Diurnal rhythmic expression of the rhythm-related genes, rPeriod1, rPeriod2, and rClock , in the rat brain

High densities of the mRNA of three rhythm-related genes, rPeriod1 (rPer1), rPer2 , and rClock , which share high homology in Drosophila and mammals, are found in the rat hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). The SCN, however, is not the only brain region that expresses these genes. To understand the possible physiological roles of these rhythm-related genes, we examined expression of these genes in different brain regions at various time points in male Sprague--Dawley rats. Using semi quantitative in situ hybridization with 35 S-riboprobes to evaluate mRNA levels, the diurnal rhythmicity of rPer1, and rPer2 mRNA levels was found in the SCN, arcuate nucleus, and median eminence/pars tuberalis. Expression patterns of mRNA for rPer1 and rPer2 , however, were not similar in these brain regions. The rhythmicity in these brain regions was specific, because it was not observed in the cerebellum or hippocampus. Moreover, diurnal changes in rClock mRNA expression were not detected in any of the brain regions examined. These findings suggest that the different expression patterns observed for rPer1, rPer2 , and rClock mRNAs may be attributed to their different physiological roles in these brain regions, and support previous work indicating that circadian rhythms in the brain are widespread.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/43939/1/11373_2004_Article_8176.pd

Measurement of the Bottom-Strange Meson Mixing Phase in the Full CDF Data Set

We report a measurement of the bottom-strange meson mixing phase \beta_s using the time evolution of B0_s -> J/\psi (->\mu+\mu-) \phi (-> K+ K-) decays in which the quark-flavor content of the bottom-strange meson is identified at production. This measurement uses the full data set of proton-antiproton collisions at sqrt(s)= 1.96 TeV collected by the Collider Detector experiment at the Fermilab Tevatron, corresponding to 9.6 fb-1 of integrated luminosity. We report confidence regions in the two-dimensional space of \beta_s and the B0_s decay-width difference \Delta\Gamma_s, and measure \beta_s in [-\pi/2, -1.51] U [-0.06, 0.30] U [1.26, \pi/2] at the 68% confidence level, in agreement with the standard model expectation. Assuming the standard model value of \beta_s, we also determine \Delta\Gamma_s = 0.068 +- 0.026 (stat) +- 0.009 (syst) ps-1 and the mean B0_s lifetime, \tau_s = 1.528 +- 0.019 (stat) +- 0.009 (syst) ps, which are consistent and competitive with determinations by other experiments.Comment: 8 pages, 2 figures, Phys. Rev. Lett 109, 171802 (2012

A Road far away from the Aboriginal Hometown? Rethinking the Post-disaster Re-location Policy of Typhoon Morakot

2009年8月莫拉克颱風侵襲臺灣，造成中南部山崩、土石流及淹水等 嚴重災情，不少原住民部落遭致嚴重損害。政府有別於過去的災後重建作 法，首度將「強制遷居、遷村」納為法律條文，甚至成為稍後莫拉克風災 重建政策的主軸。為緩和外界對於遷村條款強制手段的疑慮，經政黨協商 後，特以「經與原住居者諮商取得共識」程序作為劃定特定區域的前提， 並明確後續安置應該「尊重該地區人民、社區（部落）組織、文化及生活 方式」，試圖減輕強制遷居與遷村對社區可能造成的傷害。本研究將遷村 條款的執行過程分成三個階段：評估階段、諮商階段、安置階段，藉由分 析相關文獻與檔案資料，及訪談重建關鍵人士，就莫拉克災後異地重建政 策的執行實況進行探討。莫拉克風災過後，在政府追求重建速度與國土保 育的雙重壓力下，重建過程爭議不斷，受災社區與民眾的參與和自主也成 為重建過程中倍受關注的議題。面對災後的家園重建，受災地區的原住民 部落與居民能有多少參與和自主的空間，以決定自己與部落的未來？本研 究從異地重建的各個階段：原居住地安全勘查、原居地安全性認定與遷 居、遷村安置方式的諮商過程、永久屋的申請、興建與分配入住等，In August 2009, Typhoon Morakot hit Taiwan and caused severe disasters in Mid-Southern Taiwan, such as landslips, landslides, and flooding. Many aboriginal tribes were severely affected. Infear that disaster would strike again, the post-disaster relocation program was enacted. The government enacted “Forced Resettlement or Village Relocation,” which became a pivotal point of post-disaster reconstruction policy. To allay public doubts on the compulsory village relocation policy, the procedure of “Reaching Agreement by Consulting with the Original Tenants” was set as a requirement for “Defining Special Areas.” The process of forced village relocation was divided into 3 phases: assessment, consultation, and settlement. This paper analyzes the present reconstruction and future post-disaster countermeasures byexamining research, local reports, and documentation, interviewing the key figures of reconstruction, comparing official statements, and introducing and discussing the phases of post-disaster village relocation. The time pressure for recovery after Typhoon Morakot resulted in significant controversy during the reconstruction process. The participation and autonomy of the affected people is an important issue. This paper examines the recovery phases, including land security evaluations, negotiations for relocation, applications, and distributions of permanent housing, to explore the participation and autonomy of affected communities during the rebuilding process

