Tactile experience induces c-fos expression in rat barrel cortex

Understanding gene expression that is responsive to sensory stimulation is central to elucidate molecular mechanisms underlying neuronal plasticity. In this study we demonstrate two new methods of stimulating whiskers that provide major sensory input to rat neocortex. In the first paradigm, animals were placed on the top of a cylinder and their vibrissae were brushed by hand, In the second paradigm, animals were placed for a brief period or time into a new, wired cage resulting in vibrissae stimulation when they explored the new environment. Both approaches induced c-Fos expression in barrel cortex corresponding to the stimulated vibrissae, especially in layer IV. Layers II/III and V/VI also showed c-Fos induction, but there were no detectable changes in layer VIb. The majority of c-Fos-expressing cells are probably not inhibitory neurons, because they do not show parvalbumin staining. Both paradigms, in contrast to the previous methods, are simple to use and do not require anesthesia, restraint of animals, or elaborate experimental setups

Self-reported intake of high-fat and high-sugar diet is not associated with cognitive stability and flexibility in healthy men

Animal studies indicate that a high-fat/high-sugar diet (HFS) can change dopamine signal transmission in the brain, which could promote maladaptive behavior and decision-making. Such diet-induced changes may also explain observed alterations in the dopamine system in human obesity. Genetic variants that modulate dopamine transmission have been proposed to render some individuals more prone to potential effects of HFS. The objective of this study was to investigate the association of HFS with dopamine-dependent cognition in humans and how genetic variations might modulate this potential association. Using a questionnaire assessing the self -reported consumption of high-fat/high-sugar foods, we investigated the association with diet by recruiting healthy young men that fall into the lower or upper end of that questionnaire (low fat/sugar group: LFS, n = 45; high fat/sugar group: HFS, n = 41) and explored the interaction of fat and sugar consumption with COMT Va1158Met and Taq1A genotype. During functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scanning, male partici-pants performed a working memory (WM) task that probes distractor-resistance and updating of WM repre-sentations. Logistic and linear regression models revealed no significant difference in WM performance between the two diet groups, nor an interaction with COMT Va1t58Met or Tag1A genotype. Neural activation in task -related brain areas also did not differ between diet groups. Independent of diet group, higher BMI was associ-ated with lower overall accuracy on the WM task. This cross-sectional study does not provide evidence for diet -related differences in WM stability and flexibility in men, nor for a predisposition of COMT Va1158Met or Tag1A genotype to the hypothesized detrimental effects of an HFS diet. Previously reported associations of BMI with WM seem to be independent of HFS intake in our male study sample.Peer reviewe

Influence of ecologically friendly cores on surface quality of castings based on magnesium alloys

Constructional materials as Al - alloys can be replaced by other materials with high strength to low mass density ratio, e.g. Mg-alloys. In order to pre-casting of holes and cavities cores based on pure inorganic salt can be applied due to easy cleaning of even geometrically complex pre-cast holes. This technology is applied mainly for gravity and low-pressure casting technology. This contribution is aimed at studying of mutual interaction of the Mg-alloy and the salt core. Experiments were focused on surface quality; macro- and microstructure of testing casting samples determination. Metallographic analysis and scanning electron microscope (SEM) with X-ray energy-dispersion superficial and spot microanalysis (EDAX) were employed

Intercomparison of spectroradiometers and Sun photometers for the determination of the aerosol optical depth during the VELETA-2002 field campaign

