Central norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA) are involved in a variety of physiological functions and behaviors. Accumulating evidence suggests that NE neurons originating from the locus coeruleus (LC) innervate DA neurons of the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and influence VTA-DA neural activity. However, the underlying mechanisms of how LC-NE regulates DA transmission via VTA-DA neurons remain largely unexplored. Herein, we investigated how electrical stimulation of the LC modulates VTA-DA neurotransmission in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). For this study, catecholamine release in the NAc and VTA evoked by electrical stimulation of the LC in urethane-anesthetized rats was simultaneously monitored with carbon-fiber microelectrodes using in vivo multichannel fast-scan cyclic voltammetry for comparison of its extracellular regulation. Pharmacological, anatomical, and electrochemical evidence suggest that electrical stimulation of the LC evokes NE release in the VTA and activates VTA-DA neurons, resulting in DA release in the NAc. The electrically evoked DA in the NAc was regulated by D2 receptors and DA transporters (DAT) as well as α-adrenergic receptors in the VTA, whereas NE release in the VTA was regulated by α-adrenergic receptors and NE transporters (NET) not by D2 receptors or DAT. These results suggest that electrical stimulation of LC modulates VTA-DA neurons and DA transmission in the NAc via NE receptors.

ABSTRACT:The disposal of used car tires has become a major environmental problem, especially in densely populated countries that use motor vehicles as the principle means of transportation. Widespread recycling of waste tires has not taken place because it has not proven to be cost effective. Although there are obvious environmental reasons for recycling waste tires, to date it has not proven to be economically valuable. The aim of this study is to find a more economical way of recycling used car tires. This was done by the "unvulcanization" of vulcanized crumb rubber by two different treatments; chemical treatment with di-(cobenzanidophenyl)disulfide, and microbial treatment with T. peromatabolis. The experimental results indicate that the processing of crumb rubber, as well as the end-product properties, were enhanced by both these treatments, with the microbial treatment being the most effective.

in the model: (i) the tungsten oxide film thickness; (ii) the maximum obtainable optical density or the initial optical efficiency; and (iii) the relative density of the tungsten oxide film. The model quantitatively predicts the optical density (and optical efficiency) as a function of the effective passed charge and may be applicable as long as a dominant fraction of the electrons associated with the intercalating species remains appreciably localized. ABSTRACTThe effect of in situ N2/H2 plasma post-treatment on the stability of TDMAT-based GVD TIN films was studied. Post-treatment greatly improves the film stability in air regardless of conditions of the plasma treatment. Among the tested variables, the plasma exposure time strongly affects the resistivity and carbon content of the deposits. Longer treatment results in reduced carbon content and enhanced stability in air. With increasing treatment time, the resistivity decreased exponentially and then finally saturated at a certain value. At a fixed time for plasma treatment, increasing the N2/H2 ratio provides better film stability compared to increasing RF power. However, no noticeable difference of carbon content in the film was observed with variation of RF power and the ratio of N2/H2 at a fixed treatment time. An enhancement of film crystallinity was observed as plasma post-treatment.

The effects of feeding frequency on growth, food consumption, body composition, and blood chemistry of dark‐banded rockfish, Sebastes inermis, were investigated for 70 d. A total of 30 rockfish each (initial mean body weight of 13.7 ± 0.1 g) were randomly distributed to twelve 75‐L tanks. Fish were hand‐fed to satiation with a commercial diet (51.0% protein) under one of four different feeding frequency treatments (one, two, or three meals per day or one meal for 2 d). At the end of the experiment, fish fed with two and three meals per day exhibited the highest weight gain, specific growth, and feeding rates. Feed efficiency and size variation were not significantly affected by feeding frequency (P > 0.05). The maximum food consumption occurred during the last meal (1700 h) of the two and three meals per day treatments. As feeding frequency increased, whole‐body protein and lipid, as well as plasma total cholesterol and high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol contents also significantly increased (P < 0.05). We concluded that the juvenile dark‐banded rockfish weighing from 10 to 40 g can achieve the best growth performance when they are fed two meals per day under our experimental conditions.

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