1,070 research outputs found
Implicit regional economic goals and objectives: A study of U.S. development programs
At the present time, U.S. regional economic development policies tend to be focused on sectors, infrastructure, human capital, innovation capability, or to be problem oriented, and only a few programs can be described as being place-based. In this paper, we are looking at major federal regional development programs to deduce their combined implicit place-based goals and objectives. Because the U.S. seems to be relatively unique among OECD countries in its scant use of place-based policies, we compare the United States to, in particular, Canada to gain further insights into the reasons for and potential effects of such policy differences
Mapping local optical densities of states in silicon photonic structures with nanoscale electron spectroscopy
Relativistic electrons in a structured medium generate radiative losses such
as Cherenkov and transition radiation that act as a virtual light source,
coupling to the photonic densities of states. The effect is most pronounced
when the imaginary part of the dielectric function is zero, a regime where in a
non-retarded treatment no loss or coupling can occur. Maps of the resultant
energy losses as a sub-5nm electron probe scans across finite waveguide
structures reveal spatial distributions of optical modes in a spectral domain
ranging from near-infrared to far ultraviolet.Comment: 18 pages, 4 figure
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Imaging calcium microdomains within entire astrocyte territories and endfeet with GCaMPs expressed using adeno-associated viruses.
Intracellular Ca(2+) transients are considered a primary signal by which astrocytes interact with neurons and blood vessels. With existing commonly used methods, Ca(2+) has been studied only within astrocyte somata and thick branches, leaving the distal fine branchlets and endfeet that are most proximate to neuronal synapses and blood vessels largely unexplored. Here, using cytosolic and membrane-tethered forms of genetically encoded Ca(2+) indicators (GECIs; cyto-GCaMP3 and Lck-GCaMP3), we report well-characterized approaches that overcome these limitations. We used in vivo microinjections of adeno-associated viruses to express GECIs in astrocytes and studied Ca(2+) signals in acute hippocampal slices in vitro from adult mice (aged ∼P80) two weeks after infection. Our data reveal a sparkling panorama of unexpectedly numerous, frequent, equivalently scaled, and highly localized Ca(2+) microdomains within entire astrocyte territories in situ within acute hippocampal slices, consistent with the distribution of perisynaptic branchlets described using electron microscopy. Signals from endfeet were revealed with particular clarity. The tools and experimental approaches we describe in detail allow for the systematic study of Ca(2+) signals within entire astrocytes, including within fine perisynaptic branchlets and vessel-associated endfeet, permitting rigorous evaluation of how astrocytes contribute to brain function
Ohm's Law for a Relativistic Pair Plasma
We derive the fully relativistic Ohm's law for an electron-positron plasma.
The absence of non-resistive terms in Ohm's law and the natural substitution of
the 4-velocity for the velocity flux in the relativistic bulk plasma equations
do not require the field gradient length scale to be much larger than the
lepton inertial lengths, or the existence of a frame in which the distribution
functions are isotropic.Comment: 12 pages, plain TeX, Phys. Rev. Lett. 71 3481 (1993
Measurement of the separation dependence of resonant energy transfer between CdSe/ZnS core/shell nanocrystallite quantum dots
The separation dependence of the interaction between two resonant groups of
CdSe/ZnS nanocrystallite quantum dots is studied at room temperature. A
near-field scanning optical microscope is used to bring a group of
mono-disperse ~6.5 nm diameter nanocrystallite quantum dots which are attached
to the microscope probe, into close proximity of `~8.5 nm diameter group of
nanocrystallite quantum dots which are deposited on a solid immersion lens.
