Ventral Lobe Research Articles

Duplication and expression patterns of CYCLOIDEA-like genes in Campanulaceae

BackgroundCYCLOIDEA (CYC)-like transcription factors pattern floral symmetry in most angiosperms. In core eudicots, two duplications led to three clades of CYC-like genes: CYC1, CYC2, and CYC3, with orthologs of the CYC2 clade restricting expression dorsally in bilaterally symmetrical flowers. Limited data from CYC3 suggest that they also play a role in flower symmetry in some asterids. We examine the evolution of these genes in Campanulaceae, a group that contains broad transitions between radial and bilateral floral symmetry and 180° resupination (turning upside-down by twisting pedicle).ResultsWe identify here all three paralogous CYC-like clades across Campanulaceae. Similar to other core eudicots, we show that CamCYC2 duplicated near the time of the divergence of the bilaterally symmetrical and resupinate Lobelioideae. However, in non-resupinate, bilaterally symmetrical Cyphioideae, CamCYC2 appears to have been lost and CamCYC3 duplicated, suggesting a novel genetic basis for bilateral symmetry in Cyphioideae. We additionally, utilized qRT-PCR to examine the correlation between CYC-like gene expression and shifts in flower morphology in four species of Lobelioideae. As expected, CamCYC2 gene expression was dorsoventrally restricted in bilateral symmetrical flowers. However, because Lobelioideae have resupinate flowers, both CamCYC2A and CamCYC2B are highly expressed in the finally positioned ventral petal lobes, corresponding to the adaxial side of the flower relative to meristem orientation.ConclusionsOur sequences across Campanulaceae of all three of these paralogous groups suggests that radially symmetrical Campanuloideae duplicated CYC1, Lobelioideae duplicated CYC2 and lost CYC3 early in their divergence, and that Cyphioideae lost CYC2 and duplicated CYC3. This suggests a dynamic pattern of duplication and loss of major floral patterning genes in this group and highlights the first case of a loss of CYC2 in a bilaterally symmetrical group. We illustrate here that CYC expression is conserved along the dorsoventral axis of the flower even as it turns upside-down, suggesting that at least late CYC expression is not regulated by extrinsic factors such as gravity. We additionally show that while the pattern of dorsoventral expression of each paralog remains the same, CamCYC2A is more dominant in species with shorter relative finally positioned dorsal lobes, and CamCYC2B is more dominant in species with long dorsal lobes.

Intracerebral electrical stimulation of the right anterior fusiform gyrus impairs human face identity recognition

Brain regions located between the right fusiform face area (FFA) in the middle fusiform gyrus and the temporal pole may play a critical role in human face identity recognition but their investigation is limited by a large signal drop-out in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Here we report an original case who is suddenly unable to recognize the identity of faces when electrically stimulated on a focal location inside this intermediate region of the right anterior fusiform gyrus. The reliable transient identity recognition deficit occurs without any change of percept, even during nonverbal face tasks (i.e., pointing out the famous face picture among three options; matching pictures of unfamiliar or familiar faces for their identities), and without difficulty at recognizing visual objects or famous written names. The effective contact is associated with the largest frequency-tagged electrophysiological signals of face-selectivity and of familiar and unfamiliar face identity recognition. This extensive multimodal investigation points to the right anterior fusiform gyrus as a critical hub of the human cortical face network, between posterior ventral occipito-temporal face-selective regions directly connected to low-level visual cortex, the medial temporal lobe involved in generic memory encoding, and ventral anterior temporal lobe regions holding semantic associations to people's identity.

Pseudogzheloceras—a new genus of Carboniferous nautilids (Cephalopoda) from Europe and North Africa

