Many Classes (many + class)

Distribution by Scientific Domains


Selected Abstracts


Neurotransmitter properties of spinal interneurons in embryonic and larval zebrafish

THE JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE NEUROLOGY, Issue 1 2004
Shin-Ichi Higashijima
Abstract Many classes of spinal interneurons in zebrafish have been described based on morphology, but their transmitter phenotypes are largely unknown. Here we combine back-filling or genetic labeling of spinal interneurons with in situ staining for markers of neurotransmitter phenotypes, including the vesicular glutamate transporter (VGLUT) genes for glutamatergic neurons, the neuronal glycine transporter (GLYT2) for glycinergic neurons, and glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) for GABAergic neurons. Neurons positive for VGLUT include the commissural CoPA, MCoD, UCoD, and some of the CoSA neurons. The CiD interneurons, which have ipsilateral descending axons, were also VGLUT -positive, as were the ventrally located VeMe interneurons, whose descending axonal trajectory has not been clearly revealed. Cells positive for GLYT2 include the commissural CoLAs as well as some of the CoBL and CoSA neurons. The CiA cells were the only GLYT2 -positive cells with an ipsilateral axon. Cells staining for GAD included, most notably, the dorsal longitudinal ascending (DoLA) and KA interneurons. Our approach allowed us to define the likely transmitter phenotypes of most of the known classes of spinal interneurons. These data provide a foundation for understanding the functional organization of the spinal networks in zebrafish. J. Comp. Neurol. 480:19,37, 2004. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


The organisation of invertebrate brains: cells, synapses and circuits

ACTA ZOOLOGICA, Issue 1 2010
Ian A. Meinertzhagen
Abstract Meinertzhagen, I.A. 2010. The organisation of invertebrate brains: cells, synapses and circuits. ,Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 91: 64,71 Invertebrate brains are structurally diverse. Neuron numbers range from ,102 to 108 in different groups, compared with larger numbers in vertebrate brains, ,107 to 1014. The underpopulated brains of invertebrates are noted in their extreme cases for having few cells, and neurons that can be identified from animal to animal, many known in great detail. Although few in number, invertebrate neurons nevertheless comprise many classes. Correlated with the paucity of their number they are sparsely connected, many having ,50 synapses or fewer. Synaptic densities, roughly 1 per ,m3 of neuropile, differ little from those for much larger vertebrate neurons. Invertebrate neurons differ from their vertebrate counterparts in the position of their soma, generally in a cortex surrounding the neuropile that consequently occupies a relatively small volume. Their axons typically lack myelin and, supporting a range of conduction velocities, have diameters that differ over a wide range, from 103 to 10,1,m. Nerves with thousands of axons differ from neuropile fascicles, which typically have 20 or less. Unlike most vertebrate synapses, but like those of the vertebrate retina, synapses in many invertebrate groups , probably all ecdysozoans and possibly some lophotrochozoans , have synaptic contacts with multiple postsynaptic elements, dyads, triads and so on. [source]


Clinical Information Systems: Instant Ubiquitous Clinical Data for Error Reduction and Improved Clinical Outcomes

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE, Issue 11 2004
Craig F. Feied MD
Abstract Immediate access to existing clinical information is inadequate in current medical practice; lack of existing information causes or contributes to many classes of medical error, including diagnostic and treatment error. A review of the literature finds ample evidence to support a description of the problems caused by data that are missing or unavailable but little evidence to support one proposed solution over another. A primary recommendation of the Consensus Committee is that hospitals and departments should adopt systems that provide fast, ubiquitous, and unified access to all types of existing data. Additional recommendations cover a variety of related functions and operational concepts, from backups and biosurveillance to speed, training, and usability. [source]


Synthesis and Properties of Oligodeoxynucleotide Analogs with Bis(methylene) Sulfone Bridges

HELVETICA CHIMICA ACTA, Issue 9 2003
Bernd Eschgfäller
A convergent, solution-phase synthesis was developed for the bis(methylene) sulfone-bridged oligodeoxynucleotide analogs (SNA) 5,-d(HOCH2 -Tso2Tso2Tso2Cso2Tso2Tso2Tso2T-CH2SO)-3, (35b) and 5,-d(HOCH2 -Tso2Tso2Tso2Tso2Tso2Tso2Tso2T-CH2SO)-3, (34c) (SO2 corresponds to CH2SO2CH2 instead of OP(O)(O,)(O). In these, the phosphodiester linkages are replaced by non-ionic bis(methylene) sulfone linkers. The general strategy involved convergent coupling of 3,,5,-bishomo- , - D -deoxyribonucleotide analogs functionalized at the 6,-end (CH2C(5,)) as bromides or mesylates and at the CH2C(3,) position as thiols, with the resulting thioether being oxidized to the corresponding sulfone. A single charge was introduced at the terminal CH2C(3,) position of the octamers to increase their solubility in water. During the synthesis, it became apparent that the key intermediates generated secondary structures through either folding or aggregation in a variety of solvents. This generated unusual reactivity and was unique for very similar structures. For example, although the dimeric thiol d(BzOCH2 -Tso2C-CH2SH) (14b) was a well-behaved synthetic intermediate, the tetrameric thiol d(TrOCH2 -Tso2Tso2Tso2toC-CH2SH) derived from the corresponding thioacetate was rapidly converted to a disulfide by very small amounts of oxidant (28,29, Scheme,6), while the analogous tetrameric thiol d(BzOCH2 -Tso2TsTso2T-CH2SH) (26), differing only by a single heterocycle, was oxidized much more slowly (Bz=PhCO, Tr=Ph3C, to=2-MeC6H4CO (at N4 of dc)). The sequence-dependent reactivity, well known in many classes of natural products (including polypeptides), is not prominent in natural oligonucleotides. These results are discussed in light of the proposal that the repeating negative charge in nucleic acids is key to their ability to serve as genetic molecules, in particular, their capability to support Darwinian evolution. The ability of 5,-d(HOCH2 -Tso2Tso2Tso2Cso2Tso2Tso2Tso2T-CH2SO)-3, (35b) to bind as a third strand to duplex DNA was also examined. No triple-helix-forming propensity was detected in this molecule. [source]


