Unconscious word stem completion priming in a mirror-masking paradigm

The aim of this study was to investigate unconscious priming by the use of a spatial mirror-masking paradigm. Words and nonwords with no under-length letters are mirrored at their horizontal axis. The results are figures of geometric-like forms that contain letters in their upper part. In the three experiments reported in this study, a priming procedure used such mirrored words and nonwords as primes. Participants were ignorant of the nature of the construction of the stimuli. Perceptual reports of the participants revealed that they did not realize that words were hidden in the primes. Nevertheless, they showed priming in all three experiments. Priming effects were replicated with prime–target SOAs of between 1 and 3 s. Functional dissociations were found between ignorant and informed participants. Informed groups showed perceptual and semantic priming, while ignorant groups showed only perceptual priming.

Masking odour when regrouping rabbit does: Effect on aggression, stress and lesions.

Regrouping female rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) in group housing systems is a common management practice in Swiss rabbit breeding which may, however, induce agonistic interactions resulting in social stress and severe lesions. On farms using artificial insemination, does are usually kept singly for 12 days after parturition to avoid pseudopregnancy and fighting for nests. The integration of new group members usually occurs after this isolation phase. This study was conducted with 128 gravid does of the Hycole hybrid, housed in pens covering a floor area of 5.7 m2 that was bedded with straw and furnished with elevated areas, hiding places and eight compartments with nest boxes. In the experiment, the fur of 16 groups of 8 does each was sprayed with either alcohol or vinegar to mask the pre-existing group odours, or with water (control groups) shortly before regrouping. Lesion scores, stress parameters (body temperature and blood glucose level) and behaviour were assessed before and after the isolation phase. Effects of treatment and time on all collected parameters were analysed using mixed models. On the second day after regrouping 43% of the does showed new lesions. In the first five days after regrouping, new lesions occurred in 60% of the does; 32% had severe lesions. After regrouping, more agonistic interactions were observed and body temperature and blood glucose levels were higher than before regrouping (P<0.001 each). Body temperature increased less in groups treated with vinegar compared to the other two treatments on the first day after regrouping (P=0.017). In all other parameters no influence of the treatment with alcohol or vinegar was found. These findings suggest that masking the group odours with alcohol or vinegar had little effect on lesions, stress and agonistic interactions. Therefore, alternative management procedures need to be developed to reduce lesions and stress caused by aggressive behaviour.

Late Infiltration of Post-orthodontic White Spot Lesions

White spot lesion (WSL) infiltration has been recommended immediately after debonding of orthodontic brackets. It is however not clear if established inactive WSLs can also be masked through infiltrationOrthodontic treatment of a 19-year-old patient had to be terminated prematurely due to development of multiple WSLs of varying severity. Three months after debonding, the patient presented for lesion infiltration. After etching with 15% HCl gel and re-wetting of the dried surfaces it seemed that a good outcome could be expected. Lesion infiltration led to complete masking of less severe WSLs. The visual appearance of moderate and severe WSLs was improved but they were still visible after treatment.Inactive WSLs may not represent an increased caries risk, but patients are often bothered esthetically. Infiltration by repeated etching might be a viable approach even for inactive WSLs. Controlled clinical trials are needed to investigate the long-term performance of this technique.

Slowdown of gist perception in colour diagnostic scenes

Humans perceive the content (gist) of a scene very rapidly within about 40 ms [Castelhano and Henderson, 2008 Journal of Experimental Psychology Human Perception and Performance 43(3) 660-675]. It has also been demonstrated that colours contribute to the perception of the gist of a scene if the colours are diagnostic for the distinction of scenes (Oliva and Schyns, 2000 Cognitive Psychology 41 176-210). We presented 320 coloured photographs of 2 diagnostic (mountains and coasts) and 2 nondiagnostic colour scenes (cities and rooms), 80 per category, in a masking paradigm. The mask consisted of randomly distributed colour patches. SOA was varied between 20 and 80 ms, in steps of 20 ms and subjects had to indicate the gist of the scene (4AFC). A control condition without masking was also included. In line with previous results we have found that the gist of nondiagnostic coloured scenes is extracted within 40 ms. However, if colour comes into play, the extraction of the scene gist is prolonged by about 20 ms. A possible reason for this outcome might be that nondiagnostic colour scenes are identified by their luminance components which are processed faster than the colour information, which in turn mediates the identification of diagnostic colour scenes

[Alternative sonographic determination of liver size by intercostal scans]

