A novel site of adult doublecortin expression: neuropeptide neurons within the suprachiasmatic nucleus circadian clock

Background  

The mammalian suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) is composed of heterogeneous sub-groups of neurons that are organized into a neural system for the control of circadian physiology and behaviour. Molecular circadian 'clocks' are not an exclusive property of SCN neurons but the unique role of the SCN as a central integrative pacemaker is associated with specialized aspects of neuronal organization. Current studies are aimed at identifying the functional components of this hypothalamic integrative centre.     

乘性噪音和加性噪音效应对脉孢菌生物钟体系内信号随机共振的增强

利用有和无外信号作用的脉孢菌生物钟体系,研究了与加性噪音相关或不相关的乘性噪音对加性噪音诱导出的内信号随机共振的影响作用.结果表明：无外信号的情况下,不论加性和乘性噪音相关与否,当乘性噪音强度小于临界值时,乘性噪音的加入使加性噪音诱导产生的内随机共振强度得到增强;当大于其临界值时,加性噪音的随机共振强度却得不到进一步增强,这说明脉孢菌生物钟体系能抵抗外噪音的干扰而维持自身的生理节奏.当加入外信号时,对于乘性和加性噪音不相关的情况,发现存在最佳频率（0.003 Hz）的外信号能使加性噪音诱导出的内信号随机共 关键词： 噪音 脉孢菌生物钟体系 内信号随机共振     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">lin-12</Emphasis> Notch functions in the adult nervous system of <Emphasis Type="Italic">C. elegans</Emphasis>

Background  

Notch signaling pathways are conserved across species and traditionally have been implicated in cell fate determination during embryonic development. Notch signaling components are also expressed postdevelopmentally in the brains of adult mice and Drosophila. Recent studies suggest that Notch signaling may play a role in the physiological, rather than developmental, regulation of neurons. Here, we investigate a new non-developmental role for Caenorhabditis elegans lin-12 Notch signaling in neurons regulating the spontaneous reversal rate during locomotion.     

Circadian clock-controlled diurnal oscillation of Ras/ERK signaling in mouse liver

Accumulating evidence indicates that ERK MAP kinase signaling plays an important role in the regulation of the circadian clock, especially in the clock-resetting mechanism in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) in mammals. Previous studies have also shown that ERK phosphorylation exhibits diurnal variation in the SCN. However, little is known about circadian regulation of ERK signaling in peripheral tissues. Here we show that the activity of Ras/ERK signaling exhibits circadian rhythms in mouse liver. We demonstrate that Ras activation, MEK phosphorylation, and ERK phosphorylation oscillate in a circadian manner. As the oscillation of ERK phosphorylation is lost in Cry1/Cry2 double-knockout mice, Ras/ERK signaling should be under the control of the circadian clock. Furthermore, expression of MAP kinase phosphatase-1 (Mkp-1) shows diurnal changes in liver. These results indicate that Ras/ERK signaling is strictly regulated by the circadian clock in liver, and suggest that the circadian oscillation of the activities of Ras, MEK, and ERK may regulate diurnal variation of liver function and/or homeostasis.     

Occurrence and ultrastructure of Albugo candida on a new host, Arabis alpina in Saudi Arabia

A population of Arabis alpina (Brassicaceae) growing in Saudi Arabia was observed to be infected for the first time by the Oomycete, Albugo candida. Both conventional chemical fixation and high pressure freezing followed by freeze substitution (HPF/FS) were used to prepare zoosporangia, intercellular hyphae, haustoria, invading host cells and host–parasite interface of A. candida for study with both scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Both fixations gave good preservation of ultrastructural details and data from the two sample types were highly complementary. Scanning electron microscopic observation revealed that mature zoosporangia of A. candida are spherical or ellipsoidal in shape and characterized by a smooth surface and faint terminal secession scar at each end. Transmission electron microscopic observation indicated that coenocytic intercellular hyphae are located in intercellular spaces of host leaf tissue forming haustoria in host mesophyll cell. Each haustorium is connected to intercellular hyphae by a narrow, slender neck which enclosed by a collar as a response of host cell to infection. The cytoplasm of the haustorium contains different organelles characteristic of the Oomycetes. No obvious responses are observed in host cell organelles following infection which may be due to the presence of a compatibility between the host and the Oomycete. Modifications of the host plasma membrane around the haustorium are detected. Many tubular elements were found to be continuous with the extrahaustorial membrane. This appears to be the first report of the presence of these tubular elements in case of A. candida haustoria. These tubular elements may increase membrane surface area and consequently increase the efficacy of nutrients uptake by haustoria from host cell.     

