Recent advances and perspectives of metabolomics-based investigations in Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system (CNS), which affects mostly older adults. In recent years, the incidence of PD has been dramatically increasing with the aging population expanding. Due to the lack of effective biomarkers, the accurate diagnosis and precise treatment of PD are currently compromised.

Dynamic changes of CX3CL1/CX3CR1 axis during microglial activation and motor neuron loss in the spinal cord of ALS mouse model.

Background: Neuron-microglia communication plays a crucial role in the motor neurons (MNs) death in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Neurons can express chemokine (C-X3-C motif) ligand 1 (CX3CL1), which mediates microglial activation via interacting with its sole receptor CX3CR1 in microglia. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the dynamic changes of CX3CL1/CX3CR1 axis during microglial activation and MNs loss in SOD1 mouse model of ALS.

Graphene Oxide Nanocolloids Induce Autophagy-Lysosome Dysfunction in Mouse Embryonic Stem Cells.

In this study, we aimed to investigate the in vitro impacts and mechanisms of graphene oxide (GO) nanocolloids on autophagy in mouse embryonic stem cells (mESCs). Our results showed that GO nanocolloids treatment induced autophagosome accumulation in mESCs. In addition, we found that this effect was mediated by the blockade of autophagic flux rather than autophagic induction, as evidenced by the elevated autophagic substrate SQSTM1/p62 level and LC3B turn over.

Alterations of and Cytokines in the Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells: Combined Biomarkers for Parkinson's Disease.

Nuclear receptor related 1 protein (), a transcription factor as key player for maintaining dopamine neuron functions and regulating neuroinflammation in the central nerves system, is a potential susceptibility gene for Parkinson's disease (PD). To ascertain whether the expression levels of gene and inflammatory cytokines are altered in patients with PD, we measured their mRNA levels in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in 312 PD patients, 318 healthy controls (HC), and 332 non-PD neurological disease controls (NDCs) by quantitative real-time PCR. Our data showed that gene expression was significantly decreased in the PBMCs of PD as compared with that of HC and NDC ( < 0.

[Mycoplasma genitalium infection in patients attending the STD clinic in Nanjing].

Objective: To analyze Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) infection among the patients attending the clinic of sexually transmitted diseases (STD) in Nanjing.

Methods: Urethral and cervical swabs were collected from 2 753 patients (2 161 males and 592 females) who first sought medical care at our STD Clinic from November 2015 to December 2017. The patients ranged in age from 18 to 67 years (［37.

A novel therapeutic anticancer property of raw garlic extract via injection but not ingestion.

Prior studies suggest a possibility that the anticancer property of garlic is more effective only when exposed directly to cancer cells than absorbed first by the normal epithelial cells of the gastrointestinal tract wall. We tested this possibility in two mouse models of highly aggressive malignancies that cannot yet be cured by conventional therapies: sarcoma 180- and EL4-induced lethal ascites. Daily oral gavages of raw garlic extract (RGE; equivalent to 100 mg wet weight) for 21 days failed to offer any meaningful effect in the mice with malignancies.

Clinical and radiological characteristics of restless legs syndrome following acute lacunar infarction.

Background: Recent studies have suggested that cerebral ischemic infarction may contribute to the development of restless legs syndrome (RLS). This study analyzed the clinical and radiological profiles of RLS with onset after acute lacunar infarction.

Methods: In this retrospective study we enrolled 244 consecutive patients with acute lacunar infarction between January 2012 and June 2014.

Pathological Impacts of Chronic Hypoxia on Alzheimer's Disease.

Chronic hypoxia is considered as one of the important environmental factors contributing to the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Many chronic hypoxia-causing comorbidities, such as obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), have been reported to be closely associated with AD. Increasing evidence has documented that chronic hypoxia may affect many pathological aspects of AD including amyloid β (Aβ) metabolism, tau phosphorylation, autophagy, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and mitochondrial and synaptic dysfunction, which may collectively result in neurodegeneration in the brain.

