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Abstract Background The aim of this study was to evaluate the visual acuity of adult zebrafish by assessing the optokinetic reflex. Using a modified commercially available optomotor device (OptoMotry®), virtual three-dimensional gratings of variable spatial frequency or contrast were presented to adult zebrafish. In a first experiment, visual acuity was evaluated by changing the spatial frequency at different angular velocities. Thereafter, contrast sensitivity was evaluated by changing the contrast level at different spatial frequencies. Results At the different tested angular velocities (10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 d/s) and a contrast of 100%, visual acuity values ranged from 0.56 to 0.58 c/d. Contrast sensitivity measured at different spatial frequencies (0.011, 0.025, 0.5, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5 and 0.55 c/d) with an angular velocity of 10 d/s and 25 d/s revealed an inverted U-shaped contrast sensitivity curve. The highest mean contrast sensitivity (±SD) values of 20.49 ± 4.13 and 25.24 ± 8.89 were found for a spatial frequency of 0.05 c/d (angular velocity 10 d/s) and 0.1 c/d (angular velocity 25 d/s), respectively. Conclusions Visual acuity and contrast sensitivity measurements in adult zebrafish with the OptoMotry® device are feasible and reveal a remarkably higher VA compared to larval zebrafish and mice.

Abstract Background Specific dorsomedial (DM) neuroblast lineages of the Drosophila brain amplify their proliferation through generation of transit amplifying intermediate progenitor cells. Together, these DM neuroblast lineages comprise over 5,000 adult-specific neural cells and thus represent a substantial part of the brain. However, no information is currently available about the structure or function of any of the neural cells in these DM lineages. In this report we use MARCM-based clonal analysis together with immunocytochemical labeling techniques to investigate the type and fate of neural cells generated in the DM lineages. Results Genetic cell lineage-tracing and immunocytochemical marker analysis reveal that DM neuroblasts are multipotent progenitors that produce a set of postembryonic brain glia as well as a large number of adult-specific protocerebral neurons. During larval development the adult-specific neurons of each DM lineage form several spatially separated axonal fascicles, some of which project along larval brain commissural structures that are primordia of midline neuropile. By taking advantage of a specific Gal4 reporter line, the DM-derived neuronal cells can be identified and followed into early pupal stages. During pupal development the neurons of the DM lineages arborize in many parts of the brain and contribute to neuropile substructures of the developing central complex, such as the fan-shaped body, noduli and protocerebral bridge. Conclusions Our findings provide cellular and molecular evidence for the fact that DM neuroblasts are multipotent progenitors; thus, they represent the first identified progenitor cells in the fly brain that have neuroglioblast functions during postembryonic development. Moreover, our results demonstrate that the adult-specific neurons of the DM lineages arborize widely in the brain and also make a major contribution to the developing central complex. These findings suggest that the amplification of proliferation that characterizes DM lineages may be an important requirement for generating the large number of neurons required in highly complex neuropile structures such as the central complex in the Drosophila brain.

A two-population model based on standard small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) equations is verified for the analysis of core-shell structures comprising spherical colloidal particles with particulate shells. First, Monte Carlo simulations of core-shell structures are performed to demonstrate the applicability of the model. Three possible shell packings are considered: ordered silica shells due to either charge-dependent repulsive or size-dependent Lennard-Jones interactions or randomly arranged silica particles. In most cases, the two-population model produces an excellent fit to calculated SAXS patterns for the simulated core-shell structures, together with a good correlation between the fitting parameters and structural parameters used for the simulation. The limits of application are discussed, and then, this two-population model is applied to the analysis of well-defined core-shell vinyl polymer/silica nanocomposite particles, where the shell comprises a monolayer of spherical silica nanoparticles. Comprehensive SAXS analysis of a series of poly(styrene-co-n-butyl acrylate)/silica colloidal nanocomposite particles (prepared by the in situ emulsion copolymerization of styrene and n-butyl acrylate in the presence of a glycerol-functionalized silica sol) allows the overall core-shell particle diameter, the copolymer latex core diameter and polydispersity, the mean silica shell thickness, the mean silica diameter and polydispersity, the volume fractions of the two components, the silica packing density, and the silica shell structure to be obtained. These experimental SAXS results are consistent with electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, thermogravimetry, helium pycnometry, and BET surface area studies. The high electron density contrast between the (co)polymer and the silica components, together with the relatively low polydispersity of these core-shell nanocomposite particles, makes SAXS ideally suited for the characterization of this system. Moreover, these results can be generalized for other types of core-shell colloidal particles., (© 2011 American Chemical Society)

