Способы расчета эффективного атомного номера многокомпонентного объекта

Recently, synthesis and secretion of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF)/CYR61/CTGF/NOV-family member 2 (CCN2) in cultures of hepatocytes were shown, which are sensitively up-regulated by exogenous TGF-β. In this study TGF-β-dependent CTGF/CCN2 expression in hepatocytes cultured under completely TGF-β-free conditions was analysed by Western-blots, metabolic labelling, and CTGF-reporter gene assays. In alkaline phosphatase monoclonal anti-alkaline phosphatase complex (APAAP)-staining of cultured hepatocytes it was demonstrated that latent TGF-β within the hepatocytes becomes rapidly detectable during culture indicating an intracellular demasking of the mature TGF-β antigen. Subsequent signaling to theCTGF/CCN2 promoter occurs via p-Smad2, whereas p-Smad3 does not seem to be involved. Cycloheximide did not abolish the rapid immunocytochemical appearance of mature TGF-β, but calpain inhibitors partially suppressed intracellular TGF-β activation and subsequently CTGF up-regulation. Calpain treatment had the reverse effect. None of the inhibitors of extracellular TGF-β signalling was effective in the reduction of spontaneous CTGF synthesis, but intracellularly acting Alk 4-/Alk 5-specific inhibitor SB-431542 was able to diminish CTGF expression. The assumption that latent intracellular TGF-β is activated by calpains during culture-induced stress or injurious conditions in the liver in vivo was further validated by a direct effect of calpains on the activation of recombinant latent TGF-β. In conclusion, these data are the first to suggest the possibility of intracrine TGF-β signalling due to calpain-dependent intracellular proteolytic activation leading to transcriptional activation of CTGF/CCN2 as a TGF-β-sensitive reporter gene. This mechanism might be deleterious for keeping long-term hepatocyte cultures due to TGF-β-induced apoptosis and, further, might be of relevance for induction of apoptosis or epithelial-mesenchymal transition of hepatocytes in injured liver

Biofisch – Qualitätsvergleich zwischen konventionellen und ökologisch produzierten Forellen

Die Studie umfasste die Untersuchung der Aufzuchtsbedingungen sowie Futterversuche und vergleichende Untersuchungen zur Produktqualität an Portionsforellen. Es wurden 2 ökologisch zertifizierte und 3 konventionelle Forellenzuchtbetriebe verglichen. In dieser Arbeit werden nur die Ergebnisse der Qualitätsuntersuchungen wiedergegeben. Die Untersuchungen der Portionsforellen beinhalteten die Erfassung der biologischen Parameter, die mikrobiologische und sensorische Beurteilung der Ware, Farb- und Texturmessungen, die Bestimmung der chemischen Zusammensetzung einschließlich der Rückstände sowie bildverarbeitende Methoden und die Aufnahme des Aromaprofils. Insgesamt waren die Qualität und der mikrobiologische Status aller untersuchten Forellen sehr gut. In ihrer chemischen Zusammensetzung unterschieden sich die Fische vor allem im Fettgehalt. Alle ermittelten Rückstandsgehalte lagen weit unter den zulässigen Höchstwerten. Unterschiede zwischen den Aufzuchtsformen wurden nicht gefunden

Qualitätsvergleich von Regenbogenforellen aus konventioneller und ökologisch zertifizierter Aufzucht als Voraussetzung für eine Verbesserung der Wettbewerbsfähigkeit von Bioforellen

