HRP法对异种神经移植后再生纤维恢复的形态学研究

目的用辣根过氧化酶(HRP)逆行追踪技术探讨异种神经移植后神经纤维的再生.方法将多次冻融处理后的兔胫神经移植于大鼠坐骨神经,术后第2、4、6、8和10周,将HRP注人大鼠坐骨神经吻合部远侧端.结果移植术后第4周起在L4～5脊神经节见到HRP标记细胞,从第6周在腰段脊髓前角内见到标记细胞,其数量随术后存活期延长而增多.术后4周在移植神经内见少量再生神经纤维,6周后再生神经纤维穿过异种移植神经进入大鼠坐骨神经远侧端.结论自移植术后4周起,移植神经内已有再生纤维并部分恢复了轴浆流,证实了用HRP法可反映移植后神经纤维的再生情况.     

Quantity versus quality: Endemism and protected areas in the temperate forest of South America

Abstract Identification of biodiversity hotspots is essential to conservation strategies aimed at minimizing the possibility of losing half of the world's species in the next 50 years. The aims of the present study were: (i) to locate and designate zones of endemism in the temperate forest of South America; and (ii) to compare the distribution of these areas with the distribution of existing protected areas in this habitat type. Endemism areas were determined by using parsimonious analysis of endemism, which identified zones of endemism on the basis of sets of endemic species that were restricted to two or more study areas. We used distribution information for five unrelated taxa (ferns, trees, reptiles, birds and mammals) to provide more reliable results and patterns than would work with only a single taxon or related taxa. The northern part of this region has high endemism for all of the taxa considered in this study. We demonstrate that although the temperate forest of South America has more than 30% of its area under some type of protection, correlation between protected areas and the areas of endemism is remarkably low. In fact, less than 10% of protected areas are situated in areas that have the greatest value for conservation (i.e. high endemism). Under the current strategy, biodiversity within South America's temperate forest is in danger despite the large amount of protected area for this forest type.     

Rift Valley fever virus and European mosquitoes: vector competence of Culex pipiens and Stegomyia albopicta (= Aedes albopictus)

Rift Valley fever (RVF) is a mosquito‐borne disease caused by the Rift Valley fever virus (RVFV). Rift Valley fever affects a large number of species, including human, and has severe impact on public health and the economy, especially in African countries. The present study examined the vector competence of three different European mosquito species, Culex pipiens (Linnaeus, 1758) form molestus (Diptera: Culicidae), Culex pipiens hybrid form and Stegomyia albopicta (= Aedes albopictus) (Skuse, 1894) (Diptera: Culicidae). Mosquitoes were artificially fed with blood containing RVFV. Infection, disseminated infection and transmission efficiency were evaluated. This is the first study to assess the transmission efficiency of European mosquito species using a virulent RVFV strain. The virus disseminated in Cx. pipiens hybrid form and in S. albopicta. Moreover, infectious viral particles were isolated from saliva of both species, showing their RVFV transmission capacity. The presence of competent Cx. pipiens and S. albopicta in Spain indicates that an autochthonous outbreak of RVF may occur if the virus is introduced. These findings provide information that will help health authorities to set up efficient entomological surveillance and RVFV vector control programmes.     

Antigen- and ionophore-induced signal transduction in rat basophilic leukemia cells involves protein tyrosine phosphorylation

Treatment of rat basophilic leukemia cells (RBL-2H3) with antigen or ionophore leads to an increase in cellular protein tyrosine phosphorylation. Three major proteins of molecular mass of 72, 92, and 110 kDa are targeted by antigen and a 110-kDa species by ionophore, A23187. The antigen- and ionophore-induced tyrosine phosphorylation responses are dose-dependent and correlate with increases in serotonin release from activated cells. The presence of extracellular Ca2+ is required to sustain the antigen- and ionophore-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation as well as mediator release. A protein tyrosine kinase inhibitor, RG 50864, differentially inhibits the antigen-stimulated tyrosine phosphorylation in the decreasing order of 72, 91, and 110-kDa proteins. The compound inhibition of the 72-kDa protein tyrosine phosphorylation correlates with that of serotonin release. In ionophore-stimulated cells, the inhibition of the 110-kDa protein tyrosine phosphorylation and serotonin release by RG 50864 occurs in parallel. These results suggest that the 72- and 110-kDa phosphoproteins may represent the respective regulators of serotonin release in antigen- and ionophore-activated cells. The 110-kDa tyrosine phosphorylated proteins from antigen- and ionophore-stimulated cells exhibit identical electrophoretic mobility and V8 protease-generated phosphopeptide maps, suggesting that these two proteins may be the same. These results provide new evidence that both the stimulatory actions of antigen and ionophore on mediator release are mediated through enhanced protein tyrosine phosphorylation in RBL-2H3 cells. Significantly, the present study suggests the presence of multiple tyrosine phosphorylation signaling pathways in RBL cells and that their selective utility may be determined by the nature of the stimulus.     

