Publications by authors named "M M Vestling"

Current methods to isolate synaptic vesicles (SVs), the organellar quanta of synaptic transmission, require highly specialized materials and up to 24 h. These technical obstacles have thus far limited the study of SVs in models of synaptic function and pathophysiology. Here, we describe techniques for the rapid isolation of SVs by immunoprecipitation with widely available antibodies conjugated to magnetic beads.

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Synthesis of proanthocyanidin-cinnamaldehydes pyrylium products (PCPP) was achieved by the condensation reaction of proanthocyanidins (PAC) with cinnamaldehyde and four cinnamaldehyde derivatives. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) spectra of PCPP show masses that correspond to (epi)catechin oligomers attached to single, double, or triple moieties of cinnamaldehydes. Synthesized PCPP exhibited fluorescence at higher excitation and emission wavelengths than PAC.

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Background: Cranberry proanthocyanidins (c-PAC) are oligomeric structures of flavan-3-ol units, which possess A-type interflavan bonds. c-PAC differs from other botanical sources because other PAC mostly have B-type interflavan bonds. Cranberry products used to alleviate and prevent urinary tract infections may suffer from adulteration, where c-PAC are replaced with less expensive botanical sources of PAC that contain B-type interflavan bonds.

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Proanthocyanidin (PAC) profiles of apples (a-PAC), cranberries (c-PAC), and peanut skins (p-PAC) were determined by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS). Deconvolution of overlapping isotopic patterns indicated that in apples, only 5% of the PAC oligomers contain one or more A-type bonds, whereas in cranberries and peanut skins, 96% of the PAC oligomers contain one or more A-type bonds. MALDI-TOF MS data combined with multivariate analysis, such as principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA), were used to differentiate and discriminate a-PAC, c-PAC, and p-PAC from one another.

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Neuropeptides can have significant effects on neurons and synapses, but among the ∼250 predicted peptides in nematodes, few have been characterized functionally. Here, we report new neuropeptides in the 4 RME nerve ring motorneurons of the nematode Ascaris suum. These GABAergic neurons are involved in three-dimensional head movement.

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