bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Study on Dynamics and Constraints of the Employment in the Serbian SMEs During a Crisis
Authors: Predić Biljana , Stefanović Suzana , Stošić Danijela
Published: March 2015

Small and medium sized-enterprises (SMEs) are often seen as a sector important for job creation. About 2/3 of the overall employment is provided by this sector, both in the EU and in the Republic of Serbia. There is evidence that SMEs are responsible for the most part of the net employment growth. The SMEs sector in Serbia is identified as sector which can absorb a part of the unemployment generated by the large scale enterprises’ (LSEs) restructuring and privatization. Today, the unemployment rate in Serbia is high above the average unemployment rate in the EU. The question is whether the SMEs sector can absorb that unemployment, or is this sector more influenced by the crisis, relative to the LSEs. The aim of this paper is to examine the employment contribution of the SMEs in the Republic of Serbia. Furthermore, the paper will deal with the impact of the crisis on the SMEs’ employment, efficiency and their investment activities. The problems that are identified by SMEs, and that lead to rising unemployment in this sector over the past few years will be considered and analyzed.
Microstructural Changes of a Creep-Damaged Nickel-Based K002 Superalloy Containing Hf Element under Different HIP Temperatures
Authors: Wang Xiaomeng , Zhou Yu , Dong Jian , Wang Tianyou , Zhao Zihua , Zhang Zheng
Published: March 2015

Effects of hot isostatic pressing (HIP) temperature on the microstructural evolution of a nickel-based K002 superalloy containing Hf element after long-term service were investigated using three different soaking temperatures during HIP. The degraded γ′ precipitates represented coarse and irregular morphology after long-term service. These γ′ precipitates still were of coarse and irregular shape, but the size and volume fraction of γ′ precipitates were markedly reduced under HIP condition of 1,190°C/200 MPa/4 h, indicating that the γ′ precipitates were experiencing a dissolution process. Meanwhile, the concentrically oriented N-type γ′ rafting structure around the cavities was formed. With HIP temperature increase to 1,220°C and 1,250°C, the small-sized, cubic and regular γ′ precipitates were re-precipitated, and the concentrically oriented γ′ structure vanished. The unstable morphology induced by the nucleation and growth of γ matrix was found near the creep cavities, indicating that the solute atoms diffused inward the creep-induced cavities during HIP. However, at HIP temperature of 1,220°C and 1,250°C, a large number of blocky MC(2)-type carbides containing amounts of Hf elements were precipitated, demonstrating that HIP treatment at higher temperatures can result in the formation of a large number of blocky MC(2)-type carbides.
Prosodic boundary strength guides syntactic parsing of French utterances
Authors: Michelas Amandine , D’Imperio Mariapaola
Published: March 2015

This study tests how prosodic boundary strength (i.e., categorical differences between Accentual Phrase, AP, and intermediate phrase, ip, boundaries)
Tag questions across Irish English and British English: A corpus analysis of form and function
Authors: Barron Anne , Pandarova Irina , Muderack Karoline
Published: March 2015

The present study, situated in the area of variational pragmatics, contrasts tag question (TQ) use in Ireland and Great Britain using spoken data from the Irish and British components of the International Corpus of English (ICE). Analysis is on the formal and functional level and also investigates form-functional relationships. Findings reveal many similarities in the use of TQs across the varieties. They also point, however, to a lower use of TQs in Irish English and in a range of variety-preferential features on both the formal and functional levels. The paper shows how an in-depth analysis of form-function relations together with a fine-tuned investigation of sub-functions gives an insight into formal preferences.
La pena di morte per ľ"assassinio" del bue aratore (a proposito di Varrò rust. 2,5,3-4 e Colum. 6, praef. 7)
Authors: Bellandi Franco
Published: March 2015

This essay is focused on a difficult passage in Varrò, rust. 2,5,3-4, which is quoted, explained and partially corrected by Columella (6 praef. 7). Both passages are for us a valuable source of information about the capital sentence inflicted, in a very early age, on the person who caused the death of the ploughing ox. However, a contradiction or apory can be observed in the attitude of the two authors. On the one hand - as admirers of the mos maiorum - they seem to praise the innocence and the restraint of the ancients, who showed so much respect for so beneficent an animal. On the other hand, in their roles as instructors of the most efficient farming techniques, they are keen on the profits assured by the raising of farm animals, and discuss without embarrassment the slaughter of oxen (either sacrificial or simply commercial) and the eating of beef. In Greece, the Attic Bouphonia, with all their functional ambiguities, marked the transition from the age of the bloodless sacrifice - praised and placed forever in the archives of history - to the "modern" age of slaughter; on the contrary, Roman culture lacked a similar rite that could somehow reconcile the two antithetical ideas, the ancient taboo about the slaying of domestic animals and the actual killing as performed in historical times.
Ein,Nesthocker', Prokne und andere Schwalben: Martial 5, 67
Authors: Schmitz Christine
Published: March 2015

