Responses to amplitude modulated infrared stimuli in the guinea pig inferior colliculus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Richter, Claus-Peter; Young, Hunter

2013-03-01

Responses of units in the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus of the guinea pig were recorded with tungsten electrodes. The set of data presented here is limited to high stimulus levels. The effect of changing the modulation frequency and the modulation depth was explored for acoustic and laser stimuli. The selected units responded to sinusoidal amplitude modulated (AM) tones, AM trains of clicks, and AM trains of laser pulses with a modulation of their spike discharge. At modulation frequencies of 20 Hz, some units tended to respond with 40 Hz to the acoustic stimuli, but only at 20 Hz for the trains of laser pulses. For all modes of stimulation the responses revealed a dominant response to the first cycle of the modulation, with decreasing number of action potential during successive cycles. While amplitude modulated tone bursts and amplitude modulated trains of acoustic clicks showed similar patterns, the response to trains of laser pulses was different.

A Non-Lethal Traumatic/Hemorrhagic Insult Strongly Modulates the Compartment-Specific PAI-1 Response in the Subsequent Polymicrobial Sepsis

PubMed Central

Raeven, Pierre; Salibasic, Alma; Drechsler, Susanne; Weixelbaumer, Katrin Maria; Jafarmadar, Mohammad; van Griensven, Martijn; Bahrami, Soheyl; Osuchowski, Marcin Filip

2013-01-01

Introduction Plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 (PAI-1) is a key factor in trauma- and sepsis-induced coagulopathy. We examined how trauma-hemorrhage (TH) modulates PAI-1 responses in subsequent cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced sepsis, and the association of PAI-1 with septic outcomes. Methods Mice underwent TH and CLP 48 h later in three separate experiments. In experiment 1, mice were sacrificed pre- and post-CLP to characterize the trajectory of PAI-1 in plasma (protein) and tissues (mRNA). Post-CLP dynamics in TH-CLP (this study) and CLP-Only mice (prior study) were then compared for modulatory effects of TH. In experiment 2, to relate PAI-1 changes to outcome, mice underwent TH-CLP and were sampled daily and followed for 14 days to compare non-survivors (DEAD) and survivors (SUR). In experiment 3, plasma and tissue PAI-1 expression were compared between mice predicted to die (P-DIE) and to live (P-LIVE). Results In experiment 1, an early post-TH rise of circulating PAI-1 was contrasted by a delayed (post-TH) decrease of PAI-1 mRNA in organs. In the post-CLP phase, profiles of circulating PAI-1 were similar between TH-CLP and CLP-Only mice. Conversely, PAI-1 mRNA declined in the liver and heart of TH-CLP mice versus CLP-Only. In experiment 2, there were no DEAD/SUR differences in circulating PAI-1 prior to CLP. Post-CLP, circulating PAI-1 in DEAD was 2–4-fold higher than in SUR. PAI-1 increase heralded septic deaths up to 48 h prior but DEAD/SUR thrombomodulin (endothelial injury marker) levels were identical. In experiment 3, levels of circulating PAI-1 and its hepatic gene expression were higher in P-DIE versus P-LIVE mice and those increases closely correlated with liver dysfunction. Conclusions Trauma modulated septic PAI-1 responses in a compartment-specific fashion. Only post-CLP increases in circulating PAI-1 predicted septic outcomes. In posttraumatic sepsis, pre-lethal release of PAI-1 was mostly of hepatic origin and was independent of

Rights & Responsibilities. Personnel Management Module.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Barker, Gale; And Others

This module on rights and responsibilities is intended to introduce the hospitality manager or supervisor to sound personnel management practices that comply with the law. The material is presented in a self-instructional format in seven sections. At the beginning of each section is a statement of the objectives that will be achieved as a result…

Maintaining Low Voiding Solder Die Attach for Power Die While Minimizing Die Tilt

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

Hamm, Randy; Peterson, Kenneth A.

2015-10-01

This paper addresses work to minimize voiding and die tilt in solder attachment of a large power die, measuring 9.0 mm X 6.5 mm X 0.1 mm (0.354” x 0.256” x 0.004”), to a heat spreader. As demands for larger high power die continue, minimizing voiding and die tilt is of interest for improved die functionality, yield, manufacturability, and reliability. High-power die generate considerable heat, which is important to dissipate effectively through control of voiding under high thermal load areas of the die while maintaining a consistent bondline (minimizing die tilt). Voiding was measured using acoustic imaging and die tiltmore » was measured using two different optical measurement systems. 80Au-20Sn solder reflow was achieved using a batch vacuum solder system with optimized fixturing. Minimizing die tilt proved to be the more difficult of the two product requirements to meet. Process development variables included tooling, weight and solder preform thickness.« less

Response functions for sine- and square-wave modulations of disparity.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Richards, W.

1972-01-01

Depth sensations cannot be elicited by modulations of disparity that are more rapid than about 6 Hz, regardless of the modulation amplitude. Vergence tracking also fails at similar modulation rates, suggesting that this portion of the oculomotor system is limited by the behavior of disparity detectors. For sinusoidal modulations of disparity between 1/2 to 2 deg of disparity, most depth-response functions exhibit a low-frequency decrease that is not observed with square-wave modulations of disparity.

Accurate defect die placement and nuisance defect reduction for reticle die-to-die inspections

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen, Vincent; Huang, L. R.; Lin, C. J.; Tseng, Y. N.; Huang, W. H.; Tuo, Laurent C.; Wylie, Mark; Chen, Ellison; Wang, Elvik; Glasser, Joshua; Kelkar, Amrish; Wu, David

2015-10-01

Die-to-die reticle inspections are among the simplest and most sensitive reticle inspections because of the use of an identical-design neighboring-die for the reference image. However, this inspection mode can have two key disadvantages: (1) The location of the defect is indeterminate because it is unclear to the inspector whether the test or reference image is defective; and (2) nuisance and false defects from mask manufacturing noise and tool optical variation can limit the usable sensitivity. The use of a new sequencing approach for a die-to-die inspection can resolve these issues without any additional scan time, without sacrifice in sensitivity requirement, and with a manageable increase in computation load. In this paper we explore another approach for die-to-die inspections using a new method of defect processing and sequencing. Utilizing die-to-die double arbitration during defect detection has been proven through extensive testing to generate accurate placement of the defect in the correct die to ensure efficient defect disposition at the AIMS step. The use of this method maintained the required inspection sensitivity for mask quality as verified with programmed-defectmask qualification and then further validated with production masks comparing the current inspection approach to the new method. Furthermore, this approach can significantly reduce the total number of defects that need to be reviewed by essentially eliminating the nuisance and false defects that can result from a die-to-die inspection. This "double-win" will significantly reduce the effort in classifying a die-to-die inspection result and will lead to improved cycle times.

Regulating the ethylene response of a plant by modulation of F-box proteins

DOEpatents

Guo, Hongwei [Beijing, CN; Ecker, Joseph R [Carlsbad, CA

2014-01-07

The relationship between F-box proteins and proteins invovled in the ethylene response in plants is described. In particular, F-box proteins may bind to proteins involved in the ethylene response and target them for degradation by the ubiquitin/proteasome pathway. The transcription factor EIN3 is a key transcription factor mediating ethylne-regulated gene expression and morphological responses. EIN3 is degraded through a ubiquitin/proteasome pathway mediated by F-box proteins EBF1 and EBF2. The link between F-box proteins and the ethylene response is a key step in modulating or regulating the response of a plant to ethylene. Described herein are transgenic plants having an altered sensitivity to ethylene, and methods for making transgenic plant haing an althered sensitivity to ethylene by modulating the level of activity of F-box proteins. Methods of altering the ethylene response in a plant by modulating the activity or expression of an F-box protein are described. Also described are methods of identifying compounds that modulate the ethylene response in plants by modulating the level of F-box protein expression or activity.

Study of response nonuniformity for the LHCb calorimeter module and the prototype of the CBM calorimeter module

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

Korolko, I. E.; Prokudin, M. S.

A spatial nonuniformity of the response to high-energy muons is studied in the modules of the LHCb electromagnetic calorimeter and the prototype of the calorimeter module with lead plates and scintillator tiles 0.5 mm thick. The nonuniformity of the response of the inner LHCb modules to 50-GeV electrons is also measured. Software is developed for a thorough simulation of light collection in scintillator plates of a shashlik calorimeter. A model is elaborated to describe light transmission from the initial scintillation to the wavelength-shifting fiber with a subsequent reradiation and propagation of light over the fiber to the photodetector. The resultsmore » of the simulation are in good agreement with data.« less

[Dying and death in societal transformation].

PubMed

Heller, Andreas; Wegleitner, Klaus

2017-01-01

Dying and death in modern societies are subject to profound social, professional and cultural-religious changes. Secularization and a stronger differentiation of societies have led to a change in the way humans handle the dying process. Normatively ritualized collective behaviour has been replaced by an individual, subjectivized approach. In late modern societies there are many different views of what "successful" or "good" dying means.In the article this change is described by the following seven theses: 1. We live longer and we die longer. 2. We no longer die suddenly and unexpectedly but slowly and foreseeably. 3. Even though our biological life on earth has become longer, our life has been shortened by the loss of eternity. 4. We no longer die on the stage of ritualized relationships with our family and neighbours but behind the curtains of organizations. 5. We live and die in a society of organizations and have to get organized for the final phase of our life. 6. Living and dying are no large, state-owned enterprises but small, private enterprises. 7. The hospice movement as well as palliative medicine have created public awareness, made dying a matter of discussion and offered a new set of options.In late modernism end-of-life care requires new approaches based on individual and shared responsibility as well as cooperation between professional institutions and community-based voluntary care.A change towards community care is visible. Thus "dying" is a topic in the discussion about the future of public health and societal solidarity.

Ring modulator small-signal response analysis based on pole-zero representation.

PubMed

Karimelahi, Samira; Sheikholeslami, Ali

2016-04-04

We present a closed-form expression for the small-signal response of a depletion-mode ring modulator and verify it by measurement results. Both electrical and optical behavior of micro-ring modulator as well as the loss variation due to the index modulation is considered in the derivation. This expression suggests that a ring modulator is a third-order system with one real pole, one zero and a pair of complex-conjugate poles. The exact positions of the poles/zero are given and shown to be dependent upon parameters such as electrical bandwidth, coupling condition, optical loss, and sign/value of laser detunings. We show that the location of zero is different for positive and negative detuning, and therefore, the ring modulator frequency response is asymmetric. We use the gain-bandwidth product as a figure of merit and calculate it for various pole/zero locations. We show that gain-bandwidth for the over-coupled ring modulator is superior compared to other coupling conditions. Also, we show that the gain-bandwidth product can be increased to a limit by increasing the electrical bandwidth.

Modulation of taste responsiveness by the satiation hormone peptide YY

PubMed Central

La Sala, Michael S.; Hurtado, Maria D.; Brown, Alicia R.; Bohórquez, Diego V.; Liddle, Rodger A.; Herzog, Herbert; Zolotukhin, Sergei; Dotson, Cedrick D.

2013-01-01

It has been hypothesized that the peripheral taste system may be modulated in the context of an animal's metabolic state. One purported mechanism for this phenomenon is that circulating gastrointestinal peptides modulate the functioning of the peripheral gustatory system. Recent evidence suggests endocrine signaling in the oral cavity can influence food intake (FI) and satiety. We hypothesized that these hormones may be affecting FI by influencing taste perception. We used immunohistochemistry along with genetic knockout models and the specific reconstitution of peptide YY (PYY) in saliva using gene therapy protocols to identify a role for PYY signaling in taste. We show that PYY is expressed in subsets of taste cells in murine taste buds. We also show, using brief-access testing with PYY knockouts, that PYY signaling modulates responsiveness to bitter-tasting stimuli, as well as to lipid emulsions. We show that salivary PYY augmentation, via viral vector therapy, rescues behavioral responsiveness to a lipid emulsion but not to bitter stimuli and that this response is likely mediated via activation of Y2 receptors localized apically in taste cells. Our findings suggest distinct functions for PYY produced locally in taste cells vs. that circulating systemically.—La Sala, M. S., Hurtado, M. D., Brown, A. R., Bohórquez, D. V., Liddle, R. A., Herzog, H., Zolotukhin, S., Dotson, C. D. Modulation of taste responsiveness by the satiation hormone peptide YY. PMID:24043261

Generals die in friendly fire, or modeling immune response to HIV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rouzine, Igor M.; Murali-Krishna, Kaja; Ahmed, Rafi

2005-12-01

We develop a kinetic model for CD8 T lymphocytes (CTL) whose purpose is to kill cells infected with viruses and intracellular parasites. Using a set of first-order nonlinear differential equations, the model predicts how numbers of different cell types involved in CTL response depend on time. The model postulates that CTL response requires continuous presence of professional antigen-presenting cells (APC) comprised of macrophages and dendritic cells. It assumes that any virus present in excess of a threshold level activates APC that, in turn, activate CTL that expand in number and become armed "effector" cells. In the end, APC are deactivated after virus is cleared. The lack of signal from APC causes effector cells to differentiate, by default, into "transitory cells" that either die, or, in a small part, become long-lived memory cells. Viruses capable of infecting APC will cause premature retirement of effector CTL. If transitory cells encounter virus, which takes place after the premature depletion, CTL become anergic (unresponsive to external stimuli). The model is designed to fit recent experiments on primary CTL response to simian immunodeficiency virus closely related to HIV and lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus. The two viruses are known to infect APC and make them targets for CTL they are supposed to control. Both viruses cause premature depletion and anergy of CTL and persist in the host for life.

Differential die-away analysis system response modeling and detector design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jordan, K. A.; Gozani, T.; Vujic, J.

2008-05-01

Differential die-away-analysis (DDAA) is a sensitive technique to detect presence of fissile materials such as 235U and 239Pu. DDAA uses a high-energy (14 MeV) pulsed neutron generator to interrogate a shipping container. The signature is a fast neutron signal hundreds of microseconds after the cessation of the neutron pulse. This fast neutron signal has decay time identical to the thermal neutron diffusion decay time of the inspected cargo. The theoretical aspects of a cargo inspection system based on the differential die-away technique are explored. A detailed mathematical model of the system is developed, and experimental results validating this model are presented.

Welcome to My House: African American and European American Students' Responses to Virginia Hamilton's "House of Dies Drear."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spears-Bunton, Linda A.

1990-01-01

Addresses the relationship between reader response and culture. Presents portraits of a teacher and her Black students and White students as they studied a series of African American literary texts, including Virginia Hamilton's "House of Dies Drear" (1968). The reading of this text marked a turning point for the teacher and students.…

The Waukesha Turbocharger Control Module: A tool for improved engine efficiency and response

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

Zurlo, J.R.; Reinbold, E.O.; Mueller, J.

1996-12-31

The Waukesha Turbocharger Control Module allows optimum control of turbochargers on lean burn gaseous fueled engines. The Turbocharger Control Module is user programmed to provide either maximum engine efficiency or best engine response to load changes. In addition, the Turbocharger Control Module prevents undesirable turbocharger surge. The Turbocharger Control Module consists of an electronic control box, engine speed, intake manifold pressure, ambient temperature sensors, and electric actuators driving compressor bypass and wastegate valves. The Turbocharger Control Module expands the steady state operational environment of the Waukesha AT27GL natural gas engine from sea level to 1,525 m altitude with one turbochargermore » match and improves the engine speed turn down by 80 RPM. Finally, the Turbocharger Control Module improves engine response to load changes.« less

Prolonging dying is the same as prolonging living--one more response to Long.

PubMed Central

Kuhse, H; Singer, P

1991-01-01

In earlier publications, we had argued that Paul Ramsey is inconsistent because he simultaneously asserts that (i) 'all our days and years are of equal worth' and (ii) 'that it is permissible to refrain from prolonging the lives of some dying patients'. Thomas Long has suggested that we have not shown that Paul Ramsey is inconsistent. Ramsey and we, he holds, start from incommensurable metaphysical views: for Ramsey, the dying process has religious significance--God is calling his servant home. While it is normally a good thing to keep a patient alive, it would, for Ramsey, show deafness to God's call to keep a dying patient alive. It is true we do not share Paul Ramsey's religious views. It is, however, not necessary to rely on any particular metaphysical views to refute Ramsey's position. For Ramsey's view to be internally consistent, Ramsey would have to be able to distinguish between dying and non-dying patients. We examine some of Ramsey's examples and show that his practical judgements do not allow us to draw this distinction. This means that, contra Long, we hold fast to our charge that Ramsey's view is inconsistent. PMID:1787522

Modulation of neuronal responses during covert search for visual feature conjunctions

PubMed Central

Buracas, Giedrius T.; Albright, Thomas D.

2009-01-01

While searching for an object in a visual scene, an observer's attentional focus and eye movements are often guided by information about object features and spatial locations. Both spatial and feature-specific attention are known to modulate neuronal responses in visual cortex, but little is known of the dynamics and interplay of these mechanisms as visual search progresses. To address this issue, we recorded from directionally selective cells in visual area MT of monkeys trained to covertly search for targets defined by a unique conjunction of color and motion features and to signal target detection with an eye movement to the putative target. Two patterns of response modulation were observed. One pattern consisted of enhanced responses to targets presented in the receptive field (RF). These modulations occurred at the end-stage of search and were more potent during correct target identification than during erroneous saccades to a distractor in RF, thus suggesting that this modulation is not a mere presaccadic enhancement. A second pattern of modulation was observed when RF stimuli were nontargets that shared a feature with the target. The latter effect was observed during early stages of search and is consistent with a global feature-specific mechanism. This effect often terminated before target identification, thus suggesting that it interacts with spatial attention. This modulation was exhibited not only for motion but also for color cue, although MT neurons are known to be insensitive to color. Such cue-invariant attentional effects may contribute to a feature binding mechanism acting across visual dimensions. PMID:19805385

Modulation of neuronal responses during covert search for visual feature conjunctions.

PubMed

Buracas, Giedrius T; Albright, Thomas D

2009-09-29

While searching for an object in a visual scene, an observer's attentional focus and eye movements are often guided by information about object features and spatial locations. Both spatial and feature-specific attention are known to modulate neuronal responses in visual cortex, but little is known of the dynamics and interplay of these mechanisms as visual search progresses. To address this issue, we recorded from directionally selective cells in visual area MT of monkeys trained to covertly search for targets defined by a unique conjunction of color and motion features and to signal target detection with an eye movement to the putative target. Two patterns of response modulation were observed. One pattern consisted of enhanced responses to targets presented in the receptive field (RF). These modulations occurred at the end-stage of search and were more potent during correct target identification than during erroneous saccades to a distractor in RF, thus suggesting that this modulation is not a mere presaccadic enhancement. A second pattern of modulation was observed when RF stimuli were nontargets that shared a feature with the target. The latter effect was observed during early stages of search and is consistent with a global feature-specific mechanism. This effect often terminated before target identification, thus suggesting that it interacts with spatial attention. This modulation was exhibited not only for motion but also for color cue, although MT neurons are known to be insensitive to color. Such cue-invariant attentional effects may contribute to a feature binding mechanism acting across visual dimensions.

Integrin-directed modulation of macrophage responses to biomaterials.

PubMed

Zaveri, Toral D; Lewis, Jamal S; Dolgova, Natalia V; Clare-Salzler, Michael J; Keselowsky, Benjamin G

2014-04-01

Macrophages are the primary mediator of chronic inflammatory responses to implanted biomaterials, in cases when the material is either in particulate or bulk form. Chronic inflammation limits the performance and functional life of numerous implanted medical devices, and modulating macrophage interactions with biomaterials to mitigate this response would be beneficial. The integrin family of cell surface receptors mediates cell adhesion through binding to adhesive proteins nonspecifically adsorbed onto biomaterial surfaces. In this work, the roles of integrin Mac-1 (αMβ2) and RGD-binding integrins were investigated using model systems for both particulate and bulk biomaterials. Specifically, the macrophage functions of phagocytosis and inflammatory cytokine secretion in response to a model particulate material, polystyrene microparticles were investigated. Opsonizing proteins modulated microparticle uptake, and integrin Mac-1 and RGD-binding integrins were found to control microparticle uptake in an opsonin-dependent manner. The presence of adsorbed endotoxin did not affect microparticle uptake levels, but was required for the production of inflammatory cytokines in response to microparticles. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that integrin Mac-1 and RGD-binding integrins influence the in vivo foreign body response to a bulk biomaterial, subcutaneously implanted polyethylene terephthalate. A thinner foreign body capsule was formed when integrin Mac-1 was absent (~30% thinner) or when RGD-binding integrins were blocked by controlled release of a blocking peptide (~45% thinner). These findings indicate integrin Mac-1 and RGD-binding integrins are involved and may serve as therapeutic targets to mitigate macrophage inflammatory responses to both particulate and bulk biomaterials. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Optically addressed and submillisecond response phase only liquid crystal spatial light modulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Xiangjie; Duan, Jiazhu; Zhang, Dayong; Luo, Yongquan

2014-10-01

Liquid crystal based phase only spatial light modulator has attracted many research interests since last decades because of its superior advantage. Until now the liquid crystal spatial light modulator has been applied in many fields, but the response speed of nematic LC limited its further application. In this paper, an optically addressed phase only LC spatial light modulator was proposed based on polymer network liquid crystal. Morphology effect on the light scattering of PNLC was studied, which was mainly consisted of fiber and fiber bundles. The morphology nearly determined the light scattering and electro-optical property. Due to the high threshold voltage, to address the PNLC phase modulator was also concerned. Optical addressing method was proposed, in which BSO crystal was selected to replace one of the glass substrate. The response speed of PNLC was so fast that the reorientation of liquid crystal director will follow the change of effective voltage applied on LC layer, which was related with the voltage signal and especially with electron transport of photo-induced carriers due to diffusion and drift. The on state dynamic response of phase change was investigated. Based on this device, beam steering was also achieved by loading 488nm laser strip on the optical addressed phase only spatial light modulator.

Packaged die heater

DOEpatents

Spielberger, Richard; Ohme, Bruce Walker; Jensen, Ronald J.

2011-06-21

A heater for heating packaged die for burn-in and heat testing is described. The heater may be a ceramic-type heater with a metal filament. The heater may be incorporated into the integrated circuit package as an additional ceramic layer of the package, or may be an external heater placed in contact with the package to heat the die. Many different types of integrated circuit packages may be accommodated. The method provides increased energy efficiency for heating the die while reducing temperature stresses on testing equipment. The method allows the use of multiple heaters to heat die to different temperatures. Faulty die may be heated to weaken die attach material to facilitate removal of the die. The heater filament or a separate temperature thermistor located in the package may be used to accurately measure die temperature.

Millivolt Modulation of Plasmonic Metasurface Optical Response via Ionic Conductance.

PubMed

Thyagarajan, Krishnan; Sokhoyan, Ruzan; Zornberg, Leonardo; Atwater, Harry A

2017-08-01

A plasmonic metasurface with an electrically tunable optical response that operates at strikingly low modulation voltages is experimentally demonstrated. The fabricated metasurface shows up to 30% relative change in reflectance in the visible spectral range upon application of 5 mV and 78% absolute change in reflectance upon application of 100 mV of bias. The designed metasurface consists of nanostructured silver and indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes which are separated by 5 nm thick alumina. The millivolt-scale optical modulation is attributed to a new modulation mechanism, in which transport of silver ions through alumina dielectric leads to bias-induced nucleation and growth of silver nanoparticles in the ITO counter-electrode, altering the optical extinction response. This transport mechanism, which occurs at applied electric fields of 1 mV nm -1 , provides a new approach to use of ionic transport for electrical control over light-matter interactions. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Seeing red: affect modulation and chromatic color responses on the Rorschach.

PubMed

Malone, Johanna C; Stein, Michelle B; Slavin-Mulford, Jenelle; Bello, Iruma; Sinclair, S Justin; Blais, Mark A

2013-01-01

Psychoanalytic theories suggest that color perception on the Rorschach relates to affective modulation. However, this idea has minimal empirical support. Using a clinical sample, the authors explored the cognitive and clinical correlates of Rorschach color determinants and differences among four affective modulation subtypes: Controlled, Balanced, Under-Controlled, and Flooded. Subtypes were differentiated by measures of affective regulation, reality testing/confusion, and personality traits. Initial support for the relationship of chromatic color response styles and affective modulation was found.

Transcriptomics of the Vaccine Immune Response: Priming With Adjuvant Modulates Recall Innate Responses After Boosting.

PubMed

Santoro, Francesco; Pettini, Elena; Kazmin, Dmitri; Ciabattini, Annalisa; Fiorino, Fabio; Gilfillan, Gregor D; Evenroed, Ida M; Andersen, Peter; Pozzi, Gianni; Medaglini, Donata

2018-01-01

Transcriptomic profiling of the immune response induced by vaccine adjuvants is of critical importance for the rational design of vaccination strategies. In this study, transcriptomics was employed to profile the effect of the vaccine adjuvant used for priming on the immune response following re-exposure to the vaccine antigen alone. Mice were primed with the chimeric vaccine antigen H56 of Mycobacterium tuberculosis administered alone or with the CAF01 adjuvant and boosted with the antigen alone. mRNA sequencing was performed on blood samples collected 1, 2, and 7 days after priming and after boosting. Gene expression analysis at day 2 after priming showed that the CAF01 adjuvanted vaccine induced a stronger upregulation of the innate immunity modules compared with the unadjuvanted formulation. The immunostimulant effect of the CAF01 adjuvant, used in the primary immunization, was clearly seen after a booster immunization with a low dose of antigen alone. One day after boost, we observed a strong upregulation of multiple genes in blood of mice primed with H56 + CAF01 compared with mice primed with the H56 alone. In particular, blood transcription modules related to innate immune response, such as monocyte and neutrophil recruitment, activation of antigen-presenting cells, and interferon response were activated. Seven days after boost, differential expression of innate response genes faded while a moderate differential expression of T cell activation modules was appreciable. Indeed, immunological analysis showed a higher frequency of H56-specific CD4+ T cells and germinal center B cells in draining lymph nodes, a strong H56-specific humoral response and a higher frequency of antibody-secreting cells in spleen of mice primed with H56 + CAF01. Taken together, these data indicate that the adjuvant used for priming strongly reprograms the immune response that, upon boosting, results in a stronger recall innate response essential for shaping the downstream

A surface ice module for wind turbine dynamic response simulation using FAST

DOE PAGES

Yu, Bingbin; Karr, Dale G.; Song, Huimin; ...

2016-06-03

It is a fact that developing offshore wind energy has become more and more serious worldwide in recent years. Many of the promising offshore wind farm locations are in cold regions that may have ice cover during wintertime. The challenge of possible ice loads on offshore wind turbines raises the demand of modeling capacity of dynamic wind turbine response under the joint action of ice, wind, wave, and current. The simulation software FAST is an open source computer-aided engineering (CAE) package maintained by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. In this paper, a new module of FAST for assessing the dynamicmore » response of offshore wind turbines subjected to ice forcing is presented. In the ice module, several models are presented which involve both prescribed forcing and coupled response. For conditions in which the ice forcing is essentially decoupled from the structural response, ice forces are established from existing models for brittle and ductile ice failure. For conditions in which the ice failure and the structural response are coupled, such as lock-in conditions, a rate-dependent ice model is described, which is developed in conjunction with a new modularization framework for FAST. In this paper, analytical ice mechanics models are presented that incorporate ice floe forcing, deformation, and failure. For lower speeds, forces slowly build until the ice strength is reached and ice fails resulting in a quasi-static condition. For intermediate speeds, the ice failure can be coupled with the structural response and resulting in coinciding periods of the ice failure and the structural response. A third regime occurs at high speeds of encounter in which brittle fracturing of the ice feature occurs in a random pattern, which results in a random vibration excitation of the structure. An example wind turbine response is simulated under ice loading of each of the presented models. This module adds to FAST the capabilities for analyzing the response of wind

Human neuromagnetic steady-state responses to amplitude-modulated tones, speech, and music.

PubMed

Lamminmäki, Satu; Parkkonen, Lauri; Hari, Riitta

2014-01-01

Auditory steady-state responses that can be elicited by various periodic sounds inform about subcortical and early cortical auditory processing. Steady-state responses to amplitude-modulated pure tones have been used to scrutinize binaural interaction by frequency-tagging the two ears' inputs at different frequencies. Unlike pure tones, speech and music are physically very complex, as they include many frequency components, pauses, and large temporal variations. To examine the utility of magnetoencephalographic (MEG) steady-state fields (SSFs) in the study of early cortical processing of complex natural sounds, the authors tested the extent to which amplitude-modulated speech and music can elicit reliable SSFs. MEG responses were recorded to 90-s-long binaural tones, speech, and music, amplitude-modulated at 41.1 Hz at four different depths (25, 50, 75, and 100%). The subjects were 11 healthy, normal-hearing adults. MEG signals were averaged in phase with the modulation frequency, and the sources of the resulting SSFs were modeled by current dipoles. After the MEG recording, intelligibility of the speech, musical quality of the music stimuli, naturalness of music and speech stimuli, and the perceived deterioration caused by the modulation were evaluated on visual analog scales. The perceived quality of the stimuli decreased as a function of increasing modulation depth, more strongly for music than speech; yet, all subjects considered the speech intelligible even at the 100% modulation. SSFs were the strongest to tones and the weakest to speech stimuli; the amplitudes increased with increasing modulation depth for all stimuli. SSFs to tones were reliably detectable at all modulation depths (in all subjects in the right hemisphere, in 9 subjects in the left hemisphere) and to music stimuli at 50 to 100% depths, whereas speech usually elicited clear SSFs only at 100% depth.The hemispheric balance of SSFs was toward the right hemisphere for tones and speech, whereas

Motivational orientation modulates the neural response to reward.

PubMed

Linke, Julia; Kirsch, Peter; King, Andrea V; Gass, Achim; Hennerici, Michael G; Bongers, André; Wessa, Michèle

2010-02-01

Motivational orientation defines the source of motivation for an individual to perform a particular action and can either originate from internal desires (e.g., interest) or external compensation (e.g., money). To this end, motivational orientation should influence the way positive or negative feedback is processed during learning situations and this might in turn have an impact on the learning process. In the present study, we thus investigated whether motivational orientation, i.e., extrinsic and intrinsic motivation modulates the neural response to reward and punishment as well as learning from reward and punishment in 33 healthy individuals. To assess neural responses to reward, punishment and learning of reward contingencies we employed a probabilistic reversal learning task during functional magnetic resonance imaging. Extrinsic and intrinsic motivation were assessed with a self-report questionnaire. Rewarding trials fostered activation in the medial orbitofrontal cortex and anterior cingulate gyrus (ACC) as well as the amygdala and nucleus accumbens, whereas for punishment an increased neural response was observed in the medial and inferior prefrontal cortex, the superior parietal cortex and the insula. High extrinsic motivation was positively correlated to increased neural responses to reward in the ACC, amygdala and putamen, whereas a negative relationship between intrinsic motivation and brain activation in these brain regions was observed. These findings show that motivational orientation indeed modulates the responsiveness to reward delivery in major components of the human reward system and therefore extends previous results showing a significant influence of individual differences in reward-related personality traits on the neural processing of reward. Copyright (c) 2009 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

SPHERICAL DIE

DOEpatents

Livingston, J.P.

1959-01-27

A die is presented for pressing powdered materials into a hemispherical shape of uniforin density and wall thickness comprising a fcmale and male die element held in a stationary spaced relation with the space being equivalent to the wall thickness and defining the hemispherical shape, a pressing ring linearly moveable along the male die element, an inlet to fill the space with powdered materials, a guiding system for moving the pressing ring along the male die element so as to press the powdered material and a heating system for heating the male element so that the powdered material is heated while being pressed.

An NCME Instructional Module on Polytomous Item Response Theory Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Penfield, Randall David

2014-01-01

A polytomous item is one for which the responses are scored according to three or more categories. Given the increasing use of polytomous items in assessment practices, item response theory (IRT) models specialized for polytomous items are becoming increasingly common. The purpose of this ITEMS module is to provide an accessible overview of…

Modulation of V1 Spike Response by Temporal Interval of Spatiotemporal Stimulus Sequence

PubMed Central

Kim, Taekjun; Kim, HyungGoo R.; Kim, Kayeon; Lee, Choongkil

2012-01-01

The spike activity of single neurons of the primary visual cortex (V1) becomes more selective and reliable in response to wide-field natural scenes compared to smaller stimuli confined to the classical receptive field (RF). However, it is largely unknown what aspects of natural scenes increase the selectivity of V1 neurons. One hypothesis is that modulation by surround interaction is highly sensitive to small changes in spatiotemporal aspects of RF surround. Such a fine-tuned modulation would enable single neurons to hold information about spatiotemporal sequences of oriented stimuli, which extends the role of V1 neurons as a simple spatiotemporal filter confined to the RF. In the current study, we examined the hypothesis in the V1 of awake behaving monkeys, by testing whether the spike response of single V1 neurons is modulated by temporal interval of spatiotemporal stimulus sequence encompassing inside and outside the RF. We used two identical Gabor stimuli that were sequentially presented with a variable stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA): the preceding one (S1) outside the RF and the following one (S2) in the RF. This stimulus configuration enabled us to examine the spatiotemporal selectivity of response modulation from a focal surround region. Although S1 alone did not evoke spike responses, visual response to S2 was modulated for SOA in the range of tens of milliseconds. These results suggest that V1 neurons participate in processing spatiotemporal sequences of oriented stimuli extending outside the RF. PMID:23091631

Modulation of neonatal microbial recognition: TLR-mediated innate immune responses are specifically and differentially modulated by human milk.

PubMed

LeBouder, Emmanuel; Rey-Nores, Julia E; Raby, Anne-Catherine; Affolter, Michael; Vidal, Karine; Thornton, Catherine A; Labéta, Mario O

2006-03-15

The mechanisms controlling innate microbial recognition in the neonatal gut are still to be fully understood. We have sought specific regulatory mechanisms operating in human breast milk relating to TLR-mediated microbial recognition. In this study, we report a specific and differential modulatory effect of early samples (days 1-5) of breast milk on ligand-induced cell stimulation via TLRs. Although a negative modulation was exerted on TLR2 and TLR3-mediated responses, those via TLR4 and TLR5 were enhanced. This effect was observed in human adult and fetal intestinal epithelial cell lines, monocytes, dendritic cells, and PBMC as well as neonatal blood. In the latter case, milk compensated for the low capacity of neonatal plasma to support responses to LPS. Cell stimulation via the IL-1R or TNFR was not modulated by milk. This, together with the differential effect on TLR activation, suggested that the primary effect of milk is exerted upstream of signaling proximal to TLR ligand recognition. The analysis of TLR4-mediated gene expression, used as a model system, showed that milk modulated TLR-related genes differently, including those coding for signal intermediates and regulators. A proteinaceous milk component of > or =80 kDa was found to be responsible for the effect on TLR4. Notably, infant milk formulations did not reproduce the modulatory activity of breast milk. Together, these findings reveal an unrecognized function of human milk, namely, its capacity to influence neonatal microbial recognition by modulating TLR-mediated responses specifically and differentially. This in turn suggests the existence of novel mechanisms regulating TLR activation.

SU-E-T-97: Dependence Of Optically Stimulated Luminescent Dosimeter (OSLD) Out Of Field Response On Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy (VMAT) Field Modulation

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

Ware, S; Clouser, E

2014-06-01

Purpose: To determine the out of field response of Microstar ii OSLDs as a function of field modulation and distance in VMAT plan delivery. This work has potential application in fetal dose monitoring or measurements on cardiac pacemakers Methods: VMAT plans were created in Eclipse and optimized to varying degrees of modulation. Three plans were chosen to represent low, medium and high degrees of modulation (modulation factors as defined by MU/cGy). Plans were delivered to slabs of solid water with dimensions 60cm length, 30cm width, and 10cm height. For each modulation factor, 2 OSLDs were placed at 1cm depth withmore » out of field distances of 1, 2, 3, 5, 8 and 10cm and the plan delivered isocentrically to a depth of 5cm. This technique was repeated for a Farmer Chamber by incrementing the table by the appropriate distance. The charge readings for the Farmer Chamber were converted to dose and the ratios taken as functions of modulation factors and distances out of field Results: Examination of the results as a function of out of field distance shows a trend of increasing OSLD/Farmer Chamber ratios for all modulation factors. The slopes appear to be roughly equivalent for all modulation factors investigated. Results as a function of modulation showed a downward trend for all out of field distances, with the greatest differences seen at 5cm and 8cm Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the response of OSLD dosimeters change as a function of out of field distance and modulation. The differences seen are within the stated accuracy of the system for the out of field distances and modulations investigated. Additional investigation is warranted to see if the OSLD response changes appreciably with longer out of field distances or wider ranges of modulation.« less

Die Soldering in Aluminium Die Casting

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

Han, Q.; Kenik, E.A.; Viswanathan, S.

2000-03-15

Two types of tests, dipping tests and dip-coating tests were carried out on small steel cylinders using pure aluminum and 380 alloy to investigate the mechanism of die soldering during aluminum die casting. Optical and scanning electron microscopy were used to study the morphology and composition of the phases formed during soldering. A soldering mechanism is postulated based on experimental observations. A soldering critical temperature is postulated at which iron begins to react with aluminum to form an aluminum-rich liquid phase and solid intermetallic compounds. When the temperature at the die surface is higher than this critical temperature, the aluminum-richmore » phase is liquid and joins the die with the casting during the subsequent solidification. The paper discusses the mechanism of soldering for the case of pure aluminum and 380 alloy casting in a steel mold, the factors that promote soldering, and the strength of the bond formed when soldering occurs. conditions, an aluminum-rich soldering layer may also form over the intermetallic layer. Although a significant amount of research has been conducted on the nature of these intermetallics, little is known about the conditions under which soldering occurs.« less

Aggression differentially modulates brain responses to fearful and angry faces: an exploratory study.

PubMed

Lu, Hui; Wang, Yu; Xu, Shuang; Wang, Yifeng; Zhang, Ruiping; Li, Tsingan

2015-08-19

Aggression is reported to modulate neural responses to the threatening information. However, whether aggression can modulate neural response to different kinds of threatening facial expressions (angry and fearful expressions) remains unknown. Thus, event-related potentials were measured in individuals (13 high aggressive, 12 low aggressive) exposed to neutral, angry, and fearful facial expressions while performing a frame-distinguishing task, irrespective of the emotional valence of the expressions. Highly aggressive participants showed no distinct neural responses between the three facial expressions. In addition, compared with individuals with low aggression, highly aggressive individuals showed a decreased frontocentral response to fearful faces within 250-300 ms and to angry faces within 400-500 ms of exposure. These results indicate that fearful faces represent a more threatening signal requiring a quick cognitive response during the early stage of facial processing, whereas angry faces elicit a stronger response during the later processing stage because of its eminent emotional significance. The present results represent the first known evidence that aggression is associated with different neural responses to fearful and angry faces. By exploring the distinct temporal responses to fearful and angry faces modulated by aggression, this study more precisely characterizes the cognitive characteristics of aggressive individuals. Copyright © 2015 Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. All rights reserved.

Corticofugal modulation of peripheral auditory responses

PubMed Central

Terreros, Gonzalo; Delano, Paul H.

2015-01-01

The auditory efferent system originates in the auditory cortex and projects to the medial geniculate body (MGB), inferior colliculus (IC), cochlear nucleus (CN) and superior olivary complex (SOC) reaching the cochlea through olivocochlear (OC) fibers. This unique neuronal network is organized in several afferent-efferent feedback loops including: the (i) colliculo-thalamic-cortico-collicular; (ii) cortico-(collicular)-OC; and (iii) cortico-(collicular)-CN pathways. Recent experiments demonstrate that blocking ongoing auditory-cortex activity with pharmacological and physical methods modulates the amplitude of cochlear potentials. In addition, auditory-cortex microstimulation independently modulates cochlear sensitivity and the strength of the OC reflex. In this mini-review, anatomical and physiological evidence supporting the presence of a functional efferent network from the auditory cortex to the cochlear receptor is presented. Special emphasis is given to the corticofugal effects on initial auditory processing, that is, on CN, auditory nerve and cochlear responses. A working model of three parallel pathways from the auditory cortex to the cochlea and auditory nerve is proposed. PMID:26483647

Influence of impulsiveness on emotional modulation of response inhibition: An ERP study.

PubMed

Messerotti Benvenuti, Simone; Sarlo, Michela; Buodo, Giulia; Mento, Giovanni; Palomba, Daniela

2015-10-01

To examine how impulsiveness influences the emotional modulation of behavioral and neural correlates of response inhibition. Twenty-nine healthy individuals scoring high (HI, N=16) or low (LI, N=13) on motor impulsiveness performed an emotional Go/Nogo task, including the presentation of pleasant, neutral and unpleasant pictures. Behavioral [reaction times (RTs), accuracy to Go and Nogo trials] and neural (Nogo-N2 and Nogo-P3) correlates of response inhibition were compared between HI and LI groups. Larger Nogo-P3 was found for emotional than neutral stimuli in HI relative to LI group. Faster RTs to Go stimuli and lower accuracy to Nogo stimuli were correlated with larger Nogo-P3 in HI, but not LI, group. No significant interactions between emotion content and impulsiveness for Nogo-N2 and behavioral measures were noted. Impulsiveness influences the emotional modulation of response inhibition by potentiating the response tendencies evoked by the emotional stimuli. Accordingly, high impulsive individuals may need an increased and/or more effortful response inhibition in order to counteract the prepotent tendency to respond elicited by the combination of high trait impulsiveness and high emotional arousal. The present study suggests the importance to examine how pathological impulsiveness may interact with emotional arousal in modulating response inhibition. Copyright © 2014 International Federation of Clinical Neurophysiology. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Development and Evaluation of the SUMIT Microcomputer Module Entitled 'Predator Functional Response'.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shaltz, Mark B.

An experiment was conducted that compared the teaching effectiveness of a computer assisted instructional module and a lecture-discussion. The module, Predator Functional Response (PFR), was developed as part of the SUMIT (Single-concept User-adaptable Microcomputer-based Instructional Technique) project. A class of 30 students was randomly…

Response function of modulated grid Faraday cup plasma instruments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barnett, A.; Olbert, S.

1986-01-01

Modulated grid Faraday cup plasma analyzers are a very useful tool for making in situ measurements of space plasmas. One of their great attributes is that their simplicity permits their angular response function to be calculated theoretically. An expression is derived for this response function by computing the trajectories of the charged particles inside the cup. The Voyager plasma science experiment is used as a specific example. Two approximations to the rigorous response function useful for data analysis are discussed. Multisensor analysis of solar wind data indicates that the formulas represent the true cup response function for all angles of incidence with a maximum error of only a few percent.

Modulation of shark prey capture kinematics in response to sensory deprivation.

PubMed

Gardiner, Jayne M; Atema, Jelle; Hueter, Robert E; Motta, Philip J

2017-02-01

The ability of predators to modulate prey capture in response to the size, location, and behavior of prey is critical to successful feeding on a variety of prey types. Modulating in response to changes in sensory information may be critical to successful foraging in a variety of environments. Three shark species with different feeding morphologies and behaviors were filmed using high-speed videography while capturing live prey: the ram-feeding blacktip shark, the ram-biting bonnethead, and the suction-feeding nurse shark. Sharks were examined intact and after sensory information was blocked (olfaction, vision, mechanoreception, and electroreception, alone and in combination), to elucidate the contribution of the senses to the kinematics of prey capture. In response to sensory deprivation, the blacktip shark demonstrated the greatest amount of modulation, followed by the nurse shark. In the absence of olfaction, blacktip sharks open the jaws slowly, suggestive of less motivation. Without lateral line cues, blacktip sharks capture prey from greater horizontal angles using increased ram. When visual cues are absent, blacktip sharks elevate the head earlier and to a greater degree, allowing them to overcome imprecise position of the prey relative to the mouth, and capture prey using decreased ram, while suction remains unchanged. When visual cues are absent, nurse sharks open the mouth wider, extend the labial cartilages further, and increase suction while simultaneously decreasing ram. Unlike some bony fish, neither species switches feeding modalities (i.e. from ram to suction or vice versa). Bonnetheads failed to open the mouth when electrosensory cues were blocked, but otherwise little to no modulation was found in this species. These results suggest that prey capture may be less plastic in elasmobranchs than in bony fishes, possibly due to anatomical differences, and that the ability to modulate feeding kinematics in response to available sensory information varies

Opposite Effects of Stress on Pain Modulation Depend on the Magnitude of Individual Stress Response.

PubMed

Geva, Nirit; Defrin, Ruth

2018-04-01

The effect of acute stress on pain threshold and intolerance threshold are reported as producing either hypoalgesia or hyperalgesia. Yet, the contribution of individual stress reactivity in this respect has not been established. The aim was to test 2 pain modulation paradigms under acute stress manipulation, to our knowledge, for the first time, to study whether stress differentially affects pain modulation, and whether the effect is related to individual stress response. Participants were 31 healthy subjects. Conditioned pain modulation (CPM) and pain adaptation were measured before and after inducing an acute stress response using the Montreal Imaging Stress Task. Subjects' stress response was evaluated according to salivary cortisol, autonomic function, and perceived stress and anxiety. The Montreal Imaging Stress Task induced a validated stress response. On a group level, stress induced reduction in CPM magnitude and increase in pain adaptation compared with baseline. These responses correlated with stress reactivity. When the group was subdivided according to stress reactivity, only high stress responders exhibited reduced CPM whereas only low stress responders exhibited increased pain adaptation. The results suggest that acute stress may induce opposite effects on pain modulation, depending on individual stress reactivity magnitude, with an advantage to low stress responders. This study evaluated the effect of acute stress on pain modulation. Pain modulation under stress is affected by individual stress responsiveness; decreased CPM occurs in high stress responders whereas increased pain adaptation occurs in low stress responders. Identification of high stress responders may promote better pain management. Copyright © 2017 The American Pain Society. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Charge distribution and response time for a modulation-doped extrinsic infrared detector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hadek, Victor

1987-01-01

The electric charge distribution and response time of a modulation-doped extrinsic infrared detector are determined. First, it is demonstrated theoretically that the photoconductive layer is effectively depleted of ionized majority-impurity charges so that scattering is small and mobility is high for photogenerated carriers. Then, using parameters appropriate to an actual detector, the predicted response time is 10 to the -8th to about 10 to the -9th s, which is much faster than comparable conventional detectors. Thus, the modulation-doped detector design would be valuable for heterodyne applications.

HIGH PRESSURE DIES

DOEpatents

Wilson, W.B.

1960-05-31

A press was invented for subjecting specimens of bismuth, urania, yttria, or thoria to high pressures and temperatures. The press comprises die parts enclosing a space in which is placed an electric heater thermally insulated from the die parts so as not to damage them by heat. The die parts comprise two opposed inner frustoconical parts and an outer part having a double frustoconical recess receiving the inner parts. The die space decreases in size as the inner die parts move toward one another against the outer part and the inner parts, though very hard, do not fracture because of the mode of support provided by the outer part.

Development, implementation and evaluation of a terminal and hospice care educational online module for preclinical students.

PubMed

Tse, Chung Sang; Ellman, Matthew S

2017-03-01

To explore the application of an online learning tool to teach preclinical medical students terminal and hospice care in a blended curricula. We created and evaluated a 30 min interactive online module at the Yale School of Medicine. Second-year medical students were randomly assigned to complete the online module or not (control group) prior to attending a required half-day hospice clinical experience. We assessed the students' knowledge and attitudes with a 23-item survey. 152 students (response rate 51%) participated in this study from 2012 to 2014. 56% (n=85) completed the online module, 37% (n=56) did not and 7% (n=11) did not indicate whether they had completed the module or not. Students who completed the online module prior to the hospice experience scored higher (p<0.05, two-way analysis of variance) on 5 out of 8 of the multiple choice questions pertaining to hospice and palliative care, but their attitudes were similar to those who did not complete the online module. Overall, the students felt somewhat uncomfortable caring for dying patients although they regarded it as a physician's duty and felt that palliative/hospice care education is important in medical school. When combined with a mentored clinical hospice experience, an online module appears to enhance the teaching of the dying process and terminal care for preclinical medical students. This online module may prove useful for other institutions. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Influence of die geometry and material selection on the behavior of protective die covers in closed-die forging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Yingyan; Rosenstock, Dirk; Wolfgarten, Martin; Hirt, Gerhard

2016-10-01

Due to the fact that tooling costs make up to 30% of total costs of the final forged part, the tool life is always one main research topic in closed-die forging [1]. To improve the wear resistance of forging dies, many methods like nitriding and deposition of ceramic layers have been used. However, all these methods will lose its effect after a certain time, then tool repair or exchange is needed, which requires additional time and costs. A new method, which applies an inexpensive and changeable sheet metal on the forging die to protect it from abrasive wear, was firstly proposed in [2]. According to the first investigation, the die cover is effective for decreasing thermal and mechanical loads, but there are still several challenges to overcome in this concept, like wrinkling and thinning of the die cover. Therefore, an experimental study using different geometries and die cover materials is presented within this work. The results indicate the existence of feasible application cases of this concept, since conditions are found under which a die cover made of 22MnB5 still keeps its original shape even after 7 forging cycles.

Using Module Analysis for Multiple Choice Responses: A New Method Applied to Force Concept Inventory Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brewe, Eric; Bruun, Jesper; Bearden, Ian G.

2016-01-01

We describe "Module Analysis for Multiple Choice Responses" (MAMCR), a new methodology for carrying out network analysis on responses to multiple choice assessments. This method is used to identify modules of non-normative responses which can then be interpreted as an alternative to factor analysis. MAMCR allows us to identify conceptual…

Response to "Exploring the Religious-Spiritual Needs of the Dying."

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holden, Janice Miner

1993-01-01

Responds to previous article by Douglas C. Smith on exploring the religious-spiritual needs of the dying in which Smith presents psychosocial tools than can be used to assess, examine, and amplify client's religious-spiritual strengths. Compares Smith's work to classic values clarification, addresses issues of counselor judgment and informed…

Dissociable neural response signatures for slow amplitude and frequency modulation in human auditory cortex.

PubMed

Henry, Molly J; Obleser, Jonas

2013-01-01

Natural auditory stimuli are characterized by slow fluctuations in amplitude and frequency. However, the degree to which the neural responses to slow amplitude modulation (AM) and frequency modulation (FM) are capable of conveying independent time-varying information, particularly with respect to speech communication, is unclear. In the current electroencephalography (EEG) study, participants listened to amplitude- and frequency-modulated narrow-band noises with a 3-Hz modulation rate, and the resulting neural responses were compared. Spectral analyses revealed similar spectral amplitude peaks for AM and FM at the stimulation frequency (3 Hz), but amplitude at the second harmonic frequency (6 Hz) was much higher for FM than for AM. Moreover, the phase delay of neural responses with respect to the full-band stimulus envelope was shorter for FM than for AM. Finally, the critical analysis involved classification of single trials as being in response to either AM or FM based on either phase or amplitude information. Time-varying phase, but not amplitude, was sufficient to accurately classify AM and FM stimuli based on single-trial neural responses. Taken together, the current results support the dissociable nature of cortical signatures of slow AM and FM. These cortical signatures potentially provide an efficient means to dissect simultaneously communicated slow temporal and spectral information in acoustic communication signals.

The Modulation of Adaptive Immune Responses by Bacterial Zwitterionic Polysaccharides

PubMed Central

Stephen, Tom Li; Groneck, Laura; Kalka-Moll, Wiltrud Maria

2010-01-01

The detection of pathogen-derived molecules as foreign particles by adaptive immune cells triggers T and B lymphocytes to mount protective cellular and humoral responses, respectively. Recent immunological advances elucidated that proteins and some lipids are the principle biological molecules that induce protective T cell responses during microbial infections. Polysaccharides are important components of microbial pathogens and many vaccines. However, research concerning the activation of the adaptive immune system by polysaccharides gained interest only recently. Traditionally, polysaccharides were considered to be T cell-independent antigens that did not directly activate T cells or induce protective immune responses. Here, we review several recent advances in “carbohydrate immunobiology”. A group of bacterial polysaccharides that are known as “zwitterionic polysaccharides (ZPSs)” were recently identified as potent immune modulators. The immunomodulatory effect of ZPSs required antigen processing and presentation by antigen presenting cells, the activation of CD4 T cells and subpopulations of CD8 T cells and the modulation of host cytokine responses. In this review, we also discuss the potential use of these unique immunomodulatory ZPSs in new vaccination strategies against chronic inflammatory conditions, autoimmunity, infectious diseases, allergies and asthmatic conditions. PMID:21234388

Die Sonne.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

der Time-Life Bücher, Redaktion

Contents: 1. Das Antlitz der Sonne. Ein kosmisches Kraftwerk. 2. Erforschung des Innern. Die Beobachtung des Zentralgestirns. 3. Der unstete Nachbar. Geschenke des Sonnenlichts. 4. Ein endloser Partikelstrom. Die Kraft eines solaren Sturms.

Alcohol Modulation of the Post Burn Hepatic Response

PubMed Central

Chen, Michael M; Carter, Stewart R; Curtis, Brenda J; O’Halloran, Eileen B; Gamelli, Richard L; Kovacs, Elizabeth J

2015-01-01

The widespread and rapidly increasing trend of binge drinking is accompanied by a concomitant rise in the prevalence of trauma patients under the influence of alcohol at the time of their injury. Epidemiologic evidence suggests up to half of all adult burn patients are intoxicated at the time of admission and the presence of alcohol is an independent risk factor for death in the early stages post burn. As the major site of alcohol metabolism and toxicity, the liver is a critical determinant of post burn outcome and experimental evidence implies an injury threshold exists beyond which burn-induced hepatic derangement is observed. Alcohol may lower this threshold for post burn hepatic damage through a variety of mechanisms including modulation of extrahepatic events, alteration of the gut-liver axis, and changes in signaling pathways. The direct and indirect effects of alcohol may prime the liver for the second-hit of many overlapping physiologic responses to burn injury. In an effort to gain a deeper understanding of how alcohol potentiates post burn hepatic damage, we summarize possible mechanisms by which alcohol modulates the post burn hepatic response. PMID:26284631

Liquid jet response to internal modulated ultrasonic radiation pressure and stimulated drop production.

PubMed

Lonzaga, Joel B; Osterhoudt, Curtis F; Thiessen, David B; Marston, Philip L

2007-06-01

Experimental evidence shows that a liquid jet in air is an acoustic waveguide having a cutoff frequency inversely proportional to the jet diameter. Ultrasound applied to the jet supply liquid can propagate within the jet when the acoustic frequency is near to or above the cutoff frequency. Modulated radiation pressure is used to stimulate large amplitude deformations and the breakup of the jet into drops. The jet response to the modulated internal ultrasonic radiation pressure was monitored along the jet using (a) an optical extinction method and (b) images captured by a video camera. The jet profile oscillates at the frequency of the radiation pressure modulation and where the response is small, the amplitude was found to increase in proportion to the square of the acoustic pressure amplitude as previously demonstrated for oscillating drops [P.L. Marston and R.E. Apfel, J. Acoust. Soc. Am. 67, 27-37 (1980)]. Small amplitude deformations initially grow approximately exponentially with axial distance along the jet. Though aspects of the perturbation growth can be approximated from Rayleigh's analysis of the capillary instability, some detailed features of the observed jet response to modulated ultrasound are unexplained neglecting the effects of gravity.

Optimization of coherent optical OFDM transmitter using DP-IQ modulator with nonlinear response

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, Sun Hyok; Kang, Hun-Sik; Moon, Sang-Rok; Lee, Joon Ki

2016-07-01

In this paper, we investigate the performance of dual polarization orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (DP-OFDM) signal generation when the signal is generated by a DP-IQ optical modulator. The DP-IQ optical modulator is made of four parallel Mach-Zehnder modulators (MZMs) which have nonlinear responses and limited extinction ratios. We analyze the effects of the MZM in the DP-OFDM signal generation by numerical simulation. The operating conditions of the DP-IQ modulator are optimized to have the best performance of the DP-OFDM signal.

Auditory steady-state responses in cochlear implant users: Effect of modulation frequency and stimulation artifacts.

PubMed

Gransier, Robin; Deprez, Hanne; Hofmann, Michael; Moonen, Marc; van Wieringen, Astrid; Wouters, Jan

2016-05-01

Previous studies have shown that objective measures based on stimulation with low-rate pulse trains fail to predict the threshold levels of cochlear implant (CI) users for high-rate pulse trains, as used in clinical devices. Electrically evoked auditory steady-state responses (EASSRs) can be elicited by modulated high-rate pulse trains, and can potentially be used to objectively determine threshold levels of CI users. The responsiveness of the auditory pathway of profoundly hearing-impaired CI users to modulation frequencies is, however, not known. In the present study we investigated the responsiveness of the auditory pathway of CI users to a monopolar 500 pulses per second (pps) pulse train modulated between 1 and 100 Hz. EASSRs to forty-three modulation frequencies, elicited at the subject's maximum comfort level, were recorded by means of electroencephalography. Stimulation artifacts were removed by a linear interpolation between a pre- and post-stimulus sample (i.e., blanking). The phase delay across modulation frequencies was used to differentiate between the neural response and a possible residual stimulation artifact after blanking. Stimulation artifacts were longer than the inter-pulse interval of the 500pps pulse train for recording electrodes ipsilateral to the CI. As a result the stimulation artifacts could not be removed by artifact removal on the bases of linear interpolation for recording electrodes ipsilateral to the CI. However, artifact-free responses could be obtained in all subjects from recording electrodes contralateral to the CI, when subject specific reference electrodes (Cz or Fpz) were used. EASSRs to modulation frequencies within the 30-50 Hz range resulted in significant responses in all subjects. Only a small number of significant responses could be obtained, during a measurement period of 5 min, that originate from the brain stem (i.e., modulation frequencies in the 80-100 Hz range). This reduced synchronized activity of brain stem

Oxytocin selectively modulates brain response to stimuli probing social synchrony.