On the Fracture Toughness of Advanced Materials

ADVANCED MATERIALS, Issue 20 2009
Maximilien E. Launey
Abstract Few engineering materials are limited by their strength; rather they are limited by their resistance to fracture or fracture toughness. It is not by accident that most critical structures, such as bridges, ships, nuclear pressure vessels and so forth, are manufactured from materials that are comparatively low in strength but high in toughness. Indeed, in many classes of materials, strength and toughness are almost mutually exclusive. From a fracture-mechanics perspective, the ability of a microstructure to develop toughening mechanisms acting either ahead or behind the crack tip can result in resistance-curve (R-curve) behavior where the fracture resistance actually increases with crack extension; the implication here is that toughness is often developed primarily during crack growth and not for crack initiation. Biological materials are perfect examples of this; moreover, they offer microstructural design strategies for the development of new materials for structural applications demanding combinations of both strength and toughness. [source]


Dehn surgeries on periodic links

MATHEMATISCHE NACHRICHTEN, Issue 5-6 2006
E. Barbieri
Abstract We consider orientable closed connected 3-manifolds obtained by Dehn surgeries with rational coefficients along the components of certain periodic links. These manifolds extend many classes of (hyperbolic) manifolds considered by several authors (see the references). We find geometric presentations of the fundamental group of such manifolds, and study some covering properties of them. Then we obtain results on their geometric structures in many cases. (© 2006 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [source]


Generalized multivalued nonlinear quasivariational inclusions

MATHEMATISCHE NACHRICHTEN, Issue 1 2003
Zeqing Liu
Abstract In this paper, we introduce and study a few classes of generalized multivalued nonlinear quasivariational inclusions and generalized nonlinear quasivariational inequalities, which include many classes of variational inequalities, quasivariational inequalities and variational inclusions as special cases. Using the resolvent operator technique for maximal monotone mapping, we construct some new iterative algorithms for finding the approximate solutions of these classes of quasivariational inclusions and quasivariational inequalities. We establish the existence of solutions for this generalized nonlinear quasivariational inclusions involving both relaxed Lipschitz and strongly monotone and generalized pseudocontractive mappings and obtain the convergence of iterative sequences generated by the algorithms. Under certain conditions, we derive the existence of a unique solution for the generalized nonlinear quasivariational inequalities and obtain the convergence and stability results of the Noor type perturbed iterative algorithm. The results proved in this paper represent significant refinements and improvements of the previously known results in this area. [source]


Botrytis cinerea: the cause of grey mould disease

MOLECULAR PLANT PATHOLOGY, Issue 5 2007
BRIAN WILLIAMSON
SUMMARY Introduction:,Botrytis cinerea (teleomorph: Botryotinia fuckeliana) is an airborne plant pathogen with a necrotrophic lifestyle attacking over 200 crop hosts worldwide. Although there are fungicides for its control, many classes of fungicides have failed due to its genetic plasticity. It has become an important model for molecular study of necrotrophic fungi. Taxonomy:, Kingdom: Fungi, phylum: Ascomycota, subphylum: Pezizomycotina, class: Leotiomycetes, order: Helotiales, family: Sclerotiniaceae, genus: Botryotinia. Host range and symptoms: Over 200 mainly dicotyledonous plant species, including important protein, oil, fibre and horticultural crops, are affected in temperate and subtropical regions. It can cause soft rotting of all aerial plant parts, and rotting of vegetables, fruits and flowers post-harvest to produce prolific grey conidiophores and (macro)conidia typical of the disease. Pathogenicity:,B. cinerea produces a range of cell-wall-degrading enzymes, toxins and other low-molecular-weight compounds such as oxalic acid. New evidence suggests that the pathogen triggers the host to induce programmed cell death as an attack strategy. Resistance:, There are few examples of robust genetic host resistance, but recent work has identified quantitative trait loci in tomato that offer new approaches for stable polygenic resistance in future. Useful websites:,http://www.phi-base.org/query.php, http://www.broad.mit.edu/annotation/genome/botrytis_cinerea/Home.html, http://urgi.versailles.inra.fr/projects/Botrytis/, http://cogeme.ex.ac.uk [source]


