Description: Hypotonicity triggered in human hepatoma cells (Huh-7) the release of ATP and cell swelling, followed by volume regulatory decrease (RVD). We analyzed how the interaction between those processes modulates cell volume. Cells exposed to hypotonic medium swelled 1.5 times their basal volume. Swelling was followed by 41% RVD 40 (extent of RVD after 40 min of maximum), whereas the concentration of extracellular ATP (ATP e ) increased 10 times to a maximum value at 15 min. Exogenous apyrase (which removes di- and trinucleotides) did not alter RVD, whereas exogenous Na + -K + -ATPase (which converts ATP to ADP in the extracellular medium) enhanced RVD 40 by 2.6 times, suggesting that hypotonic treatment alone produced a basal RVD, whereas extracellular ADP activated RVD to achieve complete volume regulation (i.e., RVD 40 100%). Under hypotonicity, addition of 2-(methylthio)adenosine 5'-diphosphate (2MetSADP; ADP analog) increased RVD to the same extent as exposure to Na + -K + -ATPase and the same analog did not stimulate RVD when coincubated with MRS2211, a blocker of ADP receptor P2Y 13 . RT-PCR and Western blot analysis confirmed the presence of P2Y 13 . Cells exhibited significant ectoATPase activity, which according to RT-PCR analysis can be assigned to ENTPDase2. Both carbenoxolone, a blocker of conductive ATP release, and brefeldin A, an inhibitor of exocytosis, were able to partially decrease ATP e accumulation, pointing to the presence of at least two mechanisms for ATP release. Thus, in Huh-7 cells, hypotonic treatment triggered the release of ATP. Conversion of ATP e to ADP e by ENTPDase 2 activity facilitates the accumulated ADP e to activate P2Y 13 receptors, which mediate complete RVD.

Description: We study the mechanisms of CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 degradation and its transformation to PbI 2 by means of X-ray diffraction and the density functional theory. The experimental analysis shows that the material can degrade in both air and vacuum conditions, with humidity and temperature-annealing strongly accelerating such process. Based on ab initio calculations, we argue that even in the absence of humidity, a decomposition of the perovskite structure can take place through the statistical formation of molecular defects with a non-ionic character, whose volatility at surfaces should break the thermodynamic defect equilibria. We finally discuss the strategies that can limit such phenomenon and subsequently prolong the lifetime of the material.

Description: This paper aims to evaluate the suitability of the ECOSSE model to estimate soil heterotrophic respiration (R h ) from arable land and short rotation coppices of poplar and willow. Between 2011 and 2013, we measured R h with automatic closed dynamic chambers on root exclusion plots at one site in the UK (willow, mixed commercial genotypes of Salix spp.) and two sites in Italy (arable and poplar, Populus  ×  Canadensis Moench, Oudemberg genotype), and compared these measured fluxes to simulated values of R h with the ECOSSE model. Correlation coefficients ( r ) between modelled and measured monthly R h data were strong and significant, with a range between 0.81 and 0.96 for all three types of vegetation. There was no significant error and bias in the model for any site. The model was able to predict seasonal trends in R h at all three sites even though it occasionally underestimated the flux values during warm weather in spring and summer. Because of the strong correlation between the measured and modelled values, it is unlikely that underestimation of the flux is the result of missing processes in the model. Therefore, further detailed monitoring of R h is needed to modify the model. In this research, a limited set of input data was used to simulate R h at the three sites. Nevertheless, overall results of the model evaluation suggest that the ECOSSE model simulates soil R h adequately under all land uses tested and that continuous and direct measurements (such as automatic chambers installed on root-exclusion plots) are a useful tool to test model performance to simulate R h at the site level. Highlights Model evaluation is crucial to predict soil carbon balance accurately. Modelled and measured heterotrophic respiration were compared for three land uses. The model performed well statistically for all three vegetation types. Modelled heterotrophic respiration should be evaluated by comparison to continuous measurements.

Description: Introduction Adenotonsillar hypertrophy is the most important anatomical factor associated with obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome in children. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends adenotonsillectomy as the first line of treatment. AT can reduce the apnoea hypopnoea index; however, its effect on long-term outcomes remains unclear. Methods and analysis We will conduct an electronic search for randomised controlled trials in MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) and EMBASE. We will also identify literature by reviewing the references included in the selected studies and relevant reviews, screening through important scientific conferences, and searching for ongoing trials in the WHO International Clinical Trials Registry Platform. Two researchers will independently undertake selection of studies, data extraction and assessment of the risk of bias of included studies. We will estimate pooled risk ratios for dichotomous data, and mean difference or standardised mean difference for continuous outcomes. A random-effects model will be used for meta-analyses. Data synthesis and other analyses will be conducted using RevMan V.5.3 software. Ethics and dissemination No ethics approval is considered necessary. The results of this study will be disseminated via peer-reviewed publications and social networks. Trial registration number CRD42015022102.

Description: In this work, we present a case study of the relevant timescales responsible for coupling between the changes of the solar wind and Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) conditions and the magnetospheric dynamics during the St. Patrick's Day Geomagnetic Storms in 2013 and 2015. We investigate the behavior of the Interplanetary Magnetic Field (IMF) component Bz, the Perreault-Akasofu coupling function and the AE, AL, AU, Sym-H and Asy-H geomagnetic indices at different timescales by using the Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) method and the Delayed Mutual Information (DMI). The EMD, indeed, allows to extract the intrinsic oscillations (modes) present into the different datasets, while the DMI, which provides a measure of the total amount of the linear and nonlinear shared information (correlation degree), allows to investigate the relevance of the different timescales in the solar wind-magnetosphere coupling. The results clearly indicate the existence of a relevant timescale separation in the solar wind-magnetosphere coupling. Indeed, while fluctuations at long-timescales ( τ 〉 200 min) show a large degree of correlation between solar wind parameters and magnetospheric dynamics proxies, at short-timescales ( τ 〈 200 min) this direct link is missing. This result suggest that fluctuations at timescales lower than 200 min, although triggered by changes of the interplanetary conditions, are mainly dominated by internal processes and are not directly driven by solar wind/IMF. Conversely, the magnetospheric dynamics in response to the solar wind/IMF driver at timescales longer than 200 min resembles the changes observed in the solar wind/IMF features. Finally, these results can be useful for Space Weather forecasting.