No rapid audiovisual recalibration in adults on the autism spectrum

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are characterized by difficulties in social cognition, but are also associated with atypicalities in sensory and perceptual processing. Several groups have reported that autistic individuals show reduced integration of socially relevant audiovisual signals, which may contribute to the higher-order social and cognitive difficulties observed in autism. Here we use a newly devised technique to study instantaneous adaptation to audiovisual asynchrony in autism. Autistic and typical participants were presented with sequences of brief visual and auditory stimuli, varying in asynchrony over a wide range, from 512 ms auditory-lead to 512 ms auditory-lag, and judged whether they seemed to be synchronous. Typical adults showed strong adaptation effects, with trials proceeded by an auditory-lead needing more auditory-lead to seem simultaneous, and vice versa. However, autistic observers showed little or no adaptation, although their simultaneity curves were as narrow as the typical adults. This result supports recent Bayesian models that predict reduced adaptation effects in autism. As rapid audiovisual recalibration may be fundamental for the optimisation of speech comprehension, recalibration problems could render language processing more difficult in autistic individuals, hindering social communication

Working on the South: A Statistical Description of Scholarly USe and Non-Use of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Manuscripts Department's Collections

To understand the factors that underlie the scholarly use or non-use of the collections of the Manuscripts Department of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a study of 155 scholars was conducted to assess the research practices of the University's academic scholars of the American South as they relate to the department's main collections. The results present a descriptive analysis of scholars affiliated with the University with regard to the degree and patterns of manuscript use or non-use in the various academic disciplines, reasons for non-use of manuscript materials, and the information material preferences of these scholars. Findings suggest that archivists can benefit from assessing the information needs of their larger constituency rather than their users alone

Challenges And Factors Associated With Poor Glycemic Control Among Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Patients At Nekemte Referral Hospital, Western Ethiopia.

Background: Diabetes is increasing at an alarming rate throughout the world, and ~80% of diabetics live in developing countries. Similar to the rest of sub-Saharan African countries, Ethiopia is experiencing a significant burden of diabetes, with increased prevalence, complications, and mortality, as well as life threatening disabilities. Reasons for poor glycemic control among type 2 diabetes patients are complex and multivariable. Hence, this study aimed to identify challenges and factors associated with poor glycemic control among type 2 diabetes patients. Method: A hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted among type 2 diabetic patients attending the diabetic clinic of Nekemte Referral Hospital (NRH) from February 1 to April 30, 2018. Fasting blood glucose levels of the last three clinic visits were obtained and the mean fasting blood glucose measurement was used to determine the level of glycemic control. Analysis included both descriptive and inferential statistics with SPSS version 20.0. Predictor variable P10 years) (AOR=3.94, 95% CI=1.51-27.83, P=0.012), inadequate physical exercise (AOR=3.19, 95% CI=1.05-19.84, P=0.019), and smoking (AOR=4.51, 95% CI=0.00-0.50, P=0.022) were independent predictors of poor glycemic control on multivariable logistic regression analysis. Conclusion: Nearly two-thirds of patients had poorly controlled diabetes. Age, exercise, level of education, duration of the treatment, and smoking were significantly associated with poor glycemic control. Health facilities should provide continuous education, and barriers of glycemic control should be explored with further research

A descriptive study of aircraft hijacking

Aerial hijacking is a relatively new peril for the American airline industry and the millions of passengers who depart each year from American airports. Only a little over a decade has passed since the first “skyjacking� of an American airplane on May 1, 1961. Yet, the snowballing effect of this initial incident has been swift and dramatic, as one airplane after another is diverted to an unscheduled destination. In 1961 there was a total of five skyjackings of United States registered aircraft, which were followed by only one in 1962 and none in 1963. In 1968 activity increased with 22 aircraft being seized followed by 40 in 1969, this is the largest yearly total to date. In 1970 and 1971 there were 27 per year. So far this year, as of 1 March, 1972, we have had 6 skyjackings. This gives us a total of 134 skyjackings since 1961. The purpose of this paper was to prepare a descriptive study of all aspects of the phenomenon of skyjacking. This study includes the latest statistics on skyjacking, i.e., number of skyjackings, type of weapons, type of aircrafts, skyjackers’ identification and disposition or status. This paper also discusses the legal aspects, both national and international, related to this crime. The personality and emotional nature of the skyjacker is also examined. In addition, the preventive measures instituted by the government and the airline industry are discussed. Included in this discussion are the sky marshal program, the pre-board screening process and the use of electronic detection equipment. A review of the literature was the major procedure used to gather background information, especially concerning the legal aspects of this problem. The current statistics were obtained both through written correspondence and personal interviews with Federal Aviation Authority officials. Aviation journals such as Aviation Week and Space Technology were reviewed in an attempt to ascertain the technical problems that akyjacking presents for the airlines. Court proceedings were examined to determine the legality of airport searches. Government documents, Department of State Bulletins and reports to Congress concerning skyjacking were reviewed and analyzed

