Optogenetics and electron microscopy reveal an ultrafast mode of synaptic vesicle recycling, adding a new twist to a 40-year-old controversy

Optogenetics and electron microscopy reveal an ultrafast mode of synaptic vesicle recycling, adding a new twist to a 40-year-old controversy. - See more at: http://elifesciences.org/content/2/e01233#sthash.K8kQedyo.dpu

Unearthing Patterns in Venetian History: Developing an Online Tool for Discovering Patterns in Subterranean Archaeological Sites

Archaeologists in Venice would benefit from digital tools to improve their efficiency in data collection, visualization, and correlation. To aid in archaeological research, we developed a three-part prototype system, consisting of a web app, online database, and a map-based website, for the archaeological firm Studio Zandinella. The first aspect of the project was an online database that allows archaeologists to store and visualize archaeological data. The second part of the system was a data collecting system that records information on the database. The third part of the system was a map-based website that visualizes the contents of the database. These tools will allow Venetian archaeologists to better conduct research and find patterns of data across archaeological sites in Venice

Investigation of silicon and manganese solubility in cementite of iron-based alloys

У роботі отримано вираз для вільної енергії цементиту та визначена розчинність мангану та силіцію в цементиті Fe3C в залежності від температури. Дослідження проводили на сплавах з вмістом карбону 0,55-0,60 % (мас.), силіцію 0,95-1,0 % (мас.), мангану 0,8-0,9% (мас.), решта – залізо. Виплавку сплавів системи Fe-Mn-Si-C проводили в печі в алундових тиглях в атмосфері аргону. Швидкість охолодження виливки складала 10 К/с. Для визначення структурного стану сплавів використовували мікроструктурний та рентгеноструктурний аналізи. Окрім цього, в роботі були визначені механічні характеристики сплавів, що досліджували в даній роботі, а саме, залежність границі міцності, відносного видовження, відносного звуження, ударної в’язкості та твердості від хімічного складу сплаву. Отримані в даній роботі результати показали, що найкращі мікроструктурні та механічні характеристики має сплав на основі заліза з вмістом карбону 0,57 % (мас.), силіцію 0,97 % (мас.), мангану 0,85 % (мас.). Основною структурною складовою всіх сплавів, які досліджували є перліт (до 95 % об’ємної частки). У сплавах були виявлені дрібнодисперсні включення карбідів Fe2,7Mn0,3C та Fe0,25Mn1,4C0,6 та Fe9SiC0,4, об’ємна частка яких склала до 1,5 %, інше – ферит. Цементит має великий вплив на фізико-механічні характеристики сплавів. За допомогою квазіхімічного методу була визначена вільна енергія цементиту, легованого манганом та силіцієм, а також була отримана залежність граничного вмісту кремнію і марганцю в цементиті в залежності від температури. Встановлено, що має місце підвищений вміст карбону в цементиті (до 28,79% (ат.)). Манган може заміщати до 12% атомів заліза, а силіцій до 4,5% атомів заліза в залежності від температури. Отримані в роботі розрахункові дані добре узгоджуються з експериментальними даними інших авторів. In the paper we obtained the expression of cementite free energy and determined the solubility of manganese and silicon in Fe3C cementite depending on the temperature. Investigation was carried out for alloys with carbon content of 0.55-0.60 % (wt.), silicon content of 0.95-1.0 % (wt.), manganese content of 0.8-0.9% (wt.), the rest was iron. The smelting of Fe-Mn-Si-C system alloys was carried out in the alundum crucible furnace in argon atmosphere. The cooling rate of alloys after casting was 10 K/s. Microstructure analysis along with X-ray diffraction analysis was used to determine the structural state of the alloys. In addition, the physical characteristics of the alloys studied in this paper were determined, such as alloy chemical dependence of ultimate strength, extension and contraction ratio, impact toughness and hardness. The results obtained in this paper showed that the iron-based alloy with the content of carbon of 0.57 % (wt.), silicon of 0.97 % (wt.) and manganese of 0.85 % (wt.)) had the superior microstructure and physical properties. The microstructure of alloys studied in the paper is represented by pearlite, which makes up to 95 % of the volume. In the alloys we revealed the highly dispersed inclusions of Fe2.7Mn0.3C, Fe0.25Mn1.4C0.6 and Fe9SiC0.4 carbides, whose volume ratio was up to 1.5 %, the rest was ferrite. As it is known, the structural constituent of pearlite is cementite. The cementite has a significant effect on the physical properties of alloys. Application of quasi-chemical method enables to calculate the free energy of silicon and manganese doped with cementite and to determine the temperature dependence of silicon and manganese content in cementite. It is ascertained that there is a slight increase of carbon content in cementite (up to 28.79 % (atoms). Manganese can replace up to 12 % of iron atoms, and silicon can replace up to 4.5 % of iron atoms, depending on temperature. The calculated data obtained in this paper are in good agreement with those found experimentally by other authors

