Mechanisms of H+ modulation of glycinergic response in rat sacral dorsal commissural neurons

Many ionotropic receptors are modulated by extracellular H+. So far, few studies have directly addressed the role of such modulation at synapses. In the present study, we investigated the effects of changes in extracellular pH on glycinergic miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (mIPSCs) as well as glycine-evoked currents (I-Gly) in mechanically dissociated spinal neurons with native synaptic boutons preserved. H+ modulated both the mIPSCs and I-Gly, biphasically, although it activated an amiloride-sensitive inward current by itself. Decreasing extracellular pH reversibly inhibited the amplitude of the mIPSCs and I-Gly, while increasing external pH reversibly potentiated these parameters. Blockade of acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) with amiloride, the selective antagonist of ASICs, or decreasing intracellular pH did not alter the modulatory effect of H+ on either mIPSCs or I-Gly, H+ shifted the EC50 of the glycine concentration-response curve from 49.3 +/- 5.7 muM at external pH 7.4 to 131.5 +/- 8.1 muM at pH 5.5, without altering the Cl- selectivity of the glycine receptor (GlyR), the Hill coefficient and the maximal I-Gly, suggesting a competitive inhibition of I-Gly by H+. Both Zn2+ and H+ inhibited I-Gly. However, H+ induced no further inhibition of I-Gly in the presence of a saturating concentration of Zn2+. In addition, H+ significantly affected the kinetics of glycinergic mIPSCs and I-Gly. It is proposed that H+ and/or Zn2+ compete with glycine binding and inhibit the amplitude of glycinergic mIPSCs and I-Gly. Moreover, binding of H+ induces a global conformational change in GlyR, which closes the GlyR Cl- channel and results in the acceleration of the seeming desensitization of IGly as well as speeding up the decay time constant of glycinergic mIPSCs. However, the deprotonation rate is faster than the unbinding rate of glycine from the GlyR, leading to reactivation of the undesensitized GlyR after washout of agonist and the appearance of a rebound I-Gly. H+ also modulated the glycine cotransmitter, GABA-activated current (I-GABA). Taken together, the results support a 'conformational coupling' model for H+ modulation of the GlyR and suggest that W may act as a novel modulator for inhibitory neurotransmission in the mammalian spinal cord.

旁路生物稳定塘系统净化滇池入湖河道污水

为削减滇池的入湖污染负荷,基于旁路净化的思路设计并构建了包括水生植物塘和养殖塘在内的生物稳定塘系统,考察了对氮、磷的去除效果。结果表明,系统对TN、TP、NO3--N和NH3-N的平均去除率分别为25.3%、50.6%、38.4%和35.6%,在改善水质的同时还具有一定的生态景观效益,可为其他水体的净化提供示范。

西南山区河流阶梯—深潭系统的生态学作用

山区河流发育的阶梯—深潭系统具有显著的生态学作用。阶梯—深潭系统增大水流阻力和河床抗冲刷力,稳定了河床和岸坡。大卵石堆积成阶梯,细颗粒泥沙在深潭河段的缓流滞流区沉积下来形成淤泥层,形成适宜多种生物的栖息地。选择小江支流———深沟、蒋家沟和小白泥沟,以及四川九寨沟和金沙江进行野外实验、取样分析。结果发现阶梯—深潭系统较发育的深沟和九寨沟底栖动物密度高达552个/m2,生物量高达5.96 g/m2。而邻近的小白泥沟和蒋家沟底栖动物密度仅0.75个/m2,生物量不到0.006 g/m2。考虑河流不同部位底质、水