Analysis of morphology, stratigraphic and geographic distribution of the group of nautilid species, mainly from the Westphalian of Western Europe, and the Bashkirian and Moscovian of the Donets Basin (Eastern Ukraine) made it possible to establish a new genus Pseudogzheloceras Dernov, gen. nov. This genus includes tainoceratids with an evolute discoidal conch. The umbilical perforation is present. Cross section of the adult whorls is sub-square or almost rectangular. Surface ornamentation is represented by large transverse ribs on the flanks. Siphuncle is sub-central or is situated between the venter and the centre of the whorl (the position of the siphuncle is not known for the most species). Suture line has ventral, lateral and dorsal lobes; sometimes a lobe or saddle is present on the umbilical area. The new genus differs from the genus Gzheloceras by the sub-square or almost rectangular whorls cross section and coarser surface ornamentation. Pseudogzheloceras Dernov, gen. nov. is distinguished from the genus Parametacoceras Miller et Owen, 1934 (Pennsylvanian of North America, Westphalian of Western Europe, Moscovian of the Donets Basin and Moscow Syneclise) by the presence of transverse ribs on the flanks of the body chamber. The new genus includes the following species: Pseudogzheloceras costatum (Hind, 1905) comb. nov., Ps. falcatum (Sowerby in Prestwich, 1840) comb. nov., Ps. rotifer (Salter, 1864) comb. nov., Ps. postcostatum (Bisat, 1930) comb. nov., Ps. donetzense (Kruglov in Librovitch, 1939) comb. nov., Ps. orthocostatum (Kruglov in Librovitch, 1939) comb. nov., Ps. tacitum (Shimansky, 1957) comb. nov., and, possibly, Ps. maklai (Shimansky, 1967) comb. nov. These species had previously belonged to the genera Pleuronautilus, Metacoceras, Huanghoceras, and Gzheloceras. The new genus is known from the Westphalian of Western Europe and North Africa, Pennsylvanian of the Donets Basin and Moscow Syneclise, and possibly the Upper Pennsylvanian of the Fergana Depression. The research results have a great importance for studying the relationships between nautilid faunas of Carboniferous palaeobasins, as well as clarifying the taxonomy and phylogeny of non-ammonoid Carboniferous cephalopods.

Comparing Cortical Demyelination in Geriatric Mild Traumatic Brain Injury and Alzheimer’s Disease

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) accelerates the rate of age-associated brain atrophy, whose pattern resembles the cortical neurodegeneration pattern observed in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Because the ratio R of T1-to-T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) intensities is a surrogate measure of cortical myelin concentration, mapping and quantifying changes in this ratio can improve our understanding of demyelination after geriatric mTBI and AD. T1- and T2-weighted MRIs were acquired acutely and ~6 months post-injury from 68 healthy controls (HCs, age (years, y): μ = 76 y, σ = 4 y), 19 mTBIs (age μ = 70 y, σ = 5 y), and 33 ADs (age μ = 77, σ = 6). Volumes were co-registered using 3D Slicer’s BRAINSFit module, and T2-constrained segmentations of T1 volumes were obtained using FreeSurfer. R and its time changes were computed at each cortical location. When comparing mTBI and AD patients to HCs, significant differences in R were found across ~10% and ~23% of the cortex, respectively (p < 0.05). When comparing mTBI to AD, the former exhibited significantly less myelin content in the lateral, medial, and ventral temporal lobes (p < 0.05), on the medial aspects of superior parietal lobules and superior frontal gyri (p < 0.05), and in orbital gyri (p < 0.05), whereas AD subjects had less myelin content on lateral aspect of the parietal lobe (p < 0.05). These results highlight demyelination differences in mTBI and AD. Future studies should examine the long-term trajectories to quantify the risk of neurodegenerative disease after mTBI.

Morphometric Analysis of Rat Prostate Development: Roles of MEK/ERK and Rho Signaling Pathways in Prostatic Morphogenesis.

The molecular mechanisms underlying prostate development can provide clues for prostate cancer research. It has been demonstrated that MEK/ERK signaling downstream of androgen-targeted FGF10 signaling directly induces prostatic branching during development, while Rho/Rho-kinase can regulate prostate cell proliferation. MEK/ERK and Rho/Rho kinase regulate myosin light chain kinase (MLCK), and MLCK regulates myosin light chain phosphorylation (MLC-P), which is critical for cell fate, including cell proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. However, the roles and crosstalk of the MEK/ERK and Rho/Rho kinase signaling pathways in prostatic morphogenesis have not been examined. In the present study, we used numerical and image analysis to characterize lobe-specific rat prostatic branching during postnatal organ culture and investigated the roles of FGF10-MEK/ERK and Rho/Rho kinase signaling pathways in prostatic morphogenesis. Prostates exhibited distinctive lobe-specific growth and branching patterns in the ventral (VP) and lateral (LP) lobes, while exogenous FGF10 treatment shifted LP branching towards a VP branching pattern. Treatment with inhibitors of MEK1/2, Rho, Rho kinase, or MLCK significantly inhibited VP growth and blocked branching morphogenesis, further supporting critical roles for MEK/ERK and Rho/Rho kinase signaling pathways in prostatic growth and branching during development. We propose that MLCK-regulated MLC-P may be a central downstream target of both signaling pathways in regulating prostate morphogenesis.

