Excitability in a nonlinear magnetoacoustic resonator

We report a nonlinear acoustic system displaying excitability. The considered system is a magnetostrictive material where acoustic waves are parametrically generated. For a set of parameters, the system presents homoclinic and heteroclinic dynamics, whose boundaries define a excitability domain. The excitable behaviour is characterized by analyzing the response of the system to different external stimuli. Single spiking and bursting regimes have been identified.Comment: 4 pages, 5 figure

Biocrusts buffer against the accumulation of soilmetallic nutrients induced by warmingand rainfall reduction

The availability of metallic nutrients in dryland soils, many of which are essential for the metabolism of soil organisms and vascular plants, may be altered due to climate change-driven increases in aridity. Biocrusts, soil surface communities dominated by lichens, bryophytes and cyanobacteria, are ecosystem engineers known to exert critical functions in dryland ecosystems. However, their role in regulating metallic nutrient availability under climate change is uncertain. Here, we evaluated whether well-developed biocrusts modulate metallic nutrient availability in response to 7 years of experimental warming and rainfall reduction in a Mediterranean dryland located in southeastern Spain. We found increases in the availability of K, Mg, Zn and Na under warming and rainfall exclusion. However, the presence of a well-developed biocrust cover buffered these effects, most likely because its constituents can uptake significant quantities of available metallic nutrients. Our findings suggest that biocrusts, a biotic community prevalent in drylands, exert an important role in preserving and protecting metallic nutrients in dryland soils from leaching and erosion. Therefore, we highlight the need to protect them to mitigate undesired effects of soil degradation driven by climate change in this globally expanding biome. Eduardo Moreno-Jimenez et al. experimentally manipulate rainfall and temperature in a Mediterranean dryland to explore the association of biocrusts with essential metallic nutrients. They find that biocrusts-communities of lichens, bryophytes and cyanobacteria on the soil surface-can buffer against the effects of warming and reduced rainfall on metallic nutrient availability

Comparison of three nanoparticle deposition techniques potentially applicable to elemental mapping by nanoparticle-enhanced laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy

In this study, we compared the applicability of three nanoparticle deposition techniques (spray coating, spark discharge nanoparticle generation, magnetron sputtering) towards elemental mapping by nanoparticle-enhanced laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (NE-LIBS). It was found that sputtering followed by a thermal treatment at 550 °C can provide a homogenous, practical and controllable way of NE-LIBS sample preparation with gold nanoparticles. The laser ablation properties of the created NP layer was also studied in detail and it was established that a 200 μm laser spot size is good compromise between the NE-LIBS signal enhancement and the spatial resolution required for mapping. A signal enhancement of about a factor of 10 with good repeatability (ca. 5 %RSD) in a line scanning demonstration was achieved on glass for Si detection. For samples that are fairly temperature and vacuum stable, this approach allows the signal enhancement to be used in mapping applications

FAK acts as a suppressor of RTK-MAP kinase signalling in Drosophila melanogaster epithelia and human cancer cells

Receptor Tyrosine Kinases (RTKs) and Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK) regulate multiple signalling pathways, including mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase pathway. FAK interacts with several RTKs but little is known about how FAK regulates their downstream signalling. Here we investigated how FAK regulates signalling resulting from the overexpression of the RTKs RET and EGFR. FAK suppressed RTKs signalling in Drosophila melanogaster epithelia by impairing MAPK pathway. This regulation was also observed in MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells, suggesting it is a conserved phenomenon in humans. Mechanistically, FAK reduced receptor recycling into the plasma membrane, which resulted in lower MAPK activation. Conversely, increasing the membrane pool of the receptor increased MAPK pathway signalling. FAK is widely considered as a therapeutic target in cancer biology; however, it also has tumour suppressor properties in some contexts. Therefore, the FAK-mediated negative regulation of RTK/MAPK signalling described here may have potential implications in the designing of therapy strategies for RTK-driven tumours

Necessidade de tratamento periodontal avaliada pelo CPITN e sua relação com a qualidade de acabamento cervical das restaurações

