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Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a neglected disease caused by an intracellular parasite of the Leishmania genus. CL lacks tools that allow its understanding and treatment follow-up. This article presents the use of metrical and optical tools for the analysis of the temporal evolution of treated skin ulcers caused by CL in an animal model. Leishmania braziliensis and L. panamensis were experimentally inoculated in golden hamsters, which were treated with experimental and commercial drugs. The temporal evolution was monitored by means of ulcers’ surface areas, as well as absorption and scattering optical parameters. Ulcers’ surface areas were obtained via photogrammetry, which is a procedure that allowed for 3D modeling of the ulcer using specialized software. Optical parameters were obtained from a spectroscopy study, representing the cutaneous tissue’s biological components. A one-way ANOVA analysis was conducted to identify relationships between both the ulcers’ areas and optical parameters. As a result, ulcers’ surface areas were found to be related to the following optical parameters: epidermis thickness, collagen, keratinocytes, volume-fraction of blood, and oxygen saturation. This study is a proof of concept that shows that optical parameters could be associated with metrical ones, giving a more reliable concept during the assessment of a skin ulcer’s healing.

Abstract The Nash embedding theorem demonstrates that any compact manifold can be isometrically embedded in a Euclidean space. Assuming the complex brain states form a high-dimensional manifold in a topological space, we propose a manifold learning framework, termed Thought Chart, to reconstruct and visualize the manifold in a low-dimensional space. Furthermore, it serves as a data-driven approach to discover the underlying dynamics when the brain is engaged in a series of emotion and cognitive regulation tasks. EEG-based temporal dynamic functional connectomes are created based on 20 psychiatrically healthy participants’ EEG recordings during resting state and an emotion regulation task. Graph dissimilarity space embedding was applied to all the dynamic EEG connectomes. In order to visualize the learned manifold in a lower dimensional space, local neighborhood information is reconstructed via k-nearest neighbor-based nonlinear dimensionality reduction (NDR) and epsilon distance-based NDR. We showed that two neighborhood constructing approaches of NDR embed the manifold in a two-dimensional space, which we named Thought Chart. In Thought Chart, different task conditions represent distinct trajectories. Properties such as the distribution or average length in the 2-D space may serve as useful parameters to explore the underlying cognitive load and emotion processing during the complex task. In sum, this framework is a novel data-driven approach to the learning and visualization of underlying neurophysiological dynamics of complex functional brain data.

Este artículo presenta el uso de técnicas de adquisición y procesamiento imágenes multi-espectrales para el análisis de tejido biológico, específi camente cardiovascular. Se presentan diferentes tipos de arquitecturas, tales como los basados en fi ltros de interferencia y los que no requieren el uso de estos fi ltros. También se presentan ventajas y desventajas de ambos sistemas, así como técnicas para la calibración del color y fuentes de ruido. Además, se presentan dos tipos de técnicas de procesamiento de imágenes biológicas: análisis de componentes principales (PCA) y análisis de componentes independientes (ICA). Estas técnicas se han utilizado en el análisis de imágenes biológicas tales como piel humana y tejido gástrico. Sin embargo, y hasta nuestro conocimiento, dichas técnicas no han sido ampliamente utilizados en el análisis de tejido cardiovascular, de modo que se hace un enfoque especial en este tipo de tejido. Como resultado, se encontró que los métodos de PCA e ICA permiten la obtención de imágenes con una mejor defi nición de la morfología del tejido cardiovascular.

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a neglected tropical disease that requires novel tools for its understanding, diagnosis, and treatment follow-up. In the cases of other cutaneous pathologies, such as cancer or cutaneous ulcers due to diabetes, optical diffuse reflectance-based tools and methods are widely used for the investigation of those illnesses. These types of tools and methods offer the possibility to develop portable diagnosis and treatment follow-up systems. In this article, we propose the use of a three-layer diffuse reflectance model for the study of the formation of cutaneous ulcers caused by CL. The proposed model together with an inverse-modeling procedure were used in the evaluation of diffuse-reflectance spectral signatures acquired from cutaneous ulcers formed in the dorsal area of 21 golden hamsters inoculated with Leishmanisis braziliensis. As result, the quantification of the model’s variables related to the main biological parameters of skin were obtained, such as: diameter and volumetric fraction of keratinocytes, collagen; volumetric fraction of hemoglobin, and oxygen saturation. Those parameters show statistically significant differences among the different stages of the CL ulcer formation. We found that these differences are coherent with histopathological manifestations reported in the literature for the main phases of CL formation.

Fructose and lactate are present in high concentrations in uterine luminal fluid, fetal fluids and fetal blood of ungulates and cetaceans, but their roles have been ignored and they have been considered waste products of pregnancy. This review provides evidence for key roles of both fructose and lactate in support of key metabolic pathways required for growth and development of fetal-placental tissues, implantation and placentation. The uterus and placenta of ungulates convert glucose to fructose via the polyol pathway. Fructose is sequestered within the uterus and cannot be transported back into the maternal circulation. Fructose is phosphorylated by ketohexokinase to fructose-1-PO4 (F1P) by that is metabolized via the fructolysis pathway to yield dihydoxyacetone phosphate and glyceraldehyde-3-PO4 that are downstream of phosphofructokinase. Thus, there is no inhibition of the fructolysis pathway by low pH, citrate or ATP which allows F1P to continuously generate substrates for the pentose cycle, hexosamine biosynthesis pathway, one-carbon metabolism and tricarboxylic acid cycle, as well as lactate. Lactate sustains the activity of hypoxia-inducible factor alpha and its downstream targets such as vascular endothelial growth factor to increase utero-placental blood flow critical to growth and development of the fetal-placental tissues and a successful outcome of pregnancy. Pregnancy has been referred to as a controlled cancer and this review addresses similarities regarding metabolic aspects of tumors and the placenta., Competing Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article., (Copyright © 2024 Bazer, Wu and Johnson.)

