Perspectives on Episodic-like and Episodic Memory

OpenAIRE

Bettina M Pause; Armin eZlomuzica; Kiyoka eKinugawa; Jean eMariani; Reinhard ePietrowsky; Ekrem eDere

2013-01-01

Episodic memory refers to the conscious recollection of a personal experience that contains information on what has happened and also where and when it happened. Recollection from episodic memory also implies a kind of first-person subjectivity that has been termed autonoetic consciousness. Episodic memory is extremely sensitive to cerebral aging and neurodegenerative diseases. In Alzheimer’s disease deficits in episodic memory function are among the first cognitive symptoms observed. Further...

EVALUATING CHAMBERLAIN'S, McGREGOR'S, AND McRAE'S ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2012-08-08

Aug 8, 2012 ... spine and base of skull radiographs which however have diagnostic challenges due to the complexity of the ... McGregor's and Mc Rae's using CT bone windows ... metastatic lesion were excluded from the study. RESULTS.

Henry P. McKean Jr. selecta

CERN Document Server

Moerbeke, Pierre; Moll, Victor

2015-01-01

This volume presents a selection of papers by Henry P. McKean, which illustrate the various areas in mathematics in which he has made seminal contributions. Topics covered include probability theory, integrable systems, geometry and financial mathematics. Each paper represents a contribution by Prof. McKean, either alone or together with other researchers, that has had a profound influence in the respective area.

Drilling and testing specifications for the McGee well

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Patterson, J.K.

1982-01-01

The McGee Well is a part of the Basalt Waste Isolation Project's subsurface site selection and characterization activities. Information from the McGee Well support site hydrologic characterization and repository design. These test specifications include details for the drilling and testing of the McGee. It includes the predicted stratigraphy, the drilling requirements, description of tests to be conducted, intervals selected for hydrologic testing, and a schedule of the drilling and testing activities. 19 refs., 10 figs., 7 tabs

ExMC Technology Watch

Science.gov (United States)

Krihak, M.; Barr, Y.; Watkins, S.; Fung, P.; McGrath, T.; Baumann, D.

2012-01-01

The Technology Watch (Tech Watch) project is a NASA endeavor conducted under the Human Research Program's (HRP) Exploration Medical Capability (ExMC) element, and focusing on ExMC technology gaps. The project involves several NASA centers, including the Johnson Space Center (JSC), Glenn Research Center (GRC), Ames Research Center (ARC), and the Langley Research Center (LaRC). The objective of Tech Watch is to identify emerging, high-impact technologies that augment current NASA HRP technology development efforts. Identifying such technologies accelerates the development of medical care and research capabilities for the mitigation of potential health issues encountered during human space exploration missions. The aim of this process is to leverage technologies developed by academia, industry and other government agencies and to identify the effective utilization of NASA resources to maximize the HRP return on investment. The establishment of collaborations with these entities is beneficial to technology development, assessment and/or insertion and further NASA's goal to provide a safe and healthy environment for human exploration. In 2011, the major focus areas for Tech Watch included information dissemination, education outreach and public accessibility to technology gaps and gap reports. The dissemination of information was accomplished through site visits to research laboratories and/or companies, and participation at select conferences where Tech Watch objectives and technology gaps were presented. Presentation of such material provided researchers with insights on NASA ExMC needs for space exploration and an opportunity to discuss potential areas of common interest. The second focus area, education outreach, was accomplished via two mechanisms. First, several senior student projects, each related to an ExMC technology gap, were sponsored by the various NASA centers. These projects presented ExMC related technology problems firsthand to collegiate laboratories

McClintock's challenge in the 21st century

KAUST Repository

Fedoroff, Nina V.

2012-11-13

In 1950, Barbara McClintock published a Classic PNAS article, "The origin and behavior of mutable loci in maize," which summarized the evidence leading to her discovery of transposition. The article described a number of genome alterations revealed through her studies of the Dissociation locus, the first mobile genetic element she identified. McClintock described the suite of nuclear events, including transposon activation and various chromosome aberrations and rearrangements, that unfolded in the wake of genetic crosses that brought together two broken chromosomes 9. McClintock left future generations with the challenge of understanding how genomes respond to genetic and environmental stresses by mounting adaptive responses that frequently include genome restructuring.

Episodic payments (bundling): PART I.

Science.gov (United States)

Jacofsky, D J

2017-10-01

Episodic, or bundled payments, is a concept now familiar to most in the healthcare arena, but the models are often misunderstood. Under a traditional fee-for-service model, each provider bills separately for their services which creates financial incentives to maximise volumes. Under a bundled payment, a single entity, often referred to as a convener (maybe the hospital, the physician group, or a third party) assumes the risk through a payer contract for all services provided within a defined episode of care, and receives a single (bundled) payment for all services provided for that episode. The time frame around the intervention is variable, but defined in advance, as are included and excluded costs. Timing of the actual payment in a bundle may either be before the episode occurs (prospective payment model), or after the end of the episode through a reconciliation (retrospective payment model). In either case, the defined costs over the defined time frame are borne by the convener. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2017;99-B:1280-5. ©2017 The British Editorial Society of Bone & Joint Surgery.

[A new assessment for episodic memory. Episodic memory test and caregiver's episodic memory test].

Science.gov (United States)

Ojea Ortega, T; González Álvarez de Sotomayor, M M; Pérez González, O; Fernández Fernández, O

2013-10-01

The purpose of the episodic memory test and the caregiver's episodic memory test is to evaluate episodic memory according to its definition in a way that is feasible for families and achieves high degrees of sensitivity and specificity. We administered a test consisting of 10 questions about episodic events to 332 subjects, of whom 65 had Alzheimer's disease (AD), 115 had amnestic MCI (aMCI) and 152 showed no cognitive impairment according to Reisberg's global deterioration scale (GDS). We calculated the test's sensitivity and specificity to distinguish AD from episodic aMCI and from normal ageing. The area under the ROC curve for the diagnosis of aMCI was 0.94 and the best cut-off value was 20; for that value, sensitivity was 89% and specificity was 82%. For a diagnosis of AD, the area under the ROC curve was 0.99 and the best cut-off point was 17, with a sensitivity of 98% and a specificity of 91%. A subsequent study using similar methodology yielded similar results when the test was administered directly by the caregiver. The episodic memory test and the caregiver's episodic memory test are useful as brief screening tools for identifying patients with early-stage AD. It is suitable for use by primary care medical staff and in the home, since it can be administered by a caregiver. The test's limitations are that it must be administered by a reliable caregiver and the fact that it measures episodic memory only. Copyright © 2012 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Episodic Memories in Anxiety Disorders: Clinical Implications

Science.gov (United States)

Zlomuzica, Armin; Dere, Dorothea; Machulska, Alla; Adolph, Dirk; Dere, Ekrem; Margraf, Jürgen

2014-01-01

The aim of this review is to summarize research on the emerging role of episodic memories in the context of anxiety disorders (AD). The available literature on explicit, autobiographical, and episodic memory function in AD including neuroimaging studies is critically discussed. We describe the methodological diversity of episodic memory research in AD and discuss the need for novel tests to measure episodic memory in a clinical setting. We argue that alterations in episodic memory functions might contribute to the etiology of AD. We further explain why future research on the interplay between episodic memory function and emotional disorders as well as its neuroanatomical foundations offers the promise to increase the effectiveness of modern psychological treatments. We conclude that one major task is to develop methods and training programs that might help patients suffering from AD to better understand, interpret, and possibly actively use their episodic memories in a way that would support therapeutic interventions and counteract the occurrence of symptoms. PMID:24795583

Episodic memories in anxiety disorders: Clinical implications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Armin eZlomuzica

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The aim of this review is to summarize research on the emerging role of episodic memories in the context of anxiety disorders (AD. The available literature on explicit-, autobiographical- and episodic memory function in AD including neuroimaging studies is critically discussed. We describe the methodological diversity of episodic memory research in AD and discuss the need for novel tests to measure episodic memory in a clinical setting. We argue that alterations in episodic memory functions might contribute to the etiology of AD. We further explain why future research on the interplay between episodic memory function and emotional disorders as well as its neuroanatomical foundations offers the promise to increase the effectiveness of modern psychological treatments. We conclude that one major task is to develop methods and training programs that might help patients suffering from AD to better understand, interpret and possibly actively use their episodic memories in a way that would support therapeutic interventions and counteract the occurrence of symptoms.

Episodic Memories

Science.gov (United States)

Conway, Martin A.

2009-01-01

An account of episodic memories is developed that focuses on the types of knowledge they represent, their properties, and the functions they might serve. It is proposed that episodic memories consist of "episodic elements," summary records of experience often in the form of visual images, associated to a "conceptual frame" that provides a…

McStas event logger

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bergbäck Knudsen, Erik; Willendrup, Peter Kjær; Klinkby, Esben Bryndt

2014-01-01

Functionality is added to the McStas neutron ray-tracing code, which allows individual neutron states before and after a scattering to be temporarily stored, and analysed. This logging mechanism has multiple uses, including studies of longitudinal intensity loss in neutron guides and guide coatin...

Description of premixing with the MC3D code including molten jet behavior modeling. Comparison with FARO experimental results

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Berthoud, G.; Crecy, F. de; Meignen, R.; Valette, M. [CEA-G, DRN/DTP/SMTH, 17 rue des Martyrs, 38054 Grenoble Cedex 9 (France)

1998-01-01

The premixing phase of a molten fuel-coolant interaction is studied by the way of mechanistic multidimensional calculation. Beside water and steam, corium droplet flow and continuous corium jet flow are calculated independent. The 4-field MC3D code and a detailed hot jet fragmentation model are presented. MC3D calculations are compared to the FARO L14 experiment results and are found to give satisfactory results; heat transfer and jet fragmentation models are still to be improved to predict better final debris size values. (author)

Simpsons - episode Bart of darkness: a rear window to the heart of darkness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brunilda Reichmann

2014-07-01

Full Text Available This article focuses on intertextual relations motivated by the novel Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. The novel has inspired the provoking episode Bart of Darkness from The Simpsons series, besides having given rise to an hononymous fim and to another filmic transposition called Apocalypse Now. In order to discuss this network of relations among texts, theoretical approaches proposed by Gérard Genette (2003 and Leyla Perrone-Moisés (1978, as well as Brian McFarlane’s studies on adaptation (1996 have been useful

Episodic and Semantic Memory Contribute to Familiar and Novel Episodic Future Thinking.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Tong; Yue, Tong; Huang, Xi Ting

2016-01-01

Increasing evidence indicates that episodic future thinking (EFT) relies on both episodic and semantic memory; however, event familiarity may importantly affect the extent to which episodic and semantic memory contribute to EFT. To test this possibility, two behavioral experiments were conducted. In Experiment 1, we directly compared the proportion of episodic and semantic memory used in an EFT task. The results indicated that more episodic memory was used when imagining familiar future events compared with novel future events. Conversely, significantly more semantic memory was used when imagining novel events compared with familiar events. Experiment 2 aimed to verify the results of Experiment 1. In Experiment 2, we found that familiarity moderated the effect of priming the episodic memory system on EFT; particularly, it increased the time required to construct a standard familiar episodic future event, but did not significantly affect novel episodic event reaction time. Collectively, these findings support the hypothesis that event familiarity importantly moderates episodic and semantic memory's contribution to EFT.

The Episodic Nature of Episodic-Like Memories

Science.gov (United States)

Easton, Alexander; Webster, Lisa A. D.; Eacott, Madeline J.

2012-01-01

Studying episodic memory in nonhuman animals has proved difficult because definitions in humans require conscious recollection. Here, we assessed humans' experience of episodic-like recognition memory tasks that have been used with animals. It was found that tasks using contextual information to discriminate events could only be accurately…

J.B. McLachlan: a biography

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Frank, D.

1999-07-01

This social history and biography of James Bryson McLaughlin (1869-1916) describes McLaughlin's leadership as an educator and instigator in organizing Nova Scotia's coal miners during the labour wars in the 1920s. McLaughlin's background and childhood, education, reputation, religion, family life, health, and death are described. Included are descriptions of the life of coal miners in Cape Breton, radical left politics in Canada and the organizers involved, the political economy of the coal industry, child labour, churches, coal markets and prices, company towns and housing, mining disasters and fatalities, elections, First World War efforts, the depression, immigrants, and strikes. The labour organizations, companies, churches, and politicians involved in the struggles for union acceptance are discussed. 872 refs., 7 figs., 24 photos.

A Markov chain analysis of the movements of juvenile salmonids, including sockeye salmon, in the forebay of McNary Dam, Washington and Oregon, 2006-09

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, Noah S.; Hatton, Tyson W.

2012-01-01

Passage and survival data were collected at McNary Dam between 2006 and 2009. These data have provided critical information for resource managers to implement structural and operational changes designed to improve the survival of juvenile salmonids as they migrate past the dam. Much of the valuable information collected at McNary Dam was in the form of three-dimensional (hereafter referred to as 3-D) tracks of fish movements in the forebay. These data depicted the behavior of multiple species (in three dimensions) during different diel periods, spill conditions, powerhouse operations, and testing of the surface bypass structures (temporary spillway weirs; TSWs). One of the challenges in reporting 3-D results is presenting the information in a manner that allows interested parties to summarize the behavior of many fish over many different conditions across multiple years. To accomplish this, we used a Markov chain analysis to characterize fish movement patterns in the forebay of McNary Dam. The Markov chain analysis allowed us to numerically summarize the behavior of fish in the forebay. This report is the second report published in 2012 that uses this analytical method. The first report included only fish released as part of the annual studies conducted at McNary Dam. This second report includes sockeye salmon that were released as part of studies conducted by the Chelan and Grant County Public Utility Districts at mid-Columbia River dams. The studies conducted in the mid-Columbia used the same transmitters as were used for McNary Dam studies, but transmitter pulse width was different between studies. Additionally, no passive integrated transponder tags were implanted in sockeye salmon. Differences in transmitter pulse width resulted in lower detection probabilities for sockeye salmon at McNary Dam. The absence of passive integrated transponder tags prevented us from determining if fish passed the powerhouse through the juvenile bypass system (JBS) or turbines. To

Application of quality assurance to MC and A systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skinner, A.J.; Delvin, W.L.

1986-01-01

Application of the principles of quality assurance to MC and A has been done at DOE's Savannah River Operations Office. The principles were applied to the functions within the MC and A Branch, including both the functions used to operate the Branch and those used to review the MC and A activities of DOE/SR's contractor. The purpose of this paper is to discuss that application of quality assurance and to show how the principles of quality assurance relate to the functions of a MC and A system, for both a DOE field office and a contractor. The principles (presented as requirements from the NQA-1 standard) are briefly discussed, a method for applying quality assurance is outlined, application at DOE/SR is shown, and application to a contractor's MC and A system is discussed

In-situ Strontium Isotopes Analysis on Single Conodont Apatite by LA-MC-ICP-MS

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, L.; Zhang, L.; Chen, Z. Q.; Ma, D.; Qiu, H.; Lv, Z.; Hu, Z.; Wang, F.

2014-12-01

Strontium isotope played an important role in stratigraphic chronology and sedimentary geochemistry research (McArthur et al., 2001). Conodonts is a kind of extinct species of marine animals and widely distributed in marine sediments all over the world. Rich in radiogenic Sr contents and difficulty to be affected during diagenesis alteration makes conodonts a good choice in seawater Sr isotope composition studies (John et al., 2008). Conodont samples were collected from 24th to 39th layer across Permian-Triassic boundary at Meishan D section (GSSP), Zhejiang Province, South China (Yin et al., 2001). Conodonts was originated from fresh limestone and only conodont elements with CAIextinction events during the Permian-Triassic transition. Our study also makes is possible for high resolution 87Sr/ 86Sr ratio testing on the single conodont apatite and riched the in-situ studies on the conodont apatite, which of great significance for the future conodont Sr isotope research (Zhao et al., 2009; Zhao et al., 2013). Keywords: Conodonts, Strontium isotope, LA-MC-ICP-MS, Permian-Triassic transition, Meishan D section [1] John et al., 2008 3P[2] McArthur et al., 2001 J. of Geology [3] Yin et al., 2001 Episodes [4] Zhao et al., 2009 Earth Science J. of CUG [5] Zhao et al., 2013 GPC.

Episodic and Semantic Memory Contribute to Familiar and Novel Episodic Future Thinking

OpenAIRE

Tong Wang; Tong Yue; Xi ting Huang

2016-01-01

Abstract Increasing evidence indicates that episodic future thinking (EFT) relies on both episodic and semantic memory; however, event familiarity may importantly affect the extent to which episodic and semantic memory contribute to EFT. To test this possibility, two behavioral experiments were conducted. In Experiment 1, we directly compared the proportion of episodic and semantic memory used in an EFT task. The results indicated that more episodic memory was used when imagining familiar fut...

α-Skew π-McCoy Rings

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Areej M. Abduldaim

2013-01-01

Full Text Available As a generalization of α-skew McCoy rings, we introduce the concept of α-skew π-McCoy rings, and we study the relationships with another two new generalizations, α-skew π1-McCoy rings and α-skew π2-McCoy rings, observing the relations with α-skew McCoy rings, π-McCoy rings, α-skew Armendariz rings, π-regular rings, and other kinds of rings. Also, we investigate conditions such that α-skew π1-McCoy rings imply α-skew π-McCoy rings and α-skew π2-McCoy rings. We show that in the case where R is a nonreduced ring, if R is 2-primal, then R is an α-skew π-McCoy ring. And, let R be a weak (α,δ-compatible ring; if R is an α-skew π1-McCoy ring, then R is α-skew π2-McCoy.

The Role of Episodic and Semantic Memory in Episodic Foresight

Science.gov (United States)

Martin-Ordas, Gema; Atance, Cristina M.; Louw, Alyssa

2012-01-01

In this paper we describe a special form of future thinking, termed "episodic foresight" and its relation with episodic and semantic memory. We outline the methodologies that have largely been developed in the last five years to assess this capacity in young children and non-human animals. Drawing on Tulving's definition of episodic and semantic…

MC 68020 μp architecture

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Casals, O.; Dejuan, E.; Labarta, J.

1988-01-01

The MC68020 is a 32-bit microprocessor object code compatible with the earlier MC68000 and MC68010. In this paper we describe its architecture and two coprocessors: the MC68851 paged memory management unit and the MC68882 floating point coprocessor. Between its most important characteristics we can point up: addressing mode extensions for enhanced support of high level languages, an on-chip instruction cache and full support of virtual memory. (Author)

Severity of depressive episodes during the course of depressive disorder

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kessing, L.V.

2008-01-01

Background It is not clear whether the severity of depressive episodes changes during the course of depressive disorder. Aims To investigate whether the severity of depressive episodes increases during the course of illness. Method Using a Danish nationwide case register, all psychiatric inpatients...... and out-patients with a main ICD-10 diagnosis of a single mild, moderate or severe depressive episode at the end of first contact were identified. Patients included in the study were from the period 1994-2003. Results A total of 19 392 patients received a diagnosis of a single depressive episode at first...... contact. The prevalence of severe depressive episodes increased from 25.5% at the first episode to 50.0% at the 15th episode and the prevalence of psychotic episodes increased from 8.7% at the first episode to 25.0% at the 15th episode. The same pattern was found regardless of gender, age at first contact...

Severity of depressive episodes during the course of depressive disorder

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kessing, Lars Vedel

2008-01-01

BACKGROUND: It is not clear whether the severity of depressive episodes changes during the course of depressive disorder. AIMS: To investigate whether the severity of depressive episodes increases during the course of illness. METHOD: Using a Danish nationwide case register, all psychiatric in......-patients and out-patients with a main ICD-10 diagnosis of a single mild, moderate or severe depressive episode at the end of first contact were identified. Patients included in the study were from the period 1994-2003. RESULTS: A total of 19 392 patients received a diagnosis of a single depressive episode at first...... contact. The prevalence of severe depressive episodes increased from 25.5% at the first episode to 50.0% at the 15th episode and the prevalence of psychotic episodes increased from 8.7% at the first episode to 25.0% at the 15th episode. The same pattern was found regardless of gender, age at first contact...

Emotion episodes of Afrikaans-speaking employees in the workplace

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cara S. Jonker

2013-07-01

Research purpose: The objective of this study was to determine the positive and negative emotion episodes and frequencies of working Afrikaans-speaking adults. Motivation for the study: To date, no study has been conducted to determine emotion episodes amongst White Afrikaans-speaking working adults in South Africa. Gooty, Connelly, Griffith and Gupta also argue for research on emotions in the natural settings in which they occur – the workplace. Research design, approach and method: A survey design with an availability sample was used. The participants (N = 179 consisted of White Afrikaans-speaking working adults. The Episode Grid was administered to capture the emotion episodes. Main findings: The main emotion episodes reported on with positive content included goal achievement, receiving recognition and personal incidents. Emotion episodes with negative content included categories such as behaviour of work colleagues, acts of boss/superior/management and task requirements. Practical and/or managerial implications: The findings are useful for managers who want to enhance the emotional quality of the work-life of employees. Changes could be made, for example, to practices of giving recognition within work environments and the clarification of task requirements. The knowledge on emotion episodes could be very useful in planning interventions. Contribution and/or value-adding: The findings and results of this study provided insight into emotion episodes as events in the workplace can cause positive and negative workplace experiences. This information should be taken into consideration with regard to wellness and emotion measurement efforts.

Database of episode-integrated solar energetic proton fluences

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, Zachary D.; Adams, James H.; Xapsos, Michael A.; Stauffer, Craig A.

2018-04-01

A new database of proton episode-integrated fluences is described. This database contains data from two different instruments on multiple satellites. The data are from instruments on the Interplanetary Monitoring Platform-8 (IMP8) and the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES) series. A method to normalize one set of data to one another is presented to create a seamless database spanning 1973 to 2016. A discussion of some of the characteristics that episodes exhibit is presented, including episode duration and number of peaks. As an example of what can be understood about episodes, the July 4, 2012 episode is examined in detail. The coronal mass ejections and solar flares that caused many of the fluctuations of the proton flux seen at Earth are associated with peaks in the proton flux during this episode. The reasoning for each choice is laid out to provide a reference for how CME and solar flares associations are made.

Database of episode-integrated solar energetic proton fluences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robinson Zachary D.

2018-01-01

Full Text Available A new database of proton episode-integrated fluences is described. This database contains data from two different instruments on multiple satellites. The data are from instruments on the Interplanetary Monitoring Platform-8 (IMP8 and the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES series. A method to normalize one set of data to one another is presented to create a seamless database spanning 1973 to 2016. A discussion of some of the characteristics that episodes exhibit is presented, including episode duration and number of peaks. As an example of what can be understood about episodes, the July 4, 2012 episode is examined in detail. The coronal mass ejections and solar flares that caused many of the fluctuations of the proton flux seen at Earth are associated with peaks in the proton flux during this episode. The reasoning for each choice is laid out to provide a reference for how CME and solar flares associations are made.

Cognitive and emotional predictors of episodic and dispositional forgiveness

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mróz Justyna

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The study examined the importance of cognitive (positive orientation, basic hope and emotional (positive and negative affectivity, emotional control variables for state and trait forgiveness. One hundred and thirty nine participants completed six inventories in Polish version: HFS (Thompson et al., 2005, TRIM (McCullough et al., 1998, P-Scale (Caprara et al., 2012, BHI-12 (Trzebiński & Zięba, 2003a, SUPIN (Polish version of PANAS; Watson, Clark, & Tellegen, 1988, CECS (Watson & Greer, 1983. Results showed that dispositional forgiveness (general and positive was associated with cognitive and emotional predictors, whereas episodic forgiveness primarily with certain emotional variables. In addition, the results indicated that emotional predictors merely participate in the process of reducing unforgiveness, whereas cognitive and emotional variables were shown to be necessary for full forgiveness.

Qualification of McCARD/MASTER Code System for Yonggwang Unit 4

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Ho Jin; Shim, Hyung Jin; Joo, Han Gyu; Kim, Chang Hyo

2011-01-01

Recently, we have developed the new two-step procedure based on the Monte Carlo (MC) methods. In this procedure, one can generate the few group constants including the few-group diffusion constants by the MC method augmented by the critical spectrum, which is provided by the solution to the homogeneous 0-dimensional B1 equation. In order to examine the qualification of the few-group constants generated by MC method, we combine MASTER with McCARD to form McCARD/MASTER code system for two-step core neutronics calculations. In the fictitious PWR system problems, the core design parameters calculated by the two-step McCARD/MASTER analysis agree well with those from the direct MC calculations. In this paper, a neutronic design analysis for the initial core of Yonggwang Nuclear Unit 4 (YGN4) is conducted using McCARD/MASTER two-step procedure to examine the qualification of two group constants from McCARD in terms of a real PWR core problem. To compare with the results, the nuclear design report and measured data are chosen as the reference solutions

Multifamily group treatment in a program for patients with first-episode psychosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fjell, Anne; Bloch Thorsen, Gerd Ragna; Friis, Svein

2007-01-01

Psychoeducational multifamily group treatment based on the McFarlane model was implemented for adult patients experiencing a first episode of psychosis and for the families of 301 patients. Patients were participants in a research project in Norway and Denmark. Of 301 patients 246 were invited...... to participate and 147 agreed. Patients' reluctance to participate increased with age. Most had to wait between six and 12 months until a sufficient number was gathered to start a group. Treatment was well received by patients and families. Care should be taken to prevent a long delay before group commencement...... at this stressful period in the lives of patients and families....

Episodic and Binge Gambling: An Exploration and Preliminary Quantitative Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Cowlishaw, S; Nespoli, E; Jebadurai, J K; Smith, N; Bowden-Jones, H

2018-03-01

The DSM-5 includes provisions for episodic forms of gambling disorder, with such changes aligned with earlier accounts of potential binge gambling behaviours. However, there is little research that indicates the utility of these classifications of episodic or binge gambling, and this study considered their characteristics in a clinical sample. It involved administration of a new binge gambling screening tool, along with routine measures, to n = 214 patients entering a specialist treatment clinic for gambling problems. Results indicated that episodic gambling was common in this clinical context, with 28 and 32% of patients reporting gambling episodes that were (a) regular and alternating, and (b) irregular and intermittent, respectively. These patterns were distinguished by factors including associations with covariates that indicated differences from continuous gamblers. For example, the irregular episodic gamblers, but not the regular pattern, demonstrated lower levels of problem gambling severity and comorbidity. Rates of potential binge gambling, which was defined in terms of additional criteria, were around 4% and numbers were insufficient for comparable analyses. The findings support inclusion of episodic forms of gambling disorder in the DSM-5, but highlight the need for improved recognition and research on heterogeneous forms of episodic gambling.

Children's episodic memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghetti, Simona; Lee, Joshua

2011-07-01

Episodic memory develops during childhood and adolescence. This trajectory depends on several underlying processes. In this article, we first discuss the development of the basic binding processes (e.g., the processes by which elements are bound together to form a memory episode) and control processes (e.g., reasoning and metamemory processes) involved in episodic remembering. Then, we discuss the role of these processes in false-memory formation. In the subsequent sections, we examine the neural substrates of the development of episodic memory. Finally, we discuss atypical development of episodic memory. As we proceed through the article, we suggest potential avenues for future research. WIREs Cogni Sci 2011 2 365-373 DOI: 10.1002/wcs.114 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Personal Background Interview of Jim McBarron

Science.gov (United States)

McBarron, Jim; Wright, Rebecca

2012-01-01

Jim McBarron exhibits a wealth of knowledge gathered from more than 40 years of experience with NASA, EVA, and spacesuits. His biography, progression of work at NASA, impact on EVA and the U.S. spacesuit, and career accomplishments are of interest to many. Wright, from the JSC History Office, conducted a personal background interview with McBarron. This interview highlighted the influences and decision-making methods that impacted McBarron's technical and management contributions to the space program. Attendees gained insight on the external and internal NASA influences on career progression within the EVA and spacesuit, and the type of accomplishments and technical advances that committed individuals can make. He concluded the presentation with a question and answer period that included a brief discussion about close calls and Russian spacesuits.

Recovery from episodes during the course of affective disorder

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kessing, L V; Mortensen, P B

1999-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to investigate whether the duration of treated episodes changes during the course of unipolar and bipolar affective disorder. METHOD: The rate of recovery from successive hospitalized episodes was estimated with survival analyses in a case-register study...... including all hospital admissions with primary affective disorder in Denmark during the period 1971-1993. RESULTS: A total of 9174 patients with recurrent episodes were followed from their first admission. The rate of recovery from hospitalized episodes did not change with the number of episodes in unipolar...... or bipolar disorder. Furthermore, the rate of recovery was constant across episodes, regardless of the combination of age, gender and type of disorder. Initially in the course of the illness, the rate was a little faster for bipolar than for unipolar patients, but later in the course of the illness the rate...

Elements of episodic-like memory in animal models.

Science.gov (United States)

Crystal, Jonathon D

2009-03-01

Representations of unique events from one's past constitute the content of episodic memories. A number of studies with non-human animals have revealed that animals remember specific episodes from their past (referred to as episodic-like memory). The development of animal models of memory holds enormous potential for gaining insight into the biological bases of human memory. Specifically, given the extensive knowledge of the rodent brain, the development of rodent models of episodic memory would open new opportunities to explore the neuroanatomical, neurochemical, neurophysiological, and molecular mechanisms of memory. Development of such animal models holds enormous potential for studying functional changes in episodic memory in animal models of Alzheimer's disease, amnesia, and other human memory pathologies. This article reviews several approaches that have been used to assess episodic-like memory in animals. The approaches reviewed include the discrimination of what, where, and when in a radial arm maze, dissociation of recollection and familiarity, object recognition, binding, unexpected questions, and anticipation of a reproductive state. The diversity of approaches may promote the development of converging lines of evidence on the difficult problem of assessing episodic-like memory in animals.

Occurrence of the Microcystins MC-LW and MC-LF in Dutch Surface Waters and Their Contribution to Total Microcystin Toxicity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elisabeth J. Faassen

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Microcystins (MCs are the most frequently found cyanobacterial toxins in freshwater systems. Many MC variants have been identified and variants differ in their toxicity. Recent studies showed that the variants MC-LW and MC-LF might be more toxic than MC-LR, the variant that is most abundant and mostly used for risk assessments. As little is known about the presence of these two variants in The Netherlands, we determined their occurrence by analyzing 88 water samples and 10 scum samples for eight MC variants ((dm-7-MC-RR, MC-YR, (dm-7-MC-LR, MC-LY, MC-LW and MC-LF by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry detection. All analyzed MC variants were detected, and MC-LW and/or MC-LF were present in 32% of the MC containing water samples. When MC-LW and MC-LF were present, they contributed to nearly 10% of the total MC concentrations, but due to their suspected high toxicity, their average contribution to the total MC toxicity was estimated to be at least 45%. Given the frequent occurrence and possible high toxicity of MC-LW and MC-LF, it seems better to base health risk assessments on the toxicity contributions of different MC variants than on MC-LR concentrations alone.

Metal ion-mediated agonism and agonist enhancement in melanocortin MC1 and MC4 receptors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holst, Birgitte; Elling, Christian E; Schwartz, Thue W

2002-01-01

-melanocortin stimulating hormone (alpha-MSH) in the MC1 and MC4 receptors, respectively. In the presence of peptide agonist, Zn(II) acted as an enhancer on both receptors, because it shifted the dose-response curves to the left: most pronounced was a 6-fold increase in alpha-MSH potency on the MC1 receptor. The effect......An endogenous metal-ion site in the melanocortin MC1 and MC4 receptors was characterized mainly in transiently transfected COS-7 cells. ZnCl(2) alone stimulated signaling through the Gs pathway with a potency of 11 and 13 microm and an efficacy of 50 and 20% of that of alpha...... affinities and profiles were similar for a number of the 2,2'-bipyridine and 1,10-phenanthroline analogs in complex with Zn(II) in the MC1 and MC4 receptors. However, the potencies and efficacies of the metal-ion complexes were very different in the two receptors, and close to full agonism was obtained...

Imagining the personal past: Episodic counterfactuals compared to episodic memories and episodic future projections

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Özbek, Müge; Bohn, Annette; Berntsen, Dorthe

2017-01-01

Episodic counterfactuals are imagined events that could have happened, but did not happen, in a person’s past. Such imagined past events are important aspects of mental life, affecting emotions, decisions, and behaviors. However, studies examining their phenomenological characteristics and content...... are few. Here we introduced a new method to systematically compare self-generated episodic counterfactuals to self-generated episodic memories and future projections with regard to their phenomenological characteristics (e.g., imagery, emotional valence, rehearsal) and content (e.g., reference to cultural...... distance. The findings show that imagined events are phenomenologically different from memories of experienced events, consistent with reality monitoring theory, and that imagined future events are different from both actual and imagined past events, consistent with some theories of motivation....

Validation of Shielding Analysis Capability of SuperMC with SINBAD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chen Chaobin

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract: The shielding analysis capability of SuperMC was validated with the Shielding Integral Benchmark Archive Database (SINBAD. The SINBAD was compiled by RSICC and NEA, it includes numerous benchmark experiments performed with the D-T fusion neutron source facilities of OKTAVIAN, FNS, IPPE, etc. The results from SuperMC simulation were compared with experimental data and MCNP results. Very good agreement with deviation lower than 1% was achieved and it suggests that SuperMC is reliable in shielding calculation.

ERSN-OpenMC, a Java-based GUI for OpenMC Monte Carlo code

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jaafar EL Bakkali

2016-07-01

Full Text Available OpenMC is a new Monte Carlo transport particle simulation code focused on solving two types of neutronic problems mainly the k-eigenvalue criticality fission source problems and external fixed fission source problems. OpenMC does not have any Graphical User Interface and the creation of one is provided by our java-based application named ERSN-OpenMC. The main feature of this application is to provide to the users an easy-to-use and flexible graphical interface to build better and faster simulations, with less effort and great reliability. Additionally, this graphical tool was developed with several features, as the ability to automate the building process of OpenMC code and related libraries as well as the users are given the freedom to customize their installation of this Monte Carlo code. A full description of the ERSN-OpenMC application is presented in this paper.

Metabolic syndrome and aerobic fitness in patients with first-episode schizophrenia, including a 1-year follow-up

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nyboe, L.; Vestergaard, C. H.; Moeller, M. K.

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To compare the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and metabolic abnormalities in patients with first-episode schizophrenia (FES) with sex- and age-matched healthy controls; to investigate changes in MetS during 1year of treatment; and to investigate predictors of MetS. METHODS: Pa...

How do episodic and semantic memory contribute to episodic foresight in young children?

Science.gov (United States)

Martin-Ordas, Gema; Atance, Cristina M; Caza, Julian S

2014-01-01

Humans are able to transcend the present and mentally travel to another time, place, or perspective. Mentally projecting ourselves backwards (i.e., episodic memory) or forwards (i.e., episodic foresight) in time are crucial characteristics of the human memory system. Indeed, over the past few years, episodic memory has been argued to be involved both in our capacity to retrieve our personal past experiences and in our ability to imagine and foresee future scenarios. However, recent theory and findings suggest that semantic memory also plays a significant role in imagining future scenarios. We draw on Tulving's definition of episodic and semantic memory to provide a critical analysis of their role in episodic foresight tasks described in the developmental literature. We conclude by suggesting future directions of research that could further our understanding of how both episodic memory and semantic memory are intimately connected to episodic foresight.

HOW DO EPISODIC AND SEMANTIC MEMORY CONTRIBUTE TO EPISODIC FORESIGHT IN YOUNG CHILDREN?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gema eMartin Ordas

2014-07-01

Full Text Available Humans are able to transcend the present and mentally travel to another time, place, or perspective. Mentally projecting ourselves backwards (i.e., episodic memory or forwards (i.e., episodic foresight in time are crucial characteristics of the human memory system. Indeed, over the past few years, episodic memory has been argued to be involved both in our capacity to retrieve our personal past experiences and in our ability to imagine and foresee future scenarios. However, recent theory and findings suggest that semantic memory also plays a significant role in imagining future scenarios. We draw on Tulving’s definition of episodic and semantic memory to provide a critical analysis of their role in episodic foresight tasks described in the developmental literature. We conclude by suggesting future directions of research that could further our understanding of how both episodic memory and semantic memory are intimately connected to episodic foresight.

How do episodic and semantic memory contribute to episodic foresight in young children?

Science.gov (United States)

Martin-Ordas, Gema; Atance, Cristina M.; Caza, Julian S.

2014-01-01

Humans are able to transcend the present and mentally travel to another time, place, or perspective. Mentally projecting ourselves backwards (i.e., episodic memory) or forwards (i.e., episodic foresight) in time are crucial characteristics of the human memory system. Indeed, over the past few years, episodic memory has been argued to be involved both in our capacity to retrieve our personal past experiences and in our ability to imagine and foresee future scenarios. However, recent theory and findings suggest that semantic memory also plays a significant role in imagining future scenarios. We draw on Tulving’s definition of episodic and semantic memory to provide a critical analysis of their role in episodic foresight tasks described in the developmental literature. We conclude by suggesting future directions of research that could further our understanding of how both episodic memory and semantic memory are intimately connected to episodic foresight. PMID:25071690

New developments in the McStas neutron instrument simulation package

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Willendrup, P K; Knudsen, E B; Klinkby, E; Nielsen, T; Farhi, E; Filges, U; Lefmann, K

2014-01-01

The McStas neutron ray-tracing software package is a versatile tool for building accurate simulators of neutron scattering instruments at reactors, short- and long-pulsed spallation sources such as the European Spallation Source. McStas is extensively used for design and optimization of instruments, virtual experiments, data analysis and user training. McStas was founded as a scientific, open-source collaborative code in 1997. This contribution presents the project at its current state and gives an overview of the main new developments in McStas 2.0 (December 2012) and McStas 2.1 (expected fall 2013), including many new components, component parameter uniformisation, partial loss of backward compatibility, updated source brilliance descriptions, developments toward new tools and user interfaces, web interfaces and a new method for estimating beam losses and background from neutron optics.

McClean Lake. Site Guide

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2016-09-01

Located over 700 kilometers northeast of Saskatoon, Areva's McClean Lake site is comprised of several uranium mines and one of the most technologically advanced uranium mills in the world - the only mill designed to process high-grade uranium ore without dilution. Areva has operated several open-pit uranium mines at the McClean Lake site, and is evaluating future mines at and near the site. The McClean Lake mill has recently undergone a multimillion-dollar upgrade and expansion, which has doubled its annual production capacity of uranium concentrate to 24 million pounds. It is the only facility in the world capable of processing high-grade uranium ore without diluting it. The mill processes the ore from the Cigar Lake mine, the world's second largest and highest-grade uranium mine. The McClean Lake site operates 365 days a year on a week-in/week-out rotation schedule for workers, over 50% of whom reside in northern Saskatchewan communities. Tailings are waste products resulting from milling uranium ore. This waste is made up of leach residue solids, waste solutions and chemical precipitates that are carefully engineered for long-term disposal. The TMF serves as the repository for all resulting tailings. This facility allows proper waste management, which minimizes potential adverse environmental effects. Mining projections indicate that the McClean Lake mill will produce tailings in excess of the existing capacity of the TMF. After evaluating a number of options, Areva has decided to pursue an expansion of this facility. Areva is developing the Surface Access Borehole Resource Extraction (SABRE) mining method, which uses a high-pressure water jet placed at the bottom of the drill hole to extract ore. Areva has conducted a series of tests with this method and is evaluating its potential for future mining operations. McClean Lake maintains its certification in ISO 14001 standards for environmental management and OHSAS 18001 standards for occupational health

Alcohol Storylines in Television Episodes: The Preventive Effect of Countering Epilogues.

Science.gov (United States)

Russell, Cristel Antonia; Russell, Dale Wesley; Grube, Joel W; McQuarrie, Edward

2017-08-01

This experimental study assessed whether alcohol television storylines impact youth drinking attitudes and intentions and whether corrective epilogues can potentially moderate this impact. Television episodes were professionally produced to depict heavy drinking leading to either positive or negative consequences. The pro- and anti-alcohol episodes were shown alone or with an epilogue where a main character discussed the deleterious effects of excessive drinking. Attitudes toward drinkers and drinking intentions were measured subsequently, along with reactions to the episode and demographic data, among participants aged 14-17 using an online study. Exposure to the pro-alcohol episode was related to more positive attitudes toward drinkers. Including an epilogue after a pro-alcohol episode was related to more negative viewers' attitudes toward drinkers and lower drinking intentions compared to a pro-alcohol episode with no epilogue. By contrast, including an epilogue after an anti-alcohol episode was unrelated to attitudes toward drinkers or drinking intentions. Viewing a single television episode with a pro-alcohol message may lead to more positive attitudes toward drinkers. The finding that a brief epilogue may reduce the impact of the pro-alcohol storyline suggests easily implemented preventive strategies to counter the adverse impact of substance use portrayals in entertainment programming.

Episodic Specificity in Acquiring Thematic Knowledge of Novel Words from Descriptive Episodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Meichao; Chen, Shuang; Wang, Lin; Yang, Xiaohong; Yang, Yufang

2017-01-01

The current study examined whether thematic relations of the novel words could be acquired via descriptive episodes, and if yes, whether it could be generalized to thematically related words in a different scenario. In Experiment 1, a lexical decision task was used where the novel words served as primes for target words in four conditions: (1) corresponding concepts of the novel words, (2) thematically related words in the same episodes as that in learning condition, (3) thematically related words in different episodes, or (4) unrelated words served as targets. Event related potentials elicited by the targets revealed that compared to the unrelated words, the corresponding concepts and thematically related words in the same episodes elicited smaller N400s with a frontal-central distribution, whereas the thematically related words in different episodes elicited an enhanced late positive component. Experiment 2 further showed a priming effect of the corresponding concepts on the thematically related words in the same episodes as well as in a different episode, indicating that the absence of a priming effect of the learned novel words on the thematically related words in different episode could not be attributed to inappropriate selection of thematically related words in the two conditions. These results indicate that only the corresponding concepts and the thematically related words in the learning episodes were successfully primed, whereas the thematic association between the novel words and the thematically related words in different scenarios could only be recognized in a late processing stage. Our findings suggest that thematic knowledge of novel words is organized via separate scenarios, which are represented in a clustered manner in the semantic network.

McKenzie River Watershed Coordination, Annual Report 2001-2002.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thrailkil, Jim

2003-11-01

BPA funding, in conjunction with contributions from numerous partners organizations and grant funds supports the McKenzie Watershed Council's (MWC) efforts to coordinate restoration and monitoring programs of federal, state, local government, and residents within the watershed. Primary goals of the MWC are to improve resource stewardship and conserve fish, wildlife, and water quality resources. Underpinning the goals is the MWC's baseline program centered on relationship building and information sharing. Objectives for FY02 included: (1) Continue to coordinate McKenzie Watershed activities among diverse groups to restore fish and wildlife habitat in the watershed, with a focus on the middle to lower McKenzie, including private lands and the McKenzie-Willamette confluence area; (2) Influence behavior of watershed residents to benefit watershed function though an outreach and education program, utilizing (BPA funded) Assessment and Conservation Strategy information to provide a context for prioritized action; (3) Continue to maintain and sustain a highly functional watershed council; (4) Maintain and improve water quality concerns through the continuation of Council-sponsored monitoring and evaluation programs; and (5) Continue to secure other funding for watershed restoration and protection projects and Council operations.

Electric Vehicle Performance at McMurdo Station (Antarctica) and Comparison with McMurdo Station Conventional Vehicles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sears, T.; Lammert, M.; Colby, K.; Walter, R.

2014-09-01

This report examines the performance of two electric vehicles (EVs) at McMurdo, Antarctica (McMurdo). The study examined the performance of two e-ride Industries EVs initially delivered to McMurdo on February 16, 2011, and compared their performance and fuel use with that of conventional vehicles that have a duty cycle similar to that of the EVs used at McMurdo.

New developments in the McStas neutron instrument simulation package

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Willendrup, Peter Kjær; Bergbäck Knudsen, Erik; Klinkby, Esben Bryndt

2014-01-01

, virtual experiments, data analysis and user training. McStas was founded as a scienti_c, open-source collaborative code in 1997. This contribution presents the project at its current state and gives an overview of the main new developments in McStas 2.0 (December 2012) and McStas 2.1 (expected fall 2013......), including many new components, component parameter uniformisation, partial loss of backward compatibility, updated source brilliance descriptions, developments toward new tools and user interfaces, web interfaces and a new method for estimating beam losses and background from neutron optics....

Imaging episodic memory: implications for cognitive theories and phenomena.

Science.gov (United States)

Nyberg, L

1999-01-01

Functional neuroimaging studies are beginning to identify neuroanatomical correlates of various cognitive functions. This paper presents results relevant to several theories and phenomena of episodic memory, including component processes of episodic retrieval, encoding specificity, inhibition, item versus source memory, encoding-retrieval overlap, and the picture-superiority effect. Overall, by revealing specific activation patterns, the results provide support for existing theoretical views and they add some unique information which may be important to consider in future attempts to develop cognitive theories of episodic memory.

Alex McQueen : power

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

1998-01-01

A. McQueeni moevälisest tegevusest. 'American Express' tellis temalt krediitkaardi kujunduse. 1998. a. suvest ajakirja 'Dazed & Confused' abitoimetaja. A. McQueen on lubanud olla Björki (Island) video kunstiline juht.

McDonald’s Corporation - 2015 (MCD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alen Badal

2017-07-01

Full Text Available McDonald’s Corporation, 2015 is aiming to enlighten the “Experience of the Future” for consumers, with a special focus on the ‘younger’ generation. Beginning in 2015 and moving forward, McDonald’s has operationalized the functions of its strategy to bett er serve consumers with such offerings as trial-testing a build-your-burger strategy with the order being served at the table, known as the “Create Your Taste” program. The restaurant chain has introduced the all-day breakfast menu and ‘McPick 2’ for $5.00. Additionally, the company has engaged consumers by way of social media and is interested in having a smart phone application in use. Other roll-outs include processing transactions by way of mobile-payment with such channels as ‘Google Wallet, Soft card and Apple Pay.’ The fast-food giant continues to test a variety of strategies at select locations aimed at increasing shareholder value as a result of both introducing and modifying the point-of-sale services and food & beverage offerings¹.

McKenzie River Focus Watershed Coordination: Year-End Report 2000.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thrailkil, Jim

2000-01-01

This report summarizes accomplishments of the McKenzie River Focus Watershed Council (MWC) in the areas of coordination and administration during Fiscal Year 2000. Coordination and administration consist of prioritization and planning for projects; project management and implementation; procurement of funding for long-term support of the Council; and watershed education/outreach program for residents and local schools. Key accomplishments in the area of project planning include coordinating: monthly Council and executive committee meetings; staffing the Upper Willamette Spring Chinook Working Group; staffing the water quality technical committee; and guiding education and stewardship projects. Key accomplishments in the area of project management include the completion of the McKenzie-Willamette Confluence Assessment; securing funds for project planning in the confluence area; near completion of the BPA funded McKenzie sub-basin assessment; development of a framework for a McKenzie Watershed Conservation Strategy; an evaluation of Council's monitoring programs - ambient water quality, storm-event water quality, Tier III water quality, and macroinvertebrate monitoring. The Council, in cooperation with the McKenzie River Cooperative, completed habitat enhancements in the Gate Creek and Deer Creek sub-watersheds. This partnership recently submitted Bring Back the Natives grant for initiation of projects in other McKenzie tributaries. The Council will also be working with a local business to develop a river-side riparian enhancement and native landscaping project on the lodge grounds. This will serve as a demonstration project for blending fish and wildlife habitat concerns with maintaining grounds for business opportunities. Accomplishments in the area of procurement of funding included developing the FY2000 Scope of Work and budget for approval by the Council and BPA; providing quarterly budget and work program progress reports to the Council; and securing

McUniversities Revisited: A Comparison of University and McDonald's Casual Employee Experiences in Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Nadolny, Andrew; Ryan, Suzanne

2015-01-01

The McDonaldization of higher education refers to the transformation of universities from knowledge generators to rational service organizations or "McUniversities". This is reflected in the growing dependence on a casualized academic workforce. The article explores the extent to which the McDonaldization thesis applies to universities…

Ecological effects of contaminants in McCoy Branch, 1989-1990

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ryon, M.G. (ed.)

1992-01-01

The 1984 Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) required assessment of all current and former solid waste management units. Such a RCRA Facility Investigation (RFI) was required of the Y-12 Plant for their Filled Coal Ash Pond on McCoy Branch. Because the disposal of coal ash in the ash pond, McCoy Branch, and Rogers Quarry was not consistent with the Tennessee Water Quality Act, several remediation steps were implemented or planned for McCoy Branch to address disposal problems. The McCoy Branch RFI plan included provisions for biological monitoring of the McCoy Branch watershed. The objectives of the biological monitoring were to: (1) document changes in biological quality of McCoy Branch after completion of a pipeline and after termination of all discharges to Rogers Quarry, (2) provide guidance on the need for additional remediation, and (3) evaluate the effectiveness of implemented remedial actions. The data from the biological monitoring program will also determine if the classified uses, as identified by the State of Tennessee, of McCoy Branch are being protected and maintained. This report discusses results from toxicity monitoring of snails fish community assessment, and a Benthic macroinvertebrate community assessment.

Hippocampal activation during retrieval of spatial context from episodic and semantic memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Hoscheidt, Siobhan M; Nadel, Lynn; Payne, Jessica; Ryan, Lee

2010-10-15

The hippocampus, a region implicated in the processing of spatial information and episodic memory, is central to the debate concerning the relationship between episodic and semantic memory. Studies of medial temporal lobe amnesic patients provide evidence that the hippocampus is critical for the retrieval of episodic but not semantic memory. On the other hand, recent neuroimaging studies of intact individuals report hippocampal activation during retrieval of both autobiographical memories and semantic information that includes historical facts, famous faces, and categorical information, suggesting that episodic and semantic memory may engage the hippocampus during memory retrieval in similar ways. Few studies have matched episodic and semantic tasks for the degree to which they include spatial content, even though spatial content may be what drives hippocampal activation during semantic retrieval. To examine this issue, we conducted a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study in which retrieval of spatial and nonspatial information was compared during an episodic and semantic recognition task. Results show that the hippocampus (1) participates preferentially in the retrieval of episodic memories; (2) is also engaged by retrieval of semantic memories, particularly those that include spatial information. These data suggest that sharp dissociations between episodic and semantic memory may be overly simplistic and that the hippocampus plays a role in the retrieval of spatial content whether drawn from a memory of one's own life experiences or real-world semantic knowledge. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Hydrologic Process Parameterization of Electrical Resistivity Imaging of Solute Plumes Using POD McMC

Science.gov (United States)

Awatey, M. T.; Irving, J.; Oware, E. K.

2016-12-01

Markov chain Monte Carlo (McMC) inversion frameworks are becoming increasingly popular in geophysics due to their ability to recover multiple equally plausible geologic features that honor the limited noisy measurements. Standard McMC methods, however, become computationally intractable with increasing dimensionality of the problem, for example, when working with spatially distributed geophysical parameter fields. We present a McMC approach based on a sparse proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) model parameterization that implicitly incorporates the physics of the underlying process. First, we generate training images (TIs) via Monte Carlo simulations of the target process constrained to a conceptual model. We then apply POD to construct basis vectors from the TIs. A small number of basis vectors can represent most of the variability in the TIs, leading to dimensionality reduction. A projection of the starting model into the reduced basis space generates the starting POD coefficients. At each iteration, only coefficients within a specified sampling window are resimulated assuming a Gaussian prior. The sampling window grows at a specified rate as the number of iteration progresses starting from the coefficients corresponding to the highest ranked basis to those of the least informative basis. We found this gradual increment in the sampling window to be more stable compared to resampling all the coefficients right from the first iteration. We demonstrate the performance of the algorithm with both synthetic and lab-scale electrical resistivity imaging of saline tracer experiments, employing the same set of basis vectors for all inversions. We consider two scenarios of unimodal and bimodal plumes. The unimodal plume is consistent with the hypothesis underlying the generation of the TIs whereas bimodality in plume morphology was not theorized. We show that uncertainty quantification using McMC can proceed in the reduced dimensionality space while accounting for the

Long-term semantic representations moderate the effect of attentional refreshing on episodic memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Loaiza, Vanessa M; Duperreault, Kayla A; Rhodes, Matthew G; McCabe, David P

2015-02-01

The McCabe effect (McCabe, Journal of Memory and Language 58:480-494, 2008) refers to an advantage in episodic memory (EM) retrieval for memoranda studied in complex span versus simple span tasks, particularly for memoranda presented in earlier serial positions. This finding has been attributed to the necessity to refresh memoranda during complex span tasks that, in turn, promotes content-context binding in working memory (WM). Several frameworks have conceptualized WM as being embedded in long-term memory. Thus, refreshing may be less efficient when memoranda are not well-established in long-term semantic memory (SM). To investigate this, we presented words and nonwords in simple and complex span trials in order to manipulate the long-term semantic representations of the memoranda with the requirement to refresh the memoranda during WM. A recognition test was administered that required participants to make a remember-know decision for each memorandum recognized as old. The results replicated the McCabe effect, but only for words, and the beneficial effect of refreshing opportunities was exclusive to recollection. These results extend previous research by indicating that the predictive relationship between WM refreshing and long-term EM is specific to recollection and, furthermore, moderated by representations in long-term SM. This supports the predictions of WM frameworks that espouse the importance of refreshing in content-context binding, but also those that view WM as being an activated subset of and, therefore, constrained by the contents of long-term memory.

OpenMC: A state-of-the-art Monte Carlo code for research and development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Romano, Paul K.; Horelik, Nicholas E.; Herman, Bryan R.; Nelson, Adam G.; Forget, Benoit; Smith, Kord

2015-01-01

Highlights: • OpenMC is an open source Monte Carlo particle transport code. • Solid geometry and continuous-energy physics allow high-fidelity simulations. • Development has focused on high performance and modern I/O techniques. • OpenMC is capable of scaling up to hundreds of thousands of processors. • Other features include plotting, CMFD acceleration, and variance reduction. - Abstract: This paper gives an overview of OpenMC, an open source Monte Carlo particle transport code recently developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. OpenMC uses continuous-energy cross sections and a constructive solid geometry representation, enabling high-fidelity modeling of nuclear reactors and other systems. Modern, portable input/output file formats are used in OpenMC: XML for input, and HDF5 for output. High performance parallel algorithms in OpenMC have demonstrated near-linear scaling to over 100,000 processors on modern supercomputers. Other topics discussed in this paper include plotting, CMFD acceleration, variance reduction, eigenvalue calculations, and software development processes

[Neural Mechanisms Underlying the Processing of Temporal Information in Episodic Memory and Its Disturbance].

Science.gov (United States)

Iwata, Saeko; Tsukiura, Takashi

2017-11-01

Episodic memory is defined as memory for personally experienced events, and includes memory content and contextual information of time and space. Previous neuroimaging and neuropsychological studies have demonstrated three possible roles of the temporal context in episodic memory. First, temporal information contributes to the arrangement of temporal order for sequential events in episodic memory, and this process is involved in the lateral prefrontal cortex. The second possible role of temporal information in episodic memory is the segregation between memories of multiple events, which are segregated by cues of different time information. The role of segregation is associated with the orbitofrontal regions including the orbitofrontal cortex and basal forebrain region. Third, temporal information in episodic memory plays an important role in the integration of multiple components into a coherent episodic memory, in which episodic components in the different modalities are combined by temporal information as an index. The role of integration is mediated by the medial temporal lobe including the hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus. Thus, temporal information in episodic memory could be represented in multiple stages, which are involved in a network of the lateral prefrontal, orbitofrontal, and medial temporal lobe regions.

