海马位置细胞对空间信息的处理

海马位置细胞接收各种来源的空间信息后,可对这些信息进行加工处理,在海马内形成认知地图或加强联合皮层内细胞集群的突触联系以形成对空间位置的永久记忆。海马内的空间信息输出后,在伏核（nucleus accumbens,NAC）。内与其它来源的信息进行整合,最终通过运动环路形成目标指向性行为。     

成体新生神经元参与位置信息的编码和空间记忆

近年来成体神经干细胞的研究最终引导人们发现,成熟哺乳动物大脑中一些区域存在着可以终生分裂增生的神经元,打破了人们一直以来持有的成熟的神经元不能分裂,成熟哺乳动物脑细胞数量只会减少不会增加的观念。尽管人们已经观察到新生神经元逐渐整合到神经回路的过程,终生分裂的这些特殊神经元在功能上跟固有的神经元是否存在着差异的问题却始终没有得到明确的解答。有人猜测成年动物海马齿状回中的新生神经元可能参与“位置”有关的信息编码,最近Dupret等的实验结果为这种观点提供了强有力的证据。     

骨重建逆转期细胞事件及偶联因子再归类

骨重建是由基本多细胞单位（basic multicellular units, BMUs）进行的维持骨体积、微观结构的细胞活动,包括三个在时间和空间上高度协调的过程：骨吸收期、逆转期和骨形成期。BMUs逆转期发生的细胞事件在时间上是吸收期与形成期的短暂连接,在功能上偶联骨吸收的关闭和骨形成的启动,是骨质疏松症等疾病发生的病理生理基础。依据骨重建模型重新归类逆转期纷繁复杂的细胞分泌或基质偶联因子,可为骨重建障碍的疾病如骨质疏松等,提供符合偶联规律的药物治疗周期和靶点。     

基于鼠脑海马位置细胞与Q学习面向目标导航

生理学实验表明在鼠脑海马结构中存在的一种具有特异性放电特征的细胞,它在大鼠空间导航和环境认知中起着关键性作用,该特异性神经元被称之为位置细胞。本文将基于位置细胞、运动神经元来构建一种前馈神经网络模型,采用Q学习算法实现大鼠面向目标导航任务。实验结果表明该前馈神经网络模型能快速实现大鼠面向目标导航任务。     

基于Renyi熵滤波的光声图像重建算法设计与实现

针对光声图像重建过程中存在的原始光声信号信噪比差、重建图像对比度低、分辨率不足等问题,提出了基于Renyi熵的光声图像重建滤波算法.该算法首先根据原始光声信号的Renyi熵分布情况,确定分割阈值,并滤除杂波信号;再利用滤波后的光声数据进行延时叠加光声图像重建.利用该滤波算法分别处理铅笔芯横截面(零维)、头发丝(一维)以及小鼠大脑皮层血管(二维)等不同维度样本的光声信号,实验结果表明:相比Renyi熵处理之前,重建图像对比度平均增强了32.45%,分辨率平均提高了30.78%,信噪比提高了47.66%,均方误差降低了35.01%;相比典型的滤波处理算法(模极大值法和阈值去噪法),本研究中图像的对比度、分辨率和信噪比分别提高了25.94%/10.60%、27.90%/19.48%、35.21%/10.60%,均方误差减小了28.57%/16.66%.因此,选择利用Renyi熵滤波算法处理光声信号,从而使光声图像重建质量得到大幅改善.     

利用分组重量编码预测细胞凋亡蛋白的亚细胞定位

从氨基酸的物化特性出发,利用物理学中“粗粒化”和“分组”的思想,提出了一种新的蛋白质序列特征提取方法——分组重量编码方法。采用组分耦合算法作为分类器,从蛋白质一级序列出发对细胞凋亡蛋白的亚细胞定位进行研究。针对Zhou和Doctor使用的数据集,Re—substitution和Jackknife检验总体预测精度分别为98、O％和85．7％,比基于氨基酸组成和组分耦合算法的总体预测精度提高了7．2％和13．2％;针对陈颖丽和李前忠使用的数据集,Re—substitution和Jackknife检验总体预测精度分别为94．0％和80、1％,比基于二肽组成和离散增量算法的总体预测精度提高了5．9％和2、0％。针对我们自己整理的最新数据集,通过Re—substitution和Jackknife检验,总体预测精度分别为97．33％和75、11％。实验结果表明蛋白质序列的分组重量编码对于细胞凋亡蛋白的定位研究是一种有效的特征提取方法。     

