Synaptic transmission of chaotic spike trains between primary afferent fiber and spinal dorsal horn neuron in the rat

Primary sensory neurons can generate irregular burst firings in which the existence of significant deterministic behaviors of chaotic dynamics has been proved with nonlinear time series analysis. But how well the deterministic characteristics and neural information of presynaptic chaotic spike trains were transmitted into postsynaptic spike trains is still an open question. Here we investigated the synaptic transmission of chaotic spike trains between primary Adelta afferent fiber and spinal dorsal horn neuron. Two kinds of basic stimulus unit, brief burst and single pulse, were employed by us to comprise chaotic stimulus trains. For time series analysis, we defined "events" as the longest sequences of spikes with all interspike intervals less than or equal to a certain threshold and extracted the interevent intervals (IEIs) from spike trains. Return map analysis of the IEI series showed that the main temporal structure of chaotic input trains could be detected in postsynaptic output trains, especially under brief-burst stimulation. Using correlation dimension and nonlinear prediction methods, we found that synaptic transmission could influence the nonlinear characteristics of chaotic trains, such as fractal dimension and short-term predictability, with greater influence made under single-pulse stimulation. By calculating the mutual information between input and output trains, we found the information carried by presynaptic spike trains could not be completely transmitted at primary afferent synapses, and that brief bursts could more reliably transmit the information carried by chaotic input trains across synapses. These results indicate that although unreliability exists during synaptic transmission, the main deterministic characteristics of chaotic burst trains can be transmitted across primary afferent synapses. Moreover, brief bursts that come from the periphery can more reliably transmit neural information between primary afferent fibers and spinal dorsal horn neurons.     

等离子体表面改性涤纶材料的血浆蛋白吸附与血小板黏附行为研究

采用等离子体表面接枝改性技术在涤纶 (聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯 ,PET)材料表面接枝不同分子量的聚乙二醇 (PEG) ,从表面能与界面自由能的角度分析了血浆蛋白 (纤维蛋白原和白蛋白 )在材料表面的竞争吸附关系 ,结果表明接枝了 PEG长链分子的 PET材料具有优先吸附白蛋白的性质 ,其中接枝 PEG6 0 0 0的 PET优先吸附倾向最明显。预接触白蛋白和纤维蛋白原的 PET材料表面的血小板黏附实验表明 :吸附白蛋白的表面能够显著抑制血小板的黏附和聚集 ,表现出好的血液相容性 ,而吸附了纤维蛋白原的材料表面具有降低血液相容性的性质。     

酶联免疫法检测PAF受体RNA的聚合酶链反应产物

目的：建立PCR—ELISA法检测附受体RNA。方法：提取20例银屑病病人和20例正常对照组血液单个核细胞标本中的总RNA，用双标记的PAF—R(Biotion与Digoxin标记)及β-actin(Biotin或Fluorescein标记)引物进行RT-PCR，用ELISA检测PCR产物，用传统的琼脂糖凝胶电泳对照。结果；ELISA法和琼脂糖凝胶电泳法对β-actin检测结果均为阳性；ELISA法检测PAF-R，20例病人标本均为阳性，20例对照组16例阳性；琼脂糖凝胶电泳法检测PAF—R，20例病人标本18例阳性，20例对照组16例阳性。结论：PCR-ELISA引物双标记法检测PAF—R操作简单，有较高的敏感性。     

Electrical analogy of diastolic pressure difference between left atrium and ventricle

We proposed a mathematical model to describe the early filling process of the left ventricle and applied the model toin vivo experiments. The solution of a second-order differential equation indicated that the pressure difference between the left atrium and ventricle during ventricular filling (PD) could be explained by a transient response, i.e. decremental oscillation, in an LCR circuit. Thereafter, we analysed the sequence of PD during vagal stimulation with two catheter-tip manometers in 12 anaesthetised dogs and evaluated changes in the parameters of the system under various haemodynamic conditions. The values of ω_n and ξ were quite stable among beats within an episode of vagal stimulation, between episodes and even among dogs, despite the changes in haemodynamic variables. Pericardiotomy and partial discommunication of the mitral valve with the left ventricular free wall by cutting the mitral chordal tendons decreased ω_n and increased ζ, mainly because of the increase in C_LV. Occlusion of the coronary vascular beds with large numbers of microspheres increased ω_n and decreased ζ, mainly because of the decrease in C_LV. Mitral obstruction with an inflated balloon (increase in R) abolished the oscillatory changes and produced and exponential decay sequence of PD. In conclusion, both the logical and experimental approaches indicated that the sequence of PD could be considered as decremental oscillation in the LCR circuit and the parameters ω_n and ξ could be good indices of the diastolic property of the left ventricle     

高血压病患者血清IGFⅡ的变化

目的 :探讨胰岛素样生长因子Ⅱ (IGFⅡ )与高血压病 (EH)以及与高血压伴左室肥厚 (EH伴LVH)的关系。方法 :采用放射免疫分析 10 0例未治疗的EH患者和 5 0例正常人血清IGFⅡ水平。并用彩色多普勒诊断仪测定 10 0例EH患者的左心室重量 (LVM )。结果 :EH患者血清IGFⅡ水平明显高于正常人[(0 6 6± 0 35 )ng/ml:(0 4 4± 0 14 )ng/ml,p <0 0 1],EH伴LVH者IGFⅡ高于EH非LVH者 [(0 82± 0 4 0 )ng/ml:(0 5 4± 0 2 0 )ng/ml,p <0 0 1]。结论 :EH患者IGFⅡ水平升高 ,其升高程度与病情密切相关 ,IGFⅡ可能参与了EH心肌肥厚的形成     

Immunization with Combined HSV-2 Glycoproteins B2:D2 Gene DNAs: Protection against Lethal Intravaginal Challenges in Mice

