Long-term Blue Light Effects on the Histology of Lettuce and Soybean Leaves and Stems
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Dougher, Tracy A. O.; Bugbee, Bruce
2004-01-01
Blue light (320 to 496 nm) alters hypocotyl and stem elongation and leaf expansion in short-term, cell-level experiments, but histological effects of blue light in long-term studies of whole plants have not been described. We measured cell size and number in stems of soybean (Glycine max L.) and leaves of soybean and lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), at two blue light fractions. Short-term studies have shown that cell expansion in stems is rapidly inhibited when etiolated tissue is exposed to blue light. However, under long-term light exposure, an increase in the blue light fraction from less than 0.1% to 26% decreased internode length, specifically by inhibiting soybean cell division in stems. In contrast, an increase in blue light fraction from 6% to 26% reduced soybean leaf area by decreasing cell expansion. Surprisingly, lettuce leaf area increased with increasing blue light fraction (0% to 6%), which was attributed to a 3.1-fold increase in cell expansion and a 1.6-fold increase in cell division.
Fluoxetine Inhibits Natural Decay of Long-Term Memory via Akt/GSK-3β Signaling.
Yi, Jee Hyun; Zhang, JiaBao; Ko, Sang Yoon; Kwon, Huiyoung; Jeon, Se Jin; Park, Se Jin; Jung, Jiwook; Kim, Byung C; Lee, Young Choon; Kim, Dong Hyun; Ryu, Jong Hoon
2018-02-09
Understanding the mechanisms underlying the natural decay of long-term memory can help us find means of extending the duration of long-term memory. However, the neurobiological processes involved in the decay of long-term memory are poorly understood. In the present study, we examined the effect of acute and chronic treatment of fluoxetine on natural decay of long-term memory and the possible mechanism. Late administration of fluoxetine prolonged the persistence of long-term memory in mice, as demonstrated by object location recognition and Barnes maze tests. Fluoxetine altered Akt/glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β)/β-catenin signaling in the hippocampus. Late short- and long-term pharmacological inhibition of GSK-3β mimicked the effect of fluoxetine on memory persistence. Pharmacological inhibition of Akt blocked the effect of fluoxetine on memory persistence. Finally, late infusion of fluoxetine increased hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) and pharmacological inhibition of GSK-3β blocked the natural decline in LTP. These results demonstrate that GSK-3β might be a key molecule in memory decay process, and fluoxetine extends the period of long-term memory maintenance via Akt/GSK-3β signaling.
Continuous light absorption photometer for long-term studies
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ogren, John A.; Wendell, Jim; Andrews, Elisabeth; Sheridan, Patrick J.
2017-12-01
A new photometer is described for continuous determination of the aerosol light absorption coefficient, optimized for long-term studies of the climate-forcing properties of aerosols. Measurements of the light attenuation coefficient are made at blue, green, and red wavelengths, with a detection limit of 0.02 Mm-1 and a precision of 4 % for hourly averages. The uncertainty of the light absorption coefficient is primarily determined by the uncertainty of the correction scheme commonly used to convert the measured light attenuation to light absorption coefficient and ranges from about 20 % at sites with high loadings of strongly absorbing aerosols up to 100 % or more at sites with low loadings of weakly absorbing aerosols. Much lower uncertainties (ca. 40 %) for the latter case can be achieved with an advanced correction scheme.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Hawk, Joshua D.; Florian, Cedrick; Abel, Ted
2011-01-01
Long-term memory formation involves covalent modification of the histone proteins that package DNA. Reducing histone acetylation by mutating histone acetyltransferases impairs long-term memory, and enhancing histone acetylation by inhibiting histone deacetylases (HDACs) improves long-term memory. Previous studies using HDAC inhibitors to enhance…
Piront, M L; Schmidt, R
1988-02-23
Ependymins are acidic glycoprotein constituents of goldfish brain cytoplasm and extracellular fluid which are known to participate in biochemical reactions of long-term memory formation. In earlier experiments, anti-ependymin antisera were found to cause amnesia when injected into goldfish brain ventricles after the acquisition of a vestibulomotoric training task. To investigate whether they also inhibit memory consolidation after other learning events the anti-ependymin antisera were injected after an active shock-avoidance learning paradigm, as follows: goldfish were trained in a shuttle-box to cross a barrier in order to avoid electric shocks (unconditioned stimulus) applied shortly after a light signal (conditioned stimulus). Anti-ependymin antisera blocked retention of the learned avoidance when injected 0.5, 4.5 or 24 h after acquisition of the new behavior. They had no effect, however, when injected 72 h after learning. Apparently, long-term memory was already consolidated at this point. Antisera injected 0.5 or 72 h prior to training, also did not influence learning or memory. Thirteen percent of the goldfish fled the light stimulus spontaneously. These fish therefore did not experience the unconditioned stimulus and thus were unable to learn the task. When they were treated with the anti-ependymin antisera and tested 3 days later, the spontaneous escape reaction was not affected (active control group). The ability of anti-ependymin antisera to inhibit memory consolidation and their efficacy after administration at specific time intervals are very similar for the active shock-avoidance learning and for the vestibulomotoric training. We conclude that ependymins are not task-specific, but serve a general function in biochemical reactions essential for long-term memory formation.
Long-term effects of UV light on contractility of rat arteries in vivo.
Morimoto, Yuji; Kohyama, Shinya; Nakai, Kanji; Matsuo, Hirotaka; Karasawa, Fujio; Kikuchi, Makoto
2003-10-01
Several studies have shown that UV irradiation may be effective for preventing vascular restenosis or vasopasm. However, the long-term effects of UV light on the physiological properties of vessels such as arterial tension have not been elucidated. We therefore studied the long-term effects of UV using rat carotid arteries treated with UV-B light (wavelength = 313 nm, total energy = 14 mJ/mm2). The animals were sacrificed at 1, 7 and 14 days after UV light exposure, and the carotid arteries were studied by light microscopy and the contractile responses of isolated arterial rings were recorded under isometric tension. UV treatment had induced a substantial loss of smooth muscle cells (SMC) along the entire circumference of the media on days 7 and 14, whereas loss of SMC on day 1 was negligible. Contractile responses of arteries that had been exposed to UV light were significantly reduced on days, 1, 7 and 14. The susceptibility of UV-treated arteries to phenylephrine and prostaglandin F2 alpha was significantly decreased on days 1 and 7, but decreased susceptibility was not seen on day 14. Acetylcholine-induced relaxations were not altered by UV treatment. These results suggest that the long-term effect of UV light is an attenuation of smooth muscle contractility without impairment of endothelial function.
Long-Term Inhibition by Auxin of Leaf Blade Expansion in Bean and Arabidopsis1
Keller, Christopher P.; Stahlberg, Rainer; Barkawi, Lana S.; Cohen, Jerry D.
2004-01-01
The role of auxin in controlling leaf expansion remains unclear. Experimental increases to normal auxin levels in expanding leaves have shown conflicting results, with both increases and decreases in leaf growth having been measured. Therefore, the effects of both auxin application and adjustment of endogenous leaf auxin levels on midrib elongation and final leaf size (fresh weight and area) were examined in attached primary monofoliate leaves of the common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) and in early Arabidopsis rosette leaves. Aqueous auxin application inhibited long-term leaf blade elongation. Bean leaves, initially 40 to 50 mm in length, treated once with α-naphthalene acetic acid (1.0 mm), were, after 6 d, approximately 80% the length and weight of controls. When applied at 1.0 and 0.1 mm, α-naphthalene acetic acid significantly inhibited long-term leaf growth. The weak auxin, β-naphthalene acetic acid, was effective at 1.0 mm; and a weak acid control, benzoic acid, was ineffective. Indole-3-acetic acid (1 μm, 10 μm, 0.1 mm, and 1 mm) required daily application to be effective at any concentration. Application of the auxin transport inhibitor, 1-N-naphthylphthalamic acid (1% [w/w] in lanolin), to petioles also inhibited long-term leaf growth. This treatment also was found to lead to a sustained elevation of leaf free indole-3-acetic acid content relative to untreated control leaves. Auxin-induced inhibition of leaf growth appeared not to be mediated by auxin-induced ethylene synthesis because growth inhibition was not rescued by inhibition of ethylene synthesis. Also, petiole treatment of Arabidopsis with 1-N-naphthylphthalamic acid similarly inhibited leaf growth of both wild-type plants and ethylene-insensitive ein4 mutants. PMID:14988474
LONG-TERM LIGHT CURVE OF HIGHLY VARIABLE PROTOSTELLAR STAR GM CEP
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Xiao Limin; Kroll, Peter; Henden, Arne A.
2010-04-15
We present data from the archival plates at Harvard College Observatory and Sonneberg Observatory showing the field of the solar-type pre-main-sequence star GM Cep. A total of 186 magnitudes of GM Cep have been measured on these archival plates, with 176 in blue sensitivity, six in visible, and four in red. We combine our data with data from the literature and from the American Association of Variable Star Observers to depict the long-term light curves of GM Cep in both B and V wavelengths. The light curves span from 1895 until now, with two densely sampled regions (1935-1945 in themore » B band, and 2006 until now in the V band). The long-term light curves do not show any fast rise behavior as predicted by an accretion mechanism. Both the light curves and the magnitude histograms confirm the conclusion that the light curves are dominated by dips (possibly from extinction) superposed on some quiescence state, instead of outbursts caused by accretion flares. Our result excludes the possibility of GM Cep being a FUor, EXor, or McNeil's Nebula-type star. Several special cases of T Tauri stars were checked, but none of these light curves were compatible with that of GM Cep. The lack of periodicity in the light curve excludes the possibility of GM Cep being a KH 15D system.« less
Haettig, Jakob; Stefanko, Daniel P.; Multani, Monica L.; Figueroa, Dario X.; McQuown, Susan C.; Wood, Marcelo A.
2011-01-01
Transcription of genes required for long-term memory not only involves transcription factors, but also enzymatic protein complexes that modify chromatin structure. Chromatin-modifying enzymes, such as the histone acetyltransferase (HAT) CREB (cyclic-AMP response element binding) binding protein (CBP), are pivotal for the transcriptional regulation required for long-term memory. Several studies have shown that CBP and histone acetylation are necessary for hippocampus-dependent long-term memory and hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP). Importantly, every genetically modified Cbp mutant mouse exhibits long-term memory impairments in object recognition. However, the role of the hippocampus in object recognition is controversial. To better understand how chromatin-modifying enzymes modulate long-term memory for object recognition, we first examined the role of the hippocampus in retrieval of long-term memory for object recognition or object location. Muscimol inactivation of the dorsal hippocampus prior to retrieval had no effect on long-term memory for object recognition, but completely blocked long-term memory for object location. This was consistent with experiments showing that muscimol inactivation of the hippocampus had no effect on long-term memory for the object itself, supporting the idea that the hippocampus encodes spatial information about an object (such as location or context), whereas cortical areas (such as the perirhinal or insular cortex) encode information about the object itself. Using location-dependent object recognition tasks that engage the hippocampus, we demonstrate that CBP is essential for the modulation of long-term memory via HDAC inhibition. Together, these results indicate that HDAC inhibition modulates memory in the hippocampus via CBP and that different brain regions utilize different chromatin-modifying enzymes to regulate learning and memory. PMID:21224411
Multilayer mounting for long-term light sheet microscopy of zebrafish.
Weber, Michael; Mickoleit, Michaela; Huisken, Jan
2014-02-27
Light sheet microscopy is the ideal imaging technique to study zebrafish embryonic development. Due to minimal photo-toxicity and bleaching, it is particularly suited for long-term time-lapse imaging over many hours up to several days. However, an appropriate sample mounting strategy is needed that offers both confinement and normal development of the sample. Multilayer mounting, a new embedding technique using low-concentration agarose in optically clear tubes, now overcomes this limitation and unleashes the full potential of light sheet microscopy for real-time developmental biology.
Application of Geodetic VLBI Data to Obtaining Long-Term Light Curves for Astrophysics
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Kijima, Masachika
2010-01-01
The long-term light curve is important to research on binary black holes and disk instability in AGNs. The light curves have been drawn mainly using single dish data provided by the University of Michigan Radio Observatory and the Metsahovi Radio Observatory. Hence, thus far, we have to research on limited sources. I attempt to draw light curves using VLBI data for those sources that have not been monitored by any observatories with single dish. I developed software, analyzed all geodetic VLBI data available at the IVS Data Centers, and drew the light curves at 8 GHz. In this report, I show the tentative results for two AGNs. I compared two light curves of 4C39.25, which were drawn based on single dish data and on VLBI data. I confirmed that the two light curves were consistent. Furthermore, I succeeded in drawing the light curve of 0454-234 with VLBI data, which has not been monitored by any observatory with single dish. In this report, I suggest that the geodetic VLBI archive data is useful to obtain the long-term light curves at radio bands for astrophysics.
Multilayer Mounting for Long-term Light Sheet Microscopy of Zebrafish
Weber, Michael; Mickoleit, Michaela; Huisken, Jan
2014-01-01
Light sheet microscopy is the ideal imaging technique to study zebrafish embryonic development. Due to minimal photo-toxicity and bleaching, it is particularly suited for long-term time-lapse imaging over many hours up to several days. However, an appropriate sample mounting strategy is needed that offers both confinement and normal development of the sample. Multilayer mounting, a new embedding technique using low-concentration agarose in optically clear tubes, now overcomes this limitation and unleashes the full potential of light sheet microscopy for real-time developmental biology. PMID:24637614
Ma, Fangfang; Takanari, Hiroki; Masuda, Kimiko; Morishima, Masaki; Ono, Katsushige
2016-07-01
Bepridil is an effective antiarrhythmic drug on supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias, and inhibitor of calmodulin. Recent investigations have been elucidating that bepridil exerts antiarrhythmic effects through its acute and chronic application for patients. The aim of this study was to identify the efficacy and the potential mechanism of bepridil on the inward-rectifier potassium channel in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes in acute- and long-term conditions. Bepridil inhibited inward-rectifier potassium current (I K1) as a short-term effect with IC50 of 17 μM. Bepridil also reduced I K1 of neonatal cardiomyocytes when applied for 24 h in the culture medium with IC50 of 2.7 μM. Both a calmodulin inhibitor (W-7) and an inhibitor of calmodulin-kinase II (KN93) reduced I K1 when applied for 24 h as a long-term effect in the same fashion, suggesting that the long-term application of bepridil inhibits I K1 more potently than that of the short-term application through the inhibition of calmodulin kinase II pathway in cardiomyocytes.
Dietzel, Lars; Bräutigam, Katharina; Pfannschmidt, Thomas
2008-03-01
In dense plant populations, individuals shade each other resulting in a low-light habitat that is enriched in far-red light. This light quality gradient decreases the efficiency of the photosynthetic light reaction as a result of imbalanced excitation of the two photosystems. Plants counteract such conditions by performing acclimation reactions. Two major mechanisms are known to assure efficient photosynthesis: state transitions, which act on a short-term timescale; and a long-term response, which enables the plant to re-adjust photosystem stoichiometry in favour of the rate-limiting photosystem. Both processes start with the perception of the imbalanced photosystem excitation via reduction/oxidation (redox) signals from the photosynthetic electron transport chain. Recent data in Arabidopsis indicate that initialization of the molecular processes in both cases involve the activity of the thylakoid membrane-associated kinase, STN7. Thus, redox-controlled phosphorylation events may not only adjust photosystem antenna structure but may also affect plastid, as well as nuclear, gene expression. Both state transitions and the long-term response have been described mainly in molecular terms, while the physiological relevance concerning plant survival and reproduction has been poorly investigated. Recent studies have shed more light on this topic. Here, we give an overview on the long-term response, its physiological effects, possible mechanisms and its relationship to state transitions as well as to nonphotochemical quenching, another important short-term mechanism that mediates high-light acclimation. Special emphasis is given to the functional roles and potential interactions between the different light acclimation strategies. A working model displays the various responses as an integrated molecular system that helps plants to acclimate to the changing light environment.
Serebruany, Victor L; Malinin, Alex I; Atar, Dan; Hanley, Dan F
2007-03-01
Numerous reports have dichotomized responses after clopidogrel therapy using varying definitions and platelet tests in patients immediately after acute vascular events; however, no large study has assessed platelet characteristics in outpatients receiving long-term treatment for more than 30 days with the maintenance dose (75 mg/d) of clopidogrel. The aim of this study was to describe the responses of ex vivo measures of platelet aggregation and activation to long-term clopidogrel therapy in a large population of outpatients after coronary stenting or ischemic stroke. We conducted a secondary post hoc analysis of a data set represented by presumably compliant patients after coronary stenting (n = 237) or a documented ischemic stroke (n = 122) treated with clopidogrel-and-aspirin combination antiplatelet therapy. The mean duration of treatment was 5.8 months (range 1-21 months). Every patient exhibited a significant inhibition of adenosine diphosphate-induced platelet aggregation (mean 52.9%, range 36%-70%) as compared with the preclopidogrel measures. Inhibition of aggregation strongly correlated with a diminished expression of PECAM-1 (platelet/endothelial cell adhesion molecule 1, r = 0.75), glycoprotein IIb/IIIa (r = 0.62), and PAR-1 (protease-activated receptor 1, r = 0.71). None of the patients developed hyporesponsiveness (reduction from the baseline <15%) or profound inhibition (residual platelet activity <10%). In contrast to the wide variability of responses that exists in the acute setting, long-term therapy with clopidogrel leads to consistent and much less variable platelet inhibition. Lack of nonresponse and profound inhibition with clopidogrel allow for the maintenance of a delicate balance between proven efficacy and acceptable bleeding risks for long-term secondary prevention in outpatients after acute vascular events.
Long-term (6-wk) hindlimb suspension inhibits spermatogenesis in adult male rats
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Tash, Joseph S.; Johnson, Donald C.; Enders, George C.
2002-01-01
The International Space Station will allow extended habitation in space and long-term exposure to microgravity (microG). A concern is the impact of long-term microG exposure on the ability of species to reproduce. The model often used to simulate microG is rat hindlimb suspension (HLS), where the hindlimbs are elevated above the cage floor with a tail harness. Experiments described here are the first to examine the effect of long-term HLS on testicular function in adult male rats. Free-roaming (controls), animals with only the tail harnessed but hindlimbs in contact with the cage floor (TO), and HLS animals were tested for 6 wk. Cryptorchidism was prevented in TO and HLS animals by partial constriction of the inguinal canal with sutures. All parameters were compared at the end of the 6-wk experiment. Testicular weights and spermatogenesis were significantly reduced by HLS, such that no spermatogenic cells beyond round spermatids were present and epididymides were devoid of mature sperm. In many tubules, loss of all germ cells, except a few spermatogonia, resulting in histopathology similar to the Sertoli cell, was observed. Spermatogenesis appeared unaffected in control and TO animals. Sertoli and Leydig cell appearance, testosterone, luteinizing hormone, and follicle-stimulating hormone levels, and epididymal and seminal vesicle weight were unchanged by HLS. Cortisone was not elevated by HLS; thus stress may not be a factor. These results demonstrate that spermatogenesis is severely inhibited by long-term HLS, whereas testicular androgen production is not. These results have significant implications regarding serious effects of long-term exposure to microG on the reproductive capability of scrotal mammals, including humans.
Muscarinic Long-Term Enhancement of Tonic and Phasic GABAA Inhibition in Rat CA1 Pyramidal Neurons
Domínguez, Soledad; Fernández de Sevilla, David; Buño, Washington
2016-01-01
Acetylcholine (ACh) regulates network operation in the hippocampus by controlling excitation and inhibition in rat CA1 pyramidal neurons (PCs), the latter through gamma-aminobutyric acid type-A receptors (GABAARs). Although, the enhancing effects of ACh on GABAARs have been reported (Dominguez et al., 2014, 2015), its role in regulating tonic GABAA inhibition has not been explored in depth. Therefore, we aimed at determining the effects of the activation of ACh receptors on responses mediated by synaptic and extrasynaptic GABAARs. Here, we show that under blockade of ionotropic glutamate receptors ACh, acting through muscarinic type 1 receptors, paired with post-synaptic depolarization induced a long-term enhancement of tonic GABAA currents (tGABAA) and puff-evoked GABAA currents (pGABAA). ACh combined with depolarization also potentiated IPSCs (i.e., phasic inhibition) in the same PCs, without signs of interactions of synaptic responses with pGABAA and tGABAA, suggesting the contribution of two different GABAA receptor pools. The long-term enhancement of GABAA currents and IPSCs reduced the excitability of PCs, possibly regulating plasticity and learning in behaving animals. PMID:27833531
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Patwardhan, R.V.; Schenker, S.; Henderson, G.I.
1981-08-01
Ethanol ingestion during pregnancy causes a pattern of fetal/neonatal dysfunction called the FAS. The effects of short- and long-term ethanol ingestion on the placental uptake and maternal-fetal transfer of valine were studied in rats. The in vivo placental uptake and fetal uptake were estimated after injection of 0.04 micromol of /sub 14/C-valine intravenously on day 20 of gestation in Sprague-Dawley rats. Short-term ethanol ingestion (4 gm/kg) caused a significant reduction in the placental uptake of /sub 14/C-valine by 33%, 60%, and 30%, and 31% at 2.5, 5, 10, and 15 min after valine administration, respectively (p less than 0.01), andmore » a similar significant reduction occurred in the fetal uptake of /sub 14/C-valine (p less than 0.01). Long-term ethanol ingestion prior to and throughout gestation resulted in a 47% reduction in placental valine uptake (p less than 0.01) and a 46% reduction in fetal valine uptake (p less than 0.01). Long-term ethanol feeding from day 4 to day 20 of gestation caused a 32% reduction in placental valine uptake (p less than 0.01) and a 26% reduction in fetal valine uptake (p less than 0.01). We conclude that both short- and long-term ingestion of ethanol inhibit the placental uptake and maternal-fetal transfer of an essential amino acid--valine. An alteration of placental function may contribute to the pathogenesis of the FAS.« less
Bish, Lawrence T; Sleeper, Meg M; Forbes, Sean C; Morine, Kevin J; Reynolds, Caryn; Singletary, Gretchen E; Trafny, Dennis; Pham, Jennifer; Bogan, Janet; Kornegay, Joe N; Vandenborne, Krista; Walter, Glenn A; Sweeney, H Lee
2011-12-01
Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a lethal, X-linked recessive disease affecting 1 in 3,500 newborn boys for which there is no effective treatment or cure. One novel strategy that has therapeutic potential for DMD is inhibition of myostatin, a negative regulator of skeletal muscle mass that may also promote fibrosis. Therefore, our goal in this study was to evaluate systemic myostatin inhibition in the golden retriever model of DMD (GRMD). GRMD canines underwent liver-directed gene transfer of a self-complementary adeno-associated virus type 8 vector designed to express a secreted dominant-negative myostatin peptide (n = 4) and were compared with age-matched, untreated GRMD controls (n = 3). Dogs were followed with serial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for 13 months to assess cross-sectional area and volume of skeletal muscle, then euthanized so that tissue could be harvested for morphological and histological analysis. We found that systemic myostatin inhibition resulted in increased muscle mass in GRMD dogs as assessed by MRI and confirmed at tissue harvest. We also found that hypertrophy of type IIA fibers was largely responsible for the increased muscle mass and that reductions in serum creatine kinase and muscle fibrosis were associated with long-term myostatin inhibition in GRMD. This is the first report describing the effects of long-term, systemic myostatin inhibition in a large-animal model of DMD, and we believe that the simple and effective nature of our liver-directed gene-transfer strategy makes it an ideal candidate for evaluation as a novel therapeutic approach for DMD patients.
Persistent inhibition of hippocampal long-term potentiation in vivo by learned helplessness stress.
Ryan, Benedict K; Vollmayr, Barbara; Klyubin, Igor; Gass, Peter; Rowan, Michael J
2010-06-01
The persistent cognitive disruptive effects of stress have been strongly implicated in the pathophysiology of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder. Here we examined factors influencing the time course of recovery from the inhibitory effect of acute inescapable stressors on the ability to induce long-term potentiation (LTP) in the dorsal hippocampus in vivo. We tested different forms of LTP, different stressors and different inbred strains of rats. Acute elevated platform stress completely, but transiently (<3 h), inhibited induction of both NMDA receptor-dependent LTP induced by a standard high frequency (200 Hz) conditioning stimulus and an additional LTP that required voltage-dependent Ca(2+) channel activation triggered by strong (400 Hz) conditioning stimulation. In contrast, acute inescapable footshock stress, used to study learned helplessness, inhibited LTP for at least 4 weeks. Contrary to expectations, there was no clear relationship between the ability of the footshock to trigger helpless behavior, a model of stress-induced depression, and the magnitude of LTP inhibition. Moreover, LTP did not appear to be affected by genetic susceptibility to learned helplessness, a model of genetic vulnerability to depression. This long-lasting synaptic plasticity disruption may underlie persistent impairment of hippocampus-dependent cognition by excessive acute inescapable stress.
Wu, Mann-Chian; Sung, Huei-Chuan; Lee, Wen-Li; Smith, Graeme D
2015-10-01
This study aims to evaluate the effect of light therapy on depression and sleep disruption in older adults residing in a long-term care facility. Psychological morbidity is a problem commonly seen in older adults residing in long-term care facilities. Limited research has addressed the effect of light therapy on depression in this population. A quasi-experimental pretest and posttest design was used. Thirty-four participants in the experimental group received light therapy by sitting in front of a 10000-lux light box 30 min in the morning, three times a week for 4 weeks. Thirty-one participants in the control group received routine care without light therapy. Depression was measured by Geriatric Depression Scale-Short Form at baseline and week 4. After receiving 4 weeks of light therapy, the mean depression score in the experimental group decreased from 7.24 (SD3.42) at pretest to 5.91 (SD 3.40) at posttest, and had a significant reduction (t = 2.22, P = 0.03). However, there was no significant difference in depression score and sleep disruption between the experimental group and control group. Light therapy might have the potential to reduce depressive symptoms and sleep disruption and may be a viable intervention to improve mental health of older adults in the long-term care facilities. © 2014 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.
[Disintegration of visible light-cured composite resins caused by long-term water immersion].
Hino, T; Arai, K
1989-05-01
The purpose of this study is to clarify a cause of disintegration of composite resins by long-term immersion in distilled water. Three kinds of visible light-cured composite resins (Heliosit, Plurafil Super and Visio Dispers) and one conventional composite resin (Clearfil F II) were prepared as the specimens with a 20 mm diameter and 1 mm thickness. These specimens were immersed in distilled water at 37 +/- 1 degree C for 3 years. These specimens were analysed and observed by a comprehensive multi analyzer and scanning electron microscope. The other hand residues in distilled water were analysed by infrared (IR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometers. The surface layer of all four composite resins showed signs of disintegration. The composite resins with abundant dissolved substances had disintegrated markedly, and such disintegration occurred deep inside the specimens. In IR and 1H-NMR spectra of dissolved substances, two visible light-cured composite resins (Heliosit and Plurafil Super) could be detected unreacted monomers, but one visible light-cured composite resin (Visio Dispers) and one conventional composite resin (Clearfil F II) could not be detected them. In 1H-NMR spectra of dissolved substances of all four composite resins, new signals not composed originally were observed. The progress of disintegration were demonstrated clearly. The dissolved substances were shown as the disintegrated substance between resin matrixs and silane coupling agents. It is suggested that the disintegration of composite resins by long-term water immersion is derived from hydrolysis.
Dominoni, Davide M; Quetting, Michael; Partecke, Jesko
2013-01-01
Light pollution is known to affect important biological functions of wild animals, including daily and annual cycles. However, knowledge about long-term effects of chronic exposure to artificial light at night is still very limited. Here we present data on reproductive physiology, molt and locomotor activity during two-year cycles of European blackbirds (Turdus merula) exposed to either dark nights or 0.3 lux at night. As expected, control birds kept under dark nights exhibited two regular testicular and testosterone cycles during the two-year experiment. Control urban birds developed testes faster than their control rural conspecifics. Conversely, while in the first year blackbirds exposed to light at night showed a normal but earlier gonadal cycle compared to control birds, during the second year the reproductive system did not develop at all: both testicular size and testosterone concentration were at baseline levels in all birds. In addition, molt sequence in light-treated birds was more irregular than in control birds in both years. Analysis of locomotor activity showed that birds were still synchronized to the underlying light-dark cycle. We suggest that the lack of reproductive activity and irregular molt progression were possibly the results of i) birds being stuck in a photorefractory state and/or ii) chronic stress. Our data show that chronic low intensities of light at night can dramatically affect the reproductive system. Future studies are needed in order to investigate if and how urban animals avoid such negative impact and to elucidate the physiological mechanisms behind these profound long-term effects of artificial light at night. Finally we call for collaboration between scientists and policy makers to limit the impact of light pollution on animals and ecosystems.
LeSauter, Joseph; Cloues, Robin; Witkovsky, Paul
2011-01-01
The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is the locus of a hypothalamic circadian clock that synchronizes physiological and behavioral responses to the daily light-dark cycle. The nucleus is composed of functionally and peptidergically diverse populations of cells for which distinct electrochemical properties are largely unstudied. SCN neurons containing gastrin-releasing peptide (GRP) receive direct retinal input via the retinohypothalamic tract. We targeted GRP neurons with a green fluorescent protein (GFP) marker for whole cell patch-clamping. In these neurons, we studied short (0.5–1.5 h)- and long-term (2–6 h) effects of a 1-h light pulse (LP) given 2 h after lights off [Zeitgeber time (ZT) 14:00–15:00] on membrane potential and spike firing. In brain slices taken from light-exposed animals, cells were depolarized, and spike firing rate increased between ZT 15:30 and 16:30. During a subsequent 4-h period beginning around ZT 17:00, GRP neurons from light-exposed animals were hyperpolarized by ∼15 mV. None of these effects was observed in GRP neurons from animals not exposed to light or in immediately adjacent non-GRP neurons whether or not exposed to light. Depolarization of GRP neurons was associated with a reduction in GABAA-dependent synaptic noise, whereas hyperpolarization was accompanied both by a loss of GABAA drive and suppression of a TTX-resistant leakage current carried primarily by Na. This suggests that, in the SCN, exposure to light may induce a short-term increase in GRP neuron excitability mediated by retinal neurotransmitters and neuropeptides, followed by long-term membrane hyperpolarization resulting from suppression of a leakage current, possibly resulting from genomic signals. PMID:21593396
Conversion of short-term to long-term memory in the novel object recognition paradigm.
Moore, Shannon J; Deshpande, Kaivalya; Stinnett, Gwen S; Seasholtz, Audrey F; Murphy, Geoffrey G
2013-10-01
It is well-known that stress can significantly impact learning; however, whether this effect facilitates or impairs the resultant memory depends on the characteristics of the stressor. Investigation of these dynamics can be confounded by the role of the stressor in motivating performance in a task. Positing a cohesive model of the effect of stress on learning and memory necessitates elucidating the consequences of stressful stimuli independently from task-specific functions. Therefore, the goal of this study was to examine the effect of manipulating a task-independent stressor (elevated light level) on short-term and long-term memory in the novel object recognition paradigm. Short-term memory was elicited in both low light and high light conditions, but long-term memory specifically required high light conditions during the acquisition phase (familiarization trial) and was independent of the light level during retrieval (test trial). Additionally, long-term memory appeared to be independent of stress-mediated glucocorticoid release, as both low and high light produced similar levels of plasma corticosterone, which further did not correlate with subsequent memory performance. Finally, both short-term and long-term memory showed no savings between repeated experiments suggesting that this novel object recognition paradigm may be useful for longitudinal studies, particularly when investigating treatments to stabilize or enhance weak memories in neurodegenerative diseases or during age-related cognitive decline. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Conversion of short-term to long-term memory in the novel object recognition paradigm
Moore, Shannon J.; Deshpande, Kaivalya; Stinnett, Gwen S.; Seasholtz, Audrey F.; Murphy, Geoffrey G.
2013-01-01
It is well-known that stress can significantly impact learning; however, whether this effect facilitates or impairs the resultant memory depends on the characteristics of the stressor. Investigation of these dynamics can be confounded by the role of the stressor in motivating performance in a task. Positing a cohesive model of the effect of stress on learning and memory necessitates elucidating the consequences of stressful stimuli independently from task-specific functions. Therefore, the goal of this study was to examine the effect of manipulating a task-independent stressor (elevated light level) on short-term and long-term memory in the novel object recognition paradigm. Short-term memory was elicited in both low light and high light conditions, but long-term memory specifically required high light conditions during the acquisition phase (familiarization trial) and was independent of the light level during retrieval (test trial). Additionally, long-term memory appeared to be independent of stress-mediated glucocorticoid release, as both low and high light produced similar levels of plasma corticosterone, which further did not correlate with subsequent memory performance. Finally, both short-term and long-term memory showed no savings between repeated experiments suggesting that this novel object recognition paradigm may be useful for longitudinal studies, particularly when investigating treatments to stabilize or enhance weak memories in neurodegenerative diseases or during age-related cognitive decline. PMID:23835143
Long-term high-intensity sound stimulation inhibits h current (Ih ) in CA1 pyramidal neurons.
Cunha, A O S; Ceballos, C C; de Deus, J L; Leão, R M
2018-05-19
Afferent neurotransmission to hippocampal pyramidal cells can lead to long-term changes to their intrinsic membrane properties and affect many ion currents. One of the most plastic neuronal currents is the hyperpolarization activated cationic current (I h ), which changes in CA1 pyramidal cells in response to many types of physiological and pathological processes, including auditory stimulation. Recently we demonstrated that long-term potentiation (LTP) in rat hippocampal Schaffer-CA1 synapses is depressed by high-intensity sound stimulation. Here we investigated if a long-term high-intensity sound stimulation could affect intrinsic membrane properties of rat CA1 pyramidal neurons. Our results showed that I h is depressed by long-term high intensity sound exposure (1 minute of 110 dB sound, applied two times per day for 10 days). This resulted in a decreased resting membrane potential, increased membrane input resistance and time constant, and decreased action potential threshold. In addition, CA1 pyramidal neurons from sound-exposed animals fired more action potentials than neurons from control animals; However, this effect was not caused by a decreased I h . Interestingly, a single episode (1 minute) of 110 dB sound stimulation which also inhibits hippocampal LTP did not affect I h and firing in pyramidal neurons, suggesting that effects on I h are long-term responses to high intensity sound exposure. Our results show that prolonged exposure to high-intensity sound affects intrinsic membrane properties of hippocampal pyramidal neurons, mainly by decreasing the amplitude of I h . This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Light-induced inhibition of laccase in Pycnoporus sanguineus.
Hernández, Christian A; Perroni, Yareni; Pérez, José Antonio García; Rivera, Beatriz Gutiérrez; Alarcón, Enrique
2016-03-01
The aim was to determine which specific regions of the visible light spectrum were responsible for the induction or inhibition of laccase in Pycnoporus sanguineus. Cultures were exposed to various bandwidth lights: blue (460 nm), green (525 nm), white (a combination of 460 and 560 nm), red (660 nm), and darkness. The results indicate that short wavelengths strongly inhibit the production of laccase: green (3.76 ± 1.12 U/L), blue (1.94 ± 0.36 U/L), and white (1.05 ± 0.21 U/L) in proportions of 85.8, 92.6, and 96.0%, respectively; whereas long wavelengths inhibit laccase production only partially i.e., red light (14.05 ± 4.79 U/L) in a proportion of 46.8%. Maximum activity was induced in absence of visible light (30 °C, darkness), i.e., 30.76 ± 4.0 U/L. It is concluded that the production of laccase in P. sanguineus responds to light stimuli [measured as wavelengths and lx] and that it does so inversely. This can be explained as an ecological mechanism of environmental recognition, given that P. sanguineus develops inside lignocellulose structures in conditions of darkness. The presence of short wavelength light (460-510 nm) would indicate that the organism finds itself in an external environment, unprovided of lignin, and that it is therefore unnecessary to secrete laccase. This possible new regulation in the laccase production in P. sanguineus has important biotechnological implications, for it would be possible to control the production of laccase using light stimuli.
Transcription Factors in Long-Term Memory and Synaptic Plasticity
Alberini, Cristina M.
2013-01-01
Transcription is a molecular requisite for long-term synaptic plasticity and long-term memory formation. Thus, in the last several years, one main interest of molecular neuroscience has been the identification of families of transcription factors that are involved in both of these processes. Transcription is a highly regulated process that involves the combined interaction and function of chromatin and many other proteins, some of which are essential for the basal process of transcription, while others control the selective activation or repression of specific genes. These regulated interactions ultimately allow a sophisticated response to multiple environmental conditions, as well as control of spatial and temporal differences in gene expression. Evidence based on correlative changes in expression, genetic mutations, and targeted molecular inhibition of gene expression have shed light on the function of transcription in both synaptic plasticity and memory formation. This review provides a brief overview of experimental work showing that several families of transcription factors, including CREB, C/EBP, Egr, AP-1, and Rel have essential functions in both processes. The results of this work suggest that patterns of transcription regulation represent the molecular signatures of long-term synaptic changes and memory formation. PMID:19126756
Domínguez, Soledad; Fernández de Sevilla, David; Buño, Washington
2014-01-01
Acetylcholine (ACh) regulates forms of plasticity that control cognitive functions but the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. ACh controls the intrinsic excitability, as well as the synaptic excitation and inhibition of CA1 hippocampal pyramidal cells (PCs), cells known to participate in circuits involved in cognition and spatial navigation. However, how ACh regulates inhibition in function of postsynaptic activity has not been well studied. Here we show that in rat PCs, a brief pulse of ACh or a brief stimulation of cholinergic septal fibers combined with repeated depolarization induces strong long-term enhancement of GABAA inhibition (GABAA-LTP). Indeed, this enhanced inhibition is due to the increased activation of α5βγ2 subunit-containing GABAA receptors by the GABA released. GABAA-LTP requires the activation of M1-muscarinic receptors and an increase in cytosolic Ca2+. In the absence of PC depolarization ACh triggered a presynaptic depolarization-induced suppression of inhibition (DSI), revealing that postsynaptic activity gates the effects of ACh from presynaptic DSI to postsynaptic LTP. These results provide key insights into mechanisms potentially linked with cognitive functions, spatial navigation, and the homeostatic control of abnormal hyperexcitable states. PMID:24938789
Kinetic separation of phototropism from blue-light inhibition of stem elongation
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Cosgrove, D. J.
1985-01-01
These experiments tested the hypothesis that phototropic bending arises when a light gradient across the stem differentially inhibits cell elongation because of direct inhibition of cell elongation by light (the Blaauw hypothesis). Continuous irradiation of dark-grown cucumber seedlings (Cucumis sativus L.) with unilateral blue light inhibited hypocotyl elongation within 30 s, but did not induce phototropic curvature until 4.5 h after the start of irradiation. Marking experiments showed that curvature began simultaneously at the top and bottom of the growing region. In situ measurements of the light gradient across the stem with a glass fiber optic indicated that a 5- to 6-fold difference in fluence rate was established on the two sides of the stem. The light gradient established at the start of irradiation was the same as that after 6 h of irradiation. Changes in gravitropic responsiveness during this period were also ruled out. Calculations show that the light gradient should have caused curvature which would be detectable within 30 to 60 min and which would extrapolate to the start of irradiation--if the Blaauw hypothesis were correct. The long lag for phototropism in this case indicates that rapid inhibition of cell elongation by blue light does not cause the asymmetrical growth of phototropism. Rather, phototropism is superimposed upon this separate light growth response.
Longo, Carmelinda A; Fried, Peter A; Cameron, Ian; Smith, Andra M
2013-01-01
The long-term effects of prenatal nicotine exposure on response inhibition were investigated in young adults using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Participants were members of the Ottawa Prenatal Prospective Study, a longitudinal study that collected a unique body of information on participants from infancy to young adulthood, which allowed for the measurement of an unprecedented number of potentially confounding drug exposure variables including: prenatal marijuana and alcohol exposure and current marijuana, nicotine and alcohol use. Twelve young adults with prenatal nicotine exposure and 13 non-exposed controls performed a Go/No-Go task while fMRI blood oxygen level-dependent responses were examined. Despite similar task performance, participants prenatally exposed to nicotine demonstrated significantly greater activity in several regions of the brain that typically subserve response inhibition including the inferior frontal gyrus, the inferior parietal lobe, the thalamus and the basal ganglia. In addition, prenatally exposed participants showed greater activity in relatively large posterior regions of the cerebellum. These results suggest that prenatal nicotine exposure leads to altered neural functioning during response inhibition that continues into adulthood. This alteration is compensated for by recruitment of greater neural resources within regions of the brain that subserve response inhibition and the recruitment of additional brain regions to successfully perform the task. Response inhibition is an important executive functioning skill and impairments can impede functioning in much of everyday life. Thus, awareness of the continued long-term neural physiological effects of prenatal nicotine exposure is critical. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Yang, Fan Y.; Nelson, Bron; Carlino, Roberto; Perez, Andres D.; Faber, Nicolas; Henze, Chris; Karacahoglu, Arif G.; O'Toole, Conor; Swenson, Jason; Stupl, Jan
2015-01-01
This work provides an efficiency analysis of the LightForce space debris collision avoidance scheme in the current debris environment and describes a simulation approach to assess its impact on the long-term evolution of the space debris environment. LightForce aims to provide just-in-time collision avoidance by utilizing photon pressure from ground-based industrial lasers. These ground stations impart minimal accelerations to increase the miss distance for a predicted conjunction between two objects. In the first part of this paper we will present research that investigates the short-term effect of a few systems consisting of 10kW class lasers directed by 1.5 m diameter telescopes using adaptive optics. The results found such a network of ground stations to mitigate more than 85 percent of conjunctions and could lower the expected number of collisions in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) by an order of magnitude. While these are impressive numbers that indicate LightForce's utility in the short-term, the remaining 15 percent of possible collisions contain (among others) conjunctions between two massive objects that would add large amount of debris if they collide. Still, conjunctions between massive objects and smaller objects can be mitigated. Hence we choose to expand the capabilities of the simulation software to investigate the overall effect of a network of LightForce stations on the long-term debris evolution. In the second part of this paper, we will present the planed simulation approach for that effort.
Very-long-term and short-term chromatic adaptation: are their influences cumulative?
Belmore, Suzanne C; Shevell, Steven K
2011-02-09
Very-long-term (VLT) chromatic adaptation results from exposure to an altered chromatic environment for days or weeks. Color shifts from VLT adaptation are observed hours or days after leaving the altered environment. Short-term chromatic adaptation, on the other hand, results from exposure for a few minutes or less, with color shifts measured within seconds or a few minutes after the adapting light is extinguished; recovery to the pre-adapted state is complete in less than an hour. Here, both types of adaptation were combined. All adaptation was to reddish-appearing long-wavelength light. Shifts in unique yellow were measured following adaptation. Previous studies demonstrate shifts in unique yellow due to VLT chromatic adaptation, but shifts from short-term chromatic adaptation to comparable adapting light can be far greater than from VLT adaptation. The question considered here is whether the color shifts from VLT adaptation are cumulative with large shifts from short-term adaptation or, alternatively, does simultaneous short-term adaptation eliminate color shifts caused by VLT adaptation. The results show the color shifts from VLT and short-term adaptation together are cumulative, which indicates that both short-term and very-long-term chromatic adaptation affect color perception during natural viewing. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Szasz, Theodora; Davis, Robert Patrick; Garver, Hannah S.; Burnett, Robert J.; Fink, Gregory D.; Watts, Stephanie W.
2013-01-01
Xanthine oxidase and its products, uric acid and ROS, have been implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease, such as hypertension. We have previously reported that allopurinol inhibition of XO does not alter the progression of deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA)-salt hypertension in rats. However other researchers have observed a reduction in blood pressure after allopurinol treatment in the same model. To resolve this controversy, in this study we used the newer and more effective XO inhibitor febuxostat, and hypothesized that a more complete XO blockade might impair hypertension development and its end-organ consequences. We used DOCA-salt hypertensive rats and administered vehicle (salt water) or febuxostat (orally, 5 mg/kg/day in salt water) in a short-term “reversal” experiment (2 weeks of treatment 3 weeks after DOCA-salt beginning) and a long-term “prevention” experiment (treatment throughout 4 weeks of DOCA-salt). We confirmed XO inhibition by febuxostat by measuring circulating and tissue levels of XO metabolites. We found an overall increase in hypoxanthine (XO substrate) and decrease in uric acid (XO product) levels following febuxostat treatment. However, despite a trend for reduced blood pressure in the last week of long-term febuxostat treatment, no statistically significant difference in hemodynamic parameters was observed in either study. Additionally, no change was observed in relative heart and kidney weight. Aortic media/lumen ratio was minimally improved by long-term febuxostat treatment. Additionally, febuxostat incubation in vitro did not modify contraction of aorta or vena cava to norepinephrine, angiotensin II or endothelin-1. We conclude that XO inhibition is insufficient to attenuate hypertension in the rat DOCA-salt model, although beneficial vascular effects are possible. PMID:23393607
Urethane inhibits genioglossal long-term facilitation in un-paralyzed anesthetized rats.
Cao, Ying; Ling, Liming
2010-06-25
For approximately 3 decades, urethane has been (partially or solely) used as a successful anesthetic in numerous respiratory long-term facilitation (LTF) studies, which were performed on anesthetized, paralyzed, vagotomized and artificially ventilated animals of several different species. However, things become complicated when LTF of muscle activity is studied in un-paralyzed animals. For example, a commonly used acute intermittent hypoxia (AIH) protocol failed to induce muscle LTF in anesthetized, spontaneously breathing rats. But muscle LTF could be induced when hypoxic episode number was increased and/or anesthetics other than urethane were used. In these studies however, neither anesthetic nor paralysis was mentioned as a potential factor influencing AIH-induced muscle LTF. This study tested whether urethane inhibits AIH-induced genioglossal LTF (gLTF) in un-paralyzed ventilated rats, and if so, determined whether reducing urethane dose reverses this inhibition. Three groups of adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were anesthetized (Group 1: approximately 1.6 g kg(-1) urethane; Group 2: 50 mg kg(-1) alpha-chloralose +0.9-1.2 g kg(-1) urethane; Group 3: 0.9 g kg(-1) urethane +200-400 microg kg(-1) min(-1) alphaxalone), vagotomized and mechanically ventilated. Integrated genioglossus activity was measured before, during and after AIH (5 episodes of 3-min isocapnic 12% O(2), separated by 3-min hyperoxic intervals). The AIH-induced gLTF was absent in Group 1 rats (success rate was only approximately 1/7), but was present in Group 2 (in 10/12 rats) and Group 3 (in 11/11 rats) rats. The genioglossal response to hypoxia was not significantly different among the 3 groups. Collectively, these data suggest that urethane dose-dependently inhibits gLTF in un-paralyzed anesthetized rats. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Inhibiting Autophagy During Interleukin 2 (IL-2) Immunotherapy Promotes Long Term Tumor Regression
Liang, Xiaoyan; De Vera, Michael E.; Buchser, William J.; Romo de Vivar Chavez, Antonio; Loughran, Patricia; Stolz, Donna Beer; Basse, Per; Wang, Tao; Van Houten, Bennett; Zeh, Herbert J.; Lotze, Michael T.
2012-01-01
Administration of high dose interleukin 2 (HDIL-2) has durable antitumor effects in 5-10% patients with melanoma and renal cell carcinoma. However, treatment is often limited by side effects, including reversible, multi-organ dysfunction and characterized by a cytokine-induced ‘systemic autophagic syndrome’. Here we hypothesized that the autophagy inhibitor chloroquine (CQ) would enhance IL-2 immunotherapeutic efficacy and limit toxicity. In an advanced murine metastatic liver tumor model, IL-2 inhibited tumor growth in a dose-dependent fashion, and these anti-tumor effects were significantly enhanced upon addition of CQ. The combination of IL-2 with CQ increased long term survival, decreased toxicity associated with vascular leakage, and enhanced immune cell proliferation and infiltration in the liver and spleen. HDIL-2 alone increased serum levels of IFN-γ, IL-6 and IL-18 and also induced autophagy within the liver and translocation of HMGB1 from the nucleus to the cytosol in hepatocytes, effects that were inhibited by combined administration with CQ. In tumor cells, CQ increased autophagic vacuoles and LC3-II levels inhibited oxidative phosphorylation and ATP production and promoted apoptosis, which was associated with increased Annexin V+/PI- cells, cleaved-PARP, cleaved-caspase 3, and cytochrome C release from mitochondria. Taken together, our findings provide a novel clinical strategy to enhance the efficacy of HDIL-2 immunotherapy for cancer patients. PMID:22472122
Glycine inhibition of pupillary responses to pulses of light in conscious sheep.
Seggie, J; Wright, N
1989-01-01
The use of a 1.5% glycine solution as a bladder irrigant during surgical removal of the prostate has been associated with transient visual impairment. Glycine is thought to be an inhibitory retinal transmitter. Adult female sheep were infused with a 1.5% glycine solution to provide a dose of 0, 7.5, 15, 30, or 60 g of glycine. The volume control was a solution of dextrose and saline. The degree of constriction of the pupil in response to 30 seconds of bright light following dilation in the dark was used as an index of visual response. Observations were made before and 2, 4, 6, 12, 24, 48, 96, and 192 hours after a single infusion. Significant inhibition of pupil response to light but not to the dark was apparent following systemically administered glycine resulting in plasma levels over 5000 mumol/L. Inhibition of pupil response was paralleled by behavioral indices of visual impairment but not by changes in plasma sodium, potassium, chloride or osmolality. The duration of the effect was dose dependent with visual impairment following a single high dose of glycine being detectable five days later and long after glycine levels had returned to normal. However, the relationship between dose, time, and effect appears to be complex. It is important to note that the present observations occurred at plasma glycine levels frequently experienced in routine surgical practice. The finding that significant long term detrimental effects of glycine could be detected should evoke a re-evaluation of the use of glycine as an irrigating solution for surgical procedures and stimulate further investigation of the effects of glycine on retinal function and the ability to perceive light.
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Calorie restriction (CR) inhibits inflammation and slows aging in many animal species, but in rodents housed in pathogen-free facilities, CR impairs immunity against certain pathogens. However, little is known about the effects of long-term moderate CR on immune function in humans. In this multi-cen...
Xu, Qingwen; Li, Xi; Jin, Yingying; Sun, Lin; Ding, Xiaoxu; Liang, Lin; Wang, Lei; Nan, Kaihui; Ji, Jian; Chen, Hao; Wang, Bailiang
2017-12-14
Implant-associated bacterial infections pose serious medical and financial issues due to the colonization and proliferation of pathogens on the surface of the implant. The as-prepared traditional antibacterial surfaces can neither resist bacterial adhesion nor inhibit the development of biofilm over the long term. Herein, novel (montmorillonite/poly-l-lysine-gentamicin sulfate) 8 ((MMT/PLL-GS) 8 ) organic-inorganic hybrid multilayer films were developed to combine enzymatic degradation PLL for on-demand self-defense antibiotics release. Small molecule GS was loaded into the multilayer films during self-assembly and the multilayer films showed pH-dependent and linear growth behavior. The chymotrypsin- (CMS) and bacterial infections-responsive film degradation led to the peeling of the films and GS release. Enzyme-responsive GS release exhibited CMS concentration dependence as measured by the size of the inhibition zone and SEM images. Notably, the obtained antibacterial films showed highly efficient bactericidal activity which killed more than 99.9% of S. aureus in 12 h. Even after 3 d of incubation in S. aureus, E. coli or S. epidermidis solutions, the multilayer films exhibited inhibition zones of more than 1.5 mm in size. Both in vitro and in vivo antibacterial tests indicated good cell compatibility, and anti-inflammatory, and long-term bacterial anti-adhesion and biofilm inhibition properties.
Night-time lights: A global, long term look at links to socio-economic trends
Zavala-Araiza, Daniel; Wagner, Gernot
2017-01-01
We use a parallelized spatial analytics platform to process the twenty-one year totality of the longest-running time series of night-time lights data—the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) dataset—surpassing the narrower scope of prior studies to assess changes in area lit of countries globally. Doing so allows a retrospective look at the global, long-term relationships between night-time lights and a series of socio-economic indicators. We find the strongest correlations with electricity consumption, CO2 emissions, and GDP, followed by population, CH4 emissions, N2O emissions, poverty (inverse) and F-gas emissions. Relating area lit to electricity consumption shows that while a basic linear model provides a good statistical fit, regional and temporal trends are found to have a significant impact. PMID:28346500
Space ventures and society long-term perspectives
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Brown, W. M.
1985-01-01
A futuristic evaluation of mankind's potential long term future in space is presented. Progress in space will not be inhibited by shortages of the Earth's physical resources, since long term economic growth will be focused on ways to constrain industrial productivity by changing social values, management styles, or government competence. Future technological progress is likely to accelerate with an emphasis on international cooperation, making possible such large joint projects as lunar colonies or space stations on Mars. The long term future in space looks exceedingly bright even in relatively pessimistic scenarios. The principal driving forces will be technological progress, commercial and public-oriented satellites, space industrialization, space travel, and eventually space colonization.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Anoop, Gopinathan; Rani, Janardhanan R.; Lim, Juhwan; Jang, Myoung Soo; Suh, Dong Wook; Kang, Shinill; Jun, Seong Chan; Yoo, Jae Soo
2016-09-01
The long-term instability of the presently available best commercial phosphor-converted light-emitting diodes (pcLEDs) is the most serious obstacle for the realization of low-cost and energy-saving lighting applications. Emission from pcLEDs starts to degrade after approximately 200 h of operation because of thermal degradation of the phosphors. We propose a new strategy to overcome this thermal degradation problem of phosphors by wrapping the phosphor particles with reduced graphene oxide (rGO). Through the rGO wrapping, we have succeeded in controlling the thermal degradation of phosphors and improving the stability of fabricated pcLEDs. We have fabricated pcLEDs with long-term stability that maintain nearly 98% of their initial luminescence emission intensity even after 800 h of continuous operation at 85 °C and 85% relative humidity. The pcLEDs fabricated using SrBaSi2O2N2:Eu2+ phosphor particles wrapped with reduced graphene oxide are thermally stable because of enhanced heat dissipation that prevents the ionization of Eu2+ to Eu3+. We believe that this technique can be applied to other rare-earth doped phosphors for the realization of highly efficient and stable white LEDs.
Long-term neprilysin inhibition - implications for ARNIs.
Campbell, Duncan J
2017-03-01
Neprilysin has a major role in both the generation and degradation of bioactive peptides. LCZ696 (valsartan/sacubitril, Entresto), the first of the new ARNI (dual-acting angiotensin-receptor-neprilysin inhibitor) drug class, contains equimolar amounts of valsartan, an angiotensin-receptor blocker, and sacubitril, a prodrug for the neprilysin inhibitor LBQ657. LCZ696 reduced blood pressure more than valsartan alone in patients with hypertension. In the PARADIGM-HF study, LCZ696 was superior to the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor enalapril for the treatment of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, and LCZ696 was approved by the FDA for this purpose in 2015. This approval was the first for chronic neprilysin inhibition. The many peptides metabolized by neprilysin suggest many potential consequences of chronic neprilysin inhibitor therapy, both beneficial and adverse. Moreover, LBQ657 might inhibit enzymes other than neprilysin. Chronic neprilysin inhibition might have an effect on angio-oedema, bronchial reactivity, inflammation, and cancer, and might predispose to polyneuropathy. Additionally, inhibition of neprilysin metabolism of amyloid-β peptides might have an effect on Alzheimer disease, age-related macular degeneration, and cerebral amyloid angiopathy. Much of the evidence for possible adverse consequences of chronic neprilysin inhibition comes from studies in animal models, and the relevance of this evidence to humans is unknown. This Review summarizes current knowledge of neprilysin function and possible consequences of chronic neprilysin inhibition that indicate a need for vigilance in the use of neprilysin inhibitor therapy.
Blue light does not inhibit nodulation in Sesbania rostrata.
Shimomura, Aya; Arima, Susumu; Hayashi, Makoto; Maymon, Maskit; Hirsch, Ann M; Suzuki, Akihiro
2017-01-02
Earlier, we reported that root nodulation was inhibited by blue light irradiation of Lotus japonicus. Because some legumes do not establish nodules exclusively on underground roots, we investigated whether nodule formation in Sesbania rostrata, which forms both root and "stem" nodules following inoculation with Azorhizobium caulinodans, is inhibited by blue light as are L. japonicus nodules. We found that neither S. rostrata nodulation nor nitrogen fixation was inhibited by blue light exposure. Moreover, although A. caulinodans proliferation was not affected by blue light irradiation, bacterial survival was decreased. Therefore, blue light appears to impose different responses depending on the legume-rhizobial symbiosis.
Soto-Moyano, Rubén; Burgos, Héctor; Flores, Francisco; Valladares, Luis; Sierralta, Walter; Fernández, Victor; Pérez, Hernán; Hernández, Paula; Hernández, Alejandro
2006-10-01
Melatonin has been shown to inhibit long-term potentiation (LTP) in hippocampal slices of rats. Since LTP may be one of the main mechanisms by which memory traces are encoded and stored in the central nervous system, it is possible that melatonin could modulate cognitive performance by interfering with the cellular and/or molecular mechanisms involved in LTP. We investigated in rats the effects of intraperitoneally-administered melatonin (0.1, 1 and 10 mg/kg), its saline-ethanol solvent, or saline alone, on the acquisition of visuo-spatial memory as well as on the ability of the cerebral cortex to develop LTP in vivo. Visuo-spatial performance was assessed daily in rats, for 10 days, in an 8-arm radial maze, 30 min after they received a single daily dose of melatonin. Visual cortex LTP was determined in sodium pentobarbital anesthetized rats (65 mg/kg i.p.), by potentiating transcallosal evoked responses with a tetanizing train (312 Hz, 500 ms duration) 30 min after administration of a single dose of melatonin. Results showed that melatonin impaired visuo-spatial performance in rats, as revealed by the greater number of errors committed and time spent to solve the task in the radial maze. Melatonin also prevented the induction of neocortical LTP. It is concluded that melatonin, at the doses utilized in this study, could alter some forms of neocortical plasticity involved in short- and long-term visuo-spatial memories in rats.
Hypomagnesaemia associated with long-term use of proton pump inhibitors
Toh, James Wei Tatt; Ong, Evonne; Wilson, Robert
2015-01-01
Hypomagnesaemia and associated hypocalcaemia and hypoparathyroidism have been increasingly recognised as rare long-term side-effects of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). The PPIs may inhibit active magnesium (Mg) absorption by interfering with transcellular transient receptor potential melastatin-6 and -7 (TRPM 6 and 7) channels. More recent cell culture studies have suggested concomitant inhibition of passive Mg absorption by omeprazole. After being treated with a range of PPIs, the four patients in our case series developed hypomagnesaemia, which responded to withdrawal of therapy and initiation of Mg replacement. Their clinical course and management demonstrate key aspects of hypomagnesaemia associated with long-term use of PPIs. PMID:25138239
The Long-term Light Curves of X-ray Binaries Contain Simultaneous Periodic and Random Components
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
White, Nicholas E. (Technical Monitor); Boyd, Patricia T.; Smale, Alan P.
2002-01-01
LMC X-3 and Cyg X-2 show large amplitude X-ray fluctuations that have been attributed to a warped accretion disk. Cyg X-3 displays high amplitude, apparently non-periodic oscillations. We reanalyze these systems using RXTE ASM data and time-frequency decomposition techniques. We find that the long-term variations in Cyg X-2 can be completely characterized by excursions whose durations are integer multiples of the orbital period, including one essentially identical to the reported "period" of 78 days. Cyg X-3 can be characterized in terms of integer multiples of a 71-day fundamental period unrelated to the 4.8 day orbital period, but suggestively close to the approximately equal to greater than 60 day reported precession period of the relativistic jet inferred from recent radio observations. The long-term excursions of LMC X-3 are related to each other by rational fractions, suggesting the characteristic time scale is 10.594 days, shorter than any observed excursion to date. We explore the phase space evolution of the light curves using a natural embedding and find that all three systems possess two rotation centers that organize the phase space trajectories, one of low luminosity and the other of high luminosity. The implications of this repeatable behavior on generic models of accretion disk dynamics and mass transfer variability are explored.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Yang Yang, Fan; Nelson, Bron; Aziz, Jonathan; Carlino, Roberto; Dono Perez, Andres; Faber, Nicolas; Foster, Cyrus; Frost, Chad; Henze, Chris; Karacalıoğlu, Arif Göktuğ; Levit, Creon; Marshall, William; Mason, James; O'Toole, Conor; Swenson, Jason; Worden, Simon P.; Stupl, Jan
2016-09-01
This work provides an efficiency analysis of the LightForce space debris collision avoidance scheme in the current debris environment and describes a simulation approach to assess its impact on the long-term evolution of the space debris environment. LightForce aims to provide just-in-time collision avoidance by utilizing photon pressure from ground-based industrial lasers. These ground stations impart minimal accelerations to increase the miss distance for a predicted conjunction between two objects. In the first part of this paper we will present research that investigates the short-term effect of a few systems consisting of 20 kW class lasers directed by 1.5 m diameter telescopes using adaptive optics. The results found such a network of ground stations to mitigate more than 85 percent of conjunctions and could lower the expected number of collisions in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) by an order of magnitude. While these are impressive numbers that indicate LightForce's utility in the short-term, the remaining 15 % of possible collisions contain (among others) conjunctions between two massive objects that would add large amount of debris if they collide. Still, conjunctions between massive objects and smaller objects can be mitigated. Hence, we choose to expand the capabilities of the simulation software to investigate the overall effect of a network of LightForce stations on the long-term debris evolution. In the second part of this paper, we will present the planned simulation approach for that effort. For the efficiency analysis of collision avoidance in the current debris environment, we utilize a simulation approach that uses the entire Two Line Element (TLE) catalog in LEO for a given day as initial input. These objects are propagated for one year and an all-on-all conjunction analysis is performed. For conjunctions that fall below a range threshold, we calculate the probability of collision and record those values. To assess efficiency, we compare a baseline
Yang, Fan Yang; Nelson, Bron; Aziz, Jonathan; Carlino, Roberto; Perez, Andres Dono; Faber, Nicolas; Foster, Cyrus; Frost, Chad; Henze, Chris; Karacalıoğlu, Arif Göktuğ; Levit, Creon; Marshall, William; Mason, James; O’Toole, Conor; Swenson, Jason; Worden, Simon P.; Stupl, Jan
2017-01-01
This work provides an efficiency analysis of the LightForce space debris collision avoidance scheme in the current debris environment and describes a simulation approach to assess its impact on the long-term evolution of the space debris environment. LightForce aims to provide just-in-time collision avoidance by utilizing photon pressure from ground-based industrial lasers. These ground stations impart minimal accelerations to increase the miss distance for a predicted conjunction between two objects. In the first part of this paper we will present research that investigates the short-term effect of a few systems consisting of 20 kW class lasers directed by 1.5 m diameter telescopes using adaptive optics. The results found such a network of ground stations to mitigate more than 85 percent of conjunctions and could lower the expected number of collisions in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) by an order of magnitude. While these are impressive numbers that indicate LightForce’s utility in the short-term, the remaining 15 % of possible collisions contain (among others) conjunctions between two massive objects that would add large amount of debris if they collide. Still, conjunctions between massive objects and smaller objects can be mitigated. Hence, we choose to expand the capabilities of the simulation software to investigate the overall effect of a network of LightForce stations on the long-term debris evolution. In the second part of this paper, we will present the planned simulation approach for that effort. For the efficiency analysis of collision avoidance in the current debris environment, we utilize a simulation approach that uses the entire Two Line Element (TLE) catalog in LEO for a given day as initial input. These objects are propagated for one year and an all-on-all conjunction analysis is performed. For conjunctions that fall below a range threshold, we calculate the probability of collision and record those values. To assess efficiency, we compare a baseline
Yang, Fan Yang; Nelson, Bron; Aziz, Jonathan; Carlino, Roberto; Perez, Andres Dono; Faber, Nicolas; Foster, Cyrus; Frost, Chad; Henze, Chris; Karacalıoğlu, Arif Göktuğ; Levit, Creon; Marshall, William; Mason, James; O'Toole, Conor; Swenson, Jason; Worden, Simon P; Stupl, Jan
2016-09-01
This work provides an efficiency analysis of the LightForce space debris collision avoidance scheme in the current debris environment and describes a simulation approach to assess its impact on the long-term evolution of the space debris environment. LightForce aims to provide just-in-time collision avoidance by utilizing photon pressure from ground-based industrial lasers. These ground stations impart minimal accelerations to increase the miss distance for a predicted conjunction between two objects. In the first part of this paper we will present research that investigates the short-term effect of a few systems consisting of 20 kW class lasers directed by 1.5 m diameter telescopes using adaptive optics. The results found such a network of ground stations to mitigate more than 85 percent of conjunctions and could lower the expected number of collisions in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) by an order of magnitude. While these are impressive numbers that indicate LightForce's utility in the short-term, the remaining 15 % of possible collisions contain (among others) conjunctions between two massive objects that would add large amount of debris if they collide. Still, conjunctions between massive objects and smaller objects can be mitigated. Hence, we choose to expand the capabilities of the simulation software to investigate the overall effect of a network of LightForce stations on the long-term debris evolution. In the second part of this paper, we will present the planned simulation approach for that effort. For the efficiency analysis of collision avoidance in the current debris environment, we utilize a simulation approach that uses the entire Two Line Element (TLE) catalog in LEO for a given day as initial input. These objects are propagated for one year and an all-on-all conjunction analysis is performed. For conjunctions that fall below a range threshold, we calculate the probability of collision and record those values. To assess efficiency, we compare a baseline
Manipulation of long-term dynamics in a colloidal active matter system using speckle light fields
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Pince, Ercag; Velu, Sabareesh K. P.; Callegari, Agnese; Elahi, Parviz; Gigan, Sylvain; Volpe, Giovanni; Volpe, Giorgio
Particles undergoing a stochastic motion within a disordered medium is a ubiquitous physical and biological phenomena. Examples can be given from organelles performing tasks in the cytoplasm to large animals moving in patchy environment. Here, we use speckle light fields to study the anomalous diffusion in an active matter system consisting of micron-sized silica particles(diameter 5 μm) and motile bacterial cells (E. coli). The speckle light fields are generated by mode mixing inside a multimode optical fiber where a small amount of incident laser power is needed to obtain an effective disordered optical landscape for the purpose of optical manipulation. We experimentally show how complex potentials contribute to the long-term dynamics of the active matter system and observed an enhanced diffusion of particles interacting with the active bacterial bath in the speckle light fields. We showed that this effect can be tuned and controlled by varying the intensity and the statistical properties of the speckle pattern. Potentially, these results could be of interest for many technological applications, such as the manipulation of microparticles inside optically disordered media of biological interest.
Inhibiting Myosin Light Chain Kinase Induces Apoptosis In Vitro and In Vivo
Fazal, Fabeha; Gu, Lianzhi; Ihnatovych, Ivanna; Han, YooJeong; Hu, WenYang; Antic, Nenad; Carreira, Fernando; Blomquist, James F.; Hope, Thomas J.; Ucker, David S.; de Lanerolle, Primal
2005-01-01
Previous short-term studies have correlated an increase in the phosphorylation of the 20-kDa light chain of myosin II (MLC20) with blebbing in apoptotic cells. We have found that this increase in MLC20 phosphorylation is rapidly followed by MLC20 dephosphorylation when cells are stimulated with various apoptotic agents. MLC20 dephosphorylation is not a consequence of apoptosis because MLC20 dephosphorylation precedes caspase activation when cells are stimulated with a proapoptotic agent or when myosin light chain kinase (MLCK) is inhibited pharmacologically or by microinjecting an inhibitory antibody to MLCK. Moreover, blocking caspase activation increased cell survival when MLCK is inhibited or when cells are treated with tumor necrosis factor alpha. Depolymerizing actin filaments or detaching cells, processes that destabilize the cytoskeleton, or inhibiting myosin ATPase activity also resulted in MLC20 dephosphorylation and cell death. In vivo experiments showed that inhibiting MLCK increased the number of apoptotic cells and retarded the growth of mammary cancer cells in mice. Thus, MLC20 dephosphorylation occurs during physiological cell death and prolonged MLC20 dephosphorylation can trigger apoptosis. PMID:15988034
Watanabe, Hikaru; Takaya, Tomohiro; Shimoi, Toshinobu; Ogawa, Hiroto; Kitamura, Yoshiichiro; Oka, Kotaro
2005-03-01
We investigated the process of memory consolidation following classical conditioning of earthworms. Earthworms were conditioned in paired trials by a weak vibration as a conditioned stimulus (CS), and by light as an unconditioned stimulus (US). The occurrence of a shrinking response upon exposure to the CS increased steadily with the number of paired training trials. When the training procedure was changed by increasing the intertrial interval (ITI), it was found that only those worms trained with a 68 s ITI exhibited long-term memory retention for at least 24 h. The influence of mRNA synthesis inhibition by actinomycin-D or of protein synthesis by anisomycin on memory consolidation was also examined. Induction of the long-term memory was blocked when either of these two compounds was injected into the body cavity of the worm within 25 min of conditioning with the 68 s ITI. These results demonstrate that the long-term memory is dependent upon protein synthesis in response to the upregulation of new transcription messengers.
Oscillatory patterns in the light curves of five long-term monitored type 1 active galactic nuclei
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kovačević, Andjelka B.; Pérez-Hernández, Ernesto; Popović, Luka Č.; Shapovalova, Alla I.; Kollatschny, Wolfram; Ilić, Dragana
2018-04-01
New combined data of five well-known type 1 active galactic nuclei (AGNs) are probed with a novel hybrid method in a search for oscillatory behaviour. Additional analysis of artificial light curves obtained from the coupled oscillatory models gives confirmation for detected periods that could have a physical background. We find periodic variations in the long-term light curves of 3C 390.3, NGC 4151 and NGC 5548, and E1821 + 643, with correlation coefficients larger than 0.6. We show that the oscillatory patterns of two binary black hole candidates, NGC 5548 and E1821 + 643, correspond to qualitatively different dynamical regimes of chaos and stability, respectively. We demonstrate that the absence of oscillatory patterns in Arp 102B could be the result of a weak coupling between oscillatory mechanisms. This is the first good evidence that 3C 390.3 and Arp 102B, categorized as double-peaked Balmer line objects, have qualitative different dynamics. Our analysis shows a novelty in the oscillatory dynamical patterns of the light curves of these type 1 AGNs.
Growing trees where trees grow best: short-term research sheds light on long-term productivity.
