Neural Coding with Graded Membrane Potential Changes and Spikes

The neural encoding of sensory stimuli is usually investigated for spike responses, although many neurons are known to convey information by graded membrane potential changes. We compare by model simulations how well different dynamical stimuli can be discriminated on the basis of spiking or graded responses. Although a continuously varying membrane potential contains more information than binary spike trains, we find situations where different stimuli can be better discriminated on the basis of spike responses than on the basis of graded responses. Spikes can be superior to graded membrane potential fluctuations if spikes sharpen the temporal structure of neuronal responses by amplifying fast transients of the membrane potential. Such fast membrane potential changes can be induced deterministically by the stimulus or can be due to membrane potential noise that is influenced in its statistical properties by the stimulus. The graded response mode is superior for discrimination between stimuli on a fine time scale.     

锐化蝙蝠听皮层神经元频率调谐的柱特征

用双声刺激和多管电极方法在 6只大棕蝠 (bigbrownbat,Eptesicusfuscus)的 98个神经元上研究了锐化 (sharpening)蝙蝠听皮层 (primaryauditorycortex ,AC)神经元频率调谐的柱特征。结果发现 ,电极直插在 1个电极通道内连续记录到多个神经元时 ,它们锐化频率调谐的抑制性调谐曲线或抑制区基本相似。电极与AC表面呈 45°斜向推入使其跨越多个功能柱时 ,可观察到锐化频率调谐的抑制区构成也随电极进入不同的功能柱而发生相应的改变。两种不同的电极插入方式均证明锐化AC神经元频率调谐的神经抑制呈柱状组构。这些神经元组合起来排列在同一听觉功能柱内 ,构成AC频率分析的基本功能组构单位“微频率处理器”。实验中还观察到多峰频率调谐曲线神经元 ,它们在声通讯和声定位中不同波谱区域的时间匹配中起作用。此外 ,也有理由认为多峰调谐神经元亦被用于作为复杂波谱信息的“高级调谐预处理器” ,从而极大地提高了神经元对频率分析的能力。为研究锐化频率调谐的神经抑制机制 ,用多管电极电泳γ -氨基丁酸 (γ aminobutyricacid ,GA BA)能a受体拮抗剂荷包牡丹碱 (bicuculline ,Bic)至所记录的神经元 ,发现能大部分或几乎全部取消抑制区 ,从而表明在正常情况下GABA能抑制参与构成锐化AC神经元频率调谐的抑制区 ,     

城市近郊型乡镇农业生态经济系统生态潜力及产业空间布局——以延安市河庄坪镇为例

生态脆弱区抗干扰能力弱,明确其系统的生态潜力,在潜力的基础上开发利用资源对区域的可持续发展具有重要的意义。研究基于生态系统服务价值视角,尝试测度农业生态经济系统生态潜力,同时以三产融合典型代表乡镇为研究对象,对其农业生态经济系统生态潜力和主导产业进行时空分析,最后对生态系统加以功能分区。结果显示：（1）气体调节、气候调节、水源涵养和土壤形成与保护是生态系统提供的主要服务功能。随退耕还林工程实施,林地面积的增加使生态系统服务价值量随之上升,在空间上呈现"中间低两翼高"的格局。（2）农业生态经济系统生态潜力受服务价值与资源开发过程影响,与生态系统服务价值在空间上相对一致,呈现出"两翼高中间低,北高南低"的分布格局,其中,退耕还林工程的推进直接导致林地的生态潜力增加,耕地的生态潜力减少。（3）研究区在退耕过程中形成以大棚种植为主的设施农业、以农林特色销售为主的商品型种植农业,以山地苹果为主的林果产业以及以酒店商贸为主的服务行业。并随城镇一体化的推进,主导产业呈现出由传统粗放型大田种植向集约型设施农业方向发展。在空间上形成了以镇区分布为主的第三产业、依托拐沟坡地的林果产业和沿川道展开的设施农业的产业布局。（4）基于生态系统服务价值,研究区农业生态经济系统功能区划分为城镇生态环境维护区（第Ⅰ类型区）、农业生态保护区（第Ⅱ类型区）、生态安全屏障区（第Ⅲ类区）3个区域。     

Molecular dynamics simulation of single-walled carbon nanotubes inside liquid crystals