Epigram 5.67 derives its point from Martial's critical and creative way of dealing with the mythical tradition. After he has described from the swallows' perspective an incident that occurred in the avian world, in the last distich the point of view undergoes a surprising shift from the victim to the agent. This is effected by a smooth transition from the swallow that has been cruelly torn to bits by its own kind to the mythical Procne, who tore her son to bits and suffered the punishment of being changed into a swallow. The aetiology that forms the concluding point of the epigram shows the incident in a new light. The nature of swallows is marked once and for all by Procne's behavior: as she once tore Itys to pieces, so the swallows of our epigram behave; indeed, at the very beginning they are pointedly designated as Attbides. The narrator's concluding comment that the guilty mother ought to have been torn to bits immediately after her impious act is an attempt, albeit a vain one, to correct the myth.
δ37Cl of waters from the Akyatan Lagoon, Turkey
Authors: Pelc Andrzej , Lécuyer Christophe , Bodergat Anne-Marie , Hałas Stanisław
Published: March 2015

We report the first δ
A critical review on heat transfer in trickle bed reactors
Authors: Taulamet María J. , Mariani Néstor J. , Barreto Guillermo F. , Martínez Osvaldo M.
Published: March 2015

A critical review of the available information about heat transfer between a packed bed with cocurrent downflow of gas and liquid and an external medium was undertaken. Several aspects such as experimental set-ups and methods employed to study heat transfer in trickle bed reactors, models used to interpret experimental data, and literature correlations of heat transfer parameters are addressed. From the analysis of the available experimental information, a refined database has been built, which allows comparing the performance of the existing correlations for the parameters of the extensively employed two-dimensional pseudohomogeneous plug flow model (i.e., effective radial thermal conductivity and wall heat transfer coefficient). In addition, new correlations for effective thermal conductivity have been developed. Identification of gaps in the current knowledge and recommendations for future works are summarized.
Structural changes of synthetic paulingite (Na,H-ECR-18) upon dehydration and CO2 adsorption
Authors: Greenaway Alex G. , Shin Jiho , Cox Paul A. , Shiko Elenica , Thompson Stephen P. , Brandani Stefano , Hong Suk Bong , Wright Paul A.
Published: March 2015

The structure of dehydrated calcined ECR-18, synthetic paulingite, topology type PAU, unit cell composition Na132H28Si512Al160O1344, has been determined by Rietveld refinement against synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction data. Upon dehydration the symmetry of Na,H-ECR-18 changes from

I
m

3
¯

m

$Im\bar 3m$

to

I

4
¯

3
m
,

$I\bar 43m,$

with a corresponding decrease of cubic unit cell a parameter from 34.89412(1) Å to 33.3488(3) Å. This occurs as the framework distorts to afford closer coordination of Na+ cations by framework O atoms in 8-ring window sites of the seven cage types present. Na+ cations in 8R sites block the access of N2 molecules to the internal pore space at 77 K but CO2 adsorption at 308 K is observed, and is postulated to occur via a ‘trapdoor’ mechanism. In situ PXRD during CO2 adsorption at pressures up to 10 bar show reversible broadening of diffraction peaks that is attributed to local crystallographic strain.
Regional and Stage-Specific Effects of Prospectively Purified Vascular Cells on the Adult V-SVZ Neural Stem Cell Lineage
Authors: Crouch Elizabeth E. , Liu Chang , Silva-Vargas Violeta , Doetsch Fiona
Published: March 2015

Adult neural stem cells reside in specialized niches. In the ventricular-subventricular zone (V-SVZ), quiescent neural stem cells (qNSCs) become activated (aNSCs), and generate transit amplifying cells (TACs), which give rise to neuroblasts that migrate to the olfactory bulb. The vasculature is an important component of the adult neural stem cell niche, but whether vascular cells in neurogenic areas are intrinsically different from those elsewhere in the brain is unknown. Moreover, the contribution of pericytes to the neural stem cell niche has not been defined. Here, we describe a rapid FACS purification strategy to simultaneously isolate primary endothelial cells and pericytes from brain microregions of nontransgenic mice using CD31 and CD13 as surface markers. We compared the effect of purified vascular cells from a neurogenic (V-SVZ) and non-neurogenic brain region (cortex) on the V-SVZ stem cell lineagein vitro. Endothelial and pericyte diffusible signals from both regions differentially promote the proliferation and neuronal differentiation of qNSCs, aNSCs, and TACs. Unexpectedly, diffusible cortical signals had the most potent effects on V-SVZ proliferation and neurogenesis, highlighting the intrinsic capacity of non-neurogenic vasculature to support stem cell behavior. Finally, we identify PlGF-2 as an endothelial-derived mitogen that promotes V-SVZ cell proliferation. This purification strategy provides a platform to define the functional and molecular contribution of vascular cells to stem cell niches and other brain regions under different physiological and pathological states.
Nociceptor Beta II, Delta, and Epsilon Isoforms of PKC Differentially Mediate Paclitaxel-Induced Spontaneous and Evoked Pain
Authors: He Ying , Wang Zaijie Jim
Published: March 2015

As one of the most effective and frequently used chemotherapeutic agents, paclitaxel produces peripheral neuropathy (paclitaxel-induced peripheral neuropathy or PIPN) that negatively affects chemotherapy and persists after cancer therapy. The mechanisms underlying this dose-limiting side effect remain to be fully elucidated. This study aimed to investigate the role of nociceptor protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms in PIPN. Employing multiple complementary approaches, we have identified a subset of PKC isoforms, namely βII, δ, and ϵ, were activated by paclitaxel in the isolated primary afferent sensory neurons. Persistent activation of PKCβII, PKCδ, and PKCϵ was also observed in the dorsal root ganglion neurons after chronic treatment with paclitaxel in a mouse model of PIPN. Isoform-selective inhibitors of PKCβII, PKCδ, and PKCϵ given intrathecally dose-dependently attenuated paclitaxel-induced mechanical allodynia and heat hyperalgesia. Surprisingly, spinal inhibition of PKCβII and PKCδ, but not PKCϵ, blocked the spontaneous pain induced by paclitaxel. These data suggest that a subset of nociceptor PKC isoforms differentially contribute to spontaneous and evoked pain in PIPN, although it is not clear whether PKCϵ in other regions regulates spontaneous pain in PIPN. The findings can potentially offer new selective targets for pharmacological intervention of PIPN.
A Trade-Off between Somatosensory and Auditory Related Brain Activity during Object Naming But Not Reading
Authors: Seghier Mohamed L. , Hope Thomas M.H. , Prejawa Susan , Parker Jones ‘Ōiwi , Vitkovitch Melanie , Price Cathy J.
Published: March 2015

