The bloom forming dinoflagellate, Ceratium furca, has been linked with coastal eutrophication worldwide in tropical and subtropical locations. During the summer of 2007, an unusual 6-month long bloom of C. furca was o...The bloom forming dinoflagellate, Ceratium furca, has been linked with coastal eutrophication worldwide in tropical and subtropical locations. During the summer of 2007, an unusual 6-month long bloom of C. furca was observed in Pago Pago Harbor, Tutuila Island, American Samoa. Incidents of dinoflagellate blooms in this area have not been previously reported. The bloom was first reported in May and dissipated in November 2007. In February-March 2009, a similar C. furca bloom was observed. During both blooms, no fish mortality events were reported. Maximum cell counts were observed on September 20, 2007 at 9 200 cell/mL. At this time, total nitrogen was measured at 1.2 mg/L while total phosphate was below detection limits. Changes in land use practices may have been the primary driver of these blooms. Intense fertilization of athletic fields coupled with ineffective management strategies is hypothesized to have a direct link to the increase in nutrients found in the Pago Pago Harbor and may have been the trigger for the initialization of these blooms. During 2008, the fields were not used due to an infestation of the fire ant, Solenopsis geminata. Once controlled, the fields were opened again in 2009 and fertilizers were applied in January, a month before the bloom was observed.展开更多
Although a relationship between epigenetics and aging phenotypic changes has been established,a theoretical explanation of the intrinsic connection between the epigenetics and aging is lacking.In this essay,we propose...Although a relationship between epigenetics and aging phenotypic changes has been established,a theoretical explanation of the intrinsic connection between the epigenetics and aging is lacking.In this essay,we propose that epigenetic recording of varied cell environment and complex history could be an origin of cellular aging.Through epigenetic modifications,the environment and historical events can induce the chromatin template into an activated or repressive accessible structure,thereby shaping the DNA template into a spectrum of chromatin states.The inner nature of diversity and conflicts born by the cell environment and its historical events are hence recorded into the chromatin template.This could result in a dissipated spectrum of the chromatin state and chaos in overall gene expression.An unavoidable degradation of epigenome entropy,similar to Shannon entropy,would be consequently induced.The resultant disorder in epigenome,characterized by corrosion of epigenome entropy as reflected in chromatin template,can be stably memorized and propagated through cell division.Furthermore,the hysteretic nature of epigenetics responding to the emerging environment could exacerbate the degradation of epigenome entropy.As well as stochastic errors,we propose that outside entropy(or chaos) derived from the varied environment and complex cell history,gradually input and imprinted into the chromatin via epigenetic modifications,would lead inevitably to cellular aging,the extent of which could be aggravated by hysteresis of epigenetics without error erasing and correction.展开更多
Objective:To explore the mechanism of acupuncture in regulating cognitive deficits in insomnia rats by observing the effect of acupuncture on microglia in thalamic reticular nucleus(TRN).Methods:Thirty rats were rando...Objective:To explore the mechanism of acupuncture in regulating cognitive deficits in insomnia rats by observing the effect of acupuncture on microglia in thalamic reticular nucleus(TRN).Methods:Thirty rats were randomly divided into a control group,a model group and an acupuncture group,with 10 rats in each group.The insomnia model was established by intraperitoneal injection of para-chlorophenylalanine(PCPA)once a day for 2 d.Rats in the control group were intraperitoneally injected with the same amount of normal saline.Rats in the acupuncture group received acupuncture at Neiguan(PC 6)and Zusanli(ST 36)for 5 consecutive days.The CLOCKLAB 2 data acquisition system was used to dynamically observe the sleep of the rats throughout the experiment.The cognition of rats was evaluated by event-related potentials(ERPs).After intervention,brain tissue was extracted.Immunofluorescence was used to test the fluorescence expression in TRN region.The concentrations of interleukin(IL)-1βand tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-αwere detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results:After intraperitoneal injection of PCPA suspension,the spontaneous activity in light period of rats in the model group and acupuncture group increased significantly compared with the control group(both P<0.01).After acupuncture treatment,the rats in the acupuncture group had much less spontaneous activity during the light period than those in the model group(P<0.01),and the results indicated that acupuncture could effectively improve the sleep quality of insomnia rats.Compared with the control group,rats in the model group showed that the P3 latency,the average optical density of microglia,and the concentrations of IL-1βand TNF-αincreased significantly(all P<0.05),and the P3 amplitude decreased significantly(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,rats in the acupuncture group presented that the P3 latency,the average optical density of microglia,and the concentrations of IL-1βand TNF-αwere significantly decreased(all P<0.05),and the amplitude of P3 was significantly increased(P<0.05).Conclusion:Acupuncture possesses an ability to improve the cognitive state in insomnia rats.The mechanism may be related to inhibiting the microglial activation,diminishing the levels of pro-inflammatory mediators like IL-1βand TNF-α,and promoting the recovery of central nervous system function.展开更多
基金Supported partially by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Grant (No. CRIS 0185945),USDA Region 9 Water Quality Coordination Grant (to DV)NOAA Base Funds (SM)
文摘The bloom forming dinoflagellate, Ceratium furca, has been linked with coastal eutrophication worldwide in tropical and subtropical locations. During the summer of 2007, an unusual 6-month long bloom of C. furca was observed in Pago Pago Harbor, Tutuila Island, American Samoa. Incidents of dinoflagellate blooms in this area have not been previously reported. The bloom was first reported in May and dissipated in November 2007. In February-March 2009, a similar C. furca bloom was observed. During both blooms, no fish mortality events were reported. Maximum cell counts were observed on September 20, 2007 at 9 200 cell/mL. At this time, total nitrogen was measured at 1.2 mg/L while total phosphate was below detection limits. Changes in land use practices may have been the primary driver of these blooms. Intense fertilization of athletic fields coupled with ineffective management strategies is hypothesized to have a direct link to the increase in nutrients found in the Pago Pago Harbor and may have been the trigger for the initialization of these blooms. During 2008, the fields were not used due to an infestation of the fire ant, Solenopsis geminata. Once controlled, the fields were opened again in 2009 and fertilizers were applied in January, a month before the bloom was observed.
