52,700 research outputs found
Dialogical Skirmishes
No full textTan was guest editor for 'And Now China?', a special print edition of the Ctrl+P journal, which critically responded to the celebratory rhetoric’s of ‘China Now’ and other celebratory markers of China's global ascent in 2008. As well as the introductory article 'Dialogical Skirmishes', Tan also interviewed Hans Ulrich Obrist
Evidence for erbium-erbium energy migration in erbium(III) bis(perfluoro-p-tolyl)phosphinate
No full textCopyright 2008 American Institute of Physics. This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and the American Institute of Physics. This article appeared in Applied Physics Letters 92, 103303 (2008) and may be found at
Uner Tan Syndrome: History, Clinical Evaluations, Genetics, and the\ud Dynamics of Human Quadrupedalism
No full textAbstract: This review includes for the first time a dynamical systems analysis of human quadrupedalism in Uner Tan syndrome, which is characterized by habitual quadrupedalism, impaired intelligence, and rudimentary speech. The first family was discovered in a small village near Iskenderun, and families were later found in Adana and two other small villages near Gaziantep and Canakkale. In all the affected individuals dynamic balance was impaired during upright walking,and they habitually preferred walking on all four extremities. MRI scans showed inferior cerebellovermian hypoplasia with slightly simplified cerebral gyri in three of the families, but appeared normal in the fourth. PET scans showed a decreased glucose metabolic activity in the cerebellum, vermis and, to a lesser extent the cerebral cortex, except for one patient,\ud
whose MRI scan also appeared to be normal. All four families had consanguineous marriages in their pedigrees,\ud
suggesting autosomal recessive transmission. The syndrome was genetically heterogeneous. Since the initial discoveries\ud
more cases have been found, and these exhibit facultative quadrupedal locomotion, and in one case, late childhood onset. It has been suggested that the human quadrupedalism may, at least, be a phenotypic example of reverse evolution. From the viewpoint of dynamic systems theory, it was concluded there may not be a single factor that predetermines human quadrupedalism in Uner Tan syndrome, but that it may involve self-organization, brain plasticity, and rewiring, from the many decentralized and local interactions among neuronal, genetic, and environmental subsystems
Mesoporous materials
No full textRecently, mesoporous metal films containing high surface areas have been produced electrochemically by using lyotropic liquid crystalline phases as templating agents. The main advantage is the versatility of this method, where other materials can be prepared. This thesis describes three areas with the common theme of the electrodeposition of materials in the presence of lyotropic liquid crystals.The first area looks at the attempts to polymerise aniline in the hexagonal phase of C16EO8 and to characterise the films made. Although aniline could electropolymerise in a lyotropic liquid crystalline system, no evidence for nanostructure could be obtained.The next area studies the diffusion of the ferricyanide redox couple in the presence of Brij® 56; which may give a clearer picture of carrying out electrochemistry in the regular structured lyotropic liquid crystalline phases of a surfactant. Ferricyanide chemistry appeared more reversible in the surfactant system, and a timescale appeared to exist for the organisation of the liquid crystalline phase of Brij® 56 into equilibrium.The third area studies the electrodeposition of mesoporous palladium (Pd). Mesoporous Pd prepared electrochemically from the hexagonal phase of C16EO8 at room temperature has already been shown by Guerin to improve the performance of pellistors. Our work sets out to recreate and extend the experimental conditions when using a cheaper alternative surfactant, i.e. Brij® 56. The main purpose is to find the conditions suitable to deposit Pd on pellistors for comparison with the data obtained by Guerin. Electrodeposition of Pd in the hexagonal phase of Brij® 56 was possible on SRL 136a pellistors, and exposing them to methane showed evidence of sensitivity.Most importantly, the combination of the three areas show the different facets to electrodeposition in the lyotropic liquid crystalline phases of a surfactant, and that a cheap and widely available surfactant, i.e. Brij® 56, can be used to construct a gas sensor.</p
Uner Tan Syndrome: Review and Emergence of Human Quadrupedalism in Self-Organization, Attarctors and evolutionary Perspectives
No full textUner Tan syndrome, discovered in 2005 by Dr. Tan, in Southern Turkey, mainly consists of habitual quadrupedal locomotioni impaired intelligence, and dysarthric or no speech, with or without (rarely) cerebello-vermial hypoplasia and mildly simplified cortical gyri. \ud
This syndrome may be considered wthin the framework of the nonprogressive autosomal recessive cerebellar ataxias, associated with various genetic mutations (genetic heterogeneity). This is a unique condition among disequilibrium syndrome, Cayman ataxia, and Joubert syndrome. \ud
From the viewpoint of dynamical systems theory, there may be not a single factor including a ganetic code that predetermines the emergence of human quıadrupedalism, seen for instance in Uner Tan syndrome. Rather it may involve self-organization process, consisting of many decentralized and local interactions among neuronal, genetic, and environmental subsystems
Üner Tan Syndrome: Review and Emergence of Human Quadrupedalism in Self-Organization,\ud Attractors and Evolutionary Perspectives\ud
