Functional characteristics of the developing brain after early postnatal neural immunization in rats: a behavioral analysis

In experiments on Wistar line young rats immunized in the early postnatal period with antigenic complexes of the nervous tissue of the hippocampus or the neocortex of an adult rat, the influence was studied of the change of the immunoreactivity to antigenic complexes of these structures on the functional brain development. Experimental animals were immunized twice in the age of 5 and 12 days or daily in the first 7 days of life. Studies of the behaviour of experimental and control animals in various situations, beginning from the two-weeks age, revealed expressed distinctions in the behaviour of animals, immunized by the hippocampus antigens: reduction of the capability to change the behaviour in changed experimental conditions (two-weeks age), and also a deficit of orienting (three weeks age) and conditioned (six weeks age) activities. A raised level was found of anticerebral antibodies in 1.5-months animals immunized in the early age. Suggestion is expressed about the significance of neuroimmune interaction in the mechanisms of the functional brain development.     

The structure and evolution of the spider monkey delta-globin gene

We have isolated the delta-globin gene of the New-World spider monkey, Ateles geoffroyi, and compared its nucleotide sequence with those of other primate delta- and beta-globin genes. Among primate delta-globin genes, the rate of nonsynonymous substitutions is much less than the rate of synonymous substitutions. This suggests that primate delta- globin genes may remain under evolutionary conservation, perhaps because hemoglobin A2 has an as yet unknown physiological importance.      

A new method of assessing anxiety-phobic states in rats]

A new multiparameter method for evaluating anxiety-phobic states in rats is elaborated. The method is based on the ranged scale consisting of parameters which characterize the species-specific rat response to the series of ethologically adequate test-stimuli inducing manifestation of the anxiety-phobic states. The method makes it possible to evaluate individual anxiety-phobic level in rats, to form experimental groups with rats of known individual anxiety-phobic level, to conduct repeated observations in the same animals. The method is easy to perform in laboratory and makes it possible to get the results quickly.     

Using dynamic pupillometry as a simple screening tool to detect autonomic neuropathy in patients with diabetes: a pilot study

Background  

Autonomic neuropathy is a common and serious complication of diabetes. Early detection is essential to enable appropriate interventional therapy and management. Dynamic pupillometry has been proposed as a simpler and more sensitive tool to detect subclinical autonomic dysfunction. The aim of this study was to investigate pupil responsiveness in diabetic subjects with and without cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) using dynamic pupillometry in two sets of experiments.     

一种新的肝细胞生成素（HPO）转录本及其生物学活性

利用 5′RACE技术从人胎肝组织中分离一种新形式的肝细胞生成素 (HPO 2 0 5 )cDNA ,其编码蛋白质氨基酸序列的N端较已报道的人肝细胞生成素HPO(hepatopoietin)多 80个氨基酸 ,推测其蛋白质分子量为 2 3kD。RT PCR检测HPOmRNA在多种肝癌细胞中表达 ,Western印迹可检测到 2 3kDHPO 2 0 5表达 ,表明此种形式HPO在自然状态下存在。将构建的HPO 2 0 5真核表达载体转染入COS 7细胞 ,其表达蛋白质能够刺激HepG2肝癌细胞DNA合成 ;将HPO 2 0 5、HPO和荷空表达载体分别转染入低水平表达HPO的Bel 740 2肝癌细胞株 ,发现HPO 2 0 5比HPO具有较强的激活MAPK磷酸化的活性。细胞周期分析稳定转染HPO 2 0 5 ,HPO细胞的增殖周期也支持这一结论。这些结果表明HPO 2 0 5具有刺激肝源性细胞增殖的活性 ,并提示HPO 2 0 5可能较HPO有更强的生物学活性     

Wavelet-synchrony of Brain Evoked Responses during Listening to Naturalistic Stimuli in the Prognosis of Consciousness Recovery (Study 1: Wavelet-synchrony during Listening to Instrumental Music)

The features and prognostic value of wavelet-synchrony of evoked responses during the listening to realistic stimuli (music) were revealed in the study. Musical passages were selected according the patients’ preferences by their relations consultation. Wavelet-connections were calculated for each melody in the range from 0 to 1000 ms from stimuli. Total 22 examinees in 12 patients being in unconsciousness state were carried out. Resting state values of wavelet-connectivity were poorer in vegetative patients in comparison to healthy subjects regardless of consciousness recovery degree in future while wavelet-connections in mutism were higher in comparison to healthy subjects. Absolute value of wavelet-synchrony was lower than in norm. In patients with compete consciousness recovery in the future the maximal values of wavelet-synchrony were revealed in the temporal-occipital area while in patients who in the future have been revealed in the lesser degree the maximal values of wavelet-synchrony are shown in frontal-central areas. In chronic unconsciousness patients during the listening to instrumental music the maximal wavelet-connections values were determined in the right frontal area.     

