Neuritin is a new member of the neurotrophic factor family, whose gene is named cpg15 (candidate plasticity-related gene 15) and can be activated by neural activity or neurotrophins (NTs). Experiments show that neuritin is able to promote the growth and branching of neurites, and plays an important role in neuronal plasticity and neuronal regeneration. Recent studies have proved that neuritin is not only involved in the regulation of various physiological functions in the nervous system, but also related in angiogenesis and tumorigenesis. Here we review the mechanisms involved in cpg15 expression and regulation, biological effects of neuritin, and how neuritin plays its biological activities. The hot issues and difficulties in the study of neuritin are also discussed.
GPI-Linked Proteins ; physiology ; Humans ; Neurites ; physiology ; Neuronal Plasticity ; Neuropeptides ; physiology

BACKGROUND:Stem cel transplantation has gained considerable support recently. It provides new opportunities for treating diabetic neurogenic bladder. OBJECTIVE:To summarize the research progress in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel s (BMSCs)transplantation in the treatment of diabetic neurogenic bladder. METHODS:The first author retrieved Sciencedirect, PubMed, Embase, Wangfang and CNKI databases, for relevant articles of BMSCs transplantation in the treatment of diabetic neurogenic bladder, published from 2000 to 2016. The key words were“bone marrow mesenchymal stem cel s, diabetic neurogenic bladder, differentiation, transplantation”in Chinese and English, respectively. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION:In patients with diabetic neurogenic bladder, the transplantation of BMSCs may provide safer and longer-lasting outcomes by repairing the damaged bladder and urethra. And it can produce various bioactive substances, which wil have nutritional paracrine effects on the bladder microenvironment, including anti-inflammation, promoting cel proliferation and improving cel survival. On the one hand, the BMSCs have the ability to migrate to the injury site via the blood circulation. On the other hand, BMSCs can produce various growth factors, as wel as the cytokines that can inhibit the inflammatory response. While the current clinical studies are lacking, its efficacy and safety needs further verification.

The gene fragment encoding the egg-shell precursor protein of Schistosoma japonicum was amplified with RT-PCR by using PCR primer designed according to the 423 bp cDNA fragment of the Philippine strain of S.japonicum, the corresponding mDNA fragment of Chinese strain as template and then the 5' and 3' ends of this gene cDNA were amplified with 5' RACE and 3' RACE by using a series of primers designed according to the result of sequencing. Result of sequence analysis showed that this fragment, named as Sj423, contained a complete open reading frame (ORF) of gene encoding the egg-shell precursor protein of S.japonicum.(Chinese strain). As demonstrated by sequencing analysis. No intron could be detected in this gene fragment. This gene was subsequently expressed in E.coli after cloning into the expression vector pET28c(+). The molecular mass of the expressed product of this gene was 20.9 kDa as revealed by SDS-PAGE analysis, and Western blot analysis showed that the recombinant protein expressed could react well with the rabbit antiserum against the worm antigen of S.japonicum;indicating the good antigenicity of this expressed product.

Objective To look for the genes of Schistosoma japonicum related to the Schistosoma-resistance of Microtus fortis.Methods The fresh sera of Microtus fortis were used to screen a T7 phage display cDNA library from worms of Schistosoma japonicum established in our lab.The positive clones were sequenced and functionally analysed through bioinformatics.Results The specific phages binding to the sera of Microtus fortis were enriched 857-fold after three rounds of biopanning,and 58 positive clones picked at random were sequenced and 10 ESTs were obtained.BLASTn results showed that 7 ESTs had 99%-100% similarity to the genes of Shistosoma japonicum reported in GenBank and 1 EST had 82% similarity to a zinc finger protein encoden gene from Pan troglodytes.The results of these ESTs function prediction indicated most of them were involved in the regulation of gene expresion of Schistosoma japonicum.Conclusions Several target genes of Schistosoma japonicum related to the Schistosoma-resistance of Microtus fortis are obtained and those would lay foundation to expatiate the native resistance mechnism of Microtus fortis to Schistosoma japonicum.

