Cortical Plasticity and Behavioral Recovery Following Focal Lesion to Primary Motor Cortex in Adult Rats

Acquired brain injuries, such as ischemic stroke and traumatic brain injury, are the leading causes of physical disabilities. Previously, scientists have shown that damage of the primary motor cortex induced neural plasticity in the premotor area in human and non-human primate studies. Neural plasticity, particularly within the same hemisphere of the lesion (ipsilesional), is thought to contribute to and account for functional recovery. It is not yet known to what extent plasticity mediates recovery and how to take advantage of neural plasticity to maximize the functional outcome. Rodent models are most often used not only for studying the role of motor cortex in motor skill learning but also in neurodegenerative research. To further elucidate the role of adaptive plasticity in the ipsilesional hemisphere during the recovery of upper limb function, we aimed to establish the baseline neural changes after a focal cortical injury. Therefore, we took advantage of two separate cortical motor areas, in the Rattus norvegicus, from which the corticospinal tracts terminate in the motor nuclei of the cervical level spinal cord, controlling upper extremity musculature--the first, a more caudally located subregion of M1, often referred to as the caudal forelimb area (CFA), and the second, a more rostrally located non-primary area, referred to as the rostral forelimb area (RFA). The objective of this dissertation work was to characterize physiological changes in RFA during the complex and lengthy process of recovery using rat models of focal cortical trauma and cortical ischemia restricted to CFA. The results demonstrated that the post-injury cortical plasticity in RFA may play a role in functional recovery. Further, we showed differential effects of rehabilitative training on ipsilesional RFA plasticity after CFA ischemic injury. Extensive physiological changes were evident past rehabilitative training. Thus, neural plasticity in RFA appeared to be dependent both on post-lesion motor experience and time. The dissertation work supports the hypothesis that cortical plasticity within the spared RFA after restrictive damage to CFA mediates use-dependent physiological reorganization, which provides a substrate for sustaining rehabilitation-aided motor functional recovery

Meteological Observations during the JARE South Pole Traverse1968-69

Throughout the period of traverse, September 28,1968 to February 13,1969,surface meteorological observations were carried out at 06,12,and 18 GMT, except the days spent at the Plateau Station and the South Pole Station. The technical details of observation were all in accordance with WMO\u27s regulations

Species of Triconia of the conifera-subgroup (Copepoda, Cyclopoida, Oncaeidae) from Korean waters, including a new species

Three species of Triconia belonging to the conifera-subgroup are described from Korean waters (NW Pacific). A new species, Triconia hirsuta, was found that can be distinguished from its sibling T. conifera by a paired patch of long setules on the anterolateral margin of the genital double-somite in the female, and an unusual position of caudal seta II branching off at almost a right angle to the caudal ramus. Males have not been found so far. Both sexes of T. conifera (Giesbrecht, 1891) and T. borealis (Sars, 1918) from Korean waters are redescribed with the addition of morphological details and/or differences not noted in earlier descriptions. Morphological characters of Korean T. conifera are in close agreement with specimens described from the Mediterranean Sea and the Pacific, but differ in several parameters from T. conifera from the Red Sea, which is regarded as a distinct, though closely related, species requiring re-examination. Published data on the community structure and zoogeographical distribution of oncaeids of the conifera-type in the NW Pacific are summarized, and the remaining uncertainties concerning the distribution of species of the conifera-subgroup in these areas are pointed out

Development of automatic steel coil recognition system for automated crane

An automatic steel coil recognition system with two types of laser-assisted range sensor has been developed for full automated crane operation in the steel coil yard. Performance tests of recognizing full scale model coils were carried out by mounting the recognition system on a full size crane. As a result, recognition accuracy of coil center position, coil diameter and width were confirmed to be ±20 mm, which is enough fur practical applications. This recognition system was delivered to commercial operations in the steel maker, and has been operated regularl

Caracterização de frota de veículos comerciais circulante em rodovia de tráfego elevado como parâmetro de análise de pavimentos

Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Centro Tecnológico. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Engenharia Civil.O presente trabalho objetiva apresentar os estudos efetuados com dados provenientes de fontes de informações de volumes de tráfego e pesagens da Rodovia Presidente Dutra, BR-116 no trecho de ligação entre as cidades de São Paulo e Rio de Janeiro. Para tanto, foram analisados os dados obtidos por contagens feitas no ano de 2009 em analisadores de tráfego, que são laços indutores, distribuídos ao longo da rodovia, volumes de veículos comerciais contados nas seis praças de pedágio durante o período de 1997 a 2009 classificados por número de eixos, dados provenientes de duas balanças dinâmicas em um período de três meses com pesagens classificadas por eixo. Dados a respeito de áreas de aplicação de carga foram obtidos em atividade de campo, assim como cronometragem de tempo de percurso de veículos comerciais em condições de trechos em rampas, realizada na Serra das Araras. Todos os dados foram avaliados de maneira a caracterizar o comportamento da frota, determinar fatores de tráfego como tipo de veículos, cargas totais e por eixos, pressão de inflação de pneus, áreas de contato entre pneu e pavimento e velocidades de deslocamento, que concorrem à obtenção dos parâmetros de análise de estruturas de pavimento. Dentre os resultados obtidos, destaca-se a distribuição de cargas por eixo e por tipo de veículo, evidenciando as faixas de cargas que são praticadas para cada situação. Os estudos revelaram porcentagens significativas na ordem de 30% de eixos pesados acima da carga máxima legal e abaixo do limite adicionado da tolerância de 7,5% permitida. Os dados provenientes dos analisadores de trafego mostram que, de maneira geral, os veículos comerciais compõem em torno de 32% da frota circulante e destes veículos, aproximadamente 75% dos veículos comerciais trafegam na faixa mais carregada. Os dados de área de contato entre pneu e pavimento e cronometragem dos tempos de percurso em rampas permitem análises mais aprofundadas de estruturas de pavimento, considerando-se simulações e análises termoviscoelásticas, evidenciando a aplicação dos parâmetros obtidos nesta pesquisa. Os dados foram concedidos pela Companhia de Concessões Rodoviárias - CCR Novadutra, portanto tratam de uma frota volumosa que quase não apresenta sazonalidades anuais geralmente observadas pelos escoamentos de produções agrícolasThis research aims to present studies done with data provided by information sources related to traffic volume and vehicles weight from Presidente Dutra Highway, BR-116, wich connects São Paulo City and Rio de Janeiro City. It has been taken data from analyzers devices with magnetic loops all highway long for 2009, data collection from six tool boots during the period from 1996 to 2009, three mouths data from two weight-in- motion stations with values sorted by axles. Data related to contact area of tire and pavement and timing of heavy trucks passing by places with steep grade has been done at Serra das Araras in Rio de Janeiro State. All data were evaluated in order to characterize the behavior of the fleet, to determine traffic factors such as type of vehicle, total loads and axles, tire inflation pressure, contact area between tire and pavement and travel speeds, needed as parameters obtained for structure pavement analysis. Among the obtained results, there is the distribution of axle loads and by type of vehicle, showing the ranges of loads that are applied to each situation. The studies revealed significant percentages of around 30% of axle with loads over maximum legal load limit permitted and under the limit added to 7.5% tolerance allowed. Data from traffic analyzers show, in general, that commercial vehicles sum about 32% of fleet vehicles, and approximately 75% of commercial vehicles traveling in the heavy traffic lane. Tire contact area between tire and pavement and timing at steep grade make possible to analyze pavement structures deeply, considering thermoviscoelastics simulations and analysis, highlighting obtained parameters in this research. Data collect had been provided by CCR NovaDutra and it is a very big sample with a huge traffic volume and with almost insignificant annual seasonality from harvest production transpor

Grazing on Microcystis (Cyanophyceae) by testate amoebae with special reference to cyanobacterial abundance and physiological state

We examined the growth of testate amoebae preying on Microcystis whose physiological states were different in laboratory experiments and a hypertrophic pond. We prepared three experimental systems using water samples dominated by Microcystis aeruginosa: light incubation (control), dark incubation (dark), and light incubation with addition of nitrogen and phosphorus (+NP). In all the systems, the colony density of M. aeruginosa decreased slightly during incubation. Physiological activity of phytoplankton as determined by chlorophyll fluorescence was high and almost constant in the control and +NP systems, whereas it decreased in the dark system. Cell densities of testate amoebae increased in the control and +NP systems, whereas in the dark system they remained low. Thus, growth of the amoebae was low in the systems where physiological activity of Microcystis was low. In a hypertrophic pond, cell density of testate amoebae increased and remained high when M. aeruginosa predominated. Cell density of testate amoebae increased remarkably, simultaneously with the increases in M. aeruginosa colony density and phytoplankton physiological activity. We also found a significant correlation between densities of M. aeruginosa colonies and testate amoebae. We suggested that the physiological activity of Microcystis is one important factor affecting the growth of testate amoebae grazing on Microcystis

3-(2,3,5,6,7,8-Hexahydro-1H-cyclo­penta­[b]quinolin-9-yl)-1,5-bis­(4-methoxy­phen­yl)biuret

Ipidacrine (2,3,5,6,7,8-hexa­hydro-1H-cyclo­penta­[b]quinolin-9-amine) was reacted with 4-methoxy­phenyl isocyanate to give the title compound, C28H30N4O4. An intra­molecular N—H⋯O hydrogen bond results in an essentially planar [r.m.s. deviation from the mean plane is 0.126 (1) Å] conformation for the biuret unit. The central ring of the quinoline unit is twisted by 78.2 (1)° with respect to the biuret mean plane, whereas the two 4-methoxy­benzene rings are twisted out of this plane by 24.3 (1)° and 48.5 (1)°, resulting in an overall propeller-like structure. An inter­molecular N—H⋯N hydrogen bond between the biuret NH atom and the quinoline ring nitro­gen defines the crystal packing