Protective effect of the association of curcumin with piperine on prostatic lesions: New perspectives on BPA-induced carcinogenesis

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical agent which can exert detrimental effects on the male reproductive system, especially the prostate gland. In this study we described the efficacy of the dietary agent curcumin, alone or combined with piperine, to suppress the impact of BPA on the prostate. Adult gerbils were divided into nine experimental groups (n = 7 each group), regarding control (water and oil), exposed to BPA (50 μg/kg/day in water) or curcumin (100 mg/kg) and/or piperine (20 mg/kg). To evaluate the effects of the phytotherapic agents, the other groups received oral doses every two days, BPA plus curcumin (BCm), piperine (BP), and curcumin + piperine (BCmP). BPA promoted prostatic inflammation and morphological lesions in ventral and dorsolateral prostate lobes, associated with an increase in androgen receptor-positive cells and nuclear atypia, mainly in the ventral lobe. Curcumin and piperine helped to minimize these effects. BPA plus piperine or curcumin showed a reduction in nuclear atypical phenotype, indicating a beneficial effect of phytochemicals. Thus, these phytochemicals minimize the deleterious action of BPA in prostatic lobes, especially when administered in association. The protective action of curcumin and piperine consumption is associated with weight loss, anti-inflammatory potential, and control of prostate epithelial cell homeostasis.

NCOG-17. FACTORS INFLUENCING POOR INDEPENDENCE LEVEL FOLLOWING RESECTION OF THE RIGHT TEMPORO-PARIETAL GLIOBLASTOMAS

Abstract In glioma surgeries, cognitive outcomes for the dominant hemisphere have gained much attention compared to the non-dominant hemisphere. For non-dominant hemispheric glioblastomas, we previously observed decreased independence level following glioblastoma resection of the posterior temporal to the parietal lobes. Here, we investigated the reason for the poor Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) in such glioblastomas. A total of 41 patients with resection of the right cerebral hemispheric primary glioblastoma were enrolled for the study. Several kinds of neuropsychological functions and KPS of the brain regions were evaluated at pre- and postoperative 3 months by performing the Spearman’s correlation analysis and voxel-based lesion symptom mapping (VLSM). Additionally, the correlation between the resected volume of each gyrus or white matter tract and neuropsychological function score was analyzed. KPS at chronic phase (73.6) declined significantly compared with preoperation (81.0, p = 0.020). Functional factors influencing the KPS were general cognitive function, visuospatial cognition, emotion recognition, executive function, and apathy. The VLSM analysis revealed that the resection of the ventral parietal lobe and supramarginal gyrus (VPL-SMG) resulted in significantly poor KPS. Among the functional factors affecting KPS, VPL-SMG resection contributed to significantly lower scores in visuospatial cognition, emotion recognition, and apathy than those without resection (p = 0.0045, 0.047, and 0.0002, respectively). Further, we investigated whether the damage of the VPL-SMG could result in KPS related functional deficit. We found visuospatial cognition related to the posterior occipital lobe, SMG, arcuate fasciculus (AF), and dorsal superior longitudinal fasciculus, emotion recognition to the middle to inferior occipital gyrus and AF, and apathy to the inferior parietal lobe and middle temporal gyrus. We concluded that deficits of visuospatial cognition, emotion recognition, and apathy due to the damage of the cortical and white matter areas, including the VPL-SMG, were responsible for KPS of the non-dominant hemispheric glioblastomas.

Histological features of the spleen and pancreas of the Egyptian Nile monitor lizard (Varanus niloticus)

The present study investigated the histological features of the spleen and pancreas of the Egyptian Nile monitor lizard (Varanus niloticus). After gross observations the representative samples were collected from three adult male monitor lizards and were processed for histological examination. Grossly, the spleen was brownish in color and embedded in the mesentery near the stomach and pancreas. The pancreas was yellowish in color and consisted of a ventrally placed principal lobe which was pyramidal and extended in the mesentery, whereas the dorsally located splenic lobe was small and was attached to the spleen. a single duct was emerged from the pancreas. Histologically, the spleen was nodular and was encapsulated by the connective tissue capsule covered by mesothelium. it was composed of white and red pulps. Many ellipsoids, melano-macrophage centers, periarterial and periellipsoidal lymphatic sheaths (PALS and PELS; respectively) were observed. The pancreas demonstrated a thicker capsule covered by mesothelium and the exocrine portion was formed of tubule-acinar cells. Main pancreatic duct passed across the length of the pancreas and was lined by stratified cuboidal epithelium. The Islets were found in the ventral lobe where it was in various sizes. This is the first report about the histological structure of the spleen and pancreas of the Egyptian Nile monitor lizard, where the spleen showed a unique structure while the pancreas was similar to what was described in other varanus species. The information in this study will be a baseline knowledge for future studies regarding endocrine or immune organs in this species.

Screening of anti-chronic nonbacterial prostatitis activity of different extractions of the aerial part of Glycyrrhiza uralensis, and network pharmacology research.

