bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An Embodied Approach to the Study of Media Forms: Introducing a Social Scientific Component to Medium Theory
Authors: Holbert R. Lance
Published: March 2014

This article develops a social scientific approach for the empirical testing of media as environment form effects. The theoretical origins of this work merges McLuhan’s thoughts on micro-level media form influence and recent advances in the study of embodied cognition. A social scientific assessment of medium theory is provided, followed by an overview of an embodied approach to the study of media forms. The major concepts of the theory are defined, and the processes by which the physical environments created by media help to shape form-based cognitive schemata are detailed. Eight axioms are presented that form a basis for an embodied approach to the study of media forms, and an outline is provided for how media scholars can begin a more systematic empirical examination of media as environment form effects at the individual level of analysis.
Desire and the ‘Deconstructionist’: Adaptation as writerly praxis
Authors: Messier Vartan
Published: March 2014

Directed by Spike Jonze and written by Charlie Kaufmann, Adaptation is a semi-fictitious narrative of Kaufman’s effort to adapt Susan Orlean’s The Orchid Thief (1998) for the screen. Interrelating Barthes critiques of authorship/authority and the readerly/writerly with adaptation theory, this article demonstrates how the film performs an immanent critique of the process of adaptation by laying bare its practical, theoretical, and political implications. I argue that whereas the screenwriter is a traditionally absent figure in adaptation criticism, his self-reflexive presence in the film hijacks both interpretation and critique by deconstructing the filmic adaptation process through writerly praxis. The critical exploration of the binaries of text and adaptation, reader and writer, fact and fiction, work and theory is made possible by the figuration of Kaufmann who, as a Barthesian reader in the throes of the reading and writing processes, writes himself into the story and projects his desires onto the screen, thereby undermining all authoritative claims on the original text and its interpretation.
Dynamics Model and Control of High-Speed Supercavitating Vehicles Incorporated with Time-Delay
Authors: Li Daijin , Luo Kai , Huang Chuang , Dang Jianjun , Zhang Yuwen
Published: March 2014

High-Speed Supercavitating Vehicles (HSSVs) are characterized by substantially reduced hydrodynamic drag from the fully wetted underwater vehicles. Drag is localized at the nose, where a cavitator generates a cavity that completely envelops the body. In this paper, a vertical plane model incorporated with time-delay effect (memory effect of cavity-vehicle interaction) is developed. Unlike previous models, the authors focus on the immersion angle between supercavity and vehicle used to determine the planing force. Stability analyses are carried out with the delay-dependent pitch-plane model. And a key problem is shown that this time-delay leads to destabilization of limit-cycle motion. A new PID control-algorithm with up-and-down rudder mode is designed, demonstrated by both numerical and experimental studies. The research may be useful for developing the trajectory control system of HSSVs.
The methanol-soluble fraction of Millettia macrophylla (Fabaceae) stem bark endowed with estrogenic properties has adverse effects on the male reproductive system of Wistar rats
Authors: Zingue Stéphane , Nde Chantal Beatrice Magne , Njamen Dieudonné
Published: March 2014

Background: The use of traditional medicinal plants to treat various diseases is common in Sub-Saharan African countries, including Cameroon. Millettia macrophylla, one of such plants, was previously found to exhibit estrogenic properties in female Wistar rats. However, its effects on the male reproductive system are unknown. Based on literature evidence that phytoestrogens impair male sexual behavior, we aimed at assessing the effect of the extracts of M. macrophylla stem bark on the male reproductive system of Wistar rats.

Materials and methods: We evaluated the effects of the dichloromethane (DCM) and methanol (MeOH) soluble fractions of M. macrophylla stem bark on male rat sexual behavior, as well as androgen-dependent parameters for 60 days.

Results: Data showed a significant decrease (p<0.05) in the wiring-touch frequency, mount frequency, intromission frequency, ejaculatory frequency, penile-licking frequency, and computed indices of sexual behavior, throughout the experimental period, as well as a significant increase (p<0.001) in mount, intromission, and ejaculatory latencies as well as post-ejaculatory interval. Moreover, we observed a significant decrease (p<0.05) in the androgen-dependent sexual parameters evaluated. The DCM extract did not induce significant effects on the assessed parameters.

Conclusions: These results suggest that long-term exposure to the estrogenic MeOH fraction of M. macrophylla stem bark negatively alters sexual behavior and spermatogenesis.
A classification of right-angled Coxeter groups with no 3-flats and locally connected boundary
Authors: Camp Wes , Mihalik Michael
Published: March 2014

If (W,S) is a right-angled Coxeter system and W has no ℤ3 subgroups, then it is shown that the absence of an elementary separation property in the presentation diagram for (W,S) implies all CAT(0) spaces acted on geometrically by W have locally connected CAT(0) boundary. It was previously known that if the presentation diagram of a general right-angled Coxeter system satisfied the separation property, then all CAT(0) spaces acted on geometrically by W have non-locally connected boundary. In particular, this gives a complete classification of the right-angled Coxeter groups with no 3-flats and with locally connected boundary.
Crystal structure of bis((dimethylphosphoryl)methanaminium) hexachloridoiridate( IV), C6H22Cl6IrN2O2P2
Authors: Kessler Denise , Reiss Guido J.
Published: March 2014