PubMed

Levy, Jonathan; Goldstein, Abraham; Zagoory-Sharon, Orna; Weisman, Omri; Schneiderman, Inna; Eidelman-Rothman, Moranne; Feldman, Ruth

2016-01-01

The capacity to act collectively within groups has led to the survival and thriving of Homo sapiens. A central group collaboration mechanism is "social synchrony," the coordination of behavior during joint action among affiliative members, which intensifies under threat. Here, we tested brain response to vignettes depicting social synchrony among combat veterans trained for coordinated action and following life-threatening group experience, versus controls, as modulated by oxytocin (OT), a neuropeptide supporting social synchrony. Using a randomized, double-blind, within-subject design, 40 combat-trained and control male veterans underwent magnetoencephalography (MEG) twice following OT/placebo administration while viewing two social vignettes rated as highly synchronous: pleasant male social gathering and coordinated unit during combat. Both vignettes activated a wide response across the social brain in the alpha band; the combat scene triggered stronger activations. Importantly, OT effects were modulated by prior experience. Among combat veterans, OT attenuated the increased response to combat stimuli in the posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS) - a hub of social perception, action observation, and mentalizing - and enhanced activation in the inferior parietal lobule (IPL) to the pleasant social scene. Among controls, OT enhanced inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) response to combat cues, demonstrating selective OT effects on mirror-neuron and mentalizing networks. OT-enhanced mirror network activity was dampened in veterans reporting higher posttraumatic symptoms. Results demonstrate that the social brain responds online, via modulation of alpha rhythms, to stimuli probing social synchrony, particularly those involving threat to survival, and OT's enhancing versus anxiolytic effects are sensitive to salient experiences within social groups. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Die singulation method

DOEpatents

Swiler, Thomas P.; Garcia, Ernest J.; Francis, Kathryn M.

2013-06-11

A method is disclosed for singulating die from a semiconductor substrate (e.g. a semiconductor-on-insulator substrate or a bulk silicon substrate) containing an oxide layer (e.g. silicon dioxide or a silicate glass) and one or more semiconductor layers (e.g. monocrystalline or polycrystalline silicon) located above the oxide layer. The method etches trenches through the substrate and through each semiconductor layer about the die being singulated, with the trenches being offset from each other around at least a part of the die so that the oxide layer between the trenches holds the substrate and die together. The trenches can be anisotropically etched using a Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE) process. After the trenches are etched, the oxide layer between the trenches can be etched away with an HF etchant to singulate the die. A release fixture can be located near one side of the substrate to receive the singulated die.

Die singulation method

DOEpatents

Swiler, Thomas P [Albuquerque, NM; Garcia, Ernest J [Albuquerque, NM; Francis, Kathryn M [Rio Rancho, NM

2014-01-07

A method is disclosed for singulating die from a semiconductor substrate (e.g. a semiconductor-on-insulator substrate or a bulk silicon substrate) containing an oxide layer (e.g. silicon dioxide or a silicate glass) and one or more semiconductor layers (e.g. monocrystalline or polycrystalline silicon) located above the oxide layer. The method etches trenches through the substrate and through each semiconductor layer about the die being singulated, with the trenches being offset from each other around at least a part of the die so that the oxide layer between the trenches holds the substrate and die together. The trenches can be anisotropically etched using a Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE) process. After the trenches are etched, the oxide layer between the trenches can be etched away with a HF etchant to singulate the die. A release fixture can be located near one side of the substrate to receive the singulated die.

Tree die-off in response to global change-type drought: Mortality insights from a decade of plant water potential measurements

USGS Publications Warehouse

Breshears, D.D.; Myers, O.B.; Meyer, Clifton W.; Barnes, F.J.; Zou, C.B.; Allen, Craig D.; McDowell, N.G.; Pockman, W. T.

2009-01-01

Global climate change is projected to produce warmer, longer, and more frequent droughts, referred to here as “global change-type droughts”, which have the potential to trigger widespread tree die-off. However, drought-induced tree mortality cannot be predicted with confidence, because long-term field observations of plant water stress prior to, and culminating in, mortality are rare, precluding the development and testing of mechanisms. Here, we document plant water stress in two widely distributed, co-occurring species, piñon pine (Pinus edulis) and juniper (Juniperus monosperma), over more than a decade, leading up to regional-scale die-off of piñon pine trees in response to global change-related drought. Piñon leaf water potentials remained substantially below their zero carbon assimilation point for at least 10 months prior to dying, in contrast to those of juniper, which rarely dropped below their zero-assimilation point. These data suggest that piñon mortality was driven by protracted water stress, leading to carbon starvation and associated increases in susceptibility to other disturbances (eg bark beetles), a finding that should help to improve predictions of mortality during drought.

Reconstructing the spectrotemporal modulations of real-life sounds from fMRI response patterns

PubMed Central

Santoro, Roberta; Moerel, Michelle; De Martino, Federico; Valente, Giancarlo; Ugurbil, Kamil; Yacoub, Essa; Formisano, Elia

2017-01-01

Ethological views of brain functioning suggest that sound representations and computations in the auditory neural system are optimized finely to process and discriminate behaviorally relevant acoustic features and sounds (e.g., spectrotemporal modulations in the songs of zebra finches). Here, we show that modeling of neural sound representations in terms of frequency-specific spectrotemporal modulations enables accurate and specific reconstruction of real-life sounds from high-resolution functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) response patterns in the human auditory cortex. Region-based analyses indicated that response patterns in separate portions of the auditory cortex are informative of distinctive sets of spectrotemporal modulations. Most relevantly, results revealed that in early auditory regions, and progressively more in surrounding regions, temporal modulations in a range relevant for speech analysis (∼2–4 Hz) were reconstructed more faithfully than other temporal modulations. In early auditory regions, this effect was frequency-dependent and only present for lower frequencies (<∼2 kHz), whereas for higher frequencies, reconstruction accuracy was higher for faster temporal modulations. Further analyses suggested that auditory cortical processing optimized for the fine-grained discrimination of speech and vocal sounds underlies this enhanced reconstruction accuracy. In sum, the present study introduces an approach to embed models of neural sound representations in the analysis of fMRI response patterns. Furthermore, it reveals that, in the human brain, even general purpose and fundamental neural processing mechanisms are shaped by the physical features of real-world stimuli that are most relevant for behavior (i.e., speech, voice). PMID:28420788

Impaired early visual response modulations to spatial information in chronic schizophrenia

PubMed Central

Knebel, Jean-François; Javitt, Daniel C.; Murray, Micah M.

2011-01-01

Early visual processing stages have been demonstrated to be impaired in schizophrenia patients and their first-degree relatives. The amplitude and topography of the P1 component of the visual evoked potential (VEP) are both affected; the latter of which indicates alterations in active brain networks between populations. At least two issues remain unresolved. First, the specificity of this deficit (and suitability as an endophenotype) has yet to be established, with evidence for impaired P1 responses in other clinical populations. Second, it remains unknown whether schizophrenia patients exhibit intact functional modulation of the P1 VEP component; an aspect that may assist in distinguishing effects specific to schizophrenia. We applied electrical neuroimaging analyses to VEPs from chronic schizophrenia patients and healthy controls in response to variation in the parafoveal spatial extent of stimuli. Healthy controls demonstrated robust modulation of the VEP strength and topography as a function of the spatial extent of stimuli during the P1 component. By contrast, no such modulations were evident at early latencies in the responses from patients with schizophrenia. Source estimations localized these deficits to the left precuneus and medial inferior parietal cortex. These findings provide insights on potential underlying low-level impairments in schizophrenia. PMID:21764264

Nurses' views on legalising assisted dying in New Zealand: A cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Wilson, Michael; Oliver, Pam; Malpas, Phillipa

2018-04-15

This study investigated New Zealand nurses' views on legalising assisted dying across a range of clinical conditions, nurses' willingness to engage in legal assisted dying, potential deterrents and enablers to such engagement, and nurses' perceptions of the proper role of their professional bodies in relation to legalising assisted dying. A Bill for legalising assisted dying is currently before the New Zealand parliament. Of the 16 jurisdictions where assisted dying has been specifically legislated, only the Canadian federal statute provides nurses with explicit legal protection for their performance of assisted dying-related tasks. An absence of policy development and planning for safe nursing practice prior to legalisation of assisted dying results in a gap in professional support and guidance. Exploratory cross-sectional survey. A self-selected sample of 475 New Zealand nurses responded to an anonymous online survey disseminated through the newsletters and websites of relevant medical and nursing professional bodies. A sub-sample of nurses who expressed support for or ambivalence about legalisation (n = 356): rated their level of support for legalising assisted dying in New Zealand across a range of medical conditions, and their willingness to participate in a range of assisted dying tasks; identified barriers and facilitators to potential participation; and assessed the responsibility of the professional bodies to provide practice supports. Mixed-method approach using descriptive analysis of quantitative data; qualitative data were analysed thematically. Nurses supported legalisation at a rate (67%) significantly greater than that of doctors (37%) and for a diverse range of medical conditions. Most supporting nurses were willing to engage in the full range of relevant assisted dying roles. They identified several practical and ethical supports as essential to safe engagement, in particular practice guidelines, specific training, legal protections, clinical

Attentional Modulation of Eye Torsion Responses

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stevenson, Scott B.; Mahadevan, Madhumitha S.; Mulligan, Jeffrey B.

2016-01-01

Eye movements generally have both reflexive and voluntary aspects, but torsional eye movements are usually thought of as a reflexive response to image rotation around the line of sight (torsional OKN) or to head roll (torsional VOR). In this study we asked whether torsional responses could be modulated by attention in a case where two stimuli rotated independently, and whether attention would influence the latency of responses. The display consisted of rear-projected radial "pinwheel" gratings, with an inner annulus segment extending from the center to 22 degrees eccentricity, and an outer annulus segment extending from 22 degrees out to 45 degrees eccentricity. The two segments rotated around the center in independent random walks, stepping randomly 4 degrees clockwise or counterclockwise at 60 Hz. Subjects were asked to attend to one or the other while keeping fixation steady at the center of the display. To encourage attention on one or the other segment of the display, subjects were asked to move a joystick in synchrony with the back and forth rotations of one part of the image while ignoring the other. Eye torsion was recorded with the scleral search coil technique, sampled at 500 Hz. All four subjects showed roughly 50% stronger torsion responses to the attended compared to unattended segments. Latency varied from 100 to 150 msec across subjects and was unchanged by attention. These findings suggest that attention can influence eye movement responses that are not typically under voluntary control.

Social hierarchy modulates neural responses of empathy for pain

PubMed Central

Feng, Chunliang; Li, Zhihao; Feng, Xue; Wang, Lili; Tian, Tengxiang

2016-01-01

Recent evidence indicates that empathic responses to others’ pain are modulated by various situational and individual factors. However, few studies have examined how empathy and underlying brain functions are modulated by social hierarchies, which permeate human society with an enormous impact on social behavior and cognition. In this study, social hierarchies were established based on incidental skill in a perceptual task in which all participants were mediumly ranked. Afterwards, participants were scanned with functional magnetic resonance imaging while watching inferior-status or superior-status targets receiving painful or non-painful stimulation. The results revealed that painful stimulation applied to inferior-status targets induced higher activations in the anterior insula (AI) and anterior medial cingulate cortex (aMCC), whereas these empathic brain activations were significantly attenuated in response to superior-status targets’ pain. Further, this neural empathic bias to inferior-status targets was accompanied by stronger functional couplings of AI with brain regions important in emotional processing (i.e. thalamus) and cognitive control (i.e. middle frontal gyrus). Our findings indicate that emotional sharing with others’ pain is shaped by relative positions in a social hierarchy such that underlying empathic neural responses are biased toward inferior-status compared with superior-status individuals. PMID:26516169

Dissociable Neural Response Signatures for Slow Amplitude and Frequency Modulation in Human Auditory Cortex

PubMed Central

Henry, Molly J.; Obleser, Jonas

2013-01-01

Natural auditory stimuli are characterized by slow fluctuations in amplitude and frequency. However, the degree to which the neural responses to slow amplitude modulation (AM) and frequency modulation (FM) are capable of conveying independent time-varying information, particularly with respect to speech communication, is unclear. In the current electroencephalography (EEG) study, participants listened to amplitude- and frequency-modulated narrow-band noises with a 3-Hz modulation rate, and the resulting neural responses were compared. Spectral analyses revealed similar spectral amplitude peaks for AM and FM at the stimulation frequency (3 Hz), but amplitude at the second harmonic frequency (6 Hz) was much higher for FM than for AM. Moreover, the phase delay of neural responses with respect to the full-band stimulus envelope was shorter for FM than for AM. Finally, the critical analysis involved classification of single trials as being in response to either AM or FM based on either phase or amplitude information. Time-varying phase, but not amplitude, was sufficient to accurately classify AM and FM stimuli based on single-trial neural responses. Taken together, the current results support the dissociable nature of cortical signatures of slow AM and FM. These cortical signatures potentially provide an efficient means to dissect simultaneously communicated slow temporal and spectral information in acoustic communication signals. PMID:24205309

The thermal fatigue resistance of H-13 Die Steel for aluminum die casting dies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1982-01-01

The effects of welding, five selected surface coatings, and stress relieving on the thermal fatigue resistance of H-13 Die Steel for aluminum die casting dies were studied using eleven thermal fatigue specimens. Stress relieving was conducted after each 5,000 cycle interval at 1050 F for three hours. Four thermal fatigue specimens were welded with H-13 or maraging steel welding rods at ambient and elevated temperatures and subsequently, subjected to different post-weld heat treatments. Crack patterns were examined at 5,000, 10,000, and 15,000 cycles. The thermal fatigue resistance is expressed by two crack parameters which are the average maximum crack and the average cracked area. The results indicate that a significant improvement in thermal fatigue resistance over the control was obtained from the stress-relieving treatment. Small improvements were obtained from the H-13 welded specimens and from a salt bath nitrogen and carbon-surface treatment. The other surface treatments and welded specimens either did not affect or had a detrimental influence on the thermal fatigue properties of the H-13 die steel.

Consortia for Known Good Die (KGD), phase 1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andrews, Marshall; Carey, David; Fellows, Mary M.; Gilg, Larry; Murphy, Cindy; Noddings, Chad; Pitts, Greg; Rathmell, Claude; Spooner, Charles

1994-02-01

This report describes the results of Phase 1 of the Infrastructure for KGD program at MCC. The objective of the work is to resolve the issues for supplying and procuring Known Good Die (KGD) in a way that fosters industry acceptance and confidence in Application Specific Electronic Modules (ASEM's for military systems) and MultiChip Modules (MCM's for commercial systems). This report is divided into four sections. Section 1 describes the technical assessment of proposed industry approaches to KGD implementation. Section 2 of the report contains an outline for the plan for industry and government cooperation for the demonstration, validation, and implementation of KGD methodologies identified in this Phase 1 study. Section 3 of the report contains the industry-generated requirements for KGD implementation. Section IV of the report contains the KGD specifications for TAB and flip chip IC's.

A Dual-Responsive Nanocomposite toward Climate-Adaptable Solar Modulation for Energy-Saving Smart Windows.

PubMed

Lee, Heng Yeong; Cai, Yufeng; Bi, Shuguang; Liang, Yen Nan; Song, Yujie; Hu, Xiao Matthew

2017-02-22

In this work, a novel fully autonomous photothermotropic material made by hybridization of the poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) hydrogel and antimony-tin oxide (ATO) is presented. In this photothermotropic system, the near-infrared (NIR)-absorbing ATO acts as nanoheater to induce the optical switching of the hydrogel. Such a new passive smart window is characterized by excellent NIR shielding, a photothermally activated switching mechanism, enhanced response speed, and solar modulation ability. Systems with 0, 5, 10, and 15 atom % Sb-doped ATO in PNIPAM were investigated, and it was found that a PNIPAM/ATO nanocomposite is able to be photothermally activated. The 10 atom % Sb-doped PNIPAM/ATO exhibits the best response speed and solar modulation ability. Different film thicknesses and ATO contents will affect the response rate and solar modulation ability. Structural stability tests at 15 cycles under continuous exposure to solar irradiation at 1 sun intensity demonstrated the performance stability of such a photothermotropic system. We conclude that such a novel photothermotropic hybrid can be used as a new generation of autonomous passive smart windows for climate-adaptable solar modulation.

Mitochondrial functions modulate neuroendocrine, metabolic, inflammatory, and transcriptional responses to acute psychological stress

PubMed Central

Picard, Martin; McManus, Meagan J.; Gray, Jason D.; Nasca, Carla; Moffat, Cynthia; Kopinski, Piotr K.; Seifert, Erin L.; McEwen, Bruce S.; Wallace, Douglas C.

2015-01-01

The experience of psychological stress triggers neuroendocrine, inflammatory, metabolic, and transcriptional perturbations that ultimately predispose to disease. However, the subcellular determinants of this integrated, multisystemic stress response have not been defined. Central to stress adaptation is cellular energetics, involving mitochondrial energy production and oxidative stress. We therefore hypothesized that abnormal mitochondrial functions would differentially modulate the organism’s multisystemic response to psychological stress. By mutating or deleting mitochondrial genes encoded in the mtDNA [NADH dehydrogenase 6 (ND6) and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI)] or nuclear DNA [adenine nucleotide translocator 1 (ANT1) and nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase (NNT)], we selectively impaired mitochondrial respiratory chain function, energy exchange, and mitochondrial redox balance in mice. The resulting impact on physiological reactivity and recovery from restraint stress were then characterized. We show that mitochondrial dysfunctions altered the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis, sympathetic adrenal–medullary activation and catecholamine levels, the inflammatory cytokine IL-6, circulating metabolites, and hippocampal gene expression responses to stress. Each mitochondrial defect generated a distinct whole-body stress-response signature. These results demonstrate the role of mitochondrial energetics and redox balance as modulators of key pathophysiological perturbations previously linked to disease. This work establishes mitochondria as stress-response modulators, with implications for understanding the mechanisms of stress pathophysiology and mitochondrial diseases. PMID:26627253

Dimensional control of die castings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karve, Aniruddha Ajit

The demand for net shape die castings, which require little or no machining, is steadily increasing. Stringent customer requirements are forcing die casters to deliver high quality castings in increasingly short lead times. Dimensional conformance to customer specifications is an inherent part of die casting quality. The dimensional attributes of a die casting are essentially dependent upon many factors--the quality of the die and the degree of control over the process variables being the two major sources of dimensional error in die castings. This study focused on investigating the nature and the causes of dimensional error in die castings. The two major components of dimensional error i.e., dimensional variability and die allowance were studied. The major effort of this study was to qualitatively and quantitatively study the effects of casting geometry and process variables on die casting dimensional variability and die allowance. This was accomplished by detailed dimensional data collection at production die casting sites. Robust feature characterization schemes were developed to describe complex casting geometry in quantitative terms. Empirical modeling was utilized to quantify the effects of the casting variables on dimensional variability and die allowance for die casting features. A number of casting geometry and process variables were found to affect dimensional variability in die castings. The dimensional variability was evaluated by comparisons with current published dimensional tolerance standards. The casting geometry was found to play a significant role in influencing the die allowance of the features measured. The predictive models developed for dimensional variability and die allowance were evaluated to test their effectiveness. Finally, the relative impact of all the components of dimensional error in die castings was put into perspective, and general guidelines for effective dimensional control in the die casting plant were laid out. The results of

Pupil size directly modulates the feedforward response in human primary visual cortex independently of attention.

PubMed

Bombeke, Klaas; Duthoo, Wout; Mueller, Sven C; Hopf, Jens-Max; Boehler, C Nico

2016-02-15

Controversy revolves around the question of whether psychological factors like attention and emotion can influence the initial feedforward response in primary visual cortex (V1). Although traditionally, the electrophysiological correlate of this response in humans (the C1 component) has been found to be unaltered by psychological influences, a number of recent studies have described attentional and emotional modulations. Yet, research into psychological effects on the feedforward V1 response has neglected possible direct contributions of concomitant pupil-size modulations, which are known to also occur under various conditions of attentional load and emotional state. Here we tested the hypothesis that such pupil-size differences themselves directly affect the feedforward V1 response. We report data from two complementary experiments, in which we used procedures that modulate pupil size without differences in attentional load or emotion while simultaneously recording pupil-size and EEG data. Our results confirm that pupil size indeed directly influences the feedforward V1 response, showing an inverse relationship between pupil size and early V1 activity. While it is unclear in how far this effect represents a functionally-relevant adaptation, it identifies pupil-size differences as an important modulating factor of the feedforward response of V1 and could hence represent a confounding variable in research investigating the neural influence of psychological factors on early visual processing. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

RCRA, Superfund and EPCRA hotline training module. Introduction to: the Superfund response program (updated February 1998); Directive

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

NONE

1998-06-01

This module includes the following: Regulatory Summary (Definitions; National Contingency Plan; Notification or Discovery; Response Process; Removal Process; Remedial Process; Community Involvement; State Role; Natural Resource Damage Assessments; Federal Facility Response; and Contractor Support); and Module Summary.

Modulation response characteristics of optical injection-locked cascaded microring laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Shaowei; Pei, Li; Liu, Chao; Wang, Yiqun; Weng, Sijun

2014-09-01

Modulation bandwidth and frequency chirping of the optical injection-locked (OIL) microring laser (MRL) in the cascaded configuration are investigated. The unidirectional operation of the MRL under strong injection allows simple and cost-saving monolithic integration of the OIL system on one chip as it does not need the use of isolators between the master and slave lasers. Two cascading schemes are discussed in detail by focusing on the tailorable modulation response. The chip-to-power ratio of the cascaded optical injection-locked configuration has decreased by up to two orders of magnitude, compared with the single optical injection-locked configuration.

Assisted Dying & Disability.

PubMed

Riddle, Christopher A

2017-07-01

This article explores at least two dominant critiques of assisted dying from a disability rights perspective. In spite of these critiques, I conclude that assisted dying ought to be permissible. I arrive at the conclusion that if we respect and value people with disabilities, we ought to permit assisted dying. I do so in the following manner. First, I examine recent changes in legislation that have occurred since the Royal Society of Canada Expert Panel on End-of-Life Decision-Making report, published in this journal. I suggest that these changes are likely to only strengthen opposition to assisted dying from disability rights activists and people with disabilities. Second, I focus on respect for people with disabilities and in particular, respect for their autonomy and decision-making abilities. Third, I explore the opposition to assisted dying that focuses on risk and the vulnerability of people with disabilities. Here I suggest that this risk ought not to be of special concern. Ultimately, I conclude that upholding respect for the disabled requires the legalization of assisted dying, rather than the denial of access in a misguided effort to protect people with disabilities. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Polysaccharides from Ganoderma lucidum attenuate microglia-mediated neuroinflammation and modulate microglial phagocytosis and behavioural response.

PubMed

Cai, Qing; Li, Yuanyuan; Pei, Gang

2017-03-24

Ganoderma lucidum (GL) has been widely used in Asian countries for hundreds of years to promote health and longevity. The pharmacological functions of which had been classified, including the activation of innate immune responses, suppression of tumour and modulation of cell proliferations. Effective fractions of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides (GLP) had already been reported to regulate the immune system. Nevertheless, the role of GLP in the microglia-mediated neuroinflammation has not been sufficiently elucidated. Further, GLP effect on microglial behavioural modulations in correlation with the inflammatory responses remains to be unravelled. The aim of this work was to quantitatively analyse the contributions of GLP on microglia. The BV2 microglia and primary mouse microglia were stimulated by lipopolysaccharides (LPS) and amyloid beta 42 (Aβ 42 ) oligomer, respectively. Investigation on the effect of GLP was carried by quantitative determination of the microglial pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokine expressions and behavioural modulations including migration, morphology and phagocytosis. Analysis of microglial morphology and phagocytosis modulations was confirmed in the zebrafish brain. Quantitative results revealed that GLP down-regulates LPS- or Aβ-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines and promotes anti-inflammatory cytokine expressions in BV-2 and primary microglia. In addition, GLP attenuates inflammation-related microglial migration, morphological alterations and phagocytosis probabilities. We also showed that modulations of microglial behavioural responses were associated with MCP-1 and C1q expressions. Overall, our study provides an insight into the GLP regulation of LPS- and Aβ-induced neuroinflammation and serves an implication that the neuroprotective function of GLP might be achieved through modulation of microglial inflammatory and behavioural responses.

Sputtered protective coatings for die casting dies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mirtich, M. J.; Nieh, C.-Y.; Wallace, J. F.

1981-01-01

Three experimental research designs investigating candidate materials and processes involved in protective die surface coating procedures by sputter deposition, using ion beam technologies, are discussed. Various pre-test results show that none of the coatings remained completely intact for 15,000 test cycles. The longest lifetime was observed for coatings such as tungsten, platinum, and molybdenum which reduced thermal fatigue, but exhibited oxidation and suppressed crack initiation only as long as the coating did not fracture. Final test results confirmed earlier findings and coatings with Pt and W proved to be the candidate materials to be used on a die surface to increase die life. In the W-coated specimens, which remained intact on the surface after thermal fatigue testing, no oxidation was found under the coating, although a few cracks formed on the surface where the coating broke down. Further research is planned.

Environmental and biological context modulates the physiological stress response of bats to human disturbance.

PubMed

Phelps, Kendra L; Kingston, Tigga

2018-06-01

Environmental and biological context play significant roles in modulating physiological stress responses of individuals in wildlife populations yet are often overlooked when evaluating consequences of human disturbance on individual health and fitness. Furthermore, most studies gauge individual stress responses based on a single physiological biomarker, typically circulating glucocorticoid concentrations, which limits interpretation of the complex, multifaceted responses of individuals to stressors. We selected four physiological biomarkers to capture short-term and prolonged stress responses in a widespread cave-roosting bat, Hipposideros diadema, across multiple gradients of human disturbance in and around caves in the Philippines. We used conditional inference trees and random forest analysis to determine the role of environmental quality (cave complexity, available roosting area), assemblage composition (intra- and interspecific associations and species richness), and intrinsic characteristics of individuals (sex and reproductive status) in modulating responses to disturbance. Direct cave disturbance (hunting pressure and human visitation) was the primary driver of neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratios, with lower ratios associated with increased disturbance, while context-specific factors were more important in explaining total leukocyte count, body condition, and ectoparasite load. Moreover, conditional inference trees revealed complex interactions among human disturbance and modulating factors. Cave complexity often ameliorated individual responses to human disturbance, whereas conspecific abundance often compounded responses. Our study demonstrates the importance of an integrated approach that incorporates environmental and biological context when identifying drivers of physiological responses, and that assesses responses to gradients of direct and indirect disturbance using multiple complementary biomarkers.

Oxytocin modulates hemodynamic responses to monetary incentives in humans

PubMed Central

Mickey, Brian J.; Heffernan, Joseph; Heisel, Curtis; Peciña, Marta; Hsu, David T.; Zubieta, Jon-Kar; Love, Tiffany M.

2016-01-01

Oxytocin is a neuropeptide widely recognized for its role in regulating social and reproductive behavior. Increasing evidence from animal models suggests that oxytocin also modulates reward circuitry in non-social contexts, but evidence in humans is lacking. Here we examined the effects of oxytocin administration on reward circuit function in 18 healthy men as they performed a monetary incentive task. The blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) signal was measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging in the context of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, crossover trial of intranasal oxytocin. We found that oxytocin increases the BOLD signal in the midbrain (substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area) during the late phase of the hemodynamic response to incentive stimuli. Oxytocin’s effects on midbrain responses correlated positively with its effects on positive emotional state. We did not detect an effect of oxytocin on responses in the nucleus accumbens. Whole-brain analyses revealed that oxytocin attenuated medial prefrontal cortical deactivation specifically during anticipation of loss. Our findings demonstrate that intranasal administration of oxytocin modulates human midbrain and medial prefrontal function during motivated behavior. These findings suggest that endogenous oxytocin is a neurochemical mediator of reward behaviors in humans – even in a non-social context – and that the oxytocinergic system is a potential target of pharmacotherapy for psychiatric disorders that involve dysfunction of reward circuitry. PMID:27614896

Social hierarchy modulates neural responses of empathy for pain.

PubMed

Feng, Chunliang; Li, Zhihao; Feng, Xue; Wang, Lili; Tian, Tengxiang; Luo, Yue-Jia

2016-03-01

Recent evidence indicates that empathic responses to others' pain are modulated by various situational and individual factors. However, few studies have examined how empathy and underlying brain functions are modulated by social hierarchies, which permeate human society with an enormous impact on social behavior and cognition. In this study, social hierarchies were established based on incidental skill in a perceptual task in which all participants were mediumly ranked. Afterwards, participants were scanned with functional magnetic resonance imaging while watching inferior-status or superior-status targets receiving painful or non-painful stimulation. The results revealed that painful stimulation applied to inferior-status targets induced higher activations in the anterior insula (AI) and anterior medial cingulate cortex (aMCC), whereas these empathic brain activations were significantly attenuated in response to superior-status targets' pain. Further, this neural empathic bias to inferior-status targets was accompanied by stronger functional couplings of AI with brain regions important in emotional processing (i.e. thalamus) and cognitive control (i.e. middle frontal gyrus). Our findings indicate that emotional sharing with others' pain is shaped by relative positions in a social hierarchy such that underlying empathic neural responses are biased toward inferior-status compared with superior-status individuals. © The Author (2015). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Homeostatic modulation on unconscious hedonic responses to food.

PubMed

Sato, Wataru; Sawada, Reiko; Kubota, Yasutaka; Toichi, Motomi; Fushiki, Tohru

2017-10-26

Hedonic/affective responses to food play a critical role in eating behavior. Previous behavioral studies have shown that hedonic responses to food are elicited consciously and unconsciously. Although the studies also showed that hunger and satiation have a modulatory effect on conscious hedonic responses to food, the effect of these homeostatic states on unconscious hedonic responses to food remains unknown. We investigated unconscious hedonic responses to food in hungry and satiated participants using the subliminal affective priming paradigm. Food images or corresponding mosaic images were presented in the left or right peripheral visual field during 33 ms. Then photographs of target faces with emotionally neutral expressions were presented, and the participants evaluated their preference for the faces. Additionally, daily eating behaviors were assessed using questionnaires. Preference for the target faces was increased by food images relative to the mosaics in the hungry, but not the satiated, state. The difference in preference ratings between the food and mosaic conditions was positively correlated with the tendency for external eating in the hungry, but not the satiated, group. Our findings suggest that homeostatic states modulate unconscious hedonic responses to food and that this phenomenon is related to daily eating behaviors.

Growth plate cartilage shows different strain patterns in response to static versus dynamic mechanical modulation.

PubMed

Kaviani, Rosa; Londono, Irene; Parent, Stefan; Moldovan, Florina; Villemure, Isabelle

2016-08-01

Longitudinal growth of long bones and vertebrae occurs in growth plate cartilage. This process is partly regulated by mechanical forces, which are one of the underlying reasons for progression of growth deformities such as idiopathic adolescent scoliosis and early-onset scoliosis. This concept of mechanical modulation of bone growth is also exploited in the development of fusionless treatments of these deformities. However, the optimal loading condition for the mechanical modulation of growth plate remains to be identified. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of in vitro static versus dynamic modulation and of dynamic loading parameters, such as frequency and amplitude, on the mechanical responses and histomorphology of growth plate explants. Growth plate explants from distal ulnae of 4-week-old swines were extracted and randomly distributed among six experimental groups: baseline ([Formula: see text]), control ([Formula: see text]), static ([Formula: see text]) and dynamic ([Formula: see text]). For static and dynamic groups, mechanical modulation was performed in vitro using an Indexed CartiGen bioreactor. A stress relaxation test combined with confocal microscopy and digital image correlation was used to characterize the mechanical responses of each explant in terms of peak stress, equilibrium stress, equilibrium modulus of elasticity and strain pattern. Histomorphometrical measurements were performed on toluidine blue tissue sections using a semi-automatic custom-developed MATLAB toolbox. Results suggest that compared to dynamic modulation, static modulation changes the strain pattern of the tissue and thus is more detrimental for tissue biomechanics, while the histomorphological parameters are not affected by mechanical modulation. Also, under dynamic modulation, changing the frequency or amplitude does not affect the biomechanical response of the tissue. Results of this study will be useful in finding optimal and non-damaging parameters

Shade response of a full size TESSERA module

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slooff, Lenneke H.; Carr, Anna J.; de Groot, Koen; Jansen, Mark J.; Okel, Lars; Jonkman, Rudi; Bakker, Jan; de Gier, Bart; Harthoorn, Adriaan

2017-08-01

A full size TESSERA shade tolerant module has been made and was tested under various shadow conditions. The results show that the dedicated electrical interconnection of cells result in an almost linear response under shading. Furthermore, the voltage at maximum power point is almost independent of the shadow. This decreases the demand on the voltage range of the inverter. The increased shadow linearity results in a calculated increase in annual yield of about 4% for a typical Dutch house.

Submillisecond-response polymer network liquid crystal phase modulators at 1.06-μm wavelength

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Jie; Xianyu, Haiqing; Chen, Yuan; Wu, Shin-Tson

2011-07-01

A fast-response and scattering-free polymer network liquid crystal (PNLC) light modulator is demonstrated at λ = 1.06 μm wavelength. A decay time of 117 μs for 2π phase modulation is obtained at 70 °C, which is ˜ 650 × faster than that of the host nematic LCs. The major tradeoff is the increased operating voltage. Potential applications include spatial light modulators and adaptive optics.

Quality insights of university teachers on dying, death, and death education.

PubMed

Mak, Mui-Hing June

One of the main responsibilities of teachers is to help individual students cope with life difficulties such as grief following a death. However, very little research explores teachers' views on death, dying, and how they handle grief and loss in schools. This study aims to explore university teachers' knowledge and attitudes on dying, death, and death education. Fifteen university teachers were recruited using a qualitative method. This study reveals that most teachers' views on death and related issues are largely affected by their death experiences, religious beliefs, professional background, and the mass media. Although they have a general negative response toward death and dying, some teachers begin to affirm their meanings of life and death. Most teachers agree that they do not feel adequate about managing and teaching on life and death issues, so they strongly support including death education in the formal programs in Hong Kong.

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor modulates acute and late mast cell responses.

PubMed

Sibilano, Riccardo; Frossi, Barbara; Calvaruso, Marco; Danelli, Luca; Betto, Elena; Dall'Agnese, Alessandra; Tripodo, Claudio; Colombo, Mario P; Pucillo, Carlo E; Gri, Giorgia

2012-07-01

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a ligand-dependent transcription factor whose activity is modulated by xenobiotics as well as physiological ligands. These compounds may modulate inflammatory responses and contribute to the rising prevalence of allergic diseases observed in industrialized countries. Mast cells (MCs), located within tissues at the boundary of the external environment, represent a potential target of AhR ligands. In this study, we report that murine and human MCs constitutively express AhR, and its activation by the high-affinity ligand 6-formylindolo[3,2-b]carbazole (FICZ) determines a boost in degranulation. On the contrary, repeated exposure to FICZ inhibits MC degranulation. Accordingly, histamine release, in an in vivo passive systemic anaphylactic model, is exacerbated by a single dose and is attenuated by repetitive stimulation of AhR. FICZ-exposed MCs produce reactive oxygen species and IL-6 in response to cAMP-dependent signals. Moreover, AhR-activated MCs produce IL-17, a critical player in chronic inflammation and autoimmunity, suggesting a novel pathway for MC activation in the pathogenesis of these diseases. Indeed, histological analysis of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease revealed an enrichment in AhR/IL-6 and AhR/IL-17 double-positive MCs within bronchial lamina propria. Thus, tissue-resident MCs could translate external chemical challenges through AhR by modulating allergic responses and contributing to the generation of inflammation-related diseases.

Living and dying: responsibility for end-of-life care in care homes without on-site nursing provision - a prospective study.

PubMed

Handley, Melanie; Goodman, Claire; Froggatt, Katherine; Mathie, Elspeth; Gage, Heather; Manthorpe, Jill; Barclay, Stephen; Crang, Clare; Iliffe, Steve

2014-01-01

The aim of the study was to describe the expectations and experiences of end-of-life care of older people resident in care homes, and how care home staff and the healthcare practitioners who visited the care home interpreted their role. A mixed-method design was used. The everyday experience of 121 residents from six care homes in the East of England were tracked; 63 residents, 30 care home staff with assorted roles and 19 National Health Service staff from different disciplines were interviewed. The review of care home notes demonstrated that residents had a wide range of healthcare problems. Length of time in the care homes, functional ability or episodes of ill-health were not necessarily meaningful indicators to staff that a resident was about to die. General Practitioner and district nursing services provided a frequent but episodic service to individual residents. There were two recurring themes that affected how staff engaged with the process of advance care planning with residents; 'talking about dying' and 'integrating living and dying'. All participants stated that they were committed to providing end-of-life care and supporting residents to die in the care home, if wanted. However, the process was complicated by an ongoing lack of clarity about roles and responsibilities in providing end-of-life care, doubts from care home and primary healthcare staff about their capacity to work together when residents' trajectories to death were unclear. The findings suggest that to support this population, there is a need for a pattern of working between health and care staff that can encourage review and discussion between multiple participants over sustained periods of time. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

A series connection architecture for large-area organic photovoltaic modules with a 7.5% module efficiency.

PubMed

Hong, Soonil; Kang, Hongkyu; Kim, Geunjin; Lee, Seongyu; Kim, Seok; Lee, Jong-Hoon; Lee, Jinho; Yi, Minjin; Kim, Junghwan; Back, Hyungcheol; Kim, Jae-Ryoung; Lee, Kwanghee

2016-01-05

The fabrication of organic photovoltaic modules via printing techniques has been the greatest challenge for their commercial manufacture. Current module architecture, which is based on a monolithic geometry consisting of serially interconnecting stripe-patterned subcells with finite widths, requires highly sophisticated patterning processes that significantly increase the complexity of printing production lines and cause serious reductions in module efficiency due to so-called aperture loss in series connection regions. Herein we demonstrate an innovative module structure that can simultaneously reduce both patterning processes and aperture loss. By using a charge recombination feature that occurs at contacts between electron- and hole-transport layers, we devise a series connection method that facilitates module fabrication without patterning the charge transport layers. With the successive deposition of component layers using slot-die and doctor-blade printing techniques, we achieve a high module efficiency reaching 7.5% with area of 4.15 cm(2).

An adjuvant-modulated vaccine response in human whole blood

PubMed Central

Hakimi, Jalil; Azizi, Ali; Ausar, Salvador F.; Todryk, Stephen M.; Rahman, Nausheen; Brookes, Roger H.

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT The restimulation of an immune memory response by in vitro culture of blood cells with a specific antigen has been used as a way to gauge immunity to vaccines for decades. In this commentary we discuss a less appreciated application to support vaccine process development. We report that human whole blood from pre-primed subjects can generate a profound adjuvant-modulated, antigen-specific response to several different vaccine formulations. The response is able to differentiate subtle changes in the quality of an immune memory response to vaccine formulations and can be used to select optimal conditions relating to a particular manufacture process step. While questions relating to closeness to in vivo vaccination remain, the approach is another big step nearer to the more relevant human response. It has special importance for new adjuvant development, complementing other preclinical in vivo and in vitro approaches to considerably de-risk progression of novel vaccines before and throughout early clinical development. Broader implications of the approach are discussed. PMID:28605295

Changes in auditory nerve responses across the duration of sinusoidally amplitude-modulated electric pulse-train stimuli.

PubMed

Hu, Ning; Miller, Charles A; Abbas, Paul J; Robinson, Barbara K; Woo, Jihwan

2010-12-01

Response rates of auditory nerve fibers (ANFs) to electric pulse trains change over time, reflecting substantial spike-rate adaptation that depends on stimulus parameters. We hypothesize that adaptation affects the representation of amplitude-modulated pulse trains used by cochlear prostheses to transmit speech information to the auditory system. We recorded cat ANF responses to sinusoidally amplitude-modulated (SAM) trains with 5,000 pulse/s carriers. Stimuli delivered by a monopolar intracochlear electrode had fixed modulation frequency (100 Hz) and depth (10%). ANF responses were assessed by spike-rate measures, while representation of modulation was evaluated by vector strength (VS) and the fundamental component of the fast Fourier transform (F(0) amplitude). These measures were assessed across the 400 ms duration of pulse-train stimuli, a duration relevant to speech stimuli. Different stimulus levels were explored and responses were categorized into four spike-rate groups to assess level effects across ANFs. The temporal pattern of rate adaptation to modulated trains was similar to that of unmodulated trains, but with less rate adaptation. VS to the modulator increased over time and tended to saturate at lower spike rates, while F(0) amplitude typically decreased over time for low driven rates and increased for higher driven rates. VS at moderate and high spike rates and degree of F(0) amplitude temporal changes at low and moderate spike rates were positively correlated with the degree of rate adaptation. Thus, high-rate carriers will modify the ANF representation of the modulator over time. As the VS and F(0) measures were sensitive to adaptation-related changes over different spike-rate ranges, there is value in assessing both measures.

Developing a blended course on dying, loss, and grief.

PubMed

Kavanaugh, Karen; Andreoni, V Ann; Wilkie, Diana J; Burgener, Sandra; Buschmann, Mary Beth Tank; Henderson, Gloria; Hsiung, Yi-Fang Yvonne; Zhao, Zhongsheng

2009-01-01

An important component of end-of-life education is to provide health professionals with content related to dying, loss, and grief. The authors describe the strategies used to develop and offer a blended course (integration of classroom face-to-face learning with online learning) that addressed the sensitive and often emotional content associated with grieving and bereavement. Using Kolb's Experiential Learning Theory, a set of 4 online learning modules, with engaging, interactive elements, was created. Course evaluations demonstrated the success of the blended course in comparison to the traditional, exclusive face-to-face approach.

The dorsal raphe modulates sensory responsiveness during arousal in zebrafish

PubMed Central

Yokogawa, Tohei; Hannan, Markus C.; Burgess, Harold A.

2012-01-01

During waking behavior animals adapt their state of arousal in response to environmental pressures. Sensory processing is regulated in aroused states and several lines of evidence imply that this is mediated at least partly by the serotonergic system. However there is little information directly showing that serotonergic function is required for state-dependent modulation of sensory processing. Here we find that zebrafish larvae can maintain a short-term state of arousal during which neurons in the dorsal raphe modulate sensory responsiveness to behaviorally relevant visual cues. Following a brief exposure to water flow, larvae show elevated activity and heightened sensitivity to perceived motion. Calcium imaging of neuronal activity after flow revealed increased activity in serotonergic neurons of the dorsal raphe. Genetic ablation of these neurons abolished the increase in visual sensitivity during arousal without affecting baseline visual function or locomotor activity. We traced projections from the dorsal raphe to a major visual area, the optic tectum. Laser ablation of the tectum demonstrated that this structure, like the dorsal raphe, is required for improved visual sensitivity during arousal. These findings reveal that serotonergic neurons of the dorsal raphe have a state-dependent role in matching sensory responsiveness to behavioral context. PMID:23100441

Herausforderungen durch die deutsche Wiedervereinigung

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stäglin, Reiner

Die Wiedervereinigung stellte auch die Statistik vor große Aufgaben. Die als Organ der staatlichen Planung staatsnah orientierte Statistik der DDR musste auf das zur Neutralität und wissenschaftlichen Unabhängigkeit verpflichtete System der Bundesrepublik umgestellt werden. Ebenso verlangten die Universitäten eine Neuorientierung. Die Deutsche Statistische Gesellschaft hat sich vor allem dreier Aufgaben mit großem Engagement, aber auch mit Bedachtsamkeit angenommen: Aufnahme und Integration der Statistiker aus den neuen Bundesländern in die Gesellschaft, Begleitung der Neuausrichtung des Faches Statistik an deren Hochschulen und Sicherung sowie Nutzung von Datenbeständen der ehemaligen DDR.

The response function of modulated grid Faraday cup plasma instruments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barnett, A.; Olbert, S.

1986-01-01

Modulated grid Faraday cup plasma analyzers are a very useful tool for making in situ measurements of space plasmas. One of their great attributes is that their simplicity permits their angular response function to be calculated theoretically. An expression is derived for this response function by computing the trajectories of the charged particles inside the cup. The Voyager Plasma Science (PLS) experiment is used as a specific example. Two approximations to the rigorous response function useful for data analysis are discussed. The theoretical formulas were tested by multi-sensor analysis of solar wind data. The tests indicate that the formulas represent the true cup response function for all angles of incidence with a maximum error of only a few percent.

Phototropism: a "simple" physiological response modulated by multiple interacting photosensory-response pathways.

PubMed

Liscum, E; Stowe-Evans, E L

2000-09-01

Phototropism is the process by which plants reorient growth of various organs, most notably stems, in response to lateral differences in light quantity and/or quality. The ubiquitous nature of the phototropic response in the plant kingdom implies that it provides some adaptive evolutionary advantage. Upon visual inspection it is tempting to surmise that phototropic curvatures result from a relatively simple growth response to a directional stimulus. However, detailed photophysiological, and more recently genetic and molecular, studies have demonstrated that phototropism is in fact regulated by complex interactions among several photosensory systems. At least two receptors, phototropin and a presently unidentified receptor, appear to mediate the primary photoreception of directional blue light cues in dark-grown plants. PhyB may also function as a primary receptor to detect lateral increases in far-red light in neighbor-avoidance responses of light-grown plants. Phytochromes (phyA and phyB at a minimum) also appear to function as secondary receptors to regulate adaptation processes that ultimately modulate the magnitude of curvature induced by primary photoperception. As a result of the interactions of these multiple photosensory systems plants are able to maximize the adaptive advantage of the phototropic response in ever changing light environments.

Fast-response IR spatial light modulators with a polymer network liquid crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Fenglin; Chen, Haiwei; Tripathi, Suvagata; Twieg, Robert J.; Wu, Shin-Tson

2015-03-01

Liquid crystals (LC) have widespread applications for amplitude modulation (e.g. flat panel displays) and phase modulation (e.g. beam steering). For phase modulation, a 2π phase modulo is required. To extend the electro-optic application into infrared region (MWIR and LWIR), several key technical challenges have to be overcome: 1. low absorption loss, 2. high birefringence, 3. low operation voltage, and 4. fast response time. After three decades of extensive development, an increasing number of IR devices adopting LC technology have been demonstrated, such as liquid crystal waveguide, laser beam steering at 1.55μm and 10.6 μm, spatial light modulator in the MWIR (3~5μm) band, dynamic scene projectors for infrared seekers in the LWIR (8~12μm) band. However, several fundamental molecular vibration bands and overtones exist in the MWIR and LWIR regions, which contribute to high absorption coefficient and hinder its widespread application. Therefore, the inherent absorption loss becomes a major concern for IR devices. To suppress IR absorption, several approaches have been investigated: 1) Employing thin cell gap by choosing a high birefringence liquid crystal mixture; 2) Shifting the absorption bands outside the spectral region of interest by deuteration, fluorination and chlorination; 3) Reducing the overlap vibration bands by using shorter alkyl chain compounds. In this paper, we report some chlorinated LC compounds and mixtures with a low absorption loss in the near infrared and MWIR regions. To achieve fast response time, we have demonstrated a polymer network liquid crystal with 2π phase change at MWIR and response time less than 5 ms.

Method and Apparatus for Improved Spatial Light Modulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colin, Soutar (Inventor); Juday, Richard D. (Inventor)

1999-01-01

A method and apparatus for modulating a light beam in an optical processing system is described. Preferably, an electrically-controlled polarizer unit and/or an analyzer unit are utilized in combination with a spatial light modulator and a controller. Preferably, the spatial light modulator comprises a pixelated birefringent medium such as a liquid crystal video display. The combination of the electrically controlled polarizer unit and analyzer unit make it simple and fast to reconfigure the modulation described by the Jones matrix of the spatial light modulator. A particular optical processing objective is provided to the controller. The controller performs calculations and supplies control signals to the polarizer unit, the analyzer unit, and the spatial light modulator in order to obtain die optical processing objective.

Regional modulation of the response to glutathione in Hydra vulgaris.

PubMed

Pierobon, Paola

2015-07-01

In the presence of prey, or upon exposure to reduced glutathione (GSH), Hydra polyps open a mouth to ingest the captured prey and close it after feeding; at rest the mouth is not evident. In previous papers we have shown that GABA, glycine and NMDA modulate the mechanisms of mouth closure through ligand-gated-ion-channel receptors that are similar to their mammalian analogues in terms of biochemical and pharmacological properties. In order to study the regional distribution of these receptors, we have applied the GSH assay to polyps amputated at different levels of the body column. The response to 1-10 µmol l(-1) GSH of polyps lacking either peduncle and foot or the entire body columns (heads) was not different from control, whole animals. In the presence of GABA or muscimol, duration of the response was significantly decreased in heads; the decrease was suppressed by the GABA antagonists gabazine and bicuculline. By contrast, in animals lacking peduncle and foot, duration of the response did not vary upon GABA administration. Conversely, in the presence of glycine, duration of the response in heads preparations was similar to control, whereas in footless polyps, it was significantly reduced. The decrease was mimicked by the glycine agonists taurine and β-alanine, and counteracted by strychnine. These results suggest a regional distribution of receptors to GABA and glycine in the neuromuscular circuitry modulating the feeding behaviour. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Responsive nanoporous metals: recoverable modulations on strength and shape by watering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Xing-Long; Liu, Ling-Zhi; Jin, Hai-Jun

2016-08-01

Many biological materials can readily modulate their mechanical properties and shape by interacting with water in the surrounding environment, which is essential to their high performance in application. In contrast, typical inorganic materials (such as the metals) cannot change their strength and shape without involving thermal/mechanical treatments. By introducing nano-scale porous structure and exploiting a simple physical concept—the water-capillarity in nanopores, here we report that a ‘dead’ metal can be transformed into a ‘smart’ material with water-responsive properties. We demonstrate that the apparent strength, volume and shape of nanoporous Au and Au(Pt) can be modulated in situ, dramatically and recoverably, in response to water-dipping and partial-drying. The amplitude of strength-modulation reaches 20 MPa, which is nearly 50% of the yield strength at initial state. This approach also leads to reversible length change up to 1.3% in nanoporous Au and a large reversible bending motion of a bi-layer strip with tip displacement of ˜20 mm, which may be used for actuation. This method is simple and effective, occurring in situ under ambient conditions and requiring no external power, analogous to biological materials. The findings may open up novel applications in many areas such as micro-robotics and bio-medical devices.

A series connection architecture for large-area organic photovoltaic modules with a 7.5% module efficiency

PubMed Central

Hong, Soonil; Kang, Hongkyu; Kim, Geunjin; Lee, Seongyu; Kim, Seok; Lee, Jong-Hoon; Lee, Jinho; Yi, Minjin; Kim, Junghwan; Back, Hyungcheol; Kim, Jae-Ryoung; Lee, Kwanghee

2016-01-01

The fabrication of organic photovoltaic modules via printing techniques has been the greatest challenge for their commercial manufacture. Current module architecture, which is based on a monolithic geometry consisting of serially interconnecting stripe-patterned subcells with finite widths, requires highly sophisticated patterning processes that significantly increase the complexity of printing production lines and cause serious reductions in module efficiency due to so-called aperture loss in series connection regions. Herein we demonstrate an innovative module structure that can simultaneously reduce both patterning processes and aperture loss. By using a charge recombination feature that occurs at contacts between electron- and hole-transport layers, we devise a series connection method that facilitates module fabrication without patterning the charge transport layers. With the successive deposition of component layers using slot-die and doctor-blade printing techniques, we achieve a high module efficiency reaching 7.5% with area of 4.15 cm2. PMID:26728507

Displaced capillary dies

DOEpatents

Kalejs, Juris P.; Chalmers, Bruce; Surek, Thomas

1982-01-01

An asymmetrical shaped capillary die made exclusively of graphite is used to grow silicon ribbon which is capable of being made into solar cells that are more efficient than cells produced from ribbon made using a symmetrically shaped die.

Displaced capillary dies

DOEpatents

Kalejs, Juris P.; Chalmers, Bruce; Surek, Thomas

1984-01-01

An asymmetrical shaped capillary die made exclusively of graphite is used to grow silicon ribbon which is capable of being made into solar cells that are more efficient than cells produced from ribbon made using a symmetrically shaped die.

Project S.P.I.C.E.: Special Partnership in Career Education. Rights and Responsibility Teaching Module.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Emerson, Debby H.; And Others

The rights and responsibility teaching module is one of a series of six modules prepared by Project SPICE (Special Partnership in Career Education) as a means of providing career awareness information to educable mentally handicapped students (ages 11-to-13 years). After an overview, a module profile is provided which charts the activities, and…

Wissenschaft, die unsere Kultur verändert. Tiefenschichten des Streits um die Evolutionstheorie

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patzelt, Werner J.

Die Evolutionstheorie ist eine der erfolgreichsten wissenschaftlichen Theorien. Sie erlaubt es, unsere Herkunft zu verstehen und riskante Merkmale gerade der menschlichen Spezies zu begreifen. Zugleich ist die Evolutionstheorie eine der umstrittensten Theorien. Das liegt nicht an ihrer empirischen Tragfähigkeit, sondern an ihrem Gegenstand. Sie handelt nämlich nicht nur - wie Hunderte andere wissenschaftliche Theorien - von der "Welt da draußen“, sondern vor allem auch von uns selbst und von unserem Platz in dieser Welt. Den einen gilt sie obendrein als Überwinderin religiösen Aberglaubens, den anderen als neuer Zugang zu Gott und seinem Wirken in der Welt. Ferner sehen die einen in der Evolution eine unbezweifelbare Tatsache gleich der Schwerkraft oder dem Holocaust, die anderen aber eine - noch oder dauerhaft - unbewiesene Hypothese oder gar eine falsche Schöpfungslehre. Und während die meisten Streitfragen solcher Art nach wechselseitig akzeptierten Regeln ‚normaler Wissenschaft‘ geklärt werden, wird bei der Frage nach dem Woher unserer Spezies und Kultur die intellektuelle Zuständigkeit von Wissenschaft mitunter überhaupt bezweifelt. Anscheinend geht es schon um recht tiefe Schichten unserer Kultur und nicht nur der wissenschaftlichen, wenn - wie seit 150 Jahren - um die Evolutionstheorie gestritten wird. Wie sehen diese Schichten aus?

The Ambiguous Dying Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bern-Klug, Mercedes

2004-01-01

More than one-half of the 2.4 million deaths that will occur in the United States in 2004 will be immediately preceded by a time in which the likelihood of dying can best be described as "ambiguous." Many people die without ever being considered "dying" or "at the end of life." These people may miss out on the…

Two Decades of Research on Dying: What Do We Know About the Patient?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schultz, Richard; Schlarb, Janet

1988-01-01

Reviews literature on terminal patients and nature of their experiences during the time before their death by examining: (1) the number of persons each year who must confront their own death; (2) emotional responses of dying patients to their impending death; (3) interventions for the dying patient; and (4) areas for future research. (Author/NB)

Onchocerciasis modulates the immune response to mycobacterial antigens

PubMed Central

Stewart, G R; Boussinesq, M; Coulson, T; Elson, L; Nutman, T; Bradley, J E

1999-01-01

Chronic helminth infection induces a type-2 cellular immune response. In contrast to this, mycobacterial infections commonly induce a type-1 immune response which is considered protective. Type-2 responses and diminished type-1 responses to mycobacteria have been previously correlated with active infection states such as pulmonary tuberculosis and lepromatous leprosy. The present study examines the immune responses of children exposed to both the helminth parasite Onchocerca volvulus and the mycobacterial infections, Mycobacterium tuberculosis and M. leprae. Proliferation of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and production of IL-4 in response to both helminth and mycobacterial antigen (PPD) decreased dramatically with increasing microfilarial (MF) density. Although interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) production strongly correlated with cellular proliferation, it was surprisingly not related to MF density for either antigen. IL-4 production in response to helminth antigen and PPD increased with ascending children's age. IFN-γ and cellular proliferation to PPD were not related to age, but in response to helminth antigen were significantly higher in children of age 9–12 years than children of either the younger age group (5–8 years) or the older group (13–16 years). Thus, there was a MF density-related down-regulation of cellular responsiveness and age-related skewing toward type 2 which was paralleled in response to both the helminth antigen and PPD. This parasite-induced immunomodulation of the response to mycobacteria correlates with a previous report of doubled incidence of lepromatous leprosy in onchocerciasis hyperendemic regions. Moreover, this demonstration that helminth infection in humans can modulate the immune response to a concurrent infection or immunological challenge is of critical importance to future vaccination strategies. PMID:10469056

Laminar circuit organization and response modulation in mouse visual cortex

PubMed Central

Olivas, Nicholas D.; Quintanar-Zilinskas, Victor; Nenadic, Zoran; Xu, Xiangmin

2012-01-01

The mouse has become an increasingly important animal model for visual system studies, but few studies have investigated local functional circuit organization of mouse visual cortex. Here we used our newly developed mapping technique combining laser scanning photostimulation (LSPS) with fast voltage-sensitive dye (VSD) imaging to examine the spatial organization and temporal dynamics of laminar circuit responses in living slice preparations of mouse primary visual cortex (V1). During experiments, LSPS using caged glutamate provided spatially restricted neuronal activation in a specific cortical layer, and evoked responses from the stimulated layer to its functionally connected regions were detected by VSD imaging. In this study, we first provided a detailed analysis of spatiotemporal activation patterns at specific V1 laminar locations and measured local circuit connectivity. Then we examined the role of cortical inhibition in the propagation of evoked cortical responses by comparing circuit activity patterns in control and in the presence of GABAa receptor antagonists. We found that GABAergic inhibition was critical in restricting layer-specific excitatory activity spread and maintaining topographical projections. In addition, we investigated how AMPA and NMDA receptors influenced cortical responses and found that blocking AMPA receptors abolished interlaminar functional projections, and the NMDA receptor activity was important in controlling visual cortical circuit excitability and modulating activity propagation. The NMDA receptor antagonist reduced neuronal population activity in time-dependent and laminar-specific manners. Finally, we used the quantitative information derived from the mapping experiments and presented computational modeling analysis of V1 circuit organization. Taken together, the present study has provided important new information about mouse V1 circuit organization and response modulation. PMID:23060751

Seed Pubescence and Shape Modulate Adaptive Responses to Fire Cues

PubMed Central

Gómez-González, Susana; Ojeda, Fernando; Torres-Morales, Patricio; Palma, Jazmín E.