Light, Reactive Oxygen Species, and Magnetic Fields Activating ERK/MAPK Signaling Pathway in Cultured Zebrafish Cells

To guarantee that organism’s biological rhythms remain tied to the rhythms of its environment, the circadian clock must be able to reset itself in response to environmental cues. The main environmental stimulus for organisms is light, which is provided by day–night cycles. Cultured lines of zebrafish cells have been established as an attractive vertebrate cell-based model suitable for the examination of the light signaling pathway for entraining the circadian clock. Studies using these cell lines have revealed critical roles for the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways in light-dependent circadian entrainment. Here, we show in cultured zebrafish cells that artificial magnetic fields induce extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)/MAPK activation with kinetics analogous to those elicited by light, suggesting that magnetic fields may influence circadian regulation in zebrafish. Our findings indicate that cultured zebrafish cells represent a valuable system for investigating the links between magnetic fields and the signaling pathways responsible for the synchronization of vertebrate circadian clocks under laboratory conditions.     

异质神经元的排列对环形耦合神经元网络频率同步的影响

以一维环形耦合的非全同FitzHugh-Nagumo神经元网络为研究对象,讨论这种异质神经元在环上的不同排列对其频率同步的影响.研究结果显示,异质神经元的排列不同,对应的神经元网络达到频率同步所需的临界耦合强度也不完全相同.在平均意义下,异质性较小的神经元在环上的距离越近,神经元网络达到频率同步所需的临界耦合强度越大;相反,异质性较大的神经元在环上的距离越近,神经元网络达到同步所需的临界耦合强度越小.通过对频率同步过程的分析,进一步给出了产生这一现象的动力学机理.     

Heterogeneous dynamics at the glass transition in van der Waals liquids, in the bulk and in thin films

It has been shown over the last few years that the dynamics close to the glass transition is strongly heterogeneous, both by measuring the diffusion coefficient of tagged particles or by NMR studies. Recent experiments have also demonstrated that the glass transition temperature of thin polymer films can be shifted as compared to the same polymer in the bulk. We propose here first a thermodynamical model for van der Waals liquids, which accounts for experimental results regarding the bulk modulus of polymer melts and the evolution of the density with temperature. This model allows us to describe the density fluctuations in such van der Waals liquids. Then, by considering the thermally induced density fluctuations in the bulk, we propose that the 3D glass transition is controlled by the percolation of small domains of slow dynamics, which allows to explain the heterogeneous dynamics close to T _g. We show then that these domains percolate at a lower temperature in the quasi-2D case of thin suspended polymer films and we calculate the corresponding glass transition temperature reduction, in quantitative agreement with experimental results of Jones and co-workers. In the case of strongly adsorbed films, we show that the strong adsorption amounts to enhance the slow domains percolation. This effect leads to 1) a broadening of the glass transition and 2) an increase of T _g in quantitative agreement with experimental results. For both strongly and weakly adsorbed films, the shift in T _g is given by a power law, the exponent being the inverse of that of the correlation length of 3D percolation. Received 21 March 2000 and Received in final form 4 December 2000     

随机脉冲微分方程的p阶矩稳定性和参激白噪声作用下Lorenz系统的脉冲同步

考察了随机脉冲微分系统的p阶矩稳定性问题,在更符合脉冲系统一般假设的情况下,建立了条件更弱的随机脉冲微分系统p阶矩稳定性判定定理.并应用该判定定理,考察了参激白噪声作用下Lorenz系统的脉冲同步问题,证明了同步误差系统的p阶矩稳定性,从而说明在p阶矩的意义下,两个系统是可以用脉冲方法实现同步的.数值模拟验证了随机Lorenz系统脉冲同步的可行性. 关键词： 随机脉冲微分方程 p阶矩稳定性')" href="#">p阶矩稳定性 脉冲 同步     

Distinct roles of presynaptic dopamine receptors in the differential modulation of the intrinsic synapses of medium-spiny neurons in the nucleus accumbens

Background

In both schizophrenia and addiction, pathological changes in dopamine release appear to induce alterations in the circuitry of the nucleus accumbens that affect coordinated thought and motivation. Dopamine acts principally on medium-spiny GABA neurons, which comprise 95% of accumbens neurons and give rise to the majority of inhibitory synapses in the nucleus. To examine dopamine action at single medium-spiny neuron synapses, we imaged Ca²⁺ levels in their presynaptic varicosities in the acute brain slice using two-photon microscopy.

