connectionist model of phonological short-term memory is described. The model makes use of existing connectionist techniques, develoj)ed to account for the production and perception of speech and other sequential data, to implement a model of the articulatory rehearsal involved in short-term retention of verbal information. The model is shown to be consistent with a wide range of experimental data, and can be interfaced with existing connectionist models of word recognition. The model illustrates, within a connectionist framework, how the mechanisms of speech perception and production can be recruited for the temporary storage of information. Advantages of this strategy are discussed.

Utilizing a large-scale human mobility dataset, this study explores the influence of income inequality on status-seeking behaviour. Existing research suggests that income disparity, typically measured using the Gini coefficient, leads to increased status enhancement tendencies. Our study advocates the use of alternative multi-parameter metrics that capture inequality concentrated within specific income distribution segments. The findings of this analysis, based on foot traffic information from approximately 24,000 clothing stores, suggest that income inequality at both the lower and top ends of the income distribution promotes people's status-seeking behaviour, with lower-concentrated inequality exhibiting a larger effect. Furthermore, our data reveal a negative correlation between visits to “high-status” brands and an important element of social capital – civic engagement, indicating community participation could potentially counterbalance the need for status enhancement through consumption. Thus, this research provides a nuanced lens on the complex dynamics between income inequality, status-seeking behaviour, and social capital.

In this paper w e describe a connectionist model of the development of alphabetic spelling. The model learns to spell regular words more quickly than words with irregular spellings. W h e n the computational resources available to the model are restricted, the model learns more slowly and, analogously to developmental dyslexics, fails to learn some of the irregular items in its vocabulary. Experimental evidence is reported, which shows that both normal and dyslexic children of various ages have difficulty with particular word types that are similar to the problems experienced by the model on the same words. Finally, the model is "lesioned," and its performance is then similar to that of "surface dysgraphics." The good fit between model and data is taken as evidence that, throughout much of the relevant developmental period, the task facing children can be usefully viewed as a statistical one.

Injection of carbon dioxide into subsurface geologic reservoirs during geologic carbon sequestration (GCS) introduces an oxidizing supercritical CO2 phase into a subsurface geologic environment that is typically reducing. The resulting redox disequilibrium provides the chemical potential for the reduction of CO2 to lower free energy organic species. However, redox reactions involving carbon typically require the presence of a catalyst. Iron oxide minerals, including magnetite, are known to catalyze oxidation and reduction reactions of C-bearing species. If the redox conditions in the reservoir are modified by redox transformations involving CO2, such changes could also affect mineral stability, leading to dissolution and precipitation reactions and alteration of the long-term fate of CO2 in GCS reservoirs. We present experimental evidence that reservoirs with reducing redox conditions are favorable environments for the relatively rapid abiotic reduction of CO2 to organic molecules. In these experiments, an aqueous suspension of magnetite nanoparticles was reacted with supercritical CO2 under pressure and temperature conditions relevant to GCS in sedimentary reservoirs (95-210°C and ~100bars of CO2). Hydrogen production was observed in several experiments, likely caused by Fe(II) oxidation either at the surface of magnetite or in the aqueous phase. Heating of the Fe(II)-rich system resulted in elevated PH2 and conditions favorable for the reduction of CO2 to acetic acid. Implications of these results for the long-term fate of CO2 in field-scale systems were explored using reaction path modeling of CO2 injection into reservoirs containing Fe(II)-bearing primary silicate minerals, with kinetic parameters for CO2 reduction obtained experimentally. The results of these calculations suggest that the reaction of CO2 with reservoir constituents will occur in two primary stages (1) equilibration of CO2 with organic acids resulting in mineral-fluid disequilibrium, and (2) gradual dissolution of primary minerals promoting significant CO2 reduction through the release of Fe(II). The reduction of CO2 is identified as a new trapping mechanism that could significantly enhance the long-term stability of GCS reservoirs. Identification of reservoir characteristics that promote CO2 redox transformations could be used as an additional factor in screening geologic reservoirs for GCS.

Background

Visualisation techniques are used in a range of healthcare interventions. However, these frequently lack a coherent rationale or clear theoretical basis. This lack of definition and explicit targeting of the underlying mechanisms may impede the success of and evaluation of the intervention. We describe the theoretical development, deployment, and pilot evaluation, of a complex visually mediated behavioural intervention. The exemplar intervention focused on increasing physical activity among young people with asthma. We employed an explicit five-stage development model, which was actively supported by a consultative user group. The developmental stages involved establishing the theoretical basis, establishing a narrative structure, visual rendering, checking interpretation, and pilot testing. We conducted in-depth interviews and focus groups during early development and checking, followed by an online experiment for pilot testing. A total of 91 individuals, including young people with asthma, parents, teachers, and health professionals, were involved in development and testing.

Results

Our final intervention consisted of two components: (1) an interactive 3D computer animation to create intentions and (2) an action plan and volitional help sheet to promote the translation of intentions to behaviour. Theory was mediated throughout by visual and audio forms. The intervention was regarded as highly acceptable, engaging, and meaningful by all stakeholders. The perceived impact on asthma understanding and intentions was reported positively, with most individuals saying that the 3D computer animation had either clarified a range of issues or made them more real. Our five-stage model underpinned by extensive consultation worked well and is presented as a framework to support explicit decision-making for others developing theory informed visually mediated interventions.

Conclusions

We have demonstrated the ability to develop theory-based visually mediated behavioural interventions. However, attention needs to be paid to the potential ambiguity associated with images and thus the concept of visual literacy among patients. Our revised model may be helpful as a guide to aid development, acceptability, and ultimately effectiveness.

Candida albicans is a major opportunistic pathogen of humans. It can grow as morphologically distinct yeast, pseudohyphae and hyphae, and the ability to switch reversibly among different forms is critical for its virulence. The relationship between morphogenesis and innate immune recognition is not quite clear. Dectin-1 is a major C-type lectin receptor that recognizes β-glucan in the fungal cell wall. C. albicans β-glucan is usually masked by the outer mannan layer of the cell wall. Whether and how β-glucan masking is differentially regulated during hyphal morphogenesis is not fully understood. Here we show that the endo-1,3-glucanase Eng1 is differentially expressed in yeast, and together with Yeast Wall Protein 1 (Ywp1), regulates β-glucan exposure and Dectin-1-dependent immune activation of macrophage by yeast cells. ENG1 deletion results in enhanced Dectin-1 binding at the septa of yeast cells; while eng1 ywp1 yeast cells show strong overall Dectin-1 binding similar to hyphae of wild-type and eng1 mutants. Correlatively, hyphae of wild-type and eng1 induced similar levels of cytokines in macrophage. ENG1 expression and Eng1-mediated β-glucan trimming are also regulated by antifungal drugs, lactate and N-acetylglucosamine. Deletion of ENG1 modulates virulence in the mouse model of hematogenously disseminated candidiasis in a Dectin-1-dependent manner. The eng1 mutant exhibited attenuated lethality in male mice, but enhanced lethality in female mice, which was associated with a stronger renal immune response and lower fungal burden. Thus, Eng1-regulated β-glucan exposure in yeast cells modulates the balance between immune protection and immunopathogenesis during disseminated candidiasis.