Detecting Cognitive Load during Working Memory Tasks utilizing a Digitizer Tablet

The purpose of this line of research is to determine whether the ‘Digitizer’ is a reliable and valid way to measure cognitive load during dual working memory-drawing tasks. A quasi-experimental study was conducted at the University of Arkansas in a research laboratory, and participants included seven right-handed healthy adults with normal or corrected vision and no reading difficulty. The participants were selected on a volunteer basis. The study required participants to draw circles while continuously performing in three conditions – one baseline and two working memory experimental tasks, administered in counterbalanced order. The baseline task was to read an 8th grade level passage at comfortable speed and loudness level. The working memory tasks were symmetry span and operation span tasks. The operation span task required the participants to remember letters in sequence while simultaneously verifying arithmetic operations presented after each letter. The symmetry span task required participants to remember the position of the highlighted square in a grid in sequence while simultaneously determining the symmetricity of a figure presented afterwards. Both tasks were completed while drawing continuous circles on the ‘Digitizer’. A separate repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) was conducted for each measure. A significant omnibus effect was found for the stroke duration measure only. Post-hoc paired tests showed that baseline was higher (p=.01) in stroke duration than in operation span task and symmetry span task. In this literature review, the results and elements of the study are described in full to inform future research. It was initially assumed that the working memory load would be significantly less in the baseline task as compared to the two working memory tasks; however, the data alternatively indicated that it taxed working memory more. With reading comprehension as a reference condition, it is logical to conclude that there is evidence of cognitive load in working memory tasks as measured by manual disfluencies. This literature review outlines potential adaptations and highlights primary weaknesses for future study in this area

KAMPUNG VERTIKAL SEBAGAI STRATEGI URBAN RENEWAL DI KAMPUNG LUMUMBA, SURABAYA

Kampung is a settlement that have unique characteristic both in physical and socio-cultural condition. Kampung development process tends to be natural and non-formal, but mainly have faced the environmental degradation and lack of facilities. This forced the government to have some intervention in developing kampung housing by perform an urban renewal. Due to the problem of scarcity of land, urban renewal strategy of kampung has to be developed vertically. This also consider the social context that the rearrangement of kampung area is not done by relocating the local residents, but rearranging the original area to improve the community through environmental, social and economic quality improvement

Boston University Chamber Chorus, March 1, 1995

This is the concert program of the Boston University Chamber Chorus performance on Wednesday, March 1, 1995 at 8:00 p.m., at the Tsai Performance Center, 685 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts. Works performed were Cantique de Jean Racine, Op. 11 by Gabriel Fauré, Rejoice in the Lamb, Op. 30 by Benjamin Britten, Phänomen by Johannes Brahms, The Cherry Duet from L'amico Fritz by Pietro Mascagni, "Sous le dome épais," from Lakmé by Léo Delibes, Two Choruses by Gioachino Rossini, and Neighbor's Chorus from La jolie Parfumeuse by Jacques Offenbach. Digitization for Boston University Concert Programs was supported by the Boston University Humanities Library Endowed Fund

The Effect of Disturbance on Plant Communities in Tundra Regions of the Soviet Union

An Annotated List of Plants Inhabiting Sites of Natural and Anthropogenic Disturbances of Tundra Cover: Southeasternmost Chukchi Peninsula -- B.A. Yurtsev and A.A. Korobkov; An Annotated List of Plants Inhabiting Sites of Natural and Anthropogenic Disturbances of Tundra Cover in Western Taimyr: The Settlement of Kresty -- N.V. Matveyeva; A Study of Plant Communities of Anthropogenic Habitats in the Area of the Vorkuta Industrial Center -- O.A. Druzhinina and Yu. G. Zharkov

The Role of Eif6 in Skeletal Muscle Homeostasis Revealed by Endurance Training Co-expression Networks

