A constitutive, transient receptor potential-like Ca2+ influx pathway in presynaptic nerve endings independent of voltage-gated Ca2+ channels and Na+/Ca2+ exchange

Calcium levels in the presynaptic nerve terminal are altered by several pathways, including voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels, the Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger, Ca(2+)-ATPase, and the mitochondria. The influx pathway for homeostatic control of [Ca(2+)](i) in the nerve terminal has been unclear. One approach to detecting the pathway that maintains internal Ca(2+) is to test for activation of Ca(2+) influx following Ca(2+) depletion. Here, we demonstrate that a constitutive influx pathway for Ca(2+) exists in presynaptic terminals to maintain internal Ca(2+) independent of voltage-gated Ca(2+) channels and Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchange, as measured in intact isolated nerve endings from mouse cortex and in intact varicosities in a neuronal cell line using fluorescence spectroscopy and confocal imaging. The Mg(2+) and lanthanide sensitivity of the influx pathway, in addition to its pharmacological and short hairpin RNA sensitivity, and the results of immunostaining for transient receptor potential (TRP) channels indicate the involvement of TRPC channels, possibly TRPC5 and TRPC1. This constitutive Ca(2+) influx pathway likely serves to maintain synaptic function under widely varying levels of synaptic activity.     

Use of periodic abstinence in Bangladesh: do they really understand?

Data from a nationally representative study in Bangladesh (BDHS 1996-97) were analysed to identify significant predictors of use of periodic abstinence, in comparison with other modern contraceptive methods. The study found that women in Bangladesh mostly use modern methods during their peak reproductive years, after which some of them switch to periodic abstinence. These women tend to be more from educated and from higher socioeconomic backgrounds and with at least one living son. Another set of data from the Matlab DSS was analysed and the results were in the same direction. Focus group discussions found that women were using the periodic abstinence method incorrectly, abstaining for more days than is necessary. For Bangladeshi contraceptive users to reach a higher degree of use-effectiveness for period abstinence, more IEC materials need to be developed.     

Tea polyphenols for health promotion

People have been consuming brewed tea from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant for almost 50 centuries. Although health benefits have been attributed to tea, especially green tea consumption since the beginning of its history, scientific investigations of this beverage and its constituents have been underway for less than three decades. Currently, tea, in the form of green or black tea, next to water, is the most widely consumed beverage in the world. In vitro and animal studies provide strong evidence that polyphenols derived from tea may possess the bioactivity to affect the pathogenesis of several chronic diseases. Among all tea polyphenols, epigallocatechin-3-gallate has been shown to be responsible for much of the health promoting ability of green tea. Tea and tea preparations have been shown to inhibit tumorigenesis in a variety of animal models of carcinogenesis. However, with increasing interest in the health promoting properties of tea and a significant rise in scientific investigation, this review covers recent findings on the medicinal properties and health benefits of tea with special reference to cancer and cardiovascular diseases.     

基于26S rDNAD1/D2区序列分析的15株白地霉分子分类学研究

采用26S rRNA基因D1/D2区系统发育分析的方法对CICC(中国工业微生物菌种保藏管理中心)保藏的15株白地霉(Geotrichum candidum)菌种进行复核鉴定。系统发育分析结果表明15株白地霉属于地霉属的成员,且形成两个系统发育分支,系统发育上最接近Galactomyces geotrichum NRRLY-17569T,与其同源性为96.3%～98.3%。15株白地霉26S rRNA基因D1/D2区序列显著不同于地霉属的模式种及其它种,可能代表地霉属的两个新种,但这一结论尚需进一步的实验去证实。     

中国秋海棠属植物的传统利用

秋海棠属植物除了具有较高的观赏价值外,在中国还作为药用、食用、饮料和饲料等被利用。本文应用民族植物学研究方法,通过野外调查、文献和标本收集整理和研究,共记载了中国产26种秋海棠属植物被作为药用、食用、饮料和饲料加以利用。在所记载的26种国产秋海棠属植物中,有24种作药用,8种作食用(蔬菜)或饮料,5种作饲料。3种作饮料的种类在其自然分布地被广泛利用。9种秋海棠作为多种用途加以利用,其中8种既被作为药用、食用和饮料,也被作为饲料加以利用。本研究还表明,国产秋海棠属植物中,有些种类由于过度采集利用或其它因素已变得稀有或濒危。由此提出,合理开发利用和有效保护应成为今后中国秋海棠属植物研究的重要内容。     

