THE IMPACT OF THE COST OF UNUSED CAPACITY ON PRODUCTION PLANNING OF FLEXIBLE MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS

Capacity is one of the most important measures of resources used in production. The conventional capacity measures do not include the value of the equipment in the production system and so their application can lead to erroneous operations management decisions. A new measure, the `cost of unused capacity´, is more frequently used to characterize resource usage. Flexible manufacturing systems (FMS), where the machining methods, machine tools, handling equipment, control systems and computer systems are used in an integrated way, become rather complex. Under these circumstances the process of production planning turns into a more complicated one, and as a consequence of the high value of the resources the drive for decreased cost of unused capacity is significant. A linear programming model was formulated with the aim of taking into consideration the cost of unused capacity. The model makes it possible to take into account the unused capacities of various machines in different degrees, while increasing the contribution at the same time. If the cost of unused capacity is considered in capacity planning, the idle time of valuable resources can be exploited more efficiently

Amyloid-β1-42 Disrupts Synaptic Plasticity by Altering Glutamate Recycling at the Synapse.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most prevalent form of neurodegenerative disorders characterized by neuritic plaques containing amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) and neurofibrillary tangles. Evidence has been reported that Aβ(1-42) plays an essential pathogenic role in decreased spine density, impairment of synaptic plasticity, and neuronal loss with disruption of memory-related synapse function, all associated with AD. Experimentally, Aβ(1-42) oligomers perturb hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP), an electrophysiological correlate of learning and memory. Aβ was also reported to perturb synaptic glutamate (Glu)-recycling by inhibiting excitatory-amino-acid-transporters. Elevated level of extracellular Glu leads to activation of perisynaptic receptors, including NR2B subunit containing NMDARs. These receptors were shown to induce impaired LTP and enhanced long-term depression and proapoptotic pathways, all central features of AD. In the present study, we investigated the role of Glu-recycling on Aβ(1-42)-induced LTP deficit in the CA1. We found that Aβ-induced LTP damage, which was mimicked by the Glu-reuptake inhibitor TBOA, could be rescued by blocking the NR2B subunit of NMDA receptors. Furthermore, decreasing the level of extracellular Glu using a Glu scavenger also restores TBOA or Aβ induces LTP damage. Overall, these results suggest that reducing ambient Glu in the brain can be protective against Aβ-induced synaptic disruption

Abeta(1-42) Enhances Neuronal Excitability in the CA1 via NR2B Subunit-Containing NMDA Receptors

Neuronal hyperexcitability is a phenomenon associated with early Alzheimer's disease. The underlying mechanism is considered to involve excessive activation of glutamate receptors; however, the exact molecular pathway remains to be determined. Extracellular recording from the CA1 of hippocampal slices is a long-standing standard for a range of studies both in basic research and in neuropharmacology. Evoked field potentials (fEPSPs) are regarded as the input, while spiking rate is regarded as the output of the neuronal network; however, the relationship between these two phenomena is not fully clear. We investigated the relationship between spontaneous spiking and evoked fEPSPs using mouse hippocampal slices. Blocking AMPA receptors (AMPARs) with CNQX abolished fEPSPs, but left firing rate unchanged. NMDA receptor (NMDAR) blockade with MK801 decreased neuronal spiking dose dependently without altering fEPSPs. Activating NMDARs by small concentration of NMDA induced a trend of increased firing. These results suggest that fEPSPs are mediated by synaptic activation of AMPARs, while spontaneous firing is regulated by the activation of extrasynaptic NMDARs. Synaptotoxic Abeta(1-42) increased firing activity without modifying evoked fEPSPs. This hyperexcitation was prevented by ifenprodil, an antagonist of the NR2B NMDARs. Overall, these results suggest that Abeta(1-42) induced neuronal overactivity is not dependent on AMPARs but requires NR2B

Abeta(1-42) Enhances Neuronal Excitability in the CA1 via NR2B Subunit-Containing NMDA Receptors

Neuronal hyperexcitability is a phenomenon associated with early Alzheimer’s disease. The underlying mechanism is considered to involve excessive activation of glutamate receptors; however, the exact molecular pathway remains to be determined. Extracellular recording from the CA1 of hippocampal slices is a long-standing standard for a range of studies both in basic research and in neuropharmacology. Evoked field potentials (fEPSPs) are regarded as the input, while spiking rate is regarded as the output of the neuronal network; however, the relationship between these two phenomena is not fully clear. We investigated the relationship between spontaneous spiking and evoked fEPSPs using mouse hippocampal slices. Blocking AMPA receptors (AMPARs) with CNQX abolished fEPSPs, but left firing rate unchanged. NMDA receptor (NMDAR) blockade with MK801 decreased neuronal spiking dose dependently without altering fEPSPs. Activating NMDARs by small concentration of NMDA induced a trend of increased firing. These results suggest that fEPSPs are mediated by synaptic activation of AMPARs, while spontaneous firing is regulated by the activation of extrasynaptic NMDARs. Synaptotoxic Abeta(1-42) increased firing activity without modifying evoked fEPSPs. This hyperexcitation was prevented by ifenprodil, an antagonist of the NR2B NMDARs. Overall, these results suggest that Abeta(1-42) induced neuronal overactivity is not dependent on AMPARs but requires NR2B

Csemegekukorica fajták komplex értékelése = Overall evaluation of sweet corn varieties

