Deep brain implantable microelectrode arrays for detection and functional localization of the subthalamic nucleus in rats with Parkinson’s disease

The subthalamic nucleus(STN)is considered the best target for deep brain stimulation treatments of Parkinson’s disease(PD).It is difficult to localize the STN due to its small size and deep location.Multichannel microelectrode arrays(MEAs)can rapidly and precisely locate the STN,which is important for precise stimulation.In this paper,16-channel MEAs modified with multiwalled carbon nanotube/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate)(MWCNT/PEDOT:PSS)nanocomposites were designed and fabricated,and the accurate and rapid identification of the STN in PD rats was performed using detection sites distributed at different brain depths.These results showed that nuclei in 6-hydroxydopamine hydrobromide(6-OHDA)-lesioned brains discharged more intensely than those in unlesioned brains.In addition,the MEA simultaneously acquired neural signals from both the STN and the upper or lower boundary nuclei of the STN.Moreover,higher values of spike firing rate,spike amplitude,local field potential(LFP)power,and beta oscillations were detected in the STN of the 6-OHDA-lesioned brain,and may therefore be biomarkers of STN localization.Compared with the STNs of unlesioned brains,the power spectral density of spikes and LFPs synchronously decreased in the delta band and increased in the beta band of 6-OHDA-lesioned brains.This may be a cause of sleep and motor disorders associated with PD.Overall,this work describes a new cellular-level localization and detection method and provides a tool for future studies of deep brain nuclei.

Nucleus++:a new tool bridging AME and NuBAsE for advancing nuclear data analysis

The newly developed software,Nucleus++,is an advanced tool for displaying basic nuclear physics properties from NubAsE and integrating comprehensive mass information for each nuclide from Atomic Mass Evaluation.Additionally,it allows users to compare experimental nuclear masses with predictions from different mass models.Building on the success and learning experiences of its predecessor,Nucleus,this enhanced tool introduces improved functionality and compatibility.With its user-friendly interface,Nucleus++was designed as a valuable tool for scholars and practitioners in the field of nuclear science.This article offers an in-depth description of Nucleus++,highlighting its main features and anticipated impacts on nuclear science research.

Single nucleus/cell RNA-seq of the chicken hypothalamicpituitaryovarian axis offers new insights into the molecular regulatory mechanisms of ovarian development

The hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian(HPO)axis represents a central neuroendocrine network essential for reproductive function.Despite its critical role,the intrinsic heterogeneity within the HPO axis across vertebrates and the complex intercellular interactions remain poorly defined.This study provides the first comprehensive,unbiased,cell type-specific molecular profiling of all three components of the HPO axis in adult Lohmann layers and Liangshan Yanying chickens.Within the hypothalamus,pituitary,and ovary,seven,12,and 13 distinct cell types were identified,respectively.Results indicated that the pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide(PACAP),follicle-stimulating hormone(FSH),and prolactin(PRL)signaling pathways may modulate the synthesis and secretion of gonadotropin-releasing hormone(GnRH),FSH,and luteinizing hormone(LH)within the hypothalamus and pituitary.In the ovary,interactions between granulosa cells and oocytes involved the KIT,CD99,LIFR,FN1,and ANGPTL signaling pathways,which collectively regulate follicular maturation.The SEMA4 signaling pathway emerged as a critical mediator across all three tissues of the HPO axis.Additionally,gene expression analysis revealed that relaxin 3(RLN3),gastrin-releasing peptide(GRP),and cocaine-and amphetamine regulated transcripts(CART,also known as CARTPT)may function as novel endocrine hormones,influencing the HPO axis through autocrine,paracrine,and endocrine pathways.Comparative analyses between Lohmann layers and Liangshan Yanying chickens demonstrated higher expression levels of GRP,RLN3,CARTPT,LHCGR,FSHR,and GRPR in the ovaries of Lohmann layers,potentially contributing to their superior reproductive performance.In conclusion,this study provides a detailed molecular characterization of the HPO axis,offering novel insights into the regulatory mechanisms underlying reproductive biology.

