pinecone/core-2020-05-10-deduplication huggingface dataset:
Eicosapentaenoic acid incorporation in membrane phospholipids modulates receptor-mediated phospholipase C and membrane fluidity in rat ventricular myocytes in culture

The influence of increased incorporation of linoleic acid (18:2n-6) and eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5n-3) in membrane phospholipids on receptor-mediated phospholipase Cβ (PLC-β) activity in cultured rat ventricular myocytes was investigated. For this purpose, cells were grown for 4 days in control, stearic acid (18:0)/oleic acid (18:1n-9), 18:2n-6 and 20:5n-3 enriched media, and subsequently assayed for the basal- and phenylephrine- or endothelin-1-induced total inositol phosphate formation. The various fatty acid treatments resulted in the expected alterations of fatty acid composition of membrane phospholipids. In 18:2n-6-treated cells, the incorporation of this 18:2n-6 in the phospholipids increased from 17.1 mol % in control cells to 38.9 mol %. In 20:5n-3-treated cells, incorporation of 20: 5n-3 and docosapentaenoic acid (22:5n-3) in the phospholipids increased from 0.5 and 2.7 mol % in control cells to 23.2 and 9.7 mol %, respectively. When 20:5n-3-treated cells were stimulated with phenylephrine or endothelin-1, the inositolphosphate production decreased by 33.2% and increased by 43.4%, respectively, as compared to cells grown in control medium. No efffects were seen in 18:2n-6-treated cells. When 18:0/18:1n-9-treated cells were stimulated with endothelin-1, inositolphosphate formation increased by 26.4%, whereas phenylephrine-stimulated inositolphosphate formation was not affected. In saponin-permeabilized cells, that were pre-treated with 20:5n-3, the formation of total inositolphosphates after stimulation with GTPγS, in the presence of Ca2+, was inhibited 19.3%. This suggests that the 20:5n-3 effect on intact cardiomyocytes could be exerted either on the level of agonist-receptor, receptor-GTP-binding-protein coupling or GTP-binding-protein-PLC-β interaction. Investigation of the time course of saponin-induced permeabilization of the cardiomyocytes, measured by the release of lactate dehydrogenase, unmasked a slight decrease in the rate of permeabilization by 20:5n-3 pretreatment, indicating a protective effect. This led the authors to measure the cholesterol/phospholipid molar ratio, the double bond index of membrane phospholipids, and the membrane fluidity; the latter by using a diphenylhexatriene probe. In 20: 5n-3-pretreated cells, a strong increase in the cholesterol/phospholipid molar ratio (from 0.23 to 0.39), a marked increase in the double bond index (from 1.76 to 2.33), and a slight decrease in fluidity (steady-state anisotropy r(ss) of the diphenylhexatriene probe increased from 0.196 to 0.217) were observed. Thus, treatment of cardiomyocytes for 4 days with 20:5n-3, but not with 18:2n-6, causes alterations of receptor-mediated phospholipase Cβ activity. A causal relationship may exist between the 20:5 n-3-induced alterations of the physicochemical properties in the bilayer and of the agonist-stimulated phosphatidylinositol cycle activity
Mora or syllable? Speech segmentation in Japanese

Contains fulltext :
                  5988.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access)Four experiments examined segmentation of spoken Japanese words by native and non-native listeners. Previous studies suggested that language rhythm determines the segmentation unit most natural to native listeners: French has syllabic rhythm, and French listeners use the syllable in segmentation, while English has stress rhythm, and segmentation by English listeners is based on stress. The rhythm of Japanese is based on a subsyllabic unit, the mora. In the present experiments Japanese listeners' response patterns were consistent with moraic segmentation; acoustic artifacts could not have determined the results since nonnative (English and French) listeners showed different response patterns with the same materials. Predictions of a syllabic hypothesis were disconfirmed in the Japanese listeners' results; in contrast, French listeners showed a pattern of responses consistent with the syllabic hypothesis. The results provide further evidence that listeners' segmentation of spoken words relies on procedures determined by the characteristic phonology of their native language
Does pizza prime coin? Perceptual priming in lexical decision and pronunciation.

