The Scalable Brain Atlas: instant web-based access to public brain atlases and related content

The Scalable Brain Atlas (SBA) is a collection of web services that provide unified access to a large collection of brain atlas templates for different species. Its main component is an atlas viewer that displays brain atlas data as a stack of slices in which stereotaxic coordinates and brain regions can be selected. These are subsequently used to launch web queries to resources that require coordinates or region names as input. It supports plugins which run inside the viewer and respond when a new slice, coordinate or region is selected. It contains 20 atlas templates in six species, and plugins to compute coordinate transformations, display anatomical connectivity and fiducial points, and retrieve properties, descriptions, definitions and 3d reconstructions of brain regions. The ambition of SBA is to provide a unified representation of all publicly available brain atlases directly in the web browser, while remaining a responsive and light weight resource that specializes in atlas comparisons, searches, coordinate transformations and interactive displays.Comment: Rolf K\"otter sadly passed away on June 9th, 2010. He co-initiated this project and played a crucial role in the design and quality assurance of the Scalable Brain Atla

An annotated bibliography of C. C. Uhlenbeck's writings on Basque (1888-1981)

This bibliography aims at presenting all of C. C. Uhlenbeck's publications on all aspects of the Basque language and the Basques in chronological order, including translations. The bibliography lists close to 100 items. Not all publications deal exclusively with Basque. We have also listed publications in which Basque is discussed in a wider context

The Estimation of Item Response Models with the lmer Function from the lme4 Package in R

In this paper we elaborate on the potential of the lmer function from the lme4 package in R for item response (IRT) modeling. In line with the package, an IRT framework is described based on generalized linear mixed modeling. The aspects of the framework refer to (a) the kind of covariates -- their mode (person, item, person-by-item), and their being external vs. internal to responses, and (b) the kind of effects the covariates have -- fixed vs. random, and if random, the mode across which the effects are random (persons, items). Based on this framework, three broad categories of models are described: Item covariate models, person covariate models, and person-by-item covariate models, and within each category three types of more specific models are discussed. The models in question are explained and the associated lmer code is given. Examples of models are the linear logistic test model with an error term, differential item functioning models, and local item dependency models. Because the lme4 package is for univariate generalized linear mixed models, neither the two-parameter, and three-parameter models, nor the item response models for polytomous response data, can be estimated with the lmer function.

Designing an instrument to measure the development of techno-mathematical literacies in an innovative mathematics course for future engineers in STEM education

Techno-mathematical Literacies (TmL), which are defined as a combination of mathematical, workplace and ICT knowledge, and communicative skills, are acknowledged as important learning goals in STEM education. Still, much remains unknown about ways to address them in teaching and to assess their development. To investigate this, we designed and implemented an innovative course in applied mathematics with a focus on Techno-mathematical Literacies for 1st-year engineering students, and we set out to measure the learning effect of the course. Because measuring TmL is an uncharted terrain, we designed tests that could serve as pre- or posttests. To prevent a test learning effect, we aimed to design two different but equally difficult tests A and B. These were assigned randomly to 68 chemistry students, as a pretest, with the other one serving as posttest after the course. A significant development in TmL was found in the B-pre group, but not in the A-pre group. Therefore, as a follow-up analysis we investigated whether the two tests were equally difficult and searched for possible explanations. We found that test B was indeed perceived as more difficult than test A, but also that students who were assigned B (pre) were previously higher achieving than A (pre), and a sound mastery level of basic skills that ground the higher-order TmL seemed necessary. Furthermore, as TmL are very heterogenous by nature, some of them are easier learned and measured than others. Based on the results, we propose ways of testing TmL, which should be validated in future research

Schriftelijke wilsverklaring euthanasie bij wilsonbekwame patiënten: een jurisprudentieonderzoek

__Abstract__ De volgende probleemstelling komt in dit jurisprudentieonderzoek aan de orde: Hoe luidt de jurisprudentie over de schriftelijke wilsverklaring in het kader van de Wet toetsing levensbeëindiging op verzoek en hulp bij zelfdoding (Wtl) op basis van uitspraken van de strafrechter, van de civiele rechter, van de medische tuchtrechter en van de vijf regionale toetsingscommissies en toelichting daarop in hun jaarverslagen? Welke lijn kan uit deze jurisprudentie worden gedestilleerd? Wat zijn de in het oog springende verschillen en overeenkomsten tussen de genoemde bronnen? Welke knelpunten kunnen uit het jurisprudentieonderzoek worden vastgesteld en welke onderzoeksvragen kunnen naar aanleiding van het jurisprudentieonderzoek niet worden beantwoord

Comparison of the normal state properties of κ\kappa-(BEDT-TTF)2_2Cu(NCS)2_2 and its deuterated analogue in high magnetic fields and under high hydrostatic pressures

Details of the Fermi-surface topology of deuterated $\kappa$-(BEDT-TTF)$_2$Cu(NCS)$_2$ ~have been measured as a function of pressure, and compared with equivalent measurements of the undeuterated salt. We find that the superconducting transition temperature is much more dramatically suppressed by increasing pressure in the deuterated salt. It is suggested that this is linked to pressure-induced changes in the Fermi-surface topology, which occur more rapidly in the deuterated salt than in the undeuterated salt as the pressure is raised. Our data suggest that the negative isotope effect observed on deuteration is due to small differences in Fermi-surface topology caused by the isotopic substitution.Comment: 10 pages 3 figure