Miniature Fluorescence Microscopy for Imaging Brain Activity in Freely-Behaving Animals / 神经科学通报·英文版

An ultimate goal of neuroscience is to decipher the principles underlying neuronal information processing at the molecular, cellular, circuit, and system levels. The advent of miniature fluorescence microscopy has furthered the quest by visualizing brain activities and structural dynamics in animals engaged in self-determined behaviors. In this brief review, we summarize recent advances in miniature fluorescence microscopy for neuroscience, focusing mostly on two mainstream solutions - miniature single-photon microscopy, and miniature two-photon microscopy. We discuss their technical advantages and limitations as well as unmet challenges for future improvement. Examples of preliminary applications are also presented to reflect on a new trend of brain imaging in experimental paradigms involving body movements, long and complex protocols, and even disease progression and aging.

Miniature Fluorescence Microscopy for Imaging Brain Activity in Freely-Behaving Animals / 神经科学通报·英文版

An ultimate goal of neuroscience is to decipher the principles underlying neuronal information processing at the molecular, cellular, circuit, and system levels. The advent of miniature fluorescence microscopy has furthered the quest by visualizing brain activities and structural dynamics in animals engaged in self-determined behaviors. In this brief review, we summarize recent advances in miniature fluorescence microscopy for neuroscience, focusing mostly on two mainstream solutions - miniature single-photon microscopy, and miniature two-photon microscopy. We discuss their technical advantages and limitations as well as unmet challenges for future improvement. Examples of preliminary applications are also presented to reflect on a new trend of brain imaging in experimental paradigms involving body movements, long and complex protocols, and even disease progression and aging.

The relationships between coping style, psychological capital and vocational selection anxiety in the female college graduates / 中华行为医学与脑科学杂志

Objective To examine the relationship of coping style,psychological capital and vocational selection anxiety for female college graduates.Methods A sample of 330 female college graduates filled out measures for the simplified coping styles questionnaire (SCSQ),Psychological Capital Questionnaire (PCQ) and vocational selection anxiety Questionnaire(VSAQ).Results Correlation analysis showed that except the self-efficacy and positive coping style collected with concerns about job prospects was not significant (r=-0.08-0.05,P＞0.05),each dimensions of PCQ and SCSQ significantly correlated with the each dimensions of VSAQ (r=-0.44--0.13 or r=0.21-0.28,P＜0.01).Regression analysis showed that negative coping style,resilience,hope and positive coping style could directly predict vocational selection anxiety.Psychological capital were the mediators between positive coping styles and vocational selection anxiety.Conclusion Coping styles and psychological capital are closely related to the female college graduates' vocational selection anxiety,using appropriate coping styles and improving mental ability can effectively reduce vocational selection anxiety.

Contribution of spontaneous L-type Ca2+ channel activation to the genesis of Ca2+ sparks in resting cardiac myocytes.

Ca2+ sparks are the elementary events of intracellular Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum in cardiac myocytes. In order to investigate whether spontaneous L-type Ca2+ channel activation contributes to the genesis of spontaneous Ca2+ sparks, we used confocal laser scanning microscopy and fluo-4 to visualize local Ca2+ sparks in intact rat ventricular myocytes. In the presence of 0.2 mmol/L CdCl2 which inhibits spontaneous L-type Ca2+ channel activation, the rate of occurrence of spontaneous Ca2+ sparks was halved from 4.20 to 2.04 events/(100 microm x s), with temporal and spatial properties of individual Ca2+ sparks unchanged. Analysis of the Cd2+-sensitive spark production revealed an open probability of approximately 10(-5) for L-type channels at the rest membrane potentials (-80 mV). Thus, infrequent and stochastic openings of sarcolemmal L-type Ca2+ channels in resting heart cells contribute significantly to the production of spontaneous Ca2+ sparks.

Ca~(2+) sparks in cardiac myocytes / 中国药理学通报

In cardiac myocytes, Ca 2+ sparks origining fr om a single RyR or a few RyRs are triggered by a single L-type Ca 2+ channel or occur spontaneously. Ca 2+ sparks constitute the elementary local Ca 2+ release events from the SR. Ca 2+ sparks occur at Z-lines and rando mly distribute at different locations, the characteristics of the kinetics are r egulated by many factors. In addition, I Ca.T, Na+/Ca 2+ exchang e, I Ca(TTX) and IP 3 are other putative sources of Ca 2+ that tr igger SR Ca 2+ release.