Molecular phylogeny of Palaearctic genera of Gomphocerinae grasshoppers (Orthoptera, Acrididae)

Abstract.  Molecular phylogenetic methods were used to examine morphologically based hypotheses concerning the taxonomic structure and relationships of the grasshopper subfamily Gomphocerinae. Two mitochondrial gene (cytochrome b and cytochrome oxidase subunit I) sequences were determined for twenty-five species representing eleven Palaearctic genera. The studied Gomphocerinae species constituted a monophyletic group; furthermore, the earlier division of Gomphocerinae into tribes was supported, with each tribe monophyletic. There was no support for various systems uniting Stenobothrini and Gomphocerini into one tribe. Two separate clusters were discerned in Gomphocerini and two tribes were distinguished – Gomphocerini (genera Aeropus , Stauroderus , Chorthippus ) and Stenobothrini (genera Omocestus , Stenobothrus ).     

Neurophysiological and simulation study of the striate receptive fields maps: the role of intracortical interaction

In 27 acute experiments with anesthetized and immobilized adult cats 101 maps of receptive field (RF) in 67 striate neurons were studied by means of mapping with single flashed stimuli presented in different parts of the visual field and under conditions of additional activation of the RF excitatory center by the local oscillating or flashing grid. Under conditions of both classical and combined modes of mapping, the RFs of the classical shape with a single excitatory zone (63.4 and 29.3% of cases, respectively) and RFs with multiple (2-5) excitatory and/or inhibitory zones (36.6 and 70.7%, respectively) were found. We were the first to describe, also, some RFs of horseshoe-like, cross-like and T-like shapes. Simulation of non-classical RFs revealed possible contributions of cooperative excitatory and inhibitory intracortical interactions to the effects under study. The functional role of RFs of different types in the feature detection is discussed.     

Exercise-induced cardiac performance in autoimmune (Type 1) diabetes is associated with a decrease in myocardial diacylglycerol

One of the fundamental biochemical defects underlying the complications of diabetic cardiovascular system is elevation of diacylglycerol (DAG) and its effects on protein kinase C (PKC) signaling. It has been noted that exercise training attenuates poor cardiac performance in Type 1 diabetes. However, the role of PKC signaling in exercise-induced alleviation of cardiac abnormalities in diabetes is not clear. We investigated the possibility that exercise training modulates PKC-βII signaling to elicit its beneficial effects on the diabetic heart. bio-breeding diabetic resistant rats, a model reminiscent of Type 1 diabetes in humans, were randomly assigned to four groups: 1) nonexercised nondiabetic (NN); 2) nonexercised diabetic (ND); 3) exercised nondiabetic; and 4) exercised diabetic. Treadmill training was initiated upon the onset of diabetes. At the end of 8 wk, left ventricular (LV) hemodynamic assessment revealed compromised function in ND compared with the NN group. LV myocardial histology revealed increased collagen deposition in ND compared with the NN group, while electron microscopy showed a reduction in the viable mitochondrial fraction. Although the PKC-βII levels and activity were unchanged in the diabetic heart, the DAG levels were increased. With exercise training, the deterioration of LV structure and function in diabetes was attenuated. Notably, improved cardiac performance in training was associated with a decrease in myocardial DAG levels in diabetes. Exercise-induced benefits on cardiac performance in diabetes may be mediated by prevention of an increase in myocardial DAG levels.     

Wild-type and feedback-resistant phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate synthetases from <Emphasis Type="Italic">Bacillus amyloliquefaciens</Emphasis>: purification,characterization, and application to increase purine nucleoside production

Bacillus strains are used for the industrial production of the purine nucleosides inosine and guanosine, which are raw materials for the synthesis of the flavor enhancers disodium inosinate and disodium guanylate. An important precursor of purine nucleosides is 5-phospho-α-d-ribosyl-1-pyrophosphate, which is synthesized by phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate synthetase (PRS, EC 2.7.6.1). Class I PRSs are widespread in bacteria and mammals, are highly conserved among different organisms, and are negatively regulated by two end products of purine biosynthesis, adenosine 5′-diphosphate (ADP) and guanosine 5′-diphosphate (GDP). The D52H, N114S, and L129I mutations in the human PRS isozyme I (PRS1) have been reported to cause uric acid overproduction and gout due to allosteric deregulation and enzyme superactivity. In this study, to find feedback-resistant Bacillus amyloliquefaciens PRS, the influence of the D58H, N120S, and L135I mutations (corresponding to the D52H, N114S, and L129I mutations in PRS1, respectively) on PRS enzymatic properties has been studied. Recombinant histidine-tagged wild-type PRS and three mutant PRSs were expressed in Escherichia coli, purified, and characterized. The N120S and L135I mutations were found to release the enzyme from ADP and GDP inhibition and significantly increase its sensitivity to inorganic phosphate (P_i) activation. In contrast, PRS with the D58H mutation exhibited nearly identical sensitivity to ADP and GDP as the wild-type protein and had a notably greater P_i requirement for activation. The N120S and L135I mutations improved B. amyloliquefaciens and Bacillus subtilis purine nucleoside-producing strains.     

