Evaluating the role of frontal cortical structures in self-movement cue processing during spontaneous exploration

Includes bibliographical references.Animals use environmental (visual, auditory, olfactory) and self-movement (vestibular, proprioception, optic flow) cues to maintain spatial orientation (Gallistel, 1990). Disruptions in spatial orientation are frequently associated with acute (stroke) and chronic (Dementia of the Alzheimer’s Type) neurological disorders; however, the nature of the processing deficit continues to be debated. Previous work has demonstrated that rats use self-movement cues to organize their exploratory behavior (Wallace, et al., 2006). Recent work has suggested a role for the human prefrontal cortex structures in self-movement cue processing related to dead reckoning or path integration (Wolbers, et al., 2007) The current study uses the organization of rat exploratory behavior under dark conditions to investigate the role of specific areas within the frontal cortex in self-movement cue processing.B.S. (Bachelor of Science

Maternal schooling and comprehension of child health information in urban Zambia: is literacy a missing link in the maternal schooling-child health relationship?

This paper examines the relationship between literacy skills and comprehension of health information by studying mothers of young children in a high-density urban area in Zambia. Both decontextualized language and print literacy skills were assessed for each woman and the resulting scores were related to her comprehension of both broadcast and printed health information. The results indicate that fluency in a language is not sufficient for full comprehension of broadcast messages in the decontextualized type of language used in bureaucratic communication, and that a woman’s ability to use decontextualized language is associated with greater comprehension of such messages. Skill in using this type of language increases with years of schooling, even in the poorly equipped schools in Zambia, as does print literacy, even though the levels of comprehension achieved are well below their grade level on average for these women. Some implications of these findings for both health care providers and educators are then considered

Light in the urban environment

Thesis (M. Arch.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 1986.MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ROTCH.Includes bibliographical references (p. 155-158).The quality of our built environment is difficult to describe and to regulate; using light as an example, this thesis develops a descriptive framework using elementary, dynamic and connective forms. The combination of these three forms which we are able to perceive create a image of the place. The exchange of these descriptions heighten shared understanding, similar to the tacit understanding shared by architects. Buildings have been pubicly regulated to allow for light to the street throughout history. Qualitative description may offer the public a means of oversight and insight which could create a closer match between the design intention of proposed buildings and the public's understanding of their urban environment. At the same time, qualitative description will equip designers and the public to develop a shared and accumulated understanding of the interaction of contemporary architecture with public space, particularly given the modern technology. Description may be presented with many media and tools, literature, art and photography are used in this text. In particular, the sky-dome projection is explained and used as a descriptive tool. Using light as an example, the thesis (1) explains the descriptive framework,( 2) explains light's characteristics in qualitative and quantitative forms of description,(3) reviews the regulation of buildings for light, and (4) describes a case study: Rockefeller Center in terms of light; the impact of regulation for light on design and puts to practice the qualitative description. Rockefeller Center is chosen as a case study as it is a large urban building complex which has been acclaimed over decades and has been used as a prototype for many other urban building complexes. This thesis draws from the work of Susanne Langer, Kevin Lynch and Christian Norberg- Schultz. In particular, Kevin Lynch's work and his support for the the use of the sky-dome projection have founded this work.by Susan Stuebing.M.Arch

Tests of brake shoes

Thesis (BS)--University of Illinois, 1911Typescrip

Serological Evidence Of Dengue Infection In Nonhuman Primates In Peninsular Malaysia

Jangkitan Virus Denggi (DENV) berlaku di kalangan manusia dan di dalam kitaran Silvatik. Pada tahun 2008 seorang pelajar universiti didiagnoskan dengan Demam Hemorajik Denggi (DHF) selepas ia mengembara di Semenanjung Malaysia dan pemencilan darah selanjutnya menunjukkan bahawa jangkitan itu adalah Serotip-2 DENV Silvatik. Kawasan Malaysia dengan kepadatan populasi yang tinggi didapati tidak mempunyai sebarang maklumat semasa berkenaan dengan kitaran DENV Silvatik. Dengue viruses (DENV) circulate in both human and sylvatic cycles. In 2008, a Malaysian university student was diagnosed with dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and a sylvatic DENV serotype 2 was isolated from his blood. Current information on sylvatic DENV cycles in these heavily populated areas of Malaysia is nonexistent. Sylvatic DENV can cause severe disease (DHF) in humans. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the location and host species of sylvatic DENV cycles as a first step in assessing the risk that such zoonotic viruses pose to the surrounding human populatio

