Altered Hippocampal-Prefrontal Neural Dynamics in Mouse Models of Down Syndrome

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Characterization of the effectors required for stable inheritance of Streptococcus pyogenes pSM19035-derived plasmids in Bacillus subtilis

The low-copy-number and broad-host-range pSM19035-derived plasmid pBT233 is stably inherited in Bacillus subtilis cells. Two distinct regions, segA and segB, enhance the segregational stability of the plasmid. Both regions function in a replicon-independent manner. The maximization of random plasmid segregation is accomplished by the recombination proficiency of the host or the presence of the pBT233 segA region. The segA region contains two open reading frames (or) [ and ]. Inactivation or deletion of or results in SegA^– plasmids. Better than random segregation requires an active segB region. The segB region contains two ors (or and or). Inactivation of either of the orfs does not lead to an increase in cell death, but or^– plasmids are randomly segregated. These results suggest that pBT233 stabilization relies on a complex system involving resolution of plasmid oligomers (segA) and on the function(s) encoded by the segB region.     

Association of glutathione S-transferase polymorphisms (GSTM1 and GSTT1) with primary open-angle glaucoma: An evidence-based meta-analysis

Studies investigating the associations between glutathione S-transferase (GST) genetic polymorphisms and primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) have reported controversial results. Therefore, a meta-analysis was performed to clarify the effects of GSTM1 and GSTT1 polymorphisms on POAG risk. Published literatures from PubMed, EMBASE, ISI Web of Science and CBM databases were retrieved. All studies evaluating the association between GSTM1/GSTT1 polymorphisms and POAG were included. Pooled odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated using fixed- or random-effects model. Eleven studies on GSTM1 (1339 cases and 1412 controls) and seven studies on GSTT1 (958 cases, 1003 controls) were included. Overall analysis showed that the association between GSTM1 and GSTT1 null genotype and POAG risk is not statistically significant. Subgroup analyses showed that the null genotype of GSTM1 increased the risk of POAG in Asians. In GSTM1–GSTT1 interaction analysis, individuals with dual null genotype were associated with a significantly increased risk of POAG when compared with the dual present genotype. In conclusion, the present meta-analysis suggested that GSTM1 null genotypes are associated with increased POAG risk in Asian populations but not in Caucasian and mixed populations. Dual null genotype of GSTM1/GSTT1 is associated with increased risk of POAG. Given the limited sample size, the finding on GST polymorphisms needs further investigation.     

Proximodistal Organization of the CA2 Hippocampal Area

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Reduced sensitivity of Niemann-Pick C1-deficient cells to θ-toxin (perfringolysin O): sequestration of toxin to raft-enriched membrane vesicles

theta" align="BASELINE" BORDER="0">-Toxin (perfringolysin O) binds to cell surface cholesterol and forms oligomeric pores that cause membrane damage. Both in cytotoxicity and cell survival assays, a mutant Chinese hamster ovary cell line NPC1(–) that lacked Niemann-Pick C1 showed reduced sensitivity to theta" align="BASELINE" BORDER="0">-toxin, compared with wild-type (wt) cells. BCtheta" align="BASELINE" BORDER="0"> is a derivative of theta" align="BASELINE" BORDER="0">-toxin that retains cholesterol-binding activity but lacks cytotoxicity. Confocal and electron microscopy revealed the presence of multiple vesicles which bound BCtheta" align="BASELINE" BORDER="0">, both on the cell surface and in the extracellular space of these cells. BCtheta" align="BASELINE" BORDER="0"> binding to raft microdomains was verified by its resistance to 1% Triton X-100 at 4°C and recovery of bound BCtheta" align="BASELINE" BORDER="0"> in floating low-density fractions on sucrose density gradient fractionation. BCtheta" align="BASELINE" BORDER="0">-labeled vesicles were abolished when NPC1(–) cells were depleted of lipoproteins and also when treated with a Rho-associated kinase inhibitor Y-27632. In addition, similar vesicles were observed in wt cells treated with progesterone. In parallel with these results, theta" align="BASELINE" BORDER="0">-toxin sensitivity of NPC1(–) cells was increased when cells were depleted of lipoproteins or treated with Y-27632, whereas that of wt cells was decreased by progesterone. Our findings suggest that sequestration of toxin to raft-enriched cell surface vesicles may underlie reduced sensitivity of NPC1-deficient cells to theta" align="BASELINE" BORDER="0">-toxin.     

