Probing Early Motion Processing With Eye Movements: Differences of Vestibular Migraine, Migraine With and Without Aura in the Attack Free Interval

Background.-Migraineurs, in between headache attacks, have a different sensitivity to sensory motion stimuli compared to non-migraineurs. Methods.-This cross-sectional laboratory study examines the motion processing in migraineurs using ocular following responses (OFR) elicited by large field random dot patterns and open-loop smooth pursuit eye movements (PS) elicited by a single target moving on a homogenous background. Eye movements were recorded with a video-oculographic system (EyeSeeTec (R)) and stimuli presented on a CRT at 100 Hz repetition rate to horizontal stimuli of a velocity of 2.5 to 160 degrees/s. Eye movements were analyzed during the open loop period. Results.-We recorded 43 migraine patients: 14 migraine with (MwA), 19 without aura (MwoA), 10 vestibular migraine (VM), and 16 healthy controls. ANOVA analysis of OFR responses amplitudes showed significant differences in the subgroup (control, MwA, MwoA, and VM) (F-3,F-409 =29.8, P<.001), stimulus velocity (F-6,F-406=12.6, P<.001), and interaction (F-18,F-394=1.9, P=.015). Fitting the OFR response velocity tuning by a Weibull function showed that the subgroups were different in the linear scaling factor (F-4,F-53=4.3, P<.001) but not in parameters defining the overall form of the tuning function. In contrast, the initial open-loop responses of PS were not changed compared to control for the three different migraine subgroups. Conclusion.-From the findings, we hypothesize that in the migraine subtypes, MwA and VM, there is different sensory motion information processing for OFR compared to MwoA and control, not explained by a neuronal hyperexcitability in V5. OFR might be a possible subclinical marker in the future to diagnose MwA and VM

Hydrolysis–dehydration of cellulose to glucose and 5-hydroxymethylfurfural over Sibunit solid acid carbon catalysts under semi-flow conditions

Glucose is a widely used chemical, food and feedstock. 5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) is one of the platform molecules, which could be applied in chemical and fuel industries. This work presents the possibility of glucose and 5-HMF production from inedible cellulose, which is the main component of renewable plant (wood) biomass via one-pot hydrolysis–dehydration over solid acid catalysts based on Sibunit carbon material. The catalysts prepared via oxidation with wet air mixture, HNO3, sulfonation by fuming H2SO4 at 80–200 °C or combination of the techniques demonstrated high activity under hydrothermal semi-flow conditions. Dependences of both glucose and 5-HMF formation on catalyst acidity and the nature and amount of surface acid groups are revealed. The total surface acidity but not the chemical nature of the groups is responsible for effective cellulose hydrolysis to glucose. On the other hand, sulfo groups demonstrate noticeable activity in 5-HMF formation from glucose. Glucose and 5-HMF can be derived from the polysaccharide with yields up to 75 and 10%, respectively

Upgradation of chemical, fuel, thermal, and structural properties of rice husk through microwave-assisted hydrothermal carbonization

The process parameters of microwave hydrothermal carbonization (MHTC) have significant effect on yield of hydrochar. This study discusses the effect of process parameters on hydrochar yield produced from MHTC of rice husk. Results revealed that, over the ranges tested, a lower temperature, lower reaction time, lower biomass to water ratio, and higher particle size produce more hydrochar. Maximum hydrochar yield of 62.8% was obtained at 1000 W, 220 °C, and 5 min. The higher heating value (HHV) was improved significantly from 6.80 MJ/kg of rice husk to 16.10 MJ/kg of hydrochar. Elemental analysis results showed that the carbon content increased and oxygen content decreased in hydrochar from 25.9 to 47.2% and 68.5 to 47.0%, respectively, improving the energy and combustion properties. SEM analysis exhibited modification in structure of rice husk and improvement in porosity after MHTC, which was further confirmed from BET surface analysis. The BET surface area increased from 25.0656 m 2 /g (rice husk) to 92.6832 m 2 /g (hydrochar). Thermal stability of hydrochar was improved from 340 °C for rice husk to 370 °C for hydrochar