Visual Acuity does not Moderate Effect Sizes of Higher-Level Cognitive Tasks.

Background/study contextDeclining visual capacities in older adults have been posited as a driving force behind adult age differences in higher-order cognitive functions (e.g., the "common cause" hypothesis of Lindenberger & Baltes, 1994, Psychology and Aging, 9, 339-355). McGowan, Patterson, and Jordan (2013, Experimental Aging Research, 39, 70-79) also found that a surprisingly large number of published cognitive aging studies failed to include adequate measures of visual acuity. However, a recent meta-analysis of three studies (La Fleur and Salthouse, 2014, Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 21, 1202-1208) failed to find evidence that visual acuity moderated or mediated age differences in higher-level cognitive processes. In order to provide a more extensive test of whether visual acuity moderates age differences in higher-level cognitive processes, we conducted a more extensive meta-analysis of topic.MethodsUsing results from 456 studies, we calculated effect sizes for the main effect of age across four cognitive domains (attention, executive function, memory, and perception/language) separately for five levels of visual acuity criteria (no criteria, undisclosed criteria, self-reported acuity, 20/80-20/31, and 20/30 or better).ResultsAs expected, age had a significant effect on each cognitive domain. However, these age effects did not further differ as a function of visual acuity criteria.ConclusionThe current meta-analytic, cross-sectional results suggest that visual acuity is not significantly related to age group differences in higher-level cognitive performance-thereby replicating La Fleur and Salthouse (2014). Further efforts are needed to determine whether other measures of visual functioning (e.g., contrast sensitivity, luminance) affect age differences in cognitive functioning

Adaptive Finite Element Simulation of Currents at Microelectrodes to a Guaranteed Accuracy. Application to Channel Microband Electrodes.

We extend our earlier work (see K. Harriman et al., Technical Report NA99/19) on adaptive finite element methods for disc electrodes to the case of reaction mechanisms to the increasingly popular channel microband electrode configuration. We use the standard Galerkin finite element method for the diffusion-dominated (low-flow) case, and the streamline diffusion finite element method for the convection-dominated (high-flow) case. We first consider the simple E reaction mechanism (convection-diffusion equation) and we demonstrate excellent agreement with previous approximate analytical results across the range of parameters of interest, on comparatively coarse meshes. We then consider ECE and EC2E reaction mechanisms (linear and nonlinear systems of reaction-convection-diffusion equations, respectively); again we are able to demonstrate excellent agreement with previous results.\ud \ud The authors are pleased to acknowledge the financial support of the following organisations: a research studentship for KH; a Career Development Fellowship from the Medical Research Council for DJG, which has allowed them to undertake this research

The Effect of a Pre-Bankruptcy Judicial Lien on the Post-Bankruptcy Accrual in Value of Exempt Property

Symposium - An Analysis of Developments in Bankruptcy La

Characterising the tumour morphological response to therapeutic intervention:an ex vivo model

In cancer, morphological assessment of histological tissue samples is a fundamental part of both diagnosis and prognosis. Image analysis offers opportunities to support that assessment through quantitative metrics of morphology. Generally, morphometric analysis is carried out on two dimensional tissue section data and so only represents a small fraction of any tumour. We present a novel application of three-dimensional (3D) morphometrics for 3D imaging data obtained from tumours grown in a culture model. Minkowski functionals, a set of measures that characterise geometry and topology in n-dimensional space, are used to quantify tumour topology in the absence of and in response to therapeutic intervention. These measures are used to stratify the morphological response of tumours to therapeutic intervention. Breast tumours are characterised by estrogen receptor (ER) status, human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER)2 status and tumour grade. Previously, we have shown that ER status is associated with tumour volume in response to tamoxifen treatment ex vivo. Here, HER2 status is found to predict the changes in morphology other than volume as a result of tamoxifen treatment ex vivo. Finally, we show the extent to which Minkowski functionals might be used to predict tumour grade.Minkowski functionals are generalisable to any 3D data set, including in vivo and cellular systems. This quantitative topological analysis can provide a valuable link among biomarkers, drug intervention and tumour morphology that is complementary to existing, non-morphological measures of tumour response to intervention and could ultimately inform patient treatment

Measuring atomic NOON-states and using them to make precision measurements

A scheme for creating NOON-states of the quasi-momentum of ultra-cold atoms has recently been proposed [New J. Phys. 8, 180 (2006)]. This was achieved by trapping the atoms in an optical lattice in a ring configuration and rotating the potential at a rate equal to half a quantum of angular momentum . In this paper we present a scheme for confirming that a NOON-state has indeed been created. This is achieved by spectroscopically mapping out the anti-crossing between the ground and first excited levels by modulating the rate at which the potential is rotated. Finally we show how the NOON-state can be used to make precision measurements of rotation.Comment: 14 preprint pages, 7 figure

