In Silico Design of Heterogeneous Microvascular Trees Using Generative Adversarial Networks and Constrained Constructive Optimization.

OBJECTIVE: Designing physiologically adequate microvascular trees is of crucial relevance for bioengineering functional tissues and organs. Yet, currently available methods are poorly suited to replicate the morphological and topological heterogeneity of real microvascular trees because the parameters used to control tree generation are too simplistic to mimic results of the complex angiogenetic and structural adaptation processes in vivo. METHODS: We propose a method to overcome this limitation by integrating a conditional deep convolutional generative adversarial network (cDCGAN) with a local fractal dimension-oriented constrained constructive optimization (LFDO-CCO) strategy. The cDCGAN learns the patterns of real microvascular bifurcations allowing for their artificial replication. The LFDO-CCO strategy connects the generated bifurcations hierarchically to form microvascular trees with a vessel density corresponding to that observed in healthy tissues. RESULTS: The generated artificial microvascular trees are consistent with real microvascular trees regarding characteristics such as fractal dimension, vascular density, and coefficient of variation of diameter, length, and tortuosity. CONCLUSIONS: These results support the adoption of the proposed strategy for the generation of artificial microvascular trees in tissue engineering as well as for computational modeling and simulations of microcirculatory physiology.

Long-term effects of COVID-19 on endothelial function, arterial stiffness, and blood pressure in college students: a pre-post-controlled study.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 has been shown to have negative effects on the cardiovascular system, but it is unclear how long these effects last in college students. This study aimed to assess the long-term impact of COVID-19 on arterial stiffness, endothelial function, and blood pressure in college students. METHODS: We enrolled 37 college students who had been infected with COVID-19 for more than 2 months. Brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) was used to assess endothelial function, while arterial stiffness was evaluated using the ABI Systems 100, including variables such as ankle-brachial index (ABI), brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), heart rate (HR), and blood pressure (BP). RESULTS: Our results showed that FMD was significantly impaired after COVID-19 infection (p < 0.001), while cfPWV and systolic blood pressure (SBP) were significantly increased (p < 0.05). Simple linear regression models revealed a significant negative correlation between post-COVID-19 measurement time and baPWV change (p < 0.01), indicating an improvement in arterial stiffness over time. However, there was a significant positive correlation between post-COVID-19 measurement time and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) change (p < 0.05), suggesting an increase in BP over time. There were no significant differences in ABI and HR between pre- and post-COVID-19 measurements, and no significant correlations were observed with other variables (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that COVID-19 has long-term detrimental effects on vascular function in college students. However, arterial stiffness tends to improve over time, while BP may exhibit the opposite trend.

2,3:6,7‒Naphthalene bis(dicarboximide) Cyclophane: A Photo‒functional Host for Ambient Delayed Fluorescence in Solution.

Harvesting triplet excitons of heavy atom-free purely organic chromophores under aerated conditions is challenging due to the quenching of long-lived triplet states by molecular oxygen and vibrational dissipation. Herein, we show a supramolecular approach of triplet harvesting via mitigating quenching pathways of a triplet harvester. Specifically, we used a host-guest system based on 2,3:6,7‒naphthalene bis(dicarboximide)-derived cyclophane (NBICy) and carbazole derivative (EtCz). Complexation studies and single-crystal X-ray analysis showed the formation of a rigid host-guest complex (K = ~104 M-1 in CCl4), resulting in triplet-exciton stabilization under aerated conditions via mitigating vibrational interference and oxygen quenching. Photophysical studies elucidate the delayed fluorescence emission from the charge-transfer state (1CT) with a quantum yield (QY) of 6-8% under ambient conditions which increased up to 36 % in an inert atmosphere.

Aerobic exercises regulate the epididymal anion homeostasis of high-fat diet-induced obese rats through TRPA1-mediated Cl- and HCO3- secretion†.

