Astragaloside IV promotes cerebral tissue restoration through activating AMPK- mediated microglia polarization in ischemic stroke rats.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Astragaloside IV (AS), a key active ingredient obtained from Chinese herb Astragalus mongholicus Bunge, exerts potent neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory effects for treating neurodegenerative diseases. However, mechanisms of AS on improvement of ischemic brain tissue repair remain unclear.

Aim Of The Study: This research aims at using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to noninvasively determine whether AS facilitates brain tissue repair, and investigating whether AS exerts brain remodeling through adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) metabolic signaling regulating key glycolytic enzymes and energy transporters, thereby impacting microglia polarization.

Somatic Braf mutation in the cerebral endothelium induces brain arteriovenous malformations.

Current treatments of brain arteriovenous malformation (BAVM) are associated with considerable risks and at times incomplete efficacy. Therefore, a clinically consistent animal model of BAVM is urgently needed to investigate its underlying biological mechanisms and develop innovative treatment strategies. Notably, existing mouse models have limited utility due to heterogenous and untypical phenotypes of AVM lesions.

Tunable molecular editing of indoles with fluoroalkyl carbenes.

Building molecular complexity from simple feedstocks through precise peripheral and skeletal modifications is central to modern organic synthesis. Nevertheless, a controllable strategy through which both the core skeleton and the periphery of an aromatic heterocycle can be modified with a common substrate remains elusive, despite its potential to maximize structural diversity and applications. Here we report a carbene-initiated chemodivergent molecular editing of indoles that allows both skeletal and peripheral editing by trapping an electrophilic fluoroalkyl carbene generated in situ from fluoroalkyl N-triftosylhydrazones.

Buyang Huanwu Decoction promotes neurovascular remodeling by modulating astrocyte and microglia polarization in ischemic stroke rats.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: Buyang Huanwu Decoction (BYHWD), one of the most commonly utilized traditional Chinese medicine prescription for treatment of cerebral ischemic stroke. However, the understanding of BYHWD on neurovascular repair following cerebral ischemia is so far limited.

Aim Of The Study: This research investigated the influence of BYHWD on neurovascular remodeling by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technology and revealed the potential neurovascular repair mechanism underlying post-treatment with BYHWD after ischemic stroke.

The azidosulfonylation of terminal alkynes leading to β-azidovinyl sulfones.

We report herein the first example of the N radical-mediated azidosulfonylation of alkynes, affording the β-azidovinyl sulfone products with a broad substrate scope, excellent functional group compatibility, and high yield. DFT calculations suggest that the mechanism of the reaction proceeds through an unprecedented sequential N radical addition and sulfonyl radical coupling pathway.

Evaluation of the effect of myelotomy on nerve function in rats with spinal cord injury by diffusion tensor imaging.

Background: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a severe central nervous system injury that can generally induce different degrees of sensory and motor dysfunction.

Purpose: To clarify the changes of diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) parameters after spinal cord myelotomy in rats with SCI.

Material And Methods: Eighteen Sprague Dawley (SD) rats were randomly divided into the Sham group (n=6), SCI group (n=6), and Mye group (n=6), respectively.

Age‑ and brain region‑associated alterations of cerebral blood flow in early Alzheimer's disease assessed in AβPPSWE/PS1ΔE9 transgenic mice using arterial spin labeling.

It has been suggested that cerebral blood flow (CBF) alterations may be involved in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, how CBF changes with age has not been detailed in AD, particularly in its early stages. The objective of the present study was to evaluate CBF in four brain regions (the hippocampus, entorhinal cortex, frontoparietal cortex and thalamus) of mice in four age groups, to mimic the respective stages of AD in humans [2 months (pre‑clinical), 3.

Multifaceted assessment of the APP/PS1 mouse model for Alzheimer's disease: Applying MRS, DTI, and ASL.

Transgenic animal models of Alzheimer's disease (AD) can mimic pathological and behavioral changes occurring in AD patients, and are usually viewed as the first choice for testing novel therapeutics. Validated biomarkers, particularly non-invasive ones, are urgently needed for AD diagnosis or evaluation of treatment results. However, there are few studies that systematically characterize pathological changes in AD animal models.

Within-subject test-retest reliability of the atlas-based cortical volume measurement in the rat brain: A voxel-based morphometry study.

Background: Various neurological and psychological disorders are related to cortical volume changes in specific brain regions, which can be measured in vivo using structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI). There is an increasing interest in MRI studies using rat models, especially in longitudinal studies of brain disorders and pharmacologic interventions. However, morphometric changes observed in sMRI are only meaningful if the measurements are reliable.

Diffusion tensor imaging of spinal cord parenchyma lesion in rat with chronic spinal cord injury.

Purpose: Adequate evaluation of spinal cord parenchyma and accurate identification of injury range are considered two premises for the research and treatment of chronic spinal cord injury (SCI). Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) provides information about water diffusion in spinal cord, and thus makes it possible to realize these premises.

Method: In this study, we conducted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for Wistar rats 84days after spinal cord contusion.

Structural and metabolic changes in the traumatically injured rat brain: high-resolution in vivo proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy at 7 T.

Purpose: The understanding of microstructural and metabolic changes in the post-traumatic brain injury is the key to brain damage suppression and repair in clinics.

Methods: Ten female Wistar rats were traumatically injured in the brain CA1 region and above the cortex. Next, diffusion tensor magnetic resonance imaging (DTI) and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (H MRS) were used to analyze the microstructural and metabolic changes in the brain within the following 2 weeks.

Human Neural Stem Cell Transplantation Rescues Cognitive Defects in APP/PS1 Model of Alzheimer's Disease by Enhancing Neuronal Connectivity and Metabolic Activity.

Alzheimer's disease (AD), the most frequent type of dementia, is featured by Aβ pathology, neural degeneration and cognitive decline. To date, there is no cure for this disease. Neural stem cell (NSC) transplantation provides new promise for treating AD.

Age- and Brain Region-Specific Changes of Glucose Metabolic Disorder, Learning, and Memory Dysfunction in Early Alzheimer's Disease Assessed in APP/PS1 Transgenic Mice Using F-FDG-PET.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a leading cause of dementia worldwide, associated with cognitive deficits and brain glucose metabolic alteration. However, the associations of glucose metabolic changes with cognitive dysfunction are less detailed. Here, we examined the brains of APP/presenilin 1 (PS1) transgenic (Tg) mice aged 2, 3.

Longitudinal study on diffusion tensor imaging and diffusion tensor tractography following spinal cord contusion injury in rats.

Introduction: Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) as a potential technology has been used in spinal cord injury (SCI) studies, but the longitudinal evaluation of DTI parameters after SCI, and the correlation between DTI parameters and locomotor outcomes need to be defined.

Methods: Adult Wistar rats (n = 6) underwent traumatic thoracic cord contusion by an NYU impactor. DTI and Basso-Beattie-Bresnahan datasets were collected pre-SCI and 1, 3, 7, 14, and 84 days post-SCI.