Audio-visual speech perception: a developmental ERP investigation

Being able to see a talking face confers a considerable advantage for speech perception in adulthood. However, behavioural data currently suggest that children fail to make full use of these available visual speech cues until age 8 or 9. This is particularly surprising given the potential utility of multiple informational cues during language learning. We therefore explored this at the neural level. The event-related potential (ERP) technique has been used to assess the mechanisms of audio-visual speech perception in adults, with visual cues reliably modulating auditory ERP responses to speech. Previous work has shown congruence-dependent shortening of auditory N1/P2 latency and congruence-independent attenuation of amplitude in the presence of auditory and visual speech signals, compared to auditory alone. The aim of this study was to chart the development of these well-established modulatory effects over mid-to-late childhood. Experiment 1 employed an adult sample to validate a child-friendly stimulus set and paradigm by replicating previously observed effects of N1/P2 amplitude and latency modulation by visual speech cues; it also revealed greater attenuation of component amplitude given incongruent audio-visual stimuli, pointing to a new interpretation of the amplitude modulation effect. Experiment 2 used the same paradigm to map cross-sectional developmental change in these ERP responses between 6 and 11 years of age. The effect of amplitude modulation by visual cues emerged over development, while the effect of latency modulation was stable over the child sample. These data suggest that auditory ERP modulation by visual speech represents separable underlying cognitive processes, some of which show earlier maturation than others over the course of development

Testing refinements by refining tests

One of the potential benefits of formal methods is that they offer the possibility of reducing the costs of testing. A specification acts as both the benchmark against which any implementation is tested, and also as the means by which tests are generated. There has therefore been interest in developing test generation techniques from formal specifications, and a number of different methods have been derived for state based languages such as Z, B and VDM. However, in addition to deriving tests from a formal specification, we might wish to refine the specification further before its implementation. The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between testing and refinement. As our model for test generation we use a DNF partition analysis for operations written in Z, which produces a number of disjoint test cases for each operation. In this paper we discuss how the partition analysis of an operation alters upon refinement, and we develop techniques that allow us to refine abstract tests in order to generate test cases for a refinement. To do so we use (and extend existing) methods for calculating the weakest data refinement of a specification

The Ursinus Weekly, December 14, 1953

MSGA-WSGA together, discuss U.C. honor system • Committee to pick Spring production • Senate hears complaints; Struth heads Booster Committee • MSGA warns men\u27s dorms • Audience stirred by Messiah, Thursday • Christmas Communion to be conducted by Chi Alpha • Morning watch services to be conducted this week by Y • Who\u27s who honors twelve in Ursinus class of 1954 • Debating Team opens season at tournament • Zimmerman, Price are lord, lady of senior ball • Alpha Psi Omega initiates new members, Kuebler, Allen • Editorials: Christmas spirit; Resolutions for a happy New Year • Letters to the editor • No Christ this Christmas? • Ursinus to participate in bridge tournament • Engagement announced • First Ursinus Christmas Fun in a magical snowfall • Awards available for graduate work • Mr. Dolman and Dr. Rice bring varied experience to new job • Paolone leads matmen; Expect excellent season • Phyl Stadler is hockey captain • Maliken, Aden are most valuable players: Football fullback, soccer halfback receive new honor • Belles begin practice; Friedlin leads cagers • Bears fall to Juniata; Wallop Pharmacy, 99-83 • Syvertsen captains mermaids; Excellent season expectedhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1485/thumbnail.jp

Cdk1 inactivation terminates mitotic checkpoint surveillance and stabilizes kinetochore attachments in anaphase