C6H22Cl6IrN2O2P2, monoclinic, P21/c (no. 14), a = 7.1388(3) Å, b = 13.7576(5) Å, c = 10.0474(4) Å, β = 104.972(4)°, V = 953.3 Å3, Z = 2, Rgt(F) = 0.0150, wRref(F2) = 0.0384, T = 295 K.
Crystal structure of iron(II)-benzenedisulfonate-triaqua-bis(Nmethylpyrrolidone), Fe(BDS)(H2O)3(NMP)2, C16H28FeN2O11S2
Authors: Zitzer Christina , Muesmann Thomas W. T. , Christoffers Jens , Wickleder Mathias S.
Published: March 2014

C16H28FeN2O11S2, monoclinic, Pc (no. 7), a = 14.6849(5) Å, b = 7.7856(2) Å, c = 20.1174(7) Å, β = 98.020(2)°, V = 2277.6 Å3, Z = 4, Rgt(F) = 0.0346, wRref(F2) = 0.0675, T = 120 K.
Crystal structure of trans-[1,3-bis(9-benzyl-9H-fluoren-9-yl) benzimidazol-2-ylidene] pyridine palladium(II) dichloride, C52H39Cl2N3Pd
Authors: Teci Matthieu , Brenner Eric , Matt Dominique , Toupet Loïc
Published: March 2014

C52H39Cl2N3Pd, tetragonal, I41/a (no. 88), a = 40.0310(3) Å, c = 10.4211(1) Å, V = 16699.6 Å3, Z = 16, Rgt(F) = 0.0292, wRref(F2) = 0.0709, T = 120 K.
Silk sericin/poly (NIPAM/LMSH) nanocomposite hydrogels: Rapid thermo-responsibility and good carrier for cell proliferation
Authors: Zhang Qingsong , Xue Rui , Li Xuewei , Wang Zheng , Zhou Zhiyi , Chen Li
Published: March 2014

To overcome the fragility of chemical cross-linked hydrogel and improve the cell compatibility of poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) hydrogel, physical cross-linker lithium magnesium silicate hydrate (LMSH) and silk sericin (SS) created by Bombyx mori (silkworms) were adopted as physical cross-linker and biocompatible monomer to prepare SS/poly(NIPAM/LMSH) nanocomposite hydrogels. The temperature sensitivity and cytocompatibility like mouse ﬁbroblasts (L929) cell proliferation and desorption were investigated. Depending on SS content, the resultant nanocomposite hydrogels present bigger volume and rapid thermo-responsibility. The volume-phase transmittance temperature (VPTT) of SS/poly(NIPAM/LMSH) nanocomposite hydrogels increases from 32.12 to 33.34 °C with the introduction of SS content. Compared to pure poly(NIPAM/LMSH) nanocomposite hydrogel, MTT and SEM graphs have proved that the incorporation of SS could accelerate cell adhesion, spreading and detachment of L929 cells on the surface of SS/poly(NIPAM/LMSH) nanocomposite hydrogels. On culturing 5d, L929 cells have covered the whole surface of SS/poly(NIPAM/LMSH) nanocomposite hydrogels. By reducing temperature from 37 to 15 °C, L929 cells on the surface of SS/poly(NIPAM/LMSH) nanocomposite hydrogels detach spontaneously and harvested L929 cells still keep better cell activity than that via enzymatic digestion.
Consolidation Analysis by the Modified Slope Method
Authors: Al-Zoubi Mohammed Shukri
Published: March 2014

The slope method (Al-Zoubi, 2008, Geotech. Test. J., Vol. 31, No. 6, pp. 526–530) in which the coefficient of consolidation cv was expressed as function of the EOP settlement δp and slope m of the initial linear portion of the observed δt − √t curve is modified for improving the procedure used for estimating the EOP δp. The slope method EOP δp values were estimated using the point at which δt − √t curve starts to deviate from the initial linear portion. In this note, the EOP δp is determined based on a unique relationship between the ratio of the secant slope of δt − √t curve at 50 % consolidation to the secant slope at any time arbitrarily selected beyond the initial linear portion of the δt − √t curve (theoretically, at U ≥ 52.6%) and average degree of consolidation U. The modified slope method requires a minimum of four compression-time data points for better cv estimates. Two types of EOP settlement are identified; local EOP settlement δpi is obtained at a specific Ui value as is the case in the Taylor method and global EOP settlement δp is determined independently of any U value. The modified slope method yields δp and cv values quite similar to those of the Casagrande method.
Experimental Study of Soil Water Migration in Freezing Process
Authors: Mao Xuesong , Miller Carol , Hou Zhongjie , Khandker Abdul , Xiao Xuan
Published: March 2014

Soil water migration is a significant factor in the development of subgrade ice layers in permafrost areas. The prediction of moisture inflow to the freezing zone is an important element in the design and analysis of robust highway subgrade in permafrost regions. In order to better understand moisture inflow to the freezing zone, we designed an experimental investigation to monitor the variation of water content and temperature in freezing soil. Identical experiments were conducted using three different soil types: clay, silt, and fine sand. Moisture was supplied from the sample base while the column was maintained at a constant nonfreezing temperature and moisture equilibration was achieved. A temperature gradient was then applied to the sample via the application of a subfreezing temperature at the column surface. The changes in the temperature and water content of the sample were measured at regular time intervals. Based on the freezing rate, the freezing process can be classified into three stages: the quick frost stage, the transition frost stage, and the stable frost stage. During the freezing process, the inflow rates increased as the thickness of the ice lens increased. When the maximum rate was reached, the final (maximum) thickness of the ice lens was attained. Subsequently, the water inflow rates decreased. All of the water supplied from the bottom of the sample flowed into the frost section during the freezing process, with the moisture contents in the lower portion remaining relatively unchanged. The segregation potential changed with the freezing rate and soil type. This paper proposes the concept of “generalized segregation potential” to extend the traditional segregation potential concept. The use of this new concept with an existing moisture inflow prediction model provided excellent correspondence to measured inflow rates for all three study soils in the early and late stages of the test but overpredicted the inflow rates in the mid-range of the test.
A Novel Method to Determine Material Properties and Residual Stresses Simultaneously Using Spherical Indentation
Authors: Mahmoudi A. H. , Ghanbari-Matloob M. , Nourbakhsh S. H.
Published: March 2014

