Longitudinal changes in δ13C of riffle macroinvertebrates from mountain to lowland sections of a gravel‐bed river

Summary 1. To understand longitudinal changes in the trophic base of benthic macroinvertebrates from mountain to lowland river sections, we investigated carbon stable isotopic compositions (δ¹³C) of macroinvertebrates and their food resources in riffles for four seasons at 14 sites along the main stem of the Toyo River, Japan. 2. At each site, δ¹³C was usually highest or nearly highest for periphyton (epilithic biofilm) and was lowest for transported leaf materials. Among macroinvertebrate groups, grazers usually had higher δ¹³C values than filterers or predators. 3. During all seasons, δ¹³C of periphyton and all macroinvertebrate groups increased downstream from mountain to upland sections, but decreased downstream from upland to lowland sections. In addition, the difference between grazer δ¹³C and filterer δ¹³C decreased from mountain to upland sections, but increased from upland to lowland sections. 4. The observed changes in δ¹³C of periphyton and macroinvertebrates from mountain to upland sections agree with previous reports: the δ¹³C of periphyton and consumers increased with stream size and productivity. The decrease in δ¹³C of periphyton and macroinvertebrates from upland to lowland sections has not been reported previously, and this may have resulted from an increased importance of terrestrial detritus relative to periphyton production in the lowland section, where riffles were infrequent and pools dominated the reach. 5. A simple mixing model of δ¹³C showed that grazers rely mostly on periphyton at all sites, whereas the importance of periphyton for filterers changed longitudinally increasing from mountain to upland sections and decreasing from upland to lowland sections. This longitudinal trend for filterers is possibly associated with the changes in the availability or quality of terrestrial detritus in transported particulate organic matter. 6. Longitudinal changes in the relative importance of autochthonous production and allochthonous detritus appear to be reflected in δ¹³C of riffle benthic communities. The longitudinal changes were not monotonic, and specific reach characteristics may be responsible for the greater importance of allochthonous detritus in mountain and lowland sections.     

Extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 plays a pro-life role in experimental brain stem death via MAPK signal-interacting kinase at rostral ventrolateral medulla

Background  

As the origin of a life-and-death signal detected from systemic arterial pressure, which sequentially increases (pro-life) and decreases (pro-death) to reflect progressive dysfunction of central cardiovascular regulation during the advancement towards brain stem death in critically ill patients, the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) is a suitable neural substrate for mechanistic delineation of this fatal phenomenon. The present study assessed the hypothesis that extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), a member of the mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) that is important for cell survival and is activated specifically by MAPK kinase 1/2 (MEK1/2), plays a pro-life role in RVLM during brain stem death. We further delineated the participation of MAPK signal-interacting kinase (MNK), a novel substrate of ERK in this process.     

共价连接BODIPY光敏剂的聚合物纳米胶束及其靶向光动力疗效的研究

目的:利用聚合物纳米胶束靶向输送光敏剂分子已经成为光动力治疗癌症的研究热点。方法:采用原子转移自由基聚合反应合成嵌段聚合物聚丙烯酸叔丁酯-聚甲基丙烯酸缩水甘油酯(Pt BA-b-PGMA),共聚物的一端脱除叔丁基,通过缩合反应共价键连接甘露糖分子,另一端环氧基开环引入叠氮基,并通过"click"反应共价连接氟硼二吡咯光敏剂分子,最后制备得到表面甘露糖修饰的负载光敏剂聚合物胶束。利用核磁共振氢谱仪和傅立叶变换红外光谱仪进行结构确认;通过透射电镜和动态光散射等考察其理化性质;经激光共聚焦显微镜和MTT细胞毒性实验对其甘露糖受体靶向性及光动力疗效进行考察和评价。结果:聚合物Pt BA-b-PGMA的相对分子量为16 924,其分散系数为1.36。聚合物中环氧基开环引入叠氮后在2 106 cm-1处出现叠氮基特征峰。经过"click"反应引入氟硼二吡咯光敏剂分子后,叠氮基特征峰消失,在1 637 cm-1处出现三氮唑特征峰。聚合物胶束粒径分布均一,稳定性良好。胶束平均流体力学直径为178 nm,在水溶液中粒度分布较窄(PDI=0.298)。聚合物胶束对人乳腺癌MDA-MB-231细胞和HEK293正常细胞均无暗毒性,在535 nm LED光照下对乳腺癌MDA-MB-231细胞具有较好的光动力治疗效果。结论:聚合物胶束能被MDA-MB-231癌细胞表面高表达的甘露糖受体特异性识别,并被内吞进入癌细胞内,具有较好的光动力杀伤作用。     

Production of biohydrogen by recombinant expression of [NiFe]-hydrogenase 1 in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Escherichia coli</Emphasis>

Background  

Hydrogenases catalyze reversible reaction between hydrogen (H₂) and proton. Inactivation of hydrogenase by exposure to oxygen is a critical limitation in biohydrogen production since strict anaerobic conditions are required. While [FeFe]-hydrogenases are irreversibly inactivated by oxygen, it was known that [NiFe]-hydrogenases are generally more tolerant to oxygen. The physiological function of [NiFe]-hydrogenase 1 is still ambiguous. We herein investigated the H₂ production potential of [NiFe]-hydrogenase 1 of Escherichia coli in vivo and in vitro. The hya A and hya B genes corresponding to the small and large subunits of [NiFe]-hydrogenase 1 core enzyme, respectively, were expressed in BL21, an E. coli strain without H₂ producing ability.     