Jonathan Thompson
2008-01-01
In 1999, the Fall River Long-Term Site Productivity study began in coastal Washington to investigate how intensive management practices affect soil processes and forest productivity. By comparing conventional harvests to more intensive wood removal treatments, researchers are answering long-standing questions about how residual organic matter influences future growth....
THE INHIBITION OF CYPRIDINA LUMINESCENCE BY LIGHT
Harvey, E. Newton
1925-01-01
The luminescence of Cypridina luciferin-luciferase solution is inhibited by illumination from a carbon arc of 15,000 foot candles in between 1 and 2 seconds. The blue to violet rays are the effective ones, the limits lying somewhere around 4,600 Å. u. to 3,800 Å. u. The luciferin, not the luciferase, is the substance affected by the light. The effect is partially reversible in the dark. The chemiluminescences obtained by oxidizing phosphorus, lophin, and chlorphenylmagnesium bromide are not inhibited by light under the above conditions. PMID:19872169
Lee, Hae In; Lee, Sae-Won; Kim, Nam Gyun; Park, Kyoung-Jun; Choi, Byung Tae; Shin, Yong-Il; Shin, Hwa Kyoung
2017-12-01
We aimed to investigate the effects of low-level light emitting diode therapy (LED-T) on the long-term functional outcomes after cerebral ischemia, and the optimal timing of LED-T initiation for achieving suitable functional recovery. Focal cerebral ischemia was induced in mice via photothrombosis. These mice were assigned to a sham-operated (control), ischemic (vehicle), or LED-T group [initiation immediately (acute), 4 days (subacute) or 10 days (delayed) after ischemia, followed by once-daily treatment for 7 days]. Behavioral outcomes were assessed 21 and 28 days post-ischemia, and histopathological analysis was performed 28 days post-ischemia. The acute and subacute LED-T groups showed a significant improvement in motor function up to 28 days post-ischemia, although no brain atrophy recovery was noted. We observed proliferating cells (BrdU + ) in the ischemic brain, and significant increases in BrdU + /GFAP + , BrdU + /DCX + , BrdU + /NeuN + , and CD31 + cells in the subacute LED-T group. However, the BrdU + /Iba-1 + cell count was reduced in the subacute LED-T group. Furthermore, the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) was significantly upregulated in the subacute LED-T group. We concluded that LED-T administered during the subacute stage had a positive impact on the long-term functional outcome, probably via neuron and astrocyte proliferation, blood vessel reconstruction, and increased BDNF expression. Picture: The rotarod test for motor coordination showed that acute and subacute LED-T improves long-term functional recovery after cerebral ischemia. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
Genetic separation of phototropism and blue light inhibition of stem elongation
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Liscum, E.; Young, J. C.; Poff, K. L.; Hangarter, R. P.
1992-01-01
Blue light-induced regulation of cell elongation is a component of the signal response pathway for both phototropic curvature and inhibition of stem elongation in higher plants. To determine if blue light regulates cell elongation in these responses through shared or discrete pathways, phototropism and hypocotyl elongation were investigated in several blue light response mutants in Arabidopsis thaliana. Specifically, the blu mutants that lack blue light-dependent inhibition of hypocotyl elongation were found to exhibit a normal phototropic response. In contrast, a phototropic null mutant (JK218) and a mutant that has a 20- to 30-fold shift in the fluence dependence for first positive phototropism (JK224) showed normal inhibition of hypocotyl elongation in blue light. F1 progeny of crosses between the blu mutants and JK218 showed normal phototropism and inhibition of hypocotyl elongation, and approximately 1 in 16 F2 progeny were double mutants lacking both responses. Thus, blue light-dependent inhibition of hypocotyl elongation and phototropism operate through at least some genetically distinct components.
Cognitive, physical, and mental health outcomes between long-term cannabis and tobacco users.
Lovell, M E; Bruno, R; Johnston, J; Matthews, A; McGregor, I; Allsop, D J; Lintzeris, N
2018-04-01
Cannabis intoxication adversely affects health, yet persistent effects following short-term abstinence in long-term cannabis users are unclear. This matched-subjects, cross-sectional study compared health outcomes of long-term cannabis and long-term tobacco-only users, relative to population norms. Nineteen long-term (mean 32.3years of use, mean age 55.7years), abstinent (mean 15h) cannabis users and 16 long-term tobacco users (mean 37.1years of use, mean age 52.9years), matched for age, educational attainment, and lifetime tobacco consumption, were compared on measures of learning and memory, response inhibition, information-processing, sustained attention, executive control, and mental and physical health. Cannabis users exhibited poorer overall learning and delayed recall and greater interference and forgetting than tobacco users, and exhibited poorer recall than norms. Inhibition and executive control were similar between groups, but cannabis users had slower reaction times during information processing and sustained attention tasks. Cannabis users had superior health satisfaction and psychological, somatic, and general health than tobacco users and had similar mental and physical health to norms whilst tobacco users had greater stress, role limitations from emotional problems, and poorer health satisfaction. Long-term cannabis users may exhibit deficits in some cognitive domains despite short-term abstinence and may therefore benefit from interventions to improve cognitive performance. Tobacco alone may contribute to adverse mental and physical health outcomes, which requires appropriate control in future studies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Multilayer mounting enables long-term imaging of zebrafish development in a light sheet microscope.
Kaufmann, Anna; Mickoleit, Michaela; Weber, Michael; Huisken, Jan
2012-09-01
Light sheet microscopy techniques, such as selective plane illumination microscopy (SPIM), are ideally suited for time-lapse imaging of developmental processes lasting several hours to a few days. The success of this promising technology has mainly been limited by the lack of suitable techniques for mounting fragile samples. Embedding zebrafish embryos in agarose, which is common in conventional confocal microscopy, has resulted in severe growth defects and unreliable results. In this study, we systematically quantified the viability and mobility of zebrafish embryos mounted under more suitable conditions. We found that tubes made of fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) filled with low concentrations of agarose or methylcellulose provided an optimal balance between sufficient confinement of the living embryo in a physiological environment over 3 days and optical clarity suitable for fluorescence imaging. We also compared the effect of different concentrations of Tricaine on the development of zebrafish and provide guidelines for its optimal use depending on the application. Our results will make light sheet microscopy techniques applicable to more fields of developmental biology, in particular the multiview long-term imaging of zebrafish embryos and other small organisms. Furthermore, the refinement of sample preparation for in toto and in vivo imaging will promote other emerging optical imaging techniques, such as optical projection tomography (OPT).
Phototropin 1 and dim-blue light modulate the red light de-etiolation response.
Wang, Yihai; M Folta, Kevin
2014-01-01
Light signals regulate seedling morphological changes during de-etiolation through the coordinated actions of multiple light-sensing pathways. Previously we have shown that red-light-induced hypocotyl growth inhibition can be reversed by addition of dim blue light through the action of phototropin 1 (phot1). Here we further examine the fluence-rate relationships of this blue light effect in short-term (hours) and long-term (days) hypocotyl growth assays. The red stem-growth inhibition and blue promotion is a low-fluence rate response, and blue light delays or attenuates both the red light and far-red light responses. These de-etiolation responses include blue light reversal of red or far-red induced apical hook opening. This response also requires phot1. Cryptochromes (cry1 and cry2) are activated by higher blue light fluence-rates and override phot1's influence on hypocotyl growth promotion. Exogenous application of auxin transport inhibitor naphthylphthalamic acid abolished the blue light stem growth promotion in both hypocotyl growth and hook opening. Results from the genetic tests of this blue light effect in auxin transporter mutants, as well as phytochrome kinase substrate mutants indicated that aux1 may play a role in blue light reversal of red light response. Together, the phot1-mediated adjustment of phytochrome-regulated photomorphogenic events is most robust in dim blue light conditions and is likely modulated by auxin transport through its transporters.
Phototropin 1 and dim-blue light modulate the red light de-etiolation response
Wang, Yihai; M Folta, Kevin
2014-01-01
Light signals regulate seedling morphological changes during de-etiolation through the coordinated actions of multiple light-sensing pathways. Previously we have shown that red-light-induced hypocotyl growth inhibition can be reversed by addition of dim blue light through the action of phototropin 1 (phot1). Here we further examine the fluence-rate relationships of this blue light effect in short-term (hours) and long-term (days) hypocotyl growth assays. The red stem-growth inhibition and blue promotion is a low-fluence rate response, and blue light delays or attenuates both the red light and far-red light responses. These de-etiolation responses include blue light reversal of red or far-red induced apical hook opening. This response also requires phot1. Cryptochromes (cry1 and cry2) are activated by higher blue light fluence-rates and override phot1's influence on hypocotyl growth promotion. Exogenous application of auxin transport inhibitor naphthylphthalamic acid abolished the blue light stem growth promotion in both hypocotyl growth and hook opening. Results from the genetic tests of this blue light effect in auxin transporter mutants, as well as phytochrome kinase substrate mutants indicated that aux1 may play a role in blue light reversal of red light response. Together, the phot1-mediated adjustment of phytochrome-regulated photomorphogenic events is most robust in dim blue light conditions and is likely modulated by auxin transport through its transporters. PMID:25482790
Genetic separation of phototropism from blue light inhibition of hypocotyl elongation on Arabidopsis
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Liscum, E.; Young, J.C.; Hangarter, R.P.
1991-05-01
Phototropism and inhibition of stem elongation occur in response to blue light-induced inhibition of cell elongation. However, phototropism is a low fluence response and inhibition of hypocotyl elongation is a high irradiance response. The authors have isolated several mutant lines of Arabidopsis which lack blue light-induced inhibition of hypocotyl elongation but retain normal phototropic functions. In addition, a mutant line which completely lacks the phototropic response retains normal blue light-induced inhibition of hypocotyl elongation. F1 progeny of crosses between these two mutant classes exhibited wild-type phototropism and inhibition of hypocotyl elongation in response to blue light stimuli. In the F2more » generation, one in sixteen seedlings were double mutants lacking both phototropism and blue light-induced hypocotyl growth inhibition. These studies conclusively show that blue light-induced phototropism and hypocotyl growth inhibition function through genetically distinct signal transduction or response systems.« less
Correia, Patrícia A; Lottem, Eran; Banerjee, Dhruba; Machado, Ana S; Carey, Megan R; Mainen, Zachary F
2017-01-01
Serotonin (5-HT) is associated with mood and motivation but the function of endogenous 5-HT remains controversial. Here, we studied the impact of phasic optogenetic activation of 5-HT neurons in mice over time scales from seconds to weeks. We found that activating dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) 5-HT neurons induced a strong suppression of spontaneous locomotor behavior in the open field with rapid kinetics (onset ≤1 s). Inhibition of locomotion was independent of measures of anxiety or motor impairment and could be overcome by strong motivational drive. Repetitive place-contingent pairing of activation caused neither place preference nor aversion. However, repeated 15 min daily stimulation caused a persistent increase in spontaneous locomotion to emerge over three weeks. These results show that 5-HT transients have strong and opposing short and long-term effects on motor behavior that appear to arise from effects on the underlying factors that motivate actions. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.20975.001 PMID:28193320
Hayashi, Ken; Hirata, Akira; Yoshida, Motoaki; Yoshimura, Koichi; Hayashi, Hideyuki
2012-08-01
To investigate the long-term effect of surface light scattering and glistenings of various intraocular lenses (IOLs) on visual function and optical aberrations after cataract surgery. Case-control study. Thirty-five eyes that underwent implantation of a hydrophobic acrylic, silicone, or polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) IOL more than 10 years ago were recruited. The scattering light intensity of the surface and internal matrix of the optic was measured using Scheimpflug photography. Visual acuity (VA) was measured using VA charts, and contrast VA and that with glare (glare VA) were examined using a contrast sensitivity tester. Ocular higher-order aberrations (HOAs) were measured using a Hartmann-Shack aberrometer. Mean scattering light intensity of the surface and internal matrix of the optic was significantly higher in the acrylic group than in the silicone and PMMA groups (P < .0001). Mean uncorrected VA, photopic and mesopic contrast VA and glare VA, and HOAs did not differ significantly among groups, although mean corrected VA in the acrylic group was significantly better than that in the other groups (P = .0023). Scattering light intensity of the surface and internal matrix did not correlate with VA, contrast VA, or glare VA, and did not correlate with ocular and internal optic HOAs in the acrylic group. At more than 10 years postoperatively, visual function, including contrast sensitivity, and ocular HOAs were comparable among eyes that received acrylic, silicone, and PMMA IOLs. Surface scattering and glistenings with the acrylic IOLs were not significantly correlated with visual function and optical aberrations. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Casalbuoni, S.; Cecilia, A.; Gerstl, S.; Glamann, N.; Grau, A. W.; Holubek, T.; Meuter, C.; de Jauregui, D. Saez; Voutta, R.; Boffo, C.; Gerhard, Th.; Turenne, M.; Walter, W.
2016-11-01
A new cryogen-free full scale (1.5 m long) superconducting undulator with a period length of 15 mm (SCU15) has been successfully tested in the ANKA storage ring. This represents a very important milestone in the development of superconducting undulators for third and fourth generation light sources carried on by the collaboration between the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology and the industrial partner Babcock Noell GmbH. SCU15 is the first full length device worldwide that with beam reaches a higher peak field than what expected with the same geometry (vacuum gap and period length) with an ideal cryogenic permanent magnet undulator built with the best material available PrFeB. After a summary on the design and main parameters of the device, we present here the characterization in terms of spectral properties and the long term operation of the SCU15 in the ANKA storage ring.
Tokuda, Kazuhiro; O’Dell, Kazuko A.; Izumi, Yukitoshi; Zorumski, Charles F.
2010-01-01
Benzodiazepines (BDZs) enhance γ-aminobutyric acid-A (GABAA) receptor inhibition by direct actions on central BDZ receptors (CBRs). Although some BDZs also bind mitochondrial receptors (translocator protein 18kDa, TSPO) and promote the synthesis of GABA-enhancing neurosteroids, the role of neurosteroids in the clinical effects of BDZs is unknown. In rat hippocampal slices, we compared midazolam, an anesthetic BDZ with clonazepam, an anticonvulsant/anxiolytic BDZ that activates CBRs selectively. Midazolam, but not clonazepam, increased neurosteroid levels in CA1 pyramidal neurons without changing TSPO immunostaining. Midazolam, but not clonazepam, also augmented a form of spike inhibition following stimulation adjacent to the pyramidal cell layer and inhibited induction of long-term potentiation. These effects were prevented by finasteride, an inhibitor of neurosteroid synthesis, or 17PA (17-phenyl-(3α, 5α)-androst-16-en-3-ol), a blocker of neurosteroid effects on GABAA receptors. Moreover, the synaptic effects were mimicked by a combination of clonazepam with FGIN, a selective TSPO agonist, or a combination of clonazepam with exogenous allopregnanolone. Consistent with these in vitro results, finasteride abolished the effects of midazolam on contextual fear learning when administrated one day prior to midazolam injection. Thus, dual activation of CBRs and TSPO appears to result in unique actions of clinically-important BDZs. Furthermore, endogenous neurosteroids are shown to be important regulators of pyramidal neuron function and synaptic plasticity. PMID:21159950
Guo, Lengqiu; Guo, Zhuangli; Luo, Xiaoqing; Liang, Rui; Yang, Shui; Ren, Haigang; Wang, Guanghui; Zhen, Xuechu
2016-12-02
Sleep, particularly rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, is implicated in the consolidation of emotional memories. In the present study, we investigated the protective effects of a phosphodiesterase 10A (PDE10A) inhibitor MP-10 on deficits in long-term fear memory induced by REM sleep deprivation (REM-SD). REM-SD caused deficits in long-term fear memory, however, MP-10 administration ameliorated the deleterious effects of REM-SD on long term fear memory. Brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) and phosphorylated cAMP response element-binding protein (pCREB) were altered in specific brain regions associated with learning and memory in REM-SD rats. Accordingly, REM-SD caused a significant decrease of pCREB in hippocampus and striatum and a significant decrease of BDNF in the hippocampus, striatum and amygdala, however, MP-10 reversed the effects of REM-SD in a dose-dependent manner. Our findings suggest that REM-SD disrupts the consolidation of long-term fear memory and that administration of MP-10 protects the REM-SD-induced deficits in fear memory, which may be due to the MP-10-induced expression of BDNF in the hippocampus, striatum and amygdala, and phosphorylation of CREB in the hippocampus and striatum. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
The Histone Deacetylase HDAC4 Regulates Long-Term Memory in Drosophila
Fitzsimons, Helen L.; Schwartz, Silvia; Given, Fiona M.; Scott, Maxwell J.
2013-01-01
A growing body of research indicates that pharmacological inhibition of histone deacetylases (HDACs) correlates with enhancement of long-term memory and current research is concentrated on determining the roles that individual HDACs play in cognitive function. Here, we investigate the role of HDAC4 in long-term memory formation in Drosophila. We show that overexpression of HDAC4 in the adult mushroom body, an important structure for memory formation, resulted in a specific impairment in long-term courtship memory, but had no affect on short-term memory. Overexpression of an HDAC4 catalytic mutant also abolished LTM, suggesting a mode of action independent of catalytic activity. We found that overexpression of HDAC4 resulted in a redistribution of the transcription factor MEF2 from a relatively uniform distribution through the nucleus into punctate nuclear bodies, where it colocalized with HDAC4. As MEF2 has also been implicated in regulation of long-term memory, these data suggest that the repressive effects of HDAC4 on long-term memory may be through interaction with MEF2. In the same genetic background, we also found that RNAi-mediated knockdown of HDAC4 impairs long-term memory, therefore we demonstrate that HDAC4 is not only a repressor of long-term memory, but also modulates normal memory formation. PMID:24349558
Pan, Enhui; Zhang, Xiao-an; Huang, Zhen; Krezel, Artur; Zhao, Min; Tin-berg, Christine E.; Lippard, Stephen J.; McNamara, James O.
2011-01-01
The presence of zinc in glutamatergic synaptic vesicles of excitatory neurons of mammalian cerebral cortex suggests that zinc might regulate plasticity of synapses formed by these neurons. Long term potentiation (LTP) is a form of synaptic plasticity that may underlie learning and memory. We tested the hypothesis that zinc within vesicles of mossy fibers (mf) contributes to mf-LTP, a classical form of presynaptic LTP. We synthesized an extracellular zinc chelator with selectivity and kinetic properties suitable for study of the large transient of zinc in the synaptic cleft induced by mf stimulation. We found that vesicular zinc is required for presynaptic mf-LTP. Unexpectedly, vesicular zinc also inhibits a novel form of postsynaptic mf-LTP. Because the mf-CA3 synapse provides a major source of excitatory input to the hippocampus, regulating its efficacy by these dual actions of vesicular zinc is critical to proper function of hippocampal circuitry in health and disease. PMID:21943607
Late Protein Synthesis-Dependent Phases in CTA Long-Term Memory: BDNF Requirement
Martínez-Moreno, Araceli; Rodríguez-Durán, Luis F.; Escobar, Martha L.
2011-01-01
It has been proposed that long-term memory (LTM) persistence requires a late protein synthesis-dependent phase, even many hours after memory acquisition. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is an essential protein synthesis product that has emerged as one of the most potent molecular mediators for long-term synaptic plasticity. Studies in the rat hippocampus have been shown that BDNF is capable to rescue the late-phase of long-term potentiation as well as the hippocampus-related LTM when protein synthesis was inhibited. Our previous studies on the insular cortex (IC), a region of the temporal cortex implicated in the acquisition and storage of conditioned taste aversion (CTA), have demonstrated that intracortical delivery of BDNF reverses the deficit in CTA memory caused by the inhibition of IC protein synthesis due to anisomycin administration during early acquisition. In this work, we first analyze whether CTA memory storage is protein synthesis-dependent in different time windows. We observed that CTA memory become sensible to protein synthesis inhibition 5 and 7 h after acquisition. Then, we explore the effect of BDNF delivery (2 μg/2 μl per side) in the IC during those late protein synthesis-dependent phases. Our results show that BDNF reverses the CTA memory deficit produced by protein synthesis inhibition in both phases. These findings support the notion that recurrent rounds of consolidation-like events take place in the neocortex for maintenance of CTA memory trace and that BDNF is an essential component of these processes. PMID:21960964
Long-term oceanographic observations in Massachusetts Bay, 1989-2006
Butman, Bradford; Alexander, P. Soupy; Bothner, Michael H.; Borden, Jonathan; Casso, Michael A.; Gutierrez, Benjamin T.; Hastings, Mary E.; Lightsom, Frances L.; Martini, Marinna A.; Montgomery, Ellyn T.; Rendigs, Richard R.; Strahle, William S.
2009-01-01
This data report presents long-term oceanographic observations made in western Massachusetts Bay at long-term site A (LT-A) (42 deg 22.6' N., 70 deg 47.0' W.; nominal water depth 32 meters) from December 1989 through February 2006 and long-term site B (LT-B) (42 deg 9.8' N., 70 deg 38.4' W.; nominal water depth 22 meters) from October 1997 through February 2004 (fig. 1). The observations were collected as part of a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) study designed to understand the transport and long-term fate of sediments and associated contaminants in Massachusetts Bay. The observations include time-series measurements of current, temperature, salinity, light transmission, pressure, oxygen, fluorescence, and sediment-trapping rate. About 160 separate mooring or tripod deployments were made on about 90 research cruises to collect these long-term observations. This report presents a description of the 16-year field program and the instrumentation used to make the measurements, an overview of the data set, more than 2,500 pages of statistics and plots that summarize the data, and the digital data in Network Common Data Form (NetCDF) format. This research was conducted by the USGS in cooperation with the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority and the U.S. Coast Guard.
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Alpine Russet is a later maturing, oblong-long, lightly russeted potato cultivar, notable for having tuber dormancy comparable to Russet Burbank. Processing quality of Alpine Russet from long-term storage is superior to Russet Burbank, with low percent reducing sugars and uniform fry color due to a...
A Long-Term View on Perovskite Optoelectronics.
Docampo, Pablo; Bein, Thomas
2016-02-16
Recently, metal halide perovskite materials have become an exciting topic of research for scientists of a wide variety of backgrounds. Perovskites have found application in many fields, starting from photovoltaics and now also making an impact in light-emitting applications. This new class of materials has proven so interesting since it can be easily solution processed while exhibiting materials properties approaching the best inorganic optoelectronic materials such as GaAs and Si. In photovoltaics, in only 3 years, efficiencies have rapidly increased from an initial value of 3.8% to over 20% in recent reports for the commonly employed methylammonium lead iodide (MAPI) perovskite. The first light emitting diodes and light-emitting electrochemical cells have been developed already exhibiting internal quantum efficiencies exceeding 15% for the former and tunable light emission spectra. Despite their processing advantages, perovskite optoelectronic materials suffer from several drawbacks that need to be overcome before the technology becomes industrially relevant and hence achieve long-term application. Chief among these are the sensitivity of the structure toward moisture and crystal phase transitions in the device operation regime, unreliable device performance dictated by the operation history of the device, that is, hysteresis, the inherent toxicity of the structure, and the high cost of the employed charge selective contacts. In this Account, we highlight recent advances toward the long-term viability of perovskite photovoltaics. We identify material decomposition routes and suggest strategies to prevent damage to the structure. In particular, we focus on the effect of moisture upon the structure and stabilization of the material to avoid phase transitions in the solar cell operating range. Furthermore, we show strategies to achieve low-cost chemistries for the development of hole transporters for perovskite solar cells, necessary to be able to compete with other
Short-term and long-term memory in early temporal lobe dysfunction.
Hershey, T; Craft, S; Glauser, T A; Hale, S
1998-01-01
Following medial temporal damage, mature humans are impaired in retaining new information over long delays but not short delays. The question of whether a similar dissociation occurs in children was addressed by testing children (ages 7-16) with unilateral temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and controls on short- and long-term memory tasks, including a spatial delayed response task (SDR). Early-onset TLE did not affect performance on short delays on SDR, but it did impair performance at the longest delay (60 s), similar to adults with unilateral medial temporal damage. In addition, early-onset TLE affected performance on pattern recall, spatial span, and verbal span with rehearsal interference. No differences were found on story recall or on a response inhibition task.
Xu, Dong; Wang, Yitao; Fan, Xiao; Wang, Dongsheng; Ye, Naihao; Zhang, Xiaowen; Mou, Shanli; Guan, Zheng; Zhuang, Zhimeng
2014-07-15
Studies on ocean acidification have mostly been based on short-term experiments of low latitude with few investigations of the long-term influence on sea ice communities. Here, the combined effects of ocean acidification and photoperiod on the physiological response of the Antarctic sea ice microalgae Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-L were examined. There was a general increase in growth, PSII photosynthetic parameters, and N and P uptake in continuous light, compared to those exposed to regular dark and light cycles. Elevated pCO2 showed no consistent effect on growth rate (p=0.8) and N uptake (p=0.38) during exponential phrase, depending on the photoperiod but had a positive effect on PSII photosynthetic capacity and P uptake. Continuous dark reduced growth, photosynthesis, and nutrient uptake. Moreover, intracellular lipid, mainly in the form of PUFA, was consumed at 80% and 63% in low and high pCO2 in darkness. However, long-term culture under high pCO2 gave a more significant inhibition of growth and Fv/Fm to high light stress. In summary, ocean acidification may have significant effects on Chlamydomonas sp. ICE-L survival in polar winter. The current study contributes to an understanding of how a sea ice algae-based community may respond to global climate change at high latitudes.
Tokuda, Kazuhiro; O'Dell, Kazuko A; Izumi, Yukitoshi; Zorumski, Charles F
2010-12-15
Benzodiazepines (BDZs) enhance GABA(A) receptor inhibition by direct actions on central BDZ receptors (CBRs). Although some BDZs also bind mitochondrial receptors [translocator protein (18 kDa) (TSPO)] and promote the synthesis of GABA-enhancing neurosteroids, the role of neurosteroids in the clinical effects of BDZs is unknown. In rat hippocampal slices, we compared midazolam, an anesthetic BDZ, with clonazepam, an anticonvulsant/anxiolytic BDZ that activates CBRs selectively. Midazolam, but not clonazepam, increased neurosteroid levels in CA1 pyramidal neurons without changing TSPO immunostaining. Midazolam, but not clonazepam, also augmented a form of spike inhibition after stimulation adjacent to the pyramidal cell layer and inhibited induction of long-term potentiation. These effects were prevented by finasteride, an inhibitor of neurosteroid synthesis, or 17PA [17-phenyl-(3α,5α)-androst-16-en-3-ol], a blocker of neurosteroid effects on GABA(A) receptors. Moreover, the synaptic effects were mimicked by a combination of clonazepam with FGIN (2-[2-(4-fluorophenyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]-N,N-dihexylacetamide), a selective TSPO agonist, or a combination of clonazepam with exogenous allopregnanolone. Consistent with these in vitro results, finasteride abolished the effects of midazolam on contextual fear learning when administrated 1 d before midazolam injection. Thus, dual activation of CBRs and TSPO appears to result in unique actions of clinically important BDZs. Furthermore, endogenous neurosteroids are shown to be important regulators of pyramidal neuron function and synaptic plasticity.
Retrieval-Induced Inhibition in Short-Term Memory.
Kang, Min-Suk; Choi, Joongrul
2015-07-01
We used a visual illusion called motion repulsion as a model system for investigating competition between two mental representations. Subjects were asked to remember two random-dot-motion displays presented in sequence and then to report the motion directions for each. Remembered motion directions were shifted away from the actual motion directions, an effect similar to the motion repulsion observed during perception. More important, the item retrieved second showed greater repulsion than the item retrieved first. This suggests that earlier retrieval exerted greater inhibition on the other item being held in short-term memory. This retrieval-induced motion repulsion could be explained neither by reduced cognitive resources for maintaining short-term memory nor by continued inhibition between short-term memory representations. These results indicate that retrieval of memory representations inhibits other representations in short-term memory. We discuss mechanisms of retrieval-induced inhibition and their implications for the structure of memory. © The Author(s) 2015.
Light inhibits spore germination through phytochrome in Aspergillus nidulans.
Röhrig, Julian; Kastner, Christian; Fischer, Reinhard
2013-05-01
Aspergillus nidulans responds to light in several aspects. The balance between sexual and asexual development as well as the amount of secondary metabolites produced is controlled by light. Here, we show that germination is largely delayed by blue (450 nm), red (700 nm), and far-red light (740 nm). The largest effect was observed with far-red light. Whereas 60 % of the conidia produced a germ tube after 20 h in the dark, less than 5 % of the conidia germinated under far-red light conditions. Because swelling of conidia was not affected, light appears to act at the stage of germ-tube formation. In the absence of nutrients, far-red light even inhibited swelling of conidia, whereas in the dark, conidia did swell and germinated after prolonged incubation. The blue-light signaling components, LreA (WC-1) and LreB (WC-2), and also the cryptochrome/photolyase CryA were not required for germination inhibition. However, in the phytochrome mutant, ∆fphA, the germination delay was released, but germination was delayed in the dark in comparison to wild type. This suggests a novel function of phytochrome as far-red light sensor and as activator of polarized growth in the dark.
Boregowda, Siddaraju; Krishnappa, Veena; Chambers, Jeremy; LoGrasso, Phillip V.; Lai, Wen-Tzu; Ortiz, Luis A.; Phinney, Donald G.
2013-01-01
Large scale expansion of human mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is routinely performed for clinical therapy. In contrast, developing protocols for large scale expansion of primary mouse MSCs has been more difficult due to unique aspects of rodent biology. Currently, established methods to isolate mouse MSCs select for rapidly dividing subpopulations that emerge from bone marrow cultures following long-term (months) expansion in atmospheric oxygen. Herein, we demonstrate that exposure to atmospheric oxygen rapidly induced p53, TOP2A and BAX expression and mitochondrial ROS generation in primary mouse MSCs resulting in oxidative stress, reduced cell viability and inhibition of cell proliferation. Alternatively, procurement and culture in 5% oxygen supported more prolific expansion of the CD45−ve/CD44+ve cell fraction in marrow, produced increased MSC yields following immuno-depletion, and supported sustained MSC growth resulting in a 2300-fold increase in cumulative cell yield by 4th passage. MSCs cultured in 5% oxygen also exhibited enhanced tri-lineage differentiation. The oxygen-induced stress response was dependent upon p53 since siRNA mediated knockdown of p53 in wild type cells or exposure of p53−/− MSCs to atmospheric oxygen failed to induce ROS generation, reduce viability, or arrest cell growth. These data indicate that long-term culture expansion of mouse MSCs in atmospheric oxygen selects for clones with absent or impaired p53 function, which allows cells to escape oxygen-induced growth inhibition. In contrast, expansion in 5% oxygen generates large numbers of primary mouse MSCs that retain sensitivity to atmospheric oxygen, and therefore a functional p53 protein, even after long-term expansion in vitro. PMID:22367737
Shinohe, Daisuke; Kobayashi, Asuka; Gotoh, Marina; Tanaka, Kotaro; Ohta, Yoshihiro
2017-01-01
Cyclophilin D is a peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase localized in the mitochondrial matrix. Although its effects on mitochondrial characteristics have been well studied, its relation to the uptake of molecules by mitochondria remains unknown. Here, we demonstrated the effects of cyclophilin D on the intracellular translocation of calcein AM. Following addition of calcein AM to control cells or cells overexpressing wild-type cyclophilin D, calcein fluorescence was observed in mitochondria. However, long-term inhibition of cyclophilin D in these cells altered the localization of calcein fluorescence from mitochondria to lysosomes without changing mitochondrial esterase activity. In addition, depletion of glucose from the medium recovered calcein localization from lysosomes to mitochondria. This is the first demonstration of the effects of cyclophilin D on the intracellular translocation of molecules other than proteins and suggests that cyclophilin D may modify mitochondrial features by inducing the translocation of molecules to the mitochondria through the mechanism associated with cellular energy metabolism. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
GABA-Mediated Presynaptic Inhibition Is Required for Precision of Long-Term Memory
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Cullen, Patrick K.; Dulka, Brooke N.; Ortiz, Samantha; Riccio, David C.; Jasnow, Aaron M.
2014-01-01
Though much attention has been given to the neural structures that underlie the long-term consolidation of contextual memories, little is known about the mechanisms responsible for the maintenance of memory precision. Here, we demonstrate a rapid time-dependent decline in memory precision in GABA [subscript B(1a)] receptor knockout mice. First, we…
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Pniewski, Filip F.; Richard, Pierre; Latała, Adam; Blanchard, Gerard
2018-06-01
Long- and short-term photoacclimation and their interaction were determined in two types of microphytobenthos assemblages, i.e. epipelon from an intertidal mudflat and epipsammon from non-tidal sandy coastal shallows collected during summer and autumn months. Microphytobenthos photophysiology was assessed from steady-state light curve (SSLC) and rapid light-response curves (RLC) of variable chlorophyll fluorescence. The epipelon was low light acclimated, whereas in the epipsammon high light acclimation was observed. The epipelon turned out to be more susceptible to high light and in autumn a clear down turn in the relative electron transport rates was recorded. Long-term photoacclimation strongly affected both microphytobenthos types' short-term light responses. The epipelon acclimated to high ambient light intensities through the decreased light absorption and energy dissipation. The epipsammon, on the other hand, developed physiological flexibility allowing efficient use of the absorbed light and thus providing protection against higher irradiance.
On long-term ozone trends at Hohenpeissenberg
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Claude, H.; Vandersee, W.; Wege, K.
1994-01-01
More than 2000 ozone soundings and a large number of Dobson observations have been performed since 1967 in a unique procedure. The achieved very homogeneous data sets were used to evaluate significant long-term trends both in the troposphere and the stratosphere. The trend amounts to about plus 2 percent per year in the troposphere and to about minus 0.5 percent per year in the stratosphere. Extremely low ozone records obtained during winter 1991/92 are discussed in the light of the long term series. The winter mean of the ozone column is the lowest one of the series. The ozone deficit occurred mainly in the lower stratosphere. One cause may be the Pinatubo cloud. Even compared with the extreme winter mean following the El Chichon eruption the ozone content was lower. Additionally ozone was reduced by dynamical effects due to unusual weather situations.
Lana, D; Di Russo, J; Mello, T; Wenk, G L; Giovannini, M G
2017-01-01
The present study was aimed at establishing whether the mTOR pathway and its downstream effector p70S6K in CA3 pyramidal neurons are under the modulation of the cholinergic input to trigger the formation of long term memories, similar to what we demonstrated in CA1 hippocampus. We performed in vivo behavioral experiments using the step down inhibitory avoidance test in adult Wistar rats to evaluate memory formation under different conditions. We examined the effects of rapamycin, an inhibitor of mTORC1 formation, scopolamine, a muscarinic receptor antagonist or mecamylamine, a nicotinic receptor antagonist, on short and long term memory formation and on the functionality of the mTOR pathway. Acquisition was conducted 30min after i.c.v. injection of rapamycin. Recall testing was performed 1h, 4h or 24h after acquisition. We found that (1) mTOR and p70S6K activation in CA3 pyramidal neurons were involved in long term memory formation; (2) rapamycin significantly inhibited mTOR and of p70S6K activation at 4h, and long term memory impairment 24h after acquisition; (3) scopolamine impaired short but not long term memory, with an early increase of mTOR/p70S6K activation at 1h followed by stabilization at longer times; (4) mecamylamine and scopolamine co-administration impaired short term memory at 1h and 4h and reduced the scopolamine-induced increase of mTOR/p70S6K activation at 1h and 4h; (5) mecamylamine and scopolamine treatment did not impair long term memory formation; (6) unexpectedly, rapamycin increased mTORC2 activation in microglial cells. Our results demonstrate that in CA3 pyramidal neurons the mTOR/p70S6K pathway is under the modulation of the cholinergic system and is involved in long-term memory encoding, and are consistent with the hypothesis that the CA3 region of the hippocampus is involved in memory mechanisms based on rapid, one-trial object-place learning and recall. Furthermore, our results are in accordance with previous reports that selective
Lana, D.; Di Russo, J.; Mello, T.; Wenk, G.L.; Giovannini, M.G.
2016-01-01
The present study was aimed at establishing whether the mTOR pathway and its downstream effector p70S6K in CA3 pyramidal neurons are under the modulation of the cholinergic input to trigger the formation of long term memories, similar to what we demonstrated in CA1 hippocampus. We performed in vivo behavioral experiments using the step down inhibitory avoidance test in adult Wistar rats to evaluate memory formation under different conditions. We examined the effects of rapamycin, an inhibitor of mTORC1 formation, scopolamine, a muscarinic receptor antagonist or mecamylamine, a nicotinic receptor antagonist, on short and long term memory formation and on the functionality of the mTOR pathway. Acquisition was conducted 30 min after i.c.v. injection of rapamycin. Recall testing was performed 1h, 4h or 24h after acquisition. We found that (1) mTOR and p70S6K activation in CA3 pyramidal neurons were involved in long term memory formation; (2) rapamycin significantly inhibited mTOR and of p70S6K activation at 4h, and long term memory impairment 24h after acquisition; (3) scopolamine impaired short but not long term memory, with an early increase of mTOR/p70S6K activation at 1h followed by stabilization at longer times; (4) mecamylamine and scopolamine co-administration impaired short term memory at 1h and 4h and reduced the scopolamine-induced increase of mTOR/p70S6K activation at 1h and 4h; (5) mecamylamine and scopolamine treatment did not impair long term memory formation; (6) unexpectedly, rapamycin increased mTORC2 activation in microglial cells. Our results demonstrate that in CA3 pyramidal neurons the mTOR/p70S6K pathway is under the modulation of the cholinergic system and is involved in long-term memory encoding, and are consistent with the hypothesis that the CA3 region of the hippocampus is involved in memory mechanisms based on rapid, one-trial object–place learning and recall. Furthermore, our results are in accordance with previous reports that selective
The effect of mitomycin C after long-term storage on human Tenon's fibroblast proliferation.
Hu, D; Chen, P P; Oda, D
1999-10-01
To investigate the effect of mitomycin C (MMC) after long-term storage on proliferation of human Tenon's fibroblasts in vitro. Human Tenon's fibroblasts in tissue culture were exposed for 5 minutes to MMC (0.4 mg/mL) that was either freshly prepared or had been stored for as long as 18 months at either 4 degrees C or -20 degrees C. The MTT colorimetric assay was used to determine the inhibition of proliferation as measured indirectly by mitochondrial activity. The inhibition rate was 88% using fresh MMC, and declined to a mean of 73% when using MMC that had been stored for as long as 18 months at 4 degrees C; this decrease was not statistically significant. The mean inhibition for MMC stored at -20 degrees C was 68%, and this was significantly less than inhibition with fresh MMC. Inhibition did not vary significantly with MMC after different storage times. Mitomycin C continues to have strong in vitro antiproliferative effects when stored for as long as 18 months at 4 degrees C or -20 degrees C. A significant decline in potency compared with fresh MMC occurs when MMC is stored at -20 degrees C.
Snabaitis, A K; Chambers, D
1999-11-27
Polarized arrest, induced by tetrodotoxin (TTX) at an optimal concentration of 22 micromol/L, has been shown to reduce ionic imbalance and improve myocardial preservation compared with hyperkalemic (depolarized) arrest. Additional pharmacologic manipulation of ionic changes (involving inhibition of Na+ influx by the Na+/H+ exchanger [HOE694] and Na+/K+/2Cl- cotransporter [furosemide], and calcium desensitization [BDM]) may further improve long-term preservation. In this study, we (i) established optimal concentrations of each drug, (ii) determined additive effects of optimal concentrations of each drug and (iii) compared our optimal preservation solution to an established depolarizing cardioplegia (St Thomas' Hospital solution No 2: STH2) used during long-term hypothermic storage for clinical transplantation. The isolated working rat heart, perfused with Krebs Henseleit (KH) buffer was used; cardiac function was measured after 20 min aerobic working mode perfusion. The hearts (n=6/group) were arrested with a 2 ml infusion (for 30 sec) of the polarizing (control) solution (22 micromol/L TTX in KH) or control+drug and subjected to 5 hr or 8 hr of storage at 7.5 degrees C in the arresting solution. Postischemic function during reperfusion was measured (expressed as percentage of preischemic function). Dose-response studies established optimal concentrations of HOE694 (10 micromol/L), furosemide (1.0 micromol/L) and BDM (30 mmol/L) in the polarizing (control) solution. Sequential addition to the control solution (Group I) of optimal concentrations of HOE694 (Group II), furosemide (Group III), and BDM (Group IV) were compared with STH2 (Group V); postischemic recovery of aortic flow was 29+/-7%, 49+/-6%*, 56+/-2%*, 76+/-3%*, and 25+/-6%, respectively (*P<0.05 vs. I and V). Creatine kinase leakage was lowest, and myocardial ATP content was highest in Group IV. A polarizing preservation solution (KH+TTX) containing HOE694, furosemide, and BDM significantly enhanced long-term
Dispositional optimism as predictor of outcome in short- and long-term psychotherapy.
Heinonen, Erkki; Heiskanen, Tiia; Lindfors, Olavi; Härkäpää, Kristiina; Knekt, Paul
2017-09-01
Dispositional optimism predicts various beneficial outcomes in somatic health and treatment, but has been little studied in psychotherapy. This study investigated whether an optimistic disposition differentially predicts patients' ability to benefit from short-term versus long-term psychotherapy. A total of 326 adult outpatients with mood and/or anxiety disorder were randomized into short-term (solution-focused or short-term psychodynamic) or long-term psychodynamic therapy and followed up for 3 years. Dispositional optimism was assessed by patients at baseline with the self-rated Life Orientation Test (LOT) questionnaire. Outcome was assessed at baseline and seven times during the follow-up, in terms of depressive (BDI, HDRS), anxiety (SCL-90-ANX, HARS), and general psychiatric symptoms (SCL-90-GSI), all seven follow-up points including patients' self-reports and three including interview-based measures. Lower dispositional optimism predicted faster symptom reduction in short-term than in long-term psychotherapy. Higher optimism predicted equally rapid and eventually greater benefits in long-term, as compared to short-term, psychotherapy. Weaker optimism appeared to predict sustenance of problems early in long-term therapy. Stronger optimism seems to best facilitate engaging in and benefiting from a long-term therapy process. Closer research might clarify the psychological processes responsible for these effects and help fine-tune both briefer and longer interventions to optimize treatment effectiveness for particular patients and their psychological qualities. Weaker dispositional optimism does not appear to inhibit brief therapy from effecting symptomatic recovery. Patients with weaker optimism do not seem to gain added benefits from long-term therapy, but instead may be susceptible to prolonged psychiatric symptoms in the early stages of long-term therapy. © 2016 The British Psychological Society.
[Long-term psychiatric hospitalizations].
Plancke, L; Amariei, A
2017-02-01
Long-term hospitalizations in psychiatry raise the question of desocialisation of the patients and the inherent costs. Individual indicators were extracted from a medical administrative database containing full-time psychiatric hospitalizations for the period 2011-2013 of people over 16 years old living in the French region of Nord-Pas-de-Calais. We calculated the proportion of people who had experienced a hospitalization with a duration of 292 days or more during the study period. A bivariate analysis was conducted, then ecological data (level of health-care offer, the deprivation index and the size of the municipalities of residence) were included into a multilevel regression model in order to identify the factors significantly related to variability of long-term hospitalization rates. Among hospitalized individuals in psychiatry, 2.6% had had at least one hospitalization of 292 days or more during the observation period; the number of days in long-term hospitalization represented 22.5% of the total of days of full-time hospitalization in psychiatry. The bivariate analysis revealed that seniority in the psychiatric system was strongly correlated with long hospitalization rates. In the multivariate analysis, the individual indicators the most related to an increased risk of long-term hospitalization were: total lack of autonomy (OR=9.0; 95% CI: 6.7-12.2; P<001); diagnoses of psychological development disorders (OR=9.7; CI95%: 4.5-20.6; P<.001); mental retardation (OR=4.5; CI95%: 2.5-8.2; P<.001): schizophrenia (OR=3.0; CI95%: 1.7-5.2; P<.001); compulsory hospitalization (OR=1.7; CI95%: 1.4-2.1; P<.001); having experienced therapeutic isolation (OR=1.8; CI95%: 1.5-2.1; P<.001). Variations of long-term hospitalization rates depending on the type of establishment were very high, but the density of hospital beds or intensity of ambulatory activity services were not significantly linked to long-term hospitalization. The inhabitants of small urban units had
Masella, Benjamin D; Williams, David R; Fischer, William S; Rossi, Ethan A; Hunter, Jennifer J
2014-05-20
Many retinal imaging instruments use infrared wavelengths to reduce the risk of light damage. However, we have discovered that exposure to infrared illumination causes a long-lasting reduction in infrared autofluorescence (IRAF). We have characterized the dependence of this effect on radiant exposure and investigated its origin. A scanning laser ophthalmoscope was used to obtain IRAF images from two macaques before and after exposure to 790-nm light (15-450 J/cm(2)). Exposures were performed with either raster-scanning or uniform illumination. Infrared autofluorescence images also were obtained in two humans exposed to 790-nm light in a separate study. Humans were assessed with direct ophthalmoscopy, Goldmann visual fields, multifocal ERG, and photopic microperimetry to determine whether these measures revealed any effects in the exposed locations. A significant decrease in IRAF after exposure to infrared light was seen in both monkeys and humans. In monkeys, the magnitude of this reduction increased with retinal radiant exposure. Partial recovery was seen at 1 month, with full recovery within 21 months. Consistent with a photochemical origin, IRAF decreases caused by either raster-scanning or uniform illumination were not significantly different. We were unable to detect any effect of the light exposure with any measure other than IRAF imaging. We cannot exclude the possibility that changes could be detected with more sensitive tests or longer follow-up. This long-lasting effect of infrared illumination in both humans and monkeys occurs at exposure levels four to five times below current safety limits. The photochemical basis for this phenomenon remains unknown. Copyright 2014 The Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology, Inc.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Hosono, Shouhei; Matsumoto, Yukihisa; Mizunami, Makoto
2016-01-01
Animals learn through experience and consolidate the memories into long-time storage. Conditioning parameters to induce protein synthesis-dependent long-term memory (LTM) have been the subject of extensive studies in many animals. Here we found a case in which a conditioning trial inhibits or facilitates LTM formation depending on the intervals…
Lau, Mandy; Masood, Azhar; Yi, Man; Belcastro, Rosetta; Li, Jun; Tanswell, A Keith
2011-04-01
Survivors of moderate-to-severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia have impaired alveologenesis lasting at least into early adult life. The mechanisms underlying this long-term effect are unknown. We hypothesized that short-term inhibition of growth factor-mediated early alveolar formation would result in a long-term impairment of subsequent alveologenesis. Neonatal rats were injected daily with the platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) receptor antagonist, imatinib mesylate, from day 1-7 of life, to inhibit the early alveolar formation occurring by in-growth of secondary crests into precursor saccules. The pups were then allowed to recover for 7, 14, 21, or 58 days. In imatinib-treated pups, DNA synthesis in total lung cells, and specifically in cells of secondary crests, was reduced at day 8 of life, had rebounded on day 14 of life but was then again reduced by day 28 of life. At day 8 of life, imatinib-treated pups had impaired alveologenesis as reflected by a decrease in secondary crests, an increase in alveolar size, and an overall decrease in both estimated alveolar number and generations compared with age-matched controls. No meaningful recovery was observed, even after a 21- or 58-day recovery period. The lungs of imatinib-treated pups had increased fibulin-5 content and an abnormal deposition of elastin. We conclude that reduced signaling through the PDGF pathways, at an early stage of alveologenesis, can result in long-lasting changes in lung architecture. A likely mechanism is through impaired formation of the elastin scaffold required for alveolarization.
Long-term potentiation and long-term depression: a clinical perspective
Bliss, Timothy V.P.; Cooke, Sam F
2011-01-01
Long-term potentiation and long-term depression are enduring changes in synaptic strength, induced by specific patterns of synaptic activity, that have received much attention as cellular models of information storage in the central nervous system. Work in a number of brain regions, from the spinal cord to the cerebral cortex, and in many animal species, ranging from invertebrates to humans, has demonstrated a reliable capacity for chemical synapses to undergo lasting changes in efficacy in response to a variety of induction protocols. In addition to their physiological relevance, long-term potentiation and depression may have important clinical applications. A growing insight into the molecular mechanisms underlying these processes, and technological advances in non-invasive manipulation of brain activity, now puts us at the threshold of harnessing long-term potentiation and depression and other forms of synaptic, cellular and circuit plasticity to manipulate synaptic strength in the human nervous system. Drugs may be used to erase or treat pathological synaptic states and non-invasive stimulation devices may be used to artificially induce synaptic plasticity to ameliorate conditions arising from disrupted synaptic drive. These approaches hold promise for the treatment of a variety of neurological conditions, including neuropathic pain, epilepsy, depression, amblyopia, tinnitus and stroke. PMID:21779718
Murphy, Philip N; Erwin, Philip G; Maciver, Linda; Fisk, John E; Larkin, Derek; Wareing, Michelle; Montgomery, Catharine; Hilton, Joanne; Tames, Frank J; Bradley, Belinda; Yanulevitch, Kate; Ralley, Richard
2011-10-01
This study aimed to examine the relationship between the consumption of ecstasy (3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)) and cannabis, and performance on the random letter generation task which generates dependent variables drawing upon executive inhibition and access to semantic long-term memory (LTM). The participant group was a between-participant independent variable with users of both ecstasy and cannabis (E/C group, n = 15), users of cannabis but not ecstasy (CA group, n = 13) and controls with no exposure to these drugs (CO group, n = 12). Dependent variables measured violations of randomness: number of repeat sequences, number of alphabetical sequences (both drawing upon inhibition) and redundancy (drawing upon access to semantic LTM). E/C participants showed significantly higher redundancy than CO participants but did not differ from CA participants. There were no significant effects for the other dependent variables. A regression model comprising intelligence measures and estimates of ecstasy and cannabis consumption predicted redundancy scores, but only cannabis consumption contributed significantly to this prediction. Impaired access to semantic LTM may be related to cannabis consumption, although the involvement of ecstasy and other stimulant drugs cannot be excluded here. Executive inhibitory functioning, as measured by the random letter generation task, is unrelated to ecstasy and cannabis consumption. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Zhou, Y P; Grill, V E
1994-01-01
We tested effects of long-term exposure of pancreatic islets to free fatty acids (FFA) in vitro on B cell function. Islets isolated from male Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to palmitate (0.125 or 0.25 mM), oleate (0.125 mM), or octanoate (2.0 mM) during culture. Insulin responses were subsequently tested in the absence of FFA. After a 48-h exposure to FFA, insulin secretion during basal glucose (3.3 mM) was several-fold increased. However, during stimulation with 27 mM glucose, secretion was inhibited by 30-50% and proinsulin biosynthesis by 30-40%. Total protein synthesis was similarly affected. Conversely, previous palmitate did not impair alpha-ketoisocaproic acid (5 mM)-induced insulin release. Induction and reversibility of the inhibitory effect on glucose-induced insulin secretion required between 6 and 24 h. Addition of the carnitine palmitoyltransferase I inhibitor etomoxir (1 microM) partially reversed (by > 50%) FFA-associated decrease in secretory as well as proinsulin biosynthetic responses to 27 mM glucose. The inhibitory effect of previous palmitate was similar when co-culture was performed with 5.5, 11, or 27 mM glucose. Exposure to palmitate or oleate reduced the production of 14CO2 from D-[U-14C]glucose, and of 14CO2 from D-[3,4-14C]-glucose, both effects being reversed by etomoxir. Conclusions: long-term exposure to FFA inhibits glucose-induced insulin secretion and biosynthesis probably through a glucose fatty acid cycle. PMID:8113418
GATEWAY Report Brief: SSL Demonstration: Long-Term Evaluation of Indoor Field Performance
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
None, None
Report brief summarizing a GATEWAY program evaluation of the long-term performance characteristics (chromaticity change, maintained illuminance, and operations and maintenance) of LED lighting systems in four field installations previously documented in separate DOE GATEWAY reports.
Higuchi, Masaya; Kawamura, Hiroki; Matsuki, Hideaki; Hara, Toshifumi; Takahashi, Masahiko; Saito, Suguru; Saito, Kousuke; Jiang, Shuying; Naito, Makoto; Kiyonari, Hiroshi; Fujii, Masahiro
2016-12-13
Self-renewal, replication, and differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are regulated by cytokines produced by niche cells in fetal liver and bone marrow. HSCs must overcome stresses induced by cytokine deprivation during normal development. In this study, we found that ubiquitin-specific peptidase 10 (USP10) is a crucial deubiquitinase for mouse hematopoiesis. All USP10 knockout (KO) mice died within 1 year because of bone marrow failure with pancytopenia. Bone marrow failure in these USP10-KO mice was associated with remarkable reductions of long-term HSCs (LT-HSCs) in bone marrow and fetal liver. Such USP10-KO fetal liver exhibited enhanced apoptosis of hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) including LT-HSCs but not of lineage-committed progenitor cells. Transplantation of USP10-competent bone marrow cells into USP10-KO mice reconstituted multilineage hematopoiesis. These results suggest that USP10 is an essential deubiquitinase in hematopoiesis and functions by inhibiting apoptosis of HSPCs including LT-HSCs. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Light-controlled inhibition of malignant glioma by opsin gene transfer
Yang, F; Tu, J; Pan, J-Q; Luo, H-L; Liu, Y-H; Wan, J; Zhang, J; Wei, P-F; Jiang, T; Chen, Y-H; Wang, L-P
2013-01-01
Glioblastomas are aggressive cancers with low survival rates and poor prognosis because of their highly proliferative and invasive capacity. In the current study, we describe a new optogenetic strategy that selectively inhibits glioma cells through light-controlled membrane depolarization and cell death. Transfer of the engineered opsin ChETA (engineered Channelrhodopsin-2 variant) gene into primary human glioma cells or cell lines, but not normal astrocytes, unexpectedly decreased cell proliferation and increased mitochondria-dependent apoptosis, upon light stimulation. These optogenetic effects were mediated by membrane depolarization-induced reductions in cyclin expression and mitochondrial transmembrane potential. Importantly, the ChETA gene transfer and light illumination in mice significantly inhibited subcutaneous and intracranial glioma growth and increased the survival of the animals bearing the glioma. These results uncover an unexpected effect of opsin ion channels on glioma cells and offer the opportunity for the first time to treat glioma using a light-controllable optogenetic approach. PMID:24176851
Light-controlled inhibition of malignant glioma by opsin gene transfer.
Yang, F; Tu, J; Pan, J-Q; Luo, H-L; Liu, Y-H; Wan, J; Zhang, J; Wei, P-F; Jiang, T; Chen, Y-H; Wang, L-P
2013-10-31
Glioblastomas are aggressive cancers with low survival rates and poor prognosis because of their highly proliferative and invasive capacity. In the current study, we describe a new optogenetic strategy that selectively inhibits glioma cells through light-controlled membrane depolarization and cell death. Transfer of the engineered opsin ChETA (engineered Channelrhodopsin-2 variant) gene into primary human glioma cells or cell lines, but not normal astrocytes, unexpectedly decreased cell proliferation and increased mitochondria-dependent apoptosis, upon light stimulation. These optogenetic effects were mediated by membrane depolarization-induced reductions in cyclin expression and mitochondrial transmembrane potential. Importantly, the ChETA gene transfer and light illumination in mice significantly inhibited subcutaneous and intracranial glioma growth and increased the survival of the animals bearing the glioma. These results uncover an unexpected effect of opsin ion channels on glioma cells and offer the opportunity for the first time to treat glioma using a light-controllable optogenetic approach.
Tamulonis, Carlos; Postma, Marten; Kaandorp, Jaap
2011-01-01
Cyanobacteria form a very large and diverse phylum of prokaryotes that perform oxygenic photosynthesis. Many species of cyanobacteria live colonially in long trichomes of hundreds to thousands of cells. Of the filamentous species, many are also motile, gliding along their long axis, and display photomovement, by which a trichome modulates its gliding according to the incident light. The latter has been found to play an important role in guiding the trichomes to optimal lighting conditions, which can either inhibit the cells if the incident light is too weak, or damage the cells if too strong. We have developed a computational model for gliding filamentous photophobic cyanobacteria that allows us to perform simulations on the scale of a Petri dish using over 105 individual trichomes. Using the model, we quantify the effectiveness of one commonly observed photomovement strategy—photophobic responses—in distributing large populations of trichomes optimally over a light field. The model predicts that the typical observed length and gliding speeds of filamentous cyanobacteria are optimal for the photophobic strategy. Therefore, our results suggest that not just photomovement but also the trichome shape itself improves the ability of the cyanobacteria to optimize their light exposure. PMID:21789215
Hoffeditz, William L; Son, Ho-Jin; Pellin, Michael J; Farha, Omar K; Hupp, Joseph T
2016-12-21
Organic and porphyrin-based chromophores are prevalent in liquid-junction photovoltaic and photocatalytic solar-cell chemistry; however, their long-term air and light instability may limit their practicality in real world technologies. Here, we describe the protection of a zinc porphyrin dye, adsorbed on nanoparticulate TiO 2 , from air and light degradation by a protective coating of alumina grown with a previously developed post-treatment atomic layer deposition (ALD) technique. The protective Al 2 O 3 ALD layer is deposited using dimethylaluminum isopropoxide as an Al source; in contrast to the ubiquitous ALD precursor trimethylaluminum, dimethylaluminum isopropoxide does not degrade the zinc porphyrin dye, as confirmed by UV-vis measurements. The growth of this protective ALD layer around the dye can be monitored by an in-reactor quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). Furthermore, greater than 80% of porphyrin light absorption is retained over ∼1 month of exposure to air and light when the protective coating is present, whereas almost complete loss of porphyrin absorption is observed in less than 2 days in the absence of the ALD protective layer. Applying the Al 2 O 3 post-treatment technique to the TiO 2 -adsorbed dye allows the dye to remain in electronic contact with both the semiconductor surface and a surrounding electrolyte solution, the combination of which makes this technique promising for numerous other electrochemical photovoltaic and photocatalytic applications, especially those involving the dye-sensitized evolution of oxygen.
Agarwal, Manika; Wible, Emily; Ramir, Tyler; Altun, Sibel; Viana, Grace; Evans, Carla; Lukic, Henry; Megremis, Spiro; Atsawasuwan, Phimon
2018-05-01
To evaluate the long-term effects of seven different cleaning methods on light transmittance, surface roughness, and flexural modulus of a polyurethane retainer material. Polyurethane retainer specimens (Vivera®, Align Technology Inc) (70 specimens, n = 10 per method, 50.8 mm × 12.7 mm × 1.0 mm) were exposed to seven cleaning methods twice a week for 6 months. Before treatment and after 6 months, light transmittance, surface roughness, and flexural modulus of the specimens were quantified. Qualitative assessment of randomly selected specimens from each solution was performed at baseline and after 6 months using a scanning electron microscope. Statistical analyses were performed at the .05 significance level. Of the three test variables, light transmittance through the specimens was the only one that changed significantly from baseline to 6 months for all cleaning solutions, with all of them causing a decrease. However, except for 0.6% sodium hypochlorite showing a change in surface roughness values and 2.5% vinegar and toothbrushing showing an increase in flexural modulus, none of the other four cleaning methods resulted in significant changes in surface roughness or flexural modulus values for the polyurethane specimens between baseline and after 6 months. Of the seven cleaning methods, Invisalign® cleaning crystals, Polident®, and Listerine® showed the least amount of change in light transmittance values for the polyurethane specimens over 6 months, and they had no effect on surface roughness and flexural modulus values.
Long-term effects of sulfidized silver nanoparticles in sewage sludge on soil microflora.
Kraas, Marco; Schlich, Karsten; Knopf, Burkhard; Wege, Franziska; Kägi, Ralf; Terytze, Konstantin; Hund-Rinke, Kerstin
2017-12-01
The use of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in consumer products such as textiles leads to their discharge into wastewater and consequently to a transfer of the AgNPs to soil ecosystems via biosolids used as fertilizer. In urban wastewater systems (e.g., sewer, wastewater treatment plant [WWTP], anaerobic digesters) AgNPs are efficiently converted into sparingly soluble silver sulfides (Ag 2 S), mitigating the toxicity of the AgNPs. However, long-term studies on the bioavailability and effects of sulfidized AgNPs on soil microorganisms are lacking. Thus we investigated the bioavailability and long-term effects of AgNPs (spiked in a laboratory WWTP) on soil microorganisms. Before mixing the biosolids into soil, the sludges were either anaerobically digested or directly dewatered. The effects on the ammonium oxidation process were investigated over 140 d. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) suggested an almost complete sulfidation of the AgNPs analyzed in all biosolid samples and in soil, with Ag 2 S predominantly detected in long-term incubation experiments. However, despite the sulfidation of the AgNPs, soil ammonium oxidation was significantly inhibited, and the degree of inhibition was independent of the sludge treatment. The results revealed that AgNPs sulfidized under environmentally relevant conditions were still bioavailable to soil microorganisms. Consequently, Ag 2 S may exhibit toxic effects over the long term rather than the short term. Environ Toxicol Chem 2017;36:3305-3313. © 2017 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC. © 2017 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC.
GATEWAY Demonstrations: Long-Term Evaluation of SSL Field Performance in Select Interior Projects
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Davis, Tess E.; Davis, Robert G.; Wilkerson, Andrea M.
The GATEWAY program evaluated the long-term performance characteristics (chromaticity change, maintained illuminance, and operations and maintenance) of LED lighting systems in four field installations previously documented in separate DOE GATEWAY reports.
Near-Term Actions to Address Long-Term Climate Risk
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Lempert, R. J.
2014-12-01
Addressing climate change requires effective long-term policy making, which occurs when reflecting on potential events decades or more in the future causes policy makers to choose near-term actions different than those they would otherwise pursue. Contrary to some expectations, policy makers do sometimes make such long-term decisions, but not as commonly and successfully as climate change may require. In recent years however, the new capabilities of analytic decision support tools, combined with improved understanding of cognitive and organizational behaviors, has significantly improved the methods available for organizations to manage longer-term climate risks. In particular, these tools allow decision makers to understand what near-term actions consistently contribute to achieving both short- and long-term societal goals, even in the face of deep uncertainty regarding the long-term future. This talk will describe applications of these approaches for infrastructure, water, and flood risk management planning, as well as studies of how near-term choices about policy architectures can affect long-term greenhouse gas emission reduction pathways.
Consolidation of long-term memory: evidence and alternatives.
Meeter, Martijn; Murre, Jaap M J
2004-11-01
Memory loss in retrograde amnesia has long been held to be larger for recent periods than for remote periods, a pattern usually referred to as the Ribot gradient. One explanation for this gradient is consolidation of long-term memories. Several computational models of such a process have shown how consolidation can explain characteristics of amnesia, but they have not elucidated how consolidation must be envisaged. Here findings are reviewed that shed light on how consolidation may be implemented in the brain. Moreover, consolidation is contrasted with alternative theories of the Ribot gradient. Consolidation theory, multiple trace theory, and semantization can all handle some findings well but not others. Conclusive evidence for or against consolidation thus remains to be found.
Long term indwelling urethral catheterisation for congenital neuropathic bladder.
Rickwood, A M; Philp, N H; Thomas, D G
1983-01-01
Long term urethral catheterisation remains an important and effective method of achieving dryness and maintaining renal function in children with congenital neuropathic bladders. Those most likely to require an indwelling catheter are girls who are severely disabled because of myelomeningocele. The management of such catheterisation and its consequences, in the light of our experience with a 100 children treated over a 12 year period, is described. Images Fig. 2 PMID:6847235
Li, Yang; Lv, Ying; Guo, Ziquan; Dong, Liubing; Zheng, Jianghui; Chai, Chufen; Chen, Nan; Lu, Yijun; Chen, Chao
2018-05-09
CsPbBr 3 perovskite quantum dots (PQDs)/ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) composite films were prepared via a one-step method; on the basis of this, both supersaturated recrystallization of CsPbBr 3 PQDs and dissolution of EVA were realized in toluene. The prepared films display outstanding green-emitting performance with high color purity of 92% and photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield of 40.5% at appropriate CsPbBr 3 PQD loading. They possess long-term stable luminescent properties in the air and in water, benefiting from the effective protection of CsPbBr 3 PQDs by the EVA matrix. Besides, the prepared CsPbBr 3 PQDs/EVA films are flexible enough to be repeatedly bent for 1000 cycles while keeping unchanged the PL intensity. The optical properties of the CsPbBr 3 PQDs/EVA films in white light-emitting diodes were also studied by experiments and theoretical simulation. Overall, facile preparation process, good long-term stability, and high flexibility allow our green-emitting CsPbBr 3 PQDs/EVA films to be applied in lighting applications and flexible displays.
Intrahippocampal Glutamine Administration Inhibits mTORC1 Signaling and Impairs Long-Term Memory
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Rozas, Natalia S.; Redell, John B.; Pita-Almenar, Juan D.; McKenna, James, III.; Moore, Anthony N.; Gambello, Michael J.; Dash, Pramod K.
2015-01-01
The mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1 (mTORC1), a key regulator of protein synthesis and cellular growth, is also required for long-term memory formation. Stimulation of mTORC1 signaling is known to be dependent on the availability of energy and growth factors, as well as the presence of amino acids. In vitro studies using serum- and amino…
Long-Term Stability of Oxide Nanowire Sensors via Heavily Doped Oxide Contact.
Zeng, Hao; Takahashi, Tsunaki; Kanai, Masaki; Zhang, Guozhu; He, Yong; Nagashima, Kazuki; Yanagida, Takeshi
2017-12-22
Long-term stability of a chemical sensor is an essential quality for long-term collection of data related to exhaled breath, environmental air, and other sources in the Internet of things (IoT) era. Although an oxide nanowire sensor has shown great potential as a chemical sensor, the long-term stability of sensitivity has not been realized yet due to electrical degradation under harsh sensing conditions. Here, we report a rational concept to accomplish long-term electrical stability of metal oxide nanowire sensors via introduction of a heavily doped metal oxide contact layer. Antimony-doped SnO 2 (ATO) contacts on SnO 2 nanowires show much more stable and lower electrical contact resistance than conventional Ti contacts for high temperature (200 °C) conditions, which are required to operate chemical sensors. The stable and low contact resistance of ATO was confirmed for at least 1960 h under 200 °C in open air. This heavily doped oxide contact enables us to realize the long-term stability of SnO 2 nanowire sensors while maintaining the sensitivity for both NO 2 gas and light (photo) detections. The applicability of our method is confirmed for sensors on a flexible polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) substrate. Since the proposed fundamental concept can be applied to various oxide nanostructures, it will give a foundation for designing long-term stable oxide nanomaterial-based IoT sensors.
Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure During Spaceflight-Long
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Czeisler, Charles A.; Barger, Laura K.; Wright, Kenneth P., Jr.; Ronda, Joseph
2009-01-01
Sleep-Wake Actigraphy and Light Exposure During Spaceflight-Long (Sleep-Long) will examine the effects of spaceflight and ambient light exposure on the sleep-wake cycles of the crew members during long-duration stays on the space station.
Effects of long-term hypergravity treatment on the development of inflorescence stems of arabidopsis
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Karahara, Ichirou; Tamaoki, Daisuke; Kamisaka, Seiichiro; Yamaguchi, Takashi; Shinohara, Hironori; Kume, Atsushi; Inoue, Hiroshi
Hypergravity experiments with plants have been mostly performed using a commercial centrifuge in the dark. In order to see longer-term effect of hypergravity on the development of plant shoots, however, it is necessary to carry out the experiments in the light. In the present study, we have set up a centrifuge equipped with lighting system, which supports long-term plant growth under hypergravity condition, in order to see long-term effects of hypergravity on the development of vascular tissues of inflorescence stems. Arabidopsis plants (Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh., Col-0), which were grown under 1 G conditions for 20-23 days and having the first visible flower bud, i.e., at Arabidopsis growth stage number 5 (according to Boys et al., 2001), were selected as the plant material. These plants were exposed to hypergravity stimulus at 10 G in a direction from the shoot to root for 10 days in the continuous light. Effects of hypergravity on growth of inflorescence stems, lignin content, and morphometrical parameters of the stem tissues were examined. As a result, the length of the inflorescence stem was decreased. Cross sectional area as well as cell number, and lignin content in the stem were increased under hypergravity. The length of basal internodes of the stem was decreased under hypergravity. In conclusion, the inflorescence stem was suggested to be strengthened through changes in its morphological characteristics as well as lignin deposition under long-term hypergravity conditions.
A role for autophagy in long-term spatial memory formation in male rodents.
Hylin, Michael J; Zhao, Jing; Tangavelou, Karthikeyan; Rozas, Natalia S; Hood, Kimberly N; MacGowan, Jacalyn S; Moore, Anthony N; Dash, Pramod K
2018-03-01
A hallmark of long-term memory formation is the requirement for protein synthesis. Administration of protein synthesis inhibitors impairs long-term memory formation without influencing short-term memory. Rapamycin is a specific inhibitor of target of rapamycin complex 1 (TORC1) that has been shown to block protein synthesis and impair long-term memory. In addition to regulating protein synthesis, TORC1 also phosphorylates Unc-51-like autophagy activating kinase-1 (Ulk-1) to suppress autophagy. As autophagy can be activated by rapamycin (and rapamycin inhibits long-term memory), our aim was to test the hypothesis that autophagy inhibitors would enhance long-term memory. To examine if learning alters autophagosome number, we used male reporter mice carrying the GFP-LC3 transgene. Using these mice, we observed that training in the Morris water maze task increases the number of autophagosomes, a finding contrary to our expectations. For learning and memory studies, male Long Evans rats were used due to their relatively larger size (compared to mice), making it easier to perform intrahippocampal infusions in awake, moving animals. When the autophagy inhibitors 3-methyladenine (3-MA) or Spautin-1 were administered bilaterally into the hippocampii prior to training in the Morris water maze task, the drugs did not alter learning. In contrast, when memory was tested 24 hours later by a probe trial, significant impairments were observed. In addition, intrahippocampal infusion of an autophagy activator peptide (TAT-Beclin-1) improved long-term memory. These results indicate that autophagy is not necessary for learning, but is required for long-term memory formation. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Role of Proteasome-Dependent Protein Degradation in Long-Term Operant Memory in "Aplysia"
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Lyons, Lisa C.; Gardner, Jacob S.; Gandour, Catherine E.; Krishnan, Harini C.
