Efficiency of the enterprise resource potential

The economic value of the results obtained is to improve the methodological approaches to the diagnosis of the resource potential of light industry enterprises and the further development of theoretical aspects of the diagnosis of the enterprise

Critical Changes in Cortical Neuronal Interactions in Anesthetized and Awake Rats

Background: Neuronal interactions are fundamental for information processing, cognition and consciousness. Anesthetics reduce spontaneous cortical activity; however, neuronal reactivity to sensory stimuli is often preserved or augmented. How sensory stimulus-related neuronal interactions change under anesthesia has not been elucidated. Here we investigated visual stimulus-related cortical neuronal interactions during stepwise emergence from desflurane anesthesia. Methods: Parallel spike trains were recorded with 64-contact extracellular microelectrode arrays from the primary visual cortex of chronically instrumented, unrestrained rats (N=6) at 8%, 6%, 4%, 2% desflurane anesthesia and wakefulness. Light flashes were delivered to the retina by transcranial illumination at 5-15s randomized intervals. Information theoretical indices, integration and interaction complexity, were calculated from the probability distribution of coincident spike patterns and used to quantify neuronal interactions before and after flash stimulation. Results: Integration and complexity showed significant negative associations with desflurane concentration (N=60). Flash stimulation increased integration and complexity at all anesthetic levels (N=60); the effect on complexity was reduced in wakefulness. During stepwise withdrawal of desflurane, the largest increase in integration (74%) and post-stimulus complexity (35%) occurred prior to reaching 4% desflurane concentration – a level associated with the recovery of consciousness according to the rats\u27 righting reflex. Conclusions: Neuronal interactions in the cerebral cortex are augmented during emergence from anesthesia. Visual flash stimuli enhance neuronal interactions in both wakefulness and anesthesia; the increase in interaction complexity is attenuated as post-stimulus complexity reaches plateau. The critical changes in cortical neuronal interactions occur during transition to consciousness

An Unbiased 1.3 mm Emission Line Survey of the Protoplanetary Disk Orbiting LkCa 15

The outer (>30 AU) regions of the dusty circumstellar disk orbiting the ~2-5 Myr-old, actively accreting solar analog LkCa 15 are known to be chemically rich, and the inner disk may host a young protoplanet within its central cavity. To obtain a complete census of the brightest molecular line emission emanating from the LkCa 15 disk over the 210-270 GHz (1.4 - 1.1 mm) range, we have conducted an unbiased radio spectroscopic survey with the Institute de Radioastronomie Millimetrique (IRAM) 30 meter telescope. The survey demonstrates that, in this spectral region, the most readily detectable lines are those of CO and its isotopologues 13CO and C18O, as well as HCO+, HCN, CN, C2H, CS, and H2CO. All of these species had been previously detected in the LkCa 15 disk; however, the present survey includes the first complete coverage of the CN (2-1) and C2H (3-2) hyperfine complexes. Modeling of these emission complexes indicates that the CN and C2H either reside in the coldest regions of the disk or are subthermally excited, and that their abundances are enhanced relative to molecular clouds and young stellar object environments. These results highlight the value of unbiased single-dish line surveys in guiding future high resolution interferometric imaging of disks.Comment: 35 pages, 9 figures, accepted for publication in The Astrophysical Journa

Immunomodulation of Breast Cancer Cells for Whole Tumor Vaccination

Hematogenous metastasis causes 90% of breast cancer-related deaths.Current therapies include chemotherapy and irradiation following surgery. These therapies are very harmful to the human body and do not elicit an anti-tumor immune response. To create a novel therapeutic, an autologous vaccine increasing the immunogenicity of non immunogenic breast cancer cell lines has been proposed. To create this vaccine, 4T1 mouse mammary breast cancer cells have been selected as the desired cell line to treat. They are non immunogenic and highly invasive. In order to increase their immunogenicity, first projected, was the addition of cytokines to 4T1 cells to increase the expression of immunostimulatory molecules on the cells. TNF-α and IFN-γ, two pro-inflammatory cytokines, were added individually at a concentration of 50ng/mL to 4T1 cells. This concentration was chosen based on an MTS viability assay and ensures that the cytokines themselves are not killing the cells before an immune response is stimulated. Flow cytometry was used to evaluate the surface marker expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) I, MHC II, B7.1, B7.2, ICAM, and Fas. There was a minimal effect on each MHC and co-stimulator molecule resulting from TNF-α. IFN-γ developed in an increase in ICAM and MHC II. Neither of the cytokines created a large enough increase to have a large effect on the immunogenicity of 4T1 cells. Therefore, protein expression of 4T1 cells was reviewed. 4T1 cells express G-CSF in large amounts which causes myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) to accumulate within the spleen of a mouse. These MDSCs produce mature T cells although with high levels of G-CSF expressed they remain in the spleen undifferentiated. G-CSF was knocked out using CRISPR/Cas9 methods in order to increase the immunogenicity of 4T1 cells. The 4T1.GCSF- cell line underwent single colony expansion and the concentration of G-CSF within the cell line was examined using ELISA (n=3). After single colony expansion, G-CSF was undetectable in the 4T1.GCSF- cell line. Next, the 4T1.GCSF- cell line will be used in an in-vivo prophylactic vaccination. 100,000 4T1.GCSF- cells will be irradiated and subcutaneously inserted into the mice as a primary vaccine on day 0 and a booster on day 10. On day 20 the mice will be challenged with live 4T1 cells and the tumor volume will be measured three times per week

High maternal androstenedione levels during pregnancy in a small precocial mammal with female genital masculinisation

-Masculinisation of female genitalia is an intriguing phenomenon amongst some mammalian species and its endocrinological basis as well as its adaptive value is still heavily debated. We recently reported female genital masculinisation in Cavia magna. The closely related C. aperea, does not show such masculinisation providing an unique opportunity to investigate potential endocrinological mechanisms underlying this difference. For both species we determined plasma levels of androstenedione and testosterone in adults of both sexes, and in females during different stages of pregnancy. Consistent with the normal mammalian pattern males showed higher levels of both androgens than conspecific females. Androgen profiles during pregnancy differed significantly between C. magna and C. aperea females: during mid-pregnancy androstenedione levels were strongly elevated in the masculinised C. magna, but not in C. aperea, indicating that high levels of this androgen may be involved in the differentiation of masculinized genitalia in female C. magna, as has been suggested for the spotted hyena. In both C. magna and the spotted hyena the pups show a highly advanced state of maturation, but in contrast to the hyena female C. magna are not overly aggressive. We therefore propose that female genital masculinisation might be a side effect of early exposure to elevated levels of maternal androgens that might be selected for to speed up precocial development.