Perceptual correlates of homosynaptic long-term potentiation in human nociceptive pathways: A replication study

Animal studies have shown that high-frequency stimulation (HFS) of peripheral C-fibres induces long-term potentiation (LTP) within spinal nociceptive pathways. The aim of this replication study was to assess if a perceptual correlate of LTP can be observed in humans. In 20 healthy volunteers, we applied HFS to the left or right volar forearm. Before and after applying HFS, we delivered single electrical test stimuli through the HFS electrode while a second electrode at the contra-lateral arm served as a control condition. Moreover, to test the efficacy of the HFS protocol, we quantified changes in mechanical pinprick sensitivity before and after HFS of the skin surrounding both electrodes. The perceived intensity was collected for both electrical and mechanical stimuli. After HFS, the perceived pain intensity elicited by the mechanical pinprick stimuli applied on the skin surrounding the HFS-treated site was significantly higher compared to control site (heterotopic effect). Furthermore, we found a higher perceived pain intensity for single electrical stimuli delivered to the HFS-treated site compared to the control site (homotopic effect). Whether the homotopic effect reflects a perceptual correlate of homosynaptic LTP remains to be elucidated.Fil: van de Broeke, Emanuel N.. Université Catholique de Louvain; BélgicaFil: Vanmaele, Tessa. Katholikie Universiteit Leuven; BélgicaFil: Mouraux, André. Université Catholique de Louvain; BélgicaFil: Stouffs, Alexandre. Université Catholique de Louvain; BélgicaFil: Biurrun Manresa, José Alberto. Universidad Nacional de Entre Ríos. Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo en Bioingeniería y Bioinformática - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto de Investigación y Desarrollo en Bioingeniería y Bioinformática; ArgentinaFil: Torta, Diana M.. Katholikie Universiteit Leuven; Bélgic

Utilización de imágenes de dosis portal para el cálculo de dosis pre-tratamiento: resultados preliminares

Los detectores de mega-voltaje se utilizan como herramientas de verificación pre-tratamiento de los planes de irradiación, comparando las mediciones obtenidas por el dispositivo y aquellas predichas por el sistema de planificación utilizando el índice gamma. Sin embargo, esto puede enmascarar errores de significancia clínica en términos de dosis recibida por el paciente. El presente artículo registra el estado de avance de un proyecto de investigación cuyo objetivo es el de realizar una herramienta que permita evaluar la distribución volumétrica de dosis a partir de imágenes provenientes del detector de mega-voltaje. De esta manera, se constatará la dosis 3D medida contra aquella calculada por el sistema de planificación de tratamiento. Al momento de remitir este artículo, se ha cumplimentado de manera parcial la etapa correspondiente a la deconvolución de las imágenes portales para la obtención de la fluencia primaria de fotones.Sociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativ

Utilización de imágenes de dosis portal para el cálculo de dosis pre-tratamiento: resultados preliminares

Los detectores de mega-voltaje se utilizan como herramientas de verificación pre-tratamiento de los planes de irradiación, comparando las mediciones obtenidas por el dispositivo y aquellas predichas por el sistema de planificación utilizando el índice gamma. Sin embargo, esto puede enmascarar errores de significancia clínica en términos de dosis recibida por el paciente. El presente artículo registra el estado de avance de un proyecto de investigación cuyo objetivo es el de realizar una herramienta que permita evaluar la distribución volumétrica de dosis a partir de imágenes provenientes del detector de mega-voltaje. De esta manera, se constatará la dosis 3D medida contra aquella calculada por el sistema de planificación de tratamiento. Al momento de remitir este artículo, se ha cumplimentado de manera parcial la etapa correspondiente a la deconvolución de las imágenes portales para la obtención de la fluencia primaria de fotones.Sociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativ

Utilización de imágenes de dosis portal para el cálculo de dosis pre-tratamiento: resultados preliminares

Los detectores de mega-voltaje se utilizan como herramientas de verificación pre-tratamiento de los planes de irradiación, comparando las mediciones obtenidas por el dispositivo y aquellas predichas por el sistema de planificación utilizando el índice gamma. Sin embargo, esto puede enmascarar errores de significancia clínica en términos de dosis recibida por el paciente. El presente artículo registra el estado de avance de un proyecto de investigación cuyo objetivo es el de realizar una herramienta que permita evaluar la distribución volumétrica de dosis a partir de imágenes provenientes del detector de mega-voltaje. De esta manera, se constatará la dosis 3D medida contra aquella calculada por el sistema de planificación de tratamiento. Al momento de remitir este artículo, se ha cumplimentado de manera parcial la etapa correspondiente a la deconvolución de las imágenes portales para la obtención de la fluencia primaria de fotones.Sociedad Argentina de Informática e Investigación Operativ