Spherical indentation is one of the non-destructive techniques that has gained great interest among researchers in recent years. Spherical indentation is inexpensive and quick and can provide a fairly accurate estimation of in-plane residual stresses. This method has typically been used to characterize material properties. However, the application of the technique to measure residual stresses has also been practiced. In this paper, the parameters of Hollomon’s equation and residual stresses were determined using the load–penetration (P–h) curve technique obtained from a single loading-unloading spherical indentation test. Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) were employed to achieve the best results from the data. Neural networks are trained using the data from a series of finite element analyses. An exponential equation is then fitted to the loading curve. Having the fitted equation and the trained neural networks, the residual stresses and the material characteristics were found simultaneously. An important benefit of this method was that it could be used with no requirement for a reference stress-free sample.
Discharge Profiles across the Sleep–Waking Cycle of Identified Cholinergic, GABAergic, and Glutamatergic Neurons in the Pontomesencephalic Tegmentum of the Rat
Authors: Boucetta Soufiane , Cissé Youssouf , Mainville Lynda , Morales Marisela , Jones Barbara E.
Published: March 2014

Distributed within the laterodorsal tegmental and pedunculopontine tegmental nuclei (LDT and PPT), cholinergic neurons in the pontomesencephalic tegmentum have long been thought to play a critical role in stimulating cortical activation during waking (W) and paradoxical sleep (PS, also called REM sleep), yet also in promoting PS with muscle atonia. However, the discharge profile and thus precise roles of the cholinergic neurons have remained uncertain because they lie intermingled with GABAergic and glutamatergic neurons, which might also assume these roles. By applying juxtacellular recording and labeling in naturally sleeping–waking, head-fixed rats, we investigated the discharge profiles of histochemically identified cholinergic, GABAergic, and glutamatergic neurons in the LDT, SubLDT, and adjoining medial part of the PPT (MPPT) in relation to sleep–wake states, cortical activity, and muscle tone. We found that all cholinergic neurons were maximally active during W and PS in positive correlation with fast (γ) cortical activity, as “W/PS-max active neurons.” Like cholinergic neurons, many GABAergic and glutamatergic neurons were also “W/PS-max active.” Other GABAergic and glutamatergic neurons were “PS-max active,” being minimally active during W and maximally active during PS in negative correlation with muscle tone. Conversely, some glutamatergic neurons were “W-max active,” being maximally active during W and minimally active during PS in positive correlation with muscle tone. Through different discharge profiles, the cholinergic, GABAergic, and glutamatergic neurons of the LDT, SubLDT, and MPPT thus appear to play distinct roles in promoting W and PS with cortical activation, PS with muscle atonia, or W with muscle tone.
Mechanisms of Dopamine D1 Receptor-Mediated ERK1/2 Activation in the Parkinsonian Striatum and Their Modulation by Metabotropic Glutamate Receptor Type 5
Authors: Fieblinger Tim , Sebastianutto Irene , Alcacer Cristina , Bimpisidis Zisis , Maslava Natallia , Sandberg Sabina , Engblom David , Cenci M. Angela
Published: March 2014

In animal models of Parkinson′s disease, striatal overactivation of ERK1/2 via dopamine (DA) D1 receptors is the hallmark of a supersensitive molecular response associated with dyskinetic behaviors. Here we investigate the pathways involved in D1 receptor-dependent ERK1/2 activation using acute striatal slices from rodents with unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesions. Application of the dopamine D1-like receptor agonist SKF38393 induced ERK1/2 phosphorylation and downstream signaling in the DA-denervated but not the intact striatum. This response was mediated through a canonical D1R/PKA/MEK1/2 pathway and independent of ionotropic glutamate receptors but blocked by antagonists of L-type calcium channels. Coapplication of an antagonist of metabotropic glutamate receptor type 5 (mGluR5) or its downstream signaling molecules (PLC, PKC, IP3receptors) markedly attenuated SKF38393-induced ERK1/2 activation. The role of striatal mGluR5 in D1-dependent ERK1/2 activation was confirmedin vivoin 6-OHDA-lesioned animals treated systemically with SKF38393. In one experiment, local infusion of the mGluR5 antagonist MTEP in the DA-denervated rat striatum attenuated the activation of ERK1/2 signaling by SKF38393. In another experiment, 6-OHDA lesions were applied to transgenic mice with a cell-specific knockdown of mGluR5 in D1 receptor-expressing neurons. These mice showed a blunted striatal ERK1/2 activation in response to SFK38393 treatment. Our results reveal that D1-dependent ERK1/2 activation in the DA-denervated striatum depends on a complex interaction between PKA- and Ca2+-dependent signaling pathways that is critically modulated by striatal mGluR5.
MeCP2 Phosphorylation Limits Psychostimulant-Induced Behavioral and Neuronal Plasticity
Authors: Deng Jie V. , Wan Yehong , Wang Xiaoting , Cohen Sonia , Wetsel William C. , Greenberg Michael E. , Kenny Paul J. , Calakos Nicole , West Anne E.
Published: March 2014

