IRF-8 is Involved in Amyloid-β (Aβ)-induced Microglial Activation: a New Implication in Alzheimer's Disease.

It is well known that extracellular deposition of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide and microglia-mediated neuroinflammation are major hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Interferon regulatory factor-8 (IRF-8), an important transcription factor of the IRF family, is highly restricted in microglia in brains. The expression pattern and function of IRF-8 in AD need to be elucidated in order to provide novel therapies for the treatment of AD.

Induction of GADD45α protects M17 neuroblastoma cells against MPP*.

Growth arrest and DNA-damage-inducible protein 45α (GADD45α) is an important member of the family of growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible (GADD) proteins. The expression patterns and possible roles of GADD45α in Parkinson's disease (PD) are so far less understood. In this study, we found that 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) treatment up-regulates the expression of GADD45α in both a time-dependent manner and a dose-dependent manner in human dopamine neuroblastoma M17 cells.

Analysis of risk factors of hemorrhagic transformation after acute ischemic stroke: cerebral microbleeds do not correlate with hemorrhagic transformation.

To study the potential risk factors including cerebral microbleeds (CMB) of hemorrhagic transformation (HT) after acute ischemic stroke. We included 348 consecutive patients with acute infarction who were hospitalized in two centers from June 2009 to December 2010. Acute ischemic infarctions were subdivided into atherosclerotic, cardioemblic, lacunar, and undetermined infarction groups.

Perivascular and perineural extension of formed and soluble blood elements in an intracerebral hemorrhage rat model.

The perivascular and perineural extension of hematoma has recently been observed in the brain after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), which is formed by the leakage of hematoma via the Virchow-Robin spaces (VRS) and the spaces around the nerve fibers (perineurium). The present study investigated the perivascular and perineural extension of a hematoma by studying the distribution of the formed and soluble blood elements labeled with different fluorescein dyes at different times after ICH in a rat model. The ICH rat model was prepared using a modified double injection method.

[A rat model of focal lymph encephalopathy established by partial ligation of the cerebral superficial artery].

Objective: To establish a rat model of focal lymphatic encephalopathy by partial ligation of the cerebral superficial artery for observation of the changes of Virchow-Robin spaces (VRS).

Methods: Thirty male SD rats were randomized into 3 groups (n=10), including two model groups and a sham-operated group. The rats in the model groups were subjected to partial ligation of the cerebral superficial arteries under EEG monitoring to induce focal lymphatic encephalopathy, and those in the sham-operated group underwent only dissociation of the cerebral superficial artery without ligation.

[Correlation of ABO groups to hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage].

Objective: To study the relationship between ABO blood groups and hypertensive intracerebral hemorrhage (HICH).

Methods: The clinical data of 425 patients with HICH admitted to Nanfang Hospital were collected to analyze the relationship between the ABO blood groups and the occurrence of HICH, with normal Han Chinese subjects serving as the controls.

Results: Compared to the officially documented distribution of ABO groups in Chinese population (O 34.

[Association of cytochrome P4502D6 gene polymorphism with the susceptibility of heroin spongiform leucoencephalopathy].

Objective: To elucidate the relation between cytochrome P4502D6 (CYP2D6) gene polymorphism and the susceptibility of heroin spongiform leucoencephalopathy (HSLE).

Methods: With polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique, the cytochrome P4502D6 gene polymorphisms were analyzed in HSLE cases and control subjects.

Results: The frequencies of CYP2D6 (CYP2D6/C188, CYP2D6/L2938, CYP2D6/G4268) gene mutations were higher in HSLE patients than in the controls.

[Clinical and neuroimaging features of heroin spongiform leukoencephalopathy].

Objective: To summarize the clinical and radiographic characteristics of heroin spongiform leukoencephalopathy (HSLE).

Methods: A clinical analysis of 42 cases of HSLE was conducted.

Results: Clinically, the patients with HSLE all had a positive history of inhalation of heated heroin vapor with acute or subacute onset in most cases, presenting initially cerebellar signs.

[Correlation between diffusion anisotropy of the white matter fibers and cognitive function in patients with leukoaraiosis].

Objective: To investigate the correlation between the diffusion anisotropy of the white matter fibers and the cognitive function in patients with leukoaraiosis (LA).

