Since the first electron micrograph of“lace-like structures”over 75 years ago,the endoplasmic reticulum(ER)is now viewed as a highly dynamic,constantly remodeling,continuous network of tubules and cisternae that pla...Since the first electron micrograph of“lace-like structures”over 75 years ago,the endoplasmic reticulum(ER)is now viewed as a highly dynamic,constantly remodeling,continuous network of tubules and cisternae that plays an important role in a broad range of cellular activities from calcium regulation to protein synthesis and trafficking.In neurons,the ER extends from the soma through the axon to presynaptic terminals,and throughout the dendritic arbor into as many as half of all postsynaptic dendritic spines at any given time(Falahati et al.,2022).展开更多
Synaptic plasticity is essential for maintaining neuronal function in the central nervous system and serves as a critical indicator of the effects of neurodegenerative disease.Glaucoma directly impairs retinal ganglio...Synaptic plasticity is essential for maintaining neuronal function in the central nervous system and serves as a critical indicator of the effects of neurodegenerative disease.Glaucoma directly impairs retinal ganglion cells and their axons,leading to axonal transport dysfuntion,subsequently causing secondary damage to anterior or posterior ends of the visual system.Accordingly,recent evidence indicates that glaucoma is a degenerative disease of the central nervous system that causes damage throughout the visual pathway.However,the effects of glaucoma on synaptic plasticity in the primary visual cortex remain unclear.In this study,we established a mouse model of unilateral chronic ocular hypertension by injecting magnetic microbeads into the anterior chamber of one eye.We found that,after 4 weeks of chronic ocular hypertension,the neuronal somas were smaller in the superior colliculus and lateral geniculate body regions of the brain contralateral to the affected eye.This was accompanied by glial cell activation and increased expression of inflammatory factors.After 8 weeks of ocular hypertension,we observed a reduction in the number of excitatory and inhibitory synapses,dendritic spines,and activation of glial cells in the primary visual cortex contralateral to the affected eye.These findings suggest that glaucoma not only directly damages the retina but also induces alterations in synapses and dendritic spines in the primary visual cortex,providing new insights into the pathogenesis of glaucoma.展开更多
Sevoflurane induces developmental neurotoxicity in mice;however,the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2(TREM2)is essential for microglia-mediated synaptic refinement d...Sevoflurane induces developmental neurotoxicity in mice;however,the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2(TREM2)is essential for microglia-mediated synaptic refinement during the early stages of brain development.We explored the effects of TREM2 on dendritic spine pruning during sevoflurane-induced developmental neurotoxicity in mice.Mice were anaesthetized with sevoflurane on postnatal days 6,8,and 10.Behavioral performance was assessed using the open field test and Morris water maze test.Genetic knockdown of TREM2 and overexpression of TREM2 by stereotaxic injection were used for mechanistic experiments.Western blotting,immunofluorescence,electron microscopy,three-dimensional reconstruction,Golgi staining,and whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were performed.Sevoflurane exposures upregulated the protein expression of TREM2,increased microglia-mediated pruning of dendritic spines,and reduced synaptic multiplicity and excitability of CA1 neurons.TREM2 genetic knockdown significantly decreased dendritic spine pruning,and partially aggravated neuronal morphological abnormalities and cognitive impairments in sevoflurane-treated mice.In contrast,TREM2 overexpression enhanced microglia-mediated pruning of dendritic spines and rescued neuronal morphological abnormalities and cognitive dysfunction.TREM2 exerts a protective role against neurocognitive impairments in mice after neonatal exposures to sevoflurane by enhancing microglia-mediated pruning of dendritic spines in CA1 neurons.This provides a potential therapeutic target in the prevention of sevoflurane-induced developmental neurotoxicity.展开更多
针对Spines覆盖网络的逐跳传输特性,提出了一种具有较强网络动态适应性的可用带宽测量算法(band-width estimation linear regression,BELR).该算法是一元线性回归算法,采用传输消息大小和带宽限制的链路延时之间的线性关系来测量链路...针对Spines覆盖网络的逐跳传输特性,提出了一种具有较强网络动态适应性的可用带宽测量算法(band-width estimation linear regression,BELR).该算法是一元线性回归算法,采用传输消息大小和带宽限制的链路延时之间的线性关系来测量链路的可用带宽,使用可靠链路传输探测包,利用链路的单向延迟计算逐跳之间虚拟链路的带宽,所需带宽测量时间可减少一半.通过仿真分析了算法的性能,仿真结果表明,运用BELR算法可以在较短时间内得到比较准确的带宽估计,可适用于具有较大动态变化特性的覆盖网络可用带宽测量.展开更多
Traumatic brain injury is an important global public health problem.Traumatic brain injury not only causes neural cell death,but also induces dendritic spine degeneration.Spared neurons from cell death in the injured ...Traumatic brain injury is an important global public health problem.Traumatic brain injury not only causes neural cell death,but also induces dendritic spine degeneration.Spared neurons from cell death in the injured brain may exhibit dendrite damage,dendritic spine degeneration,mature spine loss,synapse loss,and impairment of activity.Dendritic degeneration and synapse loss may significantly contribute to functional impairments and neurological disorders following traumatic brain injury.Normal function of the nervous system depends on maintenance of the functionally intact synaptic connections between the presynaptic and postsynaptic spines from neurons and their target cells.During synaptic plasticity,the numbers and shapes of dendritic spines undergo dynamic reorganization.Enlargement of spine heads and the formation and stabilization of new spines are associated with long-term potentiation,while spine shrinkage and retraction are associated with long-term depression.Consolidation of memory is associated with remodeling and growth of preexisting synapses and the formation of new synapses.To date,there is no effective treatment to prevent dendritic degeneration and synapse loss.This review outlines the current data related to treatments targeting dendritic spines that propose to enhance spine remodeling and improve functional recovery after traumatic brain injury.The mechanisms underlying proposed beneficial effects of therapy targeting dendritic spines remain elusive,possibly including blocking activation of Cofilin induced by beta amyloid,Ras activation,and inhibition of GSK-3 signaling pathway.Further understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying synaptic degeneration/loss following traumatic brain injury will advance the understanding of the pathophysiology induced by traumatic brain injury and may lead to the development of novel treatments for traumatic brain injury.展开更多
