Constraints on Extragalactic Point Source Flux from Diffuse Neutrino Limits

We constrain the maximum flux from extragalactic neutrino point sources by using diffuse neutrino flux limits. We show that the maximum flux from extragalactic point sources is E^2(dN/dE) < 1.4 x 10^-9 (L_nu/2x10^43 erg/s)^1/3 GeV cm-^2 s^-1 from individual point sources with average neutrino luminosity per decade, L_nu. It depends only slightly on factors such as the inhomogeneous matter density distribution in the local universe, the luminosity distribution, and the assumed spectral index. The derived constraints are at least one order of magnitude below the current experimental limits from direct searches. Significant constraints are also derived on the number density of neutrino sources and on the total neutrino power density.Comment: 7 pages, 3 figures, and 2 table

Djelovanje 3-nitropropionske kiseline na štakore: opća toksičnost i funkcijska neurotoksičnost

3-Nitropropionic acid (3-NP) causes biochemical and morphological alterations in human and animal brain. Young adult male Wistar rats received 3-NP i. p. on five consecutive days and were investigated four weeks later (subacute treatment). Acute effects were investigated 24 h after one i. p. dose. Spontaneous or stimulus-evoked activity was recorded from cortical sensory foci, from subcortical nuclei and from the tail nerve, in urethane anesthesia. The subacutely treated rats were dissected and organ weights measured to study general toxic effects. After subacute treatment, decrease was seen in the theta, and increase in the beta-2 and gamma, band of the spontaneous activity, dissimilarly in the cortical vs. subcortical sites. Latency of the sensory evoked potentials increased in all sensory foci after subacute treatment. Following acute treatment, amplitude of the somatosensory evoked potential decreased. The weight of the thymus decreased significantly in the treated rats. Further studies could elucidate the link between biochemical effects of 3-NP and the observed functional neurotoxic changes.Toksin 3-nitropropionska kiselina (3-NP) uzrokuje biokemijske i morfološke promjene u mozgu. U istraživanju su mladi muški Wistar štakori intraperitonealno primali 3-NP pet dana uzastopce. Djelovanje toksina promatrano je četiri tjedna kasnije (subakutna primjena). Akutni su učinci promatrani 24 sata nakon intraperitonealne primjene. Spontana i podražajno izazvana aktivnost mjerena je na osjetilnim žarištima korteksa, na supkortikalnim jezgrama te na repnome živcu, dok su životinje bile pod uretanskom anestezijom. Nakon subakutnoga doziranja zamijećen je rast beta-2 i gama-valova kod spontane aktivnosti. Ova promjena nije bila istovjetna na kori i pod korom mozga. Stimulirana osjetilna aktivnost u ove je subakutne skupine pokazala povećanu latenciju u svim osjetilnim područjima. U štakora koji su primili jednokratnu akutnu dozu amplituda evociranoga somatosenzornoga potencijala bila je manja. Masa prsne žlijezde bila je značajno niža u štakora koji su primili 3-NP. Potrebna su daljnja istraživanja koja bi razjasnila povezanost između biokemijskoga djelovanja 3-NP-a i zamijećenih neurotoksičnih funkcijskih promjena

University Students' Democratic Values and Attitudes toward Democracy in Hungary

In December 2012 Hungarian students rallied to protest against cutbacks in scholarships and to the introduction of tuition fees. Two years later, in October 2014, thousands of (mostly young) people gathered at anti-government demonstrations against a proposal to include the taxation of Internet usage in the Taxation Law. The article brings results on changes in patterns of democratic citizenship among Hungarian students and demonstrates that despite their issue related ‘rational rebellion’ democratic transition resulted in a low-level of political participation and commitment to democratic values among them. We describe democratic attitudes of Hungarian college and university students by using both qualitative and quantitative data asking if they have developed a commitment to democracy as a system of rule

The value of free water: Analyzing south africa’s free basic water policy. mimeo

Abstract This paper analyzes South Africa&apos;s Free Basic Water Policy, under which households receive a free water allowance equal to the World Health Organization&apos;s recommended minimum. I structurally estimate residential water demand, evaluate the welfare effects of free water, and provide optimal price schedules derived from a social planner&apos;s problem. I use a unique dataset of monthly metered billing data for 60,000 households for 2002-2009 from a particularly disadvantaged suburb of Pretoria, with rich price variation across 20 di¤erent nonlinear tari¤ schedules. I …nd that the free allowance acts as a lump-sum subsidy, without large e¤ects on water consumption. However, it is possible to reallocate the current subsidy to form an optimal tari¤ without a free allowance, which would increase welfare while leaving the water provider&apos;s revenue unchanged. This optimal tari¤ would also reduce the number of households consuming low quantities of water, a desirable policy goal according to the WHO

