Instrumental Learning Within the Rat Spinal Cord: Localization of the Essential Neural Circuit.

Following spinal transection of the upper thoracic spinal cord, male Sprague-Dawley rats given legshock whenever a hindlimb is extended learn to maintain the leg in a flexed position. The region of the cord that mediates this instrumental learning was isolated using neuroanatomical tracing, localized infusion of lidocaine, and surgical transections. DiI and Fluoro-Gold microinjection at the site of shock application labeled motor neuron bodies of lamina IX in the lower lumbar region. Local application of the Na++ channel blocker lidocaine disrupted learning when it was applied over a region extending from the lower lumbar (L3) to upper sacral (S2) cord. The drug had no effect rostral or caudal to this region. Surgical transections as low as L4 had no effect on learning. Learning also survived a dual transection at L4 and S3, but not L4 and S2. The results suggest that the essential neural circuit lies between L4 and S3. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Lessons and Challenges from Mining Retail E-Commerce Data

The architecture of Blue Martini Software's e-commerce suite has supported data collection, data transformation, and data mining since its inception. With clickstreams being collected at the application-server layer, high-level events being logged, and data automatically transformed into a data warehouse using meta-data, common problems plaguing data mining using weblogs (e.g., sessionization and conflating multi-sourced data) were obviated, thus allowing us to concentrate on actual data mining goals. The paper briefly reviews the architecture and discusses many lessons learned over the last four years and the challenges that still need to be addressed. The lessons and challenges are presented across two dimensions: business-level vs. technical, and throughout the data mining lifecycle stages of data collection, data warehouse construction, business intelligence, and deployment. The lessons and challenges are also widely applicable to data mining domains outside retail e-commerce.     

First and second law investigations of a new solar‐assisted thermodynamic cycle for triple effect refrigeration

This investigation is persuaded for the first and second law analyses of a new solar‐driven triple‐effect refrigeration cycle using Duratherm 600 oil (Duratherm Extended Life Fluid, NY, USA) as the heat transfer fluid is performed. The proposed cycle is an integration of ejector, absorption, and cascaded refrigeration cycles that could produce refrigeration output of different magnitude at different temperature simultaneously. Both exergy destruction and losses in each component and hence in the overall system are determined to identify the causes and locations of the thermodynamic imperfection. The effects of some influenced parameters such as hot oil outlet temperature, refrigerant turbine inlet pressure, and the evaporator temperature of ejector and cascaded refrigeration cycle have been observed on the first and second law performances. It is found that maximum irreversibility occurs in central receiver as 52.5% and the second largest irreversibility of 25% occurs in heliostat field. The second law efficiency of the solar driven triple effect refrigeration cycle is 2%, which is much lower than its first law efficiency of 11.5%. Analysis clearly shows that performance evaluation based on the first law analysis is inadequate and hence, more meaningful evaluation must be included in the second law analysis. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An insight into spray pulsed reactor through mathematical modeling of catalytic dehydrogenation of cyclohexane

A mathematical model has been developed to study the impact of nozzle-catalyst distance and bulk gas temperature on the conversion and hydrogen evolution rate in a spray pulse reactor. The effects of reactor configuration and operating parameters on conversion and evolution rate were predicted with more than 90% accuracy. Reactor optimization and sensitivity analysis were carried out and an optimal design of nozzle-catalyst distance 5 cm and bulk gas temperature of 50 °C were proposed. The optimized design was predicted to increase the conversion from approximately 32–74%. The model could be in general used for designing any endothermic heterogeneous catalytic reaction in a spray pulse reactor.     

Electricity demand supply analysis: Current status and future prospects for Maharashtra,India

The growth potential of any state is linked with infrastructure and electricity infrastructure is the most important parameter for economic growth. Maharashtra, a prominent state in India consumes 12 per cent of India's electricity. Maharashtra's power sector is facing the electricity deficit and shortage since early 2005. On the other hand, industrial and service sectors are rising in the state. The present paper discusses electricity situational analysis of the state. Electricity demand analysis has been presented and comparison of state electricity demand vis-à-vis Mumbai's demand (state capital) has been carried out for two years. Variation for monthly average demand for two years and load shedding have also been analyzed. Power supply situation analysis and analysis of major power suppliers have been carried out. The State Load Distribution Center data is used to depict the load variation for a typical day. Interventions needed to sustainably meet the growing demands are also discussed.     

Three-tier neural model for service provisioning over collaborative flying ad hoc networks

Neural Computing and Applications - Collaboration among different ad hoc networks allows the formation of efficient guided networks. One of the such collaborative networks is formed between aerial...     

Effective dielectric response of polymer composites with ceramic coated silver flakes

High permittivity polymer composites were prepared using Bisphenol A epoxy resin and low loss alumina (Al₂O₃) coated silver (Ag) flakes for embedded passives. The uniformity and thickness of the Al₂O₃ layer were studied using both scanning and transmission electron microscopy (SEM and TEM). SEM was also used to investigate the morphology of the composites and the particle distribution. The dielectric properties of the composites were measured as a function of frequency and temperature. The composites showed a high relative permittivity of 370 with a low loss tangent of 0.07 at 1 MHz and a temperature coefficient of permittivity ~160 ppm/K.     

Topical safety and vasoconstrictive assay-based bioequivalence of a new reformulated mometasone cream

Objectives: A new improved mometasone furoate (Elocon?) cream with an emulsification system that produces a stable emulsion has been developed. In order to register the product in various markets, it was essential to ensure the cream was topically well tolerated and that it was bioequivalent to the reference product.

Methods: Phase I clinical studies were performed to assess the local safety and tolerability upon multiple dosing of this new cream as well as to assess the single-dose bioequivalence relative to the marketed product. Bioequivalence was assessed using a vasoconstrictive assay (VCA) after a dose-duration pilot study was completed with the marketed Elocon cream.

Key findings: The new mometasone cream and its vehicle were nonirritating in healthy subjects during 21-day patch application (MCII <0.025). The positive control was moderately irritating in the same study. The pivotal VCA study enrolled 162 subjects with 105 detectors included in the analysis of bioequivalence. In the 105 detectors, the ratio (×100%) of AUEC values at ED₅₀ for test vs. standard (90% CI) was 112.91% (105.55, 120.87), within the bioequivalence criteria of (80, 125).

Conclusions: These studies supported the registration of reformulated mometasone cream in various markets.