Neuroprotective Effects of Dexmedetomidine Preconditioning on Oxygen-glucose Deprivation-reoxygenation Injury in PC12 Cells via Regulation of Ca-STIM1/Orai1 Signaling.

Dexmedetomidine (DEX), a potent and highly selective agonist for α-adrenergic receptors (αAR), exerts neuroprotective effects by reducing apoptosis through decreased neuronal Ca influx. However, the exact action mechanism of DEX and its effects on oxygen-glucose deprivation-reoxygenation (OGD/R) injury in vitro are unknown. We demonstrate that DEX pretreatment reduced OGD/R injury in PC12 cells, as evidenced by decreased oxidative stress, autophagy, and neuronal apoptosis.

Risk factors for Mallory-Weiss Tear during endoscopic submucosal dissection of superficial esophageal neoplasms.

Background: Adverse events during endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) of superficial esophageal neoplasms, such as perforation and bleeding, have been well-documented. However, the Mallory-Weiss Tear (MWT) during esophageal ESD remains under investigation.

Aim: To investigate the incidence and risk factors of the MWT during esophageal ESD.

[Risk Factors for Missed Diagnosis of Esophageal Low-grade Intraepithelial Neoplasia in Endoscopic Forceps Biopsy Compared with Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection].

Objective: To investigate the risk factors for pathological upgrading after endoscopic treatment of esophageal lesions which confirmed to be low-grade intraepithelial neoplasia (LGIN) by preoperative biopsy.

Methods: A total of 148 patients who were confirmed to be LGIN in preoperative forceps underwent further endoscopic resection between November 2013 and July 2018. According to the final pathological results after endoscopic treatment, they were divided into pathological upgrading group and pathological non-upgrading group, and their clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed and compared through univariate and multivariate analysis.

Efficacy and safety of endoscopic submucosal tunnel dissection for superficial esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and precancerous lesions.

Aim: To evaluate the clinical outcomes of patients who underwent endoscopic submucosal tunnel dissection (ESTD) for esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and precancerous lesions.

Methods: ESTD was performed in 289 patients. The clinical outcomes of the patients and pathological features of the lesions were retrospectively reviewed.

[The Expression and Biological Function of claudin-23 in Colorectal Cancer].

Objective: To determine the expression of claudin-23 in colorectal cancer and paracarcinoma tissues,and its effects on the proliferation and migration of colorectal cancer cells.

Methods: Six pairs of samples of colorectal cancer and corresponding paracarcinoma tissues were collected from the West China Hospital of Sichuan University. Quantitative real time PCR was performed to determine the expression of claudin-23 in the tissue samples.

A mini review: Tau transgenic mouse models and olfactory dysfunction in Alzheimer's Disease.

Alzheimer's Disease (AD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disease that usually takes many years from preclinical phase to prodromal phase characterized by mild symptoms before the onset of dementia. Once diagnosed with AD, the brain is already severely damaged and the disease will process quickly to the most severe stages since there is no medications that reverse the neuronal injuries in the brain. Thus, simple, inexpensive, and widely available methods for detecting potential AD patients during their preclinical phases are urgently needed.

LRIG1 enhances the radiosensitivity of radioresistant human glioblastoma U251 cells via attenuation of the EGFR/Akt signaling pathway.

The radiotherapy as a local and regional modality is widely applied in treatment of glioma, but most glioblastomas are commonly resistant to irradiation treatment. It remains challengeable to seek out efficient strategies to conquer the resistance of human glioblastoma cells to radiotherapy. Leucine-rich repeats and immunoglobulin-like domains protein 1 (LRIG1) is a newly discovered tumor suppressor which involved in regulation of chemosensitivity in various human cancer cells.

Photodynamic therapy mediated by 5-aminolevulinic acid suppresses gliomas growth by decreasing the microvessels.

Although 5-aminolevulinic acid (5-ALA)-mediated photodynamic therapy (PDT) has been demonstrated to be a novel and effective therapeutic modality for some human malignancies, its effect and mechanism on glioma are still controversial. Previous studies have reported that 5-ALA-PDT induced necrosis of C6 rat glioma cells in vitro. The aim of this study was to further investigate the effect and mechanism of 5-ALA-PDT on C6 gliomas implanted in rats in vivo.

Hypermethylation of Cox5a promoter is associated with mitochondrial dysfunction in skeletal muscle of high fat diet-induced insulin resistant rats.

High-fat diet (HFD) is an environmental factor that contributes to the pathogenesis of obesity and type 2 diabetes. A number of genes influencing oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) were found to be downregulated in skeletal muscle of humans and rats treated with HFD and have been implicated in mitochondrial dysfunction, insulin resistance, and consequent type 2 diabetes. In this study, we hypothesized that DNA methylation plays a crucial role in the regulation of OXPHOS genes in skeletal muscle of rats exposed to HFD.

Ursolic acid suppresses growth and adrenocorticotrophic hormone secretion in AtT20 cells as a potential agent targeting adrenocorticotrophic hormone-producing pituitary adenoma.

Adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH)-producing pituitary adenoma leads to excess ACTH secretion, which is associated with significant mortality and impaired quality of life. Thus far, the first line therapy is the transphenoidal microsurgery. Considering the high recurrence rate and complications of surgery, novel agents, which directly target on pituitary ACTH-producing adenoma and suppress ACTH secretion are urgently required.

