Entire Axis Research Articles

Three-dimensional Wiener-Hopf integral equation in mixed problems of anisotropic media

For the first time, an exact solution of the three-dimensional Wiener-Hopf integral equation is given, one-dimensional and two-dimensional versions of which are widely used in mixed, including contact problems. The equation in question can be abstractly represented as the action of a three-dimensional stamp on a four-dimensional half-space or layer. In the work, in relation to contact problems of mechanics, as well as seismology, an application of this method was found. It consists in the fact that along with two geometric coordinates, the time coordinate extending along the entire axis is taken as the third. It allows you to introduce a change of condition at zero for stresses, moving in the contact zone from their values to their velocities. Attempts at an analytical or numerical solution of this problem are not known to the authors. The results may be useful in the fields of using the Wiener-Hopf equation in probability theory and statistics, where one-dimensional variants are used, as well as in seismology. Just as in the two-dimensional case, a universal modeling method based on block elements is used in the study.

α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors induce long-term synaptic enhancement in the dorsal but not ventral hippocampus.

Agents that positively modulate the activity of α7nAChRs are used as cognitive enhancers and for the treatment of hippocampus-dependent functionaldecline. However, it is not known whether the expression and the effects of α7nAChRs apply to the entire longitudinal axis of the hippocampus equally. Given that cholinergic system-involving hippocampal functions are not equally distributed along the hippocampus, we comparatively examined the expression and the effects of α7nAChRs on excitatory synaptic transmission between the dorsal and the ventral hippocampal slices from adult rats. We found that α7nAChRs are equally expressed in the CA1 field of the two segments of the hippocampus. However, activation of α7nAChRs by their highly selective agonist PNU 282987 induced a gradually developing increase in field excitatory postsynaptic potential only in the dorsal hippocampus. This long-term potentiation was not reversed upon application of nonselective nicotinic receptor antagonist mecamylamine, but the induction of potentiation was prevented by prior blockade of α7nAChRs by their antagonist MG 624. In contrast to the long-term synaptic plasticity, we found that α7nAChRs did not modulate short-term synaptic plasticity in either the dorsal or the ventral hippocampus. These results may have implications for the role that α7nAChRs play in specifically modulating functions that depend on the normal function of the dorsal hippocampus. We propose that hippocampal functions that rely on a direct α7 nAChR-mediated persistent enhancement of glutamatergic synaptic transmission are preferably supported by dorsal but not ventral hippocampal synapses.

Hyperplastic polyp-like adenoma: a subtype of colonic adenoma with a proliferative zone confined to the lower two-thirds of the crypt

Background The proliferative zone of colonic adenomas is confined to the upper third of the crypt or is scattered along its entire axis. In contrast, there are unusual adenomas with proliferative zones confined to the lower two-thirds of the crypt. We investigated the frequency and endoscopic features of adenomas with lower proliferative zones. Methods We retrospectively reviewed consecutive patients who underwent colonoscopies between September 2022 and March 2023 at the Toyoshima Endoscopy Clinic. Colorectal polyps were endoscopically assessed using the Japan Narrow-Band Imaging Expert Team (JNET) classification. All resected polyps were histologically examined, and the proliferative zone locations were assessed in the adenomas. Results The frequency of adenomas with a lower proliferative zone was 1.8% (44/2420) in adenomas. Among these adenomas, JNET type 1 incidence was 43.2% (19/44), which was significantly higher than that in adenomas with a normal proliferative zone. Adenomas with a lower proliferative zone were diminutive (mean size: 2.5 mm) and prone to develop in the proximal colon. Conclusion Colonic adenomas with proliferative zones confined to the lower two-thirds of the crypt often appear as diminutive, hyperplastic polyps.

