Conference on Nonlinear Partial Differential Equations and Applications

Award Number: 410791

Program(s): ANALYSIS PROGRAM, APPLIED MATHEMATICS

Principal Investigator: Browder, Felix

Co-PI Name(s):

PI Email Address: browder@math.rutgers.edu

Abstract: Proposal: DMS-0410791

PI: Felix E Browder

Institution: Rutgers University

Title: Conference on Nonlinear Partial Differential Equations and Applications

ABSTRACT

An international "Conference on Nonlinear Partial Differential Equations and Applications" will be held in Paris, France, June 21-25, 2004, in honor of Professor Haim Brezis. The program emphasizes the interplay between theory and applications of nonlinear PDEs. Areas of application covered at the conference include materials science, combustion, relativity and gravitational waves, and fluid mechanics. A distinguished group of speakers has accepted the invitation to speak at the conference. The conference organizers expect between 200 and 300 participants. The program includes invited talks, short presentations by selected young researchers, poster sessions, and a round-table discussion. Four speakers have been asked to give short tutorial courses prior to the conference. Details are to be found on the conference's web site, http://mule.ann.jussieu.fr/HB2004/index.html.

SGER: Altered Sensory Sensitivity in Osteocalcin Knockout Mice

Award Number: 343515

Program(s): BEHAVIORAL SYSTEMS CLUSTER, BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE

Principal Investigator: Buckendahl, Patricia

Co-PI Name(s): Larissa Pohorecky

PI Email Address: buckendp@rci.rutgers.edu

Abstract: The skeleton is one of the defining characteristics of the Class Vertebrata. It provides structural support and a reservoir for calcium phosphate, but has been largely ignored as a contributor to overall body homeostasis. Osteocalcin (OC) is an abundant calcium binding protein component of bone matrix presumed to participate in control of mineralization. A relatively consistent percentage of OC is released to plasma (pOC) and generally reflects bone formation rate. Bones of mice depleted of osteocalcin by gene deletion (KO) are more densely mineralized than those of wild-type mice (WT). Interestingly, KO mice were also observed to differ in behavior and sensitivity to touch compared to WT mice. Because pOC concentration is also altered by external stimuli that can affect tactile sensitivity, its deletion may alter the availability of calcium required for nerve conduction. This project will confirm that KO mice that have no pOC are more sensitive to touch and to pain than WT. Mice will be evaluated by testing the following: (1) behavior in an open field environment, including those related to tactile sensitivity such as grooming and wall contact; (2) sensitivity to a heated surface and pressure on paws and other body areas exerted by calibrated Von Frey fibers; (3) re-evaluation of touch response and analysis of the stress hormone corticosterone following restraint and brief immersion in shallow room temperature water. These experiments will provide evidence that OC is necessary for normal tactile sensory function under both normal and stressful conditions. They will also provide evidence that bone functions as an endocrine organ with communication to the nervous system in the form of pOC.

The Role of HEN1 in MicroRNA Biogenesis in Arabidopsis

Award Number: 343480

Program(s): GENES AND GENOME SYSTEMS

Start Date: 5/1/2004

Principal Investigator: Chen, Xuemei

Co-PI Name(s):

PI Email Address: xuemei.chen@ucr.edu

Abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs), single-stranded RNAs of usually 21-25 nucleotides in length found in diverse eukaryotes, act as sequence-specific regulators of gene expression during normal growth and development. miRNAs are processed, by an RNAse III enzyme named Dicer, from longer transcripts that fold into stem-loop structures with the miRNAs being in the double-stranded regions. In addition to Dicer, two classes of proteins of unknown molecular functions, Argonaute and HEN1, have been implicated in miRNA biogenesis. The temporally or spatially restricted expression of many miRNAs suggests that miRNA biogenesis is tightly regulated during development. However, little is known about the pathway or the regulation of miRNA biogenesis. The goal of this research is to dissect the role of HEN1 in miRNA biogenesis using molecular genetic and biochemical approaches. In particular, this research will follow clues from previous observations, such as the accumulation of a potential miRNA precursor in a dicer mutant and the presence of heterogeneous miRNA species in the hen1-1 mutant to probe the potential roles of HEN1 in miRNA biogenesis, such as production, stabilization, or nuclear export of miRNA precursors or miRNAs. This investigation will shed light on the molecular function of HEN1, a pioneer protein with homologs from metazoans, in miRNA biogenesis and also provide insights into the poorly understood miRNA biogenesis process in plants, such as the steps involved to process the primary transcript to the mature miRNA and the subcellular locations of the processing steps.

