Floral morphology and reproductive biology of Dendrobium jiajiangense (Orchidaceae) in Mt. Fotang,southwestern China

The relationships between floral morphology and the particular pollinator, flower shelter function and reproductive success as well as details of the breeding system of Dendrobium jiajiangense were investigated at Fotang Mountains in Jiajiang County, Sichuan Province, China. D. jiajiangense is pollinator-specific, being pollinated by Andrena parvula. There exists considerable mechanical fit between the floral morphology of D. jiajiangense and A. parvula. Importantly, A. parvula uses D. jiajiangense flowers as shelter both during rainy weather and at night during sunny weather. This significantly increase the pollination success of D. jiajiangens. D. jiajiangense is self-compatible but pollinator-dependent for fruit set. Fruit set of D. jiajiangens was 100% after hand-self-pollination, but seed viability was normally greatly reduced.     

Using crowdsourcing to examine relations between delay and probability discounting

Although the extensive lines of research on delay and/or probability discounting have greatly expanded our understanding of human decision-making processes, the relation between these two phenomena remains unclear. For example, some studies have reported robust associations between delay and probability discounting, whereas others have failed to demonstrate a consistent relation between the two. The current study sought to clarify this relation by examining the relation between delay and probability discounting in a large sample of internet users (n = 904) using the Amazon Mechanical Turk (AMT) crowdsourcing service. Because AMT is a novel data collection platform, the findings were validated through the replication of a number of previously established relations (e.g., relations between delay discounting and cigarette smoking status). A small but highly significant positive correlation between delay and probability discounting rates was obtained, and principal component analysis suggested that two (rather than one) components were preferable to account for the variance in both delay and probability discounting. Taken together, these findings suggest that delay and probability discounting may be related, but are not manifestations of a single construct (e.g., impulsivity).     

Identification of a Novel Role for Dematin in Regulating Red Cell Membrane Function by Modulating Spectrin-Actin Interaction

The membrane skeleton plays a central role in maintaining the elasticity and stability of the erythrocyte membrane, two biophysical features critical for optimal functioning and survival of red cells. Many constituent proteins of the membrane skeleton are phosphorylated by various kinases, and phosphorylation of β-spectrin by casein kinase and of protein 4.1R by PKC has been documented to modulate erythrocyte membrane mechanical stability. In this study, we show that activation of endogenous PKA by cAMP decreases membrane mechanical stability and that this effect is mediated primarily by phosphorylation of dematin. Co-sedimentation assay showed that dematin facilitated interaction between spectrin and F-actin, and phosphorylation of dematin by PKA markedly diminished this activity. Quartz crystal microbalance measurement revealed that purified dematin specifically bound the tail region of the spectrin dimer in a saturable manner with a submicromolar affinity. Pulldown assay using recombinant spectrin fragments showed that dematin, but not phospho-dematin, bound to the tail region of the spectrin dimer. These findings imply that dematin contributes to the maintenance of erythrocyte membrane mechanical stability by facilitating spectrin-actin interaction and that phosphorylation of dematin by PKA can modulate these effects. In this study, we have uncovered a novel functional role for dematin in regulating erythrocyte membrane function.     

