Cranial Suture Regeneration Mitigates Skull and Neurocognitive Defects in Craniosynostosis

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Influence of egg vitamin A status and egg incubation temperature on subsequent development of the early vertebral column in Atlantic salmon fry

The effect of egg vitamin A (VA) status and egg incubation temperature on the development of spinal disorders was investigated in Atlantic salmon Salmo salar fry. Atlantic salmon eggs were sorted into two groups with high VA (3·3 ± 0·1 μg retinol g⁻¹ dry mass) and low VA (2·2 ± 0·3 μg retinol g⁻¹ dry mass) status before fertilization and incubated at high (14° C) or low (8° C) temperature from 133 day degrees until the onset of feeding. High egg incubation temperatures increased the concentration of retinol in the eggs: the high VA and high temperature group displayed a significantly higher retinol concentration than the high VA and low temperature group ( P  = 0·001). After hatching, all experimental groups increased their retinol concentration. The source of the increased retinol levels was probably retinal, although astaxanthin may also be a VA precursor after hatching. Atlantic salmon fry incubated at high temperatures had increased amounts of notochord tissue. When measuring morphogenic activity in the notochord using the expression of sonic hedgehog ( shh , mRNA), however, no significant difference was found between the experimental groups. No clear effect of VA status or incubation temperature could be found on the formation of the early vertebral column although Atlantic salmon fry incubated at low temperatures had less regular constrictions of the prospective vertebral column than fry incubated at high temperatures.     

Effects of neem-treated aphids as food/hosts on their predators and parasitoids

Abstract:  Experiments were conducted in the laboratory and in greenhouses. Of three neem preparations sprayed upon eggs, only neem oil (NO) exerted a negative impact on the hatching rate of Coccinella septempunctata and Chrysoperla carnea . First instar larvae of Episyrphus balteatus proved to be highly susceptible, when feeding 24 h on aphids sprayed with neem kernel water extract (NKWE). First instar larvae of C. septempunctata showed a very high mortality when feeding on aphids sprayed with different neem preparations. Aphid feeding and live span was reduced. When NKWE had been applied to the soil, the mortality of larvae of E. balteatus and C. septempunctata were lower, when feeding on aphids. Second instar larvae of C. septempunctata were far less susceptible when feeding 48 h on neem-sprayed aphids than first instars; the time of their development was prolonged, and aphid consumption reduced. Larvae of C. carnea proved to be less susceptible, when feeding on neem-sprayed aphids, than E. balteatus and C. septempunctata . In C. carnea , however, significant influences were also observed in aphid consumption, time of development, mortality, longevity, and rate of deformity. NO, containing a very low concentration of azadirachtin A, had stronger negative effects than NeemAzal-T/S^®, in all observations. In the parasitoid Diaeretiella rapae , NKWE application to the soil induced negative reactions, when aphids on these plants were parasitized: low percentage parasitization, lowered mummy weight, low emergence rate of adults of F1 and even of F2. Foliar sprays of NKWE had less severe effects in this parasitoid species. The results are discussed with regard to their theoretical and practical significance.     

Polydactyly in the Strong's luxoid mouse is suppressed by limb deformity alleles

The study of limb development has provided insight into pattern formation during vertebrate embryogenesis. Genetic approaches offer powerful ways to identify the critical molecules and their pathways of action required to execute a complex morphogenetic program. We have applied genetic analysis to the process of limb development by studying two mouse mutants, limb deformity (Id) and Strong's luxoid (Ist). These mutations confer contrasting phenotypic alterations to the anteroposterior limb pattern. The six mutant Id alleles are fully recessive and result in oligosyndactyly of all four limbs. By contrast, the two mutant Ist alleles result in a mirror-image polydactylous limb phenotype inherited in a semidominant fashion. Morphological and molecular analysis of embryonic limbs has shown that the Id and Ist alleles affect the extent and distribution of two key signaling centers differentially: the apical ectodermal ridge and the zone of polarizing activity. Molecular characterization of the Id gene has defined a new family of evolutionarily conserved proteins termed the formins. The underlying molecular defect in the Ist mutation has not been identified; however, both loci are tightly linked on mouse chromosome 2, suggesting the possibility that they may be allelic. In this study, we have used genetic analysis to examine the epistatic and allelic relationships of Id and Ist. We observed that in + Id/Ist + double heterozygotes, a single mutant Id allele is able to suppress the semi-dominant polydactylous Ist limb phenotype. By segregating the Ist and Id loci in a backcross, we observed that these loci recombine and are separated by a genetic distance of approximately 6 cM. Therefore, while our observations demonstrate a genetic interaction between Id and Ist, it is probable that Id and Ist are not allelic. Instead, Ist and Id may be operating either in a linear or in a parallel (bypass) genetic pathway to affect the limb signaling centers. © 1996 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

盐度对条石鲷胚胎发育的影响

为了确定条石鲷胚胎孵化的适宜盐度,在试验水温为23.0℃～25.2℃条件下,设置了8个盐度组进行条石鲷胚胎孵化试验,研究了盐度对条石鲷胚胎发育的影响。结果表明:低盐度和高盐度对胚胎有持续性伤害,均可造成胚胎和卵黄球在卵裂期收缩而死亡,一部分胚胎在原肠期之后收缩死亡;低盐度可造成初孵仔鱼畸形率增加,主要引起仔鱼脊柱"L"形和"C"形弯曲,而高盐度可导致胚体胚孔关闭以后尾部的畸形发育;通过分析各盐度组的孵化率、仔鱼畸形率和盐度之间的关系,得出健康仔鱼比例(PHL)和盐度(S)的关系式为PHL=-0.0018S2-0.1135S-0.8853(R2=0.948),以PHL70%为适宜孵化盐度范围,以PHL90%为最适孵化盐度范围,由此确定在23.0℃～25.2℃条件下,条石鲷的适宜孵化盐度范围为21～42(PHL70%),最适为30～33(PHL90%)。     