在酿酒酵母中研究人类mOGT基质导向序列的功能

人类线粒体N-乙酰氨基葡萄糖转移酶(mitochondrial O-GlcNAc transferse,m OGT)通过其N端基质导向序列(matrix targeting sequence,MTS)定位于线粒体内膜上,m OGT的过表达将导致细胞的凋亡。蛋白质的O-Glc NAc修饰存在于绝大多数真核生物中,而酿酒酵母唯独缺乏该修饰途径。对人体m OGT过表达引起酿酒酵母生长缺陷的机制进行分析,期望利用该模型研究m OGT导致的细胞凋亡调控机制。在酿酒酵母细胞中表达人体m OGT及其截短序列发现:m OGT对酿酒酵母的生长抑制及细胞中的定位依赖于N端全长的MTS序列; MTS序列在酿酒酵母中共表达导致线粒体融合。MTS序列过表达的酿酒酵母菌可以作为研究m OGT引起细胞凋亡的模式细胞。     

Novel subdomains of the mouse olfactory bulb defined by molecular heterogeneity in the nascent external plexiform and glomerular layers

Background  

In the mouse olfactory system, the role of the olfactory bulb in guiding olfactory sensory neuron (OSN) axons to their targets is poorly understood. What cell types within the bulb are necessary for targeting is unknown. What genes are important for this process is also unknown. Although projection neurons are not required, other cell-types within the external plexiform and glomerular layers also form synapses with OSNs. We hypothesized that these cells are important for targeting, and express spatially differentially expressed guidance cues that act to guide OSN axons within the bulb.     

Creatine kinase isoenzyme activity during and after an ultra-distance (200 km) run

It is commonly assumed that creatine kinase (CK) activity in plasma is related to the state of an inflammatory response at 24-48 h, and also it has shown biphasic patterns after a marathon run. No information is available on CK isoenzymes after an ultra-marathon run. The purpose of the present study is to examine the CK isoenzymes after a 200 km ultra-marathon run and during the subsequent recovery. Blood samples were obtained during registration 1 2 h before the 200-km race and during the race at 100 km, 150 km and at the end of 200 km, as well as after a 24 h period of recovery. Thirty-two male ultra-distance runners participated in the study. Serum CPK showed a marked increase throughout the race and 24 h recovery period (p < 0.001). Serum CK during the race occurs mostly in the CK-MM isoform and only minutely in the CK-MB isoform and is unchanged in the CK-BB isoform. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), oestradiol, AST and ALT increased significantly from the pre-race value at 100 km and a further increase took place by the end of the 200 km run. The results of our study demonstrate a different release pattern of creatine kinase after an ultra-distance (200 km) run compared to the studies of marathon running and intense eccentric exercise, and changes in several biomarkers, indicative of muscle damage during the race, were much more pronounced during the latter half (100–200 km) of the race. However, the increases in plasma concentration of muscle enzymes may reflect not only structural damage, but also their rate of clearance.     

RHYTHM-AF: design of an international registry on cardioversion of atrial fibrillation and characteristics of participating centers

Background

Cigarette exposure increases brain oxidative stress. The literature showed that increased brain oxidative stress affects cardiovascular regulation. However, no previous study investigated the involvement of brain oxidative stress in animals exposed to cigarette and its relationship with cardiovascular regulation. We aimed to evaluate the effects of central catalase inhibition on baroreflex and cardiovascular responses in rats exposed to sidestream cigarette smoke (SSCS).

Methods

We evaluated males Wistar rats (320-370 g), which were implanted with a stainless steel guide cannula into the fourth cerebral ventricle (4th V). Femoral artery and vein were cannulated for mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) measurement and drug infusion, respectively. Rats were exposed to SSCS during three weeks, 180 minutes, 5 days/week (CO: 100-300 ppm). Baroreflex was tested with a pressor dose of phenylephrine (PHE, 8 ??g/kg, bolus) to induce bradycardic reflex and a depressor dose of sodium nitroprusside (SNP, 50 ??g/kg, bolus) to induce tachycardic reflex. Cardiovascular responses were evaluated before, 5, 15, 30 and 60 minutes after 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole (ATZ, catalase inhibitor, 0.001 g/100 ??L) injection into the 4th V.

Results

Central catalase inhibition increased basal HR in the control group during the first 5 minutes. SSCS exposure increased basal HR and attenuated bradycardic peak during the first 15 minutes.

Conclusion

We suggest that SSCS exposure affects cardiovascular regulation through its influence on catalase activity.