Sex modulates the outcome of subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation in patients with Parkinson's disease

There are many documented sex differences in the clinical course,symptom expression profile,and treatment response of Parkinson’s disease,creating additional challenges for patient management.Although subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation is an established therapy for Parkinson’s disease,the effects of sex on treatment outcome are still unclear.The aim of this retrospective observational study,was to examine sex differences in motor symptoms,nonmotor symptoms,and quality of life after subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation.Outcome measures were evaluated at 1 and 12 months post-operation in 90 patients with Parkinson’s disease undergoing subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation aged 63.00±8.01 years(55 men and 35 women).Outcomes of clinical evaluations were compared between sexes via a Student’s t-test and within sex via a paired-sample t-test,and generalized linear models were established to identify factors associated with treatment efficacy and intensity for each sex.We found that subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation could improve motor symptoms in men but not women in the on-medication condition at 1 and 12 months post-operation.Restless legs syndrome was alleviated to a greater extent in men than in women.Women demonstrated poorer quality of life at baseline and achieved less improvement of quality of life than men after subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation.Furthermore,Hoehn-Yahr stage was positively correlated with the treatment response in men,while levodopa equivalent dose at 12 months post-operation was negatively correlated with motor improvement in women.In conclusion,women received less benefit from subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation than men in terms of motor symptoms,non-motor symptoms,and quality of life.We found sex-specific factors,i.e.,Hoehn-Yahr stage and levodopa equivalent dose,that were related to motor improvements.These findings may help to guide subthalamic nucleus deep brain stimulation patient selection,prognosis,and stimulation programming for optimal therapeutic efficacy in Parkinson’s disease.

Quercetin ameliorates oxidative stress-induced senescence in rat nucleus pulposus-derived mesenchymal stem cells via the miR-34a-5p/SIRT1 axis

BACKGROUND Intervertebral disc degeneration(IDD)is a main contributor to low back pain.Oxidative stress,which is highly associated with the progression of IDD,increases senescence of nucleus pulposus-derived mesenchymal stem cells(NPMSCs)and weakens the differentiation ability of NPMSCs in degenerated intervertebral discs(IVDs).Quercetin(Que)has been demonstrated to reduce oxidative stress in diverse degenerative diseases.AIM To investigate the role of Que in oxidative stress-induced NPMSC damage and to elucidate the underlying mechanism.METHODS In vitro,NPMSCs were isolated from rat tails.Senescence-associatedβ-galactosidase(SA-β-Gal)staining,cell cycle,reactive oxygen species(ROS),realtime quantitative polymerase chain reaction(RT-qPCR),immunofluorescence,and western blot analyses were used to evaluated the protective effects of Que.Meanwhile the relationship between miR-34a-5p and Sirtuins 1(SIRT1)was evaluated by dual-luciferase reporter assay.To explore whether Que modulates tert-butyl hydroperoxide(TBHP)-induced senescence of NPMSCs via the miR-34a-5p/SIRT1 pathway,we used adenovirus vectors to overexpress and downregulate the expression of miR-34a-5p and used SIRT1 siRNA to knockdown SIRT1 expression.In vivo,a puncture-induced rat IDD model was constructed,and X rays and histological analysis were used to assess whether Que could alleviate IDD in vivo.RESULTS We found that TBHP can cause NPMSCs senescence changes,such as reduced cell proliferation ability,increased SA-β-Gal activity,cell cycle arrest,the accumulation of ROS,and increased expression of senescence-related proteins.While abovementioned senescence indicators were significantly alleviated by Que treatment.Que decreased the expression levels of senescence-related proteins(p16,p21,and p53)and senescence-associated secreted phenotype(SASP),including IL-1β,IL-6,and MMP-13,and it increased the expression of SIRT1.In addition,the protective effects of Que on cell senescence were partially reversed by miR-34a-5p overexpression and SIRT1 knockdown.In vivo,X-ray,and histological analyses indicated that Que alleviated IDD in a punctureinduced rat model.CONCLUSION In summary,the present study provides evidence that Que reduces oxidative stress-induced senescence of NPMSCs via the miR-34a/SIRT1 signaling pathway,suggesting that Que may be a potential agent for the treatment of IDD.

