SRF Phosphorylation by Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 Promotes Axon Growth in Hippocampal Neurons

The growth of axons is an intricately regulated process involving intracellular signaling cascades and gene transcription. We had previously shown that the stimulus-dependent transcription factor, serum response factor (SRF), plays a critical role in regulating axon growth in the mammalian brain. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying SRF-dependent axon growth remains unknown. Here we report that SRF is phosphorylated and activated by GSK-3 to promote axon outgrowth in mouse hippocampal neurons. GSK-3 binds to and directly phosphorylates SRF on a highly conserved serine residue. This serine phosphorylation is necessary for SRF activity and for its interaction with MKL-family cofactors, MKL1 and MKL2, but not with TCF-family cofactor, ELK-1. Axonal growth deficits caused by GSK-3 inhibition could be rescued by expression of a constitutively active SRF. The SRF target gene and actin-binding protein, vinculin, is sufficient to overcome the axonal growth deficits of SRF-deficient and GSK-3-inhibited neurons. Furthermore, short hairpin RNA-mediated knockdown of vinculin also attenuated axonal growth. Thus, our findings reveal a novel phosphorylation and activation of SRF by GSK-3 that is critical for SRF-dependent axon growth in mammalian central neurons.

Improvement of electrical conductivity in Pb0.96-yMn0.04SnyTe alloys for high temperature thermoelectric applications

Lead-tin-telluride is a well-known thermoelectric material in the temperature range 350-750 K. Here, this alloy doped with manganese (Pb0.96-yMn0.04SnyTe) was prepared for different amounts of tin. X-ray diffraction showed a decrease of the lattice constant with increasing tin content, which indicated solid solution formation. Microstructural analysis showed a wide distribution of grain sizes from <1 mu m to 10 mm and the presence of a SnTe rich phase. All the transport properties were measured in the range of 300-720 K. The Seebeck coefficient showed that all the samples were p-type indicating holes as dominant carriers in the measurement range. The magnitude increased systematically on reduction of the Sn content due to possible decreasing hole concentration. Electrical conductivity showed the degenerate nature of the samples. Large values of the electrical conductivity could have possibly resulted from a large hole concentration due to a high Sn content and secondly, due to increased mobility by sp-d orbital interaction between the Pb1-ySnyTe sublattice and the Mn2+ ions. High thermal conductivity was observed due to higher electronic contribution, which decreased systematically with decreasing Sn content. The highest zT = 0.82 at 720 K was obtained for the alloy with the lowest Sn content (y = 0.56) due to the optimum doping level.

Use of Exocentric and Egocentric Representations in the Concurrent Planning of Sequential Saccades

The concurrent planning of sequential saccades offers a simple model to study the nature of visuomotor transformations since the second saccade vector needs to be remapped to foveate the second target following the first saccade. Remapping is thought to occur through egocentric mechanisms involving an efference copy of the first saccade that is available around the time of its onset. In contrast, an exocentric representation of the second target relative to the first target, if available, can be used to directly code the second saccade vector. While human volunteers performed a modified double-step task, we examined the role of exocentric encoding in concurrent saccade planning by shifting the first target location well before the efference copy could be used by the oculomotor system. The impact of the first target shift on concurrent processing was tested by examining the end-points of second saccades following a shift of the second target during the first saccade. The frequency of second saccades to the old versus new location of the second target, as well as the propagation of first saccade localization errors, both indices of concurrent processing, were found to be significantly reduced in trials with the first target shift compared to those without it. A similar decrease in concurrent processing was obtained when we shifted the first target but kept constant the second saccade vector. Overall, these results suggest that the brain can use relatively stable visual landmarks, independent of efference copy-based egocentric mechanisms, for concurrent planning of sequential saccades.

