Mechanisms Of Autonomic Control By The Insular Cortex In The Rat

The insular cortex (IC) has been proposed to act as visceral sensory and autonomic cortex. The mechanism of control by the IC, however, is not clear. The nature of insular cortical function in hypertension is also unknown.;Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in Wistar rats has been shown to cause cortical infarction, including the IC, resulting in increases in sympathetic nerve discharge (SND). MCAO in the urethane anesthetized spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) resulted in decreases in arterial pressure (AP) and SND.;To determine if the autonomic effects of MCAO in the SHR and Wistar rat are due to insular damage, a lesion of the IC was made, using an excitotoxic amino acid. Increases in SND were observed in Wistar rats and decreases in SHR\u27s, similar to that seen following MCAO.;Systematic D,L homocysteate (DLH) injections into the IC of propofol-anesthetized Wistar rats resulted in a significant increase in AP and a significant decrease in HR and SND. DLH and lidocaine injections into the IC of conscious Wistar rats both resulted in a significant increase in AP. It was concluded that the IC of conscious Wistar rats has a tonic inhibitory output, while neural excitation is capable of eliciting pressor responses. The IC of SHR appeared to exert no tonic influence on AP.;Previous studies have shown sympathetic nerve responses to C stimulation are mediated by uncharacterized synapses within the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) and ventrolateral medulla (VLM). Glutamate antagonist injection into the ipsilateral VLM blocked IC and LHA sympathetic responses. A non-NMDA receptor antagonist also blocked IC and LHA sympathetic responses, while an NMDA antagonist was ineffective.;Glutamate antagonist injection into the ipsilateral LHA blocked IC sympathetic nerve responses. NMDA antagonist injection also inhibited IC sympathetic responses, while the non-NMDA antagonist had no effect.;These studies provide the most conclusive evidence that the IC is critical to the autonomic disruptions following stroke. The IC may also play a role in the pathogenesis of hypertension. The IC appears to have a tonic sympatho-inhibitory influence in normotensive animals, though a sympatho-excitatory response is possible. The IC sympathetic effects are mediated by an NMDA glutamatergic synapse in the LHA and a non-NMDA synapse in the VLM

\u3cem\u3eM. ruber\u3c/em\u3e Mrub_3013 is Orthologous to \u3cem\u3eE. coli\u3c/em\u3e b2755

This project is part of the Meiothermus ruber genome analysis project, which uses a collection of online bioinformatics tools to predict gene function. We investigated the biological function of gene Mrub_3013, which we hypothesize is orthologous to b2755 in E. coli K12 MG1655 (a.k.a. Cas1). We investigated the biological function of a gene with the M. ruber locus tag of Mrub_3013, which we hypothesize is a component of the CRISPR-Cas prokaryotic defense system in M. ruber. We predict that Mrub_3013 (DNA coordinates 3,053,978-3,054,940) encodes the protein Cas1 which as part of the CRISPR-Cas system, selects and cuts the foreign DNA to make the spacer using the Cas1-Cas2 complex to restrict the size for recognition of an appropriate protospacer. Our hypothesis is supported by identical hits for Mrub_3013 and b2755 to the KEGG, TIGRfam, CDD and PDB databases, as well as a low E-value for a pairwise NCBI BLAST comparison. Both protein products are predicted to be localized to the cytoplasm due to TMHMM probabilities, PRED-TMBB probabilities, and PSORT-B data scores

Factors Affecting Shark Detection from Drone Patrols in Southeast Queensland, Eastern Australia

Drones enable the monitoring for sharks in real-time, enhancing the safety of ocean users with minimal impact on marine life. Yet, the effectiveness of drones for detecting sharks (especially potentially dangerous sharks; i.e., white shark, tiger shark, bull shark) has not yet been tested at Queensland beaches. To determine effectiveness, it is necessary to understand how environmental and operational factors affect the ability of drones to detect sharks. To assess this, we utilised data from the Queensland SharkSmart drone trial, which operated at five southeast Queensland beaches for 12 months in 2020–2021. The trial conducted 3369 flights, covering 1348 km and sighting 174 sharks (48 of which were >2 m in length). Of these, eight bull sharks and one white shark were detected, leading to four beach evacuations. The shark sighting rate was 3% when averaged across all beaches, with North Stradbroke Island (NSI) having the highest sighting rate (17.9%) and Coolum North the lowest (0%). Drone pilots were able to differentiate between key shark species, including white, bull and whaler sharks, and estimate total length of the sharks. Statistical analysis indicated that location, the sighting of other fauna, season and flight number (proxy for time of day) influenced the probability of sighting shark

tert-Butyl 6-methyl-2-oxo-4-[4-(trifluoro­meth­oxy)anilino]cyclo­hex-3-ene-1-carboxyl­ate

In the title compound, C19H22F3NO4, the dihedral angle between the benzene ring and the conjugated part of the enaminone ring is 42.5 (1)°. The ester substituent makes a dihedral angle of 81.3 (2)° with this latter moiety. The crystal structure is held together by strong N—H⋯O and weak C—H⋯O inter­molecular inter­actions. The enaminone ring is disordered over two orientations with relative occupancies of 0.794 (4) and 0.206 (4)

A neural signature for combined action observation and motor imagery? An fNIRS study into prefrontal activation, automatic imitation, and self–other perceptions

