Inhibition of glycine transporter-1 in the dorsal vagal complex improves metabolic homeostasis in diabetes and obesity

Impaired glucose homeostasis and energy balance are integral to the pathophysiology of diabetes and obesity. Here we show that administration of a glycine transporter 1 (GlyT1) inhibitor, or molecular GlyT1 knockdown, in the dorsal vagal complex (DVC) suppresses glucose production, increases glucose tolerance and reduces food intake and body weight gain in healthy, obese and diabetic rats. These findings provide proof of concept that GlyT1 inhibition in the brain improves glucose and energy homeostasis. Considering the clinical safety and efficacy of GlyT1 inhibitors in raising glycine levels in clinical trials for schizophrenia, we propose that GlyT1 inhibitors have the potential to be repurposed as a treatment of both obesity and diabetes

Systematic and Evolutionary Insights Derived from mtDNA COI Barcode Diversity in the Decapoda (Crustacea: Malacostraca)

Background: Decapods are the most recognizable of all crustaceans and comprise a dominant group of benthic invertebrates of the continental shelf and slope, including many species of economic importance. Of the 17635 morphologically described Decapoda species, only 5.4% are represented by COI barcode region sequences. It therefore remains a challenge to compile regional databases that identify and analyse the extent and patterns of decapod diversity throughout the world. Methodology/Principal Findings: We contributed 101 decapod species from the North East Atlantic, the Gulf of Cadiz and the Mediterranean Sea, of which 81 species represent novel COI records. Within the newly-generated dataset, 3.6% of the species barcodes conflicted with the assigned morphological taxonomic identification, highlighting both the apparent taxonomic ambiguity among certain groups, and the need for an accelerated and independent taxonomic approach. Using the combined COI barcode projects from the Barcode of Life Database, we provide the most comprehensive COI data set so far examined for the Order (1572 sequences of 528 species, 213 genera, and 67 families). Patterns within families show a general predicted molecular hierarchy, but the scale of divergence at each taxonomic level appears to vary extensively between families. The range values of mean K2P distance observed were: within species 0.285% to 1.375%, within genus 6.376% to 20.924% and within family 11.392% to 25.617%. Nucleotide composition varied greatly across decapods, ranging from 30.8 % to 49.4 % GC content. Conclusions/Significance: Decapod biological diversity was quantified by identifying putative cryptic species allowing a rapid assessment of taxon diversity in groups that have until now received limited morphological and systematic examination. We highlight taxonomic groups or species with unusual nucleotide composition or evolutionary rates. Such data are relevant to strategies for conservation of existing decapod biodiversity, as well as elucidating the mechanisms and constraints shaping the patterns observed.FCT - SFRH/BD/25568/ 2006EC FP6 - GOCE-CT-2005-511234 HERMESFCT - PTDC/MAR/69892/2006 LusomarBo

Perceived effectiveness and satisfaction of a community-based positive youth development program : findings based on high school students

202207 bcchVersion of RecordOthersProject P.A.T.H.S. are financially supported by the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust.Publishe

Characterization of a Karenia papilionacea-like dinoflagellate from the South China Sea

The morphological characteristics of a new isolate of a dorso-ventrally flattened athecate dinoflagellate obtained from Hong Kong (HK) waters is described. Partial sequences of the large subunit ribosomal RNA gene were obtained and a high degree of similarity was observed with various species within the genus Karenia. Phylogenetic comparison suggested the Karenia sp. HK forms a clade with the newly described species K. papffionacea from New Zealand but not with authentic K brevis from North America. Karenia sp. HK is the first K. brevis-like dinoflagellate characterized by molecular cladistics from the South China Sea and the results call for re-examination of the status of other K brevis-like morphotypes described from the region

Transcript levels of the eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A gene peak at early G(1) phase of the cell cycle in the dinoflagellate Crypthecodinium cohnii

cDNA encoding a eukaryotic translation initiation factor 5A (eIF-5A) homolog in heterotrophic dinoflagellate Crypthecodinium cohnii (CceIF-5A) was isolated through random sequencing of a cDNA library. The predicted amino acid sequence possesses the 12 strictly conserved amino acids around lysine 52 (equivalent to lysine 50 or 51 in other eukaryotes). A single 1.2-kb band was detected in Northern blot analysis. In synchronized C. cohnii cells, the transcript level peaked at early G, and decreased dramatically on the entry to S phase. Although this has not been previously reported, studies of budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) and certain mammalian cell types suggest a role for eIF-5A in the G(1)/S transition of the eukaryotic cell cycle. Phylogenetic trees constructed with 26 other published eIF-5A sequences suggest that CceIF-5A, while failing within the eukaryotic branches, forms a lineage separate from those of the plants, animals, and archaebacteria. The posttranslational modification of eIF-5A by a transfer of a 4-aminobutyl moiety from spermidine to conserved lysine 50 or 51, forming amino acid hypusine, is the only demonstrated specific function of polyamines in cell proliferation. It has been suggested that polyamines stimulate population growth of bloom-forming dinoflagellates in the sea. We demonstrate here putrescine-stimulated cell proliferation. Furthermore, ornithine decarboxylase inhibitor D-difluoromethylornithine and the specific hypusination inhibitor N-guanyl-1,7-diaminoheptane exhibited inhibitory effects in two species of dinotlagellates. The possible links of polyamines and saxitoxin synthesis to the arginine cycle are also discussed

Cross-level illusory conjunction between implied (semantic) and actual (perceptual) colors

Poster Session 3: no. 26Goldfarb and Treisman (2010) found observers made more perceptual binding errors (illusory conjunctions, ICs) when the features of an object were inconsistent. They suggested that such mistakes originate from features in the same level. We investigated whether we could induce ICs across perceptual and semantic domains by manipulating the font colour of object words containing implied colours. In Experiment 1, participants saw very brief displays of four Chinese characters (日(sun), 火(fire),山(hill), 水(water)) printed in either yellow, red, green, or blue. Observers had to report the physical color of a randomly selected target word in each trial. We observed significantly higher error rates when the words were printed in colours incongruent with their implied color. We replicated the result with a set of English words (lemon-yellow, water-blue, blood-red, and grass-green) in Experiment 2, which led us to conclude that illusory conjunctions can arise in the gulf between semantic and perceptual domains.link_to_OA_fulltex

Cross-level illusory conjunction between implied (semantic) and actual (perceptual) colors

Poster Session 3: no. 26Goldfarb and Treisman (2010) found observers made more perceptual binding errors (illusory conjunctions, ICs) when the features of an object were inconsistent. They suggested that such mistakes originate from features in the same level. We investigated whether we could induce ICs across perceptual and semantic domains by manipulating the font colour of object words containing implied colours. In Experiment 1, participants saw very brief displays of four Chinese characters (日(sun), 火(fire),山(hill), 水(water)) printed in either yellow, red, green, or blue. Observers had to report the physical color of a randomly selected target word in each trial. We observed significantly higher error rates when the words were printed in colours incongruent with their implied color. We replicated the result with a set of English words (lemon-yellow, water-blue, blood-red, and grass-green) in Experiment 2, which led us to conclude that illusory conjunctions can arise in the gulf between semantic and perceptual domains.link_to_OA_fulltex