Relationship between postabsorptive respiratory exchange ratio and plasma free fatty acid concentrations

The relationship between overnight postabsorptive (fasting) respiratory exchange ratio (RER) and plasma FFA concentrations was addressed using data from three separate protocols, each of which involved careful control of the antecedent diet. Protocol 1 examined the relationship between fasting RER and the previous daytime RER. In Protocol 2 fasting, RER and plasma palmitate concentrations were measured in 29 women and 31 men (body mass index <30 kg·m⁻²). Protocol 3 analyzed data from Nielsen et al. (Nielsen, S., Z. K. Guo, J. B. Albu, S. Klein, P. C. O''Brien, M. D. Jensen. 2003. Energy expenditure, sex and endogenous fuel availability in humans. J. Clin. Invest. 111: 981-988.) to understand how fasting RER and palmitate concentrations relate within individuals during four consecutive measurements. The results were as follows: 1) Fasting RER was correlated (r = 0.74, P < 0.001) with the previous day''s average RER, and less so with RER variability. 2) Fasting RER was correlated (r = −0.39, P = 0.007) with fasting plasma palmitate concentrations. 3) The pattern of the RER/palmitate relationship was similar within individuals and between individuals; a negative slope was observed significantly more often than a positive slope (χ² test; P < 0.001). Our findings suggest that, despite a fixed food quotient, the slight departures from energy equilibrium in a controlled General Clinical Research Center environment can effect plasma FFA concentrations. We suggest that including indirect calorimetry as part of FFA metabolism studies may aid in data interpretation.     

Role of TARP interaction in S-SCAM-mediated regulation of AMPA receptors

Scaffolding proteins are involved in the incorporation, anchoring, maintenance, and removal of AMPA receptors (AMPARs) at synapses, either through a direct interaction with AMPARs or via indirect association through auxiliary subunits of transmembrane AMPAR regulatory proteins (TARPs). Synaptic scaffolding molecule (S-SCAM) is a newly characterized member of the scaffolding proteins critical for the regulation and maintenance of AMPAR levels at synapses, and directly binds to TARPs through a PDZ interaction. However, the functional significance of S-SCAM–TARP interaction in the regulation of AMPARs has not been tested. Here we show that overexpression of the C-terminal peptide of TARP-γ2 fused to EGFP abolished the S-SCAM-mediated enhancement of surface GluA2 expression. Conversely, the deletion of the PDZ-5 domain of S-SCAM that binds TARPs greatly attenuated the S-SCAM-induced increase of surface GluA2 expression. In contrast, the deletion of the guanylate kinase domain of S-SCAM did not show a significant effect on the regulation of AMPARs. Together, these results suggest that S-SCAM is regulating AMPARs through TARPs.     

新疆绿蟾蜍的染色体组型初步研究

近年来,有关两栖类的染色体组型已有不少报道。无尾两栖类中蜍蟾属(Bufo)的染色体数目分为两类:2n=22和2n=20(Blain,1972)。我们对采自新疆4个地区的绿蟾蜍进行了染色体组型分析,发现其二倍体细胞染色体数均为44,是四倍体。现将我们的初步研究报道如下。     

Serum IgE levels in rats infected with Paragonimus westermani]

Paragonimus westermani is a common fluke in Korea. The present study aimed to determine serum total IgE and specific IgG levels in experimental paragonimiasis of rats. Each Wistar rat was inoculated orally with 20-25 metacercariae of P. westermani from Cambaroides similis. Before and after infection (1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 weeks) of P. westermani, the blood was collected from the retro-orbital venous plexus of rats and kept serum at -70 degrees C. Serum total IgE and specific IgG levels were determined by the capture and conventional enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. The results were as follows; 1. Serum IgE values were increased to 0.18 +/- 0.042 at 2 weeks, 0.28 +/- 0.151 at 4 weeks and 0.43 +/- 0.055 at 8 weeks after infection. The absorbances of non-infected rats ranged 0.07 +/- 0.021-0.12 +/- 0.025. 2. Specific IgG values were slightly increased at 3 weeks (0.20 +/- 0.032) and gradually increased up to 8 weeks (0.31 +/- 0.067) after infection. The absorbances of non-infected rats ranged 0.11 +/- 0.035-0.18 +/- 0.019. The present results suggested that P. westermani could elevate serum IgE and specific IgG antibodies in Wistar rats which were not a good definitive host.