huttelmaier, H.P.; Cheng, B.R.

1995-12-31

For a heavy object falling on a free-span pipeline, this study assesses three-dimensional (3-D) pipe-span responses with the torsional ({theta}x-) coupling of a pipeline through the biaxial (y) bending responses. The static pipe-span equilibrium is achieved with its self-weight and buoyancy and the external torsional moment induced by the cross-flow (y-directional) current on the sagged pipe span. Load steps taken for 2 different sequences of applying static loads induced different pipe deformations, and the pipe twists in entirely different pattern. The two types of impact loads are applied in the vertical (z-) direction to excite the pipe span in itsmore » static equilibrium: (1) triangular impulse loading and (2) ramp loading. Boundary condition of the span supports is ``fixed-fixed`` at both ends in both displacement and rotation. 3-D coupled axial (x-), bending (y- and z-) and torsional ({theta}x-) responses, both state and dynamic, to the z-directional impact loadings, are modeled and analyzed by a nonlinear FEM method for a 16-in pipeline. The 3-D responses are compared with 2-D responses. The comparison shows significant torsional vibrations caused by the cross-flow current, especially for longer spans. The torsional ({theta}x-) coupling is very sensitive to the time-step size in achieving numerical stability and accuracy, particularly for the ramp loading and for a shorter span. For very large impact loads, the response frequencies differ from the fundamental frequencies of the span, exhibiting beatings and strong bending-to-axial and to-twist couplings. Also, the eigenvalues for the linear system are not necessarily the resonance frequencies for these nonlinear coupled responses.« less

Quaternary radiolarian biostratigraphy in the subarctic northeastern Pacific (IODP Expedition 341 Site U1417) and synchroneity of bioevents across the North Pacific

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsuzaki, Kenji M.; Suzuki, Noritoshi

2018-01-01

Expedition 341 of the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) retrieved sediment cores spanning the time interval between the Pleistocene and Miocene from the southern Gulf of Alaska. Onboard Pleistocene radiolarian biostratigraphy is hereby refined by increasing the sampling resolution. The 178 core samples from the upper 190 m CCSF-B (Composite Core Depth Scale F-B) of Site U1417 contained faunal elements similar to the northwestern Pacific; for example, the three biozones in the northwestern Pacific (i.e., Eucyrtidium matuyamai, Stylatractus universus and Botryostrobus aquilonaris) were also recognized in the Gulf of Alaska, spanning 1.80-1.13 Ma, 1.13-0.45 Ma, and the last 0.45 Myr, respectively. Based on the age model that we used in this study and the shipboard paleomagnetic reversal events, the first occurrences (FOs) of Amphimelissa setosa and Schizodiscus japonicus in the northeastern Pacific were preliminarily determined to be 1.48 and 1.30 Ma, respectively. The last occurrence (LO) of Eucyrtidium matuyamai and the FO of Lychnocanoma sakaii, both well-established bioevents in the northwestern Pacific, were dated at 0.80 and 1.13 Ma, respectively. The LO of E. matuyamai is a synchronous event at 1.05 ± 0.1 Ma in the North Pacific, while the FOs of A. setosa and S. japonicus at 1.48 and 1.30 Ma, respectively, are significantly older than what has been found elsewhere.

Up, not down: The age curve in happiness from early adulthood to midlife in two longitudinal studies.

PubMed

Galambos, Nancy L; Fang, Shichen; Krahn, Harvey J; Johnson, Matthew D; Lachman, Margie E

2015-11-01

Happiness is an important indicator of well-being, and little is known about how it changes in the early adult years. We examined trajectories of happiness from early adulthood to midlife in 2 Canadian longitudinal samples: high school seniors followed from ages 18-43 and university seniors followed from ages 23-37. Happiness increased into the 30s in both samples, with a slight downturn by age 43 in the high school sample. The rise in happiness after high school and university remained after controlling for important baseline covariates (gender, parents' education, grades, self-esteem), time-varying covariates known to be associated with happiness (marital status, unemployment, self-rated physical health), and number of waves of participation. The upward trend in happiness runs counter to some previous cross-sectional research claiming a high point in happiness in the late teens, decreasing into midlife. As cross-sectional designs do not assess within-person change, longitudinal studies are necessary for drawing accurate conclusions about patterns of change in happiness across the life span. (c) 2015 APA, all rights reserved).

Application of a Stir Bar Sorptive Extraction sample preparation method with HPLC for soil fungal biomass determination in soils from a detrital manipulation study.

PubMed

Beni, Áron; Lajtha, Kate; Kozma, János; Fekete, István

2017-05-01

Ergosterol is a sterol found ubiquitously in cell membranes of filamentous fungi. Although concentrations in different fungal species span the range of 2.6 to 42μg/mL of dry mass, many studies have shown a strong correlation between soil ergosterol content and fungal biomass. The analysis of ergosterol in soil therefore could be an effective tool for monitoring changes in fungal biomass under different environmental conditions. Stir Bar Sorptive Extraction (SBSE) is a new sample preparation method to extract and concentrate organic analytes from liquid samples. SBSE was here demonstrated to be a simple, fast, and cost effective method for the quantitative analysis of ergosterol from field-collected soils. Using this method we observed that soil ergosterol as a measure of fungal biomass proved to be a sensitive indicator of soil microbial dynamics that were altered by changes in plant detrital inputs to soils in a long-term field experiment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Exploring Damped Ly Alpha System Host Galaxies Using Gamma-Ray Bursts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Toy, Vicki L.; Cucchiara, Antonino; Veilleux, Sylvain; Fumagalli, Michele; Rafelski, Marc; Rahmati, Alireza; Cenko, S. Bradley; Capone, John I.; Pasham, Dheeraj R.

2016-01-01

We present a sample of 45 Damped Ly-Alpha system [DLA; H I-N is greater than or equal to 2 x 10(exp. 20) cm(exp. -2)] counterparts (33 detections, 12 upper limits) which host gamma-ray bursts (GRB-DLAs) in order to investigate star formation and metallicity within galaxies hosting DLAs. Our sample spans z is approx. 2 - 6 and is nearly three times larger than any previously detected DLA counterparts survey based on quasar line-of-sight searches (QSO-DLAs). We report star formation rates (SFRs) from rest-frame UV photometry and spectral energy distribution modeling. We find that DLA counterpart SFRs are not correlated with either redshift or H I column density. Thanks to the combination of Hubble Space Telescope and ground-based observations, we also investigate DLA host star formation efficiency. Our GRB-DLA counterpart sample spans both higher efficiency and low efficiency star formation regions compared to the local Kennicutt-Schmidt relation, local star formation laws, and z is approximately 3 cosmological simulations. We also compare the depletion times of our DLA hosts sample to other objects in the local universe; our sample appears to deviate from the star formation efficiencies measured in local spiral and dwarf galaxies. Furthermore, we find similar efficiencies as local inner disks, SMC, and Lyman-break galaxy outskirts. Finally, our enrichment time measurements show a spread of systems with under- and over-abundance of metals, which may suggest that these systems had episodic star formation and a metal enrichment/depletion as a result of strong stellar feedback and/or metal inflow/outflow.

Maternal caloric restriction partially rescues the deleterious effects of advanced maternal age on offspring.

PubMed

Gribble, Kristin E; Jarvis, George; Bock, Martha; Mark Welch, David B

2014-08-01

While many studies have focused on the detrimental effects of advanced maternal age and harmful prenatal environments on progeny, little is known about the role of beneficial non-Mendelian maternal inheritance on aging. Here, we report the effects of maternal age and maternal caloric restriction (CR) on the life span and health span of offspring for a clonal culture of the monogonont rotifer Brachionus manjavacas. Mothers on regimens of chronic CR (CCR) or intermittent fasting (IF) had increased life span compared with mothers fed ad libitum (AL). With increasing maternal age, life span and fecundity of female offspring of AL-fed mothers decreased significantly and life span of male offspring was unchanged, whereas body size of both male and female offspring increased. Maternal CR partially rescued these effects, increasing the mean life span of AL-fed female offspring but not male offspring and increasing the fecundity of AL-fed female offspring compared with offspring of mothers of the same age. Both maternal CR regimens decreased male offspring body size, but only maternal IF decreased body size of female offspring, whereas maternal CCR caused a slight increase. Understanding the genetic and biochemical basis of these different maternal effects on aging may guide effective interventions to improve health span and life span. © 2014 The Authors. Aging Cell published by the Anatomical Society and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Learning to Be Interdisciplinary: An Action Research Approach to Boundary Spanning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Munoz, Karen; Jeris, Laurel

2005-01-01

Objective: This study explored challenges and barriers that need to be addressed in a preprofessional educational setting to provide opportunities for boundary spanning that leads to family-centred interdisciplinary service provision. Design: The design employed in this study was participatory action research, an inductive approach. Setting: The…

The association between neuropsychological scores and ethnicity, language, and acculturation variables in a large patient population.

PubMed

Boone, Kyle Brauer; Victor, Tara L; Wen, Johnny; Razani, Jill; Pontón, Marcel

2007-03-01

The relationship between ethnicity and cognitive test performance was examined in a sample of 161 patients referred for evaluation at a public hospital-affiliated neuropsychology clinic; 83 patients were Caucasian (non-Hispanic), 31 were African-American, 30 were Hispanic, and 17 were Asian. Significant group differences were present on some measures of language (Boston Naming Test), attention (Digit Span ACSS), constructional ability (Rey-Osterrieth [RO] copy), nonverbal processing speed (Trails A), and executive skills (Wisconsin Card Sorting Test [WCST]). Comparison of those who spoke English as a first language (or who learned English concurrently with a second language) versus those who spoke English as a second language (ESL) revealed significantly higher performance in the non-ESL group for Digit Span, Boston Naming Test, and FAS, and a higher score in the ESL group for RO copy. Boston Naming Test scores were significantly related to years educated in the United States; Boston Naming Test and Digit Span scores were significantly correlated with age at which conversational English was first learned and number of years in the United States; and finally, FAS scores were also significantly related to number of years in the United States. These findings are consistent with data from published literature on ethnic differences and the effects of acculturation on cognitive test performance in nonpatients, and also indicate that these observations are not attenuated by the presence of psychiatric or neurologic illness. The results further caution that normative data derived on Caucasian samples may not be appropriate for use with other ethnic groups.

Development of new demi-span equations from a nationally representative sample of older people to estimate adult height.

PubMed

Hirani, Vasant; Aresu, Maria

2012-03-01

To develop new equations for the calculation of body mass index (BMI) of adults aged 65 and older for when an actual height measurement may not be possible or reflect attained height because of loss of height with aging or conditions such as kyphosis or osteoporosis. Cross-sectional, nationally representative samples; data from 1994, 2000 2005, and 2007. Adults aged 65 and older living in England. Two thousand four hundred fifty-four noninstitutitionalized adults aged 65 and older taking part in the Health Survey for England (HSE). Height and demi-span measurements (defined as the distance between the mid-point of the sternal notch and the finger roots with the arm outstretched laterally) were taken according to standard procedures. Sex- and age-specific regression equations were produced from measured height and demi-span (DEH) using HSE 2005 data to develop new DEH equations (DEH(age)) from people aged 65 and older. The derived DEH(age) equation was applied to the HSE data for 1994, 2000, and 2007 to attempt to test its reliability. Analysis showed that DEH(age) predicts current height better than when using the Bassey equation (DEH(B) (assey)). DEH(age) can be used instead of a height measurement to derive other anthropometric indices such as body mass index (BMI) in older people. The new equations developed for predicting current height in older people can be used to calculate BMI more accurately in older people. © 2012, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2012, The American Geriatrics Society.

Cognitive features of psychotic states arising in late life (late paraphrenia).

PubMed

Almeida, O P; Howard, R J; Levy, R; David, A S; Morris, R G; Sahakian, B J

1995-07-01

The cognitive performance of 47 elderly psychotic patients with onset of symptoms in late life (late paraphrenia) was compared to that of 33 controls matched for age, sex, ethnic origin, number of years of education, and pre-morbid IQ as measured by the NART. Neuropsychological indices of general cognitive functioning (MMSE, CAMCOG, WAIS-R verbal and performance scores) showed that patients were performing the tasks at a significantly lower level than controls. Patients also showed a trend to have a lower span capacity than controls, particularly at the spatial span subtest. There was no obvious impairment of learning as measured by the digit and spatial recurring span tasks nor of simultaneous matching-to-sample ability. However, patients' performance on a delayed-matching-to-sample procedure was significantly worse than that of controls. In addition, patients performed worse than controls on the Recognition Memory Test for Faces, but not for Words. Finally, the performance of patients on tests assessing executive functioning (Verbal Fluency Test, Computerized Extra and Intra-Dimensional Shift Task, Computerized Spatial Working Memory Task, and Computerized Tower of London Task) was consistently worse than that of controls. These results suggest that psychotic states arising in late life are predominantly associated with a decline on measures of general cognitive ability and executive functioning. The neuropsychological meaning of these findings is discussed in the light of cognitive models of psychotic symptoms, as well as of schizophrenia and dementia research. We concluded that the lack of a clear pattern of impairment among these patients may be the result of their clinical and cognitive diversity.

The conscientious retiree: The relationship between conscientiousness, retirement, and volunteering.

PubMed

Mike, Anissa; Jackson, Joshua J; Oltmanns, Thomas F

2014-10-01

The current study examined the relationship between conscientiousness, work status, and volunteering utilizing two large samples, the St. Louis Personality and Aging Network (SPAN) and the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). It was hypothesized that conscientious adults who were retired would be more likely to volunteer because, after retirement, they gain a substantial amount of free time, while losing an outlet for their industrious and achievement-striving tendencies. Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses revealed that conscientious, retired individuals were more likely to volunteer than conscientious, working individuals. Further analyses revealed that facets of conscientiousness provide differential information from the general trait. These findings indicate that volunteering during retirement fills an important niche for high-striving, conscientious individuals.

Physical and Chemical Data from Eolian Sediment Collected Along a Transect from the Mojave Desert to the Colorado Plateau

USGS Publications Warehouse

Goldstein, Harland L.; Reynolds, Richard L.; Reheis, Marith C.; Yount, James C.; Lamothe, Paul J.

2007-01-01

This report presents data and describes the methodology for magnetic, geochemical, and textural measurements of sediment and bedrock samples collected along a transect across the Southwestern United States (fig. 1). The results presented here support a study that examines compositional variations of mineral dust deposited during the past few centuries in isolated natural traps spanning a region from the Mojave Desert of southern California to the central Colorado Plateau (Goldstein and others, in press; fig. 1). In particular, the study addresses the spatial and temporal variations in dust composition in the context of landscape geochemistry over a large area of the southwestern United States.

