Excess salt intake promotes M1 microglia polarization via a p38/MAPK/AR-dependent pathway after cerebral ischemia in mice

A high salt diet (HSD) is among the most important risk factors for many diseases. One mechanism by which HSD aggravates cerebral ischemic injury is independent of blood pressure changes. The direct role of HSD in inflammation after cerebral ischemia is unclear. In this research, after twenty-one days of being fed a high salt diet, permanent focal ischemia was induced in mice via operation. At 12 h and 1, 3 and 5 days postischemia, the effects of HSD on the lesion volume, microglia polarization, aldose reductase (AR) expression, and inflammatory processes were analyzed. We report that in mice, surplus dietary salt promotes inflammation and increases the activation of classical lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced microglia/macrophages (M1). This effect depends on the expression of the AR protein in activated microglia after permanent middle cerebral artery ligation (pMCAL) in HSD mice. The administration of either the AR inhibitor Epalrestat or a p38-neutralizing antibody blocked the polarization of microglia and alleviated stroke injury.In conclusion, HSD promotes polarization in pro-inflammatory M1 microglia by upregulating the expression of the AR protein via p38/MAPK, thereby exacerbating the development of ischemia stroke.     

Effects of mild intrauterine hypoperfusion in the second trimester on memory and learning function in rat offspring

Mild intrauterine hypoperfusion(MIUH) is a serious pathological event that affects the growth and development of fetuses and offspring. MIUH can lead to growth restriction, low birth weight, neurodevelopmental disorders, and other adverse clinical outcomes. To study the effects of MIUH on learning and memory function in offspring, a model of MIUH was established by placing a coil(length 2.5 mm, diameter 0.24 mm) on the uterine artery and ovarian uterine artery of Sprague-Dawley rats in the second trimester of pregnancy(day 17). Next, 120 mg/kg lithium chloride(the MIUH + Li group) or normal saline(the MIUH group) was injected intraperitoneally into these rats. In addition, 120 mg/kg lithium chloride(the Li group) or normal saline(the SHAM group) was injected intraperitoneally into pregnant rats without coil placement. The Morris water maze was used to detect changes in learning and memory ability in the offspring at 4 weeks after birth. In the MIUH group, the escape latency and journey length before reaching the platform were both increased, and the number of times that the platform was crossed and the activity time in the target quadrant within 90 seconds were both decreased compared with the SHAM group. Immunofluorescence double staining and western blot assays demonstrated that hippocampal nestin and Ki67(both cell-proliferation-related proteins) expression was significantly downregulated in the MIUH group compared with the SHAM group. Furthermore, western blot assays were conducted to investigate changes in related signaling pathway proteins in the brains of offspring rats, and revealed that glycogen synthase kinase 3β(GSK3β) expression was upregulated and β-catenin expression was downregulated in the MIUH group compared with the SHAM group. In addition, compared with the MIUH group, the expression levels of p-GSK3β and β-catenin were upregulated in the MIUH + Li group. These results suggest that MIUH may affect learning and memory function in rat offspring by regulating the GSK3β signaling pathway. The experimental procedures were approved by Animal Ethics Committee of Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University(approval No. 2018 PS07 K) in June 2018.     

一种氯化铁诱导血栓生成的小鼠大脑中动脉远端缺血模型

目的 建立稳定的小鼠大脑中动脉远端氯化铁血栓模型，评价其造成的脑损伤及神经功能损伤程 度。 方法 C57BL6/J雄性小鼠随机分为脑缺血组和假手术组。脑缺血组用10%氯化铁（ferric chloride， FeCl3）溶液诱导右侧大脑中动脉远端形成血栓。在术前、术后10 mi n、术后1 d和7 d观测术侧脑血流 和手术动脉血流量的变化。术后1 d观察脑组织梗死率。术后1 d、3 d、5 d、7 d用3种神经学评分[改良 加西亚评分（modified Garcia score，mGS）、改良神经损伤严重程度评分（modified neurological severity scores，mNSS）和15分神经学评估表（15-point neurological evaluation scale，NES）]和胶黏纸测试评价小 鼠神经功能。术后7 d免疫荧光染色标记神经细胞核观察脑组织损伤，标记CD16/32、CD206和Iba1观 察胶质细胞表达。 结果 与假手术组相比，脑缺血组术后10 mi n、1 d、7 d脑表面血流和手术动脉血流下降，术后1 d脑 皮层梗死明显，术后7 d仍有明显脑组织损伤；脑缺血组术后1 d、3 d、5 d和7 d时3种神经学评分及胶 黏纸测试均提示小鼠神经功能不同程度损伤。术后7 d脑缺血组梗死周围皮层M1和M2型胶质细胞表 达增加。 结论 FeCl3溶液可诱导形成稳定的小鼠脑缺血模型，该模型可造成手术侧大脑中动脉远端及脑表 面血流量降低，皮层脑梗死，小鼠神经功能受损，梗死周围胶质细胞表达上调。本研究建立了稳定 氯化铁诱导血栓形成的小鼠脑缺血模型，为脑血栓形成和抗栓药物治疗提供了一种可靠的研究工 具。     

