Morphological paradigms in language processing and language disorders

We present results from two cross‐modal morphological priming experiments investigating regular person and number inflection on finite verbs in German. We found asymmetries in the priming patterns between different affixes that can be predicted from the structure of the paradigm. We also report data from language disorders which indicate that inflectional errors produced by language‐impaired adults and children tend to occur within a given paradigm dimension, rather than randomly across the paradigm. We conclude that morphological paradigms are used by the human language processor and can be systematically affected in language disorders

Comperative analysis of the DI diesel engine in-cylinder fluid flow applying PIV measurements and CFD simulations

Paper presented to the 10th International Conference on Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics and Thermodynamics, Florida, 14-16 July 2014.To improve the efficiency of diesel engines several actions have been performed. Beside the reduction of internal friction by applying new and more effective materials, the thermodynamics offer different opportunities to influence the engine performance and emissions. Especially the interaction of fuel and air flow within the combustion chamber should be investigated. Therefore an optimized in-cylinder flow can enhance air-fuel mixing and lead to lower exhaust emissions and less fuel consumption. In addition the turbulent flow within the cylinder exhibits large- and small-scale cyclic variations[1]. The turbulence characteristics and cycle to cycle fluctuations of the in-cylinder flow can also have a pronounced influence on the combustion process and evoke the need to be thoroughly investigated. Nowadays CFD simulations are widely used to predict and optimise the air flow within internal combustion engines, but such numerical calculations require a comparison with experimental data. Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) was applied on an optically accessible single cylinder diesel engine to receive data sets for validation purpose. This engine provides access through a glass ring with 30 mm height and a modified piston bowl with an integrated glass bottom. In order to detect the local dependencies of the air flow, the velocity fields were quantified in two horizontal and three vertical measurement planes. A high resolution double shutter camera and a high energy double pulse laser were applied to measure the velocity fields during the intake and compression phases. In order to study the cyclic fluctuations, instantaneous snapshot pairs from 100 successive cycles were taken. As a result of the strong turbulences inside the internal combustion chamber strong cyclic fluctuations were observed at all investigated measurement planes. The measured averaged in-cylinder velocities and indicated pressures were compared with a k-ε turbulence model simulation, based on an Unsteady Reynolds Averaged NavierStockes (URANS) approach. In addition, the swirl and tumble characteristics were calculated and checked against the measured ones. Despite a sufficient accordance between the experimentally determined and k-ε model calculated in-cylinder velocities, discrepancies in swirl and the tumble flow could be observed. Therefore the air flow was also simulated using a Scale-Adaptive Simulation (SAS) turbulence model in order to resolve the small scale turbulences inside the combustion chamber. The achieved solution was compared with the velocities fields, averaged over 100 cycles, as well as the single cycle velocities to avoid the elimination of small scale turbulences due to cyclic variations.cf201

The intra-nucleus integration of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA)in cervical mucosa cells and its relation with c-myc expression

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Objective</p> <p>To explore the relationship between the integration of mitochondrial DNA(mtDNA) in the nuclei of cervical epithelium cells and the expression of c-myc.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The expression of c-myc protein was measured by immunohistochemical test in 40 cases of the uterine cervix cancer, 30 cases of cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) and 30 cases of normal cervical epithelium; the sequence of mtDNA in the nuclei was detected by in situ hybridization technique.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The detection rates of mtDNA in the nuclei of cervical epithelium cells were 27.5%, 13.3% and 0% in cervical carcinoma, CIN, and normal cervical epithelium respectively. The expression rate of c-myc in cervical mucoma cells was 67% in the mtDNA sequence positive group and was significantly higher than that in the negative group (36%).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The integration of mtDNA into the nuclei of cervical epithelium cells may be involved in the carcinogenesis of cervical epithelium cells and the expression of c-myc might be related to the integration of mtDNA sequence into nuclei of cervical epithelium cells.</p

The interplay of matrix metalloproteinase-8, transforming growth factor-beta 1 and vascular endothelial growth factor-C cooperatively contributes to the aggressiveness of oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma

