Modulation of contractile function through NPY receptors during development of cardiomyocyte hypertrophy.

Severity of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) correlates with elevated plasma levels of neuropeptide Y (NPY) in hypertension. NPY elicits positive and negative contractile effects in cardiomyocytes through Y(1) and Y(2) receptors, respectively. This study tested the hypothesis that NPY receptor-mediated contraction is altered during progression of LVH. Ventricular cardiomyocytes were isolated from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) pre-LVH (12 weeks), during development (16 weeks), and at established LVH (20 weeks) and age-matched normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats. Electrically stimulated (60 V, 0.5 Hz) cell shortening was measured using edge detection and receptor expression determined at mRNA and protein level. The NPY and Y(1) receptor-selective agonist, Leu(31)Pro(34)NPY, stimulated increases in contractile amplitude, which were abolished by the Y(1) receptor-selective antagonist, BIBP3226 [R-N(2)-(diphenyl-acetyl)-N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)methyl-argininamide)], confirming Y(1) receptor involvement. Potencies of both agonists were enhanced in SHR cardiomyocytes at 20 weeks (2300- and 380-fold versus controls). Maximal responses were not attenuated. BIBP3226 unmasked a negative contraction effect of NPY, elicited over the concentration range (10(-12) to 3 x 10(-9) M) in which NPY and PYY(3-36) attenuated the positive contraction effects of isoproterenol, the potencies of which were increased in cardiomyocytes from SHRs at 20 weeks (175- and 145-fold versus controls); maximal responses were not altered. Expression of NPY-Y(1) and NPY-Y(2) receptor mRNAs was decreased (55 and 69%) in left ventricular cardiomyocytes from 20-week-old SHRs versus age-matched WKY rats; parallel decreases (32 and 80%) were observed at protein level. Enhancement of NPY potency, producing (opposing) contractile effects on cardiomyocytes together with unchanged maximal response despite reduced receptor number, enables NPY to contribute to regulating cardiac performance during compensatory LVH.

Coordination environment of [UO2Br4](2-) in ionic liquids and crystal structure of [Bmim](2)[UO2Br4]

The complex formed by the reaction of the uranyl ion, UO22+, with bromide ions in the ionic liquids 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([Bmiml[Tf2N]) and methyl-tributylammonium bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide ([MeBu3N][Tf2N]) has been investigated by UV-Vis and U L-III-edge EXAFS spectroscopy and compared to the crystal structure of [Bmim](2)[UO2Br4]. The solid state reveals a classical tetragonal bipyramid geometry for [UO2Br4](2-) with hydrogen bonds between the Bmim(+) and the coordinated bromides. The UV-Vis spectroscopy reveals the quantitative formation of [UO2Br4](2-) when a stoichiometric amount of bromide ions is added to UO2(CF3SO3)(2) in both Tf2N-based ionic liquids. The absorption spectrum also suggests a D-4h symmetry for [UO2Br4](2-) in ionic liquids, as previously observed for the [UO2Cl4](2-) congener. EXAFS analysis supports this conclusion and demonstrates that the [UO2Br4](2-) coordination polyhedron is maintained in the ionic liquids without any coordinating solvent or water molecules. The mean U-O and U-Br distances in the solutions, determined by EXAFS, are, respectively, 1.766(2) and 2.821(2)angstrom in [Bmim][Tf2N], and, respectively, 1.768(2) and 2.827(2) angstrom, in [MeBu3N][Tf2N]. Similar results are obtained in both ionic liquids indicating no significant influence of the ionic liquid cation either on the complexation reaction or on the structure of the uranyl species. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The portrait of the first poster artists of Spanish cinema: From the genre scene to the realistic portrait

The article, which is part of a more detailed piece of work, aims to highlight the use of the portrait on the film posters of the first Spanish poster artists before the Star-System was introduced in Spain. For this it is posed the evolution that occurs in the representation of the characters in the film poster from the second decade to the beginning of the thirties in the twentieth century, a historical period of profound influences of the artistic and advertising vanguards in our poster artists´ work. However, in the late twenties moving from the simple inclusion of the scene based on the picture of a film, to the chromatic and realistic representation of the star´s face. These were the years when the influence of the major North American studios began to show in Spain. Nevertheless, it highlights their technical and compositional freedom and their influence on subsequent poster artists, as many of them will integrate the portraits and settings on their posters, following the guidelines of the major studios or the independent ones. But without forgetting their own personal way of painting the film stars’ faces on their posters.

The last meal of the Late Ordovician mollusc ‘Helminthochiton’ thraivensis Reed, 1911, from the Lady Burn Starfish Beds, southwest Scotland.

