Cross-cultural differences and similarities underlying other-race effects for facial identity and expression

Perceptual advantages for own-race compared to other-race faces have been demonstrated for the recognition of facial identity and expression. However, these effects have not been investigated in the same study with measures that can determine the extent of cross-cultural agreement as well as differences. To address this issue, we used a photo sorting task in which Chinese and Caucasian participants were asked to sort photographs of Chinese or Caucasian faces by identity or by expression. This paradigm matched the task demands of identity and expression recognition and avoided constrained forced-choice or verbal labelling requirements. Other-race effects of comparable magnitude were found across the identity and expression tasks. Caucasian participants made more confusion errors for the identities and expressions of Chinese than Caucasian faces, while Chinese participants made more confusion errors for the identities and expressions of Caucasian than Chinese faces. However, analyses of the patterns of responses across groups of participants revealed a considerable amount of underlying cross-cultural agreement. These findings suggest that widely repeated claims that members of other cultures “all look the same” overstate the cultural differences. </jats:p

Multiple NEO Rendezvous Using Solar Sail Propulsion

The NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) Advanced Concepts Office performed an assessment of the feasibility of using a near-term solar sail propulsion system to enable a single spacecraft to perform serial rendezvous operations at multiple Near Earth Objects (NEOs) within six years of launch on a small-to-moderate launch vehicle. The study baselined the use of the sail technology demonstrated in the mid-2000 s by the NASA In-Space Propulsion Technology Project and is scheduled to be demonstrated in space by 2014 as part of the NASA Technology Demonstration Mission Program. The study ground rules required that the solar sail be the only new technology on the flight; all other spacecraft systems and instruments must have had previous space test and qualification. The resulting mission concept uses an 80-m X 80-m 3-axis stabilized solar sail launched by an Athena-II rocket in 2017 to rendezvous with 1999 AO10, Apophis and 2001 QJ142. In each rendezvous, the spacecraft will perform proximity operations for approximately 30 days. The spacecraft science payload is simple and lightweight; it will consist of only the multispectral imager flown on the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous (NEAR) mission to 433 Eros and 253 Mathilde. Most non-sail spacecraft systems are based on the Messenger mission spacecraft. This paper will describe the objectives of the proposed mission, the solar sail technology to be employed, the spacecraft system and subsystems, as well as the overall mission profile

Qualitative Assessment of the Experience of Telemonitoring in Ventilated Patients with Motor Neurone Disease

Background: The National Institute for Health and care Excellence (NICE) has recently issued recommendations on the care of people with motor neurone disease (MND), promoting tailored care for each patient, Guideline 42, 2016. Previous studies suggest remote monitoring offers a facility to regularly monitor and interact with patients, providing timely interventions so it may facilitate delivery of the recommendations. The efficacy of this approach is dependent upon acceptability of telemonitoring to patients. Aim: To understand the experiences of using telemonitoring in ventilated patients with MND. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven patients (male=5; mean age=63yrs). The median illness duration was 14m (range=7m-13yrs 7m) and the median non-invasive ventilation (NIV) usage was 12m (range=0m-3yrs). Participants used a telemonitoring device (Docobo CAREPORTAL®) for six months, completed weekly nocturnal pulse oximetry and symptom-related questions. Five caregivers were present at the interviews and provided their feedback. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was conducted to find overarching themes. The interpretation was reviewed and supported by a multidisciplinary team examination. Findings: Five themes were identified: Technical Challenges, Increased Self-Awareness, Taking Initiative, Benefits of Timely Intervention, and Reducing the Unnecessary. Whilst participants expressed general ease of Careportal® use, technical issues included; messaging system challenges, oximetry transmission, device fault, mobile signal loss. No other negative experience of using Careportal® was reported. Overall, participants expressed how telemonitoring enabled symptom awareness and interpretation. The device also enabled the participants to raise their concerns and/or requests to the healthcare professionals via the messaging system, and this was depicted as a sharp contrast to current communication with hospitals. Timely interventions were observed as a result of regular monitoring, contributing to both physical and psychological well-being of the participants. It was also suggested that using Careportal® could reduce unnecessary cost/time and hassles created by attending hospital appointments. Conclusions: Telemonitoring enabled participants to be actively involved in their care and they felt that the interventions were timely delivered to meet their needs. The findings suggest potential benefits of utilising Careportal ® in routine care as a contact point to accommodate different individual’s needs