[Improvement of universal salt iodization program on the intelligence quotient among children in Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture of Gansu].

Objective: To assess the improvement of intelligence quotient through an Universal Salt Iodization Supply Program, among children.

Methods: 3518 and 1611 children were selected from primary schools in Linxia Hui Autonomous Prefecture of Gansu in 2006 and 2010 respectively. Intelligence quotient (IQ) were measured by the revised Chinese Combined Raven Test-C2 (CRT-C2).

[Differential expressions of microRNA between young and senescent endothelial cells].

Objective: To explore the differential expressions of microRNA (miRNA) between young and senescent endothelial cells.

Methods: Young and senescent aorta endothelial cells (EC) were isolated and cultured in young and old male C57BL/6J mice. Immunostaining of VIII factor was performed to identify the endothelial cells.

[Generation of Tau/App/PS1 triple-transgenic mouse model and the study of its biological characteristics].

Objective: To establish the triple-transgenic mouse model and study their biological characteristics by molecular biology, behavior and pathology.

Methods: Hybrid the Tau and amyloid precursor protein (APP)/presenilins (PS1) transgenic mouse, the genotype of offspring mice were identified by PCR. Transcribed target genes were detected by RT-PCR.

[Association of the tumor necrosis factor-alpha -1031T/C and its combination with interleukin-6 -634C/G gene polymorphisms with susceptibility to endometriosis].

Objective: To investigate the association of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) gene promoter region -1031T/C and its combination with interleukin-6 (IL-6) gene promoter region -634C/G single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) with the genetic susceptibility to endometriosis.

Methods: Total of 432 endometriosis patients and 499 non-endometriosis women who had received an operation due to tubal ligation, tubal recanalization, laparoscopic hydrotubation, ovarian simple cyst and teratoma were collected and separated into endometriosis group and control group, that all cases were confirmed by operation and pathology. A case-control study was performed in endometriosis and control group to evaluate the association of these SNP with the susceptibility to endometriosis by using a fluorescent quantitative PCR-based high resolution melting (HRM) method.

Down-regulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α expression in fatty acid-induced pancreatic beta-cell apoptosis involves nuclear factor-κB pathway.

Background: Pancreatic beta-cell apoptosis induced by lipotoxicity, to a large extent, contributes to the progression of type 2 diabetes. To investigate the mechanism of free fatty acid induced apoptosis, we aimed to study the effects of palmitic acid (PA) on the apoptosis and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1α (PGC-1α) expression in βTC3 cells as well as the possible role of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) in this process.

Methods: Hoechst 33258 was used to detect βTC3 cell apoptosis, which was induced by PA stimulation for 12 hours.

Similar potency of catechin and its enantiomers in alleviating 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion cytotoxicity in SH-SY5Y cells.

Objectives: Previously, the flavonoid (±)-catechin was shown to exert potent neuroprotective action in the mouse 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-induced Parkinson's disease model. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the different enantiomers of catechin ((+)-catechin, (-)-catechin and (±)-catechin, a 50:50 mixture of (+)-catechin and (-)-catechin) could protect SH-SY5Y cells against 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium ion (MPP(+) ) toxicity by decreasing the generation of oxygen free radicals. The inhibitive effect of (±)-catechin on JNK/c-Jun activation was investigated.

[Isolation and identification of Suavissimoside R1 from roots of Rubus parvifollus used for protecting dopaminergic neurons against MPP+ toxicity].

Objective: Suavissimoside R1 was isolated and identified as an active ingredient from Roots of Rubus parvifollus L, which exhibited protective effect on dopaminergic neurons against MPP+ toxicity.

Methods: The protective effects of crude extracts were investigated after mice were treated with 1-methyl4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). According to the protective effects of crude extracts, suavissimoside R1, one kind of triterpenoid saponin, was separated.

Noradrenaline release by activation of κ-bungarotoxin-sensitive nicotinic acetylcholine receptors participates in long-term potentiation-like response induced by nicotine.

Nicotine enhances the function of learning and memory, but the underlying mechanism still remains unclear. Hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP) is assumed to be a cellular mechanism of learning and memory. Our previous experiments showed that with the single pulses evoking 80% of the maximal population spike (PS) amplitude, nicotine (10 μmol/L) induced LTP-like response in the hippocampal CA1 region.

Increase of beta1-adrenergic receptor gene expression induced by nicotine in hippocampal slice of rat.

Aim: To investigate the effect of nicotine on beta1-adrenergic receptor (beta1-AR) in the hippocampal slice of rat.

Methods: Hippocampal slices (400 microm thick) were incubated in artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF) previously saturated with 95 % O2 and 5 % CO2 at 28 degree for 120 min, and then incubated with nicotine 10 micromol/L for 30, 60, 90, and 120 min. mRNA of the beta1-adrenergic receptor was examined with semiquantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), and the protein level was measured by Western blot and RIA.

Different synaptic mechanisms of long-term potentiation induced by nicotine and tetanic stimulation in hippocampal CA1 region of rats.

Aim: To investigate whether long-term potentiation (LTP) induced by nicotine and tetanic stimulation in the hippocampal CA1 region shares different mechanisms.

Methods: Extracellular population spikes of the pyramidal cell layer in the hippocampal CA1 region were recorded in vitro.

Results: LTP induced by the tetanic stimulation could be facilitated by nicotine 10 micromol/L, meanwhile, the tetanic stimulation did the same effect on LTP induced by nicotine 10 micromol/L.