Are predictive saccades linked to the processing of peripheral information?

High-level athletes can predict the actions of an opposing player. Interestingly, such predictions are also reflected by the athlete's gaze behavior. In cricket, for example, players first pursue the ball with their eyes before they very often initiate two predictive saccades: one to the predicted ball-bounce point and a second to the predicted ball-bat-contact point. That means, they move their eyes ahead of the ball and "wait" for the ball at the new fixation location, potentially using their peripheral vision to update information about the ball's trajectory. In this study, we investigated whether predictive saccades are linked to the processing of information in peripheral vision and if predictive saccades are superior to continuously following the ball with foveal vision using smooth-pursuit eye-movements (SPEMs). In the first two experiments, we evoked the typical eye-movements observed in cricket and showed that the information gathered during SPEMs is sufficient to predict when the moving object will hit the target location and that (additional) peripheral monitoring of the object does not help to improve performance. In a third experiment, we show that it could actually be beneficial to use SPEMs rather than predictive saccades to improve performance. Thus, predictive saccades ahead of a target are unlikely to be performed to enhance the peripheral monitoring of target

Efficacy of a crosslinked hyaluronic acid-based hydrogel as a tear film supplement: a masked controlled study.

This is the final publish manuscript distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution License 2.0 UK, which can also be found on the publisher's website at: http://www.plosone.org/article/info%3Adoi%2F10.1371%2Fjournal.pone.0099766Keratoconjunctivitis sicca (KCS), or dry eye, is a significant medical problem in both humans and dogs. Treating KCS often requires the daily application of more than one type of eye drop in order to both stimulate tear prodcution and provide a tear supplement to increase hydration and lubrication. A previous study demonstrated the potential for a crosslinked hyaluronic acid-based hydrogel (xCMHA-S) to reduce the clinical signs associated with KCS in dogs while using a reduced dosing regimen of only twice-daily administration. The present study extended those results by comparing the use of the xCMHA-S to a standard HA-containing tear supplement in a masked, randomized clinical study in dogs with a clinical diagnosis of KCS. The xCMHA-S was found to significantly improve ocular surface health (conjunctival hyperaemia, ocular irritation, and ocular discharge) to a greater degree than the alternative tear supplement (P = 0.0003). Further, owners reported the xCMHA-S treatment as being more highly effective than the alternative tear supplement (P = 0.0024). These results further demonstrate the efficacy of the xCMHA-S in reducing the clinical signs associated with KCS, thereby improving patient health and owner happiness

Estimation Of Oyster, Crassostrea Virginica, Standing Stock, Larval Production And Advective Loss In Relation To Observed Recruitment In The James River, Virginia

Standing stock and demographic data for oysters, Crassostrea virginica, in the James River, Virginia are used to generate spatial estimates of egg production on a reef-specific basis. Subsequent estimates are made of losses related to density-dependent fertilization, natural mortality in the plankton, advective loss related to estuarine circulation, availability of substrate (both absolute amounts and after occlusion by fouling organisms), limited competency of pediveligers to metamorphose, and post settlement mortality to an age of 4 wk post metamorphosis. Reef-specific egg production is highly variable on a per unit basis within the James. In all reef systems fertilization losses approach two orders of magnitude, in some instances higher than estimated losses to advection over a 21-day development period. The combination of limited substrate availability compounded by substrate fouling suggests that increasing substrate availability at the rime of settlement would strongly facilitate an increase in population size. Final estimates from sequential calculations of surviving juvenile densities agree within one order of magnitude with field observations

Final report for the project entitled A stock recruit model of the James River oyster fishery

The James River, Virginia has served as the focal point for the Virginia oyster ( Crassostrea virginica) industry for over a century, being the source of the majority of seed oysters that were transplanted for grow-out to locations within the Virginia portion of the Chesapeake Bay and much further afield in the Middle Atlantic states. It has been the site of continuing investigations of oyster distribution in relation to bottom type (Baylor 1894, Moore 1911, Loosanoff 1931, Marshall 1954, Haven at al. 1981a, Andrews 1982, Haven and Whitcomb 1983, Mann and Wesson unpublished data), spawning activity (Cox and Mann 1992, Mann et al 1994), larval biology and settlement (Loosanoff 1931, Andrews 1951, 1954, Wood and Hargis 1971, Andrews 1979, Haven and Fritz 1985, Andrews 1983, Mann 1988), larval dispersal in relation to circu1ation (Pritchard 1953, Ruz.ecld and Moncure 1968, Ruz.ecki and Hargis 1988), disease impact (Andrews 1954, 1962, 1968, Burreson and Ragone Calvo 1996) and a series of unpublished qualitative annual surveys of oyster resources by location (Virginia Institute of Marine Science Library Archive). Given the ecological importance (see Mann etal. 1991) and commercial value (see Haven et al. 1981 b) of oysters originating from the James River it is surprising that comparatively little effort has been devoted to quantitative examination of the relationships between environmental fluctuations (temperature and salinity), dominant aspects of oyster biology (gains associated with growth, spawning and recruitment versus losses to predation and disease), and the comparative impact of fishing mortality in this location. (...