Aerobic exercises could improve the sperm motility of obese individuals. However, the underlying mechanism has not been fully elucidated, especially the possible involvement of the epididymis in which sperm acquire their fertilizing capacity. This study aims to investigate the benefit effect of aerobic exercises on the epididymal luminal milieu of obese rats. Sprague-Dawley male rats were fed on a normal or high-fat diet (HFD) for 10 weeks and then subjected to aerobic exercises for 12 weeks. We verified that TRPA1 was located in the epididymal epithelium. Notably, aerobic exercises reversed the downregulated TRPA1 in the epididymis of HFD-induced obese rats, thus improving sperm fertilizing capacity and Cl- concentration in epididymal milieu. Ussing chamber experiments showed that cinnamaldehyd (CIN), agonist of TRPA1, stimulated an increase of the short-circuit current (ISC) in rat cauda epididymal epithelium, which was subsequently abolished by removing the ambient Cl- and HCO3-. In vivo data revealed that aerobic exercises increased the CIN-stimulated Cl- secretion rate of epididymal epithelium in obese rats. Pharmacological experiments revealed that blocking cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) and Ca2+-activated Cl- channel (CaCC) suppressed the CIN-stimulated anion secretion. Moreover, CIN application in rat cauda epididymal epithelial cells elevated intracellular Ca2+ level, and thus activate CACC. Interfering with the PGHS2-PGE2-EP2/EP4-cAMP pathway suppressed CFTR-mediated anion secretion. This study demonstrates that TRPA1 activation can stimulate anion secretion via CFTR and CaCC, which potentially forming an appropriate microenvironment essential for sperm maturation, and aerobic exercises can reverse the downregulation of TRPA1 in the epididymal epithelium of obese rats.

Effects of regular aerobic exercise on vascular function in overweight or obese older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Overweight and obese older adults have a high risk for developing cardiovascular disease. Aerobic exercise is a valuable strategy to improve vascular health, but the effects of aerobic exercise on vascular endothelial function in obese and overweight older adults remain controversial. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to investigate the effects of aerobic exercise on vascular function in obese and overweight older adults with or without comorbidity. Methods: A systematic literature search for related studies published in English was conducted between January 1989 and October 30, 2022, in the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases. A random effects model was chosen for meta-analysis, which calculated the effect sizes of control and intervention groups after exercise intervention using standardized mean differences (SMDs) corrected for Hedges' g bias and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Results: Twenty-six studies containing 1418 participants were included in the study. After excluding three studies contributing to higher heterogeneity by sensitivity analysis, there are small effects of regular aerobic exercise on vascular function of obese and overweight older adults, including flow-mediated dilation (FMD) [SMD = 0.21, 95% CI (0.02, 0.41), z = 2.16, df = 19, I2 = 52.2%, P = 0.031] and pulse wave velocity (PWV) [SMD = -0.24, 95% CI (-0.46, -0.02), z = 2.17, df = 10, I2 = 8.6%, P = 0.030], and no significant effect was observed on augmentation index (Aix). Subgroup analysis showed small effects of regular aerobic exercise on FMD [SMD = 0.37, 95% CI (0.13, 0.61), z = 3.05, df = 9, I2 = 52.6%, P = 0.002] in the overweight not obese subgroup (25 = BMI <30 kg/m2), but no significant effect on the obese subgroup (BMI ≥30 kg/m2). Regular aerobic exercise for more than 24 weeks improved FMD by small effect sizes [SMD = 0.48, 95% CI (0.04, 0.93), z = 2.12, df = 5, I2 = 56.4%, P = 0.034] and for more than three times per week improved FMD by moderate effect sizes [SMD = 0.55, 95% CI (0.12, 0.98), z = 2.50, df = 3, I2 = 31.1%, P = 0.012] in obese and overweight older adults with or without CVD. Conclusion: In obese and overweight older adults with or without comorbidity, regular aerobic exercise for more than 24 weeks improved FMD by small effect sizes and exercise for more than three times per week improved FMD by moderate effect sizes and regular aerobic exercise reduced PWV by small effect sizes and had no influence on Aix. Taken together, it was recommended that obese and overweight older adults should adhere to regular aerobic exercise, training at least 3 times per week for better results.