2017-01-01
We investigated the in vivo role of protein degradation during intermediate (ITM) and long-term memory (LTM) in "Aplysia" using an operant learning paradigm. The proteasome inhibitor MG-132 inhibited the induction and molecular consolidation of LTM with no effect on ITM. Remarkably, maintenance of steady-state protein levels through…
Musicki, Biljana; Champion, Hunter C; Becker, Robyn E; Liu, Tongyun; Kramer, Melissa F; Burnett, Arthur L
2005-07-01
Despite demonstrated clinical efficacy of sildenafil for the temporary treatment of erectile dysfunction, the possibility that sildenafil used long-term durably augments erectile ability remains unclear. We investigated whether continuous long-term administration of sildenafil at clinically relevant levels to aged rats "primes" the penis for improved erectile ability and involves nitric oxide (NO) or RhoA/Rho-kinase signaling pathways. In aged, but not young rats, sildenafil prolonged erection and increased the protein expressions of phosphorylated endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) at serine-1177 and phosphorylated Akt at serine-473 in penes. Only in the young rat penis, protein expressions of phosphodiesterase-5 and phosphomyosin phosphatase target subunit 1, a marker of Rho-kinase activity, were increased by sildenafil. Sildenafil inhibited phosphodiesterase-5 activity in penes of young and aged rats coincident with assayed free plasma levels of the drug equivalent to clinically therapeutic measurements. We conclude that erectile ability can be enhanced under preconditions of erectile impairment by long-term inhibition of phosphodiesterase-5 and that the effect is mediated by Akt-dependent eNOS phosphorylation. The lack of erectile ability enhancement in young rats by long-term phosphodiesterase-5 inhibition may relate to restrained NO signaling by phosphodiesterase-5 up-regulation, lack of incremental Akt and eNOS phosphorylation, and heightened Rho-kinase signaling in the penis.
Long-term urethral catheterisation.
Turner, Bruce; Dickens, Nicola
This article discusses long-term urethral catheterisation, focusing on the relevant anatomy and physiology, indications for the procedure, catheter selection and catheter care. It is important that nurses have a good working knowledge of long-term catheterisation as the need for this intervention will increase with the rise in chronic health conditions and the ageing population.
Long-term solar-terrestrial observations
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
1988-01-01
The results of an 18-month study of the requirements for long-term monitoring and archiving of solar-terrestrial data is presented. The value of long-term solar-terrestrial observations is discussed together with parameters, associated measurements, and observational problem areas in each of the solar-terrestrial links (the sun, the interplanetary medium, the magnetosphere, and the thermosphere-ionosphere). Some recommendations are offered for coordinated planning for long-term solar-terrestrial observations.
Kobzar, Gennadi; Mardla, Vilja; Samel, Nigulas
2011-01-01
Aspirin treatment reduces cardiovascular events and deaths in high-risk non-diabetic patients, but not in patients suffering from diabetes. In these patients, hyperglycemia has been found to cause reduced platelet sensitivity to aspirin. It is supposed that long-term exposure of platelets to glucose leads to non-enzymatic glycosylation and impairs aspirin inhibition of platelet aggregation. On the other hand, short-term exposure of platelets to glucose also attenuates the effect of aspirin on platelets. The aim of the present work was to analyse the effect of short-term exposure of glucose on the inhibition of platelet aggregation by aspirin and other cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors. Already a 15 min exposure of platelets to glucose impaired aspirin inhibition of the platelet aggregation induced by collagen, thrombin, adenosine diphosphate (ADP), and arachidonic acid (AA). Aspirin inhibition of platelet aggregation in platelet-rich plasma (PRP) was attenuated by 5.6, 11.2, 16.8, and 22.4 mM of glucose in a concentration-dependent way. The same effect was observed with indomethacin and acetaminophen used as cyclooxygenase inhibitors instead of aspirin. N-methyl-L-arginine, an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, prevented the effect of glucose on aspirin, indomethacin and acetaminophen inhibition of platelet aggregation. Other monosaccharides, for example fructose and galactose, impaired aspirin inhibition as did glucose. Lactic acid (0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.8 mM), the end product of anaerobic glycolysis in platelets, impaired the inhibition of platelet aggregation with aspirin in a concentration-dependent way but did not affect indomethacin. It is suggested that lactic acid might be a mediator of the effect of glucose on aspirin inhibition in platelets.
Grassi, Silvarosa; Dieni, Cristina; Frondaroli, Adele; Pettorossi, Vito Enrico
2004-11-01
The influence of visual experience deprivation on changes in synaptic plasticity during postnatal development was studied in the ventral part of the rat medial vestibular nuclei (vMVN). We analysed the differences in the occurrence, expressed as a percentage, of long-term depression (LTD) and long-term potentiation (LTP) induced by high frequency stimulation (HFS) of the primary vestibular afferents in rats reared in the light (LR) and those in the dark (DR). In LR rats, HFS only induced LTD in the early stages of development, but the occurrence of LTD progressively decreased to zero before their eyes opened, while that of LTP enhanced from zero to about 50%. Once the rats' eyes had opened, LTD was no longer inducible while LTP occurrence gradually reached the normal adult value (70%). In DR rats, a similar shift from LTD to LTP was observed before their eyes opened, showing only a slightly slower LTD decay and LTP growth, and the LTD annulment was delayed by 1 day. By contrast, the time courses of LTD and LTP development in DR and LR rats showed remarkable differences following eye opening. In fact, LTD occurrence increased to about 50% in a short period of time and remained high until the adult stage. In addition, the occurrence of LTP slowly decreased to less than 20%. The effect of light-deprivation was reversible, since the exposure of DR rats to light, 5 days after eye opening, caused a sudden disappearance of LTD and a partial recover of LTP occurrence. In addition, we observed that a week of light deprivation in LR adult rats did not affect the normal adult LTP occurrence. These results provide evidence that in a critical period of development visual input plays a crucial role in shaping synaptic plasticity of the vMVN, and suggest that the visual guided shift from LTD to LTP during development may be necessary to refine and consolidate vestibular circuitry.
Grassi, Silvarosa; Dieni, Cristina; Frondaroli, Adele; Pettorossi, Vito Enrico
2004-01-01
The influence of visual experience deprivation on changes in synaptic plasticity during postnatal development was studied in the ventral part of the rat medial vestibular nuclei (vMVN). We analysed the differences in the occurrence, expressed as a percentage, of long-term depression (LTD) and long-term potentiation (LTP) induced by high frequency stimulation (HFS) of the primary vestibular afferents in rats reared in the light (LR) and those in the dark (DR). In LR rats, HFS only induced LTD in the early stages of development, but the occurrence of LTD progressively decreased to zero before their eyes opened, while that of LTP enhanced from zero to about 50%. Once the rats' eyes had opened, LTD was no longer inducible while LTP occurrence gradually reached the normal adult value (70%). In DR rats, a similar shift from LTD to LTP was observed before their eyes opened, showing only a slightly slower LTD decay and LTP growth, and the LTD annulment was delayed by 1 day. By contrast, the time courses of LTD and LTP development in DR and LR rats showed remarkable differences following eye opening. In fact, LTD occurrence increased to about 50% in a short period of time and remained high until the adult stage. In addition, the occurrence of LTP slowly decreased to less than 20%. The effect of light-deprivation was reversible, since the exposure of DR rats to light, 5 days after eye opening, caused a sudden disappearance of LTD and a partial recover of LTP occurrence. In addition, we observed that a week of light deprivation in LR adult rats did not affect the normal adult LTP occurrence. These results provide evidence that in a critical period of development visual input plays a crucial role in shaping synaptic plasticity of the vMVN, and suggest that the visual guided shift from LTD to LTP during development may be necessary to refine and consolidate vestibular circuitry. PMID:15331680
Mostajeran, M; Edvinsson, L; Warfvinge, K; Singh, R; Ansar, S
2017-04-01
Extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 is activated during acute phase of stroke and contributes to stroke pathology. We have found that acute treatment with MEK1/2 inhibitors decreases infarct size and neurological deficits 2 days after experimental stroke. However, it is not known whether benefits of this inhibition persist long-term. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess neurological function, infarct size and recovery processes 14 days after stroke in male rats to determine long-term outcome following acute treatment with the MEK1/2 inhibitor U0126. Transient middle cerebral artery occlusion was induced in male rats. U0126 or vehicle was given at 0 and 24 h of reperfusion. Neurological function was assessed by staircase, 6-point and 28-point neuroscore tests up to 14 days after induction of stroke. At day 14, infarct volumes were determined and recovery processes were evaluated by measuring protein expression of the tyrosine kinase receptor Tie-2 and nestin. Levels of p-ERK1/2 protein were determined. Acute treatment with U0126 significantly improved long-term functional recovery, reduced infarct size, and enhanced Tie-2 and nestin protein expression at 14 days post-stroke. There was no residual blockade of p-ERK1/2 at this time point. It is demonstrated that benefits of early treatment with U0126 persist beyond subacute phase of ischaemic stroke in male rats. Prevention of ERK1/2 activation in the acute phase results in improved long-term functional outcome and enhances later-stage recovery processes. These results expand our understanding of the benefits and promise of using MEK1/2 inhibitors in stroke recovery. © 2015 Scandinavian Physiological Society. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Simultaneous long-term monitoring of LS I +61°303 by OVRO and Fermi-LAT
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Jaron, Frédéric; Massi, Maria; Kiehlmann, Sebastian; Hovatta, Talvikki
2018-07-01
Previous long-term monitorings of the γ-ray-loud X-ray binary LS I +61°303 have revealed the presence of a long-term modulation of ˜4.5 yr. After 9 yr of simultaneous monitoring of LS I +61°303 by the Owens Valley Radio Observatory and the Fermi-LAT, two cycles of the long-term period are now available. Here we perform timing analysis on the radio and the γ-ray light curves. We confirm the presence of previously detected periodicities at both radio and GeV γ-ray wavelengths. Moreover, we discover an offset of the long-term modulation between radio and γ-ray data which could imply different locations of the radio (15 GHz) and GeV emission along the precessing jet.
Reduced flight-to-light behaviour of moth populations exposed to long-term urban light pollution
Ebert, Dieter
2016-01-01
The globally increasing light pollution is a well-recognized threat to ecosystems, with negative effects on human, animal and plant wellbeing. The most well-known and widely documented consequence of light pollution is the generally fatal attraction of nocturnal insects to artificial light sources. However, the evolutionary consequences are unknown. Here we report that moth populations from urban areas with high, globally relevant levels of light pollution over several decades show a significantly reduced flight-to-light behaviour compared with populations of the same species from pristine dark-sky habitats. Using a common garden setting, we reared moths from 10 different populations from early-instar larvae and experimentally compared their flight-to-light behaviour under standardized conditions. Moths from urban populations had a significant reduction in the flight-to-light behaviour compared with pristine populations. The reduced attraction to light sources of ‘city moths' may directly increase these individuals' survival and reproduction. We anticipate that it comes with a reduced mobility, which negatively affects foraging as well as colonization ability. As nocturnal insects are of eminent significance as pollinators and the primary food source of many vertebrates, an evolutionary change of the flight-to-light behaviour thereby potentially cascades across species interaction networks. PMID:27072407
Reduced flight-to-light behaviour of moth populations exposed to long-term urban light pollution.
Altermatt, Florian; Ebert, Dieter
2016-04-01
The globally increasing light pollution is a well-recognized threat to ecosystems, with negative effects on human, animal and plant wellbeing. The most well-known and widely documented consequence of light pollution is the generally fatal attraction of nocturnal insects to artificial light sources. However, the evolutionary consequences are unknown. Here we report that moth populations from urban areas with high, globally relevant levels of light pollution over several decades show a significantly reduced flight-to-light behaviour compared with populations of the same species from pristine dark-sky habitats. Using a common garden setting, we reared moths from 10 different populations from early-instar larvae and experimentally compared their flight-to-light behaviour under standardized conditions. Moths from urban populations had a significant reduction in the flight-to-light behaviour compared with pristine populations. The reduced attraction to light sources of 'city moths' may directly increase these individuals' survival and reproduction. We anticipate that it comes with a reduced mobility, which negatively affects foraging as well as colonization ability. As nocturnal insects are of eminent significance as pollinators and the primary food source of many vertebrates, an evolutionary change of the flight-to-light behaviour thereby potentially cascades across species interaction networks. © 2016 The Author(s).
X-Ray Enhancement and Long-term Evolution of Swift J1822.3-1606
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Benli, Onur; Çalışkan, Ş.; Ertan, Ü.; Alpar, M. A.; Trümper, J. E.; Kylafis, N. D.
2013-12-01
We investigate the X-ray enhancement and the long-term evolution of the recently discovered second "low-B magnetar" Swift J1822.3-1606 in the frame of the fallback disk model. During a soft gamma burst episode, the inner disk matter is pushed back to larger radii, forming a density gradient at the inner disk. Subsequent relaxation of the inner disk could account for the observed X-ray enhancement light curve of Swift J1822.3-1606. We obtain model fits to the X-ray data with basic disk parameters similar to those employed to explain the X-ray outburst light curves of other anomalous X-ray pulsars and soft gamma repeaters. The long period (8.4 s) of the neutron star can be reached by the effect of the disk torques in the long-term accretion phase ((1-3) × 105 yr). The currently ongoing X-ray enhancement could be due to a transient accretion epoch, or the source could still be in the accretion phase in quiescence. Considering these different possibilities, we determine the model curves that could represent the long-term rotational and the X-ray luminosity evolution of Swift J1822.3-1606, which constrain the strength of the magnetic dipole field to the range of (1-2) × 1012 G on the surface of the neutron star.
Anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing bacteria gain antibiotic resistance during long-term acclimatization.
Zhang, Zheng-Zhe; Zhang, Qian-Qian; Guo, Qiong; Chen, Qian-Qian; Jiang, Xiao-Yan; Jin, Ren-Cun
2015-09-01
Three broad-spectrum antibiotics, amoxicillin (AMX), florfenicol (FF) and sulfamethazine (SMZ), that inhibit bacteria via different target sites, were selected to evaluate the acute toxicity and long-term effects on anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) granules. The specific anammox activity (SAA) levels reduced by approximately half within the first 3 days in the presence of antibiotics but no nitrite accumulation was observed in continuous-flow experiments. However, the SAA levels and heme c content gradually recovered as the antibiotic concentrations increased. Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) analysis suggested that anaerobic ammonium-oxidizing bacteria gradually developed a better survival strategy during long-term acclimatization, which reduced the antibiotic stress via increased EPS secretion that provided a protective 'cocoon.' In terms of nitrogen removal efficiency, anammox granules could resist 60 mg-AMX L(-1), 10 mg-FF L(-1) and 100 mg-SMZ L(-1). This study supported the feasibility of using anammox granules to treat antibiotic-containing wastewater. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Circulating sclerostin is elevated in short-term and reduced in long-term SCI
Battaglino, Ricardo A.; Sudhakar, Supreetha; Lazzari, Antonio; Garshick, Eric; Zafonte, Ross; Morse, Leslie R.
2012-01-01
Spinal cord injury (SCI) causes profound bone loss due to muscle paralysis resulting in the inability to walk. Sclerostin, a Wnt signaling pathway antagonist produced by osteocytes, is a potent inhibitor of bone formation. Short-term studies in rodent models have demonstrated increased sclerostin in response to mechanical unloading that is reversed with reloading. Although sclerostin inhibition has been proposed as a potential therapy for bone loss, it is not known if sclerostin levels vary with duration of SCI in humans. We analyzed circulating sclerostin in 155 men with varying degrees of SCI who were 1 year or more post-injury. We report that sclerostin levels are greatest in subjects with short-term SCI (≤ 5 years post-injury) and decrease significantly over the first 5 years post-injury. There was no association between sclerostin and injury duration in subjects with long-term SCI (> 5 years post-injury). In subjects with long-term SCI, sclerostin levels were positively associated with lower extremity bone density and bone mineral content. These data suggest that sclerostin levels in SCI are initially increased after SCI in response to mechanical unloading. This response is time-limited and as bone loss progresses, circulating sclerostin is lowest in subjects with severe osteoporosis. These findings support a dual role for sclerostin after SCI: a therapeutic target in acute SCI, and a biomarker of osteoporosis severity in chronic SCI. PMID:22575440
Circulating sclerostin is elevated in short-term and reduced in long-term SCI.
Battaglino, Ricardo A; Sudhakar, Supreetha; Lazzari, Antonio A; Garshick, Eric; Zafonte, Ross; Morse, Leslie R
2012-09-01
Spinal cord injury (SCI) causes profound bone loss due to muscle paralysis resulting in the inability to walk. Sclerostin, a Wnt signaling pathway antagonist produced by osteocytes, is a potent inhibitor of bone formation. Short-term studies in rodent models have demonstrated increased sclerostin in response to mechanical unloading that is reversed with reloading. Although sclerostin inhibition has been proposed as a potential therapy for bone loss, it is not known if sclerostin levels vary with duration of SCI in humans. We analyzed circulating sclerostin in 155 men with varying degrees of SCI who were 1 year or more post-injury. We report that sclerostin levels are greatest in subjects with short-term SCI (≤5 years post-injury) and decrease significantly over the first 5 years post-injury. There was no association between sclerostin and injury duration in subjects with long-term SCI (>5 years post-injury). In subjects with long-term SCI, sclerostin levels were positively associated with lower extremity bone density and bone mineral content. These data suggest that sclerostin levels are initially increased after SCI in response to mechanical unloading. This response is time-limited and as bone loss progresses, circulating sclerostin is lowest in subjects with severe osteoporosis. These findings support a dual role for sclerostin after SCI: a therapeutic target in acute SCI, and a biomarker of osteoporosis severity in chronic SCI. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Long-term care: long-term care insurance--2005. End of Year Issue Brief.
Tanner, Rachel; Bercaw, Lawren
2005-12-31
As the "Baby Boom" generation approaches retirement, state and federal lawmakers are struggling to ensure that the nation's long-term care system will provide adequate services for the growing number of senior citizens. A 2003 Administration on Aging report predicted that the elderly population will double by 2030. Accordingly, policymakers must prepare for the impending squeeze on public health and Medicaid resources. Many consumers are exploring private long-term care insurance options as a means of preparing for the cost of eldercare. Yet, a lack of market uniformity has rendered the long-term care insurance industry somewhat difficult for consumers to decipher. In addition, senior care insurance is often costly, particularly for those over age 50.
Lariguet, Patricia; Fankhauser, Christian
2004-12-01
How developing seedlings integrate gravitropic and phototropic stimuli to determine their direction of growth is poorly understood. In this study we tested whether blue light influences hypocotyl gravitropism in Arabidopsis. Phototropin1 (phot1) triggers phototropism under low fluence rates of blue light but, at least in the dark, has no effect on gravitropism. By analyzing the growth orientation of phototropism-deficient seedlings in response to gravitropic and phototropic stimulations we show that blue light not only triggers phototropism but also represses hypocotyl gravitropism. At low fluence rates of blue light phot1 mutants were agravitropic. In contrast, phyAphot1 double mutants grew exclusively according to gravity demonstrating that phytochrome A (phyA) is necessary to inhibit gravitropism. Analyses of phot1cry1cry2 triple mutants indicate that cryptochromes play a minor role in this response. Thus the optimal growth orientation of hypocotyls is determined by the action of phyA-suppressing gravitropism and the phototropin-triggering phototropism. It has long been known that phytochromes promote phototropism but the mechanism involved is still unknown. Our data show that by inhibiting gravitropism phyA acts as a positive regulator of phototropism.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Jung, Y. K.; Udalski, A.; Yee, J. C.; Sumi, T.; Gould, A.; Han, C.; Albrow, M. D.; Lee, C.-U.; Bennett, D. P.; Suzuki, D.
2017-01-01
In the process of analyzing an observed light curve, one often confronts various scenarios that can mimic the planetary signals causing difficulties in the accurate interpretation of the lens system. In this paper, we present the analysis of the microlensing event OGLE-2016-BLG-0733. The light curve of the event shows a long-term asymmetric perturbation that would appear to be due to a planet. From the detailed modeling of the lensing light curve, however, we find that the perturbation originates from the binarity of the source rather than the lens. This result demonstrates that binary sources with roughly equal-luminosity components can mimic long-term perturbations induced by planets with projected separations near the Einstein ring. The result also represents the importance of the consideration of various interpretations in planet-like perturbations and of high-cadence observations for ensuring the unambiguous detection of the planet.
Nishihara, Hitoshi; Ayaki, Masahiko; Watanabe, Tomiko; Ohnishi, Takeo; Kageyama, Toshiyuki; Yaguchi, Shigeo
2004-03-01
To compare the long-term clinical and experimental results of soft acrylic intraocular lenses(IOLs) manufactured by the lathe-cut(LC) method and by the cast-molding(CM) method. This was a retrospective study of 20 patients(22 eyes) who were examined in a 5- and 7-year follow-up study. Sixteen eyes were implanted with polyacrylic IOLs manufactured by the LC method and 6 eyes were implanted with polyacrylic IOLs manufactured by the CM method. Postoperative measurements included best corrected visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, biomicroscopic examination, and Scheimpflug slit-lamp images to evaluate surface light scattering. Scanning electron microscopy and three-dimensional surface analysis were conducted. At 7 years, the mean visual acuity was 1.08 +/- 0.24 (mean +/- standard deviation) in the LC group and 1.22 +/- 0.27 in the CM group. Surface light-seatter was 12.0 +/- 4.0 computer compatible tapes(CCT) in the LC group and 37.4 +/- 5.4 CCT in the CM group. Mean surface roughness was 0.70 +/- 0.07 nm in the LC group and 6.16 +/- 0.97 nm in the CM group. Acrylic IOLs manufactured by the LC method are more stable in long-termuse.
Long-term associative learning predicts verbal short-term memory performance.
Jones, Gary; Macken, Bill
2018-02-01
Studies using tests such as digit span and nonword repetition have implicated short-term memory across a range of developmental domains. Such tests ostensibly assess specialized processes for the short-term manipulation and maintenance of information that are often argued to enable long-term learning. However, there is considerable evidence for an influence of long-term linguistic learning on performance in short-term memory tasks that brings into question the role of a specialized short-term memory system separate from long-term knowledge. Using natural language corpora, we show experimentally and computationally that performance on three widely used measures of short-term memory (digit span, nonword repetition, and sentence recall) can be predicted from simple associative learning operating on the linguistic environment to which a typical child may have been exposed. The findings support the broad view that short-term verbal memory performance reflects the application of long-term language knowledge to the experimental setting.
Asthma Medicines: Long-Term Control
... Size Email Print Share Asthma Medicines: Long-term Control Page Content Article Body Corticosteroids Synthetic versions of ... form, they are used exclusively for long-term control; they are not very effective for acute symptoms. ...
Grimes, Matthew T; Harley, Carolyn W; Darby-King, Andrea; McLean, John H
2012-02-21
Neonatal odor-preference memory in rat pups is a well-defined associative mammalian memory model dependent on cAMP. Previous work from this laboratory demonstrates three phases of neonatal odor-preference memory: short-term (translation-independent), intermediate-term (translation-dependent), and long-term (transcription- and translation-dependent). Here, we use neonatal odor-preference learning to explore the role of olfactory bulb PKA in these three phases of mammalian memory. PKA activity increased normally in learning animals 10 min after a single training trial. Inhibition of PKA by Rp-cAMPs blocked intermediate-term and long-term memory, with no effect on short-term memory. PKA inhibition also prevented learning-associated CREB phosphorylation, a transcription factor implicated in long-term memory. When long-term memory was rescued through increased β-adrenoceptor activation, CREB phosphorylation was restored. Intermediate-term and long-term, but not short-term odor-preference memories were generated by pairing odor with direct PKA activation using intrabulbar Sp-cAMPs, which bypasses β-adrenoceptor activation. Higher levels of Sp-cAMPs enhanced memory by extending normal 24-h retention to 48-72 h. These results suggest that increased bulbar PKA is necessary and sufficient for the induction of intermediate-term and long-term odor-preference memory, and suggest that PKA activation levels also modulate memory duration. However, short-term memory appears to use molecular mechanisms other than the PKA/CREB pathway. These mechanisms, which are also recruited by β-adrenoceptor activation, must operate in parallel with PKA activation.
Interleukin 1 beta inhibits synaptic strength and long-term potentiation in the rat CA1 hippocampus.
Bellinger, F P; Madamba, S; Siggins, G R
1993-11-19
Cytokines such as interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) are released in the nervous system following inflammation or infection. Recently, IL-1 beta was shown to enhance synaptic inhibitory mechanisms. We therefore investigated the effect of IL-1 beta superfusion on long-term potentiation (LTP), the cellular model of memory and learning, evoked in the CA1 region by tetanic stimulation of the stratum radiatum in the rat hippocampal slice. IL-1 beta (150 pM-1.5 nM) superfused 10 min before tetanic stimulation significantly reduced LTP of the slope of the population excitatory postsynaptic potential (pEPSP) and the population spike (PS) amplitude in CA1 in a concentration-dependent manner. IL-1 beta (1.5 nM) applied for 10 min 1 h before tetanus significantly inhibited LTP of the PS amplitude and pEPSP slope and reduced pEPSP and PS values before tetanus as well, although the PS returned to control values before tetanus. Heat-inactivated IL-1 beta had no effect on pre-tetanus pEPSP or PS values or the induction of LTP. These data demonstrate that IL-1 beta modulates synaptic potentials and reduces LTP. These findings have important implications for the role of IL-1 beta in neuronal disorders following infection, perhaps best exemplified by HIV-1-associated dementia.
Light adaptation alters the source of inhibition to the mouse retinal OFF pathway
Mazade, Reece E.
2013-01-01
Sensory systems must avoid saturation to encode a wide range of stimulus intensities. One way the retina accomplishes this is by using both dim-light-sensing rod and bright-light-sensing cone photoreceptor circuits. OFF cone bipolar cells are a key point in this process, as they receive both excitatory input from cones and inhibitory input from AII amacrine cells via the rod pathway. However, in addition to AII amacrine cell input, other inhibitory inputs from cone pathways also modulate OFF cone bipolar cell light signals. It is unknown how these inhibitory inputs to OFF cone bipolar cells change when switching between rod and cone pathways or whether all OFF cone bipolar cells receive rod pathway input. We found that one group of OFF cone bipolar cells (types 1, 2, and 4) receive rod-mediated inhibitory inputs that likely come from the rod-AII amacrine cell pathway, while another group of OFF cone bipolar cells (type 3) do not. In both cases, dark-adapted rod-dominant light responses showed a significant contribution of glycinergic inhibition, which decreased with light adaptation and was, surprisingly, compensated by an increase in GABAergic inhibition. As GABAergic input has distinct timing and spatial spread from glycinergic input, a shift from glycinergic to GABAergic inhibition could significantly alter OFF cone bipolar cell signaling to downstream OFF ganglion cells. Larger GABAergic input could reflect an adjustment of OFF bipolar cell spatial inhibition, which may be one mechanism that contributes to retinal spatial sensitivity in the light. PMID:23926034
Resting State Synchrony in Long-Term Abstinent Alcoholics
Camchong, Jazmin; Stenger, Andy; Fein, George
2012-01-01
BACKGROUND Alcohol dependence (ALC) is a disorder with an impulsive and compulsive “drive” towards alcohol consumption and an inability to inhibit alcohol consumption. Neuroimaging studies suggest that these behavioral components correspond to an increased involvement of regions that mediate appetitive drive and reduced involvement of regions that mediate executive control within top-down networks. Little is known, however, about whether these characteristics are present after long periods of abstinence. METHODS Resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging data were collected to examine resting state synchrony (RSS) differences between 23 long-term abstinent alcoholics (LTAA; 8 females, age: M=48.46, SD=7.10), and 23 non-substance abusing controls (NSAC; 8 females, age: M=47.99, SD=6.70). Using seed-based measures, we examined resting-state synchrony with the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) and the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (ACC). All participants were assessed with the intra/extradimensional set shift task outside of the scanner to explore the relationship between RSS and cognitive flexibility. RESULTS Compared to NSAC, LTAA showed (a) decreased synchrony of limbic reward regions (e.g., caudate and thalamus) with both the ACC seed and the NAcc seed and (b) increased synchrony of executive control regions (e.g., DLPFC) with both the NAcc seed and the subgenual ACC seed. RSS differences were significantly correlated with task performance. CONCLUSIONS The results are consistent with an interpretation of an ongoing compensatory mechanism in long-term abstinent alcoholics evident during rest, in which decision making networks show reduced synchrony with appetitive drive regions and increased synchrony with inhibitory control regions. In addition, RSS differences were associated with cognitive flexibility. These resting state findings indicate an adaptive mechanism present in long-term abstinence that may facilitate the behavioral control required for to
Zhang, Rui; Garner, Sean R; Hau, Lene Vestergaard
2009-12-04
A Bose-Einstein condensate confined in an optical dipole trap is used to generate long-term coherent memory for light, and storage times of more than 1 s are observed. Phase coherence of the condensate as well as controlled manipulations of elastic and inelastic atomic scattering processes are utilized to increase the storage fidelity by several orders of magnitude over previous schemes. The results have important applications for creation of long-distance quantum networks and for generation of entangled states of light and matter.
Long Persistent Light Emitting Diode Indicators
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Jia, Dongdong; Ma, Yiwei; Hunter, D. N.
2007-01-01
An undergraduate laboratory was designed for undergraduate students to make long persistent light emitting diode (LED) indicators using phosphors. Blue LEDs, which emit at 465 nm, were characterized and used as an excitation source. Long persistent phosphors, SrAl[subscript 2]O[subscript 4]:Eu[superscript 2+],Dy[superscript 3+] (green) and…
Intrahippocampal glutamine administration inhibits mTORC1 signaling and impairs long-term memory
Rozas, Natalia S.; Redell, John B.; Pita-Almenar, Juan D.; Mckenna, James; Moore, Anthony N.; Gambello, Michael J.
2015-01-01
The mechanistic Target of Rapamycin Complex 1 (mTORC1), a key regulator of protein synthesis and cellular growth, is also required for long-term memory formation. Stimulation of mTORC1 signaling is known to be dependent on the availability of energy and growth factors, as well as the presence of amino acids. In vitro studies using serum- and amino acid-starved cells have reported that glutamine addition can either stimulate or repress mTORC1 activity, depending on the particular experimental system that was used. However, these experiments do not directly address the effect of glutamine on mTORC1 activity under physiological conditions in nondeprived cells in vivo. We present experimental results indicating that intrahippocampal administration of glutamine to rats reduces mTORC1 activity. Moreover, post-training administration of glutamine impairs long-term spatial memory formation, while coadministration of glutamine with leucine had no influence on memory. Intracellular recordings in hippocampal slices showed that glutamine did not alter either excitatory or inhibitory synaptic activity, suggesting that the observed memory impairments may not result from conversion of glutamine to either glutamate or GABA. Taken together, these findings indicate that glutamine can decrease mTORC1 activity in the brain and may have implications for treatments of neurological diseases associated with high mTORC1 signaling. PMID:25878136
Reforming long-term care financing through insurance
Meiners, Mark R.
1988-01-01
Until recently, insurance for long-term care was not viewed as feasible. This perception has changed dramatically in the past few years. Several models of long-term care insurance have begun to be tested. Although the application of insurance principles to long-term care is still new, the emergence of private market interest in developing long-term care insurance has been a catalyst to renewed public-policy support for reforming the way we pay for long-term care. States, in particular, have become interested in developing public-private partnerships to support the emergence of long-term care insurance that could help relieve the mounting pressure on Medicaid budgets. PMID:10312962
Fernandez de Canete, J; Luque, J; Barbancho, J; Munoz, V
2014-04-01
A mathematical model that provides an overall description of both the short- and long-term mechanisms of arterial pressure regulation is presented. Short-term control is exerted through the baroreceptor reflex while renal elimination plays a role in long-term control. Both mechanisms operate in an integrated way over the compartmental model of the cardiovascular system. The whole system was modelled in MODELICA, which uses a hierarchical object-oriented modelling strategy, under the DYMOLA simulation environment. The performance of the controlled system was analysed by simulation in light of the existing hypothesis and validation tests previously performed with physiological data, demonstrating the effectiveness of both regulation mechanisms under physiological and pathological conditions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Management training in long-term care.
Evashwick, Connie
2002-01-01
The education of health care administrators faces its most dramatic change since the inception of the field. Recent discussions at the national level call for major overhaul of curricula and teaching modalities, including moving education to position students for evidence-based practice. This paper presents recommendations for incorporating training about chronic and long-term care into health care management curricula. It asserts that all health care management students should have a basic knowledge of the fundamental policy, operating, and financing principles of long-term care. The majority of people using the health care delivery system today, and increasingly in the future, suffer from chronic conditions. Long-term care services, although less expansive in structure, far outnumber acute care services and health plans. They will grow in the future to meet the portending demand. To maximize job opportunities and to optimize performance in any job, health care administrators need to know about the long-term care delivery system. This paper delineates critical topics pertaining to long-term care, organized according to 11 fundamental management areas in which the field is developing core competencies. The contents were derived from a year-long process of asking stakeholders in the various facets of long-term care what topics they thought were essential for administrators to know. The topics delineated in this document represent the consensus about essential knowledge that all health care administrators should have about long-term care, whether specializing in long-term care or following a more general management career. The education of health care administrators faces its most dramatic change since the inception ofthe field. Recent discussions at the national level call for major overhaul of curricula and teaching modalities, including moving education to position students to perform according to evidence-based practice. It is thus timely to consider content, as
Placenta previa and long-term morbidity of the term offspring.
Walfisch, Asnat; Beharier, Ofer; Shoham-Vardi, Ilana; Sergienko, Ruslan; Landau, Daniella; Sheiner, Eyal
2016-08-01
The long-term impact of placenta previa on term infants is unknown. We aimed to investigate whether abnormal placentation increases the risk for long-term morbidity of the term offspring. A population-based cohort study compared the incidence of long-term hospitalizations up to the age of 18 due to cardiovascular, endocrine, neurological, hematological, respiratory and urinary morbidity of children born at term in pregnancies diagnosed with placenta previa and those without. Deliveries occurred between the years 1991-2013 in a tertiary medical center. Multiple pregnancies, and fetal congenital malformations were excluded. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to compare cumulative morbidity incidence over time. A multivariable generalized estimating equation (GEE) logistic regression model analysis was used to control for confounders and for maternal clusters. During the study period 233,123 term deliveries met the inclusion criteria; 0.2% (n=502) of the children were born to mothers with placenta previa. During the follow-up period, children born to mothers with placenta previa did not have an increased risk for long-term cardiovascular, endocrine, hematological, neurological, respiratory, and urinary morbidity. Term offsprings of mothers diagnosed with placenta previa do not appear to be at an increased risk for long-term morbidity up to the age of 18. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Consider long-term care as service alternative.
Loria, L S
1987-04-01
The increasing demand for elderly care services, pressures on inpatient average length of stay and payment levels, and potential financial rewards from providing additional services, makes long-term care look attractive to hospitals. Long-term care, however, is not for every hospital. Before deciding to establish long-term care services, management should examine how the service fits within the hospital's strategic plan. The action plan below provides guidance in evaluating a decision to use hospital facilities for long-term care. Examine how long-term care services fit within the hospital's strategic plan. Study area demographics and competitors to assess the need and supply of long-term care services. Survey the medical staff, consumers and payers to determine attitudes, perceptions and interests regarding long-term care services. Develop a facility plan that identifies areas of excess capacity that can be most easily converted into long-term care with minimal effects on hospital operations. Prepare a financial feasibility analysis of the contribution margin and return on investment attributable to long-term care services. Include an impact analysis on hospital operations. Establish a management task force to develop a detailed implementation plan including assigned individual responsibilities and related timetable. Develop an effective marketing plan designed to generate increased patient market share.
Qi, Shan-Shan; Dai, Zhi-Cong; Miao, Shi-Li; Zhai, De-Li; Si, Chun-Can; Huang, Ping; Wang, Rui-Ping; Du, Dao-Lin
2014-01-01
Background and Aims Invasive clonal plants have two reproduction patterns, namely sexual and vegetative propagation. However, seedling recruitment of invasive clonal plants can decline as the invasion process proceeds. For example, although the invasive clonal Wedelia trilobata (Asteraceae) produces numerous seeds, few seedlings emerge under its dense population canopy in the field. In this study it is hypothesized that light limitation and the presence of a thick layer of its own litter may be the primary factors causing the failure of seedling recruitment for this invasive weed in the field. Methods A field survey was conducted to determine the allocation of resources to sexual reproduction and seedling recruitment in W. trilobata. Seed germination was also determined in the field. Effects of light and W. trilobata leaf extracts on seed germination and seedling growth were tested in the laboratory. Key Results Wedelia trilobata blooms profusely and produces copious viable seeds in the field. However, seedlings of W. trilobata were not detected under mother ramets and few emerged seedlings were found in the bare ground near to populations. In laboratory experiments, low light significantly inhibited seed germination. Leaf extracts also decreased seed germination and inhibited seedling growth, and significant interactions were found between low light and leaf extracts on seed germination. However, seeds were found to germinate in an invaded field after removal of the W. trilobata plant canopy. Conclusions The results indicate that lack of light and the presence of its own litter might be two major factors responsible for the low numbers of W. trilobata seedlings found in the field. New populations will establish from seeds once the limiting factors are eliminated, and seeds can be the agents of long-distance dispersal; therefore, prevention of seed production remains an important component in controlling the spread of this invasive clonal plant. PMID:24825293
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Moore, David Steven
2009-01-01
Long term data archiving has much value for chemists, not only to retain access to research and product development records, but also to enable new developments and new discoveries. There are some recent regulatory requirements (e.g., FDA 21 CFR Part 11), but good science and good business both benefit regardless. A particular example of the benefits of and need for long term data archiving is the management of data from spectroscopic laboratory instruments. The sheer amount of spectroscopic data is increasing at a scary rate, and the pressures to archive come from the expense to create the data (or recreatemore » it if it is lost) as well as its high information content. The goal of long-term data archiving is to save and organize instrument data files as well as any needed meta data (such as sample ID, LIMS information, operator, date, time, instrument conditions, sample type, excitation details, environmental parameters, etc.). This editorial explores the issues involved in long-term data archiving using the example of Raman spectral databases. There are at present several such databases, including common data format libraries and proprietary libraries. However, such databases and libraries should ultimately satisfy stringent criteria for long term data archiving, including readability for long times into the future, robustness to changes in computer hardware and operating systems, and use of public domain data formats. The latter criterion implies the data format should be platform independent and the tools to create the data format should be easily and publicly obtainable or developable. Several examples of attempts at spectral libraries exist, such as the ASTM ANDI format, and the JCAMP-DX format. On the other hand, proprietary library spectra can be exchanged and manipulated using proprietary tools. As the above examples have deficiencies according to the three long term data archiving criteria, Extensible Markup Language (XML; a product of the World Wide
Long-Term Control Medications for Lung Diseases
... Asthma Medications Long-Term Control Medications Long-Term Control Medications Make an Appointment Ask a Question Refer Patient Long-term control medications are taken daily to control and prevent ...
Assessment of Dry Epidermal Electrodes for Long-Term Electromyography Measurements
Peters, Keshia M.; Milovanovic, Ivana; Kuang, Irene; Yang, Zeyu; Lu, Nanshu; Steele, Katherine M.
2018-01-01
Commercially available electrodes can only provide quality surface electromyography (sEMG) measurements for a limited duration due to user discomfort and signal degradation, but in many applications, collecting sEMG data for a full day or longer is desirable to enhance clinical care. Few studies for long-term sEMG have assessed signal quality of electrodes using clinically relevant tests. The goal of this research was to evaluate flexible, gold-based epidermal sensor system (ESS) electrodes for long-term sEMG recordings. We collected sEMG and impedance data from eight subjects from ESS and standard clinical electrodes on upper extremity muscles during maximum voluntary isometric contraction tests, dynamic range of motion tests, the Jebsen Taylor Hand Function Test, and the Box & Block Test. Four additional subjects were recruited to test the stability of ESS signals over four days. Signals from the ESS and traditional electrodes were strongly correlated across tasks. Measures of signal quality, such as signal-to-noise ratio and signal-to-motion ratio, were also similar for both electrodes. Over the four-day trial, no significant decrease in signal quality was observed in the ESS electrodes, suggesting that thin, flexible electrodes may provide a robust tool that does not inhibit movement or irritate the skin for long-term measurements of muscle activity in rehabilitation and other applications. PMID:29677129
Riginos, Corinna; Porensky, Lauren M; Veblen, Kari E; Young, Truman P
2018-03-01
Rainfall and herbivory are fundamental drivers of grassland plant dynamics, yet few studies have examined long-term interactions between these factors in an experimental setting. Understanding such interactions is important, as rainfall is becoming increasingly erratic and native wild herbivores are being replaced by livestock. Livestock grazing and episodic low rainfall are thought to interact, leading to greater community change than either factor alone. We examined patterns of change and stability in herbaceous community composition through four dry periods, or droughts, over 15 years of the Kenya Long-term Exclosure Experiment (KLEE), which consists of six different combinations of cattle, native wild herbivores (e.g., zebras, gazelles), and mega-herbivores (giraffes, elephants). We used principal response curves to analyze the trajectory of change in each herbivore treatment relative to a common initial community and asked how droughts contributed to community change in these treatments. We examined three measures of stability (resistance, variability, and turnover) that correspond to different temporal scales and found that each had a different response to grazing. Treatments that included both cattle and wild herbivores had higher resistance (less net change over 15 years) but were more variable on shorter time scales; in contrast, the more lightly grazed treatments (no herbivores or wild herbivores only) showed lower resistance due to the accumulation of consistent, linear, short-term change. Community change was greatest during and immediately after droughts in all herbivore treatments. But, while drought contributed to directional change in the less grazed treatments, it contributed to both higher variability and resistance in the more heavily grazed treatments. Much of the community change in lightly grazed treatments (especially after droughts) was due to substantial increases in cover of the palatable grass Brachiaria lachnantha. These results
Reforming Long-Term Care Funding in Alberta.
Crump, R Trafford; Repin, Nadya; Sutherland, Jason M
2015-01-01
Like many provinces across Canada, Alberta is facing growing demand for long-term care. Issues with the mixed funding model used to pay long-term care providers had Alberta Health Services concerned that it was not efficiently meeting the demand for long-term care. Consequently, in 2010, Alberta Health Services introduced the patient/care-based funding (PCBF) model. PCBF is similar to activity-based funding in that it directly ties the complexity and care needs of long-term care residents to the payment received by long-term care providers. This review describes PCBF and discusses some of its strengths and weaknesses. In doing so, this review is intended to inform other provinces faced with similar long-term care challenges and contemplating their own funding reforms.
Long-term kinematics and sediment flux of an active earthflow, Eel River, California
B. H. Mackey; J. J. Roering; J. A. McKean
2009-01-01
Although earthflows are the dominant erosion mechanism in many mountainous landscapes, estimates of long-term earthflow-driven sediment flux remain elusive because landslide displacement data are typically limited to contemporary time periods. Combining high-resolution topography from airborne LiDAR (light detection and ranging), total station surveying, orthorectified...
Chen, Shanping; Cai, Diancai; Pearce, Kaycey; Sun, Philip Y-W; Roberts, Adam C; Glanzman, David L
2014-01-01
Long-term memory (LTM) is believed to be stored in the brain as changes in synaptic connections. Here, we show that LTM storage and synaptic change can be dissociated. Cocultures of Aplysia sensory and motor neurons were trained with spaced pulses of serotonin, which induces long-term facilitation. Serotonin (5HT) triggered growth of new presynaptic varicosities, a synaptic mechanism of long-term sensitization. Following 5HT training, two antimnemonic treatments—reconsolidation blockade and inhibition of PKM—caused the number of presynaptic varicosities to revert to the original, pretraining value. Surprisingly, the final synaptic structure was not achieved by targeted retraction of the 5HT-induced varicosities but, rather, by an apparently arbitrary retraction of both 5HT-induced and original synapses. In addition, we find evidence that the LTM for sensitization persists covertly after its apparent elimination by the same antimnemonic treatments that erase learning-related synaptic growth. These results challenge the idea that stable synapses store long-term memories. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.03896.001 PMID:25402831
Stevens, Karen E; Choo, Kevin S; Stitzel, Jerry A; Marks, Michael J; Adams, Catherine E
2014-03-13
Perinatal choline supplementation has produced several benefits in rodent models, from improved learning and memory to protection from the behavioral effects of fetal alcohol exposure. We have shown that supplemented choline through gestation and lactation produces long-term improvement in deficient sensory inhibition in DBA/2 mice which models a similar deficit in schizophrenia patients. The present study extends that research by feeding normal or supplemented choline diets to DBA/2 mice carrying the null mutation for the α7 nicotinic receptor gene (Chrna7). DBA/2 mice heterozygotic for Chrna7 were bred together. Dams were placed on supplemented (5 gm/kg diet) or normal (1.1 gm/kg diet) choline at mating and remained on the specific diet until offspring weaning. Thereafter, offspring were fed standard rodent chow. Adult offspring were assessed for sensory inhibition. Brains were obtained to ascertain hippocampal α7 nicotinic receptor levels. Choline-supplemented mice heterozygotic or null-mutant for Chrna7 failed to show improvement in sensory inhibition. Only wildtype choline-supplemented mice showed improvement with the effect solely through a decrease in test amplitude. This supports the hypothesis that gestational-choline supplementation is acting through the α7 nicotinic receptor to improve sensory inhibition. Although there was a significant gene-dose-related change in hippocampal α7 receptor numbers, binding studies did not reveal any choline-dose-related change in binding in any hippocampal region, the interaction being driven by a significant genotype main effect (wildtype>heterozygote>null mutant). These data parallel a human study wherein the offspring of pregnant women receiving choline supplementation during gestation, showed better sensory inhibition than offspring of women on placebo. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Stevens, Karen E.; Choo, Kevin S.; Stitzel, Jerry A.; Marks, Michael J.; Adams, Catherine E.
2014-01-01
Perinatal choline supplementation has produced several benefits in rodent models, from improved learning and memory to protection from the behavioral effects of fetal alcohol exposure. We have shown that supplemented choline through gestation and lactation produces long-term improvement in deficient sensory inhibition in DBA/2 mice which models a similar deficit in schizophrenia patients. The present study extends that research by feeding normal or supplemented choline diets to DBA/2 mice carrying the null mutation for the α7 nicotinic receptor gene (Chrna7). DBA/2 mice heterozygotic for Chrna7 were bred together. Dams were placed on supplemented (5 gm/kg diet) or normal (1.1 gm/kg diet) choline at mating and remained on the specific diet until offspring weaning. Thereafter, offspring were fed standard rodent chow. Adult offspring were assessed for sensory inhibition. Brains were obtained to ascertain hippocampal α7 nicotinic receptor levels. Choline-supplemented mice heterozygotic or null-mutant for Chrna7 failed to show improvement in sensory inhibition. Only wildtype choline-supplemented mice showed improvement with the effect solely through a decrease in test amplitude. This supports the hypothesis that gestational-choline supplementation is acting through the α7 nicotinic receptor to improve sensory inhibition. Although there was a significant gene-dose-related change in hippocampal α7 receptor numbers, binding studies did not reveal any choline-dose-related change in binding in any hippocampal region, the interaction being driven by a significant genotype main effect (wildtype>heterozygote>null mutant). These data parallel a human study wherein the offspring of pregnant women receiving choline supplementation during gestation, showed better sensory inhibition than offspring of women on placebo. PMID:24462939
Zahs, Anita; Bird, Melanie D.; Ramirez, Luis; Turner, Jerrold R.; Choudhry, Mashkoor A.
2012-01-01
Laboratory evidence suggests that intestinal permeability is elevated following either binge ethanol exposure or burn injury alone, and this barrier dysfunction is further perturbed when these insults are combined. We and others have previously reported a rise in both systemic and local proinflammatory cytokine production in mice after the combined insult. Knowing that long myosin light-chain kinase (MLCK) is important for epithelial barrier maintenance and can be activated by proinflammatory cytokines, we examined whether inhibition of MLCK alleviated detrimental intestinal responses seen after ethanol exposure and burn injury. To accomplish this, mice were given vehicle or a single binge ethanol exposure followed by a sham or dorsal scald burn injury. Following injury, one group of mice received membrane permeant inhibitor of MLCK (PIK). At 6 and 24 h postinjury, bacterial translocation and intestinal levels of proinflammatory cytokines were measured, and changes in tight junction protein localization and total intestinal morphology were analyzed. Elevated morphological damage, ileal IL-1β and IL-6 levels, and bacterial translocation were seen in mice exposed to ethanol and burn injury relative to either insult alone. This increase was not seen in mice receiving PIK after injury. Ethanol-exposed and burn-injured mice had reduced zonula occludens protein-1 and occludin localization to the tight junction relative to sham-injured mice. However, the observed changes in junctional complexes were not seen in our PIK-treated mice following the combined insult. These data suggest that MLCK activity may promote morphological and inflammatory responses in the ileum following ethanol exposure and burn injury. PMID:22790598
Does stress remove the HDAC brakes for the formation and persistence of long-term memory?
White, André O.; Wood, Marcelo A.
2013-01-01
It has been known for numerous decades that gene expression is required for long-lasting forms of memory. In the past decade, the study of epigenetic mechanisms in memory processes has revealed yet another layer of complexity in the regulation of gene expression. Epigenetic mechanisms do not only provide complexity in the protein regulatory complexes that control coordinate transcription for specific cell function, but the epigenome encodes critical information that integrates experience and cellular history for specific cell functions as well. Thus, epigenetic mechanisms provide a unique mechanism of gene expression regulation for memory processes. This may be why critical negative regulators of gene expression, such as histone deacetylases (HDACs), have powerful effects on the formation and persistence of memory. For example, HDAC inhibition has been shown to transform a subthreshold learning event into robust long-term memory and also generate a form of long-term memory that persists beyond the point at which normal long-term memory fails. A key question that is explored in this review, from a learning and memory perspective, is whether stress-dependent signaling drives the formation and persistence of long-term memory via HDAC-dependent mechanisms. PMID:24149059
Long-term Behavioral Tracking of Freely Swimming Weakly Electric Fish
Jun, James J.; Longtin, André; Maler, Leonard
2014-01-01
Long-term behavioral tracking can capture and quantify natural animal behaviors, including those occurring infrequently. Behaviors such as exploration and social interactions can be best studied by observing unrestrained, freely behaving animals. Weakly electric fish (WEF) display readily observable exploratory and social behaviors by emitting electric organ discharge (EOD). Here, we describe three effective techniques to synchronously measure the EOD, body position, and posture of a free-swimming WEF for an extended period of time. First, we describe the construction of an experimental tank inside of an isolation chamber designed to block external sources of sensory stimuli such as light, sound, and vibration. The aquarium was partitioned to accommodate four test specimens, and automated gates remotely control the animals' access to the central arena. Second, we describe a precise and reliable real-time EOD timing measurement method from freely swimming WEF. Signal distortions caused by the animal's body movements are corrected by spatial averaging and temporal processing stages. Third, we describe an underwater near-infrared imaging setup to observe unperturbed nocturnal animal behaviors. Infrared light pulses were used to synchronize the timing between the video and the physiological signal over a long recording duration. Our automated tracking software measures the animal's body position and posture reliably in an aquatic scene. In combination, these techniques enable long term observation of spontaneous behavior of freely swimming weakly electric fish in a reliable and precise manner. We believe our method can be similarly applied to the study of other aquatic animals by relating their physiological signals with exploratory or social behaviors. PMID:24637642
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Dong, Chenghai; Upadhya, Sudarshan C.; Ding, Lan; Smith, Thuy K.; Hegde, Ashok N.
2008-01-01
Protein degradation by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway plays important roles in synaptic plasticity, but the molecular mechanisms by which proteolysis regulates synaptic strength are not well understood. We investigated the role of the proteasome in hippocampal late-phase long-term potentiation (L-LTP), a model for enduring synaptic plasticity.…
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Racsmany, Mihaly; Conway, Martin A.
2006-01-01
Six experiments examined the proposal that an item of long-term knowledge can be simultaneously inhibited and activated. In 2 directed forgetting experiments items to-be-forgotten were found to be inhibited in list-cued recall but activated in lexical decision tasks. In 3 retrieval practice experiments, unpracticed items from practiced categories…
Luis, Lin M; Hu, Yuzhe; Zamiri, Camellia; Sreedhara, Alavattam
2018-05-31
Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are exposed to light during drug product (DP) manufacturing and the acceptable levels of light exposure needs to be determined based on the impact on product quality. In this study, a mild and more representative light model consisting of ambient light instead of stress light as prescribed by ICH Q1B was used to evaluate the impact of light exposure on mAb DP quality. The immediate effect of ambient light exposure on protein drug product quality was determined to be dependent on the amount of light exposure rather than light intensity (up to 5000 lux). The impact on quality of mAbs is product specific due to their differences in light sensitivity, in which mAb II shows larger increases in IEC basic variants and larger decreases in SEC monomer when compared to mAb I after 0.24 million lux hours of light exposure. The acceptable ambient light exposure for mAb II drug product manufacturing was determined to be 0.13 million lux hours, in which no impact on product quality was observed after the short-term light exposure. Additionally, real-time storage (5°C) of the DP after the prescribed ambient light exposure showed no impact to various product quality attributes. The light model used in this study is capable of determining the acceptable amount of ambient light exposure for mAbs, especially during DP manufacturing processes. Copyright © 2018, Parenteral Drug Association.
Long-term variability of T Tauri stars using WASP
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Rigon, Laura; Scholz, Alexander; Anderson, David; West, Richard
2017-03-01
We present a reference study of the long-term optical variability of young stars using data from the WASP project. Our primary sample is a group of well-studied classical T Tauri stars (CTTSs), mostly in Taurus-Auriga. WASP light curves cover time-scales of up to 7 yr and typically contain 10 000-30 000 data points. We quantify the variability as a function of time-scale using the time-dependent standard deviation 'pooled sigma'. We find that the overwhelming majority of CTTSs have a low-level variability with σ < 0.3 mag dominated by time-scales of a few weeks, consistent with rotational modulation. Thus, for most young stars, monitoring over a month is sufficient to constrain the total amount of variability over time-scales of up to a decade. The fraction of stars with a strong optical variability (σ > 0.3 mag) is 21 per cent in our sample and 21 per cent in an unbiased control sample. An even smaller fraction (13 per cent in our sample, 6 per cent in the control) show evidence for an increase in variability amplitude as a function of time-scale from weeks to months or years. The presence of long-term variability correlates with the spectral slope at 3-5 μm, which is an indicator of inner disc geometry, and with the U-B band slope, which is an accretion diagnostics. This shows that the long-term variations in CTTSs are predominantly driven by processes in the inner disc and in the accretion zone. Four of the stars with long-term variations show periods of 20-60 d, significantly longer than the rotation periods and stable over months to years. One possible explanation is cyclic changes in the interaction between the disc and the stellar magnetic field.
2005-12-01
Revenues Under CBO’s Long-Term Budget Scenarios 56A-8. Real Gross Domestic Product Under CBO’s Long-Term Budget Scenarios 57A-9. Total Surplus or...scenarios suggest that total federal spending for Medicare and Medicaid in 2050 could range anywhere from 7 percent of gross domestic product (GDP)—a...see the Congressional Budget Office’s glossary of budgetary and economic terms, available at www.cbo.gov. 2. The future path of productivity growth
Suzuki, Masato; Shindo, Daisuke; Suzuki, Ryuichiro; Shirataki, Yoshiaki; Waki, Hidefumi
2017-05-01
This study was performed to examine the effects of long-term caffeine-intake, with and without exercise, on the progression of diabetic nephropathy (DN) in an obese diabetic rat model. Thirty-two male Otsuka Long-Evans Tokushima fatty (OLETF) rats were assigned to sedentary (OLETF-Sed), exercise (OLETF-Ex), caffeine-intake (OLETF-Caf), and combined (OLETF-Caf + Ex) groups. Caffeine-intake groups were fed rat chow containing caffeine (90.7 ± 4.7 mg/kg/day). The OLETF-Ex and OLETF-Caf + Ex groups were able to run voluntarily at any time using a rotatory wheel. Body weight (BW) and blood pressure (BP) were measured weekly from 24 to 29 wk of age. Pre- and posttreatment serum glucose, insulin, and creatinine concentrations were measured, and a 24 h urine sample was collected for measurement of creatinine clearance (Ccr) and albumin excretion (UE Alb ). After treatment, the kidneys were removed for morphological analysis. The OLETF-Caf and OLETF-Caf + Ex groups exhibited no BP increase during the study. Both the caffeine-intake groups exhibited a significant increase in urine volume (UV), electrolyte excretion, and Ccr, and decreased UE Alb , following treatment. Furthermore, no structural damage was observed in the kidneys of rats from either caffeine-intake group, whereas the OLETF-Sed and OLETF-Ex groups exhibited DN progression. This study demonstrates that caffeine-intake alone and/or combined with exercise significantly decreases BW and improves glucose intolerance, without the progression of DN. Further research should be performed to examine whether the quantities of caffeine contained in a normal human daily intake also have a protective effect against kidney damage. NEW & NOTEWORTHY The present study showed that caffeine administration alone and/or combined with exercise results in an improvement of diabetic nephropathy (DN), including an increase in creatinine clearance and urinary Na excretion, a decrease in urinary protein excretion, and in renal
Long-term outcomes after severe shock.
Pratt, Cristina M; Hirshberg, Eliotte L; Jones, Jason P; Kuttler, Kathryn G; Lanspa, Michael J; Wilson, Emily L; Hopkins, Ramona O; Brown, Samuel M
2015-02-01
Severe shock is a life-threatening condition with very high short-term mortality. Whether the long-term outcomes among survivors of severe shock are similar to long-term outcomes of other critical illness survivors is unknown. We therefore sought to assess long-term survival and functional outcomes among 90-day survivors of severe shock and determine whether clinical predictors were associated with outcomes. Seventy-six patients who were alive 90 days after severe shock (received ≥1 μg/kg per minute of norepinephrine equivalent) were eligible for the study. We measured 3-year survival and long-term functional outcomes using the Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey, the EuroQOL 5-D-3L, the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, the Impact of Event Scale-Revised, and an employment instrument. We also assessed the relationship between in-hospital predictors and long-term outcomes. The mean long-term survival was 5.1 years; 82% (62 of 76) of patients survived, of whom 49 were eligible for follow-up. Patients who died were older than patients who survived. Thirty-six patients completed a telephone interview a mean of 5 years after hospital admission. The patients' Physical Functioning scores were below U.S. population norms (P < 0.001), whereas mental health scores were similar to population norms. Nineteen percent of the patients had symptoms of depression, 39% had symptoms of anxiety, and 8% had symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. Thirty-six percent were disabled, and 17% were working full-time. Early survivors of severe shock had a high 3-year survival rate. Patients' long-term physical and psychological outcomes were similar to those reported for cohorts of less severely ill intensive care unit survivors. Anxiety and depression were relatively common, but only a few patients had symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. This study supports the observation that acute illness severity does not determine long-term outcomes. Even extremely
Short-term Action Intentions Overrule Long-Term Semantic Knowledge
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
van Elk, M.; van Schie, H.T.; Bekkering, H.
2009-01-01
In the present study, we investigated whether the preparation of an unusual action with an object (e.g. bringing a cup towards the eye) could selectively overrule long-term semantic representations. In the first experiment it was found that unusual action intentions activated short-term semantic goal representations, rather than long-term…
He, Ping; Cheng, Xin; Staufenbiel, Matthias; Li, Rena; Shen, Yong
2013-01-01
Thalidomide is a tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) inhibitor which has been found to have abilities against tumor growth, angiogenesis and inflammation. Recently, it has been applied in clinic for the treatment of multiple myeloma as well as some inflammatory diseases. However, whether thalidomide has any therapeutic effects on neurodegenerative disorders, i.e. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is not clear. AD is characterized by excessive amount of amyloid β peptides (Aβ), which results in a significant release of inflammatory factors, including TNFα in the brain. Studies have shown that inhibition of TNFα reduces amyloid-associated pathology, prevents neuron loss and improves cognition. Our recent report showed that genetic inhibition of TNFα/TNF receptor signal transduction down-regulates β amyloid cleavage enzyme 1 (BACE1) activity, reduces Aβ generation and improves learning and memory deficits. However, the mechanism of thalidomide involving in the mitigation of AD neuropathological features remains unclear. Here, we chronically administrated thalidomide on human APPswedish mutation transgenic (APP23) mice from 9 months old (an onset of Aβ deposits and early stage of AD-like changes) to 12 months old. We found that, in addition of dramatic decrease in the activation of both astrocytes and microglia, thalidomide significantly reduces Aβ load and plaque formation. Furthermore, we found a significant decrease in BACE1 level and activity with long-term thalidomide application. Interestingly, these findings cannot be observed in the brains of 12-month-old APP23 mice with short-term treatment of thalidomide (3 days). These results suggest that chronic thalidomide administration is an alternative approach for AD prevention and therapeutics. PMID:23405115
López-Granero, Caridad; Cardona, Diana; Giménez, Estela; Lozano, Rafael; Barril, José; Aschner, Michael; Sánchez-Santed, Fernando; Cañadas, Fernando
2014-01-01
Organophosphates (OPs) affect behavior by inhibiting acetylcholinesterase (AChE). While the cognitive short-term effects may be directly attributed to this inhibition, the mechanisms that underlie OP's long-term cognitive effects remain controversial and poorly understood. Accordingly, two experiments were designed to assess the effects of OPs on cognition, and to ascertain whether both the short- and long-term effects of are AChE-dependent. A single subcutaneous dose of 250 mg/kg chlorpyrifos (CPF), 1.5mg/kg diisopropylphosphorofluoridate (DFP) or 15 mg/kg parathion (PTN) was administered to male Wistar rats. Spatial learning was evaluated 72 h or 23 weeks after exposure, and impulsive choice was tested at 10 and 30 weeks following OPs administration (experiment 1 and 2, respectively). Brain soluble and membrane-bound AChE activity, synaptic AChE-S mRNA, read-through AChE-R mRNA and brain acylpeptide hydrolase (APH) activity (as alternative non-cholinergic target) were analyzed upon completion of the behavioral testing (17 and 37 weeks after OPs exposure). Both short- and long-term CPF treatment caused statistically significant effects on spatial learning, while PTN treatment led only to statistically significant short-term effects. Neither CPF, DFP nor PTN affected the long-term impulsivity response. Long-term exposure to CPF and DFP significantly decreased AChE-S and AChE-R mRNA, while in the PTN treated group only AChE-S mRNA levels were decreased. However, after long-term OP exposure, soluble and membrane-bound AChE activity was indistinguishable from controls. Finally, no changes were noted in brain APH activity in response to OP treatment. Taken together, this study demonstrates long-term effects of OPs on AChE-S and AChE-R mRNA in the absence of changes in AChE soluble and membrane-bound activity. Thus, changes in AChE mRNA expression imply non-catalytic properties of the AChE enzyme. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Compensation for PKMζ in long-term potentiation and spatial long-term memory in mutant mice.
Tsokas, Panayiotis; Hsieh, Changchi; Yao, Yudong; Lesburguères, Edith; Wallace, Emma Jane Claire; Tcherepanov, Andrew; Jothianandan, Desingarao; Hartley, Benjamin Rush; Pan, Ling; Rivard, Bruno; Farese, Robert V; Sajan, Mini P; Bergold, Peter John; Hernández, Alejandro Iván; Cottrell, James E; Shouval, Harel Z; Fenton, André Antonio; Sacktor, Todd Charlton
2016-05-17
PKMζ is a persistently active PKC isoform proposed to maintain late-LTP and long-term memory. But late-LTP and memory are maintained without PKMζ in PKMζ-null mice. Two hypotheses can account for these findings. First, PKMζ is unimportant for LTP or memory. Second, PKMζ is essential for late-LTP and long-term memory in wild-type mice, and PKMζ-null mice recruit compensatory mechanisms. We find that whereas PKMζ persistently increases in LTP maintenance in wild-type mice, PKCι/λ, a gene-product closely related to PKMζ, persistently increases in LTP maintenance in PKMζ-null mice. Using a pharmacogenetic approach, we find PKMζ-antisense in hippocampus blocks late-LTP and spatial long-term memory in wild-type mice, but not in PKMζ-null mice without the target mRNA. Conversely, a PKCι/λ-antagonist disrupts late-LTP and spatial memory in PKMζ-null mice but not in wild-type mice. Thus, whereas PKMζ is essential for wild-type LTP and long-term memory, persistent PKCι/λ activation compensates for PKMζ loss in PKMζ-null mice.
Estimating long-term multivariate progression from short-term data.
Donohue, Michael C; Jacqmin-Gadda, Hélène; Le Goff, Mélanie; Thomas, Ronald G; Raman, Rema; Gamst, Anthony C; Beckett, Laurel A; Jack, Clifford R; Weiner, Michael W; Dartigues, Jean-François; Aisen, Paul S
2014-10-01
Diseases that progress slowly are often studied by observing cohorts at different stages of disease for short periods of time. The Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) follows elders with various degrees of cognitive impairment, from normal to impaired. The study includes a rich panel of novel cognitive tests, biomarkers, and brain images collected every 6 months for as long as 6 years. The relative timing of the observations with respect to disease pathology is unknown. We propose a general semiparametric model and iterative estimation procedure to estimate simultaneously the pathological timing and long-term growth curves. The resulting estimates of long-term progression are fine-tuned using cognitive trajectories derived from the long-term "Personnes Agées Quid" study. We demonstrate with simulations that the method can recover long-term disease trends from short-term observations. The method also estimates temporal ordering of individuals with respect to disease pathology, providing subject-specific prognostic estimates of the time until onset of symptoms. When the method is applied to ADNI data, the estimated growth curves are in general agreement with prevailing theories of the Alzheimer's disease cascade. Other data sets with common outcome measures can be combined using the proposed algorithm. Software to fit the model and reproduce results with the statistical software R is available as the grace package. ADNI data can be downloaded from the Laboratory of NeuroImaging. Copyright © 2014 The Alzheimer's Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Toft, Anna Karina Hugger; Lundbye, Camilla Johanne; Banke, Tue G
2016-09-21
Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a neurodevelopmental disease. It is one of the leading monogenic causes of intellectual disability among boys with most also displaying autism spectrum disorder traits. Here we investigated the role of NMDA receptors on mGluR-dependent long-term depression (mGluR-LTD), a key biomarker in the disease, at four different developmental stages. First, we applied the mGluR agonist 3,5-dihydroxyphenylglycine in the absence or presence of the NMDAR blocker, APV, hereby unmasking the NMDAR component in this process. As expected, in the presence of APV, we found more LTD in the mouse KO than in WT. This, however, was only observed in the p30-60 age group. At all other age groups tested, mGluR-LTD was almost identical between KO and WT. Interestingly, at p60, in the absence of APV, no or very little LTD was found in KO that was completely restored by application of APV. This suggests that the underlying cause of the enhanced mGluR-LTD in KO (at p30) is caused by dysregulated NMDAR signaling. To investigate this further, we next used NMDAR-subunit-specific antagonists. Inhibition of GluN2B, but not GluN2A, blocked mGluR-LTD only in WT. This was in contrast in the KO where blocking GluN2B rescued mGluR-LTD, suggesting GluN2B-containing NMDARs in the KO are hyperactive. Thus, these findings suggest strong involvement of GluN2B-containing-NMDARs in the pathophysiology of FXS and highlight a potential path for treatment for the disease. There is currently no cure for fragile X, although medications targeting specific FXS symptoms do exist. The FXS animal model, the Fmr1 knock-out mouse, has demonstrated an increased mGluR5-mediated long-term depression (LTD) leading to several clinical trials of mGluR5 inhibitors/modulators, yet all have failed. In addition, surprisingly little information exists about the possible role of other ion channels/receptors, including NMDA receptors (NMDAR), in mGluR-LTD. Here we focus on NMDARs and their regulation of m
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Gosz, J.
2001-12-01
The network dedicated to Long Term Ecological Research (LTER) in the United States has grown to 24 sites since it was formed in 1980. Long-term research and monitoring are performed on parameters thatare basic to all ecosystems and are required to understand patterns, processes, and relationship to change. Collectively, the sites in the LTER Network provide opportunities to contrast marine, coastal, and continental regions, the full range of climatic gradients existing in North America, and aquatic and terrestrial habitats in a range of ecosystem types. The combination of common core areas and long-term research and monitoring in many habitats have allowed unprecedented abilities to understand and compare complex temporal and spatial dynamics associated with issues like climate change, effects of pollution, biodiversity and landuse. For example, McMurdo Dry Valley in the Antarctic has demonstrated an increase in glacier mass since 1993 which coincides with a period of cooler than normal summers and more than average snowfall. In contrast, the Bonanza Creek and Toolik Lake sites in Alaska have recorded a warming period unprecedented in the past 200 years. Nitrogen deposition effects have been identified through long-term watershed studies on biogeochemical cycles, especially at Coweeta Hydrological Lab, Harvard Forest, and the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest. In aquatic systems, such as the Northern Temperate Lakes site, long-term data revealed time lags in effects of invaders and disturbance on lake communities. Biological recovery from an effect such as lake acidification was shown to lag behind chemical recovery. The long-term changes documented over 2 decades have been instrumental in influencing management practices in many of the LTER areas. In Puerto Rico, the Luquillo LTER demonstrated that dams obstruct migrations of fish and freshwater shrimp and water abstraction at low flows can completely obliterate downstream migration of juveniles and damage
Long-Term Opioid Therapy Reconsidered
Von Korff, Michael; Kolodny, Andrew; Deyo, Richard A.; Chou, Roger
2012-01-01
In the past 20 years, primary care physicians have greatly increased prescribing of long-term opioid therapy. However, the rise in opioid prescribing has outpaced the evidence regarding this practice. Increased opioid availability has been accompanied by an epidemic of opioid abuse and overdose. The rate of opioid addiction among patients receiving long-term opioid therapy remains unclear, but research suggests that opioid misuse is not rare. Recent studies report increased risks for serious adverse events, including fractures, cardiovascular events, and bowel obstruction, although further research on medical risks is needed. New data indicate that opioid-related risks may increase with dose. From a societal perspective, higher-dose regimens account for the majority of opioids dispensed, so cautious dosing may reduce both diversion potential and patient risks for adverse effects. Limiting long-term opioid therapy to patients for whom it provides decisive benefits could also reduce risks. Given the warning signs and knowledge gaps, greater caution and selectivity are needed in prescribing long-term opioid therapy. Until stronger evidence becomes available, clinicians should err on the side of caution when considering this treatment. PMID:21893626
Andersen, Lars L; Clausen, Thomas; Persson, Roger; Holtermann, Andreas
2012-12-19
The prevalence of musculoskeletal pain is high among healthcare workers. Knowledge about risk factors at work is needed to efficiently target preventive strategies. This study estimates the prognosis for recovery from long-term musculoskeletal pain in different body regions among healthcare workers with different levels of perceived physical exertion during healthcare work. Prospective cohort study among 4,977 Danish female healthcare workers responding to a baseline and follow-up questionnaire in 2005 and 2006, respectively. We defined long-term pain, short-term pain and pain-free as > 30, 1-30 and 0 days with pain during the last year, and included in the analyses only those with long-term pain at baseline in the low back (N=1,089), neck/shoulder (N=1,400) and knees (N = 579), respectively. Using cumulative logistic regression analysis, the prognosis for recovering from long-term pain at baseline to short-term pain or pain-free at follow-up in the respective body regions when experiencing moderate or light (reference: strenuous) physical exertion during healthcare work was modeled. Among those with long-term pain at baseline 34% (low back), 29% (neck/shoulders), and 29% (knees) recovered to short-term pain at follow-up and 7% (low back), 8% (neck/shoulders), and 17% (knees) recovered to being pain-free. After adjusting for potential confounders (age, BMI, tenure, smoking status, leisure physical activity and psychosocial work conditions), light perceived physical exertion during healthcare work was associated with improved prognosis for recovery from long-term pain in the low back (OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.01 - 1.99) and neck/shoulders (OR 1.89, 95% CI 1.43 - 2.50), but not in the knees. Moderate physical exertion was not associated with improved prognosis for recovery from long-term pain for any of the body regions. In the present study, healthcare workers with light perceived physical exertion during healthcare work had the best prognosis for recovery from long-term
Memory for relations in the short term and the long term after medial temporal lobe damage.