In pigs, the majority of embryonic mortality occurs when free-floating conceptuses (embryos/fetuses and associated placental membranes) elongate, and the uterine-placental interface undergoes folding and develops areolae. Both periods involve proliferation, migration, and changes in morphology of cells that require adenosine triphosphate (ATP). We hypothesize that insufficient ATP in conceptus and uterine tissues contributes to conceptus loss in pigs. Creatine is stored in cells as phosphocreatine for ATP regeneration through the creatine-creatine kinase- phosphocreatine pathway. However, the expression of components of this pathway in pigs has not been examined throughout gestation. Results of qPCR analyses indicated increases in AGAT, GAMT, CKM, CKB, and SLC6A8 mRNAs in elongating porcine conceptuses, and immunofluorescence microscopy localized guanidinoacetate N-methyltransferase, creatine kinase M, and creatine kinase B proteins to the trophectoderm of elongating conceptuses, to the columnar chorionic epithelial cells at the bottom of chorioallantoic troughs, and to endometrial luminal epithelium at the tops of the endometrial ridges of uterine-placental folds on Days 40, 60, and 90 of gestation. Guanidinoacetate N-methyltransferase protein is expressed in endometrial luminal epithelium at the uterine-placental interface, but immunostaining is more intense in luminal epithelium at the bottoms of the endometrial ridges. Results of this study indicate that key elements of the pathway for creatine metabolism are expressed in cells of the conceptus, placenta, and uterus for potential production of ATP during two timepoints in pregnancy with a high demand for energy; elongation of the conceptus for implantation and development of uterine-placental folding during placentation., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Society for the Study of Reproduction. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Impaired alveolar epithelial regeneration in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is attributed to telomere dysfunction in type II alveolar epithelial cells (A 2 Cs). Genetic susceptibility, aging, and toxicant exposures, including tobacco smoke (TS), contribute to telomere dysfunction in A 2 Cs. Here we investigated whether improvement of telomere function plays a role in CSP7-mediated protection of A 2 Cs against ongoing senescence and apoptosis during bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis (PF) as well as alveolar injury caused by chronic TS exposure. We found a significant telomere shortening in A 2 Cs isolated from IPF and COPD lungs in line with other studies. These cells showed increased p53 in addition to its post-translational modification with induction of activated caspase-3 and β-galactosidase , suggesting a p53 -mediated loss of A 2 C renewal. Further, we found increased expression of SIAH-1 , a p53 -inducible E3 ubiquitin ligase known to down-regulate telomere repeats binding factor 2 ( TRF2 ). Consistent with the loss of TRF2 and upregulation of TRF1 , telomerase reverse transcriptase ( TERT ) was downregulated in A 2 Cs. A 2 Cs from fibrotic lungs of mice either repeatedly instilled with BLM or isolated from chronic TS exposure-induced lung injury model showed reduced telomere length along with induction of p53 , PAI-1 , SIAH1 and TRF1 as well as loss of TRF2 and TERT , which were reversed in wild-type mice after treatment with CSP7. Interestingly, PAI-1 -/- mice, or those lacking microRNA-34a expression in A 2 Cs, resisted telomere dysfunction, while uPA -/- mice failed to respond to CSP7 treatment, suggesting p53-microRNA-34a feed-forward induction and p53-uPA pathway contributes to telomere dysfunction.

In Brief: The trophectoderm of the elongating conceptuses of cattle, sheep, and pigs secrete high amounts of interferons that increase or induce the expression of interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs) in the endometrium. Research concerning ISGs, performed from 1995 through 2023, is reviewed in this manuscript., Abstract: Expression of the classical interferon (IFN) stimulated genes (ISGs) increases in the endometrial stroma and glandular epithelium (GE) through activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) signaling in response to the secretion of IFN tau (IFNT) and IFN gamma (IFNG) by the conceptuses of ruminants, including cattle and sheep, and pigs, respectively. The first of the classical ISGs to be characterized was ISG15 in cattle. Classical ISGs are not expressed by the endometrial luminal epithelium (LE) due to the expression of interferon regulatory factor 2 (IRF2) in the LE that prevents the expression of ISGs in the LE. Classical ISG expression in the endometrium serves as a reliable indicator of conceptus health and elongation in cattle. There are also nonclassical ISGs that are upregulated in endometrial LE in response to progesterone (P4) that are further stimulated by IFNT in sheep, the intracellular signaling pathway responsible for IFN effects on expression is unknown. ISGs are also upregulated in extrauterine tissues including CL and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). The expression of ISGs by the PBMCs of cattle serves as an early prognosticator of pregnancy. The physiological roles of ISGs remain obscure, but evidence suggests that they are at least in part involved in modifying the immune system to support endometrial remodeling necessary for the successful implantation of the conceptus. Our understanding of these ISGs is primarily the result of work from the laboratories of Drs Fuller Bazer, Thomas (Tod) Hansen, Gregory Johnson, Hakhyun Ka, Patrick Lonergan, Troy Ott, and Thomas Spencer.

