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Distribution by Scientific Domains
Life Sciences40%

Selected Abstracts

Bulk Heterojunctions: Ultrafast Hole-Transfer Dynamics in Polymer/PCBM Bulk Heterojunctions (Adv. Funct.

ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS, Issue 10 2010
Mater.
The active layer of the currently most efficient plastic photovoltaic cells is a blend of polymer and methanofullerene molecules. In their article on page 1653, M. S. Pshenichnikov et al. show that hole transfer upon methanofullerene excitation operates simultaneously with electron transfer as the charge generation process in plastic photovoltaics, at a staggering timescale of 30 fs. [source]

Cannabinoid signalling in the enteric nervous system

NEUROGASTROENTEROLOGY & MOTILITY, Issue 9 2009
J. J. Galligan
Abstract, Cannabinoid signalling is an important mechanism of synaptic modulation in the nervous system. Endogenous cannabinoids (anandamide and 2-arachidonyl-glycerol) are synthesized and released via calcium-activated biosynthetic pathways. Exogenous cannabinoids and endocannabinoids act on CB1 and CB2 receptors. CB1 receptors are neuronal receptors which couple via G-proteins to inhibition of adenylate cyclase or to activation or inhibition of ion channels. CB2 receptors are expressed by immune cells and cannabinoids can suppress immune function. In the central nervous system, the endocannabinoids may function as retrograde signals released by the postsynaptic neuron to inhibit neurotransmitter release from presynaptic nerve terminals. Enteric neurons also express CB receptors. Exogenously applied CB receptor agonists inhibit enteric neuronal activity but it is not clear if endocannabinoids released by enteric neurons can produce similar responses in the enteric nervous system (ENS). In this issue of Neurogastroenterology and Motility, Boesmans et al. show that CB1 receptor activation on myenteric neurons maintained in primary culture can suppress neuronal activity, inhibit synaptic transmission and mitochondrial transport along axons. They also provide initial evidence that myenteric neurons (or other cell types present in the cultures) release endocannabinoids and which activate CB1 receptors constitutively. These data provide new information about targets for cannabinoid signalling in the ENS and highlight the potential importance of CB receptors as drug targets. It is necessary that future work extends these interesting findings to intact tissues and ideally to the in vivo setting. [source]

Smooth muscle phenotypic plasticity in mechanical obstruction of the small intestine

NEUROGASTROENTEROLOGY & MOTILITY, Issue 7 2008
J. A. Macdonald
Abstract, Chronic, partial obstruction of the small intestine can dramatically alter peristaltic contractile properties. Morphological studies have revealed hypertrophy of the circular smooth muscle cells in the constricted part of the intestine. In this issue of Neurogastroenterology and Motility, Chen et al. show that hyperplasia and hypertrophy of intestinal smooth muscle cells occur at distinct times in response to partial obstruction of the ileum. Furthermore, the first evidence is provided to link intestinal smooth muscle remodelling during mechanical obstruction with changes in serum response factor and two of its co-regulating factors, myocardin and Elk-1. [source]

NTE: One target protein for different toxic syndromes with distinct mechanisms?

BIOESSAYS, Issue 8 2003
Paul Glynn
Epidemics of organophosphate-induced delayed neuropathy (OPIDN) have paralysed thousands of people. This syndrome of nerve axon degeneration is initiated by organophosphates which react with neuropathy target esterase (NTE). Dosing experiments with adult chickens raise the possibility that OPIDN is initiated by a gain-of-function mechanism. By contrast, loss of NTE function by mutation causes massive apoptosis in Drosophila brain. Now, Winrow et al. show that nte,/, mice die by mid-gestation, but nte+/, mice appear hyperactive and are more sensitive than wild-type mice to a fatal form of OP toxicity.1 Thus, different toxic syndromes may be initiated via a single target protein. BioEssays 25:742,745, 2003. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source]

Cover Picture: Biotechnology Journal 2/2010

BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL, Issue 2 2010
Article first published online: 11 FEB 2010
Cover illustration Focus: Transgenic Crops. This issue of BTJ highlights two articles about transgenic crops. Erlendsson et al. show for the first time that barley can be used as a green factory for growth factors (pp. 163,171); Herman et al. use a transclinic medicine model to access the safety of transgenic crops (pp. 172,182); Image © PhotoDisc/Getty Images. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/biot.200900111; http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/biot.200900217. [source]