Regular endurance training improves muscle oxidative capacity and reduces the risk of age-related disorders. Understanding the molecular networks underlying this phenomenon is crucial. Here, by exploiting the power of computational modeling, we show that endurance training induces profound changes in gene regulatory networks linking signaling and selective control of translation to energy metabolism and tissue remodeling. We discovered that knockdown of the mTOR-independent factor Eif6, which we predicted to be a key regulator of this process, affects mitochondrial respiration efficiency, ROS production, and exercise performance. Our work demonstrates the validity of a data-driven approach to understanding muscle homeostasis

Gli istoni deiminati come target di autoanticorpi e loro ruolo nella patogenesi dell'artrite reumatoide

Gli anticorpi anti-proteine/peptidi citrullinati (ACPA) sono una famiglia di anticorpi diretti contro sequenze peptidiche in cui l’arginina è sostituita dalla sua forma deiminata, l’aminoacido non naturale citrullina. Gli ACPA sono presenti esclusivamente nei sieri di artrite reumatoide (AR); la loro presenza è un importante criterio per la diagnosi di AR, mentre poco si conosce riguardo al loro ruolo patogenetico. La deiminazione è catalizzata da un enzima Ca-dipendente, la peptidil-arginin-deiminasi o PAD. Alcune proteine dell’organismo sono fisiologicamente deiminate (filaggrina, proteina basica della mielina) e molte altre possono esserlo a seguito di processi infiammatori (collagene, fibrina). Gli istoni possono essere fisiologicamente deiminati (in questo caso il tipo e l’entità della deiminazione ne modificano la capacità di legarsi alla cromatina, costituendo quindi un importante meccanismo di regolazione genica) oppure possono essere deiminati durante un processo di morte cellulare tipico dei neutrofili e definito NETosi. Lo scopo di questo lavoro di tesi è di valutare: se gli istoni deiminati in corso di NETosi siano riconosciuti dai sieri di pazienti con AR; se gli istoni deiminati possano essere utilizzati come antigeni per la determinazione di ACPA nei sieri di AR; se immunocomplessi ACPA/proteine deiminate possano avere un ruolo patogenetico Granulociti da sangue periferico sono stati stimolati per attivare la PAD e sottoposti a lisi ed estrazione acida. Le proteine basiche estratte in questo modo sono state separate in SDS-PAGE e sottoposte a immunoblotting con i sieri dei pazienti con AR e con anticorpi anti istoni deiminati e non. Abbiamo osservato che i sieri dei pazienti riconoscono bande a peso molecolare compatibile con quello dell’istone H4 nei granulociti stimolati con calcio ionoforo e non in quelli non stimolati. Abbiamo quindi indotto in granulociti da sangue periferico la formazione di NET e purificato le proteine coinvolte in questo processo. Dopo separazione mediante SDS-PAGE e immunoblotting con i sieri dei pazienti con AR e con anticorpi anti istoni deiminati e non, abbiamo osservato che i sieri dei pazienti riconoscono bande a peso molecolare compatibile con quello dell’istone H4 deiminato. L’istone umano purificato H4 è stato quindi sottoposto a deiminazione in vitro ed utilizzato in un test ELISA. Sono stati evidenziati anticorpi specifici per H4 deiminato nel 13% dei sieri di AR. All’interno dell’istone H4, sono state cercate ed identificate 2 sequenze particolarmente ricche di arginina (H4 aa. 14-34 e aa. 31-50), che sono state sintetizzate sostituendo tutte le arginine con citrulline (H4cit). Anticorpi specifici per H4cit 14-34 sono presenti nel 10% dei sieri di AR e per H4cit 31-50 nel 13%. Le sequenze sono state allora sintetizzate come peptidi antigenici multipli (MAP), ottimizzando il test su fase solida: sono infatti positivi il 67% dei sieri di AR su MAP H4cit 14-34 e il 63% su MAP H4cit 31-50, e meno del 5% dei sieri di soggetti normali e di malattie di controllo. Alla luce di questi risultati possiamo concludere che l’attivazione di granulociti e la loro formazione di NET sono eventi che possono contribuire alla produzione di istone H4 deiminato che viene poi riconosciuto dai pazienti con AR. Peptidi citrullinati sintetici da esso derivati possono essere utilizzati come substrato per la determinazione di ACPA nel siero dei pazienti con AR

