To date, a large number of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have been conducted in schizophrenia, which generally demonstrate gray matter reduction, predominantly in the frontal and ...temporo‐limbic regions, as well as gross brain abnormalities (e.g., a deviated sulcogyral pattern). Although the causes as well as timing and course of these findings remain elusive, these morphologic changes (especially gross brain abnormalities and medial temporal lobe atrophy) are likely present at illness onset, possibly reflecting early neurodevelopmental abnormalities. In addition, longitudinal MRI studies suggest that patients with schizophrenia and related psychoses also have progressive gray matter reduction during the transition period from prodrome to overt psychosis, as well as initial periods after psychosis onset, while such changes may become almost stable in the chronic stage. These active brain changes during the early phases seem to be relevant to the development of clinical symptoms in a region‐specific manner (e.g., superior temporal gyrus atrophy and positive psychotic symptoms), but may be at least partly ameliorated by antipsychotic medication. Recently, increasing evidence from MRI findings in individuals at risk for developing psychosis has suggested that those who subsequently develop psychosis have baseline brain changes, which could be at least partly predictive of later transition into psychosis. In this article, we selectively review previous MRI findings during the course of psychosis and also refer to the possible clinical applicability of these neuroimaging research findings, especially in the diagnosis of schizophrenia and early intervention for psychosis.
Knowledge of amygdalar and hippocampal development as they pertain to sex differences and laterality would help to understand not only brain development but also the relationship between brain volume ...and brain functions. However, few studies investigated development of these two regions, especially during infancy. The purpose of this study was to examine typical volumetric trajectories of amygdala and hippocampus from infancy to early adulthood by predicting sexual dimorphism and laterality. We performed a cross-sectional morphometric MRI study of amygdalar and hippocampal growth from 1 month to 25 years old, using 109 healthy individuals. The findings indicated significant non-linear age-related volume changes, especially during the first few years of life, in both the amygdala and hippocampus regardless of sex. The peak ages of amygdalar and hippocampal volumes came at the timing of preadolescence (9-11 years old). The female amygdala reached its peak age about one year and a half earlier than the male amygdala did. In addition, its rate of growth change decreased earlier in the females. Furthermore, both females and males displayed rightward laterality in the hippocampus, but only the males in the amygdala. The robust growth of the amygdala and hippocampus during infancy highlight the importance of this period for neural and functional development. The sex differences and laterality during development of these two regions suggest that sex-related factors such as sex hormones and functional laterality might affect brain development.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
The mollusk shell is a hard tissue consisting of calcium carbonate crystals and an organic matrix. The nacre of the shell is characterized by a stacked compartment structure with a uniformly oriented ...c axis of aragonite crystals in each compartment. Using a calcium carbonate-binding assay, we identified an acidic matrix protein, Pif, in the pearl oyster Pinctada fucata that specifically binds to aragonite crystals. The Pif complementary DNA (cDNA) encoded a precursor protein, which was posttranslationally cleaved to produce Pif 97 and Pif 80. The results from immunolocalization, a knockdown experiment that used RNA interference, and in vitro calcium carbonate crystallization studies strongly indicate that Pif regulates nacre formation.
Anomalous patterns of brain gyrification have been reported in major psychiatric disorders, presumably reflecting their neurodevelopmental pathology. However, previous reports presented conflicting ...results of patients having hyper-, hypo-, or normal gyrification patterns and lacking in transdiagnostic consideration. In this article, we systematically review previous magnetic resonance imaging studies of brain gyrification in schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depressive disorder, and autism spectrum disorder at varying illness stages, highlighting the gyral pattern trajectory for each disorder. Patients with each psychiatric disorder may exhibit deviated primary gyri formation under neurodevelopmental genetic control in their fetal life and infancy, and then exhibit higher-order gyral changes due to mechanical stress from active brain changes (e.g., progressive reduction of gray matter volume and white matter integrity) thereafter, representing diversely altered pattern trajectories from those of healthy controls. Based on the patterns of local connectivity and changes in neurodevelopmental gene expression in major psychiatric disorders, we propose an overarching model that spans the diagnoses to explain how deviated gyral pattern trajectories map onto clinical manifestations (e.g., psychosis, mood dysregulation, and cognitive impairments), focusing on the common and distinct gyral pattern changes across the disorders in addition to their correlations with specific clinical features. This comprehensive understanding of the role of brain gyrification pattern on the pathophysiology may help to optimize the prediction and diagnosis of psychiatric disorders using objective biomarkers, as well as provide a novel nosology informed by neural circuits beyond the current descriptive diagnostics.
The shells of Pinctada fucata are composed of CaCO3 and several organic molecules. The organic molecules containing chitin and proteins play a significant role in shell mineralization. Nacrein was ...the most abundant acid-soluble protein in the nacreous layer of P. fucata. Nacrein has a carbonic anhydrase (CA) domain that catalyzes the reversible conversion of CO2 to HCO3-. A nacre powder (NP) directly obtained from the crushed shells of P. fucata showed CA activity (Km=3.44 mM and kcat/Km=920 M−1 s−1). Furthermore, the powder was thermally stable at temperatures over 70 °C and was reusable after the 10th cycle of catalysis. Fluorescence detection showed that nacrein was exposed on the surface of the powder. This result suggested that nacrein was localized on the powder surface and provided CA activity to the powder. The shell of P. fucata is a readily available material because it is industrial waste in the pearl aquaculture. Recently, CA has attracted attention as a promising material for CO2 sequestration to mitigate global warming. We propose the use of NP as a reasonable and competitive biocatalyst for CO2 sequestration.