Methods: Thirty-one LA patients were enrolled in this study, including 13 with grade LA-1 (mild), 12 with grade LA-2 (moderate) and 6 with grade LA-3 (severe) condition. The control group consisted of 18 subjects who were free of obvious clinical symptoms or had only mild dizziness and headache but with negative history for neural system diseases and in the absence of cognitive dysfunction, brain trauma, positive signs in neurological examinations, or abnormities in MRI examination.

[Correlation between white matter lesion and memory impairment in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome].

Objective: To investigate the nature of white matter lesion and correlation to memory impairment in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) by diffusion tensor imaging ( DTI).

Method: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 20 middle-aged male people (10 with OSAS and 10 healthy controls) group-matched by age, educational level, and socioeconomic status. DTI was performed on those people with OSAS and on matched controls.

[Modified neurological tests for evaluating the severity of cerebral infarction and estimating the infarct area in rats].

Objective: To test the reliability of quantitative neurological tests in evaluating the neurological deficits in rat models of cerebral ischemia.

Methods: Forty male SD rats (7 to 9 weeks old) were subjected to transient (1 h) middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) to induce cerebral infarction and 9 received sham operation only. The motor and sensory functions of the rats were measured before and 1, 3, 7 and 14 days after MCAO by accelerating rotarod test and modified adhesive removal test.

[Cloning of deletion junctions: a method of PCR for detecting the deletional pseudohypertrophic muscular dystrophy carriers].

Objective: Dystrophin gene deletion junction is the unique DNA sequence resulted from illegitimate recombination after the gene deletion. A novel accurate approach is presented here for the detection of deletional pseudohypertrophic muscular dystrophy carriers with the deletion junctions.

Methods: A Becker muscular dystrophy (BMD) family from Zhaoqing, Guangdong, China was used.

[Roles of cyclooxygenase 2/2', 3'-cyclic nucleotide3' phosphohydrolase in the oligodendrocyte apoptosis in heroin-induced spongiform leucoencephalopathy].

Objective: To investigate the regulation of cyclooxygenase (Cox)-2/2', 3'-cyclic nucleotide3' phosphohydrolase (CNPase) on the oligodendrocyte apoptosis in the pathogenesis of the heroin-induced spongiform leucoencephalopathy (HSLE).

Methods: Samples of frontal lobe, cerebellum, and corpus callosum were obtained from the brains during autopsy of 4 HSLE patients and 5 patients who died of diseases other than cerebral diseases (controls) and underwent light microscopy and electron microscopy. Immunocytochemistry was carried out to detect the expression of myelin basic protein (MBP), caspase-3, COX-2, and CNPase protein.

[Roles of bcl-2/bax expression and oligodendrocyte apoptosis in the pathogenesis of heroin-induced spongiform leucoencephalopathy].

Objective: To investigate the role of oligodendrocyte apoptosis under the regulation of the bcl-2/bax protein expression in brain white matter in the pathogenesis of heroin-induced spongiform leucoencephalopathy (HSLE).

Methods: Samples of frontal lobe, cerebellum, and corpus callosum were obtained from the brains during autopsy of 4 HSLE cases and 5 normal controls and underwent light microscopy and electron microscopy. Immunocytochemistry was used to detect the expression of myelin basic protein (MBP), caspase-3, bcl-2 protein, and bax protein.

[Event-related potentials of relational memory in target and delay phases of working memory].

Objective: To compare the spatiotemporal pattern of event-related potentials (ERPs) of relational memory retention between color-location binding and semantics-location binding.

Methods: The ERPs of 19 channels were recorded from 14 healthy subjects while performing the two binding delayed-match-to-sample tasks. A paired-sample t test was used for analysis of both the behavioral performance and ERPs, and statistical parametric mapping (SPM) of the t values was applied to ERPs.

[Effect of Tongxinluo on the proliferation and differentiation of rat embryonic neural stem cells].

Objective: To investigate the effect of Tongxinluo in on the proliferation and differentiation of rat embryonic neural stem cells (NSCs).

Methods: NSCs were isolated from 12- to 14-day SD rat embryo and treated with Tongxinluo at different doses, and the proliferation and differentiation of the cells were observed by immunofluorescence staining at different time points.

Results: The ratio of embryonic NSCs labeled with nestin decreased soon after Tongxinluo treatment, but increased afterwards.

[A diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging study of age-related cerebral white matter diffusion anisotropy in normal human adult].

