Neuronal expression of muskelin in the rodent central nervous system

Background  

The kelch repeat protein muskelin mediates cytoskeletal responses to the extracellular matrix protein thrombospondin 1, (TSP1), that is known to promote synaptogenesis in the central nervous system (CNS). Muskelin displays intracellular localization and affects cytoskeletal organization in adherent cells. Muskelin is expressed in adult brain and has been reported to bind the Cdk5 activator p39, which also facilitates the formation of functional synapses. Since little is known about muskelin in neuronal tissues, we here analysed the tissue distribution of muskelin in rodent brain and analysed its subcellular localization using cultured neurons from multiple life stages.     

Regulation of nestin expression by thrombin and cell density in cultures of bone mesenchymal stem cells and radial glial cells

Background  

Bone marrow stromal cells and radial glia are two stem cell types with neural phenotypic plasticity. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells can differentiate into osteocytes, chondrocytes and adipocytes, but can also differentiate into non-mesenchymal cell, i.e. neural cells in appropriate in vivo and in vitro experimental conditions. Likewise, radial glial cells are the progenitors of many neurons in the developing cortex, but can also generate astrocytes. Both cell types express nestin, an intermediate filament protein which is the hallmark of neural precursors.     

Reduced expression of <Emphasis Type="Italic">TAC1</Emphasis>, <Emphasis Type="Italic">PENK</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">SOCS2</Emphasis> in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Hcrtr-2</Emphasis> mutated narcoleptic dog brain

Background  

Narcolepsy causes dramatic behavioral alterations in both humans and dogs, with excessive sleepiness and cataplexy triggered by emotional stimuli. Deficiencies in the hypocretin system are well established as the origin of the condition; both from studies in humans who lack the hypocretin ligand (HCRT) and in dogs with a mutation in hypocretin receptor 2 (HCRTR2). However, little is known about molecular alterations downstream of the hypocretin signals.     

Metabolic compartmentalization in the human cortex and hippocampus: evidence for a cell- and region-specific localization of lactate dehydrogenase 5 and pyruvate dehydrogenase

Background  

For a long time now, glucose has been thought to be the main, if not the sole substrate for brain energy metabolism. Recent data nevertheless suggest that other molecules, such as monocarboxylates (lactate and pyruvate mainly) could be suitable substrates. Although monocarboxylates poorly cross the blood brain barrier (BBB), such substrates could replace glucose if produced locally.     

Functional MRI of working memory and selective attention in vibrotactile frequency discrimination

Background  

Focal lesions of the frontal, parietal and temporal lobe may interfere with tactile working memory and attention. To characterise the neural correlates of intact vibrotactile working memory and attention, functional MRI was conducted in 12 healthy young adults. Participants performed a forced-choice vibrotactile frequency discrimination task, comparing a cue stimulus of fixed frequency to their right thumb with a probe stimulus of identical or higher frequency. To investigate working memory, the time interval between the 2 stimuli was pseudo-randomized (either 2 or 8 s). To investigate selective attention, a distractor stimulus was occasionally presented contralaterally, simultaneous to the probe.     

Pressure-Sensitive Paint measurement of the flow around a simplified car model

In applying Pressure-Sensitive Paint (PSP) to low-speed flow wind tunnel testing, it is important to minimize any measurement uncertainties. There are various error sources such as camera noise, misalignment of images due to model displacement and temperature distribution over the model. Among these factors, the effects of temperature distribution change during tests on pressure measurement accuracies were studied in the present paper. Pressure and temperature distributions over a simplified car model (1/10 scale Ahmed model) were measured using PSP and Temperature-Sensitive Paint (TSP). Sequential images were acquired at the same intervals over the entire test period, including for the conditions before and after the tunnel run. As a result, it was found that the measurement error caused by temperature distribution over the model could be reduced using a single-point temperature measurement. In addition, by measuring surface temperature distributions on the model using TSP, it was proved that the most accurate pressure measurement could be made by rationing the wind-off image acquired immediately after shutting down the tunnel to the wind-on image acquired immediately before shutting down the tunnel. Using the present measurement technique, complicated pressure fields over the Ahmed model were successfully visualized.     

Asymmetric lateral inhibitory neural activity in the auditory system: a magnetoencephalographic study

Background  

Decrements of auditory evoked responses elicited by repeatedly presented sounds with similar frequencies have been well investigated by means of electroencephalography and magnetoencephalography (MEG). However the possible inhibitory interactions between different neuronal populations remains poorly understood. In the present study, we investigated the effect of proceeding notch-filtered noises (NFNs) with different frequency spectra on a following test tone using MEG.