Free Will: Real or Illusion - A Debate

Debate on free will with Christian List, Gregg Caruso, and Cory Clark. The exchange is focused on Christian List's book Why Free Will Is Real

Inhibition of PaCaMKII-E isoform in the dorsal unpaired median neurosecretory cells of cockroach reduces nicotine- and clothianidin-induced currents

Cellular responses to Ca(2+) require intermediary proteins such as calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII), which transduces the signal into downstream effects. We recently demonstrated that the cockroach genome encodes five different CaMKII isoforms, and only PaCaMKII-E isoform is specifically expressed in the dorsal unpaired median neurosecretory cells. In the present study, using antisense oligonucleotides, we demonstrated that PaCaMKII-E isoform inhibition reduced nicotine-induced currents through alpha-bungarotoxin-sensitive and -insensitive nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subtypes. Specifically, PaCaMKII-E isoform is sufficient to repress nicotinic current amplitudes as a result of its depression by antisense oligonucleotides. Similar results were found using the neonicotinoid insecticide clothianidin, which acted as a full agonist of dorsal unpaired median neuron nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Clothianidin current amplitudes are strongly reduced under bath application of PaCaMKII-E antisense oligonucleotides but no significant results are found with alpha-bungarotoxin co-applied, demonstrating that CaMKII-E isoform affects nicotine currents through alpha-bungarotoxin-sensitive and -insensitive receptor subtypes whereas clothianidin currents are reduced via alpha-bungarotoxin-insensitive receptors. In addition, we found that intracellular calcium increase induced by nicotine and clothianidin were reduced by PaCaMKII-E antisense oligonucleotides, demonstrating that intracellular calcium increase induced by nicotine and clothianidin are affected by PaCaMKII-E inhibition. Cellular responses to Ca(2+) require intermediary proteins such as calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII). We recently demonstrated that the cockroach genome encodes five different CaMKII isoforms and only PaCaMKII-E isoform was specifically expressed in the dorsal unpaired median neurosecretory cells. Here we show that specific inhibition of PaCaMKII-E isoform is associated with a decrease in nicotine- and clothianidin-induced currents. In addition, analysis of calcium changes demonstrates that PaCaMKII-E inhibition induces a decrease in intracellular calcium concentration

The Oxidation of Aroyl Propionic Acids by Sodium Hypochlorite

Author Institution: Department of Chemistry, The College of Wooster, Wooster, Ohi

Solid state television camera system Patent

Solid state television camera system consisting of monolithic semiconductor mosaic sensor and molecular digital readout system

Transmembrane potential polarization, calcium influx, and receptor conformational state modulate the sensitivity of the imidacloprid-insensitive neuronal insect nicotinic acetylcholine receptor to neonicotinoid insecticides

Neonicotinoid insecticides act selectively on insect nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). Recent studies revealed that their efficiency was altered by the phosphorylation/dephosphorylation process and the intracellular signaling pathway involved in the regulation of nAChRs. Using whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology adapted for dissociated cockroach dorsal unpaired median (DUM) neurons, we demonstrated that intracellular factors involved in the regulation of nAChR function modulated neonicotinoid sensitivity. DUM neurons were known to express two alpha-bungarotoxin-insensitive nAChR subtypes: nAChR1 and nAChR2. Whereas nAChR1 was sensitive to imidacloprid, nAChR2 was insensitive to this insecticide. Here, we demonstrated that, like nicotine, acetamiprid and clothianidin, other types of neonicotinoid insecticides, acted as agonists on the nAChR2 subtype. Using acetamiprid, we revealed that both steady-state depolarization and hyperpolarization affected nAChR2 sensitivity. The measurement of the input membrane resistance indicated that change in the acetamiprid-induced agonist activity was related to the receptor conformational state. Using cadmium chloride, omega-conotoxin GVIA, and (R,S)-(3,4-dihydro-6,7-dimethoxy-isoquinoline-1-yl)-2-phenyl-N,N-di-acetamide (LOE 908), we found that inhibition of calcium influx through high voltage-activated calcium channels and transient receptor potential gamma (TRPgamma) activated by both depolarization and hyperpolarization increased nAChR2 sensitivity to acetamiprid. Finally, using N-(6-aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-naphthalenesulfonamide hydrochloride (W7), forskolin, and cAMP, we demonstrated that adenylyl cyclase sensitive to the calcium/calmodulin complex regulated internal cAMP concentration, which in turn modulated TRPgamma function and nAChR2 sensitivity to acetamiprid. Similar TRPgamma-induced modulatory effects were also obtained when clothianidin was tested. These findings bring insights into the signaling pathway modulating neonicotinoid efficiency and open novel strategies for optimizing insect pest control

On mixing and transport at a sheared density interface

Mixing and transport of a stratifying scalar are investigated at a density interface imbedded in a turbulent shear flow. Steady-state interfacial shear flows are generated in a laboratory water channel for layer Richardson numbers, Ri, between about 1 and 10. The flow field is made optically homogeneous, enabling the use of laser-induced fluorescence with photodiode array imaging to measure the concentration field at high resolution. False-colour images of the concentration field provide valuable insight into interfacial dynamics: when the local mean shear Richardson number, Ri_s, is less than about 0.40–0.45, interfacial mixing appears to be dominated by Kelvin–Helmholtz (K–H) instabilities; when Ri_s is somewhat larger than this, interfacial mixing appears to be dominated by shear-driven wave breaking. In both cases, vertical transport of mixed fluid from the interfacial region into adjacent turbulent layers is accomplished by large-scale turbulent eddies which impinge on the interface and scour fluid from its outer edges. Motivated by the experimental findings, a model for interfacial mixing and entrainment is developed. A local equilibrium is assumed in which the rate of loss of interfacial fluid by eddy scouring is balanced by the rate of production (local mixing) by interfacial instabilities and molecular diffusion. When a single layer is turbulent and entraining, the model results are as follows: in the molecular-diffusion-dominated regime, δ/h ~ Pe^(−1/2) and E ~ Ri^(−1)Pe^(−1/2); in the wave-breaking-dominated regime, δ/h ~ Ri^(−1/2) and E ~ Ri^(−3/2); and in the K–H-dominated regime, δ/h ~ Ri^(−1) and E ~ Ri^(−2), where δ is the interface thickness, h is the boundary-layer thickness, Pe is the Péclet number, and E is the normalized entrainment velocity. In all three regimes, the maximum concentration anomaly, Γ_m ~ Ri^(−1). When both layers are turbulent and entraining, E and δ depend on combinations of parameters from both layers

Rotating Boson Stars and Q-Balls

We consider axially symmetric, rotating boson stars. Their flat space limits represent spinning Q-balls. We discuss their properties and determine their domain of existence. Q-balls and boson stars are stationary solutions and exist only in a limited frequency range. The coupling to gravity gives rise to a spiral-like frequency dependence of the boson stars. We address the flat space limit and the limit of strong gravitational coupling. For comparison we also determine the properties of spherically symmetric Q-balls and boson stars.Comment: 22 pages, 18 figure

The behavioralist as tax collector : using natural field experiments to enhance tax compliance

This paper presents results from two large-scale natural field experiments that tested the effect of social norm messages on tax compliance. Using administrative data from more than 200,000 individuals in the United Kingdom, we show that including social norm messages in standard reminder letters increases payment rates for overdue tax. This result offers a rare example of social norm messages affecting tax compliance behavior in a real world setting. We find no evidence that loss framing is more effective than gain framing. Descriptive norms appear to be more effective than injunctive norms. Messages referring to public services or financial information also significantly increased payment rates. The field experiments accelerated the collection of tax revenue at little cost