Changes in excitability in the motor cortex of the dog during switching-over conditioned escape and avoidance reflexes

Excitability of the motor cortex (projection of the foreleg), judged by the threshold of flexion reaction to its stimulation during elaboration of conditioned transswitching (CT), was studied in dogs. CT was elaborated for instrumental reflexes of escape (1-st CT variant) and avoidance (2-nd CT variant). In the 1-st variant the dog escaped from the hydrochloric acid solution, if during its administration it produced an active flexion of the foreleg in situation A and an active extension of the same leg in situation B, with a permanent action of a switch (a fan). In the 2-nd CT variant, the dog avoided the acid, if in situation A, in response to a tone of 250 Hz, it actively lifted its foreleg, and if in situation B, it actively resisted a passive lift in response to the same stimulus. In escape CT as well as in avoidance CT, there was a statistically significant difference between the thresholds of flexion reaction. The threshold was lower in situation of instrumental flexion reflex formation in comparison to the situation of extension reflex formation.     

Production of DON-related trichothecenes byFusarium graminearum Schw from Krasnodarski krai of the USSR

34Fusarium graminearum Schw isolates produced 4-deoxynivalenol to form significant amounts of 4, 7 — dideoxynivalenol and lesser amounts of 4 — deoxynivalenol monoacetates on grain substratesin vitro. This is the first report on the capability a large group of naturally occurring isolates to produce 4,7-dideoxynivalenol. The average levels of 4,7-dideoxynivalenol on rice, corn, barley, and wheat as a substrate were respectively 26.8, 14.0, 12.8, and 10.5% of the level of 4-deoxynivalenol. 4, 7 — dideoxynivalenol was present in all examined naturally contaminated wheat kernel samples at levels of 1.7 to 7.9% of the level of 4-deoxynivalenol. These findings suggest that more attention should be given to the occurrence of 4,7-dideoxynivalenol in cereals.     

Variation in the ribosomal internal transcribed spacers (ITS1 and ITS2) among eight taxa of the Mimulus guttatus species complex

The internal transcribed spacer region (ITS1 and ITS2) of the 18S-25S nuclear ribosomal DNA sequence and the intervening 5.8S region were sequenced from three individuals in each of eight taxa of the Mimulus guttatus species complex. Three discrete variants, or "types," of ITS sequences were found, among which 30%-40% of sites differed, compared with 1%-2% within types. Dot plots indicate that these types were not related by conspicuous rearrangements or inversions. More than one ITS type was often found in the same taxon, and two of three ITS types span species boundaries, indicating their presence prior to speciation. These ITS sequences showed essentially no positional homology with the nearest sequenced relative, tomato. In contrast, the 5.8S region was relatively unvaried, with 8 of 162 sites varied in the sample among all eight taxa. The phylogeny inferred by the most common ITS sequence type, rooted by the two other ITS types, agreed with isozymes in showing the distinctness of M. nudatus, M. laciniatus, and M. tilingii from the other five taxa.      

Eukaryotic polypeptide chain release factor eRF3 is an eRF1- and ribosome-dependent guanosine triphosphatase.

Termination of translation in eukaryotes is governed by two polypeptide chain release factors, eRF1 and eRF3 on the ribosome. eRF1 promotes stop-codon-dependent hydrolysis of peptidyl-tRNA, and eRF3 interacts with eRF1 and stimulates eRF1 activity in the presence of GTP. Here, we have demonstrated that eRF3 is a GTP-binding protein endowed with a negligible, if any, intrinsic GTPase activity that is profoundly stimulated by the joint action of eRF1 and the ribosome. Separately, neither eRF1 nor the ribosome display this effect. Thus, eRF3 functions as a GTPase in the quaternary complex with ribosome, eRF1, and GTP. From the in vitro uncoupling of the peptidyl-tRNA and GTP hydrolyses achieved in this work, we conclude that in ribosomes both hydrolytic reactions are mediated by the formation of the ternary eRF1-eRF3-GTP complex. eRF1 and the ribosome form a composite GTPase-activating protein (GAP) as described for other G proteins. A dual role for the revealed GTPase complex is proposed: in " GTP state," it controls the positioning of eRF1 toward stop codon and peptidyl-tRNA, whereas in "GDP state," it promotes release of eRFs from the ribosome. The initiation, elongation, and termination steps of protein synthesis seem to be similar with respect to GTPase cycles.     

中国小菇属十个新记录种

报道了小菇科小菇属真菌10个中国新记录种,香菌组：橙盖小菇Mycena aurantiidisca、黄白小菇Mycena flavoalba、粉黄小菇Mycena floridula;棘刺组：异刺小菇Mycena heteracantha;纤柄组：碱味小菇Mycena amygdalina;脆足组：粉被小菇Mycena zephirus;冬生组：绣线菊小菇Mycena speirea、冬生小菇Mycena hiemalis;小菇组：绒柄小菇Mycena flos-nivium,分别来自吉林等11个省份、自治区。提供了每个物种的形态描述和线条图,以及与相近种的讨论。共计90条自测及下载ITS序列,在采用贝叶斯法和最大似然法构建的小菇属系统发育树中,新记录种均得到分子数据支持。凭证标本存放于吉林农业大学菌物标本馆（HMJAU）。     

川芎嗪对Aβ25-35诱导体外大鼠海马神经元细胞凋亡的影响

本文通过Aβ25-35诱导体外原代培养的SD乳大鼠海马神经元,建立Aβ毒性损伤细胞模型,结合AnnexinV-FITC/PI荧光双染法流式细胞术、MTT比色法、实时荧光定量PCR及Western blot方法检测川芎嗪(tetrameth-ylpyrazine,TMP)对原代培养的海马神经元细胞活性、早期凋亡率和Bax、Bcl-2基因表达的影响。结果显示川芎嗪高、中剂量可明显增强细胞活性,增加神经元细胞的存活率(P<0.01),可显著抑制海马神经元细胞早期凋亡(P<0.01),抑制凋亡蛋白Bax的表达(P<0.01),增强抗凋亡蛋白bcl-2的表达(P<0.01)。川芎嗪可通过调节Bax/Bcl-2平衡抵抗Aβ25-35诱导的海马神经元凋亡,降低Aβ的神经元毒性,对海马神经元损伤有明显的保护作用。