人类脑计划与神经信息学

了解脑及其功能是21世纪科学的重大挑战之一。神经信息学是神经科学与信息科学相结合的交叉学科。目前的“人类脑计划”旨在加强脑功能的基础研究,并开发用于分析、整合、合成、建模、模拟与提供各种数据的工具。中国应参与人类脑计划,为发展神经信息学作出贡献。     

神经元簇的层次性联合编码假设

提出一个新的神经信息编码假设,称为神经元簇的层次性联合编码假设。它不同于祖母细胞假设和Hebb经典细胞群编码模型,但融合了它们的优点,因而可以解释更多的神经生物学实验。     

神经丝的结构与功能

神经丝是神经细胞的中间丝,由L、M和H三种蛋白组成,三种蛋白由三个基因编码。神经丝蛋白在神经元胞体合成后,运输到神经突起中,与微丝和微管共同组成神经细胞的骨架网络。磷酸化对神经丝的性质有重要影响。神经丝蛋白在体内能与内源性中间丝共组装,在体外,只有L能自组装成10nm的纤维,M和H可与L共同组装成纤维。在发育过程中,L和M在动物出生前数天开始表达,H则是在出生后才出现。神经丝的数量决定轴突直径,而其过量表达会导致疾病。     

MicroRNA，lncRNA与神经退行性疾病

综述了microRNA和lncRNA在一些神经退行性疾病病理生理中的作用机制．随着社会生产的发展,人类文明的进步,人口日益老年化,神经退行性疾病正在全球范围内流行,严重地危害着人类的健康．尽管长期的研究使人们对神经退行性疾病有了比较全面和深入的了解,但是其背后隐藏的发病机制仍然是个谜．人类基因组约98%的转录产物为非编码RNA(ncRNA),在生命活动中有着许多鲜为人知的广泛而多样性的生物功能．小分子RNA(microRNA)是研究得相对比较深入的一类小ncRNA,最近2～3年,长非编码RNA(lncRNA)受到人们的重视,已积累了一些相关研究成果．     

大鼠尾壳核-海马癫痫电网络的神经信息编码特征

目的：观察强直电刺激大鼠右侧尾壳核（CPu）时,CPu-海马（HPC）网络癫痫的神经信息编码特征。方法：雄性SD大鼠59只。急性或慢性强直电刺激CPu（acute tetanization of the right CPu or chronic tetanization of the right CPu,ATRC or CTRC）（60Hz．0．4～0．6mA,2s）诱导大鼠癫痫模型。结果：①ATRC可以诱导双侧HPC神经元出现非对称性癫痫相关性单位电活动．增加对侧HPC单位放电时间间隔（Interspike interval,ISI）点分布的分岔角度。②CTRC可以诱导双侧CPu网络出现尖波样连续发放,同侧振荡样网络发作具有明显的相位移动特征;频率变化顺序为70Hz、110Hz、35Hz以及30Hz．与时间呈显著的负相关;振荡波波峰间隔（Interpeak interval,IPI）和波峰振幅逐渐增大,与时间呈显著正相关。③CTRC后加ATRC可以分别诱导双侧CPu网络出现原发性后放电。结论：激活CPu可以跨大脑半球重建双侧CPu—HPC癫痫电网络．其神经信息编码特征可能成为癫痫发生的神经信息学基础。     

听觉信息的编码

听觉系统能感受的声音干变万化,其参数变异范围极大,如频率上下限可相差1000倍,强度按能量计算上下限可相差10000倍。那么听觉系统是如何对如此巨量的听觉信息进行编码的呢？我们知道,声波经过耳蜗毛细胞的换能作用转变为神经冲动,成为传递声音的信息。但神经冲动是以全或无形式传布的,单纤维的神经冲动其振幅和与波形都是相对固定的,因此神经冲动的振幅波形不能反映声音的特性,只能依据神经冲动的节律、冲动的时间间隔以及发放神经冲动的纤维在耳蜗基底膜上的起源部位来传递不同形式的声音信息。我们把神经冲动在听神经纤维上传输…     

预测性编码在视听觉神经活动中的典型表征

现代神经科学研究指出，大脑是外部世界的“预测器”，它能根据先验知识和当前信息对即将到来的感觉信息进行主动估计，从而完成与外部世界的高效交互。预测性编码是描述预期作用机制的主要理论模型，梳理其在解释视、听觉神经现象方面的研究进展，可为深入理解大脑工作模式提供新的理论基础。本文简述了预测性编码的内容；从常用范式、典型现象、面临争议等方面梳理预期与感觉输入相互作用的典型研究；从有预期无刺激的神经表征、预期相关神经振荡模式两方面简述预期独立于刺激的内源性神经表征；进而回顾了支持预测性编码中分级结构的神经生理证据及重要神经结构。最后，本文从深化理论研究、助力疾病诊疗、启发脑-机接口技术等方面对预测性编码相关研究的发展进行了展望。深入理解预测性编码在视、听觉神经活动中的计算模型及神经表征，有望为揭示大脑感知觉神经活动工作模式开辟新途径。     

