The effect of videokeratoscope faceplate design on radius of curvature maps

A computer model using finite ray tracing methods was developed to simulate a videokeratoscope analysing an average cornea. Different faceplate designs were tested using five points on the faceplate subtending angles at the corneal vertex between 15 degrees and 75 degrees in 15 degrees intervals. Image quality was assessed by adding the geometrical blurs of the five image points. Differences (error) between true sagittal radius of curvature, and sagittal radius of curvature calculated by the van Saarloos algorithm, were calculated for selected surfaces at the same corneal points. Differences equal to or bigger than 0.02 mm were regarded as clinically significant. The faceplate surface that provided the sharpest image for an average cornea was a cylinder with the base 120 mm away from the corneal vertex and a diameter of 26 mm. Changing the faceplate design results in clinically significant differences for an average cornea. Image quality is not proportional to corneal surface reconstruction accuracy.     

闭合性颅脑外伤患者视觉P300地形图的初步研究

目的　探讨闭合性颅脑外伤患者视觉P300地形图的变化。方法　使用Medicide- 03E诱发电位仪对103例闭合性颅脑外伤患者(脑外伤组)进行视觉剌激P300地形图检测,并与66例包括正常人、神经症患者及其他非脑外伤疾病而P300地形图正常者进行对照。结果　脑外伤组患者P300波潜伏期较对照组明显延长(P<0 .001),波幅降低(P<0 .01);视觉P300地形图显示两侧不对称性和扩散性。结论　闭合性颅脑外伤患者视觉P300地形图存在偏侧性和扩散性。     

The effects of neurofeedback training on the spectral topography of the electroencephalogram.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the impact of EEG frequency band biofeedback (neurofeedback) training on spectral EEG topography, which is presumed to mediate cognitive-behavioural training effects. In order to assess the effect of commonly applied neurofeedback protocols on spectral EEG composition, two studies involving healthy participants were carried out. METHODS: In Experiment 1, subjects were trained on low beta (12-15 Hz), beta1 (15-18 Hz), and alpha/theta (8-11 Hz/5-8 Hz) protocols, with spectral resting EEG assessed before and after training. The specific associations between learning indices of each individual training protocol and changes in absolute and relative spectral EEG topography was assessed by means of partial correlation analyses. Results of Experiment 1 served to generate hypotheses for Experiment 2, where subjects were randomly allocated to independent groups of low beta, beta1, and alpha/theta training. Spectral resting EEG measures were contrasted prior and subsequent to training within each group. RESULTS: Only few associations between particular protocols and spectral EEG changes were found to be consistent across the two studies, and these did not correspond to expectations based on the operant contingencies trained. Low-beta training was found to be somewhat associated with reduced post-training low-beta activity, while more reliably, alpha/theta training was associated with reduced relative frontal beta band activity. CONCLUSIONS: The results document that neurofeedback training of frequency components does affect spectral EEG topography in healthy subjects, but that these effects do not necessarily correspond to either the frequencies or the scalp locations addressed by the training contingencies. The association between alpha/theta training and replicable reductions in frontal beta activity constitutes novel empirical neurophysiological evidence supporting inter alia the training's purported role in reducing agitation and anxiety. SIGNIFICANCE: These results underline the complexity of the neural dynamics involved EEG self-regulation and emphasize the need for empirical validation of predictable neurophysiological outcomes of training EEG biofeedback protocols.     

Prefrontal cerebral activity during a simple “rock, paper, scissors” task measured by the noninvasive near-infrared spectroscopy method

We conducted a noninvasive near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) study using the game of rock, paper, scissors (RPS) as a simple neurocognitive task for the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in 15 healthy volunteers. We employed an opposite “to lose” RPS task coupled with a normal “to win” RPS task, since the former requires inhibition of behavior, one of the most important functions of the prefrontal cortex. During the NIRS examination, subjects had to present one of the three RPS hands in response to hands displayed randomly on a computer screen every 1.5 s, and were required to show hands that lose to the computer, or that beat the computer. We measured the relative concentrations of oxyhemoglobin (oxy-Hb) using the prefrontal probes of the NIRS system during the tasks. The increases in oxy-Hb during the “to win” RPS task were small, but were quite large and laterally dominant during the “to lose” RPS task. The difference between the two tasks might have been due to the participants’ cognitive conflict with losing on the RPS. We conclude that losing is better than winning on the RPS as a sensitive indicator in the NIRS examination of PFC.     

Topography of event-related potentials elicited by visual emotional stimuli

This experiment was intended to explore the effects of the emotional connotation of stimuli on the hemispheric lateralization. Ten right-handed male subjects (Ss) were presented a set of slides of faces expressing a positive emotion, a negative emotion or emotional neutrality. The ERPs elicited by the face stimuli were recorded from 16 leads and topographic maps of P3 amplitude were created. The results show that when Ss had to discriminate between emotional (target) and neutral (non-target) faces, the main differences were seen predominantly over the right centroparietal area. On the contrary, when Ss had to detect a face particularity not related to the emotional content, the differences betweem target and non-target faces were bilaterally distributed. The present results support the hypothesis that the perception of emotional expressions is processed mainly by the right hemisphere.     

