Noninvasive ultrasound deep brain stimulation of nucleus accumbens induces behavioral avoidance

Ultrasound stimulation is an emerging noninvasive option in treating neuropsychiatric disorders. The present study investigates the behavioral alterations resulting from ultrasound stimulation on the nucleus accumbens(NAc) in freely moving mice. Our results show that an acute ultrasound stimulation on the NAc, rather than the visual cortex or auditory cortex, led to a pronounced avoidance behavior, while repeated NAc ultrasound stimulation resulted in an obvious conditioned place aversion with changes in synaptic protein(Glu A1/2 subunit) expression. Notably, NAc ultrasound stimulation suppressed the morphine-induced conditioned place preference. The results provide evidence that NAc ultrasound stimulation can be applied as a potential noninvasive therapeutic option in treating psychiatric disorders.     

Protective Antioxidant Effects of Amentoflavone and Total Flavonoids from Hedyotis diffusa on H2O2‐Induced HL‐O2 Cells through ASK1/p38 MAPK Pathway

In this study, total flavonoids and total triterpenoid acid were extracted with ethyl acetate from Hedyotis diffusa Willd, and hepatoprotective activities of them and five compounds from total flavonoids against H₂O₂ induced hepatocyte damage on HL‐02 cells were determined. In particular, amentoflavone and total flavonoids had influence on the leakage of ALT, AST, LDH, the activities of SOD and the content of MDA. They effectively reduced the loss of MMP, the release of Cyt C, and then inhibited activation of caspase‐3/caspase‐9 cascade in hepatotoxic cells. The contents of ROS were significantly reduced to inhibit p38 in amentoflavone and flavonoids groups which decreased ASK1 and p‐p38 levels through increasing thioredoxin Trx1 and reductase TrxR1. These results suggesting that the antioxidant protection of amentoflavone and flavonoids might be reducing ROS to inhibit the H₂O₂‐induced upstream of pathway via increasing levels of Trx1 and TrxR1, which were pivotal in blocking the down streaming effectors of ASK1/p38 MAPK pathway and alleviating hepatotoxicity.     

Differing Populations of Endemic Bacteriophages in Cattle Shedding High and Low Numbers of Escherichia coli O157:H7 Bacteria in Feces

The objectives of this study were to identify endemic bacteriophages (phages) in the feedlot environment and determine relationships of these phages to Escherichia coli O157:H7 from cattle shedding high and low numbers of naturally occurring E. coli O157:H7. Angus crossbred steers were purchased from a southern Alberta (Canada) feedlot where cattle excreting ≥10⁴ CFU · g⁻¹ of E. coli O157:H7 in feces at a single time point were identified as supershedders (SS; n = 6), and cattle excreting <10⁴ CFU · g⁻¹ of feces were identified as low shedders (LS; n = 5). Fecal pats or fecal grabs were collected daily from individual cattle for 5 weeks. E. coli O157:H7 in feces was detected by immunomagnetic separation and enumerated by direct plating, and phages were isolated using short- and overnight-enrichment methods. The total prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 isolated from feces was 14.4% and did not differ between LS and SS (P = 0.972). The total prevalence of phages was higher in the LS group (20.9%) than in the SS group (8.3%; P = 0.01). Based on genome size estimated by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and morphology determined by transmission electron microscopy, T4- and O1-like phages of Myoviridae and T1-like phage of Siphoviridae were isolated. Compared to T1- and O1-like phages, T4-like phages exhibited a broad host range and strong lytic capability when targeting E. coli O157:H7. Moreover, the T4-like phages were more frequently isolated from feces of LS than SS, suggesting that endemic phages may impact the shedding dynamics of E. coli O157:H7 in cattle.     

Positive Effects of Biochar on the Degraded Forest Soil and Tree Growth in China: A Systematic Review

Soil degradation threatens the forest sustainable productivity, particularly in afforestation system. Biochar derived from agroforestry waste or biomass can potentially improve the degraded forest soil and promote the tree growth. To expand the application of biochar for forestry productivity improvement, we here reviewed the effects and the underlying mechanisms of biochar on the degraded forest soil and tree growth. Totally 96 studies that conducted from pot to field investigations in China were summarized. The result suggested that biochar generally exerted positive effects on restoration of degraded forest soil such as that with compaction, acidification or soil erosion, which are mainly manifested by improving soil porosity, increasing pH, enhancing erosion resistance and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. Furthermore, biochar incorporation promoted the growth of tested trees in most cases, which effect was mainly attributing to directly supplying nutrients, improving soil physio-chemical properties, enhancing the root’s nutrient absorption capacity, and enlarging the living space. In summary, current studies demonstrate that biochar has a unique potential for improving degraded forest soils and promoting tree growth. However, investigations on the underlying mechanisms and the long-term effects should be strengthened.     

