Autonomic control of heart rate is virtually independent of temperature but seems related to the neuroanatomy of the efferent vagal supply to the heart in the bullfrog, Lithobathes catesbeianus

Bullfrogs, Lithobathes catesbeianus, bearing a femoral artery cannula were held at 3 temperatures (10, 20 and 30 °C) for 24 h. Changes in heart rate were recorded before and after injection of cholinergic and adrenergic antagonists. Normal heart rate doubled for each temperature increment. Adrenergic tone on the heart varied around 20% at all 3 temperatures but cholinergic tone increased from −5% to 10% between 10 and 30 °C. In contrast, cholinergic tone increased from 75% at 5 °C to 329% at 25 °C in Xenopus laevis. Injection of the neural tracer True Blue into the cervical vagus of the bullfrog revealed a single location for vagal preganglionic neurons (VPN) in the dorsal vagal motor nucleus (DVN), while Xenopus had 30% of its VPN in a ventro-lateral group outside the DVN. Broader comparative studies have suggested that differences in the extent of vagal tone may relate to the location of VPN in the brainstem and this may be the case in these amphibians.     

短小芽胞杆菌Bacillus pumilus HR10增殖扩繁培养基组分优化

短小芽胞杆菌Bacillus pumilus HR10是1株优良的菌根辅助细菌(Mycorrhiza Helper Bacteria,MHB),无论单独接种或与外生菌根真菌(Ectomycorrhizal Fungi,EMF)黄色须腹菌(Rhizopogen luteous)互作,都能显著促进马尾松(Pinus massoniana)的生长。应规模应用需要,从10种碳源、8种氮源及8种无机盐中以单因素试验初步筛选出主要组分,在此基础上采用正交试验及响应面分析法优化短小芽胞杆菌HR10增殖扩繁的培养基成分。结果表明,该菌株增殖扩繁培养基最佳组分配比为黄豆粉10.332 g/L,玉米粉7.296 g/L,蛋白胨10.718 g/L,KCl 2.5 g/L,KH2PO42.5 g/L。研究结果为菌根辅助细菌短小芽胞杆菌B.pumilus HR10菌剂开发应用提供了参考依据。     

Locating QTLs controlling several adult root traits in an elite Chinese hybrid rice

This study aimed to elucidate the genetics of the adult root system in elite Chinese hybrid rice. Several adult root traits in a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population of Xieyou 9308 and two backcross F₁ (BCF₁) populations derived from the RILs were phenotyped under hydroponic culture at heading stage for quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping and other statistical analysis. There a total of eight QTLs detected for the root traits. Among of them, a pleiotropic QTL was repeatedly flanked by RM180 and RM5436 on the short arm of chromosome 7 for multiple traits across RILs and its BCF₁ populations, accounting for 6.88% to 25.26% of the phenotypic variances. Only additive/dominant QTLs were detected for the root traits. These results can serve as a foundation for facilitating future cloning and molecular breeding.     

Molecular dynamics study of the metallochaperone Hah1 in its apo and Cu(I)-loaded states: role of the conserved residue M10

Molecular dynamics simulations were performed on both apo and copper forms of the human copper chaperone, Hah1. Wild-type Hah1 and a methionine (M10) to serine mutant were investigated. We have evidenced the central role of residue M10 in stabilizing the hydrophobic core of Hah1 as well as the internal structure of the metal-binding site. When copper(I) is bound, the mobility of Hah1 is reduced whereas mutation of M10 implies a drastic increase of the mobility of apoHah1, stressing the importance of this highly conserved hydrophobic residue for copper sequestration by the apoprotein.     

Plant nitrogen availability and crosstalk with phytohormones signallings and their biotechnology breeding application in crops

Nitrogen (N), one of the most important nutrients, limits plant growth and crop yields in sustainable agriculture system, in which phytohormones are known to play essential roles in N availability. Hence, it is not surprising that massive studies about the crosstalk between N and phytohormones have been constantly emerging. In this review, with the intellectual landscape of N and phytohormones crosstalk provided by the bibliometric analysis, we trace the research story of best-known crosstalk between N and various phytohormones over the last 20 years. Then, we discuss how N regulates various phytohormones biosynthesis and transport in plants. In reverse, we also summarize how phytohormones signallings modulate root system architecture (RSA) in response to N availability. Besides, we expand to outline how phytohormones signallings regulate uptake, transport, and assimilation of N in plants. Further, we conclude advanced biotechnology strategies, explain their application, and provide potential phytohormones-regulated N use efficiency (NUE) targets in crops. Collectively, this review provides not only a better understanding on the recent progress of crosstalk between N and phytohormones, but also targeted strategies for improvement of NUE to increase crop yields in future biotechnology breeding of crops.     

