Painful Diabetic Neuropathy Is Associated with Compromised Microglial IGF-1 Signaling Which Can Be Rescued by Green Tea Polyphenol EGCG in Mice.

Background: Painful diabetic neuropathy (PDN) is a frequent and troublesome complication of diabetes, with little effective treatment. PDN is characterized by specific spinal microglia-mediated neuroinflammation. Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) primarily derives from microglia in the brain and serves a vital role in averting the microglial transition into the proinflammatory M1 phenotype.

Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy is promoted by enhanced spinal insulin-like growth factor-1 levels via astrocyte-dependent mechanisms.

Background: Chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) is a common and intractable complication in chemotherapy-receiving patients. Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) is a popular neurotrophin with various functions, such as maintaining neuronal survival and synaptic functioning in the central nervous system. Therefore, we hypothesized that the IGF-1 signaling pathway could be a candidate target for treating CIPN.

Abnormal Insulin-like Growth Factor 1 Signaling Regulates Neuropathic Pain by Mediating the Mechanistic Target of Rapamycin-Related Autophagy and Neuroinflammation in Mice.

Neuropathic pain is a chronic condition with little specific treatment. Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1), interacting with its receptor, IGF1R, serves a vital role in neuronal and brain functions such as autophagy and neuroinflammation. Yet, the function of spinal IGF1/IGF1R in neuropathic pain is unclear.

[Measures and effects of schistosomiasis elimination in Wujin District, Changzhou City].

Objective: To understand the measures and effects of schistosomiasis elimination in Wujin District, Changzhou City, so as to provide the reference for other similar areas.

Methods: The data of schistosomiasis prevention and control were collected and analyzed in Wujin District, Changzhou City from 1995 to 2015.

Results: From 1995 to 2015, the accumulated area for investigating snail habitats was 15 934.

Measurement of Giardia lamblia adhesion force using an integrated microfluidic assay.

The mechanisms how Giardias attach to the intestinal epithelium remain unclear. None of the methods currently being used to measure the attachment force could provide a continuous nutrition supply and a micro-aerobic atmosphere to the Giardia. Besides, they are all labor-intensive.

Giardia duodenalis GlSir2.2, homolog of SIRT1, is a nuclear-located and NAD(+)-dependent deacethylase.

Sir2 family proteins are highly conserved and catalyze Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide (NAD(+))-dependent protein deacetylation reaction that regulates multiple cellular processes. Little is known about Sir2 family proteins in Giardia. In this research, Sir2 homologs of Giardia were Phylogenetically analyzed.

MicroRNA-29a: A potential biomarker in the development of intracranial aneurysm.

Aim: To identify serum microRNA-29a (miR-29a) level in patients with intracranial aneurysm and its role in the development of intracranial aneurysm (IA).

Methods: Case group included 165 IA patients hospitalized in the department of neurosurgery between January 2010 and January 2012 while control group enrolled 220 healthy volunteers. Morning fasting blood samples were collected from peripheral vein.

Expression and clinical significance of nestin in astrocytic tumors.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the expression and clinical significance of nestin in human astrocytic tumors.

Methods: Indirect immunofluorescent staining and flow cytometry were used to quantitatively detect the nestin content in 35 specimens, including 3 normal brain tissues, 29 astrocytic tumor (AT) tissues, and 3 peritumoral tissues.

Results: In normal brain tissues, nestin expression was extremely low.

Primary intratesticular rhabdomyosarcoma: A case report and literature review.

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) that primarily occurs in the testes is particularly rare, with only retrospective studies and sporadic cases reported in the literature. The present study describes the case of a large, primary intratesticular RMS (ITRMS) that was treated with a radical inguinal orchiectomy (RIO) and a regimen of chemotherapy. The study also presents a review of the literature regarding primary ITRMSs, aiming to elucidate the clinical characteristics and optimal treatment of the disease.

An on-chip pollutant toxicity determination based on marine microalgal swimming inhibition.

We report the use of microalgal swimming behavior as a sensor signal integrated into microfluidics for a rapid and high-throughput determination of pollutant toxicity. There are two types of chip. A poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) 12-well chip, used for optimization of experimental conditions (i.

Association of ERCC1 rs3212986 & ERCC2 rs13181 polymorphisms with the risk of glioma.

Objective: : Several previous studies have reported the role variant of ERCC1 rs3212986 and ERCC2 rs13181 polymorphisms in the risk of glioma, but the results of these studies are inconsistent. Therefore, we aimed to conduct a meta-analysis to investigate the role of ERCC1 rs3212986 and ERCC2 rs13181 on the risk of glioma.

Methods: A comprehensive research was conducted through the databases of Pubmed, EMBASE and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) platforms until June 1, 2014, including 14 eligible case-control studies.

MicroRNA-184 promotes proliferation ability of glioma cells by regulating FOXO3.

Objectives: To investigate the effect of microRNA (miR-184) on regulating the genesis, development and proliferation of glioma cells.

Methods: Lipidosome was used to transfect miR-184 mimic and inhibitor to glioma cell line, and the cell proliferation ability changes were determined by MTT and plate cloning experiment after the transfection. WB test was used to measure the levels of cyclinD1, p27 and FOXO3.

