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Rhodopsin comprises an opsin attached to a retinal chromophore and is the only visual pigment conferring dim-light vision in vertebrates. On activation by photons, the retinal group becomes detached from the opsin, which is then inactive until it is recharged. Of all vertebrate species, those that dive face unique visual challenges, experiencing rapid decreases in light level and hunting in near darkness. Here, we combine sequence analyses with functional assays to show that the rhodopsin pigments of four divergent lineages of deep-diving vertebrates have undergone convergent increases in their retinal release rate. We compare gene sequences and detect parallel amino acids between penguins and diving mammals and perform mutagenesis to show that a single critical residue fully explains the observed increases in retinal release rate in both the emperor penguin and beaked whale. At the same time, we find that other shared sites have no significant effect on retinal release, implying that convergence does not always signify adaptive significance. We propose that accelerated retinal release confers rapid rhodopsin recharging, enabling the visual systems of diving species to adjust quickly to changing light levels as they descend through the water column. This contrasts with nocturnal species, where adaptation to darkness has been attributed to slower retinal release rates.

Herein we present a continuous improvement of visible-light mediated N -dealkylative addition of tertiary amines to dimethyl acetylenedicarboxylates (DMAD) using alkyl halogenides as external oxidants together with base additives. This method is highlighted by excellent tolerance with various tertiary amines and good to excellent yields in short reaction time under mild conditions.

A visible-light induced direct amidation of benzoylformic acids with tertiary amines has been explored. Tertiary amines underwent N-dealkylative amidation with α-keto acid in the presence of [Ir{dFCF3ppy}2(bpy)]PF6 and Cs2CO3, affording the corresponding α-ketoamides in good yields under mild conditions. This transformation exhibits a wide substrate scope and provides a facile synthetic approach to α-ketoamides.

Glutamine has been widely used in critical illness, surgery, and injury. Previous studies showed that the use of glutamine in nutritional regimens for patients with sepsis was not as effective as in patients of trauma, especially in the early stage of sepsis. The objective of this study was to determine whether the regulation of glutamine on protein synthesis in skeletal muscle could be inhibited by tumor necrosis factor α (TNF- α ), one of the major mediators in sepsis in a rat model. Thirty male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned into 3 groups: total parenteral nutrition (TPN; control), Gln (treated with glutamine), and TNF- α (treated with glutamine and TNF- α ). All rats received isonitrogenous and isoenergetic TPN solutions for 3 days. The control group was supplemented with TPN, the glutamine group was given glutamine-enriched TPN, and the TNF- α group was supplemented with glutamine-enriched TPN followed by intravenously infused TNF- α in the last 24 hours. In the last 30 minutes, all rats were mainlined with [l- 15 N]leucine. The concentrations of TNF- α and glutamine in plasma and skeletal muscle were measured, and the fractional synthesis rate was assessed. The level of TNF- α in the TNF- α group was the highest among the 3 groups. The glutamine concentration was elevated more in the TNF- α group than in the other 2 groups ( P α and Gln groups than that in the control group, and it was the highest in the Gln group ( P α could attenuate protein synthesis in the skeletal muscle stimulated by glutamine in the early stage of sepsis in rats.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of short-term (7 days) glycyl-glutamine-supplemented total parenteral nutrition (TPN) on nutrition and intestinal absorptive function in a rat model. Thirty Wistar rats, weighting 140-180 g, were divided into three groups (n=10) randomly. The animals received isonitrogenous and isocaloric TPN solutions for 7 days. The nitrogen was supplied by glycyl-glutamine dipeptide-supplemented amino acid solution (group G), and two standard amino acid solutions (group V, group N), respectively. Body weight, plasma glutamine level, nitrogen balance, total tissue water and intestinal absorptive function, assessed by (15-N)-glycine absorption, were investigated. Body weight decreased in three groups at the end of TPN; there was no significant difference in relative body-weight changes. There was a significant improvement of cumulative nitrogen balance and nitrogen retention in group G compared to other groups (P0.05). There was no significant difference in intestinal glycine absorption (P0.05) among the three groups. Total tissue water of left thigh muscle was significantly higher in group V and group N than that in group G (P0.05). The results indicated that short-term (7 days) TPN supplemented with glycyl-glutamine improved plasma glutamine level and nitrogen balance, decreased water content of muscle, but had no beneficial effect on absorptive function in a rat model.