The spines of pencil and lance urchins Heterocentrotus mammillatus and Phyllacanthus imperialis were studied as a model of light-weight material with high impact resistance.The complex and variable skeleton constructi...The spines of pencil and lance urchins Heterocentrotus mammillatus and Phyllacanthus imperialis were studied as a model of light-weight material with high impact resistance.The complex and variable skeleton construction ('stereom') of body and spines of sea urchins consists of highly porous Mg-bearing calcium carbonate.This basically brittle material with pronounced single-crystal cleavage does not fracture by spontaneous catastrophic device failure but by graceful failure over the range of tens of millimeter of bulk compression instead.This was observed in bulk compression tests and blunt indentation experiments on regular,infiltrated and latex coated sea urchin spine segments.Microstructural characterization was carried out using X-ray computer tomography,optical and scanning electron microscopy.The behavior is interpreted to result from the hierarchic structure of sea urchin spines from the rnacroscale down to the nanoscale.Guidelines derived from this study see ceramics with layered porosity as a possible biomimetic construction for appropriate applications.展开更多
Sea urchin spines were chosen as a model system for biomimetic ceramics obtained using starch-blended slip casting. Porous alumina ceramics with cap-shaped layers with different alternating porosities were found to ha...Sea urchin spines were chosen as a model system for biomimetic ceramics obtained using starch-blended slip casting. Porous alumina ceramics with cap-shaped layers with different alternating porosities were found to have superior fracture behavior under bulk compression compared to ceramics with uniform porosity.They fail in a cascading manner,absorbing high amounts of energy during extended compression paths.The porosity variation in an otherwise single phase material mimicks the architectural microstructure design of sea urchin spines of Heterocentrotus mammillatus,which are promising model materials for impact protection.展开更多
Aim of Study: Gonadal hormones exert a profound influence on the development, structure and function of the sexual organs. The testosterone is one of the androgens that plays an essential role in the development of se...Aim of Study: Gonadal hormones exert a profound influence on the development, structure and function of the sexual organs. The testosterone is one of the androgens that plays an essential role in the development of sexual organs in male mammals. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to evaluate the testosterone levels and developmental pattern of the penile spines and seminiferous tubules during early postnatal life of Wistar rats. Methods and Materials: At 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, 56, 63 and 70 days after birth, penile and testicular tissues of male rats were dissected out and fixed for histological study and plasma testosterone levels were determined using high resolution chromatography. Results: An increase in the number of penile follicles, primarily in the distal region of the penis, was observed from postnatal days 14 to 42, followed by a gradual decrease. Penile spines were absent from birth until the first growth peak, which was observed at 42 postnatal days. Both testicular weight and the area of seminiferous tubules showed gradual increases before achieving their highest values at 42 postnatal days. Similarly, a gradual increase in testosterone levels was detected from day 28, with a peak at 42 postnatal days. Conclusions: These data show a temporal association between the development of the penile spines and testicular tissue with gradual increases in testosterone levels. These results may contribute to a better understanding of the behavioral, hormonal and morphological changes underlying sexual maturation in male rats.展开更多
Objective To investigate the accuracy and feasibility of transpedicular screw placement assisted by the navigation templates in cadaveric thoracic spines.Methods Twenty thoracic cadavers specimens were randomly divide...Objective To investigate the accuracy and feasibility of transpedicular screw placement assisted by the navigation templates in cadaveric thoracic spines.Methods Twenty thoracic cadavers specimens were randomly divided into two展开更多
Although the fracture behavior of sea urchin spines has been extensively investigated,there is as yet a lack of quantitative estimation on the effect of growth rings on the fracture properties of sea urchin spines.In ...Although the fracture behavior of sea urchin spines has been extensively investigated,there is as yet a lack of quantitative estimation on the effect of growth rings on the fracture properties of sea urchin spines.In sea urchin spines,much denser pores present in growth rings rather than porous layers.The tensile strength and fracture toughness of sea urchin spine samples with different numbers of growth rings are measured by the Boundary Effect Model(BEM).The experimental results of single-edge notched three-point bending tests indicate that the BEM is an appropriate method to estimate the fracture toughness of the present porous sea urchin spines,and the number of growth rings plays an important role in the fracture properties of spines.Specifically,the tensile strength and fracture toughness of sea urchin spines can be significantly improved with the increase in the number of growth rings,and their fracture toughness can even reach a relatively high value compared with some other porous materials with an identical porosity.The present research findings are expected to provide a fundamental insight into the design of high-performance bionic materials with a highly porous structure.展开更多
