Erythropoietin relieves neuronal apoptosis in epilepsy rats via TGF-ß/Smad signaling pathway.

This study aimed to investigate the influence of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) on pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-induced neuronal apoptosis in epilepsy rats, and to explore the signaling pathways related to the action. Healthy Sprague-Dawley rats aged 8 weeks old were randomly divided into 5 groups, namely, control group, PTZ model group, PTZ + rHuEPO intervention group, PTZ + SB431542 + rHuEPO intervention group and PTZ + SB431542 (TGF-ß/Smad inhibitor) intervention group. The expressions of apoptotic proteins [tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1) and caspase-3] and the transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-ß)/Smad signaling pathway-related proteins [phosphorylated smad3 (p-smad3) and TGF-ß1] in the brain tissues were determined via Western blotting (WB). Epilepsy was successfully induced by PTZ in the rats. The results of the TUNEL assay showed that the intervention with rHuEPO could remarkably reduce the number of PTZ-induced apoptotic neurons in the hippocampus, while SB431542 inhibitor could attenuate the protective effect of rHuEPO against neuronal apoptosis (P<0.05). In addition, the intraperitoneal injection of 50 µg/kg rHuEPO could activate the TGF-ß/Smad signaling pathway, markedly up-regulate the expressions of TGF-ß1 and p-smad3 (P<0.05), down-regulate the expressions of apoptotic proteins TNFR1 and caspase-3 (P<0.01) and reduce neuronal apoptosis. Moreover, SB431542 was able to notably repress the protective effect of rHuEPO against neuronal apoptosis, and down-regulate the expressions of p-smad3 and TGF-ß1 (P<0.01). In conclusion, the inhibitory effect of rHuEPO on nerve cell apoptosis in epilepsy rats may be realized by activating the TGF-ß/Smad signaling pathway, thus relieving neuronal apoptosis and ameliorating the symptoms of epilepsy.

Enhanced high-temperature electrochemical properties of in situ carbon-coated truncated octahedral LiMn2O4 cathodes.

Truncated octahedral spinel LiMn2O4 was homogenously coated by amorphous carbon layer via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) using acetylene gas (C2H2) as carbon source to ease Mn dissolution to improve high-temperature performance, delivering a capacity retention of 92.9% after 1000 cycles at 5C at 50 °C.

Bioeffects of static magnetic fields on the growth and metabolites of C. pyrenoidosa and T. obliquus.

Microalgae is one of the most potential materials for biofuels and dietary supplements. However, the high cost of cultivation has always restrained its commercial application. Static magnetic fields (SMF), with the advantages of low operational cost and non-toxic secondary pollution, exhibits great potential in the promotion to the microalgal growth and metabolism. In this study, the dynamic patterns on the biomass and metabolites including pigment, protein, carbohydrate, lipid and fatty acids of C. pyrenoidosa and T. obliquus under 30 mT SMF for 15 days at 24 h·d-1 were explored. Results demonstrated that SMF triggered the growth of C. pyrenoidosa and T. obliquus by 32.8% and 31.5%, respectively. SMF significantly stimulated protein synthesis by 44.3%, whereas decreased carbohydrate by 19.7% and lipid by 23.4% in C. pyrenoidosa (p < 0.05), indicating that SMF was a promising approach for inducing intracellular carbon partition to the protein synthetic pathway. The carbohydrate content exhibited a significant lower by 43.7% in T. obliquus under SMF than that of the control (p < 0.05), while no significant changes were observed in either the protein or the lipid. SMF applied for the two microalgae had negative effects on the fatty acids (MUFAs, PUFAs, and TFAs). The results indicated that SMF could not only significantly accelerate the growth of the two microalgae, but also influence their metabolites.

CaDHN3, a Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) Dehydrin Gene Enhances the Tolerance against Salt and Drought Stresses by Reducing ROS Accumulation.

Dehydrins (DHNs) play an important role in abiotic stress tolerance in a large number of plants, but very little is known about the function of DHNs in pepper plants. Here, we isolated a Y1SK2-type DHN gene "CaDHN3" from pepper. To authenticate the function of CaDHN3 in salt and drought stresses, it was overexpressed in Arabidopsis and silenced in pepper through virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS). Sub-cellular localization showed that CaDHN3 was located in the nucleus and cell membrane. It was found that CaDHN3-overexpressed (OE) in Arabidopsis plants showed salt and drought tolerance phenotypic characteristics, i.e., increased the initial rooting length and germination rate, enhanced chlorophyll content, lowered the relative electrolyte leakage (REL) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content than the wild-type (WT) plants. Moreover, a substantial increase in the activities of antioxidant enzymes; including the superoxide dismutase (SOD), peroxidase (POD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), and lower hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) contents and higher O2•- contents in the transgenic Arabidopsis plants. Silencing of CaDHN3 in pepper decreased the salt- and drought-stress tolerance, through a higher REL and MDA content, and there was more accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the CaDHN3-silenced pepper plants than the control plants. Based on the yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) screening and Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation (BiFC) results, we found that CaDHN3 interacts with CaHIRD11 protein in the plasma membrane. Correspondingly, the expressions of four osmotic-related genes were significantly up-regulated in the CaDHN3-overexpressed lines. In brief, our results manifested that CaDHN3 may play an important role in regulating the relative osmotic stress responses in plants through the ROS signaling pathway. The results of this study will provide a basis for further analyses of the function of DHN genes in pepper.