[ 1] In July 2002 the VELETA-2002 field campaign was held in Sierra Nevada ( Granada) in the south of Spain. The main objectives of this field campaign were the study of the influence of elevation and atmospheric aerosols on measured UV radiation. In the first stage of the field campaign, a common calibration and intercomparison between Licor-1800 spectroradiometers and Cimel-318 Sun photometers was performed in order to assess the quality of the measurements from the whole campaign. The intercomparison of the Licor spectroradiometers showed, for both direct and global irradiances, that when the comparisons were restricted to the visible part of the spectrum the deviations were within the instruments' nominal accuracies which allows us to rely on these instruments for measuring physical properties of aerosols at the different measurement stations. A simultaneous calibration on AOD data was performed for the Cimel-318 Sun photometers. When a common calibration and methodology was applied, the deviation was lowered to much less than 0.01 for AOD. At the same time an intercomparison has been made between the AOD values given by the spectroradiometers and the Sun photometers, with deviations obtained from 0.01 to 0.03 for the AOD in the visible range, depending on the channel. In the UVA range, the AOD uncertainty was estimated to be around 0.02 and 0.05 for Cimel and Licor respectively. In general the experimental differences were in agreement with this uncertainty estimation. In the UVB range the AOD measurements should not be used due to maximum instrumental uncertainties

Ecological ReGional Ocean Model with vertically resolved sediments (ERGOM SED 1.0): coupling benthic and pelagic biogeochemistry of the south-western Baltic Sea

Sediments play an important role in organic matter mineralisation and nutrient recycling, especially in shallow marine systems. Marine ecosystem models, however, often only include a coarse representation of processes beneath the sea floor. While these parameterisations may give a reasonable description of the present ecosystem state, they lack predictive capacity for possible future changes, which can only be obtained from mechanistic modelling. This paper describes an integrated benthic–pelagic ecosystem model developed for the German Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the western Baltic Sea. The model is a hybrid of two existing models: the pelagic part of the marine ecosystem model ERGOM and an early diagenetic model by Reed et al. (2011). The latter one was extended to include the carbon cycle, a determination of precipitation and dissolution reactions which accounts for salinity differences, an explicit description of the adsorption of clay minerals, and an alternative pyrite formation pathway. We present a one-dimensional application of the model to seven sites with different sediment types. The model was calibrated with observed pore water profiles and validated with results of sediment composition, bioturbation rates and bentho-pelagic fluxes gathered by in situ incubations of sediments (benthic chambers). The model results generally give a reasonable fit to the observations, even if some deviations are observed, e.g. an overestimation of sulfide concentrations in the sandy sediments. We therefore consider it a good first step towards a three-dimensional representation of sedimentary processes in coupled pelagic–benthic ecosystem models of the Baltic Sea.</p

Firm-Specific Assets, Multinationality, and Financial Performance: A Meta-Analytic Review and Theoretical Integration

Through a meta-analysis of 120 independent samples reported in 111 studies, we test the predictions of internalization theory in the context of the multinationality-performance relationship. Findings indicate that multinationality provides an efficient organizational form that enables firms to transfer their firm-specific assets to generate higher returns in international markets. In addition, the results delineate the conditions under which firm-specific assets have the strongest impact on the multinationality-performance relationship. Meta-analytic evidence also suggests that multinationality has intrinsic value above and beyond the intangible assets that firms possess, given analyses controlling for firms\u27 international experience, age, size, and product diversification

Low-cost 3D printed 1 nm resolution smartphone sensor-based spectrometer: instrument design and application in ultraviolet spectroscopy.

We report on the development of a low-cost spectrometer, based on off-the-shelf optical components, a 3D printed housing, and a modified Raspberry Pi camera module. With a bandwidth and spectral resolution of ≈60  nm and 1 nm, respectively, this device was designed for ultraviolet (UV) remote sensing of atmospheric sulphur dioxide (SO2), ≈310  nm. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of both a UV spectrometer and a nanometer resolution spectrometer based on smartphone sensor technology. The device performance was assessed and validated by measuring column amounts of SO2 within quartz cells with a differential optical absorption spectroscopy processing routine. This system could easily be reconfigured to cover other UV-visible-near-infrared spectral regions, as well as alternate spectral ranges and/or linewidths. Hence, our intention is also to highlight how this framework could be applied to build bespoke, low-cost, spectrometers for a range of scientific applications