Automated apoptosis identification in fluorescence imaging of nucleus based on histogram of oriented gradients of high-frequency wavelet coefficients

The automatic and accurate identification of apoptosis facilitates large-scale cell analysis.Most identification approaches using nucleus fluorescence imaging are based on specific morphological parameters.However,these parameters cannot completely describe nuclear morphology,thus limiting the identification accuracy of models.This paper proposes a new feature extraction method to improve the performance of the model for apoptosis identification.The proposed method uses a histogram of oriented gradient(HOG)of high-frequency wavelet coefficients to extract internal and edge texture information.The HOG vectors are classified using support vector machine.The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed feature extraction method well performs apoptosis identification,attaining 95:7% accuracy with low cost in terms of time.We confirmed that our method has potential applications to cell biology research.

Magnetic resonance imaging assessment of the lateral geniculate nucleus volume and height in patients with glaucoma:a Meta-analysis

AIM:To evaluate the lateral geniculate nucleus(LGN)volume and height using magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)in glaucoma patients.METHODS:Literatures retrieval was carried out through Pub Med,Web of Science,Embase,and Cochrane Library.Studies that compared the volume and height of LGN in glaucoma patients with that in control subjects were included.The volume and height of LGN were extracted from the included studies.The Review Manager 5.4.1 software was used for the Meta-analysis.RESULTS:This Meta-analysis included 10 crosssectional studies,including the eyes of 223 glaucoma patients and 185 healthy controls.Compared with the control subjects,the volume and height of LGN in glaucoma patients measured by MRI were significantly reduced{-29.13 mm3,95%[confidence interval(CI):-44.82 to-13.43,P=0.0003;-0.61 mm,95%CI:-0.78 to-0.44,P<0.00001,respectively]}.Subgroup analysis demonstrated that the differences of LGN volume and height between glaucoma patients and control subjects in the older group were smaller than that in the younger group,and LGN volume decreased with the increase of glaucoma severity.CONCLUSION:The results demonstrate that the volume and height of LGN are decreased in glaucoma patients,and LGN volume can be considered a parameter of glaucoma severity.

Acute isolated vertigo with vertical up-beating nystagmus: A rare case of nucleus intercalatus of Staderini ischemia

The role of intercalatus nucleus of Staderini(INS),the most caudal of the perihypoglossal nuclei,is much debated.Last research seems to suggest that this nucleus plays a role as a vertical eyes movements integrator.The few clinical reports present in the literature that describe isolated lesions of the INS have described patients presenting in acute with up-beating vertical spontaneous nystagmus.Isolated acute lesion of INS is,in fact,much rare,and,without other neurological signs,is exceptional.We present a case of acute isolated vertigo with no other neurological signs or symptoms,due to INS ischemia provoked by vertebral artery stenosis.The patient presented with spontaneous vertical up-beating nystagmus that showed at videonystagmographic recording,a clear exponential decay of angular slow-phase velocity,that is considered a typical sign of neural integrator impairment.This case seems to represent a further confirm that INS is part,as a vertical-to-position neural integrator,of the neural circuit controlling the vertical eyes movements.

Bayesian Inference of Nucleus Resonance and Neutron Skin

In this proceeding,some highlight results on the constraints of the nuclear matter equation of state(EOS)from the data of nucleus resonance and neutron-skin thickness using the Bayesian approach based on the Skyrme-Hartree-Fock model and its extension have been presented.Typically,the anti-correlation and positive correlations between the slope parameter and the value of the symmetry energy at the saturation density under the constraint of the neutron-skin thickness and the isovector giant dipole resonance have been discussed respectively.It’s shown that the Bayesian analysis can help to find a compromise for the“PREXII puzzle”and the“soft Tin puzzle”.The possible modifications on the constraints of lower-order EOS parameters as well as the relevant correlation when higher-order EOS parameters are incorporated as independent variables have been further illustrated.For a given model and parameter space,the Bayesian approach serves as a good analysis tool suitable for multi-messengers versus multi-variables,and is helpful for constraining quantitatively the model parameters as well as their correlations.