2016-01-01

Post-fire recruitment by seeds is regarded as an adaptive response in fire-prone ecosystems. Nevertheless, little is known about which heritable seed traits are functional to the main signals of fire (heat and smoke), thus having the potential to evolve. Here, we explored whether three seed traits (pubescence, dormancy and shape) and fire regime modulate seed response to fire cues(heat and smoke). As a model study system, we used Helenium aromaticum (Asteraceae), a native annual forb from the Chilean matorral, where fires are anthropogenic. We related seed trait values with fitness responses (germination and survival) after exposure to heat-shock and smoke experimental treatments on seeds from 10 H. aromaticum wild populations. We performed a phenotypic selection experiment to examine the relationship of seed traits with post-treatment fitness within a population (adaptive hypothesis). We then explored whether fire frequency in natural habitats was associated with trait expression across populations, and with germination and survival responses to experimental fire-cues. We found that populations subjected to higher fire frequency had, in average, more rounded and pubescent seeds than populations from rarely burned areas. Populations with more rounded and pubescent seeds were more resistant to 80°C heat-shock and smoke treatments.There was correlated selection on seed traits: pubescent-rounded or glabrouscent-elongated seeds had the highest probability of germinating after heat-shock treatments. Seed pubescence and shape in H. aromaticum are heritable traits that modulate adaptive responses to fire. Our results provide new insights into the process of plant adaptation to fire and highlight the relevance of human-made fires as a strong evolutionary agent in the Anthropocene. PMID:27438267

Seed Pubescence and Shape Modulate Adaptive Responses to Fire Cues.

PubMed

Gómez-González, Susana; Ojeda, Fernando; Torres-Morales, Patricio; Palma, Jazmín E

2016-01-01

Post-fire recruitment by seeds is regarded as an adaptive response in fire-prone ecosystems. Nevertheless, little is known about which heritable seed traits are functional to the main signals of fire (heat and smoke), thus having the potential to evolve. Here, we explored whether three seed traits (pubescence, dormancy and shape) and fire regime modulate seed response to fire cues(heat and smoke). As a model study system, we used Helenium aromaticum (Asteraceae), a native annual forb from the Chilean matorral, where fires are anthropogenic. We related seed trait values with fitness responses (germination and survival) after exposure to heat-shock and smoke experimental treatments on seeds from 10 H. aromaticum wild populations. We performed a phenotypic selection experiment to examine the relationship of seed traits with post-treatment fitness within a population (adaptive hypothesis). We then explored whether fire frequency in natural habitats was associated with trait expression across populations, and with germination and survival responses to experimental fire-cues. We found that populations subjected to higher fire frequency had, in average, more rounded and pubescent seeds than populations from rarely burned areas. Populations with more rounded and pubescent seeds were more resistant to 80°C heat-shock and smoke treatments.There was correlated selection on seed traits: pubescent-rounded or glabrouscent-elongated seeds had the highest probability of germinating after heat-shock treatments. Seed pubescence and shape in H. aromaticum are heritable traits that modulate adaptive responses to fire. Our results provide new insights into the process of plant adaptation to fire and highlight the relevance of human-made fires as a strong evolutionary agent in the Anthropocene.

Spatiotemporal reconstruction of auditory steady-state responses to acoustic amplitude modulations: Potential sources beyond the auditory pathway.

PubMed

Farahani, Ehsan Darestani; Goossens, Tine; Wouters, Jan; van Wieringen, Astrid

2017-03-01

Investigating the neural generators of auditory steady-state responses (ASSRs), i.e., auditory evoked brain responses, with a wide range of screening and diagnostic applications, has been the focus of various studies for many years. Most of these studies employed a priori assumptions regarding the number and location of neural generators. The aim of this study is to reconstruct ASSR sources with minimal assumptions in order to gain in-depth insight into the number and location of brain regions that are activated in response to low- as well as high-frequency acoustically amplitude modulated signals. In order to reconstruct ASSR sources, we applied independent component analysis with subsequent equivalent dipole modeling to single-subject EEG data (young adults, 20-30 years of age). These data were based on white noise stimuli, amplitude modulated at 4, 20, 40, or 80Hz. The independent components that exhibited a significant ASSR were clustered among all participants by means of a probabilistic clustering method based on a Gaussian mixture model. Results suggest that a widely distributed network of sources, located in cortical as well as subcortical regions, is active in response to 4, 20, 40, and 80Hz amplitude modulated noises. Some of these sources are located beyond the central auditory pathway. Comparison of brain sources in response to different modulation frequencies suggested that the identified brain sources in the brainstem, the left and the right auditory cortex show a higher responsiveness to 40Hz than to the other modulation frequencies. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Vestibular Activation Differentially Modulates Human Early Visual Cortex and V5/MT Excitability and Response Entropy

PubMed Central

Guzman-Lopez, Jessica; Arshad, Qadeer; Schultz, Simon R; Walsh, Vincent; Yousif, Nada

2013-01-01

Head movement imposes the additional burdens on the visual system of maintaining visual acuity and determining the origin of retinal image motion (i.e., self-motion vs. object-motion). Although maintaining visual acuity during self-motion is effected by minimizing retinal slip via the brainstem vestibular-ocular reflex, higher order visuovestibular mechanisms also contribute. Disambiguating self-motion versus object-motion also invokes higher order mechanisms, and a cortical visuovestibular reciprocal antagonism is propounded. Hence, one prediction is of a vestibular modulation of visual cortical excitability and indirect measures have variously suggested none, focal or global effects of activation or suppression in human visual cortex. Using transcranial magnetic stimulation-induced phosphenes to probe cortical excitability, we observed decreased V5/MT excitability versus increased early visual cortex (EVC) excitability, during vestibular activation. In order to exclude nonspecific effects (e.g., arousal) on cortical excitability, response specificity was assessed using information theory, specifically response entropy. Vestibular activation significantly modulated phosphene response entropy for V5/MT but not EVC, implying a specific vestibular effect on V5/MT responses. This is the first demonstration that vestibular activation modulates human visual cortex excitability. Furthermore, using information theory, not previously used in phosphene response analysis, we could distinguish between a specific vestibular modulation of V5/MT excitability from a nonspecific effect at EVC. PMID:22291031

Auditory Cortex Basal Activity Modulates Cochlear Responses in Chinchillas

PubMed Central

León, Alex; Elgueda, Diego; Silva, María A.; Hamamé, Carlos M.; Delano, Paul H.

2012-01-01

Background The auditory efferent system has unique neuroanatomical pathways that connect the cerebral cortex with sensory receptor cells. Pyramidal neurons located in layers V and VI of the primary auditory cortex constitute descending projections to the thalamus, inferior colliculus, and even directly to the superior olivary complex and to the cochlear nucleus. Efferent pathways are connected to the cochlear receptor by the olivocochlear system, which innervates outer hair cells and auditory nerve fibers. The functional role of the cortico-olivocochlear efferent system remains debated. We hypothesized that auditory cortex basal activity modulates cochlear and auditory-nerve afferent responses through the efferent system. Methodology/Principal Findings Cochlear microphonics (CM), auditory-nerve compound action potentials (CAP) and auditory cortex evoked potentials (ACEP) were recorded in twenty anesthetized chinchillas, before, during and after auditory cortex deactivation by two methods: lidocaine microinjections or cortical cooling with cryoloops. Auditory cortex deactivation induced a transient reduction in ACEP amplitudes in fifteen animals (deactivation experiments) and a permanent reduction in five chinchillas (lesion experiments). We found significant changes in the amplitude of CM in both types of experiments, being the most common effect a CM decrease found in fifteen animals. Concomitantly to CM amplitude changes, we found CAP increases in seven chinchillas and CAP reductions in thirteen animals. Although ACEP amplitudes were completely recovered after ninety minutes in deactivation experiments, only partial recovery was observed in the magnitudes of cochlear responses. Conclusions/Significance These results show that blocking ongoing auditory cortex activity modulates CM and CAP responses, demonstrating that cortico-olivocochlear circuits regulate auditory nerve and cochlear responses through a basal efferent tone. The diversity of the obtained effects

Energy Saving Melting and Revert Reduction Technology (E-SMARRT): Development of Surface Engineered Coating Systems for Aluminum Pressure Die Casting Dies: Towards a 'Smart' Die Coating

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

Dr. John J. Moore; Dr. Jianliang Lin,

2012-07-31

The main objective of this research program was to design and develop an optimal coating system that extends die life by minimizing premature die failure. In high-pressure aluminum die-casting, the die, core pins and inserts must withstand severe processing conditions. Many of the dies and tools in the industry are being coated to improve wear-resistance and decrease down-time for maintenance. However, thermal fatigue in metal itself can still be a major problem, especially since it often leads to catastrophic failure (i.e. die breakage) as opposed to a wear-based failure (parts begin to go out of tolerance). Tooling costs remain themore » largest portion of production costs for many of these parts, so the ability prevent catastrophic failures would be transformative for the manufacturing industry.The technology offers energy savings through reduced energy use in the die casting process from several factors, including increased life of the tools and dies, reuse of the dies and die components, reduction/elimination of lubricants, and reduced machine down time, and reduction of Al solder sticking on the die. The use of the optimized die coating system will also reduce environmental wastes and scrap parts. Current (2012) annual energy saving estimates, based on initial dissemination to the casting industry in 2010 and market penetration of 80% by 2020, is 3.1 trillion BTU's/year. The average annual estimate of CO2 reduction per year through 2020 is 0.63 Million Metric Tons of Carbon Equivalent (MM TCE).« less

Neighbour-die effect on the measurement of wafer-level flip-chip LED dies in production lines

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Tengfei; Wan, Zirui; Li, Bin

2017-11-01

The light from the side surfaces of the test flip-chip light-emitting diode (FCLED) dies is reflected, refracted or absorbed by neighbour dies during the measurement of wafer-level FCLED dies in production lines. A notable measurement deviation is caused by the neighbour-die effect, which is not considered in current industry practice. In this paper, Monte Carlo ray-tracing simulations are used to study the measurement deviations caused by the neighbour-die effect and extension ratios of the film. The simulation results show that the maximal deviation of radiant flux impinging the photodiode can reach 5.5%, if the die is tested without any neighbour dies, or is surrounded by a set of neighbour dies at an extension ratio of 1.1. Moreover, the dependence between the measurement results and neighbour cases for different extension ratios is also investigated. Then, a modified calibration method is proposed and studied. The proposed technique can be used to improve the calibration and measurement accuracy of the test equipment used for measurement of wafer-level FCLED dies in production lines.

An NCME Instructional Module on Latent DIF Analysis Using Mixture Item Response Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cho, Sun-Joo; Suh, Youngsuk; Lee, Woo-yeol

2016-01-01

The purpose of this ITEMS module is to provide an introduction to differential item functioning (DIF) analysis using mixture item response models. The mixture item response models for DIF analysis involve comparing item profiles across latent groups, instead of manifest groups. First, an overview of DIF analysis based on latent groups, called…

Articulatory movements modulate auditory responses to speech

PubMed Central

Agnew, Z.K.; McGettigan, C.; Banks, B.; Scott, S.K.

2013-01-01

Production of actions is highly dependent on concurrent sensory information. In speech production, for example, movement of the articulators is guided by both auditory and somatosensory input. It has been demonstrated in non-human primates that self-produced vocalizations and those of others are differentially processed in the temporal cortex. The aim of the current study was to investigate how auditory and motor responses differ for self-produced and externally produced speech. Using functional neuroimaging, subjects were asked to produce sentences aloud, to silently mouth while listening to a different speaker producing the same sentence, to passively listen to sentences being read aloud, or to read sentences silently. We show that that separate regions of the superior temporal cortex display distinct response profiles to speaking aloud, mouthing while listening, and passive listening. Responses in anterior superior temporal cortices in both hemispheres are greater for passive listening compared with both mouthing while listening, and speaking aloud. This is the first demonstration that articulation, whether or not it has auditory consequences, modulates responses of the dorsolateral temporal cortex. In contrast posterior regions of the superior temporal cortex are recruited during both articulation conditions. In dorsal regions of the posterior superior temporal gyrus, responses to mouthing and reading aloud were equivalent, and in more ventral posterior superior temporal sulcus, responses were greater for reading aloud compared with mouthing while listening. These data demonstrate an anterior–posterior division of superior temporal regions where anterior fields are suppressed during motor output, potentially for the purpose of enhanced detection of the speech of others. We suggest posterior fields are engaged in auditory processing for the guidance of articulation by auditory information. PMID:22982103

Individual differences in attentional modulation of cortical responses correlate with selective attention performance

PubMed Central

Choi, Inyong; Wang, Le; Bharadwaj, Hari; Shinn-Cunningham, Barbara

2014-01-01

Many studies have shown that attention modulates the cortical representation of an auditory scene, emphasizing an attended source while suppressing competing sources. Yet, individual differences in the strength of this attentional modulation and their relationship with selective attention ability are poorly understood. Here, we ask whether differences in how strongly attention modulates cortical responses reflect differences in normal-hearing listeners’ selective auditory attention ability. We asked listeners to attend to one of three competing melodies and identify its pitch contour while we measured cortical electroencephalographic responses. The three melodies were either from widely separated pitch ranges (“easy trials”), or from a narrow, overlapping pitch range (“hard trials”). The melodies started at slightly different times; listeners attended either the leading or lagging melody. Because of the timing of the onsets, the leading melody drew attention exogenously. In contrast, attending the lagging melody required listeners to direct top-down attention volitionally. We quantified how attention amplified auditory N1 response to the attended melody and found large individual differences in the N1 amplification, even though only correctly answered trials were used to quantify the ERP gain. Importantly, listeners with the strongest amplification of N1 response to the lagging melody in the easy trials were the best performers across other types of trials. Our results raise the possibility that individual differences in the strength of top-down gain control reflect inherent differences in the ability to control top-down attention. PMID:24821552

Developing a Blended Course on Dying, Loss, and Grief

PubMed Central

Kavanaugh, Karen; Andreoni, V. Ann; Wilkie, Diana J.; Burgener, Sandra; Buschmann, MaryBeth Tank; Henderson, Gloria; Hsiung, Yi-Fang Yvonne; Zhao, Zhongsheng

2010-01-01

An important component of end-of-life education is to provide health professionals with content related to dying, loss, and grief. The authors describe the strategies used to develop and offer a blended course (integration of classroom face-to-face learning with online learning) that addressed the sensitive and often emotional content associated with grieving and bereavement. Using Kolb’s experiential learning theory, a set of 4 online learning modules, with engaging, interactive elements, was created. Course evaluations demonstrated the success of the blended course in comparison to the traditional, exclusive face-to-face approach. PMID:19412055

Size matters: plasticity in metabolic scaling shows body-size may modulate responses to climate change.

PubMed

Carey, Nicholas; Sigwart, Julia D

2014-08-01

Variability in metabolic scaling in animals, the relationship between metabolic rate ( R: ) and body mass ( M: ), has been a source of debate and controversy for decades. R: is proportional to MB: , the precise value of B: much debated, but historically considered equal in all organisms. Recent metabolic theory, however, predicts B: to vary among species with ecology and metabolic level, and may also vary within species under different abiotic conditions. Under climate change, most species will experience increased temperatures, and marine organisms will experience the additional stressor of decreased seawater pH ('ocean acidification'). Responses to these environmental changes are modulated by myriad species-specific factors. Body-size is a fundamental biological parameter, but its modulating role is relatively unexplored. Here, we show that changes to metabolic scaling reveal asymmetric responses to stressors across body-size ranges; B: is systematically decreased under increasing temperature in three grazing molluscs, indicating smaller individuals were more responsive to warming. Larger individuals were, however, more responsive to reduced seawater pH in low temperatures. These alterations to the allometry of metabolism highlight abiotic control of metabolic scaling, and indicate that responses to climate warming and ocean acidification may be modulated by body-size. © 2014 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.

Ingroup favoritism or the black sheep effect: Perceived intentions modulate subjective responses to aggressive interactions.

PubMed

Wang, Lei; Zheng, Jiehui; Meng, Liang; Lu, Qiang; Ma, Qingguo

2016-07-01

Social categorization plays an important role in provoking the victim's responses to aggressive interactions. Pioneering studies suggested that uncertainty in the perpetrator's hostile intention influences whether ingroup favoritism or the black sheep effect (ingroup strictness) will be manifested to a greater extent. However, when the hostile intention is ambiguous, subjective perception of the perpetrator's intention may still be quite different due to the inherent information gap between participants, and this discrepancy in perceived intentions may further modulate subjective responses to social aggression. In the present study, subjects played as responders of the Ultimatum Game, and received varied offers proposed by either ingroup or outgroup members. Electrophysiological results showed that, when proposers were perceived to be intentional, unfair offers from ingroups elicited significantly larger Feedback-related Negativity (FRN) than those from outgroups, potentially providing neural evidence for the black sheep effect. The opposite FRN pattern was observed when proposers were perceived to be unintentional, which might suggest ingroup favoritism. Interestingly, despite contrary neural patterns, perceived intentions did not modulate behavioral response to aggressive interactions. Thus, converging results suggested that, when the perpetrator's hostile intention remained ambiguous, perceived intentions modulated the victim's electrophysiological response while not the rational behavioral response to aggressive interactions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd and Japan Neuroscience Society. All rights reserved.

Daughters caring for dying parents: a process of relinquishing.

PubMed

Read, Trudy; Wuest, Judith

2007-09-01

Caring for elderly, dying parents is challenging for daughters as they try to balance other obligations and responsibilities. The purpose of this grounded theory study was to explain the domain of daughters' caregiving experiences in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The primary author interviewed 12 women whose parents had died. Three types of turmoil (emotional, relational, and societal) emerged as the central issue for these women. The authors discovered a substantive theory of Relinquishing with interdependent processes of Keeping Vigil, Navigating Systems, Facing Loss, and an end process of Coming to Terms. In moving through the process of Relinquishing, social conditions of personal ideals, family expectations, and societal demands determine strategies employed by any one daughter to manage her turmoil. The findings fill a gap in knowledge related to daughters' caregiving for dying parents by contributing a theoretical framework that will inform women, health care providers, researchers, and health policy makers.

Ribonuclease E modulation of the bacterial SOS response.

PubMed

Manasherob, Robert; Miller, Christine; Kim, Kwang-sun; Cohen, Stanley N

2012-01-01

Plants, animals, bacteria, and Archaea all have evolved mechanisms to cope with environmental or cellular stress. Bacterial cells respond to the stress of DNA damage by activation of the SOS response, the canonical RecA/LexA-dependent signal transduction pathway that transcriptionally derepresses a multiplicity of genes-leading to transient arrest of cell division and initiation of DNA repair. Here we report the previously unsuspected role of E. coli endoribonuclease RNase E in regulation of the SOS response. We show that RNase E deletion or inactivation of temperature-sensitive RNase E protein precludes normal initiation of SOS. The ability of RNase E to regulate SOS is dynamic, as down regulation of RNase E following DNA damage by mitomycin C resulted in SOS termination and restoration of RNase E function leads to resumption of a previously aborted response. Overexpression of the RraA protein, which binds to the C-terminal region of RNase E and modulates the actions of degradosomes, recapitulated the effects of RNase E deficiency. Possible mechanisms for RNase E effects on SOS are discussed.

Ribonuclease E Modulation of the Bacterial SOS Response

PubMed Central

Manasherob, Robert; Miller, Christine; Kim, Kwang-sun; Cohen, Stanley N.

2012-01-01

Plants, animals, bacteria, and Archaea all have evolved mechanisms to cope with environmental or cellular stress. Bacterial cells respond to the stress of DNA damage by activation of the SOS response, the canonical RecA/LexA-dependent signal transduction pathway that transcriptionally derepresses a multiplicity of genes–leading to transient arrest of cell division and initiation of DNA repair. Here we report the previously unsuspected role of E. coli endoribonuclease RNase E in regulation of the SOS response. We show that RNase E deletion or inactivation of temperature-sensitive RNase E protein precludes normal initiation of SOS. The ability of RNase E to regulate SOS is dynamic, as down regulation of RNase E following DNA damage by mitomycin C resulted in SOS termination and restoration of RNase E function leads to resumption of a previously aborted response. Overexpression of the RraA protein, which binds to the C-terminal region of RNase E and modulates the actions of degradosomes, recapitulated the effects of RNase E deficiency. Possible mechanisms for RNase E effects on SOS are discussed. PMID:22719885

Multisite Phosphorylation Modulates the T Cell Receptor ζ-Chain Potency but not the Switchlike Response.

PubMed

Mukhopadhyay, Himadri; de Wet, Ben; Clemens, Lara; Maini, Philip K; Allard, Jun; van der Merwe, P Anton; Dushek, Omer

2016-04-26

Multisite phosphorylation is ubiquitous in cellular signaling and is thought to provide signaling proteins with additional regulatory mechanisms. Indeed, mathematical models have revealed a large number of mechanisms by which multisite phosphorylation can produce switchlike responses. The T cell antigen receptor (TCR) is a multisubunit receptor on the surface of T cells that is a prototypical multisite substrate as it contains 20 sites that are distributed on 10 conserved immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motifs (ITAMs). The TCR ζ-chain is a homodimer subunit that contains six ITAMs (12 sites) and exhibits a number of properties that are predicted to be sufficient for a switchlike response. We have used cellular reconstitution to systematically study multisite phosphorylation of the TCR ζ-chain. We find that multisite phosphorylation proceeds by a nonsequential random mechanism, and find no evidence that multiple ITAMs modulate a switchlike response but do find that they alter receptor potency and maximum phosphorylation. Modulation of receptor potency can be explained by a reduction in molecular entropy of the disordered ζ-chain upon phosphorylation. We further find that the tyrosine kinase ZAP-70 increases receptor potency but does not modulate the switchlike response. In contrast to other multisite proteins, where phosphorylations act in strong concert to modulate protein function, we suggest that the multiple ITAMs on the TCR function mainly to amplify subsequent signaling. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Fetal auditory evoked responses to onset of amplitude modulated sounds. A fetal magnetoencephalography (fMEG) study.

PubMed

Draganova, R; Schollbach, A; Schleger, F; Braendle, J; Brucker, S; Abele, H; Kagan, K O; Wallwiener, D; Fritsche, A; Eswaran, H; Preissl, H

2018-06-01

The human fetal auditory system is functional around the 25th week of gestational age when the thalamocortical connections are established. Fetal magnetoencephalography (fMEG) provides evidence for fetal auditory brain responses to pure tones and syllables. Fifty-five pregnant women between 31 and 40 weeks of gestation were included in the study. Fetal MEG was recorded during the presentation of an amplitude modulated tone (AM) with a carrier frequency of 500 Hz to the maternal abdomen modulated by low modulation rates (MRs) - 2/s and 4/s, middle MR - 8/s and high MRs - 27/s, 42/s, 78/s and 91/s. The aim was to determine whether the fetal brain responds differently to envelope slopes and intensity change at the onset of the AM sounds. A significant decrease of the response latencies of transient event-related responses (ERR) to high and middle MRs in comparison to the low MRs was observed. The highest fetal response rate was achieved by modulation rates of 2/s, 4/s and 27/s (70%, 57%, and 86%, respectively). Additionally, a maturation effect of the ERR (response latency vs. gestational age) was observed only for 4/s MR. The significant difference between the response latencies to low, middle, and high MRs suggests that still before birth the fetal brain processes the sound slopes at the onset in different integration time-windows, depending on the time for the intensity increase or stimulus power density at the onset, which is a prerequisite for language acquisition. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Cross-Modulation of Homeostatic Responses to Temperature, Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide in C. elegans

PubMed Central

Kodama-Namba, Eiji; Fenk, Lorenz A.; Bretscher, Andrew J.; Gross, Einav; Busch, K. Emanuel; de Bono, Mario

2013-01-01

Different interoceptive systems must be integrated to ensure that multiple homeostatic insults evoke appropriate behavioral and physiological responses. Little is known about how this is achieved. Using C. elegans, we dissect cross-modulation between systems that monitor temperature, O2 and CO2. CO2 is less aversive to animals acclimated to 15°C than those grown at 22°C. This difference requires the AFD neurons, which respond to both temperature and CO2 changes. CO2 evokes distinct AFD Ca2+ responses in animals acclimated at 15°C or 22°C. Mutants defective in synaptic transmission can reprogram AFD CO2 responses according to temperature experience, suggesting reprogramming occurs cell autonomously. AFD is exquisitely sensitive to CO2. Surprisingly, gradients of 0.01% CO2/second evoke very different Ca2+ responses from gradients of 0.04% CO2/second. Ambient O2 provides further contextual modulation of CO2 avoidance. At 21% O2 tonic signalling from the O2-sensing neuron URX inhibits CO2 avoidance. This inhibition can be graded according to O2 levels. In a natural wild isolate, a switch from 21% to 19% O2 is sufficient to convert CO2 from a neutral to an aversive cue. This sharp tuning is conferred partly by the neuroglobin GLB-5. The modulatory effects of O2 on CO2 avoidance involve the RIA interneurons, which are post-synaptic to URX and exhibit CO2-evoked Ca2+ responses. Ambient O2 and acclimation temperature act combinatorially to modulate CO2 responsiveness. Our work highlights the integrated architecture of homeostatic responses in C. elegans. PMID:24385919

Extrusion die and method

DOEpatents

Lipp, G. Daniel

1994-04-26

A method and die apparatus for manufacturing a honeycomb body of rhombic cell cross-section by extrusion through an extrusion die of triangular cell discharge slot configuration, the die incorporating feedholes at selected slot intersections only, such that slot segments communicating directly with the feedholes discharge web material and slot segments not so connected do not discharge web material, whereby a rhombic cell cross-section in the extruded body is provided.

Nutritional strategies to modulate the adaptive response to endurance training.

PubMed

Hawley, John A

2013-01-01

In recent years, advances in molecular biology have allowed scientists to elucidate how endurance exercise training stimulates skeletal muscle remodeling (i.e. promotes mitochondrial biogenesis). A growing field of interest directly arising from our understanding of the molecular bases of training adaptation is how nutrient availability can alter the regulation of many contraction-induced events in muscle in response to endurance exercise. Acutely manipulating substrate availability can exert profound effects on muscle energy stores and patterns of fuel metabolism during exercise, as well as many processes activating gene expression and cell signaling. Accordingly, such interventions when repeated over weeks and months have the potential to modulate numerous adaptive processes in skeletal muscle that ultimately drive the phenotype-specific characteristics observed in highly trained athletes. In this review, the molecular and cellular events that occur in skeletal muscle during and after endurance exercise are discussed and evidence provided to demonstrate that nutrient availability plays an important role in modulating many of the adaptive responses to training. Emphasis is on human studies that have determined the regulatory role of muscle glycogen availability on cell metabolism, endurance training capacity and performance. Copyright © 2013 Nestec Ltd., Vevey/S. Karger AG, Basel.

Lumbopelvic flexibility modulates neuromuscular responses during trunk flexion-extension.

PubMed

Sánchez-Zuriaga, Daniel; Artacho-Pérez, Carla; Biviá-Roig, Gemma

2016-06-01

Various stimuli such as the flexibility of lumbopelvic structures influence the neuromuscular responses of the trunk musculature, leading to different load sharing strategies and reflex muscle responses from the afferents of lumbopelvic mechanoreceptors. This link between flexibility and neuromuscular response has been poorly studied. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between lumbopelvic flexibility and neuromuscular responses of the erector spinae, hamstring and abdominal muscles during trunk flexion-extension. Lumbopelvic movement patterns were measured in 29 healthy women, who were separated into two groups according to their flexibility during trunk flexion-extension. The electromyographic responses of erector spinae, rectus abdominis and biceps femoris were also recorded. Subjects with greater lumbar flexibility had significantly less pelvic flexibility and vice versa. Subjects with greater pelvic flexibility had a higher rate of relaxation and lower levels of hamstring activation during maximal trunk flexion. The neuromuscular response patterns of the hamstrings seem partially modulated by pelvic flexibility. Not so with the lumbar erector spinae and lumbar flexibility, despite the assertions of some previous studies. The results of this study improve our knowledge of the relationships between trunk joint flexibility and neuromuscular responses, a relationship which may play a role in low back pain. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Global signal modulation of single-trial fMRI response variability: Effect on positive vs negative BOLD response relationship.

PubMed

Mayhew, S D; Mullinger, K J; Ostwald, D; Porcaro, C; Bowtell, R; Bagshaw, A P; Francis, S T

2016-06-01

In functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), the relationship between positive BOLD responses (PBRs) and negative BOLD responses (NBRs) to stimulation is potentially informative about the balance of excitatory and inhibitory brain responses in sensory cortex. In this study, we performed three separate experiments delivering visual, motor or somatosensory stimulation unilaterally, to one side of the sensory field, to induce PBR and NBR in opposite brain hemispheres. We then assessed the relationship between the evoked amplitudes of contralateral PBR and ipsilateral NBR at the level of both single-trial and average responses. We measure single-trial PBR and NBR peak amplitudes from individual time-courses, and show that they were positively correlated in all experiments. In contrast, in the average response across trials the absolute magnitudes of both PBR and NBR increased with increasing stimulus intensity, resulting in a negative correlation between mean response amplitudes. Subsequent analysis showed that the amplitude of single-trial PBR was positively correlated with the BOLD response across all grey-matter voxels and was not specifically related to the ipsilateral sensory cortical response. We demonstrate that the global component of this single-trial response modulation could be fully explained by voxel-wise vascular reactivity, the BOLD signal standard deviation measured in a separate resting-state scan (resting state fluctuation amplitude, RSFA). However, bilateral positive correlation between PBR and NBR regions remained. We further report that modulations in the global brain fMRI signal cannot fully account for this positive PBR-NBR coupling and conclude that the local sensory network response reflects a combination of superimposed vascular and neuronal signals. More detailed quantification of physiological and noise contributions to the BOLD signal is required to fully understand the trial-by-trial PBR and NBR relationship compared with that of

Interpersonal relationship modulates brain responses to outcome evaluation when gambling for/against others: an electrophysiological analysis.

PubMed

Leng, Yue; Zhou, Xiaolin

2014-10-01

When individuals play a gambling task and their actions have consequences for observers, how are the brain responses of the performers modulated by their interpersonal relationship with the observers? To address this issue, we examined the event-related potentials responses in performers while they played two gambling games: one during which they tried to earn money for the observers instead of themselves (i.e., Experiment 1) and another gambling game during which they attempted to earn money from the observers (i.e., Experiment 2). In Experiment 1, ERP results showed that when gambling for either the friends or the strangers, the feedback-related negativity (FRN) responses were more negative-going to the losses than to the gains. The FRN effect (loss minus gain) was significantly larger when gambling for the friends than for the strangers. The general P300 response was more positive-going when gambling for the friends than for the strangers. These results suggested that gambling for others enables individuals to assess the outcome from the interests of the other people, consequently, the FRN response may be driven by the evaluative process related to interests of the others. Because one׳s own economic interests were not involved, the performers׳ brain responses during both the early, semi-automatic stage (i.e., the FRN) and the later, controlled stage (i.e., the P300) of outcome evaluation were modulated by the interpersonal relationship between the performers and the observers. In Experiment 2, ERP results revealed that when gambling against others, the FRN response was more negative-going to the losses than to the gains, as well. However, neither the FRN effect nor the general FRN response was modulated by interpersonal relationship. The general P300 response was more positive-going when gambling against the stranger than against the friend. These results suggested that when gambling against others, the performers׳ FRN response may be driven by two evaluative

Firing-rate response of linear and nonlinear integrate-and-fire neurons to modulated current-based and conductance-based synaptic drive.

PubMed

Richardson, Magnus J E

2007-08-01

Integrate-and-fire models are mainstays of the study of single-neuron response properties and emergent states of recurrent networks of spiking neurons. They also provide an analytical base for perturbative approaches that treat important biological details, such as synaptic filtering, synaptic conductance increase, and voltage-activated currents. Steady-state firing rates of both linear and nonlinear integrate-and-fire models, receiving fluctuating synaptic drive, can be calculated from the time-independent Fokker-Planck equation. The dynamic firing-rate response is less easy to extract, even at the first-order level of a weak modulation of the model parameters, but is an important determinant of neuronal response and network stability. For the linear integrate-and-fire model the response to modulations of current-based synaptic drive can be written in terms of hypergeometric functions. For the nonlinear exponential and quadratic models no such analytical forms for the response are available. Here it is demonstrated that a rather simple numerical method can be used to obtain the steady-state and dynamic response for both linear and nonlinear models to parameter modulation in the presence of current-based or conductance-based synaptic fluctuations. To complement the full numerical solution, generalized analytical forms for the high-frequency response are provided. A special case is also identified--time-constant modulation--for which the response to an arbitrarily strong modulation can be calculated exactly.

Task modulations of racial bias in neural responses to others' suffering.

PubMed

Sheng, Feng; Liu, Qiang; Li, Hong; Fang, Fang; Han, Shihui

2014-03-01

Recent event related brain potential research observed a greater frontal activity to pain expressions of racial in-group than out-group members and such racial bias in neural responses to others' suffering was modulated by task demands that emphasize race identity or painful feeling. However, as pain expressions activate multiple brain regions in the pain matrix, it remains unclear which part of the neural circuit in response to others' suffering undergoes modulations by task demands. We scanned Chinese adults, using functional MRI, while they categorized Asian and Caucasian faces with pain or neutral expressions in terms of race or identified painful feelings of each individual face. We found that pain vs. neutral expressions of Asian but not Caucasian faces activated the anterior cingulate (ACC) and anterior insular (AI) activity during race judgments. However, pain compared to race judgments increased ACC and AI activity to pain expressions of Caucasian but not Asian faces. Moreover, race judgments induced increased activity in the dorsal medial prefrontal cortex whereas pain judgments increased activity in the bilateral temporoparietal junction. The results suggest that task demands emphasizing an individual's painful feeling increase ACC/AI activities to pain expressions of racial out-group members and reduce the racial bias in empathic neural responses. © 2013.

Psychotherapy with Older Dying Persons.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dye, Carol J.

Psychotherapy with older dying patients can lead to problems of countertransference for the clinician. Working with dying patients requires flexibility to adapt basic therapeutics to the institutional setting. Goals of psychotherapy must be reconceptualized for dying clients. The problems of countertransference arise because clinicians themselves…

Neuroendocrine abnormalities in hypothalamic amenorrhea: spectrum, stability, and response to neurotransmitter modulation.

PubMed

Perkins, R B; Hall, J E; Martin, K A

1999-06-01

To characterize the neuroendocrine patterns of abnormal GnRH secretion in hypothalamic amenorrhea (HA), 49 women with primary and secondary HA underwent frequent sampling of LH in a total of 72 baseline studies over 12-24 h. A subset of women participated in more than one study to address 1) the variability of LH pulse patterns over time; and 2) the impact of modulating opioid, dopaminergic, and adrenergic tone on LH secretory patterns. The frequency and amplitude of LH secretion was compared with that seen in the early follicular phase (EFP) of normally cycling women. The spectrum of abnormalities of LH pulses was 8% apulsatile, 27% low frequency/low amplitude, 8% low amplitude/normal frequency, 43% low frequency/normal amplitude, 14% normal frequency/normal amplitude. Of patients studied overnight, 45% demonstrated a pubertal pattern of augmented LH secretion during sleep. Of patients studied repeatedly, 75% demonstrated at least 2 different patterns of LH secretion, and 33% reverted at least once to a normal pattern of secretion. An increase in LH pulse frequency was seen in 12 of 15 subjects in response to naloxone (opioid receptor antagonist). Clonidine (alpha-2 adrenergic agonist) was associated with a decrease in mean LH in 3 of 3 subjects. An increase in LH pulse frequency was seen in 4 of 8 subjects in response to metoclopramide (dopamine receptor antagonist), but the response was not statistically significant. Baseline abnormalities in LH secretion did not appear to influence response to neurotransmitter modulation. 1) HA represents a spectrum of disordered GnRH secretion that can vary over time; 2) LH pulse patterns at baseline do not appear to influence the ability to respond to neurotransmitter modulation; 3) Opioid and adrenergic tone appear to influence the hypothalamic GnRH pulse generator in some individuals with HA.

Pultrusion Die Assembly

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilson, Maywood L. (Inventor); Johnson, Gary S. (Inventor); Frye, Mark W. (Inventor); Stanfield, Clarence E. (Inventor)

1988-01-01

This invention relates generally to pultrusion die assemblies, and more particularly, to a pultrusion die assembly which incorporates a plurality of functions in order to produce a continuous, thin composite fiber reinforced thermoplastic material. The invention is useful for making high performance thermoplastic composite materials in sheets which can be coiled on a spool and stored for further processing.

Non-linear Membrane Properties in Entorhinal Cortical Stellate Cells Reduce Modulation of Input-Output Responses by Voltage Fluctuations

PubMed Central

Fernandez, Fernando R.; Malerba, Paola; White, John A.

2015-01-01

The presence of voltage fluctuations arising from synaptic activity is a critical component in models of gain control, neuronal output gating, and spike rate coding. The degree to which individual neuronal input-output functions are modulated by voltage fluctuations, however, is not well established across different cortical areas. Additionally, the extent and mechanisms of input-output modulation through fluctuations have been explored largely in simplified models of spike generation, and with limited consideration for the role of non-linear and voltage-dependent membrane properties. To address these issues, we studied fluctuation-based modulation of input-output responses in medial entorhinal cortical (MEC) stellate cells of rats, which express strong sub-threshold non-linear membrane properties. Using in vitro recordings, dynamic clamp and modeling, we show that the modulation of input-output responses by random voltage fluctuations in stellate cells is significantly limited. In stellate cells, a voltage-dependent increase in membrane resistance at sub-threshold voltages mediated by Na+ conductance activation limits the ability of fluctuations to elicit spikes. Similarly, in exponential leaky integrate-and-fire models using a shallow voltage-dependence for the exponential term that matches stellate cell membrane properties, a low degree of fluctuation-based modulation of input-output responses can be attained. These results demonstrate that fluctuation-based modulation of input-output responses is not a universal feature of neurons and can be significantly limited by subthreshold voltage-gated conductances. PMID:25909971

Non-linear Membrane Properties in Entorhinal Cortical Stellate Cells Reduce Modulation of Input-Output Responses by Voltage Fluctuations.

PubMed

Fernandez, Fernando R; Malerba, Paola; White, John A

2015-04-01

The presence of voltage fluctuations arising from synaptic activity is a critical component in models of gain control, neuronal output gating, and spike rate coding. The degree to which individual neuronal input-output functions are modulated by voltage fluctuations, however, is not well established across different cortical areas. Additionally, the extent and mechanisms of input-output modulation through fluctuations have been explored largely in simplified models of spike generation, and with limited consideration for the role of non-linear and voltage-dependent membrane properties. To address these issues, we studied fluctuation-based modulation of input-output responses in medial entorhinal cortical (MEC) stellate cells of rats, which express strong sub-threshold non-linear membrane properties. Using in vitro recordings, dynamic clamp and modeling, we show that the modulation of input-output responses by random voltage fluctuations in stellate cells is significantly limited. In stellate cells, a voltage-dependent increase in membrane resistance at sub-threshold voltages mediated by Na+ conductance activation limits the ability of fluctuations to elicit spikes. Similarly, in exponential leaky integrate-and-fire models using a shallow voltage-dependence for the exponential term that matches stellate cell membrane properties, a low degree of fluctuation-based modulation of input-output responses can be attained. These results demonstrate that fluctuation-based modulation of input-output responses is not a universal feature of neurons and can be significantly limited by subthreshold voltage-gated conductances.

Quality of dying and death with cancer in Israel.

PubMed

Braun, Michal; Hasson-Ohayon, Ilanit; Hales, Sarah; Zimmermann, Camilla; Rydall, Anne; Peretz, Tamar; Rodin, Gary

2014-07-01

The quality of dying and death refers to the evaluation of the final days of life and the moment of death with respect to how it is prepared for, faced and experienced by those with a terminal illness. It includes experience in multiple domains: physical, psychological, social, spiritual or existential, the nature of health care, life closure and death preparation, and the circumstances of death. To explore the quality of dying and death in cancer patients in Israel and its relationship to place of death and socio-demographic characteristics of the primary caregivers and the deceased. Retrospective assessment of the quality of dying and death, based on caregiver responses to the Quality of Dying and Death (QODD) questionnaire (overall score ranges from 0 to 100; higher scores reflect better dying and death experiences) 8 to 10 months after the death. Ninety-five caregivers of Jewish cancer patients, most of whom were female spouses or children of the deceased. Mean QODD score was 57.2 (standard deviation [SD]=15), which is in the low-moderate range. Place of death, gender and age of the caregiver, and age of the deceased, were associated with QODD score. This retrospective study in Israel demonstrated that the overall quality of dying and death was regarded as poor by almost half of the caregivers. These findings may reflect the relative lack of specialized palliative care and advance care planning in Israel at the time of this study, which took place between 2006 and 2009. Further research and enhancement of palliative care resources may be needed in Israel and several encouraging recent developments (e.g. staff training and legislation) suggest that such changes are now underway.

Submillisecond-response and scattering-free infrared liquid crystal phase modulators.

PubMed

Sun, Jie; Chen, Yuan; Wu, Shin-Tson

2012-08-27

We demonstrate a submillisecond-response and scattering-free infrared phase modulator using a polymer network liquid crystal (PNLC). The required voltage for achieving 2π phase change at λ = 1.06 µm is 70V (or 5.8 V/μm) and the measured response time is ~200 µs at 25°C and 30 µs at 70°C. Opposite to our conventional understanding, a high viscosity LC helps to achieve small domain size during polymerization process, which in turn reduces the response time and light scattering. We use Rayleigh-Gans-Debye scattering model to analyze the voltage-on state transmission spectra. When the domain size is comparable to the wavelength, the model fits with experimental results well. But when the domain size is smaller than the wavelength, the simple Rayleigh model works well.

Examination of the Structural Response of the Orion European Service Module to Reverberant and Direct Field Acoustic Testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McNelis, Mark E.; Hughes, William O.; Larko, Jeffrey M.; Bittinger, Samantha A.; Le-Plenier, Cyprien; Fogt, Vincent A.; Ngan, Ivan; Thirkettle, Anthony C.; Skinner, Mitch; Larkin, Paul

2017-01-01

The NASA Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV), comprised of the Service Module, the Crew Module, and the Launch Abort System, is the next generation human spacecraft designed and built for deep space exploration. Orion will launch on NASAs new heavy-lift rocket, the Space Launch System. The European Space Agency (ESA) is responsible for providing the propulsion sub-assembly of the Service Module to NASA, called the European Service Module (ESM). The ESM is being designed and built by Airbus Safran Launchers for ESA. Traditionally, NASA has utilized reverberant acoustic testing for qualification of spaceflight hardware. The ESM Structural Test Article (E-STA) was tested at the NASA Plum Brook Stations (PBS) Reverberant Acoustic Test Facility in April-May 2016. However, Orion is evaluating an alternative acoustic test method, using direct field acoustic excitation, for the MPCVs Service Module and Crew Module. Lockheed Martin is responsible for the Orion proof-of-concept direct field acoustic test program. The E-STA was exposed to direct field acoustic testing at NASA PBS in February 2017. This paper compares the dynamic response of the E-STA structure and its components to both the reverberant and direct field acoustic test excitations. Advantages and disadvantages of direct field acoustic test excitation method are discussed.

Cortisol modulates men's affiliative responses to acute social stress.

PubMed

Berger, Justus; Heinrichs, Markus; von Dawans, Bernadette; Way, Baldwin M; Chen, Frances S

2016-01-01

The dominant characterization of the physiological and behavioral human stress reaction is the fight-or-flight response. On the other hand, it has been suggested that social affiliation during stressful times ("tend-and-befriend") also represents a common adaptive response to stress, particularly for women. In the current study, we investigate the extent to which men may also show affiliative responses following acute stress. In addition, we examine a potential neuroendocrine modulator of the hypothesized affiliative response. Eighty male students (forty dyads) were recruited to undergo either the Trier Social Stress Test for Groups (TSST-G) or a non-stressful control situation. Subsequently, participants completed a dyadic interaction task and were then asked to report their feelings of psychological closeness to their interaction partner. Although participants assigned to the stress condition did not differ overall on psychological closeness from participants assigned to the control condition, participants with high cortisol responses to the stressor showed significantly higher ratings of psychological closeness to their interaction partner than participants with low cortisol responses. Our findings suggest that men may form closer temporary bonds following stressful situations that are accompanied by a significant cortisol response. We suggest that the traditional characterization of the male stress response in terms of "fight-or-flight" may be incomplete, and that social affiliation may in fact represent a common, adaptive response to stress in men. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bacteria Interactions with Dying Diatoms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smriga, S.; Juarez, G.; Fernandez, V.; Stocker, R.

2016-02-01

Dying phytoplankton are surrounded by microscale gradients of dissolved organic matter (DOM) that can attract bacteria. These 'phycospheres' may impact the trophic transfer of DOM in the marine microbial food web and enable the growth of bacterial populations, yet these effects remain poorly quantified particularly in relation to the physiological state of the phytoplankton. We dissected phycosphere interactions at unprecedented spatial and temporal resolution using the model diatom Thalassiosira weissflogii and the bacterium Marinobacter adhaerans. Diatom stress was stimulated by addition of polyunsaturated aldehyde (PUA) and both diatom and bacterial responses were captured via time-lapse fluorescence microscopy. We found that stressed diatoms underwent lysis 10-15 h after PUA treatment. Coordinated with the timing of this transition into phytodetritus, wild-type Marinobacter accumulated via chemotaxis near the diatoms immediately following lysis. In contrast, at lysis there was no accumulation of either a non-chemotactic or a non-motile mutant of Marinobacter, pointing to behavioral rather than demographic responses as drivers for the accumulation. Despite the lack of response, non-chemotactic as well as non-swimming bacterial cells that by chance attached to or were located near (<30 µm) stressed diatoms experienced more growth than cells further afield. Growth within the phycosphere was even greater after diatom lysis. Through quantification at the microscale, these results reveal that chemotaxis may precede rapid bacterial attachment to stressed and dying diatoms and may be integral to the microbial colonization of new phytodetritus during phytoplankton blooms and bloom collapses in coastal ecosystems. Even while chemotactic cells retain a growth advantage given their ability to sense and respond to lysis events, phycosphere DOM provides growth benefits to both motile and non-motile taxa that become attached to or happen to be co-located with new

Activations in gray and white matter are modulated by uni-manual responses during within and inter-hemispheric transfer: effects of response hand and right-handedness.

PubMed

Diwadkar, Vaibhav A; Bellani, Marcella; Chowdury, Asadur; Savazzi, Silvia; Perlini, Cinzia; Marinelli, Veronica; Zoccatelli, Giada; Alessandrini, Franco; Ciceri, Elisa; Rambaldelli, Gianluca; Ruggieri, Mirella; Carlo Altamura, A; Marzi, Carlo A; Brambilla, Paolo

2017-08-14

Because the visual cortices are contra-laterally organized, inter-hemispheric transfer tasks have been used to behaviorally probe how information briefly presented to one hemisphere of the visual cortex is integrated with responses resulting from the ipsi- or contra-lateral motor cortex. By forcing rapid information exchange across diverse regions, these tasks robustly activate not only gray matter regions, but also white matter tracts. It is likely that the response hand itself (dominant or non-dominant) modulates gray and white matter activations during within and inter-hemispheric transfer. Yet the role of uni-manual responses and/or right hand dominance in modulating brain activations during such basic tasks is unclear. Here we investigated how uni-manual responses with either hand modulated activations during a basic visuo-motor task (the established Poffenberger paradigm) alternating between inter- and within-hemispheric transfer conditions. In a large sample of strongly right-handed adults (n = 49), we used a factorial combination of transfer condition [Inter vs. Within] and response hand [Dominant(Right) vs. Non-Dominant (Left)] to discover fMRI-based activations in gray matter, and in narrowly defined white matter tracts. These tracts were identified using a priori probabilistic white matter atlases. Uni-manual responses with the right hand strongly modulated activations in gray matter, and notably in white matter. Furthermore, when responding with the left hand, activations during inter-hemispheric transfer were strongly predicted by the degree of right-hand dominance, with increased right-handedness predicting decreased fMRI activation. Finally, increasing age within the middle-aged sample was associated with a decrease in activations. These results provide novel evidence of complex relationships between uni-manual responses in right-handed subjects, and activations during within- and inter-hemispheric transfer suggest that the organization of the

Modulation of Visually Evoked Postural Responses by Contextual Visual, Haptic and Auditory Information: A ‘Virtual Reality Check’

PubMed Central

Meyer, Georg F.; Shao, Fei; White, Mark D.; Hopkins, Carl; Robotham, Antony J.

2013-01-01

Externally generated visual motion signals can cause the illusion of self-motion in space (vection) and corresponding visually evoked postural responses (VEPR). These VEPRs are not simple responses to optokinetic stimulation, but are modulated by the configuration of the environment. The aim of this paper is to explore what factors modulate VEPRs in a high quality virtual reality (VR) environment where real and virtual foreground objects served as static visual, auditory and haptic reference points. Data from four experiments on visually evoked postural responses show that: 1) visually evoked postural sway in the lateral direction is modulated by the presence of static anchor points that can be haptic, visual and auditory reference signals; 2) real objects and their matching virtual reality representations as visual anchors have different effects on postural sway; 3) visual motion in the anterior-posterior plane induces robust postural responses that are not modulated by the presence of reference signals or the reality of objects that can serve as visual anchors in the scene. We conclude that automatic postural responses for laterally moving visual stimuli are strongly influenced by the configuration and interpretation of the environment and draw on multisensory representations. Different postural responses were observed for real and virtual visual reference objects. On the basis that automatic visually evoked postural responses in high fidelity virtual environments should mimic those seen in real situations we propose to use the observed effect as a robust objective test for presence and fidelity in VR. PMID:23840760

Multicompartment Drug Release System for Dynamic Modulation of Tissue Responses.

PubMed

Morris, Aaron H; Mahal, Rajwant S; Udell, Jillian; Wu, Michelle; Kyriakides, Themis R

2017-10-01

Pharmacological modulation of responses to injury is complicated by the need to deliver multiple drugs with spatiotemporal resolution. Here, a novel controlled delivery system containing three separate compartments with each releasing its contents over different timescales is fabricated. Core-shell electrospun fibers create two of the compartments in the system, while electrosprayed spheres create the third. Utility is demonstrated by targeting the foreign body response to implants because it is a dynamic process resulting in implant failure. Sequential delivery of a drug targeting nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) and an antifibrotic is characterized in in vitro experiments. Specifically, macrophage fusion and p65 nuclear translocation in the presence of releasate or with macrophages cultured on the surfaces of the constructs are evaluated. In addition, releasate from pirfenidone scaffolds is shown to reduce transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β)-induced pSMAD3 nuclear localization in fibroblasts. In vivo, drug eluting constructs successfully mitigate macrophage fusion at one week and fibrotic encapsulation in a dose-dependent manner at four weeks, demonstrating effective release of both drugs over different timescales. Future studies can employ this system to improve and prolong implant lifetimes, or load it with other drugs to modulate other dynamic processes. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Direct sensorimotor corticospinal modulation of dorsal horn neuronal C-fiber responses in the rat.

PubMed

Rojas-Piloni, Gerardo; Martínez-Lorenzana, Guadalupe; Condés-Lara, Miguel; Rodríguez-Jiménez, Javier

2010-09-10

Clinically, the stimulation of motor cortical areas has been used to alleviate certain pain conditions. However, the attempts to understand the mechanisms of cortical nociceptive modulation at the spinal cord level have yielded controversial results. The objectives of the present work were to: 1) determine the effects of activating and suppressing the activity of sensorimotor cortical neurons on the nociceptive electrophysiological responses of the segmental C-fibers, and 2) evaluate the contribution of direct and indirect corticospinal projections in segmental nociceptive modulation. By means of a bipolar matrix of stimulation electrodes we mapped the stimulation of cortical areas that modulate C-fiber evoked field potentials in the dorsal horn. In addition, suppressing the cortical activity by means of cortical spreading depression, we observed that the C-fiber evoked field potentials in the dorsal horn are facilitated when cortical activity is suppressed specifically in sensorimotor cortex. Moreover, the C-fiber evoked field potentials were inhibited during spontaneous activation of cortical projecting neurons. Furthermore, after a lesion of the pyramidal tract contralateral to the spinal cord recording sites, the cortical action was suppressed. Our results show that corticospinal tract fibers arising from the sensorimotor cortex modulate directly the nociceptive C-fiber evoked responses of the dorsal horn. 2010. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Modulation of Neuronal Responses by Exogenous Attention in Macaque Primary Visual Cortex.

PubMed

Wang, Feng; Chen, Minggui; Yan, Yin; Zhaoping, Li; Li, Wu

2015-09-30

Visual perception is influenced by attention deployed voluntarily or triggered involuntarily by salient stimuli. Modulation of visual cortical processing by voluntary or endogenous attention has been extensively studied, but much less is known about how involuntary or exogenous attention affects responses of visual cortical neurons. Using implanted microelectrode arrays, we examined the effects of exogenous attention on neuronal responses in the primary visual cortex (V1) of awake monkeys. A bright annular cue was flashed either around the receptive fields of recorded neurons or in the opposite visual field to capture attention. A subsequent grating stimulus probed the cue-induced effects. In a fixation task, when the cue-to-probe stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) was <240 ms, the cue induced a transient increase of neuronal responses to the probe at the cued location during 40-100 ms after the onset of neuronal responses to the probe. This facilitation diminished and disappeared after repeated presentations of the same cue but recurred for a new cue of a different color. In another task to detect the probe, relative shortening of monkey's reaction times for the validly cued probe depended on the SOA in a way similar to the cue-induced V1 facilitation, and the behavioral and physiological cueing effects remained after repeated practice. Flashing two cues simultaneously in the two opposite visual fields weakened or diminished both the physiological and behavioral cueing effects. Our findings indicate that exogenous attention significantly modulates V1 responses and that the modulation strength depends on both novelty and task relevance of the stimulus. Significance statement: Visual attention can be involuntarily captured by a sudden appearance of a conspicuous object, allowing rapid reactions to unexpected events of significance. The current study discovered a correlate of this effect in monkey primary visual cortex. An abrupt, salient, flash enhanced neuronal

Dimensionless figure of merit and its efficiency estimation for transient response of thermoelectric module based on impedance spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Otsuka, Mioko; Hasegawa, Yasuhiro; Arisaka, Taichi; Shinozaki, Ryo; Morita, Hiroyuki

2017-11-01

The dimensionless figure of merit and its efficiency for the transient response of a Π-shaped thermoelectric module are estimated according to the theory of impedance spectroscopy. The effective dimensionless figure of merit is described as a function of the product of the characteristic time to reduce the temperature and the representative angular frequency of the module, which is expressed by the thermal diffusivity and the length of the elements used. The characteristic time required for achieving a higher dimensionless figure of merit and efficiency is derived quantitatively for the transient response using the properties of a commercial thermoelectric module.

Glucose impairs tamoxifen responsiveness modulating connective tissue growth factor in breast cancer cells.

PubMed

Ambrosio, Maria Rosaria; D'Esposito, Vittoria; Costa, Valerio; Liguoro, Domenico; Collina, Francesca; Cantile, Monica; Prevete, Nella; Passaro, Carmela; Mosca, Giusy; De Laurentiis, Michelino; Di Bonito, Maurizio; Botti, Gerardo; Franco, Renato; Beguinot, Francesco; Ciccodicola, Alfredo; Formisano, Pietro

2017-12-12

Type 2 diabetes and obesity are negative prognostic factors in patients with breast cancer (BC). We found that sensitivity to tamoxifen was reduced by 2-fold by 25 mM glucose (High Glucose; HG) compared to 5.5 mM glucose (Low Glucose; LG) in MCF7 BC cells. Shifting from HG to LG ameliorated MCF7 cell responsiveness to tamoxifen. RNA-Sequencing of MCF7 BC cells revealed that cell cycle-related genes were mainly affected by glucose. Connective Tissue Growth Factor (CTGF) was identified as a glucose-induced modulator of cell sensitivity to tamoxifen. Co-culturing MCF7 cells with human adipocytes exposed to HG, enhanced CTGF mRNA levels and reduced tamoxifen responsiveness of BC cells. Inhibition of adipocyte-released IL8 reverted these effects. Interestingly, CTGF immuno-detection in bioptic specimens from women with estrogen receptor positive (ER + ) BC correlated with hormone therapy resistance, distant metastases, reduced overall and disease-free survival. Thus, glucose affects tamoxifen responsiveness directly modulating CTGF in BC cells, and indirectly promoting IL8 release by adipocytes.

Medizintechnik in der Tumororthopädie

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burgkart, Rainer; Gollwitzer, Hans; Holzapfel, Boris; Rudert, Maximilian; Rechl, Hans; Gradinger, Reiner

Die Behandlung der Knochentumoren unterlag in den letzten 20 Jahren einem raschen und stetigen Wandel, was zum einen auf die verbesserten Therapieerfolge durch den Einsatz von neoadjuvanten Therapieformen zurückzuführen ist, und andererseits von medizintechnischen Entwicklungen bezüglich moderner Schnittbilddiagnostik, neuer 3D Operationsplanungsverfahren wie das Rapid Prototyping und adaptiv modularer Tumorendoprothesensystemen u. a. begleitet wurde. Gerade die technischen Entwicklungen haben dazu geführt, daß im Bereich der Extremitäten und der Wirbelsäule radikalere Eingriffe durchgeführt werden können, was die lokale Tumorkontrolle wesentlich verbessert hat. In zunehmenden Maße werden deshalb nicht nur Kurzzeiterfolge sondern auch mittel- und langfristige Fortschritte bei der Behandlung der malignen Knochentumoren einschließlich der Metastasenbehandlung erreicht. Grundlage der Therapie ist dabei immer primär die Sicherung der Diagnose mittels Biopsie und die bildgebende sowie histologische Stadieneinteilung des malignen Tumors. Nach der Tumorresektion kann die Rekonstruktion biologisch oder mit Endoprothesensystemen erfolgen. Gerade die weiterentwickelten modularen Systeme führen zu guten funktionellen Ergebnissen mit langen Standzeiten und einer reduzierten Komplikationsrate. Individuell angefertigte Implantate sind vor allem im Bereich der Rekonstruktion komplexer Beckentumoren von großer klinischer Bedeutung.

N2pc is modulated by stimulus-stimulus, but not by stimulus-response incompatibilities.

