Nociceptors: a phylogenetic view

The ability to react to environmental change is crucial for the survival of an organism and an essential prerequisite is the capacity to detect and respond to aversive stimuli. The importance of having an inbuilt “detect and protect” system is illustrated by the fact that most animals have dedicated sensory afferents which respond to noxious stimuli called nociceptors. Should injury occur there is often sensitization, whereby increased nociceptor sensitivity and/or plasticity of nociceptor-related neural circuits acts as a protection mechanism for the afflicted body part. Studying nociception and nociceptors in different model organisms has demonstrated that there are similarities from invertebrates right through to humans. The development of technology to genetically manipulate organisms, especially mice, has led to an understanding of some of the key molecular players in nociceptor function. This review will focus on what is known about nociceptors throughout the Animalia kingdom and what similarities exist across phyla; especially at the molecular level of ion channels

Design and Analysis of Tungsten Carbide Ceramic Coating for Lunar Regolith Damage Mi

Lunar regolith damage continues to be a relevant concern as NASA’s Artemis Program plans to send a Human Lander System (HLS) to the South Pole of the Moon with the hopes of establishing a permanent Moon base. This paper details key considerations including the material properties, processing methods, and surface microstructure modifications leading to the design of a coating configuration ideal for mitigating the damaging effects of lunar regolith to critical damage zones. The coating solution presented here incorporates Tungsten Carbide (WC) to enhance abrasion and scratch resistance and the Lotus Leaf effect to minimize dust adhesion by improving surface energy. The Lotus leaf effect refers to the properties of the Lotus leaf surface containing nano structures that allow the surface to mitigate dust accumulation by increasing its hydrophobic nature. This principle is replicated to engineered coatings to resist dust buildup on the surface. Based on the mission assumptions, the coating was analyzed to assess weight and cost impact and recommended for application to the lander’s ladder, undercarriage, and external airlock door. Testing methods and parameters were identified for the coating performance assessments to be pursued in future work. The coating proposed here will extend the life of a reusable human lander, mitigating the anticipated high concentration zones of lunar regolith damage on the undercarriage\u27s surfaces and contributing to the successful development of a moonbase

Mesenchymal stem cells secretome: a new paradigm for central nervous system regeneration?

The low regeneration potential of the central nervous system (CNS) represents a challenge for the development of new therapeutic strategies. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been proposed as a possible therapeutic tool for CNS disorders. In addition to their differentiation potential, it is well accepted nowadays that their beneficial actions can also be mediated by their secretome. Indeed, it was already demonstrated, both in vitro and in vivo, that MSCs are able to secrete a broad range of neuroregulatory factors that promote an increase in neurogenesis, inhibition of apoptosis and glial scar formation, immunomodulation, angiogenesis, neuronal and glial cell survival, as well as relevant neuroprotective actions on different pathophysiological contexts. Considering their protective action in lesioned sites, MSCs' secretome might also improve the integration of local progenitor cells in neuroregeneration processes, opening a door for their future use as therapeutical strategies in human clinical trials. Thus, in this review we analyze the current understanding of MSCs secretome as a new paradigm for the treatment of CNS neurodegenerative diseases.We thank to the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) for: Ciencia 2007 program (A.J. Salgado), Grant PTDC/SAU-BMA/114059/2009 and, pre-doctoral fellowships to F. G. Teixeira (SFRH/BD/69637/2010) and Miguel Carvalho (SFRH/BD/51061/2010)