Multi-representation of symbolic and nonsymbolic numerical magnitude in Chinese number processing

Numerical information can be conveyed by either symbolic or nonsymbolic representation. Some symbolic numerals can also be identified as nonsymbolic quantities defined by the number of lines (e.g., I, II, III in Roman and -, =, ≡ in Japanese Kanji and Chinese). Here we report that such multi-representation of magnitude can facilitate the processing of these numerals under certain circumstances. In a magnitude comparison task judging 1 to 9 (except 5) Chinese and Arabic numerals presented at the foveal (at the center) or parafoveal (3° left or right of the center) location, multi-representational small-value Chinese numerals showed a processing advantage over single-representational Arabic numerals and large-value Chinese numerals only in the parafoveal condition, demonstrated by lower error rates and faster reaction times. Further event-related potential (ERP) analysis showed that such a processing advantage was not reflected by traditional ERP components identified in previous studies of number processing, such as N1 or P2p. Instead, the difference was found much later in a N400 component between 300-550 msec over parietal regions, suggesting that those behavioral differences may not be due to early processing of visual identification, but later processing of subitizing or accessing mental number line when lacking attentional resources. These results suggest that there could be three stages of number processing represented separately by the N1, P2p and N400 ERP components. In addition, numerical information can be represented simultaneously by both symbolic and nonsymbolic systems, which will facilitate number processing in certain situations.     

Integrated ratio of metastatic to examined lymph nodes and number of metastatic lymph nodes into the AJCC staging system for colon cancer

Objective

At present, only the number of metastatic lymph nodes (LNs+) is used for the pN category of AJCC TNM system for colon cancer. Recently, the ratio of metastatic to examined lymph nodes (LNR) has been reported to represent powerful independent predictive capacity in colon cancer. We sought to propose a novel category (nLN) which intergrades LNR and LNs+ into the AJCC staging system for colon cancer.

Design

34476 patients from the National Cancer Institute''s Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) dataset with stage III colon cancer were reviewed. Harrell''s C statistic was used to evaluate the predictive capacity. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to construct a novel category.

Results

The LNR category had more predictive capacity than the pN category in whole groups of patients (Harrell''s C index: 0.6194 vs 0.6113, p = 0.003). Subgroup analysis showed that the LNR category was not better than pN category in predictive capacity if the number of lymph nodes examined was more than 13. We also found that there was significant survival heterogeneity among different pN categories at the same LNR category (P<0.001). The Harrell''s C index for our nLN category which intergrades LNR and LNs+ was 0.6228, which was significant higher than that of the pN category (Harrell''s C index: 0.6113, P<0.001) or LNR category (Harrell''s C index: 0.6194, P = 0.005), respectively.

Conclusion

To evaluate the prognosis of colon cancer, our nLN category which intergrades LNR with LNs+ is more accurate than the pN category or LNR category, respectively.     

高蛋白高胆固醇饮食诱导大鼠心肌纤维化协同效应及其机制的研究

目的:探讨高蛋白高胆固醇饮食诱导心肌纤维化的协同效应及其发生机制.方法:在每日标准饮食中增加20%蛋白质或/和100 mg胆固醇摄入8周的大鼠,以羟脯氨酸法测心肌胶原含量;以放免法测左心室及血浆AngⅡ和Ald浓度;以Griess法测血清亚硝酸盐(NO-2)浓度.结果:高蛋白高胆固醇组较高蛋白组心肌胶原含量升高了1.69倍,血总胆固醇和AngⅡ浓度分别升高了0.7倍和1.5倍,血NO-2 浓度亦明显降低,心肌Ald含量上升了1倍;较高胆固醇组心肌胶原含量升高了0.48倍,血AngⅡ升高了0.23倍.结论:高蛋白高胆固醇饮食可协同诱导心肌纤维化,其发生机制可能与RAAS激活和内皮功能受损有关.     

Reduction of phosphodiesterase 3B gene expression in peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (+/-) mice independent of adipocyte size

Phosphodiesterase 3B (PDE3B) gene expression is generally reduced in large adipocytes of obese, insulin-resistant mice. This reduced gene expression is restored by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) gamma ligands accompanied by a reduced fat cell size. To determine whether PDE3B gene expression is regulated by PPAR gamma itself, we analyzed lean PPAR gamma (+/-) mice with adipocyte size comparable to control PPAR gamma (+/+) mice. In adipocytes of PPAR gamma (+/-) mice, PDE3B mRNA and protein were both reduced to 63% of wild-type levels. Basal PDE activity tended to be decreased to 70% of wild-type levels, and, similarly, insulin-induced PDE activity was significantly decreased to 70%. Thus, PPAR gamma is required for PDE3B gene expression independent of adipocyte size.     