鸣禽与人类发声器官及发声行为神经控制通路的比较

与人类语言学习或形成一样,鸣禽鸣唱也是一种发声学习行为,二者具有一定的相似性,例如发声学习过程均需听觉反馈的参与,幼年期具有更强的发声学习能力,可对复杂的声学结构和音节序列进行控制等。尽管鸣禽和人类的发声器官在结构上有很大差异,但二者发声的物理机制仍表现出很强的相似性。虽然相比于其他哺乳动物,鸣禽和人类的亲缘关系很远,但通过对比发声行为产生的基础通路——脑干先天发声控制通路,以及与发声学习相关的更高神经水平的发声运动和学习通路脑区位置、相互联系、功能及基因表达谱,提示鸣禽鸣唱和人类语言的神经控制具有一定的进化相似性。这些共同特征使得鸣禽成为了研究发声学习的理想模型。本文对鸣禽与人类的发声器官及发声行为的神经控制通路进行了比较,并对鸣禽模型在人类失语症治疗研究中潜在的应用前景进行了展望,以期为研究人类语言学习的神经机制及语言障碍的治疗带来理论参考和借鉴。     

日韩两国神经信息学的研究

第八届国际神经信息加工大会 (ＩＣＯＮＩＰ２００１)于２００１年１１月１４日 -１８日在上海举行［１］,这次会议由复旦大学主办 ,会议收到三百余篇论文 ,选出２９５篇作为会议发言和大字报展出 ,来自３１个国家和地区的代表出席会议 ,其中日本代表９５名。Ｉ ＣＯＮＩＰ２００１会后 ,在杭州召开中、日、韩三国神经生物学和神经信息学卫星会［２］ ,中日韩各有１０位代表(５位来自神经生物学 ,５位来自神经信息学 )在会上发言。作者有幸出席这二次会议 ,并代表中方就神经信息学的一个方面作发言。作者在会上遇到不少日韩两国的老朋友 ,据…     

长链非编码RNA在神经系统发育及神经性疾病中的作用

长链非编码RNA(long non-coding RNA,lncRNA)是一类转录本长度在200至数千个核苷酸序列,且不具有蛋白质编码潜能的非编码RNA。相较于研究较多的微小RNA（microRNA,miRNA）和干扰小RNA（small interfering,siRNA）等非编码小RNA,lncRNA的许多功能仍尚不清楚。但越来越多的研究发现,lncRNA可通过多种方式调控中枢神经系统发育,包括表观遗传组蛋白甲基化、转录辅因子调控、可变剪接调控等途经。而以上途经的异常均与多种人类重大疾病的发生密切相关,例如,阿尔兹海默症（Alzheimer’s disease,AD）、自闭症（autism spectrum disorder,ASD）、精神分裂症（schizophrenia,SZ）等。本文就lncRNA在表观遗传水平、转录水平、转录后水平和翻译水平上调控神经系统发育以及其在人类神经性疾病中的作用进行综述。     

Neuroinformatics Research for Vision Science: NRV project

The NRV project (Neuroinformatics Research for Vision Science) is the first project in Japan started in 1999 under the Science and Technology Agency of Japan, aimed at building the foundation of neuroinformatics research. Because of the wealth of data on the visual system, the NRV project will use vision research to promote experimental, theoretical and technical research as a pilot study on neuroinformatics. Details can be found at: http://www.neuroinformatics.gr.jp/.     

Connecting the Human Variome Project to nutrigenomics

Nutrigenomics is the science of analyzing and understanding gene–nutrient interactions, which because of the genetic heterogeneity, varying degrees of interaction among gene products, and the environmental diversity is a complex science. Although much knowledge of human diversity has been accumulated, estimates suggest that ~90% of genetic variation has not yet been characterized. Identification of the DNA sequence variants that contribute to nutrition-related disease risk is essential for developing a better understanding of the complex causes of disease in humans, including nutrition-related disease. The Human Variome Project (HVP; http://www.humanvariomeproject.org/) is an international effort to systematically identify genes, their mutations, and their variants associated with phenotypic variability and indications of human disease or phenotype. Since nutrigenomic research uses genetic information in the design and analysis of experiments, the HVP is an essential collaborator for ongoing studies of gene–nutrient interactions. With the advent of next generation sequencing methodologies and the understanding of the undiscovered variation in human genomes, the nutrigenomic community will be generating novel sequence data and results. The guidelines and practices of the HVP can guide and harmonize these efforts.     