Visualizing the spatiotemporal pattern of yolk sac membrane vascular network by enhanced local fractal analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To establish methods for providing a comprehensive and detailed description of the spatial distribution of the vascular networks, and to reveal the spatiotemporal pattern of the yolk sac membrane vascular network during the angiogenic procedure. METHODS: Addressing the limitations in the conventional local fractal analysis, an improved approach, named scanning average local fractal dimension, was proposed. This method was conducted on 6 high-resolution vascular images of the yolk sac membrane for 3 eggs at two stages (E3 and E4) to characterize the spatial distribution of the complexity of the vascular network. RESULTS: With the proposed method, the spatial distribution of the complexity of the yolk sac membrane vascular network was visualized. From E3 to E4, the local fractal dimension increased in 3 eggs, 1.80 ± 0.02 vs. 1.85 ± 0.02, 1.72 ± 0.03 vs. 1.83 ± 0.02, and 1.77 ± 0.03 vs. 1.82 ± 0.02, respectively. The mean local fractal dimension in the most distal area from the embryo proper was the lowest at E3 while the highest at E4. At E3, the most peaks of the local fractal dimension were located in the vein territories and shifted to artery territories at E4. CONCLUSIONS: The spatial distribution of the complexity of the yolk sac membrane vascular network exhibited diverse patterns at different stages. In addition from E3 to E4, the increment of complexity at the intersection areas between arteries and sinus terminalis was with the most advance. This is consistent with the physiologic evidence. The present work provides a potential approach for investigating the spatiotemporal pattern of the angiogenic process.

Activation of TRPV4 stimulates transepithelial K+ secretion in rat epididymal epithelium.

The maturation of sperms is dependent on the coordinated interactions between sperm and the unique epididymal luminal milieu, which is characterized by high K+ content. This study investigated the involvement of transient receptor potential vanilloid 4 (TRPV4) in the K+ secretion of epididymal epithelium. The expression level and cellular localization of TRPV4 and Ca2+-activated K+ channels (KCa) were analyzed via RT-PCR, real-time quantitative PCR, western blot and immunofluorescence. The functional role of TRPV4 was investigated using short-circuit current (ISC) and intracellular Ca2+ imaging techniques. We found a predominant expression of TRPV4 in the corpus and cauda epididymal epithelium. Activation of TRPV4 with a selective agonist, GSK1016790A, stimulated a transient decrease in the ISC of the epididymal epithelium. The ISC response was abolished by either the TRPV4 antagonists, HC067047 and RN-1734, or the removal of basolateral K+. Simultaneously, the application of GSK1016790A triggered Ca2+ influx in epididymal epithelial cells. Our data also indicated that the big conductance KCa (BK), small conductance KCa (SK) and intermediate conductance KCa (IK) were all expressed in rat epididymis. Pharmacological studies revealed that BK, but not SK and IK, mediated TRPV4-elicited transepithelial K+ secretion. Finally, we demonstrated that TRPV4 and BK were localized in the epididymal epithelium, which showed an increased expression level from caput to cauda regions of rat epididymis. This study implicates that TRPV4 plays an important role in the formation of high K+ concentration in epididymal intraluminal fluid via promoting transepithelial K+ secretion mediated by BK.

Pulsatility damping in the microcirculation: Basic pattern and modulating factors.

Blood flow pulsatility is an important determinant of macro- and microvascular physiology. Pulsatility is damped largely in the microcirculation, but the characteristics of this damping and the factors that regulate it have not been fully elucidated yet. Applying computational approaches to real microvascular network geometry, we examined the pattern of pulsatility damping and the role of potential damping factors, including pulse frequency, vascular viscous resistance, vascular compliance, viscoelastic behavior of the vessel wall, and wave propagation and reflection. To this end, three full rat mesenteric vascular networks were reconstructed from intravital microscopic recordings, a one-dimensional (1D) model was used to reproduce pulsatile properties within the network, and potential damping factors were examined by sensitivity analysis. Results demonstrate that blood flow pulsatility is predominantly damped at the arteriolar side and remains at a low level at the venular side. Damping was sensitive to pulse frequency, vascular viscous resistance and vascular compliance, whereas viscoelasticity of the vessel wall or wave propagation and reflection contributed little to pulsatility damping. The present results contribute to our understanding of mechanical forces and their regulation in the microcirculation.

An adaptive fractal model for sublingual microcirculation.