Processing and mechanical properties of novel biodegradable poly-lactic acid/Zn 3D printed scaffolds for application in tissue regeneration

The feasibility to manufacture scaffolds of poly-lactic acid reinforced with Zn particles by fused filament fabrication is demonstrated for the first time. Filaments of 2.85 mm in diameter of PLA reinforced with different weight fractions of $\mu$m-sized Zn - 1 wt. \% Mg alloy particles (in the range 3.5 to 17.5 wt. \%) were manufactured by a double extrusion in method in which standard extrusion is followed by a precision extrusion in a filament-maker machine. Filaments with constant diameter, negligible porosity and a homogeneous reinforcement distribution were obtained for Zn weight fractions of up to 10.5\%. It was found that the presence of Zn particles led to limited changes in the physico-chemical properties of the PLA that did not affect the window temperature for 3D printing nor the melt flow index. Thus, porous scaffolds could be manufactured by fused filament fabrication at 190\textdegree C with poly-lactic acid/Zn composites containing 3.5 and 7 wt. \% of Zn and at 170\textdegree C when the Zn content was 10.5 wt. \% with excellent dimensional accuracy and mechanical properties

Scale-dependent plant diversity in Palaearctic grasslands: a comparative overview

Here we present an extensive overview of plant diversity values in Palaearctic grasslands for seven standard grain sizes from 0.0001 to 100 m². The data originate from 20 studies, including the Field Workshops of the Eurasian Dry Grassland Group (EDGG), ranging geographically from Spain in the west to Siberia in the east, from Sicily in the south to Estonia in the north and from the sea coast up to 3100 m a.s.l. The majority of data is from dry grasslands (Festuco-Brometea, Koelerio-Corynephoretea, Cleistogenetea squarrosae), but there are also some mesic, wet, saline, acidic, alpine and Mediterranean grasslands included. Among others, we compiled data from 1795 1-m², 1109 10-m² and 338 100-m² plots. In all cases we present mean, minimum and maximum richness for the seven grain sizes, plus, in cases where also terricolous bryophytes and lichens had been recorded, the same values for total “plant” species richness, non-vascular plant species richness and fraction of non-vascular plants. The maximum richness values were 82, 101 and 134 for all “plants”, and 79, 98 and 127 vascular plants at grain sizes of 1 m², 10 m² and 100 m², respectively (all in Transylvania, Romania). Our overview comprises new, hitherto unpublished world records of vascular plant species richness at the scales of 0.0001 m² (9) and 0.001 m² (19, both shoot presence), from meso-xeric, basiphilous grasslands in Navarre, Spain, which is much higher than the previously known maxima. The highest values of non-vascular plant richness at 1 m², 10 m² and 100 m², respectively, were 49, 64 and 64, respectively (all in Sedo-Scleranthenea communities of Öland, Sweden, and Saaremaa, Estonia). In general, the dry, alpine and Mediterranean grasslands were much richer than the studied mesic, wet or saline grasslands at any spatial scale. The presented set of mean, minimum and maximum values and their metadata is publically available and will be continuously updated. These data can serve as a reference of “normal” richness, both in fundamental and applied research. To facilitate the application, we provide an easy formula based on the power-law species-area relationship that allows the estimation of richness values at intermediate grain sizes not included in our dataset. In conclusion, our data emphasise the role of Palaearctic grasslands as global hotspot of small-scale vascular plant diversity, while at the same time highlighting that in some grassland types also the bryophyte and lichen diversity can be extraordinarily high

Investment in the long-tail of biodiversity data: from local research to global knowledge

In business, the "long-tail economy" refers to a market strategy where the gravity center shifts from a few high-demand products to many, varied products focused on small niches. Commercialization of individually low-demand products can be profitable as long as their production cost is low and, all taken together, they aggregate into a big chunk of the market. Similarly, in the "business" of biodiversity data acquisition, we can find several mainstream products that produce zillions of bits of information every year and account for most of the budget allocated to increase our primary data-based knowledge about Earth's biological diversity. These products play a crucial role in biodiversity research. However, along with these large global projects, there is a constellation of small-scale institutions that work locally, but whose contribution to our understanding of natural processes should not be dismissed. These information datasets can be collectively referred to as the "long-tail biodiversity data"

Dimensions of invasiveness: Links between local abundance, geographic range size, and habitat breadth in Europe's alien and native floras