The evolution of episodic memory

Science.gov (United States)

Allen, Timothy A.; Fortin, Norbert J.

2013-01-01

One prominent view holds that episodic memory emerged recently in humans and lacks a “(neo)Darwinian evolution” [Tulving E (2002) Annu Rev Psychol 53:1–25]. Here, we review evidence supporting the alternative perspective that episodic memory has a long evolutionary history. We show that fundamental features of episodic memory capacity are present in mammals and birds and that the major brain regions responsible for episodic memory in humans have anatomical and functional homologs in other species. We propose that episodic memory capacity depends on a fundamental neural circuit that is similar across mammalian and avian species, suggesting that protoepisodic memory systems exist across amniotes and, possibly, all vertebrates. The implication is that episodic memory in diverse species may primarily be due to a shared underlying neural ancestry, rather than the result of evolutionary convergence. We also discuss potential advantages that episodic memory may offer, as well as species-specific divergences that have developed on top of the fundamental episodic memory architecture. We conclude by identifying possible time points for the emergence of episodic memory in evolution, to help guide further research in this area. PMID:23754432

Hippocampal functional connectivity and episodic memory in early childhood.

Science.gov (United States)

Riggins, Tracy; Geng, Fengji; Blankenship, Sarah L; Redcay, Elizabeth

2016-06-01

Episodic memory relies on a distributed network of brain regions, with the hippocampus playing a critical and irreplaceable role. Few studies have examined how changes in this network contribute to episodic memory development early in life. The present addressed this gap by examining relations between hippocampal functional connectivity and episodic memory in 4- and 6-year-old children (n=40). Results revealed similar hippocampal functional connectivity between age groups, which included lateral temporal regions, precuneus, and multiple parietal and prefrontal regions, and functional specialization along the longitudinal axis. Despite these similarities, developmental differences were also observed. Specifically, 3 (of 4) regions within the hippocampal memory network were positively associated with episodic memory in 6-year-old children, but negatively associated with episodic memory in 4-year-old children. In contrast, all 3 regions outside the hippocampal memory network were negatively associated with episodic memory in older children, but positively associated with episodic memory in younger children. These interactions are interpreted within an interactive specialization framework and suggest the hippocampus becomes functionally integrated with cortical regions that are part of the hippocampal memory network in adults and functionally segregated from regions unrelated to memory in adults, both of which are associated with age-related improvements in episodic memory ability. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

75 FR 27286 - McKelvie Geographic Area Range Allotment Management Planning on the Samuel R. McKelvie National...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-05-14

... range allotment management planning on the McKelvie Geographic Area, Samuel R. McKelvie National Forest... DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE Forest Service McKelvie Geographic Area Range Allotment Management Planning on the Samuel R. McKelvie National Forest, Bessey Ranger District in Nebraska AGENCY: Forest...

Esther McCready, RN: Nursing Advocate for Civil Rights

Science.gov (United States)

Pollitt, Phoebe A

2016-02-15

More than a decade before the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as an African American teenager from Baltimore, Maryland, Esther McCready challenged the discriminatory admissions policies of the University of Maryland School of Nursing (UMSON). The article explores nurse advocacy and how Esther McCready advocated for herself and greater racial equity in nursing education during a time of civil rights turmoil. Her actions eventually resulted in the formation of numerous schools of nursing for African Americans across the south. This article recounts McCready’s early life experiences and the powerful impact her actions had on creating educational options for nurses during a time when they were severely limited for African American women, including discussion of her student days at UMSON and her journey after nursing school. A review of pertinent legal cases and policies related to segregation and integration of higher education in the mid-twentieth century is presented, along with details of McCready’s continued education and advocacy.

Bridge Suture for Successful McDonald Emergency Cerclage.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanaka, Masaaki; Hori, Yoshiaki; Shirafuji, Aya; Kato, Mitsunori; Kato, Jyun; Kobayashi, Hiroto; Tsuchida, Toru; Fukae, Tsukasa

2017-01-01

To create awareness about a surgical technique termed bridge suture, which is performed as a pretreatment before a McDonald cerclage is performed on an emergency to treat severe cervical insufficiency. Procedures for bridge suture were reviewed in detail and outcomes of 16 patients treated with bridge suture followed by McDonald cerclage were evaluated retrospectively. Using the bridge suture, the edges of uterine cervix were temporarily sutured and the external uterine os was closed, while the hourglass-shaped fetal membranes were concomitantly confined within the cervix; subsequently, a McDonald cerclage was performed. Over a 22-year period, 16 patients with a dilated cervix and bulging fetal membranes were treated using the technique of bridge suture followed by an emergency cerclage. The mean gestational age at cerclage was 22.5 weeks; the mean gestational age at delivery was 30.7 weeks; and the mean interval between cerclage and delivery was 8.2 weeks. In 15 out of 16 cases, cerclage was performed without encountering any complications. No maternal complications, including cervical laceration, were observed. The mean body weight of 17 neonates, including that of a twin, was 1,516 g and of them, 15 neonates survived. The important outcome of bridge suture is the replacement of fetal membranes back into the uterine cavity before McDonald's cerclage is performed. Pretreatment with bridge suture may facilitate the performance of a successful emergency cerclage and contribute to good maternal and neonatal outcomes. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Ecological effects of contaminants in McCoy Branch, 1991--1993

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ryon, M.G. [ed.

1996-09-01

The 1984 Hazardous and Solid Waste Amendments to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) required assessment of all current and former solid waste management units. Following guidelines under RCRA and the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA), a remedial investigation (RI) was required of the Y-12 Plant for their filled coal ash pond (FCAP) and associated areas on McCoy Branch. The RI process was initiated and assessments were presented. Because the disposal of coal ash in the ash pond, McCoy Branch, and Rogers Quarry was not consistent with the Tennessee Water Quality Act, several remediation steps were implemented between 1986 and 1994 for McCoy Branch to address disposal problems. The required ecological risk assessments of McCoy Branch watershed included provisions for biological monitoring of the watershed. The objectives of the biological monitoring were to (1) document changes in biological quality of McCoy Branch after completion of a pipeline bypassing upper McCoy Branch and further, after termination of all discharges to Rogers Quarry, (2) provide guidance on the need for additional remediation, and (3) evaluate the effectiveness of implemented remedial actions. The data from the biological monitoring program may also determine whether the goals of protection of human health and the environment of McCoy Branch are being accomplished.

Episodes of care: is emergency medicine ready?

Science.gov (United States)

Wiler, Jennifer L; Beck, Dennis; Asplin, Brent R; Granovsky, Michael; Moorhead, John; Pilgrim, Randy; Schuur, Jeremiah D

2012-05-01

Optimizing resource use, eliminating waste, aligning provider incentives, reducing overall costs, and coordinating the delivery of quality care while improving outcomes have been major themes of health care reform initiatives. Recent legislation contains several provisions designed to move away from the current fee-for-service payment mechanism toward a model that reimburses providers for caring for a population of patients over time while shifting more financial risk to providers. In this article, we review current approaches to episode of care development and reimbursement. We describe the challenges of incorporating emergency medicine into the episode of care approach and the uncertain influence this delivery model will have on emergency medicine care, including quality outcomes. We discuss the limitations of the episode of care payment model for emergency services and advocate retention of the current fee-for-service payment model, as well as identify research gaps that, if addressed, could be used to inform future policy decisions of emergency medicine health policy leaders. We then describe a meaningful role for emergency medicine in an episode of care setting. Copyright © 2011. Published by Mosby, Inc.

Bi-Hemispheric Engagement in the Retrieval of Autobiographical Episodes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marie M. P. Vandekerckhove

2005-01-01

Full Text Available Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI was used to study the neural correlates of neutral, stressful, negative and positive autobiographical memories. The brain activity produced by these different kinds of episodic memory did not differ significantly, but a common pattern of activation for different kinds of autobiographical memory was revealed that included (1 largely bilateral portions of the medial and superior temporal lobes, hippocampus and parahippocampus, (2 portions of the ventral, medial, superior and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, (3 the anterior and posterior cingulate, including the retrosplenial, cortex, (4 the parietal cortex, and (5 portions of the cerebellum. The brain regions that were mainly activated constituted an interactive network of temporal and prefrontal areas associated with structures of the extended limbic system. The main bilateral activations with left-sided preponderance probably reflected reactivation of complex semantic and episodic self-related information representations that included previously experienced contexts. In conclusion, the earlier view of a strict left versus right prefrontal laterality in the retrieval of semantic as opposed to episodic autobiographical memory, may have to be modified by considering contextual variables such as task demands and subject variables. Consequently, autobiographical memory integration should be viewed as based on distributed bi-hemispheric neural networks supporting multi-modal, emotionally coloured components of personal episodes.

McDonald Generalized Linear Failure Rate Distribution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ibrahim Elbatal

2014-10-01

Full Text Available We introduce in this paper a new six-parameters generalized version of the generalized linear failure rate (GLFR distribution which is called McDonald Generalized Linear failure rate (McGLFR distribution. The new distribution is quite flexible and can be used effectively in modeling survival data and reliability problems. It can have a constant, decreasing, increasing, and upside down bathtub-and bathtub shaped failure rate function depending on its parameters. It includes some well-known lifetime distributions as special sub-models. Some structural properties of the new distribution are studied. Moreover we discuss maximum likelihood estimation of the unknown parameters of the new model.

Corporate communication or McCommunication? Considering a McDonaldization of corporate communication hypothesis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verhoeven, P.

2015-01-01

In this essay the perspective of Ritzer's McDonaldization of Society Thesis is the starting point for developing hypotheses about corporate communication (CorpCom). The central idea of McDonaldization is that increasing numbers of organizations are run as fast food restaurants, focusing on:

Michel Trottier-McDonald

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Pramana – Journal of Physics. Michel Trottier-McDonald. Articles written in Pramana – Journal of Physics. Volume 79 Issue 5 November 2012 pp 1337-1340 Poster Presentations. Tau reconstruction, energy calibration and identification at ATLAS · Michel Trottier-McDonald on behalf of the ATLAS ...

APLIKASI ANALISIS DISKRIMINAN DALAM MENENTUKAN KEPUTUSAN PEMBELIAN PRODUK McCafe (Studi Kasus: McDonald’s Jimbaran Bali

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

TRISNA RAMADHAN

2018-02-01

Full Text Available McDonald’s is one of fast food company that is growing rapidly. McDonald’s continues to innovate to satisfy customers. It introduced the concept of a cafe with the name McCafe. Because of the competition with other fast food restaurants, McDonald’s needs to improve the quality of McCafe favored by customers. Thus, this research was conducted to aim at getting the indicators that are best describing customers characteristic. This research used discriminant analysis methods. Discriminant analysis was used to classify customers into groups of loyal customers or non loyal customers.. The indicators that distinguished the decision of the customer to buy McCafe Jimbaran product were affordable prices and locations that are easily accessible to customers. The formed discriminant function had an accuracy of 91,67 percent in classifying the customers.

How Does Intentionality of Encoding Affect Memory for Episodic Information?

Science.gov (United States)

Craig, Michael; Butterworth, Karla; Nilsson, Jonna; Hamilton, Colin J.; Gallagher, Peter; Smulders, Tom V.

2016-01-01

Episodic memory enables the detailed and vivid recall of past events, including target and wider contextual information. In this paper, we investigated whether/how encoding intentionality affects the retention of target and contextual episodic information from a novel experience. Healthy adults performed (1) a "What-Where-When"…

The Generalized Quantum Episodic Memory Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Trueblood, Jennifer S; Hemmer, Pernille

2017-11-01

Recent evidence suggests that experienced events are often mapped to too many episodic states, including those that are logically or experimentally incompatible with one another. For example, episodic over-distribution patterns show that the probability of accepting an item under different mutually exclusive conditions violates the disjunction rule. A related example, called subadditivity, occurs when the probability of accepting an item under mutually exclusive and exhaustive instruction conditions sums to a number >1. Both the over-distribution effect and subadditivity have been widely observed in item and source-memory paradigms. These phenomena are difficult to explain using standard memory frameworks, such as signal-detection theory. A dual-trace model called the over-distribution (OD) model (Brainerd & Reyna, 2008) can explain the episodic over-distribution effect, but not subadditivity. Our goal is to develop a model that can explain both effects. In this paper, we propose the Generalized Quantum Episodic Memory (GQEM) model, which extends the Quantum Episodic Memory (QEM) model developed by Brainerd, Wang, and Reyna (2013). We test GQEM by comparing it to the OD model using data from a novel item-memory experiment and a previously published source-memory experiment (Kellen, Singmann, & Klauer, 2014) examining the over-distribution effect. Using the best-fit parameters from the over-distribution experiments, we conclude by showing that the GQEM model can also account for subadditivity. Overall these results add to a growing body of evidence suggesting that quantum probability theory is a valuable tool in modeling recognition memory. Copyright © 2016 Cognitive Science Society, Inc.

CAD-based Monte Carlo program for integrated simulation of nuclear system SuperMC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wu, Yican; Song, Jing; Zheng, Huaqing; Sun, Guangyao; Hao, Lijuan; Long, Pengcheng; Hu, Liqin

2015-01-01

Highlights: • The new developed CAD-based Monte Carlo program named SuperMC for integrated simulation of nuclear system makes use of hybrid MC-deterministic method and advanced computer technologies. SuperMC is designed to perform transport calculation of various types of particles, depletion and activation calculation including isotope burn-up, material activation and shutdown dose, and multi-physics coupling calculation including thermo-hydraulics, fuel performance and structural mechanics. The bi-directional automatic conversion between general CAD models and physical settings and calculation models can be well performed. Results and process of simulation can be visualized with dynamical 3D dataset and geometry model. Continuous-energy cross section, burnup, activation, irradiation damage and material data etc. are used to support the multi-process simulation. Advanced cloud computing framework makes the computation and storage extremely intensive simulation more attractive just as a network service to support design optimization and assessment. The modular design and generic interface promotes its flexible manipulation and coupling of external solvers. • The new developed and incorporated advanced methods in SuperMC was introduced including hybrid MC-deterministic transport method, particle physical interaction treatment method, multi-physics coupling calculation method, geometry automatic modeling and processing method, intelligent data analysis and visualization method, elastic cloud computing technology and parallel calculation method. • The functions of SuperMC2.1 integrating automatic modeling, neutron and photon transport calculation, results and process visualization was introduced. It has been validated by using a series of benchmarking cases such as the fusion reactor ITER model and the fast reactor BN-600 model. - Abstract: Monte Carlo (MC) method has distinct advantages to simulate complicated nuclear systems and is envisioned as a routine

Completing Einstein's Proof of E=mc2

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lo C. Y.

2006-10-01

Full Text Available It is shown that Einstein’s proof for E=mc2 is actually incomplete and therefore is not yet valid. A crucial step is his implicit assumption of treating the light as a bundle of massless particles. However, the energy-stress tensor of massless particles is incompatible with an electromagnetic energy-stress tensor. Thus, it is necessary to show that the total energy of a light ray includes also non-electromagnetic energy. It turns out, the existence of intrinsic difference between the photonic and the electromagnetic energy tensors is independent of the coupling of gravity. Nevertheless, their difference is the energy-stress tensor of the gravitational wave component that is accompanying the electromagnetic wave component. Concurrently, it is concluded that Einstein’s formula E=mc2 necessarily implies that the photons include non- electromagnetic energy and that the Einstein equation of 1915 must be rectified.

McRunjob: A High Energy Physics Workflow Planner for Grid Production Processing

CERN Document Server

Graham, G E; Bertram, I; Graham, Gregory E.; Evans, Dave; Bertram, Iain

2003-01-01

McRunjob is a powerful grid workflow manager used to manage the generation of large numbers of production processing jobs in High Energy Physics. In use at both the DZero and CMS experiments, McRunjob has been used to manage large Monte Carlo production processing since 1999 and is being extended to uses in regular production processing for analysis and reconstruction. Described at CHEP 2001, McRunjob converts core metadata into jobs submittable in a variety of environments. The powerful core metadata description language includes methods for converting the metadata into persistent forms, job descriptions, multi-step workflows, and data provenance information. The language features allow for structure in the metadata by including full expressions, namespaces, functional dependencies, site specific parameters in a grid environment, and ontological definitions. It also has simple control structures for parallelization of large jobs. McRunjob features a modular design which allows for easy expansion to new job d...

White matter structural connectivity and episodic memory in early childhood

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Chi T. Ngo

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Episodic memory undergoes dramatic improvement in early childhood; the reason for this is poorly understood. In adults, episodic memory relies on a distributed neural network. Key brain regions that supporting these processes include the hippocampus, portions of the parietal cortex, and portions of prefrontal cortex, each of which shows different developmental profiles. Here we asked whether developmental differences in the axonal pathways connecting these regions may account for the robust gains in episodic memory in young children. Using diffusion weighted imaging, we examined whether white matter connectivity between brain regions implicated in episodic memory differed with age, and were associated with memory performance differences in 4- and 6-year-old children. Results revealed that white matter connecting the hippocampus to the inferior parietal lobule significantly predicted children’s performance on episodic memory tasks. In contrast, variation in the white matter connecting the hippocampus to the medial prefrontal cortex did not relate to memory performance. These findings suggest that structural connectivity between the hippocampus and lateral parietal regions is relevant to the development of episodic memory. Keywords: White matter, Memory development, Episodic memory, Diffusion weighted imaging

Developing standard performance testing procedures for MC and A components at a site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Scherer, Carolynn

2010-01-01

The condition of a nuclear material control and accountability system (MC and A) and its individual components, as with any system combining technical elements, documentation and the human factor, may be characterized through an aggregate of values for the various parameters that determine the system's ability to perform. The MC and A system's status may be functioning effectively, marginally or not functioning based on a summary of the values of the individual parameters. This work included a review of the following elements and subsystems or components for a material control and accountability system: (1) MC and A Elements: Information subsystem, Measurement subsystem, NM access subsystem, including a tamper-indicating device (TID) program, and Automated information-gathering subsystem; and (2) Detecting NM Loses Elements: Inventory differences, Shipper/receiver differences, Confirmatory measurements and differences with accounting data, and TID or seal violations. In order to detect the absence or loss of nuclear material there must be appropriate interactions among the elements and their respective subsystems (from the list above). Additionally this work includes a review of the status of regulatory requirements for the MC and A system components and potential criteria that support the evaluation of the performance of the listed components. The listed components had performance testing algorithms and procedures developed that took into consideration the regulatory criteria. The developed MC and A performance-testing procedures were the basis for a pilot Guide for MC and A Performance Testing at the MBAs of SSC RF IPPE.

New features in McStas, version 1.5

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Åstrand, P.O.; Lefmann, K.; Farhi, E.

2002-01-01

The neutron ray-tracing simulation package McStas has attracted numerous users, and the development of the package continues with version 1.5 released at the ICNS 2001 conference. New features include: support for neutron polarisation, labelling of neutrons, realistic source and sample components......, and interface to the Riso instrument-control software TASCOM. We give a general introduction to McStas and present the latest developments. In particular, we give an example of how the neutron-label option has been used to locate the origin of a spurious side-peak, observed in an experiment with RITA-1 at Riso....

New features in McStas, version 1.5

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aastrand, P.O.; Lefmann, K.; Nielsen, K.; Skaarup, P.; Farhi, E.

2002-01-01

The neutron ray-tracing simulation package McStas has attracted numerous users, and the development of the package continues with version 1.5 released at the ICNS 2001 conference. New features include: support for neutron polarisation, labelling of neutrons, realistic source and sample components, and interface to the Riso instrument-control software TASCOM. We give a general introduction to McStas and present the latest developments. In particular, we give an example of how the neutron-label option has been used to locate the origin of a spurious side-peak, observed in an experiment with RITA-1 at Riso. (orig.)

McArdle disease with rhabdomyolysis induced by rosuvastatin: case report Doença de McArdle com rabdomiólise induzida por rosuvastatina: relato de caso

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paulo José Lorenzoni

2007-09-01

Full Text Available The rosuvastatin inducing rhabdomyolysis in McArdle disease (MD has not been reported to date. A 35-years-old man had exercise intolerance, muscular fatigue and cramps during physical activity since infancy. He presented severe rhabdomyolysis episode with seizure and coma after use of rosuvastatin. The investigation showed increased serum creatinekinase levels and the forearm ischemic exercise did not increased venous lactate. The muscle biopsy showed subsarcolemmal and central acummulation of glycogen and absence of the myophosphorylase enzyme. The statin induced myopathy is discussed and the danger of its use in MD is emphasized.Rosuvastatina induzindo rabdomiólise na doença de McArdle (MD não foi relatada até o momento. Descrevemos o caso de um homem de 35 anos que desde a infância apresentava sintomas de intolerância aos exercícios, fadiga muscular e cãibras durante o esforço físico, porém após o uso de rosuvastatina apresentou episódio de rabdomiólise com crises convulsivas e coma. A investigação mostrou creatinoquinase sérica elevada e teste do esforço isquêmico sem aumento no lactato venoso. A biópsia muscular revelou acúmulo central e subsarcolemal de glicogênio nas fibras e ausência da enzima miofosforilase. Discutimos as estatinas induzindo miopatia, enfatizando o risco do seu uso na MD.

Moral judgment in episodic amnesia.

Science.gov (United States)

Craver, Carl F; Keven, Nazim; Kwan, Donna; Kurczek, Jake; Duff, Melissa C; Rosenbaum, R Shayna

2016-08-01

To investigate the role of episodic thought about the past and future in moral judgment, we administered a well-established moral judgment battery to individuals with hippocampal damage and deficits in episodic thought (insert Greene et al. 2001). Healthy controls select deontological answers in high-conflict moral scenarios more frequently when they vividly imagine themselves in the scenarios than when they imagine scenarios abstractly, at some personal remove. If this bias is mediated by episodic thought, individuals with deficits in episodic thought should not exhibit this effect. We report that individuals with deficits in episodic memory and future thought make moral judgments and exhibit the biasing effect of vivid, personal imaginings on moral judgment. These results strongly suggest that the biasing effect of vivid personal imagining on moral judgment is not due to episodic thought about the past and future. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Effects of Spatial Diversity and Imperfect Channel Estimation on Wideband MC-DS-CDMA and MC-CDMA

Science.gov (United States)

2009-10-01

In our previous work, we compared the theoretical bit error rates of multi-carrier direct sequence code division multiple access (MC- DS - CDMA ) and...consider only those cases where MC- CDMA has higher frequency diversity than MC- DS - CDMA . Since increases in diversity yield diminishing gains, we conclude

Qualification test of few group constants generated from an MC method by the two-step neutronics analysis system McCARD/MASTER

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Park, Ho Jin; Shim, Hyung Jin; Joo, Han Gyu; Kim, Chang Hyo

2011-01-01

The purpose of this paper is to examine the qualification of few group constants estimated by the Seoul National University Monte Carlo particle transport analysis code McCARD in terms of core neutronics analyses and thus to validate the McCARD method as a few group constant generator. The two- step core neutronics analyses are conducted for a mini and a realistic PWR by the McCARD/MASTER code system in which McCARD is used as an MC group constant generation code and MASTER as a diffusion core analysis code. The two-step calculations for the effective multiplication factors and assembly power distributions of the two PWR cores by McCARD/MASTER are compared with the reference McCARD calculations. By showing excellent agreements between McCARD/MASTER and the reference MC core neutronics analyses for the two PWRs, it is concluded that the MC method implemented in McCARD can generate few group constants which are well qualified for high-accuracy two-step core neutronics calculations. (author)

Episodic memory and future thinking during early childhood: Linking the past and future.

Science.gov (United States)

Cuevas, Kimberly; Rajan, Vinaya; Morasch, Katherine C; Bell, Martha Ann

2015-07-01

Despite extensive examination of episodic memory and future thinking development, little is known about the concurrent emergence of these capacities during early childhood. In Experiment 1, 3-year-olds participated in an episodic memory hiding task ("what, when, where" [WWW] components) with an episodic future thinking component. In Experiment 2, a group of 4-year-olds (including children from Experiment 1) participated in the same task (different objects and locations), providing the first longitudinal investigation of episodic memory and future thinking. Although children exhibited age-related improvements in recall, recognition, and binding of the WWW episodic memory components, there were no age-related changes in episodic future thinking. At both ages, WWW episodic memory performance was higher than future thinking performance, and episodic future thinking and WWW memory components were unrelated. These findings suggest that the WWW components of episodic memory are potentially less fragile than the future components when assessed in a cognitively demanding task. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[MELAS: Mitochondrial Encephalomyopathy, Lactic Acidosis and Stroke-Like Episodes].

Science.gov (United States)

Murakami, Hidetomo; Ono, Kenjiro

2017-02-01

Mitochondrial disease is caused by a deficiency in the energy supply to cells due to mitochondrial dysfunction. Mitochondrial encephalomyopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) is a mitochondrial disease that presents with stroke-like episodes such as acute onset of neurological deficits and characteristic imaging findings. Stroke-like episodes in MELAS have the following features: 1) neurological deficits due to localization of lesions in the brain, 2) episodes often accompany epilepsy, 3) lesions do not follow the vascular supply area, 4) lesions are more often seen in the posterior brain than in the anterior brain, 5) lesions spread to an adjacent area in the brain, and 6) neurological symptoms often disappear together with imaging findings, but later relapse. About 80% of patients with MELAS have an A-to-G transition mutation at the nucleotide pair 3243 in the dihydrouridine loop of mitochondrial tRNALeu(UUR), which causes the absence of posttranscriptional taurine modification at the wobble nucleotide of mitochondrial tRNALeu(UUR) and disrupts protein synthesis. However, the precise pathophysiology of stroke-like episodes is under investigation, with possible hypotheses for these episodes including mitochondrial angiopathy, mitochondrial cytopathy, and neuron-astrocyte uncoupling. With regard to treatment, L-arginine and taurine have recently been suggested for relief of clinical symptoms.

McKenzie River Subbasin Assessment, Technical Report 2000.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alsea Geospatial, Inc.

2000-02-01

This document details the findings of the McKenzie River Subbasin Assessment team. The goal of the subbasin assessment is to provide an ecological assessment of the McKenzie River Floodplain, identification of conservation and restoration opportunities, and discussion of the influence of some upstream actions and processes. This Technical Report can be viewed in conjunction with the McKenzie River Subbasin Summary or as a stand-alone document. The purpose of the technical report is to detail the methodology and findings of the consulting team that the observations and recommendations in the summary document are based on. This part, Part I, provides an introduction to the subbasin and a general overview. Part II details the specific findings of the science team. Part III provides an explanation and examples of how to use the data that has been developed through this assessment to aid in prioritizing restoration activities. Part III also includes the literature cited and appendices.

Episodic reinforcement learning control approach for biped walking

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Katić Duško

2012-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a hybrid dynamic control approach to the realization of humanoid biped robotic walk, focusing on the policy gradient episodic reinforcement learning with fuzzy evaluative feedback. The proposed structure of controller involves two feedback loops: a conventional computed torque controller and an episodic reinforcement learning controller. The reinforcement learning part includes fuzzy information about Zero-Moment- Point errors. Simulation tests using a medium-size 36-DOF humanoid robot MEXONE were performed to demonstrate the effectiveness of our method.

The McDonaldization of Higher Education.

Science.gov (United States)

Hayes, Dennis, Ed.; Wynyard, Robin, Ed.

The essays in this collection discuss the future of the university in the context of the "McDonaldization" of society and of academia. The idea of McDonaldization, a term coined by G. Ritzer (1998), provides a tool for looking at the university and its inevitable changes. The chapters are: (1) "Enchanting McUniversity: Toward a…

McKenzie River focus watershed coordination: year-end report, 2001; ANNUAL

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thrailkil, Jim

2001-01-01

BPA funding, in conjunction with contributions from numerous partners organizations, supports the McKenzie Watershed Council's efforts to coordinate restoration and monitoring programs of federal, state, local government, and residents within the watershed. The goal of the MWC is to improve resource stewardship and conserve fish, wildlife, and water quality resources. The MWC will always have a baseline program centered on relationship building and information sharing. Objectives for FY01 included: (1) Continue to coordinate McKenzie Watershed activities among diverse groups that restore fish and wildlife habitat in the watershed, with a focus on the lower McKenzie, including private lands and the McKenzie-Willamette confluence area; (2) Influence behavior of watershed residents to benefit watershed function though a strategic and comprehensive outreach and education program, utilizing Assessment and Conservation Strategy information to provide a context for prioritized action; (3) Continue to maintain and sustain a highly functional watershed council; (4) Maintain and improve water quality concerns through the continuation of Council-sponsored monitoring and evaluation programs; and (5) Continue to secure other funding for watershed restoration and protection projects and Council operations

How do episodic and semantic memory contribute to episodic foresight in young children?

OpenAIRE

Martin-Ordas, Gema; Atance, Cristina M.; Caza, Julian S.

2014-01-01

Humans are able to transcend the present and mentally travel to another time, place, or perspective. Mentally projecting ourselves backwards (i.e., episodic memory) or forwards (i.e., episodic foresight) in time are crucial characteristics of the human memory system. Indeed, over the past few years, episodic memory has been argued to be involved both in our capacity to retrieve our personal past experiences and in our ability to imagine and foresee future scenarios. However, recent theory and...

Contamination in sediments, bivalves and sponges of McMurdo Sound, Antarctica

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Negri, Andrew [Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3, Townsville, Qld (Australia)]. E-mail: a.negri@aims.gov.au; Burns, Kathryn [Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3, Townsville, Qld (Australia); Boyle, Steve [Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3, Townsville, Qld (Australia); Brinkman, Diane [Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3, Townsville, Qld (Australia); Webster, Nicole [Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB 3, Townsville, Qld (Australia); Biological Sciences, University of Canterbury, Christchurch (New Zealand)

2006-10-15

This study examined the concentrations of total hydrocarbons (THC), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and trace metals (Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Hg and As) in marine sediments off Scott Base (NZ) and compared them with sediments near the highly polluted McMurdo Station (US) as well as less impacted sites including Turtle Rock and Cape Evans. The Antarctic mollusc, Laternula elliptica and three common sponge species were also analysed for trace metals. The mean THC concentration in sediments from Scott Base was 3 fold higher than the pristine site, Turtle Rock, but 10 fold lower than samples from McMurdo Station. McMurdo Station sediments also contained the highest concentrations of PAHs, PCBs and the trace metals, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd and Hg. Copper was significantly higher in bivalves from McMurdo Station than other sites. Trace metal concentrations in sponges were generally consistent within sites but no spatial patterns were apparent. - Analyses of Antarctic marine sediments, bivalves and sponges revealed strong PAH, PCB and trace metal gradients in McMurdo Sound.

Contamination in sediments, bivalves and sponges of McMurdo Sound, Antarctica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Negri, Andrew; Burns, Kathryn; Boyle, Steve; Brinkman, Diane; Webster, Nicole

2006-01-01

This study examined the concentrations of total hydrocarbons (THC), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAH), and trace metals (Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb, Hg and As) in marine sediments off Scott Base (NZ) and compared them with sediments near the highly polluted McMurdo Station (US) as well as less impacted sites including Turtle Rock and Cape Evans. The Antarctic mollusc, Laternula elliptica and three common sponge species were also analysed for trace metals. The mean THC concentration in sediments from Scott Base was 3 fold higher than the pristine site, Turtle Rock, but 10 fold lower than samples from McMurdo Station. McMurdo Station sediments also contained the highest concentrations of PAHs, PCBs and the trace metals, Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd and Hg. Copper was significantly higher in bivalves from McMurdo Station than other sites. Trace metal concentrations in sponges were generally consistent within sites but no spatial patterns were apparent. - Analyses of Antarctic marine sediments, bivalves and sponges revealed strong PAH, PCB and trace metal gradients in McMurdo Sound

The Composition of Episodic Memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Underwood, Benton J.; And Others

This study examined the interrelationships among a number of episodic memory tasks and among various attributes of memory. A sample of 200 college students was tested for ten sessions; 28 different measures of episodic memory were obtained. In addition, five measures of semantic memory were available. Results indicated that episodic and semantic…

McStas 1.1. A freeware package for neutron Monte Carlo ray-tracing simulations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lefmann, K.; Nielsen, K.

1999-01-01

Neutron simulation is becoming an indispensable tool for neutron instrument design. At Risoe National Laboratory, a user-friendly, versatile, and fast simulation package, McStas has been developed, which may be freely downloaded from our website. An instrument is described in the McStas meta-language and is composed of elements from the McStas component library, which is under constant development and debugging by both the users and us. The McStas front- and back-ends take care of performing the simulations and displaying their results, respectively. McStas 1.1 facilities detailed simulations of complicated triple-axis instruments like the Riso RITA spectrometer, and it is equally well equipped for time-of flight spectrometers. At ECNS'99, a brief tutorial of McStas including a few on-line demonstrations is presented. Further, results from the latest simulation work in the growing McStas user group are presented and the future of this project is discussed. (author)

McDowell’s New Conceptualism and the Difference between Chickens, Colours and Cardinals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gersel, Johan Peter; Thybo Jensen, Rasmus; Thaning, Morten Sørensen

2017-01-01

McDowell recently renounced the assumption that the content of any knowledgeable, perceptual judgement must be included in the content of the knowledge grounding experience. We argue that McDowell’s introduction of a new category of non-inferential, perceptual knowledge is incompatible with the m...

White matter structural connectivity and episodic memory in early childhood.

Science.gov (United States)

Ngo, Chi T; Alm, Kylie H; Metoki, Athanasia; Hampton, William; Riggins, Tracy; Newcombe, Nora S; Olson, Ingrid R

2017-12-01

Episodic memory undergoes dramatic improvement in early childhood; the reason for this is poorly understood. In adults, episodic memory relies on a distributed neural network. Key brain regions that supporting these processes include the hippocampus, portions of the parietal cortex, and portions of prefrontal cortex, each of which shows different developmental profiles. Here we asked whether developmental differences in the axonal pathways connecting these regions may account for the robust gains in episodic memory in young children. Using diffusion weighted imaging, we examined whether white matter connectivity between brain regions implicated in episodic memory differed with age, and were associated with memory performance differences in 4- and 6-year-old children. Results revealed that white matter connecting the hippocampus to the inferior parietal lobule significantly predicted children's performance on episodic memory tasks. In contrast, variation in the white matter connecting the hippocampus to the medial prefrontal cortex did not relate to memory performance. These findings suggest that structural connectivity between the hippocampus and lateral parietal regions is relevant to the development of episodic memory. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

The effect of episodic retrieval on inhibition in task switching.

Science.gov (United States)

Grange, James A; Kowalczyk, Agnieszka W; O'Loughlin, Rory

2017-08-01

Inhibition in task switching is inferred from n-2 repetition costs: the observation that ABA task switching sequences are responded to slower than CBA sequences. This is thought to reflect the persisting inhibition of Task A, which slows reactivation attempts. Mayr (2002) reported an experiment testing a critical noninhibitory account of this effect, namely episodic retrieval: If the trial parameters for Task A match across an ABA sequence, responses should be facilitated because of priming from episodic retrieval; a cost would occur if trial parameters mismatch. In a rule-switching paradigm, Mayr reported no significant difference in n-2 repetition cost when the trial parameters repeated or switched across an ABA sequence, in clear contrast to the episodic retrieval account. What remains unclear is whether successful episodic retrieval modulates the n-2 repetition cost. Across 3 experiments-including a close replication of Mayr-we find clear evidence of reduced n-2 task repetition costs when episodic retrieval is controlled. We find that the effect of episodic retrieval on the n-2 task repetition cost is increased when the cue-task relationship is made more abstract, suggesting the effect is because of interference in establishing the relevant attentional set. We also demonstrate that the episodic retrieval effect is not influenced by retrieval of low-level, perceptual, elements. Together, the data suggest the n-2 task repetition cost-typically attributable to an inhibitory mechanism-also reflects episodic retrieval effects. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Apathy in first episode psychosis patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Evensen, Julie; Røssberg, Jan Ivar; Barder, Helene

2012-01-01

Apathy is a common symptom in first episode psychosis (FEP), and is associated with poor functioning. Prevalence and correlates of apathy 10 years after the first psychotic episode remain unexplored.......Apathy is a common symptom in first episode psychosis (FEP), and is associated with poor functioning. Prevalence and correlates of apathy 10 years after the first psychotic episode remain unexplored....

McStas and Mantid integration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, T. R.; Markvardsen, A. J.; Willendrup, Peter Kjær

2015-01-01

McStas and Mantid are two well-established software frameworks within the neutron scattering community. McStas has been primarily used for simulating the neutron transport mechanisms in instruments, while Mantid has been primarily used for data reduction. We report here the status of our work don...

Widespread hypermetabolism in symptomatic and asymptomatic episodes in Kleine-Levin syndrome.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yves Dauvilliers

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: No reliable biomarkers are identified in KLS. However, few functional neuroimaging studies suggested hypoactivity in thalamic and hypothalamic regions during symptomatic episodes. Here, we investigated relative changes in regional brain metabolism in Kleine-Levin syndrome (KLS during symptomatic episodes and asymptomatic periods, as compared to healthy controls. METHODS: Four drug-free male patients with typical KLS and 15 healthy controls were included. 18-F-fluorodeoxy glucose positron emission tomography (PET was obtained in baseline condition in all participants, and during symptomatic episodes in KLS patients. All participants were asked to remain fully awake during the whole PET procedure. RESULTS: Between state-comparisons in KLS disclosed higher metabolism in paracentral, precentral, and postcentral areas, supplementary motor area, medial frontal gyrus, thalamus and putamen during symptomatic episodes, and decreased metabolism in occipital and temporal gyri. As compared to healthy control subjects, KLS patients in the asymptomatic phase consistently exhibited significant hypermetabolism in a wide cortical network including frontal and temporal cortices, posterior cingulate and precuneus, with no detected hypometabolism. In symptomatic KLS episodes, hypermetabolism was additionally found in orbital frontal and supplementary motor areas, insula and inferior parietal areas, and right caudate nucleus, and hypometabolism in the middle occipital gyrus and inferior parietal areas. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrated significant hypermetabolism and few hypometabolism in specific but widespread brain regions in drug-free KLS patients at baseline and during symptomatic episodes, highlighting the behavioral state-dependent nature of changes in regional brain activity in KLS.

Assessing the health impact of transnational corporations: a case study on McDonald's Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Anaf, Julia; Baum, Frances E; Fisher, Matt; Harris, Elizabeth; Friel, Sharon

2017-02-06

The practices of transnational corporations affect population health through production methods, shaping social determinants of health, or influencing the regulatory structures governing their activities. There has been limited research on community exposures to TNC policies and practices. Our pilot research used McDonald's Australia to test methods for assessing the health impacts of one TNC within Australia. We adapted existing Health Impact Assessment methods to assess McDonald's activities. Data identifying potential impacts were sourced through document analysis, including McDonald's corporate literature; media analysis and semi-structured interviews. We commissioned a spatial and socioeconomic analysis of McDonald's restaurants in Australia through Geographic Information System technology. The data was mapped against a corporate health impact assessment framework which included McDonald's Australia's political and business practices; products and marketing; workforce, social, environmental and economic conditions; and consumers' health related behaviours. We identified both positive and detrimental aspects of McDonald's Australian operations across the scope of the CHIA framework. We found that McDonald's outlets were slightly more likely to be located in areas of lower socioeconomic status. McDonald's workplace conditions were found to be more favourable than those in many other countries which reflects compliance with Australian employment regulations. The breadth of findings revealed the need for governments to strengthen regulatory mechanisms that are conducive to health; the opportunity for McDonald's to augment their corporate social responsibility initiatives and bolster reputational endorsement; and civil society actors to inform their advocacy towards health and equity outcomes from TNC operations. Our study indicates that undertaking a corporate health impact assessment is possible, with the different methods revealing sufficient information to

The MC4 receptor and control of appetite

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Adan, R. A. H.; Tiesjema, B.; Hillebrand, J. J. G.; La Fleur, S. E.; Kas, M. J. H.; de Krom, M.

2006-01-01

Mutations in the human melanocortin (MC)4 receptor have been associated with obesity, which underscores the relevance of this receptor as a drug target to treat obesity. Infusion of MC4R agonists decreases food intake, whereas inhibition of MC receptor activity by infusion of an MC receptor

The MC21 Monte Carlo Transport Code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sutton TM; Donovan TJ; Trumbull TH; Dobreff PS; Caro E; Griesheimer DP; Tyburski LJ; Carpenter DC; Joo H

2007-01-01

MC21 is a new Monte Carlo neutron and photon transport code currently under joint development at the Knolls Atomic Power Laboratory and the Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory. MC21 is the Monte Carlo transport kernel of the broader Common Monte Carlo Design Tool (CMCDT), which is also currently under development. The vision for CMCDT is to provide an automated, computer-aided modeling and post-processing environment integrated with a Monte Carlo solver that is optimized for reactor analysis. CMCDT represents a strategy to push the Monte Carlo method beyond its traditional role as a benchmarking tool or ''tool of last resort'' and into a dominant design role. This paper describes various aspects of the code, including the neutron physics and nuclear data treatments, the geometry representation, and the tally and depletion capabilities

Modelling episodic acidification of surface waters: the state of science.

Science.gov (United States)

Eshleman, K N; Wigington, P J; Davies, T D; Tranter, M

1992-01-01

Field studies of chemical changes in surface waters associated with rainfall and snowmelt events have provided evidence of episodic acidification of lakes and streams in Europe and North America. Modelling these chemical changes is particularly challenging because of the variability associated with hydrological transport and chemical transformation processes in catchments. This paper provides a review of mathematical models that have been applied to the problem of episodic acidification. Several empirical approaches, including regression models, mixing models and time series models, support a strong hydrological interpretation of episodic acidification. Regional application of several models has suggested that acidic episodes (in which the acid neutralizing capacity becomes negative) are relatively common in surface waters in several regions of the US that receive acid deposition. Results from physically based models have suggested a lack of understanding of hydrological flowpaths, hydraulic residence times and biogeochemical reactions, particularly those involving aluminum. The ability to better predict episodic chemical responses of surface waters is thus dependent upon elucidation of these and other physical and chemical processes.

Barbara McClintock, Jumping Genes, and Transposition

Science.gov (United States)

McClintock Honored * Woman of Science * Educational Material * Resources with Additional Information Barbara McClintock's remarkable life spanned the history of genetics in the twentieth century. ... [T]he science of Dedicate Famous Scientist Stamps ... Woman of Science: McClintock, Barbara and the Jumping Genes, 4,000

Key features of human episodic recollection in the cross-episode retrieval of rat hippocampus representations of space.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eduard Kelemen

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Neurophysiological studies focus on memory retrieval as a reproduction of what was experienced and have established that neural discharge is replayed to express memory. However, cognitive psychology has established that recollection is not a verbatim replay of stored information. Recollection is constructive, the product of memory retrieval cues, the information stored in memory, and the subject's state of mind. We discovered key features of constructive recollection embedded in the rat CA1 ensemble discharge during an active avoidance task. Rats learned two task variants, one with the arena stable, the other with it rotating; each variant defined a distinct behavioral episode. During the rotating episode, the ensemble discharge of CA1 principal neurons was dynamically organized to concurrently represent space in two distinct codes. The code for spatial reference frame switched rapidly between representing the rat's current location in either the stationary spatial frame of the room or the rotating frame of the arena. The code for task variant switched less frequently between a representation of the current rotating episode and the stable episode from the rat's past. The characteristics and interplay of these two hippocampal codes revealed three key properties of constructive recollection. (1 Although the ensemble representations of the stable and rotating episodes were distinct, ensemble discharge during rotation occasionally resembled the stable condition, demonstrating cross-episode retrieval of the representation of the remote, stable episode. (2 This cross-episode retrieval at the level of the code for task variant was more likely when the rotating arena was about to match its orientation in the stable episode. (3 The likelihood of cross-episode retrieval was influenced by preretrieval information that was signaled at the level of the code for spatial reference frame. Thus key features of episodic recollection manifest in rat hippocampal

Episode forecasting in bipolar disorder: Is energy better than mood?

Science.gov (United States)

Ortiz, Abigail; Bradler, Kamil; Hintze, Arend

2018-01-22

Bipolar disorder is a severe mood disorder characterized by alternating episodes of mania and depression. Several interventions have been developed to decrease high admission rates and high suicides rates associated with the illness, including psychoeducation and early episode detection, with mixed results. More recently, machine learning approaches have been used to aid clinical diagnosis or to detect a particular clinical state; however, contradictory results arise from confusion around which of the several automatically generated data are the most contributory and useful to detect a particular clinical state. Our aim for this study was to apply machine learning techniques and nonlinear analyses to a physiological time series dataset in order to find the best predictor for forecasting episodes in mood disorders. We employed three different techniques: entropy calculations and two different machine learning approaches (genetic programming and Markov Brains as classifiers) to determine whether mood, energy or sleep was the best predictor to forecast a mood episode in a physiological time series. Evening energy was the best predictor for both manic and depressive episodes in each of the three aforementioned techniques. This suggests that energy might be a better predictor than mood for forecasting mood episodes in bipolar disorder and that these particular machine learning approaches are valuable tools to be used clinically. Energy should be considered as an important factor for episode prediction. Machine learning approaches provide better tools to forecast episodes and to increase our understanding of the processes that underlie mood regulation. © 2018 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Designing new guides and instruments using McStas

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Farhi, E.; Hansen, T.; Wildes, A.

2002-01-01

of guides, neutron optics and instruments [1]. To date, the McStas package has been extensively used at the Institut Laue-Langevin, Grenoble, France, for various studies including cold and thermal guides with ballistic geometry, diffractometers, triple-axis, backscattering and time-of-flight spectrometers...

Care episode retrieval: distributional semantic models for information retrieval in the clinical domain.

Science.gov (United States)

Moen, Hans; Ginter, Filip; Marsi, Erwin; Peltonen, Laura-Maria; Salakoski, Tapio; Salanterä, Sanna

2015-01-01

Patients' health related information is stored in electronic health records (EHRs) by health service providers. These records include sequential documentation of care episodes in the form of clinical notes. EHRs are used throughout the health care sector by professionals, administrators and patients, primarily for clinical purposes, but also for secondary purposes such as decision support and research. The vast amounts of information in EHR systems complicate information management and increase the risk of information overload. Therefore, clinicians and researchers need new tools to manage the information stored in the EHRs. A common use case is, given a--possibly unfinished--care episode, to retrieve the most similar care episodes among the records. This paper presents several methods for information retrieval, focusing on care episode retrieval, based on textual similarity, where similarity is measured through domain-specific modelling of the distributional semantics of words. Models include variants of random indexing and the semantic neural network model word2vec. Two novel methods are introduced that utilize the ICD-10 codes attached to care episodes to better induce domain-specificity in the semantic model. We report on experimental evaluation of care episode retrieval that circumvents the lack of human judgements regarding episode relevance. Results suggest that several of the methods proposed outperform a state-of-the art search engine (Lucene) on the retrieval task.

MC++: A parallel, portable, Monte Carlo neutron transport code in C++

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, S.R.; Cummings, J.C.; Nolen, S.D.

1997-01-01

MC++ is an implicit multi-group Monte Carlo neutron transport code written in C++ and based on the Parallel Object-Oriented Methods and Applications (POOMA) class library. MC++ runs in parallel on and is portable to a wide variety of platforms, including MPPs, SMPs, and clusters of UNIX workstations. MC++ is being developed to provide transport capabilities to the Accelerated Strategic Computing Initiative (ASCI). It is also intended to form the basis of the first transport physics framework (TPF), which is a C++ class library containing appropriate abstractions, objects, and methods for the particle transport problem. The transport problem is briefly described, as well as the current status and algorithms in MC++ for solving the transport equation. The alpha version of the POOMA class library is also discussed, along with the implementation of the transport solution algorithms using POOMA. Finally, a simple test problem is defined and performance and physics results from this problem are discussed on a variety of platforms

Effect of Taurine on Febrile Episodes in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mina Islambulchilar

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Purpose: The purpose of our study was to evaluate the effect of oral taurine on the incidence of febrile episodes during chemotherapy in young adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Methods: Forty young adults with acute lymphoblastic leukemia, at the beginning of maintenance course of their chemotherapy, were eligible for this study. The study population was randomized in a double blind manner to receive either taurine or placebo (2 gram per day orally. Life quality and side effects including febrile episodes were assessed using questionnaire. Data were analyzed using Pearson’s Chi square test. Results: Of total forty participants, 43.8% were female and 56.3 % were male. The mean age was 19.16±1.95 years (ranges: 16-23 years. The results indicated that the levels of white blood cells are significantly (P<0.05 increased in taurine treated group. There was no elevation in blasts count. A total of 70 febrile episodes were observed during study, febrile episodes were significantly (P<0.05 lower in taurine patients in comparison to the control ones. Conclusion: The overall incidence of febrile episodes and infectious complications in acute lymphoblastic leukemia patients receiving taurine was lower than placebo group. Taurine’s ability to increase leukocyte count may result in lower febrile episodes.

OpenMC: a state-of-the-Art Monte Carlo code for research and development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Romano, P.K.; Horelik, N.E.; Herman, B.R.; Forget, B.; Smith, K.; Nelson, A.G.

2013-01-01

This paper gives an overview of OpenMC, an open source Monte Carlo particle transport code recently developed at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. OpenMC uses continuous-energy cross sections and a constructive solid geometry representation, enabling high-fidelity modeling of nuclear reactors and other systems. Modern, portable input/output file formats are used in OpenMC: XML for input, and HDF5 for output. High performance parallel algorithms in OpenMC have demonstrated near-linear scaling to over 100,000 processors on modern supercomputers. Other topics discussed in this paper include plotting, CMFD acceleration, variance reduction, eigenvalue calculations, and software development processes. (authors)

Outcome of Boyd-McLeod procedure for recalcitrant lateral epicondylitis of elbow.

Science.gov (United States)

Reddy, V R M; Satheesan, K S; Bayliss, N

2011-08-01

Various surgical procedures including percutaneous and open release and arthroscopic procedures have been described to treat recalcitrant tennis elbow. We present the outcome of Boyd-McLeod surgical procedure for tennis elbow resistant to non-operative treatment in twenty-seven patients (twenty-nine limbs). Boyd McLeod procedure involves excision of the proximal portion of the annular ligament, release of the origin of the extensor muscles, excision of the bursa if present, and excision of the synovial fringe. The average time interval from the onset of symptoms of tennis elbow until surgery was 28 months (range 8-72 months). Of those patients, 91% reported complete relief of symptoms with return to full normal activities including sports. Average post-operative time for return to professional/recreational activity was 5 weeks. One case developed pain secondary to ectopic bone formation after surgery, which settled after excision, and in another there was no pain relief with Boyd McLeod procedure. Two patients had scar tenderness that did not affect the final outcome. We conclude that Boyd-McLeod procedure is an effective treatment option in patients with resistant lateral epicondylitis.

Third party testing : new pilot facility for mining processes opens in Fort McKay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jaremko, D.

2007-01-01

Fort McKay lies 65 kilometres north of Fort McMurray, Alberta and is the centre of operational oilsands mining activity. As such, it was chosen for a pilot testing facility created by the Geneva-based SGS Group. The reputable facility provides an opportunity for mining producers to advance their processes, including environmental performance, by allowing them to test different processes on their own oilsands. The Northern Lights partnership, led by Synenco Energy, was the first client at the facility. Due to outsourcing, clients are not obligated to make substantial capital investment into in-house research. The Northern Lights partnership will be using the facility to test extraction processes on bitumen from its leases. Although the Fort McKay facility is SGS's first venture into the oilsands industry, it operates in more than 140 companies globally, including the mineral industry, and specializes in inspection, verification, testing and certification. SGS took the experience from its minerals extraction business to identify what could be done to help the oilsands industry by using best practices developed from global operations. The facility lies on the Fort McKay industrial park owned by the Fort McKay First Nation. An existing testing facility called McMurray Resources Research and Testing was expanded by the SGS Group to include environmental analysis capabilities. The modular units that lie on 6 acres include refrigerated ore storage to maintain ore integrity; modular ore and materials handling systems; extraction equipment; and, zero discharge process water and waste disposal systems. Froth treatment will be added in the near future to cover the entire upstream side of the mining processing business. A micro-upgrader might be added in the future to manufacture synthetic crude. 3 figs

Third party testing : new pilot facility for mining processes opens in Fort McKay

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jaremko, D.

2007-12-15

Fort McKay lies 65 kilometres north of Fort McMurray, Alberta and is the centre of operational oilsands mining activity. As such, it was chosen for a pilot testing facility created by the Geneva-based SGS Group. The reputable facility provides an opportunity for mining producers to advance their processes, including environmental performance, by allowing them to test different processes on their own oilsands. The Northern Lights partnership, led by Synenco Energy, was the first client at the facility. Due to outsourcing, clients are not obligated to make substantial capital investment into in-house research. The Northern Lights partnership will be using the facility to test extraction processes on bitumen from its leases. Although the Fort McKay facility is SGS's first venture into the oilsands industry, it operates in more than 140 companies globally, including the mineral industry, and specializes in inspection, verification, testing and certification. SGS took the experience from its minerals extraction business to identify what could be done to help the oilsands industry by using best practices developed from global operations. The facility lies on the Fort McKay industrial park owned by the Fort McKay First Nation. An existing testing facility called McMurray Resources Research and Testing was expanded by the SGS Group to include environmental analysis capabilities. The modular units that lie on 6 acres include refrigerated ore storage to maintain ore integrity; modular ore and materials handling systems; extraction equipment; and, zero discharge process water and waste disposal systems. Froth treatment will be added in the near future to cover the entire upstream side of the mining processing business. A micro-upgrader might be added in the future to manufacture synthetic crude. 3 figs.

McDonaldization, Islamic teachings, and funerary practices in Kuwait.

Science.gov (United States)

Iqbal, Zafar

2011-01-01

Drawing on George Ritzer's sociological concept of McDonaldization, this article explores the transformation of burial practices in Kuwait. It is argued that traditional, religious, and private ways of dealing with death have been modernized using the fast-food model of McDonald's. This article examines Islamic teachings on burial and how that model has been applied to the traditional Muslim funerary services, including cemetery management, grave excavation, funeral prayers, burial, and condolences, to make them more efficient vis-a-vis more profitable. Based on personal observations and random interviews, the study finds that the state bureaucracy in Kuwait has made burial rituals more efficient, standardized, calculable, and controlled. Furthermore, several associated irrationalities are also considered. Findings suggest that some individuals may not be happy with these changes but there is no popular resistance to McDonaldization of the burial practices, probably due to the authoritarian and welfare nature of the State of Kuwait.

Functional brain imaging of episodic memory decline in ageing.

Science.gov (United States)

Nyberg, L

2017-01-01

The episodic long-term memory system supports remembering of events. It is considered to be the most age-sensitive system, with an average onset of decline around 60 years of age. However, there is marked interindividual variability, such that some individuals show faster than average change and others show no or very little change. This variability may be related to the risk of developing dementia, with elevated risk for individuals with accelerated episodic memory decline. Brain imaging with functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signalling or positron emission tomography (PET) has been used to reveal the brain bases of declining episodic memory in ageing. Several studies have demonstrated a link between age-related episodic memory decline and the hippocampus during active mnemonic processing, which is further supported by studies of hippocampal functional connectivity in the resting state. The hippocampus interacts with anterior and posterior neocortical regions to support episodic memory, and alterations in hippocampus-neocortex connectivity have been shown to contribute to impaired episodic memory. Multimodal MRI studies and more recently hybrid MRI/PET studies allow consideration of various factors that can influence the association between the hippocampal BOLD signal and memory performance. These include neurovascular factors, grey and white matter structural alterations, dopaminergic neurotransmission, amyloid-Β and glucose metabolism. Knowledge about the brain bases of episodic memory decline can guide interventions to strengthen memory in older adults, particularly in those with an elevated risk of developing dementia, with promising results for combinations of cognitive and physical stimulation. © 2016 The Association for the Publication of the Journal of Internal Medicine.