Analogues of human parathyroid hormone (1-31)NH(2): further evaluation of the effect of conformational constraint on biological activity

A series of conformationally-restricted analogues of hPTH was prepared, based on the parent peptide agonist, cyclo(Lys(18)-Asp(22))[Ala(1),Nle(8),Lys(18),Asp(22),Leu(27)]hPTH(1-31)NH(2) (2, EC(50)=0.29nM). Truncation of 2 at either the N- or C-termini resulted in peptides with reduced agonist activity as measured by stimulation of adenylate cyclase activity in the rat osteosarcoma cell line (ROS 17/2.8). Alanine- and glycine-scanning at the N-terminus of 2 was consistent with data previously obtained on linear hPTH(1-34). Other locations within the primary sequence of hPTH(1-31)NH(2) were evaluated by the placement of the [i, i+4] lactam constraining element. Ring size and lactam orientations at the 18-22 positions were also examined.     

Pathogenic mutations in the kinesin-3 motor KIF1A diminish force generation and movement through allosteric mechanisms

The kinesin-3 motor KIF1A functions in neurons, where its fast and superprocessive motility facilitates long-distance transport, but little is known about its force-generating properties. Using optical tweezers, we demonstrate that KIF1A stalls at an opposing load of ~3 pN but more frequently detaches at lower forces. KIF1A rapidly reattaches to the microtubule to resume motion due to its class-specific K-loop, resulting in a unique clustering of force generation events. To test the importance of neck linker docking in KIF1A force generation, we introduced mutations linked to human neurodevelopmental disorders. Molecular dynamics simulations predict that V8M and Y89D mutations impair neck linker docking. Indeed, both mutations dramatically reduce the force generation of KIF1A but not the motor’s ability to rapidly reattach to the microtubule. Although both mutations relieve autoinhibition of the full-length motor, the mutant motors display decreased velocities, run lengths, and landing rates and delayed cargo transport in cells. These results advance our understanding of how mutations in KIF1A can manifest in disease.     

Left sided ablation for Atrioventricular Nodal Re-entrant Tachycardia: Frequency,Characteristics and Outcomes

BackgroundLeft-sided ablation, targeting left inferior AV nodal extensions, is thought to be necessary for success in a small proportion of atrioventricular nodal re-entrant tachycardia (AVNRT) ablations; however Indian data are scarce in this regard.MethodsConsecutive cases of AVNRT undergoing slow pathway ablation in a single centre over an 18-month period were retrospectively analyzed. Left-sided ablation at the posteroseptal mitral annulus was performed if right-sided ablation failed to abolish AVNRT.ResultsFrom January 2017 to June 2018, out of 215 consecutive supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) cases, 154 (71.6%) were AVNRT (47.1 ± 13.1 years, 46.1% male). Trans-septal ablation was required in 5 (3.2%) cases (mean age 48.8 ± 9.4 years; 4 female, 1 male); all with typical (slow-fast) form of AVNRT. Compared with cases needing only right-sided ablation, radiofrequency time (50.8 ± 16.9 vs. 9.9 ± 8.5 min; p = 0.005) and procedure time (166.0 ± 35.0 vs 79.6 ± 35.9 min; p = 0.004) were significantly longer for trans-septal cases, while baseline intervals and tachycardia cycle length were not significantly different. Junctional ectopy was seen in only 2 of the 5 cases during left-sided ablation, but acute success (non-inducibility) was obtained in 3 cases. There were no instances of AV block. Over mean follow-up of 12.2 ± 4.0 months, clinical recurrence of AVNRT occurred in one case, while others remained arrhythmia-free without medication.ConclusionLeft-sided ablation was required in a small proportion of AVNRT ablations. Trans-septal approach targeting the posteroseptal mitral annulus was safe and yielded good mid-term clinical success.     

Spread and impact of introduced conifers in South America: Lessons from other southern hemisphere regions

The history of conifers introduced earlier elsewhere in the southern hemisphere suggests that recent invasions in Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Uruguay are likely to increase in number and size. In South Africa, New Zealand and Australia, early ornamental introductions and small forestry plantations did not lead to large‐scale invasions, while subsequent large plantations were followed with a lag of about 20–30 years by troublesome invasions. Large‐scale conifer plantation forestry in South America began about 50–80 years later than in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, while reports of invasions in South America lagged behind those in the latter nations by a century. Impacts of invading non‐native conifers outside South America are varied and include replacement of grassland and shrubland by conifer forest, alteration of fire and hydrological regimes, modification of soil nutrients, and changes in aboveground and belowground biotic communities. Several of these effects have already been detected in various parts of South America undergoing conifer invasion. The sheer amount of area planted in conifers is already very large in Chile and growing rapidly in Argentina and Brazil. This mass of reproductive trees, in turn, produces an enormous propagule pressure that may accelerate ongoing invasions and spark new ones at an increasing rate. Regulations to control conifer invasions, including measures to mitigate spread, were belatedly implemented in New Zealand and South Africa, as well as in certain Australian states, inspired by observations on invasions in those nations. Regulations in South America are weaker and piecemeal, but the existing research base on conifer invasions elsewhere could be useful in fashioning effective regulations in South America. Pressure from foreign customers in South Africa has led most companies there to seek certification through the Forestry Stewardship Council; a similar programme operates in Australia. Such an approach may be promising in South America.