In 6 experiments the authors investigated priming for perceptually
related word pairs (i.e., words that refer to objects with the same
shape such as pizza-coin), trying to replicate earlier findings by R.
Schreuder et al (see record 1985-06198-001) while avoiding some of the
methodological problems that were present in that study. University
students participated in the experiments. Under standard conditions no
perceptual priming was obtained. However, in all experiments priming for
associated pairs was found. Only after activation tasks that focused on
perceptual features was priming for perceptually related word pairs
found in pronunciation. Perceptual priming was also obtained in lexical
decision after activation tasks, but only when strong associates were
not presented in the experiment. The results show that priming for
perceptually related word pairs is not a general finding
Testing feature interaction: between-stream irrelevant speech effects in immediate recall

[Abstract]: Immediate serial recall of visually presented lists is disrupted by irrelevant background speech. One explanation for the irrelevant speech effect assumes that features of the auditory material become incorporated into the memory trace of the to-be-remembered item thereby reducing the fidelity of the short-term trace. From this perspective the resultant short-term memory trace is a composite of features of the list item and features of an item in the irrelevant stream. While there is evidence that item interactions in short-term memory are observable, there is currently no direct empirical evidence for such interactions involving irrelevant speech. We report six experiments using a short-term cued recall task that manipulates proactive interference in which item interactions have been observed. In these experiments we consistently show that with irrelevant speech specific items in the auditory stream influence target recall and the presence or absence of proactive interference. These results provide relatively direct evidence for feature interaction involving irrelevant speech. The results are evaluated against the three current models of irrelevant speech effect
Strategy and Equity: An ERC-Analysis of the Güth–van Damme Game

AbstractGüth and van Damme's three-person bargaining experiment challenges conventional thinking about how self-interest, as well as fairness, influences behavior. Among other things, the experiment demonstrates that people care about receiving their own fair share, but care far less about how the remainder is divided among the other bargainers. The ERC model posits that, along with pecuniary gain, people are motivated by their own relative payoff standing. Beyond this, ERC employs standard game theoretic concepts. We describe the general ERC model, and show that it predicts many of the key phenomena observed in the experiment
Time-domain quantification of amplitude, chemical shift, apparent relaxation time T2, and phase by wavelet-transform analysis. Application to biomedical magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

International audienceThe wavelet-transform method is used to quantify the magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) parameters: chemical shift, apparent relaxation time T2, resonance amplitude, and phase. Wavelet transformation is a time-frequency representation which separates each component from the FID, then successively quantifies it and subtracts it from the raw signal. Two iterative procedures have been developed. They have been combined with a nonlinear regression analysis method and tested on both simulated and real sets of biomedical MRS data selected with respect to the main problems usually encountered in quantifying biomedical MRS, specifically "chemical noise," resulting from overlapping resonances, and baseline distortion. The results indicate that the wavelet-transform method can provide efficient and accurate quantification of MRS data
Dead-Time Free Measurement of Dipole–Dipole Interactions between Electron Spins

AbstractA four-pulse version of the pulse double electron–electron resonance (DEER) experiment is presented, which is designed for the determination of interradical distances on a nanoscopic lengthscale. With the new pulse sequence electron–electron couplings can be studied without dead-time artifacts, so that even broad distributions of electron–electron distances can be characterized. A version of the experiment that uses a pulse train in the detection period exhibits improved signal-to-noise ratio. Tests on two nitroxide biradicals with known length indicate that the accessible range of distances extends from about 1.5 to 8 nm. The four-pulse DEER spectra of an ionic spin probe in an ionomer exhibit features due to probe molecules situated both on the same and on different ion clusters. The former feature provides information on the cluster size and is inaccessible with previous methods
Toroid Cavity Detectors for High-Resolution NMR Spectroscopy and Rotating Frame Imaging: Capabilities and Limitations

The capabilities of toroid cavity detectors for simultaneous\ud
rotating frame imaging and NMR spectroscopy have been investigated\ud
by means of experiments and computer simulations. The following problems are described: (a) magnetic field inhomogeneity and subsequent loss of chemical shift resolution resulting from bulk magnetic susceptibility effects, (b) image distortions resulting from off-resonance excitation and saturation effects, and (c) distortion of lineshapes and images resulting from radiation damping. Also, special features of signal analysis including truncation effects and the propagation of noise are discussed. B0 inhomogeneity resulting from susceptibility mismatch is a serious problem for applications requiring high spectral resolution. Image distortions resulting from off-resonance excitation are not serious within the rather narrow spectral range permitted by the RF pulse lengths required to read out the image. Incomplete relaxation effects are easily recognized and can be avoided. Also, radiation damping produces unexpectedly small effects because of selfcancellation of magnetization and short free induction decay times. The results are encouraging, but with present designs only modest spectral resolution can be achieved
Separation of quadrupolar and magnetic contributions to spin-lattice
  relaxation in the case of a single isotope

We present a NMR pulse double-irradiation method which allows one to separate
magnetic from quadrupolar contributions in the spin-lattice relaxation. The
pulse sequence fully saturates one transition while another is observed. In the
presence of a Delta m = 2 quadrupolar contribution, the intensity of the
observed line is altered compared to a standard spin-echo experiment. We
calculated analytically this intensity change for spins I=1, 3/2, 5/2, thus
providing a quantitative analysis of the experimental results. Since the pulse
sequence we used takes care of the absorbed radio-frequency power, no problems
due to heating arise. The method is especially suited when only one NMR
sensitive isotope is available. Different cross-checks were performed to prove
the reliability of the obtained results. The applicability of this method is
demonstrated by a study of the plane oxygen 17O (I = 5/2) in the
high-temperature superconductor YBa_2Cu_4O_8: the 17O spin-lattice relaxation
rate consists of magnetic as well as quadrupolar contributions.Comment: 7 pages, 6 figure
Localized proton spectroscopy without water suppression: removal of gradient induced frequency modulations by modulus signal selection.