Potentiated virucidal activity of pomegranate rind extract (PRE) and punicalagin against Herpes simplex virus (HSV) when co-administered with zinc (II) ions, and antiviral activity of PRE against HSV and aciclovir-resistant HSV

Background There is a clinical need for new therapeutic products against Herpes simplex virus (HSV). The pomegranate, fruit of the tree Punica granatum L, has since ancient times been linked to activity against infection. This work probed the activity of pomegranate rind extract (PRE) and co-administered zinc (II) ions. Materials and methods PRE was used in conjunction with zinc (II) salts to challenge HSV-1 and aciclovir-resistant HSV in terms of virucidal plaque assay reduction and antiviral activities in epithelial Vero host cells. Cytotoxicity was determined by the MTS assay using a commercial kit. Results Zinc sulphate, zinc citrate, zinc stearate and zinc gluconate demonstrated similar potentiated virucidal activity with PRE against HSV-1 by up to 4-fold. A generally parabolic relationship was observed when HSV-1 was challenged with PRE and varying concentrations of ZnSO4, with a maximum potentiation factor of 5.5. Punicalagin had 8-fold greater virucidal activity than an equivalent mass of PRE. However, antiviral data showed that punicalagin had significantly lower antiviral activity compared to the activity of PRE (EC50 = 0.56 μg mL-1) a value comparable to aciclovir (EC50 = 0.18 μg mL-1); however, PRE also demonstrated potency against aciclovir-resistant HSV (EC50 = 0.02 μg mL-1), whereas aciclovir showed no activity. Antiviral action of PRE was not influenced by ZnSO4. No cytotoxicity was detected with any test solution. Conclusions The potentiated virucidal activity of PRE by coadministered zinc (II) has potential as a multi-action novel topical therapeutic agent against HSV infections, such as coldsores

In vitro permeation and biological activity of punicalagin and zinc (II) across skin and mucous membranes prone to Herpes simplex virus infection

Coadministration of pomegranate rind extract (PRE) and zinc (II) ions has recently been reported as a potential new topical treatment for Herpes simplex virus (HSV) infections. In the current work we examined the in vitro topical delivery of punicalagin (major phytochemical of PRE) and zinc from hydrogels across epithelial membranes that can become infected with HSV. Porcine epidermal, buccal and vaginal mucous membranes were excised and mounted in Franz diffusion cells and dosed with a simple hydrogel containing PRE and zinc sulphate (ZnSO4). The permeation of punicalagin and zinc were determined by HPLC and ICPMS respectively; punicalagin was also determined in the basal layers by reverse tape stripping. Receptor phases from the epidermal membrane experiment were also used to challenge HSV-1 in Vero host cells, and ex vivo porcine skin was used to probe COX-2 modulation. Punicalagin and zinc permeated each of the three test membranes, with significantly greater amounts of both delivered across the epidermal membrane. The amounts of punicalagin permeating the buccal and vaginal membranes were similar, although the amount of zinc permeating the vaginal membrane was comparatively very large – it is known that zinc interacts with vaginal mucosa. The punicalagin recovered by reverse tape stripping of the epidermal, buccal and vaginal membranes gave 0.47 ± 0.016, 0.45 ± 0.052 and 0.51 ± 0.048 nM cm− 2 respectively, and were statistically the same (p < 0.05). A 2.5 log reduction was achieved against HSV-1 using diffusion cell receptor phase, and COX-2 expression was reduced by 64% in ex vivo skin after 6 h. Overall, a hydrogel containing 1.25 mg mL− 1 PRE and 0.25 M ZnSO4 was able to topically deliver both the major bioactive compound within PRE and Zn (II) across all membranes and into the site specific region of Herpes simplex vesicular clusters, while maintaining potentiated virucidal and anti-inflammatory properties. This novel therapeutic system therefore has potential for the topical treatment of HSV infections

Lorentz-Shaped Comet Dust Trail Cross Section from New Hybrid Visual and Video Meteor Counting Technique - Implications for Future Leonid Storm Encounters

A new hybrid technique of visual and video meteor observations was developed to provide high precision near real-time flux measurements for satellite operators from airborne platforms. A total of 33,000 Leonids. recorded on video during the 1999 Leonid storm, were watched by a team of visual observers using a video head display and an automatic counting tool. The counts reveal that the activity profile of the Leonid storm is a Lorentz profile. By assuming a radial profile for the dust trail that is also a Lorentzian, we make predictions for future encounters. If that assumption is correct, we passed 0.0003 AU deeper into the 1899 trailet than expected during the storm of 1999 and future encounters with the 1866 trailet will be less intense than. predicted elsewhere