Magnetically Stimulated Diffusion of Rydberg Gases

The specific kind of diffusion stimulated (rather than suppressed) by the external magnetic field, which was predicted for the first time by Schmelcher and Cederbaum in 1992, is considered here for the case of high-angular-momentum (i.e., approximately "circular") Rydberg atoms. The coefficient of such diffusion was calculated by a purely analytical approach and was found to be well relevant to the experiments on antihydrogen formation.Comment: REVTeX4, 4 pages, 1 EPS figure; v2: additional numerical estimates and extended discussion in the end of pape

Effects of congenital hearing loss and cochlear implantation on audiovisual speech perception in infants and children

Purpose: Cochlear implantation has recently become available as an intervention strategy for young children with profound hearing impairment. In fact, infants as young as 6 months are now receiving cochlear implants (CIs), and even younger infants are being fitted with hearing aids (HAs). Because early audiovisual experience may be important for normal development of speech perception, it is important to investigate the effects of a period of auditory deprivation and amplification type on multimodal perceptual processes of infants and children. The purpose of this study was to investigate audiovisual perception skills in normal-hearing (NH) infants and children and deaf infants and children with CIs and HAs of similar chronological ages. Methods: We used an Intermodal Preferential Looking Paradigm to present the same woman\u27s face articulating two words ( judge and back ) in temporal synchrony on two sides of a TV monitor, along with an auditory presentation of one of the words. Results: The results showed that NH infants and children spontaneously matched auditory and visual information in spoken words; deaf infants and children with HAs did not integrate the audiovisual information; and deaf infants and children with CIs initially did not initially integrate the audiovisual information but gradually matched the auditory and visual information in spoken words. Conclusions: These results suggest that a period of auditory deprivation affects multimodal perceptual processes that may begin to develop normally after several months of auditory experience

Effects of early musical experience on auditory sequence memory

The present study investigated a possible link between musical training and immediate memory span by testing experienced musicians and three groups of musically inexperienced subjects (gymnasts, Psychology 101 students, and video game players) on sequence memory and word familiarity tasks. By including skilled gymnasts who began studying their craft by age six, video game players, and Psychology 101 students as comparison groups, we attempted to control for some of the ways skilled musicians may differ from participants drawn from the general population in terms of gross motor skills and intensive experience in a highly skilled domain from an early age. We found that musicians displayed longer immediate memory spans than the comparison groups on auditory presentation conditions of the sequence reproductive span task. No differences were observed between the four groups on the visual conditions of the sequence memory task. These results provide additional converging support to recent findings showing that early musical experience and activity-dependent learning may selectively affect verbal rehearsal processes and the allocation of attention in sequence memory tasks

Compact solid-state laser source for 1S-2S spectroscopy in atomic hydrogen

We demonstrate a novel compact solid-state laser source for high-resolution two-photon spectroscopy of the $1S-2S$ transition in atomic hydrogen. The source emits up to 20 mW at 243 nm and consists of a 972 nm diode laser, a tapered amplifier, and two doubling stages. The diode laser is actively stabilized to a high-finesse cavity. We compare the new source to the stable 486 nm dye laser used in previous experiments and record 1S-2S spectra using both systems. With the solid-state laser system we demonstrate a resolution of the hydrogen spectrometer of 6 \times 10^{11} which is promising for a number of high-precision measurements in hydrogen-like systems

Language skills of profoundly deaf children who received cochlear implants under 12 months of age: a preliminary study

Conclusion. This study demonstrated that children who receive a cochlear implant below the age of 2 years obtain higher mean receptive and expressive language scores than children implanted over the age of 2 years. Objective. The purpose of this study was to compare the receptive and expressive language skills of children who received a cochlear implant before 1 year of age to the language skills of children who received an implant between 1 and 3 years of age. Subjects and methods. Standardized language measures, the Reynell Developmental Language Scale (RDLS) and the Preschool Language Scale (PLS), were used to assess the receptive and expressive language skills of 91 children who received an implant before their third birthday. Results. The mean receptive and expressive language scores for the RDLS and the PLS were slightly higher for the children who were implanted below the age of 2 years compared with the children who were implanted over 2 years old. For the PLS, both the receptive and expressive mean standard scores decreased with increasing age at implantation

