Encoding of temporal probabilities in the human brain

Anticipating the timing of future events is a necessary precursor to preparing actions and allocating resources to sensory processing. This requires elapsed time to be represented in the brain and used to predict the temporal probability of upcoming events. While neuropsychological, imaging, magnetic stimulation studies, and single-unit recordings implicate the role of higher parietal and motor-related areas in temporal estimation, the role of earlier, purely sensory structures remains more controversial. Here we demonstrate that the temporal probability of expected visual events is encoded not by a single area but by a wide network that importantly includes neuronal populations at the very earliest cortical stages of visual processing. Moreover, we show that activity in those areas changes dynamically in a manner that closely accords with temporal expectations

Chirality dependence of the radial breathing phonon mode density in single wall carbon nanotubes

A mass and spring model is used to calculate the phonon mode dispersion for single wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) of arbitrary chirality. The calculated dispersions are used to determine the chirality dependence of the radial breathing phonon mode (RBM) density. Van Hove singularities, usually discussed in the context of the single particle electronic excitation spectrum, are found in the RBM density of states with distinct qualitative differences for zig zag, armchair and chiral SWNTs. The influence the phonon mode density has on the two phonon resonant Raman scattering cross-section is discussed.Comment: 6 pages, 2 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Cryo-Jet Preservation of Calcium in the Rat Spinal Cord

In order to determine the distribution of diffusible ions, especially calcium, in rat spinal cord axons before and after trauma, sham, 6 hours post 6 gm/cm and 20 gm/cm trauma cords were cryo-jet frozen in situ and cryo-sections were subjected to electron probe X-ray microanalysis. The results confirm part of the Ca hypothesis, i.e., some spinal cord axons accumulate intracellular Ca after traumatic injury. In addition, 6 hours after trauma, Ca is only accumulated by axons that have also lost homeostasis. Thus, it is likely that observations of the continual rise of Ca in the traumatized spinal cord are due to an increase in the number of axons that have lost homeostasis rather than an overall increase in Ca within surviving cells

Stochastic theory of large-scale enzyme-reaction networks: Finite copy number corrections to rate equation models

Chemical reactions inside cells occur in compartment volumes in the range of atto- to femtolitres. Physiological concentrations realized in such small volumes imply low copy numbers of interacting molecules with the consequence of considerable fluctuations in the concentrations. In contrast, rate equation models are based on the implicit assumption of infinitely large numbers of interacting molecules, or equivalently, that reactions occur in infinite volumes at constant macroscopic concentrations. In this article we compute the finite-volume corrections (or equivalently the finite copy number corrections) to the solutions of the rate equations for chemical reaction networks composed of arbitrarily large numbers of enzyme-catalyzed reactions which are confined inside a small sub-cellular compartment. This is achieved by applying a mesoscopic version of the quasi-steady state assumption to the exact Fokker-Planck equation associated with the Poisson Representation of the chemical master equation. The procedure yields impressively simple and compact expressions for the finite-volume corrections. We prove that the predictions of the rate equations will always underestimate the actual steady-state substrate concentrations for an enzyme-reaction network confined in a small volume. In particular we show that the finite-volume corrections increase with decreasing sub-cellular volume, decreasing Michaelis-Menten constants and increasing enzyme saturation. The magnitude of the corrections depends sensitively on the topology of the network. The predictions of the theory are shown to be in excellent agreement with stochastic simulations for two types of networks typically associated with protein methylation and metabolism.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figures; published in The Journal of Chemical Physic

Observations of Global and Local Infall in NGC 1333

We report ``infall asymmetry'' in the HCO$^+$ (1--0) and (3--2) lines toward NGC 1333, extended over $\sim 0.39 {\rm pc}^2$, a larger extent than has been reported be fore, for any star-forming region. The infall asymmetry extends over a major portion of the star-forming complex, and is not limited to a single protostar, or to a single dense core, or to a single spectral line. It seems likely that the infall asymmetry represents inward motions, and that these motions are physically associated with the complex. Both blue-asymmetric and red-asymmetric lines are seen, but in both the (3--2) and (1--0) lines of HCO$^+$ the vast majority of the asymmetric lines are blue, indicating inward motions. The (3--2) line, tracing denser gas, has the spectra with the strongest asymmetry and these spectra are associated with the protostars IRAS 4A and 4B, which most likely indicates a warm central source is affecting the line profiles. The (3--2) and (1--0) lines usually have the same sense of asymmetry in common positions, but their profiles differ significantly, and the (1--0) line appears to trace motions on much larger spatial scales than does the (3--2) line. Line profile models fit the spectra well, but do not strongly constrain their parameters. The mass accretion rate of the inward motions is of order 10$^{-4}$ M$_\odot$/yr, similar to the ratio of stellar mass to cluster age.Comment: 28 pages, 11 figures, 1 colour figur

