CircRNA and miRNA expression profiles during remote ischemic postconditioning attenuate brain ischemia/reperfusion injury.

Remote ischemic postconditioning (RIPostC) is a protective procedure for brain damage caused by ischemia/reperfusion (IR), yet the mechanism of this treatment remains to be elucidated. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are endogenous non-coding RNAs that have recently been recognized to play vital roles in ischemic brain injury. The aim of this study was to explore the role of circRNAs in the protective mechanism of RIPostC and to analyze the circRNA-microRNA (miRNA) regulation network in RIPostC.

Salidroside inhibits NLRP3 inflammasome activation and apoptosis in microglia induced by cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury by inhibiting the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Background: The NOD-like receptor family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is an important mediator of neuroinflammatory responses that regulates inflammatory injury following cerebral ischemia and may be a potential target. Salidroside (Sal) has good anti-inflammatory effects; however, it remains unclear whether Sal can regulate NLRP3 inflammasome activation through the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)/nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signaling pathway after cerebral ischemia to alleviate inflammatory injury.

Methods: We established an oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation (OGD/R) model of BV2 cells and a middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion (MCAO/R) rat model.

Neuroprotective effects of long noncoding RNAs involved in ischemic postconditioning after ischemic stroke.

During acute reperfusion, the expression profiles of long noncoding RNAs in adult rats with focal cerebral ischemia undergo broad changes. However, whether long noncoding RNAs are involved in neuroprotective effects following focal ischemic stroke in rats remains unclear. In this study, RNA isolation and library preparation was performed for long noncoding RNA sequencing, followed by determining the coding potential of identified long noncoding RNAs and target gene prediction.

Negative regulation by proBDNF signaling of peripheral neurogenesis in the sensory ganglia of adult rats.

Neurogenesis in the adult brain is well recognized and plays a critical role in the maintenance of brain function and homeostasis. However, whether neurogenesis also occurs in the adult peripheral nervous system remains unknown. Here, using sensory ganglia (dorsal root ganglia, DRGs) as a model, we show that neurogenesis also occurs in the peripheral nervous system, but in a manner different from that in the central nervous system.

[Emission Concentration and Characteristics of Particulate Matter and Water-Soluble Ions in Exhaust Gas of Typical Combustion Sources with Ultra-Low Emission].

A self-developed direct condensation sampling system and monitoring method for total particulate matter (TPM) in ultra-low-emission and high-humidity exhaust gas were applied to the emission monitoring of particulate matter in flue gas from three typical combustion sources with ultra-low emissions in Beijing. The emission levels and composition characteristics of particulate matter and water-soluble ions in the exhaust gas of typical combustion sources with ultra-low emissions were analyzed and evaluated. The interaction and influencing factors of filterable particulate matter (FPM) and condensable particulate matter (CPM) and their water-soluble ions were explored.

Advances in intervention methods and brain protection mechanisms of in situ and remote ischemic postconditioning.

Ischemic postconditioning (PostC) conventionally refers to a series of brief blood vessel occlusions and reperfusions, which can induce an endogenous neuroprotective effect and reduce cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury. Depending on the site of adaptive ischemic intervention, PostC can be classified as in situ ischemic postconditioning (ISPostC) and remote ischemic postconditioning (RIPostC). Many studies have shown that ISPostC and RIPostC can reduce cerebral IS injury through protective mechanisms that increase cerebral blood flow after reperfusion, decrease antioxidant stress and anti-neuronal apoptosis, reduce brain edema, and regulate autophagy as well as Akt, MAPK, PKC, and KATP channel cell signaling pathways.

Different ischemic duration and frequency of ischemic postconditioning affect neuroprotection in focal ischemic stroke.

Background: Many studies have confirmed that "in situ ischemia postconditioning" (ISPostC) and "remote ischemic postconditioning" (RIPostC) can reduce cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury, but there is no comparison was made on the consistency of neuroprotection in ISPostC and RIPostC to different ischemic duration and number of cycles.

New Method: We used a transient middle cerebral artery occlusion model to compare the neuroprotection of ISPostC and RIPostC. We conducted ISPostC and RIPostC via brief and repeated MCA and Femoral artery occlusion followed by different ischemic duration and number of cycles.