The immunity of a combined DNA vaccine of HSV-2 glycoproteins B2 (gB2) and D2 (gD2) genes in comparison to individual vaccines was studied with regard to protecting against the HSV infection. Two recombinant DNA vaccines of the pHS2-gB2 or pHS2-gD2 were constructed and formulated. The neutralizing antibody titers appeared higher in the B2:D2 gene cocktail-vaccinated mice than that of the individual B2 or D2 gene-vaccinated group alone, and the positive KOS control induced higher titer of the neutralizing antibody than combined or individual gene vaccines. The mock-immunized mice failed to induce enough. The ranks for the CTL activity and the protection rates against the lethal intravaginal challenge were shown as KOS>B2:D2 cocktail>D2>B2 gene vaccines. The vaginal external diseases in the B2:D2 or D-vaccinated mice were significantly reduced against the challenging dosages. The virus titers in the vaginal secretions of the vaccinated mice significantly reduced with time, and the B2:D2 gene vaccine decreased more than each individual vaccine alone. It can be concluded that the cocktailed vaccines are more effective in the humoral and cellular immune responses in the mice, and in the protection of the mice against the intravaginal challenging dosages when compared with individual gene vaccines. All the DNA vaccines failed to block the latent infection in sensory nerves.     

Mercury (II) alters mitochondrial activity of monocytes at sublethal doses via oxidative stress mechanisms

The perennial controversy about the safety of mercury in dental amalgams has adversely affected the availability and the quality of dental care. Chronic Hg(II) blood concentrations above 300 nM are known to alter function of the nervous system and the kidney. However, the effects of blood concentrations of 10 to 75 nM, far more common in the general population, are not clear and mechanisms of any effects are not known. The monocyte is an important potential target of Hg(II) because of its critical role in directing inflammatory and immune responses. In the current study we tested the hypothesis that concentrations of Hg(II) of 10 to 300 nM alter monocyte activity via a redox-dependent mechanism. Mitochondrial activity was used to establish inhibitory concentrations of Hg(II) following 6 to 72 h of exposures to THP1 human monocytic cells. Then subinhibitory concentrations were applied, and total glutathione levels and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were measured. Antioxidants [N-acetyl cysteine, (NAC); Na2SeO3, (Se)] and a pro-oxidant (tert-butylhydroquinone, tBHQ) were used to support the hypothesis that Hg(II) effects were redox-mediated. After 72 h of exposure, 20 microM of Hg(II) inhibited monocytic mitochondrial activity by 50%. NAC mitigated Hg(II)-induced mitochondrial suppression only at concentrations of greater than 10 microM, but Se had few effects on Hg-induced mitochondrial responses. tBHQ significantly enhanced mitochondrial suppression at higher Hg(II) concentrations. Hg(II) concentrations of 75 and 300 nM (0.075 and 0.30 microM, respectively) significantly increased total glutathione levels, and NAC mitigated these increases. Se plus Hg(II) significantly elevated Hg-induced total cellular glutathione levels. Increased ROS levels were not detected in monocytes exposed to mercury. Hg(II) acts in monocytic cells, at least in part, through redox-mediated mechanisms at concentrations below those commonly associated with chronic mercury toxicity, but commonly occurring in the blood of some dental patients.     

LOX-1介导ox-LDL诱导的血管内皮细胞MCP-1的表达

目的：观察血凝素氧化低密度脂蛋白受体-1（LOX-1）对氧化LDL（ox-LDL）诱导的人脐静脉内皮细胞(human unbilical vein endothelial cells, HUVECs)表达单核细胞趋化蛋白（monocyte chemoattractant protein-1, MCP-1）基因及蛋白的影响。 方法： 用RT-PCR和Western blot的方法观察ox-LDL对培养的HUVECs表达LOX-1和MCP-1基因及蛋白的影响，然后用LOX-1的受体阻滞剂爱兰苔胶（carrageenan） 和聚肌苷酸［polyinosinic acid，poly(I)］与HUVECs预先作用后，再观察内皮细胞表达LOX-1和MCP-1基因和蛋白的变化。 结果： 用不同浓度的ox-LDL（0 mg/L、10 mg/L、20 mg/L 、50 mg/L、100 mg/L）与HUVECs培养24 h后，LOX-1和MCP-1的mRNA和蛋白的表达明显增加，呈浓度依赖性；用Carrageenan 和polyinosinic acid与HUVECs预先作用2 h后，再加入50 mg/L的ox-LDL培养24 h，与未加Carrageenan和polyinosinic acid相比，HUVECsLOX-1和MCP-1的mRNA和蛋白的表达明显减少。 结论： ox-LDL可以调节培养的HUVECsLOX-1和MCP-1基因和蛋白的表达，LOX-1作为ox-LDL的特异性受体，可能介导了ox-LDL诱导血管内皮细胞分泌MCP-1，从而在动脉粥样硬化的发生发展中起着重要的作用。     

人脐静脉内皮细胞清除补体攻膜复合物的机制

目的：探讨内皮细胞清除补体攻膜复合物（MAC）的途径及其清除动力学，方法：原代培养的人脐静脉内皮细胞以RH414荧光标记质膜双层，0℃组装亚溶剂量的MAC，37℃复苏后，LSCM实时监MAC沉积诱导的质膜囊泡化形成和胞吞，胞吐情况,流式细胞仪定量检测内皮细胞表面MAC抗原的清除情况，结果：MAC沉积后，内皮细胞有的质膜囊泡化形成，囊泡以胞吞和胞吐2种方式离开细胞，并以前者占优，37度条件下，内皮细胞清除表面MAC的半衰期约为5min。结论：内皮细胞可通过胞吞和胞吐2种机制清除细胞表面沉积的MAC，并以胞吞方式为主。