Spinal cord injury represents a severe form of central nervous system trauma for which effective treatments remain limited.Microglia is the resident immune cells of the central nervous system,play a critical role in s...Spinal cord injury represents a severe form of central nervous system trauma for which effective treatments remain limited.Microglia is the resident immune cells of the central nervous system,play a critical role in spinal cord injury.Previous studies have shown that microglia can promote neuronal survival by phagocytosing dead cells and debris and by releasing neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory factors.However,excessive activation of microglia can lead to persistent inflammation and contribute to the formation of glial scars,which hinder axonal regeneration.Despite this,the precise role and mechanisms of microglia during the acute phase of spinal cord injury remain controversial and poorly understood.To elucidate the role of microglia in spinal cord injury,we employed the colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor inhibitor PLX5622 to deplete microglia.We observed that sustained depletion of microglia resulted in an expansion of the lesion area,downregulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor,and impaired functional recovery after spinal cord injury.Next,we generated a transgenic mouse line with conditional overexpression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor specifically in microglia.We found that brain-derived neurotrophic factor overexpression in microglia increased angiogenesis and blood flow following spinal cord injury and facilitated the recovery of hindlimb motor function.Additionally,brain-derived neurotrophic factor overexpression in microglia reduced inflammation and neuronal apoptosis during the acute phase of spinal cord injury.Furthermore,through using specific transgenic mouse lines,TMEM119,and the colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor inhibitor PLX73086,we demonstrated that the neuroprotective effects were predominantly due to brain-derived neurotrophic factor overexpression in microglia rather than macrophages.In conclusion,our findings suggest the critical role of microglia in the formation of protective glial scars.Depleting microglia is detrimental to recovery of spinal cord injury,whereas targeting brain-derived neurotrophic factor overexpression in microglia represents a promising and novel therapeutic strategy to enhance motor function recovery in patients with spinal cord injury.展开更多
Surface deformation calculations due to environmental loading typically rely on the Preliminary Reference Earth Model(PREM),which assumes a homogeneous and isotropic Earth structure,leading to noticeable errors.To enh...Surface deformation calculations due to environmental loading typically rely on the Preliminary Reference Earth Model(PREM),which assumes a homogeneous and isotropic Earth structure,leading to noticeable errors.To enhance accuracy,the high-precision crustal model CRUST 1.0 is used to refine calculations of regional surface deformation caused by hydrological and non-tidal atmospheric loading.The improved model is applied to 27 Global Navigation Satellite System(GNSS)reference stations in the first phase of the Crustal Movement Observation Network of China(CMONOC),considering their geographical locations.Green's functions are employed to compute surface deformation at each site.Results indicate relative discrepancies of 11.78%and 14.14%for non-tidal atmospheric and hydrological loading compared to PREM,with vertical deformation differences reaching an average of 18.95%.Additionally,the distinct spatial distribution characteristics of the relative differences in each direction indicate that the improved RPREM model is more responsive to the mass variations derived from Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment(GRACE).The results suggest that the improved PRREM model demonstrates higher sensitivity to loading variations than the PREM model.Utilizing the enhanced method of calculating surface deformation through the utilization of Green's function at the site could effectively reduce the calculation error caused by regional structure,leading to enhanced uniformity and isotropy of PREM.展开更多
Spinal cord injury(SCI) often results in permanent dysfunction of locomotion,sensation,and autonomic regulation,imposing a substantial burden on both individuals and society(Anjum et al.,2020).SCI has a complex pathop...Spinal cord injury(SCI) often results in permanent dysfunction of locomotion,sensation,and autonomic regulation,imposing a substantial burden on both individuals and society(Anjum et al.,2020).SCI has a complex pathophysiology:an initial primary injury(mechanical trauma,axonal disruption,and hemorrhage) is followed by a progressive secondary injury cascade that involves ischemia,neuronal loss,and inflammation.Given the challenges in achieving regeneration of the injured spinal cord,neuroprotection has been at the forefront of clinical research.展开更多
Exogenous neural stem cell transplantation has become one of the most promising treatment methods for chronic stroke.Recent studies have shown that most ischemia-reperfusion model rats recover spontaneously after inju...Exogenous neural stem cell transplantation has become one of the most promising treatment methods for chronic stroke.Recent studies have shown that most ischemia-reperfusion model rats recover spontaneously after injury,which limits the ability to observe long-term behavioral recovery.Here,we used a severe stroke rat model with 150 minutes of ischemia,which produced severe behavioral deficiencies that persisted at 12 weeks,to study the therapeutic effect of neural stem cells on neural restoration in chronic stroke.Our study showed that stroke model rats treated with human neural stem cells had long-term sustained recovery of motor function,reduced infarction volume,long-term human neural stem cell survival,and improved local inflammatory environment and angiogenesis.We also demonstrated that transplanted human neural stem cells differentiated into mature neurons in vivo,formed stable functional synaptic connections with host neurons,and exhibited the electrophysiological properties of functional mature neurons,indicating that they replaced the damaged host neurons.The findings showed that human fetal-derived neural stem cells had long-term effects for neurological recovery in a model of severe stroke,which suggests that human neural stem cells-based therapy may be effective for repairing damaged neural circuits in stroke patients.展开更多
The organization of biological neuronal networks into functional modules has intrigued scientists and inspired engineers to develop artificial systems.These networks are characterized by two key properties.First,they ...The organization of biological neuronal networks into functional modules has intrigued scientists and inspired engineers to develop artificial systems.These networks are characterized by two key properties.First,they exhibit dense interconnectivity(Braitenburg and Schüz,1998;Campagnola et al.,2022).The strength and probability of connectivity depend on cell type,inter-neuronal distance,and species.Still,every cortical neuron receives input from thousands of other neurons while transmitting output to a similar number of neurons.Second,communication between neurons occurs primarily via chemical or electrical synapses.展开更多