利用人脐血单个核细胞重建急性肝损伤小鼠肝组织的实验研究

利用人脐血单个核细胞重建急性肝损伤小鼠肝组织,探索建立人-小鼠嵌合肝模型方法。15只SCID小鼠,以四氯化碳(CCL4)制备急性肝损伤模型,24h后行2/3肝切除,然后分为三个实验组细胞移植组(7只)、阴性对照组(3只)及空白对照组(5只);将人脐血单个核细胞悬液注入细胞移植组小鼠脾脏内,阴性对照组小鼠脾脏内注入等量磷酸盐缓冲液(PBS),空白对照组不注射细胞悬液和PBS。术后7d、14d及21d取小鼠肝组织观察病理变化、检测人白蛋白(ALB)及细胞角蛋白19(CK19),同时检测小鼠血清及肝组织匀浆中人ALB含量。全部小鼠表现出急性肝损伤组织学特征;细胞移植组小鼠术后7d、14d、21d肝组织内均见大量人ALB及CK19阳性表达细胞,血清及肝组织匀浆可检测出人ALB;阴性对照组小鼠肝组织未见人ALB及CK19阳性表达,血清及肝组织匀浆中未检测出人ALB。人脐血单个核细胞在部分肝切除的急性肝损伤小鼠肝组织内可大量分化为人肝细胞及胆管细胞,在建立模型方面已取得关键突破。     

视网膜神经节细胞的协同活动以及信息编码

在脊椎动物的视觉系统中,信息的初级处理发生在视网膜.随着多电极记录技术的发展,视网膜神经节细胞的协同活动在不同物种中被广泛地观察到.然而,协同活动在视觉信息处理中的作用还不清楚,并且存在一定的争议.本文回顾了近些年关于视网膜神经节细胞协同活动的相关研究,对协同活动的分类、检测以及生理功能进行讨论.     

非编码RNA参与调控哮喘T细胞功能的研究进展

支气管哮喘(简称哮喘)是一种以气道炎性反应、高反应性及气道重塑为特征的慢性炎症性疾病,T细胞在其中发挥着至关重要的作用。非编码RNA (non-coding RNA, ncRNA)是转录组中不编码蛋白质的RNA分子,主要包括微小RNA (microRNA,miRNA)、长链非编码RNA (long non-coding RNA, lncRNA)、环状RNA (circular RNA, circRNA)等,广泛存在于真核生物基因组中,参与调控多种生物学过程。已有研究表明,ncRNA在哮喘T细胞的活化及转换等过程中起着重要作用,其具体作用机制及临床应用值得深入探讨。本文综合分析了近年来miRNA、lncRNA和circRNA在哮喘T细胞功能调控中的研究进展,为更好地理解哮喘发病机制和提高诊断水平提供新思路,同时也为利用ncRNA的调节潜能开发治疗策略提供理论依据。     

A Temporal Mechanism for Generating the Phase Precession of Hippocampal Place Cells

The phase relationship between the activity of hippocampal place cells and the hippocampal theta rhythm systematically precesses as the animal runs through the region in an environment called the place field of the cell. We present a minimal biophysical model of the phase precession of place cells in region CA3 of the hippocampus. The model describes the dynamics of two coupled point neurons—namely, a pyramidal cell and an interneuron, the latter of which is driven by a pacemaker input. Outside of the place field, the network displays a stable, background firing pattern that is locked to the theta rhythm. The pacemaker input drives the interneuron, which in turn activates the pyramidal cell. A single stimulus to the pyramidal cell from the dentate gyrus, simulating entrance into the place field, reorganizes the functional roles of the cells in the network for a number of cycles of the theta rhythm. In the reorganized network, the pyramidal cell drives the interneuron at a higher frequency than the theta frequency, thus causing a systematic precession relative to the theta input. The frequency of the pyramidal cell can vary to account for changes in the animal's running speed. The transient dynamics end after up to 360 degrees of phase precession when the pacemaker input to the interneuron occurs at a phase to return the network to the stable background firing pattern, thus signaling the end of the place field. Our model, in contrast to others, reports that phase precession is a temporally, and not spatially, controlled process. We also predict that like pyramidal cells, interneurons phase precess. Our model provides a mechanism for shutting off place cell firing after the animal has crossed the place field, and it explains the observed nearly 360 degrees of phase precession. We also describe how this model is consistent with a proposed autoassociative memory role of the CA3 region.     

Mechanical Loading Stimulates Expression of Connexin 43 in Alveolar Bone Cells in the Tooth Movement Model

Bone osteoblasts and osteocytes express large amounts of connexin (Cx) 43, the component of gap junctions and hemichannels. Previous studies have shown that these channels play important roles in regulating biological functions in response to mechanical loading. Here, we characterized the distribution of mRNA and protein of Cx43 in mechanical loading model of tooth movement. The locations of bone formation and resorption have been well defined in this model, which provides unique experimental systems for better understanding of potential roles of Cx43 in bone formation and remodeling under mechanical stimulation. We found that mechanical loading increased Cx43 mRNA expression in osteoblasts and bone lining cells, but not in osteocytes, at both formation and resorption sites. Cx43 protein, however, increased in both osteoblasts and osteocytes in response to loading. Interestingly, the upregulation of Cx43 protein by loading was even more pronounced in osteocytes compared to other bone cells, with an appearance of punctate staining on the cell body and dendritic process. Cx45 was reported to be expressed in several bone cell lines, but here we did not detect the Cx45 protein in the alveolar bone cells. These results further suggest the potential involvement of Cx43-forming gap junctions and hemichannels in the process of mechanically induced bone formation and resorption.     

