Maturation of auditory temporal integration and inhibition assessed with event-related potentials (ERPs)

Background

We examined development of auditory temporal integration and inhibition by assessing electrophysiological responses to tone pairs separated by interstimulus intervals (ISIs) of 25, 50, 100, 200, 400, and 800 ms in 28 children aged 7 to 9 years, and 15 adults.

Results

In adults a distinct neural response was elicited to tones presented at ISIs of 25 ms or longer, whereas in children this was only seen in response to tones presented at ISIs above 100 ms. In adults, late N1 amplitude was larger for the second tone of the tone pair when separated by ISIs as short as 100 ms, consistent with the perceptual integration of successive stimuli within the temporal window of integration. In contrast, children showed enhanced negativity only when tone pairs were separated by ISIs of 200 ms. In children, the amplitude of the P1 component was attenuated at ISIs below 200 ms, consistent with a refractory process.

Conclusions

These results indicate that adults integrate sequential auditory information into smaller temporal segments than children. These results suggest that there are marked maturational changes from childhood to adulthood in the perceptual processes underpinning the grouping of incoming auditory sensory information, and that electrophysiological measures provide a sensitive, non-invasive method allowing further examination of these changes.     

Chiron approach to the synthesis of (2S,3R)-3-hydroxypipecolic acid and (2R,3R)-3-hydroxy-2-hydroxymethylpiperidine from D-glucose

The first chiron approach from d-glucose for the total synthesis of (2 S,3 R)-3-hydroxypipecolic acid (-)-1a and (2R,3R)-3-hydroxy-2-hydroxymethylpiperidine (-)-2a is reported. The synthetic pathway involves conversion of d-glucose into 3-azidopentodialdose (5) followed by the Wittig olefination and reduction to give the piperidine ring skeleton (8) with a sugar appendage that on cleavage of an anomeric carbon followed by oxidation gives (-)-1a which on reduction affords (-)-2a.     

Simple Protocol for Synthesis and Cleavage of Tetrahydropyranyl Ethers Using FeSO4 as an Inexpensive Catalyst

Protection and deprotection of alcohols and phenols as tetrahydropyranyl ethers (THP ethers) using an hydrous FeSO₄ under microwave irradiation without solvent is carried out.     

Graphene-Based Waveguides: Novel Method for Detecting Biological Activity

We demonstrate the fabrication of a biosensor based on graphene coupled with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) waveguide. Biosensors work on the principle of local evanescent graphene-coupled wave sensor. It is observed that the evanescent field shifts in the presence of chemical or biological species as evanescent waves are extremely sensitive to a change in refractive index. This method helps to monitor the target analyte by attaching the selective receptor molecules to the surface of the PDMS optical waveguide resulting in its optical intensity distribution shift. We monitor the electrical properties of graphene in the dark and under illumination of PDMS waveguide. The changes in photocurrent through the graphene film were monitored for blue, green, and red light. We observed that the fabricated graphene-coupled PDMS optical waveguide sensor is sensitive to visible light for the used bioanalytes.     

Essential oil of Myrtus communis inhibits inflammation in rats by reducing serum IL-6 and TNF-alpha

The topical antiinflammatory activity of the essential oil of Myrtus communis L. was studied using croton oil induced ear edema and myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity in mice, and cotton pellet induced granuloma, and serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in rats. On topical application, the oil exhibited a significant decrease in the ear edema as well as MPO activity. The oil also inhibited cotton pellet-induced granuloma and serum TNF-alpha and IL-6. It can be concluded that the essential oil of Myrtus communis reduces leukocyte migration to the damaged tissue and exhibits antiinflammatory activity.     

Three-dimensional periodic boundary layers

Summary Three-dimensional periodic boundary layers on an arbitrary surface are considered assuming that the outer flow is a known periodic potential flow. It is shown that, if the Strouhal number and the Reynolds number are of the same order and if both are large, the interaction between the curvature of the surface and viscosity induces a harmonic part in the secondary motion inside the boundary layer in addition to steady and subharmonic parts.

---

Übersicht Es werden dreidimensionale periodische Grenzschichten an einer beliebigen Oberfläche betrachtet unter der Annahme, daß die Außenströmung eine bekannte periodische Potentialströmung ist. Es wird gezeigt, daß unter der Vorsausetzung, daß Strouhalzahl und Reynoldszahl groß und von gleicher Größenordnung sind, durch das Zusammenwirken von Oberflächenkrümmung und Zähigkeit innerhalb der Grenzschicht ein harmonischer Anteil für die sekundäre Strömung innerhalb der Grenzschicht entsteht, der sich den stationären und den subharmonischen Anteilen überlagert.

---

---

The author thanks Prof. S. D. Nigam for his comments on the first draft of the paper.     

Environmentally Friendly Arylmethylation of Aromatics with Benzyl Halides Using Envirocat EPZ10® as the Catalyst

Summary.  The Friedel-Crafts arylmethylation of aromatics with benzyl halides or bis-(bromomethyl)-benzene in the presence of Envirocat EPZ10? affords selectively para-arylmethylated products in good yields. Isolation of pure products involving an eco-friendly procedure and recyclability of the catalyst are important features of this method. Received January 17, 2000. Accepted (revised) March 2, 2000     

Inhibition of histamine mediated responses by Mirabilis jalapa: confirming traditional claims made about antiallergic and antiasthmatic activity

The roots of Mirabilis jalapa are used traditionally in allergic skin disorders and asthma. The effect of an ethanol:acetone (1:1) extract of the roots of M. jalapa was studied for antihistaminic activity using a guinea pig tracheal chain preparation and clonidine-induced mast cell granulation in mice. Its antiallergic activity was evaluated using milk-induced eosinophilia and albumin-induced paw oedema in mice. The extract (0.5 mL of 100 mg mL(-1)) inhibited histamine-induced guinea pig tracheal chain contractions non-competitively. The extract (100 or 200 mg kg(-1) i.p.) inhibited milk-induced eosinophilia, albumin-induced paw oedema and protected mast cells against clonidine-induced granulation. The study justified the folkloric use of M. jalapa in the treatment of allergic diseases and asthma.     

Anti-inflammatory activity of Pistacia lentiscus essential oil: involvement of IL-6 and TNF-alpha

The topical anti-inflammatory activity of essential oil of Pistacia lentiscus L. was studied using carrageenan induced rat paw edema and cotton pellet induced granuloma. The effect on serum tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in rats inserted with cotton pellet was also investigated. On topical application, the oil exhibited a significant decrease in paw edema. The oil also inhibited cotton pellet-induced granuloma, and reduced serum TNF-alpha and IL-6. It can be concluded that the essential oil of Pistacia lentiscus reduces leukocyte migration to the damaged tissue and exhibits anti-inflammatory activity.