华南、华北人群HLA-DQB1等位基因多态性

目的从基因水平调查了中国华南、华北地区人群HLA-DQB1等位基因频率，并研究比较两地区人群HLA-DQB1多态性分布。方法采用深圳益生堂生物企业有限公司研制开发的“HLA-DQB1低分辨率分型基因芯片检测试剂盒”，应用聚合酶链反应．序列特异性引物＋序列特异性寡核苷酸探针芯片检测技术，对700名南方地区的中国人和320名北方地区的中国人进行基因分型。结果鉴定了10个HLA-DQB1等位基因，获得了一组准确、科学的统计数据。结论得到了中国华南、华北地区人群HLA-DQB1等位基因频率差异的数据，证明中国人群HLA-DQB1＊02，05，0601，0602，0603的分布南北差异有统计学意义（P〈0．05），为疾病相关性研究、人文科学研究提供了可靠的遗传学数据。     

Sleep as a behavioral model of neuro-immune interactions

The central nervous system, by a variety of mechanisms engages in constant surveillance of the peripheral immune system. Alterations in the status of the peripheral immune system induced by an invading pathogen for example, are quickly detected by the central nervous system, which then responds by altering physiological processes and behavior in an attempt to support the immune system in its efforts to eliminate the pathogen. Sleep is one of several behaviors that are dramatically altered in response to infection. Immune-active substances such as the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1 and tumor necrosis factor, either directly or indirectly via interactions with neurotransmitters or neurohormones are involved in the regulation of sleep. Because these cytokines increase during infection, they are likely candidates for mediating the profound alterations in sleep that occur during infection. Since regulation of behavior is the function of the central nervous system, infection-induced alterations in behavior provide a unique model for the study of neuro-immune interactions.     

Longitudinal relationships between nutritional status, body composition, and physical fitness in rural children of South Africa: The Ellisras longitudinal study.

The objective of this study was to investigate the development and tracking of nutritional status, body composition and physical fitness, and the longitudinal relationship of changes in nutritional status, and body composition with changes in physical fitness over a 1-year period of follow-up. Studied were 380 boys and 322 girls aged 7-14 years from the Ellisras Longitudinal Study. Boys and girls were divided into two groups of pre-adolescence (<11 years) and adolescence (>10 years). High tracking coefficients (>8) were found for nutritional status, body mass index, and fat-free mass, while low tracking coefficients (<4) were found for the sum of skinfolds, fat mass, arm muscle area, and central fat distribution. Moderate and low tracking coefficients were found for the physical fitness items. Longitudinal regression analyses showed that physical fitness performances that require a high energy flux over a short period of time are affected by muscle wasting, whereas having a low body weight appears to be important for a good performance on other fitness items in these malnourished rural South African children.     

Lung preservation solution substrate composition affects rat lung oxidative metabolism during hypothermic storage

Lungs harvested for transplantation utilize oxygen after procurement. We investigated the effects of storage solution substrate composition on pulmonary oxidative metabolism and energetics during the preservation interval. Rat lungs were harvested and stored at 10 degrees C in low-potassium dextran (LPD) solution. Groups of lungs were preserved with preservation solution containing 5mM carbon-13 ((13)C) labeled glucose or increasing concentrations of (13)C labeled pyruvate. Additional groups of rat lungs were studied with dichloroacetate (DCA) added to the pyruvate-modified preservation solutions. Oxidative metabolism (measured by (13)C-enrichment of glutamate) and adenine nucleotide levels were quantified. Increasing preservation solution pyruvate concentration augmented glutamate (13)C-enrichment up to a concentration of 32mM pyruvate. DCA further stimulated oxidative metabolism only at lower concentrations of pyruvate (4 and 8mM). ATP and ADP were not different among groups, but AMP levels were higher in the glucose group. These data suggest that altering the substrate composition of the preservation solution influences lung metabolism during allograft preservation for transplantation.     

