Construction of cytoplasmic molecular markers distinguishing Danio rerio from Gobiocypris rarus at high identity domains based on MP-PCR strategy and Sybr Green I detection

To distinguish the cytoplasm of Danio rerio from that of Gobiocypris rarus, we cloned G. rarus COXI and constructed cytoplasmic molecular markers at the high identity domains of COXI by mutated primer PCR (MP-PCR for short). Then Sybr Green I was used to detect the single amplicon. As a result, we succeeded in getting the cytoplasmic molecular markers, G.M COXI and Z.M COXI, by MP-PCR strategy. They were used to detect the sperm-derived mtDNA in the sexual hybrid embryos (D. rerio female x G. rarus male) before the sphere stage. In the present study, all results demonstrate that MP-PCR approach and Sybr Green I detection are feasible to construct the molecular markers to identify genes that shared high identity.

Cognitive models in biomimetic pattern cognition

We describe a new model which is based on the concept of cognizing theory. The method identifies subsets of the data which are embedded in arbitrary oriented lower dimensional space. We definite k-mean covering, and study its property. Covering subsets of points are repeatedly sampled to construct trial geometry space of various dimensions. The sampling corresponding to the feature space having the best cognition ability between a mode near zero and the rest is selected and the data points are partitioned on the basis of the best cognition ability. The repeated sampling then continues recursively on each block of the data. We propose this algorithm based on cognition models. The experimental results for face recognition demonstrate that the correct rejection rate of the test samples excluded in the classes of training samples is very high and effective.

DOPAMINE D2 RECEPTOR MECHANISMS CONTRIBUTE TO AGE-RELATED COGNITIVE DECLINE - THE EFFECTS OF QUINPIROLE ON MEMORY AND MOTOR-PERFORMANCE IN MONKEYS

The D2 dopamine (DA) receptor agonist, quinpirole, was characterized in young adult monkeys, young reserpine-treated monkeys and aged monkeys to assess the contribution of DA to age-related loss of prefrontal cortical (PFC) cognitive function, Monkeys were tested on a delayed response memory task that depends on the PFC, and a fine motor task that taps the functions of the motor cortex, In young adult monkeys, low quinpirole doses impaired performance of the PFC and fine motor tasks, while higher doses improved memory performance and induced dyskinesias and ''hallucinatory-like'' behaviors. The pattern of the quinpirole response in reserpine-treated monkeys suggested that the impairments in delayed response and fine motor performance resulted from drug actions at D2 autoreceptors, while the improvement in delayed response performance, dyskinesias and ''hallucinatory-like'' behaviors resulted from actions at postsynaptic receptors. In aged monkeys, low doses of quinpirole continued to impair fine motor performance, but lost their ability to impair delayed response performance. The magnitude of cognitive improvement and the incidence of ''hallucinatory-like'' behaviors were also reduced in the aged animals, suggesting some loss of postsynaptic D2 receptor function, The pattern of results is consistent with the greater loss of DA from the PFC than from motor areas in aged monkey brain (Goldman-Rakic and Brown, 1981; Wenk et al., 1989), and indicates that DA depletion contributes significantly to age-related cognitive decline.

IgM, IgD and IgY and their expression pattern in the Chinese soft-shelled turtle Pelodiscus sinensis

Three Ig isotypes, IgM, IgD, and IgA, were previously known in reptiles. Here, in this report we describe IgM, IgD and a novel immunoglobulin heavy-chain isotype upsilon (IgY) in Chinese soft-shelled turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis). The IgM and IgY constant domains are characteristically similar to their counterparts described in other vertebrates. The expression of IgM and IgD were detected at mRNA level early during embryonic development, and their expression increased during further development. However, the IgY expression was not detected in larval turtles until 90 days after hatching-out. The increase in the transcription of these three Ig molecules was analyzed by using real-time PCR in spleen, kidney and blood following the injection of inactivated Aeromonas hydrophila. The primary increase in the expression of these three Igs was observed I week after the first injection, although not statistically significant, and the second injection 2 weeks after the first injection provoked a significant increase in the expression of these Igs, revealing a pattern of primary and secondary antibody response in the turtle. The present study represents the first report on reptile IgY and the pattern of IgM, IgD and IgY transcription in reptiles. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Object-recognition with oblique observation directions based on biomimetic pattern recognition

