Aberrant location of inhibitory synaptic marker proteins in the hippocampus of dystrophin-deficient mice

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a neuromuscular disease that arises from mutations in the dystrophin-encoding gene. Apart from muscle pathology, cognitive impairment, primarily of developmental origin, is also a significant component of the disorder. Convergent lines of evidence point to an important role for dystrophin in regulating the molecular machinery of central synapses. The clustering of neurotransmitter receptors at inhibitory synapses, thus impacting on synaptic transmission, is of particular significance. However, less is known about the role of dystrophin in influencing the precise expression patterns of proteins located within the pre- and postsynaptic elements of inhibitory synapses. To this end, we exploited molecular markers of inhibitory synapses, interneurons and dystrophin-deficient mouse models to explore the role of dystrophin in determining the stereotypical patterning of inhibitory connectivity within the cellular networks of the hippocampus CA1 region. In tissue from wild-type (WT) mice, immunoreactivity of neuroligin2 (NL2), an adhesion molecule expressed exclusively in postsynaptic elements of inhibitory synapses, and the vesicular GABA transporter (VGAT), a marker of GABAergic presynaptic elements, were predictably enriched in strata pyramidale and lacunosum moleculare. In acute contrast, NL2 and VGAT immunoreactivity was relatively evenly distributed across all CA1 layers in dystrophin-deficient mice. Similar changes were evident with the cannabinoid receptor 1, vesicular glutamate transporter 3, parvalbumin, somatostatin and the GABAA receptor alpha1 subunit. The data show that in the absence of dystrophin, there is a rearrangement of the molecular machinery, which underlies the precise spatio-temporal pattern of GABAergic synaptic transmission within the CA1 sub-field of the hippocampus

Delito de profanación de las especies eucarísticas desde sus antecedentes a las Normae de gravioribus delictis de 2010

El objeto de este trabajo es el primer delito contra la Eucaristía tipificado en las Normae de gravioribus delictis de 2010, es decir, el delito de profanación de las especies eucarísticas. En los apartados de este trabajo estudiaremos, en primer lugar, algunas declaraciones papales que tratan de los delitos contra la Eucaristía, para posteriormente estudiar el delito de profanación, las distintas figuras delictivas, la sanción penal prevista, etc. Estudiaremos la regulación de la materia en los Códigos latinos de 1917, de 1983 y en el Código de Derecho Oriental. Haremos las oportunas referencias a los trabajos de reforma de los códigos vigentes

Mean-Field Theory of Meta-Learning

We discuss here the mean-field theory for a cellular automata model of meta-learning. The meta-learning is the process of combining outcomes of individual learning procedures in order to determine the final decision with higher accuracy than any single learning method. Our method is constructed from an ensemble of interacting, learning agents, that acquire and process incoming information using various types, or different versions of machine learning algorithms. The abstract learning space, where all agents are located, is constructed here using a fully connected model that couples all agents with random strength values. The cellular automata network simulates the higher level integration of information acquired from the independent learning trials. The final classification of incoming input data is therefore defined as the stationary state of the meta-learning system using simple majority rule, yet the minority clusters that share opposite classification outcome can be observed in the system. Therefore, the probability of selecting proper class for a given input data, can be estimated even without the prior knowledge of its affiliation. The fuzzy logic can be easily introduced into the system, even if learning agents are build from simple binary classification machine learning algorithms by calculating the percentage of agreeing agents.Comment: 23 page

Geometry of entanglement witnesses parameterized by SO(3) group

We characterize a set of positive maps in matrix algebra of 4x4 complex matrices. Equivalently, we provide a subset of entanglement witnesses parameterized by the rotation group SO(3). Interestingly, these maps/witnesses define two intersecting convex cones in the 3-dimensional parameter space. The existence of two cones is related to the topological structure of the underlying orthogonal group. We perform detailed analysis of the corresponding geometric structure.Comment: 10 page

