Altered glutathione homeostasis in heart augments cardiac lipotoxicity associated with diet-induced obesity in mice

Obesity-related cardiac lipid accumulation is associated with increased myocardial oxidative stress. The role of the antioxidant glutathione in cardiac lipotoxicity is unclear. Cystathionine β-synthase (Cbs) catalyzes the first step in the trans-sulfuration of homocysteine to cysteine, which is estimated to provide ～50% of cysteine for hepatic glutathione biosynthesis. As cardiac glutathione is a reflection of the liver glutathione pool, we hypothesize that mice heterozygous for targeted disruption of Cbs (Cbs(+/-)) are more susceptible to obesity-related cardiolipotoxicity because of impaired liver glutathione synthesis. Cbs(+/+) and Cbs(+/-) mice were fed a high fat diet (60% energy) from weaning for 13 weeks to induce obesity and had similar increases in body weight and body fat. This was accompanied by increased hepatic triglyceride but no differences in hepatic glutathione levels compared with mice fed chow. However, Cbs(+/-) mice with diet-induced obesity had greater glucose intolerance and lower total and reduced glutathione levels in the heart, accompanied by lower plasma cysteine levels compared with Cbs(+/+) mice. Higher triglyceride concentrations, increased oxidative stress, and increased markers of apoptosis were also observed in heart from Cbs(+/-) mice with diet-induced obesity compared with Cbs(+/+) mice. This study suggests a novel role for Cbs in maintaining the cardiac glutathione pool and protecting against cardiac lipid accumulation and oxidative stress during diet-induced obesity in mice.     

Composition and variability of biofouling organisms in seawater reverse osmosis desalination plants

Seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) membrane biofouling remains a common challenge in the desalination industry, but the marine bacterial community that causes membrane fouling is poorly understood. Microbial communities at different stages of treatment processes (intake, cartridge filtration, and SWRO) of a desalination pilot plant were examined by both culture-based and culture-independent approaches. Bacterial isolates were identified to match the genera Shewanella, Alteromonas, Vibrio, and Cellulophaga based on 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis. The 16S rRNA gene clone library of the SWRO membrane biofilm showed that a filamentous bacterium, Leucothrix mucor, which belongs to the gammaproteobacteria, accounted for nearly 30% of the clone library, while the rest of the microorganisms (61.2% of the total clones) were related to the alphaproteobacteria. 16S rRNA gene terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis indicated that bacteria colonizing the SWRO membrane represented a subportion of microbes in the source seawater; however, they were quite different from those colonizing the cartridge filter. The examination of five SWRO membranes from desalination plants located in different parts of the world showed that although the bacterial communities from the membranes were not identical to each other, some dominant bacteria were commonly observed. In contrast, bacterial communities in source seawater were significantly different based on location and season. Microbial profiles from 14 cartridge filters collected from different plants also revealed spatial trends.     

大熊猫取食竹笋期间的昼夜活动节律和强度

采用内置记录活动水平传感器的GPS项圈研究了卧龙自然保护区3只野生大熊猫春季取食竹笋期间的昼夜活动节律和强度,并分析了太阳辐射、温度因子对大熊猫活动节律与强度的影响。3只大熊猫的平均活动率为68.05%,受孕雌性大熊猫的活动率(70.86%)和活动强度(范围:0-255;水平方向/垂直方向,23.82±0.30/ 17.63±0.22)均比其它两只大熊猫(70.55%, 14.71±0.17/13.52±0.15 ;62.76%,17.74±0.23/13.61±0.18)高。大熊猫有3次活动高峰,分别出现在6:00-7:00,18:00-21:00和23:00-3:00,一个明显的活动低谷,出现在9:00-12:00。大熊猫白天的活动率(68.32%)和活动强度(19.59±0.20/ 15.45±0.15)比夜间(67.67%,17.63±0.19/14.21±0.15)高。大熊猫的活动强度与太阳辐射之间存在显著负相关(r=-0.822, P<0.001),与空气温度之间不存在显著的相关性。     

圈养大熊猫野化培训期的生境选择特征

大熊猫(Ailuropoda melanoleuca)是我国特有的珍稀物种,也是世界上最濒危的野生动物之一。为了将人工繁育的部分大熊猫个体重引入其历史分布区或复壮野生种群,中国保护大熊猫研究中心从2003年开始进行圈养大熊猫的野外放归工作,通过野化培训以提高圈养大熊猫适应和选择野外环境的能力。对野化培训大熊猫"淘淘"的生境选择研究表明:该野化培训大熊猫幼仔经常活动于新笋密度较大的区域[生境与对照:(2.68±1.14)对(1.58±0.66)],却避开成竹密度过大[(9.91±2.51)对(12.18±4.68)]、竹子较高[(4.57±1.09) m对(4.98±0.66) m]以及枯死竹过多[(2.52±0.86)对(3.39±1.33)]的区域;喜欢活动于离水源[(1.59±0.67)对(2.19±0.87)]和隐蔽场所较近[(5.37±2.14) m对(8.35±7.76)m],以及距离乔木较远[(3.09±0.69) m对(2.70±0.42) m]和郁闭度较低[(1.85±0.57)对(2.10±0.47)]的区域(P < 0.05),新笋密度大小是该栖息地在整个野化培训期间是否被利用的最重要因素。该野化培训大熊猫幼仔保持着与带仔母兽相近的生境选择特征,对竹子环境的选择也与卧龙野生大熊猫相似,野化培训对该大熊猫幼仔产生了积极的作用。野化培训大熊猫幼仔形成的家域和核域面积分别为9.21 hm² 和1.93 hm²,占野化培训圈面积的51.95%和10.89%,其中家域面积仅有卧龙野生大熊猫的1.4%-2.4%,所以在以后的野化培训过程中需要采取增加野化培训圈中环境丰富度等方式,促进野化培训大熊猫形成较大的家域面积。     

A Human Active Lower Limb Model for Chinese Pedestrian Safety Evaluation

A subsystem impactor test for pedestrian lower limb injury evaluation has been brought in China New Car Assessment Protocol(CNCAP).Concerning large anthropometr...     

