Repeated pre-training sleep restriction in adolescent rats impaired spatial performance

Sleep and Biological Rhythms - Chronic sleep deprivation (SD) is an overwhelming problem in young students. Firstly, we investigated whether different levels of pre-training SD had effects on...     

雌性藏猪不同生长发育阶段肌肉生长和脂肪沉积相关基因的表达模式

本研究利用包含140个与猪肌肉生长和脂肪沉积密切相关基因的Oligo功能分类基因芯片检测了藏猪在2、4、6和8月龄间背最长肌中这些基因的表达量变化,并在2月龄时与脂肪型的太湖猪和瘦肉型的长白猪进行比较.ANOVA分析结果表明:2-8月龄间藏猪分别有10和 7个基因的表达差异达极显著(P<0.01)和显著水平(P<0.05);2月龄时藏猪体重极显著低于长白猪(P<0.01)和显著低于太湖猪(P<0.05),而藏猪肌纤维面积却为最大,但品种间差异未达显著水平(P>0.05);2月龄时3个品种间分别有15和13个基因的表达差异达极显著 (P<0.01)和显著水平(P<0.05).STEM聚类分析结果表明:直线下降和上升是藏猪在2 -8月龄间最具代表性的基因表达模式(P<0.01).另外,5个差异表达基因的荧光定量RT -PC R验证结果与基因芯片结果的Person相关系数平均高达0.856±0.109.提示:藏猪在2-8月龄间骨骼肌生长发育强度较肌内脂肪合成沉积占优势,2月龄时藏猪脂肪酸合成相关基因的表达水平较其他两品种低,而脂肪酸β氧化和肌纤维生长相关基因的表达水平较高,与其在高原独特的自然生态环境和全放牧散养的饲喂方式下长期形成的品种特性相符 [动物学报 54(3):442-452,2008].     

Control Efficacy of Annual Community-Wide Treatment against Schistosoma japonicum in China: A Meta-Analysis

Backgrounds

Human schistosomiasis is caused by schistosome, with annual loss of over 70 million disability adjusted life years in the world. China is endemic with Schistosoma japonicum and large-scale chemotherapy with praziquantel has become the mainstay of control in China since 1990s. However, the control effects of mass treatment in the field have been uneven. Moreover, mass treatment has come into a wide use in other countries with limited health resources. Therefore, a better understanding of the control effect of mass treatment is in an urgent need.

Methods

We performed a systematic search of the literature to investigate the control efficiency of annual community-wide treatment (ACWT, treatment to an entire community without any preliminary screening) with a single dose of PZQ (40 mg kg⁻¹ bodyweight) against schistosome in humans in China. Three Chinese literature databases, including China National Knowledge Infrastructure, WanFang and Chinese Scientific Journal Databases, and the PubMed were searched. Pooled prevalence ratios (prevalence after to before treatment) were used to assess effect. Our protocol is available on PROSPERO (No. CRD42013003628).

Results

22 articles were included. Meta-analyses on data from 18 studies on one round of ACWT, 17 studies on two consecutive rounds and 6 studies on three consecutive rounds were performed. The results showed control effects of ACWT plus other measures were statistically significant, with prevalence ratios being 0.38 (0.31, 0.46) for one round, 0.28 (0.22, 0.35) for two rounds and 0.22 (0.10, 0.46) for three rounds. When ACWT was performed alone or with health education only, the values for one and two rounds were 0.389 (0.307, 0.492) and 0.348 (0.300, 0.403), respectively.

Conclusions

The control effect of ACWT alone or with other measures is significant and increases with the number of rounds. Such program is recommended in high endemic areas and the criteria yet merit further assessment.     