How do eating disorders can affect the endocrine system? - literature review

Introduction: Eating disorders (ED) are complex psychological disorders with low rates of detection and early intervention. High rates of morbidity and mortality in eating disorders, especially anorexia nervosa (AN), is still continued. ED mostly refers to adolescent and lead to many significant complications, including many changes in endocrine system. Hormonal disorders in AN occur among sex hormones, thyroid hormones, adrenal hormones, growth hormones, as well as the entire hypothalamic-pituitary axis. 
 Purpose of the study: The aim of this study is to collect and summarize the latest views on endocrine dysregulation in anorexia nervosa and highlights the complications associated with it.
 Material and method: Literature review was performed in English different databases, using keywords: eating disorders, anorexia nervosa, menstruation, menses, irregular menstruation, estrogen, bone mineral density, cortisol, hipercortisolemia, insulin, leptin, ghrelin, growth hormone, thyroid, tyrosine.
 Results and conclusions: In our systematic review we would like to present the most significant hormone dysregulation in anorexia nervosa and how they can affect the whole organism, such as gonadal axis disregulation, menstrual disorders, bone mineral density, hipercortisolemia, hypoglycemia and other that anorexia nervosa may cause. The phenomenon of eating disorder is becoming more and more frequent – for this reason it is important to put attention to that and be aware of many complication ED can lead to, including hormonal changes.

Is gastrulation the most important time in your life?

Gastrulation is considered a fundamental process of metazoan embryogenesis, as the layers that give place to all body parts are laid down by extensive cell movements and cell differentiation. It is commonly thought that gastrulation establishes the entire body axis. The discovery of neuromesodermal progenitors is challenging this view. These cells keep their pluripotency after gastrulation and they are able to differentiate into ectoderm (neural tube) and mesoderm derivatives (paraxial mesoderm, notochord) directly, without passing through a germ layer intermediate. They contribute to the elongation of the body axis and could play a key role in the evolution of the chordate body plan.

Immunohistological study of the unexplored vomeronasal organ of an endangered mammal, the dama gazelle (Nanger dama).

Dama gazelle is a threatened and rarely studied species found primarily in northern Africa. Human pressure has depleted the dama gazelle population from tens of thousands to a few hundred individuals. Since 1970, a founder population consisting of the last 17 surviving individuals in Western Sahara has been maintained in captivity, reproducing naturally. In preparation for the future implementation of assisted reproductive technology, certain aspects of dama gazelle reproductive biology have been established. However, the role played by semiochemical-mediated communications in the sexual behavior of dama gazelle remains unknown due partially to a lack of a neuroanatomical or morphofunctional characterization of the dama gazelle vomeronasal organ (VNO), which is the sensory organ responsible for pheromone processing. The present study characterized the dama gazelle VNO, which appears fully equipped to perform neurosensory functions, contributing to current understanding of interspecies VNO variability among ruminants. By employing histological, lectin-histochemical, and immunohistochemical techniques, we conducted a detailed morphofunctional evaluation of the dama gazelle VNO along its entire longitudinal axis. Our findings of significant structural and neurochemical transformation along the entire VNO suggest that future studies of the VNO should take a similar approach. The present study contributes to current understanding of dama gazelle VNO, providing a basis for future studies of semiochemical-mediated communications and reproductive management in this species. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: This exhaustive immunohistological study of the vomeronasal organ (VNO) of the dama gazelle provides the first evidence of notable differences in the expression of neuronal markers along the rostrocaudal axis of the VNO. This provides a morphological basis for the implementation of pheromones in captive populations of dama gazelle.

Ancient vertebrate dermal armor evolved from trunk neural crest

Bone is an evolutionary novelty of vertebrates, likely to have first emerged as part of ancestral dermal armor that consisted of osteogenic and odontogenic components. Whether these early vertebrate structures arose from mesoderm or neural crest cells has been a matter of considerable debate. To examine the developmental origin of the bony part of the dermal armor, we have performed in vivo lineage tracing in the sterlet sturgeon, a representative of nonteleost ray-finned fish that has retained an extensive postcranial dermal skeleton. The results definitively show that sterlet trunk neural crest cells give rise to osteoblasts of the scutes. Transcriptional profiling further reveals neural crest gene signature in sterlet scutes as well as bichir scales. Finally, histological and microCT analyses of ray-finned fish dermal armor show that their scales and scutes are formed by bone, dentin, and hypermineralized covering tissues, in various combinations, that resemble those of the first armored vertebrates. Taken together, our results support a primitive skeletogenic role for the neural crest along the entire body axis, that was later progressively restricted to the cranial region during vertebrate evolution. Thus, the neural crest was a crucial evolutionary innovation driving the origin and diversification of dermal armor along the entire body axis.

