Poly[[sesqui[mu2-1,4-bis(imidazol-1-ylmethyl)benzene-kappa(2)N:N'](carbonato-kappa(2)O,O')copper(II)] 1,4-bis(imidazol-1-ylmethyl)benzene hemisolvate pentahydrate].

PubMed

Dai, Yu-Mei; Tang, En; Huang, Jin-Feng; Yang, Qiu-Yan

2008-10-01

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, {[Cu(CO(3))(C(14)H(14)N(4))(1.5)] x 0.5 C(14)H(14)N(4) x 5 H(2)O}(n), contains one Cu(II) cation in a slightly distorted square-pyramidal coordination environment, one CO(3)(2-) anion, one full and two half 1,4-bis(imidazol-1-ylmethyl)benzene (bix) ligands, one half-molecule of which is uncoordinated, and five uncoordinated water molecules. One of the coordinated bix ligands and the uncoordinated bix molecule are situated about centers of symmetry, located at the centers of the benzene rings. The coordinated bix ligands link the copper(II) ions into a [Cu(bix)(1.5)](n) molecular ladder. These molecular ladders do not form interpenetrated ladders but are arranged in an ABAB parallel terrace, i.e. with the ladders arranged one above another, with sequence A translated with respect to B by 8 A. To best of our knowledge, this arrangement has not been observed in any of the molecular ladder frameworks synthesized to date. The coordination environment of the Cu(II) atom is completed by two O atoms of the CO(3)(2-) anion. The framework is further strengthened by extensive O-H...O and O-H...N hydrogen bonds involving the water molecules, the O atoms of the CO(3)(2-) anion and the N atoms of the bix ligands. This study describes the first example of a molecular ladder coordination polymer based on bix and therefore demonstrates further the usefulness of bix as a versatile multidentate ligand for constructing coordination polymers with interesting architectures.

Di-tert-butyl-chlorido(N,N-dibenzyl-dithio-carbamato)tin(IV).

PubMed

Abdul Muthalib, Amirah Faizah; Baba, Ibrahim; Mohamed Tahir, Mohamed Ibrahim; Tiekink, Edward R T

2011-02-26

The Sn(IV) atom in the title diorganotin dithio-carbamate, [Sn(C(4)H(9))(2)(C(15)H(14)NS(2))Cl], is penta-coordinated by an asymmetrically coordinating dithio-carbamate ligand, a Cl atom and two C atoms of the Sn-bound tert-butyl groups. The resulting C(2)ClS(2) donor set defines a coordination geometry inter-mediate between square pyramidal and trigonal bipyramidal with a slight tendency towards the former.

Enzymatic properties and localization of motopsin (PRSS12), a protease whose absence causes mental retardation.

PubMed

Mitsui, Shinichi; Yamaguchi, Nozomi; Osako, Yoji; Yuri, Kazunari

2007-03-09

Motopsin (PRSS12) is a mosaic protease expressed in the central nervous system. Truncation of the human motopsin gene causes nonsyndromic mental retardation. Understanding the enzymatic properties and localization of motopsin protein in the central nervous system will help identify the molecular mechanism by which the loss of motopsin function causes mental retardation. Recombinant motopsin showed amidolytic activity against the synthetic substrate benzyloxycarbonyl-l-phenylalanyl-l-arginine 4-methyl-coumaryl-7-amide. Motopsin activated the single-chain tissue plasminogen activator precursor and exhibited gelatinolytic activity. This enzymatic activity was inhibited by typical serine protease inhibitors such as aprotinin, leupeptin, and (4-amidinophenyl) methanesulfonyl fluoride. Immunocytochemistry using anti-motopsin IgG revealed that both human and mouse motopsin proteins were distributed in discrete puncta along the dendrites and soma as well as axons in cultured hippocampal neurons. In the limbic system, including the cingulate and hippocampal pyramidal neurons and piriform cortex, high level of motopsin protein was expressed at postnatal day 10, but a very low level at 10-week-old mice. Motopsin and tissue plasminogen activator were co-expressed in the cingulate pyramidal neurons at postnatal day 10 and were distributed along dendrites of cultured pyramidal neurons. In cranial nuclei, a moderate level of motopsin protein was detected independently on the developmental stage. Our results suggest that motopsin has multiple functions, such as axon outgrowth, arranging perineuronal environment, and maintaining neuronal plasticity, partly in coordination with other proteases including tissue plasminogen activator.

Mathematical Practices in a Learning Environment Designed by Realistic Mathematics Education: Teaching Experiment about Cone and Pyramid

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Özdemir, Burçin Gökkurt

2017-01-01

The purpose of the study is to identify the classroom mathematical practices developed within a learning environment designed by Realistic Mathematics Education for teaching cone and pyramid to preservice teachers. A teaching experiment including five-week instructional sequence by a hypothetical learning trajectory about the solids of cone and…

Di-tert-butyl­chlorido(N,N-dibenzyl­dithio­carbamato)tin(IV)

PubMed Central

Abdul Muthalib, Amirah Faizah; Baba, Ibrahim; Mohamed Tahir, Mohamed Ibrahim; Tiekink, Edward R. T.

2011-01-01

The SnIV atom in the title diorganotin dithio­carbamate, [Sn(C4H9)2(C15H14NS2)Cl], is penta­coordinated by an asymmetrically coordinating dithio­carbamate ligand, a Cl atom and two C atoms of the Sn-bound tert-butyl groups. The resulting C2ClS2 donor set defines a coordination geometry inter­mediate between square pyramidal and trigonal bipyramidal with a slight tendency towards the former. PMID:21522304

Layer-specific optogenetic activation of pyramidal neurons causes beta–gamma entrainment of neonatal networks

PubMed Central

Bitzenhofer, Sebastian H; Ahlbeck, Joachim; Wolff, Amy; Wiegert, J. Simon; Gee, Christine E.; Oertner, Thomas G.; Hanganu-Opatz, Ileana L.

2017-01-01

Coordinated activity patterns in the developing brain may contribute to the wiring of neuronal circuits underlying future behavioural requirements. However, causal evidence for this hypothesis has been difficult to obtain owing to the absence of tools for selective manipulation of oscillations during early development. We established a protocol that combines optogenetics with electrophysiological recordings from neonatal mice in vivo to elucidate the substrate of early network oscillations in the prefrontal cortex. We show that light-induced activation of layer II/III pyramidal neurons that are transfected by in utero electroporation with a high-efficiency channelrhodopsin drives frequency-specific spiking and boosts network oscillations within beta–gamma frequency range. By contrast, activation of layer V/VI pyramidal neurons causes nonspecific network activation. Thus, entrainment of neonatal prefrontal networks in fast rhythms relies on the activation of layer II/III pyramidal neurons. This approach used here may be useful for further interrogation of developing circuits, and their behavioural readout. PMID:28216627

Interactions between 2,4-bis-pteridine-1,5-benzodiazepine and group 12 dihalides: synthesis, spectral and XRD structural studies and theoretical calculations.

PubMed

Illán-Cabeza, Nuria A; Jiménez-Pulido, Sonia B; Hueso-Ureña, Francisco; Peña-Ruiz, Tomás; Quirós-Olozábal, Miguel; Moreno-Carretero, Miguel N

2016-11-28

2,4-Bis(1,3,7-trimethyl-pteridine-2,4(1H,3H)-dione-6-yl)-2,3-dihydro-2-methyl-1H-1,5-benzodiazepine (DLMBZD) has been prepared and its molecular and crystal structures have been determined from spectral and XRD data. The benzodiazepine ligand was reacted with zinc(ii), cadmium(ii) and mercury(ii) chloride, bromide and iodide to give complexes with general formula [M(DLMBZD)X 2 ]. The complexes have been synthesized and characterized by IR, NMR and elemental analysis. The structure of seven complexes has been obtained by single crystal X-ray diffraction. In all the cases, the metal is (2 + 2 + 1)-five-coordinated by two halide ligands, two nitrogen atoms from pyrazine and diazepine rings and a carbonyl oxygen from a pteridine ring. The coordinated-metal environment is a square-based pyramid, with increasing trigonality from Hg(ii) to Zn(ii) complexes. To coordinate the metals, the ligand folds itself, establishing four intramolecular σ-π interactions with the pyrimidine and pyrazine rings. A topological analysis of the electron density using the Quantum Theory of Atoms in Molecules and the complexes stability has been performed.

Chloridotetra­kis(pyridine-4-carb­alde­hyde-κN)copper(II) chloride

PubMed Central

Meng, Xiu-Jin; Zhang, Shu-Hua; Yang, Ge-Ge; Huang, Xue-Ren; Jiang, Yi-Min

2009-01-01

In the mol­ecular structure of the title compound, [CuCl(C6H5NO)4]Cl, the CuII atom is coordinated by four N atoms of four pyridine-4-carboxaldehyde ligands and one chloride anion in a slightly distorted square-pyramidal coordination geometry. There is also a non-coordinating Cl− anion in the crystal structure. The CuII atom and both Cl atoms are situated on fourfold rotation axes. A weak C—H⋯Cl inter­action is also present. PMID:21578129

(N-Benzyl-N-ethyl-dithio-carbamato)di-tert-butyl-chloridotin(IV).

PubMed

Abdul Muthalib, Amirah Faizah; Baba, Ibrahim; Mohamed Tahir, Mohamed Ibrahim; Tiekink, Edward R T

2011-02-26

The Sn(IV) atom in the title diorganotin dithio-carbamate, [Sn(C(4)H(9))(2)Cl(C(10)H(12)NS(2))], is penta-coordinated by an asymmetrically coordinating dithio-carbamate ligand, a Cl and two C atoms of the Sn-bound tert-butyl groups. The resulting C(2)ClS(2) donor set defines a coordination geometry inter-mediate between square pyramidal and trigonal bipyramidal with a slight tendency towards the former. In the crystal structure, C-H⋯π contacts link centrosymmetrically related mol-ecules into dimeric aggregates.

Revisiting the polytopal rearrangements in penta-coordinate d7-metallocomplexes: modified Berry pseudorotation, octahedral switch, and butterfly isomerization.

PubMed

Asatryan, Rubik; Ruckenstein, Eli; Hachmann, Johannes

2017-08-01

This paper provides a first-principles theoretical investigation of the polytopal rearrangements and fluxional behavior of five-coordinate d 7 -transition metal complexes. Our work is primarily based on a potential energy surface analysis of the iron tetracarbonyl hydride radical HFe˙(CO) 4 . We demonstrate the existence of distorted coordination geometries in this prototypical system and, for the first time, introduce three general rearrangement mechanisms, which account for the non-ideal coordination. The first of these mechanisms constitutes a modified version of the Berry pseudorotation via a square-based pyramidal C 4v transition state that connects two chemically identical edge-bridged tetrahedral stereoisomers of C 2v symmetry. It differs from the classical Berry mechanism, which involves two regular D 3h equilibrium structures and a C 4v transition state. The second mechanism is related to the famous "tetrahedral jump" hypothesis, postulated by Muetterties for a number of d 6 HML 4 and H 2 ML 4 complexes. Here, our study suggests two fluxional rearrangement pathways via distinct types of C 2v transition states. Both pathways of this mechanism can be described as a single-ligand migration to a vacant position of an "octahedron", thus interchanging (switching) the apical and basal ligands of the initial quasi-square pyramidal isomer, which is considered as an idealized octahedron with a vacancy. Accordingly, we call this mechanism "octahedral switch". The third mechanism follows a butterfly-type isomerization featuring a key-angle deformation, and we thus call it "butterfly isomerization". It connects the quasi-square pyramidal and edge-bridged tetrahedral isomers of HFe˙(CO) 4 through a distorted edge-bridged tetrahedral transition state of C s symmetry. Our paper discusses the overall features of the isomers and rearrangement mechanisms as well as their implications. We rationalize the existence of each stationary point through an electronic structure analysis and argue their relevance for isolobal analogues of HFe˙(CO) 4 .

Compression asphyxia from a human pyramid.

PubMed

Tumram, Nilesh Keshav; Ambade, Vipul Namdeorao; Biyabani, Naushad

2015-12-01

In compression asphyxia, respiration is stopped by external forces on the body. It is usually due to an external force compressing the trunk such as a heavy weight on the chest or abdomen and is associated with internal injuries. In present case, the victim was trapped and crushed under the falling persons from a human pyramid formation for a "Dahi Handi" festival. There was neither any severe blunt force injury nor any significant pathological natural disease contributing to the cause of death. The victim was unable to remove himself from the situation because his cognitive responses and coordination were impaired due to alcohol intake. The victim died from asphyxia due to compression of his chest and abdomen. Compression asphyxia resulting from the collapse of a human pyramid and the dynamics of its impact force in these circumstances is very rare and is not reported previously to the best of our knowledge. © The Author(s) 2015.

(N-Benzyl-N-ethyl­dithio­carbamato)di-tert-butyl­chloridotin(IV)

PubMed Central

Abdul Muthalib, Amirah Faizah; Baba, Ibrahim; Mohamed Tahir, Mohamed Ibrahim; Tiekink, Edward R. T.

2011-01-01

The SnIV atom in the title diorganotin dithio­carbamate, [Sn(C4H9)2Cl(C10H12NS2)], is penta­coordinated by an asymmetrically coordinating dithio­carbamate ligand, a Cl and two C atoms of the Sn-bound tert-butyl groups. The resulting C2ClS2 donor set defines a coordination geometry inter­mediate between square pyramidal and trigonal bipyramidal with a slight tendency towards the former. In the crystal structure, C—H⋯π contacts link centrosymmetrically related mol­ecules into dimeric aggregates. PMID:21522295

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wu, Jing-Yun, E-mail: jyunwu@ncnu.edu.tw; Tsai, Chi-Jou; Chang, Ching-Yun

A Zn(II)−salicylaldimine complex [Zn(L{sup salpyca})(H{sub 2}O)]{sub n} (1, where H{sub 2}L{sup salpyca}=4-hydroxy-3-(((pyridin-2-yl)methylimino)methyl)benzoic acid), with a one-dimensional (1D) chain structure, has been successfully converted to a discrete Ni(II)−salicylaldimine complex [Ni(L{sup salpyca})(H{sub 2}O){sub 3}] (2) and an infinite Cu(II)−salicylaldimine complex ([Cu(L{sup salpyca})]·3H{sub 2}O){sub n} (3) through a metal-ion exchange induced structural transformation process. However, such processes do not worked by Mn(II) and Co(II) ions. Solid-state structure analyses reveal that complexes 1–3 form comparable coordinative or supramolecular zigzag chains running along the crystallographic [201] direction. In addition, replacing Zn(II) ion by Ni(II) and Cu(II) ions caused changes in coordination environment and sphere ofmore » metal centers, from a 5-coordinate intermediate geometry of square pyramidal and trigonal bipyramidal in 1 to a 6-coordinate octahedral geometry in 2, and to a 4-coordiante square planar geometry in 3. This study shows that metal-ion exchange serves as a very efficient way of forming new coordination complexes that may not be obtained through direct synthesis. - Graphical abstract: A Zn(II)−salicylaldimine zigzag chain has been successfully converted to a Ni(II)−salicylaldimine supramolecular zigzag chain and a Cu(II)−salicylaldimine coordinative zigzag chain through metal-ion exchange induced structural transformations, which is not achieved by Mn(II) and Co(II) ions.« less

The mammalian neocortex new pyramidal neuron: a new conception.

PubMed

Marín-Padilla, Miguel

2014-01-06

The new cerebral cortex (neocortex) and the new type of pyramidal neuron are mammalian innovations that have evolved for operating their increasing motor capabilities while essentially using analogous anatomical and neural makeups. The human neocortex starts to develop in 6-week-old embryos with the establishment of a primordial cortical organization, which resembles the primitive cortices of amphibian and reptiles. From the 8th to the 15th week of age, new pyramidal neurons, of ependymal origin, are progressively incorporated within this primordial cortex forming a cellular plate that divides its components into those above it (neocortex first layer) and those below it (neocortex subplate zone). From the 16th week of age to birth and postnatally, the new pyramidal neurons continue to elongate functionally their apical dendrite by adding synaptic membrane to incorporate the needed sensory information for operating its developing motor activities. The new pyramidal neuron' distinguishing feature is the capacity of elongating anatomically and functionally its apical dendrite (its main receptive surface) without losing its original attachment to first layer or the location of its soma and, hence, retaining its essential nature. The number of pyramidal cell functional strata established in the motor cortex increases and reflects each mammalian species motor capabilities: the hedgehog needs two pyramidal cell functional strata to carry out all its motor activities, the mouse 3, cat 4, primates 5 and humans 6. The presence of six pyramidal cell functional strata distinguish the human motor cortex from that of others primates. Homo sapiens represent a new evolutionary stage that have transformed his primate brain for operating his unique motor capabilities, such as speaking, writing, painting, sculpturing and thinking as a premotor activity. Words used in language are the motor expression of thoughts and represent sounds produced by maneuvering the column of expiratory air by coordinated motor quivering as it passes through the larynx, pharynx, mouth, tongue, and lips. Homo sapiens cerebrum has developed new motor centers to communicate mental thoughts (and/or intention) through motor actions.

Iron(II) cage complexes of N-heterocyclic amide and bis(trimethylsilyl)amide ligands: synthesis, structure, and magnetic properties.

PubMed

Sulway, Scott A; Collison, David; McDouall, Joseph J W; Tuna, Floriana; Layfield, Richard A

2011-03-21

Metallation of hexahydropyrimidopyrimidine (hppH) by [Fe{N(SiMe(3))(2)}(2)] (1) produces the trimetallic iron(II) amide cage complex [{(Me(3)Si)(2)NFe}(2)(hpp)(4)Fe] (2), which contains three iron(II) centers, each of which resides in a distorted tetrahedral environment. An alternative, one-pot route that avoids use of the highly air-sensitive complex 1 is described for the synthesis of the iron(II)-lithium complex [{(Me(3)Si)(2)N}(2)Fe{Li(bta)}](2) (3) (where btaH = benzotriazole), in which both iron(II) centers reside in 3-coordinated pyramidal environments. The structure of 3 is also interpreted in terms of the ring laddering principle developed for alkali metal amides. Magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal that both compounds display very weak antiferromagnetic exchange between the iron(II) centers, and that the iron(II) centers in 2 and 3 possess large negative axial zero-field splittings.

Effect of housing rats within a pyramid on stress parameters.

PubMed

Bhat, Surekha; Rao, Guruprasad; Murthy, K Dilip; Bhat, P Gopalakrishna

2003-11-01

The Giza pyramids of Egypt have been the subject of much research. Pyramid models with the same base to height ratio as of the Great Pyramid of Giza, when aligned on a true north-south axis, are believed to generate, transform and transmit energy. Research done with such pyramid models has shown that they induced greater relaxation in human subjects, promoted better wound healing in rats and afforded protection against stress-induced neurodegnerative changes in mice. The present study was done to assess the effects of housing Wistar rats within the pyramid on the status of oxidative damage and antioxidant defense in their erythrocytes and cortisol levels in their plasma. Rats were housed in cages under standard laboratory conditions. Cages were left in the open (normal control), under a wooden pyramid model (experimental rats) or in a cubical box of comparable dimensions (6 hr/day for 14 days). Erythrocyte malondialdehyde and plasma cortisol levels were significantly decreased in rats kept within the pyramid as compared to the normal control and those within the square box. Erythrocyte reduced glutathione levels, erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities were significantly increased in the rats kept in the pyramid as compared to the other two groups. There was no significant difference in any of the parameters between the normal control and rats kept in the square box. The results showed that exposure of adult female Wistar rats to pyramid environment reduces stress oxidative stress and increases antioxidant defense in them.

Image-guided preoperative prediction of pyramidal tract side effect in deep brain stimulation: proof of concept and application to the pyramidal tract side effect induced by pallidal stimulation.

PubMed

Baumgarten, Clement; Zhao, Yulong; Sauleau, Paul; Malrain, Cecile; Jannin, Pierre; Haegelen, Claire

2016-04-01

Deep brain stimulation of the medial globus pallidus (GPm) is a surgical procedure for treating patients suffering from Parkinson's disease. Its therapeutic effect may be limited by the presence of pyramidal tract side effect (PTSE). PTSE is a contraction time-locked to the stimulation when the current spreading reaches the motor fibers of the pyramidal tract within the internal capsule. The objective of the study was to propose a preoperative predictive model of PTSE. A machine learning-based method called PyMAN (PTSE model based on artificial neural network) accounting for the current used in stimulation, the three-dimensional electrode coordinates and the angle of the trajectory, was designed to predict the occurrence of PTSE. Ten patients implanted in the GPm have been tested by a clinician to create a labeled dataset of the stimulation parameters that trigger PTSE. The kappa index value between the data predicted by PyMAN and the labeled data was 0.78. Further evaluation studies are desirable to confirm whether PyMAN could be a reliable tool for assisting the surgeon to prevent PTSE during the preoperative planning.

Use of zerotree coding in a high-speed pyramid image multiresolution decomposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vega-Pineda, Javier; Cabrera, Sergio D.; Lucero, Aldo

1995-03-01

A Zerotree (ZT) coding scheme is applied as a post-processing stage to avoid transmitting zero data in the High-Speed Pyramid (HSP) image compression algorithm. This algorithm has features that increase the capability of the ZT coding to give very high compression rates. In this paper the impact of the ZT coding scheme is analyzed and quantified. The HSP algorithm creates a discrete-time multiresolution analysis based on a hierarchical decomposition technique that is a subsampling pyramid. The filters used to create the image residues and expansions can be related to wavelet representations. According to the pixel coordinates and the level in the pyramid, N2 different wavelet basis functions of various sizes and rotations are linearly combined. The HSP algorithm is computationally efficient because of the simplicity of the required operations, and as a consequence, it can be very easily implemented with VLSI hardware. This is the HSP's principal advantage over other compression schemes. The ZT coding technique transforms the different quantized image residual levels created by the HSP algorithm into a bit stream. The use of ZT's compresses even further the already compressed image taking advantage of parent-child relationships (trees) between the pixels of the residue images at different levels of the pyramid. Zerotree coding uses the links between zeros along the hierarchical structure of the pyramid, to avoid transmission of those that form branches of all zeros. Compression performance and algorithm complexity of the combined HSP-ZT method are compared with those of the JPEG standard technique.

Crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of aqua-bis-(nicotinamide-κN)bis-(4-sulfamoylbenzoato-κO1)copper(II).

PubMed

Hökelek, Tuncer; Yavuz, Vijdan; Dal, Hakan; Necefoğlu, Hacali

2018-01-01

In the crystal of the title complex, [Cu(C 7 H 6 NO 4 S) 2 (C 6 H 6 N 2 O) 2 (H 2 O)], the Cu II cation and the O atom of the coordinated water mol-ecule reside on a twofold rotation axis. The Cu II ion is coordinated by two carboxyl-ate O atoms of the two symmetry-related 4-sulfamoylbenzoate (SB) anions and by two N atoms of the two symmetry-related nicotinamide (NA) mol-ecules at distances of 1.978 (2) and 2.025 (3) Å, respectively, forming a slightly distorted square-planar arrangement. The distorted square-pyramidal coordination environment is completed by the water O atom in the axial position at a distance of 2.147 (4) Å. In the crystal, the mol-ecules are linked via O-H⋯O and N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds with R 2 2 (8) and R 2 2 (18) ring motifs, forming a three-dimensional architecture. The Hirshfeld surface analysis of the crystal structure indicates that the most important contributions for the crystal packing are from H⋯O/O⋯H (42.2%), H⋯H (25.7%) and H⋯C/C⋯H (20.0%) inter-actions.

Bromidotetra-kis-(2-ethyl-1H-imidazole-κN (3))copper(II) bromide.

PubMed

Godlewska, Sylwia; Kelm, Harald; Krüger, Hans-Jörg; Dołęga, Anna

2012-12-01

The Cu(II) ion in the title mol-ecular salt, [CuBr(C5H8N2)4]Br, is coordinated in a square-pyramidal geometry by four N atoms of imidazole ligands and one bromide anion in the apical position. In the crystal, the ions are linked by N-H⋯Br hydrogen bonds involving both the coordinating and the free bromide species as acceptors. A C-H⋯Br inter-action is also observed. Overall, a three-dimensional network results.

The New Modern Mediterranean Diet Italian Pyramid.

PubMed

Vitiello, V; Germani, A; Capuzzo Dolcetta, E; Donini, L M; Del Balzo, V

2016-01-01

Epidemiological studies have established the health benefits associated with the adherence to the MD (Mediterranean Diet), mainly in relation to reducing the risk of developing the non communicable diseases. The MD is a sustainable diet model that respects the environment, promotes the bio-diversity, the local cultural heritages, the social interaction and economic aspects. The pyramid is a graphical representation designed to represent the frequencies of consumption and portion sizes of each food according to the Mediterranean model and tradition. The pyramid was developed taking into account the LARN (Reference Intake of nutrients and energy for Italian Population) and the Italian Guidelines for a healthy diet. The frequency of consumption and the portion size recommended are located at the different level of the pyramid. At the base of the pyramid there are the foods that should be consumed every meal and some concepts typical of the Mediterranean culture. In the middle there are foods that should be consumed daily and at the top of the pyramid the foods consumed on a weekly basis. The new modern MD Italian Pyramid is an important tool to promote the MD and improve the adherence to the MD dietary pattern.

Initiatives (Part 3): Food Pyramid Juggle; Transportation Initiative Circuit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kilty, Katie; Klag, Bill

2001-01-01

Presents two group activities for ages 10 and up; one instructs about food groups and reinforces healthy eating habits, while the other is a multitask physical activity stressing cooperation and coordination. Includes target group, group size, time and space needs, activity level, overview, goals, props, instructions, suggestions for framing and…

Tale of the Huanglongbing Disease Pyramid in the Context of the Citrus Microbiome.

PubMed

Wang, Nian; Stelinski, Lukasz L; Pelz-Stelinski, Kirsten S; Graham, James H; Zhang, Yunzeng

2017-04-01

The Huanglongbing (HLB) disease pyramid is composed of Liberibacters, psyllid vectors, citrus hosts, and the environment. The epidemiological outcomes for Liberibacter-associated plant diseases are collectively determined by the inherent relationships among plant-Liberibacters-psyllids, and how various environmental factors affect plant-Liberibacter-psyllid interactions. Citrus-Liberibacter-psyllid interactions occur in a complex microbiome system. In this review, we focus on the progress in understanding the HLB disease pyramid, and how the microbiome affects the HLB disease pyramid including the interaction between HLB and the citrus microbiome; the interaction between Liberibacters and psyllids; the interaction between Liberibacters and gut microbiota in psyllids; and the effect of HLB on selected above- and belowground citrus pathogens. Their implications for HLB management are also discussed.

A new copper(II) chelate complex with tridentate ligand: Synthesis, crystal and molecular electronic structure of aqua-(diethylenetriamine-N, N‧, N‧‧)-copper(II) sulfate monohydrate and its fire retardant properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lavrenyuk, H.; Mykhalichko, O.; Zarychta, B.; Olijnyk, V.; Mykhalichko, B.

2015-09-01

The crystals of a new aqua-(diethylenetriamine-N, N‧, N‧‧)-copper(II) sulfate monohydrate have been synthesized by direct interaction of solid copper(II) sulfate pentahydrate with diethylenetriamine (deta). The crystal structure of [Cu(deta)H2O]SO4ṡH2O (1) has been determined by X-ray diffraction methods at 100 K and characterized using X-ray powder diffraction pattern: space group P 1 bar, a = 7.2819(4), b = 8.4669(4), c = 8.7020(3) Å, α = 83.590(3), β = 89.620(4), γ = 84.946(4)°, Z = 2. The environment of the Cu(II) atom is a distorted, elongated square pyramid which consists of three nitrogen atoms of the deta molecule and oxygen atom of the water molecule in the basal plane of the square pyramid (the average lengths of the in-plane Cu-N and Cu-O bonds are 2.00 Å). The apical position of the coordination polyhedron is occupied by complementary oxygen atom of the sulfate anion (the length of the axial Cu-O bond is 2.421(1) Å). The crystal packing is governed by strong hydrogen bonds of O-H⋯O and N-H⋯O types. The ab initio quantum-chemical calculations have been performed by the restricted Hartree-Fock method with a basis set 6-31∗G using the structural data of [Cu(deta)H2O]SO4ṡH2O. It has been ascertained that the degenerate d-orbitals of the Cu2+ ion split under the co-action of both the square-pyramidal coordination and the chelation. It is significant that visually observed crystals color (blue-violet) of the [Cu(deta)H2O]SO4ṡH2O complex is in good agreement with the calculated value of wavelength of visible light (λ = 5735 Å) which is closely related to the energy of the absorbed photon (Δ = 2.161 eV). Furthermore, the stereo-chemical aspect of influence of the CuSO4 upon combustibility of modified epoxy-amine polymers has been scrutinized.

Aqua[bis(pyrimidin-2-yl-kappa N)amine](carbonato-kappa 2O,O')copper(II) dihydrate.

PubMed

van Albada, Gerard A; Mutikainen, Ilpo; Turpeinen, Urho; Reedijk, Jan

2002-03-01

The title mononuclear complex, [Cu(CO(3))(C(8)H(7)N(5))(H(2)O)] x 2H(2)O, was obtained by fixation of CO(2) by a mixture of copper(II) tetrafluoroborate and the ligand bis(pyrimidin-2-yl)amine in ethanol/water. The Cu(II) ion of the complex has a distorted square-pyramidal environment, with a basal plane formed by two N atoms of the ligand and two chelating O atoms of the carbonate group, while the apical position is occupied by the O atom of the coordinating water molecule. In the solid state, hydrogen-bonding interactions are dominant, the most unusual being the Watson-Crick-type coplanar ligand pairing through two N--H...N bonds. Lattice water molecules also participate in hydrogen bonding.

Cutting Solid Figures by Plane--Analytical Solution and Spreadsheet Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benacka, Jan

2012-01-01

In some secondary mathematics curricula, there is a topic called Stereometry that deals with investigating the position and finding the intersection, angle, and distance of lines and planes defined within a prism or pyramid. Coordinate system is not used. The metric tasks are solved using Pythagoras' theorem, trigonometric functions, and sine and…

Radiocarbon Ages and Environments of Deposition of the Wono and Trego Hot Springs Tephra Layers in the Pyramid Lake Subbasin, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Benson, L.V.; Smoot, J.P.; Kashgarian, Michaele; Sarna-Wojcicki, A.; Burdett, J.W.

1997-01-01

Uncalibrated radiocarbon data from core PLC92B taken from Wizards Cove in the Pyramid Lake subbasin indicate that the Trego Hot Springs and Wono tephra layers were deposited 23,200 ?? 300 and 27,300 ??300 14C yr B.P. (uncorrected for reservoir effect). Sedimentological data from sites in the Pyramid Lake and Smoke Creek-Black Rock Desert subbasins indicate that the Trego Hot Springs tephra layer was deposited during a relatively dry period when Pyramid Lake was at or below its spill point (1177 m) to the Winnemucca Lake subbasin. The Wono tephra layer was deposited when lake depth was controlled by spill across Emerson Pass sill (1207 m) to the Smoke Creek-Black Rock Desert subbasin. 18O data from core PLC92B also support the concept that the Trego Hot Springs tephra fell into a relatively shallow Pyramid Lake and that the Wono tephra fell into a deeper spilling lake. ?? 1997 University of Washington.

Image-guided preoperative prediction of pyramidal tract side effect in deep brain stimulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baumgarten, C.; Zhao, Y.; Sauleau, P.; Malrain, C.; Jannin, P.; Haegelen, C.

2016-03-01

Deep brain stimulation of the medial globus pallidus is a surgical procedure for treating patients suffering from Parkinson's disease. Its therapeutic effect may be limited by the presence of pyramidal tract side effect (PTSE). PTSE is a contraction time-locked to the stimulation when the current spreading reaches the motor fibers of the pyramidal tract within the internal capsule. The lack of side-effect predictive model leads the neurologist to secure an optimal electrode placement by iterating clinical testing on an awake patient during the surgical procedure. The objective of the study was to propose a preoperative predictive model of PTSE. A machine learning based method called PyMAN (for Pyramidal tract side effect Model based on Artificial Neural network) that accounted for the current of the stimulation, the 3D electrode coordinates and the angle of the trajectory, was designed to predict the occurrence of PTSE. Ten patients implanted in the medial globus pallidus have been tested by a clinician to create a labeled dataset of the stimulation parameters that trigger PTSE. The kappa index value between the data predicted by PyMAN and the labeled data was .78. Further evaluation studies are desirable to confirm whether PyMAN could be a reliable tool for assisting the surgeon to prevent PTSE during the preoperative planning.

Bromidotetra­kis­(2-ethyl-1H-imidazole-κN 3)copper(II) bromide

PubMed Central

Godlewska, Sylwia; Kelm, Harald; Krüger, Hans-Jörg; Dołęga, Anna

2012-01-01

The CuII ion in the title mol­ecular salt, [CuBr(C5H8N2)4]Br, is coordinated in a square-pyramidal geometry by four N atoms of imidazole ligands and one bromide anion in the apical position. In the crystal, the ions are linked by N—H⋯Br hydrogen bonds involving both the coordinating and the free bromide species as acceptors. A C—H⋯Br inter­action is also observed. Overall, a three-dimensional network results. PMID:23468738

Near-IR MCD of the nonheme ferrous active site in naphthalene 1,2-dioxygenase: correlation to crystallography and structural insight into the mechanism of Rieske dioxygenases.

PubMed

Ohta, Takehiro; Chakrabarty, Sarmistha; Lipscomb, John D; Solomon, Edward I

2008-02-06

Near-IR MCD and variable temperature, variable field (VTVH) MCD have been applied to naphthalene 1,2-dioxygenase (NDO) to describe the coordination geometry and electronic structure of the mononuclear nonheme ferrous catalytic site in the resting and substrate-bound forms with the Rieske 2Fe2S cluster oxidized and reduced. The structural results are correlated with the crystallographic studies of NDO and other related Rieske nonheme iron oxygenases to develop molecular level insights into the structure/function correlation for this class of enzymes. The MCD data for resting NDO with the Rieske center oxidized indicate the presence of a six-coordinate high-spin ferrous site with a weak axial ligand which becomes more tightly coordinated when the Rieske center is reduced. Binding of naphthalene to resting NDO (Rieske oxidized and reduced) converts the six-coordinate sites into five-coordinate (5c) sites with elimination of a water ligand. In the Rieske oxidized form the 5c sites are square pyramidal but transform to a 1:2 mixture of trigonal bipyramial/square pyramidal sites when the Rieske center is reduced. Thus the geometric and electronic structure of the catalytic site in the presence of substrate can be significantly affected by the redox state of the Rieske center. The catalytic ferrous site is primed for the O2 reaction when substrate is bound in the active site in the presence of the reduced Rieske site. These structural changes ensure that two electrons and the substrate are present before the binding and activation of O2, which avoids the uncontrolled formation and release of reactive oxygen species.

Testing the pyramid truth wavefront sensor for NFIRAOS in the lab

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mieda, Etsuko; Rosensteiner, Matthias; van Kooten, Maaike; Veran, Jean-Pierre; Lardiere, Olivier; Herriot, Glen

2016-07-01

For today and future adaptive optics observations, sodium laser guide stars (LGSs) are crucial; however, the LGS elongation problem due to the sodium layer has to be compensated, in particular for extremely large telescopes. In this paper, we describe the concept of truth wavefront sensing as a solution and present its design using a pyramid wavefront sensor (PWFS) to improve NFIRAOS (Narrow Field InfraRed Adaptive Optics System), the first light adaptive optics system for Thirty Meter Telescope. We simulate and test the truth wavefront sensor function under a controlled environment using the HeNOS (Herzberg NFIRAOS Optical Simulator) bench, a scaled-down NFIRAOS bench at NRC-Herzberg. We also touch on alternative pyramid component options because despite recent high demands for PWFSs, we suffer from the lack of pyramid supplies due to engineering difficulties.

The FINUT healthy lifestyles guide: Beyond the food pyramid.

PubMed

Gil, Angel; Ruiz-Lopez, Maria Dolores; Fernandez-Gonzalez, Miguel; Martinez de Victoria, Emilio

2014-05-01

The WHO has proposed that health be promoted and protected through the development of an environment that enables sustainable actions at individual, community, national, and global levels. Indeed, food-based dietary guidelines, i.e., food pyramids, have been developed in numerous countries to disseminate nutritional information to the general population. However, wider recommendations are needed, with information on an active healthy lifestyle, not just healthy eating. The objective of the present work is to propose a three-dimensional pyramid as a new strategy for promoting adequate nutrition and active healthy lifestyles in a sustainable way. Indeed, the Iberoamerican Nutrition Foundation (FINUT) pyramid of healthy lifestyles has been designed as a tetrahedron, with its 3 lateral faces corresponding to the facets of food and nutrition, physical activity and rest, and education and hygiene. Each lateral face is divided into 2 triangles. These faces show the following: 1) food-based guidelines and healthy eating habits as related to a sustainable environment; 2) recommendations for rest and physical activity and educational, social, and cultural issues; and 3) selected hygiene and educational guidelines that, in conjunction with the other 2 faces, would contribute to better health for people in a sustainable planet. The new FINUT pyramid is addressed to the general population of all ages and should serve as a guide for living a healthy lifestyle within a defined social and cultural context. It includes an environmental and sustainability dimension providing measures that should contribute to the prevention of noncommunicable chronic diseases. © 2014 American Society for Nutrition.

The FINUT Healthy Lifestyles Guide: Beyond the Food Pyramid123

PubMed Central

Gil, Angel; Ruiz-Lopez, Maria Dolores; Fernandez-Gonzalez, Miguel; Martinez de Victoria, Emilio

2014-01-01

The WHO has proposed that health be promoted and protected through the development of an environment that enables sustainable actions at individual, community, national, and global levels. Indeed, food-based dietary guidelines, i.e., food pyramids, have been developed in numerous countries to disseminate nutritional information to the general population. However, wider recommendations are needed, with information on an active healthy lifestyle, not just healthy eating. The objective of the present work is to propose a three-dimensional pyramid as a new strategy for promoting adequate nutrition and active healthy lifestyles in a sustainable way. Indeed, the Iberoamerican Nutrition Foundation (FINUT) pyramid of healthy lifestyles has been designed as a tetrahedron, with its 3 lateral faces corresponding to the facets of food and nutrition, physical activity and rest, and education and hygiene. Each lateral face is divided into 2 triangles. These faces show the following: 1) food-based guidelines and healthy eating habits as related to a sustainable environment; 2) recommendations for rest and physical activity and educational, social, and cultural issues; and 3) selected hygiene and educational guidelines that, in conjunction with the other 2 faces, would contribute to better health for people in a sustainable planet. The new FINUT pyramid is addressed to the general population of all ages and should serve as a guide for living a healthy lifestyle within a defined social and cultural context. It includes an environmental and sustainability dimension providing measures that should contribute to the prevention of noncommunicable chronic diseases. PMID:24829489

Crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of aqua­bis­(nicotinamide-κN)bis­(4-sulfamoylbenzoato-κO 1)copper(II)

PubMed Central

Hökelek, Tuncer; Yavuz, Vijdan; Dal, Hakan; Necefoğlu, Hacali

2018-01-01

In the crystal of the title complex, [Cu(C7H6NO4S)2(C6H6N2O)2(H2O)], the CuII cation and the O atom of the coordinated water mol­ecule reside on a twofold rotation axis. The CuII ion is coordinated by two carboxyl­ate O atoms of the two symmetry-related 4-sulfamoylbenzoate (SB) anions and by two N atoms of the two symmetry-related nicotinamide (NA) mol­ecules at distances of 1.978 (2) and 2.025 (3) Å, respectively, forming a slightly distorted square-planar arrangement. The distorted square-pyramidal coordination environment is completed by the water O atom in the axial position at a distance of 2.147 (4) Å. In the crystal, the mol­ecules are linked via O—H⋯O and N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds with R 2 2(8) and R 2 2(18) ring motifs, forming a three-dimensional architecture. The Hirshfeld surface analysis of the crystal structure indicates that the most important contributions for the crystal packing are from H⋯O/O⋯H (42.2%), H⋯H (25.7%) and H⋯C/C⋯H (20.0%) inter­actions. PMID:29416889

DNA interaction studies of new nano metal based anticancer agent: validation by spectroscopic methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tabassum, Sartaj; Sharma, Girish Chandra; Arjmand, Farukh; Azam, Ameer

2010-05-01

A new nano dimensional heterobimetallic Cu-Sn containing complex as a potential drug candidate was designed, synthesized and characterized by analytical and spectral methods. The electronic absorption and electron paramagnetic resonance parameters of the complex revealed that the Cu(II) ion exhibits a square pyramidal geometry with the two pyrazole nitrogen atoms, the amine nitrogen atom and the carboxylate oxygen of the phenyl glycine chloride ligand located at the equatorial sites and the coordinated chloride ion occupying an apical position. 119Sn NMR spectral data showed a hexa-coordinated environment around the Sn(IV) metal ion. TEM, AFM and XRD measurements illustrate that the complex could induce the condensation of CT-DNA to a particulate nanostructure. The interaction of the Cu-Sn complex with CT-DNA was investigated by UV-vis absorption and emission spectroscopy, as well as cyclic voltammetric measurements. The results indicated that the complex interacts with DNA through an electrostatic mode of binding with an intrinsic binding constant Kb = 8.42 × 104 M - 1. The Cu-Sn complex exhibits effective cleavage of pBR322 plasmid DNA by an oxidative cleavage mechanism, monitored at different concentrations both in the absence and in the presence of reducing agents.

Equilibrium between Different Coordination Geometries in Oxidovanadium(IV) Complexes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ugone, Valeria; Garribba, Eugenio; Micera, Giovanni; Sanna, Daniele

2015-01-01

In this laboratory activity, the equilibrium between square pyramidal and octahedral V(IV)O[superscript 2+] complexes is described. We propose a set of experiments to synthesize and characterize two types of V(IV)O[superscript 2+] complexes. The experiment allows great flexibility and may be effectively used at a variety of levels and the activity…

Health Care Reform, Care Coordination, and Transformational Leadership.

PubMed

Steaban, Robin Lea

2016-01-01

This article is meant to spur debate on the role of the professional nurse in care coordination as well as the role of nursing leaders for defining and leading to a future state. This work highlights the opportunity and benefits associated with transformation of professional nursing practice in response to the mandates of the Affordable Care Act of 2010. An understanding of core concepts and the work of care coordination are used to propose a model of care coordination based on the population health pyramid. This maximizes the roles of nurses across the continuum as transformational leaders in the patient/family and nursing relationship. The author explores the role of the nurse in a transactional versus transformational relationship with patients, leading to actualization of the nurse in care coordination. Focusing on the role of the nurse leader, the challenges and necessary actions for optimization of the professional nurse role are explored, using principles of transformational leadership.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wong-Ng, Winnie; Culp, Jeffrey T.; Chen, Yu-S.

The chartreuse monoclinic Ni-dpbz (Ni(L)[Ni(CN) 4], (L = 1,4-Bis(4-pyridyl)benzene, or dpbz) crystal assumes a pillared structure with layers defined by 2-D Ni[Ni(CN) 4] n nets and dpbz ligands as pillars, linking between coordinated Ni sites. In addition to the hysteretic adsorption/desorption feature of Ni-dpbz, in half of the parallelepiped-shape space enclosed by the pillars and nets, an additional dpbz ligand was found to link between the open ends of two four-fold Ni sites. This arrangement results in an unusual 5-fold pseudo square-pyramid environment for Ni and a significantly long Ni–N distance of 2.369(4) Å. The presence of disordered dimethyl sulfoxidemore » (DMSO) solvent molecules give rise to the formula of Ni(dpbz)[Ni(CN) 4]·½dpbz·0.44DMSO. Sorption isotherms showed flexible behavior during the adsorption and desorption of CO 2.« less

{2,2′-[Ethane-1,2-diylbis(nitrilo­methan­yl­yl­idene)]diphenolato}(iso­propano­lato)aluminium di­chloro­methane hemisolvate

PubMed Central

Zaitsev, Kirill V.; Kuchuk, Ekaterina A.; Karlov, Sergey S.; Zaitseva, Galina S.; Churakov, Andrei V.

2013-01-01

In the title compound, [Al(C16H14N2O2)(C3H7O)]·0.5CH2Cl2, the salen complex is monomeric and the dichlormethane solvent mol­ecule lies on a crystallographic twofold axis. The central Al atom is fivefold coordinated and possesses a square-based pyramidal environment. The Al—OAlk(iprop­yl) bond [1.7404 (14) Å] is much shorter than the Al—OAr(salen) bond lengths [1.7974 (15) and 1.8094 (14) Å]. The iso­propyl­oxo group forms an intra­molecular C—H⋯N hydrogen bond. In the crystal, the complex mol­ecules are linked by weak C—H⋯O inter­actions. PMID:24454153

Phase transitions in orthopyroxene (En 90) to 49GPa from single-crystal X-ray diffraction

DOE PAGES

Finkelstein, Gregory J.; Dera, Przemyslaw K.; Duffy, Thomas S.

2014-10-29

Synchrotron-based high-pressure single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiments were conducted on ~Mg 0.9Fe 0.1SiO 3 (En 90) orthopyroxene crystals at room temperature to a maximum pressure of 48.5 GPa. The sample was compressed in a diamond anvil cell with a neon pressure medium and a gold pressure calibrant. In addition to the previously described orthopyroxene to β-opx transition (designated HPCEN2 in previous studies), we observe two further phase transitions at 29.9 GPa and 40.3 GPa. However, we do not observe the γ-opx phase recently described in an Fe-rich orthopyroxene composition. The structures of both of the new phases were solved in spacemore » group Pca21. While their Mg-O layers remain pyroxene-like, their Si-O layers transform in a stepwise fashion to akimotoite-like sheets, with sites in 4-, 5-, or 6-fold coordination, depending on the specific structure and layer. Due to the increased Si-O coordination number, we designate the new structures α- and β-post-orthopyroxene (α-popx and β-popx). α-popx has one Si-O layer that is entirely tetrahedral, and one layer that contains both tetrahedra and 5-coordinated Si in distorted square pyramids. β-popx retains the mixed 4- and 5-coordinated Si layer found in α-popx, while the other Si layer adopts fully octahedral coordination. The α- and β-popx structures show a progressive transformation towards the arrangement of Si layers found in akimotoite, a potentially important phase in the earth’s transition zone. Metastable transformations in pyroxenes are of interest for understanding possible metastability in geological environments such as subducting slabs and meteorite impacts« less

Phase transitions in orthopyroxene (En 90) to 49GPa from single-crystal X-ray diffraction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Finkelstein, Gregory J.; Dera, Przemyslaw K.; Duffy, Thomas S.

Synchrotron-based high-pressure single-crystal X-ray diffraction experiments were conducted on ~Mg 0.9Fe 0.1SiO 3 (En 90) orthopyroxene crystals at room temperature to a maximum pressure of 48.5 GPa. The sample was compressed in a diamond anvil cell with a neon pressure medium and a gold pressure calibrant. In addition to the previously described orthopyroxene to β-opx transition (designated HPCEN2 in previous studies), we observe two further phase transitions at 29.9 GPa and 40.3 GPa. However, we do not observe the γ-opx phase recently described in an Fe-rich orthopyroxene composition. The structures of both of the new phases were solved in spacemore » group Pca21. While their Mg-O layers remain pyroxene-like, their Si-O layers transform in a stepwise fashion to akimotoite-like sheets, with sites in 4-, 5-, or 6-fold coordination, depending on the specific structure and layer. Due to the increased Si-O coordination number, we designate the new structures α- and β-post-orthopyroxene (α-popx and β-popx). α-popx has one Si-O layer that is entirely tetrahedral, and one layer that contains both tetrahedra and 5-coordinated Si in distorted square pyramids. β-popx retains the mixed 4- and 5-coordinated Si layer found in α-popx, while the other Si layer adopts fully octahedral coordination. The α- and β-popx structures show a progressive transformation towards the arrangement of Si layers found in akimotoite, a potentially important phase in the earth’s transition zone. Metastable transformations in pyroxenes are of interest for understanding possible metastability in geological environments such as subducting slabs and meteorite impacts« less

SFPQ associates to LSD1 and regulates the migration of newborn pyramidal neurons in the developing cerebral cortex.

PubMed

Saud, K; Cánovas, J; Lopez, C I; Berndt, F A; López, E; Maass, J C; Barriga, A; Kukuljan, M

2017-04-01

The development of the cerebral cortex requires the coordination of multiple processes ranging from the proliferation of progenitors to the migration and establishment of connectivity of the newborn neurons. Epigenetic regulation carried out by the COREST/LSD1 complex has been identified as a mechanism that regulates the development of pyramidal neurons of the cerebral cortex. We now identify the association of the multifunctional RNA-binding protein SFPQ to LSD1 during the development of the cerebral cortex. In vivo reduction of SFPQ dosage by in utero electroporation of a shRNA results in impaired radial migration of newborn pyramidal neurons, in a similar way to that observed when COREST or LSD1 expressions are decreased. Diminished SFPQ expression also associates to decreased proliferation of progenitor cells, while it does not affect the acquisition of neuronal fate. These results are compatible with the idea that SFPQ, plays an important role regulating proliferation and migration during the development of the cerebral cortex. Copyright © 2016 ISDN. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thorium Copper Phosphides: More Diverse Metal-Phosphorus and Phosphorus-Phosphorus Interactions than U analogues

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jin, Geng Bang; Malliakas, Christos D.; Lin, Jian

To explore the chemical analogy between thorium and heavier actinides in soft anionic environments, three new thorium phosphides (ThCuP 2, beta-ThCu 2P 2, and ThCu 5P 3) have been prepared through solid-state reactions using CuI as a reaction promoter. The structure of ThCuP 2 can be described as a filled UTe 2-type with both dimeric P 2 4- and monomeric P 3- anions, in which Th is coordinated by eight P atoms in a bicapped trigonal prismatic arrangement and Cu is tetrahedrally coordinated by four P atoms. β-ThCu 2P 2 contains only P 3- anions and is isostructural with BaCumore » 2S 2. In this structure, Th is coordinated by seven P atoms in monocapped trigonal prismatic geometry and Cu is tetrahedrally coordinated by four P atoms. ThCu 5P 3 adopts the YCo 5P 3-type structure consisting of P 3- anions. This structure contains Th atoms coordinated by six P atoms in a trigonal prismatic arrangement and Cu atoms that are either tetrahedrally coordinated by four P atoms or square pyramidally coordinated by five P atoms. Electric resistivity measurements and electronic structure calculations on β-ThCu 2P 2 indicate a metal. These new compounds may be charge-balanced and formulated as Th 4+Cu +(P 2 4-) 1/2P 3-, Th 4+(Cu +) 2(P 3-) 2, and Th 4+(Cu +) 5(P 3-) 3, respectively. The structural, bonding, and property relationships between these Th compounds and related actinide and rare-earth phases are discussed. In conclusion, titled compounds display more diverse ion-ion interactions and different electronic structures from those in UCuP 2 and UCu 2P 2 that were synthesized under similar experimental conditions, suggesting divergence of thorium-phosphide chemistry from uranium-phosphide chemistry.« less

Thorium Copper Phosphides: More Diverse Metal-Phosphorus and Phosphorus-Phosphorus Interactions than U analogues

DOE PAGES

Jin, Geng Bang; Malliakas, Christos D.; Lin, Jian

2017-09-28

To explore the chemical analogy between thorium and heavier actinides in soft anionic environments, three new thorium phosphides (ThCuP 2, beta-ThCu 2P 2, and ThCu 5P 3) have been prepared through solid-state reactions using CuI as a reaction promoter. The structure of ThCuP 2 can be described as a filled UTe 2-type with both dimeric P 2 4- and monomeric P 3- anions, in which Th is coordinated by eight P atoms in a bicapped trigonal prismatic arrangement and Cu is tetrahedrally coordinated by four P atoms. β-ThCu 2P 2 contains only P 3- anions and is isostructural with BaCumore » 2S 2. In this structure, Th is coordinated by seven P atoms in monocapped trigonal prismatic geometry and Cu is tetrahedrally coordinated by four P atoms. ThCu 5P 3 adopts the YCo 5P 3-type structure consisting of P 3- anions. This structure contains Th atoms coordinated by six P atoms in a trigonal prismatic arrangement and Cu atoms that are either tetrahedrally coordinated by four P atoms or square pyramidally coordinated by five P atoms. Electric resistivity measurements and electronic structure calculations on β-ThCu 2P 2 indicate a metal. These new compounds may be charge-balanced and formulated as Th 4+Cu +(P 2 4-) 1/2P 3-, Th 4+(Cu +) 2(P 3-) 2, and Th 4+(Cu +) 5(P 3-) 3, respectively. The structural, bonding, and property relationships between these Th compounds and related actinide and rare-earth phases are discussed. In conclusion, titled compounds display more diverse ion-ion interactions and different electronic structures from those in UCuP 2 and UCu 2P 2 that were synthesized under similar experimental conditions, suggesting divergence of thorium-phosphide chemistry from uranium-phosphide chemistry.« less

Partnering against cancer today: a blueprint for coordinating efforts through communication science.

PubMed

Hesse, Bradford W; Cole, Galen E; Powe, Barbara D

2013-12-01

One of the hallmarks of the communication revolution over the past decade has been its support for participation, whether that be in the active engagement of patients searching the Web for answers to vital health questions, or in the collective energies of self-organizing communities through social media. At the same time, some of the major obstacles to achieving a full and equitable reach of evidence-based cancer control knowledge have been traced back to discontinuities in communication either within clinical care or the broader public awareness system. Communication scientists from the National Cancer Institute, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Cancer Society joined forces in 2010 to investigate ways in which communication science can be used to improve coordination and enhance participation in cancer control for the nation. From 2010 to 2013, the three organizations worked together in 1) convening two meetings designed to assess the status of funded research in communication science, 2) completing a systematic review of literature published over the previous 10 years, and 3) authoring a blueprint for coordinated efforts using the implications of communication science. The blueprint consists of three major goals: first, to identify high-yield targets of opportunity using the health impact pyramid articulated by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director, Thomas Frieden; second, to leverage opportunities within the new communication environment, including the opportunities catalyzed by national efforts to create an infrastructure for evidence implementation through health information technology; and third, to assist in coordinating efforts across collaborative entities through participative media.

Partnering Against Cancer Today: A Blueprint for Coordinating Efforts Through Communication Science

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

One of the hallmarks of the communication revolution over the past decade has been its support for participation, whether that be in the active engagement of patients searching the Web for answers to vital health questions, or in the collective energies of self-organizing communities through social media. At the same time, some of the major obstacles to achieving a full and equitable reach of evidence-based cancer control knowledge have been traced back to discontinuities in communication either within clinical care or the broader public awareness system. Communication scientists from the National Cancer Institute, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the American Cancer Society joined forces in 2010 to investigate ways in which communication science can be used to improve coordination and enhance participation in cancer control for the nation. From 2010 to 2013, the three organizations worked together in 1) convening two meetings designed to assess the status of funded research in communication science, 2) completing a systematic review of literature published over the previous 10 years, and 3) authoring a blueprint for coordinated efforts using the implications of communication science. The blueprint consists of three major goals: first, to identify high-yield targets of opportunity using the health impact pyramid articulated by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director, Thomas Frieden; second, to leverage opportunities within the new communication environment, including the opportunities catalyzed by national efforts to create an infrastructure for evidence implementation through health information technology; and third, to assist in coordinating efforts across collaborative entities through participative media. PMID:24395998

(N-Benzyl-N-isopropyl-dithio-carbamato)chloridodiphenyl-tin(IV).

PubMed

Abdul Muthalib, Amirah Faizah; Baba, Ibrahim; Mohamed Tahir, Mohamed Ibrahim; Ng, Seik Weng; Tiekink, Edward R T

2010-08-11

The Sn(IV) atom in the title organotin dithio-carbamate, [Sn(C(6)H(5))(2)(C(11)H(14)NS(2))Cl], is penta-coordinated by an asymmetrically coordinating dithio-carbamate ligand, a Cl and two ispo-C atoms of the Sn-bound phenyl groups. The resulting C(2)ClS(2) donor set defines a coordination geometry inter-mediate between square-pyramidal and trigonal-bipyramidal with a slight tendency towards the latter. The formation of close intra-molecular C-H⋯Cl and C-H⋯S contacts precludes the Cl and S atoms from forming significant inter-molecular contacts. The presence of C-H⋯π contacts leads to the formation of supra-molecular arrays that stack along the b axis.

[The finut healthy lifestyles guide: beyond the food pyramid].

PubMed

Gil, Angel; Ruiz-Lopez, Maria Dolores; Fernandez-Gonzalez, Miguel; Martinez de Victoria, Emilio

2015-05-01

The World Health Organization has proposed that health be promoted and protected through the development of an environment that enables sustainable actions at individual, community, national and global levels. Indeed, food-based dietary guidelines, i.e., food pyramids, have been developed in numerous countries to disseminate nutritional information to the general population. However, wider recommendations are needed, with information on an active, healthy lifestyle, not just healthy eating. The objective of the present work is to propose a three-dimensional pyramid as a new strategy for promoting adequate nutrition and active healthy lifestyles in a sustainable way. Indeed, the Iberomerican Nutrition Foundation (FINUT) pyramid of healthy lifestyles has been designed as a tetrahedron, its three lateral faces corresponding to the binomials food and nutrition, physical activity and rest, and education and hygiene. Each lateral face is divided into two triangles. These faces show the following: 1. food-based guidelines and healthy eating habits as related to a sustainable environment; 2. recommendations for rest and physical activity and educational, social and cultural issues; 3. selected hygiene and educational guidelines that, in conjunction with the other two faces, would contribute to better health and provide measures to promote environmental sustainability. The new FINUT pyramid is addressed to the general population of all ages and should serve as a guide for living a healthy lifestyle within a defined social and cultural context. It includes an environmental and sustainability dimension providing measures that should contribute to the prevention of non-communicable chronic diseases. Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.

Trends Among the States in Governance and Coordination of Higher Education.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chambers, M. M.

There has been a trend in state government toward tighter and tighter centralization that, though done in the name of greater economy and efficiency, is in large part a reach for political power. Not all services of the state can be performed well if integrated into a single monolithic administrative pyramid with all other state services and…

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zimmermann, Iwan; Kremer, Reinhard K.; Johnsson, Mats, E-mail: mats.johnsson@mmk.su.se

The new compounds Mn{sub 4}(TeO{sub 3})(SiO{sub 4})X{sub 2} (X=Br, Cl) were synthesized by solid state reactions in sealed evacuated silica tubes. The compounds crystallize in the monoclinic space group P2{sub 1}/m with the unit cell parameters a=5.5463(3) Å (5.49434(7) Å), b=6.4893(4) Å (6.44184(9) Å), c=12.8709(7) Å (12.60451(18) Å), β=93.559(5)° (94.1590(12)°) and Z=2 for the respective Br and Cl analogues. Manganese adopts various distorted coordination polyhedra; [MnO{sub 6}] octahedra, [MnO{sub 5}] tetragonal pyramids and [MnO{sub 2}X{sub 2}] tetrahedra. Other building blocks are [SiO{sub 4}] tetrahedra and [TeO{sub 3}] trigonal pyramids. The structure is made up from layers having no net chargemore » that are connected via weak Van der Waal interactions. The layers that are parallel to (1 1 0) consist of two manganese oxide sheets which are separated by [SiO{sub 4}] tetrahedra. On the outer sides of the sheets are the [MnO{sub 2}X{sub 2}] tetrahedra and the [TeO{sub 3}] trigonal pyramids connected so that the halide ions and the stereochemically active lone pairs on the tellurium atoms protrude from the layers. Magnetic susceptibility measurements reveal a Curie law with a Weiss temperature of θ=−153(3) K for temperatures ≥100 K and indicate antiferromagnetic ordering at T{sub N} ∼4 K. Possible structural origins of the large frustration parameter of f=38 are discussed. - Graphical abstract: Table of contents caption. The new compounds Mn{sub 4}(TeO{sub 3})(SiO{sub 4})X{sub 2} (X=Br, Cl) are layered with weak Van der Waal interactions in between the layers. Manganese adopts various distorted coordination polyhedral, other building blocks are [SiO{sub 4}] tetrahedra and [TeO{sub 3}] trigonal pyramids. Magnetic susceptibility measurements indicate antiferromagnetic ordering at low temperatures and a large frustration parameter. - Highlights: • Two new isostructural oxohalide compounds are described. • The compounds are the first examples of oxohalides containing both Te{sup 4+} and Si{sup 4+}. • Both compounds display the unusual coordination polyhedron MnO{sub 2}X{sub 2} (X=Cl, Br). • The compounds are made up of charge neutral layers connected via weak interactions. • The compounds are antiferromagnetic and display a large frustration parameter.« less

Extracellular calcium controls the expression of two different forms of ripple-like hippocampal oscillations.

PubMed

Aivar, Paloma; Valero, Manuel; Bellistri, Elisa; Menendez de la Prida, Liset

2014-02-19

Hippocampal high-frequency oscillations (HFOs) are prominent in physiological and pathological conditions. During physiological ripples (100-200 Hz), few pyramidal cells fire together coordinated by rhythmic inhibitory potentials. In the epileptic hippocampus, fast ripples (>200 Hz) reflect population spikes (PSs) from clusters of bursting cells, but HFOs in the ripple and the fast ripple range are vastly intermixed. What is the meaning of this frequency range? What determines the expression of different HFOs? Here, we used different concentrations of Ca(2+) in a physiological range (1-3 mM) to record local field potentials and single cells in hippocampal slices from normal rats. Surprisingly, we found that this sole manipulation results in the emergence of two forms of HFOs reminiscent of ripples and fast ripples recorded in vivo from normal and epileptic rats, respectively. We scrutinized the cellular correlates and mechanisms underlying the emergence of these two forms of HFOs by combining multisite, single-cell and paired-cell recordings in slices prepared from a rat reporter line that facilitates identification of GABAergic cells. We found a major effect of extracellular Ca(2+) in modulating intrinsic excitability and disynaptic inhibition, two critical factors shaping network dynamics. Moreover, locally modulating the extracellular Ca(2+) concentration in an in vivo environment had a similar effect on disynaptic inhibition, pyramidal cell excitability, and ripple dynamics. Therefore, the HFO frequency band reflects a range of firing dynamics of hippocampal networks.

USSR Report, International Affairs

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-06-05

country has millionaires and even billionaires. On a clear day, you can see the pyramids well from Muqattam Hill. All of us are familiar with them...from childhood. And of course, on one of my first days after arriving in Cairo I set off for Giza , a suburb of the Egyptian capital, to see this man...made wonder. The environs of the pyramids were deserted. The local tourist industry was literally standing idle. On catching sight of the rare

Crystal structure of aqua-1κO-{μ-2-[(2-hydroxy-ethyl)methylamino]ethanolato-2:1κ(4) O (1),N,O (2):O (1)}[μ-2,2'-(methylimino)diethanolato-1:2κ(4) O,N,O':O]dithiocyanato-1κN,2κN-chromium(III)copper(II).

PubMed

Rusanova, Julia A; Semenaka, Valentina V; Dyakonenko, Viktoriya V; Shishkin, Oleg V

2015-09-01

The title compound, [CrCu(C5H11NO2)(C5H12NO2)(NCS)2(H2O)] or [Cr(μ-mdea)Cu(μ-Hmdea)(NCS)2H2O], (where mdeaH2 is N-methylethanolamine, C5H13NO2) is formed as a neutral heterometal Cu(II)/Cr(III) complex. The mol-ecular structure of the complex is based on a binuclear {CuCr(μ-O)2} core. The coordination environment of each metal atom involves the N,O,O atoms of the tridentate ligand, one bridging O atom of the ligand and the N atom of the thio-cyanato ligands. The Cu(II) ion adopts a distorted square-pyramidal coordination while the Cr(III) ion has a distorted octa-hedral coordination geometry completed by the aqua ligand. In the crystal, the binuclear complexes are linked via two pairs of O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds to form inversion dimers, which are arranged in columns parallel to the a axis. In the μ-mdea ligand two -CH2 groups and the methyl group were refined as disordered over two sets of sites with equal occupancies. The structure was refined as a two-component twin with a twin scale factor of 0.242 (1).

(N-Benzyl-N-isopropyl­dithio­carbamato)chloridodiphenyl­tin(IV)

PubMed Central

Abdul Muthalib, Amirah Faizah; Baba, Ibrahim; Mohamed Tahir, Mohamed Ibrahim; Ng, Seik Weng; Tiekink, Edward R. T.

2010-01-01

The SnIV atom in the title organotin dithio­carbamate, [Sn(C6H5)2(C11H14NS2)Cl], is penta-coordinated by an asymmetrically coordinating dithio­carbamate ligand, a Cl and two ispo-C atoms of the Sn-bound phenyl groups. The resulting C2ClS2 donor set defines a coordination geometry inter­mediate between square-pyramidal and trigonal-bipyramidal with a slight tendency towards the latter. The formation of close intra­molecular C–H⋯Cl and C–H⋯S contacts precludes the Cl and S atoms from forming significant inter­molecular contacts. The presence of C–H⋯π contacts leads to the formation of supra­molecular arrays that stack along the b axis. PMID:21588504

Role of coordination geometry in dictating the barrier to hydride migration in d6 square-pyramidal iridium and rhodium pincer complexes.

PubMed

Findlater, Michael; Cartwright-Sykes, Alison; White, Peter S; Schauer, Cynthia K; Brookhart, Maurice

2011-08-10

Syntheses of the olefin hydride complexes [(POCOP)M(H)(olefin)][BAr(f)(4)] (6a-M, M = Ir or Rh, olefin = C(2)H(4); 6b-M, M = Ir or Rh, olefin = C(3)H(6); POCOP = 2,6-bis(di-tert-butylphosphinito)benzene; BAr(f) = tetrakis(3,5-trifluoromethylphenyl)borate) are reported. A single-crystal X-ray structure determination of 6b-Ir shows a square-pyramidal coordination geometry for Ir, with the hydride ligand occupying the apical position. Dynamic NMR techniques were used to characterize these complexes. The rates of site exchange between the hydride and the olefinic hydrogens yielded ΔG(++) = 15.6 (6a-Ir), 16.8 (6b-Ir), 12.0 (6a-Rh), and 13.7 (6b-Rh) kcal/mol. The NMR exchange data also established that hydride migration in the propylene complexes yields exclusively the primary alkyl intermediate arising from 1,2-insertion. Unexpectedly, no averaging of the top and bottom faces of the square-pyramidal complexes is observed in the NMR spectra at high temperatures, indicating that the barrier for facial equilibration is >20 kcal/mol for both the Ir and Rh complexes. A DFT computational study was used to characterize the free energy surface for the hydride migration reactions. The classical terminal hydride complexes, [M(POCOP)(olefin)H](+), are calculated to be the global minima for both Rh and Ir, in accord with experimental results. In both the Rh ethylene and propylene complexes, the transition state for hydride migration (TS1) to form the agostic species is higher on the energy surface than the transition state for in-place rotation of the coordinated C-H bond (TS2), while for Ir, TS2 is the high point on the energy surface. Therefore, only for the case of the Rh complexes is the NMR exchange rate a direct measure of the hydride migration barrier. The trends in the experimental barriers as a function of M and olefin are in good agreement with the trends in the calculated exchange barriers. The calculated barriers for the hydride migration reaction in the Rh complexes are ∼2 kcal/mol higher than for the Ir complexes, despite the fact that the energy difference between the olefin hydride ground state and the agostic alkyl structure is ∼4 kcal/mol larger for Ir than for Rh. This feature, together with the high barrier for interchange of the top and bottom faces of the complexes, is proposed to arise from the unique coordination geometry of the agostic complexes and the strong preference for a cis-divacant octahedral geometry in four-coordinate intermediates. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Evidence for encoding versus retrieval scheduling in the hippocampus by theta phase and acetylcholine

PubMed Central

Douchamps, Vincent; Jeewajee, Ali; Blundell, Pam; Burgess, Neil; Lever, Colin

2013-01-01

The formation of new memories requires new information to be encoded in the face of proactive interference from the past. Two solutions have been proposed for hippocampal region CA1: 1) acetylcholine, released in novelty, selectively suppresses excitatory projections to CA1 from CA3 (mediating the products of retrieval), while sparing entorhinal inputs (mediating novel sensory information); 2) encoding preferentially occurs at the pyramidal-layer theta peak, coincident with input from entorhinal cortex, and retrieval occurs at the trough, coincident with input from CA3, consistent with theta-phase-dependent synaptic plasticity. We examined three predictions of these models: 1) In novel environments, the preferred theta phase of CA1 place cell firing should shift closer to the CA1 pyramidal-layer theta peak, shifting the encoding-retrieval balance towards encoding; 2) The encoding-related shift in novel environments should be disrupted by cholinergic antagonism; 3) In familiar environments, cholinergic antagonism should shift the preferred theta firing phase closer to the theta trough, shifting the encoding-retrieval balance even further towards retrieval. We tested these predictions by recording from CA1 pyramidal cells in freely moving rats as they foraged in open field environments under the influence of scopolamine (an amnestic cholinergic antagonist) or vehicle (saline). Results confirmed all three predictions, supporting both the theta phase and cholinergic models of encoding-vs-retrieval dynamics. Also consistent with cholinergic enhancement of encoding, scopolamine attenuated the formation of distinct spatial representations in a new environment, reducing the extent of place cell “remapping”. PMID:23678113

Coordination Mechanism in Fast Human Movements - Experimental and Modelling Studies. Volume 1.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-02-01

journal, possible the Journal of Motor Behavior of Experimental Brain Research. I. Proposed Experimental Studies - Year 3 At the present time we are...stimulation regimens must be devised to produce sensory imparted learning which manipulates each of these brain control mechanisms. Following the...movement center in the brain , presumably via the pyramidal tract from the cerebellum to the brainstem and spinal cord (cf. Miles and Evarts, 1979

Spectral, thermal, kinetic, molecular modeling and eukaryotic DNA degradation studies for a new series of albendazole (HABZ) complexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El-Metwaly, Nashwa M.; Refat, Moamen S.