The parietal operculum, particularly the cytoarchitectonic area OP1 of the secondary somatosensory area (SII), is involved in somatosensory feedback. Using fMRI with 58 human subjects, we investigated task-dependent differences in SII/OP1 activity during three familiar speech production tasks: object naming, reading and repeatedly saying “1-2-3.” Bilateral SII/OP1 was significantly suppressed (relative to rest) during object naming, to a lesser extent when repeatedly saying “1-2-3” and not at all during reading. These results cannot be explained by task difficulty but the contrasting difference between naming and reading illustrates how the demands on somatosensory activity change with task, even when motor output (i.e., production of object names) is matched. To investigate what determined SII/OP1 deactivation during object naming, we searched the whole brain for areas where activity increased as that in SII/OP1 decreased. This across subject covariance analysis revealed a region in the right superior temporal sulcus (STS) that lies within the auditory cortex, and is activated by auditory feedback during speech production. The tradeoff between activity in SII/OP1 and STS was not observed during reading, which showed significantly more activation than naming in both SII/OP1 and STS bilaterally. These findings suggest that, although object naming is more error prone than reading, subjects can afford to rely more or less on somatosensory or auditory feedback during naming. In contrast, fast and efficient error-free reading places more consistent demands on both types of feedback, perhaps because of the potential for increased competition between lexical and sublexical codes at the articulatory level.
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Inhibits Calcium Channel Activation, Exocytosis, and Endocytosis at a Central Nerve Terminal
Authors: Baydyuk Maryna , Wu Xin-Sheng , He Liming , Wu Ling-Gang
Published: March 2015

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a neurotrophin that regulates synaptic function and plasticity and plays important roles in neuronal development, survival, and brain disorders. Despite such diverse and important roles, how BDNF, or more generally speaking, neurotrophins affect synapses, particularly nerve terminals, remains unclear. By measuring calcium currents and membrane capacitance during depolarization at a large mammalian central nerve terminal, the rat calyx of Held, we report for the first time that BDNF slows down calcium channel activation, including P/Q-type channels, and inhibits exocytosis induced by brief depolarization or single action potentials, inhibits slow and rapid endocytosis, and inhibits vesicle mobilization to the readily releasable pool. These presynaptic mechanisms may contribute to the important roles of BDNF in regulating synapses and neuronal circuits and suggest that regulation of presynaptic calcium channels, exocytosis, and endocytosis are potential mechanisms by which neurotrophins achieve diverse neuronal functions.
Mutations in the Microtubule-Associated Protein 1A (Map1a) Gene Cause Purkinje Cell Degeneration
Authors: Liu Ye , Lee Jeong Woong , Ackerman Susan L.
Published: March 2015

The structural microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) are critical for the organization of neuronal microtubules (MTs). Microtubule-associated protein 1A (MAP1A) is one of the most abundantly expressed MAPs in the mammalian brain. However, itsin vivofunction remains largely unknown. Here we describe a spontaneous mouse mutation,nm2719, which causes tremors, ataxia, and loss of cerebellar Purkinje neurons in aged homozygous mice. Thenm2719mutation disrupts theMap1agene. We show that targeted deletion of mouseMap1agene leads to similar neurodegenerative defects. Before neuron death,Map1amutant Purkinje cells exhibited abnormal focal swellings of dendritic shafts and disruptions in axon initial segment (AIS) morphology. Furthermore, the MT network was reduced in the somatodendritic and AIS compartments, and both the heavy and light chains of MAP1B, another brain-enriched MAP, was aberrantly distributed in the soma and dendrites of mutant Purkinje cells. MAP1A has been reported to bind to the membrane-associated guanylate kinase (MAGUK) scaffolding proteins, as well as to MTs. Indeed, PSD-93, the MAGUK specifically enriched in Purkinje cells, was reduced inMap1a−/−Purkinje cells. These results demonstrate that MAP1A functions to maintain both the neuronal MT network and the level of PSD-93 in neurons of the mammalian brain.
Motor Cortex Maturation Is Associated with Reductions in Recurrent Connectivity among Functional Subpopulations and Increases in Intrinsic Excitability
Authors: Biane Jeremy S. , Scanziani Massimo , Tuszynski Mark H. , Conner James M.
Published: March 2015

