Attenuation of daunorubicin-augmented microsomal lipid peroxidation and oxygen consumption by calcium channel antagonists.

Daunorubicin (20 microM) stimulated NADPH-dependent microsomal lipid peroxidation about 2-fold over control values and enhanced the rate of oxygen utilization by microsomes. The calcium channel blockers tested inhibited daunorubicin-augmented lipid peroxidation and O2 consumption to varying degrees. Inhibition of daunorubicin-stimulated lipid peroxidation was found to be dose dependent; the IC50 (drug concentration producing 50% inhibition of lipid peroxidation) values for verapamil, nifedipine and diltiazem were approximately 150 microM, 200 microM, and 600 microM respectively. Our in vitro studies suggest that calcium channel antagonists may modulate the free radical-mediated, cardiotoxic effects of daunorubicin.     

Similarity of Cortical Activity Patterns Predicts generalization Behavior

Humans and animals readily generalize previously learned knowledge to new situations. Determining similarity is critical for assigning category membership to a novel stimulus. We tested the hypothesis that category membership is initially encoded by the similarity of the activity pattern evoked by a novel stimulus to the patterns from known categories. We provide behavioral and neurophysiological evidence that activity patterns in primary auditory cortex contain sufficient information to explain behavioral categorization of novel speech sounds by rats. Our results suggest that category membership might be encoded by the similarity of the activity pattern evoked by a novel speech sound to the patterns evoked by known sounds. Categorization based on featureless pattern matching may represent a general neural mechanism for ensuring accurate generalization across sensory and cognitive systems.     

Development and evaluation of a Gal4-mediated LUC/GFP/GUS enhancer trap system in Arabidopsis

Background  

Gal4 enhancer trap systems driving expression of LacZ and GFP reporters have been characterized and widely used in Drosophila. However, a Gal4 enhancer trap system in Arabidopsis has not been described in the primary literature. In Drosophila, the reporters possess a Gal4 upstream activation sequence (UAS) as five repeats (5XUAS) and lines that express Gal4 from tissue specific enhancers have also been used for the ectopic expression of any transgene (driven by a 5XUAS). While Gal4 transactivation has been demonstrated in Arabidopsis, wide use of a trap has not emerged in part because of the lack of detailed analysis, which is the purpose of the present study.     

The Effect of Polyhydramnios on Cervical Length in Twins: A Controlled Intervention Study in Complicated Monochorionic Pregnancies

Objective

To test the hypothesis that cervical shortening in polyhydramnios reflects the degree of excess amniotic fluid, and increases with normalisation of amniotic fluid volume.

Study Design

Prospective cohort study of 40 women with monochorionic twins undergoing interventional procedures between 16–26 weeks. Cervical length was assessed via transvaginal sonography pre-procedure, 1 and 24 hours post-procedure, and results compared between amnioreduction and control procedures. Amniotic fluid index (AFI) was measured pre- and post-procedure.

Results

Pre-procedural cervical length correlated with AFI (linear fit = 5.07 -0.04x, R² = 0.17, P = 0.03) in patients with polyhydramnios (n = 28). Drainage of 2000ml fluid (range 700–3500ml), reduced AFI from 42cm to 21cm (P<0.001). Their pre-procedural cervical length did not change at one (mean Δ:−0.1cm, 95%CI, −0.4 to 0.2) or 24 hours (0.2cm, −0.1 to 0.6) after amnioreduction. There was no change in cervical length at control procedures.

Conclusion

Cervical shortening in twins with polyhydramnios does not appear to be an acute process; cervical length can be measured before or after therapeutic procedures.     

人胚胎干细胞程序降温保存的实验研究

本文采用升降式程序降温仪对人胚胎于细胞进行了程序降温保存,并探讨和比较了降温速率、置核温度、保护剂和投入液氮前温度对冻存复苏后胚胎干细胞的存活率、活力及分化特性的影响。结果表明:采用Me_2SO 血清 DMEM(体积比为1∶3∶6)的保护剂,从0℃开始,以0.5℃/min的速率对细胞悬液降温;至-10℃时对其进行置核,并于-35℃时将其快速投入液氮中保存,复温后效果最佳。冻存复温后细胞存活率可达81.8%,复苏后的胚胎干细胞形态和集落生长方式都与冻前的生长形态相同,且胚胎干细胞标志之一碱性磷酸酶(AKP)反应阳性,同时染色体组型仍正常。     

Provision of nestboxes raises the breeding density of Great Tits Parus major equally in coniferous and deciduous woodland

Nestbox provision is a technique used to increase nest-site availability for secondary cavity-nesting birds. However, little is known about the demographic consequences of nestbox provision in different habitat types. To assess how nestbox provision affects the density of hole-nesting birds simultaneously in two contrasting habitats, we compared the breeding density of Great Tits along transects without nestboxes with that in transects where nestboxes were provided. Although the initial density of breeders was considerably higher in the deciduous habitat than in the coniferous habitat, provision of nestboxes increased density by a similar number of additional pairs in each habitat type. Thus, the provision of nestboxes in managed coniferous forests may be as effective in increasing the breeding opportunities of cavity nesters as in deciduous stands. Moreover, previous research showed that pairs in deciduous habitat with nestboxes have consistently lower breeding success than those in coniferous habitat with nestboxes. It is possible that the addition of nestboxes in the preferred habitat increased density to such an extent that density-dependent effects became apparent.