Small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) is a powerful characterization technique for the analysis of polymer-silica nanocomposite particles due to their relatively narrow particle size distributions and high electron density contrast between the polymer core and the silica shell. Time-resolved SAXS is used to follow the kinetics of both nanocomposite particle formation (via silica nanoparticle adsorption onto sterically stabilized poly(2-vinylpyridine) (P2VP) latex in dilute aqueous solution) and also the spontaneous redistribution of silica that occurs when such P2VP-silica nanocomposite particles are challenged by the addition of sterically stabilized P2VP latex. Silica adsorption is complete within a few seconds at 20 °C and the rate of adsorption strongly dependent on the extent of silica surface coverage. Similar very short time scales for silica redistribution are consistent with facile silica exchange occurring as a result of rapid interparticle collisions due to Brownian motion; this interpretation is consistent with a zeroth-order Smoluchowski-type calculation.

Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) has been used to characterize the interface between the organic and inorganic components of "core-shell" colloidal nanocomposite particles synthesized by in situ aqueous (co)polymerization of styrene and/or n-butyl acrylate in the presence of a glycerol-functionalized silica sol. Polymer protons are in close proximity (<5 A) to surface silanol sites in all the nanocomposites studied, indicating that either styrene or n-butyl side groups extend between the glycerol-functional silane molecules toward the surface of the silica particles. For the poly(styrene-co-n-butyl acrylate)/silica nanocomposite n-butyl acrylate residues are located closer to the surface of the silica particle than styrene residues, suggesting a specific interaction between the former and the glycerol-functionalized silica surface. The most likely explanation is a hydrogen bond between the ester carbonyl and the glycerol groups, although this cannot be observed directly. For the Bindzil CC40 glycerol-functionalized silica sol the relative intensities of (29)Si NMR lines corresponding to T and Q(3) environments imply that there are approximately twice as many unreacted silanol groups on the silica surface as attached silane molecules.

The redistribution of silica nanoparticles between "core-shell" polymer-silica nanocomposites and sterically stabilized latexes is investigated using a combination of electron microscopy, disk centrifuge photosedimentometry (DCP), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Facile exchange of silica nanoparticles occurs on addition of sterically-stabilized polystyrene (or poly(2-vinylpyridine)) latex to polystyrene-silica (or poly(2-vinylpyridine)-silica) nanocomposite particles previously prepared by heteroflocculation. In contrast, no silica exchange occurs after such a latex "challenge" if similar polymer/silica nanocomposite particles are prepared via in situ polymerization. Silica redistribution can be confirmed by post mortem electron microscopy studies, which are facilitated if the original nanocomposite and latex particles differ sufficiently in their mean diameters. Ideally, XPS requires a unique elemental marker for the nanocomposite particle cores, which become progressively more exposed if silica exchange occurs. DCP is a particularly convenient in situ technique for assessing whether or not silica exchange has occurred. If no silica exchange occurs, there is little or no change in the nanocomposite and latex size distributions. On the other hand, silica redistribution always results in a larger mean particle diameter for the (partially) silica-coated latex particles relative to the original bare latex. In addition, incipient flocculation is typically observed after silica exchange. Like electron microscopy, DCP studies are aided if there is a significant difference in particle diameter between the original polymer-silica nanocomposite particles and the added latex. Moreover, silica redistribution can be prevented for heteroflocculated polymer-silica nanocomposite particles under certain conditions. For example, although silica exchange is observed at pH 10 when adding sterically-stabilized polystyrene (or poly(2-vinylpyridine)) latex to heteroflocculated poly(2-vinylpyridine)-silica particles, it does not occur at pH 5. Presumably, this is due to greater electrostatic attraction between the cationic P2VP cores and the anionic silica nanoparticles at this lower pH.

