De grafemische buffer : aspecten van een spellingstoornis

Ce riche volume de 373 pages rassemble les contributions pour un colloque qui fut organisé les 30 novembre et 1 décembre 2012 par le “Centro Studi Sigismondo Castromediano e Gino Rizzo” à Cavallino di Lecce. Le personnage historique de premier plan qui fait l’objet du volume est Sigismondo Castromediano (Cavallino 1811-1895), surnommé le « Bianco Duca », noble de la région des Pouilles, arrêté en 1848 pour activité patriotique au sein de la Giovine Italia, condamné à trente ans de bagne, puis..

De grafemische buffer : aspecten van een spellingstoornis

A spelling disorder that received much attention recently is the so-called graphemic buffer impairment. Caramazza et al. (1987) presented the first systematic case study of a patient with this disorder. Miceli & Capasso (2006) provide an extensive overview of the relevant literature. This article adds to the literature by describing a Dutch case, i.e. patient BM. We demonstrate how specific features of Dutch and Dutch orthography interact with the graphemic buffer impairment. In addition, we paid special attention to the influence of grapheme position on the patient’s spelling accuracy. For this we used, in contrast with most of the previous literature, the proportional accountability method described in Machtynger & Shallice (2009). We show that by using this method the underlying error distribution can be more optimally captured than with classical methods. The result of this analysis replicates two distributions that have been previously reported in the literature. Finally, attention will be paid to the role of phonology in the described disorder

Fermi Edge Singularities in Transport through Quantum Dots

We study the Fermi-edge singularity appearing in the current-voltage characteristics for resonant tunneling through a localized level at finite temperature. An explicit expression for the current at low temperature and near the threshold for the tunneling process is presented which allows to coalesce data taken at different temperatures to a single curve. Based on this scaling function for the current we analyze experimental data from a GaAs-AlAs-GaAs tunneling device with embedded InAs quantum dots obtained at low temperatures in high magnetic fields.Comment: 12 pages, 5 figure

Simulation of phosphorus implantation into silicon with a single-parameter electronic stopping power model

We simulate dopant profiles for phosphorus implantation into silicon using a new model for electronic stopping power. In this model, the electronic stopping power is factorized into a globally averaged effective charge Z1*, and a local charge density dependent electronic stopping power for a proton. There is only a single adjustable parameter in the model, namely the one electron radius rs0 which controls Z1*. By fine tuning this parameter, we obtain excellent agreement between simulated dopant profiles and the SIMS data over a wide range of energies for the channeling case. Our work provides a further example of implant species, in addition to boron and arsenic, to verify the validity of the electronic stopping power model and to illustrate its generality for studies of physical processes involving electronic stopping.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figures. See http://bifrost.lanl.gov/~reed

Dose Optimization for Using the Contrast Agent Gadofosveset in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of Domestic Pig Brain

Pigs are useful models in stroke research, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is a useful tool for measurements of brain pathophysiology. Perfusion Weighed Imaging (PWI) with standard Gd-based chelates (i.e. gadobutrol) provides crucial information about breakdown of the Blood-Brain-Barrier (BBB) in patients. Gadofosveset is also a Gd-based contrast agent, but with a higher binding to serum albumin. The prolonged plasma-half life of gadofosveset allows the acquisition of steady state angiographies, which may increase the sensitivity for detection of BBB leakage. We hypothesize that the contrast dosage with gadofosveset can be optimized for PWI and subsequent steady-state Magnetic Resonance Angiography (MRA) in pigs. Anesthetized domestic pigs (females; N=6) were MRI scanned four times in one day: they were initially imaged during a standard gadobutrol bolus injection (0.1 mmol/kg). Then they received three successive gadofosveset bolus injections of varying dosages (0.015-0.09 mmol/kg). Based on projection from our data, we suggest that a bolus injection of 0.0916 mmol/kg gadofosveset would yield contrast similar to that of a standard dose of 0.1 mmol/kg gadobutrol in dynamic susceptibility contrast MRI at 3 T. In conclusion, our results demonstrate the feasibility of gadofosveset based PWI in pig brain research. The relaxation and plasma half-life properties allow detailed steady-state MRA angiographies and may prove useful in detecting subtle BBB disruption of significance in stroke models and human patients

Impact of smoking and preoperative electrophysiology on outcome after open carpal tunnel release