Behavior is derived from the configuration of synaptic connectivity among functionally diverse neurons. Fine motor behavior is absent at birth in most mammals but gradually emerges during subsequent postnatal corticospinal system maturation; the nature of circuit development and reorganization during this period has been largely unexplored. We investigated connectivity and synaptic signaling among functionally distinct corticospinal populations in Fischer 344 rats from postnatal day 18 through 75 using retrograde tracer injections into specific spinal cord segments associated with distinct aspects of forelimb function. Primary motor cortex slices were prepared enabling simultaneous patch-clamp recordings of up to four labeled corticospinal neurons and testing of 3489 potential synaptic connections. We find that, in immature animals, local connectivity is biased toward corticospinal neurons projecting to the same spinal cord segment; this within-population connectivity significantly decreases through maturation until connection frequency is similar between neurons projecting to the same (within-population) or different (across-population) spinal segments. Concomitantly, postnatal maturation is associated with a significant reduction in synaptic efficacy over time and an increase in intrinsic neuronal excitability, altering how excitation is effectively transmitted across recurrent corticospinal networks. Collectively, the postnatal emergence of fine motor control is associated with a relative broadening of connectivity between functionally diverse cortical motor neurons and changes in synaptic properties that could enable the emergence of smaller independent networks, enabling fine motor movement. These changes in synaptic patterning and physiological function provide a basis for the increased capabilities of the mature versus developing brain.
Parabrachial Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide Neurons Mediate Conditioned Taste Aversion
Authors: Carter Matthew E. , Han Sung , Palmiter Richard D.
Published: March 2015

Conditioned taste aversion (CTA) is a phenomenon in which an individual forms an association between a novel tastant and toxin-induced gastrointestinal malaise. Previous studies showed that the parabrachial nucleus (PBN) contains neurons that are necessary for the acquisition of CTA, but the specific neuronal populations involved are unknown. Previously, we identified calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-expressing neurons in the external lateral subdivision of the PBN (PBel) as being sufficient to suppress appetite and necessary for the anorexigenic effects of appetite-suppressing substances including lithium chloride (LiCl), a compound often used to induce CTA. Here, we test the hypothesis that PBel CGRP neurons are sufficient and necessary for CTA acquisition in mice. We show that optogenetic activation of these neurons is sufficient to induce CTA in the absence of anorexigenic substances, whereas genetically induced silencing of these neurons attenuates acquisition of CTA upon exposure to LiCl. Together, these results demonstrate that PBel CGRP neurons mediate a gastrointestinal distress signal required to establish CTA.
Analogous Synaptic Plasticity Profiles Emerge from Disparate Channel Combinations
Authors: Anirudhan Arun , Narayanan Rishikesh
Published: March 2015

An open question within the Bienenstock-Cooper-Munro theory for synaptic modification concerns the specific mechanism that is responsible for regulating the sliding modification threshold (SMT). In this conductance-based modeling study on hippocampal pyramidal neurons, we quantitatively assessed the impact of seven ion channels (R- andT-type calcium, fast sodium, delayed rectifier,A-type, and small-conductance calcium-activated (SK) potassium and HCN) and two receptors (AMPAR and NMDAR) on a calcium-dependent Bienenstock-Cooper-Munro-like plasticity rule. Our analysis withR- andT-type calcium channels revealed that differences in their activation-inactivation profiles resulted in differential impacts on how they altered the SMT. Further, we found that the impact of SK channels on the SMT critically depended on the voltage dependence and kinetics of the calcium sources with which they interacted. Next, we considered interactions among all the seven channels and the two receptors through global sensitivity analysis on 11 model parameters. We constructed 20,000 models through uniform randomization of these parameters and found 360 valid models based on experimental constraints on their plasticity profiles. Analyzing these 360 models, we found that similar plasticity profiles could emerge with several nonunique parametric combinations and that parameters exhibited weak pairwise correlations. Finally, we used seven sets of virtual knock-outs on these 360 models and found that the impact of different channels on the SMT was variable and differential. These results suggest that there are several nonunique routes to regulate the SMT, and call for a systematic analysis of the variability and state dependence of the mechanisms underlying metaplasticity during behavior and pathology.
Proximodistal Structure of Theta Coordination in the Dorsal Hippocampus of Epileptic Rats
Authors: Laurent François , Brotons-Mas Jorge R. , Cid Elena , Lopez-Pigozzi Diego , Valero Manuel , Gal Beatriz , de la Prida Liset Menendez
Published: March 2015

Coherent neuronal activity in the hippocampal–entorhinal circuit is a critical mechanism for episodic memory function, which is typically impaired in temporal lobe epilepsy. To better understand how this mechanism is implemented and degraded in this condition, we used normal and epileptic rats to examine theta activity accompanying active exploration. Assisted by multisite recordings of local field potentials (LFPs) and layer-specific profiling of input pathways, we provide detailed quantification of the proximodistal coherence of theta activity in the dorsal hippocampus of these animals. Normal rats showed stronger coordination between the temporoammonic and perforant entorhinal inputs (measured from lamina-specific current source density signals) at proximal locations, i.e., closer to CA3; while epileptic rats exhibited stronger interactions at distal locations, i.e., closer to subiculum. This opposing trend in epileptic rats was associated with the reorganization of the temporoammonic and perforant pathways that accompany hippocampal sclerosis, the pathological hallmark of this disease. In addition to this connectivity constraint, we discovered that the appropriate timing between entorhinal inputs arriving over several theta cycles at the proximal and distal ends of the dorsal hippocampus was impaired in epileptic rats. Computational reconstruction of LFP signals predicted that restoring timing variability has a major impact on repairing theta coherence. This manipulation, when tested pharmacologically via systemic administration of group III mGluR antagonists, successfully re-established theta coordination of LFPs in epileptic rats. Thus, proximodistal organization of entorhinal inputs is instrumental in temporal lobe physiology and a candidate mechanism to study cognitive comorbidities of temporal lobe epilepsy.
β Oscillations Are Linked to the Initiation of Sensory-Cued Movement Sequences and the Internal Guidance of Regular Tapping in the Monkey
Authors: Bartolo Ramón , Merchant Hugo
Published: March 2015

