Findings suggest that the severity of anginal symptoms and the ex

Findings suggest that the severity of anginal symptoms and the extent of ischaemia in stress testing could help Ilomastat supplier to identify patients who are at increased risk and who might benefit from an early invasive strategy. On the basis of the data and considerations presented, a strategy of initial optimum pharmacological therapy or direct invasive management can be tailored to an individual’s circumstances and preferences.”
“Systemic infection and drugs with anticholinergic effects are well-recognised

and prevalent risk factors for delirium in elderly people. Experimental findings and neuropathological observations suggest that activation of microglia is pivotal for mediation of the behavioural effects of systemic infections. The microglial response is usually regulated tightly, but defensive features could turn neurotoxic once microglial cells escape from cholinergic inhibition. A self-propelling neuroinflammatory reaction might follow, and this cascade could account for the strong association between delirium and long-term cognitive impairment and even dementia. Here, we propose a hypothetical model, suggesting that poor outcome after delirium can be averted in vulnerable elderly people by use of readily available drugs. Agents that either restore cholinergic control of microglia or directly inhibit neuroinflammation

warrant testing in clinical trials.”
“Multiple pathogenic infections can influence disease transmission and virulence, and have important consequences for understanding the community ecology and epidemiology of host-pathogen DNA Damage inhibitor interactions. Here the population and evolutionary dynamics of a host-pathogen interaction with free-living stages are explored in the presence of a non-lethal synergist that hosts must tolerate. Through the coupled effects on pathogen transmission, host mass gain and allometry it is shown how investing in tolerance to a non-lethal synergist can

lead to a broad range of different population dynamics. The effects of the synergist on pathogen fitness are explored through a series of life-history trait trade-offs. Coupling trade-offs between Sirtuin activator pathogen yield and pathogen speed of kill and the presence of a synergist favour parasites that have faster speeds of kill. This evolutionary change in pathogen characteristics is predicted to lead to stable population dynamics. Evolutionary analysis of tolerance of the synergist (strength of synergy) and lethal pathogen yield show that decreasing tolerance allows alternative pathogen strategies to invade and replace extant strategies. This evolutionary change is likely to destabilise the host-pathogen interaction leading to population cycles. Correlated trait effects between speed of kill and tolerance (strength of synergy) show how these traits can interact to affect the potential for the coexistence of multiple pathogen strategies.

Methods and

Methods and CAL-101 chemical structure Results:

The secondary metabolites pyrrolnitrin and phenazines antagonize phytopathogenic fungi. The expression of the prnA gene encoding tryptophan halogenase, the first step in pyrrolnitrin biosynthesis, required the stationary-phase sigma factor, RpoS. Mutations in rpoS and prnA in Ps. chlororaphis O6 eliminated antifungal activity against Rhizoctonia solani and Fusarium graminearum. Pyrrolnitrin production was reduced by glucose in growth media, whereas phenazine

levels were increased. The efficacy of Ps. chlororaphis O6 in the biocontrol of tomato late blight was reduced by addition of glucose to the growth medium.

Conclusions:

Regulation by glucose of pyrrolnitrin production influenced the efficacy of the biocontrol of tomato leaf blight.

Significance and Impact of the Study:

The nutritional regulation of secondary metabolite production from a soil pseudomonad may account, at least in part, for the variability of biocontrol under field conditions.”
“A key for understanding how information is processed in the cortex is to unravel the dauntingly complex cortical neural circuitry. Recent technical innovations, in particular the in vivo whole-cell

voltage-clamp recording techniques, make it possible to directly dissect the excitatory and inhibitory inputs underlying an individual cortical neuron’s processing function. This method provides an essential complement to conventional approaches, BMS-777607 chemical structure with which the transfer functions of the neural system are derived by correlating neuronal spike outputs to sensory inputs. Here,

we intend to introduce a potentially systematic strategy for resolving the structure of functional synaptic circuits. As complex circuits can be built upon elementary modules, the primary focus of this strategy is to identify elementary synaptic circuits and determine how these circuit units contribute to specific processing functions. This review will summarize recent studies on functional synaptic circuits in the primary auditory cortex, comment on existing experimental techniques for in vivo circuitry studies, and provide Oxalosuccinic acid a perspective on immediate future directions. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“The central nervous system is plastic throughout life, but is most sensitive to the statistics of the sensory environment during critical periods of early postnatal development. In the auditory cortex, various forms of acoustic experience have been found to shape the formation of receptive fields and influence the overall rate of cortical organization. The synaptic mechanisms that control cortical receptive field plasticity are beginning to be described, particularly for frequency tuning in rodent primary auditory cortex. Inhibitory circuitry plays a major role in critical period regulation, and new evidence suggests that the formation of excitatory-inhibitory balance determines the duration of critical period plasticity for auditory cortical frequency tuning.


