Facilitation of discrimination transfers under amphetamine: the relative control by S+ and S− and general transfer effects

Rats were trained in a Y-maze on a two-choice simultaneous black-white discrimination with either black or white as S⁺. Animals were then transferred to one of three discrimination tasks. In task 1 (New S^–), a new stimulus, either vertical or horizontal stripes, was substituted for the original S^–. In task 2 (New S⁺), a new stimulus, either vertical or horizontal stripes as in task 1, was substituted for the original S⁺. In task 3 (New S⁺/S^–) animals were trained on horizontal-vertical discrimination. The pre-trial administration of 1 mg/kg d-amphetamine facilitated the acquisition of the original black-white discrimination with both black as S⁺ and white as S⁺. Likewise, the drug improved performance in all three transfer conditions. However, the course of learning in the three transfer tasks was different in the placebo- and amphetamine-treated animals. Amphetamine-treated animals were disrupted more by a change in S⁺ than by a change in S^–, whereas the opposite pattern was evident in the placebo controls. When both discriminative stimuli were changed, placebo animals exhibited pronounced decrement in performance, whereas amphetamine animals exhibited excellent learning. The implications of these findings for the effects of amphetamine on discrimination learning are discussed.     

Simultaneous non-parametric confidence intervals for survival probabilities from censored data

In medical studies with censored data Kaplan and Meier's product limit estimator has frequent use as the estimate of the survival function. Simultaneous confidence intervals for the survival function at various time points constitute a useful addition to the analysis. This study compares several such methods. We consider in a simulation investigation two whole curve confidence bands and four methods based on the Bonferroni inequality. The results show that three Bonferroni-type methods are essentially equivalent, all being better than the other methods when the number of time points is small (3 or 5).     

Simultaneous versus sequential optimal design for pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic models with FO and FOCE considerations

We consider nested multiple response models which are used extensively in the area of pharmacometrics. Given the conditional nature of such models, differences in predicted responses are a consequence of different assumptions about how the models interact. As such, sequential versus simultaneous and First Order (FO) versus First Order Conditional Estimation (FOCE) techniques have been explored in the literature where it was found that the sequential and FO approaches can produce biased results. It is therefore of interest to determine any design consequences between the various methods and approximations. As optimal design for nonlinear mixed effects models is dependent upon initial parameter estimates and an approximation to the expected Fisher information matrix, it is necessary to incorporate any influence of nonlinearity (or parameter-effects curvature) into our exploration. Hence, sequential versus simultaneous design with FO and FOCE considerations are compared under low, typical and high degrees of nonlinearity. Additionally, predicted standard errors of parameters are also compared to empirical estimates formed via a simulation/estimation study in NONMEM. Initially, design theory for nested multiple response models is developed and approaches mentioned above are investigated by considering a pharmacokinetic–pharmacodynamic model found in the literature. We consider design for situations where all responses are continuous and extend this methodology to the case where a response may be a discrete random variable. In particular, for a binary response pharmacodynamic model, it is conjectured that such responses will offer little information about all parameters and hence a sequential optimization, in the form of product design optimality, may yield near optimal designs.     

Video-EEG Analysis of Drop Seizures in Myoclonic Astatic Epilepsy of Early Childhood (Doose Syndrome)

We studied 36 drop seizures in 5 patients with myoclonic astatic epilepsy of early childhood (MAEE) with simultaneous split-screen video recording and polygraph. Sixteen were falling attacks and 20 were either less severe attacks exhibiting only deep head nodding or seizures equivalent to drop attacks in terms of ictal pattern but recorded in the supine position. All seizures except those that occurred in patients in the supine position showed sudden momentary head dropping or collapse of the whole body downward. Recovery to the preictal position was observed in 0.3-1 s. As a result of carefully repeated observations, the 36 seizures were classified as myoclonic flexor type in 9, myoclonic atonic type in 2, and atonic type, with and without transient preceding symptoms in the remaining 25. The MF seizure was characterized by sudden forward flexion of the head and trunk as well as both arms, which caused the patient to fall. In the myoclonic atonic seizure, patients showed brief myoclonic flexor spasms, immediately followed by atonic falling. The AT seizure showed abrupt atonic falling, with and without transient preceding facial expression change and/or twitching of extremities. The ictal EEGs of all 36 seizures exhibited generalized bilaterally synchronous single or multiple spike(s) and wave discharges. Atonic drop attacks appear to be a common cause of ictal epileptic falling in MAEE.     