Skeletal muscle: a significant novel neurohypophyseal hormone-secreting organ

Vasopressin (arg8-vasopressin) and oxytocin are closely relalated hormones, synthesized as pre-hormones in the magnocellular neurons of the paraventricular Q6 and supraoptic nuclei of the hypothalamus. Vasopressin and oxytocin are secreted in response to a variety of physiological stimuli, serving such different functions as controlling water balance, milk ejection, uterine contraction, mood, and parental behavior (Lechan and Toni, 2000; Costa et al., 2014a)

A New Nonparasitic Species of the Holarctic Lamprey Genus Lethenteron Creaser and Hubbs, 1922, (Petromyzonidae) from Northwestern North America with Notes on Other Species of the Same Genus

A new nonparasitic lamprey, Lethenteron alaskense from Alaska and Northwest Territories is described and illustrated. The holotype (No. NMC 76-614) is deposited in the National Museum of Natural Sciences, Ottawa, Canada. The study was based on 67 metamorphosed specimens. The species, by its permanently non-functional intestinal tract and weak dentition, smaller disc and much smaller size (maximum 188 mm), is easily separable from the parasitic Lenthenteron japonicum (maximum length 625 mm) found in the same areas. It is distinguishable from nonparasitic L. lamottenii, found in eastern and southern North America, by 1) a generally weaker dentition but possessing more anterials and supplementary marginals; 2) typically with five velar tentacles as opposed to seven in L. lamottenii; 3) differences in pigmentation pattern of the second dorsal fin and a lack of dark pigmentation on the gular region; 4) smaller size in comparison to 299 mm maximum length in L. lamottenii; and 5) distinct areas of geographical distribution separated from each other by 2400 km. All three, L. alaskense, L. lamottenii, and L. japonicum have usually 66 to 72 trunk myomeres. L. alaskense, by its higher number of myomeres is separable from two other nonparasitic species: L. reissneri from Asia with less than 64 myomeres and L. meridionale from eastern tributaries of the Gulf of Mexico with 50 to 58 myomeres

The dynamism of strategic learning: Complexity theory in strategic L2 development

Learners of foreign languages (L2s) apply strategies to support learning processes and L2 development. They select strategies according to their individual needs and preferences and adjust their strategic actions to suit situational circumstances and contextual conditions. A holistic investigation of strategic L2 learning processes requires the integration of numerous interconnected, flexibly-interacting influences, which are at constant interplay with each other and whose development is difficult to predict. Validated as effective in other fields of applied linguistics, complex dynamic systems theory (CDST) can also provide an appropriate frame for researching strategic L2 learning. Based on state-of-the-art methodological guidance for complexity research, this article presents the re-analysis of empirical data from a previous study through a complexity lens. It further examines the suitability of CDST in strategy research, explores its practical value, and demonstrates that a complexity perspective can generate new, profound information about strategic learning

Immagini del mondo moderno nella prima parte dell’opera poetica di Giorgio Caproni

Nei primi tre volumi di Caproni predominano i ritratti di un mondo agreste o marino. Prati, verde, sole, giardini, uccelli, colture, velieri, mare sono Ie immagini prevallenti in queste pagine. Invece, con l'uscita del 4° volume, Cronistoria si arriva ad una svolta: adesso non e piu l'immagine di una natura statica e tranquilla a tenere banco. Non piu quadretti bucolic o scene marine. La natura e tuttora presente, ma in tutt'altra forma. Gli elementi della natura sono imbestialiti e riottosi, acerrimi nemici dell'uomo, sono portatori di distruzione e di sofferenze. Quello che prevale e l'immagine di un incendio continuo.peer-reviewe