Squire, Larry R
2017-05-01
A central idea about the organization of declarative memory and the function of the hippocampus is that the hippocampus provides for the coding of relationships between items. A question arises whether this idea refers to the process of forming long-term memory or whether, as some studies have suggested, memory for relations might depend on the hippocampus even at short retention intervals and even when the task falls within the province of short-term (working) memory. The latter formulation appears to place the operation of relational memory into conflict with the idea that working memory is independent of medial temporal lobe (MTL) structures. In this report, the concepts of relational memory and working memory are discussed in the light of a simple demonstration experiment. Patients with MTL lesions successfully learned and recalled two word pairs when tested directly after learning but failed altogether when tested after a delay. The results do not contradict the idea that the hippocampus has a fundamental role in relational memory. However, there is a need for further elaboration and specification of the idea in order to explain why patients with MTL lesions can establish relational memory in the short term but not in long-term memory. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Neurotrophins play differential roles in short and long-term recognition memory.
Callaghan, Charlotte K; Kelly, Aine M
2013-09-01
The neurotrophin family of proteins are believed to mediate various forms of synaptic plasticity in the adult brain. Here we have assessed the roles of these proteins in object recognition memory in the rat, using icv infusions of function-blocking antibodies or the tyrosine kinase antagonist, tyrphostin AG879, to block Trk receptors. We report that tyrphostin AG879 impairs both short-term and long-term recognition memory, indicating a requirement for Trk receptor activation in both processes. The effect of inhibition of each of the neurotrophins with activity-blocking neutralising antibodies was also tested. Treatment with anti-BDNF, anti-NGF or anti-NT4 had no effect on short-term memory, but blocked long-term recognition memory. Treatment with anti-NT3 had no effect on either process. We also assessed changes in expression of neurotrophins and their respective receptors in the hippocampus, dentate gyrus and perirhinal cortex over a 24 h period following training in the object recognition task. We observed time-dependent changes in expression of the Trk receptors and their ligands in the dentate gyrus and perirhinal cortex. The data are consistent with a pivotal role for neurotrophic factors in the expression of recognition memory. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Long-term potentiation decay and memory loss are mediated by AMPAR endocytosis.
Dong, Zhifang; Han, Huili; Li, Hongjie; Bai, Yanrui; Wang, Wei; Tu, Man; Peng, Yan; Zhou, Limin; He, Wenting; Wu, Xiaobin; Tan, Tao; Liu, Mingjing; Wu, Xiaoyan; Zhou, Weihui; Jin, Wuyang; Zhang, Shu; Sacktor, Todd Charlton; Li, Tingyu; Song, Weihong; Wang, Yu Tian
2015-01-01
Long-term potentiation (LTP) of synaptic strength between hippocampal neurons is associated with learning and memory, and LTP dysfunction is thought to underlie memory loss. LTP can be temporally and mechanistically classified into decaying (early-phase) LTP and nondecaying (late-phase) LTP. While the nondecaying nature of LTP is thought to depend on protein synthesis and contribute to memory maintenance, little is known about the mechanisms and roles of decaying LTP. Here, we demonstrated that inhibiting endocytosis of postsynaptic α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-isoxazole-4-propionic acid receptors (AMPARs) prevents LTP decay, thereby converting it into nondecaying LTP. Conversely, restoration of AMPAR endocytosis by inhibiting protein kinase Mζ (PKMζ) converted nondecaying LTP into decaying LTP. Similarly, inhibition of AMPAR endocytosis prolonged memory retention in normal animals and reduced memory loss in a murine model of Alzheimer's disease. These results strongly suggest that an active process that involves AMPAR endocytosis mediates the decay of LTP and that inhibition of this process can prolong the longevity of LTP as well as memory under both physiological and pathological conditions.
Very long-term sequelae of craniopharyngioma.
Wijnen, Mark; van den Heuvel-Eibrink, Marry M; Janssen, Joseph A M J L; Catsman-Berrevoets, Coriene E; Michiels, Erna M C; van Veelen-Vincent, Marie-Lise C; Dallenga, Alof H G; van den Berge, J Herbert; van Rij, Carolien M; van der Lely, Aart-Jan; Neggers, Sebastian J C M M
2017-06-01
Studies investigating long-term health conditions in patients with craniopharyngioma are limited by short follow-up durations and generally do not compare long-term health effects according to initial craniopharyngioma treatment approach. In addition, studies comparing long-term health conditions between patients with childhood- and adult-onset craniopharyngioma report conflicting results. The objective of this study was to analyse a full spectrum of long-term health effects in patients with craniopharyngioma according to initial treatment approach and age group at craniopharyngioma presentation. Cross-sectional study based on retrospective data. We studied a single-centre cohort of 128 patients with craniopharyngioma treated from 1980 onwards (63 patients with childhood-onset disease). Median follow-up since craniopharyngioma presentation was 13 years (interquartile range: 5-23 years). Initial craniopharyngioma treatment approaches included gross total resection ( n = 25), subtotal resection without radiotherapy ( n = 44), subtotal resection with radiotherapy ( n = 25), cyst aspiration without radiotherapy ( n = 8), and 90 Yttrium brachytherapy ( n = 21). Pituitary hormone deficiencies (98%), visual disturbances (75%) and obesity (56%) were the most common long-term health conditions observed. Different initial craniopharyngioma treatment approaches resulted in similar long-term health effects. Patients with childhood-onset craniopharyngioma experienced significantly more growth hormone deficiency, diabetes insipidus, panhypopituitarism, morbid obesity, epilepsy and psychiatric conditions compared with patients with adult-onset disease. Recurrence-/progression-free survival was significantly lower after initial craniopharyngioma treatment with cyst aspiration compared with other therapeutic approaches. Survival was similar between patients with childhood- and adult-onset craniopharyngioma. Long-term health conditions were comparable after
Modeling forest biomass and growth: Coupling long-term inventory and LiDAR data
Chad Babcock; Andrew O. Finley; Bruce D. Cook; Aaron Weiskittel; Christopher W. Woodall
2016-01-01
Combining spatially-explicit long-term forest inventory and remotely sensed information from Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) datasets through statistical models can be a powerful tool for predicting and mapping above-ground biomass (AGB) at a range of geographic scales. We present and examine a novel modeling approach to improve prediction of AGB and estimate AGB...
Does stress remove the HDAC brakes for the formation and persistence of long-term memory?
White, André O; Wood, Marcelo A
2014-07-01
It has been known for numerous decades that gene expression is required for long-lasting forms of memory. In the past decade, the study of epigenetic mechanisms in memory processes has revealed yet another layer of complexity in the regulation of gene expression. Epigenetic mechanisms do not only provide complexity in the protein regulatory complexes that control coordinate transcription for specific cell function, but the epigenome encodes critical information that integrates experience and cellular history for specific cell functions as well. Thus, epigenetic mechanisms provide a unique mechanism of gene expression regulation for memory processes. This may be why critical negative regulators of gene expression, such as histone deacetylases (HDACs), have powerful effects on the formation and persistence of memory. For example, HDAC inhibition has been shown to transform a subthreshold learning event into robust long-term memory and also generate a form of long-term memory that persists beyond the point at which normal long-term memory fails. A key question that is explored in this review, from a learning and memory perspective, is whether stress-dependent signaling drives the formation and persistence of long-term memory via HDAC-dependent mechanisms. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
HDAC3 Is a Critical Negative Regulator of Long-Term Memory Formation
McQuown, Susan C.; Barrett, Ruth M.; Matheos, Dina P.; Post, Rebecca J.; Rogge, George A.; Alenghat, Theresa; Mullican, Shannon E.; Jones, Steven; Rusche, James R.; Lazar, Mitchell A.; Wood, Marcelo A.
2011-01-01
Gene expression is dynamically regulated by chromatin modifications on histone tails, such as acetylation. In general, histone acetylation promotes transcription, whereas histone deacetylation negatively regulates transcription. The interplay between histone acetyl-transerases and histone deacetylases (HDACs) is pivotal for the regulation of gene expression required for long-term memory processes. Currently, very little is known about the role of individual HDACs in learning and memory. We examined the role of HDAC3 in long-term memory using a combined genetic and pharmacologic approach. We used HDAC3–FLOX genetically modified mice in combination with adeno-associated virus-expressing Cre recombinase to generate focal homozygous deletions of Hdac3 in area CA1 of the dorsal hippocampus. To complement this approach, we also used a selective inhibitor of HDAC3, RGFP136 [N-(6-(2-amino-4-fluorophenylamino)-6-oxohexyl)-4-methylbenzamide]. Immunohistochemistry showed that focal deletion or intrahippocampal delivery of RGFP136 resulted in increased histone acetylation. Both the focal deletion of HDAC3 as well as HDAC3 inhibition via RGFP136 significantly enhanced long-term memory in a persistent manner. Next we examined expression of genes implicated in long-term memory from dorsal hippocampal punches using quantitative reverse transcription-PCR. Expression of nuclear receptor subfamily 4 group A, member 2 (Nr4a2) and c-fos was significantly increased in the hippocampus of HDAC3–FLOX mice compared with wild-type controls. Memory enhancements observed in HDAC3–FLOX mice were abolished by intrahippocampal delivery of Nr4a2 small interfering RNA, suggesting a mechanism by which HDAC3 negatively regulates memory formation. Together, these findings demonstrate a critical role for HDAC3 in the molecular mechanisms underlying long-term memory formation. PMID:21228185
Long-term care in international perspective.
Doty, P
1988-12-01
The findings of a study of long-term care policies in 18 countries are reported in this article. Initial data were collected by a questionnaire survey under the auspices of the International Social Security Association. These data were supplemented by published documents and government statistics obtained while researching long-term care for the International Social Security Association and, subsequently, for the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. The principal focus is a cross-national comparison of institutionalization rates for the elderly. Differences in use rates for medically oriented facilities are less than those for nonmedical residential long-term care facilities. Only a small amount of variation is related to demographic differences, such as older or more female elderly populations in those countries with higher institutionalization rates. Included also is a description of the modes of financing long-term care.
Long-Term Interactions of Streamflow Generation and River Basin Morphology
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Huang, X.; Niemann, J.
2005-12-01
It is well known that the spatial patterns and dynamics of streamflow generation processes depend on river basin topography, but the impact of streamflow generation processes on the long-term evolution of river basins has not drawn as much attention. Fluvial erosion processes are driven by streamflow, which can be produced by Horton runoff, Dunne runoff, and groundwater discharge. In this analysis, we hypothesize that the dominant streamflow generation process in a basin affects the spatial patterns of fluvial erosion and that the nature of these patterns changes for storm events with differing return periods. Furthermore, we hypothesize that differences in the erosion patterns modify the topography over the long term in a way that promotes and/or inhibits the other streamflow generation mechanisms. In order to test these hypotheses, a detailed hydrologic model is imbedded into an existing landscape evolution model. Precipitation events are simulated with a Poisson process and have random intensities and durations. The precipitation is partitioned between Horton runoff and infiltration to groundwater using a specified infiltration capacity. Groundwater flow is described by a two-dimensional Dupuit equation for a homogeneous, isotropic, unconfined aquifer with an irregular underlying impervious layer. Dunne runoff occurs when precipitation falls on locations where the water table reaches the land surface. The combined hydrologic/geomorphic model is applied to the WE-38 basin, an experimental watershed in Pennsylvania that has substantial available hydrologic data. First, the hydrologic model is calibrated to reproduce the observed streamflow for 1990 using the observed rainfall as the input. Then, the relative roles of Horton runoff, Dunne runoff, and groundwater discharge are controlled by varying the infiltration capacity of the soil. For each infiltration capacity, the hydrologic and geomorphic behavior of the current topography is analyzed and the long-term
Compensation for PKMζ in long-term potentiation and spatial long-term memory in mutant mice
Tsokas, Panayiotis; Hsieh, Changchi; Yao, Yudong; Lesburguères, Edith; Wallace, Emma Jane Claire; Tcherepanov, Andrew; Jothianandan, Desingarao; Hartley, Benjamin Rush; Pan, Ling; Rivard, Bruno; Farese, Robert V; Sajan, Mini P; Bergold, Peter John; Hernández, Alejandro Iván; Cottrell, James E; Shouval, Harel Z; Fenton, André Antonio; Sacktor, Todd Charlton
2016-01-01
PKMζ is a persistently active PKC isoform proposed to maintain late-LTP and long-term memory. But late-LTP and memory are maintained without PKMζ in PKMζ-null mice. Two hypotheses can account for these findings. First, PKMζ is unimportant for LTP or memory. Second, PKMζ is essential for late-LTP and long-term memory in wild-type mice, and PKMζ-null mice recruit compensatory mechanisms. We find that whereas PKMζ persistently increases in LTP maintenance in wild-type mice, PKCι/λ, a gene-product closely related to PKMζ, persistently increases in LTP maintenance in PKMζ-null mice. Using a pharmacogenetic approach, we find PKMζ-antisense in hippocampus blocks late-LTP and spatial long-term memory in wild-type mice, but not in PKMζ-null mice without the target mRNA. Conversely, a PKCι/λ-antagonist disrupts late-LTP and spatial memory in PKMζ-null mice but not in wild-type mice. Thus, whereas PKMζ is essential for wild-type LTP and long-term memory, persistent PKCι/λ activation compensates for PKMζ loss in PKMζ-null mice. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.14846.001 PMID:27187150
Baker, Christa A.
2014-01-01
A variety of synaptic mechanisms can contribute to single-neuron selectivity for temporal intervals in sensory stimuli. However, it remains unknown how these mechanisms interact to establish single-neuron sensitivity to temporal patterns of sensory stimulation in vivo. Here we address this question in a circuit that allows us to control the precise temporal patterns of synaptic input to interval-tuned neurons in behaviorally relevant ways. We obtained in vivo intracellular recordings under multiple levels of current clamp from midbrain neurons in the mormyrid weakly electric fish Brienomyrus brachyistius during stimulation with electrosensory pulse trains. To reveal the excitatory and inhibitory inputs onto interval-tuned neurons, we then estimated the synaptic conductances underlying responses. We found short-term depression in excitatory and inhibitory pathways onto all interval-tuned neurons. Short-interval selectivity was associated with excitation that depressed less than inhibition at short intervals, as well as temporally summating excitation. Long-interval selectivity was associated with long-lasting onset inhibition. We investigated tuning after separately nullifying the contributions of temporal summation and depression, and found the greatest diversity of interval selectivity among neurons when both mechanisms were at play. Furthermore, eliminating the effects of depression decreased sensitivity to directional changes in interval. These findings demonstrate that variation in depression and summation of excitation and inhibition helps to establish tuning to behaviorally relevant intervals in communication signals, and that depression contributes to neural coding of interval sequences. This work reveals for the first time how the interplay between short-term plasticity and temporal summation mediates the decoding of temporal sequences in awake, behaving animals. PMID:25339741
Physiological responses to daily light exposure
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Yang, Yefeng; Yu, Yonghua; Yang, Bo; Zhou, Hong; Pan, Jinming
2016-04-01
Long daylength artificial light exposure associates with disorders, and a potential physiological mechanism has been proposed. However, previous studies have examined no more than three artificial light treatments and limited metabolic parameters, which have been insufficient to demonstrate mechanical responses. Here, comprehensive physiological response curves were established and the physiological mechanism was strengthened. Chicks were illuminated for 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, or 22 h periods each day. A quadratic relationship between abdominal adipose weight (AAW) and light period suggested that long-term or short-term light exposure could decrease the amount of AAW. Quantitative relationships between physiological parameters and daily light period were also established in this study. The relationships between triglycerides (TG), cholesterol (TC), glucose (GLU), phosphorus (P) levels and daily light period could be described by quadratic regression models. TG levels, AAW, and BW positively correlated with each other, suggesting long-term light exposure significantly increased AAW by increasing TG thus resulting in greater BW. A positive correlation between blood triiodothyronine (T3) levels and BW suggested that daily long-term light exposure increased BW by thyroid hormone secretion. Though the molecular pathway remains unknown, these results suggest a comprehensive physiological mechanism through which light exposure affects growth.
Competitive short-term and long-term memory processes in spatial habituation.
Sanderson, David J; Bannerman, David M
2011-04-01
Exposure to a spatial location leads to habituation of exploration such that, in a novelty preference test, rodents subsequently prefer exploring a novel location to the familiar location. According to Wagner's (1981) theory of memory, short-term and long-term habituation are caused by separate and sometimes opponent processes. In the present study, this dual-process account of memory was tested. Mice received a series of exposure training trials to a location before receiving a novelty preference test. The novelty preference was greater when tested after a short, rather than a long, interval. In contrast, the novelty preference was weaker when exposure training trials were separated by a short, rather than a long interval. Furthermore, it was found that long-term habituation was determined by the independent effects of the amount of exposure training and the number of exposure training trials when factors such as the intertrial interval and the cumulative intertrial interval were controlled. A final experiment demonstrated that a long-term reduction of exploration could be caused by a negative priming effect due to associations formed during exploration. These results provide evidence against a single-process account of habituation and suggest that spatial habituation is determined by both short-term, recency-based memory and long-term, incrementally strengthened memory.
Thick-tissue bioreactor as a platform for long-term organotypic culture and drug delivery.
Markov, Dmitry A; Lu, Jenny Q; Samson, Philip C; Wikswo, John P; McCawley, Lisa J
2012-11-07
We have developed a novel, portable, gravity-fed, microfluidics-based platform suitable for optical interrogation of long-term organotypic cell culture. This system is designed to provide convenient control of cell maintenance, nutrients, and experimental reagent delivery to tissue-like cell densities housed in a transparent, low-volume microenvironment. To demonstrate the ability of our Thick-Tissue Bioreactor (TTB) to provide stable, long-term maintenance of high-density cellular arrays, we observed the morphogenic growth of human mammary epithelial cell lines, MCF-10A and their invasive variants, cultured under three-dimensional (3D) conditions inside our system. Over the course of 21 days, these cells typically develop into hollow "mammospheres" if cultured in standard 3D Matrigel. This complex morphogenic process requires alterations in a variety of cellular functions, including degradation of extracellular matrix that is regulated by cell-produced matrix proteinases. For our "drug" delivery testing and validation experiments we have introduced proteinase inhibitors into the fluid supply system, and we observed both reduced proteinase activity and inhibited cellular morphogenesis. The size inhibition results correlated well with the overall proteinase activities of the tested cells.
O'Donoghue, Beth; NicAogáin, Kerrie; Bennett, Claire; Conneely, Alan; Tiensuu, Teresa; Johansson, Jörgen; O'Byrne, Conor
2016-07-01
Listeria monocytogenes senses blue light via the flavin mononucleotide-containing sensory protein Lmo0799, leading to activation of the general stress response sigma factor SigB (σ(B)). In this study, we investigated the physiological response of this foodborne pathogen to blue light. We show that blue light (460 to 470 nm) doses of 1.5 to 2 mW cm(-2) cause inhibition of growth on agar-based and liquid culture media. The inhibitory effects are dependent on cell density, with reduced effects evident when high cell numbers are present. The addition of 20 mM dimethylthiourea, a scavenger of reactive oxygen species, or catalase to the medium reverses the inhibitory effects of blue light, suggesting that growth inhibition is mediated by the formation of reactive oxygen species. A mutant strain lacking σ(B) (ΔsigB) was found to be less inhibited by blue light than the wild type, likely indicating the energetic cost of deploying the general stress response. When a lethal dose of light (8 mW cm(-2)) was applied to cells, the ΔsigB mutant displayed a marked increase in sensitivity to light compared to the wild type. To investigate the role of the blue-light sensor Lmo0799, mutants were constructed that either had a deletion of the gene (Δlmo0799) or alteration in a conserved cysteine residue at position 56, which is predicted to play a pivotal role in the photocycle of the protein (lmo0799 C56A). Both mutants displayed phenotypes similar to the ΔsigB mutant in the presence of blue light, providing genetic evidence that residue 56 is critical for light sensing in L. monocytogenes Taken together, these results demonstrate that L. monocytogenes is inhibited by blue light in a manner that depends on reactive oxygen species, and they demonstrate clear light-dependent phenotypes associated with σ(B) and the blue-light sensor Lmo0799. Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterial foodborne pathogen that can cause life-threatening infections in humans. It is known to be able to
O'Donoghue, Beth; NicAogáin, Kerrie; Bennett, Claire; Conneely, Alan; Tiensuu, Teresa; Johansson, Jörgen
2016-01-01
ABSTRACT Listeria monocytogenes senses blue light via the flavin mononucleotide-containing sensory protein Lmo0799, leading to activation of the general stress response sigma factor SigB (σB). In this study, we investigated the physiological response of this foodborne pathogen to blue light. We show that blue light (460 to 470 nm) doses of 1.5 to 2 mW cm−2 cause inhibition of growth on agar-based and liquid culture media. The inhibitory effects are dependent on cell density, with reduced effects evident when high cell numbers are present. The addition of 20 mM dimethylthiourea, a scavenger of reactive oxygen species, or catalase to the medium reverses the inhibitory effects of blue light, suggesting that growth inhibition is mediated by the formation of reactive oxygen species. A mutant strain lacking σB (ΔsigB) was found to be less inhibited by blue light than the wild type, likely indicating the energetic cost of deploying the general stress response. When a lethal dose of light (8 mW cm−2) was applied to cells, the ΔsigB mutant displayed a marked increase in sensitivity to light compared to the wild type. To investigate the role of the blue-light sensor Lmo0799, mutants were constructed that either had a deletion of the gene (Δlmo0799) or alteration in a conserved cysteine residue at position 56, which is predicted to play a pivotal role in the photocycle of the protein (lmo0799 C56A). Both mutants displayed phenotypes similar to the ΔsigB mutant in the presence of blue light, providing genetic evidence that residue 56 is critical for light sensing in L. monocytogenes. Taken together, these results demonstrate that L. monocytogenes is inhibited by blue light in a manner that depends on reactive oxygen species, and they demonstrate clear light-dependent phenotypes associated with σB and the blue-light sensor Lmo0799. IMPORTANCE Listeria monocytogenes is a bacterial foodborne pathogen that can cause life-threatening infections in humans. It is known to
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Haettig, Jakob; Stefanko, Daniel P.; Multani, Monica L.; Figueroa, Dario X.; McQuown, Susan C.; Wood, Marcelo A.
2011-01-01
Transcription of genes required for long-term memory not only involves transcription factors, but also enzymatic protein complexes that modify chromatin structure. Chromatin-modifying enzymes, such as the histone acetyltransferase (HAT) CREB (cyclic-AMP response element binding) binding protein (CBP), are pivotal for the transcriptional regulation…
Pöschel, Beatrice; Wroblewska, Barbara; Heinemann, Uwe; Manahan-Vaughan, Denise
2005-09-01
Group II metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) play an important role in the regulation of hippocampal synaptic plasticity in vivo: long-term potentiation (LTP) is inhibited and long-term depression (LTD) is enhanced by activation of these receptors. The contribution, in vivo, of the individual group II mGluR subtypes has not been characterized. We analysed the involvement of the subtype mGluR3 in LTD and LTP. Rats were implanted with electrodes to enable chronic measurement of evoked potentials from medial perforant path-dentate gyrus synapses. Neither the selective mGluR3 agonist, N-acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG), nor the antagonist beta-NAAG, given intracerebrally, affected basal synaptic transmission. beta-NAAG significantly inhibited LTD expression. NAAG exhibited transient inhibitory effects on the intermediate phase of LTD. Whereas NAAG altered paired-pulse responses, beta-NAAG had no effect, suggesting that antagonism of mGluR3 prevents LTD via a postsynaptic mechanism, whereas agonist activation of mGluR3 modulates LTD at a presynaptic locus. NAAG impaired the expression of LTP, whereas beta-NAAG had no effect. NAAG effects on LTP were blocked by EGLU, a selective group II mGluR antagonist. Our data suggest an essential role for mGluR3 in LTD, and a modulatory role for mGluR3 in LTP, with effects being mediated by distinct pre- and post-synaptic loci.
Business Students' Choice of Short-Term or Long-Term Study Abroad Opportunities
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Fitzsimmons, Stacey R.; Flanagan, David J.; Wang, Xiaodan
2013-01-01
Recent years have seen a proliferation of short-term study abroad opportunities. Although they are both supplementing and replacing semester-long study abroad programs, research has focused primarily on semester (long-term) programs. We draw on the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to explore factors that predict why students choose long-term and…
Long term measurements of light absorbing particles on tropical glaciers
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Schmitt, C. G.; Sanchez Rodriguez, W.; Arnott, W. P.; All, J.; Schwarz, J. P.
2016-12-01
We present results of six years of measurements of light absorbing particles (LAP) on glaciers of the Cordillera Blanca mountain range in Peru. Tropical glaciers are important sources of water for human consumption, agriculture, and hydroelectric power in the region. Regular measurements in the dry season show that light absorbing particle concentrations are generally low (equivalent to the absorption equivalent of 5-30 nanograms of black carbon per gram of snow) during non-El Nino years while values increase substantially during the recent El Nino. Two years of monthly measurements at two glaciers show that fresh snow LAP concentration are very low while LAP levels increase dramatically during snow-less periods.
Long Periodic Terms in the Solar System
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Bretagnon, P.
1982-01-01
The long period variations of the first eight planets in the solar system are studied. First, the Lagrangian solution is calculated and then the long period terms with fourth order eccentricities and inclinations are introduced into the perturbation function. A second approximation was made taking into account the short period terms' contribution, namely the perturbations of first order with respect to the masses. Special attention was paid to the determination of the integration constants. The relative importance of the different contributions is shown. It is useless, for example, to introduce the long period terms of fifth order if no account has been taken of the short period terms. Meanwhile, the terms that have been neglected would not introduce large changes in the integration constants. Even so, the calculation should be repeated with higher order short period terms and fifth order long periods.
Long-Term Hearing Results After Ossiculoplasty.
Cox, Matthew D; Trinidade, Aaron; Russell, James Shep; Dornhoffer, John L
2017-04-01
To determine if the OOPS index is predictive of long-term hearing results after ossiculoplasty. Case series with retrospective chart review. Tertiary care otology practice. Adult and pediatric patients (3-88 years of age). Ossiculoplasty with cartilage tympanoplasty, with or without mastoidectomy. Primary outcome measures included short-term hearing results (pure-tone average air-bone gap [PTA-ABG] measured between 60 days and 1 year after surgery), long-term hearing results (PTA-ABG measured ≥5 years after surgery), and the rate of successful ABG closure to ≤20 dB. Secondary measures included the need for revision surgery, delayed tympanic membrane graft failure, worsening conductive hearing loss (after an initially satisfactory hearing result), and recurrence of cholesteatoma. There was no significant difference between adults and children for short-term hearing results (average post-op PTA-ABG was 18.9 dB vs. 19.8 dB, respectively; p = 0.544), long-term hearing results (average final PTA-ABG was 19.3 dB vs. 19.4 dB, respectively; p = 0.922), or rate of ABG closure to less than 20 dB (63.1% vs. 58.0%, p = 0.282). Spearman's rank-order correlation (ρ) identified a strong positive correlation between OOPS index score and average post-operative PTA-ABG (ρ = 0.983; p < 0.001; 2-tailed), as well as average long-term PTA-ABG (ρ = 0.950, p < 0.001; 2-tailed). The OOPS index makes it possible to accurately prognosticate hearing outcomes in adult and pediatric patients undergoing ossiculoplasty in both the short term and the long term.
Short-term memory and long-term memory are still different.
Norris, Dennis
2017-09-01
A commonly expressed view is that short-term memory (STM) is nothing more than activated long-term memory. If true, this would overturn a central tenet of cognitive psychology-the idea that there are functionally and neurobiologically distinct short- and long-term stores. Here I present an updated case for a separation between short- and long-term stores, focusing on the computational demands placed on any STM system. STM must support memory for previously unencountered information, the storage of multiple tokens of the same type, and variable binding. None of these can be achieved simply by activating long-term memory. For example, even a simple sequence of digits such as "1, 3, 1" where there are 2 tokens of the digit "1" cannot be stored in the correct order simply by activating the representations of the digits "1" and "3" in LTM. I also review recent neuroimaging data that has been presented as evidence that STM is activated LTM and show that these data are exactly what one would expect to see based on a conventional 2-store view. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).
Short-Term Memory and Long-Term Memory are Still Different
2017-01-01
A commonly expressed view is that short-term memory (STM) is nothing more than activated long-term memory. If true, this would overturn a central tenet of cognitive psychology—the idea that there are functionally and neurobiologically distinct short- and long-term stores. Here I present an updated case for a separation between short- and long-term stores, focusing on the computational demands placed on any STM system. STM must support memory for previously unencountered information, the storage of multiple tokens of the same type, and variable binding. None of these can be achieved simply by activating long-term memory. For example, even a simple sequence of digits such as “1, 3, 1” where there are 2 tokens of the digit “1” cannot be stored in the correct order simply by activating the representations of the digits “1” and “3” in LTM. I also review recent neuroimaging data that has been presented as evidence that STM is activated LTM and show that these data are exactly what one would expect to see based on a conventional 2-store view. PMID:28530428
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Velgosová, Oksana; Mražíková, Anna
2017-12-01
In this paper the influence of algae life cycle and the solutions pH on the green synthesis of colloidal Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) as well as effect of different storage conditions on AgNPs long-term stability was investigated. Silver nanoparticles were biologically synthesized using extracts of Parachlorella kessleri algae cultivated 1, 2, 3 and 4 weeks. The formation of AgNPs was monitored using a UV-vis spectrophotometer and verified by TEM observation. The results confirmed formation of polyhedron and/or near polyhedron AgNPs, ranging between 5 and 60 nm in diameter. The age of algae influenced the synthesis rate and an amount of AgNPs in solution. The best results were obtained using tree weeks old algae. UV-vis analysis and TEM observation also revealed that the size and the stability of AgNPs depend on the pH of solution. AgNPs formed in solutions of higher pH (8 and 10) are polyhedron, fine, with narrow size interval and stabile. Nanoparticles formed in solutions of low pH (2, 4 and 6) started to lose their stability on 10th day of experiment, and the particle size interval was wide. The long-term stability of AgNPs can be influenced by light and temperature conditions. The most significant stability loss was observed at day light and room temperature (21°C). After 200-days significant amount of agglomerated particles settled on the bottom of the Erlenmeyer flask. AgNPs stored at dark and room temperature showed better long-term stability, weak particles agglomeration was observed. AgNPs stored at dark and at temperature 5°C showed the best long-term stability. Such AgNPs remained spherical, fine (5-20 nm), with narrow size interval and stable (no agglomeration) even after more than six months.
Long-term optical stimulation of channelrhodopsin-expressing neurons to study network plasticity
Lignani, Gabriele; Ferrea, Enrico; Difato, Francesco; Amarù, Jessica; Ferroni, Eleonora; Lugarà, Eleonora; Espinoza, Stefano; Gainetdinov, Raul R.; Baldelli, Pietro; Benfenati, Fabio
2013-01-01
Neuronal plasticity produces changes in excitability, synaptic transmission, and network architecture in response to external stimuli. Network adaptation to environmental conditions takes place in time scales ranging from few seconds to days, and modulates the entire network dynamics. To study the network response to defined long-term experimental protocols, we setup a system that combines optical and electrophysiological tools embedded in a cell incubator. Primary hippocampal neurons transduced with lentiviruses expressing channelrhodopsin-2/H134R were subjected to various photostimulation protocols in a time window in the order of days. To monitor the effects of light-induced gating of network activity, stimulated transduced neurons were simultaneously recorded using multi-electrode arrays (MEAs). The developed experimental model allows discerning short-term, long-lasting, and adaptive plasticity responses of the same neuronal network to distinct stimulation frequencies applied over different temporal windows. PMID:23970852
Long-term optical stimulation of channelrhodopsin-expressing neurons to study network plasticity.
Lignani, Gabriele; Ferrea, Enrico; Difato, Francesco; Amarù, Jessica; Ferroni, Eleonora; Lugarà, Eleonora; Espinoza, Stefano; Gainetdinov, Raul R; Baldelli, Pietro; Benfenati, Fabio
2013-01-01
Neuronal plasticity produces changes in excitability, synaptic transmission, and network architecture in response to external stimuli. Network adaptation to environmental conditions takes place in time scales ranging from few seconds to days, and modulates the entire network dynamics. To study the network response to defined long-term experimental protocols, we setup a system that combines optical and electrophysiological tools embedded in a cell incubator. Primary hippocampal neurons transduced with lentiviruses expressing channelrhodopsin-2/H134R were subjected to various photostimulation protocols in a time window in the order of days. To monitor the effects of light-induced gating of network activity, stimulated transduced neurons were simultaneously recorded using multi-electrode arrays (MEAs). The developed experimental model allows discerning short-term, long-lasting, and adaptive plasticity responses of the same neuronal network to distinct stimulation frequencies applied over different temporal windows.
Long-Term Memory Performance in Adult ADHD.
Skodzik, Timo; Holling, Heinz; Pedersen, Anya
2017-02-01
Memory problems are a frequently reported symptom in adult ADHD, and it is well-documented that adults with ADHD perform poorly on long-term memory tests. However, the cause of this effect is still controversial. The present meta-analysis examined underlying mechanisms that may lead to long-term memory impairments in adult ADHD. We performed separate meta-analyses of measures of memory acquisition and long-term memory using both verbal and visual memory tests. In addition, the influence of potential moderator variables was examined. Adults with ADHD performed significantly worse than controls on verbal but not on visual long-term memory and memory acquisition subtests. The long-term memory deficit was strongly statistically related to the memory acquisition deficit. In contrast, no retrieval problems were observable. Our results suggest that memory deficits in adult ADHD reflect a learning deficit induced at the stage of encoding. Implications for clinical and research settings are presented.
Virtual Models of Long-Term Care
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Phenice, Lillian A.; Griffore, Robert J.
2012-01-01
Nursing homes, assisted living facilities and home-care organizations, use web sites to describe their services to potential consumers. This virtual ethnographic study developed models representing how potential consumers may understand this information using data from web sites of 69 long-term-care providers. The content of long-term-care web…
Management of long term sickness absence: a systematic realist review.
Higgins, Angela; O'Halloran, Peter; Porter, Sam
2012-09-01
The increasing impact and costs of long term sickness absence have been well documented. However, the diversity and complexity of interventions and of the contexts in which these take place makes a traditional review problematic. Therefore, we undertook a systematic realist review to identify the dominant programme theories underlying best practice, to assess the evidence for these theories, and to throw light on important enabling or disabling contextual factors. A search of the scholarly literature from 1950 to 2011 identified 5,576 articles, of which 269 formed the basis of the review. We found that the dominant programme theories in relation to effective management related to: early intervention or referral by employers; having proactive organisational procedures; good communication and cooperation between stakeholders; and workplace-based occupational rehabilitation. Significant contextual factors were identified as the level of support for interventions from top management, the size and structure of the organisation, the level of financial and organisational investment in the management of long-term sickness absence, and the quality of relationships between managers and staff. Consequently, those with responsibility for managing absence should bear in mind the contextual factors that are likely to have an impact on interventions, and do what they can to ensure stakeholders have at least a mutual understanding (if not a common purpose) in relation to their perceptions of interventions, goals, culture and practice in the management of long term sickness absence.
Prevalence of Long-Term Opioid Use in Long-Stay Nursing Home Residents.
Hunnicutt, Jacob N; Chrysanthopoulou, Stavroula A; Ulbricht, Christine M; Hume, Anne L; Tjia, Jennifer; Lapane, Kate L
2018-01-01
Overall and long-term opioid use among older adults have increased since 1999. Less is known about opioid use in older adults in nursing homes (NHs). Cross-sectional. U.S. NHs (N = 13,522). Long-stay NH resident Medicare beneficiaries with a Minimum Data Set 3.0 (MDS) assessment between April 1, 2012, and June 30, 2012, and 120 days of follow-up (N = 315,949). We used Medicare Part D claims to measure length of opioid use in the 120 days from the index assessment (short-term: ≤30 days, medium-term: >30-89 days, long-term: ≥90 days), adjuvants (e.g., anticonvulsants), and other pain medications (e.g., corticosteroids). MDS assessments in the follow-up period were used to measure nonpharmacological pain management use. Modified Poisson models were used to estimate adjusted prevalence ratios (aPR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for age, gender, race and ethnicity, cognitive and physical impairment, and long-term opioid use. Of all long-stay residents, 32.4% were prescribed any opioid, and 15.5% were prescribed opioids long-term. Opioid users (versus nonusers) were more commonly prescribed pain adjuvants (32.9% vs 14.9%), other pain medications (25.5% vs 11.0%), and nonpharmacological pain management (24.5% vs 9.3%). Long-term opioid use was higher in women (aPR = 1.21, 95% CI = 1.18-1.23) and lower in racial and ethnic minorities (non-Hispanic blacks vs whites: APR = 0.93, 95% CI = 0.90-0.94) and those with severe cognitive impairment (vs no or mild impairment, aPR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.79-0.83). One in seven NH residents was prescribed opioids long-term. Recent guidelines on opioid prescribing for pain recommend reducing long-term opioid use, but this is challenging in NHs because residents may not benefit from nonpharmacological and nonopioid interventions. Studies to address concerns about opioid safety and effectiveness (e.g., on pain and functional status) in NHs are needed. © 2017, Copyright the Authors Journal compilation © 2017, The American Geriatrics
Long-term lumen depreciation behavior and failure modes of multi-die array LEDs
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Jayawardena, Asiri; Marcus, Daniel; Prugue, Ximena; Narendran, Nadarajah
2013-09-01
One of the main advantages of multi-die array light-emitting diodes (LEDs) is their high flux density. However, a challenge for using such a product in lighting fixture applications is the heat density and the need for thermal management to keep the junction temperatures of all the dies low for long-term reliable performance. Ten multi-die LED array samples for each product from four different manufacturers were subjected to lumen maintenance testing (as described in IES-LM-80-08), and their resulting lumen depreciation and failure modes were studied. The products were tested at the maximum case (or pin) temperature reported by the respective manufacturer by appropriately powering the LEDs. In addition, three samples for each product from two different manufacturers were subjected to rapid thermal cycling, and the resulting lumen depreciation and failure modes were studied. The results showed that the exponential lumen decay model using long-term lumen maintenance data as recommended in IES TM-21 does not fit for all package types. The failure of a string of dies and single die failure in a string were observed in some of the packages.
Light Absorption of Stratospheric Aerosols: Long-Term Trend and Contribution by Aircraft
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Pueschel , R. F.; Gore, Waren J. Y. (Technical Monitor)
1997-01-01
Measurements of aerosol light-absorption coefficients are useful for studies of radiative transfer and heating rates. Ogren appears to have published the first light- absorption coefficients in the stratosphere in 1981, followed by Clarke in 1983 and Pueschel in 1992. Because most stratospheric soot appears to be due to aircraft operations, application of an aircraft soot aerosol emission index to projected fuel consumption suggests a threefold increase of soot loading and light absorption by 2025. Together, those four data sets indicate an increase in mid-visible light extinction at a rate of 6 % per year. This trend is similar to the increase per year of sulfuric acid aerosol and of commercial fleet size. The proportionality between stepped-up aircraft operations above the tropopause and increases in stratospheric soot and sulfuric acid aerosol implicate aircraft as a source of stratospheric pollution. Because the strongly light-absorbing soot and the predominantly light-scattering sulfuric acid aerosol increase at similar rates, however, the mid-visible stratospheric aerosol single scatter albedo is expected to remain constant and not approach a critical value of 0.98 at which stratospheric cooling could change to warming.
Conversion From Sirolimus to Everolimus in Long-Term Liver Graft Recipients.
Weiler, Nina; Bilge, Nigar; Troetschler, Sven; Vermehren, Johannes; Schnitzbauer, Andreas Anton; Herrmann, Eva; Sarrazin, Christoph; Zeuzem, Stefan; Welker, Martin-Walter
2017-07-01
Immunosuppression by inhibition of the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a promising approach after liver transplantation. The mTOR inhibitor sirolimus was used in selected liver graft recipients despite safety concerns and lack of approval. Everolimus is another mTOR inhibitor approved after liver transplantation. It is currently unknown, whether conversion of sirolimus to everolimus is safe in long-term liver graft recipients. Long-term liver graft recipients treated with sirolimus were converted to everolimus. A systematical analysis of biochemical and clinical data before and after conversion was performed. Sixteen patients were included (female/male, 8/8). Median (range) age at conversion was 66 years (49-78 years), and patients were converted at a median (range) of 10.1 years (4.0-22.3 years) after liver transplantation. In the majority of patients, no dose adjustment was needed after conversion. No rejection and no cytomegalovirus replication episodes were observed. Furthermore, no differences were found with respect to kidney function, diabetes mellitus, or blood pressure before and after conversion. Bilirubin serum concentration was lower, whereas aspartate aminotransaminase, alanine aminotransferase, and triglycerides serum concentrations were higher after conversion to everolimus. Neither clinical- nor graft-associated significant complications were observed after conversion from sirolimus to everolimus in long-term liver graft recipients. Everolimus-based immunosuppression may be offered to patients after liver transplantation formerly treated with sirolimus. © 2017, The American College of Clinical Pharmacology.
Large plasma-membrane depolarization precedes rapid blue-light-induced growth inhibition in cucumber
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Spalding, E. P.; Cosgrove, D. J.
1989-01-01
Blue-light (BL)-induced suppression of elongation of etiolated Cucumis sativus L. hypocotyls began after a 30-s lag time, which was halved by increasing the fluence rate from 10 to 100 micromoles m-2 s-1. Prior to the growth suppression, the plasma-membrane of the irradiated cells depolarized by as much as 100 mV, then returned within 2-3 min to near its initial value. The potential difference measured with surface electrodes changed with an identical time course but opposite polarity. The lag time for the change in surface potential showed an inverse dependence on fluence rate, similar to the lag for the growth inhibition. Green light and red light caused neither the electrical response nor the rapid inhibition of growth. The depolarization by BL did not propagate to nonirradiated regions and exhibited a refractory period of about 10 min following a BL pulse. Fluence-response relationships for the electrical and growth responses provide correlational evidence that the plasma-membrane depolarization reflects an event in the transduction chain of this light-growth response.
Aluminium chloride impairs long-term memory and downregulates cAMP-PKA-CREB signalling in rats.
Zhang, Lifeng; Jin, Cuihong; Lu, Xiaobo; Yang, Jinghua; Wu, Shengwen; Liu, Qiufang; Chen, Rong; Bai, Chunyu; Zhang, Di; Zheng, Linlin; Du, Yanqiu; Cai, Yuan
2014-09-02
Epidemiological investigations have indicated that aluminium (Al) is an important environmental neurotoxicant that may be involved in the aetiology of the cognitive dysfunction associated with neurodegenerative diseases. Additionally, exposure to Al is known to cause neurobehavioural abnormalities in animals. Previous studies demonstrated that Al impaired early-phase long-term potentiation (E-LTP) in vivo and in vitro. Our previous research revealed that Al could impair long-term memory via the impairment of late-phase long-term potentiation (L-LTP) in vivo. However, the exact mechanism by which Al impairs long-term memory has been poorly studied thus far. This study was designed not only to observe the effects of subchronic Al treatment on long-term memory and hippocampal ultrastructure but also to explore a possible underlying mechanism (involving the cAMP-PKA-CREB signalling pathway) in the hippocampus of rats.. Pregnant Wistar rats were assigned to four groups. Neonatal rats were exposed to Al by parental lactation for 3 weeks and then fed with distilled water containing 0, 0.2%, 0.4% or 0.6% Al chloride (AlCl3) for 3 postnatal months. The levels of Al in the blood and hippocampus were quantified by atomic absorption spectrophotometry. The shuttle-box test was performed to detect long-term memory. The hippocampus was collected for ultrastructure observation, and the level of cAMP-PKA-CREB signalling was examined. The results showed that the Al concentrations in the blood and hippocampus of Al-treated rats were higher than those of the control rats. Al may impair the long-term memory of rats. Hippocampal cAMP, cPKA, pCREB, BDNF and c-jun expression decreased significantly, and the neuronal and synaptic ultrastructure exhibited pathological changes after Al treatment. These results indicated that Al may induce long-term memory damage in rats by inhibiting cAMP-PKA-CREB signalling and altering the synaptic and neuronal ultrastructure in the hippocampus. Copyright
Long-term temperature effects on GaAs solar cells
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Heinbockel, J. H.; Hong, K. H.
1979-01-01
The thermal degradation of AlGaAs solar cells resulting from a long-term operation in a space environment is investigated. The solar cell degradation effects caused by zinc and aluminum diffusion as well as deterioration by arsenic evaporation are presented. Also, the results are presented of experimental testing and measurements of various GaAs solar cell properties while the solar cell was operating in the temperature range of 27 C to 350 C. In particular, the properties of light current voltage curves, dark current voltage curves, and spectral response characteristics are given. Finally, some theoretical models for the annealing of radiation damage over various times and temperatures are included.
Complex network structure influences processing in long-term and short-term memory.
Vitevitch, Michael S; Chan, Kit Ying; Roodenrys, Steven
2012-07-01
Complex networks describe how entities in systems interact; the structure of such networks is argued to influence processing. One measure of network structure, clustering coefficient, C, measures the extent to which neighbors of a node are also neighbors of each other. Previous psycholinguistic experiments found that the C of phonological word-forms influenced retrieval from the mental lexicon (that portion of long-term memory dedicated to language) during the on-line recognition and production of spoken words. In the present study we examined how network structure influences other retrieval processes in long- and short-term memory. In a false-memory task-examining long-term memory-participants falsely recognized more words with low- than high-C. In a recognition memory task-examining veridical memories in long-term memory-participants correctly recognized more words with low- than high-C. However, participants in a serial recall task-examining redintegration in short-term memory-recalled lists comprised of high-C words more accurately than lists comprised of low-C words. These results demonstrate that network structure influences cognitive processes associated with several forms of memory including lexical, long-term, and short-term.
Long-term outcomes of acute kidney injury.
Coca, Steven G
2010-05-01
The goal of this review is to summarize the recent plethora of data that relate to long-term outcomes after acute kidney injury (AKI). Surviving patients with AKI are still at high risk for long-term adverse outcomes, even if serum creatinine returns to normal. After adjusting for potential confounders, many recent studies have demonstrated that AKI is independently associated with chronic kidney disease, end-stage renal disease, and premature death. Unfortunately, definitive evidence from randomized controlled trials demonstrating that prevention or treatment of AKI prevents long-term adverse outcomes is not yet available. AKI is clearly a prognostic marker for poor long-term outcomes, but more studies will be needed to determine whether AKI is truly causal and whether or not the risk is modifiable.
Zhuang, Yongliang; Sun, Liping; Zhang, Yufeng; Liu, Gaoxiang
2012-02-01
Antihypertensive effect of long-term oral administration of jellyfish (Rhopilema esculentum) collagen peptides (JCP) on renovascular hypertension rats (RVHs) was evaluated. The systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure of the RVHs were significantly reduced with administration of JCP (p < 0.05), compared with model control group. However, the arterial blood pressure of normal rats showed no significant changes during long-term oral treatment with high dose JCP (p > 0.05). Furthermore, effect of JCP on angiotensin II (Ang II) concentration of plasma had no significance (p > 0.05), but JCP significantly inhibited the Ang II concentration in RVHs' kidney (p < 0.05). The kidney should be the target site of JCP.
Zhuang, Yongliang; Sun, Liping; Zhang, Yufeng; Liu, Gaoxiang
2012-01-01
Antihypertensive effect of long-term oral administration of jellyfish (Rhopilema esculentum) collagen peptides (JCP) on renovascular hypertension rats (RVHs) was evaluated. The systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure of the RVHs were significantly reduced with administration of JCP (p < 0.05), compared with model control group. However, the arterial blood pressure of normal rats showed no significant changes during long-term oral treatment with high dose JCP (p > 0.05). Furthermore, effect of JCP on angiotensin II (Ang II) concentration of plasma had no significance (p > 0.05), but JCP significantly inhibited the Ang II concentration in RVHs’ kidney (p < 0.05). The kidney should be the target site of JCP. PMID:22412809
Kunz, Mathias; Dorn, Franziska; Greve, Tobias; Stoecklein, Veit; Tonn, Joerg-Christian; Brückmann, Hartmut; Schichor, Christian
2017-09-01
In symptomatic unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs), data on long-term functional outcome are sparse in the literature, even in the light of modern interdisciplinary treatment decisions. We therefore analyzed our in-house database for prognostic factors and long-term outcome of neurologic symptoms after microsurgical/endovascular treatment. Patients treated between 2000 and 2016 after interdisciplinary vascular board decision were included. UIAs were categorized as symptomatic in cases of cranial nerve or brainstem compression. Symptoms were categorized as mild/severe. Long-term development of symptoms after treatment was assessed in a standardized and independent fashion. Of 98 symptomatic UIAs (microsurgery/endovascular 43/55), 84 patients presented with cranial nerve (NII-VI) compression and 14 patients with brainstem compression symptoms. Permanent morbidity occurred in 9% of patients. Of 119 symptoms (mild/severe 71/48), 60.4% recovered (full/partial 22%/39%) and 29% stabilized by the time of last follow-up; median follow-up was 19.5 months. Symptom recovery was higher in the long-term compared with that at discharge (P = 0.002). Optic nerve compression symptoms were less likely to improve compared with abducens nerve palsies and brainstem compression. Prognostic factors for recovery were duration and severity of symptoms, treatment modality (microsurgery) and absence of ischemia in the multivariate analysis. This recent study presents for the first time a detailed analysis of relevant prognostic factors for long-term recovery of cranial nerve/brainstem compression symptoms in an interdisciplinary treatment concept, which was excellent in most patients, with lowest recovery rates in optic nerve compression. Symptom recovery was remarkably higher in the long-term compared with recovery at discharge. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Serrano, Joan; Casanova-Martí, Àngela; Depoortere, Inge; Blay, Maria Teresa; Terra, Ximena; Pinent, Montserrat; Ardévol, Anna
2016-12-01
Grape-seed phenolic compounds have recently been described as satiating agents in rats when administered as a whole phenolic extract (GSPE). This satiating effect may involve the release of satiating gut hormones such as GLP-1, although a short-term increase in the orexigenic hormone ghrelin was also reported. In this study, we investigated the short- and long-term effects of GSPE in rats, focusing on the role of the main grape-seed phenolics in ghrelin secretion. GSPE produced a short-term increase in plasma ghrelin in rats after an acute treatment. A mouse ghrelinoma cell line was used to test the effects of the main pure grape-seed phenolic compounds on ghrelin release. Monomeric flavanols stimulated ghrelin secretion by activating bitter taste receptors. In contrast, gallic acid (GA) and oligomeric flavanols inhibited ghrelin release. The ghrelin-inhibiting effects of GA were confirmed in rats and in rat duodenal segments. One day after the last dose of a subchronic treatment, GSPE decreased plasma ghrelin in rats, ghrelin secretion in intestinal segments, and ghrelin mRNA expression in stomach. The sustained satiating effects of GSPE are related to a long-term decrease in ghrelin expression. GA and oligomeric flavanols play a ghrelin-inhibiting role in this process. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.
Yin, Xi; Gao, Yuan; Shi, Hai-Shui; Song, Li; Wang, Jie-Chao; Shao, Juan; Geng, Xu-Hong; Xue, Gai; Li, Jian-Li; Hou, Yan-Ning
2016-01-01
Histone modifications have been implicated in learning and memory. Our previous transcriptome data showed that expression of sirtuins 6 (SIRT6), a member of Histone deacetylases (HDACs) family in the hippocampal cornu ammonis 1 (CA1) was decreased after contextual fear conditioning. However, the role of SIRT6 in the formation of memory is still elusive. In the present study, we found that contextual fear conditioning inhibited translational expression of SIRT6 in the CA1. Microinfusion of lentiviral vector-expressing SIRT6 into theCA1 region selectively enhanced the expression of SIRT6 and impaired the formation of long-term contextual fear memory without affecting short-term fear memory. The overexpression of SIRT6 in the CA1 had no effect on anxiety-like behaviors or locomotor activity. Also, we also found that SIRT6 overexpression significantly inhibited the expression of insulin-like factor 2 (IGF2) and amounts of proteins and/or phosphoproteins (e.g. Akt, pAkt, mTOR and p-mTOR) related to the IGF2 signal pathway in the CA1. These results demonstrate that the overexpression of SIRT6 in the CA1 impaired the formation of long-term fear memory, and SIRT6 in the CA1 may negatively modulate the formation of contextual fear memory via inhibiting the IGF signaling pathway. PMID:26732053
Rescue of impaired late-phase long-term depression in a tau transgenic mouse model.
Ahmed, Tariq; Blum, David; Burnouf, Sylvie; Demeyer, Dominique; Buée-Scherrer, Valérie; D'Hooge, Rudi; Buée, Luc; Balschun, Detlef
2015-02-01
Cognitive decline, the hallmark of Alzheimer's disease, and accompanying neuropsychiatric symptoms share dysfunctions of synaptic processes as a common cellular pathomechanism. Long-term potentiation has proven to be a sensitive tool for the "diagnosis" of such synaptic dysfunctions. Much less, however, is known about how long-term depression (LTD), an alternative mechanism for the storage of memory, is affected by Alzheimer's disease progression. Here, we demonstrate that impaired late LTD (>3 hours) in THY-Tau22 mice can be rescued by either inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3β) activity or by application of the protein-phosphatase 2A agonist selenate. In line with these findings, we observed increased phosphorylation of GSK3β at Y216 and reduced total phosphatase activity in biochemical assays of hippocampal tissue of THY-Tau22 mice. Interestingly, LTD induction and pharmacologic inhibition of GSK3β appeared to downregulate GSK3ß activity via a marked upregulation of phosphorylation at the inhibitory Ser9 residue. Our results point to alterations in phosphorylation and/or dephosphorylation homeostasis as key mechanisms underlying the deficits in LTD and hippocampus-dependent learning found in THY-Tau22 mice. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Ojanen, Sami P; Nieminen, Marko; Meyke, Evgeniy; Pöyry, Juha; Hanski, Ilkka
2013-10-01
Long-term observational studies conducted at large (regional) spatial scales contribute to better understanding of landscape effects on population and evolutionary dynamics, including the conditions that affect long-term viability of species, but large-scale studies are expensive and logistically challenging to keep running for a long time. Here, we describe the long-term metapopulation study of the Glanville fritillary butterfly (Melitaea cinxia) that has been conducted since 1991 in a large network of 4000 habitat patches (dry meadows) within a study area of 50 by 70 km in the Åland Islands in Finland. We explain how the landscape structure has been described, including definition, delimitation, and mapping of the habitat patches; methods of field survey, including the logistics, cost, and reliability of the survey; and data management using the EarthCape biodiversity platform. We describe the long-term metapopulation dynamics of the Glanville fritillary based on the survey. There has been no long-term change in the overall size of the metapopulation, but the level of spatial synchrony and hence the amplitude of fluctuations in year-to-year metapopulation dynamics have increased over the years, possibly due to increasing frequency of exceptional weather conditions. We discuss the added value of large-scale and long-term population studies, but also emphasize the need to integrate more targeted experimental studies in the context of long-term observational studies. For instance, in the case of the Glanville fritillary project, the long-term study has produced an opportunity to sample individuals for experiments from local populations with a known demographic history. These studies have demonstrated striking differences in dispersal rate and other life-history traits of individuals from newly established local populations (the offspring of colonizers) versus individuals from old, established local populations. The long-term observational study has stimulated the
Ojanen, Sami P; Nieminen, Marko; Meyke, Evgeniy; Pöyry, Juha; Hanski, Ilkka
2013-01-01
Long-term observational studies conducted at large (regional) spatial scales contribute to better understanding of landscape effects on population and evolutionary dynamics, including the conditions that affect long-term viability of species, but large-scale studies are expensive and logistically challenging to keep running for a long time. Here, we describe the long-term metapopulation study of the Glanville fritillary butterfly (Melitaea cinxia) that has been conducted since 1991 in a large network of 4000 habitat patches (dry meadows) within a study area of 50 by 70 km in the Åland Islands in Finland. We explain how the landscape structure has been described, including definition, delimitation, and mapping of the habitat patches; methods of field survey, including the logistics, cost, and reliability of the survey; and data management using the EarthCape biodiversity platform. We describe the long-term metapopulation dynamics of the Glanville fritillary based on the survey. There has been no long-term change in the overall size of the metapopulation, but the level of spatial synchrony and hence the amplitude of fluctuations in year-to-year metapopulation dynamics have increased over the years, possibly due to increasing frequency of exceptional weather conditions. We discuss the added value of large-scale and long-term population studies, but also emphasize the need to integrate more targeted experimental studies in the context of long-term observational studies. For instance, in the case of the Glanville fritillary project, the long-term study has produced an opportunity to sample individuals for experiments from local populations with a known demographic history. These studies have demonstrated striking differences in dispersal rate and other life-history traits of individuals from newly established local populations (the offspring of colonizers) versus individuals from old, established local populations. The long-term observational study has stimulated the
Long-Term Dynamics of Autonomous Fractional Differential Equations
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Liu, Tao; Xu, Wei; Xu, Yong; Han, Qun
This paper aims to investigate long-term dynamic behaviors of autonomous fractional differential equations with effective numerical method. The long-term dynamic behaviors predict where systems are heading after long-term evolution. We make some modification and transplant cell mapping methods to autonomous fractional differential equations. The mapping time duration of cell mapping is enlarged to deal with the long memory effect. Three illustrative examples, i.e. fractional Lotka-Volterra equation, fractional van der Pol oscillator and fractional Duffing equation, are studied with our revised generalized cell mapping method. We obtain long-term dynamics, such as attractors, basins of attraction, and saddles. Compared with some existing stability and numerical results, the validity of our method is verified. Furthermore, we find that the fractional order has its effect on the long-term dynamics of autonomous fractional differential equations.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Supha, Chitpisud; Boonto, Yuphada; Jindakaraked, Manee; Ananpattarachai, Jirapat; Kajitvichyanukul, Puangrat
2015-06-01
Titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanopowders at different concentrations (0-50 mg L-1) were injected into an aerobic-sequencing batch reactor (SBR) to investigate the effects of long-term exposure to nanoparticles on bacterial and protozoan communities. The detection of nanoparticles in the bioflocs was analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. The SBR wastewater experiments were conducted under the influence of ultraviolet light with photocatalytic TiO2. The intrusion of TiO2 nanoparticles was found both on the surface and inside of the bioflocs. The change of microbial population in terms of mixed liquor-suspended solids and the sludge volume index was monitored. The TiO2 nanoparticles tentatively exerted an adverse effect on the microbial population, causing the reduction of microorganisms (both bacteria and protozoa) in the SBR. The respiration inhibition rate of the bacteria was increased, and the viability of the microbial population was reduced at the high concentration (50 mg L-1) of TiO2. The decreasing number of protozoa in the presence of TiO2 nanoparticles during 20 days of treatment with 0.5 and 1.0 mg L-1 TiO2 is clearly demonstrated. The measured chemical oxygen demand (COD) in the effluent tends to increase with a long-term operation. The increase of COD in the system suggests a decrease in the efficiency of the wastewater treatment plant. However, the SBR can effectively remove the TiO2 nanoparticles (up to 50 mg L-1) from the effluent.
The Womanly World of Long Term Care: The Plight of the Long Term Care Worker. Gray Paper.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Older Women's League, Washington, DC.
Long-term care workers (those who are paid to provide custodial care for long-term patients in nursing homes or at home) must care for a growing number of increasingly disabled or dependent persons. They are working for agencies and institutions under growing pressure to increase productivity. They face new training and competency requirements,…
An, Seong Jin; Li, Jianlin; Sheng, Yangping; ...
2016-01-01
Effects of ultraviolet (UV) light on dried graphite anodes were investigated in terms of the cycle life of lithium ion batteries. The time variations for the UV treatment were 0 (no treatment), 20, 40, and 60 minutes. UV-light-treated graphite anodes were assembled for cycle life tests in pouch cells with pristine Li 1.02Ni 0.50Mn 0.29Co 0.19O 2 (NMC 532) cathodes. UV treatment for 40 minutes resulted in the highest capacity retention and the lowest resistance after the cycle life testing. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and contact angle measurements on the graphite anodes showed changes in surface chemistry and wetting aftermore » the UV treatment. XPS also showed increases in solvent products and decreases in salt products on the SEI surface when UV-treated anodes were used. In conclusion, the thickness of the surface films and their compositions on the anodes and cathodes were also estimated using survey scans and snapshots from XPS depth profiles.« less
Lower Placebo Responses After Long-Term Exposure to Fibromyalgia Pain.
Kosek, Eva; Rosen, Annelie; Carville, Serena; Choy, Ernest; Gracely, Richard H; Marcus, Hanke; Petzke, Frank; Ingvar, Martin; Jensen, Karin B
2017-07-01
Knowledge about placebo mechanisms in patients with chronic pain is scarce. Fibromyalgia syndrome (FM) is associated with dysfunctions of central pain inhibition, and because placebo analgesia entails activation of endogenous pain inhibition, we hypothesized that long-term exposure to FM pain would negatively affect placebo responses. In our study we examined the placebo group (n = 37, mean age 45 years) from a 12-week, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial investigating the effects of milnacipran or placebo. Twenty-two patients were classified as placebo nonresponders and 15 as responders, according to the Patient Global Impression of Change scale. Primary outcome was the change in pressure pain sensitivity from baseline to post-treatment. Secondary outcomes included ratings of clinical pain (visual analog scale), FM effect (Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire), and pain drawing. Among placebo responders, longer FM duration was associated with smaller reductions in pressure pain sensitivity (r = .689, P = .004), but not among nonresponders (r = -.348, P = .112). In our study we showed that FM duration influences endogenous pain regulation, because pain levels and placebo-induced analgesia were negatively affected. Our results point to the importance of early FM interventions, because endogenous pain regulation may still be harnessed at that early time. Also, placebo-controlled trials should take FM duration into consideration when interpreting results. This study presents a novel perspective on placebo analgesia, because placebo responses among patients with chronic pain were analyzed. Long-term exposure to fibromyalgia pain was associated with lower placebo analgesia, and the results show the importance of taking pain duration into account when interpreting the results from placebo-controlled trials. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Shi, Kun; Zhang, Yunlin; Zhu, Guangwei; Qin, Boqiang; Pan, Delu
2018-06-01
Water clarity (Secchi disk depth: SDD), as a proxy of water transparency, provides important information on the light availability to the water or lake ecosystem. Shallow lakes have been experienced dramatic environmental and climatic change. This study demonstrated using combination of long-term MODIS and in-situ measurements to track the dynamics of SDD with these environmental and climate changes in shallow water environments. We selected a typical turbid shallow Lake Taihu as our case study. Based on MODIS-Aqua data, an empirical model for estimating SDD was developed and validated. Subsequently, we employed the proposed model to derive the spatial and temporal SDD distribution patterns of Lake Taihu from 2003 to 2015. Combining MODIS-derived SDD time series of 2003-2015 and long-term in-situ SDD observations dated back to 1993, we elucidated SDD long-term variation trends and driving mechanism. Deteriorating water clarity from the long-term SDD observations indicated that Lake Taihu became more and more turbid and water quality was decreasing. Increasing in cyanobacterial bloom area, as a result of decreasing in wind speed and eutrophication, may partially be responsible for the decreasing trend. A predicted future decrease in the wind speed in Lake Taihu region could enhance the formation of cyanobacterial blooms and consequently lead to a further decrease in water clarity. This study suggested that coupling remote sensing monitoring and long-term in-situ observations could provide robust evidence and new insights to elucidate long-term dynamics in aquatic ecosystem evolution.
Long-term studies of dopamine agonists.
Hubble, Jean P
2002-02-26
Dopamine agonists have long been used as adjunctive therapy for the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). In more recent years these drugs have also been proved safe and effective as initial therapy in lieu of levodopa in the treatment of PD. Long-term levodopa therapy is associated with motor complications, including fluctuating response patterns and dyskinesia. By initially introducing a dopamine agonist as symptomatic drug therapy, it may be possible to postpone the use of levodopa and delay or prevent the development of motor complications. Recently, four clinical trials have explored this hypothesis by comparing the long-term response and side effects of levodopa with dopamine agonist therapy. The drugs studied have included ropinirole, pramipexole, cabergoline, and pergolide. In each of these projects, the occurrence of motor complications, such as wearing off and dyskinesia, was significantly less in the subjects assigned to initiation of therapy with a dopamine agonist. The addition of levodopa could be postponed by many months or even several years. Therefore, these long-term studies of dopamine agonists support the initiation of a dopamine agonist instead of levodopa in an effort to postpone levodopa-related motor complications. This therapeutic approach may be particularly appropriate in PD patients with a long treatment horizon on the basis of age and general good health. The extension phase of the long-term study comparing pramipexole with levodopa is ongoing, and follow-up information may help to establish the value of this treatment strategy.
Kim, Edward; Wang, Yuan; Kim, Sun-Jung; Bornhorst, Miriam; Jecrois, Emmanuelle S; Anthony, Todd E; Wang, Chenran; Li, Yi E; Guan, Jun-Lin; Murphy, Geoffrey G; Zhu, Yuan
2014-12-23
Individuals with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) frequently exhibit cognitive and motor impairments and characteristics of autism. The cerebellum plays a critical role in motor control, cognition, and social interaction, suggesting that cerebellar defects likely contribute to NF1-associated neurodevelopmental disorders. Here we show that Nf1 inactivation during early, but not late stages of cerebellar development, disrupts neuronal lamination, which is partially caused by overproduction of glia and subsequent disruption of the Bergmann glia (BG) scaffold. Specific Nf1 inactivation in glutamatergic neuronal precursors causes premature differentiation of granule cell (GC) precursors and ectopic production of unipolar brush cells (UBCs), indirectly disrupting neuronal migration. Transient MEK inhibition during a neonatal window prevents cerebellar developmental defects and improves long-term motor performance of Nf1-deficient mice. This study reveals essential roles of Nf1 in GC/UBC migration by generating correct numbers of glia and controlling GC/UBC fate-specification/differentiation, identifying a therapeutic prevention strategy for multiple NF1-associcated developmental abnormalities.
Zhang, Qiang; Suh, Wonmo; Pan, Zui; You, Guofeng
2012-01-01
Human organic anion transporter 3 (hOAT3) belongs to a family of organic anion transporters that play critical roles in the body disposition of numerous clinically important drugs. Therefore, understanding the regulation of this transporter has profound clinical significance. In the current study, we investigated the short-term and long-term regulation of hOAT3 by protein kinase C (PKC). We showed that short-term activation of PKC by phobol 12-Myristate 13-Acetate (PMA) inhibited hOAT3 activity through accelerating its internalization from cell surface to intracellular recycling endosomes. The colocalization of hOAT3 with EEA1-positive recycling endosomes was demonstrated by immunolocalization with confocal microscopy. Furthermore, we showed that long-term activation of PKC resulted in the enhanced degradation of cell surface hOAT3. The pathways for hOAT3 degradation were further examined using proteasomal and lysosomal inhibitors. Our results showed that both proteasomal inhibitors and the lysosomal inhibitors significantly blocked hOAT3 degradation. These results demonstrate that PKC plays critical roles in the trafficking and the stability of hOAT3. PMID:22773962
Damrauer, Jeffrey S; Phelps, Stephanie N; Amuchastegui, Katie; Lupo, Ryan; Mabe, Nathaniel W; Walens, Andrea; Kroger, Benjamin R; Alvarez, James V
2018-04-01
Tumor recurrence is a leading cause of death and is thought to arise from a population of residual cells that survive treatment. These residual cancer cells can persist, locally or at distant sites, for years or decades. Therefore, understanding the pathways that regulate residual cancer cell survival may suggest opportunities for targeting these cells to prevent recurrence. Previously, it was observed that the proapoptotic protein (PAWR/Par-4) negatively regulates residual cell survival and recurrence in mice and humans. However, the mechanistic underpinnings on how Par-4 expression is regulated are unclear. Here, it is demonstrated that Par-4 is transcriptionally upregulated following treatment with multiple drugs targeting the PI3K-Akt-mTOR signaling pathway, and identify the Forkhead family of transcription factors as mediators of this upregulation. Mechanistically, Foxo3a directly binds to the Par-4 promoter and activates its transcription following inhibition of the PI3K-Akt pathway. This Foxo-dependent Par-4 upregulation limits the long-term survival of residual cells following treatment with therapeutics that target the PI3K-Akt pathway. Taken together, these results indicate that residual breast cancer tumor cell survival and recurrence requires circumventing Foxo-driven Par-4 upregulation and suggest that approaches to enforce Par-4 expression may prevent residual cell survival and recurrence. Mol Cancer Res; 16(4); 599-609. ©2018 AACR . ©2018 American Association for Cancer Research.