“Recent evidence suggests that the cortisol awakening resp


“Recent evidence suggests that the cortisol awakening response (CAR) on any single day is determined by a combination of trait and state factors; however, the nature of such state associations remains largely unexplored. In this study we examined day-to-day changes in the CAR and their covariance with simultaneous changes in steep-related variables, alcohol consumption, and motility levels. We employed a novel approach to this field of research in the form of a detailed case study of a 27-year-old healthy mate (TS) over 50 measurement days, occurring at 3-day intervals. On each measurement day, salivary free cortisol was determined

at 0, 15, 30, and 45 min post-awakening and sleep-related variables, Etomoxir mouse alcohol consumption on the previous evening, and post-awakening motility were measured.

Our findings show considerable day-to-day variability in the CAR, particularly the dynamic increase, which averaged 17.2 nmol/l and ranged from 3.6 to 39.0 nmol/l (max-min values). We also

report a strong relationship between changes in awakening time and changes in the first waking sample (explaining similar Nutlin-3 datasheet to 38% of its variability) such that later awakening was associated with a higher first waking sample. This relationship was found to be stronger on days when awakening time was earlier in the morning than on days when it was later. Our findings also provide a preliminary indication for an inverse association selleck products between alcohol consumption

on the evening before a sampling day and the dynamic of the AUC(I), while no associations between steep quality, post-awakening motility levels, and mode of awakening and measures of the CAR were found. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Background: We evaluated the effect of coadministration of beta-blocker (carvedilol) as the third agent with angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARB) and calcium channel blockers (CCB) on blood pressure (BP) regulation and glucose metabolism. Methods: Diabetic patients who did not achieve the therapeutic BP goal (140/90 mmHg) by ARB and CCB combination therapy were recruited. This study was designed to compare the BP regulating effects by adding carvedilol (10 mg/day, n = 30) and by doubling the dose of either ARB (n = 34) or CCB (n = 31). Serum glucose metabolism was examined. Results: The carvedilol group showed a decrease (P < 0.01) in BP from 166 +/- 11/90 +/- 8 to 156 +/- 9/84 +/- 7 mmHg at 12 weeks. In the ARB and CCB groups, BP also decreased (P < 0.01) from 164 +/- 11/87 +/- 8 to 153 +/- 10/83 +/- 8 and 163 +/- 7/87 +/- 8 to 153 +/- 8/84 +/- 9 mmHg at 12 weeks. The rates of achieving therapeutic goal at 12 weeks were 36.7% in the carvedilol, 38.2% in the ARB and 41.9% in the CCB group. Serum glucose metabolism did not change in all groups.

We analyzed clinical and imaging data from 42 HFMD cases with EV7

We analyzed clinical and imaging data from 42 HFMD cases with EV71-induced brainstem encephalitis. All patients underwent plain and enhanced MRI cranial scans and were placed into one of two groups according to MRI enhancement results, an enhanced group or a nonenhanced group.

Thirty-two cases were positive on MRI exam. The primary location of the

lesion for brainstem encephalitis was the dorsal pons and medulla oblongata (32 www.selleckchem.com/products/mrt67307.html cases), followed by the cerebellar dentate nucleus (8 cases), midbrain (5 cases), and thalamus (2 cases). Plain T1-weighted images showed isointense or hypointense signals, and T2-weighted images showed isointense and hyperintense signals. Enhanced MRI scans showed that 12 cases had slight to moderate enhancement; 4 of these were normal on plain scan. The time from MRI examination to disease onset was statistically different between the enhanced (n = 12) and nonenhanced (n = 21) groups with a mean of 7.67 days (SD

= 1.07) vs 11.95 days (SD = 5.33), respectively. The most common neurological symptoms for brainstem encephalitis were myoclonus and tremor. The greater the area of affected brain, the more severe the clinical symptoms were.

