The action potential (AP) waveform controls the opening of voltage-gated calcium channels and contributes to the driving force for calcium ion flux that triggers neurotransmission at presynaptic nerve terminals. Although the frog neuromuscular junction (NMJ) has long been a model synapse for the study of neurotransmission, its presynaptic AP waveform has never been directly studied, and thus the AP waveform shape and propagation through this long presynaptic nerve terminal are unknown. Using a fast voltage-sensitive dye, we have imaged the AP waveform from the presynaptic terminal of male and female frog NMJs and shown that the AP is very brief in duration and actively propagated along the entire length of the terminal. Furthermore, based on measured AP waveforms at different regions along the length of the nerve terminal, we show that the terminal is divided into three distinct electrical regions: A beginning region immediately after the last node of Ranvier where the AP is broadest, a middle region with a relatively consistent AP duration, and an end region near the tip of nerve terminal branches where the AP is briefer. We hypothesize that these measured changes in the AP waveform along the length of the motor nerve terminal may explain the proximal-distal gradient in transmitter release previously reported at the frog NMJ.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT The AP waveform plays an essential role in determining the behavior of neurotransmission at the presynaptic terminal. Although the frog NMJ is a model synapse for the study of synaptic transmission, there are many unknowns centered around the shape and propagation of its presynaptic AP waveform. Here, we demonstrate that the presynaptic terminal of the frog NMJ has a very brief AP waveform and that the motor nerve terminal contains three distinct electrical regions. We propose that the changes in the AP waveform as it propagates along the terminal can explain the proximal-distal gradient in transmitter release seen in electrophysiological studies.

We took a look around and put together a list of  Twitter accounts to keep you informed about what is happening in the world of soils.  Here are, in alphabetical order, ten voices on twitter you should follow for the latest on soils: @agriculturesnet The AgriCultures Network shares knowledge on small-scale family farming and agroecology. With agroecology we can build soils for life! http://t.co/pN62odtLt9 [...]

“Children subjected to child labour need our support and action so they can enjoy their right to education and health and become productive farmers and workers as adults to escape poverty and hunger.” - José Graziano da Silva, FAO Director- General  Child labour is not unique to a particular country, ethnicity, culture, or ideology. Today, there are about 100 million boys [...]

Peste des petits ruminants (PPR) or sheep and goat plague is a highly contagious animal disease affecting small ruminants. An estimated 300 million families who rely on small ruminants, such as sheep and goats, as a source of food and income are at risk of losing their livelihoods and may be forced to migrate, particularly in areas where food insecurity, other resource shortages [...]

Delaying the Games for a year is considered by many to be the best course of action for public health

Geoscientists noticed the normal rumbles of human activity picked up by their instruments have died down as much of the world ground to a halt

The virus tweaks bee behavior to infect new hives and may also spread other hive-killing pathogens and pests

Learn hip-hop dance or do citizen science without leaving home this week, thanks to the internet's many intrepid artists and educators

The Kent State shootings further widened the chasm among a citizenry divided over the Vietnam War

The Heritage neighbourhood's free little libraries are being transformed.

Press release about the Basel Committee publishing consultation paper on revisions to the credit valuation adjustment risk framework, 28 November 2019.

Press release: Basel Committee invites comments on the design of a prudential treatment for crypto-assets, 12 December 2019.

Markets Committee calls for wider adoption of global code of conduct for foreign exchange markets (Press release, 30 January 2020)

Basel Committee Press release "Basel Committee meets to review vulnerabilities and emerging risks, advance supervisory initiatives and promote Basel III implementationl", 27 February 2020.

Press release about Basel Committee assesses members' implementation of the Net Stable Funding Ratio and large exposures framework, 19 March 2020

Press release "Basel Committee coordinates policy and supervisory response to Covid-19", 20 March 2020

BCBS Press release "Basel Committee sets out additional measures to alleviate the impact of Covid-19", 3 April 2020

BCBS Press release "Basel Committee and IOSCO announce deferral of final implementation phases of the margin requirements for non-centrally cleared derivatives", 3 April 2020

BCBS Press release "Basel III monitoring results based on end-June 2019 data published by the Basel Committee", 8 April 2020

BCBS Press release "Basel Committee issues progress report on banks' implementation of the 'Principles for effective risk data aggregation and reporting'", 29 April 2020

Vowing to return next summer, this year's Little League World Series was cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic. All seven World Series tournaments and their respective regional qualifying events are off this summer.

