316 research outputs found
Studies on the method of orthogonal collocation 11: an efficient numerical method for the solution of the transient heat conduction problem
No full textAn efficient numerical method for the solution of the transient heat conduction problem is developed using the orthogonal collocation method. The method is based on dividing the domain of temperature change into two zones; a zone for which the temperature profile is steep and a zone with no temperature change. As time increases the inactive zone disappears and a modifIed collocation method is used
AII Amacrine Cells
No full textChapter published in:
Kolb, H., Fernandez, E., and Nelson, R. Webvision: The Neural Organization of the Vertebrate Retina. http://webvision.med.utah.edu
Physiological Plasticity of Single Neurons in Auditory Cortex of the Cat during Acquisition of the Pupillary Dilation Conditioned Response: II. Secondary Field (AII)
No full textRecorded the discharges of 22 single neurons in the secondary auditory cortical field (AII) during acquisition of the pupillary dilation conditioned defensive response in 12 chronically prepared cats. All 22 neurons developed discharge plasticity in background activity, and 21 of 22 cells developed plasticity in their responses to the acoustic CS. Decreases in background activity developed at the time that Ss began to display CRs. Increases in background activity developed in Ss that became more tonically aroused during conditioning. However, both increases and decreases in evoked activity developed independently of the rate of pupillary learning, tonic arousal level, or changes in background activity. Findings indicate that changes in background activity are closely related to behavioral processes of learning and arousal, whereas stimulus-evoked discharge plasticity develops solely as a consequence of stimulus pairing. Comparison with data obtained by the 2nd author and colleagues (see record 1985-03305-001) for the primary auditory cortical field (AI) indicates that both regions developed neuronal discharge plasticity early in the conditioning phase and that increases in background activity in primary auditory cortex were also associated with elevated levels of tonic arousal. The incidence of single neurons developing learning-related discharge plasticity was significantly greater in AII than in AI. Findings are discussed in terms of parallel processing in sensory systems and multiple sensory cortical fields
Complexin 3 Increases the Fidelity of Signaling in a Retinal Circuit by Regulating Exocytosis at Ribbon Synapses
No full textSummaryComplexin (Cplx) proteins modulate the core SNARE complex to regulate exocytosis. To understand the contributions of Cplx to signaling in a well-characterized neural circuit, we investigated how Cplx3, a retina-specific paralog, shapes transmission at rod bipolar (RB)→AII amacrine cell synapses in the mouse retina. Knockout of Cplx3 strongly attenuated fast, phasic Ca2+-dependent transmission, dependent on local [Ca2+] nanodomains, but enhanced slower Ca2+-dependent transmission, dependent on global intraterminal [Ca2+] ([Ca2+]I). Surprisingly, coordinated multivesicular release persisted at Cplx3−/− synapses, although its onset was slowed. Light-dependent signaling at Cplx3−/− RB→AII synapses was sluggish, owing largely to increased asynchronous release at light offset. Consequently, propagation of RB output to retinal ganglion cells was suppressed dramatically. Our study links Cplx3 expression with synapse and circuit function in a specific retinal pathway and reveals a role for asynchronous release in circuit gain control
Adriatic-Ionian initiative
No full textAt the beginning of the article the author gives a short survey of all important past forms of co-operation of the Balkan countries. Within the dense network of various forms for establishment of co-operation in the Balkans the latest one was the Adriatic-Ionian Initiative (AII) presented three years ago. In the author's opinion the Initiative resulted from the attempt of Italy to expand its influence to this region as well as its aspiration to make a counter-balance to Germany, which obviously exerts the greatest influence of all EU states in this part of Europe. The author presents the development of the Initiative since it was established in 2000 up to 2003. He expounds the chronology of AII creation, analysing the documents it has adopted so far, its basic principles and objectives, organisational structure, forms of cooperation and particularly the work of the round (working) tables as the most important form through which its activities are carried out. In a separate part the author has described the initiative that preceded AII and it was the Forum of Cities on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas. Today, the