Gross anatomy of the muscle systems of Fasciola hepatica as visualized by phalloidin-fluorescence and confocal microscopy

Neuropeptides, biogenic amines and acetylcholine are expressed abundantly within the nervous systems of parasitic flatworms, and are particularly evident in the innervation of the musculature. Such associations have implicated the nervous system in locomotion, host attachment and reproductive co-ordination. Information on the muscle systems of parasitic flatworms is generally sparse, in particular those muscles associated with the reproductive system, intestinal tract and attachment apparatus. Also, the use of sectioned material has left description of the 3-dimensional organization of the musculature largely unrecorded. Using fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labelled phalloidin as a site-specific probe for filamentous actin, applied to whole-mount preparations of adult Fasciola hepatica and examined by confocal scanning laser microscopy, the present work reports on the organization of the major muscle systems in this trematode parasite. A highly regular array of outer circular, intermediate longitudinal and inner diagonal fibres distinguishes the body wall musculature, which is also involved in the development of both ventral and oral suckers. Circular fibres dominate the duct walls of the male and female reproductive systems, whereas the muscles of the intestinal tract have a somewhat diffuse arrangement of fibres. An understanding of the structural complexity of the muscle systems of parasitic flatworms is considered as fundamental to the interpretation of results from physiological experiments.

Temporal extension of Laplacian Eigenmaps for unsupervised dimensionality reduction of time series

A novel non-linear dimensionality reduction method, called Temporal Laplacian Eigenmaps, is introduced to process efficiently time series data. In this embedded-based approach, temporal information is intrinsic to the objective function, which produces description of low dimensional spaces with time coherence between data points. Since the proposed scheme also includes bidirectional mapping between data and embedded spaces and automatic tuning of key parameters, it offers the same benefits as mapping-based approaches. Experiments on a couple of computer vision applications demonstrate the superiority of the new approach to other dimensionality reduction method in term of accuracy. Moreover, its lower computational cost and generalisation abilities suggest it is scalable to larger datasets. © 2010 IEEE.

Optomechanical cooling with generalized interferometers

The fields in multiple-pass interferometers, such as the Fabry-Pérot cavity, exhibit great sensitivity not only to the presence but also to the motion of any scattering object within the optical path. We consider the general case of an interferometer comprising an arbitrary configuration of generic beam splitters and calculate the velocity-dependent radiation field and the light force exerted on a moving scatterer. We find that a simple configuration, in which the scatterer interacts with an optical resonator from which it is spatially separated, can enhance the optomechanical friction by several orders of magnitude.

New generalized dispersion relation for low-frequency electromagnetic waves in Hall-magnetohydrodynamic dusty plasma

A generalized linear theory for electromagnetic waves in a homogeneous dusty magnetoplasma is presented. The waves described are characterized by a frequency which is much smaller (larger) than the electron gyrofrequency (dust plasma and dust gyrofrequencies), and a long wavelength (in comparison with the ion gyroradius and the electron skin depth). The generalized Hall- magnetohydrodynamic (GH-MHD) equations are derived by assuming massive charged dust macroparticles to be immobile, and Fourier transformed to obtain a general dispersion relation. The latter is analyzed to understand the influence of immobile charged dust grains on various electromagnetic wave modes in a magnetized dusty plasma.

Nonlinear Field Line Random Walk and Generalized Compound Diffusion of Charged Particles

A new nonlinear theory for the perpendicular transport of charged particles is presented. This approach is based on an improved nonlinear treatment of field line random walk in combination with a generalized compound diffusion model. The generalized compound diffusion model is much more systematic and reliable, in comparison to previous theories. Furthermore, the new theory shows remarkably good agreement with test-particle simulations and heliospheric observations.

Physical Models of Wind Instruments : A Generalized Excitation Coupled with a Modular Tube Simulation Platform

To develop real-time simulations of wind instruments, digital waveguides filters can be used as an efficient representation of the air column. Many aerophones are shaped as horns which can be approximated using conical sections. Therefore the derivation of conical waveguide filters is of special interest. When these filters are used in combination with a generalized reed excitation, several classes of wind instruments can be simulated. In this paper we present the methods for transforming a continuous description of conical tube segments to a discrete filter representation. The coupling of the reed model with the conical waveguide and a simplified model of the termination at the open end are described in the same way. It turns out that the complete lossless conical waveguide requires only one type of filter.Furthermore, we developed a digital reed excitation model, which is purely based on numerical integration methods, i.e., without the use of a look-up table.