Dynamically Close Pairs of Galaxies Selected in the NIR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keenan, Ryan C.; Foucaud, Sebastien; De Propris, Roberto; Lin, Jing-Hua

2013-07-01

Studies of dynamically close pairs of galaxies can serve as a powerful probe of the galaxy merger rate and its evolution. Here we present a large sample of dynamically close pairs of galaxies selected in the K-band from the UKIDSS LAS. These data span ~ 175 deg2 on the sky in the 2dFGRS equatorial region (10 h < RA < 14h). Combining the 2dFGRS redshifts with those from the SDSS, our K-band selected catalog is > 90% spectroscopically complete at K AB < 16.4. In this study, we focus on quantifying the relative contributions of wet, dry, and mixed mergers to the stellar mass buildup of galaxies over the past 1-2 Gyr.

Stress-induced nematicity in EuFe 2 As 2 studied by Raman spectroscopy

DOE PAGES

Zhang, W. -L.; Sefat, Athena S.; Ding, H.; ...

2016-07-18

Here, we use polarized Raman scattering to study the structural phase transition in EuFe 2 As 2 , the parent compound of the 122-ferropnictide superconductors. The in-plane lattice anisotropy is characterized by measurements of the side surface with different strains induced by different preparation methods. We also show that while a fine surface polishing leaves the samples free of residual internal strain, in which case the onset of the C 4 symmetry breaking is observed at the nominal structural phase transition temperature T S , cutting the side surface induces a permanent fourfold rotational symmetry breaking spanning tens ofmore » degrees above T S .« less

Relation of Three Mechanisms of Working Memory to Children's Complex Span Performance

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Magimairaj, Beula; Montgomery, James; Marinellie, Sally; McCarthy, John

2009-01-01

There is a paucity of research examining the relative contribution of the different mechanisms of working memory (short-term storage [STM], processing speed) to children's complex memory span. This study served to replicate and extend the few extant studies that have examined the issue. In this study, the relative contribution of three mechanisms…

Span of Apprehension in Learning Disabled Boys.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McIntyre, Curtis W.; And Others

1978-01-01

The span of apprehension (a measure of the amount of information processed simultaneously from a brief visual display) was studied in two experiments involving 40 normal and learning disabled boys (ages 6-11 years). (Author/DLS)

A multiscale analysis of stock return co-movements and spillovers: Evidence from Pacific developed markets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Das, Debojyoti; Bhowmik, Puja; Jana, R. K.

2018-07-01

In this paper we examine the stock market co-movement and volatility spillover dynamics in the Pacific developed markets for a period spanning over January 05, 2001 to January 09, 2018. We employ wavelet-based techniques to study the multiscale co-movement dynamics of stock returns. Additionally, we also study the subtleties of volatility spillover of returns among the sample countries. We find that: (a) diversification benefits in these markets are limited due to higher degrees of integration, (b) Pacific developed markets co-move strongly during the periods of financial crisis (i.e. the contagion hypothesis) and (c) higher degree of volatility spills during financial crisis. We believe our study holds significance in the perspective of international portfolio diversification.

Neurobehavioral effects of arsenic exposure among secondary school children in the Kandal Province, Cambodia

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

Vibol, Sao; Faculty of Agricultural Technology and Management, Royal University of Agriculture, Phnom Penh; Hashim, Jamal Hisham, E-mail: jamalhas@hotmail.com

The research was carried out at 3 study sites with varying groundwater arsenic (As) levels in the Kandal Province of Cambodia. Kampong Kong Commune was chosen as a highly contaminated site (300–500 μg/L), Svay Romiet Commune was chosen as a moderately contaminated site (50–300 μg/L) and Anlong Romiet Commune was chosen as a control site. Neurobehavioral tests on the 3 exposure groups were conducted using a modified WHO neurobehavioral core test battery. Seven neurobehavioral tests including digit symbol, digit span, Santa Ana manual dexterity, Benton visual retention, pursuit aiming, trail making and simple reaction time were applied. Children's hair samplesmore » were also collected to investigate the influence of hair As levels on the neurobehavioral test scores. The results from the inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) analyses of hair samples showed that hair As levels at the 3 study sites were significantly different (p<0.001), whereby hair samples from the highly contaminated site (n=157) had a median hair As level of 0.93 μg/g, while the moderately contaminated site (n=151) had a median hair As level of 0.22 μg/g, and the control site (n=214) had a median hair As level of 0.08 μg/g. There were significant differences among the 3 study sites for all the neurobehavioral tests scores, except for digit span (backward) test. Multiple linear regression clearly shows a positive significant influence of hair As levels on all the neurobehavioral test scores, except for digit span (backward) test, after controlling for hair lead (Pb), manganese (Mn) and cadmium (Cd). Children with high hair As levels experienced 1.57–4.67 times greater risk of having lower neurobehavioral test scores compared to those with low hair As levels, after adjusting for hair Pb, Mn and Cd levels and BMI status. In conclusion, arsenic-exposed school children from the Kandal Province of Cambodia with a median hair As level of 0.93 µg/g among those from the highly contaminated study site, showed clear evidence of neurobehavioral effects. - Highlights: • We measured the level of arsenic concentration in school secondary school children's hair. • As contamination in groundwater is the major source effect on the neurobehavioral performance of school children. • School children in highly and moderately contaminated sites are at risk of As exposure.« less

Spatiotemporal Trends Analysis of Pyrethroid Sediment Concentrations Spanning 10 Years in a Residential Creek in California.

PubMed

Hall, Lenwood W; Anderson, Ronald D; Killen, William D

2016-02-01

The objective of this study was to assess temporal and spatial trends for eight pyrethroids monitored in sediment spanning 10 years from 2006 to 2015 in a residential stream in California (Pleasant Grove Creek). The timeframe for this study included sampling 3 years during a somewhat normal non-drought period (2006-2008) and 3 years during a severe drought period (2013-2015). Regression analysis of pyrethroid concentrations in Pleasant Grove Creek for 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 using ½ the detection limit for nondetected concentrations showed statistically significant declining trends for cyfluthrin, cypermethrin, deltamethrin, permethrin, and total pyrethoids. Additional trends analysis of the Pleasant Grove Creek pyrethroid data using only measured concentrations, without nondetected values, showed similar statistically significant declining trends for cyfluthrin, cypermethrin, deltamethrin, esfenvalerate, fenpropathrin, permethrin, and total pyrethroids. Spatial trends analysis for the specific creek sites showed that six of the eight pyrethroids had a greater number of sites with statistically significant declining concentrations. Possible reasons for reduced pyrethroid concentrations in the stream bed in Pleasant Grove Creek during this 10-year period are label changes in 2012 that reduced residential use and lack of precipitation during the later severe drought years of 2013-2015.

How linguistic closure and verbal working memory relate to speech recognition in noise--a review.

PubMed

Besser, Jana; Koelewijn, Thomas; Zekveld, Adriana A; Kramer, Sophia E; Festen, Joost M

2013-06-01

The ability to recognize masked speech, commonly measured with a speech reception threshold (SRT) test, is associated with cognitive processing abilities. Two cognitive factors frequently assessed in speech recognition research are the capacity of working memory (WM), measured by means of a reading span (Rspan) or listening span (Lspan) test, and the ability to read masked text (linguistic closure), measured by the text reception threshold (TRT). The current article provides a review of recent hearing research that examined the relationship of TRT and WM span to SRTs in various maskers. Furthermore, modality differences in WM capacity assessed with the Rspan compared to the Lspan test were examined and related to speech recognition abilities in an experimental study with young adults with normal hearing (NH). Span scores were strongly associated with each other, but were higher in the auditory modality. The results of the reviewed studies suggest that TRT and WM span are related to each other, but differ in their relationships with SRT performance. In NH adults of middle age or older, both TRT and Rspan were associated with SRTs in speech maskers, whereas TRT better predicted speech recognition in fluctuating nonspeech maskers. The associations with SRTs in steady-state noise were inconclusive for both measures. WM span was positively related to benefit from contextual information in speech recognition, but better TRTs related to less interference from unrelated cues. Data for individuals with impaired hearing are limited, but larger WM span seems to give a general advantage in various listening situations.

What Prolongs a Butterfly's Life?: Trade-Offs between Dormancy, Fecundity and Body Size

PubMed Central

Haeler, Elena; Fiedler, Konrad; Grill, Andrea

2014-01-01

In butterflies, life span often increases only at the expense of fecundity. Prolonged life span, on the other hand, provides more opportunities for oviposition. Here, we studied the association between life span and summer dormancy in two closely related species of Palearctic Meadow Brown butterflies, the endemic Maniola nurag and the widespread M. jurtina, from two climatic provenances, a Mediterranean and a Central European site, and tested the relationships between longevity, body size and fecundity. We experimentally induced summer dormancy and hence prolonged the butterflies’ life in order to study the effects of such a prolonged life. We were able to modulate longevity only in Mediterranean females by rearing them under summer photoperiodic conditions (light 16 h : dark 8 h), thereby more than doubling their natural life span, to up to 246 days. Central European individuals kept their natural average live span under all treatments, as did Mediterranean individuals under autumn treatment (light 11: dark 13). Body size only had a significant effect in the smaller species, M. nurag, where it affected the duration of dormancy and lifetime fecundity. In the larger species, M. jurtina, a prolonged adult life span did, surprisingly, not convey any fecundity loss. In M. nurag, which generally deposited fewer eggs, extended life had a fecundity cost. We conclude that Mediterranen M. jurtina butterflies have an extraordinary plasticity in aging which allows them to extend life span in response to adverse environmental conditions and relieve the time limitation on egg-laying while maintaining egg production at equal levels. PMID:25390334

How Linguistic Closure and Verbal Working Memory Relate to Speech Recognition in Noise—A Review

PubMed Central

Koelewijn, Thomas; Zekveld, Adriana A.; Kramer, Sophia E.; Festen, Joost M.

2013-01-01

The ability to recognize masked speech, commonly measured with a speech reception threshold (SRT) test, is associated with cognitive processing abilities. Two cognitive factors frequently assessed in speech recognition research are the capacity of working memory (WM), measured by means of a reading span (Rspan) or listening span (Lspan) test, and the ability to read masked text (linguistic closure), measured by the text reception threshold (TRT). The current article provides a review of recent hearing research that examined the relationship of TRT and WM span to SRTs in various maskers. Furthermore, modality differences in WM capacity assessed with the Rspan compared to the Lspan test were examined and related to speech recognition abilities in an experimental study with young adults with normal hearing (NH). Span scores were strongly associated with each other, but were higher in the auditory modality. The results of the reviewed studies suggest that TRT and WM span are related to each other, but differ in their relationships with SRT performance. In NH adults of middle age or older, both TRT and Rspan were associated with SRTs in speech maskers, whereas TRT better predicted speech recognition in fluctuating nonspeech maskers. The associations with SRTs in steady-state noise were inconclusive for both measures. WM span was positively related to benefit from contextual information in speech recognition, but better TRTs related to less interference from unrelated cues. Data for individuals with impaired hearing are limited, but larger WM span seems to give a general advantage in various listening situations. PMID:23945955

Topology of the South African stock market network across the 2008 financial crisis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Majapa, Mohamed; Gossel, Sean Joss

2016-03-01

This study uses the cross-correlations in the daily closing prices of the South African Top 100 companies listed on the JSE All share index (ALSI) from June 2003 to June 2013 to compute minimum spanning tree maps. In addition to the full sample, the analysis also uses three sub-periods to investigate the topological evolution before, during, and after the 2008 financial crisis. The findings show that although there is substantial clustering and homogeneity on the JSE, the most connected nodes are in the financial and resources sectors. The sub-sample results further reveal that the JSE network tree shrank in the run-up to, and during the financial crisis, and slowly expanded afterwards. In addition, the different clusters in the network are connected by various nodes that are significantly affected by diversification and credit market dynamics.

On the nonlinear feedback loop and energy cycle of the non-dissipative Lorenz model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, B.-W.

2014-04-01

In this study, we discuss the role of the nonlinear terms and linear (heating) term in the energy cycle of the three-dimensional (X-Y-Z) non-dissipative Lorenz model (3D-NLM). (X, Y, Z) represent the solutions in the phase space. We first present the closed-form solution to the nonlinear equation d2 X/dτ2+ (X2/2)X = 0, τ is a non-dimensional time, which was never documented in the literature. As the solution is oscillatory (wave-like) and the nonlinear term (X2) is associated with the nonlinear feedback loop, it is suggested that the nonlinear feedback loop may act as a restoring force. We then show that the competing impact of nonlinear restoring force and linear (heating) force determines the partitions of the averaged available potential energy from Y and Z modes, respectively, denoted as APEY and APEZ. Based on the energy analysis, an energy cycle with four different regimes is identified with the following four points: A(X, Y) = (0,0), B = (Xt, Yt), C = (Xm, Ym), and D = (Xt, -Yt). Point A is a saddle point. The initial perturbation (X, Y, Z) = (0, 1, 0) gives (Xt, Yt) = ( √ 2σr , r) and (Xm, Ym) = (2√ σr , 0). σ is the Prandtl number, and r is the normalized Rayleigh number. The energy cycle starts at (near) point A, A+ = (0, 0+) to be specific, goes through B, C, and D, and returns back to A, i.e., A- = (0,0-). From point A to point B, denoted as Leg A-B, where the linear (heating) force dominates, the solution X grows gradually with { KE↑, APEY↓, APEZ↓}. KE is the averaged kinetic energy. We use the upper arrow (↑) and down arrow (↓) to indicate an increase and decrease, respectively. In Leg B-C (or C-D) where nonlinear restoring force becomes dominant, the solution X increases (or decreases) rapidly with KE↑, APEY↑, APEZ↓ (or KE↓, APEY↓, APEZ↑). In Leg D-A, the solution X decreases slowly with {KE↓, APEY↑, APEZ↑ }. As point A is a saddle point, the aforementioned cycle may be only half of a "big" cycle, displaying the wing pattern of a glasswinged butterfly, and the other half cycle is antisymmetric with respect to the origin, namely B = (-Xt, -Yt), C = (-Xm, 0), and D = (-Xt, Yt).

