Deep cortical microinfarction induced by femtosecond laser in mice: Long-term secondary pathological changes in corresponding superficial cortex.

Background And Purpose: Previous studies have explored the clinical consequences of cortical microinfarction, mainly age-related cognitive decline. However, functional impairment of deep cortical microinfarction remains poorly understood. Based on anatomical knowledge and previous research, we infer that damage to the deep cortex may lead to cognitive deficits and communication impairment between the superficial cortex and thalamus.

GDPLichi: a DNA Damage Repair-Related Gene Classifier for Predicting Lung Adenocarcinoma Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors Response.

Lung cancer is one of the most common and mortal malignancies, usually with a poor prognosis in its advanced or recurrent stages. Recently, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) immunotherapy has revolutionized the treatment of human cancers including lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), and significantly improved patients' prognoses. However, the prognostic and predictive outcomes differ because of tumor heterogeneity.

The neuroprotective role of SIRT1/PGC-1α signaling in limb postconditioning in cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Limb ischemic postconditioning (LPostC) is an innovative treatment for ischemia/reperfusion injury (IRI). However, its mechanisms have not yet been elucidated. Herein, we assessed the importance of SIRT1/PGC-1α signaling in LPostC neuroprotection following cerebral I/R injury in rats.

MiR-615 Regulates NSC Differentiation In Vitro and Contributes to Spinal Cord Injury Repair by Targeting LINGO-1.

LINGO-1(LRR and Ig domain-containing NOGO receptor interacting protein 1) is a viable target for spinal cord injury (SCI) repair due to its potent negative regulation in neuron survival and axonal regeneration. Although promising, the intracellular mechanism underlying LINGO-1 regulation is unclear. Here, we identified miR-615 as a potential microRNA (miRNA) that directly targets LINGO-1 by binding its 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) and caused the translation inhibition of LINGO-1.

Inhibitory role of lentivirus-mediated aquaporin-4 gene silencing in the formation of glial scar in a rat model of traumatic brain injury.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI), an acute degenerative pathology of the central nervous system, is a leading cause of death and disability. As the glial scar is a mechanical barrier to nerve regeneration, inhibitory molecules in the forming scar and methods to overcome them have suggested molecular modification strategies to allow neuronal growth and functional regeneration. Herein, we aim to investigate the effects of aquaporin-4 (AQP4) gene silencing on the glial scar formation after TBI by establishing rat models.

Enriched Brain Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Confer Neuroprotection against Microinfarction.

Cerebral microinfarcts have significant effects on the development of geriatric neurological disorders, including vascular dementia and Alzheimer's disease. However, little is known about the pathophysiological mechanisms involved in the evolution of microinfarcts and potential treatment and prevention against these microvascular ischemic lesions. In the present study, the "single cortical microinfarct model" generated via occluding a penetrating arteriole by femtosecond laser ablation and the "multiple diffuse microinfarcts model" induced by unilateral injection of cholesterol crystals through the internal carotid artery were established to investigate the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying the evolution of microinfarcts and the effects of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFAs) on alleviating microinfarct burdens and functional deficits.

Clinical outcome and predictive factors of postoperative myasthenic crisis in 173 thymomatous myasthenia gravis patients.

Purpose: Thymectomy is the first-line therapy for thymomatous myasthenia gravis patients. The aim of this study is to explore the clinical outcome and predictors of postoperative myasthenic crisis (POMC) in these patients.

Method: Clinical data of 173 thymomatous myasthenia gravis patients undergoing thymectomy from January 2000 to March 2013 were, retrospectively reviewed.

Alterations in AQP4 expression and polarization in the course of motor neuron degeneration in SOD1G93A mice.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by selective degeneration of upper and lower motor neurons. The disease progression is associated with the astrocytic environment. Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) water channels are the most abundant AQPs expressed in astrocytes, exerting important influences on central nervous system homeostasis.

Collateral blood flow in different cerebrovascular hierarchy provides endogenous protection in cerebral ischemia.

Collateral blood flow as vascular adaptions to focal cerebral ischemia is well recognized. However, few studies directly investigate the dynamics of collateral vessel recruitment in vivo and little is known about the effect of collateral blood flow in different cerebrovascular hierarchy on the neuropathology after focal ischemic stroke. Here, we report that collateral blood flow is critically involved in blood vessel compensations following regional ischemia.

Enriched Endogenous Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Protect Cortical Neurons from Experimental Ischemic Injury.

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) exert therapeutic potential in a variety of neurological disorders, including ischemic stroke. However, the underlying mechanisms still lack investigation. Here, we report that cultured cortical neurons isolated from fat-1 mice with high endogenous n-3 PUFAs were tolerant to oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R) injury.

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids promote amyloid-β clearance from the brain through mediating the function of the glymphatic system.

Impairment of amyloid-β (Aβ) clearance leads to Aβ accumulation in the brain during the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Strategies that can restore or improve the clearance function hold great promise in delaying or preventing the onset of AD. Here, we show that n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), by use of fat-1 transgenic mice and oral administration of fish oil, significantly promote interstitial Aβ clearance from the brain and resist Aβ injury.

Enriched Endogenous Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Mice Ameliorate Parenchymal Cell Death After Traumatic Brain Injury.

Currently no effective therapies are available for the treatment of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Early intervention that specifically provides neuroprotection is of most importance which profoundly influences the outcome of TBI. In the present study, we adopted a closed-skull mild TBI model to investigate potential roles of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFAs) in protecting against TBI.

Reprogramming somatic cells to cells with neuronal characteristics by defined medium both in vitro and in vivo.