Mechanical Stimulation of Chondrocyte-agarose Hydrogels

Articular cartilage suffers from a limited repair capacity when damaged by mechanical insult or degraded by disease, such as osteoarthritis. To remedy this deficiency, several medical interventions have been developed. One such method is to resurface the damaged area with tissue-engineered cartilage; however, the engineered tissue typically lacks the biochemical properties and durability of native cartilage, questioning its long-term survivability. This limits the application of cartilage tissue engineering to the repair of small focal defects, relying on the surrounding tissue to protect the implanted material. To improve the properties of the developed tissue, mechanical stimulation is a popular method utilized to enhance the synthesis of cartilaginous extracellular matrix as well as the resultant mechanical properties of the engineered tissue. Mechanical stimulation applies forces to the tissue constructs analogous to those experienced in vivo. This is based on the premise that the mechanical environment, in part, regulates the development and maintenance of native tissue^1,2. The most commonly applied form of mechanical stimulation in cartilage tissue engineering is dynamic compression at physiologic strains of approximately 5-20% at a frequency of 1 Hz^1,3. Several studies have investigated the effects of dynamic compression and have shown it to have a positive effect on chondrocyte metabolism and biosynthesis, ultimately affecting the functional properties of the developed tissue^4-8. In this paper, we illustrate the method to mechanically stimulate chondrocyte-agarose hydrogel constructs under dynamic compression and analyze changes in biosynthesis through biochemical and radioisotope assays. This method can also be readily modified to assess any potentially induced changes in cellular response as a result of mechanical stimuli.     

氯沙坦对机械通气大鼠肺组织TNF-α和MPO表达的影响

目的通过观察AngⅡ受体拮抗剂——氯沙坦对呼吸机所致肺组织TNF-α水平和髓过氧化物酶（MPO）活性的影响,探讨氯沙坦对呼吸机所致肺损伤的保护作用。方法 24只健康雄性Wister大鼠随机分为对照组、呼吸机所致肺损伤组（VILI）和氯沙坦干预组（LAP）,分别采用ELISA法测定大鼠肺组织中血管紧张素II（AngⅡ）含量,采用免疫组织化学染色法测定大鼠肺组织TNF-α蛋白表达水平,采用化学比色法测定肺组织匀浆中MPO活性。结果 VILI组大鼠肺组织AngⅡ含量、TNF-α蛋白表达水平以及肺组织匀浆中MPO活性均明显高于对照组（均P〈0.01）。氯沙坦干预组大鼠肺组织AngⅡ含量与VILI组比较无明显差异（P〉0.05）,但肺组织TNF-α蛋白表达水平、肺组织匀浆中MPO活性和肺W/D比值均较VILI组明显降低（均P〈0.01）,同时肺组织病理损伤程度也较VILI组明显减轻。结论 AngⅡ通过调控肺组织中TNF-α的表达在VILI发病中起重要作用,氯沙坦可阻断AngⅡ与AT1受体的结合,下调肺组织TNF-α表达,降低MPO的活性,对VILI具有一定防治作用。     

精恶唑禾草灵对不同品种柴胡茎秆力学特性的影响

为应用茎秆生物力学性质指标研究不同剂量除草剂对柴胡安全性的影响,以南柴胡和北柴胡茎秆为试验材料,精恶唑禾草灵为试验除草剂,分别在拔节期和开花期利用非金属材料万能试验机对茎秆基部第2节间的最大荷载、应力、应变、弹性模量、拉伸强度、剪切强度等力学指标进行测定和统计分析.结果表明:北柴胡的茎杆直径、最大荷载、抗拉强度等均高于南柴胡,最大荷载高了约13%,抗拉强度与茎杆直径呈线性相关关系(R=0.9194);南柴胡和北柴胡拔节期的茎杆拉伸强度和剪切强度均高于开花期;柴胡茎经中低剂量(0-1500ml/hm~2)的精恶唑禾草灵处理后,其抗拉强度和剪切强度无明显变化,但高剂量(3000ml/hm~2)的精恶唑禾草灵施用后显著降低了柴胡茎杆的抗拉强度和剪切强度,会直接导致柴胡抗倒伏能力降低,造成柴胡产量和品质下降.该结果可为柴胡田除草剂的安全施用及药材机械化收割技术的研发提供参考依据.     

