Ultrastructural heterogeneity of layer 4 excitatory synaptic boutons in the adult human temporal lobe neocortex.

Synapses are fundamental building blocks controlling and modulating the 'behavior' of brain networks. How their structural composition, most notably their quantitative morphology underlie their computational properties remains rather unclear, particularly in humans. Here, excitatory synaptic boutons (SBs) in layer 4 (L4) of the temporal lobe neocortex (TLN) were quantitatively investigated.

RIMB-1/RIM-Binding Protein and UNC-10/RIM Redundantly Regulate Presynaptic Localization of the Voltage-Gated Calcium Channel in .

Presynaptic active zones (AZs) contain many molecules essential for neurotransmitter release and are assembled in a highly organized manner. A network of adaptor proteins known as cytomatrix at the AZ (CAZ) is important for shaping the structural characteristics of AZ. Rab3-interacting molecule (RIM)-binding protein (RBP) family are binding partners of the CAZ protein RIM and also bind the voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs) in mice and flies.

Polyamine biosynthesis in Xenopus laevis: the xlAZIN2/xlODC2 gene encodes a lysine/ornithine decarboxylase.

Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is a key enzyme in the biosynthesis of polyamines, organic cations that are implicated in many cellular processes. The enzyme is regulated at the post-translational level by an unusual system that includes antizymes (AZs) and antizyme inhibitors (AZINs). Most studies on this complex regulatory mechanism have been focused on human and rodent cells, showing that AZINs (AZIN1 and AZIN2) are homologues of ODC but devoid of enzymatic activity.

is identified as a novel candidate gene of severe asthenozoospermia.

Owing to less than 1% of motile spermatozoa in the ejaculated semen, severe asthenozoospermia is a serious threat to the male reproductive health. Herein, we identified a novel homozygous variant in (NC_000019.9: g.

One-step microencapsulation and spraying of pesticide formulations for improved adhesion and sustained release.

To reduce the contamination arising from abuse of commercial pesticide formulations, the coaxial electrospray (CES) method was used for one-step microencapsulation and spraying of pesticides. After optimisation of process parameters, polymeric microcapsules with different structures were fabricated as the carriers of azoxystrobin (AZS). For the resultant microcapsules, the sustained pesticide release was verified in vitro and the adhesion properties were investigated through a normalised rinsing test.

Dose optimization of valproic acid in a lethal model of traumatic brain injury, hemorrhage, and multiple trauma in swine.

Background: Trauma is a leading cause of death, and traumatic brain injury is one of the hallmark injuries of current military conflicts. Valproic acid (VPA) administration in high doses (300-400 mg/kg) improves survival in lethal trauma models, but effectiveness of lower doses on survival is unknown. This information is essential for properly designing the upcoming clinical trials.

Control of Organ Abscission and Other Cell Separation Processes by Evolutionary Conserved Peptide Signaling.

Plants both generate and shed organs throughout their lifetime. Cell separation is in function during opening of anthers to release pollen; floral organs are detached after pollination when they have served their purpose; unfertilized flowers are shed; fruits and seeds are abscised from the mother plant to secure the propagation of new generations. Organ abscission takes place in specialized abscission zone (AZ) cells where the middle lamella between adjacent cell files is broken down.

EIF4G1 is a novel candidate gene associated with severe asthenozoospermia.

Background: Asthenozoospermia (AZS), also known as asthenospermia, is characterized by reduced motility of ejaculated spermatozoa and is detected in more than 40% of infertile patients. Because the proportion of progressive spermatozoa in severe AZS is <1%, severe AZS is an urgent challenge in reproductive medicine. Several genes have been reported to be relevant to severe asthenospermia.

Rosa hybrida RhERF1 and RhERF4 mediate ethylene- and auxin-regulated petal abscission by influencing pectin degradation.

