1,720,981 research outputs found

    NMDA RECEPTOR FUNCTION IS ENHANCED IN THE HIPPOCAMPUS OF AGED RATS

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    The density and functional activity of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-sensitive glutamate receptor was examined in various brain areas of 3-, 18- and 24-month-old rats. The total numbers of binding sites for the NMDA receptor antagonists [H-3]CGP 39653 and [H-3]MK 801 binding sites were decreased in the hippocampus, cerebral cortex and striatum of 18- and 24-month-old rats, relative to 3-month-old animals. In the hippocampus of 18-month-old rats, the reduced number of NMDA receptors was associated with an increased sensitivity of [H-3]MK 801 binding to the stimulatory action of glycine and glutamate. Thus, 10 mu M glycine and 10 mu M glutamate increased [H-3]MK 801 binding in the hippocampus of Is-month-old rats by 75 and 160%, respectively; in 3-month-old animals, the same concentration of these amino acids increased binding by 37 and 95%, respectively. The sensitivity of [H-3]MK 801 binding to glycine and glutamate was not increased in the cerebral cortex and striatum of aged rats. Moreover, an increased efficacy of glycine and glutamate in stimulating the binding of [H-3]MK 801 in the hippocampus was no longer apparent in the 24-month-old rats. The increased sensitivity of [H-3]MK 801 binding to glycine and glutamate in the hippocampus of 18-month-old rats may reflect an increase in NMDA receptor activity to compensate for the decrease in receptor number

    Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis

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    The present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed

    mtDNA control region and D-HPLC analysis: A method to evaluate the mating system in Syngnathidae (Teleostei)

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    Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) has been used extensively in animals for phylogenetic and population studies but it has been applied only occasionally to mating systems analysis, where nuclear markers are usually preferred. We used denaturing-high performance liquid chromatography (D-HPLC) to detect mitochondrial DNA polymorphisms to assess the genetic mating system in Syngnathus abaster. Our study of ten pregnant males, revealed polygyny in 30% of the males, who carried embryos originating from multiple females. In addition, 30% of the pregnant males carried embryos with the same mitochondrial haplotype. This is not sufficient to demonstrate polyandry but allows a rapid selection and a reduced sample size for further studies. In conclusion, the proposed technique is time- and cost-effective, allows the certain identification of polygyny and provides useful information to study polyandry

    Variations on the Author

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    “Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship

    Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis

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    We provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
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