AlzPathway: a comprehensive map of signaling pathways of Alzheimer’s disease

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia among the elderly. To clarify pathogenesis of AD, thousands of reports have been accumulating. However, knowledge of signaling pathways in the field of AD has not been compiled as a database before. DESCRIPTION: Here, we have constructed a publicly available pathway map called “AlzPathway” that comprehensively catalogs signaling pathways in the field of AD. We have collected and manually curated over 100 review articles related to AD, and have built an AD pathway map using CellDesigner. AlzPathway is currently composed of 1347 molecules and 1070 reactions in neuron, brain blood barrier, presynaptic, postsynaptic, astrocyte, and microglial cells and their cellular localizations. AlzPathway is available as both the SBML (Systems Biology Markup Language) map for CellDesigner and the high resolution image map. AlzPathway is also available as a web service (online map) based on Payao system, a community-based, collaborative web service platform for pathway model curation, enabling continuous updates by AD researchers. CONCLUSIONS: AlzPathway is the first comprehensive map of intra, inter and extra cellular AD signaling pathways which can enable mechanistic deciphering of AD pathogenesis. The AlzPathway map is accessible at http://alzpathway.org/

鋳型走査電子顕微鏡による哺乳類脾臓の血管構築

The three-dimensional vascular arrangement of the mammalian spleen was investigated by means of injection replica scanning electron microscopy. The vascular arrangement of the white pulp and marginal zone in the mammalian spleen was divided into two groups: (1) the rat and mouse type, and (2) the human and dog type. In the rat and mouse, (a) the central artery gave rise to numerous follicular capillaries which usually terminated in the inner side of the marginal zone, (b) the follicular capillaries showed a small network in the germinal center, (c) the follicular capillaries occasionally entered into the marginal zone and terminated in the intercellular space, and (d) some of the penicillar arteries showed a centripetal course and enter into the white pulp to open into the marginal zone. In the human and dog, (a) follicular arteries gave off many arterial capillaries in the marginal zone shortly after penetration of the marginal zone, (b) recurrent branches of the penicillar artery entered into the marginal zone, (c) some of the recurrent branches entered into the follicle and supplied the follicular capillaries, (d) follicular capillaries orginated from vessels distributed in the marginal zone, recurrent branches of the penicillar arteries and follicular arteries, (e) the main sources of the follicular capillaries were from the vessels in the marginal zone, and (f) the follicular capillaries were chiefly distributed in the germinal center. The terminal end of the penicillar artery in the pulp cord was mostly open type in the mammalian spleen

Preliminary Study of Object Labeling Using Sound Production in a Beluga

A beluga was tested to label objects using vocal symbols in order to form a bidirectional relationship between the visual symbols and sounds. In the Training session, the subject was first trained todistinguish four objects by four separate calls that he made. He learned to emit different calls corresponding to the sample stimuli. Next, these three recorded calls were played back to the subject,and he was required to select the objects (comparative stimuli) corresponding to the presented sound. He succeeded in correctly choosing the objects corresponding to the sounds played back. In the Test session, when a completely new recorded sound was presented to the subject, he could choose the correct object by matching the sample sound with the object. It is suggested that a beluga have realized bidirectional relationships or symmetrical relationship between visual symbols and sounds.This is a preliminary study that shows both production and comprehension of symbols in marine mammals

Preliminary Study of Object Labeling Using Sound Production in a Beluga

A beluga was tested to label objects using vocal symbols in order to form a bidirectional relationship between the visual symbols and sounds. In the Training session, the subject was first trained todistinguish four objects by four separate calls that he made. He learned to emit different calls corresponding to the sample stimuli. Next, these three recorded calls were played back to the subject,and he was required to select the objects (comparative stimuli) corresponding to the presented sound. He succeeded in correctly choosing the objects corresponding to the sounds played back. In the Test session, when a completely new recorded sound was presented to the subject, he could choose the correct object by matching the sample sound with the object. It is suggested that a beluga have realized bidirectional relationships or symmetrical relationship between visual symbols and sounds.This is a preliminary study that shows both production and comprehension of symbols in marine mammals