The methyl-DNA binding protein MeCP2 is emerging as an important regulator of drug reinforcement processes. Psychostimulants induce phosphorylation of MeCP2 at Ser421; however, the functional significance of this posttranslational modification for addictive-like behaviors was unknown. Here we show that MeCP2 Ser421Ala knock-in mice display both a reduced threshold for the induction of locomotor sensitization by investigator-administered amphetamine and enhanced behavioral sensitivity to the reinforcing properties of self-administered cocaine. These behavioral differences were accompanied in the knock-in mice by changes in medium spiny neuron intrinsic excitability and nucleus accumbens gene expression typically observed in association with repeated exposure to these drugs. These data show that phosphorylation of MeCP2 at Ser421 functions to limit the circuit plasticities in the nucleus accumbens that underlie addictive-like behaviors.
Coordinated Regulation of Dendrite Arborization by Epigenetic Factors CDYL and EZH2
Authors: Qi Cai , Liu Shumeng , Qin Rui , Zhang Yu , Wang Guoqiang , Shang Yongfeng , Wang Yun , Liang Jing
Published: March 2014

Dendritic arborization is one of the key determinants of precise circuits for information processing in neurons. Unraveling the molecular mechanisms underlying dendrite morphogenesis is critical to understanding the establishment of neuronal connections. Here, using gain- and loss-of-function approaches, we defined the chromodomain protein and transcription corepressor chromodomain Y-like (CDYL) protein as a negative regulator of dendrite morphogenesis in rat/mouse hippocampal neurons bothin vitroandin vivo. Overexpressing CDYL decreased, whereas knocking it down increased, the dendritic complexity of the primary cultured rat neurons. High-throughput DNA microarray screening identified a number of CDYL downstream target genes, including the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Knock-down of CDYL in neuronal cells led to increased expression of BDNF, which is primarily responsible for CDYL's effects on dendrite patterns. Mechanistically, CDYL interacts with EZH2, the catalytic subunit of Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2), directly and recruits the H3K27 methyltransferase activity to the promoter region of the BDNF gene. In doing so, CDYL and EZH2 coordinately restrict dendrite morphogenesis in an interdependent manner. Finally, we found that neural activity increased dendritic complexity through degradation of CDYL protein to unleash its inhibition on BDNF. These results link, for the first time, the epigenetic regulators CDYL and EZH2 to dendrite morphogenesis and might shed new light on our understanding of the regulation of the neurodevelopment.
Dendritic Inhibition Provided by Interneuron-Specific Cells Controls the Firing Rate and Timing of the Hippocampal Feedback Inhibitory Circuitry
Authors: Tyan Leonid , Chamberland Simon , Magnin Elise , Camiré Olivier , Francavilla Ruggiero , David Linda Suzanne , Deisseroth Karl , Topolnik Lisa
Published: March 2014

In cortical networks, different types of inhibitory interneurons control the activity of glutamatergic principal cells and GABAergic interneurons. Principal neurons represent the major postsynaptic target of most interneurons; however, a population of interneurons that is dedicated to the selective innervation of GABAergic cells exists in the CA1 area of the hippocampus. The physiological properties of these cells and their functional relevance for network computations remain unknown. Here, we used a combination of dual simultaneous patch-clamp recordings and targeted optogenetic stimulation in acute mouse hippocampal slices to examine how one class of interneuron-specific (IS) cells controls the activity of its GABAergic targets. We found that type 3 IS (IS3) cells that coexpress the vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and calretinin contact several distinct types of interneurons within the hippocampal CA1 stratum oriens/alveus (O/A), with preferential innervation of oriens-lacunosum moleculare cells (OLMs) through dendritic synapses. In contrast, VIP-positive basket cells provided perisomatic inhibition to CA1 pyramidal neurons with the asynchronous GABA release and were not connected with O/A interneurons. Furthermore, unitary IPSCs recorded at IS3–OLM synapses had a small amplitude and low release probability but summated efficiently during high-frequency firing of IS3 interneurons. Moreover, the synchronous generation of a single spike in several IS cells that converged onto a single OLM controlled the firing rate and timing of OLM interneurons. Therefore, dendritic inhibition originating from IS cells is needed for the flexible activity-dependent recruitment of OLM interneurons for feedback inhibition.
Differential Coding of Conspecific Vocalizations in the Ventral Auditory Cortical Stream
Authors: Fukushima Makoto , Saunders Richard C. , Leopold David A. , Mishkin Mortimer , Averbeck Bruno B.
Published: March 2014