Adsorbable and self-supported 3D AgNPs/G@Ni foam as cut-and-paste highly-sensitive SERS substrates for rapid in situ detection of residuum.

We have proposed a synthetic approach to produce self-supported and bendable surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS)-based 3D chemical sensors with high adsorptivity. Such 3D substrates consist of foam-like graphene macrostructures obtained by template-directed chemical vapour deposition on nickel foams (interconnected 3D scaffold of nickel) and uniform and high-density Ag nanoparticles wrapping around the foam graphene, via seed-mediated in situ growth process. Such 3D AgNPs/G@Ni foam substrates show high-quality SERS performance in terms of Raman signal reproducibility and sensitivity for the analyte, resulting from the high density and homogeneity of "hot spots" on AgNPs/G@Ni foam, multiple cascaded amplication (localized surface plasmon mode and optical standing waves or optical refraction) of incident laser to the 3D foam structures and powerful support from nickel scaffold. Moreover, in virtue of the high adsorptivity and sensitivity of AgNPs/G@Ni foam, the low-concentration crystal violet molecules can be easily traced in the curvilinear fish surface, by simply swabbing the surface to achieve molecules concentration effect in the practical applicability. This work shows promising potential in developing the applications of SERS in the foodstuffs processing and security field.

Regulation of Sirtuin 3-Mediated Deacetylation of Cyclophilin D Attenuated Cognitive Dysfunction Induced by Sepsis-Associated Encephalopathy in Mice.

The present study aimed to investigate cognitive dysfunction in the hippocampus induced by sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE) via acetylation of cyclophilin D (CypD) and opening of mitochondrial permeability transition pore. It also explored whether activating sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) can mediate deacetylation of CypD and prevent the development of SAE. Male mice were randomly assigned to six groups: sham group, cecal ligation puncture group, CypD siRNA transfection (CypD-si) group, CypD control siRNA transfection (CypD-c) group, SIRT3 overexpression vector pcDNA3.1 (SIRT3-p) group, and SIRT3 empty vector pcDNA3.1 (SIRT3-v) group (n = 18). The CypD-si and CypD-c groups were transfected with CypD siRNA and CypD control siRNA, respectively. The SIRT3-p and SIRT3-v groups were injected with SIRT3 pcDNA3.1 and vector pcDNA3.1, respectively. The learning and memory function was assessed using the learning version of the Morris water maze test. Then, cell apoptosis and the levels of CypD, acetylated CypD, SIRT-3, interleukin 6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), and caspase-3 in the hippocampus were determined. The levels of CypD and acetylation of CypD increased in the hippocampus induced by SAE. Increasing SIRT3 and decreasing CypD can attenuate cognitive impairment and neuroapoptosis, and protect the integrity of mitochondrial membrane from damage and restore the protein expressions of IL-6, TNF-α, and caspase-3. Activating SIRT3-mediated deacetylation of CypD attenuated learning and memory dysfunction induced by SAE.

Spinal Cord Stimulation for Refractory Angina Pectoris: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Paresthesia-free stimulation such as high frequency and burst have been demonstrated as effective therapies for neuropathic pain. The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of conventional spinal cord stimulation (SCS) in the treatment of refractory angina pectoris (RAP). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Relevant randomized controlled trials that investigated SCS for patients with RAP were comprehensively searched in Medline, Pubmed, Embase, and Cochrane Library. Five meta-analyses were performed examining the changes in Canadian Cardiovascular Society classes, exercise time, Visual Analog Scale (VAS) scores of pain, Seattle Angina Questionnaire, and nitroglycerin use in RAP patients after SCS therapy. We analyzed standardized mean differences (MD) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for each outcome by Review Manager 5.0 and STATA 12.0. RESULTS: A total of 12 randomized controlled trials involving 476 RAP patients were identified. A trend of reduction in the angina frequency (MD=-9.03, 95% CI, -15.70 to -2.36) and nitroglycerin consumption (MD=-0.64, 95% CI, -0.84 to -0.45) could be observed in the SCS group. Compared with the control group, SCS showed benefit on increasing exercise time (MD=0.49, 95% CI, 0.13-0.85) and treatment satisfaction (MD=6.87, 95% CI, 2.07-11.66) with decreased VAS scores of pain (MD=-0.50, 95% CI, -0.81 to -0.20) and disease perception (MD=-8.34, 95% CI, -14.45 to -2.23). However, the result did not reach the significance level in terms of physical limitation (95% CI, -8.75 to 3.38; P=0.39) or angina stability (95% CI, -7.55 to 3.67; P=0.50). DISCUSSION: The current meta-analysis suggested that SCS was a potential alternative in the treatment of PAP patients. Further investigation for finding the appropriate intensity of stimulation is required before this treatment should be widely recommended and applied.