Two mechanisms safeguard the bipolar attachment of chromosomes in mitosis. A correction mechanism destabilizes erroneous attachments that do not generate tension across sister kinetochores [1]. In response to unattached kinetochores, the mitotic checkpoint delays anaphase onset by inhibiting the anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/CCdc20) [2]. Upon satisfaction of both pathways, the APC/CCdc20 elicits the degradation of securin and cyclin B [3]. This liberates separase triggering sister chromatid disjunction and inactivates cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1) causing mitotic exit. How eukaryotic cells avoid the engagement of attachment monitoring mechanisms when sister chromatids split and tension is lost at anaphase is poorly understood [4]. Here we show that Cdk1 inactivation disables mitotic checkpoint surveillance at anaphase onset in human cells. Preventing cyclin B1 proteolysis at the time of sister chromatid disjunction destabilizes kinetochore-microtubule attachments and triggers the engagement of the mitotic checkpoint. As a consequence, mitotic checkpoint proteins accumulate at anaphase kinetochores, the APC/CCdc20 is inhibited, and securin reaccumulates. Conversely, acute pharmacological inhibition of Cdk1 abrogates the engagement and maintenance of the mitotic checkpoint upon microtubule depolymerization. We propose that the simultaneous destruction of securin and cyclin B elicited by the APC/CCdc20 couples chromosome segregation to the dissolution of attachment monitoring mechanisms during mitotic exit

Attitudes and Opinions About Direct-to-Consumer Genetic Testing in Undergraduate Science Students

Background: There has been exponential growth in the number of direct-to-consumer genetic testing kits sold in the past decade. Consumers utilize direct-to-consumer genetic tests for a number of reasons which include learning about one’s ancestry and potential ways to manage health. Emerging adults tend to be early adopters of new technologies; however, there has been little research regarding the opinions about direct-to-consumer genetic testing in emerging adults. Methods: Data came from a study conducted in an upper-level biology course focusing on understanding undergraduate science students’ overall experiences with receiving personalized genetic testing results from 23andMe. The present study used data collected at the baseline assessment which assessed their opinions and attitudes about direct-to-consumer genetic testing (N=133). Results: Over 80% of participants would recommend direct-to-consumer genetic testing options including carrier status reports, DNA ancestry reports, wellness reports, and trait reports to others. However, participants were not as confident that others would be able to accurately interpret their test results. Additionally, more than two-thirds of the participants stated that they would ask a healthcare provider to help interpret their personalized genetic test results. Conclusions: Participants lack confidence in both their ability to interpret their own results and others to interpret their results. It is important for direct-to-consumer genetic testing companies to educate consumers before providing results in order to minimize potential harms due to misinterpretation of results. Further research is needed to assess motivations to participate in direct-to-consumer genetic testing, impact of testing, and understanding of genetic testing results in emerging adults.https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/gradposters/1124/thumbnail.jp

The Ursinus Weekly, December 7, 1953

Prom to feature Johnny Austin, Sr. lord and lady • Wanamaker to give $1,000 scholarship • Sella resigns as senior prexy; Popowich unanimously chosen • Sixteenth Messiah performance to be held in Bomberger, Thursday • IRC to hear Chester Bowles at Bryn Mawr tonight • William S. Pettit named Dean of Ursinus College • MSGA hears student ideas at meeting • Raises revised by Stars and Players • Marge Merrifield wins hockey honor • Y plans party • Editorials: Honor at Ursinus; Maintenance mixup? • Cutting • Greek columns • Thespians present All my sons ; Reviewer notes fine performances • Pledge reveals fun and difficulties of informal Ursinus sorority initiation • Dorms eagerly anticipate vendors\u27 nightly visit • Hockey team ends season • JV Belles down Penn, W. Chester, Bryn Mawr • Soccermen lose to F&M; Season ends with party • Third team undefeated • Basketball season opens; Bears win, 84-66; 78-56 • Walker, Cox head 1954 football, soccer elevens • Dickinson downs Ursinus in football finale, 19-13 • Hockey-soccer game ends in 2-2 tie • Christmas vespers service to be held December 13 • Chemical society members visit chemical exposition • Truex speaks to pre-medders on opportunities in medicine • French Club holds program of vocal, piano music • Christmas dance plannedhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1484/thumbnail.jp