[Pollution Characteristics and Potential Ecological Risks of Heavy Metals in Road Dust in Beijing].

Based on the concentrations of 21 inorganic elements in particulate matter with diameters less than 10 μm (PM) in 2004, and PM in 2004 and 2013 of representative road dust in Beijing, the pollution characteristics and potential ecological risks of heavy metals in this dust were analyzed and discussed. The results showed that the six main elements in road dust in Beijing were Si, Ca, Al, Fe, Mg, and K, and the proportions of the total content of the six elements in PM in 2004, PM in 2004, and PM in 2013 accounted for 96.51%, 96.

A novel primary culture method for high-purity satellite glial cells derived from rat dorsal root ganglion.

Satellite glial cells surround neurons within dorsal root ganglia. Previous studies have focused on single-cell suspensions of cultured neurons derived from rat dorsal root ganglia. At present, the primary culture method for satellite glial cells derived from rat dorsal root ganglia requires no digestion skill.

Preparation of Cellulose/Graphene Oxide Composite Membranes and Their Application in Removing Organic Contaminants in Wastewater.

Cellulose/graphene oxide composite membranes (CGCMs) were prepared using a vacuum-filtration method. The CGCMs were then used as filters to remove organic pollutants from wastewater. It was found that the CGCM filters could efficiently and simultaneously achieve wastewater treatment and adsorbent separation.

Notoginsenoside R1 Promotes the Growth of Neonatal Rat Cortical Neurons via the Wnt/β-catenin Signaling Pathway.

Background & Objective: Notoginsenoside R1 (NGR1) is one of the main effective components of Panax notoginseng.

Method: Primary cortical neurons were harvested from neonatal rats and cultured to analyze the role of NGR1 in neuronal growth and the effects of NGR1 on the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. Following treatment with NGR1, immunocytochemistry was used to detect expression of Tuj1 and MAP2, and RT-qPCR was used to measure mRNA levels of key factors in the Wnt signaling pathway.

The prognostic role of Gas6/Axl axis in solid malignancies: a meta-analysis and literature review.

Background: Axl is a receptor tyrosine kinase that is involved in many pathological conditions and carcinogenesis. Gas6 is the major ligand of Axl. Activation of Gas6/Axl pathway is essential for cancer development.

Brain-derived Neurotrophic Factor Promotes Growth of Neurons and Neural Stem Cells Possibly by Triggering the Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase/ AKT/Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3β/β-catenin Pathway.

Background: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays a crucial role in promoting survival and differentiation of neurons and neural stem cells (NSCs), but the downstream regulating mechanisms remain poorly understood.

Objective: We investigated whether BDNF exerts its effect by triggering the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B, PKB (AKT), glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) and β-catenin signaling pathway in cultured neurons and NSCs derived from the rat embryonic spinal cord.

Method: Immunocytochemistry was used to detect neuronal and NSCs characteristics.

Region-specific expression of precursor and mature brain-derived neurotrophic factors after chronic alcohol exposure.

Background: Alcohol abuse is a serious health problem worldwide that causes a variety of physical and mental disorders. Research has shown that the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays an important role in alcohol addiction. The BDNF precursor (proBDNF) exhibits different actions than BDNF through separate receptors and pathways in the central nervous system.

BDNF promotes human neural stem cell growth via GSK-3β-mediated crosstalk with the wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays important roles in neural stem cell (NSC) growth. In this study, we investigated whether BDNF exerts its neurotrophic effects through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in human embryonic spinal cord NSCs (hESC-NSCs) in vitro. We found an increase in hESC-NSC growth by BDNF overexpression.

Effects of multiwalled carbon nanotubes on electrospun poly(lactide-co-glycolide)-based nanocomposite scaffolds on neural cells proliferation.

The repair of nerves remains a major challenge in neuron-regeneration. In this study, poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)/multi-walled carbon nanotubes (PLGA/MWCNTs) nanofibrous scaffolds were fabricated by electrospinning method. The surface morphology, physical, and mechanical properties were characterized through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy, and tensile tests, respectively.

Expression pattern of β-catenin during the development of human fetal spinal cord.

