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lunedì 22 luglio 2019

# gene: parental 'memory' could be inherited across generations

AA << tested the possibility that environmentally triggered modifications could allow 'memory' of parental experiences to be inherited. In Drosophila melanogaster, exposure to predatory wasps leads to inheritance of a predisposition for ethanol-rich food for five generations.  Inhibition of Neuropeptide-F (NPF) activates germline caspases required for transgenerational ethanol preference. Further, inheritance of low NPF expression in specific regions of F1 brains is required for the transmission of this food preference >>

<< Given the conserved signaling functions of NPF and its mammalian NPY homolog in drug and alcohol disorders, these observations raise the intriguing possibility of NPY-related transgenerational effects in humans. >>

Julianna Bozler, Balint Z Kacsoh, Giovanni Bosco. Transgenerational inheritance of ethanol preference is caused by maternal NPF repression.
eLife doi: 10.7554/eLife.45391.001. Jul 9, 2019.

https://elifesciences.org/articles/45391

Study finds that parental 'memory' is inherited across generations. The Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. Jul 9, 2019.

https://m.phys.org/news/2019-07-parental-memory-inherited.html   

Also

"Neuropeptide-F"

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/mesh/?term=Neuropeptide-F

http://flybase.org/reports/FBgn0027109.html 

https://www.wikigenes.org/e/gene/e/42018.html

domenica 21 luglio 2019

# brain: to trace transitions from consciousness to unconscious subliminal perception

AA << study the transition in the functional networks that characterize the human brains’ conscious-state to an unconscious subliminal state of perception >>

<< the most inner core (i.e., the most connected kernel) of the conscious-state functional network corresponds to areas which remain functionally active when the brain transitions from the conscious-state to the subliminal-state. That is, the inner core of the conscious network coincides with the subliminal-state. >>

<< This finding imposes constraints to theoretical models of consciousness, in that the location of the core of the functional brain network is in the unconscious part of the brain rather than in the conscious state as previously thought. >>

Francesca Arese Lucini, Gino Del Ferraro, et al. How the Brain Transitions from Conscious to Subliminal Perception. Neuroscience. Volume 411, Jul 15, 2019, Pages 280-290.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0306452219302052

<< The k-core of the conscious state is reduced to three active regions of the brain, the fusiform gyrus (left and right) and the precentral gyrus. These regions are the only active in the subliminal state. >>

Physicists use mathematics to trace neuro transitions. City College of New York. Jul 18, 2019.

https://m.medicalxpress.com/news/2019-07-physicists-mathematics-neuro-transitions.html  

venerdì 19 luglio 2019

# life: simmetrico, purtuttavia caotico

<< La Bce starebbe mettendo in dubbio l'efficacia del target di inflazione stabilito per l'Eurozona. Un target che, così come è noto, è "inferiore, ma vicino alla soglia del 2%". Ora, per far sì che gli stimoli monetari rimangano operativi per un periodo di tempo più lungo, Mario Draghi & Co - stando a quanto riporta Bloomberg - starebbero valutando la possibilità di adottare un approccio più "simmetrico", ovvero stabilire un target di inflazione che sia "non solo inferiore, ma vicino alla soglia del 2%", come quello attuale, ma anche "superiore e vicino alla soglia del 2%". >>

Laura Naka Antonelli. Bce medita modifiche a target inflazione attuale 'al di sotto, ma vicino al 2%'. Jul 18, 2019

https://www.finanza.com/Finanza/Notizie_Mondo/Altri_paesi_Europa/notizia/Bce_medita_modifiche_a_target_inflazione_attuale__al_di_sott-508928  

giovedì 18 luglio 2019

# bot: 3D-printed micro-bristle-bot, vibrobot (expected everywhere ...)

<< A bristle-bot or vibrobot is a multi-legged robot made of bristles and an oscillating actuator that generates vibrations. This work presents the first demonstration of a micro-bristle-bot, with 3D-printed legs, fabricated by two-photon polymerization lithography. The presented miniaturized bristle-bot has a weight of only 5 mg, in the size of 2 mm × 1.87 mm × 0.8 mm, and can achieve a speed up to 4 times the body length per second.  >>

<< The presented micro-bristle-bots show a resonant frequency around 6.3 kHz, which can be tailored based on their geometry. This feature allows for addressing individual micro-bristle-bots with various geometries based on their unique resonance frequency. >>

DeaGyu Kim, Zhijian Hao, et al. A 5mg micro-bristle-bot fabricated by two-photon lithography. Journal of Micromechanics and Microengineering. Jul 9, 2019.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1361-6439/ab309b  

John Toon. Tiny vibration-powered robots the size of the world's smallest ant. Georgia Institute of Technology. Jul 17, 2019.

https://m.techxplore.com/news/2019-07-tiny-vibration-powered-robots-size-world.html  

mercoledì 17 luglio 2019

# phys: synchronizing nano 'Pendulums'

AA << report synchronization of the mechanical dynamics of a pair of optomechanical crystal cavities that, (..) are intercoupled with a mechanical link and support independent optical modes. In this regime they oscillate in antiphase, >>

AA << also show how to temporarily disable synchronization of the coupled system >>

Colombano MF, Arregui G, et al. Synchronization of Optomechanical Nanobeams by Mechanical Interaction. Phys. Rev. Lett. 123, 017402. July 1, 2019.

https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.017402  

Katherine Wright. Synopsis: Synchronizing Nanosized "Pendulums". Jul 1, 2019.

https://physics.aps.org/synopsis-for/10.1103/PhysRevLett.123.017402 

sabato 13 luglio 2019

# gst: a floating vortex of fluff, the flight of the dandelion

<< A fluff-topped dandelion seed can float through the air for more than a kilometer before it drifts to the ground. In experiments last year, researchers revealed that the white filaments in the fluff-known collectively as a pappus-create a ring-shaped wake behind the seed that is associated with low pressure and acts to keep it aloft. >>

AA << have theoretically modeled the airflow around the pappus, reproducing the experimentally measured wake and showing that it provides the seed with steady flight capabilities. >>

Katherine Wright. Dandelion Fluff Perfected for Flight. July 2, 2019

https://physics.aps.org/synopsis-for/10.1103/PhysRevFluids.4.071901

Ledda PG, Siconolfi L, et al. Flow dynamics of a dandelion pappus: A linear stability approach. Phys. Rev. Fluids 4, 071901(R) July 2, 2019.

https://journals.aps.org/prfluids/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevFluids.4.071901

giovedì 11 luglio 2019

# game: inside an irregular 'rock-paper-scissors' game; 'uneveness nomads' will survive, probably ...

AA << study a class of the stochastic May-Leonard models, with three species dominating each other in a cyclic nonhierarchical way, according to the rock-paper-scissors game. (They) introduce an unevenness in the system, by considering that one of the species is weaker because of a lower selection probability. >>

To << investigate the coexistence probability (..) the surviving species depends on the level of unevenness of the model and the mobility of individuals. >>

Menezes J., Moura B., Pereira TA. Uneven rock-paper-scissors models: Patterns and coexistence. EPL -  Europhysics Letters, Volume 126, Number 1. May 22, 2019.

https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1209/0295-5075/126/18003/meta   

Lisa Zyga. The rock-paper-scissors game and coexistence. Phys.org.
Jul 4, 2019

https://m.phys.org/news/2019-07-rock-paper-scissors-game-coexistence.html