Cognitive Dynamics Estimation: A whole-brain spatial regression paradigm for extracting the temporal dynamics of cognitive processes.

Functional MRI (fMRI) has been instrumental in understanding how cognitive processes are spatially mapped in the brain, yielding insights about brain regions and functions. However, in case the orthogonality of behavioral or stimulus timing is not guaranteed, the estimated brain maps fail to dissociate each cognitive process, and the resultant maps become unstable. Also, the brain mapping exercise can not provide temporal information on the cognitive process.

GRAS transcription factors regulate cell division planes in moss overriding the default rule.

Plant cells are surrounded by a cell wall and do not migrate, which makes the regulation of cell division orientation crucial for development. Regulatory mechanisms controlling cell division orientation may have contributed to the evolution of body organization in land plants. The GRAS family of transcription factors was transferred horizontally from soil bacteria to an algal common ancestor of land plants.

Quantitative Evaluations of Geometrical Distortion Corrections in Cortical Surface-Based Analysis of High-Resolution Functional MRI Data at 7T.

Background: Although 7T functional MRI (fMRI) provides better signal-to-noise ratio and higher spatial resolution than 3T fMRI, geometric distortions become more challenging because fMRI is more susceptible to distortions than structural MRI. Accurate alignment of 7T fMRI to structural MRI data is critical for precise cortical surface-based analysis.

Purpose: To quantify the effectiveness of distortion corrections of 7T fMRI data.

Differing species responsiveness of estrogenic contaminants in fish is conferred by the ligand binding domain of the estrogen receptor.

Exposure to estrogenic endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) induces a range of adverse effects, notably on reproduction and reproductive development. These responses are mediated via estrogen receptors (ERs). Different species of fish may show differences in their responsiveness to environmental estrogens but there is very limited understanding on the underlying mechanisms accounting for these differences.

The reproductive hormone cycle of adult female American alligators from a barrier island population.

Comparatively, little data are available detailing the geographic variation that exists in the reproductive endocrinology of adult alligators, especially those living in barrier islands. The Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge (MI) is a unique barrier island environment and home to the Kennedy Space Center (FL, USA). Seasonal patterns of sex steroids were assessed in adult female American alligators from MI monthly from 2008 to 2009, with additional samples collected at more random intervals in 2006, 2007, and 2010.

Estrogen receptor subtypes selectively mediate female mouse reproductive abnormalities induced by neonatal exposure to estrogenic chemicals.

Perinatal exposure to estrogens such as diethylstilbestrol (DES), and to estrogenic chemicals, induces persistent anovulation caused by alteration of hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, polyovular follicles, uterine abnormalities and persistent vaginal changes in mice. Most activities of estrogenic chemicals are mediated through estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) and/or ERbeta. However, little was known about the relative contribution of the individual ER subtypes in induction of abnormalities.