Symmetry lasts longer than random, but only for brief presentations.

Previous research has shown that explicit emotional content or physical image properties (e.g. luminance, size and numerosity) alter subjective duration. Palumbo et al. (2015) recently demonstrated that the presence or absence of abstract reflectional symmetry also influenced subjective duration. Here, we explored this phenomenon further by varying the type of symmetry (reflection or rotation) and the objective duration of stimulus presentation (less or more than one second). Experiment 1 used a verbal estimation task in which participants estimated the presentation duration of reflection, rotation symmetry or random square-field patterns. Longer estimates were given for reflectional symmetry images than rotation or random, but only when the image was presented for less than 1 second. There was no difference between rotation and random. These findings were confirmed by a second Experiment using a paired-comparison task. This temporal distortion could be because reflection has positive valence or because it is processed efficiently be the visual system. The mechanism remains to be determined. We are relatively sure, however, that reflectional patterns can increase subjective duration in the absence of explicit semantic content, and in the absence of changes in the size, luminance or numerosity in the images

Topotecan-vincristine-doxorubicin in stage 4 high risk neuroblastoma patients failing to achieve a complete metastatic response to rapid COJEC : a SIOPEN study

Purpose : Metastatic response to induction therapy for high-risk neuroblastoma is a prognostic factor. In the International Society of Paediatric Oncology Europe Neuroblastoma (SIOPEN) HR-NBL-1 protocol, only patients with metastatic complete response (CR) or partial response (PR) with <= three abnormal skeletal areas on iodine 123-metaiodobenzylguanidine ([I-123] mIBG) scintigraphy and no bone marrow disease proceed to high dose therapy (HDT). In this study, topotecan-vincristine-doxorubicin (TVD) was evaluated in patients failing to achieve these criteria, with the aim of improving the metastatic response rate. Materials and Methods : Patients with metastatic high-risk neuroblastoma who had not achieved the SIOPEN criteria for HDT after induction received two courses of topotecan 1.5 mg/m(2)/day for 5 days, followed by a 48-hour infusion of vincristine, 2 mg/m(2), and doxorubicin, 45 mg/m(2). Results : Sixty-three patients were eligible and evaluable. Following two courses of TVD, four (6.4%) patients had an overall CR, while 28 (44.4%) had a PR with a combined response rate of 50.8% (95% confidence interval [CI], 37.9 to 63.6). Of these, 23 patients achieved a metastatic CR or a PR with <= 3 mIBG skeletal areas and no bone marrow disease (36.5%; 95% CI, 24.7 to 49.6) and were eligible to receive HDT. Toxicity was mostly haematological, affecting 106 of the 126 courses (84.1%; 95% CI, 76.5 to 90.0), and dose reduction was necessary in six patients. Stomatitis was the second most common nonhematological toxicity, occurring in 20 patients (31.7%). Conclusion : TVD was effective in improving the response rate of high-risk neuroblastoma patients after induction with COJEC enabling them to proceed to HDT. However, the long-term benefits of TVD needs to be determined in randomized clinical trials

Extended H? emission line sources from UWISH2

We present the extended source catalogue for the UKIRT Wide Field Infrared Survey for H2 (UWISH2). The survey is unbiased along the inner Galactic Plane from l ? 357° to l ? 65° and |b| ? 1.5° and covers 209 deg2. A further 42.0 and 35.5 deg2 of high dust column density regions have been targeted in Cygnus and Auriga. We have identified 33 200 individual extended H2 features. They have been classified to be associated with about 700 groups of jets and outflows, 284 individual (candidate) planetary nebulae, 30 supernova remnants and about 1300 photodissociation regions. We find a clear decline of star formation activity (traced by H2 emission from jets and photodissociation regions) with increasing distance from the Galactic Centre. About 60 per cent of the detected candidate planetary nebulae have no known counterpart and 25 per cent of all supernova remnants have detectable H2 emission associated with them

A pilot comparative study of fissurectomy/diltiazem and fissurectomy/botulinum toxin in the treatment of chronic anal fissure

