NMDA receptors in dopaminergic neurons are crucial for habit learning

Dopamine is crucial for habit learning. Activities of midbrain dopaminergic neurons are regulated by the cortical and subcortical signals among which glutamatergic afferents provide excitatory inputs. Cognitive implications of glutamatergic afferents in regulating and engaging dopamine signals during habit learning, however, remain unclear. Here, we show that mice with dopaminergic neuron-specific NMDAR1 deletion are impaired in a variety of habit-learning tasks, while normal in some other dopamine-modulated functions such as locomotor activities, goal-directed learning, and spatial reference memories. In vivo neural recording revealed that dopaminergic neurons in these mutant mice could still develop the cue-reward association responses; however, their conditioned response robustness was drastically blunted. Our results suggest that integration of glutamatergic inputs to DA neurons by NMDA receptors, likely by regulating associative activity patterns, is a crucial part of the cellular mechanism underpinning habit learning.     

Emergy evaluation of the impact of waste exchanges on the sustainability of industrial systems

Emergy evaluation provided global performance indicators that were used to assess the impact of waste exchanges on the sustainability of a sulfuric acid production system (SAPS) and a titanium dioxide production system (TDPS) in Pan-zhi-hua City, China. Impact of emissions was quantified in terms of emergy and integrated into the classic emergy-based indicators. Results show that waste exchanges improve the sustainability of the two systems, although the SAPS benefits more from the waste exchanges than the TDPS from an economic perspective however, the impact of emissions reduces their sustainability to some degree. This study creates awareness and brings new insight to the gains achieved with resource recovery from waste in the interrelated industrial systems, which is derived from the mutualism relationship existing in natural ecosystems. Finally, this paper puts forward some corresponding suggestions.     

Enzymatic synthesis of L-tryptophan from hair acid hydrolysis industries wastewater with tryptophan synthase

An effective method for production of L-tryptophan from hair acid hydrolysis wastewater (HHW) containing L-serine was developed by recombinant tryptophan synthase. This study provides us with an alternative HHW utilization strategy. Tryptophan synthase could efficiently convert L-serine contained in HHW to L-tryptophan at pH 8.0, 40°C and Tween-80 of 0.04%. The enzyme also showed high tolerance to ammonium chloride, a component in HHW. In a scale up study, L-serine conversion rate reach 95.1% with a final L-tryptophan concentration of 33.2 g l(-1).     

Preparation of optically active β-hydroxy-α-amino acid by immobilized <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis> cells with serine hydroxymethyl transferase activity

In this research, an improved method for preparation of optically pure β-hydroxy-α-amino acids, catalyzed by serine hydroxymethyl transferase with threonine aldolase activity, is reported. Using recombinant serine hydroxymethyl transferase (SHMT), an enzymatic resolution process was established. A series of new substrates, β-phenylserine, β-(nitrophenyl) serine and β-(methylsulfonylphenyl) serine were used in the resolution process catalyzed by immobilized Escherichia coli cells with SHMT activity. It was observed that the K _m for l-threonine was 28-fold higher than that for l-allo-threonine, suggesting that this enzyme can be classified as a low-specificity l-allo-threonine aldolase. The results also shows that SHMT activity with β-phenylserine as substrate was about 1.48-fold and 1.25-fold higher than that with β-(methylsulfonylphenyl) serine and β-(nitrophenyl) serine as substrate, respectively. Reaction conditions were optimized by using 200 mmol/l β-hydroxy-α-amino acid, and 0.1 g/ml of immobilized SHMT cells at pH 7.5 and 45°C. Under these conditions, the immobilized cells were continuously used 10 times, yielding an average conversion rate of 60.4%. Bead activity did not change significantly the first five times they were used, and the average conversion rate during the first five instances was 84.1%. The immobilized cells exhibited favourable operational stability.     

肝脏发育过程中转录因子的调控

肝脏的发育经历了一系列内胚层和中胚层之间复杂的相互作用,其中转录因子扮演着重要角色。肝脏发育主要可分为两个阶段,首先是前肠内胚层感受心脏中胚层的信号而建立响应态(competence),肝向特化基因逐渐表达并形成新生肝芽。此阶段受到转录调控网络的控制,其中FoxA家族,锌指结构转录因子GATA4/6,同源结构域因子Hhex、Onecut1、Onecut2和Prox1发挥了重要的作用。其次是肝脏内细胞群体如肝细胞和胆管细胞的分化成熟阶段。这个过程的完成主要受肝富集转录因子HNF1α、HNF4、HNF6和C/EBPα的调控。本文概述了肝脏发育中复杂的转录调控网络及其发挥的作用。     

