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Different Actions (different + action)
Selected AbstractsVegTrack: A structured vegetation restoration activity databaseECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT & RESTORATION, Issue 2 2009Andre Zerger Summary, Information about on-ground vegetation restoration activities (e.g. fencing and revegetation) is critical if natural resource management (NRM) groups are to monitor progress towards restoration targets, assess the efficacy of their interventions and adaptively learn from different actions. However, in Australia, there are few practical guidelines for recording data, making it difficult to consistently compare actions between sites and through time. Records of primary information are particularly important given the ongoing national investment in vegetation restoration activities. With the aid of six-case study areas in different landscapes, robust guidelines and tools were developed and incorporated into VegTrack, a methodology, which allows groups to develop their own vegetation restoration activity database. VegTrack differentiates spatial data from attribute data storing each in different databases (a GIS and a relational database management system respectively). We describe the process which enables NRM groups to develop their own database, and provide a Microsoft Access 2003 version of VegTrack to allow NRM groups to commence activity recording. To demonstrate the utility of the VegTrack method in different situations and to encourage consistency across study areas, we describe the application of the guidelines for several scenarios including riparian revegetation, corridors disrupted by roads and infill plantings. [source] Successful Application of Video-Projected Human Images for Signalling to DogsETHOLOGY, Issue 10 2003Péter Pongrácz Dogs were tested (1) in a two-way choice experiment, where the experimenter indicated a baited bowl by pointing; and (2) in a task where the owner was asked to command the dog to execute simple obedience tasks. In expt 1 dogs (n = 10) were tested at first in the presence of the experimenter (three dimensional condition, 3D), that was followed by a series of pointing trials when the life-sized image of the experimenter was projected onto the wall by the means of a video-projector (two dimensional condition, 2D). Dogs performed correctly more often than expected by chance in both 3D and 2D conditions. In expt 2 the commanding owner was either present in the room (3D), or her/his image was projected on the screen (2D), or only her/his voice was audible for the dog through a speaker (0D). The performance of the dogs (n = 10) decreased to great extent comparing the 3D and 0D condition, as the number of different actions the dogs obeyed was significantly less in the 0D condition. However, there was no difference in the number of different actions obeyed in the 3D and 2D conditions. Our results show that dogs readily obey life-sized, interactive moving image in various communicative situtations. We suppose that the difference between 2D and 3D conditions can be attributed partially to the lack of some additional communicative signals as sounds (verbal cues) and odours (from the human), and to some changes in the context. [source] Dopamine gating of forebrain neural ensemblesEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 3 2003Patricio O'Donnell Abstract Dopamine may exert different actions depending on a number of factors. A common view is that D1 receptors may be responsible for excitatory actions whereas D2 receptors are involved in inhibitory actions. However, this position cannot be reconciled with several findings indicating otherwise. The role of dopamine on forebrain neural ensembles may be better understood in the light of functional states of the system. Pyramidal cortical neurons and striatal medium spiny neurons alternate between two membrane potential states (,up' and ,down') that could shape dopamine actions. It is proposed that D1 receptors can act as state-stabilizers by sustaining up states and thereby facilitating plasticity mechanisms by providing postsynaptic depolarization and increasing NMDA function. In this way, dopamine can sustain activity in depolarized units. This action is accompanied by a decrease in cell firing (perhaps mediated by D2 receptors), which renders the cells responsive only to strong stimuli. The result would be a net increase in signal-to-noise ratio in a selected assembly of neurons. [source] Lipophilic and hydrophilic moisturizers show different actions on human skin as revealed by cryo scanning electron microscopyEXPERIMENTAL DERMATOLOGY, Issue 11 2007Julia Caussin Abstract:, To study the mode of action of moisturizers on human skin, hydrophilic moisturizers in water and neat lipophilic moisturizers were applied on excised skin for 24 h at 32°C. Samples of the treated skin were subsequently visualized in a cryoscanning electron microscope. The stratum corneum (SC) appeared as a region of swollen corneocytes (the swollen region) sandwiched between two layers of relatively dry corneocytes (the upper and lower non-swelling regions respectively). Lipophilic moisturizers increased the water content of the SC, whereas hydrophilic moisturizers can also reduce the water content of the SC. When focusing on the effect of the moisturizers on the three different regions, it was observed that cells in the swelling region are most sensitive to the application of the moisturizers and that the change in SC thickness is most