Learning induces unique transcriptional landscapes in the auditory cortex.

Learning can induce neurophysiological plasticity in the auditory cortex at multiple timescales. Lasting changes to auditory cortical function that persist over days, weeks, or even a lifetime, require learning to induce de novo gene expression. Indeed, transcription is the molecular determinant for long-term memories to form with a lasting impact on sound-related behavior.

Learning induces unique transcriptional landscapes in the auditory cortex.

Learning can induce neurophysiological plasticity in the auditory cortex at multiple timescales. Lasting changes to auditory cortical function that persist over days, weeks, or even a lifetime, require learning to induce gene expression. Indeed, transcription is the molecular determinant for long-term memories to form with a lasting impact on sound-related behavior.

Marine viruses and climate change: Virioplankton, the carbon cycle, and our future ocean.

Interactions between marine viruses and microbes are a critical part of the oceanic carbon cycle. The impacts of virus-host interactions range from short-term disruptions in the mobility of microbial biomass carbon to higher trophic levels through cell lysis (i.e.

Attack rate and the price of SARS-CoV-2 herd immunity in Brazil.

We introduce a compartmental model with age structure to study the dynamics of the SARS-COV-2 pandemic. The contagion matrix in the model is given by the product of a probability per contact with a contact matrix explicitly taking into account the contact structure among different age groups. The probability of contagion per contact is considered as time dependent to represent non-pharmaceutical interventions, and is fitted from the time series of deaths.

Conservation and divergence in sorgoleone production of sorghum species.

Sorgoleone-358 is an important allelochemical of the oily droplets exuded from root hairs of various species in the Sorghum genus. Due to its hydrophobic nature, sorgoleone-358 can be strongly adsorbed onto soil organic matter, resulting in increased sorgoleone soil persistence. Because of the herbicidal activity of sorgoleone on many small-seeded weeds, concerns have been raised that sorghum residues may have a detrimental effect on emergence of wheat used as a double crop in the southeastern United States.

The Enemy is Outside: Releasing the Parasitoid Tamarixia radiata (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) in External Sources of HLB Inocula to Control the Asian Citrus Psyllid Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae).

Huanglongbing (HLB), the most destructive citrus disease worldwide, was first recorded in Brazil in 2004, and since then, more than 50 million trees identified with this disease have been eliminated. The disease is managed mainly by controlling the psyllid vector Diaphorina citri Kuwayama, 1908 (Hemiptera: Liviidae). Although the presence of the insect in commercial citrus groves is low, HLB infection rates increase in areas bordering the groves.

Aqueous Preparation of Maillard Reaction Intermediate from Glutathione and Xylose and its Volatile Formation During Thermal Treatment.

Maillard reaction intermediate (MGX) generated from glutathione and xylose in aqueous medium was prepared via the Maillard reaction performed under a two-stage temperature increase process. The purified MGX was identified by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and nuclear magnetic resonance as N-(1-deoxy-d-xylulos-1-yl)-glutathione (Amadori compound, C H O N S) with five main isomers. The method of Maillard reaction performed under a two-stage temperature increase process was further verified by high-performance liquid chromatography.

Chemistry and Biological Activities of Processed Camellia sinensis Teas: A Comprehensive Review.

Tea is a typical processed beverage from the fresh leaves of Camellia sinensis [Camellia sinensis (L.) O. Kuntze] or Camellia assamica [Camellia sinensis var.

Faculty Mentorship in Allied Health Schools: A Program Evaluation of a Mentorship Initiative.

Mentorship is an important career development resource for junior faculty and one that may be particularly important for those who begin their career as allied health clinicians before transitioning to academia. To support junior faculty at an allied health school, a formal mentoring program was established within a rehabilitation and counseling department. The program was started in response to a school-wide effort to promote faculty development and increase scholarly productivity.

Identification of Polyphenols, Glycoalkaloids, and Saponins in Solanum scabrum Berries Using HPLC-UV/Vis-MS.