A simple model describes large individual differences in simultaneous colour contrast

We report experimental evidence for substantial individual differences in the susceptibility to simultaneous colour contrast. Interestingly, we found that not only the general amount of colour induction varies across observers, but also the general shape of the curves describing asymmetric matching data. A simple model based on von Kries adaptation and crispening describes the data rather well when we regard its free parameters as observer specific. We argue that the von Kries component reflects the action of a temporal adaptation mechanism, while the crispening component describes the action of the instantaneous, purely spatial mechanism most appropriately labeled simultaneous colour contrast. An interesting consequence of this view is that traditional ideas about the general characteristics of simultaneous contrast must be considered as misleading. According to Kirschmann’s 4th law, for instance, the simultaneous contrast effect should increase with increasing saturation of the surround, but crispening predicts the converse. Based on this reasoning, we offer a plausible explanation for the mixed evidence on the validity of Kirschmann’s 4th law. We also argue that simultaneous contrast, the crispening effect, Meyer’s effect and the gamut expansion effect are just different names for the same basic phenomenon.     

双重实时PCR快速同时检测霍乱弧菌和副溶血弧菌

目的建立改良分子信标双重实时PCR同时检测霍乱弧菌和副溶血弧菌的快速方法,应用于霍乱监测、副溶血弧菌食物中毒的快速诊断和海产品检验。方法根据GenBank公布的霍乱弧菌肠毒素基因A亚单位(ctxA)和副溶血弧菌的耐热直接溶血毒素基因(TDH)的保守序列,分别设计引物和改良分子信标探针,以10种细菌作对照,建立双重实时PCR改良分子信标检测体系,应用于副溶血弧菌食物中毒快速诊断和霍乱监测。结果改良分子信标双重实时PCR反应体系DNA灵敏度为102.4～166.6fgμl,菌液灵敏度为32～64CFUml或3～6CFUPCR反应体系,无交叉反应。此反应体系同时检测40株副溶血弧菌和50株霍乱弧菌,均出现特异的荧光信号,两种细菌检测互不干扰。对3起细菌性食物中毒共48份样品和100份海产品进行检测,9份副溶血弧菌实时PCR阳性,其中7份副溶血弧菌细菌培养阳性,其余样品都为阴性。从样品处理到检测结果仅需1天时间。结论改良分子信标双重实时PCR检测体系快速、灵敏度高、特异性强,可用于霍乱和副溶血弧菌食物中毒的快速诊断,为食源性疾病的分子流行病学调查提供新的检测手段。     

A method for simultaneous recording of electrical activities and spectrophotometric signals from brain slice preparations in vitro

Organ spectrophotometry has been applied to analyze cytochrome redox changes in brain slice preparations. An interface-chamber method for maintaining metabolism of brain slice tissues was devised to reduce noise on recording traces of spectrophotometric signals, and then used for continuous monitoring and simultaneous recording of electrical and optical signals from brain slices. With this method, the noise level during the recording of redox states of cytochromes was decreased to 0.0004 A unit.     