influenced by the change in the thickness of the swelling region. Summarizing, SC cells are not equally sensitive to moisturizer application: centrally located corneocytes are more sensitive than corneocytes in the upper and the lowest regions of the SC. [source] Interactive roles of fibroblast growth factor 2 and neurotrophin 3 in the sequence of migration, process outgrowth, and axonal differentiation of mouse cochlear ganglion cellsJOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE RESEARCH, Issue 11 2008Waheeda A. Hossain Abstract A growth factor may have different actions depending on developmental stage. We investigated this phenomenon in the interactions of fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) and neurotrophins on cochlear ganglion (CG) development. The portions of the otocyst fated to form the CG and cochlear epithelium were cocultured at embryonic day 11 (E11). Cultures were divided into groups fed with defined medium, with or without FGF2 and neurotrophin supplements, alone or in combination, for 7 days. We measured the number of migrating neuroblasts and distances migrated, neurite outgrowth, and axonlike processes. We used immunohistochemistry to locate neurotrophin 3 (NT3) and its high-affinity receptor (TrkC) in the auditory system, along with FGF2 and its R1 receptor, at comparable developmental stages in vitro and in situ from E11 until birth (P1) in the precursors of hair cells, support cells, and CG cells. Potential sites for interaction were localized to the nucleus, perikaryal cytoplasm, and cell surfaces, including processes and growth cones. Time-lapse imaging and quantitative measures support the hypothesis that FGF2 alone or combined with neurotrophins promotes migration and neurite outgrowth. Synergism or antagonism between NT3 and other factors suggest interactions at the receptor level. Formation of axons, endings, and synaptic vesicle protein 2 were increased by interactions of NT3 and FGF2. Similar experiments with a mutant overexpressor for FGF2 suggest that endogenous FGF2 supports migration and neurite outgrowth of CG neuroblasts as well as proliferation, leading to accelerated development. The findings suggest interactive and sequential roles for FGF2 and NT3. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] When consensus choice dominates individualism: Jensen's inequality and collective decisions under uncertaintyQUANTITATIVE ECONOMICS, Issue 1 2010Charles F. Manski D7; D81; H42 Research on collective provision of private goods has focused on distributional considerations. This paper studies a class of problems of decision under uncertainty in which an efficiency argument for collective choice emerges from the mathematics of aggregating individual payoffs. Consider decision making when each member of a population has the same objective function, which depends on an unknown state of nature. If agents knew the state of nature, they would make the same decision. However, they may have different beliefs or may use different decision criteria to cope with their incomplete knowledge. Hence, they may choose different actions even though they share the same objective. Let the set of feasible actions be convex and the objective function be concave in actions, for all states of nature. Then Jensen's inequality implies that consensus choice of the mean privately chosen action yields a larger mean payoff than does individualistic decision making, in all states of nature. If payoffs are transferable, the mean payoff from consensus choice may be allocated to Pareto dominate individualistic decision making. I develop these ideas. I also use Jensen's inequality to show that a planner with the power to assign actions to the members of the population should not diversify. Finally, I give a version of the collective-choice result that holds with consensus choice of the median rather than mean action. [source] Nucleotide polymorphisms and the 5,-UTR transcriptional analysis of the bovine growth hormone secretagogue receptor 1a (GHSR1a) geneANIMAL SCIENCE JOURNAL, Issue 5 2010Masanori KOMATSU ABSTRACT Growth hormone secretagogue receptor 1a (GHSR1a) mediates the different actions of its endogenous ligand, ghrelin. Ghrelin-GHSR is involved in many important functions that include growth hormone secretion and food intake. We evaluated the haplotype variety and characterized the microsatellite ((TG)n, 5,-UTR) and nucleotide polymorphisms of the bovine GHSR1a gene. The nucleotide sequencing of this gene (,6 kb) revealed 47 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), four indels and the microsatellite ((GTTT)n, Intron 1). The 19 haplotypes were constructed from all nucleotide viability patterns and were divided into three major groups. Four SNPs (L24V, nt456(G>A), D191N and nt667(C>T)) and DelR242 in Exon 1 and a haplotype block of approximately 2.2 kb (nt667(C>T) , nt2884 (A>G)) were found in Bos taurus breeds. Breed differences in allele frequencies of the two microsatellites, nt-7(C>A), L24V, and DelR242 loci were found (P < 0.005). A DelR242 was found in the Japanese Shorthorn (frequency: , 0.44), Japanese Brown, five European cattle breeds, the Philippine native cattle, but none detected in the Japanese Black or the Mishima island cattle. Additionally, 5,-rapid amplification of cDNA ends and RT-PCR analyses revealed that there were two different kinds of transcripts: spliced, without a microsatellite within 5,-UTR (GHSR1a); and non-spliced, with the microsatellite (GHSR1b). [source] Sustainability certification of