The foraging behavior of Japanese macaques Macaca fuscata in a forested enclosure:Effects of nutrient composition,energy and its seasonal variation on the consumption of natural plant foods

In the wild, primate foraging behaviors are related to the diversity and nutritional properties of food, which are affected by seasonal variation. The goal of environmental enrichment is to stimulate captive animals to exhibit similar foraging behavior of their wild counterparts, e.g. To extend foraging time. We conducted a 12-month study on the foraging behavior of Japanese macaques in a semi-naturally forested enclosure to understand how they use both provisioned foods and naturally available plant foods and what are the nutritional criteria of their consumption of natural plants. We recorded time spent feeding on provisioned and natural plant foods and collected the plant parts ingested of their major plant food species monthly, when available.We conducted nutritional analysis (crude protein, crude lipid, neutral detergent fiber-'NDF', ash) and calculated total non-slructural carbohydrate - 'TNC' and total energy of those food items. Monkeys spent 47% of their feeding time foraging on natural plant species. The consumption of plant parts varied significantly across seasons. We found that leaf items were consumed in months when crude protein, crude protein-to-NDF ratio, TNC and total energy were significantly higher and NDF was significantly lower, fruit/nut items in months when crude protein and TNC were significantly higher and crude lipid content was significantly lower, and bark items in months when TNC and total energy were higher and crude lipid content was lower. This preliminary investigation showed that the forested enclosure allowed troop members to more fully express their species typical flexible behavior by challenging them to adjust their foraging behavior to seasonal changes of plant item diversity and nutritional content, also providing the possibility for individuals to nutritionally enhance their diet.     

Roles of the main olfactory and vomeronasal systems in the detection of androstenone in inbred strains of mice

We investigated the role of the main olfactory and accessory olfactory systems (MOS and AOS respectively) in the detection of androstenone. We used the following experimental approaches: behavioral, surgical removal of the vomeronasal organ (VNX) followed by histochemical verification and Fos immunohistochemistry. Using a Y-maze paradigm we estimated sensitivity of NZB/B1NJ and CBA/J mice to androstenone. CBA mice were 2,000-fold more sensitive to androstenone than NZB mice. VNX caused a 4- to 16-fold decre...     

Genetic basis and breeding application of clonal diversity and dual reproduction modes in polyploid Carassius auratus gibelio

A unisexual species is generally associated with polyploidy, and reproduced by a unisexual reproduction mode, such as gyno- genesis, hybridogenesis or parthenogenesis. Compared with other unisexual and polyploid species, gibel carp (Carassius au- ratus gibelio) has a higher ploidy level of hexaploid. It has undergone several successive rounds of genome polyploidy, and experienced an additional, more recent genome duplication event. More significantly, the dual reproduction modes, including gynogenesis and s...     

环境光对哺乳动物昼夜节律和大脑功能的影响

昼夜循环对人类和其他动物的生理和行为有着巨大的影响。光照条件能影响动物的视觉成像,并通过向大脑中的生物钟中心发送信号来调整生理和行为的节律。环境光向生物钟传递信号的系统包含了一个复杂的神经递质复合体-受体-第二信使系统。在夜间曝光能迅速启动下丘脑视交叉上核中大量相关的早期基因。此外,许多白天活动的物种,通常都是在光照条件下获得认知。本文综述了环境光对哺乳动物睡眠、生物节律、大脑认知能力和基因表达等生理和行为方面的影响。     

多通道局部场电位时变频谱的同步模式及其对行为事件的编码

用时变相干（time-varying coherence）频谱方法分析多通道局部场电位（local field potentials, LFPs）随时间变化的同步模式及其对行为事件的编码。实验数据为行为事件前后3秒的28通道LFPs。分别计算每个通道LFP的功率谱密度（power spectral density, PSD）及多通道LFPs各个特征频段的PSD,选取PSD分布集中的?兹频段为LFPs的特征频段;应用离散二进小波变换获取LFPs的?兹频段分量;从28通道LFPs中选取PSD最大的通道作为参考通道。选取计算窗口为50 ms,从初始点开始计算每个窗口中每个通道LFP及其?兹分量对参考通道的频谱相干分析。移动窗口步长为25 ms,获取多通道LFPs及其?兹分量的时变频谱相干动态分布。研究结果显示,?兹频段分量的PSD占LFPs总功率的71.95%,表明?兹分量是实验中多通道LFPs同步的特征频段;多通道LFPs的?兹分量频谱相干值随时间变化,行为事件点前后1 s的相干值具有显著差别（P＜0.05）,表明多通道LFPs的?兹频段时变频谱相干有效地编码了这一行为事件。     

肿瘤新生血管及分子靶向治疗新策略

肿瘤血管靶向治疗是基于肿瘤新生血管与正常血管的不同,药物专一识别并阻断肿瘤新生血管,使肿瘤细胞“饿死”,而不影响正常细胞。从1971年Folkman提出“饿死肿瘤”的假说到2004年第一个血管靶向药物上市,记载着30多年领域发展的传奇经历。当今,肿瘤血管已成为生物医学和临床研究的热点,新的发现层出不穷。该文重点介绍肿瘤血管新靶点、新机制、新药物与未来发展。     

微流控技术对细胞微环境的模拟及应用研究

细胞微环境是一个多因素组成的、时空可变的复杂集合,对细胞的行为和功能发挥起着决定性作用。但传统的细胞生物学研究方法很难在体外为细胞提供这样一个复杂的、微尺度的生长环境,致使许多体外研究结果与在体情况相差甚远。近年来,微流控技术与细胞培养技术的结合为细胞微环境的模拟和控制提供了可能。文章通过提炼微环境的重要参数及其特征,介绍微流控技术是如何满足这些参数的需求,探讨了微流控技术在体外模拟细胞微环境的可行性,并总结了近年来该技术在微环境体外模拟研究中取得的成果,对微流控技术在细胞微环境构建中的发展方向和应用前景进行了展望。     

围产期食物限制对子代成年大鼠海马CA1区突触可塑性的影响

围产期食物限制导致子代大鼠学习和记忆能力等的神经生物学变化,但其机制并不清楚。将成年Wistar雌性大鼠与雄性大鼠同笼,受孕后随机分为对照组 (n=9) 和食物限制组 (n=8) 。对照组母鼠在妊娠期和哺乳期自由进食和饮水,食物限制组母鼠从妊娠的第7天到子代大鼠出生后21天进行食物限制,食物限制量为对照组大鼠的50%。子代雄性大鼠成年后,通过Morris 水迷宫测试空间学习和记忆能力。之后,在海马CA1区在体记录场兴奋性突触后电位 (field excitatory postsynaptic potential,fEPSP),并采用免疫组织化学方法观察海马CA1区神经元型一氧化氮合酶 (nNOS) 阳性细胞密度的变化。结果表明,围产期食物限制降低了子代大鼠出生后第1、7、10、14和21天的体重,并减弱了成年子代大鼠的学习和记忆能力,海马CA1区fEPSP的斜率和nNOS阳性细胞的密度也明显降低。结果提示,围产期食物限制可能通过抑制NO的产生降低了海马突触可塑性,从而影响了子代大鼠的学习和记忆能力。