Assessing the effects of calcite saturation on the benthic foraminiferal Mg/Ca-temperature relationship using a homothermal depth transect in the Norw

Award Number: 341412

Program(s): MARINE GEOLOGY AND GEOPHYSICS

Start Date: 5/1/2004

Principal Investigator: Rosenthal, Yair

Co-PI Name(s): Caroline Lear

PI Email Address: rosentha@imcs.rutgers.edu

Abstract: Under this award the PIs will be address the question: What is the effect of calcite saturation on the Mg/Ca - temperature relationship in benthic foraminifera?

They propose an 11 day cruise in the Norwegian Sea to collect about 30 multi-cores and 15 giant gravity cores that cover a range of calcite saturation levels at constant temperature and salinity. Benthic foraminiferal Mg/Ca from lightly saturated waters display a steep decrease with increasing water depth. The current global Mg/Ca-temperature relationship can only explain a fraction of the decrease, leading to the hypothesis that the degree of calcite saturation also affects benthic foraminiferal Mg/Ca at the low temperatures typical of the

majority of the deep ocean. The depth transect from the homothermal and homohaline Norwegian Sea, that was previously studied by Mackensen et al., (1985) provides an ideal opportunity not only to test the hypothesis, but also to quantify the Mg/Ca - calcite saturation relationship at low temperatures. The PI propose to reoccupy the sites that were used for the Mackensen et al. 1985 faunal study (). Based on that study, they expect a high abundance of live benthic foraminifera. To further test their hypothesis they propose studying two down-core records (one spanning the HL-LGM transition at 150 yr resolution and one record spanning 0 to 35 ka at 250 yr resolution). Because Norwegian Sea's bottom water temperature (BWT) is close to freezing, they expect little Glacial-Interglacial variation. Any significant down-core change would suggest additional control on Mg/Ca ratios in benthic foraminifera.

EITM: Minimization of complexity in human concept learning

Award Number: 339062

Program(s): CCRI-DEC MAKING UNDER UNCERTAI, METHOD, MEASURE and STATS

Start Date: 5/1/2004

Principal Investigator: Feldman, Jacob

Co-PI Name(s):

PI Email Address: jacob@ruccs.rutgers.edu

Abstract: This project investigates how human learners form generalizations from examples, focusing on how conceptual complexity influences learning. When inducing concepts, as when a learner forms an abstraction of the concept "chair" after viewing only a few individual chairs, human learners have a bias towards simplicity; i.e., they tend to induce the simplest generalizations consistent with the examples. The exact meaning of the term "simple," however, is notoriously difficult to capture in a rigorous theory. This project draws on recent progress in quantifying conceptual simplicity and complexity in ways that are both mathematically sound and psychologically accurate. The project seeks to generalize this progress to apply to a wider range of human conceptual types than has previously been possible, including "fuzzy" probabilistic concepts and concepts defined over continuous features. The project involves both mathematical modeling and extensive experiments on human subjects learning a wide variety of concepts. By extending our understanding of complexity-minimization in human learning, the project aims to build a more complete account of the mechanisms underlying human learning.

This project has many potential scientific benefits, including a greater understanding of human learning and the possibility of more effective automated learning mechanisms. More broadly, this project has the potential to help quantify what makes some concepts inherently easier for humans to learn than others, which could have direct applications to education practices and to treatment understanding of learning disorders.