Chemical analysis of Mycenaean pottery from the Menelaion and its vicinity

A chemical characterisation of the Mycenaean pottery from the major prehistoric site of the Menelaion in Laconia. The study defines the the lcoal pottery production and identifies the imports from various centres

Changes in the ultrastructure of the amphids of the potato cyst nematode, Globodera rostochiensis, during development and infection

La structure des amphides de #Globodera rostochiensis$ a été observée aux différents stades de son cycle. Après l'éclosion, la structure des amphides ne change pas. Les amphides des juvéniles de deuxième stade (J2) venant d'éclore, des juvéniles présents dans les racines et des adultes mâles sont identiques et semblables à celles précédemment décrites chez d'autres nématodes phytoparasites. Cependant, chez la plupart des J2 non éclos, cette structure est différente : la cavité réceptrice ne comprote pas de matière sécrétée et la cellule-gaine ne contient aucun des granules sécréteurs présents chez les J2 éclos et les adultes. Le passage d'un état apparemment inactif à celui observé chez les J2 éclos n'est pas directement influencé par une stimulation préalable à l'aide de diffusat de racines de pomme de terre. Il n'existe aucune évidence que le bouchon de prise de nourriture tire son origine des amphides. (Résumé d'auteur

Prostaglandin e2 receptors in abdominal aortic aneurysm and human aortic smooth muscle cells

AbstractBackgroundProstaglandin (PG) E2 (PGE2) appears to have a role in stimulating production of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and apoptosis of smooth muscle cells in diseased aortic tissue. These actions are mediated by cellular receptors for PGE2 EP receptors.ObjectiveThis study was undertaken to identify EP receptors associated with production of IL-6 by aortic explants.MethodsBiopsy specimens of abdominal aortic aneurysm were used for explant culture and preparation of messenger RNA. The presence of EP1, EP2, EP3, and EP4 receptors in tissue and cells was investigated with reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. IL-6 and cyclic adenosine monophosphate were measured with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.ResultsPGE2 or 11-deoxy-PGE1 (EP 2/3/4 agonist) reversed partially the indomethacin suppression of IL-6 secretion from explant cultures, whereas butaprost (EP2 receptor agonist) and sulprostone (EP 1/3 receptor agonist) had no effect. Aortic biopsy specimens expressed EP2, EP3-III, and EP4 receptors. Aortic smooth muscle cells expressed EP2 receptor and four variants of EP3 receptor, ie, EP3-Ib, EP3-II, EP3-III, and EP3-IV, but PGE2 did not stimulate secretion of IL-6. In contrast, PGE2 or 11-deoxy-PGE1 stimulated secretion of IL-6 from aortic macrophages.ConclusionsIn aortic explants, PGE2 stimulates IL-6 secretion by activation of EP4 receptors, present in macrophages

Beetroot Juice Does Not Enhance Altitude Running Performance in Well-Trained Athletes

We hypothesized that acute dietary nitrate (NO3-) provided as concentrated beetroot juice supplement would improve endurance running performance of well-trained runners in normobaric hypoxia. Ten male runners (mean (SD): sea level V�O2max 66 (7) mL.kg^-1.min^-1, 10 km personal best 36 (2) min) completed incremental exercise to exhaustion at 4000 m and a 10 km treadmill time trial at 2500 m simulated altitude on separate days, after supplementation with ~7 mmol NO3- and a placebo, 2.5 h before exercise. Oxygen cost, arterial oxygen saturation, heart rate and ratings of perceived exertion (RPE) were determined during the incremental exercise test. Differences between treatments were determined using means [95% confidence intervals], paired sample t-tests and a probability of individual response analysis. NO3- supplementation increased plasma [nitrite] (NO3-, 473 (226) nM vs. placebo, 61 (37) nM, P < 0.001) but did not alter time to exhaustion during the incremental test (NO3-, 402 (80) s vs. placebo 393 (62) s, P = 0.5) or time to complete the 10 km time trial (NO3-, 2862 (233) s vs. placebo, 2874 (265) s, P = 0.6). Further, no practically meaningful beneficial effect on time trial performance was observed as the 11 [-60 to 38] s improvement was less than the a priori determined minimum important difference (51 s), and only three runners experienced a ´likely, probable´ performance improvement. NO3- also did not alter oxygen cost, arterial oxygen saturation, heart rate or RPE. Acute dietary NO3- supplementation did not consistently enhance running performance of well-trained athletes in normobaric hypoxia