bioethanol: how is it perceived by Brazilian stakeholders?BIOFUELS, BIOPRODUCTS AND BIOREFINING, Issue 4 2010David A. Huertas Abstract This paper investigates whether initiatives for sustainability certification of Brazilian ethanol can be expected to stimulate a change among producers toward more sustainable production , and, if so, what those changes would likely be. Connected to this, several questions are raised including whether producers might prefer to target other markets with less stringent demands, and if certification might lead to structural changes in the sector because producers who lack the capacity to meet the new requirements cannot remain competitive. The analysis of interviews with a diverse group of stakeholders under the guidance of the Technological Innovation Systems framework allowed us identify different actions taken by the Brazilian sugarcane ethanol sector in response to requirements of sustainability. The interviewees agreed that sustainability certification is an important element for the expansion of biofuel production in Brazil. Brazilian stakeholders have created a platform for more competitive sustainable production and have initiated relevant processes in response to the development connected to sustainability certification. Yet, the certification activities have had a limited impact in terms of the number of involved stakeholders. But interview responses indicate that the sector may adapt to new certification requirements rather than leave markets where such requirements become established. Structural changes can be expected if certification requirements as they exist in many initiatives are introduced in unflexible ways. The social importance of the ethanol industry is large in Brazil and some adjustments for certification may be required. The paper concludes by suggesting some actions for the industry. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd [source] Galectin-1 supports the survival of CD45RA(,) primary myeloma cells in vitroBRITISH JOURNAL OF HAEMATOLOGY, Issue 5 2008Saeid Abroun Summary The survival and proliferation of human myeloma cells are considered to be heavily dependent on the microenvironment of bone marrow (BM). This study confirmed that galectin-1 (Gal-1) and SDF-1, were produced by bone marrow mononuclear cells of myeloma patients. The addition of Gal-1 and SDF-1, to a serum-free synthetic medium, maintained the viability of primary myeloma cells for 2 weeks similar to that before culture. While Gal-1 reduced the viable cell number in CD45RA(+) B cell lines, it maintained the viability of CD45(,) U266 and CD45RA(,)RO(+) ILKM3 myeloma cell lines in the synthetic medium. This was confirmed with the transfection of the PTPRC (CD45) RA, -RB, or -RO gene into CD45(,) U266 cells. The combination of Gal-1 and SDF-1, significantly induced phosphorylation of Akt and IkB, while the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 was significantly reduced in CD45RA(+) U266 and Raji cells but not CD45(,) or CD45RA(,) U266 cells. Furthermore, we confirmed that Gal-1 bound to CD45RA in CD45RA(+) Raji cells, and also physically interacted with ,1-integrin by immunoprecipitation followed by Western blotting and confocal microscopy. The results suggest that Gal-1 has two different actions depending on its binding partner, and supports the survival of CD45RA(,) myeloma cells. [source] Ghrelin: more than a natural GH secretagogue and/or an orexigenic factorCLINICAL ENDOCRINOLOGY, Issue 1 2005E. Ghigo Summary Ghrelin, an acylated peptide produced predominantly by the stomach, has been discovered to be a natural ligand of the growth hormone secretagogue receptor type 1a (GHS-R1a). Ghrelin has recently attracted considerable interest as a new orexigenic factor. However, ghrelin exerts several other neuroendocrine, metabolic and also nonendocrine actions that are explained by the widespread distribution of ghrelin and GHS-R expression. The likely existence of GHS-R subtypes and evidence that the neuroendocrine actions, but not all the other actions, of ghrelin depend on its acylation in serine-3 revealed a system whose complexity had not been completely explored by studying synthetic GHS. Ghrelin secretion is mainly regulated by metabolic signals and, in turn, the modulatory action of ghrelin on the control of food intake and energy metabolism seems to be among its most important biological actions. However, according to a recent study, ghrelin-null mice are neither anorectics nor dwarfs and this evidence clearly depicts a remarkable difference from leptin null mice. Nevertheless, the original and fascinating story of ghrelin, as well as its potential pathophysiological implications in endocrinology and internal medicine, is not definitively cancelled by these data as GHS-R1a null aged mice show significant alterations in body composition and growth, in glucose metabolism, cardiac function and contextual memory. Besides potential clinical implications for natural or synthetic ghrelin analogues acting as agonists or antagonists, there are several open questions awaiting an answer. How many ghrelin receptor subtypes exist? Is ghrelin ,the' or just ,a' GHS-R ligand? That is, are there other natural GHS-R ligands? Is there a functional balance between acylated and unacylated ghrelin forms, potentially with different actions? Within the next few years suitable answers to these questions will probably be found, making it possible to gain a better knowledge of ghrelin's potential clinical perspectives. [source] | |||||||||||||