Subcircuits of Deep and Superficial CA1 Place Cells Support Efficient Spatial Coding across Heterogeneous Environments

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Chronic Lithium-Induced Down-Regulation of MARCKS in Immortalized Hippocampal Cells: Potentiation by Muscarinic Receptor Activation

Abstract: Previous studies in our laboratory have demonstrated that exposure of rats to chronic lithium results in a significant reduction in the hippocampus of levels of the protein kinase C (PKC) phosphoprotein substrate MARCKS (myristoylated alanine-rich C kinase substrate), which persists after withdrawal and is not observed following acute administration. In an immortalized hippocampal cell line (HN33), we have determined that phorbol esters rapidly down-regulate PKC activity and lead to a subsequent PKC-dependent reduction in content of MARCKS protein. We now report that chronic exposure of HN33 cells to LiCl (1–10 m M ) produces a dose- and time-dependent down-regulation of MARCKS protein. The lithium-induced reduction in MARCKS is dependent on the concentration of inositol present in the medium and is reversed and prevented in the presence of elevated inositol concentrations. When HN33 cells were exposed to lithium at clinically relevant concentrations (1 m M ) under limiting inositol conditions, activation of muscarinic receptor-coupled phosphoinositide signaling significantly potentiated the lithium-induced down-regulation of MARCKS protein. It has been suggested that a major action of lithium in the brain is linked to its inositol monophosphatase inhibitory activity in receptor-mediated signaling through the inositol trisphosphate/diacylglycerol pathway, resulting in a relative inositol depletion. Our data provide evidence that this initial action of lithium may translate into a PKC-dependent long-term down-regulation of MARCKS protein expression in the hippocampus.     

Quantifying Efficiency Loss of Perovskite Solar Cells by a Modified Detailed Balance Model

A modified detailed balance model is built to understand and quantify efficiency loss of perovskite solar cells. The modified model captures the light‐absorption‐dependent short‐circuit current, contact and transport‐layer‐modified carrier transport, as well as recombination and photon‐recycling‐influenced open‐circuit voltage. The theoretical and experimental results show that for experimentally optimized perovskite solar cells with the power conversion efficiency of 19%, optical loss of 25%, nonradiative recombination loss of 35%, and ohmic loss of 35% are the three dominant loss factors for approaching the 31% efficiency limit of perovskite solar cells. It is also found that the optical loss climbs up to 40% for a thin‐active‐layer design. Moreover, a misconfigured transport layer introduces above 15% of energy loss. Finally, the perovskite‐interface‐induced surface recombination, ohmic loss, and current leakage should be further reduced to upgrade device efficiency and eliminate hysteresis effect. This work contributes to fundamental understanding of device physics of perovskite solar cells. The developed model offers a systematic design and analysis tool to photovoltaic science and technology.     

Distinctive Capillary Action by Micro-channels in Bone-like Templates can Enhance Recruitment of Cells for Restoration of Large Bony Defect

Without an active, thriving cell population that is well-distributed and stably anchored to the inserted template, exceptional bone regeneration does not occur. With conventional templates, the absence of internal micro-channels results in the lack of cell infiltration, distribution, and inhabitance deep inside the templates. Hence, a highly porous and uniformly interconnected trabecular-bone-like template with micro-channels (biogenic microenvironment template; BMT) has been developed to address these obstacles. The novel BMT was created by innovative concepts (capillary action) and fabricated with a sponge-template coating technique. The BMT consists of several structural components: inter-connected primary-pores (300-400 µm) that mimic pores in trabecular bone, micro-channels (25-70 µm) within each trabecula, and nanopores (100-400 nm) on the surface to allow cells to anchor. Moreover, the BMT has been documented by mechanical test study to have similar mechanical strength properties to those of human trabecular bone (~3.8 MPa)¹².The BMT exhibited high absorption, retention, and habitation of cells throughout the bridge-shaped (Π) templates (3 cm height and 4 cm length). The cells that were initially seeded into one end of the templates immediately mobilized to the other end (10 cm distance) by capillary action of the BMT on the cell media. After 4 hr, the cells homogenously occupied the entire BMT and exhibited normal cellular behavior. The capillary action accounted for the infiltration of the cells suspended in the media and the distribution (active migration) throughout the BMT. Having observed these capabilities of the BMT, we project that BMTs will absorb bone marrow cells, growth factors, and nutrients from the periphery under physiological conditions.The BMT may resolve current limitations via rapid infiltration, homogenous distribution and inhabitance of cells in large, volumetric templates to repair massive skeletal defects.