Nucleus Pulposus Cells from Calcified Discs Promote the Degradation of the Extracellular Matrix through Upregulation of the GATA3 Expression

Objective Disc calcification is strongly associated with disc degeneration;however,the underlying mechanisms driving its pathogenesis are poorly understood.This study aimed to provide a gene expression profile of nucleus pulposus cells(NPCs)from calcified discs,and clarify the potential mechanism in disc degeneration.Methods Primary NPCs were isolated from calcified and control discs(CAL-NPC and CON-NPC),respectively.The proliferation and extracellular matrix(ECM)metabolism capacities of the cells were evaluated using MTT and Western blotting,respectively.RNA sequencing was used to identify differentially expressed genes(DEGs)in the CAL-NPCs.The biological functions of the DEGs were analyzed using the Gene Ontology(GO)and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes(KEGG)databases.The transcription factor database and Cytoscape software were used to construct the transcription factor-DEGs regulatory network.The role of the verified transcription factor in NPC proliferation and ECM metabolism was also investigated.Results The CAL-NPCs exhibited a lower proliferation rate and higher ECM degradation capacity than the CON-NPCs.In total,375 DEGs were identified in the CAL-NPCs.The GO and KEGG analyses showed that the DEGs were primarily involved in the regulation of ribonuclease activity and NF-kappa B and p53 signaling pathways.GATA-binding protein 3(GATA3)with the highest verified levels was selected for further studies.Overexpression of GATA3 in the CON-NPCs significantly inhibited their proliferation and promoted their ECM degradation function,while the knockdown of GATA3 in the CAL-NPCs resulted in the opposite phenotypes.Conclusion This study provided a comprehensive gene expression profile of the NPCs from the calcified discs and supported that GATA3 could be a potential target for reversing calcification-associated disc degeneration.

Effect of CSH Crystal Nucleus on Steam-Free Cured Fly Ash Precast Concrete Components

The measures of steam curing and early-strengthening agents to promote the precast components to reach the target strength quickly can bring different degrees of damage to the concrete.Based on this,the new nanomaterial CSH-the hydration product of cement effectively solves these measures’disadvantages,such as excessive energy consumption,thermal stress damage,and the introduction of external ions.In this paper,the effect of CSH on the early strength of precast fly ash concrete components was investigated in terms of setting time,workability,and mechanical properties and analyzed at the microscopic level using hydration temperature,XRD,and SEM.The results showed that under the same workability,CSH could significantly reduce the amount of admixture,shorten the final setting time,almost not affect the initial setting time,and accelerate the hydration of cement.At the optimum dose of 5%,the mechanical properties of the specimens were improved by more than 98%within 12 h of hydration,resulting in an earlier release time of 12 h and no risk of strength inversion later.The results of this paper give theoretical support to the behavior of precast components under steam-free curing.

Effect of exogenous hydrogen sulfide in the nucleus tractus solitarius on gastric motility in rats

