Log-linear allometry of fetal craniofacial growth in Down's syndrome

Trisomy 21 develops as a result of nondisjunction of two homologous chromosomes during either the first or second meiotic division. One of the more important consequences of these genetic alterations is the predictable, although variable disturbance in the architecture of the craniofacial region [1]. Postnatal craniofacial morphology has been extensively studied in Down's syndrome (DS). However, little information is available on human prenatal development of the head and face in such patients. The time at which changes in craniofacial phenotype first emerge in Down's syndrome fetuses and at which physical growth begins to diverge from normal is unknown. To explore these questions, we compared prenatal craniofacial growth in 50 Down's syndrome fetuses with that of 555 fetuses judged to be "typical for body weight and age" using the method of log-linear allometry [2].     

Noncirrhotic portal hypertension in the adult: case report and review of the literature

The authors propose a method of phalloplasty with a full-thickness flap on the vasculo-nervous pedicle taken from the femur. The method of raising such a flap and the technique of its displacement to the area of the pubic articulation if described. This method of phalloplasty was used in 10 patients aged 19-36 years. In all of them full taking of the transplant was noted. Good cosmetic and functional results were obtained.     

An Analogue-to-Digital Converter Employing Recycled Successive Approximations

The successive approximation technique is faster than most other methods of analogue-to-digital conversion. The main drawback is that it normally uses a multiplicity of high precision components. This paper describes a method in which the signal is recycled through the same conversion stage by using sample and hold circuits.     

The real problem in the study of culture.

Comments on the discussion of the difficulties that have impeded the mainstreaming of culture, ethnicity, and race in American psychology by H. Betancourt and S. R. López (see record 1993-41028-001). Solutions of increased specificity or reliance on practitioners of mainstream psychology to modify patterns are rejected as incomplete because neither solution promises more attention to ethnicity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Member variation, recognition of expertise, and group performance.

The most effective method for aggregating the conflicting opinions of experts is a subject of active debate in the literature. Task differences are most often used to explain differing results among studies. Alternatively, we suggested that the characteristics of the interacting groups themselves determine whether they outperform or underperform their equivalent composites. Expert loan officers serving in ad hoc and practiced groups, on average, performed equally as well as did their composite and most influential individual. However, whether a particular group outperformed or underperformed its composite could be explained by variation in group members' performances and abilities to recognize differential expertise. These findings suggest the circumstances in which alternative social decision schemes are likely to be more effective. They also support the usefulness of conceptualizing group judgment as a weighted combination of the opinions of group members whereby the allocation of weights to members is the critical issue. (17 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Fast feedback control of a high temperature fusion plasma

One of the most promising approaches to achieving fusion of the light elements, as a potential large-scale energy source for the next century, is based on the magnetic confinement of an ionised high temperature plasma. Most of the current research in magnetic confinement makes use of toroidal plasma configurations in experiments known as tokamaks. Theoretical results have predicted that the characteristics of a tokamak plasma can be made more favourable to fusion if the cross-section of the plasma is appropriately shaped. However, the accurate generation of such plasmas, and the real-time control of their position and shape, represents a demanding problem involving the simultaneous adjustment of the currents through several control coils on time scales as short as a few tens of microseconds. In this paper, we present results from the first use of neural networks for the control of the high temperature plasma in a tokamak fusion experiment. This application requires the use of fast hardware, for which we have developed a fully parallel custom implementation of a multilayer perceptron, based on a hybrid of digital and analogue techniques. Our results demonstrate that the network is indeed capable of fast plasma control in accordance with the predictions of software simulations.     

Gesture behavior in unmedicated schizotypal adolescents.

Schizotypal personality disorder is characterized by interpersonal and verbal communication deficits. Despite the important role of gesture in social communication, no published reports examine the use of gesture by individuals with SPD. In this study, raters code gesture from videotaped interviews of unmedicated adolescents with SPD, other personality disorders, or no Axis II disorder. Results indicate that SPD adolescents show significantly fewer gestures but do not differ from the other groups in overall rate of movement. The findings are discussed in light of brain regions involved in dysfunction, parallels to schizophrenia, and treatment implications. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Race, IQ, and the middle class.

Studied whether socioeconomic status indicators sufficiently represent those aspects of the home environment relevant to IQ. Intellectual home environment ratings of the families of 50 Black and 50 White middle-class 9th-grade girls were compared to the girls' Otis-Lennon Mental Ability Test scores, Metropolitan Achievement Test scores, and GPAs. Despite similar standings on Warner's Index of Status Characteristics, there was a difference in the intellectual home environments of Blacks and Whites. There was also a relationship between the intellectual home environment and the S's IQ. Furthermore, the family's environment predicted academic achievement as well as did IQ. To determine the relationship of the environment to intellectual performance, researchers must measure the underlying process variables known to be related to IQ. (49 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)