On multipartite invariant states I. Unitary symmetry

We propose a natural generalization of bipartite Werner and isotropic states to multipartite systems consisting of an arbitrary even number of d-dimensional subsystems (qudits). These generalized states are invariant under the action of local unitary operations. We study basic properties of multipartite invariant states: separability criteria and multi-PPT conditions.Comment: 9 pages; slight correction

Removal of volatile organic compounds from contaminated water using air-sparged hydrocyclone stripping technology

Journal ArticleThe air-sparged hydrocyclone (ASH) technology offers the unique opportunity to achieve efficient removal of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) from contaminated water at a high specific capacity, more than 100 times that of conventional air stripping technologies. VOC stripping is the first application of the ASH as a contacting reactor rather than a flotation device. The effectiveness of the ASM system for this application has been demonstrated through a number of experiments. Results from these teste show that the ASH technology is very competitive with other stripping technologies and that single stage contaminant removal exceeding 90% can be achieved

Quantum Mechanics of Damped Systems II. Damping and Parabolic Potential Barrier

We investigate the resonant states for the parabolic potential barrier known also as inverted or reversed oscillator. They correspond to the poles of meromorphic continuation of the resolvent operator to the complex energy plane. As a byproduct we establish an interesting relation between parabolic cylinder functions (representing energy eigenfunctions of our system) and a class of Gel'fand distributions used in our recent paper.Comment: 14 page

