Correlations between hand preference and cortical thickness in the secondary somatosensory (SII) cortex of the common marmoset, callithrix jacchus.

[Correction Notice: An erratum for this article was reported in Vol 123(2) of Behavioral Neuroscience (see record 2009-04037-027). In this article, there were errors in figure 4 on p.1347 (missing labels along the x-axis) and in figure 5 on p. 1348 (distortion in the reproduction of the panels). The corrected figures are included.] Cortical asymmetries are well established in humans for language and motor regions and correlate with handedness. Here the authors investigate structural differences in the hemispheres of left- and right-handed common marmosets using surface photography and histology. The hand preferences of 11 marmosets were assessed over their adult life span using a simple reaching task. A significant correlation was found between the length of the right lateral sulcus/brain weight and the % right-hand preference (r = .86, p = .001). Cortical thickness on the superior bank of the right lateral sulcus posteriorly was also positively correlated with % right-hand preference (r = .69, p = .025). Comparison of this site with previously published functional maps of the marmoset cortex show this area corresponds to SII, a region involved in tactile processing and somatosensory discriminations. It is suggested that the correlation between SII thickness and right-hand preference would be consistent with the fact that right-handed marmosets are more proactive than left-handers in exploring novel objects by touch. Enlargement of a cortical area involved tactile discriminations could be a precursor to the evolution of right-handedness as a population bias. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Evaluating the impact of energy interventions: home audits vs. community events

New Zealand’s housing stock tends to be of low thermal quality that can adversely affect the health and well-being of occupants as well as costing more than necessary to heat. Householders need information and motivation to make material changes and adopt new practices to achieve warmer and more energy-efficient homes. This study compares two different types of energy interventions with householders in three different suburbs in Dunedin, New Zealand. Two suburbs received a home energy audit whereby an auditor surveyed each house and provided personalised advice. Householders in the third suburb took part in community energy events that included general advice and practical workshops. The impacts of these interventions were evaluated through pre- and post-intervention surveys and post-intervention interviews. Home energy audits were successful in encouraging change both behavioural and practical, where it was possible. The energy events promoted community engagement and awareness relating to energy-saving actions. Participant feedback suggests that a combination of both types of intervention may be most effective in promoting household change, beginning with energy events in communities before offering home energy audits. This would enable people to share their thoughts and concerns about energy with the support of their social networks and engender trust in the process, before offering personalised audits. Overall, the results show that interventions need to be correctly targeted to appropriate communities to be effective.     

Effect of deposition distance and temperature on electrical, optical and structural properties of radio-frequency magnetron-sputtered gallium-doped zinc oxide

Films of gallium-doped zinc oxide (GZO) were deposited on glass substrates by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering using a ceramic target of Ga:ZnO (4 at.% Ga vs. Zn). Both the substrate temperature (T_s) and the target-substrate distance (d_ts) were varied and the effect on electrical, optical and structural properties of the resulting films were measured. The highest conductivity of 3200 S/cm was obtained at a deposition temperature of 250 °C, at a d_ts of 51 mm. This sample had the highest carrier concentration in this study, 9.6 × 10²⁰/cm³. Optical transmittance of all films was <90% in the visible range. The grain size of the film grown at d_ts = 51 mm was smaller than the grain size for films grown with a shorter d_ts; moreover, the films with d_ts = 51 mm exhibited the smoothest surface, with a root mean square surface roughness of 2.7 nm. Changes in T_s have a more pronounced effect on conductivity compared to changes in d_ts; however, variations in structure do not appear to be well-correlated with conductivity for samples in the 2000-3200 S/cm range. These results suggest that incorporation and activation of Ga is of key importance when attempting to obtain GZO films with conductivities greater than 2000 S/cm.     

Ultrahigh Performance Nanoengineered Graphene–Concrete Composites for Multifunctional Applications

There is a constant drive for development of ultrahigh performance multifunctional construction materials by the modern engineering technologies. These materials have to exhibit enhanced durability and mechanical performance, and have to incorporate functionalities that satisfy multiple uses in order to be suitable for future emerging structural applications. There is a wide consensus in the research community that concrete, the most used construction material worldwide, has to be engineered at the nanoscale, where its chemical and physiomechanical properties can be truly enhanced. Here, an innovative multifunctional nanoengineered concrete showing an unprecedented range of enhanced properties when compared to standard concrete, is reported. These include an increase of up to 146% in the compressive and 79.5% in the flexural strength, whilst at the same time an enhanced electrical and thermal performance is found. A surprising decrease in water permeability by nearly 400% compared to normal concrete makes this novel composite material ideally suitable for constructions in areas subject to flooding. The unprecedented gamut of functionalities that are reported in this paper are produced by the addition of water‐stabilized graphene dispersions, an advancement in the emerging field of nanoengineered concrete which can be readily applied in a more sustainable construction industry.     

Mild neuritic changes are increased in the brains of fatally injured older motor vehicle drivers

Given the expected increase in the older population and driving in this age group, concerns have been raised about the safety of older drivers. People over 65 years are over-represented in motor vehicle fatalities when calculated by distance driven. They are also at risk of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, that affect cognitive function. We have examined the brains of older drivers (15M:12F) who died as a result of a motor vehicle accident (MVA) to determine the extent of Alzheimer's disease-related neurofibrillary changes (neuritic plaques and neurofibrillary tangles), Lewy body pathology and cerebrovascular disease and compared them to a control group of older licenced drivers (23M:5F) who died of other causes. The prevalence of moderate or severe neuritic plaque pathology was less than expected for the general population of this age and there was no difference between the groups. However, mild neuritic plaque pathology was increased for MVA deaths compared to controls. There was no evidence of vascular dementia or dementia with Lewy bodies. The current mandatory age-related re-licencing procedures in NSW may contribute to the low percentage of drivers with severe pathology. Further research into the role of mild pathology in cognitive impairment and older drivers is warranted.     

Crash characteristics of older pedestrian fatalities: dementia pathology may be related to 'at risk' traffic situations

Older people are over represented among pedestrian casualties, and cognitive decline is an often cited possible contributory factor. Cognitive decline and dementia are intimately associated, however the role dementia might play in older pedestrian crashes has received little attention. This study describes crash characteristics for 52 fatally injured older pedestrians in the Sydney metropolitan area. It investigates the relationship between the extent of neurofibrillary tangles (NFT), a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease in the brain, and particular crash situations. The results demonstrate crash characteristics that are similar to that reported in other studies of older pedestrians. Furthermore, the results suggest that cognitive decline associated with dementia related neuropathology may be associated with specific crash situations. Compared to older pedestrians with no, or low NFT, those with moderate to high NFT were more likely to be: at least partially responsible for the incident; injured while in low complexity situations; involved in impacts with reversing vehicles; impacted in near lanes of traffic; and struck by a vehicle off road. While described as trends only (p < 0.2), these findings highlight areas of concern for older pedestrians and suggest potential targets for engineering and behaviour-based countermeasures aimed at reducing casualty numbers among older pedestrians.