Individual Differences in Susceptibility to False Memory in the Deese-Roediger-McDermott Paradigm.

The authors addressed whether individual differences in the working memory capacity (WMC) of young adults influence susceptibility to false memories for nonpresented critical words in the Deese-Roediger-McDermott associative list paradigm. The results of 2 experiments indicated that individuals with greater WMC recalled fewer critical words than individuals with reduced WMC when participants were forewarned about the tendency of associative lists (e.g., bed, rest, . . .) to elicit illusory memories for critical words (e.g., sleep). In contrast, both high and low WMC participants used repeated study-test trials to reduce recall of critical words. These findings suggest that individual differences in WMC influence cognitive control and the ability to actively maintain task goals in the face of interfering information or habit. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Particle Swarm Optimisation for Protein Motif Discovery

In this paper, a modified particle swarm optimisation algorithm is proposed for protein sequence motif discovery. Protein sequences are represented as a chain of symbols and a protein sequence motif is a short sequence that exists in most of the protein sequence families. Protein sequence symbols are converted into numbers using a one to one amino acid translation table. The simulation uses EGF protein and C2H2 Zinc Finger protein families obtained from the PROSITE database. Simulation results show that the modified particle swarm optimisation algorithm is effective in obtaining global optimum sequence patterns, achieving 96.9 and 99.5 classification accuracy respectively in EGF and C2H2 Zinc Finger protein families. A better true positive hit result is achieved when compared to the motifs published in PROSITE database.     

A preliminary design and structural analysis of the lifting tools for 40° sector sub-assembly and handling ITER components

The purpose-built, ITER tokamak assembly tools, which are to be provided by Korea, should be designed to meet: the assembly plan, space reservations, safety standards, simple operations, efficient maintenance, and so on. It is very important that the ITER assembly tools are able to lift and transfer ITER components or their sub-assemblies to their assembled position safely. Furthermore, the lifting tools will lift and handle very heavy loads that can be more than 1200 tonnes sometimes. Therefore, the ITER lifting tools must be designed to endure these heavy load conditions with regard to their structural integrity. Also, these designs should be verified through an appropriate method. The preliminary design of the sector lifting tool and associated lifting attachments are introduced in this paper. The sector lifting tool was designed especially to lift and handle various ITER components by adjusting the lifting centre. The structural analysis results using ANSYS are described considering the heaviest load condition. The results of the analysis show that; all stresses applied on the lifting tool are lower than the allowable stress of the applied material.     

Effect of upset forging on microstructure and tensile properties in a devitrified Al–Ni–Co–Y Alloy

Devitrified Al—transition metal—rare earth alloys offer routes to obtain higher volume fractions of dispersed strengthening phases than conventional precipitation routes. Here, we report a study of the microstructure–property relationships of an Al–Ni–Co–Y alloy processed by gas atomization and consolidated/devitrified by warm extrusion. Microstructural characterization by electron microscopy and serial section FIB tomography show that the alloy comprises an FCC Al matrix and 44 % by volume of elongated Al₁₉(Ni,Co)₅Y₃ plates with the Al₁₉Ni₅Gd₃ structure. The plates are aligned with the extrusion direction in the as-extruded alloy, and tensile data show a distinct anisotropy in yield strength and strain to failure. These data are consistent with the alloy acting more like a unidirectional short-fiber-reinforced metal–matrix composite than a conventional precipitation-hardened alloy. During axial upset forging, the ternary plates do not break up, but instead they rotate, until at large upset strains they lie perpendicular to their original orientation with corresponding changes in the tensile properties. The materials exhibit yield strengths of up to 713 MPa and tensile elongations of up to 5 %. Thus, such systems could form the basis for truly deformable high-strength low-density metal–matrix composites.     

Topographies of the future: urban and suburban visions in Edward Bellamy’s utopian fiction

In Looking Backward (1888) and Equality (1897), Edward Bellamy offered two distinct but interrelated visions of a utopian future. The first and more famous book was set in a luxuriant, centralized metropolis. The sequel detailed decentralized, suburbanized infrastructures. Within the literature on Bellamy these emendations have been treated as evidence of regressive anti-urbanism. This paper argues instead that Bellamy used correlations between topography and technology to mediate an evolving approach to social reform. The discrepancies between the two texts did not represent abandonment of the city but rather an expansion of the scale and scope necessary to ensure social progress. While Looking Backward has often been invoked in relation the Garden City and City Beautiful movements, a new reading of Equality offers opportunities to rethink Bellamy’s relationship to planning history.     

Optimization of excess system capability for increased evolvability

System evolvability is vital to the longevity of large-scale complex engineered systems. The need for evolvability in complex systems is a result of their long service lives, rapid advances to their integrated technologies, unforeseen operating conditions, and emerging system requirements. Building excess capability into complex systems can improve their ability to evolve while in service. However, excess capability increases initial build cost and operating cost, which is compounded across the service life of the system. Excess capability that is eventually used adds benefit by allowing for in-service evolution to meet emerging system requirements. Therefore, there is a trade-off between the cost of excess capability initially built into the system and the benefit that is added to the system by enabling future evolution. This paper introduces a process for optimizing the amount of excess capability in a complex system. This process results in a set of evolvable systems without excessive cost. We demonstrate how this process can be used to select the amount of excess capability that should be included in a military ground vehicle.     

Interventions targeting child undernutrition in developing countries may be undermined by dietary exposure to aflatoxin

Child undernutrition, a form of malnutrition, is a major public health burden in developing countries. Supplementation interventions targeting the major micronutrient deficiencies have only reduced the burden of child undernutrition to a certain extent, indicating that there are other underlying determinants that need to be addressed. Aflatoxin exposure, which is also highly prevalent in developing countries, may be considered an aggravating factor for child undernutrition. Increasing evidence suggests that aflatoxin exposure can occur in any stage of life, including in utero through a trans-placental pathway and in early childhood (through contaminated weaning food and family food). Early life exposure to aflatoxin is associated with adverse effects on low birth weight, stunting, immune suppression, and the liver function damage. The mechanisms underlying impaired growth and aflatoxin exposure are still unclear but intestinal function damage, reduced immune function, and alteration in the insulin-like growth factor axis caused by the liver damage are the suggested hypotheses. Given the fact that both aflatoxin and child undernutrition are common in sub-Saharan Africa, effective interventions aimed at reducing undernutrition cannot be satisfactorily achieved until the interactive relationship between aflatoxin and child undernutrition is clearly understood, and an aflatoxin mitigation strategy takes effect in those vulnerable mothers and children.