2011-01-01

This work represents the elaborated investigation for the ligational behavior of the albendazole ligand through its coordination with, Cu(II), Mn(II), Ni(II), Co(II) and Cr(III) ions. Elemental analysis, molar conductance, magnetic moment, spectral studies (IR, UV-Vis and ESR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TG and DTG) have been used to characterize the isolated complexes. A deliberate comparison for the IR spectra reveals that the ligand coordinated with all mentioned metal ions by the same manner as a neutral bidentate through carbonyl of ester moiety and NH groups. The proposed chelation form for such complexes is expected through out the preparation conditions in a relatively acidic medium. The powder XRD study reflects the amorphous nature for the investigated complexes except Mn(II). The conductivity measurements reflect the non-electrolytic feature for all complexes. In comparing with the constants for the magnetic measurements as well as the electronic spectral data, the octahedral structure was proposed strongly for Cr(III) and Ni(II), the tetrahedral for Co(II) and Mn(II) complexes but the square-pyramidal for the Cu(II) one. The thermogravimetric analysis confirms the presence or absence of water molecules by any type of attachments. Also, the kinetic parameters are estimated from DTG and TG curves. ESR spectrum data for Cu(II) solid complex confirms the square-pyramidal state is the most fitted one for the coordinated structure. The albendazole ligand and its complexes are biologically investigated against two bacteria as well as their effective effect on degradation of calf thymus DNA.

Synthesis, characterization, electrical conductivity and luminescence properties of two copper(II) complexes with tridentate N2O chelating ligands containing imine bond

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gönül, İlyas; Ay, Burak; Karaca, Serkan; Şahin, Onur; Serin, Selahattin

2018-03-01

In the present study, we describe the synthesis and characterization of two tridentate N2O donor ligands, namely, (E)-2-(((2-(diethylamino)ethyl)imino)methyl)-6-methoxyphenol (HL1) and (E)-2-(((2-(diethylamino)ethyl)imino)methyl)-6-ethoxyphenol (HL2), and their copper(II) complexes, [Cu(L1)(CH3COO)] (1), [Cu(L2)(CH3COO)] (2). They have been synthesized under conventional methods and characterized by elemental analysis, FTIR, 1H and 13C NMR, ICP-OES, TGA and GC/MS analysis. For the morphological analysis field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) was used. The geometry of the copper(II) complexes was determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The copper(II) ions are in distorted square-pyramidal coordination environments. Complexes crystallize in monoclinic space group, P21/c. The electrical conductivity and luminescence properties of 1-2 have been investigated.

Unexpected ferromagnetic interaction in a new tetranuclear copper(II) complex: synthesis, crystal structure, magnetic properties, and theoretical studies.

PubMed

Fondo, Matilde; García-Deibe, Ana M; Corbella, Monstserrat; Ruiz, Eliseo; Tercero, Javier; Sanmartín, Jesús; Bermejo, Manuel R

2005-07-11

The new tetranuclear carbonate complex [Cu2L)2(CO3)] x 8H2O (1 x 8H2O) (H3L = (2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-1,3-bis[4-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-3-azabut-3-enyl]-1,3-imidazolidine) has been obtained by two different synthetic routes and fully characterized. Recrystallization of 1 x 8H2O in methanol yields single crystals of {[(Cu2L)2(CO3)]}2 x 12H2O (1 x 6H2O), suitable for X-ray diffraction studies. The crystal structure of 1 x 6H2O shows two crystallographically different tetranuclear molecules in the asymmetric unit, 1a and 1b. Both molecules can be understood as self-assembled from two dinuclear [Cu2L]+ cations, joined by a mu4-eta(2):eta(1):eta(1) carbonate ligand. The copper atoms of each crystallographically different [(Cu2L)2(CO3)] molecule present miscellaneous coordination polyhedra: in both 1a and 1b, two metal centers are in square pyramidal environments, one displays a square planar chromophore and the other one has a geometry that can be considered as an intermediate between square pyramid and trigonal bipyramid. Magnetic studies reveal net intramolecular ferromagnetic coupling between the metal atoms. Density functional calculations allow the assignment of the different magnetic coupling constants and explain the unexpected ferromagnetic behavior, because of the presence of an unusual NCN bridging moiety and countercomplementarity of the phenoxo (or carbonate) and NCN bridges.

The role of diffusion tensor imaging tractography for Gamma Knife thalamotomy planning.

PubMed

Gomes, João Gabriel Ribeiro; Gorgulho, Alessandra Augusta; de Oliveira López, Amanda; Saraiva, Crystian Wilian Chagas; Damiani, Lucas Petri; Pássaro, Anderson Martins; Salvajoli, João Victor; de Oliveira Siqueira, Ludmila; Salvajoli, Bernardo Peres; De Salles, Antônio Afonso Ferreira

2016-12-01

OBJECTIVE The role of tractography in Gamma Knife thalamotomy (GK-T) planning is still unclear. Pyramidal tractography might reduce the risk of radiation injury to the pyramidal tract and reduce motor complications. METHODS In this study, the ventralis intermedius nucleus (VIM) targets of 20 patients were bilaterally defined using Iplannet Stereotaxy Software, according to the anterior commissure-posterior commissure (AC-PC) line and considering the localization of the pyramidal tract. The 40 targets and tractography were transferred as objects to the GammaPlan Treatment Planning System (GP-TPS). New targets were defined, according to the AC-PC line in the functional targets section of the GP-TPS. The target offsets required to maintain the internal capsule (IC) constraint of < 15 Gy were evaluated. In addition, the strategies available in GP-TPS to maintain the minimum conventional VIM target dose at > 100 Gy were determined. RESULTS A difference was observed between the positions of both targets and the doses to the IC. The lateral (x) and the vertical (z) coordinates were adjusted 1.9 mm medially and 1.3 mm cranially, respectively. The targets defined considering the position of the pyramidal tract were more medial and superior, based on the constraint of 15 Gy touching the object representing the IC in the GP-TPS. The best strategy to meet the set constraints was 90° Gamma angle (GA) with automatic shaping of dose distribution; this was followed by 110° GA. The worst GA was 70°. Treatment time was substantially increased by the shaping strategy, approximately doubling delivery time. CONCLUSIONS Routine use of DTI pyramidal tractography might be important to fine-tune GK-T planning. DTI tractography, as well as anisotropy showing the VIM, promises to improve Gamma Knife functional procedures. They allow for a more objective definition of dose constraints to the IC and targeting. DTI pyramidal tractography introduced into the treatment planning may reduce the incidence of motor complications and improve efficacy. This needs to be validated in a large clinical series.

Towards deep learning with segregated dendrites

PubMed Central

Guerguiev, Jordan; Lillicrap, Timothy P

2017-01-01

Deep learning has led to significant advances in artificial intelligence, in part, by adopting strategies motivated by neurophysiology. However, it is unclear whether deep learning could occur in the real brain. Here, we show that a deep learning algorithm that utilizes multi-compartment neurons might help us to understand how the neocortex optimizes cost functions. Like neocortical pyramidal neurons, neurons in our model receive sensory information and higher-order feedback in electrotonically segregated compartments. Thanks to this segregation, neurons in different layers of the network can coordinate synaptic weight updates. As a result, the network learns to categorize images better than a single layer network. Furthermore, we show that our algorithm takes advantage of multilayer architectures to identify useful higher-order representations—the hallmark of deep learning. This work demonstrates that deep learning can be achieved using segregated dendritic compartments, which may help to explain the morphology of neocortical pyramidal neurons. PMID:29205151

Towards deep learning with segregated dendrites.

PubMed

Guerguiev, Jordan; Lillicrap, Timothy P; Richards, Blake A

2017-12-05

Deep learning has led to significant advances in artificial intelligence, in part, by adopting strategies motivated by neurophysiology. However, it is unclear whether deep learning could occur in the real brain. Here, we show that a deep learning algorithm that utilizes multi-compartment neurons might help us to understand how the neocortex optimizes cost functions. Like neocortical pyramidal neurons, neurons in our model receive sensory information and higher-order feedback in electrotonically segregated compartments. Thanks to this segregation, neurons in different layers of the network can coordinate synaptic weight updates. As a result, the network learns to categorize images better than a single layer network. Furthermore, we show that our algorithm takes advantage of multilayer architectures to identify useful higher-order representations-the hallmark of deep learning. This work demonstrates that deep learning can be achieved using segregated dendritic compartments, which may help to explain the morphology of neocortical pyramidal neurons.

Cutting solid figures by plane - analytical solution and spreadsheet implementation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benacka, Jan

2012-07-01

In some secondary mathematics curricula, there is a topic called Stereometry that deals with investigating the position and finding the intersection, angle, and distance of lines and planes defined within a prism or pyramid. Coordinate system is not used. The metric tasks are solved using Pythagoras' theorem, trigonometric functions, and sine and cosine rules. The basic problem is to find the section of the figure by a plane that is defined by three points related to the figure. In this article, a formula is derived that gives the positions of the intersection points of such a plane and the figure edges, that is, the vertices of the section polygon. Spreadsheet implementations of the formula for cuboid and right rectangular pyramids are presented. The user can check his/her graphical solution, or proceed if he/she is not able to complete the section.

Leonard Wood, Operational Artist or Scheming Careerist?

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-12-06

and administrator of Egypt , told the British Foreign Office that there was only one man in the world capable of taking his place but, unfortunately...Pacification is a pyramid built on a base of a secured environment. In unstable environments, collaboration of the population is limited because the

Spectroscopic evaluation of Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes derived from thiosemicarbazone and semicarbazone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chandra, Sulekh; Kumar, Anil

2007-12-01

Co(II), Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes were synthesized with thiosemicarbazone (L 1) and semicarbazone (L 2) derived from 2-acetyl furan. These complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, molar conductance, magnetic moment, mass, IR, electronic and EPR spectral studies. The molar conductance measurement of the complexes in DMSO corresponds to non-electrolytic nature. All the complexes are of high-spin type. On the basis of different spectral studies six coordinated geometry may be assigned for all the complexes except Co(L) 2(SO 4) and Cu(L) 2(SO 4) [where L = L 1 and L 2] which are of five coordinated square pyramidal geometry.

Crystal structure of aqua-1κO-{μ-2-[(2-hydroxy­ethyl)methylamino]ethanolato-2:1κ4 O 1,N,O 2:O 1}[μ-2,2′-(methylimino)diethanolato-1:2κ4 O,N,O′:O]dithiocyanato-1κN,2κN-chromium(III)copper(II)

PubMed Central

Rusanova, Julia A.; Semenaka, Valentina V.; Dyakonenko, Viktoriya V.; Shishkin, Oleg V.

2015-01-01

The title compound, [CrCu(C5H11NO2)(C5H12NO2)(NCS)2(H2O)] or [Cr(μ-mdea)Cu(μ-Hmdea)(NCS)2H2O], (where mdeaH2 is N-methylethanolamine, C5H13NO2) is formed as a neutral heterometal CuII/CrIII complex. The mol­ecular structure of the complex is based on a binuclear {CuCr(μ-O)2} core. The coordination environment of each metal atom involves the N,O,O atoms of the tridentate ligand, one bridging O atom of the ligand and the N atom of the thio­cyanato ligands. The CuII ion adopts a distorted square-pyramidal coordination while the CrIII ion has a distorted octa­hedral coordination geometry completed by the aqua ligand. In the crystal, the binuclear complexes are linked via two pairs of O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds to form inversion dimers, which are arranged in columns parallel to the a axis. In the μ-mdea ligand two –CH2 groups and the methyl group were refined as disordered over two sets of sites with equal occupancies. The structure was refined as a two-component twin with a twin scale factor of 0.242 (1). PMID:26396853

Syntheses and structural characterization of iron(II) and copper(II) coordination compounds with the neutral flexible bidentate N-donor ligands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beheshti, Azizolla; Lalegani, Arash; Bruno, Giuseppe; Rudbari, Hadi Amiri

2014-08-01

Two new coordination compounds [Fe(bib)2(N3)2]n(1) and [Cu2(bpp)2(N3)4] (2) with azide and flexible ligands 1,4-bis(imidazolyl)butane (bib) and 1,3-bis(3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl)propane (bpp) were prepared and structurally characterized. In the 2D network structure of 1, the iron(II) ion lies on an inversion center and exhibits an FeN6 octahedral arrangement while in the dinuclear structure of 2, the copper(II) ion adopts an FeN5 distorted square pyramid geometry. In the complex 1, each μ2-bib acts as bridging ligand connecting two adjacent iron(II) ions while in the complex 2, the bpp ligand is coordinated to copper(II) ion in a cyclic-bidentate fashion forming an eight-membered metallocyclic ring. Coordination compounds 1 and 2 have been characterized by infrared spectroscopy, elemental analyses and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Thermal analysis of polymer 1 was also studied.

Cd (II) and holodirected lead (II) 3D-supramolecular coordination polymers based on nicotinic acid: Structure, fluorescence property and photocatalytic activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Etaiw, Safaa El-din H.; Abd El-Aziz, Dina M.; Marie, Hassan; Ali, Elham

2018-05-01

Two new supramolecular coordination polymers namely {[Cd(NA)2(H2O)]}, SCP 1 and {[Pb(NA)2]}, SCP 2, (NA = nicotinate ligand) were synthesized by self-assembly method and structurally characterized by different analytical and spectroscopic methods. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction showed that SCP 1 extend in three dimensions containing bore structure where the 3D- network is constructed via interweaving zigzag chains. The Cd atom coordinates to (O4N2) atoms forming distorted-octahedral configuration. The structure of SCP 2 extend down the projection of the b-axis creating parallel zigzag 1D-chains connected by μ2-O2 atoms and H-bonds forming a holodirected lead (II) hexagonal bi-pyramid configuration. SCP 2 extend to 3D-network via coordinate and hydrogen bonds. The thermal stability, photoluminescence properties, photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methylene blue dye (MB) under UV-irradiation and sunlight irradiation were also studied.

An alkaline tin(II) halide compound Na{sub 3}Sn{sub 2}F{sub 6}Cl: Synthesis, structure, and characterization

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Gong, Pifu; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049; Luo, Siyang

A new alkali tin(II) halide compound, Na{sub 3}Sn{sub 2}F{sub 6}Cl, is synthesized by hydrothermal method. This compound crystallizes trigonally in space group of R-3c (167), and processes a zero-dimensional (0D) structure consisted of Na{sup +} cations, Cl{sup −} anions and the isolated [SnF{sub 3}]{sup -} trigonal pyramids in which the stereochemically active 5s{sup 2} lone pair electrons are attached to the Sn{sup 2+} cations. Interestingly, the [SnF{sub 3}]{sup −} trigonal pyramids are parallel arranged in the a-b plane, while oppositely arranged in line with rotation along the c- axis. Moreover, the energy bandgap, thermal stability and electronic structure of Na{submore » 3}Sn{sub 2}F{sub 6}Cl are characterized and the results reveal that this compound has and indirect bandgap of 3.88 eV and is stable under 270 °C. - Graphical abstract: A zero-dimensional alkaline tin halide compound, Na{sub 3}Sn{sub 2}F{sub 6}Cl, is synthesized by hydrothermal method. Interestingly, both the anions and cations coordinating polyhedra exhibit order arranged with the [SnF{sub 3}]{sup -} trigonal pyramids rotating along the c- axis.« less

Dorsal CA1 interneurons contribute to acute stress-induced spatial memory deficits.

PubMed

Yu, Jing-Ying; Fang, Ping; Wang, Chi; Wang, Xing-Xing; Li, Kun; Gong, Qian; Luo, Ben-Yan; Wang, Xiao-Dong

2018-06-01

Exposure to severely stressful experiences disrupts the activity of neuronal circuits and impairs declarative memory. GABAergic interneurons coordinate neuronal network activity, but their involvement in stress-evoked memory loss remains to be elucidated. Here, we provide evidence that interneurons in area CA1 of the dorsal hippocampus partially modulate acute stress-induced memory deficits. In adult male mice, both acute forced swim stress and restraint stress impaired hippocampus-dependent spatial memory and increased the density of c-fos-positive interneurons in the dorsal CA1. Selective activation of dorsal CA1 interneurons by chemogenetics disrupted memory performance in the spatial object recognition task. In comparison, anxiety-related behavior, spatial working memory and novel object recognition memory remained intact when dorsal CA1 interneurons were overactivated. Moreover, chemogenetic activation of dorsal CA1 interneurons suppressed the activity of adjacent pyramidal neurons, whereas a single exposure to forced swim stress but not restraint stress increased the activity of CA1 pyramidal neurons. However, chemogenetic inhibition of dorsal CA1 interneurons led to spatial memory impairments and failed to attenuate acute stress-induced memory loss. These findings suggest that acute stress may overactivate interneurons in the dorsal CA1, which reduces the activity of pyramidal neurons and in turn disrupts long-term memory. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Stereochemistry of complexes with double and triple metal-ligand bonds: a continuous shape measures analysis.

PubMed

Alvarez, Santiago; Menjón, Babil; Falceto, Andrés; Casanova, David; Alemany, Pere

2014-11-17

To each coordination polyhedron we can associate a normalized coordination polyhedron that retains the angular orientation of the central atom-ligand bonds but has all the vertices at the same distance from the center. The use of shape measures of these normalized coordination polyhedra provides a simple and efficient way of discriminating angular and bond distance distortions from an ideal polyhedron. In this paper we explore the applications of such an approach to analyses of several stereochemical problems. Among others, we discuss how to discern the off-center displacement of the metal from metal-ligand bond shortening distortions in families of square planar biscarbene and octahedral dioxo complexes. The normalized polyhedron approach is also shown to be very useful to understand stereochemical trends with the help of shape maps, minimal distortion pathways, and ligand association/dissociation pathways, illustrated by the Berry and anti Berry distortions of triple-bonded [X≡ML4] complexes, the square pyramidal geometries of Mo coordination polyhedra in oxido-reductases, the coordination geometries of actinyl complexes, and the tetrahedricity of heavy atom-substituted carbon centers.

Molecular and electronic structures of mononuclear iron complexes using strongly electron-donating ligands and their oxidized forms.

PubMed

Strautmann, Julia B H; George, Serena DeBeer; Bothe, Eberhard; Bill, Eckhard; Weyhermüller, Thomas; Stammler, Anja; Bögge, Hartmut; Glaser, Thorsten

2008-08-04

The ligand L (2-) (H 2L = N, N'-dimethyl- N, N'-bis(3,5-di- t-butyl-2-hydroxybenzyl)-1,2-diaminoethane) has been employed for the synthesis of two mononuclear Fe (III) complexes, namely, [LFe(eta (2)-NO 3)] and [LFeCl]. L (2-) is comprised of four strongly electron-donating groups (two tert-amines and two phenolates) that increase the electron density at the coordinated ferric ions. This property should facilitate oxidation of the complexes, that is, stabilization of the oxidized species. The molecular structures in the solid state have been established by X-ray diffraction studies. [LFeCl] is five-coordinate in a square-pyramidal coordination environment with the ligand adopting a trans-conformation, while [LFe(eta (2)-NO 3)] is six-coordinate in a distorted octahedral environment with the ligand in a beta-cis conformation. The electronic structures have been studied using magnetization, EPR, Mossbauer (with and without applied field), UV-vis-NIR, and X-ray absorption spectroscopies, which demonstrate highly anisotropic covalency from the strong sigma- and pi-donating phenolates. This analysis is supported by DFT calculations on [LFeCl]. The variations of the well-understood spectroscopic data in the solid state to the spectroscopic data in solution have been used to obtain insight in the molecular structure of the two complexes in solution. While the molecular structures of the solid states are retained in solutions of nonpolar aprotic solvents, there is, however, one common molecular structure in all protic polar solvents. The analysis of the LMCT transitions and the rhombicity E/ D clearly establish that both compounds exhibit a beta-cis conformation in these protic polar solvents. These two open coordination sites, cis to each other, allow access for two potential ligands in close proximity. Electrochemical analysis establishes two reversible oxidation waves for [LFeCl] at +0.55 V and +0.93 V vs Fc (+)/Fc and one reversible oxidation wave at +0.59 V with an irreversible oxidation at +1.07 V vs Fc (+)/Fc for [LFe(eta (2)-NO 3)]. The one- and the two-electron oxidations of [LFeCl] by chronoamperometry have been followed spectroscopically. The increase of a strong band centered at 420 nm indicates the formulation of [LFeCl] (+) as a Fe (III) monophenoxyl radical complex and of [LFeCl] (2+) as a Fe (III) bisphenoxyl radical complex. These studies imply that the ligand L (2-) is capable of providing a flexible coordination geometry with two binding sites for substrates and the allocation of two oxidation equivalents on the ligand.

Syntheses, structures, and magnetic properties of a family of heterometallic heptanuclear [Cu5Ln2] (Ln = Y(III), Lu(III), Dy(III), Ho(III), Er(III), and Yb(III)) complexes: observation of SMM behavior for the Dy(III) and Ho(III) analogues.

PubMed

Chandrasekhar, Vadapalli; Dey, Atanu; Das, Sourav; Rouzières, Mathieu; Clérac, Rodolphe

2013-03-04

Sequential reaction of the multisite coordination ligand (LH3) with Cu(OAc)2·H2O, followed by the addition of a rare-earth(III) nitrate salt in the presence of triethylamine, afforded a series of heterometallic heptanuclear complexes containing a [Cu5Ln2] core {Ln = Y(1), Lu(2), Dy(3), Ho(4), Er(5), and Yb(6)}. Single-crystal X-ray crystallography reveals that all the complexes are dicationic species that crystallize with two nitrate anions to compensate the charge. The heptanuclear aggregates in 1-6 are centrosymmetrical complexes, with a hexagonal-like arrangement of six peripheral metal ions (two rare-earth and four copper) around a central Cu(II) situated on a crystallographic inversion center. An all-oxygen environment is found to be present around the rare-earth metal ions, which adopt a distorted square-antiprismatic geometry. Three different Cu(II) sites are present in the heptanuclear complexes: two possess a distorted octahedral coordination sphere while the remaining one displays a distorted square-pyramidal geometry. Detailed static and dynamic magnetic properties of all the complexes have been studied and revealed the single-molecule magnet behavior of the Dy(III) and Ho(III) derivatives.

Low-resistance gateless high electron mobility transistors using three-dimensional inverted pyramidal AlGaN/GaN surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

So, Hongyun; Senesky, Debbie G.

2016-01-01

In this letter, three-dimensional gateless AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) were demonstrated with 54% reduction in electrical resistance and 73% increase in surface area compared with conventional gateless HEMTs on planar substrates. Inverted pyramidal AlGaN/GaN surfaces were microfabricated using potassium hydroxide etched silicon with exposed (111) surfaces and metal-organic chemical vapor deposition of coherent AlGaN/GaN thin films. In addition, electrical characterization of the devices showed that a combination of series and parallel connections of the highly conductive two-dimensional electron gas along the pyramidal geometry resulted in a significant reduction in electrical resistance at both room and high temperatures (up to 300 °C). This three-dimensional HEMT architecture can be leveraged to realize low-power and reliable power electronics, as well as harsh environment sensors with increased surface area.

Nickel Ligation of the N-Terminal Amine of HypA Is Required for Urease Maturation in Helicobacter pylori.

PubMed

Hu, Heidi Q; Johnson, Ryan C; Merrell, D Scott; Maroney, Michael J

2017-02-28

The human pathogen Helicobacter pylori requires nickel for colonization of the acidic environment of the stomach. HypA, a Ni metallochaperone that is typically associated with hydrogenase maturation, is also required for urease maturation and acid survival of H. pylori. There are two proposed Ni site structures for HypA; one is a paramagnetic six-coordinate site characterized by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) in unmodified HypA, while another is a diamagnetic four-coordinate planar site characterized by solution nuclear magnetic resonance in an N-terminally modified HypA construct. To determine the role of the N-terminal amine in Ni binding of HypA, an N-terminal extension variant, L2*-HypA, in which a leucine residue was inserted into the second position of the amino acid sequence in the proposed Ni-binding motif, was characterized in vitro and in vivo. Structural characterization of the Ni site using XAS showed a coordination change from six-coordinate in wild-type HypA (WT-HypA) to five-coordinate pyramidal in L2*-HypA, which was accompanied by the loss of two N/O donor protein ligands and the addition of an exogenous bromide ligand from the buffer. The magnetic properties of the Ni sites in WT-HypA compared to those of the Ni sites in L2*-HypA confirmed that a spin-state change from high to low spin accompanied this change in structure. The L2*-HypA H. pylori strain was shown to be acid sensitive and deficient in urease activity in vivo. In vitro characterization showed that L2*-HypA did not disrupt the HypA-UreE interaction that is essential for urease maturation but was at least 20-fold weaker in Ni binding than WT-HypA. Characterization of the L2*-HypA variant clearly demonstrates that the N-terminal amine of HypA is involved in proper Ni coordination and is necessary for urease activity and acid survival.

Nickel Ligation of the N-Terminal Amine of HypA Is Required for Urease Maturation in Helicobacter pylori

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hu, Heidi Q.; Johnson, Ryan C.; Merrell, D. Scott

The human pathogen Helicobacter pylori requires nickel for colonization of the acidic environment of the stomach. HypA, a Ni metallochaperone that is typically associated with hydrogenase maturation, is also required for urease maturation and acid survival of H. pylori. There are two proposed Ni site structures for HypA; one is a paramagnetic six-coordinate site characterized by X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) in unmodified HypA, while another is a diamagnetic four-coordinate planar site characterized by solution nuclear magnetic resonance in an N-terminally modified HypA construct. To determine the role of the N-terminal amine in Ni binding of HypA, an N-terminal extension variant,more » L2*-HypA, in which a leucine residue was inserted into the second position of the amino acid sequence in the proposed Ni-binding motif, was characterized in vitro and in vivo. Structural characterization of the Ni site using XAS showed a coordination change from six-coordinate in wild-type HypA (WT-HypA) to five-coordinate pyramidal in L2*-HypA, which was accompanied by the loss of two N/O donor protein ligands and the addition of an exogenous bromide ligand from the buffer. The magnetic properties of the Ni sites in WT-HypA compared to those of the Ni sites in L2*-HypA confirmed that a spin-state change from high to low spin accompanied this change in structure. The L2*-HypA H. pylori strain was shown to be acid sensitive and deficient in urease activity in vivo. In vitro characterization showed that L2*-HypA did not disrupt the HypA–UreE interaction that is essential for urease maturation but was at least 20-fold weaker in Ni binding than WT-HypA. Characterization of the L2*-HypA variant clearly demonstrates that the N-terminal amine of HypA is involved in proper Ni coordination and is necessary for urease activity and acid survival.« less

Consensus structures of the Mo(v) sites of sulfite-oxidizing enzymes derived from variable frequency pulsed EPR spectroscopy, isotopic labelling and DFT calculations.

PubMed

Enemark, John H

2017-10-10

Sulfite-oxidizing enzymes from eukaryotes and prokaryotes have five-coordinate distorted square-pyramidal coordination about the molybdenum atom. The paramagnetic Mo(v) state is easily generated, and over the years four distinct CW EPR spectra have been identified, depending upon enzyme source and the reaction conditions, namely high and low pH (hpH and lpH), phosphate inhibited (P i ) and sulfite (or blocked). Extensive studies of these paramagnetic forms of sulfite-oxidizing enzymes using variable frequency pulsed electron spin echo (ESE) spectroscopy, isotopic labeling and density functional theory (DFT) calculations have led to the consensus structures that are described here. Errors in some of the previously proposed structures are corrected.

Working toward Healthy and Sustainable Diets: The "Double Pyramid Model" Developed by the Barilla Center for Food and Nutrition to Raise Awareness about the Environmental and Nutritional Impact of Foods.

PubMed

Ruini, Luca Fernando; Ciati, Roberto; Pratesi, Carlo Alberto; Marino, Massimo; Principato, Ludovica; Vannuzzi, Eleonora

2015-01-01

The Barilla Center for Food and Nutrition has produced an updated version of the traditional food pyramid based on the Mediterranean diet in order to assess the simultaneous impact that food has on human health and the environment. The Double Pyramid Model demonstrates how the foods recommended to be consumed most frequently are also those exerting less environmental impact, whereas the foods that should be consumed less frequently are those characterized by a higher environmental impact. The environmental impacts resulting from three different menus were compared. All menus were equally balanced and comparable in terms of nutrition, but they differed in relation to the presence of absence of animal flesh and animal products. The first dietary pattern (omnivorous) included both animal flesh and products; the second (lacto-ovo-vegetarian) included animal products (eggs and dairy) but no flesh; and the third (vegan) was solely plant-based. The results obtained suggest that a diet based on the principles of the Mediterranean diet, as suggested by the Double Pyramid, generates a lower environmental impact compared to diets that are heavily based on daily meat consumption.

Principles of disaster management lesson. 12: structuring organizations.

PubMed

Cuny, F C

2001-01-01

This lesson discusses various structures for organizations that have functional roles in disaster responses, relief, and/or management activities. It distinguishes between pyramidal and matrix structures, and notes the advantages and disadvantages of each in relation to disasters. Span of control issues are dissected including the impact of the "P" factor on the performance of disaster managers and workers including its relationship to the coordination and control function. The development of a Table of Organization and how it relates to departmentalization within an organization also is provided.

Zinc ascorbate: a combined experimental and computational study for structure elucidation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ünaleroǧlu, C.; Zümreoǧlu-Karan, B.; Mert, Y.

2002-03-01

The structure of Zn(HA)2·4H2O (HA=ascorbate) has been examined by a number of techniques (13C NMR, 1H NMR, IR, EI/MS and TGA) and also modeled by the semi-empirical PM3 method. The experimental and computational results agreed on a five-fold coordination around Zn(II) where one ascorbate binds monodentately, the other bidentately and two water molecules occupy the remaining sites of a distorted square pyramid.

Behavior-dependent specialization of identified hippocampal interneurons

PubMed Central

Lapray, Damien; Lasztoczi, Balint; Lagler, Michael; Viney, Tim James; Katona, Linda; Valenti, Ornella; Hartwich, Katja; Borhegyi, Zsolt; Somogyi, Peter; Klausberger, Thomas

2012-01-01

A large variety of GABAergic interneurons control information processing in hippocampal circuits governing the formation of neuronal representations. Whether distinct hippocampal interneuron types contribute differentially to information-processing during behavior is not known. We employed a novel technique for recording and labeling interneurons and pyramidal cells in drug-free, freely-moving rats. Recorded parvalbumin-expressing basket interneurons innervate somata and proximal pyramidal cell dendrites, whereas nitric-oxide-synthase- and neuropeptide-Y-expressing ivy cells provide synaptic and extrasynaptic dendritic modulation. Basket and ivy cells showed distinct spike timing dynamics, firing at different rates and times during theta and ripple oscillations. Basket but not ivy cells changed their firing rates during movement, sleep and quiet wakefulness, suggesting that basket cells coordinate cell assemblies in a behavioral state-contingent manner, whereas persistently-firing ivy cells might control network excitability and homeostasis. Different interneuron types provide GABA to specific subcellular domains at defined times and rates, thus differentially controlling network activity during behavior. PMID:22864613

Sleep and Movement Differentiates Actions of Two Types of Somatostatin-Expressing GABAergic Interneuron in Rat Hippocampus

PubMed Central

Katona, Linda; Lapray, Damien; Viney, Tim J.; Oulhaj, Abderrahim; Borhegyi, Zsolt; Micklem, Benjamin R.; Klausberger, Thomas; Somogyi, Peter

2014-01-01

Summary Neuropeptides acting on pre- and postsynaptic receptors are coreleased with GABA by interneurons including bistratified and O-LM cells, both expressing somatostatin but innervating segregated dendritic domains of pyramidal cells. Neuropeptide release requires high-frequency action potentials, but the firing patterns of most peptide/GABA-releasing interneurons during behavior are unknown. We show that behavioral and network states differentiate the activities of bistratified and O-LM cells in freely moving rats. Bistratified cells fire at higher rates during sleep than O-LM cells and, unlike O-LM cells, strongly increase spiking during sharp wave-associated ripples (SWRs). In contrast, O-LM interneurons decrease firing during sleep relative to awake states and are mostly inhibited during SWRs. During movement, both cell types fire cooperatively at the troughs of theta oscillations but with different frequencies. Somatostatin and GABA are differentially released to distinct dendritic zones of CA1 pyramidal cells during sleep and wakefulness to coordinate segregated glutamatergic inputs from entorhinal cortex and CA3. PMID:24794095

Prefrontal Parvalbumin Neurons in Control of Attention

PubMed Central

Kim, Hoseok; Ährlund-Richter, Sofie; Wang, Xinming; Deisseroth, Karl; Carlén, Marie

2016-01-01

Summary While signatures of attention have been extensively studied in sensory systems, the neural sources and computations responsible for top-down control of attention are largely unknown. Using chronic recordings in mice, we found that fast-spiking parvalbumin (FS-PV) interneurons in medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) uniformly show increased and sustained firing during goal-driven attentional processing, correlating to the level of attention. Elevated activity of FS-PV neurons on the timescale of seconds predicted successful execution of behavior. Successful allocation of attention was characterized by strong synchronization of FS-PV neurons, increased gamma oscillations, and phase locking of pyramidal firing. Phase-locked pyramidal neurons showed gamma-phase-dependent rate modulation during successful attentional processing. Optogenetic silencing of FS-PV neurons deteriorated attentional processing, while optogenetic synchronization of FS-PV neurons at gamma frequencies had pro-cognitive effects and improved goal-directed behavior. FS-PV neurons thus act as a functional unit coordinating the activity in the local mPFC circuit during goal-driven attentional processing. PMID:26771492

Crystal structure of bis­(μ-N-hy­droxy­picolin­amid­ato)bis­[bis­(N-hy­droxy­picolinamide)­sodium

PubMed Central

Safyanova, Inna S.; Ohui, Kateryna A.; Omelchenko, Irina V.

2017-01-01

The title compound, [Na2(C6H5N2O2)2(C6H6N2O2)4], is a centrosymmetric coordination dimer based on the sodium(I) salt of N-hy­droxy­picolinamide. The mol­ecule has an {Na2O6(μ-O)2} core with two bridging carbonyl O atoms and two hydroxamate O atoms of two mono-deprotonated residues of N-hy­droxy­picolinamide, while two neutral N-hy­droxy­picolinamide mol­ecules are coordinated in a monodentate manner to each sodium ion via the carbonyl O atoms [the Na—O distances range from 2.3044 (2) to 2.3716 (2) Å]. The penta­coordinated sodium ion exhibits a distorted trigonal–pyramidal coordination polyhedron. In the crystal, the coordination dimers are linked into chains along the c axis via N—H⋯O and N—H⋯N hydrogen bonds; the chains are linked into a two-dimensional framework parallel to (100) via weak C—H⋯O and π–π stacking inter­actions. PMID:28083127

Crystal structure and high-temperature properties of the Ruddlesden–Popper phases Sr{sub 3−x}Y{sub x}(Fe{sub 1.25}Ni{sub 0.75})O{sub 7−δ} (0≤x≤0.75)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Samain, Louise; Amshoff, Philipp; Biendicho, Jordi J.

2015-07-15

Ruddlesden–Popper n=2 member phases Sr{sub 3−x}Y{sub x}Fe{sub 1.25}Ni{sub 0.75}O{sub 7−δ}, 0≤x≤0.75, have been investigated by X-ray and neutron powder diffraction, thermogravimetry and Mössbauer spectroscopy. Both samples as-prepared at 1300 °C under N{sub 2}(g) flow and samples subsequently air-annealed at 900 °C were studied. The as-prepared x=0.75 phase is highly oxygen deficient with δ=1, the O1 atom site being vacant, and the Fe{sup 3+}/Ni{sup 2+} ions having a square pyramidal coordination. For as-prepared phases with lower x values, the Mössbauer spectral data are in good agreement with the presence of both 5- and 4-coordinated Fe{sup 3+} ions, implying in addition amore » partial occupancy of the O3 atom sites that form the basal plane of the square pyramid. The air-annealed x=0.75 sample has a δ value of 0.61(1) and the structure has Fe/Ni ions in both square pyramids and octahedra. Mössbauer spectroscopy shows the phase to contain only Fe{sup 3+}, implying that all Ni is present as Ni{sup 3+}. Air-annealed phases with lower x values are found to contain both Fe{sup 3+} and Fe{sup 4+}. For both the as-prepared and the air-annealed samples, the Y{sup 3+} cations are found to be mainly located in the perovskite block. The high-temperature thermal expansion of as-prepared and air-annealed x=0.75 phases were investigated by high-temperature X-ray diffraction and dilatometry and the linear thermal expansion coefficient determined to be 14.4 ppm K{sup −1}. Electrical conductivity measurements showed that the air-annealed samples have higher conductivity than the as-prepared ones. - Highlights: • Ruddlesden–Popper, n=2, Sr{sub 3−x}Y{sub x}Fe{sub 1.25}Ni{sub 0.75}O{sub 7−δ}, 0≤x≤0.75, have been synthesised. • The crystal structures of the phases have been determined. • Sr{sub 2.25}Y{sub 0.75}Fe{sub 1.25}Ni{sub 0.75}O{sub 6}, made in N{sub 2}(g) has Fe{sup 3+}/Ni{sup 2+} in square pyramides. • Sr{sub 2.25}Y{sub 0.75}Fe{sub 1.25}Ni{sub 0.75}O{sub 6.4}, made in air has Fe{sup 3+}/Ni{sup 3+} in square pyramides and octahedra. • Air annealed samples have higher electrical conductivity than N{sub 2}(g) annealed.« less

Hydration of copper(II): new insights from density functional theory and the COSMO solvation model.

PubMed

Bryantsev, Vyacheslav S; Diallo, Mamadou S; van Duin, Adri C T; Goddard, William A

2008-09-25

The hydrated structure of the Cu(II) ion has been a subject of ongoing debate in the literature. In this article, we use density functional theory (B3LYP) and the COSMO continuum solvent model to characterize the structure and stability of [Cu(H2O)n](2+) clusters as a function of coordination number (4, 5, and 6) and cluster size (n = 4-18). We find that the most thermodynamically favored Cu(II) complexes in the gas phase have a very open four-coordinate structure. They are formed from a stable square-planar [Cu(H2O)8](2+) core stabilized by an unpaired electron in the Cu(II) ion d(x(2)-y(2)) orbital. This is consistent with cluster geometries suggested by recent mass-spectrometric experiments. In the aqueous phase, we find that the more compact five-coordinate square-pyramidal geometry is more stable than either the four-coordinate or six-coordinate clusters in agreement with recent combined EXAFS and XANES studies of aqueous solutions of Cu(II). However, a small energetic difference (approximately 1.4 kcal/mol) between the five- and six-coordinate models with two full hydration shells around the metal ion suggests that both forms may coexist in solution.

Design and fabrication of a 3D-structured gold film with nanopores for local electric field enhancement in the pore

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grant-Jacob, James A.; Zin Oo, Swe; Carpignano, Francesca; Boden, Stuart A.; Brocklesby, William S.; Charlton, Martin D. B.; Melvin, Tracy

2016-02-01

Three-dimensionally structured gold membrane films with nanopores of defined, periodic geometries are designed and fabricated to provide the spatially localised enhancement of electric fields by manipulation of the plasmons inside nanopores. Square nanopores of different size and orientation relative to the pyramid are considered for films in aqueous and air environments, which allow for control of the position of electric fields within the structure. Designs suitable for use with 780 nm light were created. Here, periodic pyramidal cavities produced by potassium hydroxide etching to the {111} planes of (100) silicon substrates are used as templates for creating a periodic, pyramidal structured, free-standing thin gold film. Consistent with the findings from the theoretical studies, a nano-sized hole of 50 nm square was milled through the gold film at a specific location in the cavity to provide electric field control which can subsequently used for enhancement of fluorescence or Raman scattering of molecules in the nanopore.

Design and fabrication of a 3D-structured gold film with nanopores for local electric field enhancement in the pore.

PubMed

Grant-Jacob, James A; Oo, Swe Zin; Carpignano, Francesca; Boden, Stuart A; Brocklesby, William S; Charlton, Martin D B; Melvin, Tracy

2016-02-12

Three-dimensionally structured gold membrane films with nanopores of defined, periodic geometries are designed and fabricated to provide the spatially localised enhancement of electric fields by manipulation of the plasmons inside nanopores. Square nanopores of different size and orientation relative to the pyramid are considered for films in aqueous and air environments, which allow for control of the position of electric fields within the structure. Designs suitable for use with 780 nm light were created. Here, periodic pyramidal cavities produced by potassium hydroxide etching to the {111} planes of (100) silicon substrates are used as templates for creating a periodic, pyramidal structured, free-standing thin gold film. Consistent with the findings from the theoretical studies, a nano-sized hole of 50 nm square was milled through the gold film at a specific location in the cavity to provide electric field control which can subsequently used for enhancement of fluorescence or Raman scattering of molecules in the nanopore.

Working toward Healthy and Sustainable Diets: The “Double Pyramid Model” Developed by the Barilla Center for Food and Nutrition to Raise Awareness about the Environmental and Nutritional Impact of Foods

PubMed Central

Ruini, Luca Fernando; Ciati, Roberto; Pratesi, Carlo Alberto; Marino, Massimo; Principato, Ludovica; Vannuzzi, Eleonora

2015-01-01

The Barilla Center for Food and Nutrition has produced an updated version of the traditional food pyramid based on the Mediterranean diet in order to assess the simultaneous impact that food has on human health and the environment. The Double Pyramid Model demonstrates how the foods recommended to be consumed most frequently are also those exerting less environmental impact, whereas the foods that should be consumed less frequently are those characterized by a higher environmental impact. The environmental impacts resulting from three different menus were compared. All menus were equally balanced and comparable in terms of nutrition, but they differed in relation to the presence of absence of animal flesh and animal products. The first dietary pattern (omnivorous) included both animal flesh and products; the second (lacto-ovo-vegetarian) included animal products (eggs and dairy) but no flesh; and the third (vegan) was solely plant-based. The results obtained suggest that a diet based on the principles of the Mediterranean diet, as suggested by the Double Pyramid, generates a lower environmental impact compared to diets that are heavily based on daily meat consumption. PMID:25988137

Balanced ionotropic receptor dynamics support signal estimation via voltage-dependent membrane noise.

PubMed

Marcoux, Curtis M; Clarke, Stephen E; Nesse, William H; Longtin, Andre; Maler, Leonard

2016-01-01

Encoding behaviorally relevant stimuli in a noisy background is critical for animals to survive in their natural environment. We identify core biophysical and synaptic mechanisms that permit the encoding of low-frequency signals in pyramidal neurons of the weakly electric fish Apteronotus leptorhynchus, an animal that can accurately encode even miniscule amplitude modulations of its self-generated electric field. We demonstrate that slow NMDA receptor (NMDA-R)-mediated excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) are able to summate over many interspike intervals (ISIs) of the primary electrosensory afferents (EAs), effectively eliminating the baseline EA ISI correlations from the pyramidal cell input. Together with a dynamic balance of NMDA-R and GABA-A-R currents, this permits stimulus-evoked changes in EA spiking to be transmitted efficiently to target electrosensory lobe (ELL) pyramidal cells, for encoding low-frequency signals. Interestingly, AMPA-R activity is depressed and appears to play a negligible role in the generation of action potentials. Instead, we hypothesize that cell-intrinsic voltage-dependent membrane noise supports the encoding of perithreshold sensory input; this noise drives a significant proportion of pyramidal cell spikes. Together, these mechanisms may be sufficient for the ELL to encode signals near the threshold of behavioral detection. Copyright © 2016 the American Physiological Society.

Synthesis and decomposition of a novel carboxylate precursor to indium oxide

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hepp, Aloysius F.; Andras, Maria T.; Duraj, Stan A.; Clark, Eric B.; Hehemann, David G.; Scheiman, Daniel A.; Fanwick, Phillip E.

1994-01-01

Reaction of metallic indium with benzoyl peroxide in 4-1 methylpyridine (4-Mepy) at 25 C produces an eight-coordinate mononuclear indium(III) benzoate, In(eta(sup 2)-O2CC6H5)3(4-Mepy)2 4H2O (I), in yields of up to 60 percent. The indium(III) benzoate was fully characterized by elemental analysis, spectroscopy, and X-ray crystallography; (I) exists in the crystalline state as discrete eight-coordinate molecules; the coordination sphere around the central indium atom is best described as pseudo-square pyramidal. Thermogravimetric analysis of (I) and X-ray diffraction powder studies on the resulting pyrolysate demonstrate that this new benzoate is an inorganic precursor to indium oxide. Decomposition of (I) occurs first by loss of 4-methylpyridine ligands (100 deg-200 deg C), then loss of benzoates with formation of In2O3 at 450 C. We discuss both use of carboxylates as precursors and our approach to their preparation.

Crystal structure of tetra-kis-(μ3-2-{[1,1-bis-(hy-droxy-meth-yl)-2-oxidoeth-yl]imino-meth-yl}phenolato)tetra-copper(II) ethanol monosolvate 2.5-hydrate.

PubMed

Wang, Weilun; Ran, Jingwen

2015-05-01

The title compound, [Cu4(C11H13NO4)4]·CH3CH2OH·2.5H2O, is an electronically neutral tetra-nuclear copper(II) complex with a cubane-like Cu4O4 core. The complete molecule has point group symmetry 2. The phenol hy-droxy group and one of the three alcohol hy-droxy groups of each 2-{[tris-(hy-droxy-meth-yl)meth-yl]imino-meth-yl}phenol ligand are depro-ton-ated, while the secondary amine and the other two hy-droxy groups remain unchanged. The Cu(II) atoms in the Cu4O4 core are connected by four μ3-O atoms from the deprotonated alcohol hy-droxy groups. Each of the penta-coordinated Cu(II) ions has an NO4 distorted square-pyramidal environment through coordination to the tridentate Schiff base ligands. The Cu-N/O bond lengths span the range 1.902 (4)-1.955 (4) Å, similar to values reported for related structures. There are O-H⋯O hydrogen-bond inter-actions between the complex molecules and the ethanol and water solvent molecules, leading to the formation of a three-dimensional network. The ethanol solvent molecule is disordered about a twofold rotation axis. One of the two independent water molecules is also located on this twofold rotation axis and shows half-occupancy.

Paleokarst processes in the Eocene limestones of the Pyramids Plateau, Giza, Egypt

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El Aref, M. M.; Refai, E.

The Eocene limestones of the Pyramids plateau are characterized by landforms of stepped terraced escarpment and karst ridges with isolated hills. The carbonate country rocks are also dominated by minor surface, surface to subsurface and subsurface solution features associated with karst products. The systematic field observations eludicate the denudation trend of the minor solution features and suggest the origin of the regional landscapes. The lithologic and structural characters of the limestone country rocks comprise the main factors controlling the surface and subsurface karst evolution. The development of the karst features and the associated sediments in the study area provides information on the paleohydrolic, chemical and climatic environments involved in the origin of the karstification.

Low-spin manganese(II) and high-spin manganese(III) complexes derived from disalicylaldehyde oxaloyldihydrazone: Synthesis, spectral characterization and electrochemical studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Syiemlieh, Ibanphylla; Kumar, Arvind; Kurbah, Sunshine D.; De, Arjune K.; Lal, Ram A.

2018-01-01

Low-spin manganese(II) complexes [MnII(H2slox)].H2O (1), [MnII(H2slox)(SL)] (where SL (secondary ligand) = pyridine (py, 2), 2-picoline (2-pic, 3), 3-picoline (3-pic, 4), and 4-picoline (4-pic, 5) and high-spin manganese(III) complex Na(H2O)4[MnIII(slox)(H2O)2].2.5H2O have been synthesized from disalicyaldehyde oxaloyldihydrazone in methanolic - water medium. The composition of complexes has been established by elemental analyses and thermoanalytical data. The structures of the complexes have been discussed on the basis of data obtained from molar conductance, UV visible, 1H NMR, infrared spectra, magnetic moment and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopic studies. Conductivity measurements in DMF suggest that the complexes (1-5) are non-electrolyte while the complex (6) is 1:1 electrolyte. The electronic spectral studies and magnetic moment data suggest five - coordinate square pyramidal structure for the complexes (2-5) and square planar geometry for manganese(II) in complex (1). In complex (6), both sodium and manganese(III) have six coordinate octahedral geometry. IR spectral studies reveal that the dihydrazone coordinates to the manganese centre in keto form in complexes (1-5) and in enol form in complex (6). In all complexes, the ligand is present in anti-cis configuration. Magnetic moment and EPR studies indicate manganese in +2 oxidation state in complexes (1-5), with low-spin square planar complex (1) and square pyramidal stereochemistries complexes (2-5) while in +3 oxidation state in high-spin distorted octahedral stereochemistry in complex (6). The complex (1) involves significant metal - metal interaction in the solid state. All of the complexes show only one metal centred electron transfer reaction in DMF solution in cyclic voltammetric studies. The complexes (1-5) involve MnII→MnI redox reaction while the complex (6) involves MnIII→MnII redox reaction, respectively.

Supramolecular architectures in Co(II) and Cu(II) complexes with thiophene-2-carboxylate and 2-amino-4,6-dimethoxypyrimidine ligands.

PubMed

Karthikeyan, Ammasai; Thomas Muthiah, Packianathan; Perdih, Franc

2016-05-01

The coordination chemistry of mixed-ligand complexes continues to be an active area of research since these compounds have a wide range of applications. Many coordination polymers and metal-organic framworks are emerging as novel functional materials. Aminopyrimidine and its derivatives are flexible ligands with versatile binding and coordination modes which have been proven to be useful in the construction of organic-inorganic hybrid materials and coordination polymers. Thiophenecarboxylic acid, its derivatives and their complexes exhibit pharmacological properties. Cobalt(II) and copper(II) complexes of thiophenecarboxylate have many biological applications, for example, as antifungal and antitumor agents. Two new cobalt(II) and copper(II) complexes incorporating thiophene-2-carboxylate (2-TPC) and 2-amino-4,6-dimethoxypyrimidine (OMP) ligands have been synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction studies, namely (2-amino-4,6-dimethoxypyrimidine-κN)aquachlorido(thiophene-2-carboxylato-κO)cobalt(II) monohydrate, [Co(C5H3O2S)Cl(C6H9N3O2)(H2O)]·H2O, (I), and catena-poly[copper(II)-tetrakis(μ-thiophene-2-carboxylato-κ(2)O:O')-copper(II)-(μ-2-amino-4,6-dimethoxypyrimidine-κ(2)N(1):N(3))], [Cu2(C5H3O2S)4(C6H9N3O2)]n, (II). In (I), the Co(II) ion has a distorted tetrahedral coordination environment involving one O atom from a monodentate 2-TPC ligand, one N atom from an OMP ligand, one chloride ligand and one O atom of a water molecule. An additional water molecule is present in the asymmetric unit. The amino group of the coordinated OMP molecule and the coordinated carboxylate O atom of the 2-TPC ligand form an interligand N-H...O hydrogen bond, generating an S(6) ring motif. The pyrimidine molecules also form a base pair [R2(2)(8) motif] via a pair of N-H...N hydrogen bonds. These interactions, together with O-H...O and O-H...Cl hydrogen bonds and π-π stacking interactions, generate a three-dimensional supramolecular architecture. The one-dimensional coordination polymer (II) contains the classical paddle-wheel [Cu2(CH3COO)4(H2O)2] unit, where each carboxylate group of four 2-TPC ligands bridges two square-pyramidally coordinated Cu(II) ions and the apically coordinated OMP ligands bridge the dinuclear copper units. Each dinuclear copper unit has a crystallographic inversion centre, whereas the bridging OMP ligand has crystallographic twofold symmetry. The one-dimensional polymeric chains self-assemble via N-H...O, π-π and C-H...π interactions, generating a three-dimensional supramolecular architecture.

Fast intramolecular electron transfer and dual fluorescence. Configurational change of the amino nitrogen (pyramidal{yields}planar)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Haar, Th. von der; Hebecker, A.; Il'Ichev, Yu.

1996-04-01

The fast excited state intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) and dual fluorescence observed with several 4-aminobenzonitriles is discussed. It is shown that the magnitude of the energy gap between the two lowest excited states determines the occurrence or absence of ICT. The photophysical behavior of a series of four 4-aminobenzonitriles in which the amino nitrogen atom is part of a four- to seven-membered heterocyclic ring, P4C to P7C, is studied by using time-resolved fluorescence measurements. The ICT rate constant strongly decreases with decreasing ring size. With P4C in diethyl ether ICT does not occur. This is attributed to the increase ofmore » the amino nitrogen inversion barrier with decreasing ring size. The change of the amino nitrogen from pyramidal to planar is considered to be an important reaction coordinate. The photophysics of the 4-aminobenzonitriles is different from that of other ICT systems such as donor/acceptor-substituted stilbenes and 9,9'-bianthryl, which are governed by the charge distribution and macroscopic Coulombic interaction in their CT states.« less

Fast intramolecular electron transfer and dual fluorescence. Configurational change of the amino nitrogen (pyramidal-->planar)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

von der Haar, Th.; Hebecker, A.; Il'Ichev, Yu.; Kühnle, W.; Zachariasse, K. A.

1996-04-01

The fast excited state intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) and dual fluorescence observed with several 4-aminobenzonitriles is discussed. It is shown that the magnitude of the energy gap between the two lowest excited states determines the occurrence or absence of ICT. The photophysical behavior of a series of four 4-aminobenzonitriles in which the amino nitrogen atom is part of a four- to seven-membered heterocyclic ring, P4C to P7C, is studied by using time-resolved fluorescence measurements. The ICT rate constant strongly decreases with decreasing ring size. With P4C in diethyl ether ICT does not occur. This is attributed to the increase of the amino nitrogen inversion barrier with decreasing ring size. The change of the amino nitrogen from pyramidal to planar is considered to be an important reaction coordinate. The photophysics of the 4-aminobenzonitriles is different from that of other ICT systems such as donor/acceptor-substituted stilbenes and 9,9'-bianthryl, which are governed by the charge distribution and macroscopic Coulombic interaction in their CT states.

Harmonizing water management and social needs: a necessary condition for sustainable development. The case of Israel's coastal aquifer.

PubMed

Melloul, Abraham J; Collin, Martin L

2003-04-01

This study focuses on the problem of most efficiently fulfilling the water requirements of society for sustainable water resources management. The goal is to coordinate effectively the social needs of the resident population with operational water resources management planning.The proposed approach consists of a pyramidal hierarchy of water resource management needs, similar to that suggested by psychologist Abraham Maslow for human social needs. The two pyramidal hierarchies can be simultaneously employed to delineate guidelines to synchronize planning for sustainable water resources development with the concerns and expectations of the resident population. In both hierarchies, higher level needs remain irrelevant and difficult to attain until lower level needs of the resident population have been fulfilled. Management planning measures employed with regard to Israel's coastal aquifer have been used to illustrate this approach. Observation of Israel's experience indicates markedly reduced effectiveness where such measures have failed to be properly synchronised with societal needs. Conversely, where hydrological management measures were successfully synchronized with societal concerns, increased efficiency towards attaining sustainable groundwater management was evident.

Synthesis, characterization, X-ray crystal structure and conductometry studying of a number of new Schiff base complexes; a new example of binuclear square pyramidal geometry of Cu(II) complex bridged with an oxo group

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golbedaghi, Reza; Alavipour, Ehsan

2015-11-01

Three new binuclear Cu(II), Mn(II), Co(II) complexes [Cu2(L) (ClO4)](ClO4)2 (1), [Mn2(L) (ClO4)](ClO4)2 (2), and [Co2(L) (ClO4)](ClO4)2 (3), {L = 1,3-bis(2-((Z)-(2-aminopropylimino)methyl)phenoxy)propan-2-ol} have been synthesized. Single crystal X-ray structure analysis of complex 1 showed that the complex is binuclear and all nitrogen and oxygen atoms of ligand (N4O3) are coordinated to two Cu(II) center ions. In addition, the crystal structure studying shows, a perchlorate ion has been bridged to the Cu(II) metal centers. However, two distorted square pyramidal Cu(II) ions are bridged asymmetrically by a perchlorate ion and oxygen of hydroxyl group of Schiff base ligand. In addition, the conductometry behaviors of all complexes were studied in acetonitrile solution.

Chrna2-Martinotti Cells Synchronize Layer 5 Type A Pyramidal Cells via Rebound Excitation

PubMed Central

Leão, Richardson N.; Edwards, Steven J.

2017-01-01

Martinotti cells are the most prominent distal dendrite–targeting interneurons in the cortex, but their role in controlling pyramidal cell (PC) activity is largely unknown. Here, we show that the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor α2 subunit (Chrna2) specifically marks layer 5 (L5) Martinotti cells projecting to layer 1. Furthermore, we confirm that Chrna2-expressing Martinotti cells selectively target L5 thick-tufted type A PCs but not thin-tufted type B PCs. Using optogenetic activation and inhibition, we demonstrate how Chrna2-Martinotti cells robustly reset and synchronize type A PCs via slow rhythmic burst activity and rebound excitation. Moreover, using optical feedback inhibition, in which PC spikes controlled the firing of surrounding Chrna2-Martinotti cells, we found that neighboring PC spike trains became synchronized by Martinotti cell inhibition. Together, our results show that L5 Martinotti cells participate in defined cortical circuits and can synchronize PCs in a frequency-dependent manner. These findings suggest that Martinotti cells are pivotal for coordinated PC activity, which is involved in cortical information processing and cognitive control. PMID:28182735

The crystal structures of potassium and cesium trivanadates

USGS Publications Warehouse

Evans, H.T.; Block, S.

1966-01-01

Potassium and cesium trivanadates are monoclinic and isomorphous, space group P21/m, with the following dimensions (Z = 2): KV3O8, a = 7.640 A, b = 8.380 A, c = 4.979 A, ??= 96?? 57???; CsV3O8, a = 8.176 A, b = 8.519 A, c = 4.988 A, ?? = 95?? 32???. The crystal structure of KV3O8 has been determined from hk0, 0kl, and h0l Weissenberg data with an R factor of 0.15. The structure of CsV3O8 has been refined with 1273 hkl Weissenberg data to an R factor of 0.089. The structures consist of corrugated sheets based on a linkage of distorted VO6, octahedra. Two of the vanadium atoms lie in double, square-pyramid groups V2O8, which are linked through opposite basal corners into chains along the b axis. The chains are joined laterally along the c axis into sheets by the third vanadium atom in VO groups, also forming part of a square-pyramid coordination. Various aspects of these structures are compared with other known oxovanadate structures.

Structural characterization of tellurite glasses doped with transition metal oxides using Raman spectra and ab initio calculations.

PubMed

Mohamed, Tarek A; Shaltout, I; Al Yahyaei, K M

2006-05-01

Systems of iron tellurite glasses were prepared by melt quenching with compositions of [85%TeO2+5%Fe2O3+10%TMO], where transition metal oxides (TMO) are TiO2, V2O5, MnO, CoO, NiO and CuO. Furthermore, the main structural units of these samples have been characterized by means of Raman spectra (150-1200 cm(-1)) as well as wavenumber predictions by means of Gaussian 98 ab initio calculations for the proposed site symmetries of TeO4(4-) triagonal bipyramid (C2v) and Te2O7(6-) bridged tetrahedra (Cs and C1). Aided by normal coordinate analysis, calculated vibrational frequencies, Raman scattering activities, force constants in internal coordinates and potential energy distributions (PEDs), revised vibrational assignments for the fundamental modes have been proposed. The main structural features are correlated to the dominant units of triagonal bipyramid (tbp) or bridged tetrahedral (TeO3+1 binds to TeO3 through TeOTe bridge; corner sharing). Moreover, the Raman spectra of the investigated tellurites reflect a structural change from tbp (coordination number is four) to triagonal pyramidal (coordination number is three).

Preventing Unintentional Injuries in the Home Using the Health Impact Pyramid

PubMed Central

Mack, Karin A.; Liller, Karen D.; Baldwin, Grant; Sleet, David

2015-01-01

Injuries continue to be the leading cause of death for the first four decades of life. These injuries result from a confluence of behavioral, physical, structural, environmental, and social factors. Taken together, these illustrate the importance of taking a broad and multileveled approach to injury prevention. Using examples from fall, fire, scald, and poisoning-related injuries, this article illustrates the utility of an approach that incorporates a social–environmental perspective in identifying and selecting interventions to improve the health and safety of individuals. Injury prevention efforts to prevent home injuries benefit from multilevel modifications of behavior, public policy, laws and enforcement, the environment, consumer products and engineering standards, as demonstrated with Frieden’s Health Impact Pyramid. A greater understanding, however, is needed to explain the associations between tiers. While interventions that include modifications of the social environment are being field-tested, much more work needs to be done in measuring social–environmental change and in evaluating these programs to disentangle what works best. PMID:25829110

Preventing unintentional injuries in the home using the Health Impact Pyramid.

PubMed

Mack, Karin A; Liller, Karen D; Baldwin, Grant; Sleet, David

2015-04-01

Injuries continue to be the leading cause of death for the first four decades of life. These injuries result from a confluence of behavioral, physical, structural, environmental, and social factors. Taken together, these illustrate the importance of taking a broad and multileveled approach to injury prevention. Using examples from fall, fire, scald, and poisoning-related injuries, this article illustrates the utility of an approach that incorporates a social-environmental perspective in identifying and selecting interventions to improve the health and safety of individuals. Injury prevention efforts to prevent home injuries benefit from multilevel modifications of behavior, public policy, laws and enforcement, the environment, consumer products and engineering standards, as demonstrated with Frieden's Health Impact Pyramid. A greater understanding, however, is needed to explain the associations between tiers. While interventions that include modifications of the social environment are being field-tested, much more work needs to be done in measuring social-environmental change and in evaluating these programs to disentangle what works best. © 2015 Society for Public Health Education.

Extreme Inverted Trophic Pyramid of Reef Sharks Supported by Spawning Groupers.

PubMed

Mourier, Johann; Maynard, Jeffrey; Parravicini, Valeriano; Ballesta, Laurent; Clua, Eric; Domeier, Michael L; Planes, Serge

2016-08-08

The extent of the global human footprint [1] limits our understanding of what is natural in the marine environment. Remote, near-pristine areas provide some baseline expectations for biomass [2, 3] and suggest that predators dominate, producing an inverted biomass pyramid. The southern pass of Fakarava atoll-a biosphere reserve in French Polynesia-hosts an average of 600 reef sharks, two to three times the biomass per hectare documented for any other reef shark aggregations [4]. This huge biomass of predators makes the trophic pyramid inverted. Bioenergetics models indicate that the sharks require ∼90 tons of fish per year, whereas the total fish production in the pass is ∼17 tons per year. Energetic theory shows that such trophic structure is maintained through subsidies [5-9], and empirical evidence suggests that sharks must engage in wide-ranging foraging excursions to meet energy needs [9, 10]. We used underwater surveys and acoustic telemetry to assess shark residency in the pass and feeding behavior and used bioenergetics models to understand energy flow. Contrary to previous findings, our results highlight that sharks may overcome low local energy availability by feeding on fish spawning aggregations, which concentrate energy from other local trophic pyramids. Fish spawning aggregations are known to be targeted by sharks, but they were previously believed to play a minor role representing occasional opportunistic supplements. This research demonstrates that fish spawning aggregations can play a significant role in the maintenance of local inverted pyramids in pristine marine areas. Conservation of fish spawning aggregations can help conserve shark populations, especially if combined with shark fishing bans. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Effects of undernourishment, recurrent seizures and enriched environment during early life in hippocampal morphology.

PubMed

Alvarez, Paula Steffen; Simão, Fabrício; Hemb, Marta; Xavier, Léder Leal; Nunes, Magda Lahorgue

2014-04-01

It has been recently shown that enriched environment led to a significant benefit in learning and retention of visual-spatial memory, being able to reverse the cognitive impairment generated by undernourishment and recurrent seizures. We investigated the hippocampal morphological effects of recurrent seizures and undernourishment early in life in Wistar rats and the possible benefits produced by the enriched environment in these conditions. The morphological parameters stereologically evaluated were hippocampal volume, thickness of pyramidal stratum of the CA1 subfield and neuronal and glial densities in the same subfield. Male Wistar rats were divided into eight groups including nourished, nourished+enriched environment, nourished+recurrent seizures, nourished+recurrent seizures+enriched environment, undernourished, undernourished+enriched environment, undernourished+recurrent seizures and undernourished+recurrent seizures+enriched environment. Undernourishment model consisted in nutritional deprivation regimen from post-natal day 2 (P2) to P15. From P8 to P10, recurrent seizures group were induced by flurothyl three times per day. Enriched environment groups were exposed between P21 and P51. Our main findings were: (1) animals submitted to the enriched environment showed an increased hippocampal volume; (2) enriched environment promotes increases in the thickness of the pyramidal layer in hippocampal CA1 subfield in animals nourished and undernourished with recurrent seizures; (3) undernourishment during early development decreased neuronal density in CA1 and CA3 subfields. Our findings show that these three conditions induces important changes in hippocampal morphology, the most deleterious changes are induced by undernourishment and recurrent seizures, while more beneficial morphological changes are produced by enriched environment. Copyright © 2014 ISDN. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neuronal Diversity in GABAergic Long-Range Projections from the Hippocampus

PubMed Central

Jinno, Shozo; Klausberger, Thomas; Marton, Laszlo F.; Dalezios, Yannis; Roberts, J. David B.; Fuentealba, Pablo; Bushong, Eric A.; Henze, Darrell; Buzsáki, György; Somogyi, Peter

2008-01-01

The formation and recall of sensory, motor, and cognitive representations require coordinated fast communication among multiple cortical areas. Interareal projections are mainly mediated by glutamatergic pyramidal cell projections; only few long-range GABAergic connections have been reported. Using in vivo recording and labeling of single cells and retrograde axonal tracing, we demonstrate novel long-range GABAergic projection neurons in the rat hippocampus: (1) somatostatin- and predominantly mGluR1α-positive neurons in stratum oriens project to the subiculum, other cortical areas, and the medial septum; (2) neurons in stratum oriens, including somatostatin-negative ones; and (3) trilaminar cells project to the subiculum and/or other cortical areas but not the septum. These three populations strongly increase their firing during sharp wave-associated ripple oscillations, communicating this network state to the septotemporal system. Finally, a large population of somatostatin-negative GABAergic cells in stratum radiatum project to the molecular layers of the subiculum, presubiculum, retrosplenial cortex, and indusium griseum and fire rhythmically at high rates during theta oscillations but do not increase their firing during ripples. The GABAergic projection axons have a larger diameter and thicker myelin sheet than those of CA1 pyramidal cells. Therefore, rhythmic IPSCs are likely to precede the arrival of excitation in cortical areas (e.g., subiculum) that receive both glutamatergic and GABAergic projections from the CA1 area. Other areas, including the retrosplenial cortex, receive only rhythmic GABAergic CA1 input. We conclude that direct GABAergic projections from the hippocampus to other cortical areas and the septum contribute to coordinating oscillatory timing across structures. PMID:17699661

Active browsing using similarity pyramids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jau-Yuen; Bouman, Charles A.; Dalton, John C.

1998-12-01

In this paper, we describe a new approach to managing large image databases, which we call active browsing. Active browsing integrates relevance feedback into the browsing environment, so that users can modify the database's organization to suit the desired task. Our method is based on a similarity pyramid data structure, which hierarchically organizes the database, so that it can be efficiently browsed. At coarse levels, the similarity pyramid allows users to view the database as large clusters of similar images. Alternatively, users can 'zoom into' finer levels to view individual images. We discuss relevance feedback for the browsing process, and argue that it is fundamentally different from relevance feedback for more traditional search-by-query tasks. We propose two fundamental operations for active browsing: pruning and reorganization. Both of these operations depend on a user-defined relevance set, which represents the image or set of images desired by the user. We present statistical methods for accurately pruning the database, and we propose a new 'worm hole' distance metric for reorganizing the database, so that members of the relevance set are grouped together.

Development of a pyramidal wavefront sensor test-bench at INO

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Turbide, Simon; Wang, Min; Gauvin, Jonny; Martin, Olivier; Savard, Maxime; Bourqui, Pascal; Veran, Jean-Pierre; Deschenes, William; Anctil, Genevieve; Chateauneuf, François

2013-12-01

The key technical element of the adaptive optics in astronomy is the wavefront sensing (WFS). One of the advantages of the pyramid wavefront sensor (P-WFS) over the widely used Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor seems to be the increased sensitivity in closed-loop applications. A high-sensitivity and large dynamic-range WFS, such as P-WFS technology, still needs to be further investigated for proper justification in future Extremely Large Telescopes application. At INO, we have recently carried out the optical design, testing and performance evaluation of a P-WFS bench setup. The optical design of the bench setup mainly consists of the super-LED fiber source, source collimator, spatial light modulator (SLM), relay lenses, tip-tilt mirror, Fourier-transforming lens, and a four-faceted glass pyramid with a large vertex angle as well as pupil re-imaged optics. The phase-only SLM has been introduced in the bench setup to generate atmospheric turbulence with a maximum phase shift of more than 2π at each pixel (256 grey levels). Like a modified Foucault knife-edge test, the refractive pyramid element is used to produce four images of the entrance pupil on a CCD camera. The Fourier-transforming lens, which is used before the pyramid prism, is designed for telecentric output to allow dynamic modulation (rotation of the beam around the pyramid-prism center) from a tip-tilt mirror. Furthermore, a P-WFS diffraction-based model has been developed. This model includes most of the system limitations such as the SLM discrete voltage steps and the CCD pixel pitch. The pyramid effects (edges and tip) are considered as well. The modal wavefront reconstruction algorithm relies on the construction of an interaction matrix (one for each modulation's amplitude). Each column of the interaction matrix represents the combination of the four pupil images for a given wavefront aberration. The nice agreement between the data and the model suggest that the limitation of the system is not the P-WFS itself, but rather its environment such as source intensity fluctuation and vibration of the optical bench. Finally, the phase-reconstruction errors of the P-WFS have been compared to those of a Shack-Hartmann, showing the regions of interest of the former system. The bench setup will be focusing on the astronomy application as well as commercial applications, such as bio-medical application etc.

Jurisdiction of the Medical Ethics Committees.