The GSK3326595 ic50 locations of EV71-induced HFMD-associated brainstem encephalitis lesions are relatively specific. Enhanced MRI scans could also identify the lesions missed by early plain scans. MRI scans can provide important information for clinical evaluation and treatment.”
“Swine are an important source of proteins worldwide but are subject to frequent viral outbreaks and numerous infections capable of infecting humans. Modern farming conditions may also increase viral transmission and potential zoonotic spread. We describe here the metagenomics-derived virome in the feces of 24 healthy and 12 diarrheic piglets on a high-density farm. An Cell press average of 4.2 different mammalian viruses were shed by healthy piglets, reflecting a high

level of asymptomatic infections. Diarrheic pigs shed an average of 5.4 different mammalian viruses. Ninety-nine percent of the viral sequences were related to the RNA virus families Picornaviridae, Astroviridae, Coronaviridae, and Caliciviridae, while 1% were related to the small DNA virus families Circoviridae, and Parvoviridae. Porcine RNA viruses identified, in order of decreasing number of sequence reads, consisted of kobuviruses, astroviruses, enteroviruses, sapoviruses, sapeloviruses, coronaviruses, bocaviruses, and teschoviruses. The near-full genomes of multiple novel species of porcine astroviruses and bocaviruses were generated and phylogenetically analyzed. Multiple small circular DNA genomes encoding replicase proteins plus two highly divergent members of the Picornavirales order were also characterized. The possible origin of these viral genomes from pig-infecting protozoans and nematodes, based on closest sequence similarities, is discussed.

The majority of these cells are produced in mitotic regions calle

The majority of these cells are produced in mitotic regions called meristems. For primary or tip growth of the roots and shoots, the meristems are located in the apices. These apical meristems have been shown to function as developmentally regulated and environmentally responsive selleckchem stem cell niches. The principle requirements to maintain a functioning meristem in a dynamic system are a balance of cell division and differentiation and the regulation of the planes of cell division and expansion. Woody plants also have secondary indeterminate

mitotic regions towards the exterior of roots, stems and branches that produce the cells for continued growth in girth. The chief secondary meristem is the vascular cambium (VC). As its name implies, cells produced in the VC contribute to the growth in girth via the production of secondary vascular elements. Although we know a considerable amount about the cellular and molecular basis of the apical meristems, our knowledge of the cellular basis and molecular functioning of the VC has been rudimentary. This is now changing as a growing body of research

shows that the primary and secondary meristems share some common fundamental regulatory mechanisms. In this review, we outline recent research that is leading to a better understanding of the molecular forces that shape the cellular structure and function of the VC.”
“Objective: To evaluate the influence of volume unloading by bidirectional superior cavopulmonary anastomosis on the systemic right ventricle in patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome.

Methods: A total learn more of 90 consecutive patients with hypoplastic left heart syndrome, who had survived check details the early postoperative period after bidirectional superior cavopulmonary anastomosis, were studied. Seven patients were excluded because of tricuspid valve surgery before or in association with bidirectional superior cavopulmonary anastomosis. The echocardiograms of the remaining 83 patients were reevaluated for tricuspid valve regurgitation

and the size of the tricuspid annulus before bidirectional superior cavopulmonary anastomosis and at the last available follow-up examination before total cavopulmonary connection.

Results: Echocardiograms were performed a median of 5 days before bidirectional superior cavopulmonary anastomosis. Tricuspid valve regurgitation was graded as 0 in 11 patients, I in 37 patients, II in 24 patients, and III in 11 patients. Follow-up echocardiograms were performed a median of 17 months after bidirectional superior cavopulmonary anastomosis. Postoperatively, tricuspid valve regurgitation was graded as 0 in 14 patients, I in 37 patients, II in 21 patients, III in 6 patients, and IV in 5 patients. Postoperatively, the mean Z value of the tricuspid annulus stayed the same in patients with significant tricuspid valve regurgitation (grade III or IV) after bidirectional superior cavopulmonary anastomosis but had decreased in the remaining patients.


