Electroacupuncture Facilitates Recovery of Male Sexual Behavior in Morphine Withdrawal Rats

The effect of electroacupuncture (EA) on the sexual behavior of male rats undergoing morphine withdrawal was studied by measuring various parameters of sexual behavior. In addition, the total serum testosterone (TST) concentrations in male rats at different times of morphine administration and abstinence were measured. Acute and chronic administration of morphine severely inhibited the sexual behavior of the rats and lowered their TST concentrations. TST concentrations recovered to normal within 24 h after the last morphine injection, while sexual behavior remained suppressed for at least 7 days. Electroacupuncture (2/100 Hz alternately) administered once daily for 7 days during morphine withdrawal facilitated the recovery of male sexual behavior and increased TST concentrations to above normal. The effect of EA on sexual behavior may involve both neuronal and hormonal pathways.     

Floral development of Kingdonia (Ranunculaceae s. l., Ranunculales)

The flower of Kingdonia has a terminal position, thus the rhizome is sympodial. The floral organs initiate in spiral phyllotaxis. The androecium is centripetal in initiation but the sterile stamens are retarded in development compared with the fertile ones. The apex of the young carpel does not participate in the conduplication. The floral organs have single vascular traces and unilacunar nodes.The study was supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China (No. 30370095 and 30130030).     

感觉神经放电中的随机共振现象和噪声的作用

随机共振现象是非线性系统中普遍存在的自然现象 ,其中 ,噪声可以帮助检测弱信号而不是淹没弱信号。本文介绍了感觉神经放电活动中的随机共振现象和产生的机制 ,揭示了神经系统利用噪声检测弱信号的机制 ,并提出了随机共振在神经系统信息处理中的可能作用。     

Localization of sex steroid receptors in human skin

Sex steroid hormones are involved in regulation of skin development and functions as well as in some skin pathological events. To determine the sites of action of estrogens, androgens and progestins, studies have been performed during the recent years to accurately localize receptors for each steroid hormone in human skin. Androgen receptors (AR) have been localized in most keratinocytes in epidermis. In the dermis, AR was detected in about 10% of fibroblasts. In sebaceous glands, AR was observed in both basal cells and sebocytes. In hair follicles, AR expression was restricted to dermal papillar cells. In eccrine sweat glands, only few secretory cells were observed to express AR. Estrogen receptor (ER) alpha was poorly expressing, being restricted to sebocytes. In contrast, ERbeta was found to be highly expressed in the epidermis, sebaceous glands (basal cells and sebocytes) and eccrine sweat glands. In the hair follicle, ERbeta is widely expressed with strong nuclear staining in dermal papilla cells, inner sheath cells, matrix cells and outer sheath cells including the buldge region. Progesterone receptors (PR) staining was found in nuclei of some keratinocytes and in nuclei of basal cells and sebocytes in sebaceous glands. PR nuclear staining was also observed in dermal papilla cells of hair follicles and in eccrine sweat glands. This information on the differential localization of sex steroid receptors in human skin should be of great help for future investigation on the specific role of each steroid on skin and its appendages.     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of 6-aryl-6H-pyrrolo[3,4-d]pyridazine derivatives: high-affinity ligands to the alpha 2 delta subunit of voltage gated calcium channels

A novel class of 6-aryl-6H-pyrrolo[3,4-d]pyridazine ligands for the alpha2delta subunit of voltage-gated calcium channels has been described. Substitutions in the aryl ring of the molecule were generally not tolerated, and resulted in diminished binding to the alpha2delta subunit. Modifications to the pyridazine ring revealed numerous permissive substitutions, and detailed SAR studies were carried out in this portion of the molecule. Replacement of the pyridazine ring methyl group with an aminomethyl functionality provided greatly improved potency over the initial lead. The initial lead compound displayed good rat pharmacokinetic properties, and was shown to be efficacious in the Chung model for neuropathic pain in rats.     

Synthesis of dimeric acridine derived antivirals

A series of antiviral compounds consisting of an intercalating acridine derived part, a spacer region and a reactive EDTA derived conjugate was synthesized in an easy sequence starting from 1,omega-alkyldiamines. As shown in model screenings, in the presence of ascorbic acid the Fe-complexes of these compounds reduced the phage-titer of MS2-phages by >8 logarithmic decades.     

Polo-like kinase-1 controls recovery from a G2 DNA damage-induced arrest in mammalian cells

DNA damage triggers multiple checkpoint pathways to arrest cell cycle progression. Less is known about the mechanisms that allow resumption of the cell cycle once checkpoint signaling is silenced. Here we show that while in undamaged cells several redundant pathways can promote the onset of mitosis, this redundancy is lost in cells recovering from a DNA damage-induced arrest. We demonstrate that Plk1 is crucial for mitotic entry following recovery from DNA damage. However, Plk1 is no longer required in cells depleted of Wee1, and we could show that Plk1 is involved in the degradation of Wee1 at the onset of mitosis. Thus, our data show that the cell cycle machinery is reset in response to DNA damage and that cells become critically dependent on Plk1-mediated degradation of Wee1 for their recovery.