Glycine receptor activation regulates short-term plasticity in CA1 area of hippocampal slices of rats

Functional glycine receptors (GlyRs) are enriched in the hippocampus, but their roles in synaptic transmission are unclear. In this study, we examined the effect of GlyR activation on paired-pulse stimulation of the whole-cell postsynaptic currents (PSCs)

Upregulation of acid-sensing ion channel ASIC1a in spinal dorsal horn neurons contributes to inflammatory pain hypersensitivity

Development of chronic pain involves alterations in peripheral nociceptors as well as elevated neuronal activity in multiple regions of the CNS. Previous pharmacological and behavioral studies suggest that peripheral acid-sensing ion channels (ASICs) cont

中国灵猫科的支序系统学分析

选取分布于中国境内的8属9种灵猫科动物的88个骨骼性状、31个外部形态性状和1个行为性状,运用替代外群法分别以赤狐(犬科狐属)和青鼬(鼬科貂属)共同或单独作为外群进行支序分析,得出10个支序图(其步长(TL)为106--136,一致性指数(CI)为0.581--0.660,保留指数(RI)为0.610--0.714。经合意分析得到4个相似的支序图,其TL为41--136,CI为0.581--0.732,RI为0.610--0.818,结果支持:(1)斑灵狸、大灵猫、小灵猫构成一个单系群,与传统分类一致(均属灵猫亚科);(2)椰子狸、花面狸、熊狸构成一个单系群,与传统分类一致(均属长尾狸亚科);(3)红颊meng、食蟹meng与灵猫科其他种为姐妹关系(Bootstrap检验支持率100%),建议meng类为一亚科;(4)长颌带狸拥有较多自近裔性状如三个门齿孔,是一个高度特化的种类,其系统地位有待进一步研究。

Enhanced contextual fear memory in central serotonin-deficient mice

Central serotonin (5-HT) dysregulation contributes to the susceptibility for mental disorders, including depression, anxiety, and posttraumatic stress disorder, and learning and memory deficits. We report that the formation of hippocampus-dependent spatia

Morphine withdrawal affects both delayed-escape behaviour in Morris water maze and hippocampal NR2A/2B expression ratio

Repeated low-dose morphine treatment facilitates delayed-escape behaviour of hippocampus-dependent Morris water maze and morphine withdrawal influences hippocampal NMDA receptor-dependent synaptic plasticity. Here, we examined whether and how morphine wit

Glycine uptake regulates hippocampal network activity via glycine receptor-mediated tonic inhibition

Functional glycine receptors (GlyRs) are enriched in the hippocampus, but their role in hippocampal function remains unclear. Since the concentration of ambient glycine is determined by the presence of powerful glycine transporter (GlyT), we blocked the r

餐洗剂对小鼠骨髓细胞SCE形成和Salmonella typhimurium基因回复突变的 影响

研究了四种餐洗剂及其主要成分LABS、Dispersol D、Alkanolamide的潜在 诱变活性。结果 表明四种牌号餐洗剂在高浓度时能诱发SCE形成。除TL牌餐洗剂 加入S9代谢激活系统后未见 诱变作用外, 其他三种餐洗剂和三种主要成分都表 现出致HisG46和HisD3052基因回复突变的能力。表3参16

饵料鱼大小对乌鳢捕食的影响

测量了乌鳢口裂形态,以泥鳅(Misgurnus anguillicaudatus)作为饵料鱼,估算了不同规格乌鳢的摄食率,研究了饵料鱼大小对乌鳢捕食的影响。乌鳢口宽(MW,cm)、口高(MH,cm)和口面积(MA,cm2)与其全长(TL,cm)的回归方程分别为:MW=1.65e0.0242TL;MH=1.64e0.022TL;MA=2.12e0.0462TL。当水温保持在22~23℃时,4个规格组的乌鳢对泥鳅的摄食率无显著的差别(ANOVA,P>0.05),均值为1.68%。乌鳢对泥鳅的捕食具有明显的大小

重金属Cd~(2+)、Pb~(2+)和Zn~(2+)对泥鳅DNA损伤的研究

采用单细胞凝胶电泳技术(SCGE),研究重金属Cd2+、Pb2+、Zn2+在不同暴露时间(1—35d)、单一重金属离子不同暴露浓度(0.05mg/L、0.5mg/L、5.0mg/L)或混合重金属离子(Cd2++Pb2+、Cd2++Zn2+、Pb2++Zn2+、Cd2++Pb2++Zn2+)相同浓度(0.5mg/L)条件下对泥鳅肝胰脏细胞核DNA的损伤作用。以带彗尾核DNA百分率和彗尾长度(TL)与核直径(D)比值为指标,探讨DNA损伤级别与处理浓度间的相关性。结果显示,随着处理时间的延长,带彗尾核DNA百

胰蛋白酶抑制物对尼罗非鲫生长的影响

本实验研究了生、熟大豆中含有的胰蛋白酶抑制物(TI)对尼罗非鲫生长的影响。实验结果表明:沸水热处理不仅使生大豆中81.4％的TI失去活性,而且还显著地提高了大豆蛋白质系数,PER从1.12提高到1.76。当颗粒饲料的Tl含量低于0.9mg/g时,尼罗非鲫的生长正常;但高于此量吋,其生长速度明显降低。

Age structure, growth and mortality estimates of an endemic Ptychobarbus dipogon (Regan, 1905) (Cyprinidae: Schizothoracinae) in the Lhasa River, Tibet

Ptychobarbus dipogon is an endemic fish in the Yarlung Tsangpo River, but its biology is poorly known. We sampled 582 specimens (total length, TL, between 70.6 and 593.0 mm) from April 2004 to August 2006 in the Lhasa River, Tibet. We estimated ages based on the counts of alternating opaque and translucent zones (annuli) in thin transverse sections of lapilli otoliths. Ages ranged from 1(+) to 23(+) years for males and 1(+) to 44(+) for females. The observed 44(+) years was the oldest reported for schizothoracine fishes. Females attained a larger size than males. The TL weight relationship was W=7.12 x 10(-6)TL(3.006) for combined sexes. The growth parameters fitted von Bertalanffy growth functions were L-infinity = 598.66 mm, k=0.0898 year(-1), t(0)=-0.7261 year and W-infinity = 1585.38 g for females and L-infinity = 494.23mm, k=0.1197 year(-1), t(0)=-0.7296 year and W-infinity = 904.88g for males. The longevities of 32.7 year for females and 24.3 year for males were similar to the observed ages. Using an empirical model we estimated the instantaneous rate of total mortality (Z) at 0.28 per year in the lower reaches. Z in the upper and middle stocks was close to the M because of unexploited or lightly exploited stock. Protracted longevity, slow growth, low natural mortality and large body size were typical characteristics of P. dipogon. The current declining trend of P. dipogon could be prevented by altering fishing regulations.

How polluted is the Yangtze River? Water quality downstream from the Three Gorges Dam

The concentrations of major anions and cations, nitrogen and phosphorus, dissolved and particulate trace elements, and organic pollutants were determined for the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River (Changjiang) from below the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) to the mouth at Shanghai in November 2006. The concentration of dissolved inorganic phosphate (DIP) was constant at a low level of 6-8 mu gP/L, but the concentration of nitrate (NO3-) approximately doubled downstream and was closely correlated with K+. This translated to a daily load of well over 1000 It of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) at Datong. The average concentrations of dissolved Pb (0.078 +/- 0.023 mu g/L), Cd (0.024 +/- 0.009 mu g/L), Cr(0.57 +/- 0.09 mu g/L), Cu (1.9 +/- 0.7 mu g/L), and Ni (0.50 +/- 0.49 mu g/L) were comparable with those in other major world rivers, while As (3.3 +/- 1.3 mu g/L) and Zn (1.5 +/- 0.6 mu g/L) were higher by factors of 5.5 and 2.5, respectively. The trace element contents of suspended particles of As (31 +/- 28 mu g/g), Pb (83 +/- 34 mu g/g), and Ni (52 +/- 16 mu g/g) were close to maximum concentrations recommended for rivers by the European Community (EC). The average concentrations of Cd (2.6 +/- 1.6 mu g/g), Cr (185 +/- 102 mu g/g), Cu (115 +/- 106 mu g/g), and Zn (500 +/- 300 mu g/g) exceeded the EC standards by a factor of two, and Hg (4.4 +/- 4.7 mu g/g) by a factor of 4 to 5. Locally occurring peak concentrations exceed these values up to fourfold, among them the notorious elements As, Hg, and Tl. All dissolved and particulate trace element concentrations were higher than estimates made twenty years ago [Zhang, J., Geochemistry of trace metals from Chinese river/estuary systems: an overview. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 1995; 41: 631-658.]. The enormous loads of anthropogenic pollutants disposed to the river were diluted by the large water discharge of the Yangtze even during the lowest flow resulting in the relatively low concentration levels of trace elements and organic pollutants observed. We estimated loads of e.g. As, Pb and Ni to the East China Sea to be about 4600 kg As d(-1), 3000 kg Pb d(-1), and 2000 kg Ni d(-1). About 6000 t d(-1) of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was delivered into the sea at the time of our cruise. We tested for 236 organic pollutants, and only the most infamous were found to be barely above detection limits. We estimated that the load of chlorinated compounds, aromatic hydrocarbons, phenols, and PAHs were between 500 and 3500 kg d(-1). We also detected eight herbicides entering the estuary with loads of 5-350 kg d(-1). The pollutant load, even when at low concentrations, are considerable and pose an increasing threat to the health of the East China Sea ecosystem. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Optimization of RP-HPLC analysis of low molecular weight organic acids in soil