In the present study, anti-chronic nonbacterial prostatitis (CNP) pharmacological experiments using water and ethanol extraction of the aerial parts of Glycyrrhiza uralensis were performed to select the best active parts by comparing their efficacy in a CNP model established by injecting carrageenin into the ventral lobe of rat prostate. The anti-CNP activities and expression of serum inflammatory factors in rats were also analyzed. A Protein-Protein Interaction network was constructed, and core targets were screened using topology and analyzed using Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes. Water and ethanol extraction exhibited good inhibitory effect on the pathological changes of the prostate tissue, the expression of inflammatory factors and fibrosis factors in CNP rats, whereas no differences were observed compared with the positive control drug. Water extraction was more effective and significantly reduced PGE2 expression (P<0.05). Network pharmacology assays showed 15 active components in the aerial part of Glycyrrhiza uralensis, and 9 key CNP therapeutic targets of the aerial parts of Glycyrrhiza uralensis were identified. The effect of water exraction on chronic prostatitis rats was significant. The aerial part of Glycyrrhiza uralensis downregulated the levels of inflammatory factors and inhibited proinflammatory gene transcription, reduced oxidative stress response, inhibited cell survival pathways, regulated sex hormone levels, prevented immunostimulation and attenuated inflammation. This study provides a theoretical reference for the development of anti-CNP agents, and offers a novel methodology for identifying and clarifying the mechanisms underlying the efficacy of the anti-CNP components in the aerial part of Glycyrrhiza uralensis.

A new species of Kohleria (Gesneriaceae) from Southwestern Colombia

A new species of Kohleria (Gesneriaceae) is described from the Colombian Andes, in the departments of Huila and Cauca. The new species, Kohleria huilensis, has long been documented from the Merenberg Natural Reserve (La Plata, Huila), but has been confused with K. inaequalis var. inaequalis and K. inaequalis var. ocellata. The new species is distinguished by the following characters: white sericeous and sparse villous indumenta on vegetative structures; calyx lobes elongate with revolute margins; corolla magenta to fuchsia, ventral lobe orbicular with apex truncate; filaments hirsute with glandular trichomes distally; and staminodes &lt; 2.8 mm long.

PD11-04 LOSS OF OSTEOPONTIN LEADS TO THE RESOLUTION OF E. COLI-INDUCED PROSTATIC INFLAMMATION AND FIBROSIS

You have accessJournal of UrologyBenign Prostatic Hyperplasia: Basic Research & Pathophysiology (PD11)1 Sep 2021PD11-04 LOSS OF OSTEOPONTIN LEADS TO THE RESOLUTION OF E. COLI-INDUCED PROSTATIC INFLAMMATION AND FIBROSIS Petra Popovics, Asha Jain, Francesca Van, Hannah Ruetten, Mark Cadena, Kristen S. Uchtmann, Chad M. Vezina, and William A. Ricke Petra PopovicsPetra Popovics More articles by this author , Asha JainAsha Jain More articles by this author , Francesca VanFrancesca Van More articles by this author , Hannah RuettenHannah Ruetten More articles by this author , Mark CadenaMark Cadena More articles by this author , Kristen S. UchtmannKristen S. Uchtmann More articles by this author , Chad M. VezinaChad M. Vezina More articles by this author , and William A. RickeWilliam A. Ricke More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000001986.04AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Fibrogenic and inflammatory processes in the prostate are linked to the development of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in men, but the molecular mechanism is unknown. We previously established that osteopontin (OPN), a pro-fibrotic cytokine, is more abundant in the prostate of men with LUTS compared to prostate tissue with normal histology. We also identified that OPN secretion is stimulated by inflammatory cytokines in prostate stromal cells and hypothesized that OPN exacerbates the prostatic inflammatory environment. The current study investigates whether the lack of OPN ameliorates inflammation-induced prostatic fibrosis and urinary dysfunction in mice following transurethral instillation of E. coli. METHODS: Uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UTI89) or saline (control) was instilled via a transurethral catheter (OD 0.8, 100 ul) two times, 3 days apart to C57BL/6J (WT) or B6.129S6(Cg)-Spp1tm1Blh/J (OPN-KO) mice. Urinary function was assessed by weekly void spot assays (VSA). Prostatic collagen was visualized with picrosirius red (PSR) staining and inflammation by immunohistochemistry of the pan-leukocyte marker CD45. RNA-Seq analysis was performed from the ventral prostate lobe. RESULTS: Urinary frequency significantly increased (2.05-fold, p=0.0097) 33 days after E. coli instillation in WT but not in OPN-KO mice. One week after infection, the ventral and dorsal prostate lobes were significantly inflamed (more CD45 cells) and collagen fibers were thicker in both WT and OPN-KO mice. In contrast, 2 months after instillation, OPN-KO mouse prostates contained significantly less total collagen and inflammation compared to WT mice. RNAseq analysis identified that E. coli-instilled WT mice expressed more inflammatory and fibrotic marker RNAs, such as Col3a1, Il1b, MMP3, Mmp7 and Cxcl12 than OPN-KO mice. CONCLUSIONS: Our results show that by preventing the inflammation-related increase in OPN levels, mice undergo accelerated recovery from fibrosis and do not develop chronic inflammation. This suggests that drugs targeting OPN signaling could be beneficial for LUTS patients whose symptoms are primarily linked to fibrosis. Source of Funding: The study was supported by an NIH NIDDK K01 (K01DK127150) and a K12 award (K12DK100022-06, both to PP) and by U54 DK104310 (to WAR and CMV) © 2021 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 206Issue Supplement 3September 2021Page: e198-e199 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2021 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Petra Popovics More articles by this author Asha Jain More articles by this author Francesca Van More articles by this author Hannah Ruetten More articles by this author Mark Cadena More articles by this author Kristen S. Uchtmann More articles by this author Chad M. Vezina More articles by this author William A. Ricke More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement Loading ...

