This investigation focused on the friendship concepts of pre‐school‐aged children. Eighty‐four 3‐ to 5‐year‐old children responded to questions about social provisions, or benefits of relationships, ...available from reciprocal friends (both children in a pair nominate each other as friends), unilateral friends (one child nominates the other), non‐friends (neither child of a pair nominates the other), and imaginary friends (for those who had them). Results indicated that reciprocal and imaginary friends were the best sources of social provisions, followed by unilateral friends and non‐friends. Major implications are that children draw distinctions between reciprocal and unilateral friends based on the levels of social provisions available in these relationships, and that relationship schemas underlying relationships with imaginary companions may be akin to those for reciprocal friends. Children's friendship schemata may also differ by gender, as girls discriminated more than boys between reciprocal and unilateral friends for the social provision of companionship.
Abstract Blade bearing friction torque is a required parameter for the design of a pitch actuator, and deviations from a bearing’s initial torque can be utilized for condition monitoring of the ...bearing. The torque of large-scale bearings can, however, be difficult to predict due to quality fluctuations in the production of these large-scale components. Therefore, this paper employs machine learning approaches to predict the torque of a given set of bearings in a controlled test environment based on measurement data from that same set of bearings. Possible applications of the model include use for condition monitoring by checking for deviations from the bearing’s initial behavior.
Variation in the computation of slope from digital elevation data can result in significantly different slope values and can, in turn, lead to widely varying estimates of environmental phenomena such ...as soil erosion that are highly dependent on slope. Ten methods of computing slope from distributed elevation data, utilizing capabilities inherent in five different geographic information systems (GIS), were compared with field measurements of slope. The methods were compared based on (1) overall estimation performance, (2) estimation accuracy, (3) estimation precision, and (4) independence of estimation errors and the magnitude of field measured slopes. A method utilizing a very high resolution digital elevation model (DEM) (1 m) produced slightly better estimates of slope than approaches utilizing somewhat lower resolution DEMs (2–5.2 m), and significantly better estimates than a method utilizing a 12.5 m DEM. The more accurate method was significantly biased, however, frequently underestimating actual slope. Methods that averaged or smoothed high resolution DEMs over larger areas also produced good estimates of slope, but these were somewhat less accurate in areas of shallow slopes. Methods utilizing differential geometry to compute percent slope from DEMs outperformed methods utilizing trigonometric functions. Errors in slope computation are exaggerated in soil erosion prediction models because erosion typically increases as a power function of slope.
Among a selected group of mouse strains susceptible to dietary obesity, those with an enhanced capacity forUcp1 and brown adipocyte induction in white fat preferentially lost body weight following ...adrenergic stimulation. Based on the generality of this mechanism for reducing obesity, a genetic analysis was initiated to identify genes that control brown adipocyte induction in white fat depots in mice. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis was performed using the variations of retroperitoneal fatUcp1 mRNA expression in progeny of genetic crosses between the A/J and C57BL/6J parental strains and selected AXB recombinant inbred strains. Three A/J-derived loci on chromosomes 2, 3, and 8 and one C57BL/6J locus on chromosome 19 were linked toUcp1 induction in retroperitoneal fat. Although A/J-derived alleles seemed to contribute to elevated Ucp1 expression, the C57BL/6J allele on chromosome 19 increased Ucp1mRNA to levels higher than parental values. Thus, novel patterns of C57BL/6J and A/J recombinant genotypes among the four mapped loci resulted in a transgressive variation of Ucp1 phenotypes. Although the extent of the interchromosomal interactions have not been fully explored, strong synergistic interactions occur between a C57BL/6J allele on chromosome 19 and an A/J allele on chromosome 8. In addition to selective synergistic interactions between loci, variations in recessive and dominant effects also contribute to the final levels of Ucp1 expression.
We present a search for the direct production of a light pseudoscalar a decaying into two photons with the Belle II detector at the SuperKEKB collider. We search for the process e+e−→γa, a→γγ in the ...mass range 0.2<ma<9.7 GeV/c2 using data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of (445±3) pb−1. Light pseudoscalars interacting predominantly with standard model gauge bosons (so-called axionlike particles or ALPs) are frequently postulated in extensions of the standard model. We find no evidence for ALPs and set 95% confidence level upper limits on the coupling strength gaγγ of ALPs to photons at the level of 10−3 GeV−1. The limits are the most restrictive to date for 0.2<ma<1 GeV/c2.