Invasive as well as non-invasive neurotechnologies conceptualized to interface the central and peripheral nervous system have been probed for the past decades,which refer to electroencephalography,electrocorticography...Invasive as well as non-invasive neurotechnologies conceptualized to interface the central and peripheral nervous system have been probed for the past decades,which refer to electroencephalography,electrocorticography and microelectrode arrays.The challenges of these mentioned approaches are characterized by the bandwidth of the spatiotemporal resolution,which in turn is essential for large-area neuron recordings(Abiri et al.,2019).展开更多
In the words of the late Sir Colin Blakemore,neurologists have historically sought to infer brain functions in a manner akin to to king a hammer to a computeranalyzing localized anatomical lesions caused by trauma,tum...In the words of the late Sir Colin Blakemore,neurologists have historically sought to infer brain functions in a manner akin to to king a hammer to a computeranalyzing localized anatomical lesions caused by trauma,tumors,or strokes,noting deficits,and inferring what functions certain brain regions may be responsible for.This approach exemplifies a deletion heuristic,where the absence of a specific function reveals insights about the underlying structures or mechanisms responsible for it.By observing what is lost when a particular brain region is damaged,throughout the history of the field,neurologists have pieced together the intricate relationship between anatomy and function.展开更多
The mature central nervous system(CNS,composed of the brain,spinal cord,olfactory and optic nerves)is unable to regenerate spontaneously after an insult,both in the cases of neurodegenerative diseases(for example Alzh...The mature central nervous system(CNS,composed of the brain,spinal cord,olfactory and optic nerves)is unable to regenerate spontaneously after an insult,both in the cases of neurodegenerative diseases(for example Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease)or traumatic injuries(such as spinal cord lesions).In the last 20 years,the field has made significant progress in unlocking axon regrowth.展开更多
Microglia,the resident immune cells of the central nervous system,exhibit a wide array of functional states,even in their so-called“homeostatic”condition,when they are not actively responding to overt pathological s...Microglia,the resident immune cells of the central nervous system,exhibit a wide array of functional states,even in their so-called“homeostatic”condition,when they are not actively responding to overt pathological stimuli.These functional states can be visualized using a combination of multi-omics techniques(e.g.,gene and protein expression,posttranslational modifications,mRNA profiling,and metabolomics),and,in the case of homeostatic microglia,are largely defined by the global(e.g.,genetic variations,organism’s age,sex,circadian rhythms,and gut microbiota)as well as local(specific area of the brain,immediate microglial surrounding,neuron-glia interactions and synaptic density/activity)signals(Paolicelli et al.,2022).While phenomics(i.e.,ultrastructural microglial morphology and motility)is also one of the key microglial state-defining parameters,it is known that cells with similar morphology can belong to different functional states.展开更多
Spontaneous recovery frequently proves maladaptive or insufficient because the plasticity of the injured adult mammalian central nervous system is limited.This limited plasticity serves as a primary barrier to functio...Spontaneous recovery frequently proves maladaptive or insufficient because the plasticity of the injured adult mammalian central nervous system is limited.This limited plasticity serves as a primary barrier to functional recovery after brain injury.Neuromodulation technologies represent one of the fastest-growing fields in medicine.These techniques utilize electricity,magnetism,sound,and light to restore or optimize brain functions by promoting reorganization or long-term changes that support functional recovery in patients with brain injury.Therefore,this review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the effects and underlying mechanisms of neuromodulation technologies in supporting motor function recovery after brain injury.Many of these technologies are widely used in clinical practice and show significant improvements in motor function across various types of brain injury.However,studies report negative findings,potentially due to variations in stimulation protocols,differences in observation periods,and the severity of functional impairments among participants across different clinical trials.Additionally,we observed that different neuromodulation techniques share remarkably similar mechanisms,including promoting neuroplasticity,enhancing neurotrophic factor release,improving cerebral blood flow,suppressing neuroinflammation,and providing neuroprotection.Finally,considering the advantages and disadvantages of various neuromodulation techniques,we propose that future development should focus on closed-loop neural circuit stimulation,personalized treatment,interdisciplinary collaboration,and precision stimulation.展开更多
Diabetic retinopathy is a prominent cause of blindness in adults,with early retinal ganglion cell loss contributing to visual dysfunction or blindness.In the brain,defects inγ-aminobutyric acid synaptic transmission ...Diabetic retinopathy is a prominent cause of blindness in adults,with early retinal ganglion cell loss contributing to visual dysfunction or blindness.In the brain,defects inγ-aminobutyric acid synaptic transmission are associated with pathophysiological and neurodegenerative disorders,whereas glucagon-like peptide-1 has demonstrated neuroprotective effects.However,it is not yet clear whether diabetes causes alterations in inhibitory input to retinal ganglion cells and whether and how glucagon-like peptide-1 protects against neurodegeneration in the diabetic retina through regulating inhibitory synaptic transmission to retinal ganglion cells.In the present study,we used the patch-clamp technique to recordγ-aminobutyric acid subtype A receptor-mediated miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents in retinal ganglion cells from streptozotocin-induced diabetes model rats.We found that early diabetes(4 weeks of hyperglycemia)decreased the frequency of GABAergic miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents in retinal ganglion cells without altering their amplitude,suggesting a reduction in the spontaneous release ofγ-aminobutyric acid to retinal ganglion cells.Topical administration of glucagon-like peptide-1 eyedrops over a period of 2 weeks effectively countered the hyperglycemia-induced downregulation of GABAergic mIPSC frequency,subsequently enhancing the survival of retinal ganglion cells.Concurrently,the protective effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 on retinal ganglion cells in diabetic rats were eliminated by topical administration of exendin-9-39,a specific glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor antagonist,or SR95531,a specific antagonist of theγ-aminobutyric acid subtype A receptor.Furthermore,extracellular perfusion of glucagon-like peptide-1 was found to elevate the frequencies of GABAergic miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents in both ON-and OFF-type retinal ganglion cells.This elevation was shown to be mediated by activation of the phosphatidylinositol-phospholipase C/inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor/Ca2+/protein kinase