Fusion between a myogenic cell in the satellite cell position and undamaged adult myofibre segments.

In this report we demonstrate for the first time that differentiating myogenic cells, geographically located between the plasmalemma and external lamina of myofibres in the satellite cell position, can fuse directly with the plasmalemma of undamaged segments of mature myofibres.     

Intravenous delivery of a multi-mechanistic cancer-targeted oncolytic poxvirus in humans

The efficacy and safety of biological molecules in cancer therapy, such as peptides and small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), could be markedly increased if high concentrations could be achieved and amplified selectively in tumour tissues versus normal tissues after intravenous administration. This has not been achievable so far in humans. We hypothesized that a poxvirus, which evolved for blood-borne systemic spread in mammals, could be engineered for cancer-selective replication and used as a vehicle for the intravenous delivery and expression of transgenes in tumours. JX-594 is an oncolytic poxvirus engineered for replication, transgene expression and amplification in cancer cells harbouring activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)/Ras pathway, followed by cell lysis and anticancer immunity. Here we show in a clinical trial that JX-594 selectively infects, replicates and expresses transgene products in cancer tissue after intravenous infusion, in a dose-related fashion. Normal tissues were not affected clinically. This platform technology opens up the possibility of multifunctional products that selectively express high concentrations of several complementary therapeutic and imaging molecules in metastatic solid tumours in humans.     

Kindling stimulation induces c-fos protein(s) in granule cells of the rat dentate gyrus

Alterations in neuronal gene expression have been proposed to account for permanent changes in brain function such as learning and memory. In particular, it has been suggested that protooncogenes such as c-fos may be rapidly induced in conditions that lead to neuronal plasticity and evoke permanent changes in the expression of effector genes. Concentrations of the c-fos proto-oncogene increase rapidly following depolarization-induced calcium influx in non-dividing neuronally differentiated PC 12 cells. Recently, the presence and induction of c-fos in the adult brain and spinal cord has been observed. Here we report that electrically-induced seizure activity, which leads to a permanent increase in the response of the brain to future seizures (kindling), rapidly and transiently increases c-fos protein-like immunoreactivity in the nuclei of granule cells in the rat dentate gyrus. These results suggest that c-fos protein is present within the nuclei of adult mammalian neurons, and could be involved in plastic changes in the nervous system associated with seizure activity.     

基于3D-CDF(2,2)和3D SPIHT的序列图像压缩编码研究

研究了3D DWT和3D SPIHT算法,用CDF（2,2）双正交小波为帧内小波变换的小波基,考虑到边界延拓效应,时间维小波变换也选用CDF（2,2）双正交小波为时间维小波变换的小波基,实验结果表明算法对于视频序列图像压缩是非常有效的,其压缩效果明显优于基于3D-DCT的压缩编码算法.     

Mate choice on fallow deer leks

Leks, on which males defend small clustered mating territories, may have evolved because of the unusual opportunities they provide for female choice of mating partners, and several studies of lek-breeding animals have demonstrated correlations between the mating success of males and their phenotype or behaviour. However, these could arise because (1) females select mates on the basis of male phenotypic traits; (2) males interfere with each other's mating attempts; or (3) females show preferences for particular mating territories, and larger or stronger males are more likely to win access to these territories. Here we report that when fallow bucks on a traditional lek were experimentally induced to change their territories, differences in the mating success of bucks persisted, whereas differences in the position of their territories relative to the centre of the lek did not. The observation that bucks rarely interfered with their neighbours' harems and females moved freely between bucks suggests that females choose their mates on the basis of male phenotype rather than territory type or location. In this population, the immediate factor affecting the movements of females between males was the size of a buck's harem.     

An abundance of small exoplanets around stars with a wide range of metallicities

The abundance of heavy elements (metallicity) in the photospheres of stars similar to the Sun provides a 'fossil' record of the chemical composition of the initial protoplanetary disk. Metal-rich stars are much more likely to harbour gas giant planets, supporting the model that planets form by accumulation of dust and ice particles. Recent ground-based surveys suggest that this correlation is weakened for Neptunian-sized planets. However, how the relationship between size and metallicity extends into the regime of terrestrial-sized exoplanets is unknown. Here we report spectroscopic metallicities of the host stars of 226 small exoplanet candidates discovered by NASA's Kepler mission, including objects that are comparable in size to the terrestrial planets in the Solar System. We find that planets with radii less than four Earth radii form around host stars with a wide range of metallicities (but on average a metallicity close to that of the Sun), whereas large planets preferentially form around stars with higher metallicities. This observation suggests that terrestrial planets may be widespread in the disk of the Galaxy, with no special requirement of enhanced metallicity for their formation.     

Preventing a population decline of red grouse (Lagopus lagopus scoticus) by manipulating density

Summary This experiment tested whether a cyclic-type population decline can be prevented by removing territorial cock red grouse to keep breeding density below peak levels. The manipulated population did not decline, despite big decreases in food and breeding success, and more parasitic threadworms per bird than on the control.