The mammalian auditory cortex integrates spectral and temporal acoustic features to support the perception of complex sounds, including conspecific vocalizations. Here we investigate coding of vocal stimuli in different subfields in macaque auditory cortex. We simultaneously measured auditory evoked potentials over a large swath of primary and higher order auditory cortex along the supratemporal plane in three animals chronically using high-density microelectrocorticographic arrays. To evaluate the capacity of neural activity to discriminate individual stimuli in these high-dimensional datasets, we applied a regularized multivariate classifier to evoked potentials to conspecific vocalizations. We found a gradual decrease in the level of overall classification performance along the caudal to rostral axis. Furthermore, the performance in the caudal sectors was similar across individual stimuli, whereas the performance in the rostral sectors significantly differed for different stimuli. Moreover, the information about vocalizations in the caudal sectors was similar to the information about synthetic stimuli that contained only the spectral or temporal features of the original vocalizations. In the rostral sectors, however, the classification for vocalizations was significantly better than that for the synthetic stimuli, suggesting that conjoined spectral and temporal features were necessary to explain differential coding of vocalizations in the rostral areas. We also found that this coding in the rostral sector was carried primarily in the theta frequency band of the response. These findings illustrate a progression in neural coding of conspecific vocalizations along the ventral auditory pathway.
Task-Dependent Decoding of Speaker and Vowel Identity from Auditory Cortical Response Patterns
Authors: Bonte Milene , Hausfeld Lars , Scharke Wolfgang , Valente Giancarlo , Formisano Elia
Published: March 2014

Selective attention to relevant sound properties is essential for everyday listening situations. It enables the formation of different perceptual representations of the same acoustic input and is at the basis of flexible and goal-dependent behavior. Here, we investigated the role of the human auditory cortex in forming behavior-dependent representations of sounds. We used single-trial fMRI and analyzed cortical responses collected while subjects listened to the same speech sounds (vowels /a/, /i/, and /u/) spoken by different speakers (boy, girl, male) and performed a delayed-match-to-sample task on either speech sound or speaker identity. Univariate analyses showed a task-specific activation increase in the right superior temporal gyrus/sulcus (STG/STS) during speaker categorization and in the right posterior temporal cortex during vowel categorization. Beyond regional differences in activation levels, multivariate classification of single trial responses demonstrated that the success with which single speakers and vowels can be decoded from auditory cortical activation patterns depends on task demands and subject's behavioral performance. Speaker/vowel classification relied on distinct but overlapping regions across the (right) mid-anterior STG/STS (speakers) and bilateral mid-posterior STG/STS (vowels), as well as the superior temporal plane including Heschl's gyrus/sulcus. The task dependency of speaker/vowel classification demonstrates that the informative fMRI response patterns reflect the top-down enhancement of behaviorally relevant sound representations. Furthermore, our findings suggest that successful selection, processing, and retention of task-relevant sound properties relies on the joint encoding of information across early and higher-order regions of the auditory cortex.
Efferent Feedback Slows Cochlear Aging
Authors: Liberman M. Charles , Liberman Leslie D. , Maison Stéphane F.
Published: March 2014

The inner ear receives two types of efferent feedback from the brainstem: one pathway provides gain control on outer hair cells' contribution to cochlear amplification, and the other modulates the excitability of the cochlear nerve. Although efferent feedback can protect hair cells from acoustic injury and thereby minimize noise-induced permanent threshold shifts, most prior studies focused on high-intensity exposures (>100 dB SPL). Here, we show that efferents are essential for long-term maintenance of cochlear function in mice aged 1 year post-de-efferentation without purposeful acoustic overexposure. Cochlear de-efferentation was achieved by surgical lesion of efferent pathways in the brainstem and was assessed by quantitative analysis of immunostained efferent terminals in outer and inner hair cell areas. The resultant loss of efferent feedback accelerated the age-related amplitude reduction in cochlear neural responses, as seen in auditory brainstem responses, and increased the loss of synapses between hair cells and the terminals of cochlear nerve fibers, as seen in confocal analysis of the organ of Corti immunostained for presynaptic and postsynaptic markers. This type of neuropathy, also seen after moderate noise exposure, has been termed “hidden hearing loss”, because it does not affect thresholds, but can be seen in the suprathreshold amplitudes of cochlear neural responses, and likely causes problems with hearing in a noisy environment, a classic symptom of age-related hearing loss in humans. Since efferent reflex strength varies among individuals and can be measured noninvasively, a weak reflex may be an important risk factor, and prognostic indicator, for age-related hearing impairment.
Cue-Induced Craving Increases Impulsivity via Changes in Striatal Value Signals in Problem Gamblers
Authors: Miedl Stephan F. , Büchel Christian , Peters Jan
Published: March 2014

Impulsive behavior such as steep temporal discounting is a hallmark of addiction and is associated with relapse. In pathological gamblers, discounting may be further increased by the presence of gambling-related cues in the environment, but the extent to which the gambling relatedness of task settings affects reward responses in gambling addiction is debated. In the present study, human problem gamblers made choices between immediate rewards and individually tailored larger-but-later rewards while visual gambling-related scenes were presented in the background.N= 17 participants were scanned using fMRI, whereasN= 5 additional participants completed a behavioral version of the task. Postscan craving ratings were acquired for each image, and behavioral and neuroimaging data were analyzed separately for high- and low-craving trials (median split analysis). Discounting was steeper for high versus low craving trials. Neuroimaging revealed a positive correlation with model-based subjective value in midbrain and striatum in low-craving trials that was reversed in high-craving trials. These findings reveal a modulation of striatal reward responses in gamblers by addiction-related cues, and highlight a potentially important mechanism that may contribute to relapse. Cue-induced changes in striatal delayed reward signals may lead to increased discounting of future rewards, which might in turn affect the likelihood of relapse.
Transient Receptor Potential Channel Ankyrin-1 Is Not a Cold Sensor for Autonomic Thermoregulation in Rodents
Authors: de Oliveira Cristiane , Garami Andras , Lehto Sonya G. , Pakai Eszter , Tekus Valeria , Pohoczky Krisztina , Youngblood Beth D. , Wang Weiya , Kort Michael E. , Kym Philip R. , Pinter Erika , Gavva Narender R. , Romanovsky Andrej A.
Published: March 2014

