Use of a thermal and light refugium by Daphnia and its effects on foraging pumpkinseeds

The effects of thermal stratification and light gradients on the feeding behavior of pumpkinseeds, Lepomis gibbosus, were tested in vertical aquarium columns. Successful captures, unsuccessful captures and unsuccessful searches by foraging sunfish on Daphnia pulex were recorded. Clearance and feeding rates of the sunfish were lowest when prey densities remained high, indicating that the Daphnia were occupying an area that could not be searched by the sunfish. Thermal stratification limited the searching volume and prey availability of the sunfish, while creating a refuge for the Daphnia. Light intensities ≤ 4.2 × 10^-3 W m^-2 decreased the searching and capture abilities of the sunfish under isothermal conditions. Thermal stratification had more of an effect than the light gradients, creating a refuge for the Daphnia causing them to be unavailable and less vulnerable to predation by the sunfish. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Vegetation changes and development of agriculture at „Kerfontaine“ (Sérent,Massif Armoricain,France)

As part of a new research programme, studies of peat bogs in Brittany are being carried out to trace the changes that have occurred in the course of time, and to determine the different regional stages related to the human activities of land clearance and agriculture. In this context, a palynological study of the Kerfontaine peat bog was undertaken to consider changes in local and regional vegetation dating from after about 7800 B.P. Local vegetation history from Neolithic times until the Middle Ages involved a succession of twelve pollen zones clearly related to variations in water level resulting from natural or anthropogenic influences. The dominant vegetation was alder carr, bog-myrtle mire and birch woods. Heath vegetation, which appeared at the end of the Iron Age, developed during the Gallo-Roman period, finally invading the entire bog in the Middle Ages. Regional vegetation history was characterised, among other things, by the presence of beech woods which developed after 3000 B.P. and then declined during the Middle Ages in conjunction with an increase of cultivation between the 8th and 11th centuries A.D., an indication of great activity during the Carolingian period. Human activity reached its peak around 1800 A.D. at the time of the first pine plantations.     

氨基酸序列突变对TFPI生物半衰期和生物活性的影响

通过对个别氨基酸突变的研究,获得了保持良好生物活性的长半衰期组织因子途径抑制因子(tissue factor pathwayinhibitor,TFPI)重组蛋白的有效途径.采用定点诱变和基因重组技术,首先在TFPI cDNA特定位点形成一个位点的沉默突变,以提高TFPI在毕赤酵母细胞内的表达量,此cDNA称为mTFPI.在此基础上,通过系列位点突变,形成3个羧基端突变体:m0TFPI、m1TFPI和m2TFPI.将上述4种TFPI cDNA与表达质粒pPic9连接,转染大肠杆菌,通过PCR和DNA测序确认重组质粒,转染酵母细胞GS115,甲醇诱导表达重组蛋白.采用层析方法纯化TFPI重组蛋白,用125I标记重组蛋白,静脉注射给药,比较四者在SD大鼠体内血浆代谢清除速度.用底物显色法测定重组蛋白抑制凝血因子Xa(Fxa)的活性,比较各株TFPI重组蛋白突变体在体内、体外对FXa的抑制作用及肝素对各株TFPI重组蛋白功能的影响.结果显示,相比野生型TFPI重组蛋(mTFPI)而言,3株羧基端突变体m0TFPI、m1TFPI、m2TFPI在SD大鼠体内血浆代谢清除时间均有不同程度延长,其生物代谢半衰期分别是mTFPI的1.5倍、1.9倍和大于2倍,与m-TFPI相比,3个rTFPI突变体在体内、体外抑制FXa的作用无明显减弱,与肝素的结合能力及协同能力也无明显减弱.结果表明,m0TFPI、m1TFPI和m2TFPI在生物半衰期得到明显延长的同时,仍保持良好的抑制Fxa的生物活性.     

Neutrophil extracellular Taps play an important role in clearance of Streptococcus suis in vivo

Streptococcus suis infection induces formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in vitro; however, the contribution of NETs‐mediated killing to the pathogenesis of S. suis in vivo is yet to be elicited. The findings of the present study indicated that extracellular DNA fiber can be induced in a murine model in response to S. suis infection. A nuclease that destroys their structure was used to evaluate the role of NETs on S. suis infection. Treatment with nuclease resulted in a greater bacteria load and higher serum TNF‐α concentrations in response to S. suis infection, indicating that NETs structure played an essential role in S. suis clearance and inflammation. Furthermore, nuclease treatment resulted in more severe clinical signs during and higher mortality from S. suis infection. These findings indicated that NETs structure contributes to protection against S. suis infection.     

Increased Glucose-induced Secretion of Glucagon-like Peptide-1 in Mice Lacking the Carcinoembryonic Antigen-related Cell Adhesion Molecule 2 (CEACAM2)

