Composition of Ni2+ cation solvation shell in NiCl2–methanol solution by multinuclear NMR

1H-, 2H- and 13C-NMR spectra have been used to test the Ni2+ solvation shell composition in the 1.1 molal methanol solution of NiCl2. It has been confirmed that Cl− anion takes part in the nearest environment of Ni2+ cation at all the temperatures investigated. Using 2H-NMR allowed us to detect for the first time OD-signal of methanol in the primary solvation shell of Ni2+ cation. Both 2H- and 13C-NMR spectra show that the composition of the cation solvation shell becomes more complicated at temperatures lower than 220 K

Kecerdasan Emosi Ditinjau Dari Keikutsertaan Dalam Program Meditasi

This study was aimed to see the difference between emotional intelligence of those who participated in meditation program and those who did not. The subjects of this study were university students. The subjects were divided into 3 groups:meditators who were currently participating in meditation program for 1‐6 months, meditators who were currently participating in meditation program for more than 6 months, and non‐meditators. Each group consisted 30 subjects. Anova analysis resulted a coefficient of F = 34. 703, and p < 0.01. The results indicated that there was a difference in emotional intelligence between the 3 groups. Meditators who participated in meditation for more than 6 months had higher emotional intelligence than those who had only participated for 1‐6 months, and non‐meditators. There was no difference in emotional intelligence between those who had only participated for 1‐6 months and non‐meditators

Detonating Cord for Flux Compression Generation using Electrical Detonator No. 33

The paper highlights the use of electrical detonators for magnetic flux compression generator applications which requires synchronisation of two events with precise time delay of tens of ms and jitter within a few ms. These requirements are generally achieved by exploding bridge wire type detonators which are difficult to develop and are not commercially available. A technique has been developed using commercially available electrical detonator no. 33 to synchronise between peak of seed current in stator coil and detonation of explosive charge in armature. In present experiments, electrical signal generated by self-shorting pin due to bursting of electrical detonator has been used to trigger the capacitor discharge and the detonating cord of known length has been used to incorporate predetermined delay to synchronise the events. It has been demonstrated that using electrical detonator and known length of detonating cord, the two events can be synchronised with predetermined delay between 31 and 251 ms with variation of ± 0.5ms. The technique developed is suitable for defence applications like generation of high power microwaves using explosive driven magnetic flux compression generators.Defence Science Journal, 2011, 61(1), pp.19-24, DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.14429/dsj.61.3

Rule-Based Forecasting: Using Judgment in Time-Series Extrapolation

Rule-Based Forecasting (RBF) is an expert system that uses judgment to develop and apply rules for combining extrapolations. The judgment comes from two sources, forecasting expertise and domain knowledge. Forecasting expertise is based on more than a half century of research. Domain knowledge is obtained in a structured way; one example of domain knowledge is managers= expectations about trends, which we call “causal forces.” Time series are described in terms of 28 conditions, which are used to assign weights to extrapolations. Empirical results on multiple sets of time series show that RBF produces more accurate forecasts than those from traditional extrapolation methods or equal-weights combined extrapolations. RBF is most useful when it is based on good domain knowledge, the domain knowledge is important, the series is well behaved (such that patterns can be identified), there is a strong trend in the data, and the forecast horizon is long. Under ideal conditions, the error for RBF’s forecasts were one-third less than those for equal-weights combining. When these conditions are absent, RBF neither improves nor harms forecast accuracy. Some of RBF’s rules can be used with traditional extrapolation procedures. In a series of studies, rules based on causal forces improved the selection of forecasting methods, the structuring of time series, and the assessment of prediction intervals

Novel insights into the cardio-protective effects of FGF21 in lean and obese rat hearts

