Decoding a Cell's Fate: How Notch and receptor tyrosine kinase signals specify the Drosophila R7 photoreceptor.

The process by which the Drosophila R7 photoreceptor is specified has become a classic model for understanding how cell-cell signals direct cell fates. In the R7 precursor cell, both the Notch and receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signaling pathways are active, and the information they encode directs the specification of the R7 photoreceptor identity. In this process, Notch performs three distinct functions: it both opposes and promotes the actions of the RTK pathway to specify the photoreceptor fate, and it determines the type of photoreceptor that is specified.

Structures and pH-dependent dimerization of the sevenless receptor tyrosine kinase.

Sevenless (Sev) is a Drosophila receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) required for the specification of the R7 photoreceptor. It is cleaved into α and β subunits and binds the ectodomain of the G-protein-coupled receptor bride of sevenless (Boss). Previous work showed that the Boss ectodomain could bind but not activate Sev; rather, the whole seven-pass transmembrane Boss was required.

Perceptual training with implicit and explicit learning improves the prediction of ball direction in soccer penalty kicks.

Perceptual training enhances the ability to anticipate crucial information for decision-making, for example, a soccer goalkeeper predicting penalty kick direction. However, it remains unclear whether perceptual practice alone (implicit method) is sufficient for optimal decision-making improvement, or whether emphasising pertinent details during practice (explicit method) could yield better results. This study compared implicit and explicit methods of learning ball direction prediction during soccer penalties, involving both goalkeepers and non-soccer players (novices).

Assessment of the effects of heat stress on the production of dairy cows by using two comfort thermal indices in Southern Chile.

Heat stress has been recognized as a serious problem in dairy farms around the world due to the increasing heat waves and higher genetic potential of dairy cows. In Chile, milk production is concentrated in the southern regions of the country, where animals graze all year around, consequently being exposed directly to environmental conditions. Nevertheless, there are few studies conducted in Chile that have evaluated at the commercial level the impact of heat stress on milk production.