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Full-Text Articles in Life Sciences
The Neurochemistry And Social Flow Of Singing: Bonding And Oxytocin, Jason R. Keeler, Brittany L. Neuser, John M. Spitsbergen, Daniel J.M. Waters, John-Mary Vianney
The Neurochemistry And Social Flow Of Singing: Bonding And Oxytocin, Jason R. Keeler, Brittany L. Neuser, John M. Spitsbergen, Daniel J.M. Waters, John-Mary Vianney
BRAIN Lab Research
Music is used in healthcare to promote physical and psychological well-being. As clinical applications of music continue to expand, there is a growing need to understand the biological mechanisms by which music influences health. Here we explore the neurochemistry and social flow of group singing. Four participants from a vocal jazz ensemble were conveniently sampled to sing together in two separate performances: pre-composed and improvised. Concentrations of plasmaoxytocin and adrenocorticotropichormone (ACTH) were measured before and after each singing condition to assess levels of social affiliation, engagement and arousal. Avalidated assessment off low state was administered after each singing condition to …
Regulation Of Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (Gdnf) Production In Voluntary And Involuntary Muscle, John-Mary Vianney
Regulation Of Glial Cell Line-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (Gdnf) Production In Voluntary And Involuntary Muscle, John-Mary Vianney
Dissertations
Glia cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) is a survival factor for subpopulations of neurons, including somatic and autonomic motor neurons. These neurons depend, in part, on GDNF that is synthesized and secreted by their target tissues. It has been shown that a number of tissues in the periphery express GDNF and these target tissues differ in their composition, function, and in the case of different muscle cell types, their contractile characteristics. Whether the processes regulating GDNF production in these different tissues is similar or different is poorly understood. The broad goal of this study is to examine factors that normally …
Evolutionary Convergence Of The Caffeine Biosynthetic Pathway In Chocolate Followed Duplication Of A Constrained Ancestral Enzyme, Andrew J. O'Donnell
Evolutionary Convergence Of The Caffeine Biosynthetic Pathway In Chocolate Followed Duplication Of A Constrained Ancestral Enzyme, Andrew J. O'Donnell
Masters Theses
Caffeine biosynthesis is widely distributed in flowering plants and requires three consecutive methylation steps of xanthine alkaloids. Genes that have previously been reported to participate in the multi-step pathway in Coffea sp. (coffee) and Camellia sinensis (tea) encode members of the SABATH family of methyltransferases. Two genes highly expressed in fruits of Theobroma cacao (cacao) are orthologous to the caffeine genes in tea and appear to have diversified following gene duplication. Biochemical characterization of the enzymes (XMTs) encoded by these genes strongly suggest an unprecedented major pathway to theobromine, a precursor to caffeine. These findings imply that caffeine biosynthesis evolved …