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Normal Behavior (normal + behavior)
Selected AbstractsChristopher Lane's Response to Robin L. Cautin's review of Christopher Lane's book, Shyness: How Normal Behavior Became a SicknessJOURNAL OF THE HISTORY OF THE BEHAVIORAL SCIENCES, Issue 1 2010Christopher Lane No abstract is available for this article. [source] Axonal integrity in the absence of functional peroxisomes from projection neurons and astrocytesGLIA, Issue 13 2010Astrid Bottelbergs Abstract Ablation of functional peroxisomes from all neural cells in Nestin-Pex5 knockout mice caused remarkable neurological abnormalities including motoric and cognitive malfunctioning accompanied by demyelination, axonal degeneration, and gliosis. An oligodendrocyte selective Cnp-Pex5 knockout mouse model shows a similar pathology, but with later onset and slower progression. Until now, the link between these neurological anomalies and the known metabolic alterations, namely the accumulation of very long-chain fatty acids (VLCFA) and reduction of plasmalogens, has not been established. We now focused on the role of peroxisomes in neurons and astrocytes. A neuron-specific peroxisome knockout model, NEX-Pex5, showed neither microscopic nor metabolic abnormalities indicating that the lack of functional peroxisomes within neurons does not cause axonal damage. Axonal integrity and normal behavior was also preserved when peroxisomes were deleted from astrocytes in GFAP-Pex5,/, mice. Nevertheless, peroxisomal metabolites were dysregulated in brain including a marked accumulation of VLCFA and a slight reduction in plasmalogens. Interestingly, despite minor targeting of oligodendrocytes in GFAP-Pex5,/, mice, these metabolic perturbations were also present in isolated myelin indicating that peroxisomal metabolites are shuttled between different brain cell types. We conclude that absence of peroxisomal metabolism in neurons and astrocytes does not provoke the neurodegenerative phenotype observed after deleting peroxisomes from oligodendrocytes. Lack of peroxisomal metabolism in astrocytes causes increased VLCFA levels in myelin, but this has no major impact on neurological functioning. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] Anomalous concentration dependence of the coordination behavior of Cl, ion to Ln3+ ion (Ln3+ = rare-earth ion) in anhydrous LnCl3 alcohol solutionsJOURNAL OF RAMAN SPECTROSCOPY, Issue 7 2007Y. Yoshimura Abstract Raman spectroscopic measurements were carried out for the anhydrous LnCl3·20ROH·XLiCl solutions (Ln3+ = La3+, Lu3+, X = 0,3; ROH = MeOH, EtOH, n -PrOH) in the liquid state. The salt concentration (X) dependence of the wavenumber for the Ln,Cl stretching Raman band (,Ln,Cl) is examined in conjunction with the formation of chloro-rare-earth complexes. We have obtained very intriguing results including the fact that the chloro complexations of the middle rare-earth ions (e.g. gadolinium, holmium ions, etc.) in the MeOH and EtOH solutions show peculiar behavior with regard to the salt concentration dependence: the ,Ln,Cl wavenumber increases with the increasing chloride concentration. However, the ,Ln,Cl wavenumbers of the light and heavy rare-earth (e.g. lanthanum, lutetium, etc.) salt solutions show normal behavior; i.e. ,Ln,Cl decreases with the increasing chloride concentration. On the other hand, in the n -PrOH solutions, the ,Ln,Cl frequency in the solutions of all the rare-earth elements exhibits a normal behavior. We now present a possible mechanism for this anomalous concentration dependence of coordination of Cl, ions to Ln3+ ions in anhydrous LnCl3 alcohol solutions. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] A stochastic model for solitonsRANDOM STRUCTURES AND ALGORITHMS, Issue 1 2004Yoshiaki Itoh Abstract The soliton physics for the propagation of waves is represented by a stochastic model in which the particles of the wave can jump ahead according to some probability distribution. We demonstrate the presence of a steady state (stationary distribution) for the wavelength. It is shown that the stationary distribution is a convolution of geometric random variables. Approximations to the stationary distribution are investigated for a large number of particles. The model is rich and includes Gaussian cases as limit distribution for the wavelength (when suitably normalized). A sufficient Lindeberg-like condition identifies a class of solitons with normal behavior. Our general model includes, among many other reasonable alternatives, an exponential aging soliton, of which the uniform soliton is one special subcase (with Gumbel's stationary distribution). With the proper interpretation, our model also includes the deterministic model proposed in Takahashi and Satsuma [A soliton cellular automaton, J Phys Soc Japan 59 (1990), 3514,3519]. