79 research outputs found
Effect of EE housing on retinal VEGF levels.
No full text<p>Panel A: representative Western blot performed at 6 weeks after the injection of STZ. VEGF levels significantly increased in retinas from diabetic animals housed in SE as compared with age-matched controls. The increase in VEGF levels induced by diabetes was totally prevented by EE housing. A similar profile was observed in animals that were diabetic for 10 weeks (Panel B). Densitometric analysis for both time points is shown on the right. Data are the mean ± SEM (n = 5 animals per group); **p<0.01 versus age-matched controls; a: p<0.01 versus diabetic animals housed in SE, by Tukey's test. Panel C: Localization of VEGF in retinal sections, at 6 and 10 weeks after the injection of vehicle or STZ. In control retinas, a weak immunoreactivity was diffusely observed throughout the inner retina and in the GCL (arrow). In retinas from diabetic rats housed in SE, an intense immunoreactivity in the inner plexiform layer, some cells in the inner nuclear layer and perikarya in GCL cells (arrows) was observed both 6 and 10 weeks after diabetes induction. No immunoreactivity for VEGF was observed in the outer retina. EE housing prevented the effect of diabetes on VEGF-immunoreactivity. Shown are photographs representative of four eyes per group.</p
INTERNATIONAL LAW ASPECTS OF GERMAN COPYRIGHT LAW (GCL)
No full textThe article deals with international law aspects of the GCL. To this aim firstly the international conventions on copyright law are analyzed, in particular: the Berne Convention for the Protection of Literary and Artistic Works in the wording of the Paris Act of 1971, the Convention on the Establishment of the World Intellectual Property Organization of 1967, the Convention for the Protection of Performers, Producers of Phonograms and Broadcasting Organizations of 1961 and Aspects of intellectual property rights (TRIPS) 1994. There is also an analysis of the EU copyright law in terms of its correlation with the law of the EU member-states and an assessment of its evolution. It is emphasized that the core fact of origin of authorship is determined on the basis of the national legislation of the Member-States. Special attention is paid to the scope of the “principle of exhausted rights”. The article also touches upon the aspect of private international law. Particular attention is paid to the legal regulation of the Internet, including Internet providers, and its impact on the formation of the GCL. The problem of combating Internet piracy is also raised, as copyright infringement often occurs in relation to works published online. In addition, the article revealed what changes were made to the GCL to comply with EU law (including secondary law acts and the practice of the EU Court).
The result of the study is, among other things, the conclusion that special legal mechanisms should be developed to regulate new forms of selling works that have emerged as a result of technological progress and in the near future the Internet will undoubtedly form ways for the further development of the GCL. However, this process can negatively affect the leading role of the author as a creative person.</jats:p
Daily handling does not affect basal neurogenesis in the Alternating EE paradigm.
No full text<p><b>A</b>, Timeline of the Handling Effect experiment. Mice were either housed as for the IMP group of the Intermittent EE paradigm (i.e., <i>Empty</i> environment with daily handling) or in an <i>Empty</i> housing condition without daily handling for 4 weeks. <b>B–E</b>, Quantifications of the number of <b>B</b>, Ki67<sup>+</sup> proliferating cells, <b>C</b>, Calretinin<sup>+</sup> maturing post-mitotic neurons, <b>D</b>, Inner GCL c-fos<sup>+</sup> cells or <b>E</b>, outer GCL c-fos<sup>+</sup> cells. No significant effects of daily handling on these markers were detected (t-tests). See <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0086237#s3" target="_blank">Results</a> for statistical details. DG = Dentate Gyri.</p
Generalized and Customizable Sets in R
No full textWe present data structures and algorithms for sets and some generalizations thereof (fuzzy sets, multisets, and fuzzy multisets) available for R through the sets package. Fuzzy (multi-)sets are based on dynamically bound fuzzy logic families. Further extensions include user-definable iterators and matching functions. (author´s abstract)Series: Research Report Series / Department of Statistics and Mathematic
Effects of Alternating EE on depolarization-associated c-fos expression.