Consumption safety of Solanum scabrum berries is controversial in different cultural practices and evaluation of the toxicity as well as micronutrition value relies on relevant phytochemical study. Thus, this study aimed to systematically profile the phytochemicals in the berries from different genetic sources and maturity. Using a combination of three different and complementary methods of HPLC-UV/Vis-MS or MS/MS with acid-assisted hydrolysis, a total of 54 phytochemicals were identified including polyphenols, saponins and toxic glycoalkaloids.

Effects of CD36 Genotype on Oral Perception of Oleic Acid Supplemented Safflower Oil Emulsions in Two Ethnic Groups: A Preliminary Study.

Previous studies demonstrate humans can detect fatty acids via specialized sensors on the tongue, such as the CD36 receptor. Genetic variation at the common single nucleotide polymorphism rs1761667 of CD36 has been shown to differentially impact the perception of fatty acids, but comparative data among different ethnic groups are lacking. In a small cohort of Caucasian and East Asian young adults, we investigated if: (1) participants could detect oleic acid (C18:1) added to safflower oil emulsions at a constant ratio of 3% (w/v); (2) supplementation of oleic acid to safflower oil emulsions enhanced perception of fattiness and creaminess; and (3) variation at rs1761667 influenced oleic acid detection and fat taste perception.

Phytochemicals, Anti-Inflammatory, Antiproliferative, and Methylglyoxal Trapping Properties of Zijuan Tea.

Unlabelled: Zijuan tea (Camellia sinensis var. assamica) is a unique anthocyanin-rich tea cultivar in China. Although chemical component analysis of Zijuan tea and extraction technology of anthocyanins was widely documented, its functional properties have not been extensively explored.

Establishing Standards on Colors from Natural Sources.

Color additives are applied to many food, drug, and cosmetic products. With up to 85% of consumer buying decisions potentially influenced by color, appropriate application of color additives and their safety is critical. Color additives are defined by the U.

Satisfying America's Fruit Gap: Summary of an Expert Roundtable on the Role of 100% Fruit Juice.

The 2015 to 2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGAs) recognize the role of 100% fruit juice in health and in helping people meet daily fruit recommendations and state that 100% fruit juice is a nutrient-dense beverage that should be a primary choice, along with water and low-fat/fat-free milk. The DGAs note that children are consuming 100% fruit juice within recommendations (that is, 120 to 180 mL/d for children aged 1 to 6 y and 236 to 355 mL/d for children aged 7 to 18 y). Evidence shows that compared to nonconsumers, those who consume 100% fruit juice come closer to meeting daily fruit needs and have better diet quality.

Improvement on Physical Properties of Pullulan Films by Novel Cross-Linking Strategy.

Pullulan based films possess several advantages, including high transparency, low toxicity, good biodegradability, good mechanical properties, and low oxygen permeability, are preferable for food packaging. The application of pullulan films on food packaging, however, has inherent disadvantage of high water solubility. In this study, glutaraldehyde and glycerol were used as the cross-linking reagent and the plasticizer respectively to improve water resistance and physical properties of the pullulan films.

Innovations in Health Value and Functional Food Development of Quinoa ( Willd.).

Quinoa ( Willd., Amaranthaceae) is a grain-like, stress-tolerant food crop that has provided subsistence, nutrition, and medicine for Andean indigenous cultures for thousands of years. Quinoa contains a high content of health-beneficial phytochemicals, including amino acids, fiber, polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamins, minerals, saponins, phytosterols, phytoecdysteroids, phenolics, betalains, and glycine betaine.

Non-coding RNA as mediators in microenvironment-breast cancer cell communication.

The tumor microenvironment has a critical role in the survival and decision of the cancer cells. These include support by enhanced angiogenesis, and metastasis or adaptation of dormancy. This article discusses methods by which the microenvironment sustains the tumor.

Is reduction of tumor burden sufficient for the 21st century?

