Effect of Sensory Attenuation on Cortical Movement-Related Oscillations

This study examined the impact of induced sensory deficits on cortical, movement-related oscillations measured using electroencephalography (EEG). We hypothesized that EEG patterns in healthy subjects with induced sensory reduction would be comparable to EEG found after chronic loss of sensory feedback. EEG signals from 64 scalp locations were measured from 10 healthy subjects. Participants dorsiflexed their ankle after prolonged vibration of the tibialis anterior (TA). Beta band time frequency decompositions were calculated using wavelets and compared across conditions. Changes in patterns of movement-related brain activity were observed following attenuation of sensory feedback. A significant decrease in beta power of event-related synchronization was associated with simple ankle dorsiflexion after prolonged vibration of the TA. Attenuation of sensory feedback in young, healthy subjects led to a corresponding decrease in beta band synchronization. This temporary change in beta oscillations suggests that these modulations are a mechanism for sensorimotor integration. The loss of sensory feedback found in spinal cord injury patients contributes to changes in EEG signals underlying motor commands. Similar alterations in cortical signals in healthy subjects with reduced sensory feedback implies these changes reflect normal sensorimotor integration after reduced sensory input rather than brain plasticity

Program of Action: The Rev. L. Francis Griffin and the Struggle for Racial Equality in Farmville, 1963

An historical portrait of the Reverend L. Francis Griffin\u27s leadership in the Civil Rights Movement. In the summer of 1963 demand for equality and for an end to racial segregation brought a series of protests to Farmville, Virginia, the county seat of Prince Edward County. The protests were organized and led by the Rev. L. Francis Griffin, pastor of the First Baptist Church in Farmville. They called their summer of protests a “Program of Action.

The Leadership Challenges in the Interdependent Korean American Church

The Korean American churches have faced many challenges associated with cultural and generational gaps between the Korean and English-speaking congregations. Despite meaningful attempts to resolve the issues, the Korean American church leaders are still struggling to find the right system or a model that could unite Korean American churches. The purpose of this research thesis is to address the leadership challenges in a multi-congregational church by examining the vision of interdependence to bring strategic changes that promote greater unity between the two congregations. This research thesis will help the leaders at NCFC identify the core issues of leadership and reevaluate and revamp the interdependent model that encourages the leadership to pursue an intentional partnership that bridges the cultural, generational, and relational gaps in the church. NCFC leadership needs to channel its resources in training and equipping current and future leaders in biblical, organizational, and strategic leadership that both congregations can benefit from excellent leadership that leads to fruitful ministries. The research method will include interviews, questionnaires, and surveys from church members and leaders. This study will require a thorough evaluation of the church’s vision, implementation, and an improved strategy to help bring unity between KC and EC. The results showed a direct correlation between the leadership challenges and the challenges of the interdependence model. The relationship between the leadership, communicating a clear vision and establishing a family culture that serves and loves each other will help resolve cultural challenges within the multi-congregational church

MARVELS-1b: A Short-period, Brown Dwarf Desert Candidate from the SDSS-III Marvels Planet Search

We present a new short-period brown dwarf (BD) candidate around the star TYC 1240-00945-1. This candidate was discovered in the first year of the Multi-object APO Radial Velocity Exoplanets Large-area Survey (MARVELS), which is part of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) III, and we designate the BD as MARVELS-1b. MARVELS uses the technique of dispersed fixed-delay interferometery to simultaneously obtain radial velocity (RV) measurements for 60 objects per field using a single, custom-built instrument that is fiber fed from the SDSS 2.5 m telescope. From our 20 RV measurements spread over a ~370 day time baseline, we derive a Keplerian orbital fit with semi-amplitude K = 2.533 ± 0.025 km s^(–1), period P = 5.8953 ± 0.0004 days, and eccentricity consistent with circular. Independent follow-up RV data confirm the orbit. Adopting a mass of 1.37 ± 0.11 M_☉ for the slightly evolved F9 host star, we infer that the companion has a minimum mass of 28.0 ± 1.5 M_(Jup), a semimajor axis 0.071 ± 0.002 AU assuming an edge-on orbit, and is probably tidally synchronized. We find no evidence for coherent intrinsic variability of the host star at the period of the companion at levels greater than a few millimagnitudes. The companion has an a priori transit probability of ~14%. Although we find no evidence for transits, we cannot definitively rule them out for companion radii ≲ R_(Jup)

What affects commute cycling in Sydney: Access, infrastructure and demographics

A better understanding of factors affecting commute cycling will be needed to affect a greater uptake of active transport in many parts of the world, and to facilitate the shift toward more sustainable cities. Commute cycling rates in Sydney is currently low; in this paper we use census data and aggregate level attributes to identify factors affect- ing commute cycling in Sydney, Australia, including (i) road and cycling infrastructure; (ii) the convenience of reaching destinations by cycling (access); and (iii) demographic variables. We find places with high commute cycling levels consistently have good ac- cess to jobs and to cycling infrastructure. Student population has a positive effect on commute cycling rates while areas in the city with a high proportion of East Asian population has a negative effect. This paper highlights the importance of providing cy- cling infrastructure in conjunction with job accessibility in order to encourage commute cycling. Active transport policies should aim to promote commute cycling in historical CBD, and focus on recreational or non-commuting utility cycling in local centers and suburban areas

HOUSEHOLD SIZE AND COMPOSITION IMPACTS ON MEAT DEMAND IN MEXICO: A CENSORED DEMAND SYSTEM APPROACH

The proposed paper adopts the censored demand system approach of Lee and Pitt (1986) to examine the structure of Mexican food demand. This approach uses the concept of virtual prices to explain specific purchase patterns. The contribution of our selected paper is the incorporation of the endogenous equivalence scale function proposed by Phlipps (1998) within this censored system. The contribution of this analysis is not only in terms of the use of an endogenous scaling function within a censored demand system, but we also will be use simulated maximum likelihood techniques which allows for the specification and estimation of significantly larger sized demand systems without the imposition of restrictive distributional assumptions on the equation error terms. We use a Gibbs sampling techniques to evaluate higher order truncated distributions required to implement the Lee and Pitt (1986) model specification.Demand and Price Analysis,

Conservation status of New Zealand freshwater invertebrates, 2013

The conservation status of 644 freshwater invertebrate taxa, across five Phyla, 28 Orders and 75 Families, was assessed using the New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) criteria. Forty-six species were ranked Nationally Critical, 11 Nationally Endangered and 16 Nationally Vulnerable. One hundred and seventy-two taxa were listed as Data Deficient. A full list is presented, along with summaries and brief notes on the most important changes. This list replaces all previous NZTCS lists for freshwater invertebrates

Paternal Psychosocial Characteristics and Corporal Punishment of their 3-Year Old Children

This study uses data from 2,309 biological fathers who participated in the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS) to examine associations between psychosocial characteristics and levels of corporal punishment (CP) toward their 3-year old children over the past month. Results indicate that 61% of the fathers reported no CP over the past month, 23% reported using CP once or twice, and 16% reported using CP a few times in the past month or more. In multivariate models controlling for important socio-demographic factors as well as characteristics of the child, fathers’ parenting stress, major depression, alcohol use, and drug use were significantly associated with greater use of CP, whereas involvement with the child and generalized anxiety order were not. Girls were less likely to be the recipient of CP than boys, and child externalizing behavior problems but not internalizing behavior problems were associated with more CP.Fragile families, childbearing, nonmarital childbearing, fartherhood, fathers, corporal punishment, behavior problems, stress, depression