Rutgers University

About: Rutgers University is a education organization based out in New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Poison control. The organization has 68736 authors who have published 159418 publications receiving 6713860 citations. The organization is also known as: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey & Rutgers.

Gamma Oscillation by Synaptic Inhibition in a Hippocampal Interneuronal Network Model

Abstract: Fast neuronal oscillations (gamma, 20‐80 Hz) have been observed in the neocortex and hippocampus during behavioral arousal. Using computer simulations, we investigated the hypothesis that such rhythmic activity can emerge in a random network of interconnected GABAergic fast-spiking interneurons. Specific conditions for the population synchronization, on properties of single cells and the circuit, were identified. These include the following: (1) that the amplitude of spike afterhyperpolarization be above the GABAA synaptic reversal potential; (2) that the ratio between the synaptic decay time constant and the oscillation period be sufficiently large; (3) that the effects of heterogeneities be modest because of a steep frequency‐current relationship of fastspiking neurons. Furthermore, using a population coherence measure, based on coincident firings of neural pairs, it is demonstrated that large-scale network synchronization requires a critical (minimal) average number of synaptic contacts per cell, which is not sensitive to the network size. By changing the GABAA synaptic maximal conductance, synaptic decay time constant, or the mean external excitatory drive to the network, the neuronal firing frequencies were gradually and monotonically varied. By contrast, the network synchronization was found to be high only within a frequency band coinciding with the gamma (20‐80 Hz) range. We conclude that the GABAA synaptic transmission provides a suitable mechanism for synchronized gamma oscillations in a sparsely connected network of fast-spiking interneurons. In turn, the interneuronal network can presumably maintain subthreshold oscillations in principal cell populations and serve to synchro

The small, versatile pPZP family of Agrobacterium binary vectors for plant transformation

Abstract: The newpPZP Agrobacterium binary vectors are versatile, relatively small, stable and are fully sequenced. The vectors utilize the pTiT37 T-DNA border regions, the pBR322bom site for mobilization fromEscherichia coli toAgrobacterium, and the ColE1 and pVS1 plasmid origins for replication inE. coli and inAgrobacterium, respectively. Bacterial marker genes in the vectors confer resistance to chloramphenicol (pPZP100 series) or spectinomycin (pPZP200 series), allowing their use inAgrobacterium strains with different drug resistance markers. Plant marker genes in the binary vectors confer resistance to kanamycin or to gentamycin, and are adjacent to the left border (LB) of the transferred region. A lacZ α-peptide, with the pUC18 multiple cloning site (MCS), lies between the plant marker gene and the right border (RB). Since the RB is transferred first, drug resistance is obtained only if the passenger gene is present in the transgenic plants.

Finding Frequent Items in Data Streams

Abstract: We present a 1-pass algorithm for estimating the most frequent items in a data stream using limited storage space. Our method relies on a data structure called a COUNT SKETCH, which allows us to reliably estimate the frequencies of frequent items in the stream. Our algorithm achieves better space bounds than the previously known best algorithms for this problem for several natural distributions on the item frequencies. In addition, our algorithm leads directly to a 2-pass algorithm for the problem of estimating the items with the largest (absolute) change in frequency between two data streams. To our knowledge, this latter problem has not been previously studied in the literature.

Meta-analysis of the relationship between risk perception and health behavior: the example of vaccination.

Abstract: Background: Risk perceptions are central to many health behavior theories. However, the relationship between risk perceptions and behavior, muddied by instances of inappropriate assessment and analysis, often looks weak. Method: A meta-analysis of eligible studies assessing the bivariate association between adult vaccination and perceived likelihood, susceptibility, or severity was conducted. Results: Thirty-four studies met inclusion criteria (N 15,988). Risk likelihood (pooled r .26), susceptibility (pooled r .24), and severity (pooled r .16) significantly predicted vaccination behavior. The risk perception behavior relationship was larger for studies that were prospective, had higher quality risk measures, or had unskewed risk or behavior measures. Conclusions: The consistent relationships between risk perceptions and behavior, larger than suggested by prior meta-analyses, suggest that risk perceptions are rightly placed as core concepts in theories of health behavior.