Information extracted from photoluminescence, photoluminescence excitation and
absorption curves as well as numerical calculations of the energy levels, show
that the third excited excitonic energy level of the large quantum dots nearly
matches the ground excitonic energy level for the small quantum dots. Quenching
of the small quantum dots photoluminescence signal has been observed as they
approach the large quantum dots. On average, the separation between microscope
probe and solid immersion lens changed in the 15-50 nm range. The transition
probability between these two groups of quantum dots is calculated to be (2.60
x 10-47 m6)/R6, within the (0.70 x 10-47 m6)/R6 - (11.0 x 10-47 m6)/R6
experimentally obtained range of transition probabilities. The F\"orster
radius, as a signature of energy transfer efficiency, is experimentally found
to be in the 14-22 nm range.Comment: 8 pages-8 figures Accepted Physical Review B 201
Information system for monitoring and assessing stress among medical students
Author ProofThe severe or prolonged exposure to stress-inducing factors in occupational and academic settings is a growing concern. The literature describes several potentially stressful moments experienced by medical students throughout the course, affecting cognitive functioning and learning. In this paper, we introduce the EUSTRESS Solution, that aims to create an Information System to monitor and assess, continuously and in real-time, the stress levels of the individuals in order to predict chronic stress. The Information System will use a measuring instrument based on wearable devices and machine learning techniques to collect and process stress-related data from the individual without his/her explicit interaction. A big database has been built through physiological, psychological, and behavioral assessments of medical students. In this paper, we focus on heart rate and heart rate variability indices, by comparing baseline and stress condition. In order to develop a predictive model of stress, we performed different statistical tests. Preliminary results showed the neural network had the better model fit. As future work, we will integrate salivary samples and self-report questionnaires in order to develop a more complex and intelligent model.QVida+ project (Estimação Contínua de Qualidade de Vida para Auxílio Eficaz à Decisão Clínica), funded by European Structural funds (FEDER-003446), supported by Norte Portugal Regional Operational Programme (NORTE 2020), under the PORTUGAL 2020 Partnership Agreement
Kinetic Assessment and Therapeutic Modulation of Metabolic and Inflammatory Profiles in Mice on a High-Fat and Cholesterol Diet
The kinetics of metabolic and inflammatory parameters associated with obesity were evaluated in a murine diet-induced obesity (DIO) model using a diet high in fat and cholesterol. Cellular infiltration and mediator production were assessed and shown to be therapeutically modulated by the PPARgamma agonist rosiglitazone. C57BL/6 mice were maintained on a 45% fat/ 0.12% cholesterol (HF/CH) or Chow diet for 3, 6, 16, or 27 weeks. Flow cytometry was employed to monitor peripheral blood monocytes and adipose tissue macrophages (ATM). Gene expression and protein analysis methods were used to evaluate mediator production from total epididymal fat (EF), stromal vascular fraction (SVF), and sorted SVF cells. To investigate therapeutic intervention, mice were fed a HF/CH diet for 12 weeks and then a diet formulated with rosiglitazone (5 mg/kg) for an additional 6 weeks. A HF/CH diet correlated with obesity and a dramatic proinflammatory state. Therapeutic intervention with rosiglitazone attenuated the HF/CH induced inflammation. In addition, a novel population was found that expressed the highest levels of the pro-inflammatory mediators CCL2 and IL-6
Quantitative Proteomics of Intracellular Campylobacter jejuni Reveals Metabolic Reprogramming
Campylobacter jejuni is the major cause of bacterial food-borne illness in the USA and Europe. An important virulence attribute of this bacterial pathogen is its ability to enter and survive within host cells. Here we show through a quantitative proteomic analysis that upon entry into host cells, C. jejuni undergoes a significant metabolic downshift. Furthermore, our results indicate that intracellular C. jejuni reprograms its respiration, favoring the respiration of fumarate. These results explain the poor ability of C. jejuni obtained from infected cells to grow under standard laboratory conditions and provide the bases for the development of novel anti microbial strategies that would target relevant metabolic pathways
Clofarabine and high-dose cytosine arabinoside in the treatment of refractory or relapsed acute myeloid leukaemia
Clofarabine (40 mg/m2/day × 5) and high-dose cytosine arabinoside (Ara-C, 1–2 g/m2/day × 5) were used in 10 men and 11 women, at a median age of 45 (22–62) years, with refractory (N = 4) and relapsed (N = 17) acute myeloid leukaemia, after a median of 3 (2–5) prior regimens. Grade 4 myelosuppression was observed in all cases, with two patients dying of bacterial sepsis. Nine patients achieved a complete remission. Disease status, number of prior therapies, and cytogenetic aberrations were not associated with the outcome. However, remission was only achieved with Ara-C at 2 g/m2/day and not 1 g/m2/day (9/15 versus 0/4, P = 0.03)
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Multi-ancestry study of blood lipid levels identifies four loci interacting with physical activity.
Many genetic loci affect circulating lipid levels, but it remains unknown whether lifestyle factors, such as physical activity, modify these genetic effects. To identify lipid loci interacting with physical activity, we performed genome-wide analyses of circulating HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and triglyceride levels in up to 120,979 individuals of European, African, Asian, Hispanic, and Brazilian ancestry, with follow-up of suggestive associations in an additional 131,012 individuals. We find four loci, in/near CLASP1, LHX1, SNTA1, and CNTNAP2, that are associated with circulating lipid levels through interaction with physical activity; higher levels of physical activity enhance the HDL cholesterol-increasing effects of the CLASP1, LHX1, and SNTA1 loci and attenuate the LDL cholesterol-increasing effect of the CNTNAP2 locus. The CLASP1, LHX1, and SNTA1 regions harbor genes linked to muscle function and lipid metabolism. Our results elucidate the role of physical activity interactions in the genetic contribution to blood lipid levels
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