Signal transduction in vertebrate growth cones navigating in vivo

Navigating growth cones need signal transduction machinery to amplify and transmit the effects of extracellular signals throughout the growth cone. In culture, many drugs that affect second messengers are known to modulate neurite extension (with different effects on different neurons), and gradients of calcium influx and cyclic nucleotide analogs can cause growth cones to turn. However, it is not clear which of these responses are physiologically relevant, as axons grow through much more complex environments in vivo. The "exposed brain" preparation in Xenopus embryos provides an experimentally tractable system in which it is possible to study growth, pathfinding, and target recognition of retinal growth cones in vivo, while pharmacologically manipulating their signal transduction systems. These growth cones can also be easily studied in explant culture. We describe preliminary results of parallel in vivo and in vitro experiments using an array of drugs that perturb transduction molecules. Surprisingly, calcium ionophores and cyclic nucleotide analogs have no significant effect on retinal axon growth or pathfinding. Several agents including herbimycin A, ML-7, mastoparan, and RHC80267 inhibit retinal axon growth, both in vivo and in vitro, suggesting that tyrosine kinases, myosin, heterotrimeric G-proteins, and diacylglycerol lipase are important for retinal growth cones navigating in the optic pathway.     

A negative association of schizophrenia with an allele of the HLA DQB1 gene among African-Americans

The present study investigated the relationship between the time of nocturnal onset of urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (aMT6s) secretion, and the timing of the steepest increase in nocturnal sleepiness ("sleep gate"), as determined by an ultrashort sleep-wake cycle test (7 min sleep, 13 min wake). Twenty-nine men (mean age 23.8 +/- 2.7 years) participated. The ultrashort sleep-wake paradigm started at 0700 hr after a night of sleep deprivation and continued for 24 hr until 0700 hr the next day. Electrophysiological recordings were carried out during the 7-min sleep trials, which were then scored conventionally for sleep stages. Urinary aMT6s was measured every 2 hr. The results showed that the timing of the sleep gate was significantly correlated with the onset of aMT6s secretion. These results are discussed in light of the possible role of melatonin in sleep-wake regulation.     

1H-NMR resonance assignments, secondary structure, and global fold of the TR1C fragment of turkey skeletal troponin C in the calcium-free state

The TR1C fragment of turkey skeletal muscle TnC (residues 12-87) comprises the two regulatory calcium binding sites of the protein. Complete assignments of the 1H-NMR resonances of the backbone and amino acid side chains of this domain in the absence of metal ions have been obtained using 2D 1H-NMR techniques. Sequential (i,i+1) and short-range (i,i+3) NOE connectivities define two helix-loop-helix calcium binding motifs, and long-range NOE connectivities indicate a short two-stranded beta-sheet formed between the two calcium binding loops. The two calcium binding sites are different in secondary structure. In terms of helix length, site II conforms to a standard "EF-hand" motif with the first helix ending one residue before the first calcium ligand and the second helix starting one residue after the beta-sheet. In site I, the first helix ends three residues before the first calcium ligand, and the second helix starts three residues after the beta-sheet. A number of long-range NOE connectivities between the helices define their relative orientation and indicate formation of a hydrophobic core between helices A, B, and D. The secondary structure and global fold of the TR1C fragment in solution in the calcium-free state are therefore very similar to those of the corresponding region in the crystal structure of turkey skeletal TnC [Herzberg, O., & James, M.N.G. (1988) J. Mol. Biol. 203, 761-779].     

Reliability of seizure classification using a semistructured interview

Methods for standardized classification of epileptic seizures are important for both clinical practice and epidemiologic research. In this study, we developed a strategy for standardized classification using a semistructured telephone interview and operational diagnostic criteria. We interviewed 1,957 adults with epilepsy ascertained from voluntary organizations. To confirm and expand the seizure history, we also interviewed a first-degree relative for 67% of subjects and obtained medical records for 59%. Three lay reviewers used all available information to classify seizures. To assess reliability, each reviewer classified a sample of subjects assigned to the others. In addition, an expert physician classified a sample of subjects assigned to two of the reviewers. Agreement was "moderate-substantial" for generalized-onset seizures, both for the comparisons between pairs of lay reviewers and for the neurologist versus lay reviewers. Agreement was "substantial-almost perfect" for partial-onset seizures, both for pairs of lay reviewers and for the neurologist versus lay reviewers. These results suggest that seizures can be reliably classified by lay reviewers, using operational criteria applied to symptoms ascertained in a semistructured telephone interview.     