MRI vs CT-based 2D-3D auto-registration accuracy for quantifying shoulder motion using biplane video-radiography

Biplane 2D-3D registration approaches have been used for measuring 3D, in vivo glenohumeral (GH) joint kinematics. Computed tomography (CT) has become the gold standard for reconstructing 3D bone models, as it provides high geometric accuracy and similar tissue contrast to video-radiography. Alternatively, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) would not expose subjects to radiation and provides the ability to add cartilage and other soft tissues to the models. However, the accuracy of MRI-based 2D-3D registration for quantifying glenohumeral kinematics is unknown. We developed an automatic 2D-3D registration program that works with both CT- and MRI-based image volumes for quantifying joint motions. The purpose of this study was to use the proposed 2D-3D auto-registration algorithm to describe the humerus and scapula tracking accuracy of CT- and MRI-based registration relative to radiostereometric analysis (RSA) during dynamic biplanar video-radiography. The GH kinematic accuracy (RMS error) was 0.6–1.0 mm and 0.6–2.2° for the CT-based registration and 1.4–2.2 mm and 1.2–2.6° for MRI-based registration. Higher kinematic accuracy of CT-based registration was expected as MRI provides lower spatial resolution and bone contrast as compared to CT and suffers from spatial distortions. However, the MRI-based registration is within an acceptable accuracy for many clinical research questions.     

氧化亚铁硫杆菌的分离及其培养条件优化

目的:获得可应用于烟气脱硫的菌株,并对其培养条件进行优化.方法:从化工厂取土样分离氧化亚铁硫杆菌,分析分离菌株的形态学特征、培养特征及16S rDNA序列,确定菌株的分类地位.通过单因子实验,对培养基中主要成分硫酸亚铁和硫酸铵的浓度进行优化.利用SAS软件中的Box-Behnken法设计实验,通过响应面分析对初始pH、温度、接种量、装液量4个因素进行优化.结果:获得菌株N16,经鉴定为嗜酸性氧化亚铁硫杆菌(Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans).确定FeSO_4·7H_2O和(NH_4)_2SO_4的最适添加量分别为60/L和1g/L.确定菌株最适培养条件为:初始pH 1.8,温度28℃,转速150r/min,接种量15%,装液量30mL.在最适培养墓及培养条件下,菌株N16的亚铁氧化率可达99.78%.结论:分离得到的菌株适合于微生物法烟气脱硫的应用.     

Glutamate metabolism in the brain of young rats exposed to organic and inorganic lead

The synthesis of glutamate and its conversion to glutamine and GABA were studied using labelled glucose in cerebral cortex, cerebellum and brainstem of rats intoxicated acutely with tetraethyl lead and chronically with lead acetate. To assess the interconversion and the synaptosomal accumulation of these amino acids, the labelling of glutamate, glutamine and GABA were measured in whole tissue and synaptosomes after giving labelled glutamate. The radioactive carbon dioxide production from labelled glutamate by brain slices was measured to evaluate the oxidation of glutamate. The tissue levels of glutamate, glutamine and GABA and the activity of glutamate decarboxylase were also measured in both conditions.In inorganic lead toxicity, even though the glutamate pool size was reduced, the glutamate-glutamine cycling between synaptosomes and astrocytes was increased. The oxidation of glutamate and the glutamate-GABA cycling were reduced. These findings suggest that brain tries to maintain the endogenous glutamate levels by decreasing the oxidation of glutamate and increasing the uptake systems and the cycling through glutamine in inorganic lead toxicity. In organic lead toxicity, the glutamate pool as well as glutamate turnover was reduced markedly resulting in complete distortion of glutamate metabolism.