Neuroprotective effects of N-acetyl-cysteine and acetyl-L-carnitine after spinal cord injury in adult rats

Following the initial acute stage of spinal cord injury, a cascade of cellular and inflammatory responses will lead to progressive secondary damage of the nerve tissue surrounding the primary injury site. The degeneration is manifested by loss of neurons and glial cells, demyelination and cyst formation. Injury to the mammalian spinal cord results in nearly complete failure of the severed axons to regenerate. We have previously demonstrated that the antioxidants N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) and acetyl-L-carnitine (ALC) can attenuate retrograde neuronal degeneration after peripheral nerve and ventral root injury. The present study evaluates the effects of NAC and ALC on neuronal survival, axonal sprouting and glial cell reactions after spinal cord injury in adult rats. Tibial motoneurons in the spinal cord were pre-labeled with fluorescent tracer Fast Blue one week before lumbar L5 hemisection. Continuous intrathecal infusion of NAC (2.4 mg/day) or ALC (0.9 mg/day) was initiated immediately after spinal injury using Alzet 2002 osmotic minipumps. Neuroprotective effects of treatment were assessed by counting surviving motoneurons and by using quantitative immunohistochemistry and Western blotting for neuronal and glial cell markers 4 weeks after hemisection. Spinal cord injury induced significant loss of tibial motoneurons in L4-L6 segments. Neuronal degeneration was associated with decreased immunostaining for microtubular-associated protein-2 (MAP2) in dendritic branches, synaptophysin in presynaptic boutons and neurofilaments in nerve fibers. Immunostaining for the astroglial marker GFAP and microglial marker OX42 was increased. Treatment with NAC and ALC rescued approximately half of the motoneurons destined to die. In addition, antioxidants restored MAP2 and synaptophysin immunoreactivity. However, the perineuronal synaptophysin labeling was not recovered. Although both treatments promoted axonal sprouting, there was no effect on reactive astrocytes. In contrast, the microglial reaction was significantly attenuated. The results indicate a therapeutic potential for NAC and ALC in the early treatment of traumatic spinal cord injury.     

林分耗水的尺度扩展研究进展

蒸散耗水是森林生态系统水分循环过程的主要构成,是现代生态水文研究的重点和难点。直接测定和尺度上推提供了两种获取蒸散量的技术手段。受限于复杂的冠层结构、非均质的下垫面和迥异的环境条件,直接测定难以准确获取林分水平的耗水信息,因此有必要讨论单木与冠层结构、环境因子之间的耦合关系,利用时空尺度扩展得到合理的耗水量。本文综述了理论基础相对牢固的3种尺度扩展技术:基于生物计量参数、遥感影像和水文模型的尺度扩展,剖析各模型的控制因子,探讨模型的适用性和优缺点,对尺度扩展技术的发展做了展望。     

密花香薷挥发油化学成分及其抗菌、抗病毒活性的研究

采用水蒸气蒸馏法提取密花香薷挥发油,测得密花香薷挥发油的得率为0.12％.利用气相色谱-质谱(GC-MS)联用技术对密花香薷挥发油的化学成分进行了分析研究,鉴定了26种化合物,占挥发油总量的76.04％.体外抗菌试验和抗病毒试验的结果表明:密花香薷挥发油具有抗菌和抗病毒作用.     

黄檗落叶化学成分的研究

从黄檗落叶的95％乙醇提取物中分离鉴定了7个化合物,分别为phellodenol-A(1),茵芋苷(skimmin,2),phellodenol E(3),黄檗苷(amurensin,4),黄柏苷(phellamurin,5),(2R) -phellodensin-F(6)和clerosterol 3-Oβ-D-galactopyranoside (7).其中,化合物7为首次从黄柏属植物中分离得到,化合物3和6为首次从该植物中分离得到.