Construction of Candida albicans Tet-on tagging vectors with a Ura-blaster cassette

It has been difficult to develop molecular tools for studying the fungal pathogen Candida albicans because this species uses a non-standard genetic code and is diploid without a complete sexual cycle. Vector systems with regulatable promoters to produce conditional mutants, epitope tags for protein detection and recyclable selection markers are useful for functional study of genes. However, most currently available vectors contain only a subset of desired properties, which limits their application. To combine several useful properties in one vector, the vector pTET25 was initially modified into pTET25M, so that the URA3 gene flanked by dpl200 could be used repetitively. To enable more choices for cloning, a multiple cloning site was introduced at both ends of GFP in pTET25M. GFP expression was induced by doxycycline in a dose- and time-dependent manner when the plasmid was introduced into C. albicans with or without URA3. The applicability of the vectors was verified by constructing strains capable of expressing either the N-terminal GFP fusion of Cdc10 or the C-terminal GFP fusion of Cdc11. Additionally, by replacing the GFP gene of pTET25M with DNA sequence encoding Cdc10 with an epitope tag of six histidine residues at the C-terminus, doxycycline-induced expression of CDC10 was achieved when the expression vector was introduced into C. albicans. This new system allows for inducible expression of a desired C. albicans gene with the advantage of convenience of cloning. It also allows the presence of a recyclable URA3 marker and the detectable expression of fusion or epitope-tagged protein. Copyright (C) 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Study on antioxidant activity of Echinacea purpurea L. extracts and its impact on cell viability

This study investigates the antioxidant activity of Echinacea Purpurea L. (EP) extracts and its impact on cell viability. The polysaccharides content of EP was 159.8 +/- 12.4 mg/g dry weight (DW), with extracts obtained by applying 55% ethanol at 55 degrees C containing 11.0 +/- 1.0 mg gallic acid equivalent/g DW of total phenolic compound. Trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity, 0.1 mg/mL of EP extracts exhibited only 30% when compared to the ascorbic acid at the same concentration. Reducing power of extracts increased linearly with its concentration and the concentration at 2.0 mg/mL reached about 65% of ascorbic acid at 0.3 mg/mL. The chelating capacity of ferrous iron (Fe(2+)) was 70% as good as that of the synthetic metal chelater EDTA when added to 5.0 mg/mL of EP extracts. The DPPH scavenging capacity showed 85.1% at 0.5 mg/mL of extracts and with half-effective doses (ED(50)) was measured at 0.23 mg/mL. The superoxide anions scavenging capacity of EP extracts was nearly equivalent to ascorbic acid (91.1% vs 93.0%) at the same concentration of 1.6 mg/mL and ED(50) was 0.32 and 0.13 mg/mL, respectively. Microculture tetrazolium assays showed extracts had 92% cell viability at 1.6 mg/mL for chicken's peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and 84% for RAW 264.7 macrophages, neither reaching the IC(50) level. In summary, the EP extracts had antioxidant activity similar to that of ascorbic acid, but have no serious effect on inhibiting chicken's PBMCs viability

(J. Agric. Food. Chem.,57(12):5257-5264)Pu-erh Tea Attenuates Hyperlipogenesis and Induces Hepatoma Cells Growth Arrest through Activating AMP-Activated Protein Kinase (AMPK) in Human HepG2 Cells

In the present study, we successively extracted the pu-erh raw tea with methanol (PR-1), chloroform (PR-2), ethyl acetate (PR-3), n-butanol (PR-4), and water (PR-5). Among these extracts, PR-3 extract contained ingredients with the most effective hypolipidemic potential and was further purified by column chromatography. Moreover, chronic administration of PR-3 provoked a significant reduction in levels of serum triglyceride and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in rats. Our study demonstrated that fraction 5 from the PR-3 extract (PR-3-5s) showed a hypolipidemic effect in human hepatoma HepG2 cells. PR-3-5s decreased the expression of fatty acid synthase (FASN) and inhibited the activity of acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC) by stimulating AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) through the LKB1 pathway. Moreover, PR-3-5s blocked the progression of the cell cycle at the G1 phase by inducing p53 expression and in turn upregulating p21 expression

Pu-erh Tea Attenuates Hyperlipogenesis and Induces Hepatoma Cells Growth Arrest through Activating AMP-Activated Protein Kinase (AMPK) in Human HepG2 Cells

In the present study, we successively extracted the pu-erh raw tea with methanol (PR-1), chloroform (PR-2), ethyl acetate (PR-3), n-butanol (PR-4), and water (PR-5). Among these extracts, PR-3 extract contained ingredients with the most effective hypolipidemic potential and was further purified by column chromatography. Moreover, chronic administration of PR-3 provoked a significant reduction in levels of serum triglyceride and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in rats. Our study demonstrated that fraction 5 from the PR-3 extract (PR-3-5s) showed a hypolipidemic effect in human hepatoma HepG2 cells. PR-3-5s decreased the expression of fatty acid synthase (FASN) and inhibited the activity of acetyl-coenzyme A carboxylase (ACC) by stimulating AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) through the LKB1 pathway. Moreover, PR-3-5s blocked the progression of the cell cycle at the G1 phase by inducing p53 expression and in turn upregulating p21 expression