内侧开放楔形胫骨高位截骨术治疗膝关节内翻畸形的疗效及对术后下肢力线和创伤应激的影响

摘要 目的：对比内侧开放楔形胫骨高位截骨术（OWHTO）、人工全膝关节置换术（TKA）治疗膝关节内翻畸形的疗效及对术后下肢力线和创伤应激的影响。方法：回顾性分析贵州医科大学附属医院2020年3月~2022年1月期间接收的膝关节内翻畸形患者临床资料,共计75例。根据手术方案的不同分为OWHTO组（n=40）和TKA组（n=35）。对比两组围术期指标、视觉疼痛模拟评分（VAS）评分、美国特种外科医院（HSS）膝关节评分、膝关节活动度（ROM）、应激指标和术后下肢力线改变情况。结果：OWHTO组手术时间、切口长度短于TKA组,术中出血量、住院费用少于TKA组（P<0.05）。OWHTO组术后1个月VAS评分低于TKA组,ROM、HSS膝关节评分高于对照组（P<0.05）。OWHTO组术后3 d、术后7 d血清皮质醇（COR）、促肾上腺皮质激素（ACTH）水平低于TKA组（P<0.05）。两组术后6个月股胫角（FTA）下降,髋-膝-踝角（HKA）升高（P<0.05）。两组术后6个月FTA、HKA组间对比差异不显著（P>0.05）。两组并发症发生率组间对比未见差异（P>0.05）。结论：OWHTO、TKA这两种治疗方案治疗膝关节内翻畸形,具有相当的疗效,均可有效改善下肢力线,但OWHTO的创伤小、应激程度轻。     

Seasonal influence on head capsule deformities in Chironomus zealandicus (Hudson) (Diptera: Chironomidae)

The natural incidence of deformities in the head capsules of Chironomus zealandicus was investigated at four lake sites in the central North Island (New Zealand) in summer (December) of 1994, 1995 and 1996, and winter (June) of 1995 and 1996. Significant differences were observed in deformities between sites and seasons. Individuals from Hamurana Stream, a relatively clean site, had the lowest incidence of deformities. However, there were still significant numbers of deformed chironomids. The incidence of deformity increased in summer in larvae from all sites except Hamurana Stream. No seasonal differences were observed in larvae from Hamurana Stream. There are indications that substrate type, season and genetic factors, as well as sediment chemistry may have collectively contributed to the incidence of head capsule abnormalities in C. zealandicus.     

Characterization of Scale Abnormalities in Pinfish, Lagodon rhomboides, from Biscayne Bay, Florida

Correlations between marine habitat degradation and the prevalence of abnormalities and diseases in populations can provide a starting point for understanding the effects of changes in environmental conditions on marine organisms. The present study characterized the features of scale disorientation (SD), a common morphological anomaly encountered in pinfish, Lagodon rhomboides, in Biscayne Bay, Florida (U.S.A.). Scale disorientation consisted of discrete patches of scales rotated dorsally or ventrally away from the normal scale position without any projection of the scales outwards from the body surface. The direction of scale growth within the patches varied from normal to a minor misalignment to a complete reversal of direction. The severity of SD, defined as the percentage of body surface area affected, varied from 1 to 34% with a mean of 9.3%. Affected fish monitored in the laboratory demonstrated a proportional growth of SD areas such that the percentage of body surface affected did not change as the fish grew. Scale disorientation was more prevalent in the northern region of the bay, an area known to be more contaminated. Scales from SD areas exhibited significantly abnormal morphology with larger average focus diameter, smaller size, more elongate shape and fewer radii relative to normal scales. Experimental removal of scales demonstrated that normal scales regrew in normal orientation and morphology while those from SD areas regrew in abnormal orientations and morphologies. Experiments in which fish were exposed to acute and chronic injuries indicated that these physical traumas were insufficient to directly induce formation of scale disorientations typical of those seen in the wild. Observations of pinfish in the laboratory revealed that SD areas can appear spontaneously in normal juvenile and adult fish. These new SD areas developed relatively rapidly, did not require prior scale loss and remained stable in size after first appearance. Although the etiology of SD remains unknown, the significant difference in prevalence of this syndrome between regions of Biscayne Bay having different levels of sediment contaminants suggests that environmental factors may be important in development of SD.     

A hybrid image processing system for X-ray images of an external fixator

In the field of orthopaedics, treatment of extremity deformities can be realised by means of external fixators. However, control of such biomedical system is very difficult. Some different mathematical models have been developed to improve quality of this service. Most of the parameters, which are used in these models, have been obtained from two orthogonal X-ray images: one from anteroposterior, AP, direction and the other from a lateral, L, direction. The quality of the results of this model is dependent on the accuracy of the input parameters. Measuring these parameters is a time-consuming issue, and the accuracy of the results is also low. To increase the quality of the measurement, the reference points should be chosen from the edges of the biomedical system, and it is important to find the edges without noise. To achieve this purpose, Sobel edge detector, binary large object analysis, thresholding and inverting are applied as image processing steps. The results are compared with manual measurement values which have been obtained earlier. The results show that semi-automatic measurement of the parameters is more accurate and faster than manual measurement. It shows that the efficiency of the fixator method has been improved.