Vision in humans and other primates enlists parallel processing streams in the dorsal and ventral visual cortex, known to support spatial and object processing, respectively. These streams are bridged, however, by a prominent white matter tract, the vertical occipital fasciculus (VOF), identified in both classical neuroanatomy and recent diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) studies. Understanding the evolution of the VOF may shed light on its origin, function, and role in visually guided behaviors. To this end, we acquired high-resolution dMRI data from the brains of select mammalian species, including anthropoid and strepsirrhine primates, a tree shrew, rodents, and carnivores. In each species, we attempted to delineate the VOF after first locating the optic radiations in the occipital white matter. In all primate species examined, the optic radiation was flanked laterally by a prominent and coherent white matter fasciculus recognizable as the VOF. By contrast, the equivalent analysis applied to four non-primate species from the same superorder as primates (tree shrew, ground squirrel, paca, and rat) failed to reveal white matter tracts in the equivalent location. Clear evidence for a VOF was also absent in two larger carnivore species (ferret and fox). Although we cannot rule out the existence of minor or differently organized homologous fiber pathways in the non-primate species, the results suggest that the VOF has greatly expanded, or possibly emerged, in the primate lineage. This adaptation likely facilitated the evolution of unique visually guided behaviors in primates, with direct impacts on manual object manipulation, social interactions, and arboreal locomotion., Competing Interests: Declaration of interests The authors declare no competing interests., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Brain development is a highly complex process regulated by numerous genes at the molecular and cellular levels. Brain tissue exhibits serial microstructural changes during the development process. High-resolution diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (dMRI) affords a unique opportunity to probe these changes in the developing brain non-destructively. In this study, we acquired multi-shell dMRI datasets at 32 µm isotropic resolution to investigate the tissue microstructure alterations, which we believe to be the highest spatial resolution dMRI datasets obtained for postnatal mouse brains. We adapted the Allen Developing Mouse Brain Atlas (ADMBA) to integrate quantitative MRI metrics and spatial transcriptomics. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), diffusion kurtosis imaging (DKI), and neurite orientation dispersion and density imaging (NODDI) metrics were used to quantify brain development at different postnatal days. We demonstrated that the differential evolutions of fiber orientation distributions contribute to the distinct development patterns in white matter (WM) and gray matter (GM). Furthermore, the genes enriched in the nervous system that regulate brain structure and function were expressed in spatial correlation with age-matched dMRI. This study is the first one providing high-resolution dMRI, including DTI, DKI, and NODDI models, to trace mouse brain microstructural changes in WM and GM during postnatal development. This study also highlighted the genotype-phenotype correlation of spatial transcriptomics and dMRI, which may improve our understanding of brain microstructure changes at the molecular level., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare there is no conflict of interests., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Interferon-gamma (IFNG) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine secreted by the porcine conceptus (embryo and extra-embryonic membranes) during the peri-implantation period of pregnancy. IFNG modifies the endometrial inflammatory immune response and is required for the implantation and survival of the conceptus. It is not known how IFNG from the conceptus trophectoderm is transported across the endometrial luminal epithelium (LE). In the present study, immunofluorescence analyses detected immunoreactive IFNG protein in both the trophectoderm and endometrial LE on Day 15 of pregnancy, while our previous research localized IFNG mRNA only to conceptus trophectoderm. Using minced endometrial explants to disrupt the barrier posed by the intact endometrial LE, treatment with recombinant IFNG induced the expression of genes that were not induced when IFNG was infused into the uterine lumen in vivo by McLendon et al. (Biology of Reproduction. 2020;103(5):1018-1029). We hypothesized that during pregnancy extracellular vesicles (EVs) serve as intercellular signaling vehicles to transport conceptus-derived IFNG across the intact endometrial LE and into the stromal compartment of the uterus. Western blotting detected the presence of IFNG in EVs isolated from the uterine fluid of pregnant gilts, but not nonpregnant gilts. Real-time PCR demonstrated increased expression of IFNG-stimulated genes in EV-treated endometrial explants and EV-mediated IFNG transport was confirmed in whole uterine sections cultured with EVs from Day 15 of pregnancy. These results suggest that EVs are involved in IFNG transport across the endometrial LE to enable paracrine communication between the conceptus and cells within the endometrial stroma., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Society for the Study of Reproduction. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Lactate, an abundant molecule in fetal fluids and blood of mammalian species, is often overlooked as a metabolic waste product generated during pregnancy. Most of the glucose and fructose consumed by ovine conceptuses is converted to lactate, but proteins involved in lactate metabolism and transport have not been investigated. This study characterized total lactate produced by ovine conceptuses throughout gestation, as well as expression of mRNAs and proteins involved in lactate metabolism. Lactate increased in abundance in the uterine lumen during the preimplantation period and was more abundant than pyruvate. The abundance of lactate in allantoic and amniotic fluids increased with advancing days of gestation and most abundant on Day 125 of pregnancy (P < 0.05). Lactate dehydrogenase subunits A (converts pyruvate to lactate) and B (converts lactate to pyruvate) were expressed by conceptuses throughout gestation. Lactate is transported via monocarboxylic acid transporters SLC16A1 and SLC16A3, both of which were expressed by the conceptus throughout gestation. Additionally, the interplacentomal chorioallantois from Day 126 expressed SLC16A1 and SLC16A3 and transported lactate across the tissue. Hydrocarboxylic acid receptor 1 (HCAR1), a receptor for lactate, was localized to the uterine luminal and superficial glandular epithelia of pregnant ewes throughout gestation and conceptus trophectoderm during the peri-implantation period of gestation. These results provide novel insights into the spatiotemporal profiles of enzymes, transporters, and receptor for lactate by ovine conceptuses throughout pregnancy., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Society for the Study of Reproduction. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Fructose, the most abundant hexose sugar in fetal fluids and the blood of sheep and other ungulates and cetaceans, is synthesized from glucose via the polyol pathway in trophectoderm and chorion. However, the cell-specific and temporal expression of enzymes for the synthesis and metabolism of fructose in sheep conceptuses (embryo and placental membranes) and placentomes has not been characterized. This study characterized key enzymes involved in fructose synthesis and metabolism by ovine conceptuses throughout pregnancy. Day 17 conceptuses expressed mRNAs for the polyol pathway (SORD and AKR1B1) and glucose and fructose metabolism (HK1, HK2, G6PD, OGT, and FBP), but not those required for gluconeogenesis (G6Pase or PCK). Ovine placentomes also expressed mRNAs for SORD, AKR1B1, HK1, and OGT. Fructose can be metabolized via the ketohexokinase (KHK) pathway, and isoforms, KHK-A and KHK-C, were expressed in ovine conceptuses from Day 16 of pregnancy and placentomes during pregnancy in a cell-specific manner. The KHK-A protein was more abundant in the trophectoderm and cotyledons of placentomes, while KHK-C protein was more abundant in the endoderm of Day 16 conceptuses and the chorionic epithelium in placentomes. Expression of KHK mRNAs in placentomes was greatest at Day 30 of pregnancy (P < 0.05), but not different among days later in gestation. These results provide novel insights into the synthesis and metabolism of fructose via the uninhibited KHK pathway in ovine conceptuses to generate ATP via the tricarboxylic cycle, as well as substrates for the pentose cycle, hexosamine biosynthesis pathway, and one-carbon metabolism required for conceptus development throughout pregnancy., (© The Author(s) 2024. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Society for the Study of Reproduction. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Background: Tissue non-specific alkaline phosphatase (TNSALP; encoded by the ALPL gene) has a critical role in the postnatal regulation of phosphate homeostasis, yet how TNSALP activity and expression are regulated during pregnancy remain largely unknown. This study tested the hypothesis that progesterone (P4) and/or interferon tau (IFNT) regulate TNSALP activity during pregnancy in sheep., Methods: In Exp. 1, ewes were bred and received daily intramuscular injections of either corn oil vehicle (CO) or 25 mg progesterone in CO (P4) for the first 8 days of pregnancy and were hysterectomized on either Day 9, 12, or 125 of gestation. In Exp. 2, ewes were fitted with intrauterine catheters on Day 7 of the estrous cycle and received daily intramuscular injections of 50 mg P4 in CO and/or 75 mg progesterone receptor antagonist (RU486) in CO from Days 8 to 15, and twice daily intrauterine injections of either control proteins (CX) or IFNT (25 µg/uterine horn/d) from Days 11 to 15 (treatment groups: P4 + CX; P4 + IFNT; RU486 + P4 + CX; and RU486 + P4 + IFNT) and were hysterectomized on Day 16., Results: In Exp. 1, endometria from ewes administered P4 had greater expression of ALPL mRNA than ewes administered CO on Day 12. TNSALP activity appeared greater in the epithelia, stratum compactum stroma, and endothelium of the blood vessels in the endometrium and myometrium from ewes administered P4 than ewes administered CO on Day 12. On Day 125, TNSALP activity localized to uterine epithelial and endothelial cells, independent of P4 treatment. TNSALP activity in placentomes appeared greater in P4 treated ewes and was detected in endothelial cells and caruncular tissue in P4 treated but not CO treated ewes. In Exp. 2, endometrial homogenates from ewes administered RU486 + P4 + CX had lower TNSALP activity those for P4 + CX and P4 + IFNT ewes. Immunoreactive TNSALP protein appeared greater in the mid- and deep-glandular epithelia in RU486 + P4 + CX treated ewes as compared to the other treatment groups. Enzymatic activity appeared greater on the apical surface of the deep glandular epithelia in endometria from ewes treated with RU486 + P4 + CX compared to the other treatment groups., Conclusions: These results suggest that P4, but not IFNT, regulates the expression and activity of TNSALP in utero-placental tissues and has the potential to contribute to the regulation of phosphate availability that is critical for conceptus development during pregnancy., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