RP-HPLC analysis for low molecular weight organic acids in soil solution has been optimized. An Atlantis (TM) C-18 column was used for the analyses. An optimal determination for eleven organic acids in soil solution was found at room temperature (25 degrees C) and 220 nm detection wavelength, with a mobile phase of 10 mM KH2PO4 -CH3OH (955, pH 2.7), a flow rate of 0.8 mL/min and 10 mu L sample size. The detection limits ranged 3.2-619 ng/mL, the coefficients of variation ranged 1.3-4.6%, and the recoveries ranged 95.6-106.3% for soil solution with standard addition on the optimal conditions proposed.

Dissolution of kaolinite induced by citric, oxalic, and malic acids

Kaolinite is a dominant clay mineral in the soils in tropical and Subtropical regions, and its dissolution has an influence on a variety of soil properties. In this work, kaolinite dissolution induced by three kinds of low-molecular-weight organic acid, i.e., citric, oxalic, and malic acids, was evaluated under far-from-equilibrium conditions. The rates of kaolinite dissolution depended on the kind and concentration of organic acids, with the sequence R-oxalate > R-citrate > R-malate. Chemical calculation showed the change in concentration of organic ligand relative to change in concentration of organic acid in suspensions of kaolinite and organic acid. The effect of organic acid on kaolinite dissolution was modeled by species of organic anionic ligand. For oxalic acid, L-oxalic(2-) and HLoxalic- jointly enhanced the dissolution of kaolinite, but for malic and citric acids, HLmalic- and H2Lcitric- made a higher contribution to the total dissolution rate of kaolinite than L-malic(2-) and L-citric(3-), respectively. For oxalic acid, the proposed model was R-Si = 1.89 x 10(-12) x [(25x)/(1+25x)] + 1.93 x 10(-12) x [(1990x(1))/(1+1990x(1))] (R-2 = 0.9763), where x and x(1) denote the concentrations of HLoxalic and L-oxalic, respectively, and x(1) = 10(-3.81) x x/[H+]. For malic acid, the model was R-Si =4.79 x 10(-12) x [(328-v)/(1+328x)] + 1.67 x 10(-13) x [(1149x(1))/(1+1149x(1))] (R-2 =0.9452), where x and x(1) denote the concentrations of HLmalic and L-malic, respectively, and x(1) = 10(-5.11) x x/[H+], and for citric acid, the model was R-Si = 4.73 x 10(-12) x [(845x)/(1+845x)] +4.68 x 10(-12) x [(2855x(1))/(1+2855x(1))] (R-2 =0.9682), where x and x(1) denote the concentrations of H2Lcitric and L-citric, respectively, and x(1) = 10(-11.16) x x/[H+](2). (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

High-power quantum-dot superluminescent LED with broadband drive current insensitive emission spectra using a tapered active region

High-power and broadband quantum-dot (QD) superluminescent light-emitting diodes are realized by using a combination of self-assembled QDs with a high density, large inhomogeneous broadening, a tapered angled pump region, and etched V groove structure. This broad-area device exhibits greater than 70-nm 3-dB bandwidth and drive current insensitive emission spectra with 100-mW output power under continuous-wave operation. For pulsed operation, greater than 200-mW output power is obtained.