Visual perception and memory systems: from cortex to medial temporal lobe

Visual perception and memory are the most important components of vision processing in the brain. It was thought that the perceptual aspect of a visual stimulus occurs in visual cortical areas and that this serves as the substrate for the formation of visual memory in a distinct part of the brain called the medial temporal lobe. However, current evidence indicates that there is no functional separation of areas. Entire visual cortical pathways and connecting medial temporal lobe are important for both perception and visual memory. Though some aspects of this view are debated, evidence from both sides will be explored here. In this review, we will discuss the anatomical and functional architecture of the entire system and the implications of these structures in visual perception and memory.     

Altered expression of securin (Pttg1) and serpina3n in the auditory system of hearing-impaired Tff3-deficient mice

Introduction

Tff3 peptide exerts important functions in cytoprotection and restitution of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract epithelia. Moreover, its presence in the rodent inner ear and involvement in the hearing process was demonstrated recently. However, its role in the auditory system still remains elusive. Our previous results showed a deterioration of hearing with age in Tff3-deficient animals.

Results

Present detailed analysis of auditory brain stem response (ABR) measurements and immunohistochemical study of selected functional proteins indicated a normal function and phenotype of the cochlea in Tff3 mutants. However, a microarray-based screening of tissue derived from the auditory central nervous system revealed an alteration of securin (Pttg1) and serpina3n expression between wild-type and Tff3 knock-out animals. This was confirmed by qRT-PCR, immunostaining and western blots.

Conclusions

We found highly down-regulated Pttg1 and up-regulated serpina3n expression as a consequence of genetically deleting Tff3 in mice, indicating a potential role of these factors during the development of presbyacusis.     

溅射用铁电陶瓷靶的烧结与显微结构分析

探讨了溅射用铁电陶瓷靶（ＰＺＴ，ＰＬＺＴ）的烧结工艺，并对其显微结构进行了分析。结果表明，采用新的烧结工艺（含保护措施），可以有效地抑制ＰｂＯ的挥发，制备出组织结构及成分均匀、ＰｂＯ含量正常、致密度较高、不变形的符合磁控溅射要求的铁电陶瓷烧结靶。     

Analysis of the relationship between age of larvae at mutagen treatment and frequency and size of spots in the wing somatic mutation and recombination test inDrosophila melanogaster

The relationship between the induction of mutant clones and the time of mutagen treatment was studied in the somatic mutation and recombination test (SMART) in wing cells ofDrosophila melanogaster. Larvae trans-heterozygous for the recessive marker mutations multiple wing hairs (mwh) and flare (flr) were produced. Batches of these larvae were then treated with mutagen at different ages spanning all three larval instars. Methyl methanesulfonate was fed acutely for 2 h by immersing the larvae in a solution of the mutagen mixed with powdered cellulose. Wings of the surviving adult flies were mounted and scored for the presence of spots. The frequency and size of single and twin spots were recorded separately. Twin spots are produced exclusively by mitotic recombination, whereas single spots can results from various types of mutational and exchange events. There exists a clear correlation between time of induction and frequency as well as size of the single spots. In young larvae only few but very large spots are induced, whereas in older larvae the frequencies are considerably increased but the sizes are smaller. The twin spots show a different relationship. Practically no twin spots are found in very young and in very old larvae. The results demonstrate that in the wing spot test the optimal age of the larvae for mutagen treatment is 72 h.     

Mutations in a human homologue of Drosophila crumbs cause retinitis pigmentosa (RP12).

Retinitis pigmentosa (RP) comprises a clinically and genetically heterogeneous group of diseases that afflicts approximately 1.5 million people worldwide. Affected individuals suffer from a progressive degeneration of the photoreceptors, eventually resulting in severe visual impairment. To isolate candidate genes for chorioretinal diseases, we cloned cDNAs specifically or preferentially expressed in the human retina and the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) through a novel suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) method. One of these cDNAs (RET3C11) mapped to chromosome 1q31-q32.1, a region harbouring a gene involved in a severe form of autosomal recessive RP characterized by a typical preservation of the para-arteriolar RPE (RP12; ref. 3). The full-length cDNA encodes an extracellular protein with 19 EGF-like domains, 3 laminin A G-like domains and a C-type lectin domain. This protein is homologous to the Drosophila melanogaster protein crumbs (CRB), and denoted CRB1 (crumbs homologue 1). In ten unrelated RP patients with preserved para-arteriolar RPE, we identified a homozygous AluY insertion disrupting the ORF, five homozygous missense mutations and four compound heterozygous mutations in CRB1. The similarity to CRB suggests a role for CRB1 in cell-cell interaction and possibly in the maintenance of cell polarity in the retina. The distinct RPE abnormalities observed in RP12 patients suggest that CRB1 mutations trigger a novel mechanism of photoreceptor degeneration.     

