Direct Conversion of Normal and Alzheimer's Disease Human Fibroblasts into Neuronal Cells by Small Molecules.

Neuronal conversion from human fibroblasts can be induced by lineage-specific transcription factors; however, the introduction of ectopic genes limits the therapeutic applications of such induced neurons (iNs). Here, we report that human fibroblasts can be directly converted into neuronal cells by a chemical cocktail of seven small molecules, bypassing a neural progenitor stage. These human chemical-induced neuronal cells (hciNs) resembled hiPSC-derived neurons and human iNs (hiNs) with respect to morphology, gene expression profiles, and electrophysiological properties.

Chop deficiency prevents UUO-induced renal fibrosis by attenuating fibrotic signals originated from Hmgb1/TLR4/NFκB/IL-1β signaling.

Renal fibrosis, particularly tubulointerstitial fibrosis is considered to be the final manifestation of almost all chronic kidney diseases (CKDs). Herein we demonstrated evidence that CHOP-related ER stress is associated with the development of renal fibrosis in both CKD patients and unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO)-induced animals, and specifically, mice deficient in Chop were protected from UUO-induced renal fibrosis. Mechanistic studies revealed that loss of Chop protected tubular cells from UUO-induced apoptosis and secondary necrosis along with attenuated Hmgb1 passive release and active secretion.

Identification and genomic analysis of a novel member of Microviridae, IME-16, through high-throughput sequencing.

Unlabelled: [Image: see text]

Electronic Supplementary Material: Supplementary material is available for this article at 10.1007/s12250-015-3596-1 and is accessible for authorized users.

Using benthic diatom assemblages to assess human impacts on streams across a rural to urban gradient.

Benthic diatom assemblages on the natural substrata were investigated at 21 sites of the Ganhe River watershed (China) once per season and in addition, early spring in 2013. A total of 487 diatom taxa from 36 genera were identified during five investigations. The assemblages were dominated by Achnanthidium minutissimum (Kützing) Czarnecki and Cocconeis placentula in the rural reach, whereas Navicula, Nitzschia, and Gomphonema species were characteristic of urbanized sites.

What Makes You Generous? The Influence of Rural and Urban Rearing on Social Discounting in China.

An individual's willingness to share resources declines as the social distance between the decision maker and the recipient increases, which is known as social discounting. This social-distance-dependent prosocial behavior is likely to be influenced by the region in which individuals were raised. Based on previous studies on social discounting, this research focuses on the differing social distance-dependent prosocial behaviors between rural- and urban-reared participants in China.

Interferon-γ-inducible Rab20 regulates endosomal morphology and EGFR degradation in macrophages.

Little is known about the molecular players that regulate changes in the endocytic pathway during immune activation. Here we investigate the role of Rab20 in the endocytic pathway during activation of macrophages. Rab20 is associated with endocytic structures, but the function of this Rab GTPase in the endocytic pathway remains poorly characterized.

A global network-based protocol for functional inference of hypothetical proteins in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803.

Functional inference of hypothetical proteins (HPs) is a significant task in the post-genomic era. We described here a network-based protocol for functional inference of HPs using experimental transcriptomic, proteomic, and protein-protein interaction (PPI) datasets. The protocol includes two steps: i) co-expression networks were constructed using large proteomic or transcriptomic datasets of Synechocystis sp.

Identification of a transporter Slr0982 involved in ethanol tolerance in cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803.

Cyanobacteria have been engineered to produce ethanol through recent synthetic biology efforts. However, one major challenge to the cyanobacterial systems for high-efficiency ethanol production is their low tolerance to the ethanol toxicity. With a major goal to identify novel transporters involved in ethanol tolerance, we constructed gene knockout mutants for 58 transporter-encoding genes of Synechocystis sp.

A novel termini analysis theory using HTS data alone for the identification of Enterococcus phage EF4-like genome termini.

Background: Enterococcus faecalis and Enterococcus faecium are typical enterococcal bacterial pathogens. Antibiotic resistance means that the identification of novel E. faecalis and E.

A herbal medicine for Alzheimer's disease and its active constituents promote neural progenitor proliferation.

Aberrant neural progenitor cell (NPC) proliferation and self-renewal have been linked to age-related neurodegeneration and neurodegenerative disorders including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Rhizoma Acori tatarinowii is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine against cognitive decline. In this study, we found that the extract of Rhizoma Acori tatarinowii (AT) and its active constituents, asarones, promote NPC proliferation.

Characterization and Genomic Analysis of Quinolone-Resistant Delftia sp. 670 Isolated from a Patient Who Died from Severe Pneumonia.

Antibiotic-resistant opportunistic pathogens have become a serious concern in recent decades, as they are increasingly responsible for hospital-acquired infections. Here, we describe quinolone-resistant Delftia sp. strain 670, isolated from the sputum of a patient who died from severe pulmonary infection.

Distribution and Photochemistry of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Baotou Section of the Yellow River During Winter.

In this study, ice and water samples were collected from seven sites along the Baotou section of the Yellow River during winter 2013. Total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentrations in the ice and in the water under the ice ranged from 21.3 to 59.

