Effects of recombinant adenovirus-mediated hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha gene on proliferation and differentiation of endogenous neural stem cells in rats following intracerebral hemorrhage

AbstractObjectiveTo investigate the effects of adenovirus (Ad)-mediated hypoxia-inducible factor-1alpha (HIF-1α) gene on proliferation and differentiation of endogenous neural stem cells (NSCs) in rats following intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) and the underlying mechanisms.MethodsA total of 120 specific pathogen-free, adult, male Sprague-Dawley rats were included in this study. After establishment of ICH models in rats, PBS, Ad, or Ad-HIF-1α was administered via the ischemic ventricle. On the 1st, 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th d after ICH, rat neurological deficits were scored, doublecortin (DCX) expression in the subventricular zone cells was detected by immunohistochemical staining, and 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU)-, BrdU/DCX-, and BrdU/glial fibrillary acidic protein-positive cells in the subventricular zone were counted using immumofluorescence method among PBS, Ad, and Ad-HIF-1α groups.ResultsOn the 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th d after ICH, neurological deficit scores in the Ad-HIF-1α group were significantly lower than in the PBS and Ad groups (P<0.05). In the Ad-HIF-1α group, DCX expression was significantly increased on the 7th d, peaked on the 14th d, and then gradually decreased. In the Ad-HIF-1α group, BrdU-positive cells were significantly increased over time course, and significant difference in BrdU-positive cell counts was observed when compared with the PBS and Ad groups at each time point (P<0.01 or 0.05). On the 7th, 14th, 21st and 28th d after ICH, the number of DCX-, BrdU-, BrdU/DCX-, and BrdU/DCX-positive cells in the Ad-HIF-1α group was significantly greater than in the PBS and Ad groups (P<0.05).ConclusionsHIF-1α gene can promote the proliferation, migration and differentiation of endogenous neural stem cells after ICH, thereby contributing to neurofunctional recovery after ICH

The Relationship Between Information Transparency And The Informativeness Of Accounting Earnings

The issue of corporate governance has prompted calls for greater transparency and disclosure on companies around the world. As a result, a disclosure ranking system, Information Transparency and Disclosure Ranking System (ITDRS) was launched in Taiwan since 2003 by the request of Taiwan Stock Exchange Corporation (TSEC). This paper examines the relationship between information transparency and the informativeness of accounting earnings. The empirical tests are conducted using TEJ database for firms listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange with fiscal year ends between 2003 and 2004. Empirical results indicate that, information transparency, measured by the ranking of ITDRS, reduces the informativeness of accounting earnings. However, if information transparency is measured by the ratio of long-term investment in stocks, evidences show higher earnings response coefficients (ERC) for the more transparent firms. The results suggest that accounting numbers are more useful or valuable than the ITDRS ranking results from investors&rsquo; perspective. It also suggests that the ITDRS may be not a good proxy for financial transparency

Foam Properties and Detergent Abilities of the Saponins from Camellia oleifera

The defatted seed meal of Camellia oleifera has been used as a natural detergent and its extract is commercially utilized as a foam-stabilizing and emulsifying agent. The goal of this study was to investigate the foam properties and detergent ability of the saponins from the defatted seed meal of C. oleifera. The crude saponin content in the defatted seed meal of C. oleifera was 8.34 and the total saponins content in the crude saponins extract was 39.5% (w/w). The foaming power of the 0.5 crude saponins extract solution from defatted seed meal of C. oleifera was 37.1 of 0.5 SLS solution and 51.3% to that of 0.5% Tween 80 solution. The R5 value of 86.0% represents good foam stability of the crude saponins extracted from the defatted seed meal of the plant. With the reduction of water surface tension from 72 mN/m to 50.0 mN/m, the 0.5% crude saponins extract solution has wetting ability. The sebum-removal experiment indicated that the crude saponins extract has moderate detergency. The detergent abilities of the saponins from C. oleifera and Sapindus mukorossi were also compared

Interferon-b Modulates Inflammatory Response in Cerebral Ischemia

BACKGROUND: Stroke is a leading cause of death in the world. In >80% of strokes, the initial acute phase of ischemic injury is due to the occlusion of a blood vessel resulting in severe focal hypoperfusion, excitotoxicity, and oxidative damage. Interferon-β (IFNβ), a cytokine with immunomodulatory properties, was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis for more than a decade. Its anti-inflammatory properties and well-characterized safety profile suggest that IFNβ has therapeutic potential for the treatment of ischemic stroke. METHODS AND RESULTS: We investigated the therapeutic effect of IFNβ in the mouse model of transient middle cerebral artery occlusion/reperfusion. We found that IFNβ not only reduced infarct size in ischemic brains but also lessened neurological deficits in ischemic stroke animals. Further, multiple molecular mechanisms by which IFNβ modulates ischemic brain inflammation were identified. IFNβ reduced central nervous system infiltration of monocytes/macrophages, neutrophils, CD4(+) T cells, and γδ T cells; inhibited the production of inflammatory mediators; suppressed the expression of adhesion molecules on brain endothelial cells; and repressed microglia activation in the ischemic brain. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrate that IFNβ exerts a protective effect against ischemic stroke through its anti-inflammatory properties and suggest that IFNβ is a potential therapeutic agent, targeting the reperfusion damage subsequent to the treatment with tissue plasminogen activator

N-(4-Chloro­phen­yl)-2-de­oxy-α-l-ribo­pyran­osylamine

In the crystal structure of the title compound, C11H14ClNO3, inter­molecular hydrogen bonds link mol­ecules in the ab plane, forming layers that stack along the c axis

Cohesive collisions of particles in liquid media studied by CFD-DEM, video tracking, and Positron Emission Particle Tracking