Most Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (MRS) localization methods can generate gradient vibrations at acoustic frequencies and/or magnetic field oscillation, which can cause a time-varying magnetic field superimposed onto the static one. This effect can produce frequency modulations of the spectral resonances. When localized MRS data are acquired without water suppression, the associated frequency modulations are manifested as a manifold of spurious peaks, called sidebands, which occur symmetrically around the water resonance. These sidebands can be larger than the small metabolite resonances and can present a problem for the quantitation of the spectra, especially at short echo times. Furthermore, the resonance lineshapes may be distorted if any low frequency modulations are present. A simple solution is presented which consists of selecting the modulus of the acquired Free Induction Decay (FID) signal. Since the frequency modulations affect only the phase of the FID signal, the obtained real spectrum of the modulus is free from the spurious peaks where quantitative results may be directly obtained. Using this method, the distortions caused by the sidebands are removed. This is demonstrated by processing proton MRS spectra acquired without water suppression collected from a phantom containing metabolites at concentrations comparable to those in human brain and from a human subject using two different localization methods (PRESS and Chemical Shift Imaging PRESS-(CSI)). The results obtained illustrate the ability of this approach to remove the spurious peaks. The corrected spectra can then be fit accurately. This is confirmed by the results obtained from both the relative and the absolute metabolites concentrations in phantoms and in vivo
Modelling the selective effects of fishing on reproductive potential and population structure of squid

Artificial selection processes associated with harvesting may operate over relatively short time scales in short-lived semelparous species. The ommastrephid squid Illex argentinus on the Patagonian Shelf is the target of a major fishery. Recent work has provided new information on the biological characteristics of squid in this fishery. That information has been utilized in the development of a model of the cohort dynamics and some of the within-seasons selective effects considered. The model results are consistent with earlier data from the shelf fisheries, supporting suggestions that the males nature and migrate earlier towards the spawning grounds than the females. Earlier maturation results in a smaller mean size in the spawning stock, while later maturation results in greater exposure to the fishery and a reduced numbers of individuals surviving to spawn. Under the current fishing regime greater egg production and a larger spermatophoric complex mass for the whole cohort is achieved by relatively late maturation. In general, however, the earlier maturation occurs, the earlier is the peak in total egg production. The within-season pattern of effort expenditure in the fishery can affect not only yield from the fishery but also the reproductive potential of the spawning stock. The management policy adopted for this fishery is likely to be conservative in terms of maintenance of a spawning stock, however, the potential for selective effects is larger and this may affect both yield and reproductive potential. The results are discussed in relation to short- and long-term effects in the fishery and the implications for future research requirements
Recent changes in the winter distribution and movements of northern Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua Linnaeus, 1758) on the Newfoundland-Labrador Shelf

Using catch data collected by fishery observers from the otter trawl fleet, we describe changes in the winter distribution of cod on the Newfoundland–Labrador Shelf between 1980 and 1992. We determined the relative abundance of cod in three areas of winter aggregation: south-east of Hamilton Bank, south-east of Belle Isle Bank and south-east of Funk Island Bank. The principal finding was that the cod, during their reproductive period, exhibited significant changes in distribution and behaviour, well before the stock showed signs of collapse. There were three indicators of these changes. First, there was a progressive disappearance of fish from the north with time. Most of the biomass was located in the Hamilton Bank area before 1984. By 1989, most of the fish were found at the Belle Isle Bank and south-east of Funk Island Bank locations and by 1991, only to the south (Funk Island Bank). Second, movements of the prespawning/spawning schools became more limited. Compared with the extensive along-shelf migrations, often covering distances of about 100 km, observed in earlier years, the fish schools after 1989 exhibited less movement to the north. Density of fish in the schools was highest in 1990. By 1991, the schools remained nearly stationary around 49°30′N, near the southern end of their distribution. Third, the schools spread over an increasingly greater range of depths. The greatest density of fish as reflected by high catch rates was generally observed no deeper than 600 m between 1980 and 1988. By 1989–1990, substantial catch rates were observed as deep as 1100 m, particularly to the north although catches continued to be considerable at the shallower depths. These changes in distribution and behaviour were generally coincident with the occurrence of anomalously cold ocean temperatures and heavy ice conditions, but no direct link between these changes and the environment was evident
Recent changes in the feeding of cod (Gadus morhua) off the Flemish Cap, Newfoundland 1989–1993

