Modern lake ecosystem management by sustainable harvesting and effective utilization of aquatic macrophytes

Limnology - There are many problems related to overgrowth of aquatic macrophytes in many lakes and rivers throughout the world; for instance, the harvesting costs in Lake Biwa have been increasing...     

Adipose Tissue Lipolysis Promotes Exercise-induced Cardiac Hypertrophy Involving the Lipokine C16:1n7-Palmitoleate

Endurance exercise training induces substantial adaptive cardiac modifications such as left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). Simultaneously to the development of LVH, adipose tissue (AT) lipolysis becomes elevated upon endurance training to cope with enhanced energy demands. In this study, we investigated the impact of adipose tissue lipolysis on the development of exercise-induced cardiac hypertrophy. Mice deficient for adipose triglyceride lipase (Atgl) in AT (atATGL-KO) were challenged with chronic treadmill running. Exercise-induced AT lipolytic activity was significantly reduced in atATGL-KO mice accompanied by the absence of a plasma fatty acid (FA) increase. These processes were directly associated with a prominent attenuation of myocardial FA uptake in atATGL-KO and a significant reduction of the cardiac hypertrophic response to exercise. FA serum profiling revealed palmitoleic acid (C16:1n7) as a new molecular co-mediator of exercise-induced cardiac hypertrophy by inducing nonproliferative cardiomyocyte growth. In parallel, serum FA analysis and echocardiography were performed in 25 endurance athletes. In consonance, the serum C16:1n7 palmitoleate level exhibited a significantly positive correlation with diastolic interventricular septum thickness in those athletes. No correlation existed between linoleic acid (18:2n6) and diastolic interventricular septum thickness. Collectively, our data provide the first evidence that adipose tissue lipolysis directly promotes the development of exercise-induced cardiac hypertrophy involving the lipokine C16:1n7 palmitoleate as a molecular co-mediator. The identification of a lipokine involved in physiological cardiac growth may help to develop future lipid-based therapies for pathological LVH or heart failure.     

A putative PhODO1 homologous MYB transcription factor gene, MdMYBB, is not involved in the regulation of aroma volatile biosynthesis in apple

To get deeper insight on the molecular mechanism underlying production of volatile compounds in apple (Malus domestica Borkh.), we performed the isolation and expression analysis of one R2R3-type MYB gene named MdMYBB. The amino acid sequence and the structural features of MdMYBB highly resembled those of PhODO1, which is a key regulator for floral scent biosynthesis in petunia. The expression of MdMYBB was repressed concomitantly with the inhibition of ethylene production, which regulates the volatile synthesis in apple. However, MdMYBB expression was not detected in the flesh from nearly ripened apple fruits, although the detection of exogenous volatiles had actually occurred in the same portion. In addition, overexpression of MdMYBB did not cause any induction of the volatile compounds in the transgenic tobacco lines. Thus, the features of MdMYBB were not in accordance with the aroma volatile emission, unlike the case of PhODO1, suggesting that MdMYBB may not be involved in the regulation of the biosynthesis for apple aroma volatiles. On the basis of the specific expression patterns, we discussed possible physiological roles of MdMYBB in apple.     

Heterorhizy and fine root architecture of rabbiteye blueberry (Vaccinium virgatum) softwood-cuttings

Journal of Plant Research - All fine root systems consist of individual fine roots. Individual roots have morphological, anatomical, and functional heterogeneity (heterorhizy). Heterorhizy plays...     

Rambutan genome revealed gene networks for spine formation and aril development

Rambutan is a popular tropical fruit known for its exotic appearance, has long flexible spines on shells, extraordinary aril growth, desirable nutrition, and a favorable taste. The genome of an elite rambutan cultivar Baoyan 7 was assembled into 328 Mb in 16 pseudo-chromosomes. Comparative genomics analysis between rambutan and lychee revealed that rambutan chromosomes 8 and 12 are collinear with lychee chromosome 1, which resulted in a chromosome fission event in rambutan (n = 16) or a fusion event in lychee (n = 15) after their divergence from a common ancestor 15.7 million years ago. Root development genes played a crucial role in spine development, such as endoplasmic reticulum pathway genes, jasmonic acid response genes, vascular bundle development genes, and K⁺ transport genes. Aril development was regulated by D-class genes (STK and SHP1), plant hormone and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis genes, and sugar metabolism genes. The lower rate of male sterility of hermaphroditic flowers appears to be regulated by MYB24. Population genomic analyses revealed genes in selective sweeps during domestication that are related to fruit morphology and environment stress response. These findings enhance our understanding of spine and aril development and provide genomic resources for rambutan improvement.     