The rodent transient receptor potential ankyrin-1 (TRPA1) channel has been hypothesized to serve as a temperature sensor for thermoregulation in the cold. We tested this hypothesis by using deletion of theTrpa1gene in mice and pharmacological blockade of the TRPA1 channel in rats. In bothTrpa1−/−andTrpa1+/+mice, severe cold exposure (8°C) resulted in decreases of skin and deep body temperatures to ∼8°C and 13°C, respectively, both temperatures being below the reported 17°C threshold temperature for TRPA1 activation. Under these conditions,Trpa1−/−mice had the same dynamics of body temperature asTrpa1+/+mice and showed no weakness in the tail skin vasoconstriction response or thermogenic response to cold. In rats, the effects of pharmacological blockade were studied by using two chemically unrelated TRPA1 antagonists: the highly potent and selective compound A967079, which had been characterized earlier, and the relatively new compound 43 ((4R)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-4-[3-(3-methoxypropoxy)phenyl]-2-thioxo-5H-indeno[1,2-d]pyrimidin-5-one), which we further characterized in the present study and found to be highly potent (IC50against cold of ∼8 nm) and selective. Intragastric administration of either antagonist at 30 mg/kg before severe (3°C) cold exposure did not affect the thermoregulatory responses (deep body and tail skin temperatures) of rats, even though plasma concentrations of both antagonists well exceeded their IC50value at the end of the experiment. In the same experimental setup, blocking the melastatin-8 (TRPM8) channel with AMG2850 (30 mg/kg) attenuated cold-defense mechanisms and led to hypothermia. We conclude that TRPA1 channels do not drive autonomic thermoregulatory responses to cold in rodents.
Design Aesthetics of Transborder Infrastructure in the Pearl River Delta
Authors: Hirsh Max
Published: March 2014

Design Aesthetics of Transborder Infrastructure in the Pearl River Delta investigates the development of a “transborder” ferry network that allows passengers in Mainland China to fly through Hong Kong International Airport without going through customs and immigration controls. Located deep inside Guangdong Province, these facilities cater to travelers whose movement across international frontiers is limited by their income or citizenship. Focusing on two of these terminals, Max Hirsh argues that the prevailing emphasis on iconic structures in the architectural history of air travel has overshadowed the emergence of distinctly un-iconic aviation facilities designed to plug less-privileged people and places into broader networks of international air travel. Hirsh locates this infrastructural innovation in the historical context of the region and interrogates its spatial logic and aesthetic composition in an effort to model a new understanding of urban space: one that illuminates an architecture of incipient global mobility that has been inconspicuously inserted into ordinary places and unspectacular structures throughout the Pearl River Delta.
Efficient Gene Knock-out and Knock-in with Transgenic Cas9 in Drosophila
Authors: Xue Zhaoyu , Ren Mengda , Wu Menghua , Dai Junbiao , Rong Yikang S , Gao Guanjun
Published: March 2014

Bacterial Cas9 nuclease induces site-specific DNA breaks using small gRNA as guides. Cas9 has been successfully introduced into Drosophila for genome editing. Here, we improve the versatility of this method by developing a transgenic system that expresses Cas9 in the Drosophila germline. Using this system, we induced inheritable knock-out mutations by injecting only the gRNA into embryos, achieved highly efficient mutagenesis by expressing gRNA from the promoter of a novel non-coding RNA gene, and recovered homologous recombination-based knock-in of a fluorescent marker at a rate of 4.5% by co-injecting gRNA with a circular DNA donor.
A hettiták szíriában: a régészeti és az írott források ellentmondásai
Authors: Zsolt Simon
Published: March 2014

A hettiták szíriai tevékenysége meglehetősen jól ismert írott forrásainkból. Ennek ellenére a szíriai hettita uralomnak meglehetősen kevés régészeti nyoma maradt fenn. A kutatás hagyományosan ezt azzal magyarázza, hogy a hettiták csupán a meghódított terület hatékony irányításában, s nem a népesség hettitizációjában voltak érdekeltek. Ez a feltevés azonban több kérdést nem old meg, különösen azt nem, miképp válhatott ez esetben Szíria a hettita kulturális örökség egyik legfontosabb hordozójává a birodalom felbomlása után. A történelmi és kulturális háttér újbóli kiértékelésével jelen dolgozat azt a hipotézist fogalmazza meg magyarázatként, hogy maga a helyi lakosság idomult kulturálisan és saját akaratából a hettita hódítókhoz. Ezt a magyarázatot az időközben nemcsak méretében, hanem spektrumában is kibővült régészeti anyag is támogatja.
Perhalasztás athénban A γραψή παρανόμων időzítése
Authors: László Horváth
Published: March 2014

Ebben a tanulmányban a γραψή παρανόμων perekben az esküdtbírósági tárgyalás halasztásának, illetve halogatásának jelenségét vizsgálom. A legismertebb klasszikus példa a koszorú-per, amelyet Aischinés Kr. e. 336-ben benyújtott vádirata után hat évvel, Kr. e. 330-ben tárgyaltak.1 Ugyanezt a jelenséget tapasztaljuk azonban a Hypereidést érintő Dióndas-perben is, ahol a vádirat benyújtása és a tárgyalás között négy év telt el.2
Low-Dose Radiation Risks of Computerized Tomography and Cone Beam Computerized Tomography: Reducing the Fear and Controversy
Authors: Lee Cameron Y. S. , Koval Thomas M. , Suzuki Jon B.
Published: March 2014