Long Term TOA - M Data and Information
Atmospheric Science Data Center
2017-09-06
... A Long-Term TOA and Constrained Surface Radiation Budget Project A Long-Term TOA and Constrained Surface Readiation ... Budget Experiment (ERBE) and Clouds and the Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES), that span nearly 30 years to date. The ...
Long-term biological investigations in space.
Lotz, R G; Fuchs, H; Bertsche, U
1975-01-01
Missions in space within the next two decades will be of longer duration than those carried out up to the present time, and the effects of such long-term flights on biological organisms are unknown. Results of biological experiments that have been performed to date cannot be extrapolated to results in future flights because of the unknown influence of adaptation over a long period of time. Prior experiments with Axolotl, fishes, and vertebrates by our research team (in part with sounding rockets) showed that these specimens did not appear to be suitable for long-term missions on which minimization of expense, technique, and energy is required. Subsequent investigations have shown the suitability of the leech (Hirudo medicinalis), which consumes blood of mammals up to ten times its own weight (1 g) and can live more than 2 years without further food supply. Emphasis in the experiments with Hirudo medicinalis is placed on metabolic rhythm and motility. Resorption and diffusion in tissue, development, and growth under long-term effects of cosmic proton radiation and zero-gravity are other focal points. The constancy of cellular life in the mature animals is a point in favor of these specimens. We have also taken into account the synergistic effects of the space environment on the problems just mentioned. The life-support system constructed for the leech has been tested successfully in four sounding rocket flights and, on that basis, has been prepared for a long-term mission. Long-term investigations out of the terrestrial biosphere will provide us with information concerning the degree of adaptation of certain physiological and biochemical functions and as to what extent biological readjustment or repair processes can occur under the specific stress conditions of space flight.
Rikiishi, Kazuhide; Matsuura, Takakazu; Ikeda, Yoko; Maekawa, Masahiko
2015-01-01
Shoot regeneration in calli derived from immature barley embryos is regulated by light conditions during the callus-induction period. Barley cultivars Kanto Nijo-5 (KN5) and K-3 (K3) showed lower efficiency of shoot regeneration in a 16-h photoperiod during callus-induction than those in continuous darkness, whereas shoot regeneration was enhanced in cultures under a 16-h photoperiod in Golden Promise (GP) and Lenins (LN). These cultivars were classified as photo-inhibition type (KN5 and K3) or photo-induction type (GP and LN) according to their response to light. Contents of endogenous plant hormones were determined in calli cultured under a 16-h photoperiod and continuous darkness. In photo-inhibition type, higher accumulation of abscisic acid (ABA) was detected in calli cultured under a 16-h photoperiod, whereas calli showed lower levels of endogenous ABA in continuous darkness. However, cultivars of photo-induction type showed lower levels of ABA in calli cultured under both light conditions, similarly to photo-inhibition type in continuous darkness. Exogenous ABA inhibited the callus growth and shoot regeneration independent of light conditions in all cultivars. In photo-inhibition type, lower levels of endogenous ABA induced by ABA biosynthesis inhibitor, fluridone, reduced the photo-inhibition of shoot regeneration. Expression of ABA biosynthesis gene, HvNCED1, in calli was regulated by the light conditions. Higher expression was observed in calli cultured under a 16-h photoperiod. These results indicate that ABA biosynthesis could be activated through the higher expression of HvNCED1 in a 16-h photoperiod and that the higher accumulations of ABA inhibit shoot regeneration in the photo-inhibition type cultivars. PMID:26670930
Lee, Shen-Yang; Hsu, Hsiang-Hao; Chen, Yung-Chang; Huang, Chen-Chih; Wong, Yon-Cheong; Wang, Li-Jen; Chuang, Cheng-Keng; Yang, Chih-Wei
2009-11-01
This study retrospectively evaluated outcomes, complications, and tumor shrinkage in renal angiomyolipomas after transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE). All renal angiomyolipoma patients who underwent TAE between August 2000 and December 2008 and had short-term (
Xu, Yuan; Cardell, Lars-Olaf
2017-09-01
Nicotine is a major component of cigarette smoke. It causes addiction and is used clinically to aid smoke cessation. The aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of nicotine on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced airway hyperreactivity (AHR) and to explore the potential involvement of neuronal mechanisms behind nicotine's effects in murine models in vivo and in vitro. BALB/c mice were exposed to nicotine in vivo via subcutaneous Alzet osmotic minipumps containing nicotine tartate salt solution (24 mg·kg -1 ·day -1 ) for 28 days. LPS (0.1 mg/ml, 20 µl) was administered intranasally for 3 consecutive days during the end of this period. Lung functions were measured with flexiVent. For the in vitro experiments, mice tracheae were organcultured with either nicotine (10 μM) or vehicle (DMSO, 0.1%) for 4 days. Contractile responses of the tracheal segments were measured in myographs following electric field stimulation (EFS; increasing frequencies of 0.2 to 12.8 Hz) before and after incubation with 10 µg/ml LPS for 1 h. Results showed that LPS induced AHR to methacholine in vivo and increased contractile responses to EFS in vitro. Interestingly, long-term nicotine exposure markedly dampened this LPS-induced AHR both in vitro and in vivo. Tetrodotoxin (TTX) inhibited LPS-induced AHR but did not further inhibit nicotine-suppressed AHR in vivo. In conclusion, long-term nicotine exposure dampened LPS-induced AHR. The effect of nicotine was mimicked by TTX, suggesting the involvement of neuronal mechanisms. This information might be used for evaluating the long-term effects of nicotine and further exploring of how tobacco products interact with bacterial airway infections. Copyright © 2017 the American Physiological Society.
CONFERENCES AND SYMPOSIA: Long-lived light phenomena in the atmosphere
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Smirnov, Boris M.
1994-05-01
The state of knowledge of long-lived light phenomena in the atmosphere is reviewed in the light of contributions to the International Interdisciplinary Congress on Unsolved Problems of Atmospheric Electricity, September 1993, Salzburg, Austria; and the First International Workshop on Unidentified Atmospheric Light Phenomena, March 1994, Hessdalen, Norway.
Effect of housing rats in dim light or long nights on heart rate.
Azar, Toni A; Sharp, Jody L; Lawson, David M
2008-07-01
Housing laboratory animals under lighting conditions that more closely mimic the natural environment may improve their wellbeing. This study examined the effects of dim light or a long-night photocycle on resting heart rate (HR) of rats and their HR responses to acute procedures. Male and female Sprague-Dawley (SD) and spontaneously hypertensive (SHR) rats, instrumented with radiotelemetry transmitters and housed individually under a 12:12-h light:dark photocycle with 10 lx illumination (dim light) or under an 8:16-h light:dark photocycle with 200 lx illumination (long nights), were compared with control rats individually housed under a 12:12-h light:dark photocycle with 200 lx illumination. Dim light and long nights significantly reduced the HR of undisturbed SD and SHR male and SHR female rats during the day and at night; however, the HR of undisturbed SD females was not affected. When rats were subjected acutely to husbandry, experimental, or stressful procedures, dim light or long nights (or both) reduced HR responses to some procedures, did not alter responses to others, and increased responses to yet other procedures. The pattern of effects varied between strains and between male and female rats. Because basal HR was reduced when rats were housed under 10 lx illumination or an 8:16-h light:dark photocycle, we concluded that housing rats under 12:12-h light:dark, 200 lx ambient light conditions was potentially stressful, We also concluded that dim light or long nights did not uniformly reduce the increased HR responses induced by acute procedures.
BDNF is essential to promote persistence of long-term memory storage
Bekinschtein, Pedro; Cammarota, Martín; Katche, Cynthia; Slipczuk, Leandro; Rossato, Janine I.; Goldin, Andrea; Izquierdo, Ivan; Medina, Jorge H.
2008-01-01
Persistence is a characteristic attribute of long-term memories (LTMs). However, little is known about the molecular mechanisms that mediate this process. We recently showed that persistence of LTM requires a late protein synthesis- and BDNF-dependent phase in the hippocampus. Here, we show that intrahippocampal delivery of BDNF reverses the deficit in memory persistence caused by inhibition of hippocampal protein synthesis. Importantly, we demonstrate that BDNF induces memory persistence by itself, transforming a nonlasting LTM trace into a persistent one in an ERK-dependent manner. Thus, BDNF is not only necessary, but sufficient to induce a late postacquisition phase in the hippocampus essential for persistence of LTM storage. PMID:18263738
Anti-Hebbian long-term potentiation in the hippocampal feedback inhibitory circuit.
Lamsa, Karri P; Heeroma, Joost H; Somogyi, Peter; Rusakov, Dmitri A; Kullmann, Dimitri M
2007-03-02
Long-term potentiation (LTP), which approximates Hebb's postulate of associative learning, typically requires depolarization-dependent glutamate receptors of the NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) subtype. However, in some neurons, LTP depends instead on calcium-permeable AMPA-type receptors. This is paradoxical because intracellular polyamines block such receptors during depolarization. We report that LTP at synapses on hippocampal interneurons mediating feedback inhibition is "anti-Hebbian":Itis induced by presynaptic activity but prevented by postsynaptic depolarization. Anti-Hebbian LTP may occur in interneurons that are silent during periods of intense pyramidal cell firing, such as sharp waves, and lead to their altered activation during theta activity.
Instrument packages to study long-term sediment transport processes in a shallow bay
Strahle, William J.; Martini, Marinna A.; Davis, Ray E.
1994-01-01
Pressure and near-surface and near-bottom measurements of current, temperature, salinity and light transmission were required in Mobile Bay, a 3 m deep estuary on the Gulf of Mexico. This environment presented several obstacles to obtaining long term observations. Boat traffic, soft estuary bottom, heavy biofouling, rapid sample rates and large data storage were overcome by using instrumentation techniques that are applicable to other estuary systems. Nearly two years of continuous data was collected.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
2010-10-01
... December 29, 2007, was co-located with an entity that is a provider-based, off-campus location of a... hospital or the satellite facility from any individual hospital not co-located with the long-term care... from any individual hospital not co-located with the long-term care hospital or with the satellite of a...
Barrett, Ruth M; Malvaez, Melissa; Kramar, Eniko; Matheos, Dina P; Arrizon, Abraham; Cabrera, Sara M; Lynch, Gary; Greene, Robert W; Wood, Marcelo A
2011-01-01
To identify the role of the histone acetyltransferase (HAT) CREB-binding protein (CBP) in neurons of the CA1 region of the hippocampus during memory formation, we examine the effects of a focal homozygous knockout of CBP on histone modifications, gene expression, synaptic plasticity, and long-term memory. We show that CBP is critical for the in vivo acetylation of lysines on histones H2B, H3, and H4. CBP's homolog p300 was unable to compensate for the loss of CBP. Neurons lacking CBP maintained phosphorylation of the transcription factor CREB, yet failed to activate CREB:CBP-mediated gene expression. Loss of CBP in dorsal CA1 of the hippocampus resulted in selective impairments to long-term potentiation and long-term memory for contextual fear and object recognition. Together, these results suggest a necessary role for specific chromatin modifications, selectively mediated by CBP in the consolidation of memories. PMID:21508930
Endocannabinoid-Dependent Long-Term Potentiation of Synaptic Transmission at Rat Barrel Cortex.
Maglio, Laura Eva; Noriega-Prieto, José Antonio; Maraver, Maria Jesús; Fernández de Sevilla, David
2018-05-01
Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a critical role in modulating plasticity in sensory cortices. Indeed, a BDNF-dependent long-term potentiation (LTP) at distal basal excitatory synapses of Layer 5 pyramidal neurons (L5PNs) has been demonstrated in disinhibited rat barrel cortex slices. Although it is well established that this LTP requires the pairing of excitatory postsynaptic potentials (PSPs) with Ca2+ spikes, its induction when synaptic inhibition is working remains unexplored. Here we show that low-frequency stimulation at basal dendrites of L5PNs is able to trigger a PSP followed by an action potential (AP) and a slow depolarization (termed PSP-Ca2+ response) in thalamocortical slices without blocking synaptic inhibition. We demonstrate that AP barrage-mediated release of endocannabinoids (eCBs) from the recorded L5PNs induces PSP-Ca2+ response facilitation and BDNF-dependent LTP. Indeed, this LTP requires the type 1 cannabinoid receptors activation, is prevented by postsynaptic intracellular 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy) ethane-N,N,N,N'-tetraacetic acid (BAPTA) or the anandamide membrane transporter inhibitor AM404, and only occurs in L5PNs neurons showing depolarization-induced suppression of inhibition. Additionally, electrical stimulation at the posteromedial thalamic nucleus induced similar response and LTP. These results reveal a novel form of eCB-dependent LTP at L5PNs that could be relevant in the processing of sensory information in the barrel cortex.
Dong, Zhifang; Gong, Bo; Li, Hongjie; Bai, Yanrui; Wu, Xiaoyan; Huang, Yan; He, Wenting; Li, Tingyu; Wang, Yu Tian
2012-08-29
It is well known that novel environments can enhance learning and memory. However, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Here, we report that, in freely moving rats, novelty exploration facilitates the production of hippocampal CA1 long-term depression (LTD), a well characterized form of synaptic plasticity believed to be a cellular substrate of spatial learning, and thereby converts short-term memory (STM) into long-term memory (LTM) in an inhibitory avoidance learning procedure. Blocking the induction or the expression of CA1 LTD with two mechanistically and structurally distinct inhibitors prevents not only novelty acquisition but also the novelty exploration-promoted conversion of STM into LTM. Moreover, production of LTD with a strong electrical stimulation induction protocol or facilitation of hippocampal LTD by pharmacological inhibition of glutamate transporter activity mimics the behavioral effects of novelty exploration, sufficiently promoting the conversion of STM into LTM. Together, our findings suggest that induction of LTD may play an essential role not only in novelty acquisition but also in novelty-mediated memory enhancement.
Short-term and long-term treatment outcomes with Class III activator
Ryu, Hyo-kyung; Chong, Hyun-Jeong; An, Ki-Yong
2015-01-01
Objective The purpose of this retrospective study was to investigate short-term and long-term skeletodental outcomes of Class III activator treatment. Methods A Class III activator treatment group (AG) comprised of 22 patients (9 boys, 13 girls) was compared with a Class III control group (CG) comprised of 17 patients (6 boys, 11 girls). The total treatment period was divided into three stages; the initial stage (T1), the post-activator treatment or post-mandibular growth peak stage (T2), and the long-term follow-up stage (T3). Cephalometric changes were evaluated statistically via the Mann-Whitney U-test and the Friedman test. Results The AG exhibited significant increases in the SNA angle, ANB angle, Wits appraisal, A point-N perpendicular, Convexity of A point, and proclination of the maxillary incisors, from T1 to T2. In the long-term follow-up (T1-T3), the AG exhibited significantly greater increases in the ANB angle, Wits appraisal, and Convexity of A point than the CG. Conclusions Favorable skeletal outcomes induced during the Class III activator treatment period were generally maintained until the long-term follow-up period of the post-mandibular growth peak stage. PMID:26445717
[Psychosocial issues of long-term cancer survivors].
Weis, J; Faller, H
2012-04-01
Although cancer incidence rates are increasing, recent statistical studies suggest that cancer patients are showing higher cure rates as well as improved overall survival rates for most cancer locations. These advances are explained by improved strategies in early diagnoses as well as improved cancer therapies. Therefore, the number of long-term cancer survivors has also increased, but only few studies, especially within the last years, have focused on psychosocial issues of this subgroup. Some studies show that overall quality of life of long-term cancer survivors is quite high and comparable to that of the normal population. Nevertheless, a substantial percentage of former patients shows reduced quality of life and suffers from various sequelae of cancer and its treatment. This review focuses on the most common psychosocial issue of long-term survivors such as reduced psychological wellbeing, neuropsychological deficits and cancer-related fatigue syndrome. Finally, recommendations for problem-oriented interventions as well as improvement of psychosocial care of long-term survivors are given.
A security/safety survey of long term care facilities.
Acorn, Jonathan R
2010-01-01
What are the major security/safety problems of long term care facilities? What steps are being taken by some facilities to mitigate such problems? Answers to these questions can be found in a survey of IAHSS members involved in long term care security conducted for the IAHSS Long Term Care Security Task Force. The survey, the author points out, focuses primarily on long term care facilities operated by hospitals and health systems. However, he believes, it does accurately reflect the security problems most long term facilities face, and presents valuable information on security systems and practices which should be also considered by independent and chain operated facilities.
Long-Term Care Financing: Lessons From France
Doty, Pamela; Nadash, Pamela; Racco, Nathalie
2015-01-01
Context An aging population leads to a growing demand for long-term services and supports (LTSS). In 2002, France introduced universal, income-adjusted, public long-term care coverage for adults 60 and older, whereas the United States funds means-tested benefits only. Both countries have private long-term care insurance (LTCI) markets: American policies create alternatives to out-of-pocket spending and protect purchasers from relying on Medicaid. Sales, however, have stagnated, and the market's viability is uncertain. In France, private LTCI supplements public coverage, and sales are growing, although its potential to alleviate the long-term care financing problem is unclear. We explore whether France's very different approach to structuring public and private financing for long-term care could inform the United States’ long-term care financing reform efforts. Methods We consulted insurance experts and conducted a detailed review of public reports, academic studies, and other documents to understand the public and private LTCI systems in France, their advantages and disadvantages, and the factors affecting their development. Findings France provides universal public coverage for paid assistance with functional dependency for people 60 and older. Benefits are steeply income adjusted and amounts are low. Nevertheless, expenditures have exceeded projections, burdening local governments. Private supplemental insurance covers 11% of French, mostly middle-income adults (versus 3% of Americans 18 and older). Whether policyholders will maintain employer-sponsored coverage after retirement is not known. The government's interest in pursuing an explicit public/private partnership has waned under President François Hollande, a centrist socialist, in contrast to the previous center-right leader, President Nicolas Sarkozy, thereby reducing the prospects of a coordinated public/private strategy. Conclusions American private insurers are showing increasing interest in long-term
A time-course study of long term over-expression of ARR19 in mice
Qamar, Imteyaz; Ahmad, Mohammad Faiz; Narayanasamy, Arul
2015-01-01
A leucine-rich protein, ARR19 (androgen receptor corepressor-19 kDa), is highly expressed in male reproductive organs and moderately in others. Previously, we have reported that ARR19 is differentially expressed in adult Leydig cells during the testis development and inhibits steroidogenesis by reducing the expression of steroidogenic enzymes. Whereas in prostate, ARR19 represses the transcriptional activity of AR (androgen receptor), it is important for male sexual differentiation and maturation in prostate and epididymis, through the recruitment of HDAC4. In this study we show that long term adenovirus mediated overexpression of ARR19 in mice testis has the potential of inhibiting the differentiation of testicular and prostatic cells by reducing the size of testis and prostate but has no effect on the growth of seminal vesicles. Further, it reduces the level of progesterone and testosterone by reducing the steroidogenic enzymes such as 3HSD, P450c17 and StAR. This is the first study reporting a time-course analysis of the implications of long term overexpression of ARR19 in mice testis and its effect on other organs such as prostate and seminal vesicles. Taken together, these results suggest that ARR19 may play an important role in the differentiation of male reproductive organs such as testis and prostate. PMID:26260329
Long-term care financing: options for the future.
Mulvey, Janemarie; Li, Annelise
2002-01-01
The aging of the baby boomers will have an enormous impact on the future of long-term care costs. This article projects the magnitude of that impact, discusses sources of financing, and considers the cost and feasibility of three options for financing future long-term care services. The authors investigate the alternatives of increasing personal savings, raising payroll taxes and expanding employer-sponsored private long-term care insurance coverage, respectively.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Crossland, John
2011-01-01
The English National Curriculum Programmes of Study emphasise the importance of knowledge, understanding and skills, and teachers are well versed in structuring learning in those terms. Research outcomes into how long-term memory is stored and retrieved provide support for structuring learning in this way. Four further messages are added to the…
Sun, Xiao-Juan; Pan, Shan-Shan
2014-07-01
To examine the role of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) in cardioprotection of short-term and long-term exercise preconditioning (EP). Male Sprague-Dawley rats were, respectively, subjected to continuous intermittent treadmill training 3 days or 3 weeks as short-term or long-term EP protocols. The myocardial injury induced by isoproterenol (ISO) was performed 24 hours after short-term and long-term EP. The myocardial injury was evaluated in terms of the serum cardiac troponin levels and the hematoxylin-basic fuchsin-picric acid staining. Additionally, serum CGRP levels, CGRP expression in the dorsal root ganglion (DRG), and heart were analyzed as possible mechanisms to explain short-term and long-term EP-induced cardioprotection. Both short-term and long-term EP markedly attenuated the isoproterenol-induced myocardial ischemia with lower serum cardiac troponin levels. Short-term EP does not alter serum CGRP levels and CGRP expression in the DRG and heart. Long-term EP significantly increases serum CGRP levels and CGRP expression in the DRG and heart. The results indicate that short-term EP does not increase the synthesis and release of CGRP. Therefore, the cardioprotective effect of short-term EP does not involve CGRP adaptation. Furthermore, long-term EP increases CGRP synthesis in the DRG and promotes CGRP release in the blood and heart. Hence, CGRP may play an important role in the cardioprotective effect of long-term EP.
He, De-Hua; Zhang, Liang-Min; Lin, Li-Ming; Ning, Ruo-Bing; Wang, Hua-Jun; Xu, Chang-Sheng; Lin, Jin-Xiu
2014-02-01
Prehypertension has been associated with adverse cerebrovascular events and brain damage. The aims of this study were to investigate ⅰ) whether short‑ and long-term treatments with losartan or amlodipine for prehypertension were able to prevent blood pressure (BP)-linked brain damage, and ⅱ) whether there is a difference in the effectiveness of treatment with losartan and amlodipine in protecting BP-linked brain damage. In the present study, prehypertensive treatment with losartan and amlodipine (6 and 16 weeks treatment with each drug) was performed on 4-week‑old stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP). The results showed that long-term (16 weeks) treatment with losartan is the most effective in lowering systolic blood pressure in the long term (up to 40 weeks follow-up). Additionally, compared with the amlodipine treatment groups, the short‑ and long-term losartan treatments protected SHRSP from stroke and improved their brains structurally and functionally more effectively, with the long-term treatment having more benefits. Mechanistically, the short‑ and long-term treatments with losartan reduced the activity of the local renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) in a time-dependent manner and more effectively than their respective counterpart amlodipine treatment group mainly by decreasing AT1R levels and increasing AT2R levels in the cerebral cortex. By contrast, the amlodipine treatment groups inhibited brain cell apoptosis more effectively as compared with the losartan treatment groups mainly through the suppression of local oxidative stress. Taken together, the results suggest that long-term losartan treatment for prehypertension effectively protects SHRSP from stroke-induced brain damage, and this protection is associated with reduced local RAAS activity than with brain cell apoptosis. Thus, the AT1R receptor blocker losartan is a good candidate drug that may be used in the clinic for long-term treatment on prehypertensive
Planning long-term vegetation studies at landscape scales
Stohlgren, Thomas J.
1995-01-01
Long-term ecological research is receiving more attention now than ever before. Two recent books, Long-term Studies in Ecology: Approaches and Alternatives, edited by Gene Likens (1989), and Long-term Ecological Research: An International Perspective, edited by Paul Risser (1991), prompt the question, “Why are these books so thin?” Except for data from paleoecological, retrospective studies (see below), there are exceptionally few long-term data sets in terrestrial ecology (Strayer et al. 1986; Tilman 1989; this volume). In a sample of 749 papers published in Ecology, Tilman (1989) found that only 1.7% of the studies lasted at least five field seasons. Only one chapter in each of the review books dealt specifically with expanding both the temporal and the spatial scales of ecological research (Berkowitz et al. 1989; Magnuson et al. 1991). Judging by the growing number of landscape-scale long-term studies, however, such as the Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) Program (Callahan 1991), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP; Palmer et al. 1991), the U.S. Army’s Land Condition-Trend Analysis (LCTA) Program (Diersing et al. 1992), and various agencies’ global change research programs (CEES 1993), there is a growing interest to expand ecological research both temporally and spatially.
Zeitgeists and development trends in long-term care facility design.
Wang, Chia-Hui; Kuo, Nai-Wen
2006-06-01
Through literature analysis, in-depth interviews, and the application of the Delphi survey, this study explored long-term care resident priorities with regard to long-term care facility design in terms of both physical and psychological needs. This study further clarified changing trends in long-term care concepts; illustrated the impact that such changes are having on long-term care facility design; and summarized zeitgeists related to the architectural design of long-term care facilities. Results of our Delphi survey indicated the following top five priorities in long-term care facility design: (1) creating a home-like feeling; (2) adhering to Universal Design concepts; (3) providing well-defined private sleeping areas; (4) providing adequate social space; and (5) decentralizing residents' rooms into clusters. The three major zeitgeists related to long-term care facility design include: (1) modern long-term care facilities should abandon their traditional "hospital" image and gradually reposition facilities into homelike settings; (2) institution-based care for the elderly should be de-institutionalized under the concept of aging-in-place; and (3) living clusters, rather than traditional hospital-like wards, should be designed into long-term care facilities.
Lane, Natasha E; Wodchis, Walter P; Boyd, Cynthia M; Stukel, Thérèse A
2017-02-10
Self-care disability is dependence on others to conduct activities of daily living, such as bathing, eating and dressing. Among long-term care residents, self-care disability lowers quality of life and increases health care costs. Understanding the correlates of self-care disability in this population is critical to guide clinical care and ongoing research in Geriatrics. This study examines which resident geriatric syndromes and chronic conditions are associated with residents' self-care disability and whether these relationships vary across strata of age, sex and cognitive status. It also describes the proportion of variance in residents' self-care disability that is explained by residents' geriatric syndromes versus long-term care home characteristics. We conducted a cross-sectional study using a health administrative cohort of 77,165 long-term care home residents residing in 614 Ontario long-term care homes. Eligible residents had their self-care disability assessed using the RAI-MDS 2.0 activities of daily living long-form score (range: 0-28) within 90 days of April 1st, 2011. Hierarchical multivariable regression models with random effects for long-term care homes were used to estimate the association between self-care disability and resident geriatric syndromes, chronic conditions and long-term care home characteristics. Differences in findings across strata of sex, age and cognitive status (cognitively intact versus cognitively impaired) were examined. Geriatric syndromes were much more strongly associated with self-care disability than chronic conditions in multivariable models. The direction and size of some of these effects were different for cognitively impaired versus cognitively intact residents. Residents' geriatric syndromes explained 50% of the variation in their self-care disability scores, while characteristics of long-term care homes explained an additional 2% of variation. Differences in long-term care residents' self-care disability are
Long-Term Monitoring of Global Climate Forcings and Feedbacks
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Hansen, J. (Editor); Rossow, W. (Editor); Fung, I. (Editor)
1993-01-01
A workshop on Long-Term Monitoring of Global Climate Forcings and Feedbacks was held February 3-4, 1992, at NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies to discuss the measurements required to interpret long-term global temperature changes, to critique the proposed contributions of a series of small satellites (Climsat), and to identify needed complementary monitoring. The workshop concluded that long-term (several decades) of continuous monitoring of the major climate forcings and feedbacks is essential for understanding long-term climate change.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Mazzillo, M.; Sciuto, A.; Libertino, S.; Lombardo, S.; Fallica, G.
2018-02-01
There is an increasing interest in using Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs) in emerging applications where the detectors have to operate in ambient environment with high sensitivity and fast timing response in combination with narrow bandwidth light emitting sources like LEDs or VCSELs. The need to use large area detectors for optimizing the light collection efficiency, due to the low optical fluxes to be usually detected, imposes the optimization of the SiPM performance in specific wavelength ranges (usually visible or near infrared), to fully exploit the single photon sensitivity of these detectors and not to reduce at the same time their dynamic range. The use of proper optical long-pass filters on the detector's package can represent a suitable way to reach both these targets, through the reduction of environmental light absorption. Here we present the preliminary results obtained from the characterization of n+-p SiPMs with commercial long-pass filters with increasing cut-on wavelength in the range 500 nm-900 nm glued on the top side of the detector's package. The performance of the detectors has been evaluated in terms of dark current variation induced by the use of the filters and background light rejection under the illumination of white fluorescent lamps. The relevant reduction observed in the dark current (up to 90% at 13 V overvoltage) and the consistent reduction of stray light absorption (up to 90% at 3 V overvoltage with a 900 nm cut-on wavelength long-pass filter) are the main characterization results obtained and shown in this paper.
Long Term Care Aide/Homemaker. Resource Handbook.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Illerbrun, Marley
This handbook provides basic information for preparing individuals to work as long-term care aides and homemakers. It is written both for college students in long-term care aide/homemaker programs and for individuals already employed in these occupations. Health care agencies giving orientation training for new employees and inservice training for…
Developmental Dyslexia and Explicit Long-Term Memory
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Menghini, Deny; Carlesimo, Giovanni Augusto; Marotta, Luigi; Finzi, Alessandra; Vicari, Stefano
2010-01-01
The reduced verbal long-term memory capacities often reported in dyslexics are generally interpreted as a consequence of their deficit in phonological coding. The present study was aimed at evaluating whether the learning deficit exhibited by dyslexics was restricted only to the verbal component of the long-term memory abilities or also involved…
78 FR 36449 - State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
2013-06-18
... 0985-AA08 State Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program AGENCY: Administration on Aging, Administration for... Act, the State Long-Term Care Ombudsman program. This proposed rule replaces AoA's 1994 Notice of... highlighted the difficulty of determining State compliance in carrying out the Long-Term Care Ombudsman...
Advancing an ethical framework for long-term care.
Carter, Mary Whelan
2002-02-01
This article represents an effort to formulate an ethical framework for long-term care with the explicit purpose of providing a catalyst to promote further discourse and expand consideration of what an ethic of long-term care might entail. Grounding the discussion, an introduction to traditional ethical philosophy is presented, focusing mainly on the fundamentals of deontological and teleological ethical theories. Attention then shifts to a review of the more frequently cited principles found in the long-term care ethics literature, followed by a critique of the current reliance upon principlism to resolve ethical dilemmas in long-term care. In response to this criticism, an agent-driven ethical framework stressing dignity and respect for personhood, drawn from the philosophy of Immanuel Kant, is advanced.
Long-term memory, sleep, and the spacing effect.
Bell, Matthew C; Kawadri, Nader; Simone, Patricia M; Wiseheart, Melody
2014-01-01
Many studies have shown that memory is enhanced when study sessions are spaced apart rather than massed. This spacing effect has been shown to have a lasting benefit to long-term memory when the study phase session follows the encoding session by 24 hours. Using a spacing paradigm we examined the impact of sleep and spacing gaps on long-term declarative memory for Swahili-English word pairs by including four spacing delay gaps (massed, 12 hours same-day, 12 hours overnight, and 24 hours). Results showed that a 12-hour spacing gap that includes sleep promotes long-term memory retention similar to the 24-hour gap. The findings support the importance of sleep to the long-term benefit of the spacing effect.
Long-term course of opioid addiction.
Hser, Yih-Ing; Evans, Elizabeth; Grella, Christine; Ling, Walter; Anglin, Douglas
2015-01-01
Opioid addiction is associated with excess mortality, morbidities, and other adverse conditions. Guided by a life-course framework, we review the literature on the long-term course of opioid addiction in terms of use trajectories, transitions, and turning points, as well as other factors that facilitate recovery from addiction. Most long-term follow-up studies are based on heroin addicts recruited from treatment settings (mostly methadone maintenance treatment), many of whom are referred by the criminal justice system. Cumulative evidence indicates that opioid addiction is a chronic disorder with frequent relapses. Longer treatment retention is associated with a greater likelihood of abstinence, whereas incarceration is negatively related to subsequent abstinence. Over the long term, the mortality rate of opioid addicts (overdose being the most common cause) is about 6 to 20 times greater than that of the general population; among those who remain alive, the prevalence of stable abstinence from opioid use is low (less than 30% after 10-30 years of observation), and many continue to use alcohol and other drugs after ceasing to use opioids. Histories of sexual or physical abuse and comorbid mental disorders are associated with the persistence of opioid use, whereas family and social support, as well as employment, facilitates recovery. Maintaining opioid abstinence for at least five years substantially increases the likelihood of future stable abstinence. Recent advances in pharmacological treatment options (buprenorphine and naltrexone) include depot formulations offering longer duration of medication; their impact on the long-term course of opioid addiction remains to be assessed.
Yi, Bin; Wu, Cong; Shi, Runjie; Han, Kun; Sheng, Haibin; Li, Bei; Mei, Ling; Wang, Xueling; Huang, Zhiwu; Wu, Hao
2018-01-01
Hypothesis: We investigated whether salicylate induces tinnitus through alteration of the expression levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), proBDNF, tyrosine kinase receptor B (TrkB), cAMP-responsive element-binding protein (CREB), and phosphorylated CREB (p-CREB) in the auditory cortex (AC). Background: Salicylate medication is frequently used for long-term treatment in clinical settings, but it may cause reversible tinnitus. Salicylate-induced tinnitus is associated with changes related to central auditory neuroplasticity. Our previous studies revealed enhanced neural activity and ultrastructural synaptic changes in the central auditory system after long-term salicylate administration. However, the underlying mechanisms remained unclear. Methods: Salicylate-induced tinnitus-like behavior in rats was confirmed using gap prepulse inhibition of acoustic startle and prepulse inhibition testing, followed by comparison of the expression levels of BDNF, proBDNF, TrkB, CREB, and p-CREB. Synaptic ultrastructure was observed under a transmission electron microscope. Results: BDNF and p-CREB were upregulated along with ultrastructural changes at the synapses in the AC of rats treated chronically with salicylate (p < 0.05, compared with control group). These changes returned to normal after 14 days of recovery (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Long-term administration of salicylate increased BDNF expression and CREB activation, upregulated synaptic efficacy, and changed synaptic ultrastructure in the AC. There may be a relationship between these factors and the mechanism of tinnitus. PMID:29342042
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2010-01-01
Transportation Asset Management (TAM) has long been recognized as a sound, long-term approach to managing infrastructure. It provides decision makers with a rational, long-term systematic process for making difficult and complex decisions about how t...
Badowska-Szalewska, E; Spodnik, E; Ludkiewicz, B; Klejbor, I; Moryś, J
2011-12-29
This study aimed at examining and comparing the influence of two different stress stimuli on the density (number of cells/mm²) of nerve growth factor (NGF) containing neurons in the hippocampal CA1 and CA3 pyramidal cell layers and the dentate gyrus (DG) granule cell layer in juvenile rats (P28; P-postnatal day). The high-light open-field (HL-OF) test and forced swim (FS) test were employed to investigate the effects of a single, 15-min acute exposure and repeated (15 min daily for 21 days) long-term exposure to stress. In order to detect NGF-ir neurons, immunohistochemical (-ir) techniques were used. In comparison with nonstressed animals, acute and long-term HL-OF or FS stimulation resulted in a marked increase (P<0.001) in the density of NGF-ir containing cells in all the hippocampal structures. The frequency of stress application (acute vs. long-term), however, did not have a substantial impact on the studied parameter, with the exception of the CA3 sector, where a decreased density (P<0.001) of NGF-ir neurons was observed after long-term exposure to FS. It may be concluded that a rise in the density of NGF-ir neurons in the juvenile rat hippocampus after exposure to HL-OF or FS stressors could have affected the activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) stress axis. Prolonged HL-OF or FS stress was probably aggravating enough not to trigger the habituation process. The type of stressor applied (HL-OF vs. FS) was not essentially a factor determining the density of NGF-ir cells in the hippocampus. Copyright © 2011 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Rural long-term care work, gender, and restructuring.
Leach, Belinda; Joseph, Gillian
2011-06-01
Restructuring--the introduction of changes that alter the way health care is delivered for maximum efficiency and least cost--layered with rurality and with rural gender ideologies and practices, results in rural long-term care settings that have particular consequences for the women working in them, and for the residents and communities that they serve. This research investigated how rurality affects the implementation of patient classification in Ontario long-term care homes. Methods involved interviews and focus groups with front-line long-term care workers, administrators, and key participants. The findings revealed that rural long-term care delivery takes place when a restructured work environment intersects with gender ideologies and practices that take on particular characteristics when developed and sustained in a rural context. These factors shape the labor market and working conditions for rural women. We argue that this produces a uniquely rural experience for long-term care workers and conclude that those implementing classification systems must consider contextual factors as well as practical and financial exigencies.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wang, Laiyuan; Wang, Zhiyong; Lin, Jinyi; Yang, Jie; Xie, Linghai; Yi, Mingdong; Li, Wen; Ling, Haifeng; Ou, Changjin; Huang, Wei
2016-10-01
Most simulations of neuroplasticity in memristors, which are potentially used to develop artificial synapses, are confined to the basic biological Hebbian rules. However, the simplex rules potentially can induce excessive excitation/inhibition, even collapse of neural activities, because they neglect the properties of long-term homeostasis involved in the frameworks of realistic neural networks. Here, we develop organic CuPc-based memristors of which excitatory and inhibitory conductivities can implement both Hebbian rules and homeostatic plasticity, complementary to Hebbian patterns and conductive to the long-term homeostasis. In another adaptive situation for homeostasis, in thicker samples, the overall excitement under periodic moderate stimuli tends to decrease and be recovered under intense inputs. Interestingly, the prototypes can be equipped with bio-inspired habituation and sensitization functions outperforming the conventional simplified algorithms. They mutually regulate each other to obtain the homeostasis. Therefore, we develop a novel versatile memristor with advanced synaptic homeostasis for comprehensive neural functions.
Long-term Efficacy of Safinamide on Parkinson's Disease Chronic Pain.
Cattaneo, Carlo; Kulisevsky, Jaime; Tubazio, Viviana; Castellani, Paola
2018-04-01
Chronic pain is an important yet overlooked non-motor symptom of Parkinson's disease (PD), caused by an imbalance of the dopaminergic and glutamatergic systems. Safinamide has a multimodal mechanism of action, dopaminergic (reversible MAO-B inhibition) and non-dopaminergic (modulation of the abnormal glutamate release), that might be beneficial for both motor and non-motor symptoms. To investigate the long-term (2-year) efficacy of safinamide on PD chronic pain and to confirm the positive effects observed after 6 months of treatment. This is a post hoc analysis of the data from the 2-year study 018, focused on the reduction of concomitant pain treatments and on the scores of pain-related items of the Parkinson's disease quality of life questionnaire (PDQ-39). Safinamide, compared with placebo, significantly improved the PDQ-39 items 37 ("painful cramps or spasm," p = 0.0074) and 39 ("unpleasantly hot or cold," p = 0.0209) and significantly reduced the number of concomitant pain treatments by 26.2% (p = 0.005). A significantly greater proportion of patients in the safinamide group was not using pain drugs after 2 years of treatment (p = 0.0478). The positive effects of safinamide on PD chronic pain were maintained in the long term. Further investigations are desirable to confirm their clinical relevance. Zambon SpA.
[Long-term memory, neurogenesis and novelty signal].
Sokolova, E N; Nezlina, N I
2003-01-01
In accordance with the advanced hypothesis the long-term memory is a collection of "gnostic units" selectively tuned to experienced events. The long-term memory is continuously supplemented by new neurons differentiated from stem cells during neurogenesis (particularly, in adults). The transformation of neuronal progenitors into event-selective gnostic units is accomplished with participation of hippocampal "novelty neurons" emphasizing information inputs to be stored in the long-term memory. The formation of the gnostic units is preceded by informational processes occurring in the ventral ("what?") and dorsal ("where?") systems. The formation of a new gnostic unit selectively tuned to a particular event is a result of combination of feature-detector excitation and novelty signal generated by hippocampal novelty neurons.
Adjustable long duration high-intensity point light source
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Krehl, P.; Hagelweide, J. B.
1981-06-01
A new long duration high-intensity point light source with adjustable light duration and a small light spot locally stable in time has been developed. The principle involved is a stationary high-temperature plasma flow inside a partly constrained capillary of a coaxial spark gap which is viewed end on through a terminating Plexiglas window. The point light spark gap is operated via a resistor by an artificial transmission line. Using two exchangeable inductance sets in the line, two ranges of photoduration 10-130 μs and 100-600 μs can be covered. For a light spot size of 1.5 mm diameter the corresponding peak light output amounts to 5×106 and 1.6×106 candelas, respectively. Within these ranges the duration is controlled by an ignitron crowbar to extinguish the plasma. The adjustable photoduration is very useful for the application of continuous writing rotating mirror cameras, thus preventing multiple exposures. The essentially uniform exposure within the visible spectral range makes the new light source suitable for color cinematography.
Legislation on Long-Term Care Insurance. Report No. 11.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Wisconsin State Legislative Council, Madison.
This report presents Wisconsin state legislation on long-term care insurance. Part I summarizes key provisions of six 1987 assembly bills concerned with long-term care insurance. Part II describes activities of the Wisconsin State Legislative Council's Special Committee on Long-Term Health Care Insurance. Part III provides background information…
Exogenous glutamate induces short and long-term potentiation in the rat medial vestibular nuclei.
Grassi, S; Frondaroli, A; Pessia, M; Pettorossi, V E
2001-08-08
In rat brain stem slices, high concentrations of exogenous glutamate induce long-term potentiation (LTP) of the field potentials evoked in the medial vestibular nuclei (MVN) by vestibular afferent stimulation. At low concentrations, glutamate can also induce short-term potentiation (STP), indicating that LTP and STP are separate events depending on the level of glutamatergic synapse activation. LTP and STP are prevented by blocking NMDA receptors and nitric oxide (NO) synthesis. Conversely, blocking platelet-activating factor (PAF) and group I metabotropic glutamate receptors only prevents the full development of LTP. Moreover, in the presence of blocking agents, glutamate causes transient inhibition, suggesting that when potentiation is impeded, exogenous glutamate can activate presynaptic mechanisms that reduce glutamate release.
Kim, Edward; Wang, Yuan; Kim, Sun-Jung; Bornhorst, Miriam; Jecrois, Emmanuelle S; Anthony, Todd E; Wang, Chenran; Li, Yi E; Guan, Jun-Lin; Murphy, Geoffrey G; Zhu, Yuan
2014-01-01
Individuals with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) frequently exhibit cognitive and motor impairments and characteristics of autism. The cerebellum plays a critical role in motor control, cognition, and social interaction, suggesting that cerebellar defects likely contribute to NF1-associated neurodevelopmental disorders. Here we show that Nf1 inactivation during early, but not late stages of cerebellar development, disrupts neuronal lamination, which is partially caused by overproduction of glia and subsequent disruption of the Bergmann glia (BG) scaffold. Specific Nf1 inactivation in glutamatergic neuronal precursors causes premature differentiation of granule cell (GC) precursors and ectopic production of unipolar brush cells (UBCs), indirectly disrupting neuronal migration. Transient MEK inhibition during a neonatal window prevents cerebellar developmental defects and improves long-term motor performance of Nf1-deficient mice. This study reveals essential roles of Nf1 in GC/UBC migration by generating correct numbers of glia and controlling GC/UBC fate-specification/differentiation, identifying a therapeutic prevention strategy for multiple NF1-associcated developmental abnormalities. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.05151.001 PMID:25535838
Gul, Nizamettin; Ahmed, S Ashraf; Smith, Leonard A
2004-11-01
We investigated the inhibitory effect of stinging nettle leaf extract on the protease activity of botulinum neurotoxin type A and B light chains. The nettle leaf infusion was fractionated and HPLC-based enzymatic assays were performed to determine the capacity of each fraction to inhibit the protease activity of botulinum neurotoxin type A and B light chains. Assay results demonstrated that a water-soluble fraction obtained from the nettle leaf infusion inhibited type A, but did not inhibit type B light chain protease activity. The inhibition mode of water soluble fraction against protease activity of type A light chain was analyzed and found to be a non-competitive.
Jobless now, sick later? Investigating the long-term consequences of involuntary job loss on health.
Schröder, Mathis
2013-03-01
In the light of the current economic crises which in many countries lead to business closures and mass lay-offs, the consequences of job loss are important on various dimensions. They have to be investigated not only in consideration of a few years, but with a long-term perspective as well, because early life course events may prove important for later life outcomes. This paper uses data from SHARELIFE to shed light on the long-term consequences of involuntary job loss on health. The paper distinguishes between two different reasons for involuntary job loss: plant closures, which in the literature are considered to be exogenous to the individual, and lay-offs, where the causal direction of health and unemployment is ambiguous. These groups are separately compared to those who never experienced a job loss. The paper uses eleven different measures of health to assess long-term health consequences of job loss, which has to have occurred at least 25 years before the current interview. As panel data cannot be employed, a large body of variables, including childhood health and socio-economic conditions, is used to control for the initial conditions. The findings suggest that individuals with an exogenous job loss suffer in the long run: men are significantly more likely to be depressed and they have more trouble knowing the current date. Women report poorer general health and more chronic conditions and are also affected in their physical health: they are more likely to be obese or overweight, and to have any limitations in their (instrumental) activities of daily living. In the comparison group of laid-off individuals, controlling for the initial conditions reduces the effects of job loss on health - proving that controlling for childhood conditions is important. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Photometric long-term variations and superhump occurrence in the Classical Nova RR Pictoris
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Fuentes-Morales, I.; Vogt, N.; Tappert, C.; Schmidtobreick, L.; Hambsch, F.-J.; Vučković, M.
2018-02-01
We present an analysis of all available time-resolved photometry from the literature and new light curves obtained in 2013-2014 for the old nova RR Pictoris. The well-known hump light curve phased with the orbital period reveals significant variations over the last 42 yr in shape, amplitude and other details which apparently are caused by long-term variations in the disc structure. In addition, we found evidence for the presence of superhumps in 2007, with the same period ( ˜ 9 per cent longer than the orbital period), as reported earlier by other authors from observations in 2005. Possibly, superhumps arise quickly in RR Pic, but are sporadic events, because in all the other observing runs analysed no significant superhump signal was detected. We also determined an actual version of the Stolz-Schoembs relation between superhump period and orbital period, analysing separately dwarf novae, classical novae and nova-like stars, and conclude that this relation is of general validity for all superhumpers among the cataclysmic variables (CVs), in spite of small but significant differences among the sub-types mentioned above. We emphasize the importance of such a study in context with the still open question of the interrelation between the different sub-classes of CVs, crucial for our understanding of the long-term CV evolution.
Valuing a long-term care facility.
Mellen, C M
1992-10-01
The business valuation industry generally uses at least one of three basic approaches to value a long-term care facility: the cost approach, sales comparison approach, or income approach. The approach that is chosen and the resulting weight that is applied to it depend largely on the circumstances involved. Because a long-term care facility is a business enterprise, more weight usually is given to the income approach which factors into the estimate of value both the tangible and intangible assets of the facility.
Long-Term Coffee Monoculture Alters Soil Chemical Properties and Microbial Communities.
Zhao, Qingyun; Xiong, Wu; Xing, Yizhang; Sun, Yan; Lin, Xingjun; Dong, Yunping
2018-04-17
Long-term monoculture severely inhibits coffee plant growth, decreases its yield and results in serious economic losses in China. Here, we selected four replanted coffee fields with 4, 18, 26 and 57 years of monoculture history in Hainan China to investigate the influence of continuous cropping on soil chemical properties and microbial communities. Results showed long-term monoculture decreased soil pH and organic matter content and increased soil EC. Soil bacterial and fungal richness decreased with continuous coffee cropping. Principal coordinate analysis suggested monoculture time was a major determinant of bacterial and fungal community structures. Relative abundances of bacterial Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Nitrospira and fungal Ascomycota phyla decreased over time. At genus level, potentially beneficial microbes such as Nitrospira and Trichoderma, significantly declined over time and showed positive relationships with coffee plant growth in pots. In conclusion, continuous coffee cropping decreased soil pH, organic matter content, potentially beneficial microbes and increased soil EC, which might lead to the poor growth of coffee plants in pots and decline of coffee yields in fields. Thus, developing sustainable agriculture to improve soil pH, organic matter content, microbial activity and reduce the salt stress under continuous cropping system is important for coffee production in China.
Long-term stability of microcrystalline silicon p-i-n solar cells exposed to sun light
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Sanguino, P.; Koynov, S.; Schwarz, R.
1999-07-01
The performance of an entirely microcrystalline p-i-n solar cell was monitored during a long-term outdoor test in Lisbon starting in September 1998. A small decrease of the short circuit current was observed after 5 months of operation. The open-circuit voltage remained stable around 400 mV. From the analysis of the I-V characteristic in dark and under illumination they could identify the weak points of the test structure, like large series resistance, high recombination rate, and intensity-dependent collection efficiency.
Long-term forest ecosystem research: a programmatic view
Wayne Swank; James Vose
2010-01-01
Long-term research provides the building blocks of knowledge needed to address natural resource and environmental issues. "Long-term" has frequently been considered to span decades with a time frame that usually encompasses at least one generation of scientists and frequently two or more generations. In the rich history of forest science, the origin of long-...
Short- and Long-Term Consequences of Adolescent Work.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Mihalic, Sharon Wofford; Elliott, Delbert
1997-01-01
Examines the short- and long-term consequences of working during adolescence. Responses from 1,725 adolescents reveal that the negative short-term effects are in the domains of school, family and friend bonding, beliefs, and substance use. The long-term beneficial effect is that the duration of early work helps employability in adulthood. (GR)
The interaction of short-term and long-term memory in phonetic category formation
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Harnsberger, James D.
2002-05-01
This study examined the role that short-term memory capacity plays in the relationship between novel stimuli (e.g., non-native speech sounds, native nonsense words) and phonetic categories in long-term memory. Thirty native speakers of American English were administered five tests: categorial AXB discrimination using nasal consonants from Malayalam; categorial identification, also using Malayalam nasals, which measured the influence of phonetic categories in long-term memory; digit span; nonword span, a short-term memory measure mediated by phonetic categories in long-term memory; and paired-associate word learning (word-word and word-nonword pairs). The results showed that almost all measures were significantly correlated with one another. The strongest predictor for the discrimination and word-nonword learning results was nonword (r=+0.62) and digit span (r=+0.51), respectively. When the identification test results were partialed out, only nonword span significantly correlated with discrimination. The results show a strong influence of short-term memory capacity on the encoding of phonetic detail within phonetic categories and suggest that long-term memory representations regulate the capacity of short-term memory to preserve information for subsequent encoding. The results of this study will also be discussed with regards to resolving the tension between episodic and abstract models of phonetic category structure.
Krebs, Andreas; Moske-Eick, Olaf; Doerfer, Jürgen; Roemer-Pergher, Cordula; van der Werf-Grohmann, Natascha; Schwab, Karl Otfried
2012-01-01
Growth hormone (GH) is the most frequently used treatment in children with idiopathic short stature (ISS). Aromatase inhibitor (AI) therapy is still in an experimental state, and both final height (FH) and long-term efficacy data in ISS have not been published. We present a 14.5-year-old boy with ISS and a height of 142.7 cm [standard deviation score (SDS) -2.79]. Based on the baseline bone age (BA) of 13.5-14 years, his predicted adult height (PAH) by Bayley/Pinneau was 154 cm (SDS -3.77)-158.2 (SDS -3.15). After a 5-year letrozole monotherapy, FH was 169 cm (SDS -1.57) showing a height difference between PAH and FH from 10.8 to 15 cm. No permanent side effects of the medication have been observed. Both a transient occurrence and a spontaneous recovery of decreased bone mineral apparent density were seen, verified by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Spinal magnetic resonance imaging revealed no vertebral abnormalities. All therapy might be an effective and low-cost alternative to the use of GH. Further controlled trials should prove efficacy and safety of long-term AI therapy in boys with ISS.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Becker, Ina; Strauch, Sebastian M.; Hauslage, Jens; Lebert, Michael
2017-05-01
The unicellular freshwater flagellate Euglena gracilis has a highly developed sensory system. The cells use different stimuli such as light and gravity to orient themselves in the surrounding medium to find areas for optimal growth. Due to the ability to produce oxygen and consume carbon dioxide, Euglena is a suitable candidate for life support systems. Participation in a long-term space experiment would allow for the analysis of changes and adaptations to the new environment, and this could bring new insights into the mechanism of perception of gravity and the associated signal transduction chain. For a molecular analysis of transcription patterns, an automated system is necessary, capable of performing all steps from taking a sample, processing it and generating data. One of the developmental steps is to find long-term stable reagents and materials and test them for stability at higher-than-recommended temperature conditions during extended storage time. We investigated the usability of magnetic beads in an Euglena specific lysis buffer after addition of the RNA stabilizer Dithiothreitol over 360 days and the lysis buffer with the stabilizer alone over 455 days at the expected storage temperature of 19 °C. We can claim that the stability is not impaired at all after an incubation period of over one year. This might be an interesting result for researchers who have to work under non-standard lab conditions, as in biological or medicinal fieldwork.
Navarrete-Opazo, Angela A.; Vinit, Stéphane
2014-01-01
Abstract Acute intermittent hypoxia (AIH) elicits diaphragm (Dia) and second external intercostal (T2 EIC) long-term facilitation (LTF) in normal unanesthetized rats. Although AIH-induced phrenic LTF is serotonin dependent, adenosine constrained in anesthetized rats, this has not been tested in unanesthetized animals. Cervical (C2) spinal hemisection (C2HS) abolishes phrenic LTF because of loss of serotonergic inputs 2 weeks post-injury, but LTF returns 8 weeks post-injury. We tested three hypotheses in unanesthetized rats: (1) systemic adenosine 2aA (A2A) receptor inhibition with intraperitoneal (IP) KW6002 enhances Dia and T2 EIC LTF in normal rats; (2) Dia and T2 EIC LTF are expressed after chronic (8 weeks), but not acute (1 week) C2HS; and (3) KW6002 enhances Dia and T2 EIC LTF after chronic (not acute) C2HS. Electromyography radiotelemetry was used to record Dia and T2 EIC activity during normoxia (21% O2), before and after AIH (10, 5-min 10.5% O2, 5-min intervals). In normal rats, KW6002 enhanced DiaLTF versus AIH alone (33.1±4.6% vs. 22.1±6.4% baseline, respectively; p<0.001), but had no effect on T2 EIC LTF (p>0.05). Although Dia and T2 EIC LTF were not observed 2 weeks post-C2HS, LTF was observed in contralateral (uninjured) Dia and T2 EIC 8 weeks post-C2HS (18.7±2.7% and 34.9±4.9% baseline, respectively; p<0.05), with variable ipsilateral expression. KW6002 had no significant effects on contralateral Dia (p=0.447) or T2 EIC LTF (p=0.796). We conclude that moderate AIH induces Dia and T2 EIC LTF after chronic, but not acute cervical spinal injuries. A single A2A receptor antagonist dose enhances AIH-induced Dia LTF in normal rats, but this effect is not significant in chronic (8 weeks) C2HS unanesthetized rats. PMID:25003645
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Illinois State Dept. of Public Aid, Springfield.
This booklet provides a description of 14 projects which were awarded funds during fiscal year 1987 for collaborative research in long-term care to find new ways to treat long-term care patients in Illinois nursing homes. It includes the organization or institution receiving the award, an abstract of the research proposal, and the name of the…
Hippocampal long term memory: effect of the cholinergic system on local protein synthesis.
Lana, Daniele; Cerbai, Francesca; Di Russo, Jacopo; Boscaro, Francesca; Giannetti, Ambra; Petkova-Kirova, Polina; Pugliese, Anna Maria; Giovannini, Maria Grazia
2013-11-01
The present study was aimed at establishing a link between the cholinergic system and the pathway of mTOR and its downstream effector p70S6K, likely actors in long term memory encoding. We performed in vivo behavioral experiments using the step down inhibitory avoidance test (IA) in adult Wistar rats to evaluate memory formation under different conditions, and immunohistochemistry on hippocampal slices to evaluate the level and the time-course of mTOR and p70S6K activation. We also examined the effect of RAPA, inhibitor of mTORC1 formation, and of the acetylcholine (ACh) muscarinic receptor antagonist scopolamine (SCOP) or ACh nicotinic receptor antagonist mecamylamine (MECA) on short and long term memory formation and on the functionality of the mTOR pathway. Acquisition test was performed 30 min after i.c.v. injection of RAPA, a time sufficient for the drug to diffuse to CA1 pyramidal neurons, as demonstrated by MALDI-TOF-TOF imaging. Recall test was performed 1 h, 4 h or 24 h after acquisition. To confirm our results we performed in vitro experiments on live hippocampal slices: we evaluated whether stimulation of the cholinergic system with the cholinergic receptor agonist carbachol (CCh) activated the mTOR pathway and whether the administration of the above-mentioned antagonists together with CCh could revert this activation. We found that (1) mTOR and p70S6K activation in the hippocampus were involved in long term memory formation; (2) RAPA administration caused inhibition of mTOR activation at 1 h and 4 h and of p70S6K activation at 4 h, and long term memory impairment at 24 h after acquisition; (3) scopolamine treatment caused short but not long term memory impairment with an early increase of mTOR/p70S6K activation at 1 h followed by stabilization at longer times; (4) mecamylamine plus scopolamine treatment caused short term memory impairment at 1 h and 4 h and reduced the scopolamine-induced increase of mTOR/p70S6K activation at 1 h and 4 h; (5
On a path towards long-term sampling following the Deepwater Horizon: Initial insights
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Reddy, C. M.
2012-12-01
During the past two decades in the United States, few areas contaminated from an oil spill have been revisited on the time scales from months to years. The lack of sampling is a missed opportunity to shine light on long-term processes, evaluate recovery, identify compounds most likely to persist, and apply new chemical and biological techniques. To address this issue, my laboratory has begun a land-based effort to collect oiled samples from the Gulf of Mexico beaches from the Deepwater Horizon disaster. Each sample is archived, analyzed, and available for others via an online repository. Detailed analysis of many of these samples has already been fruitful on determining the fate of the spilled oil, which will be discussed. This meeting is an ideal time to discuss strategies for long-term sampling and archiving. With support from the Gulf Research Initiative for the next nine years, the opportunities to use these samples will be frequent.
Nüchtern, Elisabeth; Gansweid, Barbara; Gerber, Hans; von Mittelstaedt, Gert
2017-01-01
Objective: By the "Second Bill to Strengthen Long-Term Care", a new concept of long-term care dependency will be introduced, valid from 2017. Long-term care dependency according to Social Code XI will be defined covering more aspects than today. Therefore, the working group "Nursing Care" of the division "Social Medicine in Practice and Rehabilitation" in the German Society for Social Medicine and Prevention presents their results after working on the social medicine perspective of the definition and prevention of long-term care dependency. Methods: Both the definition and strategies to prevent long-term care dependency are systematically taken into consideration from the point of view of social medicine on the basis of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF), as long-term care dependency means a defined condition of disability. Results: Both the current and the new concept of long-term care dependency focus activity limitations. The perspective of social medicine considers the interactions of health condition, its effects on daily activities and personal as well as environmental factors. From this point of view approaches for social benefits concerning prevention and rehabilitation can be identified systematically so as to work against the development and progression of long-term care dependency. The reference to the ICF can facilitate the communication between different professions. The new "graduation" of long-term care dependency would allow an international "translation" referring to the ICF. Conclusion: Experts from the field of social medicine as well as those of nursing care, care-givers and nursing researchers have in common the objective that persons in need of nursing care can participate in as many aspects of life of importance to them in an autonomous and self-determined way. The point of view of social medicine on long-term care dependency is fundamental for all occupational groups that are involved and for their
A new image for long-term care.
Wager, Richard; Creelman, William
2004-04-01
To counter widely held negative images of long-term care, managers in the industry should implement quality-improvement initiatives that include six key strategies: Manage the expectations of residents and their families. Address customers' concerns early. Build long-term customer satisfaction. Allocate resources to achieve exceptional outcomes in key areas. Respond to adverse events with compassion. Reinforce the facility's credibility.
Tauer, Josephine T; Hofbauer, Lorenz C; Jung, Roland; Gerdes, Sebastian; Glauche, Ingmar; Erben, Reinhold G; Suttorp, Meinolf
2015-01-01
The tyrosine kinase (TK) inhibitor imatinib provides a highly effective therapy for chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) via inhibition of the oncogenic TK BCR-ABL1. However, off-target TKs like platelet-derived growth factor receptors (PDGF-R) and colony-stimulating factor-1 receptor (c-fms), involved in bone remodeling, are also inhibited. Thus, pediatric patients with CML on imatinib exhibit altered bone metabolism, leading to linear growth failure. As TKI treatment might be necessary for a lifetime, long-term effects exerted on bone in children are of major concern. Therefore, we studied the skeletal long-term effects of continuous and intermittent imatinib exposure in a juvenile rat model. Four-weeks-old male Wistar rats were chronically exposed to imatinib via drinking water over a period of 10 weeks. Animals were exposed to a standard and high imatinib dosage continuously and to the high imatinib dose intermittently. Bone mass and strength were assessed using pQCT, micro-computed tomography (μCT), and biomechanical testing at the prepubertal, pubertal, and postpubertal age. Bone length and vertebral height as well as biochemical markers of bone turnover were analyzed. Femoral and tibial bone length were dose-dependently reduced by up to 24% (p<0.0001), femoral and tibial trabecular bone mass density (BMD) were reduced by up to 25% (p<0.01), and femoral breaking strength was lowered by up to 20% (p<0.05). Intermittent exposure mitigated these skeletal effects. Long-term exposure resulted in reduced vertebral height by 15% and lower trabecular BMD by 5%. Skeletal changes were associated with suppressed serum osteocalcin (p<0.01) and non-significantly elevated serum CTX-I and PINP levels. In conclusion, imatinib mainly impaired longitudinal growth of long bones rather than the vertebrae of growing rats. Interestingly, intermittent imatinib exposure has less skeletal side effects, which may be beneficial in pediatric patients taking imatinib.
Long-term characteristics of nuclear emulsion
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Naganawa, N.; Kuwabara, K.
2010-02-01
Long-term characteristics of the nuclear emulsion so called ``OPERA film'' used in the neutrino oscillation experiment, OPERA, has been studied for 8 years since its production or refreshing after it. In the results, it turned out to be excellent in sensitivity, amount of random noise, and refreshing characteristics. The retention capacity of latent image of tracks was also studied. The result will open the way to the recycling of 7,000,000 emulsion films which will remain not developed after 5 years of OPERA's run, and other long-term experiments with emulsion.
Xin, Zhao; Ting, Liu X.; Yi, Zan X.; Li, Dai; Bao, Zhou A.
2015-01-01
Behavioral inhibitory control has been shown to play an important role in a variety of addictive behaviors. A number of studies involving the use of Go/NoGo and stop-signal paradigms have shown that smokers have reduced response inhibition for cigarette-related cues. However, it is not known whether male light smokers’ response inhibition for cigarette-related cues is lower than that of non-smokers in the two-choice oddball paradigm. The objective of the current study was to provide further behavioral evidence of male light smokers’ impaired response inhibition for cigarette-related cues, using the two-choice oddball paradigm. Sixty-two male students (31 smokers, 31 non-smokers), who were recruited via an advertisement, took part in this two-choice oddball experiment. Cigarette-related pictures (deviant stimuli) and pictures unrelated to cigarettes (standard stimuli) were used. Response inhibition for cigarette-related cues was measured by comparing accuracy (ACC) and reaction time (RT) for deviant and standard stimuli in the two groups of subjects. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that in all the participants, ACC was significantly lower for deviant stimuli than for standard stimuli. For deviant stimuli, the RTs were significantly longer for male light smokers than for male non-smokers; however, there was no significant difference in RTs for standard stimuli. Compared to male non-smokers, male light smokers seem to have a reduced ability to inhibit responses to cigarette-related cues. PMID:26528200
Marketing in the long-term care continuum.
Laurence, J Nathan; Kash, Bita A
2010-04-01
Today, long-term care facilities are composed of independent, assisted living, and skilled nursing facilities along with many variations of those themes in between. The clientele for these various types of facilities differ because of the level of care the facility provides as well as the amenities long-term care consumers are looking for. However, there many similarities and common approaches to how reaching the target audience through effective marketing activities. Knowing who the target audience is, how to reach them, and how to communicate with them will serve any facility well in this competitive market. Developing marketing strategies for long-term care settings is as important as understanding what elements of care can be marketed individually as a niche market. Determining the market base for a facility is equally crucial since the target populations differ among the three types of facilities. By reviewing current marketing articles and applying marketing practices, we have crafted some general principles for which each facility type can learn from. Finally, we will discuss the types of marketing and how they related to the spectrum of long-term care facilities.
Synthesis and characterization of Sn-doped hematite as visible light photocatalyst
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Cao, Zhiqin; School of Materials Science and Engineering, Pan Zhihua University, Pan Zhihua 617000; Qin, Mingli, E-mail: qinml@mater.ustb.edu.cn
2016-05-15
Highlights: • Sn-doped hematite nanoparticles are prepared by SCS in one step. • The Sn doping have the ability to inhibit particle growth of hematite. • Sn can enhance visible light harvesting and e{sup −}/h{sup +} separation. • Sn-doped hematite degrades MB under visible light effectively. • The products with 5 mol% Sn have the highest photocatalytic activity. - Abstract: Sn-doped hematite nanoparticles are prepared by solution combustion synthesis. The products are characterized with various analytical and spectroscopic techniques to determine their structural, morphological, light absorption and photocatalytic properties. The results reveal that all the samples consist of nanocrystalline hematitemore » with mesoporous structures, and Sn has the ability to inhibit the growth of hematite particle. Compared to pure hematite, the doped hematite samples with appropriate amount of Sn show better activities for degradation of methylene blue under visible light irradiation. The highest activity is observed for 5% Sn doped hematite and this product has long-term stability and no selectivity for dye degradation. The enhanced performance of 5% Sn doped hematite is ascribed to the smaller particle size, increased ability to absorb in visible light, efficient charge separation as well as improved e{sup −} transfer associated with the effects of appropriate amount of Sn doped sample.« less
Acute Sleep Deprivation Blocks Short- and Long-Term Operant Memory in Aplysia
Krishnan, Harini C.; Gandour, Catherine E.; Ramos, Joshua L.; Wrinkle, Mariah C.; Sanchez-Pacheco, Joseph J.; Lyons, Lisa C.
2016-01-01
Study Objectives: Insufficient sleep in individuals appears increasingly common due to the demands of modern work schedules and technology use. Consequently, there is a growing need to understand the interactions between sleep deprivation and memory. The current study determined the effects of acute sleep deprivation on short and long-term associative memory using the marine mollusk Aplysia californica, a relatively simple model system well known for studies of learning and memory. Methods: Aplysia were sleep deprived for 9 hours using context changes and tactile stimulation either prior to or after training for the operant learning paradigm, learning that food is inedible (LFI). The effects of sleep deprivation on short-term (STM) and long-term memory (LTM) were assessed. Results: Acute sleep deprivation prior to LFI training impaired the induction of STM and LTM with persistent effects lasting at least 24 h. Sleep deprivation immediately after training blocked the consolidation of LTM. However, sleep deprivation following the period of molecular consolidation did not affect memory recall. Memory impairments were independent of handling-induced stress, as daytime handled control animals demonstrated no memory deficits. Additional training immediately after sleep deprivation failed to rescue the induction of memory, but additional training alleviated the persistent impairment in memory induction when training occurred 24 h following sleep deprivation. Conclusions: Acute sleep deprivation inhibited the induction and consolidation, but not the recall of memory. These behavioral studies establish Aplysia as an effective model system for studying the interactions between sleep and memory formation. Citation: Krishnan HC, Gandour CE, Ramos JL, Wrinkle MC, Sanchez-Pacheco JJ, Lyons LC. Acute sleep deprivation blocks short- and long-term operant memory in Aplysia. SLEEP 2016;39(12):2161–2171. PMID:27748243
The Plant Research Unit: Long-Term Plant Growth Support for Space Station
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Heathcote, D. G.; Brown, C. S.; Goins, G. D.; Kliss, M.; Levine, H.; Lomax, P. A.; Porter, R. L.; Wheeler, R.
1996-01-01
The specifications of the plant research unit (PRU) plant habitat, designed for space station operations, are presented. A prototype brassboard model of the PRU is described, and the results of the subsystems tests are outlined. The effects of the long term red light emitting diode (LED) illumination as the sole source for plant development were compared with red LEDs supplemented with blue wavelengths, and white fluorescent sources. It was found that wheat and Arabidopsis were able to complete a life cycle under red LEDs alone, but with differences in physiology and morphology. The differences noted were greatest for the Arabidopsis, where the time to flowering was increased under red illumination. The addition of 10 percent of blue light was effective in eliminating the observed differences. The results of the comparative testing of three nutrient delivery systems for the PRU are discussed.
Flood, Michael Daniel; Moore-Dotson, Johnnie M; Eggers, Erika D
2018-05-30
Dopamine modulation of retinal signaling has been shown to be an important part of retinal adaptation to increased background light levels but the role of dopamine modulation of retinal inhibition is not clear. We previously showed that light adaptation causes a large reduction in inhibition to rod bipolar cells, potentially to match the decrease in excitation after rod saturation. In this study we determined how dopamine D1 receptors in the inner retina contribute to this modulation. We found that D1 receptor activation significantly decreased the magnitude of inhibitory light responses from rod bipolar cells, while D1 receptor blockade during light adaptation partially prevented this decline. To determine what mechanisms were involved in the modulation of inhibitory light responses, we measured the effect of D1 receptor activation on spontaneous currents and currents evoked from electrically stimulating amacrine cell inputs to rod bipolar cells. D1 receptor activation decreased the frequency of spontaneous inhibition with no change in event amplitudes, suggesting a presynaptic change in amacrine cell activity in agreement with previous reports that rod bipolar cells lack D1 receptors. Additionally, we found that D1 receptor activation reduced the amplitude of electrically-evoked responses, showing that D1 receptors can modulate amacrine cells directly. Our results suggest that D1 receptor activation can replicate a large portion, but not all of the effects of light adaptation, likely by modulating release from amacrine cells onto rod bipolar cells.
Long term stability following genioplasty: a cephalometric study.