β oscillations in the basal ganglia have been associated with interval timing. We recorded the putaminal local field potentials (LFPs) from monkeys performing a synchronization-continuation task (SCT) and a serial reaction-time task (RTT), where the animals produced regularly and irregularly paced tapping sequences, respectively. We compared the activation profile of β oscillations between tasks and found transient bursts of β activity in both the RTT and SCT. During the RTT, β power was higher at the beginning of the task, especially when LFPs were aligned to the stimuli. During the SCT, β was higher during the internally driven continuation phase, especially for tap-aligned LFPs. Interestingly, a set of LFPs showed an initial burst of β at the beginning of the SCT, similar to the RTT, followed by a decrease in β oscillations during the synchronization phase, to finally rebound during the continuation phase. The rebound during the continuation phase of the SCT suggests that the corticostriatal circuit is involved in the control of internally driven motor sequences. In turn, the transient bursts of β activity at the beginning of both tasks suggest that the basal ganglia produce a general initiation signal that engages the motor system in different sequential behaviors.
Temporal Dynamics of L5 Dendrites in Medial Prefrontal Cortex Regulate Integration Versus Coincidence Detection of Afferent Inputs
Authors: Dembrow Nikolai C. , Zemelman Boris V. , Johnston Daniel
Published: March 2015

Distinct brain regions are highly interconnected via long-range projections. How this inter-regional communication occurs depends not only upon which subsets of postsynaptic neurons receive input, but also, and equally importantly, upon what cellular subcompartments the projections target. Neocortical pyramidal neurons receive input onto their apical dendrites. However, physiological characterization of these inputs thus far has been exclusively somatocentric, leaving how the dendrites respond to spatial and temporal patterns of input unexplored. Here we used a combination of optogenetics with multisite electrode recordings to simultaneously measure dendritic and somatic responses to afferent fiber activation in two different populations of layer 5 (L5) pyramidal neurons in the rat medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). We found that commissural inputs evoked monosynaptic responses in both intratelencephalic (IT) and pyramidal tract (PT) dendrites, whereas monosynaptic hippocampal input primarily targeted IT, but not PT, dendrites. To understand the role of dendritic integration in the processing of long-range inputs, we used dynamic clamp to simulate synaptic currents in the dendrites. IT dendrites functioned as temporal integrators that were particularly responsive to dendritic inputs within the gamma frequency range (40–140 Hz). In contrast, PT dendrites acted as coincidence detectors by responding to spatially distributed signals within a narrow time window. Thus, the PFC extracts information from different brain regions through the combination of selective dendritic targeting and the distinct dendritic physiological properties of L5 pyramidal dendrites.
The Olfactory Tubercle Encodes Odor Valence in Behaving Mice
Authors: Gadziola Marie A. , Tylicki Kate A. , Christian Diana L. , Wesson Daniel W.
Published: March 2015

Sensory information acquires meaning to adaptively guide behaviors. Despite odors mediating a number of vital behaviors, the components of the olfactory system responsible for assigning meaning to odors remain unclear. The olfactory tubercle (OT), a ventral striatum structure that receives monosynaptic input from the olfactory bulb, is uniquely positioned to transform odor information into behaviorally relevant neural codes. No information is available, however, on the coding of odors among OT neurons in behaving animals. In recordings from mice engaged in an odor discrimination task, we report that the firing rate of OT neurons robustly and flexibly encodes the valence of conditioned odors over identity, with rewarded odors evoking greater firing rates. This coding of rewarded odors occurs before behavioral decisions and represents subsequent behavioral responses. We predict that the OT is an essential region whereby odor valence is encoded in the mammalian brain to guide goal-directed behaviors.
Selective Breeding for High Anxiety Introduces a Synonymous SNP That Increases Neuropeptide S Receptor Activity
Authors: Slattery David A. , Naik Roshan R. , Grund Thomas , Yen Yi-Chun , Sartori Simone B. , Füchsl Andrea , Finger Beate C. , Elfving Betina , Nordemann Uwe , Guerrini Remo , Calo Girolamo , Wegener Gregers , Mathé Aleksander A. , Singewald Nicolas , Czibere Ludwig , Landgraf Rainer , Neumann Inga D.
Published: March 2015