Episodic memory in nonhuman animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Templer, Victoria L; Hampton, Robert R

2013-09-09

Episodic memories differ from other types of memory because they represent aspects of the past not present in other memories, such as the time, place, or social context in which the memories were formed. Focus on phenomenal experience in human memory, such as the sense of 'having been there', has resulted in conceptualizations of episodic memory that are difficult or impossible to apply to nonhuman species. It is therefore a significant challenge for investigators to agree on objective behavioral criteria that can be applied in nonhuman animals and still capture features of memory thought to be critical in humans. Some investigators have attempted to use neurobiological parallels to bridge this gap; however, defining memory types on the basis of the brain structures involved rather than on identified cognitive mechanisms risks missing crucial functional aspects of episodic memory, which are ultimately behavioral. The most productive way forward is likely a combination of neurobiology and sophisticated cognitive testing that identifies the mental representations present in episodic memory. Investigators that have refined their approach from asking the naïve question "do nonhuman animals have episodic memory" to instead asking "what aspects of episodic memory are shared by humans and nonhumans" are making progress. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

MC1R and the response of melanocytes to ultraviolet radiation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rouzaud, Francois; Kadekaro, Ana Luisa; Abdel-Malek, Zalfa A.; Hearing, Vincent J.

2005-01-01

The constitutive color of our skin plays a dramatic role in our photoprotection from solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) that reaches the Earth and in minimizing DNA damage that gives rise to skin cancer. More than 120 genes have been identified and shown to regulate pigmentation, one of the key genes being melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) that encodes the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R), a seven-transmembrane G protein-coupled receptor expressed on the surface of melanocytes. Modulation of MC1R function regulates melanin synthesis by melanocytes qualitatively and quantitatively. The MC1R is regulated by the physiological agonists α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone (αMSH) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and antagonist agouti signaling protein (ASP). Activation of the MC1R by binding of an agonist stimulates the synthesis of eumelanin primarily via activation of adenylate cyclase. The significance of cutaneous pigmentation lies in the photoprotective effect of melanin, particularly eumelanin, against sun-induced carcinogenesis. Epidermal melanocytes and keratinocytes respond to UVR by increasing their expression of αMSH and ACTH, which up-regulate the expression of MC1R, and consequently enhance the response of melanocytes to melanocortins. Constitutive skin pigmentation dramatically affects the incidence of skin cancer. The pigmentary phenotype characterized by red hair, fair complexion, inability to tan and tendency to freckle is an independent risk factor for all skin cancers, including melanoma. The MC1R gene is highly polymorphic in human populations, and allelic variation at this locus accounts, to a large extent, for the variation in pigmentary phenotypes and skin phototypes (SPT) in humans. Several allelic variants of the MC1R gene are associated with the red hair and fair skin (RHC) phenotype, and carrying one of these variants is thought to diminish the ability of the epidermis to respond to DNA damage elicited by UVR. The MC1R gene is considered a

MC1R and the response of melanocytes to ultraviolet radiation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rouzaud, Francois [Laboratory of Cell Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Building 37, Room 2132, Bethesda, MD 20892 (United States); Kadekaro, Ana Luisa [Department of Dermatology, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267 (United States); Abdel-Malek, Zalfa A. [Department of Dermatology, University of Cincinnati, College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH 45267 (United States); Hearing, Vincent J. [Laboratory of Cell Biology, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Building 37, Room 2132, Bethesda, MD 20892 (United States)]. E-mail: hearingv@nih.gov

2005-04-01

The constitutive color of our skin plays a dramatic role in our photoprotection from solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR) that reaches the Earth and in minimizing DNA damage that gives rise to skin cancer. More than 120 genes have been identified and shown to regulate pigmentation, one of the key genes being melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R) that encodes the melanocortin 1 receptor (MC1R), a seven-transmembrane G protein-coupled receptor expressed on the surface of melanocytes. Modulation of MC1R function regulates melanin synthesis by melanocytes qualitatively and quantitatively. The MC1R is regulated by the physiological agonists {alpha}-melanocyte-stimulating hormone ({alpha}MSH) and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), and antagonist agouti signaling protein (ASP). Activation of the MC1R by binding of an agonist stimulates the synthesis of eumelanin primarily via activation of adenylate cyclase. The significance of cutaneous pigmentation lies in the photoprotective effect of melanin, particularly eumelanin, against sun-induced carcinogenesis. Epidermal melanocytes and keratinocytes respond to UVR by increasing their expression of {alpha}MSH and ACTH, which up-regulate the expression of MC1R, and consequently enhance the response of melanocytes to melanocortins. Constitutive skin pigmentation dramatically affects the incidence of skin cancer. The pigmentary phenotype characterized by red hair, fair complexion, inability to tan and tendency to freckle is an independent risk factor for all skin cancers, including melanoma. The MC1R gene is highly polymorphic in human populations, and allelic variation at this locus accounts, to a large extent, for the variation in pigmentary phenotypes and skin phototypes (SPT) in humans. Several allelic variants of the MC1R gene are associated with the red hair and fair skin (RHC) phenotype, and carrying one of these variants is thought to diminish the ability of the epidermis to respond to DNA damage elicited by UVR. The MC1R gene is

Subjective quality of life in first-episode psychosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gardsjord, Erlend Strand; Romm, Kristin Lie; Friis, Svein

2016-01-01

UNLABELLED: Subjective quality of life (S-QoL) is an important outcome measure in first episode psychosis (FEP). The aims of this study were to describe S-QoL-development the first 10-years in FEP patients and to identify predictors of this development. METHODS: A representative sample of 272...... patients with a first episode psychotic disorder was included from 1997 through 2000. At 10year follow-up 186 patients participated. QoL was measured by the Lehman's Quality of Life Interview. Linear mixed model analyses were performed to investigate longitudinal effects of baseline psychiatric symptoms...

Intermittent hypoxic episodes in preterm infants: do they matter?

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Richard J; Wang, Katherine; Köroğlu, Ozge; Di Fiore, Juliann; Kc, Prabha

2011-01-01

Intermittent hypoxic episodes are typically a consequence of immature respiratory control and remain a troublesome challenge for the neonatologist. Furthermore, their frequency and magnitude are underestimated by clinically employed pulse oximeter settings. In extremely low birth weight infants the incidence of intermittent hypoxia progressively increases over the first 4 weeks of postnatal life, with a subsequent plateau followed by a slow decline beginning at weeks 6-8. Such episodic hypoxia/reoxygenation has the potential to sustain a proinflammatory cascade with resultant multisystem morbidity. This morbidity includes retinopathy of prematurity and impaired growth, as well as possible longer-term cardiorespiratory instability and poor neurodevelopmental outcome. Therapeutic approaches for intermittent hypoxic episodes comprise determination of optimal baseline saturation and careful titration of supplemental inspired oxygen, as well as xanthine therapy to prevent apnea of prematurity. In conclusion, characterization of the pathophysiologic basis for such intermittent hypoxic episodes and their consequences during early life is necessary to provide an evidence-based approach to their management. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Sodium valproate increases the brain isoform of glycogen phosphorylase: looking for a compensation mechanism in McArdle disease using a mouse primary skeletal-muscle culture in vitro

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Noemí de Luna

2015-05-01

Full Text Available McArdle disease, also termed ‘glycogen storage disease type V’, is a disorder of skeletal muscle carbohydrate metabolism caused by inherited deficiency of the muscle-specific isoform of glycogen phosphorylase (GP-MM. It is an autosomic recessive disorder that is caused by mutations in the PYGM gene and typically presents with exercise intolerance, i.e. episodes of early exertional fatigue frequently accompanied by rhabdomyolysis and myoglobinuria. Muscle biopsies from affected individuals contain subsarcolemmal deposits of glycogen. Besides GP-MM, two other GP isoforms have been described: the liver (GP-LL and brain (GP-BB isoforms, which are encoded by the PYGL and PYGB genes, respectively; GP-BB is the main GP isoform found in human and rat foetal tissues, including the muscle, although its postnatal expression is dramatically reduced in the vast majority of differentiated tissues with the exception of brain and heart, where it remains as the major isoform. We developed a cell culture model from knock-in McArdle mice that mimics the glycogen accumulation and GP-MM deficiency observed in skeletal muscle from individuals with McArdle disease. We treated mouse primary skeletal muscle cultures in vitro with sodium valproate (VPA, a histone deacetylase inhibitor. After VPA treatment, myotubes expressed GP-BB and a dose-dependent decrease in glycogen accumulation was also observed. Thus, this in vitro model could be useful for high-throughput screening of new drugs to treat this disease. The immortalization of these primary skeletal muscle cultures could provide a never-ending source of cells for this experimental model. Furthermore, VPA could be considered as a gene-expression modulator, allowing compensatory expression of GP-BB and decreased glycogen accumulation in skeletal muscle of individuals with McArdle disease.

Tribute to Professor Anthony J. McMichael

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ashwin Swaminathan

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Emeritus Professor A. J. “Tony” McMichael (1942–2014 was an internationally renowned and pioneering Australian academic and advocate in epidemiology, who was passionate about understanding the influences of the environment on human health. In an illustrious career spanning more than four decades, he made significant contributions to the scientific community and policy discourse—including ground-breaking research related to the health of children. McMichael was a prolific academic writer with over 300 peer-reviewed papers; 160 book chapters and two sole-authored books. However, his outstanding talent was for integrating complex and seemingly unrelated strands from the environmental and health sciences into a cohesive narrative—and highlighting its relevance to lay persons, scientists and governments alike. He was instrumental in validating this nascent field of research and inspiring many others to follow his lead.

Quality control of MC and A system and integrated safeguards

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osabe, Takeshi

2000-01-01

In the integrated safeguards regime, co-operation with SSAC is a vital element to achieve efficiency of safeguards implementation while maintaining the effectiveness. However, the degree of co-operation fully depends upon the credibility, technical capability and the transparency of SSAC. Since the credibility of SSAC (States' System of Accounting for and Control of Nuclear Materials) depends heavily on effectiveness of facility operator's Material Control and Accounting (MC and A) practice, some measures to provide continuous assurance of the function and effectiveness of the system such as quality assurance program including periodical system audit (diagnostic) function ought to be established. This paper discusses quality assurance program for facility level MC and A including audit (diagnostic) method to maintain continuous assurance of the effectiveness. (author)

Mental images in episodic memory

OpenAIRE

Han, KyungHun

2009-01-01

Episodic memory, i.e. memorization of information within a spatiotemporal environment, is affected by Alzheimer's disease (AD) but its loss may also occur in the normal aging process. The purpose of this study is to analyze and evaluate episodic memory in patients with AD by examining their cognitive skills in episodic memory through the introspection technique. A new method was used, wherein we assessed mental images of the subject's own past recalled in the mind like projected pictures and ...

Sponzorský projekt McDonald's Olympic Hopefuls na podporu mladých sportovců.

OpenAIRE

Adamec, Richard

2008-01-01

This thesis is devoted to the McDonald's Olympic Hopefuls sponsorship project. The first two parts include theoretical essentials for elaboration and the terms concerning marketing. Explanation of terms related to marketing communication and commercial communications is also included in this section. The third part is focused on sponsorship, its types and evaluation of sponsorship projects. The application part describes the history of the McDonald's Olympic Hopefuls project. Evaluation of th...

Divergent thinking and constructing episodic simulations.

Science.gov (United States)

Addis, Donna Rose; Pan, Ling; Musicaro, Regina; Schacter, Daniel L

2016-01-01

Divergent thinking likely plays an important role in simulating autobiographical events. We investigated whether divergent thinking is differentially associated with the ability to construct detailed imagined future and imagined past events as opposed to recalling past events. We also examined whether age differences in divergent thinking might underlie the reduced episodic detail generated by older adults. The richness of episodic detail comprising autobiographical events in young and older adults was assessed using the Autobiographical Interview. Divergent thinking abilities were measured using the Alternative Uses Task. Divergent thinking was significantly associated with the amount of episodic detail for imagined future events. Moreover, while age was significantly associated with imagined episodic detail, this effect was strongly related to age-related changes in episodic retrieval rather than divergent thinking.

Workshop for development of formal MC and A plans

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Erkkila, B.H.; Hatcher, C.R.; Scott, S.C.; Thomas, K.E.

1998-01-01

Upgrades to both physical protection and material controls and accountability (MC and A) are progressing at many nuclear facilities in the Russian Federation. In general, Russian facilities are well prepared to address issues related to physical protection. The infrastructure to plan and implement physical protection upgrades is already in place in Russia. The infrastructure to integrate new and existing MC and A capabilities is not as well developed. The authors experience has shown that working with Russian facility management and technical personnel to draft an MC and A plan provides a way of moving MC and A upgrades forward. Los Alamos has developed a workshop for Russian nuclear facilities to facilitate the preparation of their facility MC and A plans. The workshops have been successful in bringing together facility management, safeguards specialists, and operations personnel to initiate the process of drafting these MC and A plans. The MC and A plans provide the technical basis for scheduling future MC and A upgrades at the facilities. Although facility MC and A plans are site specific, the workshop can be tailored to guide the development of an MC and A plan for any Russian nuclear site

What would McLuhan say about the smartphone?: applying McLuhan’s tetrad to the smartphone

OpenAIRE

Adam, Isabelle

2016-01-01

In this essay, the smartphone as a new technology and medium is analysed with regards to its effects on individuals and society. McLuhan’s tetrad serves as a framework for analysis, consisting of a set of four effects to examine media in their historical context and present environment as well as the characteris-tics and attributes of the medium itself. These effects include: enhancement, obsolescence, retrieval, and reversal. The smartphone enhances the accessibility and convenience of the m...

A Mathematical Model for the Hippocampus: Towards the Understanding of Episodic Memory and Imagination

Science.gov (United States)

Tsuda, I.; Yamaguti, Y.; Kuroda, S.; Fukushima, Y.; Tsukada, M.

How does the brain encode episode? Based on the fact that the hippocampus is responsible for the formation of episodic memory, we have proposed a mathematical model for the hippocampus. Because episodic memory includes a time series of events, an underlying dynamics for the formation of episodic memory is considered to employ an association of memories. David Marr correctly pointed out in his theory of archecortex for a simple memory that the hippocampal CA3 is responsible for the formation of associative memories. However, a conventional mathematical model of associative memory simply guarantees a single association of memory unless a rule for an order of successive association of memories is given. The recent clinical studies in Maguire's group for the patients with the hippocampal lesion show that the patients cannot make a new story, because of the lack of ability of imagining new things. Both episodic memory and imagining things include various common characteristics: imagery, the sense of now, retrieval of semantic information, and narrative structures. Taking into account these findings, we propose a mathematical model of the hippocampus in order to understand the common mechanism of episodic memory and imagination.

[Possibilities of preventive therapy in frequent episodic tension-type headache].

Science.gov (United States)

Tabeeva, G R; Fokina, N M

2016-01-01

To study the efficacy and safety of tenoten in the preventive treatment of frequent episodic tension-type headache (FETHA) compared to patients treated with pain relievers. A study included 60 patients with FETHA. Patients of the main group (n=30) received tenoten in addition to standard treatment. The study comprised 3 visits: beginning of treatment, after one month and after three months. All patients underwent physical and clinical/neurological examinations. In each visit, treatment efficacy was assessed according the following parameters: VAS scores (0-10) for assessment of pain and tension in pericranial muscles in 6 standard points, mean frequency and duration of the headache episode, quality of life indices, Beck depression scores, Spilberger trait and state anxiety, autonomic symptom severity, parameters of sleep disorders, frequency of adverse effects, CGI scores (0-7). Tenoten as a preventive medication reduced the frequency of headache episodes that allowed to diagnose patients with rare episodic tension-type headache in the end of treatment. At the same time, there was a significant reduction in headache intensity during the episode and decrease in amount of analgesics used by the patients.

Visual Hallucinations in First-Episode Psychosis: Association with Childhood Trauma.

Science.gov (United States)

Solesvik, Martine; Joa, Inge; Larsen, Tor Ketil; Langeveld, Johannes; Johannessen, Jan Olav; Bjørnestad, Jone; Anda, Liss Gøril; Gisselgård, Jens; Hegelstad, Wenche Ten Velden; Brønnick, Kolbjørn

2016-01-01

Hallucinations are a core diagnostic criterion for psychotic disorders and have been investigated with regard to its association with childhood trauma in first-episode psychosis samples. Research has largely focused on auditory hallucinations, while specific investigations of visual hallucinations in first-episode psychosis remain scarce. The aims of this study were to describe the prevalence of visual hallucinations, and to explore the association between visual hallucination and childhood trauma in a first-episode psychosis sample. Subjects were included from TIPS-2, a first episode psychosis study in south Rogaland, Norway. Based on the medical journal descriptions of the Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS), a separate score for visual and auditory hallucinations was created (N = 204). Patients were grouped according to hallucination severity (none, mild, and psychotic hallucinations) and multinomial logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with visual hallucination group. Visual hallucinations of a psychotic nature were reported by 26.5% of patients. The experience of childhood interpersonal trauma increased the likelihood of having psychotic visual hallucinations. Visual hallucinations are common in first-episode psychosis, and are related to childhood interpersonal trauma.

Azithromycin for episodes with asthma-like symptoms in young children aged 1-3 years

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Stokholm, Jakob; Chawes, Bo L; Vissing, Nadja H

2016-01-01

Prospective Studies on Asthma in Childhood 2010 cohort; a birth cohort consisting of the general Danish population of Zealand, including Copenhagen. Exclusion criteria were macrolide allergy, heart, liver, neurological, and kidney disease, and, before each treatment, one or more clinical signs of pneumonia...... examination by a study physician at the Copenhagen Prospective Studies on Asthma research unit. Each episode was randomly allocated independently of previous treatment from a computer-generated list of random numbers in blocks of ten (generated at the Pharmacy of Glostrup). Investigators and children were...... initiation of treatment, showing a reduction in episode duration of 83% if treatment was initiated before day 6 of the episode compared with 36% if initiated on or after day 6 (pevents between the azithromycin (18 [23%] of 78 episodes included in final...

McDonald’s Corporation - 2015 (MCD)

OpenAIRE

Alen Badal

2017-01-01

McDonald’s Corporation, 2015 is aiming to enlighten the “Experience of the Future” for consumers, with a special focus on the ‘younger’ generation. Beginning in 2015 and moving forward, McDonald’s has operationalized the functions of its strategy to bett er serve consumers with such offerings as trial-testing a build-your-burger strategy with the order being served at the table, known as the “Create Your Taste” program. The restaurant chain has introduced the all-day breakfast menu and ‘McPic...

Strengths and Weaknesses of McNamara's Evolutionary Psychological Model of Dreaming

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sandra Olliges

2010-10-01

Full Text Available This article includes a brief overview of McNamara's (2004 evolutionary model of dreaming. The strengths and weaknesses of this model are then evaluated in terms of its consonance with measurable neurological and biological properties of dreaming, its fit within the tenets of evolutionary theories of dreams, and its alignment with evolutionary concepts of cooperation and spirituality. McNamara's model focuses primarily on dreaming that occurs during rapid eye movement (REM sleep; therefore this article also focuses on REM dreaming.

Using McStas for modelling complex optics, using simple building bricks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Willendrup, Peter K.; Udby, Linda; Knudsen, Erik; Farhi, Emmanuel; Lefmann, Kim

2011-01-01

The McStas neutron ray-tracing simulation package is a versatile tool for producing accurate neutron simulations, extensively used for design and optimization of instruments, virtual experiments, data analysis and user training. In McStas, component organization and simulation flow is intrinsically linear: the neutron interacts with the beamline components in a sequential order, one by one. Historically, a beamline component with several parts had to be implemented with a complete, internal description of all these parts, e.g. a guide component including all four mirror plates and required logic to allow scattering between the mirrors. For quite a while, users have requested the ability to allow 'components inside components' or meta-components, allowing to combine functionality of several simple components to achieve more complex behaviour, i.e. four single mirror plates together defining a guide. We will here show that it is now possible to define meta-components in McStas, and present a set of detailed, validated examples including a guide with an embedded, wedged, polarizing mirror system of the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin type.

Examples of MC and A systems to meet prompt accountability specifications

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eggers, R F; Brouns, R J; Bryant, J L; Davenport, L C; Brite, D W; Kinnison, R R; Fager, J E; Williams, R C; Wilson, R L

1983-01-01

Proposed regulations for NRC licensees authorized to possess and process formula quantities of strategic special nuclear material (SSNM) would require each licensee to implement a material control and accounting (MC and A) system capable of prompt loss detection and alarm resolution. In support of the loss detection and alarm response activities an overcheck program would also be implemented. This program would include personnel qualification and training, quality control, inventory verification and shipper-receiver transaction verification. However, the frequeny of physical inventory verification would be about once per year rather than once every two months. In addition MC and A activities would include procedures for the prevention and detection of data falsification and other forms of deceit that might undermine the performance of the loss detection and response systems. This report provides examples of prompt accountability systems for four plants: mixed oxide fuel fabrication, uranium hexafluoride conversion, high enriched uranium fuel fabrication, and high enriched uranium scrap recovery. Purpose of this report is to provide guidance to the MC and A system designer and evaluator on how the proposed requirements might be met.

Examples of MC and A systems to meet prompt accountability specifications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eggers, R.F.; Brouns, R.J.; Bryant, J.L.; Davenport, L.C.; Brite, D.W.; Kinnison, R.R.; Fager, J.E.; Williams, R.C.; Wilson, R.L.

1983-01-01

Proposed regulations for NRC licensees authorized to possess and process formula quantities of strategic special nuclear material (SSNM) would require each licensee to implement a material control and accounting (MC and A) system capable of prompt loss detection and alarm resolution. In support of the loss detection and alarm response activities an overcheck program would also be implemented. This program would include personnel qualification and training, quality control, inventory verification and shipper-receiver transaction verification. However, the frequeny of physical inventory verification would be about once per year rather than once every two months. In addition MC and A activities would include procedures for the prevention and detection of data falsification and other forms of deceit that might undermine the performance of the loss detection and response systems. This report provides examples of prompt accountability systems for four plants: mixed oxide fuel fabrication, uranium hexafluoride conversion, high enriched uranium fuel fabrication, and high enriched uranium scrap recovery. Purpose of this report is to provide guidance to the MC and A system designer and evaluator on how the proposed requirements might be met

Adolescent Purchasing Behavior at McDonald's and Subway.

Science.gov (United States)

Lesser, Lenard I; Kayekjian, Karen C; Velasquez, Paz; Tseng, Chi-Hong; Brook, Robert H; Cohen, Deborah A

2013-10-01

To assess whether adolescents purchasing food at a restaurant marketed as "healthy" (Subway) purchase fewer calories than at a competing chain (McDonald's). We studied 97 adolescents who purchased a meal at both restaurants on different days, using each participant as his or her control. We compared the difference in calories purchased by adolescents at McDonald's and Subway in a diverse area of Los Angeles, CA. Adolescents purchased an average of 1,038 calories (standard error of the mean [SEM]: 41) at McDonald's and 955 calories (SEM 39) at Subway. The difference of 83 calories (95% confidence interval [CI]: -20 to 186) was not statistically significant (p = .11). At McDonald's, participants purchased significantly more calories from drinks (151 vs. 61, p McDonald's vs. 35 at Subway, p McDonald's (.15 vs. .57 cups, p McDonald's. Although Subway meals had more vegetables, meals from both restaurants are likely to contribute to overeating. Copyright © 2013 Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

MC and A instrumentation catalog

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Neymotin, L. [ed.] [Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (United States); Sviridova, V. [ed.] [All-Russian Research Inst. of Automatics, Moscow (Russian Federation)

1998-06-01

In 1981 and 1985, two editions of a catalog of non-destructive nuclear measurement instrumentation, and material control and surveillance equipment, were published by Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL). The last edition of the catalog included one hundred and twenty-five entries covering a wide range of devices developed in the US and abroad. More than ten years have elapsed since the publication of the more recent Catalog. Devices described in it have undergone significant modifications, and new devices have been developed. Therefore, in order to assist specialists in the field of Material Control and Accounting (MC and A), a new catalog has been created. Work on this instrumentation catalog started in 1997 as a cooperative effort of Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), operated by Brookhaven Science Associates under contract to the US Department of Energy, and the All-Russian Research Institute of Automatics (VNIIA), subordinate institute of the Atomic Energy Ministry of the Russian Federation, within the collaborative US-Russia Material Protection, Control, and Accounting (MPC and A) Program. Most of the equipment included in the Catalog are non-destructive assay (NDA) measurement devices employed for purposes of accounting, confirmation, and verification of nuclear materials. Other devices also included in the Catalog are employed in the detection and deterrence of unauthorized access to or removal of nuclear materials (material control: containment and surveillance). Equipment found in the Catalog comprises either: (1) complete devices or systems that can be used for MC and A applications; or (2) parts or components of complete systems, such as multi-channel analyzers, detectors, neutron generators, and software. All devices are categorized by their status of development--from prototype to serial production.

MC and A instrumentation catalog

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Neymotin, L.; Sviridova, V.

1998-01-01

In 1981 and 1985, two editions of a catalog of non-destructive nuclear measurement instrumentation, and material control and surveillance equipment, were published by Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL). The last edition of the catalog included one hundred and twenty-five entries covering a wide range of devices developed in the US and abroad. More than ten years have elapsed since the publication of the more recent Catalog. Devices described in it have undergone significant modifications, and new devices have been developed. Therefore, in order to assist specialists in the field of Material Control and Accounting (MC and A), a new catalog has been created. Work on this instrumentation catalog started in 1997 as a cooperative effort of Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), operated by Brookhaven Science Associates under contract to the US Department of Energy, and the All-Russian Research Institute of Automatics (VNIIA), subordinate institute of the Atomic Energy Ministry of the Russian Federation, within the collaborative US-Russia Material Protection, Control, and Accounting (MPC and A) Program. Most of the equipment included in the Catalog are non-destructive assay (NDA) measurement devices employed for purposes of accounting, confirmation, and verification of nuclear materials. Other devices also included in the Catalog are employed in the detection and deterrence of unauthorized access to or removal of nuclear materials (material control: containment and surveillance). Equipment found in the Catalog comprises either: (1) complete devices or systems that can be used for MC and A applications; or (2) parts or components of complete systems, such as multi-channel analyzers, detectors, neutron generators, and software. All devices are categorized by their status of development--from prototype to serial production

What if? Neural activity underlying semantic and episodic counterfactual thinking.

Science.gov (United States)

Parikh, Natasha; Ruzic, Luka; Stewart, Gregory W; Spreng, R Nathan; De Brigard, Felipe

2018-05-25

Counterfactual thinking (CFT) is the process of mentally simulating alternative versions of known facts. In the past decade, cognitive neuroscientists have begun to uncover the neural underpinnings of CFT, particularly episodic CFT (eCFT), which activates regions in the default network (DN) also activated by episodic memory (eM) recall. However, the engagement of DN regions is different for distinct kinds of eCFT. More plausible counterfactuals and counterfactuals about oneself show stronger activity in DN regions compared to implausible and other- or object-focused counterfactuals. The current study sought to identify a source for this difference in DN activity. Specifically, self-focused counterfactuals may also be more plausible, suggesting that DN core regions are sensitive to the plausibility of a simulation. On the other hand, plausible and self-focused counterfactuals may involve more episodic information than implausible and other-focused counterfactuals, which would imply DN sensitivity to episodic information. In the current study, we compared episodic and semantic counterfactuals generated to be plausible or implausible against episodic and semantic memory reactivation using fMRI. Taking multivariate and univariate approaches, we found that the DN is engaged more during episodic simulations, including eM and all eCFT, than during semantic simulations. Semantic simulations engaged more inferior temporal and lateral occipital regions. The only region that showed strong plausibility effects was the hippocampus, which was significantly engaged for implausible CFT but not for plausible CFT, suggestive of binding more disparate information. Consequences of these findings for the cognitive neuroscience of mental simulation are discussed. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Risk of recurrence after a single manic or mixed episode - a systematic review and meta-analysis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kessing, Lars Vedel; Andersen, Per Kragh; Vinberg, Maj

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVES: For the first time to estimate the risk of recurrence among patients with a single manic/mixed episode by systematically reviewing prior studies on cohorts of adults, and cohorts of children and adolescents, respectively. METHODS: A systematic literature search up to August 2017...... was carried out including studies in which mixed episode at inclusion. RESULTS: Three studies including a total of 293 adult patients with a single manic or mixed episode...... as children and adolescents. It is important that clinicians and patients as well as relatives are well informed about these high risks when deciding to start maintenance treatment or not following onset of a single manic or mixed episode....

McXtrace

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bergbäck Knudsen, Erik; Prodi, Andrea; Baltser, Jana

2013-01-01

to the standard X-ray simulation software SHADOW. McXtrace is open source, licensed under the General Public License, and does not require the user to have access to any proprietary software for its operation. The structure of the software is described in detail, and various examples are given to showcase...

Risk Factors for a Second Episode of Hemoptysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nobuhiko Seki

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives Hemoptysis is an alarming symptom of underlying lung disease. Clinicians are often unsure how to deal with and follow up patients who have had a single episode of hemoptysis, especially if the cause remains unknown despite thorough examination, because a second, more severe episode of hemoptysis might occur despite an apparently stable condition. Investigations were done, using multivariate analyses, to see whether several clinical factors present during an initial episode of hemoptysis could be used to predict a second episode. Subjects and Methods Eighty patients with an initial episode of hemoptysis who underwent both computed tomographic and bronchoscopic examinations from 2003 through 2005 were reviewed. Results The isolation of bacteria from bronchial lavage fluid (odds ratio 13.5, P = 0.001 and the failure to determine the cause of the initial episode of hemoptysis (odds ratio 7.0, P = 0.014 were significant independent predictors of a second episode of hemoptysis. Subset analysis showed that isolation of either Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Haemophilus influenzae increased the likelihood of a second episode of hemoptysis (P = 0.077, even if colonization, representing host-bacterial equilibrium, had occurred. Furthermore, the failure to determine the etiology of an initial episode of hemoptysis was associated with an increased risk of a massive second episode (P = 0.042, regardless of the volume of the initial episode. Conclusions In patients with bacterial colonization of the respiratory tract or an initial episode of hemoptysis of unknown etiology, there is an increased possibility of a second episode of hemoptysis.

X-Ray Outburst from Young Star in McNeil's Nebula

Science.gov (United States)

2004-07-01

Observations with NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory captured an X-ray outburst from a young star, revealing a probable scenario for the intermittent brightening of the recently discovered McNeil's Nebula. It appears the interaction between the young star's magnetic field and an orbiting disk of gas can cause dramatic, episodic increases in the light from the star and disk, illuminating the surrounding gas. "The story of McNeil's Nebula is a wonderful example of the importance of serendipity in science," said Joel Kastner of the Rochester Institute of Technology in Rochester, New York, lead author of a paper in the July 22 issue of Nature describing the X-ray results. "Visible-light images were made of this region several months before Jay McNeil made his discovery, so it could be determined approximately when and by how much the star flared up to produce McNeil's Nebula." The small nebula, which lies in the constellation Orion about 1300 light years from Earth, was discovered with a 3-inch telescope by McNeil, an amateur astronomer from Paducah, Kentucky, in January 2004. In November 2002, a team led by Ted Simon of the Institute for Astronomy in Hawaii had observed the star-rich region with Chandra in search of young, X-ray emitting stars, and had detected several objects. Optical and infrared astronomers had, as part of independent surveys, also observed the region about a year later, in 2003. After the announcement of McNeil's discovery, optical, infrared and X-ray astronomers rushed to observe the region again. They found that a young star buried in the nebula had flared up, and was illuminating the nebula. This star was coincident with one of the X-ray sources discovered earlier by Simon. Chandra observations obtained by Kastner's group just after the optical outburst showed that the source had brightened fifty-fold in X-rays when compared to Simon's earlier observation. The visible-light eruption provides evidence that the cause of the X-ray outburst is the

Effects of Saccadic Bilateral Eye Movements on Episodic & Semantic Autobiographical Memory Fluency

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew eParker

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Performing a sequence of fast saccadic horizontal eye movements has been shown to facilitate performance on a range of cognitive tasks, including the retrieval of episodic memories. One explanation for these effects is based on the hypothesis that saccadic eye movements increase hemispheric interaction, and that such interactions are important for particular types of memory. The aim of the current research was to assess the effect of horizontal saccadic eye movements on the retrieval of both episodic autobiographical memory (event/incident based memory and semantic autobiographical memory (fact based memory over recent and more distant time periods. It was found that saccadic eye movements facilitated the retrieval of episodic autobiographical memories (over all time periods but not semantic autobiographical memories. In addition, eye movements did not enhance the retrieval of non-autobiographical semantic memory. This finding illustrates a dissociation between the episodic and semantic characteristics of personal memory and is considered within the context of hemispheric contributions to episodic memory performance.

McMYB10 regulates coloration via activating McF3'H and later structural genes in ever-red leaf crabapple.

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Ji; Peng, Zhen; Zhang, Jie; Song, Tingting; Wan, Huihua; Zhang, Meiling; Yao, Yuncong

2015-09-01

The ever-red leaf trait, which is important for breeding ornamental and higher anthocyanin plants, rarely appears in Malus families, but little is known about the regulation of anthocyanin biosynthesis involved in the red leaves. In our study, HPLC analysis showed that the anthocyanin concentration in ever-red leaves, especially cyanidin, was significantly higher than that in evergreen leaves. The transcript level of McMYB10 was significantly correlated with anthocyanin synthesis between the 'Royalty' and evergreen leaf 'Flame' cultivars during leaf development. We also found the ever-red leaf colour cultivar 'Royalty' contained the known R6 : McMYB10 sequence, but was not in the evergreen leaf colour cultivar 'Flame', which have been reported in apple fruit. The distinction in promoter region maybe is the main reason why higher expression level of McMYB10 in red foliage crabapple cultivar. Furthermore, McMYB10 promoted anthocyanin biosynthesis in crabapple leaves and callus at low temperatures and during long-day treatments. Both heterologous expression in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) and Arabidopsis pap1 mutant, and homologous expression in crabapple and apple suggested that McMYB10 could promote anthocyanins synthesis and enhanced anthocyanin accumulation in plants. Interestingly, electrophoretic mobility shift assays, coupled with yeast one-hybrid analysis, revealed that McMYB10 positively regulates McF3'H via directly binding to AACCTAAC and TATCCAACC motifs in the promoter. To sum up, our results demonstrated that McMYB10 plays an important role in ever-red leaf coloration, by positively regulating McF3'H in crabapple. Therefore, our work provides new perspectives for ornamental fruit tree breeding. © 2015 Society for Experimental Biology, Association of Applied Biologists and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Attentional episodes in visual perception

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wyble, Brad; Potter, Mary C.; Bowman, Howard; Nieuwenstein, Mark

Is one's temporal perception of the world truly as seamless as it appears? This article presents a computationally motivated theory suggesting that visual attention samples information from temporal episodes (episodic simultaneous type/serial token model; Wyble, Bowman, & Nieuwenstein, 2009). Breaks

Spectroscopic Profiles of Comets Garradd and McNaught

Science.gov (United States)

Harris, Ien; Pierce, Donna M.; Cochran, Anita L.

2017-10-01

We have used the integral-field unit spectrograph (the George and Cynthia Mitchell Spectrograph) on the 2.7m Harlan J. Smith telescope at McDonald Observatory to obtain spectroscopic images of the comae of several comets. The images were obtained for various radical species (C2, C3, CN, NH2). Radial and azimuthal average profiles of the radical species were created to enhance any observed cometary coma morphological features. We compare the observed coma features across the observed species and over the different observation periods in order to constrain possible rotational states of the observed comets, as well as determine possible source differences in the coma between the observed radical species. We will present results for several comets, including C/2009 P1 (Garradd) and 260P (McNaught).

McSUB V2.0, an upgraded version of the Monte Carlo library McSUB with inclusion of weight factors

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoek, M.

1991-02-01

The Monte Carlo library McSUB, which was described in an earlier report, has been upgraded to McSUB V2.0. McSUB V2.0 can be used to simulate the neutron transport in a medium which is a mixture of hydrogen and carbon or a mixture of deuterium and carbon. The implemented neutron energy interval is 0.1 - 20 MeV and the library can be used to simulate elastic and inelastic scattering. The inelastic scattering with carbon takes into account the four lowest excited states of the carbon nucleus. McSUB V2.0 is downward compatible with McSUB expect for the layout of the parameter file which now contains more variables. The major upgrade has been the inclusion of routines using weight factors which has speeded up the old version considerably. McSUB V2.0 also makes a biasing technique possible. It is now possible to e.g. let a neutron scatter with a selected nucleus followed by a biased scattering direction. (au)

Association between MC4R rs17782313 polymorphism and overeating behaviors.

Science.gov (United States)

Yilmaz, Z; Davis, C; Loxton, N J; Kaplan, A S; Levitan, R D; Carter, J C; Kennedy, J L

2015-01-01

Melanocortins have a crucial role in appetite and weight regulation. Although the melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) gene has been repeatedly linked to obesity and antipsychotic-induced weight gain, the mechanism behind how it leads to this effect in still undetermined. The goal of this study was to conduct an in-depth and sophisticated analysis of MC4R polymorphisms, body mass index (BMI), eating behavior and depressed mood. We genotyped 328 individuals of European ancestry on the following MC4R markers based on the relevant literature on obesity and antipsychotic-induced weight gain: rs571312, rs17782313, rs489693, rs11872992, and rs8087522. Height and weight were measured, and information on depressed mood and overeating behaviors was obtained during the in-person assessment. BMI was associated with rs17782313 C allele; however, this finding did not survive correction for multiple testing (P = 0.018). Although rs17782313 was significantly associated with depressed mood and overeating behaviors, tests of indirect effects indicated that emotional eating and food cravings, rather than depressed mood, uniquely accounted for the effect of this marker and BMI (n = 152). To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the link between MC4R rs17782313, mood and overeating behavior, as well as to demonstrate possible mechanisms behind MC4R's influence on body weight. If replicated in a larger sample, these results may have important clinical implications, including potential for the use of MC4R agonists in the treatment of obesity and disordered eating.

Physiologic basis for intermittent hypoxic episodes in preterm infants.

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, R J; Di Fiore, J M; Macfarlane, P M; Wilson, C G

2012-01-01

Intermittent hypoxic episodes are typically a consequence of immature respiratory control and remain a troublesome challenge for the neonatologist. Furthermore, their frequency and magnitude are commonly underestimated by clinically employed pulse oximeter settings. In extremely low birth weight infants the incidence of intermittent hypoxia [IH] progressively increases over the first 4 weeks of postnatal life, with a subsequent plateau followed by a slow decline beginning at weeks six to eight. Over this period of unstable respiratory control, increased oxygen-sensitive peripheral chemoreceptor activity has been associated with a higher incidence of apnea of prematurity. In contrast, infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia [chronic neonatal lung disease] exhibit decreased peripheral chemosensitivity, although the effect on respiratory stability in this population is unclear. Such episodic hypoxia/reoxygenation in early life has the potential to sustain a proinflammatory cascade with resultant multisystem, including respiratory, morbidity. Therapeutic approaches for intermittent hypoxic episodes comprise careful titration of baseline or supplemental inspired oxygen as well as xanthine therapy to prevent apnea of prematurity. Characterization of the pathophysiologic basis for such intermittent hypoxic episodes and their consequences during early life is necessary to provide an evidence-based approach to their management.

Social Media Use and Episodic Heavy Drinking Among Adolescents.

Science.gov (United States)

Brunborg, Geir Scott; Andreas, Jasmina Burdzovic; Kvaavik, Elisabeth

2017-06-01

Objectives Little is known about the consequences of adolescent social media use. The current study estimated the association between the amount of time adolescents spend on social media and the risk of episodic heavy drinking. Methods A school-based self-report cross-sectional study including 851 Norwegian middle and high school students (46.1% boys). frequency and quantity of social media use. Frequency of drinking four or six (girls and boys, respectively) alcoholic drinks during a single day (episodic heavy drinking). The MacArthur Scale of Subjective Social Status, the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale - Brief, the Brief Sensation Seeking Scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 items for Adolescents, the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire Peer Relationship problems scale, gender, and school grade. Results Greater amount of time spent on social media was associated with greater likelihood of episodic heavy drinking among adolescents ( OR = 1.12, 95% CI (1.05, 1.19), p = 0.001), even after adjusting for school grade, impulsivity, sensation seeking, symptoms of depression, and peer relationship problems. Conclusion The results from the current study indicate that more time spent on social media is related to greater likelihood of episodic heavy drinking among adolescents.

Episodic memory, semantic memory, and amnesia.

Science.gov (United States)

Squire, L R; Zola, S M

1998-01-01

Episodic memory and semantic memory are two types of declarative memory. There have been two principal views about how this distinction might be reflected in the organization of memory functions in the brain. One view, that episodic memory and semantic memory are both dependent on the integrity of medial temporal lobe and midline diencephalic structures, predicts that amnesic patients with medial temporal lobe/diencephalic damage should be proportionately impaired in both episodic and semantic memory. An alternative view is that the capacity for semantic memory is spared, or partially spared, in amnesia relative to episodic memory ability. This article reviews two kinds of relevant data: 1) case studies where amnesia has occurred early in childhood, before much of an individual's semantic knowledge has been acquired, and 2) experimental studies with amnesic patients of fact and event learning, remembering and knowing, and remote memory. The data provide no compelling support for the view that episodic and semantic memory are affected differently in medial temporal lobe/diencephalic amnesia. However, episodic and semantic memory may be dissociable in those amnesic patients who additionally have severe frontal lobe damage.

Caregiver psychoeducation for first-episode psychosis.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

McWilliams, Stephen

2010-01-01

International best-practice guidelines for the management of first-episode psychosis have recommended the provision of psychoeducation for multifamily groups. While there is ample evidence of their efficacy in multiepisode psychosis, there is a paucity of evidence supporting this approach specifically for first-episode psychosis. We sought to determine whether a six-week caregiver psychoeducation programme geared specifically at first-episode psychosis improves caregiver knowledge and attitudes.

Integrating bar-code devices with computerized MC and A systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, L.K.; Boor, M.G.; Hurford, J.M.

1998-01-01

Over the past seven years, Los Alamos National Laboratory developed several generations of computerized nuclear materials control and accountability (MC and A) systems for tracking and reporting the storage, movement, and management of nuclear materials at domestic and international facilities. During the same period, Oak Ridge National Laboratory was involved with automated data acquisition (ADA) equipment, including installation of numerous bar-code scanning stations at various facilities to serve as input devices to computerized systems. Bar-code readers, as well as other ADA devices, reduce input errors, provide faster input, and allow the capture of data in remote areas where workstations do not exist. Los Alamos National Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory teamed together to implement the integration of bar-code hardware technology with computerized MC and A systems. With the expertise of both sites, the two technologies were successfully merged with little difficulty. Bar-code input is now available with several functions of the MC and A systems: material movements within material balance areas (MBAs), material movements between MBAs, and physical inventory verification. This paper describes the various components required for the integration of these MC and A systems with the installed bar-code reader devices and the future directions for these technologies

The McClean Lake uranium project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blaise, J.R.

2001-01-01

The McClean Lake Uranium Project, located in the northern part of Saskatchewan, consists of five uranium deposits, Jeb - Sue A - Sue B - Sue C - McClean, scattered in three different locations on the mineral lease. On 16 March 1995, COGEMA Resources Inc and its partners, Denison Mines Ltd and OURD (Canada) Co Ltd, made the formal decision to develop the McClean Lake Project. Construction of the mine and mill started during summer 1995 and should be finished by mid 1997. Mining of the first deposit, Jeb started in 1996, ore being currently mined. The start of the yellowcake production is scheduled to start this fall. (author)

Implatation of MC2 computer code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Seehusen, J.; Nair, R.P.K.; Becceneri, J.C.

1981-01-01

The implantation of MC2 computer code in the CDC system is presented. The MC2 computer code calculates multigroup cross sections for tipical compositions of fast reactors. The multigroup constants are calculated using solutions of PI or BI approximations for determined buckling value as weighting function. (M.C.K.) [pt

Age McCanni büroo = Offices of Age McCann

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

2010-01-01

Tallinnas Rotermanni 8 asuva Age McCanni büroo sisekujundusest. Sisekujunduse autorid: sisearhitekt Kerli Valk (Kukuhaus OÜ) ja arhitekt Tomomi Hayashi (HG Arhitektuur OÜ), nende tähtsamate tööde loetelu

MC and A system design workshop

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schneider, R.A.; Harms, N.L.

1984-01-01

The workshop had as its goal the development of a Material Control and Accounting (MC and A) system for a low enriched uranium fuel fabrication plant. The factors to be considered for each of the ten key elements of the safeguards (MC and A) are presented in the text for the session

Association between MC4R rs17782313 Polymorphism and Overeating Behaviours

Science.gov (United States)

Yilmaz, Zeynep; Davis, Caroline; Loxton, Natalie J.; Kaplan, Allan S.; Levitan, Robert D.; Carter, Jacqueline C.; Kennedy, James L.

2014-01-01

Background/Objectives Melanocortins play a crucial role in appetite and weight regulation. Although the melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) gene has been repeatedly linked to obesity and antipsychotic-induced weight gain, the mechanism behind how it leads to this effect in still undetermined. The goal of this study was to conduct an in-depth and sophisticated analysis of MC4R polymorphisms, body mass index (BMI), eating behaviour, and depressed mood. Subjects/Methods We genotyped 328 individuals of European ancestry on the following MC4R markers based on the relevant literature on obesity and antipsychotic-induced weight gain: rs571312, rs17782313, rs489693, rs11872992, and rs8087522. Height and weight were measured, and information on depressed mood and overeating behaviours was obtained during the in-person assessment. Results BMI was associated with rs17782313 C allele; however this finding did not survive correction for multiple testing (p=0.018). Although rs17782313 was significantly associated with depressed mood and overeating behaviours, tests of indirect effects indicated that emotional eating and food cravings, rather than depressed mood, uniquely accounted for the effect of this marker and BMI (n=152). Conclusions To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the link between MC4R rs17782313, mood and overeating behaviour, as well as to demonstrate possible mechanisms behind MC4R’s influence on body weight. If replicated in a larger sample, these results may have important clinical implications, including potential for the use of MC4R agonists in the treatment of obesity and disordered eating. PMID:24827639

Factors associated with geographic variation in cost per episode of care for three medical conditions

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Objective To identify associations between market factors, especially relative reimbursement rates, and the probability of surgery and cost per episode for three medical conditions (cataract, benign prostatic neoplasm, and knee degeneration) with multiple treatment options. Methods We use 2004–2006 Medicare claims data for elderly beneficiaries from sixty nationally representative communities to estimate multivariate models for the probability of surgery and cost per episode of care as a function local market factors, including Medicare physician reimbursement for surgical versus non-surgical treatment and the availability of primary care and specialty physicians. We used Symmetry’s Episode Treatment Groups (ETG) software to group claims into episodes for the three conditions (n = 540,874 episodes). Results Higher Medicare reimbursement for surgical episodes and greater availability of the relevant specialists are significantly associated with more surgery and higher cost per episode for all three conditions, while greater availability of primary care physicians is significantly associated with less frequent surgery and lower cost per episode. Conclusion Relative Medicare reimbursement rates for surgical vs. non-surgical treatments and the availability of both primary care physicians and relevant specialists are associated with the likelihood of surgery and cost per episode. PMID:24949281

Monte Carlo dose calculation improvements for low energy electron beams using eMC

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fix, Michael K; Frei, Daniel; Volken, Werner; Born, Ernst J; Manser, Peter; Neuenschwander, Hans

2010-01-01

The electron Monte Carlo (eMC) dose calculation algorithm in Eclipse (Varian Medical Systems) is based on the macro MC method and is able to predict dose distributions for high energy electron beams with high accuracy. However, there are limitations for low energy electron beams. This work aims to improve the accuracy of the dose calculation using eMC for 4 and 6 MeV electron beams of Varian linear accelerators. Improvements implemented into the eMC include (1) improved determination of the initial electron energy spectrum by increased resolution of mono-energetic depth dose curves used during beam configuration; (2) inclusion of all the scrapers of the applicator in the beam model; (3) reduction of the maximum size of the sphere to be selected within the macro MC transport when the energy of the incident electron is below certain thresholds. The impact of these changes in eMC is investigated by comparing calculated dose distributions for 4 and 6 MeV electron beams at source to surface distance (SSD) of 100 and 110 cm with applicators ranging from 6 x 6 to 25 x 25 cm 2 of a Varian Clinac 2300C/D with the corresponding measurements. Dose differences between calculated and measured absolute depth dose curves are reduced from 6% to less than 1.5% for both energies and all applicators considered at SSD of 100 cm. Using the original eMC implementation, absolute dose profiles at depths of 1 cm, d max and R50 in water lead to dose differences of up to 8% for applicators larger than 15 x 15 cm 2 at SSD 100 cm. Those differences are now reduced to less than 2% for all dose profiles investigated when the improved version of eMC is used. At SSD of 110 cm the dose difference for the original eMC version is even more pronounced and can be larger than 10%. Those differences are reduced to within 2% or 2 mm with the improved version of eMC. In this work several enhancements were made in the eMC algorithm leading to significant improvements in the accuracy of the dose calculation

Monte Carlo dose calculation improvements for low energy electron beams using eMC.

Science.gov (United States)

Fix, Michael K; Frei, Daniel; Volken, Werner; Neuenschwander, Hans; Born, Ernst J; Manser, Peter

2010-08-21

The electron Monte Carlo (eMC) dose calculation algorithm in Eclipse (Varian Medical Systems) is based on the macro MC method and is able to predict dose distributions for high energy electron beams with high accuracy. However, there are limitations for low energy electron beams. This work aims to improve the accuracy of the dose calculation using eMC for 4 and 6 MeV electron beams of Varian linear accelerators. Improvements implemented into the eMC include (1) improved determination of the initial electron energy spectrum by increased resolution of mono-energetic depth dose curves used during beam configuration; (2) inclusion of all the scrapers of the applicator in the beam model; (3) reduction of the maximum size of the sphere to be selected within the macro MC transport when the energy of the incident electron is below certain thresholds. The impact of these changes in eMC is investigated by comparing calculated dose distributions for 4 and 6 MeV electron beams at source to surface distance (SSD) of 100 and 110 cm with applicators ranging from 6 x 6 to 25 x 25 cm(2) of a Varian Clinac 2300C/D with the corresponding measurements. Dose differences between calculated and measured absolute depth dose curves are reduced from 6% to less than 1.5% for both energies and all applicators considered at SSD of 100 cm. Using the original eMC implementation, absolute dose profiles at depths of 1 cm, d(max) and R50 in water lead to dose differences of up to 8% for applicators larger than 15 x 15 cm(2) at SSD 100 cm. Those differences are now reduced to less than 2% for all dose profiles investigated when the improved version of eMC is used. At SSD of 110 cm the dose difference for the original eMC version is even more pronounced and can be larger than 10%. Those differences are reduced to within 2% or 2 mm with the improved version of eMC. In this work several enhancements were made in the eMC algorithm leading to significant improvements in the accuracy of the dose

Using imagination to understand the neural basis of episodic memory

Science.gov (United States)

Hassabis, Demis; Kumaran, Dharshan; Maguire, Eleanor A.

2008-01-01

Functional MRI (fMRI) studies investigating the neural basis of episodic memory recall, and the related task of thinking about plausible personal future events, have revealed a consistent network of associated brain regions. Surprisingly little, however, is understood about the contributions individual brain areas make to the overall recollective experience. In order to examine this, we employed a novel fMRI paradigm where subjects had to imagine fictitious experiences. In contrast to future thinking, this results in experiences that are not explicitly temporal in nature or as reliant on self-processing. By using previously imagined fictitious experiences as a comparison for episodic memories, we identified the neural basis of a key process engaged in common, namely scene construction, involving the generation, maintenance and visualisation of complex spatial contexts. This was associated with activations in a distributed network, including hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus, and retrosplenial cortex. Importantly, we disambiguated these common effects from episodic memory-specific responses in anterior medial prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex and precuneus. These latter regions may support self-schema and familiarity processes, and contribute to the brain's ability to distinguish real from imaginary memories. We conclude that scene construction constitutes a common process underlying episodic memory and imagination of fictitious experiences, and suggest it may partially account for the similar brain networks implicated in navigation, episodic future thinking, and the default mode. We suggest that further brain regions are co-opted into this core network in a task-specific manner to support functions such as episodic memory that may have additional requirements. PMID:18160644

Factitious psychogenic nonepileptic paroxysmal episodes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alissa Romano

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Mistaking psychogenic nonepileptic paroxysmal episodes (PNEPEs for epileptic seizures (ES is potentially dangerous, and certain features should alert physicians to a possible PNEPE diagnosis. Psychogenic nonepileptic paroxysmal episodes due to factitious seizures carry particularly high risks of morbidity or mortality from nonindicated emergency treatment and, often, high costs in wasted medical treatment expenditures. We report a case of a 28-year-old man with PNEPEs that were misdiagnosed as ES. The patient had been on four antiseizure medications (ASMs with therapeutic serum levels and had had multiple intubations in the past for uncontrolled episodes. He had no episodes for two days of continuous video-EEG monitoring. He then disconnected his EEG cables and had an episode of generalized stiffening and cyanosis, followed by jerking and profuse bleeding from the mouth. The manifestations were unusually similar to those of ES, except that he was clearly startled by spraying water on his face, while he was stiff in all extremities and unresponsive. There were indications that he had sucked blood from his central venous catheter to expel through his mouth during his PNEPEs while consciously holding his breath. Normal video-EEG monitoring; the patient's volitional and deceptive acts to fabricate the appearance of illness, despite pain and personal endangerment; and the absence of reward other than remaining in a sick role were all consistent with a diagnosis of factitious disorder.

Genetics Home Reference: McLeod neuroacanthocytosis syndrome

Science.gov (United States)

... Castiglioni C, Oechsner M, Goebel HH, Heppner FL, Jung HH. McLeod myopathy revisited: more neurogenic and less ... 130(Pt 12):3285-96. Citation on PubMed Jung HH, Danek A, Frey BM. McLeod syndrome: a ...

Effects of saccadic bilateral eye movements on episodic and semantic autobiographical memory fluency.

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, Andrew; Parkin, Adam; Dagnall, Neil

2013-01-01

Performing a sequence of fast saccadic horizontal eye movements has been shown to facilitate performance on a range of cognitive tasks, including the retrieval of episodic memories. One explanation for these effects is based on the hypothesis that saccadic eye movements increase hemispheric interaction, and that such interactions are important for particular types of memory. The aim of the current research was to assess the effect of horizontal saccadic eye movements on the retrieval of both episodic autobiographical memory (event/incident based memory) and semantic autobiographical memory (fact based memory) over recent and more distant time periods. It was found that saccadic eye movements facilitated the retrieval of episodic autobiographical memories (over all time periods) but not semantic autobiographical memories. In addition, eye movements did not enhance the retrieval of non-autobiographical semantic memory. This finding illustrates a dissociation between the episodic and semantic characteristics of personal memory and is considered within the context of hemispheric contributions to episodic memory performance.

