Sarcolemmal ATP-sensitive K(+) channels control energy expenditure determining body weight

Metabolic processes that regulate muscle energy use are major determinants of bodily energy balance. Here, we find that sarcolemmal ATP-sensitive K(+) (K(ATP)) channels, which couple membrane excitability with cellular metabolic pathways, set muscle energy expenditure under physiological stimuli. Disruption of K(ATP) channel function provoked, under conditions of unaltered locomotor activity and blood substrate availability, an extra energy cost of cardiac and skeletal muscle performance. Inefficient fuel metabolism in K(ATP) channel-deficient striated muscles reduced glycogen and fat body depots, promoting a lean phenotype. The propensity to lesser body weight imposed by K(ATP) channel deficit persisted under a high-fat diet, yet obesity restriction was achieved at the cost of compromised physical endurance. Thus, sarcolemmal K(ATP) channels govern muscle energy economy, and their downregulation in a tissue-specific manner could present an antiobesity strategy by rendering muscle increasingly thermogenic at rest and less fuel efficient during exercise.

Reduced apoptosis of mouse macrophages induced by yscW mutant of Yersinia pestis results from the reduced secretion of YopJ and relates to caspase-3 signal pathway

The virulence of the pathogenic Yersinia species depends on a plasmid-encoded type III secretion system (T3SS) that injects six Yersinia outer protein (Yop) effector proteins into the cytosol of macrophages, leading to disruption of host defence mechanisms. Here, we report that a T3SS structural protein YscW of Yersinia pestis contributed to the induction of apoptosis of murine macrophages. The apoptotic percentage of macrophages, from both mouse peritoneal cavity and spleen, and of RAW264.7 cell line, caused by the yscW mutant strain was significantly lower than that by wild type (WT) Y. pestis and yscW complemented strain. Meanwhile, detection of caspase-3 activity in macrophages, a key apoptosis-inducing protein, showed coincident results with the changes of macrophage apoptosis induced by WT, yscW mutant and complemented strains, indicating that macrophage apoptosis was related to caspase-3 signal pathways. However, ectopic expression of YscW in RAW264.7 cells cannot increase the macrophage apoptosis and death, suggesting that YscW itself could not induce macrophage apoptosis directly. To get insight into the mechanism of this phenomenon, we investigated the secretion of YopJ, which has been thought to be the only Yop effector related to apoptosis, in WT, mutant and complemented strains, respectively. Results showed that in yscW mutant strain, secretion of YopJ was decreased significantly in the supernatant than that in WT or complemented strain. This means although YscW does not induce apoptosis directly, it can indirectly affect apoptosis through reducing the secretion of YopJ.

Elevated ability to compete for limited food resources by 'all-fish' growth hormone transgenic common carp Cyprinus carpio

Food consumption, number of movements and feeding hierarchy of juvenile transgenic common carp Cyprinus carpio and their size-matched non-transgenic conspecifics were measured under conditions of limited food supply. Transgenic fish exhibited 73.3% more movements as well as a higher feeding order, and consumed 1.86 times as many food pellets as their non-transgenic counterparts. After the 10 day experiment, transgenic C. carpio had still not realized their higher growth potential, which may be partly explained by the higher frequency of movements of transgenics and the 'sneaky' feeding strategy used by the non-transgenics. The results indicate that these transgenic fish possess an elevated ability to compete for limited food resources, which could be advantageous after an escape into the wild. It may be that other factors in the natural environment (i.e. predation risk and food distribution), however, would offset this advantage. Thus, these results need to be assessed with caution.

The PLATO Dome A site-testing observatory: power generation and control systems

The atmospheric conditions above Dome A, a currently unmanned location at the highest point on the Antarctic plateau, are uniquely suited to astronomy. For certain types of astronomy Dome A is likely to be the best location on the planet, and this has motivated the development of the Plateau Observatory (PLATO). PLATO was deployed to Dome A in early 2008. It houses a suite of purpose-built site-testing instruments designed to quantify the benefits of Dome A site for astronomy, and science instruments designed to take advantage of the observing conditions. The PLATO power generation and control system is designed to provide continuous power and heat, and a high-reliability command and communications platform for these instruments. PLATO has run and collected data throughout the winter 2008 season completely unattended. Here we present a detailed description of the power generation, power control, thermal management, instrument interface, and communications systems for PLATO, and an overview of the system performance for 2008.

Clinical characteristic analysis of 32 patients with abdominal incision endometriosis

Medical records of 32 women with abdominal incision endometriosis who underwent surgical treatment in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Hospital at Fudan University between September 1999 and March 2006 were reviewed retrospectively. All cases concerning the diagnosis of endometriosis were confirmed by two gynaecological pathologists. The median age was 32 years (range from 25 to 45). A total of 31 patients had a history of caesarean section, and one case underwent ovarian endometrioid cystectomy. All abdominal incision endometriosis presented with a mass in the abdominal scar. Among them, there were 30 patients who complained of cyclical pain during menses. All of the 32 cases underwent surgical treatment and had follow-up from 10 months to 6 years; there was no recurrence of endometriosis in 31 cases. Abdominal incision endometriosis is rare in women and most cases present following caesarean section. It is suggested that during caesarean section, precautions need to be taken to avoid transplantation of endometrium into the abdominal incision. Surgical treatment is recommended to excise the lesion completely. The frozen section is performed during the operation due to the possibility of malignancy in abdomen incision endometriosis.

