Perception and action are based on the same visual information: distinction between position and velocity.

Ss were presented with spiders running from left to right at various velocities over a structured background. Motion of the background influenced the perceived velocity of the spider: Motion of the background in the opposite direction than the spider increased the perceived velocity. The perceived position of the spider was not influenced by background motion. Ss were asked to hit the spiders as quickly as possible. Fast spiders were hit with a higher velocity than slow spiders. The same effect was found if the spiders only differed in apparent velocity, induced by motion of the background. The trajectory of the hit was not influenced by motion of the background. The authors concluded that although velocity is nothing but the change of position in time, velocity and position are processed independently. Furthermore, these two separately processed sources of information are used in both perception and action. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Effect of ethanol administration on fatty acid desaturation

The effect of ethanol on the fatty acid desaturation by rat liver has been studied using liquid diets of different composition. Acute ethanol administration increased triacylglycerols of total liver lipids, but did not modify significantly the lipidic composition of microsomes. The Δ6 and Δ5 desaturases were inhibited by ethanol whereas the Δ9 desaturase and fatty acid synthetase were apparently modified only by diet composition. NADH-cytochrome (cyt.) c reductase was partially inhibited, whereas NADH-cyt. b₅ reductase remained practically unaltered and NADPH-cyt. c reductase activity was enhanced. Decreased electrons supplied by the microsomal cyt. b₅ electron transport chain would not be the reason for the inhibition of Δ6 and Δ5 desaturases by ethanol.     

Pharmacokinetic evaluation of percutaneous hepatic venous isolation for administration of regional chemotherapy

Hepatic artery infusion (HAI) chemotherapy has been used to treat patients with unresectable liver tumours. We report a preclinical study of the pharmacokinetics of HAI combined with hepatic venous drug extraction (HVDE) for regional administration of doxorubicin. HVDE was aided by a double balloon catheter inserted via femoral vein cutdown into the inferior vena cava to collect all hepatic vein blood. Pigs received doxorubicin 0.5-9.0 mg kg-1 over 90 min via HAI or systemic infusion (SYSI). HVDE was performed for 240 min. SYSI pigs underwent hepatic venous isolation without drug filtration. Doxorubicin levels were assayed using high-pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). HAI/HVDE reduced systemic exposure to doxorubicin with equivalent hepatic exposure at all doses. Pharmacokinetic enhancement ranged from 7.0 to 22.3 for peak concentration, 8.8-23.2 for the area under the curve and 2.9-4.2 for tissue concentration. HAI/HVDE also prevented the mortality which was observed with SYSI administration of high-dose (5.0 and 9.0 mg kg-1) doxorubicin. We conclude that HAI/HVDE reduces systemic exposure to doxorubicin as compared with SYSI of equivalent doses. Pharmacokinetic enhancement indices suggest that HAI/HVDE may allow equivalent hepatic drug exposure with reduced systemic exposure. This method may be applicable to other drugs and to other anatomic settings in which enhanced regional drug delivery is desirable.     

The distribution of palladium in a Pd-modified 4130 steel

The addition of palladium to a 4130 steel reduces its sensitivity to stress corrosion cracking and to hydrogen-induced cracking. The atom probe field-ion microscope has been used to study the microstructure and microchemistry of these palladium-modified 4130 steels with particular emphasis on the distribution of palladium between the various phases and internal interfaces. The palladium was found to segregate to the ferrite-ferrite lath boundaries to form a mono-atomically thick adsorbate layer. Palladium-manganese precipitates both at the lath boundaries and in the ferrite matrix were also detected. Most of the palladium was found to remain in solution in the ferrite.     

Doppler grid surface scanning applications for pulmonary subsurface parenchymal perfusion assessment

Subsurface perfusion to lung parenchyma underlying the pleura is difficult to assess in live ventilated animals. The purpose of this study was to assess applicability of a newly developed laser Doppler grid scanning imaging technology that measures perfusion of pleural subsurface lung regions in intact normal and abnormal animal lungs. Eighty-six Doppler grid perfusion measurements were performed in five New Zealand White Rabbits (3-5 kg); four with unilateral bullous lung disease, one normal control. Left upper lobe lung surface was exposed to 10 1-sec spot Nd:YAG exposures (70 W/cm2). One week following laser exposure, all rabbits underwent sequential bilateral open thoracotomy. Unaffected left lower lobes in these animals and all four lobes of a previously untreated rabbit were used as controls. Pleural subsurface perfusion measurements were recorded over a contiguous 900-pixel square surface grid using quantitative noncontact laser Doppler imaging during open thoracotomy procedures. Scans were obtained in a normal volume ventilation mode, at 30 cm of inspiratory hold airway pressure, and postinflation. A perfusion-pressure response curve was obtained in normal lung at 10-, 20-, and 30-cm static airway pressure. Post mortem measurements were used as 0 flow controls. Normal lung tissue was found to have relatively high pleural subsurface perfusion (1362 +/- 328 corrected units on a scale of 0-4095). Areas of atelectasis had decreased perfusion (659 +/- 512 U., 48.4 +/- 12.5% compared to normal lung, p < 0.02), but returned to normal levels after inflation of the lung (1253 +/- 363 U., p = 0.21 compared to normal). Pleural subsurface perfusion decreased uniformly and progressively as lung inflation pressure increased (p < 0.0001). Perfusion increased immediately to supranormal values following release of high inspiratory inflation pressure holds (1603 +/- 626 U., 117 +/- 18% compared to normal lung, p = 0.03). Bullae had markedly decreased perfusion (541 +/- 68 U.) that was not further reduced by increased inflation pressures. Noncontact laser Doppler grid perfusion imaging appears to provide a new tool for measuring pleural subsurface perfusion over a large area of lung surface in clinical experimental settings. Results are rapid, reproducible, and consistent. Sampling errors inherent in current point sampling Doppler flow techniques are reduced by the multiple contiguous measurements. We have used this technique to demonstrate inspiratory pressure-related reduction in pleural subsurface perfusion in normal lung, reversible decreased perfusion in atelectatic regions, and reduced perfusion in bullous and laser-treated lung regions.     