Neuropeptide S (NPS) has generated substantial interest due to its anxiolytic and fear-attenuating effects in rodents, while a corresponding receptor polymorphism associated with increased NPS receptor (NPSR1) surface expression and efficacy has been implicated in an increased risk of panic disorder in humans. To gain insight into this paradox, we examined the NPS system in rats and mice bred for high anxiety-related behavior (HAB) versus low anxiety-related behavior, and, thereafter, determined the effect of central NPS administration on anxiety- and fear-related behavior. The HAB phenotype was accompanied by lower basal NPS receptor (Npsr1) expression, which we could confirm viain vitrodual luciferase promoter assays. Assessment of shorterNpsr1promoter constructs containing a sequence mutation that introduces a glucocorticoid receptor transcription factor binding site, confirmed via oligonucleotide pull-down assays, revealed increased HAB promoter activity—an effect that was prevented by dexamethasone. Analogous to the human NPSR1 risk isoform, functional analysis of a synonymous single nucleotide polymorphism in the coding region of HAB rodents revealed that it caused a higher cAMP response to NPS stimulation. Assessment of the behavioral consequence of these differences revealed that intracerebroventricular NPS reversed the hyperanxiety of HAB rodents as well as the impaired cued-fear extinction in HAB rats and the enhanced fear expression in HAB mice, respectively. These results suggest that alterations in the NPS system, conserved across rodents and humans, contribute to innate anxiety and fear, and that HAB rodents are particularly suited to resolve the apparent discrepancy between the preclinical and clinical findings to date.
Serotonergic Regulation of Excitability of Principal Cells of the Dorsal Cochlear Nucleus
Authors: Tang Zheng-Quan , Trussell Laurence O.
Published: March 2015

The dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN) is one of the first stations within the central auditory pathway where the basic computations underlying sound localization are initiated and heightened activity in the DCN may underlie central tinnitus. The neurotransmitter serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT), is associated with many distinct behavioral or cognitive states, and serotonergic fibers are concentrated in the DCN. However, it remains unclear what is the function of this dense input. Using a combination ofin vitroelectrophysiology and optogenetics in mouse brain slices, we found that 5-HT directly enhances the excitability of fusiform principal cells via activation of two distinct 5-HT receptor subfamilies, 5-HT2A/2CR (5-HT2A/2Creceptor) and 5-HT7R (5-HT7receptor). This excitatory effect results from an augmentation of hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channels (Ihor HCN channels). The serotonergic regulation of excitability is G-protein-dependent and involves cAMP and Src kinase signaling pathways. Moreover, optogenetic activation of serotonergic axon terminals increased excitability of fusiform cells. Our findings reveal that 5-HT exerts a potent influence on fusiform cells by altering their intrinsic properties, which may enhance the sensitivity of the DCN to sensory input.
A novel biomarker for anti-androgenic activity in placenta reveals risks of urogenital malformations
Authors: Arrebola Juan P , Molina-Molina José M , Fernández Mariana F , Sáenz Jose M , Amaya Esperanza , Indiveri Paolo , Hill Elizabeth M , Scholze Martin , Orton Frances , Kortenkamp Andreas , Olea Nicolás
Published: March 2015

It has been hypothesized that the rise in male reproductive disorders over recent decades may at least be partially attributable to environmental factors, including chemical exposures, but observed associations with single chemicals were rather weak. The aim of this case–control study was to explore the relationship between exposure to mixtures of (anti-)androgenic chemicals during pregnancy and the risk of cryptorchidism and/or hypospadias in offspring, using the total effective xenobiotic burden of anti-androgens (TEXB-AA) as a biomarker. A subsample of 29 cases (16 of cryptorchidism, 12 of hypospadias, and one of both disorders) and 60 healthy controls was nested in a cohort of male newborns recruited between October 2000 and July 2002. The (anti-)androgenic activity of placenta samples collected at delivery was assessed using TEXB-AA biomarker, combined with a bioassay-directed fractionation protocol that separated endogenous hormones from most (anti-)androgenic chemicals by normal-phase HPLC. The bioassay measures the androgen-induced luciferase activity and the inhibition of this pathway by (anti-)androgens. First, we collected 27 HPLC fractions in each placenta extract, which were all tested in the bioassay. The multivariable statistical analyses indicated a statistically significant positive dose–response association between the potent anti-androgenic activity of the HPLC fraction collected during minutes 1–2 (F2) and the risk of malformations (odds ratio: 2.33, 95% CI: 1.04–5.23). This study represents a novel approach for the estimation of combined effects of the total anti-androgenic load and the associations suggest an effect of environmental pollutants on the development of fetal reproductive tract.

Free Spanish abstract: A Spanish translation of this abstract is freely available athttp://www.reproduction-online.org/content/149/6/605/suppl/DC1.
A Research Paper on Social media: An Innovative Educational Tool
Authors:   Chitkara University, Punjab, Kalia Gitanjali
Published: March 2015

The topic â€œSocial media: an innovative education toolâ€ was undertaken to study the relevance and importance of social media which is an in-thing among the educational sector. In an era, where the glocal is the word to deine common platform for the people around the world to share and exchange their beliefs, culture, traditions, knowledge, views, etc. The study concludes that our education system needs change and social media should be widely utilized for the educational purposes. It is mainly used for the purpose of making presentations followed by assignment updates, better research and connectivity.
Bivariate Bonferroni-type inequalities based on multivariate Lagrange interpolation
Authors: Mádi-Nagy Gergely , Prékopa András
Published: March 2015

Let A1,...,AN and B1,...,BM be two sequences of events and let νN(A) and νM(B) be the number of those Ai and Bj, respectively, that occur. Based on multivariate Lagrange interpolation, we give a method that yields linear bounds in terms of Sk,t, k+t ≤ m on the distribution of the vector (νN(A), νM(B)). For the same value of m, several inequalities can be generated and all of them are best bounds for some values of Sk,t. Known bivariate Bonferroni-type inequalities are reconstructed and new inequalities are generated, too.
The expanding world of hybrid perovskites: materials properties and emerging applications
Authors: Brittman Sarah , Adhyaksa Gede Widia Pratama , Garnett Erik Christian
Published: March 2015