Irregularities of the cervical margin of restorations facilitate the retention of bacterial plaque, hindering plaque control through the habitual procedures of oral hygiene and favoring the development of periodontal disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the periodontal condition and treatment needs (applying CPITN) in relation to the cervical margin of dental restorations. Three hundred and sixty-seven teeth with class II and V cavities restored with amalgam, class III cavities restored with composite resin, cast metal restorations and unitary prostheses were examined. With a WHO periodontal probe, the position of the cervical margins of restorations was verified (supragingival, subgingival or at the gingival margin level); the presence of defects (lack or excess of restoring material) and the presence of score 2 of CPITN were also assessed. After the analysis of the data, it was possible to conclude that: 1) supragingival margins offered the best marginal adaptation and the lowest frequency of score 2; 2) both the lack and the excess of restoring material favor the development of score 2, despite the utilized material and 3) in subgingival margins, incorrect marginal adaptation was the most frequent event, mainly due to excess of restoring material, and in these cases there was higher frequency of score 2 of CPITN.Irregularidades do acabamento cervical de restaurações constituem fatores de retenção de placa bacteriana, dificultando o controle de placa pelos procedimentos habituais de higiene bucal, favorecendo o desenvolvimento da doença periodontal. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar as condições periodontais e a necessidade de tratamento em função do acabamento cervical de restaurações dentais. Foram examinados 367 dentes restaurados com classes II e V de amálgama, classe III em resina, restauração metálica fundida e próteses unitárias. Utilizando-se sonda periodontal (OMS), verificou-se a posição do término da restauração (supragengival, subgengival ou ao nível da margem gengival); a qualidade das restaurações (falta ou excesso de material restaurador) e a presença de grau 2 do CPITN. Após a análise dos dados, foi possível concluir que: 1) o término supragengival ofereceu a melhor adaptação marginal e a menor freqüência de grau 2 do CPITN; 2) a falta ou excesso de material restaurador favorecem o desenvolvimento de grau 2, independentemente do material utilizado e 3) nos términos subgengivais, foi maior a freqüência de adaptação marginal incorreta, principalmente casos de excesso de material restaurador, sendo estes casos de maior ocorrência de grau 2 do CPITN

Stress-Induced Reinstatement of Drug Seeking: 20 Years of Progress

In human addicts, drug relapse and craving are often provoked by stress. Since 1995, this clinical scenario has been studied using a rat model of stress-induced reinstatement of drug seeking. Here, we first discuss the generality of stress-induced reinstatement to different drugs of abuse, different stressors, and different behavioral procedures. We also discuss neuropharmacological mechanisms, and brain areas and circuits controlling stress-induced reinstatement of drug seeking. We conclude by discussing results from translational human laboratory studies and clinical trials that were inspired by results from rat studies on stress-induced reinstatement. Our main conclusions are (1) The phenomenon of stress-induced reinstatement, first shown with an intermittent footshock stressor in rats trained to self-administer heroin, generalizes to other abused drugs, including cocaine, methamphetamine, nicotine, and alcohol, and is also observed in the conditioned place preference model in rats and mice. This phenomenon, however, is stressor specific and not all stressors induce reinstatement of drug seeking. (2) Neuropharmacological studies indicate the involvement of corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF), noradrenaline, dopamine, glutamate, kappa/dynorphin, and several other peptide and neurotransmitter systems in stress-induced reinstatement. Neuropharmacology and circuitry studies indicate the involvement of CRF and noradrenaline transmission in bed nucleus of stria terminalis and central amygdala, and dopamine, CRF, kappa/dynorphin, and glutamate transmission in other components of the mesocorticolimbic dopamine system (ventral tegmental area, medial prefrontal cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, and nucleus accumbens). (3) Translational human laboratory studies and a recent clinical trial study show the efficacy of alpha-2 adrenoceptor agonists in decreasing stress-induced drug craving and stress-induced initial heroin lapse

Technology generation to dissemination:lessons learned from the tef improvement project

Indigenous crops also known as orphan crops are key contributors to food security, which is becoming increasingly vulnerable with the current trend of population growth and climate change. They have the major advantage that they fit well into the general socio-economic and ecological context of developing world agriculture. However, most indigenous crops did not benefit from the Green Revolution, which dramatically increased the yield of major crops such as wheat and rice. Here, we describe the Tef Improvement Project, which employs both conventional- and molecular-breeding techniques to improve tef\u2014an orphan crop important to the food security in the Horn of Africa, a region of the world with recurring devastating famines. We have established an efficient pipeline to bring improved tef lines from the laboratory to the farmers of Ethiopia. Of critical importance to the long-term success of this project is the cooperation among participants in Ethiopia and Switzerland, including donors, policy makers, research institutions, and farmers. Together, European and African scientists have developed a pipeline using breeding and genomic tools to improve the orphan crop tef and bring new cultivars to the farmers in Ethiopia. We highlight a new variety, Tesfa, developed in this pipeline and possessing a novel and desirable combination of traits. Tesfa\u2019s recent approval for release illustrates the success of the project and marks a milestone as it is the first variety (of many in the pipeline) to be released