Insolubility of Cr2O3 in Bioaccessibility Tests Points to Requirement for a New Human Oral Reference Dose for Trivalent Chromium

Bioaccessibility measurements have the potential to improve the accuracy of risk assessments and reduce the potential costs of remediation when they reveal that the solubility of chemicals in a matrix (e.g., soil) differs markedly from that in the critical toxicity study (i.e., the key study from which a toxicological or toxicity reference value is derived). We aimed to apply this approach to a brownfield site contaminated with chromium, and found that the speciation was Cr^III, using a combination of alkaline digestion/diphenylcarbazide complexation and X-ray absorption near edge structure analysis. The bioaccessibility of Cr₂O₃, the compound on which a reference dose for Cr^III is based, was substantially lower (<0.1%) than that of the Cr^III in the soils, which was a maximum of 9%, giving relative bioaccessibility values of 13,000% in soil. This shows that the reference dose is based on essentially an insoluble compound, and thus we suggest that other compounds be considered for toxicity testing and derivation of reference dose. Two possibilities are CrCl₃·6H₂O and KCr(SO₄)₂·12H₂O, which have been used for derivation of ecological toxicity reference values and are soluble at a range of dosing levels in our bioaccessibility tests.     

The Neural Basis of Responsibility Attribution in Decision-Making

Social responsibility links personal behavior with societal expectations and plays a key role in affecting an agent’s emotional state following a decision. However, the neural basis of responsibility attribution remains unclear. In two previous event-related brain potential (ERP) studies we found that personal responsibility modulated outcome evaluation in gambling tasks. Here we conducted a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study to identify particular brain regions that mediate responsibility attribution. In a context involving team cooperation, participants completed a task with their teammates and on each trial received feedback about team success and individual success sequentially. We found that brain activity differed between conditions involving team success vs. team failure. Further, different brain regions were associated with reinforcement of behavior by social praise vs. monetary reward. Specifically, right temporoparietal junction (RTPJ) was associated with social pride whereas dorsal striatum and dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) were related to reinforcement of behaviors leading to personal gain. The present study provides evidence that the RTPJ is an important region for determining whether self-generated behaviors are deserving of praise in a social context.     

羊角椒辣味物质成份分析

用紫外光谱法、红外光谱法和高效液相色谱法分析羊角椒中辣味物质纯度与组成,表明辣味物质由辣椒素、二氢辣椒素和降二氢辣椒素组成。     

Interaction of glycophorin with lipid bilayer studied by calorimetry, densitometry, static light scattering, and electron microscopy.

In the first part of the present work the interaction of glycophorin with dimyristoylphosphatidylcholine (DMPC) is studied by freeze fracture electron microscopy, densitometry, calorimetry, and 90 degree static light scattering. An exothermic lipid/protein interaction energy of WP = 190 kJ.mol-1 was found by application of the well known Van Laar relation for the displacement of the freezing point and the Gibbs-Duhem relationship. Secondly, the effects of Ca2+ on the lipid/protein interaction were studied. Following Ca2+ addition a remarkable decoupling of the interaction of the glycophorin head group with the bilayer surface was revealed by densitometry and gold-labeling electron microscopy. It is estimated that about 80% of lipid once disturbed by the adsorption of glycophorin head groups is decoupled after addition of Ca2+. Thirdly, the selective interaction of glycophorin with binary lipid mixtures was studied, including the mixtures of DMPC with dimyristoylphosphatidylserine (DMPS) and dilauroylphosphatidylcholine (DLPC), and the mixture of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) with DLPC.     

Phyto- and protozooplankton biomass during austral summer in surface waters of the Weddell Sea and vicinity

Summary Phyto- and protozooplankton were sampled in the upper 10 m of the water column in austral summer during a cruise of RV Polarstern from January 6 to February 20 1985 in the eastern Bransfield Strait vicinity and in the northern, southeastern (off Vestkapp, twice: I and II) and southern Weddell Sea (Vahsel Bay across the Filchner Depression to Gould Bay). The plankton assemblages are discussed in relation to physical, chemical and biological factors in the different geographical areas in summer. Phytoplankton biomass (Phytoplankton carbon, PPC) ranged from 4–194 g carbon/l and consisted on average of 65% diatoms and 35% autotrophic flagellates. Whereas in the northwest phytoplankton assemblages were dominated by small nanoflagellates (78% of PPC), higher biomass of diatoms (54–94% of PPC) occurred at the other sampling sites. In general autotrophic flagellates and small pennate diatoms dominated at oceanic stations; in neritic areas large centric diatoms prevailed. Chlorophyll a concentrations ranged from 0.25–3.14/g chl a/l with a mean of 1.13/gmg chlorophyll a/l and an average phytoplankton carbon/chlorophyll a ratio of 39. Protozooplankton biomass (Protozooplankton carbon, PZC) ranged from 0–67 g carbon/l and consisted of 49% ciliates, 49% heterotrophic dinoflagellates and 2% tintinnids. Heterotrophic dinoflagellates were more important in the northern investigation areas (58%–84% of PZC). Ciliates dominated the protozooplankton in the southeast and south (56%–65% of PZC); higher abundances of tintinnids were observed only in the south (11% of PZC). The most remarkable feature of the surface waters was the high protozooplankton biomass: protozooplankton amounted to 25% on an average of the combined biomass of PPC plus PZC for the entire investigation period. Protozoan biomass in the southeastern and southern Weddell Sea occasionally exceeded phytoplankton biomass. Temperature, salinity, and inorganic nutrients were generally lower in the southern regions; at most of these stations a meltwater layer occurred in the upper meters of the water column. We suggest that this physical regime allows a well developed summer system with a high proportion of heterotrophic microplankton. In the eastern Bransfield Strait, in the northern Weddell Sea and close to the coast off Vestkapp (I), however, early summer conditions occurred with less protozooplankton contribution.Contribution no. 427 from the Alfred-Wegener-Institute for Polar and Marine Research     