PubMed

Voljč, Božidar

2017-10-01

Ethical principles of assessing medical research are to the greatest extent defined by the Nuremberg Code, the Declarations of Geneva and Helsinki, and the Oviedo Convention. Pursuant to their directives various national Medical Ethics Committees (MECs) were established which assess the ethics of research according to the risk and benefit ratio of the persons involved. Following the example of other countries, medical ethics committees eventually appeared also in hospitals and some medical and educational institutions around Slovenia. Due to an increased number of ethical challenges, it is of great importance to define the jurisdiction of the Slovenian MECs in order to ensure their coordinated operation. Exclusive jurisdiction of the national MEC includes multicentre and multi-national research, drug research (phases 1-3), high-risk research and research related to doctoral theses. The jurisdiction of the sectoral MECs includes testing the conditions for research, monitoring the execution and overviewing the final reports. A more significant jurisdiction of the sectoral MEC is preserving an ethical environment in their institutions. A network of Slovenian MECs is to be organised in the form of a jurisdiction pyramid where each member has its own obligations and responsibilities and plays an important role in relation to the entire structure.

X-ray crystal structure and theoretical study of a new dinuclear Cu(II) complex with two different geometry centers bridged with an oxo group

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golbedaghi, Reza; Azimi, Saeid; Molaei, Atefeh; Hatami, Masoud; Notash, Behrouz

2017-10-01

A new Schiff base ligand HL, 1,3-bis(2-((Z)-(2-aminoethylimino)methyl)phenoxy)ethylene di amine, has been synthesized from the reaction of a new aldehyde and ethylenediamine. After preparation the Schiff base, a new dinuclear Cu(II) complex with two different geometry for each metal ion was synthesized. Single crystal X-ray structure analysis of the complex Cu(II) showed that the complex is binuclear and all nitrogen and oxygen atoms of ligand (N4O3) are coordinated to two Cu(II) center ions. The crystal structure studying shows, a perchlorate ion has been coordinated to the two Cu(II) metal centers as bridged and another perchlorate coordinated to the one of Cu(II) ion as terminal. However, two interesting structures square pyramidal and distorted octahedral Cu(II) ions are bridged asymmetrically by a perchlorate ion and oxygen of hydroxyl group of Schiff base ligand. In addition, we had a theoretical study to have a comparison of experimental and theoretical results we determined the HOMO and LUMO orbitals.

Novel Route to Transition Metal Isothiocyanate Complexes Using Metal Powders and Thiourea

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Harris, Jerry D.; Eckles, William E.; Hepp, Aloysius F.; Duraj, Stan A.; Hehemann, David G.; Fanwick, Phillip E.; Richardson, John

2003-01-01

A new synthetic route to isothiocyanate-containing materials is presented. Eight isothiocyanate- 4-methylpyridine (y-picoline) compounds were prepared by refluxing metal powders (Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu) with thiourea in y-picoline. With the exception of compound 5,prepared with Co, the isothiocyanate ligand was generated in situ by the isomerization of thiourea to NH4+SCN- at reflux temperatures. The complexes were characterized by x-ray crystallography. Compounds 1,2, and 8 are the first isothiocyanate- 4-methylpyridine anionic compounds ever prepared and structurally characterized. Compounds 1 and 2 are isostructural with four equatorially bound isothiocyanate ligands and two axially bound y-picoline molecules. Compound 8 is a five-coordinate copper(II) molecule with a distorted square-pyramidal geometry. Coordinated picoline and two isothiocyanates form the basal plane and the remaining isothiocyanate is bound at the apex. Structural data are presented for all compounds.

Synthesis, characterization and antimicrobial activity of some nickel, cadmium and mercury complexes of 5-methyl pyrazole-3yl-N-(2‧-methylthiophenyl) methyleneimine, (MPzOATA) ligand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mandal, Susmita; Mondal, Monojit; Biswas, Jayanta Kumar; Cordes, David B.; Slawin, Alexandra M. Z.; Butcher, Ray J.; Saha, Manan; Chandra Saha, Nitis

2018-01-01

Herein, we report the syntheses and structures of Ni(II) complexes, [Ni(MPzOATA)2] (Cl) (PF6) (I), [Ni(MPzOATA)2](ClO4)2.CH3CN (II) & [Ni(MPzOATA)2](BF4)2.H2O (III); Cd(II) complex, [Cd(MPzOATA)Cl2]2 (IV) and a Hg(II) complex, [Hg(MPzOATA)Cl2] (V), of a pyrazole based 'NNS' donor ligand, 5-methylpyrazole-3yl-N-(2‧-methylthiophenyl)methyleneimine, (MPzOATA). The complexes are characterized by elemental analyses, electronic, IR, 1H- NMR (only for IV &V) spectral parameters, conductivity and fluorescence measurements. X-ray crystallographic data of the complexes reveal that the Ni(II) complexes have NiN4S2 octahedral coordination, one of them is a mixed-anion complex having Cl- and PF6- as counter anions; the Cd(II) complex is a chloro bridged binuclear complex with octahedral coordination environment around each metal centre, while the Hg(II) complex is a square pyramidal one. Among the reported complex species, the Ni(II) complexes are non-fluorescent, while the Cd(II) and Hg(II) complexes can be used as potential photoactive materials as indicated from their characteristic emission properties. The reported complexes are screened for their antimicrobial activities against some Gram positive and Gram negative microbial strains, and they are found to be potential antimicrobial agents in broad spectrum against both Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chumakov, Yu. M.; Tsapkov, V. I., E-mail: vtsapkov@gmail.com; Antosyak, B. Ya.

Nitrato-4-bromo-2-[(2-hydroxyethylimino)methyl]phenolatoimidazolecopper and nitrato-4-chloro-2-[(2-hydroxyethylimino)methyl]phenolatoimidazolecopper were synthesized and studied by X-ray diffraction. The crystals are isostructural. The coordination polyhedron of the copper atom can be described as a distorted square pyramid whose basal plane is formed by the phenolic and alcoholic oxygen atoms and the nitrogen atom of the monodeprotonated tridentate azomethine molecule and the imidazole nitrogen atom. The apex of the copper polyhedron is occupied by the oxygen atom of the nitrato group. The complexes are linked together by hydrogen bonds with the participation of the nitrato groups to form a three-dimensional framework.

Rationalizing the structural variability of the exocyclic amino groups in nucleobases and their metal complexes: cytosine and adenine.

PubMed

Fonseca Guerra, Célia; Sanz Miguel, Pablo J; Cebollada, Andrea; Bickelhaupt, F Matthias; Lippert, Bernhard

2014-07-28

The exocyclic amino groups of cytosine and adenine nucleobases are normally almost flat, with the N atoms essentially sp(2) hybridized and the lone pair largely delocalized into the heterocyclic rings. However, a change to marked pyramidality of the amino group (N then sp(3) hybridized, lone pair essentially localized at N) occurs during i) involvement of an amino proton in strong hydrogen bonding donor conditions or ii) with monofunctional metal coordination following removal of one of the two protons. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Coordination polyhedron and chemical vapor deposition of Cu(hfacac)2(t-BuNH2).

PubMed

Woo, Kyoungja; Paek, Hojeong; Lee, Wan In

2003-10-06

A new pentacoordinate Cu(II) complex, Cu(hfacac)(2)(t-BuNH(2)) [hfacac = CF(3)C(O)CHC(O)CF(3)(-), t-BuNH(2) = tert-butylamine], has been synthesized and structurally characterized. Interestingly, the structure of a single crystal occurred as square pyramidal with one O atom at the apical position and one N and three O atoms at the basal positions, showing a serious degree of distortion. This contrasts with the square-pyramidal structure of Cu(hfacac)(2)L (L = H(2)O and pyrazine), which has the L ligand at the axial position. In the Cu(hfacac)(2)(t-BuNH(2)) complex, the t-BuNH(2) ligand is placed at an equatorial position with a lowered angle by 19.9(2) degrees from the basal plane. This distortion seems to reduce sigma influence and steric hindrance and so stabilizes the square-pyramidal geometry. This precursor has a lower melting point and superior stability to air, moisture, and heat than the Cu(hfacac)(2)(xH(2)O) precursor. The deposition rate of copper oxide film on a Pt layer above 450 degrees C was nearly constant with increasing temperature, indicating a mass transport limited reaction. Therefore it would be a useful metal organic chemical vapor deposition precursor for the fabrication of copper oxide film or superconducting materials. Crystal data for Cu(hfacac)(2)(t-BuNH(2)): 293(2) K, a = 9.6699(4) A, b = 18.0831(10) A, c = 12.8864(11) A, beta = 111.839(5) degrees, monoclinic, space group P2(1)/c, Z = 4.

Geometric isomerism in pentacoordinate Cu2+ complexes: equilibrium, kinetic, and density functional theory studies reveal the existence of equilibrium between square pyramidal and trigonal bipyramidal forms for a tren-derived ligand.

PubMed

Algarra, Andrés G; Basallote, Manuel G; Castillo, Carmen E; Clares, M Paz; Ferrer, Armando; García-España, Enrique; Llinares, José M; Máñez, M Angeles; Soriano, Conxa

2009-02-02

A ligand (L1) (bis(aminoethyl)[2-(4-quinolylmethyl)aminoethyl]amine) containing a 4-quinolylmethyl group attached to one of the terminal amino groups of tris(2-aminoethyl)amine (tren) has been prepared, and its protonation constants and stability constants for the formation of Cu(2+) complexes have been determined. Kinetic studies on the formation of Cu(2+) complexes in slightly acidic solutions and on the acid-promoted complex decomposition strongly suggest that the Cu(2+)-L1 complex exists in solution as a mixture of two species, one of them showing a trigonal bipyramidal (tbp) coordination environment with an absorption maximum at 890 nm in the electronic spectrum, and the other one being square pyramidal (sp) with a maximum at 660 nm. In acidic solution only a species with tbp geometry is formed, whereas in neutral and basic solutions a mixture of species with tbp and sp geometries is formed. The results of density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicate that these results can be rationalized by invoking the existence of an equilibrium of hydrolysis of the Cu-N bond with the amino group supporting the quinoline ring so that CuL1(2+) would be actually a mixture of tbp [CuL1(H(2)O)](2+) and sp [CuL1(H(2)O)(2)](2+). As there are many Cu(2+)-polyamine complexes with electronic spectra that show two overlapping bands at wavelengths close to those observed for the Cu(2+)-L1 complex, the existence of this kind of equilibrium between species with two different geometries can be quite common in the chemistry of these compounds. A correlation found between the position of the absorption maximum and the tau parameter measuring the distortion from the idealized tbp and sp geometries can be used to estimate the actual geometry in solution of this kind of complex.

Defined types of cortical interneurone structure space and spike timing in the hippocampus

PubMed Central

Somogyi, Peter; Klausberger, Thomas

2005-01-01

The cerebral cortex encodes, stores and combines information about the internal and external environment in rhythmic activity of multiple frequency ranges. Neurones of the cortex can be defined, recognized and compared on the comprehensive application of the following measures: (i) brain area- and cell domain-specific distribution of input and output synapses, (ii) expression of molecules involved in cell signalling, (iii) membrane and synaptic properties reflecting the expression of membrane proteins, (iv) temporal structure of firing in vivo, resulting from (i)–(iii). Spatial and temporal measures of neurones in the network reflect an indivisible unity of evolutionary design, i.e. neurones do not have separate structure or function. The blueprint of this design is most easily accessible in the CA1 area of the hippocampus, where a relatively uniform population of pyramidal cells and their inputs follow an instantly recognizable laminated pattern and act within stereotyped network activity patterns. Reviewing the cell types and their spatio-temporal interactions, we suggest that CA1 pyramidal cells are supported by at least 16 distinct types of GABAergic neurone. During a given behaviour-contingent network oscillation, interneurones of a given type exhibit similar firing patterns. During different network oscillations representing two distinct brain states, interneurones of the same class show different firing patterns modulating their postsynaptic target-domain in a brain-state-dependent manner. These results suggest roles for specific interneurone types in structuring the activity of pyramidal cells via their respective target domains, and accurately timing and synchronizing pyramidal cell discharge, rather than providing generalized inhibition. Finally, interneurones belonging to different classes may fire preferentially at distinct time points during a given oscillation. As different interneurones innervate distinct domains of the pyramidal cells, the different compartments will receive GABAergic input differentiated in time. Such a dynamic, spatio-temporal, GABAergic control, which evolves distinct patterns during different brain states, is ideally suited to regulating the input integration of individual pyramidal cells contributing to the formation of cell assemblies and representations in the hippocampus and, probably, throughout the cerebral cortex. PMID:15539390

Centre of pressure correlates with pyramid performance in acrobatic gymnastics.

PubMed

Floría, Pablo; Gómez-Landero, Luis Arturo; Harrison, Andrew J

2015-01-01

Acrobatic gymnasts need excellent balance control to execute pyramids where one gymnast is supported by another. The objectives of this study were: (1) to describe balance performance by assessing the centre of pressure displacement in a group of acrobatic gymnasts executing pyramids; (2) to determine the relationship between the parameters describing the centre of pressure oscillations and pyramid score; and (3) to examine the role of each foot in providing a solid base of support to maintain the balance of the pyramid. Sixteen acrobatic gymnasts grouped in pairs performed a Half pyramid and a Straddle pyramid held for 7 s on two force platforms. Path length, variance, range trajectory, and surface area of the centre of pressure of each foot were examined to analyse the balance of the pyramid. The path length was correlated with the pyramid score (Straddle: p = 0.692 [large]; Half: p = 0.407 [moderate]). There were differences in the functions of each leg to maintain balance, with the non-preferred leg supporting a higher weight of the pyramid while the preferred leg performed control movements to maintain balance. The results suggested that quantitative analysis of balance can provide important information on pyramid performance.

Local bonding structure of tellurium and antimony in the phase change chalcogenides germanium-antimony-tellurium: A nuclear magnetic resonance study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bobela, David C.

Recent technological applications of some chalcogenide materials, compounds containing a group VI atom, have prompted studies of the local atomic structure of the amorphous phase. In the case of Ge2Sb2Te 5, metastability in the local bonding structure is responsible for its usefulness as a phase-change memory material. There is no consensus on the exact phase-change mechanism, which is partly due to the inadequacy of standard scattering techniques to probe the structure of the amorphous phase. Nuclear magnetic resonance methods, on the other hand, are well suited to study local structural order even in the absence of a periodic lattice. In this technique, structural information is encoded as an oscillating voltage caused by the nuclear spin. For the tellurium isotope, 125Te (spin = 1/2 in the ground state), the dominant interaction comes from the core and valence electrons that carry angular momentum. This interaction is helpful in identifying Te sites of different local coordination since the number of neighboring atoms should markedly change the local electronic structure. The antimony isotope 125Sb has a spin = 5/2 in the ground state and possesses an asymmetric nuclear charge. This quadrupole moment will interact with an electric field gradient at the nuclear site, which is provided by an asymmetric electron cloud surrounding the nucleus. The frequency-space spectra will reflect the strength of the interaction as well as the symmetry of the local electronic environment. This work investigates the nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum of 125Te and 125Sb in the crystalline and amorphous forms of several GexSbyTe 1-x-y compounds where 0 < (x, y) < 1. Results from the crystalline phase 125Te data show a trend in the spectral position that can be related to the tellurium bonded to three and six neighbors. In the amorphous phase, the same trend is observed, and the nuclear magnetic resonance fingerprint of two-fold and three-fold coordinated tellurium is obtained. It is concluded, based upon this comparison that the Te atoms see a dramatically different bonding environment depending on which phase the lattice has. The 125Sb data for the crystalline phase indicate electric field gradients that are consistent with similarly bonded quadrupolar nuclei, such as Sb atoms in crystalline Sb or five-fold coordinated Sb in crystalline MnSb. The NMR data exemplify the consequences of combinatorial disorder on the spectra via the absence of certain line-shape features. In the amorphous phase, the electric field gradients are approximately seven times larger, and the fingerprints of both highly-symmetric and asymmetric antimony sites emerge. Details of field gradient, i.e. the magnitude and symmetry, are remarkably similar to those found in Sb containing compounds where the Sb sites are three-fold pyramidal, such as in crystalline Sb2X3 where X = O, S, or Se. The observations from the NMR data provide a critical litmus test for recent structural models of the amorphous phase. In particular, the amorphous phase data provides clear evidence that the Te atoms are two-fold and three-fold coordinated while the Sb atoms are most likely bonded in three-fold pyramidal configurations. These observations imply a structural model of the amorphous phase that agrees best with a models based upon the "8 minus n", or "8-n" rule for chemical bonding in amorphous semiconductors. Thus, the lattice of these compounds is arranged such that the constituent elements have enough bonds, on average, to satisfy their valence requirement. The implications of the NMR data on theoretical modeling data are immediate. Theoretical models of these systems must possess some aspect of the "8-n" mentality. With this idea as a foundation for physically realistic representations of the amorphous phase, the origin of the phase-change mechanism may be unraveled, which will ultimately speed the process of compositional optimization of phase-change materials.

[Spatial and temporal evolution of the ecological environment and economy coordinated development in Hebei Province, China.

PubMed

Kong, Wei; Ren, Liang; Wang, Shu Jia; Liu, Yu Feng

2016-09-01

Based on the constructed evaluation index system of ecological environment and economy coordinated development in Hebei Province, accompanied by introducing the Coupling Degree Mo-del, the paper estimated the ecological environment comprehensive index, the economic comprehensive index and the coupling degree of ecological environment and economy coordinated development of Hebei Province from 2000 to 2014 and 11 cities in 4 years (2000, 2006, 2010, 2014). The results showed that during the study period, the level of the coordinated development of the eco-logical environment and economy in Hebei Province had been increasing, from the brink of a recession to the well coordinated development, which had gone through 3 evident stages. The coordinating degree of ecological environment and economy of the 11 cities increased year by year, and pre-sented significant difference in spatial distribution. Through analyzing the spatial and temporal evolution mechanism of the ecological environment and economy coordinated development in Hebei Province, the policy, economy, industry and location were the key contributing factors, accordingly, suggestions on the further coordinated development of ecological environment and economy in Hebei Province were proposed.

Urban Public Health: Is There a Pyramid?

PubMed Central

Su, Meirong; Chen, Bin; Yang, Zhifeng; Cai, Yanpeng; Wang, Jiao

2013-01-01

Early ecologists identified a pyramidal trophic structure in terms of number, biomass and energy transfer. In 1943, the psychologist Maslow put forward a pyramid model to describe layers of human needs. It is indicated that the pyramid principle is universally applicable in natural, humanistic and social disciplines. Here, we report that a pyramid structure also exists in urban public health (UPH). Based on 18 indicators, the UPH states of four cities (Beijing, Tokyo, New York, and London) are compared from the point of view of five aspects, namely physical health, living conditions, social security, environmental quality, and education and culture. A pyramid structure was found in each city when focusing on 2000–2009 data. The pyramid of Beijing is relatively similar to that of Tokyo, and the pyramids of New York and London are similar to each other. A general development trend in UPH is proposed and represented by different pyramid modes. As a basic conjecture, the UPH pyramid model can be verified and developed with data of more cities over a longer period, and be used to promote healthy urban development. PMID:23358233

Urban public health: is there a pyramid?

PubMed

Su, Meirong; Chen, Bin; Yang, Zhifeng; Cai, Yanpeng; Wang, Jiao

2013-01-28

Early ecologists identified a pyramidal trophic structure in terms of number, biomass and energy transfer. In 1943, the psychologist Maslow put forward a pyramid model to describe layers of human needs. It is indicated that the pyramid principle is universally applicable in natural, humanistic and social disciplines. Here, we report that a pyramid structure also exists in urban public health (UPH). Based on 18 indicators, the UPH states of four cities (Beijing, Tokyo, New York, and London) are compared from the point of view of five aspects, namely physical health, living conditions, social security, environmental quality, and education and culture. A pyramid structure was found in each city when focusing on 2000-2009 data. The pyramid of Beijing is relatively similar to that of Tokyo, and the pyramids of New York and London are similar to each other. A general development trend in UPH is proposed and represented by different pyramid modes. As a basic conjecture, the UPH pyramid model can be verified and developed with data of more cities over a longer period, and be used to promote healthy urban development.

Determination of formal redox potentials in aqueous solution of copper(II) complexes with ligands having nitrogen and oxygen donor atoms and comparison with their EPR and UV-Vis spectral features.

PubMed

Tabbì, Giovanni; Giuffrida, Alessandro; Bonomo, Raffaele P

2013-11-01

Formal redox potentials in aqueous solution were determined for copper(II) complexes with ligands having oxygen and nitrogen as donor atoms. All the chosen copper(II) complexes have well-known stereochemistries (pseudo-octahedral, square planar, square-based pyramidal, trigonal bipyramidal or tetrahedral) as witnessed by their reported spectroscopic, EPR and UV-visible (UV-Vis) features, so that a rough correlation between the measured redox potential and the typical geometrical arrangement of the copper(II) complex could be established. Negative values have been obtained for copper(II) complexes in tetragonally elongated pseudo-octahedral geometries, when measured against Ag/AgCl reference electrode. Copper(II) complexes in tetrahedral environments (or flattened tetrahedral geometries) show positive redox potential values. There is a region, always in the field of negative redox potentials which groups the copper(II) complexes exhibiting square-based pyramidal arrangements. Therefore, it is suggested that a measurement of the formal redox potential could be of great help, when some ambiguities might appear in the interpretation of spectroscopic (EPR and UV-Vis) data. Unfortunately, when the comparison is made between copper(II) complexes in square-based pyramidal geometries and those in square planar environments (or a pseudo-octahedral) a little perturbed by an equatorial tetrahedral distortion, their redox potentials could fall in the same intermediate region. In this case spectroscopic data have to be handled with great care in order to have an answer about a copper complex geometrical characteristics. © 2013.

Automatization Project for the Carl-Zeiss-Jena Coudè Telescope of the Simón Bolívar Planetarium I. The Electro-Mechanic System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Núñez, A.; Maharaj, A.; Muñoz, A. G.

2009-05-01

The ``Complejo Científico, Cultural y Turístico Simón Bolívar'' (CCCTSB), located in Maracaibo, Venezuela, lodges the Simón Bolívar Planetarium and an 150 mm aperture, 2250 mm focal length Carl-Zeiss-Jena Coudè refractor telescope. In this work we discuss the schematics for the automatization project of this Telescope, the planned improvements, methodology, engines, micro-controllers, interfaces and the uptodate status of the project. This project is working on the first two levels of the automation pyramid, the sensor -- actuator level and the control or Plant floor level. The Process control level correspond to the software related section. This mean that this project work immediately with the electrical, electronic and mechanical stuffs, and with the assembler micro controller language. All the pc related stuff, like GUI (Graphic user interfaces), remote control, Grid database, and others, correspond to the next two automation pyramid levels. The idea is that little human intervention will be required to manipulate the telescope, only giving a pair of coordinates to ubicate and follow an object on the sky. A set of three servomotors, coupling it with the telescope with a gear box, are going to manipulate right ascension, declination and focus movement. For the dome rotation, a three phase induction motor will be used. For dome aperture/closure it is suggested a DC motor powered with solar panels. All those actuators are controlled by a 8 bits micro-controller, which receive the coordinate imput, the signal from the position sensors and have the PID control algorithm. This algorithm is tuned based on the mathematical model of the telescope electro-mechanical instrumentation.

Hardware architecture design of a fast global motion estimation method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Chaobing; Sang, Hongshi; Shen, Xubang

2015-12-01

VLSI implementation of gradient-based global motion estimation (GME) faces two main challenges: irregular data access and high off-chip memory bandwidth requirement. We previously proposed a fast GME method that reduces computational complexity by choosing certain number of small patches containing corners and using them in a gradient-based framework. A hardware architecture is designed to implement this method and further reduce off-chip memory bandwidth requirement. On-chip memories are used to store coordinates of the corners and template patches, while the Gaussian pyramids of both the template and reference frame are stored in off-chip SDRAMs. By performing geometric transform only on the coordinates of the center pixel of a 3-by-3 patch in the template image, a 5-by-5 area containing the warped 3-by-3 patch in the reference image is extracted from the SDRAMs by burst read. Patched-based and burst mode data access helps to keep the off-chip memory bandwidth requirement at the minimum. Although patch size varies at different pyramid level, all patches are processed in term of 3x3 patches, so the utilization of the patch-processing circuit reaches 100%. FPGA implementation results show that the design utilizes 24,080 bits on-chip memory and for a sequence with resolution of 352x288 and frequency of 60Hz, the off-chip bandwidth requirement is only 3.96Mbyte/s, compared with 243.84Mbyte/s of the original gradient-based GME method. This design can be used in applications like video codec, video stabilization, and super-resolution, where real-time GME is a necessity and minimum memory bandwidth requirement is appreciated.

Lithographic manufacturing of adaptive optics components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scott, R. Phillip; Jean, Madison; Johnson, Lee; Gatlin, Ridley; Bronson, Ryan; Milster, Tom; Hart, Michael

2017-09-01

Adaptive optics systems and their laboratory test environments call for a number of unusual optical components. Examples include lenslet arrays, pyramids, and Kolmogorov phase screens. Because of their specialized application, the availability of these parts is generally limited, with high cost and long lead time, which can also significantly drive optical system design. These concerns can be alleviated by a fast and inexpensive method of optical fabrication. To that end, we are exploring direct-write lithographic techniques to manufacture three different custom elements. We report results from a number of prototype devices including 1, 2, and 3 wave Multiple Order Diffractive (MOD) lenslet arrays with 0.75 mm pitch and phase screens with near Kolmogorov structure functions with a Fried length r0 around 1 mm. We also discuss plans to expand our research to include a diffractive pyramid that is smaller, lighter, and more easily manufactured than glass versions presently used in pyramid wavefront sensors. We describe how these components can be produced within the limited dynamic range of the lithographic process, and with a rapid prototyping and manufacturing cycle. We discuss exploratory manufacturing methods, including replication, and potential observing techniques enabled by the ready availability of custom components.

Coping with drought: stress and adaptive responses in potato and perspectives for improvement

PubMed Central

Obidiegwu, Jude E.; Bryan, Glenn J.; Jones, Hamlyn G.; Prashar, Ankush

2015-01-01

Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is often considered as a drought sensitive crop and its sustainable production is threatened due to frequent drought episodes. There has been much research aiming to understand the physiological, biochemical, and genetic basis of drought tolerance in potato as a basis for improving production under drought conditions. The complex phenotypic response of potato plants to drought is conditioned by the interactive effects of the plant's genotypic potential, developmental stage, and environment. Effective crop improvement for drought tolerance will require the pyramiding of many disparate characters, with different combinations being appropriate for different growing environments. An understanding of the interaction between below ground water uptake by the roots and above ground water loss from the shoot system is essential. The development of high throughput precision phenotyping platforms is providing an exciting new tool for precision screening, which, with the incorporation of innovative screening strategies, can aid the selection and pyramiding of drought-related genes appropriate for specific environments. Outcomes from genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and bioengineering advances will undoubtedly compliment conventional breeding strategies and presents an alternative route toward development of drought tolerant potatoes. This review presents an overview of past research activity, highlighting recent advances with examples from other crops and suggesting future research directions. PMID:26257752

Presence of ESBL/AmpC -Producing Escherichia coli in the Broiler Production Pyramid: A Descriptive Study

PubMed Central

Dierikx, Cindy M.; van der Goot, Jeanet A.; Smith, Hilde E.; Kant, Arie; Mevius, Dik J.

2013-01-01

Broilers and broiler meat products are highly contaminated with extended spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) or plasmid-mediated AmpC beta-lactamase producing Escherichia coli and are considered to be a source for human infections. Both horizontal and vertical transmission might play a role in the presence of these strains in broilers. As not much is known about the presence of these strains in the whole production pyramid, the epidemiology of ESBL/AmpC-producing E. coli in the Dutch broiler production pyramid was examined. Cloacal swabs of Grandparent stock (GPS) birds (one−/two-days (breed A and B), 18 and 31 weeks old (breed A)), one-day old Parent stock birds (breed A and B) and broiler chickens of increasing age (breed A) were selectively cultured to detect ESBL/AmpC-producing isolates. ESBL/AmpC-producing isolates were found at all levels in the broiler production pyramid in both broiler breeds examined. Prevalence was already relatively high at the top of the broiler production pyramid. At broiler farms ESBL/AmpC producing E. coli were still present in the environment of the poultry house after cleaning and disinfection. Feed samples taken in the poultry house also became contaminated with ESBL/AmpC producing E. coli after one or more production weeks. The prevalence of ESBL/AmpC-positive birds at broiler farms increased within the first week from 0–24% to 96–100% independent of the use of antibiotics and stayed 100% until slaughter. In GPS breed A, prevalence at 2 days, 18 weeks and 31 weeks stayed below 50% except when beta-lactam antibiotics were administered. In that case prevalence increased to 100%. Interventions minimizing ESBL/AmpC contamination in broilers should focus on preventing horizontal and vertical spread, especially in relation to broiler production farms. PMID:24244401

PyramidalExplorer: A New Interactive Tool to Explore Morpho-Functional Relations of Human Pyramidal Neurons.

PubMed

Toharia, Pablo; Robles, Oscar D; Fernaud-Espinosa, Isabel; Makarova, Julia; Galindo, Sergio E; Rodriguez, Angel; Pastor, Luis; Herreras, Oscar; DeFelipe, Javier; Benavides-Piccione, Ruth

2015-01-01

This work presents PyramidalExplorer, a new tool to interactively explore and reveal the detailed organization of the microanatomy of pyramidal neurons with functionally related models. It consists of a set of functionalities that allow possible regional differences in the pyramidal cell architecture to be interactively discovered by combining quantitative morphological information about the structure of the cell with implemented functional models. The key contribution of this tool is the morpho-functional oriented design that allows the user to navigate within the 3D dataset, filter and perform Content-Based Retrieval operations. As a case study, we present a human pyramidal neuron with over 9000 dendritic spines in its apical and basal dendritic trees. Using PyramidalExplorer, we were able to find unexpected differential morphological attributes of dendritic spines in particular compartments of the neuron, revealing new aspects of the morpho-functional organization of the pyramidal neuron.

PyramidalExplorer: A New Interactive Tool to Explore Morpho-Functional Relations of Human Pyramidal Neurons

PubMed Central

Toharia, Pablo; Robles, Oscar D.; Fernaud-Espinosa, Isabel; Makarova, Julia; Galindo, Sergio E.; Rodriguez, Angel; Pastor, Luis; Herreras, Oscar; DeFelipe, Javier; Benavides-Piccione, Ruth

2016-01-01

This work presents PyramidalExplorer, a new tool to interactively explore and reveal the detailed organization of the microanatomy of pyramidal neurons with functionally related models. It consists of a set of functionalities that allow possible regional differences in the pyramidal cell architecture to be interactively discovered by combining quantitative morphological information about the structure of the cell with implemented functional models. The key contribution of this tool is the morpho-functional oriented design that allows the user to navigate within the 3D dataset, filter and perform Content-Based Retrieval operations. As a case study, we present a human pyramidal neuron with over 9000 dendritic spines in its apical and basal dendritic trees. Using PyramidalExplorer, we were able to find unexpected differential morphological attributes of dendritic spines in particular compartments of the neuron, revealing new aspects of the morpho-functional organization of the pyramidal neuron. PMID:26778972

Virtual Reality Tumor Resection: The Force Pyramid Approach.

PubMed

Sawaya, Robin; Bugdadi, Abdulgadir; Azarnoush, Hamed; Winkler-Schwartz, Alexander; Alotaibi, Fahad E; Bajunaid, Khalid; AlZhrani, Gmaan A; Alsideiri, Ghusn; Sabbagh, Abdulrahman J; Del Maestro, Rolando F

2018-06-01

The force pyramid is a novel visual representation allowing spatial delineation of instrument force application during surgical procedures. In this study, the force pyramid concept is employed to create and quantify dominant hand, nondominant hand, and bimanual force pyramids during resection of virtual reality brain tumors. To address 4 questions: Do ergonomics and handedness influence force pyramid structure? What are the differences between dominant and nondominant force pyramids? What is the spatial distribution of forces applied in specific tumor quadrants? What differentiates "expert" and "novice" groups regarding their force pyramids? Using a simulated aspirator in the dominant hand and a simulated sucker in the nondominant hand, 6 neurosurgeons and 14 residents resected 8 different tumors using the CAE NeuroVR virtual reality neurosurgical simulation platform (CAE Healthcare, Montréal, Québec and the National Research Council Canada, Boucherville, Québec). Position and force data were used to create force pyramids and quantify tumor quadrant force distribution. Force distribution quantification demonstrates the critical role that handedness and ergonomics play on psychomotor performance during simulated brain tumor resections. Neurosurgeons concentrate their dominant hand forces in a defined crescent in the lower right tumor quadrant. Nondominant force pyramids showed a central peak force application in all groups. Bimanual force pyramids outlined the combined impact of each hand. Distinct force pyramid patterns were seen when tumor stiffness, border complexity, and color were altered. Force pyramids allow delineation of specific tumor regions requiring greater psychomotor ability to resect. This information can focus and improve resident technical skills training.

Picolinic acid based Cu(II) complexes with heterocyclic bases--crystal structure, DNA binding and cleavage studies.

PubMed

Pulimamidi, Rabindra Reddy; Nomula, Raju; Pallepogu, Raghavaiah; Shaik, Hussain

2014-05-22

In view of the importance of picolinic acid (PA) in preventing cell growth and arresting cell cycle, new PA based metallonucleases were designed with a view to study their DNA binding and cleavage abilities. Three new Cu(II) complexes [Cu(II)(DPPA)].4H2O (1),[Cu(II)(DPPA)(bpy)].5H2O (2) and [Cu(II)(DPPA)(phen)].5H2O (3), were synthesized using a picolinic acid based bifunctional ligand (DPPA) and heterocyclic bases (where DPPA: Pyridine-2-carboxylic acid {2-phenyl-1-[(pyridin-2-ylmethyl)-carbonyl]-ethyl}-amide; bpy: 2, 2'-bipyridine and phen: 1, 10-phenanthroline). DPPA was obtained by coupling 2-picolinic acid and 2-picolyl amine with l-phenylalanine through amide bond‌‌. Complexes were structurally characterized by a single crystal X-ray crystallography. The molecular structure of 1 shows Cu(II) center essentially in a square planar coordination geometry, while complex 2 shows an approximate five coordinated square-pyramidal geometry. Eventhough we could not isolate single crystal for complex (3), its structure was established based on other techniques. The complex (3) also exhibits five coordinate square pyramidal geometry. The complexes show good binding affinity towards CT-DNA. The binding constants (Kb) decrease in the order 1.35 ± 0.01 × 10(5) (3) > 1.23 ± 0.01 × 10(5) (2) > 8.3 ± 0.01 × 10(4) (1) M(-1). They also exhibit efficient nuclease activity towards supercoiled pUC19 DNA both in the absence and presence of external agent (H2O2). The kinetic studies reveal that the hydrolytic cleavage reactions follow the pseudo first-order rate constant and the hydrolysis rates are in the range of (5.8-8.0) × 10(7) fold rate enhancement compared to non-catalyzed double stranded DNA (3.6 × 10(-8) h(-1)). Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Colorimetric detection of hydrogen peroxide by dioxido-vanadium(V) complex containing hydrazone ligand: synthesis and crystal structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurbah, Sunshine D.; Syiemlieh, Ibanphylla; Lal, Ram A.

2018-03-01

Dioxido-vanadium(V) complex has been synthesized in good yield, the complex was characterized by IR, UV-visible and 1H NMR spectroscopy. Single crystal X-ray crystallography techniques were used to assign the structure of the complex. Complex crystallized with monoclinic P21/c space group with cell parameters a (Å) = 39.516(5), b (Å) = 6.2571(11), c (Å) = 17.424(2), α (°) = 90, β (°) = 102.668(12) and γ (°) = 90. The hydrazone ligand is coordinate to metal ion in tridentate fashion through -ONO- donor atoms forming a distorted square pyramidal geometry around the metal ion.

Aqua­[1,8-bis­(pyridin-2-yl)-3,6-dithia­octane-κ4 N,S,S′,N′]copper(II) dinitrate acetonitrile monosolvate

PubMed Central

Manzanera-Estrada, Mayra; Flores-Alamo, Marcos; Grevy M., Jean-Michel; Ruiz-Azuara, Lena; Ortiz-Frade, Luis

2012-01-01

In the title compound, [Cu(C16H20N2S2)(H2O)](NO3)2·CH3CN, the CuII atom displays a distorted square-pyramidal coordination, in which a water mol­ecule occupies the apical position and the basal plane is formed by two N atoms and two S atoms of a 1,8-bis­(pyridin-2-yl)-3,6-dithia­octane ligand. The crystal packing is stabilized by O—H⋯O and C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds. PMID:22346819

Structural diversity of silver (I) azine complexes - Effect of substituents and counter anions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patra, Goutam Kumar; Mukherjee, Anindita; Mitra, Partha; Adarsh, N. N.

2011-08-01

Three new Ag(I) complexes, 1, 2, and 3 of two azine ligands diacetyl dihydrazone ( L1) and benzil dihydrazone ( L2) have been synthesized and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction studies (for 2 and 3), X-ray powder diffraction studies( 1 and 2), elemental analyses, IR and UV-VIS spectroscopy and TGA analysis. They represent one-dimensional polymeric assemblies and discrete dinuclear Ag(I) complex depending on functionality of the ligands and the counter anions. Tetrahedral as well as square pyramidal coordination motifs of the silver (I) ions have been observed in the supramolecular designing of such hybrid organic-inorganic materials.

Golgi Analysis of Neuron Morphology in the Presumptive Somatosensory Cortex and Visual Cortex of the Florida Manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris).

PubMed

Reyes, Laura D; Harland, Tessa; Reep, Roger L; Sherwood, Chet C; Jacobs, Bob

2016-01-01

The current study investigates neuron morphology in presumptive primary somatosensory (S1) and primary visual (V1) cortices of the Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris) as revealed by Golgi impregnation. Sirenians, including manatees, have an aquatic lifestyle, a large body size, and a relatively large lissencephalic brain. The present study examines neuron morphology in 3 cortical areas: in S1, dorsolateral cortex area 1 (DL1) and cluster cortex area 2 (CL2) and in V1, dorsolateral cortex area 4 (DL4). Neurons exhibited a variety of morphological types, with pyramidal neurons being the most common. The large variety of neuron types present in the manatee cortex was comparable to that seen in other eutherian mammals, except for rodents and primates, where pyramid-shaped neurons predominate. A comparison between pyramidal neurons in S1 and V1 indicated relatively greater dendritic branching in S1. Across all 3 areas, the dendritic arborization pattern of pyramidal neurons was also similar to that observed previously in the afrotherian rock hyrax, cetartiodactyls, opossums, and echidnas but did not resemble the widely bifurcated dendrites seen in the large-brained African elephant. Despite adaptations for an aquatic environment, manatees did not share specific neuron types such as tritufted and star-like neurons that have been found in cetaceans. Manatees exhibit an evolutionarily primitive pattern of cortical neuron morphology shared with most other mammals and do not appear to have neuronal specializations for an aquatic niche. © 2016 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Research on HDR image fusion algorithm based on Laplace pyramid weight transform with extreme low-light CMOS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guan, Wen; Li, Li; Jin, Weiqi; Qiu, Su; Zou, Yan

2015-10-01

Extreme-Low-Light CMOS has been widely applied in the field of night-vision as a new type of solid image sensor. But if the illumination in the scene has drastic changes or the illumination is too strong, Extreme-Low-Light CMOS can't both clearly present the high-light scene and low-light region. According to the partial saturation problem in the field of night-vision, a HDR image fusion algorithm based on the Laplace Pyramid was researched. The overall gray value and the contrast of the low light image is very low. We choose the fusion strategy based on regional average gradient for the top layer of the long exposure image and short exposure image, which has rich brightness and textural features. The remained layers which represent the edge feature information of the target are based on the fusion strategy based on regional energy. In the process of source image reconstruction with Laplacian pyramid image, we compare the fusion results with four kinds of basal images. The algorithm is tested using Matlab and compared with the different fusion strategies. We use information entropy, average gradient and standard deviation these three objective evaluation parameters for the further analysis of the fusion result. Different low illumination environment experiments show that the algorithm in this paper can rapidly get wide dynamic range while keeping high entropy. Through the verification of this algorithm features, there is a further application prospect of the optimized algorithm. Keywords: high dynamic range imaging, image fusion, multi-exposure image, weight coefficient, information fusion, Laplacian pyramid transform.

[Spatial-temporal evolution characteristic of coordination between urbanization and eco-environment in Jilin Province, Northeast China].

PubMed

Tan, Jun-tao; Zhang, Ping-yu; Li, Jing; Liu, Shi-wei

2015-12-01

By building urbanization and eco-environment evaluation index systems, the levels of urbanization and eco-environment, and the degree of their coupling coordination of Jilin Province from 2000 to 2012 were evaluated. The level of comprehensive urbanization showed a continued growth trend, and the economic urbanization contributed the largest share. The eco-environment comprehensive level fluctuated upward. The eco-environment state, response and pressure increased faster since the implementation of the strategy of revitalizing Northeast China and other old industrial regions. Coupling coordination degree between urbanization and eco-environment increased continuously, from uncoordinated status to advanced coordinated status, changing from eco-environment lagged to urbanization lagged. The level of urbanization in central region was higher than east and west regions in Jilin Province, but its eco-environment level was low. Coupling coordination degree in Changchun was the highest, and that of Baishan was the lowest. Coupling coordination degree of Chang-Ji integrated region was always at the leading level, but the level of eco-environment lagged behind was growing since 2000. Coupling coordination degree of Siping, Liaoyuan, Songyuan and Yanbian increased, but that of Baicheng decreased.

The relativistic titls of Giza pyramids' entrance-passages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aboulfotouh, H.

The tilts of Giza pyramids' entrance-passages have never been considered as if they were the result of relativistic mathematical equations, and never been thought to encode the Earth's obliquity parameters. This paper presents an attempt to retrieve the method of establishing the equations that the pyramids' designer used to quantify the entrance-passages' tilts of these architectonic masterpieces. It proves that the pyramids' designer was able to include the geographic, astronomical and time parameters in one relativistic equation, encoding the date of the design of the Giza pyramids in the tilt of the entrance passage of the great pyramid.

Sublingual pyramidal lobe. Complications of subtotal thyroidectomy for Graves' disease

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sternberg, J.L.

1986-11-01

A potential complication of subtotal thyroidectomy where a large pyramidal lobe is present is described. The pyramidal lobe normally is immobilized inferiorly by its attachment to the thyroidal isthmus. When the isthmus is removed and the pyramidal lobe is left in situ during subtotal thyroidectomy its superior attachments will allow the pyramidal lobe to become situated sublingually. This may produce gagging and nausea. To avoid the complication, it is recommended that the pyramidal lobe be removed during subtotal thyroidectomy. If the patient also is thyrotoxic, I-131 can be used to treat this complication successfully.

Evaluation of Trap Designs and Deployment Strategies for Capturing Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae)

PubMed Central

Morrison, William R.; Cullum, John P.; Leskey, Tracy C.

2015-01-01

Halyomorpha halys (Stål) is an invasive pest that attacks numerous crops. For growers to make informed management decisions against H. halys, an effective monitoring tool must be in place. We evaluated various trap designs baited with the two-component aggregation pheromone of H. halys and synergist and deployed in commercial apple orchards. We compared our current experimental standard trap, a black plywood pyramid trap 1.22 m in height deployed between border row apple trees with other trap designs for two growing seasons. These included a black lightweight coroplast pyramid trap of similar dimension, a smaller (29 cm) pyramid trap also ground deployed, a smaller limb-attached pyramid trap, a smaller pyramid trap hanging from a horizontal branch, and a semipyramid design known as the Rescue trap. We found that the coroplast pyramid was the most sensitive, capturing more adults than all other trap designs including our experimental standard. Smaller pyramid traps performed equally in adult captures to our experimental standard, though nymphal captures were statistically lower for the hanging traps. Experimental standard plywood and coroplast pyramid trap correlations were strong, suggesting that standard plywood pyramid traps could be replaced with lighter, cheaper coroplast pyramid traps. Strong correlations with small ground- and limb-deployed pyramid traps also suggest that these designs offer promise as well. Growers may be able to adopt alternative trap designs that are cheaper, lighter, and easier to deploy to monitor H. halys in orchards without a significant loss in sensitivity. PMID:26470309

Investigation of the Great Pyramid of Giza.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Peace, Nigel; And Others

1997-01-01

Describes an activity in which geometry and trigonometry are studied using pyramids. Identical model pyramids are constructed from card stock, along with pyramids of different proportions and cuboids to use as controls. Also includes an investigation of some apparently non-scientific claims. (DDR)

Morphological evolution and characterization of GaN pyramid arrays fabricated by photo-assisted chemical etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Shiying; Xiu, Xiangqian; Xu, Qingjun; Li, Yuewen; Hua, Xuemei; Chen, Peng; Xie, Zili; Liu, Bin; Zhou, Yugang; Han, Ping; Zhang, Rong; Zheng, Youdou

2016-12-01

GaN pyramid arrays have been successfully synthesized by selective photo-assisted chemical etching in a K2S2O8/KOH solution. A detailed analysis of time evolution of surface morphology has been conducted, which describes an etching process of GaN pyramids. Room temperature cathodoluminescence images indicate that these pyramids are composed of crystalline GaN surrounding dislocations, which is caused by the greater recombination rate of electrons and holes at dislocation than that of crystalline GaN. The Raman results show a stress relaxation in GaN pyramids compared with unetched GaN. The optical property of both unetched GaN and GaN pyramids has been studied by photoluminescence. The formation mechanism and feature of GaN pyramids are also rationally explained.

Convergent microRNA actions coordinate neocortical development.

PubMed

Barca-Mayo, Olga; De Pietri Tonelli, Davide

2014-08-01

Neocortical development is a complex process that, at the cellular level, involves tight control of self-renewal, cell fate commitment, survival, differentiation and delamination/migration. These processes require, at the molecular level, the precise regulation of intrinsic signaling pathways and extrinsic factors with coordinated action in a spatially and temporally specific manner. Transcriptional regulation plays an important role during corticogenesis; however, microRNAs (miRNAs) are emerging as important post-transcriptional regulators of various aspects of central nervous system development. miRNAs are a class of small, single-stranded noncoding RNA molecules that control the expression of the majority of protein coding genes (i.e., targets). How do different miRNAs achieve precise control of gene networks during neocortical development? Here, we critically review all the miRNA-target interactions validated in vivo, with relevance to the generation and migration of pyramidal-projection glutamatergic neurons, and for the initial formation of cortical layers in the embryonic development of rodent neocortex. In particular, we focus on convergent miRNA actions, which are still a poorly understood layer of complexity in miRNA signaling, but potentially one of the keys to disclosing how miRNAs achieve the precise coordination of complex biological processes such as neocortical development.

Expression of Kv3.1b potassium channel is widespread in macaque motor cortex pyramidal cells: A histological comparison between rat and macaque

PubMed Central

Soares, David; Goldrick, Isabelle; Lemon, Roger N.; Kraskov, Alexander; Greensmith, Linda

2017-01-01

Abstract There are substantial differences across species in the organization and function of the motor pathways. These differences extend to basic electrophysiological properties. Thus, in rat motor cortex, pyramidal cells have long duration action potentials, while in the macaque, some pyramidal neurons exhibit short duration “thin” spikes. These differences may be related to the expression of the fast potassium channel Kv3.1b, which in rat interneurons is associated with generation of thin spikes. Rat pyramidal cells typically lack these channels, while there are reports that they are present in macaque pyramids. Here we made a systematic, quantitative comparison of the Kv3.1b expression in sections from macaque and rat motor cortex, using two different antibodies (NeuroMab, Millipore). As our standard reference, we examined, in the same sections, Kv3.1b staining in parvalbumin‐positive interneurons, which show strong Kv3.1b immunoreactivity. In macaque motor cortex, a large sample of pyramidal neurons were nearly all found to express Kv3.1b in their soma membranes. These labeled neurons were identified as pyramidal based either by expression of SMI32 (a pyramidal marker), or by their shape and size, and lack of expression of parvalbumin (a marker for some classes of interneuron). Large (Betz cells), medium, and small pyramidal neurons all expressed Kv3.1b. In rat motor cortex, SMI32‐postive pyramidal neurons expressing Kv3.1b were very rare and weakly stained. Thus, there is a marked species difference in the immunoreactivity of Kv3.1b in pyramidal neurons, and this may be one of the factors explaining the pronounced electrophysiological differences between rat and macaque pyramidal neurons. PMID:28213922

Evaluation of the Cost-Effectiveness of Pyramidal, Modified Pyramidal and Monoscreen Traps for the Control of the Tsetse Fly, Glossina fuscipes fuscipes, in Uganda

PubMed Central

Abila, P.P.; Okello-Onen, J.; Okoth, J.O.; Matete, G.O.; Wamwiri, F.; Politzar, H.

2007-01-01

Several trap designs have been used for sampling and control of the tsetse fly, Glossina fuscipes fuscipes, Newstead (Diptera: Glossinidae) based on preferences of individual researchers and program managers with little understanding of the comparative efficiency and cost-effectiveness of trap designs. This study was carried out to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of four commonly used trap designs: monoscreen, modified pyramidal and pyramidal, relative to the standard biconical trap. The study was performed under high tsetse challenge on Buvuma Island, Lake Victoria, Uganda, using a 4 × 4 Latin square design replicated 3 times, so as to separate the trap positions and day effects from the treatment effect. A total of 12 trap positions were tested over 4 days. The monoscreen trap caught significantly higher numbers of G. f. fuscipes (P<0.05) followed by biconical, modified pyramidal and pyramidal traps. Analysis of variance showed that treatment factor was a highly significant source of variation in the data. The index of increase in trap catches relative biconical were O.60 (pyramidal), 0.68 (modified pyramidal) and 1.25 (monoscreen). The monoscreen trap was cheaper (US$ 2.61) and required less material to construct than pyramidal trap (US$ 3.48), biconical and the modified pyramidal traps (US$ 4.06 each). Based on the number of flies caught per meter of material, the monoscreen trap proved to be the most cost-effective (232 flies/m) followed by the biconical trap (185 flies/m). The modified pyramidal and the pyramidal traps caught 112 and 125 flies/m, respectively. PMID:20345292

Theoretical study of pyramid sizes and scattering effects in silicon photovoltaic module stacks.

PubMed

Höhn, Oliver; Tucher, Nico; Bläsi, Benedikt

2018-03-19

Front side pyramids are the industrial standard for wafer based monocrystalline silicon solar cells. These pyramids fulfill two tasks: They act as anti-reflective structure on the one hand and as a light-trapping structure on the other hand. In recent development smaller pyramids with sizes below 1 µm attract more and more interest. In this paper an optical analysis of periodically arranged front side pyramids is performed. The impact on the reflectance as well as on the useful absorption within the solar cell is investigated depending on the pyramids size, the amount of additional scattering in the system and the quality of the rear side reflector. In contrast to other investigations not only the solar cell, but the full photovoltaic (PV) module stack is considered. This can strongly influence results, as we show in this paper. The results indicate that in a PV module stack with realistic assumptions for the amount of scattering as well as for the rear side reflectance only small differences for pyramids with sizes above 600 nm occur. Preliminary conclusions for random pyramids deduced from these results for periodically arranged pyramids indicate that these differences could become even smaller.

Mitochondrial Damage: A Diagnostic and Metabolic Approach in Traumatic Brain Injury and Post-Traumatic Disorder

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-01-29

Scanning Confocal Microscope (Zeiss- Pascal) using 20x obj. and edited using Zeiss Image Examiner Ver 5.0. The iso-cortical pyramidal layers 1 and 2 are...NeuN immunoreactivity is seen in the neuronal cytoplasm and especially apical dendrites of pyramidal neurons (white arrows), which facilitates the...identification of the pyramidal cell morphology in the outer pyramidal cell layer of neo-cortex (see picture A, depicted as py). Cortical Pyramidal

The Formation and Characterization of GaN Hexagonal Pyramids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Shi-Ying; Xiu, Xiang-Qian; Lin, Zeng-Qin; Hua, Xue-Mei; Xie, Zi-Li; Zhang, Rong; Zheng, You-Dou

2013-05-01

GaN with hexagonal pyramids is fabricated using the photo-assisted electroless chemical etching method. Defective areas of the GaN substrate are selectively etched in a mixed solution of KOH and K2S2O8 under ultraviolet illumination, producing submicron-sized pyramids. Hexagonal pyramids on the etched GaN with well-defined {101¯1¯} facets and very sharp tips are formed. High-resolution x-ray diffraction shows that etched GaN with pyramids has a higher crystal quality, and micro-Raman spectra reveal a tensile stress relaxation in GaN with pyramids compared with normal GaN. The cathodoluminescence intensity of GaN after etching is significantly increased by three times, which is attributed to the reduction in the internal reflection, high-quality GaN with pyramids and the Bragg effect.

Glycine and metformin as new counter ions for mono and dinuclear vanadium(V)-dipicolinic acid complexes based on the insulin-enhancing anions: Synthesis, spectroscopic characterization and crystal structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghasemi, Fatemeh; Rezvani, Ali Reza; Ghasemi, Khaled; Graiff, Claudia

2018-02-01

Complexes [VO(dipic) (H2O)2]·2H2O (1), [H2Met][V2O4(dipic)2] (2) and [HGly][VO2(dipic)] (3), where H2dipic = 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid, Met = Metformin (N,N-dimethylbiguanide) and Gly = glycine, were synthesized. The three complexes were characterized by elemental analysis, FTIR, 1H and 13C NMR, and UV-Vis spectroscopy. Solid-state structures of (2) and (3) were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The coordination geometry around the vanadium atoms in 2 is octahedral, while the coordination geometry in 3 is between trigonal bipyramidal and squared pyramidal. In the binuclear complex 2 and mononuclear complex 3, metformin and glycine are diprotonated and monoprotonated respectively, and act as a counter ion. The redox behavior of the complexes was also investigated by cyclic voltammetry.

First-principles study of amorphous Ga4Sb6Te3 phase-change alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bouzid, Assil; Gabardi, Silvia; Massobrio, Carlo; Boero, Mauro; Bernasconi, Marco

2015-05-01

First-principles molecular dynamics simulations within the density functional theory framework were performed to generate amorphous models of the Ga4Sb6Te3 phase change alloy by quenching from the melt. We find that Ga-Sb and Ga-Te are the most abundant bonds with only a minor amount of Sb-Te bonds participating to the alloy network. Ga and four-coordinated Sb atoms present a tetrahedral-like geometry, whereas three-coordinated Sb atoms are in a pyramidal configuration. The tetrahedral-like geometries are similar to those of the crystalline phase of the two binary compounds GaTe and GaSb. A sizable fraction of Sb-Sb bonds is also present, indicating a partial nanoscale segregation of Sb. Despite the fact that the composition Ga4Sb6Te3 lies on the pseudobinary Ga Sb -Sb2Te3 tie line, the amorphous network can be seen as a mixture of the two binary compounds GaTe and GaSb with intertwined elemental Sb.

Synthesis and molecular structure of [Cu(NH3)4][Ni(CN)4]: A missing piece in the [Cu(NH3)n][Ni(CN)4] story

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solanki, Dina; Hogarth, Graeme

2015-11-01

Reaction of CuCl2·2H2O and K2[Ni(CN)4]·2H2O in aqueous ammonia gave blue rod-like crystals of [Cu(NH3)4][Ni(CN)4]. An X-ray crystallographic reveals that square-planar anions and cations are weakly associated through coordination of a cis pair of cyanide ligands to copper, with one short and one long contact and thus the copper centre is best described as a square-based pyramid. Crystals lose ammonia readily upon removal from the solvent and this has been probed by TGA and DSC measurements. For comparison we have also re-determined the structure of the related ethylenediamine (en) complex [Cu(en)2][Ni(CN)4] at 150 K. This consists of a 1D chain in which a trans pair of cyanide ligands bind to copper such that the latter has an overall tetragonally distorted octahedral coordination geometry.

Poly[[di-μ-aqua-(μ-4-formyl-2-meth­oxy­phenol­ato)disodium] 4-formyl-2-meth­oxy­phenolate

PubMed Central

Asghar, Muhammad Nadeem; Şahin, Onur; Arshad, Muhammad Nadeem; Mazhar, Uzma; Khan, Islam Ullah; Büyükgüngör, Orhan

2010-01-01

In the title coordination polymer, {[Na2(C8H7O3)(H2O)4](C8H7O3)}n, all the non-H atoms except the water O atoms lie on a crystallographic mirror plane. One sodium cation is bonded to four water O atoms and one vanillinate O atom in a distorted square-based pyramidal arrangement; the other Na+ ion is six-coordinated by four water O atoms and two vanillinate O atoms in an irregular geometry. One of the vanillinate anions is directly bonded to two sodium ions, whilst the other only inter­acts with the polymeric network by way of hydrogen bonds. In the crystal, a two-dimensional polymeric array is formed; this is reinforced by O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, which generate R 2 1(6) and R 2 2(20) loops. PMID:21579628

Some biologically active oxovanadium(IV) complexes of triazole derived Schiff bases: their synthesis, characterization and biological properties.

PubMed

Chohan, Zahid H; Sumrra, Sajjad H

2010-10-01

A series of biologically active oxovanadium(IV) complexes of triazole derived Schiff bases L(1)-L(5) have been synthesized and characterized by their physical, analytical, and spectral data. The synthesized ligands potentially act as bidentate, in which the oxygen of furfural and nitrogen of azomethine coordinate with the oxovanadium atom to give a stoichiometry of vanadyl complexes 1:2 (M:L) in a square-pyramidal geometry. In vitro antibacterial and antifungal activities on different species of pathogenic bacteria (E. coli, S. flexneri, P. aeruginosa, S. typhi, S. aureus, and B. subtilis) and fungi (T. longifusus, C. albicans, A. flavus, M. canis, F. solani, and C. glabrata) have been studied. All compounds showed moderate to significant antibacterial activity against one or more bacterial strains and good antifungal activity against most of the fungal strains. The brine shrimp bioassay was also carried out to check the cytotoxicity of coordinated and uncoordinated synthesized compounds.

Dichlorido-1κCl,3κCl-bis­{μ-2,2′-[pro­pane-1,3-diylbis(imino­methyl­ene)]di­phenol­ato}-1:2κ6 O,N,N′,O′:O,O′;2:3κ6 O,O′:O,N,N′,O′-tricopper(II)

PubMed Central

Ateş, Bürke Meltem; Ercan, Filiz; Svoboda, Ingrid; Fuess, Hartmut; Atakol, Orhan

2008-01-01

The title linear trinuclear copper(II) complex, [Cu3(C17H20N2O2)2Cl2], was obtained from N,N′-bis­(2-hydroxy­benz­yl)-1,3-propane­diamine and CuCl2. The overall charge of the three Cu2+ ions is balanced by four deprotonated phenol groups and two Cl− ligands. The complex is centrosymmetric with the central Cu2+ occupying a special position (). This Cu2+ ion is coordinated by the four phenolate O atoms in a square-planar fashion. The second Cu2+ occupies a general position in a square-pyramidal fashion. Two phenolate O atoms and two amine N form the basal plane, with Cl− ligands occupying the fifth coordination site. PMID:21201868

Synthesis,and structural characterization of [(CH3(C5H4N))Ga(SCH2(CO)O)]-[(4-MepyH)]+, a novel Ga(III) five coordinate complex.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Banger, Kulbinder K.; Duraj, Stan A.; Fanwic, Phillp E.; Hepp, Aloysius F.; Martuch, Robert A.

2003-01-01

The synthesis and structural characterization of a novel ionic Ga(III) five coordinate complex [{CH3(C5H4N)}Ga(SCH2(CO)O)2]-[(4-MepyH)]+, (4-Mepy = CH3(C5H5N)) from the reaction between Ga2Cl4 with sodium mercapto-acetic acid in 4-methylpyridine is described. Under basic reaction conditions the mercapto ligand is found to behave as a 2e- bidentate ligand. Single crystal X-ray diffraction studies show the complex to have a distorted square pyramidal geometry with the [(-SCH2(CO)CO-)] ligands in a trans conformation. The compound crystallizes in the P2(sub 1)/c (No. 14) space group with a = 7.7413(6) A, b = 16.744(2) A, c = 14.459(2) A, V = 1987.1(6) A(sup 3), R(F) = 0.032 and R(sub w) = 0.038.

Neutron diffraction studies of a four-coordinated hydride in near square-planar geometry

DOE PAGES

Liao, Jian -Hong; Dhayal, Rajendra Singh; Wang, Xiaoping; ...

2014-10-07

The structure of a nanospheric polyhydrido copper cluster, [Cu 20(H) 11{S 2P(O iPr) 2} 9], was determined by single-crystal neutron diffraction. Cu 20 cluster consists of an elongated triangular orthobicupola constructed from 18 Cu atoms that encapsulate a [Cu 2H 5} 3- ion in the center with an exceptionally short Cu-Cu distance. The eleven hydrides in the cluster display three different coordination modes to the Cu atoms: Six μ 3-hydrides in pyramidal geometry, two μ 4-hydrides in tetrahedral cavity, and three μ 4-hydrides in an unprecedented near square-planar geometry. The neutron data set was collected on a small crystal ofmore » the size 0.20 mm x 0.50 mm x 0.65 mm for seven days using the Spallation Neutron Source TOPAZ single-crystal time-of-flight Laue diffractometer at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Furthermore, the final R-factor is 8.64% for 16014 reflections.« less

Photoinduced Cobalt(III)-Trifluoromethyl Bond Activation Enables Arene C-H Trifluoromethylation.

PubMed

Harris, Caleb F; Kuehner, Christopher S; Bacsa, John; Soper, Jake D

2018-01-26

Visible-light capture activates a thermodynamically inert Co III -CF 3 bond for direct C-H trifluoromethylation of arenes and heteroarenes. New trifluoromethylcobalt(III) complexes supported by a redox-active [OCO] pincer ligand were prepared. Coordinating solvents, such as MeCN, afford green, quasi-octahedral [( S OCO)Co III (CF 3 )(MeCN) 2 ] (2), but in non-coordinating solvents the complex is red, square pyramidal [( S OCO)Co III (CF 3 )(MeCN)] (3). Both are thermally stable, and 2 is stable in light. But exposure of 3 to low-energy light results in facile homolysis of the Co III -CF 3 bond, releasing . CF 3 radical, which is efficiently trapped by TEMPO . or (hetero)arenes. The homolytic aromatic substitution reactions do not require a sacrificial or substrate-derived oxidant because the Co II by-product of Co III -CF 3 homolysis produces H 2 . The photophysical properties of 2 and 3 provide a rationale for the disparate light stability. © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Teacher Acquisition of Functional Analysis Methods Using Pyramidal Training

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pence, Sacha T.; St. Peter, Claire C.; Giles, Aimee F.

2014-01-01

Pyramidal training involves an experienced professional training a subset of individuals who, in turn, train additional individuals. Pyramidal training is effective for training a variety of behavior-analytic skills with direct-care staff, parents, and teachers. As teachers' roles in behavioral assessment increase, pyramidal training may be…

Syntheses, characterization and antioxidant activity studies of mixed-ligand copper(II) complexes of 2,2‧-bipyridine and glycine: The X-ray crystal structure of [Cu(BPy)(Gly)]ClO4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ibrahim, Mohamed M.; Ramadan, Abd El-Motaleb M.; Shaban, Shaban Y.; Mersal, Gaber A. M.; El-Shazly, Samir A.; Al-Juaid, Salih

2017-04-01

A series of mixed-ligand complexes, viz., [CuLL'X]Y {L = bipyridine; L' = glycine; X = 0, Y = ClO4- (1); X = Cl, Y = 2H2O (2); X = H2O, Y = NO3- (3); X = CH3COO-, Y = H2O (4)} and {[Cu(Gly)(BPy)]2-μ-(SO4)}(5)} have been synthesized and characterized by means of elemental analysis, spectroscopic (FT-IR, UV-Vis and ESR), and thermal analysis, as well as magnetic moment measurements. Spectral and X-ray structural features led to the conclusion that complexes 2-5 have square-pyramidal environments around copper(II) center with coordination chromophores CuN3OCl and CuN3O2, respectively. Whereas complex 1 displays square planar geometry. The quasi-reversible CuII/CuI redox couple slightly improves its reversibility with considerable decrease in current intensity. Additionally, the antioxidant (superoxide dismutase and catalase) biomimetic catalytic activities of the obtained complexes have been tested and found to be promising candidates as dual functional mimic enzyme to serve for complete reactive oxygen species (ROS) detoxification, both with respect to the superoxide radicals and the related peroxides.

Ti K-edge EXAFS and XANES study on tektites from different strewnfields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, L.; Furuta, T.; Okube, M.; Yoshiasa, A.

2011-12-01

The concentration and local structure of each element may have various kinds of information about the asteroid impact and mass extinction. Farges and Brown have discussed about the Ti local structure by XANES, and concluded that Ti in tektite occupies 4-coordinated site. EXAFS can be analyzed to give precise information about the distance from Ti to near neighbors. The XAFS measurement of Ti local structure was preformed at the beamline 9C of the Photon Factory in KEK, Tsukuba, Japan. The specimens of tektites are from different strewnfields, they are: indochinite, bediasite, hainanite, philippinite, australite and moldavite. Sample for comparison are Libya desert glass and suevite. The k3χ(k) function was transformed into the radial structure function (RSF) for Ti K-edge of six tektites. The RSF for the Ti atom in indochinite and bediasite are similar; hainanite, australite and philippinite are similar; and moldavite is discriminated from others. It indicates that they have the same local atomic environmental around the Ti atoms and extended structure respectively. Coordination numbers and radial structure function are determined by EXAFS analyses (Table 1). We classified the tektites in three types: in indochinite and bediasite, Ti occupies 4-coordinated tetrahedral site and Ti-O distances are 1.84-1.81 Å; in hainanite, australite and philippinite, Ti occupies 5-coordinated trigonal bi-pyramidal or tetragonal pyramidal site and Ti-O distances are 1.92-1.87 Å; in moldavite, Ti occupies the 6-coordinated octahedral site and Ti-O distance is 2.00-1.96 Å. Formation of tektites is related to the impact process. It is generally recognized that tektites were formed under higher temperature and high pressure. But through this study, local structures of Ti are differing in three strewnfields and even different locations of the same strewnfield. What caused the various local structures will be another topic of tektite studies. Local structure of Ti may be changed in the impact event and the following stage. Tektites splashed to the space and travel in several kinds of processes and routes, which lead to different temperature and pressure history. Local structure of Ti should be related with the temperature, pressure, quenching rate, sizes of impact meteorite and size of falling melts. [1] Koeberl. Ann.Rev.Earth Planet.Sci. 14, 323-350 (1986) [2] François Farges & Gordon E. Brown Jr Geochim. Cosmo. Acta.61, 1863-1870 (1997). [3]Paris, E., Dingwell, D., Seifert, F., Mottana, A. & Romano, C. (1994). Phys. Chem. Miner. 21, 520-525.
Table 1 Structure parameters determined by EXAFS

Optimizing pyramided transgenic Bt crops for sustainable pest management.

PubMed

Carrière, Yves; Crickmore, Neil; Tabashnik, Bruce E

2015-02-01

Transgenic crop pyramids producing two or more Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) toxins that kill the same insect pest have been widely used to delay evolution of pest resistance. To assess the potential of pyramids to achieve this goal, we analyze data from 38 studies that report effects of ten Bt toxins used in transgenic crops against 15 insect pests. We find that compared with optimal low levels of insect survival, survival on currently used pyramids is often higher for both susceptible insects and insects resistant to one of the toxins in the pyramid. Furthermore, we find that cross-resistance and antagonism between toxins used in pyramids are common, and that these problems are associated with the similarity of the amino acid sequences of domains II and III of the toxins, respectively. This analysis should assist in future pyramid design and the development of sustainable resistance management strategies.

Reply to ``Comment on `Spin- and charge-ordering in oxygen-vacancy-ordered mixed-valence Sr4Fe4O11 ' ''

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ravindran, P.; Vidya, R.; Fjellvåg, H.; Kjekshus, A.

2008-04-01

Recently, using density-functional theoretical calculations, we have reported [Phys. Rev. B 74, 054422 (2006)] that formal Fe3+ ions reside at the square-pyramidal site and Fe4+ ions in the octahedral site in Sr4Fe4O11 . Based on the interpretation of experimental structural and Mössbauer data from the literature, Adler concludes that our previous first-principles results disagree with experiments on the assignment of oxidation states to Fe in the square-pyramidal and octahedral environments in Sr4Fe4O11 . From a critical examination of the structure data for Sr4Fe4O11 and related oxides with Fe in different oxidation states and theoretically simulated Mössbauer parameters (hyperfine field, isomer shift, and quadrupole splitting), here we show that information on charges residing on the different constituents cannot be directly derived either from experimental structure or Mössbauer data. From additional analyses of the chemical bonding on the basis of charge density, charge transfer, electron localization function, crystal orbital Hamilton population, Born effective charge, and partial density of states, we substantiate our previous assignment of formal Fe3+ and Fe4+ to the square-pyramidal and octahedral sites, respectively, in Sr4Fe4O11 .

Biofilm exopolymers control microbialite formation at thermal springs discharging into the alkaline Pyramid Lake, Nevada, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arp, Gernot; Thiel, Volker; Reimer, Andreas; Michaelis, Walter; Reitner, Joachim

1999-07-01

Calcium carbonate precipitation and microbialite formation at highly supersaturated mixing zones of thermal spring waters and alkaline lake water have been investigated at Pyramid Lake, Nevada. Without precipitation, pure mixing should lead to a nearly 100-fold supersaturation at 40°C. Physicochemical precipitation is modified or even inhibited by the properties of biofilms, dependent on the extent of biofilm development and the current precipitation rate. Mucus substances (extracellular polymeric substances, EPS, e.g., of cyanobacteria) serve as effective Ca 2+-buffers, thus preventing seed crystal nucleation even in a highly supersaturated macroenvironment. Carbonate is then preferentially precipitated in mucus-free areas such as empty diatom tests or voids. After the buffer capacity of the EPS is surpassed, precipitation is observed at the margins of mucus areas. Hydrocarbon biomarkers extracted from (1) a calcifying Phormidium-biofilm, (2) the stromatolitic carbonate below, and (3) a fossil `tufa' of the Pleistocene pinnacles, indicate that the cyanobacterial primary producers have been subject to significant temporal changes in their species distribution. Accordingly, the species composition of cyanobacterial biofilms does not appear to be relevant for the formation of microbial carbonates in Pyramid Lake. The results demonstrate the crucial influence of mucus substances on carbonate precipitation in highly supersaturated natural environments.