Entamoeba invadens contains the components of a classical adrenergic signaling system

Epinephrine (Epi) was previously found to bypass the need for galactose ligands during early steps in the initiation of Entamoeba encystment. Epinephrine is presumed to act on amoebae through a classical adrenergic signaling pathway that results in the increased production of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP). The object of this study was to verify the existence of an adrenergic like pathway and its response to Epi in both whole Entamoeba trophozoites and purified plasma membrane preparations. Whole trophozoite and purified membrane preparations from Entamoeba invadens responded to the presence of Epi by increasing the production of cAMP. The modulators of heterotrimeric G protein signaling, forskolin (FK), pertussis toxin (PTX) and cholera toxin (CTX), also increased cAMP levels in whole cells and membrane fragments. All of these increases in cAMP were inhibited by specific inhibitors of adenylyl cyclase (AC). Treatment of membrane fragments with epinephrine caused an increased binding of non-hydrolysable GTP analogs. Entamoeba trophozoites therefore appear to contain G-protein-regulated adenylyl cyclase that functions downstream of an adrenergic ligand receptor.     

Temporal expression and cellular origin of CC chemokine receptors CCR1, CCR2 and CCR5 in the central nervous system: insight into mechanisms of MOG-induced EAE

Background  

The CC chemokine receptors CCR1, CCR2 and CCR5 are critical for the recruitment of mononuclear phagocytes to the central nervous system (CNS) in multiple sclerosis (MS) and other neuroinflammatory diseases. Mononuclear phagocytes are effector cells capable of phagocytosing myelin and damaging axons. In this study, we characterize the regional, temporal and cellular expression of CCR1, CCR2 and CCR5 mRNA in the spinal cord of rats with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein-induced experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (MOG-EAE). While resembling human MS, this animal model allows unique access to CNS-tissue from various time-points of relapsing neuroinflammation and from various lesional stages: early active, late active, and inactive completely demyelinated lesions.     

Early appearance of inhibitory input to the MNTB supports binaural processing during development

Despite the peripheral and central immaturities that limit auditory processing in juvenile animals, they are able to lateralize sounds using binaural cues. This study explores a central mechanism that may compensate for these limitations during development. Interaural time and level difference processing by neurons in the superior olivary complex depends on synaptic inhibition from the medial nucleus of the trapezoid body (MNTB), a group of inhibitory neurons that is activated by contralateral sound stimuli. In this study, we examined the maturation of coding properties of MNTB neurons and found that they receive an inhibitory influence from the ipsilateral ear that is modified during the course of postnatal development. Single neuron recordings were obtained from the MNTB in juvenile (postnatal day 15-19) and adult gerbils. Approximately 50% of all recorded MNTB neurons were inhibited by ipsilateral sound stimuli, but juvenile neurons displayed a much greater suppression of firing as compared with those in adults. A comparison of the prepotential and postsynaptic action potential indicated that inhibition occurred at the presynaptic level, likely within the cochlear nucleus. A simple linear model of level difference detection by lateral superior olivary neurons that receive input from MNTB suggested that inhibition of the MNTB may expand the response of LSO neurons to physiologically realistic level differences, particularly in juvenile animals, at a time when these cues are reduced.     

Gastrointestinal Contributions to the Postprandial Experience

Food ingestion induces homeostatic sensations (satiety, fullness) with a hedonic dimension (satisfaction, changes in mood) that characterize the postprandial experience. Both types of sensation are secondary to intraluminal stimuli produced by the food itself, as well as to the activity of the digestive tract. Postprandial sensations also depend on the nutrient composition of the meal and on colonic fermentation of non-absorbed residues. Gastrointestinal function and the sensitivity of the digestive tract, i.e., perception of gut stimuli, are determined by inherent individual factors, e.g., sex, and can be modulated by different conditioning mechanisms. This narrative review examines the factors that determine perception of digestive stimuli and the postprandial experience.     

The Potential of Anti-Bullying Efforts to Prevent Academic Failure and Youth Crime. A Case Using the Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP)

Prevention Science - The effectiveness of bullying prevention programs has led to expectations that these programs could have effects beyond their primary goals. By reducing the number of victims...