Polyhedral gamut representation of natural objects based on spectral reflectance database and its application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haneishi, Hideaki; Sakuda, Yasunori; Honda, Toshio

2002-06-01

Spectral reflectance of most reflective objects such as natural objects and color hardcopy is relatively smooth and can be approximated by several numbers of principal components with high accuracy. Though the subspace spanned by those principal components represents a space in which reflective objects can exist, it dos not provide the bound in which the samples distribute. In this paper we propose to represent the gamut of reflective objects in more distinct form, i.e., as a polyhedron in the subspace spanned by several principal components. Concept of the polyhedral gamut representation and its application to calculation of metamer ensemble are described. Color-mismatch volume caused by different illuminant and/or observer for a metamer ensemble is also calculated and compared with theoretical one.

Distribution and Diversity of Soil Microfauna from East Antarctica: Assessing the Link between Biotic and Abiotic Factors

PubMed Central

Velasco-Castrillón, Alejandro; Schultz, Mark B.; Colombo, Federica; Gibson, John A. E.; Davies, Kerrie A.; Austin, Andrew D.; Stevens, Mark I.

2014-01-01

Terrestrial life in Antarctica has been described as some of the simplest on the planet, and mainly confined to soil microfaunal communities. Studies have suggested that the lack of diversity is due to extreme environmental conditions and thought to be driven by abiotic factors. In this study we investigated soil microfauna composition, abundance, and distribution in East Antarctica, and assessed correlations with soil geochemistry and environmental variables. We examined 109 soil samples from a wide range of ice-free habitats, spanning 2000 km from Framnes Mountains to Bailey Peninsula. Microfauna across all samples were patchily distributed, from complete absence of invertebrates to over 1600 specimens/gram of dry weight of soil (gdw), with highest microfauna abundance observed in samples with visible vegetation. Bdelloid rotifers were on average the most widespread found in 87% of sampled sites and the most abundant (44 specimens/gdw). Tardigrades occurred in 57% of the sampled sites with an abundance of 12 specimens/gdw. Nematodes occurred in 71% of samples with a total abundance of 3 specimens/gdw. Ciliates and mites were rarely found in soil samples, with an average abundance of 1.3 and 0.04 specimens/gdw, respectively. We found that microfaunal composition and abundance were mostly correlated with the soil geochemical parameters; phosphorus, NO3 − and salinity, and likely to be the result of soil properties and historic landscape formation and alteration, rather than the geographic region they were sampled from. Studies focusing on Antarctic biodiversity must take into account soil geochemical and environmental factors that influence population and species heterogeneity. PMID:24498126

Static testing of a bridge using an interferometric radar: the case study of "Ponte degli Alpini," Belluno, Italy.

PubMed

Dei, Devis; Mecatti, Daniele; Pieraccini, Massimiliano

2013-01-01

Ground-based radar interferometry is an increasingly popular technique for monitoring civil infrastructures. In this paper, the static testing of a bridge is reported. It was an 8-span bridge, 297 m long, named "Ponte degli Alpini," crossing the valley of the Ardo River. The radar has been used for testing a lateral span and a central span. The obtained results present elements of novelty not previously reported in the literature. In fact, some displacement measurements of the lateral span have been affected by a horizontal shift that has to be taken into account for a correct interpretation of the measured data. Furthermore, the measurements of the central span have been carried out with the radar positioned transversally with respect to the bridge deck; this unusual arrangement has allowed for obtaining displacement maps less geometrically distorted with respect to other cases reported in the literature.

Restoring speech perception with cochlear implants by spanning defective electrode contacts.

PubMed

Frijns, Johan H M; Snel-Bongers, Jorien; Vellinga, Dirk; Schrage, Erik; Vanpoucke, Filiep J; Briaire, Jeroen J

2013-04-01

Even with six defective contacts, spanning can largely restore speech perception with the HiRes 120 speech processing strategy to the level supported by an intact electrode array. Moreover, the sound quality is not degraded. Previous studies have demonstrated reduced speech perception scores (SPS) with defective contacts in HiRes 120. This study investigated whether replacing defective contacts by spanning, i.e. current steering on non-adjacent contacts, is able to restore speech recognition to the level supported by an intact electrode array. Ten adult cochlear implant recipients (HiRes90K, HiFocus1J) with experience with HiRes 120 participated in this study. Three different defective electrode arrays were simulated (six separate defective contacts, three pairs or two triplets). The participants received three take-home strategies and were asked to evaluate the sound quality in five predefined listening conditions. After 3 weeks, SPS were evaluated with monosyllabic words in quiet and in speech-shaped background noise. The participants rated the sound quality equal for all take-home strategies. SPS with background noise were equal for all conditions tested. However, SPS in quiet (85% phonemes correct on average with the full array) decreased significantly with increasing spanning distance, with a 3% decrease for each spanned contact.

Good Holders, Bad Shufflers: An Examination of Working Memory Processes and Modalities in Children with and without Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder.

PubMed

Simone, Ashley N; Bédard, Anne-Claude V; Marks, David J; Halperin, Jeffrey M

2016-01-01

The aim of this study was to examine working memory (WM) modalities (visual-spatial and auditory-verbal) and processes (maintenance and manipulation) in children with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The sample consisted of 63 8-year-old children with ADHD and an age- and sex-matched non-ADHD comparison group (N=51). Auditory-verbal and visual-spatial WM were assessed using the Digit Span and Spatial Span subtests from the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children Integrated - Fourth Edition. WM maintenance and manipulation were assessed via forward and backward span indices, respectively. Data were analyzed using a 3-way Group (ADHD vs. non-ADHD)×Modality (Auditory-Verbal vs. Visual-Spatial)×Condition (Forward vs. Backward) Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Secondary analyses examined differences between Combined and Predominantly Inattentive ADHD presentations. Significant Group×Condition (p=.02) and Group×Modality (p=.03) interactions indicated differentially poorer performance by those with ADHD on backward relative to forward and visual-spatial relative to auditory-verbal tasks, respectively. The 3-way interaction was not significant. Analyses targeting ADHD presentations yielded a significant Group×Condition interaction (p=.009) such that children with ADHD-Predominantly Inattentive Presentation performed differentially poorer on backward relative to forward tasks compared to the children with ADHD-Combined Presentation. Findings indicate a specific pattern of WM weaknesses (i.e., WM manipulation and visual-spatial tasks) for children with ADHD. Furthermore, differential patterns of WM performance were found for children with ADHD-Predominantly Inattentive versus Combined Presentations. (JINS, 2016, 22, 1-11).

Impairment of Concept Formation Ability in Children with ADHD: Comparisons between Lower Grades and Higher Grades

PubMed Central

Hong, Hye Jeong; Kim, Jin Sung; Seo, Wan Seok; Koo, Bon Hoon; Bai, Dai Seg; Jeong, Jin Young

2010-01-01

Objective We investigated executive functions (EFs), as evaluated by the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (WCST), and other EF between lower grades (LG) and higher grades (HG) in elementary-school-age attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) children. Methods We classified a sample of 112 ADHD children into 4 groups (composed of 28 each) based on age (LG vs. HG) and WCST performance [lower vs. higher performance on WCST, defined by the number of completed categories (CC)] Participants in each group were matched according to age, gender, ADHD subtype, and intelligence. We used the Wechsler intelligence Scale for Children 3rd edition to test intelligence and the Computerized Neurocognitive Function Test-IV, which included the WCST, to test EF. Results Comparisons of EFs scores in LG ADHD children showed statistically significant differences in performing digit spans backward, some verbal learning scores, including all memory scores, and Stroop test scores. However, comparisons of EF scores in HG ADHD children did not show any statistically significant differences. Correlation analyses of the CC and EF variables and stepwise multiple regression analysis in LG ADHD children showed a combination of the backward form of the Digit span test and Visual span test in lower-performance ADHD participants significantly predicted the number of CC (R2=0.273, p<0.001). Conclusion This study suggests that the design of any battery of neuropsychological tests for measuring EF in ADHD children should first consider age before interpreting developmental variations and neuropsychological test results. Researchers should consider the dynamics of relationships within EF, as measured by neuropsychological tests. PMID:20927306

A survey of movable span bridges in Virginia.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

1998-01-01

Bridges are among the cultural resources that must be considered for historic significance under the Historic Preservation Act of 1966. The Virginia Transportation Research Council conducted a study of Virginia's movable span bridges in 1996-1997, th...

Metabotypes with properly functioning mitochondria and anti-inflammation predict extended productive life span in dairy cows

PubMed Central

Huber, K.; Dänicke, S.; Rehage, J.; Sauerwein, H.; Otto, W.; Rolle-Kampczyk, U.; von Bergen, M.

2016-01-01

The failure to adapt metabolism to the homeorhetic demands of lactation is considered as a main factor in reducing the productive life span of dairy cows. The so far defined markers of production performance and metabolic health in dairy cows do not predict the length of productive life span satisfyingly. This study aimed to identify novel pathways and biomarkers related to productive life in dairy cows by means of (targeted) metabolomics. In a longitudinal study from 42 days before up to 100 days after parturition, we identified metabolites such as long-chain acylcarnitines and biogenic amines associated with extended productive life spans. These metabolites are mainly secreted by the liver and depend on the functionality of hepatic mitochondria. The concentrations of biogenic amines and some acylcarnitines differed already before the onset of lactation thus indicating their predictive potential for continuation or early ending of productive life. PMID:27089826

Metabotypes with properly functioning mitochondria and anti-inflammation predict extended productive life span in dairy cows.

PubMed

Huber, K; Dänicke, S; Rehage, J; Sauerwein, H; Otto, W; Rolle-Kampczyk, U; von Bergen, M

2016-04-19

The failure to adapt metabolism to the homeorhetic demands of lactation is considered as a main factor in reducing the productive life span of dairy cows. The so far defined markers of production performance and metabolic health in dairy cows do not predict the length of productive life span satisfyingly. This study aimed to identify novel pathways and biomarkers related to productive life in dairy cows by means of (targeted) metabolomics. In a longitudinal study from 42 days before up to 100 days after parturition, we identified metabolites such as long-chain acylcarnitines and biogenic amines associated with extended productive life spans. These metabolites are mainly secreted by the liver and depend on the functionality of hepatic mitochondria. The concentrations of biogenic amines and some acylcarnitines differed already before the onset of lactation thus indicating their predictive potential for continuation or early ending of productive life.

Numerical design of advanced multi-element airfoils

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mathias, Donovan L.; Cummings, Russell M.

1994-01-01

The current study extends the application of computational fluid dynamics to three-dimensional high-lift systems. Structured, overset grids are used in conjunction with an incompressible Navier-Stokes flow solver to investigate flow over a two-element high-lift configuration. The computations were run in a fully turbulent mode using the one-equation Baldwin-Barth turbulence model. The geometry consisted of an unswept wing which spanned a wind tunnel test section. Flows over full and half-span Fowler flap configurations were computed. Grid resolution issues were investigated in two dimensional studies of the flapped airfoil. Results of the full-span flap wing agreed well with experimental data and verified the method. Flow over the wing with the half-span was computed to investigate the details of the flow at the free edge of the flap. The results illustrated changes in flow streamlines, separation locations, and surface pressures due to the vortex shed from the flap edge.

Space physics analysis network node directory (The Yellow Pages): Fourth edition

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Peters, David J.; Sisson, Patricia L.; Green, James L.; Thomas, Valerie L.

1989-01-01

The Space Physics Analysis Network (SPAN) is a component of the global DECnet Internet, which has over 17,000 host computers. The growth of SPAN from its implementation in 1981 to its present size of well over 2,500 registered SPAN host computers, has created a need for users to acquire timely information about the network through a central source. The SPAN Network Information Center (SPAN-NIC) an online facility managed by the National Space Science Data Center (NSSDC) was developed to meet this need for SPAN-wide information. The remote node descriptive information in this document is not currently contained in the SPAN-NIC database, but will be incorporated in the near future. Access to this information is also available to non-DECnet users over a variety of networks such as Telenet, the NASA Packet Switched System (NPSS), and the TCP/IP Internet. This publication serves as the Yellow Pages for SPAN node information. The document also provides key information concerning other computer networks connected to SPAN, nodes associated with each SPAN routing center, science discipline nodes, contacts for primary SPAN nodes, and SPAN reference information. A section on DECnet Internetworking discusses SPAN connections with other wide-area DECnet networks (many with thousands of nodes each). Another section lists node names and their disciplines, countries, and institutions in the SPAN Network Information Center Online Data Base System. All remote sites connected to US-SPAN and European-SPAN (E-SPAN) are indexed. Also provided is information on the SPAN tail circuits, i.e., those remote nodes connected directly to a SPAN routing center, which is the local point of contact for resolving SPAN-related problems. Reference material is included for those who wish to know more about SPAN. Because of the rapid growth of SPAN, the SPAN Yellow Pages is reissued periodically.

Immortalization of Human Fetal Cells: The Life Span of Umbilical Cord Blood-derived Cells Can Be Prolonged without Manipulating p16INK4a/RB Braking PathwayD⃞

PubMed Central

Terai, Masanori; Uyama, Taro; Sugiki, Tadashi; Li, Xiao-Kang; Umezawa, Akihiro; Kiyono, Tohru

2005-01-01

Human umbilical cord blood-derived mesenchymal stem cells (UCBMSCs) are expected to serve as an excellent alternative to bone marrow-derived human mesenchymal stem cells. However, it is difficult to study them because of their limited life span. To overcome this problem, we attempted to produce a strain of UCBMSCs with a long life span and to investigate whether the strain could maintain phenotypes in vitro. UCBMSCs were infected with retrovirus carrying the human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) to prolong their life span. The UCBMSCs underwent 30 population doublings (PDs) and stopped dividing at PD 37. The UCBMSCs newly established with hTERT (UCBTERTs) proliferated for >120 PDs. The p16INK4a/RB braking pathway leading to senescence can be inhibited by introduction of Bmi-1, a polycomb-group gene, and human papillomavirus type 16 E7, but the extension of the life span of the UCBMSCs with hTERT did not require inhibition of the p16INK4a/RB pathway. The characteristics of the UCBTERTs remained unchanged during the prolongation of life span. UCBTERTs provide a powerful model for further study of cellular senescence and for future application to cell-based therapy by using umbilical cord blood cells. PMID:15647378

Working memory deficits in children with reading difficulties: memory span and dual task coordination.

PubMed

Wang, Shinmin; Gathercole, Susan E

2013-05-01

The current study investigated the cause of the reported problems in working memory in children with reading difficulties. Verbal and visuospatial simple and complex span tasks, and digit span and reaction times tasks performed singly and in combination, were administered to 46 children with single word reading difficulties and 45 typically developing children matched for age and nonverbal ability. Children with reading difficulties had pervasive deficits in the simple and complex span tasks and had poorer abilities to coordinate two cognitive demanding tasks. These findings indicate that working memory problems in children with reading difficulties may reflect a core deficit in the central executive. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Use of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale Digit Span subtest for malingering detection: a meta-analytic review.

