RAGE, diabetes, and the nervous system

Longstanding diabetes mellitus targets kidney, retina, and blood vessels, but its impact upon the nervous system is another important source of disability. Diabetic peripheral neuropathy is a serious complication of inadequately treated diabetes leading to sensory loss, intractable neuropathic pain, loss of distal leg muscles, and impairment of balance and gait. Diabetes has been implicated as a cause of brain atrophy, white matter abnormalities, and cognitive impairment and a risk factor for dementia. Recent studies have incriminated advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and their receptor (RAGE) in the pathogenesis of diabetic nervous system complications. The availability of RAGE knockout mice and a competitive decoy for AGEs, soluble RAGE (sRAGE), has advanced our knowledge of the RAGE-mediated signalling pathways within the nervous system. They also provide hope for a future novel intervention for the prevention of diabetes-associated neurological complications. This review will discuss current knowledge of diabetes- and RAGE-mediated neurodegeneration, involving the distal-most level of epidermal nerve fibers in skin, major peripheral nerve trunks, dorsal root ganglia, spinal cord, and brain.     

Magnetic labeling, detection, and system integration

Among the plethora of affinity biosensor systems based on biomolecular recognition and labeling assays, magnetic labeling and detection is emerging as a promising new approach. Magnetic labels can be non-invasively detected by a wide range of methods, are physically and chemically stable, relatively inexpensive to produce, and can be easily made biocompatible. Here we provide an overview of the various approaches developed for magnetic labeling and detection as applied to biosensing. We illustrate the challenges to integrating one such approach into a complete sensing system with a more detailed discussion of the compact Bead Array Sensor System developed at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, the first system to use magnetic labels and microchip-based detection.     

Interplay between SARS-CoV-2-derived miRNAs,immune system,vitamin D pathway and respiratory system

The new coronavirus pandemic started in China in 2019. The intensity of the disease can range from mild to severe, leading to death in many cases. Despite extensive research in this area, the exact molecular nature of virus is not fully recognized; however, according to pieces of evidence, one of the mechanisms of virus pathogenesis is through the function of viral miRNAs. So, we hypothesized that SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis may be due to targeting important genes in the host with its miRNAs, which involved in the respiratory system, immune pathways and vitamin D pathways, thus possibly contributing to disease progression and virus survival. Potential miRNA precursors and mature miRNA were predicted and confirmed based on the virus genome. The next step was to predict and identify their target genes and perform functional enrichment analysis to recognize the biological processes connected with these genes in the three pathways mentioned above through several comprehensive databases. Finally, cis-acting regulatory elements in 5′ regulatory regions were analysed, and the analysis of available RNAseq data determined the expression level of genes. We revealed that thirty-nine mature miRNAs could theoretically derive from the SARS-CoV-2 genome. Functional enrichment analysis elucidated three highlighted pathways involved in SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis: vitamin D, immune system and respiratory system. Our finding highlighted genes' involvement in three crucial molecular pathways and may help develop new therapeutic targets related to SARS-CoV-2.     

A flexible,two-component feeding system derived from Blaxter's three-component,metabolisable-energy system

A flexible, energy-system is described based on Blaxter's three-component metabolisable-energy (ME) system, in which animal energy requirements are expressed as net energy (NE), the value of feeds is given as ME, and there is a third component comprising a set of experimentally derived rules for converting the ME values of different feeds to NE. The proposed system retains NE as the method of defining animal energy requirements and combines the ME values for different feeds with conversion of ME to NE for maintenance, growth and lactation using the most appropriate conversion for the particular feeding situation.The system retains all the essential features of Blaxter's three-component system, but allows rations for both dairy and beef production to be calculated by the same procedure. Four examples are given for rationing lactating cows and beef cattle.It is suggested that this system should permit easier calculation of rations and the rapid incorporation of new information and should lead to a better understanding by producers, advisers, students and scientists of the principles and limitations of energy rationing.     

In vivo effects of ELF MFs on collagen synthesis, free radical processes, natural antioxidant system, respiratory burst system, immune system activities, and electrolytes in the skin, plasma, spleen, lung, kidney, and brain tissues

In this study, the results related with the effects of 50 Hz, 0.2 mT-3 mT MFs exposures on collagen synthesis, epilepsy, electrolytes, lipid peroxidation (MDA), Nitric Oxide (NOx), respiratory burst system (MPO), antioxidant defense system (GSH), and immune system (NK cell activity) in spleen, skin, lung, kidney, brain, and plasma tissues performed at Gazi Biophysics Department are reviewed. Our studies indicate that ELF MFs had effects on the tissues examined.     

Neurosemantics,neurons and system theory

Following the concept of internal representations, signal processing in a neuronal system has to be evaluated exclusively based on internal system characteristics. Thus, this approach omits the external observer as a control function for sensory integration. Instead, the configuration of the system and its computational performance are the effects of endogenous factors. Such self-referential operation is due to a strictly local computation in a network and, thereby, computations follow a set of rules that constitute the emergent behaviour of the system. These rules can be shown to correspond to a “logic” that is intrinsic to the system, an idea which provides the basis for neurosemantics.     