Statement by Mr Ignazio Visco, Governor of the Bank of Italy and Governor of the Constituency of Albania, Greece, Italy, Malta, Portugal, San Marino and Timor-Leste, at the 101st Meeting (virtual) of the Development Committee (Joint Ministerial Committee of the Boards of Governors of the Bank and the Fund on the Transfer of Real Resources to Developing Countries), Washington DC, 17 April 2020.

Safe Wings Ottawa is urging cat owners to help protect the city's bird population by keeping their felines fenced in.

Netizens celebrate as Kamal Haasan crosses 6 million mark on Twitter  DNA India

Pittsburgh Penguins superstar Sidney Crosby is easing the burden for many Pennsylvania families struggling during the COVID-19 virus.

BCBS Press release "Basel Committee publishes stocktake report on climate-related financial risk initiatives'", 30 April 2020

Introductory remarks (by videoconference) by Mr Luis de Guindos, Vice-President of the European Central Bank, to the Committee on Economic and Monetary Affairs of the European Parliament, Frankfurt am Main, 7 May 2020.

Five members of the Penn State football team were selected in this past weekend's NFL Draft, marking the third straight year that the Nittany Lions have had at least five draft picks.

Qualcomm CEO Steve Mollenkopf in an interview on Thursday said the chipmaker's relationship with Apple has greatly improved since the two companies ended a bitter legal battle over patent licensing and royalties in 2019.

A group of young Swiss Christians use small, practical acts of service to share Christ’s love with families in need in Hungary.

Life is not a movie, says one worker who shares her life and Christ with the many broken women in Hong Kong’s brothels.

OBJECTIVES:

Our goals for this study were to characterize the frequency of agitation in patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) admitted to an inpatient pediatric medical unit and to identify risk factors associated with agitation.

Almost 1 in 4 adolescents have a sexually transmitted infection (STI). These infections are preventable through safe sexual practices and routine screening. Pediatricians are the first line of clinical care for adolescents and are well positioned to offer sexual and reproductive health care counseling and services to their patients; yet, there is a paucity of sexual health screening provided at routine health supervision visits. This article addresses the epidemiology of STIs in adolescents, reviews the evidence of current clinical practice, presents recommended STI screening from government and medical agencies, and offers strategies to address barriers to providing care for adolescents and for sexual health screening in primary care.

THE news earlier this week that Tennis Scotland will be on the receiving end of a £12 million package from the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) is hugely significant.

Location: Littleferry, Sutherland

GUTTING news for great swathes of the Great British public - eating chips is not exercise.

A couple of weeks ago, I attended an “in conversation” event with the American sociologist Arlie Russell Hochschild at Harvard University.

A Chicago-based former Little League team has filed a lawsuit against Little League International over the organization's decision to strip the team's United States championship earlier this year.

In the lawsuit, the Chicago-based team's parents allege Little League was aware of potential residency issues, "but chose to ignore and/or deliberately conceal these facts in order to garner higher ratings, publicity, and money."

Talk to school and district leaders and you’ll hear worries about the next recession, spending restrictions, and a public that knows little about worries that lawmakers and elected officials who know little about their funding needs.

LIKE many people with a wee bit of time on their hands at the moment, I enjoy a morning walk along the cycle track between Elderslie and Castlehead, a nice enough stroll, if you like litter that is; and I mean, really like litter.

Moonlight, Film 4, Wednesday, 9pm

Social networks are calling themselves platforms rather than publishers to skirt around legal issues, and it has to stop.

The extent to which young adults' laboratory-confirmed sexually transmitted disease results and self-reported sexual behaviors are consistent has not been assessed in a nationally representative sample.

The primary purpose of this study was to determine whether young adults' reports of recent sexual behavior (presence of penile/vaginal sex in the previous 12 months) correspond with the presence of laboratory-confirmed nonviral STDs assessed by nucleic acid amplification testing. (Read the full article)

During prenatal counseling for prematurity, information is provided to expectant parents to empower them to participate in the medical-care decision-making regarding their child. However, numerous studies have shown that providing information effectively during preterm labor is challenging.

The current study provides evidence that effectiveness of counseling can be improved by providing written information to parents before the face-to-face verbal counseling. Appropriately presented, detailed information improves knowledge and decreases maternal anxiety. (Read the full article)

Current recommendations to prevent warts focus on limiting the personal spread of human papillomavirus and transmission in public places, such as swimming pools; however, evidence on risk factors for developing warts is limited.

Cutaneous human papillomavirus in primary schoolchildren is primarily transmitted in the family and school class. This suggests that recommendations should shift toward reducing transmission in families and school classes. (Read the full article)