神经元的形态分类和识别

对神经元特性的认识,最基本问题是神经元的分类.神经元的形态复杂多样,神经元的识别分类问题有相当的困难.对提供的参考数据进行统计分析,将其转化成对应每类神经元的空间形态的指标参数,然后对每个指标进行定性分析和对比分析,确定对各类型神经元细胞识别起关键作用的指标,利用层次分析法、图形截面、几何相似性等分析方法建立神经元的分类模型.分类模型能够将附录提供的神经元进行准确的分类.数据分析采用开源科学计算软件Scilab进行处理,运行环境为Scilab5.2,部分代码采用C#基于VS2008开发.     

Complete q-Moment Convergence of Moving Average Processes under ψ-mixing Assumption

In this paper,we study the complete q-moment convergence of moving average processes under ψ-mixing assumption.The results obtained not only extend some previous known results,but also improve them.     

From HCOOH to CO at Pd electrodes: a surface-enhanced infrared spectroscopy study

The decomposition of HCOOH on Pd surfaces over a potential range of practical relevance to hydrogen production and fuel cell anode operation was probed by combining high-sensitivity in situ surface-enhanced IR spectroscopy with attenuated total reflection and thin-layer flow cell configurations. For the first time, concrete spectral evidence of CO(ad) formation has been obtained, and a new main pathway from HCOOH to CO(ad) involving the reduction of the dehydrogenation product of HCOOH (i.e., CO(2)) is proposed.     

Membrane-dependent effects of a cytoplasmic helix on the structure and drug binding of the influenza virus M2 protein

The influenza A M2 protein forms a proton channel for virus infection and also mediates virus assembly and budding. The minimum protein length that encodes both functions contains the transmembrane (TM) domain (roughly residues 22-46) for the amantadine-sensitive proton-channel activity and an amphipathic cytoplasmic helix (roughly residues 45-62) for curvature induction and virus budding. However, structural studies involving the TM domain with or without the amphipathic helix differed on the drug-binding site. Here we use solid-state NMR spectroscopy to determine the amantadine binding site in the cytoplasmic-helix-containing M2(21-61). (13)C-(2)H distance measurements of (13)C-labeled protein and (2)H-labeled amantadine showed that in 1,2-dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) bilayers, the first equivalent of drug bound S31 inside the M2(21-61) pore, similar to the behavior of M2 transmembrane peptide (M2TM) in DMPC bilayers. The nonspecific surface site of D44 observed in M2TM is disfavored in the longer peptide. Thus, the pharmacologically relevant drug-binding site in the fully functional M2(21-61) is S31 in the TM pore. Interestingly, when M2(21-61) was reconstituted into a virus-mimetic membrane containing 30% cholesterol, no chemical shift perturbation was observed for pore-lining residues, whereas M2TM in the same membrane exhibited drug-induced chemical shift changes. Reduction of the cholesterol level and the use of unsaturated phospholipids shifted the conformational equilibrium of M2TM fully to the bound state but did not rescue drug binding to M2(21-61). These results suggest that the amphipathic helix, together with cholesterol, modulates the ability of the TM helix to bind amantadine. Thus, the M2 protein interacts with the lipid membrane and small-molecule inhibitors in a complex fashion, and a careful examination of the environmental dependence of the protein conformation is required to fully understand the structure-function relation of this protein.     

Electrochemical detection of extracellular hydrogen peroxide released from RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cells based on horseradish peroxidase-hydroxyapatite nanohybrids

A new method developed for the reliable determination of extracellular and intracellular H(2)O(2) is very useful for gaining a full understanding of the role that H(2)O(2) plays in pathology and physiology, and the relationship between H(2)O(2) and environmental stresses and lipid peroxidation. This work developed and validated an electrochemical approach for the determination of extracellular H(2)O(2) released from RAW 264.7 murine macrophage cells. This approach is based on the electrocatalytic reduction of the released H(2)O(2) at the biosensor of HRP-HAP/GC, which was fabricated by depositing the horseradish peroxidase-hydroxyapatite (HRP-HAP) nanohybrids on a glassy carbon (GC, 3 mm in diameter) electrode. The biosensor exhibited a rapid response (less than 2 s), a low detection limit (0.1±0.02 μM), a wide linear range (5 μM to 0.82 mM), as well as good stability and repeatability. In addition, the common interfering species, such as uric acid (UA), ascorbic acid (AA), glucose, and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), etc., did not cause any interference due to the use of a low operating potential (-400 mV, versus SCE). Therefore, this work has demonstrated a simple and effective sensing platform for the detection of extracellular H(2)O(2) released from cells such as RAW 264.7 cells, which has potential utility to bioelectroanalytical chemistry, cellular biology, and pathophysiology.     

Extraction tool and matrix effects on arsenic speciation analysis in cell lines

Arsenic glutathione (As–GSH) complexes have been suggested as possible metabolites in arsenic (As) metabolism. Extensive research has been performed on the toxicological and apoptotic effects of As, while few reports exist on its metabolism at the cellular level due to the analytical challenges. In this study, an efficient extraction method for arsenicals from cell lines was developed. Evaluation of extraction tools; vortex, ultrasonic bath and ultrasonic probe and solvents; water, chemicals (methanol and trifluoroacetic acid), and enzymes (pepsin, trypsin and protease) was performed. GSH effect on the stability of As–GSH complexes was studied. Arsenic metabolites in dimethylarsino glutathione (DMA(GS)) incubated multiple myeloma cell lines were identified following extraction. Intracellular GSH concentrations of myeloma cell lines were imitated in the extraction media and its corresponding effect on the stability and distribution of As metabolites was studied. An enhancement in both extraction recoveries and time efficiency with the use of the ultrasonic probe was observed. Higher stabilities for the As species in water, pepsin and trypsin were obtained. The presence of 0.5 mM GSH in the extraction media (PBS, pH 7.4) could not stabilize the As–GSH complexes compared to the 5 mM GSH, where high stabilization of the complexes was observed over a 5 day storage study. Finally, the speciation analysis of the DMA(GS) culture incubated cell lines in the presence or absence of GSH revealed the important role GSH plays in the preservation of DMA(GS) identity. Hence, caution is required during the extraction of arsenicals especially the As–GSH complexes, since their identification is highly dependent on GSH concentration.     