Background: Matrix metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8) has oncosuppressive properties in various cancers. We attempted to assess MMP-8 function in oral tongue squamous cell carcinoma (OTSCC). Methods: MMP-8 overexpressing OTSCC cells were used to study the effect of MMP-8 on proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasion and gene and protein expression. Moreover, MMP-8 functions were assessed in the orthotopic mouse tongue cancer model and by immunohistochemistry in patient samples. Results: MMP-8 reduced the invasion and migration of OTSCC cells and decreased the expression of MMP-1, cathepsin-K and vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C). VEGF-C was induced by transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-beta 1) in control cells, but not in MMP-8 overexpressing cells. In human OTSCC samples, low MMP-8 in combination with high VEGF-C was an independent predictor of poor cancer-specific survival. TGF-beta 1 treatment also restored the migration of MMP-8 overexpressing cells to the level of control cells. In mouse tongue cancer, MMP-8 did not inhibit metastasis, possibly because it was eliminated in the peripheral carcinoma cells. Conclusions: The suppressive effects of MMP-8 in OTSCC may be mediated through interference of TGF-beta 1 and VEGF-C function and altered proteinase expression. Together, low MMP-8 and high VEGF-C expression have strong independent prognostic value in OTSCC.Peer reviewe

Moluscos holocênicos em sedimentos lagunares associados à barreira arenosa da Pinheira-Guarda-Gamboa, Santa Catarina: implicações paleoambientais

This paper documents the occurrence of mollusk carbonate fossils in sediments of the backbarrier of the Pinheira-Guarda- -Gamboa beaches, Santa Catarina Coastal Plain, southern Brazil, in which five species of gastropods and nine of bivalves were recognized. Among the bivalves, four species were articulated, Ostrea equestris, Anomalocardia brasiliana, Lucina pectinata and Tagelus plebeius, and the last three were found in life position. Radiocarbon datings were performed on articulate and life position specimens: Lucina pectinata, indicating a conventional age of 5.260 ± 30 years BP. (calibrate age 5.620 - 5.440), Tagelus plebeius, 5.620 ± 30 years BP. (calibrate age 6.000 - 5.840) and Ostrea equestris articulate, 5.410 ± 30 years BP. (calibrate age 5.805 - 5.580), indicating the material in the middle Holocene. The topographic data gathered with precision equipment established that the top of the outcrop is 2 m above the relative sea-level. The fossil association suggests lagoon-estuarine environment subsequently filled in response to a lowering of the sea level.Este trabalho documenta a ocorrência de moluscos fósseis carbonáticos em sedimentos da retrobarreira das praias da Pinheira-Guarda-Gamboa, Planície Costeira de Santa Catarina, sul do Brasil, onde foram reconhecidas cinco espécies de gastrópodes e nove de bivalves. Dentre os bivalves, identificaram-se quatro espécies articuladas, Ostrea equestris, Anomalocardia brasiliana, Lucina pectinata e Tagelus plebeius, as três últimas registradas em posição de vida. Datações radiocarbônicas foram realizadas em espécimes articulados e em posição de vida: Lucina pectinata apontando idades convencionais de 5.260 ± 30 anos AP (idade calibrada 5.620 - 5.440), Tagelus plebeius, 5.620 ± 30 anos AP (idade calibrada 6.000 - 5.840) e Ostrea equestris apenas articulado, 5.410 ± 30 anos AP (idade calibrada 5.805 - 5.580), posicionando o material no Holoceno médio. O dado topográfico com equipamento de precisão estabeleceu que o topo do afloramento encontra- -se a 2 m acima do nível relativo atual do mar. A associação indica um ambiente lagunar-estuarino, posteriormente colmatado como resposta ao rebaixamento do nível do mar

Case Fatality Rates Based on Population Estimates of Influenza-Like Illness Due to Novel H1N1 Influenza: New York City, May–June 2009