Background: Treatment of chronic anal fissure (CAF) by fissurectomy with botulinum toxin A (BTA) injection results in a healing rate of greater than 90%. BTA injection, however, can cause incontinence and perianal sepsis. The decrease in sphincter pressure following topical treatment with 2% diltiazem cream (DTC) is comparable to that following BTA injection but with potentially fewer complications and at less cost. We report the shortterm results of a pilot study comparing fissurectomy with BTA and fissurectomy followed by DTC for the treatment of CAF. Methods: The recorded outcomes of CAF following treatment with the two methods were analysed retrospectively. Patients underwent either fissurectomy followed by injection of 40 U BTA into the internal sphincter (group A) or fissurectomy followed by the perianal application of DTC twice daily for 8 weeks (group B). Symptom resolution and treatment side effects at the initial follow-up were compared. Results: Demographics, fissure characteristics and the number of multiparous women between the two groups were comparable. At a median follow-up of 12 weeks (range 8-20 weeks), the two groups had similar rates of complete symptom resolution (group A, 25/28, 89.3%; group B, 19/23, 82.6%; p=0.7739), with minor side effects. Conclusions: In this small pilot study fissurectomy combined with chemical sphincterotomy resulted in high short-term fissure healing rates. The study also suggested that fissurectomy followed by 8 weeks of topical DTC may be as good as fissurectomy with BTA injection in the treatment of CAF. A prospective study, adequately powered to determine the significance of differences is neede

Covert Tracking: A Combined ERP and Fixational Eye Movement Study

Attention can be directed to particular spatial locations, or to objects that appear at anticipated points in time. While most work has focused on spatial or temporal attention in isolation, we investigated covert tracking of smoothly moving objects, which requires continuous coordination of both. We tested two propositions about the neural and cognitive basis of this operation: first that covert tracking is a right hemisphere function, and second that pre-motor components of the oculomotor system are responsible for driving covert spatial attention during tracking. We simultaneously recorded event related potentials (ERPs) and eye position while participants covertly tracked dots that moved leftward or rightward at 12 or 20°/s. ERPs were sensitive to the direction of target motion. Topographic development in the leftward motion was a mirror image of the rightward motion, suggesting that both hemispheres contribute equally to covert tracking. Small shifts in eye position were also lateralized according to the direction of target motion, implying covert activation of the oculomotor system. The data addresses two outstanding questions about the nature of visuospatial tracking. First, covert tracking is reliant upon a symmetrical frontoparietal attentional system, rather than being right lateralized. Second, this same system controls both pursuit eye movements and covert tracking

Understanding the management of osteoarthritis in Australia: a qualitative study of GPs and orthopaedic surgeons in Tasmania, Australia

ObjectiveUsing a qualitative design this study aimed to 1) explore the attitudes towards and understanding of osteoarthritis (OA) held by Tasmanian general practitioners (GPs) and orthopaedic surgeons, 2) gain a deeper understanding of conservative and surgical management and 3) identify key barriers and challenges.DesignPurposive sampling was used to recruit 17 ​GPs and 10 surgeons from Tasmania, Australia. Semi-structured interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, coded, and thematically analysed to document understanding of OA, management and treatment decision making.ResultsGPs and surgeons had a shared understanding of the cause and management of OA which aligned well with evidence-based best practice. Most GPs acknowledged that severity of disease on an X-Ray does not correlate well with symptoms, although some GPs reported always using imaging to support their diagnosis. Conservative management was highly supported by all interviewees, focussing on exercise and/or physiotherapy. Key treatment barriers included managing poor patient understanding of OA, unrealistic expectations for treatment, lack of patient motivation and scepticism towards exercise, and cost and accessibility of conservative treatment options. Surgery was considered a suitable option when conservative management options had been exhausted.ConclusionThis study uniquely interviewed GPs and surgeons from the same population, capturing two crucial areas of OA management. Some key barriers to treatment were identified and options for improving treatment include creating opportunities for increased patient education about OA, enhanced accessibility to OA conservative management programs along with improved reimbursement models supporting conservative management as first-line OA treatment