BACKGROUND: The evaluation of hepatic size is a daily question in abdominal ultrasound, especially to determine the presence of hepatomegaly. In the literature, different methods of measurement are described, mostly as a subcostal measured organ diameter in one direction. This method has its limits in patients with obesity, accumulation of abdominal gas or in uncooperative patients (lack of coordinative respiration) so that alternative measurements are necessary. METHODS: In 241 patients hepatic size was first measured in two conventional sections: midclavicular line (MCL) and anterior axillary line (AAL). Additionally, we measured the organs in midaxillary line craniocaudal (MAL) by determination of the cranio-caudal diameter. In 58 patients additional computed tomography was performed due to special diagnostical reasons so that liver size in MCL could be revealed and compared with ultrasonographical values. RESULTS: The mean value in MCL was 10.7 +/- 2.1 cm measured by ultrasound, 11.4 +/- 3.7 cm measured by computed tomography, 14.0 +/- 1.9 cm in AAL and 14.9 +/- 2.0 cm in MAL. In 5% of the cases the liver could not be measured in the conventional subcostal sections due to obesity or masking by gas, but this was possible in MAL. CONCLUSIONS: We revealed a good correlation of liver size in MCL between ultrasound and computed tomography, as well as in the measurement of AAL and MAL diameters. However, even in cases with difficult subcostal approach intercostal diameters allow for an accurate determination of hepatic size.

Ezrin/radixin/moesin: Versatile controllers of signaling molecules and of the cortical cytoskeleton

Ezrin, radixin and moesin (ERM) proteins are widely distributed proteins located in the cellular cortex, in microvilli and adherens junctions. They feature an N-terminal membrane binding domain linked by an alpha-helical domain to the C-terminal actin-binding domain. In the dormant state, binding sites in the N-terminal domain are masked by interactions with the C-terminal region. The alpha-helical domain also contributes to masking of binding sites. A specific sequence of signaling events results in dissociation of these intramolecular interactions resulting in ERM activation. ERM molecules have been implicated in mediating actin-membrane linkage and in regulating signaling molecules. They are involved in cell membrane organization, cell migration, phagocytosis and apoptosis, and may also play cell-specific roles in tumor progression. Their precise involvement in these processes has yet to be elucidated.

Self-reactivity in the dimeric intravenous immunoglobulin fraction

Therapeutic intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) preparations contain antibodies reflecting the cumulative antigen experience of the donor population. IVIg contains variable amounts of monomeric and dimeric IgG, but there is little information available on their comparative antibody specificities. We have isolated highly purified fractions of monomeric and dimeric IgG by size-exclusion chromatography. Following treatment of all fractions at pH4, analyses by immunodot and immunocytology on human cell lines showed a preferential recognition of autoantigens in the dimeric IgG fraction. Investigation of the HEp-2 cytoplasmic proteome by 2D-PAGE, Western blot, and subsequent identification of IVIg reactive spots by mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) showed that IVIg recognized only a restricted set of the total proteins. Similar experiments showed that more antigens were recognized by the dimeric IgG fraction, especially when the dissociated dimer fraction was used, as compared to its monomeric counterpart. These observations are consistent with idiotype-anti-idiotype masking of auto-specific Abs in the dimeric fraction of IVIg.

Shying away: An observer-based microprocess analysis of experiential avoidance and resource activation in outpatients with generalized anxiety spectrum disorder

Despite long-standing calls for patient-focused research on individuals with generalized anxiety spectrum disorder there is little systematized knowledge about the in-session behaviors of these patients. The primary objective of this study was to describe of in-session trajectories of the patients' level of explication (as an indicator of an elaborated exposure of negative emotionality) and the patients' focus on their own resources and how these trajectories are associated with post-treatment outcome. In respect to GAD patients, a high level of explication might be seen as an indicator of successful exposure of avoided negative emotionality during therapy sessions. Observers made minute-by-minute ratings of 1100 minutes of video of 20 patients-therapists dyads. The results indicated that a higher level of explication generally observed at a later stage during the therapy sessions and the patients' focus on competencies at an early stage was highly associated with positive therapy outcome at assessment at post treatment, independent of pretreatment distress, rapid response of well-being and symptom reduction, as well as the therapists' professional experience and therapy lengths. These results will be discussed under the perspective of emotion regulation of patients and therapist's counterregulation. It is assumed that GAD-Patients are especially skilled in masking difficult emotions. Explication level and emotion regulation are important variables for this patient group but there's relation to outcome is different.

