Neural Coding: Non-Local but Explicit and Conceptual

Recordings from single cells in human medial temporal cortex confirm that sensory processing forms explicit neural representations of the objects and concepts needed for a causal model of the world.     

Evolution of exceptional species richness among lineages of fleshy-fruited Myrtaceae

MethodsBayesian phylogenetic analyses of plastid and nuclear DNA sequences were used to estimate intertribal relationships and lineage divergence times in Myrtaceae. Focusing on the fleshy-fruited tribes, a variety of statistical approaches were used to assess diversification rates and diversification rate shifts across the family.ConclusionsFleshy fruits have evolved independently in Syzygieae and Myrteae, and this is accompanied by exceptional diversification rate shifts in both instances, suggesting that the evolution of fleshy fruits is a key innovation for rainforest Myrtaceae. Noting the scale dependency of this hypothesis, more complex explanations may be required to explain diversification rate shifts occurring within the fleshy-fruited tribes, and the suggested phylogenetic hypothesis provides an appropriate framework for this undertaking.     

Bootstrap, Bayesian probability and maximum likelihood mapping: exploring new tools for comparative genome analyses

Background  

Horizontal gene transfer (HGT) played an important role in shaping microbial genomes. In addition to genes under sporadic selection, HGT also affects housekeeping genes and those involved in information processing, even ribosomal RNA encoding genes. Here we describe tools that provide an assessment and graphic illustration of the mosaic nature of microbial genomes.     

A Metachromatic Stain for Neural Tissue

The need for rapid histological feedback on neural tissue is ever present. Although there are several stains which can be readily used for staining either cell bodies or fiber tracts, adequate contrasting stains which are both rapid and easy to apply are not generally available. In 1936 Chang presented a technique for whole brains utilizing the metachromatic properties of thionin. Unfortunately this procedure was very time consuming. For the last several years we have worked with several variations of this stain and have found that thionin can be reliably used as a polychrome stain for sections of neural tissue obtained from a freezing microtome.