Parametry morfologiczne tętnic obwodowych w ocenie ryzyka sercowo-naczyniowego

Introduction. The aim of the study was to test the hypothesis that ultrasound measurements of common carotid artery (CCAd) and brachial artery (BAd) diameters represent markers of higher coronary artery disease risk (CAD, defined as ≥ 50% reduction in diameter of at least one large coronary artery segment). Materials and methods. Seventy-one patients (pts) evaluated for suspected stable CAD (23.9% women, age 61.5 ± 7.5) underwent ultrasound measurements of averaged diameters of both common carotid arteries and the brachial artery diameter of dominant arm. Clinical protocol included also: standard medical examination, assessment of biochemical parameters, resting electrocardiography, treadmill exercise test and transthoracic echocardiography. Diagnosis was established using quantitative coronary angiography measurements and calculation of Gensini Score (GS). Results. Angiographic CAD was present in 43 (60.5%) patients. Average CCAd was larger in CAD group (7.97 ± 0.96 mm vs. 7.37 ± 0.67 mm, p = 0.0052), similar to BAd (5.06 ± 0.65 vs. 4.68 ± 0.75, p = 0.03), respectively. The peripheral arterial diameters correlated with values of GS index, more pronounced for CCAd (ρ = 0.35, p = 0.0023) than for BAd (ρ = 0.24, p = 0.0368). CCAd significantly more positively correlated with the distal coronary artery segments values of the GS index (ρ = 0.35, p = 0.0024), whereas the diameter of BA with the proximal segments values of GS index (ρ = 0.239, p = 0.045). CCA and BD diameters indexed to body surface area (BSA) showed a strong trend toward larger average diameters in CAD patients: CCAd/BSA index: 4.06 ± 0.46 mm/m2 vs. 3.85 ± 0.56 mm/m2, p = 0.087, BAd/BSA index: 2.57 ± 0.29 mm/m2 vs. 2.42 ± 0.35 mm/m2, p = 0.057. Gensini score significantly correlated with CCAd/BSA index (ρ = 0.24, p = 0.043) with a strong trend of positive correlation between GS index and BAd/BSA index (ρ = 0.21, p = 0.076). Conclusions. The diameters of common carotid arteries and the brachial artery of dominant arm are greater in CAD pts. Peripheral arteries ultrasound may complement classic diagnostic pathway of stable coronary artery disease.Wstęp. Celem badania była weryfikacja hipotezy, czy ultrasonograficzny pomiar średnic tętnic szyjnych wspólnych (CCAd) i tętnicy ramiennej (BAd) może stanowić marker zwiększonego ryzyka wystąpienia choroby wieńcowej (CAD), definiowanej jako zwężenie większe lub równe 50% średnicy co najmniej jednego segmentu dużej tętnicy wieńcowej. Materiały i metody. Diagnozowanych w kierunku choroby wieńcowej 71 pacjentów (23,9% kobiet, średni wiek 61,5 ± 7,5) poddano ultrasonograficznej ocenie średnic obu tętnic szyjnych wspólnych i tętnicy ramiennej dominującej kończyny górnej. Protokół badania obejmował również ocenę kliniczną, ocenę wskaźników biochemicznych, spoczynkowy zapis elektrokardiograficzny, elektrokardiograficzny test wysiłkowy, przezklatkowe badanie echokardiograficzne, z weryfikacją wyników w koronarografii i oceną zmian w naczyniach wieńcowych metodą cyfrowej angiografii ilościowej i wyliczeniem wskaźnika Gensiniego (GS). Wyniki. Obecność istotnych zwężeń w koronarografii stwierdzono u 43 (60,5%) pacjentów. Średnia wartość CCAd była większa u pacjentów z CAD (7,97 ± 0,96 mm vs. 7,37 ± 0,67 mm; p = 0,0052), podobnie jak wartość BAd (5,06 ± 0,65 vs. 4,68 ± 0,75; p = 0,03). Wartości średnic tętnic obwodowych korelowały ze wskaźnikiem GS bardziej wyraźnie w przypadku CCAd (ρ = 0,35; p = 0,0023) niż dla BAd (ρ = 0,24; p = 0,0368). Wartości CCAd znacząco wyraźniej dodatnio korelowały z dystalnymi segmentami (ρ = 0,35; p = 0,0024), natomiast średnica BA — z proksymalnymi segmentami tętnic wieńcowych ocenianych według GS (ρ = 0,239; p = 0,045). Po zastosowaniu metody indeksacji do pola powierzchni ciała (BSA) stwierdzono obecność silnego trendu w kierunku wyższych wartości średnic badanych tętnic obwodowych wśród pacjentów z chorobą wieńcową — wskaźnik CCAd/BSA: 4,06 ± 0,46 mm/m2 vs. 3,85 ± 0,56 mm/m2, p = 0,087, wskaźnik BAd/BSA: 2,57 ± 0,29 mm/m2 vs. 2,42 ± 0,35 mm/m2, p = 0,057. Wskaźnik Gensiniego znacząco korelował z indeksem CCAd/BSA (ρ = 0,24; p = 0,043) oraz wykazano dodatni trend w korelacji między wskaźnikiem GS i indeksem BAd/BSA (ρ = 0,21; p = 0,076). Wnioski. Średnice tętnic szyjnych wspólnych i średnicy ramiennej dominującej kończyny górnej są większe u pacjentów z CAD. Ultrasonografia tętnic obwodowych może stanowić uzupełniającą metodę w diagnostyce CAD

Fixed points of dynamic processes of set-valued F-contractions and application to functional equations

The article is a continuation of the investigations concerning F-contractions which have been recently introduced in [Wardowski in Fixed Point Theory Appl. 2012:94,2012]. The authors extend the concept of F-contractive mappings to the case of nonlinear F-contractions and prove a fixed point theorem via the dynamic processes. The paper includes a non-trivial example which shows the motivation for such investigations. The work is summarized by the application of the introduced nonlinear F-contractions to functional equations

Properties of an equilibrium hadron gas subjected to the adiabatic longitudinal expansion

We consider an ideal gas of massive hadrons in thermal and chemical equilibrium. The gas expands longitudinally in an adiabatic way. This evolution for a baryonless gas reduces to a hydrodynamic expansion. Cooling process is parametrized by the sound velocity. The sound velocity is temperature dependent and is strongly influenced by hadron mass spectrum.Comment: 7pages, 7 figures-- uucoded file of figures appended at the end, separated from the paper by lines with many dashe