Previous studies have shown that the compound(E)-2-(3,4-dihydroxystyryl)-3-hydroxy-4H-pyran-4-one(D30),a pyromeconic acid derivative,possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties,inhibits amyloid-β aggregati...Previous studies have shown that the compound(E)-2-(3,4-dihydroxystyryl)-3-hydroxy-4H-pyran-4-one(D30),a pyromeconic acid derivative,possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties,inhibits amyloid-β aggregation,and alleviates scopolamine-induced cognitive impairment,similar to the phase Ⅲ clinical drug resveratrol.In this study,we established a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease via intracerebroventricular injection of fibrillar amyloid-β to investigate the effect of D30 on fibrillar amyloid-β-induced neuropathology.Our results showed that D30 alleviated fibrillar amyloid-β-induced cognitive impairment,promoted fibrillar amyloid-β clearance from the hippocampus and cortex,suppressed oxidative stress,and inhibited activation of microglia and astrocytes.D30 also reversed the fibrillar amyloid-β-induced loss of dendritic spines and synaptic protein expression.Notably,we demonstrated that exogenous fibrillar amyloid-βintroduced by intracerebroventricular injection greatly increased galectin-3 expression levels in the brain,and this increase was blocked by D30.Considering the role of D30 in clearing amyloid-β,inhibiting neuroinflammation,protecting synapses,and improving cognition,this study highlights the potential of galectin-3 as a promising treatment target for patients with Alzheimer's disease.展开更多
Scientists have suspected for a while that Greenland sharks live extremely long lives,but they didnt have a way to determine how long.The age of other shark species can be estimated by counting growth bands on fin spi...Scientists have suspected for a while that Greenland sharks live extremely long lives,but they didnt have a way to determine how long.The age of other shark species can be estimated by counting growth bands on fin spines(鳍脊)or on the sharksvertebrae(脊椎),much like rings of a tree.Greenland sharks,however,have no fin spines and no hard tissues in their bodies.Their vertebrae are too soft to form the growth bands seen in other sharks.Scientists could only guess that the sharks lived a long time based on what they knew—the sharks grow at a very slow rate and they can reach 6 meters in size.展开更多
No matter how old a desert plant is,water is always precious,whether gathered from melting snow or a shower of rain.So,cacti have developed extraordinary adaptations that enable them not only to collect water but to s...No matter how old a desert plant is,water is always precious,whether gathered from melting snow or a shower of rain.So,cacti have developed extraordinary adaptations that enable them not only to collect water but to store it.Instead of leaves,which would lose precious water,they have spines.Each spine has a tiny pad(软垫)at its base where the water is absorbed and then stored in the great swollen trunk.A large saguaro,which is a kind of giant cactus,can hold 5,000 litres of water and is able to do so because it has another special adaptation.展开更多
Fruit spine density is an important commercial trait for cucumber(Cucumis sativus L.).Most North China-type cucumbers that are grown over large areas have a dense-spine phenotype,which directly affects the appearance ...Fruit spine density is an important commercial trait for cucumber(Cucumis sativus L.).Most North China-type cucumbers that are grown over large areas have a dense-spine phenotype,which directly affects the appearance quality,storage,and transportation of the fruits.Here,we isolated a novel few spines mutant(fs2)from the wild-type(WT)inbred line WD1,a North China-type cucumber with high density fruit spines,by an ethyl methanesulfonate(EMS)mutagenesis treatment.Genetic analysis revealed that the phenotype of fs2 is controlled by a single recessive nuclear gene.We fine-mapped the fs2 locus using F_(2) and BC_(1) populations(1,802 and 420 individuals,respectively),which showed that the candidate gene of FS2(Csa4G652850)encodes an ARID-HMG transcription factor containing an AT-rich interaction domain(ARID)and a high mobility group box domain(HMG).One SNP(C to T)and one InDel(a 40-bp deletion)in the coding region of FS2 result in amino acid variation and premature translation termination in the fs2 mutant,respectively.FS2 was found to be highly expressed in the apical buds and young ovaries.In addition,experiments suggest that FS2 participates in the regulation of fruit spine initiation by activating the expression of the Tril gene in cucumber.This work provides not only an important reference for understanding the molecular mechanisms of fruit spine development but also an important resource for fruit appearance quality breeding in cucumber.展开更多
Dendritic spines are small protrusions along dendrites that contain most of the excitatory synapses in principal neurons,playing a crucial role in neuronal function by creating a compartmentalized environment for sign...Dendritic spines are small protrusions along dendrites that contain most of the excitatory synapses in principal neurons,playing a crucial role in neuronal function by creating a compartmentalized environment for signal transduction.The plasticity of spine morphologies provides a tunable handle to regulate calcium signal dynamics,allowing rapid regulation of protein expression necessary to establish and maintain synapses(Cornejo et al.,2022).If excitatory inputs were to be located primarily on dendritic shafts,dendrites would frequently short-circuit,preventing voltage signals from propagating(Cornejo et al.,2022).It is thus not surprising that the structural plasticity of dendritic spines is closely linked to synaptic plasticity and memory formation(Berry and Nedivi,2017).While comprehensive in vitro studies have been conducted,in vivo studies that directly tackle the mechanism of dendritic transport and translation in regulating spine plasticity spatiotemporally are limited.展开更多