INTRODUCTION: Research indicates that both observed and imagined actions can be represented in the brain as two parallel sensorimotor representations. One proposal is that higher order cognitive processes would align these two hypothetical action simulations. METHODS: We investigated this hypothesis using an automatic imitation paradigm, with functional near‐infrared spectroscopy recordings over the prefrontal cortex during different motor simulation states. On each trial, participants (n = 14) observed a picture of a rhythmical action (instructed action) followed by a distractor movie showing the same or different action. Participants then executed the instructed action. Distractor actions were manipulated to be fast or slow, and instructions were manipulated during distractor presentation: action observation (AO), combined action observation and motor imagery (AO+MI) and observe to imitate (intentional imitation). A pure motor imagery (MI) condition was also included. RESULTS: Kinematic analyses showed that although distractor speed effects were significant under all instructions (shorter mean cycle times in execution for fast compared to slow trials), this imitation bias was significantly stronger for combined AO+MI than both AO and MI, and stronger for intentional imitation than the other three automatic imitation conditions. In the left prefrontal cortex, cerebral oxygenation was significantly greater for combined AO+MI than all other instructions. Participants reported that their representation of the self overlapped with the observed model significantly more during AO+MI than AO. CONCLUSION: Left prefrontal activation may therefore be a neural signature of AO+MI, supporting attentional switching between concurrent representations of self (MI, top‐down) and other (AO, bottom‐up) to increase imitation and perceived closeness

2,5-Dimethyl-3-[4-(trifluoro­meth­oxy)anilino]­cyclo­hex-2-enone

In the title compound, C15H16F3NO2, the dihedral angle between the benzene ring and the conjugated part of the cyclo­hexene ring is 60.00 (8)°. The non-conjugated part of the cyclohexene ring and the trifluoro­methyl group are both disordered over two sets of sites with occupancies of 0.835 (2) and 0.165 (2). In the crystal, mol­ecules are linked into chains along [010] by inter­molecular N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds. Weak inter­molecular C—H⋯O inter­actions also occur

4th International Conference - Sexuality and Cancer Breast Cancer

Breast cancer patients and the artists involved in the highly innovative ComMA research programme led an experiential workshop attended by 100 health professional delegates. The experiential workshop explained how patients and artists together explored sexual problems encountered following breast cancer treatment. This novel and highly collaborative approach empowered patients to use art and new forms of artistic expression as an alternative language to express and communicate their feelings of emotional and physical trauma using visual metaphors. ComMA enabled patients to explore and express their feelings through the use of collage, drawing on items such as gowns, which had a deep meaning in the context of their treatment, to enable them to express their feelings openly. Work co-produced by the artists and patients was shared at the workshop to challenge health professionals to understand the patients’ concerns, insecurities and difficulties in communicating their sexual and relationship problems

3-(4-Chloro­anilino)-2,5-dimethyl­cyclo­hex-2-en-1-one

In the title compound, C14H16ClNO, the dihedral angle between the benzene ring and the conjugated part of the cyclo­hexene ring is 61.7 (2)°. Part of the cyclo­hexene ring and one of the attached methyl groups are disordered over two orientations with occupancies of 0.602 (7) and 0.398 (7). In addition, the crystal studied was a racemic twin [Flack parameter = 0.58 (4)]. In the crystal, the mol­ecules are linked into chains in the b-axis direction by inter­molecular N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds. C—H⋯O and C—H⋯Cl inter­actions are also observed

A neural signature for combined action observation and motor imagery? An fNIRS study into prefrontal activation, automatic imitation, and self–other perceptions

Introduction: Research indicates that both observed and imagined actions can be represented in the brain as two parallel sensorimotor representations. One proposal is that higher order cognitive processes would align these two hypothetical action simulations. Methods:We investigated this hypothesis using an automatic imitation paradigm, with functional near-infrared spectroscopy recordings over the prefrontal cortex during different motor simulation states. On each trial, participants (n = 14) observed a picture of a rhythmical action (instructed action) followed by a distractor movie showing the same or different action. Participants then executed the instructed action. Distractor actions were manipulated to be fast or slow, and instructions were manipulated during distractor presentation: action observation (AO), combined action observation and motor imagery (AO+MI) and observe to imitate (intentional imitation). A pure motor imagery (MI) condition was also included. Results: Kinematic analyses showed that although distractor speed effects were significant under all instructions (shorter mean cycle times in execution for fast compared to slow trials), this imitation bias was significantly stronger for combined AO+MI than both AO and MI, and stronger for intentional imitation than the other three automatic imitation conditions. In the left prefrontal cortex, cerebral oxygenation was significantly greater for combined AO+MI than all other instructions. Participants reported that their representation of the self overlapped with the observed model significantly more during AO+MI than AO. Conclusion: Left prefrontal activation may therefore be a neural signature of AO+MI, supporting attentional switching between concurrent representations of self (MI, topdown) and other (AO, bottom-up) to increase imitation and perceived closenes

Feeding state-dependent regulation of developmental plasticity via CaMKI and neuroendocrine signaling

Information about nutrient availability is assessed via largely unknown mechanisms to drive developmental decisions, including the choice of Caenorhabditis elegans larvae to enter into the reproductive cycle or the dauer stage. In this study, we show that CMK-1 CaMKI regulates the dauer decision as a function of feeding state. CMK-1 acts cell-autonomously in the ASI, and non cell-autonomously in the AWC, sensory neurons to regulate expression of the growth promoting daf-7 TGF-β and daf-28 insulin-like peptide (ILP) genes, respectively. Feeding state regulates dynamic subcellular localization of CMK-1, and CMK-1-dependent expression of anti-dauer ILP genes, in AWC. A food-regulated balance between anti-dauer ILP signals from AWC and pro-dauer signals regulates neuroendocrine signaling and dauer entry; disruption of this balance in cmk-1 mutants drives inappropriate dauer formation under well-fed conditions. These results identify mechanisms by which nutrient information is integrated in a small neuronal network to modulate neuroendocrine signaling and developmental plasticity. © Neal et al.1