This study was devised to investigate whether fibrin glue (FG) in combination with growth hormone (GH) could have a beneficial effect at a late period (14 days) after injury. Male Wistar rats, with abdominal sepsis induced by an incomplete anastomosis, were divided into three groups. In the control group, the rats got incomplete anastomoses sutured alone; in the FG and FG/GH groups, anastomoses protection was performed with application of FG alone or in combination with GH. The anastomotic bursting pressure (ABP) was significantly higher in the FG/GH group than that of the FG group on postoperative day (POD) 5 (p.01), while it could not be measured from POD 7 to POD 14 because of intestinal dehiscence. There was no difference between FG and FG/GH group on POD 3 and POD 5 in anastomotic tensile strength, which was significantly higher in the FG/GH group than that of the FG group from POD 7 to POD 14 (p.001). Hydroxyproline content of the FG/GH group was significantly higher than that of the control from POD 3 and that of the FG group from POD 5 (p.05). Combination of FG with GH had a synergistic effect to improve intestinal anastomotic healing over a limited 14-day course of observation.

AIM: To investigate the intestinal barrier function damage induced by trauma and infection in rats. METHODS: Experimental models of surgical trauma and infection were established in rats. Adult Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into 4 groups: control group (n = 8), EN group (n = 10), PN group (n = 9) and Sep group (n = 8). The rats in PN and Sep groups were made into PN models that received isonitrogenous, isocaloric and isovolumic TPN solution during the 7-d period. Rats in EN and Sep groups received laparotomy and cervical catheterization on day 1 and received lipopolysaccharide injection intraperitoneally on d 7. On the 7th day all the animals were gavaged with lactulose and mannitol to test the intestinal permeability. Twenty-four hours later samples were collected and examined. RESULTS: The inflammatory responses became gradually aggravated from EN group to Sep group. The mucosal structure of small intestine was markedly impaired in PN and Sep groups. There was a low response in IgA level in Sep group when compared with that of EN group. Lipopolysaccharide injection also increased the nitric oxide levels in the plasma of the rats. The intestinal permeability and bacterial translocation increased significantly in Sep group compared with that of control group. CONCLUSION: One wk of parenteral nutrition causes an atrophy of the intestinal mucosa and results in a moderate inflammatory reaction in the rats. Endotoxemia aggravats the inflammatory responses that caused by laparotomy plus TPN, increases the production of nitric oxide in the body, and damages the intestinal barrier function.

AIM:To elucidate the effect of various solutions for small bowel graft preservation in pigs under hypothermic storage.METHODS:The swine segmental small bowel graft was autotransplanted after it was preserved with lactated Ringer's (LR), Euro-Collins (EC), hyperosmolarity citrate adenine (HC-A) and WMO-1 solutions for 10,18 and 24 hours,respectively.The recipient survival rate, morphological structure, graft mucosal energy substances and Na( +) -K(+) ATPase activity were studied,and graft absorption was estimated with D-xylose absorption test.RESULTS:The morphological study of the grafts preserved with LR or HC-A solution for 10 hours or with EC and WMO-1 solution for 18 hours was normal 6days after operation. Mucosal ATP,total adenine nucleotides (TAN) contents and Na( +) -K(+)ATPase activity of the graft preserved with EC or WMO solution were higher than that of the graft preserved with LR or HC-A solution.Serum level of D-xylose was higher in EC and WMO-1 groups than in LR and HC-A groups when the graft was preserved for 24 hours.CONCLUSION:EC and WMO-1 solutions can preserve the swine small bowel up to 18 hours, which are superior to LR and HC-A solutions.