Aims: Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) is a hepatic metabolic regulator with pleotropic actions. Its plasma concentrations are increased in obesity and diabetes; states associated with an increased incidence of cardiovascular disease. We therefore investigated the direct effect of FGF21 on cardio-protection in obese and lean hearts in response to ischemia. Methods and Results: FGF21, FGF21-receptor 1 (FGFR1) and beta-Klotho (βKlotho) were expressed in rodent, human hearts and primary rat cardiomyocytes. Cardiac FGF21 was expressed and secreted (real time RT-PCR/western blot and ELISA) in an autocrine-paracrine manner, in response to obesity and hypoxia, involving FGFR1-βKlotho components. Cardiac-FGF21 expression and secretion were increased in response to global ischemia. In contrast βKlotho was reduced in obese hearts. In isolated adult rat cardiomyocytes, FGF21 activated PI3K/Akt (phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt), ERK1/2(extracellular signal-regulated kinase) and AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) pathways. In Langendorff perfused rat [adult male wild-type wistar] hearts, FGF21 administration induced significant cardio-protection and restoration of function following global ischemia. Inhibition of PI3K/Akt, AMPK, ERK1/2 and ROR-α (retinoic-acid receptor alpha) pathway led to significant decrease of FGF21 induced cardio-protection and restoration of cardiac function in response to global ischemia. More importantly, this cardio-protective response induced by FGF21 was reduced in obesity, although the cardiac expression profiles and circulating FGF21 levels were increased. Conclusion: In an ex vivo Langendorff system, we show that FGF21 induced cardiac protection and restoration of cardiac function involving autocrine-paracrine pathways, with reduced effect in obesity. Collectively, our findings provide novel insights into FGF21-induced cardiac effects in obesity and ischemia

Neuronal deletion of the circadian clock gene Bmal1 induces cell-autonomous dopaminergic neurodegeneration

Circadian rhythm dysfunction is a hallmark of Parkinson disease (PD), and diminished expression of the core clock gene Bmal1 has been described in patients with PD. BMAL1 is required for core circadian clock function but also serves nonrhythmic functions. Germline Bmal1 deletion can cause brain oxidative stress and synapse loss in mice, and it can exacerbate dopaminergic neurodegeneration in response to the toxin MPTP. Here we examined the effect of cell type-specific Bmal1 deletion on dopaminergic neuron viability in vivo. We observed that global, postnatal deletion of Bmal1 caused spontaneous loss of tyrosine hydroxylase+ (TH+) dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc). This was not replicated by light-induced disruption of behavioral circadian rhythms and was not induced by astrocyte- or microglia-specific Bmal1 deletion. However, either pan-neuronal or TH neuron-specific Bmal1 deletion caused cell-autonomous loss of TH+ neurons in the SNpc. Bmal1 deletion did not change the percentage of TH neuron loss after α-synuclein fibril injection, though Bmal1-KO mice had fewer TH neurons at baseline. Transcriptomics analysis revealed dysregulation of pathways involved in oxidative phosphorylation and Parkinson disease. These findings demonstrate a cell-autonomous role for BMAL1 in regulating dopaminergic neuronal survival and may have important implications for neuroprotection in PD

Population properties of compact objects from the second LIGO-Virgo gravitational-wave transient catalog

We report on the population of 47 compact binary mergers detected with a false-alarm rate of (BBH) population not discernible until now. First, the primary mass spectrum contains structure beyond a power law with a sharp high-mass cutoff; it is more consistent with a broken power law with a break at 39.7-+9.120.3 M? or a power law with a Gaussian feature peaking at 33.1-+5.64.0 M? (90% credible interval). While the primary mass distribution must extend to ~65 M? or beyond, only 2.9-+1.73.5% of systems have primary masses greater than 45 M?. Second, we find that a fraction of BBH systems have component spins misaligned with the orbital angular momentum, giving rise to precession of the orbital plane. Moreover,12%-44% of BBH systems have spins tilted by more than 90°, giving rise to a negative effective inspiral spin parameter, ceff. Under the assumption that such systems can only be formed by dynamical interactions, we infer that between 25% and 93% of BBHs with nonvanishing ceff| \u3e 0.01 are dynamically assembled. Third, we estimate merger rates, finding RBBH = 23.9-+8.614.3 Gpc-3 yr-1 for BBHs and RBNS = 320-+240490 Gpc-3 yr-1 for binary neutron stars. We find that the BBH rate likely increases with redshift (85% credibility) but not faster than the star formation rate (86% credibility). Additionally, we examine recent exceptional events in the context of our population models, finding that the asymmetric masses of GW190412 and the high component masses of GW190521 are consistent with our models, but the low secondary mass of GW190814 makes it an outlier