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•Nacre powder (NP) was obtained by crushing industrial waste shell of Pinctada fucata.•Carbonic anhydrase activity (CA) was identified in NP.•NP was thermally stable enzyme at temperatures over 70 °C.•NP was reusable after 10 cycles of catalysis.•CA was displayed on the surface of NP and provided CA activity to it.
Three bacterial strains, KC07075, KC07079 and KC07084
, were isolated from the oral cavity of cats in 2007 in Japan. These strains were Gram-negative rods, exhibited gliding motility, grew in air ...with 5 % CO
, and showed oxidase activity, but not catalase activity. The 16S rRNA gene sequences of the three strains were 100 % identical. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain KC07084
showed 92.1 and 91.9% identity to the type strains of
and
, respectively, and showed 89.3-91.6% identity to other
species. The major cellular fatty acids of strain KC07084
were iso-C
(58.4 %) and summed feature 11 (13.1 %). The G+C content of DNA from strain KC07084
was 33.7 mol%, and the genome size was 2.92 Mbp. Strains KC07075, KC07079 and KC07084
showed digital DNA-DNA hybridization values (dDDH) values of 99.9 % and average nucleotide identity (ANI) values of 99.98 % with each other, strain KC07084
had dDDH values of 18.7-28.2 % and ANI values of 67.12-72.30 % to the type strains of other
species. All known species of the genus
inhabiting the oral cavity of dogs and cats have catalase activity, but the three strains, including type strain KC07084
, lacked catalase activity. These results of the phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequence, biochemical characteristics, and dDDH and ANI values suggest that strain KC07084
represents a novel species. We propose the name
sp. nov., with KC07084
as the type strain (=JCM 32682
=DSM 107252
).
Abstract
Several types of shell matrix proteins (SMPs) have been identified in molluskan shells. Their diversity is the consequence of various molecular processes, including domain shuffling and gene ...duplication. However, the evolutionary origin of most SMPs remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the evolutionary process EGF-like and zona pellucida (ZP) domains containing SMPs. Two types of the proteins (EGF-like protein (EGFL) and EGF-like and ZP domains containing protein (EGFZP)) were found in the pearl oyster, Pinctada fucata. In contrast, only EGFZP was identified in the gastropods. Phylogenetic analysis and genomic arrangement studies showed that EGFL and EGFZP formed a clade in bivalves, and their encoding genes were localized in tandem repeats on the same scaffold. In P. fucata, EGFL genes were expressed in the outer part of mantle epithelial cells are related to the calcitic shell formation. However, in both P. fucata and the limpet Nipponacmea fuscoviridis, EGFZP genes were expressed in the inner part of the mantle epithelial cells are related to aragonitic shell formation. Furthermore, our analysis showed that in P. fucata, the ZP domain interacts with eight SMPs that have various functions in the nacreous shell mineralization. The data suggest that the ZP domain can interact with other SMPs, and EGFL evolution in pterimorph bivalves represents an example of neo-functionalization that involves the acquisition of a novel protein through gene duplication.
The use of technology that uses organisms to synthesize metal nanoparticles is necessary to maintain a sustainable society. In this study, we investigated and screened the microorganisms isolated ...from environmental water by quantifying the reproducibility of synthetic Au nanoparticles and the ability of large amount synthesis. The microorganism (K-142) of the Bacillus genus showed the best activity in the investigation. K-142 can also synthesize Ag, CdS and PbS nanoparticles, and the deposition efficiency of Ag, Al, Cd, Cu, and Pb was about 64.8–99.2%. According to the observation results under the microscope after fluorescent staining, K-142 could survive after being treated with 0.5 mM metal solution for 24 h. Therefore, it is expected that K-142, which is easy to cultivate, would also have a high ability to reduce and deposit metal substances. K-142 can be applied to the concentration and recovery of heavy metals in environmental water, thereby opening up channels for biological water purification.
Organic amorphous films fabricated by vacuum deposition have been widely used in organic light-emitting devices, making use of their high-performance optical and electrical characteristics and taking ...advantage of the easy fabrication of pinhole-free thin smooth layers of a desired thickness. However, random orientation in amorphous films often makes it difficult to utilize their best optical and electrical potential. Here the authors demonstrate that the linear-shaped molecules of fluorescent styrylbenzene derivatives are horizontally oriented in organic amorphous films fabricated by conventional vacuum deposition even when the molecules are doped in an isotropic host matrix film. The longer the molecular length is, the larger the anisotropy of the molecular orientation becomes. The weak interaction between adjacent molecules and the linear-shaped molecular structure probably cause the horizontal orientation. The fact that the horizontal molecular orientation occurs on any underlying layers shows the high versatility of the horizontal orientation for various applications. Their findings will provide a new guideline for molecular designs that can be used to improve optical and electrical characteristics of organic optoelectronic devices, such as organic light-emitting diodes and organic laser devices.
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