Landmarks or surveys? The impact of different instructions on children’s performance in hierarchical menu structures

Which kind of instruction helps children aged 9–14 years interact efficiently with a mobile phone? Due to analogies between navigation in menu structures and the natural environment, three instructions providing different forms of spatial knowledge were under study: A step-by-step instruction featuring landmark knowledge of the menu functions to be selected, a diagram of the menu structure providing survey knowledge and a free exploration of the menu, also giving the children the opportunity to develop survey knowledge. Results show a superiority of the two instructions that provide survey knowledge, except for the youngest children aged 9–10 years. This group showed to have lower spatial abilities and is therefore presumably not able to understand and integrate this type of knowledge. For those very young children, the landmark information given in traditional step-by-step instructions is more helpful. It is concluded, that simple diagrams of the menu structure can help children from 11 years on to significantly ease their interaction with small menu driven devices.     

Molecular Epidemiology of Mitochondrial Cardiomyopathy: A Search Among Mitochondrial and Nuclear Genes

Mitochondrial Cardiomyopathy (MCM) is a common manifestation of multi-organ Mitochondrial Diseases (MDs), occasionally present in non-syndromic cases. Diagnosis of MCM is complex because of wide clinical and genetic heterogeneity and requires medical, laboratory, and neuroimaging investigations. Currently, the molecular screening for MCM is fundamental part of MDs management and allows achieving the definitive diagnosis. In this article, we review the current genetic knowledge associated with MDs, focusing on diagnosis of MCM and MDs showing cardiac involvement. We searched for publications on mitochondrial and nuclear genes involved in MCM, mainly focusing on genetic screening based on targeted gene panels for the molecular diagnosis of the MCM, by using Next Generation Sequencing. Here we report twelve case reports, four case-control studies, eleven retrospective studies, and two prospective studies, for a total of twenty-nine papers concerning the evaluation of cardiac manifestations in mitochondrial diseases. From the analysis of published causal mutations, we identified 130 genes to be associated with mitochondrial heart diseases. A large proportion of these genes (34.3%) encode for key proteins involved in the oxidative phosphorylation system (OXPHOS), either as directly OXPHOS subunits (22.8%), and as OXPHOS assembly factors (11.5%). Mutations in several mitochondrial tRNA genes have been also reported in multi-organ or isolated MCM (15.3%). This review highlights the main disease-genes, identified by extensive genetic analysis, which could be included as target genes in next generation panels for the molecular diagnosis of patients with clinical suspect of mitochondrial cardiomyopathies.     

Indene epoxidation over immobilized methyltrioxorhenium on MCM-41 silica,fumed silica and aluminosilicate materials

The presented report focuses on the testing of heterogenized methyltrioxorhenium (MTO) in indene epoxidation. A range of mesoporous materials with different SiO₂/Al₂O₃ ratios, namely aluminosilicates type Siral and MCM-41 silica and fumed silica, were used as supports for immobilization of MTO. The tested support materials and prepared catalytic systems exhibited high surface area, well-defined regular structure and narrow pore size distribution of mesopores and therefore represent good quality catalysts for various reactions. The immobilized MTO on various supports was tested for the preparation of 1,2-epoxyindane using two forms of hydrogen peroxide as oxidation agents, namely aqueous solution of hydrogen peroxide and its anhydrous form, urea-hydrogen peroxide. The prepared catalysts were successfully used for the preparation of 1,2-epoxyindane with achieved 100 % selectivities to the desired product at high conversions of indene.     

The Fight against the Influenza A Virus H1N1: Synthesis,Molecular Modeling,and Biological Evaluation of Benzofurazan Derivatives as Viral RNA Polymerase Inhibitors

The influenza RNA polymerase complex, which consists of the three subunits PA, PB1, and PB2, is a promising target for the development of new antiviral drugs. A large library of benzofurazan compounds was synthesized and assayed against influenza virus A/WSN/33 (H1N1). Most of the new derivatives were found to act by inhibiting the viral RNA polymerase complex through disruption of the complex formed between subunits PA and PB1. Docking studies were also performed to elucidate the binding mode of benzofurazans within the PB1 binding site in PA and to identify amino acids involved in their mechanism of action. The predicted binding pose is fully consistent with the biological data and lays the foundation for the rational development of more effective PA–PB1 inhibitors.     