OBJECTIVE To illuminate the adenoid bacteria distribution in children with adenoid hypertrophy. METHODS PubMed, Embash, Medline, CNKI, VIP Information and Wanfang data were searched for studies on the adenoid bacteria distribution and adenoid hypertrophy. Random effects meta-analysis was used to pool data. RESULTS Nine studies were included in this meta analysis. The pooled detection rates of haemophilus influenza, staphylococcus aureus and streptococcus pneumonia were 0.21 (95%CI, 0.09-0.32), 0.14 (95%CI, 0.09-0.20) and 0.15 (95%CI , 0.08-0.22) respectively. CONCLUSION Haemophilus influenzae, staphylococcus aureus, and streptococcus pneumoniae are three main kinds of pathogenic bacteria of adenoid hypertrophy in children.

Microtus fortis is naturally resisitent to Schistosoma japonicum. In order to find schistosome-resistence-related genes of Microtus fortis, a T7 phage-display cDNA library from liver of Microtus fortis was screened with the soluble lysate of schistosomula. The specific phages were enriched 375-fold after 3 rounds of biopanning. Ninety-two positive clones picked at random were sequenced and 19 ESTs including 6 unreported genes were obtained. Compared with the negative phage clone control, five positive clones, No.4 (GenBank Accession No.: EW968294), No.13 (GenBank Accession No.: EW968303), No.14 (GenBank Accession No.: EW968304), No.15 (GenBank Accession No.: EW968305) and No.18 (GenBank Accession No.: EW968308) could induce significantly higher schistosomula mortality rate when co-cultivated with schistosomula. According to the function analysis and the shistosomula-killing effect in vitro, the genes encoding CASP8 and FADD-like apoptosis regulator isoform protein, alpha-2-HS-glycoprotein, M4 protein, R3H domain (binds single-stranded nucleic acids) isoform 2 and 3 previously unreported proteins (No.14, No.15 and No.18) obtained here, were schistosomiasis-resistence-related genes of Microtus fortis.
Animals ; Arvicolinae ; genetics ; parasitology ; Bacteriophage T7 ; genetics ; Cloning, Molecular ; Expressed Sequence Tags ; Gene Library ; Genes, Helminth ; genetics ; Immunity, Innate ; genetics ; Larva ; genetics ; growth & development ; Liver ; chemistry ; Schistosoma japonicum ; genetics ; growth & development

Objective To investigate the effects of cinnamaldehyde,the main active component of cinnamon,on benzene-induced immune injury in mice and the related mechanism.Methods Forty male BALB/c mice were randomly divided into the control group,model group(benzene 500 mg/kg),cinnamaldehyde low,medium and high dose groups(5,25,50 mg/kg),with 8 mice in each group.Except the control group,mice in each group were treated with benzene by intragastric administration daily to induce immune and oxidative stress damage,but the intervention group was treated with cinnamaldehyde 5 times/week for 3 weeks.After medication,peripheral blood was collected 24 h after the last gavage for blood cell count,and the changes in body weight of mice in each group were observed.The pathological structure of the spleen and thymus was observed via hematoxylin-eosin(HE)staining.Peripheral blood mononuclear cells(PBMCs)of mice were extracted and the amounts of reactive oxygen species(ROS)and ATP in mitochondria were measured.Plasma levels of malondialdehyde(MDA)were measured using the barbituric acid method,the activity of glutathione peroxidase(GSH-PX)in plasmawith the dithiodinitrobenzoic acid methodand the activity of total superoxide dismutase(SOD)in plasma using the hydroxylamine method.Results After exposure to benzene,the body weight of the model group became lower(P<0.05).The spleen and thymus were damaged,and the indexes of the spleen and thymus were decreased(P<0.05).Counts of peripheral white blood cells and lymphocyteswere decreased(P<0.05).The activities of GSH and SOD in plasma were decreased(P<0.05),but the content of MDA was increased(P<0.05).The amount of mitochondrial ROS in PBMC was increased,while the ATP content was decreased(P<0.05).The weight of mice increased after treatment with cinnamaldehyde.The spleen and thymus tissues recovered well,and the indexes of the spleen and thymus were increased(P<0.05).Counts of peripheral white blood cells and lymphocytesin the high dose cinnamaldehyde group were increased(P<0.05).The activities of GSH and SOD in plasma were increased,while the content of MDA was decreased(P<0.05).The amount of mitochondrial ROS in PBMC was decreased,but the ATP content was increased(P<0.05).Treatment with cinnamaldehyde could alleviate the damage to the mitochondrial function of PBMC induced by benzene in mice,and 50 mg/kg was the best dose(P<0.05).The therapeutic effect of cinnamaldehyde had a dose-response relationship.Conclusion Cinnamaldehyde can inhibit benzene-induced immune injury and oxidative stress injury in mice by delivering an antioxidant effect and improving mitochondrial enhancement of PBMC.

Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) is a non-invasive low-current brain stimulation technique, which is mainly based on the different polarity of electrode stimulation to make the activation threshold of neurons different, thereby regulating the excitability of the cerebral cortex. In this paper, healthy subjects were randomly divided into three groups: anodal stimulation group, cathodal stimulation group and sham stimulation group, with 5 subjects in each group. Then, the performance data of the three groups of subjects were recorded before and after stimulation to test their mental rotation ability, and resting state and task state electroencephalogram (EEG) data were collected. Finally, through comparative analysis of the behavioral data and EEG data of the three groups of subjects, the effect of electrical stimulation of different polarities on the three-dimensional mental rotation ability was explored. The results of the study found that the correct response time/accuracy rate and the accuracy rate performance of the anodal stimulation group were higher than those of the cathodal stimulation and sham stimulation groups, and there was a significant difference (
Electric Stimulation ; Electroencephalography ; Frontal Lobe ; Humans ; Reaction Time ; Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

Cognitive enhancement refers to the technology of enhancing or expanding the cognitive and emotional abilities of people without psychosis based on relevant knowledge of neurobiology. The common methods of cognitive enhancement include transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and cognitive training (CT). tDCS takes effect quickly, with a short effective time, while CT takes longer to work, requiring several weeks of training, with a longer effective time. In recent years, some researchers have begun to use the method of tDCS combined with CT to regulate the cognitive function. This paper will sort out and summarize this topic from five aspects: perception, attention, working memory, decision-making and other cognitive abilities. Finally, the application prospect and challenges of technology are prospected.
Cognition ; Cognition Disorders ; Humans ; Memory, Short-Term ; Neuropsychological Tests ; Prefrontal Cortex ; Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

Objective: To investigate the characteristics of sleep-related respiratory events in normal children and to provide normal polysomnographic parameters for diagnosing sleep-disordered breathing in children. Methods: Normal subjects between 3 and 14 years old were enrolled from 1 July 2014 to 31 December 2015 and the subjects received overnight polysomnography at the sleep center of our hospital. They were children of our hospital employees or were recruited from the communities who did not have sleep and respiratory disorders. The children were divided into preschool group (3-5 years) and school-age group (6-14 years). Apnea index (AI), obstructive apnea index (OAI), central apnea index (CAI), and mixed apnea index (MAI) were compared between the two groups. Data for continuous variables that showed normal distribution were expressed as ±s. M(P₂₅, P₇₅) were used when data were not normally distributed. Continuous variables that showed normal distribution were compared by using an independent-sample t-test. Wilcoxon-test was performed when data exhibited non-normal distribution. Differences in categorical data were tested with Chi-square test. Pearson correlation test was applied for the correlation analysis. P<0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: A total of 115 normal children took part in the study including 40 in preschool group and 75 in school-age group. Children in both groups had a few sleep apnea events, most of which were central apneas, accounting for 80% and 70% of the total respiratory events respectively. Central apnea index in preschool children were significantly higher than that of school-age children (P<0.001), with median of 0.6 times/h and 0.1 times/h, respectively. Median OAI of both groups were 0.0 times/h without significant difference (P=0.748). Obstructive apnea events occurred mainly in the supine position in both groups. Conclusions Normal children may have a few apnea events in sleep that were predominantly central apnea. CAI of preschool children is significantly higher than that of school-age children. Obstructive sleep apnea is rare in normal children, and sleep apnea occurs mainly in the supine position.