PubMed

Cespón, J; Galdo-Álvarez, S; Díaz, F

2013-04-01

Studies of the N2pc in Simon-type tasks have revealed inconsistent results. That is, N2pc was only modulated when a stimulus-stimulus (S-S) overlap covaries with the stimulus-response (S-R) overlap. The present study aimed to establish whether N2pc is modulated by the S-R or by the S-S overlap. Therefore, we designed a Simon task requiring response to a colour stimulus (an arrow) with two irrelevant dimensions (position and direction). The following conditions were thus generated: compatible direction-compatible position (CDCP); incompatible direction-compatible position (IDCP); compatible direction-incompatible position (CDIP); and incompatible direction-incompatible position (IDIP). In IDCP and CDIP, both irrelevant dimensions conveyed contradictory spatial information (S-S incompatibility), while compatibility between both irrelevant dimensions occurred in CDCP and IDIP (the direction indicated was compatible with stimulus position). The N2pc amplitude was smaller in IDCP and CDIP than in CDCP and IDIP, what suggests that N2pc was modulated by S-S incompatibility and not by S-R incompatibilities. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ketamine modulation of the haemodynamic response to spreading depolarization in the gyrencephalic swine brain

PubMed Central

Santos, Edgar; Schöll, Michael; Kunzmann, Kevin; Stock, Christian; Silos, Humberto; Unterberg, Andreas W; Sakowitz, Oliver W

2016-01-01

Spreading depolarization (SD) generates significant alterations in cerebral haemodynamics, which can have detrimental consequences on brain function and integrity. Ketamine has shown an important capacity to modulate SD; however, its impact on SD haemodynamic response is incompletely understood. We investigated the effect of two therapeutic ketamine dosages, a low-dose of 2 mg/kg/h and a high-dose of 4 mg/kg/h, on the haemodynamic response to SD in the gyrencephalic swine brain. Cerebral blood volume, pial arterial diameter and cerebral blood flow were assessed through intrinsic optical signal imaging and laser-Doppler flowmetry. Our findings indicate that frequent SDs caused a persistent increase in the baseline pial arterial diameter, which can lead to a diminished capacity to further dilate. Ketamine infused at a low-dose reduced the hyperemic/vasodilative response to SD; however, it did not alter the subsequent oligemic/vasoconstrictive response. This low-dose did not prevent the baseline diameter increase and the diminished dilative capacity. Only infusion of ketamine at a high-dose suppressed SD and the coupled haemodynamic response. Therefore, the haemodynamic response to SD can be modulated by continuous infusion of ketamine. However, its use in pathological models needs to be explored to corroborate its possible clinical benefit. PMID:27126324

Ketamine modulation of the haemodynamic response to spreading depolarization in the gyrencephalic swine brain.

PubMed

Sánchez-Porras, Renán; Santos, Edgar; Schöll, Michael; Kunzmann, Kevin; Stock, Christian; Silos, Humberto; Unterberg, Andreas W; Sakowitz, Oliver W

2017-05-01

Spreading depolarization (SD) generates significant alterations in cerebral haemodynamics, which can have detrimental consequences on brain function and integrity. Ketamine has shown an important capacity to modulate SD; however, its impact on SD haemodynamic response is incompletely understood. We investigated the effect of two therapeutic ketamine dosages, a low-dose of 2 mg/kg/h and a high-dose of 4 mg/kg/h, on the haemodynamic response to SD in the gyrencephalic swine brain. Cerebral blood volume, pial arterial diameter and cerebral blood flow were assessed through intrinsic optical signal imaging and laser-Doppler flowmetry. Our findings indicate that frequent SDs caused a persistent increase in the baseline pial arterial diameter, which can lead to a diminished capacity to further dilate. Ketamine infused at a low-dose reduced the hyperemic/vasodilative response to SD; however, it did not alter the subsequent oligemic/vasoconstrictive response. This low-dose did not prevent the baseline diameter increase and the diminished dilative capacity. Only infusion of ketamine at a high-dose suppressed SD and the coupled haemodynamic response. Therefore, the haemodynamic response to SD can be modulated by continuous infusion of ketamine. However, its use in pathological models needs to be explored to corroborate its possible clinical benefit.

Vacuum die attach for integrated circuits

DOEpatents

Schmitt, Edward H.; Tuckerman, David B.

1991-01-01

A thin film eutectic bond for attaching an integrated circuit die to a circuit substrate is formed by coating at least one bonding surface on the die and substrate with an alloying metal, assembling the die and substrate under compression loading, and heating the assembly to an alloying temperature in a vacuum. A very thin bond, 10 microns or less, which is substantially void free, is produced. These bonds have high reliability, good heat and electrical conduction, and high temperature tolerance. The bonds are formed in a vacuum chamber, using a positioning and loading fixture to compression load the die, and an IR lamp or other heat source. For bonding a silicon die to a silicon substrate, a gold silicon alloy bond is used. Multiple dies can be bonded simultaneously. No scrubbing is required.

Recent tree die-off has little effect on streamflow in contrast to expected increases from historical studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biederman, Joel A.; Somor, Andrew J.; Harpold, Adrian A.; Gutmann, Ethan D.; Breshears, David D.; Troch, Peter A.; Gochis, David J.; Scott, Russell L.; Meddens, Arjan J. H.; Brooks, Paul D.

2015-12-01

Recent bark beetle epidemics have caused regional-scale tree mortality in many snowmelt-dominated headwater catchments of western North America. Initial expectations of increased streamflow have not been supported by observations, and the basin-scale response of annual streamflow is largely unknown. Here we quantified annual streamflow responses during the decade following tree die-off in eight infested catchments in the Colorado River headwaters and one nearby control catchment. We employed three alternative empirical methods: (i) double-mass comparison between impacted and control catchments, (ii) runoff ratio comparison before and after die-off, and (iii) time-trend analysis using climate-driven linear models. In contrast to streamflow increases predicted by historical paired catchment studies and recent modeling, we did not detect streamflow changes in most basins following die-off, while one basin consistently showed decreased streamflow. The three analysis methods produced generally consistent results, with time-trend analysis showing precipitation was the strongest predictor of streamflow variability (R2 = 74-96%). Time-trend analysis revealed post-die-off streamflow decreased in three catchments by 11-29%, with no change in the other five catchments. Although counter to initial expectations, these results are consistent with increased transpiration by surviving vegetation and the growing body of literature documenting increased snow sublimation and evaporation from the subcanopy following die-off in water-limited, snow-dominated forests. The observations presented here challenge the widespread expectation that streamflow will increase following beetle-induced forest die-off and highlight the need to better understand the processes driving hydrologic response to forest disturbance.

Calibration-free wavelength-modulation spectroscopy based on a swiftly determined wavelength-modulation frequency response function of a DFB laser.

PubMed

Zhao, Gang; Tan, Wei; Hou, Jiajia; Qiu, Xiaodong; Ma, Weiguang; Li, Zhixin; Dong, Lei; Zhang, Lei; Yin, Wangbao; Xiao, Liantuan; Axner, Ove; Jia, Suotang

2016-01-25

A methodology for calibration-free wavelength modulation spectroscopy (CF-WMS) that is based upon an extensive empirical description of the wavelength-modulation frequency response (WMFR) of DFB laser is presented. An assessment of the WMFR of a DFB laser by the use of an etalon confirms that it consists of two parts: a 1st harmonic component with an amplitude that is linear with the sweep and a nonlinear 2nd harmonic component with a constant amplitude. Simulations show that, among the various factors that affect the line shape of a background-subtracted peak-normalized 2f signal, such as concentration, phase shifts between intensity modulation and frequency modulation, and WMFR, only the last factor has a decisive impact. Based on this and to avoid the impractical use of an etalon, a novel method to pre-determine the parameters of the WMFR by fitting to a background-subtracted peak-normalized 2f signal has been developed. The accuracy of the new scheme to determine the WMFR is demonstrated and compared with that of conventional methods in CF-WMS by detection of trace acetylene. The results show that the new method provides a four times smaller fitting error than the conventional methods and retrieves concentration more accurately.

Maintaining everyday life in a family with a dying parent: Teenagers' experiences of adapting to responsibility.

PubMed

Melcher, Ulrica; Sandell, Rolf; Henriksson, Anette

2015-12-01

Teenagers are living through a turbulent period in their development, when they are breaking away from the family to form their own identities, and so they are particularly vulnerable to the stressful situation of having a parent affected by a progressive and incurable illness. The current study sought to gain more knowledge about the ways that teenagers themselves describe living in a family with a seriously ill and dying parent. More specifically, the aims were to describe how teenagers are emotionally affected by everyday life in a family with a dying parent and to determine how they attempt to adapt to this situation. The study employed a descriptive and interpretive design using qualitative content analysis. A total of 10 teenagers (aged 14-19 years, 7 boys and 3 girls) participated through repeated, individual, informal interviews that were carried out as free-ranging conversations. While contending with their own vulnerable developmental period of life, the teenagers were greatly affected by their parent's illness and took on great responsibility for supporting their parents and siblings, and for maintaining family life. Lacking sufficient information and support left them rather unprepared, having to guess and to interpret the vague signs of failing health on their own, with feelings of uncertainty and loneliness as a consequence. Support from healthcare professionals should be designed to help and encourage parents to have open communications about their illness with their teenaged children. Our results add further support to the literature, reinforcing the need for an approach that uses a systemic perspective and considers the family to be the appropriate unit of care and offers a suitable support system.

Enthesis fibrocartilage cells originate from a population of Hedgehog-responsive cells modulated by the loading environment.

PubMed

Schwartz, Andrea G; Long, Fanxin; Thomopoulos, Stavros

2015-01-01

Tendon attaches to bone across a specialized tissue called the enthesis. This tissue modulates the transfer of muscle forces between two materials, i.e. tendon and bone, with vastly different mechanical properties. The enthesis for many tendons consists of a mineralized graded fibrocartilage that develops postnatally, concurrent with epiphyseal mineralization. Although it is well described that the mineralization and development of functional maturity requires muscle loading, the biological factors that modulate enthesis development are poorly understood. By genetically demarcating cells expressing Gli1 in response to Hedgehog (Hh) signaling, we discovered a unique population of Hh-responsive cells in the developing murine enthesis that were distinct from tendon fibroblasts and epiphyseal chondrocytes. Lineage-tracing experiments revealed that the Gli1 lineage cells that originate in utero eventually populate the entire mature enthesis. Muscle paralysis increased the number of Hh-responsive cells in the enthesis, demonstrating that responsiveness to Hh is modulated in part by muscle loading. Ablation of the Hh-responsive cells during the first week of postnatal development resulted in a loss of mineralized fibrocartilage, with very little tissue remodeling 5 weeks after cell ablation. Conditional deletion of smoothened, a molecule necessary for responsiveness to Ihh, from the developing tendon and enthesis altered the differentiation of enthesis progenitor cells, resulting in significantly reduced fibrocartilage mineralization and decreased biomechanical function. Taken together, these results demonstrate that Hh signaling within developing enthesis fibrocartilage cells is required for enthesis formation. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Enthesis fibrocartilage cells originate from a population of Hedgehog-responsive cells modulated by the loading environment

PubMed Central

Schwartz, Andrea G.; Long, Fanxin; Thomopoulos, Stavros

2015-01-01

Tendon attaches to bone across a specialized tissue called the enthesis. This tissue modulates the transfer of muscle forces between two materials, i.e. tendon and bone, with vastly different mechanical properties. The enthesis for many tendons consists of a mineralized graded fibrocartilage that develops postnatally, concurrent with epiphyseal mineralization. Although it is well described that the mineralization and development of functional maturity requires muscle loading, the biological factors that modulate enthesis development are poorly understood. By genetically demarcating cells expressing Gli1 in response to Hedgehog (Hh) signaling, we discovered a unique population of Hh-responsive cells in the developing murine enthesis that were distinct from tendon fibroblasts and epiphyseal chondrocytes. Lineage-tracing experiments revealed that the Gli1 lineage cells that originate in utero eventually populate the entire mature enthesis. Muscle paralysis increased the number of Hh-responsive cells in the enthesis, demonstrating that responsiveness to Hh is modulated in part by muscle loading. Ablation of the Hh-responsive cells during the first week of postnatal development resulted in a loss of mineralized fibrocartilage, with very little tissue remodeling 5 weeks after cell ablation. Conditional deletion of smoothened, a molecule necessary for responsiveness to Ihh, from the developing tendon and enthesis altered the differentiation of enthesis progenitor cells, resulting in significantly reduced fibrocartilage mineralization and decreased biomechanical function. Taken together, these results demonstrate that Hh signaling within developing enthesis fibrocartilage cells is required for enthesis formation. PMID:25516975

Modulation of sweet responses of taste receptor cells.

PubMed

Yoshida, Ryusuke; Niki, Mayu; Jyotaki, Masafumi; Sanematsu, Keisuke; Shigemura, Noriatsu; Ninomiya, Yuzo

2013-03-01

Taste receptor cells play a major role in detection of chemical compounds in the oral cavity. Information derived from taste receptor cells, such as sweet, bitter, salty, sour and umami is important for evaluating the quality of food components. Among five basic taste qualities, sweet taste is very attractive for animals and influences food intake. Recent studies have demonstrated that sweet taste sensitivity in taste receptor cells would be affected by leptin and endocannabinoids. Leptin is an anorexigenic mediator that reduces food intake by acting on leptin receptor Ob-Rb in the hypothalamus. Endocannabinoids such as anandamide [N-arachidonoylethanolamine (AEA)] and 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG) are known as orexigenic mediators that act via cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) in the hypothalamus and limbic forebrain to induce appetite and stimulate food intake. At the peripheral gustatory organs, leptin selectively suppresses and endocannabinoids selectively enhance sweet taste sensitivity via Ob-Rb and CB1 expressed in sweet sensitive taste cells. Thus leptin and endocannabinoids not only regulate food intake via central nervous systems but also modulate palatability of foods by altering peripheral sweet taste responses. Such reciprocal modulation of leptin and endocannabinoids on peripheral sweet sensitivity may play an important role in regulating energy homeostasis. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Apparatus for restraining and transporting dies

DOEpatents

Allison, James W.; LaBarre, Timothy L.

1994-01-01

Apparatus for restraining and transporting dies in punch press operations is provided. A floatation platen for supporting a die on the platen's upper surface has a plurality of recessed gas exhaust ports on the platen's lower surface. A source of pressurized gas delivers gas to a platen manifold, for delivery to orifices located in the gas exhaust ports. The flow of gas is controlled by a first valve adjacent the gas source and a second valve adjacent the manifold, with the second valve being used to control the gas flow during movement of the die. In this fashion, a die may be moved on a cushion of air from one workstation to a selected second workstation. A moveable hydraulically operated restraining fixture is also provided, for clamping the die in position during the compacting phase, and for releasing the die after completion of the compacting phase by releasing the hydraulic pressure on the restraining fixture. When pressure in the hydraulic cylinders on the restraining fixture is reversed, the restraining fixture will retract so that there is no contact between the die and the restraining fixture, thereby allowing the die to be removed from a first workstation and moved to a second selected workstation.

Vacuum die attach for integrated circuits

DOEpatents

Schmitt, E.H.; Tuckerman, D.B.

1991-09-10

A thin film eutectic bond for attaching an integrated circuit die to a circuit substrate is formed by coating at least one bonding surface on the die and substrate with an alloying metal, assembling the die and substrate under compression loading, and heating the assembly to an alloying temperature in a vacuum. A very thin bond, 10 microns or less, which is substantially void free, is produced. These bonds have high reliability, good heat and electrical conduction, and high temperature tolerance. The bonds are formed in a vacuum chamber, using a positioning and loading fixture to compression load the die, and an IR lamp or other heat source. For bonding a silicon die to a silicon substrate, a gold silicon alloy bond is used. Multiple dies can be bonded simultaneously. No scrubbing is required. 1 figure.

Reinraumtechnik für die Medizintechnik

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petek, Max; Jungbluth, Martin; Krampe, Erhard

Die Reinraumtechnik ist heute ein unverzichtbarer Bestandteil bei der Fertigung von Produkten der Life Sciences, den Bereichen Pharma, Lebensmittel, Kosmetik und Medizintechnik. In Anbetracht der langen Historie der Medizintechnik ist sie jedoch eine sehr junge Disziplin. Die Bedeutung von Keimen und die richtige Einschätzung ihrer Größe wurden zwar sehr früh bereits durch Paracelsus erkannt, jedoch wurden daraus noch keine speziellen oder kontinuierlich umgesetzten Hygienevorschriften abgeleitet. Die erste bekannte technische Umsetzung von Hygieneempfehlungen geht auf den Franzosen François Nicolas Appert zurück, der eine aseptische Abfüllmethode für Lebensmittel entwickelte und diese 1810 veröffentlichte [1]. Die erste dokumentierte medizinische Umsetzung stellten Hygienevorschriften für Ärzte dar, die Ignaz Philipp Semmelweis nach 1847 in der Wiener Klinik für Geburtshilfe einführte [2].

You can only die thrice: death and dying of a human body in psychoanalytical perspective.

PubMed

Sterk, Karmen

2010-12-01

This paper compares the (cultural) necessity of death/dying, perceived as a sequence of Imaginary--Real--Symbolic, to Van Gennep's three-staged rite of passage. If this logic is disrupted, the subject responsible necessitates attribution of special social status and can come to embody the imagery of a life worth living. This philosophical framework, which includes epistemologies borrowed from medical anthropology, demonstrates there is more for humans to lose than biological (Real) life; a far greater loss is to exist without (Symbolic) reason to live. A critique of prevalent quantitative methodology in assessing links between spirituality and the human body is added.

Neuroticism modulates the effects of intranasal vasopressin treatment on the neural response to positive and negative social interactions.

PubMed

Feng, Chunliang; DeMarco, Ashley C; Haroon, Ebrahim; Rilling, James K

2015-07-01

Neuroticism is a fundamental personality trait associated with proneness to feel negative affect. Here we ask how Neuroticism influences the neural response to positive and negative social interactions and how Neuroticism modulates the effect of intranasal oxytocin (OT) and vasopressin (AVP) on the neural response to social interactions. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 153 male participants were randomized to receive 24 IU intranasal OT, 20 IU AVP or placebo. Afterwards, they were imaged with fMRI while playing an iterated Prisoner's Dilemma Game. On a different day, subjects completed the NEO personality inventory to measure Neuroticism. Neuroticism was positively correlated with the neural response to negative social interactions in the anterior cingulate cortex/medial prefrontal cortex and with the neural response to positive social interactions in the insula, indicating that Neuroticism modulates neuropsychological processing of both negative and positive social interactions. Neuroticism did not modulate the effect of intranasal OT treatment on the neural response to either positive or negative social interactions. On the other hand, AVP treatment significantly interacted with Neuroticism to modulate the BOLD response to both positive and negative social interactions. Specifically, AVP increased anterior cingulate cortex/medial prefrontal cortex and lateral temporal lobe responses to negative social interactions to a greater extent in participants scoring high rather than low on Neuroticism. AVP also increased the insula response to positive social interactions to a greater extent in participants scoring high rather than low on Neuroticism. These results imply that AVP may increase emotion regulation in response to negative social interactions and the salience of positive social interactions to a greater extent in individuals high compared to low in Neuroticism. The current findings urge caution against uniform clinical application of nonapeptides

Differential modulation of auditory responses to attended and unattended speech in different listening conditions

PubMed Central

Kong, Ying-Yee; Mullangi, Ala; Ding, Nai

2014-01-01

This study investigates how top-down attention modulates neural tracking of the speech envelope in different listening conditions. In the quiet conditions, a single speech stream was presented and the subjects paid attention to the speech stream (active listening) or watched a silent movie instead (passive listening). In the competing speaker (CS) conditions, two speakers of opposite genders were presented diotically. Ongoing electroencephalographic (EEG) responses were measured in each condition and cross-correlated with the speech envelope of each speaker at different time lags. In quiet, active and passive listening resulted in similar neural responses to the speech envelope. In the CS conditions, however, the shape of the cross-correlation function was remarkably different between the attended and unattended speech. The cross-correlation with the attended speech showed stronger N1 and P2 responses but a weaker P1 response compared with the cross-correlation with the unattended speech. Furthermore, the N1 response to the attended speech in the CS condition was enhanced and delayed compared with the active listening condition in quiet, while the P2 response to the unattended speaker in the CS condition was attenuated compared with the passive listening in quiet. Taken together, these results demonstrate that top-down attention differentially modulates envelope-tracking neural activity at different time lags and suggest that top-down attention can both enhance the neural responses to the attended sound stream and suppress the responses to the unattended sound stream. PMID:25124153

Contoured Orifice for Silicon-Ribbon Die

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mackintosh, B. H.

1985-01-01

Die configuration encourages purity and stable growth. Contour of die orifice changes near ribbon edges. As result, silicon ribbon has nearly constant width and little carbon contamination. Die part of furnace being developed to produce high-quality, low-cost material for solar cells.

Parallel processing of embossing dies with ultrafast lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jarczynski, Manfred; Mitra, Thomas; Brüning, Stephan; Du, Keming; Jenke, Gerald

2018-02-01

Functionalization of surfaces equips products and components with new features like hydrophilic behavior, adjustable gloss level, light management properties, etc. Small feature sizes demand diffraction-limited spots and adapted fluence for different materials. Through the availability of high power fast repeating ultrashort pulsed lasers and efficient optical processing heads delivering diffraction-limited small spot size of around 10μm it is feasible to achieve fluences higher than an adequate patterning requires. Hence, parallel processing is becoming of interest to increase the throughput and allow mass production of micro machined surfaces. The first step on the roadmap of parallel processing for cylinder embossing dies was realized with an eight- spot processing head based on ns-fiber laser with passive optical beam splitting, individual spot switching by acousto optical modulation and an advanced imaging. Patterning of cylindrical embossing dies shows a high efficiency of nearby 80%, diffraction-limited and equally spaced spots with pitches down to 25μm achieved by a compression using cascaded prism arrays. Due to the nanoseconds laser pulses the ablation shows the typical surrounding material deposition of a hot process. In the next step the processing head was adapted to a picosecond-laser source and the 500W fiber laser was replaced by an ultrashort pulsed laser with 300W, 12ps and a repetition frequency of up to 6MHz. This paper presents details about the processing head design and the analysis of ablation rates and patterns on steel, copper and brass dies. Furthermore, it gives an outlook on scaling the parallel processing head from eight to 16 individually switched beamlets to increase processing throughput and optimized utilization of the available ultrashort pulsed laser energy.

CAE Based Die Face Engineering Development to Contribute to the Revitalization of the Tool & Die Industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Arthur; Lee, Wing C.; St. Pierre, Shawn; He, Jeanne; Liu, Kesu; Chen, Chin C.

2005-08-01

Over the past two decades, the Computer Aided Engineering (CAE) tools have emerged as one of the most important engineering tools in various industries, due to its flexibility and accuracy in prediction. Nowadays, CAE tools are widely used in the sheet metal forming industry to predict the forming feasibility of a wide variety of complex components, ranging from aerospace and automotive components to household products. As the demand of CAE based formability accelerates, the need for a robust and streamlined die face engineering tool becomes more crucial, especially in the early stage when the tooling layout is not available, but a product design decision must be made. Ability to generate blank, binder and addendum surfaces with an appropriate layout of Drawbead, Punch Opening Line, Trim Line are the primary features and functions of a CAE based die face engineering tool. Once the die face layout is ready, a formability study should be followed to verify the die face layout is adequate to produce a formable part. If successful, the established die face surface should be exported back to the CAD/CAM environment to speed up the tooling and manufacturing design process with confidence that this particular part is formable with this given die face. With a CAE tool as described above, the tool & die industry will be greatly impacted as the processes will enable the bypass of hardware try-out and shorten the overall vehicle production timing. The trend has shown that OEMs and first tiers will source to low cost producers in the world which will have a negative impact to the traditional tool & die makers in the developed countries. CAE based tool as described should be adopted, along with many other solutions, in order to maintain efficiency of producing high quality product and meeting time-to-market requirements. This paper will describe how a CAE based die face engineering (DFE) tool could be further developed to enable the traditional tool & die makers to meet the

A Comparison of Two Objective Measures of Binaural Processing: The Interaural Phase Modulation Following Response and the Binaural Interaction Component.

PubMed

Haywood, Nicholas R; Undurraga, Jaime A; Marquardt, Torsten; McAlpine, David

2015-12-30

There has been continued interest in clinical objective measures of binaural processing. One commonly proposed measure is the binaural interaction component (BIC), which is obtained typically by recording auditory brainstem responses (ABRs)-the BIC reflects the difference between the binaural ABR and the sum of the monaural ABRs (i.e., binaural - (left + right)). We have recently developed an alternative, direct measure of sensitivity to interaural time differences, namely, a following response to modulations in interaural phase difference (the interaural phase modulation following response; IPM-FR). To obtain this measure, an ongoing diotically amplitude-modulated signal is presented, and the interaural phase difference of the carrier is switched periodically at minima in the modulation cycle. Such periodic modulations to interaural phase difference can evoke a steady state following response. BIC and IPM-FR measurements were compared from 10 normal-hearing subjects using a 16-channel electroencephalographic system. Both ABRs and IPM-FRs were observed most clearly from similar electrode locations-differential recordings taken from electrodes near the ear (e.g., mastoid) in reference to a vertex electrode (Cz). Although all subjects displayed clear ABRs, the BIC was not reliably observed. In contrast, the IPM-FR typically elicited a robust and significant response. In addition, the IPM-FR measure required a considerably shorter recording session. As the IPM-FR magnitude varied with interaural phase difference modulation depth, it could potentially serve as a correlate of perceptual salience. Overall, the IPM-FR appears a more suitable clinical measure than the BIC. © The Author(s) 2015.

Navigating "Assisted Dying".

PubMed

Schipper, Harvey

2016-02-01

Carter is a bellwether decision, an adjudication on a narrow point of law whose implications are vast across society, and whose impact may not be realized for years. Coupled with Quebec's Act Respecting End-of-life Care it has sharply changed the legal landscape with respect to actively ending a person's life. "Medically assisted dying" will be permitted under circumstances, and through processes, which have yet to be operationally defined. This decision carries with it moral assumptions, which mean that it will be difficult to reach a unifying consensus. For some, the decision and Act reflect a modern acknowledgement of individual autonomy. For others, allowing such acts is morally unspeakable. Having opened the Pandora's Box, the question becomes one of navigating a tolerable societal path. I believe it is possible to achieve a workable solution based on the core principle that "medically assisted dying" should be a very rarely employed last option, subject to transparent ongoing review, specifically as to why it was deemed necessary. My analysis is based on 1. The societal conditions in which have fostered demand for "assisted dying", 2. Actions in other jurisdictions, 3. Carter and Quebec Bill 52, 4. Political considerations, 5. Current medical practice. Leading to a series of recommendations regarding. 1. Legislation and regulation, 2. The role of professional regulatory agencies, 3. Medical professions education and practice, 4. Public education, 5. Health care delivery and palliative care. Given the burden of public opinion, and the legal steps already taken, a process for assisted-dying is required. However, those legal and regulatory steps should only be considered a necessary and defensive first step in a two stage process. The larger goal, the second step, is to drive the improvement of care, and thus minimize assisted-dying.

Mycobacterium tuberculosis GroEL2 Modulates Dendritic Cell Responses.

PubMed

Georgieva, Maria; Sia, Jonathan Kevin; Bizzell, Erica; Madan-Lala, Ranjna; Rengarajan, Jyothi

2018-02-01

Mycobacterium tuberculosis successfully subverts the host immune response to promote disease progression. In addition to its known intracellular niche in macrophages, M. tuberculosis interferes with the functions of dendritic cells (DCs), which are the primary antigen-presenting cells of the immune system. We previously showed that M. tuberculosis dampens proinflammatory responses and impairs DC functions through the cell envelope-associated serine protease Hip1. Here we present data showing that M. tuberculosis GroEL2, a substrate of Hip1, modulates DC functions. The full-length GroEL2 protein elicited robust proinflammatory responses from DCs and promoted DC maturation and antigen presentation to T cells. In contrast, the cleaved form of GroEL2, which predominates in M. tuberculosis , was poorly immunostimulatory and was unable to promote DC maturation and antigen presentation. Moreover, DCs exposed to full-length, but not cleaved, GroEL2 induced strong antigen-specific gamma interferon (IFN-γ), interleukin-2 (IL-2), and IL-17A cytokine responses from CD4 + T cells. Moreover, the expression of cleaved GroEL2 in the hip1 mutant restored the robust T cell responses to wild-type levels, suggesting that proteolytic cleavage of GroEL2 allows M. tuberculosis to prevent optimal DC-T cell cross talk during M. tuberculosis infection. Copyright © 2018 American Society for Microbiology.

L-connect routing of die surface pads to the die edge for stacking in a 3D array

DOEpatents

Petersen, Robert W.

2000-01-01

Integrated circuit chips and method of routing the interface pads from the face of the chip or die to one or more sidewall surfaces of the die. The interconnection is routed from the face of the die to one or more edges of the die, then routed over the edge of the die and onto the side surface. A new pad is then formed on the sidewall surface, which allows multiple die or chips to be stacked in a three-dimensional array, while enabling follow-on signal routing from the sidewall pads. The routing of the interconnects and formation of the sidewall pads can be carried out in an L-connect or L-shaped routing configuration, using a metalization process such as laser pantography.

Characterization of submillisecond response optical addressing phase modulator based on low light scattering polymer network liquid crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiangjie, Zhao; Cangli, Liu; Jiazhu, Duan; Dayong, Zhang; Yongquan, Luo

2015-01-01

Optically addressed conventional nematic liquid crystal spatial light modulator has attracted wide research interests. But the slow response speed limited its further application. In this paper, polymer network liquid crystal (PNLC) was proposed to replace the conventional nematic liquid crystal to enhance the response time to the order of submillisecond. The maximum light scattering of the employed PNLC was suppressed to be less than 2% at 1.064 μm by optimizing polymerization conditions and selecting large viscosity liquid crystal as solvent. The occurrence of phase ripple phenomenon due to electron diffusion and drift in photoconductor was found to deteriorate the phase modulation effect of the optical addressed PNLC phase modulator. The wavelength effect and AC voltage frequency effect on the on state dynamic response of phase change was investigated by experimental methods. These effects were interpreted by electron diffusion and drift theory based on the assumption that free electron was inhomogeneously distributed in accordance with the writing beam intensity distribution along the incident direction. The experimental results indicated that the phase ripple could be suppressed by optimizing the wavelength of the writing beam and the driving AC voltage frequency when varying the writing beam intensity to generate phase change in 2π range. The modulation transfer function was also measured.

Moral distress and providing care to dying babies in neonatal nursing.

PubMed

Kain, Victoria J

2007-05-01

Moral distress in nursing is a prevalent theme in the literature. Although this issue has been investigated in other nursing disciplines, it has not been investigated by empirical research in the emotionally and ethically sensitive area of providing care to dying babies. Moral distress occurs when nurses are prevented from translating moral choices into moral action. The response to moral distress is anger, resentment, guilt, frustration, sorrow and powerlessness. If not addressed, self-worth may be jeopardised, affecting personal and professional relationships. A review of the literature was conducted to explore moral distress in neonatal nursing when providing care to dying babies. This literature review provides a basis for the direction of further research and hypothesis testing. Further focused research is necessary in this under-theorised area of nursing practice to clarify the significance of moral distress for neonatal nurses caring for dying babies.

Callous-unemotional traits modulate the neural response associated with punishing another individual during social exchange: a preliminary investigation.

PubMed

White, Stuart F; Brislin, Sarah J; Meffert, Harma; Sinclair, Stephen; Blair, R James R

2013-02-01

The current study examined whether Callous-Unemotional (CU) traits, a core component of psychopathy, modulate neural responses of participants engaged in a social exchange game. In this task, participants were offered an allocation of money and then given the chance to punish the offerer. Twenty youth participated and responses to both offers and the participant's punishment (or not) of these offers were examined. Increasingly unfair offers were associated with increased dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) activity but this responsiveness was not modulated by CU traits. Increasing punishment of unfair offers was associated with increased dACC and anterior insula activity and this activity was modulated by CU traits. Higher CU trait participants showed a weaker association between activity and punishment level. These data suggest that CU traits are associated with appropriate expectations of other individual's normative behavior but weaker representations of such information when guiding behavior of the self.

Morphology effect on the light scattering and dynamic response of polymer network liquid crystal phase modulator.

PubMed

Xiangjie, Zhao; Cangli, Liu; Jiazhu, Duan; Jiancheng, Zeng; Dayong, Zhang; Yongquan, Luo

2014-06-16

Polymer network liquid crystal (PNLC) was one of the most potential liquid crystal for submillisecond response phase modulation, which was possible to be applied in submillisecond response phase only spatial light modulator. But until now the light scattering when liquid crystal director was reoriented by external electric field limited its phase modulation application. Dynamic response of phase change when high voltage was applied was also not elucidated. The mechanism that determines the light scattering was studied by analyzing the polymer network morphology by SEM method. Samples were prepared by varying the polymerization temperature, UV curing intensity and polymerization time. The morphology effect on the dynamic response of phase change was studied, in which high voltage was usually applied and electro-striction effect was often induced. The experimental results indicate that the polymer network morphology was mainly characterized by cross linked single fibrils, cross linked fibril bundles or even both. Although the formation of fibril bundle usually induced large light scattering, such a polymer network could endure higher voltage. In contrast, although the formation of cross linked single fibrils induced small light scattering, such a polymer network cannot endure higher voltage. There is a tradeoff between the light scattering and high voltage endurance. The electro-optical properties such as threshold voltage and response time were taken to verify our conclusion. For future application, the monomer molecular structure, the liquid crystal solvent and the polymerization conditions should be optimized to generate optimal polymer network morphology.

Length of home hospice care, family-perceived timing of referrals, perceived quality of care, and quality of death and dying in terminally ill cancer patients who died at home.

PubMed

Yamagishi, Akemi; Morita, Tatsuya; Kawagoe, Shohei; Shimizu, Megumi; Ozawa, Taketoshi; An, Emi; Kobayakawa, Makoto; Tsuneto, Satoru; Shima, Yasuo; Miyashita, Mitsunori

2015-02-01

This study aims to clarify the length of home hospice care, family-perceived timing of referrals, and their effects on the family-perceived quality of care and quality of death and dying of terminally ill cancer patients who died at home and identify the determinants of perceived late referrals. A multicenter questionnaire survey was conducted involving 1,052 family members of cancer patients who died at home supported by 15 home-based hospice services throughout Japan. A total of 693 responses were analyzed (effective response rate, 66 %). Patients received home-based hospice care for a median of 35.0 days, and 8.0 % received home hospice care for less than 1 week. While 1.5 % of the families reported the timing of referrals as early, 42 % reported the timing as late or too late. The families of patients with a length of care of less than 4 weeks were more likely to regard the timing of referrals as late or too late. The patients of family members who regarded the timing of referrals as late or too late had a significantly lower perceived quality of care (effect size, 0.18; P = 0.039) and lower quality of death and dying (effect size, 0.15, P = 0.063). Independent determinants of higher likelihoods of perceived late referrals included: frequent visits to emergency departments, patient being unprepared for worsening condition, and patient having concerns about relationship with new doctor. Discharge nurse availability was independently associated with lower likelihoods of perceived late referrals. A significant number of bereaved families regarded the timing of referrals to home hospices as late, and the perceived timing was associated with the family-perceived quality of care and quality of death and dying. Systematic strategies to overcome the barriers related to perceived late referrals are necessary.

Extrusion die and method

DOEpatents

Lipp, G. Daniel

1994-05-03

A method and die apparatus for manufacturing a honeycomb body of triangular cell cross-section and high cell density, the die having a combination of (i) feedholes feeding slot intersections and (ii) feedholes feeding slot segments not supplied from slot intersections, whereby a reduction in feedhole count is achieved while still retaining good extrusion efficiency and extrudate uniformity.

A technique to calibrate spatial light modulator for varying phase response over its spatial regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gupta, Deepak K.; Tata, B. V. R.; Ravindran, T. R.

2018-05-01

Holographic Optical Tweezers (HOTs) employ the technique of beam shaping and holography in an optical manipulation system to create a multitude of focal spots for simultaneous trapping and manipulation of sub-microscopic particles. The beam shaping is accomplished by the use of a phase only liquid crystal spatial light modulator (SLM). The efficiency and the uniformity in the generated traps greatly depend on the phase response behavior of SLMs. In addition the SLMs are found to show different phase response over its different spatial regions, due to non-flat structure of SLMs. Also the phase responses are found to vary over different spatial regions due to non-uniform illumination (Gaussian profile of incident laser). There are various techniques to calibrate for the varying phase response by characterizing the phase modulation at various sub-sections. We present a simple and fast technique to calibrate the SLM suffering with spatially varying phase response. We divide the SLM into many sub-sections and optimize the brightness and gamma of each sub-section for maximum diffraction efficiency. This correction is incorporated in the Weighted Gerchberg Saxton (WGS) algorithm for generation of holograms.

Mood Modulates Auditory Laterality of Hemodynamic Mismatch Responses during Dichotic Listening

PubMed Central

Schock, Lisa; Dyck, Miriam; Demenescu, Liliana R.; Edgar, J. Christopher; Hertrich, Ingo; Sturm, Walter; Mathiak, Klaus

2012-01-01

Hemodynamic mismatch responses can be elicited by deviant stimuli in a sequence of standard stimuli even during cognitive demanding tasks. Emotional context is known to modulate lateralized processing. Right-hemispheric negative emotion processing may bias attention to the right and enhance processing of right-ear stimuli. The present study examined the influence of induced mood on lateralized pre-attentive auditory processing of dichotic stimuli using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Faces expressing emotions (sad/happy/neutral) were presented in a blocked design while a dichotic oddball sequence with consonant-vowel (CV) syllables in an event-related design was simultaneously administered. Twenty healthy participants were instructed to feel the emotion perceived on the images and to ignore the syllables. Deviant sounds reliably activated bilateral auditory cortices and confirmed attention effects by modulation of visual activity. Sad mood induction activated visual, limbic and right prefrontal areas. A lateralization effect of emotion-attention interaction was reflected in a stronger response to right-ear deviants in the right auditory cortex during sad mood. This imbalance of resources may be a neurophysiological correlate of laterality in sad mood and depression. Conceivably, the compensatory right-hemispheric enhancement of resources elicits increased ipsilateral processing. PMID:22384105

Mediation: a response to aid-in-dying and the Supreme Court decision.

PubMed

Saulo, M; Wagener, R J; Rothschild, I S

1998-01-01

The recent U.S. Supreme Court decision concerning aid-in-dying has drawn attention to the complexity of end-of-life care. The authors summarize the recent Supreme Court's decision and the problems surrounding this complex issue. A case study is provided to demonstrate how mediation facilitates collaborative problem solving. Finally, the authors demonstrate how nurse leaders can apply this three-stage process and its attendant principles to facilitate ethical decision making in end-of-life care.

Deliberate or unintended: Intentions modulate empathic responses to others' economic payoffs in social interactions.

PubMed

Ma, Qingguo; Meng, Liang; Shen, Qiang

2017-12-01

Previous studies examining empathy have revealed the neural substrates of how the physical pain of others is represented in the human brain. However, little is known about the empathic modulation of behavioral and neural responses to others' economic payoffs, especially in the social context. In the present study, we engaged participants in a revised Dictator Game as observers who observe the powerless players receiving varied offers proposed by the dominant players, establishing the link between empathy and fairness perception. Results showed that unfair division schemes elicited a more pronounced FRN than fair ones only if a human agent proposed the initial offer. In addition, observers sacrificed their own payments to adjust unfair proposals, especially when a human agent proposed the offer. Thus, results of the current study demonstrated that perceived intention modulates behavioral and neural responses to others' economic payoffs in social interactions.

Care of the dying: a Catholic perspective. Part IV: Theological, moral, and pastoral response--the transformation of suffering. Catholic Health Association.

PubMed

1993-06-01

People struggle to find meaning in suffering and death. In a culture that cannot depend on religious insights into suffering to address the deeper questions (e.g., Why me?), all kinds of interventions, even euthanasia and assisted suicide, may seem inevitable. Catholic healthcare providers can respond by offering patients, families, and care givers a vision of how suffering can be understood. Based on the power of divine love to transform suffering and death from absolute evils to personal triumphs, the moral principles the Catholic Church upholds can provide a hopeful perspective for healthcare professionals who care for the dying. Three principles support Roman Catholic teaching on conserving health and life: sanctity of life, God's dominion and human stewardship, and the prohibition against killing. These principles by themselves are insufficient as a moral or pastoral response to the care of the suffering and dying. Action is also required. Moral virtues must be reflected in ethical behavior and in pastoral practice so that we may enact our Christian vision in the face of suffering and death. Attention to our character as providers and our ethical practices is of grave importance in these days when euthanasia and assisted suicide are being promoted so aggressively. To carry on Jesus' healing mission by responding to human suffering and death, healing communities must embody virtues that bear convincing witness in both a personal and a corporate manner regarding the care of the dying. Three characteristics of a virtuous community stand out: interdependence, care, and hospitality. By being a virtuous community, we may be able to address many of the concerns that motivate people to consider euthanasia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Response of cardiac autonomic modulation after a single exposure to musical auditory stimulation

PubMed Central

Ferreira, Lucas L.; Vanderlei, Luiz Carlos M.; Guida, Heraldo L.; de Abreu, Luiz Carlos; Garner, David M.; Vanderlei, Franciele M.; Ferreira, Celso; Valenti, Vitor E.

2015-01-01

The acute effects after exposure to different styles of music on cardiac autonomic modulation assessed through heart rate variability (HRV) analysis have not yet been well elucidated. We aimed to investigate the recovery response of cardiac autonomic modulation in women after exposure to musical auditory stimulation of different styles. The study was conducted on 30 healthy women aged between 18 years and 30 years. We did not include subjects having previous experience with musical instruments and those who had an affinity for music styles. The volunteers remained at rest for 10 min and were exposed to classical baroque (64-84 dB) and heavy metal (75-84 dB) music for 10 min, and their HRV was evaluated for 30 min after music cessation. We analyzed the following HRV indices: Standard deviation of normal-to-normal (SDNN) intervals, root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), percentage of normal-to-normal 50 (pNN50), low frequency (LF), high frequency (HF), and LF/HF ratio. SDNN, LF in absolute units (ms2) and normalized (nu), and LF/HF ratio increased while HF index (nu) decreased after exposure to classical baroque music. Regarding the heavy metal music style, it was observed that there were increases in SDNN, RMSSD, pNN50, and LF (ms2) after the musical stimulation. In conclusion, the recovery response of cardiac autonomic modulation after exposure to auditory stimulation with music featured an increased global activity of both systems for the two musical styles, with a cardiac sympathetic modulation for classical baroque music and a cardiac vagal tone for the heavy metal style. PMID:25774614

Categorization difficulty modulates the mediated route for response selection in task switching.

PubMed

Schneider, Darryl W

2017-12-22

Conflict during response selection in task switching is indicated by the response congruency effect: worse performance for incongruent targets (requiring different responses across tasks) than for congruent targets (requiring the same response). The effect can be explained by dual-task processing in a mediated route for response selection, whereby targets are categorized with respect to both tasks. In the present study, the author tested predictions for the modulation of response congruency effects by categorization difficulty derived from a relative-speed-of-processing hypothesis. Categorization difficulty was manipulated for the relevant and irrelevant task dimensions in a novel spatial task-switching paradigm that involved judging the locations of target dots in a grid, without repetition of dot configurations. Response congruency effects were observed and they varied systematically with categorization difficulty (e.g., being larger when irrelevant categorization was easy than when it was hard). These results are consistent with the relative-speed-of-processing hypothesis and suggest that task-switching models that implement variations of the mediated route for response selection need to address the time course of categorization.

LL-37 modulates human neutrophil responses to influenza A virus

PubMed Central

Tripathi, Shweta; Verma, Anamika; Kim, Eun-Jeong; White, Mitchell R.; Hartshorn, Kevan L.

2014-01-01

Recent studies have shown that the human cathelicidin, LL-37, has antiviral activity against IAV in vitro and in vivo. Neutrophils are important cellular components of the initial innate response to IAV infection. In addition to its direct antimicrobial activities, LL-37 has important immunomodulatory effects. In this study, we explore how LL-37 affects interactions of IAV with human neutrophils. LL-37 did not alter neutrophil uptake of IAV but significantly increased neutrophil H2O2 responses to the virus. IAV stimulated production of NETs in vitro, and this response was increased by preincubating the virus with LL-37. NADPH-oxidase blockade did not reduce IAV-induced NET formation or the increased NET response stimulated by LL-37 + IAV. The increased respiratory burst and NET responses were, however, inhibited by preincubating cells with a formyl peptide receptor blocker, indicating that LL-37 engages these receptors when complexed with IAV. Responses to IAV alone were not inhibited by formyl peptide receptor blockade. It has been reported that LL-37 reduces proinflammatory cytokine responses during IAV infection in vivo. We now show that IAV alone potentiated release of IL-8 from neutrophils, and preincubation with LL-37 reduced IAV-stimulated IL-8 release. These results confirm that LL-37 modulates human neutrophil responses to IAV in a distinctive manner and could have important bearing on the protective effects of LL-37 during IAV infection in vivo. PMID:25082153

Oxytocin modulates the racial bias in neural responses to others' suffering.

PubMed

Sheng, Feng; Liu, Yi; Zhou, Bin; Zhou, Wen; Han, Shihui

2013-02-01

The intergroup relationship between a perceiver and a target person influences empathic neural responses to others' suffering, which are increased for racial in-group members compared to out-group members. The current study investigated whether oxytocin (OT), a neuropeptide that has been linked to empathic concern and in-group favoritism, contributes to the racial bias in empathic neural responses. Event-related brain potentials were recorded in Chinese male adults during race judgments on Asian and Caucasian faces expressing pain or showing a neutral expression after intranasal self-administration of OT or placebo. A fronto-central positive activity at 128-188 ms (P2) was of larger amplitude in response to the pain expressions compared with the neutral expressions of racial in-group members but not of racial out-group members. OT treatment increased this racial in-group bias in neural responses and resulted in its correlation with a positive implicit attitude toward racial in-group members. Our findings suggest that OT interacts with the intergroup relationship to modulate empathic neural responses to others' suffering. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Differentiating suicide decedents who died using firearms from those who died using other methods.

PubMed

Anestis, Michael D; Khazem, Lauren R; Anestis, Joye C

2017-06-01

Studies have documented a link between gun ownership and suicide, but little is known about characteristics of those most likely to use a gun in a suicide attempt rather than alternative methods. We examined which factors differentiate suicide decedents who died using a gun from those who died by other methods. We further examined whether such findings are consistent within the subcomponent of our larger sample comprised entirely of gun owning suicide decedents. Data reflect 267 suicide decedents, with data provided by individuals who identified as having lost someone to suicide (loss survivors). Within the full sample, a higher proportion of gun-owning and male suicide decedents died by firearm. Further, individuals who had previously discussed suicide or engaged in one or more non-lethal suicide attempts were less likely to die by suicide using a gun. Within the subsample of gun owning suicide decedents, a greater proportion of decedents who stored guns at home and in unsecure locations died from self-inflected gunshot wounds. These findings add clarity to the relationship between firearm ownership and death by suicide at the individual level. Furthermore, these findings are consistent with the notion that means safety implementation may represent a vital suicide prevention tool. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Human protein status modulates brain reward responses to food cues.

PubMed

Griffioen-Roose, Sanne; Smeets, Paul Am; van den Heuvel, Emmy; Boesveldt, Sanne; Finlayson, Graham; de Graaf, Cees

2014-07-01

Protein is indispensable in the human diet, and its intake appears tightly regulated. The role of sensory attributes of foods in protein intake regulation is far from clear. We investigated the effect of human protein status on neural responses to different food cues with the use of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The food cues varied by taste category (sweet compared with savory) and protein content (low compared with high). In addition, food preferences and intakes were measured. We used a randomized crossover design whereby 23 healthy women [mean ± SD age: 22 ± 2 y; mean ± SD body mass index (in kg/m(2)): 22.5 ± 1.8] followed two 16-d fully controlled dietary interventions involving consumption of either a low-protein diet (0.6 g protein · kg body weight(-1) · d(-1), ~7% of energy derived from protein, approximately half the normal protein intake) or a high-protein diet (2.2 g protein · kg body weight(-1) · d(-1), ~25% of energy, approximately twice the normal intake). On the last day of the interventions, blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) responses to odor and visual food cues were measured by using fMRI. The 2 interventions were followed by a 1-d ad libitum phase, during which a large array of food items was available and preference and intake were measured. When exposed to food cues (relative to the control condition), the BOLD response was higher in reward-related areas (orbitofrontal cortex, striatum) in a low-protein state than in a high-protein state. Specifically, BOLD was higher in the inferior orbitofrontal cortex in response to savory food cues. In contrast, the protein content of the food cues did not modulate the BOLD response. A low protein state also increased preferences for savory food cues and increased protein intake in the ad libitum phase as compared with a high-protein state. Protein status modulates brain responses in reward regions to savory food cues. These novel findings suggest that dietary protein status

Effects of Scene Modulation Image Blur and Noise Upon Human Target Acquisition Performance.

DTIC Science & Technology

1997-06-01

AFRL-HE-WP-TR-1998-0012 UNITED STATES AIR FORCE RESEARCH LABORATORY EFFECTS OF SCENE MODULATION IMAGE BLUR AND NOISE UPON HUMAN TARGET...COVERED INTERIM (July 1996 - August 1996) TITLE AND SUBTITLE Effects of Scene Modulation Image Blur and Noise Upon Human Target Acquisition...dilemma in image transmission and display is that we must compromise between die conflicting constraints of dynamic range and noise . Three target

Energy Consumption of Die Casting Operations

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

Jerald Brevick; clark Mount-Campbell; Carroll Mobley

2004-03-15

Molten metal processing is inherently energy intensive and roughly 25% of the cost of die-cast products can be traced to some form of energy consumption [1]. The obvious major energy requirements are for melting and holding molten alloy in preparation for casting. The proper selection and maintenance of melting and holding equipment are clearly important factors in minimizing energy consumption in die-casting operations [2]. In addition to energy consumption, furnace selection also influences metal loss due to oxidation, metal quality, and maintenance requirements. Other important factors influencing energy consumption in a die-casting facility include geographic location, alloy(s) cast, starting formmore » of alloy (solid or liquid), overall process flow, casting yield, scrap rate, cycle times, number of shifts per day, days of operation per month, type and size of die-casting form of alloy (solid or liquid), overall process flow, casting yield, scrap rate, cycle times, number of shifts per day, days of operation per month, type and size of die-casting machine, related equipment (robots, trim presses), and downstream processing (machining, plating, assembly, etc.). Each of these factors also may influence the casting quality and productivity of a die-casting enterprise. In a die-casting enterprise, decisions regarding these issues are made frequently and are based on a large number of factors. Therefore, it is not surprising that energy consumption can vary significantly from one die-casting enterprise to the next, and within a single enterprise as function of time.« less

Voluntary modulation of anterior cingulate response to negative feedback.

PubMed

Shane, Matthew S; Weywadt, Christina R

2014-01-01

Anterior cingulate and medial frontal cortex (dACC/mFC) response to negative feedback represents the actions of a generalized error-monitoring system critical for the management of goal-directed behavior. Magnitude of dACC/mFC response to negative feedback correlates with levels of post-feedback behavioral change, and with proficiency of operant learning processes. With this in mind, it follows that an ability to alter dACC/mFC response to negative feedback may lead to representative changes in operant learning proficiency. To this end, the present study investigated the extent to which healthy individuals would show modulation of their dACC/mFC response when instructed to try to either maximize or minimize their neural response to the presentation of contingent negative feedback. Participants performed multiple runs of a standard time-estimation task, during which they received feedback regarding their ability to accurately estimate a one-second duration. On Watch runs, participants were simply instructed to try to estimate as closely as possible the one second duration. On Increase and Decrease runs, participants performed the same task, but were instructed to "try to increase [decrease] their brain's response every time they received negative feedback". Results indicated that participants showed changes in dACC/mFC response under these differing instructional conditions: dACC/mFC activity following negative feedback was higher in the Increase condition, and dACC activity trended lower in the Decrease condition, compared to the Watch condition. Moreover, dACC activity correlated with post-feedback performance adjustments, and these adjustments were highest in the Increase condition. Potential implications for neuromodulation and facilitated learning are discussed.

Trait mindfulness modulates neuroendocrine and affective responses to social evaluative threat.

PubMed

Brown, Kirk Warren; Weinstein, Netta; Creswell, J David

2012-12-01

Individual differences in mindfulness have been associated with numerous self-report indicators of stress, but research has not examined how mindfulness may buffer neuroendocrine and psychological stress responses under controlled laboratory conditions. The present study investigated the role of trait mindfulness in buffering cortisol and affective responses to a social evaluative stress challenge versus a control task. Participants completed measures of trait mindfulness, perceived stress, anxiety, and fear of negative evaluation before being randomized to complete the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST; Kirschbaum et al., 1993) or a control task. At points throughout the session, participants provided five saliva samples to assess cortisol response patterns, and completed four self-report measures of anxiety and negative affect to assess psychological responses. In accord with hypotheses, higher trait mindfulness predicted lower cortisol responses to the TSST, relative to the control task, as well as lower anxiety and negative affect. These relations remained significant when controlling for the role of other variables that predicted cortisol and affective responses. The findings suggest that trait mindfulness modulates cortisol and affective responses to an acute social stressor. Further research is needed to understand the neural pathways through which mindfulness impacts these responses. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Declarations on euthanasia and assisted dying.

PubMed

Inbadas, Hamilton; Zaman, Shahaduz; Whitelaw, Sandy; Clark, David

2017-10-01

Declarations on end-of-life issues are advocacy interventions that seek to influence policy, raise awareness and call others to action. Despite increasing prominence, they have attracted little attention from researchers. This study tracks the emergence, content, and purpose of declarations concerned with assisted dying and euthanasia, in the global context. The authors identified 62 assisted dying/euthanasia declarations covering 1974-2016 and analyzed them for originating organization, geographic scope, format, and stated viewpoint on assisted dying/euthanasia. The declarations emerged from diverse organizational settings and became more frequent over time. Most opposed assisted dying/euthanasia.

Declarations on euthanasia and assisted dying

PubMed Central

Inbadas, Hamilton; Zaman, Shahaduz; Whitelaw, Sandy; Clark, David

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT Declarations on end-of-life issues are advocacy interventions that seek to influence policy, raise awareness and call others to action. Despite increasing prominence, they have attracted little attention from researchers. This study tracks the emergence, content, and purpose of declarations concerned with assisted dying and euthanasia, in the global context. The authors identified 62 assisted dying/euthanasia declarations covering 1974–2016 and analyzed them for originating organization, geographic scope, format, and stated viewpoint on assisted dying/euthanasia. The declarations emerged from diverse organizational settings and became more frequent over time. Most opposed assisted dying/euthanasia. PMID:28398131

Baseline and Modulated Acoustic Startle Responses in Adolescent Girls with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lipschitz, Deborah S.; Mayes, Linda M.; Rasmusson, Ann M.; Anyan, Walter; Billingslea, Eileen; Gueorguieva, Ralitza; Southwick, Steven M.

2005-01-01

Objective: To assess baseline and modulated acoustic startle responses in adolescent girls with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Method: Twenty-eight adolescent girls with PTSD and 23 healthy control girls were recruited for participation in the study. Acoustic stimuli were bursts of white noise of 104 dB presented biaurally through…

Specificity of the Human Frequency Following Response for Carrier and Modulation Frequency Assessed Using Adaptation.

PubMed

Gockel, Hedwig E; Krugliak, Alexandra; Plack, Christopher J; Carlyon, Robert P

2015-12-01

The frequency following response (FFR) is a scalp-recorded measure of phase-locked brainstem activity to stimulus-related periodicities. Three experiments investigated the specificity of the FFR for carrier and modulation frequency using adaptation. FFR waveforms evoked by alternating-polarity stimuli were averaged for each polarity and added, to enhance envelope, or subtracted, to enhance temporal fine structure information. The first experiment investigated peristimulus adaptation of the FFR for pure and complex tones as a function of stimulus frequency and fundamental frequency (F0). It showed more adaptation of the FFR in response to sounds with higher frequencies or F0s than to sounds with lower frequency or F0s. The second experiment investigated tuning to modulation rate in the FFR. The FFR to a complex tone with a modulation rate of 213 Hz was not reduced more by an adaptor that had the same modulation rate than by an adaptor with a different modulation rate (90 or 504 Hz), thus providing no evidence that the FFR originates mainly from neurons that respond selectively to the modulation rate of the stimulus. The third experiment investigated tuning to audio frequency in the FFR using pure tones. An adaptor that had the same frequency as the target (213 or 504 Hz) did not generally reduce the FFR to the target more than an adaptor that differed in frequency (by 1.24 octaves). Thus, there was no evidence that the FFR originated mainly from neurons tuned to the frequency of the target. Instead, the results are consistent with the suggestion that the FFR for low-frequency pure tones at medium to high levels mainly originates from neurons tuned to higher frequencies. Implications for the use and interpretation of the FFR are discussed.

Concurrent information affects response inhibition processes via the modulation of theta oscillations in cognitive control networks.

PubMed

Chmielewski, Witold X; Mückschel, Moritz; Dippel, Gabriel; Beste, Christian

2016-11-01

Inhibiting responses is a challenge, where the outcome (partly) depends on the situational context. In everyday situations, response inhibition performance might be altered when irrelevant input is presented simultaneously with the information relevant for response inhibition. More specifically, irrelevant concurrent information may either brace or interfere with response-relevant information, depending on whether these inputs are redundant or conflicting. The aim of this study is to investigate neurophysiological mechanisms and the network underlying such modulations using EEG beamforming as method. The results show that in comparison to a baseline condition without concurrent information, response inhibition performance can be aggravated or facilitated by manipulating the extent of conflict via concurrent input. This depends on whether the requirement for cognitive control is high, as in conflicting trials, or whether it is low, as in redundant trials. In line with this, the total theta frequency power decreases in a right hemispheric orbitofrontal response inhibition network including the SFG, MFG, and SMA, when concurrent redundant information facilitates response inhibition processes. Vice versa, theta activity in a left-hemispheric response inhibition network (i.e., SFG, MFG, and IFG) increases, when conflicting concurrent information compromises response inhibition processes. We conclude that concurrent information bi-directionally shifts response inhibition performance and modulates the network architecture underlying theta oscillations which are signaling different levels of the need for cognitive control.

Predicting invasive species impacts: a community module functional response approach reveals context dependencies.