Molecular dynamic simulations of systems of single-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in liquid crystalline solvents were performed, in order to investigate the effect of the molecular structure and phase of the liquid crystal (LC) on the interactions between the CNTs. Three different LC molecules (5CB, 8CB and 5CF) were considered in our study. Our results with 5CB and 8CB suggest that increasing the chain length of the hydrophobic part of the LC molecule by three carbon atoms is insufficient to decrease the tendency for the CNTs to aggregate in the LCs. Additionally, varying the phase of the LC is also insufficient to decrease the aggregation tendency of the CNTs. However, simulations with 5CF (which has fluorine atoms in the head group of the LC molecule) suggest that this LC solvent can decrease the tendency of the CNTs to aggregate. This study is relevant to assist experimentalists with the development of high-quality dispersions of large concentrations of CNTs in the LCs.     

Lysosomal membrane permeabilization is involved in oxidative stress-induced apoptotic cell death in LAMP2-deficient iPSCs-derived cerebral cortical neurons

Patients with Danon disease may suffer from severe cardiomyopathy, skeletal muscle dysfunction as well as varying degrees of mental retardation, in which the primary deficiency of lysosomal membrane-associated protein-2 (LAMP2) is considerably associated. Owing to the scarcity of human neurons, the pathological role of LAMP2 deficiency in neural injury of humans remains largely elusive. However, the application of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) may shed light on overcoming such scarcity.In this study, we obtained iPSCs derived from a patient carrying a mutated LAMP2 gene that is associated with Danon disease. By differentiating such LAMP2-deficient iPSCs into cerebral cortical neurons and with the aid of various biochemical assays, we demonstrated that the LAMP2-deficient neurons are more susceptible to mild oxidative stress-induced injury.The data from MTT assay and apoptotic analysis demonstrated that there was no notable difference in cellular viability between the normal and LAMP2-deficient neurons under non-stressed condition. When exposed to mild oxidative stress (10 μM H₂O₂), the LAMP2-deficient neurons exhibited a significant increase in apoptosis. Surprisingly, we did not observe any aberrant accumulation of autophagic materials in the LAMP2-deficient neurons under such stress condition.Our results from cellular fractionation and inhibitor blockade experiments further revealed that oxidative stress-induced apoptosis in the LAMP2-deficient cortical neurons was caused by increased abundance of cytosolic cathepsin L. These results suggest the involvement of lysosomal membrane permeabilization in the LAMP2 deficiency associated neural injury.     

退耕区域发展碳汇产业的生态经济学思考

碳汇产业,即利用植物吸收二氧化碳的潜力及规律,在人工适度干预下获得清洁空气、满足人们生产和生活对生态环境需求的产业,为原有相对均衡或稳定的农业产业-资源系统的优化升级提供突破口和新的增长点.退耕区域生态系统服务中,固碳释氧功能的经济显化、碳汇潜力的迅速提高,以及国内外碳汇交易与碳汇市场的兴起等,为碳汇产业的发展奠定了理论和现实基础.随着碳汇产业的发展,生产经营者必然以提高碳汇产出为核心,形成对碳源的控制及对碳贮量增加路径的开发,重新布局农业产业-资源结构,因而为退耕区域可持续发展带来新的活力;同时,也隐含了下一步需要研发的重点,即碳汇产业融入后的农业产业-资源的配置结构及良性耦合机制.     

Subspecies delineation amid phenotypic,geographic and genetic discordance in a songbird

Understanding the processes that drive divergence within and among species is a long‐standing goal in evolutionary biology. Traditional approaches to assessing differentiation rely on phenotypes to identify intra‐ and interspecific variation, but many species express subtle morphological gradients in which boundaries among forms are unclear. This intraspecific variation may be driven by differential adaptation to local conditions and may thereby reflect the evolutionary potential within a species. Here, we combine genetic and morphological data to evaluate intraspecific variation within the Nelson's (Ammodramus nelsoni) and salt marsh (Ammodramus caudacutus) sparrow complex, a group with populations that span considerable geographic distributions and a habitat gradient. We evaluated genetic structure among and within five putative subspecies of A. nelsoni and A. caudacutus using a reduced‐representation sequencing approach to generate a panel of 1929 SNPs among 69 individuals. Although we detected morphological differences among some groups, individuals sorted along a continuous phenotypic gradient. In contrast, the genetic data identified three distinct clusters corresponding to populations that inhabit coastal salt marsh, interior freshwater marsh and coastal brackish–water marsh habitats. These patterns support the current species‐level recognition but do not match the subspecies‐level taxonomy within each species—a finding which may have important conservation implications. We identified loci exhibiting patterns of elevated divergence among and within these species, indicating a role for local selective pressures in driving patterns of differentiation across the complex. We conclude that this evidence for adaptive variation among subspecies warrants the consideration of evolutionary potential and genetic novelty when identifying conservation units for this group.     