Liposome-cell interaction: transfer and intracellular release of a trapped fluorescent marker

When small, unilamellar lipid vesicles containing a high concentration of the fluorescent dye 6-carboxyfluorescein are incubated with either frog retinas or human lymphocytes, fluroescence distributes widely throughout each cell. Since "self-quenching" largely prevents the dye from fluorescing as long as it remains sequestered in vesicles, it is clear that a considerable amount of dye is released from the vesicles and diluted into the much larger volume of the cell.     

Fibrous myopathy. A rheumatic complication of drug abuse

A progressive fibrous myopathy may result from chronic intramuscular drug abuse. This complication may mimic other rheumatic disorders and early recognition may prevent disability. The patient described here presented with fixed flexion and extension contracture of hips and knees, respectively, after abusing meperidine and other agents for 3 years. Soft tissues of thighs and buttocks were "wood hard," EMG showed absence of action potentials in affected muscles, and biopsy revealed extensive replacement of muscle with dense, acellular fibrous tissue. Possible mechanisms are discussed.     

乳杆菌耐消化应激能力及消化应激对其肠道黏附能力的影响

首先通过体外模拟唾液-胃液-肠液应激实验研究乳杆菌的耐消化应激能力,然后研究其对肠道黏蛋白和Caco-2细胞的黏附及抑制肠道病原菌黏附的能力,最后探讨消化应激对乳杆菌黏附能力的影响。结果表明,副干酪乳杆菌W125、m111和发酵乳杆菌146在依次经过模拟唾液-胃液-肠液应激后存活率分别为2.70%、3.53%及11.15%,活菌数分别为7.46、7.24(lg(CFU/mL))及8.35(lg(CFU/mL)),且对黏蛋白和Caco-2细胞的黏附率显著高于其他菌株（P<0.05）,分别为15.67%、8.75%、8.38%和11.47%、21.34%、10.44%;3株菌株均可通过排除、竞争和替代的方式抑制大肠杆菌CICC10899和沙门菌WX29对肠道的黏附,黏附抑制率均大于13.51%;消化应激显著降低了副干酪乳杆菌W125和发酵乳杆菌146对肠道的黏附能力（P<0.05）,但显著增加了副干酪乳杆菌m111的黏附能力（P<0.05）,黏附率由17.60%增加到30.45%,且主要黏附素由消化应激前的表层蛋白变为应激后的蛋白和多糖;消化应激前后副干酪乳杆菌m111均...     

福州市区配电网遭受百年一遇内涝损失的启示

1 台风引起市区配电网受损情况 2005年第19号台风“龙王”于10月2日21:35 在福建登陆,受其影响,10月2日20:00-22:00, 福州市区普降特大暴雨,市区1 h最大降雨量达 118 mm,3 h最大降雨量达276 mm(福州市区年平均降水量为1 393．6 mm),达到超百年一遇,为1937 年有实测纪录以来的最大值。     

马来松香/SiO2杂化材料的研究

采用溶胶-凝胶法,以正硅酸乙酯（TEOS）为原料,制备硅溶胶;松香与马来酸酐熔融加成反应,生成马来松香;在对甲苯磺酸催化作用下,硅溶胶与马来松香发生酯化反应,生成马来松香／SiO2杂化材料。产物酸值较松香明显降低;FT-IR结果表明,其组份间以Si-O-C键键合;XRD结果表明,其为非晶态;DSC结果表明,其玻璃化转变温度㈣随着SiO2含量的增大而上升。     

防老剂种类及用量对丁腈橡胶疲劳裂纹扩展的影响

考察了防老剂种类及用量对丁腈橡胶疲劳过程中预制裂纹扩展的影响,并对其断面形貌进行了SEM观察。结果表明,在MB/RD、DTPD、4010和2246 4组防老剂中,防老剂2246耐疲劳性能最好,其用量为4份时效果最佳。