No full textThe first man reported in the world literature exhibiting habitual quadrupedal locomotion was discovered by a British traveler and writer on the famous Baghdat road near Havsa/Samsun on the middle Black-Sea coast of Turkey (Childs, 1917). Interestingly, no single case with human quadrupedalism was reported in the scientific literature after Child's first description in 1917 until the first report on the Uner Tan syndrome (UTS: quadrupedalism, mental retardation, and impaired speech or no speech)in 2005 (Tan, 2005, 2006). Between 2005 and 2010, 10 families exhibiting the syndrome were discovered in Turkey with 33 cases: 14 women (42.4%) and 19 men (57.6%). Including a few cases from other countries, there were 25 men (64.1%)and 14 women (35.9%). The number of men significantly exceeded the number of women (p < .05). Genetics alone did not seem to be informative for the origins of many syndromes, including the Uner Tan syndrome. From the viewpoint of dynamical systems theory, there may not be a single factor including the neural and/or genetic codes that predetermines the emergence of the human quadrupedalism.Rather, it may involve a self-organization process, consisting of many decentralized and local interactions among neuronal, genetic, and environmental subsystems. The most remarkable characteristic of the UTS, the diagonal-sequence quadrupedalism is well developed in primates. The evolutionarily advantage of this gait is not known. However, there seems to be an evolutionarily advantage of this type of locomotion for primate evolution, with regard to the emergence of complex neural circuits with related highly complex structures. Namely, only primates with diagonal-sequence quadrupedal locomotion followed an evolution favoring larger brains, highly developed cognitive abilities with hand skills, and language, with erect posture and bipedal locomotion, creating the unity of human being. It was suggested that UTS may be considered a further example for Darwinian diseases, which may be associated with an evolutionary understanding of the disorders using evolutionary principles, such as the natural selection. On the other hand, the human quadrupedalism was proposed to be a phenotypic example of evolution of reverse, i.e., the reacquisition by derived populations of the same character states as those of ancestor populations. It was also suggested that the emergence of the human quadrupedalism may be related to self-organizing processes occurring in complex systems, which select or attract one preferred behavioral state or locomotor trait out of many possible attractor states. Concerning the locomotor patterns, the dynamical systems in brain and body of the developing child may prefer some kind of locomotion, according to interactions of the internal components and the environmental conditions, without a direct role of any causative factor(s), such as genetic or neural codes, consistent with the concept of self-organization, suggesting no single element may have a causal priority
Free thinking - running
No full textWe've been running for two million years give or take. Shahidha Bari and Laurence Scott explore contemporary running as solitary inspiration and communal activity with the Geographer and 1999 Scottish Hill Running Champion, Hayden Lorimer, the artists Kai Syng Tan and Angus Farquhar, and the literary scholar and bare-foot artiste, Vybarr Cregan-Reid. Conversation ranges from feeling empowered on city streets to teaming up with the wind to the horrid history of the treadmill and explore whether Running deserves better representation in the arts. Guests: Vybarr Cregan-Reid - author of Footnotes How Running Makes Us Human Angus Farquhar, Creative Director of NVA Public Art, author of a blog 'The Grim Runner' Hayden Lorimer Running Geographer Kai Syng Tan, Artist and curator of a biennial festival Run Run Run Producer: Jacqueline Smith
EVIDENCE FOR "UNER TAN SYNDROME" AS A HUMAN MODEL FOR REVERSE EVOLUTION
No full text“Uner Tan Syndrome” was further studied in a second family. There was no cerebellar atrophy, except a mild vermial atrophy in MRI scans of the affected individuals. This is not, however, the pathogenesis of the “Uner Tan Syndrome”, since in the first and second families there were bipedal men exhibiting very similar MRI scans. The second family may also be considered a live model for reverse evolution in human beings. The present work provided evidence for a reverse evolution: (i) quadrupedality; (ii) primitive mental abilities including language; (iii) curved fingers during wrist-walking of the quadrupedal woman; (iv) arm to leg ratios being close to those of the human-like apes. The quadrupedal individuals were raised in separate places, so that they could not imitate each other, excluding the socio-cultural factors contributing to the habitual quadrupedal gait. The results are consistent with the single gene theory, suggesting a single gene controlling multiple behavioral traits, and the psychomotor theory, and a co-evolution of the human mind, an emergent property of the motor system expressed by human language
UNERTAN SYNDROME: A CASE SERIES DEMONSTRATING HUMAN DEVOLUTION
No full textA large family with six individuals exhibiting the Unertan syndrome (UTS)was identified residing in southern Turkey. All of the individuals had mental impairments and walked on all four extremities. The practice of intra-familial\ud
marriages suggested that theUTS may be an autosomal recessive disorder, similar to previously described cases. The inferior portions of the cerebellum and vermis were\ud
absent as evidenced by MRI and CT scans. The height and head circumference of those affected were within normal ranges. Barany’s test suggested normal vestibular\ud
system function. The subjects could not name objects or their close relatives. The males (n = 4) could understand simple questions and commands, but answered questions with only one or two sounds. The females (n = 2) were superior to\ud
the males with respect to language skills and walking, suggesting an association between walking and speaking abilities. One male exhibited three walking patterns\ud
at the same time: quadripedal, tiptoe, and scissor walking. Another male used two walking styles: quadripedal and toe-walking. It is emphasized that there are important differences between the UTS and the disequilibrium syndrome. It is suggested that the inability to walk upright in those affected with the UTS may be\ud
best explained by a disturbance in lateral-balance mechanisms,without being related to the cerebello-vestibular system.An interruption of locomotor development during the transition from quadripedality to bipedality may result in habitual walking on all four extremities and is normal in some children. Because quadripedal\ud
gait is an ancestral trait, individuals with the UTS, exhibiting a manifestation of reverse evolution in humans, may be considered an experiment of nature, useful\ud
in understanding the mechanisms underlying the transition from quadripedality to bipedality during human evolution. The proposed mutant gene or gene pool playing\ud
a role in human quadrupedality may also be responsible for human bipedality at the same time. Herein there is no intent to insult or injure; rather, this report is an\ud
endeavor to better understand human beings. Supplementary materials are available for this article. Go to the publisher’s online edition of International Journal of\ud
Neuroscience for the following free supplemental resource(s): video clips
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