Benzodiazepine actions mediated by specific gamma-aminobutyric acid(A) receptor subtypes.

GABA(A) (gamma-aminobutyric acid(A)) receptors are molecular substrates for the regulation of vigilance, anxiety, muscle tension, epileptogenic activity and memory functions, which is evident from the spectrum of actions elicited by clinically effective drugs acting at their modulatory benzodiazepine-binding site. Here we show, by introducing a histidine-to-arginine point mutation at position 101 of the murine alpha1-subunit gene, that alpha1-type GABA(A) receptors, which are mainly expressed in cortical areas and thalamus, are rendered insensitive to allosteric modulation by benzodiazepine-site ligands, whilst regulation by the physiological neurotransmitter gamma-aminobutyric acid is preserved. alpha1(H101R) mice failed to show the sedative, amnesic and partly the anticonvulsant action of diazepam. In contrast, the anxiolytic-like, myorelaxant, motor-impairing and ethanol-potentiating effects were fully retained, and are attributed to the nonmutated GABA(A) receptors found in the limbic system (alpha2, alpha5), in monoaminergic neurons (alpha3) and in motoneurons (alpha2, alpha5). Thus, benzodiazepine-induced behavioural responses are mediated by specific GABA(A) receptor subtypes in distinct neuronal circuits, which is of interest for drug design.     

Neurogenic hypothesis and psychiatric disorders

Psychiatric illness, such as affective disorders, anxiety disorders and schizophrenia, exerts exceptional personal burden on affected individuals. Although not physically noticeable, these disorders cost enormously on ones’ family and society. Currently pharma-ceutical and psychological treatments are generally accepted as effective for psychiatric disorders, while the exact mechanisms underlying the treatment efficacy, etiology and neurobiology of the disorders remain elusive. In the past decade, neurogenic hy-pothesis emerged as an attempt to explain the nature of psychiatric illness. The origination of the hypothesis is based on several pre-clinical and clinical observations. First, stress, which is a common risk factor of the disorders, was found to suppress neurogenesis; second, treatment for the illnesses like antidepressants and antipsychotics were shown to improve neurogenesis and behavioral deficits simultaneously; and third, the therapeutic effect of antidepressants was abolished in animal models when neuro-genesis was blocked. Increasing efforts were invested to determine whether neurogenesis is a key to the understanding and treatment of psychiatric disorders, although contrasting results are also found and thus the importance of neurogenesis remains a matter of debate. The present chapter will discuss the recent findings about the involvement of neurogenesis in major depression, anxiety disorders and schizophrenia, and whether neurogenesis would be a potential target for development of the treatment in the future.     

使用嵌入式处理器的水声调制解调器控制系统设计方法与研究

提出了一种使用带有嵌入式处理器的FPGA实现水声调制解调器控制系统的方法,根据声波通信的数据特点选择适合的通信总线搭建系统结构,设计出合理的软硬件协同工作流程和中断控制信号。通过在Xilinx VirtexIVFPGA的嵌入式MicroBlaze软处理器上实现并通过软硬件协同验证,表明所设计的控制系统能够准确控制整个数字信号处理过程,实时监控电路工作情况,性能稳定可靠。     

Mutations in ELA2, encoding neutrophil elastase, define a 21-day biological clock in cyclic haematopoiesis

Human cyclic haematopoiesis (cyclic neutropenia, MIM 162800) is an autosomal dominant disease in which blood-cell production from the bone marrow oscillates with 21-day periodicity. Circulating neutrophils vary between almost normal numbers and zero. During intervals of neutropenia, affected individuals are at risk for opportunistic infection. Monocytes, platelets, lymphocytes and reticulocytes also cycle with the same frequency. Here we use a genome-wide screen and positional cloning to map the locus to chromosome 19p13.3. We identified 7 different single-base substitutions in the gene (ELA2) encoding neutrophil elastase (EC 3. 4.21.37, also known as leukocyte elastase, elastase 2 and medullasin), a serine protease of neutrophil and monocyte granules, on unique haplotypes in 13 of 13 families as well as a new mutation in a sporadic case. Neutrophil elastase (a 240-aa mature protein predominantly found in neutrophil granules) is the target for protease inhibition by alpha1-antitrypsin, and its unopposed release destroys tissue at sites of inflammation. We hypothesize that a perturbed interaction between neutrophil elastase and serpins or other substrates may regulate mechanisms governing the clock-like timing of haematopoiesis.