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Information Storage (information + storage)
Selected AbstractsDiverse Redox-Active Molecules Bearing Identical Thiol-Terminated Tripodal Tethers for Studies of Molecular Information Storage.CHEMINFORM, Issue 26 2004Lingyun Wei No abstract is available for this article. [source] BDNF,triggered events in the rat hippocampus are required for both short- and long-term memory formationHIPPOCAMPUS, Issue 4 2002Mariana Alonso Abstract Information storage in the brain is a temporally graded process involving different memory types or phases. It has been assumed for over a century that one or more short-term memory (STM) processes are involved in processing new information while long-term memory (LTM) is being formed. Because brain-derived neutrophic factor (BDNF) modulates both short-term synaptic function and activity-dependent synaptic plasticity in the adult hippocampus, we examined the role of BDNF in STM and LTM formation of a hippocampal-dependent one-trial fear-motivated learning task in rats. Using a competitive RT-PCR quantitation method, we found that inhibitory avoidance training is associated with a rapid and transient increase in BDNF mRNA expression in the hippocampus. Bilateral infusions of function-blocking anti-BDNF antibody into the CA1 region of the dorsal hippocampus decreased extracellular signal,regulated kinase 2 (ERK2) activation and impaired STM retention scores. Inhibition of ERK1/2 activation by PD098059 produced similar effects. In contrast, intrahippocampal administration of recombinant human BDNF increased ERK1/2 activation and facilitated STM. The infusion of anti-BDNF antibody impaired LTM when given 15 min before or 1 and 4 hr after training, but not at 0 or 6 hr posttraining, indicating that two hippocampal BDNF-sensitive time windows are critical for LTM formation. At the same time points, PD098059 produced no LTM deficits. Thus, our results indicate that endogenous BDNF is required for both STM and LTM formation of an inhibitory avoidance learning. Additionally, they suggest that this requirement involves ERK1/2-dependent and -independent mechanisms. Hippocampus 2002;12:551,560. © 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] In vitro and in vivo characterization of TC-1827, a novel brain ,4,2 nicotinic receptor agonist with pro-cognitive activityDRUG DEVELOPMENT RESEARCH, Issue 1 2004Georg Andrees Bohme Abstract Nicotine activates specific receptors that are cation-permeable ionic channels located in the central and autonomous nervous systems, as well as at the neuromuscular junction. Administration of nicotine to animals and humans has been shown to enhance cognitive processes. However, side effects linked to the activation of peripheral nicotinic receptors limit the usefulness of nicotine for the treatment of cognitive disorders such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) or mild cognitive impairments (MCI). The synthesis and properties of TC-1827, a novel metanicotine derivative that activates brain ,4,2 nicotinic receptors is described. TC-1827 has high affinity for nicotine-labeled receptors in the cortex (Ki=34 nM), full-agonist intrinsic activity in ,4,2 -mediated neurotransmitter release studies in synaptosomes, and has no functional activity at nicotinic receptors in ganglionic or muscular cell lines. The compound enhances long-term potentiation in hippocampal slices, a form of synaptic plasticity thought to be involved in information storage at the cellular level. In vivo studies demonstrate that TC-1827 dose-dependently occupies thalamic nicotinic receptors labeled with [3H]-cytisine, increases cortical extracellular acetylcholine levels following oral administration, and enhances cognitive performance in rat and mice behavioral procedures of learning and memory. Pharmacokinetic studies in mice, rats, and monkeys indicated that TC-1827 has good oral absorption with a first pass effect resulting in bioavailabilities of 13,65% across dose/species. Cardiovascular safety studies indicate good cardiovascular tolerability for this compound. The present data demonstrate that TC-1827 is a selective and potent activator of brain ,4,2 nicotinic receptors and is a prototypical member of a new class of compounds with potential utility in the symptomatic treatment of cognitive disorders including AD and MCI. Drug Dev. Res. 62:26,40, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source] An integrated map of the murine hippocampal proteome based upon five mouse strainsELECTROPHORESIS, Issue 13 2006Daniela D. Pollak Abstract With the advent of proteomics technologies it is possible to simultaneously demonstrate the expression of hundreds of proteins. The information offered by proteomics provides context-based understanding of cellular protein networks and has been proven to be a valuable approach in neuroscience studies. The mouse hippocampus has been a major target of analysis in the search for molecular correlates to neuronal information storage. Although human and rat hippocampal samples have been successfully subjected to proteomic profiling, no elaborate analysis providing the fundamental experimental basis for protein-expression studies in the mouse hippocampus has been carried out as yet. This led us to construct a master map generated from the individual hippocampal proteomes of five different mouse strains. A proteomic approach, based upon 2-DE coupled to MS (MALDI-TOF/TOF) has been chosen in an attempt to establish a comprehensive reference database of proteins expressed in the mouse hippocampus. 