A VHF all‐sky interferometric meteor radar system has been developed and installed at Buckland Park, South Australia. The radar is portable, allows a wide range of operating parameters, and can also ...be operated as a boundary layer radar. The analysis techniques have been developed using extensive simulations in an attempt to improve on standard techniques used by previous investigators. The results suggest that although pulse repetition frequencies (PRFs) around 2 kHz allow meteor velocity and deceleration estimation, PRFs around 500 Hz maximize count rate and improve the quality of meteor echo height estimates for this radar. Typical results are presented, indicating the radar obtains annual count rate variation of between 9000 and 14,000 height resolvable underdense meteors per day.
The hippocampal theta rhythm is generated by the pacemaker activity of the medial septum‐diagonal band of Broca (MS/DBB) neurons. These nuclei are influenced by brainstem structures that modulate the ...theta rhythm. The aim of the present work is to determine whether the nucleus incertus (NI), which has important anatomical connections with the MS/DBB, contributes to the hippocampal theta rhythm generation in rats. Hippocampal field activity was recorded in urethane‐anaesthetized rats. Electrical stimulation of the NI not only evoked theta rhythm in the hippocampus, but also decreased the amplitude of delta waves. Unit recordings in the NI revealed either a non‐rhythm discharge pattern in most neurons (76%), or a rhythm activity at 13–25 Hz in the remaining neurons. The firing rate of these neurons increased during the presence of theta rhythm evoked by either sensory or reticularis pontis oralis nucleus (RPO) stimulation. Electrolytic lesions of NI, or the microinjection of the γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA)A agonist muscimol, abolished the theta rhythm evoked by RPO stimulation. Consequently, the NI may be a relay station between brainstem structures and the MS/DBB in the control of the hippocampal theta rhythm generation.
D. tenuifolia
and
V. locusta
, two greens, were analyzed for active compounds and antitumor actions on colorectal cancer cells. Phenolics were determined by UHPLC-Orbitrap-MS; carotenoids and ...glucosinolates by HPLC-MS; and sterols and fatty acids by gas–liquid chromatography (GLC). For antitumor effects, the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) tests were run on HT-29 colorectal cancer cells, and in CCD-18 untransformed enterocyte cells. Six main carotenoids were identified in both vegetables, while total carotenoids accounted for 3520 and 2970 μg · g
−1
dry weight in
D. tenuifolia
and
V. locusta
, respectively. Six phenolics were detected in
D. tenuifolia
(68,600 μg · g
−1
dry weight) and five in
V. locusta
(139,000 μg · g
−1
dry weight). Three glucosinolates (GSL) were found in
D. tenuifolia
(1960 μg · g
−1
dry wt. total). Low-polarity extracts from
V. locusta
and
D. tenuifolia
showed IC
50
~ 150 and ~200 μg · mL
−1
on HT-29 cells, while both plants lacked actions on CCD-18 cells.
V. locusta
inhibited HT-29 cancer cells viability more efficiently than
D. tenuiofolia
, but induced less cytotoxicity. This work highlights the importance of functional foods for colorectal cancer prevention.
The precision and discovery potential of a neutrino factory based on muon storage rings is studied. For three-family neutrino oscillations, we analyse how to measure or severely constraint the angle
...θ
13 , CP-violation, MSW effects and the sign of the atmospheric mass difference
Δm
2
23 . We present a simple analytical formula for the oscillation probabilities in matter, with all neutrino mass differences non-vanishing, which clarifies the subtleties involved in disentangling the unknown parameters. The appearance of “wrong-sign muons” at three reference baselines is considered: 732 km, 3500 km, and 7332 km. We exploit the dependence of the signal on the neutrino energy, and include as well realistic background estimations and detection efficiencies. The optimal baseline turns out to be
O
(3000 km). Analyses combining the information from different baselines are also presented.
