黄渤海甲壳类的分类多样性

为了解黄渤海甲壳类的分类多样性特征, 我们统计了2010-2015年中国水产科学研究院黄海水产研究所调查捕获的黄渤海甲壳类(软甲纲: 十足目与口足目)物种名录。结合历史文献, 进一步系统整理得到黄渤海甲壳类物种总名录。基于这2个名录, 应用分类阶元包含指数(the inclusion index at taxonomic level, TINCL_i)、平均分类差异指数(average taxonomic distinctness index, Δ⁺)和分类差异变异指数(variation in taxonomic distinctness index, Λ⁺)研究了其分类多样性特征。结果显示: 2010-2015年调查名录中, 甲壳类共93种, 隶属于2目39科66属, 其中10种为新分布种; 对虾科、藻虾科、长臂虾科、梭子蟹科和弓蟹科的物种数最多, 合计占总物种数的38.71%; TINCL_i分别为1.41种/属和2.38种/科; Δ⁺和Λ⁺分别为50.25和35.20。总名录中, 甲壳类共228种, 隶属于2目53科123属, 其中藻虾科、豆蟹科、对虾科、弓蟹科和鼓虾科的物种数最多, 合计占总物种数的30.70%; TINCL_i分别为1.85种/属和4.30种/科, Δ⁺和Λ⁺分别为50.18和30.87。对虾科的相对丰富度指数(the relative richness index, R_r)最高(100), 其次是梭子蟹科(71.43)和长臂虾科(62.50), 豆蟹科最低(6.25)。黄渤海甲壳类的平均分类差异指数(Δ⁺)明显小于鱼类(P < 0.05)。2010-2015年调查的Δ⁺计算值高于理论值, 且在理论值的95%置信区间内, 说明黄渤海甲壳类群落正处在中等程度的干扰中。     

Human serum and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase-like kinase (SGKL) phosphorylates glycogen syntheses kinase 3 beta (GSK-3beta) at serine-9 through direct interaction

Serum and glucocorticoid-inducible kinase-like kinase (SGKL) has been identified as a new integrator that decodes lipid signals produced by the activation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K). SGKL is activated via its lipid-binding domain (phox homology domain) in response to PI3K signaling. However, downstream targets of SGKL as well as the role of SGKL as a mediator in PI3K signaling in human tissues remain to be established. In this study, we identified human glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK-3beta) as a specific interacting partner with SGKL in a yeast two-hybrid screening of human brain cDNA library. The association between these two proteins is confirmed independently in human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells by co-immunoprecipitation. Furthermore, the kinase activity of wild-type SGKL was required for the in vitro phosphorylation of a GSK-3 crosstide fusion protein at serine-21/9 as demonstrated with a Phospho-GSK-3alpha/beta (Ser21/9) specific antibody. The present results provide strong evidences that SGKL could utilize GSK-3beta as a direct downstream target by phosphorylating GSK-3beta at serine-9.     

Evidences for Chlorogenic Acid — A Major Endogenous Polyphenol Involved in Regulation of Ripening and Senescence of Apple Fruit

To learn how the endogenous polyphenols may play a role in fruit ripening and senescence, apple pulp discs were used as a model to study the influences of chlorogenic acid (CHA, a major polyphenol in apple pulp) on fruit ripening and senescence. Apple (‘Golden Delicious’) pulp discs prepared from pre-climacteric fruit were treated with 50 mg L^-1 CHA and incubated in flasks with 10 mM MES buffer (pH 6.0, 11% sorbitol). Compared to the control samples, treatment with CHA significantly reduced ethylene production and respiration rate, and enhanced levels of firmness and soluble solids content of the pulp discs during incubation at 25°C. These results suggested that CHA could retard senescence of the apple pulp discs. Proteomics analysis with sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF/TOF) revealed that the expressions of several key proteins correlated to fruit ripening and senescence were affected by the treatment with CHA. Further study showed that treating the pulp discs with CHA remarkably reduced levels of lipoxygenase, β-galactosidase, NADP-malic enzyme, and enzymatic activities of lipoxygenase and UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase, all of which are known as promoters of fruit ripening and senescence. These results could provide new insights into the functions of endogenous phenolic compounds in fruit ripening and senescence.     

狭叶柴胡的抗过敏活性及其有效成分

本文以compound 48／80在体外诱导大鼠腹腔肥大细胞释放组胺,评价狭叶柴胡及其成分的抗过敏活性。狭叶柴胡醇提物及正丁醇部分(100μg／mL)、乙酸乙酯及水部分(10,100μg／mL)显著减少组胺释放,以乙酸乙酯部分的作用最强,狭叶柴胡挥发油(100μg／mL)对组胺释放呈现一定的促进作用。从乙酸乙酯部分分离得到异鼠李素和槲皮素两种主要化合物,均显著抑制组胺释放,表明黄酮为狭叶柴胡抗过敏作用的有效成分。     

Microsolvation effect and hydrogen-bonding pattern of taurine-water TA-(H2O)n (n = 1-3) complexes

The microsolvation of taurine (TA) with one, two or three water molecules was investigated by a density functional theory (DFT) approach. Quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) analyses were employed to elucidate the hydrogen bond (H-bond) interaction characteristics in TA-(H₂O)_n (n = 1–3) complexes. The results showed that the intramolecular H-bond formed between the hydroxyl and the N atom of TA are retained in most TA-(H₂O)_n (n = 1–3) complexes, and are strengthened via cooperative effects among multiple H-bonds from n = 1–3. A trend of proton transformation exists from the hydroxyl to the N atom, which finally results in the cleavage of the origin intramolecular H-bond and the formation of a new intramolecular H-bond between the amino and the O atom of TA. Therefore, the most stable TA-(H₂O)₃ complex becomes a zwitterionic complex rather than a neutral type. A many-body interaction analysis showed that the major contributors to the binding energies for complexes are the two-body energies, while three-body energies and relaxation energies make significant contributions to the binding energies for some complexes, whereas the four-body energies are too small to be significant.     

Perfect Terahertz Absorption with Graphene Surface Plasmons in the Modified Otto Configuration

Perfect terahertz (THz) absorption in the modified Otto configuration with the insertion of monolayer graphene sheet has been numerically demonstrated. This perfect absorption originates from the enhancement of the electrical field owing to the excitation of the transverse magnetic (TM) polarized surface plasmons at the interface of two dielectrics with monolayer graphene. It is found that the absorption peak occurs at the specific incident angles, which can be employed for realizing the angular absorbers. We further demonstrate that the angle of the peak absorption and the corresponding wavelength can be manipulated by changing the Fermi energy of monolayer graphene sheet via electrostatic biasing. Moreover, the behaviors of the perfect absorption are strongly dependent on the dielectric constants and thicknesses of the surrounding dielectrics.     

Wearable scanning photoacoustic brain imaging in behaving rats

A wearable scanning photoacoustic imaging (wPAI) system is presented for noninvasive brain study in behaving rats. This miniaturized wPAI system consists of four pico linear servos and a single transducer‐based PAI probe. It has a dimension of 50 mm × 35 mm × 40 mm, and a weight of 26 g excluding cablings. Phantom evaluation shows that wPAI achieves a lateral resolution of ～0.5 mm and an axial resolution of ～0.1 mm at a depth of up to 11 mm. Its imaging ability is also tested in a behaving rat, and the results indicate that wPAI is able to image blood vessels at a depth of up to 5 mm with intact scalp and skull. With its noninvasive, deep penetration, and functional imaging ability in behaving animals, wPAI can be used for behavior, cognition, and preclinical brain disease studies.