BIRCH: A user-oriented,locally-customizable,bioinformatics system

Background  

Molecular biologists need sophisticated analytical tools which often demand extensive computational resources. While finding, installing, and using these tools can be challenging, pipelining data from one program to the next is particularly awkward, especially when using web-based programs. At the same time, system administrators tasked with maintaining these tools do not always appreciate the needs of research biologists.     

Diet, central nervous system, and aging.

A variety of morphological, structural, and chemical changes have been described in the central nervous systems of aging humans and animals. Brain size and volume decline during senescence, and the brain atrophy is accompanied by changes in the number, size, and ultrastructural characteristics of nerve and glial cells. Moreover, recent evidence suggests that the ability of central nervous system cells to communicate with one another via the release of neurotransmitter compounds might be impaired in the elderly. Nutritional factors may play important roles in the aging process of the central nervous system by influencing brain neurotransmission, or by accelerating or retarding geriatric changes in central nervous system structure.     

Music perception, pitch, and the auditory system

The perception of music depends on many culture-specific factors, but is also constrained by properties of the auditory system. This has been best characterized for those aspects of music that involve pitch. Pitch sequences are heard in terms of relative as well as absolute pitch. Pitch combinations give rise to emergent properties not present in the component notes. In this review we discuss the basic auditory mechanisms contributing to these and other perceptual effects in music.     

Microglia - insights into immune system structure, function, and reactivity in the central nervous system

Microglia are essential cellular components of a well-functioning central nervous system (CNS). The development and establishment of the microglial population differs from the other major cell populations in the CNS i.e. neurons and macroglia (astrocytes and oligodendrocytes). This different ontogeny gives microglia unique properties. In recent years detailed studies of the microglial population have been greatly facilitated by the use of bone marrow (BM) chimeric animals. Experimental BM transplants have provided the opportunity to trace and investigate how BM cells migrate into the CNS and settle to become microglia. Furthermore various functional properties of microglia in the normal and pathological CNS are now being revealed because of combinations of BM transplantations and experimental disease models. Here, we describe some of the latest findings in microglial biology and discuss the potential for using microglia in therapeutic interventions.     

A simple, PC-dedicated, implanted digital PIM-radiotelemetric system. Part 2: The multichannel system.

The paper, which is a continuation of the previous one, describes a six-channel, PC-dedicated implanted telemetry system, including the schematic drawings, and explanation of all the differences between a single channel and multichannel system approach. The scheme of an additional multichannel analog output, that makes a pure analog recording possible, even without the PC connection, is also presented. Specific methods for both parallel (Centronics) and serial (RS232C) port interfacing are demonstrated and the controlling software principles are discussed. The representative recordings obtained from animal experiments of simultaneous (direct and integrated) multichannel intestinal EMG (MMC) are shown. The device can also be used for the ECG, EEG and uterine smooth muscle electrical activity recording.     

眼镜蛇毒注射液对动物心血管系统神经系统及呼吸系统影响的研究

本文报告眼镜蛇毒注射液对动物的神经系统无不良影响;不影响猫、大鼠的血压;注射三种剂量后对家兔、猫、大鼠三种动物的心电图波形不产生影响,可使心律稍有降低,但在２．５小时后恢复正常;眼镜蛇毒注射液低剂量组对动物呼吸频率无不良影响,中高剂量组槿使呼吸频率销有下降,但在２．５小时后恢复正常。     

Blood volume, the venous system, preload, and cardiac output

Cardiac output is determined by heart rate, by contractility (maximum systolic elastance, Emax) and afterload, and by diastolic ventricular compliance and preload. These relationships are illustrated using the pressure-volume loop. Diastolic compliance and Emax place limits determined by the heart within which the pressure-volume loop must lie. End-diastolic and end-systolic pressures and hence the exact position of the loop within these limits are determined by the peripheral circulation. In the presence of minimal sympathetic tone, some 60% of total blood volume is hemodynamically inactive and constitutes a blood volume reserve (the unstressed volume). The remainder of the blood volume (the stressed volume) and the compliance of the venous system determine the venous pressure. This venous pressure together with venous resistance determines venous return, right atrial pressure, cardiac preload, and hence cardiac output. Venoconstriction causes conversion of unstressed volume to the stressed volume, the blood volume reserve is converted into hemodynamically active blood volume. After hemorrhage this replaces the lost stressed volume, while in other situations where total blood volume is not reduced, it allows a sustained increase in cardiac output. The major blood volume reserve is in the splanchnic bed: the liver and intestine, and in animals but not man, the spleen. A major unsolved problem is how the conversion of unstressed volume to stressed volume by venoconstriction is reflexly controlled.