A massive reservoir of low-excitation molecular gas at high redshift

Molecular hydrogen is an important component of galaxies because it fuels star formation and accretion onto AGN, the two processes that generate the large infrared luminosities of gas-rich galaxies. Observations of spectral-line emission from the tracer molecule CO are used to probe the properties of this gas. But the lines that have been studied in the local Universe, mostly the lower rotational transitions of J = 1-0 and J = 2-1, have hitherto been unobservable in high-redshift galaxies. Instead, higher transitions have been used, although the densities and temperatures required to excite these higher transitions may not be reached by much of the gas. As a result, past observations may have underestimated the total amount of molecular gas by a substantial amount. Here we report the discovery of large amounts of low-excitation molecular gas around the infrared-luminous quasar, APM 08279+5255 at z = 3.91, using the two lowest excitation lines of 12CO (J = 1-0 and J = 2-1). The maps confirm the presence of hot and dense gas near the nucleus, and reveal an extended reservoir of molecular gas with low excitation that is 10 to 100 times more massive than the gas traced by higher-excitation observations. This raises the possibility that significant amounts of low-excitation molecular gas may lurk in the environments of high-redshift (z > 3) galaxies.Comment: To appear as a Letter to Nature, 4th January 200

Telemonitoring to optimise care in motor neurone disease: a pilot study

Background Advances in telemedicine may benefit patients with motor neurone disease/ amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (MND/ALS). Aims This study aimed to improve care through telemonitoring utilising standardised symptom monitoring, clinical measurements and assessment non-invasive ventilation (NIV) parameters. It was hypothesized that telemonitoring allows proactive intervention allowing symptom management and optimized ventilation indicated by adequate nocturnal SpO2 levels and minute ventilation (MV). Methods 13 ventilated patients (mean age=62yrs; median illness duration=14m; median NIV usage= 8m) were recruited. Previously developed questions monitored symptoms and NIV-related issues, generating alerts and interventions where required. Nocturnal pulse oximetry and the patient-ventilator interaction (PVI) data were collected weekly. A revised ALS functional rating scale (ALSFRS-R) was completed three-monthly. Given the sample size, Friedman's ANOVA and Spearman's correlation coefficient were used for analysis at the baseline, at 3 month, and at 6 month. Results In total, 137 alerts led to 62 interventions (direct review 13, treatment adjustment 14, equipment provision 20, referral 15). Inspiratory positive airway pressure levels were increased median 16.8 and 21.9cmsH20 (Wk1 and 22), NIV adherence also increased over time (both p<.01). No change was observed with nocturnal SpO2 levels. ALSFRS-R scores showed illness deteriorations. No consistent correlations were found between the variables. Conclusions This pilot study found telemonitoring to be beneficial in maintaining ventilation MND despite the illness deterioration

Planetary Balloon-Based Science Platform Evaluation and Program Implementation

This report describes a study evaluating the potential for a balloon-based optical telescope as a planetary science asset to achieve decadal class science. The study considered potential science achievable and science traceability relative to the most recent planetary science decadal survey, potential platform features, and demonstration flights in the evaluation process. Science Potential and Benefits: This study confirms the cost the-benefit value for planetary science purposes. Forty-four (44) important questions of the decadal survey are at least partially addressable through balloon based capabilities. Planetary science through balloon observations can provide significant science through observations in the 300 nm to 5 m range and at longer wavelengths as well. Additionally, balloon missions have demonstrated the ability to progress from concept to observation to publication much faster than a space mission increasing the speed of science return. Planetary science from a balloon-borne platform is a relatively low-cost approach to new science measurements. This is particularly relevant within a cost-constrained planetary science budget. Repeated flights further reduce the cost of the per unit science data. Such flights offer observing time at a very competitive cost. Another advantage for planetary scientists is that a dedicated asset could provide significant new viewing opportunities not possible from the ground and allow unprecedented access to observations that cannot be realized with the time allocation pressures faced by current observing assets. In addition, flight systems that have a relatively short life cycle and where hardware is generally recovered, are excellent opportunities to train early career scientists, engineers, and project managers. The fact that balloon-borne payloads, unlike space missions, are generally recovered offers an excellent tool to test and mature instruments and other space craft systems. Desired Gondola Features: Potential gondola characteristics are assessed in this study and a concept is recommended, the Gondola for High-Altitude Planetary Science (GHAPS). This first generation platform is designed around a 1 m or larger aperture, narrow-field telescope with pointing accuracies better than one arc-second. A classical Cassegrain, or variant like Ritchey-Chretien, telescope is recommended for the primary telescope. The gondola should be designed for multiple flights so it must be robust and readily processed at recovery. It must be light-weighted to the extent possible to allow for long-duration flights on super-pressure balloons. Demonstration Flights: Recent demonstration flights achieved several significant accomplishments that can feed forward to a GHAPS gondola project. Science results included the first ever Earth-based measurements for CO2 in a comet, first measurements for CO2 and H2O in an Oort cloud comet, and the first measurement of 1 Ceres at 2.73 m to refine the shape of the infrared water absorption feature. The performance of the Fine Steering Mirror (FSM) was also demonstrated. The BOPPS platform can continue to be leveraged on future flights even as GHAPS is being developed. The study affirms the planetary decadal recommendations, and shows that a number of Top Priority science questions can be achieved. A combination GHAPS and BOPPS would provide the best value for PSD for realizing that science