The Effect of Growth Differentiation Factor 8 (Myostatin) on Bone Marrow-Derived Stem Cell-Coated Bioactive Sutures in a Rabbit Tendon Repair Model.

We have reported that bioactive sutures coated with bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) enhance tendon repair strength in an in vivo rat model. We have additionally shown that growth differentiation factor 8 (GDF-8, also known as myostatin) simulates tenogenesis in BMSCs in vitro. The purpose of this study was to determine the possibility of BMSC-coated bioactive sutures treated with GDF-8 to increase tendon repair strength in an in vivo rabbit tendon repair model.

Monitoring and detection of leprosy patients in Southwest China: A retrospective study, 2010-2014.

More than 100 counties, mainly in southwest China, report incidence rates of leprosy >1/100,000. The current study analysed the epidemiology of leprosy in southwest China to improve our understanding of the transmission pattern and improve control programs. 207 counties were selected in southwest China.

Distinct disruptions in Land's cycle remodeling of glycerophosphocholines in murine cortex mark symptomatic onset and progression in two Alzheimer's disease mouse models.

Changes in glycerophosphocholine metabolism are observed in Alzheimer's disease; however, it is not known whether these metabolic disruptions are linked to cognitive decline. Here, using unbiased lipidomic approaches and direct biochemical assessments, we profiled Land's cycle lipid remodeling in the hippocampus, frontal cortex, and temporal-parietal-entorhinal cortices of human amyloid beta precursor protein (ΑβPP) over-expressing mice. We identified a cortex-specific hypo-metabolic signature at symptomatic onset and a cortex-specific hyper-metabolic signature of Land's cycle glycerophosphocholine remodeling over the course of progressive behavioral decline.

Impacts of Acute Hypoxia on Alzheimer's Disease-Like Pathologies in APP/PS1 Mice and Their Wild Type Littermates.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia and pathologically featured by β-amyloid (Aβ) plaque deposition and hyper-phosphorylated tau aggregation in the brain. Environmental factors are believed to contribute to the pathogenesis and progression of AD. In the present study, we investigated the impacts of acute hypoxia on Aβ and tau pathologies, neuroinflammation, mitochondrial function, and autophagy in APP/PS1 AD mouse model.

Glypican-1-antibody-conjugated Gd-Au nanoclusters for FI/MRI dual-modal targeted detection of pancreatic cancer.

Introduction: Pancreatic cancer (PC) has a poor prognosis with high mortality, due to the lack of effective early diagnostic and prognostic tools.

Materials And Methods: In order to target and diagnose PC, we developed a dual-modal imaging probe using Glypican-1 (GPC-1) antibody conjugated with Gd-Au nanoclusters (NCs; Gd-Au-NC-GPC-1). GPC-1 is a type of cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycan, which is often highly expressed in PC.

Targeting the miR-665-3p-ATG4B-autophagy axis relieves inflammation and apoptosis in intestinal ischemia/reperfusion.

Autophagy is an essential cytoprotective response against pathologic stresses that selectively degrades damaged cellular components. Impaired autophagy contributes to organ injury in multiple diseases, including ischemia/reperfusion (I/R), but the exact mechanism by which impaired autophagy is regulated remains unclear. Several researchers have demonstrated that microRNAs (miRNAs) negatively regulate autophagy by targeting autophagy-related genes (ATGs).

Liraglutide attenuates the depressive- and anxiety-like behaviour in the corticosterone induced depression model via improving hippocampal neural plasticity.

Recent studies indicate that metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity are a major risk factor of psychiatric diseases. This relationship opens the opportunity to develop new antidepressant drugs by repurposing antidiabetic drugs. Previous research has demonstrated that GLP-1 analogs are neuroprotective in several neurological disease models including Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and stroke.

Repurposing carbamazepine for the treatment of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in SOD1-G93A mouse model.

Aims: To investigate the effect and mechanisms of carbamazepine (CBZ) on the onset and progression of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in SOD1-G93A mouse model.

Methods: Starting from 64 days of age, SOD1-G93A mice were orally administered with CBZ at 200 mg/kg once daily until death. The disease onset and life span of SOD1-G93A mice were recorded.

