Geochelone carbonaria

Number of Pages: 7Integrative BiologyGeological Science

Synthesis of extracellular matrix components by human ciliary muscle cells in culture

The production and spatial organization of connective tissue components in ciliary muscle cell cultures was studied with immunohistochemical and ultrastructural methods. Antibodies against collagen types IV and VI, fibronectin and laminin were used. Laminin stains as pericellular network surrounding individual muscle cells. Type IV collagen shows positive cytoplasmic staining and only small foci of extracellular immunofluorescence. Staining for type VI collagen and fibronectin is seen near the ends of the bipolar cells, while the lateral sides of the cells remain unstained. Electronmicroscopy shows that cultured ciliary muscle cells are surrounded by an incomplete basal lamina. In addition, bundles of 5-20 nm thick extracellular microfibrils are seen. The bundles are oriented parallel to the axis of the cells and are in close contact with the cell membrane in areas where membrane-bound dense bands are formed. Immunoelectronmicroscopy indicates that the bundles contain fibronectin and type VI collagen fibrils. While the fibronectin fibrils approach the cell membrane directly, type VI collagen fibrils are usually separated from the cell membrane by fine fibrillous material of different nature. Quality and spatial organization of the extracellular material in ciliary muscle cell cultures shows marked similarities with the extracellular matrix of ciliary muscle in situ

Structural variation of proterozoic dikes in central Superior Province: A possible reflection of post-Archean shield deformation

Preliminary work is reported on the use of two structural parameters, dike dip and thickness, as possible depth-of-exposure indicators in the Central Superior Province. The data demonstrate systematic variations in the dip and thickness of 2.6 and 1.14 Ga. dikes across the Central Superior Province and are tentatively interpreted to result from post intrusion deformation. Combination of these results with additional structural and paleomagnetic data from dikes of all gas may permit detailed mapping both spatially and temporally of crustal deformation in this part of the Canadian Shield. Although dike dip and thickness data apparently reflect crustal exposure level as given by host rock metamorphic grade (ranging from subgreenschist to granulite), these post-orogenic dikes themselves are at most only weakly metamorphosed. This requires that regional isotherms dropped dramatically after the Kenoran orogeny (2.65 Ga.) and prior to emplacement of the earlist post-orogenic swarm (Matachewan-Hearst) at 2.6 Ga

IMPACT OF CASH SETTLEMENT ON FEEDER CATTLE BASIS

The feeder cattle futures contract specifications were changed in 1986 from physical delivery to cash settlement. The Chicago Mercantile Exchange expected this change to reduce basis variability and improve the ability of hedgers to predict basis. This study analyzes the basis for individual lots of feeder cattle before and after cash settlement. Basis equations were estimated by breed, sex, weight, grade, and season. These equations were used to predict basis. The results indicate basis variability was not reduced and hedger ability to forecast basis, in general, was not improved significantly under cash settlement compared to physical delivery.Marketing,

Pseudemys

Number of Pages: 7Integrative BiologyGeological Science

Microscopic approach to pion-nucleus dynamics

Elastic scattering of pions from finite nuclei is investigated utilizing a contemporary, momentum--space first--order optical potential combined with microscopic estimates of second--order corrections. The calculation of the first--order potential includes:\ \ (1)~full Fermi--averaging integration including both the delta propagation and the intrinsic nonlocalities in the $\pi$-$N$ amplitude, (2)~fully covariant kinematics, (3)~use of invariant amplitudes which do not contain kinematic singularities, and (4)~a finite--range off--shell pion--nucleon model which contains the nucleon pole term. The effect of the delta--nucleus interaction is included via the mean spectral--energy approximation. It is demonstrated that this produces a convergent perturbation theory in which the Pauli corrections (here treated as a second--order term) cancel remarkably against the pion true absorption terms. Parameter--free results, including the delta--nucleus shell--model potential, Pauli corrections, pion true absorption, and short--range correlations are presented. (2 figures available from authors)Comment: 13 page

Dynamic equations for three different qudits in a magnetic field

A closed system of equations for the local Bloch vectors and spin correlation functions of three magnetic qudits, which are in an arbitrary, time-dependent, external magnetic field, is obtained using decomplexification of the Liouville-von Neumann equation. The algorithm of the derivation of the dynamic equations is presented. In the basis convenient for the important physical applications structure constants of algebra su(2S+1) are calculated.Comment: 11 page

Sleep-amount differentially affects fear-processing neural circuitry in pediatric anxiety: A preliminary fMRI investigation.

Insufficient sleep, as well as the incidence of anxiety disorders, both peak during adolescence. While both conditions present perturbations in fear-processing-related neurocircuitry, it is unknown whether these neurofunctional alterations directly link anxiety and compromised sleep in adolescents. Fourteen anxious adolescents (AAs) and 19 healthy adolescents (HAs) were compared on a measure of sleep amount and neural responses to negatively valenced faces during fMRI. Group differences in neural response to negative faces emerged in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and the hippocampus. In both regions, correlation of sleep amount with BOLD activation was positive in AAs, but negative in HAs. Follow-up psychophysiological interaction (PPI) analyses indicated positive connectivity between dACC and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, and between hippocampus and insula. This connectivity was correlated negatively with sleep amount in AAs, but positively in HAs. In conclusion, the presence of clinical anxiety modulated the effects of sleep-amount on neural reactivity to negative faces differently among this group of adolescents, which may contribute to different clinical significance and outcomes of sleep disturbances in healthy adolescents and patients with anxiety disorders