In this paper, we propose a new scheme for omnidirectional object-recognition in free space. The proposed scheme divides above problem into several onmidirectional object-recognition with different depression angles. An onmidirectional object-recognition system with oblique observation directions based on a new recognition theory-Biomimetic Pattern Recognition (BPR) is discussed in detail. Based on it, we can get the size of training samples in the onmidirectional object-recognition system in free space. Omnidirection ally cognitive tests were done on various kinds of animal models of rather similar shapes. For the total 8400 tests, the correct recognition rate is 99.89%. The rejection rate is 0.11% and on the condition of zero error rates. Experimental results are presented to show that the proposed approach outperforms three types of SVMs with either a three degree polynomial kernel or a radial basis function kernel.

Biomimetic (topological) pattern recognition - A new model of pattern recognition theory and its application

A new theoretical model of Pattern Recognition principles was proposed, which is based on "matter cognition" instead of "matter classification" in traditional statistical Pattern Recognition. This new model is closer to the function of human being, rather than traditional statistical Pattern Recognition using "optimal separating" as its main principle. So the new model of Pattern Recognition is called the Biomimetic Pattern Recognition (BPR)(1). Its mathematical basis is placed on topological analysis of the sample set in the high dimensional feature space. Therefore, it is also called the Topological Pattern Recognition (TPR). The fundamental idea of this model is based on the fact of the continuity in the feature space of any one of the certain kinds of samples. We experimented with the Biomimetic Pattern Recognition (BPR) by using artificial neural networks, which act through covering the high dimensional geometrical distribution of the sample set in the feature space. Onmidirectionally cognitive tests were done on various kinds of animal and vehicle models of rather similar shapes. For the total 8800 tests, the correct recognition rate is 99.87%. The rejection rate is 0.13% and on the condition of zero error rates, the correct rate of BPR was much better than that of RBF-SVM.

Formation of ordered microphase-separated pattern during spin coating of ABC triblock copolymer

In this paper, the authors have systematically studied the microphase separation and crystallization during spin coating of an ABC triblock copolymer, polystyrene-b-poly(2-vinylpyridine)-b-poly(ethylene oxide) (PS-b-P2VP-b-PEO). The microphase separation of PS-b-P2VP-b-PEO and the crystallization of PEO blocks can be modulated by the types of the solvent and the substrate, the spinning speed, and the copolymer concentration. Ordered microphase-separated pattern, where PEO and P2VP blocks adsorbed to the substrate and PS blocks protrusions formed hexagonal dots above the P2VP domains, can only be obtained when PS-b-P2VP-b-PEO is dissolved in N,N-dimethylformamide and the films are spin coated onto the polar substrate, silicon wafers or mica. The mechanism of the formation of regular pattern by microphase separation is found to be mainly related to the inducement of the substrate (middle block P2VP wetting the polar substrate), the quick vanishment of the solvent during the early stage of the spin coating, and the slow evaporation of the remaining solvent during the subsequent stage. On the other hand, the probability of the crystallization of PEO blocks during spin coating decreases with the reduced film thickness. When the film thickness reaches a certain value (3.0 nm), the extensive crystallization of PEO is effectively prohibited and ordered microphase-separated pattern over large areas can be routinely prepared.

A fibrinogen-related protein from bay scallop Argopecten irradians involved in innate immunity as pattern recognition receptor