武汉东湖湖球蚬种群动态及生产力的研究

1999年 6月至 2 0 0 0年 5月对武汉东湖湖球蚬进行了周年研究。湖球蚬年均密度和生物量分别为 10 0 2ind /m2 和12 1g/m2 ,密度和生物量的高峰分别出现在 4月 (2 97ind /m2 )和 3月 (4 3 8g/m2 ) ;湖球蚬为一年一代 ,其种群含有 3个年龄组 ,其中 1999年龄组占绝对优势。利用瞬时增长率法和体长频率法计算湖球蚬的周年生产量为带壳湿重4 2 79g/m2 ,去壳干重 2 4 4g/m2 ,P/B系数为 3 5 5。同时湖球蚬的生产力动态也被研究 ,

Reconsideration of Phylogenetic Relationships of the Subclass Peritrichia (Ciliophora, Oligohymenophorea) Based on Small Subunit Ribosomal RNA Gene Sequences, with the Establishment of a New Subclass Mobilia Kahl, 1933

Based on its characteristic oral apparatus, the ciliate subclass Peritrichia has long been recognized as a monophyletic assemblage composed of the orders Mobilida and Sessilida. Following the application of molecular methods, the monophyly of Peritrichia has recently been questioned. We investigated the phylogenetic relationships of the peritrichous ciliates based on four further complete small subunit ribosomal RNA sequences of mobilids, namely Urceolaria urechi, Trichodina meretricis, Trichodina sinonovaculae, and Trichodina ruditapicis. In all phylogenetic trees, the mobilids never clustered with the sessilids, but instead formed a monophyletic assemblage related to the peniculines. By contrast, the sessilids formed a sister clade with the hymenostomes at a terminal position within the Oligohymenophorea. We therefore formally separate the mobilids from the sessilids (Peritrichia sensu stricto) and establish a new subclass, Mobilia Kahl, 1933, which contains the order Mobilida Kahl, 1933. We argue that the oral apparatus in the mobilians and sessilid peritrichs is a homoplasy, probably due to convergent evolution driven by their similar life-styles and feeding strategies. Morphologically, the mobilians are distinguished from all other oligohymenophoreans by the presence of the adhesive disc, this character being a synapomorphy for the Mobilia.

Ordered Zinc Antimonate Nanoisland Attachment and Morphology Control of ZnO Nanobelts by Sb Doping

Hierarchical heterostructures of zinc antimonate nanoislands on ZnO nanobelts were prepared by simple annealing of the polymeric precursor. Sb can promote the growth of ZnO nanobelts along the [552] direction because of the segregation of Sb dopants on the +(001) and (110) surfaces of ZnO nanobelts. Furthermore, the ordered nanoislands of toothlike ZnSb2O6 along the [001](ZnO) direction and rodlike Zn7Sb2O12 along the [110](ZnO) direction can be formed because of the match relation of the lattice and polar charges between ZnO and zinc antimonate. The incorporation of Sb in a ZnO lattice induces composition fluctuation, and the growth of zinc antimonate nanoislands on nanobelt sides induces interface fluctuation, resulting in dominance of the bound exciton transition in the room temperature near-band-edge (NBE) emission at relatively low excitation intensity. At high excitation intensity, however, Auger recombination makes photogenerated electrons release phonon and relax from the conduction band to the trap states, causing the NBE emission to gradually saturate and redshift with increasing excitation intensity. The green emission more reasonably originates from the recombination of electrons in shallow traps with doubly charged V-O** oxygen vacancies. Because a V-O** center can trap a photoactivated electron and change to a singly charged oxygen vacancy V-O* state, its emission intensity exhibits a maximum with increasing excitation intensity.

Effect of the oxygen concentration on the properties of Gd2O3 thin films

Gd2O3 thin films were deposited on Si (100) substrates at 650degreesC by a magnetron sputtering system under different Ar/O-2 ratios of 6:1, 4:1 and 2:1. The effect of the oxygen concentration on the properties of oxide thin films was investigated by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy and capacitance-voltage (C-V)measurement. X-ray diffraction shows that the structure of oxide films changed from the monoclinic Gd2O3 phase to cubic Gd2O3 phase when the oxygen concentration increased. According to C-V measurement, the dielectric constant value of the samples deposited at different Ar/O-2 ratios is about 12. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.