Interhemispheric axons of the corpus callosum (CC) facilitate the higher order functions of the cerebral cortex. According to current views, callosal and non-callosal fates are determined early after ...a neuron's birth, and certain populations, such as cortical layer (L) 4 excitatory neurons of the primary somatosensory (S1) barrel, project only ipsilaterally. Using a novel axonal-retrotracing strategy and GFP-targeted visualization of Rorb
neurons, we instead demonstrate that L4 neurons develop transient interhemispheric axons. Locally restricted L4 connectivity emerges when exuberant contralateral axons are refined in an area- and layer-specific manner during postnatal development. Surgical and genetic interventions of sensory circuits demonstrate that refinement rates depend on distinct inputs from sensory-specific thalamic nuclei. Reductions in input-dependent refinement result in mature functional interhemispheric hyperconnectivity, demonstrating the plasticity and bona fide callosal potential of L4 neurons. Thus, L4 neurons discard alternative interhemispheric circuits as instructed by thalamic input. This may ensure optimal wiring.
For many years, cow's milk has been considered as an essential food because of its nutritional value. However, the demand for plant-based milk alternatives (PBMAs) increased over recent years due to ...lactose intolerance and allergies, as well as different lifestyles. This review aims to provide updated information on the main raw materials used in PBMAs, as well as the production processes, technological functionality, nutritional composition, current consumption, benefits, sensory characteristics, and challenges in the development of PBMAs. Alternatives to formulate PBMAs are growing since traditional seeds or nuts are being rescued from endemic uses. Environmental benefits of PBMA over cow's milk is still unclear since carbon footprint, eutrophication, and water consumption depend on geographic location. PBMAs are inadequate to cover the nutrimental profile of cow's milk; however, the enrichment using additives and PBMAs blends are investigated to enhance their composition. Most PBMA physicochemical properties have close values to cow's milk. However, PBMAs technological uses need improvements since gel formation, water holding capacity, texture, and viscoelastic properties of derived products are poor. Main challenges in PBMA are related to enhance their stabilization, reduced their antinutrients, off-flavors, and allergens. The treatment of PBMAs using emerging technologies seems to help overcome these challenges.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
BFBNIB, DOBA, GIS, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
The aim of this study was to detect, to quantify and to characterize MRSA in broiler meat samples with skin. Furthermore, we compared an isolation method using a second selective enrichment step ...(method A) with a simpler method omitting this step (method B). For quantification we used a direct plating method on selective agar plates and a “Most probable number” (MPN) technique for estimation of low numbers of MRSA. Presumptive MRSA colonies were confirmed by MALDI-TOF and by PCR. After confirmation the isolated MRSA were characterized by spa-typing and, if necessary, by multi-locus sequence typing.
Method B detected more MRSA-positive samples (16.7%, n = 215) than method A (12.1%). However, method B also produced more false positive results (28.4%).The highest estimated number of MRSA in fresh broiler meat with skin was 1100 MPN/g, but in most positive samples (80.1%) the estimated numbers of MRSA were lower than 10 MPN/g. Thus, the numbers of MRSA in the samples were too low to detect using the spread plate technique. Ten different spa-types were identified. Six of these with 69% of the isolates were assigned to the clonal complex CC398 (t034; t011; t2576; t571; t5452; t1457). Spa-types t1430, t13177 and t899 can be assigned to CC9. Spa-type t304 was identified as MLST-type ST6.
In conclusion, we provide quantitative data on low level contamination of fresh broiler meat with MRSA. Most isolated MRSA were from livestock associated spa-types. Omitting the second enrichment step was associated with an increase in sensitivity but lower specificity of the cultural method.
•Using selective enrichment decreased sensitivity but increased specificity of MRSA detection in fresh broiler meat.•16.7% of fresh broiler meat samples contained MRSA.•MRSA-positive samples of fresh broiler meat contained very low numbers of MRSA.•96% of all isolates were assigned to livestock-associated MRSA from CC398 or CC9.•4% of all isolates were spa-type t304 with the MLST-type ST6, a hospital-associated MRSA
The cerebral cortex is responsible for the higher-order functions of the brain such as planning, cognition, or social behaviour. It provides us with the capacity to interact with and transform our ...world. The substrates of cortical functions are complex neural circuits that arise during development from the dynamic remodelling and progressive specialization of immature undefined networks. Here, we review the genetic and activity-dependent mechanisms of cortical wiring focussing on the importance of their interaction. Cortical circuits emerge from an initial set of neuronal types that engage in sequential forms of embryonic and postnatal activity. Such activities further complement the cells’ genetic programs, increasing neuronal diversity and modifying the electrical properties while promoting selective connectivity. After a temporal window of enhanced plasticity, the main features of mature circuits are established. Failures in these processes can lead to neurodevelopmental disorders whose treatment remains elusive. However, a deeper dissection of cortical wiring will pave the way for innovative therapies.