This paper investigates the cohesive collision of ice in an oil phase at temperatures ranging from −15.7 °C to −0.3 °C. The new information on the coefficient of restitution (COR) was obtained using three different velocity measurement methods: high-speed experimental video recording, Positron Emission Particle Tracking (PEPT), and numerical simulations. A new type of PEPT tracer was developed for the experiments. The COR values were in the interval 0.57...0.82, with a maximum at around −10 °C. The CFD-DEM coupled approach was applied to reproduce experiments with an ice particle drop and its collision with an inclined ice surface in a decane. The particle–wall interaction is modeled using commercial software, considering particle cohesion, particle size, and shape. CFD-DEM predicted the COR with an average deviation 10% from the experimental data. The numerical model’s results agree with the experiments, demonstrating that the CFD-DEM method is suitable for describing multiphase cohesive interactions

Effects of Yoga on Psychological Health, Quality of Life, and Physical Health of Patients with Cancer: A Meta-Analysis

Yoga is one of the most widely used complementary and alternative medicine therapies to manage illness. This meta-analysis aimed to determine the effects of yoga on psychological health, quality of life, and physical health of patients with cancer. Studies were identified through a systematic search of seven electronic databases and were selected if they used a randomized controlled trial design to examine the effects of yoga in patients with cancer. The quality of each article was rated by two of the authors using the PEDro Scale. Ten articles were selected; their PEDro scores ranged from 4 to 7. The yoga groups compared to waitlist control groups or supportive therapy groups showed significantly greater improvements in psychological health: anxiety (P = .009), depression (P = .002), distress (P = .003), and stress (P = .006). However, due to the mixed and low to fair quality and small number of studies conducted, the findings are preliminary and limited and should be confirmed through higher-quality, randomized controlled trials

Formulation of novel lipid-coated magnetic nanoparticles as the probe for in vivo imaging

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Application of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIOs) as the contrast agent has improved the quality of magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Low efficiency of loading the commercially available iron oxide nanoparticles into cells and the cytotoxicity of previously formulated complexes limit their usage as the image probe. Here, we formulated new cationic lipid nanoparticles containing SPIOs feasible for <it>in vivo </it>imaging.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Hydrophobic SPIOs were incorporated into cationic lipid 1,2-dioleoyl-3-(trimethylammonium) propane (DOTAP) and polyethylene-glycol-2000-1,2-distearyl-3-sn-phosphatidylethanolamine (PEG-DSPE) based micelles by self-assembly procedure to form lipid-coated SPIOs (L-SPIOs). Trace amount of Rhodamine-dioleoyl-phosphatidylethanolamine (Rhodamine-DOPE) was added as a fluorescent indicator. Particle size and zeta potential of L-SPIOs were determined by Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and Laser Doppler Velocimetry (LDV), respectively. HeLa, PC-3 and Neuro-2a cells were tested for loading efficiency and cytotoxicity of L-SPIOs using fluorescent microscopy, Prussian blue staining and flow cytometry. L-SPIO-loaded CT-26 cells were tested for <it>in vivo </it>MR imaging.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The novel formulation generates L-SPIOs particle with the average size of 46 nm. We showed efficient cellular uptake of these L-SPIOs with cationic surface charge into HeLa, PC-3 and Neuro-2a cells. The L-SPIO-loaded cells exhibited similar growth potential as compared to unloaded cells, and could be sorted by a magnet stand over ten-day duration. Furthermore, when SPIO-loaded CT-26 tumor cells were injected into Balb/c mice, the growth status of these tumor cells could be monitored using optical and MR images.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We have developed a novel cationic lipid-based nanoparticle of SPIOs with high loading efficiency, low cytotoxicity and long-term imaging signals. The results suggested these newly formulated non-toxic lipid-coated magnetic nanoparticles as a versatile image probe for cell tracking.</p

Rapid and sensitive insulated isothermal PCR for point-of-need feline leukaemia virus detection

Objectives: Feline leukaemia virus (FeLV), a gamma retrovirus, causes diseases of the feline haematopoietic system that are invariably fatal. Rapid and accurate testing at the point-of-need (PON) supports prevention of virus spread and management of clinical disease. This study evaluated the performance of an insulated isothermal PCR (iiPCR) that detects proviral DNA, and a reverse transcription (RT)-iiPCR that detects both viral RNA and proviral DNA, for FeLV detection at the PON. Methods: Mycoplasma haemofelis, feline coronavirus, feline herpesvirus, feline calicivirus and feline immunodeficiency virus were used to test analytical specificity. In vitro transcribed RNA, artificial plasmid, FeLV strain American Type Culture Collection VR-719 and a clinical FeLV isolate were used in the analytical sensitivity assays. A retrospective study including 116 clinical plasma and serum samples that had been tested with virus isolation, real-time PCR and ELISA, and a prospective study including 150 clinical plasma and serum samples were implemented to evaluate the clinical performances of the iiPCR-based methods for FeLV detection. Results: Ninety-five percent assay limit of detection was calculated to be 16 RNA and five DNA copies for the RT-iiPCR, and six DNA copies for the iiPCR. Both reactions had analytical sensitivity comparable to a reference real-time PCR (qPCR) and did not detect five non-target feline pathogens. The clinical performance of the RT-iiPCR and iiPCR had 98.82% agreement (kappa[κ] = 0.97) and 100% agreement (κ = 1.0), respectively, with the qPCR (n = 85). The agreement between an automatic nucleic extraction/RT-iiPCR system and virus isolation to detect FeLV in plasma or serum was 95.69% (κ = 0.95) and 98.67% (κ = 0.85) in a retrospective (n = 116) and a prospective (n = 150) study, respectively. Conclusions and relevance: These results suggested that both RT-iiPCR and iiPCR assays can serve as reliable tools for PON FeLV detection