Move your virtual body: differences and similarities in brain activation patterns during hand movements in real world and virtual reality

Virtual Reality - Virtual reality (VR) is a promising tool for neurological rehabilitation, especially for motor rehabilitation. In the present study, we investigate whether brain activation...     

Neural Tissue Degeneration in Rosenthal’s Canal and Its Impact on Electrical Stimulation of the Auditory Nerve by Cochlear Implants: An Image-Based Modeling Study

Sensorineural deafness is caused by the loss of peripheral neural input to the auditory nerve, which may result from peripheral neural degeneration and/or a loss of inner hair cells. Provided spiral ganglion cells and their central processes are patent, cochlear implants can be used to electrically stimulate the auditory nerve to facilitate hearing in the deaf or severely hard-of-hearing. Neural degeneration is a crucial impediment to the functional success of a cochlear implant. The present, first-of-its-kind two-dimensional finite-element model investigates how the depletion of neural tissues might alter the electrically induced transmembrane potential of spiral ganglion neurons. The study suggests that even as little as 10% of neural tissue degeneration could lead to a disproportionate change in the stimulation profile of the auditory nerve. This result implies that apart from encapsulation layer formation around the cochlear implant electrode, tissue degeneration could also be an essential reason for the apparent inconsistencies in the functionality of cochlear implants.     

Nanostructures in protein chips: Effect of print buffer additive and wettability on immobilization and assay performance

Nanostructures of 1 μm period and 180 nm height were fabricated by thermal nanoimprint lithography (thermal NIL) and implemented in protein chips to enhance chip sensitivity. Three epoxy resins which are well characterized materials in lab-on-chip systems and (bio)MEMS and are able to bind proteins via their epoxy function are tested: SU-8 2000.5, EPIKOTE™ 157 and EPON™ 1002F. For improved wettability wetting agents like PEG 200, sorbitol, MCT and oleic acid were added to the protein printing solution. Best chip performance was achieved on EPON™ 1002F nanostructured surfaces, brightest signals when using 0.1% (w/v) PEG in the printing solution.     

On the association of interparental conflict with developing behavioral inhibition and behavior problems in early childhood.

Associations between interparental conflict and the development of temperament characteristics have seldom been addressed; moreover, studies on the impact of interparental conflict on developing behavior problems in infancy and early childhood are relatively rare. The authors therefore aimed to contribute to the study of these issues. A sample of 64 families was investigated longitudinally. At the infant age of 4 months, negative emotionality was measured with a laboratory routine. When infants were 4, 8, and 12 months old, maternal sensitivity was assessed during home observations, and interparental conflict was measured by means of questionnaires. When infants were 30 months old, behavioral inhibition was measured in 2 laboratory fear episodes, and behavior problems were assessed with a structured clinical interview of the primary caregiver. Interparental conflict and infant negative emotionality were significantly and independently associated with subsequent behavioral inhibition. The association of interparental conflict with behavior problems was moderated by infant negative emotionality. Infants high in negative emotionality developed more serious behavior problems when exposed to high interparental conflict, whereas the association was not significant in infants low in negative emotionality. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Chemical stability of laminated AlN/AlN:H films

Highly adherent and chemically stable coatings of aluminum nitride are produced by ion beam sputter deposition of graded concentration films of AlN:H_x, where x ranges to zero (AlN) at the outer surface of the film. These layered structures exhibit the good adhesion of AlN:H while maintaining the chemical stability of A1N. On the basis of scanning tunneling microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, films deposited on room temperature substrates (metal or mica) form layers that are smooth (structures smaller than 6 nm) and that remain so for periods longer than one month. Fourier transform spectroscopy indicates that they are chemically unchanged by exposure to air for two months.     

Thermal performance estimation for ventilated PV facades

This paper explores different approaches to thermal performance estimation for ventilated photovoltaic (PV) facades. In particular, an extension of the familiar heat loss and radiation gain factors (U and g values respectively) has been employed to take account of the energy transfer to the facade ventilation air. In total, four terms describing ventilation gains and transmission losses in terms of irradiance and temperature components are defined which characterise the performance of the facade in total. Steady state analysis has been applied in order to express these four parameters in terms of the detailed heat transfer process within the facade. This approach has been applied to the ventilated PV facade of the public library at Mataró, Spain. Monthly U and g values have been derived and the associated thermal energy gains calculated for various climates. An alternative, simpler approach views the ventilated façade as a single solar air collector. The applicability of the standard expression for solar collector efficiency has been investigated through examination of the Mataró data. Summer and winter energy yield calculations carried out on this basis have been compared to the four parameter approach.     

On the reaction of L-ascorbic acid with propylamine under various conditions: quantification of the main products by HPLC/DAD

 The reaction of _L-ascorbic acid (AA) with proteins (protein ascorbylation) has a considerable impact on food processing and health. So far four products have been isolated and identified which can be formed from AA and lysine derivatives. Thus, 2-deoxy-2-(propylamino)ascorbic acid, 3-deoxy-3-(propylamino)ascorbic acid, oxalic acid monopropylamide and oxalic acid dipropylamide were synthesized and an HPLC system for their separation and quantification was developed. Then, mixtures of AA and propylamine, as a model compound for lysine derivatives, were reacted under various conditions and product yields were determined in relation to reaction time, temperature, amine concentration and pH value. The results were discussed in detail and can help to evaluate the contribution of the four products to protein and lysine ascorbylation under different conditions. Received: 2 September 1997 / Revised version: 27 November 1997