淮河流域蒸散发时空变化与归因分析

蒸散发（Evapotranspiration,ET）是联结土壤-植被-大气过程的纽带,对理解地表水热平衡至关重要。因此,量化分析ET时空变化特征、揭示其主要控制因子对区域用水管理和农业生产十分重要。利用遥感数据和气象数据,基于BEPS模型估算了1981-2019年的淮河流域ET,分析了该区域ET时空分布特征,并通过敏感度系数和贡献率方法对该区域的ET多年变化特征进行了归因分析,最后借助数值实验方法深入探究影响特湿润年（2003年）ET较低的主要原因。结果表明：（1）1981-2019年淮河流域多年平均ET为549.83 mm,其中夏季ET占全年ET的比值达到47.63%;1981年以来区域ET整体呈极显著上升趋势（4.41 mm/a,P<0.01）;季节上,除冬季外,其他三个季节的ET增幅均呈显著性增加（P<0.05）,四季增幅速率大小依次为：夏季>春季>秋季>冬季;空间上,中东部和南部ET较高,重心模型显示ET高值区域呈显著的由北向南的移动趋势;（2）归因分析结果表明,淮河流域ET对气温变化最敏感,其次为相对湿度、太阳总辐射、叶面积指数（LAI）和降水,但ET对LAI的正敏感性逐渐增强导致LAI的显著升高对流域ET年际变化贡献最大（44.5%）,其次是气温的升高（25.93%）;同时,LAI是春、夏、秋三季ET变化的主导因素,气温是冬季ET变化的主导因素;（3）数值实验显示高相对湿度是引起特湿润年（2003年）ET明显偏低的最主要因素,这与导致长时间序列ET变化的原因不同。因此,建议今后加强极端气候条件下ET变化的归因分析,为更有效地应对全球气候变化提供决策服务。研究结果能够为认识淮河流域环境变化对水循环影响及合理分配区域水资源提供科学参考。     

探索以“霍乱弧菌检测虚拟仿真实验”为载体的混合式实验教学模式

虚拟仿真实验是一种现代信息化和智慧教学的重要方法,对高等医学院校教学质量的发展起到重要的推进作用。我们自主开发建设的“霍乱弧菌检测与防控虚拟仿真实验”,既弥补了因生物安全问题不能开展的实验教学,也解决了微生物学检验实验教学中存在的操作标准化问题。采用“三步进阶”混合教学模式,实现以“学生为中心”的师生互动模式,创建“设计性实验报告”,与育人元素有机结合,培育医学生的职业使命感。细化考核标准,实现过程性评价。探索课前启发铺垫、课中内化升华、课后巩固拓展混合式实验教学模式,有效提高学生的实验技能,实现知行合一、素能共育的教学目标。     

生物胺降解酶研究进展及其应用

生物胺是存在于发酵食品和酒精饮料中的潜在胺类危害物。如果人体摄入过量的生物胺,则会引起呼吸困难、呕吐和发烧等过敏反应。生物胺降解酶是通过将生物胺氧化成醛类物质来实现降解生物胺的一类酶。目前发现的具有降解生物胺能力的酶主要包括胺氧化酶、胺脱氢酶和多铜氧化酶。本文详细阐述了这3类主要生物胺降解酶的催化机理、底物特异性、酶学性质、应用特性和它们对生物胺的降解效果,归纳和总结了生物胺降解酶的异源表达和分子改造的研究进展,并对生物胺降解酶在基因挖掘、分子改造和表达等方面的研究趋势进行了展望,以期为研究和开发食品中生物胺的酶法降解策略提供参考。     

Exosomal lncRNA-p21 derived from mesenchymal stem cells protects epithelial cells during LPS-induced acute lung injury by sponging miR-181

Long noncoding RNAs(IncRNAs)act as essential regulators of various diseases.However,the func-tions of IncRNAs in sepsis-induced acute lung injury(SALI)remain un...     

Mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes: A novel and potential remedy for cutaneous wound healing and regeneration

Poor healing of cutaneous wounds is a common medical problem in the field of traumatology. Due to the intricate pathophysiological processes of wound healing, the use of conventional treatment methods, such as chemical molecule drugs and traditional dressings, have been unable to achieve satisfactory outcomes. Within recent years, explicit evidence suggests that mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have great therapeutic potentials on skin wound healing and regeneration. However, the direct application of MSCs still faces many challenges and difficulties. Intriguingly, exosomes as cell-secreted granular vesicles with a lipid bilayer membrane structure and containing specific components from the source cells may emerge to be excellent substitutes for MSCs. Exosomes derived from MSCs (MSC-exosomes) have been demonstrated to be beneficial for cutaneous wound healing and accelerate the process through a variety of mechanisms. These mechanisms include alleviating inflammation, promoting vascularization, and promoting proliferation and migration of epithelial cells and fibroblasts. Therefore, the application of MSC-exosomes may be a promising alternative to cell therapy in the treatment of cutaneous wounds and could promote wound healing through multiple mechanisms simultaneously. This review will provide an overview of the role and the mechanisms of MSC-derived exosomes in cutaneous wound healing, and elaborate the potentials and future perspectives of MSC-exosomes application in clinical practice.