Functional Coupling of Slack Channels and P2X3 Receptors Contributes to Neuropathic Pain Processing

The sodium-activated potassium channel Slack (K_Na1.1, Slo2.2, or Kcnt1) is highly expressed in populations of sensory neurons, where it mediates the sodium-activated potassium current (I_KNa) and modulates neuronal activity. Previous studies suggest that Slack is involved in the processing of neuropathic pain. However, mechanisms underlying the regulation of Slack activity in this context are poorly understood. Using whole-cell patch-clamp recordings we found that Slack-mediated I_KNa in sensory neurons of mice is reduced after peripheral nerve injury, thereby contributing to neuropathic pain hypersensitivity. Interestingly, Slack is closely associated with ATP-sensitive P2X3 receptors in a population of sensory neurons. In vitro experiments revealed that Slack-mediated I_KNa may be bidirectionally modulated in response to P2X3 activation. Moreover, mice lacking Slack show altered nocifensive responses to P2X3 stimulation. Our study identifies P2X3/Slack signaling as a mechanism contributing to hypersensitivity after peripheral nerve injury and proposes a potential novel strategy for treatment of neuropathic pain.     

The attitudes of French and Spanish winegrowers towards the use of cover crops in vineyards

Vineyards are an intensive cultivation system and expose the soil to long-lasting stress. Many vineyard areas already show high degrees of soil degradation. To prevent further soil erosion, cover crops, which have various positive effects on the environment, are highly recommended. But, depending on the climatic conditions, cover crops can reduce grape yields and are sometimes more work intensive than bare soil management. In some areas cover crops are already widespread while in others bare soil is dominant. In this qualitative study, we explore the attitudes of European winegrowers towards cover crops and determine the background for differences in the adoption of greened vineyards. Thus, we conducted focus groups with winegrowers in two different regions, namely Coteaux du Layon in France and Montilla-Moriles in Spain. In this setting, the transregional differences are mainly based on the climatic conditions but also on different business structures and knowledge levels. Direct sellers seem to be more attentive to the environment and use cover crops more often than farmers which sell their grapes to cooperatives.     

Hydrodefluorination and Hydrogenation of Fluorobenzene under Mild Aqueous Conditions

Fluorinated organic compounds are increasingly used in many applications, and their release to the environment is expected. It is therefore important to find suitable methods for degradation of fluorinated compounds under environmentally relevant conditions. In this study, a simple heterogeneous rhodium-based catalytic system (Rh/Al(2)O(3) and H(2)) for hydrodefluorination and hydrogenation of fluorobenzene under mild aqueous conditions (1 atm of H(2), ambient temperature) was developed and the underlying reaction mechanism was investigated. Fluorobenzene degraded rapidly (t(1/2) ≈ 0.2 h) to form cyclohexane and fluoride (F(-)) as the stable end products, with benzene and cyclohexene observed as intermediates. Cyclohexadiene intermediates were not observed but were expected to form during the hydrogenation of benzene. Three postulated but unobserved fluorinated intermediates were subjected to the catalytic reaction conditions, and it was concluded that they most likely do not form during the fluorobenzene degradation reaction. Isotope labeling experiments showed that the unsaturated intermediates undergo rapid and reversible hydrogenation/dehydrogenation under the reaction conditions and also that fully saturated compounds are unreactive in the catalytic system. Both molecular hydrogen and water were sources of hydrogen in the final cyclohexane product. Kinetic fitting indicated that sorption/desorption of fluorobenzene onto the catalyst surface plays an important role in the mechanism.     

An analysis of pedestrian crashes using a spatial count data model

We develop a methodology to analyze pedestrian crash frequency in relation to neighborhood characteristics and exposure to traffic using a spatial count data model with a Poisson framework that is expanded to consider spatial factors, a methodological innovation. We also develop and apply a methodology for defining urban boundaries in mid-sized metropolitan areas, following the functionality of the urban area. These methodologies are applied to a case study. The case study identifies specific neighborhood sociodemographic characteristics associated with higher pedestrian crash frequencies. It also finds vehicle exposure to be insignificant. Results suggest that neighborhood-level planning policies may best address pedestrian crashes.     