Results

Presynaptic Ca²⁺ rises were differentially modulated by dopamine. The D1/D5 selective agonist SKF81297 was exclusively facilitatory. The D2/D3 selective agonist quinpirole was predominantly inhibitory, but in some instances it was facilitatory. Studies using D2 and D3 receptor knockout mice revealed that quinpirole inhibition was either D2 or D3 receptor-mediated, while facilitation was mainly D3 receptor-mediated. Subsets of varicosities responded to both D1 and D2 agonists, showing that there was significant co-expression of these receptor families in single medium-spiny neurons. Neighboring presynaptic varicosities showed strikingly heterogeneous responses to DA agonists, suggesting that DA receptors may be differentially trafficked to individual varicosities on the same medium-spiny neuron axon.

Conclusion

Dopamine receptors are present on the presynaptic varicosities of medium-spiny neurons, where they potently control GABAergic synaptic transmission. While there is significant coexpression of D1 and D2 family dopamine receptors in individual neurons, at the subcellular level, these receptors appear to be heterogeneously distributed, potentially explaining the considerable controversy regarding dopamine action in the striatum, and in particular the degree of dopamine receptor segregation on these neurons. Assuming that post-receptor signaling is restricted to the microdomains of medium-spiny neuron varicosities, the heterogeneous distribution of dopamine receptors on individual varicosities is likely to encode patterns in striatal information processing.     

Role of network connectivity in intercellular calcium signaling

It is important to understand the coordinated performance of cells in tissue. One possible mechanism in this coordination involves intracellular Ca²⁺ signaling. The topology of intercellular connections in tissue should also play an important role in this process. It is most relevant for plane tissues, in which the interaction between cells is due to gap junctions (epithelium, blood vessels). We demonstrate the importance of the topology of intercellular connectivity by investigating the properties of a model of Ca²⁺ signaling for a small number of connected cells.     

Regulation of prokineticin 2 expression by light and the circadian clock

Background  

The suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) contains the master circadian clock that regulates daily rhythms of many physiological and behavioural processes in mammals. Previously we have shown that prokineticin 2 (PK2) is a clock-controlled gene that may function as a critical SCN output molecule responsible for circadian locomotor rhythms. As light is the principal zeitgeber that entrains the circadian oscillator, and PK2 expression is responsive to nocturnal light pulses, we further investigated the effects of light on the molecular rhythm of PK2 in the SCN. In particular, we examined how PK2 responds to shifts of light/dark cycles and changes in photoperiod. We also investigated which photoreceptors are responsible for the light-induced PK2 expression in the SCN. To determine whether light requires an intact functional circadian pacemaker to regulate PK2, we examined PK2 expression in cryptochrome1,2-deficient (Cry1-/-Cry2-/-) mice that lack functional circadian clock under normal light/dark cycles and constant darkness.     

Sustainment and Controlment of Noise-Induced Circadian Oscillations in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Neurospora</Emphasis>: Noise and External Signal Effects

The effect of light noise on a Neurospora circadian clock system in the steady states is investigated. It is found that the circadian oscillations could be induced by light noise, leading to various resonance phenomena including internal signal stochastic resonance (ISSR) and ISSR without tuning in the system. The strength of ISSR could be significantly reinforced with the decrease of the distance of the control parameter to the Hopf bifurcation point of the system. The fundamental frequency of noise-induced circadian oscillations almost does not change with the increment of light noise intensity, which implies that the Neurospora system could sustain intrinsic circadian rhythms. In addition, the ISSR and ISSR without tuning could be both amplified, suppressed or destroyed by tuning the frequency or amplitude of external signal.     

