广聚萤叶甲成虫取食经历对后续 产卵寄主选择的影响

【背景】取食经历对植食性昆虫的寄主选择行为具有较大影响,影响天敌昆虫寄主专一性测定的设计和结果解释。【方法】采用选择性试验,观察了入侵豚草的重要天敌——广聚萤叶甲成虫羽化后取食不同植物对其后续产卵寄主选择的影响。【结果】与取食豚草的试虫相比,有取食三裂叶豚草、苍耳或菊芋经历的成虫选择苍耳产卵的频次增加,不再对豚草表现出明显的选择偏好性。对产卵识别期的Cox模型分析结果表明,成虫早期取食不同植物,对后续产卵选择有显著影响,成虫羽化后如果先取食豚草或三裂叶豚草,则选择苍耳产卵的倾向显著低于豚草;但如果先取食苍耳、菊芋和农家向日葵,则选择苍耳产卵的倾向与豚草无显著差异。【结论与意义】由此推测,广聚萤叶甲初羽化成虫取食的植物对其后续产卵选择具有较大影响,因而在寄主专一性测定中应关注测试前饲喂的植物种类。     

国际基因工程机器大赛对本科生科研教育的启示

近年来,国际基因工程机器大赛(International genetically engineered machine,iGEM,简称iGEM大赛)在全球迅猛发展。仅2017年iGEM大赛全球注册队伍就达到了史无前例的313支,中国地区有98支iGEM团队报名参赛并取得了优异成绩。与国内已有的诸多大学生创新项目、科研培养项目不同,iGEM的组织模式是以学生为主体的研究型学习。该模式取得了丰富的教育效果,体现了新的教育理念,对于我国高校组织本科生课外科研训练有较大的借鉴意义。文中以北京大学参加iGEM大赛为线索,介绍国际基因工程机器大赛(iGEM)的背景和基本情况并以一个参赛周期为序再现北京大学iGEM团队组织和参赛的主要过程。通过与其他本科生科研训练的组织模式进行比较,探讨iGEM对本科生科研训练意义,并总结iGEM的组织经验和对本科生科研能力培养以及组织本科生科研学术竞赛的启示,希望能为国内高校的iGEM活动组织以及本科教育改革提供借鉴。     

用替代寄主繁殖的川硬皮肿腿蜂的学习行为

采用Y型嗅觉仪进行双向选择实验,研究了用替代寄主黄粉虫蛹繁殖的川硬皮肿腿蜂寄主搜索过程中的学习行为。结果表明,川硬皮肿腿蜂羽化期和成虫初期经历松枝皮、松针、松节油、杉枝皮等的挥发物后,雌蜂对这些挥发物的选择性明显提高,但对杉叶挥发物无明显的学习行为。羽化期和成虫初期是否投放新鲜寄主,对雌蜂的气味选择性没有明显的影响。成蜂取食黄粉虫蛹和蜂蜜时均可联系性学习松枝和杉枝气味。取食并经历杉枝和松枝挥发物4天和8天的寄生蜂之间对相应气味的选择性无显著差异。     

鲍肽素对血管性痴呆大鼠学习与记忆能力的干预及机制研究

目的：观察鲍肤索对血管性痴呆大鼠学习与记忆能力的干预及机制。方法：制备生物鲍肤索,分剂量喂饲血管性痴呆大鼠,测试学习与记忆能力、红细胞和血红蛋白。结果：鲍肤素提高大鼠Y型迷宫测试的分值和红细胞、血红蛋白水平。结论：鲍肤素能提高血管性痴呆大鼠的学习与记忆能力和红细胞、血红蛋白水平。     

Experience acquisition by Trichogramma australicum Girault (Hymenoptera: Trichogrammatidae)

We investigated experience acquisition (alpha-conditioning) by females of the parasitoid Trichogramma australicum using host eggs of the noctuid moth Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner). We compared the acceptance of a host egg by females with different levels of ovipositional experience. The level of experience was designated using the standard oviposition sequence: (1) host contact (C); (2) host examination (E); (3) drilling (D); (4) full insertion (FI); and (5) oviposition (O). Each treatment consisted of a single experience level, but together these consituted a qualitative behavioural continuum of oviposition experience from naive (N) to experienced wasps. We found that host experience by adult T. australicum females can modify their behaviour. Mean duration of host finding was: N = C > E = D > FI = O. Mean duration of host examination and full insertion were: N = C > E = D = FI = O. Drilling was constant for all experience levels. Experience in drilling of the chorion during the previous host-exposure process represents a critical experience for a female and results in efficient handling and more ready acceptance of a subsequently encountered host egg.     