C signaling pathway downstream of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor activation.Moreover,multielectrode array recordings revealed that glucagon-like peptide-1 functionally augmented the photoresponses of ON-type retinal ganglion cells.Optomotor response tests demonstrated that diabetic rats exhibited reductions in visual acuity and contrast sensitivity that were significantly ameliorated by topical administration of glucagon-like peptide-1.These results suggest that glucagon-like peptide-1 facilitates the release ofγ-aminobutyric acid onto retinal ganglion cells through the activation of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor,leading to the de-excitation of retinal ganglion cell circuits and the inhibition of excitotoxic processes associated with diabetic retinopathy.Collectively,our findings indicate that theγ-aminobutyric acid system has potential as a therapeutic target for mitigating early-stage diabetic retinopathy.Furthermore,the topical administration of glucagon-like peptide-1 eyedrops represents a non-invasive and effective treatment approach for managing early-stage diabetic retinopathy.展开更多
Freezing of gait is a significant and debilitating motor symptom often observed in individuals with Parkinson's disease.Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging,along with its multi-level feature indice...Freezing of gait is a significant and debilitating motor symptom often observed in individuals with Parkinson's disease.Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging,along with its multi-level feature indices,has provided a fresh perspective and valuable insight into the study of freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease.It has been revealed that Parkinson's disease is accompanied by widespread irregularities in inherent brain network activity.However,the effective integration of the multi-level indices of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging into clinical settings for the diagnosis of freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease remains a challenge.Although previous studies have demonstrated that radiomics can extract optimal features as biomarkers to identify or predict diseases,a knowledge gap still exists in the field of freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease.This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the ability of radiomics features based on multi-level indices of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging,along with clinical features,to distinguish between Parkinson's disease patients with and without freezing of gait.We recruited 28 patients with Parkinson's disease who had freezing of gait(15 men and 13 women,average age 63 years)and 30 patients with Parkinson's disease who had no freezing of gait(16 men and 14 women,average age 64 years).Magnetic resonance imaging scans were obtained using a 3.0T scanner to extract the mean amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations,mean regional homogeneity,and degree centrality.Neurological and clinical characteristics were also evaluated.We used the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator algorithm to extract features and established feedforward neural network models based solely on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging indicators.We then performed predictive analysis of three distinct groups based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging indicators indicators combined with clinical features.Subsequently,we conducted 100 additional five-fold cross-validations to determine the most effective model for each classification task and evaluated the performance of the model using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve.The results showed that when differentiating patients with Parkinson's disease who had freezing of gait from those who did not have freezing of gait,or from healthy controls,the models using only the mean regional homogeneity values achieved the highest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values of 0.750(with an accuracy of 70.9%)and 0.759(with an accuracy of 65.3%),respectively.When classifying patients with Parkinson's disease who had freezing of gait from those who had no freezing of gait,the model using the mean amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation values combined with two clinical features achieved the highest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.847(with an accuracy of 74.3%).The most significant features for patients with Parkinson's disease who had freezing of gait were amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation alterations in the left parahippocampal gyrus and two clinical characteristics:Montreal Cognitive Assessment and Hamilton Depression Scale scores.Our findings suggest that radiomics features derived from resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging indices and clinical information can serve as valuable indices for the identification of freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease.展开更多
Defect engineering is a commonly methodology used to enhance the thermoelectric performance of thermoelectric PbTe by improving its electronic transport properties.At the nanoscale,defects can induce quantum tunneling...Defect engineering is a commonly methodology used to enhance the thermoelectric performance of thermoelectric PbTe by improving its electronic transport properties.At the nanoscale,defects can induce quantum tunneling effects that significantly impact the electrical properties of materials.To understand the specific mechanisms underlying the quantum transport properties of PbTe,we employ the non-equilibrium Green's function(NEGF)method to investigate the effects of intrinsic defects(point defects and grain boundaries)on the electronic transport properties of PbTe-based nanodevices from a quantum mechanical perspective.Our results show that the Pb vacancy(VPb)has the highest conduction.The conduction depends on the defect type,chemical potential and bias voltage.The presence of intrinsic point defects introduces impurity levels,facilitating the electron tunneling and leading to an increase in the transmission coefficient,thereby enhancing the electronic transport properties.For PbTe containing grain boundaries,these boundaries suppress the electronic transport properties.The Te occupied twin boundary(Te-TB)exerts a stronger inhibitory effect than the Pb occupied twin boundary(Pb-TB).Nevertheless,the combined effect between twin boundaries and point defects can enhance the electrical properties.Therefore,in order to obtain highly conductive of PbTe materials,a Te-rich synthesis environment should be used to promote the effective formation of Pb vacancy.Our work offers a comprehensive understanding of the impact of defects on electron scattering in thermoelectric materials.展开更多
In this paper,we study a class of Sturm-Liouville problems,where the boundary conditions involve eigenparameters.Firstly,by defining a new inner product which depends on the transmission conditions,we obtain a new Hil...In this paper,we study a class of Sturm-Liouville problems,where the boundary conditions involve eigenparameters.Firstly,by defining a new inner product which depends on the transmission conditions,we obtain a new Hilbert space,on which the concerned operator A is self-adjoint.Then we construct the fundamental solutions to the problem,obtain the necessary and sufficient conditions for eigenvalues,and prove that the eigenvalues are simple.Finally,we investigate Green’s functions of such problem.展开更多
