Studies on the neuronal circuits involved in the discriminative stimulus effects of 5-hydroxytryptamine1A receptor agonists in the rat

Rats were trained to discriminate 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (8-OH-DPAT, 0.1 mg/kg i.p.) or 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-OMe-DMT, 1.25 mg/kg i.p.), a selective and nonselective 5-hydroxytryptamine1A (5-HT, serotonin) receptor agonist, respectively, from saline in a two-lever procedure. The selective 5-HT1A receptor agonist ipsapirone substituted completely for 8-OH-DPAT (ED50, 1.52 mg/kg) and 5-OMe-DMT substituted partially for 8-OH-DPAT, whereas 8-OH-DPAT (ED50, 0.07 mg/kg) and ipsapirone (ED50, 4.15 mg/kg) substituted completely for 5-OMe-DMT. These results suggest that the discriminative stimulus properties of both 8-OH-DPAT and 5-OMe-DMT are 5-HT1A receptor mediated, although 5-OMe-DMT may involve an additional interaction with other 5-HT receptor subtypes. 5-OMe-DMT substituted for 8-OH-DPAT after application in the lateral ventricle (ED50, 3.0 micrograms/rat) and the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN, 1.1 micrograms/rat). After application in the DRN (ED50 range, 1.4-5.0 micrograms/rat) and the median raphe nucleus (2.3 micrograms/rat), and after bilateral application into the CA-4 region of the dorsal hippocampus (4.1 micrograms/rat), 8-OH-DPAT also produced responding on the 8-OH-DPAT lever. Ipsapirone also substituted for 8-OH-DPAT after application into the DRN and the hippocampus (ED50S, 38 and 62 micrograms/rat, respectively). The 5-HT1A mixed agonist-antagonist (1-(2-methoxyphenyl) 4-[4-(2-pthalimido)butyl]piperazine, i.p. NAN-190) attenuated the discriminative stimulus effects of 8-OH-DPAT injected i.p. (0.1 mg/kg), into the DRN (10 micrograms) or into the hippocampus (2 x 10 micrograms).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Temperature-dependent resistivity measurements on polycrystalline SiO2-covered thin nickel films

The resistivity of thin nickel films is studied as a function of temperature from 4 to 320 K. Both as-deposited and heat-treated samples with thicknesses ranging from 10 to 80 nm are studied. The resistivity can be analysed taking only grain boundary scattering into account, using the theory of Mayadas and Shatzkes. The bulk residual resistivity of the as-deposited films appears to be dominated by grain boundary scattering. No clear evidence for surface scattering could be found.     

Shortest path algorithms: A computational study with the C programming language

The main purpose of this study is to evaluate the computational efficiency of algorithms for calculating shortest paths when they are correctly coded by using the C programming language. The eight algorithms that we selected for this experiment are the most efficient, either measured in terms of worst-case bounds or marked as such from previous computational studies; they include the redistributive heap algorithm. We suggest computer implementations that use the full power of C. In particular, the network representation and the various data structures used to keep the scan eligible list may be managed by using only additions and no multiplications, while it is not possible with FORTRAN. These capabilities, unique to C, yield several interesting conclusions: one may expect to speed up a shortest path algorithm by a factor of 20%; in some cases, this factor may reach 30%. Interestingly, the level of programming difficulty required to achieve these benefits is not greater than that required by implementations using arrays.     

Surface losses in transmission lines

Two derivations of the loss parameter R, entirely from wave considerations in the presence of a metallic interface, are presented. R, which represents surface losses, occurs in transmission line equations for propagation of the voltage across the plates and of the current in the plates. Explanation of the surface losses involves some radiation of the interior fields into the metallic surfaces that absorb electromagnetic energy, and that ultimately convert it into ohmic losses (heat). Although the approach may restrict the derivation to a planar interface, i.e., to a parallel-plate transmission line, that restriction is not so essential that it cannot be softened     

Cimaterol and clenbuterol residue analysis by HPLC-HPTLC in liver.

A method has been developed for the analysis of cimaterol and clenbuterol residues in liver, with detection limits of 0.25 micrograms/kg and 0.5 micrograms/kg, respectively. The recovery varied from 55% to 60%. After extraction, a clean-up procedure with Baker-spe C-18 columns was performed. The two chemical compounds of interest were eluted with methanol. Cimaterol and clenbuterol were quantitatively determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using an RP-Select B (5 microns) column and a post-column reaction procedure. The positive results were confirmed by high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) as this technique reaches the same level of sensitivity as the HPLC method.     

Linguistic Knowledge, Processing Speed, and Metacognitive Knowledge in First- and Second-Language Reading Comprehension: A Componential Analysis.

The authors report results of a study into the role of components of first-language (L1; Dutch) and second-language (L2; English) reading comprehension. Differences in the contributions of components of L1 and L2 reading comprehension are analyzed, in particular processing speed in L1 and L2. Findings indicate that regression weights of the L1 and L2 components are different. Although correlations between most processing speed components and reading comprehension are substantial, there are no unique contributions to the explanation of either L1 or L2 reading comprehension when linguistic and metacognitive knowledge are accounted for. In addition, L1 reading comprehension is shown to have a large contribution to L2 reading comprehension, supporting theories of L1-L2 transfer of reading skills. Results are discussed from a developmental perspective. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

(BETS)2[RuX5NO] (X = Cl, Br): An Explanation of Different Conductive Properties Through Structural and Spectroscopic Studies

For the development of new crystal and electronic structures in molecular conductors, dimeric tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) and tetraselenafulvalenes (TSFs)1–3 linked by single or double methyl antimony bridge(s) have been prepared and their neutral crystal structures have been investigated. The donor2 (cis-2) forms a metallic cation radical salt with tetracyanoquinodimethane (TCNQ) containing one-dimensional array interactions.     

In situ regeneration of the Ni-based catalytic reformer of a 5 kW PEMFC system

The paper reports the results of on-site regeneration catalytic bed of the natural gas reformer in a 5 kW PEM fuel cell system. The Ni catalyst previously poisoned by sulphur from the available natural gas, could be re-activated by injection of pure water steam, following the method developed for industrial reformers using the same metal catalyst: this method was shown to be perfectly efficient, provided no natural gas was fed during the operation. Results of the tests conducted are presented and discussed in relation to published data on S-sorption on Ni surfaces.     

STATIONARY AND NON-STATIONARY STATE SPACE MODELS

Abstract. The concepts of time invariance, stationarity, non-stationarity and immemorial time are considered for state space models (SSMs). Necessary and sufficient conditions for stationarity are given and connected with standard conditions. Expressions are given for the unconditional mean and covariance matrix of the state of a time-immemorial SSM. Application of the results is made to a variety of theoretical and empirical models and the initialization of the Kalman filter in the non-stationary case and for the ARIMA ( p, d, q ) model.