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg., 2004 [source] Characterization of the Vestibulo-Ocular Reflex Evoked by High-Velocity MovementsTHE LARYNGOSCOPE, Issue 7 2004François D. Roy HBSc Abstract Objectives/Hypothesis: The horizontal angular vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) plays an important role in stabilizing images on the retina throughout head rotations. Current evidence suggests that the VOR behaves linearly at low velocities and nonlinearly at high velocities. The aim of the research was to evaluate and characterize the normal behavior of the reflex evoked by high-velocity head rotations. Study Design: Case control study. Methods: Manually applied head-thrust movements with peak velocities in the range of 100° to 500°/s and peak accelerations up to 7,000°/s 2 were performed on normal volunteers. These head thrusts were comparable with those described in detail by Halmagi and coworkers. Eye and head movements were recorded using the magnetic search coil method. Results: The gain of the VOR is linear at low velocities and saturates at head velocities greater than 350°/s. The values for the normal gain of the reflex were approximated by means of the area between two nonlinear functions. The directional difference parameter, exploring the symmetry of the reflex, indicated that the VOR in normal subjects is symmetric. Conclusion: The gain of the VOR in individuals with intact vestibular function is nonlinear at high angular head velocities. We propose a quantitative means using two nonlinear functions to characterize the normal range of values for the gain of the VOR in individuals with normal vestibular function. A directional difference parameter used in conjunction with the normal range of gains can detect small differences in the symmetry of the VOR and, consequently, reveal unilateral vestibular loss. [source] Using ARX and NARX approaches for modeling and prediction of the process behavior: application to a reactor-exchangerASIA-PACIFIC JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, Issue 6 2008Yahya Chetouani Abstract Chemical industries are characterized often by nonlinear processes. Therefore, it is often difficult to obtain nonlinear models that accurately describe a plant in all regimes. The main contribution of this work is to establish a reliable model of a process behavior. The use of this model should reflect the normal behavior of the process and allow distinguishing it from an abnormal one. Consequently, the black-box identification based on the neural network (NN) approach by means of a nonlinear autoregressive with exogenous input (NARX) model has been chosen in this study. A comparison with an autoregressive with exogenous input (ARX) model based on the least squares criterion is carried out. This study also shows the choice and the performance of ARX and NARX models in the training and test phases. Statistical criteria are used for the validation of the experimental data of these approaches. The identified neural model is implemented by training a multilayer perceptron artificial neural network (MLP-ANN) with input,output experimental data. An analysis of the inputs number, hidden neurons and their influence on the behavior of the neural predictor is carried out. In order to illustrate the proposed ideas, a reactor-exchanger is used. Satisfactory agreement between identified and experimental data is found and results show that the neural model predicts the evolution of the process dynamics in a better way. Copyright © 2008 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source] Who should fund and control the direction of human behavior genetics?GENES, BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR, Issue 6 2003Genetics, Human Behaviour: the Ethical Context, Review of Nuffield Council on Bioethics 2002 Report In this (Nuffield Council on Bioethics 2002), the third in its series on ethics and related issues in genetics (see also Nuffield Council on Bioethics 1993 and Nuffield Council on Bioethics 1998), the Nuffield Council has focused on four ,normal' behaviors; intelligence, personality, antisocial behavior and sexual orientation. This is a narrow range of behaviors and one where their discussion of the potential impact of predictive genetic testing is probably inappropriate. They also take an unduly narrow view of the purposes of behavior genetics in the 21st century. It is not simply to estimate heritability but to understand more about the structure of behavior and the processes which underlie it. Their narrow focus and their negative approach to the history and achievements of genetics is reflected in their less than positive support for future behavior genetic research. Behavior geneticists need to do more to publicize what their field has achieved in order to counter the very extensive antibehavior genetics initiatives which are almost unique in science. At the same time, organizations such as the Nuffield Council need to consider carefully the impact their deliberations may have on research funding. [source] | |||||||||||||