Influence of the Characteristics of the STM-tip on the Electroluminescence Spectra

We analyze the influence of the characteristics of the STM-tip (applied voltage, tip radius) on the electroluminescence spectra from an STM-tip-induced quantum dot taking into account the many-body effects. We find that positions of electroluminescence peaks, attributed to the electron-hole recombination in the quantum dot, are very sensitive to the shape and size of the confinement potential as determined by the tip radius and the applied voltage. A critical value of the tip radius is found, at which the luminescence peak positions as a function of the tip radius manifest a transition from decreasing behavior for smaller radii to increasing behavior for larger radii. We find that this critical value of the tip radius is related to the confinement in the lateral and normal direction.Comment: 15 pages, 5 figure

Loneliness, social relations and health and wellbeing in deprived communities

There is growing policy concern about the extent of loneliness in advanced societies, and its prevalence among various social groups. This study looks at loneliness among people living in deprived communities, where there may be additional barriers to social engagement including low incomes, fear of crime, poor services and transient populations. The aim was to examine the prevalence of loneliness, and also its associations with different types of social contacts and forms of social support, and its links to self-reported health and wellbeing in the population group. The method involved a cross-sectional survey of 4,302 adults across 15 communities, with the data analysed using multinomial logistic regression controlling for sociodemographics, then for all other predictors within each domain of interest. Frequent feelings of loneliness were more common among those who: had contact with family monthly or less; had contact with neighbours weekly or less; rarely talked to people in the neighbourhood; and who had no available sources of practical or emotional support. Feelings of loneliness were most strongly associated with poor mental health, but were also associated with long-term problems of stress, anxiety and depression, and with low mental wellbeing, though to a lesser degree. The findings are consistent with a view that situational loneliness may be the product of residential structures and resources in deprived areas. The findings also show that neighbourly behaviours of different kinds are important for protecting against loneliness in deprived communities. Familiarity within the neighbourhood, as active acquaintance rather than merely recognition, is also important. The findings are indicative of several mechanisms that may link loneliness to health and wellbeing in our study group: loneliness itself as a stressor; lonely people not responding well to the many other stressors in deprived areas; and loneliness as the product of weak social buffering to protect against stressors

Evidences for an opportunistic and endophytic lifestyle of the Bursaphelenchus xylophilus -associated bacteria Serratia marcescens PWN146 isolated from wilting Pinus pinaster

Pine wilt disease (PWD) results from the interaction of three elements: the pathogenic nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus; the insect-vector, Monochamus sp.; and the host tree, mostly Pinus species. Bacteria isolated from B. xylophilus may be a fourth element in this complex disease. However, the precise role of bacteria in this interaction is unclear as both plant-beneficial and as plant-pathogenic bacteria may be associated with PWD. Using whole genome sequencing and phenotypic characterization, we were able to investigate in more detail the genetic repertoire of Serratia marcescens PWN146, a bacterium associated with B. xylophilus. We show clear evidence that S. marcescens PWN146 is able to withstand and colonize the plant environment, without having any deleterious effects towards a susceptible host (Pinus thunbergii), B. xylophilus nor to the nematode model C. elegans. This bacterium is able to tolerate growth in presence of xenobiotic/organic compounds, and use phenylacetic acid as carbon source. Furthermore, we present a detailed list of S. marcescens PWN146 potentials to interfere with plant metabolism via hormonal pathways and/or nutritional acquisition, and to be competitive against other bacteria and/or fungi in terms of resource acquisition or production of antimicrobial compounds. Further investigation is required to understand the role of bacteria in PWD. We have now reinforced the theory that B. xylophilus-associated bacteria may have a plant origin