BACKGROUND: The public health response to pandemic influenza is contingent on the pandemic strain's severity. In late April 2009, a potentially pandemic novel H1N1 influenza strain (nH1N1) was recognized. New York City (NYC) experienced an intensive initial outbreak that peaked in late May, providing the need and opportunity to rapidly quantify the severity of nH1N1. METHODS AND FINDINGS: Telephone surveys using rapid polling methods of approximately 1,000 households each were conducted May 20-27 and June 15-19, 2009. Respondents were asked about the occurrence of influenza-like illness (ILI, fever with either cough or sore throat) for each household member from May 1-27 (survey 1) or the preceding 30 days (survey 2). For the overlap period, prevalence data were combined by weighting the survey-specific contribution based on a Serfling model using data from the NYC syndromic surveillance system. Total and age-specific prevalence of ILI attributed to nH1N1 were estimated using two approaches to adjust for background ILI: discounting by ILI prevalence in less affected NYC boroughs and by ILI measured in syndromic surveillance data from 2004-2008. Deaths, hospitalizations and intensive care unit (ICU) admissions were determined from enhanced surveillance including nH1N1-specific testing. Combined ILI prevalence for the 50-day period was 15.8% (95% CI:13.2%-19.0%). The two methods of adjustment yielded point estimates of nH1N1-associated ILI of 7.8% and 12.2%. Overall case-fatality (CFR) estimates ranged from 0.054-0.086 per 1000 persons with nH1N1-associated ILI and were highest for persons>or=65 years (0.094-0.147 per 1000) and lowest for those 0-17 (0.008-0.012). Hospitalization rates ranged from 0.84-1.34 and ICU admission rates from 0.21-0.34 per 1000, with little variation in either by age-group. CONCLUSIONS: ILI prevalence can be quickly estimated using rapid telephone surveys, using syndromic surveillance data to determine expected "background" ILI proportion. Risk of severe illness due to nH1N1 was similar to seasonal influenza, enabling NYC to emphasize preventing severe morbidity rather than employing aggressive community mitigation measures

Success Factors of European Syndromic Surveillance Systems: A Worked Example of Applying Qualitative Comparative Analysis

Introduction: Syndromic surveillance aims at augmenting traditional public health surveillance with timely information. To gain a head start, it mainly analyses existing data such as from web searches or patient records. Despite the setup of many syndromic surveillance systems, there is still much doubt about the benefit of the approach. There are diverse interactions between performance indicators such as timeliness and various system characteristics. This makes the performance assessment of syndromic surveillance systems a complex endeavour. We assessed if the comparison of several syndromic surveillance systems through Qualitative Comparative Analysis helps to evaluate performance and identify key success factors. Materials and Methods: We compiled case-based, mixed data on performance and characteristics of 19 syndromic surveillance systems in Europe from scientific and grey literature and from site visits. We identified success factors by applying crisp-set Qualitative Comparative Analysis. We focused on two main areas of syndromic surveillance application: seasonal influenza surveillance and situational awareness during different types of potentially health threatening events. Results: We found that syndromic surveillance systems might detect the onset or peak of seasonal influenza earlier if they analyse non-clinical data sources. Timely situational awareness during different types of events is supported by an automated syndromic surveillance system capable of analysing multiple syndromes. To our surprise, the analysis of multiple data sources was no key success factor for situational awareness. Conclusions: We suggest to consider these key success factors when designing or further developing syndromic surveillance systems. Qualitative Comparative Analysis helped interpreting complex, mixed data on small-N cases and resulted in concrete and practically relevant findings

Attitudes towards fibromyalgia: A survey of Canadian chiropractic, naturopathic, physical therapy and occupational therapy students

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The frequent use of chiropractic, naturopathic, and physical and occupational therapy by patients with fibromyalgia has been emphasized repeatedly, but little is known about the attitudes of these therapists towards this challenging condition.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We administered a cross-sectional survey to 385 senior Canadian chiropractic, naturopathic, physical and occupational therapy students in their final year of studies, that inquired about attitudes towards the diagnosis and management of fibromyalgia.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>336 students completed the survey (response rate 87%). While they disagreed about the etiology (primarily psychological 28%, physiological 23%, psychological and physiological 15%, unsure 34%), the majority (58%) reported that fibromyalgia was difficult to manage. Respondants were also conflicted in whether treatment should prioritize symptom relief (65%) or functional gains (85%), with the majority (58%) wanting to do both. The majority of respondents (57%) agreed that there was effective treatment for fibromyalgia and that they possessed the required clinical skills to manage patients (55%).</p> <p>Chiropractic students were most skeptical in regards to fibromyalgia as a useful diagnostic entity, and most likely to endorse a psychological etiology. In our regression model, only training in naturopathic medicine (unstandardized regression coefficient = 0.33; 95% confidence interval = 0.11 to 0.56) and the belief that effective therapies existed (unstandardized regression coefficient = 0.42; 95% confidence interval = 0.30 to 0.54) were associated with greater confidence in managing patients with fibromyalgia.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The majority of senior Canadian chiropractic, naturopathic, physical and occupational therapy students, and in particular those with naturopathic training, believe that effective treatment for fibromyalgia exists and that they possess the clinical skillset to effectively manage this disorder. The majority place high priority on both symptom relief and functional gains when treating fibromyalgia.</p