Neurogranin (Ng) is a brain-specific postsynaptic protein, whose role in modulating Ca
/calmodulin signaling in glutamatergic neurons has been linked to enhancement in synaptic plasticity and ...cognitive functions. Accordingly, Ng knock-out (Ng-ko) mice display hippocampal-dependent learning and memory impairments associated with a deficit in long-term potentiation induction. In the adult olfactory bulb (OB), Ng is expressed by a large population of GABAergic granule cells (GCs) that are continuously generated during adult life, undergo high synaptic remodeling in response to the sensory context, and play a key role in odor processing. However, the possible implication of Ng in OB plasticity and function is yet to be investigated. Here, we show that Ng expression in the OB is associated with the mature state of adult-born GCs, where its active-phosphorylated form is concentrated at post-synaptic sites. Constitutive loss of Ng in Ng-ko mice resulted in defective spine density in adult-born GCs, while their survival remained unaltered. Moreover, Ng-ko mice show an impaired odor-reward associative memory coupled with reduced expression of the activity-dependent transcription factor Zif268 in olfactory GCs. Overall, our data support a role for Ng in the molecular mechanisms underlying GC plasticity and the formation of olfactory associative memory.
Given a population with internal structures determining possible interactions between population members, what can be said about the spread of innovation? In genetics, this is a question of the ...spread of a favorable mutation within a genetically homogeneous population. In a model society, it is the question of rumors, beliefs, or innovation 1,2,3,4,5. This paper sketches a simple iterative model of populations with structure represented in terms of edge weighted graphs. Use of such graphs has become a powerful tool in evolutionary dynamics e.g. 6. The model presented here employs a Markov process on a state space isomorphic to the vertex set of the N-hypercube. In analogy to genetics, spread of innovation is first modeled as a biased birth-death process in which the innovation provides a fitness r as compared to the fitness of 1 assigned to non-innovative individuals. Following on this, a probabilistic model is developed that, in the simplest cases, corresponds to an elementary probabilistic cellular automata.
This study assessed the variation of phenotypic features of clinical isolates of Burkholderia spp. from common rpsU gene sequence clusters. A total of 41 clinical Burkholderia spp. isolates from ...German mucoviscidosis patients was subjected to rpsU gene sequencing. Biochemical assessment included the API systems 20 NE and 50 CHE as well as the Micronaut NF system. Fatty acid patterns were assessed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Broth microdilution was used to identify minimum inhibitory concentrations. Five rpsU gene sequence clusters comprised more than one clinical isolate. Altogether, assignments to three species and seven clusters comprising more than one Burkholderia species were performed. Inhomogeneity of biochemical reactions within the clusters ranged from 0/28 to 45/50 reactions. The standard deviation for fatty acid distributions ranged from 0% to 11.5%. Minimum inhibitory concentrations within the clusters showed a wide variation but only minor differences between the clusters. Broad variations within identified rpsU gene sequence clusters regarding biochemical reactions, fatty acid patterns, and resistance patterns of clinical Burkholderia spp. isolates make the application of rpsU gene sequence analysis as a stand-alone procedure for discriminations within the Burkholderia cepacia complex unreliable.
The qualitative and quantitative composition of the essential oils obtained from wild Sicilian rosemary plants (
Rosmarinus officinalis L.) has been investigated. Samples were collected in Sicily ...after an ideal division of the island into three large areas, namely Val Mazara (M), Val di Noto (N) and Val Demona (D), according to an ancient and historical territorial subdivision of the island. The essential oils were obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC-FID-MS, identifying 100 compounds representing more than 96% of the oils. Monoterpenes, both hydrocarbons and oxygenated, were the most highly represented components: the former with a range of 21–68% and the latter with a range of 29–79%. On the basis of the results of this study, comprising a cluster analysis, and on the commonly accepted subdivision of rosemary essential oils, namely
cineoliferum, verbenoniferum and
camphoriferum chemotypes, most of the wild Sicilian rosemary samples must be classified as
cineoliferum chemotype.
The indiscriminate use of toxic substances (pesticides, hormones, antibiotics and others) in agricultural production causes health problems in people and ecosystems, either through direct or indirect ...exposure. For many years these substances have been used in agricultural activities, specifically on a large scale, without taking into account the potential for affecting human health and ecosystems, currently several studies worldwide indicate the presence of pesticides and their metabolites in different environmental and human matrices, which is why it is necessary to investigate these pollutants in water, soil, air, food and people, applying reliable and safe techniques that allow measures to be taken to avoid exposure and subsequent damage to the population, on the other hand, agroecology is presented as an alternative to reduce and avoid the use of toxic substances for the benefit of life. The objectives of this work are to discuss the limits of conventional agriculture and the damage that this production model has for human health and the environment, through the intensive use of agrochemicals, to defend agroecological agriculture as an alternative to healthy food production. and the importance of carrying out the identification and quantification of pesticide residues in different matrices, as a way of monitoring the damage caused by these substances, contributing to overcoming the toxic-dependent production model. Some of the techniques commonly applied today in the country were identified, for the preparation of the sample, solid phase extraction (SPE) and liquid-liquid contact (ELL), liquid-solid (ELS) are applied, among others and for instrumental analysis, gas and liquid chromatography (GC, HPLC) coupled to different detectors (MS, MS/ MS, NPD, ECD, FPD, DAD, FLD).