PubMed

Paterson, Rachel A; Dick, Jaimie T A; Pritchard, Daniel W; Ennis, Marilyn; Hatcher, Melanie J; Dunn, Alison M

2015-03-01

Predatory functional responses play integral roles in predator-prey dynamics, and their assessment promises greater understanding and prediction of the predatory impacts of invasive species. Other interspecific interactions, however, such as parasitism and higher-order predation, have the potential to modify predator-prey interactions and thus the predictive capability of the comparative functional response approach. We used a four-species community module (higher-order predator; focal native or invasive predators; parasites of focal predators; native prey) to compare the predatory functional responses of native Gammarus duebeni celticus and invasive Gammarus pulex amphipods towards three invertebrate prey species (Asellus aquaticus, Simulium spp., Baetis rhodani), thus, quantifying the context dependencies of parasitism and a higher-order fish predator on these functional responses. Our functional response experiments demonstrated that the invasive amphipod had a higher predatory impact (lower handling time) on two of three prey species, which reflects patterns of impact observed in the field. The community module also revealed that parasitism had context-dependent influences, for one prey species, with the potential to further reduce the predatory impact of the invasive amphipod or increase the predatory impact of the native amphipod in the presence of a higher-order fish predator. Partial consumption of prey was similar for both predators and occurred increasingly in the order A. aquaticus, Simulium spp. and B. rhodani. This was associated with increasing prey densities, but showed no context dependencies with parasitism or higher-order fish predator. This study supports the applicability of comparative functional responses as a tool to predict and assess invasive species impacts incorporating multiple context dependencies. © 2014 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2014 British Ecological Society.

Roles of dopamine receptors in mediating acute modulation of immunological responses in Macrobrachium rosenbergii.

PubMed

Chang, Zhong-Wen; Ke, Zhi-Han; Chang, Chin-Chyuan

2016-02-01

Dopamine (DA) was found to influence the immunological responses and resistance to pathogen infection in invertebrates. To clarify the possible modulation of DA through dopamine receptors (DAR) against acute environmental stress, the levels of DA, glucose and lactate in the haemolymph of Macrobrachium rosenbergii under hypo- and hyperthermal stresses were measured. The changes in immune parameters such as total haemocyte count (THC), differential haemocyte count (DHC), phenoloxidase (PO) activity, respiratory bursts (RBs), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activities and phagocytic activity (PA) were evaluated in prawns which received DAR antagonists (SCH23390, SCH, D1 antagonist; domperidone, DOM, D2 antagonist; chlorpromazine, CH, D1+2 antagonist) followed by hypo- (15 °C) and hyperthermal (34 °C) stresses. In addition, pharmacological analysis of the effect DA modulation was studied in haemocytes incubated with DA and DAR antagonists. The results revealed a significant increase in haemolymph DA accompanied with upregulated levels of glucose and lactate in prawns exposed to both hypo- and hyperthermal stresses in 2 h. In addition, a significant decrease in RBs per haemocyte was noted in prawns which received DAR antagonists when they exposed to hyperthermal stress for 30 min. In in vitro test, antagonism on RBs, SOD and GPx activity of haemocytes were further evidenced through D1, D1, D1+D2 DARs, respectively, in the meantime, no significant difference in PO activity and PA was observed among the treatment groups. These results suggest that the upregulation of DA, glucose and lactate in haemolymph might be the response to acute thermal stress for the demand of energy, and the DAR occupied by its antagonistic action impart no effect on immunological responses except RBs in vivo even though the modulation mediated through D1 DAR was further evidenced in RBs, SOD and GPx activities in vitro. It is therefore concluded that thermal

The modulation of delta responses in the interaction of brightness and emotion.

PubMed

Kurt, Pınar; Eroğlu, Kübra; Bayram Kuzgun, Tubanur; Güntekin, Bahar

2017-02-01

The modulation of delta oscillations (0.5-3.5Hz) by emotional stimuli is reported. Physical attributes such as color, brightness and spatial frequency of emotional visual stimuli have crucial effect on the perception of complex scene. Brightness is intimately related with emotional valence. Here we explored the effect of brightness on delta oscillatory responses upon presentation of pleasant, unpleasant and neutral pictures. We found that bright unpleasant pictures elicited lower amplitude of delta response than original unpleasant pictures. The electrophysiological finding of the study was in accordance with behavioral data. These results denoted the importance of delta responses on the examination of the association between perceptual and conceptual processes while in the question of brightness and emotion. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Ghrelin potentiates cardiac reactivity to stress by modulating sympathetic control and beta-adrenergic response.

PubMed

Camargo-Silva, Gabriel; Turones, Larissa Córdova; da Cruz, Kellen Rosa; Gomes, Karina Pereira; Mendonça, Michelle Mendanha; Nunes, Allancer; de Jesus, Itamar Guedes; Colugnati, Diego Basile; Pansani, Aline Priscila; Pobbe, Roger Luis Henschel; Santos, Robson; Fontes, Marco Antônio Peliky; Guatimosim, Silvia; de Castro, Carlos Henrique; Ianzer, Danielle; Ferreira, Reginaldo Nassar; Xavier, Carlos Henrique

2018-03-01

Prior evidence indicates that ghrelin is involved in the integration of cardiovascular functions and behavioral responses. Ghrelin actions are mediated by the growth hormone secretagogue receptor subtype 1a (GHS-R1a), which is expressed in peripheral tissues and central areas involved in the control of cardiovascular responses to stress. In the present study, we assessed the role of ghrelin - GHS-R1a axis in the cardiovascular reactivity to acute emotional stress in rats. Ghrelin potentiated the tachycardia evoked by restraint and air jet stresses, which was reverted by GHS-R1a blockade. Evaluation of the autonomic balance revealed that the sympathetic branch modulates the ghrelin-evoked positive chronotropy. In isolated hearts, the perfusion with ghrelin potentiated the contractile responses caused by stimulation of the beta-adrenergic receptor, without altering the amplitude of the responses evoked by acetylcholine. Experiments in isolated cardiomyocytes revealed that ghrelin amplified the increases in calcium transient changes evoked by isoproterenol. Taken together, our results indicate that the Ghrelin-GHS-R1a axis potentiates the magnitude of stress-evoked tachycardia by modulating the autonomic nervous system and peripheral mechanisms, strongly relying on the activation of cardiac calcium transient and beta-adrenergic receptors. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Power module packaging with double sided planar interconnection and heat exchangers

DOEpatents

Liang, Zhenxian; Marlino, Laura D.; Ning, Puqi; Wang, Fei

2015-05-26

A double sided cooled power module package having a single phase leg topology includes two IGBT and two diode semiconductor dies. Each IGBT die is spaced apart from a diode semiconductor die, forming a switch unit. Two switch units are placed in a planar face-up and face-down configuration. A pair of DBC or other insulated metallic substrates is affixed to each side of the planar phase leg semiconductor dies to form a sandwich structure. Attachment layers are disposed on outer surfaces of the substrates and two heat exchangers are affixed to the substrates by rigid bond layers. The heat exchangers, made of copper or aluminum, have passages for carrying coolant. The power package is manufactured in a two-step assembly and heating process where direct bonds are formed for all bond layers by soldering, sintering, solid diffusion bonding or transient liquid diffusion bonding, with a specially designed jig and fixture.

Social priming modulates the neural response to ostracism: a new exploratory approach.

PubMed

Hudac, Caitlin M

2018-04-16

The present study sought to evaluate whether social priming modulates neural responses to ostracism, such that making arbitrary interpersonal decisions increases the experience of social exclusion more than making arbitrary physical decisions. This exploratory event-related potential (ERP) study utilized the Lunchroom task, in which adults (N = 28) first selected one of two options that included either interpersonal or physical descriptors. Participants then received ostracism outcome feedback within a lunchroom scenario in which they were either excluded (e.g. sitting alone) or included (e.g. surrounded by others). While the N2 component was sensitive to priming decision condition, only the P3 component discriminated between ostracism decisions. Further inspection of the neural sources indicated that the amygdala, anterior cingulate cortex, and superior temporal gyrus were more engaged for exclusion than inclusion conditions during both N2 and P3 temporal windows. Evaluation of temporal source dynamics suggest that the effects of ostracism are predominant between 250-500 ms and were larger following interpersonal than physical decisions. These results suggest that being ostracized evokes a larger neural response that is modulated following priming of the social brain.

Culture modulates the brain response to human expressions of emotion: electrophysiological evidence.

PubMed

Liu, Pan; Rigoulot, Simon; Pell, Marc D

2015-01-01

To understand how culture modulates on-line neural responses to social information, this study compared how individuals from two distinct cultural groups, English-speaking North Americans and Chinese, process emotional meanings of multi-sensory stimuli as indexed by both behaviour (accuracy) and event-related potential (N400) measures. In an emotional Stroop-like task, participants were presented face-voice pairs expressing congruent or incongruent emotions in conditions where they judged the emotion of one modality while ignoring the other (face or voice focus task). Results indicated that while both groups were sensitive to emotional differences between channels (with lower accuracy and higher N400 amplitudes for incongruent face-voice pairs), there were marked group differences in how intruding facial or vocal cues affected accuracy and N400 amplitudes, with English participants showing greater interference from irrelevant faces than Chinese. Our data illuminate distinct biases in how adults from East Asian versus Western cultures process socio-emotional cues, supplying new evidence that cultural learning modulates not only behaviour, but the neurocognitive response to different features of multi-channel emotion expressions. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Peroxiredoxin 5 modulates immune response in Drosophila

PubMed Central

Radyuk, Svetlana N.; Michalak, Katarzyna; Klichko, Vladimir I.; Benes, Judith; Orr, William C.

2010-01-01

Background Peroxiredoxins are redox-sensing enzymes with multiple cellular functions. Previously, we reported on the potent antioxidant function of Drosophila peroxiredoxin 5 (dPrx5). Studies with mammalian and human cells suggest that peroxiredoxins can modulate immune-related signaling. Methods Survivorship studies and bacteriological analysis were used to determine resistance of flies to fungal and bacterial infections. RT-PCR and immunoblot analyses determined expression of dPrx5 and immunity factors in response to bacterial challenge. Double mutants for dprx5 gene and genes comprising the Imd/Relish and dTak1/Basket branches of the immune signaling pathways were used in epistatic analysis. Results The dprx5 mutant flies were more resistant to bacterial infection than controls, while flies overexpressing dPrx5 were more susceptible. The enhanced resistance to bacteria was accompanied by rapid induction of the Imd-dependent antimicrobial peptides, phosphorylation of the JNK kinase Basket and altered transcriptional profiling of the transient response genes, puckered, ets21C and relish, while the opposite effects were observed in flies over-expressing dPrx5. Epistatic analysis of double mutants, using attacin D and Puckered as read outs of activation of the Imd and JNK pathways, implicated dPrx5 function in the control of the dTak1-JNK arm of immune signaling. Conclusions Differential effects on fly survivorship suggested a trade-off between the antioxidant and immune functions of dPrx5. Molecular and epistatic analyses identified dPrx5 as a negative regulator in the dTak1-JNK arm of immune signaling. General significance Our findings suggest that peroxiredoxins play an important modulatory role in the Drosophila immune response. PMID:20600624

Stress Response Recruits the Hippocampal Endocannabinoid System for the Modulation of Fear Memory

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Alvares, Lucas de Oliveira; Engelke, Douglas Senna; Diehl, Felipe; Scheffer-Teixeira, Robson; Haubrich, Josue; Cassini, Lindsey de Freitas; Molina, Victor Alejandro; Quillfeldt, Jorge Alberto

2010-01-01

The modulation of memory processes is one of the several functions of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) in the brain, with CB1 receptors highly expressed in areas such as the dorsal hippocampus. Experimental evidence suggested an important role of the ECS in aversively motivated memories. Similarly, glucocorticoids released in response to stress…

[Right to die with dignity?].

PubMed

Ruiz, Alvaro

2008-06-01

The right to die with dignity is an ill-defined concept, with multiple, often inappropriate, interpretations. The current proposition is that the physician take full responsibility for protecting the patients rights, for ensuring a rational use of resources and for overseeing the decision-making process such that the information is adequate and the steps proportioned. This responsibility extends not only to the health status of the patient situation, to the patients prognosis, and to his/her expectations and wishes, but also to the benefits foreseen and to the cost-benefit ratio. Emphasis is placed on two aspects of this relationship. First, dignity can be interpreted in many ways and sometimes, in the name of dignity, the patient is exposed (or exposes him/herself) to suffering, pain and complications that can be avoided. Second, when no reasonable probability of survival is present and a better quality of life is impossible, efforts are better redirected to offering a better quality of death.

Recognizing dying in terminal illness.

PubMed

Taylor, Paul M; Johnson, Miriam

2011-08-01

Recognizing dying in terminally ill patients is a complex clinical skill. This article outlines the approach to the decision, common difficulties encountered in patients with both malignant and non-malignant disease, and a simple approach to considering the question 'Is this patient dying?'

Is the patient's right to die evolving into a duty to die?: Medical decision making and ethical evaluations in health care.

PubMed

Sprung, C L; Eidelman, L A; Steinberg, A

1997-02-01

When patient or family requests for continued life-sustaining treatments conflict with doctor recommendations, different conclusions as to what is beneficial for the patient may arise. Past practices usually accepted patient or family requests based on the principle of autonomy or that the doctor's primary responsibility is to the individual patient. Many patients die in intensive care units after doctors forego life-prolonging interventions. Health care changes and cost containment have led to a change in the classical ethical model of the patient-doctor relationship such that concerns for societal requirements increasingly overrule those for individual patient needs. The ability to keep patients alive with little likelihood of recovery and the recognition of escalating health costs have led to calls for the needs of society and distributive justice to be taken into account. A tendency to justify a duty to die for these patients has arisen. Recent legal decisions in cases with conflicts between families and health care providers and institutions over foregoing life-sustaining therapies have decided for the families against doctors and hospitals, compelling institutions and their staff to act contrary to their ethical views. Value judgments of doctors are sometimes confused with medical indications for therapy. Doctors have defined therapies as futile or non-beneficial based on their own values and even withdrawn life-sustaining treatments without patient or family input. In some cases, the right to die is leading to the duty to die even against patient or surrogate wishes. Such observations indicate the need for rigorous analyses of medical decision making in this context and for ethical evaluations in health care in general.

Die singulation method and package formed thereby

DOEpatents

Anderson, Robert C [Tucson, AZ; Shul, Randy J [Albuquerque, NM; Clews, Peggy J [Tijeras, NM; Baker, Michael S [Albuquerque, NM; De Boer, Maarten P [Albuquerque, NM

2012-08-07

A method is disclosed for singulating die from a substrate having a sacrificial layer and one or more device layers, with a retainer being formed in the device layer(s) and anchored to the substrate. Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE) etching of a trench through the substrate from the bottom side defines a shape for each die. A handle wafer is then attached to the bottom side of the substrate, and the sacrificial layer is etched to singulate the die and to form a frame from the retainer and the substrate. The frame and handle wafer, which retain the singulated die in place, can be attached together with a clamp or a clip and to form a package for the singulated die. One or more stops can be formed from the device layer(s) to limit a sliding motion of the singulated die.

Phase modulation in RF tag

DOEpatents

Carrender, Curtis Lee; Gilbert, Ronald W.

2007-02-20

A radio frequency (RF) communication system employs phase-modulated backscatter signals for RF communication from an RF tag to an interrogator. The interrogator transmits a continuous wave interrogation signal to the RF tag, which based on an information code stored in a memory, phase-modulates the interrogation signal to produce a backscatter response signal that is transmitted back to the interrogator. A phase modulator structure in the RF tag may include a switch coupled between an antenna and a quarter-wavelength stub; and a driver coupled between the memory and a control terminal of the switch. The driver is structured to produce a modulating signal corresponding to the information code, the modulating signal alternately opening and closing the switch to respectively decrease and increase the transmission path taken by the interrogation signal and thereby modulate the phase of the response signal. Alternatively, the phase modulator may include a diode coupled between the antenna and driver. The modulating signal from the driver modulates the capacitance of the diode, which modulates the phase of the response signal reflected by the diode and antenna.

Self-determination, the right to die, and culture: a literature review.

PubMed

McCormick, Andrew J

2011-04-01

Self-determination is a primary ethical principle underlying social work practice in health care settings. Since the 1970s, a right-to-die movement that shares the social work commitment to self-determination has grown and influences end-of-life care decisions. However, the role of culture is notably absent in discussions of the right to die. A literature review was conducted to explore self-determination and the role of culture in the context of the history of the right-to-die movement. A total of 54 articles met the criteria for inclusion in the review. Of the total, 21 related to self-determination, and 12 related to ethnicity and culture at the end of life. A history based on the review of the right-to-die movement is presented. The review found that social workers support passively hastening death and that views of self-determination are affected by both law and culture. In response, social workers will face three tasks: (1) becoming more public in their support for client self-determination as an important standard in end-of-life care, (2) being more explicit in support of diverse cultural traditions in end-of-life decision making, and (3) expanding their traditional educational and bridging roles between families and medical personnel.

Cell-Type-Specific Modulation of Sensory Responses in Olfactory Bulb Circuits by Serotonergic Projections from the Raphe Nuclei

PubMed Central

Brunert, Daniela; Tsuno, Yusuke; Rothermel, Markus; Shipley, Michael T.

2016-01-01

Serotonergic neurons in the brainstem raphe nuclei densely innervate the olfactory bulb (OB), where they can modulate the initial representation and processing of olfactory information. Serotonergic modulation of sensory responses among defined OB cell types is poorly characterized in vivo. Here, we used cell-type-specific expression of optical reporters to visualize how raphe stimulation alters sensory responses in two classes of GABAergic neurons of the mouse OB glomerular layer, periglomerular (PG) and short axon (SA) cells, as well as mitral/tufted (MT) cells carrying OB output to piriform cortex. In PG and SA cells, brief (1–4 s) raphe stimulation elicited a large increase in the magnitude of responses linked to inhalation of ambient air, as well as modest increases in the magnitude of odorant-evoked responses. Near-identical effects were observed when the optical reporter of glutamatergic transmission iGluSnFR was expressed in PG and SA cells, suggesting enhanced excitatory input to these neurons. In contrast, in MT cells imaged from the dorsal OB, raphe stimulation elicited a strong increase in resting GCaMP fluorescence with only a slight enhancement of inhalation-linked responses to odorant. Finally, optogenetically stimulating raphe serotonergic afferents in the OB had heterogeneous effects on presumptive MT cells recorded extracellularly, with an overall modest increase in resting and odorant-evoked responses during serotonergic afferent stimulation. These results suggest that serotonergic afferents from raphe dynamically modulate olfactory processing through distinct effects on multiple OB targets, and may alter the degree to which OB output is shaped by inhibition during behavior. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Modulation of the circuits that process sensory information can profoundly impact how information about the external world is represented and perceived. This study investigates how the serotonergic system modulates the initial processing of olfactory

A process chain for integrating piezoelectric transducers into aluminum die castings to generate smart lightweight structures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stein, Stefan; Wedler, Jonathan; Rhein, Sebastian; Schmidt, Michael; Körner, Carolin; Michaelis, Alexander; Gebhardt, Sylvia

The application of piezoelectric transducers to structural body parts of machines or vehicles enables the combination of passive mechanical components with sensor and actuator functions in one single structure. According to Herold et al. [1] and Staeves [2] this approach indicates significant potential regarding smart lightweight construction. To obtain the highest yield, the piezoelectric transducers need to be integrated into the flux of forces (load path) of load bearing structures. Application in a downstream process reduces yield and process efficiency during manufacturing and operation, due to the necessity of a subsequent process step of sensor/actuator application. The die casting process offers the possibility for integration of piezoelectric transducers into metal structures. Aluminum castings are particularly favorable due to their high quality and feasibility for high unit production at low cost (Brunhuber [3], Nogowizin [4]). Such molded aluminum parts with integrated piezoelectric transducers enable functions like active vibration damping, structural health monitoring or energy harvesting resulting in significant possibilities of weight reduction, which is an increasingly important driving force of automotive and aerospace industry (Klein [5], Siebenpfeiffer [6]) due to increasingly stringent environmental protection laws. In the scope of those developments, this paper focuses on the entire process chain enabling the generation of lightweight metal structures with sensor and actuator function, starting from the manufacturing of piezoelectric modules over electrical and mechanical bonding to the integration of such modules into aluminum (Al) matrices by die casting. To achieve this challenging goal, piezoceramic sensors/actuator modules, so-called LTCC/PZT modules (LPM) were developed, since ceramic based piezoelectric modules are more likely to withstand the thermal stress of about 700 °C introduced by the casting process (Flössel et al., [7]). The

Dying: A universal human experience?

PubMed

Bregman, L

1989-03-01

This paper explores the question, "Is there a universal psychological experience suffered by all dying persons?" a question to which the popular theory of Kübler-Ross presupposes an affirmative answer. Our answer takes three steps: first, a comparison between the Kübler-Ross model of dying and that of the late medievalBook of the Craft of Dying centered upon the five Kübler-Ross "stages"; second, a philosophical critique of the terms of this comparison; and third, a revised look at the alleged similarities between the two models, providing a deeper look at the moral and spiritual assumptions behind each.

An NCME Instructional Module on Item-Fit Statistics for Item Response Theory Models

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ames, Allison J.; Penfield, Randall D.

2015-01-01

Drawing valid inferences from item response theory (IRT) models is contingent upon a good fit of the data to the model. Violations of model-data fit have numerous consequences, limiting the usefulness and applicability of the model. This instructional module provides an overview of methods used for evaluating the fit of IRT models. Upon completing…

Purinergic signaling modulates the cerebral inflammatory response in experimentally infected fish with Streptococcus agalactiae: an attempt to improve the immune response.

PubMed

Souza, Carine F; Baldissera, Matheus D; Bottari, Nathiele B; Moreira, Karen L S; da Rocha, Maria Izabel U M; da Veiga, Marcelo L; Santos, Roberto C V; Baldisserotto, Bernardo

2018-06-01

Appropriate control of the immune response is a critical determinant of fish health, and the purinergic cascade has an important role in the immune and inflammatory responses. This cascade regulates the levels of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), adenosine diphosphate, adenosine monophosphate and adenosine (Ado), molecules involved in physiological or pathological events as inflammatory and anti-inflammatory mediators. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate whether purinergic signaling, through the activities of nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase (NTPDase), 5'-nucleotidase, and adenosine deaminase (ADA), is capable of modulating the cerebral immune and inflammatory responses in silver catfish that is experimentally infected with Streptococcus agalactiae. Cerebral NTPDase (with ATP as substrate) and 5'-nucleotidase activities increased, while ADA activity decreased in silver catfish that is experimentally infected with S. agalactiae, compared to the control group. Moreover, the cerebral levels of ATP and Ado increased in infected animals compared to the uninfected control group. Brain histopathology in infected animals revealed inflammatory demyelination (the presence of occasional bubbly collections), increased cellular density in the area near to pia-mater and intercellular edema. Based on this evidence, the modulation of the purinergic cascade by the enzymes NTPDase, 5'-nucleotidase, and ADA exerts an anti-inflammatory profile due to the regulation of ATP and Ado levels. This suggests involvement of purinergic enzymes on streptococcosis pathogenesis, through regulating cerebral ATP and Ado levels, molecules known to participate in physiological or pathological events as inflammatory and anti-inflammatory mediators, respectively. In summary, the modulation of the cerebral purinergic cascade exerts an anti-inflammatory profile in an attempt to reduce inflammatory damage.

The properties of electromagnetic responses and optical modulation in terahertz metamaterials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Wei; Shi, Yulei; Wang, Wei; Zhou, Qingli; Zhang, Cunlin

2016-11-01

Metamaterials with subwavelength structural features show unique electromagnetic responses that are unattainable with natural materials. Recently, the research on these artificial materials has been pushed forward to the terahertz (THz) region because of potential applications in biological fingerprinting, security imaging, and high frequency magnetic and electric resonant devices. Furthermore, active control of their properties could further facilitate and open up new applications in terms of modulation and switching. In our work, we will first present our studies of dipole arrays at terahertz frequencies. Then in experimental and theoretical studies of terahertz subwavelength L-shaped structure, we proposed an unusual-mode current resonance responsible for low-frequency characteristic dip in transmission spectra. Comparing spectral properties of our designed simplified structures with that of split-ring resonators, we attribute this unusual mode to the resonance coupling and splitting under the broken symmetry of the structure. Finally, we use optical pump-terahertz probe method to investigate the spectral and dynamic behaviour of optical modulation in the split-ring resonators. We have observed the blue-shift and band broadening in the spectral changes of transmission under optical excitation at different delay times. The calculated surface currents using finite difference time domain simulation are presented to characterize these resonances, and the blue-shift can be explained by the changed refractive index and conductivity in the photoexcited semiconductor substrate.

Self-esteem modulates amygdala-ventrolateral prefrontal cortex connectivity in response to mortality threats.

PubMed

Yanagisawa, Kuniaki; Abe, Nobuhito; Kashima, Emiko S; Nomura, Michio

2016-03-01

Reminders of death often elicit defensive responses in individuals, especially among those with low self-esteem. Although empirical evidence indicates that self-esteem serves as a buffer against mortality threats, the precise neural mechanism underlying this effect remains unknown. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to test the hypothesis that self-esteem modulates neural responses to death-related stimuli, especially functional connectivity within the limbic-frontal circuitry, thereby affecting subsequent defensive reactions. As predicted, individuals with high self-esteem subjected to a mortality threat exhibited increased amygdala-ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) connectivity during the processing of death-related stimuli compared with individuals who have low self-esteem. Further analysis revealed that stronger functional connectivity between the amygdala and the VLPFC predicted a subsequent decline in responding defensively to those who threaten one's beliefs. These results suggest that the amygdala-VLPFC interaction, which is modulated by self-esteem, can reduce the defensiveness caused by death-related stimuli, thereby providing a neural explanation for why individuals with high self-esteem exhibit less defensive reactions to mortality threats. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Modulation of Temporal Precision in Thalamic Population Responses to Natural Visual Stimuli

PubMed Central

Desbordes, Gaëlle; Jin, Jianzhong; Alonso, Jose-Manuel; Stanley, Garrett B.

2010-01-01

Natural visual stimuli have highly structured spatial and temporal properties which influence the way visual information is encoded in the visual pathway. In response to natural scene stimuli, neurons in the lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) are temporally precise – on a time scale of 10–25 ms – both within single cells and across cells within a population. This time scale, established by non stimulus-driven elements of neuronal firing, is significantly shorter than that of natural scenes, yet is critical for the neural representation of the spatial and temporal structure of the scene. Here, a generalized linear model (GLM) that combines stimulus-driven elements with spike-history dependence associated with intrinsic cellular dynamics is shown to predict the fine timing precision of LGN responses to natural scene stimuli, the corresponding correlation structure across nearby neurons in the population, and the continuous modulation of spike timing precision and latency across neurons. A single model captured the experimentally observed neural response, across different levels of contrasts and different classes of visual stimuli, through interactions between the stimulus correlation structure and the nonlinearity in spike generation and spike history dependence. Given the sensitivity of the thalamocortical synapse to closely timed spikes and the importance of fine timing precision for the faithful representation of natural scenes, the modulation of thalamic population timing over these time scales is likely important for cortical representations of the dynamic natural visual environment. PMID:21151356

Care of the dying: how do we replace the Liverpool Care Pathway?

PubMed

Davis, Charles; Tomas, Jon

2014-12-01

Death is an inescapable certainty of life. Variability in care for dying persons, however, is present. The Liverpool Care Pathway (LCP) sought to guide care for the last days of life but was phased out after intense scrutiny. A governmental report and rapid review of evidence were considered alongside mass and social media reporting. An evidence review of end-of-life care was undertaken. Any person's death is inherently challenging. Much consideration must be given to holistic needs when approaching death. Communication skills may be lacking for professional and patient alike. The LCP became flawed in use rather than intention or principle. Seeming financial gains from death were concerning to all. We have responsibility for making choices prospectively in order for them to influence our care when we are dying. Normalization of death is key on both micro- and macro communication levels. Perceptions of relevant terminology; review of the definition of dying; improved recognition of the dying process and measuring the impact of communication skills training. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Cortical influences on brainstem circuitry responsible for conditioned pain modulation in humans.

PubMed

Youssef, Andrew M; Macefield, Vaughan G; Henderson, Luke A

2016-07-01

Conditioned pain modulation (CPM) is a powerful endogenous analgesic mechanism which can completely inhibit incoming nociceptor signals at the primary synapse. The circuitry responsible for CPM lies within the brainstem and involves the subnucleus reticularis dorsalis (SRD). While the brainstem is critical for CPM, the cortex can significantly modulate its expression, likely via the brainstem circuitry critical for CPM. Since higher cortical regions such as the anterior, mid-cingulate, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices are activated by noxious stimuli and show reduced activations during other analgesic responses, we hypothesized that these regions would display reduced responses during CPM analgesia. Furthermore, we hypothesized that functional connectivity strength between these cortical regions and the SRD would be stronger in those that express CPM analgesia compared with those that do not. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to determine sites recruited during CPM expression and their influence on the SRD. A lack of CPM analgesia was associated with greater signal intensity increases during each test stimulus in the presence of the conditioning stimulus compared to test stimuli alone in the mid-cingulate and dorsolateral prefrontal cortices and increased functional connectivity with the SRD. In contrast, those subjects exhibiting CPM analgesia showed no change in the magnitude of signal intensity increases in these cortical regions or strength of functional connectivity with the SRD. These data suggest that during multiple or widespread painful stimuli, engagement of the prefrontal and cingulate cortices prevents the generation of CPM analgesia, raising the possibility altered responsiveness in these cortical regions underlie the reduced CPM observed in individuals with chronic pain. Hum Brain Mapp 37:2630-2644, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Regulating the ethylene response of a plant by modulation of F-box proteins

DOEpatents

Guo, Hongwei [Beijing, CN; Ecker, Joseph R [Carlsbad, CA

2011-03-08

The invention relates to transgenic plants having reduced sensitivity to ethylene as a result of having a recombinant nucleic acid encoding an F-box protein that interacts with a EIN3 involved in an ethylene response of plants, and a method of producing a transgenic plant with reduced ethylene sensitivity by transforming the plant with a nucleic acid sequence encoding an F-box protein. The inventions also relates to methods of altering the ethylene response in a plant by modulating the activity or expression of an F-box protein.

Auditory-visual integration modulates location-specific repetition suppression of auditory responses.

PubMed

Shrem, Talia; Murray, Micah M; Deouell, Leon Y

2017-11-01

Space is a dimension shared by different modalities, but at what stage spatial encoding is affected by multisensory processes is unclear. Early studies observed attenuation of N1/P2 auditory evoked responses following repetition of sounds from the same location. Here, we asked whether this effect is modulated by audiovisual interactions. In two experiments, using a repetition-suppression paradigm, we presented pairs of tones in free field, where the test stimulus was a tone presented at a fixed lateral location. Experiment 1 established a neural index of auditory spatial sensitivity, by comparing the degree of attenuation of the response to test stimuli when they were preceded by an adapter sound at the same location versus 30° or 60° away. We found that the degree of attenuation at the P2 latency was inversely related to the spatial distance between the test stimulus and the adapter stimulus. In Experiment 2, the adapter stimulus was a tone presented from the same location or a more medial location than the test stimulus. The adapter stimulus was accompanied by a simultaneous flash displayed orthogonally from one of the two locations. Sound-flash incongruence reduced accuracy in a same-different location discrimination task (i.e., the ventriloquism effect) and reduced the location-specific repetition-suppression at the P2 latency. Importantly, this multisensory effect included topographic modulations, indicative of changes in the relative contribution of underlying sources across conditions. Our findings suggest that the auditory response at the P2 latency is affected by spatially selective brain activity, which is affected crossmodally by visual information. © 2017 Society for Psychophysiological Research.

Ethylene plays multiple nonprimary roles in modulating the gravitropic response in tomato

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Madlung, A.; Behringer, F. J.; Lomax, T. L.; Davies, E. (Principal Investigator)

1999-01-01

Ethylene is known to interact with auxin in regulating stem growth, and yet evidence for the role of ethylene in tropic responses is contradictory. Our analysis of four mutants of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) altered in their response to gravity, auxin, and/or ethylene revealed concentration-dependent modulation of shoot gravitropism by ethylene. Ethylene inhibitors reduce wild-type gravicurvature, and extremely low (0.0005-0.001 microliter L-1) ethylene concentrations can restore the reduced gravitropic response of the auxin-resistant dgt (diageotropica) mutant to wild-type levels. Slightly higher concentrations of ethylene inhibit the gravitropic response of all but the ethylene-insensitive nr (never-ripe) mutant. The gravitropic responses of nr and the constitutive-response mutant epi (epinastic) are slightly and significantly delayed, respectively, but otherwise normal. The reversal of shoot gravicurvature by red light in the lz-2 (lazy-2) mutant is not affected by ethylene. Taken together, these data indicate that, although ethylene does not play a primary role in the gravitropic response of tomato, low levels of ethylene are necessary for a full gravitropic response, and moderate levels of the hormone specifically inhibit gravicurvature in a manner different from ethylene inhibition of overall growth.

["Good dying"--definition and current state of research].

PubMed

Hutter, Nico; Stößel, Ulrich; Meffert, Cornelia; Körner, Mirjam; Bozzaro, Claudia; Becker, Gerhild; Baumeister, Harald

2015-08-01

The advances of modern medicine did not only result in prolongation of life expectancy, but also led to a shift from dying at home to dying in public institutions. In western countries most people die at advanced age in medical facilities. Hence, the question regarding the conditions, which should be provided by society and especially medicine, to allow terminally ill people to experience "good dying" is substantial. For this purpose, an examination of patients', family members' and health care providers' understanding of the term " good dying" is required. The present paper aims at shedding light on the term "good dying" and to summarize the current state of research. Therefore, the attributes of "good dying" will be described from the perspectives of patients, family members and health care providers, which are discussed and examined in current medical-sociological research. These attributes can be illustrated on three dimensions: Quality of life at the end of life (e. g. pain relief, mental well-being), quality of dying (e. g. avoiding prolonged dying, autonomy, presence of relatives) and quality of health care at the end of life (e. g. patient-oriented health care, positive communication between health care providers and patients, availability of guidelines). Although the attributes of "good dying" are described in detail in the existing literature, further studies have to clarify the relevance and impact of these attributes as predictors of "good dying". © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Bereits nach Ablauf der Halbwertszeit droht der vollständige Zerfall Die britische Atomic Scientists’ Association, die Ideologie der „objektiven” Wissenschaft und die H-Bombe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laucht, Christoph

Präsident Harry Trumans Verlautbarung vom 31.1.1950, seine Regierung wolle die Entwicklung der Wasserstoffbombe vorantreiben, fand große Beachtung in den britischen Medien. Die illustrierte Zeitschrift Picture Post widmete der HBombe einen Artikel, der unter anderem kurze Stellungnahmen der britischen Atomwissenschaftler Eric Burhop, Kathleen Lonsdale, Harrie Massey, Rudolf Peierls und Maurice Pryce enthielt, die alle Mitglieder der Atomic Scientists' Association (ASA) waren.

Attention modulates the dorsal striatum response to love stimuli.

PubMed

Langeslag, Sandra J E; van der Veen, Frederik M; Röder, Christian H

2014-02-01

In previous functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies concerning romantic love, several brain regions including the caudate and putamen have consistently been found to be more responsive to beloved-related than control stimuli. In those studies, infatuated individuals were typically instructed to passively view the stimuli or to think of the viewed person. In the current study, we examined how the instruction to attend to, or ignore the beloved modulates the response of these brain areas. Infatuated individuals performed an oddball task in which pictures of their beloved and friend served as targets and distractors. The dorsal striatum showed greater activation for the beloved than friend, but only when they were targets. The dorsal striatum actually tended to show less activation for the beloved than the friend when they were distractors. The longer the love and relationship duration, the smaller the response of the dorsal striatum to beloved-distractor stimuli was. We interpret our findings in terms of reinforcement learning. By virtue of using a cognitive task with a full factorial design, we show that the dorsal striatum is not activated by beloved-related information per se, but only by beloved-related information that is attended. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A low voltage submillisecond-response polymer network liquid crystal spatial light modulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Jie; Wu, Shin-Tson; Haseba, Yasuhiro

2014-01-01

We report a low voltage and highly transparent polymer network liquid crystal (PNLC) with submillisecond response time. By employing a large dielectric anisotropy LC host JC-BP07N, we have lowered the V2π voltage to 23 V at λ = 514 nm. This will enable PNLC to be integrated with a high resolution liquid-crystal-on-silicon spatial light modulator, in which the maximum voltage is 24 V. A simple model correlating PNLC performance with its host LC is proposed and validated experimentally. By optimizing the domain size, we can achieve V2π < 15 V with some compromises in scattering and response time.

An Evaluation of the Response Modulation Hypothesis in Relation to Attention-Deficit/ Hyperactivity Disorder

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farmer, Richard F.; Rucklidge, Julia J.

2006-01-01

Several hypotheses related to Newman's (e.g., Patterson & Newman, 1993) response modulation hypothesis were examined among adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; n = 18) and normal controls (n = 23). Consistent with predictions, youth with ADHD committed more passive avoidance errors (PAEs) than controls during the latter…

Adults' age-related differences in strategy perseveration are modulated by response-stimulus intervals and problem features.

PubMed

Lemaire, Patrick; Brun, Fleur

2014-10-01

Ageing results in the tendency of older adults to repeat the same strategy across consecutive problems more often than young adults, even when such strategy perseveration is not appropriate. Here, we examined how these age-related differences in strategy perseveration are modulated by response-stimulus intervals and problem characteristics. We asked participants to select the best strategy while accomplishing a computational estimation task (i.e., provide approximate sums to two-digit addition problems like 38 + 74). We found that participants repeated the same strategy across consecutive problems more often when the duration between their response and next problem display was short (300 ms) than when it was long (1300 ms). We also found more strategy perseverations in older than in young adults under short Response-Stimulus Intervals, but not under long Response-Stimulus Intervals. Finally, age-related differences in strategy perseveration decreased when problem features helped participants to select the best strategy. These modulations of age-related differences in strategy perseveration by response-stimulus intervals and characteristics of target problems are important for furthering our understanding of mechanisms underlying strategy perseveration and, more generally, ageing effects on strategy selection.

Genetic modulation of plasma NPY stress response is suppressed in substance abuse: association with clinical outcomes.

PubMed

Xu, Ke; Hong, Kwangik Adam; Zhou, Zhifeng; Hauger, Richard L; Goldman, David; Sinha, Rajita

2012-04-01

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) is involved in stress regulation. Genetic variations predict plasma NPY and neural correlates of emotion and stress. We examined whether the functional NPY haplotype modulates stress-induced NPY and anxiety responses, and if plasma NPY stress responses are associated with substance dependence outcomes. Thirty-seven treatment-engaged, abstinent substance dependent (SD) patients and 28 healthy controls (HCs) characterized on NPY diplotypes (HH: high expression; HLLL: intermediate/low expression) were exposed to stress, alcohol/drug cues and neutral relaxing cues, using individualized guided imagery, in a 3-session laboratory experiment. Plasma NPY, heart rate and anxiety were assessed. Patients were prospectively followed for 90-days post-treatment to assess relapse outcomes. HH individuals showed significantly lower stress-induced NPY with greater heart rate and anxiety ratings, while the HLLL group showed the reverse pattern of NPY, anxiety and heart rate responses. This differential genetic modulation of NPY stress response was suppressed in the SD group, who showed no stress-related increases in NPY and higher heart rate and greater anxiety, regardless of diplotype. Lower NPY predicted subsequent higher number of days and greater amounts of post-treatment drug use. These preliminary findings are the first to document chronic drug abuse influences on NPY diplotype expression where NPY diplotype modulation of stress-related plasma NPY, heart rate and anxiety responses was absent in the substance abuse sample. The finding that lower stress-related NPY is predictive of greater relapse severity provides support for therapeutic development of neuropeptide Y targets in the treatment of substance use disorders. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Antibody responses of mice exposed to low-power microwaves under combined, pulse-and-amplitude modulation

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

Veyret, B.; Bouthet, C.; Deschaux, P.

Irradiation by pulsed microwaves (9.4 GHz, 1 microsecond pulses at 1,000/s), both with and without concurrent amplitude modulation (AM) by a sinusoid at discrete frequencies between 14 and 41 MHz, was assessed for effects on the immune system of Balb/C mice. The mice were immunized either by sheep red blood cells (SRBC) or by glutaric-anhydride conjugated bovine serum albumin (GA-BSA), then exposed to the microwaves at a low rms power density (30 microW/cm2; whole-body-averaged SAR approximately 0.015 W/kg). Sham exposure or microwave irradiation took place during each of five contiguous days, 10 h/day. The antibody response was evaluated by themore » plaque-forming cell assay (SRBC experiment) or by the titration of IgM and IgG antibodies (GA-BSA experiment). In the absence of AM, the pulsed field did not greatly alter immune responsiveness. In contrast, exposure to the field under the combined-modulation condition resulted in significant, AM-frequency-dependent augmentation or weakening of immune responses.« less

Engineering Immunity: Modulating Dendritic Cell Subsets and Lymph Node Response to Direct Immune-polarization and Vaccine Efficacy

PubMed Central

Leleux, Jardin; Atalis, Alexandra; Roy, Krishnendu

2017-01-01

While successful vaccines have been developed against many pathogens, there are still many diseases and pathogenic infections that are highly evasive to current vaccination strategies. Thus, more sophisticated approaches to control the type and quality of vaccine-induced immune response must be developed. Dendritic cells (DCs) are the sentinels of the body and play a critical role in immune response generation and direction by bridging innate and adaptive immunity. It is now well recognized that DCs can be separated into many subgroups, each of which has a unique function. Better understanding of how various DC subsets, in lymphoid organs and in the periphery, can be targeted through controlled delivery; and how these subsets modulate and control the resulting immune response could greatly enhance our ability to develop new, effective vaccines against complex diseases. In this review, we provide an overview of DC subset biology and discuss current immunotherapeutic strategies that utilize DC targeting to modulate and control immune responses. PMID:26489733

Do plants modulate biomass allocation in response to petroleum pollution?

PubMed Central

Nie, Ming; Yang, Qiang; Jiang, Li-Fen; Fang, Chang-Ming; Chen, Jia-Kuan; Li, Bo

2010-01-01

Biomass allocation is an important plant trait that responds plastically to environmental heterogeneities. However, the effects on this trait of pollutants owing to human activities remain largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the response of biomass allocation of Phragmites australis to petroleum pollution by a 13CO2 pulse-labelling technique. Our data show that plant biomass significantly decreased under petroleum pollution, but the root–shoot ratio for both plant biomass and 13C increased with increasing petroleum concentration, suggesting that plants could increase biomass allocation to roots in petroleum-polluted soil. Furthermore, assimilated 13C was found to be significantly higher in soil, microbial biomass and soil respiration after soils were polluted by petroleum. These results suggested that the carbon released from roots is rapidly turned over by soil microbes under petroleum pollution. This study found that plants can modulate biomass allocation in response to petroleum pollution. PMID:20484231

Die Deformation Measurement System during Sheet Metal Forming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Funada, J.; Takahashi, S.; Fukiharu, H.

2011-08-01

In order to reduce affection to the earth environment, it is necessary to lighten the vehicles. For this purpose, high tensile steels are applied. Because of high strength, high forming force is required for producing automotive sheet metal parts. In this situation, since the dies are elastic, they are deformed during forming parts. For reducing die developing period, sheet metal forming simulation is widely applied. In the numerical simulation, rigid dies are usually used for shortening computing time. It means that the forming conditions in the actual forming and the simulation are different. It will make large errors in the results between actual forming and simulation. It can be said that if contact pressure between dies and a sheet metal in the simulation can be reproduced in the actual forming, the differences of forming results between them can also been reduced. The basic idea is to estimate die shape which can produce the same distribution as computed from simulation with rigid dies. In this study, die deformation analyses with Finite Element Method as basic technologies are evaluated. For example, simple shape and actual dies elastic contact problems were investigated. The contact width between simple shape dies was investigated. The computed solutions were in good agreement with experimental results. The one case of the actual dies in two cases was also investigated. Bending force was applied to the blank holder with a mechanical press machine. The methodology shown with applying inductive displacement sensor for measuring die deformation during applying force was also proposed.

Cerebral responses and role of the prefrontal cortex in conditioned pain modulation: an fMRI study in healthy subjects

PubMed Central

Bogdanov, Volodymyr B.; Viganò, Alessandro; Noirhomme, Quentin; Bogdanova, Olena V.; Guy, Nathalie; Laureys, Steven; Renshaw, Perry F.; Dallel, Radhouane; Phillips, Christophe; Schoenen, Jean

2017-01-01

The mechanisms underlying conditioned pain modulation (CPM) are multifaceted. We searched for a link between individual differences in prefrontal cortex activity during multi-trial heterotopic noxious cold conditioning and modulation of the cerebral response to phasic heat pain. In 24 healthy female subjects, we conditioned laser heat stimuli to the left hand by applying alternatively ice-cold or lukewarm compresses to the right foot. We compared pain ratings with cerebral fMRI BOLD responses. We also analyzed the relation between CPM and BOLD changes produced by the heterotopic cold conditioning itself, as well as the impact of anxiety and habituation of cold-pain ratings. Specific cerebral activation was identified in precuneus and left posterior insula/SII, respectively, during early and sustained phases of cold application. During cold conditioning, laser pain decreased (n = 7), increased (n = 10) or stayed unchanged (n = 7). At the individual level, the psychophysical effect was directly proportional to the cold-induced modulation of the laser-induced BOLD response in left posterior insula/SII. The latter correlated with the BOLD response recorded 80 s earlier during the initial 10-s phase of cold application in anterior cingulate, orbitofrontal and lateral prefrontal cortices. High anxiety and habituation of cold pain were associated with greater laser heat-induced pain during heterotopic cold stimulation. The habituation was also linked to the early cold-induced orbitofrontal responses. We conclude that individual differences in conditioned pain modulation are related to different levels of prefrontal cortical activation by the early part of the conditioning stimulus, possibly due to different levels in trait anxiety. PMID:25461267

Radiation-induced immunogenic modulation of tumor enhances antigen processing and calreticulin exposure, resulting in enhanced T-cell killing

PubMed Central

Gameiro, Sofia R.; Jammed, Momodou L.; Wattenberg, Max M.; Tsang, Kwong Y.; Ferrone, Soldano; Hodge, James W.

2014-01-01

Radiation therapy (RT) is used for local tumor control through direct killing of tumor cells. Radiation-induced cell death can trigger tumor antigen-specific immune responses, but these are often noncurative. Radiation has been demonstrated to induce immunogenic modulation (IM) in various tumor types by altering the biology of surviving cells to render them more susceptible to T cell-mediated killing. Little is known about the mechanism(s) underlying IM elicited by sub-lethal radiation dosing. We have examined the molecular and immunogenic consequences of radiation exposure in breast, lung, and prostate human carcinoma cells. Radiation induced secretion of ATP and HMGB1 in both dying and surviving tumor cells. In vitro and in vivo tumor irradiation induced significant upregulation of multiple components of the antigen-processing machinery and calreticulin cell-surface expression. Augmented CTL lysis specific for several tumor-associated antigens was largely dictated by the presence of calreticulin on the surface of tumor cells and constituted an adaptive response to endoplasmic reticulum stress, mediated by activation of the unfolded protein response. This study provides evidence that radiation induces a continuum of immunogenic alterations in tumor biology, from immunogenic modulation to immunogenic cell death. We also expand the concept of immunogenic modulation, where surviving tumor cells recovering from radiation-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress become more sensitive to CTL killing. These observations offer a rationale for the combined use of radiation with immunotherapy, including for patients failing RT alone. PMID:24480782

Einführung in die Technische Chemie

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Behr, Arno; Agar, David W.; Jörissen, Jakob

Die "Technische Chemie" ist ein Lehrfach an Universitäten und Hochschulen. Nach dem die Studierenden der Chemie in den ersten Semestern ihres Studiums ausrei chen de theoretische Kenntnisse in Allgemeiner, Anorganischer, Organischer und Physikalischer Chemie erlangt haben, soll die Technische Chemie einen Blick auf die praktische Anwendung dieser Naturwissenschaft in unserer Wirtschaft lenken. Es gibt keine "biologische Industrie", "physikalische Industrie" oder "mathematische Industrie", wohl aber seit über 150 Jahren eine "chemische Industrie", die in dieser lan gen Zeit zahlreiche chemische Prozesse entwickelt und dazu vielfältige Methoden erarbeitet hat. Das Lehrfach Technische Chemie gibt einen Überblick über diese Pro zesse und Methoden und erleichtert dadurch den Schritt von der Universität zur be ruflichen Praxis.

Heritability and molecular genetic basis of acoustic startle eye blink and affectively modulated startle response: A genome-wide association study

PubMed Central

VAIDYANATHAN, UMA; MALONE, STEPHEN M.; MILLER, MICHAEL B.; McGUE, MATT; IACONO, WILLIAM G.

2014-01-01

Acoustic startle responses have been studied extensively in relation to individual differences and psychopathology. We examined three indices of the blink response in a picture-viewing paradigm—overall startle magnitude across all picture types, and aversive and pleasant modulation scores—in 3,323 twins and parents. Biometric models and molecular genetic analyses showed that half the variance in overall startle was due to additive genetic effects. No single nucleotide polymorphism was genome-wide significant, but GRIK3 did produce a significant effect when examined as part of a candidate gene set. In contrast, emotion modulation scores showed little evidence of heritability in either biometric or molecular genetic analyses. However, in a genome-wide scan, PARP14 did produce a significant effect for aversive modulation. We conclude that, although overall startle retains potential as an endophenotype, emotion-modulated startle does not. PMID:25387708

Quality of Dying in Nursing Home Residents Dying with Dementia: Does Advanced Care Planning Matter? A Nationwide Postmortem Study

PubMed Central

Vandervoort, An; Houttekier, Dirk; Vander Stichele, Robert; van der Steen, Jenny T.; Van den Block, Lieve

2014-01-01

Background Advance care planning is considered a central component of good quality palliative care and especially relevant for people who lose the capacity to make decisions at the end of life, which is the case for many nursing home residents with dementia. We set out to investigate to what extent (1) advance care planning in the form of written advance patient directives and verbal communication with patient and/or relatives about future care and (2) the existence of written advance general practitioner orders are related to the quality of dying of nursing home residents with dementia. Methods Cross-sectional study of deaths (2010) using random cluster-sampling. Representative sample of nursing homes in Flanders, Belgium. Deaths of residents with dementia in a three-month period were reported; for each the nurse most involved in care, GP and closest relative completed structured questionnaires. Findings We identified 101 deaths of residents with dementia in 69 nursing homes (58% response rate). A written advance patient directive was present for 17.5%, GP-orders for 56.7%. Controlling for socio-demographic/clinical characteristics in multivariate regression analyses, chances of having a higher mean rating of emotional well-being (less fear and anxiety) on the Comfort Assessment in Dying with Dementia scale were three times higher with a written advance patient directive and more specifically when having a do-not-resuscitate order (AOR 3.45; CI,1.1–11) than for those without either (AOR 2.99; CI,1.1–8.3). We found no association between verbal communication or having a GP order and quality of dying. Conclusion For nursing home residents with dementia there is a strong association between having a written advance directive and quality of dying. Where wishes are written, relatives report lower levels of emotional distress at the end of life. These results underpin the importance of advance care planning for people with dementia and beginning this process as

Are teachers of children and young adolescents responsive to suicide prevention training modules? Yes.

PubMed

Davidson, M W; Range, L M

1999-01-01

Both before and after a 1-hour suicide prevention training module, 75 elementary teachers-in-training read a 4-sentence vignette about a suicidal student ("Pat"), then completed 8 questions about their responses. Compared with pretraining, at post-training these teachers were more likely to say that they would send or escort Pat to the counselor's office, use written or verbal no-suicide agreements, call Pat's parents, believe Pat to be serious rather than simply seeking attention, and feel comfortable handling a similar situation. Increased proactive attitudes after one hour of training imply that teachers would benefit from periodic suicide awareness and prevention training modules.

Resiniferatoxin modulates the Th1 immune response and protects the host during intestinal nematode infection.

PubMed

Muñoz-Carrillo, J L; Contreras-Cordero, J F; Muñoz-López, J L; Maldonado-Tapia, C H; Muñoz-Escobedo, J J; Moreno-García, M A

2017-09-01

In the early stage of the intestinal phase of Trichinella spiralis infection, the host triggers a Th1-type immune response with the aim of eliminating the parasite. However, this response damages the host which favours the survival of the parasite. In the search for novel pharmacological strategies that inhibit the Th1 immune response and assist the host against T. spiralis infection, a recent study showed that resiniferatoxin had anti-inflammatory activity contributed to the host in T. spiralis infection. In this study, we evaluated whether RTX modulates the host immune response through the inhibition of Th1 cytokines in the intestinal phase. In addition, it was determined whether the treatment with RTX affects the infectivity of T. spiralis-L1 and the development of the T. spiralis life cycle. Our results show that RTX decreased serum levels of IL-12, INF-γ, IL-1β, TNF-α and parasite burden on muscle tissue. It was observed that T. spiralis-L1 treated with RTX decreased their infectivity affecting the development of the T. spiralis life cycle in mouse. These results demonstrate that RTX is able to inhibit the production of Th1 cytokines, contributing to the defence against T. spiralis, which places it as a potential drug modulator of the immune response. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Assessment of frequency specific auditory steady-state response using amplitude modulation with 2-order exponential envelope.

PubMed

Cevallos-Larrea, Pablo; Pereira, Thobias; Santos, Wagner; Frota, Silvana M; Infantosi, Antonio F; Ichinose, Roberto M; Tierra-Criollo, Carlos

2016-08-01

This study investigated the performance of Frequency Specific Auditory Steady-State Response (FS-ASSR) detection elicited by the amplitude modulated tone with 2-order exponential envelope (AM2), using objective response detection (ORD) techniques of Spectral F-Test (SFT) and Magnitude Squared Coherence (MSC). ASSRs from 24 normal hearing adults were obtained during binaural multi-tone stimulation of amplitude-modulation (AM) and AM2 at intensities of 60, 45 and 30 dBSPL. The carrier frequencies were 500, 1000, 2000, and 4000 Hz, modulated between 77 and 105 Hz. AM2 achieve FS-ASSR amplitudes higher than AM by 16%, 18% and 12% at 60, 45 and 30 dBSPL, respectively, with a major increase at 500 Hz (22.5%). AMS2PL increased the Detection Rate (DR) up to 8.3% at 500 Hz for 30 dBSPL, which is particularly beneficial for FS-ASSR detection near the hearing threshold. In addition, responses in 1000 and 4000 Hz were consistently increased. The MSC and SFT presented no differences in Detection Rate (DR). False Detection Rate (FDR) was close to 5% for both techniques and tones. Detection times to reach DR over 90% were 3.5 and 4.9 min at 60 and 45 dBSPL, respectively. Further investigation concerning efficient multiple FS-ASSR is still necessary, such as testing subjects with hearing loss.

Macrophage Integrins Modulate Response to Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene Particles and Direct Particle-Induced Osteolysis

PubMed Central

Zaveri, Toral D.; Dolgova, Natalia V.; Lewis, Jamal S.; Hamaker, Kiri; Clare-Salzler, Michael J.; Keselowsky, Benjamin G.

2016-01-01

Aseptic loosening due to peri-prosthetic osteolysis is one of the primary causes for failure of artificial joint replacements. Implant-derived wear particles, often ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) microparticles, initiate an inflammatory cascade upon phagocytosis by macrophages, which leads to osteoclast recruitment and activation, ultimately resulting in osteolysis. Investigation into integrin receptors, involved in cellular interactions with biomaterial-adsorbed adhesive proteins, is of interest to understand and modulate inflammatory processes. In this work, we investigate the role of macrophage integrins Mac-1 and RGD-binding integrins in response to UHMWPE wear particles. Using integrin knockout mice as well as integrin blocking techniques, reduction in macrophage phagocytosis and inflammatory cytokine secretion is demonstrated when these receptors are either absent or blocked. Along this line, various opsonizing proteins are shown to differentially modulate microparticle uptake and macrophage secretion of inflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, using a calvarial osteolysis model it is demonstrated that both Mac-1 integrin and RGD-binding integrins modulate the particle induced osteolysis response to UHMWPE microparticles, with a 40% decrease in the area of osteolysis by the absence or blocking of these integrins, in vivo. Altogether, these findings indicate Mac-1 and RGD-binding integrins are involved in macrophage-directed inflammatory responses to UHMWPE and may serve as therapeutic targets to mitigate wear particle induced peri-prosthetic osteolysis for improved performance of implanted joints. PMID:27889664

Trellis Coding of Non-coherent Multiple Symbol Full Response M-ary CPFSK with Modulation Index 1/M

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lee, H.; Divsalar, D.; Weber, C.

1994-01-01

This paper introduces a trellis coded modulation (TCM) scheme for non-coherent multiple full response M-ary CPFSK with modulation index 1/M. A proper branch metric for the trellis decoder is obtained by employing a simple approximation of the modified Bessel function for large signal to noise ratio (SNR). Pairwise error probability of coded sequences is evaluated by applying a linear approximation to the Rician random variable.

25 CFR 301.4 - Application of dies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Application of dies. 301.4 Section 301.4 Indians INDIAN ARTS AND CRAFTS BOARD, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NAVAJO, PUEBLO, AND HOPI SILVER AND TURQUOISE PRODUCTS; STANDARDS § 301.4 Application of dies. Dies are to be applied to the object with the aid of...

Nursing students' experiences caring for dying patients.

PubMed

Beck, C T

1997-11-01

Since the 1960s nurse educators have been searching for the most effective approach to prepare nursing students for care of the dying. Studies investigating the effectiveness of death education programs for nursing students have reported inconsistent findings. A phenomenological study was conducted to explore the meaning of 26 undergraduate nursing students' experiences in caring for dying patients. The nursing students' written descriptions of their experiences were analyzed using Colaizzi's (1978) phenomenological method. Six themes emerged from this analysis. While caring for dying patients, nursing students experienced a gamut of emotions such as fear, sadness, frustration, and anxiety. Contemplation of the patient's life and death occurred as the students cared for their patients. In addition to providing physical, emotional, and spiritual support for dying patients, an integral part of nursing students' care involved supporting the patients' families. Helplessness was experienced by the students regarding their role as patient advocates. While caring for dying patients, nursing students' learning fluorished. Educational strategies for preparing nursing students to care for the dying are addressed based on the findings of this qualitative study.

Der Einfluss der Digitalisierung auf die Organisation eines Unternehmens

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walter, Wolfram M.