Objective: To investigate the correlation between cerebral white matter fraction anisotropy (FA) in normal human adults using the diffusion tensor magnetic resonance (MR) imaging (DTI).

Methods: Forty-five adults with normal cerebral white matter MRI findings in 3 age groups (n=15), namely 25 approximately 35 years (young), 45 approximately 55 years (middle-aged) and 65 years or above (elderly), underwent conventional MRI and diffusion tensor MR imaging. FA was measured in different regions of interest (ROIs) including the genu and splenium of the corpus callosum, posterior limb and anterior limb of the internal capsule, centrum semiovale, frontal white matter, thalamus and head of the caudate nucleus.

[Pathological analysis of heroin spongiform leukoencephalopathy].

Objective: To investigate the pathological characteristics of heroin spongiform leukoencephalopathy (HSLE).

Methods: Cerebral tissue specimens were obtained from 15 patients with HSLE and the histological observations under optical and electron microscopes were carried out by HE, Bielschowsky's, and chromotrope 2R-brilliant green staining.

Results: HSLE was characterized primarily by spongiform vacuolar degeneration of the cerebral white matter.

[Relationship between polymorphisms of interleukin 10 promoter and serum levels of lipoprotein in the Chinese Han population].

Objective: To study the relationship between polymorphisms of interleukin 10 (IL10QX) promoter and serum levels of lipoprotein in the healthy Chinese Han population.

Methods: PCR restriction fragment length polymorphism assay was used to detect the distribution of genotypes of IL10 -592,-819,-1082 in 200 healthy Chinese Han subjects. Serum levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) and very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) in all subjects were measured to analyze the relationship with the polymorphisms of IL10 promoter.

[Therapeutic effect of glucose-6-phosphate polyclonal antibody on vasogenic brain edema in rats].

Objective: To observe the therapeutic effect of glucose-6-phosphate polyclonal antibody (G-6-P pAb) on vasogenic brain edema (VBE) in rats.

Methods: Sixty Wistar rats were randomly divided into normal control group, VBE group, mannitol-treated edema group, and G-6-P pAb-treated edema group. After establishment of rat models of VBE by intraperitoneal injection of phenylephrine in the latter 3 groups, mannitol was injected through the femoral vein in mannitol group and G-6-P pAb injected intraperitoneally in G-6-P pAb group.

[Nestin activation after rat cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury and its changes in response to Tongxinluo treatment].

Objective: To investigate nestin activation in rat brain subjected to ischemia-reperfusion injury and its changes in response to Tongxinluo treatment.

Methods: Cerebral ischemia was induced by temporary middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in rats. At 3, 7, 14 and 21 days after MCAO, nestin expression in the ependyma, subventricular zone (SVZ), hippocampal subdentate gyrus zone (HDG) of the rats treated with Tongxinluo were guantified by immunohistochemistry.

[Cloning and sequencing of the junction fragment of dystrophin gene with exons 3 to 5 deletion].

Objective: To study the mechanisms of dystrophin gene deletion by cloning and sequencing the junction fragment of dystrophin gene with exons 3 to 5 deletion.

Methods: PCR was performed to verify dystrophin gene exons 3 to 5 deletion in a patient with Duchenne muscular dystrophy. A PCR-based genome-walking method was used to localize the breakpoint in introns 2 and 5, and the deletion-junction fragment was directly amplified by PCR approach with forward and reverse primers annealing to a DNA sequence as close as possible to the breakpoint in the introns 2 and 5.

Cloning and sequencing of junction fragment with exons 45-54 deletion of dystrophin gene.

Objective: To study the mechanisms of dystrophin gene deletion, the junction fragment with exons 45-54 deletion were cloned and sequenced.

Methods: A Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patient with exons 45-54 deletion has been substantiated by PCR amplification of the exons. Then we used a PCR-based genome-walking method for localizing the breakpoints in introns 44 and 54.

[Clinical analysis of 73 cases of hypoglycemia with brain dysfunctions].

Objective: To identify the clinical features and pathogenesis of hypoglycemia with brain dysfunctions as the main manifestations.

Method: A retrospective analysis of 73 cases with brain dysfunctions caused by hypoglycemia was performed.

Result: Hypoglycemic brain dysfunctions were mainly caused by poor control of the dosage of hypoglycemic agents in diabetic patients, and the major clinical manifestations included coma, hemiparalysis, epilepsy and mental disorders.