The Learning Pyramid: Does It Point Teachers in the Right Direction?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lalley, James P.; Miller, Robert H.

2007-01-01

This paper raises serious questions about the reliability of the learning pyramid as a guide to retention among students. The pyramid suggests that certain teaching methods are connected with a corresponding hierarchy of student retention. No specific credible research was uncovered to support the pyramid, which is loosely associated with the…

Expression of Kv3.1b potassium channel is widespread in macaque motor cortex pyramidal cells: A histological comparison between rat and macaque.

PubMed

Soares, David; Goldrick, Isabelle; Lemon, Roger N; Kraskov, Alexander; Greensmith, Linda; Kalmar, Bernadett

2017-06-15

There are substantial differences across species in the organization and function of the motor pathways. These differences extend to basic electrophysiological properties. Thus, in rat motor cortex, pyramidal cells have long duration action potentials, while in the macaque, some pyramidal neurons exhibit short duration "thin" spikes. These differences may be related to the expression of the fast potassium channel Kv3.1b, which in rat interneurons is associated with generation of thin spikes. Rat pyramidal cells typically lack these channels, while there are reports that they are present in macaque pyramids. Here we made a systematic, quantitative comparison of the Kv3.1b expression in sections from macaque and rat motor cortex, using two different antibodies (NeuroMab, Millipore). As our standard reference, we examined, in the same sections, Kv3.1b staining in parvalbumin-positive interneurons, which show strong Kv3.1b immunoreactivity. In macaque motor cortex, a large sample of pyramidal neurons were nearly all found to express Kv3.1b in their soma membranes. These labeled neurons were identified as pyramidal based either by expression of SMI32 (a pyramidal marker), or by their shape and size, and lack of expression of parvalbumin (a marker for some classes of interneuron). Large (Betz cells), medium, and small pyramidal neurons all expressed Kv3.1b. In rat motor cortex, SMI32-postive pyramidal neurons expressing Kv3.1b were very rare and weakly stained. Thus, there is a marked species difference in the immunoreactivity of Kv3.1b in pyramidal neurons, and this may be one of the factors explaining the pronounced electrophysiological differences between rat and macaque pyramidal neurons. © 2017 The Authors The Journal of Comparative Neurology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Static Posturography and Falls According to Pyramidal, Sensory and Cerebellar Functional Systems in People with Multiple Sclerosis

PubMed Central

Kalron, Alon; Givon, Uri; Frid, Lior; Dolev, Mark; Achiron, Anat

2016-01-01

Balance impairment is common in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) and frequently impacts quality of life by decreasing mobility and increasing the risk of falling. However, there are only scarce data examining the contribution of specific neurological functional systems on balance measures in MS. Therefore, the primary aim of our study was to examine the differences in posturography parameters and fall incidence according to the pyramidal, cerebellar and sensory systems functional systems in PwMS. The study included 342 PwMS, 211 women and mean disease duration of 8.2 (S.D = 8.3) years. The study sample was divided into six groups according to the pyramidal, cerebellar and sensory functional system scores, derived from the Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) data. Static postural control parameters were obtained from the Zebris FDM-T Treadmill (zebris® Medical GmbH, Germany). Participants were defined as "fallers" and "non-fallers" based on their fall history. Our findings revealed a trend that PwMS affected solely in the pyramidal system, have reduced stability compared to patients with cerebellar and sensory dysfunctions. Moreover, the addition of sensory impairments to pyramidal dysfunction does not exacerbate postural control. The patients in the pure sensory group demonstrated increased stability compared to each of the three combined groups; pyramidal-cerebellar, pyramidal-sensory and pyramidal-cerebellar-sensory groups. As for fall status, the percentage of fallers in the pure pyramidal, cerebellar and sensory groups were 44.3%, 33.3% and 19.5%, respectively. As for the combined functional system groups, the percentage of fallers in the pyramidal-cerebellar, pyramidal-sensory and pyramidal-cerebellar-sensory groups were 59.7%, 40.7% and 65%, respectively. This study confirms that disorders in neurological functional systems generate different effects on postural control and incidence of falls in the MS population. From a clinical standpoint, the present information can benefit all those engaged in physical rehabilitation of PwMS. PMID:27741268

Idea Bank: Assessing Your Curriculum with the Creative Rights Pyramid

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Thibeault, Matthew D.

2011-01-01

This article presents a creative rights pyramid that was developed as part of the author's efforts to: (1) teach about copyright and intellectual property; and (2) increase students' awareness of their own intellectual property in and outside the music classroom. The pyramid is based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's food pyramid to suggest…

Using the Food Guide Pyramid: A Resource for Nutrition Educators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaw, Anne; Fulton, Lois; Davis, Carole; Hogbin, Myrtle

This booklet provides information to assist nutrition educators in helping their audiences use the Food Guide Pyramid to plan and prepare foods for a healthy diet. It reviews the objectives set in developing the Food Guide Pyramid and illustrates their impact on the application of the Food Guide Pyramid to planning menus. In particular, the…

A gaze-contingent display to study contrast sensitivity under natural viewing conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dorr, Michael; Bex, Peter J.

2011-03-01

Contrast sensitivity has been extensively studied over the last decades and there are well-established models of early vision that were derived by presenting the visual system with synthetic stimuli such as sine-wave gratings near threshold contrasts. Natural scenes, however, contain a much wider distribution of orientations, spatial frequencies, and both luminance and contrast values. Furthermore, humans typically move their eyes two to three times per second under natural viewing conditions, but most laboratory experiments require subjects to maintain central fixation. We here describe a gaze-contingent display capable of performing real-time contrast modulations of video in retinal coordinates, thus allowing us to study contrast sensitivity when dynamically viewing dynamic scenes. Our system is based on a Laplacian pyramid for each frame that efficiently represents individual frequency bands. Each output pixel is then computed as a locally weighted sum of pyramid levels to introduce local contrast changes as a function of gaze. Our GPU implementation achieves real-time performance with more than 100 fps on high-resolution video (1920 by 1080 pixels) and a synthesis latency of only 1.5ms. Psychophysical data show that contrast sensitivity is greatly decreased in natural videos and under dynamic viewing conditions. Synthetic stimuli therefore only poorly characterize natural vision.

Independent rate and temporal coding in hippocampal pyramidal cells.

PubMed

Huxter, John; Burgess, Neil; O'Keefe, John

2003-10-23

In the brain, hippocampal pyramidal cells use temporal as well as rate coding to signal spatial aspects of the animal's environment or behaviour. The temporal code takes the form of a phase relationship to the concurrent cycle of the hippocampal electroencephalogram theta rhythm. These two codes could each represent a different variable. However, this requires the rate and phase to vary independently, in contrast to recent suggestions that they are tightly coupled, both reflecting the amplitude of the cell's input. Here we show that the time of firing and firing rate are dissociable, and can represent two independent variables: respectively the animal's location within the place field, and its speed of movement through the field. Independent encoding of location together with actions and stimuli occurring there may help to explain the dual roles of the hippocampus in spatial and episodic memory, or may indicate a more general role of the hippocampus in relational/declarative memory.

40 CFR 109.6 - Coordination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Coordination. 109.6 Section 109.6 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS CRITERIA FOR STATE, LOCAL AND REGIONAL OIL REMOVAL CONTINGENCY PLANS § 109.6 Coordination. For the purposes of coordination...

40 CFR 109.6 - Coordination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2014-07-01 2013-07-01 true Coordination. 109.6 Section 109.6 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS CRITERIA FOR STATE, LOCAL AND REGIONAL OIL REMOVAL CONTINGENCY PLANS § 109.6 Coordination. For the purposes of coordination...

Relevance of the pyramidal syndrome in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

PubMed

Álvarez, N; Díez, L; Avellaneda, C; Serra, M; Rubio, M Á

Pyramidal signs (hyperreflexia, spasticity, Babinski sign) are essential for the diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). However, these signs are not always present at onset and may vary over time, besides which their role in disease evolution is controversial. Our goal was to describe which pyramidal signs were present and how they evolved in a cohort of patients with ALS, as well as their role in prognosis. Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected patients diagnosed with ALS in our centre from 1990 to 2015. Of a total of 130 patients with ALS, 34 (26.1%) patients showed no pyramidal signs at the first visit while 15 (11.5%) had a complete pyramidal syndrome. Of those patients without initial pyramidal signs, mean time of appearance of the first signs was 4.5 months. Babinski sign was positive in 64 (49.2%) patients, hyperreflexia in 90 (69.2%) and 22 (16.9%) patients had spasticity. Pyramidal signs tended to remain unchanged over time, although they seem to appear at later stages or even disappear with time in some patients. We found no association between survival and the presence of changes to pyramidal signs, although decreased spasticity was associated with greater clinical deterioration (ALSFR scale) (P<.001). A quarter of patients with ALS initially showed no pyramidal signs and in some cases they even disappear over time. These data support the need for tools that assess the pyramidal tract. Copyright © 2016 Sociedad Española de Neurología. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

[μ-10,21-Dimethyl-3,6,14,17-tetra-za-tricyclo-[17.3.1.1]tetra-cosa-1(23),2,6,8,10,12 (24),13,17,19,21-deca-ene-23,24-diolato-κN,N,O,O:κN,N,O,O]bis-(perchlorato-κO)dimanganese(II).

PubMed

Liu, Jing; Pan, Zhi-Quan; Zhou, Hong; Li, Yi-Zhi

2008-11-08

In the centrosymmetric and dinuclear title complex, [Mn(2)(C(22)H(22)N(4)O(2))(ClO(4))(2)], the two Mn atoms are bridged by two phenolate O atoms of the N(4)O(2) macrocycle with an Mn⋯Mn distance of 2.9228 (11) Å. The distorted square-pyramidal N(2)O(3) coordination geometry is completed by an O atom derived from a perchlorate anion.

Palladium-catalyzed cocyclotrimerization of arynes with a pyramidalized alkene.

PubMed

Alonso, José M; Quiroga, Sabela; Codony, Sandra; Turcu, Andreea L; Barniol-Xicota, Marta; Pérez, Dolores; Guitián, Enrique; Vázquez, Santiago; Peña, Diego

2018-05-23

The metal-catalyzed [2+2+2] cocycloaddition of arynes with pyramidalized alkenes is presented. The generation of a highly reactive pyramidalized alkene in the presence of a large excess of in situ-produced arynes led to the corresponding cocyclotrimerization (1 : 2)-adducts in good yields, establishing the first example of a palladium-based reaction of a pyramidalized alkene.

[Pyramidal syndrome in lateral amyotrophic sclerosis: clinico-morphological analysis].

PubMed

Musaeva, L S; Zavalishin, I A; Gulevskaia, T S

2003-01-01

Retrospective clinical analysis with a special focus on pyramidal syndrome expression in the disease course as well as morphological study of brain and spinal structures in all levels of cortical-spinal projection (from brain motor cortex to spinal lumbar segments) have been conducted for 11 section cases of lateral amyotrophic sclerosis (LAS), sporadic type. Two groups of patients were studied: with pronounced pyramidal syndrome (spasticity, hyperreflexia, etc)--7 cases and with some signs of pyramidal deficiency (anisoreflexia, stability of peritoneal reflexes)--4 cases. Pyramidal syndrome in LAS is considered as an emergence of current neurodegenerative process, embracing a significant part of upper motor neurons of both precentral convolution and its axons along the whole length of cerebrospinal axis in the form of cytoplasmic inclusions and axonal spheroids. A presence of pathomorphological changes in other upper segmental structures of motor control reveals their role in pyramidal deficiency. Comparative analysis showed that expression of pyramidal syndrome signs and its correlation to atrophic paresis appearances is specifically determined by the severity of upper and lower motor neurons lesions. With regard to morphological changes in CNS structures, the peculiarities of some pyramidal syndrome appearances in LAS are analyzed.

Branching angles of pyramidal cell dendrites follow common geometrical design principles in different cortical areas.

PubMed

Bielza, Concha; Benavides-Piccione, Ruth; López-Cruz, Pedro; Larrañaga, Pedro; DeFelipe, Javier

2014-08-01

Unraveling pyramidal cell structure is crucial to understanding cortical circuit computations. Although it is well known that pyramidal cell branching structure differs in the various cortical areas, the principles that determine the geometric shapes of these cells are not fully understood. Here we analyzed and modeled with a von Mises distribution the branching angles in 3D reconstructed basal dendritic arbors of hundreds of intracellularly injected cortical pyramidal cells in seven different cortical regions of the frontal, parietal, and occipital cortex of the mouse. We found that, despite the differences in the structure of the pyramidal cells in these distinct functional and cytoarchitectonic cortical areas, there are common design principles that govern the geometry of dendritic branching angles of pyramidal cells in all cortical areas.

Branching angles of pyramidal cell dendrites follow common geometrical design principles in different cortical areas

PubMed Central

Bielza, Concha; Benavides-Piccione, Ruth; López-Cruz, Pedro; Larrañaga, Pedro; DeFelipe, Javier

2014-01-01

Unraveling pyramidal cell structure is crucial to understanding cortical circuit computations. Although it is well known that pyramidal cell branching structure differs in the various cortical areas, the principles that determine the geometric shapes of these cells are not fully understood. Here we analyzed and modeled with a von Mises distribution the branching angles in 3D reconstructed basal dendritic arbors of hundreds of intracellularly injected cortical pyramidal cells in seven different cortical regions of the frontal, parietal, and occipital cortex of the mouse. We found that, despite the differences in the structure of the pyramidal cells in these distinct functional and cytoarchitectonic cortical areas, there are common design principles that govern the geometry of dendritic branching angles of pyramidal cells in all cortical areas. PMID:25081193

Development and evaluation of near-isogenic lines for major blast resistance gene(s) in Basmati rice.

PubMed

Khanna, Apurva; Sharma, Vinay; Ellur, Ranjith K; Shikari, Asif B; Gopala Krishnan, S; Singh, U D; Prakash, G; Sharma, T R; Rathour, Rajeev; Variar, Mukund; Prashanthi, S K; Nagarajan, M; Vinod, K K; Bhowmick, Prolay K; Singh, N K; Prabhu, K V; Singh, B D; Singh, Ashok K

2015-07-01

A set of NILs carrying major blast resistance genes in a Basmati rice variety has been developed. Also, the efficacy of pyramids over monogenic NILs against rice blast pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae has been demonstrated. Productivity and quality of Basmati rice is severely affected by rice blast disease. Major genes and QTLs conferring resistance to blast have been reported only in non-Basmati rice germplasm. Here, we report incorporation of seven blast resistance genes from the donor lines DHMASQ164-2a (Pi54, Pi1, Pita), IRBLz5-CA (Pi2), IRBLb-B (Pib), IRBL5-M (Pi5) and IRBL9-W (Pi9) into the genetic background of an elite Basmati rice variety Pusa Basmati 1 (PB1). A total of 36 near-isogenic lines (NILs) comprising of 14 monogenic, 16 two-gene pyramids and six three-gene pyramids were developed through marker-assisted backcross breeding (MABB). Foreground, recombinant and background selection was used to identify the plants with target gene(s), minimize the linkage drag and increase the recurrent parent genome (RPG) recovery (93.5-98.6 %), respectively, in the NILs. Comparative analysis performed using 50,051 SNPs and 500 SSR markers revealed that the SNPs provided better insight into the RPG recovery. Most of the monogenic NILs showed comparable performance in yield and quality, concomitantly, Pusa1637-18-7-6-20 (Pi9), was significantly superior in yield and stable across four different environments as compared to recurrent parent (RP) PB1. Further, among the pyramids, Pusa1930-12-6 (Pi2+Pi5) showed significantly higher yield and Pusa1633-7-8-53-6-8 (Pi54+Pi1+Pita) was superior in cooking quality as compared to RP PB1. The NILs carrying gene Pi9 were found to be the most effective against the concoction of virulent races predominant in the hotspot locations for blast disease. Conversely, when analyzed under artificial inoculation, three-gene pyramids expressed enhanced resistance as compared to the two-gene and monogenic NILs.

Virtual pyramid wavefront sensor for phase unwrapping.

PubMed

Akondi, Vyas; Vohnsen, Brian; Marcos, Susana

2016-10-10

Noise affects wavefront reconstruction from wrapped phase data. A novel method of phase unwrapping is proposed with the help of a virtual pyramid wavefront sensor. The method was tested on noisy wrapped phase images obtained experimentally with a digital phase-shifting point diffraction interferometer. The virtuality of the pyramid wavefront sensor allows easy tuning of the pyramid apex angle and modulation amplitude. It is shown that an optimal modulation amplitude obtained by monitoring the Strehl ratio helps in achieving better accuracy. Through simulation studies and iterative estimation, it is shown that the virtual pyramid wavefront sensor is robust to random noise.

Pyramid beam splitter

DOEpatents

McKeown, Mark H.; Beason, Steven C.; Fairer, George

1992-01-01

The apparatus of the present invention provides means for obtaining accurate, dependable, measurement of bearings and directions for geologic mapping in subterranean shafts, such as, for example, nuclear waste storage investigations. In operation, a laser beam is projected along a reference bearing. A pyramid is mounted such that the laser beam is parallel to the pyramid axis and can impinge on the apex of the pyramid thus splitting the beam several ways into several beams at right angles to each other and at right angles to the reference beam. The pyramid is also translatable and rotatable in a plane perpendicular to the reference beam.

[Coupling coordination evaluation method between eco-environment quality and economic development level in contiguous special poverty-stricken areas of China].

PubMed

Wang, Yan-hui; Li, Jing-yi

2015-05-01

It is one of the important strategies in the new period of national poverty alleviation and development to maintain the basic balance between the ecological environment and economic development, and to promote the coordinated sustainable development of economy and ecological environment. Taking six contiguous special poverty-stricken areas as the study areas, a coupling coordination evaluation method between eco-environment quality and economic development level in contiguous special poverty-stricken areas was explored in this paper. The region' s ecological poverty index system was proposed based on the natural attribute of ecological environment, and the ecological environment quality evaluation method was built up by using AHP weighting method, followed by the design of the coupling coordination evaluation method between the ecological environment indices and the county economic poverty comprehensive indices. The coupling coordination degrees were calculated and their spatial representation differentiations were analyzed respectively at district, province, city, and county scales. Results showed that approximately half of the counties in the study areas achieved the harmoniously coordinated development. However, the ecological environmental quality and the economic development in most counties could not be synchronized, where mountains, rivers and other geographic features existed roughly as a dividing line of the coordinated development types. The phenomena of dislocation between the ecological environment and economic development in state-level poor counties were more serious than those of local poor counties.

Efficacy and connectivity of intracolumnar pairs of layer 2/3 pyramidal cells in the barrel cortex of juvenile rats

PubMed Central

Feldmeyer, Dirk; Lübke, Joachim; Sakmann, Bert

2006-01-01

Synaptically coupled layer 2/3 (L2/3) pyramidal neurones located above the same layer 4 barrel (‘barrel-related’) were investigated using dual whole-cell voltage recordings in acute slices of rat somatosensory cortex. Recordings were followed by reconstructions of biocytin-filled neurones. The onset latency of unitary EPSPs was 1.1 ± 0.4 ms, the 20–80% rise time was 0.7 ± 0.2 ms, the average amplitude was 1.0 ± 0.7 mV and the decay time constant was 15.7 ± 4.5 ms. The coefficient of variation (c.v.) of unitary EPSP amplitudes decreased with increasing EPSP peak and was 0.33 ± 0.18. Bursts of APs in the presynaptic pyramidal cell resulted in EPSPs that, over a wide range of frequencies (5–100 Hz), displayed amplitude depression. Anatomically the barrel-related pyramidal cells in the lower half of layer 2/3 have a long apical dendrite with a small terminal tuft, while pyramidal cells in the upper half of layer 2/3 have shorter and often more ‘irregularly’ shaped apical dendrites that branch profusely in layer 1. The number of putative excitatory synaptic contacts established by the axonal collaterals of a L2/3 pyramidal cell with a postsynaptic pyramidal cell in the same column varied between 2 and 4, with an average of 2.8 ± 0.7 (n = 8 pairs). Synaptic contacts were established predominantly on the basal dendrites at a mean geometric distance of 91 ± 47 μm from the pyramidal cell soma. L2/3-to-L2/3 connections formed a blob-like innervation domain containing 2.8 mm of the presynaptic axon collaterals with a bouton density of 0.3 boutons per μm axon. Within the supragranular layers of its home column a single L2/3 pyramidal cell established about 900 boutons suggesting that 270 pyramidal cells in layer 2/3 are innervated by an individual pyramidal cell. In turn, a single pyramidal cell received synaptic inputs from 270 other L2/3 pyramidal cells. The innervation domain of L2/3-to-L2/3 connections superimposes almost exactly with that of L4-to-L2/3 connections. This suggests that synchronous feed-forward excitation of L2/3 pyramidal cells arriving from layer 4 could be potentially amplified in layer 2/3 by feedback excitation within a column and then relayed to the neighbouring columns. PMID:16793907

Imaging a Pyramid Interior by ERT-3D Methods, Preliminar Results at El Castillo Pyramid, Chichen Itza, Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chavez, R. E.; Tejero, A.; Cifuentes, G.; HernaNdez-Quintero, J. E.; Garcia-Serrano, A.

2016-12-01

The well known Pyramid El Castillo, located in the archaeological site of Chichen Itza, in the Yucatan Peninsula is the emblematic structure of this archaeological site and elected as one of the man-made world seven wonders. The archaeological team that restored this structure during the 1920's discovered a smaller pyramid inside this prehispanic body, which corresponded to an older Mayan period. The possibility of finding other constructive periods inside this edifice should be important to reconstruct the Mayan history. Previous geophysical studies carried out by us in 2014, employed novel Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) arrays that surrounded the pyramids surface with flat electrodes to obtain a 3D image of the subsoil. At that time, a low resistivity body was found beneath the pyramid, which was associated to a sinkhole filled with sweet water. Employing the same technique, a series of flat electrodes were deployed on each body conforming the pyramid, a total of 10 bodies were covered, employing a different number of electrodes trying to keep the distance between each electrode constant ( 3 m). Each body was treated as a single observation cube, where the apparent resistivity data measured was later inverted. A precise topographic control for each electrode was realized and introduced in the inversion process. 45,000 observation points within the pyramid were obtained. Initially, each working cube corresponding to a given pyramid's body was inverted. A composition of each inversion was assembled to form the resistivity distribution within the pyramid using a smooth interpolation method. A high resistivity anomaly was found towards the northern portion of the model that could be associated to the main stairway of the inner pyramid. The cavity detected during the 2014 survey was observed as a low resistivity anomaly found at the pyramid's base. At the moment, we are assembling the full observed resistivity data as a single file to compute an integrated geophysical model that could be inverted. We expect to compute such final model soon.

Neural Representation of Spatial Topology in the Rodent Hippocampus

PubMed Central

Chen, Zhe; Gomperts, Stephen N.; Yamamoto, Jun; Wilson, Matthew A.

2014-01-01

Pyramidal cells in the rodent hippocampus often exhibit clear spatial tuning in navigation. Although it has been long suggested that pyramidal cell activity may underlie a topological code rather than a topographic code, it remains unclear whether an abstract spatial topology can be encoded in the ensemble spiking activity of hippocampal place cells. Using a statistical approach developed previously, we investigate this question and related issues in greater details. We recorded ensembles of hippocampal neurons as rodents freely foraged in one and two-dimensional spatial environments, and we used a “decode-to-uncover” strategy to examine the temporally structured patterns embedded in the ensemble spiking activity in the absence of observed spatial correlates during periods of rodent navigation or awake immobility. Specifically, the spatial environment was represented by a finite discrete state space. Trajectories across spatial locations (“states”) were associated with consistent hippocampal ensemble spiking patterns, which were characterized by a state transition matrix. From this state transition matrix, we inferred a topology graph that defined the connectivity in the state space. In both one and two-dimensional environments, the extracted behavior patterns from the rodent hippocampal population codes were compared against randomly shuffled spike data. In contrast to a topographic code, our results support the efficiency of topological coding in the presence of sparse sample size and fuzzy space mapping. This computational approach allows us to quantify the variability of ensemble spiking activity, to examine hippocampal population codes during off-line states, and to quantify the topological complexity of the environment. PMID:24102128

Earth Observations taken by the Expedition 17 Crew

NASA Image and Video Library

2008-05-30

ISS017-E-008285 (30 May 2008) --- Pyramids of Dashur, Egypt are featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 17 crewmember on the International Space Station. While the pyramids of Giza are perhaps the most famous, there are several other ancient Egyptian royal necropolis ("city of the dead") sites situated along the Nile River and its delta. One of these sites is located near the village of Dashur (upper right). The gray-brown built area of Dashur is surrounded by green agricultural land of the Nile Delta, which forms a distinct boundary with the tan desert to the west. It is in the desert that the monuments of the ancient rulers of Egypt are found. Several monuments are visible in this image, including the large Red and Bent Pyramids built by Snofru, first king of the 4th Dynasty that lasted from 2575-2465 BC. Other visible monuments include the pyramid complexes of Amenemhat III and Sesostris III, both kings of the 12th Dynasty (1991-1783 BC). Both of these complexes are poorly preserved, due both to unstable ground conditions, and dismantling of the limestone blocks forming the outer pyramid casings during later historical periods. The Bent Pyramid (lower right) is so called as the slope of the outer face was lessened halfway through construction, leading to a distinctive "bent" profile -- explanations for why this was done include decreasing the mass of the pyramid to prevent collapse, or to reduce the work necessary to complete it. The Red Pyramid to the north (center) was built after the Bent Pyramid, and is named for the coloration of the building stone at the structure's core. An irregular dark feature to the southeast of the Bent Pyramid is not a shadow cast by a monument; it is an irrigation feature extending into the desert.

High In-content InGaN nano-pyramids: Tuning crystal homogeneity by optimized nucleation of GaN seeds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bi, Zhaoxia; Gustafsson, Anders; Lenrick, Filip; Lindgren, David; Hultin, Olof; Wallenberg, L. Reine; Ohlsson, B. Jonas; Monemar, Bo; Samuelson, Lars

2018-01-01

Uniform arrays of submicron hexagonal InGaN pyramids with high morphological and material homogeneity, reaching an indium composition of 20%, are presented in this work. The pyramids were grown by selective area metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy and nucleated from small openings in a SiN mask. The growth selectivity was accurately controlled with diffusion lengths of the gallium and indium species, more than 1 μm on the SiN surface. High material homogeneity of the pyramids was achieved by inserting a precisely formed GaN pyramidal seed prior to InGaN growth, leading to the growth of well-shaped InGaN pyramids delimited by six equivalent {" separators="| 10 1 ¯ 1 } facets. Further analysis reveals a variation in the indium composition to be mediated by competing InGaN growth on two types of crystal planes, {" separators="| 10 1 ¯ 1 } and (0001). Typically, the InGaN growth on {" separators="| 10 1 ¯ 1 } planes is much slower than on the (0001) plane. The formation of the (0001) plane and the growth of InGaN on it were found to be dependent on the morphology of the GaN seeds. We propose growth of InGaN pyramids seeded by {" separators="| 10 1 ¯ 1 }-faceted GaN pyramids as a mean to avoid InGaN material grown on the otherwise formed (0001) plane, leading to a significant reduction of variations in the indium composition in the InGaN pyramids. The InGaN pyramids in this work can be used as a high-quality template for optoelectronic devices having indium-rich active layers, with a potential of reaching green, yellow, and red emissions for LEDs.

[Coupling coordination measurement of urbanization and eco-environment system in Huaihe River Basin of China based on fuzzy matter element theory].

PubMed

Guo, Yue-Ting; Xu, Jian-Gang

2013-05-01

Based on the statistical data of urbanization and eco-environment of 35 cities in the Huaihe River Basin of China in 2010, an index system of urbanization-eco-environment system was established by using fuzzy matter element theory, and the weight of each indicator was calculated by entropy method. The improved function of the coupling coordination degree of urbanization and eco-environment was constructed to measure this coupling coordination degree in the Huaihe River Basin. In 2010, the development level of urbanization subsystem in the Basin was lower than that of the eco-environment subsystem, and the integrated coordination index of urbanization and eco-environment was 0.186, indicating that there was a gap between the two types of indicators. The average coupling degree of urbanization and eco-environment was 0.475, indicating that the urbanization-eco-environment system was at antagonistic stage. There was a greater difference in the development level of urbanization subsystem, but a smaller difference in the development level of eco-environment subsystem among the cities. The average value of the coordination degree of all the cities was 0.706, indicating that the Huaihe River Basin was at high coordination coupling stage, and the integrated coherence and synergistic effect of urbanization and eco-environment construction in the Huaihe River Basin was higher.

A Rebuttal of NTL Institute's Learning Pyramid

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Letrud, Kare

2012-01-01

This article discusses the learning pyramid corroborated by National Training Laboratories Institute. It present and compliment historical and methodological critique against the learning pyramid, and call upon NTL Institute ought to retract their model.

The 2005 Food Guide Pyramid: an opportunity lost?

PubMed

Chiuve, Stephanie E; Willett, Walter C

2007-11-01

Dietary quality has a vital role in the prevention of chronic disease. In 2005, the US Department of Agriculture released a new food guide, MyPyramid, because the previous pyramid was in substantial discordance with current scientific evidence. The US Department of Agriculture pyramids are the most visible source of US nutrition policy and dietary guidance and it is, therefore, imperative they provide scientifically derived recommendations for a healthy diet. Unfortunately, MyPyramid strays from much of the evidence generated through years of research and, in our opinion, fails to provide the public with clear information about healthy food choices. In this Review, we discuss the policy and process behind the development of MyPyramid, assess the current evidence linking diet to chronic diseases, including cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes, and suggest potential alternatives for dietary recommendations.

Effect of varying durations of pyramid exposure - an indication towards a possibility of overexposure.

PubMed

Bhat, Surekha; Rao, Guruprasad; Murthy, K Dilip; Bhat, P Gopalakrishna

2009-10-01

Miniature replicas modeled after the Great Pyramid of Giza are believed to concentrate geoelectromagnetic energy within their cavities and hence act as antistressors in humans and animals. Although there are not many reports of adverse effects of 'overexposure' in the pyramid, subjects have claimed to feel uneasy after certain duration of staying in the pyramid. The present study was aimed to analyze the effects of prolonged pyramid exposure on plasma cortisol level, markers of oxidative damage and antioxidant defense in erythrocytes of adult female Wistar rats. Rats were divided into three groups, normal controls (NC, n=6) that were maintained under standard laboratory conditions in their home cages, pyramid exposed group-2 (PE-2, n=6) & pyramid exposed group-4 (PE-4, n=6) where the rats were housed under the pyramid for 6 hours/day for 2 weeks and 4 weeks respectively. Plasma cortisol and erythrocyte TBARS levels were significantly lower in both PE-2 and PE-4 rats and erythrocyte GSH levels and GSH-Px activity were significantly higher in them as compared to the NC rats. There was no significant difference in the results for these parameters between the PE-2 and PE-4 rats except for erythrocyte GSH-Px activity which was significantly more in the PE-2 rats than in the PE-4 rats. Although these results don't confirm any adverse effects of prolonged exposure in pyramids, they indicate a possibility of such adverse effects.

Challenges to rebuilding the US food pyramid.

PubMed

Kinney, John M

2005-01-01

Twelve years have passed since the US Department of Agriculture introduced the Food Guide Pyramid as a single visual expression of the major food groups and their relative amounts in a healthy diet. Unfortunately, no regular review has been conducted to incorporate new knowledge. Some feel that the pyramid format is too limited for modern use, while others wish it to continue with new information. It seems timely to review what features of the pyramid design have been useful over past years and how it can be improved with new concepts while maintaining ease of understanding by the average consumer. Examples are presented of adapting the pyramid to diets promoted by a special group or to support particular dietary beliefs, in contrast to the goal of seeking a single standardized format. Inherent limitations of the pyramid format are discussed. One proposal is discussed which seeks to redesign the pyramid into a modern educational tool presenting current concepts supported by recent studies and outcomes data. Popular beliefs about what is a healthy diet have perhaps never been as varied as now. This is partly due to sharply differing opinions about which highly publicized weight-loss diet is most effective. The educational benefits of the pyramid format need objective study in view of the inherent limitations of that configuration. Only when the specific visual advantages for the consumer are shown can a decision be made as to the benefit of major new efforts to construct a single modern pyramid.

Optical Design for Extremely Large Telescope Adaptive Optics Systems

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bauman, Brian J.

2003-01-01

Designing an adaptive optics (AO) system for extremely large telescopes (ELT's) will present new optical engineering challenges. Several of these challenges are addressed in this work, including first-order design of multi-conjugate adaptive optics (MCAO) systems, pyramid wavefront sensors (PWFS's), and laser guide star (LGS) spot elongation. MCAO systems need to be designed in consideration of various constraints, including deformable mirror size and correction height. The y,{bar y} method of first-order optical design is a graphical technique that uses a plot with marginal and chief ray heights as coordinates; the optical system is represented as a segmented line. This method ismore » shown to be a powerful tool in designing MCAO systems. From these analyses, important conclusions about configurations are derived. PWFS's, which offer an alternative to Shack-Hartmann (SH) wavefront sensors (WFS's), are envisioned as the workhorse of layer-oriented adaptive optics. Current approaches use a 4-faceted glass pyramid to create a WFS analogous to a quad-cell SH WFS. PWFS's and SH WFS's are compared and some newly-considered similarities and PWFS advantages are presented. Techniques to extend PWFS's are offered: First, PWFS's can be extended to more pixels in the image by tiling pyramids contiguously. Second, pyramids, which are difficult to manufacture, can be replaced by less expensive lenslet arrays. An approach is outlined to convert existing SH WFS's to PWFS's for easy evaluation of PWFS's. Also, a demonstration of PWFS's in sensing varying amounts of an aberration is presented. For ELT's, the finite altitude and finite thickness of LGS's means that the LGS will appear elongated from the viewpoint of subapertures not directly under the telescope. Two techniques for dealing with LGS spot elongation in SH WFS's are presented. One method assumes that the laser will be pulsed and uses a segmented micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) to track the LGS light subaperture by subaperture as the light is returned from the upward-propagating laser pulse. A second method can be used if the laser is not pulsed. A lenslet array is described which creates ''pixels'' which are aligned with the axes of the elongated spot of each subaperture, without requiring special charge-coupled devices (CCD's).« less

Synthesis and spectroscopic studies of binuclear metal complexes of a tetradentate N2O2 Schiff base ligand derived from 4,6-diacetylresorcinol and benzylamine.

PubMed

Shebl, Magdy

2008-09-01

A tetradentate N2O2 donor Schiff base ligand, H2L, was synthesized by the condensation of 4,6-diacetylresorcinol with benzylamine. The structure of the ligand was elucidated by elemental analyses, IR, 1H NMR, electronic and mass spectra. Reaction of the Schiff base ligand with nickel(II), cobalt(II), iron(III), cerium(III), vanadyl(IV) and uranyl(VI) ions in 1:2 molar ratio afforded binuclear metal complexes. Also, reaction of the ligand with several copper(II) salts, including Cl-, NO3-, AcO-, ClO4- and SO42- afforded different metal complexes that reflect the non-coordinating or weakly coordinating power of the ClO(4)(-) anion as compared to the strongly coordinating power of SO42- and Cl- anions. Characterization and structure elucidation of the prepared complexes were achieved by elemental and thermal analyses, IR, 1H NMR, electronic, mass and ESR spectra as well as magnetic susceptibility measurements. The metal complexes exhibited different geometrical arrangements such as square planar, octahedral, square pyramidal and pentagonal bipyramidal arrangements. The variety in the geometrical arrangements depends on the nature of both the anion and the metal ion.

Numerically constructed internal-coordinate Hamiltonian with Eckart embedding and its application for the inversion tunneling of ammonia.

PubMed

Fábri, Csaba; Mátyus, Edit; Császár, Attila G

2014-02-05

It is shown that the use of an Eckart-frame embedding with a kinetic energy operator expressed in curvilinear internal coordinates becomes feasible and straightforward to implement for arbitrary molecular compositions and internal coordinates if the operator is defined numerically over a (discrete variable representation) grid. The algorithm proposed utilizes the transformation method of Dymarsky and Kudin to maintain the rotational Eckart condition. In order to demonstrate the applicability and flexibility of our approach the non-rigid ammonia molecule is considered and the corresponding rotational-vibrational energy levels and wave functions are computed using kinetic energy operators with three different embeddings. Two of them fulfill the Eckart conditions corresponding to a trigonal pyramidal (C3v) and a trigonal planar (D3h) reference structure and the third one is a non-Eckart frame. The computed energy levels are, of course, identical, and the structure of the three different wave-function representations are analyzed in terms of the rigid rotor functions for a symmetric top. The possible advantages of one frame representation over another are discussed concerning the interpretation of the rovibrational states in terms of the traditional rigid rotor labels. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mononuclear nickel (II) and copper (II) coordination complexes supported by bispicen ligand derivatives: Experimental and computational studies

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Singh, Nirupama; Niklas, Jens; Poluektov, Oleg

2017-01-01

The synthesis, characterization and density functional theory calculations of mononuclear Ni and Cu complexes supported by the N,N’-Dimethyl-N,N’-bis-(pyridine-2-ylmethyl)-1,2-diaminoethane ligand and its derivatives are reported. The complexes were characterized by X-ray crystallography as well as by UV-visible absorption spectroscopy and EPR spectroscopy. The solid state structure of these coordination complexes revealed that the geometry of the complex depended on the identity of the metal center. Solution phase characterization data are in accord with the solid phase structure, indicating minimal structural changes in solution. Optical spectroscopy revealed that all of the complexes exhibit color owing to d-d transition bands in the visiblemore » region. Magnetic parameters obtained from EPR spectroscopy with other structural data suggest that the Ni(II) complexes are in pseudo-octahedral geometry and Cu(II) complexes are in a distorted square pyramidal geometry. In order to understand in detail how ligand sterics and electronics affect complex topology detailed computational studies were performed. The series of complexes reported in this article will add significant value in the field of coordination chemistry as Ni(II) and Cu(II) complexes supported by tetradentate pyridyl based ligands are rather scarce.« less

Light-induced charge separation across bio-inorganic interface.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dimitrijevic, N. M.; Rajh, T.; De La Garza, L.

Rational design of hybrid biomolecule - nanoparticulate semiconductor conjugates enables coupling of functionality of biomolecules with the capability of semiconductors for solar energy capture, that can have potential application in energy conversion, sensing and catalysis. The particular challenge is to obtain efficient charge separation analogous to the natural photosynthesis process. The synthesis of axially anisotropic TiO{sub 2} nano-objects such as tubes, rods and bricks, as well as spherical and faceted nanoparticles has been developed in our laboratory. Depending on their size and shape, these nanostructures exhibit different domains of crystallinity, surface areas and aspect ratios. Moreover, in order to accommodatemore » for high curvature in nanoscale regime, the surfaces of TiO{sub 2} nano-objects reconstructs resulting in changes in the coordination of surface Ti atoms from octahedral (D{sub 2d}) to square pyramidal structures (C{sub 4v}). The formation of these coordinatively unsaturated Ti atoms, thus depends strongly on the size and shape of nanocrystallites and affects trapping and reactivity of photogenerated charges. We have exploited these coordinatively unsaturated Ti atoms to coupe electron-donating (such as dopamine) and electron-accepting (pyrroloquinoline quinone) conductive linkers that allow wiring of biomolecules and proteins resulting in enhanced charge separation which increases the yield of ensuing chemical transformations.« less

Crystallographic studies on complexes of potassium iodide and copper perchlorate with N, Nʹ-dicyclohexylurea tethered to a benzo-12-crown-4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tripathi, Garima; Ramanathan, Gurunath

2018-03-01

The N, N‧-dicyclohexylurea-capped benzo-12-crown-4 (compound 1) has been synthesized. The coordination behaviour of this compound (1) has been studied by crystallizing it with KI (2) and Cu(ClO4)2 (3) salts. The crystallographic studies were performed with all three compounds. The presence of metal ions significantly affects the crystal packing of the compound 1. The crystal lattice of compound 1 was stabilized by Csbnd H⋯π and Cdbnd O⋯Hsbnd N hydrogen bonding. The presence of KI in compound 2 results in a dimer structure in which iodide anion behaves as a bridging ligand. The K+ forms a perching structure with the crown ring. In the compound 3, Cu2+ ion and ligand molecule (1) crystallized independently. They were connected through hydrogen bonding. Interestingly, Cu2+ adopts two different geometries with the coordination number 5 and 6. The centre Cu2+ (Cu1) adopted an octahedral geometry whereas the terminal Cu2+ (Cu2) acquired square pyramidal geometry. The coordination sphere of Cu2+ contains ClO4- anion and water molecules. Cu2+ ion forms a chain structure through ClO4- anion and water molecules involve in hydrogen bonding with the ligand molecule.

Syntheses, crystal structures and Hirshfeld surface analysis of a coordination polymer of Cu(II) chlorido and a tris-octahedral complex of Ni(II) containing isonicotinoylhydrazone blockers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahmoudi, Ghodrat; Chowdhury, Habibar; Ghosh, Barindra K.; Lofland, Samuel E.; Maniukiewicz, Waldemar

2018-05-01

One-pot reactions of pre-assigned molar ratios of appropriate metal (II) salts and HL1 (2-acetylpyridine nicotinoylhydrazone) or HL2 (2-acetylpyridine isonicotinoylhydrazone) in MeOH solutions at room temperature afford 1D coordination polymeric chain [Cu(μ-L1) (Cl)]n (1) and a mononuclear complex [Ni(L2)2] (2). The compounds (1) and (2) were characterized using elemental analyses, spectral and other physicochemical methods. Single crystal X-ray diffraction measurements for (1) and (2) have been made to define the molecular aggregates and crystalline architectures. In (1), each copper (II) center adopts a distorted square pyramidal geometry with a CuN3OCl chromophore linked through μ-L1 to form the 1D polymeric chain. While in (2) each Ni(II) cation is six-coordinate with octahedral structure having NiN4O2 chromophore containing two L2 units each functioning as a classical tridentate (N,N,O) chelator. Different weak non-covalent interactions promote dimensionalities in the compounds. A Hirshfeld surface analysis was employed to gain additional insight into interactions responsible for packing of (1) and (2). Magnetic susceptibility measurement of (1) in the 4-300 K range reveals simple paramagnetism.

Activity of pyramidal I and II < c + a > slip in Mg alloys as revealed by texture development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zecevic, Miroslav; Beyerlein, Irene J.; Knezevic, Marko

2018-02-01

Due to the geometry of the hexagonal close-packed (HCP) lattice, there are two types of pyramidal slip modes: { 10 1 bar 1 } 〈 11 2 bar 3 bar 〉 or type I and { 1 bar 1 bar 22 } 〈 11 2 bar 3 〉 or type II in HCP crystalline materials. Here we use crystal plasticity to examine the importance of crystallographic slip by pyramidal type I and type II on texture evolution. The study is applied to an Mg-4%Li alloy. An elastic-plastic polycrystal model is employed to elucidate the reorientation tendencies of these two slip modes in rolling of a textured polycrystal. Comparisons with experimental texture measurements indicate that both pyramidal I and II type slip were active during rolling deformation, with pyramidal I being the dominant mode. A single-slip-mode analysis is used to identify the orientations that prefer pyramidal I vs. II type slip when acting alone in a crystal. The analysis applies not only to Mg-4%Li, but identifies the key texture components in HCP crystals that would help distinguish the activity of pyramidal I from pyramidal II slip in rolling deformation.

New constraints on slip-rates, recurrence intervals, and strain partitioning beneath Pyramid Lake, Nevada

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eisses, Amy

A high-resolution CHIRP seismic survey of Pyramid Lake, Nevada, located within the northern Walker Lane Deformation Belt, was conducted in summer 2010. Seismic CHIRP data with submeter vertical accuracy, together with piston and gravity cores, were used to calculate Holocene vertical slip rates, relative earthquake timing, and produce the first complete fault map beneath the lake. More than 500 line-kilometers of CHIRP data imaged complex fault patterns throughout the basin. Fault architecture beneath Pyramid Lake highlights a polarity flip, where down-to-the west patterns of sedimentation near the dextral Pyramid Lake fault to the south give way to down-to-the-east geometries tomore » the north within a mostly normal (i.e., Lake Range fault) and transtensional environment. The Lake Range fault predominantly controls extensional deformation within the northern two-thirds of the basin and exhibits varying degrees of asymmetric tilting and divergence due to along-strike segmentation. This observation is likely a combination of fault segments splaying onshore moving the focus of extension away from the lake coupled with some true along-strike differences in slip-rate. The combination of normal and oblique-slip faults in the northern basin gives Pyramid Lake its distinctive “fanning open to the north” tectonic geometry. The dense network of oblique-slip faults in the northwestern region of the lake, in contrast to the well-defined Lake Range fault, are short and discontinuous in nature, and possible represent a nascent shear zone. Preliminary vertical slip-rates measured across the Lake Range and other faults provide new estimates on the extension across the Pyramid Lake basin. A minimum vertical slip rate of ~1.0 mm/yr is estimated along the Lake Range fault, which yields a potential earthquake magnitude range between M6.4 and M7.0. A rapid influx of sediment was deposited shortly after the end of the Tioga glaciation somewhere between 12.5 ka to 9.5 ka and provides a punctuated short-term record of little to no slip on the Lake Range fault. In contrast, for the past 9,500 years, the basin has experienced a decrease in sedimentation rate, but an escalation in earthquake activity on the Lake Range fault, with the potential of 3 or 4 major earthquakes assuming a characteristic offset of 2.5 m per event. Regionally, our CHIRP investigation helps to reveal how strain is partitioned along the boundary between the eastern edge of the Walker Lane Deformation Belt and the northwest Great Basin proper.« less

Disposable gold coated pyramidal SERS sensor on the plastic platform.

PubMed

Oo, S Z; Siitonen, S; Kontturi, V; Eustace, D A; Charlton, M D B

2016-01-11

In this paper we investigate suitability of arrays of gold coated pyramids for surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) sensing applications. Pyramidarrays composed of 1000 nm pit size with 1250 nm pitch lengthwerereplicated on a plastic substrate by roll-to-roll (R2R) ultraviolet (UV) embossing. The level of SERS enhancement, and qualitative performance provided by the new substrate is investigated by comparing Raman spectrum of benzenethiol (BTh) test molecules to the benchmark Klarite SERS substrate which comprises inverted pyramid arrays(1500 nm pit size with 2000 nm pitch length) fabricated on a silicon substrate. The new substrate is found to provide upto 11 times increase in signal in comparison to the inverted pyramid (IV-pyramid) arrays fabricated on an identical plastic substrate. Numerical simulation and experimental evidence suggest that strongly confined electromagnetic fields close to the base of the pyramids, are mainly responsible for the Raman enhancement factor, instead of the fields localized around the tip. Unusually strong plasmon fields are projected upto 200nm from the sidewalls at the base of the pyramid increasing the cross sectional sensing volume.

Pyramidal Cells in Prefrontal Cortex of Primates: Marked Differences in Neuronal Structure Among Species

PubMed Central

Elston, Guy N.; Benavides-Piccione, Ruth; Elston, Alejandra; Manger, Paul R.; DeFelipe, Javier

2010-01-01

The most ubiquitous neuron in the cerebral cortex, the pyramidal cell, is characterized by markedly different dendritic structure among different cortical areas. The complex pyramidal cell phenotype in granular prefrontal cortex (gPFC) of higher primates endows specific biophysical properties and patterns of connectivity, which differ from those in other cortical regions. However, within the gPFC, data have been sampled from only a select few cortical areas. The gPFC of species such as human and macaque monkey includes more than 10 cortical areas. It remains unknown as to what degree pyramidal cell structure may vary among these cortical areas. Here we undertook a survey of pyramidal cells in the dorsolateral, medial, and orbital gPFC of cercopithecid primates. We found marked heterogeneity in pyramidal cell structure within and between these regions. Moreover, trends for gradients in neuronal complexity varied among species. As the structure of neurons determines their computational abilities, memory storage capacity and connectivity, we propose that these specializations in the pyramidal cell phenotype are an important determinant of species-specific executive cortical functions in primates. PMID:21347276

Recommended GIS Analysis Methods for Global Gridded Population Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Frye, C. E.; Sorichetta, A.; Rose, A.

2017-12-01

When using geographic information systems (GIS) to analyze gridded, i.e., raster, population data, analysts need a detailed understanding of several factors that affect raster data processing, and thus, the accuracy of the results. Global raster data is most often provided in an unprojected state, usually in the WGS 1984 geographic coordinate system. Most GIS functions and tools evaluate data based on overlay relationships (area) or proximity (distance). Area and distance for global raster data can be either calculated directly using the various earth ellipsoids or after transforming the data to equal-area/equidistant projected coordinate systems to analyze all locations equally. However, unlike when projecting vector data, not all projected coordinate systems can support such analyses equally, and the process of transforming raster data from one coordinate space to another often results unmanaged loss of data through a process called resampling. Resampling determines which values to use in the result dataset given an imperfect locational match in the input dataset(s). Cell size or resolution, registration, resampling method, statistical type, and whether the raster represents continuous or discreet information potentially influence the quality of the result. Gridded population data represent estimates of population in each raster cell, and this presentation will provide guidelines for accurately transforming population rasters for analysis in GIS. Resampling impacts the display of high resolution global gridded population data, and we will discuss how to properly handle pyramid creation using the Aggregate tool with the sum option to create overviews for mosaic datasets.

A Managerial Approach to NASA’s Cultural Changes: Open System Model

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-12-01

in both societies was different, even though both resemble a similar pyramid shape. For the Egyptians , pyramids were tombs , and for the Mayans...to understand, Schein (2004) points out they may be difficult to decipher. An example is Egyptian and Mayan pyramids. The meaning of the structures...pyramids were both tombs and temples. Therefore, care must be taken deriving meaning from artifacts, especially in different societies (Schein, 2004

Light extraction efficiency of GaN-based LED with pyramid texture by using ray path analysis.

PubMed

Pan, Jui-Wen; Wang, Chia-Shen

2012-09-10

We study three different gallium-nitride (GaN) based light emitting diode (LED) cases based on the different locations of the pyramid textures. In case 1, the pyramid texture is located on the sapphire top surface, in case 2, the pyramid texture is locate on the P-GaN top surface, while in case 3, the pyramid texture is located on both the sapphire and P-GaN top surfaces. We study the relationship between the light extraction efficiency (LEE) and angle of slant of the pyramid texture. The optimization of total LEE was highest for case 3 among the three cases. Moreover, the seven escape paths along which most of the escaped photon flux propagated were selected in a simulation of the LEDs. The seven escape paths were used to estimate the slant angle for the optimization of LEE and to precisely analyze the photon escape path.

Discovery of a big void in Khufu's Pyramid by observation of cosmic-ray muons.

PubMed

Morishima, Kunihiro; Kuno, Mitsuaki; Nishio, Akira; Kitagawa, Nobuko; Manabe, Yuta; Moto, Masaki; Takasaki, Fumihiko; Fujii, Hirofumi; Satoh, Kotaro; Kodama, Hideyo; Hayashi, Kohei; Odaka, Shigeru; Procureur, Sébastien; Attié, David; Bouteille, Simon; Calvet, Denis; Filosa, Christopher; Magnier, Patrick; Mandjavidze, Irakli; Riallot, Marc; Marini, Benoit; Gable, Pierre; Date, Yoshikatsu; Sugiura, Makiko; Elshayeb, Yasser; Elnady, Tamer; Ezzy, Mustapha; Guerriero, Emmanuel; Steiger, Vincent; Serikoff, Nicolas; Mouret, Jean-Baptiste; Charlès, Bernard; Helal, Hany; Tayoubi, Mehdi

2017-12-21

The Great Pyramid, or Khufu's Pyramid, was built on the Giza plateau in Egypt during the fourth dynasty by the pharaoh Khufu (Cheops), who reigned from 2509 bc to 2483 bc. Despite being one of the oldest and largest monuments on Earth, there is no consensus about how it was built. To understand its internal structure better, we imaged the pyramid using muons, which are by-products of cosmic rays that are only partially absorbed by stone. The resulting cosmic-ray muon radiography allows us to visualize the known and any unknown voids in the pyramid in a non-invasive way. Here we report the discovery of a large void (with a cross-section similar to that of the Grand Gallery and a minimum length of 30 metres) situated above the Grand Gallery. This constitutes the first major inner structure found in the Great Pyramid since the nineteenth century. The void, named ScanPyramids' Big Void, was first observed with nuclear emulsion films installed in the Queen's chamber, then confirmed with scintillator hodoscopes set up in the same chamber and finally re-confirmed with gas detectors outside the pyramid. This large void has therefore been detected with high confidence by three different muon detection technologies and three independent analyses. These results constitute a breakthrough for the understanding of the internal structure of Khufu's Pyramid. Although there is currently no information about the intended purpose of this void, these findings show how modern particle physics can shed new light on the world's archaeological heritage.

Two-dimensional Zn(II) and one-dimensional Co(II) coordination polymers based on benzene-1,4-dicarboxylate and pyridine ligands.

PubMed

Zhou, Li-Juan; Han, Chang-Bao; Wang, Yu-Ling

2016-02-01

Coordination polymers constructed from metal ions and organic ligands have attracted considerable attention owing to their diverse structural topologies and potential applications. Ligands containing carboxylate groups are among the most extensively studied because of their versatile coordination modes. Reactions of benzene-1,4-dicarboxylic acid (H2BDC) and pyridine (py) with Zn(II) or Co(II) yielded two new coordination polymers, namely, poly[(μ4-benzene-1,4-dicarboxylato-κ(4)O:O':O'':O''')(pyridine-κN)zinc(II)], [Zn(C8H4O2)(C5H5N)]n, (I), and catena-poly[aqua(μ3-benzene-1,4-dicarboxylato-κ(3)O:O':O'')bis(pyridine-κN)cobalt(II)], [Co(C8H4O2)(C5H5N)2(H2O)]n, (II). In compound (I), the Zn(II) cation is five-coordinated by four carboxylate O atoms from four BDC(2-) ligands and one pyridine N atom in a distorted square-pyramidal coordination geometry. Four carboxylate groups bridge two Zn(II) ions to form centrosymmetric paddle-wheel-like Zn2(μ2-COO)4 units, which are linked by the benzene rings of the BDC(2-) ligands to generate a two-dimensional layered structure. The two-dimensional layer is extended into a three-dimensional supramolecular structure with the help of π-π stacking interactions between the aromatic rings. Compound (II) has a one-dimensional double-chain structure based on Co2(μ2-COO)2 units. The Co(II) cations are bridged by BDC(2-) ligands and are octahedrally coordinated by three carboxylate O atoms from three BDC(2-) ligands, one water O atom and two pyridine N atoms. Interchain O-H...O hydrogen-bonding interactions link these chains to form a three-dimensional supramolecular architecture.

The Adoption and Diffusion of Information and Communication Technology in the Base of the Pyramid Population of Sub-Saharan Africa: A Study of Nigerian University Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Etim, Alice Sunday

2010-01-01

The global environment is a complex network of people who are grouped using different types of information. In each country, people are grouped based on such information as age, race, ethnicity, educational qualification, income, occupation, and net worth. These socioeconomic descriptions of people have relevance in our current Information Age.…

Research on Synchronous Coordination Development of Tourism-Economy-Environment System in Qinghai Section of Silk Road

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xue, Huaju

2018-01-01

Using coupling theory in physics, the paper analyzed the relationship of coordinated development of tourism-economy-environment system (abbr. TEES) in Qinghai. Results showed the comprehensive evaluation of Qinghai TEES has been improved greatly from 2000 to 2014. However, coupling degree has still been in the running-in stage and coordination degree only arrives at the primary coordination level, the development of economy and tourism has exceeded the threshold of ecological environment after 2008, and the ecological environment has become the bottleneck restricting the further improvement of coupling coordination. In the future, Qinghai must change its mode of development and focus on industrial upgrading and transformation so as to promote the harmonious and sustainable development of TEES in the Silk Road.

Rebuilding the Food Pyramid.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Willet, Walter C.; Stampfer, Meir J.

2003-01-01

Discusses the old food guide pyramid released in 1992 by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Contradicts the message that fat is bad, which was presented to the public by nutritionists, and the effects of plant oils on cholesterol. Introduces a new food pyramid. (YDS)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dolyniuk, Juli-Anna; Zaikina, Julia V.; Kaseman, Derrick C.

A new clathrate type has been discovered in the Ba/Cu/Zn/P system. The crystal structure of the Ba 8M 24P 28+δ (M=Cu/Zn) clathrate is composed of the pentagonal dodecahedra common to clathrates along with a unique 22-vertex polyhedron with two hexagonal faces capped by additional partially occupied phosphorus sites. This is the first example of a clathrate compound where the framework atoms are not in tetrahedral or trigonal-pyramidal coordination. In Ba 8M 24P 28+δ a majority of the framework atoms are five- and six-coordinated, a feature more common to electron-rich intermetallics. The crystal structure of this new clathrate was determined bymore » a combination of X-ray and neutron diffraction and was confirmed with solid-state 31P NMR spectroscopy. Based on chemical bonding analysis, the driving force for the formation of this new clathrate is the excess of electrons generated by a high concentration of Zn atoms in the framework. The rattling of guest atoms in the large cages results in a very low thermal conductivity, a unique feature of the clathrate family of compounds.« less

Behavior-Dependent Activity and Synaptic Organization of Septo-hippocampal GABAergic Neurons Selectively Targeting the Hippocampal CA3 Area.

PubMed

Joshi, Abhilasha; Salib, Minas; Viney, Tim James; Dupret, David; Somogyi, Peter

2017-12-20

Rhythmic medial septal (MS) GABAergic input coordinates cortical theta oscillations. However, the rules of innervation of cortical cells and regions by diverse septal neurons are unknown. We report a specialized population of septal GABAergic neurons, the Teevra cells, selectively innervating the hippocampal CA3 area bypassing CA1, CA2, and the dentate gyrus. Parvalbumin-immunopositive Teevra cells show the highest rhythmicity among MS neurons and fire with short burst duration (median, 38 ms) preferentially at the trough of both CA1 theta and slow irregular oscillations, coincident with highest hippocampal excitability. Teevra cells synaptically target GABAergic axo-axonic and some CCK interneurons in restricted septo-temporal CA3 segments. The rhythmicity of their firing decreases from septal to temporal termination of individual axons. We hypothesize that Teevra neurons coordinate oscillatory activity across the septo-temporal axis, phasing the firing of specific CA3 interneurons, thereby contributing to the selection of pyramidal cell assemblies at the theta trough via disinhibition. VIDEO ABSTRACT. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Improving socio-emotional health for pupils in early secondary education with Pyramid: A school-based, early intervention model.

PubMed

Jayman, Michelle; Ohl, Maddie; Hughes, Bronach; Fox, Pauline

2018-05-01

Policymakers are focusing increased attention on the role of schools to promote and support children's mental health, and evidence-based models of good practice are in demand. Pyramid Club is a school-based, socio-emotional intervention, demonstrably effective with primary-aged pupils. This study extends previous Pyramid Club evaluations by examining effectiveness with pupils in early secondary education; service users' perceptions and experiences were investigated to increase understanding of Pyramid's impact, thus supporting enhanced practice. Participants (n = 126) comprised selected pupils, aged 11-14 (52 males; 74 females), who completed the 10 week programme (Pyramid group) and a non-intervention comparison group. Club leaders (n = 23) were trained, Pyramid volunteers. A mixed-methods design was implemented. The Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ), informant-rated version (Goodman, 1997, J Child Psychol Psychiat, 38, 581) and self-report version (Goodman, Meltzer, & Bailey, 1998, Europ Child Adolesc Psychiatry, 7, 125), was used to measure socio-emotional well-being: pre-club (baseline assessment), post-test (within 2 weeks of programme completion), and at 12-month follow-up (informant-rated version only). Focus groups were conducted separately with Pyramid pupils and Club leaders. Findings from informants and self-reports identified significant improvements for the Pyramid group in total difficulties and on pertinent SDQ subscales (e.g., emotional symptoms and peer relationship problems) at post-test. Improvements were sustained at 12-month follow-up. Comparison pupils demonstrated minimal change over time. Thematic analysis of qualitative data supported the quantitative findings and provided valuable insights into the Pyramid Club experience. Findings contribute to evidence-based, preventative models for the early adolescent population and support the social validity of Pyramid Club. © 2018 The Authors. British Journal of Education Psychology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Psychological Society.

Callosal responses in a retrosplenial column.

PubMed

Sempere-Ferràndez, Alejandro; Andrés-Bayón, Belén; Geijo-Barrientos, Emilio

2018-04-01

The axons forming the corpus callosum sustain the interhemispheric communication across homotopic cortical areas. We have studied how neurons throughout the columnar extension of the retrosplenial cortex integrate the contralateral input from callosal projecting neurons in cortical slices. Our results show that pyramidal neurons in layers 2/3 and the large, thick-tufted pyramidal neurons in layer 5B showed larger excitatory callosal responses than layer 5A and layer 5B thin-tufted pyramidal neurons, while layer 6 remained silent to this input. Feed-forward inhibitory currents generated by fast spiking, parvalbumin expressing  interneurons recruited by callosal axons mimicked the response size distribution of excitatory responses across pyramidal subtypes, being larger in those of superficial layers and in the layer 5B thick-tufted pyramidal cells. Overall, the combination of the excitatory and inhibitory currents evoked by callosal input had a strong and opposed effect in different layers of the cortex; while layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons were powerfully inhibited, the thick-tufted but not thin-tufted pyramidal neurons in layer 5 were strongly recruited. We believe that these results will help to understand the functional role of callosal connections in physiology and disease.

Pyramided rice lines harbouring Allium sativum (asal) and Galanthus nivalis (gna) lectin genes impart enhanced resistance against major sap-sucking pests.

PubMed

Bharathi, Y; Vijaya Kumar, S; Pasalu, I C; Balachandran, S M; Reddy, V D; Rao, K V

2011-03-20

We have developed transgene pyramided rice lines, endowed with enhanced resistance to major sap-sucking insects, through sexual crosses made between two stable transgenic rice lines containing Allium sativum (asal) and Galanthus nivalis (gna) lectin genes. Presence and expression of asal and gna genes in pyramided lines were confirmed by PCR and western blot analyses. Segregation analysis of F₂ progenies disclosed digenic (9:3:3:1) inheritance of the transgenes. Homozygous F₃ plants carrying asal and gna genes were identified employing genetic and molecular methods besides insect bioassays. Pyramided lines, infested with brown planthopper (BPH), green leafhopper (GLH) and whitebacked planthopper (WBPH), proved more effective in reducing insect survival, fecundity, feeding ability besides delayed development of insects as compared to the parental transgenics. Under infested conditions, pyramided lines were found superior to the parental transgenics in their seed yield potential. This study represents first report on pyramiding of two lectin genes into rice exhibiting enhanced resistance against major sucking pests. The pyramided lines appear promising and might serve as a novel genetic resource in rice breeding aimed at durable and broad based resistance against hoppers. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Bromidotetra-kis-(1H-2-ethyl-5-methyl-imidazole-κN)copper(II) bromide.

PubMed

Godlewska, Sylwia; Baranowska, Katarzyna; Socha, Joanna; Dołęga, Anna

2011-12-01

The Cu(II) ion in the title compound, [CuBr(C(6)H(10)N(2))(4)]Br, is coordinated in a square-based-pyramidal geometry by the N atoms of four imidazole ligands and a bromide anion in the apical site. Both the Cu(II) and Br(-) atoms lie on a crystallographic fourfold axis. In the crystal, the [CuBr(C(6)H(10)N(2))(4)](+) complex cations are linked to the uncoordinated Br(-) anions (site symmetry [Formula: see text]) by N-H⋯Br hydrogen bonds, generating a three-dimensional network. The ethyl group of the imidazole ligand was modelled as disordered over two orientations with occupancies of 0.620 (8) and 0.380 (8).

The journey of recovery and empowerment embraced by nature - clients' perspectives on nature-based rehabilitation in relation to the role of the natural environment.

PubMed

Pálsdóttir, Anna María; Persson, Dennis; Persson, Birgitta; Grahn, Patrik

2014-07-14

This paper presents findings from real life situations, a longitudinal single case study on the role of natural environments in nature-based rehabilitation (NBR) for individuals with stress-related mental disorders, at the Alnarp Rehabilitation Garden in Sweden. A sample of 43 former clients voluntarily participated in semi-structured interview, and the data were analyzed according to interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Three main superordinate themes were identified as the three phases of NBR-Prelude, Recuperating and Empowerment-explaining and illuminating the role of the natural environments in each phase. An explanatory model of NBR in this context is presented including the three phases of NBR, IRP supportive occupations and a pyramid of supporting environments. A new component of supportive environments was identified and herby named, Social quietness, an important component facilitating personal and intimate engagement with the natural environments.

The Journey of Recovery and Empowerment Embraced by Nature — Clients’ Perspectives on Nature-Based Rehabilitation in Relation to the Role of the Natural Environment

PubMed Central

Pálsdóttir, Anna María; Persson, Dennis; Persson, Birgitta; Grahn, Patrik

2014-01-01

This paper presents findings from real life situations, a longitudinal single case study on the role of natural environments in nature-based rehabilitation (NBR) for individuals with stress-related mental disorders, at the Alnarp Rehabilitation Garden in Sweden. A sample of 43 former clients voluntarily participated in semi-structured interview, and the data were analyzed according to interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). Three main superordinate themes were identified as the three phases of NBR—Prelude, Recuperating and Empowerment—explaining and illuminating the role of the natural environments in each phase. An explanatory model of NBR in this context is presented including the three phases of NBR, IRP supportive occupations and a pyramid of supporting environments. A new component of supportive environments was identified and herby named, Social quietness, an important component facilitating personal and intimate engagement with the natural environments. PMID:25026080

Presque Isle Peninsula, Frie, Pennsylvania. Volume II. Appendices. Revised.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-11-01

Population Pyramid 9 c. Employment 9 d. Labor Force 9 .e. Public Facilities and Services 14 1. Transportation 14 2. Health Facilities. 14 3. Communications 14...Distribution of Shoreline Use and Overship, 3 Erie County, PA B2 Population Pyramid of Erie County 13 53 Travel Demand Curve Peak Day Good Weather 38...are also experiencing a decline in total population. 4(5) Population Pyramid B2.13 Figure B2, the population pyramid of Erie County, PA, for the years

Mapping Of Construction Waste Illegal Dumping Using Geographical Information System (GIS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zainun, Noor Yasmin; Rahman, Ismail Abdul; Azwana Rothman, Rosfazreen

2016-11-01

Illegal dumping of solid waste not only affecting the environment but also social life of communities, hence authorities should have an effective system to cater this problem. Malaysia is experiencing extensive physical developments and this has led to an increase of construction waste illegal dumping. However, due to the lack of proper data collection, the actual figure for construction waste illegal dumping in Malaysia are not available. This paper presents a mapping of construction waste illegal dumping in Kluang district, Johor using Geographic Information System (GIS) software. Information of the dumped waste such as coordinate, photos, types of material and quantity of waste were gathered manually through site observation for three months period. For quantifying the dumped waste, two methods were used which are the first method is based on shape of the waste (pyramids or squares) while the second method is based weighing approach. All information regarding the waste was assigned to the GIS for the mapping process. Results indicated a total of 12 types of construction waste which are concrete, tiles, wood, gypsum board, mixed construction waste, brick and concrete, bricks, sand, iron, glass, pavement and tiles, and concrete at 64 points locations of illegal dumping on construction waste in Kluang. These wastes were accounted to an estimated volume of 427.2636 m3. Hopefully, this established map will assist Kluang authority to improve their solid waste management system in Kluang.

A multi-focus image fusion method via region mosaicking on Laplacian pyramids

PubMed Central

Kou, Liang; Zhang, Liguo; Sun, Jianguo; Han, Qilong; Jin, Zilong

2018-01-01

In this paper, a method named Region Mosaicking on Laplacian Pyramids (RMLP) is proposed to fuse multi-focus images that is captured by microscope. First, the Sum-Modified-Laplacian is applied to measure the focus of multi-focus images. Then the density-based region growing algorithm is utilized to segment the focused region mask of each image. Finally, the mask is decomposed into a mask pyramid to supervise region mosaicking on a Laplacian pyramid. The region level pyramid keeps more original information than the pixel level. The experiment results show that RMLP has best performance in quantitative comparison with other methods. In addition, RMLP is insensitive to noise and can reduces the color distortion of the fused images on two datasets. PMID:29771912

Raman spectrum, quantum mechanical calculations and vibrational assignments of (95% alpha-TeO2/5% Sm2O3) glass.

PubMed

Shaltout, I; Mohamed, Tarek A

2007-06-01

Chozen system of tellurite glasses doped with rare earth oxides (95% alpha-TeO(2)+5% Sm2O3) was prepared by melt quenching. Consequently, the Raman spectrum (150-1250 cm(-1)) of the modified tellurite have been recorded. As a continuation to our normal coordinate analysis, force constants and quantum mechanical (QM) calculations for tbp TeO4(4-) (triagonal bipyramid, C(2v)) and TeO(3+1); Te2O7(6-) (bridged tetrahedral), we have carried out ab initio frequency calculations for tpy TeO3(2-) (triagonal pyramidal, C(3v) and C(s)) and tp TeO3(2-) (triagonal planar, D(3h)) ions. The quantum mechanical calculations at the levels of RHF, B3LYP and MP2 allow confident vibrational assignments and structural identification in the binary oxide glass (95% alpha-TeO2 +5% Sm2O3). The dominant three-dimensional network structures in the modified glass are triagonal pyramidal TeO3 with minor features of short range distorted tbp TeO4 and bridged tetrahedral unit of TeO(3+1), leading to a structure of infinite chain. Therefore, alpha-TeO2/Sm2O3 (95/5%) glass experience structural changes from TeO4 (tbp); Te2O7 (TeO(3+1))-->TeO3 (tpy).