Effect of thymol on peripheral blood mononuclear cell PBMC and acute promyelotic cancer cell line HL-60

Thymol, a naturally occurring phenolic compound, has been known for its antioxidant, anti microbial, and anti inflammatory activity. Thymol has also been reported as anti-cancer agent, but its anti-cancer mechanism has not yet been fully elucidated. Thus, we aimed to investigate anticancer activity of thymol on HL-60 (acute promyelotic leukemia) cells. In our study, thymol demonstrated dose dependent cytotoxic effects on HL-60 cells after 24 h of exposure. However, thymol did not show any cytotoxic effect in normal human PBMC. The cytotoxic effect of thymol on HL-60 cells appears to be associated with induction of cell cycle arrest at sub G0/G1 phase, and apoptotic cell death based on genomic DNA fragmentation pattern. Thymol also showed significant increase in production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) activity, increase in mitochondrial H₂O₂ production and depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential. On performing Western Blot analysis, thymol showed increase in Bax protein level with a concomitant decrease in Bcl2 protein expression in a dose dependent manner. Our study also showed activation of caspase -9, -8 and -3 and concomitant PARP cleavage, which is the hallmark of caspase-dependent apoptosis. Moreover, to rule out the involvement of other mechanisms in apoptosis induction by thymol, we also studied its effect on apoptosis inducing factor (AIF). Thymol induced AIF translocation from mitochondria to cytosol and to nucleus, thus indicating its ability to induce caspase independent apoptosis. We conclude that, thymol-induced apoptosis in HL-60 cells involves both caspase dependent and caspase independent pathways.     

广东省县级建设用地集约利用综合评价——以紫金县为例

基于评价指标的权重和隶属度值构建了广东省紫金县建设用地集约利用水平测度模型,运用最大相容类原则实现了建设用地集约利用水平的模糊识别分类,并通过将城镇及独立工矿区人均建设用地、农村居民点人均建设用地与国家2007年颁布的镇规划用地标准进行比较,测算了2005年广东省紫金县建设用地集约利用潜力.结果表明：2005年紫金县建设用地集约利用水平测度值为0.421,处于低效粗放利用阶段;理论上全县可减少555.69～2197.69 hm²的建设用地,集约利用潜力较大.     

Distribution of prepubertal and adult goat oocyte cortical granules during meiotic maturation and fertilisation: ultrastructural and cytochemical study

The aim of this study was evaluate cortical granule (CG) distribution during in vitro maturation (IVM) and fertilisation of prepubertal goat oocytes compared to CG distribution of ovulated and in vitro fertilised oocytes from adult goats. Oocytes from prepubertal goats were recovered from a slaughterhouse and were matured in M199 with hormones and serum for 27 hr. Ovulated oocytes were collected from gonadotrophin treated Murciana goats. Frozen-thawed spermatozoa were selected by centrifugation in percoll gradient and were capacitated in DMH with 20% steer serum for 1 hr. Ovulated and IVM-oocytes were inseminated in DMH medium with steer serum and calcium lactate for 20 hr. Oocytes and presumptive zygotes were stained with FITC-LCA (Lens culinaris agglutinin labelled with fluorescein isothiocyanate) and observed under a confocal laser scanning microscope. Ultrastructure morphology of oocytes and presumptive zygotes were analysed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Prepubertal goat oocytes at germinal vesicle stage show a homogeneous CG distribution in the cytoplasm. IVM-oocytes at Metaphase II (MII) and ovulated oocytes presented CGs located in the cortex with the formation of a monolayer beneath to the plasma membrane. At 20 hr postinsemination (hpi), zygotes from IVM-oocytes showed a complete CG exocytosis whereas zygotes from ovulated oocytes presented aggregates of CGs located at the cortical region. Images by TEM detected that CGs were more electrodense and compacts in oocytes from prepubertal than from adult goats.