Experimental‐numerical research on the seismic performance of URM buildings made of lightweight AAC blocks / Experimentell‐numerische Untersuchung zum seismischen Verhalten von unbewehrten Mauerwerksgebäuden aus Porenbetonblöcken

Masonry walls constructed with lightweight AAC blocks and thin‐layer mortar meet the increasingly strict requirements of energy efficiency and sustainability. In this sense, they represent an excellent solution for modern buildings, not only for external cladding but also as loadbearing elements. Despite the possible advantages of using lightweight AAC masonry, a specific assessment of its seismic performance is mandatory in order to set design recommendations allowing to reach safety levels consistent with those required for other masonry types complying with EN 1998 standard requirements. A comprehensive study on the seismic performance of unreinforced masonry buildings made of lightweight AAC was carried out in an integrated experimental‐numerical approach. The experimental campaign provided the necessary information to setup a reliable numerical model to be extensively used to assess the seismic performance of a number of prototype AAC masonry buildings with different characteristics, by means of both linear and nonlinear static (pushover) analysis. The results of this systematic numerical assessment were eventually used to draft design recommendations, to set parameters (behaviour factors) to be used in linear analysis and to calibrate rules for simple buildings.     

Tunable self-assembly of one-dimensional nanostructures with orthogonal directions

High-temperature exposure of a Mo(110) surface to borazine (HBNH)₃ leads to the formation of two distinctly different self-assembling nanostructures. Depending on the substrate temperature during preparation, either well-aligned, ultra-thin boron nanowires or a single-layer stripe structure of hexagonal boron nitride forms. Both structures show one-dimensional (1D) characteristics, but in directions perpendicular to each other. It is also possible to grow the two phases in coexistence. The relative weights are controlled by the sample temperature during preparation.     

Novel JPEG 2000 Compliant DWT and IWT VLSI Implementations

This paper proposes two JPEG 2000 compliant architectures: one for DWT (Discrete Wavelet Transform) and one for IWT (Integer Wavelet Transform) implementation. First of all some theoretical issues about DWT and IWT are discussed, then, starting from transforms characteristics, the architectures are presented showing both performance and cost. In the literature many DWT architectures have been proposed; our implementation is a new architecture that computes the DWT using filters of interest for the forthcoming JPEG 2000 standard. Moreover, we propose a Lifting Scheme based architecture for IWT, JPEG 2000 compliant too. The proposed architectures are able to support real-time streams: the DWT one, which is made of 20,000 cells, with an input throughput of 160 Msamples per second and a clock frequency of 160 MHz, the IWT one, consisting of 50,000 cells, with an input throughput of 4.5 Msamples per second and an internal clock frequency of 108 MHz.     

HRTEM investigation of the epitaxial growth of scandate/titanate multilayers

Despite their potential application in strain-engineered layer structures, the epitaxial growth of rare earth scandate films on cubic perovskite substrates is not fully understood to date. Here we report on the epitaxy of the orthorhombic GdScO₃ and DyScO₃ on (001) BaTiO₃ and SrTiO₃ thin films. In particular, the orientation relationship between the orthorhombic epilayer and the cubic substrate is examined by aberration corrected high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. For all cases investigated, the long axis of the orthorhombic unit cell was found to be perpendicular to the growth direction.     

Co-operation regarding water and other resources will enhance economic development in Egypt,Sudan, Ethiopia and Eritrea

Competition for water will increase in the northern portion of the Nile River basin, with increases in population and with new and continuing efforts to stimulate economic development, improve income levels and achieve food security. Water scarcity and the inefficient allocation of water can limit the pace of economic development in arid regions, particularly when nations are unable to implement agreements that enhance the sum of net benefits generated with water resources. Much of the discussion regarding water in the northern Nile basin involves the volumetric allocation of water among countries. That focus may limit appreciation of the benefits that might be generated by co-operation involving a larger set of activities, such as international trade and transborder investments. The authors present a conceptual framework that describes how co-operation and international agreements may contribute to achieving the development goals of individual countries, while also enhancing regional net benefits. The authors propose several types of transborder investments that might be helpful in achieving those goals.