Increased human and industrial activities have exacerbated the release of toxic materials and acute envi-ronmental pollution in recent times.Biochar,a carbon-rich material produced from biomass,is gaining momentum as ...Increased human and industrial activities have exacerbated the release of toxic materials and acute envi-ronmental pollution in recent times.Biochar,a carbon-rich material produced from biomass,is gaining momentum as a versatile material for attaining a sustainable environment.The study reviews the application of functionalized biochar for energy storage,environmental remediation,catalysis,and sustainable agriculture,aiming to achieve a greener future.Thedeployment of crop residues as a renewable feedstock for biochar,and their properties,compositions,modification,and functionalization techniques are also discussed.Additionally,the avenues for applying functionalized biochar to achieve a greener future,future trends and innovations,challenges,and future research directions are highlighted.Despite the limitations of scalability,ecotoxicological risks,logistical issues,lack of characterization protocols,high production costs,poor social acceptance,and inadequate policy and regulatory frameworks,functionalized biochar offers a better surface area,improved porosity,enhanced functional groups,and higher recoverability,leading to improved performance,adsorption capacity,biodegradability,and applications in specialized fields.Future research should prioritize standardization,scalability,cost reduction strategies,expansion of application areas,integration of emerging tools such as artificial intelligence and predictive modeling,and the development of policy and regulatory frameworks,ensuring that biochar’s full potential is harnessed effectively to support a low-carbon,resource-efficient future and global sustainability goals.展开更多
The survival strategy of plants is to adjust their functional traits to adapt to the environment.However,these traits and survival strategies of evergreen broad-leaved forest species are not well understood.This study...The survival strategy of plants is to adjust their functional traits to adapt to the environment.However,these traits and survival strategies of evergreen broad-leaved forest species are not well understood.This study examined 10 leaf functional traits(LFTs)of 70 common plant species in an evergreen broad-leaved forest in Huangshan Mountain to decipher their adaptive strategies.The phylogenetic signals of these LFTs were assessed and phylogenetically independent contrasts(PIC)and correlation analyses were carried out.LFTs were analyzed to determine their CSR(C:competitor,S:stress-tolerator,R:ruderal)strategies.The results show that plant species exhibit different leaf functional traits and ecological strategies(nine strategies were identified;the most abundant were S/CS and S/CSR strategies).Some traits showed significant phylogenetic signals,indicating the effect of phylogeny on LFTs to an extent.Trait variations among species suggest distinct adaptation strategies to environmental changes.The study species were mainly clustered on the C-S strategy axis,with a high S component.Species leaning toward the C-strategy end(e.g.,deciduous species),favored a resource acquisition strategy characterized by higher specific leaf area(SLA),greater nutrient contents(N and P),lower leaf dry matter content(LDMC),and reduced nutrient utilization efficiency(C:N and C:P).Conversely,species closer to the S-strategy end(e.g.,evergreen species)usually adopted a resource conservative strategy with trait combinations contrary to those of C-strategy species.Overall,this study corroborated the applicability of the CSR strategy at a local scale and provides insights into the varied trait combinations and ecological strategies employed by plant species to adapt to their environment.These findings contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in biodiversity maintenance.展开更多
Understanding the effects of point liquid loading on transversely isotropic poroelastic media is crucial for advancing geomechanics and biomechanics, where precise modeling of fluid-structure interactions is essential...Understanding the effects of point liquid loading on transversely isotropic poroelastic media is crucial for advancing geomechanics and biomechanics, where precise modeling of fluid-structure interactions is essential. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of infinite transversely isotropic poroelasticity under a fluid source, based on Biot's theory, aiming to uncover new and previously unexplored insights in the literature. We begin our study by deriving a general solution for fluid-saturated, transversely isotropic poroelastic materials in terms of harmonic functions that satisfy sixth-order homogeneous partial differential equations, using potential theory and Almansi's theorem. Based on these general solutions and potential functions, we construct a Green's function for a point fluid source, introducing three new harmonic functions with undetermined constants. These constants are determined by enforcing continuity and equilibrium conditions. Substituting these into the general solution yields fundamental solutions for poroelasticity that provide crucial support for a wide range of project problems. Numerical results and comparisons with existing literature are provided to illustrate physical mechanisms through contour plots. Our observations reveal that all components tend to zero in the far field and become singular at the concentrated source. Additionally, the contours exhibit rapid changes near the point fluid source but display gradual variations at a distance from it. These findings highlight the intricate behavior of the system under point liquid loading, offering valuable insights for further research and practical applications.展开更多
The structure of a microwave radiator used for medical purposes is described. The dyadic Green's function and the method are used to analyze this Kind of multimode rectangular medium-filled cavity. The distributio...The structure of a microwave radiator used for medical purposes is described. The dyadic Green's function and the method are used to analyze this Kind of multimode rectangular medium-filled cavity. The distribution of electromagnetic field intensity and the power density,as well as the temperature effect in the biological sample load are obtained.OPtimization of the size of cavity and the position of the input aperture have been performed with the computer to optimize the uniformity or microwave effect and the input VSWR.Necessary experiments were performed to compare the data obtained with theoretical analysis.展开更多
We present a method to unify the calculation of Green＇s functions for an electromagnetic（EM） transmitting source embedded in a homogeneous stratified medium.A virtual interface parallel to layer interfaces is intro...We present a method to unify the calculation of Green＇s functions for an electromagnetic（EM） transmitting source embedded in a homogeneous stratified medium.A virtual interface parallel to layer interfaces is introduced through the source location.The potentials for Green＇s function are derived by decomposing the partial wave solutions to Helmholtz＇s equations into upward and downward within boundaries.The amplitudes of the potentials in each stratum are obtained recursively from the initial amplitudes at the source level.The initial amplitudes are derived by coupling with the transmitting sources and following the discontinuity of the tangential electric and magnetic fields at the source interface.Only the initial terms are related to the transmitting sources and thus need to be modified for different transmitters,whereas the kernel connected with the stratified media stays unchanged.Hence,the present method can be easily applied to EM transmitting sources with little modification.The application of the proposed method to the marine controlled-source electromagnetic method（MCSEM） demonstrates its simplicity and flexibility.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,Nos.82072165 and 82272256(both to XM)the Key Project of Xiangyang Central Hospital,No.2023YZ03(to RM)。
