Is virtual reality a valid tool for restorative environments research?

This study examines the validity of virtual reality for assessing the restorative quality of environments. In Study 1, participants (N = 23) visited a real natural and a real urban environment, after completing a task to induce mental fatigue (i.e., a Sudoku task). We found that perceived restorative characteristics, preference ratings, experienced pleasure and self-reported restoration were higher in a real natural environment compared to a real urban environment. Perceived restorative characteristics could predict pleasure and restoration for both the real natural and urban environments, as well as preference for the real natural environment. In Study 2, participants (N = 26) visited a virtual natural and a virtual urban environment, again following a mental fatigue induction. Findings showed that virtual simulations of a natural and urban environment elicit similar effects as real counterparts of these environments. Perceived restorative characteristics, preference, pleasure and restoration were higher in a virtual natural environment compared to a virtual urban environment. Additionally, perceived restorative characteristics could predict pleasure and restoration for both the virtual natural and urban environments, and preference for the virtual natural environment. We did not find significant differences in perceived restorative characteristics between the real and virtual butterfly garden. Moreover, similar restorative characteristics predicted preference, pleasure and restoration in the real butterfly garden and the virtual butterfly garden. These findings indicate that virtual reality can be a valid tool for restorative environments research

Multicultural personality and effectiveness in an intercultural training simulation: The role of stress and pro‐active communication

Multicultural personality traits have been shown to predict intercultural outcomes in a range of settings. However, how these traits affect behaviour during intercultural interactions remains an understudied area. A study was conducted among participants in intercultural training sessions, to examine whether scores on the five dimensions of the Multicultural Personality Questionnaire (MPQ) could predict how they performed in the intercultural simulation game “Barnga.” Both a self-rating and other-rating of intercultural effectiveness were included. Furthermore, we examined whether perceived stress and pro-active communication played a mediating role. Results of Latent Growth Curve Modelling (LGCM) show that emotional stability has a positive effect on mean scores (intercept) of both self-rated and other-rated outcomes, mediated through perceived stress. Social Initiative has a positive effect on the rate of improvement (slope) in other-rated outcomes during the simulation, mediated through pro-active communication

Transgenic inhibition of neuronal calcineurin activity in the forebrain facilitates fear conditioning, but inhibits the extinction of contextual fear memories

It is unclear whether protein phosphatases, which counteract the actions of protein kinases, play a beneficial role in the formation and extinction of previously acquired fear memories. In this study, we investigated the role of the calcium/calmodulin dependent phosphatase 2B, also known as calcineurin (CaN) in the formation of contextual fear memory and extinction of previously acquired contextual fear. We used a temporally regulated transgenic approach, that allowed us to selectively inhibit neuronal CaN activity in the forebrain either during conditioning or only during extinction training leaving the conditioning undisturbed. Reducing CaN activity through the expression of a CaN inhibitor facilitated contextual fear conditioning, while it impaired the extinction of previously formed contextual fear memory. These findings give the first genetic evidence that neuronal CaN plays an opposite role in the formation of contextual fear memories and the extinction of previously formed contextual fear memories. (C) 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved

Neutral Gas Distribution and Kinematics of the Nearly Face-on Spiral Galaxy NGC 1232

We have analyzed high velocity resolution HI synthesis observations of the nearly face-on Sc galaxy NGC 1232. The neutral gas distribution extends well beyond the optical extent of the galaxy. As expected, local peaks in the HI column density are associated with the spiral arms. Further, the HI column density drops precipitously near the center of the galaxy. Closed contours in the velocity field suggest either that the system is warped, or that the rotation curve declines. The velocity dispersion is approximately constant throughout the system, with a median value of 9.9 +/- 1.8 km/s. When corrected for rotational broadening, there is no indication of a radial trend in the neutral gas velocity dispersion in this galaxy.Comment: 14 pages of text, 10 pages of figures. Accepted to the A

