704 research outputs found
Crystallographic analysis of polypyrimidine tract-binding protein-Raver1 interactions involved in regulation of alternative splicing.
Accepted versio
Complex sequencing rules of birdsong can be explained by simple hidden Markov processes
Complex sequencing rules observed in birdsongs provide an opportunity to
investigate the neural mechanism for generating complex sequential behaviors.
To relate the findings from studying birdsongs to other sequential behaviors,
it is crucial to characterize the statistical properties of the sequencing
rules in birdsongs. However, the properties of the sequencing rules in
birdsongs have not yet been fully addressed. In this study, we investigate the
statistical propertiesof the complex birdsong of the Bengalese finch (Lonchura
striata var. domestica). Based on manual-annotated syllable sequences, we first
show that there are significant higher-order context dependencies in Bengalese
finch songs, that is, which syllable appears next depends on more than one
previous syllable. This property is shared with other complex sequential
behaviors. We then analyze acoustic features of the song and show that
higher-order context dependencies can be explained using first-order hidden
state transition dynamics with redundant hidden states. This model corresponds
to hidden Markov models (HMMs), well known statistical models with a large
range of application for time series modeling. The song annotation with these
models with first-order hidden state dynamics agreed well with manual
annotation, the score was comparable to that of a second-order HMM, and
surpassed the zeroth-order model (the Gaussian mixture model (GMM)), which does
not use context information. Our results imply that the hierarchical
representation with hidden state dynamics may underlie the neural
implementation for generating complex sequences with higher-order dependencies
Reducing Constraints in a Higher Dimensional Extension of the Randall and Sundrum Model
In order to investigate the phenomenological implications of warped spaces in
more than five dimensions, we consider a dimensional extension to
the Randall and Sundrum model in which the space is warped with respect to a
single direction by the presence of an anisotropic bulk cosmological constant.
The Einstein equations are solved, giving rise to a range of possible spaces in
which the additional spaces are warped. Here we consider models in
which the gauge fields are free to propagate into such spaces. After carrying
out the Kaluza Klein (KK) decomposition of such fields it is found that the KK
mass spectrum changes significantly depending on how the additional
dimensions are warped. We proceed to compute the lower bound on the KK mass
scale from electroweak observables for models with a bulk
gauge symmetry and models with a bulk gauge
symmetry. It is found that in both cases the most favourable bounds are
approximately TeV, corresponding to a mass of the first gauge
boson excitation of about 4-6 TeV. Hence additional warped dimensions offer a
new way of reducing the constraints on the KK scale.Comment: 27 pages, 15 figures, v3: Additional comments in sections 1, 2 and 4.
New appendix added. Five additional figures. References adde
5D UED: Flat and Flavorless
5D UED is not automatically minimally flavor violating. This is due to flavor
asymmetric counter-terms required on the branes. Additionally, there are likely
to be higher dimensional operators which directly contribute to flavor
observables. We document a mostly unsuccessful attempt at utilizing
localization in a flat extra dimension to resolve these flavor constraints
while maintaining KK-parity as a good quantum number. It is unsuccessful
insofar as we seem to be forced to add brane operators in such a way as to
precisely mimic the effects of a double throat warped extra dimension. In the
course of our efforts, we encounter and present solutions to a problem common
to many extra dimensional models in which fields are "doubly localized:"
ultra-light modes. Under scrutiny, this issue seems tied to an intrinsic
tension between maintaining Kaluza-Klein parity and resolving mass hierarchies
via localization.Comment: 27 pages, 6 figure
In-training assessment using direct observation of single-patient encounters: a literature review
We reviewed the literature on instruments for work-based assessment in single clinical encounters, such as the mini-clinical evaluation exercise (mini-CEX), and examined differences between these instruments in characteristics and feasibility, reliability, validity and educational effect. A PubMed search of the literature published before 8 January 2009 yielded 39 articles dealing with 18 different assessment instruments. One researcher extracted data on the characteristics of the instruments and two researchers extracted data on feasibility, reliability, validity and educational effect. Instruments are predominantly formative. Feasibility is generally deemed good and assessor training occurs sparsely but is considered crucial for successful implementation. Acceptable reliability can be achieved with 10 encounters. The validity of many instruments is not investigated, but the validity of the mini-CEX and the ‘clinical evaluation exercise’ is supported by strong and significant correlations with other valid assessment instruments. The evidence from the few studies on educational effects is not very convincing. The reports on clinical assessment instruments for single work-based encounters are generally positive, but supporting evidence is sparse. Feasibility of instruments seems to be good and reliability requires a minimum of 10 encounters, but no clear conclusions emerge on other aspects. Studies on assessor and learner training and studies examining effects beyond ‘happiness data’ are badly needed
Superconformal Flavor Simplified
A simple explanation of the flavor hierarchies can arise if matter fields
interact with a conformal sector and different generations have different
