Alterations in brain connectivity due to plasticity and synaptic delay

Brain plasticity refers to brain's ability to change neuronal connections, as a result of environmental stimuli, new experiences, or damage. In this work, we study the effects of the synaptic delay on both the coupling strengths and synchronisation in a neuronal network with synaptic plasticity. We build a network of Hodgkin-Huxley neurons, where the plasticity is given by the Hebbian rules. We verify that without time delay the excitatory synapses became stronger from the high frequency to low frequency neurons and the inhibitory synapses increases in the opposite way, when the delay is increased the network presents a non-trivial topology. Regarding the synchronisation, only for small values of the synaptic delay this phenomenon is observed

Improving the Knowledge on Seismogenic Sources in the Lower Tagus Valley for Seismic Hazard Purposes

The Lower Tagus Valley, that includes the metropolitan area of Lisbon, has been struck by several earthquakes which produced significant material damage and loss of lives. Their exact location remains unknown. Our goal is to shed some light into the seismogenic sources in the area using seismic reflection and geological data. In areas with no seismic coverage, potential-field data interpretation was carried out. Seismicity was overlaid to the potential seismogenic structures and high-resolution data was acquired in order to confirm which structures have been active into the Quaternary. Three major fault-zones affecting the Neogene were identified: V. F. Xira, Samora-Alcochete and Pinhal Novo. For the first fault, strong evidences suggest it is active. The other two fault-zones and other structures previously unknown can be correlated with several epicentres. Empirical relationships between maximum moment magnitude and fault area indicate that MW > 6.5 earthquakes can be expected for the larger structures

Melhoramento genético da videira.

Classificação botânica; citogenética; biologia flora e reprodução; recursos genéticos; melhoramento genético da videira; biotecnologia aplicada ao melhoramento da videira.bitstream/item/17927/1/SDC224.pd

Utilização de porta-enxertos em cultivares de uvas sem sementes no Vale do São Francisco.

O objetivo do presente trabalho foi avaliar a influência de diferentes porta-enxertos sobre a produção e características do fruto nas cultivares Thompson Seedless, Sugraone, Catalunha, Crimson Seedless, Marroo Seedless e Fantasy Seedless nas condições do Submédio do Vale do São Francisco. Foram realizados três experimentos, sendo um no Campo Experimental de Bebedouro, da Embrapa Semiárido, em Petrolina, PE e os demais em um vinhedo comercial no Município de Sento Sé, BA. No experimento 1, foram avaliadas três cultivares copa Thompson Seedless, Catalunha e Sugraone sobre cinco portaenxertos e uma testemunha não enxertada (pé-franco). Os portaenxertos foram Harmony, 420 A, IAC 766, Couderc 1613 e Paulsen 1103. No experimento 2, as cultivares copa foram Crimson Seedless e Marroo Seedless enxertadas sobre os mesmos porta-enxertos. No experimento 3 foram utilizadas as cultivares copa Sugraone, Crimson Seedless e Fantasy Seedless avaliadas sobre os porta-enxertos Paulsen 1103, Harmony, 420 A e SO4. Em todos os experimentos, utilizou se delineamento experimental em blocos com parcelas subdivididas e três repetições, considerando-se como parcela principal as cultivares copa, e como parcelas secundárias, os porta-enxertos. No momento da colheita avaliaram-se as características relacionadas à produção e qualidade dos frutos: produção; massa média de cachos; massa, comprimento e diâmetro médio de bagas; teor de sólidos solúveis totais (SST) (oBrix); acidez total titulável (ATT) (% ácido tartárico) e relação SST/ATT. O vigor das plantas foi mensurado pela massa da parte aérea determinada após a poda. O efeito dos porta-enxertos variou em função das cultivares copa e das condições ambientais e de manejo específicas de cada experimento. De modo geral, as melhores respostas nas cultivares Thompson Seedless e Sugraone foram observadas sobre os porta-enxertos Harmony e Paulsen 1103, enquanto em Marroo Seedless e Crimson Seedless, destacou-se o porta-enxerto IAC 766 para a maioria das características avaliadas. As cultivares Catalunha e Fantasy Seedless foram menos influenciadas pelos porta-enxertos.bitstream/item/56485/1/BPD90.pd

Generalized partition functions and interpolating statistics

We show that the assumption of quasiperiodic boundary conditions (those that interpolate continuously periodic and antiperiodic conditions) in order to compute partition functions of relativistic particles in 2+1 space-time can be related with anyonic physics. In particular, in the low temperature limit, our result leads to the well known second virial coefficient for anyons. Besides, we also obtain the high temperature limit as well as the full temperature dependence of this coefficient.Comment: 12 pages, Latex, updated and enlarged versio

The Collins-Roscoe mechanism and D-spaces

We prove that if a space X is well ordered $(\alpha A)$, or linearly semi-stratifiable, or elastic then X is a D-space

Finasteride quantification in human plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. application to a comparative pharmacokinetics study

A specific, fast and sensitive LC-MS/MS assay was developed for the determination of finasteride in human plasma using betamethsone dipropionate as the internal standard (IS). The limit of quantification was 1.0 ng/ml and the method was linear in the range of 1.0–25.0 ng/ml. The retention times were 0.75 min for finasteride and 0.85 min for IS. Method intra-batch precision and accuracy ranged from 3.6 to 7.1%, and 96.6 to 103.9%, respectively. Inter-batch precision ranged from 2.5 to 3.4%, while Inter-batch accuracy ranged from 100.3 to 103.5%. The analytical method was applied to evaluate the pharmacokinetic and relative bioavailability of 2 different pharmaceutical formulations containing 1.0 mg of finasteride. This study evaluated 38 volunteers in a randomized, 2-period crossover study with 7 days washout period between doses. The geometric mean and respective 90% CI of finasteride test/reference percent ratios were 95.68% (91.2 – 104.6%) for Cmax, 97.5% (92.1 –103.3%) for AUC0-t and 98.1 (92.67−103.8) for AUC0-inf. Based on the 90% confidence interval of the individual ratios (test formulation/reference formulation) for Cmax and AUC0-inf, it was concluded that the test formulation is bioequivalent to the reference one with respect to the rate and extent of absorption of finasteride65944945

An attempt to observe economy globalization: the cross correlation distance evolution of the top 19 GDP's

Economy correlations between the 19 richest countries are investigated through their Gross Domestic Product increments. A distance is defined between increment correlation matrix elements and their evolution studied as a function of time and time window size. Unidirectional and Bidirectional Minimal Length Paths are generated and analyzed for different time windows. A sort of critical correlation time window is found indicating a transition for best observations. The mean length path decreases with time, indicating stronger correlations. A new method for estimating a realistic minimal time window to observe correlations and deduce macroeconomy conclusions from such features is thus suggested.Comment: to be published in the Dyses05 proceedings, in Int. J. Mod Phys C 15 pages, 5 figures, 1 tabl