Brain IRS2 signaling coordinates life span and nutrient homeostasis

Reduced insulin-like signaling extends the life span of Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila. Here, we show that, in mice, less insulin receptor substrate-2 (Irs2) signaling throughout the body or just in the brain extended life span up to 18%. At 22 months of age, brain-specific Irs2 knockout mice were overweight, hyperinsulinemic, and glucose intolerant; however, compared with control mice, they were more active and displayed greater glucose oxidation, and during meals they displayed stable superoxide dismutase-2 concentrations in the hypothalamus. Thus, less Irs2 signaling in aging brains can promote healthy metabolism, attenuate meal-induced oxidative stress, and extend the life span of overweight and insulin-resistant mice.     

Comment on "Dynamics of dpp signaling and proliferation control"

Wartlick et al. (Research Articles, 4 March 2011, p. 1154) reported that growth rates in the Drosophila wing disc correlate with increasing Dpp signaling levels, suggesting that the rate of Dpp increase determines the cell-cycle length. Contradicting their model, we found that cells in which the increase of Dpp signaling levels was genetically abrogated grew at rates comparable to those of wild-type cells.     

Comment on "The Brain of LB1, Homo floresiensis"

Endocast analysis of the brain Homo floresiensis by Falk et al. (Reports, 8 April 2005, p. 242) implies that the hominid is an insular dwarf derived from H. erectus, but its tiny cranial capacity cannot result from normal dwarfing. Consideration of more appropriate microcephalic syndromes and specimens supports the hypothesis of modern human microcephaly.     

Comment on "The illusion of invariant quantities in life histories"

Nee et al. (Reports, 19 August 2005, p. 1236) used a null model to argue that life history invariants are illusions. We show that their results are largely inconsequential for life history theory because the authors confound two definitions of invariance, and rigorous analysis of their null model demonstrates that it does not match observed data.     

拖网渔船的经济寿命

以我国当前数量众多的8101和8154两型拖网渔船的调查数据为根据,分析了影响渔船经济性的主要变量,运用工程经济学的基本理论,计算出两型渔船的经济寿命,分别为16年和18年。并根据渔船技术进步的发展概况,论述了更新渔船的发展趋向。     

Comment on "PDK1 nucleates T cell receptor-induced signaling complex for NF-kappaB activation"

We observe that protein kinase C (PKC) is phosphorylated on the activation loop at threonine 538 (Thr-538) before T cell activation. Our results are inconsistent with the conclusions of Lee et al. (Reports, 1 April 2005, p. 114) that the Thr-538 phosphorylation of PKC is regulated by T cell receptor activation. Other mechanisms, such as autophosphorylation of Thr-219, might orchestrate the cellular function of PKC in T cells.     

鲢指环虫病病原小鞘指环虫的存活时间

对小鞘指环虫纤毛幼虫和成虫的存活时间进行了研究。结果表明,该虫的纤毛幼虫在２２℃时一般可在曝气自来水中存活０．５～７７．７ｈ,在１２℃可达５．０～３１０．５ｈ;将成虫置于曝气自来水中,在４,１２,２０和２８℃的最长存活时间分别是３０５．７,２８３．６,１０１．２和７８．８ｈ。在１５～２４℃的水温条件下,该虫感染宿主后大约可存活１个月。     

Comment on "HST2 mediates SIR2-independent life-span extension by calorie restriction"

Calorie restriction (CR) increases life span in yeast independently of Sir2. Lamming et al. (Reports, 16 September 2005, p. 1861) recently proposed that Sir2-independent life-span extension by CR is mediated by the Sir2 paralogs Hst1 and Hst2. Contradictory to this, we find that CR greatly increases life span in cells lacking Sir2, Hst1, and Hst2, which suggests that CR is not mediated by Sir2, Hst2, or Hst1.     

Comment on "Maternal oxytocin triggers a transient inhibitory switch in GABA signaling in the fetal brain during delivery"

Tyzio et al. (Reports, 15 December 2006, p. 1788) reported that maternal oxytocin triggers a transient excitatory-to-inhibitory switch of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) signaling during labor, thus protecting the fetal rat brain from anoxic injury. However, a body of evidence supports the possibility that oxytocin is released from the fetal pituitary during delivery, not only from the mother, particularly under conditions of hypoxic stress.     

通丰养分平衡剂在水稻上的应用研究与示范

在水稻上进行了有机高效微肥通丰养分平衡剂的试验、示范,结果表明:该剂可促进水稻的生长发育,增加每穗总粒数、每穗实粒数,提高结实率,增加千粒重,增产效果显著,667 m2产量达660 kg,与施单质配方肥及习惯施肥比较,其增效达极显著水平。同时经济效益显著,667 m2产值达1 056.0元,比施单质配方肥和习惯施肥分别高108.8元和105.6元。     

Regulation of Drosophila life span by olfaction and food-derived odors

Smell is an ancient sensory system present in organisms from bacteria to humans. In the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans, gustatory and olfactory neurons regulate aging and longevity. Using the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, we showed that exposure to nutrient-derived odorants can modulate life span and partially reverse the longevity-extending effects of dietary restriction. Furthermore, mutation of odorant receptor Or83b resulted in severe olfactory defects, altered adult metabolism, enhanced stress resistance, and extended life span. Our findings indicate that olfaction affects adult physiology and aging in Drosophila, possibly through the perceived availability of nutritional resources, and that olfactory regulation of life span is evolutionarily conserved.