5,121 research outputs found
Anhedonia in the shadow of chronic social defeat stress, or When the experimental context matters
One of the core symptoms of major depression in human is anhedonia. For that reason, one of the main requirements towards experimental depression models is that they be able to demonstrate anhedonia in animals, that have been exposed to stressful events, and other behavioral changes attributable to a depression-like state. However, the results presented in the literature are contradictory: sweet solution intake, which is considered as a parameter of hedonic/anhedonic behavior in animals, responds quite differently to stressful situations in that it is either unaffected or increased or decreased. Different experimental designs used for the study of anhedonia in male mice exposed to chronic social defeat stress were tried to understand the reasons for so contradictory responses. Anhedonia appears as an abrupt reduction in sweet solution consumption in stressed animals and by failure to attain recovery after deprivation. However, it was also demonstrated that sucrose solution intake and preference strongly depend on the experimental context; that the possible critical factor may be prior acquaintance with the hedonic stimulus – or the lack whereof. Analysis of literature data and ours allowed us to conclude that the lack of a significant decrease in sweet solution intake in stressed animals is no evidence of lack of depression. This decrease is evidence of anhedonia only provided other symptoms of depression are present. Hedonic consumable intake can be decreased over various motivations, conditions or diseases, in particular, a high level of anxiety or pathological aggression
Hadronic structure aspects of decays
As is known from previous studies the lepton number violating decays have good prospects to probe new physics beyond the
Standard Model and provide valuable information on neutrino masses and mixing.
We analyze these processes with an emphasis on their hadronic structure
aspects applying relativistic constituent quark model. We conclude that the
previously ignored contribution associated with the t-channel Majorana neutrino
exchange is comparable with the s-channel one in a wide range of neutrino
masses. We also estimated model independent absolute upper bounds on neutrino
contribution to these decays.Comment: 15 pages, 1 figure. Version to appear in PRD, normalization factor in
Eq. (25) is correcte
Estimation of synchronous generator participation in low-frequency oscillations damping based on synchronized phasor measurements
Large-scale centralized power systems interconnected by weak tie-lines is a typical feature of the state-of-the-industry power engineering. Another trend is distributed generation units integration with the resulting decrease of power system inertia constant and increasing sensitivity to small disturbances. In particular, in the case of significant power imbalance, periodic low-frequency oscillations of power system performance parameters may arise. Low frequency oscillations in power systems are inherently non-linear and non-stationary processes representing a superposition of numerous rotating masses movement components having mutual influence in a power region or power center. These situations imply the crucial role of monitoring each generator damping capability which is determined by the adjustment of the system regulators in use. To estimate the synchronous generator capability to maintain synchronous operation under deviating frequency and load angle conditions synchronizing torque and corresponding synchronizing power are proposed to be used. The possibility to determine the synchronous machine synchronizing power is subject to the presence of the load angle variation data with the techniques for defining load angle without direct measurement using a system of assumptions have been analyzed. Numerous simulations have shown that the effect of assumptions can be evaluated as acceptable. The main focus of the paper is the analysis of synchronizing power corresponding to the actual generator involved in the oscillations which had arisen after a disturbance in the Unified Energy System of Russia. The supposed cause of the oscillations is improper automatic excitation controller operation. © 2014 WIT Press.International Journal of Safety and Security Engineering;International Journal of Sustainable Development and Planning;WIT Transactions on Ecology and the Environmen
The Pulsar Wind Nebula Around PSR B1853+01 in the Supernova Remnant W44
We present radio observations of a region in the vicinity of the young pulsar
PSR B1853+01 in the supernova remnant W44. The pulsar is located at the apex of
an extended feature with cometary morphology. We argue on the basis of its
morphology and its spectral index and polarization properties that this is a
synchrotron nebula produced by the spin down energy of the pulsar. The geometry
and physical parameters of this pulsar-powered nebula and W44 are used to
derive three different measures of the pulsar's transverse velocity. A range of
estimates between 315 and 470 km/s are derived, resulting in a typical value of
375 km/s. The observed synchrotron spectrum from radio to X-ray wavelengths is
used to put constraints on the energetics of the nebula and to derive the
parameters of the pulsar wind.Comment: ApJ Let (in press
Mechanisms of water-salt metabolism disturbances in dogs subjected to six month hypokinesia
Water-salt metabolism in dogs during prolonged restricted motor activity (hypokinesia) was investigated. It was found that hydration occurred and fluid was redistributed between the extra- and intra-cellular sectors. Also, electrolyte excretion rose, and magnetism and calcium metabolism changed significantly. It is concluded that the forces caused by muscle strain proper (which was decreased under conditions of hypokinesia) influence the state of bone metabolism
Sterile neutrinos in neutrinoless double beta decay
We study possible contribution of the Majorana neutrino mass eigenstate
dominated by a sterile neutrino component to neutrinoless double beta
() decay. From the current experimental lower bound on the
-decay half-life of Ge we derive stringent constraints
on the mixing in a wide region of the values of mass. We
discuss cosmological and astrophysical status of in this mass region.Comment: 6 pages, 1 figure; v2 added comments and reference
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