The Ca sensor S100A1 modulates neuroinflammation,histopathology and Akt activity in the PSAPP Alzheimer's disease mouse model

The contribution of the Ca²⁺ sensor S100A1 to in vivo Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathobiology has not been elucidated although S100A1 regulates numerous cellular processes linked to AD. This study uses genetic ablation to ascertain the effects of S100A1 on neuroinflammation, beta-amyloid (Aβ) plaque deposition and Akt activity in the PSAPP AD mouse model. PSAPP/S100A1^−/− mice exhibited decreases in astrocytosis (GFAP burden), microgliosis (Iba1 burden) and plaque load/number when compared to PSAPP/S100A1^+/+ mice at six and twelve months of age. The presence of detectable S100A1 staining in human AD specimens is consistent with a detrimental gain of S100A1 function in AD. S100A1 ablation also reduced plaque associated and increased non-plaque associated PO₄-Akt and PO₄-GSK3β staining. S100A1·Akt complexes were undetectable in PC12 cells and AD brain tissue suggesting that S100A1 indirectly modulates Akt activity. In contrast, S100A1·RyR (ryanodine receptor) complexes were present in human/mouse AD brain and exhibited Ca²⁺-dependent formation in neuronal cells. This is the first direct demonstration of an S100A1· target protein complex in tissue/cells and identifies the RyR as a primary S100A1 target protein in the brain. Collectively, these data suggest that S100A1 inhibition may be a novel strategy for normalizing aberrant Ca²⁺ signaling in AD.     

Effects of wind erosion and sand burial on water relations and photosynthesis in Alhagi sparsifolia in the southern edge of the Taklimakan Desert

塔克拉玛干沙漠南缘风沙活动十分频繁, 风蚀和沙埋是该地区自然植被生长发育的重要影响因子。该文以塔克拉玛干沙漠南缘策勒绿洲-沙漠过渡带为研究区, 以该区域主要建群种植物骆驼刺(Alhagi sparsifolia)为研究对象, 对一次强沙尘天气过后沙丘表面5种不同风蚀沙埋状况的骆驼刺植物进行标定(包括10 cm风蚀、5 cm风蚀、不蚀不积、10 cm沙埋、30 cm沙埋), 天晴后测定其叶水势、叶片含水量、光合参数和叶绿素荧光等参数, 分析研究自然环境条件下风蚀和沙埋对骆驼刺水分和光合作用的影响。结果表明: (1)风蚀显著降低了骆驼刺叶水势和叶片含水量, 进而导致植物气孔导度降低, 并引起植物光合速率和蒸腾速率的下降。风蚀的植物水分利用效率低于沙埋, 特别是在10 cm风蚀深度明显降低。 (2)沙埋增加了骆驼刺的叶水势、叶片含水量和气孔导度, 并引起植物光合速率和蒸腾速率的上升, 水分利用效率也得到提升。(3)风蚀条件下骆驼刺所受胁迫增加, 但可以通过增加活性反应中心的数量和光化学效率来抵消胁迫造成的不利影响。沙埋条件下骆驼刺受胁迫减轻, 反应中心吸收的光能和用于光化学反应的能量随着沙埋程度增加而减小, 这是骆驼刺适应风沙环境的一种生存策略。(4)与5 cm风蚀以及10 cm沙埋相比, 10 cm风蚀显著抑制骆驼刺的生长, 30 cm沙埋则会显著促进骆驼刺的生长。     

乳酸菌阴道胶囊在宫颈糜烂患者宫颈环形电切术后的应用

目的探讨乳酸菌阴道胶囊在宫颈糜烂患者宫颈环形电切（LEEP）术后的应用。方法选取宫颈糜烂患者76例,随机分为观察组（n=38例）和对照组（n=38例）。两组患者均在月经干净后3-7 d行LEEP术,观察组患者加用乳酸菌阴道胶囊阴道放置,每晚1粒,连用14 d。观察两组患者术后阴道流血量、出血持续时间及创面愈合时间,术后8周复诊评估其临床疗效。结果观察组患者术后的阴道流血量、出血持续时间及创面愈合时间明显少于对照组（χ2=7.54、5.65和8.49,P〈0.05或P〈0.01）;术后8周复诊,观察组的临床总有效率明显优于对照组（94.74%vs.78.95%,χ2=4.15,P〈0.05）。结论乳酸菌阴道胶囊在宫颈糜烂患者宫颈环形电切术后的应用具有明确的效果,能明显减少阴道出血量和出血持续时间,有利于促进创面愈合。     

Species Traits as Practical Tools for Ecological Restoration of Marly Eroded Lands