角膜地形图与角膜曲率计在白内障手术前后评价

本文应用计算机辅助的角膜地形图系统TMS-1和角膜曲率计TOPCONOM-4同时测定了200例(278眼)的角膜地形图和中央角膜屈光状态。比较了角膜地形图的模拟角膜曲率SIMK值和角膜曲率计的垂直和水平屈光度。结果显示,白内障术前组116例150眼的SIMK平均值分别为44.22D(垂直轴)和44.26D(水平轴),角膜曲率计的中央屈光度垂直轴平均为44.16D,水平轴为44.23D。统计学处理表明,2种组方法的结果之间差异无显著性(P>0.05),第2种术后组67例90眼的SIMK平均值分别为46.37D(垂直轴)和43.06D(水平轴),角膜曲率计的中央屈光度垂直轴平均为46.09D,水平轴平均为42.88D,统计学处理二种方法的结果之间差异无显著性(P>0.05)。研究提示,角膜地形图系统的模拟角膜曲率SIMK值和角膜曲率计的屈光度无论在白内障手术前还是在手术后其结果是一致的,临床应用具有同等的价值。但是,当角膜中央屈光度异常范围小于3毫米,角膜混浊,角膜严重不规则散光时,角膜曲率计不能满足临床需要。而计算机辅助的角膜地形图系统则具有极大的诊断及检测价值。眼科学报 1994;10:85—89。     

利用背散电子象和金属染色法观察组织和细胞的亚表面结构

本研究利用六胺银染液选择性染色方法和背散电子成象技术，在观察粒细胞、淋巴细胞、小肠上皮细胞在面形貌同时，还观察到这些细胞胞核的形态、大小、以及所在细胞内的位置。这些观察结果提示，利用重金属染液选择性的染色和背散电子成象技术，可能是一种在观察组织和细胞表面同时．观察其亚表面结构的新方法。     

Some Guidelines for the Use of Stimulus Modifications in Teaching Response Topography to People with Developmental Disabilities

The use of stimulus modifications in teaching involves altering the materials of a task in order to simplify its execution. Though their use in teaching stimulus discriminations to people with developmental disabilities has been extensively investigated, less attention has been given to their utilization in teaching response topography. This paper offers some general guidelines about their use for this purpose. In relation to their design, it is suggested that the aim should be to reduce the demands made by task components, to eliminate components, and/or to increase the attentional value of the discriminating features of the response topography. In relation to their application, guidelines are suggested about when they should be employed in conjunction with response prompts; when they should be used, either alone or in conjunction with response prompts, in preference to response prompts alone; whether one or a series of modifications is required; and at what point during teaching should probe trials on the unmodified task be introduced.     

Quantitative structure-activity relationships in MAO-inhibitory 2-phenylcyclopropylamines: Insights into the topography of MAO-A and MAO-B

Ten (E)-and (Z)-isomers of 2-phenylcyclopropylamine (PCA), 1-Me-PCA, 2-Me-PCA, N-Me-PCA, and N, N-diMe-PCA and fifteeno ⁻, m⁻, p⁻ isomers of (E)-PCA with substituents of Me, Cl, F, OMe, OH were synthesized in this laboratory and tested for the inhibition of rat brain mitochondrial MAO-A and MAO-B. The effects of substituents, their positions, and stereochemistry on the inhibition were assessed for the compounds with substituents at cyclopropyl and amino groups and QSAR analyses were performed using the potency data of ring-substituted compounds. The best correlated QSAR equations are as follows: pI₅₀=0.804 Π² Blo−1.069 Blm+0.334 Lp−1.709 HDp+7.897 (r=0.945, s=0.211, F=16.691, p=0.000) for the inhibition of MAO-A; pI₅₀=1.815 π-0.825 Π² R+0.900 Es²+0.869 Es³+0.796 Es⁴−0.992 HDp+0.562 HAo+3.893 (r=0.982, s=0.178, F=23.351, p=0.000) for the inhibition of MAO-B. Based on the potency difference between stereoisomers of cyclopropylamine-modified compounds and on QSAR results, it is proposed that the active sites of MAO-A are composed of one deep hydrophobic cavity near para position, two hydrophobic cavities interacting with Me group, a hydrophobic area accomodating phenyl and cyclopropyl backbone, steric boundaries, a hydrogen-acceptor site near para position, and an amino group binding site and that in addition to the same two hydrophobic cavities, hydrophobic area, steric boundaries, hydrogen-acceptor site, and amino group binding site, another steric boundary near para position and a hydrogen donating site near ortho position constitute active sites of MAO-B.