Functional morphology of the primary olfactory centers in the brain of the hermit crab Coenobita clypeatus (Anomala, Coenobitidae)

Terrestrial hermit crabs of the genus Coenobita display strong behavioral responses to volatile odors and are attracted by chemical cues of various potential food sources. Several aspects of their sense of aerial olfaction have been explored in recent years including behavioral aspects and structure of their peripheral and central olfactory pathway. Here, we use classical histological methods and immunohistochemistry against the neuropeptides orcokinin and allatostatin as well as synaptic proteins and serotonin to provide insights into the functional organization of their primary olfactory centers in the brain, the paired olfactory lobes. Our results show that orcokinin is present in the axons of olfactory sensory neurons, which target the olfactory lobe. Orcokinin is also present in a population of local olfactory interneurons, which may relay lateral inhibition across the array of olfactory glomeruli within the lobes. Extensive lateral connections of the glomeruli were also visualized using the histological silver impregnation method according to Holmes-Blest. This technique also revealed the structural organization of the output pathway of the olfactory system, the olfactory projection neurons, the axons of which target the lateral protocerebrum. Within the lobes, the course of their axons seems to be reorganized in an axon-sorting zone before they exit the system. Together with previous results, we combine our findings into a model on the functional organization of the olfactory system in these animals

Detection of blood aspiration in deadly head gunshots comparing postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) and autopsy

BACKGROUND: The aim of our study was to analyze the reliability of postmortem computed tomography (PMCT) versus autopsy in detecting signs of blood aspiration in a distinct group of patients following deadly head, mouth or floor of mouth gunshot injuries. METHODS: In this study, in 41 cases PMCT was compared to autopsy reports, the gold standard of postmortem exams, regarding detection of blood aspiration. PMCT was evaluated for the presence and level of typical signs of blood aspiration in the major airways and lung using a semi-quantitative scale ranging from level 0 (no aspiration) to 3 (significant aspiration) also taking density values of the described potential aspiratory changes into account. RESULTS: Overall, in 29 (70.7%) of 41 enrolled cases PMCT and autopsy revealed the same level of aspiration. A difference of one level between PMCT and autopsy resulted for 5 (12.2%) of the remaining 12 cases. More than one level difference between both methods resulted for 7 cases (17.2%). Autopsy described no signs of aspiration in 10 cases, compared to 31 cases with reported blood aspiration. In contrast, PMCT revealed no signs of blood aspiration in 15 cases whereas 26 cases were rated as positive for signs of aspiration in the major airways. In 18 of these 26 cases considered positive for blood aspiration by autopsy and PMCT, clear signs of aspiration signs were also described bilaterally by both methods. CONCLUSIONS: The presented study provides evidence for the assumption that PMCT seems to be helpful in the detection of blood aspiration in cases of deadly head gunshots. In conclusion, it seems reasonable to suggest performing PMCT additionally to traditional postmortem exams in cases of suspected aspiration to rule out false-negative cases and to possibly allow for a more detailed and rather evidence based examination reconnoitering the cause of death. However, the adequate use of PMCT in this context needs further evaluation and the definition of an objective scale for aspiration detection on PMCT needs to be established in future studies

Extreme laser pulses for possible development of boron fusion power reactors for clean and lasting energy

Extreme laser pulses driving non-equilibrium processes in high density plasmas permit an increase of the fusion of hydrogen with the boron isotope 11 by nine orders of magnitude of the energy gains above the classical values. This is the result of initiating the reaction by non-thermal ultrahigh acceleration of plasma blocks by the nonlinear (ponderomotive) force of the laser field, in addition to the avalanche reaction that has now been experimentally and theoretically manifested. The design of a very compact fusion power reactor is scheduled to produce then environmentally fully clean and inexhaustible generation of energy at profitably low costs. The reaction within a volume of cubic millimetres during a nanosecond can only be used for controlled power generation.Comment: 10 pages, 5 fugure

Network representations of non-equilibrium steady states: Cycle decompositions, symmetries and dominant paths

Non-equilibrium steady states (NESS) of Markov processes give rise to non-trivial cyclic probability fluxes. Cycle decompositions of the steady state offer an effective description of such fluxes. Here, we present an iterative cycle decomposition exhibiting a natural dynamics on the space of cycles that satisfies detailed balance. Expectation values of observables can be expressed as cycle "averages", resembling the cycle representation of expectation values in dynamical systems. We illustrate our approach in terms of an analogy to a simple model of mass transit dynamics. Symmetries are reflected in our approach by a reduction of the minimal number of cycles needed in the decomposition. These features are demonstrated by discussing a variant of an asymmetric exclusion process (TASEP). Intriguingly, a continuous change of dominant flow paths in the network results in a change of the structure of cycles as well as in discontinuous jumps in cycle weights.Comment: 3 figures, 4 table

Avalanche boron fusion by laser picosecond block ignition with magnetic trapping for clean and economic reactor

After the very long consideration of the ideal energy source by fusion of the protons of light hydrogen with the boron isotope 11 (boron fusion HB11) the very first two independent measurements of very high reaction gains by lasers basically opens a fundamental breakthrough. The non-thermal plasma block ignition with extremely high power laser pulses above petawatt of picosecond duration in combination with up to ten kilotesla magnetic fields for trapping has to be combined to use the measured high gains as proof of an avalanche reaction for an environmentally clean, low cost and lasting energy source as potential option against global warming. The unique HB11 avalanche reaction is are now based on elastic collisions of helium nuclei (alpha particles) limited only to a reactor for controlled fusion energy during a very short time within a very small volume.Comment: 11 pages, 6 figures, Submitted to Proceedings 2nd Symposium High Power Laser Science and Engineering, 14-18 MARCH 2016, Suzhou/Chin

Theory of resistor networks: The two-point resistance

The resistance between arbitrary two nodes in a resistor network is obtained in terms of the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of the Laplacian matrix associated with the network. Explicit formulas for two-point resistances are deduced for regular lattices in one, two, and three dimensions under various boundary conditions including that of a Moebius strip and a Klein bottle. The emphasis is on lattices of finite sizes. We also deduce summation and product identities which can be used to analyze large-size expansions of two-and-higher dimensional lattices.Comment: 30 pages, 5 figures now included; typos in Example 1 correcte

Structure and function in flow networks

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