Behavior‐dependent activity patterns of GABAergic long‐range projecting neurons in the rat hippocampus

PubMed Central

Micklem, Ben; Borhegyi, Zsolt; Swiejkowski, Daniel A.; Valenti, Ornella; Viney, Tim J.; Kotzadimitriou, Dimitrios; Klausberger, Thomas

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Long‐range glutamatergic and GABAergic projections participate in temporal coordination of neuronal activity in distributed cortical areas. In the hippocampus, GABAergic neurons project to the medial septum and retrohippocampal areas. Many GABAergic projection cells express somatostatin (SOM+) and, together with locally terminating SOM+ bistratified and O‐LM cells, contribute to dendritic inhibition of pyramidal cells. We tested the hypothesis that diversity in SOM+ cells reflects temporal specialization during behavior using extracellular single cell recording and juxtacellular neurobiotin‐labeling in freely moving rats. We have demonstrated that rare GABAergic projection neurons discharge rhythmically and are remarkably diverse. During sharp wave‐ripples, most projection cells, including a novel SOM+ GABAergic back‐projecting cell, increased their activity similar to bistratified cells, but unlike O‐LM cells. During movement, most projection cells discharged along the descending slope of theta cycles, but some fired at the trough jointly with bistratified and O‐LM cells. The specialization of hippocampal SOM+ projection neurons complements the action of local interneurons in differentially phasing inputs from the CA3 area to CA1 pyramidal cell dendrites during sleep and wakefulness. Our observations suggest that GABAergic projection cells mediate the behavior‐ and network state‐dependent binding of neuronal assemblies amongst functionally‐related brain regions by transmitting local rhythmic entrainment of neurons in CA1 to neuronal populations in other areas. © 2016 The Authors Hippocampus Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. PMID:27997999

Synthesis, crystal structure, and magnetic properties of two-dimensional divalent metal glutarate/dipyridylamine coordination polymers, with a single crystal-to-single crystal transformation in the copper derivative

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Montney, Matthew R.; Supkowski, Ronald M.; Staples, Richard J.

Hydrothermal reaction of divalent metal chlorides with glutaric acid and 4,4'-dipyridylamine (dpa) has afforded an isostructural family of coordination polymers with formulation [M(glu)(dpa)]{sub n} (M=Co (1), Ni (2), Cu (3); glu=glutarate). Square pyramidal coordination is seen in 1-3, with semi-ligation of a sixth donor to produce a '5+1' extended coordination sphere. Neighboring metal atoms are linked into 1D [M(glu)]{sub n} neutral chains through chelating/monodentate bridging glutarate moieties with a syn-anti binding mode, and semi-chelation of the pendant carboxylate oxygen. These chains further connect into 2D layers through dipodal dpa ligands. Neighboring layers stack into the pseudo 3D crystal structure ofmore » 1-3 through supramolecular hydrogen bonding between dpa amine units and the semi-chelated glutarate oxygen atoms. The variable temperature magnetic behavior of 1-3 was explored and modeled as infinite 1D Heisenberg chains. Notably, complex 3 undergoes a thermally induced single crystal-to-single crystal transformation between centric and acentric space groups, with a conformationally disordered unilayer structure at 293 K and an ordered bilayer structure at 173 K. All materials were further characterized via infrared spectroscopy and elemental and thermogravimetric analyses. - Graphical abstract: The coordination polymers [M(glu)(dpa)]{sub n} (M=Co (1), Ni (2), Cu (3); glu=glutarate, dpa=4,4'-dipyridylamine) exhibit 2D layer structures based on 1D [M(glu)]{sub n} chains linked through dpa tethers. Antiferromagnetic coupling is observed for 2 and 3, while ferromagnetism is predominant in 1. Compound 3 undergoes a thermally induced single crystal-to-single crystal transformation from an acentric to a centrosymmetric space group.« less

Evaluating transition state structures of vanadium-phosphatase protein complexes using shape analysis.

PubMed

Sánchez-Lombardo, Irma; Alvarez, Santiago; McLauchlan, Craig C; Crans, Debbie C

2015-06-01

Shape analysis of coordination complexes is well-suited to evaluate the subtle distortions in the trigonal bipyramidal (TBPY-5) geometry of vanadium coordinated in the active site of phosphatases and characterized by X-ray crystallography. Recent studies using the tau (τ) analysis support the assertion that vanadium is best described as a trigonal bipyramid, because this geometry is the ideal transition state geometry of the phosphate ester substrate hydrolysis (C.C. McLauchlan, B.J. Peters, G.R. Willsky, D.C. Crans, Coord. Chem. Rev. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ccr.2014.12.012 ; D.C. Crans, M.L. Tarlton, C.C. McLauchlan, Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2014, 4450-4468). Here we use continuous shape measures (CShM) analysis to investigate the structural space of the five-coordinate vanadium-phosphatase complexes associated with mechanistic transformations between the tetrahedral geometry and the five-coordinate high energy TBPY-5 geometry was discussed focusing on the protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) enzyme. No evidence for square pyramidal geometries was observed in any vanadium-protein complexes. The shape analysis positioned the metal ion and the ligands in the active site reflecting the mechanism of the cleavage of the organic phosphate in a phosphatase. We identified the umbrella distortions to be directly on the reaction path between tetrahedral phosphate and the TBPY-5-types of high-energy species. The umbrella distortions of the trigonal bipyramid are therefore identified as being the most relevant types of transition state structures for the phosphoryl group transfer reactions for phosphatases and this may be related to the possibility that vanadium is an inhibitor for enzymes that support both exploded and five-coordinate transition states. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Influence of Deposition Pressure on the Properties of Round Pyramid Textured a-Si:H Solar Cells for Maglev.

PubMed

Lee, Jaehyeong; Choi, Wonseok; Lee, Kyuil; Lee, Daedong; Kang, Hyunil

2016-05-01

HIT (Heterojunction with Intrinsic Thin-layer) photovoltaic cells is one of the highest efficiencies in the commercial solar cells. The pyramid texturization for reducing surface reflectance of HIT solar cells silicon wafers is widely used. For the low leakage current and high shunt of solar cells, the intrinsic amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) on substrate must be uniformly thick of pyramid structure. However, it is difficult to control the thickness in the traditional pyramid texturing process. Thus, we textured the intrinsic a-Si:H thin films with the round pyramidal structure by using HNO3, HF, and CH3COOH solution. The characteristics of round pyramid a-Si:H solar cells deposited at pressure of 500, 1000, 1500, and 2000 mTorr by PECVD (Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition) was investigated. The lifetime, open circuit voltage, fill factor and efficiency of a-Si:H solar cells were investigated with respect to various deposition pressure.

Dendritic branching angles of pyramidal cells across layers of the juvenile rat somatosensory cortex.

PubMed

Leguey, Ignacio; Bielza, Concha; Larrañaga, Pedro; Kastanauskaite, Asta; Rojo, Concepción; Benavides-Piccione, Ruth; DeFelipe, Javier

2016-09-01

The characterization of the structural design of cortical microcircuits is essential for understanding how they contribute to function in both health and disease. Since pyramidal neurons represent the most abundant neuronal type and their dendritic spines constitute the major postsynaptic elements of cortical excitatory synapses, our understanding of the synaptic organization of the neocortex largely depends on the available knowledge regarding the structure of pyramidal cells. Previous studies have identified several apparently common rules in dendritic geometry. We study the dendritic branching angles of pyramidal cells across layers to further shed light on the principles that determine the geometric shapes of these cells. We find that the dendritic branching angles of pyramidal cells from layers II-VI of the juvenile rat somatosensory cortex suggest common design principles, despite the particular morphological and functional features that are characteristic of pyramidal cells in each cortical layer. J. Comp. Neurol. 524:2567-2576, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Mechanism of selenite removal by a mixed adsorbent based on Fe-Mn hydrous oxides studied using X-ray absorption spectroscopy.

PubMed

Chubar, Natalia; Gerda, Vasyl; Szlachta, Małgorzata

2014-11-18

Selenium cycling in the environment is greatly controlled by various minerals, including Mn and Fe hydrous oxides. At the same time, such hydrous oxides are the main inorganic ion exchangers suitable (on the basis of their chemical nature) to sorb (toxic) anions, separating them from water solutions. The mechanism of selenite adsorption by the new mixed adsorbent composed of a few (amorphous and crystalline) phases [maghemite, MnCO3, and X-ray amorphous Fe(III) and Mn(III) hydrous oxides] was studied by extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy [supported by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) data]. The complexity of the porous adsorbent, especially the presence of the amorphous phases of Fe(III) and Mn(III) hydrous oxides, is the main reason for its high selenite removal performance demonstrated by batch and column adsorption studies shown in the previous work. Selenite was bound to the material via inner-sphere complexation (via oxygen) to the adsorption sites of the amorphous Fe(III) and Mn(III) oxides. This anion was attracted via bidentate binuclear corner-sharing coordination between SeO3(2-) trigonal pyramids and both FeO6 and MnO6 octahedra; however, the adsorption sites of Fe(III) hydrous oxides played a leading role in selenite removal. The contribution of the adsorption sites of Mn(III) oxide increased as the pH decreased from 8 to 6. Because most minerals have a complex structure (they are seldom based on individual substances) of various crystallinity, this work is equally relevant to environmental science and environmental technology because it shows how various solid phases control cycling of chemical elements in the environment.

Earth Observation

NASA Image and Video Library

2012-07-25

ISS032-E-009123 (26 July 2012) --- Pyramids at Giza, Egypt are featured in this image photographed by an Expedition 32 crew member on the International Space Station. The Great Pyramids at Giza (center) are the last of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, and are perhaps the most famous of the ancient monuments in the Nile River Delta region of Egypt. They are also a favorite subject of photography from orbit ? particularly when high resolution imagery can be obtained. The southeast-facing sides of the pyramids of the pharaohs Khufu, Khafre, and Menkaure are all brightly illuminated by the sun, while the northwest facing sides are in shadow. This shadowing also highlights smaller unfinished pyramids to the south of Menkaure?s pyramid, as well as fields of rectangular flat roofed mastabas (tombs) to the east and west of Khufu?s pyramid. While not as grand as the pyramids, mastabas were the burial places of prominent persons during the periods of the ancient pharaohs. To the southeast of Khufu?s pyramid, the head and rear haunches of the Sphinx are also visible (albeit not clearly). It is a short distance between the glories of ancient Egypt and the modern Cairo metropolitan area to the north and east. The green vegetation of a hotel golf course (center left), and the numerous building and streets of El Giza, provide stark contrast to the bare rock and soil of the adjacent desert. Roadways visible in the desert (right) connect the urban regions to the east with further development to the north.

Experimental implementation of a Pyramid WFS: Towards the first SCAO systems for E-ELT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bond, C.; El Hadi, K.; Sauvage, J. F.; Correia, C.; Fauvarque, O.; Rabaud, D.; Neichel, B.; Fusco, T.

2015-12-01

Investigations into the Pyramid wavefront sensor (P-WFS) have experimentally demonstrated the ability to achieve a better performance than with a standard Shack-Hartmann sensor (SH-WFS). Implementation on the Large Binocular Telescope (LBT) provided the first operational demonstration on a facility-class instrument of a P-WFS on sky. The desire to implement a Pyramid on an Extremely Large Telescope (ELT) requires further characterisation in order to optimise the performance and match our knowledge and understanding of other wave-front sensors (WFSs). Within the framework of the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT), the Laboratoire d'Astrophysique de Marseille (LAM) is involved in the preparation of the Single Conjugate Adaptive Optics (SCAO) system of HARMONI, E-ELT's 1st light integral field spectrograph (IFU). The current baseline WFS for this adaptive optics system is a Pyramid WFS using a high speed and sensitive OCAM2 camera. At LAM we are currently carrying out laboratory demonstrations of a Pyramid-WFS, with the aim to fully characterise the behaviour of the Pyramid in terms of sensitivity and linear range. This will lead to a full operational procedure for the use of the Pyramid on-sky, assisting with current designs and future implementations. The final goal is to provide an on sky comparison between the Pyramid and Shack-Hartmann at Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur (OCA). Here we present our experimental setup and preliminary results.

Document similarity measures and document browsing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmadullin, Ildus; Fan, Jian; Damera-Venkata, Niranjan; Lim, Suk Hwan; Lin, Qian; Liu, Jerry; Liu, Sam; O'Brien-Strain, Eamonn; Allebach, Jan

2011-03-01

Managing large document databases is an important task today. Being able to automatically com- pare document layouts and classify and search documents with respect to their visual appearance proves to be desirable in many applications. We measure single page documents' similarity with respect to distance functions between three document components: background, text, and saliency. Each document component is represented as a Gaussian mixture distribution; and distances between dierent documents' components are calculated as probabilistic similarities between corresponding distributions. The similarity measure between documents is represented as a weighted sum of the components' distances. Using this document similarity measure, we propose a browsing mechanism operating on a document dataset. For these purposes, we use a hierarchical browsing environment which we call the document similarity pyramid. It allows the user to browse a large document dataset and to search for documents in the dataset that are similar to the query. The user can browse the dataset on dierent levels of the pyramid, and zoom into the documents that are of interest.

Pyramid Lake Renewable Energy Project

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

John Jackson

2008-03-14

The Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe is a federally recognized Tribe residing on the Pyramid Lake Reservation in western Nevada. The funding for this project was used to identify blind geothermal systems disconnected from geothermal sacred sites and develop a Tribal energy corporation for evaluating potential economic development for profit.

Single CA3 pyramidal cells trigger sharp waves in vitro by exciting interneurones.

PubMed

Bazelot, Michaël; Teleńczuk, Maria T; Miles, Richard

2016-05-15

The CA3 hippocampal region generates sharp waves (SPW), a population activity associated with neuronal representations. The synaptic mechanisms responsible for the generation of these events still require clarification. Using slices maintained in an interface chamber, we found that the firing of single CA3 pyramidal cells triggers SPW like events at short latencies, similar to those for the induction of firing in interneurons. Multi-electrode records from the CA3 stratum pyramidale showed that pyramidal cells triggered events consisting of putative interneuron spikes followed by field IPSPs. SPW fields consisted of a repetition of these events at intervals of 4-8 ms. Although many properties of induced and spontaneous SPWs were similar, the triggered events tended to be initiated close to the stimulated cell. These data show that the initiation of SPWs in vitro is mediated via pyramidal cell synapses that excite interneurons. They do not indicate why interneuron firing is repeated during a SPW. Sharp waves (SPWs) are a hippocampal population activity that has been linked to neuronal representations. We show that SPWs in the CA3 region of rat hippocampal slices can be triggered by the firing of single pyramidal cells. Single action potentials in almost one-third of pyramidal cells initiated SPWs at latencies of 2-5 ms with probabilities of 0.07-0.76. Initiating pyramidal cells evoked field IPSPs (fIPSPs) at similar latencies when SPWs were not initiated. Similar spatial profiles for fIPSPs and middle components of SPWs suggested that SPW fields reflect repeated fIPSPs. Multiple extracellular records showed that the initiated SPWs tended to start near the stimulated pyramidal cell, whereas spontaneous SPWs could emerge at multiple sites. Single pyramidal cells could initiate two to six field IPSPs with distinct amplitude distributions, typically preceeded by a short-duration extracellular action potential. Comparison of these initiated fields with spontaneously occurring inhibitory field motifs allowed us to identify firing in different interneurones during the spread of SPWs. Propagation away from an initiating pyramidal cell was typically associated with the recruitment of interneurones and field IPSPs that were not activated by the stimulated pyramidal cell. SPW fields initiated by single cells were less variable than spontaneous events, suggesting that more stereotyped neuronal ensembles were activated, although neither the spatial profiles of fields, nor the identities of interneurone firing were identical for initiated events. The effects of single pyramidal cell on network events are thus mediated by different sequences of interneurone firing. © 2016 The Authors. The Journal of Physiology © 2016 The Physiological Society.

Probable Earthquake Archaeological Effects in the ancient pyramids of Quetzalcóatl and Sun in Teotihuacán (Central Mexico)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perez-Lopez, Raul; Rodríguez-Pascua, Miguel Angel; Garduño-Monroy, Victor Hugo; Oliveros, Arturo; Giner-Robles, Jorge L.; Silva, Pablo G.

2010-05-01

Teotihuacán was one of the blooming and greater cities of the Prehispanic cultural period within the central valley of México and one of the best archaeological findings of the Earth. During the period of splendour (Middle-Late Classic Period, 350-650 AD), almost 125.000 inhabitants lived in a vast city with more than 2000 stucco and block buildings, including the great religious and ceremonial pyramids: the Great Sun Pyramid, built between 1- 150 AD, the Moon Pyramid, built during a large time span (1-650 AD) and the outstanding Quetzalcóatl Pyramid (Feathered Snake Temple), built in two phases: the first original edifice built before 350 AD and the second one mainly are repairs of the west side and dated post-350 AD. The Quetzalcóatl Pyramid (Q- pyramid) shows a quadrangular base of ca. 3500 m2 with an extraordinary decoration of feathered snakes (attributed to the God Quetzalcóatl) and lizards. The second phase of construction consisted in a townhouse façade covering the west side of the pyramid (post 350AD), up to now with no evidence to justify such annexed wrapper of this west side. This ceremonial building was built within the Citadel, a complex area of Teotihuacán with residential and common zones as well (i.e. market). A detailed view of the steps of the west side stairs, displays different patterns of deformation affecting the blocks of the stair. The original and ancient stair exhibits rotated, overturned and displaced blocks, being stronger this deformation at the base of the pyramid. Moreover, the upper corners of the blocks appear broken in a similar form than the seismic-related feature defined as dipping broken corners or chipped corners. However, the horizontal disposition of the blocks suggests lateral vibration between them from horizontal shaking propagation. Besides, this feature appears lesser evident affecting the lower blocks of the annexed west façade, the only originally preserved ones. We have carried out a systematic measurement of this feature across the original west stairs of the Q- pyramid and the first stair level of the Sun pyramid. Furthermore, these horizontal dipping broken corners were also described affecting the new stairs of the annexed façade of the Q- pyramid. This suggests that seismic shaking could produce that deformation with a relative date of 350 AD post-quem. More data are necessary to properly test the earthquake occurrence and to bracket a probable intensity value.

40 CFR 123.3 - Coordination with other programs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 21 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Coordination with other programs. 123.3 Section 123.3 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS STATE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS General § 123.3 Coordination with other programs. Issuance of State permits...

40 CFR 123.3 - Coordination with other programs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 22 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Coordination with other programs. 123.3 Section 123.3 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS STATE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS General § 123.3 Coordination with other programs. Issuance of State permits...

40 CFR 123.3 - Coordination with other programs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 23 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Coordination with other programs. 123.3 Section 123.3 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) WATER PROGRAMS STATE PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS General § 123.3 Coordination with other programs. Issuance of State permits...

40 CFR 35.272 - Funding coordination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Funding coordination. 35.272 Section 35.272 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GRANTS AND OTHER FEDERAL ASSISTANCE....272 Funding coordination. Recipients must use the lead-based paint program funding in a way that...

40 CFR 35.272 - Funding coordination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Funding coordination. 35.272 Section 35.272 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GRANTS AND OTHER FEDERAL ASSISTANCE....272 Funding coordination. Recipients must use the lead-based paint program funding in a way that...

40 CFR 35.272 - Funding coordination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Funding coordination. 35.272 Section 35.272 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GRANTS AND OTHER FEDERAL ASSISTANCE....272 Funding coordination. Recipients must use the lead-based paint program funding in a way that...

40 CFR 35.272 - Funding coordination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Funding coordination. 35.272 Section 35.272 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GRANTS AND OTHER FEDERAL ASSISTANCE....272 Funding coordination. Recipients must use the lead-based paint program funding in a way that...

The Piirto Pyramid of Talent Development: A Conceptual Framework for Talking about Talent.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piirto, Jane

2000-01-01

This article presents the "Piirto Pyramid" framework for identification of talent potential. It explains how the pyramid identifies influences that are significant in the development of talents, including genetics, personality attributes, cognitive ability, talent, vocational, and environmental. Examples using Roy Rogers and Michelangelo are…

Personalizing the Food Pyramid. Teaching Techniques.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Allen, Donna

1996-01-01

Presents a strategy for health and home economics teachers to use in evaluating secondary students' eating and nutritional patterns. Students keep two-day food journals then complete a colorful personal food pyramid with the results. This creates a personal pyramid of food choices that lets students explore their eating habits. (SM)

Sulfolobus turreted icosahedral virus c92 protein responsible for the formation of pyramid-like cellular lysis structures.

PubMed

Snyder, Jamie C; Brumfield, Susan K; Peng, Nan; She, Qunxin; Young, Mark J

2011-07-01

Host cells infected by Sulfolobus turreted icosahedral virus (STIV) have been shown to produce unusual pyramid-like structures on the cell surface. These structures represent a virus-induced lysis mechanism that is present in Archaea and appears to be distinct from the holin/endolysin system described for DNA bacteriophages. This study investigated the STIV gene products required for pyramid formation in its host Sulfolobus solfataricus. Overexpression of STIV open reading frame (ORF) c92 in S. solfataricus alone is sufficient to produce the pyramid-like lysis structures in cells. Gene disruption of c92 within STIV demonstrates that c92 is an essential protein for virus replication. Immunolocalization of c92 shows that the protein is localized to the cellular membranes forming the pyramid-like structures.

Layer 5 Pyramidal Neurons' Dendritic Remodeling and Increased Microglial Density in Primary Motor Cortex in a Murine Model of Facial Paralysis

PubMed Central

Urrego, Diana; Troncoso, Julieta; Múnera, Alejandro

2015-01-01

This work was aimed at characterizing structural changes in primary motor cortex layer 5 pyramidal neurons and their relationship with microglial density induced by facial nerve lesion using a murine facial paralysis model. Adult transgenic mice, expressing green fluorescent protein in microglia and yellow fluorescent protein in projecting neurons, were submitted to either unilateral section of the facial nerve or sham surgery. Injured animals were sacrificed either 1 or 3weeks after surgery. Two-photon excitation microscopy was then used for evaluating both layer 5 pyramidal neurons and microglia in vibrissal primary motor cortex (vM1). It was found that facial nerve lesion induced long-lasting changes in the dendritic morphology of vM1 layer 5 pyramidal neurons and in their surrounding microglia. Dendritic arborization of the pyramidal cells underwent overall shrinkage. Apical dendrites suffered transient shortening while basal dendrites displayed sustained shortening. Moreover, dendrites suffered transient spine pruning. Significantly higher microglial cell density was found surrounding vM1 layer 5 pyramidal neurons after facial nerve lesion with morphological bias towards the activated phenotype. These results suggest that facial nerve lesions elicit active dendrite remodeling due to pyramidal neuron and microglia interaction, which could be the pathophysiological underpinning of some neuropathic motor sequelae in humans. PMID:26064916

Distinctive transcriptome alterations of prefrontal pyramidal neurons in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder

PubMed Central

Arion, Dominique; Corradi, John P.; Tang, Shaowu; Datta, Dibyadeep; Boothe, Franklyn; He, Aiqing; Cacace, Angela M.; Zaczek, Robert; Albright, Charles F.; Tseng, George; Lewis, David A.

2014-01-01

Schizophrenia is associated with alterations in working memory that reflect dysfunction of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) circuitry. Working memory depends on the activity of excitatory pyramidal cells in DLPFC layer 3, and to a lesser extent in layer 5. Although many studies have profiled gene expression in DLPFC gray matter in schizophrenia, little is known about cell type-specific transcript expression in these two populations of pyramidal cells. We hypothesized that interrogating gene expression specifically in DLPFC layer 3 or 5 pyramidal cells would reveal new and/or more robust schizophrenia-associated differences that would provide new insights into the nature of pyramidal cell dysfunction in the illness. We also sought to determine the impact of other variables, such as a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder or medication use at time of death, on the patterns of gene expression in pyramidal neurons. Individual pyramidal cells in DLPFC layers 3 or 5 were captured by laser microdissection from 36 subjects with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and matched normal comparison subjects. The mRNA from cell collections was subjected to transcriptome profiling by microarray followed by qPCR validation. Expression of genes involved in mitochondrial (MT) or ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) functions were markedly down-regulated in the patient group (p values for MT-related and UPS-related pathways were <10−7 and <10−5 respectively). MT-related gene alterations were more prominent in layer 3 pyramidal cells, whereas UPS-related gene alterations were more prominent in layer 5 pyramidal cells. Many of these alterations were not present, or found to a lesser degree, in samples of DLPFC gray matter from the same subjects, suggesting that they are pyramidal cell-specific. Furthermore, these findings principally reflected alterations in the schizophrenia subjects, were not present or present to a lesser degree in the schizoaffective disorder subjects (diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder was the most significant covariate, p<10−6), and were not attributable to factors frequently comorbid with schizophrenia. In summary, our findings reveal expression deficits in MT- and UPS-related genes specific to layer 3 and/or layer 5 pyramidal cells in the DLPFC of schizophrenia subjects. These cell type-specific transcriptome signatures are not characteristic of schizoaffective disorder, providing a potential molecular-cellular basis of differences in clinical phenotypes. PMID:25560755

Distinctive transcriptome alterations of prefrontal pyramidal neurons in schizophrenia and schizoaffective disorder.

PubMed

Arion, D; Corradi, J P; Tang, S; Datta, D; Boothe, F; He, A; Cacace, A M; Zaczek, R; Albright, C F; Tseng, G; Lewis, D A

2015-11-01

Schizophrenia is associated with alterations in working memory that reflect dysfunction of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) circuitry. Working memory depends on the activity of excitatory pyramidal cells in DLPFC layer 3 and, to a lesser extent, in layer 5. Although many studies have profiled gene expression in DLPFC gray matter in schizophrenia, little is known about cell-type-specific transcript expression in these two populations of pyramidal cells. We hypothesized that interrogating gene expression, specifically in DLPFC layer 3 or 5 pyramidal cells, would reveal new and/or more robust schizophrenia-associated differences that would provide new insights into the nature of pyramidal cell dysfunction in the illness. We also sought to determine the impact of other variables, such as a diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder or medication use at the time of death, on the patterns of gene expression in pyramidal neurons. Individual pyramidal cells in DLPFC layers 3 or 5 were captured by laser microdissection from 36 subjects with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and matched normal comparison subjects. The mRNA from cell collections was subjected to transcriptome profiling by microarray followed by quantitative PCR validation. Expression of genes involved in mitochondrial (MT) or ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) functions were markedly downregulated in the patient group (P-values for MT-related and UPS-related pathways were <10(-7) and <10(-5), respectively). MT-related gene alterations were more prominent in layer 3 pyramidal cells, whereas UPS-related gene alterations were more prominent in layer 5 pyramidal cells. Many of these alterations were not present, or found to a lesser degree, in samples of DLPFC gray matter from the same subjects, suggesting that they are pyramidal cell specific. Furthermore, these findings principally reflected alterations in the schizophrenia subjects were not present or present to a lesser degree in the schizoaffective disorder subjects (diagnosis of schizoaffective disorder was the most significant covariate, P<10(-6)) and were not attributable to factors frequently comorbid with schizophrenia. In summary, our findings reveal expression deficits in MT- and UPS-related genes specific to layer 3 and/or layer 5 pyramidal cells in the DLPFC of schizophrenia subjects. These cell type-specific transcriptome signatures are not characteristic of schizoaffective disorder, providing a potential molecular-cellular basis of differences in clinical phenotypes.

40 CFR 35.691 - Funding coordination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Funding coordination. 35.691 Section 35.691 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GRANTS AND OTHER FEDERAL ASSISTANCE...(g)) § 35.691 Funding coordination. Recipients must use the Lead-Based Paint program funding in a way...

40 CFR 35.691 - Funding coordination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Funding coordination. 35.691 Section 35.691 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GRANTS AND OTHER FEDERAL ASSISTANCE...(g)) § 35.691 Funding coordination. Recipients must use the Lead-Based Paint program funding in a way...

40 CFR 35.691 - Funding coordination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Funding coordination. 35.691 Section 35.691 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GRANTS AND OTHER FEDERAL ASSISTANCE...(g)) § 35.691 Funding coordination. Recipients must use the Lead-Based Paint program funding in a way...

40 CFR 35.691 - Funding coordination.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Funding coordination. 35.691 Section 35.691 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GRANTS AND OTHER FEDERAL ASSISTANCE...(g)) § 35.691 Funding coordination. Recipients must use the Lead-Based Paint program funding in a way...

Aging-Related Hyperexcitability in CA3 Pyramidal Neurons Is Mediated by Enhanced A-Type K+ Channel Function and Expression.

PubMed

Simkin, Dina; Hattori, Shoai; Ybarra, Natividad; Musial, Timothy F; Buss, Eric W; Richter, Hannah; Oh, M Matthew; Nicholson, Daniel A; Disterhoft, John F

2015-09-23

Aging-related impairments in hippocampus-dependent cognition have been attributed to maladaptive changes in the functional properties of pyramidal neurons within the hippocampal subregions. Much evidence has come from work on CA1 pyramidal neurons, with CA3 pyramidal neurons receiving comparatively less attention despite its age-related hyperactivation being postulated to interfere with spatial processing in the hippocampal circuit. Here, we use whole-cell current-clamp to demonstrate that aged rat (29-32 months) CA3 pyramidal neurons fire significantly more action potentials (APs) during theta-burst frequency stimulation and that this is associated with faster AP repolarization (i.e., narrower AP half-widths and enlarged fast afterhyperpolarization). Using a combination of patch-clamp physiology, pharmacology, Western blot analyses, immunohistochemistry, and array tomography, we demonstrate that these faster AP kinetics are mediated by enhanced function and expression of Kv4.2/Kv4.3 A-type K(+) channels, particularly within the perisomatic compartment, of CA3 pyramidal neurons. Thus, our study indicates that inhibition of these A-type K(+) channels can restore the intrinsic excitability properties of aged CA3 pyramidal neurons to a young-like state. Significance statement: Age-related learning deficits have been attributed, in part, to altered hippocampal pyramidal neuronal function with normal aging. Much evidence has come from work on CA1 neurons, with CA3 neurons receiving comparatively less attention despite its age-related hyperactivation being postulated to interfere with spatial processing. Hence, we conducted a series of experiments to identify the cellular mechanisms that underlie the hyperexcitability reported in the CA3 region. Contrary to CA1 neurons, we demonstrate that postburst afterhyperpolarization is not altered with aging and that aged CA3 pyramidal neurons are able to fire significantly more action potentials and that this is associated with faster action potential repolarization through enhanced expression of Kv4.2/Kv4.3 A-type K(+) channels, particularly within the cell bodies of CA3 pyramidal neurons. Copyright © 2015 the authors 0270-6474/15/3513206-13$15.00/0.

Evaluation of nature and extent of injuries during Dahihandi festival.

PubMed

Nemade, P; Wade, R; Patwardhan, A R; Kale, S

2012-01-01

Injuries related to the Hindu festival of Dahihandi where a human pyramid is formed and a pot of money kept at a height is broken, celebrated in the state of Maharashtra, have seen a significant rise in the past few years. The human pyramid formed is multi-layered and carries with it a high risk of injury including mortality. To evaluate the nature, extent and influencing factors of injuries related to Dahihandi festival. We present a retrospective analysis of patients who presented in a tertiary care center with injuries during the Dahihandi festival in the year 2010. 124 patients' records were evaluated for timing of injury, height of the Dahihandi pyramid, position of the patient in the multi-layered pyramid, mode of pyramid collapse and mechanism of an injury. A binary regression logistic analysis for risk factors was done at 5% significance level. Univariate and multi-variate binary logistic regression of the risk factors for occurrence of a major or minor injury was done using Minitab™ version 16.0 at 5% significance. Out of 139 patients presented to the center, 15 were not involved directly in the formation of pyramid, rest 124 were included in the analysis. A majority of the patients were above 15 years of age [110 (83.6%)]. 46 (37.1%) patients suffered major injuries. There were 39 fractures, 3 cases of chest wall trauma with 10 cases of head injuries and 1 death. More than half of the patients [78 (56.1%)] were injured after 1800 hours. 73 (58.9%) injured participants were part of the pyramid constructed to reach the Dahihandi placed at 30 feet or more above the ground. 72 (51.8%) participants were part of the middle layers of the pyramid. Fall of a participant from upstream layers on the body was the main mechanism of injury, and majority [101 (81.5%)] of the patients suffered injury during descent phase of the pyramid. There is a considerable risk of serious, life-threatening injuries inherent to human pyramid formation and descent in the Dahihandi festival. Safety guidelines are urgently needed to minimize risk and prevent loss of human life.

Aging-Related Hyperexcitability in CA3 Pyramidal Neurons Is Mediated by Enhanced A-Type K+ Channel Function and Expression

PubMed Central

Simkin, Dina; Hattori, Shoai; Ybarra, Natividad; Musial, Timothy F.; Buss, Eric W.; Richter, Hannah; Oh, M. Matthew

2015-01-01

Aging-related impairments in hippocampus-dependent cognition have been attributed to maladaptive changes in the functional properties of pyramidal neurons within the hippocampal subregions. Much evidence has come from work on CA1 pyramidal neurons, with CA3 pyramidal neurons receiving comparatively less attention despite its age-related hyperactivation being postulated to interfere with spatial processing in the hippocampal circuit. Here, we use whole-cell current-clamp to demonstrate that aged rat (29–32 months) CA3 pyramidal neurons fire significantly more action potentials (APs) during theta-burst frequency stimulation and that this is associated with faster AP repolarization (i.e., narrower AP half-widths and enlarged fast afterhyperpolarization). Using a combination of patch-clamp physiology, pharmacology, Western blot analyses, immunohistochemistry, and array tomography, we demonstrate that these faster AP kinetics are mediated by enhanced function and expression of Kv4.2/Kv4.3 A-type K+ channels, particularly within the perisomatic compartment, of CA3 pyramidal neurons. Thus, our study indicates that inhibition of these A-type K+ channels can restore the intrinsic excitability properties of aged CA3 pyramidal neurons to a young-like state. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Age-related learning deficits have been attributed, in part, to altered hippocampal pyramidal neuronal function with normal aging. Much evidence has come from work on CA1 neurons, with CA3 neurons receiving comparatively less attention despite its age-related hyperactivation being postulated to interfere with spatial processing. Hence, we conducted a series of experiments to identify the cellular mechanisms that underlie the hyperexcitability reported in the CA3 region. Contrary to CA1 neurons, we demonstrate that postburst afterhyperpolarization is not altered with aging and that aged CA3 pyramidal neurons are able to fire significantly more action potentials and that this is associated with faster action potential repolarization through enhanced expression of Kv4.2/Kv4.3 A-type K+ channels, particularly within the cell bodies of CA3 pyramidal neurons. PMID:26400949

The possible consequences for cognitive functions of external electric fields at power line frequency on hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons.

PubMed

Migliore, Rosanna; De Simone, Giada; Leinekugel, Xavier; Migliore, Michele

2017-04-01

The possible effects on cognitive processes of external electric fields, such as those generated by power line pillars and household appliances are of increasing public concern. They are difficult to study experimentally, and the relatively scarce and contradictory evidence make it difficult to clearly assess these effects. In this study, we investigate how, why and to what extent external perturbations of the intrinsic neuronal activity, such as those that can be caused by generation, transmission and use of electrical energy can affect neuronal activity during cognitive processes. For this purpose, we used a morphologically and biophysically realistic three-dimensional model of CA1 pyramidal neurons. The simulation findings suggest that an electric field oscillating at power lines frequency, and environmentally measured strength, can significantly alter both the average firing rate and temporal spike distribution properties of a hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neuron. This effect strongly depends on the specific and instantaneous relative spatial location of the neuron with respect to the field, and on the synaptic input properties. The model makes experimentally testable predictions on the possible functional consequences for normal hippocampal functions such as object recognition and spatial navigation. The results suggest that, although EF effects on cognitive processes may be difficult to occur in everyday life, their functional consequences deserve some consideration, especially when they constitute a systematic presence in living environments. © 2016 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A chest-shape target automatic detection method based on Deformable Part Models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Mo; Jin, Weiqi; Li, Li

2016-10-01

Automatic weapon platform is one of the important research directions at domestic and overseas, it needs to accomplish fast searching for the object to be shot under complex background. Therefore, fast detection for given target is the foundation of further task. Considering that chest-shape target is common target of shoot practice, this paper treats chestshape target as the target and studies target automatic detection method based on Deformable Part Models. The algorithm computes Histograms of Oriented Gradient(HOG) features of the target and trains a model using Latent variable Support Vector Machine(SVM); In this model, target image is divided into several parts then we can obtain foot filter and part filters; Finally, the algorithm detects the target at the HOG features pyramid with method of sliding window. The running time of extracting HOG pyramid with lookup table can be shorten by 36%. The result indicates that this algorithm can detect the chest-shape target in natural environments indoors or outdoors. The true positive rate of detection reaches 76% with many hard samples, and the false positive rate approaches 0. Running on a PC (Intel(R)Core(TM) i5-4200H CPU) with C++ language, the detection time of images with the resolution of 640 × 480 is 2.093s. According to TI company run library about image pyramid and convolution for DM642 and other hardware, our detection algorithm is expected to be implemented on hardware platform, and it has application prospect in actual system.

Historical transition of eco-structure in a tidal flat caused by expansion of sewerage treatment area.

PubMed

Tatsumoto, Hideki; Ishii, Yuichi; Machida, Motoi; Taki, Kazuo

2004-05-11

An artificial tidal flat was prepared for the mitigation tool on coastal environment. However, it is considered that most of the flat was not restored to the sufficient amenities for aquatic living things, migratory birds, etc. because none of the ecological mechanisms were understood or planned for. It is therefore investigated in this paper that historical transition factors in ecosystem structure are selected and traced with the diffusion of a public sewerage system, and with environmental factors such as water quality, sediment condition, and aquatic producers in the Yatsu Tidal Flat. As a result, it can be defined that the tidal flat, just like a lagoon, was formed artificially with reclamation and development of its circumference at the first step of transition; the water quality and sediment condition gradually became brackish water and muddy sediment conditions, interactively. The ecosystem pyramid forming orderly layers according to trophic level appeared as a high-bio-production potential in its tidal flat. In the second step, i.e., in recent years, the characteristics of water quality and sediment conditions evolved into a foreshore tidal flat, namely, conditions in the flat observed were that the progression of water included a high concentration of chloride ion as seawater and sediment conditions became sandy. Because of that, the inflowing fresh water and organic mater from the land area decreased with the improvement of the public sewerage system. The ecosystem pyramid was distorted into a chaos pyramid, with inversion of Ulva spp.

40 CFR 8.12 - Coordination of reviews from other Parties.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Coordination of reviews from other Parties. 8.12 Section 8.12 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GENERAL ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT OF NONGOVERNMENTAL ACTIVITIES IN ANTARCTICA § 8.12 Coordination of reviews from other...

Ventromedial prefrontal cortex pyramidal cells have a temporal dynamic role in recall and extinction of cocaine-associated memory.

PubMed

Van den Oever, Michel C; Rotaru, Diana C; Heinsbroek, Jasper A; Gouwenberg, Yvonne; Deisseroth, Karl; Stuber, Garret D; Mansvelder, Huibert D; Smit, August B

2013-11-13

In addicts, associative memories related to the rewarding effects of drugs of abuse can evoke powerful craving and drug seeking urges, but effective treatment to suppress these memories is not available. Detailed insight into the neural circuitry that mediates expression of drug-associated memory is therefore of crucial importance. Substantial evidence from rodent models of addictive behavior points to the involvement of the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) in conditioned drug seeking, but specific knowledge of the temporal role of vmPFC pyramidal cells is lacking. To this end, we used an optogenetics approach to probe the involvement of vmPFC pyramidal cells in expression of a recent and remote conditioned cocaine memory. In mice, we expressed Channelrhodopsin-2 (ChR2) or Halorhodopsin (eNpHR3.0) in pyramidal cells of the vmPFC and studied the effect of activation or inhibition of these cells during expression of a cocaine-contextual memory on days 1-2 (recent) and ∼3 weeks (remote) after conditioning. Whereas optical activation of pyramidal cells facilitated extinction of remote memory, without affecting recent memory, inhibition of pyramidal cells acutely impaired recall of recent cocaine memory, without affecting recall of remote memory. In addition, we found that silencing pyramidal cells blocked extinction learning at the remote memory time-point. We provide causal evidence of a critical time-dependent switch in the contribution of vmPFC pyramidal cells to recall and extinction of cocaine-associated memory, indicating that the circuitry that controls expression of cocaine memories reorganizes over time.

Discovery of a big void in Khufu’s Pyramid by observation of cosmic-ray muons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morishima, Kunihiro; Kuno, Mitsuaki; Nishio, Akira; Kitagawa, Nobuko; Manabe, Yuta; Moto, Masaki; Takasaki, Fumihiko; Fujii, Hirofumi; Satoh, Kotaro; Kodama, Hideyo; Hayashi, Kohei; Odaka, Shigeru; Procureur, Sébastien; Attié, David; Bouteille, Simon; Calvet, Denis; Filosa, Christopher; Magnier, Patrick; Mandjavidze, Irakli; Riallot, Marc; Marini, Benoit; Gable, Pierre; Date, Yoshikatsu; Sugiura, Makiko; Elshayeb, Yasser; Elnady, Tamer; Ezzy, Mustapha; Guerriero, Emmanuel; Steiger, Vincent; Serikoff, Nicolas; Mouret, Jean-Baptiste; Charlès, Bernard; Helal, Hany; Tayoubi, Mehdi

2017-12-01

The Great Pyramid, or Khufu’s Pyramid, was built on the Giza plateau in Egypt during the fourth dynasty by the pharaoh Khufu (Cheops), who reigned from 2509 BC to 2483 BC. Despite being one of the oldest and largest monuments on Earth, there is no consensus about how it was built. To understand its internal structure better, we imaged the pyramid using muons, which are by-products of cosmic rays that are only partially absorbed by stone. The resulting cosmic-ray muon radiography allows us to visualize the known and any unknown voids in the pyramid in a non-invasive way. Here we report the discovery of a large void (with a cross-section similar to that of the Grand Gallery and a minimum length of 30 metres) situated above the Grand Gallery. This constitutes the first major inner structure found in the Great Pyramid since the nineteenth century. The void, named ScanPyramids’ Big Void, was first observed with nuclear emulsion films installed in the Queen’s chamber, then confirmed with scintillator hodoscopes set up in the same chamber and finally re-confirmed with gas detectors outside the pyramid. This large void has therefore been detected with high confidence by three different muon detection technologies and three independent analyses. These results constitute a breakthrough for the understanding of the internal structure of Khufu’s Pyramid. Although there is currently no information about the intended purpose of this void, these findings show how modern particle physics can shed new light on the world’s archaeological heritage.

Structures of nitrato-(2-hydroxybenzaldehydo) (2,2 Prime -bipyridyl)copper and nitrato-(2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzaldehydo)(2,2 Prime -bipyridyl)copper

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chumakov, Yu. M.; Paladi, L. G.; Antosyak, B. Ya.

2011-03-15

Nitrato-(2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzaldehydo)(2,2 Prime -bipyridyl)copper (I) and nitrato-(2-hydroxybenzaldehydo)(2,2 Prime -bipyridyl)copper (II) were synthesized and characterized by X-ray diffraction. The coordination polyhedron of the central copper atom in complex I can be described as a distorted tetragonal pyramid whose base is formed by the phenol and carbonyl oxygen atoms of the monodeprotonated 2-hydroxy-5nitrobenzaldehyde molecule and the nitrogen atoms of the 2,2 Prime -bipyridyl ligand and whose apex is occupied by the oxygen atom of the nitrato group. In the crystal structure, complexes I are linked by the acido ligands and the NO{sub 2} groups of the aldehyde molecule into infinite chains. In complexmore » II, the central copper atom is coordinated by 2-hydroxybenzaldehyde, 2,2 Prime -bipyridyl, and the nitrato group, resulting in the formation of centrosymmetric dimers. The coordination polyhedron of the central copper atom can be described as a bipyramid (4 + 1 + 1) with the same base as in complex I. The axial vertices of the bipyramid are occupied by the oxygen atom of the nitrato group and the bridging phenol oxygen atom of the adjacent complex related to the initial complex by a center of symmetry. In the crystal structure, complexes II are hydrogen bonded into infinite chains.« less

Crystal structure of bis-[(phenyl-methanamine-κN)(phthalocyaninato-κ(4) N)zinc] phenyl-methan-amine tris-olvate.

PubMed

Shamsudin, Norzianah; Tan, Ai Ling; Wimmer, Franz L; Young, David J; Tiekink, Edward R T

2015-09-01

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, 2[Zn(C32H16N8)(C7H9N)]·3C7H9N, comprises two independent complex mol-ecules and three benzyl-amine solvent mol-ecules. Each complex mol-ecule features a penta-coordinated Zn(2+) ion within a square-pyramidal geometry, whereby the N5 donor set is defined by four atoms of the phthalocyaninate dianion (PC) and an N-bound benzyl-amine mol-ecule; it is the relative orientations of the latter that differentiate between the independent complex mol-ecules. The uncoordinated benzyl-amine mol-ecules display different conformations in the structure, with syn-Car-Car-Cm-N (ar = aromatic, m = methyl-ene) torsion angles spanning the range -28.7 (10) to 35.1 (14)°. In the crystal, N-H⋯N and N-H⋯π inter-actions lead to supra-molecular layers in the ab plane. The layers have a zigzag topology, have the coordinating and non-coordinating benzyl-amine mol-ecules directed to the inside, and present the essentially flat PC resides to the outside. This arrangement enables adjacent layers to associate via π-π inter-actions [inter-centroid distance between pyrrolyl and fused-benzene rings = 3.593 (2) Å] so that a three-dimensional architecture is formed.

Commentary on "Management Education and the Base of the Pyramid"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosile, Grace Ann

2008-01-01

This commentary asks some critical questions concerning the article "Management Education and the Base of the Pyramid" included in this special issue. Are "bottom of the pyramid" (BOP) multidisciplinary action project (MAP) students prepared to critically assess the impact of their interventions beyond a narrow definition of profit in complex and…

Pyramid solar micro-grid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Bin-Juine; Hsu, Po-Chien; Wang, Yi-Hung; Tang, Tzu-Chiao; Wang, Jia-Wei; Dong, Xin-Hong; Hsu, Hsin-Yi; Li, Kang; Lee, Kung-Yen

2018-03-01

A novel pyramid solar micro-grid is proposed in the present study. All the members within the micro-grid can mutually share excess solar PV power each other through a binary-connection hierarchy. The test results of a 2+2 pyramid solar micro-grid consisting of 4 individual solar PV systems for self-consumption are reported.

Estimation of Food Guide Pyramid Serving Sizes by College Students.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Knaust, Gretchen; Foster, Irene M.

2000-01-01

College students (n=158) used the Food Guide Pyramid to select serving sizes on a questionnaire (73% had been instructed in its use). Overall mean scores (31% correct) indicated they generally did not know recommended serving sizes. Those who had read about or received instruction in the pyramid had higher mean scores. (SK)

The Literacy Pyramid Organization of Reading/Writing Activities in a Whole Language Classroom (Early Childhood).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bruneau, Beverly J.

1997-01-01

Describes the Literacy Pyramid (based on the United States Department of Agriculture food pyramid), a classification of eight instructional events, which is intended as a framework for teachers to think about the purpose of various instructional formats and about organizing time for language arts instruction. (SR)

A Comparison of Pyramidal Staff Training and Direct Staff Training in Community-Based Day Programs

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haberlin, Alayna T.; Beauchamp, Ken; Agnew, Judy; O'Brien, Floyd

2012-01-01

This study evaluated two methods of training staff who were working with individuals with developmental disabilities: pyramidal training and consultant-led training. In the pyramidal training, supervisors were trained in the principles of applied behavior analysis (ABA) and in delivering feedback. The supervisors then trained their direct-care…

Structural and dynamic properties of propane coordinated to TpRh(CNR) from a confrontation between theory and experiment

PubMed Central

Clot, Eric; Eisenstein, Odile; Jones, William D.

2007-01-01

Density functional calculations with the B3PW91 functional have been carried out on the TpRh(CNMe) species [Tp = HB(pyrazolyl)3] as a model for Tp′Rh(CNCH2CMe3) [Tp′ = HB(3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl)3] in interaction with propane. Two σ complexes have been found as minima coordinated through either a methyl or a methylene CH bond, the former being more stable. The approach of the alkane to TpRh(CNMe) has been studied. Although no transition state could be located, study of this path reveals the key importance of the partial decoordination of one pyrazole ring. The full coordination of the alkane can only be achieved when the metal is essentially in a square pyramid coordination with one of the three pyrazole groups only weakly interacting with Rh. The main reaction of the methyl σ complex is oxidative addition, leading to the n-propyl hydride complex. In contrast, two reactions are found for the methylene σ complex: (i) oxidative addition to give the isopropyl complex and (ii) exchange between the secondary and primary CH bonds to convert the methylene complex of propane into a methyl complex of propane. This latter reaction has a much lower barrier than the oxidative addition at the methylene CH bond. The results account well for most of the experimental results obtained from kinetic studies. Steric factors are found to control the energy barriers between these various processes, disfavoring any process that brings the central carbon into close proximity to Rh. PMID:17412834

Generation and Reactions of an Octacyclic Hindered Pyramidalized Alkene.

PubMed

Camps, Pelayo; Lozano, David; Barbaraci, Carla; Font-Bardia, Merce; Luque, F Javier; Estarellas, Carolina

2018-05-18

Octacyclo[10.6.1.0 1,10 .0 3,7 .0 4,9 .0 8,19 .0 11,16 .0 13,17 ]nonadeca-5,8,14-triene (27), a hindered pyramidalized alkene, has been generated from a diiodide precursor. Contrary to the usual behavior of known pyramidalized alkenes, no Diels-Alder adducts were obtained from the present alkene when it was generated by different standard procedures in the presence of different dienes. However, products derived from the reduction, t-BuLi addition, condensation with the solvent, or dimerization were isolated from these reactions, depending on the conditions used to generate it. No [2 + 2] cross product among this pyramidalized alkene and tricyclo[3.3.1.0 3,7 ]non-3(7)-ene was formed when a mixture of the corresponding precursor diiodides was reacted with sodium amalgam. The analysis of selected geometrical and orbital parameters determined from quantum mechanical calculations indicates that the degree of pyramidalization of this alkene and its higher steric hindrance compared with other polycyclic pyramidalized alkenes may explain its peculiar reactivity.

Insight into inhibition of the human amyloid beta protein precursor (APP: PDB ID ) using (E)-N-(pyridin-2-ylmethylene)arylamine (LR) models: structure elucidation of a family of ZnX2-LR complexes.

PubMed

Basu Baul, Tushar S; Kundu, Sajal; Singh, Palwinder; Shaveta; Guedes da Silva, M Fátima C

2015-02-07

The amyloid beta precursor protein (APP) and its neurotoxic cleavage product amyloid beta (Aβ) are a cause of Alzheimer's disease and appear essential for neuronal development and cell homeostasis. Proteolytic processing of APP is influenced by metal ions and protein ligands, however the structural and functional mechanism of APP regulation is not known so far. In this context, molecular modeling studies were performed to understand the molecular behavior of (E)-N-(pyridin-2-ylmethylene)arylamines (LR) with an E2 domain of the APP in its complex with zinc (APP; PDB ID: ). Docking results indeed confirmed that the LR interacts with Zn in the binding site of the protein between two α-helical chains. In view of these findings, LR was further investigated for complexation reactions with Zn(2+) in order to establish the structural models in solution and in the solid state. Five new Zn(2+) complexes of compositions viz. [Zn(Br)2(L2-Me)] (), [Zn(Br)2(L2-OMe)] (), [Zn(i)2(L2-OMe)] (), [Zn(NO3)2(L2-OMe)(H2O)] () and [Zn(L4-Me)2(H2O)2](NO3)2 () were synthesized and their structures were ascertained by microanalysis, IR and (1)H NMR spectroscopy, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The zinc atom in complex exhibits a distorted tetrahedral geometry while the crystal structures of complexes and show distorted square pyramidal geometries. The zinc cation in and has an octahedral coordination environment, but in the zinc coordination geometry is less distorted. The Zn(ii) cations take part in one ( and ) or two () 5-membered metallacycles imposed by the NN or NNO chelation modes of LR. The significant intermolecular ππ interactions are also discussed.

Binuclear Pt-Tl bonded complex with square pyramidal coordination around Pt: a combined multinuclear NMR, EXAFS, UV-Vis, and DFT/TDDFT study in dimethylsulfoxide solution.

PubMed

Purgel, Mihály; Maliarik, Mikhail; Glaser, Julius; Platas-Iglesias, Carlos; Persson, Ingmar; Tóth, Imre

2011-07-04

The structure and bonding of a new Pt-Tl bonded complex formed in dimethylsulfoxide (dmso), (CN)(4)Pt-Tl(dmso)(5)(+), have been studied by multinuclear NMR and UV-vis spectroscopies, and EXAFS measurements in combination with density functional theory (DFT) and time dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations. This complex is formed following the equilibrium reaction Pt(CN)(4)(2-) + Tl(dmso)(6)(3+) ⇆ (CN)(4)Pt-Tl(dmso)(5)(+) + dmso. The stability constant of the Pt-Tl bonded species, as determined using (13)C NMR spectroscopy, amounts to log K = 2.9 ± 0.2. The (NC)(4)Pt-Tl(dmso)(5)(+) species constitutes the first example of a Pt-Tl bonded cyanide complex in which the sixth coordination position around Pt (in trans with respect to the Tl atom) is not occupied. The spectral parameters confirm the formation of the metal-metal bond, but differ substantially from those measured earlier in aqueous solution for complexes (CN)(5)Pt-Tl(CN)(n)(H(2)O)(x)(n-) (n = 0-3). The (205) Tl NMR chemical shift, δ = 75 ppm, is at extraordinary high field, while spin-spin coupling constant, (1)J(Pt-Tl) = 93 kHz, is the largest measured to date for a Pt-Tl bond in the absence of supporting bridging ligands. The absorption spectrum is dominated by two strong absorption bands in the UV region that are assigned to MMCT (Pt → Tl) and LMCT (dmso → Tl) bands, respectively, on the basis of MO and TDDFT calculations. The solution of the complex has a bright yellow color as a result of a shoulder present on the low energy side of the band at 355 nm. The geometry of the (CN)(4)Pt-Tl core can be elucidated from NMR data, but the particular stoichiometry and structure involving the dmso ligands are established by using Tl and Pt L(III)-edge EXAFS measurements. The Pt-Tl bond distance is 2.67(1) Å, the Tl-O bond distance is 2.282(6) Å, and the Pt-C-N entity is linear with Pt-C and Pt···N distances amounting to 1.969(6) and 3.096(6) Å, respectively. Geometry optimizations on the (CN)(4)Pt-Tl(dmso)(5)(+) system by using DFT calculations (B3LYP model) provide bond distances in excellent agreement with the EXAFS data. The four cyanide ligands are located in a square around the Pt atom, while the Tl atom is coordinated in a distorted octahedral fashion with the metal being located 0.40 Å above the equatorial plane described by four oxygen atoms of dmso ligands. The four equatorial Tl-O bonds and the four cyano ligands around the Pt atom are arranged in an alternate geometry. The coordination environment around Pt may be considered as being square pyramidal, where the apical position is occupied by the Tl atom. The optimized geometry of (CN)(4)Pt-Tl(dmso)(5)(+) is asymmetrical (C(1) point group). This low symmetry might be responsible for the unusually large NMR linewidths observed due to intramolecular chemical exchange processes. The nature of the Pt-Tl bond has been studied by MO analysis. The metal-metal bond formation in (CN)(4)Pt-Tl(dmso)(5)(+) can be simply interpreted as the result of a Pt(5d(z(2)))(2) → Tl(6s)(0) donation. This bonding scheme may rationalize the smaller thermodynamic stability of this adduct compared to the related complexes with (CN)(5)Pt-Tl entity, where the linear C-Pt-Tl unit constitutes a very stable bonding system. © 2011 American Chemical Society

Pyramiding of transgenic Pm3 alleles in wheat results in improved powdery mildew resistance in the field.

PubMed

Koller, Teresa; Brunner, Susanne; Herren, Gerhard; Hurni, Severine; Keller, Beat

2018-04-01

The combined effects of enhanced total transgene expression level and allele-specificity combination in transgenic allele-pyramided Pm3 wheat lines result in improved powdery mildew field resistance without negative pleiotropic effects. Allelic Pm3 resistance genes of wheat confer race-specific resistance to powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici, Bgt) and encode nucleotide-binding domain, leucine-rich repeat (NLR) receptors. Transgenic wheat lines overexpressing alleles Pm3a, b, c, d, f, and g have previously been generated by transformation of cultivar Bobwhite and tested in field trials, revealing varying degrees of powdery mildew resistance conferred by the transgenes. Here, we tested four transgenic lines each carrying two pyramided Pm3 alleles, which were generated by crossbreeding of lines transformed with single Pm3 alleles. All four allele-pyramided lines showed strongly improved powdery mildew resistance in the field compared to their parental lines. The improved resistance results from the two effects of enhanced total transgene expression levels and allele-specificity combinations. In contrast to leaf segment tests on greenhouse-grown seedlings, no allelic suppression was observed in the field. Plant development and yield scores of the pyramided lines were similar to the mean scores of the corresponding parental lines, and thus, the allele pyramiding did not cause any negative effects. On the contrary, in pyramided line, Pm3b × Pm3f normal plant development was restored compared to the delayed development and reduced seed set of parental line Pm3f. Allele-specific RT qPCR revealed additive transgene expression levels of the two Pm3 alleles in the pyramided lines. A positive correlation between total transgene expression level and powdery mildew field resistance was observed. In summary, allele pyramiding of Pm3 transgenes proved to be successful in enhancing powdery mildew field resistance.

GABAA receptor-mediated currents in interneurons and pyramidal cells of rat visual cortex

PubMed Central

Xiang, Zixiu; Huguenard, John R; Prince, David A

1998-01-01

We compared γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-mediated responses of identified pyramidal cells and fast spiking interneurons in layer V of visual cortical slices from young rats (P11-14). The frequency of spontaneous inhibitory postsynaptic currents (sIPSCs) was similar in pyramidal cells and interneurons (1.7 vs. 1.9 Hz). For events with 10-90 % rise times less than 0.9 ms, no significant differences were found in mean amplitude (61 vs. 65 pA), mean rise time (0.58 vs. 0.61 ms), or the first time constant of decay (τ1, 6.4 vs. 6.5 ms) between pyramidal cells and interneurons. The second decay time constant (τ2) was significantly longer in interneurons than in pyramidal cells (49 vs. 22 ms). The difference in sIPSC decay kinetics between two cell types also existed in adult rats (P36-42), suggesting the kinetic difference is not due to differential development of GABAA receptors in these cell types. The decay kinetics of monosynaptic evoked IPSCs were also longer in interneurons. As in the case of sIPSCs, the difference was accounted for by the second decay time constant. τ1 and τ2 were, respectively, 13 and 64 ms for interneurons and 12 and 47 ms for pyramidal cells. Cell-attached patch recordings revealed that the mean open time for single Cl− channels in response to 2 μM GABA was significantly longer in interneurons than pyramidal cells (5.0 vs. 2.8 ms). The chord conductance of these channels in interneurons (12 pS) was significantly smaller than in pyramidal cells (15 pS). Single channel currents reversed polarity when the pipette potential was approximately -10 mV for both cell types. These results show that there is a functional diversity of GABAA receptors in electrophysiologically and morphologically identified cortical pyramidal cells and interneurons. This diversity might derive from the different molecular composition of the receptors in these two cell types. PMID:9503333

Comparison between non-modulation four-sided and two-sided pyramid wavefront sensor.

PubMed

Wang, Jianxin; Bai, Fuzhong; Ning, Yu; Huang, Linhai; Wang, Shengqian

2010-12-20

Based on the diffraction theory the paper analyzes non-modulation Pyramid wavefront sensor (PWFS, namely, four-sided pyramid) and two-sided pyramid wavefront sensor (TSPWFS), and expresses the detected signals as a function of the measured wavefront. The expressions of the detected signals show that non-modulation PWFS and TSPWFS hold the same properties of both slope and direct phase sensors. We compare both sensors working in slope and phase sensing by theory and numerical simulations. The results demonstrate that the performance of TSPWFS excels that of PWFS. Additionally, the influence of interference between adjacent pupils is discussed.

Searching for possible hidden chambers in the Pyramid of the Sun

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alfaro, R.; Belmont, E.; Grabski, V.; Manzanilla, L.; Martinez-Davalos, A.; Menchaca-Rocha, A.; Moreno, M.; Sandoval, A.

The Pyramid of the Sun, at Teotihuacan, Mexico, is being searched for possible hidden chambers, using a muon tracking technique inspired in the experiment carried out by Luis Alvarez over 30 years ago at the Chephren Pyramid, in Giza. A fortunate similarity between this monument and the Pyramid of the Sun is a tunnel, running 8 m below the base and ending close to the symmetry axis, which permits the use muon attenuation measurements. A brief account of the project, including planning, detector design, construction and simulations, as well as the current status of the project is presented

Ischemic stroke of the pyramidal decussation causing quadriplegia and anarthria.

PubMed

Wilkins, Emilia G; Kamel, Hooman; Johnson, Eric C B; Shalev, Sarah M; Josephson, S Andrew

2012-10-01

A 52-year-old man with a history of hypertension and previously irradiated head and neck cancer presented with quadriplegia and anarthria sparing the face and sensory functions. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) demonstrated acute infarction of the pyramidal decussation. We describe the clinical and radiological characteristics of infarction at the pyramidal decussation and review the arterial supply to this region in the lower brainstem. Although rare, infarction of the pyramidal decussation should be considered in the differential diagnosis when patients present with atraumatic pure motor quadriplegia. Copyright © 2012 National Stroke Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Introduction of a pyramid guiding process for general musculoskeletal physical rehabilitation.

PubMed

Stark, Timothy W

2006-06-08

Successful instruction of a complicated subject as Physical Rehabilitation demands organization. To understand principles and processes of such a field demands a hierarchy of steps to achieve the intended outcome. This paper is intended to be an introduction to a proposed pyramid scheme of general physical rehabilitation principles. The purpose of the pyramid scheme is to allow for a greater understanding for the student and patient. As the respected Food Guide Pyramid accomplishes, the student will further appreciate and apply supported physical rehabilitation principles and the patient will understand that there is a progressive method to their functional healing process.

Involvement of intracellular Zn2+ signaling in LTP at perforant pathway-CA1 pyramidal cell synapse.

PubMed

Tamano, Haruna; Nishio, Ryusuke; Takeda, Atsushi

2017-07-01

Physiological significance of synaptic Zn 2+ signaling was examined at perforant pathway-CA1 pyramidal cell synapses. In vivo long-term potentiation (LTP) at perforant pathway-CA1 pyramidal cell synapses was induced using a recording electrode attached to a microdialysis probe and the recording region was locally perfused with artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF) via the microdialysis probe. Perforant pathway LTP was not attenuated under perfusion with CaEDTA (10 mM), an extracellular Zn 2+ chelator, but attenuated under perfusion with ZnAF-2DA (50 μM), an intracellular Zn 2+ chelator, suggesting that intracellular Zn 2+ signaling is required for perforant pathway LTP. Even in rat brain slices bathed in CaEDTA in ACSF, intracellular Zn 2+ level, which was measured with intracellular ZnAF-2, was increased in the stratum lacunosum-moleculare where perforant pathway-CA1 pyramidal cell synapses were contained after tetanic stimulation. These results suggest that intracellular Zn 2+ signaling, which originates in internal stores/proteins, is involved in LTP at perforant pathway-CA1 pyramidal cell synapses. Because the influx of extracellular Zn 2+ , which originates in presynaptic Zn 2+ release, is involved in LTP at Schaffer collateral-CA1 pyramidal cell synapses, synapse-dependent Zn 2+ dynamics may be involved in plasticity of postsynaptic CA1 pyramidal cells. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The obesity crisis: don't blame it on the pyramid.

PubMed

Goldberg, Jeanne P; Belury, Martha A; Elam, Peggy; Finn, Susan Calvert; Hayes, Dayle; Lyle, Roseann; St Jeor, Sachiko; Warren, Michelle; Hellwig, Jennifer P

2004-07-01

Since its release in 1992, the Food Guide Pyramid has become one of the most recognized nutrition education tools in US history. As such, it has been subject to criticism, particularly in several recent media reports that implicate it as the culprit in America's current obesity epidemic. What these reports often overlook, however, is that the diets of many Americans do not adhere to the dietary guidelines illustrated by the Pyramid, refuting the notion that the Pyramid is the cause of the nation's obesity problem. Data indicate that the more likely causes of escalating obesity rates are increased per capita caloric consumption and larger portion sizes, along with a lack of adequate physical activity. Although the Pyramid graphic was designed more than a decade ago, it still communicates three key concepts that continue to be the cornerstone of federal dietary guidance: variety, proportionality, and moderation. As such, it remains a viable and relevant nutrition education tool, especially when used by dietetics professionals as a component of individualized, comprehensive nutrition education and behavior modification interventions. As the United States Department of Agriculture begins to investigate whether the food intake patterns illustrated by the Pyramid are in need of updating, research is urgently needed to determine how nutrition education tools, including the Pyramid, can be most effectively implemented to help consumers adopt healthful eating behaviors and to improve the public health of America.

Integrating Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation with the Pyramid Model. Issue Brief

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perry, Deborah F.; Kaufmann, Roxane K.

2009-01-01

A growing number of states and communities are implementing the Pyramid Model in early care and education settings, and in many of these places there are also early childhood mental health consultation (ECMHC) programs operating. This policy brief provides an overview of ECMHC, how it can support the implementation of the Pyramid Model and the…

The "Teaching Pyramid": A Model for the Implementation of Classroom Practices within a Program-Wide Approach to Behavior Support

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hemmeter, Mary Louise; Fox, Lise

2009-01-01

The "Teaching Pyramid" (Fox, Dunlap, Hemmeter, Joseph, & Strain, 2003) is a framework for organizing evidence-based practices for promoting social-emotional development and preventing and addressing challenging behavior in preschool programs. In this article, we briefly describe the "Teaching Pyramid" as a framework for implementing effective…

An Empirical Comparison of Two-Stage and Pyramidal Adaptive Ability Testing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Larkin, Kevin C.; Weiss, David J.

A 15-stage pyramidal test and a 40-item two-stage test were constructed and administered by computer to 111 college undergraduates. The two-stage test was found to utilize a smaller proportion of its potential score range than the pyramidal test. Score distributions for both tests were positively skewed but not significantly different from the…

Putting the Pyramid into Practice. Science Topics.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Texas Child Care, 1994

1994-01-01

Explains the new U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Guide Pyramid, which can help children and adults visualize the basics of sound nutrition. The pyramid chart places five food groups from top to bottom in inverse proportion to the number of servings that should be consumed. Special symbols are used to indicate fat content and added…

Tribonacci-Like Sequences and Generalized Pascal's Pyramids

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anatriello, Giuseppina; Vincenzi, Giovanni

2014-01-01

A well-known result of Feinberg and Shannon states that the tribonacci sequence can be detected by the so-called "Pascal's pyramid." Here we will show that any tribonacci-like sequence can be obtained by the diagonals of the "Feinberg's triangle" associated to a suitable "generalized Pascal's pyramid."…

Management Education and the Base of the Pyramid

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gordon, Michael D.

2008-01-01

Doing business at the base of the pyramid is a topic of increasing interest to business practitioners and academics. Base of the pyramid business offers the promise of great economic gains for companies and the possibility of a powerful new approach to alleviate poverty. At the same time, it may threaten local culture and independence while…

Data Decision-Making and Program-Wide Implementation of the Pyramid Model. Roadmap to Effective Intervention Practices #7

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fox, Lise; Veguilla, Myrna; Perez Binder, Denise

2014-01-01

The Technical Assistance Center on Social Emotional Intervention for Young Children (TACSEI) Roadmap on "Data Decision-Making and Program-Wide Implementation of the Pyramid Model" provides programs with guidance on how to collect and use data to ensure the implementation of the Pyramid Model with fidelity and decision-making that…

Effect of lures and colors on capture of lady beetles (coleoptera: coccinellidae) in tedders pyramidal traps

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Purposeful attraction and/or aggregation of adult Coccinellidae at target sites would be useful for sampling purposes and/or pest suppression. We field-tested 1) lures in yellow and black pyramidal traps and 2) pyramidal traps that had been painted one or two colors (without lures) to determine if ...

MyPyramid intakes and snacking patterns of U.S. adults: What We Eat In America, 2007-2008

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The goals of this study were to determine the frequency of snacking by adults, measure the contribution of snacks to MyPyramid food group intakes, and determine whether snacking is associated with total intake of MyPyramid food groups and components. Twenty-four hour dietary recall data from 5,334 ...

MyPyramid.gov knowledge and access among rural southwest Mississippi African American adolescents

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study used a qualitative approach to identify knowledge of food recommendations found on MyPyramid.gov and access to MyPyramid.gov among limited-income African American youth. We conducted 5 single-sex focus groups with 9 boys and 30 girls (grades 5th and 6th). Data processing and analysis incl...

President Carter’s Leadership at Camp David: Mediation as an Exercise in Strategic Thinking

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-03-24

longer about them, but about the health and welfare of the institution or perhaps the larger environment, including the community of nations.19 Leaders...President Carter was successful. President Sadat and Prime Minster Begin underscored their belief that the successful meeting Camp David was because of...experience is concerned, worked harder than the forefathers did in Egypt in building the pyramids.47 Prime Minster Begin also thanked Carter for

Formation of a 1,4-diamino-2,3-disila-1,3-butadiene derivative.

PubMed

Mondal, Kartik Chandra; Roesky, Herbert W; Dittrich, Birger; Holzmann, Nicole; Hermann, Markus; Frenking, Gernot; Meents, Alke

2013-10-30

A 1,4-diamino-2,3-disila-1,3-butadiene derivative of composition (Me2-cAAC)2(Si2Cl2) (Me2-cAAC = :C(CMe2)2(CH2)N-2,6-iPr2C6H3) was synthesized by reduction of the Me2-cAAC:SiCl4 adduct with KC8. This compound is stable at 0 °C for 3 months in an inert atmosphere. Theoretical studies reveal that the silicon atoms exhibit pyramidal coordination, where the Cl-Si-Si-Cl dihedral angle is twisted by 43.3° (calcd 45.9°). The two silicon-carbon bonds are intermediates between single and double Si-C bonds due to twisting of the C-Si-Si-C dihedral angle (163.6°).