A pro-BMP function exerted by Rhodnius prolixus short gastrulation reveals great diversity in the role of BMP modulators during embryonic patterning

Dorsal–ventral (DV) patterning is regulated by the bone morphogenetic pathway (BMP) in Bilateria. In insect DV patterning, the Toll pathway also plays a role, in addition to BMPs. Variations in the relative importance of each pathway for DV patterning have been reported using single species of coleopteran, hymenopteran, hemipteran and orthopteran insects. To investigate if the molecular control of DV patterning is conserved inside an insect order, the emergent model hemiptera species Rhodnius prolixus was studied. We found that R. prolixus BMP pathway controls the entire DV axis, with a broader effect respective to Toll, as shown for the hemiptera Oncopeltus fasciatus. Different from O. fasciatus , the unique R. prolixus short gastrulation ( sog ) and the twisted gastrulation ( tsg ) orthologues do not antagonize, but rather favour embryonic BMP signalling. Our results reinforce the hypothesis that hemiptera rely preferentially on BMPs for DV patterning but that, surprisingly, in R. prolixus Sog and Tsg proteins exert only a positive role to establish a dorsal-to-ventral BMP gradient. Since sog has been reported to be lost from orthopteran and hymenopteran genomes, our results indicate that Sog's role to modify BMP activity varies greatly in different insect species.

The Tumor Suppressor Adenomatous Polyposis Coli (apc) Is Required for Neural Crest-Dependent Craniofacial Development in Zebrafish.

Neural crest (NC) is a unique vertebrate cell type arising from the border of the neural plate and epidermis that gives rise to diverse tissues along the entire body axis. Roberto Mayor and colleagues have made major contributions to our understanding of NC induction, delamination, and migration. We report that a truncating mutation of the classical tumor suppressor Adenomatous Polyposis Coli (apc) disrupts craniofacial development in zebrafish larvae, with a marked reduction in the cranial neural crest (CNC) cells that contribute to mandibular and hyoid pharyngeal arches. While the mechanism is not yet clear, the altered expression of signaling molecules that guide CNC migration could underlie this phenotype. For example, apcmcr/mcr larvae express substantially higher levels of complement c3, which Mayor and colleagues showed impairs CNC cell migration when overexpressed. However, we also observe reduction in stroma-derived factor 1 (sdf1/cxcl12), which is required for CNC migration into the head. Consistent with our previous work showing that APC directly enhances the activity of glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3) and, independently, that GSK-3 phosphorylates multiple core mRNA splicing factors, we identify 340 mRNA splicing variations in apc mutant zebrafish, including a splice variant that deletes a conserved domain in semaphorin 3f (sema3f), an axonal guidance molecule and a known regulator of CNC migration. Here, we discuss potential roles for apc in CNC development in the context of some of the seminal findings of Mayor and colleagues.

Is gastrulation the most important time in your life?

Gastrulation is considered a fundamental process of metazoan embryogenesis, as the layers that give place to all body parts are laid down by extensive cell movements and cell differentiation. It is commonly thought that gastrulation establishes the entire body axis. The discovery of neuromesodermal progenitors is challenging this view. These cells keep their pluripotency after gastrulation and they are able to differentiate into ectoderm (neural tube) and mesoderm derivatives (paraxial mesoderm, notochord) directly, without passing through a germ layer intermediate. They contribute to the elongation of the body axis and could play a key role in the evolution of the chordate body plan.

Neanaliticheskie pervye integraly analiticheskikh sistem differentsial'nykh uravneniy v okrestnosti ustoychivykh polozheniy ravnovesiya

In even-dimensional phase spaces, we give examples of analytic systems of differential equations that have isolated equilibria and admit nonanalytic first integrals. These integrals are positive definite in a neighborhood of the equilibria, which proves the stability of the equilibria (on the entire time axis). However, such systems of differential equations do not admit nontrivial first integrals in the form of formal power series at all. In particular, the Lyapunov stability of equilibria of analytic systems does not imply their formal stability. In the case of an odd-dimensional phase space, all isolated equilibria are apparently unstable.