“Background/Aims: L5, the most negatively charged species


“Background/Aims: L5, the most negatively charged species of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), has been implicated in atherogenesis by inducing apoptosis of endothelial cells (ECs) and inhibiting the differentiation of endothelial progenitor cells. In this study, we compared the effects of LDL charge on cellular stress pathways leading to atherogenesis. Methods: We isolated L5 and L1 (the least negatively charged LDL) from the plasma of patients with familial hypercholesterolemia and used JC-1 staining to examine the effects of L5 and L1 on the mitochondrial membrane potential (DCm) in human umbilical vein ECs (HUVECs). Additionally, we characterized

the gene expression profiles of 7 proteins involved in various types of cellular AICAR ic50 stress. Results:The DCm was severely compromised in HUVECs treated with L5. Furthermore, compared with L1, L5 induced a decrease in mRNA and protein expression of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) chaper-one proteins ORP150, Grp94, and Grp58, mitochondrial proteins Prdx3 and ATP synthase, and an increase in the expression of the pro-inflammatory protein hnRNP C1/C2. Conclusions: Ferrostatin-1 molecular weight Our work suggests that

L5, but not L1, may promote the destruction of ECs that occurs during atherogenesis by causing mitochondrial dysfunction and modulating the expression of key proteins to promote inflammation, ER dysfunction, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. Copyright (C) 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel”
“BACKGROUND: Seizures

are a common symptom of supratentorial arteriovenous malformations (AVMs), and uncontrolled epilepsy can considerably reduce patient quality of life. Potential risk factors for epilepsy in patients with AVMs are poorly understood, and the importance of achieving freedom from seizures in their surgical treatment remains underappreciated.

OBJECTIVE: To characterize risks factors for preoperative seizures and factors associated check details with postoperative freedom from seizures in patients with surgically resected supratentorial AVMs.

METHODS: We analyzed prospectively collected patient data for 440 patients who underwent microsurgical resection of supratentorial AVMs at our institution.

RESULTS: Among 440 patients with supratentorial AVMs, 130 (30%) experienced preoperative seizures, and 23 (18%) with seizures progressed to medically refractory epilepsy. Seizures were associated with a history of AVM hemorrhage (relative risk, 6.65; 95% confidence interval [CI], 3.81-11.6), male sex (relative risk, 2.07; 95% CI, 1.26-3.39), and frontotemporal lesion location (relative risk, 1.75; 95% CI, 1.05-2.93). After resection, 96% of patients had a modified Engel class I outcome, characterized by freedom from seizures (80%) or only 1 postoperative seizure (16%; mean follow-up, 20.7 +/- 2.3 months). Comparable rates of postoperative seizures were seen in patients with (7%) or without (3%) preoperative seizures.

69) No late aneurysm-related death occurred during the follow-up

69). No late aneurysm-related death occurred during the follow-up period. Incisional hernias were more likely to occur in group II patients (group I: 0% vs group II: 15.4%; P = .047). Incidence of postoperative sexual dysfunction was similar in both Etomoxir concentration groups (group I: 22.2% vs group II: 25.0%; P = not significant [NS]). No late reintervention

was recorded in group I, whereas 2 patients in group II had incisional hernia repair. At 5 years, no graft sepsis or anastomotic pseudoaneurysm was reported. Conclusions: This study suggests that total laparoscopic AAA repair provides good long-term results, comparable to those of open repair in terms of aneurysm-related mortality and morbidity. It may reduce the incidence of laparotomy-related complications. (J Vasc Surg 2012;55:1549-53.)”
“There is accumulating evidence that glutamate and GABA release are key mechanisms of ischaemic events in the CNS. However, data on the expression of involved transporters for these mediators are inconsistent, potentially impeding further neuroprotective approaches. Here, we applied immunofluorescence labelling to characterise the expression find more pattern of vesicular glutamate (VGLUT) and GABA transporters (VGAT) after acute focal cerebral ischaemia and in two models of retinal ischaemia. Mice were subjected to filament-based focal cerebral ischaemia predominantly