In-vitro antioxidant,in-vivo anti-inflammatory,and acute toxicity study of Indonesian propolis capsule from Tetragonula sapiens

Propolis is widely used as traditional medicine since ancient times. It was necessary to conduct the pre-clinical study because of its relevant curative properties. This study aimed to investigate in-vitro antioxidant, standardize quality parameters, study acute toxicity, and determine in-vivo anti-inflammatory. Three spectrophotometric methods were used to determine antioxidant activity. The standardization includes physical, chemical, and microbiological evaluation. Furthermore, an acute toxicity test was conducted using 20 female Sprague Dawley (SD) strain rats divided into 4 groups with different dose of propolis. The in vivo anti-inflammatory test was carried out using the carrageenan induction method on rats' soles. A total of 36 female SD rats were classified into 6 groups as follows, Group normal, negative control, diclofenac sodium, and three propolis groups (72; 144; and 288 mg/kg BW). The results demonstrated the IC₅₀ values of the DPPH and ABTS scavenging activity 9.694 ppm and 2.213 ppm, respectively. The FRAP reducing power was 189.05 mg AaE/g. The physical appearance of propolis capsule was vegicaps as white – white, size 0, with light brown granule. Moreover, the content weight was 418.88 mg with a disintegration time of 7 min 53 s, while the water, flavonoid, and polyphenol contents were 9.07%, 1.59%, and 98.0821 mg GAE/g respectively. The content of heavy metal and microbial contamination were not detected. The acute toxicity results showed LD₅₀ ≥ 5 g/kg BW, no toxicity symptoms, and no abnormalities in all rats. The anti-inflammatory inhibition percentage for groups III, IV, V, and VI was 11.86%, 6.53%, 7.81%, and 6.63% respectively, while the anti-inflammatory drugs effectiveness percentage compared to positive controls were 55.00%, 65.83%, and 55.83% respectively. Based on these results, it can be concluded that propolis capsules fulfilled the standardization requirements, and it is likely to be non-toxic, and effective as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.     

真盐生植物盐地碱蓬根系边缘细胞在耐盐中的作用初探

以黄河三角洲潮间带盐地碱蓬种子生成的幼苗为材料,研究了NaCl胁迫对盐地碱蓬生长与根系边缘细胞的影响。盐地碱蓬的第一个边缘细胞几乎与根尖同步产生,当根长达到13mm时,边缘细胞数目达到最大值。NaCl胁迫抑制边缘细胞的活性,但低浓度的NaCl处理增加边缘细胞的数目。低浓度NaCl处理时果胶甲基酯酶（PME）的活性比对照有明显增加,超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）活性随着NaCl浓度的增加呈现先上升后下降的趋势,低浓度NaCl可以增加盐地碱蓬根内过氧化氢酶（CAT）的活性,NaCl处理时间和处理浓度都对过氧化物酶（POD）活性的影响不明显。这些结果表明,盐地碱蓬至少部分通过增加调控活性氧（ROS）水平增加PME活性及根系边缘细胞数目来抵抗NaCl胁迫。     

吸虱昆虫群落数量分类及其与小兽宿主的协同进化关系

以云南省16种主要小兽宿主体表吸虱群落为分类单元,以基于共54个群落特征变量的各群落优势虱种的相对优势度D_r、染虱率R_L、虱指数I_L、总染虱率R_LT和总虱指数I_LT及各群落的结构参数（平均丰富度 、平均均匀度 、平均多样性指数 及平均优势度指数 ）来探讨云南省吸虱昆虫与其宿主协同进化的关系。运用SPSS12.0统计软件中的系统聚类分析,对16种主要小兽宿主体表吸虱群落进行数量分析。结果将16种小兽宿主体表吸虱群落分为8个类群。隶属同一个属的小兽,其体表吸虱群落相似程度高,在系统聚类分析中聚为一类; 大多数吸虱群落相似性大小与相应小兽宿主在动物分类上的近缘性高低呈高度一致。结果提示： 吸虱昆虫与其所寄生的小兽宿主存在同步进化的关系,特定的小兽宿主,其体表吸虱群落的构成比较稳定,宿主动物的近缘关系越近,其体表吸虱群落的相似性越高,这是吸虱昆虫与小兽宿主协同进化的一个重要生态学证据。     

Trichosporon mycotoxinivorans sp. nov., a new yeast species useful in biological detoxification of various mycotoxins

A yeast strain isolated from the hindgut of the lower termite Mastotermes darwiniensis (Mastotermitidae) was found to represent a new member of the genus Trichosporon. Trichosporon mycotoxinivorans is closely related to T. loubieri on the basis of the phylogenetic trees based on the D1/D2 region of 26S rDNA, an approx. 600 bp fragment of the 18S rDNA and both ITS regions. However, the two species differ at nine positions in the D1/D2 region of 26S rDNA. The IGS1 region of T. mycotoxinivorans is 401 bp long. T. mycotoxinivorans is distinguished from T. loubieri by its ability to assimilate inulin and galactitol, and its inability to grow at 40 °C. The name of this newly isolated strain refers to an important characteristics of T. mycotoxinivorans to detoxify mycotoxins such as ochratoxin A and zearalenone. Therefore this strain can be used for the deactivation of the respective mycotoxins in animal feeds.