Hemispheric contributions to the integration of visual and auditory information in speech perception

Differential hemispheric contributions to the perceptual phenomenon known as the McGurk effect were examined in normal subjects, 1 callosotomy patient, and 4 patients with intractable epilepsy. Twenty-five right-handed subjects were more likely to demonstrate an influence of a mouthed word on identification of a dubbed acoustic word when the speaker's face was lateralized to the LVF as compared with the RVF. In contrast, display of printed response alternatives in the RVF elicited a greater percentage of McGurk responses than display in the LVF. Visual field differences were absent in a group of 15 left-handed subjects. These results suggest that in right-handers, the two hemispheres may make distinct contributions to the McGurk effect. The callosotomy patient demonstrated reliable McGurk effects, but at a lower rate than the normal subjects and the epileptic control subjects. These data support the view that both the right and left hemisphere can make significant contributions to the McGurk effect.     

Modeling of the electrostrictive, dielectric, and piezoelectric properties of ceramic PbTiO(3)

The upper and lower limits of the electrostrictive constants, dielectric permittivities, spontaneous polarizations, and piezoelectric coefficients were calculated for ceramic PbTiO(3) from theoretical single-crystal constants. Experimental ceramic data fall between these upper and lower limits. The large piezoelectric anisotropy d(33)/d(31) of ceramic PbTiO(3 ) was shown to be related to the single-crystal PbTiO(3) electrostrictive anisotropies Q(11)/Q(12 ) and Q(44)/Q(12). The possibility of a change in sign of the ceramic d(31) coefficient due to a slight variation in the single-crystal electrostrictive anisotropies was discussed. The single-crystal and predicted ceramic hydrostatic electrostrictive constants were found to be equal. Using this result the ceramic hydrostatic g(h ) coefficient is always smaller than the single-crystal g (h), but the ceramic hydrostatic d(h) coefficient can be either larger or smaller than the single-crystal d(h) depending on the dielectric anisotropy (epsilon (11)/epsilon(33)) of the single-crystal.     

Evidence for the Microwave Effect During the Annealing of Zinc Oxide

A microwave/conventional hybrid furnace has been used to anneal virtually fully dense zinc oxide ceramics under pure conventional and a microwave/conventional hybrid heating regime with a view to obtaining evidence for the "microwave effect" during the resulting grain growth. In each case it was ensured that each sample within a series had an identical thermal history in terms of its temperature/time profile. The results showed that grain growth was enhanced during hybrid heating compared with pure conventional heating; the greatest enhancement, a factor of ∼3 increase in average grain size, was observed in the range 1100°–1150°C. The grain growth exponent decreased from 3 during conventional heating to 1.4 during hybrid heating in this temperature range, suggesting an acceleration of the diffusional processes involved. Temperature gradients within the samples were found to be too small to explain the results. This suggests that clear evidence has been found to support the existence of a genuine "microwave effect."     

Attraction of Male European Tarnished Plant Bug, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lygus rugulipennis</Emphasis> to Components of the Female Sex Pheromone in the Field

Previous work showed that females of the European tarnished plant bug, Lygus rugulipennis Poppius (Heteroptera: Miridae), produced three chemicals, hexyl butyrate, (E)-2-hexenyl butyrate, and (E)-4-oxo-2-hexenal, and that these were suspected to be components of the female sex pheromone. In field experiments, traps baited with blends of these chemicals dispensed from polyethylene vials and sachets failed to catch significant numbers of males. Here, we report more recent field experiments in which the chemicals were released from glass microcapillary tubes. A blend of hexyl butyrate and (E)-4-oxo-2-hexenal was significantly attractive to male L. rugulipennis. In addition, whereas the mixture of all three components attracted fewer L. rugulipennis males, this tertiary blend captured significantly greater numbers of males of the congeneric species Lygus pratensis than the binary mixture. The possible reasons for the success of the microcapillaries compared with other dispensers are discussed.     