The family of fibrinogen-related proteins (FREPs) is a group of proteins with fibrinogen-like domains. Many members of this family play important roles as pattern recognition receptors in innate immune responses. The cDNA of bay scallop Argopecten irradians FREP (designated as AiFREP) was cloned by rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) method based on the expressed sequence tag (EST). The full-length cDNA of AiFREP was of 990 bp. The open reading frame encoded a polypeptide of 251 amino acids, including a signal sequence and a 213 amino acids fibrinogen-like domain. The fibrinogen-like domain of AiFREP was highly similar to those of mammalian ficolins and other FREPs. The temporal expression of AiFREP mRNA in hemolymph was examined by fluorescent quantitative real-time PCR. The mRNA level of scallops challenged by Listonella anguillarum was significantly up-regulated, peaked to 9.39-fold at 9 h after stimulation, then dropped back to 4.37-fold at 12 h, while there was no significant change in the Micrococcus luteus challenged group in all periods of treatment. The function of AiFREP was investigated by recombination and expression of the cDNA fragment encoding its mature peptide in Escherichia coli Rosetta gami (DE3). The recombinant AiFREP (rAiFREP) agglutinated chicken erythrocytes and human A, B, O-type erythrocytes. The agglutinating activities were calcium-dependent and could be inhibited by acetyl group-containing carbohydrates. rAiFREP also agglutinated Gram-negative bacteria E. coli JM109, L anguillarum and Gram-positive bacteria M. luteus in the presence of calcium ions. These results collectively suggested that AiFREP functions as a pattern recognition receptor in the immune response of bay scallop and contributed to nonself recognition in invertebrates, which would also provide clues for elucidating the evolution of the lectin pathway of the complement system. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Early expressed genes showing a dichotomous developing pattern in the lancelet embryo

Lancelets (amphioxus), although showing the most similar anatomical features to vertebrates, never develop a vertebrate-like head but rather several structures specific to this animal. The lancelet anatomical specificity seems to be traceable to early developmental stages, such as the vertebrate dorsal and anterior-posterior determinations. The BMP and Wnt proteins play important roles in establishing the early basis of the dorsal structures and the head in vertebrates. The early behavior of BMP and Wnt may be also related to the specific body structures of lancelets. The expression patterns of a dpp-related gene, Bbbmp2/4, and two wnt-related genes, Bbwnt7 and Bbwnt8, have been studied in comparison with those of brachyury and Hnf-3 beta class genes The temporal expression patterns of these genes are similar to those of vertebrates; Bbbmp2/4 and Bbwnt8 are first expressed in the invaginating primitive gut and the equatorial region. respectively, at the initial gastrula stage. However, spatial expression pattern of Bbbmp2/4 differs significantly from the vertebrate cognates. It is expressed in the mid-dorsal inner layer of gastrulae and widely in the anterior region, in which vertebrates block BMP signaling, The present study suggests that the lancelet embryo may have two distinct developmental domains from the gastrula stage, the domains of which coincide later with the lateral diverticular and the somitocoelomic regions. The embryonic origin of the anterior-specific structures in lancelets corresponds to the anterior domain where Bbbmp2/4 is continuously expressed.

A Dicer-1 gene from white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei: Expression pattern in the processes of immune response and larval development

Dicer is a member of the RNAase III family which catalyzes the cleavage of double-stranded RNA to small interfering RNAs and micro RNAs, and then directs sequence-specific gene silencing. In this paper, the full-length cDNA of Dicer-1 was cloned from white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei (designated as LvDcr1). It was of 7636 bp, including a poly A tail, a 5' UTR of 136 bp, a 3' UTR of 78 bp, and an open reading frame (ORF) of 7422 bp encoding a putative protein of 2473 amino acids. The predicted amino acid sequence comprised all recognized functional domains found in other Dicer-1 homologues and showed the highest (97.7%) similarity to the Dicer-1 from tiger shrimp Penaeus mondon. Quantitative real-time PCR was employed to investigate the tissue distribution of LvDcr1 mRNA, and its expression in shrimps under virus challenge and larvae at different developmental stages. The LvDcr1 mRNA could be detected in all examined tissues with the highest expression level in hemocyte, and was up-regulated in hemocytes and gills after virus injection. These results indicated that LvDcr1 was involved in antiviral defense in adult shrimp. During the developmental stages from fertilized egg to postlarva VII, LvDcr1 was constitutively expressed at all examined development stages, but the expression level varied significantly. The highest expression level was observed in fertilized eggs and followed a decrease from fertilized egg to nauplius I stage. Then, the higher levels of expression were detected at nauplius V and postlarva stages. LvDcr1 expression regularly increased at the upper phase of nauplius, zoea and mysis stages than their prophase. The different expression of LvDcr1 in the larval stages could provide clues for understanding the early innate immunity in the process of shrimp larval development. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

