Attentional Modulation of Emotional Conflict Processing with Flanker Tasks

Emotion processing has been shown to acquire priority by biasing allocation of attentional resources. Aversive images or fearful expressions are processed quickly and automatically. Many existing findings suggested that processing of emotional information was pre-attentive, largely immune from attentional control. Other studies argued that attention gated the processing of emotion. To tackle this controversy, the current study examined whether and to what degrees attention modulated processing of emotion using a stimulus-response-compatibility (SRC) paradigm. We conducted two flanker experiments using color scale faces in neutral expressions or gray scale faces in emotional expressions. We found SRC effects for all three dimensions (color, gender, and emotion) and SRC effects were larger when the conflicts were task relevant than when they were task irrelevant, suggesting that conflict processing of emotion was modulated by attention, similar to those of color and face identity (gender). However, task modulation on color SRC effect was significantly greater than that on gender or emotion SRC effect, indicating that processing of salient information was modulated by attention to a lesser degree than processing of non-emotional stimuli. We proposed that emotion processing can be influenced by attentional control, but at the same time salience of emotional information may bias toward bottom-up processing, rendering less top-down modulation than that on non-emotional stimuli.     

Tim-3 Is Upregulated in NK Cells during Early Pregnancy and Inhibits NK Cytotoxicity toward Trophoblast in Galectin-9 Dependent Pathway

NK cells accumulate at the maternal-fetal interface (MFI) and play essential roles in maintaining immune tolerance during pregnancy. The mechanisms that facilitate NK cells tolerance to fetal tissue are largely unknown. T cell Ig and mucin domain-containing protein 3 (Tim-3) is a newly defined molecule with essential immunological function in many physiological and pathological processes. Recent study showed that Tim-3 was involved in the regulation of immune tolerance at MFI. However, whether Tim-3 regulates NK cells cytotoxicity toward trophoblasts is unclear. Here, we showed Tim-3 was mainly expressed by decidual NK cells (dNK) and Tim-3 level in dNK was higher than peripheral NK cells (pNK). Tim-3⁺ dNK expressed more levels of mature markers CD94 and CD69 than Tim-3^- dNK cells and blocking Tim-3 significantly inhibited dNK IFN-γ and TNF-α secretion. Furthermore, we found TGF-β1 may contribute to such up-regulation of Tim-3 in NK cells. Interestingly, blocking Tim-3 enhanced NK cytotoxicity toward trophoblast cell line HTR-8 but not K562. We found HTR-8 expressed Tim-3 ligand Galectin-9, in contrast K562 did not. Small interfering RNA-mediated silencing of Galectin-9 expression enhanced NK cytotoxicity toward HTR-8. We further showed Tim-3/Galecin-9 inhibited NK cytotoxicity toward trophoblast partially via impairing the degranulation process. In addition, clinical data showed that abnormal Tim-3 level on pNK might be associated with recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA). Thus, our data demonstrate Tim-3/Galectin-9 pathway maintains local tolerance by suppressing NK cytotoxicity toward trophoblasts which may represent a new immunologic tolerance mechanism at MFI.     

Irregular xylem 7 (IRX7) is required for anchoring seed coat mucilage in Arabidopsis

Large quantities of mucilage are synthesized in seed coat epidermis cells during seed coat differentiation. This process is an ideal model system for the study of plant cell wall biosynthesis and modifications. In this study, we show that mutation in Irregular Xylem 7 (IRX7) results in a defect in mucilage adherence due to reduced xylan biosynthesis. IRX7 was expressed in the seeds from 4 days post-anthesis (DPA) to 13 DPA, with the peak of expression at 13 DPA. The seed coat epidermis cells of irx7 displayed no aberrant morphology during differentiation, and these cells synthesized and deposited the same amount of mucilage as did wild type (WT) cells. However, the distribution of the water-soluble vs. adherent mucilage layers was significantly altered in irx7 compared to the WT. Both the amount of xylose and the extent of glycosyl linkages of xylan was dramatically decreased in irx7 water-soluble and adherent mucilage compared to the WT. The polymeric structure of water-soluble mucilage was altered in irx7, with a total loss of the higher molecular weight polymer components present in the WT. Correspondingly, whole-seed immunolabeling assays and dot-immunoassays of extracted mucilage indicated dramatic changes in rhamnogalacturonan I (RG I) and xylan epitopes in irx7 mucilage. Furthermore, the crystalline cellulose content was significantly reduced in irx7 mucilage. Taken together, these results indicate that xylan synthesized by IRX7 plays an essential role in maintaining the adhesive property of seed coat mucilage, and its structural role is potentially implemented through its interaction with cellulose.     