United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service research on managing insect resistance to insecticides,,

PEST MANAGEMENT SCIENCE (FORMERLY: PESTICIDE SCIENCE), Issue 6-7 2003
Gary W Elzen
Abstract Insecticide resistance has developed within many classes of pesticide, and over 500 species of insects and mites are resistant to one or more insecticides. Insecticide resistance and the consequent losses of food and fiber caused by failure to control insect and mite pests causes economic losses of several billion dollars worldwide each year. It is the goal of insect resistance management (IRM) to preserve useful pesticides by slowing, preventing or reversing development of resistance in pests. Important aspects of this goal are understanding the development of resistance and monitoring to determine ways to prevent its development. We describe programs specific to missions of the US Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, which are designed to characterize insecticide resistance in insects and mites with the goal of managing pests in an ecologically acceptable manner. Resistance management of cotton, potatoes, vegetables, melons, ornamentals, greenhouse crops, corn, stored grains, livestock, honeybees and mites, as well as management of transgenic crops are evaluated. We conclude that IRM is a vital part of stewardship of any pest management product and must be a combined effort of manufacturers, growers, consultants, extension services and grower organizations, working closely with regulators, to achieve logistically and economically feasible systems that prolong the effectiveness of all pest-control products. Published in 2003 for SCI by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [source]


Composition of perineuronal nets in the adult rat cerebellum and the cellular origin of their components

THE JOURNAL OF COMPARATIVE NEUROLOGY, Issue 4 2006
Daniela Carulli
Abstract The decrease in plasticity that occurs in the central nervous system during postnatal development is accompanied by the appearance of perineuronal nets (PNNs) around the cell body and dendrites of many classes of neuron. These structures are composed of extracellular matrix molecules, such as chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs), hyaluronan (HA), tenascin-R, and link proteins. To elucidate the role played by neurons and glial cells in constructing PNNs, we studied the expression of PNN components in the adult rat cerebellum by immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization. In the deep cerebellar nuclei, only large excitatory neurons were surrounded by nets, which contained the CSPGs aggrecan, neurocan, brevican, versican, and phosphacan, along with tenascin-R and HA. Whereas both net-bearing neurons and glial cells were the sources of CSPGs and tenascin-R, only the neurons expressed the mRNA for HA synthases (HASs), cartilage link protein, and link protein Bral2. In the cerebellar cortex, Golgi neurons possessed PNNs and also synthesized HASs, cartilage link protein, and Bral2 mRNAs. To see whether HA might link PNNs to the neuronal cell surface by binding to a receptor, we investigated the expression of the HA receptors CD44, RHAMM, and LYVE-1. No immunolabelling for HA receptors on the membrane of net-bearing neurons was found. We therefore propose that HASs, which can retain HA on the cell surface, may act as a link between PNNs and neurons. Thus, HAS and link proteins might be key molecules for PNN formation and stability. J. Comp. Neurol. 494:559,577, 2006. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [source]


Structure,Activity Relationship Studies on Derivatives of Eudesmanolides from Inula helenium as Toxicants against Aedes aegypti Larvae and Adults

CHEMISTRY & BIODIVERSITY, Issue 7 2010
Charles
Abstract An Aedes aegypti larval toxicity bioassay was performed on compounds representing many classes of natural compounds including polyacetylenes, phytosterols, flavonoids, sesquiterpenoids, and triterpenoids. Among these compounds, two eudesmanolides, alantolactone, and isoalantolactone showed larvicidal activities against Ae. aegypti and, therefore, were chosen for further structure,activity relationship study. In this study, structural modifications were performed on both alantolactone and isoalantolactone in an effort to understand the functional groups necessary for maintaining and/or increasing its activity, and to possibly lead to more effective insect-control agents. All parent compounds and synthetic modification reaction products were evaluated for their toxic activities against Ae. aegypti larvae and adults. Structure modifications included epoxidations, reductions, catalytic hydrogenations, and Michael additions to the ,,, -unsaturated lactones. None of the synthetic isomers synthesized and screened against Ae. aegypti larvae were more active than isoalantolactone itself which had an LC50 value of 10.0,,g/ml. This was not the case for analogs of alantolactone for which many of the analogs had larvicidal activities ranging from 12.4 to 69.9,,g/ml. In general, activity trends observed from Ae. aegypti larval screening were not consistent with observations from adulticidal screening. The propylamine Michael addition analog of alantolactone was the most active adulticide synthesized with an LC50 value of 1.07,,g/mosquito. In addition, the crystal structures of both alantolactone and isoalantolactone were determined using CuK, radiation, which allowed their absolute configurations to be determined based on resonant scattering of the light atoms. [source]