Psychophysical evidence for a functional hierarchy of motion processing mechanisms

Current models of motion perception typically describe mechanisms that operate locally to extract direction and speed information. To deal with the movement of self or objects with respect to the environment, higher-level receptive fields are presumably assembled from the outputs of such local analyzers. We find that the apparent speed of gratings viewed through four spatial apertures depends on the interaction of motion directions among the apertures, even when the motion within each aperture is identical except for direction. Specifically, local motion consistent with a global pattern of radial motion appears 32% faster than that consistent with translational or rotational motion. The enhancement of speed is not reflected in detection thresholds and persists in spite of instructions to fixate a single local aperture and ignore the global configuration. We also find that a two-dimensional pattern of motion is necessary to elicit the effect and that motion contrast alone does not produce the enhancement. These results implicate at least two serial stages of motion-information processing: a mechanism to code the local direction and speed of motion, followed by a global mechanism that integrates such signals to represent meaningful patterns of movement, depending on the configuration of the local motions.     

Synthesis, characterization and properties of chitosan modified with poly(ethylene glycol)-polydimethylsiloxane amphiphilic block copolymers

Synthesis of poly(ethylene glycol)-polydimethylsiloxane amphiphilic block copolymers is discussed herein. Siloxane prepolymer was first prepared via acid-catalyzed ring-opening polymerization of octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D₄) to form polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) prepolymers. It was subsequently functionalized with hydroxy functional groups at both terminals. The hydroxy-terminated PDMS can readily react with acid-terminated poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG diacid) to give PEG-PDMS block copolymers without using any solvent. The PEG diacid was prepared from hydroxy-terminated PEG through the ring-opening reaction of succinic anhydride. Their chemical structures and molecular weights were characterized using ¹H NMR, FTIR and GPC, and thermal properties were determined by DSC. The PEG-PDMS copolymer was incorporated into chitosan in order that PDMS provided surface modification and PEG provided good water swelling properties to chitosan. Critical surface energy and swelling behavior of the modified chitosan as a function of the copolymer compositions and contents were investigated.     

Smart carboxymethylchitosan hydrogels that have thermo‐ and pH‐responsive properties

Thermo‐responsive poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (poly(NIPAAm)) and pH‐responsive poly(N,N′‐diethylaminoethyl methacrylate) (poly(DEAEMA)) polymers were grafted to carboxymethylchitosan (CMC) via radical polymerization to form highly water swellable hydrogels with dual responsive properties. Ratios of CMC, NIPAAm to DEAEMA used in the reactions were finely adjusted such that the thermo and pH responsiveness of the hydrogels was retained. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) indicated the formation of an internal porous structure for the swollen CMC hydrogels upon incorporation of poly(NIPAAm) and poly(DEAEMA). Effect of temperature and pH changes on water swelling properties of the hydrogels was investigated. It was found that the water swelling of the hydrogels was enhanced when the solution pH was under basic conditions (pH 11) or the temperature was below its lower critical solution temperature (LCST). These responsive properties can be used to regulate releasing rate of an entrapped drug from the hydrogels, a model drug, indomethacin was used to demonstrate the release. These smart and nontoxic CMC‐based hydrogels show great potential for use in controlled drug release applications with controllable on‐off switch properties. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 41505.     

Simultaneous differentiation and quantitation of erythroblasts and white blood cells on a high throughput clinical haematology analyser

Recently published evidence from two large-scale clinical trials conducted in England and in Denmark suggests that faecal occult blood screening for colorectal cancer significantly reduces mortality. However, before screening can be advocated as part of national health policy, its cost-effectiveness must be demonstrated. The English screening trial has been the subject of a detailed economic evaluation over the past 10 years In this paper, cost-effectiveness estimates of screening are presented, based on cost and outcome data combined in a mathematical model developed from the trial's clinical findings The estimates of cost per quality-adjusted life-year gained from colorectal cancer screening show the procedure to be of similar cost-effectiveness to breast cancer screening in the short term. Over the longer term, however, the estimates for colorectal cancer screening appear superior.     

Study of the effect of dilution on the lubricity of hydrotreated jet engine fuels

Hydrotreated fuels lack lubricity. Dilution with chemically treated conventional fuels is reported to restore lubricity. Studies revealed that some conventional fuels have lubricity inferior to the hydrotreated fuels. Thus dilution with conventional fuel is not a sure cure.     

Long-duration intracavitary infusion of methotrexate with systemic leucovorin protection in patients with malignant effusions

18 patients with malignant effusions were treated with continuous intraperitoneal, intrapleural, or intrapericardial infusion of methotrexate (MTX) 30 mg/m2 per d combined with simultaneous intravenous administration of leucovorin at a dose rate calculated to yield an equimolar concentration in the serum. In the serum the geometric mean steady-state MTX concentration was 0.95 microM, whereas it was 24 microM in the peritoneal, 213 microM in the pleural, and 434 microM in the pericardial cavities. Mean clearance was 6.6 ml/min from the peritoneal cavity, 2.6 ml/min from the pleural cavity, and 0.14 ml/min from the pericardial cavity. Leucovorin provided sufficient protection to allow the duration of infusion to be escalated from 24 to 120 h before myelosuppression was encountered. Marrow thymidylate synthetase activity was inhibited by an average of 46% compared to 86% inhibition in malignant cells in the effusions. Flow cytometric analysis showed no perturbation of the cell cycle phase distribution of marrow cells. All eight of the evaluable patients have responded: three received no other form of therapy, five also received systemic hormonal or chemotherapy. This study demonstrated that tumors confined to third space body fluids can be given very high concentration x time exposures to MTX with minimal systemic toxicity.     