Die Studie umfasste die Untersuchung der Aufzuchtsbedingungen sowie Futterversuche und vergleichende Untersuchungen zur Produktqualität. Es wurden 2 ökologisch zertifizierte und 3 konventionelle Forellenzuchtbetriebe verglichen. Tagesgänge verschiedener wasserchemischer Parameter an Zu- und Ablauf der Teiche umfassten die Bestimmung von Temperatur, Sauerstoff, pH-Wert, Ammonium-, Nitrit-, Gesamt- und ortho-Phosphatgehalt sowie CSB- und Feststoffgehalt. In zwei Futterversuchen wurden Ökofutter für Forellen mit konventionellen Futtern hinsichtlich Wachstum, Futterverwertung und Proteinausnutzung verglichen. Die zwei untersuchten ökologischen Futtermittel zeigten im Vergleich ein schlechteres Protein-/Energieverhältnis, das sich in niedrigeren Rohfettgehalten ausdrückte. Zusätzlich wurden futterbedingte Stickstoffexkretionsmuster von Forellen im Tagesgang untersucht. Im Ergebnis zeigte sich, dass die Ökofutter im Vergleich zu den konventionellen Futtern zu einer stärkeren Umweltbelastung und einem geringerem Wachstum bei schlechterer Futterverwertung führten. Die Qualitätsuntersuchungen der Forellen beinhalteten die Erfassung der biologischen Para-meter, die mikrobiologische und sensorische Beurteilung der Ware, Farb- und Texturmessun-gen, die Bestimmung der chemischen Zusammensetzung einschließlich der Rückstände sowie bildverarbeitende Methoden und die Aufnahme des Aromaprofils. Insgesamt waren die Produktqualität und der mikrobiologische Status aller untersuchten Forellen sehr gut. In ihrer chemischen Zusammensetzung unterschieden sich die Fische vor allem im Fettgehalt. Alle ermittelten Rückstandsgehalte lagen weit unter den zulässigen Höchstwerten. Ein Zusammenhang zwischen der Aufzuchtsform und der Qualität konnte nicht festgestellt werden. Bei den Projektergebnissen handelt es sich um eine Abschätzung der Situation ausgewählter Forellenzuchtbetriebe, repräsentative Aussagen können aus den Ergebnissen nicht abgeleitet werden

Absolute frequency measurement of the magnesium intercombination transition 1S0→3P1^1S_0 \to ^3P_1

We report on a frequency measurement of the $(3s^2)^1S_0\to(3s3p)^3P_1$ clock transition of $^{24}$Mg on a thermal atomic beam. The intercombination transition has been referenced to a portable primary Cs frequency standard with the help of a femtosecond fiber laser frequency comb. The achieved uncertainty is $2.5\times10^{-12}$ which corresponds to an increase in accuracy of six orders of magnitude compared to previous results. The measured frequency value permits the calculation of several other optical transitions from $^1S_0$ to the $^3P_J$-level system for $^{24}$Mg, $^{25}$Mg and $^{26}$Mg. We describe in detail the components of our optical frequency standard like the stabilized spectroscopy laser, the atomic beam apparatus used for Ramsey-Bord\'e interferometry and the frequency comb generator and discuss the uncertainty contributions to our measurement including the first and second order Doppler effect. An upper limit of $3\times10^{-13}$ in one second for the short term instability of our optical frequency standard was determined by comparison with a GPS disciplined quartz oscillator.Comment: 8 pages, 8 figure

Facing challenges in differential classical conditioning research: benefits of a hybrid design for simultaneous electrodermal and electroencephalographic recording

Several challenges make it difficult to simultaneously investigate central and autonomous nervous system correlates of conditioned stimulus (CS) processing in classical conditioning paradigms. Such challenges include, for example, the discrepant requirements of electroencephalography (EEG) and electrodermal activity (EDA) recordings with regard to multiple repetitions of conditions and sufficient trial duration. Here, we propose a MultiCS conditioning set-up, in which we increased the number of CSs, decreased the number of learning trials, and used trials of short and long durations for meeting requirements of simultaneous EEG–EDA recording in a differential aversive conditioning task. Forty-eight participants underwent MultiCS conditioning, in which four neutral faces (CS+) were paired four times each with aversive electric stimulation (unconditioned stimulus) during acquisition, while four different neutral faces (CS−) remained unpaired. When comparing after relative to before learning measurements, EEG revealed an enhanced centro-posterior positivity to CS+ vs. CS− during 368–600 ms, and subjective ratings indicated CS+ to be less pleasant and more arousing than CS−. Furthermore, changes in CS valence and arousal were strong enough to bias subjective ratings when faces of CS+/CS− identity were displayed with different emotional expression (happy, angry) in a post-experimental behavioral task. In contrast to a persistent neural and evaluative CS+/CS− differentiation that sustained multiple unreinforced CS presentations, electrodermal differentiation was rapidly extinguished. Current results suggest that MultiCS conditioning provides a promising paradigm for investigating pre–post-learning changes under minimal influences of extinction and overlearning of simple stimulus features. Our data also revealed methodological pitfalls, such as the possibility of occurring artifacts when combining different acquisition systems for central and peripheral psychophysiological measures

