Differential Fos Expression Following Aspiration, Electrolytic, or Excitotoxic Lesions of the Perirhinal Cortex in Rats.

The authors explored the possibility that there are different neural consequences, beyond the primary site of brain damage, following perirhinal cortex (PRh) lesions made in different ways. Fos expression was used as a marker for neuronal activation and compared across the forebrains of rats that underwent the different types of surgery. Electrolytic and excitotoxic PRh lesions produced dramatic increases in Fos expression in the cortex, and excitotoxic and aspiration PRh lesions increased Fos expression in the dentate gyrus. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that different lesion methods have separable effects on neural function in regions outside the lesion site that could account for inconsistencies in the literature regarding the behavioral effects of PRh lesions on tests of spatial memory. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Multi-scale,object-based image analysis for mapping geomorphic and ecological zones on coral reefs

Providing accurate maps of coral reefs where the spatial scale and labels of the mapped features correspond to map units appropriate for examining biological and geomorphic structures and processes is a major challenge for remote sensing. The objective of this work is to assess the accuracy and relevance of the process used to derive geomorphic zone and benthic community zone maps for three western Pacific coral reefs produced from multi-scale, object-based image analysis (OBIA) of high-spatial-resolution multi-spectral images, guided by field survey data. Three Quickbird-2 multi-spectral data sets from reefs in Australia, Palau and Fiji and georeferenced field photographs were used in a multi-scale segmentation and object-based image classification to map geomorphic zones and benthic community zones. A per-pixel approach was also tested for mapping benthic community zones. Validation of the maps and comparison to past approaches indicated the multi-scale OBIA process enabled field data, operator field experience and a conceptual hierarchical model of the coral reef environment to be linked to provide output maps at geomorphic zone and benthic community scales on coral reefs. The OBIA mapping accuracies were comparable with previously published work using other methods; however, the classes mapped were matched to a predetermined set of features on the reef.     

Technical note: Simple and robust removal of sun glint for mapping shallow‐water benthos

Specular reflection of solar radiation on non‐flat water surfaces is a serious confounding factor for benthic remote sensing in shallow‐water environments. This problem was recently overcome by Hochberg et al., who provided an effective method for the removal of ‘sun glint’ from remotely sensed images by utilization of the brightness in a near‐infrared (NIR) band. Application of the technique was shown to give an increase in the accuracy of benthic habitat classification. However, as presented, the method is sensitive to outlier pixels, requires a time‐consuming masking of land and cloud, and is not formulated in a manner leading to ease of implementation. We present a revised version of the method, which is more robust, does not require masking and can be implemented very simply. The practical approach described here will hopefully expedite the routine adoption of this effective and simple technique throughout the aquatic remote sensing community.     

Dielectric properties of FR-4 laminates as a function of thickness and the electrical frequency of the measurement

The relationship between the dielectric properties (dielectric constant, ε _lam ^′ and loss factor, ε _lam ^″ ) and thickness of FR-4 laminates was investigated. Thickness variations for laminates reinforced by the same style and number of plies of glass cloth were predominantly due to differences in the resin content. At each measurement frequency, values of both ε _lam ^′ and ε _lam ^″ were found to vary in an approximate linear manner with changes in the volume fraction of resin,V _rsn . An empirical equation was derived that gives the dielectric constant of an FR-4 laminate, ε _lam ^′ , as a function of the volume fraction of resin,V _rsn , and the frequency at which the measurement was performed (between 1 kHz and 1 GHz). An alternative expression was also determined that permits the calculation of ε _lam ^′ in the same frequency range from just the dielectric thickness of the laminate, providing the effective thickness of the reinforcement is known. The effective thickness of one style of glass cloth (2116) was experimentally determined to be 1.6 mils/ply. Effective thicknesses of most other common woven glass reinforcements used in FR-4 laminates were calculated and tabulated. The empirical relationships should be a valuable aid to electrical designers and others who need to know the frequency dependence of the dielectric properties of FR-4 laminates having different glass-to-resin ratios. Presented, in part, at the Fall 1988 Meeting of the IPC in Anaheim, California     

Pulmonary vascular permeability after cardiopulmonary bypass and its relationship to oxidative stress

A straightforward quantitative method for gas chromatography-mass spectrometry determination of isosorbide 5-mononitrate (IS5MN) and its related impurities such as isosorbide (IS), isosorbide diacetate (ISDA) and isosorbide 2-acetate-5-nitrate (IS2A5N) in raw materials as well as in dosage formulations is developed. The recovery of these materials was found to be 100.4 +/- 2.4, 99.3 +/- 4.7, 97.8 +/- 5.2 and 100.1 +/- 3.1%, while the detection limits were 27.2, 1.26, 1.02 and 0.78 micrograms in dosage formulations for IS5MN, ISDA, IS2A5N, and IS, respectively. The applicability of the method was tested by analysing three different formulations of IS5MN.     