The hemodynamic conditions and partial pressure of oxygen in microcirculation generally indicate the status of tissue perfusion, which provides essential information for the assessment and treatment of critical diseases such as sepsis. The human tongue is known to have abundant microcirculation and is an ideal window to observe the microcirculation. At present, the monitoring of sublingual microcirculation is mostly achieved using handheld vital microscopy (HVM). Microcirculation is organized and works as a network. However, HVM can obtain only limited view of few vessels and is not able to acquire information regarding the entire network. In this work, we proposed a method to construct a mathematical network model of sublingual microcirculation to solve the problems. The proposed method is based on fractal analysis to model and simulate the hemodynamic and functional activities of sublingual microcirculation. Specifically, the HVM technology is used to obtain the partial morphological and hemodynamic data of sublingual microcirculation, and fractal analysis is applied thereafter to establish the hemodynamic model of the network based on the data from few vessels. Further, the adaptive regulation mechanism of microcirculation is introduced to enhance the performance of the model. The model was validated by the experimental data and the results are consistent with the characteristics of microcirculation. The work demonstrates the potential of the proposed method in sublingual microcirculation research and for the further assessment of tissue perfusion.

FSP1 promotes the biofunctions of adventitial fibroblast through the crosstalk among RAGE, JAK2/STAT3 and Wnt3a/ß-catenin signalling pathways.

Emerging evidence indicates that fibroblast-specific protein 1 (FSP1) provides vital effects in cell biofunctions. However, whether FSP1 influences the adventitial fibroblast (AF) and vascular remodelling remains unclear. Therefore, we investigated the potential role and action mechanism of FSP1-mediated AF bioactivity. AFs were cultured and stimulated with FSP1 and siRNA-FSP1 in vitro. Viability assays demonstrated that siRNA-FSP1 counteracted AFs proliferative, migratory and adherent abilities enhanced with FSP1. Flow cytometry revealed that FSP1 increased AFs number in S phase and decreased cellular apoptosis. Contrarily, siRNA-FSP1 displayed the contrary results. RT-PCR, Western blotting and immunocytochemistry showed that FSP1 synchronously up-regulated the expression of molecules in RAGE, JAK2/STAT3 and Wnt3a/ß-catenin pathways and induced a proinflammatory cytokine profile characterized by high levels of MCP-1, ICAM-1 and VCAM-1. Conversely, FSP1 knockdown reduced the expression of these molecules and cytokines. The increased number of autophagosomes in FSP1-stimulated group and fewer autophagic corpuscles in siRNA-FSP1 group was observed by transmission electron microscope (TEM). Autophagy-related proteins (LC3B, beclin-1 and Apg7) were higher in FSP1 group than those in other groups. Conversely, the expression of p62 protein was shown an opposite trend of variation. Therefore, these pathways can promote AFs bioactivity, facilitate autophagy and induce the expression of the proinflammatory cytokines. Contrarily, siRNA-FSP1 intercepts the crosstalk of these pathways, suppresses AF functions, restrains autophagy and attenuates the expression of the inflammatory factors. Our findings indicate that crosstalk among RAGE, STAT3/JAK2 and Wnt3a/ß-catenin signalling pathways may account for the mechanism of AF functions with the stimulation of FSP1.

Investigation into the diversity in the fractal dimensions of arterioles and venules in a microvascular network - A quantitative analysis.

Fractal dimension is a robust fractal parameter for estimating the morphology of vascular networks. It reflects the property of vascular networks that may vary and thus, differentiate between individual networks and/or identify physiological and pathological conditions. As such, fractal dimension differs also between arteriolar and venular compartments, yet the underlying reason is so far unclear. In order to understand the mechanisms behind these differences, we quantitatively analyzed the impacts of vessel attributes on the fractal dimension. Fractal dimension and vessel attributes given by vessel density (VD), vessel length density (VL), and diameter index (DI=VD/VL) were analyzed in three microvascular networks of the rat mesentery, which were reconstructed from experimental data. The results show that differences in diameter between arterioles and venules are primarily responsible for arterio-venous differences in fractal dimension. Moreover, multiple linear regression analysis demonstrates that the sensitivity of the variation of fractal dimension to vessel length and diameter varies with the type of the vessels. While the change of vessel length contributes 57.8 ±â€¯3.4% to the variation of arteriolar dimension, vessel diameter contributes 63.9 ±â€¯4.8% to the variation of venular dimension. The present study provides an explanation for the different fractal dimension and dimension variation in arteriolar and venular compartments. It highlights the importance of estimating the fractal dimensions of arterioles and venules separately, which will enhance the ability of feature extraction by fractal analysis in physiological and clinical application.

