Neuritic beading induced by activated microglia is an early feature of neuronal dysfunction toward neuronal death by inhibition of mitochondrial respiration and axonal transport

Recent studies suggest that excitotoxicity may contribute to neuronal damage in neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer disease, Parkinson disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and multiple sclerosis. Activated microglia have been observed around degenerative neurons in these diseases, and they are thought to act as effector cells in the degeneration of neural cells in the central nervous system. Neuritic beading, focal bead-like swellings in the dendrites and axons, is a neuropathological sign in epilepsy, trauma, ischemia, aging, and neurodegenerative diseases. Previous reports showed that neuritic beading is induced by various stimuli including glutamate or nitric oxide and is a neuronal response to harmful stimuli. However, the precise physiologic significance of neuritic beading is unclear. We provide evidence that neuritic beading induced by activated microglia is a feature of neuronal cell dysfunction toward neuronal death, and the neurotoxicity of activated microglia is mediated through N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor signaling. Neuritic beading occurred concordant with a rapid drop in intracellular ATP levels and preceded neuronal death. The actual neurite beads consisted of collapsed cytoskeletal proteins and motor proteins arising from impaired neuronal transport secondary to cellular energy loss. The drop in intracellular ATP levels was because of the inhibition of mitochondrial respiratory chain complex IV activity downstream of NMDA receptor signaling. Blockage of NMDA receptors nearly completely abrogated mitochondrial dysfunction and neurotoxicity. Thus, neuritic beading induced by activated microglia occurs through NMDA receptor signaling and represents neuronal cell dysfunction preceding neuronal death. Blockage of NMDA receptors may be an effective therapeutic approach for neurodegenerative diseases.     

平茬对塔里木沙漠公路沙拐枣防护林生长与土壤水盐分布的影响

对塔里木沙漠公路防护林示范段老化衰败的沙拐枣林分进行平茬复壮试验,并对平茬后沙拐枣生长与土壤水盐分布进行动态监测.结果表明:两次平茬后,沙拐枣萌蘖株的株高、冠幅、地径和萌蘖数均迅速增加.与对照相比,平茬后第3年,沙拐枣萌蘖株的平均株高超过对照,冠幅和最大地径分别达到对照的92.0％和73.0％;萌蘖株的枝鲜质量、同化枝鲜质量、枝干质量、同化枝干质量、地上部分总鲜质量和总干质量分别达到对照的80.0％、115.0％、80.0％、116.0％、93.5％和88.0％.平茬4年后地上生物量达到甚至超过对照.平茬能增加土壤含水量,且影响达到极显著水平;平茬能降低土壤含盐量,但影响不显著.对老化衰败的沙拐枣林进行重复平茬,能增加其土壤含水量,降低根系分布层土壤含盐量,有效促进其复壮更新.     

Glutamate receptors and signal transduction in learning and memory

The plasticity of the central nervous system helps form the basis for the neurobiology of learning and memory. Long-term potentiation (LTP) is the main form of synaptic plasticity, reflecting the activity level of the synaptic information storage process, and provides a good model to study the underlying mechanisms of learning and memory. The glutamate receptor-mediated signal pathway plays a key role in the induction and maintenance of LTP, and hence the regulation of learning and memory. The progress in the understanding of the glutamate receptors and related signal transduction systems in learning and memory research are reviewed in this article.     

水牛精子蛋白质组双向电泳体系的建立和优化

建立和优化一种适合水牛精子蛋白质组学研究的双向电泳技术。以水牛精子为研究对象,比较两种不同配方的裂解液,以及不同上样量对其2-DE图谱质量的影响。结果显示,以7 mol/L尿素、2 mol/L硫脲、4%CHAPS、1%DTT、0.5%Cocktail of protease inhibitors为裂解液,24 cm胶条上样量200μg时,可获得较好的精子总蛋白质2-DE图谱。运用ImageMaster 2-Dplatinum分析软件检测出约500个蛋白质点,蛋白质大部分分布在等电点5-7之间,分子量范围约40-90 kD。     

东乡野生稻根际可培养细菌多样性及其植物促生活性分析

为了解江西东乡野生稻(Oryza rufipogon)不同生育期根际可培养细菌群落多样性动态,从中寻找新的具有植物促生活性的微生物资源,分别于2009年5月、8月和11月采集了东乡野生稻秧苗期、抽穗期和成熟期根际土壤,采用稀释平板法分离到118株根际细菌,并检测了其植物促生活性.16S rRNA基因序列分析结合菌体形态...     

