On the uniqueness of the surface sources of evoked potentials

The uniqueness of a surface density of sources localized inside a spatial region $R$ and producing a given electric potential distribution in its boundary $B_0$ is revisited. The situation in which $R$ is filled with various metallic subregions, each one having a definite constant value for the electric conductivity is considered. It is argued that the knowledge of the potential in all $B_0$ fully determines the surface density of sources over a wide class of surfaces supporting them. The class can be defined as a union of an arbitrary but finite number of open or closed surfaces. The only restriction upon them is that no one of the closed surfaces contains inside it another (nesting) of the closed or open surfaces.Comment: 16 pages, 5 figure

The Abundance of Akkermansia muciniphila and its Relationship with Sulphated Colonic Mucins in Health and Ulcerative Colitis

Akkermansia muciniphila utilises colonic mucin as its substrate. Abundance is reduced in ulcerative colitis (UC), as is the relative proportion of sulphated mucin in the mucus gel layer (MGL). It is unknown if these phenomena are related, however reduced sulphated mucins could contribute to reduced abundance, owing to a lack of substrate. The aim of this study was to quantify A. muciniphila within the MGL and to relate these findings with markers of inflammation and the relative proportion of sulphomucin present. Colonic biopsies and mucus brushings were obtained from 20 patients with active UC (AC), 14 with quiescent UC (QUC) and 20 healthy controls (HC). A. muciniphila abundance was determined by RT-PCR. High iron diamine alcian-blue staining was performed for histological analysis. Patients with AC had reduced abundance of A. muciniphila compared to HC and QUC. A positive association was found between A. muciniphila abundance and higher percentage of sulphated mucin (ρ 0.546, p = 0.000). Lower abundances of A. muciniphila correlated with higher inflammatory scores (ρ = 0.294 (p = 0.001)). This study confirms an inverse relationship between A. muciniphila and inflammation and a positive association between A. muciniphila abundance and percentage of sulfated mucin in the MGL

Latency differences and effects of selective attention to gratings in the central and right visual fields: II

The goals were to examine the temporal sequence in which visual information (such as visual field, spatial frequency) are processed and to determine whether different neural sources are activated when such features are attended versus not attended. These issues are basic to current models of visual selective attention. 10 refs., 4 figs

Nanotechnology Solutions for Global Water Challenges

The lack of clean and safe drinking water is responsible for more deaths than war, terrorism and weapons of mass destruction combined. This suggests contaminated water poses a significant threat to human health and welfare. In addition, standard water disinfection approaches such as sedimentation, filtration, and chemical or biological degradation are not fully capable of destroying emerging contaminants (e.g. pesticides, pharmaceutical waste products) or certain types of bacteria (e.g. Cryptosporidium parvum). Nanomaterials and nanotechnology based devices can potentially be employed to solve the challenges posed by various contaminants and microorganisms. Nanomaterials of different shapes, namely nanoparticles, nanotubes, nanowires and fibers have the ability to function as adsorbents and catalysts. These possess an expansive array of physicochemical characteristics deeming them highly attractive for the production of reactive media for water membrane filtration, a vital step in the production of potable water. As a result of their exceptional adsorptive capacity for water contaminants, graphene based nanomaterials have emerged as an area of significant importance in the area of membrane filtration and water treatment. In addition, Advanced Oxidation Processes (AOPs) together with or without sources of light irradiation or ultrasound, have been found to be promising alternatives for water treatment at near ambient temperature and pressure. Furthermore, the uses of visible light active titanium dioxide photocatalysts and photo-Fenton processes have shown significant potential for water purification. A wide variety of nanomaterial based sensors, for the monitoring of water quality, have also been reviewed in detail. In conclusion, the rapid and continued growth in the area of nanomaterial based devices offers significant hope for addressing future water quality challenges

Fast And Accurate Multiscale Electromagnetic Modeling Framework: An Overview

We present an overview of challenge problems in electromagnetic modeling of highly complex and multi-scale structures found in 3D IC, SiP, SoC, and electronic packaging necessary for signal integrity assessment. © 2013 IEEE

Effects of Spatial Attention on the Visual-Evoked Neuromagnetic Response

A number of studies have shown that selective attention to spatial location modulates the amplitudes of several visual evoked potential components recorded from posterior regions of the head (e.g., Eason, Harter White, 1969; Harter, Aine, Schroeder, 1982; Hillyard Munte, 1984; Mangun Hillyard, 1988). The early components, P1 and N1 (peak latencies: 90--135 and 140--170 msec, respectively), are thought to arise in one or more areas of visual cortex. Although it is generally assumed that such ERP effects reflect differential activation of populations of neurons at successive levels of the nervous system, little information is available about the neural structures responsible for such effects. We have employed neuromagnetic techniques in an attempt to identify more precisely the neural structures involved in selective attention to spatial location within the P1-N1 time sequence. In this study, effects of attention were assessed by comparing neural responses evoked by stimuli at a specified spatial location when subjects were required to attend and respond behaviorally to that location with neural responses to the same stimuli when subjects were required to attend and respond behaviorally to another location in the visual field. 7 refs., 3 figs

Development of strategies for effective communication of food risks and benefits across Europe: Design and conceptual framework of the FoodRisC project