PubMed

Jasinski, Lindsey J; Berry, David T R; Shandera, Anni L; Clark, Jessica A

2011-03-01

Twenty-four studies utilizing the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (WAIS) Digit Span subtest--either the Reliable Digit Span (RDS) or Age-Corrected Scaled Score (DS-ACSS) variant--for malingering detection were meta-analytically reviewed to evaluate their effectiveness in detecting malingered neurocognitive dysfunction. RDS and DS-ACSS effectively discriminated between honest responders and dissimulators, with average weighted effect sizes of 1.34 and 1.08, respectively. No significant differences were found between RDS and DS-ACSS. Similarly, no differences were found between the Digit Span subtest from the WAIS or Wechsler Memory Scale (WMS). Strong specificity and moderate sensitivity were observed, and optimal cutting scores are recommended.

Developmental Abilities to Form Chunks in Immediate Memory and Its Non-Relationship to Span Development.

PubMed

Mathy, Fabien; Fartoukh, Michael; Gauvrit, Nicolas; Guida, Alessandro

2016-01-01

Both adults and children -by the time they are 2-3 years old- have a general ability to recode information to increase memory efficiency. This paper aims to evaluate the ability of untrained children aged 6-10 years old to deploy such a recoding process in immediate memory. A large sample of 374 children were given a task of immediate serial report based on SIMON®, a classic memory game made of four colored buttons (red, green, yellow, blue) requiring players to reproduce a sequence of colors within which repetitions eventually occur. It was hypothesized that a primitive ability across all ages (since theoretically already available in toddlers) to detect redundancies allows the span to increase whenever information can be recoded on the fly. The chunkable condition prompted the formation of chunks based on the perceived structure of color repetition within to-be-recalled sequences of colors. Our result shows a similar linear improvement of memory span with age for both chunkable and non-chunkable conditions. The amount of information retained in immediate memory systematically increased for the groupable sequences across all age groups, independently of the average age-group span that was measured on sequences that contained fewer repetitions. This result shows that chunking gives young children an equal benefit as older children. We discuss the role of recoding in the expansion of capacity in immediate memory and the potential role of data compression in the formation of chunks in long-term memory.

Developmental Abilities to Form Chunks in Immediate Memory and Its Non-Relationship to Span Development

PubMed Central

Mathy, Fabien; Fartoukh, Michael; Gauvrit, Nicolas; Guida, Alessandro

2016-01-01

Both adults and children –by the time they are 2–3 years old– have a general ability to recode information to increase memory efficiency. This paper aims to evaluate the ability of untrained children aged 6–10 years old to deploy such a recoding process in immediate memory. A large sample of 374 children were given a task of immediate serial report based on SIMON®, a classic memory game made of four colored buttons (red, green, yellow, blue) requiring players to reproduce a sequence of colors within which repetitions eventually occur. It was hypothesized that a primitive ability across all ages (since theoretically already available in toddlers) to detect redundancies allows the span to increase whenever information can be recoded on the fly. The chunkable condition prompted the formation of chunks based on the perceived structure of color repetition within to-be-recalled sequences of colors. Our result shows a similar linear improvement of memory span with age for both chunkable and non-chunkable conditions. The amount of information retained in immediate memory systematically increased for the groupable sequences across all age groups, independently of the average age-group span that was measured on sequences that contained fewer repetitions. This result shows that chunking gives young children an equal benefit as older children. We discuss the role of recoding in the expansion of capacity in immediate memory and the potential role of data compression in the formation of chunks in long-term memory. PMID:26941675

A Human Serum-Based Enzyme-Free Continuous Glucose Monitoring Technique Using a Needle-Type Bio-Layer Interference Sensor.

PubMed

Seo, Dongmin; Paek, Sung-Ho; Oh, Sangwoo; Seo, Sungkyu; Paek, Se-Hwan

2016-09-24

The incidence of diabetes is continually increasing, and by 2030, it is expected to have increased by 69% and 20% in underdeveloped and developed countries, respectively. Therefore, glucose sensors are likely to remain in high demand in medical device markets. For the current study, we developed a needle-type bio-layer interference (BLI) sensor that can continuously monitor glucose levels. Using dialysis procedures, we were able to obtain hypoglycemic samples from commercial human serum. These dialysis-derived samples, alongside samples of normal human serum were used to evaluate the utility of the sensor for the detection of the clinical interest range of glucose concentrations (70-200 mg/dL), revealing high system performance for a wide glycemic state range (45-500 mg/dL). Reversibility and reproducibility were also tested over a range of time spans. Combined with existing BLI system technology, this sensor holds great promise for use as a wearable online continuous glucose monitoring system for patients in a hospital setting.

Growth and Morphology of Supercritical Fluids Studied in Microgravity on Mir

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilkinson, R. Allen

2000-01-01

The Growth and Morphology of Supercritical Fluids (GMSF) is an international experiment facilitated by the NASA Glenn Research Center at Lewis Field and under the guidance of U.S. principal investigator Professor John Hegseth of the University of New Orleans and three French coinvestigators Daniel Beysens, Yves Garrabos, and Carole Chabot. In early 1999, GMSF experiments were operated for 20 days on the Russian Space Station Mir. Mir astronauts performed experiments One through Seven, which spanned the three science themes of near-critical phase separation rates, interface dynamics in near-critical boiling, and measurement of the spectrum of density fluctuation length scales very close to the critical point. The fluids used were pure CO2 or SF6. Three of the five thermostats used could adjust the sample volume with the scheduled crew time. Such a volume adjustment enabled variable sample densities around the critical density as well as pressure steps (as distinct from the usual temperature steps) to be applied to the sample.

Detection of human enteric viruses in stream water with RT-PCR and cell culture.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Denis-Mize, K.; Fout, G.S.; Dahling, D.R.; Francy, D.S.

2004-01-01

A multiplex RT-PCR method was used to measure virus occurrence at five stream water sites that span a range of hydroclimatic, water-quality, and land-use characteristics. The performance of the molecular method was evaluated in comparison with traditional cell culture and Escherichia coli membrane filtration assays. The study incorporated multiple quality controls and included a control for virus recovery during the sampling procedure as well as controls to detect potentially false-negative and false-positive data. Poliovirus recovery ranged from 16 to 65% and was variable, even in samples collected within the same stream. All five sites were positive for viruses by both molecular and cell culture-based virus assays. Enteroviruses, reoviruses, rotaviruses, and hepatitis A viruses were detected, but the use of the quality controls proved critical for interpretation of the molecular data. All sites showed evidence of faecal contamination, and culturable viruses were detected in four samples that would have met the US Environmental Protection Agency's recommended E. coli guideline for safe recreational water.

Is the frontal dysexecutive syndrome due to a working memory deficit? Evidence from patients with stroke.

PubMed

Roussel, Martine; Dujardin, Kathy; Hénon, Hilde; Godefroy, Olivier

2012-07-01

Although frontal dysexecutive disorders are frequently considered to be due to working memory deficit, this has not been systematically examined and very little evidence is available for impairment of working memory in frontal damage. The objective of this study was to examine the components of working memory, their anatomy and the relations with executive functions in patients with stroke involving the frontal or posterior cortex. The study population consisted of 29 patients (frontal: n=17; posterior: n=12) and 29 matched controls. Phonological loop (letter and word spans, phonological store; rehearsal process), visuospatial sketchpad (visuospatial span) and the central executive (working memory span, dual task and updating process) were examined. The group comparison analysis showed impairment in the frontal group of: (i) verbal spans (P<0.03); (ii) with a deficit of the rehearsal process (P=0.006); (iii) visuospatial span (P=0.04); (iv) working memory span (P=0.001) that disappeared after controlling for verbal span and (v) running memory (P=0.05) unrelated to updating conditions. The clinical anatomical correlation study showed that impairment of the central executive depended on frontal and posterior lesion. Cognitive dysexecutive disorders were observed in 11/20 patients with central executive deficit and an inverse dissociation was observed in two patients. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis indicated that cognitive dysexecutive disorders had the highest ability to discriminate frontal lesions (area under curve=0.844, 95% confidence interval: 0.74-0.95; P=0.0001; central executive impairment: area under curve=0.732, 95% confidence interval: 0.57-0.82; P=0.006). This study reveals that frontal lesions induce mild impairment of short-term memory associated with a deficit of the rehearsal process supporting the role of the frontal lobe in this process; the central executive depends on lesions in the frontal lobe and posterior regions accounting for its low frequency and the negative results of group studies. Finally, the frontal dysexecutive syndrome cannot be attributed to central executive impairment, although it may contribute to some dysexecutive disorders.

Hepatozoon canis infection in Slovakia: imported or autochthonous?

PubMed

Majláthová, Viktória; Hurníková, Zuzana; Majláth, Igor; Petko, Branislav

2007-01-01

Tissue samples from nine red foxes (four samples of striated muscle tissue and five samples of heart tissue) that originated from the Michalovce district (Slovakia), an area with endemic occurrence of canine babesiosis were examined by PCR method using primers amplifying a fragment of the 18S rRNA spanning the V4 region of Babesia and Theileria. An unexpected determination of 450 bp DNA fragment of Hepatozoon canis was found in four samples. Partial sequences of the 18S rRNA gene from the H. canis showed 100% similarity with the sequence from Brasil isolate of H. canis from a pampas fox (Pseudalopex gymnocercus) (AY471615) as well as from a fox in Spain (AY150067) and from a dog in Brazil (AY864677). In the present study, we report the first PCR detection of Hepatozoon canis in a naturally infected red fox from Slovakia, a Rhipicephalus sanguineus-free region. We assume that the infection was spread by infected R. sanguineus that might have been brought to Slovakia by travelers, by golden jackals, or by foxes migrating because of expansion of golden jackals and environmental and climate changes.

Aquatic passive sampling of perfluorinated chemicals with polar organic chemical integrative sampler and environmental factors affecting sampling rate.

PubMed

Li, Ying; Yang, Cunman; Bao, Yijun; Ma, Xueru; Lu, Guanghua; Li, Yi

2016-08-01

A modified polar organic chemical integrative sampler (POCIS) could provide a convenient way of monitoring perfluorinated chemicals (PFCs) in water. In the present study, the modified POCIS was calibrated to monitor PFCs. The effects of water temperature, pH, and dissolved organic matter (DOM) on the sampling rate (R s) of PFCs were evaluated with a static renewal system. During laboratory validation over a 14-day period, the uptake kinetics of PFCs was linear with the POCIS. DOM and water temperature slightly influenced POCIS uptake rates, which is in consistent with the theory for uptake into POCIS. Therefore, within a narrow span of DOM and water temperatures, it was unnecessary to adjust the R s value for POCIS. Laboratory experiments were conducted with water over pH ranges of 3, 7, and 9. The R s values declined significantly with pH increase for PFCs. Although pH affected the uptake of PFCs, the effect was less than twofold. Application of the R s value to analyze PFCs with POCIS deployed in the field provided similar concentrations obtained from grab samples.

A Survey of Spatial and Seasonal Water Isotope Variability on the Juneau Icefield, Alaksa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dennis, D.; Carter, A.; Clinger, A. E.; Eads, O. L.; Gotwals, S.; Gunderson, J.; Hollyday, A. E.; Klein, E. S.; Markle, B. R.; Timms, J. R.

2015-12-01

The depletion of stable oxygen-hydrogen isotopes (δ18O and δH) is well correlated with temperature change, which is driven by variation in topography, climate, and atmospheric circulation. This study presents a survey of the spatial and seasonal variability of isotopic signatures on the Juneau Icefield (JI), Alaska, USA which spans over 3,000 square-kilometers. To examine small scale variability in the previous year's accumulation, samples were taken at regular intervals from snow pits and a one square-kilometer surficial grid. Surface snow samples were collected across the icefield to evaluate large scale variability, ranging approximately 1,000 meters in elevation and 100 kilometers in distance. Individual precipitation events were also sampled to track percolation throughout the snowpack and temperature correlations. A survey of this extent has never been undertaken on the JI. Samples were analyzed in the field using a Los Gatos laser isotope analyzer. This survey helps us better understand isotope fractionation on temperate glaciers in coastal environments and provides preliminary information on the suitability of the JI for a future ice core drilling project.

Exploring Vertical Transmission of Bifidobacteria from Mother to Child

PubMed Central

Milani, Christian; Mancabelli, Leonardo; Lugli, Gabriele Andrea; Duranti, Sabrina; Turroni, Francesca; Ferrario, Chiara; Mangifesta, Marta; Viappiani, Alice; Ferretti, Pamela; Gorfer, Valentina; Tett, Adrian; Segata, Nicola; van Sinderen, Douwe

2015-01-01

Passage through the birth canal and consequent exposure to the mother's microbiota is considered to represent the initiating event for microbial colonization of the gastrointestinal tract of the newborn. However, a precise evaluation of such suspected vertical microbiota transmission has yet to be performed. Here, we evaluated the microbiomes of four sample sets, each consisting of a mother's fecal and milk samples and the corresponding infant's fecal sample, by means of amplicon-based profiling supported by shotgun metagenomics data for two key samples. Notably, targeted genome reconstruction from microbiome data revealed vertical transmission of a Bifidobacterium breve strain and a Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum strain from mother to infant, a notion confirmed by strain isolation and genome sequencing. Furthermore, PCR analyses targeting unique genes from these two strains highlighted their persistence in the infant gut at 6 months. Thus, this study demonstrates the existence of specific bifidobacterial strains that are common to mother and child and thus indicative of vertical transmission and that are maintained in the infant for at least relatively short time spans. PMID:26231653

Influence of Domain Knowledge on Monitoring Performance across the Life Span

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Löffler, Elisabeth; von der Linden, Nicole; Schneider, Wolfgang

2016-01-01

Two studies were conducted to investigate effects of domain knowledge on metacognitive monitoring across the life span in materials of different complexity. Participants from 4 age groups (3rd-grade children, adolescents, younger and older adults) were compared using an expert-novice paradigm. In Study 1, soccer experts' and novices'…

Expanding the cerebrospinal fluid endopeptidome.