负性情绪对分泌型免疫球蛋白A的影响以及事件相关电位的关联变化

Although the influence of emotional states on immune function has been generally recognized, researches on the effects of negative emotion on individual SIgA levels have reported mixed findings. Our study aimed to elucidate the relationship between changes in EEG activity and cognitive and psychological mechanisms to the immune changes induced by negative emotion. In experiment one, we investigated how the negative emotional arousal that was induced by watching a number of unpleasant pictures altered the concentration of secretory immunoglobulin A (SIgA). Although our results found discrepancies in the changing tendency of SIgA concentration among participants (some participants’ SIgA decreased after watching unpleasant pictures, whereas others increased), further analysis revealed a coherency among the changing of SIgA concentration, participants’ general coping styles and their actual emotion regulation strategies in perceiving unpleasant pictures, and the event-related potentials (ERPs) associated with the watching of unpleasant pictures. The participants whose SIgA increased after watching unpleasant pictures (the increasers) had higher positive coping scores in the Trait Coping Styles Questionnaire (TCSQ) than those whose SIgA decreased (the decreasers). Also, relative to the decreasers, the increasers tended to use more emotion regulation strategies especially when the presented pictures were extremely negative and exhibited a reverse dissociation pattern between the extremely negative pictures and the moderately negative ones in the amplitude of late positive potential (LPP) that was related to the cognitive evaluation of stimuli’s meaning. On this basis, Event-related potentials were recorded first while participants passively viewed unpleasant pictures, and then during an emotion regulation block in which participants were instructed to reappraise unpleasant pictures in the experiment two. We also collected the immune index before and after the passive viewing block and the emotion regulation block. Our study proved that participants felt a less intense emotional response to unpleasant pictures that followed a reappraisal instruction. The decreasing emotional responding to unpleasant pictures decreased the amplitude of the LPP. But larger N2 was induced in the emotion regulation block, because the participants needed to obtained more attentional resources to detect and integrate more stimulus features to use the cognitive reappraisal strategy effectively. The present study has important theoretic and practical significance. For the theoretic significance, our study elucidated the relationship between changes in EEG activity and cognitive and psychological mechanisms to the immune changes induced by negative emotion by using the technologies of ERP, experimental interview and psychological measurement. Meanwhile, our study also provided an explanation for the different changing tendencies of SIgA induced by negative emotions, and it plays an important role in further studying the cognitive neural mechanisms of immune level in response to emotion. As to the practical significance, our study suggests that individuals who use active emotion regulation in the face of negative emotion stimuli may experience significantly increases in immune system function, subsequently lowering the possibility of infection.

