BIOLOGICAL PURIFICATION OF GROUNDWATER POLLUTED WITH NITROGENOUS COMPOUNDS

Joint Research on Environmental Science and Technology for the Eart

In vivo direct reprogramming of glial linage to mature neurons after cerebral ischemia

The therapeutic effect of in vivo direct reprogramming on ischemic stroke has not been evaluated. In the present study, a retroviral solution (1.5-2.0 × 107 /ul) of mock pMX-GFP (n = 13) or pMX-Ascl1/Sox2/NeuroD1 (ASN) (n = 14) was directly injected into the ipsilateral striatum and cortex 3 days after 30 min of transient cerebral ischemia. The reprogrammed cells first expressed neuronal progenitor marker Dcx 7 and 21 days after viral injection, then expressed mature neuronal marker NeuN. This was accompanied by morphological changes, including long processes and synapse-like structures, 49 days after viral injection. Meanwhile, therapeutic improvement was not detected both in clinical scores or infarct volume. The present study provides a future novel self-repair strategy for ischemic stroke with beneficial modifications of the inducer-suppressor balance

A unique stroke case with contralateral sulcal hyperintensity on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery image changed to linear serpiginous structures

An 83-year-old man developed acute ischemic stroke. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed ischemic stroke in the left parietal lobe gyri, but fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) showed hyperintensity in the contralateral right temporal-occipital lobe sulci. Follow-up FLAIR image showed the gradual disappearance of the sulcal hyperintensity in the sulci and changed to linear serpiginous structures. This is a unique stroke case showing transitioned FLAIR findings suggesting that the sulcal hyperintensity findings are more severe and an earlier ischemic condition than the linear serpiginous structures

Jellyfish mucin may have potential disease-modifying effects on osteoarthritis

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>We aimed to study the effects of intra-articular injection of jellyfish mucin (qniumucin) on articular cartilage degeneration in a model of osteoarthritis (OA) created in rabbit knees by resection of the anterior cruciate ligament. Qniumucin was extracted from <it>Aurelia aurita </it>(moon jellyfish) and <it>Stomolophus nomurai </it>(Nomura's jellyfish) and purified by ion exchange chromatography. The OA model used 36 knees in 18 Japanese white rabbits. Purified qniumucin extracts from <it>S. nomurai </it>or <it>A. aurita </it>were used at 1 mg/ml. Rabbits were divided into four groups: a control (C) group injected with saline; a hyaluronic acid (HA)-only group (H group); two qniumucin-only groups (M groups); and two qniumucin + HA groups (MH groups). One milligram of each solution was injected intra-articularly once a week for 5 consecutive weeks, starting from 4 weeks after surgery. Ten weeks after surgery, the articular cartilage was evaluated macroscopically and histologically.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In the C and M groups, macroscopic cartilage defects extended to the subchondral bone medially and laterally. When the H and both MH groups were compared, only minor cartilage degeneration was observed in groups treated with qniumucin in contrast to the group without qniumucin. Histologically, densely safranin-O-stained cartilage layers were observed in the H and two MH groups, but cartilage was strongly maintained in both MH groups.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>At the concentrations of qniumucin used in this study, injection together with HA inhibited articular cartilage degeneration in this model of OA.</p

Yoga-plus exercise mix promotes cognitive, affective, and physical functions in elderly people

Objectives: Increased attention is being paid to Asian medicine in balanced total health care. We investigated the effects of mixed exercise including yoga ('Yoga-plus') among elderly individuals. Methods: A total of 385 subjects (72 males and 313 females, 75.5 ± 8.7 years old) participated in a 12-month (M) exercise program at a health and welfare center, a day service center, and a nursing home. Cognitive, affective, and physical functions, and activities of daily living (ADL), were compared at baseline (0M), 6M and 12M of exercise intervention. Results: Mean scores on the frontal assessment battery, clock drawing test, cube copying test, letter fluency, and category fluency significantly improved after the Yoga-plus intervention, while mini-mental state examination, Hasegawa dementia score-revised, and trail-making test performance were relatively stable. Affective scores on the geriatric depression scale (GDS), apathy scale (AS) and Abe's behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia were not significantly affected by exercise therapy, but subgroups with higher baseline GDS (GDS ≥ 5) and AS (AS ≥ 16) scores showed a significant improvement after intervention. One-leg standing time and 3-m timed up and go test performance significantly improved after 12M intervention. Discussion: Yoga-plus improved cognitive, affective, ADL, and physical functions in a local elderly population, particularly among below-baseline individuals, indicating the benefits of dementia prevention among elderly individuals

Late presented congenital myasthenic syndrome with novel compound heterozygous CHRNE mutations mimicking seronegative myasthenia gravis

We found a late presented congenital myasthenic syndrome (CMS) patient with novel CHRNE gene mutations. Although our patient has shown blepharoptosis since youth, fatigable muscle weakness began at age 71. Genetic analysis revealed novel compound heterozygous CHRNE mutations (c.1032+2T>G, c.1306_1307 delGA). His myasthenic symptoms were well managed by oral anti‐cholinesterase drug until he died at 82‐year‐old. The present case showed mild myasthenic symptoms with very late presentation and slow progression. Late presented CMS is often underdiagnosed; therefore, genetic testing is important to distinguish it from other myasthenic disease

Clinical and Pathological Benefit of Twendee X in Alzheimer's Disease Transgenic Mice with Chronic Cerebral Hypoperfusion

BACKGROUND: Multiple pathogeneses are involved in Alzheimer's disease (AD), such as amyloid-β accumulation, neuroinflammation, and oxidative stress. The pathological impact of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion on Alzheimer's disease is still poorly understood. METHODS: APP23 mice were implanted to bilateral common carotid arteries stenosis with ameroid constrictors for slowly progressive chronic cerebral hypoperfusion (CCH). The effects of the administration of Twendee X (TwX) were evaluated by behavioral analysis, immunohistochemical analysis, and immunofluorescent histochemistry. RESULTS: In the present study, chronic cerebral hypoperfusion, which is commonly found in aged Alzheimer's disease, significantly exacerbated motor dysfunction of APP23 mice from 5 months and cognitive deficit from 8 months of age, as well as neuronal loss, extracellular amyloid-β plaque and intracellular oligomer formations, and amyloid angiopathy at 12 months. Severe upregulations of oxidative markers and inflammatory markers were found in the cerebral cortex, hippocampus, and thalamus at 12 months. Twendee X treatment (20 mg/kg/d, from 4.5 to 12 months) substantially rescued the cognitive deficit and reduced the above amyloid-β pathology and neuronal loss, alleviated neuroinflammation and oxidative stress. CONCLUSIONS: The present findings suggested a potential therapeutic benefit of Twendee X for Alzheimer's disease with chronic cerebral hypoperfusion