Plant functional traits are increasingly used in restoration ecology because they have the potential to guide restoration practices at a broad scale. This article presents a trait‐based multi‐criteria framework to evaluate and predict the performance of 17 plant seedlings to improve ecological restoration of marly eroded areas in the French Southern Alps. The suitability of these species to limit soil erosion was assessed by studying both their response to erosive forces and their effect on erosion dynamics. We assumed that species efficiency could be explained and predicted from plant traits and we looked for trait‐performance relationships. Our results showed that root slenderness ratio, the percentage of fine roots and root system topology, were the three root morphology traits best describing anchorage strength. Root system characterized by a long and thin tap root and many fine lateral ramifications would be the best to resist concentrated runoff. Species response to burial mainly depended on growth form and morphological flexibility. The abilities of species in reinforcing the soil and reducing erosion rates were negatively correlated to root diameter and positively to the percentage of fine roots. Moreover, root system density and root tensile strength also influenced root reinforcement. Finally, the ability to trap sediment was positively correlated to leaf area and canopy density. Species were then scored and classified in four clusters according to their global performance. This method allows identifying species that possess both response and effect traits related to the goal of preventing erosion during ecological restoration.     

Effects of mechanical properties and atherosclerotic artery size on biomechanical plaque disruption – Mouse vs. human

Mouse models of atherosclerosis are extensively being used to study the mechanisms of atherosclerotic plaque development and the results are frequently extrapolated to humans. However, major differences have been described between murine and human atherosclerotic lesions and the determination of similarities and differences between these species has been largely addressed recently. This study takes over and extends previous studies performed by our group and related to the biomechanical characterization of both mouse and human atherosclerotic lesions. Its main objective was to determine the distribution and amplitude of mechanical stresses including peak cap stress (PCS) in aortic vessels from atherosclerotic apoE^-/- mice, in order to evaluate whether such biomechanical data would be in accordance with the previously suggested lack of plaque rupture in this model. Successful finite element analysis was performed from the zero-stress configuration of aortic arch sections and mainly indicated (1) the modest role of atherosclerotic lesions in the observed increase in residual parietal stresses in apoE^-/- mouse vessels and (2) the low amplitude of murine PCS as compared to humans. Overall, the results from the present study support the hypothesis that murine biomechanical properties and artery size confer less propensity to rupture for mouse lesions in comparison with those of humans.     

黄土高原小流域淤地坝泥沙粒度的剖面分布

2006年6月,按照泥沙旋回分层连续取样,分析了黄土高原丘陵沟壑区典型小流域1954年修建的淤地坝泥沙粒径的剖面分布特征.结果表明：该坝地泥沙旋回至少28个,旋回层的厚度范围在2～60 cm;沉积剖面土壤粒径以粉砂（0.05～0.002 mm）为主,占60%以上,其粒径集中分布于0.01～0.05 mm,粗泥沙（粒径>0.05 mm）含量约占23.09%;随淤积深度的增加,泥沙各粒径范围的变异程度增加,2 m土壤深处可作为研究区淤地坝粒径变异突变点的标识,粒径变异是河道比降和水沙动力条件共同作用的结果;研究区淤地坝泥沙沉积剖面存在72 cm厚的累积耕作层,累积耕作层的明确对于淤地坝泥沙侵蚀环境具有指示作用.     

混合暴露条件下近江牡蛎对重金属的积累与释放特征

选择近江牡蛎作为试验生物,研究了混合暴露条件下8种重金属在近江牡蛎体内的积累和释放特征.结果表明: 近江牡蛎对重金属Pb、Cu、Ni、Cd、Cr和Hg有很强的累积能力,可较好地指示溶液中的重金属浓度水平,但对重金属Zn和As的积累能力很小,不能真实反映溶液中重金属Zn和As含量的变化水平.在随后35 d的释放阶段,8种重金属在近江牡蛎体内的含量没有明显变化,表明近江牡蛎对重金属的释放能力较差.双箱动力学模型可较好地反映混合暴露条件下近江牡蛎对重金属的积累特征,但不适合对其释放特征进行描述.     

志贺菌对HeLa细胞侵袭力的研究

通过使用噬斑形成试验、透射电镜及检测志贺菌蛋白表达等方法,研究志贺菌对Hela细胞的侵袭能力。研究发现:37℃培养条件下,胞质内出现成堆的志贺菌;30℃培养条件下,细菌主要分布在细胞外。SDS-PAGE显示,与30℃培养条件相比,在37℃培养下,志贺菌表达蛋白质的种类和数量明显增加。噬斑形成发现,12株福氏志贺菌强毒株,有9株噬斑数>1000个／ml,而2株弱毒株噬斑数则在50个／ml以下。透射电镜证实了志贺菌对细胞的黏附、侵入和释放过程。结果表明:志贺菌对细胞的侵袭能力受温度的影响;不同志贺菌流行株对细胞的侵袭力存在着差异:实验也显示,应用HeLa细胞研究志贺菌侵袭力是一种简便易行且价廉的方法。