Memory in autism spectrum disorder: a meta-analysis of experimental studies

To address inconsistencies in the literature on memory in Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), we report the first ever meta-analysis of short-term (STM) and episodic long-term (LTM) memory in ASD, evaluating the effects of type of material, type of retrieval and the role of inter-item relations. Analysis of 64 studies comparing individuals with ASD and typical development (TD) showed greater difficulties in ASD compared to TD individuals in STM (Hedges’ g=-0.53 [95%CI -0.90; -0.16], p=.005, I²=96%) compared to LTM (g=-0.30 [95%CI -0.42; -0.17], p<.00001, I²=24%), a small difficulty in verbal LTM (g=-0.21, p=.01), contrasting with a medium difficulty for visual LTM (g= -0.41, p=.0002) in ASD compared to TD individuals. We also found a general diminution in free recall compared to cued recall and recognition (LTM, free recall: g=-0.38, p<.00001, cued recall: g=-0.08, p=.58, recognition: g=-0.15, p=.16; STM, free recall: g=-0.59, p=.004, recognition: g=-0.33, p=.07). We discuss these results in terms of their relation to semantic memory. The limited diminution in verbal LTM and preserved overall recognition and cued recall (supported retrieval) may result from a greater overlap of these tasks with semantic long-term representations which are overall preserved in ASD. By contrast, difficulties in STM or free recall may result from less overlap with the semantic system or may involve additional cognitive operations and executive demands. These findings highlight the need to support STM functioning in ASD and acknowledge the potential benefit of using verbal materials at encoding and broader forms of memory support at retrieval to enhance performance

Facility for fast neutron irradiation tests of electronics at the ISIS spallation neutron source

The VESUVIO beam line at the ISIS spallation neutron source was set up for neutron irradiation tests in the neutron energy range above 10 MeV. The neutron flux and energy spectrum were shown, in benchmark activation measurements, to provide a neutron spectrum similar to the ambient one at sea level, but with an enhancement in intensity of a factor of 107. Such conditions are suitable for accelerated testing of electronic components, as was demonstrated here by measurements of soft error rates in recent technology field programable gate arrays

B-physics with Nf=2N_f=2 Wilson fermions

We report the final results of the ALPHA collaboration for some B-physics observables: $f_B$, $f_{B_s}$ and $m_b$. We employ CLS configurations with 2 flavors of $O(a)$ improved Wilson fermions in the sea and pion masses ranging down to 190 MeV. The b-quark is treated in HQET to order $1/m_b$. The renormalization, the matching and the improvement were performed non-perturbatively, and three lattice spacings reaching $a=0.048$ fm are used in the continuum extrapolation

The b-quark mass from non-perturbative Nf=2N_f=2 Heavy Quark Effective Theory at O(1/mh)O(1/m_h)

We report our final estimate of the b-quark mass from $N_f=2$ lattice QCD simulations using Heavy Quark Effective Theory non-perturbatively matched to QCD at $O(1/m_h)$. Treating systematic and statistical errors in a conservative manner, we obtain $\overline{m}_{\rm b}^{\overline{\rm MS}}(2 {\rm GeV})=4.88(15)$ GeV after an extrapolation to the physical point.Comment: 15 pages including figures and tables; as published in Phys.Lett.B / typo in table 4 corrected / footnote 1 expande

Platelet-Induced Clumping of Plasmodium falciparum–Infected Erythrocytes from Malawian Patients with Cerebral Malaria—Possible Modulation In Vivo by Thrombocytopenia

Platelets may play a role in the pathogenesis of human cerebral malaria (CM), and they have been shown to induce clumping of Plasmodium falciparum–parasitized red blood cells (PRBCs) in vitro. Both thrombocytopenia and platelet-inducedPRBCclumping are associated with severe malaria and, especially, withCM.In the present study, we investigated the occurrence of the clumping phenomenon in patients with CM by isolating and coincubating their plasma and PRBCs ex vivo. Malawian children with CM all had low platelet counts, with the degree of thrombocytopenia directly proportional to the density of parasitemia. Plasma samples obtained from these patients subsequently induced weak PRBC clumping. When the assays were repeated, with the plasma platelet concentrations adjusted to within the physiological range considered to be normal, massive clumping occurred. The results of this study suggest that thrombocytopenia may, through reduction of platelet-mediated clumping of PRBCs, provide a protective mechanism for the host during CM

Possible effects on avionics induced by terrestrial gamma-ray flashes

Terrestrial gamma-ray flashes (TGFs) are impulsive (intrinsically sub-millisecond) events associated with lightning in powerful thunderstorms. TGFs turn out to be very powerful natural accelerators known to accelerate particles and generate radiation up to hundreds of MeV energies. The number ratio of TGFs over normal lightning has been measured in tropical regions to be near 10&minus;4. We address in this Article the issue of the possible susceptibility of typical aircraft electronics exposed to TGF particle, gamma ray and neutron irradiation. We consider possible scenarios regarding the intensity, the duration, and geometry of TGFs influencing nearby aircraft, and study their effects on electronic equipment. We calculate, for different assumptions, the total dose and the dose-rate, and estimate single-event-effects. We find that in addition to the electromagnetic component (electrons/positrons, gamma rays) also secondary neutrons produced by gamma-ray photo production in the aircraft structure substantially contribute to single-event effects in critical semiconductors components. Depending on the physical characteristics and geometry, TGFs may deliver a large flux of neutrons within a few milliseconds in an aircraft. This flux is calculated to be orders of magnitude larger than the natural cosmic-ray background, and may constitute a serious hazard to aircraft electronic equipment. We present a series of numerical simulations supporting our conclusions. Our results suggest the necessity of dedicated measurement campaigns addressing the radiative and particle environment of aircraft near or within thunderstorms

Neural computations underlying action-based decision making in the human brain

Action-based decision making involves choices between different physical actions to obtain rewards. To make such decisions the brain needs to assign a value to each action and then compare them to make a choice. Using fMRI in human subjects, we found evidence for action-value signals in supplementary motor cortex. Separate brain regions, most prominently ventromedial prefrontal cortex, were involved in encoding the expected value of the action that was ultimately taken. These findings differentiate two main forms of value signals in the human brain: those relating to the value of each available action, likely reflecting signals that are a precursor of choice, and those corresponding to the expected value of the action that is subsequently chosen, and therefore reflecting the consequence of the decision process. Furthermore, we also found signals in the dorsomedial frontal cortex that resemble the output of a decision comparator, which implicates this region in the computation of the decision itself

Bend it like Beckham: embodying the motor skills of famous athletes.

Observing an action activates the same representations as does the actual performance of the action. Here we show for the first time that the action system can also be activated in the complete absence of action perception. When the participants had to identify the faces of famous athletes, the responses were influenced by their similarity to the motor skills of the athletes. Thus, the motor skills of the viewed athletes were retrieved automatically during person identification and had a direct influence on the action system of the observer. However, our results also indicated that motor behaviours that are implicit characteristics of other people are represented differently from when actions are directly observed. That is, unlike the facilitatory effects reported when actions were seen, the embodiment of the motor behaviour that is not concurrently perceived gave rise to contrast effects where responses similar to the behaviour of the athletes were inhibited

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) production from sludge and municipal wastewater treatment

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