On the evolution of the oceanic component of the IPSL climate models from CMIP3 to CMIP5: A mean state comparison

This study analyses the impact on the oceanic mean state of the evolution of the oceanic component (NEMO) of the climate model developed at Institut Pierre Simon Laplace (IPSL-CM), from the version IPSL-CM4, used for third phase of the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP3), to IPSL-CM5A, used for CMIP5. Several modifications have been implemented between these two versions, in particular an interactive coupling with a biogeochemical module, a 3-band model for the penetration of the solar radiation, partial steps at the bottom of the ocean and a set of physical parameterisations to improve the representation of the impact of turbulent and tidal mixing. A set of forced and coupled experiments is used to single out the effect of each of these modifications and more generally the evolution of the oceanic component on the IPSL coupled models family. Major improvements are located in the Southern Ocean, where physical parameterisations such as partial steps and tidal mixing reinforce the barotropic transport of water mass, in particular in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current) and ensure a better representation of Antarctic bottom water masses. However, our analysis highlights that modifications, which substantially improve ocean dynamics in forced configuration, can yield or amplify biases in coupled configuration. In particular, the activation of radiative biophysical coupling between biogeochemical cycle and ocean dynamics results in a cooling of the ocean mean state. This illustrates the difficulty to improve and tune coupled climate models, given the large number of degrees of freedom and the potential compensating effects masking some biases.

Probabilistic approach to cloud and snow detection on Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) imagery

Derivation of probability estimates complementary to geophysical data sets has gained special attention over the last years. Information about a confidence level of provided physical quantities is required to construct an error budget of higher-level products and to correctly interpret final results of a particular analysis. Regarding the generation of products based on satellite data a common input consists of a cloud mask which allows discrimination between surface and cloud signals. Further the surface information is divided between snow and snow-free components. At any step of this discrimination process a misclassification in a cloud/snow mask propagates to higher-level products and may alter their usability. Within this scope a novel probabilistic cloud mask (PCM) algorithm suited for the 1 km × 1 km Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data is proposed which provides three types of probability estimates between: cloudy/clear-sky, cloudy/snow and clear-sky/snow conditions. As opposed to the majority of available techniques which are usually based on the decision-tree approach in the PCM algorithm all spectral, angular and ancillary information is used in a single step to retrieve probability estimates from the precomputed look-up tables (LUTs). Moreover, the issue of derivation of a single threshold value for a spectral test was overcome by the concept of multidimensional information space which is divided into small bins by an extensive set of intervals. The discrimination between snow and ice clouds and detection of broken, thin clouds was enhanced by means of the invariant coordinate system (ICS) transformation. The study area covers a wide range of environmental conditions spanning from Iceland through central Europe to northern parts of Africa which exhibit diverse difficulties for cloud/snow masking algorithms. The retrieved PCM cloud classification was compared to the Polar Platform System (PPS) version 2012 and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) collection 6 cloud masks, SYNOP (surface synoptic observations) weather reports, Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) vertical feature mask version 3 and to MODIS collection 5 snow mask. The outcomes of conducted analyses proved fine detection skills of the PCM method with results comparable to or better than the reference PPS algorithm.

A rare presentation of a rare complication of ruptured AAA ... how cardiology comes into play. Case report

Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm (rAAA) with an arterio-venous fistula is a rare phenomenon. We report a case where the coincidence of significant coronary stenosis was masking the main problem of an infra-renal aortic aneurysm rupture.

Optimized aperture shapes for depth estimation

The finite depth of field of a real camera can be used to estimate the depth structure of a scene. The distance of an object from the plane in focus determines the defocus blur size. The shape of the blur depends on the shape of the aperture. The blur shape can be designed by masking the main lens aperture. In fact, aperture shapes different from the standard circular aperture give improved accuracy of depth estimation from defocus blur. We introduce an intuitive criterion to design aperture patterns for depth from defocus. The criterion is independent of a specific depth estimation algorithm. We formulate our design criterion by imposing constraints directly in the data domain and optimize the amount of depth information carried by blurred images. Our criterion is a quadratic function of the aperture transmission values. As such, it can be numerically evaluated to estimate optimized aperture patterns quickly. The proposed mask optimization procedure is applicable to different depth estimation scenarios. We use it for depth estimation from two images with different focus settings, for depth estimation from two images with different aperture shapes as well as for depth estimation from a single coded aperture image. In this work we show masks obtained with this new evaluation criterion and test their depth discrimination capability using a state-of-the-art depth estimation algorithm.