罗库溴铵和顺式阿曲库铵持续输注对机械通气SD 大鼠膈肌功能 的影响

目的:比较罗库溴铵或顺式阿曲库铵24h持续输注对机械通气SD大鼠膈肌功能的影响.方法:雄性SD大鼠随机分为四组:一组作为对照组,另外三组用来进行24h的机械通气.其中一组为罗库溴铵组持续输注罗库溴铵,一组顺式阿曲库铵和一组生理盐水.结果:24h机械通气后,与生理盐水组相比,罗库溴铵组的膈肌最大强直张力下降29％,膈肌MuRF-1的mRNA水平增加30％,calpain活性增加约57％,而等效剂量的顺式阿曲库铵组则没有明显改变.结论:与顺式阿曲库铵相比,罗库溴铵可引起Calpain活性的增强和泛素-蛋白酶体系统的激活,对膈肌功能的损害和蛋白水解活性的增强作用更明显.     

Abiotic stresses increase plant regeneration ability

In disturbed habitats, vegetative regeneration is partly ruled by plant reserves and intrinsic growth rates. Under nutrient-limiting conditions, perennial plants tend to exhibit an increased allocation to storage organs. Under mechanically stressful conditions, plants also tend to increase allocation to below-ground biomass and storage organs. We tested whether those stresses acting differently on plants (nutrient level versus mechanical forces) led to similar effect on storage organs and regeneration ability. We measured, for an aquatic plant species, (1) the size and allocation to storage organs (stems) and (2) the regeneration ability of the storage organs. Plant stems were collected in 4 habitats ranked along a nutrient stress gradient, and having encountered null versus significant mechanical stress (flowing water). All stems were placed in similar neutral conditions and left for a period of 6 weeks before measuring their survival and growth. Dry mass allocation to the storage organ (stem) was higher in stressful habitats. Moreover, stress encountered by plants before the experiment significantly affected regeneration: stems of previously stressed plants (i.e. plants that had grown in nutrient-poor or mechanically stressful habitats) survived better than unstressed ones. Stems of plants having encountered mechanical stress before the experiment had increased growth in nutrient-rich habitats but reduced growth in the poorest habitats. These results demonstrate that regeneration could rely on the level of stress previously encountered by plants. Stress could lead to greater regeneration ability following mechanical failure. The possible mechanisms involved in these results are discussed.     

Bending of z-lines by mechanical stimuli: An input signal for integrin dependent modulation of ion channels?

We studied which components of mechanical cell deformation are involved in “stretch modulated ion currents” (SMIC). Murine ventricular myocytes were attached to glass coverslips and deformed in x, y and z with a 16 μm thin glass stylus (S) of calibrated stiffness. Three-dimensional confocal microscopy characterized cell deformation (T-tubular membranes, mitochondria) and bending of S (indicative of the applied force). Axial (x-) displacement of S sheared the upper cell part versus the attached bottom, close to S, it changed sarcomere length and bent z-lines (“z-line displacement”). Vertical (z-press) or transversal (y-shear) displacement of S bulged cytoplasm and mitochondria transversally without detectable z-line displacement.Axial stiffness increased with the extent of stress (“stress stiffening”). Depolymerization of F-actin or block of integrin receptors reduced stiffness. SMIC served as a proxy readout of deformation-induced signaling. Axial deformation activated a non-selective cation conductance (G_ns) and deactivated an inwardly rectifying K⁺ conductance (G_K1), z-press or y-shear did not induce SMIC. Depolymerization of F-actin or block of integrin receptors reduced SMIC. SMIC did not depend on changes in sarcomere length but correlated with the extent of z-line bending. We discuss that both shear stress at the attached cell bottom and z-line bending could activate mechanosensors. Since SMIC was absent during deformations without z-line bending we postulate that z-line bending is a necessary component for SMIC signaling.     

Microwave-assisted Solid Phase Peptide Synthesis on High Loaded Resins

Kinetic of diffusion of reactants from the solution into the resin beads is a key factor of the efficiency of reaction in solid phase synthesis. We demonstrated in this paper that stirring is required to obtain homogeneous solution during the short coupling steps in microwave-assisted SPPS. Different types of resin, loading rate and coupling reactants were investigated to highlight this observation.