Working Memory Function in Chinese Dyslexic Children:A Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Study

The deficiency theories of dyslexia are quite contradictory and the cross-cultural studies in recent years mainly focused on whether the dyslexics among cultures shared the same cognitive profile or just based on the language.This study used Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) imaging to measure the regional cerebral blood volume (BV) and the changes of cerebral activation in the left prefrontal cortex of 12 Chinese dyslexic children and their 12 age-matched normal controls during the Paced Vis-ual Serial Addition Test (PVSAT).Results showed that the scores of PVSAT of dyslexic children were significantly lower than those of the normal children (t=3.33,P<0.01).The activations of the left pre-frontal cortex in the normal group were significantly greater than those of dyslexic children (all P<0.01).Our results indicated that Chinese dyslexia had a general deficiency in working memory and this may be caused by the abnormal metabolic activity of brain blood volume in the left prefrontal cortex and the deficits in brain function might be the basis of neuropathology of Chinese dyslexia.Present study sup-ports the difference on brain activation of dyslexics from different languages may be caused by the same cognitive system related to reading.

TESTING SERIAL CORRELATION IN SEMIPARAMETRIC VARYING COEFFICIENT PARTIALLY LINEAR ERRORS-IN-VARIABLES MODEL

The authors propose a V_(N,p) test statistic for testing finite-order serial correlation in asemiparametric varying coefficient partially linear errors-in-variables model.The test statistic is shownto have asymptotic normal distribution under the null hypothesis of no serial correlation.Some MonteCarlo experiments are conducted to examine the finite sample performance of the proposed V_(N,p) teststatistic.Simulation results confirm that the proposed test performs satisfactorily in estimated sizeand power.

Release of elements from municipal solid waste incineration fly ash

The element-release behavior of municipal solid waste incineration fly ash was explored through leaching test with continuous set-point pH(pH_(stat) test)and serial single reaction cell(SSRC)tests.First,the relationship between element release and acid neutralizing capacity(ANC)consumption was examined with a pHstat test.Four types of release behaviors were identified which are characteristic for different elements:(1)release curves that were almost linear with ANC consumption(Ca,Zn,and Cd);(2)release that was significantly faster than ANC(Na,K,and Cl);(3)curves that featured a strong increase with ANC consumption,after a transient release,followed by an almost equal decrease(Si and S);and(4)release that is strongly retarded compared with ANC consumption(Cr,Cu,and Pb).In the SSRC system,it the existence of a pH front and a wash-out phenomenon is demonstrated.Combining the results from the SSRC test with the kinetic analysis of the ANC system in the pH_(stat) test,it was inferred that less than one-third of the ANC measured from a batch pH titration plays a neutralization role in a field situation.The methodologies described may provide a powerful set of tools for systematic evaluation of element release from solid wastes.