Notoginsenoside R1-Induced Neuronal Repair in Models of Alzheimer Disease Is Associated With an Alteration in Neuronal Hyperexcitability, Which Is Regulated by Nav.

Alzheimer disease is characterized by a progressive cognitive deficit and may be associated with an aberrant hyperexcitability of the neuronal network. Notoginsenoside R1 (R1), a major activity ingredient from , has demonstrated favorable changes in neuronal plasticity and induced neuroprotective effects in brain injuries, resulting from various disorders, however, the underlying mechanisms are still not well understood. In the present study, we aimed to explore the possible neuroprotective effects induced by R1 in a mouse model of AD and the mechanisms underlying these effects.

COX5A Plays a Vital Role in Memory Impairment Associated With Brain Aging the BDNF/ERK1/2 Signaling Pathway.

Cytochrome c oxidase subunit Va (COX5A) is involved in maintaining normal mitochondrial function. However, little is known on the role of COX5A in the development and progress of Alzheimer's disease (Martinez-Losa et al., 2018).

Exercise-Induced Cognitive Improvement Is Associated with Sodium Channel-Mediated Excitability in APP/PS1 Mice.

Elevated brain activation, or hyperexcitability, induces cognitive impairment and confers an increased risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Blocking the overexcitation of the neural network may be a promising new strategy to prevent, halt, and even reverse this condition. Physical exercise has been shown to be an effective cognitive enhancer that reduces the risk of AD in elderly individuals, but the underlying mechanisms are far from being fully understood.

Hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis imbalance and inflammation contribute to sex differences in separation- and restraint-induced depression.

Whether social contact contributes to the underlying mechanisms of depression and the observed sex differences is unclear. In this study, we subjected young male and female mice to separation- and restraint-induced stress for 4 weeks and assessed behaviors, neurotransmitter levels, hormones, and inflammatory cytokines. Results showed that, compared with controls, male mice exposed to stress displayed significant decreases in body weight and sucrose preference after 1 week.

Relationship Between Morphologic Characteristics of Ultrasonic Calcification in Thyroid Nodules and Thyroid Carcinoma.

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between morphologic characteristics of the calcifications detected by ultrasound in thyroid nodules and thyroid carcinoma. Morphologic characteristics of the calcifications on pre-operative ultrasound examinations of thyroids were compared with post-operative pathologic diagnoses in 543 patients undergoing thyroid surgery. Calcifications were divided into microcalcifications (≤2 mm) and macrocalcifications (>2 mm), and the latter were divided into eggshell calcifications in a row, eggshell discontinuous calcifications, irregular calcifications and multilayer-like calcifications, labeled types I-V.

Theoretical and experimental study of dual-fiber laser ablation for prostate cancer.

Single-fiber laser treatment of the prostate has been widely accepted in the clinic due to its minimal invasiveness and high controllability. However, for large tumors, multiple insertions of the laser probe would be needed to achieve full coverage of the tumor, increasing the complexity of the treatment and occasionally resulting in the incomplete killing of tumor cells due to a mismatch between the planned insertion location and the actual probe insertion location. Treatment with a dual-fiber laser results in greater lesion coverage following a single insertion of the probe, with the lesion coverage being even greater than the sum of the coverage of two sequential insertion of a single-fiber laser probe, potentially reducing treatment time and clinical complications.

Vascular endothelial growth factor suppresses dendritic cells function of human prostate cancer.

Purpose: Prostate cancer (PCa) patients often have dendritic cell (DC) function defects, but the mechanism is not clear. The aim of this study was to detect the effect of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in mature DCs.

Patients And Methods: In this study, we chose 30 PCa patients, 10 prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) patients and 30 benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) patients, and compared the composition of peripheral blood T cells, the composition and function of local dendritic cells in prostate tissue, and the density of local VEGF.

Three-Dimensional Computerized Model Based on the Sonourethrogram: A Novel Technique to Evaluate Anterior Urethral Stricture.

Purpose: The sonourethrogram is a useful alternative to the traditional retrograde urethrogram to evaluate anterior urethral strictures. With the development of 3-dimensional reconstructive techniques 3-dimensional urethral imaging can provide more accurate and useful information to enable the surgeon to make the best surgical decisions. We evaluated the accuracy and efficacy of a 3-dimensional reconstructed digital model of the urethra based on the sonourethrogram to assess anterior urethral disease.

Effect of Electro-Acupuncture on Neuroplasticity of Spinal Cord-Transected Rats.

BACKGROUND This study aimed to evaluate the effects of electro-acupuncture (EA) on neuroplasticity associated with the expressions of neurotrophic factors (NTFs) and their receptors in rats subjected to spinal cord transection (SCT). MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 144 rats were randomly divided into 3 groups (n=48 per group): sham-operated group, SCT group, and EA (electro-acupuncture) group. Rats in SCT and EA groups received spinal cord transection at T10-T11 vertebral levels.

Low-frequency ultrasound-induced VEGF suppression and synergy with dendritic cell-mediated anti-tumor immunity in murine prostate cancer cells in vitro.

High tumor vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels are associated with poor treatment outcomes in prostate cancer (PCa), and immune deficiency in the PCa microenvironment, especially suppression of dendritic cell (DC) proliferation, has been confirmed. In this study, we (1) investigated whether VEGF participates in DC suppression in murine PCa cells (RM-1), (2) down-regulated VEGF expression using low-frequency ultrasound and microbubbles (UM), and (3) further explored any synergistic effect on immunological activation. DCs from the bone marrow of BALB/c mice were stimulated by the addition of cytokines (granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and interleukin-4 (IL-4)), and we analyzed their proliferation status via flow cytometric recognition of the surface antigen markers CD11c and CD83.

Derivation of Self-inhibitory Helical Peptides to Target Rho-kinase Dimerization in Cerebrovascular Malformation: Structural Bioinformatics Analysis and Peptide Binding Assay.

Rho-kinase dimerization is essential for its kinase activity and biological function; disruption of the dimerization has recently been established as a new and promising therapeutics strategy for cerebrovascular malformation (CM). Based on Rho-kinase dimer crystal structure we herein combined in silico analysis and in vitro assay to rationally derive self-inhibitory peptides from the dimerization interface. Three peptides namely Hlp1, Hlp2 and Hlp3 were successfully designed that have potential capability to rebind at the dimerization domain of Rho-kinase.

Chondroitinase administration and pcDNA3.1-BDNF-BMSC transplantation promote motor functional recovery associated with NGF expression in spinal cord-transected rat.

Study Design: We evaluated whether combination of chondroitinase (chABC) administration and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) transplantation could provide an optimal effect for the treatment of spinal cord injury (SCI) subjected to complete transection.

Objectives: Behavioral assessments and DBA tracing were used to evaluate the effects of combination of chABC administration and BDNF-MSC transplantation on axonal regeneration and functional improvement in SCT rats.

Setting: Sichuan, ChinaMethods:Bone mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) were cultured and overexpressed BDNF recombinant vector was constructed into MSCs, then transplanted into the impaired spinal cord, together with chABC administration.