Die Digitalisierung schreitet mit großen Schritten voran. Dies wirkt sich nicht nur auf die Gesellschaft im Grundsatz, sondern auch auf das Verhalten der Kunden aus. Neue Kommunikationswege beschleunigen die Interaktion zwischen Unternehmen und Verbraucher. Im Vergleich mit großen Internetfirmen werden etablierte Dienstleistungsunternehmen - vom Energieversorger bis zu Versicherungen - stark unter Druck gesetzt, sich noch intensiver mit dem Kundenservice auseinanderzusetzen. Dies wird nur möglich sein, wenn sich die Organisationen entsprechend positionieren und sich frühzeitig auf die Veränderungen einstellen. Hieraus ergeben sich mehr Chancen als Risiken, zumal es nicht nur neue Prozesse, sondern auch neue Berufsbilder geben wird.

Diet-Induced Obesity Modulates Epigenetic Responses to Ionizing Radiation in Mice

PubMed Central

Vares, Guillaume; Wang, Bing; Ishii-Ohba, Hiroko; Nenoi, Mitsuru; Nakajima, Tetsuo

2014-01-01

Both exposure to ionizing radiation and obesity have been associated with various pathologies including cancer. There is a crucial need in better understanding the interactions between ionizing radiation effects (especially at low doses) and other risk factors, such as obesity. In order to evaluate radiation responses in obese animals, C3H and C57BL/6J mice fed a control normal fat or a high fat (HF) diet were exposed to fractionated doses of X-rays (0.75 Gy ×4). Bone marrow micronucleus assays did not suggest a modulation of radiation-induced genotoxicity by HF diet. Using MSP, we observed that the promoters of p16 and Dapk genes were methylated in the livers of C57BL/6J mice fed a HF diet (irradiated and non-irradiated); Mgmt promoter was methylated in irradiated and/or HF diet-fed mice. In addition, methylation PCR arrays identified Ep300 and Socs1 (whose promoters exhibited higher methylation levels in non-irradiated HF diet-fed mice) as potential targets for further studies. We then compared microRNA regulations after radiation exposure in the livers of C57BL/6J mice fed a normal or an HF diet, using microRNA arrays. Interestingly, radiation-triggered microRNA regulations observed in normal mice were not observed in obese mice. miR-466e was upregulated in non-irradiated obese mice. In vitro free fatty acid (palmitic acid, oleic acid) administration sensitized AML12 mouse liver cells to ionizing radiation, but the inhibition of miR-466e counteracted this radio-sensitization, suggesting that the modulation of radiation responses by diet-induced obesity might involve miR-466e expression. All together, our results suggested the existence of dietary effects on radiation responses (especially epigenetic regulations) in mice, possibly in relationship with obesity-induced chronic oxidative stress. PMID:25171162

Fast-response and scattering-free polymer network liquid crystals for infrared light modulators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fan, Yun-Hsing; Lin, Yi-Hsin; Ren, Hongwen; Gauza, Sebastian; Wu, Shin-Tson

2004-02-01

A fast-response and scattering-free homogeneously aligned polymer network liquid crystal (PNLC) light modulator is demonstrated at λ=1.55 μm wavelength. Light scattering in the near-infrared region is suppressed by optimizing the polymer concentration such that the network domain sizes are smaller than the wavelength. The strong polymer network anchoring assists LC to relax back quickly as the electric field is removed. As a result, the PNLC response time is ˜250× faster than that of the E44 LC mixture except that the threshold voltage is increased by ˜25×.

Numerical simulation and experiment on multilayer stagger-split die.

PubMed

Liu, Zhiwei; Li, Mingzhe; Han, Qigang; Yang, Yunfei; Wang, Bolong; Sui, Zhou

2013-05-01

A novel ultra-high pressure device, multilayer stagger-split die, has been constructed based on the principle of "dividing dies before cracking." Multilayer stagger-split die includes an encircling ring and multilayer assemblages, and the mating surfaces of the multilayer assemblages are mutually staggered between adjacent layers. In this paper, we investigated the stressing features of this structure through finite element techniques, and the results were compared with those of the belt type die and single split die. The contrast experiments were also carried out to test the bearing pressure performance of multilayer stagger-split die. It is concluded that the stress distributions are reasonable and the materials are utilized effectively for multilayer stagger-split die. And experiments indicate that the multilayer stagger-split die can bear the greatest pressure.

Sniffer patch laser uncaging response (SPLURgE): an assay of regional differences in allosteric receptor modulation and neurotransmitter clearance

PubMed Central

Christian, Catherine A.

2013-01-01

Allosteric modulators exert actions on neurotransmitter receptors by positively or negatively altering the effective response of these receptors to their respective neurotransmitter. γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) type A ionotropic receptors (GABAARs) are major targets for allosteric modulators such as benzodiazepines, neurosteroids, and barbiturates. Analysis of substances that produce similar effects has been hampered by the lack of techniques to assess the localization and function of such agents in brain slices. Here we describe measurement of the sniffer patch laser uncaging response (SPLURgE), which combines the sniffer patch recording configuration with laser photolysis of caged GABA. This methodology enables the detection of allosteric GABAAR modulators endogenously present in discrete areas of the brain slice and allows for the application of exogenous GABA with spatiotemporal control without altering the release and localization of endogenous modulators within the slice. Here we demonstrate the development and use of this technique for the measurement of allosteric modulation in different areas of the thalamus. Application of this technique will be useful in determining whether a lack of modulatory effect on a particular category of neurons or receptors is due to insensitivity to allosteric modulation or a lack of local release of endogenous ligand. We also demonstrate that this technique can be used to investigate GABA diffusion and uptake. This method thus provides a biosensor assay for rapid detection of endogenous GABAAR modulators and has the potential to aid studies of allosteric modulators that exert effects on other classes of neurotransmitter receptors, such as glutamate, acetylcholine, or glycine receptors. PMID:23843428

Sniffer patch laser uncaging response (SPLURgE): an assay of regional differences in allosteric receptor modulation and neurotransmitter clearance.

PubMed

Christian, Catherine A; Huguenard, John R

2013-10-01

Allosteric modulators exert actions on neurotransmitter receptors by positively or negatively altering the effective response of these receptors to their respective neurotransmitter. γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) type A ionotropic receptors (GABAARs) are major targets for allosteric modulators such as benzodiazepines, neurosteroids, and barbiturates. Analysis of substances that produce similar effects has been hampered by the lack of techniques to assess the localization and function of such agents in brain slices. Here we describe measurement of the sniffer patch laser uncaging response (SPLURgE), which combines the sniffer patch recording configuration with laser photolysis of caged GABA. This methodology enables the detection of allosteric GABAAR modulators endogenously present in discrete areas of the brain slice and allows for the application of exogenous GABA with spatiotemporal control without altering the release and localization of endogenous modulators within the slice. Here we demonstrate the development and use of this technique for the measurement of allosteric modulation in different areas of the thalamus. Application of this technique will be useful in determining whether a lack of modulatory effect on a particular category of neurons or receptors is due to insensitivity to allosteric modulation or a lack of local release of endogenous ligand. We also demonstrate that this technique can be used to investigate GABA diffusion and uptake. This method thus provides a biosensor assay for rapid detection of endogenous GABAAR modulators and has the potential to aid studies of allosteric modulators that exert effects on other classes of neurotransmitter receptors, such as glutamate, acetylcholine, or glycine receptors.

Euthanasia, assisted dying and the right to die in Ghana: a socio-legal analysis.

PubMed

Owusu-Dapaa, Ernest

2013-12-01

There is unanimity among states to protect the continuation of life of the individual as a safeguard against their collective extinction. The right to life is accordingly guaranteed but its antithesis, the right to die is the subject of an unending debate. The controversy over the right to die is deepened by rapid advances in medicine, creating the capability for prolongation of life beyond the span which one's natural strength can endure. Ghana's supreme law explicitly guarantees the right to life but remains ambiguous on right to die, particularly euthanasia and assisted dying. Thus, some of the other rights, such as the right to dignity and not to be tortured, can creatively be exploited to justify some instances of euthanasia. Ghana's criminal code largely proscribes euthanasia. Notwithstanding, proscription of euthanasia and assisted dying by the law, in Ghana's empirical work undertaken in some of the communities in Ghana, suggests that euthanasia is quietly practisedin health facilities and private homes, especially in the rural areas. Contrary to the popular reasons assigned in the literature of the Western world, with respect to the practice or quest for legalization of euthanasia as being a necessity for providing relief from pain or hopeless quality of life, empirical data from social and anthropological studies conducted in Ghana reveal that poverty is the motivation for informal euthanasia practice in Ghana rather than genuine desire on part of patients to die or their relatives to see to their accelerated death. Apart from poverty, traditional cultural values of African societies consider non-natural death as a taboo and ignominy to the victim and his family. Thus, any move by the government to legalize euthanasia will need to be informed by widely held consultations and a possible referendum; otherwise the law may be just a mere transplant of Western models of legislation on euthanasia without reflecting the ethos of the African people.

Effects of climate-change induced vegetation die-off on soil biodiversity and functioning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Curiel Yuste, Jorge; Garcia Angulo, Daniel; Barba, Josep; Poyatos, Rafael

2017-04-01

Climate change-induced vegetation die-off is nowadays a widespread phenomenon responsible for limiting the capacity of terrestrial ecosystems to provide essential services worldwide. Less is known, however, about how vegetation die-off relates with changes in the biodiversity and ecology of the soil compartment, which accounts for many of the vital ecosystem functions such as providing essential nutrients for plant growth (nitrogen, N; or phosphorous, P), or long-term carbon (C) sequestration. The death of the vegetation alters soil abiotic (microclimate) conditions and limits the supply of the energy (carbohydrates specially) demanded by the soil biological communities. These abiotic and biotic changes triggers a cascade of causal-effect processes that may result in irreversible losses in soil biodiversity and in the stability of the trophic webs that sustain soil functions such as N fixation, mineralization of essential nutrients or C stabilization. However, to date, information on the potential impacts of climate-change induced vegetation die-off over soil biodiversity and functioning is fragmented (e.g. case-studies) and not very conclusive. We here want to summarize the state of the knowledge on all potential effects of climate-change induced vegetation die-off over soil biodiversity and soil functioning. Additionally, we also discuss the functional resilience of soils to climate-change vegetation die-off and how management practices could improve the resilience and the sustainability of the soil functioning.

Spatial Correlations in Natural Scenes Modulate Response Reliability in Mouse Visual Cortex

PubMed Central

Rikhye, Rajeev V.

2015-01-01

Intrinsic neuronal variability significantly limits information encoding in the primary visual cortex (V1). Certain stimuli can suppress this intertrial variability to increase the reliability of neuronal responses. In particular, responses to natural scenes, which have broadband spatiotemporal statistics, are more reliable than responses to stimuli such as gratings. However, very little is known about which stimulus statistics modulate reliable coding and how this occurs at the neural ensemble level. Here, we sought to elucidate the role that spatial correlations in natural scenes play in reliable coding. We developed a novel noise-masking method to systematically alter spatial correlations in natural movies, without altering their edge structure. Using high-speed two-photon calcium imaging in vivo, we found that responses in mouse V1 were much less reliable at both the single neuron and population level when spatial correlations were removed from the image. This change in reliability was due to a reorganization of between-neuron correlations. Strongly correlated neurons formed ensembles that reliably and accurately encoded visual stimuli, whereas reducing spatial correlations reduced the activation of these ensembles, leading to an unreliable code. Together with an ensemble-specific normalization model, these results suggest that the coordinated activation of specific subsets of neurons underlies the reliable coding of natural scenes. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The natural environment is rich with information. To process this information with high fidelity, V1 neurons have to be robust to noise and, consequentially, must generate responses that are reliable from trial to trial. While several studies have hinted that both stimulus attributes and population coding may reduce noise, the details remain unclear. Specifically, what features of natural scenes are important and how do they modulate reliability? This study is the first to investigate the role of spatial

Biotic context and soil properties modulate native plant responses to enhanced rainfall.

PubMed

Eskelinen, Anu; Harrison, Susan

2015-11-01

The environmental and biotic context within which plants grow have a great potential to modify responses to climatic changes, yet few studies have addressed both the direct effects of climate and the modulating roles played by variation in the biotic (e.g. competitors) and abiotic (e.g. soils) environment. In a grassland with highly heterogeneous soils and community composition, small seedlings of two native plants, Lasthenia californica and Calycadenia pauciflora, were transplanted into factorially watered and fertilized plots. Measurements were made to test how the effect of climatic variability (mimicked by the watering treatment) on the survival, growth and seed production of these species was modulated by above-ground competition and by edaphic variables. Increased competition outweighed the direct positive impacts of enhanced rainfall on most fitness measures for both species, resulting in no net effect of enhanced rainfall. Both species benefitted from enhanced rainfall when the absence of competitors was accompanied by high soil water retention capacity. Fertilization did not amplify the watering effects; rather, plants benefitted from enhanced rainfall or competitor removal only in ambient nutrient conditions with high soil water retention capacity. The findings show that the direct effects of climatic variability on plant fitness may be reversed or neutralized by competition and, in addition, may be strongly modulated by soil variation. Specifically, coarse soil texture was identified as a factor that may limit plant responsiveness to altered water availability. These results highlight the importance of considering the abiotic as well as biotic context when making future climate change forecasts. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Annals of Botany Company. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Membrane-bound heat shock proteins facilitate the uptake of dying cells and cross-presentation of cellular antigen.

PubMed

Zhu, Haiyan; Fang, Xiaoyun; Zhang, Dongmei; Wu, Weicheng; Shao, Miaomiao; Wang, Lan; Gu, Jianxin

2016-01-01

Heat shock proteins (HSPs) were originally identified as stress-responsive proteins and serve as molecular chaperones in different intracellular compartments. Translocation of HSPs to the cell surface and release of HSPs into the extracellular space have been observed during the apoptotic process and in response to a variety of cellular stress. Here, we report that UV irradiation and cisplatin treatment rapidly induce the expression of membrane-bound Hsp60, Hsp70, and Hsp90 upstream the phosphatidylserine exposure. Membrane-bound Hsp60, Hsp70 and Hsp90 could promote the release of IL-6 and IL-1β as well as DC maturation by the evaluation of CD80 and CD86 expression. On the other hand, Hsp60, Hsp70 and Hsp90 on cells could facilitate the uptake of dying cells by bone marrow-derived dendritic cells. Lectin-like oxidized LDL receptor-1 (LOX-1), as a common receptor for Hsp60, Hsp70, and Hsp90, is response for their recognition and mediates the uptake of dying cells. Furthermore, membrane-bound Hsp60, Hsp70 and Hsp90 could promote the cross-presentation of OVA antigen from E.G7 cells and inhibition of the uptake of dying cells by LOX-1 decreases the cross-presentation of cellular antigen. Therefore, the rapid exposure of HSPs on dying cells at the early stage allows for the recognition by and confers an activation signal to the immune system.

Sheet metal stamping die design for warm forming

DOEpatents

Ghosh, Amit K.

2003-04-22

In metal stamping dies, by taking advantage of improved material flow by selectively warming the die, flat sections of the die can contribute to the flow of material throughout the workpiece. Local surface heating can be accomplished by placing a heating block in the die. Distribution of heating at the flat lower train central regions outside of the bend region allows a softer flow at a lower stress to enable material flow into the thinner, higher strain areas at the bend/s. The heating block is inserted into the die and is powered by a power supply.

Fast lichtschnell durch die Stadt: Visualisierung relativistischer Effekte

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kraus, Ute; Borchers, Marc P.

2005-03-01

Eine Computersimulation ermöglicht es uns, mit annähernd Lichtgeschwindigkeit durch die Tübinger Fußgängerzone zu fahren. Was wir dabei sehen, ist verblüffend: Die Häuser vor uns rücken umso weiter in die Ferne, je mehr wir beschleunigen; gleichzeitig erscheinen die Hauskanten in unserer Nähe immer stärker gekrümmt. Der Grund für diese merkwürdigen Bilder ist die so genannte Aberration: Ein und derselbe Lichtstrahl hat für den fahrenden Beobachter eine andere Richtung als für denjenigen, der am Straßenrand steht. Dieser Effekt ist im Alltag klein. Wenn wir aber in der Simulation fast lichtschnell durch die Tübinger Altstadt rasen, ist er dramatisch groß.

Attitudes towards assisted dying are influenced by question wording and order: a survey experiment.

PubMed

Magelssen, Morten; Supphellen, Magne; Nortvedt, Per; Materstvedt, Lars Johan

2016-04-27

Surveys on attitudes towards assisted dying play an important role in informing public debate, policy and legislation. Unfortunately, surveys are often designed with insufficient attention to framing effects; that is, effects on the respondents' stated attitudes caused by question wording and context. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate and measure such framing effects. Survey experiment in which an eight-question survey on attitudes towards assisted dying was distributed to Norwegian citizens through a web-based panel. Two variations of question wording as well as two variations of question order were employed. Respondents were randomized to receive one of four questionnaire versions. Three thousand and fifty responses were received. There were moderate to large question wording and question order effects. A majority of Norwegian citizens favour the legalization of assisted dying for patients with terminal or chronic disease. Stakeholders in the assisted dying debate need to acknowledge potential framing effects, and accordingly should interpret survey results with caution. The same holds for researchers who conduct attitude surveys in the field of bioethics.

Positive emotion inducement modulates cardiovascular responses caused by mental work.

PubMed

Liu, Xinxin; Ishimatsu, Kazuma; Sotoyama, Midori; Iwakiri, Kazuyuki

2016-11-16

Positive emotion is considered as an important factor related to health-relevant biological processes, including cardiovascular responses. To explore the possibility of using positive emotion as a tool to manage cardiovascular response of white-collar workers, we examined the influence on cardiovascular response of positive emotion inducement before a mental work. Seventeen healthy males participated and performed a 10-min, PC-based Stroop color word task as their mental work. Before the task, 60 pleasant pictures chosen from the International Affective Picture System were presented in a random order under a positive emotion inducement condition while a gray screen was presented under a control condition. A 30-min relaxation period after completing the task was provided to examine the aftereffects of positive emotion inducement. Throughout these periods, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial blood pressure, heart rate, stroke volume, cardiac output, and total peripheral resistance were measured continuously. Blood pressure and total peripheral resistance were lower during the picture presentation period under the positive emotion inducement period compared to the control condition. All indices did not differ during the color word task period. During the relaxation period after the task, however, blood pressure and total peripheral resistance were lower under the positive emotion inducement condition compared to the control condition. Positive emotion inducement before a mental work beneficially modulates cardiovascular responses, suggesting that positive emotion inducement may be a useful tool to manage the cardiovascular response to mental work.

Assisted Dying in Canada.

PubMed

Schuklenk, Udo

This paper makes an affirmative ethical case in favour of the decriminalization of assisted dying in Canada. It then proceeds to defending the affirmative case against various slippery-slope arguments that are typically deployed by opponents of assisted dying. Finally, a recent case of questionable professional conduct by anti-euthanasia campaigners cum academics is flagged as a warning to all of us not to permit the quality of the professional debate to deteriorate unacceptably, despite the personal emotional investments involved on all sides of the debate.

Central-Monitor Software Module

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bachelder, Aaron; Foster, Conrad

2005-01-01

One of the software modules of the emergency-vehicle traffic-light-preemption system of the two preceding articles performs numerous functions for the central monitoring subsystem. This module monitors the states of all units (vehicle transponders and intersection controllers): It provides real-time access to the phases of traffic and pedestrian lights, and maps the positions and states of all emergency vehicles. Most of this module is used for installation and configuration of units as they are added to the system. The module logs all activity in the system, thereby providing information that can be analyzed to minimize response times and optimize response strategies. The module can be used from any location within communication range of the system; with proper configuration, it can also be used via the Internet. It can be integrated into call-response centers, where it can be used for alerting emergency vehicles and managing their responses to specific incidents. A variety of utility subprograms provide access to any or all units for purposes of monitoring, testing, and modification. Included are "sniffer" utility subprograms that monitor incoming and outgoing data for accuracy and timeliness, and that quickly and autonomously shut off malfunctioning vehicle or intersection units.

Resveratrol modulates the inflammatory response via an estrogen receptor-signal integration network

PubMed Central

Nwachukwu, Jerome C; Srinivasan, Sathish; Bruno, Nelson E; Parent, Alexander A; Hughes, Travis S; Pollock, Julie A; Gjyshi, Olsi; Cavett, Valerie; Nowak, Jason; Garcia-Ordonez, Ruben D; Houtman, René; Griffin, Patrick R; Kojetin, Douglas J; Katzenellenbogen, John A; Conkright, Michael D; Nettles, Kendall W

2014-01-01

Resveratrol has beneficial effects on aging, inflammation and metabolism, which are thought to result from activation of the lysine deacetylase, sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), the cAMP pathway, or AMP-activated protein kinase. In this study, we report that resveratrol acts as a pathway-selective estrogen receptor-α (ERα) ligand to modulate the inflammatory response but not cell proliferation. A crystal structure of the ERα ligand-binding domain (LBD) as a complex with resveratrol revealed a unique perturbation of the coactivator-binding surface, consistent with an altered coregulator recruitment profile. Gene expression analyses revealed significant overlap of TNFα genes modulated by resveratrol and estradiol. Furthermore, the ability of resveratrol to suppress interleukin-6 transcription was shown to require ERα and several ERα coregulators, suggesting that ERα functions as a primary conduit for resveratrol activity. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.02057.001 PMID:24771768

Dopamine modulates acute responses to cocaine, nicotine and ethanol in Drosophila.

PubMed

Bainton, R J; Tsai, L T; Singh, C M; Moore, M S; Neckameyer, W S; Heberlein, U

2000-02-24

Drugs of abuse have a common property in mammals, which is their ability to facilitate the release of the neurotransmitter and neuromodulator dopamine in specific brain regions involved in reward and motivation. This increase in synaptic dopamine levels is believed to act as a positive reinforcer and to mediate some of the acute responses to drugs. The mechanisms by which dopamine regulates acute drug responses and addiction remain unknown. We present evidence that dopamine plays a role in the responses of Drosophila to cocaine, nicotine or ethanol. We used a startle-induced negative geotaxis assay and a locomotor tracking system to measure the effect of psychostimulants on fly behavior. Using these assays, we show that acute responses to cocaine and nicotine are blunted by pharmacologically induced reductions in dopamine levels. Cocaine and nicotine showed a high degree of synergy in their effects, which is consistent with an action through convergent pathways. In addition, we found that dopamine is involved in the acute locomotor-activating effect, but not the sedating effect, of ethanol. We show that in Drosophila, as in mammals, dopaminergic pathways play a role in modulating specific behavioral responses to cocaine, nicotine or ethanol. We therefore suggest that Drosophila can be used as a genetically tractable model system in which to study the mechanisms underlying behavioral responses to multiple drugs of abuse.

A clinical perspective on dying

PubMed Central

Janes, Robert G.

1972-01-01

There is continuing need for dissemination of already available, clinically useful knowledge concerning the psychological needs of the seriously ill and dying. Against the changing social context of dying, some of our erroneous assumptions about these patients are explored and the genuine fears and personal needs are discussed. The implications of this knowledge for medical education are recognized. PMID:5074753

Integrative Transcriptomic Analysis Uncovers Novel Gene Modules That Underlie the Sulfate Response in Arabidopsis thaliana

PubMed Central

Henríquez-Valencia, Carlos; Arenas-M, Anita; Medina, Joaquín; Canales, Javier

2018-01-01

Sulfur is an essential nutrient for plant growth and development. Sulfur is a constituent of proteins, the plasma membrane and cell walls, among other important cellular components. To obtain new insights into the gene regulatory networks underlying the sulfate response, we performed an integrative meta-analysis of transcriptomic data from five different sulfate experiments available in public databases. This bioinformatic approach allowed us to identify a robust set of genes whose expression depends only on sulfate availability, indicating that those genes play an important role in the sulfate response. In relation to sulfate metabolism, the biological function of approximately 45% of these genes is currently unknown. Moreover, we found several consistent Gene Ontology terms related to biological processes that have not been extensively studied in the context of the sulfate response; these processes include cell wall organization, carbohydrate metabolism, nitrogen compound transport, and the regulation of proteolysis. Gene co-expression network analyses revealed relationships between the sulfate-responsive genes that were distributed among seven function-specific co-expression modules. The most connected genes in the sulfate co-expression network belong to a module related to the carbon response, suggesting that this biological function plays an important role in the control of the sulfate response. Temporal analyses of the network suggest that sulfate starvation generates a biphasic response, which involves that major changes in gene expression occur during both the early and late responses. Network analyses predicted that the sulfate response is regulated by a limited number of transcription factors, including MYBs, bZIPs, and NF-YAs. In conclusion, our analysis identified new candidate genes and provided new hypotheses to advance our understanding of the transcriptional regulation of sulfate metabolism in plants. PMID:29692794

Integrative Transcriptomic Analysis Uncovers Novel Gene Modules That Underlie the Sulfate Response in Arabidopsis thaliana.

PubMed

Henríquez-Valencia, Carlos; Arenas-M, Anita; Medina, Joaquín; Canales, Javier

2018-01-01

Sulfur is an essential nutrient for plant growth and development. Sulfur is a constituent of proteins, the plasma membrane and cell walls, among other important cellular components. To obtain new insights into the gene regulatory networks underlying the sulfate response, we performed an integrative meta-analysis of transcriptomic data from five different sulfate experiments available in public databases. This bioinformatic approach allowed us to identify a robust set of genes whose expression depends only on sulfate availability, indicating that those genes play an important role in the sulfate response. In relation to sulfate metabolism, the biological function of approximately 45% of these genes is currently unknown. Moreover, we found several consistent Gene Ontology terms related to biological processes that have not been extensively studied in the context of the sulfate response; these processes include cell wall organization, carbohydrate metabolism, nitrogen compound transport, and the regulation of proteolysis. Gene co-expression network analyses revealed relationships between the sulfate-responsive genes that were distributed among seven function-specific co-expression modules. The most connected genes in the sulfate co-expression network belong to a module related to the carbon response, suggesting that this biological function plays an important role in the control of the sulfate response. Temporal analyses of the network suggest that sulfate starvation generates a biphasic response, which involves that major changes in gene expression occur during both the early and late responses. Network analyses predicted that the sulfate response is regulated by a limited number of transcription factors, including MYBs, bZIPs, and NF-YAs. In conclusion, our analysis identified new candidate genes and provided new hypotheses to advance our understanding of the transcriptional regulation of sulfate metabolism in plants.

Historical review of die drool phenomenon during plastics extrusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Musil, Jan; Zatloukal, Martin

2013-04-01

Die drool phenomenon is defined as unwanted spontaneous accumulation of extruded polymer melt on open faces of extrusion die during extrusion process. Such accumulated material builds up on the die exit and frequently or continually sticks onto the extruded product and thus damages it. Since die drool appears, extrusion process must be shut down and die exit must be manually cleaned which is time and money consuming. Although die drool is complex phenomenon and its formation mechanism is not fully understood yet, variety of proposed explanations of its formation mechanism and also many ways to its elimination can be found in open literature. Our review presents in historical order breakthrough works in the field of die drool research, shows many ways to suppress it, introduces methods for its quantitative evaluation and composition analysis and summarizes theories of die drool formation mechanism which can be helpful for extrusion experts.

Cannabinoid system of dorsomedial telencephalon modulates behavioral responses to noxious stimulation in the fish Leporinus macrocephalus.

PubMed

Wolkers, Carla Patricia Bejo; Menescal-de-Oliveira, Leda; Hoffmann, Anette

2017-10-01

Fish dorsomedial telencephalon has been considered a pallial region homologous to mammals amygdala, being considered a possible substrate for nociception modulation in this animal group. The present study aimed to evaluate the participation of the cannabinoid system of Dm telencephalon on nociception modulation in the fish Leporinus macrocephalus. We demonstrated that cannabidiol microinjection in Dm telecephalon inhibits the behavioral nociceptive response to the subcutaneous injection of 3% formaldehyde, and this antinociception is blocked by previous treatment with AM251 microinjection. Furthermore, AM251 microinjection in Dm prior to restraint stress also blockades the stress-induced antinociception. These results reinforce the hypothesis that this pallial telencephalic structure has a pivotal role in nociception modulation in fish. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Modulation of Cellular Stress Response via the Erythropoietin/CD131 Heteroreceptor Complex in Mouse Mesenchymal-Derived Cells

PubMed Central

Bohr, Stefan; Patel, Suraj J; Vasko, Radovan; Shen, Keyue; Iracheta-Vellve, Arvin; Lee, Jungwoo; Bale, Shyam Sundhar; Chakraborty, Nilay; Brines, Michael; Cerami, Anthony; Berthiaume, Francois; Yarmush, Martin L

2014-01-01

Tissue protective properties of erythropoietin (EPO) have let to the discovery of an alternative EPO-signaling via an EPO-R/CD131 receptor complex which can now be specifically targeted through pharmaceutically designed short sequence peptides such as ARA290. However, little is still known about specific functions of alternative EPO-signaling in defined cell populations. In this study we investigated effects of signaling through EPO-R/CD131 complex on cellular stress responses and pro-inflammatory activation in different mesenchymal-derived phenotypes. We show that anti-apoptotic, anti-inflammatory effects of ARA290 and EPO coincide with the externalization of CD131 receptor component as an immediate response to cellular stress. In addition, alternative EPO-signaling strongly modulated transcriptional, translational or metabolic responses after stressor removal. Specifically, we saw that ARA290 was able overcome a TNFα-mediated inhibition of transcription factor activation related to cell stress responses, most notably of serum response factor (SRF), heat shock transcription factor protein 1 (HSF1) and activator protein 1 (AP1). We conclude that alternative EPO-signaling acts as a modulator of pro-inflammatory signaling pathways and likely plays a role in restoring tissue homeostasis. PMID:25373867

The contribution of a MOOC to community discussions around death and dying.

PubMed

Tieman, Jennifer; Miller-Lewis, Lauren; Rawlings, Deb; Parker, Deborah; Sanderson, Christine

2018-02-20

Advances in medicine have helped many to live longer lives and to be able to meet health challenges. However death rates are anticipated to increase given the ageing population and chronic disease progression. Being able to talk about death is seen to be important in normalising death as part of life and supporting preparedness for death. Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) provide opportunities for the community to engage in collaborative learning. A 5 week MOOC was developed covering four main topics (language and humour, representations of death, medicalisation of dying, and digital dying) aiming: To enable participants to openly and supportively discuss and learn about issues around living, death and dying, To explore the normally unheard opinions and views of Australians around death and dying, and To determine what effect online learning and discussions offered through the MOOC had on participants' feelings and attitudes towards death and dying. Data was captured on engagement rates in the various MOOC activities. Death Attitudes were measured by five items representing the MOOC's learning objectives and completed at enrolment and conclusion. MOOC Satisfaction was measured with six items at the end of the MOOC. Descriptive statistics were produced for each variable and Chi-Square Tests of Independence assessed the extent of the relationship between categorical variables. Socio-demographic variables were examined as predictors of the outcome variables of MOOC engagement, MOOC satisfaction, and death attitudes. Ethical approval was received from Flinders University Social and Behavioural Research Ethics Committee (Project No. 7247). One thousand one hundred fifty six people enrolled in the Dying2Learn MOOC with 895 participating in some way. Enrolees were primarily female (92.1%). Age ranged from 16 to 84 (mean = 49.5, SD = 12.3). MOOC satisfaction scores were high. Responses to the experience of participating in the MOOC were very positive, with mean

The Dying Role: Its Relevance to Improved Patient Care.

PubMed

Noyes, Russell; Clancy, John

2016-01-01

SOCIETY is failing to meet the obligation it has to its dying members. Persons with terminal illnesses suffer isolation and neglect in hospitals, receive overzealous treatment by physicians, and are kept in ignorance of their situation by families and medical personnel. Evidence for these statements has come from observers of the medical care system and from dying patients themselves (Kübler-Ross, 1969; Reynolds and Kalish, 1974; Sudnow, 1967). In the nineteenth century it was common for persons to die in the familiar environs of their homes, surrounded by grieving families from whom they parted in a meaningful manner (Blauner, 1966). Dying persons of today no longer fill a well-defined social role. Instead, the distinction between the roles of sick and dying persons has been lost and, in the resulting confusion, the care of dying people has suffered. The purpose of this article is to clarify the distinction between the dying and sick roles, identify the signs of existing role confusion, suggest ways in which this confusion may be corrected, and show how reestablishment of the dying role can result in improved care of dying people. The important part physicians play in defining sick and dying roles will be emphasized.

Hepcidin mediates transcriptional changes that modulate acute cytokine-induced inflammatory responses in mice

PubMed Central

De Domenico, Ivana; Zhang, Tian Y.; Koening, Curry L.; Branch, Ryan W.; London, Nyall; Lo, Eric; Daynes, Raymond A.; Kushner, James P.; Li, Dean; Ward, Diane M.; Kaplan, Jerry

2010-01-01

Hepcidin is a peptide hormone that regulates iron homeostasis and acts as an antimicrobial peptide. It is expressed and secreted by a variety of cell types in response to iron loading and inflammation. Hepcidin mediates iron homeostasis by binding to the iron exporter ferroportin, inducing its internalization and degradation via activation of the protein kinase Jak2 and the subsequent phosphorylation of ferroportin. Here we have shown that hepcidin-activated Jak2 also phosphorylates the transcription factor Stat3, resulting in a transcriptional response. Hepcidin treatment of ferroportin-expressing mouse macrophages showed changes in mRNA expression levels of a wide variety of genes. The changes in transcript levels for half of these genes were a direct effect of hepcidin, as shown by cycloheximide insensitivity, and dependent on the presence of Stat3. Hepcidin-mediated transcriptional changes modulated LPS-induced transcription in both cultured macrophages and in vivo mouse models, as demonstrated by suppression of IL-6 and TNF-α transcript and secreted protein. Hepcidin-mediated transcription in mice also suppressed toxicity and morbidity due to single doses of LPS, poly(I:C), and turpentine, which is used to model chronic inflammatory disease. Most notably, we demonstrated that hepcidin pretreatment protected mice from a lethal dose of LPS and that hepcidin-knockout mice could be rescued from LPS toxicity by injection of hepcidin. The results of our study suggest a new function for hepcidin in modulating acute inflammatory responses. PMID:20530874

On-Die Sensors for Transient Events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suchak, Mihir Vimal

Failures caused by transient electromagnetic events like Electrostatic Discharge (ESD) are a major concern for embedded systems. The component often failing is an integrated circuit (IC). Determining which IC is affected in a multi-device system is a challenging task. Debugging errors often requires sophisticated lab setups which require intentionally disturbing and probing various parts of the system which might not be easily accessible. Opening the system and adding probes may change its response to the transient event, which further compounds the problem. On-die transient event sensors were developed that require relatively little area on die, making them inexpensive, they consume negligible static current, and do not interfere with normal operation of the IC. These circuits can be used to determine the pin involved and the level of the event in the event of a transient event affecting the IC, thus allowing the user to debug system-level transient events without modifying the system. The circuit and detection scheme design has been completed and verified in simulations with Cadence Virtuoso environment. Simulations accounted for the impact of the ESD protection circuits, parasitics from the I/O pin, package and I/O ring, and included a model of an ESD gun to test the circuit's response to an ESD pulse as specified in IEC 61000-4-2. Multiple detection schemes are proposed. The final detection scheme consists of an event detector and a level sensor. The event detector latches on the presence of an event at a pad, to determine on which pin an event occurred. The level sensor generates current proportional to the level of the event. This current is converted to a voltage and digitized at the A/D converter to be read by the microprocessor. Detection scheme shows good performance in simulations when checked against process variations and different kind of events.

Dimerization Controls Marburg Virus VP24-dependent Modulation of Host Antioxidative Stress Responses.

PubMed

Johnson, Britney; Li, Jing; Adhikari, Jagat; Edwards, Megan R; Zhang, Hao; Schwarz, Toni; Leung, Daisy W; Basler, Christopher F; Gross, Michael L; Amarasinghe, Gaya K

2016-08-28

Marburg virus (MARV), a member of the Filoviridae family that also includes Ebola virus (EBOV), causes lethal hemorrhagic fever with case fatality rates that have exceeded 50% in some outbreaks. Within an infected cell, there are numerous host-viral interactions that contribute to the outcome of infection. Recent studies identified MARV protein 24 (mVP24) as a modulator of the host antioxidative responses, but the molecular mechanism remains unclear. Using a combination of biochemical and mass spectrometry studies, we show that mVP24 is a dimer in solution that directly binds to the Kelch domain of Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) to regulate nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2). This interaction between Keap1 and mVP24 occurs through the Kelch interaction loop (K-Loop) of mVP24 leading to upregulation of antioxidant response element transcription, which is distinct from other Kelch binders that regulate Nrf2 activity. N-terminal truncations disrupt mVP24 dimerization, allowing monomeric mVP24 to bind Kelch with higher affinity and stimulate higher antioxidative stress response element (ARE) reporter activity. Mass spectrometry-based mapping of the interface revealed overlapping binding sites on Kelch for mVP24 and the Nrf2 proteins. Substitution of conserved cysteines, C209 and C210, to alanine in the mVP24 K-Loop abrogates Kelch binding and ARE activation. Our studies identify a shift in the monomer-dimer equilibrium of MARV VP24, driven by its interaction with Keap1 Kelch domain, as a critical determinant that modulates host responses to pathogenic Marburg viral infections. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dimerization Controls Marburg Virus VP24-dependent Modulation of Host Antioxidative Stress Responses

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

Johnson, Britney; Li, Jing; Adhikari, Jagat

Marburg virus (MARV), a member of the Filoviridae family that also includes Ebola virus (EBOV), causes lethal hemorrhagic fever with case fatality rates that have exceeded 50% in some outbreaks. Within an infected cell, there are numerous host-viral interactions that contribute to the outcome of infection. Recent studies identified MARV protein 24 (mVP24) as a modulator of the host antioxidative responses, but the molecular mechanism remains unclear. Using a combination of biochemical and mass spectrometry studies, we show that mVP24 is a dimer in solution that directly binds to the Kelch domain of Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) to regulatemore » nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (Nrf2). This interaction between Keap1 and mVP24 occurs through the Kelch interaction loop (K-Loop) of mVP24 leading to upregulation of antioxidant response element transcription, which is distinct from other Kelch binders that regulate Nrf2 activity. N-terminal truncations disrupt mVP24 dimerization, allowing monomeric mVP24 to bind Kelch with higher affinity and stimulate higher antioxidative stress response element (ARE) reporter activity. Mass spectrometry-based mapping of the interface revealed overlapping binding sites on Kelch for mVP24 and the Nrf2 proteins. Substitution of conserved cysteines, C209 and C210, to alanine in the mVP24 K-Loop abrogates Kelch binding and ARE activation. Our studies identify a shift in the monomer-dimer equilibrium of MARV VP24, driven by its interaction with Keap1 Kelch domain, as a critical determinant that modulates host responses to pathogenic Marburg viral infections.« less

Modulation of gastric contractions in response to tachykinins and bethanechol by extrinsic nerves.

PubMed Central

Holzer-Petsche, U.

1991-01-01

1. Extrinsic reflexes elicited by changes in gastric wall tension play an important role in regulating gastric tone. The present study investigated whether such reflexes modulate gastric contractions induced by close arterially administered neurokinin A (NKA), substance P (SP), SP-methylester and bethancehol in anaesthetized rats. 2. Reflex pathways were acutely interrupted by either subdiaphragmatic vagotomy or prevertebral ganglionectomy. C-fibre afferent nerve activity was abolished by pretreating rats with capsaicin 10 to 16 days before the experiments. 3. The order of potency in inducing gastric contractions was NKA greater than SP greater than bethanechol. SP-methylester was markedly less effective than SP and its effects did not fit sigmoid dose-response curves (DRCs). The maximal responses to NKA, SP, and bethanechol were similar, whilst the DRC for SP was significantly flatter than those for NKA or bethanechol. Pretreatment of the rats with the peptidase inhibitors phosphoramidon or captopril did not increase the contractile response to SP. 4. Prevertebral ganglionectomy had no significant effect on the DRCs for SP and NKA, whereas vagotomy shifted the DRCs for all three test substances to the left. 5. Capsaicin pretreatment did not change the DRC for NKA in rats with intact vagus but shifted that for bethanechol to the left. The leftward of the DRC for NKA caused by vagotomy was prevented in capsaicin-pretreated rats whereas the vagotomy-induced shift of the DRC for bethanechol remained unaltered. The shift of the DRC for SP seen in response to vagotomy was only slightly reduced by capsaicin pretreatment. 6. These data may be interpreted as demonstrating two neuronal mechanisms for modulating drug-induced gastric contractions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) PMID:1717093

Individual Differences in Mathematical Competence Modulate Brain Responses to Arithmetic Errors: An fMRI Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ansari, Daniel; Grabner, Roland H.; Koschutnig, Karl; Reishofer, Gernot; Ebner, Franz

2011-01-01

Data from both neuropsychological and neuroimaging studies have implicated the left inferior parietal cortex in calculation. Comparatively less attention has been paid to the neural responses associated with the commission of calculation errors and how the processing of arithmetic errors is modulated by individual differences in mathematical…

Precipitation thresholds and drought-induced tree die-off: insights from patterns of Pinus edulis mortality along an environmental stress gradient.

PubMed

Clifford, Michael J; Royer, Patrick D; Cobb, Neil S; Breshears, David D; Ford, Paulette L

2013-10-01

Recent regional tree die-off events appear to have been triggered by a combination of drought and heat - referred to as 'global-change-type drought'. To complement experiments focused on resolving mechanisms of drought-induced tree mortality, an evaluation of how patterns of tree die-off relate to highly spatially variable precipitation is needed. Here, we explore precipitation relationships with a die-off event of pinyon pine (Pinus edulis Engelm.) in southwestern North America during the 2002-2003 global-change-type drought. Pinyon die-off and its relationship with precipitation was quantified spatially along a precipitation gradient in north-central New Mexico with standard field plot measurements of die-off combined with canopy cover derived from normalized burn ratio (NBR) from Landsat imagery. Pinyon die-off patterns revealed threshold responses to precipitation (cumulative 2002-2003) and vapor pressure deficit (VPD), with little to no mortality (< 10%) above 600 mm and below warm season VPD of c. 1.7 kPa. [Correction added after online publication 17 June 2013; in the preceding sentence, the word 'below' has been inserted.] Our results refine how precipitation patterns within a region influence pinyon die-off, revealing a precipitation and VPD threshold for tree mortality and its uncertainty band where other factors probably come into play - a response type that influences stand demography and landscape heterogeneity and is of general interest, yet has not been documented. © 2013 No claim to US Government works. New Phytologist © 2013 New Phytologist Trust.

'Bridging worlds': meeting the emotional needs of dying patients.

PubMed

Law, Rollanda

2009-12-01

This paper is a report of a study to develop a grounded theory to explain how district nurses meet the emotional needs of dying patients in the community. There has been a policy commitment internationally to improve community services and enable people with terminal illnesses to die in their own homes. This increasing trend towards home deaths in the United Kingdom (UK) makes more demand on district nurses to provide emotional support for dying patients. A 'classic' grounded theory study was conducted in the UK between 2002 and 2005. Unstructured observations and semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposive sample of nine district nurses, nine patients and four family carers. A further theoretical sample of five books of authors' accounts of their dying experiences and three district nurses who were advanced practitioners were selected. Five categories were identified in the data: 'outside world', 'dying world', 'entering dying world', 'maintaining connections' and the core category 'bridging worlds'. The theory of 'bridging worlds' indicated that dying patients experienced 'dying world' and 'outside world'. District nurses met dying patients' emotional needs by acting as a bridge between their two worlds, encouraging them to maintain connections with the outside world so that they did not become isolated in their dying world. District nurses should ensure that they meet both the physical and emotional needs of dying patients. Nursing education and literature need to concentrate on raising awareness of nurses' role in providing emotional support.

De-tabooing dying control - a grounded theory study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Background Dying is inescapable yet remains a neglected issue in modern health care. The research question in this study was “what is going on in the field of dying today?” What emerged was to eventually present a grounded theory of control of dying focusing specifically on how people react in relation to issues about euthanasia and physician-assisted suicide (PAS). Methods Classic grounded theory was used to analyze interviews with 55 laypersons and health care professionals in North America and Europe, surveys on attitudes to PAS among physicians and the Swedish general public, and scientific literature, North American discussion forum websites, and news sites. Results Open awareness of the nature and timing of a patient’s death became common in health care during the 1960s in the Western world. Open dying awareness contexts can be seen as the start of a weakening of a taboo towards controlled dying called de-tabooing. The growth of the hospice movement and palliative care, but also the legalization of euthanasia and PAS in the Benelux countries, and PAS in Montana, Oregon and Washington further represents de-tabooing dying control. An attitude positioning between the taboo of dying control and a growing taboo against questioning patient autonomy and self-determination called de-paternalizing is another aspect of de-tabooing. When confronted with a taboo, people first react emotionally based on “gut feelings” - emotional positioning. This is followed by reasoning and label wrestling using euphemisms and dysphemisms - reflective positioning. Rarely is de-tabooing unconditional but enabled by stipulated positioning as in soft laws (palliative care guidelines) and hard laws (euthanasia/PAS legislation). From a global perspective three shapes of dying control emerge. First, suboptimal palliative care in closed awareness contexts seen in Asian, Islamic and Latin cultures, called closed dying. Second, palliative care and sedation therapy, but not euthanasia

Modulational-instability-induced supercontinuum generation with saturable nonlinear response

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raja, R. Vasantha Jayakantha; Porsezian, K.; Nithyanandan, K.

2010-07-01

We theoretically investigate the supercontinuum generation (SCG) on the basis of modulational instability (MI) in liquid-core photonic crystal fibers (LCPCF) with CS2-filled central core. The effect of saturable nonlinearity of LCPCF on SCG in the femtosecond regime is studied using an appropriately modified nonlinear Schrödinger equation. We also compare the MI induced spectral broadening with SCG obtained by soliton fission. To analyze the quality of the pulse broadening, we study the coherence of the SC pulse numerically. It is evident from the numerical simulation that the response of the saturable nonlinearity suppresses the broadening of the pulse. We also observe that the MI induced SCG in the presence of saturable nonlinearity degrades the coherence of the SCG pulse when compared to unsaturated medium.

Modulational-instability-induced supercontinuum generation with saturable nonlinear response

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

Raja, R. Vasantha Jayakantha; Porsezian, K.; Nithyanandan, K.

2010-07-15

We theoretically investigate the supercontinuum generation (SCG) on the basis of modulational instability (MI) in liquid-core photonic crystal fibers (LCPCF) with CS{sub 2}-filled central core. The effect of saturable nonlinearity of LCPCF on SCG in the femtosecond regime is studied using an appropriately modified nonlinear Schroedinger equation. We also compare the MI induced spectral broadening with SCG obtained by soliton fission. To analyze the quality of the pulse broadening, we study the coherence of the SC pulse numerically. It is evident from the numerical simulation that the response of the saturable nonlinearity suppresses the broadening of the pulse. We alsomore » observe that the MI induced SCG in the presence of saturable nonlinearity degrades the coherence of the SCG pulse when compared to unsaturated medium.« less

Opioid modulation of reflex versus operant responses following stress in the rat.

PubMed

King, C D; Devine, D P; Vierck, C J; Mauderli, A; Yezierski, R P

2007-06-15

In pre-clinical models intended to evaluate nociceptive processing, acute stress suppresses reflex responses to thermal stimulation, an effect previously described as stress-induced "analgesia." Suggestions that endogenous opioids mediate this effect are based on demonstrations that stress-induced hyporeflexia is enhanced by high dose morphine (>5 mg/kg) and is reversed by naloxone. However, reflexes and pain sensations can be modulated differentially. Therefore, in the present study direct comparisons were made of opioid agonist and antagonist actions, independently and in combination with acute restraint stress in Long Evans rats, on reflex lick-guard (L/G) and operant escape responses to nociceptive thermal stimulation (44.5 degrees C). A high dose of morphine (>8 mg/kg) was required to reduce reflex responding, but a moderate dose of morphine (1 mg/kg) significantly reduced escape responding. The same moderate dose (and also 5 mg/kg) of morphine significantly enhanced reflex responding. Naloxone (3 mg/kg) significantly enhanced escape responding but did not affect L/G responding. Restraint stress significantly suppressed L/G reflexes (hyporeflexia) but enhanced escape responses (hyperalgesia). Stress-induced hyperalgesia was significantly reduced by morphine and enhanced by naloxone. In contrast, stress-induced hyporeflexia was blocked by both naloxone and 1 mg/kg of morphine. Thus, stress-induced hyperalgesia was opposed by endogenous opioid release and by administration of morphine. Stress-induced hyporeflexia was dependent upon endogenous opioid release but was counteracted by a moderate dose of morphine. These data demonstrate a differential modulation of reflex and operant outcome measures by stress and by separate or combined opioid antagonism or administration of morphine.

Acting to let someone die.

PubMed

McGee, Andrew

2015-02-01

This paper examines the recent prominent view in medical ethics that withdrawing life-sustaining treatment (LST) is an act of killing. I trace this view to the rejection of the traditional claim that withdrawing LST is an omission rather than an act. Although that traditional claim is not as problematic as this recent prominent view suggests, my main claim is that even if we accepted that withdrawing LST should be classified as an act rather than as an omission, it could still be classified as letting die rather than killing. Even though omissions are contrasted with acts, letting die need not be, for one can let die by means of acts. The remainder of the paper is devoted to establishing this claim and addresses certain objections to it. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Computer aided system for parametric design of combination die

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naranje, Vishal G.; Hussein, H. M. A.; Kumar, S.

2017-09-01

In this paper, a computer aided system for parametric design of combination dies is presented. The system is developed using knowledge based system technique of artificial intelligence. The system is capable to design combination dies for production of sheet metal parts having punching and cupping operations. The system is coded in Visual Basic and interfaced with AutoCAD software. The low cost of the proposed system will help die designers of small and medium scale sheet metal industries for design of combination dies for similar type of products. The proposed system is capable to reduce design time and efforts of die designers for design of combination dies.

The COMT Val/Met polymorphism modulates effects of tDCS on response inhibition.

PubMed

Nieratschker, Vanessa; Kiefer, Christoph; Giel, Katrin; Krüger, Rejko; Plewnia, Christian

2015-01-01

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is increasingly discussed as a new option to support the cognitive rehabilitation in neuropsychiatric disorders. However, the therapeutic impact of tDCS is limited by high inter-individual variability. Genetic factors most likely contribute to this variability by modulating the effects of tDCS. We aimed to investigate the influence of the COMT Val(108/158)Met polymorphism on cathodal tDCS effects on executive functioning. Cathodal tDCS was applied to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) during the performance of a parametric Go/No-Go test. We demonstrate an impairing effect of cathodal tDCS to the dlPFC on response inhibition. This effect was only found in individuals homozygous for the Val-allele of the COMT Val(108/158)Met polymorphism. No effects of stimulation on executive functions in Met-allele carriers were detected. Our data indicate that i) cathodal, excitability reducing tDCS, interferes with inhibitory cognitive control, ii) the left dlPFC is critically involved in the neuronal network underlying the control of response inhibition, and iii) the COMT Val(108/158)Met polymorphism modulates the impact of cathodal tDCS on inhibitory control. Together with our previous finding that anodal tDCS selectively impairs set-shifting abilities in COMT Met/Met homozygous individuals, these results indicate that genetic factors modulate effects of tDCS on cognitive performance. Therefore, future tDCS research should account for genetic variability in the design and analysis of neurocognitive as well as therapeutic applications to reduce the variability of results and facilitate individualized neurostimulation approaches. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

AV119, a natural sugar from avocado gratissima, modulates the LPS-induced proinflammatory response in human keratinocytes.

PubMed

Donnarumma, Giovanna; Paoletti, Iole; Buommino, Elisabetta; Fusco, Alessandra; Baudouin, Caroline; Msika, Philippe; Tufano, Maria Antonietta; Baroni, Adone

2011-12-01

Keratinocytes play an active role in innate immune responses by secreting a variety of cytokines and chemokines. The release of critical proinflammatory cytokines, which are necessary to activate the immune response, is induced by the stimulation of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) by molecules present on pathogenic micro-organisms such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS). AV119, a patented blend of avocado sugars, induced the aggregation of Malassezia furfur, a dimorphic, lipid-dependent yeast that is part of the normal human cutaneous commensal flora and inhibited its penetration into the keratinocytes. In the present study, the anti-inflammatory effects of AV119 were investigated in LPS-induced inflammation of human keratinocytes. In particular, we analysed the modulation of the LPS-induced expression of proinflammatory cytokines and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) by AV119 and the involvement of TLR-4. Our data show that AV119 is able to modulate significantly the proinflammatory response in human keratinocytes, blocking the NF-kB activation in human keratinocytes.

Terminal-Nerve-Derived Neuropeptide Y Modulates Physiological Responses in the Olfactory Epithelium of Hungry Axolotls (Ambystoma mexicanum)

PubMed Central

Mousley, Angela; Polese, Gianluca; Marks, Nikki J.; Eisthen, Heather L.

2007-01-01

The vertebrate brain actively regulates incoming sensory information, effectively filtering input and focusing attention toward environmental stimuli that are most relevant to the animal's behavioral context or physiological state. Such centrifugal modulation has been shown to play an important role in processing in the retina and cochlea, but has received relatively little attention in olfaction. The terminal nerve, a cranial nerve that extends underneath the lamina propria surrounding the olfactory epithelium, displays anatomical and neurochemical characteristics that suggest that it modulates activity in the olfactory epithelium. Using immunocytochemical techniques, we demonstrate that neuropeptide Y (NPY) is abundantly present in the terminal nerve in the axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum), an aquatic salamander. Because NPY plays an important role in regulating appetite and hunger in many vertebrates, we investigated the possibility that NPY modulates activity in the olfactory epithelium in relation to the animal's hunger level. We therefore characterized the full length NPY gene from axolotls to enable synthesis of authentic axolotl NPY for use in electrophysiological experiments. We find that axolotl NPY modulates olfactory epithelial responses evoked by L-glutamic acid, a food-related odorant, but only in hungry animals. Similarly, whole-cell patch-clamp recordings demonstrate that bath application of axolotl NPY enhances the magnitude of a tetrodotoxin-sensitive inward current, but only in hungry animals. These results suggest that expression or activity of NPY receptors in the olfactory epithelium may change with hunger level, and that terminal nerve-derived peptides modulate activity in the olfactory epithelium in response to an animal's changing behavioral and physiological circumstances. PMID:16855098

Terminal nerve-derived neuropeptide y modulates physiological responses in the olfactory epithelium of hungry axolotls (Ambystoma mexicanum).

PubMed

Mousley, Angela; Polese, Gianluca; Marks, Nikki J; Eisthen, Heather L

2006-07-19

The vertebrate brain actively regulates incoming sensory information, effectively filtering input and focusing attention toward environmental stimuli that are most relevant to the animal's behavioral context or physiological state. Such centrifugal modulation has been shown to play an important role in processing in the retina and cochlea, but has received relatively little attention in olfaction. The terminal nerve, a cranial nerve that extends underneath the lamina propria surrounding the olfactory epithelium, displays anatomical and neurochemical characteristics that suggest that it modulates activity in the olfactory epithelium. Using immunocytochemical techniques, we demonstrate that neuropeptide Y (NPY) is abundantly present in the terminal nerve in the axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum), an aquatic salamander. Because NPY plays an important role in regulating appetite and hunger in many vertebrates, we investigated the possibility that NPY modulates activity in the olfactory epithelium in relation to the animal's hunger level. We therefore characterized the full-length NPY gene from axolotls to enable synthesis of authentic axolotl NPY for use in electrophysiological experiments. We find that axolotl NPY modulates olfactory epithelial responses evoked by l-glutamic acid, a food-related odorant, but only in hungry animals. Similarly, whole-cell patch-clamp recordings demonstrate that bath application of axolotl NPY enhances the magnitude of a tetrodotoxin-sensitive inward current, but only in hungry animals. These results suggest that expression or activity of NPY receptors in the olfactory epithelium may change with hunger level, and that terminal nerve-derived peptides modulate activity in the olfactory epithelium in response to an animal's changing behavioral and physiological circumstances.

Physician Burnout and the Calling to Care for the Dying: A National Survey.

PubMed

Yoon, John D; Hunt, Natalie B; Ravella, Krishna C; Jun, Christine S; Curlin, Farr A

2017-12-01

Physician burnout raises concerns over what sustains physicians' career motivations. We assess whether physicians in end-of-life specialties had higher rates of burnout and/or calling to care for the dying. We also examined whether the patient centeredness of the clinical environment was associated with burnout. In 2010 to 2011, we conducted a national survey of US physicians from multiple specialties. Primary outcomes were a validated single-item measure of burnout or sense of calling to end-of-life care. Primary predictors of burnout (or calling) included clinical specialty, frequency of encounters with dying patients, and patient centeredness of the clinical environments ("My clinical environment prioritizes the need of the patient over maximizing revenue"). Adjusted response rate among eligible respondents was 62% (1156 of 1878). Nearly a quarter of physicians (23%) experienced burnout, and rates were similar across all specialties. Half of the responding physicians (52%) agreed that they felt called to take care of patients who are dying. Burned-out physicians were more likely to report working in profit-centered clinical environments (multivariate odds ratio [OR] of 1.9; confidence interval [CI]: 1.3-2.8) or experiencing emotional exhaustion when caring for the dying (multivariate OR of 2.1; CI: 1.4-3.0). Physicians who identified their work as a calling were more likely to work in end-of-life specialties, to feel emotionally energized when caring for the dying, and to be religious. Physicians from end-of-life specialties not only did not have increased rates of burnout but they were also more likely to report a sense of calling in caring for the dying.

Inosine Released from Dying or Dead Cells Stimulates Cell Proliferation via Adenosine Receptors.