This study assesses the neuroprotective potential of CPP-P1, a conjugate of an anti-apoptotic peptain-1 (P1) and a cell-penetrating peptide (CPP) in in vitro, in vivo, and ex vivo glaucoma models. Primary retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) were subjected to either neurotrophic factor (NF) deprivation for 48 h or endothelin-3 (ET-3) treatment for 24 h and received either CPP-P1 or vehicle. RGC survival was analyzed using a Live/Dead assay. Axotomized human retinal explants were treated with CPP-P1 or vehicle for seven days, stained with RGC marker RBPMS, and RGC survival was analyzed. Brown Norway (BN) rats with elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) received weekly intravitreal injections of CPP-P1 or vehicle for six weeks. RGC function was evaluated using a pattern electroretinogram (PERG). RGC and axonal damage were also assessed. RGCs from ocular hypertensive rats treated with CPP-P1 or vehicle for seven days were isolated for transcriptomic analysis. RGCs subjected to 48 h of NF deprivation were used for qPCR target confirmation. NF deprivation led to a significant loss of RGCs, which was markedly reduced by CPP-P1 treatment. CPP-P1 also decreased ET-3-mediated RGC death. In ex vivo human retinal explants, CPP-P1 decreased RGC loss. IOP elevation resulted in significant RGC loss in mid-peripheral and peripheral retinas compared to that in naive rats, which was significantly reduced by CPP-P1 treatment. PERG amplitude decline in IOP-elevated rats was mitigated by CPP-P1 treatment. Following IOP elevation in BN rats, the transcriptomic analysis showed over 6,000 differentially expressed genes in the CPP-P1 group compared to the vehicle-treated group. Upregulated pathways included CREB signaling and synaptogenesis. A significant increase in Creb1 mRNA and elevated phosphorylated Creb were observed in CPP-P1-treated RGCs. Our study showed that CPP-P1 is neuroprotective through CREB signaling enhancement in several settings that mimic glaucomatous conditions. The findings from this study are significant as they address the pressing need for the development of efficacious therapeutic strategies to maintain RGC viability and functionality associated with glaucoma., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

The fertilization of oocytes ovulated by pigs, sheep, cows, and horses is not considered a limiting factor in successful establishment of pregnancy. Pig, sheep, and cow embryos undergo cleavage to the blastocyst stage, hatch from the zona pellucida, and undergo central-type implantation. Hatched blastocysts of pigs, sheep, and cows transition from tubular to long filamentous forms to establish surface area for exchange of nutrients and gases with the uterus. The equine blastocyst, surrounded by external membranes, does not elongate but migrates throughout the uterine lumen before attaching to the uterine luminal epithelium (LE) to begin implantation. Pregnancy recognition signaling in pigs requires the trophectoderm to express interleukin 1 beta, estrogens, prostaglandin E2, and interferon gamma. Sheep and cow conceptus trophectoderm expresses interferon tau that induces interferon regulatory factor 2 that inhibits transcription of estrogen and oxytocin receptors by uterine epithelia. This prevents oxytocin-induced luteolytic pulses of prostaglandin F2-alpha from regressing the corpora lutea, as well as ensuring the secretion of progesterone required for maintenance of pregnancy. The pregnancy recognition signal produced by equine blastocysts is not known. Implantation in these species requires interactions between extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins and integrins as the conceptus undergoes apposition and firm attachment to the uterine LE. This review provides details with respect to early embryonic development and the transition from spherical to filamentous conceptuses in pigs, sheep, and cows, as well as pre-implantation development of equine blastocysts and implantation of the conceptuses.

Background: Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a group of neurodevelopmental disorders with higher incidence in males and is characterized by atypical verbal/nonverbal communication, restricted interests that can be accompanied by repetitive behavior, and disturbances in social behavior. This study investigated brain mechanisms that contribute to sociability deficits and sex differences in an ASD animal model., Methods: Sociability was measured in C58/J and C57BL/6J mice using the 3-chamber social choice test. Bulk RNA-Seq and snRNA-Seq identified transcriptional changes in C58/J and C57BL/6J amygdala within which DMRseq was used to measure differentially methylated regions in amygdala., Results: C58/J mice displayed divergent social strata in the 3-chamber test. Transcriptional and pathway signatures revealed immune-related biological processes differ between C58/J and C57BL/6J amygdala. Hypermethylated and hypomethylated genes were identified in C58/J versus C57BL/6J amygdala. snRNA-Seq data in C58/J amygdala identified differential transcriptional signatures within oligodendrocytes and microglia characterized by increased ASD risk gene expression and predicted impaired myelination that was dependent on sex and sociability. RNA velocity, gene regulatory network, and cell communication analysis showed diminished oligodendrocyte/microglia differentiation. Findings were verified using Bulk RNA-Seq and demonstrated oxytocin's beneficial effects on myelin gene expression., Limitations: Our findings are significant. However, limitations can be noted. The cellular mechanisms linking reduced oligodendrocyte differentiation and reduced myelination to an ASD phenotype in C58/J mice need further investigation. Additional snRNA-Seq and spatial studies would determine if effects in oligodendrocytes/microglia are unique to amygdala or if this occurs in other brain regions. Oxytocin's effects need further examination to understand its' potential as an ASD therapeutic., Conclusions: Our work demonstrates the C58/J mouse model's utility in evaluating the influence of sex and sociability on the transcriptome in concomitant brain regions involved in ASD. Our single-nucleus transcriptome analysis elucidates potential pathological roles of oligodendrocytes and microglia in ASD. This investigation provides details regarding regulatory features disrupted in these cell types, including transcriptional gene dysregulation, aberrant cell differentiation, altered gene regulatory networks, and changes to key pathways that promote microglia/oligodendrocyte differentiation. Our studies provide insight into interactions between genetic risk and epigenetic processes associated with divergent affiliative behavior and lack of positive sociability., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Although both L-glutamate (Glu) and L-glutamine (Gln) have long been considered nutritionally nonessential in ruminants, these two amino acids have enormous nutritional and physiological importance. Results of recent studies revealed that extracellular Gln is extensively degraded by ruminal microbes, but extracellular Glu undergoes little catabolism by these cells due to the near absence of its uptake. Ruminal bacteria hydrolyze Gln to Glu plus ammonia and, intracellularly, use both amino acids for protein synthesis. Microbial proteins and dietary Glu enter the small intestine in ruminants. Both Glu and Gln are the major metabolic fuels and building blocks of proteins, as well as substrates for the syntheses of glutathione and amino acids (alanine, ornithine, citrulline, arginine, proline, and aspartate) in the intestinal mucosa. In addition, Gln and aspartate are essential for purine and pyrimidine syntheses, whereas arginine and proline are necessary for the production of nitric oxide (a major vasodilator) and collagen (the most abundant protein in the body), respectively. Under normal feeding conditions, all diet- and rumen-derived Glu and Gln are extensively utilized by the small intestine and do not enter the portal circulation. Thus, de novo synthesis (e.g., from branched-chain amino acids and α-ketoglutarate) plays a crucial role in the homeostasis of Glu and Gln in the whole body but may be insufficient for maximal growth performance, production (e.g., lactation and pregnancy), and optimal health (particularly intestinal health) in ruminants. This applies to all types of feeding systems used around the world (e.g., rearing on a milk replacer before weaning, pasture-based production, and total mixed rations). Dietary supplementation with the appropriate doses of Glu or Gln [e.g., 0.5 or 1 g/kg body weight (BW)/day, respectively] can safely improve the digestive, endocrine, and reproduction functions of ruminants to enhance their productivity. Both Glu and Gln are truly functional amino acids in the nutrition of ruminants and hold great promise for improving their health and productivity.