Recombinant Human Voltage Dependent Anion Selective Channel Isoform 3 (hVDAC3) Forms Pores with a Very Small Conductance

n/

Increased activation of the pregenual anterior cingulate cortex to citalopram challenge in migraine: an fMRI study

Background The anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) is a key structure of the pain processing network. Several structural and functional alterations of this brain area have been found in migraine. In addition, altered serotonergic neurotransmission has been repeatedly implicated in the pathophysiology of migraine, although the exact mechanism is not known. Thus, our aim was to investigate the relationship between acute increase of brain serotonin (5-HT) level and the activation changes of the ACC using pharmacological challenge MRI (phMRI) in migraine patients and healthy controls. Methods Twenty-seven pain-free healthy controls and six migraine without aura patients participated in the study. All participant attended to two phMRI sessions during which intravenous citalopram, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI), or placebo (normal saline) was administered. We used region of interest analysis of ACC to compere the citalopram evoked activation changes of this area between patients and healthy participants. Results Significant difference in ACC activation was found between control and patient groups in the right pregenual ACC (pgACC) during and after citalopram infusion compared to placebo. The extracted time-series showed that pgACC activation increased in migraine patients compared to controls, especially in the first 8-10 min of citalopram infusion. Conclusions Our results demonstrate that a small increase in 5-HT levels can lead to increased phMRI signal in the pregenual part of the ACC that is involved in processing emotional aspects of pain. This increased sensitivity of the pgACC to increased 5-HT in migraine may contribute to recurring headache attacks and increased stress-sensitivity in migraine

Hyperhomocysteinaemia and MTHFR C677T gene polymorphism in renal transplant recipients

Aim-To study the effect of folate treatment on hyperhomocysteinaemia and the effect of 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene polymorphism on total homocysteine and folate concentrations after renal transplantation. Methods-A total of 30 transplanted children and adolescents were investigated for total homocysteine and folate serum concentrations before and after folate treatment, as well as for the presence of the MTHFR C677T polymorphism. Results-The allele frequency of C677T polymorphism in the MTHFR gene in the study population (0.33) was not different to that in controls (0.38). Before folate treatment the homocysteine concentration was raised in all groups; following folate supplementation it was significantly decreased in the CC and CT groups, but not in the TT group. In patients with CC genotype, serum homocysteine correlated with serum creatinine and cholesterol, and time since transplantation before treatment. Conclusion-Folate supplementation appears to be an effective strategy to normalise total homocysteine concentration in renal transplanted children and adolescents

Oxidative Stress-Related Parthanatos of Circulating Mononuclear Leukocytes in Heart Failure

Background: The present study aims to examine the oxidative stress related activation of poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP), signs of parthanatos in circulating mononuclear leukocytes of patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) that was rarely investigated in the human setting yet. Methods: Patients with CHF (n=20) and age, body mass index matched volunteers (n=15) with normal heart function were enrolled. C-reactive protein, N-terminal pro-brain type natriuretic peptide (pro-BNP), plasma total peroxide level (PRX), plasma total antioxidant capacity (TAC), oxidative stress index (OSI), leukocyte lipid peroxidation (4-hydroxynonenal; HNE), protein tyrosine nitration (NT), poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation (PARylation), and apoptosis inducing factor (AIF) translocation were measured in blood samples of fasting subjects. Results: Plasma PRX, leukocyte HNE, NT, PARylation and AIF translocation were significantly higher in the heart failure group. Pro-BNP levels in all study subjects showed significant positive correlation to PRX, OSI, leukocyte HNE, NT, PARylation and AIF translocation. Ejection fraction negatively correlated with same parameters. Among HF patients, positive correlation of pro-BNP with PRX, OSI and PARylation was still present. Conclusions: Markers of oxidative-nitrative stress, PARP activation and AIF translocation in blood components showed correlation to reduced cardiac function and the clinical appearance of CHF. These results may reinforce the consideration of PARP inhibition as a potential therapeutic target in CHF