Overstimulation of newborn mice leads to behavioral differences and deficits in cognitive performance.

Observational studies in humans have found associations between overstimulation in infancy via excessive television viewing and subsequent deficits in cognition and attention. We developed and tested a mouse model of overstimulation whereby p10 mice were subjected to audio (70 db) and visual stimulation (flashing lights) for six hours per day for a total of 42 days. 10 days later cognition and behavior were tested using the following tests: Light Dark Latency, Elevated Plus Maze, Novel Object Recognition, and Barnes Maze. In all tests, overstimulated mice performed significantly worse compared to controls suggesting increased activity and risk taking, diminished short term memory, and decreased cognitive function. These findings suggest that excessive non-normative stimulation during critical periods of brain development can have demonstrable untoward effects on subsequent neurocognitive function.

Effects of in situ annealing of GaAs(100) substrates on the subsequent growth of InAs quantum dots by molecular beam epitaxy.

In the present work, we study the growth by molecular beam epitaxy of InAs self-assembling quantum dots (SAQDs) on GaAs(100) substrates subjected to an in situ annealing treatment. The annealing process consists of the exposition of the GaAs buffer layer surface to high temperatures for a few seconds with the shutter of an arsenic Knudsen cell closed. The purpose of the annealing is to obtain a better uniformity of the SAQD sizes. In our study we prepared different samples using the Stranski-Krastanov growth method to obtain InAs/GaAs(100) quantum dot samples with different annealing times and temperatures. Their structural and optical properties were studied by reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED), high-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HRSEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and photoreflectance spectroscopy (PR). According to the results of AFM and HRSEM, by the thermal treatment we obtained a better distribution of quantum dot sizes in comparison with a reference sample with no treatment. The PR spectra from 0.9 to 1.35 eV presented two transitions associated with SAQDs. The energy transitions were obtained by fitting the PR spectra using the third derivative model.

Detection of diaphragmatic disruptions by peritoneoscintigraphy using technetium-99M diethylene-triamine pentacetic acid.

Intraperitoneal injection of a selected radiopharmaceutical results in the diffusion of radioactive material throughout the peritoneum. A diaphragmatic injury should theoretically result in the diffusion of the radioactive material into the chest. To test this hypothesis, Technetium-99m diethylene-triamine pentacetic acid (Tc-99m DTPA) was administered intraperitoneally by either direct needle injection or catheter into 18 rabbits. Four of the rabbits served as controls and did not have any diaphragmatic injury. Fourteen rabbits had surgically induced diaphragmatic tears of varying size (1/4 to 1 cm) after thoracotomy. Four of the 14 rabbits were dropped from the study because they had inadequate peritoneal injections of the radiopharmaceutical. The remaining ten rabbits showed peritoneoscintigraphic evidence of diaphragmatic injury either by showing passage of the radiotracer into the chest, demonstrating the site of injury as a focal region of increased radiotracer uptake, or showing both of these features. Peritoneoscintigraphy appears to be a potentially useful modality in the detection of diaphragmatic injury.