Chemerin-induced angiogenesis and adipogenesis in 3 T3-L1 preadipocytes is mediated by lncRNA Meg3 through regulating Dickkopf-3 by sponging miR-217.

PURPOSE: Obesity is often caused by the excess adipogenesis and regulated by long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and microRNAs (miRNAs). We performed this study to investigate the influence of Meg3 expression on adipogenesis and also the Meg3/miR-217/Dkk3 axis-mediated molecular mechanism in adipogenesis and angiogenesis. METHODS: 3 T3-L1 preadipocytes were incubated with chemerin and transfected with Meg3-overexpressing (OE-Meg3) and Dkk3-overexpressing (OE-Dkk3) plasmids, siRNAs, and miR-217 mimics, inhibitor and scrambled sequences for 48 h or 72 h. The changes in cell proliferation, adipogenesis and angiogenesis ability in 3 T3-L1 preadipocytes was detected by using the corresponding assay. The expressions of related proteins were detected via western blot. RESULTS: Chemerin decreased miR-217 expression and increased Meg3 expression, meanwhile promoted the proliferation, adipogenesis and angiogenesis in 3 T3-L1 preadipocytes. Besides, OE-Meg3 exerted the synergistic effect on 3 T3-L1 preadipocytes when co-treated with chemerin. The target interactions between Meg3 and miR-217 as well as between miR-217 and Dkk3 were validated using dual-luciferase reporter system. SiMeg3 antagonized chemerin-induced changes, while the addition of miR-217 inhibitor attenuated siMeg3-induced changes in 3 T3-L1 preadipocytes. The proliferation, adipogenesis and angiogenesis in 3 T3-L1 preadipocytes were suppressed by miR-217 mimics, while promoted by the OE-Dkk3 Chemerin promoted the expression of fatty acid binding protein 4 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) proteins, and decreased the expression of cyclin D1, c-Myc, and ß-catenin proteins. Meanwhile, these effects were further enhanced by OE-Meg3 or OE-Dkk3. However, the transfection of siMeg3, or miR-217 mimics, or siDkk3 reversed the previous changes. CONCLUSIONS: Meg3/miR-217/Dkk3 induced adipogenesis and angiogenesis in 3 T3-L1 preadipocytes via activating VEGF signaling pathway and inhibiting Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway.

A cone-beam computed tomography analysis of angulation and inclination of whole tooth and clinical crown in adults with normal occlusion.

OBJECTIVES: To identify the mesiodistal angulation and faciolingual inclination of whole tooth and clinical crown in Chinese young adults with normal occlusion, by examining CBCT digitalized images. SETTING AND SAMPLE POPULATION: Forty-two volunteers, who presented with normal occlusion and without previous orthodontic treatment, were selected for this study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The subjects were advised to take dental CBCT and the digital images of the dentition were obtained. The widely recognized University of Southern California (USC) root vector analysis was adopted to detect the angulation and inclination of the whole tooth, as well as of the clinical crown. RESULTS: No statistically significant difference was detected between male and female subjects. The fluctuations of the angulation and the inclination of the whole tooth from anterior to posterior in both arches manifested distinctive trends. The changes in maxillary dentition seem relatively marked, whereas those in mandibular dentition show less obvious, demonstrating moderate fluctuation both in angulation or inclination. The angulation and inclination of clinical crown are obtained and are shown positively correlated with that of each whole tooth. CONCLUSIONS: The normal range of the mesiodistal angulation and faciolingual inclination of whole tooth and clinical crown in Chinese adults with normal occlusion are identified. This study could establish clinical standards for designing 3D dental data-based orthodontic appliances for Chinese, and for providing the guidance for orthodontic treatment.

