An Ancient Duplication of Exon 5 in the Snap25 Gene Is Required for Complex Neuronal Development/Function

Alternative splicing is an evolutionary innovation to create functionally diverse proteins from a limited number of genes. SNAP-25 plays a central role in neuroexocytosis by bridging synaptic vesicles to the plasma membrane during regulated exocytosis. The SNAP-25 polypeptide is encoded by a single copy gene, but in higher vertebrates a duplication of exon 5 has resulted in two mutually exclusive splice variants, SNAP-25a and SNAP-25b. To address a potential physiological difference between the two SNAP-25 proteins, we generated gene targeted SNAP-25b deficient mouse mutants by replacing the SNAP-25b specific exon with a second SNAP-25a equivalent. Elimination of SNAP-25b expression resulted in developmental defects, spontaneous seizures, and impaired short-term synaptic plasticity. In adult mutants, morphological changes in hippocampus and drastically altered neuropeptide expression were accompanied by severe impairment of spatial learning. We conclude that the ancient exon duplication in the Snap25 gene provides additional SNAP-25-function required for complex neuronal processes in higher eukaryotes

Reduced Proliferation in the Adult Mouse Subventricular Zone Increases Survival of Olfactory Bulb Interneurons

Neurogenesis in the adult brain is largely restricted to the subependymal zone (SVZ) of the lateral ventricle, olfactory bulb (OB) and the dentate subgranular zone, and survival of adult-born cells in the OB is influenced by factors including sensory experience. We examined, in mice, whether survival of adult-born cells is also regulated by the rate of precursor proliferation in the SVZ. Precursor proliferation was decreased by depleting the SVZ of dopamine after lesioning dopamine neurons in the substantia nigra compacta with 6-hydroxydopamine. Subsequently, we examined the effect of reduced SVZ proliferation on the generation, migration and survival of neuroblasts and mature adult-born cells in the SVZ, rostral migratory stream (RMS) and OB. Proliferating cells in the SVZ, measured by 5-bromo-2-deoxyuridine (BrdU) injected 2 hours prior to death or by immunoreactivity against Ki67, were reduced by 47% or 36%, respectively, 7 days after dopamine depletion, and by 29% or 31% 42 days after dopamine depletion, compared to sham-treated animals. Neuroblast generation in the SVZ and their migration along the RMS were not affected, neither 7 nor 42 days after the 6-hydroxydopamine injection, since the number of doublecortin-immunoreactive neuroblasts in the SVZ and RMS, as well as the number of neuronal nuclei-immunoreactive cells in the OB, were stable compared to control. However, survival analysis 15 days after 6-hydroxydopamine and 6 days after BrdU injections showed that the number of BrdU+ cells in the SVZ was 70% higher. Also, 42 days after 6-hydroxydopamine and 30 days after BrdU injections, we found an 82% increase in co-labeled BrdU+/γ-aminobutyric acid-immunoreactive cell bodies in the granular cell layer, while double-labeled BrdU+/tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive cell bodies in the glomerular layer increased by 148%. We conclude that the number of OB interneurons following reduced SVZ proliferation is maintained through an increased survival of adult-born precursor cells, neuroblasts and interneurons

The politics of performance: transnationalism and its limits in former Yugoslav popular music, 1999–2004

This paper examines transnational relations between the Yugoslav successor states from the point of view of popular music, and demonstrates how transnational musical figures (such as Djordje Balaševi?, Mom?ilo Bajagi?-Bajaga and Ceca Ražnatovi?) are interpreted as symbolic reference points in national ethnopolitical discourse in the process of identity construction. Another symbolic function is served by Serbian turbofolk artists, who in Croatia serve as a cultural resource to distance oneself from a musical genre associated by many urban Croats with the ruralization (and Herzegovinization) of Croatian city space. In addition, value judgements associated with both Serbian and Croatian newly composed folk music provide an insight into the transnational negotiation of conflicting identities in the ex-Yugoslav context. Ultimately the paper shows how the ethnonational boundaries established by nationalizing ideologies created separate cultural spaces which themselves have been transnationalized after Yugoslavia's disintegration

A922 Sequential measurement of 1 hour creatinine clearance (1-CRCL) in critically ill patients at risk of acute kidney injury (AKI)

Meeting abstrac

Modelovanje sorpcionih izotermi jona Ni(II) na otpadnim cementnim materijalima

Otpadni cementni materijali (beton i fasada) su bazirani na kvarcu i kalcitu. Prvenstveno zahvaljujući kalcitu i baznom karakteru, ove matrice su pokazale visok afinitet prema jonima nikla. Ispitivanje uticaja početne koncentracije jona Ni u rastvoru na sorbovanu količinu omogućava definisanje sorpcionih izotermi. U ovom radu su prikazani rezultati matematičkog modelovanja izotermi Langmuir-ovim i Freundlich-ovim modelom. Langmuir-ov model znatno bolje opisuje eksperimentalne podatke dobijene za sorpciju na betonu, dok je sorpcija otpadnom fasadom bolje opisana Freundlich-ovom izotermom

Scientific opinion on labeling of natural mineral water can have a laxative effect and can have a diuretic effect

In accordance with Regulation on natural mineral, natural spring and table waters (Official Journal no. 81/13), labelling of natural mineral water with claim "can have a laxative effect" and "can have a diuretic effect", require conditions under which this claims can be used. These conditions must meet certain microbiological and physicochemical parameters. Setting microbiological and physicochemical parameters are based on the standards of the Codex Alimentarius Commission (Codex Stan 108-1981-rev. 1997) for natural mineral water, Croatian Regulation on natural mineral, natural spring and table waters (Official Journal no. 81/13), and data available from the literature. Presence of certain chemical elements or their compounds in certain concentrations in mineral water can cause a laxative or diuretic effect. Based on the available scientific literature, the Working group of Croatian Food Agency for issuing scientific opinion on labeling of natural mineral water „can have a laxative effect" and "can have a diuretic effect", concluded as follows: - researches indicate that the laxative effect was observed at the consumption of mineral water with sulphate proportions above 1000 mg / L - researches indicate that the diuretic effect was observed at the consumption of mineral water with lower proportions of minerals (less than 500 mg / L) - with regard to the perceived adaptation of the human body, increased shares of sulfate, and reduced content of minerals in mineral water, which ultimately induce the lack of occurrence of both of the above mentioned effects, Working Group recommends establishing the Commission within the relevant institutions (Ministry of Agriculture) to review each individual requirements for the use of statements "may have laxative effects" and "may have a diuretic effect"

The use of L-ascorbic acid in speciation of arsenic compounds in drinking water

Arsenic speciation, besides total arsenic content determination, is very important in analysis of water, foodstuffs, and environmental samples, because of varying degrees of toxicity of different species. For such purpose hydride generation atomic absorption spectrometry can be used based on the generation of certain types of hydride, depending on the pH value and pretreatment in different reaction media. In this study, we have investigated the effect of L-ascorbic acid as the reaction medium as well as the pre-reducing agent in speciation of arsenic by hydride generation-atomic absorption spectrometry in order to determine monomethyl arsonic acid (MMA) in the presence of inorganic forms of arsenic