The Success of Sinister Right-Handers in Baseball

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A revision of the genus Scylla de Haan, 1833 (Crustacea: Decapoda: Brachyura: portunidae)

There has been considerable confusion regarding the taxonomy of species in the genus Scylla, commonly known as mud or mangrove crabs. To resolve this confusion we collected material from the Red Sea (the original type locality of Scylla serrata), and from many other locations throughout the Indo-Pacific. Two independent genetic methods, allozyme electrophoresis and sequencing of two mitochondrial DNA genes, cytochrome oxidase I and I 6s RNA, were employed in an attempt to discriminate species. The genetic data show that there are at least four distinct Scylla species. Using this knowledge their morphology was critically examined, and morphometric data analysed, to determine useful characters for field separation. Nomenclatural problems have been addressed with appropriate neotype and lectotype designations. The species recognised are: S. serrata (Forskal, I 775), S. olivacea (Herbst, 1796), S. tranquebarica (Fabricius, 1798), and S. paramamosain Estampador, 1949

Generalized entropy and Noether charge

We find an expression for the generalized gravitational entropy of Hawking in terms of Noether charge. As an example, the entropy of the Taub-Bolt spacetime is calculated.Comment: 6 pages, revtex, reference correcte

A self-powered pumping system for in situ extraction of particulate and dissolved materials from large volumes of seawater

A pumping system has been developed for the in situ extraction of particles and of dissolved constituents from large volumes of seawater. The assembly consists of a battery-powered submersible pump, filters, and chemisorptive cartridges; it is entirely self-contained and has been used successfully on ship's hydrographic wire to depths as great as 5800 m. The pump is designed to operate at a maximum pressure drop of 66 cm of Hg; flow rates have varied from 1.3 to 5.1 liters/min. We have sampled volumes as large as 758 liters, and the measured battery drain suggests that volumes several times this could be pumped at any depth. The system is being used to study a variety of artificial radionuclides, but modifications of the filter or chemisorbent units would make it useful in many other geochemical applications.Prepared for the U.S. Department of Energy under Contracts DE-AC02-76EV03563 and DE-AC02-81EV10694 and through Sandia Laboratories under Contracts 13-2562 and 16/3112

The Effect of Density on Growth, Yield, and Reproduction of the Sea Scallop, Placopecten magellanicus: Final Report

Results from this project indicate that density in combination with settlement at depth in potentially marginal habitat contribute to reductions in growth, yield, and reproductive effort. In general, Study Area was not a contributing factor to the reductions in the three areas of scallop biological processes we measured. Scallops that settle in dense aggregations at varying depths may respond differentially to environmental conditions, food availability, habitat, and removals. (...) Results from this study will enhance our knowledge of the scallop population with respect to conditions that diverge from expected biological processes. Results will also allow for better management and assessment of the resource when these situations occur in the future, as well as inform managers and stakeholders regarding expectations for scallops in dense aggregations

Fight without sight:The contribution of vision to judo performance

Objective: Although vision is typically considered the predominant sense for guiding performance, there are sports for which other senses are believed to be as important, if not more important than vision. Accordingly, in Paralympic judo, athletes with different degrees of vision impairment (VI) compete together based on the assumption that vision does not influence judo performance, as long as judokas start the match with their grip in place. The aim of this research was to test this assumption. Method: We conducted two studies. In the first we analysed data from two major recent VI judo competitions to compare the relative performance of blind and partially sighted athletes when competing against each other. In the second study, twenty-four able-sighted players competed in practice matches in sighted and blindfolded conditions. Results: In Study 1, we demonstrated that blind judokas win far less medals in VI judo competitions than their partially sighted opponents. In study 2, a significant performance advantage was found for sighted judokas fighting against blindfolded opponents. Conclusions: Vision enhances judo performance, even when judokas start the match with their grip in place. These findings suggest that it would be desirable to take measures to make VI judo competition fairer to those who are most severely impaired