Effects of switch leakages upon Nimbus-7 SMMR calibration

A calibration model for the Nimbus 7 Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) is studied. This model not only removes major drawbacks of the current calibration model but also helps in the understanding of the performance degradation of the aging instrument. The current Nimbus 7 SMMR calibration algorithm was derived without considering the interference effect between the two orthogonally polarized signals merging at a ferrite polarization selector switch. The resulting calibrated brightness temperatures, considered as a function of scan angle, are not symmetric around scan angle = 0. However, neither the origin of the asymmetry nor the manner in which the two orthogonal components are mixed has been fully understood. The new calibration model proposed incorporates all the leakage factors associated with the ferrite switches along the signal paths. The resulting calibration equations clarify how the orthogonal components of surface brightness are coupled at radiometers. As a consequence, the origin of the asymmetry is clearly identified and explained. In addition, the feasibility of absolute calibration using in-orbit data is discussed

Two genetic loci control syllable sequences of ultrasonic courtship vocalizations in inbred mice

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The ultrasonic vocalizations (USV) of courting male mice are known to possess a phonetic structure with a complex combination of several syllables. The genetic mechanisms underlying the syllable sequence organization were investigated.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>This study compared syllable sequence organization in two inbred strains of mice, 129S4/SvJae (129) and C57BL6J (B6), and demonstrated that they possessed two mutually exclusive phenotypes. The 129S4/SvJae (129) strain frequently exhibited a "chevron-wave" USV pattern, which was characterized by the repetition of chevron-type syllables. The C57BL/6J strain produced a "staccato" USV pattern, which was characterized by the repetition of short-type syllables. An F1 strain obtained by crossing the 129S4/SvJae and C57BL/6J strains produced only the staccato phenotype. The chevron-wave and staccato phenotypes reappeared in the F2 generations, following the Mendelian law of independent assortment.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>These results suggest that two genetic loci control the organization of syllable sequences. These loci were occupied by the staccato and chevron-wave alleles in the B6 and 129 mouse strains, respectively. Recombination of these alleles might lead to the diversity of USV patterns produced by mice.</p

Workshop on Squeezed States and Uncertainty Relations

The proceedings from the workshop are presented, and the focus was on the application of squeezed states. There are many who say that the potential for industrial applications is enormous, as the history of the conventional laser suggests. All those who worked so hard to produce squeezed states of light are continuing their efforts to construct more efficient squeezed-state lasers. Quite naturally, they are looking for new experiments using these lasers. The physical basis of squeezed states is the uncertainty relation in Fock space, which is also the basis for the creation and annihilation of particles in quantum field theory. Indeed, squeezed states provide a unique opportunity for field theoreticians to develop a measurement theory for quantum field theory

The environmental analysis of asiago PDO cheese: a case study from farm gate-to-plant gate

A farm gate-to-plant gate life cycle assessment was performed to estimate the environmental impact of Asiago Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) cheese, the fourth most produced Italian PDO cheese. One manufacturing plant were surveyed for primary data. Emphasis was given to manufacturing processes, wherein environmental hotspots were identified. However the farm phase was discussed in order to obtain a clear prospect of Asiago cheese production. Inputs and outputs at the plant, such as cheese ingredients, fuels, electricity, water, cleaning agents, packaging, waste, and associated transport were included. Asiago cheese was the main product and co-products were other cheeses and liquid whey. Raw milk, other materials and energy flows were allocated using economic allocation strategy, while salt was attributed using plant specific information. Scenario analysis was about allocation strategies and time of cheese aging. SimaPro© 8.1.1 was the modelling software. Ecoinvent® v3.1 database was used for upstream processes. Climate change and energy consumption per kg of Asiago cheese was 10.1 kg CO2-eq and 70.2 MJ, respectively. Uncertainty analysis gave 95% confidence interval of 6.2–17.5 kg CO2-eq and 41.8–115 MJ per kg of Asiago cheese. The main impact driver was raw milk production. At the plant, electricity and fuels usage, refrigerants, packaging and wastewater treatment had the highest contribution to the overall impacts, except for fresh water eutrophication where wastewater treatment had the largest impact. Energy and fuel consumption were the crucial "hot spots" to focus on for efficiency and mitigation procedures at plant

The amount of astrocytic GABA positively correlates with the degree of tonic inhibition in hippocampal CA1 and cerebellum

