Fibroblast growth factor 8 promotes in vitro neurite outgrowth of placode-derived petrosal and nodose ganglia to varying degrees.

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) are required for the specification and formation of the epibranchial placodes, which give rise to the distal part of the cranial sensory ganglia. However, it remains unclear whether FGFs play a role in regulating the neurite outgrowth of the epibranchial placode-derived ganglia during further development. Previous studies have shown that Fibroblast growth factor 8 (FGF8) promotes neurite outgrowth from the statoacoustic ganglion in vitro.

Seasonal meropenem resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii and influence of temperature-driven adaptation.

Background: Recognition of seasonal trends in bacterial infection and drug resistance rates may enhance diagnosis, direct therapeutic strategies, and inform preventive measures. Limited data exist on the seasonal variability of Acinetobacter baumannii. We investigated the seasonality of A.

Bacteria can drill holes: Salmonella enterica serovar London infection of the leg and heel with colonization of the gut.

Salmonella enterica serovar London is known to colonize the human digestive tract and can cause gastroenteritis and diarrhea. The excretion of S. London in the stool can spread into the environment.

Echocardiographic assessment of Xenopus tropicalis heart regeneration.

Background: Recently, it was reported that the adult X. tropicalis heart can regenerate in a nearly scar-free manner after injury via apical resection. Thus, a cardiac regeneration model in adult X.

Mental health and psychosocial problems among laboratory technicians in response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Hebei, China.

Objective: During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, an increased mental burden has been widely reported among medical health workers such as physicians and nurses. However, data on laboratory technicians exposed to COVID-19 have rarely been published. The aim of this study was to assess the magnitude of psychological symptoms among laboratory technicians and analyze potential risk factors associated with these symptoms.

miR-486 improves fibrotic activity in myocardial infarction by targeting SRSF3/p21-Mediated cardiac myofibroblast senescence.

The regulation of fibrotic activities is key to improving pathological remodelling post-myocardial infarction (MI). Currently, in the clinic, safe and curative therapies for cardiac fibrosis and improvement of the pathological fibrotic environment, scar formation and pathological remodelling post-MI are lacking. Previous studies have shown that miR-486 is involved in the regulation of fibrosis.

Ablation of cardiomyocyte-derived BDNF during development causes myocardial degeneration and heart failure in the adult mouse heart.

Objective: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptor TrkB-T1 were recently found to be expressed in cardiomyocytes. However, the functional role of cardiomyocyte-derived BDNF in heart pathophysiology is not yet fully known. Recent studies revealed that BDNF-TrkB pathway plays a critical role to maintain integrity of cardiac structure and function, cardiac pathology and regeneration of myocardial infarction (MI).

Optimization Design of Magnetic Isolation Ring Position in AC Solenoid Valves for Dynamic Response Performances.

Dynamic response characteristics of solenoid valves directly determined their performances. Among numerous parameters, the influence of magnetic isolation ring (MIR) on solenoid valve performance is crucial. Previous optimization studies have not conducted a systematic exploration and analysis of MIR.

Cardiac telocytes inhibit cardiac microvascular endothelial cell apoptosis through exosomal miRNA-21-5p-targeted silencing to improve angiogenesis following myocardial infarction.

Promotion of cardiac angiogenesis in ischemic myocardium is a critical strategy for repairing and regenerating the myocardium after myocardial infarction (MI). Currently, effective methods to aid in the survival of endothelial cells, to avoid apoptosis in ischemic myocardium and to achieve long-term cardiac angiogenesis are still being pursued. Here, we investigated whether cardiac telocyte (CT)-endothelial cell communication suppresses apoptosis and promotes the survival of endothelial cells to facilitate cardiac angiogenesis during MI.

Cxcr4 and Sdf-1 are critically involved in the formation of facial and non-somitic neck muscles.

The present study shows that the CXCR4/SDF-1 axis regulates the migration of second branchial arch-derived muscles as well as non-somitic neck muscles. Cxcr4 is expressed by skeletal muscle progenitor cells in the second branchial arch (BA2). Muscles derived from the second branchial arch, but not from the first, fail to form in Cxcr4 mutants at embryonic days E13.

Cardiac telocytes exist in the adult Xenopus tropicalis heart.

Recent research has revealed that cardiac telocytes (CTs) play an important role in cardiac physiopathology and the regeneration of injured myocardium. Recently, we reported that the adult Xenopus tropicalis heart can regenerate perfectly in a nearly scar-free manner after injury via apical resection. However, whether telocytes exist in the X tropicalis heart and are affected in the regeneration of injured X tropicalis myocardium is still unknown.

BDNF and NGF signals originating from sensory ganglia promote cranial motor axon growth.

After exiting the hindbrain, branchial motor axons reach their targets in association with sensory ganglia. The trigeminal ganglion has been shown to promote motor axon growth from rhombomeres 2/3 and 4/5, but it is unknown whether this effect is ganglion specific and through which signals it is mediated. Here, we addressed these questions by co-cultures of ventral rhombomere 8 explants with cranial and spinal sensory ganglia in a collagen gel matrix.

Early moderate exercise benefits myocardial infarction healing via improvement of inflammation and ventricular remodelling in rats.