Objective:To investigate functional groups of toxic spines in stingray by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analysis.Methods:sephen were centrifuged at 6000 r/min for 10 min.The supernatant was collected and pr...Objective:To investigate functional groups of toxic spines in stingray by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analysis.Methods:sephen were centrifuged at 6000 r/min for 10 min.The supernatant was collected and preserved separately in methanol,ethanol,chloroform,acetone(1:2)and then soaked in the mentioned solvents for 48 h.Then extracts were filtered and used for Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analysis.Results:The venom extract of Himantura gerrardi,Himantura imbricata and Pastinachus and random coiled secondary structure.The presence of O-H stretch,C=O stretch,C-H stretch,N-H deformation,O-H deformation and C-O stretch in the sample aligned with standard bovine serum albumin.The influence of functional groups within the molecule was because of the impact of preferred spatial orientation,chemical and physical interaction on the molecule.In conclusion,compared to bovine serum albumin,Himantura imbricata consists of two C=O stretch,are involved in the hydrogen bonding that takes place between the different elements of secondary structure.Conclusions:The results identified that the presence of free amino acids and protein having β-sheet medicine not available for treatment against injuries causing stingray.Therefore,it's the baseline study,to motivate further process and produce effective antibiotics.The venom of poisonous animals has been extensively studied,since standard.展开更多
Background It is a common phenomenon that children experience multiple general anesthesias in clinical practice, which raises the question whether repeated exposure to general anesthetics would interfere with the deve...Background It is a common phenomenon that children experience multiple general anesthesias in clinical practice, which raises the question whether repeated exposure to general anesthetics would interfere with the development of the central nervous system of children. The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of repeated treatment with ketamine or midazolam on postnatal dendrite development by examining the morphology of the dendritic spines of the pyramidal neurons in the hippocampal CA1 region in mice. Methods The transgenic green fluorescent protein-M line （GFP-M） mice were used in this study. Ketamine （100 mg/kg） midazolam （50 mg/kg） or saline （10 ml/kg） was administered intraperitoneally once a day on consecutive days from postnatal day 8 （P8） to postnatal day 12 （P12）. At postnatal day 13 （P13） and postnatal day 30 （P30）, the density and length of the apical dendritic spines of the pyramidal neurons in the hippocampal CA1 region were examined under a confocal microscope. Results At P13, for both the ketamine group and the midazolam group, the dendritic spines were found with a comparatively lower density and longer average length than in the control group. At P30, no significant difference in the density or average length of dendritic spines was found between the anesthetic group and control group. Conclusions This study indicated that repeated exposure to ketamine or midazolam in neonatal mice impaired dendritic spine maturation immediately afterwards, but this influence seemed to disappear during further postnatal development.展开更多
Maternal behaviors and brains change dramatically with pregnancy,parturition and other mothering experiences.However,whether paternal behavior,brain plasticity and levels of relevant hormones also change along with fa...Maternal behaviors and brains change dramatically with pregnancy,parturition and other mothering experiences.However,whether paternal behavior,brain plasticity and levels of relevant hormones also change along with fathering experience and pups’age remains unclear.Using socially monogamous mandarin voles(Micro-tus mandarinus),we found that experienced fathers exhibited more active paternal behaviors,such as licking,retrievals and nest building,but less paternal care,such as huddling,than new fathers.The high levels of licking and nest building appeared in the earlier days of their mate’s lactation.Experienced fathers retrieved 9–13-day-old pups more frequently.However,these paternal behaviors did not show significant changes with age of pups in new fathers.In addition,experienced fathers had dramatically higher prolactin levels than new fathers but had similar concentrations of testosterone to new fathers.New fathers had lower levels of testosterone but higher levels of prolactin than new paired males.The fathers had higher prolactin levels in the earlier days of their mate’s lactation.The new and experienced fathers had similar dendritic length and spine density on pyramidal neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex but displayed higher levels than new paired males.Taken together,these results indicate that reduction of testosterone levels and increase of prolactin levels may be associated with initiation of paternal care.Fathering experience significantly affects levels of parental care and paternal behaviors toward different aged pups,and brain plasticity can also be enhanced by transition to fatherhood.展开更多
基金supported by AHA Career Development Award 938683 (to PJD)NIH grant R01MH123700 (to MLD)
文摘Since the first electron micrograph of“lace-like structures”over 75 years ago,the endoplasmic reticulum(ER)is now viewed as a highly dynamic,constantly remodeling,continuous network of tubules and cisternae that plays an important role in a broad range of cellular activities from calcium regulation to protein synthesis and trafficking.In neurons,the ER extends from the soma through the axon to presynaptic terminals,and throughout the dendritic arbor into as many as half of all postsynaptic dendritic spines at any given time(Falahati et al.,2022).