How to Succeed in Teaching Your Campus about Physical Accessibility Issues Without Really Trying

This presentation is designed for anyone who has desired to teach their community about physical accessibility issues. It will be present within the framework of the Accessibility Scavenger Hunt , an activity developed by myself in conjunction with Northern Arizona University staff and faculty. The goal of the scavenger hunt was to teach the community about campus accessibility issues without resorting to using simulation exercises. We will discuss the framework of the activity as well as the role that the activity had in improving the accessibility of the campus

Prevalence of CADASIL and Fabry Disease in a Cohort of MRI Defined Younger Onset Lacunar Stroke.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarcts and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL), caused by mutations in the NOTCH3 gene, is the most common monogenic disorder causing lacunar stroke and cerebral small vessel disease (SVD). Fabry disease (FD) due to mutations in the GLA gene has been suggested as an underdiagnosed cause of stroke, and one feature is SVD. Previous studies reported varying prevalence of CADASIL and FD in stroke, likely due to varying subtypes studied; no studies have looked at a large cohort of younger onset SVD. We determined the prevalence in a well-defined, MRI-verified cohort of apparently sporadic patients with lacunar infarct. METHODS: Caucasian patients with lacunar infarction, aged ≤70 years (mean age 56.7 (SD8.6)), were recruited from 72 specialist stroke centres throughout the UK as part of the Young Lacunar Stroke DNA Resource. Patients with a previously confirmed monogenic cause of stroke were excluded. All MRI's and clinical histories were reviewed centrally. Screening was performed for NOTCH3 and GLA mutations. RESULTS: Of 994 subjects five had pathogenic NOTCH3 mutations (R169C, R207C, R587C, C1222G and C323S) all resulting in loss or gain of a cysteine in the NOTCH3 protein. All five patients had confluent leukoaraiosis (Fazekas grade ≥2). CADASIL prevalence overall was 0.5% (95% CI 0.2%-1.1%) and among cases with confluent leukoaraiosis 1.5% (95% CI 0.6%-3.3%). No classic pathogenic FD mutations were found; one patient had a missense mutation (R118C), associated with late-onset FD. CONCLUSION: CADASIL cases are rare and only detected in SVD patients with confluent leukoaraiosis. No definite FD cases were detected.The UK Young Lacunar Stroke DNA Study was funded by a grants from the Wellcome Trust (WT072952, www.wellcome.ac.uk) and the Stroke Association (TSA 2010/01& TSA 2013/02, www.stroke.org.uk). Fabry disease screening was supported by an unrestricted scientific grant from Shire Human Genetic Therapies (www.shire.com). The sponsors of the study had no role in the study design, data collection, data analysis, interpretation, writing of the manuscript, or the decision to submit the manuscript for publication. L R-J’s salary is funded by a Stroke Association/ British Heart Foundation grant. (TSA/BHF 2010/01). HM is supported by an National Institute for Health Research Senior Investigator award (www.nihr.ac.uk). HM and SB are supported by the Cambridge University Trust National Institute for Health Research Comprehensive Research Centre (www.cambridge-brc.org.uk).This is the final version of the article. It first appeared from PLoS via http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.013635

Identifying bottlenecks in the iron and folic acid supply chain in Bihar, India: a mixed-methods study

Background: Maternal anaemia prevalence in Bihar, India remains high despite government mandated iron supplementation targeting pregnant women. Inadequate supply has been identified as a potential barrier to iron and folic acid (IFA) receipt. Our study objective was to examine the government health system’s IFA supply and distribution system and identify bottlenecks contributing to insufficient IFA supply. Methods: Primary data collection was conducted in November 2011 and July 2012 across 8 districts in Bihar, India. A cross-sectional, observational, mixed methods approach was utilized. Auxiliary Nurse Midwives were surveyed on current IFA supply and practices. In-depth interviews (n = 59) were conducted with health workers at state, district, block, health sub-centre, and village levels. Results: Overall, 44% of Auxiliary Nurse Midwives were out of IFA stock. Stock levels and supply chain practices varied greatly across districts. Qualitative data revealed specific bottlenecks impacting IFA forecasting, procurement, storage, disposal, lack of personnel, and few training opportunities for key players in the supply chain. Conclusions: Inadequate IFA supply is a major constraint to the IFA supplementation program, the extent of which varies widely across districts. Improvements at all levels of infrastructure, practices, and effective monitoring will be critical to strengthen the IFA supply chain in Bihar