Halcinonide activates smoothened to ameliorate ischemic stroke injury.

Objectives: The Shh pathway may shed new light on developing new cell death inhibitors for the therapy of ischemic stroke. We aimed to examine whether the Shh co-reporter SMO or its agonist halcinonide can upregulate Bcl-2 to suppress neuronal cell death, ultimately improving behavioral deficits and reducing cerebral infarction in an ischemic stroke model.

Methods: Halcinonide or genetic manipulation of SMO was conducted in PC12 cells to examine their impacts on oxidative or OGD/R stress, and the chemical, along with AAV-SMO or AAV-EGFP were tested in MCAO rats to investigate their potential protective effects against neuronal damages due to cerebral I/R injury.

Relationship between serum neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin levels and cognitive impairment, anxiety, and depressive symptoms in acute ischemic stroke.

Background: Acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is a significant global health issue with increasing incidence owing to aging populations and rising cardiovascular risk factors. In addition to physical impairments, AIS frequently leads to neuropsychiatric complications, such as cognitive impairment, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, which adversely affect patients' quality of life and rehabilitation. Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) has emerged as a potential biomarker for various conditions, including AIS.

atRA Attenuates High Salt-Driven EAE Mainly Through Suppressing Th17-Like Regulatory T Cell Response Mediated by the Inhibition of IL-23R Signaling Pathway.

High salt diet (HSD) is implicated in numerous disorders, which boosts Th17 cell development and weakens immunosuppressive function of regulatory T cells (Treg cells) Treg cells, leading to the exacerbation of EAE. However, little is known regarding the harness of excessive proinflammatory responses evoked by HSD. Here we show that atRA, a key vitamin A metabolite with multifaceted immunoregulatory properties has the potential in inhibiting the proinflammatory reaction of high salt.

Bioinformatics gene analysis for potential biomarkers and therapeutic targets of Parkinson's disease based on neutrophil extracellular traps.

Introduction: Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) provide key innate immune mechanisms, and studies have shown innate immunity and adaptive immunity are directly linked to Parkinson's disease (PD) pathology. However, limited research has been conducted on NETs in the context of PD.

Methods: A differential analysis was implemented to acquire differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between PD and control as well as between high- and low-score groups determined by a gene set variation analysis (GSVA).

Posterior Circulation Mechanical Thrombectomy through Primitive Trigeminal Artery: A Case Report.

Introduction: Primitive trigeminal artery (PTA) is a rare intracranial vascular malformation, and mechanical thrombectomy and revascularization via PTA are rarely reported.

Case Presentation: We reported a case of mechanical thrombectomy through PTA in a patient who presented with sudden slurred speech and had a National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale score of 12. Digital subtraction angiography of the cerebral vasculature showed PTA formation in the right internal carotid artery cavernous segment, with acute occlusion of the distal basilar artery at the PTA junction, and bilateral vertebral arteries and proximal basilar artery were underdeveloped.

Neurological sequelae in acute carbon monoxide poisoning: A prospective observational study with MRI data.

Objectives: Acute carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning survivors may experience persistent neurological sequelae (PNS) and delayed neurological sequelae (DNS). This study evaluated the clinical features, laboratory results, acute brain lesions (ABLs) on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) at presentation, and long-term outcomes and explored differences between patients with PNS and DNS.

Methods: The study included 443 patients who had experienced CO poisoning, underwent DWI and completed 1-year follow-ups.

Artificial Chiral Interfaces against Amyloid-β Peptide Aggregation: Research Progress and Challenges.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by an imbalance between the production and clearance of amyloid-β (Aβ) species. AD not only influences the life quality of the patients but also heavily burdens the families and society. Therefore, it is an urgent mission to research and develop some new anti-amyloid aggregation drugs.

The Chinese Herb Isolate Isorhapontigenin protects against oxidative stress injury by inhibiting the activation of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

We investigated the effects of the Chinese herb isolate isorhapontigenin on antioxidant factor and the PI3K/Serine/Akt signaling pathway in Parkinson's disease. This research was, therefore, carried out to explore a possible protective mechanism of isorhamnetin in Parkinson's disease. The results support that isorhapontigenin could effectively inhibit isorhapontigenin restored myeloperoxidase + induced reduction of antioxidant levels.