文摘Spinal cord injury represents a severe form of central nervous system trauma for which effective treatments remain limited.Microglia is the resident immune cells of the central nervous system,play a critical role in spinal cord injury.Previous studies have shown that microglia can promote neuronal survival by phagocytosing dead cells and debris and by releasing neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory factors.However,excessive activation of microglia can lead to persistent inflammation and contribute to the formation of glial scars,which hinder axonal regeneration.Despite this,the precise role and mechanisms of microglia during the acute phase of spinal cord injury remain controversial and poorly understood.To elucidate the role of microglia in spinal cord injury,we employed the colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor inhibitor PLX5622 to deplete microglia.We observed that sustained depletion of microglia resulted in an expansion of the lesion area,downregulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor,and impaired functional recovery after spinal cord injury.Next,we generated a transgenic mouse line with conditional overexpression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor specifically in microglia.We found that brain-derived neurotrophic factor overexpression in microglia increased angiogenesis and blood flow following spinal cord injury and facilitated the recovery of hindlimb motor function.Additionally,brain-derived neurotrophic factor overexpression in microglia reduced inflammation and neuronal apoptosis during the acute phase of spinal cord injury.Furthermore,through using specific transgenic mouse lines,TMEM119,and the colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor inhibitor PLX73086,we demonstrated that the neuroprotective effects were predominantly due to brain-derived neurotrophic factor overexpression in microglia rather than macrophages.In conclusion,our findings suggest the critical role of microglia in the formation of protective glial scars.Depleting microglia is detrimental to recovery of spinal cord injury,whereas targeting brain-derived neurotrophic factor overexpression in microglia represents a promising and novel therapeutic strategy to enhance motor function recovery in patients with spinal cord injury.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant 42204006)the Education Commission of Hubei Province of China(Grant D20232802)+1 种基金the Open Fund of Wuhan,Gravitationand Solid EarthTides,National Observationand Research Station(Grant WHYWZ202407)the Open Fund of Hubei Luojia Laboratory(Grant 230100020,230100019).
文摘Surface deformation calculations due to environmental loading typically rely on the Preliminary Reference Earth Model(PREM),which assumes a homogeneous and isotropic Earth structure,leading to noticeable errors.To enhance accuracy,the high-precision crustal model CRUST 1.0 is used to refine calculations of regional surface deformation caused by hydrological and non-tidal atmospheric loading.The improved model is applied to 27 Global Navigation Satellite System(GNSS)reference stations in the first phase of the Crustal Movement Observation Network of China(CMONOC),considering their geographical locations.Green's functions are employed to compute surface deformation at each site.Results indicate relative discrepancies of 11.78%and 14.14%for non-tidal atmospheric and hydrological loading compared to PREM,with vertical deformation differences reaching an average of 18.95%.Additionally,the distinct spatial distribution characteristics of the relative differences in each direction indicate that the improved RPREM model is more responsive to the mass variations derived from Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment(GRACE).The results suggest that the improved PRREM model demonstrates higher sensitivity to loading variations than the PREM model.Utilizing the enhanced method of calculating surface deformation through the utilization of Green's function at the site could effectively reduce the calculation error caused by regional structure,leading to enhanced uniformity and isotropy of PREM.
文摘Spinal cord injury(SCI) often results in permanent dysfunction of locomotion,sensation,and autonomic regulation,imposing a substantial burden on both individuals and society(Anjum et al.,2020).SCI has a complex pathophysiology:an initial primary injury(mechanical trauma,axonal disruption,and hemorrhage) is followed by a progressive secondary injury cascade that involves ischemia,neuronal loss,and inflammation.Given the challenges in achieving regeneration of the injured spinal cord,neuroprotection has been at the forefront of clinical research.
文摘Exogenous neural stem cell transplantation has become one of the most promising treatment methods for chronic stroke.Recent studies have shown that most ischemia-reperfusion model rats recover spontaneously after injury,which limits the ability to observe long-term behavioral recovery.Here,we used a severe stroke rat model with 150 minutes of ischemia,which produced severe behavioral deficiencies that persisted at 12 weeks,to study the therapeutic effect of neural stem cells on neural restoration in chronic stroke.Our study showed that stroke model rats treated with human neural stem cells had long-term sustained recovery of motor function,reduced infarction volume,long-term human neural stem cell survival,and improved local inflammatory environment and angiogenesis.We also demonstrated that transplanted human neural stem cells differentiated into mature neurons in vivo,formed stable functional synaptic connections with host neurons,and exhibited the electrophysiological properties of functional mature neurons,indicating that they replaced the damaged host neurons.The findings showed that human fetal-derived neural stem cells had long-term effects for neurological recovery in a model of severe stroke,which suggests that human neural stem cells-based therapy may be effective for repairing damaged neural circuits in stroke patients.
基金supported in part by the Rosetrees Trust(#CF-2023-I-2_113)by the Israel Ministry of Innovation,Science,and Technology(#7393)(to ES).
文摘The organization of biological neuronal networks into functional modules has intrigued scientists and inspired engineers to develop artificial systems.These networks are characterized by two key properties.First,they exhibit dense interconnectivity(Braitenburg and Schüz,1998;Campagnola et al.,2022).The strength and probability of connectivity depend on cell type,inter-neuronal distance,and species.Still,every cortical neuron receives input from thousands of other neurons while transmitting output to a similar number of neurons.Second,communication between neurons occurs primarily via chemical or electrical synapses.