高寒草甸植物物种丧失对草原毛虫的影响

植物多样性是调控食物网结构和生态系统功能最重要的生物因素, 植物多样性丧失深刻影响食草动物, 但由于小型食草动物种群数量波动明显、统计随机性较大等困难, 我们对植物多样性丧失如何影响小型食草动物依然知之甚少。基于在青藏高原高寒草甸设置的长期植物物种剔除试验, 本研究于2016-2020年7-8月连续调查了植物物种剔除各处理中草原毛虫(Gynaephora alpherakiif)的数量, 分析了植物物种及功能群丧失对草原毛虫的影响。结果表明, 虽然时空差异及统计随机性是影响草原毛虫数量变化的主要因素, 但植物物种剔除介导的群落差异对草原毛虫数量的影响依然显著: (1)在各观测时段, 优势种线叶嵩草(Kobresia capillifolia)的丧失导致群落中草原毛虫数量显著减少; 禾草类物种丧失也会减少草原毛虫数量, 但其影响仅在8月显著; (2)杂类草物种丧失通过增加群落中禾草物种多度, 可增加草原毛虫数量; 豆科物种丧失使莎草增多, 也会增加草原毛虫数量; (3)各植物功能群部分物种剔除并未显著影响草原毛虫数量。本研究证实了高寒草甸中草原毛虫数量会因优势植物嵩草和禾草的多度减少或禾草物种丧失而显著减少, 但群落总生物量、个体数和物种丰富度、豆科多度以及各功能群植物同比减少, 都对草原毛虫数量没有明显影响。这些结果说明在随机作用主导下, 植物群落中的特定功能群相对多度(而非物种多样性)变化深刻影响草原毛虫适合度, 进而影响生态系功能及服务; 未来生物多样性研究及草地虫害生物防控中应更多考虑统计随机性及植物功能多样性对小型食草动物的影响。     

构建高效降解胆固醇的融合乳酸菌的研究——(Ⅱ)原生质体融合及融合子的筛选

芽孢杆菌T12-1与嗜热链球菌ST及嗜酸乳杆菌C3进行原生质体融合,获得两株科间融合子S-T13-37和C-T24-8,它们对培养液中的胆固醇降解率分别为54%和78%.ST、C3和T12-1原生质体的再生率分别为10.5%、8.6%和11.2%,ST与T12-1原生质体科间融合率约为4.6×10-6;C3与T12-1原生质体科间融合率约为3.8×10-6.     

Computational investigation of the enzymatic mechanisms of phosphothreonine lyase

SpvC, a virulence effector injected through type III secretion system by some Salmonella serovars, belongs to the newly discovered enzyme family, phosphothreonine lyase. Previous experimental studies have demonstrated that SpvC irreversibly inactivates mitogen-activated protein kinases by removing the phosphate group from phosphothreonine-containing substrate through a β-elimination mechanism, and results in a β-methyldehydroalanine product. Interestingly, further biochemical investigations also indicated a secondary reaction occurring other than elimination, where a covalently bound complex is formed. Here, we employed molecular dynamics simulations and quantum mechanics calculations to gain insights on the microscopic details of such novel reaction mechanisms. Our theoretical results are consistent with the experimental observations, in which the critical stages of SpvC catalyzed reaction are revealed and the roles of several important binding site residues are reconciled. The deprotonation and precise position of the catalytic base K136 are facilitated by the formation of the fully desolvated active site upon substrate binding. The abstraction of the alpha hydrogen by K136 and the elimination of the phosphate group occur nearly simultaneously, promoted by the proton donation from the catalytic acid H106, and thus strongly supports an E2-like mechanism. K104, which is not directly involved in the enzymatic reaction, stabilizes the transition state and facilitates the reaction to occur. Remarkably, the subsequent deprotonation of K136 happens to be a natural sequel of the primary elimination reaction, restores its nucleophile capacity to attack the double bond containing elimination product, and leads to a covalently bound complex via a Michael-addition mechanism. The reaction mechanism used by phosphothreonine lyases might serve as a method of programmed regulation to fine tune their enzymatic activity.     

Seed-to-seed potential allelopathic effects between <Emphasis Type="Italic">Ligularia virgaurea</Emphasis> and native grass species of Tibetan alpine grasslands

Allelopathy is an important process in plant communities, but the role of seed allelopathy in natural ecosystems remains poorly understood. In the present study, we examined the potential allelopathic effects of Ligularia virgaurea (a dominant species in degraded Tibetan grasslands) seeds on the germination of four native grass species (Festuca sinensis, Agrostis gigantean, Bromus inermis, and Elymus nutans). The results showed that L. virgaurea seeds can have potential allelopathic effects on seed germination, mean time to germination and root growth rates of native grass species. We further demonstrate that these effects are driven by a water-soluble seed leachate. Species with smaller seeds were generally more sensitive than larger seeded species. The results suggest that seed-to-seed allelopathic potential may be an important mechanism driving the dominance of L. virgaurea in degraded alpine grasslands on the Tibetan Plateau. Further studies are required to demonstrate effects of seed-to-seed potential allelopathy in a field setting.