Error Probability and Throughput Analysis of IRS-Assisted Wireless System Over Generalized $$\kappa$$ κ – $$\mu$$ μ Fading Channels

Wireless Personal Communications - Intelligent reflecting surfaces (IRS)-assisted wireless transmission has recently emerged as a potential candidate to enable a smart and reconfigurable radio...     

A deeper understanding of the spontaneous derepression of the URA3 gene in MaV203 Saccharomyces cerevisiae and its implications for protein engineering and the reverse two-hybrid system

Within the field of protein-based biomaterials, the need exists for both covalent and oriented bioconjugation strategies for improved performance. Such bioconjugation reactions can be facilitated by engineering proteins with chemically activated amino acids at strategically chosen sites. The incorporation of these unnatural amino acids (uAAs) can be achieved by using the nonsense suppression technique. This requires an aminoacyl-tRNA-synthetase (aaRS) that exclusively recognizes the uAA and loads it to the corresponding tRNA. Appropriate (aaRS) mutants can be found through reverse engineering using the Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain MaV203. This strain contains a counterselectable, Gal4p-inducible SPAL10::URA3 fusion and deletions in the endogenous GAL80 and GAL4 genes. Therefore, it has been used extensively for the screening of aaRS mutant libraries. It is generally assumed that the SPAL10 promoter actively represses the URA3 gene in the absence of Gal4p, resulting in MaV203 cells with a Ura ⁻ phenotype. The current contribution reveals that in a small fraction of MaV203 cells, a basal expression of the URA3 gene occurs. The unexpected URA3 expression is reported for the first time, and the nature of the mutation causing this expression was identified as a spontaneous recessive mutation in a single gene of a protein involved in the repression of the SPAL10 promoter. The basal URA3 expression causes aaRS mutants to be missed, which affects the outcome of the library screening. It is demonstrated that the use of diploid cells can circumvent the MaV203 Ura⁺ phenotype, allowing for an optimization of S. cerevisiae library screening.     

Solving the nuclear dismantling project scheduling problem by combining mixed-integer and constraint programming techniques and metaheuristics

Journal of Scheduling - Scheduling of megaprojects is very challenging because of typical characteristics, such as expected long project durations, many activities with multiple modes, scarce...     

Apoptotic Cells induce Proliferation of Peritoneal Macrophages

The interaction of macrophages with apoptotic cells is required for efficient resolution of inflammation. While apoptotic cell removal prevents inflammation due to secondary necrosis, it also alters the macrophage phenotype to hinder further inflammatory reactions. The interaction between apoptotic cells and macrophages is often studied by chemical or biological induction of apoptosis, which may introduce artifacts by affecting the macrophages as well and/or triggering unrelated signaling pathways. Here, we set up a pure cell death system in which NIH 3T3 cells expressing dimerizable Caspase-8 were co-cultured with peritoneal macrophages in a transwell system. Phenotype changes in macrophages induced by apoptotic cells were evaluated by RNA sequencing, which revealed an unexpectedly dominant impact on macrophage proliferation. This was confirmed in functional assays with primary peritoneal macrophages and IC-21 macrophages. Moreover, inhibition of apoptosis during Zymosan-induced peritonitis in mice decreased mRNA levels of cell cycle mediators in peritoneal macrophages. Proliferation of macrophages in response to apoptotic cells may be important to increase macrophage numbers in order to allow efficient clearance and resolution of inflammation.     

Personality and the psychological refractory period: No evidence for an extraversion- or intelligence-related effect.

The psychological refractory period (PRP) refers to a major bottleneck of information processing that becomes evident when participants are required to respond to two signals (S1 and S2) presented in rapid succession. Typically, the response to S2 becomes increasingly delayed with decreasing stimulus onset asynchrony between S1 and S2. Several studies suggest differences in speed of sensorimotor information processing between introverts and extraverts. Speed of information processing is also positively related to mental ability. The present study investigates whether these individual differences in speed of information processing may reflect differences in PRP. For this purpose 80 female undergraduates were tested with a standard PRP design using an auditory two-choice Task 1 and a visual two-choice Task 2. Although a general PRP effect could be shown, there was no evidence for extraversion- or intelligence-related differences in PRP. These findings indicate that the PRP effect represents a robust phenomenon which is largely independent of extraversion- and intelligence-related individual differences in speed of information processing. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved)