Elongated physiological summation pools in the human visual cortex1Preliminary results were reported at the 1996 Annual Meeting of the Society for Neuroscience: [50].1

AbstractThe visibility of gratings improves with increasing stimulus area. This effect is usually interpreted as being due to probability summation between the outputs of linear, independent spatial filters, although non-linear spatial summation can have similar effects [1]. In order to distinguish between probabilistic and physiological summation models, we measured contrast thresholds using the Visual Evoked Potential (VEP). Our previous work [2]suggests that spatial summation in the VEP is nonlinear and that it occurs preferentially for collinear configurations. Traditional probability summation models predict that areal summation will improve threshold independent of stimulus configuration. Contrast thresholds were derived from VEP contrast response functions for either circular or elongated Gabor patches with aspect ratios up to 6:1. The carrier orientation was either the same as the patch envelope orientation (collinear) or orthogonal to it. Response amplitudes were larger and contrast sensitivity was higher for collinear configurations. The results are consistent with nonlinear, configuration dependent summation that is more extensive along the axis of orientation

Abnormal Long-range Spatial Interactions in Amblyopia

AbstractNeural interactions between widely separated stimuli were explored with psychophysical and visual evoked potential (VEP) measures in normal and amblyopic observers. Contrast detection thresholds were measured psychophysically for small foveally viewed Gabor patches presented in isolation and in the presence of similar, but laterally displaced flanks. The amplitude and phase of VEPs elicited by similar targets were also measured. The presence of neural interaction between the target and flank responses was assessed by comparing the unflanked threshold to the flanked threshold in the psychophysical experiments and by comparing the response predicted by the algebraic sum of test and flank responses to that measured when test and flanks were presented simultaneously. In normal observers simultaneous presentation of test and flank targets produces a VEP response that is up to a factor of two larger than the linear prediction (facilitation). Psychophysical threshold is also facilitated by a comparable factor. Facilitation was found mainly for configurations in which local (carrier) and global (patch) orientations resulted in collinearity, independent of global orientation (meridian). Amblyopic observers showed several deviations from the normal pattern. The facilitation for the collinear configurations was either markedly lower than normal or was replaced by inhibition. The normal pattern of spatial interaction may facilitate the grouping of collinear line segments into smooth curves. In contrast, abnormal long-range spatial interactions may underlie the grouping disorders and perceptual distortions found in amblyopia. © 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved

Analysis of Public Transport System, Hatay Example: Detection of Existing System

Today, with the development of our cities, the population density has increased and therefore many problems have arisen due to the increase of the traffic density in the city and the existing transportation systems which were previously not planned with erroneous technical infrastructure have become unable to answer. Measurements of the decision variables related to the routes, vehicles and passengers are made in order to determine the existing public transport system. These decision variables include the number of vehicles leaving service during the day, the passenger carrying capacity of the vehicles, the starting and ending times of the laps, the length of the public transport line, the number of laps made during the day, the number of passengers per vehicle, and the total number of passengers. By using these variables, the structure of the existing public transportation system is determined. Increasing the quality of public transport services in metropolitan cities and raising the quality of users in more economical conditions is only possible by incorporating business activities into an institutional structure, integrating public transportation enterprises into one and planning and managing them in a unified way. Our aim in this study is to evaluate the existing route structures, vehicle types and travel analyzes in the public transportation system in Hatay Province and evaluate the positive and negative points in the developing urban structure and to transform them into an effective and sustainable structure

The spatial range of peripheral collinear facilitation

Contrast detection thresholds for a central Gabor patch (target) can be modulated by the presence of co-oriented and collinear high contrast Gabors flankers. In foveal vision collinear facilitation can be observed for target-to-flankers relative distances beyond two times the wavelength (λ) of the Gabor's carrier, while for shorter relative distances (<2λ) there is suppression. These modulatory influences seem to disappear after 12λ. In this study, we measured contrast detection thresholds for different spatial frequencies (1, 4 and 6 cpd) and target-to-flankers relative distances ranging from 6 to 16λ, but with collinear configurations presented in near periphery at 4° of eccentricity. Results showed that in near periphery collinear facilitation extends beyond 12λ for the higher spatial frequencies tested (4 and 6 cpd), while it decays already at 10λ for the lowest spatial frequency used (i.e., 1 cpd). In addition, we found that increasing the spatial frequency the peak of collinear facilitation shifts towards larger target-to-flankers relative distances (expressed as multiples of the stimulus wavelength), an effect never reported neither for near peripheral nor for central vision. The results suggest that the peak and the spatial extent of collinear facilitation in near periphery depend on the spatial frequency of the stimuli used

Retinal neurodegeneration in metabolic syndrome: a spectral optical coherence tomography study

