A novel GJA5 variant associated with increased risk of essential hypertension.

Objectives: Gap junction protein alpha 5 (GJA5), also termed connexin 40 (Cx40), exerts a pivotal role in the mediation of vascular wall tone and two closely-linked polymorphisms in the promoter (-44G>A and +71A>G) have been associated with enhanced susceptibility to essential hypertension (EH) in men. The present investigation aimed to ascertain whether a novel common polymorphism within the upstream regulatory region of (transcript 1B), -26A>G (rs10465885), confers an increased risk of EH.

Methods: For this investigation, 380 unrelated patients with EH and 396 unrelated normotensive individuals employed as control persons were enrolled from the Chinese Han-ethnicity population, and their genotypes and plasma renin concentrations were determined by Sanger sequencing and an automated chemiluminescent immunoassay, respectively.

Elevated Expression and Activation of GPR15 in Immune Cells in Graves' Disease.

GPR15 plays an important role in lymphocyte homing and is a key immune molecule to maintain organ immune homeostasis. Yet, no study on the association between GPR15 and Graves' disease (GD) is available. In this study, we systematically investigated the expression of GPR15 in different types of immune cells and different tissues of GD patients.

Adapted low intensity ergometer aerobic training for early and severely impaired stroke survivors: a pilot randomized controlled trial to explore its feasibility and efficacy.

[Purpose] To evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of adapted low intensity ergometer aerobic training for early and severely impaired stroke survivors. [Subjects] The subjects were forty-eight early stroke survivors. [Methods] Eligible subjects were recruited and randomly assigned to an experimental group and a control group.

The role of autophagic and lysosomal pathways in ischemic brain injury.

Autophagy is involved in neural cell death after cerebral ischemia. Our previous studies showed that rapamycin-induced autophagy decreased the rate of apoptosis, but the rate of apoptosis was creased after the autophagy inhibitor, 3-methyladenine, was used. In this study, a suture-occluded method was performed to generate a rat model of brain ischemia.

Clinical profile of Parkinson's disease in the Gumei community of Minhang district, Shanghai.

Objective: We examined the demographic and clinical profiles of Parkinson's disease in Shanghai, China, to assist in disease management and provide comparative data on Parkinson's disease prevalence, phenotype, and progression among different regions and ethnic groups.

Methods: A door-to-door survey and follow-up clinical examinations identified 180 community-dwelling Han-Chinese Parkinson's disease patients (104 males, 76 females).

Results: The average age at onset was 65.

Mitophagy in ischaemia/reperfusion induced cerebral injury.

Mitochondrial autophagy (Mitophagy), the specific autophagic elimination of mitochondria, has been related with several forms of degenerative disease and mitochondrial dysfunction. It is involved in multiple cellular processes. In addition to one of its established key roles in the maintenance of normal cellular phenotype and function, there is growing interest in the concept that targeted modulation of mitophagy may reduce cerebral ischaemia/reperfusion injury.

Inhibition of L-type Ca(2+) channels by curcumin requires a novel protein kinase-theta isoform in rat hippocampal neurons.

Curcumin, a major active compound of Curcuma longa, has been reported to have potent neuroprotective activities. However to date, the relevant mechanisms still remain unclear. In this study, we report that curcumin selectively inhibits L-type Ca(2+) channel currents in cultured rat hippocampal neurons.