Effect of soil moisture regimes on growth and seed production of two Australian biotypes of Sisymbrium thellungii O.E. Schulz

Sisymbrium thellungii O.E. Schulz is an emerging problematic weed in the northern grain region of Australia. Several different biotypes exist in this region but not all biotypes exhibit the same growth and reproduction behavior. This might be due to local adaptation to the different agro-ecosystems, however, information on this aspect is limited. To determine whether adaptation to water stress was a factor in biotype demographic growth and reproduction behavior, we evaluated the physiological and biochemical responses of two Australian S. thellungii biotypes, selected from high (Dalby) and medium (St. George) rainfall areas, to different pot soil moisture levels corresponding to 100, 75, 50, and 25% of soil water holding capacity (WHC). Averaged across moisture levels, the St. George biotype (medium rainfall area) had 89% greater biomass and produced 321% more seeds than the Dalby biotype. The St. George biotype was less affected by increased levels of water stress than the Dalby biotype. The Dalby biotype produced 4,787 seeds plant-1 at 100% WHC and only 28 seeds plant-1 at 25% WHC. On the other hand, the St. George biotype produced 4,061 seeds plant-1 at 25% WHC and its seed production at 100% WHC was 9,834 seeds plant-1. On a per leaf area basis and averaged across all moisture levels, the St. George had significantly lower net carbon assimilation compared with the Dalby biotype, accompanied by a trend for lower stomatal conductance, which might indicate an adaptation to water stress. Across the moisture levels, the St. George biotype had higher phenolics and total soluble sugar, but free proline content was higher in the Dalby biotype compared with the St. George biotype. Like total soluble sugar, proline content increased with water stress in both biotypes, but it increased to a greater extent in the Dalby biotype, particularly at the 25% of WHC. Branching, flowering and maturity occurred earlier in the St. George biotype compared with the Dalby biotype, indicating relatively faster growth of the St. George biotype, which again seems to be an adaptation to water-limited environments. In conclusion, the St. George biotype of S. thellungii had higher reproductive capacity than the Dalby biotype across all the moisture regimes, which suggests greater invasiveness. Overall, the large size and rapid growth of the S. thellungii population from the medium rainfall area, together with its physiological response to water stress and its ability to maintain seed production in dry conditions, may enable this biotype to become widespread in Australia. © 2018 Mahajan, George-Jaeggli, Walsh and Chauhan

Tunable Resonant Raman Scattering from Singly Resonant Single Wall Carbon Nanotubes

We perform tunable resonant Raman scattering on 17 semiconducting and 7 metallic singly resonant single wall carbon nanotubes. The measured scattering cross-section as a function laser energy provides information about a tube's electronic structure, the lifetime of intermediate states involved in the scattering process and also energies of zone center optical phonons. Recording the scattered Raman signal as a function of tube location in the microscope focal plane allows us to construct two-dimensional spatial maps of singly resonant tubes. We also describe a spectral nanoscale artifact we have coined the "nano-slit effect"

Undergraduate medical textbooks do not provide adequate information on intravenous fluid therapy: a systematic survey and suggestions for improvement

<b>Background</b><p></p> Inappropriate prescribing of intravenous (IV) fluid, particularly 0.9% sodium chloride, causes post-operative complications. Fluid prescription is often left to junior medical staff and is frequently poorly managed. One reason for poor intravenous fluid prescribing practices could be inadequate coverage of this topic in the textbooks that are used.<p></p> <b>Methods</b><p></p> We formulated a comprehensive set of topics, related to important common clinical situations involving IV fluid therapy, (routine fluid replacement, fluid loss, fluids overload) to assess the adequacy of textbooks in common use. We assessed 29 medical textbooks widely available to students in the UK, scoring the presence of information provided by each book on each of the topics. The scores indicated how fully the topics were considered: not at all, partly, and adequately. No attempt was made to judge the quality of the information, because there is no consensus on these topics.<p></p> <b>Results</b><p></p> The maximum score that a book could achieve was 52. Three of the topics we chose were not considered by any of the books. Discounting these topics as “too esoteric”, the maximum possible score became 46. One textbook gained a score of 45, but the general score was poor (median 11, quartiles 4, 21). In particular, coverage of routine postoperative management was inadequate.<p></p> <b>Conclusions</b><p></p> Textbooks for undergraduates cover the topic of intravenous therapy badly, which may partly explain the poor knowledge and performance of junior doctors in this important field. Systematic revision of current textbooks might improve knowledge and practice by junior doctors. Careful definition of the remit and content of textbooks should be applied more widely to ensure quality and “fitness for purpose”, and avoid omission of vital knowledge