The effect of Cu addition on the thermoelectric properties of Cu2CdGeSe4

Recently, research in copper based quaternary chalcogenide materials has focused on the study of thermoelectric properties due to the complexity in the crystal structure. In the present work, stoichiometric quaternary chalcogenide compounds Cu2+xCd1-x,GeSe4 (x = 0, 0.025, 0.05, 0.075, 0.1, 0.125) were prepared by solid state synthesis. The powder X-ray diffraction patterns of all the samples showed a tetragonal crystal structure with the space group I-42m of the main phase, whereas the samples with x = 0 and x = 0.025 revealed the presence of an orthorhombic phase in addition to the main phase as confirmed by Rietveld analysis. The elemental composition of all the samples characterized by Electron Probe Micro Analyzer showed a slight deviation from the nominal composition. The transport properties were measured in the temperature range of 300 K-723 K. The electrical conductivity of all the samples increased with increasing Cu content due to the enhancement of the hole concentration caused by the substitution of Cd (divalent) by Cu (monovalent). The positive Seebeck coefficient of all the samples in the entire temperature ranges indicates that holes are the majority carriers. The Seebeck coefficient of all the samples decreased with increasing Cu content and showed a reverse trend to the electrical conductivity. The total thermal conductivity of all the samples decreased with increasing temperature which was dominated by the lattice contribution. The maximum figure of merit ZT = 0.42 at 723 K was obtained for the compound Cu2.1Cd0.9GeSe4. (C) 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analogous Synaptic Plasticity Profiles Emerge from Disparate Channel Combinations

An open question within the Bienenstock-Cooper-Munro theory for synaptic modification concerns the specific mechanism that is responsible for regulating the sliding modification threshold (SMT). In this conductance-based modeling study on hippocampal pyramidal neurons, we quantitatively assessed the impact of seven ion channels (R- and T-type calcium, fast sodium, delayed rectifier, A-type, and small-conductance calcium-activated (SK) potassium and HCN) and two receptors (AMPAR and NMDAR) on a calcium-dependent Bienenstock-Cooper-Munro-like plasticity rule. Our analysis with R- and T-type calcium channels revealed that differences in their activation-inactivation profiles resulted in differential impacts on how they altered the SMT. Further, we found that the impact of SK channels on the SMT critically depended on the voltage dependence and kinetics of the calcium sources with which they interacted. Next, we considered interactions among all the seven channels and the two receptors through global sensitivity analysis on 11 model parameters. We constructed 20,000 models through uniform randomization of these parameters and found 360 valid models based on experimental constraints on their plasticity profiles. Analyzing these 360 models, we found that similar plasticity profiles could emerge with several nonunique parametric combinations and that parameters exhibited weak pairwise correlations. Finally, we used seven sets of virtual knock-outs on these 360 models and found that the impact of different channels on the SMT was variable and differential. These results suggest that there are several nonunique routes to regulate the SMT, and call for a systematic analysis of the variability and state dependence of the mechanisms underlying metaplasticity during behavior and pathology.

Imaging cellular signalling: many `moving tales' in MAP kinase odyssey

Cellular signalling events are at the core of every adaptive response. Signalling events link environmental changes to physiological responses, consequently allowing cellular and organismal sustenance and survival. Classical approaches to study cellular signalling have relied on a variety of cell disruptive techniques which yield limited kinetic information, while the underlying events are much more complex. In this article, we discuss how modern live cell imaging microscopy has found increasing utilization in revealing spatio temporal dynamics of various signalling pathways. Utilizing the well studied mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling cascade as a template, the design, construction and utilization of `mobile' (translocation proficient) biosensors, suitable for studying MAPK signalling in living cells are described in detail. Experimental setup and results obtained from these biosensors, based on different proteins involved in the MAPK signalling cascade, have been described along with the setup of a microscope optimal for live cell imaging applications. Utilizing the ability to activate or deactivate signalling pathways using defined activators and specific pharmacological inhibitors, we also show how these sensors can yield unique spatial and temporal kinetic information of signalling in living cells.

Comparison of Matching Pursuit Algorithm with Other Signal Processing Techniques for Computation of the Time-Frequency Power Spectrum of Brain Signals

Signals recorded from the brain often show rhythmic patterns at different frequencies, which are tightly coupled to the external stimuli as well as the internal state of the subject. In addition, these signals have very transient structures related to spiking or sudden onset of a stimulus, which have durations not exceeding tens of milliseconds. Further, brain signals are highly nonstationary because both behavioral state and external stimuli can change on a short time scale. It is therefore essential to study brain signals using techniques that can represent both rhythmic and transient components of the signal, something not always possible using standard signal processing techniques such as short time fourier transform, multitaper method, wavelet transform, or Hilbert transform. In this review, we describe a multiscale decomposition technique based on an over-complete dictionary called matching pursuit (MP), and show that it is able to capture both a sharp stimulus-onset transient and a sustained gamma rhythm in local field potential recorded from the primary visual cortex. We compare the performance of MP with other techniques and discuss its advantages and limitations. Data and codes for generating all time-frequency power spectra are provided.

