Deep brain stimulation of the nucleus basalis of Meynert modulates hippocampal-frontoparietal networks in patients with advanced Alzheimer’s disease

Background:Deep brain stimulation(DBS)of the nucleus basalis of Meynert(NBM)has shown potential for the treatment of mild-to-moderate Alzheimer’s disease(AD).However,there is little evidence of whether NBM-DBS can improve cognitive functioning in patients with advanced AD.In addition,the mechanisms underlying the modulation of brain networks remain unclear.This study was aimed to assess the cognitive function and the resting-state connectivity following NBM-DBS in patients with advanced AD.Methods:Eight patients with advanced AD underwent bilateral NBM-DBS and were followed up for 12 months.Clinical outcomes were assessed by neuropsychological examinations using the Mini-Mental State Examination(MMSE)and Alzheimer’s Disease Assessment Scale.Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging and positron emis-sion tomography data were also collected.Results:The cognitive functioning of AD patients did not change from baseline to the 12-month follow-up.Interestingly,the MMSE score indicated clinical efficacy at 1 month of follow-up.At this time point,the connectivity between the hippocampal network and frontoparietal network tended to increase in the DBS-on state compared to the DBS-off state.Additionally,the increased functional connectivity between the parahippocampal gyrus(PHG)and the parietal cortex was associated with cognitive improvement.Further dynamic functional network analysis showed that NBM-DBS increased the proportion of the PHG-related connections,which was related to improved cognitive performance.Conclusion:The results indicated that NBM-DBS improves short-term cognitive performance in patients with advanced AD,which may be related to the modulation of multi-network connectivity patterns,and the hippocampus plays an important role within these networks.

不同寄主植物对黑点切叶野螟生长发育及营养指标的影响

分别采用黑点切叶野螟(Herpetogramma basalis)的主要寄主空心莲子草(Alternanthera philoxeroides)和苋菜(Amaranthus mangostanus L.)作为食料,研究了黑点切叶野螟在取食后的生长发育指标及营养指标。结果表明,不同食料下,黑点切叶野螟的幼虫历期、幼虫体长、体重、幼虫存活率及蛹历期、蛹重均无显著差异;黑点切叶野螟成虫的繁殖力及寿命也无显著差异。黑点切叶野螟的相对生长率、相对取食量、食物利用率、食物转化率和近似消化率均表现一致,无显著差异。

橙带蓝尺蛾的发生规律及防治措施

对橙带蓝尺蛾(Milionia basalis Walker)的形态特征、生活习性、发生及为害情况进行了详细的观察和研究,并分析其在粤东地区暴发为害的原因。结果表明,橙带蓝尺蛾是一种典型的寡食性害虫,主要取食罗汉松[Podocarpus macrophyllus(Thunb.)D.Don]和竹柏[Podocarpus nagi(Thunb.)Zoll.et Mor ex Zoll.]叶片。适宜的气候环境、罗汉松的大面积种植和疏于管理是暴发橙带蓝尺蛾虫害的主要原因。最后,针对该虫害暴发的原因提出综合防治措施。

黑点切叶野螟幼虫在空心莲子草上空间分布与抽样技术研究

在黑点切叶野螟[Herpetogramma basalis(Walker)]幼虫盛期,应用扩散系数C、扩散型指数Iδ、负二项分布K值、CA指标、聚集度指标I、平均拥挤度(m*)和平均密度(X)的比值m*/X、Taylor幂法则及Iwao的m*-X回归分析法等8个聚集度指标,对黑点切叶野螟幼虫在空心莲子草[Alternanthera philoxeroides(Mart.)Grisb]样田的空间格局进行研究。结果表明,黑点切叶野螟幼虫在空心莲子草样田内呈聚集分布。在空间格局的基础上提出了理论最适抽样数和复合序贯抽样方案的计算模型,提高了田间调查效率。

人工饲料对黑点切叶野螟生长发育和繁殖的影响

为了解决黑点切叶野螟(Herpetogramma basalis)自然饲料季节性短缺问题,设计了3种人工饲料配方,以自然寄主空心莲子草(Alternanthera philoxeroides)为对照,在室内研究了人工饲料对生防昆虫黑点切叶野螟生长发育和繁殖的影响。结果表明,黑点切叶野螟在人工饲料饲养下可以完成生活史,但大多数生长发育指标和繁殖指标受到影响。其中,3种配方的人工饲料饲养的幼虫历期均有所延长、羽化率降低、成虫寿命缩短、单雌产卵量降低;配方Ⅰ和Ⅱ饲养的幼虫存活率明显降低,蛹期延长;配方Ⅰ饲养的昆虫蛹重和下一代卵孵化率明显低于对照;化蛹率和雌雄性比未受影响。3种饲料配方中,配方Ⅲ在本试验中表现最优,应在此基础上继续优化配方,以保证在冬季自然饲料短缺时作替代饲料。