EEG correlates of the states of visual and auditory attention in healthy subjects

In order to determine more accurately the EEG markers of different types of attention (AT) of a healthy adult, 14 young healthy subjects (aged 18–30 years) were subjected to spectral coherent analysis of the electrical activity of the brain in the baseline state and during activation of different forms of AT (the orienting response to the sound tone and opening of the eyes, involuntary and voluntary visual AT). In the last two cases, specially developed computer-aided techniques were used. The quantitative differences in the states were assessed on the basis of nonparametric (the Mann-Whitney test) and parametric (Student’s t test) statistics. In three subjects, EEG and fMRI comparisons of the brain response to opening of the eyes were made. It was shown that the activation of different forms of AT in healthy subjects is accompanied by considerable diffuse nonspecific changes in the EEG spectral coherent characteristics (a decrease in the average spectral frequency and power, as well as in coherence) in combination with more local, more often oppositely directed shifts in the region of the cortical representation of the working analyzer. Complex systemic rearrangements of the brain activity involving all components of the activating system, as well as the specifics of different forms of AT connected with the rearrangement of activity between its divisions, are reflected in the diffuse changes of intercentral interaction. For example, marked reactivity of the symmetrical frontopolar (F _p1-F _p2) and the anterotemporal (F ₇-F ₈) cortical areas with unidirectional maximum shifts during voluntary AT is likely to reflect the responses of the frontothalamic component of the activating system. The reciprocity of the behavior of interhemispheric frontopolar and temporal relationships seems to be determined by the activity of its different components: frontothalamic and hippocampal. The local component of the EEG response to opening of the eyes in the form of increased α coherence in the occipital areas is coupled with increased oxygenation of blood in the cortical representation of the visual analyzer (the +BOLD effect of the fMRI response).     

Temporal characteristics of triggering dipole sources of the auditory <Emphasis Type="Italic">P</Emphasis>300 in tasks varying in complexity

The localization and the order of triggering of the equivalent dipole sources of the auditory evoked potential (AEP) P300 component were analyzed in healthy subjects performing tasks that required different degrees of concentration. The AEP P300 was isolated and analyzed in 12 subjects aged 18–23 years. The P300 was recorded via 19 channels in mono- and bimodal tasks using two- and three-stimulus methods of the oddball paradigm. Analysis of the equivalent dipole sources of the P300 component upon hearing sounds showed simultaneous activity of dipole sources located in the temporal areas of both hemispheres and in the right frontal area, as well as in the brainstem, irrespective of the task’s complexity. The counting of sounds in the monomodal task was accompanied by consecutive involvement of the left temporal, right temporal, and left frontal sources in the P300 generation; in the bimodal task, these were, respectively, the left parietal, right temporal and hippocampal, and left frontal sources.     

固氮酶铬铁蛋白的晶体生长

在合适的结晶条件下 ,从含Cr无氨培养基中生长的固氮菌 (AzotobactervinelandiiLipmann)突变种UW3 中纯化出的CrFe蛋白可从溶液中析出深棕色斜四棱柱晶体 ,晶体最大的两条对角线长度分别可达 0 .2 5mm和 0 .12mm。PEG 80 0 0、MgCl2 、NaCl、Tris和Hepes缓冲液的浓度及结晶方法等对该蛋白的出晶率、晶核数目、晶体大小和质量都有明显影响。CrFe蛋白结晶所需的上述化合物的最适浓度与在Mn中生长的固氮菌突变种UW3 的MnFe蛋白和缺失nifZ固氮菌突变种的ΔnifZMoFe蛋白结晶所需的最适浓度有所不同。结果表明 ,该蛋白晶体可能为CrFe蛋白的晶体