Forum is only a part of AII. The Initiative is headed by the AII Council; it meets at least once a year and at the beginning it was composed of ministers of foreign affairs of member states. Today, the Council also embraces speakers, and the last meeting was also attended by heads of states or governments of AII member states. Acting of the Initiative has been made operational through the work of the following working tables: education and inter-university cooperation; security and cooperation in reducing illegal activities; the round table for culture, working tables for environmental protection, sustainable development and resources preservation; the round table for economy, tourism, medium- and small-size entrepreneurship and the round table for maritime business and traffic. Analysing the work of the round tables the author points to the fact that member states make efforts to establish as close as possible the cooperation in the most important economic, security, cultural and educational fields, endeavouring to establish and improve not only the multilateral but the bilateral cooperation, too. The author is also of the opinion that cooperation within AII can be one of the opportunities to accelerate the accession to the European Union of these AII member countries that have before them a long way to join the European integration institutions. The last part of the article analyses the participation of representatives from Serbia and Montenegro in AII as well as the opportunities the Initiative offers to our state to achieve development and integration into EU. Our country has a favourable opportunity to display through this and some other initiatives its will to cooperate, this particularly including the fields of security, education and economy. The author points to the fact that Serbia and Montenegro insufficiently attaches importance to the Initiative since there is a lack of common and coordinated acting of participants from our state. As the author says at the end of the paper, greater attention should be devoted to the Initiative as a means to accede to EU and other European integrations, because the ultimate goal is to establish peace, stability and prosperity in the region and Europe as a whole
Factors influencing warfarin response in hospitalized patients
No full textAbstractThe objective of this study was to investigate the influence of simultaneous factors that potentially keep patients far from achieving target INR range at discharge in hospitalized patients. Prospective cross-sectional observational study conducted at the Cardiology Department and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Assiut University Hospitals. One-hundred and twenty patients were enrolled in the study from July 2013 to January 2014. Outcome measures were discharge INRs, bleeding and thromboembolic episodes. Bivariate analysis and multinomial logistic regression were conducted to determine independent risk factors that can keep patients outside target INR range.Patients who were newly initiated warfarin on hospital admission were given low initiation dose (2.8mg±0.9). They were more likely to have INR values below 1.5 during hospital stay, 13 (27.7%) patients compared with 9 (12.3%) previously treated patients, respectively (p=.034). We found that the best predictors of achieving below target INR range relative to within target INR range were; shorter hospital stay periods (OR, 0.82 for every day increase [95% CI, 0.72–0.94]), being a male patient (OR, 2.86 [95% CI, 1.05–7.69]), concurrent infection (OR, 0.21 [95% CI, 0.07–0.59]) and new initiation of warfarin therapy on hospital admission (OR, 3.73 [95% CI, 1.28–10.9]).Gender, new initiation of warfarin therapy on hospital admission, shorter hospital stay periods and concurrent infection can have a significant effect on discharge INRs. Initiation of warfarin without giving loading doses increases the risk of having INRs below 1.5 during hospital stay and increases the likelihood of a patient to be discharged with INR below target range. Following warfarin dosing nomograms and careful monitoring of the effect of various factors on warfarin response should be greatly considered
Maximizing Student Learning through a Cyber Classroom
No full textThis report is submitted in fulfillment of the lesson plan assessment request made by the Department ofEnvironmental Studies, Nagasaki University. Lesson plan assessment is based on the lesson units designed by the author for Language Communication AI/AII courses in the Department of Environmental Studies. Instructional approach utilizing a Cyber Classroom created by online resources at TaskStreamR is introduced by the author. A Cyber Classroom offers supplementary instruction that promotes self-study and maximizes classroom instruction while supporting student and task-based learning