Elemental composition and potential health impacts of phaseolus vulgaris L. ash and its filtrate used for cooking in Northern Uganda

Ash from burnt crop residue of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) is typically used to generate filtrate in rural Northern Uganda. The filtrate is added to hard-to-cook foods, like dried legumes, to decrease cooking time and improve flavor. However, the elemental composition of ash filtrate and health implications of its use is poorly understood. This study aimed to determine the elemental composition of Phaseolus vulgaris L. ash and its filtrate, to identify variation among study sites, and to assess the potential health impact of ash filtrate consumption in Northern Uganda. Dried ash and ash filtrate samples of P. vulgaris from Dog Abam, Telela, Arok, and Tit villages in Northern Uganda were analyzed for chemical composition. Ash filtrate samples were procured from ash according to local methods. Nutritional impact was assessed by comparing recommended daily intake (RDI) guidelines for Canada and Uganda. Potassium (K), sodium (Na), magnesium (Mg), manganese (Mn), and iron (Fe) concentration in dry crop ash samples varied significantly among study sites. Ash filtrate contained lower concentrations of all elements, suggesting considerable losses through filtration; but showed an alkaline pH (10.1 to 10.8). Elemental concentration present in probable daily intake of ash filtrate (approximately 15 milliliters/person) was within acceptable RDI ranges for elements of known dietary importance. The alkaline pH levels of the ash filtrate may have potential negative effect on diet by decreasing bioavailability of specific minerals (for example, Fe and Zn) and/or having destructive effects on various nutrients (for example thiamine). Further research should be conducted in Northern Uganda and other areas where ash filtrate is in use to determine the specific health effects of this cultural practice. Such studies could include, but not limited to, biological analysis, detailed nutritional studies, and/or long-term monitoring of filtrate consumers. The information gathered from such studies could be critical in formulating appropriate policies regarding the use of ash filtrate.Key words: Food composition, nutrients, Phaseolus vulgaris L. ash filtrate, potential health problem, Ugand

General Intelligence and Modality-specific Differences in Performance: A Response to Schellenberg (2008)

Tierney et al. (2008) reported that musicians performed better on an auditory sequence memory task when compared to non-musicians, but the two groups did not differ in performance on a sequential visuo-spatial memory task. Schellenberg (2008) claims that these results can be attributed entirely to differences in IQ. This explanation, however, cannot account for the fact that the musicians’ advantage was modality-specific

Social exclusion among urban ethnic minority youth in the Northeast United States: A reflective view on community supportive structures

Social exclusion occurs as a combination of challenges (e.g., unemployment, high poverty, family conflict) that limits life opportunities. Social exclusion has been researched within European contexts, among middle-class families, and from quantitative perspectives. However, research on the topic among urban ethnic minority youth and using qualitative methodologies has remained elusive in the U.S. Although collaborative efforts between governmental institutions and community-based coalitions have helped develop intervention efforts to decrease social exclusion among youth in low-income urban areas, it continues to develop within families, communities, and societies. Therefore, this research explored experiences of social exclusion among low-income minority youth in an urban community in the Northeast U.S. Data were collected from nine focus groups (N = 58). The goal was to explore how urban ethnic minority youth understood social exclusion and the community resources they used to navigate its challenges. Findings included economic and societal exclusion in the form of economic deprivation and lack of appropriate safety nets. Although youth expressed a lack of community connection in the form of community exclusion, they applied a reflective view on how inequality shaped their lives, while discussing pathways towards social inclusion. This reflection was emphasized by the importance of developing bridging and bonding relationships (mentoring)