Adult neurogenesis in the primate hippocampus.

Adult hippocampal neurogenesis (AHN) is crucial for learning, memory, and emotion. Deficits of AHN may lead to reduced cognitive abilities and neurodegenerative disorders, such as Alzheimer's disease. Extensive studies on rodent AHN have clarified the developmental and maturation processes of adult neural stem/progenitor cells. However, to what extent these findings apply to primates remains controversial. Recent advances in next-generation sequencing technologies have enabled in-depth investigation of the transcriptome of AHN-related populations at single-cell resolution. Here, we summarize studies of AHN in primates. Results suggest that neurogenesis is largely shared across species, but substantial differences also exist. Marker gene expression patterns in primates differ from those of rodents. Compared with rodents, the primate hippocampus has a higher proportion of immature dentate granule cells and a longer maturation period of newly generated granule cells. Future research on species divergence may deepen our understanding of the mechanisms underlying adult neurogenesis in primates.

Development and characterization of polymorphic microsatellite markers in Cyclobalanopsis glauca (Fagaceae).

PREMISE OF THE STUDY: We isolated and characterized polymorphic microsatellite loci in Cyclobalanopsis glauca (Fagaceae), an evergreen broadleaved monoecious tree, to provide tools for analyzing parentage and mating system. METHODS AND RESULTS: Thirteen polymorphic microsatellite markers were developed and tested in three C. glauca populations. The number of alleles per locus varied from two to 22. The observed and expected heterozygosities within populations were 0.000-0.967 and 0.033-0.949, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: These polymorphic primers showed high levels of polymorphism within tested populations, and can be used in parentage analysis and mating system estimation of C. glauca.

Genome sequence determination and analysis of a Chinese virulent strain, LMS, of Gallid herpesvirus type 2.

Marek's disease (MD) is a neoplastic and neurodegenerative disease of chickens, which is caused by the Gallid herpesvirus type 2 (GaHV-2). Although vaccination has been used widely in China, MD still occurs frequently. Some molecular epidemiologic studies have shown that Chinese GaHV-2 isolates seem to constitute a separate clade from strains isolated from other regions. However, more of a genomic background of the Chinese strains is necessary. In 2007, a virulent GaHV-2 field strain, named LMS, was isolated from diseased chicken flocks in the southwest of China. The whole genome sequence of LMS was determined to evaluate its genetic property. The genome of LMS is 177,526 bp long, and 197 open reading frames (ORFs) were predicted. Most of the ORFs have high sequence identity with homologous ORFs of reference strains. Two regions in the LMS genome are grossly different from other strains: the α-like region and the latency-associated transcripts (LATs) promoters. Evolutionary analysis demonstrated that LMS has a larger phylogenetic distance from most American isolated strains but a closer relationship with 648Ap80 and the European pC12/130 strain. The characterised genome of LMS provides further insight into the genetics of the Chinese GaHV-2 field strains, which is useful for the control of MD in China.

Worker Characteristics and Measures Associated With Patient and Visitor Violence in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multilevel Regression Analysis From China.

Objective: To analyze the patient and visitor workplace violence (PVV) toward health workers (HWs) and identify correlations between worker characteristics, measures against violence and exposure to PVV in COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: A cross-sectional survey utilizing the international questionnaires in six public tertiary hospitals from Beijing in 2020 was conducted, and valid data from 754 respondents were collected. Multilevel logistic regression models were used to determine the association between independents and exposure to PVV. Results: During COVID-19 pandemic and regular epidemic prevention and control, doctors were 5.3 times (95% CI = 1.59~17.90) more likely to suffer from physical PVV than nurses. HWs most frequently work with infants were 7.2 times (95% CI = 2.24~23.19) more likely to suffer from psychological PVV. More than four-fifth of HWs reported that their workplace had implemented security measures in 2020, and the cross-level interactions between the security measures and profession variable indicates that doctors in the workplace without security measures were 11.3 times (95% CI = 1.09~116.39) more likely to suffer from physical PVV compared to nurses in the workplace with security measures. Conclusion: Doctors have higher risk of physical PVV in COVID-19 containment, and the security measures are very important and effective to fight against the physical PVV. Comprehensive measures should be implemented to mitigate hazards and protect the health, safety, and well-being of health workers.

Microsatellite primers for vulnerable seagrass Halophila beccarii (Hydrocharitaceae).

PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Polymorphic microsatellite primers were developed in the vulnerable seagrass Halophila beccarii to investigate genetic variation and provide necessary markers for studying its population genetic structure. METHODS AND RESULTS: Six polymorphic and six monomorphic microsatellite loci were developed in H. beccarii. Most loci were successfully amplified across 40 H. beccarii individuals collected from three populations from coastal regions of southern China. Two to four alleles per locus were observed at the six polymorphic loci. The highest expected heterozygosity was 0.5737. CONCLUSIONS: The results demonstrate low levels of polymorphism in H. beccarii from coastal regions of southern China. They also illustrate that these primers may be useful for studying the mating system and population genetics of H. beccarii on a global scale.

A set of microsatellite primers for Zostera japonica (Zosteraceae).

PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Polymorphic microsatellite primers were developed in the seagrass Zostera japonica to investigate genetic variation and to identify clonal structure. • METHODS AND RESULTS: Thirteen polymorphic loci and 23 monomorphic loci were developed in Z. japonica. Two to 13 alleles per locus were observed at the polymorphic loci across 57 individuals of two Z. japonica populations. The observed and expected heterozygosities within populations ranged from 0.0000 to 1.0000 and from 0.0000 to 0.8542, respectively. • CONCLUSIONS: Our study showed high-level polymorphism at the polymorphic loci in Z. japonica. These primers would be a powerful tool to study genetic variation, clonal structure, and mating systems.

Inhibition of iNOS alleviates cognitive deficits and depression in diabetic mice through downregulating the NO/sGC/cGMP/PKG signal pathway.

Diabetes mellitus often results in a number of complications involving impaired brain function, including cognitive deficits and depression. However, the potential mechanisms for diabetes-related cognitive deficits and depression are not fully understood. Neurons in the hippocampal, cortical and amygdala functional regions are more susceptible to damage during hyperglycemia. Neuroprotection in the brain can rescue cognitive deficits and depression induced by hyperglycemia. This study investigated the potential mechanisms underlying diabetes-related congnitive deficits and depression, determined whether the inflammatory factor inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and the nitric oxide (NO)/soluble guanylyl cyclases (sGC)/cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)/protein kinase G (PKG) pathway, play key roles in cognitive deficits and depression associated. In the present study, diabetic animal models were induced by streptozotocin (STZ, 150mg/kg) in mice, and aminoguanidine (AG), a selective inhibitor of iNOS, was given by intraperitoneal injection for 10 weeks. Blood glucose, activities of NOS and the levels of NO in serum and brain regions were measured. The spatial memory was detected using the Morris water maze test, depressive behavior was evaluated by the tail suspension test (TST), forced swimming test (FST), closed field test (CFT) and open field test (OFT). We also detected neuronal survival and cleaved caspase-3 positive ratios in three brain regions and the levels of iNOS, sGC, cGMP and PKG in hippocampus and frontal cortex. Data indicated that diabetic mice exerted impairments in spatial memory, decreased locomotor activity and increased immobile time in diabetic mice. In addition, diabetic mice had significantly decreased surviving neuronal density and showed signs of obvious neuronal injury in the hippocampus, frontal cortex and amygdala. iNOS overexpression and its associated signaling pathway NO/sGC/cGMP/PKG in the hippocampus and frontal cortex were implicated during hyperglycemia. However, AG improved the behavior disorders, reduced the activity of iNOS, protected nerve cells and inhibited the level of iNOS, sGC, PKG and cleaved caspase-3 in the hippocampus and cortex. These results suggested that iNOS/NO/sGC/cGMP/PKG signal pathway is a key feature of cognitive deficits and depression associated with diabetes. AG ameliorated cognitive deficits and depression in diabetic mice by exerting anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective effects by suppressing iNOS-associated signaling pathways.

Microsatellite primers for Halophila ovalis and cross-amplification in H. minor (Hydrocharitaceae).

UNLABELLED: • PREMISE OF THE STUDY: Polymorphic microsatellite primers were developed in the seagrass Halophila ovalis to investigate genetic variation. • METHODS AND RESULTS: Ten polymorphic microsatellite loci were developed in Halophila ovalis. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 12 across 80 H. ovalis individuals. These loci were successfully amplified in H. minor, and four were monomorphic across 30 individuals. • CONCLUSIONS: These results from four H. ovalis populations and one H. minor population show the broad utility of microsatellite loci in future studies of population genetics. Four distinct alleles were present in H. minor but absent in H. ovalis, indicating potential divergence between them.