PD11-10 PROSTATE-SPECIFIC DELETION OF Cdh1 IN MICE MIMICS PROSTATIC PERFUSION OF BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA (BPH) PATIENTS

You have accessJournal of UrologyBenign Prostatic Hyperplasia: Basic Research & Pathophysiology (PD11)1 Sep 2021PD11-10 PROSTATE-SPECIFIC DELETION OF Cdh1 IN MICE MIMICS PROSTATIC PERFUSION OF BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA (BPH) PATIENTS Pradeep Tyagi, Laura Pascal, Lesley Foley, Robin Frederick, T. Kevin Hitchens, Anthony Kanai, Naoki Yoshimura, and Zhou Wang Pradeep TyagiPradeep Tyagi More articles by this author , Laura PascalLaura Pascal More articles by this author , Lesley FoleyLesley Foley More articles by this author , Robin FrederickRobin Frederick More articles by this author , T. Kevin HitchensT. Kevin Hitchens More articles by this author , Anthony KanaiAnthony Kanai More articles by this author , Naoki YoshimuraNaoki Yoshimura More articles by this author , and Zhou WangZhou Wang More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1097/JU.0000000000001986.10AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Although BPH is an age-related comorbidity of cardiovascular disease and hypertension, the investigation into the direction of the relationship will require animal models. Recently, the downregulation of E-cadherin in hyperplastic nodules of BPH patients was mechanistically linked to the prostatic inflammation and vascular defects by the recapitulation of BPH phenotype following deletion of E-cadherin gene (Cdh1-/- ) in prostatic epithelium of adult mouse (Endocrinology 2021; 162(1) : bqaa212). Since the injected T1 shortening agent, Gadobutrol only resides in vascular and extracellular space, we enquired the effect of Cdh1-/-on dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI). METHODS: Tamoxifen injection at 7 weeks of age generated PSA-CreERT2/Cdh1-/- mice and then anaesthetized 21-23 weeks old Cdh1-/- and wild type controls (n=3) were injected Gadobutrol 0.1mm/kg for T1 weighted DCE-MRI of prostate in 9 axial slices with number of excitations (NEX)=1 and temporal resolution of 12s in voxel size of 0.156x0.156x0.8mm3 at small animal 7T scanner followed by Masson’s trichome staining. RESULTS: Although ventral lobes of Cdh1-/- mice were similar in size to age matched controls, the kinetic modelling of DCE-MRI (repetition TR/echo time TE - 200/5.23ms) determined that clearance of Gadobutrol was four fold slower from ventral lobe of Cdh1-/- mice with efflux rate constant Kep of 0.17±1.48 min-1 vs 0.88±0.08 min-1 in controls. The prostate permeability metric, Kep of Cdh1-/- mice is determined by the widened and elongated venules (# telangiectasia) and the higher density of collagen (blue stain) in ventro/lateral lobes on Masson's trichrome staining, which retains the Gadobutrol even 30min after injection to increase T1 contrast more than adjacent dorsal lobes and ventral lobe of control mice in high resolution post-contrast images (TR/TE 2000/20ms; NEX=4). CONCLUSIONS: The link between the vascular defects and expanded extracellular space of prostate in Cdh1-/- mice with the slower clearance of Gadobutrol implicates a bidirectional relationship between prostatic inflammation and prostatic vasculature defects that are characteristic of BPH. Findings suggest that E-cadherin downregulation could be a driving force in human BPH development and progression. Source of Funding: UPMC Hillman Pilot Funding; DK112079; CA211242 © 2021 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 206Issue Supplement 3September 2021Page: e201-e202 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2021 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Pradeep Tyagi More articles by this author Laura Pascal More articles by this author Lesley Foley More articles by this author Robin Frederick More articles by this author T. Kevin Hitchens More articles by this author Anthony Kanai More articles by this author Naoki Yoshimura More articles by this author Zhou Wang More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement Loading ...

