Protective effect of EGb761 against Aβ1-42 -induced SHSY5Y cells injury and blood-brain barrier disruption via regulating Akt/Nrf2 signaling pathway

Purpose: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a common disease in the world caused by deposition in the brain parenchyma, accumulation of beta amyloid which leads to the blood brain barrier (BBB) disruption. Regardless of enough progress in the treatment of AD, the principal mechanism of BBB injury is yet not clear.Methods: In this study we examined the impact of EGb761on Aβ 1-42-induced SH-SY5Y cells in vitro  model of AD. Cell viability was assessed by using MTT assay, flow cytometry was used to check the rate of cell apoptosis, ROS generation and BBB leakage was assessed by measuring the level of fluorescence in Aβ-induced SH-SY5Y cells using a reactive oxygen species kit assay and BBB permeability assay, and mRNA levels of Bax, Bcl-2, caspase-3 was measured by using RT-qPCR.  Furthermore, western blot analysis was used to measure the protein expressions of Akt, Nrf2 and HO-1 in Aβ 1-42-induced SH-SY5Y cells.Results: The effect of EGb761 was investigated on the cell apoptosis induced by Aβ 1-42 andgeneration of ROS and we found that EGb761 plays a protective role against cell injury induced by Aβ 1-42. Cell apoptosis and ROS generation in SH-SY5Y cells decreased significantly with the treatment of EGb761. Furthermore, BBB permeability reduced considerably when the cells treated with EGb761 and the expression levels of Caspase-3 and Bax decreased while that of Bcl-2 were markedly increased in the Aβ 1-42-induced SH-SY5Y cells. Also, an increased in expression levels of p-Akt, Nrf2 (nucleus) and HO-1 was observed with the treatment of EGb761 in Aβ 1-42-induced SH-SY5Y cells.Conclusion: It can be concluded from these results that EGb761 could play a protective role byinhibiting apoptosis and protect Aβ 1-42-induced cell injury in vitro model of AD via activating Akt/Nrf2signaling pathway. Our study suggested that EGb761 might be a therapeutic agent for the preventionand treatment of AD

Synthesis of hexagonal structured wurtzite and chalcopyrite CuInS2 via a simple solution route

Wurtzite semiconductor CuInS2 [CIS] has been reported in recent years. As a kind of metastable structure, it is a great challenge to synthesize pure wurtzite CIS at low temperature. In this paper, via a simple and quick solution route, we synthesize both wurtzite- and chalcopyrite-structure CIS. Well-controlled wurtzite CIS hexagonal plates are obtained when an appropriate agent is added. The influence of the used agent triethanolamine [TEA] has also been studied, and it turns out that without TEA, chalcopyrite CIS with a kind of rare morphology is formed through this method

Periscope: A Robotic Camera System to Support Remote Physical Collaboration

We investigate how robotic camera systems can offer new capabilities to computer-supported cooperative work through the design, development, and evaluation of a prototype system called Periscope. With Periscope, a local worker completes manipulation tasks with guidance from a remote helper who observes the workspace through a camera mounted on a semi-autonomous robotic arm that is co-located with the worker. Our key insight is that the helper, the worker, and the robot should all share responsibility of the camera view--an approach we call shared camera control. Using this approach, we present a set of modes that distribute the control of the camera between the human collaborators and the autonomous robot depending on task needs. We demonstrate the system's utility and the promise of shared camera control through a preliminary study where 12 dyads collaboratively worked on assembly tasks. Finally, we discuss design and research implications of our work for future robotic camera systems that facilitate remote collaboration.Comment: This is a pre-print of the article accepted for publication in PACM HCI and will be presented at CSCW 202

Activation of voltage-gated KCNQ/Kv7 channels by anticonvulsant retigabine attenuates mechanical allodynia of inflammatory temporomandibular joint in rats