Identification and metabolomic analysis of chemical modulators for lipid accumulation in Crypthecodinium cohnii.

In the study, fourteen chemical modulators from five groups (i.e., auxin, gibberellin, cytokinin, signal transducer and amine) were evaluated for their effects on lipid accumulation in Crypthecodinium cohnii.

Three-dimensional virtual bone bank system for selecting massive bone allograft in orthopaedic oncology.

Purpose: Although structural bone allografts have been used for years to treat large defects caused by tumour or trauma, selecting the most appropriate allograft is still challenging. The objectives of this study were to: (1) describe the establishment of a visual bone bank system and workflow of allograft selection, and (2) show mid-term follow-up results of patients after allograft implantation.

Methods: Allografts were scanned and stored in Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) files.

A rat model designed for the continuous intraarterial infusion of cyclosporine.

Background: Limb allotransplantation is not a life-saving treatment. However, large doses of immunosuppressive agents are needed. There is an urgent need to increase the selectivity and targeting of drugs.

Influence of negative emotion on the framing effect: evidence from event-related potentials.

The framing effect is the phenomenon in which different descriptions of an identical problem can result in different choices. The influence of negative emotions on the framing effect and its neurocognitive basis are important issues, especially in the domain of saving lives, which is essential and highly risky. In each trial of our experiment, the emotion stimulus is presented to the participants, followed by the decision-making stimulus, which comprises certain and risky options with the same expected value.

The combination of aricept with a traditional Chinese medicine formula, smart soup, may be a novel way to treat Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common neurodegenerative disease affecting cognitive function in the elderly, which is characterized by the presence of extracellular deposits of insoluble amyloid-β plaques and neuronal loss. Modern pharmacology and drug development usually follow a single-target principle, which might contribute to the failure of most compounds in clinical trials against AD. Considering AD is a multifactorial disease, a combination therapeutic strategy that applies drugs with different mechanisms would be an alternative way.

Elucidating butanol tolerance mediated by a response regulator Sll0039 in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 using a metabolomic approach.

Butanol is highly toxic to cyanobacterial cells, which could restrict the future application of this renewable system in producing carbon neutral biofuel butanol. To seek knowledge regarding butanol tolerance in cyanobacteria, a library of response regulator (RR) gene mutants of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 was screened.

Isolation and characterization of a novel invertebrate iridovirus from adult Anopheles minimus (AMIV) in China.

An invertebrate iridovirus (designated AMIV) was isolated from adult wild-captured Anopheles minimus mosquitoes in China. AMIV was pathologically and morphologically characterized and sequenced using the Ion Torrent™ sequencing platform. Phylogenetic analysis based on both the major capsid protein and core genes revealed that AMIV differs from all the members of the family Iridoviridae.

β-arrestin1 is critical for the full activation of NLRP3 and NLRC4 inflammasomes.

Inflammasomes are multiprotein complexes that trigger the activation of caspase-1 and the maturation of IL-1β, which are critical for inflammation and control of pathogen infection. Although the function of inflammasomes in immune response and disease development is well studied, the molecular mechanism by which inflammasomes are activated and assembled remains largely unknown. In this study, we found that β-arrestin1, a key regulator of the G protein-coupled receptor signaling pathway, was required for nucleotide-binding domain and leucine-rich repeat containing (NLR) family pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) and NLR family CARD domain-containing protein 4 (NLRC4) inflammasome-mediated IL-1β production and caspase-1 activation, but it had no effect on absent in melanoma 2 (AIM2) inflammasome activation.

The anti-spasticity drug baclofen alleviates collagen-induced arthritis and regulates dendritic cells.

Baclofen is used clinically as a drug that treats spasticity, which is a syndrome characterized by excessive contraction of the muscles and hyperflexia in the central nervous system (CNS), by activating GABA(B) receptors (GABA(B)Rs). Baclofen was recently reported to desensitize chemokine receptors and to suppress inflammation through the activation of GABA(B)Rs. GABA(B)Rs are expressed in various immune cells, but the functions of these receptors in autoimmune diseases remain largely unknown.

Targeting the γ-/β-secretase interaction reduces β-amyloid generation and ameliorates Alzheimer's disease-related pathogenesis.

Despite decades of intense global effort, no disease-modifying drugs for Alzheimer's disease have emerged. Molecules targeting catalytic activities of γ-secretase or β-site APP-cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1) have been beset by undesired side effects. We hypothesized that blocking the interaction between BACE1 and γ-secretase subunit presenilin-1 (PS1) might offer an alternative strategy to selectively suppress Aβ generation.

Single-cell analysis reveals gene-expression heterogeneity in syntrophic dual-culture of Desulfovibrio vulgaris with Methanosarcina barkeri.

Microbial syntrophic metabolism has been well accepted as the heart of how methanogenic and other anaerobic microbial communities function. In this work, we applied a single-cell RT-qPCR approach to reveal gene-expression heterogeneity in a model syntrophic system of Desulfovibrio vulgaris and Methanosarcina barkeri, as compared with the D. vulgaris monoculture.