A tonic form of synaptic inhibition occurs in discrete regions of the central nervous system and has an important role in controlling neuronal excitability. Recently, we reported that GABA present in astrocyte is the major source of tonic inhibition in cerebellum and that GABA is released through Bestrophin-1 channel by direct permeation. In this study, we screened for the presence of astrocytic GABA in various brain regions such as hippocampus, thalamus, hypothalamus and cerebellum using immunohistochemistry. We found that astrocytic GABA was present in the regions that were reported to show tonic inhibition. Because the existence of tonic inhibition in hippocampal CA1 is somewhat controversial, we compared the amount of astrocytic GABA and tonic inhibition between the hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cell layer and the cerebellar granule cell layer. Unlike cerebellar glial cells, hippocampal astrocytes did not contain GABA. The tonic inhibition was also much lower in the pyramidal neurons of hippocampal CA1 compared to the granule cells of cerebellum. Nevertheless, most of the hippocampal astrocytes expressed Bestrophin-1 channel. These data indicate that the absence of astrocytic GABA results in a low level of tonic inhibition in hippocampal CA1 region

Expression, localization and functions in acrosome reaction and sperm motility of Ca(V)3.1 and Ca(V)3.2 channels in sperm cells: an evaluation from Ca(V)3.1 and Ca(V)3.2 deficient mice.: Cav3.1/3.2 channel functions in sperm physiology

International audienceIn spermatozoa, voltage-dependent calcium channels (VDCC) have been involved in different cellular functions like acrosome reaction (AR) and sperm motility. Multiple types of VDCC are present and their relative contribution is still a matter of debate. Based mostly on pharmacological studies, low-voltage-activated calcium channels (LVA-CC), responsible of the inward current in spermatocytes, were described as essential for AR in sperm. The development of Ca(V)3.1 or Ca(V)3.2 null mice provided the opportunity to evaluate the involvement of such LVA-CC in AR and sperm motility, independently of pharmacological tools. The inward current was fully abolished in spermatogenic cells from Ca(V)3.2 deficient mice. This current is thus only due to Ca(V)3.2 channels. We showed that Ca(V)3.2 channels were maintained in sperm by Western-blot and immunohistochemistry experiments. Calcium imaging experiments revealed that calcium influx in response to KCl was reduced in Ca(V)3.2 null sperm in comparison to control cells, demonstrating that Ca(V)3.2 channels were functional. On the other hand, no difference was noticed in calcium signaling induced by zona pellucida. Moreover, neither biochemical nor functional experiments, suggested the presence of Ca(V)3.1 channels in sperm. Despite the Ca(V)3.2 channels contribution in KCl-induced calcium influx, the reproduction parameters remained intact in Ca(V)3.2 deficient mice. These data demonstrate that in sperm, besides Ca(V)3.2 channels, other types of VDCC are activated during the voltage-dependent calcium influx of AR, these channels likely belonging to high-voltage activated Ca(2+) channels family. The conclusion is that voltage-dependent calcium influx during AR is due to the opening of redundant families of calcium channels

Nodding behavior couples to vigilance fluctuation in a high-calorie diet model of drowsiness

Abstract Drowsiness is an awake state with increased sleep drive, yet the neural correlates and underlying mechanisms remains unclear. Here, we established a mouse model of drowsiness, where mice are fasted for 1 day and then allowed to overeat high-fat food (to promote sleep) while positioned in an open-field box (to promote vigilance). They fall into a long-lasting drowsy state, as reflected by repeated and open-eyed nodding of the head while in a standing position. Simultaneous recording of electroencephalogram (EEG) and neck electromyogram (EMG) readouts revealed that this drowsy state including nodding state had multiple stages in terms of the relationship between the level of vigilance and head movement: delta oscillations decreased in power prior to the head-nodding period and increased during the non-nodding period. Cav3.1-knockout mice, which have reduced delta oscillations, showed frequent head nodding with reduced duration of nodding episodes compared to wild-type mice. This suggests that the balance of drive is tilted in favor of wakefulness, likely due to their previously proposed decrease in sleep-promoting functions. Our findings indicate that delta oscillations play a dominant role in controlling vigilance dynamics during sleep/wake competition and that our novel mouse model may be useful for studying drowsiness and related neurological disorders