Carcinoembryonic antigen-related cell adhesion molecule 2 (CEACAM2) regulates food intake as demonstrated by hyperphagia in mice with the Ceacam2 null mutation (Cc2^−/−). This study investigated whether CEACAM2 also regulates insulin secretion. Ceacam2 deletion caused an increase in β-cell secretory function, as assessed by hyperglycemic clamp analysis, without affecting insulin response. Although CEACAM2 is expressed in pancreatic islets predominantly in non-β-cells, basal plasma levels of insulin, glucagon and somatostatin, islet areas, and glucose-induced insulin secretion in pooled Cc2^−/− islets were all normal. Consistent with immunofluorescence analysis showing CEACAM2 expression in distal intestinal villi, Cc2^−/− mice exhibited a higher release of oral glucose-mediated GLP-1, an incretin that potentiates insulin secretion in response to glucose. Compared with wild type, Cc2^−/− mice also showed a higher insulin excursion during the oral glucose tolerance test. Pretreating with exendin(9–39), a GLP-1 receptor antagonist, suppressed the effect of Ceacam2 deletion on glucose-induced insulin secretion. Moreover, GLP-1 release into the medium of GLUTag enteroendocrine cells was increased with siRNA-mediated Ceacam2 down-regulation in parallel to an increase in Ca²⁺ entry through L-type voltage-dependent Ca²⁺ channels. Thus, CEACAM2 regulates insulin secretion, at least in part, by a GLP-1-mediated mechanism, independent of confounding metabolic factors.     

Step length determines minimum toe clearance in older adults and people with Parkinson’s disease

Reduced foot clearance when walking may increase the risk of trips and falls in people with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Changes in foot clearance in people with PD are likely to be associated with temporal-spatial characteristics of gait such as walking slowly which evokes alterations in the temporal-spatial control of stepping patterns. Enhancing our understanding of the temporal-spatial determinants of foot clearance may inform the design of falls prevention therapies.Thirty-six people with PD and 38 age-matched controls completed four intermittent walks under two conditions: self-selected and fast gait velocity. Temporal-spatial characteristics of gait and foot (heel and toe) clearance outcomes were obtained using an instrumented walkway and 3D motion capture, respectively. A general linear model was used to quantify the effect of PD and gait velocity on gait and foot clearance. Regression evaluated the temporal and spatial gait predictors of minimum toe clearance (MTC).PD walked slower regardless of condition (p = .016) and tended to increase their step length to achieve a faster gait velocity. Step length and the walk ratio consistently explained the greatest proportion of variance in MTC (>28% and >33%, respectively) regardless of group or walking condition (p < .001).Our results suggest step length is the primary determinant of MTC regardless of pathology. Interventions that focus on increasing step length may help to reduce the risk of trips and falls during gait, however, clinical trials are required for robust evaluation.     

Aβ的外周清除与阿尔茨海默病

脑β-淀粉样蛋白(Amyloid-β,Aβ)沉积是阿尔茨海默病(Alzheimer's disease,AD)发病的核心问题。Aβ的沉积与其生成和清除失衡有关,尤其是清除障碍是导致Aβ沉积的主要原因。Aβ经RAGE,LRP1及P-gp介导跨血脑屏障(blood-brain barrier,BBB)转运至外周和经血管旁淋巴引流途径到达局部淋巴结是脑Aβ转运至外周进而发挥外周清除效应的两条途径,亦是Aβ清除的主要途径。RAGE,LRP1及P-gp表达异常、血管旁淋巴引流途径受阻及外周清除组织功能障碍均会影响Aβ外周清除,促进AD病程的进展。因此干预BBB上转运体的功能及血管旁淋巴引流通路,实现外周组织的清除效应,有利于Aβ外周清除。随着外周Aβ清除,脑Aβ则会源源不断转运至外周,发挥外周降解效应,即外周Sink效应。基于外周Sink效应,将AD治疗重点由促进Aβ脑内清除转为外周清除将是一条有效且相对安全的途径。     

血栓通注射液对急性脑出血患者血清IL-8、IL10 水平的影响

目的:探讨血栓通注射液对急性脑出血患者血清IL-8、IL10以及与颅内血肿水平影响及临床意义。方法:选取我院收治的急性脑出血患者80例,随机分为对照组及实验组,对照组以常规消肿治疗,实验组在对照组基础上予以血栓通注射液活血消肿治疗。比较各组患者治疗前后IL-8、IL-10、TNF-α、CRP水平、颅内血肿面积、层数和低密度影像水平以及NIHSS功能评分变化情况。结果:与治疗前比较,两组患者IL-8、IL-10、TNF-α、CRP及颅内血肿水平均降低(P0.05);与对照组相比较,实验组患者治疗后IL-8、IL-10、TNF-α、CRP及颅内血肿水平较低(P0.05);NIHSS功能评分较高,差异具有统计学意义(P0.05)。结论:血栓通注射液可改善急性脑出血患者血肿周围脑组织水肿状态及炎性反应状态,降低炎性因子及坏死因子的释放,改善病灶区脑组织血液循环,可作为临床有效治疗方案。     

Assessing Phagocytic Clearance of Cell Death in Experimental Stroke by Ligatable Fluorescent Probes

We describe a new histochemical approach for visualization of phagocytic clearance in focal brain ischemia. The approach permits the study of elimination of dead cells in stroke by waste-management phagocytes of any cellular lineage. Although numerous cells of different origins that are capable of phagocytosis are present in ischemic brain, only part of them actively engulf and digest cell corpses. The selective visualization, quantification and analysis of such active phagocytic waste-management are helpful in assessing brain response to ischemia. Efficient cell death clearance is important for brain recovery from ischemic injury, as it opens the way for the subsequent regenerative processes. The failure to clean the corpses would result in a toxic reaction caused by non-degraded DNA and proteins. The described procedure uses fluorescent probes selectively ligated by a viral topoisomerase to characteristic DNA breaks produced in all phagocytes during engulfment and digestion of cells irreversibly damaged by ischemia. The method is a new tool for the investigation of brain reaction to ischemic injury.