Relational frame theory and executive functioning: preliminary data

Within neuropsychology, the executive functions (EFs) are regarded as the highest mental processes (Alvarez & Emory, 2006) and are a central and defining feature of human cognition. But despite their first inception over 35 years ago, no consensus has emerged regarding their specific definition or operation (Banich, 2009). The precisely defined component processes outlined within Relational Frame Theory (a modern, post-Skinnerian behavioural account of language and cognition), however, may have the potential to bring a new level of construct validity to the study of the EFs. Within this paper, we present results indicating that the processes commonly referred to as the EFs can be accounted for within a framework of arbitrarily applicable relational responding. These results have exciting implications for the construct validity of the EFs, and have clinical implications for the assessment and potential rehabilitation of these abilities.</p

What the Mark and Mirror Test reflects (review)

This thesis deals with the use of a mirror test to determine the cognitive abilities of animals. An overview is given of the mirror test for cetaceans, primates and proboscideans. The conclusion states the appropriateness of applying this test to the biology of the species

Additional file 5: of Access to principal treatment centres and survival rates for children and young people with cancer in Yorkshire, UK

Table S4. Hazard ratios for multivariable Cox regression models by level of treatment at PTC and diagnostic group for TYA only (DOCX 25 kb

Additional file 7: of Access to principal treatment centres and survival rates for children and young people with cancer in Yorkshire, UK

Table S6. Hazard ratios (HR) for patient case-mix variables for bone tumours and soft tissue sarcomas (DOCX 28.8 kb

NaGdF₄:Eu³⁺ Nanoparticles for Enhanced X‑ray Excited Optical Imaging

X-ray luminescent nanoparticles (NPs), including lanthanide fluorides, have been evaluated for application to deep tissue in vivo molecular imaging using optical tomography. A combination of high material density, higher atomic number and efficient NIR luminescence from compatible lanthanide dopant ions indicates that particles that consist of ALnF₄ (A = alkaline, Ln = lanthanide element) may offer a very attractive class of materials for high resolution, deep tissue imaging with X-ray excitation. NaGdF₄:Eu³⁺ NPs produced an X-ray excited luminescence that was among the most efficient of nanomaterials that have been studied thus far. We have systematically studied factors such as (a) the crystal structure that changes the lattice environment of the doped Eu³⁺ ions within the unit cell; and extrinsic factors such as (b) a gold coating (with attendant biocompatibility) that couples to a plasmonic excitation, and (c) changes in the NPs surface properties via changes in the pH of the suspending mediumall with a significant impact on the X-ray excited luminescence of NaGdF₄:Eu³⁺NPs. The luminescence from an optimally doped hexagonal phase NaGdF₄:Eu³⁺ nanoparticle was 25% more intense compared to that of a cubic structure. We observed evidence of plasmonic reabsorption of midwavelength emission by a gold coating on hexagonal NaGdF₄:Eu³⁺ NPs; fortunately, the NaGdF₄:Eu³⁺ @Au core–shell NPs retained the efficient ⁵<i>D</i>₀<i>→</i>⁷<i>F</i>₄ NIR (692 nm) luminescence. The NaGdF₄:Eu³⁺ NPs exhibited sensitivity to the ambient pH when excited by X-rays, an effect not seen with UV excitation. The sensitivity to the local environment can be understood in terms of the sensitivity of the excitons that are generated by the high energy X-rays (and not by UV photons) to crystal structure and to the surface state of the particles

Stars and gas in the most metal-poor galaxies I: SBS 0335-052E

<p>Understanding the properties of stars and gas at low metallicity is of large relevance for a variety of fields in astrophysics, since it relates to multiple topical questions which range from understanding the properties of galaxies that contributed to cosmic reionization to the evolution of metal-poor massive stars that give rise to the formation of heavy binary black holes. Crucial are observational constraints for the theoretical predictions. These can be obtained from rest-frame ultraviolet and optical spectra of the most metal-poor galaxies known. Among these, SBS 0335-052E (z=0.0135, 12+log(O/H)=7.3) is one of the most well- studied. For this galaxy, we present Hubble Space Telescope (HST) / Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS) detections of the C IV 1549, 1551, He II 1640, O III 1661, 1666, [C III] 1907, and C III] 1909 UV emission lines; and a Very Large Telescope (VLT) / Multi Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) spectrum covering from 4600 to 9400 Ang, which is co-spatial with the UV data and integrated over the same area. Using these datasets we test: a) the latest Charlot & Bruzal spectral synthesis models with very massive (300 Msun) single non-rotating stars; b) the performance of the spectral analysis tool, BayEsian Analysis of GaLaxy sEds (BEAGLE); and c) the extent to which physical properties of the gas and dust derived independently from the UV and optical with BEAGLE are constrained.</p