Using fNIRS to study working memory of infants in rural Africa

A pilot study was conducted to assess the feasibility of using fNIRS as an alternative to behavioral assessments of cognitive development with infants in rural Africa. We report preliminary results of a study looking at working memory in 12–16-month-olds and discuss the benefits and shortcomings for the potential future use of fNIRS to investigate the effects of nutritional insults and interventions in global health studies

Characterization of heterogeneity and spatial distribution of phases in complex solid dispersions by thermal analysis by structural characterization and X-ray micro computed tomography

Purpose: This study investigated the effect of drug-excipient miscibility on the heterogeneity and spatial distribution of phase separation in pharmaceutical solid dispersions at a micron-scale using two novel and complementary characterization techniques, thermal analysis by structural characterization (TASC) and X-ray micro-computed tomography (XCT) in conjunction with conventional characterization methods. Method: Complex dispersions containing felodipine, TPGS, PEG and PEO were prepared using hot melt extrusion-injection moulding. The phase separation behavior of the samples was characterized using TASC and XCT in conjunction with conventional thermal, microscopic and spectroscopic techniques. The in vitro drug release study was performed to demonstrate the impact of phase separation on dissolution of the dispersions. Results: The conventional characterization results indicated the phase separating nature of the carrier materials in the patches and the presence of crystalline drug in the patches with the highest drug loading (30% w/w). TASC and XCT where used to provide insight into the spatial configuration of the separate phases. TASC enabled assessment of the increased heterogeneity of the dispersions with increasing the drug loading. XCT allowed the visualization of the accumulation of phase separated (crystalline) drug clusters at the interface of air pockets in the patches with highest drug loading which led to poor dissolution performance. Semi-quantitative assessment of the phase separated drug clusters in the patches were attempted using XCT. Conclusion: TASC and XμCT can provide unique information regarding the phase separation behavior of solid dispersions which can be closely associated with important product quality indicators such as heterogeneity and microstructure

Solstice: An Electronic Journal of Geography and Mathematics, Volume XI, Number 2

This document was delivered over the internet.The purpose of Solstice is to promote interaction between geography and mathematics. Articles in which elements of one discipline are used to shed light on the other are particularly sought. Also welcome, are original contributions that are purely geographical or purely mathematical. These may be prefaced (by editor or author) with commentary suggesting directions that might lead toward the desired interaction. Contributed articles will be refereed by geographers and/or mathematicians. Invited articles will be screened by suitable members of the editorial board. IMaGe is open to having authors suggest, and furnish material for, new regular features.Peer 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of 2000SolsticeVol11.pdf : Solstice, 2000, Numbers 1 and 2. Contains attachments.Description of SolsticeVolXINo2.pdf : Cover of Journa

Students' Perception of the Psycho-Social Clinical Learning Environment: An Evaluation of Placement Models

Nursing is a practice based discipline. A supportive environment has been identified as important for the transfer of learning in the clinical context. The aim of the paper was to assess undergraduate nurses' perceptions of the psychosocial characteristics of clinical learning environments within three different clinical placement models. Three hundred and eight-nine undergraduate nursing students rated their perceptions of the psycho-social learning environment using a Clinical Learning Environment Inventory. There were 16 respondents in the Preceptor model category, 269 respondents in the Facilitation model category and 114 respondents in the clinical education unit model across 25 different clinical areas in one tertiary facility. The most positive social climate was associated with the preceptor model. On all subscales the median score was rated higher than the two other models. When clinical education units were compared with the standard facilitation model the median score was rated higher in all of the subscales in the Clinical Learning Environment Inventory. These results suggest that while preceptoring is an effective clinical placement strategy that provides psycho-social support for students, clinical education units that are more sustainable through their placement of greater numbers of students, can provide greater psycho-social support for students than traditional models

From early markers to neuro-developmental mechanisms of autism

A fast growing field, the study of infants at risk because of having an older sibling with autism (i.e. infant sibs) aims to identify the earliest signs of this disorder, which would allow for earlier diagnosis and intervention. More importantly, we argue, these studies offer the opportunity to validate existing neuro-developmental models of autism against experimental evidence. Although autism is mainly seen as a disorder of social interaction and communication, emerging early markers do not exclusively reflect impairments of the “social brain”. Evidence for atypical development of sensory and attentional systems highlight the need to move away from localized deficits to models suggesting brain-wide involvement in autism pathology. We discuss the implications infant sibs findings have for future work into the biology of autism and the development of interventions

Beyond the required LISA free-fall performance: new LISA pathfinder results down to 20 μHz

In the months since the publication of the first results, the noise performance of LISA Pathfinder has improved because of reduced Brownian noise due to the continued decrease in pressure around the test masses, from a better correction of noninertial effects, and from a better calibration of the electrostatic force actuation. In addition, the availability of numerous long noise measurement runs, during which no perturbation is purposely applied to the test masses, has allowed the measurement of noise with good statistics down to 20  μHz. The Letter presents the measured differential acceleration noise figure, which is at (1.74±0.05)  fm s^{-2}/sqrt[Hz] above 2 mHz and (6±1)×10  fm s^{-2}/sqrt[Hz] at 20  μHz, and discusses the physical sources for the measured noise. This performance provides an experimental benchmark demonstrating the ability to realize the low-frequency science potential of the LISA mission, recently selected by the European Space Agency

A strategy to characterize the LISA-Pathfinder cold gas thruster system

The cold gas micro-propulsion system that will be used during the LISA-Pathfinder mission will be one of the most important component used to ensure the "free-fall" of the enclosed test masses. In this paper we present a possible strategy to characterize the effective direction and amplitude gain of each of the 6 thrusters of this system