McKenzie River Subbasin Assessment, Summary Report 2000.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Alsea Geospatial, Inc.

2000-02-01

This document summarizes the findings of the McKenzie River Subbasin Assessment: Technical Report. The subbasin assessment tells a story about the McKenzie River watershed. What is the McKenzie's ecological history, how is the McKenzie doing today, and where is the McKenzie watershed headed ecologically? Knowledge is a good foundation for action. The more we know, the better prepared we are to make decisions about the future. These decisions involve both protecting good remaining habitat and repairing some of the parts that are broken in the McKenzie River watershed. The subbasin assessment is the foundation for conservation strategy and actions. It provides a detailed ecological assessment of the lower McKenzie River and floodplain, identifies conservation and restoration opportunities, and discusses the influence of some upstream actions and processes on the study area. The assessment identifies restoration opportunities at the reach level. In this study, a reach is a river segment from 0.7 to 2.7 miles long and is defined by changes in land forms, land use, stream junctions, and/or cultural features. The assessment also provides flexible tools for setting priorities and planning projects. The goal of this summary is to clearly and concisely extract the key issues, findings, and recommendations from the full-length Technical Report. The high priority recommended action items highlight areas that the McKenzie Watershed Council can significantly influence, and that will likely yield the greatest ecological benefit. People are encouraged to read the full Technical Report if they are interested in the detailed methods, findings, and references used in this study.

McDonaldization and Job Insecurity

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emeka W. Dumbili

2013-06-01

Full Text Available The article examines how and why the McDonaldization of banking system in Nigeria engenders job insecurity. This is imperative because it provides an explicit revelation of the root causes of job insecurity in the sector that other scholars have totally omitted. No Nigerian scholar has applied the thesis in relation to job insecurity, which is the major problem in Nigeria’s banking industry. The article based on the analysis of secondary data and observations, therefore, draws on McDonaldization thesis to examine the upsurge of rationalization in the sector since consolidation exercise began in 2005. The article argues that the sector’s rising rationalization and ensuing efficiency, calculability, predictability, and control are necessary. However, these have inevitably engendered job insecurity and its adverse consequences. Based on the critical analyses of available evidence, the article concludes that the best option is to commence resistance of the McDonaldization processes, especially those that replace human with nonhuman technology or make customers unpaid workers.

Monte Carlo simulations of neutron-scattering instruments using McStas

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, K.; Lefmann, K.

2000-01-01

Monte Carlo simulations have become an essential tool for improving the performance of neutron-scattering instruments, since the level of sophistication in the design of instruments is defeating purely analytical methods. The program McStas, being developed at Rise National Laboratory, includes...

Antipsychotic medication for early episode schizophrenia

Science.gov (United States)

Bola, John; Kao, Dennis; Soydan, Haluk; Adams, Clive E

2014-01-01

Background Long-term treatment with antipsychotic medications in early episode schizophrenia spectrum disorders is common, but both short and long-term effects on the illness are unclear. There have been numerous suggestions that people with early episodes of schizophrenia appear to respond differently than those with multiple prior episodes. The number of episodes may moderate response to drug treatment. Objectives To assess the effects of antipsychotic medication treatment on people with early episode schizophrenia spectrum disorders. Search methods We searched the Cochrane Schizophrenia Group register (July 2007) as well as references of included studies. We contacted authors of studies for further data. Selection criteria Studies with a majority of first and second episode schizophrenia spectrum disorders comparing initial antipsychotic medication treatment with placebo, milieu, or psychosocial treatment. Data collection and analysis Working independently, we critically appraised records from 681 studies, of which five studies met inclusion criteria. We calculated risk ratios (RR) and their 95% confidence intervals (CI) where possible. For continuous data, we calculated mean difference (MD). We calculated numbers needed to treat/harm (NNT/NNH) where appropriate. Main results Five studies (combined total n=998) met inclusion criteria. Four studies (n=724) provided leaving the study early data and results suggested that individuals treated with a typical antipsychotic medication are less likely to leave the study early than those treated with placebo (Chlorpromazine: 3 RCTs n=353, RR 0.4 CI 0.3 to 0.5, NNT 3.2, Fluphenaxine: 1 RCT n=240, RR 0.5 CI 0.3 to 0.8, NNT 5; Thioridazine: 1 RCT n=236, RR 0.44 CI 0.3 to 0.7, NNT 4.3, Trifulperazine: 1 RCT n=94, RR 0.96 CI 0.3 to 3.6). Two studies contributed data to assessment of adverse effects and present a general pattern of more frequent side effects among individuals treated with typical antipsychotic medications

spMC: an R-package for 3D lithological reconstructions based on spatial Markov chains

Science.gov (United States)

Sartore, Luca; Fabbri, Paolo; Gaetan, Carlo

2016-09-01

The paper presents the spatial Markov Chains (spMC) R-package and a case study of subsoil simulation/prediction located in a plain site of Northeastern Italy. spMC is a quite complete collection of advanced methods for data inspection, besides spMC implements Markov Chain models to estimate experimental transition probabilities of categorical lithological data. Furthermore, simulation methods based on most known prediction methods (as indicator Kriging and CoKriging) were implemented in spMC package. Moreover, other more advanced methods are available for simulations, e.g. path methods and Bayesian procedures, that exploit the maximum entropy. Since the spMC package was developed for intensive geostatistical computations, part of the code is implemented for parallel computations via the OpenMP constructs. A final analysis of this computational efficiency compares the simulation/prediction algorithms by using different numbers of CPU cores, and considering the example data set of the case study included in the package.

Design Challenges of an Episode-Based Payment Model in Oncology: The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Oncology Care Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Kline, Ronald M; Muldoon, L Daniel; Schumacher, Heidi K; Strawbridge, Larisa M; York, Andrew W; Mortimer, Laura K; Falb, Alison F; Cox, Katherine J; Bazell, Carol; Lukens, Ellen W; Kapp, Mary C; Rajkumar, Rahul; Bassano, Amy; Conway, Patrick H

2017-07-01

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services developed the Oncology Care Model as an episode-based payment model to encourage participating practitioners to provide higher-quality, better-coordinated care at a lower cost to the nearly three-quarter million fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries with cancer who receive chemotherapy each year. Episode payment models can be complex. They combine into a single benchmark price all payments for services during an episode of illness, many of which may be delivered at different times by different providers in different locations. Policy and technical decisions include the definition of the episode, including its initiation, duration, and included services; the identification of beneficiaries included in the model; and beneficiary attribution to practitioners with overall responsibility for managing their care. In addition, the calculation and risk adjustment of benchmark episode prices for the bundle of services must reflect geographic cost variations and diverse patient populations, including varying disease subtypes, medical comorbidities, changes in standards of care over time, the adoption of expensive new drugs (especially in oncology), as well as diverse practice patterns. Other steps include timely monitoring and intervention as needed to avoid shifting the attribution of beneficiaries on the basis of their expected episode expenditures as well as to ensure the provision of necessary medical services and the development of a meaningful link to quality measurement and improvement through the episode-based payment methodology. The complex and diverse nature of oncology business relationships and the specific rules and requirements of Medicare payment systems for different types of providers intensify these issues. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services believes that by sharing its approach to addressing these decisions and challenges, it may facilitate greater understanding of the model within the oncology

Recent developments in the ROCS/MC code for retrieving local power information in coarse-mesh reactor analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grill, S.F.; Jonsson, A.; Crump, M.W.

1983-01-01

The inclusion of 3-D effects in PWR analysis is necessary for accurate predictions of reactivity, power distributions, and reactivity coefficients. The ROCS/MC code system has been developed by Combustion Engineering to provide 3-D coarse mesh analysis (ROCS) with the capability to retrieve local information on flux, power and burnup (MC). A review of the finite difference representation of the MC diffusion equation, along with recent improvements to the ROCS/MC system are presented. These improvements include the implementation if fine mesh radial boundary conditions and internal calculation of coarse mesh boundary conditions, generalization of the imbedded calculation to account for the local neighboring environment, and the automation of ROCS/MC links to C-E's code system for in-core power distribution monitoring and core-follow analysis. The results of the ROCS/MC verification program are described and show good agreement with C-E's ROCS/PDQ based methodologies

Early detection of first-episode psychosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Tor K; Melle, Ingrid; Auestad, Bjørn

2006-01-01

Early intervention is assumed to improve outcome in first-episode psychosis, but this has not been proven.......Early intervention is assumed to improve outcome in first-episode psychosis, but this has not been proven....

Plutons and accretionary episodes of the Klamath Mountains, California and Oregon

Science.gov (United States)

Irwin, William P.; Wooden, Joseph L.

1999-01-01

The Klamath Mountains consist of various accreted terranes and include many plutons that range in composition from gabbro to granodiorite. Some of the plutons (preaccretionary plutons) were parts of terranes before the terranes accreted; others (accretionary plutons) intruded during or after the accretion of their host terrane(s). This report attempts to (1) graphically illustrate how the Klamath Mountains grew by the accretion of allochthonous oceanic terranes during early Paleozoic to Cretaceous times, (2) identify the plutons as either preaccretionary or accretionary, and (3) genetically relate the plutonic intrusions to specific accretionary episodes. The eight accretionary episodes portrayed in this report are similar to those shown by Irwin and Mankinen (1998) who briefly described the basis for the timing of the episodes and who illustrated the ~110 degrees of clockwise rotation of the Klamath Mountains since Early Devonian time. Each episode is named for the accreting terrane. In all episodes (Figs. 1-8), the heavy black line represents a fault that separates the accreting oceanic rocks on the left from earlier accreted terranes on the right. The preaccretionary plutons are shown within the accreting oceanic crustal rocks to the left of the heavy black line, and the accretionary plutons in most instances are shown intruding previously accreted terranes to the right. Episodes earlier than the Central Metamorphic episode (Fig. 1), and that may have been important in the formation of the early Paleozoic nucleous of the province (the Eastern Klamath terrane), are not known. The 'Present Time' distribution of the accreted terranes and plutons is shown at a large scale in Figure 9. The schematic vertical section (Fig. 10) depicts the terranes as a stack of horizontal slabs that include or are intruded by vertical plutons. Note that at their base the ~170 Ma preaccretionary plutons of the Western Hayfork subterrane are truncated by the ~164 Ma Salt Creek

Episodic Memory: A Comparative Approach

Science.gov (United States)

Martin-Ordas, Gema; Call, Josep

2013-01-01

Historically, episodic memory has been described as autonoetic, personally relevant, complex, context-rich, and allowing mental time travel. In contrast, semantic memory, which is theorized to be free of context and personal relevance, is noetic and consists of general knowledge of facts about the world. The field of comparative psychology has adopted this distinction in order to study episodic memory in non-human animals. Our aim in this article is not only to reflect on the concept of episodic memory and the experimental approaches used in comparative psychology to study this phenomenon, but also to provide a critical analysis of these paradigms. We conclude the article by providing new avenues for future research. PMID:23781179

The effects of cervical traction, cranial rhythmic impulse, and Mckenzie exercise on headache and cervical muscle stiffness in episodic tension-type headache patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Choi, Sung-Yong; Choi, Jung-Hyun

2016-03-01

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of cervical traction treatment, cranial rhythmic impulse treatment, a manual therapy, and McKenzie exercise, a dynamic strengthening exercise, on patients who have the neck muscle stiffness of the infrequent episodic tension-type (IETTH) headache and frequent episodic tension-type headache(FETTH), as well as to provide the basic materials for clinical interventions. [Subjects] Twenty-seven subjects (males: 15, females: 12) who were diagnosed with IETTH and FETTH after treatment by a neurologist were divided into three groups: (a cervical traction group (CTG, n=9), a cranial rhythmic contractiongroup (CRIG, n=9), and a McKenzie exercise group (MEG, n=9). An intervention was conducted for each group and the differences in their degrees of neck pain and changes in muscle tone were observed. [Results] In the within-group comparison of each group, headache significantly decreased in CTG. According to the results of the analysis of the muscle tone of the upper trapezius, there was a statistically significant difference in MEG on the right side and in CRIG on the left side. According to the results of the analysis of the muscle tone of the sternocleidomastoid muscle, there was a statistically significant difference in MEG on the right side and in CRIG on the left side. [Conclusion] In the comparison of the splenius capitis muscle between the groups, there was a statistically significant difference on the right side. Hence, compared to the other methods, cervical traction is concluded to be more effective at reducing headaches in IETTH and FETTH patients.

Superficial Priming in Episodic Recognition

Science.gov (United States)

Dopkins, Stephen; Sargent, Jesse; Ngo, Catherine T.

2010-01-01

We explored the effect of superficial priming in episodic recognition and found it to be different from the effect of semantic priming in episodic recognition. Participants made recognition judgments to pairs of items, with each pair consisting of a prime item and a test item. Correct positive responses to the test item were impeded if the prime…

Increased glucose levels are associated with episodic memory in nondiabetic women.

Science.gov (United States)

Rolandsson, Olov; Backeström, Anna; Eriksson, Sture; Hallmans, Göran; Nilsson, Lars-Göran

2008-02-01

Patients with type 2 diabetes have an increased risk of a reduction in cognitive function. We investigated the hypothesis that plasma glucose is associated with a reduction in episodic and/or semantic memory already in nondiabetic subjects. We linked two large population-based datasets in Sweden: the Betula study, in which a random sample from the population aged 35-85 years was investigated for cognitive function, including episodic and semantic memory; and the Västerbotten Intervention Program, a health survey with subjects aged 40, 50, and 60 years, that includes measuring of fasting and 2-h plasma glucose, along with other risk factors for diabetes and cardiovascular disease. We identified 411 (179 men and 232 women, mean age 50.6 +/- 8.0 years) nondiabetic subjects, free from dementia, who had participated in the two surveys within 6 months. Women had better episodic (score 7.37 +/- 1.42) and semantic memory (score 16.05 +/- 2.76) than men (score 6.59 +/- 1.29 and 15.15 +/- 2.92, respectively, P glucose (fPG) and 2-h plasma glucose (2hPG) were significantly negatively associated with episodic memory (fPG: B -0.198, SE 0.068, beta -0.209, P = 0.004; and 2hPG: B -0.061, SE 0.031, beta -0.148, P = 0.048, respectively) in women but not in men. The association was not found in relation to semantic memory. We conclude that an increase in plasma glucose is associated with impairment in episodic memory in women. This could be explained by a negative effect on the hippocampus caused by raised plasma glucose levels.

75 FR 75872 - Airworthiness Directives; McDonnell Douglas Corporation Model DC-9-30, DC-9-40, and DC-9-50...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-12-07

... Airworthiness Directives; McDonnell Douglas Corporation Model DC- 9-30, DC-9-40, and DC-9-50 Series Airplanes...: We are adopting a new airworthiness directive (AD) for the McDonnell Douglas Corporation airplanes... to include an airworthiness directive (AD) that would apply to certain McDonnell Douglas Model DC-9...

Predictors of functional and clinical outcome in early-onset first-episode psychosis: the child and adolescent first episode of psychosis (CAFEPS) study.

Science.gov (United States)

Parellada, Mara; Castro-Fornieles, Josefina; Gonzalez-Pinto, Ana; Pina-Camacho, Laura; Moreno, Dolores; Rapado-Castro, Marta; Otero, Soraya; de la Serna, Elena; Moreno, Carmen; Baeza, Inmaculada; Graell, Montserrat; Arango, Celso

2015-11-01

The objective of this study was to study baseline clinical and biological predictors of 2-year outcome in a cohort of children and adolescents with a first episode of psychosis. Standard instruments were used to evaluate symptoms and functioning in 110 children and adolescents (mean age = 15.47 years) with first episode of psychosis at admission (between 2003 and 2005) and after 2-year follow-up. Clinical assessments included diagnostic assessment to yield DSM-IV diagnosis, developmental, premorbid, and past-year data, together with structural neuroimaging and other biological parameters (genetics and oxidative stress). Eighty-three subjects had assessments at baseline (including the Strauss-Carpenter Outcome Scale [SCOS]) and at 2-year follow-up. Association and multistep regression analyses were conducted to show correlates and predictors of primary outcome measures: functional outcome (Children's Global Assessment Scale [CGAS]), improvement (CGAS change), and primary negative symptoms (Proxy for the Deficit Syndrome Scale). The SCOS predicted 27.46% (P < .001) of the variance in CGAS score at 2 years. Baseline severity (measured by CGAS) predicted 30.9% (P < .001) of CGAS improvement after 2 years, and SCOS total score predicted an added 24.1% (P < .001). A diagnosis of nonaffective psychosis, primary negative symptoms, and less white matter at baseline predicted more primary negative symptoms at follow-up. The prediction of functional outcome was not increased by genetic, oxidative stress, or neurostructural markers. Baseline clinical assessments have a better predictive value than biological assessments for 2-year follow-up functioning of children and adolescents with a first episode of psychosis. Patients with primary negative symptoms at baseline continue to have negative symptoms 2 years later, and neurostructural markers predict these. Clinicians must still rely on clinical variables to judge the functional prognosis of early-onset first psychotic episodes

Henry VIII, McLeod syndrome and Jacquetta's curse.

Science.gov (United States)

Stride, P; Lopes Floro, K

2013-01-01

The mental decline of King Henry VIII from being a jovial, charismatic and athletic young man into an increasingly paranoid, brutal tyrant in later life, ever more concerned at his lack of one or more male heirs, has attracted many medical diagnostic theories. Previous hypotheses have included diabetes, syphilis and hypothyroidism, among others. However, these inadequately explain Henry's failure to produce a male heir, despite multiple pairings. The latest postulated diagnoses for Henry are the coexistence of both Kell blood group antigenicity (possibly inherited from Jacquetta Woodville, Henry's maternal great grandmother) causing related impaired fertility, and McLeod syndrome, causing psychotic changes. As the mutated McLeod protein of the syndrome significantly reduces the expression, effectively inactivating the Kell antigen, we critically review this theory, examining in detail the pathophysiology of these conditions and assessing the genealogy of Henry VIII and its effect in subsequent generations.

Designing new guides and instruments using McStas

CERN Document Server

Farhi, E; Wildes, A R; Ghosh, R; Lefmann, K

2002-01-01

With the increasing complexity of modern neutron-scattering instruments, the need for powerful tools to optimize their geometry and physical performances (flux, resolution, divergence, etc.) has become essential. As the usual analytical methods reach their limit of validity in the description of fine effects, the use of Monte Carlo simulations, which can handle these latter, has become widespread. The McStas program was developed at Riso National Laboratory in order to provide neutron scattering instrument scientists with an efficient and flexible tool for building Monte Carlo simulations of guides, neutron optics and instruments. To date, the McStas package has been extensively used at the Institut Laue-Langevin, Grenoble, France, for various studies including cold and thermal guides with ballistic geometry, diffractometers, triple-axis, backscattering and time-of-flight spectrometers. In this paper, we present some simulation results concerning different guide geometries that may be used in the future at th...

The OpenMC Monte Carlo particle transport code

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Romano, Paul K.; Forget, Benoit

2013-01-01

Highlights: ► An open source Monte Carlo particle transport code, OpenMC, has been developed. ► Solid geometry and continuous-energy physics allow high-fidelity simulations. ► Development has focused on high performance and modern I/O techniques. ► OpenMC is capable of scaling up to hundreds of thousands of processors. ► Results on a variety of benchmark problems agree with MCNP5. -- Abstract: A new Monte Carlo code called OpenMC is currently under development at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a tool for simulation on high-performance computing platforms. Given that many legacy codes do not scale well on existing and future parallel computer architectures, OpenMC has been developed from scratch with a focus on high performance scalable algorithms as well as modern software design practices. The present work describes the methods used in the OpenMC code and demonstrates the performance and accuracy of the code on a variety of problems.

NTS MC and A History

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mary Alice Price; Kim Young

2008-01-01

Within the past three and a half years, the Nevada Test Site (NTS) has progressed from a Category IV to a Category I nuclear material facility. In accordance with direction from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary and National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) Administrator, NTS received shipments of large quantities of special nuclear material from Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) and other sites in the DOE complex. December 2004 was the first occurrence of Category I material at the NTS, with the exception of two weeks of sub-critical underground testing in 2001, since 1992. The Material Control and Accountability (MC and A) program was originally a jointlab effort by LANL, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and Bechtel Nevada, but in March 2006 the NNSA Nevada Site Office appointed the NTS Management and Operations contractor with sole responsibility. This paper will discuss the process and steps taken to transition the NTS MC and A program from multiple organizations to a single entity and from a Category IV to a Category I program. This transition flourished as MC and A progressed from the 2004 Office of Assessment (OA) rating of 'Significant Weakness' to the 2007 OA assessment rating of 'Effective Performance'. The paper will provide timelines, funding and staffing issues, OA assessment findings and corrective actions, and future expectations. The process has been challenging, but MC and A's innovative responses to the challenges have been very successful

The osmotic second virial coefficient and the Gibbs-McMillan-Mayer framework

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mollerup, J.M.; Breil, Martin Peter

2009-01-01

The osmotic second virial coefficient is a key parameter in light scattering, protein crystallisation. self-interaction chromatography, and osmometry. The interpretation of the osmotic second virial coefficient depends on the set of independent variables. This commonly includes the independent...... variables associated with the Kirkwood-Buff, the McMillan-Mayer, and the Lewis-Randall solution theories. In this paper we analyse the osmotic second virial coefficient using a Gibbs-McMillan-Mayer framework which is similar to the McMillan-Mayer framework with the exception that pressure rather than volume...... is an independent variable. A Taylor expansion is applied to the osmotic pressure of a solution where one of the solutes is a small molecule, a salt for instance, that equilibrates between the two phases. Other solutes are retained. Solvents are small molecules that equilibrate between the two phases...

First-episode schizophrenia: characterization and clinical correlates

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Robert M. Bilder

2007-11-01

Full Text Available Neuropsychological impairments are well documented in schizophrenia and are important targets of treatment. Information about the severity and pattern of deficits after treatment for the first psychotic episode and about relationships between these deficits and syndromal characteristics remains limited. Comprehensive neuropsychological assessments including 41 individual tests were given to 94 patients with first-episode schizophrenia after initial stabilization of psychosis and to a comparison group of 36 healthy volunteers. Profiles of neuropsychological deficits and the relationship of deficits to sex and handedness were examined. Correlations of neuropsychological deficit with a broad range of historical and clinical characteristics, including outcome, were explored. Patients had a large generalized neuropsychological deficit. Patients also had, superimposed on the generalized deficit, subtle relative deficits in memory and executive functions. Learning/memory dysfunction best distinguished patients from healthy individuals; after accounting for this difference, only motor deficits further distinguished the groups. Patients with higher neuropsychological ability had only memory deficits, and patients with lower ability had both memory and executive deficits. Dextral patients had less severe generalized deficit. Severity of residual symptoms was associated with greater generalized deficit. Executive and attentional deficits were most linked to global functional impairment and poor outcome. The results document a large generalized deficit, and more subtle differential deficits, in clinically stabilized first-episode patients. Learning/memory deficits were observed even in patients with less severe generalized deficit, but the pattern was unlike the amnestic syndrome and probably reflects different mechanisms. Executive and attentional deficits marked the more severe ly disabled patients, and may portend relatively poor outcome. Failure to

A GPU OpenCL based cross-platform Monte Carlo dose calculation engine (goMC)

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Zhen; Shi, Feng; Folkerts, Michael; Qin, Nan; Jiang, Steve B.; Jia, Xun

2015-09-01

Monte Carlo (MC) simulation has been recognized as the most accurate dose calculation method for radiotherapy. However, the extremely long computation time impedes its clinical application. Recently, a lot of effort has been made to realize fast MC dose calculation on graphic processing units (GPUs). However, most of the GPU-based MC dose engines have been developed under NVidia’s CUDA environment. This limits the code portability to other platforms, hindering the introduction of GPU-based MC simulations to clinical practice. The objective of this paper is to develop a GPU OpenCL based cross-platform MC dose engine named goMC with coupled photon-electron simulation for external photon and electron radiotherapy in the MeV energy range. Compared to our previously developed GPU-based MC code named gDPM (Jia et al 2012 Phys. Med. Biol. 57 7783-97), goMC has two major differences. First, it was developed under the OpenCL environment for high code portability and hence could be run not only on different GPU cards but also on CPU platforms. Second, we adopted the electron transport model used in EGSnrc MC package and PENELOPE’s random hinge method in our new dose engine, instead of the dose planning method employed in gDPM. Dose distributions were calculated for a 15 MeV electron beam and a 6 MV photon beam in a homogenous water phantom, a water-bone-lung-water slab phantom and a half-slab phantom. Satisfactory agreement between the two MC dose engines goMC and gDPM was observed in all cases. The average dose differences in the regions that received a dose higher than 10% of the maximum dose were 0.48-0.53% for the electron beam cases and 0.15-0.17% for the photon beam cases. In terms of efficiency, goMC was ~4-16% slower than gDPM when running on the same NVidia TITAN card for all the cases we tested, due to both the different electron transport models and the different development environments. The code portability of our new dose engine goMC was validated by

A GPU OpenCL based cross-platform Monte Carlo dose calculation engine (goMC).

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Zhen; Shi, Feng; Folkerts, Michael; Qin, Nan; Jiang, Steve B; Jia, Xun

2015-10-07

Monte Carlo (MC) simulation has been recognized as the most accurate dose calculation method for radiotherapy. However, the extremely long computation time impedes its clinical application. Recently, a lot of effort has been made to realize fast MC dose calculation on graphic processing units (GPUs). However, most of the GPU-based MC dose engines have been developed under NVidia's CUDA environment. This limits the code portability to other platforms, hindering the introduction of GPU-based MC simulations to clinical practice. The objective of this paper is to develop a GPU OpenCL based cross-platform MC dose engine named goMC with coupled photon-electron simulation for external photon and electron radiotherapy in the MeV energy range. Compared to our previously developed GPU-based MC code named gDPM (Jia et al 2012 Phys. Med. Biol. 57 7783-97), goMC has two major differences. First, it was developed under the OpenCL environment for high code portability and hence could be run not only on different GPU cards but also on CPU platforms. Second, we adopted the electron transport model used in EGSnrc MC package and PENELOPE's random hinge method in our new dose engine, instead of the dose planning method employed in gDPM. Dose distributions were calculated for a 15 MeV electron beam and a 6 MV photon beam in a homogenous water phantom, a water-bone-lung-water slab phantom and a half-slab phantom. Satisfactory agreement between the two MC dose engines goMC and gDPM was observed in all cases. The average dose differences in the regions that received a dose higher than 10% of the maximum dose were 0.48-0.53% for the electron beam cases and 0.15-0.17% for the photon beam cases. In terms of efficiency, goMC was ~4-16% slower than gDPM when running on the same NVidia TITAN card for all the cases we tested, due to both the different electron transport models and the different development environments. The code portability of our new dose engine goMC was validated by

A GPU OpenCL based cross-platform Monte Carlo dose calculation engine (goMC)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tian, Zhen; Shi, Feng; Folkerts, Michael; Qin, Nan; Jiang, Steve B; Jia, Xun

2015-01-01

Monte Carlo (MC) simulation has been recognized as the most accurate dose calculation method for radiotherapy. However, the extremely long computation time impedes its clinical application. Recently, a lot of effort has been made to realize fast MC dose calculation on graphic processing units (GPUs). However, most of the GPU-based MC dose engines have been developed under NVidia’s CUDA environment. This limits the code portability to other platforms, hindering the introduction of GPU-based MC simulations to clinical practice. The objective of this paper is to develop a GPU OpenCL based cross-platform MC dose engine named goMC with coupled photon–electron simulation for external photon and electron radiotherapy in the MeV energy range. Compared to our previously developed GPU-based MC code named gDPM (Jia et al 2012 Phys. Med. Biol. 57 7783–97), goMC has two major differences. First, it was developed under the OpenCL environment for high code portability and hence could be run not only on different GPU cards but also on CPU platforms. Second, we adopted the electron transport model used in EGSnrc MC package and PENELOPE’s random hinge method in our new dose engine, instead of the dose planning method employed in gDPM. Dose distributions were calculated for a 15 MeV electron beam and a 6 MV photon beam in a homogenous water phantom, a water-bone-lung-water slab phantom and a half-slab phantom. Satisfactory agreement between the two MC dose engines goMC and gDPM was observed in all cases. The average dose differences in the regions that received a dose higher than 10% of the maximum dose were 0.48–0.53% for the electron beam cases and 0.15–0.17% for the photon beam cases. In terms of efficiency, goMC was ∼4–16% slower than gDPM when running on the same NVidia TITAN card for all the cases we tested, due to both the different electron transport models and the different development environments. The code portability of our new dose engine goMC was

Evaluation of the 2010 McDonald multiple sclerosis criteria in children with a clinically isolated syndrome.

Science.gov (United States)

Kornek, Barbara; Schmitl, Beate; Vass, Karl; Zehetmayer, Sonja; Pritsch, Martin; Penzien, Johann; Karenfort, Michael; Blaschek, Astrid; Seidl, Rainer; Prayer, Daniela; Rostasy, Kevin

2012-12-01

Magnetic resonance imaging diagnostic criteria for paediatric multiple sclerosis have been established on the basis of brain imaging findings alone. The 2010 McDonald criteria for the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis, however, include spinal cord imaging for detection of lesion dissemination in space. The new criteria have been recommended in paediatric multiple sclerosis. (1) To evaluate the 2010 McDonald multiple sclerosis criteria in children with a clinically isolated syndrome and to compare them with recently proposed magnetic resonance criteria for children; (2) to assess whether the inclusion of spinal cord imaging provided additional value to the 2010 McDonald criteria. We performed a retrospective analysis of brain and spinal cord magnetic resonance imaging scans from 52 children with a clinically isolated syndrome. Sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the magnetic resonance criteria were assessed. The 2010 McDonald dissemination in space criteria were more sensitive (85% versus 74%) but less specific (80% versus 100%) compared to the 2005 McDonald criteria. The Callen criteria were more accurate (89%) compared to the 2010 McDonald (85%), the 2005 McDonald criteria for dissemination in space (81%), the KIDMUS criteria (46%) and the Canadian Pediatric Demyelinating Disease Network criteria (76%). The 2010 McDonald criteria for dissemination in time were more accurate (93%) than the dissemination in space criteria (85%). Inclusion of the spinal cord did not increase the accuracy of the McDonald criteria.

Negative symptoms in first episode non-affective psychosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Malla, Ashok K; Takhar, Jatinder J; Norman, Ross M G; Manchanda, Rahul; Cortese, Leonard; Haricharan, Raj; Verdi, Mary; Ahmed, Rashid

2002-06-01

To determine the prevalence of negative symptoms and to examine secondary sources of influence on negative symptoms and the role of specific negative symptoms in delay associated with seeking treatment in first episode non-affective psychosis. One hundred and ten patients who met Diagnostic Statistical Manual-IV (DSM-IV) criteria for a first episode of schizophrenia spectrum psychoses were rated for assessment of negative, positive, depressive and extrapyramidal symptoms, the premorbid adjustment scale and assessment of demographic and clinical characteristics including duration of untreated psychosis (DUP). Alogia/flat affect and avolition/anhedonia were strongly influenced by parkinsonian and depressive symptoms, respectively. A substantial proportion (26.8%) of patients showed at a least moderate level of negative symptoms not confounded by depression and Parkinsonism. DUP was related only to avolition/anhedonia while flat affect/alogia was related to male gender, diagnosis of schizophrenia, age of onset and the length of the prodrome. Negative symptoms that are independent of the influence of positive symptoms, depression and extra pyramidal symptoms (EPS) are present in a substantial proportion of first episode psychosis patients and delay in seeking treatment is associated mainly with avolition and anhedonia.

Episodic-like memory in the rat.

Science.gov (United States)

Babb, Stephanie J; Crystal, Jonathon D

2006-07-11

A fundamental question in comparative cognition is whether animals remember unique, personal past experiences. It has long been argued that memories for specific events (referred to as episodic memory) are unique to humans. Recently, considerable evidence has accumulated to show that food-storing birds possess critical behavioral elements of episodic memory, referred to as episodic-like memory in acknowledgment of the fact that behavioral criteria do not assess subjective experiences. Here we show that rats have a detailed representation of remembered events and meet behavioral criteria for episodic-like memory. We provided rats with access to locations baited with distinctive (e.g., grape and raspberry) or nondistinctive (regular chow) flavors. Locations with a distinctive flavor replenished after a long but not a short delay, and locations with the nondistinctive flavor never replenished. One distinctive flavor was devalued after encoding its location by prefeeding that flavor (satiation) or by pairing it with lithium chloride (acquired taste aversion), while the other distinctive flavor was not devalued. The rats selectively decreased revisits to the devalued distinctive flavor but not to the nondevalued distinctive flavor. The present studies demonstrate that rats selectively encode the content of episodic-like memories.

Neocortical connectivity during episodic memory formation.

Science.gov (United States)

Summerfield, Christopher; Greene, Matthew; Wager, Tor; Egner, Tobias; Hirsch, Joy; Mangels, Jennifer

2006-05-01

During the formation of new episodic memories, a rich array of perceptual information is bound together for long-term storage. However, the brain mechanisms by which sensory representations (such as colors, objects, or individuals) are selected for episodic encoding are currently unknown. We describe a functional magnetic resonance imaging experiment in which participants encoded the association between two classes of visual stimuli that elicit selective responses in the extrastriate visual cortex (faces and houses). Using connectivity analyses, we show that correlation in the hemodynamic signal between face- and place-sensitive voxels and the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is a reliable predictor of successful face-house binding. These data support the view that during episodic encoding, "top-down" control signals originating in the prefrontal cortex help determine which perceptual information is fated to be bound into the new episodic memory trace.

Neocortical connectivity during episodic memory formation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christopher Summerfield

2006-05-01

Full Text Available During the formation of new episodic memories, a rich array of perceptual information is bound together for long-term storage. However, the brain mechanisms by which sensory representations (such as colors, objects, or individuals are selected for episodic encoding are currently unknown. We describe a functional magnetic resonance imaging experiment in which participants encoded the association between two classes of visual stimuli that elicit selective responses in the extrastriate visual cortex (faces and houses. Using connectivity analyses, we show that correlation in the hemodynamic signal between face- and place-sensitive voxels and the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex is a reliable predictor of successful face-house binding. These data support the view that during episodic encoding, "top-down" control signals originating in the prefrontal cortex help determine which perceptual information is fated to be bound into the new episodic memory trace.

Manual del McVCO 1999

Science.gov (United States)

McChesney, P.J.

1999-01-01

El McVCO es un generador de frecuencias basado en un microcontrolador que reemplaza al oscilador controlado por voltaje (VCO) utilizado en telemetría analógica de datos sísmicas. Acepta señales de baja potencia desde un sismómetro y produce una señal subportadora modulada en frecuencia adecuada para enlaces telefónicos o vía radio a un lugar remoto de recolección de datos. La frecuencia de la subportadora y la ganancia pueden ser seleccionadas mediante un interruptor. Tiene la opción de poder operar con dos canales para la observación con ganancia alta y baja. El McVCO fue diseñado con el propósito de mejorar la telemetría analógica de las señales dentro de la Pacific Northwest Seismograph Network (PNSN) (Red Sismográfica del Noroeste del Pacífico). Su desarrollo recibió el respaldo del Programa de Geofísica de la Universidad de Washington y del "Volcano Hazards and Earthquake Hazards programs of the United States Geological Survey (USGS) (Programa de Investigaciones de Riesgos Volcánicos y Programa de Investigaciones de Riesgos Sísmicos de los EEUU). Cientos de instrumentos se han construido e instalado. Además de utilizarlo el PNSN, el McVCO es usado por el Observatorio Vulcanológico de Alaska para monitorear los volcanes aleutianos y por el USGS Volcano Disaster Assistance Program (Programa de Ayuda en las Catástrofes Volcánicas del USGS) para responder a crisis volcánicas en otros países. Este manual cubre el funcionamiento del McVCO, es una referencia técnica para aquellos que necesitan saber con más detalle cómo funciona el McVCO, y cubre una serie de temas que requieren un trato explícito o que derivan del despliegue del instrumento.

Variation in payments for spine surgery episodes of care: implications for episode-based bundled payment.

Science.gov (United States)

Kahn, Elyne N; Ellimoottil, Chandy; Dupree, James M; Park, Paul; Ryan, Andrew M

2018-05-25

OBJECTIVE Spine surgery is expensive and marked by high variation across regions and providers. Bundled payments have potential to reduce unwarranted spending associated with spine surgery. This study is a cross-sectional analysis of commercial and Medicare claims data from January 2012 through March 2015 in the state of Michigan. The objective was to quantify variation in payments for spine surgery in adult patients, document sources of variation, and determine influence of patient-level, surgeon-level, and hospital-level factors. METHODS Hierarchical regression models were used to analyze contributions of patient-level covariates and influence of individual surgeons and hospitals. The primary outcome was price-standardized 90-day episode payments. Intraclass correlation coefficients-measures of variability accounted for by each level of a hierarchical model-were used to quantify sources of spending variation. RESULTS The authors analyzed 17,436 spine surgery episodes performed by 195 surgeons at 50 hospitals. Mean price-standardized 90-day episode payments in the highest spending quintile exceeded mean payments for episodes in the lowest cost quintile by $42,953 (p accounting for patient-level covariates, the remaining hospital-level and surgeon-level effects accounted for 2.0% (95% CI 1.1%-3.8%) and 4.0% (95% CI 2.9%-5.6%) of total variation, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Significant variation exists in total episode payments for spine surgery, driven mostly by variation in post-discharge and facility payments. Hospital and surgeon effects account for relatively little of the observed variation.

Rats Remember Items in Context Using Episodic Memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Panoz-Brown, Danielle; Corbin, Hannah E; Dalecki, Stefan J; Gentry, Meredith; Brotheridge, Sydney; Sluka, Christina M; Wu, Jie-En; Crystal, Jonathon D

2016-10-24

Vivid episodic memories in people have been characterized as the replay of unique events in sequential order [1-3]. Animal models of episodic memory have successfully documented episodic memory of a single event (e.g., [4-8]). However, a fundamental feature of episodic memory in people is that it involves multiple events, and notably, episodic memory impairments in human diseases are not limited to a single event. Critically, it is not known whether animals remember many unique events using episodic memory. Here, we show that rats remember many unique events and the contexts in which the events occurred using episodic memory. We used an olfactory memory assessment in which new (but not old) odors were rewarded using 32 items. Rats were presented with 16 odors in one context and the same odors in a second context. To attain high accuracy, the rats needed to remember item in context because each odor was rewarded as a new item in each context. The demands on item-in-context memory were varied by assessing memory with 2, 3, 5, or 15 unpredictable transitions between contexts, and item-in-context memory survived a 45 min retention interval challenge. When the memory of item in context was put in conflict with non-episodic familiarity cues, rats relied on item in context using episodic memory. Our findings suggest that rats remember multiple unique events and the contexts in which these events occurred using episodic memory and support the view that rats may be used to model fundamental aspects of human cognition. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Improving MC and A Oversight in Russia by Implementing Measurement and Training Programs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bokov, Dmitry; Byers, Kenneth R.

2004-01-01

As the Russian State regulatory agency responsible for oversight of nuclear material control and accounting (MC and A), Gosatomnadzor of Russia (GAN) determines the status of the MC and A programs at Russian facilities. Last year, GAN developed and implemented their Nuclear Material Measurement Program Plan which documents current non-destructive assay (NDA) measurement capability in all regions of GAN; provides justification for upgrades to equipment, procedures and training; and defines the inspector-facility operator interface as it relates to NDA measurement equipment use. This Program Plan has helped to give the GAN inspection measurements more legal and official status as an oversight tool, and has also helped to improve other GAN MC and A oversight activities. These improvements include developing a tamper-indicating device program, conducting NDA workshops at specific Russian nuclear facilities to better train MC and A inspectors, and developing training evaluation programs. The Program is an important tool to address the GAN role in oversight of the Russian Federal Information System nuclear material database. This paper describes the feedback received from the GAN regional offices on the implementation of the Program Plan during its first year in operation and how the Program Plan has affected other GAN inspection activities to improve MC and A oversight.

Severity of depressive episodes according to ICD-10

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kessing, Lars Vedel

2004-01-01

BACKGROUND: The ICD-10 categorisation of severity of depression into mild, moderate and severe depressive episodes has not been validated. AIMS: To validate the ICD-10 categorisation of severity of depression by estimating its predictive ability on the course of illness and suicidal outcome. METHOD......: All psychiatric in-patients in Denmark who had received a diagnosis of a single depressive episode at their first discharge between 1994 and 1999 were identified. The risk of relapse and the risk of suicide were compared for patients discharged with an ICD-10 diagnosis of a single mild, moderate...... or severe depressive episode. RESULTS: At their first discharge, 1103 patients had an ICD-10 diagnosis of mild depressive episode, 3182 had a diagnosis of moderate depressive episode and 2914 had a diagnosis of severe depressive episode. The risk of relapse and the risk of suicide were significantly...

Muscles and their role in episodic tension-type headache: implications for treatment.

Science.gov (United States)

Bendtsen, L; Ashina, S; Moore, A; Steiner, T J

2016-02-01

Tension-type headache (TTH) imposes a heavy burden on the global population but remains incompletely understood and poorly managed. Here, we review current knowledge of peripheral factors involved in the mechanism of TTH and make recommendations for the treatment of episodic TTH based on these. Peripheral activation or sensitization of myofascial nociceptors is most probably involved in the development of muscle pain and the acute episode of TTH. Repetitive episodes of muscle pain may sensitize the central nervous system resulting in progression of TTH to the chronic form. Thus, muscular factors may be responsible not only for the acute headache episode but also for chronification of the disorder. Simple analgesics and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are the mainstays of management of individual headache episodes. Ibuprofen 400 mg and aspirin 1000 mg are recommended as drugs of first choice based on treatment effect, safety profile and costs. Non-pharmacological therapies include electromyographic biofeedback, physiotherapy and muscle relaxation therapy. Future studies should aim to identify the triggers of peripheral nociception and how to avoid peripheral and central sensitization. There is a need for more effective, faster acting drugs for acute TTH. Muscular factors play an important role in episodic TTH. Ibuprofen 400 mg and aspirin 1000 mg are recommended as drugs of first choice. © 2015 European Pain Federation - EFIC®

Converting the Key Lake mill process for McArthur River ore

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rodgers, C. [McArthur River Operation, Cameco Corporation, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan (Canada)

2000-07-01

The Key Lake mill was commissioned in 1983 to process the two Key Lake ore deposits. With the depletion of these ore bodies in 1999, the plant was converted to mill the exceptionally rich McArthur River deposit located seventy eight kilometers northeast of the Key Lake mine site. This paper describes in detail the Key Lake milling process. The mill consists of a grinding circuit, a leach/counter current decantation circuit, a solvent extraction circuit, a yellowcake precipitation/calciner circuit, an ammonium sulphate crystallization circuit, and a waste treatment circuit. The paper also describes process changes to handle McArthur River ore, including the ore receiving station. (author)

A Role for the Left Angular Gyrus in Episodic Simulation and Memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Thakral, Preston P; Madore, Kevin P; Schacter, Daniel L

2017-08-23

Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies indicate that episodic simulation (i.e., imagining specific future experiences) and episodic memory (i.e., remembering specific past experiences) are associated with enhanced activity in a common set of neural regions referred to as the core network. This network comprises the hippocampus, medial prefrontal cortex, and left angular gyrus, among other regions. Because fMRI data are correlational, it is unknown whether activity increases in core network regions are critical for episodic simulation and episodic memory. In the current study, we used MRI-guided transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) to assess whether temporary disruption of the left angular gyrus would impair both episodic simulation and memory (16 participants, 10 females). Relative to TMS to a control site (vertex), disruption of the left angular gyrus significantly reduced the number of internal (i.e., episodic) details produced during the simulation and memory tasks, with a concomitant increase in external detail production (i.e., semantic, repetitive, or off-topic information), reflected by a significant detail by TMS site interaction. Difficulty in the simulation and memory tasks also increased after TMS to the left angular gyrus relative to the vertex. In contrast, performance in a nonepisodic control task did not differ statistically as a function of TMS site (i.e., number of free associates produced or difficulty in performing the free associate task). Together, these results are the first to demonstrate that the left angular gyrus is critical for both episodic simulation and episodic memory. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Humans have the ability to imagine future episodes (i.e., episodic simulation) and remember episodes from the past (i.e., episodic memory). A wealth of neuroimaging studies have revealed that these abilities are associated with enhanced activity in a core network of neural regions, including the hippocampus, medial prefrontal

On the Development of Episodic Memory: Two Basic Questions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dahl, Jonna Jelsbak; Sonne, Trine; Kingo, Osman Skjold

2013-01-01

In this focused review we present and discuss two basic questions related to the early development of episodic memory in children: (1) “What is an episode?”, and (2) “How do preverbal children recall a specific episode of a recurring event?” First, a brief introduction to episodic memory...... is outlined. We argue in favor of employing a definition of episodic memory allowing us to investigate the development of episodic memory by purely behavioral measures. Second, research related to each of the two questions are presented and discussed, at first separately, and subsequently together. We argue...... and attempt to demonstrate, that pursuing answers to both questions is of crucial importance – both conceptually and methodologically - if we are ever to understand the early development of episodic memory. ...

Early detection strategies for untreated first-episode psychosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Johannessen, Jan Olav; McGlashan, T H; Larsen, Tor Ketil

2001-01-01

-year inclusion period (1997-2000) are described. It includes targeted information towards the general public, health professionals and schools, and ED teams to recruit appropriate patients into treatment as soon as possible. This plus easy access to psychiatric services via ED teams systematically changed......Some studies in first-episode schizophrenia correlate shorter duration of untreated psychosis (DUP) with better prognosis, suggesting that timing of treatment may be important. A three-site prospective clinical trial in Norway and Denmark is underway to investigate the effect of the timing......-episode cases. The study ultimately will compare early detected with usual detected patients. This paper describes the study's major independent intervention variable, i.e. a comprehensive education and detection system to change DUP in first onset psychosis. System variables and first results from the four...

Differential effects of antipsychotic drugs on insight in first episode schizophrenia: Data from the European First-Episode Schizophrenia Trial (EUFEST).

Science.gov (United States)

Pijnenborg, G H M; Timmerman, M E; Derks, E M; Fleischhacker, W W; Kahn, R S; Aleman, A

2015-06-01

Although antipsychotics are widely prescribed, their effect of on improving poor illness insight in schizophrenia has seldom been investigated and therefore remains uncertain. This paper examines the effects of low dose haloperidol, amisulpride, olanzapine, quetiapine, and ziprasidone on insight in first-episode schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, or schizophreniform disorder. The effects of five antipsychotic drugs in first episode psychosis on insight were compared in a large scale open randomized controlled trial conducted in 14 European countries: the European First-Episode Schizophrenia Trial (EUFEST). Patients with at least minimal impairments in insight were included in the present study (n=455). Insight was assessed with item G12 of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), administered at baseline and at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after randomization. The use of antipsychotics was associated with clear improvements in insight over and above improvements in other symptoms. This effect was most pronounced in the first three months of treatment, with quetiapine being significantly less effective than other drugs. Effects of spontaneous improvement cannot be ruled out due to the lack of a placebo control group, although such a large spontaneous improvement of insight would seem unlikely. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. and ECNP. All rights reserved.

Cellular dynamical mechanisms for encoding the time and place of events along spatiotemporal trajectories in episodic memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Hasselmo, Michael E; Giocomo, Lisa M; Brandon, Mark P; Yoshida, Motoharu

2010-12-31

Understanding the mechanisms of episodic memory requires linking behavioral data and lesion effects to data on the dynamics of cellular membrane potentials and population interactions within brain regions. Linking behavior to specific membrane channels and neurochemicals has implications for therapeutic applications. Lesions of the hippocampus, entorhinal cortex and subcortical nuclei impair episodic memory function in humans and animals, and unit recording data from these regions in behaving animals indicate episodic memory processes. Intracellular recording in these regions demonstrates specific cellular properties including resonance, membrane potential oscillations and bistable persistent spiking that could underlie the encoding and retrieval of episodic trajectories. A model presented here shows how intrinsic dynamical properties of neurons could mediate the encoding of episodic memories as complex spatiotemporal trajectories. The dynamics of neurons allow encoding and retrieval of unique episodic trajectories in multiple continuous dimensions including temporal intervals, personal location, the spatial coordinates and sensory features of perceived objects and generated actions, and associations between these elements. The model also addresses how cellular dynamics could underlie unit firing data suggesting mechanisms for coding continuous dimensions of space, time, sensation and action. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Interaction between Semantic Representation and Episodic Memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Fang, Jing; Rüther, Naima; Bellebaum, Christian; Wiskott, Laurenz; Cheng, Sen

2018-02-01

The experimental evidence on the interrelation between episodic memory and semantic memory is inconclusive. Are they independent systems, different aspects of a single system, or separate but strongly interacting systems? Here, we propose a computational role for the interaction between the semantic and episodic systems that might help resolve this debate. We hypothesize that episodic memories are represented as sequences of activation patterns. These patterns are the output of a semantic representational network that compresses the high-dimensional sensory input. We show quantitatively that the accuracy of episodic memory crucially depends on the quality of the semantic representation. We compare two types of semantic representations: appropriate representations, which means that the representation is used to store input sequences that are of the same type as those that it was trained on, and inappropriate representations, which means that stored inputs differ from the training data. Retrieval accuracy is higher for appropriate representations because the encoded sequences are less divergent than those encoded with inappropriate representations. Consistent with our model prediction, we found that human subjects remember some aspects of episodes significantly more accurately if they had previously been familiarized with the objects occurring in the episode, as compared to episodes involving unfamiliar objects. We thus conclude that the interaction with the semantic system plays an important role for episodic memory.

Fast Food McDonald's China Fix

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

DAVID HENDRICKSON

2006-01-01

@@ Since the opening of its first outlet 16 years ago, McDonald's China operation has on many levels proven enormously successful.Home to more than 750 locations nationwide, the Middle Kingdom today ranks as one of McDonald's ten largest markets,with returns hovering in doubles digits and raking in billions annually. As lucrative as it may be, however, China has nonetheless developed into a relative sore spot for the world's leading fast food giant.

First Episode Psychosis

Science.gov (United States)

... About Psychosis Treatment Share Fact Sheet: First Episode Psychosis Download PDF Download ePub Order a free hardcopy En Español Facts About Psychosis The word psychosis is used to describe conditions ...

First vapor explosion calculations performed with MC3D thermal-hydraulic code

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brayer, C.; Berthoud, G. [CEA Centre d`Etudes de Grenoble, 38 (France). Direction des Reacteurs Nucleaires

1998-01-01

This paper presents the first calculations performed with the `explosion` module of the multiphase computer code MC3D, which is devoted to the fine fragmentation and explosion phase of a fuel coolant interaction. A complete description of the physical laws included in this module is given. The fragmentation models, taking into account two fragmentation mechanisms, a thermal one and an hydrodynamic one, are also developed here. Results to some calculations to test the numerical behavior of MC3D and to test the explosion models in 1D or 2D are also presented. (author)

Inhibition of serotonin transport by (+)McN5652 is noncompetitive

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hummerich, Rene [Biochemical Laboratory, Central Institute of Mental Health, 68159 Mannheim (Germany); Schulze, Oliver [Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, D-20246 Hamburg (Germany); Raedler, Thomas [Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, D-20246 Hamburg (Germany); Mikecz, Pal [Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, D-20246 Hamburg (Germany); Reimold, Matthias [Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Tuebingen, D-72076 Tuebingen (Germany); Brenner, Winfried [Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, D-20246 Hamburg (Germany); Clausen, Malte [Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, D-20246 Hamburg (Germany); Schloss, Patrick [Biochemical Laboratory, Central Institute of Mental Health, 68159 Mannheim (Germany); Buchert, Ralph [Department of Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, D-20246 Hamburg (Germany)]. E-mail: buchert@uke.uni-hamburg.de

2006-04-15

Introduction: Imaging of the serotonergic innervation of the brain using positron emission tomography (PET) with the serotonin transporter (SERT) ligand [{sup 11C}] (+)McN5652 might be affected by serotonin in the synaptic cleft if there is relevant interaction between [{sup 11}C] (+)McN5652 and serotonin at the SERT. The aim of the present study therefore was to pharmacologically characterize the interaction of [{sup 11}C] (+)McN5652 and serotonin at the SERT. Methods: In vitro saturation analyses of [{sup 3}H]serotonin uptake into HEK293 cells stably expressing the human SERT were performed in the absence and presence of unlabelled (+)McN5652. Data were evaluated assuming Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Results: Unlabelled (+)McN5652 significantly reduced the maximal rate of serotonin transport V {sub max} of SERT without affecting the Michaelis-Menten constant K {sub M}. Conclusions: This finding indicates that (+)McN5652 inhibits serotonin transport through the SERT in a noncompetitive manner. This might suggest that [{sup 11}C] (+)McN5652 PET is not significantly affected by endogenous serotonin.

Inhibition of serotonin transport by (+)McN5652 is noncompetitive

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hummerich, Rene; Schulze, Oliver; Raedler, Thomas; Mikecz, Pal; Reimold, Matthias; Brenner, Winfried; Clausen, Malte; Schloss, Patrick; Buchert, Ralph

2006-01-01

Introduction: Imaging of the serotonergic innervation of the brain using positron emission tomography (PET) with the serotonin transporter (SERT) ligand [ 11C ] (+)McN5652 might be affected by serotonin in the synaptic cleft if there is relevant interaction between [ 11 C] (+)McN5652 and serotonin at the SERT. The aim of the present study therefore was to pharmacologically characterize the interaction of [ 11 C] (+)McN5652 and serotonin at the SERT. Methods: In vitro saturation analyses of [ 3 H]serotonin uptake into HEK293 cells stably expressing the human SERT were performed in the absence and presence of unlabelled (+)McN5652. Data were evaluated assuming Michaelis-Menten kinetics. Results: Unlabelled (+)McN5652 significantly reduced the maximal rate of serotonin transport V max of SERT without affecting the Michaelis-Menten constant K M . Conclusions: This finding indicates that (+)McN5652 inhibits serotonin transport through the SERT in a noncompetitive manner. This might suggest that [ 11 C] (+)McN5652 PET is not significantly affected by endogenous serotonin

Rutherford Memorial Lecture, 1977. Some episodes of the α-particle story, 1903-1977

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feather, N.

1977-01-01

In this lecture an episodic account of more than seventy years experimental and theoretical α -particle physics is given, largely centred on the work of Rutherford and his colleagues but also including recent advances in the subject. Amongst the episodes included are, the birth of α- radiation in the winter of 1902 -3 when α - radiation finally assumed the character of a stream of 'charged bodies projected with a great velocity', work on measuring the α - particle charge, the discovery of the nucleus, scattering experiments, work on long-range α - Particles, and lastly α - particles in fission. (U.K.)

