BIRD - A Microsatellite for Hot Spot Detection

The BIRD mission of the German Aerospace Centre shall demonstrate the scientific and technological value and the technical and programmatic feasibility of a remote sensing small satellite mission under low budget constraints. The payload -a new generation of cooled infrared detectors- is adapted to the mission objective - the investigation of hot spots caused by forest fires or volcanic activities completed by the diagnosis of vegetation conditions and changes. BIRD -the Bispectral Infra-Red Detector- is a three-axis stabilised spacecraft within a volume of 0.21 m3 and a mass of 88 kg. In flight configuration with one fixed and two deployed solar panels, providing 40 W average and 200 W peak power, the spacecraft dimensions are 620x 1600x 620 mm3 • Although compatible to several launchers due to the highly compact design, the launch is scheduled for mid 2000 as a piggy-back payload. To fit in this time scale a modular design was chosen for parallel development, manufacturing and integration of all functional segments. The article gives an overview of the mission objectives and some of the main design aspects as well as shows the status of work of the space segment

Inter-individual Differences in fMRI Entropy Measurements in Old Age

The file attached to this record is the author's final peer reviewed version. The Publisher's final version can be found by following the DOI linkWe investigated the association between individual differences in cognitive performance in old age and the approximate entropy (ApEn) measured from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data acquired from 40 participants of the Aberdeen Birth Cohort 1936 (ABC1936), while undergoing a visual information processing task: inspection time (IT). Participants took a version of the Moray House Test (MHT) No. 12 at age 11, a valid measure of childhood intelligence. The same individuals completed a test of non-verbal reasoning (Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices [RPM]) aged about 68 years. The IT, MHT and RPM scores were used as indicators of cognitive performance. Our results show that higher regional signal entropy is associated with better cognitive performance. This finding was independent of ability in childhood but not independent of current cognitive ability. ApEn is used for the first time to identify a potential source of individual differences in cognitive ability using fMRI data

Cohort profile for the STratifying Resilience and Depression Longitudinally (STRADL) study:A depression-focused investigation of Generation Scotland, using detailed clinical, cognitive, and neuroimaging assessments

Grant information: STRADL is supported by the Wellcome Trust through a Strategic Award (104036/Z/14/Z). GS:SFHS received core support from the CSO of the Scottish Government Health Directorates (CZD/16/6) and the Scottish Funding Council (HR03006). ADM is supported by Innovate UK, the European Commission, the Scottish Funding Council via the Scottish Imaging Network SINAPSE, and the CSO. HCW is supported by a JMAS SIM Fellowship from the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, by an ESAT College Fellowship from the University of Edinburgh, and has received previous funding from the Sackler Trust. LR has previously received financial support from Pfizer (formerly Wyeth) in relation to imaging studies of people with schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. JDH is supported by the MRC. DJM is an NRS Clinician, funded by the CSO. RMR is supported by the British Heart Foundation. ISP-V and MRM are supported by the NIHR Biomedical Research Centre at the University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust and the University of Bristol. The views expressed in this publication are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the National Institute for Health Research or the Department of Health; and MRM is also supported by the MRC MC_UU_12013/6). JMW is supported by MRC UK Dementia Research Institute and MRC Centre and project grants, EPSRC, Fondation Leducq, Stroke Association, British Heart Foundation, Alzheimer Society, and the European Union H2020 PHC-03-15 SVDs@Target grant agreement (666881). DJP is supported by Wellcome Trust Longitudinal Population Study funding (216767/Z/19/Z) the Eva Lester bequest to the University of Edinburgh. AMM is additionally supported by the MRC (MC_PC_17209, MC_PC_MR/R01910X/1, MR/S035818/1), The Wellcome Trust (216767/Z/19/Z ), The Sackler Trust, and has previously received research funding from Pfizer, Eli Lilly, and Janssen. Both AMM and IJD are members of The University of Edinburgh Centre for Cognitive Ageing and Cognitive Epidemiology, part of the cross council Lifelong Health and Wellbeing Initiative (MR/K026992/1); funding from the BBSRC and MRC is gratefully acknowledged. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscriptPeer reviewedPublisher PD

Developmental malformation of the corpus callosum: a review of typical callosal development and examples of developmental disorders with callosal involvement