Purpose: To identify significant relationships between quantitative cytometric tissue features and quantitative MR (qMRI) intratumorally in preclinical undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcomas (UPS)., Materials and Methods: In a prospective study of genetically engineered mouse models of UPS, we registered imaging libraries consisting of matched multi-contrast in vivo MRI, three-dimensional (3D) multi-contrast high-resolution ex vivo MR histology (MRH), and two-dimensional (2D) tissue slides. From digitized histology we generated quantitative cytometric feature maps from whole-slide automated nuclear segmentation. We automatically segmented intratumoral regions of distinct qMRI values and measured corresponding cytometric features. Linear regression analysis was performed to compare intratumoral qMRI and tissue cytometric features, and results were corrected for multiple comparisons. Linear correlations between qMRI and cytometric features with p values of <0.05 after correction for multiple comparisons were considered significant., Results: Three features correlated with ex vivo apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), and no features correlated with in vivo ADC. Six features demonstrated significant linear relationships with ex vivo T2*, and fifteen features correlated significantly with in vivo T2*. In both cases, nuclear Haralick texture features were the most prevalent type of feature correlated with T2*. A small group of nuclear topology features also correlated with one or both T2* contrasts, and positive trends were seen between T2* and nuclear size metrics., Conclusion: Registered multi-parametric imaging datasets can identify quantitative tissue features which contribute to UPS MR signal. T2* may provide quantitative information about nuclear morphology and pleomorphism, adding histological insights to radiological interpretation of UPS., Competing Interests: DK is a co-founder of XRAD Therapeutics, which is commercializing radiosensitizers. DK is on the scientific advisory board for Lumicell, which is commercializing intraoperative imaging technology. DK has received research support from Merck, XRAD Therapeutics, Bristol Myers Squibb, and Varian. However, this funding did not support this work. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Blocker, Mowery, Everitt, Cook, Cofer, Qi, Bassil, Xu, Kirsch, Badea and Johnson.)

Recent advances in genome editing technologies are allowing investigators to engineer and study cancer-associated mutations in their endogenous genetic contexts with high precision and efficiency. Of these, base editing and prime editing are quickly becoming gold-standards in the field due to their versatility and scalability. Here, we review the merits and limitations of these precision genome editing technologies, their application to modern cancer research, and speculate how these could be integrated to address future directions in the field., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Tumor genomes often harbor a complex spectrum of single nucleotide alterations and chromosomal rearrangements that can perturb protein function. Prime editing has been applied to install and evaluate genetic variants, but previous approaches have been limited by the variable efficiency of prime editing guide RNAs. Here we present a high-throughput prime editing sensor strategy that couples prime editing guide RNAs with synthetic versions of their cognate target sites to quantitatively assess the functional impact of endogenous genetic variants. We screen over 1,000 endogenous cancer-associated variants of TP53-the most frequently mutated gene in cancer-to identify alleles that impact p53 function in mechanistically diverse ways. We find that certain endogenous TP53 variants, particularly those in the p53 oligomerization domain, display opposite phenotypes in exogenous overexpression systems. Our results emphasize the physiological importance of gene dosage in shaping native protein stoichiometry and protein-protein interactions, and establish a framework for studying genetic variants in their endogenous sequence context at scale., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Placentation is the development of a temporary arrangement between the maternal uterus and blastocyst-derived placental tissues designed to transport nutrients, gases, and other products from the mother to the embryo and fetus. Placentation differs histologically among species, but all types of placentation share the common trait of utilizing highly complex cell-to-cell and tissue-to-tissue morphological and biochemical interactions to remodel the uterine-placental interface. An elegant series of electron microscopy (EM) images supports the classification of ovine placentation as synepitheliochorial, because uterine luminal epithelial (LE) cells are maintained at the uterine-placental interface through incorporation into trophoblast syncytial plaques. In this review, we utilize immunofluorescence microscopy to provide further insights into early syncytialization of the ovine placenta. These observations, based on results using immunofluorescence microscopy, complement and expand, not replace, our understanding of syncytialization in sheep., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