Functional connectivity pattern during rest within the episodic memory network in association with episodic memory performance in bipolar disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Oertel-Knöchel, Viola; Reinke, Britta; Matura, Silke; Prvulovic, David; Linden, David E J; van de Ven, Vincent

2015-02-28

In this study, we sought to examine the intrinsic functional organization of the episodic memory network during rest in bipolar disorder (BD). The previous work suggests that deficits in intrinsic functional connectivity may account for impaired memory performance. We hypothesized that regions involved in episodic memory processing would reveal aberrant functional connectivity in patients with bipolar disorder. We examined 21 patients with BD and 21 healthy matched controls who underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during a resting condition. We did a seed-based functional connectivity analysis (SBA), using the regions of the episodic memory network that showed a significantly different activation pattern during task-related fMRI as seeds. The functional connectivity scores (FC) were further correlated with episodic memory task performance. Our results revealed decreased FC scores within frontal areas and between frontal and temporal/hippocampal/limbic regions in BD patients in comparison with controls. We observed higher FC in BD patients compared with controls between frontal and limbic regions. The decrease in fronto-frontal functional connectivity in BD patients showed a significant positive association with episodic memory performance. The association between task-independent dysfunctional frontal-limbic FC and episodic memory performance may be relevant for current pathophysiological models of the disease. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Reduction in Delay Discounting by Using Episodic Future Imagination and the Association with Episodic Memory Capacity.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Xiaochen; Kleinschmidt, Helena; Martin, Jason A; Han, Ying; Thelen, Manuela; Meiberth, Dix; Jessen, Frank; Weber, Bernd

2016-01-01

Delay discounting (DD) refers to the phenomenon that individuals discount future consequences. Previous studies showed that future imagination reduces DD, which was mediated by functional connectivity between medial prefrontal valuation areas and a key region for episodic memory (hippocampus). Future imagination involves an initial period of construction and a later period of elaboration, with the more elaborative latter period recruiting more cortical regions. This study examined whether elaborative future imagination modulated DD, and if so, what are the underlying neural substrates. It was assumed that cortical areas contribute to the modulation effect during the later period of imagination. Since future imagination is supported by episodic memory capacity, we additionally hypothesize that the neural network underlying the modulation effect is related to individual episodic memory capacity. Twenty-two subjects received an extensive interview on personal future events, followed by an fMRI DD experiment with and without the need to perform elaborative future imagination simultaneously. Subjects' episodic memory capacity was also assessed. Behavioral results replicate previous findings of a reduced discount rate in the DD plus imagination condition compared to the DD only condition. The behavioral effect positively correlated with: (i) subjective value signal changes in midline brain structures during the initial imagination period; and (ii) signal changes in left prefrontoparietal areas during the later imagination period. Generalized psychophysiological interaction (gPPI) analyses reveal positive correlations between the behavioral effect and functional connectivity among the following areas: right anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and left hippocampus; left inferior parietal cortex (IPC) and left hippocampus; and left IPC and bilateral occipital cortices. These changes in functional connectivity are also associated with episodic memory capacity. A hierarchical

Official portrait of Astronaut Ronald E. McNair

Science.gov (United States)

1985-01-01

Official portrait of Astronaut Ronald E. McNair. McNair is in the blue shuttle flight suit, standing in front of a table which holds a model of the Space Shuttle. An American flag is visible behind him.

Apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 and episodic memory decline in Alzheimer's disease: A review.

Science.gov (United States)

El Haj, Mohamad; Antoine, Pascal; Amouyel, Philippe; Lambert, Jean-Charles; Pasquier, Florence; Kapogiannis, Dimitrios

2016-05-01

A growing body of research has examined the relationship between episodic memory decline, the cognitive hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD), and the presence of Apolipoprotein E ε4 (APOE ε4) allele, a major genetic risk factor for the disease. Our review attempts to summarize and critically evaluate this literature. We performed a systematic search for studies assessing episodic memory in AD patients who were genotyped for APOE ε4 and identified fourteen papers. Although most of these papers reported significant relationships between APOE ε4 and episodic memory decline in AD, some papers did not confirm this relationship. Our review links this controversy to the conflicting literature about the effects of APOE ε4 on general cognitive functioning in AD. We identify several shortcoming and limitations of the research on the relationship between APOE ε4 and episodic memory in AD, such as small sample sizes, non-representative populations, lack of comparison of early-onset vs. late-onset disease, and lack of comparison among different genotypes that include APOE ε4 (i.e., zero, one, or two ε4 alleles). Another major shortcoming of the reviewed literature was the lack of comprehensive evaluation of episodic memory decline, since episodic memory was solely evaluated with regard to encoding and retrieval, omitting evaluation of core episodic features that decline in AD, such as context recall (e.g., how, where, and when an episodic event has occurred) and subjective experience of remembering (e.g., reliving, emotion and feeling during episodic recollection). Future research taking these limitations into consideration could illuminate the nature of the relationship between APOE ε4 and episodic memory decline in AD. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Epilepsy and McArdle Disease in A Child

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Faruk incecik

2015-03-01

Full Text Available McArdle's disease, defined by the lack of functional glycogen phosphorylase in striated muscle, is inherited as an autosomal recessive trait. Patients typically suffer from reduced exercise tolerance, with muscle cramps and pain provoked by exercise, along with easy fatigability and weakness after exercise. Following prolonged exertion, contractures, rhabdomyolysis, and myoglobinuria may occur. Central nervous system symptoms have rarely been reported in McArdle disease. In this case report, a 13-year-old boy with epilepsy and McArdle's disease is presented. [Cukurova Med J 2015; 40(Suppl 1: 5-7

Incomplete McCune-Albright Syndrome: A Case Report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nagehan Aslan

2014-08-01

Full Text Available Fibrous dysplasia of bone is a genetic, non-inheritable disease that can cause bone pain, bone deformities and fracture. It has a large clinic spectrum from benign monostotic fibrous dysplasia to McCune-Albright syndrome. Rare McCune-Albright syndrome is characterized by precocious puberty, cafe au lait spots and fibrous dysplasia. Herein we presented a case who was preferred to hospital with pathological fractures and diagnosed with Incomplet McCune Albright syndrome because of the lack of endocrine hyperfunction and developed early puberty at clinical course.

McJobs and Pieces of Flair: Linking McDonaldization to Alienating Work

Science.gov (United States)

Treiber, Linda Ann

2013-01-01

This article offers strategies for teaching about rationality, bureaucracy, and social change using George Ritzer's "The McDonaldization of Society" and its ideas about efficiency, predictability, calculability, and control. Student learning is facilitated using a series of strategies: making the familiar strange, explaining…

Recall from Semantic and Episodic Memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Gillund, Gary; Perlmutter, Marion

Although research in episodic recall memory, comparing younger and older adults, favors the younger adults, findings in semantic memory research are less consistent. To examine age differences in semantic and episodic memory recall, 72 young adults (mean age, 20.8) and 72 older adults (mean age 71) completed three memory tests under varied…

Melanocortin MC(4) receptor-mediated feeding and grooming in rodents.

Science.gov (United States)

Mul, Joram D; Spruijt, Berry M; Brakkee, Jan H; Adan, Roger A H

2013-11-05

Decades ago it was recognized that the pharmacological profile of melanocortin ligands that stimulated grooming behavior in rats was strikingly similar to that of Xenopus laevis melanophore pigment dispersion. After cloning of the melanocortin MC1 receptor, expressed in melanocytes, and the melanocortin MC4 receptor, expressed mainly in brain, the pharmacological profiles of these receptors appeared to be very similar and it was demonstrated that these receptors mediate melanocortin-induced pigmentation and grooming respectively. Grooming is a low priority behavior that is concerned with care of body surface. Activation of central melanocortin MC4 receptors is also associated with meal termination, and continued postprandial stimulation of melanocortin MC4 receptors may stimulate natural postprandial grooming behavior as part of the behavioral satiety sequence. Indeed, melanocortins fail to suppress food intake or induce grooming behavior in melanocortin MC4 receptor-deficient rats. This review will focus on how melanocortins affect grooming behavior through the melanocortin MC4 receptor, and how melanocortin MC4 receptors mediate feeding behavior. This review also illustrates how melanocortins were the most likely candidates to mediate grooming and feeding based on the natural behaviors they induced. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Towards a functional organization of episodic memory in the medial temporal lobe.

Science.gov (United States)

Eichenbaum, Howard; Sauvage, Magdalena; Fortin, Norbert; Komorowski, Robert; Lipton, Paul

2012-08-01

Here we describe a model of medial temporal lobe organization in which parallel "what" and "where" processing streams converge within the hippocampus to represent events in the spatio-temporal context in which they occurred; this circuitry also mediates the retrieval of context from event cues and vice versa, which are prototypes of episodic recall. Evidence from studies in animals are reviewed in support of this model, including experiments that distinguish characteristics of episodic recollection from familiarity, neuropsychological and recording studies that have identified a key role for the hippocampus in recollection and in associating events with the context in which they occurred, and distinct roles for parahippocampal region areas in separate "what" and "where" information processing that contributes to recollective and episodic memory. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The use of source memory to identify one's own episodic confusion errors.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, S M; Tindell, D R; Pierce, B H; Gilliland, T R; Gerkens, D R

2001-03-01

In 4 category cued recall experiments, participants falsely recalled nonlist common members, a semantic confusion error. Errors were more likely if critical nonlist words were presented on an incidental task, causing source memory failures called episodic confusion errors. Participants could better identify the source of falsely recalled words if they had deeply processed the words on the incidental task. For deep but not shallow processing, participants could reliably include or exclude incidentally shown category members in recall. The illusion that critical items actually appeared on categorized lists was diminished but not eradicated when participants identified episodic confusion errors post hoc among their own recalled responses; participants often believed that critical items had been on both the incidental task and the study list. Improved source monitoring can potentially mitigate episodic (but not semantic) confusion errors.

The effects of age, glucose ingestion and gluco-regulatory control on episodic memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Riby, Leigh Martin; Meikle, Andrew; Glover, Cheryl

2004-09-01

Previous research has been inconclusive regarding the impact of glucose ingestion and gluco-regulatory control on cognitive performance in healthy older adults. The aim of this research was to determine whether glucose specifically enhanced episodic memory in an older population. In addition, the link between individual differences in glucose regulation and the magnitude of the enhancement effect was examined. A within subjects, counterbalanced, crossover design was used with 20 participants (60-80 year olds), each serving as his/her control. Episodic memory was tested by presenting unrelated paired associates followed by immediate and delayed cued recall, and delayed recognition, under single and dual task conditions. In addition, a battery of cognitive tests was administered, including tests of semantic memory, working memory and speed of processing. Glucose ingestion was found to largely facilitate performance of episodic memory. Furthermore, subsidiary analyses found that gluco-regulatory efficiency predicted episodic memory performance in both control and glucose conditions. A boost in performance after glucose ingestion was particularly seen in the episodic memory domain. Notably, strong evidence was provided for the utility of gluco-regulatory control measures as indicators of cognitive decline in the elderly.

Interventions for men and women with their first episode of genital herpes.

Science.gov (United States)

Heslop, Rachel; Roberts, Helen; Flower, Deralie; Jordan, Vanessa

2016-08-30

Genital herpes is incurable, and is caused by the herpes simplex virus (HSV). First-episode genital herpes is the first clinical presentation of herpes that a person experiences. Current treatment is based around viral suppression in order to decrease the length and severity of the episode. To determine the effectiveness and safety of the different existing treatments for first-episode genital herpes on the duration of symptoms and time to recurrence. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (from inception to April 2016), MEDLINE (from inception to April 2016), the Specialised Register of the Cochrane Sexually Transmitted Infections Review Group (from inception to April 2016), EMBASE (from inception to April 2016), PsycINFO (from inception to April 2016), CINAHL (from inception to April 2016), LILACS (from inception to April 2016), AMED (from inception to April 2016), and the Alternative Medicines Specialised Register (from inception to April 2016). We handsearched a number of relevant journals, searched reference lists of all included studies, databases of ongoing trials, and other Internet databases. We included randomised controlled trials (RCTs) on participants with first-episode genital herpes. We excluded vaccination trials, and trials in which the primary objective assessed a complication of HSV infection. All studies written in English were independently assessed by at least two review authors for inclusion, risk of bias for each trial, and to extract data. Studies requiring translation were assessed for inclusion, trial quality, and data extraction by external translators. We included 26 trials with 2084 participants analysed. Most of the studies were conducted in the United Kingdom (UK) and United States (US), and involved men and women experiencing their first episode of genital herpes, with the exception of three studies which included only women. We rated the majority of these studies as having an unclear risk of bias

Improving queuing service at McDonald's

Science.gov (United States)

Koh, Hock Lye; Teh, Su Yean; Wong, Chin Keat; Lim, Hooi Kie; Migin, Melissa W.

2014-07-01

Fast food restaurants are popular among price-sensitive youths and working adults who value the conducive environment and convenient services. McDonald's chains of restaurants promote their sales during lunch hours by offering package meals which are perceived to be inexpensive. These promotional lunch meals attract good response, resulting in occasional long queues and inconvenient waiting times. A study is conducted to monitor the distribution of waiting time, queue length, customer arrival and departure patterns at a McDonald's restaurant located in Kuala Lumpur. A customer survey is conducted to gauge customers' satisfaction regarding waiting time and queue length. An android app named Que is developed to perform onsite queuing analysis and report key performance indices. The queuing theory in Que is based upon the concept of Poisson distribution. In this paper, Que is utilized to perform queuing analysis at this McDonald's restaurant with the aim of improving customer service, with particular reference to reducing queuing time and shortening queue length. Some results will be presented.

Pathway for inpatients with depressive episode in Flemish psychiatric hospitals: a qualitative study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Simoens Steven R

2009-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Within the context of a biopsychosocial model of the treatment of depressive episodes, a multidisciplinary approach is needed. Clinical pathways have been developed and implemented in hospitals to support multidisciplinary teamwork. The aim of this study is to explore current practice for the treatment of depressive episodes in Flemish psychiatric hospitals. Current practice in different hospitals is studied to get an idea of the similarities (outlined as a pathway and the differences in the treatment of depressive episodes. Methods A convenience sample of 11 Flemish psychiatric hospitals participated in this qualitative study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with different types of health care professionals (n = 43. The websites of the hospitals were searched for information on their approach to treating depressive episodes. Results A flow chart was made including the identified stages of the pathway: pre-admission, admission (observation and treatment, discharge and follow-up care. The characteristics of each stage are described. Although the stages are identified in all hospitals, differences between hospitals on various levels of the pathway exist. Hospitals emphasized the individual approach of each patient. The results point to a biopsychosocial approach to treating depressive episodes. Conclusion This study outlined current practice as a pathway for Flemish inpatients with depressive episodes. Within the context of surveillance of quality and quantity of care, this study may encourage hospitals to consider developing clinical pathways.

Family Intervention in First-Episode Psychosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Anvar Sadath

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Family interventions have produced benefits on clinical and family outcomes in long standing psychosis. However, little is known about the efficacy of such interventions in the early stages of psychosis. This article reviews published research over the last two decades on family intervention in first-episode psychosis. Electronic databases, such as PubMed, PsycINFO, and ScienceDirect, have been systematically searched. In addition, an exhaustive Internet search was also carried out using Google and Google Scholar to identify the potential studies that evaluated family interventions in first-episode psychosis. We have identified seven reports of five randomized controlled trials (RCTs and five non-randomized and uncontrolled studies of family intervention. Our review on 12 reports of family intervention studies has shown mixed effects on outcomes in first-episode psychosis. Most of the reports showed no added benefits or very short-term benefits on primary clinical or family outcome variables. There is a dearth of family intervention studies in first-episode psychosis. More RCTs are needed to reach reliable conclusions.

Episodic memory and episodic future thinking impairments in high-functioning autism spectrum disorder: an underlying difficulty with scene construction or self-projection?

Science.gov (United States)

Lind, Sophie E; Williams, David M; Bowler, Dermot M; Peel, Anna

2014-01-01

There appears to be a common network of brain regions that underlie the ability to recall past personal experiences (episodic memory) and the ability to imagine possible future personal experiences (episodic future thinking). At the cognitive level, these abilities are thought to rely on "scene construction" (the ability to bind together multimodal elements of a scene in mind--dependent on hippocampal functioning) and temporal "self-projection" (the ability to mentally project oneself through time--dependent on prefrontal cortex functioning). Although autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is characterized by diminished episodic memory, it is unclear whether episodic future thinking is correspondingly impaired. Moreover, the underlying basis of such impairments (difficulties with scene construction, self-projection, or both) is yet to be established. The current study therefore aimed to elucidate these issues. Twenty-seven intellectually high-functioning adults with ASD and 29 age- and IQ-matched neurotypical comparison adults were asked to describe (a) imagined atemporal, non-self-relevant fictitious scenes (assessing scene construction), (b) imagined plausible self-relevant future episodes (assessing episodic future thinking), and (c) recalled personally experienced past episodes (assessing episodic memory). Tests of narrative ability and theory of mind were also completed. Performances of participants with ASD were significantly and equally diminished in each condition and, crucially, this diminution was independent of general narrative ability. Given that participants with ASD were impaired in the fictitious scene condition, which does not involve self-projection, we suggest the underlying difficulty with episodic memory/future thinking is one of scene construction.

Ibuprofen for acute treatment of episodic tension-type headache in adults

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Derry, Sheena; Wiffen, Philip J; Moore, R Andrew

2015-01-01

2015. We sought unpublished studies by asking personal contacts and searching on-line clinical trial registers and manufacturers' websites. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomised, placebo-controlled studies (parallel-group or cross-over) using oral ibuprofen for symptomatic relief of an acute...... episode of TTH. Studies had to be prospective and include at least 10 participants per treatment arm. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two review authors independently assessed studies for inclusion, and extracted data. Numbers of participants achieving each outcome were used to calculate risk ratio (RR...... studies, all of which enrolled adult participants with frequent episodic TTH. Nine used the IHS diagnostic criteria, but two used the older classification of the Ad Hoc Committee, and one did not describe diagnostic criteria but excluded participants with migraines. While 3094 people with TTH participated...

The Travails of Criticality: Understanding Peter McLaren's Revolutionary Vocation. An Article Review of Peter McLaren, "Pedagogy of Insurrection" (New York: Peter Lang, 2015)

Science.gov (United States)

Baldacchino, John

2017-01-01

This is an article review of Peter McLaren's "Pedagogy of Insurrection" (New York: Peter Lang, 2015). While it seeks to position McLaren's work within the context of critical pedagogy, this paper also assesses McLaren from the wider discussion of Marxist--Hegelian discourse as it evolved within the Left. Engaging with McLaren critically,…

Entorhinal Tau Pathology, Episodic Memory Decline, and Neurodegeneration in Aging.

Science.gov (United States)

Maass, Anne; Lockhart, Samuel N; Harrison, Theresa M; Bell, Rachel K; Mellinger, Taylor; Swinnerton, Kaitlin; Baker, Suzanne L; Rabinovici, Gil D; Jagust, William J

2018-01-17

The medial temporal lobe (MTL) is an early site of tau accumulation and MTL dysfunction may underlie episodic-memory decline in aging and dementia. Postmortem data indicate that tau pathology in the transentorhinal cortex is common by age 60, whereas spread to neocortical regions and worsening of cognition is associated with β-amyloid (Aβ). We used [ 18 F]AV-1451 and [ 11 C]PiB positron emission tomography, structural MRI, and neuropsychological assessment to investigate how in vivo tau accumulation in temporal lobe regions, Aβ, and MTL atrophy contribute to episodic memory in cognitively normal older adults ( n = 83; age, 77 ± 6 years; 58% female). Stepwise regressions identified tau in MTL regions known to be affected in old age as the best predictor of episodic-memory performance independent of Aβ status. There was no interactive effect of MTL tau with Aβ on memory. Higher MTL tau was related to higher age in the subjects without evidence of Aβ. Among temporal lobe subregions, episodic memory was most strongly related to tau-tracer uptake in the parahippocampal gyrus, particularly the posterior entorhinal cortex, which in our parcellation includes the transentorhinal cortex. In subjects with longitudinal MRI and cognitive data ( n = 57), entorhinal atrophy mirrored patterns of tau pathology and their relationship with memory decline. Our data are consistent with neuropathological studies and further suggest that entorhinal tau pathology underlies memory decline in old age even without Aβ. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Tau tangles and β-amyloid (Aβ) plaques are key lesions in Alzheimer's disease (AD) but both pathologies also occur in cognitively normal older people. Neuropathological data indicate that tau tangles in the medial temporal lobe (MTL) underlie episodic-memory impairments in AD dementia. However, it remains unclear whether MTL tau pathology also accounts for memory impairments often seen in elderly people and how Aβ affects this relationship

Purification and characterization of enterocin MC13 produced by a potential aquaculture probiont Enterococcus faecium MC13 isolated from the gut of Mugil cephalus.

Science.gov (United States)

Satish Kumar, R; Kanmani, P; Yuvaraj, N; Paari, K A; Pattukumar, V; Arul, V

2011-12-01

A bacteriocin producer strain MC13 was isolated from the gut of Mugil cephalus (grey mullet) and identified as Enterococcus faecium. The bacteriocin of E. faecium MC13 was purified to homogeneity, as confirmed by Tricine sodium dodecyl sulphate - polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE). Reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis showed a single active fraction eluted at 26 min, and matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry analysis showed the molecular mass to be 2.148 kDa. The clear zone in native PAGE corresponding to enterocin MC13 band further substantiated its molecular mass. A dialyzed sample (semicrude preparation) of enterocin MC13 was broad spectrum in its action and inhibited important seafood-borne pathogens: Listeria monocytogenes , Vibrio parahaemolyticus, and Vibrio vulnificus. This antibacterial substance was sensitive to proteolytic enzymes: trypsin, protease, and chymotrypsin but insensitive to catalase and lipase, confirming that inhibition was due to the proteinaceous molecule, i.e., bacteriocin, and not due to hydrogen peroxide. Enterocin MC13 tolerated heat treatment (up to 90 °C for 20 min). Enterococcus faecium MC13 was effective in bile salt tolerance, acid tolerance, and adhesion to the HT-29 cell line. These properties reveal the potential of E. faecium MC13 to be a probiotic bacterium. Enterococcus faecium MC13 could be used as potential fish probiotic against pathogens such as V. parahaemolyticus, Vibrio harveyi, and Aeromonas hydrophila in fisheries. Also, this could be a valuable seafood biopreservative against L. monocytogenes.

Potential effects of the next 100 billion hamburgers sold by McDonald's.

Science.gov (United States)

Spencer, Elsa H; Frank, Erica; McIntosh, Nichole F

2005-05-01

McDonald's has sold >100 billion beef-based hamburgers worldwide with a potentially considerable health impact. This paper explores whether there would be any advantages if the next 100 billion burgers were instead plant-based burgers. Nutrient composition of the beef hamburger patty and the McVeggie burger patty were obtained from the McDonald's website; sales data were obtained from the McDonald's customer service. Consuming 100 billion McDonald's beef burgers versus the same company's McVeggie burgers would provide, approximately, on average, an additional 550 million pounds of saturated fat and 1.2 billion total pounds of fat, as well as 1 billion fewer pounds of fiber, 660 million fewer pounds of protein, and no difference in calories. These data suggest that the McDonald's new McVeggie burger represents a less harmful fast-food choice than the beef burger.

Episode-Centered Guidelines for Teacher Belief Change toward Technology Integration

Science.gov (United States)

Er, Erkan; Kim, ChanMin

2017-01-01

Teachers' episodic memories influence their beliefs. The investigation of episodic memories can help identify the teacher beliefs that limit technology-integration. We propose the Episode-Centered Belief Change (ECBC) model that utilizes teachers' episodic memories for changing beliefs impeding effective technology integration. We also propose…

MC Sensor—A Novel Method for Measurement of Muscle Tension

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sašo Tomažič

2011-09-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a new muscle contraction (MC sensor. This MC sensor is based on a novel principle whereby muscle tension is measured during muscle contractions. During the measurement, the sensor is fixed on the skin surface above the muscle, while the sensor tip applies pressure and causes an indentation of the skin and intermediate layer directly above the muscle and muscle itself. The force on the sensor tip is then measured. This force is roughly proportional to the tension of the muscle. The measurement is non-invasive and selective. Selectivity of MC measurement refers to the specific muscle or part of the muscle that is being measured and is limited by the size of the sensor tip. The sensor is relatively small and light so that the measurements can be performed while the measured subject performs different activities. Test measurements with this MC sensor on the biceps brachii muscle under isometric conditions (elbow angle 90° showed a high individual linear correlation between the isometric force and MC signal amplitudes (0.97 ≤ r ≤ 1. The measurements also revealed a strong correlation between the MC and electromyogram (EMG signals as well as good dynamic behaviour by the MC sensor. We believe that this MC sensor, when fully tested, will be a useful device for muscle mechanic diagnostics and that it will be complementary to existing methods.

A McCollough Effect Generated at Binocular Site

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Qiujie Weng

2011-05-01

Full Text Available Following exposures to alternating gratings with unique combination of orientation and colors, an achromatic grating would appear tinted with its perceived color contingent on the grating's orientation. This orientation-contingent color after effect is called the McCollough effect. The lack of interocular transfer of the McCollough effect suggests that the McCollough effect is primarily established in monocular channels. Here we explored the possibility that the McCollough effect can be induced at a binocular site. During adaptation, a red vertical grating and a green horizontal grating are dichoptically presented to the two eyes. In the ‘binocular rivalry’ condition, these two gratings were constantly presented throughout the adaptation duration and subjects experienced the rivalry between the two gratings. In the ‘physical alternation’ condition, the two dichoptic gratings physically alternated during adaptation, perceptually similar to binocular rivalry. Interestingly, following dichoptic adaptation either in the rivalry condition or in the physical alternation condition, a binocularly viewed achromatic test grating appeared colored depending on its orientation: a vertical grating appeared greenish and a horizontal grating pinkish. In other words, we observed a McCollough effect following dichoptic adaptation, which can only be explained by a binocular site of orientation-contingent color adaptation.

Aging-related episodic memory decline: are emotions the key?

Science.gov (United States)

Kinugawa, Kiyoka; Schumm, Sophie; Pollina, Monica; Depre, Marion; Jungbluth, Carolin; Doulazmi, Mohamed; Sebban, Claude; Zlomuzica, Armin; Pietrowsky, Reinhard; Pause, Bettina; Mariani, Jean; Dere, Ekrem

2013-01-01

Episodic memory refers to the recollection of personal experiences that contain information on what has happened and also where and when these events took place. Episodic memory function is extremely sensitive to cerebral aging and neurodegerative diseases. We examined episodic memory performance with a novel test in young (N = 17, age: 21–45), middle-aged (N = 16, age: 48–62) and aged but otherwise healthy participants (N = 8, age: 71–83) along with measurements of trait and state anxiety. As expected we found significantly impaired episodic memory performance in the aged group as compared to the young group. The aged group also showed impaired working memory performance as well as significantly decreased levels of trait anxiety. No significant correlation between the total episodic memory and trait or state anxiety scores was found. The present results show an age-dependent episodic memory decline along with lower trait anxiety in the aged group. Yet, it still remains to be determined whether this difference in anxiety is related to the impaired episodic memory performance in the aged group. PMID:23378831

[The epidemiology of suicide in bipolar disorder in the manic episode--preliminary reports].

Science.gov (United States)

Wierzbiński, Piotr; Zdanowicz, Anna; Klekowska, Justyna; Broniarczyk-Czarniak, Marta; Zboralski, Krzysztof

2014-04-01

Suicide is among ten leading causes of death in each country and the third most common cause of death in the age group 16-35. The presence of mental illness is the most important risk factor for suicide. Affective disorders contribute to 15-25% of deaths due to suicide attempts. Depression is the most likely cause of the patients attempt on his life. Contrary to popular opinion, manic episode can also increase the risk of suicide, especially if the patient dominates by productive symptoms in the form of delusions. The aim of study was to determine the frequency of suicide attempts and their determinants in an episode of mania in bipolar disorder. The study included 16 people with a diagnosed bipolar disorder, hospitalized with manic episode at the age of 28-76. Patients hospitalized in the Department of Adult Psychiatry were selected randomly. The number of suicide attempts, comorbid conditions, and basic epidemiological data were estimated. Five patients declared suicide attempt, one of which wanted to make more than one attempt at suicide. 3 people took it during an episode of depression, two in an episode of mania. The methods of suicide were associated with an overdose of medication and this was accompanied by a greater amount of alcohol intake. 11 persons did not declare any willingness to attempt suicide. A mania episode did not increase the risk of suicide in bipolar disorder compared to an episode of depression in the study conducted. The importance of somatic illness in patients with bipolar disorder is increased if the suicide attempt occurs in an episode of depression. Alcohol abuse showed no negative effects on suicidal behavior of patients. During abuse was the most common way of commit suicide.

Corrections to O(α7(lnα)mc2) fine-structure splittings and O(α6(lnα)mc2) energy levels in helium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, T.

1996-01-01

Fully relativistic formulas for the energy-level shifts arising from no-pair exchange diagrams of two transverse photons plus an arbitrary number of Coulomb photons are derived in closed form within the external potential Bethe-Salpeter formalism. O(α 7 (lnα)mc 2 ) corrections to the fine-structure splittings of helium are obtained and expressed in terms of expectation values of nonrelativistic operators. O(α 7 mc 2 ) operators from exchange diagrams are found in nonrelativistic approximation. O(α 6 m 2 c 2 /M) nucleus-electron operators contributing to the fine-structure splittings are derived. Nonrelativistic operators of O(α 6 mc 2 ) corrections to the triplet levels of helium are presented. Nonrelativistic operators of O(α 6 (lnα)mc 2 ) corrections to the helium singlet levels and to positronium S levels are derived. O(α 6 m 2 c 2 /M) hydrogen and O(α 6 mc 2 ) positronium P levels, and O(α 6 (lnα)mc 2 ) corrections of first order to positronium S levels, are calculated using the derived operators for helium, in agreement with those obtained previously by others, except for one term in corrections to positronium P levels. In addition, the O(α 6 mc 2 ) Dirac energies for hydrogenic non-S levels are exactly reproduced in a perturbative calculation. copyright 1996 The American Physical Society

Concealed semantic and episodic autobiographical memory electrified.

Science.gov (United States)

Ganis, Giorgio; Schendan, Haline E

2012-01-01

Electrophysiology-based concealed information tests (CIT) try to determine whether somebody possesses concealed information about a crime-related item (probe) by comparing event-related potentials (ERPs) between this item and comparison items (irrelevants). Although the broader field is sometimes referred to as "memory detection," little attention has been paid to the precise type of underlying memory involved. This study begins addressing this issue by examining the key distinction between semantic and episodic memory in the autobiographical domain within a CIT paradigm. This study also addresses the issue of whether multiple repetitions of the items over the course of the session habituate the brain responses. Participants were tested in a 3-stimulus CIT with semantic autobiographical probes (their own date of birth) and episodic autobiographical probes (a secret date learned just before the study). Results dissociated these two memory conditions on several ERP components. Semantic probes elicited a smaller frontal N2 than episodic probes, consistent with the idea that the frontal N2 decreases with greater pre-existing knowledge about the item. Likewise, semantic probes elicited a smaller central N400 than episodic probes. Semantic probes also elicited a larger P3b than episodic probes because of their richer meaning. In contrast, episodic probes elicited a larger late positive complex (LPC) than semantic probes, because of the recent episodic memory associated with them. All these ERPs showed a difference between probes and irrelevants in both memory conditions, except for the N400, which showed a difference only in the semantic condition. Finally, although repetition affected the ERPs, it did not reduce the difference between probes and irrelevants. These findings show that the type of memory associated with a probe has both theoretical and practical importance for CIT research.

Concealed semantic and episodic autobiographical memory electrified

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giorgio eGanis

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Electrophysiology-based concealed information tests (CIT try to determine whether somebody possesses concealed information about a probe item by comparing event-related potentials (ERPs between this item and comparison items (irrelevants. Although the broader field is sometimes referred to as memory detection, little attention has been paid to the precise type of underlying memory involved. This study begins addressing this issue by examining the key distinction between semantic and episodic memory in the autobiographical domain within a CIT paradigm. This study also addressed the issue of whether multiple repetitions of the items over the course of the session habituate the brain responses. Participants were tested in a 3-stimulus CIT with semantic autobiographical probes (their own date of birth and episodic autobiographical probes (a secret date learned just before the study. Results dissociated these two memory conditions on several ERP components. Semantic probes elicited a smaller frontal N2 than episodic probes, consistent with the idea that the frontal N2 decreases with greater pre-existing semantic knowledge about the item. Likewise, semantic probes elicited a smaller central N400 than episodic probes. Semantic probes also elicited a larger P3b than episodic probes because of their richer meaning. In contrast, episodic probes elicited a larger late positive component (LPC than semantic probes, because of the recent episodic memory associated with them. All these ERPs showed a difference between probes and irrelevants in both memory conditions, except for the N400, which showed a difference only in the semantic condition. Finally, although repetition affected the ERPs, it did not reduce the difference between probes and irrelevants. Thus, the type of memory associated with a probe has both theoretical and practical importance for CIT research.

Episodic memory for natural and transformed food.

Science.gov (United States)

Aiello, Marilena; Vignando, Miriam; Foroni, Francesco; Pergola, Giulio; Rossi, Paola; Silveri, Maria Caterina; Rumiati, Raffaella I

2018-05-10

It has been proposed that the conceptual knowledge of food and its putative subdivision into natural (i.e., fruit/vegetables) and transformed (i.e., food that underwent thermic or non-thermic processing) may follow the living/non-living distinction. In the present study, we investigated whether the advantage for living things compared to non-living things observed in episodic memory (the so-called animacy effect) extends to natural foods and transformed foods respectively. We pursued this issue in two experiments. In Experiment 1, we measured episodic memory for natural and transformed foods in young participants. In Experiment 2, we enrolled dementia-free centenarians, patients with Alzheimer's disease (DAT), Progressive primary aphasia (PPA), and healthy controls whose episodic memory was also tested for living/non-living things. Results showed that young participants had better recognition memory for transformed foods compared to natural foods. This difference disappeared in centenarians and patients. However, centenarians and PPA exhibited enhanced levels of false alarms (FA) with natural food, and DAT patients with both natural and transformed food. As far as the living/non-living distinction is concerned, the episodic memory for the living category appears more resilient to the decline compared to the non-living category in patients, particularly those with PPA. In conclusion, our study shows that transformed food is better remembered than natural food, suggesting that it is more salient and possibly relevant from an evolutionary perspective. The natural/transformed distinction appears susceptible to erosion only in the presence of a high degree of episodic memory impairment. These results offer novel insight on episodic memory of food, and also extend the current knowledge on the animacy effect in episodic memory. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Concealed semantic and episodic autobiographical memory electrified

Science.gov (United States)

Ganis, Giorgio; Schendan, Haline E.

2013-01-01

Electrophysiology-based concealed information tests (CIT) try to determine whether somebody possesses concealed information about a crime-related item (probe) by comparing event-related potentials (ERPs) between this item and comparison items (irrelevants). Although the broader field is sometimes referred to as “memory detection,” little attention has been paid to the precise type of underlying memory involved. This study begins addressing this issue by examining the key distinction between semantic and episodic memory in the autobiographical domain within a CIT paradigm. This study also addresses the issue of whether multiple repetitions of the items over the course of the session habituate the brain responses. Participants were tested in a 3-stimulus CIT with semantic autobiographical probes (their own date of birth) and episodic autobiographical probes (a secret date learned just before the study). Results dissociated these two memory conditions on several ERP components. Semantic probes elicited a smaller frontal N2 than episodic probes, consistent with the idea that the frontal N2 decreases with greater pre-existing knowledge about the item. Likewise, semantic probes elicited a smaller central N400 than episodic probes. Semantic probes also elicited a larger P3b than episodic probes because of their richer meaning. In contrast, episodic probes elicited a larger late positive complex (LPC) than semantic probes, because of the recent episodic memory associated with them. All these ERPs showed a difference between probes and irrelevants in both memory conditions, except for the N400, which showed a difference only in the semantic condition. Finally, although repetition affected the ERPs, it did not reduce the difference between probes and irrelevants. These findings show that the type of memory associated with a probe has both theoretical and practical importance for CIT research. PMID:23355816

Predictors of detection of alcohol use episodes using a transdermal alcohol sensor.

Science.gov (United States)

Barnett, Nancy P; Meade, E B; Glynn, Tiffany R

2014-02-01

The objective of this investigation was to establish the ability of the Secure Continuous Remote Alcohol Monitoring (SCRAM) alcohol sensor to detect different levels of self-reported alcohol consumption, and to determine whether gender and body mass index, alcohol dependence, bracelet version, and age of bracelet influenced detection of alcohol use. Heavy drinking adults (N = 66, 46% female) wore the SCRAM for 1-28 days and reported their alcohol use in daily Web-based surveys. Participant reports of alcohol use were matched with drinking episodes identified from bracelet readings. On days when bracelets were functional, 690 drinking episodes were reported and 502 of those episodes (72.8%) were detected using sensor data. Using generalized estimating equations, we found no gender differences in detection of reported drinking episodes (77% for women, 69% for men). In univariate analyses, at the level of fewer than 5 drinks, women's episodes were more likely to be detected, likely because of the significantly higher transdermal alcohol concentration levels of these episodes, whereas at the level of 5 or more drinks, there was no gender difference in detection (92.6% for women, 93.4% for men). In multivariable analyses, no variables other than number of drinks significantly predicted alcohol detection. In summary, the SCRAM sensor is very good at detecting 5 or more drinks; performance of the monitor below this level was better among women because of their higher transdermal alcohol concentration levels. Individual person characteristics and bracelet features were not related to detection after number of drinks was included. Minimal bracelet malfunctions were noted.

Intermittent inhaled corticosteroids in infants with episodic wheezing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bisgaard, Hans; Hermansen, Mette Northman; Loland, Lotte

2006-01-01

BACKGROUND: We hypothesized that asthma is preceded by a stage of recurrent episodes of wheezing during the first years of life and that inhaled corticosteroid therapy during symptomatic episodes in this early phase may delay progression to persistent wheezing. METHODS: We assigned one-month-old ......BACKGROUND: We hypothesized that asthma is preceded by a stage of recurrent episodes of wheezing during the first years of life and that inhaled corticosteroid therapy during symptomatic episodes in this early phase may delay progression to persistent wheezing. METHODS: We assigned one......-month-old infants to treatment with two-week courses of inhaled budesonide (400 mug per day) or placebo, initiated after a three-day episode of wheezing, in this single-center, randomized, double-blind, prospective study of three years' duration. The primary outcome was the number of symptom-free days; key...... secondary outcomes were the time to discontinuation due to persistent wheezing and safety, as evaluated by height and bone mineral density at the end of the study. RESULTS: We enrolled 411 infants and randomly assigned 294 to receive budesonide at a first episode of wheezing. The proportion of symptom...

Episodic-like memory in zebrafish.

Science.gov (United States)

Hamilton, Trevor J; Myggland, Allison; Duperreault, Erika; May, Zacnicte; Gallup, Joshua; Powell, Russell A; Schalomon, Melike; Digweed, Shannon M

2016-11-01

Episodic-like memory tests often aid in determining an animal's ability to recall the what, where, and which (context) of an event. To date, this type of memory has been demonstrated in humans, wild chacma baboons, corvids (Scrub jays), humming birds, mice, rats, Yucatan minipigs, and cuttlefish. The potential for this type of memory in zebrafish remains unexplored even though they are quickly becoming an essential model organism for the study of a variety of human cognitive and mental disorders. Here we explore the episodic-like capabilities of zebrafish (Danio rerio) in a previously established mammalian memory paradigm. We demonstrate that when zebrafish were presented with a familiar object in a familiar context but a novel location within that context, they spend more time in the novel quadrant. Thus, zebrafish display episodic-like memory as they remember what object they saw, where they saw it (quadrant location), and on which occasion (yellow or blue walls) it was presented.

McArdle disease: a case report and review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leite A

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Alberto Leite, Narciso Oliveira, Manuela RochaInternal Medicine Department, Hospital de Braga, PortugalAbstract: McArdle disease (glycogen storage disease type V is a pure myopathy caused by an inherited deficit of myophosphorylase. The disease exhibits clinical heterogeneity, but patients typically experience exercise intolerance, acute crises of early fatigue, and contractures, sometimes with rhabdomyolysis and myoglobinuria, triggered by static muscle contractions or dynamic exercise. We present the case of a 54-year-old man with a lifelong history of fatigability, worsening on exertion. Laboratory evaluation revealed significant elevations in levels of creatine kinase (7924 U/L, lactate dehydrogenase (624 U/L, and myoglobulin (671 ng/mL. A muscle biopsy confirmed the presence of McArdle disease. This case report illustrates how, due to embarrassment, the patient hid his symptoms for many years and was eventually extremely relieved and “liberated” once McArdle disease was diagnosed 40 years later.Keywords: McArdle disease, glycogen storage disease, myophosphorylase

First episode schizophrenia

African Journals Online (AJOL)

with schizophrenia present clinically with psychotic, negative and cognitive ... changes in their emotions, cognition or behaviour which may indicate a ... contribute 80% to the risk of schizophrenia developing. A number of .... Positive symptoms ... Depression ... treatment of first episode schizophrenia is of critical importance.

O trabalho dentro da loja de McDonald´s: regimes de visibilidade que revelam a imaterialidade da produção | Work in McDonald´s: regimes of visibility revealing the immateriality of production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Viviane Riegel

2010-03-01

Abstract McDonald's production system includes a variety of firms and processes. The goods arrive at their stores for final preparation and assembly that take place in procedures established in manuals, constantly accelerated, following the logic that gives visibility to the brand’s experience. The aim of this paper therefore is to study how work is represented inside McDonald's stores, through arrangements of visibility that, at the check-out, erase the materiality of food production and build the immateriality of the experience of packaged goods for consumption. To this end, elements of discourse analysis following the French approach will be used on McDonald's images. Keywords work; control process; visibility regimes; immateriality; experience.

Comparative Cognition: Action Imitation Using Episodic Memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Crystal, Jonathon D

2016-12-05

Humans encounter a myriad of actions or events and later recall some of these events using episodic memory. New research suggests that dogs can imitate recently encountered actions using episodic memory. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development of a polarized neutron beam line at Algerian research reactors using McStas software

Science.gov (United States)

Makhloufi, M.; Salah, H.

2017-02-01

Unpolarized instrumentation has long been studied and designed using McStas simulation tool. But, only recently new models were developed for McStas to simulate polarized neutron scattering instruments. In the present contribution, we used McStas software to design a polarized neutron beam line, taking advantage of the available spectrometers reflectometer and diffractometer in Algeria. Both thermal and cold neutron was considered. The polarization was made by two types of supermirrors polarizers FeSi and CoCu provided by the HZB institute. For sake of performance and comparison, the polarizers were characterized and their characteristics reproduced. The simulated instruments are reported. Flipper and electromagnets for guide field are developed. Further developments including analyzers and upgrading of the existing spectrometers are underway.

MLRS - A lunar/artificial satellite laser ranging facility at the McDonald Observatory

Science.gov (United States)

Shelus, P. J.

1985-01-01

Experience from lunar and satellite laser ranging experiments carried out at McDonald Observatory has been used to design the McDonald Laser Ranging Station (MLRS). The MLRS is a dual-purpose installation designed to obtain observations from the LAGEOS satellite and lunar targets. The instruments used at the station include a telescope assembly 0.76 meters in diameter; a Q-switched doubled neodymium YAG laser with a pulse rate of three nanoseconds; and a GaAs photodetector with Fabry-Perot interferometric filter. A functional diagram of the system is provided. The operating parameters of the instruments are summarized in a table.

Metabolic syndrome in subjects with bipolar disorder and major depressive disorder in a current depressive episode: Population-based study: Metabolic syndrome in current depressive episode.

Science.gov (United States)

Moreira, Fernanda Pedrotti; Jansen, Karen; Cardoso, Taiane de Azevedo; Mondin, Thaíse Campos; Magalhães, Pedro Vieira da Silva; Kapczinski, Flávio; Souza, Luciano Dias de Mattos; da Silva, Ricardo Azevedo; Oses, Jean Pierre; Wiener, Carolina David

2017-09-01

To assess the differences in the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and their components in young adults with bipolar disorder (BD) and major depressive disorder (MDD) in a current depressive episode. This was a cross-sectional study with young adults aged 24-30 years old. Depressive episode (bipolar or unipolar) was assessed using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview - Plus version (MINI Plus). The MetS was assessed using the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP/ATP III). The sample included 972 subjects with a mean age of 25.81 (±2.17) years. Both BD and MDD patients showed higher prevalence of MetS compared to the population sample (BD = 46.9%, MDD = 35.1%, population = 22.1%, p depressive episode compared to the general population. Moreover, there was a significant difference on BMI values in the case of BD and MDD subjects (p = 0.016). Metabolic components were significantly associated with the presence of depressive symptoms, independently of the diagnosis. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Chronic and Episodic Stress in Children of Depressed Mothers.

Science.gov (United States)

Feurer, Cope; Hammen, Constance L; Gibb, Brandon E

2016-01-01

The goal of this study was to examine chronic and episodic stress in children of mothers with and without a history of major depressive disorder (MDD) during the children's lives. Participants were 255 mothers selected according to their history of MDD (present vs. absent during child's life) and their children (age 8-14; 53% girls, 81% Caucasian). Mothers' and children's histories of MDD were assessed using diagnostic interviews, and their depressive symptoms were assessed via self-report measures. Children's levels of chronic and episodic stress were assessed using a semistructured contextual threat interview. Children of mothers with a history of recurrent MDD, compared to single MDD or no depression, experienced more chronic stress within several domains including peers, mother-child relations, and other family member relations as well as greater episodic dependent interpersonal stress. Each of these group differences was maintained after excluding children with a history of MDD themselves and controlling for their current depressive symptoms. However, only the group difference in chronic peer stress was maintained when controlling for mothers' current depression. The results suggest that children exposed to recurrent maternal MDD experience higher levels of both chronic and episodic stress, at least some of which they contribute to themselves (dependent interpersonal stress) and which is at least partially independent of the effects of children's depression. In addition, much of this stress is associated primarily with current depression in the mother, though it appears that chronic peer stress may remain elevated even after the remission of maternal depression.

Hypoxic Episodes in Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia.

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Richard J; Di Fiore, Juliann M; Walsh, Michele C

2015-12-01

Hypoxic episodes are troublesome components of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm infants. Immature respiratory control seems to be the major contributor, superimposed on abnormal respiratory function. Relatively short respiratory pauses may precipitate desaturation and bradycardia. This population is predisposed to pulmonary hypertension; it is likely that pulmonary vasoconstriction also plays a role. The natural history has been well-characterized in the preterm population at risk for BPD; however, the consequences are less clear. Proposed associations of intermittent hypoxia include retinopathy of prematurity, sleep disordered breathing, and neurodevelopmental delay. Future study should address whether these associations are causal relationships. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Suicide risk in placebo-controlled trials of treatment for acute manic episode and prevention of manic-depressive episode

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Storosum, Jitschak G.; Wohlfarth, Tamar; Gispen-de Wied, Christine C.; Linszen, Don H.; Gersons, Berthold P. R.; van Zwieten, Barbara J.; van den Brink, Wim

2005-01-01

Objective: The authors' goal was to investigate whether there is a greater suicide risk in the placebo arms of placebo-controlled studies of active medication for the treatment of acute manic episode and the prevention of manic/depressive episode. If so, this would be a strong ethical argument

Computed tomography and angiography in MELAS (mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hasuo, K.; Tamura, S.; Yasumori, K.; Uchino, A.; Masuda, K.; Goda, S.; Ishimoto, S.; Kamikaseda, K.; Wakuta, Y.; Kishi, M.

1987-01-01

Among mitochondrial encephalomyopathies, MELAS (mitochondrial myopathy, encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes, Pavlakis et al., 1983) is recognized as a distinct syndrome characterized by generalized convulsions and recurrrent stroke-like episodes. The neuroradiological findings of three patients with MELAS are reported here. Retrospective review shows that MELAS should be included in the differential diagnosis of infarct-like lesions of the cerebrum. (orig.)

McEvoy, Kieran; McGregor, Lorna, Transitional Justice from below. Grassroots Activism and the Struggle for Change

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José M. Atiles-Osoria

2012-10-01

Full Text Available El texto editado por Kieran McEvoy y Lorna McGregor representa un esfuerzo por repensar, redefinir e introducir un debate en el seno de la literatura y de las corrientes de estudio sobre la justicia transicional. Generalmente, la justicia transicional ha sido pensada como un conglomerado de estrategias jurídico‑políticas y socio‑económicas implementadas para lidiar con las violaciones de los derechos humanos, con la violencia política del pasado y los procesos de reconstrucción del Estado pos...

Meelis Lao kuulutas eile sõja McDonald'sile / Peeter Raidla

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Raidla, Peeter, 1955-

2004-01-01

Ärimees Meelis Lao lasi rendivaidlusele viidates sulgeda Viru tänava kiirtoitlustusasutuse McDonald's. Vt. samas: McDonald'si rendivaidlus küünib aastate taha; McDonald's andis asja politseisse; Meelis Lao kannab probleemide lahendaja tiitlit

Aberrant topology of striatum's connectivity is associated with the number of episodes in depression.

Science.gov (United States)

Meng, Chun; Brandl, Felix; Tahmasian, Masoud; Shao, Junming; Manoliu, Andrei; Scherr, Martin; Schwerthöffer, Dirk; Bäuml, Josef; Förstl, Hans; Zimmer, Claus; Wohlschläger, Afra M; Riedl, Valentin; Sorg, Christian

2014-02-01

In major depressive disorder, depressive episodes reoccur in ∼60% of cases; however, neural mechanisms of depressive relapse are poorly understood. Depressive episodes are characterized by aberrant topology of the brain's intrinsic functional connectivity network, and the number of episodes is one of the most important predictors for depressive relapse. In this study we hypothesized that specific changes of the topology of intrinsic connectivity interact with the course of episodes in recurrent depressive disorder. To address this hypothesis, we investigated which changes of connectivity topology are associated with the number of episodes in patients, independently of current symptoms and disease duration. Fifty subjects were recruited including 25 depressive patients (two to 10 episodes) and 25 gender- and age-matched control subjects. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging, Harvard-Oxford brain atlas, wavelet-transformation of atlas-shaped regional time-series, and their pairwise Pearson's correlation were used to define individual connectivity matrices. Matrices were analysed by graph-based methods, resulting in outcome measures that were used as surrogates of intrinsic network topology. Topological scores were subsequently compared across groups, and, for patients only, related with the number of depressive episodes and current symptoms by partial correlation analysis. Concerning the whole brain connectivity network of patients, small-world topology was preserved but global efficiency was reduced and global betweenness-centrality increased. Aberrant nodal efficiency and centrality of regional connectivity was found in the dorsal striatum, inferior frontal and orbitofrontal cortex as well as in the occipital and somatosensory cortex. Inferior frontal changes were associated with current symptoms, whereas aberrant right putamen network topology was associated with the number of episodes. Results were controlled for effects of total grey matter

Astronauts McNair and Stewart prepare for reentry

Science.gov (United States)

1984-01-01

Astronauts Ronald E. McNair and Robert L. Stewart prepare for the re-entry phase of the shuttle Challenger near the end of the 41-B mission. The are stationed behind the crew commander and pilot. Stewart is already wearing his helmet. McNair is stowing some of his gear.

Developing and design a website for mc kalla oy

OpenAIRE

Bekele, Henok

2013-01-01

This bachelor thesis is about Website development and design. I have a chance to work with Mc kalla Oy. Mc kalla Oy is a construction company from Kempele which was founded 2011. They have projects in Central-Finland, through Northern Finland to Lapland. This thesis is to develop and design a new website to Mc kalla Oy. Wordpress is used to develop the new website. For the development process I use school server (.opiskelijaprojektit.net). The Thesis contains two main parts designing the ...

Integration of OpenMC methods into MAMMOTH and Serpent

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kerby, Leslie [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Idaho State Univ., Idaho Falls, ID (United States); DeHart, Mark [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Tumulak, Aaron [Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States); Univ. of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)

2016-09-01

OpenMC, a Monte Carlo particle transport simulation code focused on neutron criticality calculations, contains several methods we wish to emulate in MAMMOTH and Serpent. First, research coupling OpenMC and the Multiphysics Object-Oriented Simulation Environment (MOOSE) has shown promising results. Second, the utilization of Functional Expansion Tallies (FETs) allows for a more efficient passing of multiphysics data between OpenMC and MOOSE. Both of these capabilities have been preliminarily implemented into Serpent. Results are discussed and future work recommended.

Knot positioning during McDonald cervical cerclage, does it make a difference? A cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Atia, Hytham; Ellaithy, Mohamed; Altraigey, Ahmed; Ibrahim, Heba

2018-05-15

To study the effect of McDonald cerclage knot position on the different maternal and neonatal outcomes. This historical cohort study included women with singleton pregnancy who had a prophylactic McDonald cervical cerclage between 1 May 2010 and 31 September 2017. Maternal and neonatal outcome parameters were compared between the anterior and posterior knot cerclage procedures. The primary outcome measure was the rate of term birth. 550 Women had a prophylactic McDonald cervical cerclage, 306 with anterior knot (Group A) and 244 with posterior knot (Group B). There were no statistically significant differences regarding gestational age (GA) at delivery (36.3 ± 4.2 versus 35.8 ± 5.3 for groups A and B respectively), term birth rate, post-cerclage cervical length, symptomatic vaginitis, urinary tract infection, difficult cerclage removal and cervical lacerations. Similarly, there were no statistically significant differences as regards the studied neonatal outcomes including take home babies, neonatal intensive care admission, respiratory distress syndrome and neonatal sepsis. Survival analysis on GA at delivery demonstrated no statistically significant difference as regards the proportion of term deliveries in the anterior and posterior knot cerclage groups (log-rank test p-value = .478). Knot positioning during McDonald cervical cerclage, anteriorly or posteriorly, didn't significantly impact the studied maternal and neonatal outcomes.

Use of McCad for the conversion of ITER CAD data to MCNP geometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tsige-Tamirat, H.; Fischer, U.; Serikov, A.; Stickel, S.

2008-01-01

The program McCad provides a CAD interface for the Monte Carlo transport code MCNP. It is able to convert CAD data into MCNP input geometry description and provides GUI components for modeling, visualization, and data exchange. It performs sequences of tests on CAD data to check its validity and neutronics appropriateness including completion of the final MCNP model by void geometries. McCad has been used to convert a 40 deg. ITER torus sector CAD model to a suitable MCNP geometry model. Results of MCNP calculations performed to validate the converted geometry are presented

Red hair is the null phenotype of MC1R.

Science.gov (United States)

Beaumont, Kimberley A; Shekar, Sri N; Cook, Anthony L; Duffy, David L; Sturm, Richard A

2008-08-01

The Melanocortin-1 Receptor (MC1R) is a G-protein coupled receptor, which is responsible for production of the darker eumelanin pigment and the tanning response. The MC1R gene has many polymorphisms, some of which have been linked to variation in pigmentation phenotypes within human populations. In particular, the p.D84E, p.R151C, p.R160W and p.D294 H alleles have been strongly associated with red hair, fair skin and increased skin cancer risk. These red hair colour (RHC) variants are relatively well described and are thought to result in altered receptor function, while still retaining varying levels of signaling ability in vitro. The mouse Mc1r null phenotype is yellow fur colour, the p.R151C, p.R160W and p.D294 H alleles were able to partially rescue this phenotype, leading to the question of what the true null phenotype of MC1R would be in humans. Due to the rarity of MC1R null alleles in human populations, they have only been found in the heterozygous state until now. We report here the first case of a homozygous MC1R null individual, phenotypic analysis indicates that red hair and fair skin is found in the absence of MC1R function.

Potential avenues for exercise to activate episodic memory-related pathways: a narrative review.