菊黄东方鲀、暗纹东方鲀及其杂交F1代肌肉营养成分的比较分析

为了了解菊黄东方鲀(Takifugu flavidus)、暗纹东方鲀(T.obscurus)及其杂交F1代的肌肉营养特征,利用生物化学方法,从每类实验样本中取9尾对其肌肉中的粗蛋白、粗脂肪、水分、粗灰分和氨基酸成分进行了测定和分析。结果显示:(1)杂交F1代在生长方面具有明显的杂交优势,与亲本之间存在着显著差异(P0.05),杂交F1代的体重为其亲本的1.48~1.77倍;(2)杂交F1代肌肉水分含量与其母本含量相近,但粗脂肪含量均较亲本少(P0.05),粗蛋白含量则与亲本差异不显著(P0.05);(3)除色氨酸和胱氨酸外,16种氨基酸均在肌肉样本中被检测到,除甲硫氨酸外,其余15种氨基酸间含量均存在着显著性差异(P0.05)。菊黄东方鲀(♀)×暗纹东方鲀(♂)杂交F1代的总氨基酸含量最高,而暗纹东方鲀(♀)×菊黄东方鲀(♂)F1代总氨基酸含量则介于两亲本之间。对其必需氨基酸总量进行分析发现,菊黄东方鲀与其正反杂交F1代之间均存在显著性差异(P0.05),而暗纹东方鲀与其正反杂交F1代之间差异不显著(P0.05);(4)肌肉营养品质评价结果表明,菊黄东方鲀(♀)×暗纹东方鲀(♂)杂交F1代的鲜味氨基酸含量为26.68%,明显高于双亲样本(菊黄东方鲀22.28%、暗纹东方鲀25.20%),而暗纹东方鲀(♀)×菊黄东方鲀(♂)F1代的鲜味氨基酸总量(23.30%)较其父本偏高,但低于其母本。研究结果表明,杂交东方鲀的肌肉营养综合了双亲的优良特性,特别是是菊黄东方鲀(♀)×暗纹东方鲀(♂)杂交F1代,拥有最高的鲜味氨基酸含量,具有推广价值。     

Joint‐linkage mapping and GWAS reveal extensive genetic loci that regulate male inflorescence size in maize

Both insufficient and excessive male inflorescence size leads to a reduction in maize yield. Knowledge of the genetic architecture of male inflorescence is essential to achieve the optimum inflorescence size for maize breeding. In this study, we used approximately eight thousand inbreds, including both linkage populations and association populations, to dissect the genetic architecture of male inflorescence. The linkage populations include 25 families developed in the U.S. and 11 families developed in China. Each family contains approximately 200 recombinant inbred lines (RILs). The association populations include approximately 1000 diverse lines from the U.S. and China. All inbreds were genotyped by either sequencing or microarray. Inflorescence size was measured as the tassel primary branch number (TBN) and tassel length (TL). A total of 125 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were identified (63 for TBN, 62 for TL) through linkage analyses. In addition, 965 quantitative trait nucleotides (QTNs) were identified through genomewide study (GWAS) at a bootstrap posterior probability (BPP) above a 5% threshold. These QTLs/QTNs include 24 known genes that were cloned using mutants, for example Ramosa3 (ra3), Thick tassel dwarf1 (td1), tasselseed2 (ts2), liguleless2 (lg2), ramosa1 (ra1), barren stalk1 (ba1), branch silkless1 (bd1) and tasselseed6 (ts6). The newly identified genes encode a zinc transporter (e.g. GRMZM5G838098 and GRMZM2G047762), the adapt in terminal region protein (e.g. GRMZM5G885628), O‐methyl‐transferase (e.g. GRMZM2G147491), helix‐loop‐helix (HLH) DNA‐binding proteins (e.g. GRMZM2G414252 and GRMZM2G042895) and an SBP‐box protein (e.g. GRMZM2G058588). These results provide extensive genetic information to dissect the genetic architecture of inflorescence size for the improvement of maize yield.     

Interaction between fasudil hydrochloride and bovine serum albumin: spectroscopic study

The interaction between fasudil hydrochloride (FSD) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) was investigated using fluorescence and ultraviolet spectroscopy under imitated physiological conditions. The Stern–Volmer quenching model has been successfully applied and the results revealed that FSD could quench the intrinsic fluorescence of BSA effectively via static quenching. The binding constants and binding sites for the BSA–FSD system were evaluated. The corresponding thermodynamic parameters obtained at different temperatures indicated that hydrophobic force played a major role in the interaction of FSD and BSA. The distance between the donor (BSA) and the acceptor (FSD) was obtained according to fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). Synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy and FT‐IR spectra showed that the conformation of BSA was changed in the presence of FSD. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

环果寡糖果糖基转移酶研究进展

环果寡糖果糖基转移酶(CFT酶)是一种多功能型酶,能催化三种转糖基反应(环化、歧化和耦合)以及水解反应,而其中能将菊糖水解为环果寡糖的环化反应是其特征性反应。环果寡糖的独特结构使其在医药、化工等领域具有潜在应用价值。简要论述了环果寡糖的结构和应用,重点论述了环果寡糖果糖基转移酶的酶学性质、基因克隆和表达,以及功能和催化机理等方面的最新研究进展。     

高寒草甸高原早熟禾个体性状对放牧与围封的响应

植物对放牧的响应是植物在响应过程中为生存和繁殖所形成的适应策略,研究植物表型反应对揭示草原生态系统的放牧响应机制具有重要意义。以青藏高原高寒草甸主要植物高原早熟禾(Poa alpigena)为研究对象,通过放牧和围封试验,研究其个体性状对放牧与围封的响应,旨在为草原生态系统放牧机制提供理论依据。结果表明:1)在长期放牧干扰下,除叶片数和根重外,其他性状株高、分枝数、叶长、叶宽、叶面积、茎粗、茎长、根长、根粗、穗长、总叶质量、单叶质量、茎重、穗重、全株重均出现显著变小的特征(P0.05);而短期围封对于高原早熟禾叶长、叶宽、总叶质量、单叶质量、茎重、穗重、根重等功能性状的恢复效果并不显著(P0.05),表明放牧退化草原植物性状具有保守性;2)通过构建高原早熟禾性状可塑性变化谱,发现穗重、茎重、全株重、分蘖数、茎长、株高等可塑性幅度较大,为放牧响应的敏感指标,叶片数、叶宽、茎粗、根粗的可塑性变化幅度较小,为惰性性状。