A Monte Carlo electron-trajectory calculation has been implemented to assess the optimal detector configuration for scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) tomography of thick biological ...sections. By modeling specimens containing 2 and 3
at% osmium in a carbon matrix, it was found that for 1-μm-thick samples the bright-field (BF) and annular dark-field (ADF) signals give similar contrast and signal-to-noise ratio provided the ADF inner angle and BF outer angle are chosen optimally. Spatial resolution in STEM imaging of thick sections is compromised by multiple elastic scattering which results in a spread of scattering angles and thus a spread in lateral distances of the electrons leaving the bottom surface. However, the simulations reveal that a large fraction of these multiply scattered electrons are excluded from the BF detector, which results in higher spatial resolution in BF than in high-angle ADF images for objects situated towards the bottom of the sample. The calculations imply that STEM electron tomography of thick sections should be performed using a BF rather than an ADF detector. This advantage was verified by recording simultaneous BF and high-angle ADF STEM tomographic tilt series from a stained 600-nm-thick section of
C. elegans. It was found that loss of spatial resolution occurred markedly at the bottom surface of the specimen in the ADF STEM but significantly less in the BF STEM tomographic reconstruction. Our results indicate that it might be feasible to use BF STEM tomography to determine the 3D structure of whole eukaryotic microorganisms prepared by freeze-substitution, embedding, and sectioning.
MSCAN is a novel automated motor unit counting method based on threshold tracking. It assesses the excitability of individual motor units and was initially developed to address limitations with other ...estimation methods such as MUNE and MUNIX. The D50 progression model uses regularly collected ALSFRS-R scores to describe and to relate individual events within the ALS disease course and reduce noise associated with the ALSFRS-R and the conventional PR parameter.
To quantify and longitudinally track motor unit loss in ALS patients relative to controls in a clinical setting in context of the D50 model.
Threshold-tracking experienced staff performed measurements in 39 patients and 19 controls, in the ABP, ADM, and TA in the less affected side. Twenty and 12 patients made it to the first and second follow-ups, respectively. Measurements were correlated with a range of clinical parameters, including indices from the D50 model such as D50 (time taken for the individual’s ALSFRS-R score to drop to 24) and rD50 (calculated value describing individual disease covered in relation to D50).
A strong correlation between CMAP amplitude and motor unit number was observed in all three muscles in all participants. ALS patients had significantly fewer motor units in the APB, ADM (p < 0.001) and the TA (p < 0.05); they also had a significantly lower CMAP in the APB and ADM. Both motor unit number and CMAP amplitude declined over time, albeit non-significantly. Motor unit numbers were significantly reduced in all three muscles in ALS patients in disease Phase 1 of the D50 model (APB & ADM p < 0.001, TA p < 0.01).
MSCAN demonstrated a significant correlation between CMAP and motor unit numbers, and also revealed a longitudinal decline in both. MSCAN enabled distinction between ALS patients and healthy controls. Crucially, joint use with the D50 model revealed significant motor unit loss in Phase 1 i.e. early-stage disease, making MSCAN a potential diagnostic marker.
This research is supported by BMBF (Bundesministerium für Bildung and Forschung) in the framework of the E-RARE programme (PYRAMID), JPND (OnWebDUALS) of the European Union, and the Dt. Ges. für Muskelkranke (DGM).
Motor unit number estimations methods have been used to quantify the loss of motor units underlying ALS, a deadly neurodegenerative disease. MUNIX relies on surface interference patterns (SIP) ...recorded during voluntary isometric contractions. In contrast, the recently developed MSCAN techniques is based on threshold tracking and uses natural threshold oscillations of single axons to identify the number of motor units present. MSCAN allows to estimate the composition of the CMAP from single units and allows to simulate the composition of single motor units. Both studies require approximately 5min per muscle and an optimal CMAP as starting point.
Our goal was to show a loss of motor units and a decrease of CMAP in ALS patients over time with MSCAN under realistic medical care conditions. Using MSCAN records and ALSFRS-R, we wanted to show disease progression.
MSCAN measurements were performed in 47 ALS patients in up to three muscles in the less affected side (APB, ADM, TA) by threshold-tracking experienced staff. Follow-up measurements were performed after six months in 21 patients. To minimize movement artifacts, limbs were fixed using vacuum cushions. Disease duration, ALSFRS-R, progression rate, ALSFRS-R subscores, diagnostic certainty and clinical stage were extracted from our local database which is an integral part of patient care and reports patient status continuously. Measurements were correlated with model based parameters of ALS progression. Also we calculated ALSFRS-R at the time of the MSCAN measurement taking into account the duration of the disease and D50, which is the number of months after which ALSFRS is reduced to 50% and therefore reflects disease progression.
MSCAN values and CMAP amplitudes showed a linear correlation in all muscles in base measurement as well as in follow-up measurement. In the follow-up measurements, a decrease compared with base values could be shown in all three muscles. Concerning motor units, this effect could also be detected in the two hand muscles, but not in TA. The quality and stability of the measurements were greatly improved by fixation of the limbs and using bipolar stimulation. MSCAN values did not correlate with total ALSFRS-R, cervical respectively lumbal ALSFRS-subscores nor disease duration in our cohort. A trend was seen in MSCAN units respectively CMAP and calculated ALSFRS and D50.
MSCAN measurements in clinical routine are feasible and show a reduction of motor units and CMAP in ALS patients over time. The correlation with functional measures was limited, likely due to the focal nature of the measurement. Further longitudinal studies are required to estimate MSCANs value as a prognostic and disease monitoring marker.
This research is supported by BMBF (Bundesministerium für Bildung and Forschung) in the framework of the E-RARE programme (PYRAMID) and JPND (OnWebDUALS) of the European Union.
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