文摘Invasive as well as non-invasive neurotechnologies conceptualized to interface the central and peripheral nervous system have been probed for the past decades,which refer to electroencephalography,electrocorticography and microelectrode arrays.The challenges of these mentioned approaches are characterized by the bandwidth of the spatiotemporal resolution,which in turn is essential for large-area neuron recordings(Abiri et al.,2019).
文摘In the words of the late Sir Colin Blakemore,neurologists have historically sought to infer brain functions in a manner akin to to king a hammer to a computeranalyzing localized anatomical lesions caused by trauma,tumors,or strokes,noting deficits,and inferring what functions certain brain regions may be responsible for.This approach exemplifies a deletion heuristic,where the absence of a specific function reveals insights about the underlying structures or mechanisms responsible for it.By observing what is lost when a particular brain region is damaged,throughout the history of the field,neurologists have pieced together the intricate relationship between anatomy and function.
基金supported by ANR(ANR-21CE16-0008-01)ANR(ANR-21-CE16-0008-02 and ANR-23CE52-0007)+1 种基金UNADEV(A22018CS)(to HN)UNADEV(A22020CS)(to SB)。
文摘The mature central nervous system(CNS,composed of the brain,spinal cord,olfactory and optic nerves)is unable to regenerate spontaneously after an insult,both in the cases of neurodegenerative diseases(for example Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease)or traumatic injuries(such as spinal cord lesions).In the last 20 years,the field has made significant progress in unlocking axon regrowth.
基金supported by Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft,German Research Foundation grant GA 654/13-2 to OG.
文摘Microglia,the resident immune cells of the central nervous system,exhibit a wide array of functional states,even in their so-called“homeostatic”condition,when they are not actively responding to overt pathological stimuli.These functional states can be visualized using a combination of multi-omics techniques(e.g.,gene and protein expression,posttranslational modifications,mRNA profiling,and metabolomics),and,in the case of homeostatic microglia,are largely defined by the global(e.g.,genetic variations,organism’s age,sex,circadian rhythms,and gut microbiota)as well as local(specific area of the brain,immediate microglial surrounding,neuron-glia interactions and synaptic density/activity)signals(Paolicelli et al.,2022).While phenomics(i.e.,ultrastructural microglial morphology and motility)is also one of the key microglial state-defining parameters,it is known that cells with similar morphology can belong to different functional states.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.82371399(to YY)the Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province,No.BK20221206(to YY)+1 种基金the Young Elite Scientists Sponsorship Program of Jiangsu Province,No.TJ-2022-028(to YY)the Scientific Research Program of Wuxi Health Commission,No.Z202302(to LY)。
文摘Spontaneous recovery frequently proves maladaptive or insufficient because the plasticity of the injured adult mammalian central nervous system is limited.This limited plasticity serves as a primary barrier to functional recovery after brain injury.Neuromodulation technologies represent one of the fastest-growing fields in medicine.These techniques utilize electricity,magnetism,sound,and light to restore or optimize brain functions by promoting reorganization or long-term changes that support functional recovery in patients with brain injury.Therefore,this review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the effects and underlying mechanisms of neuromodulation technologies in supporting motor function recovery after brain injury.Many of these technologies are widely used in clinical practice and show significant improvements in motor function across various types of brain injury.However,studies report negative findings,potentially due to variations in stimulation protocols,differences in observation periods,and the severity of functional impairments among participants across different clinical trials.Additionally,we observed that different neuromodulation techniques share remarkably similar mechanisms,including promoting neuroplasticity,enhancing neurotrophic factor release,improving cerebral blood flow,suppressing neuroinflammation,and providing neuroprotection.Finally,considering the advantages and disadvantages of various neuromodulation techniques,we propose that future development should focus on closed-loop neural circuit stimulation,personalized treatment,interdisciplinary collaboration,and precision stimulation.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,Nos.32070989(to YMZ),31872766(to YMZ),81790640(to XLY),and 82070993(to SJW)the grant from Sanming Project of Medicine in Shenzhen,No.SZSM202011015(to XLY)。
文摘Diabetic retinopathy is a prominent cause of blindness in adults,with early retinal ganglion cell loss contributing to visual dysfunction or blindness.In the brain,defects inγ-aminobutyric acid synaptic transmission are associated with pathophysiological and neurodegenerative disorders,whereas glucagon-like peptide-1 has demonstrated neuroprotective effects.However,it is not yet clear whether diabetes causes alterations in inhibitory input to retinal ganglion cells and whether and how glucagon-like peptide-1 protects against neurodegeneration in the diabetic retina through regulating inhibitory synaptic transmission to retinal ganglion cells.In the present study,we used the patch-clamp technique to recordγ-aminobutyric acid subtype A receptor-mediated miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents in retinal ganglion cells from streptozotocin-induced diabetes model rats.We found that early diabetes(4 weeks of hyperglycemia)decreased the frequency of GABAergic miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents in retinal ganglion cells without altering their amplitude,suggesting a reduction in the spontaneous release ofγ-aminobutyric acid to retinal ganglion cells.Topical administration of glucagon-like peptide-1 eyedrops over a period of 2 weeks effectively countered the hyperglycemia-induced downregulation of GABAergic mIPSC frequency,subsequently enhancing the survival of retinal ganglion cells.Concurrently,the protective effects of glucagon-like peptide-1 on retinal ganglion cells in diabetic rats were eliminated by topical administration of exendin-9-39,a specific glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor antagonist,or SR95531,a specific antagonist of theγ-aminobutyric acid subtype A receptor.Furthermore,extracellular perfusion of glucagon-like peptide-1 was found to elevate the frequencies of GABAergic miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents in both ON-and OFF-type retinal ganglion cells.This elevation was shown to be mediated by activation of the phosphatidylinositol-phospholipase C/inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor/Ca2+/protein kinase C signaling pathway downstream of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor activation.Moreover,multielectrode array recordings revealed that glucagon-like peptide-1 functionally augmented the photoresponses of ON-type retinal ganglion cells.Optomotor response tests demonstrated that diabetic rats exhibited reductions in visual acuity and contrast sensitivity that were significantly ameliorated by topical administration of glucagon-like peptide-1.These results suggest that glucagon-like peptide-1 facilitates the release ofγ-aminobutyric acid onto retinal ganglion cells through the activation of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor,leading to the de-excitation of retinal ganglion cell circuits and the inhibition of excitotoxic processes associated with diabetic retinopathy.Collectively,our findings indicate that theγ-aminobutyric acid system has potential as a therapeutic target for mitigating early-stage diabetic retinopathy.Furthermore,the topical administration of glucagon-like peptide-1 eyedrops represents a non-invasive and effective treatment approach for managing early-stage diabetic retinopathy.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.82071909(to GF)the Natural Science Foundation of Liaoning Province,No.2023-MS-07(to HL)。