Directional Microwave Ablation: Experimental Evaluation of a 2.45-GHz Applicator in Ex Vivo and In Vivo Liver

PurposeTo experimentally characterize a microwave (MW) ablation applicator designed to produce directional ablation zones.Materials and MethodsUsing a 14-gauge, 2.45-GHz side-firing MW ablation applicator, 36 ex vivo bovine liver ablations were performed. Ablations were performed at 60 W, 80 W, and 100 W for 3, 5, and 10 minutes (n = 4 per combination). Ablation zone forward and backward depth and width were measured and directivity was calculated as the ratio of forward to backward depth. Thirteen in vivo ablations were performed in 2 domestic swine with the applicator either inserted into the liver (80 W, 5 min, n = 3; 100 W, 5 min, n = 3; 100 W, 10 min, n = 2) or placed on the surface of the liver with a nontarget tissue placed on the back side of the applicator (80 W, 5 min, n = 5). The animals were immediately euthanized after the procedure; the livers were harvested and sectioned perpendicular to the axis of the applicator. In vivo ablation zones were measured following viability staining and assessed on histopathology.ResultsMean ex vivo ablation forward depth was 8.3–15.5 mm. No backward heating was observed at 60 W, 3–5 minutes; directivity was 4.7–11.0 for the other power and time combinations. In vivo ablation forward depth was 10.3–11.5 mm, and directivity was 11.5–16.1. No visible or microscopic thermal damage to nontarget tissues in direct contact with the back side of the applicator was observed.ConclusionsThe side-firing MW ablation applicator can create directional ablation zones in ex vivo and in vivo tissues.     

Biochemical Synthesis of Ag/AgCl Nanoparticles for Visible-Light-Driven Photocatalytic Removal of Colored Dyes

Photocatalytic removal of organic pollution such as waste colored dyes was a promising technique for environment technique. However, effective photocatalysts were needed to enhance the photocatalytic efficiency. Ag/AgCl was regarded as high performance catalyst for photocatalytic degradation. Ag/AgCl nanoparticles were biochemically prepared with metabolin of living fungi which was used as reductant and characterized by X-Ray diffraction (XRD), UV-visible spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The Ag/AgCl nanoparticle composites showed spherical aggregation shape with an average size of about 3–5 nm which is well inside the quantum regime. The UV-visible study showed that Ag/AgCl nanoparticles had strong visible light absorption and exhibited excellent visible-light-driven photocatalytic performance. Photocatalytic results indicated that the obtained Ag/AgCl nanoparticles were suitable for photocatalytic removal of RhB dye under visible light irradiation. The excellent photocatalytic activities could be attributed to the quantum size nanoparticles and the Plasmon resonance of Ag/AgCl composites.     

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??Objective    To observe the effects of lithium chloride pretreatment on cognitive ability of aged rats after oral and maxillofacial surgery. Methods    A total of 48 aged male SD rats??18 ~ 20 months old??weight 550 ~ 700 g?? were bought from the Experimental Animal Center of China Medical University . These rats were randomly divided into three groups??including the normal control group??group C??n=16????surgery and anesthesia group??group O??n=16????and lithium chloride preconditioning group??group L??n=16??.Rats in each group were randomly divided into two parts??one part was given Morris water maze test three days after the surgery and its characteristics of behavior tested. Another part was decapitated 24 h after the surgery and extracted and the hippocampus brain separated at the same time. Test expression content of IL-1β GSK-3β p-GSK-3β??ser9??in the hippocampus by Elisa and Western blotting detection method respectively. Results    Morris water maze test showed that??the first day after surgery??latencies of group L and O were significantly longer than group C??compared with group C in swimming distance?? latency and swim distances of group L were shorter than group O. With the comparison of multiple analysis of variance??differences were statistically significant??P??0.05??. Groups L and O in the second day were slightly shortened compared to the first day??on the third day after surgery it has also improved over the second day. Space exploration experiments in rats showed that??the dwell time of group C was significantly longer in the platform quadrant and the frequency of crossing the platform also increased compared with groups L and O. In addition??group L and group O were higher in IL-β levels than group C??the difference being statistically significant by analysis of variance??P??0.05????but group L was significantly lower compared with group O??the difference being statistically significant??P??0.05??. The content of GSK-3β of three groups were of no significant difference??P > 0.05????but p-GSK-3β??ser9??content was significantly lower in group L and O than in group C. The content of GSK-3β of group L was higher than in group O??the difference being statistically significant??P??0.05??. Conclusion    Pretreatment with lithium chloride in postoperative aged rats can inhibit the expression of inflammatory cytokines and increase GSK-3β phosphorylation in the hippocampus cells??so p-GSK-3β??ser9??upregulates and inhibites  the apoptosis of brain cells??thereby improved cognitive abilities after the cavity and maxillofacial surgery.