Computational Models of Timing Mechanisms in the Cerebellar Granular Layer

A long-standing question in neuroscience is how the brain controls movement that requires precisely timed muscle activations. Studies using Pavlovian delay eyeblink conditioning provide good insight into this question. In delay eyeblink conditioning, which is believed to involve the cerebellum, a subject learns an interstimulus interval (ISI) between the onsets of a conditioned stimulus (CS) such as a tone and an unconditioned stimulus such as an airpuff to the eye. After a conditioning phase, the subject’s eyes automatically close or blink when the ISI time has passed after CS onset. This timing information is thought to be represented in some way in the cerebellum. Several computational models of the cerebellum have been proposed to explain the mechanisms of time representation, and they commonly point to the granular layer network. This article will review these computational models and discuss the possible computational power of the cerebellum

An immersed boundary method for drug release applied to drug eluting stents dedicated to arterial bifurcations

We address an immersed boundary method applied to the study of cardiovascular drug eluting stents deployed in coronary bifurcations. The problem involves the interaction of arterial deformations, hemodynamics and controlled drug release. Resorting to an immersed boundary method facilitates the handling of complex stent pattern and simplifies the definition of the mathematical model for drug release

Experiences of Crisis Pregnancy among Irish and Non-Irish adults living in Ireland: Findings from the Irish Contraception and Crisis Pregnancy Survey 2010 (ICCP-2010)

Background: Using nationally representative data, this paper investigates the experience of crisis pregnancy (CP) among Irish and non-Irish adults living in Ireland in 2010. Aims: To generate a detailed profile of Irish and non-Irish adults living in Ireland who have had an experience of CP and to investigate the differences in the experiences of CP between Irish and non-Irish adults. Method: A national cross-sectional telephone survey methodology recruited 3002 adult(18-45 years) participants (69% response). Descriptive statistics and chi square analysis were used to compare the differences between the Irish (n=334) and non-Irish sample (n=57) with an experience of CP. Results: The majority of respondents with an experience of CP had a higher education level and were aged between 18-25 years. Significant differences, in terms of outcome of CP, were also found between groups; with more Irish respondents choosing parenthood over abortion, compared with their non-Irish counterparts. Conclusion: This paper presents a unique profile of Irish and non-Irish adults living in Ireland with an experience of CP. Enhanced promotion of longer-acting contraceptives to all younger adults, and targeted awareness raising of post-abortion services among the non-Irish community, is recommended

Aurora experiment: Final results of studies of 116Cd 2β decay with enriched 116CdWO4 crystal scintillators

Final results of studies of 116Cd 2β decay with CdWO4 crystal scintillators, enriched in 116Cd to 82%, are presented. After few years (2011 – 2017) of measurements with radiopure 116CdWO4 scintillators (mass of 1.162 kg) at the Gran Sasso underground laboratory (Italy), the half-life of 116Cd relatively to 2ν2β decay to the ground state of 116Sn was measured with the highest up-to-date accuracy as T1/2=(2.63+0.11−0.12)×10^19 yr. A new limit on 0ν2β decay of 116Cd was set as T1/2≥2.2×10^23 yr at 90% C.L., which is the most stringent to-date restriction for this isotope. Limits for 0ν2β decay with majoron(s) emission, Lorentz-violating 2ν2β decay and 2β transitions to excited states of 116Sn were set at the level of T1/2≥10^20−10^22 yr

Investigation of 2β decay of 116Cd with the help of enriched 116CdWO4 crystal scintillators

Double beta decay of 116Cd has been investigated with the help of radiopure enriched 116CdWO4 crystal scintillators in the experiment Aurora. The half-life of 116Cd relatively to the 2ν2β decay of 116Cd to the ground level of 116Sn is measured with the highest up-to-date accuracy as T1/2 = [2.69 ± 0.02 (stat.) ± 0.14 (syst.)] × 10^19 yr. A new improved limit on the 0ν2β decay of 116Cd to the ground state of 116Sn is set as T1/2 ≥ 2.4 × 10^23 yr at 90% C.L., that corresponds to the effective Majorana neutrino mass limit in the range 〈mν〉 ≤ (1.1 − 1.6) eV, depending on the nuclear matrix elements used in the estimations. New improved limits on other 2β processes in 116Cd (decays with majoron emission, transitions to excited levels of 116Sn) were set at the level of T1/2 ≥ 10^21 − 10^22 yr