Post-combustion CO2 capture from natural gas combined cycles by solvent supported membranes

AbstractAmong the CO2 separation technologies, CO2 membranes are currently receiving an increasing interest, largely thanks to the development of solvents such as ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents, which are suitable for use in solvent supported membrane systems. The aim of this work is to perform a techno-economic analysis of a natural gas-fired combined cycle power plant integrating CO2 membranes. Such a configuration is based on a two-membrane system, the first one separating the CO2 for final sequestration, the second one used to generate a selective CO2-rich flue gas recycle. The techno-economic assessment uses three modelling tools: (i) process modelling of the complete power plant, performed with the in-house GS code and Aspen Plus, (ii) modelling of the membrane, performed with a finite difference method implemented in Matlab and (iii) economic modelling by a bottom-up approach. The final material balances show that using a moderate pressurization of the combined cycle flue gas results in the lowest energy loss and lowest capture cost

RENEW-URBAN: COME ALBERI AL VENTO SOLARE

Il tema della riqualificazione del patrimonio edilizio residenziale esistente permette di affrontare alcune delle molteplici declinazioni del concetto di sostenibilità ambientale (riduzione delle risorse non rinnovabili e delle emissioni di CO2 in atmosfera) nei Paesi industrializzati, dove lo sviluppo di un economia orientata al profitto ha trasformato il costruito in un problema energetico planetario, rendendo impossibile una equilibrata convivenza fra uomo e natura. La volgarizzazione di modelli edilizi indifferenti ai luoghi ha causato il degrado del paesaggio urbano e il peggioramento delle condizioni di vita. L’evidente obsolescenza delle abitazioni realizzate dal dopoguerra in poi, responsabile di elevati consumi di energia, ha portato a progettare il recupero di un edificio a torre situato nel quartiere periferico San Paolo (Bari). L’innovativa proposta lo trasforma da elemento passivo ad elemento attivo per la produzione di energia elettrica e termica attraverso un up-grade architettonico determinante per il miglioramento di prestazioni estetiche, funzionali e spaziali. L’intervento di retrofit prevede l’installazione di un Kit Albero-Solare che, avvolgendo i fabbricati esistenti come una vera e propria “pelle solare”, introduce superfici ad hoc pensate per massimizzare la captazione di radiazione solare ed i benefici ambientali delle soluzioni proposte (muro verde, raccolta acqua meteoriche, sistemi di ombreggiamento etc.). Costituito da una serie integrata di sistemi solari attivi, sistemi passivi come serre solari o camminamenti esterni e sistemi di ventilazione, è indipendente dall’esposizione e dotato di flessibilità e replicabilità che lo rendono competitivo in termini di costi rispetto alle soluzioni più tradizionali. Gli elementi che lo compongono sono standardizzati, facili da assemblare grazie alla loro piccola dimensione e collaboranti ai fini del miglioramento delle caratteristiche strutturali dei manufatti. Grazie all’integrazione di tecnologie e materiali eco-compatibili e strumenti di calcolo all’avanguardia, la ricerca, finalizzata all'incremento dell'efficienza energetica dei contesti insediativi di margine, consente il pieno rispetto della normativa nazionale e regionale

Fission yeast 26S proteasome mutants are multi-drug resistant due to stabilization of the pap1 transcription factor

Here we report the result of a genetic screen for mutants resistant to the microtubule poison methyl benzimidazol-2-yl carbamate (MBC) that were also temperature sensitive for growth. In total the isolated mutants were distributed in ten complementation groups. Cloning experiments revealed that most of the mutants were in essential genes encoding various 26S proteasome subunits. We found that the proteasome mutants are multi-drug resistant due to stabilization of the stress-activated transcription factor Pap1. We show that the ubiquitylation and ultimately the degradation of Pap1 depend on the Rhp6/Ubc2 E2 ubiquitin conjugating enzyme and the Ubr1 E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase. Accordingly, mutants lacking Rhp6 or Ubr1 display drug-resistant phenotypes