Conditioning and learning in relation to disease

Of the two generally recognized processes through which learning occurs--imprinting and conditioning--only the latter with its two paradigms, classical and operant, has both practical and heuristic implications for disease. From the classical conditioning experiments of Pavlov's laboratory over 100 years ago to the later work in operant conditioning by Skinner and others in the past four decades has evolved much of the basis of modern learning theory and its applications to disease in the form of behavior therapy. Variants of behavior therapy have been employed in the treatment of wide variety of medical and psychiatric illnesses. Recent developments in the study of brain function and biochemistry have led to renewed interest in the conditioning paradigm and its value as tool in these areas of research.     

Platelet-activating factor metabolism in human amnion and the responses of this tissue to extracellular platelet-activating factor

It was found previously that platelet-activating factor (PAF, 1-0-alkyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine) is undetectable in human amniotic fluid obtained before labor but is present in the majority of samples of amniotic fluid obtained after labor. In the present investigation, the amount of PAF in amnion tissue and the ability of this tissue to produce PAF and respond to PAF were investigated. Amounts of PAF in amnion obtained either during the second trimester of gestation or at term (before labor) were similar. After labor, however, the amount of PAF in amnion increased to 2.5-times that in amnion before labor without any discernible changes in the amounts of two related glycerophospholipids viz., 1-0-alkyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine and 1-0-alkyl-2-acyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine. The Ca2+-ionophore A23187, in the presence of Ca2+, caused an increase in the amount of PAF in amnion tissue disks but PAF did not appear to be released into the incubation medium. The stimulation of PAF formation by A23187 and Ca2+ was not affected by the addition of indomethacin. Addition of PAF to disks of amnion tissue resulted in an increase in the concentration of prostaglandin E2 in the incubation medium. An increase in prostaglandin E2 formation of similar magnitude was induced by A23187. Based on these results it is concluded that PAF can be synthesized in amnion tissue and net production is stimulated by Ca2+. In addition, amnion is receptive to extracellular PAF and exhibits, as one response, an increased production of prostaglandin E2.     

鄂西神农架自然保护区巴山冷杉林的研究

本文研究了鄂西神农架巴山冷杉林的分布规律,群落结构、更新及其演替动态。为保护和发展这一特殊群落提供了可靠的科学理论依据。     

Mutation of alanine 623 in the third cytoplasmic loop of the rat thyrotropin (TSH) receptor results in a loss in the phosphoinositide but not cAMP signal induced by TSH and receptor autoantibodies.

Thyrotropin (TSH) and IgG preparations from patients with Graves' disease increase inositol phosphate as well as cAMP formation in Cos-7 cells transfected with rat TSH receptor cDNA. Mutation of alanine 623 in the carboxyl end of the third cytoplasmic loop of the TSH receptor, to lysine or glutamic acid, results in the loss of TSH- and Graves' IgG-stimulated inositol phosphate formation but not in stimulated cAMP formation. There is no effect of the mutations on basal or P2-purinergic receptor-mediated inositol phosphate formation. The mutations do not affect transfection efficiency or the synthesis, processing, or membrane integration of the receptor, as evidenced by the unchanged amount and composition of the TSH receptor forms on Western blots of membranes from transfected cells. The mutations increase the affinity of the TSH receptor for [125I]TSH and decrease Bmax; however, cells with an equivalently decreased Bmax as a result of transfection with lower levels of wild type receptor do not lose either TSH-induced inositol phosphate formation or cAMP signaling activity. Thus, in addition to discriminating between ligand-induced phosphatidylinositol bisphosphate and cAMP signals, the mutation appears to cause an altered receptor conformation which affects ligand binding to its large extracellular domain.