PubMed

Chen, Jin; Chaurio, Ricardo A; Maueröder, Christian; Derer, Anja; Rauh, Manfred; Kost, Andriy; Liu, Yi; Mo, Xianming; Hueber, Axel; Bilyy, Rostyslav; Herrmann, Martin; Zhao, Yi; Muñoz, Luis E

2017-01-01

Many antitumor therapies induce apoptotic cell death in order to cause tumor regression. Paradoxically, apoptotic cells are also known to promote wound healing, cell proliferation, and tumor cell repopulation in multicellular organisms. We aimed to characterize the nature of the regenerative signals concentrated in the micromilieu of dead and dying cells. Cultures of viable melanoma B16F10 cells, mouse fibroblasts, and primary human fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) in the presence of dead and dying cells, their supernatants (SNs), or purified agonists and antagonists were used to evaluate the stimulation of proliferation. Viable cell quantification was performed by either flow cytometry of harvested cells or by crystal violet staining of adherent cells. High-performance liquid chromatography and liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry of cell SNs were deployed to identify the nature of growth-promoting factors. Coimplantation of living cells in the presence of SNs collected from dead and dying cells and specific agonists was used to evaluate tumor growth in vivo . The stimulation of proliferation of few surviving cells by bystander dead cells was confirmed for melanoma cells, mouse fibroblasts, and primary FLS. We found that small soluble molecules present in the protein-free fraction of SNs of dead and dying cells were responsible for the promotion of proliferation. The nucleoside inosine released by dead and dying cells acting via adenosine receptors was identified as putative inducer of proliferation of surviving tumor cells after irradiation and heat treatment. Inosine released by dead and dying cells mediates tumor cell proliferation via purinergic receptors. Therapeutic strategies surmounting this pathway may help to reduce the rate of recurrence after radio- and chemotherapy.

Perilipin polymorphism interacts with dietary carbohydrates to modulate anthropometric traits in Hispanics of Caribbean origin

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Perilipin (PLIN) is the major protein surrounding lipid droplets in adipocytes and regulates adipocyte metabolism by modulating the interaction between lipases and triacylglycerol stores. Associations between PLIN gene polymorphisms and obesity risk have been described, but interactions with die...

Low profile, highly configurable, current sharing paralleled wide band gap power device power module

DOEpatents

McPherson, Brice; Killeen, Peter D.; Lostetter, Alex; Shaw, Robert; Passmore, Brandon; Hornberger, Jared; Berry, Tony M

2016-08-23

A power module with multiple equalized parallel power paths supporting multiple parallel bare die power devices constructed with low inductance equalized current paths for even current sharing and clean switching events. Wide low profile power contacts provide low inductance, short current paths, and large conductor cross section area provides for massive current carrying. An internal gate & source kelvin interconnection substrate is provided with individual ballast resistors and simple bolted construction. Gate drive connectors are provided on either left or right size of the module. The module is configurable as half bridge, full bridge, common source, and common drain topologies.

AT1 and AT2 Receptors in the Prelimbic Cortex Modulate the Cardiovascular Response Evoked by Acute Exposure to Restraint Stress in Rats.

PubMed

Brasil, Taíz F S; Fassini, Aline; Corrêa, Fernando M

2018-01-01

The prelimbic cortex (PL) is an important structure in the neural pathway integrating stress responses. Brain angiotensin is involved in cardiovascular control and modulation of stress responses. Blockade of angiotensin receptors has been reported to reduce stress responses. Acute restraint stress (ARS) is a stress model, which evokes sustained blood pressure increase, tachycardia, and reduction in tail temperature. We therefore hypothesized that PL locally generated angiotensin and angiotensin receptors modulate stress autonomic responses. To test this hypothesis, we microinjected an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin antagonists into the PL, prior to ARS. Male Wistar rats were used; guide cannulas were bilaterally implanted in the PL for microinjection of vehicle or drugs. A polyethylene catheter was introduced into the femoral artery to record cardiovascular parameters. Tail temperature was measured using a thermal camera. ARS was started 10 min after PL treatment with drugs. Pretreatment with ACE inhibitor lisinopril (0.5 nmol/100 nL) reduced the pressor response, but did not affect ARS-evoked tachycardia. At a dose of 1 nmol/100 nL, it reduced both ARS pressor and tachycardic responses. Pretreatment with candesartan, AT1 receptor antagonist reduced ARS-evoked pressor response, but not tachycardia. Pretreatment with PD123177, AT2 receptor antagonist, reduced tachycardia, but did not affect ARS pressor response. No treatment affected ARS fall in tail temperature. Results suggest involvement of PL angiotensin in the mediation of ARS cardiovascular responses, with participation of both AT1 and AT2 receptors. In conclusion, results indicate that PL AT1-receptors modulate the ARS-evoked pressor response, while AT2-receptors modulate the tachycardic component of the autonomic response.

REFRACTORY DIE FOR EXTRUDING URANIUM

DOEpatents

Creutz, E.C.

1959-08-11

A die is presented for the extrusion of metals, said die being formed of a refractory complex oxide having the composition M/sub n/O/sub m/R/sub x/O/sub y/ where M is magnesium, zinc, manganese, or iron, R is aluminum, chromic chromium, ferric iron, or manganic manganese, and m, n, x, and y are whole numbers. Specific examples are spinel, magnesium aluminate, magnetite, magnesioferrite, chromite, and franklinite.

Characterization of submillisecond response optical addressing phase modulator based on low light scattering polymer network liquid crystal

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

Xiangjie, Zhao, E-mail: zxjdouble@163.com, E-mail: zxjdouble@gmail.com; Cangli, Liu; Jiazhu, Duan

Optically addressed conventional nematic liquid crystal spatial light modulator has attracted wide research interests. But the slow response speed limited its further application. In this paper, polymer network liquid crystal (PNLC) was proposed to replace the conventional nematic liquid crystal to enhance the response time to the order of submillisecond. The maximum light scattering of the employed PNLC was suppressed to be less than 2% at 1.064 μm by optimizing polymerization conditions and selecting large viscosity liquid crystal as solvent. The occurrence of phase ripple phenomenon due to electron diffusion and drift in photoconductor was found to deteriorate the phase modulationmore » effect of the optical addressed PNLC phase modulator. The wavelength effect and AC voltage frequency effect on the on state dynamic response of phase change was investigated by experimental methods. These effects were interpreted by electron diffusion and drift theory based on the assumption that free electron was inhomogeneously distributed in accordance with the writing beam intensity distribution along the incident direction. The experimental results indicated that the phase ripple could be suppressed by optimizing the wavelength of the writing beam and the driving AC voltage frequency when varying the writing beam intensity to generate phase change in 2π range. The modulation transfer function was also measured.« less

Survey on death and dying in Hong Kong: attitudes, beliefs, and preferred end-of-life care.

PubMed

Mjelde-Mossey, Lee Ann; Chan, Cecilia L W

2007-01-01

Social Workers in end-of-life and palliative care have a particular opportunity to ease the dying process by providing culturally appropriate services to the dying and their families. In today's multicultural social environment, with an ever-increasing immigrant population, social workers are challenged to be knowledgeable about diverse cultures. Recently, a forum of health care professionals and social workers in Hong Kong conducted a survey of the general population to assess death and dying attitudes, beliefs, and preferences for end-of-life care. Four-hundred-thirty Hong Kong Chinese participated in a telephone interview. Responses were compared by gender. The survey results not only contribute to an understanding of Hong Kong Chinese, but can inform social workers who practice with Chinese immigrants to the United States.

A disease module in the interactome explains disease heterogeneity, drug response and captures novel pathways and genes in asthma

PubMed Central

Sharma, Amitabh; Menche, Jörg; Huang, C. Chris; Ort, Tatiana; Zhou, Xiaobo; Kitsak, Maksim; Sahni, Nidhi; Thibault, Derek; Voung, Linh; Guo, Feng; Ghiassian, Susan Dina; Gulbahce, Natali; Baribaud, Frédéric; Tocker, Joel; Dobrin, Radu; Barnathan, Elliot; Liu, Hao; Panettieri, Reynold A.; Tantisira, Kelan G.; Qiu, Weiliang; Raby, Benjamin A.; Silverman, Edwin K.; Vidal, Marc; Weiss, Scott T.; Barabási, Albert-László

2015-01-01

Recent advances in genetics have spurred rapid progress towards the systematic identification of genes involved in complex diseases. Still, the detailed understanding of the molecular and physiological mechanisms through which these genes affect disease phenotypes remains a major challenge. Here, we identify the asthma disease module, i.e. the local neighborhood of the interactome whose perturbation is associated with asthma, and validate it for functional and pathophysiological relevance, using both computational and experimental approaches. We find that the asthma disease module is enriched with modest GWAS P-values against the background of random variation, and with differentially expressed genes from normal and asthmatic fibroblast cells treated with an asthma-specific drug. The asthma module also contains immune response mechanisms that are shared with other immune-related disease modules. Further, using diverse omics (genomics, gene-expression, drug response) data, we identify the GAB1 signaling pathway as an important novel modulator in asthma. The wiring diagram of the uncovered asthma module suggests a relatively close link between GAB1 and glucocorticoids (GCs), which we experimentally validate, observing an increase in the level of GAB1 after GC treatment in BEAS-2B bronchial epithelial cells. The siRNA knockdown of GAB1 in the BEAS-2B cell line resulted in a decrease in the NFkB level, suggesting a novel regulatory path of the pro-inflammatory factor NFkB by GAB1 in asthma. PMID:25586491

A Contingency Framework for Listening to the Dying

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vora, Erika; Vora, Ariana

2008-01-01

Listening to the dying poses special challenges. This paper proposes a contingency framework for describing and assessing various circumstances when listening to the dying. It identifies current approaches to listening, applies the contingency framework toward effectively listening to the dying, and proposes a new type of listening called…

Optimization of porthole die geometrical variables by Taguchi method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gagliardi, F.; Ciancio, C.; Ambrogio, G.; Filice, L.

2017-10-01

Porthole die extrusion is commonly used to manufacture hollow profiles made of lightweight alloys for numerous industrial applications. The reliability of extruded parts is affected strongly by the quality of the longitudinal and transversal seam welds. According to that, the die geometry must be designed correctly and the process parameters must be selected properly to achieve the desired product quality. In this study, numerical 3D simulations have been created and run to investigate the role of various geometrical variables on punch load and maximum pressure inside the welding chamber. These are important outputs to take into account affecting, respectively, the necessary capacity of the extrusion press and the quality of the welding lines. The Taguchi technique has been used to reduce the number of the required numerical simulations necessary for considering the influence of twelve different geometric variables. Moreover, the Analysis of variance (ANOVA) has been implemented to individually analyze the effect of each input parameter on the two responses. Then, the methodology has been utilized to determine the optimal process configuration individually optimizing the two investigated process outputs. Finally, the responses of the optimized parameters have been verified through finite element simulations approximating the predicted value closely. This study shows the feasibility of the Taguchi technique for predicting performance, optimization and therefore for improving the design of a porthole extrusion process.

The ethics of and the appropriate legislation concerning killing people and letting them die: a response to Merkel.

PubMed

McLachlan, Hugh V

2017-07-01

With regard to ethics and legislation, what is the significant difference between a doctor terminating the life-supporting treatment of a patient in the course of his job and a greedy relative of the patient doing the same thing to inherit his wealth? Merkel offers an interesting and inventive answer to this question in terms of the improper violation of personal boundaries. However, despite Merkel's claim to the contrary, his answer does not directly address the question of the relevant ethical similarities and differences between killing and letting die in general. Furthermore, it does not provide the basis a plausible rationale for legislation concerning killing and letting die. The questions of whether letting someone die is ethically the same as killing someone and whether it should be treated the same way by the criminal law are not the same as or tantamount to the question of whether or not it involves the transgression of another person's boundaries. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/.

Attentional Modulation of Brain Responses to Primary Appetitive and Aversive Stimuli

PubMed Central

Field, Brent A.; Buck, Cara L.; McClure, Samuel M.; Nystrom, Leigh E.; Kahneman, Daniel; Cohen, Jonathan D.

2015-01-01

Studies of subjective well-being have conventionally relied upon self-report, which directs subjects’ attention to their emotional experiences. This method presumes that attention itself does not influence emotional processes, which could bias sampling. We tested whether attention influences experienced utility (the moment-by-moment experience of pleasure) by using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to measure the activity of brain systems thought to represent hedonic value while manipulating attentional load. Subjects received appetitive or aversive solutions orally while alternatively executing a low or high attentional load task. Brain regions associated with hedonic processing, including the ventral striatum, showed a response to both juice and quinine. This response decreased during the high-load task relative to the low-load task. Thus, attentional allocation may influence experienced utility by modulating (either directly or indirectly) the activity of brain mechanisms thought to represent hedonic value. PMID:26158468

DELLA proteins modulate Arabidopsis defences induced in response to caterpillar herbivory

PubMed Central

Bede, Jacqueline C.

2014-01-01

Upon insect herbivory, many plant species change the direction of metabolic flux from growth into defence. Two key pathways modulating these processes are the gibberellin (GA)/DELLA pathway and the jasmonate pathway. In this study, the effect of caterpillar herbivory on plant-induced responses was compared between wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. and quad-della mutants that have constitutively elevated GA responses. The labial saliva (LS) of caterpillars of the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua, is known to influence induced plant defence responses. To determine the role of this herbivore cue in determining metabolic shifts, plants were subject to herbivory by caterpillars with intact or impaired LS secretions. In both wild-type and quad-della plants, a jasmonate burst is an early response to caterpillar herbivory. Negative growth regulator DELLA proteins are required for the LS-mediated suppression of hormone levels. Jasmonate-dependent marker genes are induced in response to herbivory independently of LS, with the exception of AtPDF1.2 that showed LS-dependent expression in the quad-della mutant. Early expression of the salicylic acid (SA)-marker gene, AtPR1, was not affected by herbivory which also reflected SA hormone levels; however, this gene showed LS-dependent expression in the quad-della mutant. DELLA proteins may positively regulate glucosinolate levels and suppress laccase-like multicopper oxidase activity in response to herbivory. The present results show a link between DELLA proteins and early, induced plant defences in response to insect herbivory; in particular, these proteins are necessary for caterpillar LS-associated attenuation of defence hormones. PMID:24399173

Orientation-specific contextual modulation of the fMRI BOLD response to luminance and chromatic gratings in human visual cortex.

PubMed

McDonald, J Scott; Seymour, Kiley J; Schira, Mark M; Spehar, Branka; Clifford, Colin W G

2009-05-01

The responses of orientation-selective neurons in primate visual cortex can be profoundly affected by the presence and orientation of stimuli falling outside the classical receptive field. Our perception of the orientation of a line or grating also depends upon the context in which it is presented. For example, the perceived orientation of a grating embedded in a surround tends to be repelled from the predominant orientation of the surround. Here, we used fMRI to investigate the basis of orientation-specific surround effects in five functionally-defined regions of visual cortex: V1, V2, V3, V3A/LO1 and hV4. Test stimuli were luminance-modulated and isoluminant gratings that produced responses similar in magnitude. Less BOLD activation was evident in response to gratings with parallel versus orthogonal surrounds across all the regions of visual cortex investigated. When an isoluminant test grating was surrounded by a luminance-modulated inducer, the degree of orientation-specific contextual modulation was no larger for extrastriate areas than for V1, suggesting that the observed effects might originate entirely in V1. However, more orientation-specific modulation was evident in extrastriate cortex when both test and inducer were luminance-modulated gratings than when the test was isoluminant; this difference was significant in area V3. We suggest that the pattern of results in extrastriate cortex may reflect a refinement of the orientation-selectivity of surround suppression specific to the colour of the surround or, alternatively, processes underlying the segmentation of test and inducer by spatial phase or orientation when no colour cue is available.

One Chance to Get it Right: understanding the new guidance for care of the dying person.

PubMed

Sykes, Nigel

2015-09-01

Following criticism of the Liverpool Care of the Dying Pathway (LCP), widely used to guide care of dying people in British health-care settings, the UK Government set up an independent review which in 2013 recommended that use of the LCP be discontinued. In response, the Leadership Alliance for the Care of Dying People, a coalition of a wide range of stakeholders, recently published guidance entitled One Chance to Get it Right. This guidance contains five Priorities of Care for the dying person that are intended to guide clinical staff and will inform Care Quality Commission inspections of health-care providers. This article summarizes the background to One Chance to Get it Right and the guidance it contains. One Chance to Get it Right, More Care, Less Pathway and related guidance documents. The need to improve the standard of end-of-life care in every clinical setting. The value of a pathway-based approach to end-of-life care in a context where well-implemented programmes of staff education in the subject are lacking. Public concern with, and scrutiny of, the quality of dying in the UK health-care system, particularly in hospitals but also the ability of patients to die well at home where that is their place of choice. Effective methods of teaching end of life care to all clinical staff; the effect upon families of caring for a dying relative at home; the optimum type, quantity and source of external support to informal carers that is perceived by them as adequate and enables the ill person to die well in in their own home; fuller understanding of the physiology of dying. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Advanced Materials for High Temperature, High Performance, Wide Bandgap Power Modules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Neal, Chad B.; McGee, Brad; McPherson, Brice; Stabach, Jennifer; Lollar, Richard; Liederbach, Ross; Passmore, Brandon

2016-01-01

Advanced packaging materials must be utilized to take full advantage of the benefits of the superior electrical and thermal properties of wide bandgap power devices in the development of next generation power electronics systems. In this manuscript, the use of advanced materials for key packaging processes and components in multi-chip power modules will be discussed. For example, to date, there has been significant development in silver sintering paste as a high temperature die attach material replacement for conventional solder-based attach due to the improved thermal and mechanical characteristics as well as lower processing temperatures. In order to evaluate the bond quality and performance of this material, shear strength, thermal characteristics, and void quality for a number of silver sintering paste materials were analyzed as a die attach alternative to solder. In addition, as high voltage wide bandgap devices shift from engineering samples to commercial components, passivation materials become key in preventing premature breakdown in power modules. High temperature, high dielectric strength potting materials were investigated to be used to encapsulate and passivate components internal to a power module. The breakdown voltage up to 30 kV and corresponding leakage current for these materials as a function of temperature is also presented. Lastly, high temperature plastic housing materials are important for not only discrete devices but also for power modules. As the operational temperature of the device and/or ambient temperature increases, the mechanical strength and dielectric properties are dramatically reduced. Therefore, the electrical characteristics such as breakdown voltage and leakage current as a function of temperature for housing materials are presented.

Die nuklearen Anlagen von Hanford (1943-1987) Eine Fallstudie über die Schnittstellen von Physik, Biologie und die US-amerikanische Gesellschaft zur Zeit des Kalten Krieges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Macuglia, Daniele

Die Geschichte des Kalten Krieges eröffnet viele Möglichkeiten, sich näher mit den Schnittstellen von Physik und Biologie während des 20. Jahrhunderts zu befassen. Nicht nur das Unglück in Tschernobyl aus dem Jahr 1986, auch das Beispiel der nuklearen Anlagen in Hanford in den Vereinigten Staaten zeigt die biologischen Folgen von nuklearer Physik.

Effects of die quench forming on sheet thinning and 3-point bend testing of AA7075-T6

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Samuel; Omer, Kaab; Rahmaan, Taamjeed; Butcher, Clifford; Worswick, Michael

2017-10-01

Lab-scaled AA7075 aluminum side impact beams were manufactured using the die quenching technique in which the sheet was solutionized and then quenched in-die during forming to a super saturated solid state. Sheet thinning measurements were taken at various locations throughout the length of the part and the effect of lubricant on surface scoring and material pick-up on the die was evaluated. The as-formed beams were subjected to a T6 aging treatment and then tested in three-point bending. Simulations were performed of the forming and mechanical testing experiments using the LS-DYNA finite element code. The thinning and mechanical response was predicted well.

Nicotinic alpha 7 receptor expression and modulation of the lung epithelial response to lipopolysaccharide

PubMed Central

Myers, Elizabeth J.; Dunn, Diane M.; Weiss, Robert B.; Rogers, Scott W.

2017-01-01

Nicotine modulates multiple inflammatory responses in the lung through the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subtype alpha7 (α7). Previously we reported that α7 modulates both the hematopoietic and epithelium responses in the lung to the bacterial inflammogen, lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Here we apply immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry and RNA-Seq analysis of isolated distal lung epithelium to further define α7-expression and function in this tissue. Mouse lines were used that co-express a bicistronic tau-green fluorescent protein (tGFP) as a reporter of α7 (α7G) expression and that harbor an α7 with a specific point mutation (α7E260A:G) that selectively uncouples it from cell calcium-signaling mechanisms. The tGFP reporter reveals strong cell-specific α7-expression by alveolar macrophages (AM), Club cells and ATII cells. Ciliated cells do not express detectible tGFP, but their numbers decrease by one-third in the α7E260A:G lung compared to controls. Transcriptional comparisons (RNA-Seq) between α7G and α7E260A:G enriched lung epithelium 24 hours after challenge with either intra-nasal (i.n.) saline or LPS reveals a robust α7-genotype impact on both the stasis and inflammatory response of this tissue. Overall the α7E260A:G lung epithelium exhibits reduced inflammatory cytokine/chemokine expression to i.n. LPS. Transcripts specific to Club cells (e.g., CC10, secretoglobins and Muc5b) or to ATII cells (e.g., surfactant proteins) were constitutively decreased in in the α7E260A:G lung, but they were strongly induced in response to i.n. LPS. Protein analysis applying immunohistochemistry and ELISA also revealed α7-associated differences suggested by RNA-Seq including altered mucin protein 5b (Muc5b) accumulation in the α7E260A:G bronchia, that in some cases appeared to form airway plugs, and a substantial increase in extracellular matrix deposits around α7E260A:G airway bronchia linings that was not seen in controls. Our results show that α7 is an

Modulation of gastric contractions in response to tachykinins and bethanechol by extrinsic nerves.

PubMed

Holzer-Petsche, U

1991-08-01

1. Extrinsic reflexes elicited by changes in gastric wall tension play an important role in regulating gastric tone. The present study investigated whether such reflexes modulate gastric contractions induced by close arterially administered neurokinin A (NKA), substance P (SP), SP-methylester and bethancehol in anaesthetized rats. 2. Reflex pathways were acutely interrupted by either subdiaphragmatic vagotomy or prevertebral ganglionectomy. C-fibre afferent nerve activity was abolished by pretreating rats with capsaicin 10 to 16 days before the experiments. 3. The order of potency in inducing gastric contractions was NKA greater than SP greater than bethanechol. SP-methylester was markedly less effective than SP and its effects did not fit sigmoid dose-response curves (DRCs). The maximal responses to NKA, SP, and bethanechol were similar, whilst the DRC for SP was significantly flatter than those for NKA or bethanechol. Pretreatment of the rats with the peptidase inhibitors phosphoramidon or captopril did not increase the contractile response to SP. 4. Prevertebral ganglionectomy had no significant effect on the DRCs for SP and NKA, whereas vagotomy shifted the DRCs for all three test substances to the left. 5. Capsaicin pretreatment did not change the DRC for NKA in rats with intact vagus but shifted that for bethanechol to the left. The leftward of the DRC for NKA caused by vagotomy was prevented in capsaicin-pretreated rats whereas the vagotomy-induced shift of the DRC for bethanechol remained unaltered. The shift of the DRC for SP seen in response to vagotomy was only slightly reduced by capsaicin pretreatment. 6. These data may be interpreted as demonstrating two neuronal mechanisms for modulating drug-induced gastric contractions. First, the contractions themselves activate a vago-vagal negative feedback involving capsaicin-sensitive afferents. Second, NKA, and to a lesser degree SP, seem to induce a nonvagal non-splanchnic mechanism which via capsaicin

Gentiana asclepiadea and Armoracia rusticana can modulate the adaptive response induced by zeocin in human lymphocytes.

PubMed

Hudecova, A; Hasplova, K; Kellovska, L; Ikreniova, M; Miadokova, E; Galova, E; Horvathova, E; Vaculcikova, D; Gregan, F; Dusinska, M

2012-01-01

Zeocin is a member of bleomycin/phleomycin family of antibiotics isolated from Streptomyces verticullus. This unique radiomimetic antibiotic is known to bind to DNA and induce oxidative stress in different organisms producing predominantly single- and double- strand breaks, as well as a DNA base loss resulting in apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) sites. The aim of this study was to induce an adaptive response (AR) by zeocin in freshly isolated human lymphocytes from blood and to observe whether plant extracts could modulate this response. The AR was evaluated by the comet assay. The optimal conditions for the AR induction and modulation were determined as: 2 h-intertreatment time (in PBS, at 4°C) given after a priming dose (50 µg/ml) of zeocin treatment. Genotoxic impact of zeocin to lymphocytes was modulated by plant extracts isolated from Gentiana asclepiadea (methanolic and aqueous haulm extracts, 0.25 mg/ml) and Armoracia rusticana (methanolic root extract, 0.025 mg/ml). These extracts enhanced the AR and also decreased DNA damage caused by zeocin (after 0, 1 and 4 h-recovery time after the test dose of zeocin application) to more than 50%. These results support important position of plants containing many biologically active compounds in the field of pharmacology and medicine.

Submillisecond-response IR spatial light modulators with polymer network liquid crystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Jie; Chen, Yuan; Wu, Shin-Tson

2013-03-01

Polymer network liquid crystal (PNLC) is attractive for many photonic applications because of its fast response time and large phase modulation. However, the voltage-on state light scattering caused by multi-domains of LC molecules hinders its applications in the visible and near infrared regions. To reduce domain sizes and eliminate scattering for λ=1.06 μm and 1.55 μm, we studied the effect of LC viscosity on domain sizes. PNLCs based on five different LC hosts were prepared. The LC host was first mixed with 6% reactive mesogen and then filled into a 12-μm cell with homogeneous alignment. After UV curing, we measured the on-state transmission spectra of these five PNLCs. By fitting the transmission spectra with Rayleigh-Gans-Debye model, we can estimate the average domain sizes. We found that the domain sizes of PNLC are inversely proportional to the rotational viscosity of the LC host. This finding can be explained by the Stokes-Einstein equation. As a result, PNLC with a slower diffusion rate would cause smaller domain sizes, which in turn lead to faster response time. To achieve a slower diffusion rate, we cured the PNLC samples at a lower temperature. By selecting a high viscosity and high Δɛ LC host, we demonstrate a scattering-free (<3%) 2π phase modulator at λ=1.06 μm and λ=1.55 μm. Temperature affects the PNLC performance significantly. As the operation temperature increases from 25oC to 70oC, the response time drops from 220 μs to 30 μs. 2π operating voltage for λ=1.06 μm slightly increases from 65V to 85V. Meanwhile, hysteresis decreases from 7.7% to 2%. For λ=1.55μm, operating voltage is 100V. If reflective mode is employed, operating voltage can be reduced to 55V.

Maternal inflammation modulates infant immune response patterns to viral lung challenge in a murine model.

PubMed

Gleditsch, Dorothy D; Shornick, Laurie P; Van Steenwinckel, Juliette; Gressens, Pierre; Weisert, Ryan P; Koenig, Joyce M

2014-07-01

Chorioamnionitis, an inflammatory gestational disorder, commonly precedes preterm delivery. Preterm infants may be at particular risk for inflammation-related morbidity related to infection, although the pathogenic mechanisms are unclear. We hypothesized that maternal inflammation modulates immune programming to drive postnatal inflammatory processes. We used a novel combined murine model to treat late gestation dams with low-dose lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and to secondarily challenge exposed neonates or weanlings with Sendai virus (SeV) lung infection. Multiple organs were analyzed to characterize age-specific postnatal immune and inflammatory responses. Maternal LPS treatment enhanced innate immune populations in the lungs, livers, and/or spleens of exposed neonates or weanlings. Secondary lung SeV infection variably affected neutrophil, macrophage, and dendritic cell proportions in multiple organs of exposed pups. Neonatal lung infection induced brain interleukin (IL)-4 expression, although this response was muted in LPS-exposed pups. Adaptive immune cells, including lung, lymph node, and thymic lymphocytes and lung CD4 cells expressing FoxP3, interferon (IFN)-γ, or IL-17, were variably prominent in LPS-exposed pups. Maternal inflammation modifies postnatal immunity and augments systemic inflammatory responses to viral lung infection in an age-specific manner. We speculate that inflammatory modulation of the developing immune system contributes to chronic morbidity and mortality in preterm infants.

Ethylene Plays Multiple Nonprimary Roles in Modulating the Gravitropic Response in Tomato1

PubMed Central

Madlung, Andreas; Behringer, Friedrich J.; Lomax, Terri L.

1999-01-01

Ethylene is known to interact with auxin in regulating stem growth, and yet evidence for the role of ethylene in tropic responses is contradictory. Our analysis of four mutants of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) altered in their response to gravity, auxin, and/or ethylene revealed concentration-dependent modulation of shoot gravitropism by ethylene. Ethylene inhibitors reduce wild-type gravicurvature, and extremely low (0.0005–0.001 μL L−1) ethylene concentrations can restore the reduced gravitropic response of the auxin-resistant dgt (diageotropica) mutant to wild-type levels. Slightly higher concentrations of ethylene inhibit the gravitropic response of all but the ethylene-insensitive nr (never-ripe) mutant. The gravitropic responses of nr and the constitutive-response mutant epi (epinastic) are slightly and significantly delayed, respectively, but otherwise normal. The reversal of shoot gravicurvature by red light in the lz-2(lazy-2) mutant is not affected by ethylene. Taken together, these data indicate that, although ethylene does not play a primary role in the gravitropic response of tomato, low levels of ethylene are necessary for a full gravitropic response, and moderate levels of the hormone specifically inhibit gravicurvature in a manner different from ethylene inhibition of overall growth. PMID:10398726

Updated Global Patterns of Drought and Heat-Induced Forest Die-off, and Ecohydrological Feedbacks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Allen, C. D.

2011-12-01

Ongoing climate changes - particularly increases in mean temperatures as well as frequencies, durations, and severities of extreme drought and heat - can amplify tree physiological stress and thereby drive increases in both background tree mortality rates and episodes of rapid, broad-scale forest die-off. Updates are presented to a recent global synthesis of documented tree mortality episodes attributed to drought and/or heat, further expanding the documented spatial distribution and demonstrating the vulnerability of all major forest types from tropical moist forests and savannas to temperate and boreal forests. Given that anthropogenic climate change is projected to drive substantial increases in both mean temperatures and the frequency/duration/severity of extreme drought and heat in many regions, recent episodes of broad-scale drought-induced forest mortality may reflect increasing global risks of forest die-off, even in environments not normally considered water-limited. Since vegetation cover patterns are closely and interactively linked with ecosystem water fluxes, episodes of massive forest die-off can be expected to significantly affect ecohydrological patterns and processes, ranging from runoff and erosion to evaporation and transpiration, often with nonlinear threshold responses expected. Diverse examples of such feedbacks between climate-induced forest mortality and ecohydrology are presented, ranging from detailed observations of linked changes in vegetation, runoff, and erosion in response to forest mortality in the southwestern US to Western Australia and Amazonian rainforest water cycling. Current research efforts to address the large knowledge gaps that at present hinder our ability to predict climate-induced forest mortality and associated ecohydrological responses are discussed.

Regional ontogeny of New England salt marsh die-off.

PubMed

Coverdale, Tyler C; Bertness, Mark D; Altieri, Andrew H

2013-10-01

Coastal areas are among the world's most productive and highly affected ecosystems. Centuries of human activity on coastlines have led to overexploitation of marine predators, which in turn has led to cascading ecosystem-level effects. Human effects and approaches to mediating them, however, differ regionally due to gradients in biotic and abiotic factors. Salt marsh die-off on Cape Cod, Massachusetts (U.S.A.), triggered by a recreational-fishing-induced trophic cascade that has released herbivorous crabs from predator control, has been ongoing since 1976. Similar salt marsh die-offs have been reported in Long Island Sound and Narragansett Bay (U.S.A.), but the driving mechanism of these die-offs has not been examined. We used field experiments to assess trophic interactions and historical reconstructions of 24 New England marshes to test the hypotheses that recreational fishing and predator depletion are a regional trigger of salt marsh die-off in New England and that die-offs in Long Island Sound and Narragansett Bay are more recent than those on Cape Cod. Predator depletion was the general trigger of marsh die-off and explained differences in herbivorous crab abundance and the severity of die-off across regions. Die-offs in Long Island Sound and Narragansett Bay are following a trajectory similar to die-off on Cape Cod, but are approximately 20 years behind those on Cape Cod. As a result, die-off currently affects 31.2% (SE 2.2) of low-marsh areas in Long Island Sound and Narragansett Bay, less than half the severity of die-off on Cape Cod. Our results contribute to the growing evidence that recreational fishing is an increasing threat to coastal ecosystems and that studying the effects of human activity at regional scales can provide insight into local effects and aid in early detection and potential remediation. © 2013 Society for Conservation Biology.

Myeloid Cell 5-Lipoxygenase Activating Protein Modulates the Response to Vascular Injury

PubMed Central

Yu, Zhou; Ricciotti, Emanuela; Miwa, Takashi; Liu, Shulin; Ihida-Stansbury, Kaori; Landersberg, Gavin; Jones, Peter L.; Scalia, Rosario; Song, Wenchao; Assoian, Richard K.; FitzGerald, Garret A.

2013-01-01

Rationale Human genetics have implicated the 5- lipoxygenase (5-LO) enzyme in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease and an inhibitor of the 5-LO activating protein (FLAP) is in clinical development for asthma. Objective Here we determined whether FLAP deletion modifies the response to vascular injury. Methods and Results Vascular remodeling was characterized 4 weeks after femoral arterial injury in FLAP knockout (FLAP KO) mice and wild type (WT) controls. Both neointimal hyperplasia and the intima/media ratio of the injured artery were significantly reduced in the FLAP KOs while endothelial integrity was preserved. Lesional myeloid cells were depleted and vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation, as reflected by bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation, was markedly attenuated by FLAP deletion. Inflammatory cytokine release from FLAP KO macrophages was depressed and their restricted ability to induce VSMC migration ex vivo was rescued with leukotriene B4 (LTB4). FLAP deletion restrained injury and attenuated upregulation of the extracellular matrix protein, tenascin C (TNC), which affords a scaffold for VSMC migration. Correspondingly, the phenotypic modulation of VSMC to a more synthetic phenotype, reflected by morphological change, loss of α-smooth muscle cell actin and upregulation of vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM) -1 was also suppressed in FLAP KO mice. Transplantation of FLAP replete myeloid cells rescued the proliferative response to vascular injury. Conclusion Expression of lesional FLAP in myeloid cells promotes LTB4 dependent VSMC phenotypic modulation, intimal migration and proliferation. PMID:23250985

25 CFR 304.5 - Dies to identify tribe.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 25 Indians 2 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Dies to identify tribe. 304.5 Section 304.5 Indians INDIAN ARTS AND CRAFTS BOARD, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NAVAJO, PUEBLO, AND HOPI SILVER, USE OF GOVERNMENT MARK § 304.5 Dies to identify tribe. Dies are marked with name of tribe. A Navajo stamp will be...

25 CFR 304.5 - Dies to identify tribe.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 25 Indians 2 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Dies to identify tribe. 304.5 Section 304.5 Indians INDIAN ARTS AND CRAFTS BOARD, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NAVAJO, PUEBLO, AND HOPI SILVER, USE OF GOVERNMENT MARK § 304.5 Dies to identify tribe. Dies are marked with name of tribe. A Navajo stamp will be...

25 CFR 304.5 - Dies to identify tribe.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 25 Indians 2 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Dies to identify tribe. 304.5 Section 304.5 Indians INDIAN ARTS AND CRAFTS BOARD, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NAVAJO, PUEBLO, AND HOPI SILVER, USE OF GOVERNMENT MARK § 304.5 Dies to identify tribe. Dies are marked with name of tribe. A Navajo stamp will be...

25 CFR 304.5 - Dies to identify tribe.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 25 Indians 2 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Dies to identify tribe. 304.5 Section 304.5 Indians INDIAN ARTS AND CRAFTS BOARD, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NAVAJO, PUEBLO, AND HOPI SILVER, USE OF GOVERNMENT MARK § 304.5 Dies to identify tribe. Dies are marked with name of tribe. A Navajo stamp will be...

Assisted dying - should the UK change its stance?

PubMed

Gordon, Daniel; Raphael, Claire E; Vassiliou, Vassilios

2015-04-01

Along with an increasing interest in assisted dying by many European and North American countries, some of which have already modified their existing laws to accommodate this, the interest in assisted dying in the UK has increased once again following Lord Falconer's Assisted Dying for the Terminally Ill Bill. Drawing on examples from countries where similar assisted dying laws are already in place, this article analyses and contextualises the proposed bill and discusses its potential pitfalls and benefits for the UK. © The European Society of Cardiology 2015 Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav.

Meditations on the unitary rhythm of dying-grieving.

PubMed

Malinski, Violet M

2012-07-01

When someone faces loss of a loved one, that person simultaneously grieves and dies a little, just as the one dying also grieves. The author's personal conceptualization of dying and grieving as a unitary rhythm is explored based primarily on her interpretation of Rogers' science of unitary human beings, along with selected examples from related nursing literature and from the emerging focus on continuing bonds in other disciplines. Examples from contemporary songwriters that depict such a unitary conceptualization are given along with personal examples. The author concludes with her description of the unitary rhythm of dying-grieving.

Intestinal Epithelial Cells Modulate Antigen-Presenting Cell Responses to Bacterial DNA

PubMed Central

Campeau, J. L.; Salim, S. Y.; Albert, E. J.; Hotte, N.

2012-01-01

Intestinal epithelial cells and antigen-presenting cells orchestrate mucosal innate immunity. This study investigated the role of bacterial DNA in modulating epithelial and bone marrow-derived antigen-presenting cells (BM-APCs) and subsequent T-lymphocyte responses. Murine MODE-K epithelial cells and BM-APCs were treated with DNA from either Bifidobacterium breve or Salmonella enterica serovar Dublin directly and under coculture conditions with CD4+ T cells. Apical stimulation of MODE-K cells with S. Dublin DNA enhanced secretion of cytokines from underlying BM-APCs and induced interleukin-17 (IL-17) and gamma interferon (IFN-γ) secretion from CD4+ T cells. Bacterial DNA isolated from either strain induced maturation and increased cytokine secretion from BM-APCs. Conditioned medium from S. Dublin-treated MODE-K cells elicited an increase in cytokine secretion similar to that seen for S. Dublin DNA. Treatment of conditioned medium from MODE-K cells with RNase and protease prevented the S. Dublin-induced increased cytokine secretion. Oral feeding of mice with B. breve DNA resulted in enhanced levels of colonic IL-10 and transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) compared with what was seen for mice treated with S. Dublin DNA. In contrast, feeding mice with S. Dublin DNA increased levels of colonic IL-17 and IL-12p70. T cells from S. Dublin DNA-treated mice secreted high levels of IL-12 and IFN-γ compared to controls and B. breve DNA-treated mice. These results demonstrate that intestinal epithelial cells are able to modulate subsequent antigen-presenting and T-cell responses to bacterial DNA with pathogenic but not commensal bacterial DNA inducing effector CD4+ T lymphocytes. PMID:22615241

Will the UK Supreme Court allow assisted dying?

PubMed

Griffith, Richard

MPs overwhelmingly voted against passing the Assisted Dying Bill into law in September 2015. The Bill was defeated by a majority of 212, despite the heartfelt pleas of many MPs to pass it into law. The size of the defeat means that it is unlikely that Parliament will consider a similar law for many years. Yet many considered the Bill their last opportunity to make assisted dying lawful. There is, however, one further possible way assisted dying could become lawful in the UK--and that would be where the Supreme Court allowed it. In this article, the author reviews the Supreme Court's decision in R (on the application of Nicklinson v Ministry of Justice [2014] and considers how likely it is that the Supreme Court will now sanction assisted dying following Parliament's refusal to enact an assisted dying law.

Evidence of Rapid Modulation by Social Information of Subjective, Physiological, and Neural Responses to Emotional Expressions

PubMed Central

Mermillod, Martial; Grynberg, Delphine; Pio-Lopez, Léo; Rychlowska, Magdalena; Beffara, Brice; Harquel, Sylvain; Vermeulen, Nicolas; Niedenthal, Paula M.; Dutheil, Frédéric; Droit-Volet, Sylvie

2018-01-01

Recent research suggests that conceptual or emotional factors could influence the perceptual processing of stimuli. In this article, we aimed to evaluate the effect of social information (positive, negative, or no information related to the character of the target) on subjective (perceived and felt valence and arousal), physiological (facial mimicry) as well as on neural (P100 and N170) responses to dynamic emotional facial expressions (EFE) that varied from neutral to one of the six basic emotions. Across three studies, the results showed reduced ratings of valence and arousal of EFE associated with incongruent social information (Study 1), increased electromyographical responses (Study 2), and significant modulation of P100 and N170 components (Study 3) when EFE were associated with social (positive and negative) information (vs. no information). These studies revealed that positive or negative social information reduces subjective responses to incongruent EFE and produces a similar neural and physiological boost of the early perceptual processing of EFE irrespective of their congruency. In conclusion, the article suggests that the presence of positive or negative social context modulates early physiological and neural activity preceding subsequent behavior. PMID:29375330

Modulation of Immune Response by Organophosphorus Pesticides: Fishes as a Potential Model in Immunotoxicology

PubMed Central

Díaz-Resendiz, K. J. G.; Toledo-Ibarra, G. A.; Girón-Pérez, M. I.

2015-01-01

Immune response is modulated by different substances that are present in the environment. Nevertheless, some of these may cause an immunotoxic effect. In this paper, the effect of organophosphorus pesticides (frequent substances spilled in aquatic ecosystems) on the immune system of fishes and in immunotoxicology is reviewed. Furthermore, some cellular and molecular mechanisms that might be involved in immunoregulation mechanisms of organophosphorus pesticides are discussed. PMID:25973431

Shared beliefs enhance shared feelings: religious/irreligious identifications modulate empathic neural responses.

PubMed

Huang, Siyuan; Han, Shihui

2014-01-01

Recent neuroimaging research has revealed stronger empathic neural responses to same-race compared to other-race individuals. Is the in-group favouritism in empathic neural responses specific to race identification or a more general effect of social identification-including those based on religious/irreligious beliefs? The present study investigated whether and how intergroup relationships based on religious/irreligious identifications modulate empathic neural responses to others' pain expressions. We recorded event-related brain potentials from Chinese Christian and atheist participants while they perceived pain or neutral expressions of Chinese faces that were marked as being Christians or atheists. We found that both Christian and atheist participants showed stronger neural activity to pain (versus neutral) expressions at 132-168 ms and 200-320 ms over the frontal region to those with the same (versus different) religious/irreligious beliefs. The in-group favouritism in empathic neural responses was also evident in a later time window (412-612 ms) over the central/parietal regions in Christian but not in atheist participants. Our results indicate that the intergroup relationship based on shared beliefs, either religious or irreligious, can lead to in-group favouritism in empathy for others' suffering.

Gain-switching characteristics and fast transient response of three-terminal size-effect modulation laser

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

Suemune, I.; Takeoka, T.; Yamanashi, M.

1986-09-01

Gain-switching characteristics of the proposed size-effect modulation light sources are investigated. For realizing the laser operation, the consideration of the screening effect on the applied electric fields due to the high concentration of carriers is indispensable. In this respect, the authors propose a separate-confinement-hereto-multiple-quantum-well (SCH-MQW) structure as the most suitable one for gain switching. The key point of the structure is the sufficiently high heterobarriers at the clad-barrier interfaces to prevent carrier leakage. The examinations of the transient response clarify that they are principally photon-lifetime limited. Employing the three-terminal character of the proposed laser, the fast pulse modulation up tomore » 12 Gbits/s, which is almost free from the relaxation oscillations and the pattern effects, is predicted.« less

Portable punch and die jig

DOEpatents

Lewandowski, Edward F.; Anderson, Petrus A.

1978-01-01

A portable punch and die jig includes a U-shaped jig of predetermined width having a slot of predetermined width in the base thereof extending completely across the width of the jig adapted to fit over the walls of rectangular tubes and a punch and die assembly disposed in a hole extending through the base of the jig communicating with the slot in the base of the jig for punching a hole in the walls of the rectangular tubes at precisely determined locations.

Advanced photovoltaic concentrator system low-cost prototype module

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

Kaminar, N.R.; McEntee, J.; Curchod, D.

1991-09-01

This report describes the continued development of an extruded lens and the development of a PV receiver, both of which will be used in the Solar Engineering Applications Corporation (SEA) 10X concentrator. These efforts were pare of a pre-Concentrator Initiative Program. The 10X concentrator consists of an inexpensive, extruded linear Fresnel lens which focuses on one-sun cells which are adhesive-bonded to an anodized aluminum heat sink. Module sides are planned to be molded along with the lens and are internally reflective for improved on- and off-track performance. End caps with molded-in bearings complete the module. Ten modules are mounted inmore » a stationary frame for simple, single-axis tracking in the east-west direction. This configuration an array, is shipped completely assembled and requires only setting on a reasonably flat surface, installing 4 fasteners, and hooking up the wires. Development of the 10-inch wide extruded lens involved one new extrusion die and a series of modifications to this die. Over 76% lens transmission was measured which surpassed the program goal of 75%. One-foot long receiver sections were assembled and subjected to evaluation tests at Sandia National Laboratories. A first group had some problem with cell delamination and voids but a second group performed very well, indicating that a full size receiver would pass the full qualification test. Cost information was updated and presented in the report. The cost study indicated that the Solar Engineering Applications Corporation concentrator system can exceed the DOE electricity cost goals of less than 6cents per KW-hr. 33 figs., 11 tabs.« less

Improvement of Die Corner Filling in Box-shape Stepped Tubes Hydroforming

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hosseini-Farrash, S. H.; Elyasi, M.; Bakhshi-Jooybari, M.; Gorji, A.

2011-01-01

A new die design to improve the die corner filling in the hydroforming of square-sectional stepped tubes is presented. The proposed die-set contains two additional bushes, compared to the common tube hydroforming dies. First, the tube is placed into the die, filled with liquid, and sealed with the punches. Then, by increasing the internal pressure, the tube is bulged and contacts the die walls (bulging stage). By maintaining the internal pressure, the two upper and lower bushes move until the die cavity is filled completely (calibration stage). The proposed die was simulated and the results show that sharp corners of the part and relatively complete filling of the die cavity can be obtained by using this die set. In order to verify the results, some experiments have been carried out. The experimental results verified the results obtained from the simulations. The thickness distribution of the part is also investigated and it is shown that fairly uniform thickness distribution can be obtained by using the proposed die set.

Modulation of the error-related negativity by response conflict.

PubMed

Danielmeier, Claudia; Wessel, Jan R; Steinhauser, Marco; Ullsperger, Markus

2009-11-01

An arrow version of the Eriksen flanker task was employed to investigate the influence of conflict on the error-related negativity (ERN). The degree of conflict was modulated by varying the distance between flankers and the target arrow (CLOSE and FAR conditions). Error rates and reaction time data from a behavioral experiment were used to adapt a connectionist model of this task. This model was based on the conflict monitoring theory and simulated behavioral and event-related potential data. The computational model predicted an increased ERN amplitude in FAR incompatible (the low-conflict condition) compared to CLOSE incompatible errors (the high-conflict condition). A subsequent ERP experiment confirmed the model predictions. The computational model explains this finding with larger post-response conflict in far trials. In addition, data and model predictions of the N2 and the LRP support the conflict interpretation of the ERN.

'Just can't hide it': a behavioral and lesion study on emotional response modulation after right prefrontal damage.

PubMed

Salas, Christian E; Castro, Osvaldo; Yuen, Kenneth Sl; Radovic, Darinka; d'Avossa, Giovanni; Turnbull, Oliver H

2016-10-01

Historically, emotion regulation problems have been reported as a common consequence of right prefrontal cortex (rPFC) damage. It has been proposed that the rPFC, particularly the rIFG, has a key role inhibiting prepotent reflexive actions, thus contributing to emotion regulation and self-regulation. This study is the first to directly explore this hypothesis, by testing whether damage to the rIFG compromises the voluntary modulation of emotional responses, and whether performance on inhibition tasks is associated with emotion regulation. 10 individuals with unilateral right prefrontal damage and 15 matched healthy controls were compared on a well-known response modulation task. During the task participants had to amplify and suppress their facial emotional expressions, while watching film clips eliciting amusement. Measures of executive control, emotion regulation strategies usage and symptomatology were also collected. As a group, individuals with rPFC damage presented a significantly reduced range of response modulation compared with controls. In addition, performance in the suppression task was associated with measures of cognitive inhibition and suppression usage. Interestingly, these effects were driven primarily by a subgroup of individuals with rPFC damage, all of whom also had damage to the right posterior insula, and who presented a marked impairment in suppressing facial emotional expressions. © The Author (2016). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Responsibility modulates the neural correlates of regret during the sequential risk-taking task.

PubMed

Li, Lin; Liu, Zhiyuan; Niu, Huanghuang; Zheng, Li; Cheng, Xuemei; Sun, Peng; Zhou, Fanzhi Anita; Guo, Xiuyan

2018-03-01

Responsibility is a necessary prerequisite in the experience of regret. The present fMRI study investigated the modulation of responsibility on the neural correlates of regret during a sequential risk-taking task. Participants were asked to open a series of boxes consecutively and decided when to stop. Each box contained a reward, except for one containing a devil to zero participant's gain in the trial. Once participants stopped, both collected gains and missed chances were revealed. We manipulated responsibility by setting two different contexts. In the Self (high responsibility) context, participants opened boxes and decided when to stop by themselves. In the Computer (low responsibility) context, a computer program opened boxes and decided when to stop for participants. Before each trial, participants were required to decide whether it would be a Self or a Computer context. Behaviorally, participants felt less regret (more relief) for gain outcome and more regret for the loss outcome in the high-responsibility context than low responsibility context. At the neural level, when experiencing a gain, high-responsibility trials were characterized by stronger activation in mPFC, pgACC, mOFC, and striatum with decreasing number of missed chances relative to low responsibility trials. When experiencing a loss, low responsibility trials were associated with stronger activation in dACC and bilateral insula than high-responsibility trials. Conversely, during a loss, high-responsibility trials showed more striatum activity than low responsibility trials. These results highlighted the sensitivity of the frontal region, striatum, and insula to changes in level of responsibility.

Optimization of Composition and Heat Treating of Die Steels for Extended Lifetime

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

David Schwam; John F. Wallace; Quanyou Zhou

2002-01-30

An ''average'' die casting die costs fifty thousand dollars. A die used in making die cast aluminum engine blocks can cost well over one million dollars. These costs provide a strong incentive for extension of die life. While vacuum quenched Premium Grade H13 dies have become the most widely used in the United States, tool makers and die casters are constantly searching for new steels and heat treating procedures to extend die life. This project was undertaken to investigate the effects of composition and heat treating on die life and optimize these parameters.

[MATCHE: Management Approach to Teaching Consumer and Homemaking Education.] Consumer Approach Strand: Core. Module I-A-3: Consumer Rights and Responsibilities.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smith, Sharman

This competency-based preservice home economics teacher education module on consumer rights and responsibilities is the third in a set of four core curriculum modules on consumer approach to homemaking education. (This set is part of a larger series of sixty-seven on the Management Approach to Teaching Consumer and Homemaking Education…

‘Just can’t hide it’: a behavioral and lesion study on emotional response modulation after right prefrontal damage

PubMed Central

Castro, Osvaldo; Yuen, Kenneth SL; Radovic, Darinka; d’Avossa, Giovanni; Turnbull, Oliver H.

2016-01-01

Introduction: Historically, emotion regulation problems have been reported as a common consequence of right prefrontal cortex (rPFC) damage. It has been proposed that the rPFC, particularly the rIFG, has a key role inhibiting prepotent reflexive actions, thus contributing to emotion regulation and self-regulation. This study is the first to directly explore this hypothesis, by testing whether damage to the rIFG compromises the voluntary modulation of emotional responses, and whether performance on inhibition tasks is associated with emotion regulation. Method: 10 individuals with unilateral right prefrontal damage and 15 matched healthy controls were compared on a well-known response modulation task. During the task participants had to amplify and suppress their facial emotional expressions, while watching film clips eliciting amusement. Measures of executive control, emotion regulation strategies usage and symptomatology were also collected. Results: As a group, individuals with rPFC damage presented a significantly reduced range of response modulation compared with controls. In addition, performance in the suppression task was associated with measures of cognitive inhibition and suppression usage. Interestingly, these effects were driven primarily by a subgroup of individuals with rPFC damage, all of whom also had damage to the right posterior insula, and who presented a marked impairment in suppressing facial emotional expressions PMID:27317928

Dying in the age of choice.

PubMed

Black, Kathy; Csikai, Ellen L

2015-01-01

Due to the unprecedented increase in the United States aging demographics, many more people are living longer and reaching older ages than ever before. However, a longer life is not necessarily a better life, as the vast majority will face a period of prolonged deteriorating health prior to death. Although notable efforts have been underway that are designed to improve the end-of-life experience, increasing numbers of individuals express a desire and/or act upon an intent to end their lives precipitously. Though still limited, the options to actively participate in their own deaths are growing. Requests for a hastened death can occur among people of all ages and includes those with advanced illness as well as others wanting to die due to unbearable suffering. This article provides an overview of the ongoing discourse about the experience of dying faced by many older adults, including aspects frequently associated with "a good death." The limitations of established practices which seek to provide a "better" dying experience are identified followed by discussion of the growing availability of alternative options. Reflective considerations are presented to guide practice vis-à-vis the changing landscape surrounding options in dying.

Cognition and balance control: does processing of explicit contextual cues of impending perturbations modulate automatic postural responses?

PubMed

Coelho, Daniel Boari; Teixeira, Luis Augusto

2017-08-01

Processing of predictive contextual cues of an impending perturbation is thought to induce adaptive postural responses. Cueing in previous research has been provided through repeated perturbations with a constant foreperiod. This experimental strategy confounds explicit predictive cueing with adaptation and non-specific properties of temporal cueing. Two experiments were performed to assess those factors separately. To perturb upright balance, the base of support was suddenly displaced backwards in three amplitudes: 5, 10 and 15 cm. In Experiment 1, we tested the effect of cueing the amplitude of the impending postural perturbation by means of visual signals, and the effect of adaptation to repeated exposures by comparing block versus random sequences of perturbation. In Experiment 2, we evaluated separately the effects of cueing the characteristics of an impending balance perturbation and cueing the timing of perturbation onset. Results from Experiment 1 showed that the block sequence of perturbations led to increased stability of automatic postural responses, and modulation of magnitude and onset latency of muscular responses. Results from Experiment 2 showed that only the condition cueing timing of platform translation onset led to increased balance stability and modulation of onset latency of muscular responses. Conversely, cueing platform displacement amplitude failed to induce any effects on automatic postural responses in both experiments. Our findings support the interpretation of improved postural responses via optimized sensorimotor processes, at the same time that cast doubt on the notion that cognitive processing of explicit contextual cues advancing the magnitude of an impending perturbation can preset adaptive postural responses.

A near-infrared light responsive c-di-GMP module-based AND logic gate in Shewanella oneidensis.

PubMed

Hu, Yidan; Wu, Yichao; Mukherjee, Manisha; Cao, Bin

2017-01-31

A novel, biofilm-based AND logic gate was constructed in Shewanella oneidensis through a near-infrared (NIR) light responsive c-di-GMP module. The logic gate was demonstrated in microbial fuel cells with isopropyl β-d-thiogalactoside (IPTG) and NIR light as the inputs and electrical signals as the output.

Suprachiasmatic astrocytes modulate the circadian clock in response to TNF-α1

PubMed Central

Duhart, José M.; Leone, María Juliana; Paladino, Natalia; Evans, Jennifer A.; Castanon-Cervantes, Oscar; Davidson, Alec J.; Golombek, Diego A.

2013-01-01

The immune and the circadian systems interact in a bidirectional fashion. The master circadian oscillator, located in the suprachiasmatic nuclei of the hypothalamus (SCN), responds to peripheral and local immune stimuli, such as proinflammatory cytokines and bacterial endotoxin. Astrocytes exert several immune functions in the central nervous system and there is growing evidence that points towards a role of these cells in the regulation of circadian rhythms. The aim of this work was to assess the response of SCN astrocytes to immune stimuli, particularly to the proinflammatory cytokine TNF-α. TNF-α applied to cultures of SCN astrocytes from Per2luc knock in mice altered both the phase and amplitude of PER2 expression rhythms, in a phase dependent manner. Furthermore, conditioned media from SCN astrocytes cultures transiently challenged with TNF-α induced an increase in Per1 expression in NIH 3T3 cells, that was blocked by TNF-α antagonism. In addition, these conditioned media could induce phase shifts in SCN PER2 rhythms and, when administered intracerebroventricularly, induced phase delays in behavioral circadian rhythms and SCN activation in control mice, but not in TNF-Receptor-1 mutants. In summary, our results show that TNF-α modulates the molecular clock of SCN astrocytes in vitro and also that, in response to this molecule, SCN astrocytes can modulate clock gene expression in other cells and tissues, and induce phase shifts in a circadian behavioral output in vivo. These findings suggest a role for astroglial cells in the alteration of circadian timing by immune activation. PMID:24062487

Functional difference between sustained and transient modulations of cognitive control in the simon task: evidence from false alarm responses on no-go trials.

PubMed

Hasegawa, Kunihiro; Takahashi, Shin'ya

2013-01-01

Cognitive control in response compatibility tasks is modulated by the task context. Two types of contextual modulations have been demonstrated; sustained (block-wise) and transient (trial-by-trial). Recent research suggests that these modulations have different underlying mechanisms. This study presents new evidence supporting this claim by comparing false alarm (FA) responses on no-go trials of the Simon task between the sustained and transient contexts. In Experiment 1, the sustained context was manipulated so that a block included a larger number of incongruent trials. Results showed that participants made more FA responses by the hand opposite to the stimulus location. This suggests a generation of response bias in which the task-irrelevant location information is utilized in a reversed manner (i.e., to respond with the right hand to a stimulus presented on the left side and vice versa). Next, Experiment 2 examined the effect of the transient context and found that overall FA rate was lower when a no-go trial was preceded by an incongruent trial than by a congruent trial, whereas such response bias as that shown in Experiment 1 was not demonstrated. This suggests that the transient conflict context enhances inhibition of the task-irrelevant process but does not make the task-irrelevant information actively usable. Based on these results, we propound two types of cognitive control modulations as adaptive behaviors: response biasing based on utilization of the task-irrelevant information under the sustained conflict context and transient enhancement of inhibition of the task-irrelevant process based on the online conflict monitoring.

Mn complex-mediated enhancement of antitumor response through modulating myeloid-derived suppressor cells in drug-resistant tumor.