The timing of plant organ abscission is modulated by the balance of two hormones, ethylene and auxin, while the mechanism of organ shedding depends on the loss of middle lamella pectin in the abscission zone (AZ). However, the mechanisms involved in sensing the balance of auxin and ethylene and that affect pectin degradation during abscission are not well understood. In this study, we identified two members of the APETALA2/ethylene-responsive factor (AP2/ERF) transcription factor family in rose (Rosa hybrida), RhERF1 and RhERF4 which play a role in petal abscission.

Solitary pulmonary nodule: Comparison of quantitative capability for differentiation and management among dynamic CE-perfusion MRI at 3 T system, dynamic CE-perfusion ADCT and FDG-PET/CT.

Purpose: To prospectively compare the capability of dynamic first-pass contrast-enhanced (CE) perfusion MR imaging with ultra-short TE and area-detector CT (ADCT), analyzed with the same mathematical methods, and that of FDG-PET/CT for diagnosis and management of solitary pulmonary nodules (SPNs).

Methods And Materials: Our institutional review board approved this study and written informed consent was obtained from all subjects. A total 57 consecutive patients with 71 nodules prospectively underwent dynamic CE-perfusion ADCT and MR imaging with ultra-short TE, FDG-PET/CT, as well as microbacterial and/or pathological examinations.

Expression Analysis of the CRISP2, CATSPER1, PATE1 and SEMG1 in the Sperm of Men with Idiopathic Asthenozoospermia.

Background: The purpose of this study was to analyze the expression level of CRISP2, CATSPER1, PATE1 and SEMG1 genes in the sperm of men with asthenozoospermia (AZS). AZS is a cause of infertility in men in which the motility of the sperm is reduced. So far, a few genes have been associated with AZS; however, in most of the cases, its molecular etiology is unclear.

MicroRNA profiling in spermatozoa of men with unexplained asthenozoospermia.

Asthenozoospermia (AZS) which is characterised by decreased sperm motility is one of the main causes of male infertility. Recent studies demonstrated altered microRNAs (miRNAs) in total semen, seminal plasma and spermatozoa of asthenozoospermic men. In line with these studies, it was aimed to evaluate the miRNA expression profile in spermatozoa of unexplained asthenozoospermic men.

Suppression of a Prolyl 4 Hydroxylase Results in Delayed Abscission of Overripe Tomato Fruits.

The tomato pedicel abscission zone (AZ) is considered a model system for flower and fruit abscission development, activation, and progression. O-glycosylated proteins such as the IDA (INFLORESCENCE DEFICIENT IN ABSCISSION) peptide and Arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs) which undergo proline hydroxylation were demonstrated to participate in abscission regulation. Considering that the frequency of occurrence of proline hydroxylation might determine the structure as well the function of such proteins, the expression of a tomato prolyl 4 hydroxylase, SlP4H3 ( Prolyl 4 Hydroxylase 3) was suppressed in order to investigate the physiological significance of this post-translational modification in tomato abscission.

Intrinsic planar polarity mechanisms influence the position-dependent regulation of synapse properties in inner hair cells.

Encoding the wide range of audible sounds in the mammalian cochlea is collectively achieved by functionally diverse type I spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs) at each tonotopic position. The firing of each SGN is thought to be driven by an individual active zone (AZ) of a given inner hair cell (IHC). These AZs present distinct properties according to their position within the IHC, to some extent forming a gradient between the modiolar and the pillar IHC side.

Homeostatic scaling of active zone scaffolds maintains global synaptic strength.

Synaptic terminals grow and retract throughout life, yet synaptic strength is maintained within stable physiological ranges. To study this process, we investigated () mutants. Although active zone (AZ) number is doubled in mutants, a compensatory reduction in their size homeostatically adjusts global neurotransmitter output to maintain synaptic strength.

Rapid active zone remodeling consolidates presynaptic potentiation.

Neuronal communication across synapses relies on neurotransmitter release from presynaptic active zones (AZs) followed by postsynaptic transmitter detection. Synaptic plasticity homeostatically maintains functionality during perturbations and enables memory formation. Postsynaptic plasticity targets neurotransmitter receptors, but presynaptic mechanisms regulating the neurotransmitter release apparatus remain largely enigmatic.