Facing challenges in differential classical conditioning research: benefits of a hybrid design for simultaneous electrodermal and electroencephalographic recording

Several challenges make it difficult to simultaneously investigate central and autonomous nervous system correlates of conditioned stimulus (CS) processing in classical conditioning paradigms. Such challenges include, for example, the discrepant requirements of electroencephalography (EEG) and electrodermal activity (EDA) recordings with regard to multiple repetitions of conditions and sufficient trial duration. Here, we propose a MultiCS conditioning set-up, in which we increased the number of CSs, decreased the number of learning trials, and used trials of short and long durations for meeting requirements of simultaneous EEG–EDA recording in a differential aversive conditioning task. Forty-eight participants underwent MultiCS conditioning, in which four neutral faces (CS+) were paired four times each with aversive electric stimulation (unconditioned stimulus) during acquisition, while four different neutral faces (CS−) remained unpaired. When comparing after relative to before learning measurements, EEG revealed an enhanced centro-posterior positivity to CS+ vs. CS− during 368–600 ms, and subjective ratings indicated CS+ to be less pleasant and more arousing than CS−. Furthermore, changes in CS valence and arousal were strong enough to bias subjective ratings when faces of CS+/CS− identity were displayed with different emotional expression (happy, angry) in a post-experimental behavioral task. In contrast to a persistent neural and evaluative CS+/CS− differentiation that sustained multiple unreinforced CS presentations, electrodermal differentiation was rapidly extinguished. Current results suggest that MultiCS conditioning provides a promising paradigm for investigating pre–post-learning changes under minimal influences of extinction and overlearning of simple stimulus features. Our data also revealed methodological pitfalls, such as the possibility of occurring artifacts when combining different acquisition systems for central and peripheral psychophysiological measures

Early Affective Processing in Patients with Acute Posttraumatic Stress Disorder: Magnetoencephalographic Correlates

Background: In chronic PTSD, a preattentive neural alarm system responds rapidly to emotional information, leading to increased prefrontal cortex (PFC) activation at early processing stages (<100 ms). Enhanced PFC responses are followed by a reduction in occipito-temporal activity during later processing stages. However, it remains unknown if this neuronal pattern is a result of a long lasting mental disorder or if it represents changes in brain function as direct consequences of severe trauma.Methodology: The present study investigates early fear network activity in acutely traumatized patients with PTSD. It focuses on the question whether dysfunctions previously observed in chronic PTSD patients are already present shortly after trauma exposure. We recorded neuromagnetic activity towards emotional pictures in seven acutely traumatized PTSD patients between one and seven weeks after trauma exposure and compared brain responses to a balanced healthy control sample. Inverse modelling served for mapping sources of differential activation in the brain.Principal Findings: Compared to the control group, acutely traumatized PTSD patients showed an enhanced PFC response to high-arousing pictures between 60 to 80 ms. This rapid prefrontal hypervigilance towards arousing pictorial stimuli was sustained during 120–300 ms, where it was accompanied by a reduced affective modulation of occipito-temporal neural processing.Conclusions: Our findings indicate that the hypervigilance-avoidance pattern seen in chronic PTSD is not necessarily a product of an endured mental disorder, but arises as an almost immediate result of severe traumatisation. Thus, traumatic experiences can influence emotion processing strongly, leading to long-lasting changes in trauma network activation and expediting a chronic manifestation of maladaptive cognitive and behavioral symptoms