Aims
To isolate a novel endophytic bacterium from Panax ginseng that could have excellent properties in converting ginsenoside Rb1 to ginsenoside Rg3.
Methods and Results
Based on a 16S rDNA gene ...sequence, the strain named GE 17‐7 was identified as Burkholderia sp. This strain has shown the highest activity in converting ginsenoside Rb1 to 20(S)‐ginsenoside Rg3. During the biotransformation of ginsenoside Rb1, the final metabolite was identified by nuclear magnetic resonance analysis and the transformation pathway of ginsenoside Rb1 was also identified by thin‐layer chromatography and high performance liquid chromatography analysis in this study.
Conclusions
We have successfully isolated a β‐glucosidase‐producing endophytic bacterium GE 17‐7 from P. ginseng. Ginsenoside Rg3 was produced by strain GE 17‐7 from ginsenoside Rb1 via ginsenoside Rd.
Significance and Impact of the Study
This is the first report of the conversion of major ginsenoside Rb1 into minor ginsenoside Rg3 by fermentation with Burkholderia sp. endophytic bacteria in P. ginseng. These results suggest a new preparation method for ginsenoside Rg3 using strain GE 17‐7 in the pharmaceutical industry.
A consistent poleward and upward shift and intensification of the storm tracks is found in an ensemble of 21st century climate simulations performed by 15 coupled climate models. The shift of the ...storm tracks is accompanied by a poleward shift and upward expansion of the midlatitude baroclinic regions associated with enhanced warming in the tropical upper troposphere and increased tropopause height. The poleward shift in baroclinicity is augmented in the Southern Hemisphere and partially offset in the Northern Hemisphere by changes in the surface meridional temperature gradient. The poleward shift of the storm tracks also tends to be accompanied by poleward shifts in surface wind stress and precipitation, and a shift towards the high index state of the annular modes. These results highlight the integral role that the storm tracks play in the climate system, and the importance of understanding how and why they will change in the future.
Action, time and the basal ganglia Yin, Henry H.
Philosophical transactions of the Royal Society of London. Series B. Biological sciences,
03/2014, Letnik:
369, Številka:
1637
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
The ability to control the speed of movement is compromised in neurological disorders involving the basal ganglia, a set of subcortical cerebral nuclei that receive prominent dopaminergic projections ...from the midbrain. For example, bradykinesia, slowness of movement, is a major symptom of Parkinson's disease, whereas rapid tics are observed in patients with Tourette syndrome. Recent experimental work has also implicated dopamine (DA) and the basal ganglia in action timing. Here, I advance the hypothesis that the basal ganglia control the rate of change in kinaesthetic perceptual variables. In particular, the sensorimotor cortico-basal ganglia network implements a feedback circuit for the control of movement velocity. By modulating activity in this network, DA can change the gain of velocity reference signals. The lack of DA thus reduces the output of the velocity control system which specifies the rate of change in body configurations, slowing the transition from one body configuration to another.
Dioscin, one natural product, has various pharmacological actions. However, its effects on methotrexate (MTX)-induced hepatorenal damages still remain unknown. In the present study, the data ...manifested that dioscin restored the viabilities of L-02 and NRK-52E cells, reduced ALT, AST, Cr, BUN levels, and ameliorated histopathological changes of liver and kidney. Besides, dioscin decreased ROS levels in cells, and adjusted SOD, MDA, GSH and GSH-Px levels in rats. Dioscin reduced the expression levels of miR-145–5p which directly targeted Sirt5, and then regulated the expression levels of SOD1, Nrf2, Gst, Keap1, HO-1, GCLC and NQO1. MiR-145–5p mimic in cells deteriorated ROS levels and decreased Sirt5 expression to accentuate oxidative stress by regulating the expression levels of SOD1, Nrf2, Keap1, which were all reversed by dioscin. Moreover, MTX-induced hepatorenal damage were worsened in mice by Sirt5 siRNA or miR-145–5p agomir, which were also alleviated by dioscin. Dioscin relieved MTX-induced hepatorenal damages through regulating miR-145-5p-medicated oxidative stress, which should be considered as one effective drug to treat the disorder in future.
Proposed signaling mechanism of dioscin on restoring MTX-induced liver and kidney damages via regulating miR-145-5p-mediated oxidative stress. Dioscin up-regulated Sirt5 level by down-regulating miR-145–5p level to adjust the expression levels of Nrf2, HO-1, GCLC, NQO1, Gst, SOD1 and Keap1. Dioscin protected hepatorenal damages caused by MTX via regulating miR-145-5p-mediated oxidative stress. Display omitted
•Dioscin significantly relieved MTX-induced hepatorenal damages in vitro and in vivo.•MTX caused oxidative damages to the liver and kidney in vitro and in vivo.•miR-145–5p directly targeted Sirt5 to adjust oxidative stress.•Dioscin reduced the expression levels of miR-145–5p and suppressed w miR-145-5p-medicated oxidative stress.