Kumar, B Lakshman; Raju, G Kranthi Praveen; Kumar, N Dilip; Reddy, G Vivek; Naik, B Ravindra; Achary, C Ravindranath
2015-04-01
A receding chin associated with an orthognathic mandible is a common situation and surgical changes in chin position are often required to improve the overall harmony of the face. Genioplasty is one such procedure. Stability of hard and soft tissue changes following genioplasty on a long term basis needs to be assessed. Studies on the stability of hard and soft tissue changes following genioplasty on a short term basis have revealed it as a procedure with good stability. This study is done to assess the stability of hard and soft tissue changes following genioplasty on a long term basis. Pre-surgical, postsurgical and long term post-surgical cephalograms of 15 cases treated by vertical reduction augmentation genioplasty were obtained. Paired t-test was used to compare the changes between pre-surgical, postsurgical and long term postsurgical cephalograms. Findings of this study demonstrated that genioplasty is a stable procedure. After long term follow-up period, there was a relapse of 1.5 mm at the pogonion accounting for 24% of the surgical advancement. This is attributed to the remodeling that occurs at the surgical site, but not the instability due to the surgical procedure. With the present study, it can be concluded that vertical reduction and advancement genioplasty can be considered as an adjunctive procedure that produces predictable results and the bony and soft tissue stability were generally very good.
Long-term memory, neurogenesis, and signal novelty.
Sokolov, E N; Nezlina, N I
2004-10-01
According to our suggested hypothesis, long-term memory is a collection of "gnostic units," selectively tuned to past events. The formation of long-term memory occurs with the involvement of constantly appearing new neurons which differentiate from stem cells during the process of neurogenesis, in particular in adults. Conversion of precursor neurons into "gnostic units" selective in relation to ongoing events, supplemented by the involvement of hippocampal "novelty neurons," which increase the flow of information needing to be fixed in long-term memory. "Gnostic units" form before the informational processes occurring in the ventral ("what?") and dorsal ("where?") systems. Formation of new "gnostic units" selectively tuned to a particular event results from the combination of excitation of the detector for stimulus characteristics and the novelty signal generated by "novelty neurons" in the hippocampus.
Long-term care financing: lessons from France.
Doty, Pamela; Nadash, Pamela; Racco, Nathalie
2015-06-01
POLICY POINTS: France's model of third-party coverage for long-term services and supports (LTSS) combines a steeply income-adjusted universal public program for people 60 or older with voluntary supplemental private insurance. French and US policies differ: the former pay cash; premiums are lower; and take-up rates are higher, in part because employer sponsorship, with and without subsidization, is more common-but also because coverage targets higher levels of need and pays a smaller proportion of costs. Such inexpensive, bare-bones private coverage, especially if marketed as a supplement to a limited public benefit, would be more affordable to those Americans currently most at risk of "spending down" to Medicaid. An aging population leads to a growing demand for long-term services and supports (LTSS). In 2002, France introduced universal, income-adjusted, public long-term care coverage for adults 60 and older, whereas the United States funds means-tested benefits only. Both countries have private long-term care insurance (LTCI) markets: American policies create alternatives to out-of-pocket spending and protect purchasers from relying on Medicaid. Sales, however, have stagnated, and the market's viability is uncertain. In France, private LTCI supplements public coverage, and sales are growing, although its potential to alleviate the long-term care financing problem is unclear. We explore whether France's very different approach to structuring public and private financing for long-term care could inform the United States' long-term care financing reform efforts. We consulted insurance experts and conducted a detailed review of public reports, academic studies, and other documents to understand the public and private LTCI systems in France, their advantages and disadvantages, and the factors affecting their development. France provides universal public coverage for paid assistance with functional dependency for people 60 and older. Benefits are steeply income
What Legislators Need to Know about Long-Term Care Insurance.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Landes, David
This booklet discusses the potential importance to states of long-term care insurance, describes general policy characteristics, and summarizes state actions to both regulate and promote long-term care insurance. It is intended as a resource for legislators and others involved in long-term care financing and public policy formulation. Long-term…
Private long-term care insurance and state tax incentives.
Stevenson, David G; Frank, Richard G; Tau, Jocelyn
2009-01-01
To increase the role of private insurance in financing long-term care, tax incentives for long-term care insurance have been implemented at both the federal and state levels. To date, there has been surprisingly little study of these initiatives. Using a panel of national data, we find that market take-up for long-term care insurance increased over the last decade, but state tax incentives were responsible for only a small portion of this growth. Ultimately, the modest ability of state tax incentives to lower premiums implies that they should be viewed as a small piece of the long-term care financing puzzle.
Staff attitudes and reactions towards residents' masturbation in Spanish long-term care facilities.
Villar, Feliciano; Serrat, Rodrigo; Celdrán, Montserrat; Fabà, Josep
2016-03-01
To explore staff attitudes and reactions towards masturbation in long-term care facilities. Staff attitudes and reactions towards the expression of sexuality in long-term care facilities may be influenced by the nature of the sexual behaviour being expressed. Staff attitudes towards masturbation, a common sexual behaviour in such settings, have gone largely unexplored so far. An exploratory, descriptive, qualitative research design. Fifty-three staff members working in five different long-term care facilities participated in the study. They were asked about what they would think, how they would react, and what possible reactions they might expect from workmates if they entered a room and found a resident masturbating. The majority of participants considered that masturbation was acceptable and avoiding interference was by far the most common reaction, although other reactions also arose. When asked about reactions attributed to workmates, mentions to reprimanding the resident and gossiping/joking about the issue were more frequent than acceptance. The discrepancy between professionals' own reported attitudes and those attributed to workmates suggests the existence of widespread negative reactions towards sexual activity in later life. In the light of these results, we underline the necessity of developing explicit policies regarding sexual issues. Formal training offered to staff would also help to recognise and preserve resident's sexual rights and needs. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
VALIDATION OF A METHOD FOR ESTIMATING LONG-TERM EXPOSURES BASED ON SHORT-TERM MEASUREMENTS
A method for estimating long-term exposures from short-term measurements is validated using data from a recent EPA study of exposure to fine particles. The method was developed a decade ago but long-term exposure data to validate it did not exist until recently. In this paper, ...
Mueller, Ralf S; Fieseler, Kathryn V; Bettenay, Sonya V; Rosychuk, Rodney A W
2002-04-01
To evaluate the effect of long-term treatment with tetracycline and niacinamide on antibody production in dogs by measuring postvaccinal serum concentrations of antibodies against canine parvovirus and canine distemper virus. 10 dogs receiving long-term treatment with tetracycline and niacinamide (treatment group) and 10 healthy dogs (control group). The treatment group included 9 dogs with discoid lupus erythematosus and 1 dog with pemphigus foliaceus on long-term treatment (> 12 months) with tetracycline and niacinamide. The control group included 10 healthy dogs with no clinical signs of disease and no administered medications for the past 3 months. Blood samples were obtained from all dogs by jugular venipuncture. Serum antibody titers against canine parvovirus and canine distemper virus antigens were measured, using hemaglutination inhibition and serum neutralization, respectively, and compared between groups. A significant difference in antibody titers between treatment- and control-group dogs was not found. All dogs had protective antibody titers against canine distemper virus, and 8 of 10 dogs from each group had protective titers against canine parvovirus infection. These results provide evidence that long-term treatment with tetracycline and niacinamide does not interfere with routine vaccinations and thus does not seem to influence antibody production in dogs.
The Long-Term Conditions Questionnaire: conceptual framework and item development.
Peters, Michele; Potter, Caroline M; Kelly, Laura; Hunter, Cheryl; Gibbons, Elizabeth; Jenkinson, Crispin; Coulter, Angela; Forder, Julien; Towers, Ann-Marie; A'Court, Christine; Fitzpatrick, Ray
2016-01-01
To identify the main issues of importance when living with long-term conditions to refine a conceptual framework for informing the item development of a patient-reported outcome measure for long-term conditions. Semi-structured qualitative interviews (n=48) were conducted with people living with at least one long-term condition. Participants were recruited through primary care. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed by thematic analysis. The analysis served to refine the conceptual framework, based on reviews of the literature and stakeholder consultations, for developing candidate items for a new measure for long-term conditions. Three main organizing concepts were identified: impact of long-term conditions, experience of services and support, and self-care. The findings helped to refine a conceptual framework, leading to the development of 23 items that represent issues of importance in long-term conditions. The 23 candidate items formed the first draft of the measure, currently named the Long-Term Conditions Questionnaire. The aim of this study was to refine the conceptual framework and develop items for a patient-reported outcome measure for long-term conditions, including single and multiple morbidities and physical and mental health conditions. Qualitative interviews identified the key themes for assessing outcomes in long-term conditions, and these underpinned the development of the initial draft of the measure. These initial items will undergo cognitive testing to refine the items prior to further validation in a survey.
The Long-Term Conditions Questionnaire: conceptual framework and item development
Peters, Michele; Potter, Caroline M; Kelly, Laura; Hunter, Cheryl; Gibbons, Elizabeth; Jenkinson, Crispin; Coulter, Angela; Forder, Julien; Towers, Ann-Marie; A’Court, Christine; Fitzpatrick, Ray
2016-01-01
Purpose To identify the main issues of importance when living with long-term conditions to refine a conceptual framework for informing the item development of a patient-reported outcome measure for long-term conditions. Materials and methods Semi-structured qualitative interviews (n=48) were conducted with people living with at least one long-term condition. Participants were recruited through primary care. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analyzed by thematic analysis. The analysis served to refine the conceptual framework, based on reviews of the literature and stakeholder consultations, for developing candidate items for a new measure for long-term conditions. Results Three main organizing concepts were identified: impact of long-term conditions, experience of services and support, and self-care. The findings helped to refine a conceptual framework, leading to the development of 23 items that represent issues of importance in long-term conditions. The 23 candidate items formed the first draft of the measure, currently named the Long-Term Conditions Questionnaire. Conclusion The aim of this study was to refine the conceptual framework and develop items for a patient-reported outcome measure for long-term conditions, including single and multiple morbidities and physical and mental health conditions. Qualitative interviews identified the key themes for assessing outcomes in long-term conditions, and these underpinned the development of the initial draft of the measure. These initial items will undergo cognitive testing to refine the items prior to further validation in a survey. PMID:27621678
Zhao, Xiaoying; Yu, Xuhong; Foo, Eloise; Symons, Gregory M.; Lopez, Javier; Bendehakkalu, Krishnaprasad T.; Xiang, Jing; Weller, James L.; Liu, Xuanming; Reid, James B.; Lin, Chentao
2007-01-01
Cryptochromes mediate blue light-dependent photomorphogenic responses, such as inhibition of hypocotyl elongation. To investigate the underlying mechanism, we analyzed a genetic suppressor, scc7-D (suppressors of cry1cry2), which suppressed the long-hypocotyl phenotype of the cry1cry2 (cryptochrome1/cryptochrome2) mutant in a light-dependent but wavelength-independent manner. scc7-D is a gain-of-expression allele of the GA2ox8 gene encoding a gibberellin (GA)-inactivating enzyme, GA 2-oxidase. Although scc7-D is hypersensitive to light, transgenic seedlings expressing GA2ox at a level higher than scc7-D showed a constitutive photomorphogenic phenotype, confirming a general role of GA2ox and GA in the suppression of hypocotyl elongation. Prompted by this result, we investigated blue light regulation of mRNA expression of the GA metabolic and catabolic genes. We demonstrated that cryptochromes are required for the blue light regulation of GA2ox1, GA20ox1, and GA3ox1 expression in transient induction, continuous illumination, and photoperiodic conditions. The kinetics of cryptochrome induction of GA2ox1 expression and cryptochrome suppression of GA20ox1 or GA3ox1 expression correlate with the cryptochrome-dependent transient reduction of GA4 in etiolated wild-type seedlings exposed to blue light. Therefore we propose that in deetiolating seedlings, cryptochromes mediate blue light regulation of GA catabolic/metabolic genes, which affect GA levels and hypocotyl elongation. Surprisingly, no significant change in the GA4 content was detected in the whole shoot samples of the wild-type or cry1cry2 seedlings grown in the dark or continuous blue light, suggesting that cryptochromes may also regulate GA responsiveness and/or trigger cell- or tissue-specific changes of the level of bioactive GAs. PMID:17644628
Short-term and long-term attentional biases to frequently encountered target features.
Sha, Li Z; Remington, Roger W; Jiang, Yuhong V
2017-07-01
It has long been known that frequently occurring targets are attended better than infrequent ones in visual search. But does this frequency-based attentional prioritization reflect momentary or durable changes in attention? Here we observed both short-term and long-term attentional biases for visual features as a function of different types of statistical associations between the targets, distractors, and features. Participants searched for a target, a line oriented horizontally or vertically among diagonal distractors, and reported its length. In one set of experiments we manipulated the target's color probability: Targets were more often in Color 1 than in Color 2. The distractors were in other colors. Participants found Color 1 targets more quickly than Color 2 targets, but this preference disappeared immediately when the target's color became random in the subsequent testing phase. In the other set of experiments, we manipulated the diagnostic values of the two colors: Color 1 was more often a target than a distractor; Color 2 was more often a distractor than a target. Participants found Color 1 targets more quickly than Color 2 targets. Importantly, and in contrast to the first set of experiments, the featural preference was sustained in the testing phase. These results suggest that short-term and long-term attentional biases are products of different statistical information. Finding a target momentarily activates its features, inducing short-term repetition priming. Long-term changes in attention, on the other hand, may rely on learning diagnostic features of the targets.
Long-term care financing through Federal tax incentives.
Moran, D W; Weingart, J M
1988-12-01
Congress and the Administration are currently exploring various methods of promoting access to long-term care. In this article, an inventory of recent legislative proposals for using the Federal tax code to expand access to long-term care services is provided. Proposals are arrayed along a functional typology that includes tax mechanisms to encourage accumulation of funds, promote purchase of long-term care insurance, or induce the diversion of funds accumulated for another purpose (such as individual retirement accounts). The proposals are evaluated against the public policy objective of encouraging risk pooling to minimize social cost.
Long-term care financing through Federal tax incentives
Moran, Donald W.; Weingart, Janet M.
1988-01-01
Congress and the Administration are currently exploring various methods of promoting access to long-term care. In this article, an inventory of recent legislative proposals for using the Federal tax code to expand access to long-term care services is provided. Proposals are arrayed along a functional typology that includes tax mechanisms to encourage accumulation of funds, promote purchase of long-term care insurance, or induce the diversion of funds accumulated for another purpose (such as individual retirement accounts). The proposals are evaluated against the public policy objective of encouraging risk pooling to minimize social cost. PMID:10312964
Long-term psychosocial consequences of surgical congenital malformations.
Diseth, Trond H; Emblem, Ragnhild
2017-10-01
Surgical congenital malformations often represent years of treatment, large number of hospital stays, treatment procedures, and long-term functional sequels affecting patients' psychosocial functioning. Both functional defects and psychosocial difficulties that occur commonly in childhood may pass through adolescence on to adulthood. This overview presents reports published over the past 3 decades to elucidate the long-term psychosocial consequences of surgical congenital malformations. Literature searches conducted on PubMed database revealed that less than 1% of all the records of surgical congenital malformations described long-term psychosocial consequences, but with diverse findings. This inconsistency may be due to methodological differences or deficiencies; especially in study design, patient sampling, and methods. Most of the studies revealed that the functional deficits may have great impact on patients' mental health, psychosocial functioning, and QoL; both short- and long-term negative consequences. Factors other than functional problems, e.g., repeated anesthesia, multiple hospitalization, traumatic treatment procedures, and parental dysfunctioning, may also predict long-term mental health and psychosocial functioning. Through multidisciplinary approach, pediatric surgeons should also be aware of deficits in emotional and psychosocial functioning. To achieve overall optimal psychosocial functioning, the challenge is to find a compromise between physically optimal treatment procedures and procedures that are not psychologically detrimental. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.
The relationship between interannual and long-term cloud feedbacks
Zhou, Chen; Zelinka, Mark D.; Dessler, Andrew E.; ...
2015-12-11
The analyses of Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 5 simulations suggest that climate models with more positive cloud feedback in response to interannual climate fluctuations also have more positive cloud feedback in response to long-term global warming. Ensemble mean vertical profiles of cloud change in response to interannual and long-term surface warming are similar, and the ensemble mean cloud feedback is positive on both timescales. However, the average long-term cloud feedback is smaller than the interannual cloud feedback, likely due to differences in surface warming pattern on the two timescales. Low cloud cover (LCC) change in response to interannual andmore » long-term global surface warming is found to be well correlated across models and explains over half of the covariance between interannual and long-term cloud feedback. In conclusion, the intermodel correlation of LCC across timescales likely results from model-specific sensitivities of LCC to sea surface warming.« less
Halldorsdottir, Thorhildur; Ollendick, Thomas H
2016-05-01
The objectives were twofold: (a) examine long-term treatment effects in youth receiving 1-session treatment (OST) or educational support (EST) for a specific phobia (SP) and (b) examine the differential predictive and moderation effects of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms on immediate and long-term outcomes following the interventions. Eighty-three children (ages 6-15, 47% female, 89% White) with a SP were randomly assigned to receive OST or EST. Follow up assessments occurred at 1 week, 6 months, 1 year, and 4 years. Hierarchical linear growth modeling (HLGM) was used to explore the association of parent-reported ADHD symptoms, the 2 treatment conditions (i.e., OST vs. EST), and the trajectory of change in the severity of the SP from pretreatment to the 4-year follow-up. Age, conduct problems and learning problems were controlled for in all analyses. A greater immediate reduction in severity rating of the SP was observed in the OST compared to EST, whereas the trajectory of long-term outcomes was similar across conditions over time. Higher levels of ADHD symptoms predicted poor immediate and long-term treatment outcomes across treatment conditions. ADHD symptoms, however, did not moderate the relationship between treatment condition and immediate or long-term treatment outcomes. The results of the study need to be interpreted in light of several study limitations. However, if confirmed, the findings suggest that anxious youth with comorbid ADHD symptoms are less likely to benefit from brief, intensive psychotherapy and may require either longer, standard CBT treatment or adjunctive pharmacotherapy. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Roberts, W. E.
1985-01-01
Weightlessness and simulated weightlessness inhibit the rate of periosteal bone formation in long bones. Formation of preosteoblasts is suppressed in periodontal ligament (PDL) of maxillary molars, which suggests a generalized block in osteoblast histogenesis. Growth in length of long bones is decreased by simulated weightlessness, but there are no reliable data on the influence of actual weightlessness on metaphyseal growth. The nuclear size assay for assessing relative numbers of osteoblast precursor cells was utilized in the primary spongiosa of growing long bones subjected to actual and simulated weightlessness. It is found that: (1) Actual weightlessness decreases total number of osteogenic cells and inhibits differentiation of osteoblast precursor cells, (2) Simulated weightlessness suppresses only osteoblast differentation; and (3) The nuclear morphometric assay is an effective means of assessing osteogenic activity in the growing metaphysis or long bones.
Non-invasive long-term fluorescence live imaging of Tribolium castaneum embryos.
Strobl, Frederic; Stelzer, Ernst H K
2014-06-01
Insect development has contributed significantly to our understanding of metazoan development. However, most information has been obtained by analyzing a single species, the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. Embryonic development of the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum differs fundamentally from that of Drosophila in aspects such as short-germ development, embryonic leg development, extensive extra-embryonic membrane formation and non-involuted head development. Although Tribolium has become the second most important insect model organism, previous live imaging attempts have addressed only specific questions and no long-term live imaging data of Tribolium embryogenesis have been available. By combining light sheet-based fluorescence microscopy with a novel mounting method, we achieved complete, continuous and non-invasive fluorescence live imaging of Tribolium embryogenesis at high spatiotemporal resolution. The embryos survived the 2-day or longer imaging process, developed into adults and produced fertile progeny. Our data document all morphogenetic processes from the rearrangement of the uniform blastoderm to the onset of regular muscular movement in the same embryo and in four orientations, contributing significantly to the understanding of Tribolium development. Furthermore, we created a comprehensive chronological table of Tribolium embryogenesis, integrating most previous work and providing a reference for future studies. Based on our observations, we provide evidence that serosa window closure and serosa opening, although deferred by more than 1 day, are linked. All our long-term imaging datasets are available as a resource for the community. Tribolium is only the second insect species, after Drosophila, for which non-invasive long-term fluorescence live imaging has been achieved. © 2014. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.
Stum, Marlene S
2008-01-01
This study proposes and tests a systemic family decision-making framework to understand group long-term care insurance (LTCI) enrollment decisions. A random sample of public employees who were offered group LTCI as a workplace benefit were examined. Findings reveal very good predictive efficacy for the overall conceptual framework with a pseudo R2 value of .687, and reinforced the contributions of factors within the family system. Enrollees were more likely to have discussed the decision with others, used information sources, and had prior experience when compared to non-enrollees. Perceived health status, financial knowledge, attitudes regarding the role of private insurance, risk taking, and coverage features were additional factors related to enrollment decisions. The findings help to inform policymakers about the potential of LTCI as one strategy for financing long-term care.
Informed Consent to Research in Long-Term Care Settings
Jablonski, Rita A.; Bourbonniere, Meg; Kolanowski, Ann
2010-01-01
Informed consent to nursing home research is a two-tiered process that begins with obtaining the consent of a long-term care community at the institutional level and progresses to the engagement of individuals in the consent process. Drawing on a review of the literature and the authors’ research experiences and institutional review board service, this paper describes the practical implications of nurse investigators’ obligation to ensure informed consent among participants in long-term care research. Recommendations focus on applying a community consent model to long-term care research, promoting an evidence-based approach to the protection of residents with decisional impairment, and increasing investigators’ attention to ethical issues involving long-term care staff. PMID:20078005
mTORC1 controls long-term memory retrieval.
Pereyra, Magdalena; Katche, Cynthia; de Landeta, Ana Belén; Medina, Jorge H
2018-06-08
Understanding how stored information emerges is a main question in the neurobiology of memory that is now increasingly gaining attention. However, molecular events underlying this memory stage, including involvement of protein synthesis, are not well defined. Mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1), a central regulator of protein synthesis, has been implicated in synaptic plasticity and is required for memory formation. Using inhibitory avoidance (IA), we evaluated the role of mTORC1 in memory retrieval. Infusion of a selective mTORC1 inhibitor, rapamycin, into the dorsal hippocampus 15 or 40 min but not 3 h before testing at 24 h reversibly disrupted memory expression even in animals that had already expressed IA memory. Emetine, a general protein synthesis inhibitor, provoked a similar impairment. mTORC1 inhibition did not interfere with short-term memory retrieval. When infused before test at 7 or 14 but not at 28 days after training, rapamycin impaired memory expression. mTORC1 blockade in retrosplenial cortex, another structure required for IA memory, also impaired memory retention. In addition, pretest intrahippocampal rapamycin infusion impaired object location memory retrieval. Our results support the idea that ongoing protein synthesis mediated by activation of mTORC1 pathway is necessary for long but not for short term memory.
Sawamura, Kanae; Sano, Hiroshi; Nakanishi, Miharu
2015-04-01
Expenditures on long-term care insurance (LTCI) in Japan have been increasing with the aging of the population, which has led to an increase in premiums. To optimize resource allocation, we aim to clarify the priorities of the functions of long-term care facilities from the viewpoint of future beneficiaries. The present study was conducted using a cross-sectional study design. We conducted a mail-in survey targeting 2400 adults aged 50-65 in 8 cities in Japan, and 371 persons responded. Conjoint analysis was applied to measure participants' preferences for long-term care facility services. Participants read 1 of 2 vignettes of an 80-year-old person with either dementia or a fracture, and were asked to envision it as a possible future scenario for themselves. Participants then completed 8 or 9 tasks to select suitable long-term care facilities for the person described. The questionnaire also contained common questions on participants' personal profiles: age, gender, family situation, education, approximate yearly family income, experience as a family caregiver, dwelling status, present health status, and possibility of requiring long-term care services in the future. The results focused mainly on (1) possibilities of individual choice for daily schedules/meals; (2) availability of regular care staff; (3) room; (4) main daily interactions; (5) necessity of relocation associated with medical deterioration; 6) Waiting time; 7) distance from present residence; and (8) monthly fees. Necessity of relocation associated with medical deterioration was consistently given the greatest importance. Participants with experience as a family caregiver showed significantly greater preference for individualized care and communication. The option of avoiding relocation was highly valued by participants compared with private rooms and individualized care. The present situation of high demand for intensive care homes for the elderly, provoked by anxiety about future residence, will not
Adverse event reporting in Czech long-term care facilities.
Hěib, Zdenřk; Vychytil, Pavel; Marx, David
2013-04-01
To describe adverse event reporting processes in long-term care facilities in the Czech Republic. Prospective cohort study involving a written questionnaire followed by in-person structured interviews with selected respondents. Long-term care facilities located in the Czech Republic. Staff of 111 long-term care facilities (87% of long-term care facilities in the Czech Republic). None. Sixty-three percent of long-term health-care facilities in the Czech Republic have adverse event-reporting processes already established, but these were frequently very immature programs sometimes consisting only of paper recording of incidents. Compared to questionnaire responses, in-person interview responses only partially tended to confirm the results of the written survey. Twenty-one facilities (33%) had at most 1 unconfirmed response, 31 facilities (49%) had 2 or 3 unconfirmed responses and the remaining 11 facilities (17%) had 4 or more unconfirmed responses. In-person interviews suggest that use of a written questionnaire to assess the adverse event-reporting process may have limited validity. Staff of the facilities we studied expressed an understanding of the importance of adverse event reporting and prevention, but interviews also suggested a lack of knowledge necessary for establishing a good institutional reporting system in long-term care.
Long-term outcomes of children undergoing video-assisted gastrostomy.
Salö, Martin; Santimano, Ana; Helmroth, Sofia; Stenström, Pernilla; Arnbjornsson, Einar Ólafur
2017-01-01
The aims of this study were to assess the short- and long-term complication rates after video-assisted gastrostomy (VAG), the effects of age and gender on long-term complications and the effect of duration of gastrostomy tube retention on the need for gastroraphy when the gastrostomy device was removed. This was a retrospective study of children undergoing VAG at a single institution. Children who died or moved from the area were excluded. The rates of short- and long-term complications developing at 3-6 months or 2 or more years, respectively, were compared. A total of 170 children were studied, out of a cohort of 303 children. The median age at surgery was 2 years. The median duration of postoperative long-term follow-up was 5 years (2-9 years). The complications at the respective short and long-term follow-ups were as follows: granulation tissue, leakage, infection and vomiting. There were no differences in the short- versus long-term complication rates for gender and age. Children needing gastroraphy had used a gastrostomy device significantly longer compared with children with spontaneous closure. Complications after VAG decrease over time. A longer duration of gastrostomy device retention leads to increased need for gastroraphy.
Refraction in Terms of the Deviation of the Light.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Goldberg, Fred M.
1985-01-01
Discusses refraction in terms of the deviation of light. Points out that in physics courses where very little mathematics is used, it might be more suitable to describe refraction entirely in terms of the deviation, rather than by introducing Snell's law. (DH)
He, Yong; Gao, Yang; Zhang, Cuiping; Chen, Chuansheng; Bi, Suyu; Yang, Pin; Wang, Yiwen; Wang, Wenjing
2017-01-01
Chinese calligraphic handwriting (CCH) is a traditional art form that requires high levels of concentration and motor control. Previous research has linked short-term training in CCH to improvements in attention and memory. Little is known about the potential impacts of long-term CCH practice on a broader array of executive functions and their potential neural substrates. In this cross-sectional study, we recruited 36 practitioners with at least 5 years of CCH experience and 50 control subjects with no more than one month of CCH practice and investigated their differences in the three components of executive functions (i.e., shifting, updating, and inhibition). Valid resting-state fMRI data were collected from 31 CCH and 40 control participants. Compared with the controls, CCH individuals showed better updating (as measured by the Corsi Block Test) and inhibition (as measured by the Stroop Word-Color Test), but the two groups did not differ in shifting (as measured by a cue-target task). The CCH group showed stronger resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) than the control group in brain areas involved in updating and inhibition. These results suggested that long-term CCH training may be associated with improvements in specific aspects of executive functions and strengthened neural networks in related brain regions. PMID:28129407
Chen, Wen; He, Yong; Gao, Yang; Zhang, Cuiping; Chen, Chuansheng; Bi, Suyu; Yang, Pin; Wang, Yiwen; Wang, Wenjing
2017-01-01
Chinese calligraphic handwriting (CCH) is a traditional art form that requires high levels of concentration and motor control. Previous research has linked short-term training in CCH to improvements in attention and memory. Little is known about the potential impacts of long-term CCH practice on a broader array of executive functions and their potential neural substrates. In this cross-sectional study, we recruited 36 practitioners with at least 5 years of CCH experience and 50 control subjects with no more than one month of CCH practice and investigated their differences in the three components of executive functions (i.e., shifting, updating, and inhibition). Valid resting-state fMRI data were collected from 31 CCH and 40 control participants. Compared with the controls, CCH individuals showed better updating (as measured by the Corsi Block Test) and inhibition (as measured by the Stroop Word-Color Test), but the two groups did not differ in shifting (as measured by a cue-target task). The CCH group showed stronger resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) than the control group in brain areas involved in updating and inhibition. These results suggested that long-term CCH training may be associated with improvements in specific aspects of executive functions and strengthened neural networks in related brain regions.
Long Term Stability Following Genioplasty: A Cephalometric Study
Kumar, B Lakshman; Raju, G Kranthi Praveen; Kumar, N Dilip; Reddy, G Vivek; Naik, B Ravindra; Achary, C Ravindranath
2015-01-01
Background: A receding chin associated with an orthognathic mandible is a common situation and surgical changes in chin position are often required to improve the overall harmony of the face. Genioplasty is one such procedure. Stability of hard and soft tissue changes following genioplasty on a long term basis needs to be assessed. Studies on the stability of hard and soft tissue changes following genioplasty on a short term basis have revealed it as a procedure with good stability. This study is done to assess the stability of hard and soft tissue changes following genioplasty on a long term basis. Materials and Methods: Pre-surgical, postsurgical and long term post-surgical cephalograms of 15 cases treated by vertical reduction augmentation genioplasty were obtained. Paired t-test was used to compare the changes between pre-surgical, postsurgical and long term postsurgical cephalograms. Results: Findings of this study demonstrated that genioplasty is a stable procedure. After long term follow-up period, there was a relapse of 1.5 mm at the pogonion accounting for 24% of the surgical advancement. This is attributed to the remodeling that occurs at the surgical site, but not the instability due to the surgical procedure. Conclusion: With the present study, it can be concluded that vertical reduction and advancement genioplasty can be considered as an adjunctive procedure that produces predictable results and the bony and soft tissue stability were generally very good. PMID:25954070
Montavont, A; Kaminska, A; Soufflet, C; Taussig, D
2015-03-01
Long-term video-EEG corresponds to a recording ranging from 1 to 24 h or even longer. It is indicated in the following situations: diagnosis of epileptic syndromes or unclassified epilepsy, pre-surgical evaluation for drug-resistant epilepsy, follow-up of epilepsy or in cases of paroxysmal symptoms whose etiology remains uncertain. There are some specificities related to paediatric care: a dedicated pediatric unit; continuous monitoring covering at least a full 24-hour period, especially in the context of pre-surgical evaluation; the requirement of presence by the parents, technician or nurse; and stronger attachment of electrodes (cup electrodes), the number of which is adapted to the age of the child. The chosen duration of the monitoring also depends on the frequency of seizures or paroxysmal events. The polygraphy must be adapted to the type and topography of movements. It is essential to have at least an electrocardiography (ECG) channel, respiratory sensor and electromyography (EMG) on both deltoids. There is no age limit for performing long-term video-EEG even in newborns and infants; nevertheless because of scalp fragility, strict surveillance of the baby's skin condition is required. In the specific context of pre-surgical evaluation, long-term video-EEG must record all types of seizures observed in the child. This monitoring is essential in order to develop hypotheses regarding the seizure onset zone, based on electroclinical correlations, which should be adapted to the child's age and the psychomotor development. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier SAS.
Assessing the market for long-term care services.
Rice, J A; Taylor, S
1984-02-01
Traditionally, long-term care services have been used by a diverse marketplace. The chronically ill, developmentally disabled, mentally ill and aging population has looked to long-term care support services as a means of physical and emotional support. Much of the time these services were housed together for the sake of efficiency. The enormous burden these services are creating on the economy, and the growing aging population, have forced the recognition that long-term care service delivery systems must change. Alternate programming for long-term care services that reach out into the community and into individual homes is becoming an attractive approach to meeting the growing demands of the marketplace. Home health, specialized housing and creative funding mechanisms such as HMOs, are examples of initiatives undertaken by healthcare organizations that view diversification as a vehicle for survival. Market research techniques that have been used in other industries are being adapted to the healthcare industry to ensure the proper mix of services that are demanded by older, more knowledgeable consumers. The programs of the future will be market driven, with the ability of the individual to pay for such services playing a significant role. The healthcare provider of today is in a position to serve the community in new ways. By becoming an integral link in the long-term care system and by developing new programs, the organization can serve as a catalyst for change. It is up to the governing bodies and managers of these facilities to become visionaries and to accept responsibility for assessing the market for long-term care services and to guide their organization into the future.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sengupta, Abhronil; Roy, Kaushik
2016-02-01
Synaptic memory is considered to be the main element responsible for learning and cognition in humans. Although traditionally nonvolatile long-term plasticity changes are implemented in nanoelectronic synapses for neuromorphic applications, recent studies in neuroscience reveal that biological synapses undergo metastable volatile strengthening followed by a long-term strengthening provided that the frequency of the input stimulus is sufficiently high. Such "memory strengthening" and "memory decay" functionalities can potentially lead to adaptive neuromorphic architectures. In this paper, we demonstrate the close resemblance of the magnetization dynamics of a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) to short-term plasticity and long-term potentiation observed in biological synapses. We illustrate that, in addition to the magnitude and duration of the input stimulus, the frequency of the stimulus plays a critical role in determining long-term potentiation of the MTJ. Such MTJ synaptic memory arrays can be utilized to create compact, ultrafast, and low-power intelligent neural systems.
Zhou, Chao-Xi; Li, Litao; Ma, Yi-Guang; Li, Bing-Nan; Li, Guang; Zhou, Zhihang; Shi, Feng; Weng, Jie; Zhang, Cong; Wang, Fenghua; Cui, Xu; Wang, Lei; Wang, Hao
2018-05-24
Anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy with a long duration and adequate dosing is the mainstay for treatment of osteoarticular tuberculosis (TB). However, it is difficult for systemic administration to reach adequate local drug concentrations and achieve effective treatment. Herein, a hydroxyapatite (HA) scaffold implant combined with a drug-releasing system was designed to achieve in situ and long-term anti-TB drug release and highly efficient therapeutic activity in vitro and in vivo. The clinical anti-TB drugs hydrophilic isoniazid (INH) and hydrophobic rifampicin (RFP) were molecularly dispersed into polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) through immersion-curing techniques and were steadily adhered onto the surfaces of HA scaffolds (HA-drug@PVA). The HA-drug@PVA scaffolds showed a long-term, sustained drug release profile and killed proliferating Mycobacteriumin vitro. In vivo experimental results revealed that the HA-drug@PVA scaffolds provided over 10- and 100-fold higher concentrations in muscles and bones, respectively, as well as a much lower concentration (<0.025) in blood. Furthermore, the HA-drug@PVA scaffold implanted in an osteoarticular TB rabbit model showed obvious bone regeneration and fusion due to the inhibition of TB-associated inflammatory changes. The excellent therapeutic effects indicate that in situ implant materials combined with a long-term drug release system are promising for the treatment of osteoarticular TB and other osteoarticular infections. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
Psychosocial Outcomes in Long-Term Cochlear Implant Users.
Castellanos, Irina; Kronenberger, William G; Pisoni, David B
The objectives of this study were to investigate psychosocial outcomes in a sample of prelingually deaf, early-implanted children, adolescents, and young adults who are long-term cochlear implant (CI) users and to examine the extent to which language and executive functioning predict psychosocial outcomes. Psychosocial outcomes were measured using two well-validated, parent-completed checklists: the Behavior Assessment System for Children and the Conduct Hyperactive Attention Problem Oppositional Symptom. Neurocognitive skills were measured using gold standard, performance-based assessments of language and executive functioning. CI users were at greater risk for clinically significant deficits in areas related to attention, oppositional behavior, hyperactivity-impulsivity, and social-adaptive skills compared with their normal-hearing peers, although the majority of CI users scored within average ranges relative to Behavior Assessment System for Children norms. Regression analyses revealed that language, visual-spatial working memory, and inhibition-concentration skills predicted psychosocial outcomes. Findings suggest that underlying delays and deficits in language and executive functioning may place some CI users at a risk for difficulties in psychosocial adjustment.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Matsuda, Shinji; Kakegawa, Wataru; Budisantoso, Timotheus; Nomura, Toshihiro; Kohda, Kazuhisa; Yuzaki, Michisuke
2013-11-01
Long-term depression (LTD) underlies learning and memory in various brain regions. Although postsynaptic AMPA receptor trafficking mediates LTD, its underlying molecular mechanisms remain largely unclear. Here we show that stargazin, a transmembrane AMPA receptor regulatory protein, forms a ternary complex with adaptor proteins AP-2 and AP-3A in hippocampal neurons, depending on its phosphorylation state. Inhibiting the stargazin-AP-2 interaction disrupts NMDA-induced AMPA receptor endocytosis, and inhibiting that of stargazin-AP-3A abrogates the late endosomal/lysosomal trafficking of AMPA receptors, thereby upregulating receptor recycling to the cell surface. Similarly, stargazin’s interaction with AP-2 or AP-3A is necessary for low-frequency stimulus-evoked LTD in CA1 hippocampal neurons. Thus, stargazin has a crucial role in NMDA-dependent LTD by regulating two trafficking pathways of AMPA receptors—transport from the cell surface to early endosomes and from early endosomes to late endosomes/lysosomes—through its sequential binding to AP-2 and AP-3A.
Doesburg, Sam M; Herdman, Anthony T; Ribary, Urs; Cheung, Teresa; Moiseev, Alexander; Weinberg, Hal; Liotti, Mario; Weeks, Daniel; Grunau, Ruth E
2010-04-01
Local alpha-band synchronization has been associated with both cortical idling and active inhibition. Recent evidence, however, suggests that long-range alpha synchronization increases functional coupling between cortical regions. We demonstrate increased long-range alpha and beta band phase synchronization during short-term memory retention in children 6-10 years of age. Furthermore, whereas alpha-band synchronization between posterior cortex and other regions is increased during retention, local alpha-band synchronization over posterior cortex is reduced. This constitutes a functional dissociation for alpha synchronization across local and long-range cortical scales. We interpret long-range synchronization as reflecting functional integration within a network of frontal and visual cortical regions. Local desynchronization of alpha rhythms over posterior cortex, conversely, likely arises because of increased engagement of visual cortex during retention.
Long-term abstinent alcoholics have normal memory.
Reed, R J; Grant, I; Rourke, S B
1992-08-01
It is generally believed that many non-Korsakoff alcoholics have subtle defects in memory. To determine whether such defects vary as a function of length of abstinence (LOA), we performed extensive memory testing with: (1) recently detoxified (n = 31; LOA-29 days); (2) intermediate-term abstinent (n = 28; LOA = 1.9 years); (3) long-term abstinent (n = 32; LOA-7.0 years) alcoholics; and (4) nonalcoholic controls (n = 37). All subjects were matched on age and education. Alcoholics were matched on years of alcoholic drinking. Memory measures were divided into the following domains: verbal learning, verbal recall, visual learning, visual recall, and paired associate learning. A series of MANOVAs were conducted that revealed a significant relationship between visual learning and length of abstinence, and a significant interaction between age and length of abstinence on visual recall. Long-term abstinent subjects were not significantly different from controls on any test. We conclude that memory disturbance demonstrable among recently detoxified alcoholics in the early weeks of their abstinence is not evident in demographically matched long-term abstinent alcoholics with similar drinking histories.
Becker, Ina; Strauch, Sebastian M; Hauslage, Jens; Lebert, Michael
2017-05-01
The unicellular freshwater flagellate Euglena gracilis has a highly developed sensory system. The cells use different stimuli such as light and gravity to orient themselves in the surrounding medium to find areas for optimal growth. Due to the ability to produce oxygen and consume carbon dioxide, Euglena is a suitable candidate for life support systems. Participation in a long-term space experiment would allow for the analysis of changes and adaptations to the new environment, and this could bring new insights into the mechanism of perception of gravity and the associated signal transduction chain. For a molecular analysis of transcription patterns, an automated system is necessary, capable of performing all steps from taking a sample, processing it and generating data. One of the developmental steps is to find long-term stable reagents and materials and test them for stability at higher-than-recommended temperature conditions during extended storage time. We investigated the usability of magnetic beads in an Euglena specific lysis buffer after addition of the RNA stabilizer Dithiothreitol over 360 days and the lysis buffer with the stabilizer alone over 455 days at the expected storage temperature of 19 °C. We can claim that the stability is not impaired at all after an incubation period of over one year. This might be an interesting result for researchers who have to work under non-standard lab conditions, as in biological or medicinal fieldwork. Copyright © 2017 The Committee on Space Research (COSPAR). Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
da L D Barros, Manuella; Manhães-de-Castro, Raul; Alves, Daniele T; Quevedo, Omar Guzmán; Toscano, Ana Elisa; Bonnin, Alexandre; Galindo, Ligia
2018-06-08
Serotonin exerts a modulating function on the development of the central nervous system, including hypothalamic circuits controlling feeding behavior and energy expenditure. Based on the developmental plasticity theory, early disturbances of synaptic availability of serotonin may promote phenotypic adaptations and late disorders of energy balance regulation leading to obesity and associated diseases. The aim of this systematic review is to determine the effects of pharmacological neonatal inhibition of serotonin reuptake by fluoxetine, on parameters related to feeding behavior and energy balance. Literature searches were performed in Medline/PubMed and Lilacs databases, out of which 9726 studies were found. Using predefined protocol and registered on CAMARADES website, 23 studies were included for qualitative synthesis. The internal validity was assessed using the SYRCLE's risk of bias toll. Kappa index was also measured for analyzing the concordance between the reviewers. In addition, the PRISMA statement was used for reporting this systematic review. Most of the included studies demonstrated that neonatal serotonin reuptake inhibition is associated with long term reduced body weight, lower fat mass and higher thermogenic capacity and mitochondrial oxygen consumption in key metabolic tissues. Therefore, experimental fluoxetine exposure during neonatal development may promote long-term changes related to energy balance associated with a lean phenotype. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Wang, Fang; Dörfler, Ulrike; Jiang, Xin; Schroll, Reiner
2016-02-01
A worldwide used pesticide - isoproturon (IPU) - was selected to test whether short-term experiments can be used to predict long-term mineralization of IPU in soil. IPU-mineralization was measured for 39 and 265 days in four different agricultural soils with a low mineralization dynamic. Additionally, in one soil IPU dissipation, formation and dissipation of metabolites, formation of non-extractable residues (NER) and (14)C-microbial biomass from (14)C-IPU were monitored for 39 and 265 days. The data from short-term and long-term experiments were used for model fitting. The long-term dynamics of IPU mineralization were considerably overestimated by the short-term experiments in two soils with neutral pH, while in two other soils with low pH and lower mineralization, the long-term mineralization of IPU could be sufficiently predicted. Additional investigations in one of the soils with neutral pH showed that dissipation of IPU and metabolites could be correctly predicted by the short-term experiment. However, the formation of NER and (14)C-microbial biomass were remarkably overestimated by the short-term experiment. Further, it could be shown that the released NER and (14)C-microbial biomass were the main contributors of (14)CO2 formation at later incubation stages. Taken together, our results indicate that in soils with neutral pH short-term experiments were inadequate to predict the long-term mineralization of IPU. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Long-distance transmission of light in a scintillator-based radiation detector
Dowell, Jonathan L.; Talbott, Dale V.; Hehlen, Markus P.
2017-07-11
Scintillator-based radiation detectors capable of transmitting light indicating the presence of radiation for long distances are disclosed herein. A radiation detector can include a scintillator layer and a light-guide layer. The scintillator layer is configured to produce light upon receiving incident radiation. The light-guide layer is configured to receive light produced by the scintillator layer and either propagate the received light through the radiation detector or absorb the received light and emit light, through fluorescence, that is propagated through the radiation detector. A radiation detector can also include an outer layer partially surrounding the scintillator layer and light-guide layer. The index of refraction of the light-guide layer can be greater than the index of refraction of adjacent layers.
Focusing on Short-Term Achievement Gains Fails to Produce Long-Term Gains
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Grissmer, David W.; Ober, David R.; Beekman, John A.
2014-01-01
The short-term emphasis engendered by No Child Left Behind (NCLB) has focused research predominantly on unraveling the complexities and uncertainties in assessing short-term results, rather than developing methods and assessing results over the longer term. In this paper we focus on estimating long-term gains and address questions important to…
van Holland, Berry J; Frings-Dresen, Monique H W; Sluiter, Judith K
2012-11-01
The aims of this study were to investigate (1) the concurrent relationship between short-term and long-term stress reactivity measured by cortisol excretion and (2) the relationship of these physiological stress effects with self-reported stress and need for recovery after work (NFR). Participants were production workers in the meat-processing industry. Short-term cortisol excretion was calculated by summing 18 saliva samples, sampled over a 3-day period. Samples were delivered by 37 participants. Twenty-nine of them also supplied one hair sample of at least 3 cm in length for an analysis of long-term (3 months) cortisol excretion. All of them filled in a short questionnaire on self-reported stress and NFR. Self-reported stress was assessed by a three-item stress screener; NFR was assessed by an 11-item scale. Short-term and long-term cortisol excretion are significantly, but moderately, associated (r = 0.41, P = 0.03). Short-term and long-term cortisol excretion correlated weakly to self-reported stress and NFR (correlations varied from -0.04 to 0.21). Short-term and long-term physiological stress excretion levels are moderately associated. Physiological stress effects assessed from saliva and hair cannot be used interchangeably with self-reported stress because they only correlate weakly. To better predict long-term cortisol excretion in workers, the predictive value of short-term cortisol excretion must be evaluated in a prognostic longitudinal study in a working population.
Long term evolution of surface features on the unusual close binary V361 Lyr
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Lister, T. A.
2009-02-01
V361 Lyr has been recognized as an unusual, possibly unique, pre-contact binary which is though to be evolving from a detached binary system into a W UMa contact binary system due to Angular Momentum Loss (AML) and mass transfer. The mass transfer and resulting hot spot on the secondary star allow the physics of accretion to be studied without the normal difficulties of disks and winds that are present in T Tauri stars. I present light curves obtained over a 10 year period as part of long term monitoring program obtained with a variety of telescopes, collect all available times of minima from the literature along with those determined from the light curves and determine the rate of period change.
The long-term corrosion performance of Alloy 22 in heated brine solutions
Enos, D. G.; Bryan, C. R.
2015-02-13
Long-term corrosion experiments have been performed on Alloy 22 (UNS N06022), in a series of heated brines formulated to represent evaporatively concentrated ground water, to evaluate the long-term corrosion performance of the material. These solutions included 0.5 M NaCl, in addition to two simulated concentrated ground water solutions. Under conditions where Alloy 22 was anticipated to be passive, the corrosion rate was found to be vanishingly small (i.e., below the resolution of the weight-loss technique used to quantify corrosion in this study). However, under low pH conditions where Alloy 22 was anticipated to be active, or more specifically, where themore » chromium oxide passive film was not thermodynamically stable, the corrosion rate was appreciable. Furthermore, under such conditions the corrosion rate was observed to be a strong function of temperature, with an activation energy of 72.9±1.8 kJ/mol. Time of Flight-Secondary Ion Mass Spectroscopy analysis of the oxide layer revealed that, while sulfur was present within the oxide for all test conditions, no accumulation was observed at or near the metal/oxide interface. Furthermore, these observations confirm that inhibition of passive film formation via sulfur accumulation does not occur during the corrosion of Alloy 22.« less
Tozzi, Alessandro; de Iure, Antonio; Tantucci, Michela; Durante, Valentina; Quiroga-Varela, Ana; Giampà, Carmela; Di Mauro, Michela; Mazzocchetti, Petra; Costa, Cinzia; Di Filippo, Massimiliano; Grassi, Silvarosa; Pettorossi, Vito Enrico; Calabresi, Paolo
2015-01-01
17β-estradiol (E2), a neurosteroid synthesized by P450-aromatase (ARO), modulates various brain functions. We characterized the role of the locally synthesized E2 on striatal long-term synaptic plasticity and explored possible interactions between E2 receptors (ERs) and dopamine (DA) receptors in the dorsal striatum of adult male rats. Inhibition of E2 synthesis or antagonism of ERs prevented the induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) in both medium spiny neurons (MSNs) and cholinergic interneurons (ChIs). Activation of a D1-like DA receptor/cAMP/PKA-dependent pathway restored LTP. In MSNs exogenous E2 reversed the effect of ARO inhibition. Also antagonism of M1 muscarinic receptors prevented the D1-like receptor-mediated restoration of LTP confirming a role for ChIs in controlling the E2-mediated LTP of MSNs. A novel striatal interaction, occurring between ERs and D1-like receptors in both MSNs and ChIs, might be critical to regulate basal ganglia physiology and to compensate synaptic alterations in Parkinson’s disease. PMID:26074768
Tozzi, Alessandro; de Iure, Antonio; Tantucci, Michela; Durante, Valentina; Quiroga-Varela, Ana; Giampà, Carmela; Di Mauro, Michela; Mazzocchetti, Petra; Costa, Cinzia; Di Filippo, Massimiliano; Grassi, Silvarosa; Pettorossi, Vito Enrico; Calabresi, Paolo
2015-01-01
17β-estradiol (E2), a neurosteroid synthesized by P450-aromatase (ARO), modulates various brain functions. We characterized the role of the locally synthesized E2 on striatal long-term synaptic plasticity and explored possible interactions between E2 receptors (ERs) and dopamine (DA) receptors in the dorsal striatum of adult male rats. Inhibition of E2 synthesis or antagonism of ERs prevented the induction of long-term potentiation (LTP) in both medium spiny neurons (MSNs) and cholinergic interneurons (ChIs). Activation of a D1-like DA receptor/cAMP/PKA-dependent pathway restored LTP. In MSNs exogenous E2 reversed the effect of ARO inhibition. Also antagonism of M1 muscarinic receptors prevented the D1-like receptor-mediated restoration of LTP confirming a role for ChIs in controlling the E2-mediated LTP of MSNs. A novel striatal interaction, occurring between ERs and D1-like receptors in both MSNs and ChIs, might be critical to regulate basal ganglia physiology and to compensate synaptic alterations in Parkinson's disease.
Long-Term Economic and Labor Forecast Trends for Washington. 1996.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Lefberg, Irv; And Others
This publication provides actual historical and long-term forecast data on labor force, total wage and salary employment, industry employment, and personal income for the state of Washington. The data are based upon the Washington Office of Financial Management long-term population forecast. Chapter 1 presents long-term forecasts of Washington…
Long-term academic stress enhances early processing of facial expressions.
Zhang, Liang; Qin, Shaozheng; Yao, Zhuxi; Zhang, Kan; Wu, Jianhui
2016-11-01
Exposure to long-term stress can lead to a variety of emotional and behavioral problems. Although widely investigated, the neural basis of how long-term stress impacts emotional processing in humans remains largely elusive. Using event-related brain potentials (ERPs), we investigated the effects of long-term stress on the neural dynamics of emotionally facial expression processing. Thirty-nine male college students undergoing preparation for a major examination and twenty-one matched controls performed a gender discrimination task for faces displaying angry, happy, and neutral expressions. The results of the Perceived Stress Scale showed that participants in the stress group perceived higher levels of long-term stress relative to the control group. ERP analyses revealed differential effects of long-term stress on two early stages of facial expression processing: 1) long-term stress generally augmented posterior P1 amplitudes to facial stimuli irrespective of expression valence, suggesting that stress can increase sensitization to visual inputs in general, and 2) long-term stress selectively augmented fronto-central P2 amplitudes for angry but not for neutral or positive facial expressions, suggesting that stress may lead to increased attentional prioritization to processing negative emotional stimuli. Together, our findings suggest that long-term stress has profound impacts on the early stages of facial expression processing, with an increase at the very early stage of general information inputs and a subsequent attentional bias toward processing emotionally negative stimuli. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Economic efficiency of short-term versus long-term water rights buyouts
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
Because of the decline of the Ogallala Aquifer, water districts, regional water managers, and state water officers are becoming increasingly interested in conservation policies. This study evaluates both short-term and long-term water rights buyout policies. This research develops dynamic production...
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Mortenson, Lee E.; Berdes, Celia M.
This document, one in a series developed to provide technical assistance to 22 Long-Term Care Gerontology Centers, describes the current administrative and structural phenomenon of these centers. Precedents useful in assessing both the current climate and actual prospects for development of long term care centers are cited. The first section…
Sleep Quality, Short-Term and Long-Term CPAP Adherence
Somiah, Manya; Taxin, Zachary; Keating, Joseph; Mooney, Anne M.; Norman, Robert G.; Rapoport, David M.; Ayappa, Indu
2012-01-01
Study Objectives: Adherence to CPAP therapy is low in patients with obstructive sleep apnea/hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS). The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the utility of measures of sleep architecture and sleep continuity on the CPAP titration study as predictors of both short- and long-term CPAP adherence. Methods: 93 patients with OSAHS (RDI 42.8 ± 34.3/h) underwent in-laboratory diagnostic polysomnography, CPAP titration, and follow-up polysomnography (NPSG) on CPAP. Adherence to CPAP was objectively monitored. Short-term (ST) CPAP adherence was averaged over 14 days immediately following the titration study. Long-term (LT) CPAP adherence was obtained in 56/93 patients after approximately 2 months of CPAP use. Patients were grouped into CPAP adherence groups for ST (< 2 h, 2-4 h, and > 4 h) and LT adherence (< 4 h, > 4 h). Sleep architecture, sleep disordered breathing (SDB) indices, and daytime outcome variables from the diagnostic and titration NPSGs were compared between CPAP adherence groups. Results: There was a significant relationship between ST and LT CPAP adherence (r = 0.81, p < 0.001). Neither ST nor LT adherence were related to demographic variables, baseline severity of untreated SDB, sleep architecture, or measures of daytime impairment. Good CPAP adherence groups had significantly lower %N2 and greater %REM on the titration NPSG. A model combining change in sleep efficiency and change in sleep continuity between the diagnostic and titration NPSGs predicted 17% of the variance in LT adherence (p = 0.006). Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that characteristics of sleep architecture, even on the titration NPSG, may predict some of the variance in CPAP adherence. Better sleep quality on the titration night was related to better CPAP adherence, suggesting that interventions to improve sleep on/prior to the CPAP titration study might be used as a therapeutic intervention to improve CPAP adherence. Citation: Somiah M; Taxin Z; Keating
Kim, Chang Woo; Eom, Tae Young; Yang, In Seok; Kim, Byung Su; Lee, Wan In; Kang, Yong Soo; Kang, Young Soo
2017-07-28
In the present study, a dual-functional smart film combining the effects of wavelength conversion and amplification of the converted wave by the localized surface plasmon resonance has been investigated for a perovskite solar cell. This dual-functional film, composed of Au nanoparticles coated on the surface of Y 2 O 3 :Eu 3+ phosphor (Au@Y 2 O 3 :Eu 3+ ) nanoparticle monolayer, enhances the solar energy conversion efficiency to electrical energy and long-term stability of photovoltaic cells. Coupling between the Y 2 O 3 :Eu 3+ phosphor monolayer and ultraviolet solar light induces the latter to be converted into visible light with a quantum yield above 80%. Concurrently, the Au nanoparticle monolayer on the phosphor nanoparticle monolayer amplifies the converted visible light by up to 170%. This synergy leads to an increased solar light energy conversion efficiency of perovskite solar cells. Simultaneously, the dual-function film suppresses the photodegradation of perovskite by UV light, resulting in long-term stability. Introducing the hybrid smart Au@Y 2 O 3 :Eu 3+ film in perovskite solar cells increases their overall solar-to-electrical energy conversion efficiency to 16.1% and enhances long-term stability, as compared to the value of 15.2% for standard perovskite solar cells. The synergism between the wavelength conversion effect of the phosphor nanoparticle monolayer and the wave amplification by the localized surface plasmon resonance of the Au nanoparticle monolayer in a perovskite solar cell is comparatively investigated, providing a viable strategy of broadening the solar spectrum utilization.
Long-term memory and volatility clustering in high-frequency price changes
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
oh, Gabjin; Kim, Seunghwan; Eom, Cheoljun
2008-02-01
We studied the long-term memory in diverse stock market indices and foreign exchange rates using Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (DFA). For all high-frequency market data studied, no significant long-term memory property was detected in the return series, while a strong long-term memory property was found in the volatility time series. The possible causes of the long-term memory property were investigated using the return data filtered by the AR(1) model, reflecting the short-term memory property, the GARCH(1,1) model, reflecting the volatility clustering property, and the FIGARCH model, reflecting the long-term memory property of the volatility time series. The memory effect in the AR(1) filtered return and volatility time series remained unchanged, while the long-term memory property diminished significantly in the volatility series of the GARCH(1,1) filtered data. Notably, there is no long-term memory property, when we eliminate the long-term memory property of volatility by the FIGARCH model. For all data used, although the Hurst exponents of the volatility time series changed considerably over time, those of the time series with the volatility clustering effect removed diminish significantly. Our results imply that the long-term memory property of the volatility time series can be attributed to the volatility clustering observed in the financial time series.
Long-term complications in Hodgkin's lymphoma survivors.
Kilickap, Saadettin; Barista, Ibrahim; Ulger, Sukran; Celik, Ismail; Selek, Ugur; Güllü, Ibrahim; Yildiz, Ferah; Kars, Ayse; Ozisik, Yavuz; Tekuzman, Gülten
2012-01-01
Background. Although patients with Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) achieve prolonged survival, long-term complications are a major cause of morbidity and mortality among long-term survivors of HL. Methods. We retrospectively evaluated long-term complications in 336 HL survivors treated between January 1990 and January 2006 at the Department of Medical Oncology of the Hacettepe University Institute of Oncology who were >16 years old at presentation. All patients were regularly followed up every 3 months for the first 2 years after complete response, biannually for 3 years, and annually after 5 years. Results. Median follow-up was 8.5 years. The mean age (±SD) of the patients at the time of diagnosis was 35.7 ± 13.1 years. The male to female ratio was 61%/39%. During follow-up, 29 second malignancies (8.6%) were diagnosed in 28 patients with HL; 22 were solid tumors and 7 were hematological malignancies. Forty-seven (14.0%) of all patients with HL were found to have thyroid abnormalities. During follow-up, 54 (16.1%) patients developed cardiovascular complications. Overall, 29 (8.6%) patients developed late pulmonary toxicities. The cumulative number of chronic viral infections was 13 (3.9%). Conclusions. Long-term survivors of HL need to be properly followed up not only for disease control but also for evaluation of possible late morbidities to minimize the consequences.
Dynamical model of long-term synaptic plasticity
Abarbanel, Henry D. I.; Huerta, R.; Rabinovich, M. I.
2002-01-01
Long-term synaptic plasticity leading to enhancement in synaptic efficacy (long-term potentiation, LTP) or decrease in synaptic efficacy (long-term depression, LTD) is widely regarded as underlying learning and memory in nervous systems. LTP and LTD at excitatory neuronal synapses are observed to be induced by precise timing of pre- and postsynaptic events. Modification of synaptic transmission in long-term plasticity is a complex process involving many pathways; for example, it is also known that both forms of synaptic plasticity can be induced by various time courses of Ca2+ introduction into the postsynaptic cell. We present a phenomenological description of a two-component process for synaptic plasticity. Our dynamical model reproduces the spike time-dependent plasticity of excitatory synapses as a function of relative timing between pre- and postsynaptic events, as observed in recent experiments. The model accounts for LTP and LTD when the postsynaptic cell is voltage clamped and depolarized (LTP) or hyperpolarized (LTD) and no postsynaptic action potentials are evoked. We are also able to connect our model with the Bienenstock, Cooper, and Munro rule. We give model predictions for changes in synaptic strength when periodic spike trains of varying frequency and Poisson distributed spike trains with varying average frequency are presented pre- and postsynaptically. When the frequency of spike presentation exceeds ≈30–40 Hz, only LTP is induced. PMID:12114531
Initiating Long-Term Soil Productivity Research in Missouri
Felix Ponder
1997-01-01
Management practices necessary for sustaining long-term soil productivity (LTSP) afforest lands are being defined from a network of coordinated, long-term experiments established in vartous ecosystems across the United States and British Columbia according to the same basic study plan. The study was established in the Ozark Region of southeastem Missouri in Shannon...
Long-term maintenance needs planning.
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2005-09-01
This research contributes to Kentucky's knowledge base of long-term maintenance needs in two parts. Part I presents an estimate of the average revenue needed to maintain four categories of highway in the first fifteen years after each is built or res...
Long-term use of short- and long-acting nitrates in stable angina pectoris.
Kosmicki, Marek Antoni
2009-05-01
Long-acting nitrates are effective antianginal drugs during initial treatment. However, their therapeutic value is compromised by the rapid development of tolerance during sustained therapy, which means that their clinical efficacy is decreased during long-term use. Sublingual nitroglycerin (NTG), a short-acting nitrate, is suitable for the immediate relief of angina. In patients with stable angina treated with oral long-acting nitrates, NTG maintains its full anti-ischemic effect both after initial oral ingestion and after intermittent long-term oral administration. However, NTG attenuates this effect during continuous treatment, when tolerance to oral nitrates occurs, and this is called cross-tolerance. In stable angina long-acting nitrates are considered third-line therapy because a nitrate-free interval is required to avoid the development of tolerance. Nitrates vary in their potential to induce the development of tolerance. During long-lasting nitrate therapy, except pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), one can observe the development of reactive oxygen species (ROS) inside the muscular cell of a vessel wall, and these bind with nitric oxide (NO). This leads to decreased NO activity, thus, nitrate tolerance. PETN has no tendency to form ROS, and therefore during long-term PETN therapy, there is probably no tolerance or cross-tolerance, as during treatment with other nitrates.
Long Non-Coding RNA CASC2 Improves Diabetic Nephropathy by Inhibiting JNK Pathway.
Yang, Huihui; Kan, Quan E; Su, Yong; Man, Hua
2018-06-11
It's known that long non-coding RNA CASC2 overexpression inhibit the JNK pathway in some disease models, while JNK pathway activation exacerbates diabetic nephropathy. Therefore we speculate that long non-coding RNA CASC2 can improve diabetic nephropathy by inhibiting JNK pathway. Thus, our study was carried out to investigate the involvement of CASC2 in diabetic nephropathy. We found that serum level of CASC2 was significantly lower in diabetic nephropathy patients than in normal people, and serum level of CASC2 showed no significant correlations with age, gender, alcohol consumption and smoking habits, but was correlated with course of disease. ROC curve analysis showed that serum level of CASC2 could be used to accurately predict diabetic nephropathy. Diabetes mellitus has many complications. This study also included a series of complications of diabetes, such as diabetic retinopathy, diabetic ketoacidosis, diabetic foot infections and diabetic cardiopathy, while serum level of CASC2 was specifically reduced in diabetic nephropathy. CASC2 expression level decreased, while JNK1 phosphorylation level increased in mouse podocyte cells treated with high glucose. CASC2 overexpression inhibited apoptosis of podocyte cells and reduced phosphorylation level of JNK1. We conclude that long non-coding RNA CASC2 may improve diabetic nephropathy by inhibiting JNK pathway. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.
What are the differences between long-term, short-term, and working memory?
Cowan, Nelson
2008-01-01
In the recent literature there has been considerable confusion about the three types of memory: long-term, short-term, and working memory. This chapter strives to reduce that confusion and makes up-to-date assessments of these types of memory. Long- and short-term memory could differ in two fundamental ways, with only short-term memory demonstrating (1) temporal decay and (2) chunk capacity limits. Both properties of short-term memory are still controversial but the current literature is rather encouraging regarding the existence of both decay and capacity limits. Working memory has been conceived and defined in three different, slightly discrepant ways: as short-term memory applied to cognitive tasks, as a multi-component system that holds and manipulates information in short-term memory, and as the use of attention to manage short-term memory. Regardless of the definition, there are some measures of memory in the short term that seem routine and do not correlate well with cognitive aptitudes and other measures (those usually identified with the term "working memory") that seem more attention demanding and do correlate well with these aptitudes. The evidence is evaluated and placed within a theoretical framework depicted in Fig. 1.
Leino, Timo
2009-11-01
Voice quality has mainly been studied in trained speakers, singers, and dysphonic patients. Few studies have concerned ordinary untrained university students' voices. In light of earlier studies of professional voice users, it was hypothesized that good, poor, and intermediate voices would be distinguishable on the basis of long-term average spectrum characteristics. In the present study, voice quality of 50 Finnish vocally untrained male university students was studied perceptually and using long-term average spectrum analysis of text reading samples of one minute duration. Equivalent sound level (Leq) of text reading was also measured. According to the results, the good and ordinary voices differed from the poor ones in their relatively higher sound level in the frequency range of 1-3 kHz and a prominent peak at 3-4 kHz. Good voices, however, did not differ from the ordinary voices in terms of the characteristics of the long-term average spectrum (LTAS). The strength of the peak at 3-4 kHz and the voice-quality scores correlated weakly but significantly. Voice quality and alpha ratio (level difference above and below 1 kHz) correlated likewise. Leq was significantly higher in the students with good and ordinary voices than in those with poor voices. The connections between Leq, voice quality, and the formation of the peak at 3-4 kHz warrant further studies.
Stirling engine - Approach for long-term durability assessment
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Tong, Michael T.; Bartolotta, Paul A.; Halford, Gary R.; Freed, Alan D.
1992-01-01
The approach employed by NASA Lewis for the long-term durability assessment of the Stirling engine hot-section components is summarized. The approach consists of: preliminary structural assessment; development of a viscoplastic constitutive model to accurately determine material behavior under high-temperature thermomechanical loads; an experimental program to characterize material constants for the viscoplastic constitutive model; finite-element thermal analysis and structural analysis using a viscoplastic constitutive model to obtain stress/strain/temperature at the critical location of the hot-section components for life assessment; and development of a life prediction model applicable for long-term durability assessment at high temperatures. The approach should aid in the provision of long-term structural durability and reliability of Stirling engines.
Dieni, Cristina V; Ferraresi, Aldo; Sullivan, Jacqueline A; Grassi, Sivarosa; Pettorossi, Vito E; Panichi, Roberto
2018-03-01
The vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) adaptation is an ideal model for investigating how the neurosteroid 17 beta-estradiol (E2) contributes to the modification of behavior by regulating synaptic activities. We hypothesized that E2 impacts VOR adaptation by affecting cerebellar synaptic plasticity at the parallel fiber-Purkinje cell (PF) synapse. To verify this hypothesis, we investigated the acute effect of blocking E2 synthesis on gain increases and decreases in adaptation of the VOR in male rats using an oral dose (2.5 mg/kg) of the aromatase inhibitor letrozole. We also assessed the effect of letrozole on synaptic plasticity at the PF synapse in vitro, using cerebellar slices from male rats. We found that letrozole acutely impaired both gain increases and decreases adaptation of the VOR without altering basal ocular-motor performance. Moreover, letrozole prevented long-term potentiation at the PF synapse (PF-LTP) without affecting long-term depression (PF-LTD). Thus, in male rats neurosteroid E2 has a relevant impact on VOR adaptation and affects exclusively PF-LTP. These findings suggest that E2 might regulate changes in VOR adaptation by acting locally on cerebellar and extra-cerebellar synaptic plasticity sites.
Zheng, Liang; Van Labeke, Marie-Christine
2017-01-01
Light quality critically affects plant development and growth. Development of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) enables the use of narrow band red and/or blue wavelengths as supplementary lighting in ornamental production. Yet, long periods under these wavelengths will affect leaf morphology and physiology. Leaf anatomy, stomatal traits, and stomatal conductance, leaf hydraulic conductance (Kleaf), and photosynthetic efficiency were investigated in three ornamental pot plants, namely Cordyline australis (monocot), Ficus benjamina (dicot, evergreen leaves), and Sinningia speciosa (dicot, deciduous leaves) after 8 weeks under LED light. Four light treatments were applied at 100 μmol m−2 s−1 and a photoperiod of 16 h using 100% red (R), 100% blue (B), 75% red with 25% blue (RB), and full spectrum white light (W), respectively. B and RB resulted in a greater maximum quantum yield (Fv/Fm) and quantum efficiency (ΦPSII) in all species compared to R and W and this correlated with a lower biomass under R. B increased the stomatal conductance compared with R. This increase was linked to an increasing stomatal index and/or stomatal density but the stomatal aperture area was unaffected by the applied light quality. Leaf hydraulic conductance (Kleaf) was not significantly affected by the applied light qualities. Blue light increased the leaf thickness of F. benjamina, and a relative higher increase in palisade parenchyma was observed. Also in S. speciosa, increase in palisade parenchyma was found under B and RB, though total leaf thickness was not affected. Palisade parenchyma tissue thickness was correlated to the leaf photosynthetic quantum efficiency (ΦPSII). In conclusion, the role of blue light addition in the spectrum is essential for the normal anatomical leaf development which also impacts the photosynthetic efficiency in the three studied species. PMID:28611818
Zheng, Liang; Van Labeke, Marie-Christine
2017-01-01
Light quality critically affects plant development and growth. Development of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) enables the use of narrow band red and/or blue wavelengths as supplementary lighting in ornamental production. Yet, long periods under these wavelengths will affect leaf morphology and physiology. Leaf anatomy, stomatal traits, and stomatal conductance, leaf hydraulic conductance (K leaf ), and photosynthetic efficiency were investigated in three ornamental pot plants, namely Cordyline australis (monocot), Ficus benjamina (dicot, evergreen leaves), and Sinningia speciosa (dicot, deciduous leaves) after 8 weeks under LED light. Four light treatments were applied at 100 μmol m -2 s -1 and a photoperiod of 16 h using 100% red (R), 100% blue (B), 75% red with 25% blue (RB), and full spectrum white light (W), respectively. B and RB resulted in a greater maximum quantum yield (F v /F m ) and quantum efficiency (Φ PSII ) in all species compared to R and W and this correlated with a lower biomass under R. B increased the stomatal conductance compared with R. This increase was linked to an increasing stomatal index and/or stomatal density but the stomatal aperture area was unaffected by the applied light quality. Leaf hydraulic conductance (K leaf ) was not significantly affected by the applied light qualities. Blue light increased the leaf thickness of F. benjamina , and a relative higher increase in palisade parenchyma was observed. Also in S. speciosa , increase in palisade parenchyma was found under B and RB, though total leaf thickness was not affected. Palisade parenchyma tissue thickness was correlated to the leaf photosynthetic quantum efficiency (Φ PSII ). In conclusion, the role of blue light addition in the spectrum is essential for the normal anatomical leaf development which also impacts the photosynthetic efficiency in the three studied species.
