Predictability of hand skill and cognitive abilities from craniofacial width in right- and left-handed men and women: relation of skeletal structure to cerebral function

Recently, a family of homeobox genes involved in brain and craniofacial development was identified. In light of this genetic background, we hypothesized that some functional characteristics of human brain (hand skill, cognition) may be linked to some structural characteristics of human skull (e.g. craniofacial width) in humans. Hand preference was assessed by the Oldfield`s Handedness Questionaire. Hand skill was measured by Peg Moving Task. Face width was measured from the anteroposterior cephalograms (X-ray) using right (R) and left (L) zygomatic points. Intelligence “g” was assessed by Cattell`s Culture Fair Intelligence Test; the perceptual-verbal ability was assessed by “Finding A`s Test”; the spatial ability was assessed by the mental rotation task, in right- and left-handed men and women. The percentages of right-, left-, and mixed-faced subjects were close to those found for paw preference in cats. So, Women tended to be more right-faced (R-L > 0) and less left-faced (R-L < 0) than men who were tended to be more left-faced and less right-faced than women. R-L face width inversely correlated with L-R PMT (peg moving time) in left-handers; there was a direct relation between these variables in right-handers. Cattell-IQ linearly increased with R-L face width in left-handers, negatively correlated in right-handed men and women. Verbal ability inversely related to R – L face width in right- and left-handed men, but directly correlated in right-handed women. Number correct on mental rotation task positively linearly correlated with R-L face width in left-handers and right-handed women. It was concluded that the structural-functional coupling revealed in the present work may have its origins in parallel development of the craniofacial skeleton and brain under the influence of homeobox genes

Revealing Turkey’s Public Debt Burden: A Transparent Payments Approach

We postulate a new method of identifying debt which we call Debt Burden (DB). We claim that DB reveals the true debt obligations of the fiscal authority. It is more accurate and transparent. Hence, DB would serve fiscal authority much better in policy making. It is powerful in a sense that it is calculated on a daily basis and can serve as a good policy measure since it includes projections into the future.Debt burden, public debt, Turkey

Exploring the Necessity of Technology In Architectural Design: Moving Beyond Showcasing

Advancements in technology, particularly computational design tools, have transformed the field of architectural design. However, it is crucial to evaluate the impact of technology on the core principles of problem-solving and the design process within architecture. This study aims to examine the consequences and opportunities associated with the integration of technology in architectural design, focusing on the necessity of maintaining a strong problem-solving foundation. Architectural problem-solving involves spatial organization, functional requirements, contextual integration, and user experience. These principles guide architects in addressing design challenges and achieving successful outcomes. The design process comprises stages such as research, analysis, concept development, and construction documentation. Understanding these principles and the design process is essential for assessing the impact of technology. By investigating the effects of technology on construction, parametric modeling, digital fabrication, and environmental analysis, this research analyzes how technology can enhance or hinder the problem-solving process. It explores cases where architects may become overly reliant on computational design software, leading to a prioritization of form generation based on algorithms rather than contextual and user needs. The study examines the influence of technology on efficiency, creativity, and contextual responsiveness in problem-solving, providing insights into the role and implications of technology in architectural design. Through case studies, it explores historical and contemporary practices to contribute to the understanding of balancing technological advancements with problem-solving requirements. The research addresses several key questions, including the effects of technology on problem-solving principles, the potential neglect of essential aspects in favor of aesthetic appeal and fabrication novelty, and strategies for evaluating the appropriateness of technology in design processes. The findings highlight the importance of maintaining a balanced approach where technology serves as an enabler rather than a distraction or substitute for thoughtful design thinking. This research focuses on the intersection of technology and architectural design, evaluating the consequences and challenges of technology integration. It emphasizes the necessity of technology supporting problem-solving principles and provides insights into effectively utilizing technology in architectural design. By maintaining a strong problem-solving foundation, architects can harness the potential of computational design to create impactful and meaningful architectural solutions