7 pages, 5 figures, 5 tables.The food and feeding of Flemish Cap cod are described for 5 years based on 3921 stomachs collected in the fishing grounds off the Flemish Cap, Newfoundland in summer 1989–1993. Feeding intensity was high but the prey spectrum was narrow in all years with hyperiids and redfish (Sebastes sp.) predominating. Squid and poly-chaetes had a high inter-annual variability. Juvenile cod diet was dominated by crustaceans, mainly hyperiids, and polychaetes, while in adult cod diet the most important prey were fish, mainly redfish. The maximum size of redfish eaten increased with cod size, but prey–predator size relationships showed weak correlation. Cannibalism increased in 1991 (mainly upon 1-year-olds), coinciding with the appearance of a large year class in 1990. In the years 1992 and 1993, a change in the diet was observed involving an increase of hyperiids in the adult cod diet and a decline of redfish.The material used in the present work was collected and\ud
analysed as part of research programmes financed by the\ud
European Union (n. 11 1 246 E P and AIR1-CT92-\ud
0558).Peer reviewe
The impact of Rapido trawling for scallops, Pecten jacobaeus (L.), on the benthos of the Gulf of Venice

Rapido trawls are used to catch sole around the coast of Italy and to catch scallops in the northern Adriatic Sea but little is known about the environmental impact of this gear. Benthic surveys of a commercial scallop ground using a towed underwater television (UWTV) sledge revealed an expansive area of level, sandy sediment at 25 m characterized by high population densities of scallops (2.82 m-2 Aequipecten opercularis but fewer Pecten jacobaeus) together with ophiuroids, sponges, and the bivalve Atrina fragilis. Rapido trawls were filmed in action for the first time, providing information on the selectivity and efficiency of the gear together with its impact on the substratum and on the benthos. The trawls worked efficiently on smooth sand with ca. 44% catch rate for Pecten jacobaeus, of which 90% were >7 cm in shell height. Most organisms in the path of the trawl passed under or through the net; on average by-catch species only formed 19% of total catch by weight. Of the 78 taxa caught, lethal mechanical damage varied from <10% in resilient taxa such as hermit crabs to >50% in soft-bodied organisms such as tunicates. A marked plot surveyed using towed UWTV before, then 1 and 15 h after fishing by Rapido trawl showed clear tracks of disturbed sediment along the trawl path where infaunal burrow openings had been erased. Abundant, motile organisms such as Aequipecten showed no change in abundance along these tracks although scavengers such as Inachus aggregated to feed on damaged organisms. There were significant decreases in the abundance of slow-moving/sessile benthos such as Pecten, Holothuria, and Atrina. Juvenile pectinids were abundant on the shells of Atrina. The introduction of a scheme of areas closed to trawling would protect highly susceptible organisms such as Atrina and enhance the chances of scallop recruitment to adjacent areas of commercial exploitation
Variation in maturity-at-age and size in three populations of American plaice

American plaice (Hippoglossoides platessoides) is a flatfish species that has a wide distribution throughout the North Atlantic. Variability in age and size at maturity was examined for cohorts of American plaice from the early 1960s to early 1990s for the three main stocks off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada. Large changes in age and size at maturity have occurred among cohorts since the 1960s, with males and females of all three stocks maturing at an earlier age and smaller size in the latter part of the time period. Maturation was most closely related to total population abundance over the life of a cohort, with cohorts maturing at an earlier age and smaller size when population size was low. Cohorts which experienced higher temperatures appeared to mature earlier and smaller as did cohorts which experienced increased juvenile growth and increased adult mortality
Food consumption by clupeids in the Central Baltic: evidence for top-down control?

Considerable changes have taken place in the pelagic ecosystem of the Central Baltic Sea during the last decade. Owing to a combination of high fishing pressure and unfavourable hydrographic conditions, the cod (Gadus morhua) stock as the top predator in the system was reduced from a high level in the early 1980s to its lowest size on record in the early 1990s. The preferred prey species sprat (Sprattus sprattus) showed a significant increase in population size since the late 1980s to the highest level on record in recent years, while the herring (Clupea harengus), another important\ud
planktivore in the system, did not show such a response. We investigate whether fluctuations in clupeid stock size cascade down to the trophic level of mesozooplankton, based on stomach content data and daily ration estimates in combination with stock sizes estimated from Multispecies Virtual Population Analysis. Estimates of daily consumption by the populations of the two species for 1978–1990 were compared with standing stocks of mesozooplankton species. No evidence was found for food limitation as might be expected if clupeids exert a strong top-down control on mesozooplankton. Also no influence on interannual variability of mesozooplankton abundance was detected. However, predation did contribute to the seasonal development of two copepod species (Pseudocalanus elongatus and Temora longicornis)