Developmental pattern of the bony tentorium of spider monkeys (Ateles)

Based on their developmental patterns, the bony tentorium (BT) and bony falx (BF) of mammals can be classified into two types, the carnivoran type and the dolphin type. The former develops as part of the skull bones during the fetal period and is already completed at birth, while the latter is gradually formed by ossification in the tentorium cerebelli (TC) and falx cerebri (FC) during the course of aging. The BT of spider monkeys is assigned to the dolphin type.     

骨化三醇联合腹膜透析疗法治疗慢性肾功能衰竭的临床疗效及对患者血清ProGRP、Cysc、Chemerin水平的影响

目的:探讨骨化三醇联合腹膜透析疗法治疗慢性肾功能衰竭的临床疗效及对患者血清Pro-Gastrin-Releasing Peptide (ProGRP)、CystatinC(Cysc)、Chemerin水平的影响。方法:选取我院2017年2月至2018年1月收治的98例慢性肾功能衰竭患者,按照随机数表法将其分为观察组(n=51)和对照组(n=47)。对照组采用腹膜透析疗法治疗,观察组采用骨化三醇联合腹膜透析疗法治疗。观察和比较两组治疗前后肾功能指标尿素氮(blood urea nitrogen,BUN)、血清肌酐(Serum creatinine Cr)、24小时尿蛋白(24 h urinary protein,24 h UP),生化指标白蛋白(albumin,Alb)、血红蛋白(hemoglobin,Hb)及红细胞(red blood cell,RBC),胃泌素释放肽前体(ProGRP)、血清胱抑素(Cys C)、趋化素(Chemerin)水平的变化,6个月、1年生存率及不良反应的发生情况。结果:治疗后,观察组BUN、SCr、24hUP水平均显著低于对照组[(13.95±3.06)mmol/L vs.(21.10±3.85)mmol/L,(260.12±40.32)μmol/L vs.(354.93±51.06)μmol/L,(1.75±0.45)g/24 h vs.(2.67±0.80)g/24 h](P0.05);Alb水平显著低于对照组[(27.85±3.58)g/L vs.(33.06±4.27)g/L](P0.05);Hb、RBC显著高于对照组[(91.72±13.46)g/L vs.(82.36±10.15)g/L,(379.47±92.08)×1012/L vs.(315.70±73.24)×1012/L](P0.05);ProGRP、Chemerin水平显著低于对照组[(49.23±4.72)pg/mL vs.(63.87±7.30)pg/mL,(37.02±6.15)μg/L vs.(30.63±4.81)μg/L](P0.05);Cysc水平显著高于对照组[(80.75±16.08)mL/min vs.(98.81±18.07)mL/min](P0.05);6个月、1年生存率均显著高于对照组[96.08%(49/51) vs. 91.49%(43/47),90.20%(46/51) vs. 74.47%(35/47)](P0.05);不良反应总发生率显著低于对照组[17.65%(9/51) vs. 44.68%(21/47)](P0.05)。结论:骨化三醇联合腹膜透析疗法治疗慢性肾功能衰竭的临床效果显著优于单用,其可有效减轻患者的临床症状,纠正电解质紊乱,改善肾功能和预后,可能与降低血清ProGRP、Chemerin水平及提高血清Cysc水平有关。     

Direct Mouse Trauma/Burn Model of Heterotopic Ossification

Heterotopic ossification (HO) is the formation of bone outside of the skeleton which forms following major trauma, burn injuries, and orthopaedic surgical procedures. The majority of animal models used to study HO rely on the application of exogenous substances, such as bone morphogenetic protein (BMP), exogenous cell constructs, or genetic mutations in BMP signaling. While these models are useful they do not accurately reproduce the inflammatory states that cause the majority of cases of HO. Here we describe a burn/tenotomy model in mice that reliably produces focused HO. This protocol involves creating a 30% total body surface area partial thickness contact burn on the dorsal skin as well as division of the Achilles tendon at its midpoint. Relying solely on traumatic injury to induce HO at a predictable location allows for time-course study of endochondral heterotopic bone formation from intrinsic physiologic processes and environment only. This method could prove instrumental in understanding the inflammatory and osteogenic pathways involved in trauma-induced HO. Furthermore, because HO develops in a predictable location and time-course in this model, it allows for research to improve early imaging strategies and treatment modalities to prevent HO formation.     