469 individual proteins, represented by 1156 spots displaying various functional states of the respective gene products were identified. Proteomic profiling of the hippocampus, a brain region with a pivotal role for neuronal information processing and storage may provide insight into the characteristics of proteins serving this highly sophisticated function. [source] Learning-associated regulation of polysialylated neural cell adhesion molecule expression in the rat prefrontal cortex is region-, cell type- and paradigm-specificEUROPEAN JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE, Issue 3 2008Judith P. F. Ter Horst Abstract The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is an interconnected set of cortical areas that function in the synthesis of a diverse range of information and production of complex behaviour. It is now clear that these frontal structures, through bidirectional excitatory communication with the hippocampal formation, also play a substantial role in long-term memory consolidation. In the hippocampus, morphological synaptic plasticity, supported by regulation of neural cell adhesion molecule (NCAM) polysialylation status, is crucial to information storage. The recent description of polysialylated neurons in the various fields of the medial PFC suggests these structures to possess a similar capacity for synaptic plasticity. Here, using double-labelling immunohistochemistry with glutamic acid decarboxylase 67, we report that the nature of NCAM polysialic acid-positive neurons in the PFC is region-specific, with a high proportion (30,50%) of a ,-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic phenotype in the more ventral infralimbic, orbitofrontal and insular cortices compared with just 10% in the dorsal structures of the cingulate, prelimbic and frontal cortices. Moreover, spatial learning was accompanied by activations in polysialylation expression in ventral PFC structures, while avoidance conditioning involved downregulation of this plasticity marker that was restricted to the dorsomedial PFC , the cingulate and prelimbic cortices. Thus, in contrast to other structures integrated functionally with the hippocampus, memory-associated plasticity mobilized in the PFC is region-, cell type- and task-specific. [source] Strain-dependent regulation of neurotransmission and actin-remodelling proteins in the mouse hippocampusGENES, BRAIN AND BEHAVIOR, Issue 2 2006D. D. Pollak Individual mouse strains differ significantly in terms of behaviour, cognitive function and long-term potentiation. Hippocampal gene expression profiling of eight different mouse strains points towards strain-specific regulation of genes involved in neuronal information storage. Protein expression with regard to strain- dependent expression of structures related to neuronal information storage has not been investigated yet. Herein, a proteomic approach based on two-dimensional gel electrophoresis coupled with mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/TOF) has been chosen to address this question by determining strain-dependent expression of proteins involved in neurotransmission and activity-induced actin remodelling in hippocampal tissue of five mouse strains. Of 31 spots representing 16 different gene products analysed and quantified, N -ethylmaleimide-sensitive fusion protein, N -ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein-,, actin-like protein 3, profilin and cofilin were expressed in a strain-dependent manner. By treating protein expression as a phenotype, we have shown significant genetic variation in brain protein expression. Further experiments in this direction may provide an indication of the genetic elements that contribute to the phenotypic differences between the selected strains through the expressional level of the translated protein. In view of this, we propose that proteomic analysis enabling to concomitantly survey the expression of a large number of proteins could serve as a valuable tool for genetic and physiological studies of central nervous system function. [source] Nanopatterning Soluble Multifunctional Materials by Unconventional Wet LithographyADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 10-11 2009Massimiliano Cavallini Abstract Molecular multifunctional materials have potential applications in many fields of technology, such as electronics, optics and optoelectronics, information storage, sensing, and energy conversion and storage. These materials are designed exhibit enhanced properties, and at the same time are endowed with functional groups that control their interactions, and hence self-organization, into a variety of supramolecular architectures. Since most of the multifunctional materials are soluble, lithographic methods suitable for solutions are attracting increasing interest for the manufacturing of the new materials and their applications. The aim of this paper is to highlight some of the recent advances of solution-based fabrication of multifunctional materials. We explain and examine the principles, processes, materials, and limitations of this class of patterning techniques, which we term unconventional wet lithographies (UWLs). We describe their ability to yield patterns and structures whose feature sizes range from nanometers to micrometers. In the following sections, we focus our attention on micromolding in capillaries, lithographically controlled wetting, and grid-assisted deposition, the most used methods demonstrated to lead to fully operating devices. [source] Storage of linguistic information in a continuous classifying associative memoryINTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INTELLIGENT SYSTEMS, Issue 6 2002Antonio B. Bailón In this article, we analyze the use of the continuous classifying associative memory (CCLAM) to store linguistic information. Freedom in the choice of the functions that control the operation of the CCLAM equip this memory with the capacity to adapt to different information storage and recovery needs. We begin with the problem of storing linguistic terms by memorizing the patterns formed by the degrees of compatibility with these terms. After that, the problem of storing linguistic rules is discussed. Let us remark that in these cases not a single CCLAM is used, but rather a set of them connected in suitable structured ways. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [source] The Kv4.2 mediates excitatory activity-dependent regulation of neuronal excitability in rat cortical neuronsJOURNAL OF NEUROCHEMISTRY, Issue 3 2008Bin Shen Abstract Neuronal excitability can cooperate with synaptic transmission to control the information storage. This regulation of neuronal plasticity can be affected by alterations in neuronal inputs and accomplished by modulation of voltage-dependent ion channels. In this study, we report that enhanced excitatory input negatively regulated neuronal excitability. Enhanced excitatory input by glutamate, electric field stimulation or high K+ increased transient outward K+ current, whereas did not affect the delayed rectifier K+ current in rat cultured cortical neurons. Both the voltage-dependent K+ channel 4.2 and 4.3 subunits contributed to the increase. The increase in the K+ current density by Kv4.2 was ascribed to its cytoplasmic membrane translocation, which was mediated by NMDA type of glutamate receptor. Furthermore, enhanced excitatory input inhibited neuronal excitability. Taken together, our results suggest that excitatory neurotransmission affects neuronal excitability via the regulation of the K+ channel membrane translocation. [source] Simulation of 4 × 4 light coupling to a single-mode fiberMICROWAVE AND OPTICAL TECHNOLOGY LETTERS, Issue 2 2005Hen-Wai Tsao Abstract The novel design of a microlens array is presented for the analysis of a 4 × 4 nanoscale vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) array, which launches parallel light to a single-mode fiber (SMF) with a length of 100 cm. These results are useful for realization of high-density information storage and information transfer. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 46: 103,106, 2005; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.20914 [source] Cover Picture: (Mol. Inf.MOLECULAR INFORMATICS, Issue 8-9 20108-9/2010) Molecular Informatics publishes research that will deepen our understanding about information storage and processing on the molecular level, signaling and regulation of biological and chemical systems including cellular systems and macromolecular assemblies, modeling of molecular interactions and networks, and the design of molecular modulators that exhibit desired biochemical and pharmacological effects. Various aspects of this transdisciplinary scientific area are depicted on the cover: Cells with their nuclei and membranes (image courtesy of Dr. A. Schreiner and E. Resch), models of receptor-ligand interactions, and an artistic representation of "biological information" as multiple bit-codes presented on a right-handed helix. [source] Cover Picture: (Mol. Inf.MOLECULAR INFORMATICS, Issue 6-7 20107/2010) Molecular Informatics publishes research that will deepen our understanding about information storage and processing on the molecular level, signaling and regulation of biological and chemical systems including cellular systems and macromolecular assemblies, modeling of molecular interactions and networks, and the design of molecular modulators that exhibit desired biochemical and pharmacological effects. Various aspects of this transdisciplinary scientific area are depicted on the cover: Cells with their nuclei and membranes (image courtesy of Dr. A. Schreiner and E. Resch), models of receptor-ligand interactions, and an artistic representation of "biological information" as multiple bit-codes presented on a right-handed helix. [source] Cover Picture: (Mol. Inf.MOLECULAR INFORMATICS, Issue 5 20105/2010) Molecular Informatics publishes research that will deepen our understanding about information storage and processing on the molecular level, signaling and regulation of biological and chemical systems including cellular systems and macromolecular assemblies, modeling of molecular interactions and networks, and the design of molecular modulators that exhibit desired biochemical and pharmacological effects. Various aspects of this transdisciplinary scientific area are depicted on the cover: Cells with their nuclei and membranes (image courtesy of Dr. A. Schreiner and E. Resch), models of receptor-ligand interactions, and an artistic representation of "biological information" as multiple bit-codes presented on a right-handed helix. [source] Cover Picture: (Mol. Inf.MOLECULAR INFORMATICS, Issue 4 20104/2010) Molecular Informatics publishes research that will deepen our understanding about information storage and processing on the molecular level, signaling and regulation of biological and chemical systems including cellular systems and macromolecular assemblies, modeling of molecular interactions and networks, and the design of molecular modulators that exhibit desired biochemical and pharmacological effects. Various aspects of this transdisciplinary scientific area are depicted on the cover: Cells with their nuclei and membranes (image courtesy of Dr. A. Schreiner and E. Resch), models of receptor-ligand interactions, and an artistic representation of "biological information" as multiple bit-codes presented on a right-handed helix. [source] Cover Picture: (Mol. Inf.MOLECULAR INFORMATICS, Issue 3 20103/2010) Molecular Informatics publishes research that will deepen our understanding about information storage and processing on the molecular level, signaling and regulation of biological and chemical systems including cellular systems and macromolecular assemblies, modeling of molecular interactions and networks, and the design of molecular modulators that exhibit