Cyclic Changes of Nerve Fibers in Human Endometrium

Objective: The presence of nerve fibers in human endometrium remains unsettled but recent immunocytochemical studies have shown that there was increased innervation in the endometrium from women with endometriosis and some nerve fibers in the normally cycling human endometrium. In the current study, we used uterine tissue cryosections from normal cycling women, which previously provided better immunocytochemical staining for lymphatic vessels than in paraffin sections. Materials and Methods: A total of 16 cases from normally cycling women were included representing menstrual, early proliferative, early to late secretary phase. Neurofilament and CD 56 were used as immunocytochemical markers for nerve fibers with cryosections. Results: There were consistent presence of nerve fibers in myometrium and basalis. Few small nerve fibers were identified in early proliferative endometrium and more nerve fibers were present in lower-half functionalis from mid-secretary phase. Late-secretary functionalis showed less nerve fibers in the upper-half than the lower-half functionalis, implying growing nerve fibers from lower functionalis to upper functionalis in late-secretary phase. Conclusion: Nerve fibers appeared to cyclically grow from basalis to lower functionalis and then from lower functionalis to upper functionalis concomitantly with blood vessels in normally cycling human endometrium. These cycling endometrial nerve fibers consisted mostly of nonmyelinated small nerve fibers, which may transmit pelvic pain in the normally cycling women.

Cyclic Changes of Lymphatic Vessels in Human Endometrium

Objective: The presence of lymphatic vessels in endometrium has been controversial and recent immunocytochemical studies with routinely paraffin embedded sections revealed lymphatic vessels in basalis and occasionally in functionalis. We aimed to investigate endometrial lymphatic vessels by immunocytochemical staining using cryosections, which provided better and consistent immunostaining for lymphatic vessels with a lymphatic marker, D2-40. We aimed further to explore the structure-function relationship of lymphatic vessels in the menstrual cycle. Materials and Methods: Sixteen cases of endometrium from menstrual, early-proliferative to latesecretary phase were immunostained for D2-40 and lymphatic vessels were morphometrically analyzed for functionalis, basalis and myometrium, respectively. Results: Lymphatic vessels were consistently most numerous in myometrium, followed by basalis in all phases whereas menstrual endometrium showed small, fragmented aggregates of lymphatic vessels in thin basalis. Earlyto mid-secretary endometrium revealed many lymphatic vessels in basalis and lower-functionalis with few lymphatic vessels in upper-functionalis. Late-secretary endometrium revealed more lymphatic vessels in upper-functionalis with dilated walls, which then burst at the surface of functionalis. Conclusions: These degenerating lymphatic vessels with markedly dilated lumen in upper-functionalis may contribute to lymphatic leakage in late-secretary phase. These immunostained lymphatic vessels in functionalis support proliferating and degenerating lymphatic vessel cycle synchronized with the menstrual cycle of endometrial arteries to maintain adequate fluid leakage.

Change of cholinergic transmission and memory deficiency induced by injection of β-amyloid protein into NBM of rats

The change of cholinergic transmission of p-amyloid protein (P-AP) treated rats was studied by intracerebral microdialysis sampling combined with HPLC analysis. β-AP1-40 was injected into nucleus basalis magnocellularis (NBM). Passive avoidance response test (step-down test) and delayed alternation task were used for memory testing. The impairment of memory after injection of β-AP1-40 into NBM exhibited mainly the deficiency of short-term working memory. One week after injection of β-AP1-40 the release of acetylcholine (ACh) from frontal cortex of freely-moving rats decreased significantly, and the response of cholinergic nerve ending to the action of high [K+] solution was rather weak. In control animals the percentage of increase of ACh-release during behavioral performance was 57%, while in β-AP1-40-treated rats it was 34%. The temporary increase of the ACh-release of the rat put into a new place was also significantly diminished in β-AP1-40 -treated rats. The results show that the injection of β-AP1-40 into NBM impairs the cholinergic transmission in frontal cortex, and the impairment of cholinergic transmission may be the main cause of the deficit of working memory.

First record of the genus Basalys Westwood,1833(Hymenoptera:Diapriidae) from China,with descriptions of two new species

Two new species of the genus Basalys Westwood, 1833, B. sinensis sp. nov. and B, leleji sp. nov., are described and illustrated from Yunnan Province, China. A key to Chinese species of the genus is provided. Types are deposited in the Hymenopteran Collection of South China Agricultural University （SCAU）.