Plasminogen Deficiency Causes Reduced Corticospinal Axonal Plasticity and Functional Recovery after Stroke in Mice

Tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) has been implicated in neurite outgrowth and neurological recovery post stroke. tPA converts the zymogen plasminogen (Plg) into plasmin. In this study, using plasminogen knockout (Plg^-/-) mice and their Plg-native littermates (Plg^+/+), we investigated the role of Plg in axonal remodeling and neurological recovery after stroke. Plg^+/+ and Plg^-/- mice (n = 10/group) were subjected to permanent intraluminal monofilament middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo). A foot-fault test and a single pellet reaching test were performed prior to and on day 3 after stroke, and weekly thereafter to monitor functional deficit and recovery. Biotinylated dextran amine (BDA) was injected into the left motor cortex to anterogradely label the corticospinal tract (CST). Animals were euthanized 4 weeks after stroke. Neurite outgrowth was also measured in primary cultured cortical neurons harvested from Plg^+/+ and Plg^-/- embryos. In Plg^+/+ mice, the motor functional deficiency after stroke progressively recovered with time. In contrast, recovery in Plg^-/- mice was significantly impaired compared to Plg^+/+ mice (p<0.01). BDA-positive axonal density of the CST originating from the contralesional cortex in the denervated side of the cervical gray matter was significantly reduced in Plg^-/- mice compared with Plg^+/+ mice (p<0.05). The behavioral outcome was highly correlated with the midline-crossing CST axonal density (R²>0.82, p<0.01). Plg^-/- neurons exhibited significantly reduced neurite outgrowth. Our data suggest that plasminogen-dependent proteolysis has a beneficial effect during neurological recovery after stroke, at least in part, by promoting axonal remodeling in the denervated spinal cord.     

退化高寒草甸关键生态属性对多途径恢复措施的响应特征

高寒草甸是青藏高原的主体植被类型，但退化态势较为严峻，严重威胁青藏高原生态屏障的战略地位。退化高寒草甸的复健是世界性难题，治理效果也因退化状态、恢复措施及气候环境而异。以春季休牧、秋季休牧、畜群结构优化、减畜轮牧、围栏封育及翻耕改建等典型多途径恢复措施下的退化高寒草甸为对象，系统探讨主要生态要素和生态功能的响应特征及潜在过程。结果表明，典型恢复措施下退化高寒草甸的植被生产力、土壤有机碳密度及土壤饱和持水量等生态要素都得到一定程度的提升，而恢复效果与实施年限及恢复措施密切相关。围栏封育和翻耕改建下土壤有机碳密度及饱和持水量随恢复年限均表现为对数饱和型的响应特征，退化高寒草甸固碳持水功能的基本恢复年限约为6—10年。春季休牧、秋季休牧、畜群结构优化、减畜轮牧、围栏封育等放牧管理恢复措施应适用于轻度退化至重度退化的高寒草甸，而翻耕改建则是极度退化高寒草甸的适宜治理措施。由于多途径恢复措施的关注目标不同，今后研究应集中在恢复措施的组合优化和综合评价等方面。     

Pre‐copulation intervals,copulation frequencies,and initial progeny sex ratios in two biotypes of whitefly,Bemisia tabaci

The whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae) is a species complex, and its systematic classification requires controlled crossing experiments among its genetic groups. Accurate information on pre‐copulation intervals, copulation frequencies, and initial frequency of egg fertilization of newly emerged adults is critical for designing procedures for collecting the virgin adults necessary for these experiments. In the literature, considerable variation is reported between B. tabaci populations, with respect to the length of the pre‐copulation interval and the initial frequency of egg fertilization. Here, we used a video‐recording method to observe continuously the copulation behaviour of the Mediterranean/Asia Minor/Africa (B biotype) and the Asia II (ZHJ1 biotype) groups of B. tabaci. We also recorded the initial frequency of egg fertilization, as determined by the sex of the progeny. When adults were caged in female–male pairs on leaves of cotton plants, the earliest copulation events occurred 2–6 h after emergence; at 12 h after emergence 56–84% of the females had copulated at least once, and nearly all (92–100%) had copulated at least once by 36 h after emergence. Both females and males copulated repeatedly. Approximately 80 and 20% of copulation events occurred during the photophase and scotophase, respectively. By 72 h post‐emergence, the females of the B and ZHJ1 biotypes had copulated on average 6.1 and 3.9 times, respectively. When adults were caged in groups on plants 1–13 h after emergence, 30–35% of the eggs deposited during this period were fertilized, and approximately 90% of females were fertilized by the end of the 13 h. Although timing of copulation differed in detail between the two genetic groups, the results demonstrate that B. tabaci adults can start to copulate as early as 2–6 h post‐emergence and the majority of females can become fertilized on the day that they emerge.     

