The increasing amount of geographic data in urban environments and the technological advances in the domain of mobile devices have stimulated cartographers to give a try with the 3D visualisation of urban information on small mobile displays. The paper is focused on one of the fundamental research questions: How can we design a mobile 3D virtual urban environment that allows its users a cogniti...

Animals undergo periods of behavioral quiescence and arousal in response to environmental, circadian, or developmental cues. During larval molts, C. elegans undergoes a period of profound behavioral quiescence termed lethargus. Locomotion quiescence during lethargus was abolished in mutants lacking a neuropeptide receptor (NPR-1), and was reduced in mutants lacking NPR-1 ligands (FLP-18 and -21...

Oxygen (O2 ) homeostasis is important for all aerobic animals. However, the manner by which O2 sensing and homeostasis contribute to lifespan regulation is poorly understood. Here, we use the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans to address this question. We demonstrate that a loss-of-function mutation in the neuropeptide receptor gene npr-1 and a deletion mutation in the atypical soluble guanylate c...

The character of natriuretic peptide receptors (NPRs) in the kidney and aortae of the Atlantic hagfish Myxine glutinosa was determined and compared with that of NPRs in hagfish gills. The relationship of hagfish kidney and aortic NPRs with NPRs from higher vertebrates was also examined. Iodinated atrial and C-type natriuretic peptides (NPs) (125I-ANP, 125I-CNP) were used in tissue section autor...

After the description in the past 5 years of BNP and CNP, interest in the natriuretic peptide family has dramatically increased. Molecular characterization of the receptors for this hormone family has identified a heterogeneity in the receptor subtypes not previously alluded to by pharmacological or biochemical studies. Much has been published on the physiology of ANP, but the major roles for B...

BACKGROUND Men in patriarchal societies of developing countries are often identified as decision makers in all aspects of day-to-day life. The study explores the factors associated with male involvement in ANC, birth plans, exclusive breastfeeding and immunization of children. METHODS A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 2178 married males between May and December 2010 in Kathmandu, N...

We experimentally demonstrate switchable temporal soliton generation from a thulium-doped fiber laser (TDFL), using carbon nanotubes as the mode-locker. With the help of residual polarization dependent loss of a wavelength division multiplexer, a weak nonlinear polarization rotation (NPR) effect can be achieved within the laser cavity, which may provide joint contribution for passive mode-locki...

C-type natriuretic peptide (CNP) is a newly discovered type of local regulatory factor that mediates its biological effects through the specific, membrane-bound natriuretic peptide receptor-B (NPR-B). Recent studies have established that CNP is closely related to male reproductive function. The aims of this study were to determine the distribution of CNP/NPR-B in human ejaculated spermatozoa thr...

Mesangial cells from nonobese diabetic (NOD) mice (D-NOD) that develop diabetes at 2-4 mo express an increased density of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) clearance receptors [natriuretic peptide C receptor (NPR-C)] and produce less GMP in response to ANP than their nondiabetic counterparts (ND-NOD). Our purpose was to investigate how both phenotypic characteristics were regulated. Epidermal gr...