Finance issue brief: long-term care insurance: year end report-2003.
Tanner, Rachel C
2003-12-31
A 1996 federal law made it more attractive for states to consider long-term care insurance, and states have responded by implementing policies to make the purchase of these long-term care coverage more affordable and consumer-friendly. At present, policymakers continue to debate the future role of private long-term care insurance in subsidizing the increasing demand for long-term care services.
Bergami, E; Pugnalini, S; Vannuccini, M L; Manfra, L; Faleri, C; Savorelli, F; Dawson, K A; Corsi, I
2017-08-01
Plastic pollution has been globally recognized as a critical issue for marine ecosystems and nanoplastics constitute one of the last unexplored areas to understand the magnitude of this threat. However, current difficulties in sampling and identifying nano-sized debris make hard to assess their occurrence in marine environment. Polystyrene nanoparticles (PS NPs) are largely used as nanoplastics in ecotoxicological studies and although acute exposures have been already investigated, long-term toxicity on marine organisms is unknown. Our study aims at evaluating the effects of 40nm PS anionic carboxylated (PS-COOH) and 50nm cationic amino-modified (PS-NH 2 ) NPs in two planktonic species, the green microalga Dunaliella tertiolecta and the brine shrimp Artemia franciscana, respectively prey and predator. PS NP behaviour in exposure media was determined through DLS, while their toxicity to microalgae and brine shrimps evaluated through 72h growth inhibition test and 14 d long-term toxicity test respectively. Moreover, the expression of target genes (i.e. clap and cstb), having a role in brine shrimp larval growth and molting, was measured in 48h brine shrimp larvae. A different behaviour of the two PS NPs in exposure media as well as diverse toxicity to the two planktonic species was observed. PS-COOH formed micro-scale aggregates (Z-Average>1μm) and did not affect the growth of microalgae up to 50μg/ml or that of brine shrimps up to 10μg/ml. However, these negatively charged NPs were adsorbed on microalgae and accumulated (and excreted) in brine shrimps, suggesting a potential trophic transfer from prey to predator. On the opposite, PS-NH 2 -formed nano-scale aggregates (Z-Average<200nm), caused inhibition of algal growth (EC 50 =12.97μg/ml) and mortality in brine shrimps at 14 d (LC 50 =0.83μg/ml). Moreover, 1μg/ml PS-NH 2 significantly induced clap and cstb genes, explaining the physiological alterations (e.g. increase in molting) previously observed in 48h
Factors Affecting Long-Term Abstinence from Substances Use
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Elsheikh, Salah Elgaily
2008-01-01
Objective: The purpose of this study is to explore the attitudes of abstainers from drug use that relate to the factors leading to long-term abstinence. Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional study was carried out in Al-Amal Hospital to examine, which attitudes of abstainers related to long-term abstinence. A random survey was conducted on 62…
Long-term consequences of anorexia nervosa.
Meczekalski, Blazej; Podfigurna-Stopa, Agnieszka; Katulski, Krzysztof
2013-07-01
Anorexia nervosa (AN) is a psychiatric disorder that occurs mainly in female adolescents and young women. The obsessive fear of weight gain, critically limited food intake and neuroendocrine aberrations characteristic of AN have both short- and long-term consequences for the reproductive, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal and skeletal systems. Neuroendocrine changes include impairment of gonadotropin releasing-hormone (GnRH) pulsatile secretion and changes in neuropeptide activity at the hypothalamic level, which cause profound hypoestrogenism. AN is related to a decrease in bone mass density, which can lead to osteopenia and osteoporosis and a significant increase in fracture risk in later life. Rates of birth complications and low birth weight may be higher in women with previous AN. The condition is associated with fertility problems, unplanned pregnancies and generally negative attitudes to pregnancy. During pregnancy, women with the condition have higher rates of hyperemesis gravidarum, anaemia and obstetric complications, as well as impaired weight gain and compromised intrauterine foetal growth. It is reported that 80% of AN patients are affected by a cardiac complications such as sinus bradycardia, a prolonged QT interval on electrocardiography, arrythmias, myocardial mass modification and hypotension. A decrease in bone mineral density (BMD) is one of the most important medical consequences of AN. Reduced BMD may subsequently lead to a three- to seven-fold increased risk of spontaneous fractures. Untreated AN is associated with a significant increase in the risk of death. Better detection and sophisticated therapy should prevent the long-term consequences of this disorder. The aims of treatment are not only recovery but also prophylaxis and relief of the long-term effects of this disorder. Further investigations of the long-term disease risk are needed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.
Reconciling long-term cultural diversity and short-term collective social behavior.
Valori, Luca; Picciolo, Francesco; Allansdottir, Agnes; Garlaschelli, Diego
2012-01-24
An outstanding open problem is whether collective social phenomena occurring over short timescales can systematically reduce cultural heterogeneity in the long run, and whether offline and online human interactions contribute differently to the process. Theoretical models suggest that short-term collective behavior and long-term cultural diversity are mutually excluding, since they require very different levels of social influence. The latter jointly depends on two factors: the topology of the underlying social network and the overlap between individuals in multidimensional cultural space. However, while the empirical properties of social networks are intensively studied, little is known about the large-scale organization of real societies in cultural space, so that random input specifications are necessarily used in models. Here we use a large dataset to perform a high-dimensional analysis of the scientific beliefs of thousands of Europeans. We find that interopinion correlations determine a nontrivial ultrametric hierarchy of individuals in cultural space. When empirical data are used as inputs in models, ultrametricity has strong and counterintuitive effects. On short timescales, it facilitates a symmetry-breaking phase transition triggering coordinated social behavior. On long timescales, it suppresses cultural convergence by restricting it within disjoint groups. Moreover, ultrametricity implies that these results are surprisingly robust to modifications of the dynamical rules considered. Thus the empirical distribution of individuals in cultural space appears to systematically optimize the coexistence of short-term collective behavior and long-term cultural diversity, which can be realized simultaneously for the same moderate level of mutual influence in a diverse range of online and offline settings.
Long-term effects of interference on short-term memory performance in the rat.
Missaire, Mégane; Fraize, Nicolas; Joseph, Mickaël Antoine; Hamieh, Al Mahdy; Parmentier, Régis; Marighetto, Aline; Salin, Paul Antoine; Malleret, Gaël
2017-01-01
A distinction has always been made between long-term and short-term memory (also now called working memory, WM). The obvious difference between these two kinds of memory concerns the duration of information storage: information is supposedly transiently stored in WM while it is considered durably consolidated into long-term memory. It is well acknowledged that the content of WM is erased and reset after a short time, to prevent irrelevant information from proactively interfering with newly stored information. In the present study, we used typical WM radial maze tasks to question the brief lifespan of spatial WM content in rodents. Groups of rats were submitted to one of two different WM tasks in a radial maze: a WM task involving the repetitive presentation of a same pair of arms expected to induce a high level of proactive interference (PI) (HIWM task), or a task using a different pair in each trial expected to induce a low level of PI (LIWM task). Performance was effectively lower in the HIWM group than in LIWM in the final trial of each training session, indicative of a "within-session/short-term" PI effect. However, we also observed a different "between-session/long-term" PI effect between the two groups: while performance of LIWM trained rats remained stable over days, the performance of HIWM rats dropped after 10 days of training, and this impairment was visible from the very first trial of the day, hence not attributable to within-session PI. We also showed that a 24 hour-gap across training sessions known to allow consolidation processes to unfold, was a necessary and sufficient condition for the long-term PI effect to occur. These findings suggest that in the HIWM task, WM content was not entirely reset between training sessions and that, in specific conditions, WM content can outlast its purpose by being stored more permanently, generating a long-term deleterious effect of PI. The alternative explanation is that WM content could be transferred and stored
Enhancing Long-Term Retention of New Vocabulary Using Visual Images.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Igelsrud, Karen
A practicum used a new learning tool to enhance long-term retention of new vocabulary. Sixteen seventh-graders in Language Arts, who had a long-term retention mean score of approximately 40% of newly learned vocabulary, increased their long-term retention of new vocabulary by 25% (a new mean of 65% of new vocabulary). Additional objectives…
Long-term nitrogen regulation of forest carbon sequestration
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Yang, Y.; Luo, Y.
2009-12-01
It is well established that nitrogen (N) limits plant production but unclear how N regulates long-term terrestrial carbon (C) sequestration in response to rising atmospheric C dioxide (CO2)(Luo et al., 2004). Most experimental evidence on C-N interactions is primarily derived from short-term CO2 manipulative studies (e.g. Oren et al., 2001; Reich et al., 2006a), which abruptly increase C inputs into ecosystems and N demand from soil while atmospheric CO2 concentration in the real world is gradually increasing over time (Luo & Reynolds, 1999). It is essential to examine long-term N regulations of C sequestration in natural ecosystems. Here we present results of a synthesis of more than 100 studies on long-term C-N interactions during secondary succession. C significantly accumulates in plant, litter and forest floor in most studies, and in mineral soil in one-third studies during stand development. Substantial increases in C stock are tightly coupled with N accretion. The C: N ratio in plant increases with stand age in most cases, but remains relatively constant in litter, forest floor and mineral soil. Our results suggest that natural ecosystems could have the intrinsic capacity to maintain long-term C sequestration through external N accrual, high N use efficiency, and efficient internal N cycling.
Finance issue brief: long-term care insurance: year end report-2002.
Tanner, Rachel
2002-12-31
A 1996 federal law made it more attractive for states to consider long-term care insurance, and states have responded by implementing policies to make the purchase of these long-term care coverage more affordable and consumer-friendly. At present, policy makers continue to debate the future role of private long-term care insurance in subsidizing the increasing demand for long-term care services.
Butler, C; Watson-Wright, W M; Wilkinson, M; Johnstone, D E; Armour, J A
1988-03-01
Electrical stimulation of an acutely decentralized stellate or middle cervical ganglion or cardiopulmonary nerve augments cardiac chronotropism or inotropism; as the stimulation continues there is a gradual reduction of this augmentation following the peak response, i.e., an inhibition of augmentation. The amount of this inhibition was found to be dependent upon the region of the heart investigated and the neural structure stimulated. The cardiac parameters which were augmented the most displayed the greatest inhibition. Maximum augmentation or inhibition occurred, in most instances, when 5-20 Hz stimuli were used. Inhibition of augmentation was overcome when the stimulation frequency was subsequently increased or following the administration of nicotine or tyramine, indicating that the inhibition was not primarily due to the lack of availability of noradrenaline in the nerve terminals of the efferent postganglionic sympathetic neurons. Furthermore, as infusions of isoproterenol or noradrenaline during the period of inhibition could still augment cardiac responses, whereas during the early peak responses they did not, the inhibition of augmentation does not appear to be due primarily to down regulation of cardiac myocyte beta-adrenergic receptors. The inhibition was modified by hexamethonium but not by phentolamine or atropine. Inhibition occurred when all ipsilateral cardiopulmonary nerves connected with acutely decentralized middle cervical and stellate ganglia were stimulated, whereas significant inhibition did not occur when these nerves were stimulated after they had been disconnected from the ipsilateral decentralized ganglia. Taken together these data indicate that the inhibition of cardiac augmentation which occurs during relatively long-term stimulation of intrathoracic sympathetic neural elements is due in large part to nicotinic cholinergic synaptic mechanisms that lie primarily in the major thoracic autonomic ganglia. They also indicate that long-term
The long term agroecosystem research network - shared research strategy
Jean L. Steiner; Timothy Strickland; Peter J.A. Kleinman; Kris Havstad; Thomas B. Moorman; M.Susan Moran; Phil Hellman; Ray B. Bryant; David Huggins; Greg McCarty
2016-01-01
While current weather patterns and rapidly accelerated changes in technology often focus attention on short-term trends in agriculture, the fundamental demands on modern agriculture to meet society food, feed, fuel and fiber production while providing the foundation for a healthy environment requires long-term perspective. The Long- Term Agroecoystem Research Network...
Pearce, Kaycey; Cai, Diancai; Roberts, Adam C; Glanzman, David L
2017-01-01
Previously, we reported that long-term memory (LTM) in Aplysia can be reinstated by truncated (partial) training following its disruption by reconsolidation blockade and inhibition of PKM (Chen et al., 2014). Here, we report that LTM can be induced by partial training after disruption of original consolidation by protein synthesis inhibition (PSI) begun shortly after training. But when PSI occurs during training, partial training cannot subsequently establish LTM. Furthermore, we find that inhibition of DNA methyltransferase (DNMT), whether during training or shortly afterwards, blocks consolidation of LTM and prevents its subsequent induction by truncated training; moreover, later inhibition of DNMT eliminates consolidated LTM. Thus, the consolidation of LTM depends on two functionally distinct phases of protein synthesis: an early phase that appears to prime LTM; and a later phase whose successful completion is necessary for the normal expression of LTM. Both the consolidation and maintenance of LTM depend on DNA methylation. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.18299.001 PMID:28067617
Input-Specific NMDAR-Dependent Potentiation of Dendritic GABAergic Inhibition.
Chiu, Chiayu Q; Martenson, James S; Yamazaki, Maya; Natsume, Rie; Sakimura, Kenji; Tomita, Susumu; Tavalin, Steven J; Higley, Michael J
2018-01-17
Preservation of a balance between synaptic excitation and inhibition is critical for normal brain function. A number of homeostatic cellular mechanisms have been suggested to play a role in maintaining this balance, including long-term plasticity of GABAergic inhibitory synapses. Many previous studies have demonstrated a coupling of postsynaptic spiking with modification of perisomatic inhibition. Here, we demonstrate that activation of NMDA-type glutamate receptors leads to input-specific long-term potentiation of dendritic inhibition mediated by somatostatin-expressing interneurons. This form of plasticity is expressed postsynaptically and requires both CaMKIIα and the β2 subunit of the GABA-A receptor. Importantly, this process may function to preserve dendritic inhibition, as genetic deletion of NMDAR signaling results in a selective weakening of dendritic inhibition. Overall, our results reveal a new mechanism for linking excitatory and inhibitory input in neuronal dendrites and provide novel insight into the homeostatic regulation of synaptic transmission in cortical circuits. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Long-term deconditioning of gas-filled surge arresters
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Stanković, Koviljka; Brajović, Dragan; Alimpijević, Mališa; Lončar, Boris
2016-07-01
The aim of this paper is to identify parameters that influence the long-term deconditioning effect of gas-filled surge arrester (GFSA) and to provide practical recommendations for mitigating this effect. Namely, after some period of time, on order of hours or days, during which there is no activation due to overvoltage, the deconditioning of GFSA occurs. This effect was observed experimentally within the paper. The observed parameters that could influence the long-term deconditioning effect were the following: shape of voltage load, gas type, gas pressure, interelectrode distance, electrode material, electrode surface topography as well as GFSA design such as two- or three-electrode configuration. According to the results obtained, it has been shown that the occurrence of long-term deconditioning in an insulating system, insulated by a noble gas at a subpressure and with small interelectrode distances, is a phenomenon that always occurs when the insulating system is at rest for about an hour. It has been found that the type of noble gas does not influence the long-term deconditioning. Analysis of such insulating systems' parameters, with a prospect of being used as GFSAs, has demonstrated that this phenomenon is less pronounced at higher pressures (for the same value of the pressure (p) and interelectrode distance (d) product) and for electrodes with microscopically embossed surfaces. According to the results that were obtained by noble gases and their mixtures, as well as the results that were obtained by mixtures of SF6 gas with noble gasses, it can be claimed with confidence that the effect of the long-term deconditioning is an electrode effect. It has also been established that the deconditioning effect does not depend on the electrode material except in the case of electrodes made out of noble metals, which reduce the effect. Based on these results, it can be recommended that the working point of GFSAs be set (according to the DC breakdown voltage value) at a
Harvey, E. Newton
1926-01-01
1. Eosin, erythrosin, rose bengale, cyanosin, acridine, and methylene blue act photodynamically on the luminescence of a Cypridina luciferin-luciferase solution. In presence of these dyes inhibition of luminescence, which without the dye occurs only in blue-violet light, takes place in green, yellow, orange, or red light, depending on the position of the absorption bands of the dye. 2. Inhibition of Cypridina luminescence without photosensitive dye in blue-violet light, or with photosensitive dye in longer wave-lengths, does not occur in absence of oxygen. Light acts by accelerating the oxidation of luciferin without luminescence. Eosin or methylene blue act by making longer wave-lengths effective, but there is no evidence that these dyes become reduced in the process. 3. The luciferin-oxyluciferin system is similar to the methylene white-methylene blue system in many ways but not exactly similar in respect to photochemical change. Oxidation of the dye is favored in acid solution, reduction in alkaline solution. However, oxidation of luciferin is favored in all pH ranges from 4 to 10 but is much more rapid in alkaline solution, either in light or darkness. There is no evidence that reduction of oxyluciferin is favored in alkaline solution. Clark's observation that oxidation (blueing) of methylene white occurs in complete absence of oxygen has been confirmed for acid solutions. I observed no blueing in light in alkaline solution. PMID:19872301
Eyl, Ruth Elisa; Xie, Kun; Koch-Gallenkamp, Lena; Brenner, Hermann; Arndt, Volker
2018-06-01
Due to the increasing number of long-term (≥5 years post diagnosis) colorectal cancer survivors, long-term quality of life of these patients is highly relevant. Several studies have reported a positive association between physical activity and quality of life in colorectal cancer survivors, however, so far no systematic review has been published which focuses on long-term colorectal cancer survivors. A systematic review was conducted using the databases PubMed, Web of Science, PsychINFO, and CINAHL. Studies which investigated associations between physical activity and quality of life in long-term colorectal cancer survivors were included. Ten articles based on seven studies were identified. Long-term colorectal cancer survivors who were physically active reported better quality of life than long-term survivors who were not physically active. Both, moderate to vigorous physical activity and lower levels like light physical activity were associated with higher quality of life. Most studies assessed the association between physical activity and quality of life cross-sectionally but one prospective study which measured physical activity and quality of life at three different points in time also found associations between physical activity and quality of life. The association between physical activity and quality of life seemed to be stronger among women than among men. The findings of this systematic review support an association between physical activity and quality of life in long-term colorectal cancer survivors. However, the evidence is limited as most studies were based on cross-sectional and observational design.
Setting the stage for long-term reproductive health.
Payne, Craig A; Vander Ley, Brian; Poock, Scott E
2013-11-01
This article discusses some of the aspects of heifer development that contribute to long-term health and productivity, such as disease prevention and control. Nutrition is also an important component of long-term health, and body condition score is discussed as a way to determine whether the nutrient demands of heifers are being met. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Changes in the Long-Term Intensity Variations in Cygnus X-2 and LMC X-3
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Paul, B.; Kitamoto, S.; Makino, F.
2000-01-01
We report the detection of changes in the long-term intensity variations in two X-ray binaries, Cyg X-2 and LMC X-3. In this work, we have used the long-term light curves obtained with the All-Sky Monitors (ASMs) of the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer (RXTE), Ginga, Ariel 5, and Vela 5B and the scanning modulation collimator of HEAO 1. It is found that in the light curves of both the sources, obtained with these instruments at various times over the last 30 years, more than one periodic or quasi-periodic component is always present. The multiple prominent peaks in the periodograms have frequencies unrelated to each other. In Cyg X-2, RXTE-ASM data show strong peaks at 40.4 and 68.8 days, and Ginga-ASM data show strong peaks at 53.7 and 61.3 days. Multiple peaks are also observed in LMC X-3. The various strong peaks in the periodograms of LMC X-3 appear at 104, 169, and 216 days (observed with RXTE-ASM) and 105, 214, and 328 days (observed with Ginga-ASM). The present results, when compared with the earlier observations of periodicities in these two systems, demonstrate the absence of any stable long period. The 78 day periodicity detected earlier in Cyg X-2 was probably due to the short time base in the RXTE data that were used, and the periodicity of 198 days in LMC X-3 was due to a relatively short duration of observation with HEAO 1.
Sexuality and physical intimacy in long-term care.
Lichtenberg, Peter A
2014-01-01
Sexuality and sexual needs in older adults remains a neglected area of clinical intervention, particularly so in long-term care settings. Because older adults in medical rehabilitation and long-term care beds present with significant frailties, and often significant neurocognitive disorders, it makes it difficult for occupational therapists and other staff to evaluate the capacity of an older adult resident to participate in sexual relationships. The current paper reviews the current literature on sexuality and aging, examines some of the clinical practices and guidelines regarding sexual expression in long-term care, and presents two case examples. A semistructured interview and decision tree is presented to assist therapists in making careful and informed decisions and thereby balancing the needs for protection with the needs for autonomy.
Norberg-King, T. J.; Sibley, P.K.; Burton, G.A.; Ingersoll, C.G.; Kemble, N.E.; Ireland, S.; Mount, D.R.; Rowland, C.D.
2006-01-01
Methods for assessing the long-term toxicity of sediments to Hyalella azteca and Chironomus tentans can significantly enhance the capacity to assess sublethal effects of contaminated sediments through multiple endpoints. Sublethal tests allow us to begin to understand the relationship between short-term and long-term effects for toxic sediments. We present an interlaboratory evaluation with long-term and 10-d tests using control and contaminated sediments in which we assess whether proposed and existing performance criteria (test acceptability criteria [TAC]) could be achieved. Laboratories became familiar with newly developed, long-term protocols by testing two control sediments in phase 1. In phase 2, the 10-d and long-term tests were examined with several sediments. Laboratories met the TACs, but results varied depending on the test organism, test duration, and endpoints. For the long-term tests in phase 1, 66 to 100% of the laboratories consistently met the TACs for survival, growth, or reproduction using H. azteca, and 70 to 100% of the laboratories met the TACs for survival and growth, emergence, reproduction, and hatchability using C. tentans. In phase 2, fewer laboratories participated in long-term tests: 71 to 88% of the laboratories met the TAC for H. azteca, whereas 50 to 67% met the TAC for C. tentans. In the 10-d tests with H. azteca, and C. tentans, 82 and 88% of the laboratories met the TAC for survival, respectively, and 80% met the TAC for C. tentans growth. For the 10-d and long-term tests, laboratories predicted similar toxicity. Overall, the interlaboratory evaluation showed good precision of the methods, appropriate endpoints were incorporated into the test protocols, and tests effectively predicted the toxicity of sediments.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Cannizzo, John; Gehrels, Neil
2009-01-01
We present a new way of looking at the very long term evolution of GRBs in which the disk of material surrounding the putative black hole powering the GRB jet modulates the mass flow, and hence the efficacy of the process that extracts rotational energy from the black hole and inner accretion disk. The pre-Swift paradigm of achromatic, shallow-to-steep "breaks" in the long term GRB light curves has not been borne out by detailed Swift data amassed in the past several years. We argue that, given the initial existence of a fall-back disk near the progenitor, an unavoidable consequence will be the formation of an "external disk" whose outer edge continually moves to larger radii due to angular momentum transport and lack of a confining torque. The mass reservoir at large radii moves outward with time and gives a natural power law decay to the GRB light curves. In this model, the different canonical power law decay segments in the GRB identified by Zhang et al. and Nousek et al. represent different physical states of the accretion disk. We identify a physical disk state with each power law segment.
Long-term non-invasive and continuous measurements of legume nodule activity.
Cabeza, Ricardo A; Liese, Rebecca; Fischinger, Stephanie A; Sulieman, Saad; Avenhaus, Ulrike; Lingner, Annika; Hein, Hans; Koester, Beke; Baumgarten, Vanessa; Dittert, Klaus; Schulze, Joachim
2015-02-01
Symbiotic nitrogen fixation is a process of considerable economic, ecological and scientific interest. The central enzyme nitrogenase reduces H(+) alongside N2 , and the evolving H2 allows a continuous and non-invasive in vivo measurement of nitrogenase activity. The objective of this study was to show that an elaborated set-up providing such measurements for periods as long as several weeks will produce specific insight into the nodule activity's dependence on environmental conditions and genotype features. A system was developed that allows the air-proof separation of a root/nodule and a shoot compartment. H2 evolution in the root/nodule compartment can be monitored continuously. Nutrient solution composition, temperature, CO2 concentration and humidity around the shoots can concomitantly be maintained and manipulated. Medicago truncatula plants showed vigorous growth in the system when relying on nitrogen fixation. The set-up was able to provide specific insights into nitrogen fixation. For example, nodule activity depended on the temperature in their surroundings, but not on temperature or light around shoots. Increased temperature around the nodules was able to induce higher nodule activity in darkness versus light around shoots for a period of as long as 8 h. Conditions that affected the N demand of the shoots (ammonium application, Mg or P depletion, super numeric nodules) induced consistent and complex daily rhythms in nodule activity. It was shown that long-term continuous measurements of nodule activity could be useful for revealing special features in mutants and could be of importance when synchronizing nodule harvests for complex analysis of their metabolic status. © 2014 The Authors The Plant Journal © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
2016-02-12
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is issuing a final order to redesignate membrane lung devices for long-term pulmonary support, a preamendments class III device, as extracorporeal circuit and accessories for long-term respiratory/cardiopulmonary failure, and to reclassify the device to class II (special controls) in patients with acute respiratory failure or acute cardiopulmonary failure where other available treatment options have failed, and continued clinical deterioration is expected or the risk of death is imminent. A membrane lung device for long-term pulmonary support (>6 hours) refers to the oxygenator in an extracorporeal circuit used during long-term procedures, commonly referred to as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Because a number of other devices and accessories are used with the oxygenator in the circuit, the title and identification of the regulation are revised to include extracorporeal circuit and accessories for long-term respiratory/cardiopulmonary failure. Although an individual device or accessory used in an ECMO circuit may already have its own classification regulation when the device or accessory is intended for short-term use (<=6 hours), such device or accessory will be subject to the same regulatory controls applied to the oxygenator (i.e., class II, special controls) when evaluated as part of the ECMO circuit for long-term use (>6 hours). On its own initiative, based on new information, FDA is revising the classification of the membrane lung device for long-term pulmonary support.
Long-Term Bridge Performance (LTBP) Program Protocols, Version 1
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2016-01-01
The Long-Term Bridge Performance (LTBP) Program is a long-term research effort to collect scientific performance data from a representative sample of bridges in the United States. Data will be collected for in-service bridges using a variety of techn...
What are the differences between long-term, short-term, and working memory?
Cowan, Nelson
2008-01-01
In the recent literature there has been considerable confusion about the three types of memory: long-term, short-term, and working memory. This chapter strives to reduce that confusion and makes up-to-date assessments of these types of memory. Long- and short-term memory could differ in two fundamental ways, with only short-term memory demonstrating (1) temporal decay and (2) chunk capacity limits. Both properties of short-term memory are still controversial but the current literature is rather encouraging regarding the existence of both decay and capacity limits. Working memory has been conceived and defined in three different, slightly discrepant ways: as short-term memory applied to cognitive tasks, as a multi-component system that holds and manipulates information in short-term memory, and as the use of attention to manage short-term memory. Regardless of the definition, there are some measures of memory in the short term that seem routine and do not correlate well with cognitive aptitudes and other measures (those usually identified with the term “working memory”) that seem more attention demanding and do correlate well with these aptitudes. The evidence is evaluated and placed within a theoretical framework depicted in Fig. 1. PMID:18394484
Cervical cancer survivorship: Long-term quality of life and social support
Pfaendler, Krista S.; Wenzel, Lari; Mechanic, Mindy B.; Penner, Kristine R.
2015-01-01
Purpose Surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy are the mainstays of cervical cancer treatment. Many patients receive multiple treatment modalities, each with its own long-term effects. Given the high 5 year survival rate for cervical cancer patients, evaluation and improvement of long-term quality of life are essential. Methods Pertinent articles were identified through searches of PubMed for literature published from 1993-2014. We summarize quality of life data from long-term follow up studies of cervical cancer patients. We additionally summarize small group interviews of Hispanic and non-Hispanic cervical cancer survivors regarding social support and coping. Findings Data is varied in terms of the long term impact of treatment on quality of life but consistent in suggesting that patients who receive radiotherapy as part of their treatment have the highest risk of increased long term dysfunction of bladder and bowel, as well as sexual dysfunction and psychosocial consequences. Rigorous investigations regarding long-term consequences of treatment modalities are lacking. Implications Continued work to improve treatment outcomes and survival should also include a focus on reducing adverse long-term side effects. Providing supportive care during treatment, and evaluating the effects of supportive care, may reduce the prevalence and magnitude of long-term sequelae of cervical cancer, which will in turn improve quality of life and quality of care. PMID:25592090
Semantic and phonological contributions to short-term repetition and long-term cued sentence recall.
Meltzer, Jed A; Rose, Nathan S; Deschamps, Tiffany; Leigh, Rosie C; Panamsky, Lilia; Silberberg, Alexandra; Madani, Noushin; Links, Kira A
2016-02-01
The function of verbal short-term memory is supported not only by the phonological loop, but also by semantic resources that may operate on both short and long time scales. Elucidation of the neural underpinnings of these mechanisms requires effective behavioral manipulations that can selectively engage them. We developed a novel cued sentence recall paradigm to assess the effects of two factors on sentence recall accuracy at short-term and long-term stages. Participants initially repeated auditory sentences immediately following a 14-s retention period. After this task was complete, long-term memory for each sentence was probed by a two-word recall cue. The sentences were either concrete (high imageability) or abstract (low imageability), and the initial 14-s retention period was filled with either an undemanding finger-tapping task or a more engaging articulatory suppression task (Exp. 1, counting backward by threes; Exp. 2, repeating a four-syllable nonword). Recall was always better for the concrete sentences. Articulatory suppression reduced accuracy in short-term recall, especially for abstract sentences, but the sentences initially recalled following articulatory suppression were retained better at the subsequent cued-recall test, suggesting that the engagement of semantic mechanisms for short-term retention promoted encoding of the sentence meaning into long-term memory. These results provide a basis for using sentence imageability and subsequent memory performance as probes of semantic engagement in short-term memory for sentences.
Su, Bobo; Wang, Sha; Sumich, Alexander; Li, Shaomei; Yang, Ling; Cai, Yueyue; Wang, Grace Y
2017-11-01
Chronic heroin use can cause deficits in response inhibition, leading to a loss of control over drug use, particularly in the context of drug-related cues. Unfortunately, heightened incentive salience and motivational bias in response to drug-related cues may exist following abstinence from heroin use. The present study aimed to examine the effect of drug-related cues on response inhibition in long-term heroin abstainers. Sixteen long-term (8-24 months) male heroin abstainers and 16 male healthy controls completed a modified two-choice oddball paradigm, in which a neutral "chair" picture served as frequent standard stimuli; the neutral and drug-related pictures served as infrequent deviant stimuli of different conditions respectively. Event-related potentials were compared across groups and conditions. Our results showed that heroin abstainers exhibited smaller N2d amplitude (deviant minus standard) in the drug cue condition compared to the neutral condition, due to smaller drug-cue deviant-N2 amplitude compared to neutral deviant-N2. Moreover, heroin abstainers had smaller N2d amplitude compared with the healthy controls in the drug cue condition, due to the heroin abstainers having reduced deviant-N2 amplitude compared to standard-N2 in the drug cue condition, which reversed in the healthy controls. Our findings suggested that heroin addicts still show response inhibition deficits specifically for drug-related cues after longer-term abstinence. The inhibition-related N2 modulation for drug-related could be used as a novel electrophysiological index with clinical implications for assessing the risk of relapse and treatment outcome for heroin users.
Short-Term and Long-Term Effects of Orthopedic Biodegradable Implants
Amini, Ami R.; Wallace, James S.; Nukavarapu, Syam P.
2012-01-01
Presently, orthopedic and oral/maxillofacial implants represent a combined $2.8 billion market, a figure expected to experience significant and continued growth. Although traditional permanent implants have been proved clinically efficacious, they are also associated with several drawbacks, including secondary revision and removal surgeries. Non-permanent, biodegradable implants offer a promising alternative for patients, as they provide temporary support and degrade at a rate matching tissue formation, and thus, eliminate the need for secondary surgeries. These implants have been in clinical use for nearly 25 years, competing directly with, or maybe even exceeding, the performance of permanent implants. The initial implantation of biodegradable materials, as with permanent materials, mounts an acute host inflammatory response. Over time, the implant degradation profile and possible degradation product toxicity mediate long-term biodegradable implant-induced inflammation. However, unlike permanent implants, this inflammation is likely to cease once the material disappears. Implant-mediated inflammation is a critical determinant for implant success. Thus, for the development of a proactive biodegradable implant that has the ability to promote optimal bone regeneration and minimal detrimental inflammation, a thorough understanding of short- and long-term inflammatory events is required. Here, we discuss an array of biodegradable orthopedic implants, their associated short- and long- term inflammatory effects, and methods to mediate these inflammatory events. PMID:22043969
Long-Term Quadrature Light Variability in Early Type Interacting Binary Systems
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Peters, Geraldine J.; Wilson, R. E.; Vaccaro, T. R.
2014-01-01
Four years of Kepler observations have revealed a phenomenon in the light curves of short-period Algol-type eclipsing binaries that has never been reported from ground-based photometry. These systems display unequal brightness at their quadrature phases that numerically reverses over a time scale of about 100-400 days. We call these systems L/T (leading hemisphere/ trailing hemisphere) variables. Twenty-one such systems have so far been identified in the Kepler database and at least three classes of L/T behavior have been identified. The prototype is WX Draconis (A8V + K0IV, P=1.80 d) which shows L/ T light variations of 2-3%. The primary is a delta Scuti star with a dominant pulsation period of 41 m. The Kepler light curves are being analyzed with the 2013 version of the Wilson-Devinney (WD) program that includes major improvements in modeling star spots (i.e. spot motions due to drift and stellar rotation and spot growth and decay). Preliminary analysis of the WX Dra data suggests that the L/T variability can be fit with either an accretion hot spot on the primary (T = 2.3 T_phot) that jumps in longitude or a magnetic cool spotted region on the secondary. If the latter model is correct the dark region must occupy at least 20% of the surface of the facing hemisphere of the secondary if it is completely black, or a larger area if not completely black. In both hot and cool spot scenarios magnetic fields must play a role in the activity. Echelle spectra were recently secured with the KPNO 4-m telescope to determine the mass ratios of the L/T systems and their spectral types. This information will allow us to assess whether the hot or cool spot model explains the L/T activity. Progress toward this goal will be presented. Support from NASA grants NNX11AC78G and NNX12AE44G and USC’s Women in Science and Engineering (WiSE) program is greatly appreciated.
Peng, Xuya; Zhang, ShangYi; Li, Lei; Zhao, Xiaofei; Ma, Yao; Shi, Dezhi
2018-04-22
A long-term high solids anaerobic digestion of food waste was conducted to identify microbial mechanisms of ammonia inhibition during digestion and to clarify correlations between ammonia accumulation, microbial community dynamics (diversity, composition, and interactions), and process stability. Results show that the effects of ammonia on process performance and microbial community were indirectly caused by volatile fatty acid accumulation. Excess free ammonia blocked acetate metabolism, leading to process instability. Accumulated acetate caused feedback inhibition at the acetogenesis stage, which resulted in considerable accumulation of propionate, valerate, and other long-chain fatty acids. This high concentration of volatile fatty acids reduced the abundance of syntrophic acetogenic bacteria and allowed hydrolytic fermentative bacteria to dominate. The normally interactive and orderly metabolic network was broken, which further exacerbated the process instability. These results improve the understanding of microbial mechanisms which contribute to process instability and provide guidance for the microbial management of anaerobic digesters. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Hosono, Shouhei; Matsumoto, Yukihisa
2016-01-01
Animals learn through experience and consolidate the memories into long-time storage. Conditioning parameters to induce protein synthesis-dependent long-term memory (LTM) have been the subject of extensive studies in many animals. Here we found a case in which a conditioning trial inhibits or facilitates LTM formation depending on the intervals from preceding trials. We studied the effects of conditioning parameters on LTM formation in olfactory conditioning of maxillary-palpi extension response with sucrose reward in the cockroach Periplaneta americana. We found, at first, that translation- and transcription-dependent LTM forms 1 h after training, the fastest so far reported in insects. Second, we observed that multiple-trial training with an intertrial interval (ITI) of 20 or 30 sec, often called massed training, is more effective than spaced training for LTM formation, an observation that differs from the results of most studies in other animals. Third, we found that a conditioning trial inhibits LTM formation when the intervals from preceding trials were in the range of 10–16 min. This inhibitory effect is pairing-specific and is not due to decreased motivation for learning (overtraining effect). To our knowledge, no similar inhibition of LTM formation by a conditioning trial has been reported in any animals. We propose a model to account for the effects of trial number and ITIs on LTM formation. Olfactory conditioning in cockroaches should provide pertinent materials in which to study neuronal and molecular mechanisms underlying the inhibitory and facilitatory processes for LTM formation. PMID:27918270
Long-term neurodevelopmental benefits of breastfeeding.
Bar, Sari; Milanaik, Ruth; Adesman, Andrew
2016-08-01
The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of an infant#$#apos;s life, with continuation of breastfeeding for at least a year or as mutually desired by mother and child. A robust body of research literature documenting the short-term medical, developmental, and emotional benefits of breastfeeding for infants and toddlers supports this position. This article reviews the neurodevelopmental benefits of breastfeeding as it relates to preschool and school-age children, with particular emphasis on cognitive development, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and autism spectrum disorder. The majority of research studies examining breastfeeding and long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes suggest that children who breastfeed for longer than 6 months have better cognitive outcomes, lower risk of developing attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, and lower risk of being diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Pediatricians play a critical role in educating and counseling families about infant nutrition and feeding. Along with the many positive short-term medical effects that breastfeeding confers, physicians should be aware of the growing body of research suggesting that there are also significant long-term neurodevelopmental benefits of breastfeeding.
Long-term sickness absence due to adjustment disorder.
Catalina-Romero, C; Pastrana-Jiménez, J I; Tenas-López, M J; Martínez-Muñoz, P; Ruiz-Moraga, M; Fernández-Labandera, C; Calvo-Bonacho, E
2012-07-01
Although adjustment disorder is frequently reported in clinical settings, scientific evidence is scarce regarding its impact on sickness absence and the variables associated with sickness absence duration. To report sickness absence duration and to identify predictors of long-term sickness absence in patients with adjustment disorder. This observational, prospective study included subjects with non-work-related sickness absence (>15 days) after a diagnosis of adjustment disorder. A stepwise logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify the best predictors of long-term sickness absence (≥ 6 months). There were 1182 subjects in the final analysis. The median duration of sickness absence due to adjustment disorder was 91 days. Twenty-two per cent of the subjects reported long-term sickness absence. After multivariate analysis, comorbidity (OR = 2.23, 95% CI 1.43-3.49), age (25-34 years old versus <25 years old: OR = 2.78, 95% CI 1.27-6.07; 35-44 years old versus <25 years old: OR = 3.70, 95% CI 1.71-7.99; 45-54 years old versus <25 years old: OR = 3.58, 95% CI 1.60-8.02; ≥ 55 years old versus <25 years old: OR = 6.35, 95% CI 2.64-15.31) and occupational level (blue collar versus white collar: OR = 1.52, 95% CI 1.10-2.09) remained significantly associated with long-term sickness absence. Comorbidity was the strongest predictor. It is possible to predict long-term sickness absence due to adjustment disorder on the basis of demographic, work-related and clinical information available during the basic assessment of the patient.
Long-term efficacy of reverse pull headgear therapy.
Wells, Andrew P; Sarver, David M; Proffit, William R
2006-11-01
To add to the data for long-term reverse pull headgear (RPHG) outcomes and further explore possible variables that could be predictors of long-term failure. Cephalometric radiographs of 41 Class III malocclusion children treated with RPHG (face mask) were evaluated before and immediately after treatment; at 5 years posttreatment; and, for 18 patients, at 10 years posttreatment. Patients were assigned to success or failure groups according to positive or negative overjet at the longest available recall. Seventy-five percent of the patients maintained positive overjet, whereas 25% outgrew the correction. In a stepwise discriminant analysis, a large mandible and vertical positioning of the maxilla and mandible so that mandibular growth would be projected more horizontally were the major indicators of unfavorable later mandibular growth. Patients who experienced downward-backward rotation of the mandible during RPHG treatment were more likely to be categorized in the failure group. The age at which treatment began had no effect on long-term success and failure for patients younger than 10 years, but the percentage of successful treatment decreased after that age. When RPHG treatment is used for all but the most obviously prognathic children to correct anterior cross-bite in the early mixed dentition, positive overjet is maintained long-term in 70%-75% of cases, whereas 25%-30% of cases relapse into reverse overjet mainly because of increased horizontally directed and often late mandibular growth. Up to age 10, the time at which RPHG treatment began does not appear to be a major factor in long-term success in maintaining positive overjet.
Long-term solar activity explored with wavelet methods
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Lundstedt, H.; Liszka, L.; Lundin, R.; Muscheler, R.
2006-03-01
Long-term solar activity has been studied with a set of wavelet methods. The following indicators of long-term solar activity were used; the group sunspot number, the sunspot number, and the 14C production rate. Scalograms showed the very long-term scales of 2300 years (Hallstat cycle), 900-1000 years, 400-500 years, and 200 years (de Vries cycle). Scalograms of a newly-constructed 14C production rate showed interesting solar modulation during the Maunder minimum. Multi-Resolution Analysis (MRA) revealed the modulation in detail, as well as peaks of solar activity not seen in the sunspot number. In both the group sunspot number scalogram and the 14C production rate scalogram, a process appeared, starting or ending in late 1700. This process has not been discussed before. Its solar origin is unclear.
The group sunspot number ampligram and the sunspot number ampligram showed the Maunder and the Dalton minima, and the period of high solar activity, which already started about 1900 and then decreased again after mid 1990. The decrease starts earlier for weaker components. Also, weak semiperiodic activity was found.
Time Scale Spectra (TSS) showed both deterministic and stochastic processes behind the variability of the long-term solar activity. TSS of the 14C production rate, group sunspot number and Mt. Wilson sunspot index and plage index were compared in an attempt to interpret the features and processes behind the long-term variability.
Long term acroecosystem research in the Southern Plains
Jean L. Steiner; Patrick J. Starks; Jurgen Garbrecht; Daniel Moriasi; Paul Bartholomew; Jim Neel; Kenneth E. Turner; Brian Northup
2016-01-01
The Southern Plains (SP) site of the Long Term Agroecosystem Research (LTAR) network is headquartered at the USDA-ARS Grazinglands Research Laboratory (GRL) in El Reno, Oklahoma. The GRL was established in 1948. A long-term watershed and climate research program was established in the Little Washita River Experimental Watershed (LWREW) in 1961 and in the Fort Cobb...
Long-Term Ecological Monitoring Field Sampling Plan for 2007
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
T. Haney
2007-07-31
This field sampling plan describes the field investigations planned for the Long-Term Ecological Monitoring Project at the Idaho National Laboratory Site in 2007. This plan and the Quality Assurance Project Plan for Waste Area Groups 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, and Removal Actions constitute the sampling and analysis plan supporting long-term ecological monitoring sampling in 2007. The data collected under this plan will become part of the long-term ecological monitoring data set that is being collected annually. The data will be used t determine the requirements for the subsequent long-term ecological monitoring. This plan guides the 2007more » investigations, including sampling, quality assurance, quality control, analytical procedures, and data management. As such, this plan will help to ensure that the resulting monitoring data will be scientifically valid, defensible, and of known and acceptable quality.« less
Burns, Emma; Chipchase, Lucinda Sian; Schabrun, Siobhan May
2016-02-13
. Corticomotor output is reduced in response to acute muscle pain, yet the mechanisms that underpin this effect remain unclear. Here the authors investigate the effect of acute muscle pain on short-latency afferent inhibition, long-latency afferent inhibition, and long-interval intra-cortical inhibition to determine whether these mechanisms could plausibly contribute to reduced motor output in pain. . Observational same subject pre-post test design. . Neurophysiology research laboratory. . Healthy, right-handed human volunteers (n = 22, 9 male; mean age ± standard deviation, 22.6 ± 7.8 years). . Transcranial magnetic stimulation was used to assess corticomotor output, short-latency afferent inhibition, long-latency afferent inhibition, and long-interval intra-cortical inhibition before, during, immediately after, and 15 minutes after hypertonic saline infusion into right first dorsal interosseous muscle. Pain intensity and quality were recorded using an 11-point numerical rating scale and the McGill Pain Questionnaire. . Compared with baseline, corticomotor output was reduced at all time points (p = 0.001). Short-latency afferent inhibition was reduced immediately after (p = 0.039), and long-latency afferent inhibition 15 minutes after (p = 0.035), the resolution of pain. Long-interval intra-cortical inhibition was unchanged at any time point (p = 0.36). . These findings suggest short- and long-latency afferent inhibition, mechanisms thought to reflect the integration of sensory information with motor output at the cortex, are reduced following acute muscle pain. Although the functional relevance is unclear, the authors hypothesize a reduction in these mechanisms may contribute to the restoration of normal motor output after an episode of acute muscle pain. © 2016 American Academy of Pain Medicine. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.
Arques-Orobon, Francisco Jose; Nuñez, Neftali; Vazquez, Manuel; Gonzalez-Posadas, Vicente
2016-01-01
This work analyzes the long-term functionality of HP (High-power) UV-LEDs (Ultraviolet Light Emitting Diodes) as the exciting light source in non-contact, continuous 24/7 real-time fluoro-sensing pollutant identification in inland water. Fluorescence is an effective alternative in the detection and identification of hydrocarbons. The HP UV-LEDs are more advantageous than classical light sources (xenon and mercury lamps) and helps in the development of a low cost, non-contact, and compact system for continuous real-time fieldwork. This work analyzes the wavelength, output optical power, and the effects of viscosity, temperature of the water pollutants, and the functional consistency for long-term HP UV-LED working operation. To accomplish the latter, an analysis of the influence of two types 365 nm HP UV-LEDs degradation under two continuous real-system working mode conditions was done, by temperature Accelerated Life Tests (ALTs). These tests estimate the mean life under continuous working conditions of 6200 h and for cycled working conditions (30 s ON & 30 s OFF) of 66,000 h, over 7 years of 24/7 operating life of hydrocarbon pollution monitoring. In addition, the durability in the face of the internal and external parameter system variations is evaluated. PMID:26927113
Arques-Orobon, Francisco Jose; Nuñez, Neftali; Vazquez, Manuel; Gonzalez-Posadas, Vicente
2016-02-26
This work analyzes the long-term functionality of HP (High-power) UV-LEDs (Ultraviolet Light Emitting Diodes) as the exciting light source in non-contact, continuous 24/7 real-time fluoro-sensing pollutant identification in inland water. Fluorescence is an effective alternative in the detection and identification of hydrocarbons. The HP UV-LEDs are more advantageous than classical light sources (xenon and mercury lamps) and helps in the development of a low cost, non-contact, and compact system for continuous real-time fieldwork. This work analyzes the wavelength, output optical power, and the effects of viscosity, temperature of the water pollutants, and the functional consistency for long-term HP UV-LED working operation. To accomplish the latter, an analysis of the influence of two types 365 nm HP UV-LEDs degradation under two continuous real-system working mode conditions was done, by temperature Accelerated Life Tests (ALTs). These tests estimate the mean life under continuous working conditions of 6200 h and for cycled working conditions (30 s ON & 30 s OFF) of 66,000 h, over 7 years of 24/7 operating life of hydrocarbon pollution monitoring. In addition, the durability in the face of the internal and external parameter system variations is evaluated.
Long-term outcomes of epilepsy surgery in Sweden
Edelvik, Anna; Rydenhag, Bertil; Olsson, Ingrid; Flink, Roland; Kumlien, Eva; Källén, Kristina
2013-01-01
Objective: To investigate prospective, population-based long-term outcomes concerning seizures and antiepileptic drug (AED) treatment after resective epilepsy surgery in Sweden. Methods: Ten- and 5-year follow-ups were performed in 2005 to 2007 for 278/327 patients after resective epilepsy surgery from 1995 to 1997 and 2000 to 2002, respectively. All patients had been prospectively followed in the Swedish National Epilepsy Surgery Register. Ninety-three patients, who were presurgically evaluated but not operated, served as controls. Results: In the long term (mean 7.6 years), 62% of operated adults and 50% of operated children were seizure-free, compared to 14% of nonoperated adults (p < 0.001) and 38% of nonoperated children (not significant). Forty-one percent of operated adults and 44% of operated children had sustained seizure freedom since surgery, compared to none of the controls (p < 0.0005). Multivariate analysis identified ≥30 seizures/month at baseline and long epilepsy duration as negative predictors and positive MRI to be a positive predictor of long-term seizure-free outcome. Ten years after surgery, 86% of seizure-free children and 43% of seizure-free adults had stopped AEDs in the surgery groups compared to none of the controls (p < 0.0005). Conclusions: This population-based, prospective study shows good long-term seizure outcomes after resective epilepsy surgery. The majority of the patients who are seizure-free after 5 and 10 years have sustained seizure freedom since surgery. Many patients who gain seizure freedom can successfully discontinue AEDs, more often children than adults. Classification of evidence: This study provides Class III evidence that more patients are seizure-free and have stopped AED treatment in the long term after resective epilepsy surgery than nonoperated epilepsy patients. PMID:23966252
Grogan, Martha; Gertz, Morie; McCurdy, Arleigh; Roeker, Lindsey; Kyle, Robert; Kushwaha, Sudhir; Daly, Richard; Dearani, Joseph; Rodeheffer, Richard; Frantz, Robert; Lacy, Martha; Hayman, Suzanne; McGregor, Christopher; Edwards, Brooks; Dispenzieri, Angela
2016-01-01
rejection at a median of 1.8 mo post OHT (range 0.4 to 4.9 mo); only one patient died of rejection. Median survival of seven patients who achieved a complete hematologic response to either chemotherapy or autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation was 10.8 years. CONCLUSION: Our data demonstrate that long term survival after heart transplant is feasible in AL patients with limited extra-cardiac involvement who achieve complete hematologic response. PMID:27358783
Long-Term Monitoring Research Needs: A DOE Perspective
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Moore, B.; Davis, C. B.
2002-05-01
The U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Environmental Management is responsible for dealing with the nation's legacy of Cold War radioactive and hazardous waste and contamination. Major efforts are underway to deal with this legacy; these are expected to last up to decades and cost up to billions of dollars at some sites. At all sites, however, active remediation must eventually cease; if hazards then remain, the site must enter into a long-term stewardship mode. In this talk we discuss aspects of long-term monitoring pertinent to DOE sites, focusing on challenges to be faced, specific goals or targets to be met, and research needs to be addressed in order to enable DOE to meet its long-term stewardship obligations. DOE LTM research needs fall into three major categories: doing what we can do now much more efficiently; doing things we cannot do now; and proving the validity of our monitoring programs. Given the enormity of the DOE obligations, it will be highly desirable to develop much more efficient monitoring paradigms. Doing so will demand developing autonomous, remote monitoring networks of in situ sensors capable of replacing (or at least supplementing to a large extent) conventional groundwater and soil gas sampling and analysis programs. The challenges involved range from basic science (e.g., inventing in situ sensors for TCE that do not demand routine maintenance) to engineering (attaining superior reliability in data reporting in remote networks) to ergonomics (developing decent ways of selecting and presenting the "right" information from the monitoring network) to regulatory affairs (presenting convincing evidence that the more efficient systems actually provide superior monitoring). We explore these challenges in some detail, focusing on the "long" in long-term monitoring as it applies to DOE sites. Monitoring system performance validation and, ultimately, regulator and stakeholder acceptance of site closure and long-term stewardship plans depend
Wang, Bailiang; Liu, Huihua; Sun, Lin; Jin, Yingying; Ding, Xiaoxu; Li, Lingli; Ji, Jian; Chen, Hao
2018-01-08
Bacterial infections and biofilm formation on the surface of implants are important issues that greatly affect biomedical applications and even cause device failure. Construction of high drug loading systems on the surface and control of drug release on-demand is an efficient way to lower the development of resistant bacteria and biofilm formation. In the present study, (montmorillonite/hyaluronic acid-gentamicin) 10 ((MMT/HA-GS) 10 ) organic/inorganic hybrid multilayer films were alternately self-assembled on substrates. The loading dosage of GS was as high as 0.85 mg/cm 2 , which could be due the high specific surface area of MMT. The obtained multilayer film with high roughness gradually degraded in hyaluronidase (HAS) solutions or a bacterial infection microenvironment, which caused the responsive release of GS. The release of GS showed dual enzyme and bacterial infection responsiveness, which also indicated good drug retention and on-demand self-defense release properties of the multilayer films. Moreover, the GS release responsiveness to E. coli showed higher sensitivity than that to S. aureus. There was only ∼5 wt % GS release from the film in PBS after 48 h of immersion, and the amount quickly increased to 30 wt % in 10 5 CFU/mL of E. coli. Importantly, the high drug dosage, smart drug release, and film peeling from the surface contributed to the efficient antibacterial properties and long-term biofilm inhibition functions. Both in vitro and in vivo antibacterial tests indicated efficient sterilization function and good mammalian cell and tissue compatibility.
Labouèbe, Gwenaël; Liu, Shuai; Dias, Carine; Zou, Haiyan; Wong, Jovi C.Y.; Karunakaran, Subashini; Clee, Susanne M.; Phillips, Anthony; Boutrel, Benjamin; Borgland, Stephanie L.
2014-01-01
The prevalence of obesity has drastically increased over the last few decades. Exploration into how hunger and satiety signals influence the reward system can help us to understand non-homeostatic mechanisms of feeding. Evidence suggests that insulin may act in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), a critical site for reward-seeking behavior, to suppress feeding. However, the neural mechanisms underlying insulin effects in the VTA remain unknown. We demonstrate that insulin, a circulating catabolic peptide that inhibits feeding, can induce a long-term depression (LTD) of excitatory synapses onto VTA dopamine neurons. This effect requires endocannabinoid-mediated presynaptic inhibition of glutamate release. Furthermore, after a sweetened high fat meal, which elevates endogenous insulin levels, insulin-induced LTD is occluded. Finally, insulin in the VTA reduces food anticipatory behavior and conditioned place preference for food. Taken together, these results suggest that insulin in the VTA suppresses excitatory synaptic transmission and reduces salience of food-related cues. PMID:23354329
A Revised Model of Short-Term Memory and Long-Term Learning of Verbal Sequences
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Burgess, Neil; Hitch, Graham J.
2006-01-01
The interaction between short- and long-term memory is studied within a model in which phonemic and (temporal) contextual information have separate influences on immediate verbal serial recall via connections with short- and long-term plasticity [Burgess, N., & Hitch, G.J. (1999). Memory for serial order: a network model of the phonological loop…
Musical and Verbal Memory in Alzheimer's Disease: A Study of Long-Term and Short-Term Memory
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Menard, Marie-Claude; Belleville, Sylvie
2009-01-01
Musical memory was tested in Alzheimer patients and in healthy older adults using long-term and short-term memory tasks. Long-term memory (LTM) was tested with a recognition procedure using unfamiliar melodies. Short-term memory (STM) was evaluated with same/different judgment tasks on short series of notes. Musical memory was compared to verbal…
Long-term cropping systems study
USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database
This long-term study has been conducted on the Agronomy Farm at ARDC since the early 1970’s. In the beginning, the objectives were mainly related to crop production as affected by different cropping systems. The cropping systems included in the study are Continuous Corn, Soybean, and Sorghum; 2-year...
Long-term effect of lime-fly ash treated soils.
DOT National Transportation Integrated Search
2003-12-01
In October of 2000 MDOT initiated State Study No. 147, entitled "Long-Term Effect of Lime-Fly Ash Treated Soils." The purpose of this study : was to evaluate the long-term performance of LFA stabilized soil as a base course material. Part of the impe...
Common Calibration Source for Monitoring Long-term Ozone Trends
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Kowalewski, Matthew
2004-01-01
Accurate long-term satellite measurements are crucial for monitoring the recovery of the ozone layer. The slow pace of the recovery and limited lifetimes of satellite monitoring instruments demands that datasets from multiple observation systems be combined to provide the long-term accuracy needed. A fundamental component of accurately monitoring long-term trends is the calibration of these various instruments. NASA s Radiometric Calibration and Development Facility at the Goddard Space Flight Center has provided resources to minimize calibration biases between multiple instruments through the use of a common calibration source and standardized procedures traceable to national standards. The Facility s 50 cm barium sulfate integrating sphere has been used as a common calibration source for both US and international satellite instruments, including the Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS), Solar Backscatter Ultraviolet 2 (SBUV/2) instruments, Shuttle SBUV (SSBUV), Ozone Mapping Instrument (OMI), Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment (GOME) (ESA), Scanning Imaging SpectroMeter for Atmospheric ChartographY (SCIAMACHY) (ESA), and others. We will discuss the advantages of using a common calibration source and its effects on long-term ozone data sets. In addition, sphere calibration results from various instruments will be presented to demonstrate the accuracy of the long-term characterization of the source itself.
Advancing nursing leadership in long-term care.
O'Brien, Jennifer; Ringland, Margaret; Wilson, Susan
2010-05-01
Nurses working in the long-term care (LTC) sector face unique workplace stresses, demands and circumstances. Designing approaches to leadership training and other supportive human-resource strategies that reflect the demands of the LTC setting fosters a positive work life for nurses by providing them with the skills and knowledge necessary to lead the care team and to address resident and family issues. Through the St. Joseph's Health Centre Guelph demonstration site project, funded by the Nursing Secretariat of Ontario's Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, the Excelling as a Nurse Leader in Long Term Care training program and the Mentor Team program were developed to address these needs. Evaluation results show that not only have individual nurses benefitted from taking part in these programs, but also that the positive effects were felt in other parts of the LTC home (as reported by Directors of Care). By creating a generally healthier work environment, it is anticipated that these programs will also have a positive effect on recruitment and retention.
Roadmap to Long-Term Monitoring Optimization
This roadmap focuses on optimization of established long-term monitoring programs for groundwater. Tools and techniques discussed concentrate on methods for optimizing the monitoring frequency and spatial (three-dimensional) distribution of wells ...
Liang, Kunneng; Xiao, Shimeng; Wu, Junling; Li, Jiyao; Weir, Michael D; Cheng, Lei; Reynolds, Mark A; Zhou, Xuedong; Xu, Hockin H K
2018-04-01
Previous studies investigated short-term dentin remineralization; studies on long-term dentin remineralization after fluid challenges mimicking fluids in oral environment are lacking. The objective of this study was to develop a long-term remineralization method to via poly(amido amine) (PAMAM) and rechargeable composite containing nanoparticles of amorphous calcium phosphate (NACP) after fluid challenges for the first time. NACP composite was immersed at pH 4 to exhaust its calcium (Ca) and phosphate (P) ions, and then recharged with Ca and P ions, to test the remineralization of the exhausted and recharged NACP composite. Dentin was acid-etched with 37% phosphoric acid. Four groups were prepared: (1) dentin control, (2) dentin with PAMAM, (3) dentin with the recharged NACP composite, and (4) dentin with PAMAM plus recharged NACP composite. PAMAM-coated dentin was immersed in phosphate-buffered saline with shaking for 72 days, because there is fluid flow in the mouth which could potentially detach the PAMAM from dentin. Specimens were treated with a cyclic artificial saliva/lactic acid regimen for 35 days. After 72days of immersion plus shaking, the PAMAM still successfully fulfilled its mineralization nucleation. The recharged NACP composite still provided acid-neutralization and ion re-release, which did not decrease with increasing the number of recharge cycles. The immersed-PAMAM plus NACP achieved complete dentin remineralization and restored the hardness to that of healthy dentin. In conclusion, superior long-term remineralization of the PAMAM plus NACP method was demonstrated for the first time. The immersed-PAMAM plus recharged NACP completely remineralized the pre-demineralized dentin, even after prolonged fluid-challenge similar to that in oral environment. The novel PAMAM plus NACP composite method is promising to provide long-term tooth protection and caries inhibition. Copyright © 2018 The Academy of Dental Materials. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All
Wang, Fang; Chen, Xin-Zu; Liu, Jie; Yang, Kun; Zhang, Bo; Chen, Zhi-Xin; Chen, Jia-Ping; Hu, Jian-Kun; Zhou, Zong-Guang; Mo, Xian-Min; Mo, Xian-Min
2012-09-01
To evaluate short-term versus long-term single prophylactic antibiotic for elective gastric tumor surgery. Patients in a single surgical team undergoing elective gastric tumor surgery were enrolled from November 2009 to December 2010. The included patients were aged from 18 to 70 years without conditions as severe comorbidity, preoperative infectious diseases, antibiotic administration 48 h before surgery, exploratory laparotomy only or combined colorectal resection, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, or steroid administration before surgery. The overall and infection-related postoperative complications and also economic outcomes were analyzed. The software SPSS 17.0 and TreeAge Pro 2007 were used for statistics. Patients (n=158 (45 vs. 113)) were enrolled in short-term and long-term groups. No death cases occurred. Overall postoperative complication rates were 8.9% and 8.0%, respectively (p=1.000). The rates of infection related complications were 8.9% and 4.4%, respectively (p=0.231). No surgical site infection (SSI) occurred in the short-term group, whereas SSI was 1.8% in the long-term group. Total hospitalization cost (THC) of short-term branch was 36,557RMB per patients and preferable against 39,523RMB of long-term branch. Incremental cost-effectiveness analysis showed there was a 10 times interval between the extra healthcare expenditure of benefit and harm. Short-term administration did not increase the risk of postoperative complications and was more cost-effective.
Long-Term Monitoring of Brain Dopamine Metabolism In Vivo with Carbon Paste Electrodes
O'Neill, Robert D.
2005-01-01
This review focuses on the stability of voltammetric signals recorded over periods of months with carbon paste electrodes (CPEs) implanted in the brain. The key interaction underlying this stability is between the pasting oil and brain lipids that are capable of inhibiting the fouling caused by proteins. In brain regions receiving a significant dopaminergic input, a peak due to the methylated metabolites of dopamine, principally homovanillic acid (HVA), is clearly resolved using slow sweep voltammetry. Although a number of factors limit the time resolution for monitoring brain HVA concentration dynamics, the stability of CPEs allows investigations of long-term effects of drugs, as well as behavioral studies, not possible using other in-vivo monitoring techniques.
Zhang, Shuzi; Dai, Hehua; Wan, Ni; Moore, Yolonda; Dai, Zhenhua
2011-01-01
Insulin-producing cell clusters (IPCCs) have recently been generated in vitro from adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASCs) to circumvent islet shortage. However, it is unknown how long they can survive upon transplantation, whether they are eventually rejected by recipients, and how their long-term survival can be induced to permanently cure type 1 diabetes. IPCC graft survival is critical for their clinical application and this issue must be systematically addressed prior to their in-depth clinical trials. Here we found that IPCC grafts that differentiated from murine ASCs in vitro, unlike their freshly isolated islet counterparts, did not survive long-term in syngeneic mice, suggesting that ASC-derived IPCCs have intrinsic survival disadvantage over freshly isolated islets. Indeed, β cells retrieved from IPCC syngrafts underwent faster apoptosis than their islet counterparts. However, blocking both Fas and TNF receptor death pathways inhibited their apoptosis and restored their long-term survival in syngeneic recipients. Furthermore, blocking CD40-CD154 costimulation and Fas/TNF signaling induced long-term IPCC allograft survival in overwhelming majority of recipients. Importantly, Fas-deficient IPCC allografts exhibited certain immune privilege and enjoyed long-term survival in diabetic NOD mice in the presence of CD28/CD40 joint blockade while their islet counterparts failed to do so. Long-term survival of ASC-derived IPCC syngeneic grafts requires blocking Fas and TNF death pathways, whereas blocking both death pathways and CD28/CD40 costimulation is needed for long-term IPCC allograft survival in diabetic NOD mice. Our studies have important clinical implications for treating type 1 diabetes via ASC-derived IPCC transplantation. © 2011 Zhang et al.
Zhang, Shuzi; Dai, Hehua; Wan, Ni; Moore, Yolonda; Dai, Zhenhua
2011-01-01
Background Insulin-producing cell clusters (IPCCs) have recently been generated in vitro from adipose tissue-derived stem cells (ASCs) to circumvent islet shortage. However, it is unknown how long they can survive upon transplantation, whether they are eventually rejected by recipients, and how their long-term survival can be induced to permanently cure type 1 diabetes. IPCC graft survival is critical for their clinical application and this issue must be systematically addressed prior to their in-depth clinical trials. Methodology/Principal Findings Here we found that IPCC grafts that differentiated from murine ASCs in vitro, unlike their freshly isolated islet counterparts, did not survive long-term in syngeneic mice, suggesting that ASC-derived IPCCs have intrinsic survival disadvantage over freshly isolated islets. Indeed, β cells retrieved from IPCC syngrafts underwent faster apoptosis than their islet counterparts. However, blocking both Fas and TNF receptor death pathways inhibited their apoptosis and restored their long-term survival in syngeneic recipients. Furthermore, blocking CD40-CD154 costimulation and Fas/TNF signaling induced long-term IPCC allograft survival in overwhelming majority of recipients. Importantly, Fas-deficient IPCC allografts exhibited certain immune privilege and enjoyed long-term survival in diabetic NOD mice in the presence of CD28/CD40 joint blockade while their islet counterparts failed to do so. Conclusions/Significance Long-term survival of ASC-derived IPCC syngeneic grafts requires blocking Fas and TNF death pathways, whereas blocking both death pathways and CD28/CD40 costimulation is needed for long-term IPCC allograft survival in diabetic NOD mice. Our studies have important clinical implications for treating type 1 diabetes via ASC-derived IPCC transplantation. PMID:22216347
Long-term Use of Opioids for Complex Chronic Pain
Von Korff, Michael R.
2014-01-01
Increased opioid prescribing for back pain and other chronic musculoskeletal pain conditions has been accompanied by dramatic increases in prescription opioid addiction and fatal overdose. Opioid-related risks appear to increase with dose. While short-term randomized trials of opioids for chronic pain have found modest analgesic benefits (a one-third reduction in pain intensity on average), the long-term safety and effectiveness of opioids for chronic musculoskeletal pain is unknown. Given the lack of large, long-term randomized trials, recent epidemiologic data suggests the need for caution when considering long-term use of opioids to manage chronic musculoskeletal pain, particularly at higher dosage levels. Principles for achieving more selective and cautious use of opioids for chronic musculoskeletal pain are proposed. PMID:24315147
Tricuspid valve replacement with mechanical prostheses: Short and long-term outcomes.
Rossello, Xavier; Muñoz-Guijosa, Christian; Mena, Elisabet; Camprecios, Marta; Mendez, Ana B; Borras, Xavier; Padro, Josep M
2017-09-01
Tricuspid valve replacement has been associated with high mortality and poor long-term outcomes. We report the preoperative risk factors associated with short and long-term outcomes following tricuspid valve replacement with mechanical prostheses. In 62 patients who underwent mechanical tricuspid valve replacement, clinical, laboratory, and echocardiographic findings were analyzed using both univariate and multivariate analyses to describe operative and long-term mortality. In our population (mean age 59 ± 9.7 years, 82.3% female), most common causes of tricuspid valve disease were rheumatic fever (69.4%) and functional regurgitation (19.4%). Operative and long-term mortality were 17.7 and 33.9%, respectively. Age, diabetes mellitus, and coronary artery disease were independently associated with increased long-term mortality. New York Heart Association (NYHA) class and right heart failure symptoms significantly improved during follow-up. In this series of mechanical tricuspid valve replacements in patients with predominately rheumatic heart disease, operative and long-term mortality were increased; however, survivors had significant improvement in their NYHA class and freedom from right heart failure symptoms. Three preoperative factors (age, diabetes mellitus, and coronary artery disease) were independently associated with long-term mortality. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Acute Sleep Deprivation Blocks Short- and Long-Term Operant Memory in Aplysia.
Krishnan, Harini C; Gandour, Catherine E; Ramos, Joshua L; Wrinkle, Mariah C; Sanchez-Pacheco, Joseph J; Lyons, Lisa C
2016-12-01
Insufficient sleep in individuals appears increasingly common due to the demands of modern work schedules and technology use. Consequently, there is a growing need to understand the interactions between sleep deprivation and memory. The current study determined the effects of acute sleep deprivation on short and long-term associative memory using the marine mollusk Aplysia californica , a relatively simple model system well known for studies of learning and memory. Aplysia were sleep deprived for 9 hours using context changes and tactile stimulation either prior to or after training for the operant learning paradigm, learning that food is inedible (LFI). The effects of sleep deprivation on short-term (STM) and long-term memory (LTM) were assessed. Acute sleep deprivation prior to LFI training impaired the induction of STM and LTM with persistent effects lasting at least 24 h. Sleep deprivation immediately after training blocked the consolidation of LTM. However, sleep deprivation following the period of molecular consolidation did not affect memory recall. Memory impairments were independent of handling-induced stress, as daytime handled control animals demonstrated no memory deficits. Additional training immediately after sleep deprivation failed to rescue the induction of memory, but additional training alleviated the persistent impairment in memory induction when training occurred 24 h following sleep deprivation. Acute sleep deprivation inhibited the induction and consolidation, but not the recall of memory. These behavioral studies establish Aplysia as an effective model system for studying the interactions between sleep and memory formation. © 2016 Associated Professional Sleep Societies, LLC.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Kinzey, Bruce R.; Davis, Robert G.
2014-09-30
This document reports the long-term testing results from an extended GATEWAY project that was first reported in “Demonstration Assessment of Light-Emitting Diode (LED) Roadway Lighting at the I-35W Bridge, in Minneapolis, MN,” August 2009. That original report presented the results of lighting the newly reconstructed I 35W Bridge using LEDs in place of conventional high-pressure sodium (HPS) roadway luminaires, comparing energy use and illuminance levels with a simulated baseline condition. That installation was an early stage implementation of LED lighting and remains one of the oldest installations in continued operation today. This document provides an update of the LED system’smore » performance since its installation in September 2008.« less
Frontal lobe dysfunction in long-term cannabis users.
Lundqvist, T; Jönsson, S; Warkentin, S
2001-01-01
This study examined the neurophysiological effects of cannabis. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) was measured in 12 long-term cannabis users shortly after cessation of cannabis use (mean 1.6 days). The findings showed significantly lower mean hemispheric blood flow values and significantly lower frontal values in the cannabis subjects compared to normal controls. The results suggest that the functional level of the frontal lobes is affected by long-term cannabis use.
46 CFR 356.43 - Long-term or exclusive sales contracts.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
2010-10-01
... the vessel or the vessel's operation, management and harvesting activities. (b) Provisions of a long... control over the operation, management or harvesting activities of the vessel, vessel owner, or bareboat... DOCUMENTATION Charters, Management Agreements and Exclusive or Long-Term Contracts § 356.43 Long-term or...