Actions become compulsive when they are no longer controlled by their consequences. Compulsivity can be assessed using the omission procedure in which animals are required to withhold a previously ...reinforced action to earn reward. The current study tested the hypothesis that inactivation of the dorsolateral striatum (DLS), a structure implicated in habitual behavior, can enhance sensitivity to changes in the action–outcome contingency during omission training, thus leading to a reduction in compulsive responding. Over 10 days rats were trained to press a freely available lever for sucrose reward delivered on interval schedules of reinforcement. After learning to press the lever at a stable and high rate, rats in the omission group received a session in which the rewards were now delayed by pressing the lever; i.e. withholding lever pressing resulted in increased access to reward. A control group was yoked to the omission group and received the same number and pattern of reward delivery but without the omission contingency. Half the rats in each group received infusions of vehicle into the DLS prior to this training whereas the remainder received an infusion of the GABA-A receptor agonist muscimol. On the next day, the effect of these treatments was assessed on a probe test in which the tendency of the various groups to press the lever was assessed in extinction and without drug infusion. Rats that received vehicle infusions prior to the omission session showed complete insensitivity to the newly imposed omission contingency. In contrast, rats given the infusion of muscimol selectively reduced lever pressing compared to yoked controls. Thus, extended training with interval schedules resulted in compulsive lever pressing that prevented the learning of the omission contingency, whereas inactivation of the DLS appeared to enhance the rats’ sensitivity to this change in the action–outcome contingency.
A two-dimensional model combining the finite element method and the cellular automaton technique was developed to simulate dendritic growth occurring in the molten pool during the laser-engineered ...net shaping (LENS) process. Based on the simulation results and previously published experimental data, empirical expressions describing the relationship between the cooling rate and the dendrite arm spacing (DAS) were proposed. In addition, the influence of LENS process parameters, such as the moving speed of the laser beam, the layer thickness and the substrate size, on the DAS was also discussed. Finally, different dendrite morphologies calculated at different locations were explained based on local solidification conditions. The simulation results showed good agreement with previously published experiments. This work contributes to the understanding of microstructure formation and the resulting mechanical properties of LENS-built parts as well as providing a fundamental basis for optimization of the LENS process.
Compared with other nanofiber fabrication processes, electrospinning is versatile and superior in production and construction of ordered or more complex nanofibrous assemblies. Besides traditional ...two-dimensional (2D) nanofibrous structures, electrospinning is powerful in fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) fibrous macrostructures, especially for tissue engineering applications. This article summarizes and reviews recent advances in various promising and cutting-edge electrospinning techniques, including multilayering electrospinning, post-processing after electrospinning, liquid-assisted collection, template-assisted collection, porogen-added electrospinning, and self-assembly. And their formation mechanisms, features, and the challenges of electrospinning have also been discussed. Furthermore, these 3D nanofibrous macrostructures have been demonstrated to have potential applications in tissue engineering, energy harvesting and storage, and filtration.
Approximately 20% of all children in the United States live in poverty, which exists in rural, urban, and suburban areas. Thus, all child health clinicians need to be familiar with the effects of ...poverty on health and to understand associated, preventable, and modifiable social factors that impact health. Social determinants of health are identifiable root causes of medical problems. For children living in poverty, social determinants of health for which clinicians may play a role include the following: child maltreatment, child care and education, family financial support, physical environment, family social support, intimate partner violence, maternal depression and family mental illness, household substance abuse, firearm exposure, and parental health literacy. Children, particularly those living in poverty, exposed to adverse childhood experiences are susceptible to toxic stress and a variety of child and adult health problems, including developmental delay, asthma and heart disease. Despite the detrimental effects of social determinants on health, few child health clinicians routinely address the unmet social and psychosocial factors impacting children and their families during routine primary care visits. Clinicians need tools to screen for social determinants of health and to be familiar with available local and national resources to address these issues. These guidelines provide an overview of social determinants of health impacting children living in poverty and provide clinicians with practical screening tools and resources.
► We designed a BIPVT system for multi-functions in energy efficient building. ► The hybrid solar panel provides synergistic benefits for energy harvesting and saving. ► The functionally graded ...material with water tubes enhances structural integrity. ► The performance and cost analysis show great potential and economic viability. ► The holistic design is applicable to various PV and thermoelectric cells.
A building integrated multifunctional roofing system has been designed to harvest solar energy through photovoltaics (PVs) and heat utilization while minimizing PV efficiency loss and eliminating the material and labor redundancies of conventional PV systems. Silicon PV modules are embedded between a transparent protective layer and a functionally graded material (FGM) layer that is fabricated from a mixture of heat conducting aluminum and insulating high density polyethylene with water tubes cast within the FGM. Solar energy is collected by the PV modules in the form of PV electricity and heat energy. Due to high thermal conductivity of the upper part of the FGM, the heat in the PV modules is transferred into the FGM and is captured by the water flowing through the embedded tubes, so the modules’ temperature can be controlled and, thus, the PV efficiency can be optimized. The warm water can be used as it is gathered for heat supply in a radiant floor systems or it is heat can be extracted into a phase change material (PCM) storage unit, for use in nighttime heating or more efficient ejection during cooler evening hours. Due to the high thermal insulation of the lower part of the FGM and heat collection by water flow, excellent indoor thermal comfort can be achieved and building cooling needs minimized. A thermal resistive structural substrate is integrated into the composite system to provide structural support for FGM and PV elements. This holistic design will fulfill the basic functions of the building envelope: waterproofing, insulation, and structural strength and durability, while simultaneously producing energy and reducing energy consumption to achieve a high degree of energy efficiency and sustainability. A prototype study has proven the concept. The performance analysis indicates that the proposed solar roofing system provides significant advantages over the traditional asphalt shingle roof and PV systems without cooling.
Many organisms, especially humans, are characterized by their capacity for intentional, goal-directed actions. However, similar behaviours often proceed automatically, as habitual responses to ...antecedent stimuli. How are goal-directed actions transformed into habitual responses? Recent work combining modern behavioural assays and neurobiological analysis of the basal ganglia has begun to yield insights into the neural basis of habit formation.
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