文摘Freezing of gait is a significant and debilitating motor symptom often observed in individuals with Parkinson's disease.Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging,along with its multi-level feature indices,has provided a fresh perspective and valuable insight into the study of freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease.It has been revealed that Parkinson's disease is accompanied by widespread irregularities in inherent brain network activity.However,the effective integration of the multi-level indices of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging into clinical settings for the diagnosis of freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease remains a challenge.Although previous studies have demonstrated that radiomics can extract optimal features as biomarkers to identify or predict diseases,a knowledge gap still exists in the field of freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease.This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate the ability of radiomics features based on multi-level indices of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging,along with clinical features,to distinguish between Parkinson's disease patients with and without freezing of gait.We recruited 28 patients with Parkinson's disease who had freezing of gait(15 men and 13 women,average age 63 years)and 30 patients with Parkinson's disease who had no freezing of gait(16 men and 14 women,average age 64 years).Magnetic resonance imaging scans were obtained using a 3.0T scanner to extract the mean amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations,mean regional homogeneity,and degree centrality.Neurological and clinical characteristics were also evaluated.We used the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator algorithm to extract features and established feedforward neural network models based solely on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging indicators.We then performed predictive analysis of three distinct groups based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging indicators indicators combined with clinical features.Subsequently,we conducted 100 additional five-fold cross-validations to determine the most effective model for each classification task and evaluated the performance of the model using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve.The results showed that when differentiating patients with Parkinson's disease who had freezing of gait from those who did not have freezing of gait,or from healthy controls,the models using only the mean regional homogeneity values achieved the highest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values of 0.750(with an accuracy of 70.9%)and 0.759(with an accuracy of 65.3%),respectively.When classifying patients with Parkinson's disease who had freezing of gait from those who had no freezing of gait,the model using the mean amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation values combined with two clinical features achieved the highest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.847(with an accuracy of 74.3%).The most significant features for patients with Parkinson's disease who had freezing of gait were amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation alterations in the left parahippocampal gyrus and two clinical characteristics:Montreal Cognitive Assessment and Hamilton Depression Scale scores.Our findings suggest that radiomics features derived from resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging indices and clinical information can serve as valuable indices for the identification of freezing of gait in Parkinson's disease.
基金financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.12474016)the program of“Distinguished Expert of Taishan Scholar”(No.tstp20221124)+4 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.52172212,12474017)the Shandong Provincial Science Foundation(ZR2021YQ03)the program for“Young Scientists of Taishan Scholars”(No.tsqn202306184)financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.12464034)the Natural Science Foundation of Ningxia,China(No.2024AAC05070)。
文摘Defect engineering is a commonly methodology used to enhance the thermoelectric performance of thermoelectric PbTe by improving its electronic transport properties.At the nanoscale,defects can induce quantum tunneling effects that significantly impact the electrical properties of materials.To understand the specific mechanisms underlying the quantum transport properties of PbTe,we employ the non-equilibrium Green's function(NEGF)method to investigate the effects of intrinsic defects(point defects and grain boundaries)on the electronic transport properties of PbTe-based nanodevices from a quantum mechanical perspective.Our results show that the Pb vacancy(VPb)has the highest conduction.The conduction depends on the defect type,chemical potential and bias voltage.The presence of intrinsic point defects introduces impurity levels,facilitating the electron tunneling and leading to an increase in the transmission coefficient,thereby enhancing the electronic transport properties.For PbTe containing grain boundaries,these boundaries suppress the electronic transport properties.The Te occupied twin boundary(Te-TB)exerts a stronger inhibitory effect than the Pb occupied twin boundary(Pb-TB).Nevertheless,the combined effect between twin boundaries and point defects can enhance the electrical properties.Therefore,in order to obtain highly conductive of PbTe materials,a Te-rich synthesis environment should be used to promote the effective formation of Pb vacancy.Our work offers a comprehensive understanding of the impact of defects on electron scattering in thermoelectric materials.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.12461086)the Natural Science Foundation of Hubei Province(No.2022CFC016)。
文摘In this paper,we study a class of Sturm-Liouville problems,where the boundary conditions involve eigenparameters.Firstly,by defining a new inner product which depends on the transmission conditions,we obtain a new Hilbert space,on which the concerned operator A is self-adjoint.Then we construct the fundamental solutions to the problem,obtain the necessary and sufficient conditions for eigenvalues,and prove that the eigenvalues are simple.Finally,we investigate Green’s functions of such problem.