An exceptional specimen of the Late Ordovician mollusc ‘Helminthochiton’ thraivensis Reed, from the Katian of the Lady Burn Starfish Beds, southwest Scotland, preserves gut contents that include nine pelmatozoan ossicles. These are interpreted as including two nodal and five intermodal columnals, and two radice ossicles from the attachment structure. The stem was cyclocyclic and heteromorphic, possibly N212. Radice ossicles were wider than the height of nodals, so radice scars must have encroached onto the latera of adjacent pluricolumnals. These features were compared with the 26 known pelmatozoan taxa from the Lady Burn Starfish Beds. Paracrinoids (one species) and glyptocystitid rhombiferans (six species) were discounted as prey because of their cemented attachment, and incorrect columnal morphology and lack of attachment, respectively. Of 19 species of crinoids, eight are discounted in which the column is pentagonal, tetragonal or unknown. Of the remaining eleven species, only the monobathrid camerate Macrostylocrinus cirrifer Ramsbottom satisfies all criteria for identification of the prey, including heteromorphy and radice scars encroaching adjacent internodals.

BROAD-BAND EXCITATION AND EMISSION OF SURFACE-PLASMONS

The well known advantages of using surface plasmons, in particular the high sensitivity to surface adsorbates, are nearly always compromised in practice by the use of monochromatic excitation and the consequent lack of proper spectroscopic information. This limitation arises from the angle/wavelength selective nature of the surface plasmon resonance. The work described here uses an elegant broadband excitation/decay scheme in a substrate(silica)-grating profiled photoresist-Ag film geometry. Laser radiation of wavelength 488 nm, incident through the silica substrate, excites by near-field coupling a broad band of surface plasmons at the photoresist-Ag interface within the spectral range of the photoresist fluorescence. With a judicious choice of grating period this mode can cross-couple to the mode supported at the Ag-air interface. This latter mode can, in turn, couple out to light by virtue of the same grating profile. The spectral distribution of the light emitted due to this three-step process has been studied as a function of the angle of emission and depth of the grating profiled surface for each polarization. It is found that the optimum emission efficiency occurs with a groove depth in the region of 65 nm. This is considerably greater than the optimum depth of 40 nm required for surface plasmon-photon coupling at a Ag-air interface or, in other words, for the last step of the process in isolation.

Modulation Insensitive PLL for Tracking Antenna Applications

This article shows practical results of a self-tracking receiving antenna array using a new phase locked loop (PLL) tracking configuration. The PLL configuration differs from other architectures, as it has the new feature of being able to directly track phase modulated signals without requiring an additional unmodulated pilot carrier to be present. The PLLs are used within the antenna array to produce a constant phase intermediate frequency (IF) for each antenna element. These IF's can then be combined in phase, regardless of the angle of arrival of the signal, thus utilizing the antennas array factor. The article's main focus is on the phase jitter performance of the modulation insensitive PLL carrier recovery when tracking phase modulated signals of low signal to noise ratio. From this analysis, it is concluded that the new architecture, when optimally designed, can produce phase jitter performance close to that of a conventional tracking PLL.

An iterative longest matching segment approach to speech enhancement with additive noise and channel distortion

This paper presents a new approach to speech enhancement from single-channel measurements involving both noise and channel distortion (i.e., convolutional noise), and demonstrates its applications for robust speech recognition and for improving noisy speech quality. The approach is based on finding longest matching segments (LMS) from a corpus of clean, wideband speech. The approach adds three novel developments to our previous LMS research. First, we address the problem of channel distortion as well as additive noise. Second, we present an improved method for modeling noise for speech estimation. Third, we present an iterative algorithm which updates the noise and channel estimates of the corpus data model. In experiments using speech recognition as a test with the Aurora 4 database, the use of our enhancement approach as a preprocessor for feature extraction significantly improved the performance of a baseline recognition system. In another comparison against conventional enhancement algorithms, both the PESQ and the segmental SNR ratings of the LMS algorithm were superior to the other methods for noisy speech enhancement.

Elements of a methodology to assess the alignment of core-values in collaborative networks

Collaborative networks are typically formed by heterogeneous and autonomous entities, and thus it is natural that each member has its own set of core-values. Since these values somehow drive the behaviour of the involved entities, the ability to quickly identify partners with compatible or common core-values represents an important element for the success of collaborative networks. However, tools to assess or measure the level of alignment of core-values are lacking. Since the concept of 'alignment' in this context is still ill-defined and shows a multifaceted nature, three perspectives are discussed. The first one uses a causal maps approach in order to capture, structure, and represent the influence relationships among core-values. This representation provides the basis to measure the alignment in terms of the structural similarity and influence among value systems. The second perspective considers the compatibility and incompatibility among core-values in order to define the alignment level. Under this perspective we propose a fuzzy inference system to estimate the alignment level, since this approach allows dealing with variables that are vaguely defined, and whose inter-relationships are difficult to define. Another advantage provided by this method is the possibility to incorporate expert human judgment in the definition of the alignment level. The last perspective uses a belief Bayesian network method, and was selected in order to assess the alignment level based on members' past behaviour. An example of application is presented where the details of each method are discussed.

L'Écho de Paris

1887/09/25 (Numéro 1286).

Latin 9261

Contient : Collection de 52 pièces relatives aux rois de Majorque ; Collection de 9 pièces relatives au Portugal et à l'Espagne

Mélanges.