I can't wait: Methods for measuring and moderating individual differences in impulsive choice

Citation: Peterson, J. R., Hill, C. C., Marshall, A. T., Stuebing, S. L., & Kirkpatrick, K. (2015). I can't wait: Methods for measuring and moderating individual differences in impulsive choice. Journal of Agricultural and Food Industrial Organization, 13(1), 89-99. doi:10.1515/jafio-2015-0024Impulsive choice behavior occurs when individuals make choices without regard for future consequences. This behavior is often maladaptive and is a common symptom in many disorders, including drug abuse, compulsive gambling, and obesity. Several proposed mechanisms may influence impulsive choice behavior. These mechanisms provide a variety of pathways that may provide the basis for individual differences that are often evident when measuring choice behavior. This review provides an overview of these different pathways to impulsive choice, and the behavioral intervention strategies being developed to moderate impulsive choice. Because of the compelling link between impulsive choice behavior and the near-epidemic pervasiveness of obesity in the United States, we focus on the relationship between impulsive choice behavior and obesity as a test case for application of the multiple pathways approach. Choosing immediate gratification over healthier long term food choices is a contributing factor to the obesity crisis. Behavioral interventions can lead to more self-controlled choices in a rat pre-clinical model, suggesting a possible gateway for translation to human populations. Designing and implementing effective impulsive choice interventions is crucial to improving the overall health and well-being of impulsive individuals. © by De Gruyter 2015

Return to Childhood : an analysis of the reintegration of child soldiers

133 leaves ; 28 cm.Includes abstract.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 124-133).Beginning with a child-rights framework guided by recommendations in the Machel report and programmatic 'best-practices' in rehabilitation "Return to Childhood" analyses the reintegration of child soldiers in three case studies, Mozambique, Uganda and Sierra Leone. Case studies were chosen for reasons including documentation availability, regional and colonial diversity within sub-Saharan Africa and difference in conflict status. The research was based on qualitative comparative analysis of policies and programming for child soldiers. Case-study governments are parties to the Convention on the Rights of the Child and other international legislation. With varying degrees of recognition for their obligation as duty-bearers, these governments created or allowed an environment that supported programming for demobilized child soldiers. The findings of this research indicate that programming which included psycho-social rehabilitation, family reunification, education and skills training resulted in varying degrees of reintegration hampered by continued instability and lack of systemic support by governments

Coevolution of Snake Venom Toxic Activities and Diet: Evidence that Ecological Generalism Favours Toxicological Diversity

Snake venom evolution is typically considered to be predominantly driven by diet-related selection pressures. Most evidence for this is based on lethality to prey and non-prey species and on the identification of prey specific toxins. Since the broad toxicological activities (e.g., neurotoxicity, coagulotoxicity, etc.) sit at the interface between molecular toxinology and lethality, these classes of activity may act as a key mediator in coevolutionary interactions between snakes and their prey. Indeed, some recent work has suggested that variation in these functional activities may be related to diet as well, but previous studies have been limited in geographic and/or taxonomic scope. In this paper, we take a phylogenetic comparative approach to investigate relationships between diet and toxicological activity classes on a global scale across caenophidian snakes, using the clinically oriented database at toxinology.com. We generally find little support for specific prey types selecting for particular toxicological effects except that reptile-feeders are more likely to be neurotoxic. We find some support for endothermic prey (with higher metabolic rates) influencing toxic activities, but differently from previous suggestions in the literature. More broadly, we find strong support for a general effect of increased diversity of prey on the diversity of toxicological effects of snake venom. Hence, we provide evidence that selection pressures on the toxicological activities of snake venom has largely been driven by prey diversity rather than specific types of prey. These results complement and extend previous work to suggest that specific matching of venom characteristics to prey may occur at the molecular level and translate into venom lethality, but the functional link between those two is not constrained to a particular toxicological route