Bibliothek

Notizen: We describe the design and operation of a tunable, picosecond laser system for use in time-resolved spectroscopic measurements in the visible and ultraviolet (UV) spectral region. The laser is designed for fine tuning and high wavelength stability. A Nd:YAG-pumped distributed-feedback dye laser (DFDL) generates pulses that are ∼100 ps in duration with a nearly transform-limited linewidth (∼5 GHz) at a 20 Hz repetition rate. The DFDL pulses are amplified in two bow-tie amplifiers, providing pulse energies of up to 3.0 mJ; the amplified pulses may be frequency doubled to the UV spectral region, providing up to 1.0 mJ. The DFDL wavelength is computer stabilized to within ±0.8 pm (±0.7 GHz, two standard deviations), allowing the wavelength to be stationed on a narrow atomic or molecular transition or permitting nearly continuous spectral scans. Application of the laser system to studies of OH energy transfer has been demonstrated; both laser-induced-fluorescence and degenerate-four-wave-mixing spectra have been recorded. © 2000 American Institute of Physics.

Notizen: In 1980 the State of Connecticut began a tidal marsh restoration program targeting systems degraded by tidal restrictions and impoundments. Such marshes become dominated by common reed grass (Phragmites australis) and cattail (Typha angustifolia and T. latifolia), with little ecological connection to Long Island Sound. The management and scientific hypothesis was that returning tidal action, reconnecting marshes to Long Island Sound, would set these systems on a recovery trajectory. Specific restoration targets (i.e., pre-disturbance conditions or particular reference marshes) were considered unrealistic. However, it was expected that with time restored tides would return ecological functions and attributes characteristic of fully functioning tidal salt marshes. Here we report results of this program at nine separate sites within six marsh systems along 110 km of Long Island Sound shoreline, with restoration times of 5 to 21 years. Biotic parameters assessed include vegetation, macroinvertebrates, and use by fish and birds. Abiotic factors studied were soil salinity, elevation and tidal flooding, and soil water table depth. Sites fell into two categories of vegetation recovery: slow, ca. 0.5%, or fast, more than 5% of total area per year. Although total cover and frequency of salt marsh angiosperms was positively related to soil salinity, and reed grass stand parameters negatively so, fast versus slow recovery rates could not be attributed to salinity. Instead, rates appear to reflect differences in tidal flooding. Rapid recovery was characterized by lower elevations, greater hydroperiods, and higher soil water tables. Recovery of other biotic attributes and functions does not necessarily parallel those for vegetation. At the longest studied system (rapid vegetation recovery) the high marsh snail Melampus bidentatus took two decades to reach densities comparable with a nearby reference marsh, whereas the amphipod Orchestia grillus was well established on a slow-recovery marsh, reed grass dominated after 9 years. Typical fish species assemblages were found in restoration site creeks and ditches within 5 years. Gut contents of fish in ditches and on the high marsh suggest that use of restored marsh as foraging areas may require up to 15 years to reach equivalence with reference sites. Bird species that specialize in salt marshes require appropriate vegetation; on the oldest restoration site, breeding populations comparable with reference marshland had become established after 15 years. Use of restoration sites by birds considered marsh generalists was initially high and was still nearly twice that of reference areas even after 20 years. Herons, egrets, and migratory shorebirds used restoration areas extensively. These results support our prediction that returning tides will set degraded marshes on trajectories that can bring essentially full restoration of ecological functions. This can occur within two decades, although reduced tidal action can delay restoration of some functions. With this success, Connecticut's Department of Environmental Protection established a dedicated Wetland Restoration Unit. As of 1999 tides have been restored at 57 separate sites along the Connecticut coast.

Notizen: Nicastrin, a type-I transmembrane glycoprotein, is a necessary component of the high molecular weight presenilin (PS) complexes that mediate intramembranous cleavage of β-amyloid precursor protein (βAPP) and Notch. Nicastrin undergoes trafficking-dependent glycosylation maturation, and PS1 interacts preferentially with these maturely glycosylated forms of nicastrin. We investigated the effects of differing levels of the immature and mature endoglycosidase-H-resistant forms of nicastrin on Aβ40- and Aβ42-peptide secretion in several cell lines stably expressing a mutant nicastrin (D336A/Y337A) that increases Aβ secretion. There was no correlation between Aβ secretion and the level of over-expression of the immature forms of nicastrin. The total level of mature nicastrin remained constant, but mutant nicastrin replaced endogenous mature nicastrin in varying degrees. Differences in the levels of mature mutant nicastrin positively correlated with Aβ secretion, but did not influence either βAPP trafficking or processing by α- and β-secretases. Proper trafficking and terminal maturation of nicastrin is therefore a necessary event for the regulated intramembranous proteolysis of βAPP.