PubMed

Hansson, Karl T; Skillbäck, Tobias; Pernevik, Elin; Kern, Silke; Portelius, Erik; Höglund, Kina; Brinkmalm, Gunnar; Holmén-Larsson, Jessica; Blennow, Kaj; Zetterberg, Henrik; Gobom, Johan

2017-03-01

Biomarkers of neurodegenerative disorders are needed to assist in diagnosis, to monitor disease progression and therapeutic interventions, and to provide insight into disease mechanisms. One route to identify such biomarkers is by proteomic and peptidomic analysis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). In the current study, we performed an in-depth analysis of the human CSF endopeptidome to establish an inventory that may serve as a basis for future targeted biomarker studies. High-pH RP HPLC was employed for off-line sample prefractionation followed by low-pH nano-LC-MS analysis. Different software programs and scoring algorithms for peptide identification were employed and compared. A total of 18 031 endogenous peptides were identified at a FDR of 1%, increasing the number of known endogenous CSF peptides 10-fold compared to previous studies. The peptides were derived from 2 053 proteins of which more than 60 have been linked to neurodegeneration. Notably, among the findings were six peptides derived from microtubule-associated protein tau, three of which span the diagnostically interesting threonine-181 (Tau-F isoform). Also, 213 peptides from amyloid precursor protein were identified, 58 of which were partially or completely within the sequence of amyloid β 1-40/42, as well as 109 peptides from apolipoprotein E, spanning sequences that discriminate between the E2/E3/E4 isoforms of the protein. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Reactive and proactive interference control in adults with autism spectrum disorder across the lifespan.

PubMed

Lever, Anne G; Ridderinkhof, K Richard; Marsman, Maarten; Geurts, Hilde M

2017-02-01

As a large heterogeneity is observed across studies on interference control in autism spectrum disorder (ASD), research may benefit from the use of a cognitive framework that models specific processes underlying reactive and proactive control of interference. Reactive control refers to the expression and suppression of responses and proactive control refers to the adjustment of response to previous situations. We administered a Simon conflict task in 2 independent adult samples (IQ >80) and applied distributional analyses to examine temporal dynamics of interference control in ASD. Along comparable interference effects in both reactive and proactive control, young men (n = 23, 18-36 years) diagnosed with ASD made as many fast errors on conflict trials as neurotypical controls (n = 19) and showed similar suppression on slow responses (Study 1). However, over the adult life span (19-79 years), individuals with ASD (n = 118) made fewer fast errors on conflict trials, and had overall slower and more accurate responses than controls (n = 160; Study 2). These results converge to the idea that individuals with ASD adopt a more cautious response bias over the adult life span, which is not yet observed among young adults. Our findings suggest that it is fruitful to distinguish different processes involved in interference control and contribute to an increased understanding of interference control mechanisms in adults with ASD. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Game Performance Evaluation in Male Goalball Players

PubMed Central

Molik, Bartosz; Morgulec-Adamowicz, Natalia; Kosmol, Andrzej; Perkowski, Krzysztof; Bednarczuk, Grzegorz; Skowroński, Waldemar; Gomez, Miguel Angel; Koc, Krzysztof; Rutkowska, Izabela; Szyman, Robert J

2015-01-01

Goalball is a Paralympic sport exclusively for athletes who are visually impaired and blind. The aims of this study were twofold: to describe game performance of elite male goalball players based upon the degree of visual impairment, and to determine if game performance was related to anthropometric characteristics of elite male goalball players. The study sample consisted of 44 male goalball athletes. A total of 38 games were recorded during the Summer Paralympic Games in London 2012. Observations were reported using the Game Efficiency Sheet for Goalball. Additional anthropometric measurements included body mass (kg), body height (cm), the arm span (cm) and length of the body in the defensive position (cm). The results differentiating both groups showed that the players with total blindness obtained higher means than the players with visual impairment for game indicators such as the sum of defense (p = 0.03) and the sum of good defense (p = 0.04). The players with visual impairment obtained higher results than those with total blindness for attack efficiency (p = 0.04), the sum of penalty defenses (p = 0.01), and fouls (p = 0.01). The study showed that athletes with blindness demonstrated higher game performance in defence. However, athletes with visual impairment presented higher efficiency in offensive actions. The analyses confirmed that body mass, body height, the arm span and length of the body in the defensive position did not differentiate players’ performance at the elite level. PMID:26834872

Cognitive Performance in Euthymic Patients with Bipolar Disorder vs Healthy Controls: A Neuropsychological Investigation.

PubMed

Palazzo, M Carlotta; Arici, Chiara; Cremaschi, Laura; Cristoffanini, Marta; Dobrea, Cristina; Dell'Osso, Bernardo; Altamura, A Carlo

2017-01-01

Cognitive impairment may affect patients with Bipolar Disorder (BD) beyond the acute episodes, qualifying as a potential endophenotype. However, which cognitive domains are specifically affected in euthymic patients with BD and the potential influence of confounding factors ( e.g. , age and concomitant pharmacological treatment) are still a matter of debate. The present study was, therefore, conducted to assess cognitive performance across specific domains in euthymic bipolar patients, not older than 50 years (to avoid potential age-related bias) versus healthy controls (HCs). A cognitive task battery, including the Wisconsin Card Test, Span Attention Test, Tower of London, Trail Making Test, Verbal Fluency Test, Matrices Scores and N-Back, was administered to 62 subjects (30 bipolar patients and 32 matched HCs) and differences between the groups analyzed. Bipolar patients performed significantly worse than HCs in the Span Forward task, in the expression of Verbal Fluency Test (Category) and in the N-Back task (all p<.05), with marginal differences between BD I and BD II patients. The present study pointed out significant differences in terms of cognitive performance between euthymic bipolar patients and HCs, supporting the notion that specific cognitive functions may remain impaired even after the resolution of the acute episodes in subjects suffering from BD. Future studies on larger samples are warranted to confirm the present results and further explore potential differences in cognitive impairment across specific bipolar subtypes.

Advanced proteomic liquid chromatography

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

Xie, Fang; Smith, Richard D.; Shen, Yufeng

2012-10-26

Liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry is the predominant platform used to analyze proteomics samples consisting of large numbers of proteins and their proteolytic products (e.g., truncated polypeptides) and spanning a wide range of relative concentrations. This review provides an overview of advanced capillary liquid chromatography techniques and methodologies that greatly improve separation resolving power and proteomics analysis coverage, sensitivity, and throughput.

Examining One Class of Third-Grade Spellers: The Diagnostic Potential of Students' Spelling

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ness, Molly K.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this article is to examine the developmental spelling levels of one class of 17 third-grade students. In analyzing over 600 student spelling samples, results indicate that these students spanned four spelling stages: (1) letter name, (2) within word pattern, (3) syllables and affixes, and (4) derivational relations (Bear,…

What Cognitive Abilities Are Involved in Trail-Making Performance?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salthouse, Timothy A.

2011-01-01

The cognitive abilities involved in the Connections (Salthouse, et al., 2000) version of the trail making test were investigated by administering the test, along with a battery of cognitive tests and tests of complex span and updating conceptualizations of working memory, to a sample of over 3600 adults. The results indicate that this variant of…

A Comprehensive Microfluidics Device Construction and Characterization Module for the Advanced Undergraduate Analytical Chemistry Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piunno, Paul A. E.; Zetina, Adrian; Chu, Norman; Tavares, Anthony J.; Noor, M. Omair; Petryayeva, Eleonora; Uddayasankar, Uvaraj; Veglio, Andrew

2014-01-01

An advanced analytical chemistry undergraduate laboratory module on microfluidics that spans 4 weeks (4 h per week) is presented. The laboratory module focuses on comprehensive experiential learning of microfluidic device fabrication and the core characteristics of microfluidic devices as they pertain to fluid flow and the manipulation of samples.…

Explaining Entrepreneurial Behavior: Dispositional Personality Traits, Growth of Personal Entrepreneurial Resources, and Business Idea Generation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Obschonka, Martin; Silbereisen, Rainer K.; Schmitt-Rodermund, Eva

2012-01-01

Applying a life-span approach of human development and using the example of science-based business idea generation, the authors used structural equation modeling to test a mediation model for predicting entrepreneurial behavior in a sample of German scientists (2 measurement occasions; Time 1, N = 488). It was found that recalled early…

The Relationship Between Selected Subtests of the Detroit Tests of Learning Aptitude and Second Grade Reading Achievement.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sherwood, Charles; Chambless, Martha

Relationships between reading achievement and perceptual skills as measured by selected subtests of the Detroit Tests of Learning Aptitude were investigated in a sample of 73 second graders. Verbal opposites, visual memory for designs, and visual attention span for letters were significantly correlated with both word meaning and vocabulary…

Internment of Japanese Americans. Documents from the National Archives Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

National Archives and Records Administration, Washington, DC.

This booklet provides samples of documents relating to the internment of some 122,000 Japanese Americans during World War II by Executive Order 9066. The documents cover the time span from the Executive Order in 1942 to 1988 when the U.S. government formally acknowledged the injustice of the internment and provided restitution to the victims. The…

Reciprocal Relations between Children's Sleep and Their Adjustment over Time

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kelly, Ryan J.; El-Sheikh, Mona

2014-01-01

Child sleep and adjustment research with community samples is on the rise with a recognized need of explicating this association. We examined reciprocal relations between children's sleep and their internalizing and externalizing symptoms using 3 waves of data spanning 5 years. Participants included 176 children at Time 1 (M = 8.68 years; 69%…

Searching for the 3.5 keV Line in the Stacked Suzaku Observations of Galaxy Clusters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bulbul, Esra; Markevitch, Maxim; Foster, Adam; Miller, Eric; Bautz, Mark; Lowenstein, Mike; Randall, Scott W.; Smith, Randall K.

2016-01-01

We perform a detailed study of the stacked Suzaku observations of 47 galaxy clusters, spanning a redshift range of 0.01-0.45, to search for the unidentified 3.5 keV line. This sample provides an independent test for the previously detected line. We detect a 2sigma-significant spectral feature at 3.5 keV in the spectrum of the full sample. When the sample is divided into two subsamples (cool-core and non-cool core clusters), the cool-core subsample shows no statistically significant positive residuals at the line energy. A very weak (approx. 2sigma confidence) spectral feature at 3.5 keV is permitted by the data from the non-cool-core clusters sample. The upper limit on a neutrino decay mixing angle of sin(sup 2)(2theta) = 6.1 x 10(exp -11) from the full Suzaku sample is consistent with the previous detections in the stacked XMM-Newton sample of galaxy clusters (which had a higher statistical sensitivity to faint lines), M31, and Galactic center, at a 90% confidence level. However, the constraint from the present sample, which does not include the Perseus cluster, is in tension with previously reported line flux observed in the core of the Perseus cluster with XMM-Newton and Suzaku.

Enumeration of spanning trees in planar unclustered networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Yuzhi; Zhao, Haixing; Hu, Guona; Ma, Xiujuan

2014-07-01

Among a variety of subgraphs, spanning trees are one of the most important and fundamental categories. They are relevant to diverse aspects of networks, including reliability, transport, self-organized criticality, loop-erased random walks and so on. In this paper, we introduce a family of modular, self-similar planar networks with zero clustering. Relevant properties of this family are comparable to those networks associated with technological systems having low clustering, like power grids, some electronic circuits, the Internet and some biological systems. So, it is very significant to research on spanning trees of planar networks. However, for a large network, evaluating the relevant determinant is intractable. In this paper, we propose a fairly generic linear algorithm for counting the number of spanning trees of a planar network. Using the algorithm, we derive analytically the exact numbers of spanning trees in planar networks. Our result shows that the computational complexity is O(t) , which is better than that of the matrix tree theorem with O(m2t2) , where t is the number of steps and m is the girth of the planar network. We also obtain the entropy for the spanning trees of a given planar network. We find that the entropy of spanning trees in the studied network is small, which is in sharp contrast to the previous result for planar networks with the same average degree. We also determine an upper bound and a lower bound for the numbers of spanning trees in the family of planar networks by the algorithm. As another application of the algorithm, we give a formula for the number of spanning trees in an outerplanar network with small-world features.

Finite Elements Analysis of a Composite Semi-Span Test Article With and Without Discrete Damage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lovejoy, Andrew E.; Jegley, Dawn C. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

AS&M Inc. performed finite element analysis, with and without discrete damage, of a composite semi-span test article that represents the Boeing 220-passenger transport aircraft composite semi-span test article. A NASTRAN bulk data file and drawings of the test mount fixtures and semi-span components were utilized to generate the baseline finite element model. In this model, the stringer blades are represented by shell elements, and the stringer flanges are combined with the skin. Numerous modeling modifications and discrete source damage scenarios were applied to the test article model throughout the course of the study. This report details the analysis method and results obtained from the composite semi-span study. Analyses were carried out for three load cases: Braked Roll, LOG Down-Bending and 2.5G Up-Bending. These analyses included linear and nonlinear static response, as well as linear and nonlinear buckling response. Results are presented in the form of stress and strain plots. factors of safety for failed elements, buckling loads and modes, deflection prediction tables and plots, and strainage prediction tables and plots. The collected results are presented within this report for comparison to test results.

Vortex wake alleviation studies with a variable twist wing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holbrook, G. T.; Dunham, D. M.; Greene, G. C.

1985-01-01

Vortex wake alleviation studies were conducted in a wind tunnel and a water towing tank using a multisegmented wing model which provided controlled and measured variations in span load. Fourteen model configurations are tested at a Reynolds number of one million and a lift coefficient of 0.6 in the Langley 4- by 7-Meter Tunnel and the Hydronautics Ship Model Basin water tank at Hydronautics, Inc., Laurel, Md. Detailed measurements of span load and wake velocities at one semispan downstream correlate well with each other, with inviscid predictions of span load and wake roll up, and with peak trailing-wing rolling moments measured in the far wake. Average trailing-wing rolling moments are found to be an unreliable indicator of vortex wake intensity because vortex meander does not scale between test facilities and free-air conditions. A tapered-span-load configuration, which exhibits little or no drag penalty, is shown to offer significant downstream wake alleviation to a small trailing wing. The greater downstream wake alleviation achieved with the addition of spoilers to a flapped-wing configuration is shown to result directly from the high incremental drag and turbulence associated with the spoilers and not from the span load alteration they cause.

A proof of the Woodward-Lawson sampling method for a finite linear array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Somers, Gary A.

1993-01-01

An extension of the continuous aperture Woodward-Lawson sampling theorem has been developed for a finite linear array of equidistant identical elements with arbitrary excitations. It is shown that by sampling the array factor at a finite number of specified points in the far field, the exact array factor over all space can be efficiently reconstructed in closed form. The specified sample points lie in real space and hence are measurable provided that the interelement spacing is greater than approximately one half of a wavelength. This paper provides insight as to why the length parameter used in the sampling formulas for discrete arrays is larger than the physical span of the lattice points in contrast with the continuous aperture case where the length parameter is precisely the physical aperture length.

Individual differences in working memory, secondary memory, and fluid intelligence: evidence from the levels-of-processing span task.