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.82271115(to MY).
文摘Synaptic plasticity is essential for maintaining neuronal function in the central nervous system and serves as a critical indicator of the effects of neurodegenerative disease.Glaucoma directly impairs retinal ganglion cells and their axons,leading to axonal transport dysfuntion,subsequently causing secondary damage to anterior or posterior ends of the visual system.Accordingly,recent evidence indicates that glaucoma is a degenerative disease of the central nervous system that causes damage throughout the visual pathway.However,the effects of glaucoma on synaptic plasticity in the primary visual cortex remain unclear.In this study,we established a mouse model of unilateral chronic ocular hypertension by injecting magnetic microbeads into the anterior chamber of one eye.We found that,after 4 weeks of chronic ocular hypertension,the neuronal somas were smaller in the superior colliculus and lateral geniculate body regions of the brain contralateral to the affected eye.This was accompanied by glial cell activation and increased expression of inflammatory factors.After 8 weeks of ocular hypertension,we observed a reduction in the number of excitatory and inhibitory synapses,dendritic spines,and activation of glial cells in the primary visual cortex contralateral to the affected eye.These findings suggest that glaucoma not only directly damages the retina but also induces alterations in synapses and dendritic spines in the primary visual cortex,providing new insights into the pathogenesis of glaucoma.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(82072130 and 82001126)Key Medical Research Projects in Jiangsu Province(ZD2022021)+6 种基金Six Talent Peaks Project in Jiangsu Province(WSN-022)Suzhou Clinical Medical Center for Anaesthesiology(Szlcyxzxj202102)Jiangsu Medical Association Anaesthesia Research Project(SYH-32021-0036(2021031))Suzhou Medical Health Science and Technology Innovation Project(SKY2022136)Jiangsu Provincial Colleges of Natural Science General Program(22KJD320002)Health Talent Plan Project in Suzhou(GSWS2022007)Gusu Health Talent Project of Soochow(GSWS2021062).
文摘Sevoflurane induces developmental neurotoxicity in mice;however,the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2(TREM2)is essential for microglia-mediated synaptic refinement during the early stages of brain development.We explored the effects of TREM2 on dendritic spine pruning during sevoflurane-induced developmental neurotoxicity in mice.Mice were anaesthetized with sevoflurane on postnatal days 6,8,and 10.Behavioral performance was assessed using the open field test and Morris water maze test.Genetic knockdown of TREM2 and overexpression of TREM2 by stereotaxic injection were used for mechanistic experiments.Western blotting,immunofluorescence,electron microscopy,three-dimensional reconstruction,Golgi staining,and whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were performed.Sevoflurane exposures upregulated the protein expression of TREM2,increased microglia-mediated pruning of dendritic spines,and reduced synaptic multiplicity and excitability of CA1 neurons.TREM2 genetic knockdown significantly decreased dendritic spine pruning,and partially aggravated neuronal morphological abnormalities and cognitive impairments in sevoflurane-treated mice.In contrast,TREM2 overexpression enhanced microglia-mediated pruning of dendritic spines and rescued neuronal morphological abnormalities and cognitive dysfunction.TREM2 exerts a protective role against neurocognitive impairments in mice after neonatal exposures to sevoflurane by enhancing microglia-mediated pruning of dendritic spines in CA1 neurons.This provides a potential therapeutic target in the prevention of sevoflurane-induced developmental neurotoxicity.
文摘针对Spines覆盖网络的逐跳传输特性,提出了一种具有较强网络动态适应性的可用带宽测量算法(band-width estimation linear regression,BELR).该算法是一元线性回归算法,采用传输消息大小和带宽限制的链路延时之间的线性关系来测量链路的可用带宽,使用可靠链路传输探测包,利用链路的单向延迟计算逐跳之间虚拟链路的带宽,所需带宽测量时间可减少一半.通过仿真分析了算法的性能,仿真结果表明,运用BELR算法可以在较短时间内得到比较准确的带宽估计,可适用于具有较大动态变化特性的覆盖网络可用带宽测量.
