Advances in experimental medicine and biology最新文献

This study aimed to investigate the impact of sepsis on red blood cell (RBC) velocity, diameter, and categories of skeletal muscle capillaries 3-4 h after sepsis onset. Male Wistar rats (9-11 weeks old, n = 14) were randomly classified into sham and cecal ligation and perforation (CLP) groups, respectively. In vivo imaging of capillaries in the spinotrapezius muscle was performed using stain-free videocapillaroscopy. RBC velocity and capillary diameter were analyzed. Capillaries were classified into three groups: (1) continuously flowing capillaries defined as maintaining continuous flow for >30 s; (2) intermittently flowing, showing brief stagnation lasting <10 s; (3) stopped-flow, showing no flow for >10 s during 30 s of observation periods. The number of capillaries in each category is compared between the groups. The RBC velocity of the CLP group was significantly lower than that of the sham group (p = 0.01), but the capillary diameter was not different between the groups. The CLP group showed a trend of a weak negative correlation between capillary diameter and RBC velocity (r² = 0.16, p = 0.08), but the sham group did not. No significant difference was observed between the groups in each capillary category. These results suggest that sepsis decreases RBC velocity in resting skeletal muscle capillaries but has no effect on capillary category or diameter.

The aim of our study was to compare brain tissue net water uptake (NWU), cerebral oxygenation, and microcirculation changes in perilesional penumbra foci (PPF) in moderate isolated traumatic brain injury (moiTBI) patients.

Materials and methods: 77 moiTBI patients (women 35; men 42, age 37 years [34;39]) with unilateral frontal/frontotemporal lesions (Marshall II-III) were included in this retrospective, non-randomized, single-center study. Perfusion parameters were measured in PPF zones and determined using multiphase perfusion computed tomography (PCT) in the first 2 days after trauma and admission. NWU in hypoattenuated perilesional zones was calculated using non-contrast CT. Cerebral oxygenation (SctO₂) was simultaneously measured using near-infrared spectroscopy in the frontal lobes with PCT. Data are shown as a median [interquartile range]. Statistical analysis was performed using nonparametric statistics. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: In PPF, SctO₂ was 64.03% [60.1;67.0], cerebral blood flow (CBF) was 30.6 ml/100 g/min [22.3; 38.7], cerebral blood volume (CBV) was 2 ml/100 g [1.6; 2.5], mean transit time (MTT) was 4.8 s [4.1;5.8], time to peak (TTP) was 21.8 s [20;24.2], NWU was 4.98% [2.21;7.39]. CBF, CBV, and SctO₂ in PPF were significantly lower; MTT was more prolonged than in non-damaged tissue (p < 0.001). Increased NWU values in PPF were significantly correlated with CBV (r = 0.723, p < 0.001); CBF (r = -0.228, p = 0.048), TTP (r 0.225, p = 0.047), and SctO₂ (r = -0.608, p < 0.001). There were no significant correlations between NWU_PPF and MTT.

Conclusions: Brain edema in PPF was significantly associated with cerebral microcirculation and cerebral O₂ saturation disturbances in moiTBI.

Colored light exposure (CLE) is a common occurrence in everyday life. In today's modern society, we are increasingly exposed to various sources of colored light, including advertisements, computer and smartphone displays, energy-saving light bulbs, private settings, and street lighting with LEDs. Therefore, the effects of colored light on human physiology are becoming a subject of growing interest to both the research community and society. To gain a deeper understanding of the complex effects of long-term CLE on the human body, we have conducted a series of pioneering studies (with results published in 16 papers) over the past 8 years using the systemic physiology augmented functional near-infrared spectroscopy (SPA-fNIRS) approach. This approach facilitates concurrent brain activity measurement using fNIRS alongside multiple systemic physiological parameters. Our studies yielded a number of new findings: (i) We discovered the need for both group-level and individual-level analyses to fully understand the effects of CLE on human physiology. (ii) We found that CLE has relatively long-lasting effects on cerebrovascular and systemic physiology in humans. (iii) Yellow and short-wavelength light (i.e., blue and violet) were found to induce higher brain activation in the prefrontal cortex and visual cortex, respectively, compared to other colored lights (e.g., red, orange, and green). (iv) We observed that healthy adults exhibited a range of different types of physiological responses. Machine learning enabled us to classify the response patterns and provide new insights into the common response patterns between subjects. Given the rapid exposure of our society to new and increasing lighting levels, this research's findings are of interest and relevance to the scientific community, medical professionals, and society.

Background: For several years, our research group has been systematically investigating how changes in cerebral hemodynamics as well as systemic physiology can be induced by colored light exposure (CLE). We have observed that these physiological changes can differ between subjects for exactly the same CLE stimulus. In the present case series, we report specific physiological reactivity patterns from four subjects.

Methods: A total of 36 subjects participated in the study. These subjects were exposed to blue and red light while performing a 2-back task. For the present analysis, we selected four subjects as representative examples of distinct response patterns. We simultaneously measured changes in cerebral and systemic physiological parameters using the systemic physiology augmented functional near-infrared spectroscopy (SPA-fNIRS) method. The SPA-fNIRS method included oxygenated hemoglobin ([O₂Hb]) and deoxygenated hemoglobin ([HHb]) in the prefrontal cortex, mean arterial pressure (MAP), end-tidal carbon dioxide (P_ETCO₂), skin conductance level (SCL), and respiration rate (RR).