No full text<p><b>A</b>, Low magnification image of c-fos immunohistochemistry on a coronal section of the hippocampus. Dotted line in the enlarged box illustrates how the granule cell layer (GCL) was divided into outer GCL and inner GCL for quantification purposes. <b>B,C</b> Quantifications of c-fos expression in the <b>B</b>, Outer GCL and <b>C</b>, Inner GCL. Note that a positive effect of the <i>Complex</i> environment (I-CPX) was detectable in both the Inner GCL and Outer GCL, while the <i>Running disc</i> environment (I-RUN) had a negative effect in the Inner GCL only. Socially-housed mice in empty cages (SOC) also exhibited increased c-fos expression compared to isolated mice (IMP). See <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0086237#s3" target="_blank">Results</a> for further details. <b>D</b>, Rostral-caudal distribution of c-fos-expressing cells in the DG. The rostral and caudal tissue sections correspond to the dorsal and ventral hippocampus regions, respectively. Note that the pattern of c-fos expression across groups is virtually identical in both the rostral and caudal DG. Scale bar: 250 µm. DG = Dentate Gyri. GCL = Granule Cell Layer.</p
Expression of BDNF in retinas after 6 weeks of diabetes onset in SE- or EE-housed animals.
No full text<p>In animals housed in SE a decrease in BDNF immunostaining in both inner and outer retina was observed, whereas in retinas from diabetic animals housed in EE, BDNF expression was similar to control animals kept in SE or EE. Shown are photographs representative of four eyes per group. Right panel: Assessment of the BDNF(+) immunoreactivity area. In SE-housed animals, experimental diabetes induced a decrease in BDNF(+) area which was prevented in diabetic animals housed in EE. Data are the mean ± SEM (n = 5 eyes per group); **p<0.01, versus age-matched controls; a: p<0.01, versus diabetic animals housed in SE, by Tukey's test. Scale bar: 50 µm. GCL, ganglion cell layer; IPL, inner plexiform layer; INL, inner nuclear layer; ONL, outer nuclear layer; OS, outer segments of photoreceptors.</p
Characterizing the ageing of GCL through electrical resistivity
No full textIn closed hazardous waste landfills, impermeable layered covers mainly composed by clays, Geosynthetic Clay Liner (GCL) or geomembrane etc are used to seal in the waste to minimize water infiltration and accumulation of leachate inside the waste. An experimental site of landfill cap was realized with sodium-activated calcium bentonite GCL at a depth of 0.45 m covered by gravels and top soil. The monitoring of this site was performed during 32 months with measurements of weather conditions, electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and geotechnical measurements at the end of the monitoring. Two different methods underlined that the GCL’s electrical resistivity decreased after 22 months subsequent to its installation morever it was possible to detect the defects that have been made in the GCL prior to closure to simulate factors affecting GCL performance. Thereby the analyses made on the GCL, sampled at two locations in the vicinity of the ERT profile, highlighted changes in the intrinsic properties of the material. Changes in the proportion of sodium and calcium cations occurred and its hydraulic conductivity increased from 5×10-11 to 3×10-6 m.s-1. Thus, this study shows that electrical resistivity is able to characterize the ageing of a GCL.
Résumé
Sur les installations de stockage de déchets dangereux, des couvertures imperméables composées d’argile parfois accompagnées de GSB (géocomposite synthétique benthonique contenant de la bentonite calcique activée au sodium) ou de géomembrane, sont mises en place pour isoler les déchets des infiltrations d’eau et diminuer la quantité de lixiviat. Un site expérimental contenant un GSB à 0.45 m de profondeur, surmonté par des graviers et de la terre végétale, a été mis en place. Ce site équipé d’une station météorologique et de mesure d’humidité a fait l’objet d’un suivi temporel de 32 mois, et d’une caractérisation par tomographie de résistivité électrique et géotechnique en fin de suivi. Les mesures géophysiques, montrent que la résistivité électrique du GSB décroit fortement 22 mois après sa mise en place ; de plus, des défauts mécaniques créés à travers le GSB au moment de la construction deviennent détectables. Les analyses réalisées sur des prélèvements d’échantillon de GSB, démontrent, quant à elles, un changement des propriétés du matériau. Ainsi les proportions de cations calciques et sodiques diffèrent de celles du GSB initial témoignant d’échanges cationiques et s’accompagnent d’une augmentation de la perméabilité hydraulique, passant de 5×10-11 à 3×10-6 m.s-1. Nous montrons ainsi que la résistivité électrique permet de mettre en évidence le vieillissement du GSB.The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the pdf file of the accepted manuscript may differ slightly from what is displayed on the item page. The information in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript reflects the original submission by the author
Retinal histology examination after 10 weeks of diabetes.