Anticipatory eye movements and long-term memory in early infancy.
Wong-Kee-You, Audrey M B; Adler, Scott A
2016-11-01
Advances in our understanding of long-term memory in early infancy have been made possible by studies that have used the Rovee-Collier's mobile conjugate reinforcement paradigm and its variants. One function that has been attributed to long-term memory is the formation of expectations (Rovee-Collier & Hayne, 1987); consequently, a long-term memory representation should be established during expectation formation. To examine this prediction and potentially open the door on a new paradigm for exploring infants' long-term memory, using the Visual Expectation Paradigm (Haith, Hazan, & Goodman, 1988), 3-month-old infants were trained to form an expectation for predictable color and spatial information of picture events and emit anticipatory eye movements to those events. One day later, infants' anticipatory eye movements decreased in number relative to the end of training when the predictable colors were changed but not when the spatial location of the predictable color events was changed. These findings confirm that information encoded during expectation formation are stored in long-term memory, as hypothesized by Rovee-Collier and colleagues. Further, this research suggests that eye movements are potentially viable measures of long-term memory in infancy, providing confirmatory evidence for early mnemonic processes. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Murine model of long term obstructive jaundice
Aoki, Hiroaki; Aoki, Masayo; Yang, Jing; Katsuta, Eriko; Mukhopadhyay, Partha; Ramanathan, Rajesh; Woelfel, Ingrid A.; Wang, Xuan; Spiegel, Sarah; Zhou, Huiping; Takabe, Kazuaki
2016-01-01
Background With the recent emergence of conjugated bile acids as signaling molecules in cancer, a murine model of obstructive jaundice by cholestasis with long-term survival is in need. Here, we investigated the characteristics of 3 murine models of obstructive jaundice. Methods C57BL/6J mice were used for total ligation of the common bile duct (tCL), partial common bile duct ligation (pCL), and ligation of left and median hepatic bile duct with gallbladder removal (LMHL) models. Survival was assessed by Kaplan-Meier method. Fibrotic change was determined by Masson-Trichrome staining and Collagen expression. Results 70% (7/10) of tCL mice died by Day 7, whereas majority 67% (10/15) of pCL mice survived with loss of jaundice. 19% (3/16) of LMHL mice died; however, jaundice continued beyond Day 14, with survival of more than a month. Compensatory enlargement of the right lobe was observed in both pCL and LMHL models. The pCL model demonstrated acute inflammation due to obstructive jaundice 3 days after ligation but jaundice rapidly decreased by Day 7. The LHML group developed portal hypertension as well as severe fibrosis by Day 14 in addition to prolonged jaundice. Conclusion The standard tCL model is too unstable with high mortality for long-term studies. pCL may be an appropriate model for acute inflammation with obstructive jaundice but long term survivors are no longer jaundiced. The LHML model was identified to be the most feasible model to study the effect of long-term obstructive jaundice. PMID:27916350
Long-term outcome of nonoperative pediatric splenic injury management.
Kristoffersen, Kristian W; Mooney, David P
2007-06-01
Nonoperative management (NOM) of blunt splenic trauma is the standard of care in hemodynamically stable children. The long-term risk of this strategy remains unknown. The object of this study was to investigate the incidence of long-term complications after NOM of pediatric splenic injury. All children who underwent NOM for blunt splenic trauma over an 11-year period were identified. Patients were interviewed for any ailments that could be related to their splenic injury, and hospital data were analyzed. A total of 266 patients were identified, and 228 patients (86%) were interviewed. Mean follow-up time was 5 +/- 3 years. One patient had a delayed complication, a splenic pseudocyst. Pain more than 4 weeks after injury was unusual. Time until return to full activity varied broadly. The incidence of long-term complications after NOM of pediatric splenic injury was 1 (0.44%) in 228 patients. Nonoperative management of pediatric blunt splenic trauma in children is associated with a minimal risk of long-term complications.
Physical Activity and Function in Older, Long-term Colorectal Cancer Survivors
Johnson, Brent L.; Trentham-Dietz, Amy; Koltyn, Kelli F.; Colbert, Lisa H.
2009-01-01
Objective Increasing age and cancer history are related to impaired physical function. Since physical activity has been shown to ameliorate age-related functional declines, we evaluated the association between physical activity and function in older, long-term colorectal cancer survivors. Methods In 2006–2007, mailed surveys were sent to colorectal cancer survivors, aged ≥65 years when diagnosed during 1995 – 2000, and identified through a state cancer registry. Information on physical activity, physical function and relevant covariates was obtained and matched to registry data. Analysis of covariance and linear regression were used to compare means and trends in physical function across levels of activity in the final analytic sample of 843 cases. Results A direct, dose-dependent association between physical activity and function was observed (ptrend <.001), with higher SF-36 physical function subscores in those reporting high vs. low activity levels (65.0 ± 1.7 vs. 42.7 ± 1.7 (mean ± standard error)). Walking, gardening, housework, and exercise activities were all independently related to better physical function. Moderate-vigorous intensity activity (ptrend <.001) was associated with function, but light activity (ptrend =0.39) was not. Conclusion Results from this cross-sectional study indicate significant associations between physical activity and physical function in older, long-term colorectal cancer survivors. PMID:19123055
The ubiquitin-proteasome system is necessary for long-term synaptic depression in Aplysia.
Fioravante, Diasinou; Liu, Rong-Yu; Byrne, John H
2008-10-08
The neuropeptide Phe-Met-Arg-Phe-NH(2) (FMRFa) can induce transcription-dependent long-term synaptic depression (LTD) in Aplysia sensorimotor synapses. We investigated the role of the ubiquitin-proteasome system and the regulation of one of its components, ubiquitin C-terminal hydrolase (ap-uch), in LTD. LTD was sensitive to presynaptic inhibition of the proteasome and was associated with upregulation of ap-uch mRNA and protein. This upregulation appeared to be mediated by CREB2, which is generally regarded as a transcription repressor. Binding of CREB2 to the promoter region of ap-uch was accompanied by histone hyperacetylation, suggesting that CREB2 cannot only inhibit but also promote gene expression. CREB2 was phosphorylated after FMRFa, and blocking phospho-CREB2 blocked LTD. In addition to changes in the expression of ap-uch, the synaptic vesicle-associated protein synapsin was downregulated in LTD in a proteasome-dependent manner. These results suggest that proteasome-mediated protein degradation is engaged in LTD and that CREB2 may act as a transcription activator under certain conditions.
Visual working memory buffers information retrieved from visual long-term memory.
Fukuda, Keisuke; Woodman, Geoffrey F
2017-05-16
Human memory is thought to consist of long-term storage and short-term storage mechanisms, the latter known as working memory. Although it has long been assumed that information retrieved from long-term memory is represented in working memory, we lack neural evidence for this and need neural measures that allow us to watch this retrieval into working memory unfold with high temporal resolution. Here, we show that human electrophysiology can be used to track information as it is brought back into working memory during retrieval from long-term memory. Specifically, we found that the retrieval of information from long-term memory was limited to just a few simple objects' worth of information at once, and elicited a pattern of neurophysiological activity similar to that observed when people encode new information into working memory. Our findings suggest that working memory is where information is buffered when being retrieved from long-term memory and reconcile current theories of memory retrieval with classic notions about the memory mechanisms involved.
Light adaptation alters inner retinal inhibition to shape OFF retinal pathway signaling
Mazade, Reece E.
2016-01-01
The retina adjusts its signaling gain over a wide range of light levels. A functional result of this is increased visual acuity at brighter luminance levels (light adaptation) due to shifts in the excitatory center-inhibitory surround receptive field parameters of ganglion cells that increases their sensitivity to smaller light stimuli. Recent work supports the idea that changes in ganglion cell spatial sensitivity with background luminance are due in part to inner retinal mechanisms, possibly including modulation of inhibition onto bipolar cells. To determine how the receptive fields of OFF cone bipolar cells may contribute to changes in ganglion cell resolution, the spatial extent and magnitude of inhibitory and excitatory inputs were measured from OFF bipolar cells under dark- and light-adapted conditions. There was no change in the OFF bipolar cell excitatory input with light adaptation; however, the spatial distributions of inhibitory inputs, including both glycinergic and GABAergic sources, became significantly narrower, smaller, and more transient. The magnitude and size of the OFF bipolar cell center-surround receptive fields as well as light-adapted changes in resting membrane potential were incorporated into a spatial model of OFF bipolar cell output to the downstream ganglion cells, which predicted an increase in signal output strength with light adaptation. We show a prominent role for inner retinal spatial signals in modulating the modeled strength of bipolar cell output to potentially play a role in ganglion cell visual sensitivity and acuity. PMID:26912599
Yang, Bin-Juan; Huang, Guo-Qin; Xu, Ning; Wang, Shu-Bin
2013-09-01
Based on a long term field experiment, this paper studied the effects of different multiple cropping systems on the weed community composition and species diversity under paddy-upland rotation. The multiple cropping rotation systems could significantly decrease weed density and inhibited weed growth. Among the rotation systems, the milk vetch-early rice-late maize --> milk vetchearly maize intercropped with early soybean-late rice (CCSR) had the lowest weed species dominance, which inhibited the dominant weeds and decreased their damage. Under different multiple cropping systems, the main weed community was all composed of Monochoia vaginalis, Echinochloa crusgalli, and Sagittaria pygmae, and the similarity of weed community was higher, with the highest similarity appeared in milk vetch-early rice-late maize intercropped with late soybean --> milk vetch-early maize-late rice (CSCR) and in CCSR. In sum, the multiple cropping rotations in paddy field could inhibit weeds to a certain extent, but attentions should be paid to the damage of some less important weeds.
Long-term follow-up in Bietti crystalline dystrophy
MANSOUR, A.M.; UWAYDAT, S.H.; CHAN, C.-C.
2008-01-01
Purpose To present a long-term follow-up of Bietti crystalline dystrophy. Methods Two brothers are presented including the clinical findings, fluorescein angiography, electrophysiology (electroretinography [ERG], electrooculography [EOG], adaptometry), optical coherence tomography (OCT), and transmission electron microscopy of bulbar conjunctiva and peripheral blood lymphocytes. The clinical findings were documented over a period of 25 years in one brother and 5 years in the other. Results The most striking features were deposits in the retina that were formed de novo with old ones replaced by choroidal atrophy in advanced stage of the disease. The light rise (EOG), rod- and cone-driven responses (ERG), and visual fields were affected progressively during the course. These changes of the retinal pigment epithelium and choriocapillaris were observed in the second decade and worsened gradually. OCT demonstrated preferential crystal accumulation in the inner retina. Cytoplasmic lipid crystalline inclusions were found in lymphocytes and conjunctival fibroblasts by transmission electron microscopy. Conclusions Bietti crystalline retinopathy is a progressive retinal disease characterized by retinal crystals gradually replaced by atrophy of the retinal pigment epithelium and gradual constriction of visual fields. PMID:17671952
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Wang, Guomin; Feng, Hongqing; Jin, Weihong; Gao, Ang; Peng, Xiang; Li, Wan; Wu, Hao; Li, Zhou; Chu, Paul K.
2017-08-01
Au nanoparticles (NPs) can endow titania nanotubes (Au@TiO2-NT) with light-independent antibacterial properties which bode well for in vivo application because of the dark environment inside tissues. In this work, the long-term antibacterial bactericidal properties and cytocompatibility of Au@TiO2-NT without photocatalytic effects are studied in details. The materials exhibit antibacterial effects against Staphylococcus aureus according to antibacterial tests carried out for a total time of 21 days, which are normally long enough for early stage tissue healing after surgery. In addition, adhesion and proliferation of MC3T3-E1 osteoblasts on Au@TiO2-NT reveal cytocompatibility comparable to that of TiO2-NT. No reactive oxygen species (ROS) are detected from either the bacteria or MC3T3-E1 cells cultured on the Au@TiO2-NT surface. The absence of ROS, long-term antibacterial properties, and cytocompatibility make Au@TiO2-NT promising biomaterials in orthopedic devices and implants.
Distinct cerebellar engrams in short-term and long-term motor learning.
Wang, Wen; Nakadate, Kazuhiko; Masugi-Tokita, Miwako; Shutoh, Fumihiro; Aziz, Wajeeha; Tarusawa, Etsuko; Lorincz, Andrea; Molnár, Elek; Kesaf, Sebnem; Li, Yun-Qing; Fukazawa, Yugo; Nagao, Soichi; Shigemoto, Ryuichi
2014-01-07
Cerebellar motor learning is suggested to be caused by long-term plasticity of excitatory parallel fiber-Purkinje cell (PF-PC) synapses associated with changes in the number of synaptic AMPA-type glutamate receptors (AMPARs). However, whether the AMPARs decrease or increase in individual PF-PC synapses occurs in physiological motor learning and accounts for memory that lasts over days remains elusive. We combined quantitative SDS-digested freeze-fracture replica labeling for AMPAR and physical dissector electron microscopy with a simple model of cerebellar motor learning, adaptation of horizontal optokinetic response (HOKR) in mouse. After 1-h training of HOKR, short-term adaptation (STA) was accompanied with transient decrease in AMPARs by 28% in target PF-PC synapses. STA was well correlated with AMPAR decrease in individual animals and both STA and AMPAR decrease recovered to basal levels within 24 h. Surprisingly, long-term adaptation (LTA) after five consecutive daily trainings of 1-h HOKR did not alter the number of AMPARs in PF-PC synapses but caused gradual and persistent synapse elimination by 45%, with corresponding PC spine loss by the fifth training day. Furthermore, recovery of LTA after 2 wk was well correlated with increase of PF-PC synapses to the control level. Our findings indicate that the AMPARs decrease in PF-PC synapses and the elimination of these synapses are in vivo engrams in short- and long-term motor learning, respectively, showing a unique type of synaptic plasticity that may contribute to memory consolidation.
21 CFR 868.5610 - Membrane lung for long-term pulmonary support.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
2011-04-01
... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Membrane lung for long-term pulmonary support. 868... SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES ANESTHESIOLOGY DEVICES Therapeutic Devices § 868.5610 Membrane lung for long-term pulmonary support. (a) Identification. A membrane lung for long-term pulmonary support...
21 CFR 868.5610 - Membrane lung for long-term pulmonary support.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
2010-04-01
... 21 Food and Drugs 8 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Membrane lung for long-term pulmonary support. 868... SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICAL DEVICES ANESTHESIOLOGY DEVICES Therapeutic Devices § 868.5610 Membrane lung for long-term pulmonary support. (a) Identification. A membrane lung for long-term pulmonary support...
Long-Term Use of Benzodiazepines and Nonbenzodiazepine Hypnotics, 1999-2014.
Kaufmann, Christopher N; Spira, Adam P; Depp, Colin A; Mojtabai, Ramin
2018-02-01
Clinical guidelines suggest that benzodiazepines (BZDs) and non-BZD hypnotics (NBHs) be used on a short-term basis. The authors examined trends in long-term BZD and NBH use from 1999 to 2014. Data included 82,091 respondents in the 1999-2014 waves of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). NHANES recorded medications used in the past 30 days on the basis of prescription bottles, and participants reported use duration. BZD and NBH use were categorized as short, medium, and long term, and time trends in use were assessed. BZD and NBH use increased from 1999 to 2014, driven by increases in medium- and long-term use, even after adjustment for age and race-ethnicity. In most years, only a fifth of current BZD or NBH users reported short-term use. Long-term BZD and NBH use has grown independent of U.S. demographic shifts. Monitoring of use is needed to prevent adverse outcomes.
Kucerova, L; Skolekova, S; Demkova, L; Bohovic, R; Matuskova, M
2014-10-01
Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) can be exploited as cellular delivery vehicles for the enzymes converting non-toxic prodrugs to toxic substances. Because of their inherent chemoresistance, they exert potent bystander and antitumor effect. Here we show that the human adipose tissue-derived MSC expressing fusion yeast cytosine deaminase::uracil phosphoribosyltransferase (CD-MSC) in combination with 5-fluorocytosine (5FC) mediated a long-term tumor-free survival in the 83.3% of tumor-bearing animals. CD-MSC/5FC treatment induced cytotoxicity against model human melanoma cells EGFP-A375. Only 4% of the therapeutic CD-MSC cells eliminated >98.5% of the tumor cells in vitro. Long-term tumor-free survival was confirmed in 15 out of the 18 animals. However, repeatedly used CD-MSC/5FC therapeutic regimen generated more aggressive and metastatic variant of the melanoma cells EGFP-A375/Rel3. These cells derived from the refractory xenotransplants exhibited increased resistance to the CD-MSC/5FC treatment, altered cell adhesion, migration, tumorigenic and metastatic properties. However, long-term curative effect was achieved by the augmentation of the CD-MSC/5FC regimen along with the inhibition of c-Met/hepatocyte growth factor signaling axis in this aggressive melanoma derivative. In summary, the CD-MSC/5FC regimen can be regarded as a very effective antitumor approach to achieve long-term tumor-free survival as demonstrated on a mouse model of aggressive human melanoma xenografts.
Long-term prognosis of depression in primary care.
Simon, G. E.
2000-01-01
This article uses longitudinal data from a primary care sample to examine long-term prognosis of depression. A sample of 225 patients initiating antidepressant treatment in primary care completed assessments of clinical outcome (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and the mood module of the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IIIR) 1, 3, 6, 9, 12, 18 and 24 months after initiating treatment. The proportion of patients continuing to meet criteria for major depression fell rapidly to approximately 10% and remained at approximately that level throughout follow-up. The proportion meeting criteria for remission (Hamilton Depression score of 7 or less) rose gradually to approximately 45%. Long-term prognosis (i.e. probability of remission at 6 months and beyond) was strongly related to remission status at 3 months (odds ratio 3.65; 95% confidence interval, 2.81-4.76) and only modestly related to various clinical characteristics assessed at baseline (e.g. prior history of recurrent depression, medical comorbidity, comorbid anxiety symptoms). The findings indicate that potentially modifiable risk factors influence the long-term prognosis of depression. This suggests that more systematic and effective depression treatment programmes might have an important effect on long-term course and reduce the overall burden of chronic and recurrent depression. PMID:10885162
Trends in Streamflow Characteristics at Long-Term Gaging Stations, Hawaii
Oki, Delwyn S.
2004-01-01
The surface-water resources of Hawaii have significant cultural, aesthetic, ecologic, and economic importance. Proper management of the surface-water resources of the State requires an understanding of the long- and short-term variability in streamflow characteristics that may occur. The U.S. Geological Survey maintains a network of stream-gaging stations in Hawaii, including a number of stations with long-term streamflow records that can be used to evaluate long-term trends and short-term variability in flow characteristics. The overall objective of this study is to obtain a better understanding of long-term trends and variations in streamflow on the islands of Hawaii, Maui, Molokai, Oahu, and Kauai, where long-term stream-gaging stations exist. This study includes (1) an analysis of long-term trends in flows (both total flow and estimated base flow) at 16 stream-gaging stations, (2) a description of patterns in trends within the State, and (3) discussion of possible regional factors (including rainfall) that are related to the observed trends and variations. Results of this study indicate the following: 1. From 1913 to 2002 base flows generally decreased in streams for which data are available, and this trend is consistent with the long-term downward trend in annual rainfall over much of the State during that period. 2. Monthly mean base flows generally were above the long-term average from 1913 to the early 1940s and below average after the early 1940s to 2002, and this pattern is consistent with the detected downward trends in base flows from 1913 to 2002. 3. Long-term downward trends in base flows of streams may indicate a reduction in ground-water discharge to streams caused by a long-term decrease in ground-water storage and recharge. 4. From 1973 to 2002, trends in streamflow were spatially variable (up in some streams and down in others) and, with a few exceptions, generally were not statistically significant. 5. Short-term variability in streamflow is
Anxiety Disorders in Long-Term Survivors of Adult Cancers
Greer, Joseph A.; Solis, Jessica M.; Temel, Jennifer S.; Lennes, Inga T.; Prigerson, Holly G.; Maciejewski, Paul K.; Pirl, William F.
2011-01-01
Background Little is known about the prevalence of anxiety disorders among long-term survivors of adult cancers. Using data from the National Comorbidity Survey-Replication (NCS-R), we compared rates of anxiety disorders between long-term cancer survivors and individuals without a history of cancer. Methods A nationally representative sample of 9,282 adults participated in a household survey to assess the prevalence of DSM-IV psychiatric disorders, a subset of whom also answered questions about medical comorbidities, including cancer. Long-term survivors were defined as those who received an adult cancer diagnosis at least five years before the survey. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to examine associations between cancer history and anxiety disorders in the past year. Results The NCS-R sample consisted of 225 long-term cancer survivors and 5,337 people without a history of cancer. Controlling for socio-demographic variables, long-term cancer survivors were more likely to have an anxiety disorder (OR: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.04-2.13), including specific phobia (OR: 1.59, 95% CI: 1.06-2.44) and medical phobia (OR: 3.45, 95% CI: 1.15-10.0), during the past 12 months compared to those without cancer histories. Rates for social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, posttraumatic stress disorder, panic disorder and agoraphobia were not significantly different between groups. Conclusion Long-term survivors of adult cancers were more likely to have an anxiety disorder diagnosis, namely specific phobia, in the past 12 months compared with the general public. Further longitudinal study is needed to clarify the timing and course of anxiety relative to the cancer diagnosis. PMID:21907059
Inflammatory markers in relation to long-term air pollution.
Mostafavi, Nahid; Vlaanderen, Jelle; Chadeau-Hyam, Marc; Beelen, Rob; Modig, Lars; Palli, Domenico; Bergdahl, Ingvar A; Vineis, Paolo; Hoek, Gerard; Kyrtopoulos, Soterios Α; Vermeulen, Roel
2015-08-01
Long-term exposure to ambient air pollution can lead to chronic health effects such as cancer, cardiovascular and respiratory disease. Systemic inflammation has been hypothesized as a putative biological mechanism contributing to these adverse health effects. We evaluated the effect of long-term exposure to air pollution on blood markers of systemic inflammation. We measured a panel of 28 inflammatory markers in peripheral blood samples from 587 individuals that were biobanked as part of a prospective study. Participants were from Varese and Turin (Italy) and Umea (Sweden). Long-term air pollution estimates of nitrogen oxides (NOx) were available from the European Study of Cohorts for Air Pollution Effects (ESCAPE). Linear mixed models adjusted for potential confounders were applied to assess the association between NOx and the markers of inflammation. Long-term exposure to NOx was associated with decreased levels of interleukin (IL)-2, IL-8, IL-10 and tumor necrosis factor-α in Italy, but not in Sweden. NOx exposure levels were considerably lower in Sweden than in Italy (Sweden: median (5th, 95th percentiles) 6.65 μg/m(3) (4.8, 19.7); Italy: median (5th, 95th percentiles) 94.2 μg/m(3) (7.8, 124.5)). Combining data from Italy and Sweden we only observed a significant association between long-term exposure to NOx and decreased levels of circulating IL-8. We observed some indication for perturbations in the inflammatory markers due to long-term exposure to NOx. Effects were stronger in Italy than in Sweden, potentially reflecting the difference in air pollution levels between the two cohorts. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Cognitive correlates of long-term cannabis use in Costa Rican men.
Fletcher, J M; Page, J B; Francis, D J; Copeland, K; Naus, M J; Davis, C M; Morris, R; Krauskopf, D; Satz, P
1996-11-01
Cognitive correlates of long-term cannabis use have been elusive. We tested the hypothesis that long-term cannabis use is associated with deficits in short term memory, working memory, and attention in a literate, westernized culture (Costa Rica) in which the effects of cannabis use can be isolated. Two cohorts of long-term cannabis users and nonusers were studied. Within each cohort, users and nonusers were comparable in age and socioeconomic status. Polydrug users and users who tested positive for the use of cannabis at the time of cognitive assessment after a 72-hour abstention period were excluded. The older cohort (whose age was approximately 45 years) had consumed cannabis for an average of 34 years, and comprised 17 users and 30 nonusers, who had been recruited in San José, Costa Rica, and had been observed since 1973. The younger cohort (whose age was approximately 28 years) had consumed cannabis for an average of 8 years, and comprised 37 users and 49 nonusers. Short-term memory, working memory, and attentional skills were measured in each subject. Older long-term users performed worse than older nonusers on 2 short-term memory tests involving learning lists of words. In addition, older long-term users performed worse than older nonusers on selective and divided attention tasks associated with working memory. No notable differences were apparent between younger users and nonusers. Long-term cannabis use was associated with disruption of short-term memory, working memory, and attentional skills in older long-term cannabis users.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Majerus, Steve; D'Argembeau, Arnaud
2011-01-01
Many studies suggest that long-term lexical-semantic knowledge is an important determinant of verbal short-term memory (STM) performance. This study explored the impact of emotional valence on word immediate serial recall as a further lexico-semantic long-term memory (LTM) effect on STM. This effect is particularly interesting for the study of…
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Pan, Zhiyuan; Liu, Li
2018-02-01
In this paper, we extend the GARCH-MIDAS model proposed by Engle et al. (2013) to account for the leverage effect in short-term and long-term volatility components. Our in-sample evidence suggests that both short-term and long-term negative returns can cause higher future volatility than positive returns. Out-of-sample results show that the predictive ability of GARCH-MIDAS is significantly improved after taking the leverage effect into account. The leverage effect for short-term volatility component plays more important role than the leverage effect for long-term volatility component in affecting out-of-sample forecasting performance.
Rydstedt, Leif W; Cropley, Mark; Devereux, Jason J; Michalianou, Georgia
2009-07-01
The aim of this study was to investigate the long-term effects of need for recovery from work and trait rumination on saliva cortisol secretion. The sample consisted of 76 white-collar workers, 52 men and 24 women who had previously provided baseline data four years earlier and volunteered to participate in the present study. In the present study, saliva cortisol secretion was measured over seven consecutive days, on awakening, and at 10 p.m. No relationships were found between the independent variables and morning saliva cortisol levels. High trait rumination at baseline, however, was significantly related to higher evening cortisol levels for both women and men. Baseline need for recovery from work was strongly related to evening cortisol secretion for women, but in the opposite direction than expected. The present results add to the small but equivocal body of literature that has examined the long-term effects of work strain on cortisol secretion.
Implicit short- and long-term memory direct our gaze in visual search.
Kruijne, Wouter; Meeter, Martijn
2016-04-01
Visual attention is strongly affected by the past: both by recent experience and by long-term regularities in the environment that are encoded in and retrieved from memory. In visual search, intertrial repetition of targets causes speeded response times (short-term priming). Similarly, targets that are presented more often than others may facilitate search, even long after it is no longer present (long-term priming). In this study, we investigate whether such short-term priming and long-term priming depend on dissociable mechanisms. By recording eye movements while participants searched for one of two conjunction targets, we explored at what stages of visual search different forms of priming manifest. We found both long- and short- term priming effects. Long-term priming persisted long after the bias was present, and was again found even in participants who were unaware of a color bias. Short- and long-term priming affected the same stage of the task; both biased eye movements towards targets with the primed color, already starting with the first eye movement. Neither form of priming affected the response phase of a trial, but response repetition did. The results strongly suggest that both long- and short-term memory can implicitly modulate feedforward visual processing.
Berruti, A; Gorzegno, G; Vitetta, G; Tampellini, M; Dogliotti, L
1992-10-31
Interferon-alpha might increase triglyceride serum levels through the enhancement of hepatic lipogenesis and/or inhibition of the peripheral lipoprotein lipase. Hypertriglyceridemia during interferon-alpha therapy has been only recently described, mostly in patients with previous abnormalities of lipid metabolism. The authors report here a case of a 65-year-old male bearing advanced colon carcinoma who developed hypertriglyceridemia during long-term interferon-alpha treatment in association with 5 fluorouracil administration. Hypertriglyceridemia was maintained within acceptable levels, without adjusting the treatment plan, by an appropriate diet and gemfibrosil administration.
Effects of long-term hypergravity on growth of Arabidopsis seedlings
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Karahara, Ichirou; Ando, Naoko; Tamaoki, Daisuke; Kamisaka, Seiichiro
Effects of altered gravity on growth of plant root are not yet well understood compared to that of shoot organ such as stem, epicotyl or hypocotyl. And besides, its effect on growth is not yet examined at cellular level either in the root or the shoot. In the present study, we examined effects of long-term hypergravity on growth not only of the root but also the shoot at cellular level. Seeds of Arabidopsis were sown on gelrite containing Murashige-Skoog medium and were started to be exposed to hypergravity before germination. Growth of the hypocotyl had been inhibited since 3 d after the onset of hypergravity treatment at both 100 and 300 G while that of the root was not at either gravity. Longitudinal length of epidermal cells in one cell file decreased in response to hypergravity at 300 G in 3 d old hypocotyls while the number of the epidermal cells did not.
47 CFR 1.9030 - Long-term de facto transfer leasing arrangements.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
2011-10-01
... 47 Telecommunication 1 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false Long-term de facto transfer leasing... PROCEDURE Spectrum Leasing General Policies and Procedures § 1.9030 Long-term de facto transfer leasing...) and a spectrum lessee may enter into a long-term de facto transfer leasing arrangement in which the...
Long-Term Orientation and Educational Performance. Working Paper 174
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Figlio, David; Giuliano, Paola; Özek, Umut; Sapienza, Paola
2017-01-01
We use remarkable population-level administrative education and birth records from Florida to study the role of Long-Term Orientation on the educational attainment of immigrant students living in the US. Controlling for the quality of schools and individual characteristics, students from countries with long-term oriented attitudes perform better…
Long-term effects of interference on short-term memory performance in the rat
Missaire, Mégane; Fraize, Nicolas; Joseph, Mickaël Antoine; Hamieh, Al Mahdy; Parmentier, Régis; Marighetto, Aline; Salin, Paul Antoine; Malleret, Gaël
2017-01-01
A distinction has always been made between long-term and short-term memory (also now called working memory, WM). The obvious difference between these two kinds of memory concerns the duration of information storage: information is supposedly transiently stored in WM while it is considered durably consolidated into long-term memory. It is well acknowledged that the content of WM is erased and reset after a short time, to prevent irrelevant information from proactively interfering with newly stored information. In the present study, we used typical WM radial maze tasks to question the brief lifespan of spatial WM content in rodents. Groups of rats were submitted to one of two different WM tasks in a radial maze: a WM task involving the repetitive presentation of a same pair of arms expected to induce a high level of proactive interference (PI) (HIWM task), or a task using a different pair in each trial expected to induce a low level of PI (LIWM task). Performance was effectively lower in the HIWM group than in LIWM in the final trial of each training session, indicative of a “within-session/short-term” PI effect. However, we also observed a different “between-session/long-term” PI effect between the two groups: while performance of LIWM trained rats remained stable over days, the performance of HIWM rats dropped after 10 days of training, and this impairment was visible from the very first trial of the day, hence not attributable to within-session PI. We also showed that a 24 hour-gap across training sessions known to allow consolidation processes to unfold, was a necessary and sufficient condition for the long-term PI effect to occur. These findings suggest that in the HIWM task, WM content was not entirely reset between training sessions and that, in specific conditions, WM content can outlast its purpose by being stored more permanently, generating a long-term deleterious effect of PI. The alternative explanation is that WM content could be transferred and
Cognitive functioning of long-term heavy cannabis users seeking treatment.
Solowij, Nadia; Stephens, Robert S; Roffman, Roger A; Babor, Thomas; Kadden, Ronald; Miller, Michael; Christiansen, Kenneth; McRee, Bonnie; Vendetti, Janice
2002-03-06
Cognitive impairments are associated with long-term cannabis use, but the parameters of use that contribute to impairments and the nature and endurance of cognitive dysfunction remain uncertain. To examine the effects of duration of cannabis use on specific areas of cognitive functioning among users seeking treatment for cannabis dependence. Multisite retrospective cross-sectional neuropsychological study conducted in the United States (Seattle, Wash; Farmington, Conn; and Miami, Fla) between 1997 and 2000 among 102 near-daily cannabis users (51 long-term users: mean, 23.9 years of use; 51 shorter-term users: mean, 10.2 years of use) compared with 33 nonuser controls. Measures from 9 standard neuropsychological tests that assessed attention, memory, and executive functioning, and were administered prior to entry to a treatment program and following a median 17-hour abstinence. Long-term cannabis users performed significantly less well than shorter-term users and controls on tests of memory and attention. On the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, long-term users recalled significantly fewer words than either shorter-term users (P =.001) or controls (P =.005); there was no difference between shorter-term users and controls. Long-term users showed impaired learning (P =.007), retention (P =.003), and retrieval (P =.002) compared with controls. Both user groups performed poorly on a time estimation task (P<.001 vs controls). Performance measures often correlated significantly with the duration of cannabis use, being worse with increasing years of use, but were unrelated to withdrawal symptoms and persisted after controlling for recent cannabis use and other drug use. These results confirm that long-term heavy cannabis users show impairments in memory and attention that endure beyond the period of intoxication and worsen with increasing years of regular cannabis use.
Mechanical properties and microstructure of long term thermal aged WWER 440 RPV steel
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kolluri, M.; Kryukov, A.; Magielsen, A. J.; Hähner, P.; Petrosyan, V.; Sevikyan, G.; Szaraz, Z.
2017-04-01
The integrity assessment of the Reactor Pressure Vessel (RPV) is essential for the safe and Long Term Operation (LTO) of a Nuclear Power Plant (NPP). Hardening and embrittlement of RPV caused by neutron irradiation and thermal ageing are main reasons for mechanical properties degradation during the operation of an NPP. The thermal ageing-induced degradation of RPV steels becomes more significant with extended operational lives of NPPs. Consequently, the evaluation of thermal ageing effects is important for the structural integrity assessments required for the lifetime extension of NPPs. As a part of NRG's research programme on Structural Materials for safe-LTO of Light Water Reactor (LWR) RPVs, WWER-440 surveillance specimens, which have been thermal aged for 27 years (∼200,000 h) at 290 °C in a surveillance channel of Armenian-NPP, are investigated. Results from the mechanical and microstructural examination of these thermal aged specimens are presented in this article. The results indicate the absence of significant long term thermal ageing effect of 15Cr2MoV-A steel. No age hardening was detected in aged tensile specimens compared with the as-received condition. There is no difference between the impact properties of as-received and thermal aged weld metals. The upper shelf energy of the aged steel remains the same as for the as-received material at a rather high level of about 120 J. The T41 value did not change and was found to be about 10 °C. The microstructure of thermal aged weld, consisting carbides, carbonitrides and manganese-silicon inclusions, did not change significantly compared to as-received state. Grain-boundary segregation of phosphorus in long term aged weld is not significant either which has been confirmed by the absence of intergranular fracture increase in the weld. Negligible hardening and embrittlement observed after such long term thermal ageing is attributed to the optimum chemical composition of 15Cr2MoV-A for high thermal stability.
An exotic long-term pattern in stock price dynamics.
Wei, Jianrong; Huang, Jiping
2012-01-01
To accurately predict the movement of stock prices is always of both academic importance and practical value. So far, a lot of research has been reported to help understand the behavior of stock prices. However, some of the existing theories tend to render us the belief that the time series of stock prices are unpredictable on a long-term timescale. The question arises whether the long-term predictability exists in stock price dynamics. In this work, we analyze the price reversals in the US stock market and the Chinese stock market on the basis of a renormalization method. The price reversals are divided into two types: retracements (the downward trends after upward trends) and rebounds (the upward trends after downward trends), of which the intensities are described by dimensionless quantities, R(t) and R(b), respectively. We reveal that for both mature and emerging markets, the distribution of either retracements R(t) or rebounds R(b) shows two characteristic values, 0.335 and 0.665, both of which are robust over the long term. The methodology presented here provides a way to quantify the stock price reversals. Our findings strongly support the existence of the long-term predictability in stock price dynamics, and may offer a hint on how to predict the long-term movement of stock prices.
Holmberg, Dag; Franzén-Röhl, Elisabeth; Idro, Richard; Opoka, Robert O; Bangirana, Paul; Sellgren, Carl M; Wickström, Ronny; Färnert, Anna; Schwieler, Lilly; Engberg, Göran; John, Chandy C
2017-07-28
One-fourth of children with cerebral malaria (CM) retain cognitive sequelae up to 2 years after acute disease. The kynurenine pathway of the brain, forming neuroactive metabolites, e.g. the NMDA-receptor antagonist kynurenic acid (KYNA), has been implicated in long-term cognitive dysfunction in other CNS infections. In the present study, the association between the kynurenine pathway and neurologic/cognitive complications in children with CM was investigated. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) concentrations of KYNA and its precursor kynurenine in 69 Ugandan children admitted for CM to Mulago Hospital, Kampala, Uganda, between 2008 and 2013 were assessed. CSF kynurenine and KYNA were compared to CSF cytokine levels, acute and long-term neurologic complications, and long-term cognitive impairments. CSF kynurenine and KYNA from eight Swedish children without neurological or infectious disease admitted to Astrid Lindgren's Children's Hospital were quantified and used for comparison. Children with CM had significantly higher CSF concentration of kynurenine and KYNA than Swedish children (P < 0.0001 for both), and CSF kynurenine and KYNA were positively correlated. In children with CM, CSF kynurenine and KYNA concentrations were associated with coma duration in children of all ages (P = 0.003 and 0.04, respectively), and CSF kynurenine concentrations were associated with worse overall cognition (P = 0.056) and attention (P = 0.003) at 12-month follow-up in children ≥5 years old. CSF KYNA and kynurenine are elevated in children with CM, indicating an inhibition of glutamatergic and cholinergic signaling. This inhibition may lead acutely to prolonged coma and long-term to impairment of attention and cognition.
DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)
Williams, Don
2014-04-01
Nuclear power has contributed almost 20% of the total amount of electricity generated in the United States over the past two decades. High capacity factors and low operating costs make nuclear power plants (NPPs) some of the most economical power generators available. Further, nuclear power remains the single largest contributor (nearly 70%) of non-greenhouse gas-emitting electric power generation in the United States. Even when major refurbishments are performed to extend operating life, these plants continue to represent cost-effective, low-carbon assets to the nation’s electrical generation capability. By the end of 2014, about one-third of the existing domestic fleet will havemore » passed their 40th anniversary of power operations, and about one-half of the fleet will reach the same 40-year mark within this decade. Recognizing the challenges associated with pursuing extended service life of commercial nuclear power plants, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Nuclear Energy (NE) and the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) have established separate but complementary research and development programs (DOE-NE’s Light Water Reactor Sustainability [LWRS] Program and EPRI’s Long-Term Operations [LTO] Program) to address these challenges. To ensure that a proper linkage is maintained between the programs, DOE-NE and EPRI executed a memorandum of understanding in late 2010 to “establish guiding principles under which research activities (between LWRS and LTO) could be coordinated to the benefit of both parties.” This document represents the third annual revision to the initial version (March 2011) of the plan as called for in the memorandum of understanding.« less
26 CFR 1.467-3 - Disqualified leasebacks and long-term agreements.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR
2011-04-01
... 26 Internal Revenue 6 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Disqualified leasebacks and long-term agreements... Disqualified leasebacks and long-term agreements. (a) General rule. Under § 1.467-1(d)(2)(i), constant rental... long-term agreement within the meaning of paragraph (b) of this section. Constant rental accrual may...
26 CFR 1.467-3 - Disqualified leasebacks and long-term agreements.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR
2012-04-01
... 26 Internal Revenue 6 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Disqualified leasebacks and long-term agreements... Disqualified leasebacks and long-term agreements. (a) General rule. Under § 1.467-1(d)(2)(i), constant rental... long-term agreement within the meaning of paragraph (b) of this section. Constant rental accrual may...
26 CFR 1.467-3 - Disqualified leasebacks and long-term agreements.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
2013-04-01
... 26 Internal Revenue 6 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Disqualified leasebacks and long-term agreements... Disqualified leasebacks and long-term agreements. (a) General rule. Under § 1.467-1(d)(2)(i), constant rental... long-term agreement within the meaning of paragraph (b) of this section. Constant rental accrual may...
26 CFR 1.467-3 - Disqualified leasebacks and long-term agreements.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
2010-04-01
... 26 Internal Revenue 6 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Disqualified leasebacks and long-term agreements... Disqualified leasebacks and long-term agreements. (a) General rule. Under § 1.467-1(d)(2)(i), constant rental... long-term agreement within the meaning of paragraph (b) of this section. Constant rental accrual may...
26 CFR 1.467-3 - Disqualified leasebacks and long-term agreements.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR
2014-04-01
... 26 Internal Revenue 6 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Disqualified leasebacks and long-term agreements... Disqualified leasebacks and long-term agreements. (a) General rule. Under § 1.467-1(d)(2)(i), constant rental... long-term agreement within the meaning of paragraph (b) of this section. Constant rental accrual may...
The stability of the international oil trade network from short-term and long-term perspectives
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sun, Qingru; Gao, Xiangyun; Zhong, Weiqiong; Liu, Nairong
2017-09-01
To examine the stability of the international oil trade network and explore the influence of countries and trade relationships on the trade stability, we construct weighted and unweighted international oil trade networks based on complex network theory using oil trading data between countries from 1996 to 2014. We analyze the stability of international oil trade network (IOTN) from short-term and long-term aspects. From the short-term perspective, we find that the trade volumes play an important role on the stability. Moreover, the weighted IOTN is stable; however, the unweighted networks can better reflect the actual evolution of IOTN. From the long-term perspective, we identify trade relationships that are maintained during the whole sample period to reveal the situation of the whole international oil trade. We provide a way to quantitatively measure the stability of complex network from short-term and long-term perspectives, which can be applied to measure and analyze trade stability of other goods or services.
Gibson, Erin M; Wang, Connie; Tjho, Stephanie; Khattar, Neera; Kriegsfeld, Lance J
2010-12-01
Circadian disruptions through frequent transmeridian travel, rotating shift work, and poor sleep hygiene are associated with an array of physical and mental health maladies, including marked deficits in human cognitive function. Despite anecdotal and correlational reports suggesting a negative impact of circadian disruptions on brain function, this possibility has not been experimentally examined. In the present study, we investigated whether experimental 'jet lag' (i.e., phase advances of the light:dark cycle) negatively impacts learning and memory and whether any deficits observed are associated with reductions in hippocampal cell proliferation and neurogenesis. Because insults to circadian timing alter circulating glucocorticoid and sex steroid concentrations, both of which influence neurogenesis and learning/memory, we assessed the contribution of these endocrine factors to any observed alterations. Circadian disruption resulted in pronounced deficits in learning and memory paralleled by marked reductions in hippocampal cell proliferation and neurogenesis. Significantly, deficits in hippocampal-dependent learning and memory were not only seen during the period of the circadian disruption, but also persisted well after the cessation of jet lag, suggesting long-lasting negative consequences on brain function. Together, these findings support the view that circadian disruptions suppress hippocampal neurogenesis via a glucocorticoid-independent mechanism, imposing pronounced and persistent impairments on learning and memory.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Sandy, Robert; Elliott, Robert R.
2005-01-01
Long-term illness (LTI) is a more prevalent workplace risk than fatal accidents but there is virtually no evidence for compensating differentials for a broad measure of LTI. In 1990 almost 3.4 percent of the U.K. adult population suffered from a LTI caused solely by their working conditions. This paper provides the first estimates of compensating…
Santini, Emanuela; Huynh, Thu N.; Klann, Eric
2018-01-01
The complexity of memory formation and its persistence is a phenomenon that has been studied intensely for centuries. Memory exists in many forms and is stored in various brain regions. Generally speaking, memories are reorganized into broadly distributed cortical networks over time through systems level consolidation. At the cellular level, storage of information is believed to initially occur via altered synaptic strength by processes such as long-term potentiation (LTP). New protein synthesis is required for long-lasting synaptic plasticity as well as for the formation of long-term memory. The mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) is a critical regulator of cap-dependent protein synthesis and is required for numerous forms of long-lasting synaptic plasticity and long-term memory. As such, the study of mTORC1 and protein factors that control translation initiation and elongation have enhanced our understanding of how the process of protein synthesis is regulated during memory formation. Herein we will discuss the molecular mechanisms that regulate protein synthesis as well as pharmacological and genetic manipulations that demonstrate the requirement for proper translational control in long-lasting synaptic plasticity and long-term memory formation. PMID:24484700
Long-Term Heart Transplant Survival by Targeting the Ionotropic Purinergic Receptor P2X7
Vergani, Andrea; Tezza, Sara; D’Addio, Francesca; Fotino, Carmen; Liu, Kaifeng; Niewczas, Monika; Bassi, Roberto; Molano, R. Damaris; Kleffel, Sonja; Petrelli, Alessandra; Soleti, Antonio; Ammirati, Enrico; Frigerio, Maria; Visner, Gary; Grassi, Fabio; Ferrero, Maria E.; Corradi, Domenico; Abdi, Reza; Ricordi, Camillo; Sayegh, Mohamed H.; Pileggi, Antonello; Fiorina, Paolo
2013-01-01
Background Heart transplantation is a lifesaving procedure for patients with end-stage heart failure. Despite much effort and advances in the field, current immunosuppressive regimens are still associated with poor long-term cardiac allograft outcomes as well as with the development of complications including infections and malignancies. The development of a novel, short-term and effective immunomodulatory protocol will thus be an important achievement. The purine adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP), released during cell damage/activation, is sensed by the ionotropic purinergic receptor P2X7 (P2X7R) on lymphocytes and regulates T cell activation. Novel clinical-grade P2X7R inhibitors are available, rendering the targeting of P2X7R a potential therapy in cardiac transplantation. Methods and Results We analyzed P2X7R expression in patients and mice and P2X7R targeting in murine recipients in the context of cardiac transplantation. Our data demonstrate that P2X7R is specifically upregulated in graft-infiltrating lymphocytes in cardiac-transplanted humans and mice. Short-term P2X7R targeting with periodate-oxidized ATP (oATP) promotes long-term cardiac transplant survival in 80% of murine recipients of a fully mismatched allograft. Long-term survival of cardiac transplants was associated with reduced T cell activation, Th1/Th17 differentiation and inhibition of STAT3 phosphorylation in T cells, thus leading to a reduced transplant infiltrate and coronaropathy. In vitro genetic upregulation of the P2X7R pathway was also shown to stimulate Th1/Th17 cell generation. Finally, P2X7R targeting halted the progression of coronaropathy in a murine model of chronic rejection as well. Conclusions P2X7R targeting is a novel clinically relevant strategy to prolong cardiac transplant survival. PMID:23250993
Inhibition of the light-independent synthesis of chlorophyll in pine cotyledons at low temperature.
Muramatsu, S; Kojima, K; Igasaki, T; Azumi, Y; Shinohara, K
2001-08-01
Cotyledons of Japanese black pine (Pinus thunbergii) were yellow when they developed in darkness at 8 degrees C since the light-independent synthesis of chlorophyll was almost completely inhibited in these cotyledons. The level of chlorophyll in dark-grown cotyledons was less than one-twentieth of that in light-grown cotyledons at the same temperature. In the yellow cotyledons, levels of transcripts of cab, rbcS, rbcL and psbA genes were quite high. The large and small subunits of ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase were also detected at relatively high levels in yellow cotyledons. However, the accumulation of the two apoproteins of the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b-binding protein of PSII was limited because of the limited supply of chlorophyll.
Overview of developing desired conditions: Short-term actions, long-term objectives
J. D. Chew; K. O' Hara; J. G. Jones
2001-01-01
A number of modeling tools are required to go from short-term treatments to long-term objectives expressed as desired future conditions. Three models are used in an example that starts with determining desired stand level structure and ends with the implementation of treatments over time at a landscape scale. The Multi-Aged Stocking Assessment Model (MASAM) is used for...
Long-term weather predictability: Ural case study
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Kubyshen, Alexander; Shopin, Sergey
2016-04-01
The accuracy of the state-of-the-art long-term meteorological forecast (at the seasonal level) is still low. Here it is presented approach (RAMES method) realizing different forecasting methodology. It provides prediction horizon of up to 19-22 years under equal probabilities of determination of parameters in every analyzed period [1]. Basic statements of the method are the following. 1. Long-term forecast on the basis of numerical modeling of the global meteorological process is principally impossible. Extension of long-term prediction horizon could be obtained only by the revealing and using a periodicity of meteorological situations at one point of observation. 2. Conventional calendar is unsuitable for generalization of meteorological data and revealing of cyclicity of meteorological processes. RAMES method uses natural time intervals: one day, synodic month and one year. It was developed a set of special calendars using these natural periods and the Metonic cycle. 3. Long-term time series of meteorological data is not a uniform universal set, it is a sequence of 28 universal sets appropriately superseding each other in time. The specifics of the method are: 1. Usage of the original research toolkit consisting of - a set of calendars based on the Metonic cycle; - a set of charts (coordinate systems) for the construction of sequence diagrams (of daily variability of a meteorological parameter during the analyzed year; of daily variability of a meteorological parameter using long-term dynamical time series of periods-analogues; of monthly and yearly variability of accumulated value of meteorological parameter). 2. Identification and usage of new virtual meteorological objects having several degrees of generalization appropriately located in the used coordinate systems. 3. All calculations are integrated into the single technological scheme providing comparison and mutual verification of calculation results. During the prolonged testing in the Ural region, it was
Murine model of long-term obstructive jaundice.
Aoki, Hiroaki; Aoki, Masayo; Yang, Jing; Katsuta, Eriko; Mukhopadhyay, Partha; Ramanathan, Rajesh; Woelfel, Ingrid A; Wang, Xuan; Spiegel, Sarah; Zhou, Huiping; Takabe, Kazuaki
2016-11-01
With the recent emergence of conjugated bile acids as signaling molecules in cancer, a murine model of obstructive jaundice by cholestasis with long-term survival is in need. Here, we investigated the characteristics of three murine models of obstructive jaundice. C57BL/6J mice were used for total ligation of the common bile duct (tCL), partial common bile duct ligation (pCL), and ligation of left and median hepatic bile duct with gallbladder removal (LMHL) models. Survival was assessed by Kaplan-Meier method. Fibrotic change was determined by Masson-Trichrome staining and Collagen expression. Overall, 70% (7 of 10) of tCL mice died by day 7, whereas majority 67% (10 of 15) of pCL mice survived with loss of jaundice. A total of 19% (3 of 16) of LMHL mice died; however, jaundice continued beyond day 14, with survival of more than a month. Compensatory enlargement of the right lobe was observed in both pCL and LMHL models. The pCL model demonstrated acute inflammation due to obstructive jaundice 3 d after ligation but jaundice rapidly decreased by day 7. The LHML group developed portal hypertension and severe fibrosis by day 14 in addition to prolonged jaundice. The standard tCL model is too unstable with high mortality for long-term studies. pCL may be an appropriate model for acute inflammation with obstructive jaundice, but long-term survivors are no longer jaundiced. The LHML model was identified to be the most feasible model to study the effect of long-term obstructive jaundice. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Teen motherhood and long-term health consequences.
Patel, Payal H; Sen, Bisakha
2012-07-01
The objective of this article is to examine the association of teen motherhood and long-term physical and mental health outcomes. The physical and mental health components (PCS and MCS) of the SF-12 Healthy Survey in the NLSY79 health module were used to assess long-term health outcomes of women who experienced teenage motherhood. Various familial, demographic, and environmental characteristics were indentified and controlled for that may have predicted teen motherhood and long-term health outcomes. The two comparison groups for teen mothers were women who experienced teen-pregnancy only and women who were engaged in unprotected sexual activity as a teenage but did not experience pregnancy. Multivariate ordinary least squares regression was used for analysis. The average PCS and MCS for teen mothers was 49.91 and 50.89, respectively. Teen mothers exhibited poorer physical health later in life compared to all women as well as the comparison groups. When controlling for age, teen mothers had significantly lower PCS and MCS scores compared to all other women. Furthermore, when controlling for familial, demographic, and environmental characteristics, teen mothers exhibited significantly lower PCS and MCS scores. When comparing teen mothers to the two comparison groups, PCS was not statistically different although MCS was significantly lower in the teen-pregnancy group. Teen motherhood does lead to poorer physical health outcomes later in life. On the other hand, poorer mental health outcomes in later life may be attributed to the unmeasured factors leading to a teen pregnancy and not teen motherhood itself. Additional research needs to be conducted on the long-term consequences of teen motherhood.
Visual working memory buffers information retrieved from visual long-term memory
Fukuda, Keisuke; Woodman, Geoffrey F.
2017-01-01
Human memory is thought to consist of long-term storage and short-term storage mechanisms, the latter known as working memory. Although it has long been assumed that information retrieved from long-term memory is represented in working memory, we lack neural evidence for this and need neural measures that allow us to watch this retrieval into working memory unfold with high temporal resolution. Here, we show that human electrophysiology can be used to track information as it is brought back into working memory during retrieval from long-term memory. Specifically, we found that the retrieval of information from long-term memory was limited to just a few simple objects’ worth of information at once, and elicited a pattern of neurophysiological activity similar to that observed when people encode new information into working memory. Our findings suggest that working memory is where information is buffered when being retrieved from long-term memory and reconcile current theories of memory retrieval with classic notions about the memory mechanisms involved. PMID:28461479
Multisource Estimation of Long-term Global Terrestrial Surface Radiation
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Peng, L.; Sheffield, J.
2017-12-01
Land surface net radiation is the essential energy source at the earth's surface. It determines the surface energy budget and its partitioning, drives the hydrological cycle by providing available energy, and offers heat, light, and energy for biological processes. Individual components in net radiation have changed historically due to natural and anthropogenic climate change and land use change. Decadal variations in radiation such as global dimming or brightening have important implications for hydrological and carbon cycles. In order to assess the trends and variability of net radiation and evapotranspiration, there is a need for accurate estimates of long-term terrestrial surface radiation. While large progress in measuring top of atmosphere energy budget has been made, huge discrepancies exist among ground observations, satellite retrievals, and reanalysis fields of surface radiation, due to the lack of observational networks, the difficulty in measuring from space, and the uncertainty in algorithm parameters. To overcome the weakness of single source datasets, we propose a multi-source merging approach to fully utilize and combine multiple datasets of radiation components separately, as they are complementary in space and time. First, we conduct diagnostic analysis of multiple satellite and reanalysis datasets based on in-situ measurements such as Global Energy Balance Archive (GEBA), existing validation studies, and other information such as network density and consistency with other meteorological variables. Then, we calculate the optimal weighted average of multiple datasets by minimizing the variance of error between in-situ measurements and other observations. Finally, we quantify the uncertainties in the estimates of surface net radiation and employ physical constraints based on the surface energy balance to reduce these uncertainties. The final dataset is evaluated in terms of the long-term variability and its attribution to changes in individual
The roles of long-term phonotactic and lexical prosodic knowledge in phonological short-term memory.
Tanida, Yuki; Ueno, Taiji; Lambon Ralph, Matthew A; Saito, Satoru
2015-04-01
Many previous studies have explored and confirmed the influence of long-term phonological representations on phonological short-term memory. In most investigations, phonological effects have been explored with respect to phonotactic constraints or frequency. If interaction between long-term memory and phonological short-term memory is a generalized principle, then other phonological characteristics-that is, suprasegmental aspects of phonology-should also exert similar effects on phonological short-term memory. We explored this hypothesis through three immediate serial-recall experiments that manipulated Japanese nonwords with respect to lexical prosody (pitch-accent type, reflecting suprasegmental characteristics) as well as phonotactic frequency (reflecting segmental characteristics). The results showed that phonotactic frequency affected the retention not only of the phonemic sequences, but also of pitch-accent patterns, when participants were instructed to recall both the phoneme sequence and accent pattern of nonwords. In addition, accent pattern typicality influenced the retention of the accent pattern: Typical accent patterns were recalled more accurately than atypical ones. These results indicate that both long-term phonotactic and lexical prosodic knowledge contribute to phonological short-term memory performance.
Chen, Hui; Tran, Julie-Thu A.; Eckerd, Annette; Huynh, Tuan-Phat; Elliott, Michael H.; Brush, Richard S.; Mandal, Nawajes A.
2013-01-01
Light-induced retinal degeneration (LIRD) in albino rats causes apoptotic photoreceptor cell death. Ceramide is a second messenger for apoptosis. We tested whether increases in ceramide mediate photoreceptor apoptosis in LIRD and if inhibition of ceramide synthesis protects the retina. Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to 2,700 lux white light for 6 h, and the retinal levels of ceramide and its intermediary metabolites were measured by GC-MS or electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Enzymes of the de novo biosynthetic and sphingomyelinase pathways of ceramide generation were assayed, and gene expression was measured. The dosage and temporal effect of the ceramide synthase inhibitor FTY720 on the LIRD retina were measured by histological and functional analyses. Retinal ceramide levels increased coincident with the increase of dihydroceramide at various time points after light stress. Light stress in retina induces ceramide generation predominantly through the de novo pathway, which was prevented by systemic administration of FTY720 (10 mg/kg) leading to the protection of retinal structure and function. The neuroprotection of FTY720 was independent of its immunosuppressive action. We conclude that ceramide increase by de novo biosynthesis mediates photoreceptor apoptosis in the LIRD model and that inhibition of ceramide production protects the retina against light stress. PMID:23468130
Long-term management of patients with multiple sclerosis.
Weightman, Cherie
2006-07-01
This article explores the challenges of long-term case management for patients who have multiple sclerosis (MS). Currently there is scant research into district nursing input into long-term management of patients who have MS. Until now the role of the community nurses has been confined to palliation or terminal care, focusing on the more physical manifestations of MS. The contemporary role of district nurse is going to evolve to include proactive approaches. Governmental initiatives demand proactive services, and place emphasis on self-care for patients with MS. Themes that emerge from this article relate to the pre-existing skills--such as managing patients with complex needs and the advanced assessment skills--that will be required to achieve this. What is clear is that community nurses already possess many of the prerequisite skills needed for long-term management, and they should not be daunted by this prospect.
Long-term survivors of primary central nervous system lymphoma.
Yamanaka, Ryuya; Morii, Ken; Sano, Masakazu; Homma, Jumpei; Yajima, Naoki; Tsukamoto, Yoshihiro; Ogura, Ryouske; Natsumeda, Manabu; Aoki, Hiroshi; Akiyama, Katsuhiko; Saitoh, Takafumi; Hondoh, Hiroaki; Kawaguchi, Atsushi; Takahashi, Hitoshi; Fujii, Yukihiko
2017-02-23
In this study, we provide long-term outcome data of patients with primary central nervous system lymphoma. The long-term outcomes of PCNSL patients diagnosed between 1982 and 2006 were reviewed. Neurological late neurotoxicity symptoms, neuroradiological brain atrophy and leukoencephalopathy were evaluated. Surviving patients completed the Quality of Life Questionnaire-30 and Brain Cancer Module-20. The differences in overall survival were assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test. The differences between groups in terms of each investigated parameter were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Among 112 PCNSL patients, there were 33 (29.4%) long-term (> 5 years) survivors. The median survival of all long-term survivors was 105.7 months; of these, 8 (7.1%) were alive at the latest follow-up, with a mean survival time of 170.2 months (range, 121.8–286.4). Clinical assessment revealed severe neurotoxicity in 14 patients (42.4%), moderate neurotoxicity in 5 (15.1%), and normal status in 14 (42.4%). Correlations were seen between the neuroradiological imaging score changes and neurocognitive condition (P=0.0001), neurocognitive condition and the whole brain irradiation dose (P=0.0004), and atrophy and the whole brain irradiation dose (P=0.0035). A more severe clinical condition was found to be associated with increasing age and whole brain irradiation dose in long-term survivors with PCNSL. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com
Monnier, Catherine; Bonthoux, Françoise
2011-11-01
The present research was designed to highlight the relation between children's categorical knowledge and their verbal short-term memory (STM) performance. To do this, we manipulated the categorical organization of the words composing lists to be memorized by 5- and 9-year-old children. Three types of word list were drawn up: semantically similar context-dependent (CD) lists, semantically similar context-independent (CI) lists, and semantically dissimilar lists. In line with the procedure used by Poirier and Saint-Aubin (1995), the dissimilar lists were produced using words from the semantically similar lists. Both 5- and 9-year-old children showed better recall for the semantically similar CD lists than they did for the unrelated lists. In the semantic similar CI condition, semantic similarity enhanced immediate serial recall only at age 9 but contributed to item information memory both at ages 5 and 9. These results, which indicate a semantic influence of long-term memory (LTM) on serial recall from age 5, are discussed in the light of current models of STM. Moreover, we suggest that differences between results at 5 and 9 years are compatible with pluralist models of development. ©2011 The British Psychological Society.
Constant light during lactation programs circadian and metabolic systems.
Madahi, Palma-Gómez; Ivan, Osnaya; Adriana, Balderas; Diana, Ortega; Carolina, Escobar
2018-04-24
Exposure to light at night is a disruptive condition for the adult circadian system, leading to arrhythmicity in nocturnal rodents. Circadian disruption is a risk factor for developing physiological and behavioral alterations, including weight gain and metabolic disease. During early stages of development, the circadian system undergoes a critical period of adjustment, and it is especially vulnerable to altered lighting conditions that may program its function, leading to long-term effects. We hypothesized that during lactation a disrupted light-dark cycle due to light at night may disrupt the circadian system and in the long term induce metabolic disorders. Here we explored in pups, short- and long-term effects of constant light (LL) during lactation. In the short term, LL caused a loss of rhythmicity and a reduction in the immunopositive cells of VIP, AVP, and PER1 in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). In the short term, the affection on the circadian clock in the pups resulted in body weight gain, loss of daily rhythms in general activity, plasma glucose and triglycerides (TG). Importantly, the DD conditions during development also induced altered daily rhythms in general activity and in the SCN. Exposure to LD conditions after lactation did not restore rhythmicity in the SCN, and the number of immunopositve cells to VIP, AVP, and PER1 remained reduced. In the long term, daily rhythmicity in general activity was restored; however, daily rhythms in glucose and TG remained disrupted, and daily mean levels of TG were significantly increased. Present results point out the programming role played by the LD cycle during early development in the function of the circadian system and on metabolism. This study points out the risk represented by exposure to an altered light-dark cycle during early stages of development. AVP: arginine vasopressin peptide; CRY: cryptochrome; DD: constant darkness; DM: dorsomedial; LD: light-dark cycle; LL: constant light; NICUs: neonatal
Long-term Morbidity of Testicular Cancer Treatment.
Fung, Chunkit; Fossa, Sophie D; Williams, Annalynn; Travis, Lois B
2015-08-01
Second malignant neoplasms, cardiovascular disease, neurotoxicity and ototoxicity, pulmonary complications, hypogonadism, and nephrotoxicity are potentially life-threatening long-term complications of testicular cancer and its therapy. This article describes the pathogenesis, risks, and management of these late effects experienced by long-term testicular cancer survivors, who are defined as individuals who are disease free 5 years or more after primary treatment. Testicular cancer survivors should follow applicable national guidelines for cancer screening and management of cardiovascular disease risk factors. In addition, health care providers should capitalize on the time of cancer diagnosis as a teachable moment to introduce and promote lifestyle changes. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Liu, Yu-fang; Chen, Shuang-lin; Li Ying-chun; Guo, Zi-wu; Li, Ying-chun; Yang, Qing-ping
2015-12-01
The research was to approach the growth strategy of rhizome and roots based on the morphology, biomass and nutrient in Phyllostachys rivalis under long-term waterlogged conditions, and provided a theoretical basis for its application for vegetation restoration in wetland and water-level fluctuation belts. The morphological characteristics, physiological and biochemical indexes of annual bamboo rhizome and roots were investigated with an experiment using individually potted P. rivalis which was treated by artificial water-logging for 3, 6, and 12 months. Accordingly the morphological characteristics, biomass allocation, nutrient absorption and balance in rhizome and roots of P. rivalis were analyzed. The results showed that there was no obvious impact of long-term water-logging on the length and diameter of rhizomes, diameter of roots in P. rivalis. The morphological characteristics of rhizome had been less affected generally under water-logging for 3 months. And less rhizomes were submerged, while the growth of roots was inhibited to some extent. Furthermore, with waterlogging time extended, submerged roots and rhizomes grew abundantly, and the roots and rhizomes in soil were promoted. Moreover for ratios of rhizome biomass in soil and water, there were no obvious variations, the same for the root biomass in soil to total biomass. The ratio of root biomass in water to total biomass and the ratio of root biomass in water to root biomass in soil both increased significantly. The results indicated that P. rivalis could adapt to waterlogged conditions gradually through growth regulation and reasonable biomass distribution. However, the activity of rhizome roots in soil decreased and the nutrient absorption was inhibited by long-term water-logging, although it had no effect on stoichiometric ratios of root nutrient in soil. The activity of rhizome root in water increased and the stoichiometric ratios adjusted adaptively to waterlogged conditions, the ratio of N
Short-term Responses of Posidonia australis to Changes in Light Quality
Strydom, Simone; McMahon, Kathryn M.; Kendrick, Gary A.; Statton, John; Lavery, Paul S.
2018-01-01
Seagrass meadows are highly productive ecosystems that provide ecosystem services to the coastal zone but are declining globally, particularly due to anthropogenic activities that reduce the quantity of light reaching seagrasses, such as dredging, river discharge and eutrophication. Light quality (the spectral composition of the light) is also altered by these anthropogenic stressors as the differential attenuation of wavelengths of light is caused by materials within the water column. This study addressed the effect of altered light quality on different life-history stages of the seagrass Posidonia australis, a persistent, habitat-forming species in Australia. Aquarium-based experiments were conducted to determine how adult shoots and seedlings respond to blue (peak λ = 451 nm); green (peak λ = 522 nm); yellow (peak λ = 596 nm) and red (peak λ = 673 nm) wavelengths with a control of full-spectrum light (λ = 400 – 700 nm, at 200 μmol photons m-2 s-1). Posidonia australis adults did not respond to changes in light quality relative to full-spectrum light, demonstrating a capacity to obtain enough photons from a range of wavelengths across the visible spectrum to maintain short-term growth at high irradiances. Posidonia australis seedlings (<4 months old) grown in blue light showed a significant increase in xanthophyll concentrations when compared to plants grown in full-spectrum, demonstrating a pigment acclimation response to blue light. These results differed significantly from negative responses to changes in light quality recently described for Halophila ovalis, a colonizing seagrass species. Persistent seagrasses such as P. australis, appear to be better at tolerating short-term changes in light quality compared to colonizing species when sufficient PPFD is present. PMID:29387070
Visual memory, the long and the short of it: A review of visual working memory and long-term memory.
Schurgin, Mark W
2018-04-23
The majority of research on visual memory has taken a compartmentalized approach, focusing exclusively on memory over shorter or longer durations, that is, visual working memory (VWM) or visual episodic long-term memory (VLTM), respectively. This tutorial provides a review spanning the two areas, with readers in mind who may only be familiar with one or the other. The review is divided into six sections. It starts by distinguishing VWM and VLTM from one another, in terms of how they are generally defined and their relative functions. This is followed by a review of the major theories and methods guiding VLTM and VWM research. The final section is devoted toward identifying points of overlap and distinction across the two literatures to provide a synthesis that will inform future research in both fields. By more intimately relating methods and theories from VWM and VLTM to one another, new advances can be made that may shed light on the kinds of representational content and structure supporting human visual memory.
Neural circuits for long-term water-reward memory processing in thirsty Drosophila.
Shyu, Wei-Huan; Chiu, Tai-Hsiang; Chiang, Meng-Hsuan; Cheng, Yu-Chin; Tsai, Ya-Lun; Fu, Tsai-Feng; Wu, Tony; Wu, Chia-Lin
2017-05-15
The intake of water is important for the survival of all animals and drinking water can be used as a reward in thirsty animals. Here we found that thirsty Drosophila melanogaster can associate drinking water with an odour to form a protein-synthesis-dependent water-reward long-term memory (LTM). Furthermore, we found that the reinforcement of LTM requires water-responsive dopaminergic neurons projecting to the restricted region of mushroom body (MB) β' lobe, which are different from the neurons required for the reinforcement of learning and short-term memory (STM). Synaptic output from α'β' neurons is required for consolidation, whereas the output from γ and αβ neurons is required for the retrieval of LTM. Finally, two types of MB efferent neurons retrieve LTM from γ and αβ neurons by releasing glutamate and acetylcholine, respectively. Our results therefore cast light on the cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for processing water-reward LTM in Drosophila.
2016-11-29
AFRL-AFOSR-VA-TR-2016-0365 Long Wavelength Electromagnetic Light Bullets Generated by a 10.6 micron CO2 Ultrashort Pulsed Source Jerome Moloney...SUBTITLE "Long Wavelength Electromagnetic Light Bullets Generated by a 10.6 micron CO2 Ultrashort Pulsed Source 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER FA9550-15-1-0272 5b...afosr.reports.sgizmo.com/s3/> Subject: Final Report to Dr. Arje Nachman Contract/Grant Title: Long Wavelength Electromagnetic Light Bullets Generated by a 10.6
Long-Term Retention of Basic Science Knowledge: A Review Study
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Custers, Eugene J. F. M.
2010-01-01
In this paper, a review of long-term retention of basic science knowledge is presented. First, it is argued that retention of this knowledge has been a long-standing problem in medical education. Next, three types of studies are described that are employed in the literature to investigate long-term retention of knowledge in general. Subsequently,…
Winning market positioning strategies for long term care facilities.
Higgins, L F; Weinstein, K; Arndt, K
1997-01-01
The decision to develop an aggressive marketing strategy for its long term care facility has become a priority for the management of a one-hundred bed facility in the Rocky Mountain West. Financial success and lasting competitiveness require that the facility in question (Deer Haven) establish itself as the preferred provider of long term care for its target market. By performing a marketing communications audit, Deer Haven evaluated its present market position and created a strategy for solidifying and dramatizing this position. After an overview of present conditions in the industry, we offer a seven step process that provides practical guidance for positioning a long term care facility. We conclude by providing an example application.
Ethics and Intimate Sexual Activity in Long-Term Care.
Metzger, Eran
2017-07-01
A case is presented in which the staff of a long-term care facility discovers that the husband of a resident with dementia is engaged in sexual activity with her. The case illustrates a dilemma for long-term care facilities that create a home-like environment with a goal of maximizing residents' autonomy while ensuring their safety. An approach to assessing capacity to consent to intimate sexual activity is described, followed by guidelines that nursing homes can implement to support residents who wish to engage in sexual activity. Recommendations are also offered for supporting long-term care staff and family members of residents who are interested in intimate sexual activity. © 2017 American Medical Association. All Rights Reserved.