刀鲚和凤鲚的分子鉴定及其在仔鱼种类鉴定中的应用

使用mtDNA Cyt b基因序列作为分子标记,基于400 bp左右的序列分析长颌鲚、短颌鲚及凤鲚成鱼的遗传关系。结果显示长颌鲚和短颌鲚间的遗传距离在0—0.5%之间;凤鲚与长颌鲚、短颌鲚的遗传距离分别在7.9%—8.9%和7.7%—8.6%之间。用Kimura双参数模型构建的NJ分子系统树显示,长颌鲚和短颌鲚不能形成彼此独立的分支,而是混合聚在一起形成一个分支;凤鲚则形成另一个分支。对长江口沿岸区域的鲚属仔鱼Cyt b基因片段序列分析发现,仔鱼个体之间的遗传距离为0—0.7%,仔鱼与长颌鲚、短颌鲚的遗传距离在0.1%—0.5%之间,而与凤鲚的遗传距离为8.3%—8.8%。在Kimura双参数模型构建的NJ分子系统树中,仔鱼与长颌鲚、短颌鲚聚为一类,而与凤鲚分开,表明分析的仔鱼样品不包括凤鲚个体。由于长江口一般没有短颌鲚分布,这些仔鱼应该都是长颌鲚。     

Inhibitory properties of 2-substituent-1H-benzimidazole-4-carboxamide derivatives against enteroviruses

A series of novel benzimidazole derivatives were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their activities against four kinds of enteroviruses, that is, Coxsackie virus A16, B3, B6 and Enterovirus 71 in VERO cells. Strong activities against enterovirus replication and low cytotoxicities were observed in these benzimidazoles generally. The most promising compound was (l)-2-(pyridin-2-yl)-N-(2-(4-nitrophenyl)pentan-3-yl)-1H-benzimidazole-4-carboxamide (16), with a high antiviral potency (IC(50)=1.76 μg/mL) and a remarkable selectivity index (328). These compounds were selected for further evaluation as novel enterovirus inhibitors.     

万寿菊属不同品种初花期抗旱特性分析

以万寿菊属(Tagetes)9个品种为试验材料,研究了自然持续干旱胁迫对它们初花期的花最大直径、叶色、旱害指数等形态指标以及叶绿素含量(Chl a+b,Ch a/b)、叶片相对含水量(RWC)、叶片保水力(WHC)、叶片和花的脯氨酸、可溶性糖和可溶性蛋白含量等生理指标的影响,以揭示其抗旱特性及其生理机制.结果显示:(1)持续6d干旱胁迫条件下,万寿菊9个品种花的最大直径显著降低,叶绿素含量和相对含水量均呈明显下降趋势.(2)万寿菊叶片的脯氨酸、可溶性蛋白和可溶性糖含量均呈上升趋势;而花的脯氨酸含量持续上升,可溶性蛋白含量呈下降趋势,但可溶性糖含量变化趋势复杂.(3)万寿菊旱害指数与其叶片相对含水量、叶绿素总含量、叶片和花的脯氨酸含量、叶片可溶性蛋白含量呈极显著相关.研究表明,抗旱性强的品种可以通过调节自身的渗透调节物质含量减轻干旱伤害;9个品种初花期抗旱性强弱依次为:珍妮>金门>鸿运>拳王>巨人>发现>小英雄>大英雄>迪阿哥.     

Artificial gravity with ergometric exercise preserves the cardiac, but not cerebrovascular, functions during 4 days of head-down bed rest

Cardiovascular and musculoskeletal deconditioning occurring in long-term spaceflight requires new strategies to counteract these adverse effects. We previously reported that a short-arm centrifuge produced artificial gravity (AG), together with ergometer, has an approving effect on promoting cardiovascular function. The current study sought to investigate whether the cardiac and cerebrovascular functions were maintained and improved using a strategy of AG combined with exercise training on cardiovascular function during 4-day head-down bed rest (HDBR). Twelve healthy male subjects were assigned to a control group (CONT, n=6) and an AG combined with ergometric exercise training group (CM, n=6). Simultaneously, cardiac pumping and systolic functions, cerebral blood flow were measured before, during, and after HDBR. The results showed that AG combined with ergometric exercise caused an increase trend of number of tolerance, however, there was no significant difference between the two groups. After 4-day HDBR in the CONT group, heart rate increased significantly (59±6 vs 66±7 beats/min), while stroke volume (98±12 vs 68±13 mL) and cardiac output (6±1 vs 4±1 L/min) decreased significantly (p<0.05). All subjects had similar drops on cerebral vascular function. Volume regulating hormone aldosterone increased in both groups (by 119.9% in CONT group and 112.8% in the CM group), but only in the CONT group there were a significant changes (p<0.05). Angiotensin II was significantly increased by 140.5% after 4-day HDBR in the CONT group (p<0.05), while no significant changes were observed in the CM group. These results indicated that artificial gravity with ergometric exercise successfully eliminated changes induced by simulated weightlessness in heart rate, volume regulating hormones, and cardiac pumping function and partially maintained cardiac systolic function. Hence, a daily 1h alternating +1.0 and +2.0 Gz with 40 W exercise training appear to be an effective countermeasure against cardiac deconditioning.