Science.gov (United States)

Loprinzi, Paul D; Edwards, Meghan K; Frith, Emily

2017-09-01

Memory function plays an important role in activities of daily living, and consequently, quality and quantity of life. In this narrative review, we discuss the anatomical components of episodic memory, including the structure of the hippocampus and the routes of communication to and from this structure. We also highlight cellular traces of memory, such as the engram cell and pathway. To provide etiological insight, the biological mechanisms of episodic memory are discussed, including factors subserving memory encoding (e.g., cognitive attention, neuroelectrical indices), consolidation (i.e., synaptic and brain systems level), and retrieval (e.g., availability of cues, context-dependent, state-dependent, and cognitive processing). Central to this manuscript, we highlight how exercise may influence each of these aforementioned parameters (e.g., exercise-induced hippocampal growth, synaptic plasticity, and cue retrieval) and then discuss the implications of these findings to enhance and preserve memory function. Collectively, this narrative review briefly summarizes potential mechanisms of episodic memory, and how exercise may activate these mechanistic pathways. © 2017 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The contributions of handedness and working memory to episodic memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Sahu, Aparna; Christman, Stephen D; Propper, Ruth E

2016-11-01

Past studies have independently shown associations of working memory and degree of handedness with episodic memory retrieval. The current study takes a step ahead by examining whether handedness and working memory independently predict episodic memory. In agreement with past studies, there was an inconsistent-handed advantage for episodic memory; however, this advantage was absent for working memory tasks. Furthermore, regression analyses showed handedness, and complex working memory predicted episodic memory performance at different times. Results are discussed in light of theories of episodic memory and hemispheric interaction.

Cannabis use and first manic episode.

Science.gov (United States)

Bally, Nathalie; Zullino, Daniele; Aubry, Jean-Michel

2014-08-01

Cannabis is the most commonly abused drug among patients with bipolar disorder. Available data has shown that the risk of psychotic disorders increases with the frequency and intensity of cannabis abuse. The present purpose was to review relevant studies to investigate whether cannabis use can be linked to the onset of mania in bipolar disorder. Articles published between 1972 and December 2013 were searched on Medline and PsychInfo using the following keywords: first manic episode, or onset mania, or bipolar disorder and cannabis. Relevant papers cited in the references of selected articles were further considered for inclusion into the review. Lifetime use of cannabis among bipolar patients appears to be around 70% and approximately 30% of patients with a bipolar disorder present a comorbidity of cannabis abuse or dependence. Cannabis use is associated with younger age at onset of first mania and with more frequent depressive or manic episodes, although the evidence is somewhat inconsistent. Likewise cannabis consumption is related to poorer outcome and an increased risk of rapid cycling or mixed episodes. In contrast, neuro-cognitive functioning seems to be positively affected in patients with psychiatric comorbidity. While cannabis use often precedes first manic episodes, the causal direction remains to be determined. Variations in definition of cannabis use/dependence. Lack of controlled studies limiting definite conclusions about a putative causal relationship between cannabis and onset of mania. Further investigations are needed to clarify the relationships between cannabis use and first manic episode. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Tranexamic acid as first-line emergency treatment for episodes of bradykinin-mediated angioedema induced by ACE inhibitors].

Science.gov (United States)

Beauchêne, C; Martins-Héricher, J; Denis, D; Martin, L; Maillard, H

2018-05-04

Episodes of acquired bradykinin-mediated angioedema due to angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors may result in fatal outcomes. There is no consensus regarding emergency pharmacological management of these episodes. Treatment options include icatibant and C1INH concentrate. Tranexamic acid is administered for moderate episodes. Its efficacy in the treatment of ACE inhibitor-induced episodes of angioedema is not established. The aim of this retrospective study is to assess the benefits of emergency tranexamic acid administration in the management of ACE inhibitor-induced episodes of angioedema. Retrospective analysis of the medical files of patients who consulted between 2010 and 2016 in two French tertiary care hospitals for a bradykinic angioedema attributed to an ACE treatment. All of them had received tranexamic acid as a first line treatment. Thirty three patients who had experienced severe episode of angioedema were included. Twenty seven patients showed significant improvement when treated with tranexamic acid alone. The six remaining patients were treated with icatibant (5/33) or C1INH concentrate (1/33), due to partial improvement after tranexamic acid therapy. None of the patients were intubated, no fatalities were recorded and no side effects were reported. Tranexamic acid is an easily accessible and affordable therapy that may provide effective treatment for ACE inhibitor-induced episodes of angioedema. It may help while waiting for a more specific treatment (icatibant and C1INH concentrate) that is at times unavailable in emergency departments. Copyright © 2018 Société Nationale Française de Médecine Interne (SNFMI). Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Treating first episode psychosis--the service users' perspective: a focus group evaluation.

Science.gov (United States)

O'Toole, M S; Ohlsen, R I; Taylor, T M; Purvis, R; Walters, J; Pilowsky, L S

2004-06-01

UK national guidance has prioritized developing specialist services for first episode psychosis. Such services are in the early stages of development and a definitive treatment model has yet to be established. The aim of this study was to explore service users' experiences of a first episode intervention designed along evidence-based 'best practice' guidelines and to establish specific elements seen as effective to help inform future service planning and provision. Twelve users of a specialist first episode service participated in focus groups. These were then analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis, a specialized form of content analysis. Key elements identified by the service users included the 'human' approach as a key to the recovery process, being involved in treatment decisions, flexibility of appointments, high nurse to patient ratio, reduction in psychotic symptoms, increased confidence and independence and the provision of daily structure. To our knowledge, this is the first systematic qualitative evaluation of users' experience of a specialist first episode treatment intervention. Our findings indicate that adherence to best practice guidelines was appreciated. Regular focus groups provide a continuous audit cycle incorporating service improvements in line with government recommendations, centrally informed by the service users' and caregivers' perspective.

Elements of episodic-like memory in animals.

Science.gov (United States)

Clayton, N S; Griffiths, D P; Emery, N J; Dickinson, A

2001-09-29

A number of psychologists have suggested that episodic memory is a uniquely human phenomenon and, until recently, there was little evidence that animals could recall a unique past experience and respond appropriately. Experiments on food-caching memory in scrub jays question this assumption. On the basis of a single caching episode, scrub jays can remember when and where they cached a variety of foods that differ in the rate at which they degrade, in a way that is inexplicable by relative familiarity. They can update their memory of the contents of a cache depending on whether or not they have emptied the cache site, and can also remember where another bird has hidden caches, suggesting that they encode rich representations of the caching event. They make temporal generalizations about when perishable items should degrade and also remember the relative time since caching when the same food is cached in distinct sites at different times. These results show that jays form integrated memories for the location, content and time of caching. This memory capability fulfils Tulving's behavioural criteria for episodic memory and is thus termed 'episodic-like'. We suggest that several features of episodic memory may not be unique to humans.

An MC-SS Platform for Short-Range Communications in the Personal Network Context

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bakirtzoglou Zeta

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Wireless personal area networks (WPANs have gained interest in the last few years, and several air interfaces have been proposed to cover WPAN applications. A multicarrier spread spectrum (MC-SS air interface specified to achieve 130 Mbps in typical WPAN channels is presented in this paper. It operates in the 5.2 GHz ISM band and achieves a spectral efficiency of 3.25  . Besides the robustness of the MC-SS approach, this air interface yields to reasonable implementation complexity. This paper focuses on the hardware design and prototype of this MC-SS air interface. The prototype includes RF, baseband, and IEEE802.15.3 compliant medium access control (MAC features. Implementation aspects are carefully analyzed for each part of the prototype, and key hardware design issues and solutions are presented. Hardware complexity and implementation loss are compared to theoretical expectations, as well as flexibility is discussed. Measurement results are provided for a real condition of operations.

McCarthyism and American Opera L’Opéra américain face au McCarthyisme

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Klaus-Dieter Gross

2009-11-01

Full Text Available L’atmosphère anti-communiste qui caractérisa les États-Unis entre la fin de la seconde Guerre Mondiale et la fin des années 1950, et qui culmina avec des mesures légales ou extra-légales prises par le Comité des Activités Anti-américaines et par le sénateur McCarthy, eut une influence décisive sur l’opéra américain. Quelques rares ouvrages manifestent un soutien diffus pour le McCarthyisme (Still et Nabobov, tandis que d’autres nient son impact en promouvant des idées de gauche (Robinson et Blitzstein. D’autres œuvres incorporent la peur de la vague rouge dans leurs thèmes, mais sans lui donner une importance autre que secondaire. Enfin, trois opéras (Bernstein, Floyd et Ward abordent frontalement la question du fonctionnement rituel et des méthodes liberticides du McCarthyisme. Le déclin de ce mouvement coïncida, vers le début des années 1960, avec l’émergence d’un style opératique moins traditionaliste et plus abstrait.

How confident is Fort McKay that industry can reclaim oil sand development

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fitzpatrick, C. [Fort McKay First Nations, AB (Canada)

2004-02-05

This presentation described how traditional environmental knowledge (TEK) can provide valuable information for both the reclamation design and assessment of oil sand development in Fort McKay. Conservation is valued by the Fort McKay First Nations communities who claim that current reclamation methods are too slow, and that the land is not being brought back to its original use with the uniqueness of the boreal landscape. Elders have noted that each year the water level in the Athabasca River is lower. The blowing tailings and coke dust are causing trees to dye and driving animals away. There is concern that the animals that remain may not be safe to eat. The Fort McKay First Nation community has stated that it will view reclamation as a success only when it functions with proof over many generations. The major concerns include: salt in the water draining from reclaimed areas; salt in the soils of reclaimed area; muskeg cannot be recreated; and, the issue of whether cranberry, blueberry and streambank forest areas can be recreated, along with traditional medicinal plants. Other concerns include the loss of rivers such as the Beaver Creek and Tar River, and that the water in reclaimed areas may not be suitable for animals to live in or to drink. tabs., figs.

How confident is Fort McKay that industry can reclaim oil sand development

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fitzpatrick, C.

2004-01-01

This presentation described how traditional environmental knowledge (TEK) can provide valuable information for both the reclamation design and assessment of oil sand development in Fort McKay. Conservation is valued by the Fort McKay First Nations communities who claim that current reclamation methods are too slow, and that the land is not being brought back to its original use with the uniqueness of the boreal landscape. Elders have noted that each year the water level in the Athabasca River is lower. The blowing tailings and coke dust are causing trees to dye and driving animals away. There is concern that the animals that remain may not be safe to eat. The Fort McKay First Nation community has stated that it will view reclamation as a success only when it functions with proof over many generations. The major concerns include: salt in the water draining from reclaimed areas; salt in the soils of reclaimed area; muskeg cannot be recreated; and, the issue of whether cranberry, blueberry and streambank forest areas can be recreated, along with traditional medicinal plants. Other concerns include the loss of rivers such as the Beaver Creek and Tar River, and that the water in reclaimed areas may not be suitable for animals to live in or to drink. tabs., figs

ProMC: Input-output data format for HEP applications using varint encoding

Science.gov (United States)

Chekanov, S. V.; May, E.; Strand, K.; Van Gemmeren, P.

2014-10-01

A new data format for Monte Carlo (MC) events, or any structural data, including experimental data, is discussed. The format is designed to store data in a compact binary form using variable-size integer encoding as implemented in the Google's Protocol Buffers package. This approach is implemented in the PROMC library which produces smaller file sizes for MC records compared to the existing input-output libraries used in high-energy physics (HEP). Other important features of the proposed format are a separation of abstract data layouts from concrete programming implementations, self-description and random access. Data stored in PROMC files can be written, read and manipulated in a number of programming languages, such C++, JAVA, FORTRAN and PYTHON.

Is McMurray′s osteotomy obsolete?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Phaltankar P

1995-10-01

Full Text Available A review of the method of performing, advantages, disadvantages of McMurray′s displacement osteotomy with regard to treatment of nonunion of transcervical fracture neck femur with viable femoral head was carried out in this study of ten cases, in view of the abandonment of the procedure in favour of angulation osteotomy. Good results obtained in the series attest to the usefulness of McMurray′s osteotomy in the difficult problem of nonunion of transcervical fracture neck femur in well selected cases with certain advantages over the angulation osteotomy due to the ′Armchair effect′.

Laterality effects in functional connectivity of the angular gyrus during rest and episodic retrieval.

Science.gov (United States)

Bellana, Buddhika; Liu, Zhongxu; Anderson, John A E; Moscovitch, Morris; Grady, Cheryl L

2016-01-08

The angular gyrus (AG) is consistently reported in neuroimaging studies of episodic memory retrieval and is a fundamental node within the default mode network (DMN). Its specific contribution to episodic memory is debated, with some suggesting it is important for the subjective experience of episodic recollection, rather than retrieval of objective episodic details. Across studies of episodic retrieval, the left AG is recruited more reliably than the right. We explored functional connectivity of the right and left AG with the DMN during rest and retrieval to assess whether connectivity could provide insight into the nature of this laterality effect. Using data from the publically available 1000 Functional Connectome Project, 8min of resting fMRI data from 180 healthy young adults were analysed. Whole-brain functional connectivity at rest was measured using a seed-based Partial Least Squares (seed-PLS) approach (McIntosh and Lobaugh, 2004) with bilateral AG seeds. A subsequent analysis used 6-min of rest and 6-min of unconstrained, silent retrieval of autobiographical events from a new sample of 20 younger adults. Analysis of this dataset took a more targeted approach to functional connectivity analysis, consisting of univariate pairwise correlations restricted to nodes of the DMN. The seed-PLS analysis resulted in two Latent Variables that together explained ~86% of the shared cross-block covariance. The first LV revealed a common network consistent with the DMN and engaging the AG bilaterally, whereas the second LV revealed a less robust, yet significant, laterality effect in connectivity - the left AG was more strongly connected to the DMN. Univariate analyses of the second sample again revealed better connectivity between the left AG and the DMN at rest. However, during retrieval the left AG was more strongly connected than the right to non-medial temporal (MTL) nodes of the DMN, and MTL nodes were more strongly connected to the right AG. The multivariate

Patient satisfaction with treatment in first-episode psychosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haahr, Ulrik Helt; Simonsen, Erik; Røssberg, Jan Ivar

2012-01-01

Purpose: To examine first-episode psychotic patients' satisfaction with elements of a comprehensive 2-year treatment program. Subjects and method: The TIPS (Early Treatment and Intervention in Psychosis) project provided a 2-year treatment program consisting of milieu therapy (inpatient), individ......Purpose: To examine first-episode psychotic patients' satisfaction with elements of a comprehensive 2-year treatment program. Subjects and method: The TIPS (Early Treatment and Intervention in Psychosis) project provided a 2-year treatment program consisting of milieu therapy (inpatient......), individual psychotherapy, family intervention and medication. Of 140 patients at baseline, 112 were included at 2-year follow-up. Eighty-four participants were interviewed using a questionnaire eliciting levels of satisfaction with different treatment elements at two of the four sites. Results: Participants...... and non-participants did not differ on demographic or clinical data at baseline. Of those participating, 75% were satisfied with treatment in general. Individual and milieu therapy received higher rating than medication or family intervention. No predictors of general satisfaction with treatment were...

Lifespan trends of autobiographical remembering: episodicity and search for meaning.

Science.gov (United States)

Habermas, Tilmann; Diel, Verena; Welzer, Harald

2013-09-01

Autobiographical memories of older adults show fewer episodic and more non-episodic elements than those of younger adults. This semantization effect is attributed to a loss of episodic memory ability. However the alternative explanation by an increasing proclivity to search for meaning has not been ruled out to date. To test whether a decrease in episodicity and an increase in meaning-making in autobiographical narratives are related across the lifespan, we used different instructions, one focussing on specific episodes, the other on embedding events in life, in two lifespan samples. A continuous decrease of episodic quality of memory (memory specificity, narrative quality) was confirmed. An increase of search for meaning (interpretation, life story integration) was confirmed only up to middle adulthood. This non-inverse development of episodicity and searching for meaning in older age speaks for an autonomous semantization effect that is not merely due to an increase in interpretative preferences. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

McKenzie Classification of Extremity Lesions - An audit of primary care patients in 3 clinics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Melbye, Martin

2007-01-01

Syndrome classification based on mechanical testing guides clinical decision making in conservative musculoskeletal care. The aim of this audit was to investigate how many patients presenting with problems in the extremities could be classified into the mechanical syndromes described by Robin Mc...... ranged from 4,5 to 6 years. The mechanical classification  determined by the therapists,  and was recorded on the first three visits. Mechanical classification was based on strict operational definitions. Assessment sheets were collected from each therapist, to determine their adherence...... to the operational definitions. 135 consecutive patients were included over an 18 months period and 28 patients were excluded. Of  the 107 patients with extremity joint problems, 73% were classified into one of McKenzie's mechanical syndromes by therapists trained in the McKenzie method. 34% of patients were...

Integrative Review of the Relationship Between Sleep Disturbances and Episodic Memory in Older Adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeh, An-Yun; Pressler, Susan J; Giordani, Bruno J; Pozehl, Bunny J; Berger, Ann M

2018-07-01

Impaired episodic memory in older adults has been linked to many factors. One of these factors is sleep disturbances, which are reported by more than 50% of older adults. The relationship between episodic memory and sleep disturbances remains unclear, however, because of the multiple types of measures of sleep and episodic memory used in previous studies. The purpose of this integrative literature review was to integrate and compare findings on this relationship in adults aged 65 years. An electronic search was conducted in PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, PsychINFO, and Medline for material published from the inception of the databases to December 2016. The literature search produced 13 data-based, peer-reviewed, and primary research articles that met eligibility criteria. The synthesized results from these articles provide evidence that older adults with 6-8 hr of self-reported total sleep time had better episodic memory than older adults with ≤5 hr or ≥9 hr of total sleep time. Shorter length and lower percentage of slow-wave sleep were associated with reduced episodic memory in older adults, but the results were controversial. Selection of different measurements and inconsistent variables across studies increased the difficulty of synthesizing and comparing the results. The diversity of covariates controlled in the included articles raise questions regarding which covariates should be controlled in such studies of sleep and episodic memory in older adults. The numerous study limitations were thus major barriers to understanding the relationship between sleep disturbances and episodic memory.

Examining Duration of Binge Eating Episodes in Binge Eating Disorder

Science.gov (United States)

Schreiber-Gregory, Deanna N.; Lavender, Jason M.; Engel, Scott G.; Wonderlich, Steve A.; Crosby, Ross D.; Peterson, Carol B.; Simonich, Heather; Crow, Scott; Durkin, Nora; Mitchell, James E.

2013-01-01

Objective The primary goal of this paper is to examine and clarify characteristics of binge eating in individuals with binge eating disorder (BED), particularly the duration of binge eating episodes, as well as potential differences between individuals with shorter compared to longer binge eating episodes. Method Two studies exploring binge eating characteristics in BED were conducted. Study 1 examined differences in clinical variables among individuals (N = 139) with BED who reported a short (binge duration. Study 2 utilized an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) design to examine the duration and temporal pattern of binge eating episodes in the natural environment in a separate sample of nine women with BED. Results Participants in Study 1 who were classified as having long duration binge eating episodes displayed greater symptoms of depression and lower self-esteem, but did not differ on other measures of eating disorder symptoms, compared to those with short duration binge eating episodes. In Study 2, the average binge episode duration was approximately 42 minutes, and binge eating episodes were most common during the early afternoon and evening hours, as well as more common on weekdays versus weekends. Discussion Past research on binge episode characteristics, particularly duration, has been limited to studies of binge eating episodes in BN. This study contributes to the existing literature on characteristics of binge eating in BED. PMID:23881639

Common and unique gray matter correlates of episodic memory dysfunction in frontotemporal dementia and Alzheimer's disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Irish, Muireann; Piguet, Olivier; Hodges, John R; Hornberger, Michael

2014-04-01

Conflicting evidence exists regarding the integrity of episodic memory in the behavioral variant of frontotemporal dementia (bvFTD). Recent converging evidence suggests that episodic memory in progressive cases of bvFTD is compromised to the same extent as in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The underlying neural substrates of these episodic memory deficits, however, likely differ contingent on dementia type. In this study we sought to elucidate the neural substrates of episodic memory performance, across recall and recognition tasks, in both patient groups using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) analyses. We predicted that episodic memory dysfunction would be apparent in both patient groups but would relate to divergent patterns of neural atrophy specific to each dementia type. We assessed episodic memory, across verbal and visual domains, in 19 bvFTD, 18 AD patients, and 19 age- and education-matched controls. Behaviorally, patient groups were indistinguishable for immediate and delayed recall, across verbal and visual domains. Whole-brain VBM analyses revealed regions commonly implicated in episodic retrieval across groups, namely the right temporal pole, right frontal lobe, left paracingulate gyrus, and right anterior hippocampus. Divergent neural networks specific to each group were also identified. Whereas a widespread network including posterior regions such as the posterior cingulate cortex, parietal and occipital cortices was exclusively implicated in AD, the frontal and anterior temporal lobes underpinned the episodic memory deficits in bvFTD. Our results point to distinct neural changes underlying episodic memory decline specific to each dementia syndrome. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

An Interview with Joe McMann: His Life Lessons

Science.gov (United States)

McMann, Joe

2011-01-01

Pica Kahn conducted "An Interview with Joe McMann: His Life Lessons" on May 23, 2011. With over 40 years of experience in the aerospace industry, McMann has gained a wealth of knowledge. Many have been interested in his biography, progression of work at NASA, impact on the U.S. spacesuit, and career accomplishments. This interview highlighted the influences and decision-making methods that impacted his technical and management contributions to the space program. McMann shared information about the accomplishments and technical advances that committed individuals can make.

On coincidence of Pettis and McShane integrability

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Fabian, Marián

2015-01-01

Roč. 65, č. 1 (2015), s. 83-106 ISSN 0011-4642 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GAP201/12/0290 Institutional support: RVO:67985840 Keywords : Pettis integral * McShane integral * MC-filling family Subject RIV: BA - General Mathematics Impact factor: 0.284, year: 2015 http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10587-015-0161-x

Study of metamemory in patients with chronic alcoholism using a feeling-of-knowing episodic memory task.

Science.gov (United States)

Le Berre, Anne-Pascale; Pinon, Karine; Vabret, François; Pitel, Anne-Lise; Allain, Philippe; Eustache, Francis; Beaunieux, Hélène

2010-11-01

Alcoholism affects various cognitive processes, including components of memory. Metamemory, though of particular interest for patient treatment, has not yet been extensively investigated.  A feeling-of-knowing (FOK) measure of metamemory was administered to 28 alcoholic patients and 28 healthy controls during an episodic memory task including the learning of 20 pairs of items, followed by a 20-minute delayed recall and a recognition task. Prior to recognition, participants rated their ability to recognize each nonrecalled word among 4 items. This episodic FOK measure served to compare predictions of future recognition performance and actual recognition performance. Furthermore, a subjective measure of metamemory, the Metamemory In Adulthood (MIA) questionnaire, was completed by patients and controls. This assessment of alcoholic patients' metamemory profile was accompanied by an evaluation of episodic memory and executive functioning. FOK results revealed deficits in accuracy, with the alcoholic patients providing overestimations. There were also links between FOK inaccuracy, executive decline, and episodic memory impairment in patients. MIA results showed that although alcoholics did display memory difficulties, they did not differ from controls on questions about memory capacity. Chronic alcoholism affects both episodic memory and metamemory for novel information. Patients were relatively unaware of their memory deficits and believed that their memory was as good as that of the healthy controls. The monitoring measure (FOK) and the subjective measure of metamemory (MIA) showed that patients with chronic alcoholism overestimated their memory capacities. Episodic memory deficit and executive dysfunction would explain metamemory decline in this clinical population. Copyright © 2010 by the Research Society on Alcoholism.

Hesburger asub ründama, McDonalds teeb kaevikuid / Andres Reimer

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Reimer, Andres

2005-01-01

Hesburger tahab Eestis oma restoranide hulka kolmekordistada. McDonald's Eestis ei laiene, kuid kavatseb ettevõtte efektiivsust suurendada. Eesti hamburgerirestoranide kett Nehatu on konkurentsist välja langenud. Tabelid: Tulemused; Hamburgerirestoranid Eestis; Hamburger ja McDonald's maailmas. Lisad: Hakkas Hesburgeri partneriks; Hakka McDonald'si partneriks

The Jurassic section along McElmo Canyon in southwestern Colorado

Science.gov (United States)

O'Sullivan, Robert B.

1997-01-01

In McElmo Canyon, Jurassic rocks are 1500-1600 ft thick. Lower Jurassic rocks of the Glen Canyon Group include (in ascending order) Wingate Sandstone, Kayenta Formation and Navajo Sandstone. Middle Jurassic rocks are represented by the San Rafael Group, which includes the Entrada Sandstone and overlying Wanakah Formation. Upper Jurassic rocks comprise the Junction Creek Sandstone overlain by the Morrison Formation. The Burro Canyon Formation, generally considered to be Lower Cretaceous, may be Late Jurassic in the McElmo Canyon area and is discussed with the Jurassic. The Upper Triassic Chinle Formation in the subsurface underlies, and the Upper Cretaceous Dakota Sandstone overlies, the Jurassic section. An unconformity is present at the base of the Glen Canyon Group (J-0), at the base of the San Rafael Group (J-2), and at the base of the Junction Creek Sandstone (J-5). Another unconformity of Cretaceous age is at the base of the Dakota Sandstone. Most of the Jurassic rocks consist of fluviatile, lacustrine and eolian deposits. The basal part of the Entrada Sandstone and the Wanakah Formation may be of marginal marine origin.

Experimental Effects of Acute Exercise on Iconic Memory, Short-Term Episodic, and Long-Term Episodic Memory

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Danielle Yanes

2018-06-01

Full Text Available The present experiment evaluated the effects of acute exercise on iconic memory and short- and long-term episodic memory. A two-arm, parallel-group randomized experiment was employed (n = 20 per group; Mage = 21 year. The experimental group engaged in an acute bout of moderate-intensity treadmill exercise for 15 min, while the control group engaged in a seated, time-matched computer task. Afterwards, the participants engaged in a paragraph-level episodic memory task (20 min delay and 24 h delay recall as well as an iconic memory task, which involved 10 trials (at various speeds from 100 ms to 800 ms of recalling letters from a 3 × 3 array matrix. For iconic memory, there was a significant main effect for time (F = 42.9, p < 0.001, η2p = 0.53 and a trend towards a group × time interaction (F = 2.90, p = 0.09, η2p = 0.07, but no main effect for group (F = 0.82, p = 0.37, η2p = 0.02. The experimental group had higher episodic memory scores at both the baseline (19.22 vs. 17.20 and follow-up (18.15 vs. 15.77, but these results were not statistically significant. These findings provide some suggestive evidence hinting towards an iconic memory and episodic benefit from acute exercise engagement.

COLEC10 is mutated in 3MC patients and regulates early craniofacial development

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Munye, Mustafa M.; Diaz-Font, Anna; Ocaka, Louise

2017-01-01

3MC syndrome is an autosomal recessive heterogeneous disorder with features linked to developmental abnormalities. The main features include facial dysmorphism, craniosynostosis and cleft lip/palate; skeletal structures derived from cranial neural crest cells (cNCC). We previously reported...

Modeling HIV-1 drug resistance as episodic directional selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Murrell, Ben; de Oliveira, Tulio; Seebregts, Chris; Kosakovsky Pond, Sergei L; Scheffler, Konrad

2012-01-01

The evolution of substitutions conferring drug resistance to HIV-1 is both episodic, occurring when patients are on antiretroviral therapy, and strongly directional, with site-specific resistant residues increasing in frequency over time. While methods exist to detect episodic diversifying selection and continuous directional selection, no evolutionary model combining these two properties has been proposed. We present two models of episodic directional selection (MEDS and EDEPS) which allow the a priori specification of lineages expected to have undergone directional selection. The models infer the sites and target residues that were likely subject to directional selection, using either codon or protein sequences. Compared to its null model of episodic diversifying selection, MEDS provides a superior fit to most sites known to be involved in drug resistance, and neither one test for episodic diversifying selection nor another for constant directional selection are able to detect as many true positives as MEDS and EDEPS while maintaining acceptable levels of false positives. This suggests that episodic directional selection is a better description of the process driving the evolution of drug resistance.

Modeling HIV-1 drug resistance as episodic directional selection.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ben Murrell

Full Text Available The evolution of substitutions conferring drug resistance to HIV-1 is both episodic, occurring when patients are on antiretroviral therapy, and strongly directional, with site-specific resistant residues increasing in frequency over time. While methods exist to detect episodic diversifying selection and continuous directional selection, no evolutionary model combining these two properties has been proposed. We present two models of episodic directional selection (MEDS and EDEPS which allow the a priori specification of lineages expected to have undergone directional selection. The models infer the sites and target residues that were likely subject to directional selection, using either codon or protein sequences. Compared to its null model of episodic diversifying selection, MEDS provides a superior fit to most sites known to be involved in drug resistance, and neither one test for episodic diversifying selection nor another for constant directional selection are able to detect as many true positives as MEDS and EDEPS while maintaining acceptable levels of false positives. This suggests that episodic directional selection is a better description of the process driving the evolution of drug resistance.

Episode cycles with increasing recurrences in first-episode bipolar-I disorder patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Baldessarini, R J; Salvatore, P; Khalsa, H-M K; Imaz-Etxeberria, H; Gonzalez-Pinto, A; Tohen, M

2012-01-01

Preliminary review of a century of studies of the course of manic-depressive syndromes produced 40 reports, of which approximately one-third report evidence of shortening wellness intervals or cycle-lengths with more recurrences, and two-thirds did not. We evaluated inter-episode intervals (cycle-length) in 128 clinically-treated, DSM-IV bipolar-I disorder patients followed prospectively and systematically over 5.7 years, with 6.5 episodes/person. As expected, cycle-length varied inversely with total cycle-count/person; however, multivariate linear regression found only longer initial hospitalization and fewer total cycles to be associated with cycle-length, whereas cycle-number (1, 2, 3, etc.), sex, intake-age, and first-episode polarity were not. Regression of within-subject cycle-length versus cycle-number yielded individual slope-functions with pseudo-random distribution (28% fell within ±1 month/cycle of the null [zero-slope]). Mean duration of early and late euthymic intervals (cycles 2 vs. 5) in patients with matched recurrence-counts was nearly identical. The course of bipolar-I disorder from onset was largely random or chaotic over nearly 6 years from onset. Only a minority of patients showed either cycle-acceleration or slowing, without changes in wellness intervals. The findings may be influenced by treatment-effects, but seem to indicate that most current bipolar-I disorder patients are unlikely to show progressive shortening of recurrence-cycles. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Influence of Sub-grid-Scale Isentropic Transports on McRAS Evaluations using ARM-CART SCM Datasets

Science.gov (United States)

Sud, Y. C.; Walker, G. K.; Tao, W. K.

2004-01-01

In GCM-physics evaluations with the currently available ARM-CART SCM datasets, McRAS produced very similar character of near surface errors of simulated temperature and humidity containing typically warm and moist biases near the surface and cold and dry biases aloft. We argued it must have a common cause presumably rooted in the model physics. Lack of vertical adjustment of horizontal transport was thought to be a plausible source. Clearly, debarring such a freedom would force the incoming air to diffuse into the grid-cell which would naturally bias the surface air to become warm and moist while the upper air becomes cold and dry, a characteristic feature of McRAS biases. Since, the errors were significantly larger in the two winter cases that contain potentially more intense episodes of cold and warm advective transports, it further reaffirmed our argument and provided additional motivation to introduce the corrections. When the horizontal advective transports were suitably modified to allow rising and/or sinking following isentropic pathways of subgrid scale motions, the outcome was to cool and dry (or warm and moisten) the lower (or upper) levels. Ever, crude approximations invoking such a correction reduced the temperature and humidity biases considerably. The tests were performed on all the available ARM-CART SCM cases with consistent outcome. With the isentropic corrections implemented through two different numerical approximations, virtually similar benefits were derived further confirming the robustness of our inferences. These results suggest the need for insentropic advective transport adjustment in a GCM due to subgrid scale motions.

Functional neuroimaging of semantic and episodic musical memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Platel, Hervé

2005-12-01

The distinction between episodic and semantic memory has become very popular since it was first proposed by Tulving in 1972. So far, very few neuropsychological, psychophysical, and imaging studies have related to the mnemonic aspects of music, notably on the long-term memory features, and practically nothing is known about the functional anatomy of long-term memory for music. Numerous functional imaging studies have shown that retrieval from semantic and episodic memory is subserved by distinct neural networks. For instance, the HERA model (hemispheric encoding/retrieval asymmetry) ascribes to the left prefrontal cortex a preferential role in the encoding process of episodic material and the recall of semantic information, while the right prefrontal cortex would preferentially operate in the recall of episodic information. However, these results were essentially obtained with verbal and visuo-spatial material. We have done a study to determine the neural substrates underlying the semantic and episodic components of music using familiar and nonfamiliar melodic tunes. Two distinct patterns of activations were found: bilateral activation of the middle and superior frontal areas and precuneus for episodic memory, and activation of the medial and orbital frontal cortex bilaterally, left angular gyrus, and the anterior part of the left middle and superior temporal gyri for semantic memory. We discuss these findings in light of the available neuropsychological data obtained in brain-damaged subjects and functional neuroimaging studies.

Pengaruh Citra Merek dan Pandangan Kualitas Terhadap Kepercayaan Konsumen Pada McDonald’s Bandung

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elsa Yolanda

2016-03-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT  - Build consumer trust in the company is very important, variable brand image and pe rceived quality of the view one of the variables in Indonesia owned franchises such as McDonald's. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of brand image and perceived quality for consumer trust. Sampleof 100 respondentswereused, namelyconsumerswhopurchaseproductsMcDonald's. The method of research used descriptive and regression  analysis  includes  quantitative  validity  and  reliability,  the  classic  assumption  test, multiple regression analysis, determination test, correlation coefficient test, F test. The results prove that the two independent variables brand image, and perceived quality has a positive and significant effect on the dependent variable is consumer trust in McDonald's. Greatest positive effect on consumer confidence is the variable perceived quality. Keywords:  brand image, perceived quality

Examination of the bidirectional influences of leisure activity and memory in old people: a dissociative effect on episodic memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Mousavi-Nasab, S-M-Hossein; Kormi-Nouri, Reza; Nilsson, Lars-Göran

2014-08-01

The present study examined the relationships between different types of social and cognitive activities and different types of episodic and semantic memory. A total of 794 adult men and women from five age cohorts (aged 65-85 at baseline), participating in the longitudinal Betula project on ageing, memory, and health, were included in the study. The participants were studied over 10 years (1995-2005) in three waves. Recognition and recall were used as episodic memory tasks, and knowledge and verbal fluency as semantic memory tasks. The results, after controlling for age, gender, education, and some diseases, including heart disease and hypertension, as covariates, showed unidirectional effects of social activity on episodic memory on all test occasions (β = .10). Also, episodic memory predicted change in cognitive activity for all test waves (β = .21-.22). Findings suggest that social activity can be seen as protective factor against memory decline. It also seems that episodic memory performance is a predictor of cognitive activity in old people. However, the opposite direction does not hold true. © 2013 The British Psychological Society.

[Repeated poisoning episodes: Alarm sign of risk situations].

Science.gov (United States)

García González, Elsa; Trenchs Sainz de la Maza, Victoria; Martínez Sánchez, Lidia; Ferrer Bosch, Nuria; Luaces Cubells, Carles

2017-11-01

Prevention is an essential aspect in paediatric poisonings, especially when recurrent episodes are detected. The aims of this article are to detect the recurrence rate for suspected poisoning in emergency consultations, as well as to identify the cases in which specific preventive measures are indicated, and to determine whether the creation of a specific item for recurrent episodes in the computerised medical records system facilitates its detection. A retrospective study was conducted on patients less than 18 years of age treated in the emergency room due to suspected poisoning during 2013 and 2014. Patients were divided according to the presence or absence of previous episodes. From January 2014, a specific item is present in the computerised medical records of the poisoned patient, where the history of previous episodes is registered. The preventive measures used between both groups were compared. A total of 731 consultations were recorded for suspected poisoning. A history of previous episodes was detected in 9% of cases. Medical injury reports and follow-up in outpatient clinics were more often performed in patients with recurrent episodes than in patients without them (28.8% vs 18.0%, P=.034, and 65.2% vs. 18.8%, P<.001, respectively). In 2013, the recurrence rate was 5.9% vs 12% in 2014 (P=.004). The recurrence rate observed is significant. Although preventive measures are more frequently indicated in these patients, their application is low. The creation of a specific item for recurrent episodes in a computerised medical records system facilitates their detection. Copyright © 2016 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

A Comparison of the McMaster and Circumplex Family Assessment Instruments.

Science.gov (United States)

Fristad, Mary A.

1989-01-01

Compared clinical rating scales and self-report scales from McMaster and Circumplex models of family functioning with families (N=41). Found McMaster instruments had superior sensitivity; greater correspondence between clinical rating scales and family member self-report inventories on McMaster instruments; and lack of support for the curvilinear…

Intrusions in Episodic Memory: Reconsolidation or Interference?

Science.gov (United States)

Klingmüller, Angela; Caplan, Jeremy B.; Sommer, Tobias

2017-01-01

It would be profoundly important if reconsolidation research in animals and other memory domains generalized to human episodic memory. A 3-d-list-discrimination procedure, based on free recall of objects, with a contextual reminder cue (the testing room), has been thought to demonstrate reconsolidation of human episodic memory (as noted in a…

EEG Suppression Associated with Apneic Episodes in a Neonate

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Evonne Low

2012-01-01

Full Text Available We describe the EEG findings from an ex-preterm neonate at term equivalent age who presented with intermittent but prolonged apneic episodes which were presumed to be seizures. A total of 8 apneic episodes were captured (duration 23–376 seconds during EEG monitoring. The baseline EEG activity was appropriate for corrected gestational age and no electrographic seizure activity was recorded. The average baseline heart rate was 168 beats per minute (bpm and the baseline oxygen saturation level was in the mid-nineties. Periods of complete EEG suppression lasting 68 and 179 seconds, respectively, were recorded during 2 of these 8 apneic episodes. Both episodes were accompanied by bradycardia less than 70 bpm and oxygen saturation levels of less than 20%. Short but severe episodes of apnea can cause complete EEG suppression in the neonate.

Angus McBean - Portraits

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pepper, T.

2007-01-01

Angus McBean (1904-90) was one of the most extraordinary British photographers of the twentieth century. In a career that spanned the start of the Second World War through the birth of the 'Swinging Sixties' to the 1980s, he became the most prominent theatre photographer of his generation and, along

Status of the McClean project, Saskatchewan, Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giroux, M.

1997-01-01

The paper describes the status of development of the McClean Lake uranium production project. The project includes development of a new mine/mill complex located 10 kilometres west of the Rabbit Lake mine site, in the Athabaska region of northern Saskatchewan, Canada. This first Canadian uranium project since Key Lake was developed in the late 1970s, is planned to help provide the increasing need for uranium production during the rest of the 1990s and beyond. The report describes the geological model for the 6 unconformity-type uranium orebodies named: JEB; Sue A, B and C; and McClean Lake A and B. These deposits will be extracted using both open pit and underground mines. The report describes the history of exploration and development, as well as the progression of the environmental clearance process under the joint review panel of the Canadian and Saskatchewan governments. The Canadian $250 million project, operated by Cogema Resources, is jointly owned by Denison Mines Limited, Minatco Limited and OURD (Canada) Company Limited. It is scheduled to start producing uranium concentrate in 1997. (author). 1 ref., 10 figs

Sex-specific allelic transmission bias suggests sexual conflict at MC1R.

Science.gov (United States)

Ducret, Valérie; Gaigher, Arnaud; Simon, Céline; Goudet, Jérôme; Roulin, Alexandre

2016-09-01

Sexual conflict arises when selection in one sex causes the displacement of the other sex from its phenotypic optimum, leading to an inevitable tension within the genome - called intralocus sexual conflict. Although the autosomal melanocortin-1-receptor gene (MC1R) can generate colour variation in sexually dichromatic species, most previous studies have not considered the possibility that MC1R may be subject to sexual conflict. In the barn owl (Tyto alba), the allele MC1RWHITE is associated with whitish plumage coloration, typical of males, and the allele MC1RRUFOUS is associated with dark rufous coloration, typical of females, although each sex can express any phenotype. Because each colour variant is adapted to specific environmental conditions, the allele MC1RWHITE may be more strongly selected in males and the allele MC1RRUFOUS in females. We therefore investigated whether MC1R genotypes are in excess or deficit in male and female fledglings compared with the expected Hardy-Weinberg proportions. Our results show an overall deficit of 7.5% in the proportion of heterozygotes in males and of 12.9% in females. In males, interannual variation in assortative pairing with respect to MC1R explained the year-specific deviations from Hardy-Weinberg proportions, whereas in females, the deficit was better explained by the interannual variation in the probability of inheriting the MC1RWHITE or MC1RRUFOUS allele. Additionally, we observed that sons inherit the MC1RRUFOUS allele from their fathers on average slightly less often than expected under the first Mendelian law. Transmission ratio distortion may be adaptive in this sexually dichromatic species if males and females are, respectively, selected to display white and rufous plumages. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Forecasting long-range atmospheric transport episodes of polychlorinated biphenyls using FLEXPART

Science.gov (United States)

Halse, Anne Karine; Eckhardt, Sabine; Schlabach, Martin; Stohl, Andreas; Breivik, Knut

2013-06-01

The analysis of concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in ambient air is costly and can only be done for a limited number of samples. It is thus beneficial to maximize the information content of the samples analyzed via a targeted observation strategy. Using polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) as an example, a forecasting system to predict and evaluate long-range atmospheric transport (LRAT) episodes of POPs at a remote site in southern Norway has been developed. The system uses the Lagrangian particle transport model FLEXPART, and can be used for triggering extra ("targeted") sampling when LRAT episodes are predicted to occur. The system was evaluated by comparing targeted samples collected over 12-25 h during individual LRAT episodes with monitoring samples regularly collected over one day per week throughout a year. Measured concentrations in all targeted samples were above the 75th percentile of the concentrations obtained from the regular monitoring program and included the highest measured values of all samples. This clearly demonstrates the success of the targeted sampling strategy.

Evaluation of uranium anomalies in the McCaslin Syncline, northeastern Wisconsin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blackburn, W.H.; Mathews, G.W.

1982-01-01

On the basis of this investigation, the McCaslin area does not demonstrate sufficient recognition criteria to be considered favorable for the occurrence of uranium deposits that are analogous to quartz-pebble conglomerate deposits or unconformity-related deposits. Neither model is applicable because: (1) More often than not the conglomeratic lenses of the McCaslin Quartzite are polymictic. (2) Pyrite and chlorite are essentially lacking; (3) Pervasive chloritic and hematitic alteration are not present in the McCaslin district; (4) The maximum estimated age of the McCaslin is 1.9 b.y.; (5) The notable absence of anomalous uranium values in the basal McCaslin Quartzite, and especially where known faulting intersects the McCaslin, suggests that a process for concentrating uranium has not been effective in the area; (6) The Waupee Volcanics are not known to contain any extensive graphitic or chloritic schists, nor do they have more than normal amounts of uranium; (7) Uranium anomalies in stream-water, stream-sediment, and aerial surveys may be explained by uranium derived from the relatively uraniferous Hager Rhyolite, or other granitic intrusives related to the Wolf River batholith. The McCaslin area warrants no further investigation; it will not contribute any significant new potential the the NURE resource base. 3 figures, 3 tables

Episodic work-family conflict, cardiovascular indicators, and social support: an experience sampling approach.

Science.gov (United States)

Shockley, Kristen M; Allen, Tammy D

2013-07-01

Work-family conflict, a prevalent stressor in today's workforce, has been linked to several detrimental consequences for the individual, including physical health. The present study extends this area of research by examining episodic work-family conflict in relation to objectively measured cardiovascular health indicators (systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate) using an experience sampling methodology. The results suggested that the occurrence of an episode of work interference with family conflict is linked to a subsequent increase in heart rate but not blood pressure; however, the relationship between episodes of family interference with work conflict and both systolic and diastolic blood pressure is moderated by perceptions of family-supportive supervision. No evidence was found for the moderating role of work-supportive family. Further theoretical and practical implications are discussed. PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved.

Human reliability-based MC and A methods for evaluating the effectiveness of protecting nuclear material - 59379

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Duran, Felicia A.; Wyss, Gregory D.

2012-01-01

probabilities and to formulate 'timely detection' for MC and A operations. This work has enabled the development of an integrated path analysis methodology in which MC and A operations can be combined with traditional sensor data in the calculation of PPS effectiveness. Explicitly incorporating MC and A operations into the existing evaluation methodology provides the basis for an effectiveness measure for insider threats, and the resulting PE calculations will provide an integrated effectiveness measure that addresses both external and insider threats. The extended path analysis methodology is being further investigated as the basis for including the PPS and MC and A activities in an integrated safeguards and security system for advanced fuel cycle facilities. This work has demonstrated the application of HRA methods used in NPP PRAs for defining detection probabilities for MC and A activities. The approaches used to characterize and evaluate MC and A activities highlight their importance as protection elements for insider theft. In addition, this work has identified three key MC and A factors that can be manipulated to enhance the effectiveness of MC and A as a 'sensor' within the larger PPS. The overall MC and A detection probability can be increased by proper selection of MC and A activities. The effectiveness of subsequent observations can also be increased by reducing the dependence between observations through the use of HRA and human factor techniques. Finally, steps can be taken to lengthen the adversary's timeline by reducing the frequency of potentially vulnerable states and providing more opportunities for MC and A detection. Defining MC and A detection probabilities has supported the probabilistic basis for and enabled the development of an extended path analysis methodology in which MC and A protections can be combined with traditional sensor data in the calculation of PPS effectiveness. In evaluating the initial modeling and analysis, it is evident that these

Impact of daily number of urgency urinary incontinence episodes on overactive bladder patient reported outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Angulo, J C; Brenes, F J; Lizarraga, I; Rejas, J; Trillo, S; Ochayta, D; Arumi, D

2016-04-01

To explore the impact of urgency urinary incontinence (UUI) on well-being in non-institutionalized patients with overactive bladder (OAB) in a community sample. A cross-sectional web-based study was conducted in the general population, including males and females, >18 years of age. Patients with probable OAB were identified using a validated algorithm together with a score ≥8 on the OAB-V8 scale. Presence of coping behavior was considered determinant for the clinical diagnosis of OAB. Individual well-being was determined through a battery of patient-reported outcomes (PRO) measurements including assessment of health-related quality of life (EQ-5D), sleep disturbances (MOS Sleep), and life satisfaction (LISAT-8). Patients were grouped according to the number of daily UUI episodes (UUI severity): 0 (dry OAB),1, 2-3, or ≥4. Multivariate analysis to evaluate factors independently affecting quality of life was undertaken. A total of 396 patients (52.5% women, mean age: 55.3 [11.1] years, OAB-V8 mean score: 14.5 [7.9]) out of 2035 subjects participating from the general population met the criteria for OAB: 203 (51.3%) with 0episodes, 119 (30.1%) with 1, 52 (13.1%) with 2 or 3, and 22 (5.6%) with ≥4 episodes. A statistically significant linear adjusted association was found between number of UUI episodes and PRO scores. Participants with more episodes had poorer health profiles and self-evaluated quality of life, worse life satisfaction, and more sleep disturbances and fewer hours of sleep per night. Number of incontinence episodes was independent factor to affect quality of life using both LISAT-8 and MOS questionnaires. Severity of UUI was significantly associated with poorer individual well-being in subjects with OAB in a community sample in Spain. Copyright © 2015 AEU. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

VALIDATION OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL CONTROL AND ACCOUNTABILITY (MC and A) SYSTEM EFFECTIVENESS TOOL (MSET) AT IDAHO NATIONAL LABORATORY (INL)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meppen, Bruce; Haga, Roger; Moedl, Kelley; Bean, Tom; Sanders, Jeff; Thom, Mary Alice

2008-01-01

A Nuclear Material Control and Accountability (MC and A) Functional Model has been developed to describe MC and A systems at facilities possessing Category I or II Special Nuclear Material (SNM). Emphasis is on achieving the objectives of 144 'Fundamental Elements' in key areas ranging from categorization of nuclear material to establishment of Material Balance Areas (MBAs), controlling access, performing quality measurements of inventories and transfers, timely reporting all activities, and detecting and investigating anomalies. An MC and A System Effectiveness Tool (MSET), including probabilistic risk assessment (PRA) technology for evaluating MC and A effectiveness and relative risk, has been developed to accompany the Functional Model. The functional model and MSET were introduced at the 48th annual International Nuclear Material Management (INMM) annual meeting in July, 20071,2. A survey/questionnaire is used to accumulate comprehensive data regarding the MC and A elements at a facility. Data is converted from the questionnaire to numerical values using the DELPHI method and exercises are conducted to evaluate the overall effectiveness of an MC and A system. In 2007 a peer review was conducted and a questionnaire was completed for a hypothetical facility and exercises were conducted. In the first quarter of 2008, a questionnaire was completed at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) and MSET exercises were conducted. The experience gained from conducting the MSET exercises at INL helped evaluate the completeness and consistency of the MC and A Functional Model, descriptions of fundamental elements of the MC and A Functional Model, relationship between the MC and A Functional Model and the MC and A PRA tool and usefulness of the MSET questionnaire data collection process

Familial Hemiplegic Migraine and Recurrent Episodes of Psychosis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

LaBianca, Sonja; Jensen, Rigmor; van den Maagdenberg, Arn M J M

2015-01-01

Familial hemiplegic migraine (FHM) is a rare autosomal dominant form of migraine with motor aura. We present a case report of a father and son with very similar attacks of hemiplegic migraine and recurrent episodes of accompanying psychoses. Previously, such episodes led to hospitalization...... and extended clinical examinations, which further worsened the psychoses. Since the episodes were recognized as related to the hemiplegic migraine, a treatment strategy combining sleep and sedation was initiated and progression onto psychosis was almost completely avoided in both father and son. Genetic...

The HepMC C++ Monte Carlo Event Record for High Energy Physics

CERN Document Server

Dobbs, M

2000-01-01

HepMC is an Object Oriented event record written in C++ for High Energy Physics Monte Carlo Event Generators. Many extensions from HEPEVT, the Fortran HEP standard, are supported: the number of entries is unlimited, spin density matrices can be stored with each vertex, flow patterns (such as colour) can be stored and traced, random number generator states can be stored, and an arbitrary number of event weights can be included. Particles and vertices are stored separately in a graph structure, reflecting the evolution of a physics event. The added information supports the modularisation of event generators. The event record has been kept as simple as possible with minimal internal/external dependencies. Event information is accessed by means of iterators supplied with HepMC.

Development of performance tests for an automated MC and A system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kok, K.D.; Klingensmith, R.W.; Riffle, W.; Carver, R.D.; Schumacher, S.S.; Lavender, J.C.; Smith, B.W.

1988-01-01

Performance tests of MC and A systems using computers are described, and some example scenarios are discussed. Facility personnel or an external inspection group may use performance tests to evaluate MC and A capabilities under actual operating conditions. This paper addresses test elements common to both user groups. Performance tests consist of scenario development, security, and safety measures, conduct, and evaluation. Because exercises often test scenarios against which the MC and A system is protecting, they may require additional security and safety measures. Computer systems enhance MC and A by providing greater speed, increased precision, and automated checks. Performance tests for MC and A systems using computers differ from performance tests employing manual data systems in that the scenarios must anticipate computer actions rather than utilize controllers to adjust the scenario

Inferring pregnancy episodes and outcomes within a network of observational databases.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amy Matcho

Full Text Available Administrative claims and electronic health records are valuable resources for evaluating pharmaceutical effects during pregnancy. However, direct measures of gestational age are generally not available. Establishing a reliable approach to infer the duration and outcome of a pregnancy could improve pharmacovigilance activities. We developed and applied an algorithm to define pregnancy episodes in four observational databases: three US-based claims databases: Truven MarketScan® Commercial Claims and Encounters (CCAE, Truven MarketScan® Multi-state Medicaid (MDCD, and the Optum ClinFormatics® (Optum database and one non-US database, the United Kingdom (UK based Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD. Pregnancy outcomes were classified as live births, stillbirths, abortions and ectopic pregnancies. Start dates were estimated using a derived hierarchy of available pregnancy markers, including records such as last menstrual period and nuchal ultrasound dates. Validation included clinical adjudication of 700 electronic Optum and CPRD pregnancy episode profiles to assess the operating characteristics of the algorithm, and a comparison of the algorithm's Optum pregnancy start estimates to starts based on dates of assisted conception procedures. Distributions of pregnancy outcome types were similar across all four data sources and pregnancy episode lengths found were as expected for all outcomes, excepting term lengths in episodes that used amenorrhea and urine pregnancy tests for start estimation. Validation survey results found highest agreement between reviewer chosen and algorithm operating characteristics for questions assessing pregnancy status and accuracy of outcome category with 99-100% agreement for Optum and CPRD. Outcome date agreement within seven days in either direction ranged from 95-100%, while start date agreement within seven days in either direction ranged from 90-97%. In Optum validation sensitivity analysis, a total of 73% of

Inferring pregnancy episodes and outcomes within a network of observational databases

Science.gov (United States)

Ryan, Patrick; Fife, Daniel; Gifkins, Dina; Knoll, Chris; Friedman, Andrew

2018-01-01

Administrative claims and electronic health records are valuable resources for evaluating pharmaceutical effects during pregnancy. However, direct measures of gestational age are generally not available. Establishing a reliable approach to infer the duration and outcome of a pregnancy could improve pharmacovigilance activities. We developed and applied an algorithm to define pregnancy episodes in four observational databases: three US-based claims databases: Truven MarketScan® Commercial Claims and Encounters (CCAE), Truven MarketScan® Multi-state Medicaid (MDCD), and the Optum ClinFormatics® (Optum) database and one non-US database, the United Kingdom (UK) based Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD). Pregnancy outcomes were classified as live births, stillbirths, abortions and ectopic pregnancies. Start dates were estimated using a derived hierarchy of available pregnancy markers, including records such as last menstrual period and nuchal ultrasound dates. Validation included clinical adjudication of 700 electronic Optum and CPRD pregnancy episode profiles to assess the operating characteristics of the algorithm, and a comparison of the algorithm’s Optum pregnancy start estimates to starts based on dates of assisted conception procedures. Distributions of pregnancy outcome types were similar across all four data sources and pregnancy episode lengths found were as expected for all outcomes, excepting term lengths in episodes that used amenorrhea and urine pregnancy tests for start estimation. Validation survey results found highest agreement between reviewer chosen and algorithm operating characteristics for questions assessing pregnancy status and accuracy of outcome category with 99–100% agreement for Optum and CPRD. Outcome date agreement within seven days in either direction ranged from 95–100%, while start date agreement within seven days in either direction ranged from 90–97%. In Optum validation sensitivity analysis, a total of 73% of

Entrevista com Eric McLuhan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

McLuhan, Eric

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Marshall McLuhan faria 100 anos em 2011. Para marcar esta data, que já provocou uma recente revisitação à obra do teórico, o XI Seminário Internacional da Comunicação, promovido pela PUCRS, destacou temas como as relações do homem com as tecnologias e os efeitos psicológicos das mídias para nortear às discussões dos três dias de evento. Mas se engana que acredita que entender a obra mcluhiana é tarefa fácil. Mesmo tendo se dedicado com afinco a explicar metáforas como ‘o meio é a mensagem’ e ‘aldeia global’, McLuhan nunca chegou a ser completamente entendido. Ou as pessoas não sedavam ao trabalho de entendê-lo, ou, simplesmente, não conseguiam enxergar as mudanças que estavam acontecendo com a mesma clareza que o pesquisador. Numa tentativa não só de entender a obra do ‘profeta da globalização’, mas de ampliar os entendimentos sobre as tecnologias e as extensões do homem, Eric McLuhan, filho do teórico, participou como palestrante do Seminário para falar, entre outros assuntos, da percepção acadêmica quanto a obra de seu pai, além de introduzir novas ideias sobre televisão, globalização e ecologia

Reductionist Challenges to Explanatory Pluralism : Comment on McCauley

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Eronen, Markus I.