Investigation of oxides of nitrogen emissions from biodiesel-fueled engines

Biodiesel is an environmentally friendly alternative diesel fuel consisting of the alkyl monoesters of fatty acids. It is obtained from triglycerides through the transesterfication process. The objective of this research was to determine the reason for the higher levels of NOx emissions that have been observed from biodiesel fueled engines. A concept map was developed to show the interrelationships between the fuel and engine variables that affect NOx production. It was determined that a change in combustion timing caused by changes in fuel properties between diesel fuel and biodiesel might be the source of the NOx increase. Tests were conducted to determine the effect of blending biodiesel with diesel fuel on these properties, and to determine the effect of biodiesel fuel properties such as the lower heating value, density, speed of sound, bulk modulus, cetane number, and volatility on the NOx emissions from a diesel engine fueled with biodiesel.;It was found that biodiesel is more dense and less compressible than No. 1 and No. 2 diesel fuels and that the chain length and saturation increase the density, speed of sound, and isentropic bulk modulus. It was also found that the higher oxides of nitrogen emission could be explained by a start of combustion advance. Half of the start of combustion advance originated from a start of injection advance of which about half is due to the automatic timing advance of the pump as it injects more fuel to compensate for the lower heating value of biodiesel and half is due to the bulk modulus, viscosity, and density of the fuel, which show significant differences from pump to pump. The other half of the start of combustion timing advance was due to the higher cetane number of the biodiesel. The higher cetane number in the soybean biodiesel advances the start of combustion and therefore contributes to the increase of the NOx. However, the cetane number of the yellow grease biodiesel was so high that it suppressed the premixed portion of the combustion and lowered the brake specific oxides of nitrogen emission relative to soybean oil biodiesel

Investigation into background levels of small organic samples at the NERC Radiocarbon Laboratory

Recent progress in preparation/combustion of submilligram organic samples at our laboratories is presented. Routine methods had to be modified/refined to achieve acceptable and consistent procedural blanks for organic samples smaller than 1000 g C. A description of the process leading to a modified combustion method for smaller organic samples is given in detail. In addition to analyzing different background materials, the influence of different chemical reagents on the overall radiocarbon background level was investigated, such as carbon contamination arising from copper oxide of different purities and from different suppliers. Using the modified combustion method, small amounts of background materials and known-age standard IAEA-C5 were individually combusted to CO2. Below 1000 g C, organic background levels follow an inverse mass dependency when combusted with the modified method, increasing from 0.13 0.05 pMC up to 1.20 0.04 pMC for 80 g C. Results for a given carbon mass were lower for combustion of etched Iceland spar calcite mineral, indicating that part of the observed background of bituminous coal was probably introduced by handling the material in atmosphere prior to combustion. Using the modified combustion method, the background-corrected activity of IAEA-C5 agreed to within 2 s of the consensus value of 23.05 pMC down to a sample mass of 55 g C

The Application of System Identification and Advanced Process Control to Improve Fermentation Process of Baker’s Yeast

Fermentation process of Saccharomyces cerevisiae has been investigated by many researchers for higher product quality and yield with lower cost. Operating parameters such as pH, dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration, temperature, substrate type and concentration, agitation speed, air flow rate should be optimized to achieve valuable products. In this point, system identification and advanced control techniques emerge to provide solutions. Dynamic analysis of pH and DO of the growth medium were performed at aerobic conditions in a batch bioreactor by applying step and square wave inputs to the base and air flow rates, respectively. Input–output data of the process and linear Auto Regressive Moving Average with eXogenous (ARMAX)-type model were used to determine the relationship between controlled and manipulated variable in baker’s yeast production by system identification. The model parameters were estimated using the recursive least squares (RLS) method. The most suitable parametric model was determined by carrying out estimations with different values of initial value of the covariance matrix, forgetting factor, and order of the ARMAX model. Self-tuning generalized minimum variance (ST-GMV) control was performed with the ARMAX model for controlling pH and DO. Integrated square error (ISE) values were considered as a performance criteria for modeling and control studies

Progress in AMS target production in sub-milligram samples at the NERC Radiocarbon Laboratory

. Recent progress in graphite target production for sub-milligram environmental samples in our facility is presented. We describe an optimized hydrolysis procedure now routinely used for the preparation of CO2 from inorganic samples, a new high-vacuum line dedicated to small sample processing (combining sample distillation and graphitization units), as well as a modified graphitization procedure. Although measurements of graphite targets as small as 35 µg C have been achieved, system background and measurement uncertainties increase significantly below 150 µg C. As target lifetime can become critically short for targets &lt;150 µg C, the facility currently only processes inorganic samples down to 150 µg C. All radiocarbon measurements are made at the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre (SUERC) accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) facility. Sample processing and analysis are labor-intensive, taking approximately 3 times longer than samples ≥500 µg C. The technical details of the new system, graphitization yield, fractionation introduced during the process, and the system blank are discussed in detail