Statistical mapping of sheet aiquile SE-20-9 (national map) making use of ERTS images

New possibilities of remote sensing by means of satellites to do research on natural resources are reported. These images make it possible to carry out integrated studies of natural resources in the shortest time possible and with small investments. Various maps and a complete description of each are included. With the use of these satellites, scientists can hopefully plan development projects at the national level

Constrained action selection in children with developmental coordination disorder

The effect of advance (‘precue’) information on short aiming movements was explored in adults, high school children, and primary school children with and without developmental coordination disorder (n = 10, 14, 16, 10, respectively). Reaction times in the DCD group were longer than in the other groups and were more influenced by the extent to which the precue constrained the possible action space. In contrast, reaction time did not alter as a function of precue condition in adults. Children with DCD showed greater inaccuracy of response (despite the increased RT). We suggest that the different precue effects reflect differences in the relative benefits of priming an action prior to definitive information about the movement goal. The benefits are an interacting function of the task and the skill level of the individual. Our experiment shows that children with DCD gain a benefit from advance preparation in simple aiming movements, highlighting their low skill levels. This result suggests that goal-directed RTs may have diagnostic potential within the clinic

Effect of dipolar moments in domain sizes of lipid bilayers and monolayers

Lipid domains are found in systems such as multi-component bilayer membranes and single component monolayers at the air-water interface. It was shown by Andelman et al. (Comptes Rendus 301, 675 (1985)) and McConnell et al. (Phys. Chem. {\bf 91}, 6417 (1987)) that in monolayers, the size of the domains results from balancing the line tension, which favors the formation of a large single circular domain, against the electrostatic cost of assembling the dipolar moments of the lipids. In this paper, we present an exact analytical expression for the electric potential, ion distribution and electrostatic free energy for different problems consisting of three different slabs with different dielectric constants and Debye lengths, with a circular homogeneous dipolar density in the middle slab. From these solutions, we extend the calculation of domain sizes for monolayers to include the effects of finite ionic strength, dielectric discontinuities (or image charges) and the polarizability of the dipoles and further generalize the calculations to account for domains in lipid bilayers. In monolayers, the size of the domains is dependent on the different dielectric constants but independent of ionic strength. In asymmetric bilayers, where the inner and outer leaflets have different dipolar densities, domains show a strong size dependence with ionic strength, with molecular-sized domains that grow to macroscopic phase separation with increasing ionic strength. We discuss the implications of the results for experiments and briefly consider their relation to other two dimensional systems such as Wigner crystals or heteroepitaxial growth.Comment: 13 pages, 5 figues in eps Replaced with new version, one citation added and a few statements corrected. The results of the paper are unchange

The Interrelationships among Culture, Communication, and Conflict in a Newly Formed Doctoral Program

The purpose of the Setting Expectations and Conflict Resolution project was to provide faculty and doctoral students with a professional development program that addressed conflict resolution using an interest-based approach. The program included two days of training focusing on setting expectations, exploring sources of conflict, and designing interventions to address conflict as it occurs. At the end of each day, participants were given a questionnaire to evaluate the usefulness of the training and its impact on their attitudes toward conflict. Focus groups were also held to assess the impact of the program. Preliminary results indicate that the program met or exceeded program objectives, and attendees felt that the training was successful in helping to set expectations and resolve conflict. Both student and faculty attendees reported an increase in their confidence in preventing and managing conflict

Comparison of three separate one-step soft contact lens solutions in relation to patient sensitivity

Three new contact lens solutions have recently been approved by the FDA for one-step disinfection of soft contact lenses: Alcon\u27s Opti-OneTM, Allergan\u27s COMPLETE®, and Ciba\u27s Quick CARE™. These solutions are indicated for use in the disinfection, daily cleaning, rinsing and storing of soft contact lenses. They are approved for direct placement on the eye with soft contact lenses. This investigation compared the relationship between the three solutions and subjective ocular comfort/sensitivity. Ninety subjects participated in one of three experimental sessions to compare the ophthalmic solutions. Ratings for ocular surface sensitivity to OptiOneTM, Quick CARE™, and COMPLETE®, demonstrated no statistically significant change from pre-instillation to post-instillation conditions. In addition, there was no consistent pattern of preference for one solution over another. In fact, in direct comparison of solutions, over forty percent of subjects reported no difference in ocular comfort

Drug resistance in Plasmodium falciparum from the Chittagong Hill Tracts, Bangladesh.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy of antimalarial treatment and molecular markers of Plasmodium falciparum resistance in the Chittagong Hill Tracts of Bangladesh. METHODS: A total of 203 patients infected with P. falciparum were treated with quinine 3 days plus sulphadoxine/pyrimethamine (SP) combination therapy, and followed up during a 4-week period. Blood samples collected before treatment were genotyped for parasite mutations related to chloroquine (pfcrt and pfmdr1 genes) or SP resistance (dhfr and dhps). RESULTS: Of 186 patients who completed follow-up, 32 patients (17.2%) failed to clear parasitaemia or became positive again within 28 days after treatment. Recurring parasitaemia was related to age (chi(2) = 4.8, P < 0.05) and parasite rates on admission (t = 3.1, P < 0.01). PCR analysis showed that some of these cases were novel infections. The adjusted recrudescence rate was 12.9% (95% CI 8.1-17.7) overall, and 16.6% (95% CI 3.5-29.7), 15.5% (95% CI 8.3-22.7) and 6.9% (95% CI 0.4-13.4) in three age groups (<5 years, 5-14, > or =15). The majority of infections carried mutations associated with chloroquine resistance: 94% at pfcrt and 70% at pfmdr. Sp-resistant genotypes were also frequent: 99% and 73% of parasites carried two or more mutations at dhfr and dhps, respectively. The frequency of alleles at dhfr, dhps and pfmdr was similar in cases that were successfully treated and those that recrudesced. CONCLUSIONS: The clinical trial showed that quinine 3-days combined to SP is still relatively effective in the Chittagong Hill Tracts. However, if this regimen is continued to be widely used, further development of SP resistance and reduced quinine sensitivity are to be expected. The genotyping results suggest that neither chloroquine nor SP can be considered a reliable treatment for P. falciparum malaria any longer in this area of Bangladesh

Texting & Walking: A Dual-Task Study on Gait Patterns in a College-Aged Sample

Please refer to the pdf version of the abstract located adjacent to the title

HLA-Associated viral mutations are common in human immunodeficiency virus type 1 elite controllers

Elite controllers (EC) of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HTV-1) maintain viremia below the limit of detection without antiretroviral treatment. Virus-specific cytotoxic CD8+ T lymphocytes are believed to play a crucial role in viral containment, but the degree of immune imprinting and compensatory mutations in EC is unclear. We obtained plasma gag, pol, and nef sequences from HLA-diverse subjects and found that 30 to 40% of the predefined HLA-associated polymorphic sites show evidence of immune selection pressure in EC., compared to approximately 50% of the sites in chronic progressors. These data indicate ongoing viral replication and escape from cytotoxic T lymphocytes are present even in strictly controlled HTV-1 infection