Identification of structural elements involved in the interaction of simian virus 40 small tumor antigen with protein phosphatase 2A

SV40 small tumor antigen (small-t) was used as a model to identify structural elements involved in the interactions between regulatory proteins and protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A). Using mutant proteins and synthetic peptides, we identified a small domain within small-t that is a major site for interaction with the dimeric form of PP2A. A series of small-t truncation mutants identified a region surrounding the first of two conserved cysteine clusters that was critical for interaction with PP2A. These mutants also identified additional regions of small-t that contribute to high affinity interaction. Deletion of residues 110-119, which encompass the first cysteine cluster, resulted in a protein that failed to bind to PP2A. Synthetic peptides that contained residues 105-122 of small-t blocked binding of small-t to PP2A. These peptides also inhibited the phosphatase activity of PP2A in a manner analogous to full-length small-t. The active small-t peptides adopt a beta-strand structure that was essential for high affinity interaction with the PP2A dimer. Based on circular dichroism measurements, the same cysteine cluster-containing peptides that bind to PP2A also interact with zinc. Interaction with zinc required the conserved cysteines but was not required for interaction with PP2A.     

Rhinal cortex lesions and object recognition in rats.

Tested 11 male rats with bilateral lesions of lateral entorhinal cortex and perirhinal cortex on a nonrecurring-items delayed nonmatching-to-sample (DNMS) task resembling the one that is commonly used to study object recognition (OR) in monkeys. The rats were tested at retention delays of 4, 15, 60, 120, and 600 sec before and after surgery. After surgery, they displayed a delay-dependent deficit: They performed normally at the 4-sec delay but were impaired at delays of 15 sec or longer. The addition of bilateral amygdala lesions did not increase their DNMS deficits. The present finding of a severe DNMS deficit following rhinal cortex damage is consistent with the authors' previous finding that bilateral lesions of the hippocampus cause only mild DNMS deficits in rats unless there is also damage to rhinal cortex (D. G. Mumby et al, 1992). These findings add to accumulating evidence that the rhinal cortex, but not the amygdala, plays a critical role in OR. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sprayed titanium coatings for the cathodic protection of reinforced concrete

Thermally sprayed titanium coatings were investigated in the laboratory as anodes for the cathodic protection of reinforced concrete. Three proprietary catalyst systems were used to activate the titanium anode coatings. Some experiments were conducted that applied the catalyst as a precoat on the metallizing wires; in other experiments, the catalyst solution was applied onto concrete blocks before or after arc spraying with titanium. The coated reinforced concrete blocks were powered at a constant current density and in a 95% relative humidity for more than 95 days. The driving voltages measured across the samples demonstrated that precoating the catalyst on the titanium wires had little effect on the driving voltage over the recorded lifetime. In other experiments, where the catalyst was directly applied to the surface of the reinforced concrete blocks, only the cobalt oxide catalyst significantly reduced the driving voltage requirements. The cobalt oxide reduced the driving voltages regardless of whether it was applied on the concrete blocks before or after arc spraying with titanium.     

An overview of laminate materials with enhanced dielectric properties

This report focuses on laminate materials (resins and reinforcements) having potential applications in the manufacture of multi-layer printed wiring boards (PWBs) that are required to efficiently transmit high-speed digital pulses. It is intended to be a primer and a reference for selection of candidate materials for such high-performance PWBs. Included are dielectric and physical properties, and where available chemical composition and/or structure, commercial availability, compatibility with typical PWB processing schemes and approximate relative cost. Recommendations are made as to the most viable candidate materials for this type of PWB application, based on a comparison of electrical and physical properties together with processing and cost considerations. The cyanate ester resin system appears promising. Such a resin may be reinforced with regular E-glass, or the more newly available S-glass, to produce a laminate useful for intermediate performance applications. For more demanding applications the E-glass will have to be replaced by a material of much lower relative permittivity. The expanded-PTFE reinforced laminates fromW. L. Gore appear to be a good choice for these applications. The processing of theGore materials can be expected to deviate from that used with FR-4 type materials, but is likely to be less problematic than laminates comprised of a fluorinated resin. Processing is a key obstacle to the implementation of any of the new materials herein. If implementation is to be successful, programs must be established to develop and optimize processing procedures. Cost will remain an important issue. However, the higher cost of the new materials may be justified in high-end products by the performance they deliver.     

Diet and trophic niche space and overlap of Lake Ontario salmonid species using stable isotopes and stomach contents

Lake Ontario supports a diversity of native and non-native salmonids which are managed largely through stocking practices. Ecological changes (e.g., invasive species) altering the food web structure accompanied with shifts in prey abundance, necessitate understanding the trophic niches of Lake Ontario salmonids to aid in management. The objectives of this study were to quantify salmonid (5 species) trophic niches and dietary proportions using stable isotope ratios (δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N) of a large sample set (adult fish (>300?mm; n?=?672) and key offshore prey (5 species, n?=?2037)) collected across Lake Ontario in 2013. Estimates of prey based on stable isotope ratios were similar to stomach contents. Based on stable isotope ratios, non-native prey dominated salmonid diet; in particular alewife (Alosa pseudoharengus) constituted the majority (0.31 to 0.93) of all salmonid diets, and round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) contributed 0.26 and 0.19 of brown trout (Salmo trutta) and lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) diets, respectively. Trophic niche overlap was high between all salmonids, except lake trout. The largest trophic niche overlap occurred between Chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), coho (Oncorhynchus kisutch), and Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar), and their reliance on alewife infers a strong pelagic foraging strategy. Lake, brown and rainbow (Oncorhynchus mykiss) trout had larger and/or more distinct trophic niches indicative of a more variable diet across individuals and utilizing different foraging strategies and/or habitats. Overall, Lake Ontario salmonids maintained a high reliance on alewife, and their potential for plasticity in diet provides important information to management regarding population sustainability.