Bromidotetra­kis­(1H-2-ethyl-5-methyl­imidazole-κN 3)copper(II) bromide

PubMed Central

Godlewska, Sylwia; Baranowska, Katarzyna; Socha, Joanna; Dołęga, Anna

2011-01-01

The CuII ion in the title compound, [CuBr(C6H10N2)4]Br, is coordinated in a square-based-pyramidal geometry by the N atoms of four imidazole ligands and a bromide anion in the apical site. Both the CuII and Br− atoms lie on a crystallographic fourfold axis. In the crystal, the [CuBr(C6H10N2)4]+ complex cations are linked to the uncoordinated Br− anions (site symmetry ) by N—H⋯Br hydrogen bonds, generating a three-dimensional network. The ethyl group of the imidazole ligand was modelled as disordered over two orientations with occupancies of 0.620 (8) and 0.380 (8). PMID:22199662

Integrated Geophysical Studies to Image the Remains of Amenemeht II Pyramid's Complex in Dahshour Necropolis, Giza, Egypt.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbas, Abbas Mohamed; Atya, Magdy; El-Emam, Ahmed; Ghazala, Hosny, ,, Prof.; Shaaban, Fathy, ,, Dr; Odah, Hatem, ,, Prof; Ibrahim, El-Khedr, ,, Prof; Lethy, Ahmed, ,, Dr

2009-04-01

Dahshour archaeological site is located adjacent to Giza necropolis at about 25 km south of Cairo. The site itself is an imperative necropolis that attracts the attention of the archaeologists. This location is a spectator of several historical episodes that start with the pyramidal complexes from the early dynasties (the mud brick tombs, the mastabas, and the Bent Pyramid) passing through the phase of the Step Pyramid of Zoser at Saqqara to the first complete pyramid in the history (the Red pyramid of Senefro "Khofo's father"). In 2002, the local archaeological supervisors suggested an area around the debris of the White pyramid (of Amenemeht II) for reconnaissance magnetic survey. The survey had been completed using the gradiometer FM36. More than 98 survey grids (20 x 20 m) of a surface area of 39200 m2 have been measured. The results reported the recognition of some parts of the mortuary temple, the causeway, and some other anomalies that could not be attributed to specific archaeological aspect. Therefore, an integrated geophysical survey was proposed, in the present work, to get more details help to identify these objects. The ground penetrating radar (GPR, SIR2000), the electrical resistance meter (Geoscan RM15), and the electromagnetic profiler (GEM300) have been utilized to acquire the data. They have been applied to selected zones to investigate specific objects and oriented to solve the problems questioned by the local archaeological inspectors. The study conveyed an superior image of the whole measured site and helped to identify most of the detected artifacts. Furthermore, the margins of the causeway and its infrastructure have been perfectly delineated. However, the possible place of the eastern entrance and the Valley temple have been tentatively located. Keywords: Archaeo-geophysics, Dahshour, White Pyramid

Roles of specific Kv channel types in repolarization of the action potential in genetically identified subclasses of pyramidal neurons in mouse neocortex

PubMed Central

Pathak, Dhruba; Guan, Dongxu

2016-01-01

The action potential (AP) is a fundamental feature of excitable cells that serves as the basis for long-distance signaling in the nervous system. There is considerable diversity in the appearance of APs and the underlying repolarization mechanisms in different neuronal types (reviewed in Bean BP. Nat Rev Neurosci 8: 451–465, 2007), including among pyramidal cell subtypes. In the present work, we used specific pharmacological blockers to test for contributions of Kv1, Kv2, or Kv4 channels to repolarization of single APs in two genetically defined subpopulations of pyramidal cells in layer 5 of mouse somatosensory cortex (etv1 and glt) as well as pyramidal cells from layer 2/3. These three subtypes differ in AP properties (Groh A, Meyer HS, Schmidt EF, Heintz N, Sakmann B, Krieger P. Cereb Cortex 20: 826–836, 2010; Guan D, Armstrong WE, Foehring RC. J Neurophysiol 113: 2014–2032, 2015) as well as laminar position, morphology, and projection targets. We asked what the roles of Kv1, Kv2, and Kv4 channels are in AP repolarization and whether the underlying mechanisms are pyramidal cell subtype dependent. We found that Kv4 channels are critically involved in repolarizing neocortical pyramidal cells. There are also pyramidal cell subtype-specific differences in the role for Kv1 channels. Only Kv4 channels were involved in repolarizing the narrow APs of glt cells. In contrast, in etv1 cells and layer 2/3 cells, the broader APs are partially repolarized by Kv1 channels in addition to Kv4 channels. Consistent with their activation in the subthreshold range, Kv1 channels also regulate AP voltage threshold in all pyramidal cell subtypes. PMID:26864770

Enhancement of thermoelectric characteristics in AlGaN/GaN films deposited on inverted pyramidal Si surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yalamarthy, Ananth Saran; So, Hongyun; Senesky, Debbie G.

2017-07-01

In this letter, we demonstrate an engineering strategy to boost thermoelectric power factor via geometry-induced properties of the pyramid structure. Aluminum gallium nitride (AlGaN)/GaN heterostructured films grown on inverted pyramidal silicon (Si) demonstrate higher power factor as compared to those grown on conventional flat Si substrates. We found that the magnitude of the Seebeck coefficient at room temperature increased from approximately 297 μVK-1 for the flat film to approximately 849 μVK-1 for the film on inverted pyramidal Si. In addition, the "effective" electrical conductivity of the AlGaN/GaN on the inverted pyramidal structure increased compared to the flat structure, generating an enhancement of thermoelectric power factor. The results demonstrate how manipulation of geometry can be used to achieve better thermoelectric characteristics in a manner that could be scaled to a variety of different material platforms.

The Conflict Pyramid: A Holistic Approach to Structuring Conflict Resolution in Schools

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hakvoort, Ilse

2010-01-01

This paper examines how the conflict pyramid, originally defined and used by Richard Cohen, can be used as a model to describe the relations between different conflict resolution education programs and activities included in the programs. The central questions posed in the paper are: How can Richard Cohen's conflict pyramid be used as a model for…

Road Map to Statewide Implementation of the Pyramid Model. Roadmap to Effective Intervention Practices #6

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dunlap, Glen; Smith, Barbara J.; Fox, Lise; Blase, Karen

2014-01-01

This document is a guide--a "Road Map"--for implementing widespread use of the Pyramid Model for Promoting Social Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children (http://www.challengingbehavior.org/do/pyramid_model. htm). It is a road map of systems change. The Road Map is written for statewide systems change, although it could be…

Criteria of the "Educator's Pyramid" Fulfilled by Medical School Faculty Promoted on a Teaching Pathway.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sheretz, Elizabeth F.

2000-01-01

Evaluated data on Wake Forest University School of Medicine faculty (n=186) promoted to associate professor or professor in the academic years 1995-2000 using the criteria of the "educators' pyramid" of Sachdeva et al. Findings suggest that the educators' pyramid is generalizable to medical faculty being promoted on a teaching pathway.…

The Teaching of Food Guide Pyramid Concepts by Nebraska Elementary School Educators.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martin, H. Darlene; Driskell, Judy A.

2001-01-01

In an analysis of food selection education using the Food Guide Pyramid for students in grades 1-4, over two-thirds of teachers (n=464) responded that nutrition should be a high priority in the elementary curriculum. Fewer than half teach pyramid concepts consistently or frequently, younger teachers (20-29) more rarely than older teachers.…

SERS encoded silver pyramids for attomolar detection of multiplexed disease biomarkers.

PubMed

Xu, Liguang; Yan, Wenjing; Ma, Wei; Kuang, Hua; Wu, Xiaoling; Liu, Liqaing; Zhao, Yuan; Wang, Libing; Xu, Chuanlai

2015-03-11

Three disease biomarkers can simultaneously be detected at the attomolar level because of a novel surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) encoded silver pyramid sensing system. This newly designed pyramidal sensor with well-controlled geometry exhibits highly sensitive, selective, and reproducible SERS signals, and holds promising potential for biodetection applications. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Enhanced performance of solar cells with optimized surface recombination and efficient photon capturing via anisotropic-etching of black silicon

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, H. Y.; Peng, Y., E-mail: gdyuan@semi.ac.cn, E-mail: py@usst.edu.cn; Hong, M.

2014-05-12

We report an enhanced conversion efficiency of femtosecond-laser treated silicon solar cells by surface modification of anisotropic-etching. The etching improves minority carrier lifetime inside modified black silicon area substantially; moreover, after the etching, an inverted pyramids/upright pyramids mixed texture surface is obtained, which shows better photon capturing capability than that of conventional pyramid texture. Combing of these two merits, the reformed solar cells show higher conversion efficiency than that of conventional pyramid textured cells. This work presents a way for fabricating high performance silicon solar cells, which can be easily applied to mass-production.

Ultrasonographic Diagnosis of Cirrhosis Based on Preprocessing Using Pyramid Recurrent Neural Network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Jianming; Liu, Jiang; Zhao, Xueqin; Yahagi, Takashi

In this paper, a pyramid recurrent neural network is applied to characterize the hepatic parenchymal diseases in ultrasonic B-scan texture. The cirrhotic parenchymal diseases are classified into 4 types according to the size of hypoechoic nodular lesions. The B-mode patterns are wavelet transformed , and then the compressed data are feed into a pyramid neural network to diagnose the type of cirrhotic diseases. Compared with the 3-layer neural networks, the performance of the proposed pyramid recurrent neural network is improved by utilizing the lower layer effectively. The simulation result shows that the proposed system is suitable for diagnosis of cirrhosis diseases.

Introduction of a pyramid guiding process for general musculoskeletal physical rehabilitation

PubMed Central

Stark, Timothy W

2006-01-01

Successful instruction of a complicated subject as Physical Rehabilitation demands organization. To understand principles and processes of such a field demands a hierarchy of steps to achieve the intended outcome. This paper is intended to be an introduction to a proposed pyramid scheme of general physical rehabilitation principles. The purpose of the pyramid scheme is to allow for a greater understanding for the student and patient. As the respected Food Guide Pyramid accomplishes, the student will further appreciate and apply supported physical rehabilitation principles and the patient will understand that there is a progressive method to their functional healing process. PMID:16759396

Self-assembly of the general membrane-remodeling protein PVAP into sevenfold virus-associated pyramids.

PubMed

Daum, Bertram; Quax, Tessa E F; Sachse, Martin; Mills, Deryck J; Reimann, Julia; Yildiz, Özkan; Häder, Sabine; Saveanu, Cosmin; Forterre, Patrick; Albers, Sonja-Verena; Kühlbrandt, Werner; Prangishvili, David

2014-03-11

Viruses have developed a wide range of strategies to escape from the host cells in which they replicate. For egress some archaeal viruses use a pyramidal structure with sevenfold rotational symmetry. Virus-associated pyramids (VAPs) assemble in the host cell membrane from the virus-encoded protein PVAP and open at the end of the infection cycle. We characterize this unusual supramolecular assembly using a combination of genetic, biochemical, and electron microscopic techniques. By whole-cell electron cryotomography, we monitored morphological changes in virus-infected host cells. Subtomogram averaging reveals the VAP structure. By heterologous expression of PVAP in cells from all three domains of life, we demonstrate that the protein integrates indiscriminately into virtually any biological membrane, where it forms sevenfold pyramids. We identify the protein domains essential for VAP formation in PVAP truncation mutants by their ability to remodel the cell membrane. Self-assembly of PVAP into pyramids requires at least two different, in-plane and out-of-plane, protein interactions. Our findings allow us to propose a model describing how PVAP arranges to form sevenfold pyramids and suggest how this small, robust protein may be used as a general membrane-remodeling system.

Laminar Differences in Dendritic Structure of Pyramidal Neurons in the Juvenile Rat Somatosensory Cortex.

PubMed

Rojo, Concepción; Leguey, Ignacio; Kastanauskaite, Asta; Bielza, Concha; Larrañaga, Pedro; DeFelipe, Javier; Benavides-Piccione, Ruth

2016-06-01

Pyramidal cell structure varies between different cortical areas and species, indicating that the cortical circuits that these cells participate in are likely to be characterized by different functional capabilities. Structural differences between cortical layers have been traditionally reported using either the Golgi method or intracellular labeling, but the structure of pyramidal cells has not previously been systematically analyzed across all cortical layers at a particular age. In the present study, we investigated the dendritic architecture of complete basal arbors of pyramidal neurons in layers II, III, IV, Va, Vb, and VI of the hindlimb somatosensory cortical region of postnatal day 14 rats. We found that the characteristics of basal dendritic morphologies are statistically different in each cortical layer. The variations in size and branching pattern that exist between pyramidal cells of different cortical layers probably reflect the particular functional properties that are characteristic of the cortical circuit in which they participate. This new set of complete basal dendritic arbors of 3D-reconstructed pyramidal cell morphologies across each cortical layer will provide new insights into interlaminar information processing in the cerebral cortex. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press.

Pyramid image codes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watson, Andrew B.

1990-01-01

All vision systems, both human and machine, transform the spatial image into a coded representation. Particular codes may be optimized for efficiency or to extract useful image features. Researchers explored image codes based on primary visual cortex in man and other primates. Understanding these codes will advance the art in image coding, autonomous vision, and computational human factors. In cortex, imagery is coded by features that vary in size, orientation, and position. Researchers have devised a mathematical model of this transformation, called the Hexagonal oriented Orthogonal quadrature Pyramid (HOP). In a pyramid code, features are segregated by size into layers, with fewer features in the layers devoted to large features. Pyramid schemes provide scale invariance, and are useful for coarse-to-fine searching and for progressive transmission of images. The HOP Pyramid is novel in three respects: (1) it uses a hexagonal pixel lattice, (2) it uses oriented features, and (3) it accurately models most of the prominent aspects of primary visual cortex. The transform uses seven basic features (kernels), which may be regarded as three oriented edges, three oriented bars, and one non-oriented blob. Application of these kernels to non-overlapping seven-pixel neighborhoods yields six oriented, high-pass pyramid layers, and one low-pass (blob) layer.

Edgar Dale's Pyramid of Learning in medical education: a literature review.

PubMed

Masters, Ken

2013-11-01

Edgar Dale's Pyramid of Learning and percentages of retained learning are cited in educational literature in a range of disciplines. The sources of the Pyramid, however, are misleading. To examine the evidence supporting the Pyramid and the extent to which it is cited in medical education literature. A review of literature (1946-2012) based on a search utilising Academic Search Complete, CINAHL, Medline and Google Scholar conducted from September to November 2012. A total of 43 peer-reviewed medical education journal articles and conference papers were found. While some researchers had been misled by their sources, other authors' interpretations of the citations did not align with the content of those citations, had no such citations, had circular references, or consulted questionable sources. There was no agreement on the percentages of learning retention, in spite of many researchers' citing primary texts. The inappropriate citing of the Pyramid and its associated percentages in medical education literature is widespread and continuous. This citing undermines much of the published work, and impacts on research-based medical education literature. While the area of learning/teaching strategies and amount of retention from each is an area for future research, any reference to the Pyramid should be avoided.

The new barium zinc mercurides Ba3ZnHg10 and BaZn0.6Hg3.4 - Synthesis, crystal and electronic structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwarz, Michael; Wendorff, Marco; Röhr, Caroline

2012-12-01

The title compounds Ba3ZnHg10 and BaZn0.6Hg3.4 were synthesized from stoichiometric ratios of the elements in Ta crucibles. Their crystal structures, which both represent new structure types, have been determined using single crystal X-ray data. The structure of Ba3ZnHg10 (orthorhombic, oP28, space group Pmmn, a=701.2(3), b=1706.9(8), c=627.3(3)pm, Z=2, R1=0.0657) contains folded 44 Hg nets, where the meshes form the bases of flat rectangular pyramids resembling the structure of BaAl4. The flat pyramids are connected via Hg-Zn/Hg bonds, leaving large channels at the folds, in which Ba(1) and Hg(2) atoms alternate. Whereas the remaining Hg/Zn atoms form a covalent 3D network of three- to five-bonded atoms with short M-M distances (273-301 pm; CN 9-11), the Hg(2) atoms in the channels adopt a comparatively large coordination number of 12 and increased distances (317-348 pm) to their Zn/Hg neighbours. In the structure of BaZn0.6Hg3.4 (cubic, cI320, space group I4bar3d, a=2025.50(7) pm, Z=64, R1=0.0440), with a chemical composition not much different from that of Ba3ZnHg10, the Zn/Hg atoms of the mixed positions M(1/2) are arranged in an slightly distorted primitive cubic lattice with a 4×4×4 subcell relation to the unit cell. The 24 of the originating 64 cubes contain planar cis tetramers Hg(5,6)4 with Hg in a nearly trigonal planar or tetrahedral coordination. In another 24 of the small cubes, two opposing faces are decorated by Hg(3,4)2 dumbbells, two by Ba(2) atoms respectively. The third type of small cubes are centered by Ba(1) atoms only. The complex 3D polyanionic Hg/Zn network thus formed is compared with the Hg partial structure in Rb3Hg20 applying a group-subgroup relation. Despite their different overall structures, the connectivity of the negatively charged Hg atoms, the rather metallic Zn bonding characteristic (as obtained from FP-LAPW band structure calculations) and the coordination number of 16 for all Ba cations relate the two title compounds.

An essential role for neuregulin-4 in the growth and elaboration of developing neocortical pyramidal dendrites.

PubMed

Paramo, Blanca; Wyatt, Sean; Davies, Alun M

2018-04-01

Neuregulins, with the exception of neuregulin-4 (NRG4), have been shown to be extensively involved in many aspects of neural development and function and are implicated in several neurological disorders, including schizophrenia, depression and bipolar disorder. Here we provide the first evidence that NRG4 has a crucial function in the developing brain. We show that both the apical and basal dendrites of neocortical pyramidal neurons are markedly stunted in Nrg4 -/- neonates in vivo compared with Nrg4 +/+ littermates. Neocortical pyramidal neurons cultured from Nrg4 -/- embryos had significantly shorter and less branched neurites than those cultured from Nrg4 +/+ littermates. Recombinant NRG4 rescued the stunted phenotype of embryonic neocortical pyramidal neurons cultured from Nrg4 -/- mice. The majority of cultured wild type embryonic cortical pyramidal neurons co-expressed NRG4 and its receptor ErbB4. The difference between neocortical pyramidal dendrites of Nrg4 -/- and Nrg4 +/+ mice was less pronounced, though still significant, in juvenile mice. However, by adult stages, the pyramidal dendrite arbors of Nrg4 -/- and Nrg4 +/+ mice were similar, suggesting that compensatory changes in Nrg4 -/- mice occur with age. Our findings show that NRG4 is a major novel regulator of dendritic arborisation in the developing cerebral cortex and suggest that it exerts its effects by an autocrine/paracrine mechanism. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The "healthy lifestyle guide pyramid" for children and adolescents.

PubMed

González-Gross, M; Gómez-Lorente, J J; Valtueña, J; Ortiz, J C; Meléndez, A

2008-01-01

Increasing evidence demonstrates that risk factors for chronic diseases are established during childhood and adolescence. Consensus about the need to increase prevention efforts makes the adoption of a healthy lifestyle seem desirable from early childhood onwards. After reviewing educational tools for children and adolescents aimed at promoting a healthy lifestyle, it was recognized that there was a need to develop a simple educational tool specifically designed for these age groups. Development of the healthy lifestyle pyramid for children and adolescents. We propose a three-dimensional, truncated and staggered pyramid with 4 faces and a base, which introduces a completely new concept that goes beyond other published pyramids. Each of the faces is oriented towards achieving a different goal. Two faces (faces 1 and 2) are formulated around achieving a goal on a daily basis (daily food intake, face 1, and daily activities, face 2). Face 3 is an adaptation of the traditional food guide pyramid, adapted to children's energy, nutritional and hydration needs. Face 4 deals with both daily and life-long habits. On the base of the pyramid, there is advice about adequate nutrition alternating with advice about physical activity and sports. The Healthy Lifestyle Pyramid is specifically developed for children and adolescents according to current scientific knowledge and evidence-based data and includes easy-to-follow advice and full colour pictures. Following these guidelines should improve health and reduce risk factors, promoting enjoyable and appropriate development towards adulthood.

Uncle Sam's Diet Sensation: MyPyramid – An Overview and Commentary

PubMed Central

Johnston, Carol S.

2005-01-01

Abstract and Introduction Abstract MyPyramid symbolizes the federal nutrition policy, the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, replacing the 1992 Food Guide Pyramid. This Internet-based educational tool, available at http://MyPyramid.gov, provides general guidance for food selection from 5 food groups (grains, vegetables, fruit, milk, meat and beans). Additionally, MyPyramid addresses the obesity crisis by placing a strong emphasis on reducing calorie consumption and increasing physical activity. Although some experts praise this new, interactive pyramid, many believe that the government missed an opportunity to direct Americans toward healthier diets. Furthermore, the information available at MyPyramid.gov is not likely to be accessed by the populations that need it most: the underprivileged. Because obesity prevention programs structured only to educate and inform have generally been unsuccessful, the federal government must take the next step and revise agriculture policies and programs to promote healthy eating Introduction Food guidance based on the scientific knowledge of food composition and nutrient requirements has been provided by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) since 1894. In the initial 1894 publication, W.O. Atwater, pioneer nutrition investigator and the first director of the Office of Experiment Stations in USDA, presented tables of food composition and dietary standards for American males. In a later publication he advised moderation in food selection: “The evils of overeating may not be felt at once, but sooner or later they are sure to appear – perhaps in an excessive amount of fatty tissue, perhaps in general debility, perhaps in actual disease.”[1] The first USDA food guide utilizing food groups was published in 1916 by Caroline Hunt, a nutrition specialist in USDA's Bureau of Home Economics. The guide identified 5 food groups (milk and meat, cereals, vegetables and fruits, fats and fat foods, and sugars and sugary foods) and specified the amounts to be consumed daily.[1] Thus, the concepts of moderation, proportionality, and variety were introduced nearly a century ago, and these themes continue to shape today's federal nutrition policy and education activities. In April 2005, the Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion (CNPP), an agency of USDA's Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services, released MyPyramid replacing the 1992 USDA Food Guide Pyramid. MyPyramid, an Internet-based educational tool accessed at http://MyPyramid.gov, provides general guidance for food selection from 5 food groups (grains, vegetables, fruit, milk, meat and beans) and features the key recommendations of the sixth edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DG), released jointly by the USDA and US Department of Health and Human Services in January 2005. These guidelines represent the federal government's most recent science-based advice for health promotion and for reducing chronic disease risk. In addition to promoting moderation, proportionality, and variety in food selection, the DG place a strong emphasis on reducing calorie consumption and increasing physical activity, factors that are also emphasized by MyPyramid. PMID:16369304

Reporting numeric values of complete crowns. Part 2: Retention and resistance theories.

PubMed

Tiu, Janine; Al-Amleh, Basil; Waddell, J Neil; Duncan, Warwick J

2015-07-01

Determining the retention and resistance of a tooth preparation for a complete crown has only existed in theory, and these theories have never been measured on tooth preparations performed in vivo. The purpose of this study was to measure the theoretical retention and resistance of clinically produced complete crown preparations by using an objective measuring method. Stone dies from 236 complete crown preparations were collected from dental laboratories. The dies were scanned and analyzed with the coordinate geometry method. Cross-sectional images were captured, and the surface area was measured with a cone frustum and right truncated pyramid formula. Two different theories of resistance form, the "on" or "off" theory (limiting taper) and the linear model (resistance length), were calculated for premolar and molar preparations. The mean surface areas ranged from 33.97 mm(2) to 105.44 mm(2) for the cone frustum formula and 41.75 mm(2) to 117.50 mm(2) for the right truncated pyramid formula. The facial side of maxillary premolars exhibited the highest percentage of resistance form with the limiting taper, at 58%, and the mesial side of the mandibular molars exhibited the lowest percentage of resistance form, at 6%. The objective method used in this study provides a way for retention and resistance theories to be tested and for further clinical implications to be investigated. Copyright © 2015 Editorial Council for the Journal of Prosthetic Dentistry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Behavior-dependent activity patterns of GABAergic long-range projecting neurons in the rat hippocampus.

PubMed

Katona, Linda; Micklem, Ben; Borhegyi, Zsolt; Swiejkowski, Daniel A; Valenti, Ornella; Viney, Tim J; Kotzadimitriou, Dimitrios; Klausberger, Thomas; Somogyi, Peter

2017-04-01

Long-range glutamatergic and GABAergic projections participate in temporal coordination of neuronal activity in distributed cortical areas. In the hippocampus, GABAergic neurons project to the medial septum and retrohippocampal areas. Many GABAergic projection cells express somatostatin (SOM+) and, together with locally terminating SOM+ bistratified and O-LM cells, contribute to dendritic inhibition of pyramidal cells. We tested the hypothesis that diversity in SOM+ cells reflects temporal specialization during behavior using extracellular single cell recording and juxtacellular neurobiotin-labeling in freely moving rats. We have demonstrated that rare GABAergic projection neurons discharge rhythmically and are remarkably diverse. During sharp wave-ripples, most projection cells, including a novel SOM+ GABAergic back-projecting cell, increased their activity similar to bistratified cells, but unlike O-LM cells. During movement, most projection cells discharged along the descending slope of theta cycles, but some fired at the trough jointly with bistratified and O-LM cells. The specialization of hippocampal SOM+ projection neurons complements the action of local interneurons in differentially phasing inputs from the CA3 area to CA1 pyramidal cell dendrites during sleep and wakefulness. Our observations suggest that GABAergic projection cells mediate the behavior- and network state-dependent binding of neuronal assemblies amongst functionally-related brain regions by transmitting local rhythmic entrainment of neurons in CA1 to neuronal populations in other areas. © 2016 The Authors Hippocampus Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 The Authors Hippocampus Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Structural, electrochemical characterization and SOD mimic activities of 1D chain or 3D network encouraged by unique μ2-bridging by adipate ion in mixed ligand complexes containing α-diimine as auxiliary ligand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Siddiqi, Zafar A.; Sharma, Prashant K.; Shahid, M.; Kumar, Sarvendra; Anjuli; Siddique, Armeen

The present ternary complexes [Cu(ada)(phen)(H2O)]·2H2O (1), [Co2(ada)2(phen)2(H2O)2] (2) and [{Cu(ada)3(bipy)}n·3nH2O] (3) (H2ada = adipic acid, phen = 1,10-phenanthroline and bipy = 2,2'-bipyridine) obtained under varying experimental conditions were characterized by spectral, electrochemical and thermal studies. The bonding modes and the spatial arrangements of the carboxylate dianion around the metal ions have been investigated employing FTIR, EPR and X-ray crystallographic studies. Present data revealed a six coordinate distorted octahedral geometry for 2 with a = 8.068, b = 9.788, c = 11.788 Å, α = 70.464, β = 75.109, γ = 72.063° and a five coordinate square pyramidal geometry for 3 with a = 9.509, b = 9.912, c = 12.656 Å, α = 70.486, β = 73.604, γ = 75.162°. The superoxide dismutase (SOD) mimic activities of the complexes are in the order 1 > 3 > 2.

Synthesis, spectroscopic, and antibacterial activity of tetraazamacrocyclic complexes of trivalent chromium, manganese, and iron.

PubMed

Singh, D P; Malik, Vandna; Kumar, Ramesh; Singh, Jitender

2009-10-01

A new series of macrocyclic complexes of type [M(TML)X]X(2), where M = Cr(III), Mn(III), or Fe(III), TML is tetradentate macrocyclic ligand, and X = Cl(-), NO(3)(-), CH(3)COO(-) for Cr(III), Fe(III) and X = CH(3)COO(-) for Mn (III), has been synthesized by condensation of benzil and succinyldihydrazide in the presence of metal salt. The complexes have been so formulated due to the 1:2 electrolytic nature of these complexes as shown by conductivity measurements. The complexes have been characterized with the help of various physicochemical techniques such as elemental analysis, molar conductance, electronic and infrared spectral studies, and magnetic susceptibility. On the basis of these studies, a five-coordinate distorted square pyramidal geometry, in which two nitrogens and two carbonyl oxygen atoms are suitably placed for coordination toward the metal ion, has been proposed for all the complexes. The complexes have been tested for their in vitro antibacterial activity. Some of the complexes show remarkable antibacterial activities against some selected bacterial strains. The minimum inhibitory concentrations shown by these complexes have been compared with those shown by some standard antibiotics such as linezolid and cefaclor.

Synthesis, characterization, single crystal X-ray determination, fluorescence and electrochemical studies of new dinuclear nickel(II) and oxovanadium(IV) complexes containing double Schiff base ligands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shafaatian, Bita; Ozbakzaei, Zahra; Notash, Behrouz; Rezvani, S. Ahmad

2015-04-01

A series of new bimetallic complexes of nickel(II) and vanadium(IV) have been synthesized by the reaction of the new double bidentate Schiff base ligands with nickel acetate and vanadyl acetylacetonate in 1:1 M ratio. In nickel and also vanadyl complexes the ligands were coordinated to the metals via the imine N and enolic O atoms. The complexes have been found to possess 1:1 metals to ligands stoichiometry and the molar conductance data revealed that the metal complexes were non-electrolytes. The nickel and vanadyl complexes exhibited distorted square planar and square pyramidal coordination geometries, respectively. The emission spectra of the ligands and their complexes were studied in methanol. Electrochemical properties of the ligands and their metal complexes were also investigated in DMSO solvent at 150 mV s-1 scan rate. The ligands and metal complexes showed both quasi-reversible and irreversible processes at this scan rate. The Schiff bases and their complexes have been characterized by FT-IR, 1H NMR, UV/Vis spectroscopies, elemental analysis and conductometry. The crystal structure of the nickel complex has been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction.

Molecular structure, supramolecular association and anion sensing by chlorodiorganotin(IV) methylferrocenyldithiocarbamates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yadav, Reena; Awasthi, Mahendra Kumar; Singh, Amita; Kociok-Köhn, Gabriele; Trivedi, Manoj; Prasad, Rajendra; Shahid, Mohammad; Kumar, Abhinav

2017-10-01

Three new chlorodiorganotin(IV) methylferrocenyl dithiocarbamate complexes viz. [(FcCH2)(CH2CH2OH)NCS2SnMe2(Cl)] (1), [(FcCH2)(CH2CH2OH)NCS2SnnBu2(Cl)] (2) and [(FcCH2)(CH2CH2OH)NCS2SnPh2(Cl)] (3) have been synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, UV-Vis, 1H, 13C and 119Sn NMR spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography. The crystal structure of 1 indicates that the coordination geometries around the tin(IV) center is intermediate between ideal trigonal-bipyramidal and square pyramidal coordination polyhedra bonded through two sulfur atoms of the dithiocarbamate ligand in an isobidentate mode, two CH3 groups and one chlorine atom. Since, in 2 and 3 only alkyl and aryl fragments have been changed we infer that both 2 and 3 would also have the same behaviors in the solution state as observed in 1. Ionic interactions abilities of 1-3 are examined in acetonitrile through UV-vis absorption spectroscopy which offers reasonably good selectivity and sensitivity towards the detection of the acetate ion. Compounds 1-3 exhibit a bathochromic shift with the acetate ion with a moderate association constant.

Relationships between morphology and physiology of pyramid-pyramid single axon connections in rat neocortex in vitro.

PubMed Central

Deuchars, J; West, D C; Thomson, A M

1994-01-01

1. Double intracellular recordings were made from 1163 pairs of pyramidal neurones in layer V-VI of the rat somatomotor cortex in vitro using sharp electrodes filled with biocytin. Monosynaptically connected pairs of cells were identified when an action potential in one could elicit a constant latency excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) in the other and the cells were filled with biocytin. Labelled cells were subsequently identified histologically with avidin-horseradish peroxidase. 2. Thirty-four pairs of cells were found to be monosynaptically connected. Fifteen of these pairs were sufficiently stable for electrophysiological recordings and three of these were recovered sufficiently to permit full morphological reconstruction. 3. The EPSP recorded between the first pair of pyramids varied in amplitude between 0 and 3 mV (mean 1.33 +/- 1.06 mV) and fluctuated considerably (coefficient of variation, 0.796). This was largely due to a high incidence of apparent failures of transmission. On reconstruction two boutons from the presynaptic pyramid axon were in close apposition to the proximal portions of basal dendrites of the postsynaptic cell. 4. In the second pair of pyramids the EPSP had a mean amplitude of 1.06 mV, and displayed a 10-90% rise time of 2.8 ms and a width at half-amplitude of 23 ms. This EPSP did not alter significantly with changes in membrane potential at the soma. The presynaptic axon closely apposed the distal apical dendrite of the postsynaptic cell in eight places. 5. In the third pair of pyramids, the EPSPs, recorded at a relatively depolarized membrane potential, were long lasting and could elicit slow dendritic spikes with long and variable latencies. These slow spikes suggested that the postsynaptic recording site was dendritic and on reconstruction a possible location was identified on the apical dendrite. A total of five presynaptic boutons closely apposed three separate, proximal branches of the postsynaptic apical dendrite. 6. These results provide the first illustration of a morphological basis for variations in functional properties of pyramid-pyramid connections in the neocortex. Images Figure 1 Figure 3 Figure 5 PMID:7965856

Stabilization and Reconstruction Operations: A New Paradigm, Analysis Tool, and US Air Force Role

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-03-08

Maslow in his 1943 treatise, A Theory of Human Motivation, from which his Hierarchy of Needs Pyramid is derived.15 An interesting observation can be...or program budgets, but out of a necessity to retain relevancy in today’s conflict environment. It has taken over a decade to reach this point, but...than rigorous scientific explanation. The New Paradigm The new paradigm is not really new at all but is derived from noted psychologist Abraham

MyPyramid.gov: assessment of literacy, cultural and linguistic factors in the USDA food pyramid web site.

PubMed

Neuhauser, Linda; Rothschild, Rebeccah; Rodríguez, Fátima M

2007-01-01

MyPyramid.gov, a major national Web site about healthful eating and physical activity, was analyzed for literacy, cultural, and linguistic factors relevant to consumers. The assessment used 4 standardized readability tests, 1 navigational test, availability of non-English content, and new criteria for cultural factors. Readability scores averaged between grade levels 8.8 and 10.8, and half the navigation criteria were met. The Web site was available in Spanish, but it had little cultural tailoring for English speakers. It is recommended that MyPyramid's readability, navigation, and cultural tailoring be improved. References are provided to help educators learn more about assessing and using Internet communication with diverse audiences.

Syntheses and characterization of one-dimensional alkali metal antimony(III) thiostannates(IV), A{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Sn{sub 3}S{sub 10} (A=K, Rb, Cs)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yohannan, Jinu P.; Vidyasagar, Kanamaluru, E-mail: kvsagar@iitm.ac.in

2015-01-15

Three new isostructural quaternary antimony(III) thiostannates(IV), A{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Sn{sub 3}S{sub 10} (A=K, Rb, Cs) have been synthesized by using alkali metal thiosulfate flux and structurally characterized by X-ray diffraction. Their structures contain A{sup +} ions around the [Sb{sub 2}Sn{sub 3}S{sub 10}]{sup 2−} chains, which are built from SbS{sub 3} pyramids, SnS{sub 6} octahedra and SnS{sub 4} tetrahedra. Raman and Mössbauer spectroscopic measurements corroborate the oxidation states and coordination environments of Sb(III) and Sn(IV). All three compounds are wide band gap semiconductors. Potassium compound undergoes partial exchange with strontium, cadmium and lead ions. - Graphical abstract: Syntheses, crystal structure, spectroscopic andmore » partial ion-exchange studies of new one-dimensional alkali metal antimony(III) thiostannates(IV), A{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Sn{sub 3}S{sub 10} (A=K, Rb, Cs) are described. - Highlights: • Syntheses of new alkali metal antimony(III) thiostannates(IV), A{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Sn{sub 3}S{sub 10} (A=K, Rb, Cs). • Wide band gap semiconductors with one-dimensional structure. • Topotactic partial exchange of K{sup +} ions of K{sub 2}Sb{sub 2}Sn{sub 3}S{sub 10} with Sr{sup 2+}, Cd{sup 2+} and Pb{sup 2+} ions.« less

Digital pyramid wavefront sensor with tunable modulation.

PubMed

Akondi, Vyas; Castillo, Sara; Vohnsen, Brian

2013-07-29

The pyramid wavefront sensor is known for its high sensitivity and dynamic range that can be tuned by mechanically altering its modulation amplitude. Here, a novel modulating digital scheme employing a reflecting phase only spatial light modulator is demonstrated. The use of the modulator allows an easy reconfigurable pyramid with digital control of the apex angle and modulation geometry without the need of any mechanically moving parts. Aberrations introduced by a 140-actuator deformable mirror were simultaneously sensed with the help of a commercial Hartmann-Shack wavefront sensor. The wavefronts reconstructed using the digital pyramid wavefront sensor matched very closely with those sensed by the Hartmann-Shack. It is noted that a tunable modulation is necessary to operate the wavefront sensor in the linear regime and to accurately sense aberrations. Through simulations, it is shown that the wavefront sensor can be extended to astronomical applications as well. This novel digital pyramid wavefront sensor has the potential to become an attractive option in both open and closed loop adaptive optics systems.

Applications of Phase-Based Motion Processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Branch, Nicholas A.; Stewart, Eric C.

2018-01-01

Image pyramids provide useful information in determining structural response at low cost using commercially available cameras. The current effort applies previous work on the complex steerable pyramid to analyze and identify imperceptible linear motions in video. Instead of implicitly computing motion spectra through phase analysis of the complex steerable pyramid and magnifying the associated motions, instead present a visual technique and the necessary software to display the phase changes of high frequency signals within video. The present technique quickly identifies regions of largest motion within a video with a single phase visualization and without the artifacts of motion magnification, but requires use of the computationally intensive Fourier transform. While Riesz pyramids present an alternative to the computationally intensive complex steerable pyramid for motion magnification, the Riesz formulation contains significant noise, and motion magnification still presents large amounts of data that cannot be quickly assessed by the human eye. Thus, user-friendly software is presented for quickly identifying structural response through optical flow and phase visualization in both Python and MATLAB.

A theoretical study of special acoustic effects caused by the staircase of the El Castillo pyramid at the Maya ruins of Chichen-Itza in Mexico.

PubMed

Declercq, Nico F; Degrieck, Joris; Briers, Rudy; Leroy, Oswald

2004-12-01

It is known that a handclap in front of the stairs of the great pyramid of Chichen Itza produces a chirp echo which sounds more or less like the sound of a Quetzal bird. The present work describes precise diffraction simulations and attempts to answer the critical question what physical effects cause the formation of the chirp echo. Comparison is made with experimental results obtained from David Lubman. Numerical simulations show that the echo shows a strong dependence on the kind of incident sound. Simulations are performed for a (delta function like) pulse and also for a real handclap. The effect of reflections on the ground in front of the pyramid is also discussed. The present work also explains why an observer seated on the lowest step of the pyramid hears the sound of raindrops falling in a water filled bucket instead of footstep sounds when people, situated higher up the pyramid, climb the stairs.

A theoretical study of special acoustic effects caused by the staircase of the El Castillo pyramid at the Maya ruins of Chichen-Itza in Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Declercq, Nico F.; Degrieck, Joris; Briers, Rudy; Leroy, Oswald

2004-12-01

It is known that a handclap in front of the stairs of the great pyramid of Chichen Itza produces a chirp echo which sounds more or less like the sound of a Quetzal bird. The present work describes precise diffraction simulations and attempts to answer the critical question what physical effects cause the formation of the chirp echo. Comparison is made with experimental results obtained from David Lubman. Numerical simulations show that the echo shows a strong dependence on the kind of incident sound. Simulations are performed for a (delta function like) pulse and also for a real handclap. The effect of reflections on the ground in front of the pyramid is also discussed. The present work also explains why an observer seated on the lowest step of the pyramid hears the sound of raindrops falling in a water filled bucket instead of footstep sounds when people, situated higher up the pyramid, climb the stairs. .

Pyramidal neurovision architecture for vision machines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Madan M.; Knopf, George K.

1993-08-01

The vision system employed by an intelligent robot must be active; active in the sense that it must be capable of selectively acquiring the minimal amount of relevant information for a given task. An efficient active vision system architecture that is based loosely upon the parallel-hierarchical (pyramidal) structure of the biological visual pathway is presented in this paper. Although the computational architecture of the proposed pyramidal neuro-vision system is far less sophisticated than the architecture of the biological visual pathway, it does retain some essential features such as the converging multilayered structure of its biological counterpart. In terms of visual information processing, the neuro-vision system is constructed from a hierarchy of several interactive computational levels, whereupon each level contains one or more nonlinear parallel processors. Computationally efficient vision machines can be developed by utilizing both the parallel and serial information processing techniques within the pyramidal computing architecture. A computer simulation of a pyramidal vision system for active scene surveillance is presented.

Adherence to the Food Guide Pyramid recommendations among Japanese Americans, Native Hawaiians, and whites: results from the Multiethnic Cohort Study.

PubMed

Sharma, Sangita; Murphy, Suzanne P; Wilkens, Lynne R; Shen, Lucy; Hankin, Jean H; Henderson, Brian; Kolonel, Laurence N

2003-09-01

The Food Guide Pyramid is designed to help Americans make healthful food choices. Whereas national data have been collected to examine adherence to the pyramid recommendations in whites, African-Americans, and Latinos, there are virtually no data available for Japanese Americans or Native Hawaiians. Here we present data on intakes of the Food Guide Pyramid food groups (as servings per day) as well as of the components of the pyramid tip (discretionary fat, added sugar, and alcohol) in these ethnic groups and examine adherence to each of the food group recommendations. Degree of adherence to the fruit group recommendation was similar among the ethnic groups and energy-intake categories, but adherence to the other recommendations was greatest for those consuming more than 2,800 kilocalories per day. However, subjects in this energy-intake group also consumed more than three times as much discretionary fat, added sugar, and alcohol.

Heterogeneous Coordination Environments in Lithium-Neutralized Ionomers Identified Using 1H and 7Li MAS NMR

PubMed Central

Alam, Todd M.; Jenkins, Janelle E.; Bolintineanu, Dan S.; Stevens, Mark J.; Frischknecht, Amalie L.; Buitrago, C. Francisco; Winey, Karen I.; Opper, Kathleen L.; Wagener, Kenneth B.

2012-01-01

The carboxylic acid proton and the lithium coordination environments for precise and random Li-neutralized polyethylene acrylic acid P(E-AA) ionomers were explored using high speed solid-state 1H and 7Li MAS NMR. While the 7Li NMR revealed only a single Li coordination environment, the chemical shift temperature variation was dependent on the precise or random nature of the P(E-AA) ionomer. The 1H MAS NMR revealed two different carboxylic acid proton environments in these materials. By utilizing 1H-7Li rotational echo double resonance (REDOR) MAS NMR experiments, it was demonstrated that the proton environments correspond to different average 1H-7Li distances, with the majority of the protonated carboxylic acids having a close through space contact with the Li. Molecular dynamics simulations suggest that the shortest 1H-7Li distance corresponds to un-neutralized carboxylic acids directly involved in the coordination environment of Li clusters. These solid-state NMR results show that heterogeneous structural motifs need to be included when developing descriptions of these ionomer materials.

Nighttime images fusion based on Laplacian pyramid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Cong; Zhan, Jinhao; Jin, Jicheng

2018-02-01

This paper expounds method of the average weighted fusion, image pyramid fusion, the wavelet transform and apply these methods on the fusion of multiple exposures nighttime images. Through calculating information entropy and cross entropy of fusion images, we can evaluate the effect of different fusion. Experiments showed that Laplacian pyramid image fusion algorithm is suitable for processing nighttime images fusion, it can reduce the halo while preserving image details.

The National Cancer Institute diet history questionnaire: validation of pyramid food servings.

PubMed

Millen, Amy E; Midthune, Douglas; Thompson, Frances E; Kipnis, Victor; Subar, Amy F

2006-02-01

The performance of the National Cancer Institute's food frequency questionnaire, the Diet History Questionnaire (DHQ), in estimating servings of 30 US Department of Agriculture Food Guide Pyramid food groups was evaluated in the Eating at America's Table Study (1997-1998), a nationally representative sample of men and women aged 20-79 years. Participants who completed four nonconsecutive, telephone-administered 24-hour dietary recalls (n = 1,301) were mailed a DHQ; 965 respondents completed both the 24-hour dietary recalls and the DHQ. The US Department of Agriculture's Pyramid Servings Database was used to estimate intakes of pyramid servings for both diet assessment tools. The correlation (rho) between DHQ-reported intake and true intake and the attenuation factor (lambda) were estimated using a measurement error model with repeat 24-hour dietary recalls as the reference instrument. Correlations for energy-adjusted pyramid servings of foods ranged from 0.43 (other starchy vegetables) to 0.84 (milk) among women and from 0.42 (eggs) to 0.80 (total dairy food) among men. The mean rho and lambda after energy adjustment were 0.62 and 0.60 for women and 0.63 and 0.66 for men, respectively. This food frequency questionnaire validation study of foods measured in pyramid servings allowed for a measure of food intake consistent with national dietary guidance.

Structural, vibrational, and electronic properties of an uncoordinated pseudoephedrine derivative and its mononuclear and trinuclear copper(II)-coordinated compounds: A combined theoretical and experimental study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valencia, Israel; Ávila-Torres, Yenny; Barba-Behrens, Norah; Garzón, Ignacio L.

2014-11-01

Multicopper oxidases are fundamental in a variety of biological processes in bacteria, fungi and vertebrates. The catalytic center in these enzymes is formed basically by three copper ions, bridged by oxygen bonds. In order to get insights into the reactivity of these complex systems, biomimetic compounds are usually synthesized. Accordingly, in this work, we studied structural, vibrational, and electronic properties of an uncoordinated pseudoephedrine derivative, as well as its corresponding mononuclear and trinuclear copper(II)-coordinated complexes by means of density functional theory. The calculations are compared with experimental results using measurements of the infrared spectra. It is obtained that the molecular configuration of the pseudoephedrine amino-alcohol derivative is stabilized by hydrogen bonding Osbnd H⋯N and by Csbnd H⋯π interactions that are not present in the mononuclear and trinuclear compounds. The coordination compounds show octahedral and square pyramid geometries, respectively, which are slightly distorted by Jahn-Teller effects. The analysis of their theoretical and experimental IR spectra reveals signals related with hydrogen bonding as well as metal-ligand vibrational modes. Regarding the electronic structure, the density of states was calculated in order to analyze the atomic orbital contributions present in these compounds. This analysis would provide useful insights about the optical behavior, for example, in the visible region of the spectrum of the coordinated compounds. At these energies, the optical absorption would be influenced by the orbital interaction of the Cu2+d orbitals with sp ones of the ligand, reflecting a decrease of the HOMO-LUMO gap of the organic ligand due to the presence of the copper(II) ions.

Metal-organophosphine and metal-organophosphonium frameworks with layered honeycomb-like structures.

PubMed

Humphrey, Simon M; Allan, Phoebe K; Oungoulian, Shaunt E; Ironside, Matthew S; Wise, Erica R

2009-04-07

Phosphanotriylbenzenecarboxylic acid (ptbcH(3); P(C(6)H(4)-p-CO(2)H)(3)) and its methyl phosphonium iodide derivative (mptbcH(3)I; {H(3)CP(C(6)H(4)-p-CO(2)H)(3)}I) have been used as organic building blocks in reaction with Zn(ii) salts to obtain a series of related two-dimensional coordination polymers with honeycomb-like networks. The variable coordination number and oxidation states available to phosphorus have been exploited to produce a family of related phosphine coordination materials (PCMs) using a single ligand precursor. The phosphine carboxylate trianion, ptbc(3-), reacted with Zn(ii) to form 3,3-connected undulating hexagonal sheets based on tetrahedral P and Zn nodes, where Zn-ptbc = 1 : 1. When hydroxide was used as an additional framework ligand, Zn(4)(OH)(2) clusters were obtained. The clusters support 6,3-connected bilayers that consist of pairs of fused hexagonal sheets (Zn-ptbc = 2 : 1) with intra-layer pore spaces. The Zn(4)(OH)(2) clusters are also coordinated by solvent, which was preferentially displaced when the bilayer material was synthesized in the presence of ethylene diamine. Treatment of ptbc(3-) with MeI resulted in methylation of the phosphine to give the P(v) phosphonium iodide salt derivative. The formally dianionic methylphosphonium tricarboxylate building block, mptbc(2-), has the same trigonal-pyramidal bridging geometry as the parent phosphine. However, mptbc(2-) reacted with Zn(ii) on a 1 : 1 stoichiometric ratio to give an unusual trilayer sheet polymer that is based exclusively on 3-connected nodes. Solid-state (31)P NMR studies confirmed that the phosphine ligands were resistant to oxidation upon solvothermal reaction under aerobic conditions.

UTSA-74: A MOF-74 Isomer with Two Accessible Binding Sites per Metal Center for Highly Selective Gas Separation.

PubMed

Luo, Feng; Yan, Changsheng; Dang, Lilong; Krishna, Rajamani; Zhou, Wei; Wu, Hui; Dong, Xinglong; Han, Yu; Hu, Tong-Liang; O'Keeffe, Michael; Wang, Lingling; Luo, Mingbiao; Lin, Rui-Biao; Chen, Banglin

2016-05-04

A new metal-organic framework Zn2(H2O)(dobdc)·0.5(H2O) (UTSA-74, H4dobdc = 2,5-dioxido-1,4-benzenedicarboxylic acid), Zn-MOF-74/CPO-27-Zn isomer, has been synthesized and structurally characterized. It has a novel four coordinated fgl topology with one-dimensional channels of about 8.0 Å. Unlike metal sites in the well-established MOF-74 with a rod-packing structure in which each of them is in a five coordinate square pyramidal coordination geometry, there are two different Zn(2+) sites within the binuclear secondary building units in UTSA-74 in which one of them (Zn1) is in a tetrahedral while another (Zn2) in an octahedral coordination geometry. After activation, the two axial water molecules on Zn2 sites can be removed, generating UTSA-74a with two accessible gas binding sites per Zn2 ion. Accordingly, UTSA-74a takes up a moderately high and comparable amount of acetylene (145 cm(3)/cm(3)) to Zn-MOF-74. Interestingly, the accessible Zn(2+) sites in UTSA-74a are bridged by carbon dioxide molecules instead of being terminally bound in Zn-MOF-74, so UTSA-74a adsorbs a much smaller amount of carbon dioxide (90 cm(3)/cm(3)) than Zn-MOF-74 (146 cm(3)/cm(3)) at room temperature and 1 bar, leading to a superior MOF material for highly selective C2H2/CO2 separation. X-ray crystal structures, gas sorption isotherms, molecular modeling, and simulated and experimental breakthroughs comprehensively support this result.

Pre-treatment with Chrysanthemum indicum Linné extract protects pyramidal neurons from transient cerebral ischemia via increasing antioxidants in the gerbil hippocampal CA1 region

PubMed Central

Kim, In Hye; Lee, Tae-Kyeong; Cho, Jeong Hwi; Lee, Jae-Chul; Park, Joon Ha; Ahn, Ji Hyeon; Shin, Bich-Na; Chen, Bai Hui; Tae, Hyun-Jin; Kim, Yang Hee; Kim, Jong-Dai; Kim, Young-Myeong; Won, Moo-Ho; Kang, Il Jun

2017-01-01

Chrysanthemum indicum Linné extract (CIL) is used in herbal medicine in East Asia. In the present study, gerbils were orally pre-treated with CIL, and changes of antioxidant enzymes including superoxide dismutase (SOD) 1 and SOD2, catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPX) in the hippocampal CA1 region following 5 min of transient cerebral ischemia were investigated and the neuroprotective effect of CIL in the ischemic CA1 region was examined. SOD1, SOD2, CAT and GPX immunoreactivities were observed in the pyramidal cells of the CA1 region and their immunoreactivities were gradually decreased following ischemia-reperfusion and barely detectable at 5 days post-ischemia. CIL pre-treatment significantly increased immunoreactivities of SOD1, CAT and GPX, but not SOD2, in the CA1 pyramidal cells of the sham-operated animals. In addition, SOD1, SOD2, CAT and GPX immunoreactivities in the CA1 pyramidal cells were significantly higher compared with the ischemia-operated animals. Furthermore, it was identified that pre-treatment with CIL protected the CA1 pyramidal cells in the CA1 region using neuronal nuclei immunohistochemistry and Fluoro-Jade B histofluorescence staining; the protected CA1 pyramidal cells were 67.5% compared with the sham-operated animals. In conclusion, oral CIL pre-treatment increased endogenous antioxidant enzymes in CA1 pyramidal cells in the gerbil hippocampus and protected the cells from transient cerebral ischemic insult. This finding suggested that CIL is promising for the prevention of ischemia-induced neuronal damage. PMID:28534982

Impacts of Permafrost on Infrastructure and Ecosystem Services

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trochim, E.; Schuur, E.; Schaedel, C.; Kelly, B. P.

2017-12-01

The Study of Environmental Arctic Change (SEARCH) program developed knowledge pyramids as a tool for advancing scientific understanding and making this information accessible for decision makers. Knowledge pyramids are being used to synthesize, curate and disseminate knowledge of changing land ice, sea ice, and permafrost in the Arctic. Each pyramid consists of a one-two page summary brief in broadly accessible language and literature organized by levels of detail including synthesizes and scientific building blocks. Three knowledge pyramids have been produced related to permafrost on carbon, infrastructure, and ecosystem services. Each brief answers key questions with high societal relevance framed in policy-relevant terms. The knowledge pyramids concerning infrastructure and ecosystem services were developed in collaboration with researchers specializing in the specific topic areas in order to identify the most pertinent issues and accurately communicate information for integration into policy and planning. For infrastructure, the main issue was the need to build consensus in the engineering and science communities for developing improved methods for incorporating data applicable to building infrastructure on permafrost. In ecosystem services, permafrost provides critical landscape properties which affect basic human needs including fuel and drinking water availability, access to hunting and harvest, and fish and wildlife habitat. Translating these broad and complex topics necessitated a systematic and iterative approach to identifying key issues and relating them succinctly to the best state of the art research. The development of the knowledge pyramids provoked collaboration and synthesis across distinct research and engineering communities. The knowledge pyramids also provide a solid basis for policy development and the format allows the content to be regularly updated as the research community advances.

Retrieval-Induced Upregulation of Tet3 in Pyramidal Neurons of the Dorsal Hippocampus Mediates Cocaine-Associated Memory Reconsolidation

PubMed Central

Liu, Cao; Sun, Xue; Wang, Zhilin; Le, Qiumin; Liu, Peipei; Jiang, Changyou; Wang, Feifei; Ma, Lan

2018-01-01

Abstract Background Memory retrieval refers to reexposure to information previously encoded and stored in the brain. Following retrieval, a once-consolidated memory destabilizes and undergoes reconsolidation, during which gene expression changes to restabilize memory. Investigating epigenetic regulation during reconsolidation could provide insights into normal memory formation and pathological memory associated with psychiatric disorders. Methods We used cocaine-induced conditioned place preference to assess the cocaine-associated memory of mice and used chemogenetic methods to manipulate the activity of the pyramidal neurons in the dorsal hippocampus. We isolated the ribosome-associated transcripts from the excitatory neurons in the dorsal hippocampus by RiboTag purification to identify the potential epigenetic regulators, and we specifically knocked down gene expression in pyramidal neurons with a Cre-dependent lentivirus. Results Chemogenetically silencing the activity of the pyramidal neurons in the dorsal hippocampus immediately after memory retrieval markedly impaired memory reconsolidation, and the ribosome-associated mRNA level of the ten-eleven translocation (Tet) family methylcytosine dioxygenase Tet3, but not Tet1 or Tet2, was dramatically upregulated 10 minutes after memory retrieval. The protein level of Tet3 in the dorsal hippocampus but not in the anterior cingulate cortex was dramatically increased 1 hour after memory retrieval. Specifically, knockdown of Tet3 in pyramidal neurons in the dorsal hippocampus decreased the activation of pyramidal neurons and impaired the reconsolidation of cocaine-associated memory. Conclusions Our findings highlight the new function of the DNA demethylation regulator Tet3 in pyramidal neurons of the dorsal hippocampus in regulating the reconsolidation of cocaine-associated memory. PMID:29106571

Stellate and pyramidal neurons in goldfish telencephalon respond differently to anoxia and GABA receptor inhibition.

PubMed

Hossein-Javaheri, Nariman; Wilkie, Michael P; Lado, Wudu E; Buck, Leslie T

2017-02-15

With oxygen deprivation, the mammalian brain undergoes hyper-activity and neuronal death while this does not occur in the anoxia-tolerant goldfish ( Carassius auratus ). Anoxic survival of the goldfish may rely on neuromodulatory mechanisms to suppress neuronal hyper-excitability. As γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is the major inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain, we decided to investigate its potential role in suppressing the electrical activity of goldfish telencephalic neurons. Utilizing whole-cell patch-clamp recording, we recorded the electrical activities of both excitatory (pyramidal) and inhibitory (stellate) neurons. With anoxia, membrane potential ( V m ) depolarized in both cell types from -72.2 mV to -57.7 mV and from -64.5 mV to -46.8 mV in pyramidal and stellate neurons, respectively. While pyramidal cells remained mostly quiescent, action potential frequency (AP f ) of the stellate neurons increased 68-fold. Furthermore, the GABA A receptor reversal potential ( E - GABA ) was determined using the gramicidin perforated-patch-clamp method and found to be depolarizing in pyramidal (-53.8 mV) and stellate neurons (-42.1 mV). Although GABA was depolarizing, pyramidal neurons remained quiescent as E GABA was below the action potential threshold (-36 mV pyramidal and -38 mV stellate neurons). Inhibition of GABA A receptors with gabazine reversed the anoxia-mediated response. While GABA B receptor inhibition alone did not affect the anoxic response, co-antagonism of GABA A and GABA B receptors (gabazine and CGP-55848) led to the generation of seizure-like activities in both neuron types. We conclude that with anoxia, V m depolarizes towards E GABA which increases AP f in stellate neurons and decreases AP f in pyramidal neurons, and that GABA plays an important role in the anoxia tolerance of goldfish brain. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

The application of vector concepts on two skew lines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alghadari, F.; Turmudi; Herman, T.

2018-01-01

The purpose of this study is knowing how to apply vector concepts on two skew lines in three-dimensional (3D) coordinate and its utilization. Several mathematical concepts have a related function for the other, but the related between the concept of vector and 3D have not applied in learning classroom. In fact, there are studies show that female students have difficulties in learning of 3D than male. It is because of personal spatial intelligence. The relevance of vector concepts creates both learning achievement and mathematical ability of male and female students enables to be balanced. The distance like on a cube, cuboid, or pyramid whose are drawn on the rectangular coordinates of a point in space. Two coordinate points of the lines can be created a vector. The vector of two skew lines has the shortest distance and the angle. Calculating of the shortest distance is started to create two vectors as a representation of line by vector position concept, next to determining a norm-vector of two vector which was obtained by cross-product, and then to create a vector from two combination of pair-points which was passed by two skew line, the shortest distance is scalar orthogonal projection of norm-vector on a vector which is a combination of pair-points. While calculating the angle are used two vectors as a representation of line to dot-product, and the inverse of cosine is yield. The utilization of its application on mathematics learning and orthographic projection method.

Versatile chelating behavior of benzil bis(thiosemicarbazone) in zinc, cadmium, and nickel complexes.

PubMed

López-Torres, Elena; Mendiola, Ma Antonia; Pastor, César J; Pérez, Beatriz Souto

2004-08-23

Reactions of benzil bis(thiosemicarbazone), LH(6), with M(NO(3))(2).nH(2)O (M = Zn, Cd, and Ni), in the presence of LiOH.H(2)O, show the versatile behavior of this molecule. The structure of the ligand, with the thiosemicarbazone moieties on opposite sides of the carbon backbone, changes to form complexes by acting as a chelating molecule. Complexes of these metal ions with empirical formula [MLH(4)] were obtained, although they show different molecular structures depending on their coordinating preferences. The zinc complex is the first example of a crystalline coordination polymer in which a bis(thiosemicarbazone) acts as bridging ligand, through a nitrogen atom, giving a 1D polymeric structure. The coordination sphere is formed by the imine nitrogen and sulfur atoms, and the remaining position, in a square-based pyramid, is occupied by an amine group of another ligand. The cadmium derivative shows the same geometry around the metal ion but consists of a dinuclear structure with sulfur atoms acting as a bridge between the metal ions. However, in the nickel complex LH(6) acts as a N(2)S(2) ligand yielding a planar structure for the nickel atom. The ligand and its complexes have been characterized by X-ray crystallography, microanalysis, mass spectrometry, IR, (1)H, and (13)C NMR spectroscopies and for the cadmium complex by (113)Cd NMR in solution and in the solid state.

Dopamine D1 signaling organizes network dynamics underlying working memory.

PubMed

Roffman, Joshua L; Tanner, Alexandra S; Eryilmaz, Hamdi; Rodriguez-Thompson, Anais; Silverstein, Noah J; Ho, New Fei; Nitenson, Adam Z; Chonde, Daniel B; Greve, Douglas N; Abi-Dargham, Anissa; Buckner, Randy L; Manoach, Dara S; Rosen, Bruce R; Hooker, Jacob M; Catana, Ciprian

2016-06-01

Local prefrontal dopamine signaling supports working memory by tuning pyramidal neurons to task-relevant stimuli. Enabled by simultaneous positron emission tomography-magnetic resonance imaging (PET-MRI), we determined whether neuromodulatory effects of dopamine scale to the level of cortical networks and coordinate their interplay during working memory. Among network territories, mean cortical D1 receptor densities differed substantially but were strongly interrelated, suggesting cross-network regulation. Indeed, mean cortical D1 density predicted working memory-emergent decoupling of the frontoparietal and default networks, which respectively manage task-related and internal stimuli. In contrast, striatal D1 predicted opposing effects within these two networks but no between-network effects. These findings specifically link cortical dopamine signaling to network crosstalk that redirects cognitive resources to working memory, echoing neuromodulatory effects of D1 signaling on the level of cortical microcircuits.

Antibacterial activity and spectral studies of trivalent chromium, manganese, iron macrocyclic complexes derived from oxalyldihydrazide and glyoxal.

PubMed

Singh, D P; Kumar, Ramesh; Singh, Jitender

2009-06-01

A new series of complexes is synthesized by template condensation of oxalyldihydrazide and glyoxal in methanolic medium in the presence of trivalent chromium, manganese and iron salts forming complexes of the type: [M(C(8)H(8)N(8)O(4))X]X(2) where M = Cr(III), Mn(III), Fe(III) and X = Cl(-1), NO(-1)(3), CH(3)COO(-1). The complexes have been characterized with the help of elemental analyses, conductance measurements, magnetic susceptibility measurements, electronic, NMR, infrared and far infrared spectral studies. On the basis of these studies, a five coordinate square pyramidal geometry for these complexes has been proposed. The biological activities of the metal complexes were tested in vitro against a number of pathogenic bacteria and some of the complexes exhibited remarkable antibacterial activities.

Medical Image Retrieval Using Multi-Texton Assignment.

PubMed

Tang, Qiling; Yang, Jirong; Xia, Xianfu

2018-02-01

In this paper, we present a multi-texton representation method for medical image retrieval, which utilizes the locality constraint to encode each filter bank response within its local-coordinate system consisting of the k nearest neighbors in texton dictionary and subsequently employs spatial pyramid matching technique to implement feature vector representation. Comparison with the traditional nearest neighbor assignment followed by texton histogram statistics method, our strategies reduce the quantization errors in mapping process and add information about the spatial layout of texton distributions and, thus, increase the descriptive power of the image representation. We investigate the effects of different parameters on system performance in order to choose the appropriate ones for our datasets and carry out experiments on the IRMA-2009 medical collection and the mammographic patch dataset. The extensive experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method has superior performance.

Dopamine D1 signaling organizes network dynamics underlying working memory

PubMed Central

Roffman, Joshua L.; Tanner, Alexandra S.; Eryilmaz, Hamdi; Rodriguez-Thompson, Anais; Silverstein, Noah J.; Ho, New Fei; Nitenson, Adam Z.; Chonde, Daniel B.; Greve, Douglas N.; Abi-Dargham, Anissa; Buckner, Randy L.; Manoach, Dara S.; Rosen, Bruce R.; Hooker, Jacob M.; Catana, Ciprian

2016-01-01

Local prefrontal dopamine signaling supports working memory by tuning pyramidal neurons to task-relevant stimuli. Enabled by simultaneous positron emission tomography–magnetic resonance imaging (PET-MRI), we determined whether neuromodulatory effects of dopamine scale to the level of cortical networks and coordinate their interplay during working memory. Among network territories, mean cortical D1 receptor densities differed substantially but were strongly interrelated, suggesting cross-network regulation. Indeed, mean cortical D1 density predicted working memory–emergent decoupling of the frontoparietal and default networks, which respectively manage task-related and internal stimuli. In contrast, striatal D1 predicted opposing effects within these two networks but no between-network effects. These findings specifically link cortical dopamine signaling to network crosstalk that redirects cognitive resources to working memory, echoing neuromodulatory effects of D1 signaling on the level of cortical microcircuits. PMID:27386561

Using Maslow's pyramid and the national database of nursing quality indicators(R) to attain a healthier work environment.

PubMed

Groff-Paris, Lisa; Terhaar, Mary

2010-12-07

The strongest predictor of nurse job dissatisfaction and intent to leave is that of stress in the practice environment. Good communication, control over practice, decision making at the bedside, teamwork, and nurse empowerment have been found to increase nurse satisfaction and decrease turnover. In this article we share our experience of developing a rapid-design process to change the approach to performance improvement so as to increase engagement, empowerment, effectiveness, and the quality of the professional practice environment. Meal and non-meal breaks were identified as the target area for improvement. Qualitative and quantitative data support the success of this project. We begin this article with a review of literature related to work environment and retention and a presentation of the frameworks used to improve the work environment, specifically Maslow's theory of the Hierarchy of Inborn Needs and the National Database of Nursing Quality Indicators Survey. We then describe our performance improvement project and share our conclusion and recommendations.

Area Handbook Series: Jordan: A Country Study

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-12-01

forging embryonic classes; however, it was debatable to what extent they were self-conscious and co- hesive. Class structure in Jordan resembled a pyramid ...them so- cially from the small shopkeepers and artisans below them. At the bottom of the pyramid , a large lower class included increasing num- bers of...each tribe. Tribespeople described their system as segmentary; that is, the tribe resembled a pyramid com- posed of ascending segments, or levels, each

A Framework for Public Health Action: The Health Impact Pyramid

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

A 5-tier pyramid best describes the impact of different types of public health interventions and provides a framework to improve health. At the base of this pyramid, indicating interventions with the greatest potential impact, are efforts to address socioeconomic determinants of health. In ascending order are interventions that change the context to make individuals' default decisions healthy, clinical interventions that require limited contact but confer long-term protection, ongoing direct clinical care, and health education and counseling. Interventions focusing on lower levels of the pyramid tend to be more effective because they reach broader segments of society and require less individual effort. Implementing interventions at each of the levels can achieve the maximum possible sustained public health benefit. PMID:20167880

Computational conformational antimicrobial analysis developing mechanomolecular theory for polymer biomaterials in materials science and engineering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petersen, Richard C.

2014-03-01

Single-bond rotations or pyramidal inversions tend to either hide or expose relative energies that exist for atoms with nonbonding lone-pair electrons. Availability of lone-pair electrons depends on overall molecular electron distributions and differences in the immediate polarity of the surrounding pico/nanoenvironment. Stereochemistry three-dimensional aspects of molecules provide insight into conformations through single-bond rotations with associated lone-pair electrons on oxygen atoms in addition to pyramidal inversions with nitrogen atoms. When electrons are protected, potential energy is sheltered toward an energy minimum value to compatibilize molecularly with nonpolar environments. When electrons are exposed, maximum energy is available toward polar environment interactions. Computational conformational analysis software calculated energy profiles that exist during specific oxygen ether single-bond rotations with easy-to-visualize three-dimensional models for the trichlorinated bisaromatic ether triclosan antimicrobial polymer additive. As shown, fluctuating alternating bond rotations can produce complex interactions between molecules to provide entanglement strength for polymer toughness or alternatively disrupt weak secondary bonds of attraction to lower resin viscosity for new additive properties with nonpolar triclosan as a hydrophobic toughening/wetting agent. Further, bond rotations involving lone-pair electrons by a molecule at a nonpolar-hydrocarbon-membrane/polar-biologic-fluid interface might become sufficiently unstable to provide free mechanomolecular energies to disrupt weaker microbial membranes, for membrane transport of molecules into cells, provide cell signaling/recognition/defense and also generate enzyme mixing to speed reactions.

Perception and action in swimming: Effects of aquatic environment on upper limb inter-segmental coordination.

PubMed

Guignard, Brice; Rouard, Annie; Chollet, Didier; Ayad, Omar; Bonifazi, Marco; Dalla Vedova, Dario; Seifert, Ludovic

2017-10-01

This study assessed perception-action coupling in expert swimmers by focusing on their upper limb inter-segmental coordination in front crawl. To characterize this coupling, we manipulated the fluid flow and compared trials performed in a swimming pool and a swimming flume, both at a speed of 1.35ms -1 . The temporal structure of the stroke cycle and the spatial coordination and its variability for both hand/lower arm and lower arm/upper arm couplings of the right body side were analyzed as a function of fluid flow using inertial sensors positioned on the corresponding segments. Swimmers' perceptions in both environments were assessed using the Borg rating of perceived exertion scale. Results showed that manipulating the swimming environment impacts low-order (e.g., temporal, position, velocity or acceleration parameters) and high-order (i.e., spatial-temporal coordination) variables. The average stroke cycle duration and the relative duration of the catch and glide phases were reduced in the flume trial, which was perceived as very intense, whereas the pull and push phases were longer. Of the four coordination patterns (in-phase, anti-phase, proximal and distal: when the appropriate segment is leading the coordination of the other), flume swimming demonstrated more in-phase coordination for the catch and glide (between hand and lower arm) and recovery (hand/lower arm and lower arm/upper arm couplings). Conversely, the variability of the spatial coordination was not significantly different between the two environments, implying that expert swimmers maintain consistent and stable coordination despite constraints and whatever the swimming resistances. Investigations over a wider range of velocities are needed to better understand coordination dynamics when the aquatic environment is modified by a swimming flume. Since the design of flumes impacts significantly the hydrodynamics and turbulences of the fluid flow, previous results are mainly related to the characteristics of the flume used in the present study (or a similar one), and generalization is subject to additional investigations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Space Station view of the Pyramids at Giza

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

One of the world's most famous archaeological sites has been photographed in amazing detail by the astronauts onboard Space Station Alpha. This image, taken 15 August, 2001, represents the greatest detail of the Giza plateau captured from a human-occupied spacecraft (approximate 7 m resolution). Afternoon sun casts shadows that help the eye make out the large pyramids of Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure. Sets of three smaller queens' pyramids can be seen to the east of the Pyramid of Khufu and south of the Pyramid of Menkaure. The light-colored causeway stretching from the Mortuary Temple at the Pyramid of Khafre to the Valley Temple near the Sphinx (arrow) can also be seen. Because it is not tall enough to cast a deep shadow, the Sphinx itself cannot readily be distinguished. Although some commercial satellites, such as IKONOS, have imaged the Pyramids at Giza in greater detail (1 m resolution), this image highlights the potential of the International Space Station as a remote sensing platform. A commercial digital camera without space modifications was used to obtain this picture. Similarly, a variety of remote sensing instruments developed for use on aircraft can potentially be used from the Space Station. Currently, all photographs of Earth taken by astronauts from the Space Shuttle and Space Station are released to the public for scientific and educational benefit and can be accessed on the World Wide Web through the NASA-JSC Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth (http://eol/jsc.nasa.gov/sseop). Image ISS003-ESC-5120 was provided by the Earth Sciences and Image Analysis Laboratory at Johnson Space Center (http://eol.jsc.nasa.gov).