Synthesis of water dispersible magnetite nanoparticles in the presence of hydrophilic polymers

Water dispersible magnetite nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄) were synthesized by thermal decomposition of iron (III) acetylacetonate (Fe(acac)₃) in the presence of carboxylic acid-terminated poly(ethylene glycol) (mPEG acid), poly(vinyl alcohol) and NH₂-containing polyether. Crystal structure was investigated using X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and it showed that the as-synthesized particles had high crystallinity with distinct lattices. Particle size of the nanoparticles was investigated using XRD (15.32 nm), transmission electron microscopy (18.8 nm) and photo correlation spectroscopy (32 nm) techniques. Vibrating sample magnetometry indicated that magnetite nanoparticles exhibited superparamagnetic behavior at room temperature. Influence of each functional group on magnetic properties of the particles was also examined. These magnetite nanoparticles remained dispersible in aqueous dispersions with only 5% particles aggregating after 1 month of preparing.     

Effect of supplementation of garlic powder on rumen ecology and digestibility of nutrients in ruminants

BACKGROUND: The present study investigated the effect of garlic powder (GAP) supplementation on rumen fermentation pattern, nutrient digestibility and intake in ruminants fed on straw as a roughage source. RESULTS: Dry matter intake and apparent digestibility of nutrients were similar among treatments. The apparent digestibility of crude protein tended to be higher in cattle supplemented with GAP compared to those fed without GAP (P = 0.08). Ruminal populations of protozoa and bacteria were decreased, as influenced by GAP supplementation. Ruminal pH and NH₃‐N were similar among treatments, while blood urea nitrogen tended to be decreased (P < 0.05). Total volatile fatty acids (VFAs) were not affected by GAP supplementation but individual VFAs were significantly different (P < 0.05), especially C3; meanwhile, C2:C3 ratio was reduced by GAP supplementation (P < 0.05). In addition, N balances were significantly increased as level of GAP supplementation increased and was highest at 120 g d^?1 GAP. CONCLUSION: Results of this study suggest that feeding of GAP at 80 g d^?1 with urea‐treated rice straw could enhance ruminal propionate production and thus lower C2:C3 ratio, decreasing the protozoal population, as well as increasing N retention and absorption in ruminants. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry     

The Electronic Spectrum of Gaseous CoO in the Visible Region

Laser excitation spectra of gaseous CoO have been recorded using Doppler-limited intracavity spectroscopy and supersonic jet-cooled molecular beam methods. As seen in the molecular beam spectra there are nearly 100 bands arising from the X4Delta7/2 spin component of the ground state in the wavelength region 430-720 nm. All of them are very strongly red-degraded and most of them are perturbed. 59Co hyperfine broadenings or splittings have been observed in many. The bands can be arranged into five electronic transitions, together with a considerable number of "extra" bands induced by perturbations; two of the excited electronic states are 4Phi, while the other three, which lie within 1700 cm-1, are 4Delta. Semi-empirical calculations have been carried out for the 4Delta excited states, using exchange integrals transferred from the TiO and VO spectra; the predicted energies, spin-orbit structures, and relative intensities in absorption are consistent with the assignment of all three 4Delta states to the same electron configuration, (4ssigma)1(3ddelta)3(3dpi)2(3dsigma)1. It seems that there are extensive interactions between the excited 4Delta states, because only one of them gives rise to a recognizable, though irregular, long vibrational progression in absorption. The other two progressions die out abruptly and unexpectedly after three or four members, presumably as a result of interference effects; however, wavelength-resolved fluorescence studies, together with calculations of the Franck-Condon overlap integrals to the various vibrational levels of the ground state, show that the upper state progressions reappear following a region of confused absorption. All of the excited states show highly irregular variations of their vibrational intervals and rotational constants with the vibrational quantum number, v. The wavelength-resolved fluorescence spectra give evidence for new low-lying electronic states of CoO at 3038, 5989, and 9105 cm-1; based on its vibrational frequency the 3038 cm-1 state is possibly the sigmadelta4pi2 B4Sigma- state. Copyright 1997 Academic Press. Copyright 1997Academic Press     

Magnetic core-bilayer shell nanoparticle: A novel vehicle for entrapmentof poorly water-soluble drugs

We are herein reporting a synthesis of indomethacin-loaded bilayer-surface magnetite nanoparticles and their releasing behavior. The particles were first stabilized with oleic acid as a primary surfactant, followed by poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether-poly(?-caprolactone) (mPEG-PCL) amphiphilic block copolymer as a secondary surfactant to form nanoparticles with hydrophobic inner shell and hydrophilic corona. mPEG-PCL copolymers with systematically varied molecular weights of each block (2000-2000, 2000-10,000, 5000-5000 and 5000-10,000 g/mol, respectively) were synthesized via a ring-opening polymerization of ?-caprolactone using mPEG as a macroinitiator. The particles were 9 nm in diameter and exhibited superparamagnetic behavior at room temperature with saturation magnetization (M_s) about 35 emu/g magnetite. Percent of magnetite and the copolymers in the complexes were determined via thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The effect of mPEG and PCL block lengths in the copolymer-magnetite complex on the properties of the particles, e.g. particle size, magnetic properties, stability in water, drug entrapping and loading efficiency and its releasing behavior were investigated. This novel magnetic nanocomplex might be suitable for use as an efficient drug delivery vehicle with tunable drug-released properties.