An oral vaccine against NMDAR1 with efficacy in experimental stroke and epilepsy

The brain is generally considered immunoprivileged, although increasing examples of immunological responses to brain antigens, neuronal expression of major histocompatibility class I genes, and neurological autoimmunity have been recognized. An adeno-associated virus (AAV) vaccine generated autoantibodies that targeted a specific brain protein, the NR1 subunit of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor. After peroral administration of the AAV vaccine, transgene expression persisted for at least 5 months and was associated with a robust humoral response in the absence of a significant cell-mediated response. This single-dose vaccine was associated with strong anti-epileptic and neuroprotective activity in rats for both a kainate-induced seizure model and also a middle cerebral artery occlusion stroke model at 1 to 5 months following vaccination. Thus, a vaccination strategy targeting brain proteins is feasible and may have therapeutic potential for neurological disorders.     

Tree bark as a non-timber forest product: The effect of bark collection on population structure and dynamics of Garcinia lucida Vesque

A 2-year demographic field study was carried out on the understorey tree Garcinia lucida in the humid Atlantic forests of South Cameroon. The bark and the seeds of the species are exploited for medicinal purposes and palm wine processing in West and Central Africa. The bark is often removed over almost the entire circumference of the stem, leading to high mortality rates. The goal of the study was to assess the impact of bark harvesting on population structure and dynamics, in order to obtain an indication to what extent the actual harvesting practices can be sustained for longer periods, and to provide information on the future availability of the resource. Comparison of populations that had been subject to different harvest regimes allowed assessment of the effects of G. lucida bark harvesting on population stand structure. In lightly exploited populations, unharvested individuals represented more than the half of the trees (>10 cm DBH), while this was only one-third in heavily exploited stands. The percentage of dead exploited trees (>20 cm DBH) was more than 40 and 70%, for lightly and heavily exploited populations, respectively. This reflects the high intensity of bark harvesting, mainly directed at large trees. For the assessment of bark harvesting on population dynamics, we constructed matrix models for each of the three common bark harvest practices: (1) partial debarking of stem, (2) ring-barking trees and (3) felling trees at approximately 1 m height above ground level to extract bark. For all harvest practices, the asymptotic population growth rates (λ) were not significantly different from 1 indicating that populations were neither growing nor decreasing in size. Nevertheless, model projections showed that the stock of available trees decreased. Under an annual regime of partial debarking of all trees >10 cm DBH, the amount of harvestable trees gradually declined and reached 50% of the initial size after 20 years. For ring-barking and felling trees, the projections showed a sharp drop in the amount of harvestable trees directly after the start of the simulations, and the amount continued to decline below 4% of the initial size under an annual harvest regime. Even after a long time, populations did not recover to their pre-harvest numbers. The stable size of harvested populations predicted by λ values suggest that current harvest practices of bark do not jeopardize the future existence of G. lucida populations. However, as the frequently applied harvest practices of ring-barking and felling strongly reduced the stock in our simulations, commercial bark exploitation cannot be sustained over long periods. Nevertheless, as long as populations can recover from the loss of exploited individuals, by continuous recruitment, there is still prospect for sustained bark extraction.     

柑桔多胺代谢及其对生长结果调控的研究Ⅱ.果实成熟期多胺与水杨酸含量变化及其对耐贮性的影响

以Ｐｅｎｇ柑果实为试材,就果实成熟期及贮藏期内源多胺和水杨酸含量变化以及用多胺和水杨酸浸果的保鲜防腐效果进行了研究。结果表明,果实成熟期及贮藏的较高的多胺和水杨酸含量有利于采后贮藏保鲜;果实采后用１００ｍｇ／ｋｇ的腐胺、亚精胺、精胺或４００ｍｇ水处理处理,贮藏３个月后,腐烂率和失重率仅为对照的１／６￣１／２,其防腐保鲜效果以水杨酸和精胺最佳,其次为亚精胺和腐胺。     

Subthalamic GAD gene therapy in a Parkinson's disease rat model

The motor abnormalities of Parkinson's disease (PD) are caused by alterations in basal ganglia network activity, including disinhibition of the subthalamic nucleus (STN), and excessive activity of the major output nuclei. Using adeno-associated viral vector-mediated somatic cell gene transfer, we expressed glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), the enzyme that catalyzes synthesis of the neurotransmitter GABA, in excitatory glutamatergic neurons of the STN in rats. The transduced neurons, when driven by electrical stimulation, produced mixed inhibitory responses associated with GABA release. This phenotypic shift resulted in strong neuroprotection of nigral dopamine neurons and rescue of the parkinsonian behavioral phenotype. This strategy suggests that there is plasticity between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission in the mammalian brain that could be exploited for therapeutic benefit.     