Hybrid inorganic–organic perovskites have emerged over the last 5 years as a promising class of materials for optoelectronic applications. Most notably, their solar cells have achieved power conversion efficiencies above 20% in an unprecedented timeframe; however, many fundamental questions still remain about these materials. This Prospective Article reviews the procedures used to deposit hybrid perovskites and describes the resulting crystallographic and morphological structures. It further details the electrical and optical properties of perovskites and then concludes by highlighting a number of potential applications and the materials challenges that must be overcome before they can be realized.
New Materials Optimization Process in Tomato
Authors: Marín Vaca Luz E. , Villegas Torres Oscar G. , Luna Lugo Sergio , Aguilar Cortes Miguel , Lara Ruiz Nadia , Domínguez Patiño Martha Lilia
Published: March 2015

The protected agriculture has gained great importance worldwide in the past 10 years. For example in the case of production in greenhouse conditions, that records an annual growth of 20%.

An important aspect greenhouse production is the medium used for growth of the plant, which may be an organic or inorganic substrate.

One of the advantages of the use of regional substrates is the availability and lower cost, and further organic in gives the tendency to manage sustainable production systems.

The organic substrates alone or in mixtures improve conditions for plant growth in terms of physical, chemical and biological as a perspective.

A wide variety of materials that can be used as agricultural substrates, but there are criteria to be considered for its election as: plant requirements, conforming as possible to the ideal characteristics of a substrate and effect on the environment.

Overall, we can summarize that a substrate for growing plants is any material that can provide attachment, oxygen and enough water for optimal development of the same, or in nutrient case requirements can be covered with a single material or combination with others.

In this paper the tomato crop is presented comparing two production systems to determine the yield and fruit quality under plastic cover, high densities of drip irrigation and using the tezontle as substrate, as this provides good drainage, almost no contribution nutrients and slightly neutral PH. And also allows us to transplant to a larger pot without disturbing the root and provides the necessary aeration.
DETERMINISTICALLY-MODIFIED INTEGRAL ESTIMATORS OF GRAVITATIONAL TENSOR
Authors: Romeshkani Mohsen , Eshagh Mehdi
Published: March 2015

The Earth's global gravity field modelling is an important subject in Physical Geodesy. For this purpose different satellite gravimetry missions have been designed and launched. Satellite gravity gradiometry (SGG) is a technique to measure the second-order derivatives of the gravity field. The gravity field and steady state ocean circulation explorer (GOCE) is the first satellite mission which uses this technique and is dedicated to recover Earth's gravity models (EGMs) up to medium wavelengths. The existing terrestrial gravimetric data and EGM scan be used for validation of the GOCE data prior to their use. In this research, the tensor of gravitation in the local north-oriented frame is generated using deterministically-modified integral estimators involving terrestrial data and EGMs. The paper presents that the SGG data is assessable with an accuracy of 1-2 mE in Fennoscandia using a modified integral estimatorby the Molodensky method. A degree of modification of 100 and an integration cap size of for integrating terrestrial data are proper parameters for the estimator.
ORIENTAÇÃO E ORTORRETIFICAÇÃO DE IMAGENS TERRESTRES NADIRAIS
Authors: Berveglieri Adilson , de Moraes Marcus Vinícius Antunes , Tommaselli Antonio Maria Garcia
Published: March 2015

Informações de controle terrestre são fundamentais para as aplicações fotogramétricas. Independentemente do tipo de controle utilizado, um passo interativo é ainda exigido para determinar as coordenadas imagem de pontos de apoio. Esta abordagem propõe uma técnica automática para orientar e ortorretificar imagens terrestres de pontos de apoio. As ortoimagens podem ser utilizadas como cenas de controle em algoritmos de correspondência para orientar imagens aéreas ou orbitais. O método emprega um alvo de controle acoplado a um receptor Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) para o levantamento de pontos de apoio. Imagens dos pontos são coletadas em posição nadiral e em diferentes alturas com uma câmara panorâmica. Um modelo multiescala é gerado e orientado usando pontos de enlace e os cantos do alvo como pontos de apoio. As coordenadas 3D destes pontos de enlace são determinadas automaticamente por intersecção de raios. Um Modelo Digital de Terreno (MDT) local é produzido para ortorretificar a área com centro no ponto de apoio. Experimentos foram realizados em pequenas áreas com variações em altitude. As coordenadas geradas automaticamente foram comparadas com amostras coletadas por medições topográficas, e os resultados demonstraram que as áreas foram reconstruídas com erro médio quadrático inferior a 2 cm em altimetria, o que é compatível com a aplicação proposta de geração de cenas de controle.
A MODEL SUGGESTION FOR THE DETERMINATION OF THE TRAFFIC ACCIDENT HOTSPOTS ON THE TURKISH HIGHWAY ROAD NETWORK: A PILOT STUDY
Authors: Erdogan Saffet , Ilçi Veli , Soysal Omer M. , Kormaz Aysegul
Published: March 2015

