Dynamic Regulation of Fisheries: the Case of the Bowhead Whale

The regulation of fisheries often requires finding numerical solutions to dynamic optimization problems. This paper presents a version of the "multiple shooting" algorithm and uses it to approximate the dynamic solution to a fisheries problem examined by Conrad (1989): the hunting of the Bowhead whale in the Western Arctic. It is found that the inclusion of dynamic considerations can significantly alter the nature of the policy if the regulated population is not near its steady state.Bowhead whale, multiple shooting, numerical methods, regulation of fisheries., Environmental Economics and Policy,

Exploration of Interplanetary Space by Unmanned Vehicles

Scientific objectives of interplanetary space exploration by unmanned spacecraf

How Many Spouses Does the Constitution Allow One to Have? Book Review Of: The Mormon Question: Polygamy and Constitutional Conflict in Nineteenth Century America. by Sarah Barringer Gordon

Book review: The Mormon Question: Polygamy and Constitutional Conflict in Nineteenth Century America. By Sarah Barringer Gordon. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 2002. Pp. XIV, 337. Reviewed by: David R. Dow and Jose I. Maldonado, Jr

How Many Spouses Does the Constitution Allow One to Have? Book Review Of: The Mormon Question: Polygamy and Constitutional Conflict in Nineteenth Century America. by Sarah Barringer Gordon

Book review: The Mormon Question: Polygamy and Constitutional Conflict in Nineteenth Century America. By Sarah Barringer Gordon. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. 2002. Pp. XIV, 337. Reviewed by: David R. Dow and Jose I. Maldonado, Jr

Social work as a career choice: perception of role and values as determinant in choice of social work as a career

Thesis (M.S.)--Boston Universit

The Paradox of Muscle Hypertrophy in Muscular Dystrophy

Mutations in the dystrophin gene cause Duchenne and Becker muscular dystrophy in humans and syndromes in mice, dogs, and cats. Affected humans and dogs have progressive disease that leads primarily to muscle atrophy. Mdx mice progress through an initial phase of muscle hypertrophy followed by atrophy. Cats have persistent muscle hypertrophy. Hypertrophy in humans has been attributed to deposition of fat and connective tissue (pseudohypertrophy). Increased muscle mass (true hypertrophy) has been documented in animal models. Muscle hypertrophy can exaggerate postural instability and joint contractures. Deleterious consequences of muscle hypertrophy should be considered when developing treatments for muscular dystrophy

Sprouty2 in the Dorsal Hippocampus Regulates Neurogenesis and Stress Responsiveness in Rats

Both the development and relief of stress-related psychiatric conditions such as major depression (MD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been linked to neuroplastic changes in the brain. One such change involves the birth of new neurons (neurogenesis), which occurs throughout adulthood within discrete areas of the mammalian brain, including the dorsal hippocampus (HIP). Stress can trigger MD and PTSD in humans, and there is considerable evidence that it can decrease HIP neurogenesis in laboratory animals. In contrast, antidepressant treatments increase HIP neurogenesis, and their efficacy is eliminated by ablation of this process. These findings have led to the working hypothesis that HIP neurogenesis serves as a biomarker of neuroplasticity and stress resistance. Here we report that local alterations in the expression of Sprouty2 (SPRY2), an intracellular inhibitor of growth factor function, produces profound effects on both HIP neurogenesis and behaviors that reflect sensitivity to stressors. Viral vector-mediated disruption of endogenous Sprouty2 function (via a dominant negative construct) within the dorsal HIP of adult rats stimulates neurogenesis and produces signs of stress resilience including enhanced extinction of conditioned fear. Conversely, viral vector-mediated elevation of SPRY2 expression intensifies the behavioral consequences of stress. Studies of these manipulations in HIP primary cultures indicate that SPRY2 negatively regulates fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF2), which has been previously shown to produce antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like effects via actions in the HIP. Our findings strengthen the relationship between HIP plasticity and stress responsiveness, and identify a specific intracellular pathway that could be targeted to study and treat stress-related disorders