Is gastrulation the most important time in your life?

Gastrulation is considered a fundamental process of metazoan embryogenesis, as the layers that give place to all body parts are laid down by extensive cell movements and cell differentiation. It is commonly thought that gastrulation establishes the entire body axis. The discovery of neuromesodermal progenitors is challenging this view. These cells keep their pluripotency after gastrulation and they are able to differentiate into ectoderm (neural tube) and mesoderm derivatives (paraxial mesoderm, notochord) directly, without passing through a germ layer intermediate. They contribute to the elongation of the body axis and could play a key role in the evolution of the chordate body plan.

Dissection of insular cortex layer 5 reveals two sublayers with opposing modulatory roles in appetitive drinking behavior

The insular cortex (insula) is known to play a modulatory role in feeding and drinking. Previous studies have revealed anterior-posterior differences of subcortical projections and roles for the insula, yet the anatomical and functional heterogeneity among the cortical layers remains poorly understood. Here, we show that layer 5 of the mouse dysgranular insula has two distinct neuronal subpopulations along the entire anterior-posterior axis: The L5a population, expressing NECAB1, projects bilaterally to the lateral and capsular divisions of the central amygdala, and the L5b population, expressing CTIP2, projects ipsilaterally to the parasubthalamic nucleus and the medial division of the central amygdala. Optogenetically activating L5a and L5b neuronal populations in thirsty male mice led to suppressed and facilitated water spout licking, respectively, without avoidance against or preference for the spout paired with the opto-stimulation. Our results suggest sublayer-specific bidirectional modulatory roles of insula layer 5 in the motivational aspect of appetitive behavior.

Effects of Whole-Body Vibration and Manually Assisted Locomotor Therapy on Neurotrophin-3 Expression and Microglia/Macrophage Mobilization Following Thoracic Spinal Cord Injury in Rats

Microglial cells play an important role in neuroinflammation and secondary damages after spinal cord injury (SCI). Progressive microglia/macrophage inflammation along the entire spinal axis follows SCI, and various factors may determine the microglial activation profile. Neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) is known to control the survival of neurons, the function of synapses, and the release of neurotransmitters, while also stimulating axon plasticity and growth. We examined the effects of whole-body vibration (WBV) and forms of assisted locomotor therapy, such as passive flexion-extension (PFE) therapy, at the neuronal level after SCI, with a focus on changes in NT-3 expression and on microglia/macrophage reaction, as they play a major role in the reconstitution of CNS integrity after injury and they may critically account for the observed structural and functional benefits of physical therapy. More specifically, the WBV therapy resulted in the best overall functional recovery when initiated at day 14, while inducing a decrease in Iba1 and the highest increase in NT-3. Therefore, the WBV therapy at the 14th day appeared to be superior to the PFE therapy in terms of recovery. Functional deficits and subsequent rehabilitation depend heavily upon the inflammatory processes occurring caudally to the injury site; thus, we propose that increased expression of NT-3, especially in the dorsal horn, could potentially be the mediator of this favorable outcome.

Exact Solutions of One Nonlinear Countable-Dimensional System of Integro-Differential Equations

In the present paper, a nonlinear countable-dimensional system of integrodifferential equations is investigated, whose vector of unknowns is a countable set of functions of two variables. These variables are interpreted as spatial coordinate and time. The nonlinearity of this system is constructed from two simultaneous convolutions: first convolution is in the sense of functional analysis and the second one is in the sense of linear space of double-sided sequences. The initial condition for this system is a doublesided sequence of functions of one variable defined on the entire real axis. The system itself can be written as a single abstract equation in the linear space of double-sided sequences. As the system may be resolved with respect to the time derivative, it may be presented as a dynamical system. The solution of this abstract equation can be interpreted as an approximation of the solution of a nonlinear integro-differential equation, whose unknown function depends not only on time, but also on two spatial variables. General representation for exact solution of system under study is obtained in the paper. Also two kinds of particular examples of exact solutions are presented. The first demonstrates oscillatory spatio-temporal behavior, and the second one shows monotone in time behavior. In the paper typical graphs of the first components of these solutions are plotted. Moreover, it is demonstrated that using some procedure one can generate countable set of new exact system’s solutions from previously found solutions. From radio engineering point of view this procedure just coincides with procedure of upsampling in digital signal processing.

