A reconstruction of flood events using scarred trees in the Tatra Mountains, Poland

In this paper we reconstructed flood events in a small mountain stream (6.6 km long, elevation 1100–1950 m a.s.l.) in the Dolina Waksmundzka Valley in the Tatra Mountains in the Western Carpathians. This reconstruction was based on cross-dated flood scars found in Norway spruce trees growing along stream banks. The scars were most likely formed by woody debris and stones transported during flood events. Reconstructed flood years were then compared with climatic records collected at the nearest meteorological station.Fifty-eight scars were cross-dated indicating 17 years with flood events in the period between 1928 and 2005. The large number of reconstructed flood events proves that the Potok Waksmundzki stream discharge can be highly variable. The high mid-summer rainfall (approximately 300 mm or more per month) peaks in June, July, August and this period coincides with some of the flood scar formation. The high winter and spring precipitation (December–May) does not seem to induce floods. The rate of snow melting seems to be more important. The highest number of scars (33%) was formed in dormant season of 1957/1958. In April and May 1958 there was an unusually large difference between mean monthly temperatures, the highest recorded in the twentieth century. This probably led to an abnormally rapid snow melt. No one single climatic factor can be held responsible for all flood events. Intensive mid-summer rainfall as well as rapid snow melting may induce floods in the Dolina Waksmundzka Valley. Cross-dated scars have enabled past flood events to be detected, which are otherwise invisible from climatic data alone.     

Aging impairs the essential contributions of non‐glial progenitors to neurorepair in the dorsal telencephalon of the Killifish Nothobranchius furzeri

The aging central nervous system (CNS) of mammals displays progressive limited regenerative abilities. Recovery after loss of neurons is extremely restricted in the aged brain. Many research models fall short in recapitulating mammalian aging hallmarks or have an impractically long lifespan. We established a traumatic brain injury model in the African turquoise killifish (Nothobranchius furzeri), a regeneration‐competent vertebrate that evolved to naturally age extremely fast. Stab‐wound injury of the aged killifish dorsal telencephalon unveils an impaired and incomplete regeneration response when compared to young individuals. In the young adult killifish, brain regeneration is mainly supported by atypical non‐glial progenitors, yet their proliferation capacity clearly declines with age. We identified a high inflammatory response and glial scarring to also underlie the hampered generation of new neurons in aged fish. These primary results will pave the way to unravel the factor age in relation to neurorepair, and to improve therapeutic strategies to restore the injured and/or diseased aged mammalian CNS.     

Antisense vimentin cDNA combined with chondroitinase ABC reduces glial scar and cystic cavity formation following spinal cord injury in rats

The formation of glial scar and cystic cavities restricts axon regeneration after spinal cord injury. Chondroitin sulphate proteoglycans (CSPGs) are regarded as the prominent inhibitory molecules in the glial scar, and their inhibitory effects may be abolished in part by chondroitinase ABC (ChABC), which can digest CSPGs. CSPGs are secreted mostly by reactive astrocytes, which form dense scar tissues. The intermediate filament protein vimentin underpins the cytoskeleton of reactive astrocytes. Previously we have shown that retroviruses carrying full-length antisense vimentin cDNA reduce reactive gliosis. Here we administered both antisense vimentin cDNA and ChABC to hemisected rat spinal cords. Using RT-PCR, Western blotting and immunohistochemistry, we found that the combined treatment reduced the formation of glial scar and cystic cavities through degrading CSPGs molecules and inhibiting intermediate filament proteins. The modified intra- and extra-cellular architecture may alter the physical and biochemical characteristics of the scar, and the combined therapy might be used to inhibit glial scar formation.     

Differential gene expression in infarct scar and viable myocardium from rat heart following coronary ligation