anomalous dimensions under the CFT. However, in the original study by Nelson
and Strassler many supersymmetric models of this type were considered to be
'incalculable' because the R-charges were not sufficiently constrained by the
superpotential. We point out that nearly all such models are calculable with
the use of a-maximization. Utilizing this, we construct the simplest
vector-like flavor models and discuss their viability. A significant constraint
on these models comes from requiring that the visible gauge couplings remain
perturbative throughout the conformal window needed to generate the
hierarchies. However, we find that there is a small class of simple flavor
models that can evade this bound.Comment: 43 pages, 1 figure; V3: small corrections and clarifications,
references adde
Evidence based post graduate training. A systematic review of reviews based on the WFME quality framework
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>A framework for high quality in post graduate training has been defined by the World Federation of Medical Education (WFME). The objective of this paper is to perform a systematic review of reviews to find current evidence regarding aspects of quality of post graduate training and to organise the results following the 9 areas of the WFME framework.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The systematic literature review was conducted in 2009 in Medline Ovid, EMBASE, ERIC and RDRB databases from 1995 onward. The reviews were selected by two independent researchers and a quality appraisal was based on the SIGN tool.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>31 reviews met inclusion criteria. The majority of the reviews provided information about the training process (WFME area 2), the assessment of trainees (WFME area 3) and the trainees (WFME area 4). One review covered the area 8 'governance and administration'. No review was found in relation to the mission and outcomes, the evaluation of the training process and the continuous renewal (respectively areas 1, 7 and 9 of the WFME framework).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The majority of the reviews provided information about the training process, the assessment of trainees and the trainees. Indicators used for quality assessment purposes of post graduate training should be based on this evidence but further research is needed for some areas in particular to assess the quality of the training process.</p
Predictors of well child care adherence over time in a cohort of urban Medicaid-eligible infants
<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Changes in well child care (WCC) adherence over time have not previously been examined. Our objective is to describe adherence rates to WCC over time in a low-income urban population of infants 0-24 months of age, and to identify predictors of WCC adherence in this population.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This is a secondary analysis of a cohort of Medicaid-eligible children followed from birth to 2 years between 2005 and 2008 with structured telephone surveys to assess maternal well-being, social support, and household and demographic information. For the 260 children attending 4 urban pediatric practices, WCC adherence was assessed based on visit data abstracted from electronic medical records. A random-intercept mixed effects logit model clustered on subject was used.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>92% of the mothers were African-American, 27% had not finished high school, 87% were single, and 43% earned < $500/month; mean age was 23. WCC adherence decreased from 88% at 6 months to 47% (12 mo), 44% (18 mo), and 67% (24 mo). The difference across time periods was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Married (OR 1.71, p = 0.02) and primiparous (OR 1.89, p < 0.001) mothers had significantly greater odds of adherence, along with women who reported having been adherent to prenatal care visits (OR 1.49, p = 0.03) and those with the lowest household income (OR 1.40, p = 0.03).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Maternal education efforts should emphasize the importance of establishing WCC, especially for mothers of more than one child. Further studies using larger, more broadly defined populations are needed to confirm our findings that efforts to increase WCC adherence should be intensified after 6 months of age, particularly for children at higher risk.</p
A hippocampal circuit linking dorsal CA2 to ventral CA1 critical for social memory dynamics
Recent results suggest that social memory requires the dorsal hippocampal CA2 region as well as a subset of ventral CA1 neurons. However, it is unclear whether dorsal CA2 and ventral CA1 represent parallel or sequential circuits. Moreover, because evidence implicating CA2 in social memory comes largely from long-term inactivation experiments, the dynamic role of CA2 in social memory remains unclear. Here, we use pharmacogenetics and optogenetics in mice to acutely and reversibly silence dorsal CA2 and its projections to ventral hippocampus. We show that dorsal CA2 activity is critical for encoding, consolidation, and recall phases of social memory. Moreover, dorsal CA2 contributes to social memory by providing strong excitatory input to the same subregion of ventral CA1 that contains the subset of neurons implicated in social memory. Thus, our studies provide new insights into a dorsal CA2 to ventral CA1 circuit whose dynamic activity is necessary for social memory.We thank David H. Brann and the other members of the Siegelbaum laboratory for
helpful discussions and João Cerqueira for critical input. This work was supported by
R01 MH104602 and R01 MH106629 from the NIH (S.A.S.), by PD/BD/113700/2015
from the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (T.M.) and by the European Molecular Biology Organization (A.O.)
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