Addition of excess sterically stabilized P2VP latex to a colloidal dispersion of P2VP-silica nanocomposite particles (with silica shells at full monolayer coverage) leads to the facile redistribution of the silica nanoparticles such that partial coverage of all the P2VP latex particles is achieved. This silica exchange, which is complete within 1 h at 20 degrees C as judged by small-angle x-ray scattering, is observed for nanocomposite particles prepared by heteroflocculation, but not for nanocomposite particles prepared by in situ copolymerization. These observations are expected to have important implications for the optimization of nanocomposite formulations in the coatings industry.

The adsorption of small silica particles onto large sterically stabilized poly(2-vinylpyridine) [P2VP] latex particles in aqueous solution is assessed as a potential route to nanocomposite particles with a "core-shell" morphology. Geometric considerations allow the packing efficiency, P, to be related to the number of adsorbed silica particles per latex particle, N. Making no assumptions about the packing structure, this approach leads to a theoretical estimate for P of 86 +/- 4%. Experimentally, dynamic light scattering is used to obtain a plot of hydrodynamic diameter against N, which indicates the conditions required for monolayer coverage of the latex by the silica particles. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed that, at approximately monolayer coverage, calcination of these nanocomposite particles led to the formation of well-defined hollow silica shells. This is interpreted as strong evidence for a contiguous monolayer of silica particles surrounding the latex cores. On this basis, an experimental value for P of 69 +/- 4% was estimated for nanocomposite particles prepared by the heteroflocculation of a 20 nm silica sol with near-monodisperse P2VP latexes of either 463 or 616 nm diameter at approximately pH 10. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to quantify the extent of latex surface coverage by the silica particles. This technique gave good agreement with the silica packing efficiencies estimated from calcination studies.

Colloidal poly(2-vinylpyridine)-silica nanocomposite particles can be efficiently prepared by emulsion polymerization at 60 degrees C using a commercial 20 nm aqueous silica sol as the sole stabilizing agent. Unlike previously reported colloidal nanocomposite syntheses, transmission electron microscopy studies indicate very high silica aggregation efficiencies (88-99%). The key to success is simply the selection of a suitable cationic azo initiator. In contrast, the use of an anionic persulfate initiator leads to substantial contamination of the nanocomposite particles with excess silica sol. The cationic azo initiator is electrostatically adsorbed onto the anionic silica sol at submonolayer coverage, which suggests that surface polymerization may be important for successful nanocomposite formation. Moreover, the 2-vinylpyridine can be partially replaced with either styrene or methacrylic comonomers to produce a range of copolymer-silica nanocomposite particles. The poly(2-vinylpyridine)-silica nanocomposite particles have a well-defined core-shell morphology, with poly(2-vinylpyridine) cores and silica shells; mean diameters typically vary from 180 to 220 nm, and mean silica contents range from 27 to 35% by mass.

Orally administered PGE2 in tablet form was used to induce labour in a prospective trial on 57 patients. The prostaglandin was given in separate-hourly-dosis of 0,5 to 1,5 mg. The success rate of this oral induction was 93%. Frequency of acidotic and/or clinically depressed newborns and the incidence of active delivery reflected the unselected population. A precipitant labour was noted in one patient, while 23% showed symptoms of gastrointestinal side effects which were seen to be dosage dependent.

Within the scope of three open multicentric studies, effect and tolerability of 150 mg. econazole vaginal suppositories were tested in a total of 996 women, 13 to 74 years old (mean age, 29 years). Vaginal candidiasis had been mycologically demonstrated in every patient prior to therapy, and the total cure rate of 93.4 per cent in Studies I and II (880 patients) was also mycologically confirmed. The tolerability was tested by checking of 30 laboratory variables before and after the treatment of 116 patients (Study III); no therapy-related adverse changes were recorded. Connections between therapeutic results, age distribution, initial hormonal situation, and conception of the therapy are pointed out.