El uso indiscriminado de sustancias toxicas (agrotóxicos, hormonas, antibióticos y otros) en la producción agrícola, provoca problemas de salud en las personas y en los ecosistemas, ya sea por exposición directa o indirecta. Durante muchos años se ha utilizado estas sustancias en actividades agrícolas, específicamente a gran escala, sin tomar en cuenta el potencial de afección a la salud humana y de los ecosistemas, en la actualidad varios estudios a nivel mundial señalan la presencia de agrotóxicos y sus metabolitos en diferentes matrices ambientales y humanas, por lo que se hace necesario la investigación de estos contaminantes en el agua, suelo, aire, alimentos y personas, aplicando técnicas confiables y seguras, que permitan tomar medidas para evitar la exposición y los posteriores daños en la población, por otro lado la agroecología se presenta como una alternativa para disminuir y evitar el uso de sustancias tóxicas en beneficio de la vida. Los objetivos de este trabajo son Discutir los límites de la agricultura convencional y los daños que este modelo de producción tiene para la salud humana y el ambiente, a través del uso intensivo de agrotóxicos, defender la agricultura agroecológica como alternativa a la producción saludable de alimentos y la importancia de realizar la identificación y cuantificación de los residuos de agrotóxicos en diferentes matrices, como forma de vigilancia de los daños de esas sustancias, contribuyendo para la superación del modelo productivo toxico dependiente. Se identificaron algunas de las técnicas comúnmente aplicadas en la actualidad en el país, para la preparación de la muestra, se aplica extracción en fase sólida (SPE) y de contacto líquido – líquido (ELL), liquido – sólido (ELS) entre otras y para el análisis instrumental, cromatografía gaseosa y líquida (GC, HPLC) acoplada a diferentes detectores (MS, MS/MS, NPD, ECD, FPD, DAD, FLD).
El uso indiscriminado de sustancias toxicas (agrotóxicos, hormonas, antibióticos y otros) en la producción agrícola, provoca problemas de salud en las personas y en los ecosistemas, ya sea por ...exposición directa o indirecta. Durante muchos años se ha utilizado estas sustancias en actividades agrícolas, específicamente a gran escala, sin tomar en cuenta el potencial de afección a la salud humana y de los ecosistemas, en la actualidad varios estudios a nivel mundial señalan la presencia de agrotóxicos y sus metabolitos en diferentes matrices ambientales y humanas, por lo que se hace necesario la investigación de estos contaminantes en el agua, suelo, aire, alimentos y personas, aplicando técnicas confiables y seguras, que permitan tomar medidas para evitar la exposición y los posteriores daños en la población, por otro lado la agroecología se presenta como una alternativa para disminuir y evitar el uso de sustancias tóxicas en beneficio de la vida. Los objetivos de este trabajo son Discutir los límites de la agricultura convencional y los daños que este modelo de producción tiene para la salud humana y el ambiente, a través del uso intensivo de agrotóxicos, defender la agricultura agroecológica como alternativa a la producción saludable de alimentos y la importancia de realizar la identificación y cuantificación de los residuos de agrotóxicos en diferentes matrices, como forma de vigilancia de los daños de esas sustancias, contribuyendo para la superación del modelo productivo toxico dependiente. Se identificaron algunas de las técnicas comúnmente aplicadas en la actualidad en el país, para la preparación de la muestra, se aplica extracción en fase sólida (SPE) y de contacto líquido – líquido (ELL), liquido – sólido (ELS) entre otras y para el análisis instrumental, cromatografía gaseosa y líquida (GC, HPLC) acoplada a diferentes detectores (MS, MS/MS, NPD, ECD, FPD, DAD, FLD).
Jet Propellant 8 (JP-8) jet fuel is a kerosene-based fuel containing hundreds of hydrocarbons used by the military in NATO countries. Previous rodent inhalation studies carried out with aerosolized ...JP-8 never evaluated the exposure chamber atmosphere. For this reason, our laboratory developed an analytical method, with an accuracy of better than 80% and precision of better than 20%, for JP-8 aerosol and vapor samples using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). A method was developed for quantification of selected individual components of JP-8 and for the total amount of JP-8 in aerosolized fuel. A 34 component surrogate hydrocarbon mixture (SHM) was developed and used for simultaneous analysis of the individual components. Three separate runs containing a standard curve and five replicates each at the selected concentrations were analyzed for both the SHM and neat JP-8. The resulting interday accuracy (100
−
percent relative error) and precision (relative standard deviation) values for the SHM were 86.5% or better and 8.0% or better, respectively. The intraday accuracy and precision values ranged from 99.29% to 84.50% and 0.97% to 12.4%, respectively. For the total amount of JP-8 in aerosol and vapor, the interday accuracy was 83.7% or better and interday precision was 7.0% or better. The intraday accuracy and precision values ranged from 94.8% to 80.4% and 2.4% to 10.5%, respectively. We then used this method to analyze samples collected from an inhalation chamber. From the data obtained, we are able to account for approximately 40–44% of the mass of the aerosol portion and 68–70% of the mass of the vapor portion. The aerosol represented 6–10% of the total mass of the aerosolized JP-8 fuel with the remaining portion being the vapor. From these experiments individual components were identified for further in vivo and in vitro toxicological testing.
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