2009-01-01

In this comment, I first point out some problems in McCauley's defense of the traditional conception of general analytical levels. Then I present certain reductionist arguments against explanatory pluralism that are not based on the New Wave model of intertheoretic reduction, against which McCauley

Reduced context effects on retrieval in first-episode schizophrenia.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lucia M Talamini

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: A recent modeling study by the authors predicted that contextual information is poorly integrated into episodic representations in schizophrenia, and that this is a main cause of the retrieval deficits seen in schizophrenia. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We have tested this prediction in patients with first-episode schizophrenia and matched controls. The benefit from contextual cues in retrieval was strongly reduced in patients. On the other hand, retrieval based on item cues was spared. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: These results suggest that reduced integration of context information into episodic representations is a core deficit in schizophrenia and one of the main causes of episodic memory impairment.

ATLAS Monte Carlo tunes for MC09

CERN Document Server

The ATLAS collaboration

2010-01-01

This note describes the ATLAS tunes of underlying event and minimum bias description for the main Monte Carlo generators used in the MC09 production. For the main shower generators, pythia and herwig (with jimmy), the MRST LO* parton distribution functions (PDFs) were used for the first time in ATLAS. Special studies on the performance of these, conceptually new, PDFs for high pt physics processes at LHC energies are presented. In addition, a tune of jimmy for CTEQ6.6 is presented, for use with MC@NLO.

Mickey Mouse poses with a portrait of Ronald McNair

Science.gov (United States)

1999-01-01

In the gymnasium of Ronald McNair Magnet School in Cocoa, Fla., Mickey Mouse poses with a portrait of NASA astronaut Ronald McNair. The portrait was presented to the school by Walt Disney World during a tribute to McNair. The school had previously been renamed for the fallen astronaut who was one of a crew of seven who lost their lives during an accident following launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger in January 1986.

The great war correspondent: Francis McCullagh, 1874–1956

OpenAIRE

Horgan, John

2009-01-01

Trotsky of Russia knows Francis McCullagh. So does President Calles of Mexico. Peter, the King of Serbia, was McCullagh’s friend. The headhunters of the upper Amazon list Francis McCullagh as one of their principal deities. The warring tribes of Morocco call him blood brother. A room is always ready for him in the imperial palace of Siam. The latchstrings of hundreds of Siberian peasant huts are out in anticipation of his coming.

Temporal Clustering and Sequencing in Short-Term Memory and Episodic Memory

Science.gov (United States)

Farrell, Simon

2012-01-01

A model of short-term memory and episodic memory is presented, with the core assumptions that (a) people parse their continuous experience into episodic clusters and (b) items are clustered together in memory as episodes by binding information within an episode to a common temporal context. Along with the additional assumption that information…

ATLAS tunes of PYTHIA 6 and Pythia 8 for MC11

CERN Document Server

The ATLAS collaboration

2011-01-01

We present the latest developments of the ATLAS MC generator tuning project for the Pythia family of event generators, including the C++ Pythia 8 code for the first time. The PYTHIA 6 tunes presented here, titled AMBT2B and AUET2B and constructed for a variety of PDFs, constitute alternatives to the AMBT2/AUET2 tunes previously presented as a candidate for MC11 event simulation. They systematically differ from the AMBT2/AUET2 PYTHIA 6 tunes in the treatment of alpha_S, to address concerns with those tunes. Systematic tune variations are also presented. The Pythia 8 tunes have been constructed for two different PDFs, and are aimed at an optimal description of minimum bias, for use in pile-up simulation. PDF-sensitive effects are observed and discussed in the MPI tunings of both generators.

MC21 v.6.0 - A continuous-energy Monte Carlo particle transport code with integrated reactor feedback capabilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grieshemer, D.P.; Gill, D.F.; Nease, B.R.; Carpenter, D.C.; Joo, H.; Millman, D.L.; Sutton, T.M.; Stedry, M.H.; Dobreff, P.S.; Trumbull, T.H.; Caro, E.

2013-01-01

MC21 is a continuous-energy Monte Carlo radiation transport code for the calculation of the steady-state spatial distributions of reaction rates in three-dimensional models. The code supports neutron and photon transport in fixed source problems, as well as iterated-fission-source (eigenvalue) neutron transport problems. MC21 has been designed and optimized to support large-scale problems in reactor physics, shielding, and criticality analysis applications. The code also supports many in-line reactor feedback effects, including depletion, thermal feedback, xenon feedback, eigenvalue search, and neutron and photon heating. MC21 uses continuous-energy neutron/nucleus interaction physics over the range from 10 -5 eV to 20 MeV. The code treats all common neutron scattering mechanisms, including fast-range elastic and non-elastic scattering, and thermal- and epithermal-range scattering from molecules and crystalline materials. For photon transport, MC21 uses continuous-energy interaction physics over the energy range from 1 keV to 100 GeV. The code treats all common photon interaction mechanisms, including Compton scattering, pair production, and photoelectric interactions. All of the nuclear data required by MC21 is provided by the NDEX system of codes, which extracts and processes data from EPDL-, ENDF-, and ACE-formatted source files. For geometry representation, MC21 employs a flexible constructive solid geometry system that allows users to create spatial cells from first- and second-order surfaces. The system also allows models to be built up as hierarchical collections of previously defined spatial cells, with interior detail provided by grids and template overlays. Results are collected by a generalized tally capability which allows users to edit integral flux and reaction rate information. Results can be collected over the entire problem or within specific regions of interest through the use of phase filters that control which particles are allowed to score each

Differential Muscle Involvement in Mice and Humans Affected by McArdle Disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krag, Thomas O; Pinós, Tomàs; Nielsen, Tue L

2016-01-01

McArdle disease (muscle glycogenosis type V) is caused by myophosphorylase deficiency, which leads to impaired glycogen breakdown. We investigated how myophosphorylase deficiency affects muscle physiology, morphology, and glucose metabolism in 20-week-old McArdle mice and compared the findings...... to those in McArdle disease patients. Muscle contractions in the McArdle mice were affected by structural degeneration due to glycogen accumulation, and glycolytic muscles fatigued prematurely, as occurs in the muscles of McArdle disease patients. Homozygous McArdle mice showed muscle fiber disarray...... no substitution for the missing muscle isoform. In the mice, the tibialis anterior (TA) muscles were invariably more damaged than the quadriceps muscles. This may relate to a 7-fold higher level of myophosphorylase in TA compared to quadriceps in wild-type mice and suggests higher glucose turnover in the TA. Thus...

Obama ja McCaini lugu Ameerika presidendivalimistel : kes võidab? / Jonatan Vseviov

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Vseviov, Jonatan

2008-01-01

Autor analüüsib USA presidendikandidaatide Barack Obama ja John McCaini valimiskampaaniat, sellel ajal esitatavat lugu minevikust ja tulevikust, kus keskseks tegelaseks on kandidaat ise ning asepresidendikandidaatide valikut. Obamal on muutuste narratiiv - soov muuta senist poliitikat, McCainil aga narratiiv kogemustest ja sõltumatusest. Vt. samas: Barack Obama; John McCain; Hendrik Vosman. Obama valmistub koostama staaride kabinetti; Evelyn Kaldoja. Michelle Obamat võrreldakse Jackie Kennedyga; Missioonitundega õlleprintsess Cindy Hensley McCain

Psychosocial work factors and first depressive episode: retrospective results from the French national SIP survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Niedhammer, Isabelle; Chastang, Jean-François

2015-10-01

The objective was to explore the associations between psychosocial work factors and first depressive episode. Additional objectives included the study of the frequency and duration of exposure, and the evaluation of the induction period between exposures and outcome and of the reversibility of the effects. The study was based on a sample of 13,648 men and women from the 2006 national representative French SIP survey. Retrospective evaluation was performed for depressive episode for the whole life history, for psychological demands, skill discretion, social support, tension with the public, reward and work-life imbalance for each job, and within each job before and after each major change, and for time-varying covariates. The outcome was the first depressive episode. Statistical analysis was performed using weighted discrete time logistic regression model. High psychological demands and low social support were risk factors for first depressive episode for both genders. The risk increased with the frequency of exposure to these factors. Associations were found with the frequency of exposure to tension with the public among women and to work-life imbalance among men. The risk increased with the duration of exposure to psychological demands and low social support for both genders, however, these associations become non-significant when recent exposure was taken into account. Past exposure older than 2 years was not associated with the outcome. Associations between psychosocial work factors and first depressive episode were observed, including dose-response associations. However, after removal of the exposure, the risk may be reduced after 2 years.

Atmospheric Pressure and Onset of Episodes of Menière's Disease - A Repeated Measures Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Gürkov, Robert; Strobl, Ralf; Heinlin, Nina; Krause, Eike; Olzowy, Bernhard; Koppe, Christina; Grill, Eva

2016-01-01

External changes of air pressure are transmitted to the middle and inner ear and may be used therapeutically in Menière's disease, one of the most common vertigo disorders. We analyzed the possible relationship of atmospheric pressure and other meteorological parameters with the onset of MD vertigo episodes in order to determine whether atmospheric pressure changes play a role in the occurrence of MD episodes. Patients of a tertiary outpatient dizziness clinic diagnosed with MD were asked to keep a daily vertigo diary to document MD episodes (2004-2009). Local air pressure, absolute temperature and dew point temperature were acquired on an hourly basis. Change in meteorological parameters was conceptualized as the maximum difference in a 24 hour time frame preceding each day. Effects were estimated using additive mixed models with a random participant effect. We included lagged air parameters, age, sex, weekday and season in the model. A total of 56 persons (59% female) with mean age 54 years were included. Mean follow-up time was 267 days. Persons experienced on average 10.3 episodes during the observation period (median 8). Age and change in air pressure were significantly associated with vertigo onset risk (Odds Ratio = 0.979 and 1.010). We could not show an effect of sex, weekday, season, air temperature, and dew point temperature. Change in air pressure was significantly associated with onset of MD episodes, suggesting a potential triggering mechanism in the inner ear. MD patients may possibly use air pressure changes as an early warning system for vertigo attacks in the future.

The Relationship between MC1R Mutation and Plumage Color Variation in Pigeons

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jin-Shan Ran

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The polymorphisms of MC1R gene play a crucial role in coat color variation in mammals; however, the relationship is still unclear in pigeons. In this study, we sequenced 741 bp fragment of the MC1R for 39 individuals with five plumage color patterns (gray plumage, n=12; black plumage, n=9; white plumage, n=3; spotted plumage, n=12; red plumage, n=3. A total of three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs were detected, including G199A, G225A, and A466G, which subsequently determined four haplotypes (H1–H4. Among them, H1 is the predominant haplotype. Association analysis revealed that H1 and H3 were significantly associated with the black plumage trait (P<0.05, while the H4 was significantly associated with gray plumage trait (P<0.05. Furthermore, only diplotype H1H1 was significantly associated with black and gray traits of pigeons. Collectively, our study suggested an association between genetic variation of MC1R and plumage color in pigeon.

Monitoring an air pollution episode in Shenzhen by combining MODIS satellite images and the HYSPLIT model

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Lili; Liu, Yihong; Wang, Yunpeng

2017-07-01

Urban air pollution is influenced not only by local emission sources including industry and vehicles, but also greatly by regional atmospheric pollutant transportation from the surrounding areas, especially in developed city clusters, like the Pearl River Delta (PRD). Taking an air pollution episode in Shenzhen as an example, this paper investigates the occurrence and evolution of the pollution episode and identifies the transport pathways of air pollutants in Shenzhen by combining MODIS satellite images and HYSPLIT back trajectory analysis. Results show that this pollution episode is mainly caused by the local emission of pollutants in PRD and oceanic air masses under specific weather conditions.

Episodes of breathlessness: types and patterns - a qualitative study exploring experiences of patients with advanced diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Simon, Steffen T; Higginson, Irene J; Benalia, Hamid; Gysels, Marjolein; Murtagh, Fliss Em; Spicer, James; Bausewein, Claudia

2013-06-01

Despite the high prevalence and impact of episodic breathlessness, information about characteristics and patterns is scarce. To explore the experience of patients with advanced disease suffering from episodic breathlessness, in order to describe types and patterns. Qualitative design using in-depth interviews with patients suffering from advanced stages of chronic heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, lung cancer or motor neurone disease. As part of the interviews, patients were asked to draw a graph to illustrate typical patterns of breathlessness episodes. Interviews were tape-recorded, transcribed verbatim and analysed using Framework Analysis. The graphs were grouped according to their patterns. Fifty-one participants (15 chronic heart failure, 14 chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 13 lung cancer and 9 motor neurone disease) were included (mean age 68.2 years, 30 of 51 men, mean Karnofsky 63.1, mean breathlessness intensity 3.2 of 10). Five different types of episodic breathlessness were described: triggered with normal level of breathlessness, triggered with predictable response (always related to trigger level, e.g. slight exertion causes severe breathlessness), triggered with unpredictable response (not related to trigger level), non-triggered attack-like (quick onset, often severe) and wave-like (triggered or non-triggered, gradual onset). Four patterns of episodic breathlessness could be identified based on the graphs with differences regarding onset and recovery of episodes. These did not correspond with the types of breathlessness described before. Patients with advanced disease experience clearly distinguishable types and patterns of episodic breathlessness. The understanding of these will help clinicians to tailor specific management strategies for patients who suffer from episodes of breathlessness.

Episodic and semantic memory in children with mesial temporal sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Rzezak, Patricia; Guimarães, Catarina; Fuentes, Daniel; Guerreiro, Marilisa M; Valente, Kette Dualibi Ramos

2011-07-01

The aim of this study was to analyze semantic and episodic memory deficits in children with mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS) and their correlation with clinical epilepsy variables. For this purpose, 19 consecutive children and adolescents with MTS (8 to 16 years old) were evaluated and their performance on five episodic memory tests (short- and long-term memory and learning) and four semantic memory tests was compared with that of 28 healthy volunteers. Patients performed worse on tests of immediate and delayed verbal episodic memory, visual episodic memory, verbal and visual learning, mental scanning for semantic clues, object naming, word definition, and repetition of sentences. Clinical variables such as early age at seizure onset, severity of epilepsy, and polytherapy impaired distinct types of memory. These data confirm that children with MTS have episodic memory deficits and add new information on semantic memory. The data also demonstrate that clinical variables contribute differently to episodic and semantic memory performance. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

MC-PDFT can calculate singlet-triplet splittings of organic diradicals

Science.gov (United States)

Stoneburner, Samuel J.; Truhlar, Donald G.; Gagliardi, Laura

2018-02-01

The singlet-triplet splittings of a set of diradical organic molecules are calculated using multiconfiguration pair-density functional theory (MC-PDFT), and the results are compared with those obtained by Kohn-Sham density functional theory (KS-DFT) and complete active space second-order perturbation theory (CASPT2) calculations. We found that MC-PDFT, even with small and systematically defined active spaces, is competitive in accuracy with CASPT2, and it yields results with greater accuracy and precision than Kohn-Sham DFT with the parent functional. MC-PDFT also avoids the challenges associated with spin contamination in KS-DFT. It is also shown that MC-PDFT is much less computationally expensive than CASPT2 when applied to larger active spaces, and this illustrates the promise of this method for larger diradical organic systems.

Autoradiographic imaging of the serotonin transporter, using S-[18F](fluoromethyl)-(+)-McN5652 ([18F]Me-McN) in the brains of several animal species

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kretzschmar, M.; Zessin, J.; Brust, P.; Cumming, P.; Bergmann, R.

2002-01-01

The [ 18 F]fluoromethyl analogue of (+)-McN5652 ([ 18 F]Me-McN) was recently proposed as a new potential PET tracer [1]. To further validate its use in PET, we studied the binding of [ 18 F]Me-McN in the brains of rats and pigs using autoradiography. The binding was compared with the uptake of the known 5-HT uptake inhibitor [ 3 H] citalopram [2] and the radioligand (+)-[ 11 C]McN5652. The binding of the three compounds was qualitatively identical in the autoradiograms of the individual brains. Intense labelling was observed in regions known to be serotonin uptake sites. The binding was specifically inhibited, using the 5-HT uptake inhibitors citalopram and fluoxetine. (orig.)

Ibuprofen for acute treatment of episodic tension-type headache in adults.

Science.gov (United States)

Derry, Sheena; Wiffen, Philip J; Moore, R Andrew; Bendtsen, Lars

2015-07-31

Tension-type headache (TTH) affects about one person in five worldwide. It is divided into infrequent episodic TTH (fewer than one headache per month), frequent episodic TTH (1 to 14 headaches per month), and chronic TTH (15 headaches a month or more). Ibuprofen is one of a number of analgesics suggested for acute treatment of headaches in frequent episodic TTH. To assess the efficacy and safety of oral ibuprofen for treatment of acute episodic TTH in adults. We searched CENTRAL (The Cochrane Library), MEDLINE, EMBASE, and our own in-house database to January 2015. We sought unpublished studies by asking personal contacts and searching on-line clinical trial registers and manufacturers' websites. We included randomised, placebo-controlled studies (parallel-group or cross-over) using oral ibuprofen for symptomatic relief of an acute episode of TTH. Studies had to be prospective and include at least 10 participants per treatment arm. Two review authors independently assessed studies for inclusion, and extracted data. Numbers of participants achieving each outcome were used to calculate risk ratio (RR) and number needed to treat for an additional beneficial outcome (NNT) or number needed to treat for an additional harmful outcome (NNH) of oral ibuprofen compared to placebo for a range of outcomes, predominantly those recommended by the International Headache Society (IHS). We included 12 studies, all of which enrolled adult participants with frequent episodic TTH. Nine used the IHS diagnostic criteria, but two used the older classification of the Ad Hoc Committee, and one did not describe diagnostic criteria but excluded participants with migraines. While 3094 people with TTH participated in these studies, the numbers available for any form of analysis were lower than this; placebo was taken by 733, standard ibuprofen 200 mg by 127, standard ibuprofen 400 mg by 892, and fast-acting ibuprofen 400 mg by 230. Participants had moderate or severe pain at the start of

Experimental Effects of Acute Exercise on Iconic Memory, Short-Term Episodic, and Long-Term Episodic Memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Yanes, Danielle; Loprinzi, Paul D

2018-06-11

The present experiment evaluated the effects of acute exercise on iconic memory and short- and long-term episodic memory. A two-arm, parallel-group randomized experiment was employed ( n = 20 per group; M age = 21 year). The experimental group engaged in an acute bout of moderate-intensity treadmill exercise for 15 min, while the control group engaged in a seated, time-matched computer task. Afterwards, the participants engaged in a paragraph-level episodic memory task (20 min delay and 24 h delay recall) as well as an iconic memory task, which involved 10 trials (at various speeds from 100 ms to 800 ms) of recalling letters from a 3 × 3 array matrix. For iconic memory, there was a significant main effect for time (F = 42.9, p memory scores at both the baseline (19.22 vs. 17.20) and follow-up (18.15 vs. 15.77), but these results were not statistically significant. These findings provide some suggestive evidence hinting towards an iconic memory and episodic benefit from acute exercise engagement.

Autobiographical thinking interferes with episodic memory consolidation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Craig

Full Text Available New episodic memories are retained better if learning is followed by a few minutes of wakeful rest than by the encoding of novel external information. Novel encoding is said to interfere with the consolidation of recently acquired episodic memories. Here we report four experiments in which we examined whether autobiographical thinking, i.e. an 'internal' memory activity, also interferes with episodic memory consolidation. Participants were presented with three wordlists consisting of common nouns; one list was followed by wakeful rest, one by novel picture encoding and one by autobiographical retrieval/future imagination, cued by concrete sounds. Both novel encoding and autobiographical retrieval/future imagination lowered wordlist retention significantly. Follow-up experiments demonstrated that the interference by our cued autobiographical retrieval/future imagination delay condition could not be accounted for by the sound cues alone or by executive retrieval processes. Moreover, our results demonstrated evidence of a temporal gradient of interference across experiments. Thus, we propose that rich autobiographical retrieval/future imagination hampers the consolidation of recently acquired episodic memories and that such interference is particularly likely in the presence of external concrete cues.

VERA Pin and Fuel Assembly Depletion Benchmark Calculations by McCARD and DeCART

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, Ho Jin; Cho, Jin Young [Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2016-10-15

Monte Carlo (MC) codes have been developed and used to simulate a neutron transport since MC method was devised in the Manhattan project. Solving the neutron transport problem with the MC method is simple and straightforward to understand. Because there are few essential approximations for the 6- dimension phase of a neutron such as the location, energy, and direction in MC calculations, highly accurate solutions can be obtained through such calculations. In this work, the VERA pin and fuel assembly (FA) depletion benchmark calculations are performed to examine the depletion capability of the newly generated DeCART multi-group cross section library. To obtain the reference solutions, MC depletion calculations are conducted using McCARD. Moreover, to scrutinize the effect by stochastic uncertainty propagation, uncertainty propagation analyses are performed using a sensitivity and uncertainty (S/U) analysis method and stochastic sampling (S.S) method. It is still expensive and challenging to perform a depletion analysis by a MC code. Nevertheless, many studies and works for a MC depletion analysis have been conducted to utilize the benefits of the MC method. In this study, McCARD MC and DeCART MOC transport calculations are performed for the VERA pin and FA depletion benchmarks. The DeCART depletion calculations are conducted to examine the depletion capability of the newly generated multi-group cross section library. The DeCART depletion calculations give excellent agreement with the McCARD reference one. From the McCARD results, it is observed that the MC depletion results depend on how to split the burnup interval. First, only to quantify the effect of the stochastic uncertainty propagation at 40 DTS, the uncertainty propagation analyses are performed using the S/U and S.S. method.

Neural changes underlying the development of episodic memory during middle childhood.

Science.gov (United States)

Ghetti, Simona; Bunge, Silvia A

2012-10-01

Episodic memory is central to the human experience. In typically developing children, episodic memory improves rapidly during middle childhood. While the developmental cognitive neuroscience of episodic memory remains largely uncharted, recent research has begun to provide important insights. It has long been assumed that hippocampus-dependent binding mechanisms are in place by early childhood, and that improvements in episodic memory observed during middle childhood result from the protracted development of the prefrontal cortex. We revisit the notion that binding mechanisms are age-invariant, and propose that changes in the hippocampus and its projections to cortical regions also contribute to the development of episodic memory. We further review the role of developmental changes in lateral prefrontal and parietal cortices in this development. Finally, we discuss changes in white matter tracts connecting brain regions that are critical for episodic memory. Overall, we argue that changes in episodic memory emerge from the concerted effort of a network of relevant brain structures. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neural Changes Underlying the Development of Episodic Memory During Middle Childhood

Science.gov (United States)

Ghetti, Simona; Bunge, Silvia A.

2012-01-01

Episodic memory is central to the human experience. In typically developing children, episodic memory improves rapidly during middle childhood. While the developmental cognitive neuroscience of episodic memory remains largely uncharted, recent research has begun to provide important insights. It has long been assumed that hippocampus-dependent binding mechanisms are in place by early childhood, and that improvements in episodic memory observed during middle childhood result from the protracted development of the prefrontal cortex. We revisit the notion that binding mechanisms are age-invariant, and propose that changes in the hippocampus and its projections to cortical regions also contribute to the development of episodic memory. We further review the role of developmental changes in lateral prefrontal and parietal cortices in this development. Finally, we discuss changes in white matter tracts connecting brain regions that are critical for episodic memory. Overall, we argue that changes in episodic memory emerge from the concerted effort of a network of relevant brain structures. PMID:22770728

Intense dust episodes in the Mediterranean and possible effects on atmospheric lapse rates

Science.gov (United States)

Hatzianastassiou, Nikos; Gkikas, Antonis; Papadimas, Christos D.; Gavrouzou, Maria

2016-04-01

simultaneous availability of data from all these three databases for a specific Mediterranean location and day. Here, results are presented for two stations, Lecce (Italy) and Thessaloniki (Greece). For each station, using long-term AERONET daily aerosol retrievals, including optical depth (AOD), and applying a specific methodology aiming to find out days in which aerosol burden is unusually high, dust episodes are determined for specific days. Subsequently, for these days, a search is made for simultaneously available UoW radiosonde and EARLINET aerosol profiles (vertically distributed aerosol backscatter and extinction coefficients). This procedure led in a number of study case dust episodes, which were further confirmed by back-trajectories of air masses obtained with the Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) Model. Our study reveals that during the investigated episodes, in the daytime, high dust atmospheric loadings induce temperature inversions in heights ranging from the surface to the top of boundary, but also through to the lower free tropospheric layer.

McGuire snubber elimination program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cloud, R.L.; Leung, J.S.M.; Taylor, W.H.; Morgan, R.L. Jr.

1993-01-01

An engineering program has been initiated at McGuire Nuclear Stations 1 and 2 to eliminate all existing snubbers. The elimination is achieved by replacing existing snubbers with limit stop pipe supports. The program establishes plant-wide modification procedures for one-to-one substitution under the 10 CFR 50.59 requirement. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) acceptance is based on the results of both comparison analyses and the hardware implementation of sample piping systems at McGuire nuclear stations. Experimental results obtained on shake table testing and from the NRC sponsored HDR research program are also used to formulate the technical basis and design procedures for plant-wide implementation of the snubber replacement effort. The overall program plan is for nearly 3,000 snubbers to be replaced in phases consistent with the plant scheduled outages. Duke Power estimates the program, when completed, will maintain ALARA, improve reliability, and reduce plant operating costs

Episodic memory impairment in systemic lupus erythematosus: involvement of thalamic structures.

Science.gov (United States)

Zimmermann, Nicolle; Corrêa, Diogo Goulart; Netto, Tania Maria; Kubo, Tadeu; Pereira, Denis Batista; Fonseca, Rochele Paz; Gasparetto, Emerson Leandro

2015-02-01

Episodic memory deficits in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have been frequently reported in the literature; however, little is known about the neural correlates of these deficits. We investigated differences in the volumes of different brain structures of SLE patients with and without episodic memory impairments diagnosed by the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test (RAVLT). Groups were paired based on age, education, sex, Mini Mental State Examination score, accumulation of disease burden (SLICC), and focused attention dimension score. Patients underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Cortical volumetric reconstruction and segmentation of the MR images were performed with the FreeSurfer software program. SLE patients with episodic memory deficits presented shorter time of diagnosis than SLE patients without episodic memory deficits. ANOVA revealed that SLE patients with episodic memory deficits had a larger third ventricle volume than SLE patients without episodic memory deficits and controls. Additionally, covariance analysis indicated group effects on the bilateral thalamus and on the third ventricle. Our findings indicate that episodic memory may be impaired in SLE patients with normal hippocampal volume. In addition, the thalamus may undergo volumetric changes associated with episodic memory loss in SLE.

The pathogenomics of McArdle disease--genes, enzymes, models, and therapeutic implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Nogales-Gadea, Gisela; Santalla, Alfredo; Brull, Astrid; de Luna, Noemi; Lucia, Alejandro; Pinós, Tomàs

2015-03-01

Numerous biomedical advances have been made since Carl and Gerty Cori discovered the enzyme phosphorylase in the 1940s and the Scottish physician Brian McArdle reported in 1951 a previously 'undescribed disorder characterized by a gross failure of the breakdown in muscle of glycogen'. Today we know that this disorder, commonly known as 'McArdle disease', is caused by inherited deficiency of the muscle isoform of glycogen phosphorylase (GP). Here we review the main aspects of the 'pathogenomics' of this disease including, among others: the spectrum of mutations in the gene (PYGM) encoding muscle GP; the interplay between the different tissue GP isoforms in cellular cultures and in patients; what can we learn from naturally occurring and recently laboratory-generated animal models of the disease; and potential therapies.

The influence of comorbid personality disorder and neuroticism on treatment outcome in first episode depression

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bock, Camilla; Bukh, Jens Drachmann; Vinberg, Maj

2010-01-01

setting were consecutively sampled from the Danish Psychiatric Central Research Register. The patients participated in an extensive interview including the Schedules for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry, the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Personality Disorders and a detailed...... of antidepressant treatment, and (2) 2 trials of antidepressant treatment. Further personality traits were assessed by means of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. RESULTS: Among a total of 301 patients with a single depressive episode, 31.9% fulfilled diagnostic criteria for at least 1 personality disorder......BACKGROUND: It has never been investigated whether comorbid personality disorder or neuroticism predicts a poor treatment outcome in first episode depression. METHODS: Medically treated patients discharged with a diagnosis of a single depressive episode from a psychiatric in- or outpatient hospital...

Obesity and episodic memory function.

Science.gov (United States)

Loprinzi, Paul D; Frith, Emily

2018-04-17

Obesity-related lifestyle factors, such as physical activity behavior and dietary intake, have been shown to be associated with episodic memory function. From animal work, there is considerable biological plausibility linking obesity with worse memory function. There are no published systematic reviews evaluating the effects of obesity on episodic memory function among humans, and examining whether physical activity and diet influences this obesity-memory link. Thus, the purpose of this systematic review was to evaluate the totality of research examining whether obesity is associated with episodic memory function, and whether physical activity and dietary behavior confounds this relationship. A review approach was employed, using PubMed, PsychInfo, and Sports Discus databases. Fourteen studies met our criteria. Among these 14 reviewed studies, eight were cross-sectional, four were prospective, and two employed a randomized controlled experimental design. Twelve of the 14 studies did not take into consideration dietary behavior in their analysis, and similarly, nine of the 14 studies did not take into consideration participant physical activity behavior. Among the 14 studies, ten found an inverse association of weight status on memory function, but for one of these studies, this association was attenuated after controlling for physical activity. Among the 14 evaluated studies, four did not find a direct effect of weight status on memory. Among the four null studies, one, however, found an indirect effect of BMI on episodic memory and another found a moderation effect of BMI and age on memory function. It appears that obesity may be associated with worse memory function, with the underlying mechanisms discussed herein. At this point, it is uncertain whether adiposity, itself, is influencing memory changes, or rather, whether adiposity-related lifestyle behaviors (e.g., physical inactivity and diet) are driving the obesity-memory relationship.

Neural Mechanisms of Episodic Retrieval Support Divergent Creative Thinking.

Science.gov (United States)

Madore, Kevin P; Thakral, Preston P; Beaty, Roger E; Addis, Donna Rose; Schacter, Daniel L

2017-11-17

Prior research has indicated that brain regions and networks that support semantic memory, top-down and bottom-up attention, and cognitive control are all involved in divergent creative thinking. Kernels of evidence suggest that neural processes supporting episodic memory-the retrieval of particular elements of prior experiences-may also be involved in divergent thinking, but such processes have typically been characterized as not very relevant for, or even a hindrance to, creative output. In the present study, we combine functional magnetic resonance imaging with an experimental manipulation to test formally, for the first time, episodic memory's involvement in divergent thinking. Following a manipulation that facilitates detailed episodic retrieval, we observed greater neural activity in the hippocampus and stronger connectivity between a core brain network linked to episodic processing and a frontoparietal brain network linked to cognitive control during divergent thinking relative to an object association control task that requires little divergent thinking. Stronger coupling following the retrieval manipulation extended to a subsequent resting-state scan. Neural effects of the episodic manipulation were consistent with behavioral effects of enhanced idea production on divergent thinking but not object association. The results indicate that conceptual frameworks should accommodate the idea that episodic retrieval can function as a component process of creative idea generation, and highlight how the brain flexibly utilizes the retrieval of episodic details for tasks beyond simple remembering. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

78 FR 17646 - Agency Information Collection Activities; Comment Request; Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-22

...; Comment Request; Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program Annual Performance Report AGENCY... of Collection: Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program Annual Performance Report. OMB...: Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement (McNair) Program Annual Performance Report Program...

McCullough to Liberty fiber optics project

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1997-05-01

The US Department of Energy, Western Area Power Administration (Western) proposes to replace an existing overhead static wire with a shield wire that contains optical fibers (OPGW) on transmission lines from McCullough Substation, south of Las Vegas, Nevada, to Liberty Substation near Phoenix, Arizona. The replacement will occur on the McCullough-Davis, Davis-Parker No. 2, and Parker-Liberty No. 1 230-kV transmission lines. Western is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the lines. Western prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) entitled ``McCullough to Liberty Fiber Optics Project`` (DOE/EA-1202). The EA contains the analysis of the proposed construction, operation, and maintenance of the OPGW. Based on the analysis in the EA, Western finds that the proposed action is not a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment, within the meaning of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. The preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS) is not required, and therefore, Western is issuing this Findings of No Significant Impact (FONSI).

THE McELIECE CRYPTOSYSTEM WITH ARRAY CODES

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vedat Şiap

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Public-key cryptosystems form an important part of cryptography. In these systems, every user has a public and a private key. The public key allows other users to encrypt messages, which can only be decoded using the secret private key. In that way, public-key cryptosystems allow easy and secure communication between all users without the need to actually meet and exchange keys. One such system is the McEliece Public-Key cryptosystem, sometimes also called McEliece Scheme. However, as we live in the information age, coding is used in order to protecet or correct the messages in the transferring or the storing processes. So, linear codes are important in the transferring or the storing. Due to richness of their structure array codes which are linear are also an important codes. However, the information is then transferred into the source more securely by increasing the error correction capability with array codes. In this paper, we combine two interesting topics, McEliece cryptosystem and array codes.

McCullough to Liberty fiber optics project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1997-05-01

The US Department of Energy, Western Area Power Administration (Western) proposes to replace an existing overhead static wire with a shield wire that contains optical fibers (OPGW) on transmission lines from McCullough Substation, south of Las Vegas, Nevada, to Liberty Substation near Phoenix, Arizona. The replacement will occur on the McCullough-Davis, Davis-Parker No. 2, and Parker-Liberty No. 1 230-kV transmission lines. Western is responsible for the operation and maintenance of the lines. Western prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) entitled ''McCullough to Liberty Fiber Optics Project'' (DOE/EA-1202). The EA contains the analysis of the proposed construction, operation, and maintenance of the OPGW. Based on the analysis in the EA, Western finds that the proposed action is not a major Federal action significantly affecting the quality of the human environment, within the meaning of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) of 1969. The preparation of an environmental impact statement (EIS) is not required, and therefore, Western is issuing this Findings of No Significant Impact (FONSI)

Cortical Thickness and Episodic Memory Impairment in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Science.gov (United States)

Bizzo, Bernardo Canedo; Sanchez, Tiago Arruda; Tukamoto, Gustavo; Zimmermann, Nicolle; Netto, Tania Maria; Gasparetto, Emerson Leandro

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate differences in brain cortical thickness of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with and without episodic memory impairment and healthy controls. We studied 51 patients divided in 2 groups (SLE with episodic memory deficit, n = 17; SLE without episodic memory deficit, n = 34) by the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test and 34 healthy controls. Groups were paired based on sex, age, education, Mini-Mental State Examination score, and accumulation of disease burden. Cortical thickness from magnetic resonance imaging scans was determined using the FreeSurfer software package. SLE patients with episodic memory deficits presented reduced cortical thickness in the left supramarginal cortex and superior temporal gyrus when compared to the control group and in the right superior frontal, caudal, and rostral middle frontal and precentral gyri when compared to the SLE group without episodic memory impairment considering time since diagnosis of SLE as covaried. There were no significant differences in the cortical thickness between the SLE without episodic memory and control groups. Different memory-related cortical regions thinning were found in the episodic memory deficit group when individually compared to the groups of patients without memory impairment and healthy controls. Copyright © 2016 by the American Society of Neuroimaging.

Two-Year Diagnostic Stability in Early-Onset First-Episode Psychosis

Science.gov (United States)

Castro-Fornieles, Josefina; Baeza, Immaculada; de la Serna, Elena; Gonzalez-Pinto, Ana; Parellada, Mara; Graell, Montserrat; Moreno, Dolores; Otero, Soraya; Arango, Celso

2011-01-01

Background: Only one study has used a prospective method to analyze the diagnostic stability of first psychotic episodes in children and adolescents. The Child and Adolescent First-Episode Psychosis Study (CAFEPS) is a 2-year, prospective longitudinal study of early-onset first episodes of psychosis (EO-FEP). Aim: To describe diagnostic stability…

[McArdle disease revealed by exercise intolerance associated with severe rhabdomyolysis].

Science.gov (United States)

Amezyane, T; El Kharras, A; Abouzahir, A; Fatihi, J; Bassou, D; Mahassin, F; Ghafir, D; Ohayon, V

2009-12-01

McArdle's disease (MAD) is a rare hereditary myopathy secondary to a deficit in myophosphorylase, an essential enzyme for the use of muscular glycogen reserves. Exercise intolerance to a variable degree is the fundamental manifestation. Muscular enzymes are usually normal or slightly elevated, except during episodes of rhabdomyolysis. Generally, the electromyogram has poor sensitivity for the diagnosis of exercise myopathies. The muscular biopsy can be misleadingly normal. The role of MRI in the diagnosis of MAD is not well clarified in the literature. We report the case of a 16-year-old patient, hospitalized in July 2008 for exercise intolerance. On admission, he was asymptomatic and the physical examination was non contributive. Serum creatine kinase levels and renal function measures were normal. Cycloergometer exercise testing unmasked the disease. EMG and muscular biopsies were normal. During the second hospitalization, this time for rhabdomyolysis, T2 weighted MRI of the thighs showed high intensity signals from the gracilis muscles. The control MRI, made after 2 weeks of rest, was normal. Right gracilis muscle biopsy demonstrated excess glycogen with myophosphorylase deficiency, establishing the diagnosis of MAD. MAD is a rare metabolic myopathy to consider in patients with a history of exercise intolerance. The muscle biopsy can be misleadingly normal and should be, to our opinion, be guided by MRI findings.

Sygeplejefagets teorigrundlag som værn mod McDonaldisering

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Norlyk, Annelise; Haahr, Anita; Dreyer, Pia

2017-01-01

, and that values from evidence-based medicine are being lost in the transformation into this practice which potentially leads to a McDonaldization of nursing practice reflected as «one best way». To prevent a practice of «McNursing», we argue for reviving ethics of care perspectives in today’s evidence practice...

Evidence for holistic episodic recollection via hippocampal pattern completion.

Science.gov (United States)

Horner, Aidan J; Bisby, James A; Bush, Daniel; Lin, Wen-Jing; Burgess, Neil

2015-07-02

Recollection is thought to be the hallmark of episodic memory. Here we provide evidence that the hippocampus binds together the diverse elements forming an event, allowing holistic recollection via pattern completion of all elements. Participants learn complex 'events' from multiple overlapping pairs of elements, and are tested on all pairwise associations. At encoding, element 'types' (locations, people and objects/animals) produce activation in distinct neocortical regions, while hippocampal activity predicts memory performance for all within-event pairs. When retrieving a pairwise association, neocortical activity corresponding to all event elements is reinstated, including those incidental to the task. Participant's degree of incidental reinstatement correlates with their hippocampal activity. Our results suggest that event elements, represented in distinct neocortical regions, are bound into coherent 'event engrams' in the hippocampus that enable episodic recollection--the re-experiencing or holistic retrieval of all aspects of an event--via a process of hippocampal pattern completion and neocortical reinstatement.

Vection Modulates Emotional Valence of Autobiographical Episodic Memories

Science.gov (United States)

Seno, Takeharu; Kawabe, Takahiro; Ito, Hiroyuki; Sunaga, Shoji

2013-01-01

We examined whether illusory self-motion perception ("vection") induced by viewing upward and downward grating motion stimuli can alter the emotional valence of recollected autobiographical episodic memories. We found that participants recollected positive episodes more often while perceiving upward vection. However, when we tested a small moving…

Episodic memory for human-like agents and human-like agents for episodic memory

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Brom, C.; Lukavský, Jiří; Kadlec, R.

2010-01-01

Roč. 2, č. 2 (2010), s. 227-244 ISSN 1793-8473 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z70250504 Keywords : episodic memory * virtual agent * modelling Subject RIV: AN - Psychology http://www.worldscinet.com/ijmc/02/0202/S1793843010000461.html

Postavení firmy McDonald's na trhu v USA

OpenAIRE

Holkupová, Jitka

2012-01-01

This thesis deals with McDonald's and its current position in the U.S. market. The first chapter focuses on the company's history from the very beginnings to the present. It explains what was behind the success of McDonald's and how the company is different from most competitors. The second chapter focuses on the current situation in the U.S. market, the role of franchising in the fast food industry and McDonald's compared with its main competitors. The subject of the third chapter is the SWO...

Microbiology of Peritonitis in Peritoneal Dialysis Patients with Multiple Episodes

Science.gov (United States)

Nessim, Sharon J.; Nisenbaum, Rosane; Bargman, Joanne M.; Jassal, Sarbjit V.

2012-01-01

♦ Background: Peritoneal dialysis (PD)–associated peritonitis clusters within patients. Patient factors contribute to peritonitis risk, but there is also entrapment of organisms within the biofilm that forms on PD catheters. It is hypothesized that this biofilm may prevent complete eradication of organisms, predisposing to multiple infections with the same organism. ♦ Methods: Using data collected in the Canadian multicenter Baxter POET (Peritonitis, Organism, Exit sites, Tunnel infections) database from 1996 to 2005, we studied incident PD patients with 2 or more peritonitis episodes. We determined the proportion of patients with 2 or more episodes caused by the same organism. In addition, using a multivariate logistic regression model, we tested whether prior peritonitis with a given organism predicted the occurrence of a subsequent episode with the same organism. ♦ Results: During their time on PD, 558 patients experienced 2 or more peritonitis episodes. Of those 558 patients, 181 (32%) had at least 2 episodes with the same organism. The organism most commonly causing repeat infection was coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CNS), accounting for 65.7% of cases. Compared with peritonitis caused by other organisms, a first CNS peritonitis episode was associated with an increased risk of subsequent CNS peritonitis within 1 year (odds ratio: 2.1; 95% confidence interval: 1.5 to 2.8; p peritonitis, 48% of repeat episodes occurred within 6 months of the earlier episode. ♦ Conclusions: In contrast to previous data, we did not find a high proportion of patients with multiple peritonitis episodes caused by the same organism. Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus was the organism most likely to cause peritonitis more than once in a given patient, and a prior CNS peritonitis was associated with an increased risk of CNS peritonitis within the subsequent year. PMID:22215659

McArdle Disease

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Santalla, Alfredo; Nogales-Gadea, Gisela; Ørtenblad, Niels

2014-01-01

McArdle disease is arguably the paradigm of exercise intolerance in humans. This disorder is caused by inherited deficiency of myophosphorylase, the enzyme isoform that initiates glycogen breakdown in skeletal muscles. Because patients are unable to obtain energy from their muscle glycogen stores......, this disease provides an interesting model of study for exercise physiologists, allowing insight to be gained into the understanding of glycogen-dependent muscle functions. Of special interest in the field of muscle physiology and sports medicine are also some specific (if not unique) characteristics...

Episodic and Semantic Aspects of Memory for Prose.

Science.gov (United States)

Dooling, D. James

This report describes research on Bartlett's theory of constructive memory. In experiment one, schematic retention is related to Tulving's distinction between episodic and semantic memory. With the passage of time, memory for prose reflects decreasing output from episodic memory and increasing output from semantic memory. In experiment two,…

Stereotype Threat Effects on Older Adults' Episodic and Working Memory: A Meta-Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Armstrong, Bonnie; Gallant, Sara N; Li, Lingqian; Patel, Khushi; Wong, Brenda I

2017-08-01

Prior research has shown that exposure to negative age-based stereotype threat (ST) can undermine older adults' memory performance. The objective of the current meta-analysis was to examine the reliability and magnitude of ST effects on older adults' episodic and working memory performance-two forms of memory that typically show the greatest age-related declines. In addition, we examined potential moderators of age-based ST including type of ST manipulation, type and timing of memory task, participant age and education level. A total of 23 samples for episodic memory and 15 samples for working memory were derived from 19 published and 4 unpublished articles and analyzed in two separate meta-analyses. Analyses revealed a reliable effect of ST on both older adults' episodic (d = 0.373) and working memory performance (d = 0.253). Interestingly, the age-based ST effect was only significant when blatant ST manipulations were used with episodic memory tasks or when subtle ST manipulations were used with working memory tasks. Moreover, within episodic memory, the ST effect only reached significance for recall but not cued-recall or recognition performance, and for immediate but not delayed tests of memory. Neither age nor level of education moderated the association between ST and older adults' memory performance. These results highlight the vulnerability of both older adults' episodic and working memory performance to age-based ST. When measuring older adults' memory performance in a research context, we must therefore be wary of exposing participants to common stereotypes about aging and memory. © The Author 2017. 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.

Oxcarbazepine for acute affective episodes in bipolar disorder.

Science.gov (United States)

Vasudev, Akshya; Macritchie, Karine; Vasudev, Kamini; Watson, Stuart; Geddes, John; Young, Allan H

2011-12-07

Oxcarbazepine, a keto derivative of the 'mood stabiliser' carbamazepine, may have efficacy in the treatment of acute episodes of bipolar disorder. Potentially, it may offer pharmacokinetic advantages over carbamazepine. To review the efficacy and acceptability of oxcarbazepine compared to placebo and other agents in the treatment of acute bipolar episodes including mania, mixed episodes and depression. Electronic databases were searched up to 2 September 2011. Specialist journals and conference proceedings were handsearched. Authors, experts in the field and pharmaceutical companies were contacted requesting information on published and unpublished trials. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) which compared oxcarbazepine with placebo or alternative agents, where the stated intent of intervention was the acute treatment of bipolar affective disorder were sought. Participants with bipolar disorder of either sex and of all ages were included. Data were extracted from the original reports individually by two review authors. For dichotomous data, odds ratios (ORs) were calculated with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Continuous data were analysed using standardised mean differences (with 95% CI). Seven studies were included in the analysis (368 participants in total). All were on mania, hypomania, mixed episodes or rapid-cycling disorder. Overall, their methodological quality was relatively low.There was no difference in the primary outcome analysis - a fall of  50% or more on the Young Mania Rating Scale (YMRS) - between oxcarbazepine and placebo (N=1, n=110, OR =2.10, 95% CI 0.94 to 4.73) in one study, conducted in children; no studies were available in adult participants.In comparison with other mood stabilisers, there was no difference between oxcarbazepine and valproate as an antimanic agent using the primary outcome (50% or more fall in YMRS, OR=0.44, 95% CI 0.10 to 1.97, 1 study, n=60, P=0.273) or the secondary outcome measure (differences in YMRS between the two

Brad Patterson, Tom Brooking, and Jim McAloon, Unpacking the Kist: The Scots in New Zealand. McGill-Queen's Studies in Ethnic History Series, No. 2.33. Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2013. Pp. 412. ISBN 978-0-7735-4190-0. CAD $100.00.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Seán Gerard Brosnahan

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Brad Patterson, Tom Brooking, and Jim McAloon, Unpacking the Kist: The Scots in New Zealand. McGill-Queen's Studies in Ethnic History Series, No. 2.33. Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press, 2013. Pp. 412. ISBN 978-0-7735-4190-0. CAD $100.00.

Episodic memory function is associated with multiple measures of white matter integrity in cognitive aging

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samuel Neal Lockhart

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Previous neuroimaging research indicates that white matter injury and integrity, measured respectively by white matter hyperintensities (WMH and fractional anisotropy (FA obtained from diffusion tensor imaging, differ with aging and cerebrovascular disease and are associated with episodic memory deficits in cognitively normal older adults. However, knowledge about tract-specific relationships between WMH, FA, and episodic memory in aging remains limited. We hypothesized that white matter connections between frontal cortex and subcortical structures as well as connections between frontal and temporo-parietal cortex would be most affected. In the current study, we examined relationships between WMH, FA and episodic memory in 15 young adults, 13 elders with minimal WMH and 15 elders with extensive WMH, using an episodic recognition memory test for object-color associations. Voxel-based statistics were used to identify voxel clusters where white matter measures were specifically associated with variations in episodic memory performance, and white matter tracts intersecting these clusters were analyzed to examine white matter-memory relationships. White matter injury and integrity measures were significantly associated with episodic memory in extensive regions of white matter, located predominantly in frontal, parietal, and subcortical regions. Template based tractography indicated that white matter injury, as measured by WMH, in the uncinate and inferior longitudinal fasciculi were significantly negatively associated with episodic memory performance. Other tracts such as thalamo-frontal projections, superior longitudinal fasciculus, and dorsal cingulum bundle demonstrated strong negative associations as well. The results suggest that white matter injury to multiple pathways, including connections of frontal and temporal cortex and frontal-subcortical white matter tracts, plays a critical role in memory differences seen in older individuals.

The relationship between level of autistic traits and local bias in the context of the McGurk effect.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuta eUjiie

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The McGurk effect is a well-known illustration that demonstrates the influence of visual information on hearing in the context of speech perception. Some studies have reported that individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD display abnormal processing of audio-visual speech integration, while other studies showed contradictory results. Based on the dimensional model of ASD, we administered two analog studies to examine the link between level of autistic traits, as assessed by the Autism Spectrum Quotient (AQ, and the McGurk effect among a sample of university students. In the first experiment, we found that autistic traits correlated negatively with fused (McGurk responses. Then, we manipulated presentation types of visual stimuli to examine whether the local bias toward visual speech cues modulated individual differences in the McGurk effect. The presentation included four types of visual images, comprising no image, mouth only, mouth and eyes, and full face. The results revealed that global facial information facilitates the influence of visual speech cues on McGurk stimuli. Moreover, individual differences between groups with low and high levels of autistic traits appeared when the full-face visual speech cue with an incongruent voice condition was presented. These results suggest that individual differences in the McGurk effect might be due to a weak ability to process global facial information in individuals with high levels of autistic traits.

Phenomenology of future-oriented mind-wandering episodes

OpenAIRE

David eStawarczyk; Helena eCassol; Arnaud eD'Argembeau

2013-01-01

Recent research suggests that prospective and non-prospective forms of mind-wandering possess distinct properties, yet little is known about what exactly differentiates between future-oriented and non-future-oriented mind-wandering episodes. In the present study, we used multilevel exploratory factor analyses to examine the factorial structure of various phenomenological dimensions of mind-wandering, and we then investigated whether future-oriented mind-wandering episodes differ from other cl...

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

Science.gov (United States)

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.

Posttraumatic growth following a first episode of psychosis: a mixed methods research protocol using a convergent design.

Science.gov (United States)

Jordan, Gerald; Malla, Ashok; Iyer, Srividya N

2016-07-25

The suffering people experience following a first episode of psychosis is great, and has been well-investigated. Conversely, potential positive outcomes following a first episode of psychosis have been under-investigated. One such outcome that may result from a first episode of psychosis is posttraumatic growth, or a positive aftermath following the trauma of a first psychotic episode. While posttraumatic growth has been described following other physical and mental illnesses, posttraumatic growth has received very little attention following a first episode of psychosis. To address this research gap, we will conduct a mixed methods study aimed at answering two research questions: 1) How do people experience posttraumatic growth following a first episode of psychosis? 2) What predicts, or facilitates, posttraumatic growth following a first episode of psychosis? The research questions will be investigated using a mixed methods convergent design. All participants will be service-users being offered treatment for a first episode of psychosis at a specialized early intervention service for young people with psychosis, as well as their case managers.. A qualitative descriptive methodology will guide data-collection through semi-structured interviews with service-users. Service-users and case managers will complete questionnaires related to posttraumatic growth and its potential predictors using quantitative methods. These predictors include the impact a first episode of psychosis on service-users' lives, the coping strategies they use; the level of social support they enjoy; and their experiences of resilience and recovery. Qualitative data will be subject to thematic analysis, quantitative data will be subject to multiple regression analyses, and results from both methods will be combined to answer the research questions in a holistic way. Findings from this study are expected to show that in addition to suffering, people with a first episode of psychosis may experience

The impact of episodic nonequilibrium fracture-matrix flow on geological repository performance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buscheck, T.A.; Nitao, J.J.; Chestnut, D.A.

1991-01-01

Adequate representation of fracture-matrix interaction during episodic infiltration events is crucial in making valid hydrological predictions of repository performance at Yucca Mountain. Various approximations have been applied to represent fracture-matrix flow interaction, including the Equivalent Continuum Model (ECM), which assumes capillary equilibrium between fractures and matrix, and the Fracture-Matrix Model (FMM), which accounts for nonequilibrium fracture-matrix flow. We analyze the relative impact of matrix imbibition on episodic nonequilibrium fracture-matrix flow for the eight major hydrostratigraphic units in the unsaturated zone at Yucca Mountain. Comparisons are made between ECM and FMM predictions to determine the applicability of the ECM. The implications of nonequilibrium fracture-matrix flow on radionuclide transport are also discussed

Medial temporal lobe damage causes deficits in episodic memory and episodic future thinking not attributable to deficits in narrative construction.

Science.gov (United States)

Race, Elizabeth; Keane, Margaret M; Verfaellie, Mieke

2011-07-13

The medial temporal lobe (MTL) makes critical contributions to episodic memory, but its contributions to episodic future thinking remain a matter of debate. By one view, imagining future events relies on MTL mechanisms that also support memory for past events. Alternatively, it has recently been suggested that future thinking is independent of MTL-mediated processes and can be supported by regions outside the MTL. The current study investigated the nature and necessity of MTL involvement in imagining the future and tested the novel hypothesis that the MTL contributes to future thinking by supporting online binding processes related to narrative construction. Human amnesic patients with well characterized MTL damage and healthy controls constructed narratives about (1) future events, (2) past events, and (3) visually presented pictures. While all three tasks place similar demands on narrative construction, only the past and future conditions require memory/future thinking to mentally generate relevant narrative information. Patients produced impoverished descriptions of both past and future events but were unimpaired at producing detailed picture narratives. In addition, future-thinking performance positively correlated with episodic memory performance but did not correlate with picture narrative performance. Finally, future-thinking impairments were present when MTL lesions were restricted to the hippocampus and did not depend on the presence of neural damage outside the MTL. These results indicate that the ability to generate and maintain a detailed narrative is preserved in amnesia and suggest that a common MTL mechanism supports both episodic memory and episodic future thinking.

MC1R studies in dogs with melanistic mask or brindle patterns.

Science.gov (United States)

Schmutz, S M; Berryere, T G; Ellinwood, N M; Kerns, J A; Barsh, G S

2003-01-01

Black mask is a characteristic pattern in which red, yellow, tan, fawn, or brindle dogs exhibit a melanistic muzzle which may extend up onto the ears. Melanistic mask is inherited in several breeds as an autosomal dominant trait, and appears to be a fixed trait in a few breeds of dogs. A MC1R nonsense mutation, R306ter, has been shown to cause a completely red or yellow coat color in certain breeds such as Irish setters, yellow Labrador retrievers, and golden retrievers. The amino acid sequence for the melanocortin receptor 1 gene (MC1R) was examined in 17 dogs with melanistic masks from seven breeds, 19 dogs without melanistic masks, and 7 dogs in which their coat color made the mask difficult to distinguish. We also examined nine brindle dogs of four breeds, including three dogs who also had a black mask. No consistent amino acid change was observed in the brindle dogs. All dogs with a melanistic mask had at least one copy of a valine substitution for methionine at amino acid 264 (M264V) and none were homozygous for the premature stop codon (R306ter). These results suggest that black mask, but not brindle, is caused by a specific MC1R allele.