involving the middle cerebral artery territory, also leading to retinal ischaemia due to central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO). Alternatively, retinal ischaemia was induced by a transient increase of the intraocular pressure (HIOP). One day after ischaemia onset, diminished immunolabelling of neuronal nuclei and microtubule-associated protein 2-positive structures were found in the ipsilateral neocortex, subcortex and the retina, indicating neuronal degeneration. VGLUT1 expression did not change significantly in ischaemic tissues whereas VGLUT2 was down-regulated in specific areas of the brain. VGLUT3 expression was only slightly

this website down-regulated in the ischaemia-affected neocortex, and was found to form clusters on fibrils of unknown origin in the ischaemic lateral hypothalamus. In contrast, retinae subjected to CRAO or HIOP displayed a rapid loss of VGLUT3-immunoreactivity. The expression of VGAT appears resistant to ischaemia as there was no significant alteration in all the regions analysed. In summary, these data indicate a region- and subtype-specific change of VGLUT expression in the ischaemia-affected CNS, whose consideration might help to generate specific neuroprotective strategies. (c) 2012 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Background. Although depression appears to decrease in late life, this could be due to misattribution of depressive symptom to physical disorders that increase in late life.

Method. We studied age differences in major depressive episodes (MDE) in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication, a national survey of the US household Population.

Nevertheless, clinical anecdotes have suggested that patients may

Nevertheless, clinical anecdotes have suggested that patients may show emotional or behavioural responses to the experience of failure despite reporting limited awareness, an aspect which has been little explored experimentally. The current study investigated emotional reactions to success or failure in tasks despite unawareness of performance in Alzheimer’s disease. For this purpose, novel computerised tasks which expose participants to systematic success

or failure were used in a group of Alzheimer’s disease patients (n=23) and age-matched controls (n=21). Two experiments, the first with reaction time tasks and the second with memory tasks, were carried out, and in each experiment two parallel tasks were used, one in a success condition

JSH-23 nmr and one in a failure condition. Awareness of performance was measured comparing participant estimations of performance with actual performance. Emotional reactivity was assessed with a self-report questionnaire and rating of filmed facial expressions. In both experiments the results indicated that, relative to controls, Alzheimer’s disease patients exhibited impaired awareness of performance, but comparable differential reactivity to failure relative to success tasks, both in terms of self-report and facial expressions. YM155 cell line This suggests that affective valence of failure experience is processed despite unawareness of task performance, which might indicate implicit processing of information in neural pathways bypassing awareness. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Infectious salmon anemia virus (ISAV) has emerged as a virus of great concern to the aquaculture industry since it can lead to highly contagious

and lethal infections in farm-raised salmon populations. Alisertib in vivo While little is known about the transcription/replication cycle of ISAV, initial evidence suggests that it follows molecular mechanisms similar to those found in other orthomyxoviruses, which include the highly pathogenic influenza A (inf A) virus. During the life cycle of orthomyxoviruses, a panhandle structure is formed by the pairing of the conserved 5′ and 3′ ends of each genomic RNA. This structural motif serves both as a promoter of the viral RNA (vRNA)-dependent RNA polymerase and as a regulatory element in the transcription/replication cycle. As a first step toward characterizing the structure of the ISAV panhandle, here we have determined the secondary structures of the vRNA and the cRNA panhandles on the basis of solution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) and thermal melting data. The vRNA panhandle is distinguished by three noncanonical U . G pairs and one U . U pair in two stem helices that are linked by a highly stacked internal loop. For the cRNA panhandle, a contiguous stem helix with a protonated C . A pair near the terminus and tandem downstream U . U pairs was found.

We examine current evidence providing insight into the potential

We examine current evidence providing insight into the potential of these important players as therapeutic targets for Parkinson’s disease.”
“Null hypotheses are simple, precise, and theoretically VE-822 important. Conventional statistical analysis cannot support them; Bayesian analysis can. The challenge in a Bayesian analysis is to formulate a suitably vague alternative, because the vaguer the alternative is (the more it spreads out the unit mass of prior probability),

the more the null is favored. A general solution is a sensitivity analysis: Compute the odds for or against the null as a function of the limit(s) on the vagueness of the alternative. If the odds on the null approach I from above as the hypothesized maximum size of the possible effect approaches 0, then the data favor the null over any vaguer alternative to it. The simple computations and the intuitive graphic representation of the analysis are illustrated by the analysis of diverse examples from the current literature. They