Notizen: A mechanical activation technique has been used to form composites of alumina with titanium carbide, nitride, or carbonitride, both with and without elemental iron. The composites were formed by reacting elemental aluminum with either ilmenite (FeTiO3) or rutile (TiO2) concentrates in the presence of carbon and/or nitrogen in a ball-mill at ambient temperature. The reaction was complete for the ilmenite samples after milling but was completed only for rutile under hot pressing conditions. Microhardness measurements indicated that the composites had hardnesses in the range 19–30 GPa (1740–2750 VHN), with only a small variation within each sample. Elemental mapping of the pressed pellets indicated that titanium and aluminum were evenly distributed on a submicrometer level whereas iron tended to coalesce into 〈20 μm particles in the presence of TiC. The coalescence decreased with the carbon content of the hard material until iron was evenly distributed with TiN. A superstoichiometric amount of aluminum led to the formation of iron–aluminum phases which decreased the iron coalescence. The XRD crystallite size of the alumina was 30–50 nm and was 25–50 nm for the titanium phases, confirming the extremely fine microstructure.

Notizen: The fundamental process that underlies volume transmission in the brain is the extracellular diffusion of neurotransmitters from release sites to distal target cells. Dopaminergic neurons display a range of activity states, from low-frequency tonic firing to bursts of high-frequency action potentials (phasic firing). However, it is not clear how this activity affects volume transmission on a subsecond time scale. To evaluate this, we developed a finite-difference model that predicts the lifetime and diffusion of dopamine in brain tissue. We first used this model to decode in vivo amperometric measurements of electrically evoked dopamine, and obtained rate constants for release and uptake as well as the extent of diffusion. Accurate predictions were made under a variety of conditions including different regions, different stimulation parameters and with uptake inhibited. Second, we used the decoded rate constants to predict how heterogeneity of dopamine release and uptake sites would affect dopamine concentration fluctuations during different activity states in the absence of an electrode. These simulations show that synchronous phasic firing can produce spatially and temporally heterogeneous concentration profiles whereas asynchronous tonic firing elicits uniform, steady-state dopamine concentrations.

Notizen: Elevated levels of p25 and constitutive activation of CDK5 have been observed in AD brains. This has led to the hypothesis that increased p25 levels could promote neurofibrillary tangles (NFT) through CDK5-mediated hyperphosphorylation of tau, the principal component of NFTs. We examined p25 immunoreactivity in brains from sporadic and familial AD cases, as well as other neurologic diseases that exhibit NFT, such as Down's syndrome (DS), Pick's disease (Pick), corticobasal degeneration (CBD), progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP), frontotemporal dementia (FTD). Neither the p25 immunoreactivity nor the p25/p35 ratio was elevated in the AD brains or in the other tauopathies (n = 34) compared with controls (n = 11). Although Aβ peptides have been suggested to activate calpain-mediated cleavage of p35 to p25 in cultured neurons, p25 levels in brains of TgCRND8 mice, which express high levels of brain Aβ peptides, were similar to those of non-Tg littermates. Our data suggest that high Aβ levels in brain do not activate p35 proteolysis, and p25 is unlikely to be a causative agent for NFT formation in AD or other tauopathies.

Notizen: Recent studies have identified factors statistically related to differences in state economic growth. These findings relate to regional policy because they appear to identify political options that could then be justified as improving growth. This paper evaluates the reliability of these studies as policy guides. It finds that most statistical conclusions are fragile and are ttherefore risky policy guides Economic base theory performs well, and provides the most reliable state level policy options. These policies, however, have to be crafted carefully to avoid pitfalls associated with traditional (and perhaps unpopular) basic industries.

Notizen: In accordance with the theory of threatened egotism and aggression, the relationships among narcissism, trait anger, job constraints and counterproductive work behavior (CWB) were explored in a questionnaire study. The results were supportive of the hypotheses that narcissism would relate to trait anger, job constraints, and CWB and that the relationship between narcissism and CWB would be mediated by anger. In addition, narcissism was found to moderate the relationship between job constraints and CWB, such that individuals high in narcissism reported more CWB when constraints were high, than individuals low in narcissism.