The effect of hormones on bone growth is mediated through mechanical stress

Mechanical stresses play a key role in regulating cell growth and cell differentiation. Using mechanical and physiological data available in the literature, we are able to construct a growth curve of a child, which we compare to the standard curve. It appears likely that the impact of hormones on pubertal growth rate sprout followed by growth arrest can be solely explained by increased mechanical stresses. The uptake of hormones by the muscles results in increased mechanical stress on the chondrocyte before and at the puberty, resulting in a peak in growth followed by growth cessation.     

Early development of the self-fertilizing mangrove killifish <Emphasis Type="Italic">Rivulus marmoratus</Emphasis> reared in the laboratory

The mangrove killifish Rivulus marmoratus was reared at 25°±1°C and 17ppt salinity from 0 to 100 days after hatching (DAH), and its early development was described by examining growth and morphometric parameters, meristic characters (vertebral and fin-ray counts), bone-cartilage development, and pigmentation. Growth was isometric for preanal length, head length, snout length, body depth, pectoral-fin length, dorsal-fin length, anal-fin length, and caudal-peduncle depth. Negative allometric growth was observed in eye diameter and gape size. Meristic counts (mean±SD) for vertebrae (34.2±0.4) and dorsal- (8.6±0.5), anal- (11.4±0.5), and caudal-fin rays (30.2±0.8) were complete at 0 DAH (n=5), whereas pectoral-fin rays and pelvic-fin rays were complete by 30 DAH (14.5±0.4, n=5) and 60 DAH (4.2±0.8, n=5). Full ossification of meristic elements proceeded in the following sequence: vertebrae (by 30 DAH), caudal-, dorsal-, and anal-fin rays (by 60 DAH), pectoral-fin rays (between 60 DAH and 100 DAH), and pelvic-fin rays (by 100 DAH). Both morphological characters and meristic counts indicate that this species can be considered to be a juvenile after 9.8mm in standard length (20 DAH).     

Genetic mapping of ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament of the spine.

Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament of the spine (OPLL) is recognized as a common disorder among Japanese and throughout Asia. Estimates of its prevalence are in the range of 1. 9%-4.3%. Although its etiology is thought to involve a multiplicity of factors, epidemiological and family studies strongly implicate genetic susceptibility in the pathogenesis of OPLL. In this study we report an identification of a predisposing locus for OPLL, on chromosome 6p, close to the HLA complex. The evidence for this localization is provided by a genetic-linkage study of 91 affected sib pairs from 53 Japanese families. In this sib-pair study, D6S276, a marker lying close to the HLA complex, gives evidence for strongly significant linkage (P = .000006) to the OPLL locus. A candidate gene in the region, that for collagen 11A2, was analyzed for the presence of molecular variants in affected probands. Of 19 distinct variants identified, 4 showed strong statistical associations with OPLL (highest P = .0004). These observations of linkage and association, taken together, show that a genetic locus for OPLL lies close to the HLA region, on chromosome 6p.     

Occurrence of osteoblast necroses during ossification of long bone cortices in mouse fetuses

