Search results for "script"

Anandamide-induced apoptosis in Chang liver cells involves ceramide and JNK/AP-1 pathway

2006

In the present study we demonstrate that anandamide, the most important endogenous cannabinoid, markedly induced apoptosis in Chang liver cells, an immortalized non-tumor cell line derived from normal liver tissue, while it induced only modest effects in a number of hepatoma cell lines. The apoptotic effect was reduced by methyl-beta-cyclodextrin, a membrane cholesterol depletor, suggesting an interaction between anandamide and the membrane microdomains named lipid rafts. Anandamide effects were mediated by the production of ceramide, as demonstrated by experiments performed with the sphingomyelinase inhibitor, desipramine, or with the sphingomyelinase activator, melittin. This conclusion w…

In‐TOX‐icating neurogenesis

2015

Major efforts are invested to characterize the factors controlling the proliferation of neural stem cells. During mammalian corticogenesis, our group has identified a small pool of genes that are transiently downregulated in the switch of neural stem cells to neurogenic division and reinduced in newborn neurons. Among these switch genes, we found Tox, a transcription factor with hitherto uncharacterized roles in the nervous system. Here, we investigated the role of Tox in corticogenesis by characterizing its expression at the tissue, cellular and temporal level. We found that Tox is regulated by calcineurin/Nfat signalling. Moreover, we combined DNA adenine methyltransferase identification …

Quantification of GABA(A) receptor subunit mRNAs by non-radioisotopic competitive RT-PCR utilizing plate-based EIA methodology.

2000

We developed a non-radioisotopic quantitative competitive RT-PCR method for the measurement of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) type A receptor subunit mRNA levels. The specificity of the method was optimized by the use of four subunit-specific oligonucleotides in the sequential steps: reverse transcription, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and detection. The biotinylated PCR products were bound on streptavidin-coated microtiter plates allowing detection of the products using dinitrophenyl (DNP)-labeled probes and anti-DNP alkaline phosphatase conjugate. The method was set up for the six major cerebellar GABA(A) receptor subunits: alpha1; alpha6; beta2; beta3; gamma2 and delta. The method is …

Computational identification of chemical compounds with potential anti-Chagas activity using a classification tree

2021

Chagas disease is endemic to 21 Latin American countries and is a great public health problem in that region. Current chemotherapy remains unsatisfactory; consequently the need to search for new drugs persists. Here we present a new approach to identify novel compounds with potential anti-chagasic action. A large dataset of 584 compounds, obtained from the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative, was selected to develop the computational model. Dragon software was used to calculate the molecular descriptors and WEKA software to obtain the classification tree. The best model shows accuracy greater than 93.4% for the training set; the tree was also validated using a 10-fold cross-validation p…

Adding symbolic information to picture models: definitions and properties

2005

AbstractIn the paper we propose extensions of some picture models, such as colored, drawn and pixel pictures. Such extensions are conceived by observing that a picture may embed more information than the shape, such as colors, labels, etc., which can be represented by a symbol from an alphabet and can be associated to segments, points or pixels. New interesting issues derived from the introduction of symbols will be investigated together with some complexity and decidability questions for the proposed extensions.

Analog joint source-channel Multiple Description coding scheme over AWGN parallel channels

2011

We propose a low complexity analog joint source channel coding Multiple Description (MD) scheme for transmitting the symbols of a Gaussian source across a pair of independent AWGN channels. The outputs of these channels have each a separated receiver, whereas a third receiver has both outputs available. At the transmitter side, a pair of bandwidth-reduction analog mappings are used for joint source-channel coding. The presented scheme has the inherent advantage over digital MD schemes based on separation, that coding and decoding can be performed by using a single-letter (or symbol), a strategy that is very suitable for applications where latency originated by the digital compression and th…

Maximum polyphyly: Multiple origins and delimitation with plesiomorphic characters require a new circumscription of Minuartia (Caryophyllaceae)

2014

Semi-empirical Hartree-Fock calculations for KNbO 3 and KTaO 3

1997

As a first step in modeling the electronic structure of Perovskite-type ferroelectric mixed crystals K(Nb,Ta)O3, semiempirical calculations for pure KNbO3 and KTaO3 are performed with the intermediate neglect of the differential overlap (INDO) quantum chemical method. The calculations are mostly done for 40-atom supercells. The choice of the INDO parameters based on the comparison of results with ab initio and experimental data is discussed. INDO results for the equilibrium geometry and the (Gamma) -TO phonon frequencies are given. The results show that the accuracy of the INDO method is sufficient for reliably reproducing the energy differences on the order of 1 mRy (per formula unit) scal…

Ras-related GTPase Rhob represses NF-kappaB signaling.

2000

rhoB encoding a Ras-related GTPase is immediate-early inducible by genotoxic treatments, indicating that it is part of the cellular stress response. Here, we investigated the influence of RhoB on signal pathways that are rapidly evoked by genotoxic compounds. The data obtained show that wild-type RhoB neither affects activation of mitogen-activated protein kinases nor AP-1-dependent gene expression. However, RhoB inhibited both basal and genotoxic agent-stimulated activity of the transcription factor nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB). Thus, RhoB attenuated alkylation-induced increase in the DNA binding activity of NF-kappaB and abrogated NF-kappaB-driven gene expression. Furthermore, RhoB i…

Engineering of a Promoter Repressed by a Light-Regulated Transcription Factor in Escherichia coli

2021

Light-regulated gene expression systems allow controlling gene expression in space and time with high accuracy. Contrary to previous synthetic light sensors that incorporate two-component systems which require localization at the plasma membrane, soluble one-component repression systems provide several advantageous characteristics. Firstly, they are soluble and able to diffuse across the cytoplasm. Secondly, they are smaller and of lower complexity, enabling less taxing expression and optimization of fewer parts. Thirdly, repression through steric hindrance is a widespread regulation mechanism that does not require specific interaction with host factors, potentially enabling implementation…