Renal Prognosis and Related Risk Factors for Henoch-Schönlein Purpura Nephritis: A Chinese Adult Patient Cohort.

This study investigated the clinicopathological characteristics of Henoch-Schönlein purpura nephritis (HSPN) in Chinese adult patients and analyzed the renal outcomes and prognostic risk factors for progression to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Adult patients who had biopsy-proven HSPN were studied. Their clinicopathological data, renal prognoses and related risk factors were assessed.

Changes in the Spectrum of Kidney Diseases: An Analysis of 40,759 Biopsy-Proven Cases from 2003 to 2014 in China.

Objectives: To evaluate the changing spectrum of kidney diseases over time in China using renal biopsy-proven cases.

Methods: All patients over the age of 14 years who were diagnosed with a kidney disease by renal biopsy in the Renal Biopsy Registry of the National Clinical Research Center of Kidney Diseases in Jinling Hospital, Nanjing, from 2003 to 2014 were included.

Results: In total, 40,759 cases of renal biopsy were analyzed.

Preliminary study of the homologous recombination repair pathway in mouse spermatogonial stem cells.

The present study was designed to detect DNA repair response through the homologous recombination pathway in mouse spermatogonial stem cells. Mouse spermatogonial stem cells (mSSCs) were obtained from the adult DBA/2 mouse testes by MACS sorting. mSSCs and mice animals were divided into four groups (30 min, 2, 24 h, control) and treated with ionizing irradiation while the control group received pseudo-irradiation.

Nanomaterials in Neural-Stem-Cell-Mediated Regenerative Medicine: Imaging and Treatment of Neurological Diseases.

Patients are increasingly being diagnosed with neuropathic diseases, but are rarely cured because of the loss of neurons in damaged tissues. This situation creates an urgent clinical need to develop alternative treatment strategies for effective repair and regeneration of injured or diseased tissues. Neural stem cells (NSCs), highly pluripotent cells with the ability of self-renewal and potential for multidirectional differentiation, provide a promising solution to meet this demand.

Increasing Resistance to Azithromycin in Neisseria gonorrhoeae in Eastern Chinese Cities: Resistance Mechanisms and Genetic Diversity among Isolates from Nanjing.

Azithromycin resistance (AZM-R) of is emerging as a clinical and public health challenge. We determined molecular characteristics of recent AZM-R Nanjing gonococcal isolates and tracked the emergence of AZM-R isolates in eastern Chinese cities in recent years. A total of 384 isolates from Nanjing collected from 2013 to 2014 were tested for susceptibility to AZM and six additional antibiotics; all AZM-R strains were characterized genetically for resistance determinants by sequencing and were genotyped using multiantigen sequence typing (NG-MAST).

Potential biomarkers of Parkinson's disease revealed by plasma metabolic profiling.

The plasma of Parkinson's disease (PD) patients may contain various altered metabolites associated with the risk or progression of the disease. Characterization of the abnormal metabolic pattern in PD plasma is therefore critical for the search for potential PD biomarkers. We collected blood plasma samples from PD patients and used an LC-MS based metabolomics approach to identify 17 metabolites with significantly altered levels.

Ex-vivo Tendon Repair Augmented with Bone Marrow Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells Stimulated with Myostatin for Tenogenesis.

Background: To investigate the effect of myostatin (GDF-8) stimulation of bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) on tenogenesis in the setting of tendon repair. GDF-8 has demonstrated the ability to augment tenogenesis and we sought to identify if this effect could lead to the focused differentiation of pluripotential stem cells down a tenocyte lineage ex vivo.

Methods: Cadaveric upper limb flexor tendons were harvested, decellularized and divided into 1 cm segments.

Fingerprint analysis of Huolingshengji Formula and its neuroprotective effects in SOD1 mouse model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurological disease characterized by progressive loss of motor neurons. There are no definitive pathogenic mechanisms and effective treatments for ALS now. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) plays an important role in Chinese health care system.