Does rDLPFC activity alter trust? Evidence from a tDCS study.

Trust plays an important role in the human economy and people's social lives. Trust is affected by various factors and is related to many brain regions, such as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). However, few studies have focused on the impact of the DLPFC on trust through transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), although abundant psychology and neuroscience studies have theoretically discussed the possible link between DLPFC activity and trust. In the present study, we aimed to provide evidence of a causal relationship between the rDLPFC and trust behavior by conducting multiple rounds of the classical trust game and applying tDCS over the rDLPFC. We found that overall, anodal stimulation increased trust compared with cathodal stimulation and sham stimulation, while the results in different stages were not completely the same. Our work indicates a causal relationship between rDLPFC excitability and trust behavior and provides a new direction for future research.

Engineering of the Translesion DNA Synthesis Pathway Enables Controllable C-to-G and C-to-A Base Editing in Corynebacterium glutamicum.

Expanding the base conversion type is expected to largely broaden the application of base editing, whereas it requires decipherment of the machinery controlling the editing outcome. Here, we discovered that the DNA polymerase V-mediated translesion DNA synthesis (TLS) pathway controlled the C-to-A editing by a glycosylase base editor (GBE) in Escherichia coli. However, C-to-G conversion was surprisingly found to be the main product of the GBE in Corynebacterium glutamicum and subsequent gene inactivation identified the decisive TLS enzymes. Introduction of the E. coli TLS pathway into a TLS-deficient C. glutamicum mutant completely changed the GBE outcome from C-to-G to C-to-A. Combining the canonical C-to-T editor, a pioneering C-to-N base editing toolbox was established in C. glutamicum. The expanded base conversion capability produces greater genetic diversity and promotes the application of base editing in gene inactivation and protein evolution. This study demonstrates the possibility of engineering TLS systems to develop advanced genome editing tools.

Transcriptome analysis reveals the roles of nitrogen metabolism and sedoheptulose bisphosphatase pathway in methanol-dependent growth of Corynebacterium glutamicum.

Methanol is a promising feedstock for biomanufacturing of fuels and chemicals. Although efforts have been made to engineer platform microorganisms for methanol bioconversion, the substrate uptake and cell growth rates on methanol are still unsatisfactory, suggesting certain limiting factors remain unsolved. Herein, we analysed the global metabolic regulation changes between an evolved methanol-dependent Corynebacterium glutamicum mutant and its ancestral strain by transcriptome analysis. Many genes involved in central metabolism including glycolysis, amino acid biosynthesis and energy generation were regulated, implying the adaptive laboratory evolution reprogrammed the cellular metabolism for methanol utilization. We then demonstrated that nitrate could serve as a complementary electron acceptor for aerobic methanol metabolism, and the biosynthesis of several amino acids limited methylotrophic growth. Finally, the sedoheptulose bisphosphatase pathway for generating methanol assimilation acceptor was found effective in C. glutamicum. This study identifies limiting factors of methanol metabolism and provides engineering targets for developing superior synthetic methylotrophs.

p70S6K activation promotes the transdifferentiation of fibroblasts to myofibroblasts in pterygium tissue growth on the cornea.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of p70S6K in the transdifferentiation of fibroblasts to myofibroblasts in pterygium tissue growth on the cornea. RESULTS: Quantitative real-time PCR and immunohistochemistry showed that p70S6K expression was higher in pterygium tissues than in normal conjunctival tissues. Higher p70S6K RNA expression levels were correlated with higher pterygium grades. Additionally, western blot analysis revealed that phosphorylated (activated) p70S6K (p-p70S6K) expression was significantly correlated with α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA, a hallmark of transdifferentiation) expression in cultured human pterygium fibroblasts (HPFs). Furthermore, p70S6K knockdown and the specific mTOR inhibitor rapamycin decreased the expression levels of p-p70S6K and α-SMA in cultured fibroblasts from grade T3 pterygium. CONCLUSIONS: p70S6K activation promotes the transdifferentiation of pterygium fibroblasts to myofibroblasts. Thus, targeting p70S6K may be a useful strategy in the management of pterygium.

[Effectiveness comparison between two kinds of procedures for treatment of totally degloved hand].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness between toe transfer combined with an abdominal flap and bag-shaped abdominal flap for treatment of totally degloved hand. METHODS: Between January 2005 and January 2012, 18 patients with totally degloved hand were treated by two kinds of techniques. Those patients were divided into 2 groups according to the technique. The bag-shaped abdominal flap was used in 8 cases (group A), and toe transfer with a dorsal is pedis skin flap combined with abdominal S-shaped tile-joint subdermal vascular network flaps was performed in 10 cases (group B). There was no significant difference in gender, age, injury cause, injury degree, and interval between injury and operation between 2 groups (P > 0.05). The static two-point discrimination (s2PD), grip power of the reconstructed hand, time of returning to work, and active total range of motion (ROM) of the operated finger were compared between 2 groups to assess the effectiveness. RESULTS: All flaps and skin grafts survived in 2 groups. One flap suffered vascular crisis at 2 days after operation and survived after surgical exploration in group B. All patients were followed up 12-24 months (mean, 16 months). At last follow-up, group B showed a better recovery of s2PD of the thumb and ROM, and shorter time of returning to work than group A (P < 0.05), but no significant difference was found in grip power of the reconstructed hand and s2PD of the other fingers between 2 groups (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The technique of toe transfer combined with an abdominal flap is better than traditional bag-shaped abdominal flap with the advantages of easy dissection, less time of operation, and satisfactory functional recovery.