Two New Cyclic Pentapeptides from the Marine‐Derived Fungus Aspergillus versicolor

Two new cyclic pentapeptides, named versicotides A ( 1 ) and B ( 2 ), were obtained from a marine‐derived fungus strain ZLN‐60, identified as Aspergillus versicolor. Their structures were established on the basis of chemical and spectroscopic evidence. Versicotides are new cyclic pentapeptides which contain an L ‐alanine residue, two anthranilic acid (=2‐aminobenzoic acid) residues, and two N‐methyl‐L ‐alanine residues. Antitumor activities were evaluated by the SRB and MTT methods.     

Bruceines K and L from the Ripe Fruits of Brucea javanica

Bruceine K ( 1 ), a pentacyclic C₂₀‐quassinoid bearing a unique 12,20‐epoxy moiety, and bruceine L ( 2 ), along with the ten known compounds (6S,7E)‐6,9,10‐trihydroxy‐ and (6S,7E)‐6,9‐dihydroxymegastigma‐4,7‐dien‐3‐one ( 3 and 4 , resp.), cleomiscosins A–C, luteoline, quercetine, bruceantinol, pinoresinol, and thevetiaflavone, were isolated from the ripe fruits of Brucea javanica. Bruceines K ( 1 ) and L ( 2 ) were determined to be (1β,2α,11β,12β,14ξ,15β)‐12,20‐epoxy‐1,2,11,13,14,15‐hexahydroxypicras‐3‐en‐16‐one and (1β,2α,11β,12β,15β)‐13,20‐epoxy‐1,2,11,12‐tetrahydroxy‐16‐oxo‐15‐(senecioyloxy)picras‐3‐en‐21‐oic acid methyl ester (senecioic acid=3‐methylbut‐2‐enoic acid), respectively, on the basis of NMR (¹H‐ and ¹³C‐NMR, DEPT, ¹H,¹H‐COSY, NOESY, HMQC, and HMBC) and ESI‐MS data. Among the known compounds, (6S,7E)‐6,9,10‐trihydroxy‐ and (6S,7E)‐6,9‐dihydroxymegastigma‐4,7‐dien‐3‐one ( 3 and 4 , resp.), cleomiscosin C, luteoline, quercetine, and thevetiaflavone were isolated for the first time from the Brucea plants.     

New Phenylphenalene Derivatives from Water Hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes)

Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is a cause of great concern in terms of environmental and agricultural impacts in many parts of the world. Phytochemical investigation of water hyacinth led to the isolation of six new phenylphenalenes, 2,3‐dihydro‐3,9‐dihydroxy‐5‐methoxy‐4‐phenyl‐1H‐phenalen‐1‐one ( 1 ), 2,3‐dihydro‐8‐methoxy‐9‐phenyl‐1H‐phenalene‐1,4‐diol ( 2 ), 2,3‐dihydro‐4,8‐dimethoxy‐9‐phenyl‐1H‐phenalen‐1‐ol ( 3 ), 2,3‐dihydro‐9‐(4‐hydroxyphenyl)‐8‐methoxy‐1H‐phenalene‐1,4‐diol ( 4 ), 2,6‐dimethoxy‐9‐phenyl‐1H‐phenalen‐1‐one ( 5 ), and 7‐(4‐hydroxyphenyl)‐5,6‐dimethoxy‐1H‐phenalen‐1‐one ( 6 ), together with the four known compounds 7 – 10 . Their structures were elucidated by spectrometric methods including 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR, and MS analysis. These compounds may be involved in allelopathic interactions of water hyacinth with neighboring plants.     

Ultra-high capacity liquid chromatography chip/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry for pharmaceutical analysis

Nanoflow liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (nano-LC/MS) has attracted increasing interest in virtue of high sensitivity, low sample consumption, and minimal matrix effect. In this work a HPLC-Chip/quadrupole time-of-flight (Q-TOF) MS device with a new ultra-high capacity small molecule chip (UHC-Chip) which features a 500 nL enrichment column and a 150 mm × 75 μm analytical column, was evaluated with a drug mixture covering a wide range of polarities. Excellent chromatographic precision with 0.1-0.5% RSD for retention time and 1.7-9.0% RSD for peak area, low limit of detection, good chip-to-chip reproducibility and linearity were obtained by using this UHC-Chip. Compared with the standard HPLC-Chip with 40 nL trapping column, the UHC-Chip showed higher enrichment capability and hence gave a higher response in signal detection. Additionally, 4-30 times increase in sensitivity was obtained compared with conventional LC/MS, which indicated that UHC-Chip/MS was a valuable tool for the quantitative analysis of low level impurities and degradation products in pharmaceuticals. Moreover, satisfactory results obtained from trace drug analysis of serum samples further proved its practicality and potential for use in drug testing and development.