一种基于纳米级CMOS工艺的互连线串扰RLC解析模型

基于纳米级CMOS工艺,综合考虑电容耦合与电感耦合效应,提出了分布式RLC耦合互连解析模型.采用函数逼近理论与降阶技术,在斜阶跃输入信号下提出了受扰线远端的数值表达式. 基于90和65 nm CMOS工艺,对不同的互连耦合尺寸下的分布式RLC串扰解析模型和Hspice仿真结果进行了比较,误差绝对值都在4%内,能应用于纳米级片上系统（SOC）的电子设计自动化（EDA）设计和集成电路优化设计. 关键词： 纳米级CMOS 互连串扰 分布式 RLC解析模型')" href="#">RLC解析模型     

模型化研究两细胞间基因、蛋白耦合振荡中的噪声效应

本文基于Hill动力学与Michaelis-Menten方程，建立理论模型研究两细胞间基因、蛋白耦合振荡中的噪声效应.研究发现，在Notch信号通路中，两细胞间基因、蛋白耦合振荡呈现了周期振荡特性，表明了细胞间信号传导的同步振荡特性.“内在”噪声和“外在”噪声对两细胞间基因、蛋白耦合振荡有着不同的作用.内噪声有利于细胞间Notch信号通路中各基因、蛋白表达再次提升.外噪声诱导通路中基因、蛋白的表达水平降低，周期振荡变得阻尼.内、外噪声共同作用不仅可使得基因表达适当并呈现出持续振荡模式，而且还可使得细胞间基因转录合成相应的蛋白过程呈现出持续振荡模式.从而表明了基因表达的内、外噪声共同作用有利于控制细胞间基因激活、蛋白合成保持周期节律性.本文理论结果揭示了内外噪声对细胞间Notch信号通路动力学的一种调控机制，确定了内外噪声各自的调控效应，澄清了内外噪声共同作用调控体系持续周期振荡的物理机制，理论结果符合实验，可为设计阻止Notch体系基因、蛋白变异导致的多种疾病和癌症的通路治疗方案提供理论依据.     

外磁场下XY模型中两量子位热纠缠的性质及其调控研究

在海森堡XY模型中,为了统一研究均匀磁场和非均匀磁场对系统热纠缠的影响,在两个量子位分别施加独立可控的外磁场(B+b)和(B-b). 发现在均匀磁场和低温条件下的纠缠度有一个稳定的平台区并发生纠缠突变. 控制磁场不均匀度b和选择合适的材料就可以获得最有利的纠缠,并大大提高系统退纠缠的临界温度T_c. 调节磁场的B值,可以在更宽的温度范围内实现此体系的纠缠开关. 关键词： 热纠缠度 密度矩阵 XY模型')" href="#">XY模型     

Efficient Hopfield pattern recognition on a scale-free neural network

Neural networks are supposed to recognise blurred images (or patterns) of N pixels (bits) each. Application of the network to an initial blurred version of one of P pre-assigned patterns should converge to the correct pattern. In the “standard" Hopfield model, the N “neurons” are connected to each other via N² bonds which contain the information on the stored patterns. Thus computer time and memory in general grow with N². The Hebb rule assigns synaptic coupling strengths proportional to the overlap of the stored patterns at the two coupled neurons. Here we simulate the Hopfield model on the Barabási-Albert scale-free network, in which each newly added neuron is connected to only m other neurons, and at the end the number of neurons with q neighbours decays as 1/q ³. Although the quality of retrieval decreases for small m, we find good associative memory for 1 ≪ m ≪ N. Hence, these networks gain a factor N/m ≫ 1 in the computer memory and time. Received 12 January 2003 Published online 11 April 2003 RID="a" ID="a"e-mail: stauffer@thp.uni-koeln.de     

Bifurcation in neuronal networks with hub structure

We investigate bifurcations in neuronal networks with a hub structure. It is known that hubs play a leading role in characterizing the network dynamical behavior. However, the dynamics of hubs or star-coupled systems is not well understood. Here, we study rather subnetworks with a star-like configuration. This coupled system is an important motif in complex networks. Thus, our study is a basic step for understanding structure formation in large networks. We use the Morris-Lecar neuron with class I and class II excitabilities as a node. Homogeneous (coupling the same class neurons) and heterogeneous (coupling different class neurons) cases are considered for both excitatory and inhibitory coupling. For the homogeneous system class II neurons are suitable for achieving both complete and cluster synchronization in excitatory and inhibitory coupling, respectively. For the heterogeneous system with inhibitory coupling, the class I hub neuron has a wider parameter region of synchronous firings than the class II hub. Moreover, the class I hub neuron with the excitatory synapse gives rise to bifurcations of synchronized states and multi-stability (coexistence of a few different states) is observed.