Endogenous Tagging Reveals Differential Regulation of Ca Channels at Single Active Zones during Presynaptic Homeostatic Potentiation and Depression.

Neurons communicate through Ca-dependent neurotransmitter release at presynaptic active zones (AZs). Neurotransmitter release properties play a key role in defining information flow in circuits and are tuned during multiple forms of plasticity. Despite their central role in determining neurotransmitter release properties, little is known about how Ca channel levels are modulated to calibrate synaptic function.

Expressions of miR-525-3p and its target gene SEMG1 in the spermatozoa of patients with asthenozoospermia.

Background: Semenogelin 1 (SEMG1) is an important secretory protein in spermatozoa involved in the formation of a gel matrix encasing ejaculated spermatozoa. Previous studies show that the SEMG1 gene is highly expressed in spermatozoa from patients with asthenozoospermia (AZS); however, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not yet clear.

Objectives: To study the molecular mechanism of high expression of SEMG1 gene and its potential roles in AZS.

Ca2.1 α Subunit Expression Regulates Presynaptic Ca2.1 Abundance and Synaptic Strength at a Central Synapse.

The abundance of presynaptic Ca2 voltage-gated Ca channels (Ca2) at mammalian active zones (AZs) regulates the efficacy of synaptic transmission. It is proposed that presynaptic Ca2 levels are saturated in AZs due to a finite number of slots that set Ca2 subtype abundance and that Ca2.1 cannot compete for Ca2.

Expression profiles and characteristics of human lncRNA in normal and asthenozoospermia sperm†.

Increasing studies have shown that specific mRNAs and miRNAs expressed in mature sperm may be related to sperm motility. However, the expression profiles and roles of lncRNAs in sperm remain unknown. In the present study, numerous lncRNAs were identified in human sperm, and some lncRNAs were expressed exclusively in sperm and testis.

Individual synaptic vesicles mediate stimulated exocytosis from cochlear inner hair cells.

Spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs) measured from the first synapse in the mammalian auditory pathway reach a large mean amplitude with a high level of variance (CV between 0.3 and 1). This has led some to propose that each inner hair cell (IHC) ribbon-type active zone (AZ), on average, releases ∼6 synaptic vesicles (SVs) per sEPSC in a coordinated manner.

Coupling the Structural and Functional Assembly of Synaptic Release Sites.

Information processing in our brains depends on the exact timing of calcium (Ca)-activated exocytosis of synaptic vesicles (SVs) from unique release sites embedded within the presynaptic active zones (AZs). While AZ scaffolding proteins obviously provide an efficient environment for release site function, the molecular design creating such release sites had remained unknown for a long time. Recent advances in visualizing the ultrastructure and topology of presynaptic protein architectures have started to elucidate how scaffold proteins establish "nanodomains" that connect voltage-gated Ca channels (VGCCs) physically and functionally with release-ready SVs.

Ca Regulates the Kinetics of Synaptic Vesicle Fusion at the Afferent Inner Hair Cell Synapse.

The early auditory pathway processes information at high rates and with utmost temporal fidelity. Consequently, the synapses in the auditory pathway are highly specialized to meet the extraordinary requirements on signal transmission. The calyceal synapses in the auditory brainstem feature more than a hundred active zones (AZs) with thousands of releasable synaptic vesicles (SVs).

Zygomaticomaxillary modifications in the horizontal plane induced by micro-implant-supported skeletal expander, analyzed with CBCT images.

Background: Miniscrew-assisted rapid palatal expansion (MARPE) has been adopted in recent years to expand the maxilla in late adolescence and adult patients. Maxillary Skeletal Expander (MSE) is a device that exploits the principles of skeletal anchorage to transmit the expansion force directly to the maxillary bony structures and is characterized by the miniscrews' engagement of the palatal and nasal cortical bone layers. In the literature, it has been reported that the zygomatic buttress is a major constraint that hampers the lateral movement of maxilla, since maxilla is located medially to the zygomatic arches.