Results: We identified four distinct patterns of physiological responses. Pattern 1: For all parameters except MAP, the subject's response to blue and red light remained consistent. Pattern 2: Similar to the previous case, there was no significant contrast between red and blue with respect to changes in cerebral hemodynamics. Similar patterns were also detected for P_ETCO₂ and MAP, whereas completely different patterns were found for SCL. Surprisingly, an inverse correlation was found for RR. Pattern 3: Changes in most parameters exhibited mirrored effects. Consistent trends were observed for SCL and RR. Pattern 4: Mirrored patterns were observed for [O₂Hb] and [HHb], the same patterns for P_ETCO₂ and RR, and divergent trends for MAP and SCL.

Conclusions: In our analysis of SPA-fNIRS measurements, we identified four subjects with specific physiological reactivity patterns to a combined CLE and cognitive task. Individual physiological reactivity or physiological constitution should be taken into account when analyzing physiological data on CLE to enable a more adequate interpretation of the results.

The rapid advancement in molecular biology and bioinformatics has enabled the development of sophisticated software tools for protein modeling and optimization. This chapter presents the development and application of a novel software suite, "D³," designed for 3D protein modeling and optimization, utilizing advanced computational techniques. The study provides a comprehensive overview of the methodology, implementation, and results obtained from applying the software in a laboratory environment. The findings demonstrate the effectiveness of the tool in accurately predicting protein structures, paving the way for future applications in drug design and molecular biology research.

The measurement of the long wavelengths of the Earth's gravitational resonances with a high-sensitivity accelerometer as these resonances pass through materials of different densities enables the measurement of the relative concentration levels of organic compounds in biological specimens. This method is demonstrated in the microscale measurement of the physiologically important variables in the Chlorophyta phyla. Future analysis includes the measurement of physiological variables in humans.

Maternal substance use during pregnancy exposes the fetus to pharmacologic effects and creates the potential for dependence and withdrawal in the neonatal period. Opioids cross the placenta and the fetal blood-brain barrier, resulting in prenatal opioid exposure (POE). The binding of opioids to developing opioid receptors disrupts neurologic, gastrointestinal, and autonomic regulation, leading to the development of neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome (NOWS), previously referred to as neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS). The impact of exposure varies by opioid type, dose, duration, and maternal metabolism, resulting in a wide spectrum of neonatal symptoms and severity.In response to the rising incidence of NOWS during the heroin epidemic, scoring systems, including the Finnegan scale, were developed to guide diagnosis and treatment. Infants with POE whose Finnegan scores reached a particular threshold were treated with pharmacologic therapy (typically morphine), which required a prolonged taper. A more recently defined approach, the Eat, Sleep, Console method, focuses on functional well-being rather than a numeric score. Current best practice for management emphasizes non-pharmacologic interventions such as caregiver presence, skin-to-skin care, and a low-stimulation environment, and reserves pharmacologic therapy for severe symptoms.While short-term effects of POE are well documented, including prolonged hospitalization and feeding challenges, long-term neurodevelopmental and behavioral outcomes remain under investigation. Further research is essential to refine screening, optimize management strategies, standardize care, and address social and health disparities affecting families impacted by POE.

There are only few reports in the literature regarding McLeod Syndrome and cardiomyopathy and all of them are referred to adults with neurological symptoms and hyperCKemia. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a neurologically asymptomatic 14-year-old male adolescent with hyperCKemia and dilated cardiomyopathy, due to McLeod syndrome. In our patient, the documentation of clinical suspicion of McLeod syndrome was achieved by genetic assessment. Our clinical awareness guided the decision to perform a cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) evaluation although the echocardiogram was normal. The lack of neurological symptoms can be attributed to the young age of the patient, since neurological symptoms usually start from 25 to 60 years of age. However, nothing is known about the age of cardiomyopathy development. Again, there is no evidence from the literature that dilated cardiomyopathy can precede the development of neurological symptoms. There is only one case in the literature presenting the coexistence of dilated cardiomyopathy, due to myocarditis and McLeod syndrome, but in our patient no history of myocarditis was identified and the CMR showed lack of myocardial oedema, indicative of myocarditis.

Given the lack of relevant research, the goal of this paper is to present longitudinal data regarding electroencephalograms (EEGs) and financial capacity for amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) patients in order to examine if there are specific EEG indicators that may reveal financial capacity deficits. A detailed neuropsychological and financial capacity assessment along with EEGs was performed at three time points (baseline, 6-month retest, and 12-month retest). Strong statistically significant correlations were found exclusively for the group of aMCI patients with the lowest financial capacity performance (F1 group) between neuropsychological test performance and EEG recordings. EEGs differentiate aMCI patients into two groups: those with high financial capacity performance and those who fail in financial capacity. For the second group, EEGs measurements can be a promising source of information for predicting those aMCI individuals who need assistance in this complex cognitive domain and in order to prevent financial exploitation.

In this chapter, we review the current literature that focuses on the role of Sonic hedgehog (Shh) signaling, a major morphogenic pathway regulating embryonic development, in the pathology of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), caused by prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE). Ethanol exposure disrupts Shh signaling during development across a range of species including in mice, chick, and zebrafish. Ethanol appears to interfere with Shh signaling through multiple mechanisms, both direct and indirect, including reduced Shh ligand production, impaired post-translational processing, and inducing apoptosis in Shh-expressing cells during gastrulation. These disruptions result in a spectrum of developmental defects characteristic of FASD, such as craniofacial abnormalities, brain malformations, and limb deformities. Genetic susceptibility to PAE is linked to mutations in Shh pathway components. Activation of Shh signaling, genetically or pharmacologically, has been effective in mitigating ethanol-induced defects. This chapter also examines the teratogenic effects of cannabinoids (CBs) and ethanol, which synergistically disrupt Shh signaling. CBs directly interact with Smoothened, a key Shh receptor, amplifying developmental defects when combined with ethanol exposure. This chapter details the critical role of Shh signaling in embryogenesis and its vulnerability to environmental teratogens such as ethanol and CBs.