文摘Traumatic brain injury is an important global public health problem.Traumatic brain injury not only causes neural cell death,but also induces dendritic spine degeneration.Spared neurons from cell death in the injured brain may exhibit dendrite damage,dendritic spine degeneration,mature spine loss,synapse loss,and impairment of activity.Dendritic degeneration and synapse loss may significantly contribute to functional impairments and neurological disorders following traumatic brain injury.Normal function of the nervous system depends on maintenance of the functionally intact synaptic connections between the presynaptic and postsynaptic spines from neurons and their target cells.During synaptic plasticity,the numbers and shapes of dendritic spines undergo dynamic reorganization.Enlargement of spine heads and the formation and stabilization of new spines are associated with long-term potentiation,while spine shrinkage and retraction are associated with long-term depression.Consolidation of memory is associated with remodeling and growth of preexisting synapses and the formation of new synapses.To date,there is no effective treatment to prevent dendritic degeneration and synapse loss.This review outlines the current data related to treatments targeting dendritic spines that propose to enhance spine remodeling and improve functional recovery after traumatic brain injury.The mechanisms underlying proposed beneficial effects of therapy targeting dendritic spines remain elusive,possibly including blocking activation of Cofilin induced by beta amyloid,Ras activation,and inhibition of GSK-3 signaling pathway.Further understanding of the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying synaptic degeneration/loss following traumatic brain injury will advance the understanding of the pathophysiology induced by traumatic brain injury and may lead to the development of novel treatments for traumatic brain injury.
文摘The spines of pencil and lance urchins Heterocentrotus mammillatus and Phyllacanthus imperialis were studied as a model of light-weight material with high impact resistance.The complex and variable skeleton construction ('stereom') of body and spines of sea urchins consists of highly porous Mg-bearing calcium carbonate.This basically brittle material with pronounced single-crystal cleavage does not fracture by spontaneous catastrophic device failure but by graceful failure over the range of tens of millimeter of bulk compression instead.This was observed in bulk compression tests and blunt indentation experiments on regular,infiltrated and latex coated sea urchin spine segments.Microstructural characterization was carried out using X-ray computer tomography,optical and scanning electron microscopy.The behavior is interpreted to result from the hierarchic structure of sea urchin spines from the rnacroscale down to the nanoscale.Guidelines derived from this study see ceramics with layered porosity as a possible biomimetic construction for appropriate applications.
基金funded by European sources within the ERASMUS-SOCRATES program
文摘Sea urchin spines were chosen as a model system for biomimetic ceramics obtained using starch-blended slip casting. Porous alumina ceramics with cap-shaped layers with different alternating porosities were found to have superior fracture behavior under bulk compression compared to ceramics with uniform porosity.They fail in a cascading manner,absorbing high amounts of energy during extended compression paths.The porosity variation in an otherwise single phase material mimicks the architectural microstructure design of sea urchin spines of Heterocentrotus mammillatus,which are promising model materials for impact protection.
文摘Aim of Study: Gonadal hormones exert a profound influence on the development, structure and function of the sexual organs. The testosterone is one of the androgens that plays an essential role in the development of sexual organs in male mammals. Therefore, the present study was undertaken to evaluate the testosterone levels and developmental pattern of the penile spines and seminiferous tubules during early postnatal life of Wistar rats. Methods and Materials: At 7, 14, 21, 28, 35, 42, 49, 56, 63 and 70 days after birth, penile and testicular tissues of male rats were dissected out and fixed for histological study and plasma testosterone levels were determined using high resolution chromatography. Results: An increase in the number of penile follicles, primarily in the distal region of the penis, was observed from postnatal days 14 to 42, followed by a gradual decrease. Penile spines were absent from birth until the first growth peak, which was observed at 42 postnatal days. Both testicular weight and the area of seminiferous tubules showed gradual increases before achieving their highest values at 42 postnatal days. Similarly, a gradual increase in testosterone levels was detected from day 28, with a peak at 42 postnatal days. Conclusions: These data show a temporal association between the development of the penile spines and testicular tissue with gradual increases in testosterone levels. These results may contribute to a better understanding of the behavioral, hormonal and morphological changes underlying sexual maturation in male rats.