14-3-3theta 蛋白在人骨肉瘤中的表达和临床意义

目的：研究14-3-3theta蛋白在人骨肉瘤中的表达和临床意义。方法：在62 例人骨肉瘤和正常骨组织样本中,通过免疫组化 的方法检测14-3-3theta 蛋白的表达情况,并分析其表达与骨肉瘤临床病理学特征间的关系。结果：在62 例骨肉瘤和正常骨组织 中,14-3-3theta 蛋白表达的阳性率分别为80.6%和17.7%。统计学分析表明,14-3-3theta 蛋白的表达与骨肉瘤肿瘤大小（P=0.016）、 高组织学类型（P=0.001）、高Enneking分级（P=0.047）具有显著相关性,而与骨肉瘤患者的年龄（P=0.901）、性别（P=0.691）、肿瘤部 位（P=0.802）、碱性磷酸酶（P=0.884）、血清白蛋白（P=0.822）、血沉（P=0.836）等均无关。Spearman 相关性分析检测发现,14-3-3theta 蛋白高表达与肿瘤大小（r = -0.34, P = 0.034）、高组织学分级（r = -0.27, P = 0.031）、高Enneking 分级（r = -0.05, P = 0.025）呈正相 关,而与骨肉瘤患者的年龄、性别、肿瘤部位、碱性磷酸酶和血沉等均无相关性（P > 0.05）。结论：在骨肉瘤组织中,14-3-3theta 作为 癌基因表达增加,与骨肉瘤的疾病进展密切相关,14-3-3theta 可以作为骨肉瘤疾病监测的一种分子指标。     

Analysis of the electroencephalographic activity associated with thalamic tumors

A physiologically based model of corticothalamic dynamics is used to investigate the electroencephalographic (EEG) activity associated with tumors of the thalamus. Tumor activity is modeled by introducing localized two-dimensional spatial non-uniformities into the model parameters, and calculating the resulting activity via the coupling of spatial eigenmodes. The model is able to reproduce various qualitative features typical of waking eyes-closed EEGs in the presence of a thalamic tumor, such as the appearance of abnormal peaks at theta ( approximately 3Hz) and spindle ( approximately 12Hz) frequencies, the attenuation of normal eyes-closed background rhythms, and the onset of epileptic activity, as well as the relatively normal EEGs often observed. The results indicate that the abnormal activity at theta and spindle frequencies arises when a small portion of the brain is forced into an over-inhibited state due to the tumor, in which there is an increase in the firing of (inhibitory) thalamic reticular neurons. The effect is heightened when there is a concurrent decrease in the firing of (excitatory) thalamic relay neurons, which are in any case inhibited by the reticular ones. This is likely due to a decrease in the responsiveness of the peritumoral region to cholinergic inputs from the brainstem, and a corresponding depolarization of thalamic reticular neurons, and hyperpolarization of thalamic relay neurons, similar to the mechanism active during slow-wave sleep. The results indicate that disruption of normal thalamic activity is essential to generate these spectral peaks. Furthermore, the present work indicates that high-voltage and epileptiform EEGs are caused by a tumor-induced local over-excitation of the thalamus, which propagates to the cortex. Experimental findings relating to local over-inhibition and over-excitation are discussed. It is also confirmed that increasing the size of the tumor leads to greater abnormalities in the observable EEG. The usefulness of EEG for localizing the tumor is investigated.     

Growth of larval and juvenile Diaphus theta (Pisces: Myctophidae) in the transitional waters of the western North Pacific

Diaphus theta is one of the most common myctophid fish species in the subarctic and transitional waters of the North Pacific. The growth of larval and juvenile D. theta was investigated using sagittal otolith increment analysis of specimens caught in transitional waters of the western North Pacific. Samples taken over a 24-h period demonstrated that otoliths exhibited daily growth cycles, allowing accurate determination of age. Calcification of the incremental zone of otoliths took place only at night, suggesting that the formation cycle of the increment of juvenile D. theta was different from that of shallow-water fishes and would be related to their diel vertical migration. The relationships between standard length (SL) and daily growth increment (D) were expressed as linear equations: SL = 2.65 + 0.141D (r ² = 0.942) for larvae of 5.1–9.6 mm SL and SL = 3.54 + 0.129D (r ² = 0.933) for juveniles of 13.7–27.6 mm SL. The growth rates were 0.14 mm d⁻¹ in larvae and 0.13 mm d⁻¹ in juveniles; this is slow compared with tropical or subtropical mycto-phid species, in which growth occurs at about twice these rates. The larval period, including the metamorphic stage, was long compared with species at lower latitudes and was estimated to be 71 days. The slow growth rate and long period of larval stage of D. theta would be the life history pattern of high-latitudinal species adapted to a low-temperature habitat. Received: March 23, 2001 / Revised: July 5, 2001 / Accepted: July 19, 2001