BACKGROUND Hydrogen sulfide(H2S)is a recently discovered gaseous neurotransmitter in the nervous and gastrointestinal systems.It exerts its effects through multiple signaling pathways,impacting various physiological activities.The nucleus tractus solitarius(NTS),a vital nucleus involved in visceral sensation,was investigated in this study to understand the role of H2S in regulating gastric function in rats.AIM To examine whether H2S affects the nuclear factor kappa-B(NF-κB)and transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 pathways and the neurokinin 1(NK1)receptor in the NTS.METHODS Immunohistochemical and fluorescent double-labeling techniques were employed to identify cystathionine beta-synthase(CBS)and c-Fos co-expressed positive neurons in the NTS during rat stress.Gastric motility curves were recorded by inserting a pressure-sensing balloon into the pylorus through the stomach fundus.Changes in gastric motility were observed before and after injecting different doses of NaHS(4 nmol and 8 nmol),physiological saline,Capsazepine(4 nmol)+NaHS(4 nmol),pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate(PDTC,4 nmol)+NaHS(4 nmol),and L703606(4 nmol)+NaHS(4 nmol).RESULTS We identified a significant increase in the co-expression of c-Fos and CBS positive neurons in the NTS after 1 h and 3 h of restraint water-immersion stress compared to the expressions observed in the control group.Intra-NTS injection of NaHS at different doses significantly inhibited gastric motility in rats(P<0.01).However,injection of saline,first injection NF-κB inhibitor PDTC or transient receptor potential vanilloid 1(TRPV1)antagonist Capsazepine or NK1 receptor blockers L703606 and then injection NaHS did not produce significant changes(P>0.05).CONCLUSION NTS contains neurons co-expressing CBS and c-Fos,and the injection of NaHS into the NTS can suppress gastric motility in rats.This effect may be mediated by activating TRPV1 and NK1 receptors via the NF-κB channel.

阿魏酸对兔受损窦房结细胞骨架F-actin、Vinculin的影响

目的观察阿魏酸对模拟缺血再灌注损伤兔窦房结细胞骨架蛋白F-actin和Vinculin的影响,探讨其保护窦房结细胞的机制。方法取新生乳兔窦房结细胞,以缺氧缺糖模拟缺血,以恢复氧和糖的供应模拟再灌注造成窦房结细胞损伤模型。正常对照组与模型组给予等体积培养基,阿魏酸高、中、低剂量组分别给予相应浓度药物(终浓度分别为100μmol/ml、20μmol/ml、10μmol/ml),运用酶标仪、激光共聚焦显微镜观察各组窦房结细胞活性、细胞骨架蛋白F-actin和Vinculin形态的变化。结果模型组活细胞量较正常对照组明显减少(P<0.01);细胞骨架蛋白F-actin和Vinculin裂解明显。阿魏酸高、中、低剂量组活细胞量明显高于模型组(P<0.01),F-actin和Vinculin结构较模型组明显完整,平均荧光强度明显高于模型组(P<0.01)。结论阿魏酸可抑制模拟缺血再灌注引起的窦房结细胞损伤;阿魏酸保护窦房结细胞的机制可能与保护细胞骨架蛋白F-actin和Vinculin从而维持细胞电生理稳定有关。

切应力条件下与血管平滑肌细胞联合培养的内皮细胞整合素β_1和F-actin的变化

目的 探讨与血管平滑肌细胞联合培养的内皮细胞力学信号转导的机制 ,研究切应力对联合培养的内皮细胞表面整合素 β1和F actin的影响。方法 应用免疫荧光双重标记、激光共聚焦扫描显微镜和计算机图象分析等技术 ,观察了在 2Pa层流切应力的作用下 ,与血管平滑肌细胞联合培养的内皮细胞表面整合素 β1的含量及细胞骨架F actin的变化 ,时相点分别取 1h、6h、12h和 2 4h。同时 ,以静态条件下联合培养的内皮细胞为对照组。结果 静态条件下联合培养的内皮细胞表面整合素 β1含量少 ,F actin含量亦少 ;在 2Pa层流切应力的作用下 ,随着时间延长 ,整合素 β1表达逐渐增多 ,并且有沿F actin分布的趋势 ,在 12h达到峰值 ,后又下降 ;F actin含量持续增加直至 2 4h。结论 结果提示整合素 β1作为重要的粘附分子 ,与细胞骨架F actin的相互协作 。