文摘Objective To investigate the accuracy and feasibility of transpedicular screw placement assisted by the navigation templates in cadaveric thoracic spines.Methods Twenty thoracic cadavers specimens were randomly divided into two
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China[Grant No.51902043]the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities[Grant No.N2102007,and N2102002]。
文摘Although the fracture behavior of sea urchin spines has been extensively investigated,there is as yet a lack of quantitative estimation on the effect of growth rings on the fracture properties of sea urchin spines.In sea urchin spines,much denser pores present in growth rings rather than porous layers.The tensile strength and fracture toughness of sea urchin spine samples with different numbers of growth rings are measured by the Boundary Effect Model(BEM).The experimental results of single-edge notched three-point bending tests indicate that the BEM is an appropriate method to estimate the fracture toughness of the present porous sea urchin spines,and the number of growth rings plays an important role in the fracture properties of spines.Specifically,the tensile strength and fracture toughness of sea urchin spines can be significantly improved with the increase in the number of growth rings,and their fracture toughness can even reach a relatively high value compared with some other porous materials with an identical porosity.The present research findings are expected to provide a fundamental insight into the design of high-performance bionic materials with a highly porous structure.
基金supported by the Research Foundation for Talented Scholars of Fujian Medical University,No.XRCZX2018014(to DZ)Startup Fund for Scientific Research,Fujian Medical University,No.2019QH1017(to CW)the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province,China,Nos.2021J01693(to DZ),2021J02032(to ZCY)。
文摘Previous studies have shown that the compound(E)-2-(3,4-dihydroxystyryl)-3-hydroxy-4H-pyran-4-one(D30),a pyromeconic acid derivative,possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties,inhibits amyloid-β aggregation,and alleviates scopolamine-induced cognitive impairment,similar to the phase Ⅲ clinical drug resveratrol.In this study,we established a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease via intracerebroventricular injection of fibrillar amyloid-β to investigate the effect of D30 on fibrillar amyloid-β-induced neuropathology.Our results showed that D30 alleviated fibrillar amyloid-β-induced cognitive impairment,promoted fibrillar amyloid-β clearance from the hippocampus and cortex,suppressed oxidative stress,and inhibited activation of microglia and astrocytes.D30 also reversed the fibrillar amyloid-β-induced loss of dendritic spines and synaptic protein expression.Notably,we demonstrated that exogenous fibrillar amyloid-βintroduced by intracerebroventricular injection greatly increased galectin-3 expression levels in the brain,and this increase was blocked by D30.Considering the role of D30 in clearing amyloid-β,inhibiting neuroinflammation,protecting synapses,and improving cognition,this study highlights the potential of galectin-3 as a promising treatment target for patients with Alzheimer's disease.
文摘Scientists have suspected for a while that Greenland sharks live extremely long lives,but they didnt have a way to determine how long.The age of other shark species can be estimated by counting growth bands on fin spines(鳍脊)or on the sharksvertebrae(脊椎),much like rings of a tree.Greenland sharks,however,have no fin spines and no hard tissues in their bodies.Their vertebrae are too soft to form the growth bands seen in other sharks.Scientists could only guess that the sharks lived a long time based on what they knew—the sharks grow at a very slow rate and they can reach 6 meters in size.
文摘No matter how old a desert plant is,water is always precious,whether gathered from melting snow or a shower of rain.So,cacti have developed extraordinary adaptations that enable them not only to collect water but to store it.Instead of leaves,which would lose precious water,they have spines.Each spine has a tiny pad(软垫)at its base where the water is absorbed and then stored in the great swollen trunk.A large saguaro,which is a kind of giant cactus,can hold 5,000 litres of water and is able to do so because it has another special adaptation.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31972425)the Shanghai Agriculture Applied Technology Development Program,China(2020-02-08-00-08-F0148)。
文摘Fruit spine density is an important commercial trait for cucumber(Cucumis sativus L.).Most North China-type cucumbers that are grown over large areas have a dense-spine phenotype,which directly affects the appearance quality,storage,and transportation of the fruits.Here,we isolated a novel few spines mutant(fs2)from the wild-type(WT)inbred line WD1,a North China-type cucumber with high density fruit spines,by an ethyl methanesulfonate(EMS)mutagenesis treatment.Genetic analysis revealed that the phenotype of fs2 is controlled by a single recessive nuclear gene.We fine-mapped the fs2 locus using F_(2) and BC_(1) populations(1,802 and 420 individuals,respectively),which showed that the candidate gene of FS2(Csa4G652850)encodes an ARID-HMG transcription factor containing an AT-rich interaction domain(ARID)and a high mobility group box domain(HMG).One SNP(C to T)and one InDel(a 40-bp deletion)in the coding region of FS2 result in amino acid variation and premature translation termination in the fs2 mutant,respectively.FS2 was found to be highly expressed in the apical buds and young ovaries.In addition,experiments suggest that FS2 participates in the regulation of fruit spine initiation by activating the expression of the Tril gene in cucumber.This work provides not only an important reference for understanding the molecular mechanisms of fruit spine development but also an important resource for fruit appearance quality breeding in cucumber.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC/RGC/JRF N_HKU735/21)Research Grant Council of Hong Kong,China(17102120,17108821,17103922,C1024-22GF,C7074-21G)+1 种基金Health and Medical Research Fund(HMRF 09200966)(to CSWL)FRQS Postdoctoral Fellowship(to AHKF).