pose 3 common experimental questions: (a) Are 2 means the same? (b) Is performance at chance? (c) Are factors additive?”
“Temperature had a significant and positive effect on the foraging and growth of juvenile common carp JQ-EZ-05 molecular weight Cyprinus carpio (90-105 mm) between 16 and 28 degrees C. Metrics measured were feeding rate (items s(-1)), functional response (feeding rate as a function of food density), specific growth rate and incremental fork lengths. Experiments that were conducted at 16, 20, 24 and 28 degrees C and used two food types revealed a strong thermal influence on foraging, with the highest feeding rates achieved at 24 degrees C. Functional responses also revealed optimal feeding rates in relation to food density occurred at temperatures > 20 degrees C. Specific growth rate and incremental fork lengths were depressed at 16 and 28 degrees C when compared to those achieved

at 20 and 24 degrees C. These outputs suggest an increase in foraging and growth of C. carpio according to a thermal gradient that were maximal between 24 and 28 degrees C. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Estrogens are the primary female selleck kinase inhibitor sex hormones and play important roles in both reproductive and non-reproductive systems. Estrogens can be synthesized in nonreproductive tissues such as liver, heart, muscle, bone and brain, and tissue-specific estrogen synthesis is consistent with a diversity of estrogen actions. In this article we review tissue and cell-specific estrogen synthesis and estrogen receptor signaling in three parts: (i) synthesis and metabolism, (ii) the distribution of estrogen receptors and signaling, and (iii) estrogen functions and related disorders, including cardiovascular diseases, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and Parkinson disease (PD).

Results: Stage-specific infection rate estimates from cases hospi

Results: Stage-specific infection rate estimates from cases hospitalized before quarantine began exceed those from the entire outbreak, but are qualitatively similar: infectiousness was negligible until symptom onset, and increased 10-fold from prodrome to acute illness. HDAC inhibitor Given such information, authorities might instead have emphasized a strategy whose efficiency more than compensates for any possible reduction in efficacy.

Conclusions: In future outbreaks of new human diseases transmitted via close interpersonal contact, it should be possible to identify the optimal intervention early enough to facilitate effective decision-making. Published by Elsevier Ltd.”
“Prepulse

inhibition (PPI) deficit. the acoustic startle reflex (ASR) and habituation (HAB) impairment are considered to be endophenotypes for schizophrenia. The recent two studies have reported that a PPI deficit was detected in Japanese schizophrenic patients. We replicated that study using larger samples (115 schizophrenic patients and 111 normal controls) than the original study and a method same as original study. A startle response monitoring system was used to deliver acoustic startle stimuli, and to record and score the electromyographic activity of the orbicularis oculi muscle. We evaluated the startle measures of mean magnitude of ASR, HAB, and PPI at prepulse sound pressure intensities of 82 dB (PPI82),86 dB (PPI86), and

90 dB (PPI90) ASR was significantly different between schizophrenic patients and controls HAB and all PPI session data from schizophrenic patients were significantly lower than in controls. in addition, we detected significant learn more differences for

ASR, HAB and each PPI (82, 86 and 90 dB) between schizophrenic patients and controls with the use of multiple regression analysis. The gender and smoking state were not correlated with ASR. HAB or any PPI in multiple regression analysis. In conclusion, we were able to replicate the finding of HAB impairment and PPI deficit in chronic Japanese schizophrenic patients (C) 2009 Elsevier Ireland Ltd and the Japan Neuroscience Society. All rights reserved”
“A common feature of mycorrhizal observation is the growth of the infection on the plant root as a percent of the infected root or root tip length. Often, this is measured as a logistic curve with an eventual, though usually transient, plateau. Selleck Lapatinib It is shown in this paper that the periods of stable percent infection in the mycorrhizal growth cycle correspond to periods where both the plant and mycorrhiza growth rates and likely metabolism are tightly coupled. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Vertebrae and ribs arise from embryonic tissues called somites. Somites arise sequentially from the unsegmented embryo tail, called presomitic mesoderm (PSM). The pace of somite formation is controlled by gene products such as hairy and enhancer of split 7 (Hes7) whose expression oscillates in the PSM.