Post-myocardial infarction (MI) remodeling of cardiac myocytes and the myocardial interstitium results in alteration of gross ventricular geometry and ventricular dysfunction. To investigate the mechanisms of the remodeling process of the heart after large MI, the expression of various genes in viable left ventricle and infarct scar tissue were examined at 16 weeks post-MI. Steady-state expression of Na⁺-K⁺ATPase α-1 and −2, phospholamban (PLB), α-myosin heavy chain (α-MHC), ryanodine receptor (Rya) and Ca²⁺ ATPase (Serca2) mRNAs were decreased in the infarct scar vs noninfarcted sham-operated controls (P < 0.05). On the other hand, Giα2 and β-MHC mRNAs were upregulated (P < 0.05, respectively) in the infarct scar whereas Na⁺-K⁺ ATPase-β, Na⁺-Ca²⁺ exchanger and Gs mRNAs were not altered vs control values. In viable left ventricle, the a-1 subunit of Na⁺-K⁺ATPase, α-3, β-isoforms, Rya, β-MHC, Giα2, Gs and Na⁺-Ca²⁺ exchanger were significantly elevated while expression of the a-2 subunit of Na⁺-K⁺ ATPase, PLB and Serca2 were significantly decreased compared to controls. Expression of CK2α mRNA was elevated in noninfarcted heart (145 ± 15%) and diminished in the infarct scar (66 ± 13%) vs controls. Expression of β-MHC mRNA was elevated in both viable and infarct scar tissues of experimental hearts (140 ± 31% and 183 ± 30% vs. controls, respectively). These results suggest that cardiac genes in the infarcted tissue and viable left ventricle following MI are differentially regulated.     

Assessing spatial variation in browsing history by means of fraying scars

Aim We used fraying scars to understand spatial variation in browsing history. Information on browsing history is an essential background in studies on the long‐term effect of deer browsing on the flora and fauna and of its variation in space. Location We focused on two small neighbouring islands of Haida Gwaii (British Columbia, Canada), Reef Island and South‐Skedans Island, colonized by introduced black‐tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus sitkensis). Methods We searched for sites where trees with fraying scars were clustered. We studied the trees that deer selected (species, size) and the characteristics of scars (number, position, size). Using a cross‐dating procedure, we dated fraying scars with dendrochronology, obtaining an accurate estimate of the year the scar was formed. Results On Reef Island, Thuja plicata was the tree species chosen for fraying. On South‐Skedans Island, where Thuja plicata is missing, deer chose Salix sp. and Alnus rubra. Deer chose only trees with a circumference of less than 50 cm. About two to three fraying scars were recorded per tree. All of them extended between 30–40 and 70–80 cm from the ground and were between 5 and 6 cm in width. On Reef Island, 95% of the scars were formed during the last 50 years. On South‐Skedans Island, 95% were formed over the last 10 years. Age distribution of scars showed a constant increase of the number of scars over time. It indicated that deer had colonized Reef Island 53 years prior to this study but were absent or rare on South‐Skedans Island until 13 years prior to this study. Main conclusions These results indicate different colonization dates and thus different length of browsing histories for the islands studied and provide the historical background necessary to analyse the involvement of deer in the current differences in the flora and fauna observed between islands.     

Yangtzedonta是双壳类吗?

对Yangtzedonta pri mitivaYu模式标本(标本登记号:84430)的化石保存类型进行讨论,确认这应当是一枚单壳瓣实体标本,而非内模标本,由此判断,余汶(1985;Yu,2005)所描述的肌痕实际上是不存在的。所谓的"片状齿突"(余汶,1985)或"片状脊"(Yu,2005)很可能是外来的附加物,并非壳体的组成部分。无论如何,84430标本现有的形态证据尚不足于将它与双壳类联系在一起。     

微小RNA miR-21在皮肤创伤愈合中的研究进展

微小RNA是一类真核细胞中广泛存在的内源性转录后调控分子,其在细胞的增殖、分化、凋亡、迁移等过程中发挥了重要的调控作用。皮肤创伤修复涉及复杂的细胞与分子的相互作用网络。近年来研究表明micro RNAs在皮肤创伤修复中发挥调控作用,引人关注。miR-21作为重要的癌基因是目前研究的最多的miRNAs分子之一,其在皮肤创伤修复中的作用研究也越来越受到重视。研究表明miR-21参与了细胞增殖与迁移、炎症反应、血管生成和细胞外基质合成等重要修复相关事件的调控。因此,阐明miR-21分子在正常皮肤创伤愈合中的作用,厘清miR-21表达失调在修复不足和修复过度中的功能,将深化我们对于皮肤创伤愈合基本理论的认识,并为促进创面愈合与防治修复不足和过度提供潜在的治疗靶点。本文就miR-21分子在正常皮肤创伤修复、慢性难愈性创面和增生性瘢痕中作用的研究进展进行综述展望。     