A vapor collection and thermal desorption method to measure semiochemical release rates from controlled release formulations

Chemicals (bp 270–490 °C/1 atm) evaporated from a controlled-release formulation dispenser were carried by an airflow to a collector packed with a polymeric adsorbent. After a set time, the chemicals were recovered by thermally desorbing them onto a gas-liquid chromatograpic column. They were then separated and quantified. The apparatus is described, and the requirements for its successful use are discussed. The soundness of the thermal desorption technique was confirmed by comparison with another technique: solvent elution from the collector. The advantages of the former technique are discussed.Mention of a commercial or proprietary product in this paper does not constitute an endorsement of that product by the USDA.     

Apparatus and procedure for measuring release rates from formulations of lepidopteran semiochemicals

An apparatus was developed wherein a vacuum source was used to pull air across a controlled-release-formulation dispenser or a planchet containing a known quantity of a semiochemical and into a collector filled with a polymeric adsorbent. After a set time, the semiochemical was eluted with solvent and was quantified by gas-liquid chromatography (GLC). High percentages of known quantities of the lepidopteran semiochemicals (Z)-7-dodecen-l -ol acetate (Z7DDA), boiling point (bp) 275 ° C/1 atm, (Z)-9-tetradecen-1-ol formate (Z9TDF), bp 289 °C/1 atm, and (Z,Z)-3,13-octadecadien-1-ol acetate (ZZODDA), bp 490 °C/1 atm, were recovered. The semiochemicals did not oxidize and were recovered quantitatively from the adsorbent. The release rates of Z9TDF from a controlled-release dispenser were found to be directly proportional to the airflow rates. Release rate measurements on the Z9TDF dispensers were made for the purpose of estimating the method's precision. The method was shown to give internally consistent results by measurements on another Z9TDF formulation. The accuracy of the method is discussed.Mention of a commercial or proprietary product in this paper does not constitute an endorsement by the USDA.     

Barium Metaplumbate Ceramic Electrodes for Ceramic Capacitors

A novel approach to reduce electrode costs in ceramic capacitors is presented. Barium metaplumbate (BaPbO₃) was fired onto sintered commercial (Ba, Sr)TiO₃ disk capacitors as external electrodes. Samples were compared to disk capacitors of the same composition with electrodes made of sputtered gold and air-dried silver. The ceramic electrode led to substantial changes in the insulation resistance and dc breakdown strengths, but other properties remained the same. The feasibility of using BaPbO₃ electrodes strongly depends on chemical reactions between the electrode and dielectric.     

Log-linear allometry of fetal craniofacial growth in Down's syndrome

Trisomy 21 develops as a result of nondisjunction of two homologous chromosomes during either the first or second meiotic division. One of the more important consequences of these genetic alterations is the predictable, although variable disturbance in the architecture of the craniofacial region [1]. Postnatal craniofacial morphology has been extensively studied in Down's syndrome (DS). However, little information is available on human prenatal development of the head and face in such patients. The time at which changes in craniofacial phenotype first emerge in Down's syndrome fetuses and at which physical growth begins to diverge from normal is unknown. To explore these questions, we compared prenatal craniofacial growth in 50 Down's syndrome fetuses with that of 555 fetuses judged to be "typical for body weight and age" using the method of log-linear allometry [2].     

Surgical management of total anomalous pulmonary venous drainage: impact of coexisting cardiac anomalies

BACKGROUND: Recent reports have cited improving results for surgical management of isolated total anomalous pulmonary venous drainage. Complex cases (with other cardiac anomalies) are less frequently reported and are associated with higher mortality. METHODS: Retrospective review identified 170 consecutive patients treated for total anomalous pulmonary venous drainage from 1982 to 1996: 44 cases were "complex" (with significant associated cardiac lesions) and 126 cases were "simple." RESULTS: Operative mortality for simple cases decreased from 26% to 8%, and mortality for complex cases remained constant at 52%. Age, size, and the presence of atrial isomerism were univariate predictors of mortality. Multivariable analysis identified only univentricular hearts and associated cardiac lesions as predictors of operative mortality. Pulmonary artery (n = 16) and arteriopulmonary (n = 7) shunting strategies for complex cases resulted in less than 30% long-term survival. CONCLUSIONS: Despite improvement in survival for simple cases, management of total anomalous pulmonary venous drainage with single-ventricle hearts or other associated cardiac lesions remains problematic.