[Effects of dexmedetomidine on microcirculatory perfusion in rabbits with renal ischemia/reperfusion injury: quantitative evaluation with contrast-enhanced ultrasound].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of dexmedetomidine on renal microcirculatory perfusion in rabbits with renal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury rabbit by quantitative analysis of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). METHODS: Twenty- four New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into 3 groups (8 in each), including a control group, renal I/R injury group and dexmedetomidine group. In the latter two groups, the right kidney of the rabbits was resected and I/R injury was induced in the left kidney. In dexmedetomidine group, the rabbits received an intraperitoneal dose of 10 µg/kg dexmedetomidine 30 min before renal ischemia, and 24 h after reperfusion, the renal size and renal artery resistance (RI) were measured, and renal cortex perfusion was observed by CEUS. The time-to-peak intensity (TTP), peak signal intensity (PSI), gradient between start frame to peak frame (Grad) and area under the curve (AUC) were quantitatively analyzed using the time-intensity curves. Pathological changes of the kidney were also observed. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the rabbits in I/R and dexmedetomidine groups showed distinct changes of the renal size with obvious renal pathologies. RI, PPT and AUC all increased, and PSI and Grad decreased significantly in I/R and dexmedetomidine groups (P<0.05). Compared with I/R group, obvious improvement of the renal size and renal pathologies were observed in dexmedetomidine group, which showed significantly decreased RI, PPT and AUC and increased PSI and Grad (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: CEUS combined with the time-intensity curve parameters allows quantitative and dynamic analysis of the protective effects of dexmedetomidine on microcirculatory perfusion in rabbits with renal I/R injury.

Role of ovalbumin in the stabilization of metastable vaterite in calcium carbonate biomineralization.

The role of proteins in biomineralization has been examined in this work by studying the effect of ovalbumin on the stabilization of metastable CaCO(3) phases. In the absence of ovalbumin, the mixing of Na(2)CO(3) with CaCl(2) in an aqueous solution led to the formation of metastable phases that swiftly transformed into stable calcite crystals within 4 h under the experimental conditions. However, ovalbumin was found to favor the formation and stabilization of spherical vaterites, and the effect was concentration dependent. In the presence of 2 g/L ovalbumin, for example, vaterite microspheres with diameters ranging from 0.9 to 3.0 mum, composed of much smaller nanosized particles, were produced and stabilized even after 24 h following the initial mixing. In addition, the influence of ovalbumin on the CaCO(3) mineralization process from the very beginning was carefully examined. Both amorphous calcium carbonate (ACC) and vaterite were favored with ovalbumin present, but the ACC phase formed predominantly at the initial stage of mixing followed by the vaterite formation. Vaterite could then be embedded further in the mineralization process and become stabilized many hours afterward. The stabilizing effect of ovalbumin could arise from the strong binding between carboxylate groups of ovalbumin and the calcium ions on the CaCO(3) surface, preventing the metastable CaCO(3) from transformation via dissolution-recrystallization processes. The strong ovalbumin adsorption on vaterite microspheres was revealed from transmission electron microscopy imaging and thermogravimetric analysis, thereby providing useful evidence to support the proposed stabilizing mechanism.

Ankyrin repeat proteins comprise a diverse family of bacterial type IV effectors.

Specialized secretion systems are used by many bacteria to deliver effector proteins into host cells that can either mimic or disrupt the function of eukaryotic factors. We found that the intracellular pathogens Legionella pneumophila and Coxiella burnetii use a type IV secretion system to deliver into eukaryotic cells a large number of different bacterial proteins containing ankyrin repeat homology domains called Anks. The L. pneumophila AnkX protein prevented microtubule-dependent vesicular transport to interfere with fusion of the L. pneumophila-containing vacuole with late endosomes after infection of macrophages, which demonstrates that Ank proteins have effector functions important for bacterial infection of eukaryotic host cells.