Structure formation of water insoluble fullerene amino acid derivatives in organic solvents

The time-dependent structure formation of the fullerene derivative of p-amino benzoic acid in organic solvents was studied by scanning electron microscopy. It was shown that, during storage of solutions, the structures are destroyed.     

Studies on the partial characterization of extracted glycosaminoglycans from fish waste and its potentiality in modulating obesity through in-vitro and in-vivo

Glycoconjugate Journal - Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) are bioactive polysaccharides or glycoconjugates found in the fish waste having significant health impacts. In the present study it has been...     

Pharmacological correction of ketamine-impaired spatial memory of rats

Ketamine in dose 10 mg/kg increased the number of erroneous choices of rats with spatial strategy and didn't effect searching accuracy of rats with non-spatial strategy in 8-arm radial maze. Ketamine in doses 1 and 5 mg/kg disrupted rat short-term memory in delayed response reaction. Physostigmine and aspartic acid, but not haloperidol, diminished ketamine amnesia, therefore ketamine impaired the interaction of cholinergic and glutamate/aspartatergic neurons of hippocampal areas.     

The Influence of the Spectral Properties of the Lighting Environment on Light Absorption by Lettuce Leaves and the Net Productivity of Lettuce

Biophysics - Abstract—The efficiency of light absorption with different spectral compositions by lettuce leaves and the choice of optimal conditions of the lighting environment for increasing...     

Yield and quality of forage maize (<i>Zea mays</i> L.) with different levels of subsurface drip irrigation and plant density

The scarcity of water in arid and semiarid regions of the world is a problem that every day increases by climate change. The subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) and changes in population density of plants are alternatives that can be used to make a sustainable use of water. Therefore, the objectives of this study were to determine the combination that allows for an increased corn performance and efficient use of water without losing the quality of forage. Three different irrigation levels were applied through a system of a SDI at three different densities of forage maize plants in an arid region. The results demonstrated that by applying different levels of water, either enough or lack of soil moisture is created, which is directly reflected in crop yield, and its determining variables such as green forage and dry matter yield, and nutritional quality. The irrigation level to a 100% of potential evapotranspiration (PET), at a density of 80000 plants/ha, increased yield of green forage to 57664 kg/ha; crude protein was 8.59%, while the rest of the quality parameters decreased. This study allowed to conclude that the irrigation level was the major factor in the response of the crop.     

Neuronal structure of the frog vestibular ganglion]

Neuronal organization of the vestibular ganglion of the nerve VIII in the frog (Rana temporaria) has been studied by means of light and electron microscopy. It has been stated that bipolar ganglion-forming neurons are not quite identical in their structure. They differ in size, fine organization of their cytoplasm and in the manner they construct their glial sheaths. Among ganglial neurons, two types are distinguished: myelinizated and unmyelinizated neurons. A considerable part is composed by neurons coated with myelin sheath which can be constructed according to compact or loose type of myelin. Myelinizated neurons are mostly large cells, with their cytoplasm saturated with organells. Unmyelinizated neurons are coated with a simple sheath composed of one layer of lemmocytes processes. These neurons are much smaller in size, their cytoplasm is poor in organells and contains large amount of neurophilaments.     

Development of a modified vitrification strategy suitable for subsequent scale-up for hepatocyte preservation

This work explores the design of a vitrification solution (VS) for scaled-up cryopreservation of hepatocytes, by adapting VS_basic (40% (v/v) ethylene glycol 0.6 M sucrose, i.e. 7.17 M ethylene glycol 0.6 M sucrose), previously proven effective in vitrifying bioengineered constructs and stem cells. The initial section of the scale-up study involved the selection of non-penetrating additives to supplement VS_basic and increase the solution’s total solute concentration. This involved a systematic approach with a step-by-step elimination of non-penetrating cryoprotectants, based on their effect on cells after long/short term exposures to high/low concentrations of the additives alone or in combinations, on the attachment ability of hepatocytes after exposure. At a second stage, hepatocyte suspension was vitrified and functions were assessed after continuous culture up to 5 days.     

Ensemble activity of visual and frontal cortex in the conditions of choice of different value food reinforcement in cats

The method of "low choice" of food value reinforcement depending on delayed response to its reception demonstrated various strategy of behaviour, showing short or delayed responses of pressing pedal for reception of low or high value of food reinforcement. In trained cats, multiunit activity was recorded in investigated brain areas and functional interneuron interactions were subsequently analysed. Significant prevalence of interneuron interactions was revealed in "impulsive" animals in both cortical zones as well as intergroup differences during the pre-signal and signal periods in visual and frontal cortex.     

Ensemble activity of neurons in the visual, frontal, and sensorimotor cortices and dorsal striatum during actualization of behavioral program under conditions of strategy choice

Unit and network activity of neurons in the visual, sensorimotor, and frontal cortical areas and dorsal striatum was investigated in cats under conditions of choice of the reinforcement value depending on its delay. The animals did not differ from each other in behavior. After immediate or delayed responses cats got low- or highly-valuable reinforcement, respectively. Single-unit activity in the visual and sensorimotor cortical areas and dorsal striatum was similar during performance of immediate and delayed responses. However, significant inhibition was observed in the frontal neurons during the delay period. The network activity of visual and frontal cortex displayed smaller number of interneuronal interactions during delayed responses as compared to immediate reactions. The network activity of neurons in the brain structures under study pointed to the interstructural interaction, but only during delayed reactions, steady interneuronal communication was observed between the frontal cortex and dorsal striatum. Thus, both types of estimation of cellular activity revealed differences in the ensemble organization during different types of behavior and showed specific reactions of neuronal ensembles.