Traffic accidents are very serious problems for human life and the environment. In road safety, it is crucial to identify the high risk locations to apply proper counter measures. This paper aims at introducing outcomes of a pilot project whose main goal is to develop a GIS based crash analysis system integrated with the quantitative methods for identification of high risk locations on road networks in Turkey. In this concept, traditional hotspot detection methods used in Turkey(crash frequency, rate, and severity) are compared with the spatial statistical methods including Moran's I, GetisOrd G and planar and network kernel density estimation in terms of their sensitivity to spatial characteristics of crash clusters. Many countries use traditional hotspot detection approaches such as crash frequency, crash rate, and crash severity as well as Turkey. In this project, we aimed at obtaining a model including different hotspot identification methods for the safety program of Turkey. In order to obtain the model, many hotspot detection methods will be used and compare stage by stage. In the first stage, the seven methods mentioned above are used and examined. Although some of these methods are compared in couple, there is no study using all these methods together extensively in the literature. Methods validated with a different spatial vantage points. Repetitiveness of hotspots in a seven years period are used to compare the methods. Meanwhile advantages and disadvantages of the methods according to location of hotspots are examined additionally. Results show that using planar KDE with Gi in the junction locations and using planar KDE with Moran's I in the straight road locations could improve the model while determining hotspots.
Interface transmissivity and hydraulic conductivity of GCLs below poured concrete
Authors: Rowe R.K. , Hosney M.S.
Published: March 2015

ABSTRACT: The performance of four geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs) used as a hydraulic barrier below concrete-lined sewage treatment lagoons was examined based on a series of laboratory tests aimed at measuring: (i) the lateral flow of synthetic wastewater through the interface between each GCL product and a 0.1 m thick cast-in-place concrete above the GCL over a 14-month period and, from this data, calculating the concrete/GCL interface transmissivity (θ); and (ii) the hydraulic conductivity (k) of the GCLs below poured concrete when exposed to (iia) synthetic wastewater under isothermal conditions, or (iib) a series of wet–dry and/or cool–heat cycles for up to 12 months. The four GCLs have either sodium or polymer-enhanced sodium bentonite, and either granular or powdered bentonite. When the wastewater head above the GCL was 1.0 m (stress on concrete, σ = 10 kPa), θ for the GCL with granular sodium bentonite was 4 × 10−11 m2/s. For the same GCL, when the head increased to 2.5 m (σ = 25 kPa), the value of θ was reduced by about one order of magnitude to 2 × 10−12 m2/s. For the GCL which has polymer-enhanced granular bentonite, the value of θ was similar to (and possibly lower than) that for the GCL with untreated granular bentonite. For the GCL with powdered bentonite and cover geotextile impregnated with 1280 g/m2 of bentonite, the values of θ were 2 × 10−12 and 4 × 10−13 m2/s at 1.0 and 2.5 m head, respectively. With a reduction in the amount of the impregnated powdered bentonite in the cover geotextile to 840 g/m2, θ was 1 to 9 × 10−12 m2/s. The lowest k (3.2 × 10−11 m/s) for a GCL below concrete and exposed to wastewater under isothermal conditions was measured for the GCL with polymer-enhanced granular bentonite, whereas the highest value of k (1.9 × 10−10 m/s) was for the GCL with standard granular bentonite. Under 0.5 m head and 3 kPa stress, the k of the GCL below concrete and exposed to wet–dry cycles was 1.2–2.6 times the k of the GCL exposed to wastewater under isothermal conditions. Analytical calculations for the leakage through concrete/GCL liners for the four GCLs showed that the leakage was below the allowable limits specified by the Australian, British, and American standards.
7. FUNÇÃO SOCIAL DOS CONTRATOS NA OBRA “O MERCADOR DE VENEZA”: UMA LEITURA A PARTIR DA TEORIA DOS SISTEMAS
Authors: LUCENA Clarissa Santos , SILVA Jaqueline Mielke
Published: March 2015

A teoria dos sistemas revela-se, portanto, importante instrumento de observação da cláusula geral da função social dos contratos, na medida em que permite um olhar diferente, sofisticado, para a resolução de conflitos entre os sistemas sociais, isto é, para além do subsistema do Direito. Vislumbra-se, na teoria sistêmica um repensar privilegiado de toda a teoria geral dos contratos, desde a sua formação, assegurando-se a manutenção da relação contratual, frente às constantes alterações, próprias da pós-modernidade.
6. O SENTIDO DA VIDA EM “A MORTE DE IVAN ILITCH”
Authors: WIEDEMANN NETO Ney
Published: March 2015

O texto examina a novela “A Morte de Ivan Ilitch”, de Leon Tolstoi, e a sua atualidade, numa aproximação entre o Direito e a Literatura, com foco no sentido da vida e da finalidade nas relações interpessoais, numa aproximação com o pensamento de Immanuel Kant.
5. DA AUTOPOIESE AO DIREITO: A INFLUÊNCIA DA TEORIA DE MATURANA E VARELA NA TEORIA SISTÊMICA DE LUHMANN
Authors: PINTO Emerson De Lima , CHAVES André Dos Santos
Published: March 2015

RESUMO: O objetivo do artigo consiste em estabelecer um dialogo preliminar com pensadores do quilate de Luhmann e Teubner e refletir sobre a possibilidade de transplante do conceito de autopoiese, cunhado para as ciências biológicas, para o campo das ciências sociais e consequentemente, do Direito. Constituir uma noção a respeito de autopoiese. Verificar a função da lei na visão sistêmica, bem como, a percepção da decisão judicial na visão sistêmica. O perfil que a sociedade contemporânea assume tendo em vista o fenômeno perceptível de que a Sociedade é comunicação e tudo que se comunica faz parte da sociedade. De acordo com a teoria sistêmica, o Direito (sistema jurídico) tem e deve buscar solução dentro do próprio Direito, de maneira autorreferencial e autopoiética e, nesse sentido, como se orienta o processo de decisão judicial.