[Tongjingling reduces ROS level and improves mitochondrial function in spermatogenic cells of varicocele rats with liver-qi stagnation].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of the Chinese herbal compound Tongjingling (TJL) on the ROS level, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and mitochondrial ultrastructure in spermatogenic cells in varicocele (VC) rats with liver-qi stagnation (LQS). METHODS: Totally, 72 male SPF Wistar rats were randomly divided into six groups of equal number, sham operation, VC+LQS model, low-, medium- and high-dose TJL, and L-carnitine (LC) control. The VC+LQS model was established by the Saypol method combined with tail-clamping. At 4 weeks after modeling, the rats in the low-, medium- and high-dose TJL groups were treated intragastrically with TJL at 0.6, 1.2 and 2.4 g/ml respectively, those in the sham operation and VC+LQS model groups with 0.9% saline, and those in the LC control group with LC oral liquid at 2.1 ml/kg, qd, for 8 weeks. Then the ROS level and MMP in the spermatogenic cells were measured by flow cytometry and the mitochondrial ultrastructure observed under the transmission electron microscope. RESULTS: The ROS level in the spermatogenic cells was significantly higher in the VC+LQS model and low-dose TJL groups than in the sham operation group (ï¼»62.72 ± 9.90ï¼½% and ï¼»52.25 ± 8.15ï¼½% vs ï¼»36.53 ± 5.25ï¼½%, P < 0.01), but remarkably lower in the medium-dose TJL (ï¼»41.65 ± 4.89ï¼½%), high-dose TJL (ï¼»39.60 ± 5.19ï¼½%) and LC control (ï¼»38.33 ± 7.46ï¼½%) than in the VC+LQS model group (P < 0.01). MMP in the spermatogenic cells was significantly lower in the VC+LQS model and low-dose TJL than in the sham operation group (ï¼»34.80 ± 20.18ï¼½% and ï¼»44.39 ± 19.60ï¼½% vs ï¼»60.24 ± 22.25ï¼½%, P < 0.01 and P < 0.05), but markedly higher in the medium-dose TJL (ï¼»50.62 ± 14.83ï¼½%), high-dose TJL (ï¼»52.42 ± 7.55ï¼½%) and LC control (ï¼»50.75 ± 15.65ï¼½%) than in the VC+LQS model group (P < 0.05). The mitochondria in the spermatogenic cells of the VC+LQS model rats exhibited swelling, vacuolization, rupture or disappearance of the mitochondrial cristae, and breakdown of the internal structure. The pathological injury of the mitochondrial structure was improved in different degrees in the TJL and LC groups. CONCLUSIONS: TJL can reduce the ROS level, increase MMP and improve pathological injury of the mitochondrial ultrastructure in the spermatogenic cells of VC rats with LQS, which may be the underlying molecular mechanism of TJL improving fertility in infertile VC patients.

Severe Class II Division 1 malocclusion in an adolescent patient, treated with a novel sagittal-guidance Twin-block appliance.

Class II malocclusion is a challenging anomaly in orthodontic practice. Various types of functional appliances are used to correct Class II skeletal and occlusal disharmonies in growing patients, including the Twin-block. We used a modified sagittal-guidance Twin-block appliance combined with a fixed appliance and microimplant anchorage to treat a 13-year-old Chinese boy with a severe skeletal Class II malocclusion and mandibular retrognathia. Normal overjet and a Class I molar relationship were achieved because of the advancement of mandibular development, the restriction of maxillary growth, and dentoalveolar modifications in both the maxilla and the mandible. Favorable skeletal, dental, and soft tissue relationships were accomplished after 24 months of treatment. After 2 years of retention, the results remained stable.

A comparative study on the age, growth, and mortality of Gobio huanghensis (Luo, Le & Chen, 1977) in the Gansu and Ningxia sections of the upper Yellow River, China.