Nucleus直电极人工耳蜗植入对不同频率残余听力的影响

目的:评估Nucleus直电极人工耳蜗植入对各频率残余听力的影响,探讨耳蜗直电极植入的听力学安全性及其创伤特点。方法:分析23例手术前后能够良好配合纯音听力检查、中耳内耳无明显异常、尚未接受人工耳蜗电刺激的单侧Nucleus直电极人工耳蜗植入者的残余听力变化情况。结果:术前植入侧残余听力在术后有所保留者占60%。将最大输出无反应时的听阈值计为最大输出加上5dBHL,经非参数检验:植入侧1kHz以下各频率的残余听力较术前平均损失约6dBHL,差别有极显著性的意义(P值均<0.01);植入侧2kHz以上各频率及非植入侧各频率较术前平均损失<1dBHL,差别无显著性的意义(P值均>0.05)。结论:Nucleus直电极人工耳蜗植入术后,植入耳多数仍可保留部分残余听力,但其损失在1kHz以下频率重于2kHz以上频率。

Effects of ginkgolide B on neuronal discharges in paraventricular nucleus of rat hypothalamic slices

Objective To study the central role of ginkgolide B （BN52021） in regulating cardiovascular function of nerve center by examining the effects of ginkgolide B on the electrical activity of rat paraventricular nucleus （PVN） neurons in hypothalamic slice preparation and to elucidate the mechanism involved. Methods Extracellular single-unit discharge recording technique. Results （1） In response to the application of ginkgolide t3 （0.1, 1, 10 μmol/L; n = 27） into the perfusate for 2 rain, the spontaneous discharge rates （SDR） of 26 （26/27, 96.30%） neurons were significantly decreased in a dose-dependent manner. （2） Pretreatment with L-glutamate （L-Glu, 0.2 mmol/L） led to a marked increase in the SDR of all 8 （100%） neurons in an epileptiform pattern. The increased discharges were suppressed significantly after ginkgolide B （1 μmol/L） was applied into the perfusate for 2 min. （3） In 8 neurons, perfusion of the selective L-type calcium channel agonist, Bay K 8644 （0.1 μmol/L）, induced a significant increase in the discharge rates of 8 （8/8, 100%） neurons, while ginkgolide B （1μmol/L） applied into the perfusate, could inhibit the discharges of 8 （100%） neurons. （4） In 8 neurons, the broad potassium channels blocker, tetraethylammonium （TEA, 1 mmol/L） completely blocked the inhibitory effect of ginkgolide B （1 μmol/L）. Conclusion These results suggest that ginkgolide B can inhibit the electrical activity of paraventricular neurons. The inhibitory effect may be related to the blockade of L-type voltage-activated calcium channel and potentially concerned with delayed rectifier potassium channel （KDR）.

钛颗粒负荷对切应力作用下骨髓间质干细胞F-actin表达和DNA含量的影响

假体磨损碎屑颗粒是引起假体 -骨界面无菌性炎症和骨溶解而致全关节置换术失败的主要原因之一。磨屑颗粒所诱发的骨溶解须有周围骨组织中成骨细胞分泌足够的骨基质以弥补丢失的骨量 ,而成骨细胞正常的数量和质量有赖于其来源骨髓祖细胞 -骨髓间质干细胞的正常增殖分化能力的维持。为了探讨磨屑钛颗粒对大鼠骨髓间质干细胞 (Rat MSCs,r MSCs)产生细胞毒性的可能细胞分子机制 ,选用健康 3月龄 SD雄性大鼠 ,采用 Percoll等密度梯度离心法分离获取 r MSCs,经体外传代纯化培养后 ,与不同直径、不同负荷浓度、不同负荷作用时间的钛颗粒悬液共孵育 ,再采用精准的流室系统对钛颗粒负荷的 r MSCs施加一定的流体剪切应力 (Fluid shear stress,FSS)后立刻固定细胞 ,经免疫荧光抗体染色 ,结合激光共聚焦显微镜技术和图像分析软件定性定量分析 r MSCs F-actin表达和 DNA含量的变化情况。同时设置相应的未经钛颗粒孵育的 r MSCs细胞为对照组细胞。结果显示 ,切应力作用可上调 r MSCs胞内 F- actin的表达。亚微 (Subm icron)直径 (0 .9μm)的钛颗粒负荷对 r MSCs F- actin表达和 DNA含量的抑制作用最为显著 ,并伴有凋亡小体出现 ;直径为 2 .7μm的钛颗粒负荷产生的抑制作用略为减弱 ,而较大直径 (6 .9μm)的抑制效应最?