Background: Currently, direct conversion from somatic cells to neurons requires virus-mediated delivery of at least one transcriptional factor or a combination of several small-molecule compounds. Delivery of transcriptional factors may affect genome stability, while small-molecule compounds may require more evaluations when applied in vivo. Thus, a defined medium with only conventional growth factors or additives for cell culture is desirable for inducing neuronal trans-differentiation.

GABA-ergic interneurons involved in transcallosal inhibition of the visual cortices in vivo in mice.

In the current study we investigated the role of the corpus callosum, particularly the gamma-aminobutyric acid-ergic (GABAergic) projection neurons involved in interhemispheric inhibition (IHI). In order to explore IHI in primary visual cortices, we adopted a protocol whereby we performed a direct current lesion of the unilateral primary visual cortex with or without posterior callosotomy, and used two-photon Ca(2+)in vivo imaging on the opposite unaffected region to detect neural activities in mice. Following this procedure, the numbers of vesicular GABAergic transporters (VGATs) and GABAergic interneurons in the unaffected primary cortex were determined using immunofluorescence staining.

Clinical outcome and predictive factors of irradiation-associated myasthenia gravis exacerbation in thymomatous patients.

Exacerbations of myasthenia gravis (MG) in patients during radiotherapy for thymoma have never been adequately documented. This study aimed to identify potential risk factors for the occurrence of MG exacerbation during irradiation and to determine whether MG exacerbation during radiotherapy could affect the long-term clinical outcome of these patients. A total of 51 thymoma patients with MG receiving postoperative radiotherapy from January 2000 to March 2013 were retrospectively reviewed.

Allopurinol protects against ischemic insults in a mouse model of cortical microinfarction.

Microinfarcts are common in patients with cognitive decline and dementia. Allopurinol (ALLO), a xanthine oxidase (XO) enzyme inhibitor, has been found to reduce proinflammatory molecules and oxidative stress in the vasculature. We here examined the effect of pre-treatment with allopurinol on the cortical microinfarction.

Deletion of aquaporin-4 is neuroprotective during the acute stage of micro traumatic brain injury in mice.

Micro traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the most common type of brain injury, but the mechanisms underlying it are poorly understood. Aquaporin-4 (AQP4) is a water channel expressed in astrocyte end-feet, which plays an important role in brain edema. However, little is known about the role of AQP4 in micro TBI.

Effect of intermittent hypoxia on neuro-functional recovery post brain ischemia in mice.

Intermittent hypoxia was a simulation of a high-altitude environment. Neuro-inflammation post brain ischemia was considered as a vital impact which contributed to cognitive-functional deficit. The isoform of nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was an inflammation factor secreted by microglias in neuro-inflammation.

Enriched endogenous omega-3 fatty acids in mice protect against global ischemia injury.

Transient global cerebral ischemia, one of the consequences of cardiac arrest and cardiovascular surgery, usually leads to delayed death of hippocampal cornu Ammonis1 (CA1) neurons and cognitive deficits. Currently, there are no effective preventions or treatments for this condition. Omega-3 (ω-3) PUFAs have been shown to have therapeutic potential in a variety of neurological disorders.

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids protect neural progenitor cells against oxidative injury.

The omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFAs), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), derived mainly from fish oil, play important roles in brain development and neuroplasticity. Here, we reported that application of ω-3 PUFAs significantly protected mouse neural progenitor cells (NPCs) against H2O2-induced oxidative injury. We also isolated NPCs from transgenic mice expressing the Caenorhabditis elegans fat-1 gene.

Ginsenoside Rb1 protects rat neural progenitor cells against oxidative injury.

Ginseng, the root of Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer, has been used as a tonic to enhance bodily functions against various ailments for hundreds of years in Far Eastern countries without apparent adverse effects.

Self-assembling peptide nanofiber scaffolds enhance dopaminergic differentiation of mouse pluripotent stem cells in 3-dimensional culture.

Dopaminergic differentiation of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) gains more and more attention worldwide owing to its potential use for neurorestorative therapy for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. The conventional 2D cell culture on petri dishes with various animal derived substrata such as collagen gels, laminin, and Matrigel is widely used to induce dopaminergic differentiation and it may limit the efficiency in the generation of dopaminergic neurons from ESCs and prevent their application for human therapies. Here, we reported that a self-assembling peptide made from natural amino acids has a property to generate a true 3D environment for dopaminergic differentiation.

The effect of steroid treatment and thymectomy on bone age and height development in juvenile myasthenia gravis.

Juvenile myasthenia gravis (JMG) is usually associated with growth retardation; however, no data have been published to date in this regard. The goal of this study was to analyze the developmental status of bone age (BA) and height in JMG patients and to subsequently identify the clinical factors, particularly thymectomy, associated with it to guide clinical practice. We conducted a cross-sectional study of 76 JMG patients to examine whether they had abnormalities of height and bone development according to the distribution of the height standard deviation score (Ht SDS) and BA.

Expansion of circulating counterparts of follicular helper T cells in patients with myasthenia gravis.

Growing evidence has demonstrated that dysfunction of follicular helper T (TFH) cells results in an abnormal positive selection of autoreactive B cells, which contributes to the development of autoimmune diseases. This study reveals that the frequency of circulating counterparts of TFH cells in myasthenia gravis (MG) patients is significantly higher compared to healthy controls. Interestingly, the frequencies of circulating TFH cells were positively correlated with the levels of serum anti-AChR Ab in MG patients.

[Clinical study and case follow-up of 61 cases of familial myasthenia gravis in 28 families].

Objective: To explore the clinical features and prognosis of familial myasthenia gravis (FMG).

Methods: The clinical data were collected and analyzed for 61 FMG patients from 28 families from February 1998 to March 2009 at the department of neurology, First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University. And they were compared with 257 cases of sporadic myasthenia gravis (MG) by case-control method.