Marine phytoplankton motility sensor integrated into a microfluidic chip for high-throughput pollutant toxicity assessment.

A microfluidic chip was designed to assess the toxicity of pollutants in a high-throughput way by using marine phytoplankton motility as a sensor signal. In this chip, multiple gradient generators (CGGs) with diffusible chambers enable large scale of dose-response bioassays to be performed in a simple way. Two mobile marine phytoplankton cells were confined on-chip and stimulated by 8 concentrations (generated by CGG) of Hg, Pb, Cu and phenol singly, as well as Cu and phenol jointly.

Paper-based three-dimensional microfluidic device for monitoring of heavy metals with a camera cell phone.

A 3D paper-based microfluidic device has been developed for colorimetric determination of selected heavy metals in water samples by stacking layers of wax patterned paper and double-sided adhesive tape. It has the capability of wicking fluids and distributing microliter volumes of samples from single inlet into affrays of detection zones without external pumps, thus a range of metal assays can be simply and inexpensively performed. We demonstrate a prototype of four sample inlets for up to four heavy metal assays each, with detection limits as follows: Cu (II) = 0.

An integrated microfludic device for culturing and screening of Giardia lamblia.

In vitro culturing of trophozoites was important for research of Giardia lamblia (G. lamblia), especially in discovery of anti-Giardia agents. The current culture methods mainly suffer from lab-intension or the obstacle in standardizing the gas condition.

[Effect of control interventions for intestinal nematodiasis in areas with low prevalence in Changzhou City].

Objective: To evaluate the effect of control interventions for intestinal nematodiasis in areas with low prevalence, so as to explorethe effective measures for the control of intestinal nematode infections in Changzhou City, Jiangsu Province, China.

Methods: The residents in Wujin, Jintan, Tianning districts were selected as monitor subjects and the infections of intestinal nematodes were investigated with Kato-Katz technique or the transparent tape anal swab method. The results were analyzed statistically and the cost-effectiveness was also analyzed.

Single molecular functionalized gold nanoparticles for hydrogen-bonding recognition and colorimetric detection of dopamine with high sensitivity and selectivity.

In this work, we developed a low-cost, facile, sensitive, and selective colorimetric method for the quantitative determination of dopamine, based on 4-amino-3-hydrazino-5-mercapto-1,2,4-triazol (AHMT) functionalized gold nanoparticles (AHMP-AuNPs) as a model probe. Dopamine could induce the aggregation of the AHMT-AuNPs through hydrogen-bonding interactions, which caused the colloidal solution changed from red to blue. And the color change was in situ monitored for the quantitative determination of dopamine in human serum and urine samples.

[Construction of rapid tagging vector of genes in Giardia lamblia].

Objective: To construct a recombinant vector for rapid gene tagging in Giardia lamblia.

Methods: To obtain the recombinant vector pGL gdh-Neo with the Neo selection marker, the Neo gene was put under the control of gdh promoter by overlap PCR and inserted into pGEM-5zf. A DNA fragment containing multiple cloning sites (MCS) followed by triple hemagglutinin(3HA) coding sequences was synthesized and cloned into the pGL gdh-Neo to construct a recombinant vector pGL MCS-3HA-gdh-Neo.

[Surveillance of malaria epidemic situation after malaria basically eliminated in Wujin District, Changzhou City].

The surveillance of malaria epidemic situation after malaria basically eliminated in Wujin District, Changzhou City showed that the incidence of malaria fluctuated between 0.001 per thousand and 0.015 per thousand from 1992 to 2009.

[Cloning, expression and purification of silent information regulator 2 from Giardia lamblia].

Objective: To clone and express silent information regulator 2 (Sir2) gene from Giardia lamblia.

Methods: The GlSir2 gene was amplified by PCR from genomic DNA of Giardia lamblia (Chinese strain C2 clone). PCR product was cloned into pMD-19T vector and transformed into E coli JM109.

Periodic mesoporous organosilicas with controlled pore symmetries for peptides enrichment.

Periodic mesoporous organosilicas (PMOs) with controlled structures have been synthesized by using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and sodium perfluorooctanoate (PFONa) as co-templates, 1,2-bis (triethoxysilyl)ethane (BTEE) as an organosilica precursor. By increasing the weight ratio of PFONa/CTAB, a structure transformation from a cubic (Pm-3n) to a two-dimensional hexagonal (p6m) mesostructure and then to multilamellar vesicles can be observed. The cubic and hexagonal samples have similar particle size (200-750 nm), pore size (2.

The anti-HIV activity of three 2-alkylsulfanyl-6-benzyl-3, 4-dihydropyrimidin-4 (3H)-one derivatives acting as non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor in vitro.

It was recently shown that several new synthetic 2-alkylsulfanyl-6-benzyl-3, 4-dihydropyrimidin-4(3H)-one (S-DABO) derivatives demonstrated anti-HIV-1 activity. Three of the derivatives namely RZK-4, RZK-5 and RZK-6 were used in this study to explore their inhibitory effects on a variety of HIV strains. These compounds at a concentration of 200 microg mL(-1) almost completely inhibited the activity of recombinant HIV-1 reverse transcriptase.