山茶科濒危植物猪血木的花器官发生

利用扫描电镜首次观察了山茶科极濒危植物猪血木(Euryodendron excelsum)的花器官发生过程。猪血木的花为两性完全花,萼片和花瓣均为2/5螺旋向心发生,单轮排列,且有逆时针和顺时针两种方式。雄蕊的形成是先形成一个环形分生组织,然后在环形分生组织上以2/5螺旋产生5束雄蕊原基,每一束雄蕊原基的第一雄蕊原基都是在对萼的位置产生,其它的雄蕊原基在其两侧产生。3心皮顺序发生,愈合成3室单子房,柱头平截不裂。猪血木与山茶亚科的花器官发生明显不同。     

在新疆发现两种珍稀野鸭

1白头硬尾鸭(Oxyura leucocephala)作为IUCN/ICBP鸟类红皮书内的国际性受胁鸟类(EN),白头硬尾鸭(Oxyura leucocephala)一直受到国际上的密切关注。湿地国际(Wetlands International)与鸟类国际(BirdLife International)等国际组织都曾经在欧、亚、非洲组织过对白头硬尾鸭的普查(Hughes et al,2006)。作为特邀参加调查者之一,笔者曾经绞尽脑汁、     

"不完全氧糖剥夺"对A型γ-氨基丁酸受体介导的抑制性突触后膜电流的增强作用

"氧糖剥夺"模型作为研究脑缺血的离体模型被广泛使用,该模型模拟了局灶性脑缺血的主要病理变化。然而在缺血病灶核心区与正常脑组织之间称为缺血半暗带的区域,脑血流也有程度不一的降低。为了模拟这种病理变化,发展了一种"不完全氧糖剥夺"的离体脑片模型,该模型满足两个条件,灌流液里氧气部分剥夺而葡萄糖含量降低;"氧糖剥夺"可以导致谷氨酸介导的兴奋性毒性,从而引起神经细胞的坏死。而A型γ-氨基丁酸受体(GABAAR)介导的神经元抑制性活动可以对抗谷氨酸引起的兴奋性毒性,因此近年来引起广泛的研究兴趣。而谷氨酸受体和γ-氨基丁酸受体功能在缺血半暗带是否有改变尚不得而知。因此本文采用海马脑片全细胞膜片钳的记录方法,研究"不完全氧糖剥夺"对海马CA1区神经元的A型γ-氨基丁酸受体介导的抑制性突触后膜电流(IPSCs)的影响。研究发现"不完全氧糖剥夺"使GABAAR介导的IPSCs的峰值增加而衰减时程延长。进一步研究发现该电流的峰值增加是由于GABAAR-氯离子通道的电导增加所致,而与氯离子的反转电位变化无关。这些发现提示在脑缺血的缺血半暗带区域GABAAR介导的神经元抑制性活动可能是增强的,这可能是神经元面对缺血状态产生自我保护的一种内稳态机制。     

金鱼Prox1基因cDNA的克隆及其在眼睛发育中的表达分析

脊椎动物的Prox1基因,与果蝇的转录因子prospero同源。为了探讨Prox1基因在金鱼眼睛发生过程中的表达图式,我们从金鱼眼睛SMART库中克隆了Prox1cDNA。它全长共2851bp,编码739个氨基酸。组织分布研究表明,Prox1主要分布于眼、脑、心、肝、脾和肾中。整体原位杂交显示,Prox1mRNA首先是在晶体期的晶体原基中有转录,心跳期则在未成熟晶体的细胞中和视网膜的幼芽区可以检测到。晶体纤维形成后,它主要定位于视纤维层和内网织细胞层。免疫组化显示,心跳期Prox1蛋白的定位与mRNA相同,晶体纤维形成以后,Prox1蛋白主要定位在晶体上皮细胞内侧的晶体纤维上一个环状区域,与Prox1mRNA的定位不同。这说明,Prox1基因在晶体发生过程中有重要作用,且在晶体的不同发育时期起的作用可能有所不同。另外,Prox1在晶体发育过程中有一个从内向外的变化过程。