Protection of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor to Brain Edema Following Intracerebral Hemorrhage and Its Involved Mechanisms: Effect of Aquaporin-4

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has protective effects on many neurological diseases. However, whether VEGF acts on brain edema following intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is largely unknown. Our previous study has shown aquaporin-4 (AQP4) plays an important role in brain edema elimination following ICH. Meanwhile, there is close relationship between VEGF and AQP4. In this study, we aimed to test effects of VEGF on brain edema following ICH and examine whether they were AQP4 dependent. Recombinant human VEGF165 (rhVEGF165) was injected intracerebroventricularly 1 d after ICH induced by microinjecting autologous whole blood into striatum. We detected perihemotomal AQP4 protein expression, then examined the effects of rhVEGF165 on perihemotomal brain edema at 1 d, 3 d, and 7 d after injection in wild type (AQP4^+/+) and AQP4 knock-out (AQP4^−/−) mice. Furthermore, we assessed the possible signal transduction pathways activated by VEGF to regulate AQP4 expression via astrocyte cultures. We found perihemotomal AQP4 protein expression was highly increased by rhVEGF165. RhVEGF165 alleviated perihemotomal brain edema in AQP4^+/+ mice at each time point, but had no effect on AQP4^−/− mice. Perihemotomal EB extravasation was increased by rhVEGF165 in AQP4^−/− mice, but not AQP4^+/+ mice. RhVEGF165 reduced neurological deficits and increased Nissl’s staining cells surrounding hemotoma in both types of mice and these effects were related to AQP4. RhVEGF165 up-regulated phospharylation of C-Jun amino-terminal kinase (p-JNK) and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (p-ERK) and AQP4 protein in cultured astrocytes. The latter was inhibited by JNK and ERK inhibitors. In conclusion, VEGF reduces neurological deficits, brain edema, and neuronal death surrounding hemotoma but has no influence on BBB permeability. These effects are closely related to AQP4 up-regulation, possibly through activating JNK and ERK pathways. The current study may present new insights to treatment of brain edema following ICH.     

2019环境生物技术专刊序言

环境生物技术,作为一门由现代生物技术与环境工程相结合的新兴交叉学科,已经在环境污染治理、环境监测中得到了广泛的应用,环境友好、高效地处理有机及无机污染,同时变废为宝生产高值化合物为从根本上解决环境问题提供了希望与支持。本专刊报道了环境生物技术在多环芳烃、抗生素、石油基塑料等环境污染物降解领域的基础与应用研究,介绍了吲哚、微生物铁载体等分子在生物修复中的应用,为全面认识环境污染现状、深入开展环境生物技术研究并制定综合治理策略等提供参考。     

Quantitative regulation of the thermal stability of enveloped virus vaccines by surface charge engineering to prevent the self-aggregation of attachment glycoproteins

The development of thermostable vaccines can relieve the bottleneck of existing vaccines caused by thermal instability and subsequent poor efficacy, which is one of the predominant reasons for the millions of deaths caused by vaccine-preventable diseases. Research into the mechanism of viral thermostability may provide strategies for developing thermostable vaccines. Using Newcastle disease virus (NDV) as model, we identified the negative surface charge of attachment glycoprotein as a novel determinant of viral thermostability. It prevented the temperature-induced aggregation of glycoprotein and subsequent detachment from virion surface. Then structural stability of virion surface was improved and virus could bind to and infect cells efficiently after heat-treatment. Employing the approach of surface charge engineering, thermal stability of NDV and influenza A virus (IAV) vaccines was successfully improved. The increase in the level of vaccine thermal stability was determined by the value-added in the negative surface charge of the attachment glycoprotein. The engineered live and inactivated vaccines could be used efficiently after storage at 37°C for at least 10 and 60 days, respectively. Thus, our results revealed a novel surface-charge-mediated link between HN protein and NDV thermostability, which could be used to design thermal stable NDV and IAV vaccines rationally.     

Rapid Diversification of FoxP2 in Teleosts through Gene Duplication in the Teleost-Specific Whole Genome Duplication Event

As one of the most conserved genes in vertebrates, FoxP2 is widely involved in a number of important physiological and developmental processes. We systematically studied the evolutionary history and functional adaptations of FoxP2 in teleosts. The duplicated FoxP2 genes (FoxP2a and FoxP2b), which were identified in teleosts using synteny and paralogon analysis on genome databases of eight organisms, were probably generated in the teleost-specific whole genome duplication event. A credible classification with FoxP2, FoxP2a and FoxP2b in phylogenetic reconstructions confirmed the teleost-specific FoxP2 duplication. The unavailability of FoxP2b in Danio rerio suggests that the gene was deleted through nonfunctionalization of the redundant copy after the Otocephala-Euteleostei split. Heterogeneity in evolutionary rates among clusters consisting of FoxP2 in Sarcopterygii (Cluster 1), FoxP2a in Teleostei (Cluster 2) and FoxP2b in Teleostei (Cluster 3), particularly between Clusters 2 and 3, reveals asymmetric functional divergence after the gene duplication. Hierarchical cluster analyses of hydrophobicity profiles demonstrated significant structural divergence among the three clusters with verification of subsequent stepwise discriminant analysis, in which FoxP2 of Leucoraja erinacea and Lepisosteus oculatus were classified into Cluster 1, whereas FoxP2b of Salmo salar was grouped into Cluster 2 rather than Cluster 3. The simulated thermodynamic stability variations of the forkhead box domain (monomer and homodimer) showed remarkable divergence in FoxP2, FoxP2a and FoxP2b clusters. Relaxed purifying selection and positive Darwinian selection probably were complementary driving forces for the accelerated evolution of FoxP2 in ray-finned fishes, especially for the adaptive evolution of FoxP2a and FoxP2b in teleosts subsequent to the teleost-specific gene duplication.