Trail-following responses ofLeptogenys diminuta to stereoisomers of 4-methyl-3-heptanol

Behavioral tests carried out with the four stereoisomers of 4-methyl-3-heptanol revealed thatLeptogenys diminuta ants respond specifically only to the (3R, 4S)-isomer.     

Small nuclear ribonucleoprotein polypeptide N (SNRPN), an expressed gene in the Prader-Willi syndrome critical region.

Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) is associated with paternally derived chromosomal deletions in region 15q11-13 or with maternal disomy for chromosome 15. Therefore, loss of the expressed paternal alleles of maternally imprinted genes must be responsible for the PWS phenotype. We have mapped the gene encoding the small nuclear RNA associated polypeptide SmN (SNRPN) to human chromosome 15q12 and a processed pseudogene SNRPNP1 to chromosome region 6pter-p21. Furthermore, SNRPN was mapped to the minimal deletion interval that is critical for PWS. The fact that the mouse Snrpn gene is maternally imprinted in brain suggests that loss of the paternally derived SNRPN allele may be involved in the PWS phenotype.     

Dexamethasone enhances CTLA-4 expression during T cell activation

T cell activation is enhanced by the costimulatory interaction of B7 on antigen-presenting cells and CD28 on T cells, resulting in long-term T cell proliferation, differentiation and production of large amounts of cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-2. CTLA-4 is a co-stimulation receptor that shares 31% homology with CD28 and binds B7 family members with higher affinity. CTLA-4 is transiently expressed intracellularly and on the cell surface following activation of T cells. We have studied the kinetics of CTLA-4 expression and the effects of dexamethasone on CTLA-4 expression during T cell activation in cultures of mouse spleen cells stimulated by a mixture of immobilized anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 monoclonal antibodies (anti-CD3/CD28 mAb) or concanavalin A (ConA). CTLA-4 expression peaked on day 2 and returned to background levels after 7 days. Dexamethasone was found to potentiate CTLA-4 expression in a dose-dependent manner with an EC₅₀ effective concentration 50%) of about 10⁻⁸ M. In contrast, other immunosuppressive agents, such as rapamycin or cyclosporin A had no or an inhibitory effect on CTLA-4 expression, respectively. Dexamethasone also stimulated CD28 expression, but inhibited IL-2R expression during anti-CD3/CD28 mAb-induced mouse splenic T cell activation. Western blot analyses of lysates of activated mouse T cells showed that dexamethasone increased CTLA-4 protein levels twofold during anti-CD3/CD28 mAb-induced activation. Dexamethasone also enhanced CTLA-4 messenger RNA twofold as quantified by ribonuclease protection assay. The effects of dexamethasone on CTLA-4 expression were glucocorticoid-specific and completely inhibited by the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist mifepristone (RU486), indicating that the effect of dexamethasone on CTLA-4 expression is mediated through the glucocorticoid receptor. In conclusion, the immunosuppressive agent dexamethasone actually stimulates CTLA-4 expression, which is involved in downregulation of T cell activation. Received 19 May 1999; received after revision 13 July 1999; accepted 13 July 1999     

Mutations in the gene encoding 11-cis retinol dehydrogenase cause delayed dark adaptation and fundus albipunctatus.

The metabolic pathways that produce 11-cis retinal are important for vision because this retinoid is the chromophore residing in rhodopsin and the cone opsins. The all-trans retinal that is generated after cone and rod photopigments absorb photons of light is recycled back to 11-cis retinal by the retinal pigment epithelium and Müller cells of the retina. Several of the enzymes involved have recently been purified and molecularly cloned; here we focus on 11-cis retinol dehydrogenase (encoded by the gene RDH5; chromosome 12q13-14; ref. 4), the first cloned enzyme in this pathway. This microsomal enzyme is abundant in the retinal pigment epithelium, where it has been proposed to catalyse the conversion of 11-cis retinol to 11-cis retinal. We evaluated patients with hereditary retinal diseases featuring subretinal spots (retinitis punctata albescens and fundus albipunctatus) and patients with typical dominant or recessive retinitis pigmentosa for mutations in RDH5. Mutations were found only in two unrelated patients, both with fundus albipunctatus; they segregated with disease in the respective families. Recombinant mutant 11-cis retinol dehydrogenases had reduced activity compared with recombinant enzyme with wild-type sequence. Our results suggest that mutant alleles in RDH5 are a cause of fundus albipunctatus, a rare form of stationary night blindness characterized by a delay in the regeneration of cone and rod photopigments.     

测井资料分析系统接口电路设计

从一种超声模拟测井记录的井下信号、深度信号送微机处理的实际要求出发，分析井下信号数据采集的工作原理，阐述了与１２位Ａ／Ｄ转换器实时配套工作的双存储体工作时序。通过对深度信号的解调，提出了一种解决４ＦＳＫ解调的有效方法。