文摘Dendritic spines are small protrusions along dendrites that contain most of the excitatory synapses in principal neurons,playing a crucial role in neuronal function by creating a compartmentalized environment for signal transduction.The plasticity of spine morphologies provides a tunable handle to regulate calcium signal dynamics,allowing rapid regulation of protein expression necessary to establish and maintain synapses(Cornejo et al.,2022).If excitatory inputs were to be located primarily on dendritic shafts,dendrites would frequently short-circuit,preventing voltage signals from propagating(Cornejo et al.,2022).It is thus not surprising that the structural plasticity of dendritic spines is closely linked to synaptic plasticity and memory formation(Berry and Nedivi,2017).While comprehensive in vitro studies have been conducted,in vivo studies that directly tackle the mechanism of dendritic transport and translation in regulating spine plasticity spatiotemporally are limited.
基金Supported by Center for Marine Living Resource and Ecology(CMLRE-Office Memorandum No:G4/3366/2013),Ministry of Earth Sciences.
文摘Objective:To investigate functional groups of toxic spines in stingray by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analysis.Methods:sephen were centrifuged at 6000 r/min for 10 min.The supernatant was collected and preserved separately in methanol,ethanol,chloroform,acetone(1:2)and then soaked in the mentioned solvents for 48 h.Then extracts were filtered and used for Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analysis.Results:The venom extract of Himantura gerrardi,Himantura imbricata and Pastinachus and random coiled secondary structure.The presence of O-H stretch,C=O stretch,C-H stretch,N-H deformation,O-H deformation and C-O stretch in the sample aligned with standard bovine serum albumin.The influence of functional groups within the molecule was because of the impact of preferred spatial orientation,chemical and physical interaction on the molecule.In conclusion,compared to bovine serum albumin,Himantura imbricata consists of two C=O stretch,are involved in the hydrogen bonding that takes place between the different elements of secondary structure.Conclusions:The results identified that the presence of free amino acids and protein having β-sheet medicine not available for treatment against injuries causing stingray.Therefore,it's the baseline study,to motivate further process and produce effective antibiotics.The venom of poisonous animals has been extensively studied,since standard.
文摘Background It is a common phenomenon that children experience multiple general anesthesias in clinical practice, which raises the question whether repeated exposure to general anesthetics would interfere with the development of the central nervous system of children. The present study was designed to evaluate the effects of repeated treatment with ketamine or midazolam on postnatal dendrite development by examining the morphology of the dendritic spines of the pyramidal neurons in the hippocampal CA1 region in mice. Methods The transgenic green fluorescent protein-M line （GFP-M） mice were used in this study. Ketamine （100 mg/kg） midazolam （50 mg/kg） or saline （10 ml/kg） was administered intraperitoneally once a day on consecutive days from postnatal day 8 （P8） to postnatal day 12 （P12）. At postnatal day 13 （P13） and postnatal day 30 （P30）, the density and length of the apical dendritic spines of the pyramidal neurons in the hippocampal CA1 region were examined under a confocal microscope. Results At P13, for both the ketamine group and the midazolam group, the dendritic spines were found with a comparatively lower density and longer average length than in the control group. At P30, no significant difference in the density or average length of dendritic spines was found between the anesthetic group and control group. Conclusions This study indicated that repeated exposure to ketamine or midazolam in neonatal mice impaired dendritic spine maturation immediately afterwards, but this influence seemed to disappear during further postnatal development.
基金This research was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31372213 and 31670421)Fundamental Research Funds for Central University(GK201305009)Xi’an Science Technology Program(CXY1531WL17).
文摘Maternal behaviors and brains change dramatically with pregnancy,parturition and other mothering experiences.However,whether paternal behavior,brain plasticity and levels of relevant hormones also change along with fathering experience and pups’age remains unclear.Using socially monogamous mandarin voles(Micro-tus mandarinus),we found that experienced fathers exhibited more active paternal behaviors,such as licking,retrievals and nest building,but less paternal care,such as huddling,than new fathers.The high levels of licking and nest building appeared in the earlier days of their mate’s lactation.Experienced fathers retrieved 9–13-day-old pups more frequently.However,these paternal behaviors did not show significant changes with age of pups in new fathers.In addition,experienced fathers had dramatically higher prolactin levels than new fathers but had similar concentrations of testosterone to new fathers.New fathers had lower levels of testosterone but higher levels of prolactin than new paired males.The fathers had higher prolactin levels in the earlier days of their mate’s lactation.The new and experienced fathers had similar dendritic length and spine density on pyramidal neurons in the medial prefrontal cortex but displayed higher levels than new paired males.Taken together,these results indicate that reduction of testosterone levels and increase of prolactin levels may be associated with initiation of paternal care.Fathering experience significantly affects levels of parental care and paternal behaviors toward different aged pups,and brain plasticity can also be enhanced by transition to fatherhood.