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) are characterized by persistent orofacial pain and have diverse etiologic factors that are not well understood. It is thought that central sensitization leads to neuronal hyperexcitability and contributes to hyperalgesia and spontaneous pain. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are currently the first choice of drug to relieve TMD pain. NSAIDS were shown to exhibit anticonvulsant properties and suppress cortical neuron activities by enhancing neuronal voltage-gated potassium KCNQ/Kv7 channels (M-current), suggesting that specific activation of M-current might be beneficial for TMD pain.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>In this study, we selected a new anticonvulsant drug retigabine that specifically activates M-current, and investigated the effect of retigabine on inflammation of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) induced by complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) in rats. The results show that the head withdrawal threshold for escape from mechanical stimulation applied to facial skin over the TMJ in inflamed rats was significantly lower than that in control rats. Administration of centrally acting M-channel opener retigabine (2.5 and 7.5 mg/kg) can dose-dependently raise the head withdrawal threshold of mechanical allodynia, and this analgesic effect can be reversed by the specific KCNQ channel blocker XE991 (3 mg/kg). Food intake is known to be negatively associated with TMJ inflammation. Food intake was increased significantly by the administration of retigabine (2.5 and 7.5 mg/kg), and this effect was reversed by XE991 (3 mg/kg). Furthermore, intracerebralventricular injection of retigabine further confirmed the analgesic effect of central retigabine on inflammatory TMJ.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our findings indicate that central sensitization is involved in inflammatory TMJ pain and pharmacological intervention for controlling central hyperexcitability by activation of neuronal KCNQ/M-channels may have therapeutic potential for TMDs.</p

Global Existence and Large Time Behavior of Solutions to the Bipolar Nonisentropic Euler-Poisson Equations

We study the one-dimensional bipolar nonisentropic Euler-Poisson equations which can model various physical phenomena, such as the propagation of electron and hole in submicron semiconductor devices, the propagation of positive ion and negative ion in plasmas, and the biological transport of ions for channel proteins. We show the existence and large time behavior of global smooth solutions for the initial value problem, when the difference of two particles’ initial mass is nonzero, and the far field of two particles’ initial temperatures is not the ambient device temperature. This result improves that of Y.-P. Li, for the case that the difference of two particles’ initial mass is zero, and the far field of the initial temperature is the ambient device temperature

The effect of continuous venovenous hemofiltration on neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin plasma levels in patients with septic acute kidney injury

International audienceCe texte d’introduction au dossier de Flux 2017/2 (N° 108) questionne l’émergence de la thématique de la circularité des matières dans les politiques publiques urbaines contemporaines. Les articles ont en commun de porter une attention minutieuse à la matérialité des flux qui traversent et constituent la ville et aux objets sociaux qui la composent. Ils analysent les modalités et les conséquences de leur mise en circulation, ainsi que les régulations et les conflits qui l’accompagnent. Que l’ensemble des articles traite de pratiques et de politiques ancrées dans l’espace de la région de Lyon résulte moins d’une volonté monographique que d’une rencontre en partie fortuite. Mais cela souligne en tout cas l’importance d’une approche toujours attentive aux faits géographiques et aux effets de lieu dans la diversité de leurs échelles. Trois thématiques transversales sont présentes : d’abord, en identifiant de nouvelles ressources, les articles permettent de réfléchir à l’invention et à la construction de nouveaux circuits pour les matières. Ensuite, la régulation de ces circuits implique l’identification de nouveaux acteurs et la mise en place de nouvelles formes de relations avec les producteurs et gestionnaires des matières, formant donc l’espace d’une gouvernance renouvelée. Enfin, si ces circuits se structurent dans un espace qui est celui de la proximité géographique, ils s’inscrivent néanmoins dans une logique relationnelle qui ne cesse de questionner les normes et les échelles. Ce numéro permet ainsi de nuancer et de re-matérialiser les injonctions à faire advenir l’économie circulaire dans les villes

The impact of tracheotomy on levels of procalcitonin in patients without sepsis: a prospective study

OBJECTIVE:Procalcitonin is a reliable biomarker of infection and sepsis. We aimed to determine whether tracheotomy influences the procalcitonin concentrations in patients without sepsis and assess whether operative duration and procedure affect the peak procalcitonin level.METHODS:A total of 38 non-septic patients who required a tracheotomy underwent either a percutaneous dilatational tracheotomy (n=19) or a surgical tracheotomy (n=19). Procalcitonin levels were measured at the beginning of the tracheotomy and at 2 h, 4 h, 8 h, 24 h, 48 h and 72 h after the procedure.RESULTS:The baseline procalcitonin concentration before the tracheotomy was 0.24±0.13 ng/mL. The postoperative levels increased rapidly, with a 4-fold elevation after 2 h, reaching a peak 4 h later with a 5-fold increase over baseline. Thereafter, the levels gradually returned to 2-fold greater than the baseline level within 72 h. The peak levels of procalcitonin showed a significant positive correlation with operative durations (r=0.710,