Calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II regulates mammalian axon growth by affecting F-actin length in growth cone

While axon regeneration is a key determinant of functional recovery of the nervous system after injury, it is often poor in the mature nervous system. Influx of extracellular calcium (Ca²⁺) is one of the first phenomena that occur following axonal injury, and calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII), a target substrate for calcium ions, regulates the status of cytoskeletal proteins such as F-actin. Herein, we found that peripheral axotomy activates CaMKII in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) sensory neurons, and inhibition of CaMKII impairs axon outgrowth in both the peripheral and central nervous systems (PNS and CNS, respectively). Most importantly, we also found that the activation of CaMKII promotes PNS and CNS axon growth, and regulatory effects of CaMKII on axon growth occur via affecting the length of the F-actin. Thus, we believe our findings provide clear evidence that CaMKII is a critical modulator of mammalian axon regeneration.     

Syn-1A在抑制弱酸性pH诱导的KATP通道活化过程中的作用

目的：观察Syn-1A在抑制弱酸性pH诱导的KATP通道活化过程中的作用及机制。方法：用稳定表达Kir6.2/SUR2A KATP通道的HEK-293细胞构建细胞膜内面向外的记录方式,并给细胞膜片连续灌流含或不含Syn-1A的pH7.4,7.0,6.8,6.5和6.0的溶液,观察弱酸性pH对通道的活化作用及Syn-1A对上述作用的抑制,并采用体外结合实验分析不同pH对Syn-1A与SUR2A亚单位结合的影响。结果：Syn-1A可抑制pH 6.5,6.8和7.0时诱发的通道活化作用,Syn-1A与SUR2A的结合在pH7.4至6.0范围内,随pH下降逐渐增加。结论：Syn-1A对KATP通道的抑制作用可缓冲pH波动引起的KATP通道开放,从而抑制折返性心律失常的发生。     

Evolutionary characteristics of the artificially revegetated shrub ecosystem in the Tengger Desert, northern China

The rain-fed sand-binding vegetation which stabilizes the migrating desert dunes in the Shapotou area at the southeastern edge of the Tengger Desert was initiated in 1956. The shrubs initially employed were predominantly Caragana korshinskii, Hedysarum scoparium, and Artemisia ordosica, and a desert shrub ecosystem with a dwarf shrub and microbiotic soil crust cover on the stabilized sand dunes has since developed. Since 1956 the success of this effort has not only ensured the smooth operation of the Baotou–Lanzhou railway in the sand dune area but has also played an important role in the restoration of the local eco-environment; therefore, it is viewed as a successful model for desertification control and ecological restoration along the transport infrastructure in the arid desert region of China. Some of the effects of recovery from desertification and ecological restoration on soil properties are shown by the increase in the distribution of fine soil particles, organic matter, and nutrients. The physical surface structure of the stabilized sand dunes, and inorganic soil crusts formed by atmospheric dust, have also led to the gradual formation of microbiotic soil crusts. Sand dune stabilization is associated with: (1) decreased soil particle size, (2) increased total N, (3) increased thickness of microbiotic crusts, (4) increased thickness of subsoil, and (5) an increase in volumetric soil moisture in the near-surface environment. After 17 years of dune stabilization, both the number of shrubs and community biomass decreased. The number of microbes, plant species and vegetation cover, all attained a maximum after the dunes had stabilized for 40 years. There is a significant positive correlation between the fractal dimension of soil particle size distribution (PSD) and the clay content of the shallow soil profile in the desert shrub ecosystem; the longer the period of dune stabilization, the greater the soil clay content in the shallow soil profiles (0–3 cm), and the greater the fractal dimension of soil PSD. This reflects the fact that during the revegetation processes, the soil structure is better developed, especially in the upper profile. Hence, the migrating sand dune becomes more stabilized. Therefore, the fractal model can be used to describe the texture and fertility of the soil, and, along with the degree of stability of the previously migrating sand dunes, can be used as an integrated quantitative index to evaluate the revegetation practice in the sand dune areas and their stabilization.     

一氧化氮对桦褐孔菌抗氧化酚类化合物积累的影响

本研究探讨了NO对深层培养的桦褐孔菌积累抗氧化酚类化合物的影响。在桦褐孔菌的培养基中分别加入0.01mmol/L、0.1mmol/L以及1mmol/L的NO供体硝普钠,并测定总酚的含量及其抗氧化活性。发酵产物的抗氧化活性以清除DPPH和羟自由基活力表示。加入0.1mmol/L的硝普钠可使桦褐孔菌胞内外酚类化合物分别达到最高水平67mg/g和677mg/L。不同培养时期产生的胞内外酚类化合物都具有抗氧化活性,尤其是添加0.1mmol/L硝普钠的菌丝体。因此NO可用于上调深层发酵培养的桦褐孔菌酚类化合物的积累。     