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•Neuronal diversity provides the building blocks of the developing cortical networks.•Intrinsic activity prepares cortical circuits for the upcoming stimuli.•Activity complements genetic programs and diversifies neuronal subclasses.•Genetics and activity collaborate to optimize functional circuits.•Sensory experience sculpts circuits adjusting the excitatory-inhibitory balance.
The intestinal microflora, typically equated with bacteria, influences diseases such as obesity and inflammatory bowel disease. Here, we show that the mammalian gut contains a rich fungal community ...that interacts with the immune system through the innate immune receptor Dectin-1. Mice lacking Dectin-1 exhibited increased susceptibility to chemically induced colitis, which was the result of altered responses to indigenous fungi. In humans, we identified a polymorphism in the gene for Dectin-1 (CLEC7A) that is strongly linked to a severe form of ulcerative colitis. Together, our findings reveal a eukaryotic fungal community in the gut (the "mycobiome") that coexists with bacteria and substantially expands the repertoire of organisms interacting with the intestinal immune system to influence health and disease.
Innate immune cells must be able to distinguish between direct binding to microbes and detection of components shed from the surface of microbes located at a distance. Dectin-1 (also known as CLEC7A) ...is a pattern-recognition receptor expressed by myeloid phagocytes (macrophages, dendritic cells and neutrophils) that detects β-glucans in fungal cell walls and triggers direct cellular antimicrobial activity, including phagocytosis and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In contrast to inflammatory responses stimulated upon detection of soluble ligands by other pattern-recognition receptors, such as Toll-like receptors (TLRs), these responses are only useful when a cell comes into direct contact with a microbe and must not be spuriously activated by soluble stimuli. In this study we show that, despite its ability to bind both soluble and particulate β-glucan polymers, Dectin-1 signalling is only activated by particulate β-glucans, which cluster the receptor in synapse-like structures from which regulatory tyrosine phosphatases CD45 and CD148 (also known as PTPRC and PTPRJ, respectively) are excluded (Supplementary Fig. 1). The 'phagocytic synapse' now provides a model mechanism by which innate immune receptors can distinguish direct microbial contact from detection of microbes at a distance, thereby initiating direct cellular antimicrobial responses only when they are required.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IJS, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
FEEDBACK is a SOFIA (Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy) legacy program dedicated to study the interaction of massive stars with their environment. It performs a survey of 11 galactic ...high mass star-forming regions in the 158 m (1.9 THz) line of C ii and the 63 m (4.7 THz) line of O i. We employ the 14 pixel Low Frequency Array and 7 pixel High Frequency Array upGREAT heterodyne instrument to spectrally resolve (0.24 MHz) these far-infrared fine structure lines. With a total observing time of 96h, we will cover ∼6700 arcmin2 at 14 1) angular resolution for the C ii line and 6 3 for the O i line. The observations started in spring 2019 (Cycle 7). Our aim is to understand the dynamics in regions dominated by different feedback processes from massive stars such as stellar winds, thermal expansion, and radiation pressure, and to quantify the mechanical energy injection and radiative heating efficiency. This is an important science topic because feedback of massive stars on their environment regulates the physical conditions and sets the emission characteristics in the interstellar medium (ISM), influences the star formation activity through molecular cloud dissolution and compression processes, and drives the evolution of the ISM in galaxies. The C ii line provides the kinematics of the gas and is one of the dominant cooling lines of gas for low to moderate densities and UV fields. The O i line traces warm and high-density gas, excited in photodissociations regions with a strong UV field or by shocks. The source sample spans a broad range in stellar characteristics from single OB stars, to small groups of O stars, to rich young stellar clusters, to ministarburst complexes. It contains well-known targets such as Aquila, the Cygnus X region, M16, M17, NGC7538, NGC6334, Vela, and W43 as well as a selection of H ii region bubbles, namely RCW49, RCW79, and RCW120. These C ii maps, together with the less explored O i 63 m line, provide an outstanding database for the community. They will be made publically available and will trigger further studies and follow-up observations.