• AIM: To evaluate the effects of metabolic syndrome (MetS) on retinal neurodegeneration by optical coherence tomography (OCT). • METHODS: Patients diagnosed as MetS were compared with the age and sex-matched healthy control group (CG). Waist circumference measurements, fasting serological biochemical tests, and systemic blood pressures of all participants were evaluated. The MetS group was divided into 3 subgroups according to the number of MetS components: hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia (low-, high-density lipoprotein, hypertriglyceridemia), and visceral obesity findings; 3-component MetS3, 4-component MetS4, and all-component MetS5. All patients underwent complete eye examination and spectral OCT retinal imaging. • RESULTS: Totally 58 eyes of 58 patients were included in the MetS group and 63 eyes of 63 age and sex-matched healthy subjects were included in CG. MetS group was composed of 22 subjects in MetS3, 21 subjects in MetS4, and 15 subjects in the MetS5 subgroup. Mean foveal thickness (MetS, 218.7±23.1 µm vs CG, 228.8±21.9 µm, P=0.015), mean inferior (MetS, 283.4±17.0 µm vs CG, 288.7±38.4 µm, P=0.002), superior (MetS, 287.0±18.5 µm vs CG 297.3±17.1 µm, P=0.001), nasal (MetS 287.3±16.7 µm vs CG 297.9±13.9 µm, P=0.000) and temporal (274.5±17.6 µm vs CG 285.6±13.6 µm, P=0.000) thickness in the 3 mm Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) circle was significantly lower in the MetS group. There was no statistically significant difference in the mean inferior, superior, nasal, and temporal thickness of 6 mm ETDRS circle, total macular volume, peripapillary and macular retinal nerve fiber layer, macular ganglion cell layer with inner plexiform layer, and ganglion cell complex. No statistically significant difference was found in these values between the MetS3, MetS4, and the MetS5 groups. • CONCLUSION: A significant reduction in central macular region thickness in MetS is detected and macular thickness is more susceptible to MetS induced neurodegeneration than peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer. © 2023 International Journal of Ophthalmology (c/o Editorial Office). All rights reserved.Authors’ contributions: Polat E was responsible for designing the study protocol, supervision the study, conducting the search, screening potentially eligible studies, data collection, updating reference lists, and creating all tables. Celik E was responsible for designing the study protocol, contributed to writing the report, extracting and analyzing data, interpreting results, and creating all tables. Togac M was responsible for writing the protocol and report, contributed to data extraction, and provided feedback on the report. Sahin A was responsible for writing the literature review, data collection

DJELOVANJE BAKTERIJSKOG CJEPIVA HOMOFERMENTACIJSKE MLIJEČNE KISELINE NA FERMENTACIJU I AEROBNU STABILNOST KUKURUZNE SILAŽE NAKNADNE SJETVE

This study was carried out to determine the effects of homofermentative lactic acid bacterial inoculant on the fermentation and aerobic stability of second crop maize silages. Maize was harvested at the milk stage. Inoculant -1174 (Pioneer®,USA) was used as homofermentative lactic acid bacterial inculant. Inoculant was applied 6.00 log10 cfu/g silage levels. Silages with no additive served as controls. After treatment, the chopped maize was ensiled in the PVC type laboratory silos. Three silos for each group were sampled for chemical and microbiological analysis on days 2, 4, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 56 after ensiling. At the end of the ensiling period, all silages were subjected to an aerobic stability test for 14 days. Neither inoculant improved the fermentation parameters of second crop maize silages. At the end of the ensiling period, inoculant increased lactobacilli and decreased yeast and mold numbers of silages. Inoculant treatment did not affect aerobic stability of silages.Svrha rada je bila utvrditi djelovanje bakterijskog cjepiva homofermentacijske mliječne kiseline na fermentaciju i aerobnu stabilnost kukuruzne silaže naknadne sjetve Kukuruz je bran u mliječnom stadiju. Upotrijebljeno je cjepivo 1174 (Pioneer®, SAD) kao homofermentacijsko cjepivo mliječne kiseline. Cjepivo je primijenjeno 6.00 log10 cfu/g razina silaže. Silaže bez aditiva poslužile su kao kontrolne. Nakon tretmana isjeckan kukuruz je siliran u laboratorijskom silosu tipa PVC. Izabrana su tri silosa za svaku skupina za kemijsku i mikrobiološku analizu 2., 4., 7., 14., 21., 28. i 56. dana nakon siliranja. Na kraju razdoblja siliranja sve su silaže podvrgnute 14 dana testiranju aerobne stabilnosti. Niti jedno cjepivo nije poboljšalo parametre fermentacije kukuruzne silaže. Na kraju siliranja cjepivo je povećalo laktobacile i smanjilo broj kvasaca i plijesni u silažama. Tretiranje cjepivom nije djelovalo na aerobnu stabilnost silaže

Interactive Design Work with Kindergarten Children: “Bird House” Digital Presentation and Practice

AbstractThe workshop that is subject to the study is to use today's technological advances for gaining better understanding of architecture for kindergarten children. This is to enhance children's awareness and responsiveness for the world diverse cultural life and nature and aim to make them skillful and responsible individuals.This activity is created towards 3 different age groups at the same kindergarten school. This workshop is included of two modules, while information and storytelling which created in a digital environment towards children from the first module, practice phase (model making) forms the second module.It is clearly observed that during the process of workshop, throughout the digital presentations, children showed more interest and communicate better for images projected on the wall and by touching these images on the wall; they try to explain their emotions. The purpose of the study which is a more interactive than traditional methods for the development of kindergarten students aims to discuss the goals and transfer the results of the workshop in detail