The anti-inflammatory potential of diet and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: the ATTICA study
No full textBackground: Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is correlated with low-grade inflammation and dietary habits. Until today, there have been limited epidemiologic data assessing the role of diet’s inflammatory potential on NAFLD. The aim was to evaluate the relationship between an anti-inflammatory diet, as reflected by the Dietary Anti-Inflammation Index (D-AII), and NAFLD among cardiovascular disease (CVD)-free adults. Methods: ATTICA is a prospective, population-based study that recruited 3042 adults without pre-existing CVD from the Greek population (Whites; age ⩾18 years; 1514 men and 1528 women). D-AII was calculated using a standard procedure. The baseline study captured various sociodemographic, lifestyle and clinical characteristics as well as hepatic markers. These were used to calculate four NAFLD assessment indices: triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index, fatty liver index (FLI), hepatic steatosis index (HSI), and NAFLD Fatty Liver Score (NAFLD-FLS). Specific cutoffs were applied to capture NAFLD. Results: D-AII showed a significant inverse association with NAFLD, applying the four indices with NAFLD cutoffs [odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI); TyG (0.95, 0.93–0.98); HSI (0.89, 0.86–0.92); FLI (0.88, 0.85–0.91); NAFLD-FLS (0.89, 0.86–0.92)], after adjusting for various confounders. Participants in the highest D-AII tertile had lower odds of having NAFLD, compared with those in the lowest D-AII tertile [(OR, 95% CI); TyG (0.33, 0.24–0.47); HSI (0.13, 0.08–0.23); FLI (0.05, 0.02–0.11); NAFLD-FLS (0.13, 0.07–0.23)]. Anti-inflammatory nutrition was related to lower odds of NAFLD among daily alcohol drinkers and individuals with metabolic syndrome. Conclusions: Anti-inflammatory diet is an important predictor of NAFLD among adults without pre-existing CVD. Adherence to a high anti-inflammatory diet seems to contribute to NAFLD prevention. © The Author(s), 2019
Iron-loaded deferiprone can support full hemoglobinization of cultured red blood cells
No full textIron, supplemented as iron-loaded transferrin (holotransferrin), is an essential nutrient in mammalian cell cultures, particularly for erythroid cultures. The high cost of human transferrin represents a challenge for large scale production of red blood cells (RBCs) and for cell therapies in general. We evaluated the use of deferiprone, a cell membrane-permeable drug for iron chelation therapy, as an iron carrier for erythroid cultures. Iron-loaded deferiprone (Def3·Fe3+, at 52 µmol/L) could eliminate the need for holotransferrin supplementation during in vitro expansion and differentiation of erythroblast cultures to produce large numbers of enucleated RBC. Only the first stage, when hematopoietic stem cells committed to erythroblasts, required holotransferrin supplementation. RBCs cultured in presence of Def3·Fe3+ or holotransferrin (1000 µg/mL) were similar with respect to differentiation kinetics, expression of cell-surface markers CD235a and CD49d, hemoglobin content, and oxygen association/dissociation. Replacement of holotransferrin supplementation by Def3·Fe3+ was also successful in cultures of myeloid cell lines (MOLM13, NB4, EOL1, K562, HL60, ML2). Thus, iron-loaded deferiprone can partially replace holotransferrin as a supplement in chemically defined cell culture medium. This holds promise for a significant decrease in medium cost and improved economic perspectives of the large scale production of red blood cells for transfusion purposes.</p
Nonsense mutations in alpha-II spectrin in three families with juvenile onset hereditary motor neuropathy
No full textDistal hereditary motor neuropathies are a rare subgroup of inherited peripheral neuropathies hallmarked by a length-dependent axonal degeneration of lower motor neurons without significant involvement of sensory neurons. We identified patients with heterozygous nonsense mutations in the aII-spectrin gene, SPTAN1, in three separate dominant hereditary motor neuropathy families via next-generation sequencing. Variable penetrance was noted for these mutations in two of three families, and phenotype severity differs greatly between patients. The mutant mRNA containing nonsense mutations is broken down by nonsense-mediated decay and leads to reduced protein levels in patient cells. Previously, dominant-negative aII-spectrin gene mutations were described as causal in a spectrum of epilepsy phenotypes. © The Author(s) (2019). Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Guarantors of Brain. All rights reserved
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