PubMed

Das, Satyajit; Banerjee, Kaushik; Roy, Susmita; Majumder, Saikat; Chatterjee, Mitali; Majumdar, Subrata; Choudhuri, Soumitra Kumar

2014-01-01

The tumor microenvironment (TME) renders tumor cells more resistant to chemotherapy. However, effective immunomodulators for cancer therapy are still elusive. We hypothesized that Mn-N-(2-hydroxyacetophenone) glycinate (MnNG), reported to be an antitumor agent, can modulate the TME. Immunomodulatory effects of MnNG were performed through assessing Myeloid Derived Suppressor Cells (MDSCs), Interferon-γ (Ifnγ)- and Interleukin-4 (Il4)-secreting Cluster of Differentiation 4 (Cd4)(+) T-cells by annexin V-binding assay in drug-resistant TME and T-cell proliferation following in vitro co-culture assay by flow cytometry. MnNG induced infiltration of Ifnγ-secreting Cd4(+) T-cells and reduces MDSC numbers in vivo. Furthermore, it modulated differentiation of MDSCs towards dendritic cells with up-regulation of co-stimulatory molecules and reversed the suppressive function of MDSC's that enhances T-helper cell 1 (Th1) response. MnNG treatment resulted in reduced expression of IL4, but enhanced expression of Ifnγ when Cd4(+) T-cells were co-cultured with MDSCs. MnNG modulates MDSCs differentiaton towards dendritic cells and enhances Th1 response in drug-resistant TME, leading to immunomodulatory efficacy. Copyright © 2014 International Institute of Anticancer Research (Dr. John G. Delinassios), All rights reserved.

Darwin als Sehhilfe für die Psychologie - Evolutionspsychologie

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwab, Frank

Im Folgenden geht es um Einäugige, stereoskopisches Sehen, weite und enge Horizonte, Monokel und Sonnenbrillen. Der Beitrag versucht die Metapher des Sehens und der Sehhilfen anzuwenden, um so zu verdeutlichen, welchen Gewinn die herkömmliche Psychologie durch die Verwendung einer Darwin'schen Brille erlangen kann.

Low Temperature Consolidation of Micro/Nanosilver Die-Attach Preforms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCoppin, Jared; Reitz, Thomas L.; Miller, Ryan; Vijwani, Hema; Mukhopadhyay, Sharmila; Young, Daniel

2014-09-01

Organically passivated silver nanopowder paste-based sintering is considered a promising solution for die-attach in high temperature power and sensing electronic devices. However, oxygen requirements during burnout and inherently high shrinkage rates limit their use to small die sizes. This work reports an alternative fabrication method that resolves decomposition and shrinkage issues of the die-attach by utilizing a prestressed optimized tape cast mixture of micro- and nanosilver particles with a polypropylene carbonate binder. The effects of prestressing, micro/nanosilver bimodal distribution, and polymer content on resulting microstructure and shear strength were investigated. Prior to application as a die-attach, uniaxial compression of the tape was found to significantly decrease shrinkage and improve green strength. This pre-stressing strategy allows for a decoupling of the resulting die-attach materials properties from the pressure applied during assembly. Bimodal mixtures consisting of 1-3 μm spherical powders with nanosilver resulted in shear strengths comparable to those of pure nanosilver. Shear strength decreased as bimodal particle size increased above 5 μm. A polymer content of ˜10 wt.% polypropylene carbonate combined with prestressing was identified as optimal for maximizing die-attach shear strength while still maintaining pliability and formability. Tape casts that were prestressed to 212 MPa by uniaxially compression and formulated with 10 wt.% of polypropylene carbonate resulted in a die-attach material with a shear strength of 54 MPa when sintered. These materials were used to demonstrate void-free 25-mm2 die-attach assemblies, suggesting that tape cast micro/nanosilver materials may be a promising die-attach method for high temperature and large-area electronics devices.

Digitalisierung und Energie 4.0 - Wie schaffen wir die digitale Energiewende?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Irlbeck, Maximilian

Die digitale Energiewende verändert nachhaltig die Systeme der "alten" Energiewelt. Ein Zusammenwachsen verschiedener Domänen im Energiesystem, die durch digitale Technologie möglich wird, birgt enorme Herausforderungen, ist aber notwendig, um die Energiewende und ihre Ziele zu meistern. Dieser Beitrag beschreibt die Wirkung der Digitalisierung auf das Energiesystem, listet Charakteristika der digitalen Energiewende auf und schildert für verschiedene Domänen mögliche Zielvorstellungen, die durch digitale Technologie umsetzbar sind. Am Ende erläutert der Beitrag Handlungsschritte, die auf dem Weg zu einem erneuerbaren Energiesystem gegangen werden sollten und zeigt Probleme und Risiken einer Fehlentwicklung auf.

Parathyroid hormone modulates the response of osteoblast-like cells to mechanical stimulation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ryder, K. D.; Duncan, R. L.

2000-01-01

Mechanical loading stimulates many responses in bone and osteoblasts associated with osteogenesis. Since loading and parathyroid hormone (PTH) activate similar signaling pathways in osteoblasts, we postulate that PTH can potentiate the effects of mechanical stimulation. Using an in vitro four-point bending device, we found that expression of COX-2, the inducible isoform of cyclooxygenase, was dependent on fluid forces generated across the culture plate, but not physiologic levels of strain in MC3T3-E1 osteoblast-like cells. Addition of 50 nM PTH during loading increased COX-2 expression at both subthreshold and threshold levels of fluid forces compared with either stimuli alone. We also demonstrated that application of fluid shear to MC3T3-E1 cells induced a rapid increase in [Ca(2+)](i). Although PTH did not significantly change [Ca(2+)](i) levels, flow and PTH did produce a significantly greater [Ca(2+)](i) response and increased the number of responding cells than is found in fluid shear alone. The [Ca(2+)](i) response to these stimuli was significantly decreased when the mechanosensitive channel inhibitor, gadolinium, was present. These studies indicate that PTH increases the cellular responses of osteoblasts to mechanical loading. Furthermore, this response may be mediated by alterations in [Ca(2+)](i) by modulating the mechanosensitive channel.

Effects of GABA[subscript A] Modulators on the Repeated Acquisition of Response Sequences in Squirrel Monkeys

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campbell, Una C.; Winsauer, Peter J.; Stevenson, Michael W.; Moerschbaecher, Joseph M.

2004-01-01

The present study investigated the effects of positive and negative GABA[subscript A] modulators under three different baselines of repeated acquisition in squirrel monkeys in which the monkeys acquired a three-response sequence on three keys under a second-order fixed-ratio (FR) schedule of food reinforcement. In two of these baselines, the…

An NCME Instructional Module on Estimating Item Response Theory Models Using Markov Chain Monte Carlo Methods

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kim, Jee-Seon; Bolt, Daniel M.

2007-01-01

The purpose of this ITEMS module is to provide an introduction to Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) estimation for item response models. A brief description of Bayesian inference is followed by an overview of the various facets of MCMC algorithms, including discussion of prior specification, sampling procedures, and methods for evaluating chain…

Gibberellins modulate auxin responses during tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) fruit development.

PubMed

Mignolli, Francesco; Vidoz, Maria L; Picciarelli, Piero; Mariotti, Lorenzo

2018-06-10

In tomato, auxin and gibberellins (GAs) interact with each other to drive fruit growth and development. While the role of auxin in directing GA biosynthesis and signal is already known, very little information has been obtained about GA-mediated control of auxin signalling and response. Interestingly, we show that GA 3 is able to modify the expression of several auxin signalling genes in the partial auxin-insensitive diageotropica (dgt) mutant, suggesting that GAs may override the control of DGT on auxin signal. Procera (pro) mutation, which confers a constitutively active GA signal, enhances the effects of exogenous auxin, indicating that PRO may act as a negative effector of auxin responses in fruits. Indeed, transcript modulation of some Aux/IAA and ARF genes in auxin-treated dgt/pro fruits, suggests that PRO controls their expression possibly bypassing DGT. It was also shown that GA biosynthesis, in response to auxin treatment, is largely controlled by DGT. It is therefore conceivable that the DGT-mediated increase of active GAs in auxin-treated or pollinated fruits, would promote PRO degradation, which in turn activates part of the auxin signalling cascade. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Impact of Diabetes Type 1 in Children on Autonomic Modulation at Rest and in Response to the Active Orthostatic Test

PubMed Central

Giacon, Thais Roque; Vanderlei, Franciele Marques; Christofaro, Diego Giulliano Destro; Vanderlei, Luiz Carlos Marques

2016-01-01

Introduction Cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy is one of the most common complications of diabetes mellitus type 1 (DM1), of which one of the first subclinical manifestations is changes in heart rate variability (HRV). Thus, analysis of HRV associated with the autonomic active orthostatic test is important in this population. Objectives To analyze the autonomic modulation responses induced by the implementation of the active orthostatic test, in children with DM1, and study the autonomic modulation by means of HRV indices. Method Data of 35 children were analyzed, of both sexes, aged between 7 and 15 years, who were divided into two groups: Diabetic (n = 16) and Control (n = 19). The following variables were collected initially: weight, height, body fat percentage, heart rate, blood pressure and casual blood glucose. Subsequently, for analysis of autonomic modulation, the beat-to-beat heart rate was captured by a heart rate monitor in the supine position for 30 minutes and after 10 minutes standing during performance of the active orthostatic test. HRV indices were calculated in the time and frequency domains. For data analysis, covariance analysis was used to compare groups and ANOVA for repeated measures to compare the effects of the active orthostatic test. These data were adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity, body fat percentage and casual blood glucose, with a 5% significance level. Results The results suggested that diabetic children at rest present a decrease in SDNN (50.4 vs. 75.2), rMSSD (38.7 vs 57.6) and LF [ms2] (693.6 vs 1874.6). During the active orthostatic test the children in both groups demonstrated a reduction in SDNN, RMSSD and LF [ms2] compared to the resting position, and this response was less pronounced in the diabetic group. Conclusion We conclude that regardless of age, sex, ethnicity, body fat percentage and casual blood glucose, performing the active orthostatic test promoted increased sympathetic modulation and reduced parasympathetic

Impact of Diabetes Type 1 in Children on Autonomic Modulation at Rest and in Response to the Active Orthostatic Test.

PubMed

Giacon, Thais Roque; Vanderlei, Franciele Marques; Christofaro, Diego Giulliano Destro; Vanderlei, Luiz Carlos Marques

2016-01-01

Cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy is one of the most common complications of diabetes mellitus type 1 (DM1), of which one of the first subclinical manifestations is changes in heart rate variability (HRV). Thus, analysis of HRV associated with the autonomic active orthostatic test is important in this population. To analyze the autonomic modulation responses induced by the implementation of the active orthostatic test, in children with DM1, and study the autonomic modulation by means of HRV indices. Data of 35 children were analyzed, of both sexes, aged between 7 and 15 years, who were divided into two groups: Diabetic (n = 16) and Control (n = 19). The following variables were collected initially: weight, height, body fat percentage, heart rate, blood pressure and casual blood glucose. Subsequently, for analysis of autonomic modulation, the beat-to-beat heart rate was captured by a heart rate monitor in the supine position for 30 minutes and after 10 minutes standing during performance of the active orthostatic test. HRV indices were calculated in the time and frequency domains. For data analysis, covariance analysis was used to compare groups and ANOVA for repeated measures to compare the effects of the active orthostatic test. These data were adjusted for age, sex, ethnicity, body fat percentage and casual blood glucose, with a 5% significance level. The results suggested that diabetic children at rest present a decrease in SDNN (50.4 vs. 75.2), rMSSD (38.7 vs 57.6) and LF [ms2] (693.6 vs 1874.6). During the active orthostatic test the children in both groups demonstrated a reduction in SDNN, RMSSD and LF [ms2] compared to the resting position, and this response was less pronounced in the diabetic group. We conclude that regardless of age, sex, ethnicity, body fat percentage and casual blood glucose, performing the active orthostatic test promoted increased sympathetic modulation and reduced parasympathetic modulation in both groups, and this response was less

NMDA-NO signaling in the dorsal and ventral hippocampus time-dependently modulates the behavioral responses to forced swimming stress.

PubMed

Diniz, Cassiano R A F; Casarotto, Plínio C; Joca, Sâmia R L

2016-07-01

Hodological and genetic differences between dorsal (DH) and ventral (VH) hippocampus may convey distinct behavioral roles. DH is responsible for mediating cognitive process, such as learning and memory, while VH modulates neuroendocrine and emotional-motivational responses to stress. Manipulating glutamatergic NMDA receptors and nitric oxide (NO) systems of the hippocampus induces important changes in behavioral responses to stress. Nevertheless, there is no study concerning functional differences between DH and VH in the modulation of behavioral responses induced by stress models predictive of antidepressant effects. Thus, this study showed that reversible blockade of the DH or VH of animals submitted to the forced swimming test (FST), by using cobalt chloride (calcium-dependent synaptic neurotransmission blocker), was not able to change immobility time. Afterwards, the NMDA-NO system was evaluated in the FST by means of intra-DH or intra-VH administration of NMDA receptor antagonist (AP7), NOS1 and sGC inhibitors (N-PLA and ODQ, respectively). Bilateral intra-DH injections after pretest or before test were able to induce antidepressant-like effects in the FST. On the other hand, bilateral VH administration of AP-7, N-PLA and ODQ induced antidepressant-like effects only when injected before the test. Administration of NO scavenger (C-PTIO) intra-DH, after pretest and before test, or intra-VH before test induced similar results. Increased NOS1 levels was associated to stress exposure in the DH. These results suggest that the glutamatergic-NO system of the DH and VH are both able to modulate behavioral responses in the FST, albeit with differential participation along time after stress exposure. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Killing, letting die and euthanasia.

PubMed Central

Husak, D N

1979-01-01

Medical ethicists debate whether or not the moral assessment of cases of euthanasia should depend on whether the patient is 'killed' or 'allowed to die'. The usual presupposition is that a clear distinction between killing and letting die can be drawn so that this substantive question is not begged. I contend that the categorisation of cases of instances of killing rather than as instances of letting die depends in part on a prior moral assessment of the case. Hence is it trivially rather than substantively true that the distinction has moral significance. But even if a morally neutral (ie non-question begging) distinction could be drawn, its application to the euthanasia controversy is problematic. I illustrate the difficulties of employing this distinction to reach moral conclusions by critically discussing Philippa Foot's recent treatment of euthanasia. I conclude that even if an act of euthanasia is an instance of killing, and there exists a prima facie moral duty not to kill, and no more stringent duty overrides this duty, one still cannot determine such an act to be morally impermissible. PMID:541821

Killing, letting die and euthanasia.

PubMed

Husak, D N

1979-12-01

Medical ethicists debate whether or not the moral assessment of cases of euthanasia should depend on whether the patient is 'killed' or 'allowed to die'. The usual presupposition is that a clear distinction between killing and letting die can be drawn so that this substantive question is not begged. I contend that the categorisation of cases of instances of killing rather than as instances of letting die depends in part on a prior moral assessment of the case. Hence is it trivially rather than substantively true that the distinction has moral significance. But even if a morally neutral (ie non-question begging) distinction could be drawn, its application to the euthanasia controversy is problematic. I illustrate the difficulties of employing this distinction to reach moral conclusions by critically discussing Philippa Foot's recent treatment of euthanasia. I conclude that even if an act of euthanasia is an instance of killing, and there exists a prima facie moral duty not to kill, and no more stringent duty overrides this duty, one still cannot determine such an act to be morally impermissible.

BAS-drive trait modulates dorsomedial striatum activity during reward response-outcome associations.

PubMed

Costumero, Víctor; Barrós-Loscertales, Alfonso; Fuentes, Paola; Rosell-Negre, Patricia; Bustamante, Juan Carlos; Ávila, César

2016-09-01

According to the Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory, behavioral studies have found that individuals with stronger reward sensitivity easily detect cues of reward and establish faster associations between instrumental responses and reward. Neuroimaging studies have shown that processing anticipatory cues of reward is accompanied by stronger ventral striatum activity in individuals with stronger reward sensitivity. Even though establishing response-outcome contingencies has been consistently associated with dorsal striatum, individual differences in this process are poorly understood. Here, we aimed to study the relation between reward sensitivity and brain activity while processing response-reward contingencies. Forty-five participants completed the BIS/BAS questionnaire and performed a gambling task paradigm in which they received monetary rewards or punishments. Overall, our task replicated previous results that have related processing high reward outcomes with activation of striatum and medial frontal areas, whereas processing high punishment outcomes was associated with stronger activity in insula and middle cingulate. As expected, the individual differences in the activity of dorsomedial striatum correlated positively with BAS-Drive. Our results agree with previous studies that have related the dorsomedial striatum with instrumental performance, and suggest that the individual differences in this area may form part of the neural substrate responsible for modulating instrumental conditioning by reward sensitivity.

Death and Dying: Issues for Educational Gerontologists.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wass, Hannelore, Myers, Jane E.

1984-01-01

Reviews research on death orientations, the dying process, and bereavement, with a major focus on the elderly. Suggests that relevant knowledge about death and dying are important for gerontological practitioners and proposes that death-related content be systematically integrated into academic curricula at the preservice and inservice levels.…

Application Specific Electronic Module Program (ASEM), Final Technical Report.

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-12-14

relatively high temperatures , may induce a metal break or other continuity problems. Secondly, the improved electrical environment at the module level vs...wafer probe can permit higher speed tests to be applied, isolating marginal die. Thirdly, high reliability screens, such as temperature cycling, bum-in...The high temperature aging is done at 150’ C for 500 hours. The thermal cycle treatments are from 0- 100 0 C and 3 cycles per hour are done. The

Model Development of Degradation of PV Modules Backsheet with Locating Place of Module

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

Kempe, Michael D; Wang, Yu; Fairbrother, Andrew

Performance of a photovoltaic (PV) module is related to the micro-environment around the module. The position of photovoltaic modules in an array row have a large effect on the yellowing and gloss of PV module backsheet exposed in Dfa climatic zone (Gaithersburg, MD) with a polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) outer layer. Stress/Response models of yellowing and gloss-losing as function of location parameters of module, including the shed, row, measurement position in a same module and the distance of module location to the row center, are under development. The module installation height had the greatest influence on degradation of PEN PV backsheetmore » in the Dfa climatic zone. The module backsheets at the end of an array have higher degradation rate (edge effect). The edge effect decreases with increasing of module installation heights.« less

Kundenfokus: Startpunkt für die digitale Transformation bei Stadtwerken

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fett, Perry; Küller, Philipp

Big Data, Internet der Dinge, Mobile Computing und soziale Medien - die modernen Informationstechnologien durchdringen den Alltag der meisten Menschen und lösen hierdurch eine digitale Transformation aus. Im Unternehmenskontext manifestiert sich die Digitalisierung durch eine neue Qualität der wissensbasierten Entscheidungsunterstützung und der Automatisierung bzw. Autonomisierung der Geschäftsprozesse. Für Stadtwerke gilt es nun, die Chancen der Digitalisierung zu ihren Gunsten zu nutzen. Ein Startpunkt könnte hierbei sein, wie Stadtwerke zukünftig mit ihren Kunden interagieren. Ausgelöst durch die Liberalisierung der Märkte rückt der Kunde heute stärker in den Mittelpunkt - die Energiewirtschaft steht nun vor der Herausforderung, dem Wettbewerb einen Schritt voraus zu sein und dem Kunden ein absolut positives Kundenerlebnis (Customer Experience) sowohl als Maßnahme zur Kundenbindung als auch zum Kundenaufbau zu bieten. Das vorliegende Kapitel zeigt hierfür die Erfolgskriterien für die gelungene Etablierung des Kundenfokus im eigenen Unternehmen auf. Mit dem Customer-Focus-Cycle-Modell von Fujitsu, angelehnt an den Deming-Kreislauf, wird ein allgemeingültiger Ansatz für ein mögliches Vorgehen beim Aufbau des Kundenfokus vorgestellt. Die sechs Phasen werden dabei anhand praktischer Beispiele erläutert und geben zudem Hinweise zu Methoden und Tools. Aus dem vorgestellten "Werkzeugkasten" wird ferner die Customer-Journey-Methode im Detail erläutert. Weiter soll das präsentierte Reifegradmodell Unternehmen dabei unterstützen, den eigenen Status quo festzustellen und die persönlichen Ziele auf dem Weg zur kundenzentrierten Organisation festzulegen.

Why do older people oppose physician-assisted dying? A qualitative study.

PubMed

Malpas, Phillipa J; Wilson, Maria K R; Rae, Nicola; Johnson, Malcolm

2014-04-01

Physician-assisted dying at the end of life has become a significant issue of public discussion. While legally available in a number of countries and jurisdictions, it remains controversial and illegal in New Zealand. The study aimed to explore the reasons some healthy older New Zealanders oppose physician-assisted dying in order to inform current debate. Recorded interviews were transcribed and analysed by the authors after some edits had been made by respondents. In all, 11 older participants (over 65 years) who responded to advertisements placed in Grey Power magazines and a University of Auckland email list were interviewed for around 1 h and asked a number of open-ended questions. Four central themes opposing physician-assisted dying were identified from the interviews: one's personal experience with health care and dying and death, religious reasoning and beliefs, slippery slope worries and concern about potential abuses if physician-assisted dying were legalised. An important finding of the study suggests that how some older individuals think about physician-assisted dying is strongly influenced by their past experiences of dying and death. While some participants had witnessed good, well-managed dying and death experiences which confirmed for them the view that physician-assisted dying was unnecessary, those who had witnessed poor dying and death experiences opposed physician-assisted dying on the grounds that such practices could come to be abused by others.

Death and help expected from nurses when dying.

PubMed

Shih, Fu-Jin; Gau, Meei-Ling; Lin, Yaw-Sheng; Pong, Suang-Jing; Lin, Hung-Ru

2006-07-01

This project was undertaken to ascertain the perceptions of a group of Taiwan's fourth-year bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) students regarding death and help expected from nurses during the dying process. Within the Chinese culture, death is one of the most important life issues. However, in many Chinese societies it is difficult for people to reveal their deepest feelings to their significant others or loved ones. It was in this context that this project was developed because little is known about how Taiwan's nursing students perceive death and the dying process. Using an open-ended, self-report questionnaire, 110 senior BSN students recorded their thoughts on: (1) their fears before physical death; (2) afterlife destinations; and (3) the help they would expect from nurses when dying. The data were analyzed using a three-layer qualitative thematic analysis. The students' reported needs during the dying process were directed towards three main goals: (1) help in reaching the 'triple targets of individual life'; (2) help in facilitating in-depth support so that both the dying person and significant others can experience a blessed farewell; and (3) help in reaching a destination in the afterlife. The results support the belief of dying as a transition occurring when life weans itself from the mortal world and prepares for an afterlife.

Cultural beliefs about a patient's right time to die: an exploratory study.

PubMed

Perkins, Henry S; Cortez, Josie D; Hazuda, Helen P

2009-11-01

Generalist physicians must often counsel patients or their families about the right time to die, but feel ill-prepared to do so. Patient beliefs may help guide the discussions. Because little prior research addresses such beliefs, we investigated them in this exploratory, hypothesis-generating study. Anticipating culture as a key influence, we interviewed 26 Mexican Americans (MAs), 18 Euro-Americans (EAs), and 14 African Americans (AAs) and content-analyzed their responses. Nearly all subjects regardless of ethnic group or gender said God determines (at least partially) a patient's right time to die, and serious disease signals it. Yet subjects differed by ethnic group over other signals for that time. Patient suffering and dependence on "artificial" life support signaled it for the MAs; patient acceptance of death signaled it for the EAs; and patient suffering and family presence at or before the death signaled it for the AAs. Subjects also differed by gender over other beliefs. In all ethnic groups more men than women said the time of death is unpredictable; but more women than men said the time of death is preset, and family suffering signals it. Furthermore, most MA women--but few others--explicitly declared that family have an important say in determining a patient's right time to die. No confounding occurred by religion. Americans may share some beliefs about the right time to die but differ by ethnic group or gender over other beliefs about that time. Quality end-of-life care requires accommodating such differences whenever reasonable.

α-Fetoprotein as a modulator of the pro-inflammatory response of human keratinocytes

PubMed Central

Potapovich, AI; Pastore, S; Kostyuk, VA; Lulli, D; Mariani, V; De Luca, C; Dudich, EI; Korkina, LG

2009-01-01

Background and purpose: The immunomodulatory effects of α-fetoprotein (AFP) on lymphocytes and macrophages have been described in vitro and in vivo. Recombinant forms of human AFP have been proposed as potential therapeutic entities for the treatment of autoimmune diseases. We examined the effects of embryonic and recombinant human AFP on the spontaneous, UVA- and cytokine-induced pro-inflammatory responses of human keratinocytes. Experimental approach: Cultures of primary and immortalized human keratinocytes (HaCaT) and human blood T lymphocytes were used. The effects of AFP on cytokine expression were studied by bioplexed elisa and quantitative reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction assay. Kinase and nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) phosphorylation were quantified by intracellular elisa. Nuclear activator protein 1 and NFκB DNA binding activity was measured by specific assays. Nitric oxide and H2O2 production and redox status were assessed by fluorescent probe and biochemical methods. Key results: All forms of AFP enhanced baseline expression of cytokines, chemokines and growth factors. AFP dose-dependently increased tumour necrosis factor alpha-stimulated granulocyte macrophage colony stimulating factor and interleukin 8 expression and decreased tumour necrosis factor alpha-induced monocyte chemotactic protein 1 and IP-10 (interferon gamma-produced protein of 10 kDa) expression. AFP induced a marked activator protein 1 activation in human keratinocytes. AFP also increased H2O2 and modulated nitrite/nitrate levels in non-stimulated keratinocytes whereas it did not affect these parameters or cytokine release from UVA-stimulated cells. Phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) and Akt1 but not NFκB was activated by AFP alone or by its combination with UVA. Conclusions and implications: Exogenous AFP induces activation of human keratinocytes, with de novo expression of a number of pro-inflammatory mediators and modulation of their

Input-Specific Gain Modulation by Local Sensory Context Shapes Cortical and Thalamic Responses to Complex Sounds.

PubMed

Williamson, Ross S; Ahrens, Misha B; Linden, Jennifer F; Sahani, Maneesh

2016-07-20

Sensory neurons are customarily characterized by one or more linearly weighted receptive fields describing sensitivity in sensory space and time. We show that in auditory cortical and thalamic neurons, the weight of each receptive field element depends on the pattern of sound falling within a local neighborhood surrounding it in time and frequency. Accounting for this change in effective receptive field with spectrotemporal context improves predictions of both cortical and thalamic responses to stationary complex sounds. Although context dependence varies among neurons and across brain areas, there are strong shared qualitative characteristics. In a spectrotemporally rich soundscape, sound elements modulate neuronal responsiveness more effectively when they coincide with sounds at other frequencies, and less effectively when they are preceded by sounds at similar frequencies. This local-context-driven lability in the representation of complex sounds-a modulation of "input-specific gain" rather than "output gain"-may be a widespread motif in sensory processing. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Cascaded die mountings with spring-loaded contact-bond options

DOEpatents

Hsu, John S.; Adams, Donald J.; Su, Gui-Jia; Marlino, Laura D.; Ayers, Curtis W.; Coomer, Chester

2005-08-16

A cascaded die mounting device and method using spring contacts for die attachment, with or without metallic bonds between the contacts and the dies, is disclosed. One embodiment is for the direct refrigerant cooling of an inverter/converter carrying higher power levels than most of the low power circuits previously taught, and does not require using a heat sink.

Local not systemic modulation of dendritic cell S1P receptors in lung blunts virus-specific immune responses to influenza

PubMed Central

Marsolais, David; Hahm, Bumsuk; Edelmann, Kurt H.; Walsh, Kevin B.; Guerrero, Miguel; Hatta, Yasuko; Kawaoka, Yoshihiro; Roberts, Edward; Oldstone, Michael B. A.; Rosen, Hugh

2008-01-01

The mechanism by which locally delivered sphingosine analogs regulate host response to localized viral infection has never been addressed. In this report, we show that intra-tracheal (i.t.) delivery of chiral sphingosine analog AAL-R or its phosphate ester inhibits the T cell response to influenza-virus infection. In contrast, neither intra-peritoneal (i.p.) delivery of AAL-R nor i.t. instillation of the non-phosphorylable stereoisomer AAL-S suppressed virus-specific T cell response, indicating that in vivo phosphorylation of AAL-R and S1P receptor modulation in lungs are essential for immunomodulation. I.t. delivery of water soluble S1P1 receptor agonist at doses sufficient to induce systemic lymphopenia did not inhibit virus-specific T cell response indicating that S1P1 is not involved in the immunosuppressive activities of AAL-R and that immunosuppression acts independently of naïve lymphocyte recirculation. Accumulation of dendritic cells (DCs) in draining lymph nodes was inhibited by i.t. but not i.p. delivery of AAL-R. Direct modulation of DCs is demonstrated by the impaired ability of virus-infected bone-marrow derived DCs treated in vitro with AAL-R to trigger in vivo T cell response after adoptive transfer to the airways. Thus, our results suggest that locally delivered sphingosine analogs induce immunosuppression by modulating S1P receptors other than S1P1 or S1P2 on dendritic cells in the lungs after influenza virus infection. PMID:18577684

Machining of Silicon-Ribbon-Forming Dies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Menna, A. A.

1985-01-01

Carbon extension for dies used in forming silicon ribbon crystals machined precisely with help of special tool. Die extension has edges beveled toward narrow flats at top, with slot precisely oriented and centered between flats and bevels. Cutting tool assembled from standard angle cutter and circular saw or saws. Angle cutters cuts bevels while slot saw cuts slot between them. In alternative version, custom-ground edges or additional circular saws also cut flats simultaneously.

25 CFR 301.3 - Specifications of dies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 25 Indians 2 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Specifications of dies. 301.3 Section 301.3 Indians INDIAN ARTS AND CRAFTS BOARD, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR NAVAJO, PUEBLO, AND HOPI SILVER AND TURQUOISE... more mechanical than hand tools and vise. Dies shall contain only a single element of the design. ...

Continental-scale consequences of tree die-offs in North America: identifying where forest loss matters most

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Swann, Abigail L. S.; Laguë, Marysa M.; Garcia, Elizabeth S.; Field, Jason P.; Breshears, David D.; Moore, David J. P.; Saleska, Scott R.; Stark, Scott C.; Villegas, Juan Camilo; Law, Darin J.; Minor, David M.

2018-05-01

Regional-scale tree die-off events driven by drought and warming and associated pests and pathogens have occurred recently on all forested continents and are projected to increase in frequency and extent with future warming. Within areas where tree mortality has occurred, ecological, hydrological and meteorological consequences are increasingly being documented. However, the potential for tree die-off to impact vegetation processes and related carbon dynamics in areas remote to where die-off occurs has rarely been systematically evaluated, particularly for multiple distinct regions within a given continent. Such remote impacts can occur when climate effects of local vegetation change are propagated by atmospheric circulation—the phenomena of ‘ecoclimate teleconnections’. We simulated tree die-off events in the 13 most densely forested US regions (selected from the 20 US National Ecological Observatory Network [NEON] domains) and found that tree die-off even for smaller regions has potential to affect climate and hence Gross Primary Productivity (GPP) in disparate regions (NEON domains), either positively or negatively. Some regions exhibited strong teleconnections to several others, and some regions were relatively sensitive to tree loss regardless of what other region the tree loss occurred in. For the US as a whole, loss of trees in the Pacific Southwest—an area undergoing rapid tree die-off—had the largest negative impact on remote US GPP whereas loss of trees in the Mid-Atlantic had the largest positive impact. This research lays a foundation for hypotheses that identify how the effects of tree die-off (or other types of tree loss such as deforestation) can ricochet across regions by revealing hot-spots of forcing and response. Such modes of connectivity have direct applicability for improving models of climate change impacts and for developing more informed and coordinated carbon accounting across regions.

The Response Scale for the Intellectual Disability Module of the WHOQOL: 5-Point or 3-Point?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fang, J.; Fleck, M. P.; Green, A.; McVilly, K.; Hao, Y.; Tan, W.; Fu, R.; Power, M.

2011-01-01

Objective: To deal with the question of whether a 5-point response Likert scale should be changed to a 3-point scale when used in the field testing of people with intellectual disabilities (IDs), which was raised after the pilot study of World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL)-DIS, a module being developed with the World Health…

A Hollow Extrusion Die for Big Square Tube Profiles of Al-alloy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Xuemei; Deng, Rurong

2018-03-01

The factors on premature failure of the traditional extrusion die for the big square tube profiles were introduced. And the characteristics of the conventional structure were analyzed. A new type of hollow die structure for these profiles was presented. And the composition elements of the new die structure were described, including its advantages. According to the comparison conventional with new die structure in use, it was shown that the new die structure has obvious advantages, it could greatly improve the die life. This is a type of die structure which is worth promoting.

Subtype-Specific Radiation Response and Therapeutic Effect of FAS Death Receptor Modulation in Human Breast Cancer.

PubMed

Lee, Chen-Ting; Zhou, Yingchun; Roy-Choudhury, Kingshuk; Siamakpour-Reihani, Sharareh; Young, Kenneth; Hoang, Peter; Kirkpatrick, John P; Chi, Jen-Tsan A; Dewhirst, Mark W; Horton, Janet K

2017-08-01

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy diagnosed among women and represents a heterogeneous group of subtypes. Radiation therapy is a critical component of treatment for breast cancer patients. However, little is known about radiation response among these intrinsic subtypes. In previous studies, we identified a significant induction of FAS after irradiation in biologically favorable breast cancer patients and breast cancer cell lines. Here, we expanded our study and investigated radiation response in a mouse model of breast cancer. MCF7 (luminal), HCC1954 (HER2 + ) or SUM159 (basal) cells were implanted orthotopically into the dorsal mammary fat pad of nude mice. These mice were then treated with different doses of radiation to assess tumor growth control. We further investigated the therapeutic effect of FAS modulation by silencing FAS in radiation-responsive tumors and injecting FAS agonist antibody into radiation-resistant tumors. Exposure to radiation inhibited MCF7, and to a lesser extent HCC1954 tumor growth in a dose-dependent manner. In contrast, SUM159 tumors were resistant to radiation. The estimated TCD 50 values were 19.3 Gy for MCF7 and 44.9 Gy for SUM159. Radiation induced FAS expression in MCF7 tumors, but not SUM159 tumors. We found that silencing of FAS did not negatively impact radiation response in MCF7 tumors, possibly due to compensation by other apoptotic pathways. On the other hand, FAS activating antibody in combination with radiation treatment delayed SUM159 and HCC1954 tumor growth. However, it did not reach statistical significance compared to radiation treatment alone. Our results suggest that there is intrinsic variation in radiation response among breast cancer subtypes. FAS activation concurrent with radiation slows tumor growth in the radiation-resistant subtypes, but the effect was not significant. Alternative subtype-specific modulators of radiation response are under investigation.

Octopamine and Dopamine differentially modulate the nicotine-induced calcium response in Drosophila Mushroom Body Kenyon Cells.

PubMed

Leyton, V; Goles, N I; Fuenzalida-Uribe, N; Campusano, J M

2014-02-07

In Drosophila associative olfactory learning, an odor, the conditioned stimulus (CS), is paired to an unconditioned stimulus (US). The CS and US information arrive at the Mushroom Bodies (MB), a Drosophila brain region that processes the information to generate new memories. It has been shown that olfactory information is conveyed through cholinergic inputs that activate nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) in the MB, while the US is coded by biogenic amine (BA) systems that innervate the MB. In this regard, the MB acts as a coincidence detector. A better understanding of the properties of the responses gated by nicotinic and BA receptors is required to get insights on the cellular and molecular mechanisms responsible for memory formation. In recent years, information has become available on the properties of the responses induced by nAChR activation in Kenyon Cells (KCs), the main neuronal MB population. However, very little information exists on the responses induced by aminergic systems in fly MB. Here we have evaluated some of the properties of the calcium responses gated by Dopamine (DA) and Octopamine (Oct) in identified KCs in culture. We report that exposure to BAs induces a fast but rather modest increase in intracellular calcium levels in cultured KCs. The responses to Oct and DA are fully blocked by a VGCC blocker, while they are differentially modulated by cAMP. Moreover, co-application of BAs and nicotine has different effects on intracellular calcium levels: while DA and nicotine effects are additive, Oct and nicotine induce a synergistic increase in calcium levels. These results suggest that a differential modulation of nicotine-induced calcium increase by DA and Oct could contribute to the events leading to learning and memory in flies. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Correction to: Stem Cells from Human Exfoliated Deciduous Teeth Modulate Early Astrocyte Response after Spinal Cord Contusion.

PubMed

Nicola, Fabrício; Marques, Marília Rossato; Odorcyk, Felipe; Petenuzzo, Letícia; Aristimunha, Dirceu; Vizuete, Adriana; Sanches, Eduardo Farias; Pereira, Daniela Pavulack; Maurmann, Natasha; Gonçalves, Carlos-Alberto; Pranke, Patricia; Netto, Carlos Alexandre

2018-06-16

The authors hereby declare that the Figure 4 in page eight of the paper "Stem cells from human exfoliated deciduous teeth modulate early astrocyte response after spinal cord contusion" authored by Fabrício Nicola and colleagues (DOI: 10.1007/s12035-018-1127-4) was mistakenly included.

Charles E. Land, Ph.D., acclaimed statistical expert on radiation risk assessment, died January 2018

Cancer.gov

Charles E. Land, Ph.D., an internationally acclaimed statistical expert on radiation risk assessment, died January 25, 2018. He retired in 2009 from the NCI Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics. Dr. Land performed pioneering work in modern radiation dose-response analysis and modeling of low-dose cancer risk.

Fast response of mechatronics module for robotic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bukhanov, S. S.; Gryzlov, A. A.; Tsirkunenko, A. T.

2018-05-01

The synthesis technique, the mathematical model and results of experimental investigation of the control system of the robotic complex mechatronic module are presented in the article. It is shown that in most cases the dynamic system can be approximated by the serial connection of two first-order aperiodic links, while the speed in the torque control loop can reach 200-300 rad/s. The specified speed of the system was achieved due to improved specific weight and dimensions parameters of the electric drive (element of the mechatronic system) made on the basis of a contactless motor. The obtained results indicate the possibility of successful application of the proposed mechatronic module for objects of robotized systems in which the reference signal changes at a frequency not exceeding 50 Hz.

Pharmacoepigenomic responses of antipsychotic drugs on pharmacogenes are likely to be modulated by miRNAs.

PubMed

Swathy, Babu; Saradalekshmi, Koramannil R; Nair, Indu V; Nair, Chandrasekharan; Banerjee, Moinak

2017-06-01

It is imperative to differentiate the role of host epigenetics from pharmacoepigenetics in resolving therapeutic response. Therefore, the objective was to identify how antipsychotic drugs influence epigenetic response on pharmacogenes. The study design was based on in vitro evaluation of pharmacoepigenetic response of haloperidol, clozapine and olanzapine. Post antipsychotic treatment, the alterations in expression of ABCB1, CYP1A2 and CYP3A4 were monitored, and followed up by promoter methylation and their target miRNA expression studies. Critical observations were followed up in a restrictive clinical setting. Under in vitro conditions increased expression of ABCB1, CYP1A2 and CYP3A4 was observed which seems to be regulated by miR-27a and miR-128a and not by methylation. A similar pattern was observed in clinical setting with ABCB1, which was reflective of good therapeutic response. The study demonstrates that antipsychotic drugs can influence miRNA-mediated epigenetic response in pharmacogenes resulting in modulating therapeutic response.

Breaking bad news about transitions to dying: a qualitative exploration of the role of the District Nurse.

PubMed

Griffiths, Jane; Ewing, Gail; Wilson, Charlotte; Connolly, Michael; Grande, Gunn

2015-02-01

UK District Nurses have an important role in enabling a good death. Patients and families need to know the patient is approaching the dying phase, yet evidence suggests breaking bad news about the patient's transition to dying rarely happens. District Nurses spend a lot of time with patients and families during the dying phase and are ideally placed to recognise and discuss the transition to dying. To explore the role of District Nurses in breaking bad news of transition to dying. Qualitative focus groups. Primary care (District Nurse service); Four National Health Service Trusts, North West England. A total of 40 District Nurses across the Trusts, all Registered General Nurse qualified. Median number of years as a District Nurse was 12.5. All had palliative cancer patients on their caseloads. District Nurses' role in breaking bad news of transition to dying was challenging, but the conversation was described as essential preparation for a good death. Four main challenges with the conversations were patients' responses to the prognosis (unawareness, denial and anger), timing the conversation, complexities of the home environment and limited preparation in this aspect of their work. District Nurses are with patients during their last weeks of life. While other colleagues can avoid breaking bad news of transition to dying, District Nurses have no choice if they are to provide optimal end of life care. While ideally placed to carry out this work, it is complex and they are unprepared for it. They urgently need carefully tailored training in this aspect of their work, to enable them to provide optimal end of life care. © The Author(s) 2014.

Margin adaptation of indirect composite inlays fabricated on flexible dies.

PubMed

Price, R B; Gerrow, J D

2000-03-01

Indirect composite restorations can be made in 1 appointment using a flexible die. Interactions between different impression materials and flexible die materials may affect the accuracy of fit and margin adaptation of the restoration. This study compared the margin adaptation of composite inlays made using the following 5 impression/flexible die material combinations; condensation silicone/polyvinyl siloxane (CS/PVS), wash viscosity polyvinyl siloxane/medium or heavy viscosity polyvinyl siloxane (PVS/PVS), irreversible hydrocolloid impression/medium viscosity polyvinyl siloxane (IH/PVS), wash viscosity polyvinyl siloxane impression/polyether (PVS/PE), with composite inlays made using a control system of a wash viscosity polyvinyl siloxane impression and a type IV stone die. For each test and control system, 10 impressions were made of a class II composite inlay preparation in a metal master die. One die was made from each impression and one composite inlay was made and finished on each die (a total of 60 inlays). Inlays were placed on the master die and the margin opening at the buccal, distal, and gingival sites was recorded with a measuring microscope (x40 magnification). The overall mean +/- SD margin openings of inlays made from the systems were as follows: PVS wash/PVS heavy viscosity 149.5 +/- 107. 4 microm; PVS wash/PVS medium viscosity 87.4 +/- 63.0 microm; IH/PVS medium viscosity 76.7 +/- 48.9 microm; CS/PVS 73.3 +/- 48.7 microm, PVS wash viscosity/PE 64.0 +/- 44.3 microm, PVS wash viscosity/stone 53.9 +/- 48.3 microm. Composite inlays made using the PVS wash viscosity/PVS heavy viscosity system had significantly larger distal, gingival, and overall mean margin openings than all other inlays (ANOVA and Fisher PLSD test; P =.05). The separating medium required between some impression and die materials did not work consistently. Composite inlays fabricated on dies made of material different than the impression material had mean buccal, distal, gingival, and

[End-of-life-care and euthanasia: medical assistance in dying or help to die].

PubMed

Müller-Busch, H Christof

2008-01-01

The debate on euthanasia that has been started all over Europe, but especially in Germany has been particularly complicated by unclear and inconsistent definitions. Medical decisions in end-of-life care gain increasing importance not only for the time of death but also for the kind and quality of the dying process. Though legal regulations can help to diminish doubts about the permissibility of various measures in end-of-life care, teaching and knowledge of ethical principles, communication skills, respect, transparency and knowledge of palliative care options seem to be the most important factors in accompanying the dying professionally and with dignity and even in achieving a consented compromise when aid in hastening death is asked for.

Student Nurses' Perception of Death and Dying

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Niederriter, Joan E.

2009-01-01

Student nurses are involved in caring for patients who are actively dying or who have been told they have a terminal illness and are faced with the process of dying. Students encounter these patients in hospitals, nursing homes, at home or in hospice care settings. According to Robinson (2004), "nurses are the healthcare providers that are most…

The Right To Die. Public Talk Series.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Pasquerella, Lynn

This program guide on the right to die provides policy issue information where ethical concerns have a prominent place. Three positions about the right to die are presented: (1) mercy killing and assisted suicide should be legally permitted in certain cases; (2) legal status should be given to living wills and other advance directives that would…

Segregation of Visual Response Properties in the Mouse Superior Colliculus and Their Modulation during Locomotion

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

The superior colliculus (SC) receives direct input from the retina and integrates it with information about sound, touch, and state of the animal that is relayed from other parts of the brain to initiate specific behavioral outcomes. The superficial SC layers (sSC) contain cells that respond to visual stimuli, whereas the deep SC layers (dSC) contain cells that also respond to auditory and somatosensory stimuli. Here, we used a large-scale silicon probe recording system to examine the visual response properties of SC cells of head-fixed and alert male mice. We found cells with diverse response properties including: (1) orientation/direction-selective (OS/DS) cells with a firing rate that is suppressed by drifting sinusoidal gratings (negative OS/DS cells); (2) suppressed-by-contrast cells; (3) cells with complex-like spatial summation nonlinearity; and (4) cells with Y-like spatial summation nonlinearity. We also found specific response properties that are enriched in different depths of the SC. The sSC is enriched with cells with small RFs, high evoked firing rates (FRs), and sustained temporal responses, whereas the dSC is enriched with the negative OS/DS cells and with cells with large RFs, low evoked FRs, and transient temporal responses. Locomotion modulates the activity of the SC cells both additively and multiplicatively and changes the preferred spatial frequency of some SC cells. These results provide the first description of the negative OS/DS cells and demonstrate that the SC segregates cells with different response properties and that the behavioral state of a mouse affects SC activity. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The superior colliculus (SC) receives visual input from the retina in its superficial layers (sSC) and induces eye/head-orientating movements and innate defensive responses in its deeper layers (dSC). Despite their importance, very little is known about the visual response properties of dSC neurons. Using high-density electrode recordings and novel

Modulation of Caenorhabditis elegans immune response and modification of Shigella endotoxin upon interaction.

PubMed

Kesika, Periyanaina; Prasanth, Mani Iyer; Balamurugan, Krishnaswamy

2015-04-01

To analyze the pathogenesis at both physiological and molecular level using the model organism, Caenorhabditis elegans at different developmental stages in response to Shigella spp. and its pathogen associated molecular patterns such as lipopolysaccharide. The solid plate and liquid culture-based infection assays revealed that Shigella spp. infects C. elegans and had an impact on the brood size and pharyngeal pumping rate. LPS of Shigella spp. was toxic to C. elegans. qPCR analysis revealed that host innate immune genes have been modulated upon Shigella spp. infections and its LPS challenges. Non-destructive analysis was performed to kinetically assess the alterations in LPS during interaction of Shigella spp. with C. elegans. The modulation of innate immune genes attributed the surrendering of host immune system to Shigella spp. by favoring the infection. LPS appeared to have a major role in Shigella-mediated pathogenesis and Shigella employs a tactic behavior of modifying its LPS content to escape from the recognition of host immune system. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Digitalisierung als Inkubator für die Energieversorgung von morgen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arnold, Christian; Postina, Matthias

Neue Treiber der Digitalisierung bestimmen die Geschicke der etablierten Unternehmen im Energiebereich, dabei haben diese in vielen Fällen noch nicht einmal adäquat auf die altbekannten Treiber der Energiewende reagiert. Eine ganze Branche ist im Umbruch, alte Erlösmodelle brechen ein und Einigkeit scheint bei den Verantwortlichen nur in der Frage zu herrschen, wie in Zukunft noch Geld verdient werden kann. Dieser Beitrag erklärt die prägenden Treiber der Veränderung, analysiert die Ausgangslage und nennt Herausforderungen der Branche. Darüber hinaus legt er den Fokus auf die Betrachtung der neuen digitalen Wertschöpfung. Dazu wird ein Modell eingeführt, welches von der klassischen Wertschöpfungskette über datenbasierte Geschäftsmodelle im Energiesystem bis hin zum Internet of Smart Services reicht. Mit dem Modell geben die Autoren gleichsam Einblick in das geplante Energiewendeprojekt enera.

Adenovirus E1B 19-Kilodalton Protein Modulates Innate Immunity through Apoptotic Mimicry

PubMed Central

Grigera, Fernando; Ucker, David S.; Cook, James L.

2014-01-01

ABSTRACT Cells that undergo apoptosis in response to chemical or physical stimuli repress inflammatory reactions, but cells that undergo nonapoptotic death in response to such stimuli lack this activity. Whether cells dying from viral infection exhibit a cell death-type modulatory effect on inflammatory reactions is unknown. We compared the effects on macrophage inflammatory responses of cells dying an apoptotic or a nonapoptotic death as a result of adenoviral infection. The results were exactly opposite to the predictions from the conventional paradigm. Cells dying by apoptosis induced by infection with an adenovirus type 5 (Ad5) E1B 19-kilodalton (E1B 19K) gene deletion mutant did not repress macrophage NF-κB activation or cytokine responses to proinflammatory stimuli, whereas cells dying a nonapoptotic death from infection with E1B 19K-competent, wild-type Ad5 repressed these macrophage inflammatory responses as well as cells undergoing classical apoptosis in response to chemical injury. The immunorepressive, E1B 19K-related cell death activity depended upon direct contact of the virally infected corpses with responder macrophages. Replacement of the viral E1B 19K gene with the mammalian Bcl-2 gene in cis restored the nonapoptotic, immunorepressive cell death activity of virally infected cells. These results define a novel function of the antiapoptotic, adenoviral E1B 19K protein that may limit local host innate immune inflammation during accumulation of virally infected cells at sites of infection and suggest that E1B 19K-deleted, replicating adenoviral vectors might induce greater inflammatory responses to virally infected cells than E1B 19K-positive vectors, because of the net effect of their loss-of-function mutation. IMPORTANCE We observed that cells dying a nonapoptotic cell death induced by adenovirus infection repressed macrophage proinflammatory responses while cells dying by apoptosis induced by infection with an E1B 19K deletion mutant virus did not

The arabidopsis polyamine transporter LHRI/AtPUT3 modulates heat responsive gene expression by regulating mRNA stability

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Polyamines (PA) involve in the gene regulation by interacting with various anionic macromolecules such as DNA, RNA and proteins and modulating their structure and function. Previous studies have showed that changing in polyamine biosynthesis alters plant response to different abiotic stresses. Here,...

Analysis and modeling of hot extrusion die for its service life enhancement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akhtar, Syed Sohail

Aluminum extrusion finds extensive application in the construction, automobile and aerospace industries. High pressures, elevated temperatures, complex and intricate section geometries lead to repeated mechanical and thermal stresses in the die and affiliated tooling. Product rework and rejects can be traced back to various defects spread over the die life cycle: die design, die manufacture and heat treatment, process parameters, inprocess die maintenance/correction and, billet type and quality. Therefore, improved and efficient service life of die and related tooling used in the extrusion press is one the most important factors in maximizing productivity and minimizing cost for ensuring the economical efficiency of an aluminum extrusion plant. How often a die has to be scrapped and replaced with a new one directly contributes to the commercial viability of producing a certain profile. The focus of the current work is on three distinct yet inter-related studies pertaining to the improvement of aluminum extrusion die. Study-A (Die Failure Analysis) is an investigation of various modes and critical failure types based on industrial data (Chapter-2 ), examination of failed dies and finite element simulation for identification of critical process parameters and design features in die fatigue-life (Chapter-3). In Study-B (Die Surface Hardening Treatment), two-stage controlled gas nitriding process for H13 steel is evaluated, both experimentally and numerically, in terms of nitrided case morphology and properties (Chapter-4) followed by experimental and numerical investigation of the effects of repeated nitriding (Chapter-5), pre-nitriding surface preparation (Chapter-6) and die profile geometry (Chapter-7) on nitriding performance in regard to die service life. In Study-C (Effect of Billet Quality on Die Life), the effect of billet quality and related influencing extrusion parameters on the die service life is investigated based on industrial data and some regression

[Dying with cancer: Hollywood lessons].

PubMed

Niemeyer, Fernanda; Kruse, Maria Henriqueta Luce

2013-12-01

The study attempts to understand how dying from cancer is portrayed by five movies produced in Hollywood between 1993 and 2006. Based on the cultural studies and their post-structuralism version and supported by the notions of discourse and subjectivity, as proposed by philosopher Michel Foucault, we suggest one of the possible readings of the movie picture corpus. We assess how the movie picture discourse acts as a cultural pedagogy that produces ways of seeing dying with cancer: immortalizing the healthy body image, silencing death, taking care of the dead body and, finally, accepting death. Our proposal is intended to stimulate reflections that may contribute to care and education in nursing.

Activity in Face-Responsive Brain Regions is Modulated by Invisible, Attended Faces: Evidence from Masked Priming

PubMed Central

Eger, Evelyn; Dolan, Raymond; Henson, Richard N.

2009-01-01

It is often assumed that neural activity in face-responsive regions of primate cortex correlates with conscious perception of faces. However, whether such activity occurs without awareness is still debated. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in conjunction with a novel masked face priming paradigm, we observed neural modulations that could not be attributed to perceptual awareness. More specifically, we found reduced activity in several classic face-processing regions, including the “fusiform face area,” “occipital face area,” and superior temporal sulcus, when a face was preceded by a briefly flashed image of the same face, relative to a different face, even when 2 images of the same face differed. Importantly, unlike most previous studies, which have minimized awareness by using conditions of inattention, the present results occurred when the stimuli (the primes) were attended. By contrast, when primes were perceived consciously, in a long-lag priming paradigm, we found repetition-related activity increases in additional frontal and parietal regions. These data not only demonstrate that fMRI activity in face-responsive regions can be modulated independently of perceptual awareness, but also document where such subliminal face-processing occurs (i.e., restricted to face-responsive regions of occipital and temporal cortex) and to what extent (i.e., independent of the specific image). PMID:18400791

Tool & Die Technician.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ohio State Univ., Columbus. Center on Education and Training for Employment.

This document contains 23 units to consider for use in a tech prep competency profile for the occupation of tool and die technician. All the units listed will not necessarily apply to every situation or tech prep consortium, nor will all the competencies within each unit be appropriate. Several units appear within each specific occupation and…

Dying to Play.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, John K.

1998-01-01

In August 1995, a young football player died as a result of heat exhaustion suffered on the first day of football practice in Arkansas. Spurred by this tragedy, the district made some changes that every school district with an athletic program should consider. These include using a heat-stress monitor; abandoning the practice of group physical…

Impulsivity modulates performance under response uncertainty in a reaching task.

PubMed

Tzagarakis, C; Pellizzer, G; Rogers, R D

2013-03-01

We sought to explore the interaction of the impulsivity trait with response uncertainty. To this end, we used a reaching task (Pellizzer and Hedges in Exp Brain Res 150:276-289, 2003) where a motor response direction was cued at different levels of uncertainty (1 cue, i.e., no uncertainty, 2 cues or 3 cues). Data from 95 healthy adults (54 F, 41 M) were analysed. Impulsivity was measured using the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale version 11 (BIS-11). Behavioral variables recorded were reaction time (RT), errors of commission (referred to as 'early errors') and errors of precision. Data analysis employed generalised linear mixed models and generalised additive mixed models. For the early errors, there was an interaction of impulsivity with uncertainty and gender, with increased errors for high impulsivity in the one-cue condition for women and the three-cue condition for men. There was no effect of impulsivity on precision errors or RT. However, the analysis of the effect of RT and impulsivity on precision errors showed a different pattern for high versus low impulsives in the high uncertainty (3 cue) condition. In addition, there was a significant early error speed-accuracy trade-off for women, primarily in low uncertainty and a 'reverse' speed-accuracy trade-off for men in high uncertainty. These results extend those of past studies of impulsivity which help define it as a behavioural trait that modulates speed versus accuracy response styles depending on environmental constraints and highlight once more the importance of gender in the interplay of personality and behaviour.

Case report: inclusion body disease of cranes: a serological follow-up to the 1978 die-off

USGS Publications Warehouse

Docherty, D.E.; Romaine, Renee I.

1983-01-01

A herpesvirus was isolated from captive cranes involved in a 1978 die-off. Neutralizing antibody to this virus was detected in this captive population as early as 1975 and consistently thereafter through 1979. Exposure to the virus evidently occurred at least 2 1/2 years before the die-off, without causing any mortality diagnosed as being caused by inclusion body disease of cranes (IBDC). Overcrowding and environmental conditions in 1978 may have contributed to the deaths of certain species of cranes in one area and not in another. Mortality ratios and serological data suggest that crane species vary in their response to IBDC virus.

[The role of regulatory T cells in the modulation of anti-tumor immune response].

PubMed

Radosavljević, Gordana D; Jovanović, Ivan P; Kanjevac, Tatjana V; Arsenijević, Nebojsa N

2013-01-01

Regulatory T cells (Treg) represent a subset of CD4+T cells whose function is to suppress immune responses. Treg lymphocytes can be divided into two subsets: natural nTreg lymphocytes that are developed in the thymus and inducible iTreg lymphocytes, which originate from conventional T lymphocytes on the periphery.The majority of Treg lymphocytes express high levels of interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptor a chain (CD25) and transcription factor FoxP3 (critical for the development and suppressor activity of iTreg lymphocytes). Cancer cells can modulate anti-tumor immune response indirectly, through the activation of Treg lymphocytes. It has been shown that the loss of regulatory function by depletion of tumor-induced Treg lymphocytes may enhance effectors response, resulting in tumor rejection, while the increased number of Treg lymphocytes effectively prevents tumor destruction. nTreg lymphocytes express increasingly CTLA-4 and membrane-bound TGF-beta, which inhibits cytokine production and responses of effectors lymphocytes.iTreg lymphocytes secrete immunosuppressive cytokines such as ILreg-10 and TGF-beta.Treg lymphocytes represent one of important obstruction in anti-tumor immunity.

Uncertainty during Anticipation Modulates Neural Responses to Aversion in Human Insula and Amygdala

PubMed Central

Sarinopoulos, I.; Grupe, D. W.; Mackiewicz, K. L.; Herrington, J. D.; Lor, M.; Steege, E. E.

2010-01-01

Uncertainty about potential negative future outcomes can cause stress and is a central feature of anxiety disorders. The stress and anxiety associated with uncertain situations may lead individuals to overestimate the frequency with which uncertain cues are followed by negative outcomes, an example of covariation bias. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, we found that uncertainty-related expectations modulated neural responses to aversion. Insula and amygdala responses to aversive pictures were larger after an uncertain cue (that preceded aversive or neutral pictures) than a certain cue (that always preceded aversive pictures). Anticipatory anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) activity elicited by the cues was inversely associated with the insula and amygdala responses to aversive pictures following the cues. Nearly 75% of subjects overestimated the frequency of aversive pictures following uncertain cues, and ACC and insula activity predicted this uncertainty-related covariation bias. Findings provide the first evidence of the brain mechanisms of covariation bias and highlight the temporal dynamics of ACC, insula, and amygdala recruitment for processing aversion in the context of uncertainty. PMID:19679543

A polyphenol-enriched diet and Ascaris suum infection modulate mucosal immune responses and gut microbiota composition in pigs.