基金Project supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(No.2017YFA0605001)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.21876011 and 91547207)the Fund for Innovative Research Group of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.51721093)
文摘Although a relationship between epigenetics and aging phenotypic changes has been established,a theoretical explanation of the intrinsic connection between the epigenetics and aging is lacking.In this essay,we propose that epigenetic recording of varied cell environment and complex history could be an origin of cellular aging.Through epigenetic modifications,the environment and historical events can induce the chromatin template into an activated or repressive accessible structure,thereby shaping the DNA template into a spectrum of chromatin states.The inner nature of diversity and conflicts born by the cell environment and its historical events are hence recorded into the chromatin template.This could result in a dissipated spectrum of the chromatin state and chaos in overall gene expression.An unavoidable degradation of epigenome entropy,similar to Shannon entropy,would be consequently induced.The resultant disorder in epigenome,characterized by corrosion of epigenome entropy as reflected in chromatin template,can be stably memorized and propagated through cell division.Furthermore,the hysteretic nature of epigenetics responding to the emerging environment could exacerbate the degradation of epigenome entropy.As well as stochastic errors,we propose that outside entropy(or chaos) derived from the varied environment and complex cell history,gradually input and imprinted into the chromatin via epigenetic modifications,would lead inevitably to cellular aging,the extent of which could be aggravated by hysteresis of epigenetics without error erasing and correction.
文摘Objective:To explore the mechanism of acupuncture in regulating cognitive deficits in insomnia rats by observing the effect of acupuncture on microglia in thalamic reticular nucleus(TRN).Methods:Thirty rats were randomly divided into a control group,a model group and an acupuncture group,with 10 rats in each group.The insomnia model was established by intraperitoneal injection of para-chlorophenylalanine(PCPA)once a day for 2 d.Rats in the control group were intraperitoneally injected with the same amount of normal saline.Rats in the acupuncture group received acupuncture at Neiguan(PC 6)and Zusanli(ST 36)for 5 consecutive days.The CLOCKLAB 2 data acquisition system was used to dynamically observe the sleep of the rats throughout the experiment.The cognition of rats was evaluated by event-related potentials(ERPs).After intervention,brain tissue was extracted.Immunofluorescence was used to test the fluorescence expression in TRN region.The concentrations of interleukin(IL)-1βand tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-αwere detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.Results:After intraperitoneal injection of PCPA suspension,the spontaneous activity in light period of rats in the model group and acupuncture group increased significantly compared with the control group(both P<0.01).After acupuncture treatment,the rats in the acupuncture group had much less spontaneous activity during the light period than those in the model group(P<0.01),and the results indicated that acupuncture could effectively improve the sleep quality of insomnia rats.Compared with the control group,rats in the model group showed that the P3 latency,the average optical density of microglia,and the concentrations of IL-1βand TNF-αincreased significantly(all P<0.05),and the P3 amplitude decreased significantly(P<0.01).Compared with the model group,rats in the acupuncture group presented that the P3 latency,the average optical density of microglia,and the concentrations of IL-1βand TNF-αwere significantly decreased(all P<0.05),and the amplitude of P3 was significantly increased(P<0.05).Conclusion:Acupuncture possesses an ability to improve the cognitive state in insomnia rats.The mechanism may be related to inhibiting the microglial activation,diminishing the levels of pro-inflammatory mediators like IL-1βand TNF-α,and promoting the recovery of central nervous system function.