重金属镉对拟南芥DNA甲基化的影响

将拟南芥种子点种于添加有不同浓度CdCl2的培养基中处理2周,移苗时CdCl2的胁迫即解除。低浓度CdCl2促进拟南芥种子的萌发。CdCl2为0．5mg·L^-1时萌发率最高（为97．21％）。随着CdCl2浓度的继续增加,种子萌发率即逐渐下降。幼苗期和抽薹期分别提取叶DNA,采用甲基敏感扩增多态性（MSAP）技术分析其基因组DNA甲基化的结果显示,总的来说,随着CdCl2浓度的增加,甲基化程度增高。     

滤除自然光中UV-B辐射成分对高山植物美丽风毛菊光合生理的影响

采用滤除自然光谱中UV-B辐射成分的方法, 探讨了高山植物美丽风毛菊(Saussurea superba)光合机构对青藏高原强UV-B辐射的响应和适应特性。结果表明, 强太阳光中的UV-B成分能引起净光合速率的降低。连续16天不同天气下的观测表明, 滤除UV-B处理时3 min暗适应的光化学量子效率有升高的趋势; 晴天下稳态光化学效率的分析也显示滤除UV-B处理的实际光化学量子效率和光化学猝灭系数有升高趋势, 意味着自然光中的UV-B成分可限制美丽风毛菊叶片PSII反应中心的激发能捕获效率。PSII有效光化学量子效率的增加和非光化学猝灭系数的降低进一步表明, UV-B辐射能导致有效光化学效率的降低和非光化学能量耗散的增加。由上可知, 自然强UV-B辐射是限制美丽风毛菊叶片光合作用的一个因素。滤除UV-B辐射处理对光合色素含量的影响较小, 无论以叶面积还是叶鲜重为基础的滤除UV-B处理仅有微弱的增加趋势, 说明强UV-B辐射具有加速光合色素的光氧化进程, 促进细胞成熟和叶片衰亡的潜在作用。同样UV-B吸收物质的含量也几乎没有变化, 表明强太阳辐射环境下生活的高山植物美丽风毛菊叶表皮层中已具有较多的紫外线屏蔽物质, 足以抵御目前环境中强太阳UV-B辐射可能引起的伤害, 较少受UV-B辐射波动的影响。     

正交设计优化东亚砂藓DDRT-PCR反应体系

利用正交实验设计L25（5^6）对东亚砂藓（Racomitrium japonicum）DDRT—PCR反应体系的6因素（Mg^2＋、dNTP、锚定引物、随机引物、模板DNA、Taq酶）在5个水平上进行优化实验。结果筛选出各反应因素的最佳体系（20μL）为：Mg^2＋2．25mmol／L、dNTP0．4mmol／L、锚定引物1．0μmol／L、随机引物0．7μmol／L、模板DNA1．6μL、Taq酶2．5U。对东亚砂藓DDRT—PCR最佳反应体系进行梯度PCR引物退火温度筛选,得到的最佳退火温度为45．4℃。该优化体系的建立,为进一步进行东亚砂藓抗旱基因的筛选与克隆等一系列分子研究提供了重要参考依据。     

Cardiac sympathetic afferent stimulation augments the arterial chemoreceptor reflex in anesthetized rats.

Chronic heart failure (CHF) is well known to be associated with both an enhanced chemoreceptor reflex and an augmented cardiac "sympathetic afferent reflex" (CSAR). The augmentation of the CSAR may play an important role in the enhanced chemoreceptor reflex in the CHF state because the same central areas are involved in the sympathetic outputs of both reflexes. We determined whether chemical and electrical stimulation of the CSAR augments chemoreceptor reflex function in normal rats. Under anesthesia, renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were recorded. The chemoreceptor reflex was tested by unilateral intra-carotid artery bolus injection of potassium cyanide (KCN) and nicotine. We found that 1) left ventricular epicardial application of capsaicin increased the pressor responses and the RSNA responses to chemoreflex activation induced by both KCN and nicotine; 2) when the central end of the left cardiac sympathetic nerve was electrically stimulated, both the pressor and the RSNA responses to chemoreflex activation induced by KCN were increased; 3) pretreatment with intracerebroventricular injection of losartan (500 nmol) completely prevented the enhanced chemoreceptor reflex induced by electrical stimulation of the cardiac sympathetic nerve; and 4) bilateral microinjection of losartan (250 pmol) into the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) completely abolished the enhanced chemoreceptor reflex by epicardial application of capsaicin. These results suggest that both the chemical and electrical stimulation of the CSAR augments chemoreceptor reflex and that central ANG II, specially located in the NTS, plays a major role in these reflex interactions.     

四种常见蟹类对光棘球海胆的捕食策略

光棘球海胆(Mesocentrotus nudus)是维持海藻生态系统稳定的关键种,同时也是北方重要的经济海胆类.目前对黄渤海地区光棘球海胆的种群生态学研究还不足,对影响其种群数量动态的因素尚不明确.为探明光棘球海胆的捕食者种类及其捕食策略,选择平背蜞(Gaetice depressus)、肉球近方蟹(Hemigrap...