Understanding drivers of success for alien species can inform on potential future invasions. Recent conceptual advances highlight that species may achieve invasiveness via performance along at least three distinct dimensions: 1) local abundance, 2) geographic range size, and 3) habitat breadth in naturalized distributions. Associations among these dimensions and the factors that determine success in each have yet to be assessed at large geographic scales. Here, we combine data from over one million vegetation plots covering the extent of Europe and its habitat diversity with databases on species' distributions, traits, and historical origins to provide a comprehensive assessment of invasiveness dimensions for the European alien seed plant flora. Invasiveness dimensions are linked in alien distributions, leading to a continuum from overall poor invaders to super invaders - abundant, widespread aliens that invade diverse habitats. This pattern echoes relationships among analogous dimensions measured for native European species. Success along invasiveness dimensions was associated with details of alien species' introduction histories: earlier introduction dates were positively associated with all three dimensions, and consistent with theory-based expectations, species originating from other continents, particularly acquisitive growth strategists, were among the most successful invaders in Europe. Despite general correlations among invasiveness dimensions, we identified habitats and traits associated with atypical patterns of success in only one or two dimensions - for example, the role of disturbed habitats in facilitating widespread specialists. We conclude that considering invasiveness within a multidimensional framework can provide insights into invasion processes while also informing general understanding of the dynamics of species distributions.Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (264740629) Grantová Agentura České Republiky (19-28491X) Grantová Agentura České Republiky (19-28807X) Grantová Agentura České Republiky (RVO 67985939) Austrian Science Fund (I 2086 - B29) Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung (01LC1807A) Eusko Jaurlaritza (IT299-10) National Research Foundation of Korea (2018R1C1B6005351) University of Latvia (AAp2016/B041//Zd2016/AZ03) Villum Fonden (16549

A formal classification of the Lygeum spartum vegetation of the Mediterranean Region

Aims We examined local and regional contribution on the grasslands dominated by Lygeum spartum from Southern Europe and North Africa to produce a formalised classification of this vegetation and to identify main factors driving its plant species composition. Location Mediterranean Basin and Iberian Peninsula. Methods We used a dataset of 728 relevés, which were resampled to reduce unbalanced sampling effort, resulting in a dataset of 568 relevés and 846 taxa. We classified the plots by TWINSPAN, interpreted the resulting pools, and used them to develop formal definitions of phytosociological alliances characterised by L. spartum vegetation. The definitions were included in an expert system to assist automatic vegetation classification. We related the alliances to climatic factors and described their biogeographical features and ecological preferences. The floristic relationships between these alliances were analysed and visualised using distance‐based redundancy analysis. Results We defined eleven alliances of L. spartum vegetation, including the newly described Launaeo laniferae‐Lygeion sparti from SW Morocco and the Noaeo mucronatae‐Lygeion sparti from the Algerian highlands and NE Morocco. Biogeographical, climatic, and edaphic factors were revealed as putatively driving the differentiation between the alliances. The vegetation of clayey slopes and inland salt basins displayed higher variability in comparison with those of coastal salt marshes. Main conclusions The most comprehensive formal classification, accompanied by an expert system, of the L. spartum vegetation was formulated. The expert system, containing the formal definitions of the phytosociological alliances, will assist in identification of syntaxonomic position of new datasets

Ellenberg-type indicator values for European vascular plant species

Aims: Ellenberg-type indicator values are expert-based rankings of plant species according to their ecological optima on main environmental gradients. Here we extend the indicator-value system proposed by Heinz Ellenberg and co-authors for Central Europe by incorporating other systems of Ellenberg-type indicator values (i.e., those using scales compatible with Ellenberg values) developed for other European regions. Our aim is to create a harmonized data set of Ellenberg-type indicator values applicable at the European scale. Methods: We collected European data sets of indicator values for vascular plants and selected 13 data sets that used the nine-, ten- or twelve-degree scales defined by Ellenberg for light, temperature, moisture, reaction, nutrients and salinity. We compared these values with the original Ellenberg values and used those that showed consistent trends in regression slope and coefficient of determination. We calculated the average value for each combination of species and indicator values from these data sets. Based on species’ co-occurrences in European vegetation plots, we also calculated new values for species that were not assigned an indicator value. Results: We provide a new data set of Ellenberg-type indicator values for 8908 European vascular plant species (8168 for light, 7400 for temperature, 8030 for moisture, 7282 for reaction, 7193 for nutrients, and 7507 for salinity), of which 398 species have been newly assigned to at least one indicator value. Conclusions: The newly introduced indicator values are compatible with the original Ellenberg values. They can be used for large-scale studies of the European flora and vegetation or for gap-filling in regional data sets. The European indicator values and the original and taxonomically harmonized regional data sets of Ellenberg-type indicator values are available in the Supporting Information and the Zenodo repository