ERP results during the response selection stage.

<p>(A) Decision-preceding negativity amplitudes for different response types across groups. (B) Decision-preceding negativity amplitudes for different responses across regions. (C) Topographical maps of the difference between pass and play for the different wave forms in the two groups.</p

Participants’ knowledge stage across trials.

<p>Participants’ knowledge stage across trials.</p

Summary of cognitive processes involved in the IGT and the corresponding ERP components.

<p>Summary of cognitive processes involved in the IGT and the corresponding ERP components.</p

Mean net score for the high and low groups across blocks.

<p>Mean net score for the high and low groups across blocks.</p

Correlation analysis of WCST performance and ERP components.

<p>Correlation analysis of WCST performance and ERP components.</p

Knowledge of the task.

<p>(A) The proportion of participants who achieved conceptual knowledge between groups and across blocks. (B) The average deck rating reported every three blocks by the high group. (C)The average deck ratings reported every three blocks by the low group.</p

ERP results for the choice evaluation stage.

<p>(A) Grand average ERP wave forms after the onset of advantageous and disadvantageous decks for the two groups. (B) The mean amplitude of different regions for advantageous and disadvantageous decks in the two groups. (C) Topographical maps of the difference between disadvantageous and advantageous decks for the different wave forms in the two groups.</p

ERP results during the feedback evaluation stage.

<p>(A) The effects of valence on FRN amplitude across groups. (B) FRN amplitude on three electrodes for different valences and groups. (C) The effects of group and valence on FRN amplitude. (D) Topographical maps of the difference between loss and win (loss subtract win) for the different wave forms in the two groups.</p

Relating Nanoparticle Shape and Adhesiveness to Performance as Flotation Collectors

Cationic polystyrene-core-poly­(<i>n</i>-butyl methacrylate)-shell (PS–PB) nanoparticles perform as flotation collectors as they spontaneously adsorb onto 43 μm glass beads in water, promoting glass bead attachment to air bubbles. Under our flotation conditions at room temperature, polystyrene is a hard plastic, whereas, with glass transition near room temperature, poly­(<i>n</i>-butyl methacrylate) is a soft polymer. Colloidal probe atomic force microscopy measurements revealed that the pull-off forces and the work of adhesion of PS–PB nanoparticles to glass were significantly higher than observed with harder PS particles. Glass bead recovery in laboratory flotation experiments increased significantly with thickness of the soft PB shells on the PB–PS core/shell nanoparticles. Ninety-two nm Janus particles consisting of one PS and one PB lobe were also very effective collectors. We propose that high nanoparticle/glass bead adhesion minimizes nanoparticle removal by bead/bead collisions (nanoscale ball milling) during mixing and flotation

A Colloidal Stability Assay Suitable for High-Throughput Screening

A library of 32 polystyrene copolymer latexes, with diameters ranging between 53 and 387 nm, was used to develop and demonstrate a high-throughput assay using a 96-well microplate platform to measure critical coagulation concentrations, a measure of colloidal stability. The most robust assay involved an automated centrifugation–decantation step to remove latex aggregates before absorbance measurements, eliminating aggregate interference with optical measurements made through the base of the multiwell plates. For smaller nanoparticles (diameter <150 nm), the centrifugation–decantation step was not required as the interference was less than with larger particles. Parallel measurements with a ChemiDoc MP plate scanner gave indications of aggregation; however, the results were less sensitive than the absorbance measurements