CD2AP突变对肾小球足细胞骨架蛋白F-actin分布的影响

目的构建突变型CD2相关蛋白(CD2AP)荧光表达载体并转染肾小球足细胞,观察细胞内骨架蛋白F-actin分布的变化。方法定点诱变真核表达质粒pcDNA6-V5-CD2AP致CD2AP第2外显子160G>A杂合突变,测序鉴定。利用野生型和突变型质粒和pEGFP-C1荧光表达载体,分别构建野生型和突变型重组质粒pEGFP-C1-CD2AP荧光表达载体并转染小鼠肾小球足细胞,荧光显微镜观察处于不同细胞周期的足细胞内F-actin分布情况。结果测序结果显示,pcDNA6-V5-CD2AP真核表达载体CD2AP的2号外显子第160位碱基G诱变为A,而其他碱基未发生改变。在细胞分裂间期,未转染足细胞内F-actin平行排列成纤维束;野生型重组质粒转染足细胞内F-actin在细胞核周围呈点、块状浓聚;而突变型重组质粒转染足细胞内F-actin主要在细胞膜上勾出轮廓。在细胞分裂中期,野生型重组质粒转染足细胞内F-acin纤维丝呈粗纤维状,环细胞浓聚;突变型重组质粒转染足细胞则仅见胞质内F-acin纤维丝增多,部分区域浓聚。结论成功构建野生型和突变型重组CD2AP荧光表达载体。CD2AP基因160G>A杂合突变使肾小球足细胞分裂间期和分裂中期的F-actin纤维骨架发生改变。

Analysis on the Relationship between Selective Pressure and Nucleotide Substitution Rate in Nucleus and Organelle Genes of Sorghum and Maize

[Objective]The aim was to research the relationship between nucleotide substitutions rate and selective pressure.[Method]Synonymous and nonsynonymous substitutions and their ratios for some sorghum and maize genes in nucleus and organelle genomes were analyzed by statistical method,and comparative analysis of related functional genes were carried out.[Result]The pure selective pressures of the related functional genes were similar between nucleus and chloroplast genomes,but was lower in mitochondrial genome.The significant differences of nucleotide substitution rate between sorghum and maize orthologous genes in nucleus genome,and among different functional genes in nucleus genome were mainly due to the nonsynonymous substitution difference.[Conclusion]The molecular evolutional rate of different functional genes and different lineages were influenced by selective pressure.The differences of molecular evolutional rate among nucleus,chloroplast and mitochondria genomes had no direct relationship with selective pressure.

Ultrastructural Features of Nucleus Degradation During Programmed Cell Death of Starchy Endosperm Cells in Rice

Ultrastructural features of nucleus degradation during programmed cell death (PCD) of starchy endosperm cells in rice ( Oryza sativa L.) were observed using transmission electron microscopy. Several distinct morphological features of PCD have been found in the developing starchy endosperm cells, e.g. nucleus deformation, chromatin condensation, nuclear envelope disruption, and nuclear matrix leakage. DNA ladder displayed a smear of large DNA fragments from nucleus and evident bands of small DNA fragments (140-180 bp) from both nucleus and cytoplasm. In contrast with the rapid nucleus degradation, cell organelles in cytoplasm, such as rough endoplasmic reticulum, amyloplast, and mitochondrion, maintained their metabolic functions for a longer time. Seed reserves were continually synthesized and accumulated in the starchy endosperm cells despite the nucleus degradation during the PCD process. These results suggest that starchy endosperm cells remain active during reserve material synthesis and accumulation in the PCD process. The specific relationships between nucleus and cytoplasm in the developing endosperm cells and the morphological changes of nucleus in the endosperm PCD process were also discussed.