Abnormal Voxel-Wise Degree Centrality in Patients With Late-Life Depression: A Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study.

Objectives:Late-life depression (LLD) has negative impacts on somatic, emotional and cognitive domains of the lives of patients. Elucidating the abnormality in the brain networks of LLD patients could help to strengthen the understanding of LLD pathophysiology, however, the studies exploring the spontaneous brain activity in LLD during the resting state remain limited. This study aimed at identifying the voxel-level whole-brain functional connectivity changes in LLD patients. Methods:Fifty patients with late-life depression (LLD) and 33 healthy controls were recruited. All participants underwent a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scan to assess the voxel-wise degree centrality (DC) changes in the patients. Furthermore, DC was compared between two patient subgroups, the late-onset depression (LOD) and the early-onset depression (EOD). Results:Compared with the healthy controls, LLD patients showed increased DC in the inferior parietal lobule, parahippocampal gyrus, brainstem and cerebellum (p < 0.05, AlphaSim-corrected). LLD patients also showed decreased DC in the somatosensory and motor cortices and cerebellum (p < 0.05, AlphaSim-corrected). Compared with EOD patients, LOD patients showed increased centrality in the superior and middle temporal gyrus and decreased centrality in the occipital region (p < 0.05, AlphaSim-corrected). No significant correlation was found between the DC value and the symptom severity or disease duration in the patients after the correction for multiple comparisons. Conclusions:These findings indicate that the intrinsic abnormality of network centrality exists in a wide range of brain areas in LLD patients. LOD patients differ with EOD patients in cortical network centrality. Our study might help to strengthen the understanding of the pathophysiology of LLD and the potential neural substrates underlie related emotional and cognitive impairments observed in the patients

Penaeid shrimp genome provides insights into benthic adaptation and frequent molting

Crustacea, the subphylum of Arthropoda which dominates the aquatic environment, is of major importance in ecology and fisheries. Here we report the genome sequence of the Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei, covering similar to 1.66 Gb (scaffold N50 605.56 Kb) with 25,596 protein-coding genes and a high proportion of simple sequence repeats (>23.93%). The expansion of genes related to vision and locomotion is probably central to its benthic adaptation. Frequent molting of the shrimp may be explained by an intensified ecdysone signal pathway through gene expansion and positive selection. As an important aquaculture organism, L. vannamei has been subjected to high selection pressure during the past 30 years of breeding, and this has had a considerable impact on its genome. Decoding the L. vannamei genome not only provides an insight into the genetic underpinnings of specific biological processes, but also provides valuable information for enhancing crustacean aquaculture

Fast and accurate X-ray fluorescence computed tomography imaging with the ordered-subsets expectation maximization algorithm.

The ordered-subsets expectation maximization algorithm (OSEM) is introduced to X-ray fluorescence computed tomography (XFCT) and studied; here, simulations and experimental results are presented. The simulation results indicate that OSEM is more accurate than the filtered back-projection algorithm, and it can efficiently suppress the deterioration of image quality within a large range of angular sampling intervals. Experimental results of both an artificial phantom and cirrhotic liver show that with a satisfying image quality the angular sampling interval could be improved to save on the data-acquisition time when OSEM is employed. In addition, with an optimum number of subsets, the image reconstruction time of OSEM could be reduced to about half of the time required for one subset. Accordingly, it can be concluded that OSEM is a potential method for fast and accurate XFCT imaging

Synovial Joints: from Development to Homeostasis

Synovial joint morphogenesis occurs through the condensation of mesenchymal cells into a non-cartilaginous region known as interzone, and the specification of progenitor cells that commit to the articular fate. Although several signaling molecules are expressed by the interzone, the mechanism is poorly understood. For treatments of cartilage injuries, it is critical to discover the presence of joint progenitor cells in adult tissues and their expression gene pattern. Potential stem cells niches have been found in different joint regions, such as the surface zone of articular cartilage, synovium and groove of Ranvier. Inherited joint malformation as well as joint degenerating conditions are often associated with other skeletal defects, and may be seen as the failure of morphogenic factors to establish the correct microenvironment in cartilage and bone. Therefore, exploring how joints form can help us understand how cartilage and bone are damaged and to develop drugs to reactivate this developing mechanism

Vitamin D3 Regulates Follicular Development and Intrafollicular Vitamin D Biosynthesis and Signaling in the Primate Ovary

