Phospholipid binding by a synaptic vesicle protein homologous to the regulatory region of protein kinase C

Neurotransmitters are released at synapses by the Ca2(+)-regulated exocytosis of synaptic vesicles, which are specialized secretory organelles that store high concentrations of neurotransmitters. The rapid Ca2(+)-triggered fusion of synaptic vesicles is presumably mediated by specific proteins that must interact with Ca2+ and the phospholipid bilayer. We now report that the cytoplasmic domain of p65, a synaptic vesicle-specific protein that binds calmodulin contains an internally repeated sequence that is homologous to the regulatory C2-region of protein kinase C (PKC). The cytoplasmic domain of recombinant p65 binds acidic phospholipids with a specificity indicating an interaction of p65 with the hydrophobic core as well as the headgroups of the phospholipids. The binding specificity resembles PKC, except that p65 also binds calmodulin, placing the C2-regions in a context of potential Ca2(+)-regulation that is different from PKC. This is a novel homology between a cellular protein and the regulatory domain of protein kinase C. The structure and properties of p65 suggest that it may have a role in mediating membrane interactions during synaptic vesicle exocytosis.     

Inhibition of oxidizing enzymes by metronidazole

Zusammenfassung Eine unerwartete Möglichkeit, wie Metronidazol zu einer nur scheinbaren Hemmung der Alkoholdehydrogenase führen könnte, wird aufgedeckt.

---

---

This research was supported in part by a grant from Ayerst Laboratories (New York), Scientific Advisory Board of the Licensed Beverage Industries (New York), and the Milheim Foundation for Cancer Research (Denver, Colorado). We thank Dr.T. Robitscher of Ayerst Laboratories and Dr.V. Drill of G. D. Searle & Co. for reagents used, and Dr.Drill for unpublished information from his laboratories.     

Advanced Credit-Assignment CMAC Algorithm for Robust Self-Learning and Self-Maintenance Machine

Smart machine necessitates self-learning capabilities to assess its own performance and predict its behavior. To achieve self-maintenance intelligence, robust and fast learning algorithms need to be embedded in machine for real-time decision. This paper presents a credit-assignment cerebellar model articulation controller (CA-CMAC) algorithm to reduce learning interference in machine learning. The developed algorithms on credit matrix and the credit correlation matrix are presented. The error of the training sample distributed to the activated memory cell is proportional to the cell‘s credibility, which is determined by its activated times. The convergence processes of CA-CMAC in cyclic learning are further analyzed with two convergence theorems. In addition, simulation results on the inverse kinematics of 2degree-of-freedom planar robot arm are used to prove the convergence theorems and show that CA-CMAC converges faster than conventional machine learning.     

Superoxide dismutase activity decreases during erythrocyte aging

Summary Superoxide dismutase activity was determined by the adrenalin method in bovine erythrocytes separated according to age. Progressive loss of the enzyme activity was found, down to ca 65% of that of the youngest cells.     

Invariant visual representation by single neurons in the human brain

It takes a fraction of a second to recognize a person or an object even when seen under strikingly different conditions. How such a robust, high-level representation is achieved by neurons in the human brain is still unclear. In monkeys, neurons in the upper stages of the ventral visual pathway respond to complex images such as faces and objects and show some degree of invariance to metric properties such as the stimulus size, position and viewing angle. We have previously shown that neurons in the human medial temporal lobe (MTL) fire selectively to images of faces, animals, objects or scenes. Here we report on a remarkable subset of MTL neurons that are selectively activated by strikingly different pictures of given individuals, landmarks or objects and in some cases even by letter strings with their names. These results suggest an invariant, sparse and explicit code, which might be important in the transformation of complex visual percepts into long-term and more abstract memories.