The BACE1-generated C-terminal fragment of the neural cell adhesion molecule 2 (NCAM2) promotes BACE1 targeting to Rab11-positive endosomes.

Beta-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1), also known as ß-secretase, is an aspartic protease. The sorting of this enzyme into Rab11-positive recycling endosomes regulates the BACE1-mediated cleavage of its substrates, however, the mechanisms underlying this targeting remain poorly understood. The neural cell adhesion molecule 2 (NCAM2) is a substrate of BACE1. We show that BACE1 cleaves NCAM2 in cultured hippocampal neurons and NCAM2-transfected CHO cells. The C-terminal fragment of NCAM2 that comprises the intracellular domain and a small portion of NCAM2's extracellular domain, associates with BACE1. This association is not affected in cells with inhibited endocytosis, indicating that the interaction of NCAM2 and BACE1 precedes the targeting of BACE1 from the cell surface to endosomes. In neurons and CHO cells, this fragment and BACE1 co-localize in Rab11-positive endosomes. Overexpression of full-length NCAM2 or a recombinant NCAM2 fragment containing the transmembrane and intracellular domains but lacking the extracellular domain leads to an increase in BACE1 levels in these organelles. In NCAM2-deficient neurons, the levels of BACE1 are increased at the cell surface and reduced in intracellular organelles. These effects are correlated with increased levels of the soluble extracellular domain of BACE1 in the brains of NCAM2-deficient mice, suggesting increased shedding of BACE1 from the cell surface. Of note, shedding of the extracellular domain of Sez6, a protein cleaved exclusively by BACE1, is reduced in NCAM2-deficient animals. These results indicate that the BACE1-generated fragment of NCAM2 regulates BACE1 activity by promoting the targeting of BACE1 to Rab11-positive endosomes.

Skill levels and gains in university STEM education in China, India, Russia and the United States.

Universities contribute to economic growth and national competitiveness by equipping students with higher-order thinking and academic skills. Despite large investments in university science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education, little is known about how the skills of STEM undergraduates compare across countries and by institutional selectivity. Here, we provide direct evidence on these issues by collecting and analysing longitudinal data on tens of thousands of computer science and electrical engineering students in China, India, Russia and the United States. We find stark differences in skill levels and gains among countries and by institutional selectivity. Compared with the United States, students in China, India and Russia do not gain critical thinking skills over four years. Furthermore, while students in India and Russia gain academic skills during the first two years, students in China do not. These gaps in skill levels and gains provide insights into the global competitiveness of STEM university students across nations and institutional types.

Computer science skills across China, India, Russia, and the United States.

We assess and compare computer science skills among final-year computer science undergraduates (seniors) in four major economic and political powers that produce approximately half of the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics graduates in the world. We find that seniors in the United States substantially outperform seniors in China, India, and Russia by 0.76-0.88 SDs and score comparably with seniors in elite institutions in these countries. Seniors in elite institutions in the United States further outperform seniors in elite institutions in China, India, and Russia by ∼0.85 SDs. The skills advantage of the United States is not because it has a large proportion of high-scoring international students. Finally, males score consistently but only moderately higher (0.16-0.41 SDs) than females within all four countries.

[Study on core test characteristics of neuro-behavior in aircrew].

Objective. To analyze the characteristics of neuro-behavior in aircrew, interception personnel, and postgraduate students majored in command and to provide basis for the selection and training of aircrew members, as well as to serve as a methodology reference for the personnel selection in space flight. Method. 82 test subjects were divided into three groups and NCTB tests were conducted according to the neuro-behavior function core test of the World Health Organization (WHO). Then the results were analyzed and compared among the three groups. Result. Aircrew members were obviously better in neuro-behavior function with six indices superior to and three indices inferior to those majored in interception, while compared with the post graduates in command major, there are three superior indices and two inferior indices. Conclusion. The order of neuro-behavior function among the three groups is aircrew, postgraduates majored in command, and the students majored in interception. WHO NCTB is an ideal method in the neuro-behavior function selection.