Report on the lunar ranging at McDonald Observatory, 1 February - 31 May 1976

Science.gov (United States)

Palm, C. S.; Wiant, J. R.

1976-01-01

The four spring lunations produced 105 acquisitions, including the 2000th range measurement made at McDonald Observatory. Statistics were normal for the spring months. Laser and electronics problems are noted. The Loran-C station delay was corrected. Preliminary doubles data is shown. New magnetic tape data formats are presented. R and D efforts include a new laser modification design.

The McDonaldization of Nigerian Universities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Emeka W. Dumbili

2014-04-01

Full Text Available This article examines the extent to which the deregulation of Nigerian higher education (HE has facilitated the McDonaldization of the universities. University education in Nigeria commenced in 1948 with the establishment of the University College, Ibadan. After independence in 1960, subsequent governments expanded the number of universities, a policy based on a lack of quality manpower in leadership positions created by the exit of British officials and the need to grant access to an increasing number of prospective students. In the 1970s, the number of universities increased accompanied by a decline in infrastructure, funding, and working conditions. This resulted in several strikes and an exodus of academics to other countries. Instead of tackling the problems, the federal government shifted responsibilities by approving private ownership of universities in 1999 and by establishing the National Open University of Nigeria (NOUN in 2001. Against this backdrop, this article critically analyzes how some of these reforms facilitated the McDonaldization of Nigerian universities. The article reveals how this has resulted in an overloading of responsibilities on the faculty, erosion of academic autonomy, a prioritization of quantity over quality of publications, and an assumption of “customer” status by students. The article uses evidence from McDonaldized HE in Western countries to discuss the implications of these developments and suggests some remedial measures.

Application of the McDonald MRI criteria in multiple sclerosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Chan, Ling Ling; Sitoh, Yih Yian; Chong, June; See, Siew Ju; Umapathi, Thirugnanam N; Lim, Shih Hui; Ong, Benjamin

2007-08-01

The aim of this study was to assess the sensitivity of McDonald's magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) criteria for the diagnosis of multiple sclerosis (MS) in a group of Asian patients diagnosed with clinically definite MS, based on lesion characterisation on MRI scans. Forty-nine patients from 3 major neurological institutions were classified as having Asian- or Western-type MS based on clinical assessment. Each MRI scan was reviewed by 2 neuroradiologists for the presence and characteristics of brain and spinal lesions. The McDonald's MRI criteria were then applied and its sensitivity evaluated. Nine patients were excluded, leaving 34 females and 6 males who were dominantly Chinese (90%), with a mean age of 36.2 years. The MRI brain and spinal findings were detailed and tabulated. Statistically significant differences (P McDonald's MRI criteria were found between our Asian- and Western-type MS patients. The diagnostic yield of McDonald's MRI criteria increased by 20% when we substituted a cord for a brain lesion, and applied the substitution for enhancing cord lesions as well. The diagnosis is more likely to be made when using McDonald MRI criteria based on brain findings, in a patient who presents clinically with Western-type MS. The provision for substitution of "one brain for a spinal lesion" is helpful in Asian-type MS, where there is preponderance of spinal lesion load. Our findings suggest that minor modifications in the interpretation of McDonald's MRI criteria have significant impact on the diagnosis in patients clinically presenting as Asian-type MS, with potential bearing on their subsequent management.

Computation of the locus crossing point location of MC circuit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Hai-Jun; Li Zhi-Wei; Bu Kai; Sun Zhao-Lin; Nie Hong-Shan

2014-01-01

In this paper, the crossing point property of the i–v hysteresis curve in a memristor–capacitor (MC) circuit is analyzed. First, the ideal passive memristor on the crossing point property of i–v hysteresis curve is studied. Based on the analysis, the analytical derivation with respect to the crossing point location of MC circuit is given. Then the example of MC with linear memristance-versus-charge state map is demonstrated to discuss the drift property of cross-point location, caused by the frequency and capacitance value. (interdisciplinary physics and related areas of science and technology)

Episodes, events, and models

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sangeet eKhemlani

2015-10-01

Full Text Available We describe a novel computational theory of how individuals segment perceptual information into representations of events. The theory is inspired by recent findings in the cognitive science and cognitive neuroscience of event segmentation. In line with recent theories, it holds that online event segmentation is automatic, and that event segmentation yields mental simulations of events. But it posits two novel principles as well: first, discrete episodic markers track perceptual and conceptual changes, and can be retrieved to construct event models. Second, the process of retrieving and reconstructing those episodic markers is constrained and prioritized. We describe a computational implementation of the theory, as well as a robotic extension of the theory that demonstrates the processes of online event segmentation and event model construction. The theory is the first unified computational account of event segmentation and temporal inference. We conclude by demonstrating now neuroimaging data can constrain and inspire the construction of process-level theories of human reasoning.

Negative Emotional Content Disrupts the Coherence of Episodic Memories

OpenAIRE

Bisby, James A.; Horner, Aidan J.; Bush, Daniel; Burgess, Neil

2017-01-01

Events are thought to be stored in episodic memory as coherent representations, in which the constituent elements are bound together so that a cue can trigger reexperience of all elements via pattern completion. Negative emotional content can strongly influence memory, but opposing theories predict strengthening or weakening of memory coherence. Across a series of experiments, participants imagined a number of person-location-object events with half of the events including a negative element ...

Why do we remember? The communicative function of episodic memory

Science.gov (United States)

Mahr, Johannes B.; Csibra, Gergely

2017-01-01

Short Abstract We propose a novel account of episodic memory function based on a conceptual and empirical analysis of its role in belief formation. We provide a critique of the view that episodic memory serves future-directed imagination, and argue that the central features of this capacity can instead be explained by the role it plays in human communication. On this view, episodic memory allows us to communicatively support our interpretations of the past by gauging when we can assert epistemic authority. This capacity is ineliminable in justification of, and negotiations about, social commitments established by past interactions. Long Abstract Episodic memory has been analyzed in a number of different ways in both philosophy and psychology, and most controversy has centered on its self-referential, ‘autonoetic’ character. Here, we offer a comprehensive characterization of episodic memory in representational terms, and propose a novel functional account on this basis. We argue that episodic memory should be understood as a distinctive epistemic attitude taken towards an event simulation. On this view, episodic memory has a metarepresentational format and should not be equated with beliefs about the past. Instead, empirical findings suggest that the contents of human episodic memory are often constructed in the service of the explicit justification of such beliefs. Existing accounts of episodic memory function that have focused on explaining its constructive character through its role in ‘future-oriented mental time travel’ neither do justice to its capacity to ground veridical beliefs about the past nor to its representational format. We provide an account of the metarepresentational structure of episodic memory in terms of its role in communicative interaction. The generative nature of recollection allows us to represent and communicate the reasons for why we hold certain beliefs about the past. In this process, autonoesis corresponds to the capacity to

Characterization of intense aerosol episodes in the Mediterranean basin from satellite observations

Science.gov (United States)

Gkikas, Antonis; Hatzianastassiou, Nikos; Mihalopoulos, Nikolaos

2014-05-01

The properties and distribution of aerosols over the broader Mediterranean region are complex since particles of different nature are either produced within its boundaries or transported from other regions. Thus, coarse dust aerosols are transported primarily from Sahara and secondarily from Middle East, while fine polluted aerosols are either produced locally from anthropogenic activities or they are transported from neighbouring or remote European areas. Also during summer biomass aerosols are transported towards the Mediterranean, originating from massive and extended fires occurring in northern Balkans and Eastern Europe and favoured by the prevailing synoptic conditions. In addition, sea-salt aerosols originate from the Mediterranean Sea or the Atlantic Ocean. Occasionally, aerosols are encountered at very high concentrations (aerosol episodes or events) significantly affecting atmospheric dynamics and climate as well as human health. Given the coexistence of different aerosols as internal and external mixtures characterizing and discriminating between the different types of aerosol episodes is a big challenge. A characterization and classification of intense aerosol episodes in the Mediterranean basin (March 2000 - February 2007) is attempted in the present study. This is achieved by implementing an objective and dynamic algorithm which uses daily aerosol optical properties derived from satellite measurements, namely MODIS-Terra, Earth Probe (EP)-TOMS and OMI-Aura. The aerosol episodes are first classified into strong and extreme ones, according to their intensity, by means of aerosol optical depth at 550nm (AOD550nm). Subsequently, they are discriminated into the following aerosol types: (i) biomass/urban-industrial (BU), (ii) desert dust (DD), (iii) sea-salt like (SS), (iv) mixed (MX) and (v) undetermined (UN). The classification is based on aerosol optical properties accounting for the particles' size (Ångström exponent, Effective radius), the

Simulation of streamflow in the McTier Creek watershed, South Carolina

Science.gov (United States)

Feaster, Toby D.; Golden, Heather E.; Odom, Kenneth R.; Lowery, Mark A.; Conrads, Paul; Bradley, Paul M.

2010-01-01

The McTier Creek watershed is located in the Sand Hills ecoregion of South Carolina and is a small catchment within the Edisto River Basin. Two watershed hydrology models were applied to the McTier Creek watershed as part of a larger scientific investigation to expand the understanding of relations among hydrologic, geochemical, and ecological processes that affect fish-tissue mercury concentrations within the Edisto River Basin. The two models are the topography-based hydrological model (TOPMODEL) and the grid-based mercury model (GBMM). TOPMODEL uses the variable-source area concept for simulating streamflow, and GBMM uses a spatially explicit modified curve-number approach for simulating streamflow. The hydrologic output from TOPMODEL can be used explicitly to simulate the transport of mercury in separate applications, whereas the hydrology output from GBMM is used implicitly in the simulation of mercury fate and transport in GBMM. The modeling efforts were a collaboration between the U.S. Geological Survey and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, National Exposure Research Laboratory. Calibrations of TOPMODEL and GBMM were done independently while using the same meteorological data and the same period of record of observed data. Two U.S. Geological Survey streamflow-gaging stations were available for comparison of observed daily mean flow with simulated daily mean flow-station 02172300, McTier Creek near Monetta, South Carolina, and station 02172305, McTier Creek near New Holland, South Carolina. The period of record at the Monetta gage covers a broad range of hydrologic conditions, including a drought and a significant wet period. Calibrating the models under these extreme conditions along with the normal flow conditions included in the record enhances the robustness of the two models. Several quantitative assessments of the goodness of fit between model simulations and the observed daily mean flows were done. These included the Nash-Sutcliffe coefficient

High-precision isotopic characterization of USGS reference materials by TIMS and MC-ICP-MS

Science.gov (United States)

Weis, Dominique; Kieffer, Bruno; Maerschalk, Claude; Barling, Jane; de Jong, Jeroen; Williams, Gwen A.; Hanano, Diane; Pretorius, Wilma; Mattielli, Nadine; Scoates, James S.; Goolaerts, Arnaud; Friedman, Richard M.; Mahoney, J. Brian

2006-08-01

The Pacific Centre for Isotopic and Geochemical Research (PCIGR) at the University of British Columbia has undertaken a systematic analysis of the isotopic (Sr, Nd, and Pb) compositions and concentrations of a broad compositional range of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) reference materials, including basalt (BCR-1, 2; BHVO-1, 2), andesite (AGV-1, 2), rhyolite (RGM-1, 2), syenite (STM-1, 2), granodiorite (GSP-2), and granite (G-2, 3). USGS rock reference materials are geochemically well characterized, but there is neither a systematic methodology nor a database for radiogenic isotopic compositions, even for the widely used BCR-1. This investigation represents the first comprehensive, systematic analysis of the isotopic composition and concentration of USGS reference materials and provides an important database for the isotopic community. In addition, the range of equipment at the PCIGR, including a Nu Instruments Plasma MC-ICP-MS, a Thermo Finnigan Triton TIMS, and a Thermo Finnigan Element2 HR-ICP-MS, permits an assessment and comparison of the precision and accuracy of isotopic analyses determined by both the TIMS and MC-ICP-MS methods (e.g., Nd isotopic compositions). For each of the reference materials, 5 to 10 complete replicate analyses provide coherent isotopic results, all with external precision below 30 ppm (2 SD) for Sr and Nd isotopic compositions (27 and 24 ppm for TIMS and MC-ICP-MS, respectively). Our results also show that the first- and second-generation USGS reference materials have homogeneous Sr and Nd isotopic compositions. Nd isotopic compositions by MC-ICP-MS and TIMS agree to within 15 ppm for all reference materials. Interlaboratory MC-ICP-MS comparisons show excellent agreement for Pb isotopic compositions; however, the reproducibility is not as good as for Sr and Nd. A careful, sequential leaching experiment of three first- and second-generation reference materials (BCR, BHVO, AGV) indicates that the heterogeneity in Pb isotopic compositions

Visual perspective in remembering and episodic future thought.

Science.gov (United States)

McDermott, Kathleen B; Wooldridge, Cynthia L; Rice, Heather J; Berg, Jeffrey J; Szpunar, Karl K

2016-01-01

According to the constructive episodic simulation hypothesis, remembering and episodic future thinking are supported by a common set of constructive processes. In the present study, we directly addressed this assertion in the context of third-person perspectives that arise during remembering and episodic future thought. Specifically, we examined the frequency with which participants remembered past events or imagined future events from third-person perspectives. We also examined the different viewpoints from which third-person perspective events were remembered or imagined. Although future events were somewhat more likely to be imagined from a third-person perspective, the spatial viewpoint distributions of third-person perspectives characterizing remembered and imagined events were highly similar. These results suggest that a similar constructive mechanism may be at work when people remember events from a perspective that could not have been experienced in the past and when they imagine events from a perspective that could not be experienced in the future. The findings are discussed in terms of their consistency with--and as extensions of--the constructive episodic simulation hypothesis.

The value of conventional high-field MRI in MS in the light of the McDonald criteria: a literature review

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Line Sofie Lunde; Larsson, H B W; Frederiksen, Jette Lautrup Battistini

2010-01-01

The diagnosis of MS is based on the revised McDonald criteria and is multidisciplinary. Both clinical and paraclinical measures are included. High-field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is becoming increasingly available and it is therefore necessary to clarify possible advantages of high-field MRI...... multiple sclerosis. Further larger studies of patients with clinically isolated syndromes are needed to settle the question of a diagnostic consequence of high-field imaging in MS. We suggest that the next revision of the McDonald diagnostic criteria include a recommendation of field strength....

Deliverable 6.2 - Software: upgraded MC simulation tools capable of simulating a complete in-beam ET experiment, from the beam to the detected events. Report with the description of one (or few) reference clinical case(s), including the complete patient model and beam characteristics

CERN Document Server

The ENVISION Collaboration

2014-01-01

Deliverable 6.2 - Software: upgraded MC simulation tools capable of simulating a complete in-beam ET experiment, from the beam to the detected events. Report with the description of one (or few) reference clinical case(s), including the complete patient model and beam characteristics

Analysing neutron scattering data using McStas virtual experiments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Udby, L.; Willendrup, Peter Kjær; Bergbäck Knudsen, Erik

2011-01-01

With the intention of developing a new data analysis method using virtual experiments we have built a detailed virtual model of the cold triple-axis spectrometer RITA-II at PSI, Switzerland, using the McStas neutron ray-tracing package. The parameters characterising the virtual instrument were...... carefully tuned against real experiments. In the present paper we show that virtual experiments reproduce experimentally observed linewidths within 1–3% for a variety of samples. Furthermore we show that the detailed knowledge of the instrumental resolution found from virtual experiments, including sample...

Evaluation of ML-MC as a Depth Discriminant in Yellowstone, USA and Italy

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Z.; Koper, K. D.; Burlacu, R.; Sun, D.; D'Amico, S.

2017-12-01

Recent work has shown that the difference between two magnitude scales, ML (local Richter magnitude) and MC (coda/duration magnitude), acts as a depth discriminant in Utah. Shallow seismic sources, such as mining induced earthquakes and explosions, have strongly negative ML-MC values, while deeper tectonic earthquakes have ML-MC values near zero. These observations imply that ML-MC might be effective at discriminating small explosions from deeper natural earthquakes at local distances. In this work, we examine seismicity catalogs for the Yellowstone region and Italy to determine if ML-MCacts as a depth discriminant in these regions as well. We identified 4,780 earthquakes that occurred in the Yellowstone region between Sept. 24, 1994 and March 31, 2017 for which both ML and MC were calculated. The ML-MC distribution is well described by a Gaussian function with a mean of 0.102 and a standard deviation of 0.326. We selected a subset of these events with accurate depths and determined mean ML-MC values in various depth bins. An event depth was considered accurate if the formal depth error was less than 2 km and either (1) the nearest station was within one focal depth or (2) the distance to the nearest station was smaller than the bin size. We find that ML-MC decreases as event depths become shallower than about 10 km. Similar to the results for Utah, the decrease is statistically significant and is robust with respect to small changes in bin size and the criteria used to define accurate depths. We used a similar process to evaluate whether ML-MC was a function of source depth for 63,555 earthquakes that occurred between April 16, 2005 and April 30, 2012 in Italy. The ML-MC values in Italy are also well described by a normal distribution, with a mean of -0.477 and standard deviation of 0.315. We again find a statistically significant decrease in ML-MC for shallow earthquakes. In contrast to the Yellowstone results, for Italy ML-MC decreases at a nearly constant rate

Memory sources of dreams: the incorporation of autobiographical rather than episodic experiences.

Science.gov (United States)

Malinowski, Josie E; Horton, Caroline L

2014-08-01

The present study aimed to explore autobiographical memories (long-lasting memories about the self) and episodic memories (memories about discrete episodes or events) within dream content. We adapted earlier episodic memory study paradigms and reinvestigated the incorporation of episodic memory sources into dreams, operationalizing episodic memory as featuring autonoetic consciousness, which is the feeling of truly re-experiencing or reliving a past event. Participants (n = 32) recorded daily diaries and dream diaries, and reported on wake-dream relations for 2 weeks. Using a new scale, dreams were rated for their episodic richness, which categorized memory sources of dreams as being truly episodic (featuring autonoetic consciousness), autobiographical (containing segregated features of experiences that pertained to waking life) or otherwise. Only one dream (0.5%) was found to contain an episodic memory. However, the majority of dreams (>80%) were found to contain low to moderate incorporations of autobiographical memory features. These findings demonstrate the inactivity of intact episodic memories, and emphasize the activity of autobiographical memory and processing within dreams. Taken together, this suggests that memories for personal experiences are experienced fragmentarily and selectively during dreaming, perhaps in order to assimilate these memories into the autobiographical memory schema. © 2014 European Sleep Research Society.

Border Collie Collapse: Owner Survey Results and Veterinary Description of Videotaped Episodes.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Susan; Minor, Katie; Shmon, Cindy L; Shelton, G Diane; Patterson, Edward E; Mickelson, James R

Completed surveys were obtained from owners of 165 border collies experiencing repeated episodes of abnormal gait or collapse during strenuous exercise. Unremarkable veterinary evaluation and lack of disease progression over time made common systemic, cardiac, and neurologic causes of exercise intolerance unlikely. Survey questions addressed signalment, age of onset, description of episodes, and owner perception of factors associated with collapse. Most dogs were young adults (median 2 yr) when episodes began, and they had experienced from 2 to more than 100 episodes (median 6) prior to their owners completing the survey. Retrieving was the activity most commonly associated with episodes (112/165 dogs, 68%), followed by herding stock (39/165 dogs, 24%). Owners reported that high environmental temperatures (111/165 dogs, 67%) and excitement (67/165 dogs, 41%) increased the likelihood of their dog having an episode during strenuous activity. Veterinary evaluation of videotapes of presumed border collie collapse (BCC) episodes (40 dogs) were used to provide a description of the typical features of BCC episodes. Altered mentation, symmetrical ataxia affecting all four limbs, increased pelvic limb extensor tone and toe scuffing or knuckling, truncal swaying, and falling to the side were common features, suggesting that BCC may be an episodic diffuse central nervous system disorder.

Multimodal Feature Integration in the Angular Gyrus during Episodic and Semantic Retrieval

Science.gov (United States)

Bonnici, Heidi M.; Richter, Franziska R.; Yazar, Yasemin

2016-01-01

Much evidence from distinct lines of investigation indicates the involvement of angular gyrus (AnG) in the retrieval of both episodic and semantic information, but the region's precise function and whether that function differs across episodic and semantic retrieval have yet to be determined. We used univariate and multivariate fMRI analysis methods to examine the role of AnG in multimodal feature integration during episodic and semantic retrieval. Human participants completed episodic and semantic memory tasks involving unimodal (auditory or visual) and multimodal (audio-visual) stimuli. Univariate analyses revealed the recruitment of functionally distinct AnG subregions during the retrieval of episodic and semantic information. Consistent with a role in multimodal feature integration during episodic retrieval, significantly greater AnG activity was observed during retrieval of integrated multimodal episodic memories compared with unimodal episodic memories. Multivariate classification analyses revealed that individual multimodal episodic memories could be differentiated in AnG, with classification accuracy tracking the vividness of participants' reported recollections, whereas distinct unimodal memories were represented in sensory association areas only. In contrast to episodic retrieval, AnG was engaged to a statistically equivalent degree during retrieval of unimodal and multimodal semantic memories, suggesting a distinct role for AnG during semantic retrieval. Modality-specific sensory association areas exhibited corresponding activity during both episodic and semantic retrieval, which mirrored the functional specialization of these regions during perception. The results offer new insights into the integrative processes subserved by AnG and its contribution to our subjective experience of remembering. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Using univariate and multivariate fMRI analyses, we provide evidence that functionally distinct subregions of angular gyrus (An

Multimodal Feature Integration in the Angular Gyrus during Episodic and Semantic Retrieval.

Science.gov (United States)

Bonnici, Heidi M; Richter, Franziska R; Yazar, Yasemin; Simons, Jon S

2016-05-18

Much evidence from distinct lines of investigation indicates the involvement of angular gyrus (AnG) in the retrieval of both episodic and semantic information, but the region's precise function and whether that function differs across episodic and semantic retrieval have yet to be determined. We used univariate and multivariate fMRI analysis methods to examine the role of AnG in multimodal feature integration during episodic and semantic retrieval. Human participants completed episodic and semantic memory tasks involving unimodal (auditory or visual) and multimodal (audio-visual) stimuli. Univariate analyses revealed the recruitment of functionally distinct AnG subregions during the retrieval of episodic and semantic information. Consistent with a role in multimodal feature integration during episodic retrieval, significantly greater AnG activity was observed during retrieval of integrated multimodal episodic memories compared with unimodal episodic memories. Multivariate classification analyses revealed that individual multimodal episodic memories could be differentiated in AnG, with classification accuracy tracking the vividness of participants' reported recollections, whereas distinct unimodal memories were represented in sensory association areas only. In contrast to episodic retrieval, AnG was engaged to a statistically equivalent degree during retrieval of unimodal and multimodal semantic memories, suggesting a distinct role for AnG during semantic retrieval. Modality-specific sensory association areas exhibited corresponding activity during both episodic and semantic retrieval, which mirrored the functional specialization of these regions during perception. The results offer new insights into the integrative processes subserved by AnG and its contribution to our subjective experience of remembering. Using univariate and multivariate fMRI analyses, we provide evidence that functionally distinct subregions of angular gyrus (AnG) contribute to the retrieval of

Incidence and Risk Factors of Childhood Pneumonia-Like Episodes in Biliran Island, Philippines--A Community-Based Study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hisato Kosai

Full Text Available Pneumonia is a leading cause of deaths in infants and young children in developing countries, including the Philippines. However, data at the community level remains limited. Our study aimed to estimate incidence and mortality rates and to evaluate risk factors and health-seeking behavior for childhood pneumonia. A household level interview survey was conducted in Biliran Island, the Philippines. Caregivers were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire to check if children had symptoms suggesting pneumonia-like episodes from June 2011 to May 2012. Of 3,327 households visited in total, 3,302 (99.2% agreed to participate, and 5,249 children less than 5 years of age were included in the study. Incidence rates of pneumonia-like episodes, severe pneumonia-like episodes, and pneumonia-associated mortality were 105, 61, and 0.9 per 1,000 person-years, respectively. History of asthma [hazard ratio (HR: 5.85, 95% confidence interval (CI: 4.83-7.08], low socioeconomic status (SES (HR: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.02-1.20, and long travel time to the healthcare facility estimated by cost distance analysis (HR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.09-1.61 were significantly associated with the occurrence of pneumonia-like episodes by the Cox proportional hazards model. For severe pneumonia-like episodes, a history of asthma (HR: 8.39, 95% CI: 6.54-10.77 and low SES (HR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.17-1.45 were significant risk factors. Children who had a long travel time to the hospital were less likely to seek hospital care (Odds ratio: 0.32, 95% CI: 0.19-0.54 when they experienced severe pneumonia-like episodes. Incidence of pediatric pneumonia-like episodes was associated with a history of asthma, SES, and the travel time to healthcare facilities. Travel time was also identified as a strong indicator for health-seeking behavior. Improved access to healthcare facilities is important for early and effective management. Further studies are warranted to understand the causal relationship

Incidence and Risk Factors of Childhood Pneumonia-Like Episodes in Biliran Island, Philippines—A Community-Based Study

Science.gov (United States)

Kosai, Hisato; Tamaki, Raita; Saito, Mayuko; Tohma, Kentaro; Alday, Portia Parian; Tan, Alvin Gue; Inobaya, Marianette Tawat; Suzuki, Akira; Kamigaki, Taro; Lupisan, Soccoro; Tallo, Veronica; Oshitani, Hitoshi

2015-01-01

Pneumonia is a leading cause of deaths in infants and young children in developing countries, including the Philippines. However, data at the community level remains limited. Our study aimed to estimate incidence and mortality rates and to evaluate risk factors and health-seeking behavior for childhood pneumonia. A household level interview survey was conducted in Biliran Island, the Philippines. Caregivers were interviewed using a semi-structured questionnaire to check if children had symptoms suggesting pneumonia-like episodes from June 2011 to May 2012. Of 3,327 households visited in total, 3,302 (99.2%) agreed to participate, and 5,249 children less than 5 years of age were included in the study. Incidence rates of pneumonia-like episodes, severe pneumonia-like episodes, and pneumonia-associated mortality were 105, 61, and 0.9 per 1,000 person-years, respectively. History of asthma [hazard ratio (HR): 5.85, 95% confidence interval (CI): 4.83–7.08], low socioeconomic status (SES) (HR: 1.11, 95% CI: 1.02–1.20), and long travel time to the healthcare facility estimated by cost distance analysis (HR: 1.32, 95% CI: 1.09–1.61) were significantly associated with the occurrence of pneumonia-like episodes by the Cox proportional hazards model. For severe pneumonia-like episodes, a history of asthma (HR: 8.39, 95% CI: 6.54–10.77) and low SES (HR: 1.30, 95% CI: 1.17–1.45) were significant risk factors. Children who had a long travel time to the hospital were less likely to seek hospital care (Odds ratio: 0.32, 95% CI: 0.19–0.54) when they experienced severe pneumonia-like episodes. Incidence of pediatric pneumonia-like episodes was associated with a history of asthma, SES, and the travel time to healthcare facilities. Travel time was also identified as a strong indicator for health-seeking behavior. Improved access to healthcare facilities is important for early and effective management. Further studies are warranted to understand the causal relationship

Longitudinal association between hippocampus atrophy and episodic-memory decline.

Science.gov (United States)

Gorbach, Tetiana; Pudas, Sara; Lundquist, Anders; Orädd, Greger; Josefsson, Maria; Salami, Alireza; de Luna, Xavier; Nyberg, Lars

2017-03-01

There is marked variability in both onset and rate of episodic-memory decline in aging. Structural magnetic resonance imaging studies have revealed that the extent of age-related brain changes varies markedly across individuals. Past studies of whether regional atrophy accounts for episodic-memory decline in aging have yielded inconclusive findings. Here we related 15-year changes in episodic memory to 4-year changes in cortical and subcortical gray matter volume and in white-matter connectivity and lesions. In addition, changes in word fluency, fluid IQ (Block Design), and processing speed were estimated and related to structural brain changes. Significant negative change over time was observed for all cognitive and brain measures. A robust brain-cognition change-change association was observed for episodic-memory decline and atrophy in the hippocampus. This association was significant for older (65-80 years) but not middle-aged (55-60 years) participants and not sensitive to the assumption of ignorable attrition. Thus, these longitudinal findings highlight medial-temporal lobe system integrity as particularly crucial for maintaining episodic-memory functioning in older age. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

SCIENTIFIC PROGRESS OF THE MC-PAD NETWORK

CERN Document Server

Aguilar, J; Ambalathankandy, P; Apostolakis, J; Arora, R; Balog, T; Behnke, T; Beltrame, P; Bencivenni, G; Caiazza, S; Dong, J; Heller, M; Heuser, J; Idzik, M; Joram, C; Klanner, R; Koffeman, E; Korpar, S; Kramberger, G; Lohmann, W; Milovanović, M; Miscetti, S; Moll, M; Novgorodova, O; Pacifico, N; Pirvutoiu, C; Radu, R; Rahman, S; Rohe, T; Ropelewski, L; Roukoutakis, F; Schmidt, C; Schön, R; Sibille, J; Tsagri, M; Turala, M; Van Beuzekom, M; Verheyden, R; Villa, M; Zappon, F; Zawiejski, L; Zhang, J

2013-01-01

MC-PAD is a multi-site Initial Training Network on particle detectors in physics experiments. It comprises nine academic participants, three industrial partners and two associated academic partners. 17 recruited Early Stage and 5 Experienced Researchers have performed their scientific work in the network. The research and development work of MC-PAD is organized in 12 work packages, which focus on a large variety of aspects of particle detector development, electronics as well as simulation and modelling. The network was established in November 2008 and lasted until October 2012 (48 months). This report describes the R&D activities and highlights the main results achieved during this period.

DANCOFF-MC: A program to calculate Dancoff factors in CANDU type fuel bundles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Feher, S; Valko, J

1992-12-01

The objective of DANCOFF-MC is the evaluation of Dancoff factors for cylindrical fuel rods arranged parallel in various and complicated bundle geometries. No interaction with fuel rods in any of the other bundles are considered due to the large distance, in mean free paths, between the buldes. Using a common basic algorithm three versions of the program have been written so far: The DANCOFF-MC-2, the DANCOFF-MC-19 and the DANCOFF-MC-27. (orig./HP).

Why do we remember? The communicative function of episodic memory.

Science.gov (United States)

Mahr, Johannes; Csibra, Gergely

2017-01-19

Episodic memory has been analyzed in a number of different ways in both philosophy and psychology, and most controversy has centered on its self-referential, 'autonoetic' character. Here, we offer a comprehensive characterization of episodic memory in representational terms, and propose a novel functional account on this basis. We argue that episodic memory should be understood as a distinctive epistemic attitude taken towards an event simulation. On this view, episodic memory has a metarepresentational format and should not be equated with beliefs about the past. Instead, empirical findings suggest that the contents of human episodic memory are often constructed in the service of the explicit justification of such beliefs. Existing accounts of episodic memory function that have focused on explaining its constructive character through its role in 'future-oriented mental time travel' neither do justice to its capacity to ground veridical beliefs about the past nor to its representational format. We provide an account of the metarepresentational structure of episodic memory in terms of its role in communicative interaction. The generative nature of recollection allows us to represent and communicate the reasons for why we hold certain beliefs about the past. In this process, autonoesis corresponds to the capacity to determine when and how to assert epistemic authority in making claims about the past. A domain where such claims are indispensable are human social engagements. Such engagements commonly require the justification of entitlements and obligations, which is often possible only by explicit reference to specific past events.

Evaluation of episodic acidification and amphibian declines in the Rocky Mountains

Science.gov (United States)

Frank A. Vertucci; Paul Stephen Corn

1996-01-01

We define criteria for documenting episodic acidification of amphibian breeding habitats and examine whether episodic acidification is responsible for observed declines of amphibian populations in the Rocky Mountains. Anthropogenic episodic acidification, caused by atmospheric deposition of sulfate and nitrate, occurs when the concentration of acid anions increases...

Where Were the Whistleblowers? The Case of Allan McDonald and Roger Boisjoly.

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, Lea P.

Employees who "blow the whistle" on their company because they believe it is engaged in practices that are illegal, immoral, or harmful to the public, often face grave consequences for their actions, including demotion, harassment, forced resignation, or termination. The case of Allan McDonald and Roger Boisjoly, engineers who blew the…

SU-E-T-112: An OpenCL-Based Cross-Platform Monte Carlo Dose Engine (oclMC) for Coupled Photon-Electron Transport

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tian, Z; Shi, F; Folkerts, M; Qin, N; Jiang, S; Jia, X

2015-01-01

Purpose: Low computational efficiency of Monte Carlo (MC) dose calculation impedes its clinical applications. Although a number of MC dose packages have been developed over the past few years, enabling fast MC dose calculations, most of these packages were developed under NVidia’s CUDA environment. This limited their code portability to other platforms, hindering the introduction of GPU-based MC dose engines to clinical practice. To solve this problem, we developed a cross-platform fast MC dose engine named oclMC under OpenCL environment for external photon and electron radiotherapy. Methods: Coupled photon-electron simulation was implemented with standard analogue simulation scheme for photon transport and Class II condensed history scheme for electron transport. We tested the accuracy and efficiency of oclMC by comparing the doses calculated using oclMC and gDPM, a previously developed GPU-based MC code on NVidia GPU platform, for a 15MeV electron beam and a 6MV photon beam in a homogenous water phantom, a water-bone-lung-water slab phantom and a half-slab phantom. We also tested code portability of oclMC on different devices, including an NVidia GPU, two AMD GPUs and an Intel CPU. Results: Satisfactory agreements were observed in all photon and electron cases, with ∼0.48%–0.53% average dose differences at regions within 10% isodose line for electron beam cases and ∼0.15%–0.17% for photon beam cases. It took oclMC 3–4 sec to perform transport simulation for electron beam on NVidia Titan GPU and 35–51 sec for photon beam, both with ∼0.5% statistical uncertainty. The computation was 6%–17% slower than gDPM due to the differences in both physics model and development environment, which is considered not significant for clinical applications. In terms of code portability, gDPM only runs on NVidia GPUs, while oclMC successfully runs on all the tested devices. Conclusion: oclMC is an accurate and fast MC dose engine. Its high cross

SU-E-T-112: An OpenCL-Based Cross-Platform Monte Carlo Dose Engine (oclMC) for Coupled Photon-Electron Transport

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tian, Z; Shi, F; Folkerts, M; Qin, N; Jiang, S; Jia, X [The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Ctr, Dallas, TX (United States)

2015-06-15

Purpose: Low computational efficiency of Monte Carlo (MC) dose calculation impedes its clinical applications. Although a number of MC dose packages have been developed over the past few years, enabling fast MC dose calculations, most of these packages were developed under NVidia’s CUDA environment. This limited their code portability to other platforms, hindering the introduction of GPU-based MC dose engines to clinical practice. To solve this problem, we developed a cross-platform fast MC dose engine named oclMC under OpenCL environment for external photon and electron radiotherapy. Methods: Coupled photon-electron simulation was implemented with standard analogue simulation scheme for photon transport and Class II condensed history scheme for electron transport. We tested the accuracy and efficiency of oclMC by comparing the doses calculated using oclMC and gDPM, a previously developed GPU-based MC code on NVidia GPU platform, for a 15MeV electron beam and a 6MV photon beam in a homogenous water phantom, a water-bone-lung-water slab phantom and a half-slab phantom. We also tested code portability of oclMC on different devices, including an NVidia GPU, two AMD GPUs and an Intel CPU. Results: Satisfactory agreements were observed in all photon and electron cases, with ∼0.48%–0.53% average dose differences at regions within 10% isodose line for electron beam cases and ∼0.15%–0.17% for photon beam cases. It took oclMC 3–4 sec to perform transport simulation for electron beam on NVidia Titan GPU and 35–51 sec for photon beam, both with ∼0.5% statistical uncertainty. The computation was 6%–17% slower than gDPM due to the differences in both physics model and development environment, which is considered not significant for clinical applications. In terms of code portability, gDPM only runs on NVidia GPUs, while oclMC successfully runs on all the tested devices. Conclusion: oclMC is an accurate and fast MC dose engine. Its high cross

Autobiographical and episodic memory deficits in mild traumatic brain injury.

Science.gov (United States)

Wammes, Jeffrey D; Good, Tyler J; Fernandes, Myra A

2017-02-01

Those who have suffered a concussion, otherwise known as a mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), often complain of lingering memory problems. However, there is little evidence in the behavioral literature reliably demonstrating memory deficits. Thus, in the present study, cognitive profiles including measures of general executive functioning and processing speed, as well as episodic and semantic memory were collected in younger and older adult participants with or without a remote (>1year prior to testing) mTBI. We first investigated whether there were observable episodic and autobiographical memory impairments associated with mTBI within an otherwise healthy young group. Next, because previous work had demonstrated some overlap in patterns of behavioral impairment in normally aging adults and younger adults with a history of mTBI (e.g. Ozen, Fernandes, Clark, & Roy, 2015), we sought to determine whether these groups displayed similar cognitive profiles. Lastly, we conducted an exploratory analysis to test whether having suffered an mTBI might exacerbate age-related cognitive decline. Results showed the expected age-related decline in episodic memory performance, coupled with a relative preservation of semantic memory in older adults. Importantly, this pattern was also present in younger adults with a history of remote mTBI. No differences were observed across older adult groups based on mTBI status. Logistic regression analyses, using each measure in our battery as a predictor, successfully classified mTBI status in younger participants with a high degree of specificity (79.5%). These results indicate that those who have had an mTBI demonstrate a distinct cognitive signature, characterized by impairment in episodic and autobiographical memory, coupled with a relative preservation of semantic memory. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Dr. David Brown poses with a portrait of Ronald McNair

Science.gov (United States)

1999-01-01

In the gymnasium of Ronald McNair Magnet School in Cocoa, Fla., Dr. David Brown, a NASA astronaut, poses with a portrait of NASA astronaut Ronald McNair. The portrait was presented to the school by Walt Disney World during a tribute to McNair. The school had previously been renamed for the fallen astronaut who was one of a crew of seven who lost their lives during an accident following launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger in January 1986.

Spatial navigation, episodic memory, episodic future thinking, and theory of mind in children with autism spectrum disorder: evidence for impairments in mental simulation?

Science.gov (United States)

Lind, Sophie E; Bowler, Dermot M; Raber, Jacob

2014-01-01

This study explored spatial navigation alongside several other cognitive abilities that are thought to share common underlying neurocognitive mechanisms (e.g., the capacity for self-projection, scene construction, or mental simulation), and which we hypothesized may be impaired in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Twenty intellectually high-functioning children with ASD (with a mean age of ~8 years) were compared to 20 sex, age, IQ, and language ability matched typically developing children on a series of tasks to assess spatial navigation, episodic memory, episodic future thinking (also known as episodic foresight or prospection), theory of mind (ToM), relational memory, and central coherence. This is the first study to explore these abilities concurrently within the same sample. Spatial navigation was assessed using the "memory island" task, which involves finding objects within a realistic, computer simulated, three-dimensional environment. Episodic memory and episodic future thinking were assessed using a past and future event description task. ToM was assessed using the "animations" task, in which children were asked to describe the interactions between two animated triangles. Relational memory was assessed using a recognition task involving memory for items (line drawings), patterned backgrounds, or combinations of items and backgrounds. Central coherence was assessed by exploring differences in performance across segmented and unsegmented versions of block design. Children with ASD were found to show impairments in spatial navigation, episodic memory, episodic future thinking, and central coherence, but not ToM or relational memory. Among children with ASD, spatial navigation was found to be significantly negatively related to the number of repetitive behaviors. In other words, children who showed more repetitive behaviors showed poorer spatial navigation. The theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed.

Spatial navigation, episodic memory, episodic future thinking, and theory of mind in children with autism spectrum disorder: Evidence for impairments in mental simulation?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sophie Elizabeth Lind

2014-12-01

Full Text Available This study explored spatial navigation alongside several other cognitive abilities that are thought to share common underlying neurocognitive mechanisms (e.g., the capacity for self-projection, scene construction, or mental simulation, and which we hypothesised may be impaired in autism spectrum disorder (ASD. Twenty intellectually high-functioning children with ASD (with a mean age of ~8 years were compared to 20 sex, age, IQ, and language ability matched typically developing children on a series of tasks to assess spatial navigation, episodic memory, episodic future thinking (also known as episodic foresight or prospection, theory of mind, relational memory, and central coherence. This is the first study to explore these abilities concurrently within the same sample. Spatial navigation was assessed using the memory island task, which involves finding objects within a realistic, computer simulated, three-dimensional environment. Episodic memory and episodic future thinking were assessed using a past and future event description task. Theory of mind was assessed using the animations task, in which children were asked to describe the interactions between two animated triangles. Relational memory was assessed using a recognition task involving memory for items (line drawings, patterned backgrounds, or combinations of items and backgrounds. Central coherence was assessed by exploring differences in performance across segmented and unsegmented versions of block design. Children with ASD were found to show impairments in spatial navigation, episodic memory, episodic future thinking, and central coherence, but not theory of mind or relational memory. Among children with ASD, spatial navigation was found to be significantly negatively related to number of repetitive behaviours. In other words, children who showed more repetitive behaviours showed poorer spatial navigation. The theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed.

Spatial navigation, episodic memory, episodic future thinking, and theory of mind in children with autism spectrum disorder: evidence for impairments in mental simulation?

Science.gov (United States)

Lind, Sophie E.; Bowler, Dermot M.; Raber, Jacob

2014-01-01

This study explored spatial navigation alongside several other cognitive abilities that are thought to share common underlying neurocognitive mechanisms (e.g., the capacity for self-projection, scene construction, or mental simulation), and which we hypothesized may be impaired in autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Twenty intellectually high-functioning children with ASD (with a mean age of ~8 years) were compared to 20 sex, age, IQ, and language ability matched typically developing children on a series of tasks to assess spatial navigation, episodic memory, episodic future thinking (also known as episodic foresight or prospection), theory of mind (ToM), relational memory, and central coherence. This is the first study to explore these abilities concurrently within the same sample. Spatial navigation was assessed using the “memory island” task, which involves finding objects within a realistic, computer simulated, three-dimensional environment. Episodic memory and episodic future thinking were assessed using a past and future event description task. ToM was assessed using the “animations” task, in which children were asked to describe the interactions between two animated triangles. Relational memory was assessed using a recognition task involving memory for items (line drawings), patterned backgrounds, or combinations of items and backgrounds. Central coherence was assessed by exploring differences in performance across segmented and unsegmented versions of block design. Children with ASD were found to show impairments in spatial navigation, episodic memory, episodic future thinking, and central coherence, but not ToM or relational memory. Among children with ASD, spatial navigation was found to be significantly negatively related to the number of repetitive behaviors. In other words, children who showed more repetitive behaviors showed poorer spatial navigation. The theoretical and practical implications of the results are discussed. PMID:25538661

Medial Temporal Lobe Damage Causes Deficits in Episodic Memory and Episodic Future Thinking Not Attributable to Deficits in Narrative Construction

Science.gov (United States)

Race, Elizabeth; Keane, Margaret M.; Verfaellie, Mieke

2015-01-01

The medial temporal lobe (MTL) makes critical contributions to episodic memory, but its contributions to episodic future thinking remain a matter of debate. By one view, imagining future events relies on MTL mechanisms that also support memory for past events. Alternatively, it has recently been suggested that future thinking is independent of MTL-mediated processes and can be supported by regions outside the MTL. The current study investigated the nature and necessity of MTL involvement in imagining the future and tested the novel hypothesis that the MTL contributes to future thinking by supporting online binding processes related to narrative construction. Human amnesic patients with well-characterized MTL damage and healthy controls constructed narratives about (a) future events, (b) past events, and (c) visually-presented pictures. While all three tasks place similar demands on narrative construction, only the past and future conditions require memory/future thinking to mentally generate relevant narrative information. Patients produced impoverished descriptions of both past and future events but were unimpaired at producing detailed picture narratives. In addition, future-thinking performance positively correlated with episodic memory performance but did not correlate with picture narrative performance. Finally, future-thinking impairments were present when MTL lesions were restricted to the hippocampus and did not depend on the presence of neural damage outside the MTL. These results indicate that the ability to generate and maintain a detailed narrative is preserved in amnesia and suggest that a common MTL mechanism supports both episodic memory and episodic future thinking. PMID:21753003

Episodic Memory and Beyond: The Hippocampus and Neocortex in Transformation.

Science.gov (United States)

Moscovitch, Morris; Cabeza, Roberto; Winocur, Gordon; Nadel, Lynn

2016-01-01

The last decade has seen dramatic technological and conceptual changes in research on episodic memory and the brain. New technologies, and increased use of more naturalistic observations, have enabled investigators to delve deeply into the structures that mediate episodic memory, particularly the hippocampus, and to track functional and structural interactions among brain regions that support it. Conceptually, episodic memory is increasingly being viewed as subject to lifelong transformations that are reflected in the neural substrates that mediate it. In keeping with this dynamic perspective, research on episodic memory (and the hippocampus) has infiltrated domains, from perception to language and from empathy to problem solving, that were once considered outside its boundaries. Using the component process model as a framework, and focusing on the hippocampus, its subfields, and specialization along its longitudinal axis, along with its interaction with other brain regions, we consider these new developments and their implications for the organization of episodic memory and its contribution to functions in other domains.

On Analyzing LDPC Codes over Multiantenna MC-CDMA System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Suresh Kumar

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Multiantenna multicarrier code-division multiple access (MC-CDMA technique has been attracting much attention for designing future broadband wireless systems. In addition, low-density parity-check (LDPC code, a promising near-optimal error correction code, is also being widely considered in next generation communication systems. In this paper, we propose a simple method to construct a regular quasicyclic low-density parity-check (QC-LDPC code to improve the transmission performance over the precoded MC-CDMA system with limited feedback. Simulation results show that the coding gain of the proposed QC-LDPC codes is larger than that of the Reed-Solomon codes, and the performance of the multiantenna MC-CDMA system can be greatly improved by these QC-LDPC codes when the data rate is high.

Changing reproductive effort within a semelparous reproductive episode.

Science.gov (United States)

Hughes, P William; Simons, Andrew M

2014-08-01

• Life-history theory predicts a trade-off between current and future reproduction for iteroparous organisms-as individuals age, the expected value of future reproduction declines, and thus reproductive effort is expected to be higher in later clutches than in earlier. In contrast, models explaining the evolution of semelparity treat semelparous reproduction as instantaneous, with no scope for intraindividual variation. However, semelparous reproduction is also extended, but over shorter time scales; whether there are similar age- or stage-specific changes in reproductive effort within a semelparous episode is unclear. In this study, we assessed whether semelparous individuals increase reproductive effort as residual reproductive value declines by comparing the reproductive phenotype of flowers at five different floral positions along a main inflorescence.• Using the herbaceous monocarp Lobelia inflata, we conducted a longitudinal study of 409 individuals including both laboratory and field populations over three seasons. We recorded six reproductive traits-including the length of three phenological intervals as well as fruit size, seed size, and seed number-for all plants across floral positions produced throughout the reproductive episode.• We found that while the rate of flower initiation did not change, flowers at distal (late) floral positions developed more quickly and contained larger seed than flowers at basal (early) floral positions did.• Our results were consistent with the hypothesis that, like iteroparous organisms, L. inflata increases reproductive effort in response to low residual reproductive value. © 2014 Botanical Society of America, Inc.

Space-Time Coded MC-CDMA: Blind Channel Estimation, Identifiability, and Receiver Design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Li Hongbin

2002-01-01

Full Text Available Integrating the strengths of multicarrier (MC modulation and code division multiple access (CDMA, MC-CDMA systems are of great interest for future broadband transmissions. This paper considers the problem of channel identification and signal combining/detection schemes for MC-CDMA systems equipped with multiple transmit antennas and space-time (ST coding. In particular, a subspace based blind channel identification algorithm is presented. Identifiability conditions are examined and specified which guarantee unique and perfect (up to a scalar channel estimation when knowledge of the noise subspace is available. Several popular single-user based signal combining schemes, namely the maximum ratio combining (MRC and the equal gain combining (EGC, which are often utilized in conventional single-transmit-antenna based MC-CDMA systems, are extended to the current ST-coded MC-CDMA (STC-MC-CDMA system to perform joint combining and decoding. In addition, a linear multiuser minimum mean-squared error (MMSE detection scheme is also presented, which is shown to outperform the MRC and EGC at some increased computational complexity. Numerical examples are presented to evaluate and compare the proposed channel identification and signal detection/combining techniques.

Episodic future thinking in semantic dementia: a cognitive and FMRI study.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Armelle Viard

Full Text Available Semantic dementia (SD is characterized by gradual loss of semantic memory. While episodic autobiographical memory seems relatively preserved, behavioral studies suggest that episodic future thinking is impaired. We used fMRI to measure brain activity in four SD patients (JPL, EP, LL, EG while they envisioned future events and remembered personal past events. Twelve healthy elders served as controls. Episodic quality, emotion, mental imagery and level of consciousness (via remember/know judgements were checked at debriefing. We analyzed the future compared to the past for each patient. All patients presented lateral temporal atrophy, but varied in terms of frontal and anterior hippocampal atrophy. Patient JPL presented atrophy in bilateral superior medial frontal gyri and left anterior hippocampus and was unable to engage in episodic future thinking, despite hyperactivations in frontal and occipital regions. Patient EP presented no atrophy in the anterior hippocampus, but atrophy in bilateral superior medial frontal gyrus and had difficulties to engage in episodic future thinking. Patient LL presented atrophy in left anterior hippocampus, but hyperactivated its right counterpart for future compared to past thinking, permitting her to project efficiently in the future in an episodic way. Patient EG presented no atrophy in the superior medial frontal gyri or anterior hippocampi and was able to engage in episodic future thinking. Altogether, patients' future projections differed depending on the severity and localization of their atrophy. The functional integrity of bilateral superior medial frontal gyri and anterior hippocampus appear crucial for episodic future thinking: atrophy of both structures strongly impairs future projection, while integrity of these structures or hyperactivation of residual tissue normalizes episodic future projection.

Comparative Study of McDonald's and Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) development in China

OpenAIRE

Xie, Yuanyuan; Hu, Wei

2013-01-01

Abstract McDonald's and KFC are two international fast food restaurants. They both expended their businesses in global scale. It is obvious that McDonald surpassed KFC in terms of sales and fame in international level. However, in China, KFC performs better than McDonald's. The aim of this study is to find out how these two companies developed differently in Chinese market. By making a comparative study of McDonald's and KFC, different operation and competitive strategy theory will be...

76 FR 13598 - Notice of Funding Availability: Inviting Applications for McGovern-Dole International Food for...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-14

... Applications for McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition Program's Micronutrient... the McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition (McGovern-Dole) Program... through FAS's McGovern-Dole International Food for Education and Child Nutrition (McGovern-Dole) Program...

On the thermodynamics of the McMillan-Mayer state function

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mollerup, Jørgen; Breil, Martin Peter

2009-01-01

to develop the McMillan-Mayer framework in a classical thermodynamic context for which we develop the relationship between the state function of the McMillan-Mayer framework and the Helmholtz state function. A Taylor expansion method can be applied to the osmotic pressure of a solution which is dilute...

Episodic reinstatement in the medial temporal lobe.

Science.gov (United States)

Staresina, Bernhard P; Henson, Richard N A; Kriegeskorte, Nikolaus; Alink, Arjen

2012-12-12

The essence of episodic memory is our ability to reexperience past events in great detail, even in the absence of external stimulus cues. Does the phenomenological reinstatement of past experiences go along with reinstating unique neural representations in the brain? And if so, how is this accomplished by the medial temporal lobe (MTL), a brain region intimately linked to episodic memory? Computational models suggest that such reinstatement (also termed "pattern completion") in cortical regions is mediated by the hippocampus, a key region of the MTL. Although recent functional magnetic resonance imaging studies demonstrated reinstatement of coarse item properties like stimulus category or task context across different brain regions, it has not yet been shown whether reinstatement can be observed at the level of individual, discrete events-arguably the defining feature of episodic memory-nor whether MTL structures like the hippocampus support this "true episodic" reinstatement. Here we show that neural activity patterns for unique word-scene combinations encountered during encoding are reinstated in human parahippocampal cortex (PhC) during retrieval. Critically, this reinstatement occurs when word-scene combinations are successfully recollected (even though the original scene is not visually presented) and does not encompass other stimulus domains (such as word-color associations). Finally, the degree of PhC reinstatement across retrieval events correlated with hippocampal activity, consistent with a role of the hippocampus in coordinating pattern completion in cortical regions.

Episodic Spin-up and Spin-down Torque on Earth

Science.gov (United States)

Slabinski, Victor J.; Mendonca, Antonio A.

2018-04-01

Variations in Earth rotation angle are traditionally expressed by the time difference (ΔT=TT-UT1) between Terrestrial Time (TT) as told by atomic clocks and Universal Time UT1, the time variable used by the Earth-rotation formula. A plot of ΔT versus TT over the past 160 years shows a continuous curve with approximate straight-line segments with different spans of order ~20 years. Removing the tidal and seasonal variations from the data gives these line segments which represent the “decadal variations” in Earth rotation.The slope of a straight-line segment is proportional to the departure of Earth rotation rate from a reference value at the time. The change in slope over the relatively short time between segments indicates an episodic spin-up or spin-down in Earth rotation. The daily combination of VLBI, SLR, and other modern data available since 1973 gives us accurate, daily values of ΔT and the corresponding LOD (Length Of Day) values during these episodes. These allow us to determine the rotational acceleration occurring then.The three largest spin-speed changes found during the VLBI era have the following characteristics:Episode _____________ Duration__ ΔLOD__LOD Rate1983 Dec 30-1984 Jan 28 ... 29 d ...-0.65 ms ..-8.3 ms/y ..........spin-up1989 Mar 15-1989 May 23 ...69 d ....0.68 .......+3.6 ..............spin-down1994 Jan 21-2001 Apr 01 ... 6.5 y ...-2.2 .........-0.36 ..extended spin-upFor the first two episodes listed, we find the acceleration grows from zero (or at least a relatively small value) to its extreme value in ~1 day, stays approximately constant at this value for 29 or 69 days, and then decays back to zero over ~1 day. The acceleration, while it occurs, gives an LOD rate much greater than the 0.02 ms/y rate from tidal friction.The third episode shows that occasionally a several-year-long episode occurs. The acceleration magnitude is smaller but can make a larger total change in LOD (and spin rate). Tidal friction requires >100 y to equal

Recovery from episodic acidification delayed by drought and high sea salt deposition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. Laudon

2008-03-01

Full Text Available For the prediction of episodic acidification large uncertainties are connected to climatic variability and its effect on drought conditions and sea-salt episodes. In this study data on 342 hydrological episodes in 25 Swedish streams, sampled over 10 years, have been analyzed using a recently developed episode model. The results demonstrate that drought is the most important factor modulating the magnitude of the anthropogenic influence on pH and ANC during episodes. These modulating effects are especially pronounced in southern and central Sweden, where the historically high acid deposition has resulted in significant S pools in catchment soils. The results also suggest that the effects of episodic acidification are becoming less severe in many streams, but this amelioration is less clear in coastal streams subject to high levels of sea-salt deposition. Concurrently with the amelioration of the effects of episodic acidification, regional climate models predict that temperatures will increase in Sweden during the coming decades, accompanied by reductions in summer precipitation and more frequent storms during fall and winter in large areas of the country. If these predictions are realized delays in streams' recovery from episodic acidification events can be expected.

Osteogenic gene expression of murine osteoblastic (MC3T3-E1) cells under cyclic tension