Review of the genus Cavatorium Dlabola, 1980 (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Issidae), with description of a new species from Iran.

Examination of the materials on Cavatorium dumetorum (Dlabola, 1981), including the type specimens, revealed that Dlabola (1981) based his description of this species on mixed type series. C. dumetorum sensu stricto is clearly distinguished by male anal tube with latero-apical processes and ventral phallobase lobe narrowing apically. Another species, externally close to C. dumetorum, but well recognized by male anal tube without processes and ventral phallobase lobe not narrowing apically, is described as new basing on the paratypes of C. dumetorum and other material available. C. dumetorum is re-described and a key to species of the genus is provided.

Redefinition of the sexstrigatus group of Lasioglossum (Hemihalictus) Cockerell, 1897 (Hymenoptera, Apoidea, Halictidae), with a revision of Japanese species

I propose a redefinition of the sexstrigatus group of Lasioglossum (Hemihalictus) Cockerell, 1897, including a phylogenetic analysis. This group is characterised by a combination of the following 12 characteristics: male antenna short, not attaining to metasoma, male labrum with distal process and well-developed basal elevation, male head with genal process as variation, female mesepisternum reticulate-punctate on lower area, mesepisternum without tubercle in both sexes, female metasomal terga with distinct fimbriae on posterior margin, male S8 with well-developed median process, gonobase ventral arm of male genitalia connected with each other at upper ends, gonocoxite of male genitalia smooth, gonostylus of male genitalia small and simple, bud-like, and the ventral retrorse lobe of male genitalia not attaining to gonobase. The Japanese species of the sexstrigatus group are revised. Thirteen species in total are recognised, including three new species: Lasioglossum (Hemihalictus) ikudomei sp. nov., L. (H.) spectrum sp. nov., and L. (H.) subsimplicior sp. nov. Lasioglossum (Hemihalictus) perplexans (Cockerell, 1925) is synonymised under L. (H.) kiautschouense (Strand, 1910). A key to the Japanese species is provided. Bionomical data, such as flight and flower records or habitat, are reported for some species. The distributions of all species are mapped. DNA sequences including a part of the barcode region are given for L. (H.) kiautschouense, L. (H.) ohei Hirashima &amp; Sakagami, 1966, L. (H.) speculinum (Cockerell, 1925), L. (H. ) spectrum sp. nov., L. (H. ) subsimplicior sp. nov., and L. (H. ) taeniolellum (Vachal, 1903).

Characteristics of sagittae morphology in seven goby species from the Caspian Sea

In this study the sagitta morphology of seven species of Gobiidae including three species of the genera Neogobius and four Ponticola , inhabiting the southern part of the Caspian Sea was described and analysed. The goal was to investigate the usefulness and efficiency of sagitta for species identification. The morphological analysis was based on four shape indices, roundness (4S/πOL 2 ), rectangularity (S/OL×OW), ellipticity (OL-OW/OL+OW), and aspect ratio (OL/OW). The results indicated that otolith morphology and morphometry can be used as diagnostic characters distinguishing the Caspian Sea gobies. While the overall shape of otoliths differentiated the genera, the differences in the shape of the dorsal rim and development of posterior dorsal and anterior ventral lobes were particularly important for inter-specific distinction. The discriminant analysis could separate the specimens of genus Ponticola and Neogobius with 61% and 82% classification successes, respectively, proves that otolith shape indices were a more efficient tool for discrimination of otoliths in Neogobius than Ponticola species. Cluster analysis based on otoliths shape indices showed two main clusters, one cluster contains Neogobius species with higher roundness values, possessed more rounded shaped otoliths and the other includes Ponticola species with spindle and elongated shaped otoliths, except P. bathybius , recognized P. bathybius and Neogobius melanostomus as more similar taxa. These results were consistent with the phylogeny of these species proposed by recent molecular studies and indicated that otolith characteristics are partly genetically encoded and therefore have phylogenetic signals. The current research revealed a high degree of morphological variability of otolith shape in different species and confirmed its usefulness in Gobiidae taxonomy and phylogeny.