[INCIDENCE AND SURGICAL IMPORTANCE OF PYRAMIDAL LOBE AND TUBERCLE OF THE THYROID GLAND: A PROSPECTIVE STUDY].

PubMed

Kovacić, Marijan; Kovadcić, Ivan

2015-01-01

The pyramidal lobe and tubercles are common anatomic variations of the thyroid gland, and their frequency is highly represented. While pyramidal lobe requires additional seriousness in identifying and its removal, especially in patients with hyperthyroidism and thyroid cancer, the presence of tubercles is desirable. Tubercle is covered by recurrent laryngeal nerve and directs the surgeon in his search and besides this, serves to facilitate detection of the upper parathyroid glands. In this prospective study we analysed 342 patients who underwent total thyroidectomy in the period from January 2009 to March 2015. We looked at the incidence and anatomic characteristics of pyramidal lobe and tubercles of the thyroid gland. The pyramidal lobe was present in 52.3% of the patients with more frequent central and left placement. Bilateral tubercles were present in 14.9%, while position right-sided phenomenon was represented in 39.5% and 18.5% in lower left (64.3% patients). Their prevalence by gender showed no significant difference (p = 0.59; p = 0.2). Associated presence of pyramidal lobe and tubercles on one or both sides is highly represented in our group of patients (34%), also with no differences by gender (p = 0.29). Length of the pyramidal lobe ranged from 1.3 to 4.7 cm (average 2.3 cm), and the size of tubercles in 36% of patients was over 1 cm. Recurrent laryngeal nerve was only in 1.8% placed laterally of tubercles, and the upper parathyroid gland in 95.4% was located above tubercle. Considering that only 16.5% of our patients did not have any of these anatomical variations, their presence during surgery is the rule, not the exception.

Long-term high-intensity sound stimulation inhibits h current (Ih ) in CA1 pyramidal neurons.

PubMed

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.

Retrieval-Induced Upregulation of Tet3 in Pyramidal Neurons of the Dorsal Hippocampus Mediates Cocaine-Associated Memory Reconsolidation.

PubMed

Liu, Cao; Sun, Xue; Wang, Zhilin; Le, Qiumin; Liu, Peipei; Jiang, Changyou; Wang, Feifei; Ma, Lan

2018-03-01

Memory retrieval refers to reexposure to information previously encoded and stored in the brain. Following retrieval, a once-consolidated memory destabilizes and undergoes reconsolidation, during which gene expression changes to restabilize memory. Investigating epigenetic regulation during reconsolidation could provide insights into normal memory formation and pathological memory associated with psychiatric disorders. We used cocaine-induced conditioned place preference to assess the cocaine-associated memory of mice and used chemogenetic methods to manipulate the activity of the pyramidal neurons in the dorsal hippocampus. We isolated the ribosome-associated transcripts from the excitatory neurons in the dorsal hippocampus by RiboTag purification to identify the potential epigenetic regulators, and we specifically knocked down gene expression in pyramidal neurons with a Cre-dependent lentivirus. Chemogenetically silencing the activity of the pyramidal neurons in the dorsal hippocampus immediately after memory retrieval markedly impaired memory reconsolidation, and the ribosome-associated mRNA level of the ten-eleven translocation (Tet) family methylcytosine dioxygenase Tet3, but not Tet1 or Tet2, was dramatically upregulated 10 minutes after memory retrieval. The protein level of Tet3 in the dorsal hippocampus but not in the anterior cingulate cortex was dramatically increased 1 hour after memory retrieval. Specifically, knockdown of Tet3 in pyramidal neurons in the dorsal hippocampus decreased the activation of pyramidal neurons and impaired the reconsolidation of cocaine-associated memory. Our findings highlight the new function of the DNA demethylation regulator Tet3 in pyramidal neurons of the dorsal hippocampus in regulating the reconsolidation of cocaine-associated memory. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of CINP.

Housing in Pyramid Counteracts Neuroendocrine and Oxidative Stress Caused by Chronic Restraint in Rats

PubMed Central

Rao, Guruprasad; Murthy, K. Dilip; Bhat, P. Gopalakrishna

2007-01-01

The space within the great pyramid and its smaller replicas is believed to have an antistress effect. Research has shown that the energy field within the pyramid can protect the hippocampal neurons of mice from stress-induced atrophy and also reduce neuroendocrine stress, oxidative stress and increase antioxidant defence in rats. In this study, we have, for the first time, attempted to study the antistress effects of pyramid exposure on the status of cortisol level, oxidative damage and antioxidant status in rats during chronic restraint stress. Adult female Wistar rats were divided into four groups as follows: normal controls (NC) housed in home cage and left in the laboratory; restrained rats (with three subgroups) subject to chronic restraint stress by placing in a wire mesh restrainer for 6 h per day for 14 days, the restrained controls (RC) having their restrainers kept in the laboratory; restrained pyramid rats (RP) being kept in the pyramid; and restrained square box rats (RS) in the square box during the period of restraint stress everyday. Erythrocyte malondialdehyde (MDA) and plasma cortisol levels were significantly increased and erythrocyte-reduced glutathione (GSH) levels, erythrocyte glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were significantly decreased in RC and RS rats as compared to NC. However, these parameters were maintained to near normal levels in RP rats which showed significantly decreased erythrocyte MDA and plasma cortisol and significantly increased erythrocyte GSH levels, erythrocyte GSH-Px and SOD activities when compared with RS rats. The results showed that housing in pyramid counteracts neuroendocrine and oxidative stress caused by chronic restraint in rats. PMID:17342239

Looking at graduates of Title V MCHB-funded training programs through the lens of the MCH pyramid.

PubMed

Margolis, Lewis H; Rosenberg, Angela; Umble, Karl; Chewning, Linda

2013-10-01

To examine the distribution of professional responsibilities as reflected in each level of the MCH Pyramid for 208 graduates of five Maternal and Child Health Bureau (MCHB)-funded training programs-Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental and Related Disabilities, nutrition, pediatric dentistry, public health, and social work-at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Graduates completed a web-based survey, 1-8 years after graduation. For each program, we constructed means of the reported percentages of total work time spent in infrastructure-building, population-based, enabling, and direct health care services. Although generally consistent with the goals of the training programs, the percentages of time spent in each level of the Pyramid varied substantially among the five programs. For example, for a clinically focused program like pediatric dentistry, 80.2 % of time is spent in direct care services in contrast to 14.8 % for public health graduates. For each program, however, graduates report responsibilities among the different levels of the Pyramid. Reporting job responsibilities within the MCH Pyramid provides a more informative picture of the contributions of training program graduates than do conventional metrics such as institutional or agency appointments. The fact that graduates from all five programs engage multiple roles is consistent with the MCHB workforce training goal to develop leaders in the field of MCH. Given the central role of the MCH Pyramid in planning and reporting for the MCH Services Block Grant, MCH training programs should include metrics such as graduates' roles according to the MCH Pyramid to assure that training goals are more closely aligned with workforce needs.

Area Handbook Series: Egypt: A Country Study

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-01-01

iI~torical Settinlg Sphinx and pyramids at Giza (Al jizah) THE ROOTS OF EGYPTIAN civilization go back more than 6,000 years to the beginning of...built by Snoferu, the first king of the Fourth Dynasty. His son and successor, Kheops, built the Great Pyramid at Giza (AlJizah); this, with its two... Pyramid and Sphinx at Giza , Fourth Dynasty, ca. 2540 B. C. Courtesy Boris Boguslavsky 19 Egypt: A Country Study In June 640, reinforcements for the Arab

Sources of Conflict in the Middle East - The Haves and Have Nots

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-04-01

aircraft passed over the pyramids of Giza . From the air they were awe inspiring symbols of a great civilization. Landing at Cairo’s international...airport, we passed through a sargasso sea of bureaucracy and boarded a bus for a trip to those same pyramids . On the way we passed through the city of...time next to absolute poverty stood magnificent palaces, luxurious hotels and imposing government edifices. Arriving at the pyramids , we were

Monitoring stink bugs (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) in mid-Atlantic apple and peach orchards.

PubMed

Leskey, T C; Hogmire, H W

2005-02-01

Pyramid traps coated with "industrial safety yellow" exterior latex gloss enamel paint and baited with Euschistus spp. aggregation pheromone, methyl (2E,4Z)-decadienoate captured more stink bugs than all other baited and unbaited trap types in both apple and peach orchards in 2002 and 2003. Commercial sources of dispensers of methyl (2E,4Z)-decadienoate deployed in association with pyramid traps had a significant impact on trap captures. Captures in pyramid traps were four-fold greater when baited with lures from IPM Technologies, Inc. (Portland, OR) than with lures from Suterra (Bend, OR). Variation in yellow pyramid trap color ("industrial safety yellow" and "standard coroplast yellow") and material (plywood, plastic, and masonite) did not affect trap captures. Brown stink bug was the predominant species captured (58%), followed by dusky stink bug, Euschistus tristigmus (Say) (20%); green stink bug, Acrosternum hilare (Say) (14%); and other stink bugs (Brochymena spp. and unidentified nymphs) (8%). Captures in baited pyramid traps were significantly correlated with tree beating samples in both managed and unmanaged apple orchards and with sweep netting samples in the unmanaged apple orchard. However, problems associated with trapping mechanisms of pyramid trap jar tops and jar traps likely resulted in reduced captures in baited traps. Improved trapping mechanisms must be established to develop an effective monitoring tool for stink bugs in mid-Atlantic orchards.

Prolonged Exposure to NMDAR Antagonist Induces Cell-type Specific Changes of Glutamatergic Receptors in Rat Prefrontal Cortex

PubMed Central

Wang, Huai-Xing; Gao, Wen-Jun

2011-01-01

N-methyl-D-aspartic acid (NMDA) receptors are critical for both normal brain functions and the pathogenesis of schizophrenia. We investigated the functional changes of glutamatergic receptors in the pyramidal cells and fast-spiking (FS) interneurons in the adolescent rat prefrontal cortex in MK-801 model of schizophrenia. We found that although both pyramidal cells and FS interneurons were affected by in vivo subchronic blockade of NMDA receptors, MK-801 induced distinct changes in αamino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) and NMDA receptors in the FS interneurons compared with pyramidal cells. Specifically, the amplitude, but not the frequency, of AMPA-mediated miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents (mEPSCs) in FS interneurons was significantly decreased whereas both the frequency and amplitude in pyramidal neurons were increased. In addition, MK-801-induced new presynaptic NMDA receptors were detected in the glutamatergic terminals targeting pyramidal neurons but not FS interneurons. MK-801 also induced distinct alterations in FS interneurons but not in pyramidal neurons, including significantly decreased rectification index and increased calcium permeability. These data suggest a distinct cell-type specific and homeostatic synaptic scaling and redistribution of AMPA and NMDA receptors in response to the subchronic blockade of NMDA receptors and thus provide a direct mechanistic explanation for the NMDA hypofunction hypothesis that have long been proposed for the schizophrenia pathophysiology. PMID:22182778

Self-decorated Au nanoparticles on antireflective Si pyramids with improved hydrophobicity

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Saini, C. P.; Barman, A.; Kanjilal, A., E-mail: aloke.kanjilal@snu.edu.in

2016-04-07

Post-deposition annealing mediated evolution of self-decorated Au nanoparticles (NPs) on chemically etched Si pyramids is presented. A distinct transformation of Si surfaces from hydrophilic to hydrophobic is initially found after chemical texturing, showing an increase in contact angle (CA) from 58° to 98° (±1°). Further improvement of hydrophobicity with CA up to ∼118° has been established after annealing a 10 nm thick Au-coated Si pyramids at 400 °C that led to the formation of Au NPs on Si facets along with self-ordering at the pyramid edges. Detailed x-ray diffraction studies suggest the evolution of crystalline Au NPs on strained Si facets. Microstructuralmore » studies, however, indicate no mixing of Au and Si atoms at the Au/Si interfaces, instead of forming Au nanocrystals at 400 °C. The improved hydrophobicity of Si pyramids, even with Au NPs can be explained in the light of a decrease in solid fractional surface area according to Wenzel's model. Moreover, a sharp drop in specular reflectance from Si pyramids in the range of 300–800 nm, especially in the ultraviolet region up to ∼0.4% is recorded in the presence of Au NPs by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy, reflecting the possible use in photovoltaic devices with improved antireflection property.« less

An EXAFS study of zinc coordination in microbial cells.

PubMed

Webb, S M; Gaillard, J F; Jackson, B E; Stahl, D A

2001-03-01

Five microbes were isolated from metal amended enrichment cultures derived from the sediments of a lake contaminated by a zinc smelter. Each of these organisms was grown in pure culture in the presence of zinc. Quick Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure (QEXAFS) spectroscopy was used to investigate the average coordination environment of the zinc associated with the microbial biomass. Fitting of the first coordination shell of zinc shows that significant differences exist for each microbial species examined. The coordination environment of zinc varies between sulfurs to six-fold nitrogen/oxygen. with two microbial strains showing mixed coordination shells. Further study is required in order to characterize these sites and their locations within the cell.

Colloidal quantum dot solar cells exploiting hierarchical structuring.

PubMed

Labelle, André J; Thon, Susanna M; Masala, Silvia; Adachi, Michael M; Dong, Haopeng; Farahani, Maryam; Ip, Alexander H; Fratalocchi, Andrea; Sargent, Edward H

2015-02-11

Extremely thin-absorber solar cells offer low materials utilization and simplified manufacture but require improved means to enhance photon absorption in the active layer. Here, we report enhanced-absorption colloidal quantum dot (CQD) solar cells that feature transfer-stamped solution-processed pyramid-shaped electrodes employed in a hierarchically structured device. The pyramids increase, by up to a factor of 2, the external quantum efficiency of the device at absorption-limited wavelengths near the absorber band edge. We show that absorption enhancement can be optimized with increased pyramid angle with an appreciable net improvement in power conversion efficiency, that is, with the gain in current associated with improved absorption and extraction overcoming the smaller fractional decrease in open-circuit voltage associated with increased junction area. We show that the hierarchical combination of micron-scale structured electrodes with nanoscale films provides for an optimized enhancement at absorption-limited wavelengths. We fabricate 54.7° pyramid-patterned electrodes, conformally apply the quantum dot films, and report pyramid CQD solar cells that exhibit a 24% improvement in overall short-circuit current density with champion devices providing a power conversion efficiency of 9.2%.

Fabrication of 20.19% Efficient Single-Crystalline Silicon Solar Cell with Inverted Pyramid Microstructure.

PubMed

Zhang, Chunyang; Chen, Lingzhi; Zhu, Yingjie; Guan, Zisheng

2018-04-03

This paper reports inverted pyramid microstructure-based single-crystalline silicon (sc-Si) solar cell with a conversion efficiency up to 20.19% in standard size of 156.75 × 156.75 mm 2 . The inverted pyramid microstructures were fabricated jointly by metal-assisted chemical etching process (MACE) with ultra-low concentration of silver ions and optimized alkaline anisotropic texturing process. And the inverted pyramid sizes were controlled by changing the parameters in both MACE and alkaline anisotropic texturing. Regarding passivation efficiency, the textured sc-Si with normal reflectivity of 9.2% and inverted pyramid size of 1 μm was used to fabricate solar cells. The best batch of solar cells showed a 0.19% higher of conversion efficiency and a 0.22 mA cm -2 improvement in short-circuit current density, and the excellent photoelectric property surpasses that of the same structure solar cell reported before. This technology shows great potential to be an alternative for large-scale production of high efficient sc-Si solar cells in the future.

Marker-assisted pyramiding of brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens Stål) resistance genes Bph1 and Bph2 on rice chromosome 12.

PubMed

Sharma, Prem N; Torii, Akihide; Takumi, Shigeo; Mori, Naoki; Nakamura, Chiharu

2004-01-01

Brown planthopper (BPH) (Nilaparvata lugens Stål) is a significant insect pest of rice (Oryza sativa L.). We constructed a gene-pyramided japonica line, in which two BPH resistance genes Bph1 and Bph2 on the long arm of chromosome 12 independently derived from two indica resistance lines were combined through the recombinant selection. The gene-pyramiding was achieved based on the previously constructed high-resolution linkage maps of the two genes. Two co-dominant and four dominant PCR-based markers flanking the loci were used to select for a homozygous recombinant line in a segregating population that was derived from a cross between the parental homozygous single-gene introgression lines. BPH bioassay showed that the resistance level of the pyramided line was equivalent to that of the Bph1-single introgression line, which showed a higher level of resistance than the Bph2-single introgression line. The pyramid line should provide a useful experimental means for studying the fine structure of the chromosomal region covering these two major BPH resistance genes.

Serotonergic Suppression of Mouse Prefrontal Circuits Implicated in Task Attention

PubMed Central

2016-01-01

Serotonin (5-HT) regulates attention by neurobiological mechanisms that are not well understood. Layer 6 (L6) pyramidal neurons of prefrontal cortex play an important role in attention and express 5-HT receptors, but the serotonergic modulation of this layer and its excitatory output is not known. Here, we performed whole-cell recordings and pharmacological manipulations in acute brain slices from wild-type and transgenic mice expressing either eGFP or eGFP-channelrhodopsin in prefrontal L6 pyramidal neurons. Excitatory circuits between L6 pyramidal neurons and L5 GABAergic interneurons, including a population of interneurons essential for task attention, were investigated using optogenetic techniques. Our experiments show that prefrontal L6 pyramidal neurons are subject to strong serotonergic inhibition and demonstrate direct 5-HT–sensitive connections between prefrontal L6 pyramidal neurons and two classes of L5 interneurons. This work helps to build a neurobiological framework to appreciate serotonergic disruption of task attention and yields insight into the disruptions of attention observed in psychiatric disorders with altered 5-HT receptors and signaling. PMID:27844060

Selective Growth of Metallic and Semiconducting Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes on Textured Silicon.

PubMed

Jang, Mira; Lee, Jongtaek; Park, Teahee; Lee, Junyoung; Yang, Jonghee; Yi, Whikun

2016-03-01

We fabricated the etched Si substrate having the pyramidal pattern size from 0.5 to 4.2 μm by changing the texturing process parameters, i.e., KOH concentration, etching time, and temperature. Single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) were then synthesized on the etched Si substrates with different pyramidal pattern by chemical vapor deposition. We investigated the optical and electronic properties of SWNT film grown on the etched Si substrates of different morphology by using scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and conducting probe atomic force microscopy. We confirmed that the morphology of substrate strongly affected the selective growth of the SWNT film. Semiconducting SWNTs were formed on larger pyramidal sized Si wafer with higher ratio compared with SWNTs on smaller pyramidal sized Si.

Optical design of infrared pyramid wavefront sensor for the MMT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Shaojie; Sivanandam, Suresh; Liu, Siqi; Veran, Jean-Pierre; Hinz, Phil; Mieda, Etsuko; Hardy, Tim; Lardiere, Olivier

2017-09-01

We report the optical design of an infrared (0.85-1.8 μm) pyramid wavefront sensor (IRPWFS) that is designed for the 6.5m MMT on telescope adaptive optics system using the latest developments in low-noise infrared avalanche photodiode arrays. The comparison between the pyramid and the double-roof prism based wavefront sensors and the evaluation of their micro pupils' quality are presented. According to our analysis, the use of two double-roof prisms with achromatic materials produces the competitive performance when compared to the traditional pyramid prism, which is difficult to manufacture. The final micro pupils on the image plane have the residual errors of pupil position, chromatism, and distortion within 1/10 pixel over the 2×2 arcsecond field of view, which meet the original design goals.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Solomatova, Natalia V.; Jackson, Jennifer M.; Sturhahn, Wolfgang

The physical properties of silicate melts within Earth's mantle affect the chemical and thermal evolution of its interior. Chemistry and coordination environments affect such properties. We have measured the hyperfine parameters of iron-bearing rhyolitic and basaltic glasses up to ~120 GPa and ~100 GPa, respectively, in a neon pressure medium using time domain synchrotron Mössbauer spectroscopy. The spectra for rhyolitic and basaltic glasses are well explained by three high-spin Fe2+-like sites with distinct quadrupole splittings. Absence of detectable ferric iron was confirmed with optical absorption spectroscopy. The sites with relatively high and intermediate quadrupole splittings are likely a result ofmore » fivefold and sixfold coordination environments of ferrous iron that transition to higher coordination with increasing pressure. The ferrous site with a relatively low quadrupole splitting and isomer shift at low pressures may be related to a fourfold or a second fivefold ferrous iron site, which transitions to higher coordination in basaltic glass, but likely remains in low coordination in rhyolitic glass. These results indicate that iron experiences changes in its coordination environment with increasing pressure without undergoing a high-spin to low-spin transition. We compare our results to the hyperfine parameters of silicate glasses of different compositions. With the assumption that coordination environments in silicate glasses may serve as a good indicator for those in a melt, this study suggests that ferrous iron in chemically complex silicate melts likely exists in a high-spin state throughout most of Earth's mantle.« less

Structural and electronic stability of a volleyball-shaped B80 fullerene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xiao-Qian

2010-10-01

We have studied the structural and electronic characteristics of a volleyball-shaped B80 cage using first-principles density-functional calculations. In contrast to the popularly ratified “magic” B80 buckyball with 20 hexagonal pyramids and 12 hollow pentagons, the volleyball-shaped B80 constitutes 12 pentagonal pyramids, 8 hexagonal pyramids, and 12 hollow hexagons. The B80 volleyball is markedly more stable than the previously assumed magic B80 buckyball, which is attributed to the improved aromaticity associated with the distinct configuration.

European Scientific Notes. Volume 34, Number 9,

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-09-30

ancient Great Pyramids of Giza . Modern oil/water interfaces by examining their automobiles share the right of way with behavior as emulsifying agents...Cheston 447 The First European Physical Society "Solid State" Meeting J.R. Neighbours 449 Physics, Peace, and Pyramids in Egypt-Part II R.S. Hughes...sputtering with var- ious additives or by introducing PH3 PHYSICS PEACE, AND PYRAMIDS IN EGYPT- ( n type) or BH4 (- p type) into the PART "T SiH, gas used in

Records and Notes on Mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) Collected in Egypt

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-01-01

Ae. detritus. 117. El- Giza Gov., Saqqara, 1.5 km north of town at entrance to Zoser’s Pyramid (36RUU285053), 18 m; 22 Apr 1983. Plantation... Giza Gov., Saqqara, 1.6 km north of town at entrance to Zoser’s Pyramid (36RUU287055), 18 m; 22 Apr 1983. Plantation/cultivated area, medium-sized...unguiculata. 119. El- Giza Gov., Saqqara, 1 km from entrance to Zoser’s Pyramid (36RUU290054), 18 m; 22 Apr 1983. Plantation, small ditch at edge of

A Real Time System for Multi-Sensor Image Analysis through Pyramidal Segmentation

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-01-30

A Real Time Syte for M~ulti- sensor Image Analysis S. E I0 through Pyramidal Segmentation/ / c •) L. Rudin, S. Osher, G. Koepfler, J.9. Morel 7. ytu...experiments with reconnaissance photography, multi- sensor satellite imagery, medical CT and MRI multi-band data have shown a great practi- cal potential...C ,SF _/ -- / WSM iS-I-0-d41-40450 $tltwt, kw" I (nor.- . Z-97- A real-time system for multi- sensor image analysis through pyramidal segmentation

Mixed-ligand Cu II complexes with Me 5dien and heterocyclic acids. Synthesis, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity. Crystal structure of [Cu(Me 5dien)(tpaa)(H 2O)](ClO 4)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christidis, Panayiotis C.; Georgousis, Zacharias D.; Hadjipavlou-Litina, Dimitra; Bolos, Christos A.

2008-01-01

The reaction of sodium salt of 2-thiophenecarboxylic acid (tpca), 2-thiopheneacetic acid (tpaa), 2-furoic acid (fa) and picolinic acid (pica), with [Cu(Me 5dien)(ClO 4) 2] ( 1) (Me 5dien = N, N, N', N″ N″-pentamethyldiethylenetriamine) in a 1:1 molar ratio, afforded new mixed-ligand compounds of the type [Cu(Me 5dien)(tpca)(H 2O)](ClO 4) ( 2), [Cu(Me 5dien)(tpaa)(H 2O)](ClO 4) ( 3), [Cu(Me 5dien)(fa)](BPh 4) ( 4) and [Cu(Me 5dien)(pica)](ClO 4) ( 5). The new mixed-ligand complexes are mononuclear, paramagnetic, conductive compounds with a distorted square pyramidal geometry. The square pyramidal stereochemistry proposed by spectroscopic (IR, UV-vis) data was further confirmed by the X-ray structure analysis of the compound ( 3) in which the Cu atom is coordinated by the three N atoms from the Me 5dien ligand, one O atom from the mono-carboxylate anion, lying on the equatorial square plane, and one O atom from the water molecule, occupying the axial position. The two Cu sbnd O bond distances are 1.955(2) and 2.212(2) Ǻ, respectively. The complexes were tested for antioxidant/anti-inflammatory activity. Complex 4 is the most active against soybean lipoxygenase with IC 50 = 100 μM. The presence of a furoic ring leads to higher lipoxygenase inhibition, whereas the picolinyl-ring supports scavenging activity.

40 CFR 501.3 - Coordination with other programs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Coordination with other programs. 501.3 Section 501.3 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SEWAGE SLUDGE STATE SLUDGE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM REGULATIONS Purpose, Scope and General Program Requirements § 501.3...

40 CFR 501.3 - Coordination with other programs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Coordination with other programs. 501.3 Section 501.3 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SEWAGE SLUDGE STATE SLUDGE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM REGULATIONS Purpose, Scope and General Program Requirements § 501.3...

40 CFR 501.3 - Coordination with other programs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 31 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Coordination with other programs. 501.3 Section 501.3 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SEWAGE SLUDGE STATE SLUDGE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM REGULATIONS Purpose, Scope and General Program Requirements § 501.3...

40 CFR 501.3 - Coordination with other programs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Coordination with other programs. 501.3 Section 501.3 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SEWAGE SLUDGE STATE SLUDGE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM REGULATIONS Purpose, Scope and General Program Requirements § 501.3...

40 CFR 501.3 - Coordination with other programs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 30 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Coordination with other programs. 501.3 Section 501.3 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SEWAGE SLUDGE STATE SLUDGE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM REGULATIONS Purpose, Scope and General Program Requirements § 501.3...

Human neuronal changes in brain edema and increased intracranial pressure.

PubMed

Faragó, Nóra; Kocsis, Ágnes Katalin; Braskó, Csilla; Lovas, Sándor; Rózsa, Márton; Baka, Judith; Kovács, Balázs; Mikite, Katalin; Szemenyei, Viktor; Molnár, Gábor; Ozsvár, Attila; Oláh, Gáspár; Piszár, Ildikó; Zvara, Ágnes; Patócs, Attila; Barzó, Pál; Puskás, László G; Tamás, Gábor

2016-08-04

Functional and molecular changes associated with pathophysiological conditions are relatively easily detected based on tissue samples collected from patients. Population specific cellular responses to disease might remain undiscovered in samples taken from organs formed by a multitude of cell types. This is particularly apparent in the human cerebral cortex composed of a yet undefined number of neuron types with a potentially different involvement in disease processes. We combined cellular electrophysiology, anatomy and single cell digital PCR in human neurons identified in situ for the first time to assess mRNA expression and corresponding functional changes in response to edema and increased intracranial pressure. In single pyramidal cells, mRNA copy numbers of AQP1, AQP3, HMOX1, KCNN4, SCN3B and SOD2 increased, while CACNA1B, CRH decreased in edema. In addition, single pyramidal cells increased the copy number of AQP1, HTR5A and KCNS1 mRNAs in response to increased intracranial pressure. In contrast to pyramidal cells, AQP1, HMOX1and KCNN4 remained unchanged in single cell digital PCR performed on fast spiking cells in edema. Corroborating single cell digital PCR results, pharmacological and immunohistochemical results also suggested the presence of KCNN4 encoding the α-subunit of KCa3.1 channels in edema on pyramidal cells, but not on interneurons. We measured the frequency of spontaneous EPSPs on pyramidal cells in both pathophysiological conditions and on fast spiking interneurons in edema and found a significant decrease in each case, which was accompanied by an increase in input resistances on both cell types and by a drop in dendritic spine density on pyramidal cells consistent with a loss of excitatory synapses. Our results identify anatomical and/or physiological changes in human pyramidal and fast spiking cells in edema and increased intracranial pressure revealing cell type specific quantitative changes in gene expression. Some of the edema/increased intracranial pressure modulated and single human pyramidal cell verified gene products identified here might be considered as novel pharmacological targets in cell type specific neuroprotection.

40 CFR 300.120 - On-scene coordinators and remedial project managers: general responsibilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 28 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false On-scene coordinators and remedial project managers: general responsibilities. 300.120 Section 300.120 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SUPERFUND, EMERGENCY PLANNING, AND COMMUNITY RIGHT-TO-KNOW PROGRAMS...

40 CFR 300.120 - On-scene coordinators and remedial project managers: general responsibilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 27 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false On-scene coordinators and remedial project managers: general responsibilities. 300.120 Section 300.120 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SUPERFUND, EMERGENCY PLANNING, AND COMMUNITY RIGHT-TO-KNOW PROGRAMS...

40 CFR 300.120 - On-scene coordinators and remedial project managers: general responsibilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false On-scene coordinators and remedial project managers: general responsibilities. 300.120 Section 300.120 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SUPERFUND, EMERGENCY PLANNING, AND COMMUNITY RIGHT-TO-KNOW PROGRAMS...

40 CFR 300.120 - On-scene coordinators and remedial project managers: general responsibilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 28 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false On-scene coordinators and remedial project managers: general responsibilities. 300.120 Section 300.120 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SUPERFUND, EMERGENCY PLANNING, AND COMMUNITY RIGHT-TO-KNOW PROGRAMS...

40 CFR 300.120 - On-scene coordinators and remedial project managers: general responsibilities.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false On-scene coordinators and remedial project managers: general responsibilities. 300.120 Section 300.120 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) SUPERFUND, EMERGENCY PLANNING, AND COMMUNITY RIGHT-TO-KNOW PROGRAMS...

Residential solar-heating system uses pyramidal optics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

Report describes reflective panels which optimize annual solar energy collection in attic installation. Subunits include collection, storage, distribution, and 4-mode control systems. Pyramid optical system heats single-family and multi-family dwellings.

Tunable-Sensitivity flexible pressure sensor based on graphene transparent electrode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Shi; Yang, Jun; Song, Xuefen; Zhou, Xi; Yu, Leyong; Sun, Tai; Yu, Chongsheng; Huang, Deping; Du, Chunlei; Wei, Dapeng

2018-07-01

Tunable-sensitivity and flexibility are considered as two crucial characteristics for future pressure sensors or electronic skins. By the theoretical calculation model, we simulated the relationship curve between the sensitivity and PDMS pyramids with different spacings, and found that the spacing of pyramids is a main factor to affect the sensitivity of the capacitance pressure sensor. Furthermore, we fabricated the capacitance pressure sensors using graphene electrodes and the PDMS pyramid dielectric layers with different spacings. The measurement data were consistent with the simulation results that the sensitivity increases with the spacing of pyramids. In addition, graphene electrode exhibits prefect flexibility and reliability, while the ITO electrode would be destroyed rapidly after bending. These graphene pressure sensors exhibit the potential in the application in the wearable products for monitoring breath, pulse, and other physiological signals.

Biomimetic Superhydrophobic Hollowed-Out Pyramid Surface Based on Self-Assembly.

PubMed

Luo, Weipeng; Yu, Bin; Xiao, Dingbang; Zhang, Meng; Wu, Xuezhong; Li, Guoxi

2018-05-16

In this paper, we present a periodic hollowed-out pyramid microstructure with excellent superhydrophobicity. In our approach, T-topping pillars and capillary-induced self-assembly methods were combined with the photolithography process to fabricate a hollowed-out pyramid structure. First, a wideband ultraviolet source without a filter was used to fabricate the T-topping pillars during the exposure process; then, the evaporation-induced assembly collapsed the pillars and formed the hollowed-out pyramid structure. Scanning electron microscopy images showed the microstructures of the prepared surface. The contact angle of the surface was 154°. The surface showed excellent high temperature and ultraviolet irradiation tolerance, and the contact angle of the surface barely changed when the temperature dropped. This excellent environmental durability of our superhydrophobic surface has potential applications for self-cleaning and friction drag reduction under water.

Single-laser, one beam, tetrahedral magneto-optical trap.

PubMed

Vangeleyn, Matthieu; Griffin, Paul F; Riis, Erling; Arnold, Aidan S

2009-08-03

We have realized a 4-beam pyramidal magneto-optical trap ideally suited for future microfabrication. Three mirrors split and steer a single incoming beam into a tripod of reflected beams, allowing trapping in the four-beam overlap volume. We discuss the influence of mirror angle on cooling and trapping, finding optimum efficiency in a tetrahedral configuration. We demonstrate the technique using an ex-vacuo mirror system to illustrate the previously inaccessible supra-plane pyramid MOT configuration. Unlike standard pyramidal MOTs both the pyramid apex and its mirror angle are non-critical and our MOT offers improved molasses free from atomic shadows in the laser beams. The MOT scheme naturally extends to a 2-beam refractive version with high optical access. For quantum gas experiments, the mirror system could also be used for a stable 3D tetrahedral optical lattice.

Mitochondrial DNA copy numbers in pyramidal neurons are decreased and mitochondrial biogenesis transcriptome signaling is disrupted in Alzheimer's disease hippocampi.

PubMed

Rice, Ann C; Keeney, Paula M; Algarzae, Norah K; Ladd, Amy C; Thomas, Ravindar R; Bennett, James P

2014-01-01

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the major cause of adult-onset dementia and is characterized in its pre-diagnostic stage by reduced cerebral cortical glucose metabolism and in later stages by reduced cortical oxygen uptake, implying reduced mitochondrial respiration. Using quantitative PCR we determined the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) gene copy numbers from multiple groups of 15 or 20 pyramidal neurons, GFAP(+) astrocytes and dentate granule neurons isolated using laser capture microdissection, and the relative expression of mitochondrial biogenesis (mitobiogenesis) genes in hippocampi from 10 AD and 9 control (CTL) cases. AD pyramidal but not dentate granule neurons had significantly reduced mtDNA copy numbers compared to CTL neurons. Pyramidal neuron mtDNA copy numbers in CTL, but not AD, positively correlated with cDNA levels of multiple mitobiogenesis genes. In CTL, but not in AD, hippocampal cDNA levels of PGC1α were positively correlated with multiple downstream mitobiogenesis factors. Mitochondrial DNA copy numbers in pyramidal neurons did not correlate with hippocampal Aβ1-42 levels. After 48 h exposure of H9 human neural stem cells to the neurotoxic fragment Aβ25-35, mtDNA copy numbers were not significantly altered. In summary, AD postmortem hippocampal pyramidal neurons have reduced mtDNA copy numbers. Mitochondrial biogenesis pathway signaling relationships are disrupted in AD, but are mostly preserved in CTL. Our findings implicate complex alterations of mitochondria-host cell relationships in AD.

Experimental Investigation of Composite Pressure Vessel Performance and Joint Stiffness for Pyramid and Inverted Pyramid Joints

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Verhage, Joseph M.; Bower, Mark V.; Gilbert, Paul A. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The focus of this study is on the suitability in the application of classical laminate theory analysis tools for filament wound pressure vessels with adhesive laminated joints in particular: pressure vessel wall performance, joint stiffness and failure prediction. Two 18-inch diameter 12-ply filament wound pressure vessels were fabricated. One vessel was fabricated with a 24-ply pyramid laminated adhesive double strap butt joint. The second vessel was fabricated with the same number of plies in an inverted pyramid joint. Results from hydrostatic tests are presented. Experimental results were used as input to the computer programs GENLAM and Laminate, and the output compared to test. By using the axial stress resultant, the classical laminate theory results show a correlation within 1% to the experimental results in predicting the pressure vessel wall pressure performance. The prediction of joint stiffness for the two adhesive joints in the axial direction is within 1% of the experimental results. The calculated hoop direction joint stress resultant is 25% less than the measured resultant for both joint configurations. A correction factor is derived and used in the joint analysis. The correction factor is derived from the hoop stress resultant from the tank wall performance investigation. The vessel with the pyramid joint is determined to have failed in the joint area at a hydrostatic pressure 33% value below predicted failure. The vessel with the inverted pyramid joint failed in the wall acreage at a hydrostatic pressure within 10% of the actual failure pressure.

Spatial distribution of neurons innervated by chandelier cells.

PubMed

Blazquez-Llorca, Lidia; Woodruff, Alan; Inan, Melis; Anderson, Stewart A; Yuste, Rafael; DeFelipe, Javier; Merchan-Perez, Angel

2015-09-01

Chandelier (or axo-axonic) cells are a distinct group of GABAergic interneurons that innervate the axon initial segments of pyramidal cells and are thus thought to have an important role in controlling the activity of cortical circuits. To examine the circuit connectivity of chandelier cells (ChCs), we made use of a genetic targeting strategy to label neocortical ChCs in upper layers of juvenile mouse neocortex. We filled individual ChCs with biocytin in living brain slices and reconstructed their axonal arbors from serial semi-thin sections. We also reconstructed the cell somata of pyramidal neurons that were located inside the ChC axonal trees and determined the percentage of pyramidal neurons whose axon initial segments were innervated by ChC terminals. We found that the total percentage of pyramidal neurons that were innervated by a single labeled ChC was 18-22 %. Sholl analysis showed that this percentage peaked at 22-35 % for distances between 30 and 60 µm from the ChC soma, decreasing to lower percentages with increasing distances. We also studied the three-dimensional spatial distribution of the innervated neurons inside the ChC axonal arbor using spatial statistical analysis tools. We found that innervated pyramidal neurons are not distributed at random, but show a clustered distribution, with pockets where almost all cells are innervated and other regions within the ChC axonal tree that receive little or no innervation. Thus, individual ChCs may exert a strong, widespread influence on their local pyramidal neighbors in a spatially heterogeneous fashion.

Nutrition behavior of the middle-aged and elderly: Compliance with dietary recommendations of the food pyramid.

PubMed

Gille, Doreen; Bütikofer, Ueli; Chollet, Magali; Schmid, Alexandra; Altintzoglou, Themistoklis; Honkanen, Pirjo; Stoffers, Helena; Walther, Barbara; Piccinali, Patrizia

2016-06-01

During the aging process, human physiology changes noticeably, mostly to the disadvantage of the individual. A healthy lifestyle that includes sufficient physical activity as well as a balanced and diverse diet contributes to healthy aging. One key factor that elderly people need to be aware of is compliance with nutritional recommendations. There is very little data concerning eating patterns, consumption behavior, and compliance with food guides (food pyramid) and nutritional recommendations among the Swiss, particularly for the middle-aged and elderly. The objective of this study was to gather new and representative information about these issues, concentrating on people aged 50+ and living in Switzerland. A questionnaire in online and written form was distributed to a representative sample of middle-aged and elderly people living in Switzerland. In total, 632 people returned the survey. Of those respondents, 71% knew the Swiss Food Pyramid but only 38% said they comply with it. Based on self-reports, only a few participants met the recommendations for the different food groups listed in the food pyramid, whether in the pyramid-comply or pyramid-non-comply group. The survey shows that the middle-aged and elderly living in Switzerland need more nutritional guidance to help them to meet dietary recommendations. As usage and understanding of food guides seem limited among this population group, new tools must be explored for transfer of recommendations to real applications. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd and European Society for Clinical Nutrition and Metabolism. All rights reserved.

Spectral characterization, crystal structures and biological activities of iminodiacetate ternary complexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shahid, M.; Anjuli; Tasneem, Sana; Mantasha, I.; Ahamad, M. Naqi; Sama, Farasha; Fatma, Kehkeshan; Siddiqi, Zafar A.

2017-10-01

The ternary complexes with stoichiometry [M(imda)(bipy)]·6H2O (M = Cu) and [M(imda)(bipy)(H2O)]·4H2O (M = Ni, Co and Mn) where H2imda = iminodiacetic acid and bipy = 2,2‧-bipyridine, are prepared and characterized to exploit as novel antimicrobial agents and SOD mimics. The chemical structures were elucidated by IR, FAB-Mass, 1H, 13C NMR, EPR and spectral techniques. Single crystal X-ray and spectral studies of the complexes (1) and (2) have confirmed a square pyramidal geometry around Cu(II) ion while a saturated six coordinate (distorted octahedral) geometry around the Ni(II), Co(II) and Mn(II) ions due to the additional coordination from water. A supramolecular network is formed by extensive H-bonding in complex (1). The supramolecular assembly in complex (1) is additionally consolidated via the existence of unusual cyclic hexameric water clusters. The antimicrobial activities for the present complexes have been examined against Escherichia coli (K-12), Bacillus subtilis (MTC-121), Staphylococcus aureus (IOASA-22), Salmonella typhymurium (MTCC-98), Candida albicans, Aspergillus fumigatus and Penicillium marneffei. The superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity of the Cu(II) complex (1) is also assessed employing nitrobluetetrazolium (NBT) assay.

Structural, spectral and biological studies of binuclear tetradentate metal complexes of N 3O Schiff base ligand synthesized from 4,6-diacetylresorcinol and diethylenetriamine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Emara, Adel A. A.

2010-09-01

The binuclear Schiff base, H 2L, ligand was synthesized by reaction of 4,6-diacetylresorcinol with diethylenetriamine in the molar ratio 1:2. The coordination behavior of the H 2L towards Cu(II), Ni(II), Co(II), Zn(II), Fe(III), Cr(III), VO(IV) and UO 2(VI) ions has been investigated. The elemental analyses, magnetic moments, thermal studies and IR, electronic, 1H NMR, ESR and mass spectra were used to characterize the isolated ligand and its metal complexes. The ligand acts as dibasic with two N 3O-tetradentate sites and can coordinate with two metal ions to form binuclear complexes. The bonding sites are the nitrogen atoms of the azomethine and amine groups and the oxygen atoms of the phenolic groups. The metal complexes exhibit either square planar, tetrahedral, square pyramid or octahedral structures. The Schiff base ligand and its metal complexes were tested against four pathogenic bacteria ( Staphylococcus aureus and Streptococcus pyogenes) as Gram-positive bacteria, and ( Pseudomonas fluorescens and Pseudomonas phaseolicola) as Gram-negative bacteria and two pathogenic fungi ( Fusarium oxysporum and Aspergillus fumigatus) to assess their antimicrobial properties. Most of the complexes exhibit mild antibacterial and antifungal activities against these organisms.

Syntheses, spectroscopic characterization, thermal study, molecular modeling, and biological evaluation of novel Schiff's base benzil bis(5-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-thiol) with Ni(II), and Cu(II) metal complexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chandra, Sulekh; Gautam, Seema; Rajor, Hament Kumar; Bhatia, Rohit

2015-02-01

Novel Schiff's base ligand, benzil bis(5-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-thiol) was synthesized by the condensation of benzil and 5-amino-1,3,4-thiadiazole-2-thiol in 1:2 ratio. The structure of ligand was determined on the basis of elemental analyses, IR, 1H NMR, mass, and molecular modeling studies. Synthesized ligand behaved as tetradentate and coordinated to metal ion through sulfur atoms of thiol ring and nitrogen atoms of imine group. Ni(II), and Cu(II) complexes were synthesized with this nitrogen-sulfur donor (N2S2) ligand. Metal complexes were characterized by elemental analyses, molar conductance, magnetic susceptibility measurements, IR, electronic spectra, EPR, thermal, and molecular modeling studies. All the complexes showed molar conductance corresponding to non-electrolytic nature, expect [Ni(L)](NO3)2 complex, which was 1:2 electrolyte in nature. [Cu(L)(SO4)] complex may possessed square pyramidal geometry, [Ni(L)](NO3)2 complex tetrahedral and rest of the complexes six coordinated octahedral/tetragonal geometry. Newly synthesized ligand and its metal complexes were examined against the opportunistic pathogens. Results suggested that metal complexes were more biological sensitive than free ligand.

A 3D Resistivity Model of the Pyramid of La Luna (Teotihuacan, Mexico) Subsoil by Employing Non-Conventional ERT Arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chavez, R. E.; Tejero, A.; Cifuentes, G.; Garcia-Serrano, A.; Argote-Espino, D. L.; HernaNdez-Quintero, J. E.; Ortega, V.

2017-12-01

The Pyramid of La Luna is found within the archaeological site of Teotihuacan, located to the NE of Mexico City. This pre-Hispanic city was developed between 250 AD and 450 AD, with a population of 100,000 people. The most important edifices are the pyramids of El Sol and La Luna. The pyramid of El Sol is one of the largest pre-Hispanic structures found nowadays in Mexico (a square basement of approximately 200m X 225 m). The pyramid of La Luna (with a base of 140m X 150m), smaller in size is located towards the northern portion of this ancient city. At its front, a big plaza is found surrounded by pyramids of different ages. Previous archaeological studies carried out within the plaza, discovered small shallow pipes for water discharge. Then, it is possible to find deeper structures within the Square. A geophysical work was carried out in the Plaza of La Luna employing the ERT-3D to build a 3D resistivity model. Four ERT profiles were deployed in the area in the E-W direction, with a length of 80 m each; electrodes were inserted 3 m apart. A roll-along technique was employed to obtain a 3D view of the plaza subsoil. Gradient (G), Equatorial (Eq), and Minimum Coupling (MC) arrays were applied. A total of 2,600 apparent resistivity observations were acquired. Also, the pyramid was surrounded with 105 electrodes to illuminate this structure subsoil, employing the 'L' and 'Corner' arrays and the already mentioned settings. Electrodes were separated 5 m for the E and N sides, and 6 m for the W and S sides, topographic correction was added to the interpretation. 7,200 apparent resistivity values were obtained. Processing of the data included noise filtering, real electrode position and removing of spikes. Finally, the data were inverted to compute a 3D resistivity distribution of the subsoil. Preliminary results obtained indicate the presence of high resistivity anomalies probably associated to infill or archaeological features. However, an interesting resistivity signature was determined at 8m deep, which possesses a SW-NE direction and apparently ends beneath the NE portion of the Pyramid of La Luna. Beneath the pyramid's center, the resistivity model interpreted depicts an important resistivity anomaly (about 350 Ohm-m and 10 m in diameter), which may indicate the presence of a cavity(?).

Clustered Dynamics of Inhibitory Synapses and Dendritic Spines in the Adult Neocortex

PubMed Central

Chen, Jerry L.; Villa, Katherine L; Cha, Jae Won; So, Peter T.C.; Kubota, Yoshiyuki; Nedivi, Elly

2012-01-01

A key feature of the mammalian brain is its capacity to adapt in response to experience, in part by remodeling of synaptic connections between neurons. Excitatory synapse rearrangements have been monitored in vivo by observation of dendritic spine dynamics, but lack of a vital marker for inhibitory synapses has precluded their observation. Here, we simultaneously monitor in vivo inhibitory synapse and dendritic spine dynamics across the entire dendritic arbor of pyramidal neurons in the adult mammalian cortex using large volume high-resolution dual color two-photon microscopy. We find that inhibitory synapses on dendritic shafts and spines differ in their distribution across the arbor and in their remodeling kinetics during normal and altered sensory experience. Further, we find inhibitory synapse and dendritic spine remodeling to be spatially clustered, and that clustering is influenced by sensory input. Our findings provide in vivo evidence for local coordination of inhibitory and excitatory synaptic rearrangements. PMID:22542188

Aqua­{6,6′-dimeth­oxy-2,2′-[ethane-1,2-diylbis(nitrilo­methyl­idyne)]diphenolato}nickel(II)

PubMed Central

Guo, Zhenghua; Li, Lianzhi; Xu, Tao; Li, Jinghong; Wang, Daqi

2009-01-01

The title complex, [Ni(C18H18N2O4)(H2O)], lies on a mirror plane with the NiII ion coordinated by two N and two O atoms of a tetra­dentate Schiff base ligand and one water O atom in a distorted square-pyramidal enviroment. The –CH2–CH2– group of the ligand is disordered equally over two sites about the mirror plane. The dihedral angle between the mean planes of the two symmetry-related chelate rings is 37.16 (6)°. In the crystal structure, inter­molecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds link complex mol­ecules into one-dimensional chains along [100] and these chains are linked, in turn, by very weak inter­molecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds into a two-dimensional network. PMID:21577698

Molecular modelling, spectroscopic characterization and biological studies of tetraazamacrocyclic metal complexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rathi, Parveen; Sharma, Kavita; Singh, Dharam Pal

2014-09-01

Macrocyclic complexes of the type [MLX]X2; where L is (C30H28N4), a macrocyclic ligand, M = Cr(III) and Fe(III) and X = Cl-, CH3COO- or NO3-, have been synthesized by template condensation reaction of 1,8-diaminonaphthalene and acetylacetone in the presence of trivalent metal salts in a methanolic medium. The complexes have been formulated as [MLX]X2 due to 1:2 electrolytic nature of these complexes. The complexes have been characterized with the help of elemental analyses, molar conductance measurements, magnetic susceptibility measurements, electronic, infrared, far infrared, Mass spectral studies and molecular modelling. Molecular weight of these complexes indicates their monomeric nature. On the basis of all these studies, a five coordinated square pyramidal geometry has been proposed for all these complexes. These metal complexes have also been screened for their in vitro antimicrobial activities.

Comparison of solid shapes geometry derived by a laser scanner and a total station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sidiropoulos, Andreas; Lakakis, Konstantinos

2016-08-01

The laser scanning technology has become a common method for the daily applications of a large variety of scientists and professionals. Even for more sophisticated projects, laser scanners have been proved a very useful tool at researchers' and engineers' disposal. In this paper, we investigated the ability of a laser scanner compared to the ability of a total station to provide the geometry of solids. The tests were made in the laboratory facilities of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, in a variety of distances between the measuring instrument and the object. The solids that were used differ in shape, material and color. The objects are a wooden cube, a metal cube and a wooden pyramid. The absolute dimensions of the solid shapes were provided by the use of a caliper and were compared to the dimensions that were calculated by the coordinates produced by the total station and laser scanner measurements.

Synthesis and spectroscopic studies of biologically active compounds derived from oxalyldihydrazide and benzil, and their Cr(III), Fe(III) and Mn(III) complexes.

PubMed

Singh, D P; Kumar, Ramesh; Singh, Jitender

2009-04-01

A new series of complexes have been synthesized by template condensation of oxalyldihydrazide and benzil in methanolic medium in the presence of trivalent chromium, manganese and iron salts forming complexes of the type [M(C(32)H(24)N(8)O(4))X]X(2) where M = Cr(III), Mn(III), Fe(III) and X = Cl(-1), NO(3)(-1), CH(3)COO(-1). The complexes have been characterized with the help of elemental analyses, conductance measurements, magnetic susceptibility measurements, electronic, NMR, infrared and far infrared spectral studies. On the basis of these studies, a five coordinate square pyramidal geometry has been proposed for all these complexes. The biological activities of the metal complexes have been tested in vitro against a number of pathogenic bacteria to assess their inhibiting potential. Some of these complexes have been found to exhibit remarkable antibacterial activities.

Oxytocin stimulates hippocampal neurogenesis via oxytocin receptor expressed in CA3 pyramidal neurons.

PubMed

Lin, Yu-Ting; Chen, Chien-Chung; Huang, Chiung-Chun; Nishimori, Katsuhiko; Hsu, Kuei-Sen

2017-09-14

In addition to the regulation of social and emotional behaviors, the hypothalamic neuropeptide oxytocin has been shown to stimulate neurogenesis in adult dentate gyrus; however, the mechanisms underlying the action of oxytocin are still unclear. Taking advantage of the conditional knockout mouse model, we show here that endogenous oxytocin signaling functions in a non-cell autonomous manner to regulate survival and maturation of newly generated dentate granule cells in adult mouse hippocampus via oxytocin receptors expressed in CA3 pyramidal neurons. Through bidirectional chemogenetic manipulations, we also uncover a significant role for CA3 pyramidal neuron activity in regulating adult neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus. Retrograde neuronal tracing combined with immunocytochemistry revealed that the oxytocin neurons in the paraventricular nucleus project directly to the CA3 region of the hippocampus. Our findings reveal a critical role for oxytocin signaling in adult neurogenesis.Oxytocin (OXT) has been implicated in adult neurogenesis. Here the authors show that CA3 pyramidal cells in the adult mouse hippocampus express OXT receptors and receive inputs from hypothalamic OXT neurons; activation of OXT signaling in CA3 pyramidal cells promotes the survival and maturation of newborn neurons in the dentate gyrus in a non-cell autonomous manner.

On atomic structure of Ge huts growing on the Ge/Si(001) wetting layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arapkina, Larisa V.; Yuryev, Vladimir A.

2013-09-01

Structural models of growing Ge hut clusters—pyramids and wedges—are proposed on the basis of data of recent STM investigations of nucleation and growth of Ge huts on the Si(001) surface in the process of molecular beam epitaxy. It is shown that extension of a hut base along ⟨110⟩ directions goes non-uniformly during the cluster growth regardless of its shape. Growing pyramids, starting from the second monolayer, pass through cyclic formation of slightly asymmetrical and symmetrical clusters, with symmetrical ones appearing after addition of every fourth monolayer. We suppose that pyramids of symmetrical configurations composed by 2, 6, 10, etc., monolayers over the wetting layer are more stable than asymmetrical ones. This might explain less stability of pyramids in comparison with wedges in dense arrays forming at low temperatures of Ge deposition. Possible nucleation processes of pyramids and wedges on wetting layer patches from identical embryos composed by 8 dimers through formation of 1 monolayer high 16-dimer nuclei different only in their symmetry is discussed. Schematics of these processes are presented. It is concluded from precise STM measurements that top layers of wetting layer patches are relaxed when huts nucleate on them.

Exciton binding energy in a pyramidal quantum dot

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anitha, A.; Arulmozhi, M.

2018-05-01

The effects of spatially dependent effective mass, non-parabolicity of the conduction band and dielectric screening function on exciton binding energy in a pyramid-shaped quantum dot of GaAs have been investigated by variational method as a function of base width of the pyramid. We have assumed that the pyramid has a square base with area a× a and height of the pyramid H=a/2. The trial wave function of the exciton has been chosen according to the even mirror boundary condition, i.e. the wave function of the exciton at the boundary could be non-zero. The results show that (i) the non-parabolicity of the conduction band affects the light hole (lh) and heavy hole (hh) excitons to be more bound than that with parabolicity of the conduction band, (ii) the dielectric screening function (DSF) affects the lh and hh excitons to be more bound than that without the DSF and (iii) the spatially dependent effective mass (SDEM) affects the lh and hh excitons to be less bound than that without the SDEM. The combined effects of DSF and SDEM on exciton binding energy have also been calculated. The results are compared with those available in the literature.

On atomic structure of Ge huts growing on the Ge/Si(001) wetting layer

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Arapkina, Larisa V.; Yuryev, Vladimir A.

Structural models of growing Ge hut clusters—pyramids and wedges—are proposed on the basis of data of recent STM investigations of nucleation and growth of Ge huts on the Si(001) surface in the process of molecular beam epitaxy. It is shown that extension of a hut base along <110> directions goes non-uniformly during the cluster growth regardless of its shape. Growing pyramids, starting from the second monolayer, pass through cyclic formation of slightly asymmetrical and symmetrical clusters, with symmetrical ones appearing after addition of every fourth monolayer. We suppose that pyramids of symmetrical configurations composed by 2, 6, 10, etc., monolayersmore » over the wetting layer are more stable than asymmetrical ones. This might explain less stability of pyramids in comparison with wedges in dense arrays forming at low temperatures of Ge deposition. Possible nucleation processes of pyramids and wedges on wetting layer patches from identical embryos composed by 8 dimers through formation of 1 monolayer high 16-dimer nuclei different only in their symmetry is discussed. Schematics of these processes are presented. It is concluded from precise STM measurements that top layers of wetting layer patches are relaxed when huts nucleate on them.« less

Input Source and Strength Influences Overall Firing Phase of Model Hippocampal CA1 Pyramidal Cells During Theta: Relevance to REM Sleep Reactivation and Memory Consolidation

PubMed Central

Booth, Victoria; Poe, Gina R.

2005-01-01

In simulation studies using a realistic model CA1 pyramidal cell, we accounted for the shift in mean firing phase from theta cycle peaks to theta cycle troughs during REM sleep reactivation of hippocampal CA1 place cells over several days of growing familiarization with an environment (Poe et al., 2000). Changes in the theta drive between proximal and distal dendritic regions of the cell modulated the theta phase of firing when stimuli were presented at proximal and distal dendritic locations. Stimuli at proximal dendritic sites (proximal to 100 μm from the soma) invoked firing with a significant phase preference at the depolarizing theta peaks, while distal stimuli (> 290 μm from the soma) invoked firing at hyperpolarizing theta troughs. The location-related phase preference depended on active dendritic conductances, a sufficient electrotonic separation between input sites and theta-induced subthreshold membrane potential oscillations in the cell. The simulation results predict that the shift in mean theta phase during REM sleep cellular reactivation could occur through potentiation of distal dendritic (temporo-ammonic) synapses and depotentiation of proximal dendritic (Schaffer collateral) synapses over the course of familiarization. PMID:16411243

Surface property modification of silicon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Danyluk, S.

1984-01-01

The main emphasis of this work has been to determine the wear rate of silicon in fluid environments and the parameters that influence wear. Three tests were carried out on single crystal Czochralski silicon wafers: circular and linear multiple-scratch tests in fluids by a pyramidal diamond simulated fixed-particle abrasion; microhardness and three-point bend tests were used to determine the hardness and fracture toughness of abraded silicon and the extent of damage induced by abrasion. The wear rate of (100) and (111) n and p-type single crystal Cz silicon abraded by a pyramidal diamond in ethanol, methanol, acetone and de-ionized water was determined by measuring the cross-sectional areas of grooves of the circular and linear multiple-scratch tests. The wear rate depends on the loads on the diamond and is highest for ethanol and lowest for de-ionized water. The surface morphology of the grooves showed lateral and median cracks as well as a plastically deformed region. The hardness and fracture toughness are critical parameters that influence the wear rate. Microhardness tests were conducted to determine the hardness as influenced by fluids. Median cracks and the damage zone surrounding the indentations were also related to the fluid properties.

Remarkable high efficiency of red emitters using Eu(iii) ternary complexes.

PubMed

Kalyakina, Alena S; Utochnikova, Valentina V; Zimmer, Manuel; Dietrich, Fabian; Kaczmarek, Anna M; Van Deun, Rik; Vashchenko, Andrey A; Goloveshkin, Alexander S; Nieger, Martin; Gerhards, Markus; Schepers, Ute; Bräse, Stefan

2018-05-17

We have synthesized Eu(iii) ternary complexes possessing record photoluminescence yields up to 90%. This high luminescence performance resulted from the absence of quenching moieties in the Eu coordination environment and an efficient energy transfer between ligands, combined with a particular symmetry of the coordination environment.

40 CFR 25.13 - Coordination and non-duplication.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Coordination and non-duplication. 25.13 Section 25.13 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GENERAL PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN PROGRAMS UNDER THE RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY ACT, THE SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT, AND THE CLEAN WATER...

40 CFR 25.13 - Coordination and non-duplication.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Coordination and non-duplication. 25.13 Section 25.13 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY GENERAL PUBLIC PARTICIPATION IN PROGRAMS UNDER THE RESOURCE CONSERVATION AND RECOVERY ACT, THE SAFE DRINKING WATER ACT, AND THE CLEAN WATER...

Scoring the All-Day Screener

Cancer.gov

For the All-Day screener, scoring involves a series of operations that are shown below and implemented in the All-Day Screener Pyramid Servings SAS Program and the All-Day Screener MyPyramid Cup Equivalents SAS Program.

Self-similar pyramidal structures and signal reconstruction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benedetto, John J.; Leon, Manuel; Saliani, Sandra

1998-03-01

Pyramidal structures are defined which are locally a combination of low and highpass filtering. The structures are analogous to but different from wavelet packet structures. In particular, new frequency decompositions are obtained; and these decompositions can be parameterized to establish a correspondence with a large class of Cantor sets. Further correspondences are then established to relate such frequency decompositions with more general self- similarities. The role of the filters in defining these pyramidal structures gives rise to signal reconstruction algorithms, and these, in turn, are used in the analysis of speech data.

[Arabian food pyramid: unified framework for nutritional health messages].

PubMed

Shokr, Adel M

2008-01-01

There are several ways to present nutritional health messages, particularly pyramidic indices, but they have many deficiencies such as lack of agreement on a unified or clear methodology for food grouping and ignoring nutritional group inter-relation and integration. This causes confusion for health educators and target individuals. This paper presents an Arabian food pyramid that aims to unify the bases of nutritional health messages, bringing together the function, contents, source and nutritional group servings and indicating the inter-relation and integration of nutritional groups. This provides comprehensive, integrated, simple and flexible health messages.

Development of a Pyramid Wave-front Sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El Hadi, Kacem; Vignaux, Mael; Fusco, Thierry

2013-12-01

Within the framework of the E-ELT studies, several laboratories are involved on some instruments: HARMONY with its ATLAS adaptive optics [AO] system, EAGLE or EPICS. Most of the AO systems will probably integrate one or several pyramidal wavefront sensors, PWFS (R. Ragazzoni [1]). The coupling in an AO loop and the control in laboratory (then on sky) of this type of sensor is fundamental for the continuation of the projects related to OA systems on the E-ELT. LAM (Laboratory of Astrophysics of Marseille) is involved in particular in the VLT-SPHERE, ATLAS, EPICS projects. For the last few years, our laboratory has been carrying out different R&D activities in AO instrumentation for ELTs. An experimental AO bench is designed and being developed to allow the validation of new wave-front sensing and control concepts [2]. One the objectives of this bench, is the experimental validation of a pyramid WFS. Theoretical investigations on its behavior have been already made. The world's fastest and most sensitive camera system (OCAM2) has been recently developed at LAM (J.L Gach [3], First Light Imaging). Conjugating this advantage with the pyramid concept, we plan to demonstrate a home made Pyramid sensor for Adaptive Optics whose the speed and the precision are the key points. As a joint collaboration with ONERA and Shaktiware, our work aims at the optimization (measurement process, calibration and operation) in laboratory then on the sky of a pyramid sensor dedicated to the first generation instruments for ELTs. The sensor will be implemented on the ONERA ODISSEE AO bench combining thus a pyramid and a Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensors. What would give the possibility to compare strictly these two WFS types and make this bench unique in France and even in Europe. Experimental work on laboratory demonstration is undergoing. The status of our development will presented at the conference.

ARkStorm@Tahoe: Stakeholder perspectives on vulnerabilities and preparedness for an extreme storm event in the greater Lake Tahoe, Reno, and Carson City region

USGS Publications Warehouse

Albano, Christine M.; Cox, Dale A.; Dettinger, Michael; Shaller, Kevin; Welborn, Toby L.; McCarthy, Maureen

2014-01-01

Atmospheric rivers (ARs) are strongly linked to extreme winter precipitation events in the Western U.S., accounting for 80 percent of extreme floods in the Sierra Nevada and surrounding lowlands. In 2010, the U.S. Geological Survey developed the ARkStorm extreme storm scenario for California to quantify risks from extreme winter storms and to allow stakeholders to better explore and mitigate potential impacts. To explore impacts on natural resources and communities in montane and adjacent environments, we downscaled the scenario to the greater Lake Tahoe, Reno and Carson City region of northern Nevada and California. This ArkStorm@Tahoe scenario was presented at six stakeholder meetings, each with a different geographic and subject matter focus. Discussions were facilitated by the ARkStorm@Tahoe team to identify social and ecological vulnerabilities to extreme winter storms, science and information needs, and proactive measures that might minimize impacts from this type of event. Information collected in these meetings was used to develop a tabletop emergency response exercise and set of recommendations for increasing resilience to extreme winter storm events in both Tahoe and the downstream communities of Northern Nevada.Over 300 individuals participated in ARkStorm@Tahoe stakeholder meetings and the emergency response exercise, including representatives from emergency response, natural resource and ecosystem management, health and human services, public utilities, and businesses. Interruption of transportation, communications, and lack of power and backup fuel supplies were identified as the most likely and primary points of failure across multiple sectors and geographies, as these interruptions have cascading effects on natural and human systems by impeding emergency response efforts. Other key issues that arose in discussions included contamination risks to water supplies and aquatic ecosystems, especially in the Tahoe Basin and Pyramid Lake, interagency coordination, credentialing, flood management, and coordination of health and human services during such an event. Mitigation options were identified for each of the key issues. Several science needs were identified, particularly the need for improved flood inundation maps. Finally, key lessons learned were identified and may help to increase preparedness, response and recovery from extreme storms in the future.

Pyrazolate-based copper(II) and nickel(II) [2 x 2] grid complexes: protonation-dependent self-assembly, structures and properties.

PubMed

Klingele, Julia; Prikhod'ko, Alexander I; Leibeling, Guido; Demeshko, Serhiy; Dechert, Sebastian; Meyer, Franc

2007-05-28

The pyrazole-based diamide ligand N,N'-bis(2-pyridylmethyl)pyrazole-3,5-dicarboxamide (H(3)L) has been structurally characterised and successfully employed in the preparation of [2 x 2] grid-type complexes. Thus, the reaction of H(3)L with Cu(ClO(4))2.6H(2)O or Ni(ClO(4))2.6H(2)O in the presence of added base (NaOH) affords the tetranuclear complexes [M(4)(HL(4))].8H(2)O (1: M = Cu, 2: M = Ni). Employment of a mixture of the two metal salts under otherwise identical reaction conditions leads to the formation of the mixed-metal species [Cu(x)Ni(4-x)(HL)(4)].8H(2)O (x

The structure of a one-electron oxidized Mn(iii)-bis(phenolate)dipyrrin radical complex and oxidation catalysis control via ligand-centered redox activity.

PubMed

Lecarme, Laureline; Chiang, Linus; Moutet, Jules; Leconte, Nicolas; Philouze, Christian; Jarjayes, Olivier; Storr, Tim; Thomas, Fabrice

2016-10-18

The tetradentate ligand dppH3, which features a half-porphyrin and two electron-rich phenol moieties, was prepared and chelated to manganese. The mononuclear Mn(iii)-dipyrrophenolate complex 1 was structurally characterized. The metal ion lies in a square pyramidal environment, the apical position being occupied by a methanol molecule. Complex 1 displays two reversible oxidation waves at 0.00 V and 0.47 V vs. Fc + /Fc, which are assigned to ligand-centered processes. The one-electron oxidized species 1+ SbF6- was crystallized, showing an octahedral Mn(iii) center with two water molecules coordinated at both apical positions. The bond distance analysis and DFT calculations disclose that the radical is delocalized over the whole aromatic framework. Complex 1+ SbF6- exhibits an S tot = 3/2 spin state due to the antiferromagnetic coupling between Mn(iii) and the ligand radical. The zero field splitting parameters are D = 1.6 cm -1 , E/D = 0.18(1), g ⊥ = 1.99 and g ∥ = 1.98. The dication 12+ is an integer spin system, which is assigned to a doubly oxidized ligand coordinated to a Mn(iii) metal center. Both 1 and 1+ SbF6- catalyze styrene oxidation in the presence of PhIO, but the nature of the main reaction product is different. Styrene oxide is the main reaction product when using 1, but phenylacetaldehyde is formed predominantly when using 1+ SbF6-. We examined the ability of complex 1+ SbF6- to catalyze the isomerization of styrene oxide and found that it is an efficient catalyst for the anti-Markovnikov opening of styrene oxide. The formation of phenylacetaldehyde from styrene therefore proceeds in a tandem E-I (epoxidation-isomerization) mechanism in the case of 1+ SbF6-. This is the first evidence of control of the reactivity for styrene oxidation by changing the oxidation state of a catalyst based on a redox-active ligand.

Activism in Concrete: Student Union, San Francisco State University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Progressive Architecture, 1978

1978-01-01

The San Francisco State University Student Union is a futurist design of two steel space-frame pyramids. Each contains a stairway leading to four partial floors that diminish in size as the pyramid tapers. (Author/MLF)

Ecosystems in the Laboratory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madders, M.

1975-01-01

Describes the materials and laboratory techniques for the study of food chains and food webs, pyramids of numbers and biomass, energy pyramids, and oxygen gradients. Presents a procedure for investigating the effects of various pollutants on an entire ecosystem. (GS)

Halochromism, ionochromism, solvatochromism and density functional study of a synthesized copper(II) complex containing hemilabile amide derivative ligand.