Background: The aim was to evaluate the influence of smoking and preoperative electrophysiology on the outcome of open carpal tunnel release. Methods: This retrospective observational study evaluated the outcome in 493 patients (531 hands) primary operated for carpal tunnel syndrome. Data were collected from medical records, health evaluations, and QuickDASH questionnaires before surgery and 1 year after. Results: Smokers had a higher QuickDASH score preoperatively as well as postoperatively, but the change in total score did not differ. The odds of having a postoperative QuickDASH score >10 were 2.5 times higher in smoking patients than in non-smoking patients. In 124/493 patients (25%), no clinically significant improvement was seen. Normal and extreme preoperative electrophysiology values were associated with higher postoperative scores. No correlation was found between preoperative QuickDASH scores and preoperative electrophysiology values. Conclusions: Smokers with carpal tunnel syndrome experience more symptoms preoperatively. Smokers have remaining symptoms after surgery. There is no correlation between preoperative QuickDASH scores and preoperative electrophysiology values. Patients with normal or near to normal preoperative electrophysiology results have limited improvement after surgery

Outcome after carpal tunnel release : impact of factors related to metabolic syndrome

Objective: The standard surgical treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS), with an open carpal tunnel release, is reported to relieve symptoms in most patients. In a retrospective observational study, outcome after open carpal tunnel release was evaluated, focusing on factors related to the metabolic syndrome: diabetes, hypertension, obesity (BMI ≥30) and statin treatment. Methods: Results from 493 out of 962 patients (531/1044 hands) operated for CTS during 18 months that had filled in QuickDASH questionnaires before and 1-year after surgery were included in the study. Results: Patients with diabetes (n = 76) had higher QuickDASH scores pre- (56 [36–77]; i.e. median [interquartile range]) and postoperatively (31 [9–61]) compared to patients without diabetes (48 [32–66]; p 10 (74% vs 61%;

Angle dependence of Andreev scattering at semiconductor-superconductor interfaces

We study the angle dependence of the Andreev scattering at a semiconductor-superconductor interface, generalizing the one-dimensional theory of Blonder, Tinkham and Klapwijk. An increase of the momentum parallel to the interface leads to suppression of the probability of Andreev reflection and increase of the probability of normal reflection. We show that in the presence of a Fermi velocity mismatch between the semiconductor and the superconductor the angles of incidence and transmission are related according to the well-known Snell's law in optics. As a consequence there is a critical angle of incidence above which only normal reflection exists. For two and three-dimensional interfaces a lower excess current compared to ballistic transport with perpendicular incidence is found. Thus, the one-dimensional BTK model overestimates the barrier strength for two and three-dimensional interfaces.Comment: 8 pages including 3 figures (revised, 6 references added

Characterization of phytoplankton by pigment analysis and the detection of toxic cyanobacteria in reservoirs with aquaculture production

Made available in DSpace on 2018-12-11T17:19:56Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2018-01-01The intensified use of water bodies and reservoirs for aquaculture production has increased the need for monitoring and early warning of toxins from cyanobacteria. To minimize effects from toxins, simple and fast analytical monitoring methods are crucial. Here, the content of pigments and microcystins in 14 different strains of cyanobacteria cultured under different growth conditions was investigated to determine the influence of light and nutrient starvation on pigment/ chlorophyll a (chl a) ratios. The obtained pigment/chl a ratios were applied in the software CHEMTAX to calculate the biomass of toxic cyanobacteria, as well as other phytoplankton groups. CHEMTAX ratios from the laboratory cultures were applied to water samples collected during 4 sampling periods at 6 fish farms in different reservoirs in São Paulo State, Brazil. Cyanobacteria generally dominated in all reservoirs in all sampling periods and constituted on average 44 to 66% of the average phytoplankton biomass. The concentrations of microcystins were significantly correlated with the chl a concentrations of cyanobacteria and showed that the pigment method can be used to detect microcystin-producing cyanobacteria in these Brazilian reservoirs. When the concentration of cyanobacteria in the reservoirs was above 4 μg chl a l-1, microcystins were always detected. Our results show that pigment analysis can be used to provide fast and reliable results for the early warning, the presence and potential risk of toxic cyanobacteria in freshwater reservoirs used for aqua culture.Environment and Toxicology DHISão Paulo State Agribusiness Agency TechnologySection of Microbial Ecology and Biotechnology Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences University of CopenhagenFicology Department Botanical InstituteUNESP Campus Botucatu Institute of Biosciences Parasitology DepartmentUNESP Campus Botucatu Institute of Biosciences Parasitology Departmen