咪喹莫特调节Th1、Th2细胞相关趋化因子表达抑制兔耳瘢痕增生

目的:免疫因素在增生性瘢痕的发生中起重要作用,本实验研究免疫抑制剂咪喹莫特对兔耳增生性瘢痕组织中辅助性T淋巴(Th)细胞亚群Th1、Th2细胞相关趋化因子CXCL10、CXCL12、CCL2、CCL3、CCL5、CCL7、CCL13表达的影响,探讨咪喹莫特抑制兔耳瘢痕增生的作用机制。方法:选取16只新西兰大耳白兔,雌雄不限。建立兔耳增生性瘢痕模型,每只兔耳腹侧做四个直径为1 cm的圆形创面,每个相距1.5 cm,双侧对称,右耳为咪喹莫特组涂抹5%咪喹莫特软膏,左耳为空白对照组涂抹等量凡士林软膏,待术后14天上皮化均完全后开始涂抹,一日一次,持续一个月。分别于术后第21、28、35、42、49、56、63天同一时间空气栓塞法随机处死2只兔子,收集所有瘢痕标本。另外处死2只健康兔并采集兔耳正常皮肤组织。所有标本行HE染色及Masson三色法染色,观察形态学差异;测量并计算瘢痕增生指数(Scar elevation index,SEI);行Real-time PCR检测CXCL10、CXCL12、CCL2、CCL3、CCL5、CCL7、CCL13的表达。结果:HE及Masson染色可见咪喹莫特组胶原沉积较空白对照组明显减少,SEI显示空白对照组于术后第28天增生程度达到高峰,其增生程度明显高于咪喹莫特组(P0.05);Real-time PCR结果可见咪喹莫特组Th2细胞相关趋化因子CCL2、CCL3、CCL5、CCL7及CCL13表达在各时间点较空白对照组明显降低,Th1细胞相关趋化因子CXCL10、CXCL12的表达在各时间点较空白对照组明显增高(P0.05)。结论:咪喹莫特可通过调节Th1、Th2细胞相关趋化因子的表达来发挥抑制兔耳瘢痕增生的作用。     

Histopathological Study of Healing After Allogenic Mesenchymal Stem Cell Delivery in Myocardial Infarction in Dogs

In this histological study, we assessed the role of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in the healing process that takes place during the subacute phase of myocardial infarction in dogs. Seven days after occlusion of the left anterior descending coronary artery, adult mongrel dogs received 100 × 10⁶ 4′-6-diamidino-2-phenylindole (DAPI)-labeled allogenic bone marrow–derived MSCs by the transendocardial (TE, n=6) and intracoronary (IC, n=4) routes; control dogs (n=6) received no infusion. The dogs were euthanized at 21 days after occlusion. Hearts were excised and sliced from apex to base into four transverse sections, which were divided into nine segments. Paraffin sections from each segment were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, trichrome, picrosirius red, and antibodies against several extracellular matrix components. Frozen sections were immunostained for host cardiac phenotypical markers and analyzed by epifluorescence and deconvolution fluorescence microscopy (DFM). We found less unresolved necrotic myocardium and more extracellular matrix deposition in MSC-treated dogs than in controls 2 weeks after cell delivery. By DFM, no DAPI+ MSC nuclei were observed within native cardiac cells. MSCs delivered during the subacute phase of acute myocardial infarction positively affect healing, apparently by mechanisms other than differentiation into mature native cardiac cells. (J Histochem Cytochem 57:167–176, 2009)     

可调脉宽倍频Nd:YAG激光干预兔耳增生性瘢痕的实验研究

目的:探讨可调脉宽倍频Nd:YAG激光对兔耳增生性瘢痕的治疗作用.方法:制作兔耳增生性瘢痕模型,术后30天对兔耳增生性瘢痕进行可调脉宽倍频Nd:YAG激光干预,观察兔耳瘢痕大体形态和组织病理改变,并采用免疫组化的方法检测兔耳瘢痕治疗前后血管内皮生长因子(vascular endothelial growth factor,VEGF)的表达情况.结果:可调脉宽倍频Nd:YAG激光干预后,兔耳增生性瘢痕出现明显的萎缩,免疫组化检查VEGF表达减弱.结论:可调脉宽倍频Nd:YAG激光可能通过损伤瘢痕组织内的微血管促进兔耳增生性瘢痕萎缩,对早期增生性瘢痕具有治疗作用.