Currently, animal models are used to test the efficacy of tumor treatment. A significant reduction of tumor mass is lauded as great improvement. As we begin the 21st century, one wonders if this is sufficient and acceptable for cancer treatment.

FXR silencing in human colon cancer by DNA methylation and KRAS signaling.

Farnesoid X receptor (FXR) is a bile acid nuclear receptor described through mouse knockout studies as a tumor suppressor for the development of colon adenocarcinomas. This study investigates the regulation of FXR in the development of human colon cancer. We used immunohistochemistry of FXR in normal tissue (n = 238), polyps (n = 32), and adenocarcinomas, staged I-IV (n = 43, 39, 68, and 9), of the colon; RT-quantitative PCR, reverse-phase protein array, and Western blot analysis in 15 colon cancer cell lines; NR1H4 promoter methylation and mRNA expression in colon cancer samples from The Cancer Genome Atlas; DNA methyltransferase inhibition; methyl-DNA immunoprecipitation (MeDIP); bisulfite sequencing; and V-Ki-ras2 Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) knockdown assessment to investigate FXR regulation in colon cancer development.

Mechanisms of STAT3 activation in the liver of FXR knockout mice.

Farnesoid X receptor (FXR, Nr1h4) is a ligand-activated transcription factor belonging to the nuclear receptor superfamily. FXR is essential in maintaining bile acid (BA) homeostasis, and FXR(-/-) mice develop cholestasis, inflammation, and spontaneous liver tumors. The signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is well known to regulate liver growth, and STAT3 is feedback inhibited by its target gene, the suppressor of cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3).

Age-related increases in ozone-induced injury and altered pulmonary mechanics in mice with progressive lung inflammation.

In these studies we determined whether progressive pulmonary inflammation associated with aging in surfactant protein D (Sftpd)-/- mice leads to an exacerbated response to ozone. In Sftpd-/- mice, but not wild-type (WT) mice, age-related increases in numbers of enlarged vacuolated macrophages were observed in the lung, along with alveolar wall rupture, type 2 cell hyperplasia, and increased bronchoalveolar lavage protein and cell content. Numbers of heme oxygenase+ macrophages also increased with age in Sftpd-/- mice, together with classically (iNOS+) and alternatively (mannose receptor+, YM-1+, or galectin-3+) activated macrophages.

Antimicrobial effects of vapor phase thymol, modified atmosphere, and their combination against Salmonella spp. on raw shrimp.

Salmonella contamination on raw shrimp is a big food safety concern in the United States currently. This research evaluated the inhibition effects of vapor phase thymol, modified atmosphere (MA), and their combination against Salmonella spp. on raw shrimp.

Microbial safety and consumer acceptability of high-pressure processed hard clams (Mercenaria mercenaria).

Unlabelled: Littleneck hard clams (Mercenaria mercenaria) harvested from New Jersey coastal waters in the United States were high-pressure processed (HPP) in their shells using a 10 L high-pressure processing unit. A response surface (RS) methodology approach was used to optimize the pressure and time parameters for microbial inactivation caused by the high-pressure application. The total surviving microbial load in the hard clams was enumerated after processing at each experimental condition.

Neural representation during visually guided reaching in macaque posterior parietal cortex.

Visually guided hand movements in primates require an interconnected network of various cortical areas. Single unit firing rate from area 7a and dorsal prelunate (DP) neurons of macaque posterior parietal cortex (PPC) was recorded during reaching movements to targets at variable locations and under different eye position conditions. In the eye position-varied task, the reach target was always foveated; thus eye position varied with reach target location.

Bioavailability and delivery of nutraceuticals using nanotechnology.

Nanotechnology is an enable technology that has the potential to revolutionize agriculture and food systems. Driven by increasing consumer demand for healthy food products, researchers have been applying tools and knowledge in nanotechnology to address the issues relevant to food and nutrition. This concise review is mainly focused on nanoemulsions and polymer micelles-based delivery systems which have shown enhanced oral bioavailability and biological efficacies (that is, antiinflammation, anti-cancer, and so on) of different phytochemicals.