Strategies targeting endoplasmic reticulum stress to improve Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder with motor symptoms, which is caused by the progressive death of dopaminergic (DA) neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc). Accumulating evidence shows that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress occurring in the SNpc DA neurons is an early event in the development of PD. ER stress triggers the activation of unfolded protein response (UPR) to reduce stress and restore ER function.

Neurogenesis and Proliferation of Neural Stem/Progenitor Cells Conferred by Artesunate via FOXO3a/p27Kip1 Axis in Mouse Stroke Model.

Promoting neurogenesis and proliferation of endogenous neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) is considered a promising strategy for neurorehabilitation after stroke. Our previous study revealed that a moderate dose of artesunate (ART, 150 mg/kg) could enhance functional recovery in middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) mice. This study aimed to investigate the effects of ART treatment on neurogenesis and proliferation of NSPCs using a rodent MCAO model.

Targeted delivery and enhanced uptake of chemo-photodynamic nanomedicine for melanoma treatment.

Nanoparticles (NPs) modified with targeting ligands have often shown great potential in targeted drug delivery for tumor therapy. However, the clearance of NPs by the monocyte-phagocyte system (MPS) and the relatively low cellular uptake by tumor cells have significantly limited the antitumor efficacy of a variety of nanomedicines. Tumor microenvironment-mediated multidrug resistance also reduces the antitumor efficacy of internalized nanomedicines.

COVID-19 Risk Appears to Vary Across Different Alcoholic Beverages.

To evaluate the associations of status, amount, and frequency of alcohol consumption across different alcoholic beverages with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) risk and associated mortality. This study included 473,957 subjects, 16,559 of whom tested positive for COVID-19. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the associations of alcohol consumption with COVID-19 risk and associated mortality.

Supramolecular micelles as multifunctional theranostic agents for synergistic photodynamic therapy and hypoxia-activated chemotherapy.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT), where a photosensitizer (under light irradiation) converts molecular oxygen to singlet oxygen to elicit programmed cell death, is a promising cancer treatment modality with a high temporal and spatial resolution. However, only limited cancer treatment efficacy has been achieved in clinical PDT due to the hypoxic conditions of solid tumor microenvironment that limits the generation of singlet oxygen, and PDT process often leads to even more hypoxic microenvironment due to the consumption of oxygens during therapy. Herein, we designed novel supramolecular micelles to co-deliver photosensitizer and hypoxia-responsive prodrug to improve the overall therapeutic efficacy.

Improvement in cognitive dysfunction following blast induced traumatic brain injury by thymosin α1 in rats: Involvement of inhibition of tau phosphorylation at the Thr205 epitope.

Cognitive impairment is a significant sequela of traumatic brain injury (TBI) especially blast induced traumatic brain injury (bTBI), which is characterized by rapid impairments of learning and memory ability. Although several neuroprotective agents have been postulated as promising drugs for bTBI in animal studies, very few ideal therapeutic options exist to improve cognitive impairment following bTBI. Thymosin α1(Tα1), a 28-amino-acid protein that possesses immunomodulatory functions, has exhibited beneficial effects in the treatment of infectious diseases, immunodeficiency diseases and cancers.

Artesunate promotes the proliferation of neural stem/progenitor cells and alleviates Ischemia-reperfusion Injury through PI3K/Akt/FOXO-3a/p27 signaling pathway.

Stroke is one of the leading causes of death worldwide that also result in long-term disability. Endogenous neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs) within subventricular (SVZ) and dentate gyrus (DG) zone, stimulated by cerebral infarction, can promote neural function recovery. However, the proliferation of eNSPCs triggered by ischemia is not enough to induce neural repair, which may contribute to the permanent disability in stroke patients.

A novel model of blast induced traumatic brain injury caused by compressed gas produced sustained cognitive deficits in rats: involvement of phosphorylation of tau at the Thr205 epitope.

Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) represent the leading causes for casualties among civilians and soldiers in the present war (including counter-terrorism). Traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by IEDs results in different degrees of impairment of cognition and behavior, but the exact brain pathophysiological mechanism following exposure to blast has not been clearly investigated. Here, we sought to establish a rat model of closed-head blast injury using compressed gas to deliver a single blast only to the brain without systemic injuries.

Quantitative Iron Neuroimaging Can Be Used to Assess the Effects of Minocycline in an Intracerebral Hemorrhage Minipig Model.

Iron-mediated toxicity is a key factor causing brain injury after intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). This study was performed to investigate the noninvasive neuroimaging method for quantifying brain iron content using a minipig ICH model and assess the effects of minocycline treatment on ICH-induced iron overload and brain injury. The minipig ICH model was established by injecting 2 ml of autologous blood into the right basal ganglia, which were then subjected to the treatments of minocycline and vehicle.

Mechanism Underlying Antitumor Effects of Sinomenine.

Sinomenine (SIN) is a bioactive alkaloid compound extracted from a Chinese medicinal plant Sinomenium acutum. It is a multitarget antitumor natural substance. Various mechanisms have been proposed for the antitumor effects of SIN, such as direct cytotoxicity, induction of apoptosis, sensitization attenuating radiotherapy and chemotherapy, reversal of drug resistance, resistance to distant metastasis, and antiangiogenesis.

Rheumatoid arthritis-like features in Hansen disease: A case report.

Rationale: Hansen disease is an infectious chronic disease with various clinical manifestations. Its joint performance may easily mimic rheumatoid arthritis.

Patient Concerns: We report a case of a 57-year-old woman diagnosed with Hansen disease 10 years ago, who suffered from joints swelling, pain and joints deformities of both hands for 19 years.