Understanding material deprivation: A comparative European analysis

In this paper, taking advantage of the inclusion of a special module on material deprivation in EU-SILC 2009. we provide a comparative analysis of patterns of deprivation. Our analysis identifies six relatively distinct dimensions of deprivation with generally satisfactory overall levels of reliability and mean levels of reliability across countries. Multi-level analysis based on 28 European countries reveals systematic variation in the importance of within and between country variation for a range of deprivation dimensions. The basic deprivation dimension is the sole dimension to display a graduated pattern of variation across countries. It also reveals the highest correlations with national and household income, the remaining deprivation dimensions and economic stress. It comes closest to capturing an underlying dimension of generalized deprivation that can provide the basis for a comparative European analysis of exclusion from customary standards of living. A multilevel analysis revealed that a range of household characteristics and household reference person socio-economic factors were related to basic deprivation and controlling for contextual differences in such factors allowed us to account for substantial proportions of both within and between country variance. The addition of macro-economic factors relating to average levels of disposable income and income inequality contributed relatively little further in the way of explanatory power. Further analysis revealed the existence of a set of significant interactions between micro socioeconomic attributes and country level gross national disposable income per capita. The impact of socio-economic differentiation was significantly greater where average income levels were lower. Or, in other words, the impact of the latter was greater for more disadvantaged socio-economic groups. Our analysis supports the suggestion that an emphasis on the primary role of income inequality to the neglect of differences in absolute levels of income may be misleading in important respects. (C) 2012 International Sociological Association Research Committee 28 on Social Stratification and Mobility. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

On the required shape corrections to the local density and generalized gradient approximations to the Kohn-Sham potentials for molecular response calculations of (hyper)polarizabilities and excitation energies

It is well known that shape corrections have to be applied to the local-density (LDA) and generalized gradient (GGA) approximations to the Kohn-Sham exchange-correlation potential in order to obtain reliable response properties in time dependent density functional theory calculations. Here we demonstrate that it is an oversimplified view that these shape corrections concern primarily the asymptotic part of the potential, and that they affect only Rydberg type transitions. The performance is assessed of two shape-corrected Kohn-Sham potentials, the gradient-regulated asymptotic connection procedure applied to the Becke-Perdew potential (BP-GRAC) and the statistical averaging of (model) orbital potentials (SAOP), versus LDA and GGA potentials, in molecular response calculations of the static average polarizability alpha, the Cauchy coefficient S-4, and the static average hyperpolarizability beta. The nature of the distortions of the LDA/GGA potentials is highlighted and it is shown that they introduce many spurious excited states at too low energy which may mix with valence excited states, resulting in wrong excited state compositions. They also lead to wrong oscillator strengths and thus to a wrong spectral structure of properties like the polarizability. LDA, Becke-Lee-Yang-Parr (BLYP), and Becke-Perdew (BP) characteristically underestimate contributions to alpha and S-4 from bound Rydberg-type states and overestimate those from the continuum. Cancellation of the errors in these contributions occasionally produces fortuitously good results. The distortions of the LDA, BLYP, and BP spectra are related to the deficiencies of the LDA/GGA potentials in both the bulk and outer molecular regions. In contrast, both SAOP and BP-GRAC potentials produce high quality polarizabilities for 21 molecules and also reliable Cauchy moments and hyperpolarizabilities for the selected molecules. The analysis for the N-2 molecule shows, that both SAOP and BP-GRAC yield reliable energies omega(i) and oscillator strengths f(i) of individual excitations, so that they reproduce well the spectral structure of alpha and S-4.(C) 2002 American Institute of Physics.

The failure of generalized gradient approximations (GGAs) and meta-GGAs for the two-center three-electron bonds in He-2(+), (H2O)(2)(+), and (NH3)(2)(+)

The radical cations He-2(+) (H2O)(2)(+), and (NH3)(2)(+) with two-center three-electron A-A bonds are investigated at the configuration interaction (CI), accurate Kohn-Sham (KS), generalized gradient approximation (GGA), and meta-GGA levels. Assessment of seven different GGA and six meta-GGA methods shows that the A(2)(+) systems remain a difficult case for density functional theory (DFT). All methods tested consistently overestimate the stability of A(2)(+): the corresponding D-e errors decrease for more diffuse valence densities in the series He-2(+) > (H2O)(2)(+) > (NH3)(2)(+). Upon comparison to the energy terms of the accurate Kohn-Sham solutions, the approximate exchange functionals are found to be responsible for the errors of GGA-type methods, which characteristically overestimate the exchange in A(2)(+). These so-called exchange functionals implicitly use localized holes. Such localized holes do occur if there is left-right correlation, i.e., the exchange functionals then also describe nondynamical correlation. However, in the hemibonded A(2)(+) systems the typical molecular (left-right, nondynamical) correlation of the two-electron pair bond is absent. The nondynamical correlation built into the exchange functionals is then spurious and yields too low energies.