Abstract The non-competitive NMDA receptor (NMDA-R) antagonist phencyclidine (PCP) markedly disrupts thalamocortical activity, increasing excitatory neuron discharge and reducing low frequency ...oscillations (LFO, <4 Hz) that temporarily group neuronal discharge. These actions are mainly driven by PCP interaction with NMDA-R in GABAergic neurons of the thalamic reticular nucleus and likely underlie PCP psychotomimetic activity. Here we report that classical (haloperidol, chlorpromazine, perphenazine) and atypical (clozapine, olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone, ziprasidone, aripripazole) antipsychotic drugs – but not the antidepressant citalopram – countered PCP-evoked fall of LFO in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) of anesthetized rats. PCP reduces LFO by breaking the physiological balance between excitatory and inhibitory transmission. Next, we examined the role of different neurotransmitter receptors to reverse PCP actions. D2-R and D1-R blockade may account for classical antipsychotic action since raclopride and SCH-23390 partially reversed PCP effects. Atypical antipsychotic reversal may additionally involve 5-HT1A -R activation (but not 5-HT2A -R blockade) since 8-OH-DPAT and BAYx3702 (but not M100907) fully countered PCP effects. Blockade of histamine H1-R (pyrilamine) and α1 -adrenoceptors (prazosin) was without effect. However, the enhancement of GABAA -R-mediated neurotransmission (using muscimol, diazepam or valproate) and the reduction of excitatory neurotransmission (using the mGluR2/3 agonist LY379268 and the preferential kainite/AMPA antagonist CNQX – but not the preferential AMPA/kainate antagonist NBQX) partially or totally countered PCP effects. Overall, these results shed new light on the neurobiological mechanisms used by antipsychotic drugs to reverse NMDA-R antagonist actions and suggest that agents restoring the physiological excitatory/inhibitory balance altered by PCP may be new targets in antipsychotic drug development.
Lotus japonicus and
Medicago truncatula model legumes, which form determined and indeterminate nodules, respectively, provide a convenient system to study plant–
Rhizobium interaction and to ...establish differences between the two types of nodules under salt stress conditions. We examined the effects of 25 and 50
mM NaCl doses on growth and nitrogen fixation parameters, as well as carbohydrate content and carbon metabolism of
M. truncatula and
L. japonicus nodules. The leghemoglobin (Lb) content and nitrogen fixation rate (NFR) were approximately 10.0 and 2.0 times higher, respectively, in nodules of
L. japonicus when compared with
M. truncatula. Plant growth parameters and nitrogenase activity decreased with NaCl treatments in both legumes. Sucrose was the predominant sugar quantified in nodules of both legumes, showing a decrease in concentration in response to salt stress. The content of trehalose was low (less than 2.5% of total soluble sugars (TSS)) to act as an osmolyte in nodules, despite its concentration being increased under saline conditions. Nodule enzyme activities of trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (TPS) and trehalase (TRE) decreased with salinity.
L. japonicus nodule carbon metabolism proved to be less sensitive to salinity than in
M. truncatula, as enzymatic activities responsible for the carbon supply to the bacteroids to fuel nitrogen fixation, such as sucrose synthase (SS), alkaline invertase (AI), malate dehydrogenase (MDH) and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase (PEPC), were less affected by salt than the corresponding activities in barrel medics. However, nitrogenase activity was only inhibited by salinity in
L. japonicus nodules.
Chronic inflammation is a component of many disease conditions that affect a large group of individuals worldwide. Chronic inflammation is characterized by persistent, low-grade inflammation and is ...increased in the aging population. Neutrophils are normally the first responders to acute inflammation and contribute to the resolution of inflammation. However, in chronic inflammation, the role of neutrophils is less well understood and has been described as either beneficial or detrimental, causing tissue damage and enhancing the immune response. Emerging evidence suggests that neutrophils are important players in several chronic diseases, such as atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease and autoimmune disorders. This review will highlight the interaction of neutrophils with other cells in the context of chronic inflammation, the contribution of neutrophils to selected chronic inflammatory diseases, and possible future therapeutic strategies.
The fatty acids (FA) eicosapentaenoic acid (20:5ω-3; EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (22:6ω-3; DHA), which have several health benefits, have been concentrated from mako shark liver (Isurus ...oxyrinchus). The process was carried out in one single step, in which fish liver oil was simultaneously extracted, saponified and concentrated. Additionally, the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) concentrate was winterized to crystallize the remaining saturated FA, resulting in a further increase in the concentration of DHA and EPA. Two variables, temperature and water concentration in the saponification mixture, were optimized to increase the concentration of ω-3 PUFA. Best results were obtained at 12 °C and 0% water content in the mixture, obtaining 17.8% purity and 77.6% yield of EPA; DHA purity and yield were 33.3 and 82.2%, respectively.
PDF