Genetic polymorphism of GPT and GLO-I in Galicia (northwest Spain): a comparative study

GPT and GLO-I phenotypes were determined by means of isoelectric focusing and starch gel electrophoresis, respectively, in a sample of the Galician population (Northwest Spain); GPT: n = 302, GLO-I: n = 500. The gene frequencies come to: GPT1 = 0.5099, GPT2 = 0.4901; GLO1 = 0.4930, GLO2 = 0.5070. No rare variants were found. The Galician gene frequencies are compared with those obtained on other populations from different parts of the world.     

N-Deacetylation of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-hexosecontaining oligosaccharides and polysaccharides by calcium in liquid ammonia

N-Deacetylation of 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-hexose residues is accomplished in liquid ammonia containing calcium. Oligosaccharides, lacto-N-fucopentaose II and lacto-N-difucohexaose I, containing 3,4-disubstitutedN-acetylhexosamine residues are quantitativelyN-deacetylated. When applied to polysaccharides, however, only partialN-deacetylation was achieved.Author for correspondence. AXRD     

猫颈动脉区压力和化学感受性刺激对巨细胞旁外侧核单位放电的影响

在31只氯醛糖和氨基甲酸乙酯麻醉的猫,观察了选择性激活颈动脉压力和化学感受器对巨细胞旁外侧核(PGL)单位放电的影响。136个PGL自发放电单位中,有84个在激活颈动脉压力感受器(BA)(新福林,1—2μg/kg,iv)和/或激活颈动脉化学感受器(CA)(nicotine 5—20μg,溶于0.25—0.5ml生理盐水中,注入甲状腺动脉)时,放电频率有变化。在这些有反应的单位中,16个仅对CA起反应(11个兴奋、5个抑制);54个以各种组合方式对CA和BA都起反应,其中以CA引起兴奋反应而BA引起抑制反应的占比例最大;14个仅对BA起反应(7个兴奋,7个抑制)。在定位分布上,那些只对CA起反应的单位多位于PGL的腹侧部份;仅对BA起反应的单位则位于对CA起反应单位的较背侧;对BA和CA均起反应的单位介于上述两者之间或在较深区域。这些结果表明,颈动脉区压力和化学感受器活动传入到PGL,并会聚在其中一些神经元上。 在PGL内全部有反应的单位中,68个对激活颈动脉压力感受器起反应,其中兴奋的29个,抑制的39个(P>0.05);70个对激活颈动脉化学感受器起反应,其中48个兴奋,22个抑制(P<0.005)。这些结果提示,BA对PGL神经元引起兴奋和抑制两种效应,而CA则诱发兴奋为主的反应。     

Identification and production of Δ9-cis-1, 18-octadecenedioic acid by Candida tropicalis

Summary The production of ⁹-cis-1, 18-octadecenedioic acid from different substrates by the mutant S₇₆ of Candida tropicalis was studied. It was found that the mutant could convert oleyl alcohol, oleic acid, and methyl oleate to ⁹-cis-1, 18-octadecenedioic acid through either the diterminal oxidation of the alcohol or the -oxidation of the terminal methyl group of the mono acid. The geometric configuration of the product was identified by different analytical methods. The results demonstrated that no change in the geometric configuration of molecular structure happened during the bioconversion of such unsaturated substrates to ⁹-dioic acid. To enhance the production of this dioic acid in the medium, calcium carbonate was added as a trapping agent. The IR spectrum, ¹H NMR and ¹³C-satellite spectra of this compound were presented.Dedicated to Professor Dr. K. Esser on the occasion of his 65th birthday     

Extracellular and cell-bound lipase activity in relation to growth of Geotrichum candidum

Summary The imperfect fungus Geotrichum candidum produced extracellular lipase in a basic peptone-salt medium. By adding olive oil or Tween 80 to the basic medium the lipase yields could be enhanced and the maximal yields were found with Tween 80, which resulted in a sixfold increase in extracellular lipase activity as compared with basic medium. During the early phase of growth in medium with olive oil the proportion of cell-bound activity was higher than that of extracellular activity, and a delay in the secretion of extracellular lipase was found. The proportion of cell-bound activity from growth in basic medium and in basic medium with Tween 80 was lower than that of extracellular activity during the entire growth phase. Analyses by polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis showed that the lipase activity from growth in all three media could be ascribed to equivalent protein bands at 57 000 and 61 000 daltons. Immunodiffusion showed that the cell-bound preparation contained lipase that was immunologically identical with purified extracellular lipase from G. candidum.