新月弯孢菌Curvularia lunata营养体亲和性的进一步研究

来自全国39个地区的70株新月弯孢菌Curvularialunata在WAC培养基上诱导培养后,随机挑取10197个抗KClO3突变体,经CDA鉴定获得2207株nit突变体,nit突变体频率为21.64%。在这些nit突变体中,1397个为nit1,占63.30%;734个为NitM,占33.26%;76个为nit3,占3.44%。70个菌株全部获得了稳定的nit突变体,其中52个菌株获得了NitM突变体。结果表明WAC比先前报道的KPS更适合用于C.lunatanit突变体的筛选。通过不同菌株间互补nit突变体配对测试,将其中的65个C.lunata菌株划分为22个营养体亲和群(VCGS),而另外5个菌株因未获得NitM突变体暂时无法确定其VCG。划分出的22个VCGs中,有11个VCGs是由多菌株组成的,VCG3为优势类群,含18个菌株,其地理来源最复杂,主要为致病性中等以上的菌株;其余11个VCGs内均仅有1个自身亲和的菌株。以上结果初步表明,在C.lunata群体内存在丰富的VCG多样性,VCG3可能是与致病性相关的优势VCG,但营养体亲和性与菌株地理来源没有明显的直接关系。     

Roles of Adrenergic α1 and Dopamine D1 and D2 Receptors in the Mediation of the Desynchronization Effects of Modafinil in a Mouse EEG Synchronization Model

Background

Synchronized electroencephalogram (EEG) activity is observed in pathological stages of cognitive impairment and epilepsy. Modafinil, known to increase the release of catecholamines, is a potent wake-promoting agent, and has shown some abilities to desynchronize EEG,but its receptor mechanisms by which modafinil induces desynchoronization remain to be elucidated. Here we used a pharmacological EEG synchronization model to investigate the involvement of adrenergic α₁ receptors (R, α₁R) and dopamine (DA) D₁ and D₂ receptors (D₁Rs and D₂Rs) on modafinil-induced desynchronization in mice.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Mice were treated with cholinergic receptor antagonist scopolamine and monoamine depletor reserpine to produce experimental EEG synchronization characterized by continuous large-amplitude synchronized activity, with prominent increased delta and decreased theta, alpha, and beta power density. The results showed that modafinil produced an EEG desynchronization in the model. This was characterized by a general decrease in amplitude of all the frequency bands between 0 and 20 Hz, a prominent reduction in delta power density, and an increase in theta power density. Adrenergic α₁R antagonist terazosin (1 mg/kg, i.p.) completely antagonized the EEG desynchronization effects of modafinil at 90 mg/kg. However, DA D₁R and D₂R blockers partially attenuated the effects of modafinil. The modafinil-induced decrease in the amplitudes of the delta, theta, alpha, and beta waves and in delta power density were completely abolished by pretreatment with a combination of the D₁R antagonist SCH 23390 (30 µg/kg) and the D₂R antagonist raclopride (2 mg/kg, i.p.).

Conclusions/Significance

These results suggest that modafinil-mediated desynchronization may be attributed to the activation of adrenergic α₁R, and dopaminergic D₁R and D₂R in a model of EEG synchronization.     

慢病毒载体介导shRNA干扰IL-6Rα基因表达削弱IL-6对猪脂肪细胞分化的影响

为研究白细胞介素-6(IL-6)对猪脂肪细胞分化的影响及其分子机制,构建猪IL 6Rα基因RNA干扰（RNA interference, RNAi）慢病毒载体;用IL-6Rα-RNAi重组慢病毒预处理原代培养的猪前体脂肪细胞或不处理, 然后用100 ng/mL IL-6处理分化第6 d的脂肪细胞48 h．通过测定甘油释放量检测脂肪细胞的脂解率;油红O染色提取法测定脂肪细胞的脂质含量;采用RT-PCR 和Western印迹检测脂肪细胞分化相关基因的mRNA 和蛋白表达．结果显示,IL-6显著抑制猪脂肪细胞分化,并下调PPARγ2、Perilipin A和IRS-1的mRNA及蛋白表达,同时增强ERK1/2磷酸化;IL-6Rα-RNAi预处理前体脂肪细胞则显著逆转IL 6的上述作用．总之,IL-6通过多重机制抑制猪脂肪细胞分化;而且本研究构建的IL-6Rα-RNAi重组慢病毒载体可有效阻断IL-6信号,为进一步研究IL-6的功能奠定了基础．     