PubMed

Golchoubian, Hamid; Moayyedi, Golasa; Reisi, Neda

2015-03-05

This study investigates chromotropism of newly synthesized 3,3'-(ethane-1,2-diylbis(benzylazanediyl))dipropanamide copper(II) perchlorate complex. The compound was structurally characterized by physico-chemical and spectroscopic methods. X-ray crystallography of the complex showed that the copper atom achieved a distorted square pyramidal environment through coordination of two amine N atoms and two O atoms of the amide moieties. The pH effect on the visible absorption spectrum of the complex was studied which functions as pH-induced "off-on-off" switches through protonation and deprotonation of amide moieties along with the CuO to CuN bond rearrangement at room temperature. The complex was also observed to show solvatochromism and ionochromism. The distinct solution color changes mainly associated with hemilability of the amide groups. The solvatochromism of the complex was investigated with different solvent parameter models using stepwise multiple linear regression method. The results suggested that the basicity power of the solvent has a dominant contribution to the shift of the d-d absorption band of the complex. Density functional theory, DFT calculations were performed in order to study the electronic structure of the complex, the relative stabilities of the CuN/CuO isomers, and to understand the nature of the halochromism processes taking place. DFT computational results buttressed the experimental observations indicating that in the natural pH (5.8) the CuO isomer is more stable than its linkage isomer and conversely in alkaline aqueous solution. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

AgPO2F2 and Ag9(PO2F2)14: the first Ag(i) and Ag(i)/Ag(ii) difluorophosphates with complex crystal structures.

PubMed

Malinowski, Przemysław J; Kurzydłowski, Dominik; Grochala, Wojciech

2015-12-07

The reaction of AgF2 with P2O3F4 yields a mixed valence Ag(I)/Ag(II) difluorophosphate salt with AgAg(PO2F2)14 stoichiometry - the first Ag(ii)-PO2F2 system known. This highly moisture sensitive brown solid is thermally stable up to 120 °C, which points at further feasible extension of the chemistry of Ag(ii)-PO2F2 systems. The crystal structure shows a very complex bonding pattern, comprising of polymeric Ag(PO2F2)14(4-) anions and two types of Ag(I) cations. One particular Ag(II) site present in the crystal structure of Ag9(PO2F2)14 is the first known example of square pyramidal penta-coordinated Ag(ii) in an oxo-ligand environment. Ag(i)PO2F2 - the product of the thermal decomposition of Ag9(PO2F2)14 - has also been characterized by thermal analysis, IR spectroscopy and X-ray powder diffraction. It has a complicated crystal structure as well, which consists of infinite 1D [Ag(I)O4/2] chains which are linked to more complex 3D structures via OPO bridges. The PO2F2(-) anions bind to cations in both compounds as bidentate oxo-ligands. The terminal F atoms tend to point inside the van der Waals cavities in the crystal structure of both compounds. All important structural details of both title compounds were corroborated by DFT calculations.

Difference in anisotropic etching characteristics of alkaline and copper based acid solutions for single-crystalline Si.

PubMed

Chen, Wei; Liu, Yaoping; Yang, Lixia; Wu, Juntao; Chen, Quansheng; Zhao, Yan; Wang, Yan; Du, Xiaolong

2018-02-21

The so called inverted pyramid arrays, outperforming conventional upright pyramid textures, have been successfully achieved by one-step Cu assisted chemical etching (CACE) for light reflection minimization in silicon solar cells. Due to the lower reduction potential of Cu 2+ /Cu and different electronic properties of different Si planes, the etching of Si substrate shows orientation-dependent. Different from the upright pyramid obtained by alkaline solutions, the formation of inverted pyramid results from the coexistence of anisotropic etching and localized etching process. The obtained structure is bounded by Si {111} planes which have the lowest etching rate, no matter what orientation of Si substrate is. The Si etching rate and (100)/(111) etching ratio are quantitatively analyzed. The different behaviors of anisotropic etching of Si by alkaline and Cu based acid etchant have been systematically investigated.

Sparse aperture differential piston measurements using the pyramid wave-front sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arcidiacono, Carmelo; Chen, Xinyang; Yan, Zhaojun; Zheng, Lixin; Agapito, Guido; Wang, Chaoyan; Zhu, Nenghong; Zhu, Liyun; Cai, Jianqing; Tang, Zhenghong

2016-07-01

In this paper we report on the laboratory experiment we settled in the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory (SHAO) to investigate the pyramid wave-front sensor (WFS) ability to measure the differential piston on a sparse aperture. The ultimate goal is to verify the ability of the pyramid WFS work in close loop to perform the phasing of the primary mirrors of a sparse Fizeau imaging telescope. In the experiment we installed on the optical bench we performed various test checking the ability to flat the wave-front using a deformable mirror and to measure the signal of the differential piston on a two pupils setup. These steps represent the background from which we start to perform full close loop operation on multiple apertures. These steps were also useful to characterize the achromatic double pyramids (double prisms) manufactured in the SHAO optical workshop.

Childhood obesity study: a pilot study of the effect of the nutrition education program Color My Pyramid.

PubMed

Moore, Jean Burley; Pawloski, Lisa Renee; Goldberg, Patricia; Kyeung, Mi Oh; Stoehr, Ana; Baghi, Heibatollah

2009-06-01

The need for successful nutrition interventions is critical as the prevalence of childhood obesity increases. Thus, this pilot project examines the effect of a nutrition education program, Color My Pyramid, on children's nutrition knowledge, self-care practices, activity levels, and nutrition status. Using a pretest-posttest, quasiexperimental design, 126 fourth- and fifth-grade students from experimental and control schools are compared. The intervention program incorporates an online component www.MyPyramid.gov, Orem's Self-Care Deficit Nursing Theory, and consists of six classes taught over a 3-month period. Results indicated that the program increased nutrition knowledge in the control group. Furthermore, it increased activity time from pretest to posttest and decreased systolic blood pressure for children in both groups; however, there were no significant differences in BMI percentiles. The findings indicate that Color My Pyramid can be successfully employed in school settings and thus support school nursing practice.

Ancient Egyptian chronology and the astronomical orientation of pyramids.

PubMed

Spence, K

2000-11-16

The ancient Egyptian pyramids at Giza have never been accurately dated, although we know that they were built approximately around the middle of the third millennium BC. The chronologies of this period have been reconstructed from surviving lists of kings and the lengths of their reigns, but the lists are rare, seldom complete and contain known inconsistencies and errors. As a result, the existing chronologies for that period (the Old Kingdom) can be considered accurate only to about +/-100 years, a figure that radiocarbon dating cannot at present improve. Here I use trends in the orientation of Old Kingdom pyramids to demonstrate that the Egyptians aligned them to north by using the simultaneous transit of two circumpolar stars. Modelling the precession of these stars yields a date for the start of construction of the Great Pyramid that is accurate to +/-5 yr, thereby providing an anchor for the Old Kingdom chronologies.

The pyramid system for multiscale raster analysis

USGS Publications Warehouse

De Cola, L.; Montagne, N.

1993-01-01

Geographical research requires the management and analysis of spatial data at multiple scales. As part of the U.S. Geological Survey's global change research program a software system has been developed that reads raster data (such as an image or digital elevation model) and produces a pyramid of aggregated lattices as well as various measurements of spatial complexity. For a given raster dataset the system uses the pyramid to report: (1) mean, (2) variance, (3) a spatial autocorrelation parameter based on multiscale analysis of variance, and (4) a monofractal scaling parameter based on the analysis of isoline lengths. The system is applied to 1-km digital elevation model (DEM) data for a 256-km2 region of central California, as well as to 64 partitions of the region. PYRAMID, which offers robust descriptions of data complexity, also is used to describe the behavior of topographic aspect with scale. ?? 1993.

Micro-pyramidal structure fabrication on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) by Si (100) KOH wet etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hwang, Shinae; Lim, Kyungsuk; Shin, Hyeseon; Lee, Seongjae; Jang, Moongyu

2017-10-01

A high degree of accuracy in bulk micromachining is essential to fabricate micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) devices. A series of etching experiments is carried out using 40 wt% KOH solutions at the constant temperature of 70 °C. Before wet etching, SF6 and O2 are used as the dry etching gas to etch the masking layers of a 100 nm thick Si3N4 and SiO2, respectively. The experimental results indicate that (100) silicon wafer form the pyramidal structures with (111) single crystal planes. All the etch profiles are analyzed using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) and the wet etch rates depend on the opening sizes. The manufactured pyramidal structures are used as the pattern of silicon mold. After a short hardening of coated polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layer, micro pyramidal structures are easily transferred to PDMS layer.

3D morphology-based clustering and simulation of human pyramidal cell dendritic spines.

PubMed

Luengo-Sanchez, Sergio; Fernaud-Espinosa, Isabel; Bielza, Concha; Benavides-Piccione, Ruth; Larrañaga, Pedro; DeFelipe, Javier

2018-06-13

The dendritic spines of pyramidal neurons are the targets of most excitatory synapses in the cerebral cortex. They have a wide variety of morphologies, and their morphology appears to be critical from the functional point of view. To further characterize dendritic spine geometry, we used in this paper over 7,000 individually 3D reconstructed dendritic spines from human cortical pyramidal neurons to group dendritic spines using model-based clustering. This approach uncovered six separate groups of human dendritic spines. To better understand the differences between these groups, the discriminative characteristics of each group were identified as a set of rules. Model-based clustering was also useful for simulating accurate 3D virtual representations of spines that matched the morphological definitions of each cluster. This mathematical approach could provide a useful tool for theoretical predictions on the functional features of human pyramidal neurons based on the morphology of dendritic spines.

Dementia of frontal lobe type and motor neuron disease. A Golgi study of the frontal cortex.

PubMed Central

Ferrer, I; Roig, C; Espino, A; Peiro, G; Matias Guiu, X

1991-01-01

Neuropathological findings in a 38 year old patient with dementia of frontal lobe type and motor neuron disease included pyramidal tracts, myelin pallor and neuron loss, gliosis and chromatolysis in the hypoglossal nucleus, together with frontal atrophy, neuron loss, gliosis and spongiosis in the upper cortical layers of the frontal (and temporal) lobes. Most remaining pyramidal and non-pyramidal neurons (multipolar, bitufted and bipolar cells) in the upper layers (layers II and III) of the frontal cortex (area B) had reduced dendritic arbors, proximal dendritic varicosities and amputation of dendrites as revealed in optimally stained rapid Golgi sections. Pyramidal cells in these layers also showed depletion of dendritic spines. Neurons in the inner layers were preserved. Loss of receptive surfaces in neurons of the upper cortical layers in the frontal cortex are indicative of neuronal disconnection, and are "hidden" contributory morphological substrates for the development of dementia. Images PMID:1744652

Ancient Egyptian chronology and the astronomical orientation of pyramids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spence, Kate

2000-11-01

The ancient Egyptian pyramids at Giza have never been accurately dated, although we know that they were built approximately around the middle of the third millennium BC. The chronologies of this period have been reconstructed from surviving lists of kings and the lengths of their reigns, but the lists are rare, seldom complete and contain known inconsistencies and errors. As a result, the existing chronologies for that period (the Old Kingdom) can be considered accurate only to about +/-100 years, a figure that radiocarbon dating cannot at present improve. Here I use trends in the orientation of Old Kingdom pyramids to demonstrate that the Egyptians aligned them to north by using the simultaneous transit of two circumpolar stars. Modelling the precession of these stars yields a date for the start of construction of the Great Pyramid that is accurate to +/-5 yr, thereby providing an anchor for the Old Kingdom chronologies.

Fabrication of GaAs symmetric pyramidal mesas prepared by wet-chemical etching using AlAs interlayer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kicin, S.; Cambel, V.; Kuliffayová, M.; Gregušová, D.; Kováčová, E.; Novák, J.; Kostič, I.; Förster, A.

2002-01-01

We present a wet-chemical-etching method developed for the preparation of GaAs four-sided pyramid-shaped mesas. The method uses a fast lateral etching of AlAs interlayer that influences the cross-sectional profiles of etched structures. We have tested the method using H3PO4:H2O2:H2O etchant for the (100) GaAs patterning. The sidewalls of the prepared pyramidal structures together with the (100) bottom facet formed the cross-sectional angles 25° and 42° for mask edges parallel, resp. perpendicular to {011} cleavage planes. For mask edges turned in 45° according to the cleavage planes, 42° cross-sectional angles were obtained. Using the method, symmetric and more than 10-μm-high GaAs "Egyptian" pyramids with smooth tilted facets were prepared.

Pyramidal cell-interneuron interactions underlie hippocampal ripple oscillations.

PubMed

Stark, Eran; Roux, Lisa; Eichler, Ronny; Senzai, Yuta; Royer, Sebastien; Buzsáki, György

2014-07-16

High-frequency ripple oscillations, observed most prominently in the hippocampal CA1 pyramidal layer, are associated with memory consolidation. The cellular and network mechanisms underlying the generation, frequency control, and spatial coherence of the rhythm are poorly understood. Using multisite optogenetic manipulations in freely behaving rodents, we found that depolarization of a small group of nearby pyramidal cells was sufficient to induce high-frequency oscillations, whereas closed-loop silencing of pyramidal cells or activation of parvalbumin- (PV) or somatostatin-immunoreactive interneurons aborted spontaneously occurring ripples. Focal pharmacological blockade of GABAA receptors abolished ripples. Localized PV interneuron activation paced ensemble spiking, and simultaneous induction of high-frequency oscillations at multiple locations resulted in a temporally coherent pattern mediated by phase-locked interneuron spiking. These results constrain competing models of ripple generation and indicate that temporally precise local interactions between excitatory and inhibitory neurons support ripple generation in the intact hippocampus. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Pyramidal Cell-Interneuron Interactions Underlie Hippocampal Ripple Oscillations

PubMed Central

Stark, Eran; Roux, Lisa; Eichler, Ronny; Senzai, Yuta; Royer, Sebastien; Buzsáki, György

2015-01-01

SUMMARY High-frequency ripple oscillations, observed most prominently in the hippocampal CA1 pyramidal layer, are associated with memory consolidation. The cellular and network mechanisms underlying the generation, frequency control, and spatial coherence of the rhythm are poorly understood. Using multisite optogenetic manipulations in freely behaving rodents, we found that depolarization of a small group of nearby pyramidal cells was sufficient to induce high-frequency oscillations, whereas closed-loop silencing of pyramidal cells or activation of parvalbumin-(PV) or somatostatin-immunoreactive interneurons aborted spontaneously occurring ripples. Focal pharmacological blockade of GABAA receptors abolished ripples. Localized PV inter-neuron activation paced ensemble spiking, and simultaneous induction of high-frequency oscillations at multiple locations resulted in a temporally coherent pattern mediated by phase-locked inter-neuron spiking. These results constrain competing models of ripple generation and indicate that temporally precise local interactions between excitatory and inhibitory neurons support ripple generation in the intact hippocampus. PMID:25033186

Development of inhibitory synaptic inputs on layer 2/3 pyramidal neurons in the rat medial prefrontal cortex.

PubMed

Virtanen, Mari A; Lacoh, Claudia Marvine; Fiumelli, Hubert; Kosel, Markus; Tyagarajan, Shiva; de Roo, Mathias; Vutskits, Laszlo

2018-05-01

Inhibitory control of pyramidal neurons plays a major role in governing the excitability in the brain. While spatial mapping of inhibitory inputs onto pyramidal neurons would provide important structural data on neuronal signaling, studying their distribution at the single cell level is difficult due to the lack of easily identifiable anatomical proxies. Here, we describe an approach where in utero electroporation of a plasmid encoding for fluorescently tagged gephyrin into the precursors of pyramidal cells along with ionotophoretic injection of Lucifer Yellow can reliably and specifically detect GABAergic synapses on the dendritic arbour of single pyramidal neurons. Using this technique and focusing on the basal dendritic arbour of layer 2/3 pyramidal cells of the medial prefrontal cortex, we demonstrate an intense development of GABAergic inputs onto these cells between postnatal days 10 and 20. While the spatial distribution of gephyrin clusters was not affected by the distance from the cell body at postnatal day 10, we found that distal dendritic segments appeared to have a higher gephyrin density at later developmental stages. We also show a transient increase around postnatal day 20 in the percentage of spines that are carrying a gephyrin cluster, indicative of innervation by a GABAergic terminal. Since the precise spatial arrangement of synaptic inputs is an important determinant of neuronal responses, we believe that the method described in this work may allow a better understanding of how inhibition settles together with excitation, and serve as basics for further modelling studies focusing on the geometry of dendritic inhibition during development.

Food pyramid for subjects with chronic pain: foods and dietary constituents as anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents.

PubMed

Rondanelli, Mariangela; Faliva, Milena Anna; Miccono, Alessandra; Naso, Maurizio; Nichetti, Mara; Riva, Antonella; Guerriero, Fabio; De Gregori, Manuela; Peroni, Gabriella; Perna, Simone

2018-06-01

Emerging literature suggests that diet constituents may play a modulatory role in chronic pain (CP) through management of inflammation/oxidative stress, resulting in attenuation of pain. We performed a narrative review to evaluate the existing evidence regarding the optimum diet for the management of CP, and we built a food pyramid on this topic. The present review also describes the activities of various natural compounds contained in foods (i.e. phenolic compounds in extra-virgin olive oil (EVO)) listed on our pyramid, which have comparable effects to drug management therapy. This review included 172 eligible studies. The pyramid shows that carbohydrates with low glycaemic index should be consumed every day (three portions), together with fruits and vegetables (five portions), yogurt (125 ml), red wine (125 ml) and EVO; weekly: legumes and fish (four portions); white meat, eggs and fresh cheese (two portions); red or processed meats (once per week); sweets can be consumed occasionally. The food amounts are estimates based on nutritional and practical considerations. At the top of the pyramid there is a pennant: it means that CP subjects may need a specific customised supplementation (vitamin B12, vitamin D, n-3 fatty acids, fibre). The food pyramid proposal will serve to guide dietary intake with to the intent of alleviating pain in CP patients. Moreover, a targeted diet can also help to solve problems related to the drugs used to combat CP, i.e. constipation. However, this paper would be an early hypothetical proposal due to the limitations of the studies.

The Respiratory Pyramid: From Symptoms to Disease in World Trade Center Exposed Firefighters

PubMed Central

Niles, Justin K.; Webber, Mayris P.; Cohen, Hillel W.; Hall, Charles B.; Zeig-Owens, Rachel; Ye, Fen; Glaser, Michelle S.; Weakley, Jessica; Weiden, Michael D.; Aldrich, Thomas K.; Nolan, Anna; Glass, Lara; Kelly, Kerry J.; Prezant, David J.

2017-01-01

Background This study utilizes a four-level pyramid framework to understand the relationship between symptom reports and/or abnormal pulmonary function and diagnoses of airway diseases (AD), including asthma, recurrent bronchitis and COPD/emphysema in WTC-exposed firefighters. We compare the distribution of pyramid levels at two time-points: by 9/11/2005 and by 9/11/2010. Methods We studied 6,931 WTC-exposed FDNY firefighters who completed a monitoring exam during the early period and at least two additional follow-up exams 9/11/2005–9/11/2010. Results By 9/11/2005 the pyramid structure was as follows: 4,039 (58.3%) in Level 1, no respiratory evaluation or treatment; 1,608 (23.2%) in Level 2, evaluation or treatment without AD diagnosis; 1,005 (14.5%) in Level 3, a single AD diagnosis (asthma, emphysema/COPD, or recurrent bronchitis); 279 (4.0%) in Level 4, asthma and another AD. By 9/11/2010, the pyramid distribution changed considerably, with Level 1 decreasing to 2,612 (37.7% of the cohort), and Levels 3 (N = 1,530) and 4 (N = 796) increasing to 22.1% and 11.5% of the cohort, respectively. Symptoms, spirometry measurements and healthcare utilization were associated with higher pyramid levels. Conclusions Respiratory diagnoses, even four years after a major inhalation event, are not the only drivers of future healthcare utilization. Symptoms and abnormal FEV-1 values must also be considered if clinicians and healthcare administrators are to accurately anticipate future treatment needs, years after initial exposure. PMID:23788055

Development and validation of a food pyramid for Swiss athletes.

PubMed

Mettler, Samuel; Mannhart, Christof; Colombani, Paolo C

2009-10-01

Food-guide pyramids help translate nutrient goals into a visual representation of suggested food intake on a population level. No such guidance system has ever been specifically designed for athletes. Therefore, the authors developed a Food Pyramid for Swiss Athletes that illustrates the number of servings per food group needed in relation to the training volume of an athlete. As a first step, an average energy expenditure of 0.1 kcal . kg(-1) . min(-1) for exercise was defined, which then was translated into servings of different food groups per hour of exercise per day. Variable serving sizes were defined for athletes' different body-mass categories. The pyramid was validated by designing 168 daily meal plans according to the recommendations of the pyramid for male and female athletes of different body-mass categories and training volumes of up to 4 hr/d. The energy intake of the meal plans met the calculated reference energy requirement by 97% +/- 9%. The carbohydrate and protein intakes were linearly graded from 4.6 +/- 0.6-8.5 +/- 0.8 g . kg(-1) . d(-1) and 1.6 +/- 0.2-1.9 +/- 0.2 g . kg(-1) . d(-1), respectively, for training volumes of 1-4 hr of exercise per day. The average micronutrient intake depended particularly on the dietary energy intake level but was well above the dietary reference intake values for most micronutrients. No tolerable upper intake level was exceeded for any micronutrient. Therefore, this Food Pyramid for Swiss Athletes may be used as a new tool in sports nutrition education (e.g., teaching and counseling).

The plantar reflex: additional value of stroking the lateral border of the foot to provoke an upgoing toe sign and the influence of experience.

PubMed

van Munster, Caspar E P; Weinstein, Henry C; Uitdehaag, Bernard M J; van Gijn, Jan

2012-11-01

The aim of this work was to determine the value of stroking the lateral dorsal border of the foot, in addition to stroking the sole in patients with a suspected pyramidal tract lesion. In addition, we studied the differences in interpretation between neurologists, residents, and medical students. We included subjects who had weakness of at least one leg and in whom a pyramidal tract lesion was suspected. After testing muscle power, tone, reflexes, and foot tapping, a decision on the presence of a pyramidal syndrome had to be made by each observer. After stimulating the sole as well as the lateral border of the foot, observers made a decision about the presence of a pyramidal syndrome again. Twenty-two legs of 18 patients were examined. Testing the plantar reflex (according to both methods) led to a change of opinion on the presence of a pyramidal syndrome in 45 of 69 (65 %) observations. On analysis according to level of experience, a change of opinion occurred in 19 (86 %) observations by medical students, 15 (65 %) by residents, and 11 (46 %) by neurologists. On eight occasions, the change was prompted by stimulation of the lateral border; in five of these cases the examiner (three medical students and two residents) found a new pathological response. Consecutively stroking the sole and the lateral border may be of added value, especially for less-experienced physicians. It seems that more-experienced physicians need fewer tests in the physical examination in order to identify a pyramidal syndrome of the leg.

Can astronomy enhance UNESCO World Heritage recognition? The paradigm of 4th Dynasty Egyptian pyramids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belmonte, Juan Antonio

2015-08-01

The pyramids of Egypt, notably those of the 4th Dinasty as Giza, have always be considered an unmistikable part of human world heritage as the only surviving wonders of the Ancient World. Their majesty, technical hability and innovative character have always beeen considered as representative of ancient Egyptian ingenuity. However, past and present fringe theories about the pyramids and astronomy have always polluted the role of our discipline in the design, construction and symbolism of these impressive monuments. This is indeed unfear. Fortunately, things have started to change in the last couple of decades and now astronomy is interpreted as a neccessary tool for the correct interpretation of the astral eschatology present in the 5th and 6th Dynasty Texts of the Pyramids. Although the pyramid complexes of the 4th Dynasty are mute, there is however recent research showing that a strong astral symbolism could be hidden in many aspects of the complex architecture and in the design of these exceptional monuments. This idea comes from several hints obtained not only from planning and construction, but also from epigraphy and the analysis of celestial and local landscapes. Chronology also plays a most relevant role on this. The pyramid complexes of the 4th Dynasty at Meidum, Dahshur, Giza and Abu Rowash -- all of which enjoy UNESCO World Heritage recognition -- willl be scrutinized. As a consequence, we will show how astronomy can certainly enhance the face value of these extraordinary monuments as a definitive proof of the ancient Egyptian quest for Ma'at, i.e. their perennial obsesion for Cosmic Order.

[Characteristics of the leadership of health center coordinators in the autonomous community of Murcia].

PubMed

Menárguez Puche, J F; Saturno Hernández, P J

1998-12-01

To describe the style and effectiveness (adaptability) of the leadership of coordinators of an autonomous community according to the model of leadership on the ground, analysing its relationship with the work environment. Observational crossover study. All the functioning teams in this community. Medical and nursing coordinators. Hersey and Blanchard's questionnaire on leadership on the ground was employed. This identifies 1) the predominant style (scoring for style 0-12). On the approach of the coordinator to personal relationships and/or task development, it identifies 4 points: direction, persuasion, participation, delegation. 2) Adaptability of the manager (ranging from +24 to -24), based on that the best choice between different options depends on the maturity of the group. To contrast work environment and leadership, a validated questionnaire, adapted to our milieu, was used. Overall reply rate (51 coordinators) was 89.4%. Analysis of styles was: persuasive 5.05 points (SD = 1.25), participatory 4.74 (SD 1.76), directive 1.2 (SD 1.11) and delegating 0.34 (SD 0.68). Adaptability scored 8.38 points (SD = 4.67), and was greater for the nursing coordinators (p < 0.002) without differences for type, place or teaching qualifications. The work environment, both overall and by dimensions, correlated with adaptability, although no relationship was found with leaders' styles. Leadership adaptability was quite high and greater in nursing. The most prevalent styles were the persuasive and the participatory, more efficacious in teams of average maturity. Theoretical effectiveness was positively related to a better work environment.

Using Economic Experiments to Test Electricity Policy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kiesling, Lynne

2005-11-01

The industry's history of central generation, coordination, and regulation breeds a natural suspicion of whether or not decentralized coordination and a more market-based, decentralized regulatory approach can work. To see how people will behave in a decentralized environment with decentralized institutions, one must test the environment and institutions experimentally, with real people.

40 CFR 267.57 - What must the emergency coordinator do after an emergency?

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 26 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false What must the emergency coordinator do after an emergency? 267.57 Section 267.57 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY... must provide for treating, storing, or disposing of recovered waste, contaminated soil or surface water...

Large variability in synaptic N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor density on interneurons and a comparison with pyramidal-cell spines in the rat hippocampus.

PubMed

Nyíri, G; Stephenson, F A; Freund, T F; Somogyi, P

2003-01-01

Pyramidal cells receive input from several types of GABA-releasing interneurons and innervate them reciprocally. Glutamatergic activation of interneurons involves both alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) type glutamate receptors expressed in type I synapses, mostly on their dendritic shafts. On average, the synaptic AMPA receptor content is several times higher on interneurons than in the spines of pyramidal cells. To compare the NMDA receptor content of synapses, we used a quantitative postembedding immunogold technique on serial electron microscopic sections, and analysed the synapses on interneuron dendrites and pyramidal cell spines in the CA1 area. Because all NMDA receptors contain the obligatory NR1 subunit, receptor localisation was carried out using antibodies recognising all splice variants of the NR1 subunit. Four populations of synapse were examined: i). on spines of pyramidal cells in stratum (str.) radiatum and str. oriens; ii). on parvalbumin-positive interneuronal dendritic shafts in str. radiatum; iii). on randomly found dendritic shafts in str. oriens and iv). on somatostatin-positive interneuronal dendritic shafts and somata in str. oriens. On average, the size of the synapses on spines was about half of those on interneurons. The four populations of synapse significantly differed in labelling for the NR1 subunit. The median density of NR1 subunit labelling was highest on pyramidal cell spines. It was lowest in the synapses on parvalbumin-positive dendrites in str. radiatum, where more than half of these synapses were immunonegative. In str. oriens, synapses on interneurons had a high variability of receptor content; some dendrites were similar to those in str. radiatum, including the proximal synapses of somatostatin-positive cells, whereas others had immunoreactivity for the NR1 subunit similar to or higher than synapses on pyramidal cell spines. These results show that synaptic NMDA receptor density differs between pyramidal cells and interneurons. Some interneurons may have a high NMDA receptor content, whereas others, like some parvalbumin-expressing cells, a particularly low synaptic NMDA receptor content. Consequently, fast glutamatergic activation of interneurons is expected to show cell type-specific time course and state-dependent dynamics.

Distinct Laterality in Forelimb-Movement Representations of Rat Primary and Secondary Motor Cortical Neurons with Intratelencephalic and Pyramidal Tract Projections.

PubMed

Soma, Shogo; Saiki, Akiko; Yoshida, Junichi; Ríos, Alain; Kawabata, Masanori; Sakai, Yutaka; Isomura, Yoshikazu

2017-11-08

Two distinct motor areas, the primary and secondary motor cortices (M1 and M2), play crucial roles in voluntary movement in rodents. The aim of this study was to characterize the laterality in motor cortical representations of right and left forelimb movements. To achieve this goal, we developed a novel behavioral task, the Right-Left Pedal task, in which a head-restrained male rat manipulates a right or left pedal with the corresponding forelimb. This task enabled us to monitor independent movements of both forelimbs with high spatiotemporal resolution. We observed phasic movement-related neuronal activity (Go-type) and tonic hold-related activity (Hold-type) in isolated unilateral movements. In both M1 and M2, Go-type neurons exhibited bias toward contralateral preference, whereas Hold-type neurons exhibited no bias. The contralateral bias was weaker in M2 than M1. Moreover, we differentiated between intratelencephalic (IT) and pyramidal tract (PT) neurons using optogenetically evoked spike collision in rats expressing channelrhodopsin-2. Even in identified PT and IT neurons, Hold-type neurons exhibited no lateral bias. Go-type PT neurons exhibited bias toward contralateral preference, whereas IT neurons exhibited no bias. Our findings suggest a different laterality of movement representations of M1 and M2, in each of which IT neurons are involved in cooperation of bilateral movements, whereas PT neurons control contralateral movements. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In rodents, the primary and secondary motor cortices (M1 and M2) are involved in voluntary movements via distinct projection neurons: intratelencephalic (IT) neurons and pyramidal tract (PT) neurons. However, it remains unclear whether the two motor cortices (M1 vs M2) and the two classes of projection neurons (IT vs PT) have different laterality of movement representations. We optogenetically identified these neurons and analyzed their functional activity using a novel behavioral task to monitor movements of the right and left forelimbs separately. We found that contralateral bias was reduced in M2 relative to M1, and in IT relative to PT neurons. Our findings suggest that the motor information processing that controls forelimb movement is coordinated by a distinct cell population. Copyright © 2017 the authors 0270-6474/17/3710904-13$15.00/0.

Building Intercultural Competency in the Language Immersion Montessori Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Carver-Akers, Kateri

2013-01-01

In her article entitled, "Theoretical Reflections: Intercultural Framework / Model" Darla Deardorff provides the Pyramid Model of Cultural Competency. At the bottom of the pyramid she places three "Requisite Attitudes," which support the remaining three blocks above ("Knowledge & Comprehension/Skills,"…

Novel nootropic dipeptide Noopept increases inhibitory synaptic transmission in CA1 pyramidal cells.

PubMed

Kondratenko, Rodion V; Derevyagin, Vladimir I; Skrebitsky, Vladimir G

2010-05-31

Effects of newly synthesized nootropic and anxiolytic dipeptide Noopept on inhibitory synaptic transmission in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells were investigated using patch-clamp technique in whole-cell configuration. Bath application of Noopept (1 microM) significantly increased the frequency of spike-dependant spontaneous IPSCs whereas spike-independent mIPSCs remained unchanged. It was suggested that Noopept mediates its effect due to the activation of inhibitory interneurons terminating on CA1 pyramidal cells. Results of current clamp recording of inhibitory interneurons residing in stratum radiatum confirmed this suggestion. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Understanding political radicalization: The two-pyramids model.

PubMed

McCauley, Clark; Moskalenko, Sophia

2017-04-01

This article reviews some of the milestones of thinking about political radicalization, as scholars and security officials struggled after 9/11 to discern the precursors of terrorist violence. Recent criticism of the concept of radicalization has been recognized, leading to a 2-pyramids model that responds to the criticism by separating radicalization of opinion from radicalization of action. Security and research implications of the 2-pyramids model are briefly described, ending with a call for more attention to emotional experience in understanding both radicalization of opinion and radicalization of action. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Numerical simulation of flow and mass transfer for large KDP crystal growth via solution-jet method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yin, Huawei; Li, Mingwei; Hu, Zhitao; Zhou, Chuan; Li, Zhiwei

2018-06-01

A novel technique of growing large crystals of potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) named solution-jet method is proposed. The aim is to increase supersaturation on the pyramidal face, especially for crystal surface regions close to the rotation axis. The fluid flow and surface supersaturation distribution of crystals grown under different conditions were computed using the finite-volume method. Results indicate that the time-averaged supersaturation of the pyramidal face in the proposed method significantly increases and the supersaturation difference from the crystal center to edge clearly decreases compared with the rotating-crystal method. With increased jet velocity, supersaturation on the pyramidal face steadily increases. Rotation rate considerably affects the magnitude and distribution of the prismatic surface supersaturation. With increased crystal size, the mean value of surface supersaturation averaged over the pyramid gradually decreases; conversely, standard deviation increases, which is detrimental to crystal growth. Moreover, the significant roles played by natural and forced convection in the process of mass transport are discussed. Results show that further increased jet velocity to 0.6 m/s renders negligible the effects of natural convection around the pyramid. The simulation for step propagation indicates that solution-jet method can promote a steady step migration and enhance surface morphology stability, which can improve the crystal quality.

Interlaminar differences in the pyramidal cell phenotype in parietal cortex of an Indian bat, cynopterus sphinx.

PubMed

Srivastava, U C; Pathak, S V

2010-10-30

To study interlaminar phenotypic variations in the pyramidal neurons of parietal isocortex in bat (Cynopterus sphinx), Golgi and Nissl methods have been employed. The parietal isocortex is relatively thin in the bat as compared to prototheria with layer III, V and VI accounting for more than two—thirds of total cortical thickness. Thick cell free layer I and thinnest accentuated layer II are quite in connotation with other chiropterids. Poor demarcation of layer III/IV in the present study is also in connotation with primitive eutherian mammal (i.e. prototherian) and other chiropterids. Most of the pyramidal cells in the different layers of the parietal isocortex are of typical type as seen in other eutherians but differ significantly in terms of soma shape and size, extent of dendritic arbor, diameter of dendrites and spine density. Percentage of pyramidal neurons, diameter of apical dendrite and spine density on apical dendrite appear to follow an increasing trend from primitive to advanced mammals; but extent of dendrites are probably governed by the specific life patterns of these mammals. It is thus concluded that 'typical' pyramidal neurons in parietal isocortex are similar in therians but different from those in prototherians. It is possible that these cells might have arisen among early eutherians after divergence from prototherian stock.

Monuments of the Giza Plateau

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruggles, Clive L. N.

The colossal pyramids of the pharaohs Khufu (Cheops), Khafre (Chephren), and Menkaure (Mycerinus) have attracted a huge amount of astronomical interest over the years, both scholarly and popular. Less attention is usually given to the broader context of structures on the Giza Plateau. One of the most notorious ideas connecting the Giza Plateau with astronomy is that the three large pyramids are laid out on the ground so as to reflect the appearance of the three stars of Orion's Belt in the sky. This idea is unsupportable for several reasons but has succeeded in generating huge public interest. Of much greater serious interest is the fact that the three main pyramids were oriented cardinally to extraordinary precision, which raises the questions of why this was important and how it was achieved. Another idea that has attracted serious attention but also some confusion is that the orientations of some narrow shafts within Khufu's pyramid might have been deliberately aligned upon particular stars. The overall layout of monuments on the plateau may certainly have been designed so as to emphasize certain solar phenomena, for symbolic and ideological reasons relating to a dominant sun cult. It is also possible that it formed part of a wider cosmological "master plan" extending to other pyramids and temples up to 20 km distant.

Flat-on ambipolar triphenylamine/C60 nano-stacks formed from the self-organization of a pyramid-sphere-shaped amphiphile.

PubMed

Liang, Wei-Wei; Huang, Chi-Feng; Wu, Kuan-Yi; Wu, San-Lien; Chang, Shu-Ting; Cheng, Yen-Ju; Wang, Chien-Lung

2016-04-21

A giant amphiphile, which is constructed with an amorphous nano-pyramid (triphenylamine, TPA) and a crystalline nano-sphere (C 60 ), was synthesized. Structural characterization indicates that this pyramid-sphere-shaped amphiphile ( TPA-C 60 ) forms a solvent-induced ordered phase, in which the two constituent units self-assemble into alternating stacks of two-dimensional (2D) TPA and C 60 nano-sheets. Due to the complexity of the molecular structure and the amorphous nature of the nano-pyramid, phase formation was driven by intermolecular C 60 -C 60 interactions and the ordered phase could not be reformed from the TPA-C 60 melt. Oriented crystal arrays of TPA-C 60 , which contain flat-on TPA/C 60 nano-stacks, can be obtained via a PDMS-assisted crystallization (PAC) technique. The flat-on dual-channel supramolecular structure of TPA-C 60 delivered ambipolar and balanced charge-transport characteristics with an average μ e of 2.11 × 10 -4 cm 2 V -1 s -1 and μ h of 3.37 × 10 -4 cm 2 V -1 s -1 . The anisotropic charge-transport ability of the pyramid-sphere-shaped amphiphile was further understood based on the lattice structure and the lattice orientation of TPA-C 60 revealed from electron diffraction analyses.

Input transformation by dendritic spines of pyramidal neurons

PubMed Central

Araya, Roberto

2014-01-01

In the mammalian brain, most inputs received by a neuron are formed on the dendritic tree. In the neocortex, the dendrites of pyramidal neurons are covered by thousands of tiny protrusions known as dendritic spines, which are the major recipient sites for excitatory synaptic information in the brain. Their peculiar morphology, with a small head connected to the dendritic shaft by a slender neck, has inspired decades of theoretical and more recently experimental work in an attempt to understand how excitatory synaptic inputs are processed, stored and integrated in pyramidal neurons. Advances in electrophysiological, optical and genetic tools are now enabling us to unravel the biophysical and molecular mechanisms controlling spine function in health and disease. Here I highlight relevant findings, challenges and hypotheses on spine function, with an emphasis on the electrical properties of spines and on how these affect the storage and integration of excitatory synaptic inputs in pyramidal neurons. In an attempt to make sense of the published data, I propose that the raison d'etre for dendritic spines lies in their ability to undergo activity-dependent structural and molecular changes that can modify synaptic strength, and hence alter the gain of the linearly integrated sub-threshold depolarizations in pyramidal neuron dendrites before the generation of a dendritic spike. PMID:25520626

Optimization of wave-guided luminescence for higher efficiency of bifacial thin-film microscale GaAs solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Ling; Shen, Yifeng; Li, Feng

2018-01-01

In pursuit of capturing more wave-guided luminescence for surface-printed bifacial GaAs μ-cells, the pyramid structure has been incorporated with specular back side reflector (BSR) to change the direction of photon propagation. Based on ray tracing model, the calculated photon capturing efficiency of GaAs μ-cells from back side via pyramid, dependent on the parameters of pyramid structure, achieve the largest 1.7× increase for dye absorption peak of 480 nm compared to the case without pyramid. More significantly, the short circuit current in experiment has been improved from original 16.5 mA/cm2 to 23.75 mA/cm2 for the AM 1.5G solar spectrum. Further experiment demonstrates that the optimized pyramid structure enables the integrated luminescent intensity to reach ∼3× increase in a smaller distance of optical transport, which means the advantages in photon capturing efficiency for cells with higher aspect ratio. The calculation further confirms that the cells with higher aspect ratio, among all cells with the same area, realize the higher concentration ratio for the same geometric gain. This provides a guideline for design of cell geometries to guarantee a higher power output in terms of cell modules.

Gap junctions between CA3 pyramidal cells contribute to network synchronization in neonatal hippocampus.

PubMed

Molchanova, Svetlana M; Huupponen, Johanna; Lauri, Sari E; Taira, Tomi

2016-08-01

Direct electrical coupling between neurons through gap junctions is prominent during development, when synaptic connectivity is scarce, providing the additional intercellular connectivity. However, functional studies of gap junctions are hampered by the unspecificity of pharmacological tools available. Here we have investigated gap-junctional coupling between CA3 pyramidal cells in neonatal hippocampus and its contribution to early network activity. Four different gap junction inhibitors, including the general blocker carbenoxolone, decreased the frequency of network activity bursts in CA3 area of hippocampus of P3-6 rats, suggesting the involvement of electrical connections in the generation of spontaneous network activity. In CA3 pyramidal cells, spikelets evoked by local stimulation of stratum oriens, were inhibited by carbenoxolone, but not by inhibitors of glutamatergic and GABAergic synaptic transmission, signifying the presence of electrical connectivity through axo-axonic gap junctions. Carbenoxolone also decreased the success rate of firing antidromic action potentials in response to stimulation, and changed the pattern of spontaneous action potential firing of CA3 pyramidal cells. Altogether, these data suggest that electrical coupling of CA3 pyramidal cells contribute to the generation of the early network events in neonatal hippocampus by modulating their firing pattern and synchronization. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vegetarian food guide pyramid: a conceptual framework.

PubMed

Haddad, E H; Sabaté, J; Whitten, C G

1999-09-01

The purpose of this article and the accompanying vegetarian food guide pyramid graphic is to provide the conceptual framework for the development of a new and unique food guide. Food guides for vegetarians have tended to be adaptations of guides developed for the general nonvegetarian population instead of being designed to emphasize the healthy components of vegetarian dietary patterns. A subcommittee of the organizers of the Third International Congress on Vegetarian Nutrition began a process that led to the development of a pyramid-shaped graphic illustration and a supporting document, both of which were introduced at the congress. The 5 major plant-based food groups (whole grains, legumes, vegetables, fruit, nuts, and seeds) form the trapezoid-shaped lower portion of the pyramid. Optional food groups, which may be avoided by some vegetarians (vegetable oils, dairy, eggs, and sweets), form the smaller, separate, triangle-shaped top portion of the pyramid. The supporting document discusses the concepts that affect vegetarian food guidance and the rationale for selecting the food groups. It is hoped that this framework will provide the impetus for further research and discussion and will lead to the development of a guide that is nutritionally adequate, is conducive to good health, and can be adopted by vegetarians of diverse eating practices.

The Effect of Single Pyramidal Neuron Firing Within Layer 2/3 and Layer 4 in Mouse V1.

PubMed

Meyer, Jochen F; Golshani, Peyman; Smirnakis, Stelios M

2018-01-01

The influence of cortical cell spiking activity on nearby cells has been studied extensively in vitro . Less is known, however, about the impact of single cell firing on local cortical networks in vivo . In a pioneering study, Kwan and Dan (Kwan and Dan, 2012) reported that in mouse layer 2/3 (L2/3), under anesthesia , stimulating a single pyramidal cell recruits ~2.1% of neighboring units. Here we employ two-photon calcium imaging in layer 2/3 of mouse V1, in conjunction with single-cell patch clamp stimulation in layer 2/3 or layer 4, to probe, in both the awake and lightly anesthetized states , how (i) activating single L2/3 pyramidal neurons recruits neighboring units within L2/3 and from layer 4 (L4) to L2/3, and whether (ii) activating single pyramidal neurons changes population activity in local circuit. To do this, it was essential to develop an algorithm capable of quantifying how sensitive the calcium signal is at detecting effectively recruited units ("followers"). This algorithm allowed us to estimate the chance of detecting a follower as a function of the probability that an epoch of stimulation elicits one extra action potential (AP) in the follower cell. Using this approach, we found only a small fraction (<0.75%) of L2/3 cells to be significantly activated within a radius of ~200 μm from a stimulated neighboring L2/3 pyramidal cell. This fraction did not change significantly in the awake vs. the lightly anesthetized state, nor when stimulating L2/3 vs. underlying L4 pyramidal neurons. These numbers are in general agreement with, though lower than, the percentage of neighboring cells (2.1% pyramidal cells and interneurons combined) reported by Kwan and Dan to be activated upon stimulating single L2/3 pyramidal neurons under anesthesia (Kwan and Dan, 2012). Interestingly, despite the small number of individual units found to be reliably driven, we did observe a modest but significant elevation in aggregate population responses compared to sham stimulation. This underscores the distributed impact that single cell stimulation has on neighboring microcircuit responses, revealing only a small minority of relatively strongly connected partners. Patch-clamp stimulation in conjunction with 2-photon imaging shows that activating single layer-2/3 or layer-4 pyramidal neurons produces few (<1% of local units) reliable single-cell followers in L2/3 of mouse area V1, either under light anesthesia or in quiet wakefulness: instead, single cell stimulation was found to elevate aggregate population activity in a weak but highly distributed fashion.

The Effects of the Coordination Support on Shared Mental Models and Coordinated Action

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Hyunsong; Kim, Dongsik

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of coordination support (tool support and tutor support) on the development of shared mental models (SMMs) and coordinated action in a computer-supported collaborative learning environment. Eighteen students were randomly assigned to one of three conditions, including the tool condition, the…

40 CFR 300.205 - Planning and coordination structure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Planning and coordination structure... POLLUTION CONTINGENCY PLAN Planning and Preparedness § 300.205 Planning and coordination structure. (a... assure pre-planning of joint response efforts, including appropriate procedures for mechanical recovery...

40 CFR 300.205 - Planning and coordination structure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 28 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Planning and coordination structure... POLLUTION CONTINGENCY PLAN Planning and Preparedness § 300.205 Planning and coordination structure. (a... assure pre-planning of joint response efforts, including appropriate procedures for mechanical recovery...

40 CFR 300.205 - Planning and coordination structure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 28 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Planning and coordination structure... POLLUTION CONTINGENCY PLAN Planning and Preparedness § 300.205 Planning and coordination structure. (a... assure pre-planning of joint response efforts, including appropriate procedures for mechanical recovery...

40 CFR 300.205 - Planning and coordination structure.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 29 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Planning and coordination structure... POLLUTION CONTINGENCY PLAN Planning and Preparedness § 300.205 Planning and coordination structure. (a... assure pre-planning of joint response efforts, including appropriate procedures for mechanical recovery...

Multi-toxin resistance enables pink bollworm survival on pyramided Bt cotton

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Transgenic crops producing Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) proteins kill key insect pests, providing economic and environmental benefits. However, the evolution of pest resistance threatens the continued success of such Bt crops. To delay or counter resistance, transgenic plant "pyramids" producing tw...

Five Equivalent d Orbitals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pauling, Linus; McClure, Vance

1970-01-01

Amplifies and clarifies a previous paper on pyramidal d orbitals. Discusses two sets of pyramid d orbitals with respect to their maximum bond strength and their symmetry. Authors described the oblate and prolate pentagonal antiprisms arising from the two sets of five equivalent d orbitals. (RR)

Curvature Dependent Reactivity of Fullerenes and Nanotubes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Park, Seongjun; Cho, Kyeongjae; Srivastava, Deepak

2000-01-01

Dependence of pyramidalization angle, examples of nanotube surfaces, internal and external reactivity, and binding energies are some of the topics discussed in this conference presentation preprint. Final conclusions include the relationship between the pyramidal angle of the surface and its associated external reaction energy.

Infrared Multiple Photon Dissociation Spectroscopy of a Gas-Phase Oxo-Molybdenum Complex with 1,2-Dithiolene Ligands

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Electrospray ionization (ESI) in the negative ion mode was used to create anionic, gas-phase oxo-molybdenum complexes with dithiolene ligands. By varying ESI and ion transfer conditions, both doubly and singly charged forms of the complex, with identical formulas, could be observed. Collision-induced dissociation (CID) of the dianion generated exclusively the monoanion, while fragmentation of the monoanion involved decomposition of the dithiolene ligands. The intrinsic structure of the monoanion and the dianion were determined by using wavelength-selective infrared multiple-photon dissociation (IRMPD) spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations. The IRMPD spectrum for the dianion exhibits absorptions that can be assigned to (ligand) C=C, C–S, C—C≡N, and Mo=O stretches. Comparison of the IRMPD spectrum to spectra predicted for various possible conformations allows assignment of a pseudo square pyramidal structure with C2v symmetry, equatorial coordination of MoO2+ by the S atoms of the dithiolene ligands, and a singlet spin state. A single absorption was observed for the oxidized complex. When the same scaling factor employed for the dianion is used for the oxidized version, theoretical spectra suggest that the absorption is the Mo=O stretch for a distorted square pyramidal structure and doublet spin state. A predicted change in conformation upon oxidation of the dianion is consistent with a proposed bonding scheme for the bent-metallocene dithiolene compounds [Lauher, J. W.; Hoffmann, R. J. Am. Chem. Soc.1976, 98, 1729−1742], where a large folding of the dithiolene moiety along the S···S vector is dependent on the occupancy of the in-plane metal d-orbital. PMID:24988369

Rapid disinhibition by adjustment of PV intrinsic excitability during whisker map plasticity in mouse S1.

PubMed

Gainey, Melanie A; Aman, Joseph W; Feldman, Daniel E

2018-04-20

Rapid plasticity of layer (L) 2/3 inhibitory circuits is an early step in sensory cortical map plasticity, but its cellular basis is unclear. We show that, in mice of either sex, 1 day whisker deprivation drives rapid loss of L4-evoked feedforward inhibition and more modest loss of feedforward excitation in L2/3 pyramidal (PYR) cells, increasing E-I conductance ratio. Rapid disinhibition was due to reduced L4-evoked spiking by L2/3 parvalbumin (PV) interneurons, caused by reduced PV intrinsic excitability. This included elevated PV spike threshold, associated with an increase in low-threshold, voltage activated delayed rectifier (presumed Kv1) and A-type potassium currents. Excitatory synaptic input and unitary inhibitory output of PV cells were unaffected. Functionally, the loss of feedforward inhibition and excitation were precisely coordinated in L2/3 PYR cells, so that peak feedforward synaptic depolarization remained stable. Thus, rapid plasticity of PV intrinsic excitability offsets early weakening of excitatory circuits to homeostatically stabilize synaptic potentials in PYR cells of sensory cortex. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Inhibitory circuits in cerebral cortex are highly plastic, but the cellular mechanisms and functional importance of this plasticity are incompletely understood. We show that brief (1-day) sensory deprivation rapidly weakens parvalbumin (PV) inhibitory circuits by reducing the intrinsic excitability of PV neurons. This involved a rapid increase in voltage-gated potassium conductances that control near-threshold spiking excitability. Functionally, the loss of PV-mediated feedforward inhibition in L2/3 pyramidal cells was precisely balanced with the separate loss of feedforward excitation, resulting in a net homeostatic stabilization of synaptic potentials. Thus, rapid plasticity of PV intrinsic excitability implements network-level homeostasis to stabilize synaptic potentials in sensory cortex. Copyright © 2018 the authors.

Different conical intersections control nonadiabatic photochemistry of fluorene light-driven molecular rotary motor: A CASSCF and spin-flip DFT study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yuanying; Liu, Fengyi; Wang, Bin; Su, Qingqing; Wang, Wenliang; Morokuma, Keiji

2016-12-01

We report the light-driven isomerization mechanism of a fluorene-based light-driven rotary motor (corresponding to Feringa's 2nd generation rotary motor, [M. M. Pollard et al., Org. Biomol. Chem. 6, 507-512 (2008)]) at the complete active space self-consistent field (CASSCF) and spin-flip time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) (SFDFT) levels, combined with the complete active space second-order perturbation theory (CASPT2) single-point energy corrections. The good consistence between the SFDFT and CASSCF results confirms the capability of SFDFT in investigating the photoisomerization step of the light-driven molecular rotary motor, and proposes the CASPT2//SFDFT as a promising and effective approach in exploring photochemical processes. At the mechanistic aspect, for the fluorene-based motor, the S1/S0 minimum-energy conical intersection (MECIs) caused by pyramidalization of a fluorene carbon have relatively low energies and are easily accessible by the reactive molecule evolution along the rotary reaction path; therefore, the fluorene-type MECIs play the dominant role in nonadiabatic decay, as supported by previous experimental and theoretical works. Comparably, the other type of MECIs that results from pyramidalization of an indene carbon, which has been acting as the dominant nonadiabatic decay channel in the stilbene motor, is energetically inaccessible, thus the indene-type MECIs are "missing" in previous mechanistic studies including molecular dynamic simulations. A correlation between the geometric and electronic factors of MECIs and that of the S1 energy profile along the C═C rotary coordinate was found. The findings in current study are expected to deepen the understanding of nonadiabatic transition in the light-driven molecular rotary motor and provide insights into mechanistic tuning of their performance.

Crystal structures of two mixed-valence copper cyanide complexes with N-methyl­ethylenedi­amine

PubMed Central

Sabatino, Alexander

2017-01-01

The crystal structures of two mixed-valence copper cyanide compounds involving N-methyl­ethylenedi­amine (meen), are described. In compound (I), poly[bis(μ3-cyanido-κ3 C:C:N)tris(μ2-cyanido-κ2 C:N)bis(N-methylethane-1,2-di­amine-κ2 N,N′)tricopper(I)copper(II)], [Cu4(CN)5(C3H10N2)2] or Cu4(CN)5meen2, cyanide groups link CuI atoms into a three-dimensional network containing open channels parallel to the b axis. In the network, two tetra­hedrally bound CuI atoms are bonded by the C atoms of two end-on bridging CN groups to form Cu2(CN)6 moieties with the Cu atoms in close contact at 2.560 (1) Å. Other trigonally bound CuI atoms link these units together to form the network. The CuII atoms, coordinated by two meen units, are covalently linked to the network via a cyanide bridge, and project into the open network channels. In the mol­ecular compound (II), [(N-methylethylenediamine-κ2 N,N′)copper(II)]-μ2-cyanido-κ2 C:N-[bis(cyanido-κC)copper(I)] monohydrate, [Cu2(CN)3(C3H10N2)2]·H2O or Cu2(CN)3meen2·H2O, a CN group connects a CuII atom coordinated by two meen groups with a trigonal–planar CuI atom coordinated by CN groups. The mol­ecules are linked into centrosymmetric dimers via hydrogen bonds to two water mol­ecules. In both compounds, the bridging cyanide between the CuII and CuI atoms has the N atom bonded to CuII and the C atom bonded to CuI, and the CuII atoms are in a square-pyramidal coordination. PMID:28217329

Synthesis, structures and Helicobacter pylori urease inhibitory activity of copper(II) complexes with tridentate aroylhydrazone ligands.

PubMed

Pan, Lin; Wang, Cunfang; Yan, Kai; Zhao, Kedong; Sheng, Guihua; Zhu, Hailiang; Zhao, Xinlu; Qu, Dan; Niu, Fang; You, Zhonglu

2016-06-01

A series of new copper(II) complexes were prepared. They are [CuL(1)(NCS)] (1), [CuClL(1)]·CH3OH (2), [CuClL(2)]·CH3OH (3), [CuL(3)(NCS)]·CH3OH (4), [CuL(4)(NCS)]·0.4H2O (5), and [CuL(5)(bipy)] (6), where L(1), L(2), L(3) and L(4) are the deprotonated form of N'-(2-hydroxybenzylidene)-3-methylbenzohydrazide, 4-bromo-N'-(2-hydroxy-5-methoxybenzylidene)benzohydrazide, N'-(2-hydroxy-5-methoxybenzylidene)-3-methylbenzohydrazide and 2-chloro-N'-(2-hydroxy-5-methoxybenzylidene)benzohydrazide, respectively, L(5) is the dianionic form of N'-(2-hydroxybenzylidene)-3-methylbenzohydrazide, and bipy is 2,2'-bipyridine. The complexes were characterized by infrared and UV-Vis spectra and single crystal X-ray diffraction. The Cu atoms in complexes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are coordinated by the NOO donor set of the aroylhydrazone ligands, and one Cl or thiocyanate N atom, forming square planar coordination. The Cu atom in complex 6 is in a square pyramidal coordination, with the NOO donor set of L(1), and one N atom of bipy defining the basal plane, and with the other N atom of bipy occupying the apical position. Complexes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 show effective urease inhibitory activities, with IC50 values of 5.14, 0.20, 4.06, 5.52 and 0.26μM, respectively. Complex 6 has very weak activity against urease, with IC50 value over 100μM. Molecular docking study of the complexes with the Helicobacter pylori urease was performed. The relationship between structures and urease inhibitory activities indicated that copper complexes with square planar coordination are better models for urease inhibition. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Heteroleptic complexes of Zn(II) based on 1-(5-bromo-2-hydroxybenzylidene)-4-phenylthiosemicarbazide: Synthesis, structural characterization, theoretical studies and antibacterial activity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Azarkish, Mohammad; Akbari, Alireza; Sedaghat, Tahereh; Simpson, Jim

2017-04-01

Four new ternary complexes, [ZnL (2,2‧-bipy)] (1), Zn2L2(4,4‧-bipy)] (2), [ZnL(Imd)]·H2O (3) and [ZnL3(MeImd)] (4), have been synthesized from the reaction of Zn(II) acetate with 1-(5-bromo-2-hydroxybenzylidene)-4-phenylthiosemicarbazide (H2L) in the presence of a heterocyclic base, 2,2‧-bipyridine, 4,4‧-bipyridine, imidazole or 2-methylimidazole, as an auxiliary ligand. The complexes have been investigated by elemental analysis and FT-IR, UV-Vis and 1HNMR spectroscopy. These data show that the thiosemicarbazone acts as a tridentate dianionic ligand and coordinates via the thiol group, imine nitrogen, and phenolic oxygen. The coordination sphere was completed by the nitrogen atom(s) of the secondary ligand. The structure of 1 was also confirmed by X-ray crystallography and shown to be a five coordinate complex with coordination geometry between the square-pyramidal and trigonal-bipyramidal. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations including geometry optimization, vibrational frequencies and electronic absorptions have been performed for 1 with the B3LYP functional at the TZP(6-311G*) basis set using the Gaussian 03 or ADF 2009 packages. The optimization calculation showed that the crystallographically determined geometry parameters can be reproduced with that basis set. Experimental IR frequencies and calculated vibration frequencies also support each other. The in vitro antibacterial activities of the ligand and complexes have been evaluated against Gram-positive (B. subtilis and S. aureus) and Gram-negative (P. aeruginosa) bacteria and compared with the standard antibacterial drugs. The results reveal that all of the complexes show much better activity in comparison to the individual thiosemoicarbazone ligand (H2L), against all bacterial strains used, with complex 3 showing the most promising results.

Paraboloid Structured Silicon Surface for Enhanced Light Absorption: Experimental and Simulative Investigations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khan, Firoz; Baek, Seong-Ho; Kaur, Jasmeet; Fareed, Imran; Mobin, Abdul; Kim, Jae Hyun

2015-09-01

In this paper, we present an optical model that simulates the light trapping and scattering effects of a paraboloid texture surface first time. This model was experimentally verified by measuring the reflectance values of the periodically textured silicon (Si) surface with the shape of a paraboloid under different conditions. A paraboloid texture surface was obtained by electrochemical etching Si in the solution of hydrofluoric acid, dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), and deionized (DI) water. The paraboloid texture surface has the advantage of giving a lower reflectance value than the hemispherical, random pyramidal, and regular pyramidal texture surfaces. In the case of parabola, the light can be concentrated in the direction of the Si surface compared to the hemispherical, random pyramidal, and regular pyramidal textured surfaces. Furthermore, in a paraboloid textured surface, there can be a maximum value of 4 or even more by anisotropic etching duration compared to the hemispherical or pyramidal textured surfaces which have a maximum h/ D (depth and diameter of the texture) value of 0.5. The reflectance values were found to be strongly dependent on the h/ D ratio of the texture surface. The measured reflectance values were well matched with the simulated ones. The minimum reflectance value of ~4 % was obtained at a wavelength of 600 nm for an h/ D ratio of 3.75. The simulation results showed that the reflectance value for the h/ D ratio can be reduced to ~0.5 % by reducing the separations among the textures. This periodic paraboloidal structure can be applied to the surface texturing technique by substituting with a conventional pyramid textured surface or moth-eye antireflection coating.

Earth observations taken during STS-81 mission

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-01-14

STS081-717-096 (12-22 Jan. 1997) --- The crewmembers, like astronauts 30 years ago, found the Nile River and its conspicuous delta an irresistible photo target from space, in this case from the Space Shuttle Atlantis' overhead windows. The majority of people living in Egypt reside in the city of Cairo. One of the most intensely cultivated lands in the world, the Nile delta can lay claim to some of the highest levels of soil salinity, as well as to being one of the highest users of fertilizer. The majority of Egypt's arable land is located in the delta. Cairo is "young" when compared to Egypt's long history, and has been a city since the Roman Empire. Although the city itself is relatively young, a site on the eastern bank of the Nile became the first capital of Egypt around 4225 BC. The city was called "Oun", but later was renamed Heliopolis by the Greeks. In 1991 the population of Cairo was estimated to be 54,600,000. The Pyramids of Gizai, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, can be seen on the western edge of the Nile delta and Cairo. The smallest and youngest of three Old Kingdom pyramids, Menkaure, is hard to distinguish because of its small size which casts a small shadow. Khafre is located between Menkaure and the Great Pyramid, and was originally 143 meters high. From the ground it appears that Khafre is taller than the other pyramids but this is an illusion caused by Khafre being built on higher ground. Khufu, or the Great Pyramid, was the first of the three to be built, and at an original height of 147 meters, is the tallest pyramid.

Vertical transmission of Escherichia coli carrying plasmid-mediated AmpC (pAmpC) through the broiler production pyramid.

PubMed

Nilsson, Oskar; Börjesson, Stefan; Landén, Annica; Bengtsson, Björn

2014-06-01

In Sweden the prevalence of Enterobacteriaceae with transferable resistance to extended-spectrum cephalosporins (ESCs) is low. However, in broilers ESC-resistant Escherichia coli is common, with a clear dominance of blaCMY-2. Antimicrobials are rarely used in broiler production in Sweden and cephalosporins are never used. Introduction through imported breeding stock and subsequent vertical transmission of the bacteria through the production pyramid could be one explanation for this high prevalence. To test this hypothesis, paper linings from imported flocks of grandparent animals were screened for the presence of ESC-resistant E. coli and a positive flock, together with its progeny, was followed longitudinally through the production pyramid using boot swabs. The relationship of isolated ESC-resistant E. coli was investigated using multiple-locus variable number tandem repeat analysis (MLVA). ESC-resistant E. coli carrying blaCMY-2 was isolated from six out of eight imported flocks of grandparent animals. One clone of E. coli carrying blaCMY-2 occurred in all levels of the production pyramid and in flocks of imported grandparent animals. E. coli carrying blaCMY-2 is frequently present among grandparent animals imported to Sweden for breeding purposes. The occurrence of one clone in all levels of the production pyramid indicates that its introduction through imported breeding stock and vertical transmission through the production pyramid could be one explanation for the high proportion of Swedish broilers colonized with ESC-resistant E. coli. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Early-onset L-dopa-responsive parkinsonism with pyramidal signs due to ATP13A2, PLA2G6, FBXO7 and spatacsin mutations.

PubMed

Paisán-Ruiz, Coro; Guevara, Rocio; Federoff, Monica; Hanagasi, Hasmet; Sina, Fardaz; Elahi, Elahe; Schneider, Susanne A; Schwingenschuh, Petra; Bajaj, Nin; Emre, Murat; Singleton, Andrew B; Hardy, John; Bhatia, Kailash P; Brandner, Sebastian; Lees, Andrew J; Houlden, Henry

2010-09-15

Seven autosomal recessive genes associated with juvenile and young-onset Levodopa-responsive parkinsonism have been identified. Mutations in PRKN, DJ-1, and PINK1 are associated with a rather pure parkinsonian phenotype, and have a more benign course with sustained treatment response and absence of dementia. On the other hand, Kufor-Rakeb syndrome has additional signs, which distinguish it clearly from Parkinson's disease including supranuclear vertical gaze palsy, myoclonic jerks, pyramidal signs, and cognitive impairment. Neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation type I (Hallervorden-Spatz syndrome) due to mutations in PANK2 gene may share similar features with Kufor-Rakeb syndrome. Mutations in three other genes, PLA2G6 (PARK14), FBXO7 (PARK15), and Spatacsin (SPG11) also produce clinical similar phenotypes in that they presented with rapidly progressive parkinsonism, initially responsive to Levodopa treatment but later, developed additional features including cognitive decline and loss of Levodopa responsiveness. Here, using homozygosity mapping and sequence analysis in families with complex parkinsonisms, we identified genetic defects in the ATP13A2 (1 family), PLA2G6 (1 family) FBXO7 (2 families), and SPG11 (1 family). The genetic heterogeneity was surprising given their initially common clinical features. On careful review, we found the FBXO7 cases to have a phenotype more similar to PRKN gene associated parkinsonism. The ATP13A2 and PLA2G6 cases were more seriously disabled with additional swallowing problems, dystonic features, severe in some, and usually pyramidal involvement including pyramidal weakness. These data suggest that these four genes account for many cases of Levodopa responsive parkinsonism with pyramidal signs cases formerly categorized clinically as pallido-pyramidal syndrome. © 2010 Movement Disorder Society.

Early-Onset L-dopa-Responsive Parkinsonism with Pyramidal Signs Due to ATP13A2, PLA2G6, FBXO7 and Spatacsin Mutations

PubMed Central

Paisán-Ruiz, Coro; Guevara, Rocio; Federoff, Monica; Hanagasi, Hasmet; Sina, Fardaz; Elahi, Elahe; Schneider, Susanne A.; Schwingenschuh, Petra; Bajaj, Nin; Emre, Murat; Singleton, Andrew B.; Hardy, John; Bhatia, Kailash P.; Brandner, Sebastian; Lees, Andrew J.; Houlden, Henry

2018-01-01

Seven autosomal recessive genes associated with juvenile and young-onset Levodopa-responsive parkinsonism have been identified. Mutations in PRKN, DJ-1, and PINK1 are associated with a rather pure parkinsonian phenotype, and have a more benign course with sustained treatment response and absence of dementia. On the other hand, Kufor-Rakeb syndrome has additional signs, which distinguish it clearly from Parkinson’s disease including supranu-clear vertical gaze palsy, myoclonic jerks, pyramidal signs, and cognitive impairment. Neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation type I (Hallervorden-Spatz syndrome) due to mutations in PANK2 gene may share similar features with Kufor-Rakeb syndrome. Mutations in three other genes, PLA2G6 (PARK14), FBXO7 (PARK15), and Spatacsin (SPG11) also produce clinical similar phenotypes in that they presented with rapidly progressive parkinsonism, initially responsive to Levodopa treatment but later, developed additional features including cognitive decline and loss of Levodopa responsiveness. Here, using homozygosity mapping and sequence analysis in families with complex parkinsonisms, we identified genetic defects in the ATP13A2 (1 family), PLA2G6 (1 family) FBXO7 (2 families), and SPG11 (1 family). The genetic heterogeneity was surprising given their initially common clinical features. On careful review, we found the FBXO7 cases to have a phenotype more similar to PRKN gene associated parkinsonism. The ATP13A2 and PLA2G6 cases were more seriously disabled with additional swallowing problems, dystonic features, severe in some, and usually pyramidal involvement including pyramidal weakness. These data suggest that these four genes account for many cases of Levodopa responsive parkinsonism with pyramidal signs cases formerly categorized clinically as pallido-pyramidal syndrome. 3 2010 Movement Disorder Society PMID:20669327

Pregnancy or stress decrease complexity of CA3 pyramidal neurons in the hippocampus of adult female rats.

PubMed

Pawluski, J L; Valença, A; Santos, A I M; Costa-Nunes, J P; Steinbusch, H W M; Strekalova, T

2012-12-27

Pregnancy is a time of distinct neural, physiological and behavioral plasticity in the female. It is also a time when a growing number of women are vulnerable to stress and experience stress-related diseases, such as depression and anxiety. However, the impact of stress during gestation on the neurobiology of the mother has yet to be determined, particularly with regard to changes in the hippocampus; a brain area that plays an important role in stress-related diseases. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to understand how stress and reproductive state may alter dendritic morphology of CA1 and CA3 pyramidal neurons in the hippocampus. To do this, adult age-matched pregnant and virgin female Wistar rats were divided into two conditions: (1) control and (2) stress. Females in the stress condition were restrained for 1h/day for the last 2 weeks of gestation and at matched time-points in virgin females. Females were sacrificed the day after the last restraint session and brains were processed for Golgi impregnation. Dendritic length and number of branch points were quantified for apical and basal regions of CA1 and CA3 pyramidal neurons. Results show that regardless of reproductive state, stressed females had significantly shorter apical dendrites and fewer apical branch points in CA3 pyramidal cells. In addition, pregnant females, regardless of stress exposure, had less complex CA3 pyramidal neurons, as measured by Sholl analysis. No differences between conditions were seen in morphology of CA1 pyramidal neurons. This work shows that both repeated restraint stress and pregnancy affect dendritic morphology by decreasing complexity of CA3, but not CA1, neurons in the hippocampus. Copyright © 2012 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Neocortical layers I and II of the hedgehog (Erinaceus europaeus). I. Intrinsic organization.

PubMed

Valverde, F; Facal-Valverde, M V

1986-01-01

The intrinsic organization and interlaminar connections in neocortical layers I and II have been studied in adult hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus) using the Golgi method. Layer I contains a dense plexus of horizontal fibers, the terminal dendritic bouquets of pyramidal cells of layer II and of underlying layers, and varieties of intrinsic neurons. Four main types of cells were found in layer I. Small horizontal cells represent most probably persisting foetal horizontal cells described for other mammals. Large horizontal cells, tufted cells, and spinous horizontal cells were also found in this layer. Layer II contains primitive pyramidal cells representing the most outstanding feature of the neocortex of the hedgehog. Most pyramidal cells in layer II have two, three or more apical dendrites, richly covered by spines predominating over the basal dendrites. These cells resemble pyramidal cells found in the piriform cortex, hippocampus and other olfactory areas. It is suggested that the presence of these neurons reflects the retention of a primitive character in neocortical evolution. Cells with intrinsic axons were found among pyramidal cells in layer II. These have smooth dendrites penetrating layer I and local axons forming extremely complex terminal arborizations around the bodies and proximal dendritic portions of pyramidal cells. They most probably effect numerous axo-somatic contacts resembling basket cells. The similarity of some axonal terminals with the chandelier type of axonal arborization is discussed. Other varieties of cells located in deep cortical layers and having ascending axons for layers I and II were also studied. It is concluded that the two first neocortical layers represent a level of important integration in this primitive mammal.