No full text<p>Panel A: Representative photomicrographs of retinal sections from control eyes, and eyes from diabetic animals housed in SE (DBT+SE) or EE (DBT+EE). No evident alterations in retinal morphology were observed. Panel B: Immunohistochemical detection of Brn3a(+) cells in the GCL from a control eye, a diabetic eye from an animal housed in SE or EE. A strong Brn3a-immunostaining was confined to the GCL (red). Cell nuclei were counterstained with DAPI (blue). Panel C: Total retinal thickness and RGC count evaluated by Brn3a immunostaining. These parameters did not differ among retinas from control animals housed in SE (control) and retinas from diabetic animals housed in SE or EE. Scale bar: 50 µm. Data are the mean ± SEM (n = 5 eyes per group). GCL, ganglion cell layer; IPL, inner plexiform layer; INL, inner nuclear layer; ONL, outer nuclear layer; OS, outer segments of photoreceptors.</p
Field and Laboratory Investigation of Factors Affecting GCL Performance in the Antarctic Environment
No full textPerformance indicators of geosynthetic clay liners (GCLs) exposed to the Antarctic environment were assessed using field and laboratory methods. Barrier properties of the GCLs were not impacted by the field conditions and exhumed hydraulic conductivities with respect to tap water ranged from 0.4x10-11 m/s to 12x10-11 m/s, compared to 5x10-11 m/s (virgin) and from 2.1x10-11 m/s to 8.8x10-11 m/s for a synthetic leachate, compared to 2.5x10-11 m/s to 7.6x10-11 m/s for virgin specimens. The self-healing ability of bentonite remained intact despite environmental exposure as evidenced by X-ray radiographs. Using a test plot to evaluate GCL hydration, with the major determinant of hydration was identified as proximity to meltwater flow. However, a finer subgrade (D60 = 5 to 7 mm) increased average and peak GCL moisture contents in areas not inundated with meltwater and resulted in less deformation than a coarse subgrade (D60>16 mm). Additionally, X-ray radiographs showed increased self-healing in monitoring specimens overlying fine subgrades. Environmental exposure (e.g., temperature cycling and dehydration/rehydration) did not affect the hydraulic conductivity of test plot specimens (1.1x10-11 m/s to 8.5x10-11 m/s) compared to the virgin GCL (6.7x10-11 m/s) with respect to tap water, and minimal cation exchange had occurred.The presentation of the authors' names and (or) special characters in the title of the pdf file of the accepted manuscript may differ slightly from what is displayed on the item page. The information in the pdf file of the accepted manuscript reflects the original submission by the author
Asian Higher Education: An International Handbook and Reference Guide
No full textAsia is home to a majority of the world's population and has an expanding economy. As the West engages in greater interaction with the East, developments in Asia have increasingly greater significance throughout the world. Higher education is central to the tremendous expansion of Asia. This reference book surveys the state of higher education in 20 representative Asian countries. Countries profiled include advanced industrial nations, such as Japan and Singapore, as well as more impoverished lands, such as Bangladesh. Chapters are written by expert contributors, and each author cites current literature and research. An introductory essay overviews the nature of higher education in Asia, and an extensive bibliography concludes the work.
Developments in Asia have tremendous significance for the rest of the world. Asia has a rapidly expanding economy and is home to most of the world's population. It is a land of tremendous size and equally great diversity. At times Asia seems to be an economic and military threat to the West, while on other occasions it seems to be a valuable partner in the emerging global economy. The technological, political, and economic developments that have taken place in Asia are largely the result of Asian higher education. Thus Asian higher education is important not only to the Eastern, but also to the Western world. This reference book surveys the state of higher education in Asia and thus provides a valuable perspective on changes in Eastern society.
An introductory essay discusses the current state of Asian higher education and provides a useful context for the rest of the work. The remainder of the book contains alphabetically arranged entries on higher education in twenty representative Asian countries. Some of the countries, like China and India, have enormous populations. Others, like Japan and Singapore, have witnessed tremendous economic prosperity. And some, like Iran and North Korea, have great political significance. Each entry is written by an expert contributor and provides background information, a discussion of current issues, and an examination of future trends. Entries cite current literature and research, and the volume concludes with an extensive bibliography
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