Search results for "trains"
showing 10 items of 600 documents
Information – theoretic characterization of concurrent activity of neural spike trains
2021
The analysis of massively parallel spike train recordings facilitates investigation of communications and synchronization in neural networks. In this work we develop and evaluate a measure of concurrent neural activity, which is based on intrinsic firing properties of the recorded neural units. An overall single neuron activity is unfolded in time and decomposed into working and non-firing state, providing a coarse, binary representation of the neurons functional state. We propose a modified measure of mutual information to reflect the degree of simultaneous activation and concurrency in neural firing patterns. The measure is shown to be sensitive to both correlations and anti-correlations,…
UV Exposure Boosts Transcutaneous Immunization and Improves Tumor Immunity: Cytotoxic T-Cell Priming through the Skin
2010
Immunologic approaches to combat cancer aim at the induction of tumor-reactive immune responses to achieve long-term protection. In this context, we recently developed a transcutaneous immunization (TCI) method using the Toll-like receptor (TLR) 7 agonist imiquimod and a peptide epitope. Application onto intact skin induces potent cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) responses and protection against transplanted tumors. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of UV irradiation on imiquimod-based TCI. Here we show that skin exposure to low-dose UV light before TCI with imiquimod strongly boosts specific CTL responses leading to memory formation and enhanced tumor protection. Toward the …
Stereoselective metabolism of dibenz(a,h)anthracene to trans-dihydrodiols and their activation to bacterial mutagens.
1990
Dibenz(a,h)anthracene (DBA), a carcinogenic, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon ubiquitous in the environment, is metabolized by the hepatic microsomal fraction of immature Sprague-Dawley rats pretreated with Aroclor 1254 to 27 ethyl acetate-extractable metabolites. More than half of these metabolites (51%) consisted of trans-1,2-; -3,4-; and -5,6-dihydrodiols including their identified secondary metabolites. The three trans-dihydrodiols (4.9, 15.8, and 0.6% of total metabolic conversion) were highly enriched in their R,R enantiomers (85, 71, and 98%) as determined by high performance liquid chromatography on suitable chiral stationary phases. This is explained on the basis of the stereoselect…
Tetrandrine and Isotetrandrine, Two Bisbenzyltetrahydroisoquinoline Alkaloids from Menispermaceae, with Rat Uterine Smooth Muscle Relaxant Activity
1992
Abstract The effects of two bisbenzyltetrahydroisoquinoline alkaloids, 1S, 1′S tetrandrine and its isomer 1R, 1′S isotetrandrine, were investigated in rat isolated uterus in order to identify the mechanism of relaxant action and to study the influence of the absolute configuration on the activity of these alkaloids. Both inhibited the uterine contraction induced by high K+, acetylcholine and oxytocin. In Ca2+-free medium, isotetrandrine relaxed the sustained contraction induced by oxytocin but tetrandrine did not. The relaxant effects of the alkaloids may be due to blockade of calcium influx through specific channels. Tetrandrine and isotetrandrine modify the calcium channel in a nonreversi…
A core cochlear phenotype in USH1 mouse mutants implicates fibrous links of the hair bundle in its cohesion, orientation and differential growth
2008
The planar polarity and staircase-like pattern of the hair bundle are essential to the mechanoelectrical transduction function of inner ear sensory cells. Mutations in genes encoding myosin VIIa, harmonin, cadherin 23,protocadherin 15 or sans cause Usher syndrome type I (USH1, characterized by congenital deafness, vestibular dysfunction and retinitis pigmentosa leading to blindness) in humans and hair bundle disorganization in mice. Whether the USH1 proteins are involved in common hair bundle morphogenetic processes is unknown. Here, we show that mouse models for the five USH1 genetic forms share hair bundle morphological defects. Hair bundle fragmentation and misorientation (25-52° mean ki…
SUCESOS VITALES Y TENSIONES EN FAMILIAS CON HIJOS ADOLESCENTES: Life events and strains in families with teenagers
2001
Los objetivos de este estudio son: a) Describir los sucesos vitales y tensiones que afectan a los padres con hijos adolescentes, y b) Verificar las posibles diferencias en la descripción de estos sucesos por parte de los padres en función de la edad del hijo adolescente mayor: mayor o menor de 19 años. A tal fin, una muestra de 386 padres (193 matrimonios) de hijos adolescentes fueron evaluados a partir del FILE (Hernández Córdoba 1991). Resultados: a) durante el último año se da un mayor promedio de tensiones intrafamiliares, seguidas por las económicas y laborales; b) los padres con un hijo primogénito de 19 años o más experimentan más tensiones por enfermedad, y por la entrada o salida d…
Noninvasive Flap Preconditioning by Foam-Mediated External Suction Improves the Survival of Fasciocutaneous Axial-Pattern Flaps in a Type 2 Diabetic …
2018
Background Advances in reconstructive surgery are leading to an increased number of flaps at risk for ischemic necrosis, because of either intrinsic (e.g., larger flap size) or extrinsic (e.g., diabetes) factors. Methods to preoperatively improve flap vascularity and limit postoperative ischemia are lacking. Noninvasive suction, using either a macrodeformational silicone cup interface (external volume expansion) or a microdeformational polyurethane foam interface (foam-mediated external volume expansion), has been shown to induce angiogenesis in tissues. The authors investigated whether the preoperative use of external volume expansion/foam-mediated external volume expansion improves flap s…
Contactus adherens, a special type of plaque-bearing adhering junction containing M-cadherin, in the granule cell layer of the cerebellar glomerulus.
1995
In the glomeruli of the granule cell layer of mammalian cerebellum, neuronal extensions are interconnected by numerous small, nearly isodiametric (diameters up to 0.1 micron), junctions previously classified as puncta adherentia related to the vinculin-containing, actin microfilament-anchoring junctions of the zonula adherens of epithelial and certain other cells. Using immunofluorescence and immunoelectron microscopy, we have found, however, that these junctions are negative for E- and VE-cadherin, for desmosomal cadherins, and also for vinculin, alpha-actinin, and desmoplakin, but they do contain, in addition to the protein plakoglobin common to all forms of adhering junctions, the plaque…
Presentation of insulin and insulin A chain peptides to mouse T cells: involvement of cysteine residues.
1991
The requirements for insulin presentation and recognition by A alpha b A beta b- and A alpha b A beta k-restricted mouse T cells were studied using a variety of derivatives of the insulin A chain. It was found that A chain peptides with irreversibly blocked Cys residues are non-stimulatory for the T cells. This suggests that at least one of the Cys residues is essential for recognition. On the other hand, all A chain peptides containing Cys residues modified in a way reversible by reaction with thiols are stimulatory yet differ in antigenic potency. All these A chain derivatives including a 14 amino acid fragment require uptake by antigen presenting cells (APC) for efficient presentation. D…
Vulnerability of peripheral catecholaminergic neurons to MPTP is not regulated by alpha-synuclein.
2010
Although generally considered a prototypical movement disorder, Parkinson's disease is commonly associated with a broad-spectrum of non-motor symptoms, including autonomic dysfunctions caused by significant alterations in catecholaminergic neurons of the peripheral sympathetic nervous system. Here we present evidence that alpha-synuclein is highly expressed by sympathetic ganglion neurons throughout embryonic and postnatal life and that it is found in tyrosine hydroxylase-positive sympathetic fibers innervating the heart of adult mice. However, mice deficient in alpha-synuclein do not exhibit any apparent alterations in sympathetic development. Sympathetic neurons isolated from mouse embryo…