Microglia M1/M2 polarization contributes to electromagnetic pulse-induced brain injury.

The development of electronic technology has attracted attention on the biological effects of electromagnetic fields (EMFs) and electromagnetic pulse (EMP). It remains controversial whether EMP irradiation is neurotoxic or beneficial for recovery from injuryies such as cerebral ischemia. Microglia is innate immune cells in the brain, exhibiting either neurotoxicity or neuroprotection effect during various central nervous system diseases, depending on their activation into a classical (M1) or alternative (M2) phenotype, respectively. The Toll-like receptor-4 (TLR4), myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) and nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) pathway is important for microglia activation. In this study, we investigated the effect of EMP on neuronal apoptosis and microglia polarization in vivo and in vitro, using an EMP of 400 kV/m and 1 hertz for 200 pulses. Short EMP irradiation (≤24 h) resulted in microglial conversion from the resting to the M1-type state, activation of the TLR4/MyD88/NFκB pathway, higher levels of inflammatory cytokines including interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1ß and tumor necrosis factor-α, as well as neuronal apoptosis induction. In contrast, long EMP irradiation (3 days) resulted in microglial activation into the M2-type, decreased apoptosis and inflammatory mediator production, and increased levels of the neuroprotective effectors IL-10, transforming growth factor beta, and brain-derived neurotrophic factor. EMP induces both neuronal damage and neuronal recovery by influencing the switch of M1/M2 polarization and the TLR4/MyD88/NFκB pathway.

[The Rice OsDUF810 Family: OsDUF810.7 May be Involved in the Tolerance to Salt and Drought].

With the advance of sequencing technology, the number of sequenced plant genomes has been rapidly increasing. However, understanding of the gene function in these sequenced genomes lags far behind; as a result, many coding plant sequences in public databases are annotated as proteins with domains of unknown function (DUF). Function of a protein family DUF810 in rice is not known. In this study, we analysed seven members of OsDU810 (OsDUF810.1-OsDUF810.7) family with three distinct motifs in rice Nipponbare. By phylogenetic analysis, OsDUF810 proteins fall into three major groups (I, II, III). Expression patterns of the seven corresponding OsDUF810 protein-encoding genes in 15 different rice tissues vary. Under drought, salt, cold and heat stress conditions and ABA treatment, the expression of OsDUF810.7 significantly increases. Overexpression of this protein in E. coli lead to a significant enhancement of catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD) activities, and improved bacterial resistance to salt and drought.

Effect of dexmedetomidine on immune function of patients undergoing radical mastectomy: a double blind and placebo control study.

OBJECTIVE: To observe and evaluate the effect of dexmedetomidine on the perioperative immune function of patients undergoing a radical mastectomy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 124 patients undergoing radical mastectomy were divided into the observation group (treated with dexmedetomidine) and the control group (treated with saline) by randomized digital table and double blinded and randomized design. 10 min before anesthesia induction, the patients in the observation group were injected with dexmedetomidine 0.1 ug.kg-1.min-1. The injection of 0.9% sodium chloride solution was given to the control group at the same rate. In the experiment, the medications of anesthesia induction and anesthesia maintain were identical. Venous blood at five times: T0 (before anesthesia), T1 (6 h after surgery), T2 (24 h after surgery), T3 (48 h after surgery), T4 (72 h after surgery) were collected. ELISA (Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay) was used to detect concentrations of IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-4, IL-6 and IL-10; FACS flow cytometry was used to determine the level of T-lymphocyte subsets (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+) and NK cells. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the cell levels of CD3+ and CD4+ in the observation group rose remarkably at T3 and T2 (p<0.05). The cell level of CD8+ fell at T2 with significant difference; NK cell level increased noticeably at T1 and T2, and CD4+/CD8+ rose dramatically at all postoperative time points. Obviously, the patients' immune function, to some extent, has been affected; in addition, the concentration of INF-γ in observation group increased prominently at T1, T2 and T3 (p<0.05), and the concentration of IL-2 at T2, IL-10 at T1 and T2, and IL-6 at T2 and T3 in the observation group all rose significantly (p<0.05), and less cytokine Th1 drifted to Th2. CONCLUSIONS: The dexmedetomidine can effectively maintain the homeostasis of cell immune function of patients undergoing a radical mastectomy.

Human parvovirus PARV4 in plasma pools of Chinese origin.

Human parvovirus 4 (PARV4) is present in blood and blood products. As the presence and levels of PARV4 in Chinese source plasma pools have never been determined, we implemented real-time quantitative PCR to investigate the presence of PARV4 in source plasma pools in China. Results showed that 26·15% (51/195) of lots tested positive for PARV4. The amounts of DNA ranged from 2·83 × 10(3) copies/ml to 2·35×10(7) copies/ml plasma. The high level of PARV4 in plasma pools may pose a potential risk to recipients. Further studies on the pathogenesis of PARV4 are urgently required.

Kimura's disease: the CT and MRI characteristics in fifteen cases.

OBJECTIVE: To summarize the CT and MRI features in a series of fifteen cases of Kimura's disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The clinical data, CT and MRI findings of 15 patients with histologically proved Kimura's disease were retrospectively reviewed. All imaging data were consensually evaluated by two radiologists to determine the lesion location, number, morphology, margin, signal intensity or CT density, lesion texture, contrast enhancement pattern and involvement of adjacent structures. RESULTS: There were 14 male and 1 female, with peripheral blood eosinophilia in all 14 patients. 13 patients were presented with a painless mass. 13 patients had lesions located in the head and neck related to the major salivary glands. 1 patient had lesion in groin. Subcutaneous fat diffuse atrophy around the tumor site was found in 11 patients. 9 patients had solitary mass and 6 patients had multiple masses. Most masses were ill-defined, but no specific density or signal patterns were found. Most patients exhibited enlarged or obviously enhanced abnormal lymph nodes but without necrosis. CONCLUSION: The characteristic distribution, morphology with enlarged draining lymphadenopathy, combined with the clinical features and laboratory examination enables a confident preoperative diagnosis of Kimura's disease.