This study examined child and family factors that may influence the Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ) in English- and Spanish-speaking samples. A total of 199 English- or Spanish-speaking ...mothers completed the SCQ. Results indicated that Spanish-speaking mothers with limited educational attainment were more likely to report higher scores on the SCQ than those with higher educational attainment. Moreover, differences in response patterns were also observed between Spanish- and English-speaking mothers. That is, SCQ scores tended to be influenced by maternal education in the Spanish-speaking sample and by teachers' reports of behavior/emotional problems in the English-speaking sample. These findings suggest that when using the SCQ, researchers, clinicians, and school providers need to be mindful that a high score on the SCQ does not necessarily indicate autism symptoms or characteristics. Rather, high SCQ scores might represent factors unrelated to autism symptoms, such as child and family characteristics.
IMPACT STATEMENT
The Social Communication Questionnaire (SCQ), an autism spectrum disorder screener, was administered to English- or Spanish-speaking mothers of school-aged children. Results from this study showed that the SCQ scores should be interpreted with caution when used with diverse students and students with emotional and behavior problems.
Supplemental data for this article is available online at
https://doi.org/10.1080/2372966X.2021.1927830
Context.
The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) has been in operation since 2011, but it has not yet been populated with the full suite of its planned frequency bands. In particular, ...ALMA Band 2 (67−90 GHz) is the final band in the original ALMA band definition to be approved for production.
Aims.
We aim to produce a wideband, tuneable, sideband-separating receiver with 28 GHz of instantaneous bandwidth per polarisation operating in the sky frequency range of 67−116 GHz. Our design anticipates new ALMA requirements following the recommendations of the 2030 ALMA Development Roadmap.
Methods.
The cryogenic cartridge is designed to be compatible with the ALMA Band 2 cartridge slot, where the coldest components – the feedhorns, orthomode transducers, and cryogenic low noise amplifiers – operate at a temperature of 15 K. We use multiple simulation methods and tools to optimise our designs for both the passive optics and the active components. The cryogenic cartridge is interfaced with a room-temperature (warm) cartridge hosting the local oscillator and the downconverter module. This warm cartridge is largely based on GaAs semiconductor technology and is optimised to match the cryogenic receiver bandwidth with the required instantaneous local oscillator frequency tuning range.
Results.
Our collaboration has resulted in the design, fabrication, and testing of multiple technical solutions for each of the receiver components, producing a state-of-the-art receiver covering the full ALMA Band 2 and 3 atmospheric window. The receiver is suitable for deployment on ALMA in the coming years and it is capable of dual-polarisation, sideband-separating observations in intermediate frequency bands spanning 4−18 GHz for a total of 28 GHz on-sky bandwidth per polarisation channel.
Conclusions.
We conclude that the 67−116 GHz wideband implementation for ALMA Band 2 is now feasible and that this receiver provides a compelling instrumental upgrade for ALMA that will enhance observational capabilities and scientific reach.
ABSTRACT
Using APEX-1 and APEX-2 observations, we have detected and studied the rotational lines of the HC3N molecule (cyanoacetylene) in the powerful outflow/hot molecular core G331.512−0.103. We ...identified 31 rotational lines at J levels between 24 and 39; 17 of them in the ground vibrational state v = 0 (9 lines corresponding to the main C isotopologue and 8 lines corresponding to the 13C isotopologues), and 14 in the lowest vibrationally excited state v7 = 1. Using local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE)-based population diagrams for the beam-diluted v = 0 transitions, we determined Texc = 85 ± 4 K and N(HC3N) = (6.9 ± 0.8) × 1014 cm−2, while for the beam-diluted v7 = 1 transitions we obtained Texc = 89 ± 10 K and N(HC3N) = (2 ± 1) × 1015 cm−2. Non-LTE calculations using H2 collision rates indicate that the HC3N emission is in good agreement with LTE-based results. From the non-LTE method, we estimated Tkin ≃90 K, n(H2) ≃ 2 × 107 cm−3 for a central core of 6 arcsec in size. A vibrational temperature in the range from 130 to 145 K was also determined, values which are very likely lower limits. Our results suggest that rotational transitions are thermalized, while infrared radiative pumping processes are probably more efficient than collisions in exciting the molecule to the vibrationally excited state v7 = 1. Abundance ratios derived under LTE conditions for the 13C isotopologues suggest that the main formation pathway of HC3N is C2H2 + CN → HC3N + H.
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