Adoptive immunotherapy for Epstein-Barr virus-related lymphoma

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) causes opportunistic B cell lymphomas in patients whose cellular immunity is compromised. We have been investigating whether infusions of donor-derived, EBV-specific cytotoxic T cells can prevent and/or treat EBV-related lymphoproliferative disease in children receiving T cell-depleted bone marrow from HLA-matched, unrelated or HLA-mismatched, related donors. In this review, we discuss the rationale for this therapeutic approach, describe our experiences with the regimen thus far, and consider some future directions in immunotherapy.     

Older workers in the construction industry: results of a routine health examination and a five year follow up

OBJECTIVE: To describe the health status of older construction workers and the occurrence of early retirement due to disability or of mortality within a five year follow up. METHODS: Firstly, a cross sectional study was performed among 4958 employees in the German construction industry, aged 40-64 years, who underwent standardised routine occupational health examinations in 1986-8. The study population included plumbers, carpenters, painters/varnishers, plasterers, unskilled workers, and white collar workers (control group). Job specific prevalence and age adjusted relative prevalence were calculated for hearing loss, abnormal findings at lung auscultation, reduced forced expiratory volume, increased diastolic blood pressure, abnormalities in the electrocardiogram, increased body mass index, hypercholesterolaemia, increased liver enzymes, abnormal findings in an examination of the musculoskeletal system, and abnormalities of the skin. Secondly, follow up for disability and all cause mortality was ascertained between 1992 and 1994 (mean follow up period = 4.5 y). Job specific crude rates were calculated for the occurrence of early retirement due to disability and for all cause mortality. With Cox's proportional hazards model, job specific relative risks, adjusted for age, nationality, and smoking were obtained. RESULTS: Compared with the white collar workers, a higher prevalence of hearing deficiencies, signs of obstructive lung diseases, increased body mass index, and musculoskeletal abnormalities were found among the construction workers at the baseline exam. During the follow up period, 141 men died and 341 men left the labour market due to disability. Compared with white collar workers, the construction workers showed a 3.5 to 8.4-fold increased rate of disability (P < 0.05 for all occupational groups) and a 1.2 to 2.1-fold increased all cause mortality (NS). CONCLUSIONS: This study shows the need and possibilities for further health promotion in workers employed in the construction industry, targeting both work related conditions and personal lifestyle factors. Rehabilitation measures should be enforced to limit the rate of disability among construction workers.     

CO2 and Nd:YAG laser-induced pulmonary parenchymal lung injury in a rabbit model

Laser exposure of the pulmonary parenchyma during treatment of emphysema and other clinical indications causes acute lung injury. Animal investigations are needed to understand and control laser-induced lung injury. We hypothesized that lung injury is deeper from Nd:YAG laser exposures than CO2 exposures because of deeper penetration of Nd:YAG wavelength light. We compared the temporal evolution of histologic injury in rabbits resulting from continuous mode shallow CO2 and Nd:YAG laser pulmonary parenchymal exposures applied in rabbits. Forty-six New Zealand white (NZW) rabbits underwent treatment with CO2 laser (n=18), Nd:YAG laser (n=18), or sham thoracotomy control (n=10) to the visceral pleural surface using 1 min of exposure (5 watts, defocused to 70 W/cm2 power density for both lasers). Animals were killed at 0, 4, 7, 21, and 49 d after exposure. Lung injury, similar to that seen clinically in humans, developed in all laser-treated animals. Injury progressed from ischemia and vascular congestion, to edema and necrosis, followed by pleural and parenchymal fibrosis. The acute injury was qualitatively distinct and slightly deeper in CO2 than Nd:YAG-treated animals (p<0.02) despite the shallower depth of penetration of the CO2 laser. These findings may imply that higher absorption coefficient for CO2 laser energy results in greater focal temperatures and injury in the areas of direct exposure, and suggest that Nd:YAG laser exposure at these settings may cause shallower injury than CO2 lasers in humans undergoing clinical treatment.