Chromosome-centric approach to overcoming bottlenecks in the Human Proteome Project

The international Human Proteome Project (HPP), a logical continuation of the Human Genome Project, was launched on 23 September 2010 in Sydney, Australia. In accordance with the gene-centric approach, the goals of the HPP are to prepare an inventory of all human proteins and decipher the network of cellular protein interactions. The greater complexity of the proteome in comparison to the genome gives rise to three bottlenecks in the implementation of the HPP. The main bottleneck is the insufficient sensitivity of proteomic technologies, hampering the detection of proteins with low- and ultra-low copy numbers. The second bottleneck is related to poor reproducibility of proteomic methods and the lack of a so-called ‘gold’ standard. The last bottleneck is the dynamic nature of the proteome: its instability over time. The authors here discuss approaches to overcome these bottlenecks in order to improve the success of the HPP.     

The human eye proteome project

The human eye proteome is the latest addition to the HUPO Human Proteome Project (HPP). Semba et al. (The Human Eye Proteome Project: Perspectives on an emerging proteome. Proteomics 2013, 13, 2500–2511) establish a provisional baseline for the proteomes of the many anatomical compartments of the eye, based on literature review. As part of the Biology and Disease‐driven HPP, they and their colleagues will generate fresh data and meet the stringent guidelines for protein identification and characterization as established by the HPP.     

Report of the 9th HLPP Workshop October 2007, Seoul, Korea

The Human Liver Proteome Project is one of the Human Proteome Initiatives launched by Human Proteome Organization (HUPO). Major achievements of the project have been obtained under the efforts of international collaboration with all the participants since it was formally proposed in 2002. Its updated progresses were presented in the latest workshop held in conjunction with the sixth HUPO World Congress in October, 2007, Seoul, Korea. Furthermore, four topics related to the project as well as other initiatives were lively discussed among all the attendees.     

HUPO Brain Proteome Project Pilot Studies: bioinformatics at work

The data acquisition phase of initial pilot studies (human and mouse brain samples) of the Human Proteome Organisation (HUPO) Brain Proteome Project (BPP) is now complete and the data generated by the participating laboratories has been submitted to the central Data Collection Center. The BPP Bioinformatics Group met on 8th April 2005 at the European Bioinformatics Institute (Hinxton, UK) to discuss strategies for the reanalysis of the pooled data from all the participating laboratories. A summary of the results of the data reprocessing will be presented at the 4th HUPO World Congress that will be held in August/September 2005.     

Understanding the Human Genome Project: a biographical approach

This article analyzes a number of recently published autobiographies by leading participants in the Human Genome Project (HGP), in order to determine to what extent they may further our understanding of the history, scientific significance and societal impact of this major research endeavor. Notably, I will focus on three publications that fall under this heading, namely The common thread by John Sulston (2002/2003), The language of God (2006) by Francis Collins and A life decoded by Craig Venter (2007).1 Sulston's autobiography was co-authored by science writer Georgina Ferry. What may we learn from these autobiographical sources about the dynamics of scientific change? What is their added value in understanding science in general and the HGP in particular? These questions will be elaborated in three directions: on the level of knowledge (epistemology), power (politics) and the Self (ethics). On the epistemological level, genomics is often presented as a paradigm shift in the life sciences, a tremendous up-scaling of research, an “informatization” of life. Autobiographies may reveal how this shift – usually discussed in more general terms from a philosophy of science or science studies perspective – manifests itself on an individual scale, on a micro-epistemological level. On the political level, autobiographies may inform us about the micro-politics of scientific change. Finally, on the level of Self, autobiographies may allow us to analyze how researchers, through practices of Self, are actively engaged in constituting themselves as responsible subjects in the face of unpredictable dynamics and unforeseen dilemmas.     

The 2011 Human Liver Proteome Project (HLPP) Workshop September 5, 2011, Geneva, Switzerland

During the 10th HUPO Annual World Congress held in Geneva (Switzerland) from 4th to 7th September, a workshop on Human Liver Proteome Project (HLPP) Initiative took place. Four research groups presented their latest results from different ongoing projects. Later on, during the HLPP executive members' meeting, the status of current projects and the next possible steps to be taken were discussed.     

“Bioethics in Action” and Human Population Genetics Research

Recent disputes about human population genetics research have been provoked by the field's political vulnerability (the historic imbalance of power between the geneticists and the people they study) and conceptual vulnerability (the mismatch between scientific and popular understandings of the genetic basis of collective identity). The small, isolated groups often studied by this science are now mobilizing themselves as political subjects, pressing sovereignty claims, and demanding control over the direction and interpretation of research. Negotiations between the geneticists and the people asked to donate DNA have resulted not only in explicit bioethics protocols but also in diffuse anxiety over the incommensurability between expert and non-expert views about genetic evidence for identity claims. This article compares two disputes over genetics research: the Human Genome Diversity Project and the use of genetics to prove identity claims among the Melungeons of Tennessee. The case studies illustrate “bioethics in action”: how particular controversies and interests drive the production of bioethics discourses and techniques (such as informed consent protocols). They also illustrate some limits on the usual apparatus of bioethics in overcoming this science's multiple vulnerabilities.