相同知识背景下技能之间迁移机制的研究

Since the middle of 1980's, the mechanisms of transfer of training between cognitive subskills rest on the same body of declarative knowledge has been highly concerned. The dominant theory is theory of common element (Singley & Anderson, 1989) which predict that there will be little or no transfer between subskills within the same domain when knowledge is used in different ways, even though the subskills might rest on a common body of declarative knowledge. This idea is termed as "principle of use specificity of knowledge" (Anderson, 1987). Although this principle has gained some empirical evidence from different domains such as elementary geometry (Neves & Anderson, 1981) and computer programming (McKendree & Anderson, 1987), it is challenged by some research (Pennington et al., 1991; 1995) in which substantially larger amounts of transfer of training was found between substills that rest on a shared declarative knowledge but share little procedures (production rules). Pennington et al. (1995) provided evidence that this larger amounts of transfer are due to the elaboration of declarative knowledge. Our research provide a test of these two different explanation, by considering transfer between two subskills within the domain of elementary geometry and elementary algebra respectively, and the inference of learning method ("learning from examples" and "learning from declarative-text") and subject ability (high, middle, low) on the amounts of transfer. Within the domain of elementary geometry, the two subskills of generating proofs" (GP) and "explaining proofs" (EP) which are rest on the declarative knowledge of "theorems on the characters of parallelogram" share little procedures. Within the domain of elementary algebra, the two subskills of "calculation" (C) and "simplification" (S) which are rest on the declarative knowledge of "multiplication of radical" share some more procedures. The results demonstrate that: 1. Within the domain of elementary geometry, although little transfer was found between the two subskills of GP and EP within the total subjects, different results occurred when considering the factor of subject's ability. Within the high level subjects, significant positive transfer was found from EP to GP, while little transfer was found on the opposite direction (i. e. from GP to EP). Within the low level subjects, significant positive transfer was found from EP to GP, while significant negative transfer was found on the opposite direction. For the middle level subject, little transfer was found between the two subskills. 2. Within the domain of elementary algebra, significant positive transfer was found from S to C, while significant negative transfer was found on the opposite direction (i. e. from C to S), when considering the total subjects. The same pattern of transfer occurred within the middle level subjects and low level subject. Within the high level subjects, no transfer was found between the two subskills. 3. Within theses two domains, different learning methods yield little influence on transfer of training between subskills. Apparently, these results can not be attributed to either common procedures or elaboration of declarative knowledge. A kind of synthetic inspection is essential to construct a reasonable explanation of these results which should take into account the following three elements: (1) relations between the procedures of subskills; (2) elaboration of declarative knowledge; (3) elaboration of procedural knowledge. 排Excluding the factor of subject, transfer of training between subskills can be predicted and explained by analyzing the relations between the procedures of two subskills. However, when considering some certain subjects, the explanation of transfer of training between subskills must include subjects' elaboration of declarative knowledge and procedural knowledge, especially the influence of the elaboration on performing the other subskill. The fact that different learning methods yield little influence on transfer of training between subskills can be explained by the fact that these two methods did not effect the level of declarative knowledge. Protocol analysis provided evidence to support these hypothesis. From this research, we conclude that in order to expound the mechanisms of transfer of training between cognitive subskills rest on the same body of declarative knowledge, three elements must be considered synthetically which include: (1) relations between the procedures of subskills; (2) elaboration of declarative knowledge; (3) elaboration of procedural knowledge.

中学生问题解决中操作要求对资源分配的影响

Schema acquisition is one of the mechanisms of learning. How to design reasonable teaching material to promote schema acquisition is an important question that psychological researchers and educators both interested. Cognitive Load Theory indicates that: The cognitive resource of Human is limited, the organization and presentation of the learning material should avoid demanding the learner consume resource in actions that have nothing to do with schema acquisition. How can we do that? Sweller. J. et think: Increasing the operation cost of the learning material would make the students put more resource into the implementation of the operation, this kind of resource consuming has nothing to do with schema acquisition. So, in order to make the students put more resource into actions which relating to schema acquisition, we should decrease the operation cost of the learning material. But, the research results of O'Hara et indicate: In problem-solving of knowledge lean field, increasing the operation cost would make the college students invent more resource to plan and understanding actions. So, Increasing the operation cost would facilitate the schema acquisition. How operation cost will effect the Middle-School Students' (MSS) schema acquisition and resource distribution when they solve problems of knowledge lean/rich field? This is the main question this research want to make inquiry. IN this research, we use three experiments indicate: Increasing the operation cost of actions, the implementing action would be less and the planning action would be more. So, increasing the operation cost can promote the schema acquisition. We use "cost-benefit analysis" strategy to explain this result. This strategy means that: Human is rational, before doing one action, he will weigh the cost and the coming benefit of this action, if the coming benefit is higher than the cost, he will implement this action; if the cost is higher than the coming benefit, this action will be contained. On the one hand, this research further affirms the core opinion of the Cognitive Load Theory: Human's cognitive resource is limited, we should put the limited resource into actions which is related to the schema acquisition; On the other hand, for the learning material designing principle which is advanced by the Cognitive Load Theory, we raise our questions. Besides, the question we raised holds some identical views with the constructive learning opinion: Learning is not passive information absorption, but positively constructing the meaning of the information, besides, this kind of construction can't done by others. The result of this research can provide some theory guidance and experimental basis for the designing of the MSS's science teaching material from a complete new angle.