文摘Increased human and industrial activities have exacerbated the release of toxic materials and acute envi-ronmental pollution in recent times.Biochar,a carbon-rich material produced from biomass,is gaining momentum as a versatile material for attaining a sustainable environment.The study reviews the application of functionalized biochar for energy storage,environmental remediation,catalysis,and sustainable agriculture,aiming to achieve a greener future.Thedeployment of crop residues as a renewable feedstock for biochar,and their properties,compositions,modification,and functionalization techniques are also discussed.Additionally,the avenues for applying functionalized biochar to achieve a greener future,future trends and innovations,challenges,and future research directions are highlighted.Despite the limitations of scalability,ecotoxicological risks,logistical issues,lack of characterization protocols,high production costs,poor social acceptance,and inadequate policy and regulatory frameworks,functionalized biochar offers a better surface area,improved porosity,enhanced functional groups,and higher recoverability,leading to improved performance,adsorption capacity,biodegradability,and applications in specialized fields.Future research should prioritize standardization,scalability,cost reduction strategies,expansion of application areas,integration of emerging tools such as artificial intelligence and predictive modeling,and the development of policy and regulatory frameworks,ensuring that biochar’s full potential is harnessed effectively to support a low-carbon,resource-efficient future and global sustainability goals.
基金supported by the Special Foundation for National Science and Technology Basic Resources Investigation of China(2019FY202300)the Biodiversity Survey,Observation and Assessment Project of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment(2110404).
文摘The survival strategy of plants is to adjust their functional traits to adapt to the environment.However,these traits and survival strategies of evergreen broad-leaved forest species are not well understood.This study examined 10 leaf functional traits(LFTs)of 70 common plant species in an evergreen broad-leaved forest in Huangshan Mountain to decipher their adaptive strategies.The phylogenetic signals of these LFTs were assessed and phylogenetically independent contrasts(PIC)and correlation analyses were carried out.LFTs were analyzed to determine their CSR(C:competitor,S:stress-tolerator,R:ruderal)strategies.The results show that plant species exhibit different leaf functional traits and ecological strategies(nine strategies were identified;the most abundant were S/CS and S/CSR strategies).Some traits showed significant phylogenetic signals,indicating the effect of phylogeny on LFTs to an extent.Trait variations among species suggest distinct adaptation strategies to environmental changes.The study species were mainly clustered on the C-S strategy axis,with a high S component.Species leaning toward the C-strategy end(e.g.,deciduous species),favored a resource acquisition strategy characterized by higher specific leaf area(SLA),greater nutrient contents(N and P),lower leaf dry matter content(LDMC),and reduced nutrient utilization efficiency(C:N and C:P).Conversely,species closer to the S-strategy end(e.g.,evergreen species)usually adopted a resource conservative strategy with trait combinations contrary to those of C-strategy species.Overall,this study corroborated the applicability of the CSR strategy at a local scale and provides insights into the varied trait combinations and ecological strategies employed by plant species to adapt to their environment.These findings contribute to a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in biodiversity maintenance.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 12272269, 11972257,11832014 and 11472193)the Shanghai Pilot Program for Basic Researchthe Shanghai Gaofeng Project for University Academic Program Development。
文摘Understanding the effects of point liquid loading on transversely isotropic poroelastic media is crucial for advancing geomechanics and biomechanics, where precise modeling of fluid-structure interactions is essential. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of infinite transversely isotropic poroelasticity under a fluid source, based on Biot's theory, aiming to uncover new and previously unexplored insights in the literature. We begin our study by deriving a general solution for fluid-saturated, transversely isotropic poroelastic materials in terms of harmonic functions that satisfy sixth-order homogeneous partial differential equations, using potential theory and Almansi's theorem. Based on these general solutions and potential functions, we construct a Green's function for a point fluid source, introducing three new harmonic functions with undetermined constants. These constants are determined by enforcing continuity and equilibrium conditions. Substituting these into the general solution yields fundamental solutions for poroelasticity that provide crucial support for a wide range of project problems. Numerical results and comparisons with existing literature are provided to illustrate physical mechanisms through contour plots. Our observations reveal that all components tend to zero in the far field and become singular at the concentrated source. Additionally, the contours exhibit rapid changes near the point fluid source but display gradual variations at a distance from it. These findings highlight the intricate behavior of the system under point liquid loading, offering valuable insights for further research and practical applications.
文摘The structure of a microwave radiator used for medical purposes is described. The dyadic Green's function and the method are used to analyze this Kind of multimode rectangular medium-filled cavity. The distribution of electromagnetic field intensity and the power density,as well as the temperature effect in the biological sample load are obtained.OPtimization of the size of cavity and the position of the input aperture have been performed with the computer to optimize the uniformity or microwave effect and the input VSWR.Necessary experiments were performed to compare the data obtained with theoretical analysis.
基金supported by CNSF(Granted No.40874050)Chinese High Technology Project(Granted No.2011YQ05006010)
文摘We present a method to unify the calculation of Green＇s functions for an electromagnetic（EM） transmitting source embedded in a homogeneous stratified medium.A virtual interface parallel to layer interfaces is introduced through the source location.The potentials for Green＇s function are derived by decomposing the partial wave solutions to Helmholtz＇s equations into upward and downward within boundaries.The amplitudes of the potentials in each stratum are obtained recursively from the initial amplitudes at the source level.The initial amplitudes are derived by coupling with the transmitting sources and following the discontinuity of the tangential electric and magnetic fields at the source interface.Only the initial terms are related to the transmitting sources and thus need to be modified for different transmitters,whereas the kernel connected with the stratified media stays unchanged.Hence,the present method can be easily applied to EM transmitting sources with little modification.The application of the proposed method to the marine controlled-source electromagnetic method（MCSEM） demonstrates its simplicity and flexibility.