Contient : « Histoire de la comtesse de Selles, ou de madame d'Estampes [Marie d'Estampes, femme de Philippe de Béthune, comte de Selles], sous le nom de Mélicerte. 1663. » — Ce roman. dont la clef se trouve au feuillet 1 v°, a été imprimé dans le Conservateur, 1760, novembre, p. 152, et décembre, p. 159. Cf. Lelong, Bibliothèque historique de la France, t. IV, n. 48175 et 48176 ; « Anciens titres touchant les comtes de Haynault. » Recueil de pièces, actes royaux, traités, contrats de mariage, lettres, etc., de 1286 à 1407, dont la table se trouve au feuillet 112

Mélanges historiques.

Contient : Première partie du Chronicon Walciodorense (D'Achery, Spicil., éd. in-fol., t. II, p. 709) ; Extraits des chartes d'Auberive ; Mandement de Louis, comte de Flandre, au sujet des gardes dues dans les châteaux du comté de Rethel ; Extrait des terriers du comté de Rethel ; Donation de la vicomté de Béarn à Roger-Bernard, comte de Foix, par Gaston VII ; Généalogie de la famille Boucher ; Pièces concernant les seigneurs de Nogentel ; Chartes du prieuré de la Grâce, près Montmirail ; Extrait de décrets de conciles (la suite est au fol. 24) ; Notice sur Jean Cousin, seigneur de Nogentel ; Chartes de l'abbaye de Notre-Dame de Regni ; Extraits des archives du Temple, à Paris ; Titres de la maisou de Nogentel ; Extraits concernant les comtes de Roucy ; Diplôme de Henri I pour la Chaise-Dieu ; Extrait des chartes de l'abbaye de La Grasse ; Diplôme falsifié de Charles le Chauve pour le monastère de Vabre ; Extraits du Livre rouge de l'archevêché de Narbonne ; Extraits des chartes de Saint-Martin de Montauban ; Bulle de Clément IV pour l'évêché de Maguelonne (Potthast, n° 19811) ; Extraits de pièces relatives à Montpellier ; Lettre de rémission pour Jean, comte d'Armagnac, et Jean, vicomte de Lomagne, son fils ; Testament de Petrone, comtesse de Bigorre ; Testament d'Esquivat, comte de Bigorre ; Contrat de mariage de Matha, fille de Jean, comte d'Armagnac, avec Bernard d'Albret ; Extrait de l'Inventio sancti Veroni (Bibl. hag. lat., n° 8550] ; Extrait de la Vita sancti Deicoli Lutrensis [ibid., n° 2121] ; Pièces sur les comtes de Rethel ; Lettres de noblesse pour Jean Lesguisé, évêque de Troyes

Recueil de pièces originales, copies et gravures, formé par GAIGNIÈRES sur les duels et les combats. I Gravures allemandes représentant des duels (fol. 6), tournois et combats, signées « L. C. 1506 » [Lucas de Cranach] (fol. 8), « L. C. 1509 » (fol. 44 et suiv.) en triple exemplaire, et 71). [Cf. Bartsch, Le peintre-graveur, nos 124, 125, 126.] — Gravure de [Jacques Androuet-Ducerceau], avec légende, représentant Le chien de Montargis ou « Le combat d'un chien contre un gentilhomme qui avoit tué son maistre » (fol. 10).

Cartel, en italien, de Cagnino di Gonzaga à Cesare Fregoso. Bozolo,31 juillet 1539 (fol. 112), orig. imprimé, avec le sceau de Gonzaga. — Extraits des Mémoires de Sully (fol. 14). — Duels de Jean de Harcourt et Guillaume III de Tancarville, 1286 (fol. 20), — Raymond du Marcadil de Penne en Agenois et Étienne Donnadieu, 1330 (fol. 24), — M. de Sauvebeuf et Peyrot de Rastinhac, 1587 (fol. 26), — baron de Conros et Carbonat (fol. 29), — Louis de Loudierche, de Grizol et de Cheyladet, 1612 (fol 31, 59), — MM. de Candale et de Schomberg (fol. 36), — combat de la Barrière, 1605 (fol. 37). — Édit de Henri IV défendant les duels (fol. 39). — Accords faits par le connétable, les maréchaux de France et les lieutenants généraux des provinces entre MM. de Clermont et de S. Gery d'Avignon (fol. 50), — de Reilhac et de Drageac (fol. 53), — le duc de Nevers et M. de Montpensier, 1580 (fol. 55), — de Brezolles et de Carluz de Calvimond, 1610 (fol. 57), — de Naves et de Montaignac, 1613 (fol. 61), — le comte de Sault et M. de Brissac, 1638 (fol. 62). — Extraits du « stylus antiquus Parlamenti Parisiensis Caroli Molinoei », éd. 1558 (fol. 66, 72, 74, 156), — du « Coustumier de Normendie », éd. 1539 (fol. 76). — Duels de Jacques Le Gris et Jean de Carouges, 1387 (fol. 84) et autres duels extraits de Froissart (fol. 99 et suiv.). — Lettre orig. de Gaucher de Dinteville à Mgr le Dauphin [Henri II], Venise, 20 décembre 1538 (fol. 142). — « Les Cartelz, reponces et procès-verbaux du different d'entre le sieur de Vassé et le comte Guillaume de Furstenberg, 1540 (fol. 144).