Abstract 2497: Inositol Polyphosphate 4-Phosphatase Type-II B protects mice from benign prostatic hyperplasia

Abstract BPH is the most common tumor-like condition that afflicts more than 50% of men between the ages of 51-60 and over 90% in men older than 80. While connection between obesity and BPH is well established, the driving signaling pathways are not clear. BPH is a nonmalignant enlargement of prostate epithelium that requires androgen receptor (AR) signaling. INPP4B and EZH2 are highly expressed in prostate epithelium where they regulate AR signaling and play an important role in prostate cancer etiology. EZH2 is an epigenetic silencer that methylates histone H3 on K9 and K27 residues and INPP4B is a dual specificity phosphatase that dephosphorylates PI(3,4)P2 and PI(4,5)P2, membrane lipids that activate Akt and PKC signaling pathways respectively. We discovered that Inpp4b-/- male mice develop BPH at 3 months old of age and subsequently prostate intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) when fed high fat diet. While expression of AR in the prostates of these mice is similar, AR activity is reduced. The loss of INPP4B caused reduction in EZH2 protein levels in prostate cancer cell lines and in mouse prostate. Inhibition of Akt and PKC signaling reduced EZH2 levels in ventral and dorsolateral prostate lobes of Inpp4b-/- males, suggesting that INPP4B upregulates EZH2 levels by suppressing Akt and PKC signaling pathways. Consistent with decline in EZH2 levels, Inpp4b-/- males have reduced levels of H3K27me3 and H3K9me2 in the ventral prostate, and high fat diet exacerbated this phenotype. Our data suggests that INPP4B modulates epigenetic profile of prostate epithelium by stabilizing EZH2 levels. Both loss of INPP4B and high fat diet treatment lead to decline in EZH2 levels and activity and contribute to development of BPH in mouse model. Citation Format: Yasemin Ceyhan, Manqi Zhang, Irina U. Agoulnik. Inositol Polyphosphate 4-Phosphatase Type-II B protects mice from benign prostatic hyperplasia [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 2497.

Therapeutic effect of iodised serum milk protein, lycopene and their combination on benign prostatic hyperplasia induced in rats.

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a common chronic disease in ageing men. Synthetic inhibitors of 5α-reductase commonly used in BPH treatment have limited effectiveness and may cause side effects. Evaluation of iodised serum milk protein and lycopene therapeutic effect in rat BPH model was the aim of the present study. BPH was induced in male Wistar rats by surgical castration and subsequent testosterone administrations (25mg/kg, 7 injections). Rats with induced BPH received lycopene (5mg/kg), iodised serum milk protein (200µg/kg) or their combination for 1month daily. The efficacy of the treatment was evaluated by the prostate weight, prostatic index and ventral lobe epithelium thickness. In lycopene and iodised serum milk protein-treated rats, prostate weight and prostatic index were significantly reduced compared to control group; and lycopene and iodised serum milk protein used in combination yielded an additive effect. Thus, further investigation of combined supplementation with micronutrients and plant-derived substances in BPH models may help to find new opportunities or its safe and effective treatment.

Forebrain Response to Breathing in Humans during Awake and Unconscious States

Although the brainstem has long been studied as the site responsible for automatic breathing, little is known about how the forebrain responds to breathing in humans during awake and unconscious states. Here, we tested the hypotheses (1) that forebrain sites will exhibit responses to phases of breathing and (2) these responses will differ based on type of breathing (nasal, oral, or via an endotracheal tube), level of consciousness, and whether the subject is breathing automatically or being mechanically ventilated. We studied five neurosurgical patients undergoing intracranial electroencephalography (IEEG). We recorded respiration using a oral/nasal thermistor, nasal pressure transducer, and chest/abdominal plethysmography belts. Under general anesthesia, additional respiratory measures were obtained using a standard clinical ventilator. Using spectral and bispectrum IEEG analysis, we found that oscillations entrained to the breath phase (inspiration/exhalation) during both nasal and mouth only breathing in numerous cortical and subcortical sites while awake. Interestingly, this entrainment appeared to increase under general anesthesia when the subjects were unconscious and breathing automatically, an effect which was altered when the subjects were mechanically ventilated. The sites that had the most significant entrainment localized to the sensorimotor cortex, ventral frontal lobe, and limbic system. These findings suggest that forebrain oscillations respond to all types of breathing and forebrain entrainment to the respiratory cycle may increase during unconsciousness. This interesting finding may prove critical for a predictive coding model for breathing, which might serve as a defense mechanism to ensure adequate ventilation.