PubMed

Rose, Nathan S

2013-12-01

Individual differences in working memory (WM) are related to performance on secondary memory (SM), and fluid intelligence (gF) tests. However, the source of the relation remains unclear, in part because few studies have controlled for the nature of encoding; therefore, it is unclear whether individual variation is due to encoding, maintenance, or retrieval processes. In the current study, participants performed a WM task (the levels-of-processing span task; Rose, Myerson, Roediger III, & Hale, 2010) and a SM test that tested for both targets and the distracting processing words from the initial WM task. Deeper levels of processing at encoding did not benefit WM, but did benefit subsequent SM, although the amount of benefit was smaller for those with lower WM spans. This result suggests that, despite encoding cues that facilitate retrieval from SM, low spans may have engaged in shallower, maintenance-focused processing to maintain the words in WM. Low spans also recalled fewer targets, more distractors, and more extralist intrusions than high spans, although this was partially due to low spans' poorer recall of targets, which resulted in a greater number of opportunities to commit recall errors. Delayed recall of intrusions and commission of source errors (labeling targets as processing words and vice versa) were significant negative predictors of gF. These results suggest that the ability to use source information to recall relevant information and withhold recall of irrelevant information is a critical source of both individual variation in WM and the relation between WM, SM, and gF. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved).

Interim results of quality-control sampling of surface water for the Upper Colorado River National Water-Quality Assessment Study Unit, water years 1995-96

USGS Publications Warehouse

Spahr, N.E.; Boulger, R.W.

1997-01-01

Quality-control samples provide part of the information needed to estimate the bias and variability that result from sample collection, processing, and analysis. Quality-control samples of surface water collected for the Upper Colorado River National Water-Quality Assessment study unit for water years 1995?96 are presented and analyzed in this report. The types of quality-control samples collected include pre-processing split replicates, concurrent replicates, sequential replicates, post-processing split replicates, and field blanks. Analysis of the pre-processing split replicates, concurrent replicates, sequential replicates, and post-processing split replicates is based on differences between analytical results of the environmental samples and analytical results of the quality-control samples. Results of these comparisons indicate that variability introduced by sample collection, processing, and handling is low and will not affect interpretation of the environmental data. The differences for most water-quality constituents is on the order of plus or minus 1 or 2 lowest rounding units. A lowest rounding unit is equivalent to the magnitude of the least significant figure reported for analytical results. The use of lowest rounding units avoids some of the difficulty in comparing differences between pairs of samples when concentrations span orders of magnitude and provides a measure of the practical significance of the effect of variability. Analysis of field-blank quality-control samples indicates that with the exception of chloride and silica, no systematic contamination of samples is apparent. Chloride contamination probably was the result of incomplete rinsing of the dilute cleaning solution from the outlet ports of the decaport sample splitter. Silica contamination seems to have been introduced by the blank water. Sampling and processing procedures for water year 1997 have been modified as a result of these analyses.

Coping strategies: gender differences and development throughout life span.

PubMed

Meléndez, Juan Carlos; Mayordomo, Teresa; Sancho, Patricia; Tomás, José Manuel

2012-11-01

Development during life-span implies to cope with stressful events, and this coping may be done with several strategies. It could be useful to know if these coping strategies differ as a consequence of personal characteristics. This work uses the Coping with Stress Questionnaire with this aim using a sample of 400 participants. Specifically, the effects of gender and age group (young people, middle age and elderly), as well as its interaction on coping strategies is studied. With regard to age, on one hand, it is hypothesised a decrement in the use of coping strategies centred in problem solving and social support seeking as age increases. On the other hand, the use of emotional coping is hypothesised to increase with age. With respect to gender, it is hypothesised a larger use of emotional coping and social support seeking within women, and a larger use of problem solving within men. A MANOVA found significant effects for the two main effects (gender and age) as well as several interactions. Separate ANOVAs allowed us to test for potential differences in each of the coping strategies measured in the CAE. These results partially supported the hypotheses. Results are discussed in relation to scientific literature on coping, age and gender.

Temporal and Spatial Response of a Turbulent Boundary Layer to Forcing by Synthetic Jets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hanson, Ronald; Ganapathisubramani, Bharathram; Lavoie, Philippe

2016-11-01

In this experimental study we examine the spatial and temporal response of a turbulent boundary layer affected by a single, and pair of, synthetic jet actuator(s). The spatial signature of the boundary layer mean-flow has been previously shown to result from large vortical motions caused by the interaction between the synthetic jets and the cross flow. By means of hot-wire measurements, phase-locked to the synthetic jet input, the propagation of the unsteady disturbance can be quantified over the actuation cycle of a synthetic jet. Using long samples both the phase-locked variation of the periodic (actuation cycle) and turbulent fluctuations are examined. It is shown that both the mean flow and turbulence characteristics are markedly different across the span, owing to the three dimensionality of the upstream input. Further, the disturbance shape and phase of the phase-locked disturbance varies significantly with forcing level, in part owing to the disruption of the mean velocity. Particular focus is given to the interaction occurring between the near-wall and outer region scales, which vary across the span, with respect to various forcing conditions. The financial support of Airbus is gratefully acknowledged.

The interplay of genetic and environmental factors in shaping well-being across the lifespan: Evidence from the serotonin transporter gene.

PubMed

Gärtner, Matti; Grimm, Simone; Aust, Sabine; Fan, Yan; von Scheve, Christian; Bajbouj, Malek

2017-07-07

Converging evidence suggests that well-being plays an important role in promoting and maintaining mental health across the life span. It has been shown that well-being has a considerable heritable component, but little is known about the specific genes involved. In this study, we investigated a healthy sample (N = 298) that was genotyped for the serotonin transporter-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR). We hypothesized that 5-HTTLPR gene variation would influence well-being, and additionally investigated interaction effects with age and the environmental influence of early life stress (ELS). Using multiple regression, our results showed a significant three-way interaction between genotype, ELS, and age. Exploration of this interaction showed that young subjects had decreased levels of well-being if they were exposed to ELS and homozygous for the short variant of 5-HTTLPR. This relationship was reversed in old age: subjects that were exposed to ELS and carried the long variant of 5-HTTLPR had decreased levels of well-being. Our results indicate that genetic and environmental factors have joint effects on well-being that are susceptible to profound changes across the life span.

Binary mixture of DDT and Arochlor1254: effects on sperm release by Danio rerio.

PubMed

Njiwa, Jules Richard Kemadjou; Müller, Paul; Klein, Roland

2004-06-01

A long-term toxicity test with zebrafish was carried out with different concentrations of DDT, Arochlor1254 (A54), and their 1:1 mixture under flow-through conditions. By collecting and counting the number of sperm released during separate mating events we observed that gametes are released asynchronously. Sperms are released in the form of sperm trails laid on the nest surface; subsequently active spermatozoa leave the trails and move in the water for several minutes. Sperm trails consist of bands of viscous material in which sperm are embedded. The water samples for the estimation of sperm presence were collected gradually within 180 min after 24 h, 2 weeks, 1 month, and 2 months of exposure. It was established that the reductions in count, activity of sperm, and average life span of sperm trails were significant (P<0.05) at the tested concentrations, 5 and 50 microg/L after 1 month and 2 weeks of exposure to each chemical tested and to their mixture, respectively. In conclusion, this study demonstrates that DDT and A54 could react synergically and increase the alteration in sperm release and activity as well as the life span of their trails.

Triboelectric charging of volcanic ash from the 2011 Grímsvötn eruption.

PubMed

Houghton, Isobel M P; Aplin, Karen L; Nicoll, Keri A

2013-09-13

The plume from the 2011 eruption of Grímsvötn was highly electrically charged, as shown by the considerable lightning activity measured by the United Kingdom Met Office's low-frequency lightning detection network. Previous measurements of volcanic plumes have shown that ash particles are electrically charged up to hundreds of kilometers away from the vent, which indicates that the ash continues to charge in the plume [R. G. Harrison, K. A. Nicoll, Z. Ulanowski, and T. A. Mather, Environ. Res. Lett. 5, 024004 (2010); H. Hatakeyama J. Meteorol. Soc. Jpn. 27, 372 (1949)]. In this Letter, we study triboelectric charging of different size fractions of a sample of volcanic ash experimentally. Consistently with previous work, we find that the particle size distribution is a determining factor in the charging. Specifically, our laboratory experiments demonstrate that the normalized span of the particle size distribution plays an important role in the magnitude of charging generated. The influence of the normalized span on plume charging suggests that all ash plumes are likely to be charged, with implications for remote sensing and plume lifetime through scavenging effects.

Triboelectric Charging of Volcanic Ash from the 2011 Grímsvötn Eruption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Houghton, Isobel M. P.; Aplin, Karen L.; Nicoll, Keri A.

2013-09-01

The plume from the 2011 eruption of Grímsvötn was highly electrically charged, as shown by the considerable lightning activity measured by the United Kingdom Met Office’s low-frequency lightning detection network. Previous measurements of volcanic plumes have shown that ash particles are electrically charged up to hundreds of kilometers away from the vent, which indicates that the ash continues to charge in the plume [R. G. Harrison, K. A. Nicoll, Z. Ulanowski, and T. A. Mather, Environ. Res. Lett. 5, 024004 (2010)1748-932610.1088/1748-9326/5/2/024004; H. Hatakeyama J. Meteorol. Soc. Jpn. 27, 372 (1949)JMSJAU0026-1165]. In this Letter, we study triboelectric charging of different size fractions of a sample of volcanic ash experimentally. Consistently with previous work, we find that the particle size distribution is a determining factor in the charging. Specifically, our laboratory experiments demonstrate that the normalized span of the particle size distribution plays an important role in the magnitude of charging generated. The influence of the normalized span on plume charging suggests that all ash plumes are likely to be charged, with implications for remote sensing and plume lifetime through scavenging effects.

Long-term effects of executive process training in young and old adults.

PubMed

Sandberg, Petra; Stigsdotter Neely, Anna

2016-10-01

Prior studies have examined the magnitude of training and transfer effects after process-based training in early and late adulthood. However, little is known about how long-lasting these effects are. Here we investigate the degree of stability of training gains and transfer effects in younger and older adults 18 months after completion of executive process training, tapping updating, inhibition, and shifting. From the original sample, 24 out of 30 older participants, and 19 out of 29 young adults, returned for follow-up assessment at which the criterion and transfer tests from pre- and post-test were re-administered. The results demonstrated stability of training gains in the updating criterion task (Letter Memory Running Span), and in a near transfer updating task (Number Memory Running Span) for both age groups. The young adults improved performance in two complex working memory tasks immediately after training. These transfer effects did not survive across time. Our results provide evidence that executive process training has its greatest effect on transfer tasks with a substantial process overlap with the trained tasks: only those effects are maintained over an 18 month period in both early and late adulthood.

Measuring working memory capacity in children using adaptive tasks: Example validation of an adaptive complex span.

PubMed

Gonthier, Corentin; Aubry, Alexandre; Bourdin, Béatrice

2018-06-01

Working memory tasks designed for children usually present trials in order of ascending difficulty, with testing discontinued when the child fails a particular level. Unfortunately, this procedure comes with a number of issues, such as decreased engagement from high-ability children, vulnerability of the scores to temporary mind-wandering, and large between-subjects variations in number of trials, testing time, and proactive interference. To circumvent these problems, the goal of the present study was to demonstrate the feasibility of assessing working memory using an adaptive testing procedure. The principle of adaptive testing is to dynamically adjust the level of difficulty as the task progresses to match the participant's ability. We used this method to develop an adaptive complex span task (the ACCES) comprising verbal and visuo-spatial subtests. The task presents a fixed number of trials to all participants, allows for partial credit scoring, and can be used with children regardless of ability level. The ACCES demonstrated satisfying psychometric properties in a sample of 268 children aged 8-13 years, confirming the feasibility of using adaptive tasks to measure working memory capacity in children. A free-to-use implementation of the ACCES is provided.

Dyslexia in a French-Spanish bilingual girl: behavioural and neural modulations following a visual attention span intervention.

PubMed

Valdois, Sylviane; Peyrin, Carole; Lassus-Sangosse, Delphine; Lallier, Marie; Démonet, Jean-François; Kandel, Sonia

2014-04-01

We report the case study of a French-Spanish bilingual dyslexic girl, MP, who exhibited a severe visual attention (VA) span deficit but preserved phonological skills. Behavioural investigation showed a severe reduction of reading speed for both single items (words and pseudo-words) and texts in the two languages. However, performance was more affected in French than in Spanish. MP was administered an intensive VA span intervention programme. Pre-post intervention comparison revealed a positive effect of intervention on her VA span abilities. The intervention further transferred to reading. It primarily resulted in faster identification of the regular and irregular words in French. The effect of intervention was rather modest in Spanish that only showed a tendency for faster word reading. Text reading improved in the two languages with a stronger effect in French but pseudo-word reading did not improve in either French or Spanish. The overall results suggest that VA span intervention may primarily enhance the fast global reading procedure, with stronger effects in French than in Spanish. MP underwent two fMRI sessions to explore her brain activations before and after VA span training. Prior to the intervention, fMRI assessment showed that the striate and extrastriate visual cortices alone were activated but none of the regions typically involved in VA span. Post-training fMRI revealed increased activation of the superior and inferior parietal cortices. Comparison of pre- and post-training activations revealed significant activation increase of the superior parietal lobes (BA 7) bilaterally. Thus, we show that a specific VA span intervention not only modulates reading performance but further results in increased brain activity within the superior parietal lobes known to housing VA span abilities. Furthermore, positive effects of VA span intervention on reading suggest that the ability to process multiple visual elements simultaneously is one cause of successful reading acquisition. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Developmental Change in Proactive Interference across the Life Span: Evidence from Two Working Memory Tasks

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Loosli, Sandra V.; Rahm, Benjamin; Unterrainer, Josef M.; Weiller, Cornelius; Kaller, Christoph P.

2014-01-01

Working memory (WM) as the ability to temporarily maintain and manipulate various kinds of information is known to be affected by proactive interference (PI) from previously relevant contents, but studies on developmental changes in the susceptibility to PI are scarce. In the present study, we investigated life span development of item-specific…

Phonological Memory and the Acquisition of Grammar in Child L2 Learners

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Verhagen, Josje; Leseman, Paul; Messer, Marielle

2015-01-01

Previous studies show that second language (L2) learners with large phonological memory spans outperform learners with smaller memory spans on tests of L2 grammar. The current study investigated the relationship between phonological memory and L2 grammar in more detail than has been done earlier. Specifically, we asked how phonological memory…

Technical and economic assessment of span-distributed loading cargo aircraft concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitlow, D. H.; Whitner, P. C.