竖置管流中液固两相脉动特性和颗粒浓度分布

利用激光多普勒分相测量技术，考察了液固两相自下而上通过竖置矩形管时，固、液两相的时均速度、流向及横向有脉动强度和颗粒相的相对浓度分布，证实了颗粒浓度的横向分布主要取决于颗粒的横向脉动强度分布（即n_p↑—v'_p~2=常数）的分析结果。

Efecto de policultivos repollo-arroz, repollo-zanahoria, repollo-frijol, repollo-cebolla sobre la entomofauna en el cultivo del repollo (Brassica oleraceae L.) híbrido Izalco

El experimento de campo se llevó a cabo en San Ignacio, municipio de la Concepción, departamento de Masaya con el objetivo de evaluar el efecto de policultivos (repollo-arroz, repollo-zanahoria, repollo-frijol y repollo-cebolla) sobre la palomilla de la col (Plutella xylostella L.) en el cultivo de repollo (Brassica oleracea L.) híbrido Izalco, además se evaluó un tratamiento en monocultivo de repollo y otro con aplicación de insecticida biológico dipel (Bacillus thuringiensis) para ser usados como testigo absoluto y relativo respectivamente. Las plagas predominantes durante el ensayo fueron Plutella Xylostella, Spodoptera sp., Ascia monuste y Afidos. En la etapa de crecimiento vegetativo (0-32 días después del trasplante, DDT),las población de Plutella xylostella fue baja, pero en la etapa de preformación de cabeza (32-64 DDT) la población se incrementó, los tratamientos que presentaron menores poblaciones fueron repollo-arroz, repollo + dipel seguido de repollo-cebolla. En la etapa de formación de cabeza (64-88 DDT) la incidencia de la plaga fue siempre alta en el monocultivo de repollo y repollo-frijol a excepción de los demás tratamientos, siendo esta la etapa de mayor importancia del cultivo. El uso de cultivos en asocio no ejerció ningún efecto sobre Ascia monuste, Spodoptera sp. y Afidos. En la incidencia de insectos benéficos sólo se encontró & ralas y sus poblaciones se mantuvieron a niveles bajos.

Efecto de arreglos topológicos (doble surco) sobre el crecimiento, desarrollo y rendimiento del maiz (Zea mays L.) como cultivo principal, en asocio con leguminosas (Vigna unguiculata L. walp)

El presente estudio se estableció en terrenos del Centro Experimental La Compañía, ubicado en el municipio de Masatepe, departamento de Carazo, durante la época de primera comprendida entre los meses de junio a octubre de 1995. Con el objetivo de estudiar el efecto de los diferentes arreglos de siembra, sobre el Crecimiento, Desarrollo y Rendimiento del maíz (Zea mays L.) como cultivo principal, en asocio con frijol (Viqna unguiculata L. Watp). Los tratamientos en estudio fueron: Tratamiento uno maíz como cultivo puro a 80 cm entre calle. Tratamiento dos maíz a 80 cm, más leguminosa de cobertura un surco de maíz y un surco de leguminosa (1:1). Tratamiento tres, maíz a doble surcos (20 cm entre surco) calle ancha a 140 cm con dos surcos de leguminosas de coberturas entre a 50 cm. Tratamiento cuatro, maíz doble surcos (40 cm entre surcos) calle ancha a 120 con dos surcos de leguminosas entre a 40 cm entre sí. Se utilizó un diseño de Bloque Completo al Azar con cuatro repeticiones. Los resultados obtenidos demuestran que el asocio de maíz-leguminosas, no afectan significativamente el crecimiento, desarrollo y rendimiento del maíz como cultivo principal. Además podemos afirmar que al comparar los rendimientos, del cultivo puro con los asocios, hay una mejor eficiencia en el aprovechamiento del uso potencial de los suelos.

Self-aligned, gated arrays of individual nanotube and nanowire emitters

We demonstrate the production of integrated-gate nanocathodes which have a single carbon nanotube or silicon nanowire/whisker per gate aperture. The fabrication is based on a technologically scalable, self-alignment process in which a single lithographic step is used to define the gate, insulator, and emitter. The nanotube-based gated nanocathode array has a low turn-on voltage of 25 V and a peak current of 5 μA at 46 V, with a gate current of 10 nA (i.e., 99% transparency). These low operating voltage cathodes are potentially useful as electron sources for field emission displays or miniaturizing electron-based instrumentation.