Modeling continuous self-report measures of perceived emotion using generalized additive mixed models

Emotion research has long been dominated by the “standard method” of displaying posed or acted static images of facial expressions of emotion. While this method has been useful it is unable to investigate the dynamic nature of emotion expression. Although continuous self-report traces have enabled the measurement of dynamic expressions of emotion, a consensus has not been reached on the correct statistical techniques that permit inferences to be made with such measures. We propose Generalized Additive Models and Generalized Additive Mixed Models as techniques that can account for the dynamic nature of such continuous measures. These models allow us to hold constant shared components of responses that are due to perceived emotion across time, while enabling inference concerning linear differences between groups. The mixed model GAMM approach is preferred as it can account for autocorrelation in time series data and allows emotion decoding participants to be modelled as random effects. To increase confidence in linear differences we assess the methods that address interactions between categorical variables and dynamic changes over time. In addition we provide comments on the use of Generalized Additive Models to assess the effect size of shared perceived emotion and discuss sample sizes. Finally we address additional uses, the inference of feature detection, continuous variable interactions, and measurement of ambiguity.

Age-dependent increase in ortho-tyrosine and methionine sulfoxide in human skin collagen is not accelerated in diabetes. Evidence against a generalized increase in oxidative stress in diabetes

The glycoxidation products Nepsilon-(carboxymethyl)lysine and pentosidine increase in skin collagen with age and at an accelerated rate in diabetes. Their age-adjusted concentrations in skin collagen are correlated with the severity of diabetic complications. To determine the relative roles of increased glycation and/or oxidation in the accelerated formation of glycoxidation products in diabetes, we measured levels of amino acid oxidation products, distinct from glycoxidative modifications of amino acids, as independent indicators of oxidative stress and damage to collagen in aging and diabetes. We show that ortho-tyrosine and methionine sulfoxide are formed in concert with Nepsilon-(carboxymethyl)lysine and pentosidine during glycoxidation of collagen in vitro, and that they also increase with age in human skin collagen. The age-adjusted levels of these oxidized amino acids in collagen was the same in diabetic and nondiabetic subjects, arguing that diabetes per se does not cause an increase in oxidative stress or damage to extracellular matrix proteins. These results provide evidence for an age-dependent increase in oxidative damage to collagen and support previous conclusions that the increase in glycoxidation products in skin collagen in diabetes can be explained by the increase in glycemia alone, without invoking a generalized, diabetes-dependent increase in oxidative stress.

A generalized functional response for predators that switch between multiple prey species

We develop a theory for the food intake of a predator that can switch between multiple prey species. The theory addresses empirical observations of prey switching and is based on the behavioural assumption that a predator tends to continue feeding on prey that are similar to the prey it has consumed last, in terms of, e.g., their morphology, defences, location, habitat choice, or behaviour. From a predator's dietary history and the assumed similarity relationship among prey species, we derive a general closed-form multi-species functional response for describing predators switching between multiple prey species. Our theory includes the Holling type II functional response as a special case and makes consistent predictions when populations of equivalent prey are aggregated or split. An analysis of the derived functional response enables us to highlight the following five main findings. (1) Prey switching leads to an approximate power-law relationship between ratios of prey abundance and prey intake, consistent with experimental data. (2) In agreement with empirical observations, the theory predicts an upper limit of 2 for the exponent of such power laws. (3) Our theory predicts deviations from power-law switching at very low and very high prey-abundance ratios. (4) The theory can predict the diet composition of a predator feeding on multiple prey species from diet observations for predators feeding only on pairs of prey species. (5) Predators foraging on more prey species will show less pronounced prey switching than predators foraging on fewer prey species, thus providing a natural explanation for the known difficulties of observing prey switching in the field. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Generalized Selection Combining in Cognitive MIMO Relay Networks

We propose transmit antenna selection with receive generalized selection combining (TAS/GSC) in dual-hop cognitive decode-and-forward (DF) relay networks for reliability enhancement and interference relaxation. In this paradigm, a single antenna which maximizes the receive signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) is selected at the secondary transmitter and a subset of receive antennas with the highest SNRs are combined at the secondary receiver. To demonstrate the impact of multiple primary users on the cognitive relay network, we derive new closed-form expressions for the exact and asymptotic outage probability with TAS/GSC in the secondary network. Several important design insights are reached. We corroborate that the full diversity gain is achieved, which is entirely determined by the total number of antennas in the secondary network. The negative impact of the primary network on the secondary network is reflected in the SNR gain.

Generalized Langevin equation: An efficient approach to nonequilibrium molecular dynamics of open systems

The generalized Langevin equation (GLE) has been recently suggested to simulate the time evolution of classical solid and molecular systems when considering general nonequilibrium processes. In this approach, a part of the whole system (an open system), which interacts and exchanges energy with its dissipative environment, is studied. Because the GLE is derived by projecting out exactly the harmonic environment, the coupling to it is realistic, while the equations of motion are non-Markovian. Although the GLE formalism has already found promising applications, e. g., in nanotribology and as a powerful thermostat for equilibration in classical molecular dynamics simulations, efficient algorithms to solve the GLE for realistic memory kernels are highly nontrivial, especially if the memory kernels decay nonexponentially. This is due to the fact that one has to generate a colored noise and take account of the memory effects in a consistent manner. In this paper, we present a simple, yet efficient, algorithm for solving the GLE for practical memory kernels and we demonstrate its capability for the exactly solvable case of a harmonic oscillator coupled to a Debye bath.