The role of the amygdala in signaling prospective outcome of choice

Can brain activity reveal a covert choice? Making a choice often evokes distinct emotions that accompany decision processes. Amygdala has been implicated in choice behavior that is guided by a prospective negative outcome. However, its specific involvement in emotional versus cognitive processing of choice behavior has been a subject of controversy. In this study, the human amygdala was monitored by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while subjects were playing in a naturalistic choice paradigm against the experimenter. In order to win, players had to occasionally choose to bluff their opponent, risk "getting caught," and suffer a loss. A critical period, when choice has been made but outcome was still unknown, activated the amygdala preferentially following the choice that entailed risk of loss. Thus, the response of the amygdala differentiated between subject's covert choice of either playing fair or foul. These results support a role of the amygdala in choice behavior, both in the appraisal of inherent value of choice and the signaling of prospective negative outcomes.     

Effects of long-term administration of N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) derivatives in ovariectomized (OVX) mice

We studied the beneficial effects of dietary consumption of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and two selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM) derivatives (SERM-I and SERM-II) and their combined effect on serum lipids, skin dermis and adipose layers, bone marrow adipogenesis, and cytokine secretion in mice. Two different ovariectomized (OVX) models were studied: treatment began immediately post-OVX in one and 3 months post-OVX in the other. Our results showed that n-3 PUFA and both SERMs decreased triglyceride levels in the serum, and that SERMs also decreased serum cholesterol levels while n-3 PUFA had no similar effect. SERMs had no effect on IL-6, IL-1 beta, or IL-10 levels, but they decreased ex vivo tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha). N-3 PUFA decreased secretion of non-induced IL-6 and TNF-alpha from cultured BMC and IL-1 beta levels in vivo (i.e., in bone marrow plasma), but its main effect was a significant elevation in the secretion of IL-10, a known anti-inflammatory cytokine. OVX-induced B-lymphopoiesis was not affected by LY-139481 (SERM-I) while LY-353381 (SERM-II) exhibited an estrogen-antagonistic effect in sham and OVX mice and elevated the amount of B-cells in bone marrow. Fish oil consumption prevented the elevation in B-lymphopoiesis caused by OVX, but had no curative effect on established augmented B-lymphopoiesis. This activity could be mediated via the elevation of IL-10 which was shown to suppress B-lymphopoiesis. Both SERMs and n-3 PUFA inhibited the increase in adipose tissue thickness caused by OVX in mice. Our results showed that n-3 PUFA, could prevent some of the deleterious outcomes of estrogen deficiency that were not affected by SERMs. We observed no significant beneficial effects of the combined administration of SERM-I, SERM-II, and PUFA on the studied parameters.The exact mechanism by which polyunsaturated fatty acids exert their activities is still not clear, but peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) might be involved in processes which are modulated by n-3 PUFA.     

Relationship between increasing duodenal lipid doses, gastric perception, and plasma hormone levels in humans

Duodenal lipid causes gastric relaxation, CCK secretion, and nausea. Vasopressin has been implicated in motion sickness-related nausea. We hypothesized that increasing doses of lipid enhance gastric relaxation and CCK-vasopressin secretion, resulting in a dose-related exacerbation of nausea. Nine healthy subjects received isotonic saline or lipid (1, 2, or 3 kcal/min, L1, L2, L3) duodenally. Changes in gastric volume, sensations, and plasma hormone levels were assessed during infusions and isobaric gastric distensions. Lipid infusions increased gastric volume, plasma CCK (but not vasopressin) levels, and gastric compliance during distensions, compared with saline. Plasma CCK levels were related to the dose of lipid administered [CCK levels at 30 min (pmol/l), saline: 1.1 +/- 0.2, L1: 1.8 +/- 0.2, L2: 3.0 +/- 0.2, L3: 4.3 +/- 0.6]. During distensions, nausea increased in intensity with increasing doses of lipid [score (where 0 is no sensation and 100 is strongest sensation), saline: 7 +/- 4, L1: 19 +/- 7, L2: 44 +/- 7, L3: 66 +/- 8]; however, no further rise in plasma CCK occurred. Because neither lipid nor distension alone induced significant nausea, we conclude that the interaction between these stimuli together with a modulation by CCK is responsible for the effects observed. Vasopressin is not involved in lipid- and distension-induced nausea.     