[Assessment of efficacy of acupuncture combined with hyperbaric oxygen therapy for patients with delayed encephalopathy of CO intoxication by magnetic resonance voxel incoherent motion imaging].

Objective: To observe the effect of acupuncture plus hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) on cerebral blood perfusion in patients with delayed encephalopathy after carbon monoxide poisoning (DEACMP).

Methods: Twenty-eight patients with DEACMP were randomly divided into acupuncture group (=14 cases) and control group (=14 cases). Patients of the acupuncture group were treated by using "Xingnao Kaiqiao" needling technique (specific set of acupuncture points as Yintang ［EX-HN3］, Shangxing ［GV23］, Baihui ［GV20］, Sishenchong ［EX-HN1］, Fengchi ［GB20］, Taichong ［LR3］, etc.

[Evaluation of the efficacy of acupuncture combined with hyperbaric oxygen on delayed neuropathological sequelae after carbon monoxide poisoning by using mTI-ASL imaging].

Objective: Quantitative assessment of white blood flow in semi-oval center of patients with delayed neuropathological sequelae (DNS) after carbon monoxide poisoning treated with acupuncture combined with hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) based on magnetic resonance multi-inversion time arterial spin labeling imaging (mTI-ASL), and to evaluate its efficacy indirectly.

Methods: Twenty-six patients with clinically diagnosed DNS were randomly divided into an observation group (13 cases) and a control group (13 cases). The conventional therapy combined with HBO were given in the control group.

[Current state of researches on mechanisms of acupuncture in improvement of hypoxia-ischemic diseases of the central nervous system].

Acupuncture is widely used in the treatment of ischemic diseases of the central nervous system in different clinical stages and has achieved a good clinical effect. The current research showed that acupuncture can improve cerebral blood flow perfusion via increasing blood flow volume, blood flow velocity, the levels of vasomotor substances and reduction of blood viscosity and erythrocyte aggregation index. In recent years, many studies focused on the pathophysiological mechanism of acupuncture in improving cerebral ischemia via triggering the cholinergic vasodilatation, up-regulation of expression of vascular-related proteins and genes，attenuation of inflammatory reaction, etc.

Role of Hyperhomocysteinemia and Hyperuricemia in Pathogenesis of Atherosclerosis.

Background: The mechanisms of hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy) and hyperuricemia (HUA) that promote atherosclerosis were seldom explored and always indefinite. Therefore, we will discuss some new reviews about the role of HHcy and HUA in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.

Methods: This study was conducted by reading a lot of literature, including basic research and clinical application research.

Hsp70 inducer, 17-allylamino-demethoxygeldanamycin, provides neuroprotection via anti-inflammatory effects in a rat model of traumatic brain injury.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the predominant cause of mortality in young adults and children living in China. TBI induces inflammatory responses; in addition, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1β (IL-1β), and IL-6 are important pro-inflammatory cytokines. Considering the observation that Hsp-70 overexpression can exert neuroprotection, identifying a drug that is able to induce the upregulation of Hsp70 has the potential to be a promising therapy for the treatment of neurological diseases.

Development and Validation of a Grading Scale for Primary Pontine Hemorrhage.

Background And Purpose: We aimed to develop and validate a grading scale for predicting 30-day mortality and 90-day functional outcome in patients with primary pontine hemorrhage (PPH).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed records of consecutive patients with first-ever pontine hemorrhage from 3 teaching hospitals between 2005 and 2012. Independent factors associated with 30-day mortality were identified by logistic regression to establish a risk stratification scale, named the new PPH score.

Integrative Frequency Power of EEG Correlates with Progression of Mild Cognitive Impairment to Dementia in Parkinson's Disease.

Clinically, predicting the progression of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and diagnosing dementia in Parkinson's disease (PD) are difficult. This study aims to explore an integrative electroencephalography (EEG) frequency power that could be used to predict the progression of MCI in PD patients. Twenty-six PD patients, in this study, were divided into the mild cognitive impairment group (PDMCI, 17 patients) and dementia group (PDD, 9 patients) according to cognitive performance.