1976-01-01

A preliminary design study of the performance and economics resulting from the application of the distributed load concept to large freighter aircraft was made. The study was limited to configurations having the payload entirely contained in unswept wings of constant chord with conventional tail surfaces supported from the wing by twin booms. A parametric study based on current technology showed that increases in chord had a similar effect on the economics as increases in span. Increases in both span and chord or airplane size had the largest and most favorable effect. At 600,000 lbs payload a configuration was selected and refined to incorporate advanced technology that could be in production by 1990 and compared with a reference conventional airplane having similar technology.

Characterizing RNA Dynamics at Atomic Resolution Using Solution-state NMR Spectroscopy

PubMed Central

Bothe, Jameson R.; Nikolova, Evgenia N.; Eichhorn, Catherine D.; Chugh, Jeetender; Hansen, Alexandar L.; Al-Hashimi, Hashim M.

2012-01-01

Many recently discovered non-coding RNAs do not fold into a single native conformation, but rather, sample many different conformations along their free energy landscape to carry out their biological function. Unprecedented insights into the RNA dynamic structure landscape are provided by solution-state NMR techniques that measure the structural, kinetic, and thermodynamic characteristics of motions spanning picosecond to second timescales at atomic resolution. From these studies a basic description of the RNA dynamic structure landscape is emerging, bringing new insights into how RNA structures change to carry out their function as well as applications in RNA-targeted drug discovery and RNA bioengineering. PMID:22036746

Geologic Mapping of the Meridiani Region of Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

DiAchille, G.; Hynek, B. M.

2009-01-01

The Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity observed an upper layer of a more than 600-m-thick sequence of light toned outcrops that characterize the Meridiani region of Mars. Results from the rover analyses have shown that the bedrock contains mineral and textural characteristics that require at least the interaction of, and possibly an overall formation by, water-related mechanisms in order to be explained [1]. Additionally, remote sensing studies of the region have suggested that the rocks sampled in places by the MER rover consist of many distinct layers extending over an area of more than 3 10(exp 5) sq km spanning 20deg of longitude [2].

VizieR Online Data Catalog: 340GHz SMA obs. of 50 nearby protoplanetary disks (Tripathi+, 2017)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tripathi, A.; Andrews, S. M.; Birnstiel, T.; Wilner, D. J.

2018-03-01

A sample of 50 nearby (d<=200pc) disk targets was collated from the archived catalog of ~340GHz (880um) continuum measurements made with the Submillimeter Array (SMA), since the start of science operations in 2004. Of the 50 disks in our survey, 10 were recently observed by us expressly for the purposes of the present study. To our knowledge, the SMA observations of 18 targets have not yet been published elsewhere. Table 1 is a brief SMA observation log, with references for where the data originally appeared (observations span 2005 jun 12 to 2015 Jan 19). (3 data files).

Using Garnet to Reconstruct Subduction Zone Dehydration Flux

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baxter, E. F.; Dragovic, B.; Samanta, L. M.; Selverstone, J.; Caddick, M. J.

2011-12-01

Coupled geodynamic-thermodynamic models make predictions about the progressive dehydration flux from subducted lithologies. However, it has been difficult to test or confirm these predictions through direct petrologic assessment of natural systems. We have developed a method that may be used to reconstruct the rate, timing, and flux of dehydration from diverse lithologies within subduction zones. Here, we summarize the fundamentals of the method and highlight data from two blueschist facies lithologies from the island of Sifnos, Greece. The data indicate that garnet growth and related dehydration from individual lithologies can be focused into relatively brief (100,000s of years) pulses. In general, most garnet forming reactions (in initially hydrous lithologies) also involve the consumption of hydrous minerals (including chlorite, biotite, chloritoid, amphibole, epidote, lawsonite) and the consequent liberation of water. Depending on the exact reaction and on the pressure and temperature vector over which the reaction occurs, the stoichiometric (i.e. molar) ratio between garnet produced and water produced can vary. If this stoichiometry can be constrained via thermodynamic and textural reaction analysis, then garnet may be used as a direct monitor of the progressive dehydration of the rock for the P-T-t span over which garnet grew. To a first order, rocks with greater modal proportion of garnet have released greater amounts of water. Modern techniques are available to directly date the span of garnet growth from single crystals larger than about 5mm diameter. Sm-Nd geochronology of chemically contoured microsampled prograde garnet growth zones from single crystals can produce constraints on garnet growth duration at better than 1 million year resolution. Integration of zoned garnet geochronology and thermodynamic reaction analysis permits reconstruction of the dehydration rate and duration from individual samples. Recent studies of contrasting lithologies on Sifnos demonstrate the utility of the method for unlocking information about natural dehydration timescales within subduction zones. A mafic blueschist sample contains large garnet crystals (up to 1.5cm) whose growth occurred very rapidly, in only hundreds of thousands of years. A quartzofeldspathic rock containing larger (up to 5cm) garnets reveals rapidly accelerating garnet growth, most of which also occurred within just a few hundred thousand years. Both samples provide evidence for rapid dehydration associated with garnet-forming reactions over brief timespans. Observed garnet modal abundances and thermodynamically modeled garnet:water production ratios indicate that approximately 0.5 to 1.0 wt% water - a significant amount - was liberated from these lithologies during the brief time spans recorded by garnet growth. Whether these dehydration pulses require a kinetic-triggering explanation or whether they can be explained either geodynamically by rapid P-T shifts or thermodynamically by passage through narrowly spaced garnet reaction isopleths remains a question for further study.

Variations in Cathodoluminescent Intensity of Spacecraft Materials Exposed to Energetic Electron Bombardment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dekany, Justin; Christensen, Justin; Dennison, J. R.; Jensen, Amberly Evans; Wilson, Gregory; Schneider, Todd; Bowers, Charles W.; Meloy, Robert

2015-01-01

Many contemporary spacecraft materials exhibit cathodoluminescence when exposed to electron flux from the space plasma environment. A quantitative, physics-based model has been developed to predict the intensity of the total glow as a function of incident electron current density and energy, temperature, and intrinsic material properties. We present a comparative study of the absolute spectral radiance for more than 20 types of dielectric and composite materials based on this model which spans more than three orders of magnitude. Variations in intensity are contrasted for different electron environments, different sizes of samples and sample sets, different testing and analysis methods, and data acquired at different test facilities. Together, these results allow us to estimate the accuracy and precision to which laboratory studies may be able to determine the response of spacecraft materials in the actual space environment. It also provides guidance as to the distribution of emissions that may be expected for sets of similar flight hardware under similar environmental conditions.

Variations in Cathodoluminescent Intensity of Spacecraft Materials Exposed to Energetic Electron Bombardment

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dekany, Justin; Christensen, Justin; Dennison, J. R.; Jensen, Amberly Evans; Wilson, Gregory; Schneider, Todd A.; Bowers, Charles W.; Meloy, Robert

2014-01-01

Many contemporary spacecraft materials exhibit cathodoluminescence when exposed to electron flux from the space plasma environment. A quantitative, physics-based model has been developed to predict the intensity of the glow as a function of incident electron current density and energy, temperature, and intrinsic material properties. We present a comparative study of the absolute spectral radiance for several types of dielectric and composite materials based on this model which spans three orders of magnitude. Variations in intensity are contrasted for different electron environments, different sizes of samples and sample sets, different testing and analysis methods, and data acquired at different test facilities. Together, these results allow us to estimate the accuracy and precision to which laboratory studies may be able to determine the response of spacecraft materials in the actual space environment. It also provides guidance as to the distribution of emissions that may be expected for sets of similar flight hardware under similar environmental conditions.

Investigating the incremental validity of cognitive variables in early mathematics screening.

PubMed

Clarke, Ben; Shanley, Lina; Kosty, Derek; Baker, Scott K; Cary, Mari Strand; Fien, Hank; Smolkowski, Keith

2018-03-26

The purpose of this study was to investigate the incremental validity of a set of domain general cognitive measures added to a traditional screening battery of early numeracy measures. The sample consisted of 458 kindergarten students of whom 285 were designated as severely at-risk for mathematics difficulty. Hierarchical multiple regression results indicated that Wechsler Abbreviated Scales of Intelligence (WASI) Matrix Reasoning and Vocabulary subtests, and Digit Span Forward and Backward measures explained a small, but unique portion of the variance in kindergarten students' mathematics performance on the Test of Early Mathematics Ability-Third Edition (TEMA-3) when controlling for Early Numeracy Curriculum Based Measurement (EN-CBM) screening measures (R² change = .01). Furthermore, the incremental validity of the domain general cognitive measures was relatively stronger for the severely at-risk sample. We discuss results from the study in light of instructional decision-making and note the findings do not justify adding domain general cognitive assessments to mathematics screening batteries. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Working memory capacity predicts listwise directed forgetting in adults and children.

PubMed

Aslan, Alp; Zellner, Martina; Bäuml, Karl-Heinz T

2010-05-01

In listwise directed forgetting, participants are cued to forget previously studied material and to learn new material instead. Such cueing typically leads to forgetting of the first set of material and to memory enhancement of the second. The present study examined the role of working memory capacity in adults' and children's listwise directed forgetting. Working memory capacity was assessed with complex span tasks. In Experiment 1 working memory capacity predicted young adults' directed-forgetting performance, demonstrating a positive relationship between working memory capacity and each of the two directed-forgetting effects. In Experiment 2 we replicated the finding with a sample of first and a sample of fourth-grade children, and additionally showed that working memory capacity can account for age-related increases in directed-forgetting efficiency between the two age groups. Following the view that directed forgetting is mediated by inhibition of the first encoded list, the results support the proposal of a close link between working memory capacity and inhibitory function.

Integrated Structural Biology for α-Helical Membrane Protein Structure Determination.

PubMed

Xia, Yan; Fischer, Axel W; Teixeira, Pedro; Weiner, Brian; Meiler, Jens

2018-04-03

While great progress has been made, only 10% of the nearly 1,000 integral, α-helical, multi-span membrane protein families are represented by at least one experimentally determined structure in the PDB. Previously, we developed the algorithm BCL::MP-Fold, which samples the large conformational space of membrane proteins de novo by assembling predicted secondary structure elements guided by knowledge-based potentials. Here, we present a case study of rhodopsin fold determination by integrating sparse and/or low-resolution restraints from multiple experimental techniques including electron microscopy, electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy, and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Simultaneous incorporation of orthogonal experimental restraints not only significantly improved the sampling accuracy but also allowed identification of the correct fold, which is demonstrated by a protein size-normalized transmembrane root-mean-square deviation as low as 1.2 Å. The protocol developed in this case study can be used for the determination of unknown membrane protein folds when limited experimental restraints are available. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

C-SPAN in the High School Classroom: A Guide for Educators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

C-SPAN, Washington, DC.

Intended for middle and high school educators, the publication provides information about the C-SPAN networks and facilitates the use of the network's programming as a teaching resource. The section on the C-SPAN cable networks contains information on C-SPAN, C-SPAN 2, C-SPAN Audio 1, and C-SPAN Audio 2, regularly scheduled programs, ways to…

Laser Anemometry and Viscous Computation of the Flow Through an Annular Turbine Cascade

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-03-01

USING ŖX, D[D, 7X, 7M. DWJOOD, 8X, 7MD. DDDD)" P,VO, Phub (WAE, SPAN) 1053 PRINTER IS CZRT 1054 PRINT USING ŖX,DOD,7X,7MD.D[OMXMD,8X,7M.DD. D" P...1087 prat=Riub (WAME, SPAN) /Ptot (ME, SPAN) 1088 beta::(P1(WA[,SPAN) -P23 (WAKE,SPAN) )/P1 (WAKE,SPAN) 1089 dIr (5* (Pl (MAKE, SPAN)/ Phub (WAKE, SPAN

Auditory, visual and auditory-visual memory and sequencing performance in typically developing children.

PubMed

Pillai, Roshni; Yathiraj, Asha

2017-09-01

The study evaluated whether there exists a difference/relation in the way four different memory skills (memory score, sequencing score, memory span, & sequencing span) are processed through the auditory modality, visual modality and combined modalities. Four memory skills were evaluated on 30 typically developing children aged 7 years and 8 years across three modality conditions (auditory, visual, & auditory-visual). Analogous auditory and visual stimuli were presented to evaluate the three modality conditions across the two age groups. The children obtained significantly higher memory scores through the auditory modality compared to the visual modality. Likewise, their memory scores were significantly higher through the auditory-visual modality condition than through the visual modality. However, no effect of modality was observed on the sequencing scores as well as for the memory and the sequencing span. A good agreement was seen between the different modality conditions that were studied (auditory, visual, & auditory-visual) for the different memory skills measures (memory scores, sequencing scores, memory span, & sequencing span). A relatively lower agreement was noted only between the auditory and visual modalities as well as between the visual and auditory-visual modality conditions for the memory scores, measured using Bland-Altman plots. The study highlights the efficacy of using analogous stimuli to assess the auditory, visual as well as combined modalities. The study supports the view that the performance of children on different memory skills was better through the auditory modality compared to the visual modality. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Measuring primary care practice performance within an integrated delivery system: a case study.

PubMed

Stewart, Louis J; Greisler, David

2002-01-01

This article examines the use of an integrated performance measurement system to plan and control primary care service delivery within an integrated delivery system. We review a growing body of literature that focuses on the development and implementation of management reporting systems among healthcare providers. Our study extends the existing literature by examining the use of performance information generated by an integrated performance measurement system within a healthcare organization. We conduct our examination through a case study of the WMG Primary Care Medicine Group, the primary care medical group practice of WellSpan Health System. WellSpan Health System is an integrated delivery system that serves south central Pennsylvania and northern Maryland. Our study examines the linkage between WellSpan Health's strategic objectives and its primary care medicine group's integrated performance measurement system. The conceptual design of this integrated performance measurement system combines financial metrics with practice management and clinical operating metrics to provide a more complete picture of medical group performance. Our findings demonstrate that WellSpan Health was able to achieve superior financial results despite a weak linkage between its integrated performance measurement system and its strategic objectives. WellSpan Health achieved this objective for its primary care medicine group by linking clinical performance information to physician compensation and reporting practice management performance through the use of statistical process charts. They found that the combined mechanisms of integrated performance measurement and statistical process control charts improved organizational learning and communications between organizational stakeholders.