Kutatásunk során fagyasztott csemegekukorica minták komplex értékelését végeztük el. Az értékelés során nyolc fajta színét, állományát, cukortartalmát és érzékszervi paramétereit vizsgáltuk. A vizsgálatba három szuperédes és öt normálédes fajta került. A méréseket azonos mintaelőkészítést követően végeztük el. A színmérés során a minták L (világosság) és b* (sárga-kék) értékeit vizsgáltuk, míg reológiai tulajdonságaik közül keménységük alapján hasonlítottuk össze a termékeket. A cukortartalom meghatározása során HPLC-RI mérőrendszerrel a minták glükóz-, fruktóz- és szacharóztartalm át értékeltük. Az érzékszervi elemzés során a profilanalízis módszerét alkalmazva egy érzékszervi szakértői bírálócsoport jellemezte a mintákat egy 17 tulajdonságból álló lista alapján. A színvizsgálat során a csemegekukorica fajták világossági tényezői kismértékben különböztek. Az állománymérés során megállapítottuk a vizsgált csemegekukoricákra jellemző állományprofilt, melyben egy lassú felfutási zóna után gyorsesési szakasz következik, majd ez a ciklus megismétlődik. A minták fruktóz- és glükóztartalm a nem különbözött nagymértékben, viszont a szuperédes fajták élesen elkülönülnek a norm álédes fajtáktól szacharóztartalmuk alapján. Az érzékszervi vizsgálat során a szuperédes fajták a globális ízintenzitás, zsengeség és az édes íz tulajdonságokban kiemelkedőnek bizonyultak, határozottan elkülönülnek a többi term éktől. Összefoglalóan megállapítható, hogy az érzékszervi és a műszeres paraméterek eredményesen párhuzam ba állíthatóak, a két módszertan eredményei jól kiegészítik egymást. In this study an overall evaluation of eight frozen sweet corn varieties was performed. During the evaluation some instrum ental (color, texture, sugar content) and sensory properties of the sweet corn varieties were analyzed. Three out of the total eight samples were super sweet varieties and the other five samples were normal sweet varieties. The values of the L* (lightness) and b* (yellow-blue) were determ ined during the color measures. The samples were com pared based on their hardness during the rheological m easurement. HPLC-RI method was applied to determ ine the sugar content of the samples which was a detailed definition of the glucose, fructose and sucrose content. A fter the instrum ental methods as part of the sensory evaluation QDA method was applied to evaluate the samples by an expert sensory panel according to 17 descriptive sensory attributes. The instrum ental lightness values of the samples differed slightly. As a result of the instrum ental texture m easurem ent a sweet corn specific texture curve was established, which consisted of a slow raising zone and a fast falling zone and after that this cycle repeats itself. There was just a slight difference between the fructose and glucose content of the samples but the super sweet varieties were distinguished according to the sucrose content. The expert sensory panel clearly discriminated the super sweet varieties according to the following sensory attributes: global taste intensity, tenderness and sweet taste. As a conclusion we can state that the results of the sensory evaluation and the instrum ental methods can be effectively applied together and the obtained inform ation is more complex

GluA1 Phosphorylation Alters Evoked Firing Pattern In Vivo

AMPA and NMDA receptors convey fast synaptic transmission in the CNS. Their relative contribution to synaptic output and phosphorylation state regulate synaptic plasticity. The AMPA receptor subunit GluA1 is central in synaptic plasticity. Phosphorylation of GluA1 regulates channel properties and trafficking. The firing rate averaged over several hundred ms is used to monitor cellular input. However, plasticity requires the timing of spiking within a few ms; therefore, it is important to understand how phosphorylation governs these events. Here, we investigate whether the GluA1 phosphorylation (p-GluA1) alters the spiking patterns of CA1 cells in vivo. The antidepressant Tianeptine was used for inducing p-GluA1, which resulted in enhanced AMPA-evoked spiking. By comparing the spiking patterns of AMPA-evoked activity with matched firing rates, we show that the spike-trains after Tianeptine application show characteristic features, distinguishing from spike-trains triggered by strong AMPA stimulation. The interspike-interval distributions are different between the two groups, suggesting that neuronal output may differ when new inputs are activated compared to increasing the gain of previously activated receptors. Furthermore, we also show that NMDA evokes spiking with different patterns to AMPA spike-trains. These results support the role of the modulation of NMDAR/AMPAR ratio and p-GluA1 in plasticity and temporal coding

Természetvédők és kutatók ismeretei az eurázsiai hód kapcsán a Kárpát-medencében I.: elterjedés, életnyomok, az együttélés lehetőségei, az elhullás okai

Az eurázsiai hóddal kapcsolatos szakmai ismeretek jelentős része a helyi természetvédők és kutatók publikálatlan tudásanyagában található. Kárpát-medencében élő szakembereket kértünk fel arra, hogy osszák meg velünk tapasztalataikat a faj elterjedését, életmódját és a konfliktust érintő kérdésekben. Az elhangzott információkat szakirodalmi környezetben értelmezve új összefüggéseket és kutatási irányokat kerestünk. A hód valamennyi folyónkon jelen van, az állomány növekszik, ezzel párhuzamosan az együttélés lehetőségének megteremtése egyre több térségben jelent kihívást. A hód általi fadöntés mellett a faj gátépítése, valamint üregásási tevékenysége is konfliktusok forrása. Adatközlőink válaszai fontos hézagokat töltenek be, általuk válik lehetővé a hazai tudásanyag újraértelmezése, szintetizálása és a megismert jelenségek nyugat-európai példákkal való összevetése