There is an increasing recognition that vitamin D plays important roles in female reproduction. Recent studies demonstrated that 1α,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 (VD3), the biologically active form of vitamin D, improved ovarian follicle survival and growth in vitro. Therefore, we investigated the direct effects of VD3 at the specific preantral and antral stages of follicular development, and tested the hypothesis that vitamin D receptor (VDR) and enzymes critical for vitamin D biosynthesis are expressed in the primate ovary. Fourteen adult rhesus macaques provided ovarian tissue. Secondary and antral follicles were isolated for PCR analysis on VDR, vitamin D3 25-hydroxylase, and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3-1α-hydroxylase. VDR protein localization was determined by immunohistochemistry on ovarian sections. Isolated secondary follicles were cultured under conditions of control and VD3 supplementation during the preantral or antral stage. Follicle survival, growth, steroid and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) production, as well as oocyte maturation were evaluated. In vivo- and in vitro-developed follicles were also assessed for genes that are critical for vitamin D biosynthesis and signaling, gonadotropin signaling, steroid and paracrine factor production, and oocyte quality. The mRNA encoding VDR, 25-hydroxylase, and 1α-hydroxylase was detectable in in vivo- and in vitro-developed preantral and antral follicles. The 25-hydroxylase was elevated in cultured follicles relative to in vivo-developed follicles, which further increased following VD3 exposure. VD3 treatment increased 1α-hydroxylase in in vitro-developed antral follicles. The absence of VD3 during culture decreased VDR expression in in vitro-developed antral follicles, which was restored to levels comparable to those of in vivo-developed antral follicles by VD3 supplementation. Positive immunostaining for VDR was detected in the nucleus and cytoplasm of granulosa cells and oocytes. While only survival was improved in preantral follicles treated with VD3, VD3 supplementation promoted both survival and growth of antral follicles with increased estradiol and AMH production, as well as oocyte maturation. Thus, Vitamin D biosynthesis and signaling systems are expressed in primate ovarian follicles. Our findings support a role for VD3 in regulating follicular development in a stage-dependent manner, as well as the intrafollicular vitamin D biosynthesis and signaling, directly in the ovary

New Germplasm for Breeding: Pink-flowered and White-fruited Strawberry

Most strawberry plants have white flowers and red fruit. We developed a new strawberry selection with pink flowers and white fruit, and named it G23. Basic phenotypic data were recorded over years of observation and experimentation with the flower crown diameter, petal color, and rate of fruit set, as well as fruit skin color, flesh color, seed color and attachment status, fruit weight and shape, soluble solids contents, and firmness. We found that G23 bloomed with a stable pink flower and produced white fruit consistently with a relatively high fruit-set rate compared with its female parent, ‘Pink Panda’. G23 displayed high resistance to Fusarium wilt (Fusarium oxysporum) and anthracnose (Colletotrichum spp.). It is also tolerant of high temperatures (up to 40 °C) and long-term drought. The asexual propagation ability of G23 is high, with ∼60 to 100 stolon ramets formed during the summer. In summary, this new pink-flowered and white-fruited strawberry germplasm is suitable for ornamental use, as a result of its remarkable flowering and fruiting characteristics. In addition, it provides opportunities for innovative strawberry germplasm for future breeding

Artemisinin Attenuates Lipopolysaccharide-Stimulated Proinflammatory Responses by Inhibiting NF-κB Pathway in Microglia Cells

Microglial activation plays an important role in neuroinflammation, which contributes to neuronal damage, and inhibition of microglial activation may have therapeutic benefits that could alleviate the progression of neurodegeneration. Recent studies have indicated that the antimalarial agent artemisinin has the ability to inhibit NF-κB activation. In this study, the inhibitory effects of artemisinin on the production of proinflammatory mediators were investigated in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated primary microglia. Our results show that artemisinin significantly inhibited LPS-induced production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) and nitric oxide (NO). Artemisinin significantly decreased both the mRNA and the protein levels of these pro-inflammatory cytokines and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and increased the protein levels of IκB-α, which forms a cytoplasmic inactive complex with the p65-p50 heterodimeric complex. Artemisinin treatment significantly inhibited basal and LPS-induced migration of BV-2 microglia. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays revealed increased NF-κB binding activity in LPS-stimulated primary microglia, and this increase could be prevented by artemisinin. The inhibitory effects of artemisinin on LPS-stimulated microglia were blocked after IκB-α was silenced with IκB-α siRNA. Our results suggest that artemisinin is able to inhibit neuroinflammation by interfering with NF-κB signaling. The data provide direct evidence of the potential application of artemisinin for the treatment of neuroinflammatory diseases

Vitamin D in Follicular Development and Oocyte Maturation.

Vitamin D (VD) is a secosteroid hormone synthesized predominantly in the skin upon UV light exposure, which can also be obtained from dietary sources. In target cells, the bioactive VD binds to specific VD receptor to regulate downstream transcription of genes that are involved in a wide range of cellular processes. There is an increasing recognition that the proper physiological levels of VD are critical for optimizing reproductive potential in women. The direct VD action in the ovary was first suggested in the 1980s. Since then, research has attempted to determine the role of VD in follicular development and oocyte maturation in animal models and clinical settings. However, data published to date are inconclusive due to the complexity in VD metabolism and the fact that VD actions are pervasive in regulating physiological functions in various systems, including the reproductive, endocrine and nervous systems that control reproduction. This review summaries in vitro, in vivo, and clinical evidence regarding VD metabolism and signaling in the ovary, as well as VD-regulated or VD-associated ovarian follicular development, steroidogenic function, and oocyte maturation. It is suggested that adequate animal models are needed for well-controlled studies to unravel molecular mechanisms of VD action in the ovary. For clinical studies, follicular development and function may be evaluated more effectively in a relatively homogeneous patient population under a well-controlled experimental design. A comprehensive understanding of VD-regulated folliculogenesis and oogenesis will provide critical insight into the impact of VD in female reproductive health