Data Visualization in Games

Charts and graphs are becoming ubiquitous in daily life, regularly seen as people explore stocks, politics, social media, and more. Data visualization literacy is the measure of ones ability to interpret visually-displayed data. In this project, we create a visualization-literacy-focused game as an engaging and entertaining method of testing and improving data visualization literacy. We evaluate our project through an experiment with pre- and post- tests based on peer-reviewed visualization literacy surveys. The results of these evaluations suggest that our game is capable of improving the data visualization literacy of a player. This success opens a path to future game-based methods of improving data visualization literacy

To the Question of Psychological Well-Being and Greed in a Person

The article examines the relationship between the idea of self-greed as a personality trait that contributes to the best results for themselves, at the expense of others, or by ignoring their needs, and psychological well-being, which is determined from the standpoint of eudemonistic approach. The survey method was used to determine the attitude of the subjects to their own well-being and greed; K. Riff's scale of psychological well-being (adaptation by T. Shevelenkova, P. Fesenko, 2005) to measure actual psychological well-being; methods of studying the semantic space of the concept of "greed" (Yanovska S., Lyutenko R., 2017), methods of statistical data processing. The sample (N = 141) aged 25 to 35 years, residents of Kharkiv, including 83 women and 58 men who had a job during the study, but 31 people worked part-time due to the coronavirus pandemic situation. It was determined that most of the subjects have an average level of psychological well-being and greed. Their ideas about psychological well-being are primarily related to health, material security, opportunities for self-development, independence and confidence in the future. Subjects are characterized as frugal, frugal people who understand moderation. They can share with others if it does not conflict with their own needs. The attitude to greed is ambiguous: most respondents consider greed a negative human trait, but there is also the opinion that greed is a motivating force of society. Significant links have been established between perceptions of one's own greed and a person's psychological well-being. A high level of greed reduces the number of trusting relationships, destroys interpersonal relationships and makes a person dependent. A person's moderate greed helps to increase his control over what is happening around him, creates the conditions and circumstances that are necessary to meet personal needs and achieve goals in problematic and uncertain conditions. The less a person uses others to meet his own needs, the greater his psychological well-being

Neurocalcin Delta Knockout Impairs Adult Neurogenesis Whereas Half Reduction Is Not Pathological

Neurocalcin delta (NCALD) is a brain-enriched neuronal calcium sensor and its reduction acts protective against spinal muscular atrophy (SMA). However, the physiological function of NCALD and implications of NCALD reduction are still elusive. Here, we analyzed the ubiquitous Ncald knockout in homozygous (NcaldKO/KO) and heterozygous (NcaldKO/WT) mice to unravel the physiological role of NCALD in the brain and to study whether 50% NCALD reduction is a safe option for SMA therapy. We found that NcaldKO/KO but not NcaldKO/WT mice exhibit significant changes in the hippocampal morphology, likely due to impaired generation and migration of newborn neurons in the dentate gyrus (DG). To understand the mechanism behind, we studied the NCALD interactome and identified mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 10 (MAP3K10) as a novel NCALD interacting partner. MAP3K10 is an upstream activating kinase of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), which regulates adult neurogenesis. Strikingly, the JNK activation was significantly upregulated in the NcaldKO/KO brains. Contrary, neither adult neurogenesis nor JNK activation were altered by heterozygous Ncald deletion. Taken together, our study identifies a novel link between NCALD and adult neurogenesis in the hippocampus, possibly via a MAP3K10-JNK pathway and emphasizes the safety of using NCALD reduction as a therapeutic option for SMA

Regulation of body weight and energy homeostasis by neuronal cell adhesion molecule 1

Susceptibility to obesity is linked to genes regulating neurotransmission, pancreatic beta-cell function and energy homeostasis. Genome-wide association studies have identified associations between body mass index and two loci near cell adhesion molecule 1 (CADM1) and cell adhesion molecule 2 (CADM2), which encode membrane proteins that mediate synaptic assembly. We found that these respective risk variants associate with increased CADM1 and CADM2 expression in the hypothalamus of human subjects. Expression of both genes was elevated in obese mice, and induction of Cadm1 in excitatory neurons facilitated weight gain while exacerbating energy expenditure. Loss of Cadm1 protected mice from obesity, and tract-tracing analysis revealed Cadm1-positive innervation of POMC neurons via afferent projections originating from beyond the arcuate nucleus. Reducing Cadm1 expression in the hypothalamus and hippocampus promoted a negative energy balance and weight loss. These data identify essential roles for Cadm1-mediated neuronal input in weight regulation and provide insight into the central pathways contributing to human obesity.</p

Lysosomes convene to keep the synapse clean

In neurons, lysosomes regulate alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor levels at the plasma membrane, although their presence at distal dendrites is controversial. In this issue, Goo et al. (2017. J. Cell Biol. https://doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201704068) show for the first time that neuronal activity positions lysosomes at the dendritic spines to facilitate synaptic remodeling through local protein degradation

The tortoise and the hare revisited

Optogenetics and electron microscopy reveal an ultrafast mode of synaptic vesicle recycling, adding a new twist to a 40-year-old controversy. RESEARCH ORGANISM: C. elegan