15-lipoxygenase metabolites play an important role in the development of a T-helper type 1 allergic inflammation induced by double-stranded RNA

BACKGROUND

We recently demonstrated that the T-helper type 1 (Th1) immune response plays an important role in the development of non-eosinophilic inflammation induced by airway exposure of an allergen plus double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). However, the role of lipoxygenase (LO) metabolites in the development of Th1 inflammation is poorly understood.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the role of LO metabolites in the development of Th1 inflammation induced by sensitization with an allergen plus dsRNA.

METHODS

A Th2-allergic inflammation mouse model was created by an intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide-depleted ovalbumin (OVA, 75 microg) and alum (2 mg) twice, and the Th1 model was created by intranasal application of OVA (75 microg) and synthetic dsRNA [10 microg of poly(I : C)] four times, followed by an intranasal challenge with 50 microg of OVA four times. The role of LO metabolites was evaluated using two approaches: a transgenic approach using 5-LO(-/-) and 15-LO(-/-) mice, and a pharmacological approach using inhibitors of cysteinyl leucotriene receptor-1 (cysLTR1), LTB4 receptor (BLT1), and 15-LO.

RESULTS

We found that the Th1-allergic inflammation induced by OVA+dsRNA sensitization was similar between 5-LO(-/-) and wild-type (WT) control mice, although Th2 inflammation induced by sensitization with OVA+alum was reduced in the former group. In addition, dsRNA-induced Th1 allergic inflammation, which is associated with down-regulation of 15-hydroxyeicosateraenoic acids production, was not affected by treatment with cysLTR1 or BLT1 inhibitors, whereas it was significantly lower in 12/15-LO(-/-) mice compared with WT control mice. Moreover, dsRNA-induced allergic inflammation and the recruitment of T cells following an allergen challenge were significantly inhibited by treatment with a specific 15-LO inhibitor (PD146176).

CONCLUSION

15-LO metabolites appear to be important mediators in the development of Th1-allergic inflammation induced by sensitization with an allergen plus dsRNA. Our findings suggest that the 15-LO pathway is a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of virus-associated asthma characterized by Th1 inflammation.

The dose-response relationships for EROD and GST induced by polyaromatic hydrocarbons in Carassius auratus

Freshwater fish Carassius auratus were chosen as experimental animals, the hepatic biochemical responses to medium-term exposure of five PAHs were measured as ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity (phase I) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity (phase II) to assess sub-lethal effects. The fold increases of EROD and GST activity were calculated and both increased in the order Fluoranthene < Fluorene < Benzo(b)fluoranthene < Benzo(g,h,i)perylene < Indeno(1,2,3-cd)-pyrene. The clear dose-response relationships were found for liver EROD and GST activity induced by PAHs. The enzyme EROD and GST in Carassius auratus were confirmed as useful biomarkers of exposure to both PAH and PAH-like compounds.

Inhibitory effect of antihypertensive drugs on calcineurin in cardiomyocytes

In recent years, a handful of research investigations have shown that some antihypertensive drugs, i.e., angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI), angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB), and calcium channel blocker (CCB), can inhibit myocardial expression and/or activity of calcineurin. Calcineurin is a Ca(2+)-calmodulin-dependent serine/threonine phosphatase and is a target for some immunosuppressive drugs. It is well known that traditional immunosuppressants, such as cyclosporine A (CsA) and tacrolimus (FK506), are anticalcineurin, and their prohypertensive effects are such that antihypertensive therapy is often required in organ transplant recipients who receive these drugs. Therefore, the idea that ACEI, ARB, and CCBs are both antihypertensive and anticalcineurin seems paradoxical. This invited review tries to summarize these new findings and analyze the scientific and clinical significance of these claims. The review also emphasizes some of the shortcomings in these studies and some questions that need to be addressed in future investigations.

Reduced swimming abilities in fast-growing transgenic common carp Cyprinus carpio associated with their morphological variations

Critical swimming speeds (U(crit)) and morphological characters were compared between the F(4) generation of GH-transgenic common carp Cyprinus carpio and the non-transgenic controls. Transgenic fish displayed a mean absolute U(crit) value 22.3% lower than the controls. Principal component analysis identified variations in body shape, with transgenic fish having significantly deeper head, longer caudal length of the dorsal region, longer standard length (L(S)) and shallower body and caudal region, and shorter caudal length of the ventral region. Swimming speeds were related to the combination of deeper body and caudal region, longer caudal length of the ventral region, shallower head depth, shorter caudal length of dorsal region and L(S). These findings suggest that morphological variations which are poorly suited to produce maximum thrust and minimum drag in GH-transgenic C. carpio may be responsible for their lower swimming abilities in comparison with non-transgenic controls.

Morphological variety of the soft palate in normal individuals: a digital cephalometric study

OBJECTIVES

The literature describes the morphology of the soft palate as being of only one kind and ignores its diversity, but in our clinical work we discovered that the morphology of the soft palate has a variable presentation on lateral cephalometry. The aim of our study was to investigate the variation of the velar morphology.

METHODS

In this study, the sample comprised 200 normal subjects whose ages ranged from 5-48 years (mean 19.37 years). The morphology of the soft palate on lateral cephalometry was examined and classified into six types. The dimensional differences of the soft palate between each pair of types and the differences in proportion to different age and gender groups were also studied.

RESULTS

The morphology of the soft palate was classified into six types. There was a significant difference between the pre-adult and adult groups and also between male and female groups in proportion to velar type. The velar length in Type 3 was significantly shorter than in all other types apart from Type 6. However, there was no significant difference between any two of the other 5 types.

CONCLUSIONS

The soft palate has variable radiographic appearances on lateral cephalometry. The classification system and statistical findings here may help the research of velopharyngeal closure in cleft palate individuals, and aetiological study of obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome and other conditions.