基于多组学数据的肿瘤药物敏感性预测北大核心CSCD

肿瘤药物敏感性预测在指导患者临床用药方面具有重要意义。本文基于癌症药物敏感性基因组学数据库(genomics of drug sensitivity in cancer, GDSC) 198种药物的细胞系敏感性IC50数据,通过Stacking集成学习构建了包含基因表达、基因突变、拷贝数变异数据的多组学癌症药物敏感性预测模型。采用多种特征选择方法对基因特征进行降维,使用Stacking方法集成6种初级学习器和1种次级学习器进行建模,采用5折交叉进行模型验证。预测结果中AUC大于0.9的占比为36.4%,在0.8–0.9之间的占比为49.0%,最低AUC为0.682。基于Stacking构建的多组学预测模型较已有单组学和多组学模型的准确性和稳定性具有优势。多组学整合预测药物敏感性优于单一组学。特征基因功能注释和富集分析解析了肿瘤对sorafenib潜在的耐药机制,从生物学角度提供了模型可解释性及其应用于临床用药指导的价值。     

Deep learning for computational biology

Technological advances in genomics and imaging have led to an explosion of molecular and cellular profiling data from large numbers of samples. This rapid increase in biological data dimension and acquisition rate is challenging conventional analysis strategies. Modern machine learning methods, such as deep learning, promise to leverage very large data sets for finding hidden structure within them, and for making accurate predictions. In this review, we discuss applications of this new breed of analysis approaches in regulatory genomics and cellular imaging. We provide background of what deep learning is, and the settings in which it can be successfully applied to derive biological insights. In addition to presenting specific applications and providing tips for practical use, we also highlight possible pitfalls and limitations to guide computational biologists when and how to make the most use of this new technology.     

鼠脑微透析液痕量氨基酸的激光诱导荧光检测

使用自制微透析探针和活动体位生化取样装置以及自行组装的毛细管电泳-增强型电荷耦合器件-激光诱导荧光系统,对鼠脑透析液中的痕量氨基酸以异硫氢酸荧光黄(FITC)进行柱前衍生后进行了分离和检测. 鼠脑海马CA₃区微透析液中游离氨基酸的浓度为10^-8～10^-6 mol/L, 并将其用于学习与记忆的研究, 为无损伤研究活体脑内神经递质和其他痕量生化物质的动态变化提供了一种新方法.     

本科生英文文献阅读能力培养的探索——“微生物生态学”课程教学中的改革实践

本文介绍了华中农业大学在"微生物生态学"教学过程中进行的双语教学和前沿英文文献开卷阅读测试的实践案例。连续三年的教改实践有效帮助本科生克服了英文文献阅读的恐惧心理,提高了本科生阅读专业前沿文献的理解能力,调动了学习的积极性,创新思维能力有明显提高。     

Increased fear learning,spatial learning as well as neophobia in Rgs2−/− mice

Anxiety disorders result from a complex interplay of genetic and environmental factors such as stress. On the level of cellular signaling, regulator of G protein signaling 2 (Rgs2) has been implicated in human and rodent anxiety. However, there is limited knowledge about the role of Rgs2 in fear learning and reactivity to stress. In this study, Rgs2^?/? mice showed increased fear learning, male mice displayed increased contextual and cued fear learning, while females showed selectively enhanced cued fear learning. Male Rgs2^?/? mice displayed increased long‐term‐contextual fear memory, but increased cued fear extinction. Learning in spatial non‐aversive paradigms was also increased in Rgs2^?/? mice. Female, but not male mice show increased spatial learning in the Barnes maze, while male mice showed enhanced place preference in the IntelliCage, rendering enhanced cognitive function non‐specific for aversive stimuli. Consistent with the previous results, Rgs2 deletion resulted in increased innate anxiety, including neophobic behavior expressed as hypolocomotion, in three different tests based on the approach‐avoidance conflict. Acute electric foot shock stress provoked hypolocomotion in several exploration‐based tests, suggesting fear generalization in both genotypes. Rgs2 deletion was associated with reduced monoaminergic neurotransmitter levels in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex and disturbed corresponding GPCR expression of the adrenergic, serotonergic, dopaminergic and neuropeptide Y system. Taken together, Rgs2 deletion promotes improved cognitive function as well as increased anxiety‐like behavior, but has no effect on acute stress reactivity. These effects may be related to the observed disruption of the monoaminergic systems.