U-Sries Disequilibra in Soils, Pena Blanca Natural Analog, Chihuahua, Mexico

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

D. French; E. Anthony; P. Goodell

2006-03-16

The Nopal I uranium deposit located in the Sierra Pena Blanca, Mexico. The deposit was mined in the early 1980s, and ore was stockpiled close by. This stockpile area was cleared and is now referred to as the Prior High Grade Stockpile (PHGS). Some of the high-grade boulders from the site rolled downhill when it was cleared in the 1990s. For this study soil samples were collected from the alluvium surrounding and underlying one of these boulders. A bulk sample of the boulder was also collected. Because the Prior High Grade Stockpile had no ore prior to the 1980s amore » maximum residence time for the boulder is about 25 years, this also means that the soil was at background as well. The purpose of this study is to characterize the transport of uranium series radionuclides from ore to the soil. Transport is characterized by determining the activities of individual radionuclides and daughter to parent ratios. Isotopes of the uranium series decay chain detected include {sup 210}Pb, {sup 234}U, {sup 230}Th, {sup 226}Ra, {sup 214}Pb, and {sup 214}Bi. Peak areas for each isotope are determined using gamma-ray spectroscopy with a Canberra Ge (Li) detector and GENIE 2000 software. The boulder sample is close to secular equilibrium when compared to the standard BL-5 (Beaver Lodge Uraninite from Canada). Results for the soils, however, indicate that some daughter/parent pairs are in secular disequilibrium. These daughter/parent (D/P) ratios include {sup 230}Th/{sup 234}U, which is greater than unity, {sup 226}Ra/{sup 230}Th, which is also greater than unity, and {sup 210}Pb/{sup 214}Bi, which is less than unity. The gamma-ray spectrum for organic material lacks {sup 230}Th peaks, but contains {sup 234}U and {sup 226}Ra, indicating that plants preferentially incorporate {sup 226}Ra. Our results, combined with previous studies require multistage history of mobilization of the uranium series radionuclides. Earlier studies at the ore zone could limit the time span for mobilization only to a few thousand years. The contribution of this study is that the short residence time of the ore at the Prior High Grade Stockpile requires a time span for mobilization of 20-30 years.« less

Ancestral telomere shortening: a countdown that will increase mean life span?

PubMed

Hertzog, Radu G

2006-01-01

Like cells, all mammals have a limited life span. Among cells there are a few exceptions (e.g., immortal cells), among mammals not, even if some of them live longer. Many in vitro and in vivo studies support the consensus that telomere length is strongly correlated with life span. At the somatic cellular level, long telomeres have been associated with longer life span. A different situation can be seen in immortal cells, such as cancer, germ and stem cells, where telomeres are maintained by telomerase, a specialized reverse transcriptase that is involved in synthesis of telomeres. Irrespective of telomere length, if telomerase is active, telomeres can be maintained at a sufficient length to ensure cell survival. To the contrary, telomeres shorten progressively with each cell division and when a critical telomere length (Hayflick limit) is reached, the cells undergo senescence and subsequently apoptosis. In mammals, those with the longest telomeres (e.g., mice) have the shortest life span. Furthermore, the shorter the mean telomere length, the longer the mean life span, as observed in humans (10-14 kpb) and bowhead-whales (undetermined telomere length), which have the longest mean life span among mammals. Over the past centuries, human average life span has increased. The hypothesis presented here suggests that this continual increase in the mean life span could be due to a decrease of mean telomere length over the last hundreds years. Actually, the life span is not directly influenced by length of telomeres, but rather by telomere length - dependent gene expression pattern. According to Greider, "rather than average telomere length, it is the shortest telomere length that makes the biggest difference to a cell". In the context of fast-growing global elderly population due to increase in life expectancy, it also seem to be an age related increase in cancer incidence. Nevertheless, extending healthy life span could depend on how good cells achieve, during the prenatal period and few years after birth, the equilibrium between telomere length and telomerase activity, as seen in germ cells. After all, I suggest that decrease in mean telomere length might result in, on the one hand, an increased life span and, on the other, a higher risk of tumorigenesis.

System for δ13C-CO2 and xCO2 analysis of discrete gas samples by cavity ring-down spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dickinson, Dane; Bodé, Samuel; Boeckx, Pascal

2017-11-01

A method was devised for analysing small discrete gas samples (50 mL syringe) by cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS). Measurements were accomplished by inletting 50 mL syringed samples into an isotopic-CO2 CRDS analyser (Picarro G2131-i) between baseline readings of a reference air standard, which produced sharp peaks in the CRDS data feed. A custom software script was developed to manage the measurement process and aggregate sample data in real time. The method was successfully tested with CO2 mole fractions (xCO2) ranging from < 0.1 to > 20 000 ppm and δ13C-CO2 values from -100 up to +30 000 ‰ in comparison to VPDB (Vienna Pee Dee Belemnite). Throughput was typically 10 samples h-1, with 13 h-1 possible under ideal conditions. The measurement failure rate in routine use was ca. 1 %. Calibration to correct for memory effects was performed with gravimetric gas standards ranging from 0.05 to 2109 ppm xCO2 and δ13C-CO2 levels varying from -27.3 to +21 740 ‰. Repeatability tests demonstrated that method precision for 50 mL samples was ca. 0.05 % in xCO2 and 0.15 ‰ in δ13C-CO2 for CO2 compositions from 300 to 2000 ppm with natural abundance 13C. Long-term method consistency was tested over a 9-month period, with results showing no systematic measurement drift over time. Standardised analysis of discrete gas samples expands the scope of application for isotopic-CO2 CRDS and enhances its potential for replacing conventional isotope ratio measurement techniques. Our method involves minimal set-up costs and can be readily implemented in Picarro G2131-i and G2201-i analysers or tailored for use with other CRDS instruments and trace gases.

Effect of Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly peptide on life span and development of spontaneous tumors in female rats exposed to different illumination regimes.

PubMed

Vinogradova, I A; Bukalev, A V; Zabezhinski, M A; Semenchenko, A V; Khavinson, V Kh; Anisimov, V N

2007-12-01

The effects of Ala-Glu-Asp-Gly peptide (Epithalon) on the life span and development of spontaneous tumors were studied in female rats exposed to standard, natural for North-Western Russia, and constant illumination. The mean life span of animals exposed to constant or natural illumination decreased by 13.5 and 25.5%, the maximum by 9 and 7 months, respectively, and spontaneous tumors developed much more rapidly than in animals living under conditions of the standard light regimen. Epithalon (0.1 microg daily 5 times a week from the age of 4 months) did not change the life span of rats living under conditions of standard day/night regimen, while in rats exposed to the natural and constant light it promoted prolongation of the maximum life span by 95 and 24 days, respectively. Epithalon prolonged the mean life span of the last 10% of rats exposed to natural and constant illumination, treated with Epithalon, by 137 and 43 days, respectively. This peptide exhibited virtually no effect on the development of spontaneous tumors in rats exposed to standard and constant illumination, but significantly inhibited their development in rats exposed to natural light.

Life Span Evolution in Eusocial Workers—A Theoretical Approach to Understanding the Effects of Extrinsic Mortality in a Hierarchical System

PubMed Central

Kramer, Boris H.; Schaible, Ralf

2013-01-01

While the extraordinary life span of queens and division of labor in eusocial societies have been well studied, it is less clear which selective forces act on the short life span of workers. The disparity of life span between the queen and the workers is linked to a basic issue in sociobiology: How are the resources in a colony allocated between colony maintenance and reproduction? Resources for somatic maintenance of the colony can either be invested into quality or quantity of workers. Here, we present a theoretical optimization model that uses a hierarchical trade-off within insect colonies and extrinsic mortality to explain how different aging phenotypes could have evolved to keep resources secure in the colony. The model points to the significance of two factors. First, any investment that would generate a longer intrinsic life span for workers is lost if the individual dies from external causes while foraging. As a consequence, risky environments favor the evolution of workers with a shorter life span. Second, shorter-lived workers require less investment than long-lived ones, allowing the colony to allocate these resources to sexual reproduction or colony growth. PMID:23596527

Normal Aging of the Attentional Control Functions That Underlie Working Memory.

PubMed

Sylvain-Roy, Stéphanie; Lungu, Ovidiu; Belleville, Sylvie

2015-09-01

This study assessed the effect of aging on 3 attentional control functions (ACFs)--shifting, inhibition, and updating--and on their contribution to working memory (WM) tasks. Complex WM tasks (the Brown-Peterson procedure, the reading span, and the alpha span) and tasks used to derive composite measures of the ACFs were administered to 75 younger and 75 older adults. Of the 3 ACFs, only inhibition was impaired in aging after controlling for processing speed. Furthermore, the effect of aging on WM tasks was not pervasive, as older adults showed impaired performance on the Brown-Peterson procedure and the reading span but not on the alpha span. When examining the contribution of ACFs to WM in older adults, updating accounted for performance on the Brown-Peterson and reading span tasks, and inhibition was involved in performance on the alpha span task. In younger adults, it was processing speed that contributed the most to WM. This pattern of results suggests that complex WM tasks reflect different ACFs and that this varies as a function of age. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

The development of memory efficiency and value-directed remembering across the life span: a cross-sectional study of memory and selectivity.

PubMed

Castel, Alan D; Humphreys, Kathryn L; Lee, Steve S; Galván, Adriana; Balota, David A; McCabe, David P

2011-11-01

Although attentional control and memory change considerably across the life span, no research has examined how the ability to strategically remember important information (i.e., value-directed remembering) changes from childhood to old age. The present study examined this in different age groups across the life span (N = 320, 5-96 years old). A selectivity task was used in which participants were asked to study and recall items worth different point values in order to maximize their point score. This procedure allowed for measures of memory quantity/capacity (number of words recalled) and memory efficiency/selectivity (the recall of high-value items relative to low-value items). Age-related differences were found for memory capacity, as young adults recalled more words than the other groups. However, in terms of selectivity, younger and older adults were more selective than adolescents and children. The dissociation between these measures across the life span illustrates important age-related differences in terms of memory capacity and the ability to selectively remember high-value information.

Azospirillum brasilense, a Beneficial Soil Bacterium: Isolation and Cultivation.

PubMed

Alexandre, Gladys

2017-11-09

Bacteria of the genus Azospirillum comprise 15 species to date, with A. brasilense the best studied species in the genus. Azospirillum are soil bacteria able to promote the growth of plants from 113 species spanning 35 botanical families. These non-pathogenic and beneficial bacteria are ubiquitous in soils and inhabit the roots of diverse plants. These bacteria are microaerophilic, able to fix nitrogen under free-living conditions, motile, and able to navigate in gradients of various chemicals, including oxygen. These physiological traits are used to isolate these soil bacteria from soil and plant root samples, providing isolates that can be used for studying microbial physiology and plant growth promotion. © 2017 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

The conscientious retiree: The relationship between conscientiousness, retirement, and volunteering

PubMed Central

Mike, Anissa; Jackson, Joshua J.; Oltmanns, Thomas F.

2015-01-01

The current study examined the relationship between conscientiousness, work status, and volunteering utilizing two large samples, the St. Louis Personality and Aging Network (SPAN) and the Health and Retirement Study (HRS). It was hypothesized that conscientious adults who were retired would be more likely to volunteer because, after retirement, they gain a substantial amount of free time, while losing an outlet for their industrious and achievement-striving tendencies. Cross-sectional and longitudinal analyses revealed that conscientious, retired individuals were more likely to volunteer than conscientious, working individuals. Further analyses revealed that facets of conscientiousness provide differential information from the general trait. These findings indicate that volunteering during retirement fills an important niche for high-striving, conscientious individuals. PMID:25843985

Prefrontal brain asymmetry and pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder symptomatology.

PubMed

Accortt, Eynav E; Stewart, Jennifer L; Coan, James A; Manber, Rachel; Allen, John J B

2011-01-01

Pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a dysphoric form of pre-menstrual syndrome, is included as a diagnosis for further study in the DSM-IV-TR (APA, 2000). The present study investigated whether a marker of risk for major depressive disorder (MDD), prefrontal brain asymmetry, also characterizes women with PMDD. In a sample of 25 college women with PMDD symptomatology and 25 matched controls, resting frontal electroencephalographic (EEG) activity was assessed on four occasions within a two-week span. Across several frontal sites women with PMDD had relatively less left than right prefrontal brain activity, consistent with a diathesis-stress model for menstrual-related dysphoria. The findings suggest an overlap in the risk profile for MDD and PMDD. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A Combined Length-of-Day Series Spanning 1832-1997

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gross, Richard S.

1999-01-01

The Earth's rotation is not constant but exhibits minute changes on all observable time scales ranging from subdaily to secular. This rich spectrum of observed Earth rotation changes reflects the rich variety of astronomical and geophysical phenomena that are causing the Earth's rotation to change, including, but not limited to, ocean and solid body tides, atmospheric wind and pressure changes, oceanic current and sea level height changes, post-glacial rebound, and torques acting at the core-mantle boundary. In particular, the decadal-scale variations of the Earth's rotation are thought to be largely caused by interactions between the Earth's outer core and mantle. Comparing the inferred Earth rotation variations caused by the various core-mantle interactions to observed variations requires Earth rotation observations spanning decades, if not centuries. During the past century many different techniques have been used to observe the Earth's rotation. By combining the individual Earth rotation series determined by each of these techniques, a series of the Earth's rotation can be obtained that is based upon independent measurements spanning the greatest possible time interval. In this study, independent observations of the Earth's rotation are combined to generate a length-of-day series spanning 1832-1997. The observations combined include lunar occultation measurements spanning 1832-1955, optical astrometric measurements spanning 1956-1982, lunar laser ranging measurements spanning 1970-1997, and very long baseline interferometric measurements spanning 1978-1998. These series are combined using a Kalman filter developed at JPL for just this purpose. The resulting combined length-of-day series will be presented and compared with other available length-of-day series of similar duration.

Switch Hands! Mapping Proactive and Reactive Cognitive Control across the Life Span

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Van Gerven, Pascal W. M.; Hurks, Petra P. M.; Bovend'Eerdt, Thamar J. H.; Adam, Jos J.

2016-01-01

We investigated the effects of age on proactive and reactive cognitive control in a large population sample of 809 individuals, ranging in age between 5 and 97 years. For that purpose, we used an anticue paradigm, which required a consistent remapping of cue location and response hand: Left-sided cues required right-hand responses and vice versa.…

Senior Leaders' Views on Leadership Preparation and Succession Strategies in New Zealand: Time for a Career-Related Professionalization Policy and Provisions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Macpherson, Reynold

2014-01-01

This research note reports the views of members of a branch of a professional association about their career paths and the appropriateness of preparatory and succession strategies for leaders in New Zealand schools. This sample of 12 "seniors" was unusual for its relative professional seniority, span of responsibilities and postgraduate…