BALKGROUND: Gobio huanghensis is a small economic fish endemic to the Yellow River at the junction of the Tibetan Plateau and the Huangtu Plateau in China. To understand the impact of environmental changes and human activities on the ecological structure of the G. huanghensis population, a comparative study was conducted on the age composition, growth characteristics, mortality rate, and exploitation rate of the G. huanghensis populations in the Gansu and Ningxia sections of the upper Yellow River. RESULTS: During the investigation, a total of 1147 individuals were collected, with 427 individuals collected from the Gansu section and 720 individuals from the Ningxia section. The results showed that G. huanghensis in the Gansu section exhibited a total length ranging from 5.00 to 22.80 cm, with an average of 12.68 ± 4.03 cm. In the Ningxia section, the total length of G. huanghensis ranged from 2.15 to 20.65 cm, with an average of 9.48 ± 3.56 cm. The age composition of G. huanghensis in the Gansu section ranged from 1 to 7 years, where female fish were observed between 1 and 7 years old, and male fish between 1 and 6 years old. In the Ningxia section, both female and male fish ranged from 1 to 5 years old. The relationships between total length and body weight were (Gansu section, R2 = 0.9738) and (Ningxia section, R2 = 0.9686), indicating that fish in the Gansu section exhibit positive allometric growth, while fish in the Ningxia section exhibit negative allometric growth. The von Bertalanffy growth equation revealed that G. huanghensis in the Gansu section exhibited an asymptotic total length L∞ of 27.426 cm with a growth coefficient K of 0.225 yr-1, while in the Ningxia section, the asymptotic total length L∞ was 26.945 cm with a growth coefficient K of 0.263 yr-1. The total mortality rate (Z) values of G. huanghensis were 0.7592 yr and 1.1529 yr in the Gansu section and Ningxia section, respectively. The average natural mortality rate (M), estimated by three different methods, in the Gansu section was 0.4432 yr, while it was 0.5366 yr in the Ningxia section. The exploitation rate (E) of G. huanghensis was 0.4163 in the Gansu section and 0.5345 in the Ningxia section, indicating that the population in the Ningxia section may have been overexploited. CONCLUSION: Prolonged fishing pressures and environmental changes may have led to variations in the ecological parameters of the G. huanghensis population between the Gansu and Ningxia sections.

Age, growth, reproduction and mortality of Xenocypris argentea (Günther,1868) in the lower reaches of the Tangwang River, China.

To investigate various population biological parameters of Xenocypris argentea in the lower reaches of the Tangwang River (China), a comprehensive study was conducted for the first time. A total of 1,003 samples were collected from April to November 2022. The collected samples revealed that female X. argentea had total lengths ranging from 12.4 cm to 25.7 cm (weighing 15.86 g to 159.55 g), and male X. argentea had total lengths ranging from 10.8 cm to 23.9 cm (weighing 9.27 g to 121.06 g). The age of the samples was determined using otolith analysis, indicating that the ages ranged from 1 to 5 years old in both females and males. The length-weight relationships were further analyzed, uncovering the allometric growth index (b) was 3.1296 for females, indicating a positive allometric growth pattern. Differently, males exhibited a b value of 3.0274, suggesting an isometric growth pattern. Furthermore, the von Bertalanffy growth formula provided insights into the growth characteristics of X. argentea, revealing an asymptotic total length (L∞) of 36.096 cm and a growth coefficient (K) of 0.121. The analysis of the gonadal somatic index (GSI) and ovarian development period indicated that the spawning period occurred from April to July, with peak spawning in June. The study also explored fecundity-related traits, finding that individual absolute fecundity (FA) ranged from 11,364 eggs to 56,377 eggs, while eviscerated body weight relative fecundity (FW) ranged from 209 eggs/g to 823 eggs/g. The exploitation rate (E) for X. argentea was calculated as 0.574, suggesting that the population of X. argentea has been overexploited. By revealing previously unknown data on the key life history traits of X. argentea, this study has provided valuable insights that are crucial for the development of conservation strategies and policies.

Estimates on age, growth, and mortality of Leuciscus chuanchicus (Kessler 1876) in the Ningxia section of the upper reaches of the Yellow River, China.