A multiscale spatial filtering account of the White effect, simultaneous brightness contrast and grating induction

Blakeslee and McCourt ((1997) Vision Research, 37, 2849-2869) demonstrated that a multiscale array of two-dimensional difference-of-Gaussian (DOG) filters provided a simple but powerful model for explaining a number of seemingly complex features of grating induction (GI), while simultaneously encompassing salient features of brightness induction in simultaneous brightness contrast (SBC), brightness assimilation and Hermann Grid stimuli. The DOG model (and isotropic contrast models in general) cannot, however, account for another important group of brightness effects which includes the White effect (White (1979) Perception, 8, 413-416) and the demonstrations of Todorovic ((1997) Perception, 26, 379-395). This paper introduces an oriented DOG (ODOG) model which differs from the DOG model in that the filters are anisotropic and their outputs are pooled nonlinearly. The ODOG model qualitatively predicts the appearance of the test patches in the White effect, the Todorovic demonstration, GI and SBC, while quantitatively predicting the relative magnitudes of these brightness effects as measured psychophysically using brightness matching. The model also accounts for both the smooth transition in test patch brightness seen in the White effect (White & White (1985) Vision Research, 25, 1331-1335) when the relative phase of the test patch is varied relative to the inducing grating, and for the spatial variation of brightness across the test patch as measured using point-by-point brightness matching. Finally, the model predicts intensive aspects of brightness induction measured in a series of Todorovic stimuli as the arms of the test crosses are lengthened (Pessoa, Baratoff, Neumann & Todorokov (1998) Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science, Supplement, 39, S159), but fails in one condition. Although it is concluded that higher-level perceptual grouping factors may play a role in determining brightness in this instance, in general the psychophysical results and ODOG modeling argue strongly that the induced brightness phenomena of SBC, GI, the White effect and the Todorovic demonstration, primarily reflect early-stage cortical filtering operations in the visual system.     

离子色谱法同时测定食品中的五种添加剂

[目的]建立同时测定食品中丙酸盐、脱氢醋酸、甜蜜素、山梨酸、苯甲酸等五种添加剂的方法。[方法]采用离子色谱法,选用IonPac AS11分离柱,EG40淋洗液发生器产生8-15mmol/L KOH为淋洗液,样品经纯水浸提后,过滤进样分析。[结果]能简便、快速、有效地分离检测食品中的五种添加剂。方法的相关性好(r>0.9992),线性范围广、检出限低,准确度、精密度高(RSD<0.5%),样品加标回收率好(94.6%-101.2%)。同时对测定的酸度、共存非测定离子、相邻离子间等干扰因素进行研究,确保测定的准确性,结果令人满意。[结论]本法干扰小、灵敏度高、结果准确、操作简便,对多种样品适应性好,适合食品中五种添加剂的同时检测分析。     

多重实时PCR快速同时检测沙门菌和志贺菌

目的 建立改良分子信标，多重实时PCR同时检测沙门菌和志贺菌的快速方法，应用于食源性致病菌的快速诊断。方法 根据GenBank公布的沙门菌侵袭性基因invA和ssaR基因，分别设计一对引物和改良分子信标探针，用同色荧光标记，用于同体系检测沙门菌。志贺菌根据ipaH基因的保守序列，设计引物和改良分子信标探针，加入沙门菌检测体系中，建立三重实时PCR一改良分子信标检测体系，应用于同时对沙门菌、志贺菌食物中毒的快速诊断和门诊肠道致病菌的检测。结果 改良分子信标一多重实时PCR反应体系DNA灵敏度为69～93fg/μl。菌液灵敏度为32～64CFU／ml或1～2CFu／PCR反应体系，无交叉反应。该反应体系同时检测134株沙门菌和67株志贺菌，均出现特异的荧光信号，两种细菌检测互不干扰。对细菌性食物中毒样本等共1100份同时进行沙门菌和志贺菌检测，569份沙门菌实时PCR阳性，其中551份沙门菌培养阳性；42份志贺菌实时PCR阳性，其中41份志贺菌培养阳性。从样品处理到检测结果仅需时间2h至1d。结论 改良分子信标-多重实时PCR检测体系快速、灵敏度高，特异性强，可用于沙门菌和志贺菌食物中毒的快速诊断，伤寒、痢疾等肠道传染病的初筛及预防医学门诊的健康人群体检，为食源性疾病的分子流行病学调查提供新的检测手段。