Previous investigations concerned with in vitro osteogenesis and mineralization have revealed some indication of a participation of cell necroses in the course of calcification. These observations were confirmed by in vivo investigations on desmoid ossification in fetal mouse calvariae, where abundant necrotic osteoblasts were found at the mineralization border and in the osteoid. In the present study, ossification of long bone cortices from fetal mice was investigated by use of electron microscopy. Specimens obtained from the collection of the Institute of Anatomy, Free University of Berlin (mouse fetuses, forearm; rat fetuses, forearm) were reinvestigated for control purposes. In all cases, mineralization of osteoid was accompanied by cell necroses. Cell degeneration was characterized by swelling of the endoplasmic reticulum and loss of the plasma membrane resulting in freely distributed vesicular structures. Cell debris was incorporated within the mineral. Initially, cell necroses in the perichondrium occurred in the region surrounding the hypertrophic cartilage and the matrix of which showed spots of endochondral mineralization. Necrotic osteoblasts occurred simultaneously with mineralization of the osteoid. During further ossification of the long bone cortices, the number of necrotic cells increased markedly. In addition to necrotic cells, healthy osteoblasts, osteocytes and perichondral tissue were present, indicating that an artifact can be excluded. The importance of cell necroses in the process of mineralization is as yet unclear. Possibly, the cells act as calcium and/or phosphate stores, which are liberated by cell death to increase the amount of mineral constituents at sites of mineralization.     

Molecular regulation of both dietary vitamin A and fatty acid absorption and metabolism associated with larval morphogenesis of Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis)

The present study aimed to deepen the understanding of molecular mechanisms governing the absorption and metabolism of some nutrients, growth and development in larvae of Senegalese sole (Solea senegalensis) fed with Artemia enriched with Easy Selco© (ES, INVE) or Aquagrow Gold© (AGG, ABN), which mainly differed in their vitamin A (VA) content and fatty acid composition. The expression profile of genes involved in VA metabolism (crbp2, rbp, crabp1), lipid transport (i-fabp, l-fabp), nuclear receptors for VA and fatty acids (rarα1, rxrα, pparβ), growth (igf1, igf2 and their receptor igf1r) and development (bgp) was analyzed at 22, 30 and 38 days post hatching. The main results suggested that the amount of VA absorbed by larvae is controlled at the intestinal level by crbp2 in both groups, preventing excessive accumulation of this vitamin in the target tissues. The stable expression of i-fabp in the ES group with age could cause an excessive fat accumulation in the intestine inducing, in turn, the steatosis found in the liver and vascular system of these specimens. In liver, the regulation of rbp and fabp expression reflected the status of the physiological functions demanding VA and lipids. The findings revealed that dietary composition induced different strategies for VA and lipid absorption and metabolism affecting, in turn, larval development, growth and health.     

赤峰兴隆沟遗址人类椎骨疾病的生物考古学研究

对赤峰兴隆沟遗址第一地点出土的人类椎骨上椎体的退行性关节病(DJD)和黄韧带骨化(OLF)进行了生物考古学研究,制订了这两种病症患病程度的分级记录标准,并对患病率和患病程度均值进行了统计分析。对两性的对比发现DJD的差异主要体现在男性颈椎患病较多而女性腰椎患病较多,OLF的主要差异则是男性胸椎患病率显著高于女性。通过与对比组的比较,发现兴隆沟组腰椎、颈椎DJD患病率相对较高,并再次验证了两性患病情况存在的明显差异;兴隆沟组OLF患病率与对比组也有显著差异。兴隆沟组的椎骨患病情况不一定与生业模式有关,只反映了脊柱承受负荷的情况,其差异暗示行为模式上的差异。建议开展其他方面研究以详细了解其行为模式,同时要重视建立统一的古病理研究标准的重要性。     

Ossification in the hand and foot of the pigtail macaque (Macaca nemestrina). II. Order of appearance of centers and variability in sequence

The order of appearance of the carpals, tarsals and secondary epiphyseal centers in the hand-wrist and foot-ankle regions of the fetal and infant pigtail macaque (Macaca nemestrina) was reconstructed using a cross-sectional sample of 127 animals and a longitudinal one of 14 animals. Comparison of the most common sequence in the monkey with that described in the human studies showed major interspecific differences in the order of appearance of several groups of centers, particularly those involving the thumb and great toe. The monkey displays a degree of sequence variability equivalent to that documented by the human longitudinal data, with certain centers markedly variable in timing and/or order of appearance. The evidence from related animals suggests a strong genetic component underlying some of the variable sequences observed, as has been reported in the human studies. The demonstrated variability in both timing and sequence precludes the use of specific centers in the determination of gestational age in fetuses of unknown conception date.