Exercise therapy guides cortical reorganization after midthoracic spinal contusion to enhance control of lower thoracic muscles, supporting functional recovery

Postural control is critical for locomotion, allowing for gait changes, obstacle avoidance and navigation of rough terrain. A major problem after spinal cord injury (SCI) is regaining the control of balance to prevent falls and further injury. While the circuits for locomotor pattern generation reside in the spinal cord, postural control consists of multiple, complex networks that interact at the spinal, brainstem and cortical levels. After complete SCI, cortical reorganization establishes novel control of trunk musculature that is required for weight-supported stepping. In this study, we examined the impact of exercise therapy on cortical reorganization in the more clinically relevant models of both moderate and severe midthoracic contusion injury in the rat. Results demonstrate that both spontaneous recovery and therapy induced recovery of weight-supported stepping utilize cortical reorganization. Moreover, exercise therapy further improves outcome by enhancing cortical control of lower thoracic muscles enabling improvements in interlimb coordination associated with improved balance that increases weight-supported stepping. The outcome of this study suggest that cortical control of posture is key to functional improvement in locomotion. This information can be used to improve the timing and type of therapy after SCI by considering changes along the entire neural axis.

Impaired Endosome Maturation Mediates Tubular Proteinuria in Dent Disease Cell Culture and Mouse Models.

Loss of function of the 2Cl - /H + antiporter ClC-5 in Dent disease causes an unknown impairment in endocytic traffic, leading to tubular proteinuria. The authors integrated data from biochemical and quantitative imaging studies in proximal tubule cells into a mathematical model to determine that loss of ClC-5 impairs endosome acidification and delays early endosome maturation in proximal tubule cells, resulting in reduced megalin recycling, surface expression, and half-life. Studies in a Dent mouse model also revealed subsegment-specific differences in the effects of ClC-5 knockout on proximal tubule subsegments. The approach provides a template to dissect the effects of mutations or perturbations that alter tubular recovery of filtered proteins from the level of individual cells to the entire proximal tubule axis. Loss of function of the 2Cl - /H + antiporter ClC-5 in Dent disease impairs the uptake of filtered proteins by the kidney proximal tubule, resulting in tubular proteinuria. Reduced posttranslational stability of megalin and cubilin, the receptors that bind to and recover filtered proteins, is believed to underlie the tubular defect. How loss of ClC-5 leads to reduced receptor expression remains unknown. We used biochemical and quantitative imaging data to adapt a mathematical model of megalin traffic in ClC-5 knockout and control cells. Studies in ClC-5 knockout mice were performed to describe the effect of ClC-5 knockout on megalin traffic in the S1 segment and along the proximal tubule axis. The model predicts that ClC-5 knockout cells have reduced rates of exit from early endosomes, resulting in decreased megalin recycling, surface expression, and half-life. Early endosomes had lower [Cl - ] and higher pH. We observed more profound effects in ClC-5 knockout cells expressing the pathogenic ClC-5 E211G mutant. Alterations in the cellular distribution of megalin in ClC-5 knockout mice were consistent with delayed endosome maturation and reduced recycling. Greater reductions in megalin expression were observed in the proximal tubule S2 cells compared with S1, with consequences to the profile of protein retrieval along the proximal tubule axis. Delayed early endosome maturation due to impaired acidification and reduced [Cl - ] accumulation is the primary mediator of reduced proximal tubule receptor expression and tubular proteinuria in Dent disease. Rapid endosome maturation in proximal tubule cells is critical for the efficient recovery of filtered proteins.