Biological decolorization of xanthene dyes by anaerobic granular biomass

Biodegradation of a xanthene dyes was investigated for the first time using anaerobic granular sludge. On a first screening, biomass was able to decolorize, at different extents, six azo dye solutions: acid orange 7, direct black 19, direct blue 71, mordant yellow 10, reactive red 2 and reactive red 120 and two xanthene dyes—Erythrosine B and Eosin Y. Biomass concentration, type of electron donor, induction of biomass with dye and mediation with activated carbon (AC) were variables studied for Erythrosine B (Ery) as model dye. Maximum color removal efficiency was achieved with 4.71 g VSS L−1, while the process rates were independent of the biomass concentration above 1.89 g VSS L−1. No considerable effects were observed when different substrates were used as electron donors (VFA, glucose or lactose). Addition of Ery in the incubation period of biomass led to a fivefold increase of the decolorization rate. The rate of Ery decolorization almost duplicated in the presence of commercial AC (0.1 g L−1 AC0). Using different modified AC samples (from the treatment of AC0), a threefold higher rate was obtained with the most basic one, \textAC\textH2ACH2, as compared with non-mediated reaction. Higher rates were obtained at pH 6.0. Chemical reduction using Na2S confirmed the recalcitrant nature of this dye. The results attest that decolorization of Ery is essentially due to enzymatic and adsorption phenomena.This work was supported by the PTDC/AMB/69335/2006 project grants (Fundacao para a Ciencia e Technologia, FCT, Portugal), BRAIN project (ID 6681, European Social Found and Romanian Government and the grant of the Romanian National Authority for Scientific Research, CNCS-UEFISCDI, project number PN-II-ID-PCE-2011-3-0559, Contract 265/2011

Departures From Axisymmetric Morphology and Dynamics in Spiral Galaxies

New HI synthesis data have been obtained for six face-on galaxies with the Very Large Array. These data and reanalyses of three additional data sets make up a sample of nine face-on galaxies analyzed for deviations from axisymmetry in morphology and dynamics. This sample represents a subsample of galaxies already analyzed for morphological symmetry properties in the R-band. Four quantitative measures of dynamical nonaxisymmetry are compared to one another and to the quantitative measures of morphological asymmetry in HI and R-band to investigate the relationships between nonaxisymmetric morphology and dynamics. We find no significant relationship between asymmetric morphology and most of the dynamical measures in our sample. A possible relationship is found, however, between morphology and dynamical position angle differences between approaching and receding sides of the galaxy.Comment: 24 pages, 19 figures, AASTeX, accepted for publication in AJ, postscript figures available at ftp://culebra.tn.cornell.edu/pub/david/figures.tar.g

Role of Linker Functionality in Polymers Exhibiting Main-Chain Thermally Activated Delayed Fluorescence

Excellent performance has been reported for organic light‐emitting diodes (OLEDs) based on small molecule emitters that exhibit thermally activated delayed fluorescence. However, the necessary vacuum processing makes the fabrication of large‐area devices based on these emitters cumbersome and expensive. Here, the authors present high performance OLEDs, based on novel, TADF polymers that can be readily processed from a solution. These polymers are based on the acridine‐benzophenone donor–acceptor motif as main‐chain TADF chromophores, linked by various conjugated and non‐conjugated spacer moieties. The authors’ extensive spectroscopic and electronic analysis shows that in particular in case of alkyl spacers, the properties and performance of the monomeric TADF chromophores are virtually left unaffected by the polymerization. They present efficient solution‐processed OLEDs based on these TADF polymers, diluted in oligostyrene as a host. The devices based on the alkyl spacer‐based TADF polymers exhibit external quantum efficiencies (EQEs) ≈12%, without any outcoupling‐enhancing measures. What's more, the EQE of these devices does not drop substantially upon diluting the polymer down to only ten weight percent of active material. In contrast, the EQE of devices based on the monomeric chromophore show significant losses upon dilution due to loss of charge percolation

IGF system targeted therapy:Therapeutic opportunities for ovarian cancer

The insulin-like growth factor (IGF) system comprises multiple growth factor receptors, including insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R), insulin receptor (IR)-A and-B. These receptors are activated upon binding to their respective growth factor ligands, IGF-I, IGF-II and insulin, and play an important role in development, maintenance, progression, survival and chemotherapeutic response of ovarian cancer. In many pre-clinical studies anti-IGF-1R/IR targeted strategies proved effective in reducing growth of ovarian cancer models. In addition, anti-IGF-1R targeted strategies potentiated the efficacy of platinum based chemotherapy. Despite the vast amount of encouraging and promising pre-clinical data, anti-IGF-1R/IR targeted strategies lacked efficacy in the clinic. The question is whether targeting the IGF-1R/IR signaling pathway still holds therapeutic potential. In this review we address the complexity of the IGF-1R/IR signaling pathway, including receptor heterodimerization within and outside the IGF system and downstream signaling. Further, we discuss the implications of this complexity on current targeted strategies and indicate therapeutic opportunities for successful targeting of the IGF-1R/IR signaling pathway in ovarian cancer. Multiple-targeted approaches circumventing bidirectional receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) compensation and prevention of system rewiring are expected to have more therapeutic potential