CAR T cell therapy has significantly shaped the treatment landscape for refractory hematologic malignancies including large B-cell lymphomas, multiple myeloma, and leukemias. While response rates for a previously dismal prognosis have improved, certain obstacles still remain to achieving CAR T infallibility. In this article, we review the data surrounding proposed resistance mechanisms of tumors to CAR T, including the implications of target loss, exhausted T cells as effete effectors, the necessity of maximal CAR T expansion to durable response, the negative impact of an inflammatory milieu and a suppressive tumor microenvironment, and the optimal tumor-to-effector ratio that associates with best outcomes. The future of CAR T should aim to mitigate these weaknesses in order to bolster the efficacy of this revolutionary therapy., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Mammals differ regarding their placentae, but in all species placental trophoblasts interact intimately with the uterine endometrium to mediate the transfer of nutrients from the mother to the embryo/fetus through the closely juxtaposed microcirculatory systems of the uterus and placenta. Placentation in ruminants is intermediate between the non-invasive type, as observed in the epitheliochorial placenta of pigs, and the invasive type, as observed in the haemochorial placentae of mice and humans. In ruminants, placental trophoblast cells invade uterine endometrial tissue, but invasion is believed to be limited to the endometrial luminal epithelium (LE). In the LE there are varying degrees of syncytialisation among species, with syncytialisation being more extensive in sheep than cows. The hallmarks of placentation in ruminants include: (1) an extended period in which conceptuses (embryos and associated placental membranes) elongate and must be supported by secretions (histotroph) from the uterus; (2) a cascade involving an array of adhesion molecules that includes integrin-mediated attachment of the conceptus trophoblast to the endometrial LE for implantation; (3) syncytialisation of the developing early placenta, a process for which there is currently limited understanding; and (4) development of placentomes that define the cotyledonary placentae of cows and sheep, and provide haemotrophic support of fetal development.

Efficient cellular communication is essential for the brain to regulate diverse functions like muscle contractions, memory formation and recall, decision-making, and task execution. This communication is facilitated by rapid signaling through electrical and chemical messengers, including voltage-gated ion channels and neurotransmitters. These messengers elicit broad responses by propagating action potentials and mediating synaptic transmission. Calcium influx and efflux are essential for releasing neurotransmitters and regulating synaptic transmission. Mitochondria, which are involved in oxidative phosphorylation, and the energy generation process, also interact with the endoplasmic reticulum to store and regulate cytoplasmic calcium levels. The number, morphology, and distribution of mitochondria in different cell types vary based on energy demands. Mitochondrial damage can cause excess reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. Mitophagy is a selective process that targets and degrades damaged mitochondria via autophagosome-lysosome fusion. Defects in mitophagy can lead to a buildup of ROS and cell death. Numerous studies have attempted to characterize the relationship between mitochondrial dysfunction and calcium dysregulation in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's Disease, Parkinson's Disease, Huntington's Disease, Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, spinocerebellar ataxia, and aging. Interventional strategies to reduce mitochondrial damage and accumulation could serve as a therapeutic target, but further research is needed to unravel this potential. This review offers an overview of calcium signaling related to mitochondria in various neuronal cells. It critically examines recent findings, exploring the potential roles that mitochondrial dysfunction might play in multiple neurodegenerative diseases and aging. Furthermore, the review identifies existing gaps in knowledge to guide the direction of future research., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Johnson, Krishnamoorthy and Stankowska.)

Information on regional variation in cell numbers and densities in the CNS provides critical insight into structure, function, and the progression of CNS diseases. However, variability can be real or a consequence of methods that do not account for technical biases, including morphologic deformations, errors in the application of cell type labels and boundaries of regions, errors of counting rules and sampling sites. We address these issues in a mouse model by introducing a workflow that consists of the following steps: 1. Magnetic resonance histology (MRH) to establish the size, shape, and regional morphology of the mouse brain in situ . 2. Light-sheet microscopy (LSM) to selectively label neurons or other cells in the entire brain without sectioning artifacts. 3. Register LSM volumes to MRH volumes to correct for dissection errors and both global and regional deformations. 4. Implement stereological protocols for automated sampling and counting of cells in 3D LSM volumes. This workflow can analyze the cell densities of one brain region in less than 1 min and is highly replicable in cortical and subcortical gray matter regions and structures throughout the brain. This method demonstrates the advantage of not requiring an extensive amount of training data, achieving a F1 score of approximately 0.9 with just 20 training nuclei. We report deformation-corrected neuron (NeuN) counts and neuronal density in 13 representative regions in 5 C57BL/6J cases and 2 BXD strains. The data represent the variability among specimens for the same brain region and across regions within the specimen. Neuronal densities estimated with our workflow are within the range of values in previous classical stereological studies. We demonstrate the application of our workflow to a mouse model of aging. This workflow improves the accuracy of neuron counting and the assessment of neuronal density on a region-by-region basis, with broad applications for studies of how genetics, environment, and development across the lifespan impact cell numbers in the CNS., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Tian, Johnson, Williams and White.)

Integrins are a highly complex family of receptors that, when expressed on the surface of cells, can mediate reciprocal cell-to-cell and cell-to-extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions leading to assembly of integrin adhesion complexes (IACs) that initiate many signaling functions both at the membrane and deeper within the cytoplasm to coordinate processes including cell adhesion, migration, proliferation, survival, differentiation, and metabolism. All metazoan organisms possess integrins, and it is generally agreed that integrins were associated with the evolution of multicellularity, being essential for the association of cells with their neighbors and surroundings, during embryonic development and many aspects of cellular and molecular biology. Integrins have important roles in many aspects of embryonic development, normal physiology, and disease processes with a multitude of functions discovered and elucidated for integrins that directly influence many areas of biology and medicine, including mammalian pregnancy, in particular implantation of the blastocyst to the uterine wall, subsequent placentation and conceptus (embryo/fetus and associated placental membranes) development. This review provides a succinct overview of integrin structure, ligand binding, and signaling followed with a concise overview of embryonic development, implantation, and early placentation in pigs, sheep, humans, and mice as an example for rodents. A brief timeline of the initial localization of integrin subunits to the uterine luminal epithelium (LE) and conceptus trophoblast is then presented, followed by sequential summaries of integrin expression and function during gestation in pigs, sheep, humans, and rodents. As appropriate for this journal, summaries of integrin expression and function during gestation in pigs and sheep are in depth, whereas summaries for humans and rodents are brief. Because similar models to those illustrated in Fig. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 are present throughout the scientific literature, the illustrations in this manuscript are drafted as Viking imagery for entertainment purposes., (© 2023. Chinese Association of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine.)