To investigate the age structure, growth pattern, mortality and exploitation rates of Leuciscus chuanchicus in the upstream Ningxia section of the Yellow River, four sampling surveys were conducted between 2022 and 2023. A total of 472 individuals were measured for their total length (TL) and body weight (W). Age determination was performed using otoliths. The collected samples had a range of total lengths from 4.52 to 37.45 cm, body weights ranging from 0.68 to 552.43 g, and ages ranging from 1 to 7 years old. The relationship between total length and body weight was expressed as W = 0.0052 L3.19 for all samples, which indicates that the growth of L. chuanchicus adheres to allometry. The Von Bertalanffy growth equation revealed that the fish had an asymptotic total length (L∞) of approximately 37.9 cm with a growth coefficient (K) value of approximately 0.461 yr-1. Using the age-based catch curve method, the calculated total instantaneous mortality rate (Z) for all samples was determined as being equal to approximately 1.1302 yr-1. Additionally, three methods were used to estimate the average instantaneous rate of natural mortality (M), resulting in an approximate value of 0.7167 yr-1 for all samples. Furthermore, the instantaneous rate of fishing mortality (F) for all samples was calculated as 0.4134 yr-1, leading us to determine that the exploitation rate (E) is 0.3658. It was concluded that the growth rate of L. chuanchicus in the upstream of the Yellow River is relatively fast, and L. chuanchicus has not been subjected to excessive exploitation, yet its relatively high natural mortality rate underscores the need for targeted management measures aimed at preserving its habitat.

Feasibility of simultaneous TMJ arthroscopy in ADDwoR patients undergoing orthognathic surgery for jaw deformity.

This study evaluated the feasibility of simultaneous temporomandibular joint (TMJ) arthroscopy and orthognathic surgery as a new treatment strategy for anterior disc displacement without reduction (ADDwoR) patients with severe jaw deformities. Twelve ADDwoR patients with facial deformities who underwent arthroscopy and orthognathic surgery between September 2015 and December 2019 were retrospectively evaluated. Pre- and postoperative maximum incisal opening (MIO) and joint pain were recorded. Computed tomography (CT) and three-dimensional cephalometric analysis were performed at 3 (T1) and ≥6 (T2) months postoperatively. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the TMJ was performed before, ≤7 days after and ≥6 months after surgery. The lateral profile radiological findings, the symmetry of the maxilla and mandible, and the MRI measurements were compared. Anterior disc displacement did not recur, and the maximum incisal opening (MIO) increased from 27.4 mm to 32.7 mm after surgery (p < 0.05). No significant differences were found in the lateral profile, symmetry indices or condylar height via MRI between T1 and T2. Joint morphology and the position of both the maxilla and mandible remained stable during postoperative follow-up, while joint symptoms were markedly relieved and facial appearance was noticeably improved. Combined arthroscopy and orthognathic surgery is effective and recommended for ADDwoR patients with jaw deformities.

Amino acid-based supramolecular chiral hydrogels promote osteogenesis of human dental pulp stem cells via the MAPK pathway.

Critical-size defects (CSDs) of the craniofacial bones cause aesthetic and functional complications that seriously impact the quality of life. The transplantation of human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs) is a promising strategy for bone tissue engineering. Chirality is commonly observed in natural biomolecules, yet its effect on stem cell differentiation is seldom studied, and little is known about the underlying mechanism. In this study, supramolecular chiral hydrogels were constructed using L/d-phenylalanine (L/D-Phe) derivatives. The results of alkaline phosphatase expression analysis, alizarin red S assay, as well as quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blot analyses suggest that right-handed D-Phe hydrogel fibers significantly promoted osteogenic differentiation of hDPSCs. A rat model of calvarial defects was created to investigate the regulation of chiral nanofibers on the osteogenic differentiation of hDPSCs in vivo. The results of the animal experiment demonstrated that the D-Phe group exhibited greater and faster bone formation on hDPSCs. The results of RNA sequencing, vinculin immunofluorescence staining, a calcium fluorescence probe assay, and western blot analysis indicated that L-Phe significantly promoted adhesion of hDPSCs, while D-Phe nanofibers enhanced osteogenic differentiation of hDPSCs by facilitating calcium entry into cells and activate the MAPK pathway. These results of chirality-dependent osteogenic differentiation offer a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of CSDs by optimising the differentiation of hDPSCs into chiral nanofibers.