The Regulatory Particle of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Proteasome

The proteasome is a multisubunit protease responsible for degrading proteins conjugated to ubiquitin. The 670-kDa core particle of the proteasome contains the proteolytic active sites, which face an interior chamber within the particle and are thus protected from the cytoplasm. The entry of substrates into this chamber is thought to be governed by the regulatory particle of the proteasome, which covers the presumed channels leading into the interior of the core particle. We have resolved native yeast proteasomes into two electrophoretic variants and have shown that these represent core particles capped with one or two regulatory particles. To determine the subunit composition of the regulatory particle, yeast proteasomes were purified and analyzed by gradient sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Resolution of the individual polypeptides revealed 17 distinct proteins, whose identities were determined by amino acid sequence analysis. Six of the subunits have sequence features of ATPases (Rpt1 to Rpt6). Affinity chromatography was used to purify regulatory particles from various strains, each of which expressed one of the ATPases tagged with hexahistidine. In all cases, multiple untagged ATPases copurified, indicating that the ATPases assembled together into a heteromeric complex. Of the remaining 11 subunits that we have identified (Rpn1 to Rpn3 and Rpn5 to Rpn12), 8 are encoded by previously described genes and 3 are encoded by genes not previously characterized for yeasts. One of the previously unidentified subunits exhibits limited sequence similarity with deubiquitinating enzymes. Overall, regulatory particles from yeasts and mammals are remarkably similar, suggesting that the specific mechanistic features of the proteasome have been closely conserved over the course of evolution.     

Phenomenological partial-specific volumes for G-quadruplex DNAs

Accurate partial-specific volume ([`(v)] \overline{v} ) values are required for sedimentation velocity and sedimentation equilibrium analyses. For nucleic acids, the estimation of these values is complicated by the fact that [`(v)] \overline{v} depends on base composition, secondary structure, solvation and the concentrations and identities of ions in the surrounding buffer. Here we describe sedimentation equilibrium measurements of the apparent isopotential partial-specific volume ϕ′ for two G-quadruplex DNAs and a single-stranded DNA of similar molecular weight and base composition. The G-quadruplex DNAs are a 22 nucleotide fragment of the human telomere consensus sequence and a 27 nucleotide fragment from the human c-myc promoter. The single-stranded DNA is 26 nucleotides long and is designed to have low propensity to form secondary structures. Parallel measurements were made in buffers containing NaCl and in buffers containing KCl, spanning the range 0.09 M ≤ [salt] ≤ 2.3 M. Limiting values of ϕ′, extrapolated to [salt] = 0 M, were: 22-mer (NaCl-form), 0.525 ± 0.004 mL/g; 22-mer (KCl-form), 0.531 ± 0.006 mL/g; 27-mer (NaCl-form), 0.548 ± 0.005 mL/g; 27-mer (KCl-form), 0.557 ± 0.006 mL/g; 26-mer (NaCl-form), 0.555 ± 0.004 mL/g; 26-mer (KCl-form), 0.564 ± 0.006 mL/g. Small changes in ϕ′ with [salt] suggest that large changes in counterion association or hydration are unlikely to take place over these concentration ranges.     

缝隙连接与糖尿病

细胞间通讯方式可分为间接与直接通讯方式,以体循环远程分泌、旁分泌和自分泌方式完成的调节方式为间接通讯,而以细胞间隙连接为途径进行的细胞间直接的信息交流为直接通讯。细胞间隙连接又称缝隙连接,是普遍存在于人和动物组织中的一种细胞连接形式。近年有一系列研究表明缝隙连接胞间通道的异常与糖尿病及其并发症的发生、发展密切相关,本文将就有关这方面的研究进展作一综述。     

缝隙连接与糖尿病

细胞间通讯方式可分为间接与直接通讯方式,以体循环远程分泌、旁分泌和自分泌方式完成的调节方式为间接通讯,而以细胞间隙连接为途径进行的细胞间直接的信息交流为直接通讯.细胞间隙连接又称缝隙连接,是普遍存在于人和动物组织中的一种细胞连接形式.近年有一系列研究表明缝隙连接胞间通道的异常与糖尿病及其并发症的发生、发展密切相关,本文将就有关这方面的研究进展作一综述.     

达乌里秦艽的传粉生物学研究

对达乌里秦艽3个自然居群和1个人工栽培居群进行了两年的传粉生态学研究.研究发现:(1)达乌里秦艽套袋花均不结实,说明雌雄异熟和雌雄异位这两种花部机制成功阻止了主动自交,且不存在无融合生殖现象.(2)隔离传粉昆虫导致花寿命明显延长,授粉会导致花冠提前闭合,说明达乌里秦艽的花寿命具有可塑性,可通过延长花寿命确保成功繁殖.(3)在一个自然居群中证明存在花粉限制,且该居群的花寿命显著长于另外两个没有花粉限制的自然居群.(4)在整个雌性持续期柱头都具有一定的可授性,且在第2天可授性最高,随后逐渐降低;开花后期柱头可授性降低,使植物维持花开放资源投入的产出将有可能降低.研究表明,达乌里秦艽在严重缺乏传粉者的情况下,延长花寿命仅能部分弥补传粉者的不足,该物种在部分居群中仍有可能存在花粉限制.