Relative Error between Organ Doses and Size-specific Dose Estimates for a Specific Location When the Mean CTDIvol Value Is Used for Calculation

Size-specific dose estimates (SSDEs) are dose indices that account for differences in body shape in computed tomography (CT) scans, allowing the evaluation of approximate absorbed doses in any cross section that could not be obtained with the volume CT dose index (CTDIvol). When using automatic exposure control (AEC), CTDIvol is modulated in the body axis direction, but the value displayed after the examination is the mean CTDIvol for the entire scan, and it is expected that the SSDE value will change depending on which value is used in the calculation. In this study, using a human body phantom, we examined the influence of whether the mean CTDIvol or the modulation value for each slice is used to calculate the SSDE on local organ dose evaluation. A program to calculate water equivalent diameter according to the procedure in the American Association of Physicists in Medicine Report No. 220 was developed and compared. As a result, SSDE calculated using the mean CTDIvol (local-SSDEmean) overestimated organ doses in the lung region by 18%-56% compared with those calculated by a web system for evaluating CT exposure doses (WAZA-ARIv2, Japan). In contrast, local-SSDEmodulated, which was calculated using the modulated value of the CTDIvol, was able to estimate the organ dose with a relative error of 10%-13%. The average local-SSDE over the entire body axis direction was not significantly different between the two methods, regardless of which method was used for CTDIvol. If the mean CTDIvol is stored in the Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) header tag (0018, 9345) of the CT image and the modulated CTDIvol value is not available for each slice, the calculated local SSDE will contain many errors and will not correctly reflect the organ doses at the scan region. In such cases, it is available to use the method of evaluating local organ doses by multiplying the SSDE, which is the average of the SSDE for the entire scan, by a factor for each organ.

Distal Fecal Wash Host Transcriptomics Identifies Inflammation Throughout the Colon and Terminal Ileum

Noninvasive modalities for assessing active endoscopic and histologic inflammation in Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis patients are critically needed. Fecal wash host shed-cell transcriptomics has been shown to be a robust classifier of endoscopic and histologic inflammation in inflammatory bowel disease patients with distal colitis. Whether such fecal washes can inform on inflammatory processes occurring in more proximal intestinal segments is currently unknown. Fifty-nine inflammatory bowel disease patients and 50 controls were prospectively enrolled. Biopsy specimens and fecal washes from the distal colon, proximal colon, and terminal ileum were compared. Host transcriptomics were performed on the biopsy specimens and fecal washes obtained during colonoscopy at predefined locations throughout the colon and terminal ileum and results were associated with concurrent clinical, endoscopic, and histologic parameters. We found that host transcriptomics of distal fecal washes robustly classify histologic inflammation in ileal and proximal colonic Crohn's disease, even without distal colonic involvement (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.94 ± 0.09). We further found that fecal washes consist of modules of co-expressed genes of immune, stromal, and epithelial origin that are indicative of endoscopic disease severity. Fecal wash host transcriptomics also captures expression of gene modules previously associated with a lack of response to biological therapies. Our study establishes the accuracy of distal colonic fecal washes for identifying and scoring inflammatory processes throughout the entire ileal-colonic axis.

Calculation of the mean restoration time, of an item based on the characteristics of the restoration process

The well-known formulas for calculating the mean restoration time (as a mathematical expectation of the restoration time of an item–after-failure operational state) assume that the characteristics of the restoration process are set on the entire time axis. This circumstance makes it difficult to use these formulas in solving engineering problems, since, on the one hand, a specific restoration process is limited by the duration of repair works, and, on the other hand, the approximation of the restoration process over an adjacent infinite period of time after the completion of the repair works is not adequate to the process as observed. Then a problem to solve is to calculate the mean restoration time of an item through the characteristics of the restoration process, knowing the ways they work for a limited period of time, the length of which is determined by (i), the duration of repair works, and (ii), their specific conditions. In this paper, such conditions are considered as some specified level of the gamma-percentile restoration time of an item, as well as the restoration rate of an item, which results from the repair works. The selected characteristics of the restoration process have turned out to be sufficient to solve the task. In this paper, the formulas are proved for calculating the indicator “mean restoration time” based on the functional manifestations of the restoration process characteristics (taking into account the specified gamma-percentile restoration level, and the restoration rate) during the repair works to restore the operational state of an item after failure. The proved formulas are valid for any law of the restorative process. The paper also provides two examples of calculating the mean restoration time. In the first example, the uniform law of the restoration process is considered for the time interval of the item being repaired after failure, and in the second example, its exponential law is under study.