Development of the human fetal spinal cord is a very complicated process involving numerous signaling pathways including Wnt signaling pathways. These pathways are critical for the development and function of the mammalian nervous system. β-Catenin is a key molecule in the canonical Wnt signaling pathway.

BDNF promotes the growth of human neurons through crosstalk with the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway via GSK-3β.

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) plays an important role in neuronal growth; however, the downstream regulatory mechanisms remain unclear. In this study, we investigated whether BDNF exerts its neurotrophic effects through the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in human embryonic spinal cord neurons in vitro. We found that neuronal growth (soma size and average neurite length) was increased by transfection with a BDNF overexpression plasmid.

Expression pattern of NeuN and GFAP during human fetal spinal cord development.

Purpose: The development of the human embryonic spinal cord is very complicated, and many cell types are involved in the process. However, the morphological characteristics of neuronal and glial cells during the development of the human fetal spinal cord have not been described. We investigated the systemic distributions and expression pattern of the cell type-specific markers Neuron-specific nuclear protein (NeuN) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) during the development of the human fetal spinal cord, in order to clarify the detailed developmental changes of neuronal and glial cells in chronological and spatial aspects.

Monitoring the Effects of Acupoint Antioxidant Intervention by Measuring Electrical Potential Difference along the Meridian.

Previous studies suggest that superoxide anions are possibly traveling along acupuncture meridians. The electrical potential difference (EPD) between acupoints may be related to the movement. To test the above hypothesis, we conducted a study investigating the effects of acupoint antioxidant interventions on the meridian EPD.

Potential Neurogenesis of Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells on Electrospun Catalpol-Loaded Composite Nanofibrous Scaffolds.

Catalpol, a natural active ingredient extracted from the traditional Chinese medicine, was verified exhibiting beneficial effects on neural differentiation compared with commonly used chemical inducers by our previous studies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of catalpol-loaded scaffold on guiding neuronal differentiation of human adipose tissue-derived stem cells (hASCs). Fabrication technique of catalpol loading into the electrospun poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)/multi-walled carbon nanotubes/silk fibroin nanofibrous scaffolds was successfully established.

A quantitative stereological study of the area of cortical surface in the monkey, pig and cat cerebrum.

An unbiased stereological method (the 'vertical section') has been available since the 1980s for the area estimation of an arbitrary surface. Using this methodology, the ratio of the inner (folded) cerebral cortical surface area, to that of the outer surface, was estimated to be about 2 in Man. We have used the same morphometric techniques to study the cerebrum of seven monkeys, six pigs and six cats.

[A qualitative and quantitative analysis on the development of NKA-immunoreaction in duodenum of rats].

Objective: To explore the expression and change of neurokinin A (NKA) in rat duodenum during development.

Methods: PAP immunocytochemistry method and image analysis were used to detect systematically the expression of NKA in rat duodenum from day 13 of embryo to adult stage.

Results: In rat duodenum, the NKA-IR was first found in the myenteric plexus at day 14 of embryo, and then was found in the longitudinal muscle layer, circular muscle layer, intestinal villus, mucosa plexus, intestinal gland, muscularis mucosae, submucosa, submucosal plexus and deep muscular plexus.

[Eukaryotic expression and intracellular distribution of cancer and embryo expression protein 65].

Background & Objective: Previous studies show that cancer and embryo expression protein 65 (CEP65) only expresses in various cancer cells and embryo cells. This study was to detect intracellular distribution of CEP65, and make the foundation for further CEP65 function study.

Methods: Two kinds of eukaryotic expression plasmids, which can separately express full-length CEP65-GST and fluorescent fusion protein CEP65-Red, were constructed, and transfected into COS7 cells by DEAE-Dextran method.

[Qualitative and quantitative analyses on the development of NKA-immunoreactivity in the esophagus of rats].

Objective: To explore the expression and change of neurokinin A (NKA) in rat esophagus during development.

Methods: PAP immunocytochemistry method and image analysis were used to detect systematically the expression of NKA in rat esophagus from the 13th day of embryo to adult stage.

Results: In rat esophagus, the positive varicosities and fibres could be observed in the circular muscle layer and the muscularis mucosae layer at the 21st day before birth.