Role of noradrenergic signaling by the nucleus tractus solitarius in mediating opiate reward

Norepinephrine (NE) is widely implicated in opiate withdrawal, but much less is known about its role in opiate-induced locomotion and reward. In mice lacking dopamine beta-hydroxylase (DBH), an enzyme critical for NE synthesis, we found that NE was necessary for morphine-induced conditioned place preference (CPP; a measure of reward) and locomotion. These deficits were rescued by systemic NE restoration. Viral restoration of DBH expression in the nucleus tractus solitarius, but not in the locus coeruleus, restored CPP for morphine. Morphine-induced locomotion was partially restored by DBH expression in either brain region. These data suggest that NE signaling by the nucleus tractus solitarius is necessary for morphine reward.     

甜瓜果实发育过程中糖积累与蔗糖代谢相关酶的关系

以伊丽莎白和乌引1号2个厚皮甜瓜品种为试材,测定了不同发育时期果实中的糖、淀粉含量以及蔗糖代谢相关酶—酸性转化酶(AI)、中性转化酶(NI)、蔗糖磷酸合成酶(SPS)和蔗糖合成酶(SS)的活性变化等,并对甜瓜果实糖积累的生理机制进行了系统分析。结果表明:(1)2个品种果实中糖积累动态十分相似,即成熟期之前,糖积累缓慢,特别是蔗糖几乎很少积累;进入成熟期,果实中蔗糖迅速积累,而单糖略有下降。(2)AI、NI的活性变化对2种甜瓜果实中糖的积累和构成具有重要影响,SS对2种甜瓜果实中糖积累的作用较小,SPS活性升高与成熟期伊丽莎白果实中蔗糖的积累相一致。(3)果实中糖的积累与淀粉含量变化无明显关系。     

棕背伯劳繁殖期领域性初步研究

棕背伯劳在繁殖活动中表现出很强的领域性。本文从鸣叫、飞行、栖位占据、领域面积变化和种间关系等５个方面阐述了棕背伯劳的领域性，并讨论了繁殖期各阶段领域性的变化。首次提出了领域栖位和非领域栖位的概念与划分，并明确了领域鸣叫和领域飞行等概念。     

β‐Carotene is incorporated or mobilized along with triglycerides in bovine adipose tissue in response to insulin or epinephrine

Pasture fed cattle ingest substantial amounts of β‐carotene (β‐C). Not all of the carotenoid compound is transformed into vitamin A, but the surplus is deposited in adipose tissue (AT). The mechanisms of β‐C incorporation and mobilization are unknown. Two experiments were conducted using explants from bovine AT cultured in vitro. First, β‐C incorporation by explants from three animals was examined with different β‐C concentrations (0, 1, 5 and 20 μm ) and different times of incubation (every 5 h up to 25 h). The data showed a significant increase of β‐C concentration in explants only for 20 μm β‐C. Secondly, effects of insulin and epinephrine on β‐C and triglyceride (TG) contents of explants were studied. Explants from six animals were incubated with either hormone and 0 or 20 μm β‐C for 20 h. Both TG and β‐C contents were affected positively by insulin and negatively by epinephrine. Interestingly, changes in ratios of β‐C/TG (hormone vs. control) were similar (1.7 × 10^?3 and 1.8 × 10^?3), respectively, for insulin and epinephrine, indicating that β‐C level is directly related to TG content. We also report the presence of mRNA for β‐C 15, 15′ oxygenase in bovine AT. The in vitro culture system using explants from bovine AT is a promising model to investigate factors that might affect the accumulation and metabolism of β‐C.