This review provides an overview of the involvement of the corpus callosum (CC) in a variety of developmental disorders that are currently defined exclusively by genetics, developmental insult, and/or behavior. I begin with a general review of CC development, connectivity, and function, followed by discussion of the research methods typically utilized to study the callosum. The bulk of the review concentrates on specific developmental disorders, beginning with agenesis of the corpus callosum (AgCC)—the only condition diagnosed exclusively by callosal anatomy. This is followed by a review of several genetic disorders that commonly result in social impairments and/or psychopathology similar to AgCC (neurofibromatosis-1, Turner syndrome, 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, Williams yndrome, and fragile X) and two forms of prenatal injury (premature birth, fetal alcohol syndrome) known to impact callosal development. Finally, I examine callosal involvement in several common developmental disorders defined exclusively by behavioral patterns (developmental language delay, dyslexia, attention-deficit hyperactive disorder, autism spectrum disorders, and Tourette syndrome)

The shared neural basis of empathy and facial imitation accuracy

Empathy involves experiencing emotion vicariously, and understanding the reasons for those emotions. It may be served partly by a motor simulation function, and therefore share a neural basis with imitation (as opposed to mimicry), as both involve sensorimotor representations of intentions based on perceptions of others' actions. We recently showed a correlation between imitation accuracy and Empathy Quotient (EQ) using a facial imitation task and hypothesised that this relationship would be mediated by the human mirror neuron system. During functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI), 20 adults observed novel ‘blends’ of facial emotional expressions. According to instruction, they either imitated (i.e. matched) the expressions or executed alternative, preprescribed mismatched actions as control. Outside the scanner we replicated the association between imitation accuracy and EQ. During fMRI, activity was greater during mismatch compared to imitation, particularly in the bilateral insula. Activity during imitation correlated with EQ in somatosensory cortex, intraparietal sulcus and premotor cortex. Imitation accuracy correlated with activity in insula and areas serving motor control. Overlapping voxels for the accuracy and EQ correlations occurred in premotor cortex. We suggest that both empathy and facial imitation rely on formation of action plans (or a simulation of others' intentions) in the premotor cortex, in connection with representations of emotional expressions based in the somatosensory cortex. In addition, the insula may play a key role in the social regulation of facial expression

Present status and the development prospects of junior ice hockey in Yekaterinburg and the Sverdlovsk region. (Specifically looking at an Ice-Hockey School «Spartakovets»)

Abstract to the master's thesis on the topic: Present status and the development prospects of junior ice hockey in Yekaterinburg and the Sverdlovsk region. (Specifically looking at an Ice-Hockey School «Spartakovets»). This research paper is 94 pages long and includes 13 tables, 8 graphs. Sources used: 60 The main focus of this dissertation is finding some ways to improve the existing system of managing the junior ice hockey so as to make the development of this sport more effective in Yekaterinburg and Sverdlovsk oblast. During this research the analysis of current state of junior ice hockey was carried out and some factors holding back the development of this sport were identified. Also some practical solutions of the problems dairy appearing in sports schools were found and aimed to develop ice hockey in Yekaterinburg and Sverdlovsk oblast. Therefore, based on the results of this research a plan of strategic expansion of junior ice hockey in Yekaterinburg and Sverdlovsk oblast was introduced and a concept of a new training facility for ice-hockey was established.Аннотация к магистерской диссертации на тему: Состояние и перспективы развития детского хоккея с шайбой в городе Екатеринбурге и Свердловской области (на примере спортивной школы олимпийского резерва по хоккею «Спартаковец»). Работа включает: 94 страницы, 13 таблиц, 8 рисунков, использованных источников – 60. Диссертация посвящена выявлению путей совершенствования системы управления детским хоккеем Екатеринбурга и Свердловской области с целью повышения эффективности развития этого вида спорта. В ходе исследования проведен анализ состояния, выявлены факторы, сдерживающие развитие детско-юношеского хоккея в Екатеринбурге и Свердловской области и определены практические пути решения тех проблем, которые возникают повсеместно в спортивных детских учреждениях, ориентированных на развитие хоккея. На основе полученных результатов исследования предложен план стратегического развития детско-юношеского хоккея в Екатеринбурге и Свердловской области и разработана концепция создания центра олимпийской подготовки по хоккею