Pesticide Dichlorvos Promotes Morphological Alternations in the Rat Prostate

The complex process of carcinogenesis can be modulated by the action of environmental endocrine disruptors, such as the organophosphate pesticide Dichlorvos (DDVP), capable of interfering in homeostasis of different organs and leading to the development of neoplastic lesions. Considering that prostate cancer is the second most common neoplasm in men, worldwide, it is emphasized the importance of studying morphological alterations using animal models. In rodents, tumor initiation can be induced by the carcinogen N-methyl-N-nitrosourea (MNU) and tumor promotion can be stimulated by the administration of testosterone, combinated or not with the use of pesticides. The present study aimed to evaluate the influence of DDVP on the development of morphological alterations in the ventral prostate of rats, after chemical induction by MNU. Thereunto, 32 Fischer 344 rats, aged 90 days, were randomly separated into four experimental groups: Control, DDVP, MNU, MNU+DDVP. For chemical induction, the MNU and MNU+DDVP groups were inoculated with MNU (15 mg/kg), followed by daily subcutaneous injections of testosterone cypionate (2.5 mg/kg), for 20 days. Animals of the DDVP and MNU+DDVP groups, from 120 to 240 days old, received the basal diet supplemented with 10 mg/kg of DDVP. Subsequent to the experimental period, the prostatic ventral lobe of each animal was collected and subjected to morphometric-stereological and histopathological analysis, for the classification of the lesions found. The incidence of alterations in epithelium and stroma of all experimental groups was evaluated, such as epithelial hyperplasia (increased cell population with stratification, without atypia) (Figure A and B); atrophy (retraction of the epithelium with reduction of the secretory cytoplasm) (Figure C and D); periacinary inflammatory foci (presence of inflammatory cell infiltrate) (Figure E and F); cell atypia with presence of cytoplasmic inclusions (Figure G and H) and metaplasia with stromal hyperplasia (change in the pattern of the original epithelium without proliferative change, with an increase in the adjacent stroma) (Figure I to L). The results showed a significant increase of epithelial hyperplasia areas in MNU and MNU+DDVP groups, with 100% of the animals showing this lesion (Table 1), which demonstrates a relation between chemical induction and the proliferative process. The morphometric-stereological analysis confirmed this finding, revealing a relatively greater volume of the epithelial compartment in MNU+DDVP, compared to the Control group (Table 2). Thus, it can be concluded that DDVP, even in low concentration, associated with chemical induction by MNU, was able to disturb the morphology of the ventral prostate, promoting proliferative epithelial lesions, strongly associated with the process of carcinogenesis.

Effect of Moderate and High Intensity Exercise on Hypoxia and Radiosensitivity in Tumor‐Bearing Rats

Background Prostate tumors typically have hypoxic regions that are resistant to traditional radiation therapy. Prior evidence from our laboratory has demonstrated improved perfusion and reduced hypoxia of prostate tumors with moderate intensity exercise training; such changes have potential to enhance radiation therapy. However, there is a dearth of evidence for the magnitude of alterations of intra-tumor hypoxia markers with exercise, as well as the ideal intensity of exercise for combating hypoxia in solid tumors. Using a pre-clinical orthotopic model of prostate cancer, we tested the hypothesis that exercise training at both moderate and high intensities would result in a decrease in hypoxia assessed via immunohistochemical analysis of hypoxic markers. Further, that enhanced radiotherapy responses would occur in exercise trained tumor bearing animals compared to sedentary counterparts. Methods Immunocompetent male Copenhagen rats aged 6 months (n=48) were injected orthotopically (ventral lobe of prostate) with 1x105 Dunning R-3327 AT-1 prostate adenocarcinoma cells. All animals were first acclimated to treadmill exercise and randomized into three groups: tumor bearing sedentary (TBS, n=20), moderate intensity training, (TBMIT, n=12), or high intensity training (TBHIT, n=16). After 7 days of recovery from surgery, both exercise groups began progressive exercise training on a motorized treadmill at either 20/min with a 5% incline, or 30m/min 15% incline for 10 minutes a day progressing to 60 min/day for TBMIT and TBHIT, respectively, for approximately 5 weeks. Immunohistochemical analysis and whole-body ionizing radiation (2 Gy) were performed at the end of the 5-week period of training followed by clonogenic cell survival assay to assess survival fraction. Results There were no significant differences (p>0.05) in tumor mass between groups (TBS 7.8±1.1; TBMIT 7.2±1.3; TBHIT 6.4±0.9 g). Overall expression levels of hypoxia inducible factor 1-alpha (HIF-1a, n=40) were significantly greater in the TBS group vs both the TBMIT and TBHIT (TBS 37.9±7.4; TBMIT 25.5±6.1; TBHIT 14.4±5.7%, p<0.05), with a trend for increased expression in TBMIT vs TBHIT (p=0.059). The survival fraction (n=8) was also significantly higher in TBS when compared to both TBMIT and TBHIT (TBS 39.9±5.3; TBMIT 23.2±3.2; TBHIT 20.7±4.9%, p<0.05). Conclusion This study suggests that compared to sedentary counterparts, both chronic moderate and high intensity exercise training modify the tumor microenvironment (decreased levels of HIF-1a) favorably. Given exercise therapy is becoming increasingly recommended to mitigate fatigue and increase quality of life in patients, a potential therapeutic component could add to the efficacy of exercise prescription in a clinical setting.