The FoodRisC project is funded under the Seventh Framework Programme (CORDIS FP7) of the European Commission; Grant agreement no.: 245124. Copyright @ 2011 Barnett et al.BACKGROUND: European consumers are faced with a myriad of food related risk and benefit information and it is regularly left up to the consumer to interpret these, often conflicting, pieces of information as a coherent message. This conflict is especially apparent in times of food crises and can have major public health implications. Scientific results and risk assessments cannot always be easily communicated into simple guidelines and advice that non-scientists like the public or the media can easily understand especially when there is conflicting, uncertain or complex information about a particular food or aspects thereof. The need for improved strategies and tools for communication about food risks and benefits is therefore paramount. The FoodRisC project ("Food Risk Communication - Perceptions and communication of food risks/benefits across Europe: development of effective communication strategies") aims to address this issue. The FoodRisC project will examine consumer perceptions and investigate how people acquire and use information in food domains in order to develop targeted strategies for food communication across Europe.METHODS/DESIGN: This project consists of 6 research work packages which, using qualitative and quantitative methodologies, are focused on development of a framework for investigating food risk/benefit issues across Europe, exploration of the role of new and traditional media in food communication and testing of the framework in order to develop evidence based communication strategies and tools. The main outcome of the FoodRisC project will be a toolkit to enable coherent communication of food risk/benefit messages in Europe. The toolkit will integrate theoretical models and new measurement paradigms as well as building on social marketing approaches around consumer segmentation. Use of the toolkit and guides will assist policy makers, food authorities and other end users in developing common approaches to communicating coherent messages to consumers in Europe.DISCUSSION: The FoodRisC project offers a unique approach to the investigation of food risk/benefit communication. The effective spread of food risk/benefit information will assist initiatives aimed at reducing the burden of food-related illness and disease, reducing the economic impact of food crises and ensuring that confidence in safe and nutritious food is fostered and maintained in Europe.This article is available through the Brunel Open Access Publishing Fund

The longitudinal pattern of response when morphine is used to treat chronic refractory dyspnea

Background: While evidence supports using sustained release morphine for chronic refractory breathlessness, little is known about the longitudinal pattern of breathlessness intensity as people achieve symptomatic benefit. The aim of this study is to describe this pattern. Methods: This secondary analysis used breathlessness intensity scores (100mm visual analogue scale (VAS)) from a prospective, dose increment study of once daily (morning) sustained release morphine for chronic refractory breathlessness. Participants who achieved < 10% improvement over their own baseline at one week (10 mg) were titrated to 20mg and if no response, another week later to 30mg for one week. Time was standardized at the first day of the week in which participants responded generating twice daily data one week either side of symptomatic benefit. Analysis used random effect mixed modeling. Results: Of the 83 participants, 17/52 responders required > 10 mg: 13 participants (20 mg) and 4 (30 mg), contributing 634 VAS observations. In the week leading to a response, average VAS scores worsened by 0.3mm/ day ( p = 0.16); the average improvement in the first 24 hours of response was 10.9mm (7.0 to 14.7; p < 0.0001), with continued improvement of 2.2 mm/day ( p < 0.001) for six more days. Conclusion: When treating chronic refractory breathlessness with once daily sustained release morphine, titrate to effect, since inadequate dose may generate no response; and following an initial response, further dose increases should not occur for at least one week. Whether further benefit would be derived beyond day six on the dose to which people respond, and what net effect a further dose increase would have are questions yet to be answered

Enrichment of pathogenic alleles in the brittle cornea gene, ZNF469, in keratoconus

Keratoconus, a common inherited ocular disorder resulting in progressive corneal thinning, is the leading indication for corneal transplantation in the developed world. Genome-wide association studies have identified common SNPs 100 kb upstream of ZNF469 strongly associated with corneal thickness. Homozygous mutations in ZNF469 and PR domain-containing protein 5 (PRDM5) genes result in brittle cornea syndrome (BCS) Types 1 and 2, respectively. BCS is an autosomal recessive generalized connective tissue disorder associated with extreme corneal thinning and a high risk of corneal rupture. Some individuals with heterozygous PRDM5 mutations demonstrate a carrier ocular phenotype, which includes a mildly reduced corneal thickness, keratoconus and blue sclera. We hypothesized that heterozygous variants in PRDM5 and ZNF469 predispose to the development of isolated keratoconus. We found a significant enrichment of potentially pathologic heterozygous alleles in ZNF469 associated with the development of keratoconus (P = 0.00102) resulting in a relative risk of 12.0. This enrichment of rare potentially pathogenic alleles in ZNF469 in 12.5% of keratoconus patients represents a significant mutational load and highlights ZNF469 as the most significant genetic factor responsible for keratoconus identified to date

Enrichment of pathogenic alleles in the brittle cornea gene, ZNF469, in keratoconus

Keratoconus, a common inherited ocular disorder resulting in progressive corneal thinning, is the leading indication for corneal transplantation in the developed world. Genome-wide association studies have identified common SNPs 100 kb upstream of ZNF469 strongly associated with corneal thickness. Homozygous mutations in ZNF469 and PR domain-containing protein 5 (PRDM5) genes result in brittle cornea syndrome (BCS) Types 1 and 2, respectively. BCS is an autosomal recessive generalized connective tissue disorder associated with extreme corneal thinning and a high risk of corneal rupture. Some individuals with heterozygous PRDM5 mutations demonstrate a carrier ocular phenotype, which includes a mildly reduced corneal thickness, keratoconus and blue sclera. We hypothesized that heterozygous variants in PRDM5 and ZNF469 predispose to the development of isolated keratoconus. We found a significant enrichment of potentially pathologic heterozygous alleles in ZNF469 associated with the development of keratoconus (P = 0.00102) resulting in a relative risk of 12.0. This enrichment of rare potentially pathogenic alleles in ZNF469 in 12.5% of keratoconus patients represents a significant mutational load and highlights ZNF469 as the most significant genetic factor responsible for keratoconus identified to dat