The compound eye of the cricket Gryllus bimaculatus contains a specialized dorsal rim area (DRA) populated by distinct blue-sensitive photoreceptors responsible for perception of polarized light. The rest of the eye is dominated by green-sensitive photoreceptors. Using patch clamp we studied dissociated ommatidia of nocturnal adults and diurnal eight-instar nymphs with the goals (1) of characteriz

We consider the problem of decomposing a video sequence into a superposition of (a given number of) moving layers. For this problem, we propose an energy minimization approach based on the coding cost. Our contributions affect both the model (what is minimized) and the algorithmic side (how it is minimized). The novelty of the coding-cost model is the inclusion of a refined model of the image form

Magneto-transport properties of a Ga0.93Mn0.07As ferromagnetic semiconductor film with strong epitaxial strain (Ga0.7In0.3As buffer) have been studied. The observed magnetoresistance showed peculiar peaks at the magnetic fields corresponding to magnetization switching probed by Hall voltage. Computer simulations showed that these anomalies could originate from the formation of complex, island-like

Aims: Animal studies indicate a role for 11 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (HSD11B1) in the development of obesity. The association to glucose homeostasis is less clear. We investigated the relationship between HSD11B1 mRNA levels in adipose tissue and in skeletal muscle and anthropometric and metabolic measurements in humans with and without impaired glucose homeostasis. Methods: Twelve

Waterpipe smoking is becoming increasingly popular worldwide. Research has shown that cigarette smoke, in addition to hundreds of carcinogenic and otherwise toxic compounds, may also contain compounds of microbiological origin. In the present study we analyzed waterpipe smoke for some microbial compounds. Both of the two markers studied, viz 3-hydroxy fatty acids of bacterial lipopolysaccharide (L

The ocean heat transport into the Arctic and the heat budget of the Barents Sea are analyzed in an ensemble of historical and future climate simulations performed with the global coupled climate model EC-Earth. The zonally integrated northward heat flux in the ocean at 70A degrees N is strongly enhanced and compensates for a reduction of its atmospheric counterpart in the twenty first century. Alt

BACKGROUND: Increased levels of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) have been shown to reduce the hormones in the HPA axis. In this study we addressed the question whether patients with unmedicated major depressive disorder (MDD) might have altered baseline levels of these natriuretic peptides and an altered response to acute exercise. METHODS: An incremental exerc

BACKGROUND: CYP2J2 is responsible for the production of 5,6 8,9 11,12 and 14,15-epoxyeicosatrienoic acids, vasodilator and anti-inflammatory substances. It is abundantly expressed in human heart and also present in kidney and vasculature. Carriers of a common polymorphism, the CYP2J2-50G>T, rs890293, have reduced expression of CYP2J2 mRNA level in the heart putatively through the interference with

This paper focuses on the use of egress models to assess the optimal strategy in the case of total evacuation in high-rise buildings. The model case study consists of two identical twin towers linked with two sky-bridges at different heights. Each tower is a 50-floor office building. The use of either horizontal or vertical egress components or a combination of them is simulated. The egress compon

Mg-10 mol% LiBH4 composite plus small amounts of FeF3 is investigated in the present work. The presence of LiBH4 during the milling process noticeably modifies the size and morphology of the Mg agglomerates, leading to faster hydrogenation and reaching almost the theoretical hydrogen capacity owing to enhanced hydrogen diffusion mechanism. However, the dehydrogenation of the system at low temperat

Purpose - The employment of continuous ribs in a passage involves a noticeable pressure drop penalty, while other studies have shown that truncated ribs may provide a potential to reduce the pressure drop while keeping a significant heat transfer enhancement. The purpose of this paper is to perform computer-aided simulations of turbulent flow and heat transfer of a rectangular cooling passage with

Understanding past methane dynamics in arctic wetlands and lakes is crucial for estimating future methane release. Methane fluxes from lake ecosystems have increasingly been studied, yet only few reconstructions of past methane emissions from lakes are available. In this study, we develop an approach to assess changes in methane availability in lakes based on delta C-13 of chitinous invertebrate r

Sulfonated fully aromatic polymers with different positions of the acid groups, but with an identical polymer backbone, have been investigated and compared with respect to their properties as proton-exchange membranes. Three different series of sulfonated poly(arylene ether sulfone)s (SPAES) having the same backbone structure were prepared from 4,4’-dichlorodiphenyl sulfone (DCDPS) and 4,4’-dihydr

Background: The Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) measures general stress and the Swedish version, although used in several studies, has not been extensively evaluated for psychometric properties. Aims: This study aimed to investigate psychometric properties and the factor solution of the Swedish 14-item version when used with two samples, namely a mixed Internet sample of women and men (n = 171) and a

To report contemporary outcomes, and evaluate differences after thrombolysis for occluded endoprosthesis, bypasses and native artery occlusion in patients with lower limb ischemia.

We measured the He and Ne concentrations of 50 individual extraterrestrial chromite grains recovered from mid-Ordovician (lower Darriwilian) sediments from the Lynna River section near St. Petersburg, Russia. High concentrations of solar wind-like He and Ne found in most grains indicate that they were delivered to Earth as micrometeoritic dust, while their abundance, stratigraphic position and maj

Specimens of Caloplaca belonging to the group of C. citrina (Hoffm.) Th. Fr. were collected in different localities in the provinces of Buenos Aires (Argentina) and studied using morphology and nrITS data. They were identified as C. austrocitrina Vondrak, Riha, Arup & Sochting, a species newly described from the Black Sea area, but also found in other European countries. These findings are the