植物中的核糖体失活蛋白及其抗病毒机制

植物中的核糖体失活蛋白是一类分布于植物体内的毒蛋白,其作用于真核细胞大亚基28S导致核糖体失活,抑制蛋白质的生物合成,从而对细胞产生毒害作用.文章简述了植物核糖体失活蛋白的酶活性和抗病毒的可能分子机制.     

长白猪和太湖猪不同生长阶段脂肪中肉质和胴体性状相关基因的表达谱分析

动物个体的皮下脂肪厚度（subcutaneous fat thickness,SFT）和肌内脂肪（intramuscular fat,IMF）含量取决于活体内脂肪酸合成与氧化竞争的动态平衡点．利用包含140个与猪脂肪沉积、代谢和肌肉生长密切相关基因的Oligo功能分类基因芯片检测了脂肪型的太湖猪和瘦肉型的长白猪在1,2,3,4和5月龄间背部皮下脂肪中这些基因的动态表达变化,发现长白猪有25个基因在月龄间的表达差异达显著水平（P〈0．05）,且包含23个基因的“参与脂肪或类固醇代谢的酶和调节蛋白”基因分组在品种间具有极显著意义（P〈0．01）．提示两猪种脂肪沉积能力的巨大表型差异可能与这些基因的差异表达规律密切相关．STEM聚类分析显示长白猪和太湖猪各有两个表达模式分别具有极显著（P〈0．01）和显著性意义（P〈0．05）,但太湖猪基因表达谱比较分散,占主导优势的表达模式没有长白猪明显．提示太湖猪脂肪细胞内参与相关代谢活动的基因间的调控关系较长白猪复杂．基于动态贝叶斯模型构建的基因调控网络从一定程度上反映了两猪种在脂肪沉积代谢相关生理生化活动方面存在的明显差异,可从中挖掘相关性状潜在的关键特征基因．此外,对5个差异表达基因的荧光定量RT-PCR验证显示两种实验方法结果的相关系数平均高达0．874±0．071．以上结果筛选出了对于猪脂肪相关性状可能具有重要影响并值得深入研究的一些基因,初步揭示了生长发育过程中脂肪细胞基因表达调控的分子互作机制．     

Characterization of chromanol 293B-induced block of the delayed-rectifier K+ current in heart-derived H9c2 cells

The effects of chromanol 293B on ion currents in rat embryonic heart-derived H9c2 cells were investigated in this study. Chromanol 293B suppressed the amplitude of delayed rectified K+ current (I(K)) in a concentration-dependent manner. The IC50 value for chromanol 293B-induced inhibition of I(K) was 8 microM. The I(K) present in these cells, the electrical properties of which resembled those for the Kv2.1-related K+ current, was sensitive to inhibition by quinidine or dendrotoxin, yet not by pandinotoxin-Kalpha, E-4031 or apamin. Chromanol 293B reduced the activation time constant of I(K) and the effective gating charge of this channel. However, little or no modification in the steady-state inactivation of I(K) in response to long-lasting conditioning pulses could be demonstrated in the presence of chromanol 293B. These results clearly demonstrate that chromanol 293B can effectively interact with the K+ channel functionally expressed in H9c2 myoblasts. The chromanol 293B-induced inhibition of these channels could primarily be attributed to open channel block.     

Activation of the ventral tegmental area increased wakefulness in mice

Sleep and Biological Rhythms - The ventral tegmental area (VTA) is crucial for brain functions, such as voluntary movement and cognition; however, the role of VTA in sleep-wake regulation when...