22,214 research outputs found

    Biodegradability and tissue reaction of random copolymers of L-leucine, L-aspartic acid, and L-aspartic acid esters

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    A series of copoly(α-amino acids) with varying percentages of hydrophilic (l-aspartic acid) and hydrophobic monomers (l-leucine, ß-methyl-l-aspartate, and ß-benzyl-l-aspartate) were implanted subcutaneously in rats and the macroscopic degradation behavior was studied. Three groups of materials (A, B, C) with different ranges of hydrophilicity were distinguished: A) hydrophobic materials showed no degradation after 12 weeks; B) more hydrophilic materials revealed a gradual reduction in size of the samples, but were still present after 12 weeks; and C) hydrophilic copolymers disappeared within 24 hr. \ud The tissue reactions caused by the materials of group A resembled that of silicone rubber, whereas those of group B showed a more cellular reaction

    The tadpole of Physalaemus fernandezae (Anura: Leptodactylidae)

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    This paper describes the external and buccopharyngeal morphology, chondrocranium and cranial muscles in tadpoles of Physalaemus fernandezae. The data are compared with those for other species of Physalaemus to improve the diagnosis of the “species group” within the genus. Species of the “P. biligonigerus” group have four infralabial papillae, two semicircular arches of pustulations in a V-shaped pattern on the prenarial arena, 6–8 conical papillae and 40–60 pustulations on the buccal roof arena, four postnarial papillae, a semicircular median ridge, clawshaped lateral ridges and larval crista parotica with a poorly-developed anterior process. Species of the “P. pustulosus” group possess four infralabial papillae (shared with the P. biligonigerus group), tooth row formula 2(2)/3, four lingual papillae, two postnarial papillae, twelve conical papillae and 16–20 pustulations on the buccal roof arena, short lateral ridges with rough concave margins and larval crista parotica with a well-developed anterior process and reduced posterior process. Species of the “P. cuvieri ” group present two infralabial papillae, three pustulations and two serrated papillae on the prenarial arena, five pustulations and two serrated papillae on the postnarial arena, four long and bifid papillae and more than 60 pustulations on the buccal roof arena, and lack larval crista parotica. In species of the “P. signiferus” group both medial and lateral mental gaps are absent, and the tooth row formula is 2(2)/3(1).Fil: Alcalde, Leandro. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Instituto de Limnología "Dr. Raúl A. Ringuelet". Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales y Museo. Instituto de Limnología; ArgentinaFil: Natale, Guillermo Sebastian. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Centro de Investigaciones del Mar y la Atmosfera. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones del Mar y la Atmosfera; ArgentinaFil: Cajade, Rodrigo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Oficina de Coordinación Administrativa Ciudad Universitaria. Centro de Investigaciones del Mar y la Atmosfera. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Centro de Investigaciones del Mar y la Atmosfera; Argentin

    Affective and cognitive prefrontal cortex projections to the lateral habenula in humans

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    Anterior insula (AI) and dACC are known to process information about pain, loss, adversities, bad, harmful or suboptimal choices and consequences that threaten survival or well-being. Pain and loss activate also pregenual ACC (pgACC), linked to sad thoughts, hurt and regrets. The lateral habenula (LHb) is stimulated by predicted and received pain, discomfort, aversive outcome, loss. Its chronic stimulation makes us feel worse/low and gradually stops us choosing and moving for suboptimal, hurtful or punished choices, by direct and indirect (via RMTg) inhibition of DRN and VTA/SNc. Response selectivity of LHb neurons suggests their cortical input from affective and cognitive evaluative regions that make expectations about bad or suboptimal outcomes. Based on these facts I predicted direct corticohabenular projections from the dACC, pgACC and AI, as part of the adversity processing circuit that learns to avoid bad outcomes by suppressing dopamine and serotonin signal. Using DTI I found dACC, pgACC, AI, adjacent caudolateral and lateral OFC projections to LHb. I predicted no corticohabenular projections from the reward processing regions: medial OFC and vACC because both respond most strongly to good, high value stimuli and outcomes, inducing serotonin and dopamine release respectively. This lack of LHb projections was confirmed for vACC and likely for mOFC. The surprising findings were the corticohabenular projections from the cognitive prefrontal cortex regions, known for flexible reasoning, planning and combining whatever information are relevant for reaching current goals. I propose that prefrontohabenular projections provide a teaching signal for value-based choice behaviour, to learn to deselect, avoid or inhibit the potentially harmful, low valued or wrong choices, goals, strategies, predictions, models and ways of doing things, to prevent bad or suboptimal consequences.Comment: I renamed the medioventral part of the anterior thalamus via which the PFC to LHb fibre tracts from ventral anterior (AV) to medial anterior thalamic region. Apologies for that. My co-author decided to remove his nam

    Phaseolus vulgaris leuco-agglutinin immunohistochemistry. A comparison between autoradiographic and lectin tracing of neuronal efferents

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    The autoradiographic pattern of anterograde labeling as a result from injections with tritiated amino acids is compared to the labeling of efferents with Phaseolus vulgaris leuco-agglutinin after lectin injections in the same nucleus visualized by immunohistochemical methods. This comparison is made for efferents from the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus to the amygdaloid body.
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