The Ursinus Weekly, February 16, 1953

Dean\u27s Office reveals list of 76 students • Elections for May queen, scheduled for Wednesday • Frosh reps given charge on Color Day • Rules revealed for Alpha Psi • Male quartet to sing for PTA, February 19 • Rules clarified at senate meeting • Y dinner held; SRC to conduct seminar tonight • Janet Glaser crowned queen of freshman dance, Friday • Junior class begins casting for original musical show • Sororities choose dinner dance clubs • Seniors make plans for this weekend • Hudock tells pre-med society about heart ills • Sun Oil pres. speaks tonight • Music Club plans tour • Editorials: Plea to 57 students; Mountains out of molehills • WAA show merits good comments • Newman convention to be held • Letters to the editor • Canterbury Club holds dinner • Florida affords adventure for venturesome trekking trio • J. Alexander \u2701 is one of Boy Scout founders • An old Ursinus institution perpetuated by Grecian gods • Girls\u27 court team hands Beaver double defeat • Swarthmore upsets Bears despite Herb Knull\u27s 28 • Blue Hens defeat Bears with late surge, 83-52 • U. of P. defeats badminton team • Duryea and Hobson victorious • Wrestlers bounce Muhlenberg 21-9 • Delaware beats grapplers 24-8; Dawkins wins again • Music room closed • Chi Alpha to hear speaker • IRC to sponsor collection for flood reliefhttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1512/thumbnail.jp

The Ursinus Weekly, February 8, 1954

Central Comm. announces plans for May Day • Lorelei date set as Feb. 12 • Schools of Egypt, U.S. compared by education • Bridge tournament at U.C., Feb. 18 • Frosh-Soph hop theme for \u2754 is Mardi Gras • Meistersingers plan tour; Present first concert • Demonstration is planned for C.C. general meeting • Pre-meds sponsor hospital tours • Spaghetti, speaker, stunts at Y dinner Wednesday • Ruby nears completion; Shows promise at 1/3 mark • Forum features Irish lord; Godley to speak, Wed. • Reporter remarks on MSGA session • Second semester welcomes 23 to U.C. • Stevenson, Cross, Dawkins elected • U.C. Color Day Thursday; Mrs. Seth Baker to speak • U.C. men may question aviation cadet team, Tues. • Editorials: Fair chance; Barbs and bouquets • Chapel change: The facts • Alumni news • Engagement • Greek columns • Violent mid-January events motivate student expeditions to sunny South • How to torture waiters; Or, mealtime diversions • Swimming team drops opener • Dawkins and Padula win; But match is lost, 20 to 8 • Belles open with bang; Topple Rosemont, 51-21 • Badminton team loses opener, 5-0 • Sieb stars for alumni but youth triumphs, 86-67 • Sharp-shooting Drexel wins; Tops Bears, 81-53; Shoes has 19 • Varsity letter winners posted • Baby Belles down Rosemont, 38-15https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/weekly/1487/thumbnail.jp

The interacting roles of climate, soils, and plant production on soil microbial communities at a continental scale

Soil microbial communities control critical ecosystem processes such as decomposition, nutrient cycling, and soil organic matter formation. Continental scale patterns in the composition and functioning of microbial communities are related to climatic, biotic, and edaphic factors such as temperature and precipitation, plant community composition, and soil carbon, nitrogen, and pH. Although these relationships have been well explored individually, the examination of the factors that may act directly on microbial communities vs. those that may act indirectly through other ecosystem properties has not been well developed. To further such understanding, we utilized structural equation modeling (SEM) to evaluate a set of hypotheses about the direct and indirect effects of climatic, biotic, and edaphic variables on microbial communities across the continental United States. The primary goals of this work were to test our current understanding of the interactions among climate, soils, and plants in affecting microbial community composition, and to examine whether variation in the composition of the microbial community affects potential rates of soil enzymatic activities. A model of interacting factors created through SEM shows several expected patterns. Distal factors such as climate had indirect effects on microbial communities by influencing plant productivity, soil mineralogy, and soil pH, but factors related to soil organic matter chemistry had the most direct influence on community composition. We observed that both plant productivity and soil mineral composition were important indirect influences on community composition at the continental scale, both interacting to affect organic matter content and microbial biomass and ultimately community composition. Although soil hydrolytic enzymes were related to the moisture regime and soil carbon, oxidative enzymes were also affected by community composition, reflected in the abundance of soil fungi. These results highlight that soil microbial communities can be modeled within the context of multiple interacting ecosystem properties acting both directly and indirectly on their composition and function, and this provides a rich and informative context with which to examine communities. This work also highlights that variation in climate, microbial biomass, and microbial community composition can affect maximum rates of soil enzyme activities, potentially influencing rates of decomposition and nutrient mineralization in soils