desired biochemical and pharmacological effects. Various aspects of this transdisciplinary scientific area are depicted on the cover: Cells with their nuclei and membranes (image courtesy of Dr. A. Schreiner and E. Resch), models of receptor-ligand interactions, and an artistic representation of "biological information" as multiple bit-codes presented on a right-handed helix. [source] Cover Picture: (Mol. Inf.MOLECULAR INFORMATICS, Issue 1-2 20101-2/2010) Molecular Informatics publishes research that will deepen our understanding about information storage and processing on the molecular level, signaling and regulation of biological and chemical systems including cellular systems and macromolecular assemblies, modeling of molecular interactions and networks, and the design of molecular modulators that exhibit desired biochemical and pharmacological effects. Various aspects of this transdisciplinary scientific area are depicted on the cover: Cells with their nuclei and membranes (image courtesy of Dr. A. Schreiner and E. Resch), models of receptor-ligand interactions, and an artistic representation of "biological information" as multiple bit-codes presented on a right-handed helix. [source] Syntheses and properties of polyurethanes containing side-chain azobenzene groupsPOLYMER INTERNATIONAL, Issue 5 2003Mi-Ra Kim Abstract Polymers containing azobenzene groups have the characteristic reaction of photo-induced cis,trans isomerism. The study of new materials for optical information storage has prompted making use of these photo-isomerizations. In this study, we report the syntheses and properties of four different polyurethanes (DR-PUns) containing azobenzene groups in the side-chains. The structurally similar polyurethanes (DR-PUns) were synthesized by the polycondensation reaction of Disperse Red 19 (DR 19) and four different diisocyanates in dimethylformamide. By introducing of DR 19 into the polymer, we obtained polymers containing a photochromic group in the side-chain. The weight-average molecular weights of the DR-PUns were in the range 5500,12,900. The Tgs of the DR-PUns range from 119.5,°C to 157.0,°C, depending on the structure of the diisocyanate. Optical properties and solubilities of the polyurethanes were compared. The diffraction efficiencies of films were measured as a function of the reaction time. Typically, the diffraction efficiencies of the DR-PU1 film prepared from toluene 2,4-diisocyanate were observed up to a level of 0.25%. For the DR-PU1 film, the effect of the intensity of the induced laser beam on the diffraction efficiency is also discussed. © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry [source] Activation of M2 muscarinic receptors leads to sustained suppression of hippocampal transmission in the medial prefrontal cortexTHE JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 21 2009Lang Wang Cholinergic innervation of the prefrontal cortex is critically involved in arousal, learning and memory. Dysfunction of muscarinic acetylcholine receptors and their downstream signalling pathways has been identified in mental retardation. To assess the role played by the muscarinic receptors at the hippocampal,frontal cortex synapses, an important relay in information storage, we used a newly developed frontal slice preparation in which hippocampal afferent fibres are preserved. Transient activation of muscarinic receptors by carbachol results in a long-lasting depression of synaptic efficacy at the hippocampal but not cortical pathways or local circuitry. On the basis of a combination of electrophysiological, pharmacological and anatomical results, this input-specific muscarinic modulation can be partially attributed to the M2 subtype of muscarinic receptors, possibly through a combination of pre- and postsynaptic mechanisms. [source] Multiple forms of activity-dependent intrinsic plasticity in layer V cortical neurones in vivoTHE JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY, Issue 13 2009Jeanne T. Paz Synaptic plasticity is classically considered as the neuronal substrate for learning and memory. However, activity-dependent changes in neuronal intrinsic excitability have been reported in several learning-related brain regions, suggesting that intrinsic plasticity could also participate to information storage. Compared to synaptic plasticity, there has been little exploration of the properties of induction and expression of intrinsic plasticity in an intact brain. Here, by the means of in vivo intracellular recordings in the rat we have examined how the intrinsic excitability of layer V motor cortex pyramidal neurones is altered following brief periods of repeated firing. Changes in membrane excitability were assessed by modifications in the discharge frequency versus injected current (F,I) curves. Most (,64%) conditioned neurones exhibited a long-lasting intrinsic plasticity, which was expressed either by selective changes in the current threshold or in the slope of the F,I curve, or by concomitant changes in both parameters. These modifications in the neuronal input,output relationship led to a global increase or decrease in intrinsic excitability. Passive electrical membrane properties were unaffected by the intracellular conditioning, indicating that intrinsic plasticity resulted from modifications of voltage-gated ion channels. These results demonstrate that neocortical pyramidal neurones can express in vivo a bidirectional use-dependent intrinsic plasticity, modifying their sensitivity to weak inputs and/or the gain of their input,output function. These multiple forms of experience-dependent intrinsic changes, which expand the computational abilities of individual neurones, could shape new network dynamics and thus might participate in the formation of mnemonic motor engrams. [source] | ||||||||||||||||