Thus far, the cellular and molecular mechanisms related to early (especially within 24 hours after acute myocardial infarct (MI)) exercise-mediated beneficial effects on MI have not yet been thoroughly established. In the present study, we demonstrated that acute MI rats that underwent early moderate exercise training beginning one day after MI showed no increase in mortality and displayed significant improvements in MI healing and ventricular remodelling, including an improvement in cardiac function, a decrease in infarct size, cardiomyocyte apoptosis, cardiac fibrosis and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, and an increase in myocardial angiogenesis, left ventricular wall thickness and the number of cardiac telocytes in the border zone. Integrated miRNA-mRNA profiling analysis performed by the ingenuity pathway analysis system revealed that the inhibition of the TGFB1 regulatory network, activation of leucocytes and migration of leucocytes into the infarct zone comprise the molecular mechanism underlying early moderate exercise-mediated improvements in cardiac fibrosis and the pathological inflammatory response.

The prolyl 4-hydroxylase inhibitor GSK360A decreases post-stroke brain injury and sensory, motor, and cognitive behavioral deficits.

There is interest in pharmacologic preconditioning for end-organ protection by targeting the HIF system. This can be accomplished by inhibition of prolyl 4-hydroxylase (PHD). GSK360A is an orally active PHD inhibitor that has been previously shown to protect the failing heart.

The hypaxial origin of the epaxially located rhomboid muscles.

In vertebrates, skeletal muscles of the body are made up of epaxial and hypaxial muscles based on their innervation and relative position to the vertebral column. The epaxial muscles are innervated by the dorsal branches of the spinal nerves and comprise the intrinsic (deep) back muscles, while the hypaxial muscles are innervated by the ventral branches of the spinal nerves including the plexus and consist of a heterogeneous group of intercostal, abdominal, and limb as well as girdle muscles. The canonical view holds that the epaxial muscles are derived from the medial halves of the somites, whereas the hypaxial muscles are all derived from the lateral somitic halves.

Activation of the Amino Acid Response Pathway Blunts the Effects of Cardiac Stress.

Background: The amino acid response (AAR) is an evolutionarily conserved protective mechanism activated by amino acid deficiency through a key kinase, general control nonderepressible 2. In addition to mobilizing amino acids, the AAR broadly affects gene and protein expression in a variety of pathways and elicits antifibrotic, autophagic, and anti-inflammatory activities. However, little is known regarding its role in cardiac stress.

Runx2 alleviates high glucose-suppressed osteogenic differentiation via PI3K/AKT/GSK3β/β-catenin pathway.

Hyperglycemia is one of the most important pathogenesis of diabetic osteopathy. Several lines of studies indicate Runx2 plays a critical role in the process of osteogenic differentiation. However, little studies have analyzed the effect of Runx2 on osteoblast differentiation of rat bone mesenchymal stem cells (rBMSCs) in high-glucose condition.

Toward improved myocardial maturity in an organ-on-chip platform with immature cardiac myocytes.

In vitro studies of cardiac physiology and drug response have traditionally been performed on individual isolated cardiomyocytes or isotropic monolayers of cells that may not mimic desired physiological traits of the laminar adult myocardium. Recent studies have reported a number of advances to Heart-on-a-Chip platforms for the fabrication of more sophisticated engineered myocardium, but cardiomyocyte immaturity remains a challenge. In the anisotropic musculature of the heart, interactions between cardiac myocytes, the extracellular matrix (ECM), and neighboring cells give rise to changes in cell shape and tissue architecture that have been implicated in both development and disease.

The unique axon trajectory of the accessory nerve is determined by intrinsic properties of the neural tube in the avian embryo.

The accessory nerve is a cranial nerve, composed of only motor axons, which control neck muscles. Its axons ascend many segments along the lateral surface of the cervical spinal cord and hindbrain. At the level of the first somite, they pass ventrally through the somitic mesoderm into the periphery.

Development of the shoulder girdle musculature.

The muscles of the shoulder region are important for movements of the upper limbs and for stabilizing the girdle elements by connecting them to the trunk. They have a triple embryonic origin. First, the branchiomeric shoulder girdle muscles (sternocleidomastoideus and trapezius muscles) develop from the occipital lateral plate mesoderm using Tbx1 over the course of this development.

A novel interaction between ATOH8 and PPP3CB.

ATOH8 is a bHLH transcription factor playing roles in a variety of developmental processes such as neurogenesis, differentiation of pancreatic precursor cells, development of kidney and muscle, and differentiation of endothelial cells. PPP3CB belongs to the catalytic subunit of the serine/threonine phosphatase, calcineurin, which can dephosphorylate its substrate proteins to regulate their physiological activities. In our study, we demonstrated that ATOH8 interacts with PPP3CB in vitro with different approaches.

[Effect of premolar extractions on third molar angulation changes: a meta-analysis].

Objective: To assess the effect of premolar extractions on third molar angulation changes in orthodontic patients.

Methods: The Cochrane library, PubMed, Embase, China Science and Technology Periodical Database, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM) and Wanfang database were searched from January 1, 1990 to May 20, 2014 to identify all the studies about third molar angulation changes in orthodontic patients with or without premolars extraction, which was assigned as a extraction group and a control group. Th e extraction group was further divided into a fi rst premolar extraction subgroup and a second premolar extraction subgroup.