Midazolam sedation increases fluctuation and synchrony of the resting brain BOLD signal

The blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) magnetic resonance signal of functional brain cortices is dominated by very low frequency (VLF) fluctuations in anesthetized child patients. The temporal synchrony of the BOLD signal is also higher in anesthetized children compared with awake adults. The origin of the synchronous fluctuations can be related to maturation, pathological status or the anesthesia used in the imaging. Two of the three confounding variables (maturation and pathology) were controlled in this study. The effect of midazolam (4+/-0.8 mg) sedation on the BOLD signal was assessed in 12 healthy adults (aged 24+/-1.5 years) at 1.5 T. The VLF fluctuation power and temporal synchrony of the BOLD signal increased significantly after the sedation in the auditory and visual cortices. The fast Fourier transformation power spectral baseline fit parameters of the BOLD signal were also found to change significantly after sedation. It is concluded that the VLF fluctuation and temporal synchrony of the BOLD signal become increased after sedation in functional brain regions.     

Dynamic linkages between stock prices,accrual earnings and cash flows: a cointegration analysis

This paper investigates the dynamic linkages between stock market prices, accrual earnings and cash flows using Finnish data. We find that stock returns lead accounting returns rather than vice versa. Thus, the thin Finnish stock market appears to produce important information about the future success of Finnish companies for decision making purposes. In addition, the cointegration analysis performed here indicates that the inclusion of the so-called error correction term based on non-stationary price variables significantly improves the observed association between stock market and accounting variables. Thus, in future research, the long-term adjustment between stock market and accounting variables should be analysed more carefully when investigating the causality between accounting earnings and stock markets.     

Russian doll search for the Steiner triple covering problem

Russian doll search is applied to finding maximum independent sets in hypergraphs, focusing on a particular subproblem of the hitting set problem, the Steiner triple covering problem. An instance denoted A ₁₃₅ is solved considerably faster with Russian doll search than with integer linear programming and a state-of-the-art optimization tool (using otherwise a similar established approach to split the problem into subproblems). In addition, the improvement in speed makes it possible to carry out a search proving that all optimal solutions for A ₁₃₅ are isomorphic.     

Simulation of inversion motion and N-H stretching overtone spectra of aniline

A curvilinear internal coordinate Hamiltonian is used to simulate the N-H stretching overtone spectra and the associated inversion splittings in aniline. A simple local mode type model is applied to the N-H stretching and H-N-H bending modes. Geometric algebra is employed to derive the kinetic energy operator for the large amplitude inversion motion. Electronic structure calculations at the Moller-Plesset second order perturbation theory and correlation consistent aug-cc-pVTZ basis set level are used to obtain model parameters, some of which have been optimized with the least-squares method using experimental vibrational term values as data. The observed N-H stretching overtone vibrational levels and the inversional tunneling splittings are well reproduced with our approach.     

Evaluation of Meldola Blue‐Carbon Nanotube‐Sol‐Gel Composite for Electrochemical NADH Sensors and Their Application for Lactate Dehydrogenase‐Based Biosensors

A novel MB‐SWNT‐sol‐gel nanocomposite material was prepared by the sol‐gel process incorporating a redox mediator and carbon nanotubes. The electrocatalytic properties of the nanomaterial based sensor toward NADH oxidation were studied by electrochemical measurements. Significant enhancement of oxidation current is obtained at electrodes modified by MB‐SWNT‐sol‐gel in comparison with the analogous carbon black and/or graphite composite modified electrode. The usefulness of the nanocomposite material as a matrix for immobilizing enzymes is also demonstrated. Analytical parameters of D ‐lactate biosensors with and without SWNT in the hybrid film were compared demonstrating that performance of the biosensor was significantly improved when introducing SWNT.