Slow spontaneous signals from brain tissue culture

Resumen La exploratión con microelectrodos, de explantes telencefálicos de embrión de pollo, registra espontáneamente señales de dos tipos: lentas y rápidas, confirmando hallazgos similares previamente reportados con macroelectrodos. Observandose un patron en la distributión de las señales lentas, las cuales son originadas por la misma fuente en cada explante pudiendo ser esta, las células de glía o el producto de potensiales dendríticos.     

Pharmacogenetic factor in the convulsive responses of mice to flurothyl

Résumé La sensibilité convulsive a été determinée dans 6 groupes de souris par les réactions de l'ether hexafluorodiéthyle, convulsivant chimique. La lignée DBA/2 fut très sensible, tandis que les lignées C57BL/6 et BALB/c se montrèrent les moins sensibles. La sensibilité convulsive ne présenta pas de corrélation positive avec l'activité locomotrice.     

A stored-image method for calculating absorption corrections

Zusammenfassung Eine Methode wird entwickelt, welche die Berechnung der Absorptionskorrekturen bei Messungen von Röntgendiffraktionsintensitäten von Kristallen beliebiger Form möglich macht. Dabei wird der Strahlengang auf einer elektronischen Rechenanlage simuliert, in der das Kristallabbild als Binärmuster gespeichert ist.     

Chondroitinase ABC promotes functional recovery after spinal cord injury

The inability of axons to regenerate after a spinal cord injury in the adult mammalian central nervous system (CNS) can lead to permanent paralysis. At sites of CNS injury, a glial scar develops, containing extracellular matrix molecules including chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans (CSPGs). CSPGs are inhibitory to axon growth in vitro, and regenerating axons stop at CSPG-rich regions in vivo. Removing CSPG glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chains attenuates CSPG inhibitory activity. To test the functional effects of degrading chondroitin sulphate (CS)-GAG after spinal cord injury, we delivered chondroitinase ABC (ChABC) to the lesioned dorsal columns of adult rats. We show that intrathecal treatment with ChABC degraded CS-GAG at the injury site, upregulated a regeneration-associated protein in injured neurons, and promoted regeneration of both ascending sensory projections and descending corticospinal tract axons. ChABC treatment also restored post-synaptic activity below the lesion after electrical stimulation of corticospinal neurons, and promoted functional recovery of locomotor and proprioceptive behaviours. Our results demonstrate that CSPGs are important inhibitory molecules in vivo and suggest that their manipulation will be useful for treatment of human spinal injuries.     

1982～1996年亚洲热带夏季风建立迟早的探讨(Ⅰ)热带季风环流的主要特征和季风建立指数

利用NCEP再分析的 1982～ 1996年的风场和高度场资料 ,分析讨论了亚洲热带夏季风环流的若干基本特征 ;从季风环流的主要特征出发 ,定义了一个季风建立指数 ;计算、确定和分析了东亚季风区和印度季风区 15年平均的季风建立时间 .结果表明 ,在 1982～ 1996年期间 ,平均而言 ,东亚热带季风 5月第 4候建立 ,维持到 10月第 2候 ;印度季风 6月第 2候建立 ,比南海热带季风晚约 4候 ,持续至 9月第 1候     

Method of Stabilizing the Surface Energy of Fabrics Coated with Silicone

Silicone coatings have been used in this study. The method adopted was the liquid drop analysis on the coated fabrics. The contact angle between a liquid drop and the fabric surface was measured with two liquids continuously and recorded by a computer. The surface energy was calculated by means of Owens method. Kinetic measurement was adopted. The contact angle of liquids on the fabric coated silicone decreased with time was found. A compound solution DX has been found, so that the contact angle of the liquids on the fabric washed with DX becomes constant, and the surface energy of the fabric can be reduced to below 15 mJ/m2.     

Altered proteostasis in aging and heat shock response in C. elegans revealed by analysis of the global and de novo synthesized proteome

Protein misfolding and aggregation as a consequence of impaired protein homeostasis (proteostasis) not only characterizes numerous age-related diseases but also the aging process itself. Functionally related to the aging process are, among others, ribosomal proteins, suggesting an intimate link between proteostasis and aging. We determined by iTRAQ quantitative proteomic analysis in C. elegans how the proteome changes with age and in response to heat shock. Levels of ribosomal proteins and mitochondrial chaperones were decreased in aged animals, supporting the notion that proteostasis is altered during aging. Mitochondrial enzymes of the tricarboxylic acid cycle and the electron transport chain were also reduced, consistent with an age-associated energy impairment. Moreover, we observed an age-associated decline in the heat shock response. In order to determine how protein synthesis is altered in aging and in response to heat shock, we complemented our global analysis by determining the de novo proteome. For that, we established a novel method that enables both the visualization and identification of de novo synthesized proteins, by incorporating the non-canonical methionine analogue, azidohomoalanine (AHA), into the nascent polypeptides, followed by reacting the azide group of AHA by ‘click chemistry’ with an alkyne-labeled tag. Our analysis of AHA-tagged peptides demonstrated that the decreased abundance of, for example, ribosomal proteins in aged animals is not solely due to degradation but also reflects a relative decrease in their synthesis. Interestingly, although the net rate of protein synthesis is reduced in aged animals, our analyses indicate that the synthesis of certain proteins such as the vitellogenins increases with age.