Hemispheric asymmetries in resting-state EEG and fMRI are related to approach and avoidance behaviour, but not to eating behaviour or BMI

Much of our behaviour is driven by two motivational dimensions – approach and avoidance. These have been related to frontal hemispheric asymmetries in clinical and resting-state EEG studies: approach was linked to higher activity of the left relative to the right hemisphere, while avoidance was related to the opposite pattern. Increased approach behaviour, specifically towards unhealthy foods, is also observed in obesity and has been linked to asymmetry in the framework of the right-brain hypothesis of obesity. Here, we aimed to replicate previous EEG findings of hemispheric asymmetries for self-reported approach/avoidance behaviour and to relate them to eating behaviour. Further, we assessed whether resting fMRI hemispheric asymmetries can be detected and whether they are related to approach/avoidance, eating behaviour, and BMI. We analysed 3 samples: Sample 1 (n=117) containing EEG and fMRI data from lean participants, and Samples 2 (n=89) and 3 (n=152) containing fMRI data from lean, overweight, and obese participants. While in Sample 1 approach in women was related to EEG and fMRI hemispheric asymmetries, in Samples 2 and 3 this effect was not significant. Here, hemispheric asymmetries were neither related to BMI nor eating behaviour. Our study partly replicates previous EEG findings regarding hemispheric asymmetries and indicates that this relationship could also be captured using fMRI. Our findings suggest that eating behaviour and obesity are likely to be mediated by mechanisms not directly relating to frontal asymmetries in neuronal activation quantified with EEG and fMRI

The public health impact and cost-effectiveness of the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine: a mathematical modelling study

Background The R21/Matrix-M vaccine has demonstrated high efficacy against Plasmodium falciparum clinical malaria in children in sub-Saharan Africa. Using trial data, we aimed to estimate the public health impact and cost-effectiveness of vaccine introduction across sub-Saharan Africa. Methods We fitted a semi-mechanistic model of the relationship between anti-circumsporozoite protein antibody titres and vaccine efficacy to data from 3 years of follow-up in the phase 2b trial of R21/Matrix-M in Nanoro, Burkina Faso. We validated the model by comparing predicted vaccine efficacy to that observed over 12–18 months in the phase 3 trial. Integrating this framework within a mathematical transmission model, we estimated the cases, malaria deaths, and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) averted and cost-effectiveness over a 15-year time horizon across a range of transmission settings in sub-Saharan Africa. Cost-effectiveness was estimated incorporating the cost of vaccine introduction (dose, consumables, and delivery) relative to existing interventions at baseline. We report estimates at a median of 20% parasite prevalence in children aged 2–10 years (PfPR2–10) and ranges from 3% to 65% PfPR2–10. Findings Anti-circumsporozoite protein antibody titres were found to satisfy the criteria for a surrogate of protection for vaccine efficacy against clinical malaria. Age-based implementation of a four-dose regimen of R21/Matrix-M vaccine was estimated to avert 181 825 (range 38 815–333 491) clinical cases per 100 000 fully vaccinated children in perennial settings and 202 017 (29 868–405 702) clinical cases per 100 000 fully vaccinated children in seasonal settings. Similar estimates were obtained for seasonal or hybrid implementation. Under an assumed vaccine dose price of USD 3, the incremental cost per clinical case averted was USD 7 (range 4–48) in perennial settings and USD 6 (3–63) in seasonal settings and the incremental cost per DALY averted was USD 34 (29–139) in perennial settings and USD 30 (22–172) in seasonal settings, with lower cost-effectiveness ratios in settings with higher PfPR2–10. Interpretation Introduction of the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine could have a substantial public health benefit across sub-Saharan Africa. Funding The Wellcome Trust, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, the UK Medical Research Council, the European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership 2 and 3, the NIHR Oxford Biomedical Research Centre, and the Serum Institute of India, Open Philanthropy