Regulations for protecting humans against stochastic biological effects from ionizing radiation are based on the linear no-threshold (LNT) risk assessment model, which states that any amount of radiation exposure may lead to cancer in a population. Based on the LNT model, risk from low-dose radiation increases linearly with increasing doses of radiation. Imaging procedures in medicine and dentistry are an important source of low-dose ionizing radiation. The increased use of computerized tomography (CT) and cone beam computerized tomography (CBCT) has raised health concerns regarding exposure to low-dose ionizing radiation. In oral and maxillofacial surgery and implant dentistry, CBCT is now at the forefront of this controversy. Although caution has been expressed, there have been no direct studies linking radiation exposure from CT and CBCT used in dental imaging with cancer induction. This article describes the concerns about radiation exposure in dental imaging regarding the use of CT.
Sol-gel as methodology to obtain bioactive materials
Authors: RIBEIRO THIAGO J. , LIMA OMAR J. DE , FARIA EMERSON H. , ROCHA LUCAS A. , CALEFI PAULO S. , CIUFFI KATIA J. , NASSAR EDUARDO J.
Published: March 2014

We employed the solgel methodology to obtain a silica matrix modified with calcium and phosphate ions. We prepared the matrix by hydrolysis and condensation of the precursors triethyl phosphate, calcium nitrate, and tetraethylorthosilicate, which were the sources of phosphate, calcium, and silicon, respectively. We dried and heattreated the samples at 110 or 900°C and placed them in simulated body fluid (SBF) for three days. We conducted scanning electron microscopy, Xray diffraction, and infrared spectroscopy analyses, which evidenced that the sample treated at 110°C contained calcium phosphate silicate and hydroxyapatite before and after contact with SBF, respectively. The sample treated at 900°C exhibited a hydroxyapatite phase before and after contact with SBF, but the crystalline phase was more evident after the contact. In conclusion, the solgel methodology provided bioactive samples for bone regeneration.
Use of convolution and geotechnical rock properties to analyze free flowing discharge test
Authors: WENDLAND EDSON , GOMES LUIS HENRIQUE , PORTO RODRIGO M.
Published: March 2014

Discharge tests are conducted in order to determine aquifers transmissivity (T) and storage coefficient (S). However the interpretation of test data is not unique and the results may vary depending on adopted hypothesis. In this work, the convolution technique is applied for the reconstruction of observed drawdown curves aiming for the reduction of uncertainty. The interference between a flowing well and an observation well is evaluated in order to determine the hydrogeological parameters of the confined Guarani Aquifer System (Araujo et al. 1999). Discharge test data are analyzed according to the Jacob and Lohman (1952) method. The application of convolution enabled the determination of the most reliable solution. Obtained transmissivity (T = 411.0 m2/d) and storage coefficient (S = 2.75x10–4) are close to values estimated by direct evaluation of the geotechnical sandstone properties.
Impact of the timing and duration of weed control on the establishment of a rubber tree plantation
Authors: GUZZO CAIO D. , CARVALHO LEONARDO B. DE , GIANCOTTI PAULO R.F. , ALVES PEDRO L.C.A. , GONÇALVES ELAINE C.P. , MARTINS JOSÉ V.F.
Published: March 2014

Rubber tree production is reduced by weeds that compete for environmental resources; therefore, the timing and duration of weed control influences weed interference. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the growth of rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) plants, to determine the critical period for weed control, and to evaluate the growth recovery of rubber trees that coexisted with weeds for different periods of time after planting. Two groups of treatments were established under field conditions in the first year of the investigation: one group contained crescent periods of weed infestation, while the other contained crescent periods of weed control, also including a weed-free check and a total weedy check. In the second year of the investigation, the weeds were totally controlled. Urochloa decumbens was the dominant weed (over 90% groundcover). Crop growth was greatly reduced due to the weed interference. Plant height decreased more rapidly than did any other characteristic. Plant height, leaf dry mass, and leaf area decreased by 99%, 97% and 96%, respectively, and were the most reduced characteristics. Plant height also recovered more rapidly than did any characteristic when the period of weed control was lengthened. However, stem dry mass increased by 750%, making it the most recovered characteristic. The critical period for weed control was between 4 and 9½ months after planting in the first year; however, the rubber trees showed an expressive growth recovery when the weeds were controlled throughout the second year.
Stratigraphy of amethyst geode-bearing lavas and fault-block structures of the Entre Rios mining district, Paraná volcanic province, southern Brazil
Authors: HARTMANN LÉO A. , ANTUNES LUCAS M. , ROSENSTENGEL LEONARDO M.
Published: March 2014