This study tested the hypothesis that the synthesis of glycine from 4-hydroxyproline (an abundant amino acid in milk and neonatal blood) was impaired in tissues of piglets with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), thereby contributing to a severe glycine deficiency in these compromised neonates. At 0, 7, 14, and 21 days of age, IUGR piglets were euthanized, and tissues (liver, small intestine, kidney, pancreas, stomach, skeletal muscle, and heart) were obtained for metabolic studies, as well as the determination of enzymatic activities, cell-specific localization, and expression of mRNAs for glycine-synthetic enzymes. The results indicated relatively low enzymatic activities for 4-hydroxyproline oxidase (OH-POX), proline oxidase, serine hydroxymethyltransferase, threonine dehydrogenase (TDH), alanine: glyoxylate transaminase, and 4-hydroxy-2-oxoglutarate aldolase in the kidneys and liver from 0- to 21-day-old IUGR pigs, in the pancreas of 7- to 21-day-old IUGR pigs, and in the small intestine and skeletal muscle (except TDH) of 21-day-old IUGR pigs. Accordingly, the rates of conversion of 4-hydroxyproline into glycine were relatively low in tissues of IUGR piglets. The expression of mRNAs for glycine-synthetic enzymes followed the patterns of enzymatic activities and was also low. Immunohistochemical analyses revealed the relatively low abundance of OH-POX protein in the liver, kidney, and small intestine of IUGR piglets, and the lack of OH-POX zonation in their livers. These novel results provide a metabolic basis to explain why the endogenous synthesis of glycine is insufficient for optimum growth of IUGR piglets and have important implications for improving the nutrition and health of other mammalian neonates including humans with IUGR., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) is an emerging target in multiple sclerosis (MS). Alongside its role in B cell receptor signaling and B cell development, BTK regulates myeloid cell activation and inflammatory responses. Here we demonstrate efficacy of BTK inhibition in a model of secondary progressive autoimmune demyelination in Biozzi mice with experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). We show that late in the course of disease, EAE severity could not be reduced with a potent relapse inhibitor, FTY720 (fingolimod), indicating that disease was relapse-independent. During this same phase of disease, treatment with a BTK inhibitor reduced both EAE severity and demyelination compared to vehicle treatment. Compared to vehicle treatment, late therapeutic BTK inhibition resulted in fewer spinal cord-infiltrating myeloid cells, with lower expression of CD86, pro-IL-1β, CD206, and Iba1, and higher expression of Arg1, in both tissue-resident and infiltrating myeloid cells, suggesting a less inflammatory myeloid cell milieu. These changes were accompanied by decreased spinal cord axonal damage. We show similar efficacy with two small molecule inhibitors, including a novel, highly selective, central nervous system-penetrant BTK inhibitor, GB7208. These results suggest that through lymphoid and myeloid cell regulation, BTK inhibition reduced neurodegeneration and disease progression during secondary progressive EAE., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

The placenta requires high levels of adenosine triphosphate to maintain a metabolically active state throughout gestation. The creatine-creatine kinase-phosphocreatine system is known to buffer adenosine triphosphate levels; however, the role(s) creatine-creatine kinase-phosphocreatine system plays in uterine and placental metabolism throughout gestation is poorly understood. In this study, Suffolk ewes were ovariohysterectomized on Days 30, 50, 70, 90, 110 and 125 of gestation (n = 3-5 ewes/per day, except n = 2 on Day 50) and uterine and placental tissues subjected to analyses to measure metabolites, mRNAs, and proteins related to the creatine-creatine kinase-phosphocreatine system. Day of gestation affected concentrations and total amounts of guanidinoacetate and creatine in maternal plasma, amniotic fluid and allantoic fluid (P < 0.05). Expression of mRNAs for arginine:glycine amidinotransferase, guanidinoacetate methyltransferase, creatine kinase B, and solute carrier 16A12 in endometria and for arginine:glycine amidinotransferase and creatine kinase B in placentomes changed significantly across days of gestation (P < 0.05). The arginine:glycine amidinotransferase protein was more abundant in uterine luminal epithelium on Days 90 and 125 compared to Days 30 and 50 (P < 0.01). The chorionic epithelium of placentomes expressed guanidinoacetate methyltransferase and solute carrier 6A13 throughout gestation. Creatine transporter (solute carrier 6A8) was expressed by the uterine luminal epithelium and trophectoderm of placentomes throughout gestation. Creatine kinase (creatine kinase B and CKMT1) proteins were localized primarily to the uterine luminal epithelium and to the placental chorionic epithelium of placentomes throughout gestation. Collectively, these results demonstrate cell-specific and temporal regulation of components of the creatine-creatine kinase-phosphocreatine system that likely influence energy homeostasis for fetal-placental development., (© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Society for the Study of Reproduction. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Conceptus elongation and early placentation involve growth and remodeling that requires proliferation and migration of cells. This demands conceptuses expend energy before establishment of a placenta connection and when they are dependent upon components of histotroph secreted or transported into the uterine lumen from the uterus. Glucose and fructose, as well as many amino acids (including arginine, aspartate, glutamine, glutamate, glycine, methionine, and serine), increase in the uterine lumen during the peri-implantation period. Glucose and fructose enter cells via their transporters, SLC2A, SLC2A3, and SLC2A8, and amino acids enter the cells via specific transporters that are expressed by the conceptus trophectoderm. However, porcine conceptuses develop rapidly through extensive cellular proliferation and migration as they elongate and attach to the uterine wall resulting in increased metabolic demands. Therefore, coordination of multiple metabolic biosynthetic pathways is an essential aspect of conceptus development. Oxidative metabolism primarily occurs through the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and the electron transport chain, but proliferating and migrating cells, like the trophectoderm of pigs, enhance aerobic glycolysis. The glycolytic intermediates from glucose can then be shunted into the pentose phosphate pathway and one-carbon metabolism for the de novo synthesis of nucleotides. A result of aerobic glycolysis is limited availability of pyruvate for maintaining the TCA cycle, and trophectoderm cells likely replenish TCA cycle metabolites primarily through glutaminolysis to convert glutamine into TCA cycle intermediates. The synthesis of ATP, nucleotides, amino acids, and fatty acids through these biosynthetic pathways is essential to support elongation, migration, hormone synthesis, implantation, and early placental development of conceptuses., (© 2022 Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

Ruminants have a unique placenta in comparison to other mammalian species. Initially, they possess a non-invasive epitheliochorial type of placenta during conceptus elongation. As the conceptus trophectoderm begins to attach to the luminal epithelium (LE) of the endometrium, binucleate cells (BNCs) develop within the trophoblast of the chorion. The BNCs migrate and fuse with the uterine LE to form multinucleate syncytial plaques in sheep and hybrid trinucleate cells in cattle. This area of the ruminant placenta is semi-invasive synepitheliochorial. The BNCs form the foundation of the placental cotyledons and express unique placenta-specific genes including pregnancy-associated glycoproteins and chorionic somatomammotropin hormone 2 or placental lactogen. Attachment and interdigitation of cotyledons into endometrial caruncles form placentomes that are subsequently vascularized to provide essential nutrients for growth of the fetus. This chapter review will discuss historical and current aspects of conceptus implantation and placenta development in ruminant ungulates with a focus on cattle and sheep. Single-cell analysis promises to provide a much more detailed understanding of the different cell populations and insights into pathways mediating trophoblast and placenta. This fundamental is required to understand pregnancy loss and develop strategies to improve pregnancy outcomes in ruminants., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