生物转化生产D-塔格糖的食品级菌种选育及L-阿拉伯糖异构酶的克隆表达

L-阿拉伯糖异构酶(L-arabinose isomerase,L-AI)是一种可以催化D-半乳糖为D-塔格糖的胞内异构化酶。随着塔格糖在食品工业中越来越广泛的应用,能够将半乳糖转化为塔格糖的食品级微生物以及食品级来源的L-AI受到更大的关注。文中从各种酸奶制品、泡菜及其他一些食品中采集不同的样品,筛选出1株具有L-AI酶活的食品级菌株,经过生理生化鉴定以及16S rDNA序列测定,确定该菌株为戊糖片球菌,命名为Pediococcus pentosaceus PC-5。以该菌基因组为模板,克隆L-AI基因,并在大肠杆菌BL21成功地异源表达。表达产物经粗提取后,在40℃下加入Mn2+,使D-半乳糖转化为D-塔格糖的转化率为33%。     

关于离散时间细胞神经网络的收敛性

本文基于图论中主路径的基本思想,给出了一类回归网络的收敛性定理及其证明,并将这一定理应用于离散时间的细胞神经网．     

江豚的年龄鉴定、生长和生殖的研究

本文根据在长江中下游,长江口和中国东北沿海收到的68头江豚标本,对江豚年龄鉴定的方法作了摸索和研究。从年龄,生长和生殖的角度系统分析了江豚的一些种群生物学特征。江豚年龄与生长的关系在一定范围内遵循的幂函数型式。4-5龄以前,江豚的生长迅速,此后减慢。江豚首次性成熟年龄雌性4龄,雄性4.5龄。性成熟时体长雌性133cm,雄性140cm。根据16头胎儿资料,用对数分割法反推出江豚的交配期较长,并有两个可能的交配高峰,分娩的高峰为2-4月。断奶年龄约为0.5龄。粗略估算长江江豚的年生殖率为20％。长江的江豚和中国沿海的江豚在形态和种群结构上各具特点。从江豚的年龄组成看出,幼龄组(0-4龄)的比例较大,结构基本正常。       

粘、易型1B/1R小麦雄性不育系产生单倍体的遗传机理及育性恢复性能的研究

调查了ms(Ae.kotschyi)-77(2)和ms(Ae.variabilis)-77(2)低、高世代和在转育、组配中单倍体频率的变化趋势及在不同胞质间、核型间存在的变异。结果表明:(1)粘、易型1B/1R小麦雄性不育系产生单倍体的遗传机理是由于1B/1R卵细胞与粘、易胞质的专一互作,并在花粉蒙导下而导致孤雌生殖的结果;(2)1B·1B/1R杂合核型比1B/1R·1B/1R纯合核型产生的单倍体频率高,1B/1R·1B/1R纯合核型世代间单倍体诱导频率相对稳定;(3)在同一核背景下,诱导单倍体频率粘质高于易质;(4)用不同来源的1B/1R易位系来转育粘、易型不育系及用不同核型的父本与其组配杂种,诱导单倍体频率明显不同;依此差异进行亲本选择,分别可选出与组配出不产生或很少产生单倍体的粘、易型1B/1R不育系和F_1杂种。此外,分析了粘、易型1B/1R不育系一般恢复度不高的内在原由,认为与1B·1B/1R杂合核型中的易位染色体在减数分裂中能否正常联会配对直接相关。