The Entre Rios mining district produces a large volume of amethyst geodes in underground mines and is part of the world class deposits in the Paraná volcanic province of South America. Two producing basalt flows are numbered 4 and 5 in the lava stratigraphy. A total of seven basalt flows and one rhyodacite flow are present in the district. At the base of the stratigraphy, beginning at the Chapecó river bed, two basalt flows are Esmeralda, low-Ti type. The third flow in the sequence is a rhyodacite, Chapecó type, Guarapuava subtype. Above the rhyodacite flow, four basalt flows are Pitanga, high-Ti type including the two mineralized flows; only the topmost basalt in the stratigraphy is a Paranapanema, intermediate-Ti type. Each individual flow is uniquely identified from its geochemical and gamma-spectrometric properties. The study of several sections in the district allowed for the identification of a fault-block structure. Blocks are elongated NW and the block on the west side of the fault was downthrown. This important structural characterization of the mining district will have significant consequences in the search for new amethyst geode deposits and in the understanding of the evolution of the Paraná volcanic province.
The Dasypodidae (Mammalia, Xenarthra) from the Urso Fóssil Cave (Quaternary), Parque Nacional de Ubajara, State of Ceará, Brazil: paleoecological and taxonomic aspects
Authors: OLIVEIRA PAULO V. , RIBEIRO ANA MARIA , OLIVEIRA ÉDISON V. , VIANA MARIA SOMÁLIA S.
Published: March 2014

This paper deals with xenarthrans osteoderms assigned to Dasypus aff. D. novemcinctus, Euphractus sexcinctus and Cabassous sp. The material was collected in subsurface, from 0.10 to 0.60 m in the Urso Fóssil Cave, Parque Nacional de Ubajara, State of Ceará, northeastern Brazil. The ages of sediment samples from levels 4 and 5 (depths of 0.40 and 0.50 m) were determined by thermoluminescence technique, and indicated ages of 8,000 and 8,200 years BP for each layer respectively. The presence in these layers of early Holocene xenarthrans taxa can contribute to the understanding of the biotic evolution of the northwest region of Ceará during the last 10,000 years. Two of the three identified taxa still occur in the region: Dasypus novemcinctus and Euphractus sexcinctus. The Dasypodidae fauna here reported includes animals with generalist feeding habits and current wide geographical distribution. It is suggested, therefore, that the climatic and environmental conditions in the early Holocene were very similar the actual ones, and that the absence of Cabassous may be conditioned to other factors, such as anthropogenic action and loss of habitat by fragmentation of the vegetation.
Effect of indigo dye effluent on the growth, biomass production and phenotypic plasticity of Scenedesmus quadricauda (Chlorococcales)
Authors: CHIA MATHIAS A. , MUSA RILWAN I.
Published: March 2014

The effect of indigo dye effluent on the freshwater microalga Scenedesmus quadricauda ABU12 was investigated under controlled laboratory conditions. The microalga was exposed to different concentrations of the effluent obtained by diluting the dye effluent from 100 to 175 times in bold basal medium (BBM). The growth rate of the microalga decreased as indigo dye effluent concentration increased (p <0.05). The EC50 was found to be 166 dilution factor of the effluent. Chlorophyll a, cell density and dry weight production as biomarkers were negatively affected by high indigo dye effluent concentration, their levels were higher at low effluent concentrations (p <0.05). Changes in coenobia size significantly correlated with the dye effluent concentration. A shift from large to small coenobia with increasing indigo dye effluent concentration was obtained. We conclude that even at low concentrations; effluents from textile industrial processes that use indigo dye are capable of significantly reducing the growth and biomass production, in addition to altering the morphological characteristics of the freshwater microalga S. quadricauda. The systematic reduction in the number of cells per coenobium observed in this study further confirms that environmental stress affects coenobium structure in the genus Scenedesmus, which means it can be considered an important biomarker for toxicity testing.
Does mating interfere in the biological characteristics of a population of Trichogramma pretiosum?
Authors: PRATISSOLI DIRCEU , KLOSS THIAGO G. , ZINGER FERNANDO D. , CARVALHO JOSÉ R. DE , VIANNA ULYSSES R. , PAES JOÃO P.P.
Published: March 2014

Trichogramma spp. are parasitoids used in the regulation of insect populations that can cause economic damage. In order to ensure good performance, understanding some of their biological characteristics is essential. The objective of this study is to evaluate whether mating interferes with the biological characteristics of a population of Trichogramma pretiosum collected in the field. In all experiments, groups of mated and unmated females were used. We also verified any interference from mating on the biological characteristics of the offspring. We found that mating can alter the parasitism and longevity of genitor females, in addition to changing longevity among the descendants, but once parasitized, the eggs develop normally, showing similar emergence percentage and number of offspring as those from unmated females. In addition, we verified that the population of T. pretiosum collected in the field presented individuals with reproductive thelytokous and arrhenotokous characteristics. This fact highlights the importance of careful investigation on the reproduction mode of populations collected in the field, thus avoiding problems in the effective management of insect populations.
MULTIPLEX SYBR® GREEN-REAL TIME PCR (qPCR) ASSAY FOR THE DETECTION AND DIFFERENTIATION OF Bartonella henselae AND Bartonella clarridgeiae IN CATS
Authors: Staggemeier Rodrigo , Pilger Diogo André , Spilki Fernando Rosado , Cantarelli Vlademir Vicente
Published: March 2014

A novel SYBR® green-real time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was developed to detect two Bartonellaspecies, B. henselae and B. clarridgeiae, directly from blood samples. The test was used in blood samples obtained from cats living in animal shelters in Southern Brazil. Results were compared with those obtained by conventional PCR targeting Bartonella spp. Among the 47 samples analyzed, eight were positive using the conventional PCR and 12 were positive using qPCR. Importantly, the new qPCR detected the presence of both B. henselae and B. clarridgeiae in two samples. The results show that the qPCR described here may be a reliable tool for the screening and differentiation of two important Bartonella species.