We have developed workflows to align 3D magnetic resonance histology (MRH) of the mouse brain with light sheet microscopy (LSM) and 3D delineations of the same specimen. We start with MRH of the brain in the skull with gradient echo and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) at 15 μm isotropic resolution which is ~ 1,000 times higher than that of most preclinical MRI. Connectomes are generated with superresolution tract density images of ~5 μm. Brains are cleared, stained for selected proteins, and imaged by LSM at 1.8 μm/pixel. LSM data are registered into the reference MRH space with labels derived from the ABA common coordinate framework. The result is a  hi gh- d imensional  i ntegrated  v olum e  with  r egistration ( HiDiver ) with alignment precision better than 50 µm. Throughput is sufficiently high that HiDiver is being used in quantitative studies of the impact of gene variants and aging on mouse brain cytoarchitecture and connectomics.

This study was conducted with gilts as an animal model to test the hypothesis that dietary supplementation with L-citrulline (Cit) improves placental angiogenesis and embryonic survival. Between Days 14 and 25 of gestation, each gilt was fed a corn- and soybean-meal-based diet (2 kg/day) supplemented with 0.4% Cit or an isonitrogenous amount of L-alanine (Control). On Day 25 of gestation, gilts were hysterectomized to obtain conceptuses. Amniotic and allantoic fluids and placentae were analyzed for NOx [stable oxidation products of nitric oxide (NO)], polyamines, and amino acids (AAs). Placentae were also analyzed for syntheses of NO and polyamines; concentrations of AAs and related metabolites; and the expression of angiogenic factors and aquaporins (AQPs). Compared to the control group, Cit supplementation increased ( P  < 0.01) the number of viable fetuses by 2.0 per litter, the number and diameter of placental blood vessels (21% and 24%, respectively), placental weight (15%), and total allantoic and amniotic fluid volumes (20% and 47%, respectively). Cit supplementation also increased ( P  < 0.01) enzymatic activities of GTP-cyclohydrolase-1 (32%) and ornithine decarboxylase (27%) in placentae; syntheses of NO (29%) and polyamines (26%); concentrations of NOx (19%), tetrahydrobiopterin (28%), polyamines (22%), cAMP (26%), and cGMP (24%) in placentae; total amounts of NOx (22-40%), polyamines (23-40%), AAs (16-255%), glucose (22-44%), and fructose (22-43%) in allantoic and amniotic fluids. Furthermore, Cit supplementation increased ( P  < 0.05) placental mRNA levels for angiogenic factors ( eNOS [84%], GTP-CH1 [55%], PGF [61%], VEGFA120 [26%], and VEGFR2 [137%], as well as AQPs - AQP1 [105%], AQP3 [53%], AQP5 [77%], AQP8 [57%], and AQP9 [31%]). Collectively, dietary Cit supplementation enhanced placental NO and polyamine syntheses as well as angiogenesis to improve conceptus development and survival.

The United States is experiencing a dramatic increase in maternal opioid misuse and, consequently, the number of individuals exposed to opioids in utero. Prenatal opioid exposure has both acute and long-lasting effects on health and wellbeing. Effects on the brain, often identified at school age, manifest as cognitive impairment, attention deficit, and reduced scholastic achievement. The neurobiological basis for these effects is poorly understood. Here, we examine how in utero exposure to heroin affects brain development into early adolescence in a mouse model. Pregnant C57BL/6J mice received escalating doses of heroin twice daily on gestational days 4-18. The brains of offspring were assessed on postnatal day 28 using 9.4 T diffusion MRI of postmortem specimens at 36 μm resolution. Whole-brain volumes and the volumes of 166 bilateral regions were compared between heroin-exposed and control offspring. We identified a reduction in whole-brain volume in heroin-exposed offspring and heroin-associated volume changes in 29 regions after standardizing for whole-brain volume. Regions with bilaterally reduced standardized volumes in heroin-exposed offspring relative to controls include the ectorhinal and insular cortices. Regions with bilaterally increased standardized volumes in heroin-exposed offspring relative to controls include the periaqueductal gray, septal region, striatum, and hypothalamus. Leveraging microscopic resolution diffusion tensor imaging and precise regional parcellation, we generated whole-brain structural MRI diffusion connectomes. Using a dimension reduction approach with multivariate analysis of variance to assess group differences in the connectome, we found that in utero heroin exposure altered structure-based connectivity of the left septal region and the region that acts as a hub for limbic regulatory actions. Consistent with clinical evidence, our findings suggest that prenatal opioid exposure may have effects on brain morphology, connectivity, and, consequently, function that persist into adolescence. This work expands our understanding of the risks associated with opioid misuse during pregnancy and identifies biomarkers that may facilitate diagnosis and treatment., (© 2022 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

The combination of cellular-resolution whole brain light sheet microscopy (LSM) images with an annotated atlas enables quantitation of cellular features in specific brain regions. However, most existing methods register LSM data with existing canonical atlases, e.g., The Allen Brain Atlas (ABA), which have been generated from tissue that has been distorted by removal from the skull, fixation and physical handling. This limits the accuracy of the regional morphologic measurement. Here, we present a method to combine LSM data with magnetic resonance histology (MRH) of the same specimen to restore the morphology of the LSM images to the in-skull geometry. Our registration pipeline which maps 3D LSM big data (terabyte per dataset) to MRH of the same mouse brain provides registration with low displacement error in ∼10 h with limited manual input. The registration pipeline is optimized using multiple stages of transformation at multiple resolution scales. A three-step procedure including pointset initialization, automated ANTs registration with multiple optimized transformation stages, and finalized application of the transforms on high-resolution LSM data has been integrated into a simple, structured, and robust workflow. Excellent agreement has been seen between registered LSM data and reference MRH data both locally and globally. This workflow has been applied to a collection of datasets with varied combinations of MRH contrasts from diffusion tensor images and LSM with varied immunohistochemistry, providing a routine method for streamlined registration of LSM images to MRH. Lastly, the method maps a reduced set of the common coordinate framework (CCFv3) labels from the Allen Brain Atlas onto the geometrically corrected full resolution LSM data. The pipeline maintains the individual brain morphology and allows more accurate regional annotations and measurements of volumes and cell density., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Tian, Cook and Johnson.)