Spatiotemporal Imaging of Cellular Energy Metabolism with Genetically-Encoded Fluorescent Sensors in Brain / 神经科学通报·英文版

The brain has very high energy requirements and consumes 20% of the oxygen and 25% of the glucose in the human body. Therefore, the molecular mechanism underlying how the brain metabolizes substances to support neural activity is a fundamental issue for neuroscience studies. A well-known model in the brain, the astrocyte-neuron lactate shuttle, postulates that glucose uptake and glycolytic activity are enhanced in astrocytes upon neuronal activation and that astrocytes transport lactate into neurons to fulfill their energy requirements. Current evidence for this hypothesis has yet to reach a clear consensus, and new concepts beyond the shuttle hypothesis are emerging. The discrepancy is largely attributed to the lack of a critical method for real-time monitoring of metabolic dynamics at cellular resolution. Recent advances in fluorescent protein-based sensors allow the generation of a sensitive, specific, real-time readout of subcellular metabolites and fill the current technological gap. Here, we summarize the development of genetically encoded metabolite sensors and their applications in assessing cell metabolism in living cells and in vivo, and we believe that these tools will help to address the issue of elucidating neural energy metabolism.

Clinical effect of TESSYS technique of percutaneous transforaminal endoscopic discectomy for atypical lumbar disc herniation / 实用医学杂志

Objective To observe the clinical effect of transforaminal endoscopic surgical system (TESSYS) technique for atypical lumbar disc herniation. Methods Eighteen patients with atypical lumbar disc herniation underwent TESSYS technique under local anesthesia. Numerical rating scale (NRS) was used to evaluate the sciatica and/or back pain. The outcomes were evaluated by Oswestry disability index (ODI) and the Macnab score. Results The postoperative NRS scales were significantly lower than preoperative one (P<0.01). The postoperative ODI was lower than preoperative one (P < 0.05). Good rate of modified Macnab criteria was 88.89%. One patient occurred right hip pain and disappeared after partial closure. one patient turned to open surgery at 1 week. Conclusion The TESSYS technique was an effective method for atypical lumbar disc herniation. It has satisfactory clinical effect which is worthy of spreading for clinical application.

siRNA-Mediated Suppression of Synuclein gamma Inhibits MDA-MB-231 Cell Migration and Proliferation by Downregulating the Phosphorylation of AKT and ERK / 한국유방암학회지

PURPOSE: Synuclein-gamma (SNCG), which was initially identified as breast cancer specific gene 1, is highly expressed in advanced breast cancers, but not in normal or benign breast tissue. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of SNCG siRNA-treatment on breast cancer cells and elucidate the associated mechanisms. METHODS: Vectors containing SNCG and negative control (NC) siRNAs were transfected into MDA-MB-231 cells; mRNA levels were determined by real-time polymerase chain reaction. Cell proliferation was evaluated using the MTT assay, cell migration was assessed by the Transwell assay, apoptosis and cell cycle analyses were conducted with the flow cytometer, and Western blot analysis was performed to determine the relative levels of AKT, ERK, p-AKT, and p-ERK expression. RESULTS: SNCG mRNA levels were significantly reduced in MDA-MB-231 cells transfected with SNCG siRNA. Our results indicate that in SNCG siRNA-treated cells, cell migration and proliferation decreased significantly, apoptosis was induced, and the cell cycle was arrested. Western blot analysis indicated that the protein levels of p-AKT and p-ERK were much lower in the SNCG siRNA-treated groups, than in the control and NC groups. CONCLUSION: SNCG siRNA could decrease the migration and proliferation of breast cancer cells by downregulating the phosphorylation of AKT and ERK.

Extracting solution from Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. induces differentiation of goat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells into osteoblasts and inhibits adipogenic differentiation / 中国组织工程研究

0.05). Oil red O staining demonstrated that lipid droplet number was significantly less in the each adipogenic inductor + extracting solution from Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. groups compared with the adipogenic inductor group. CONCLUSION: Extracting solution from Eucommia ulmoides Oliv. can induce the differentiation of in vitro cultured goat BMSCs into osteoblasts, and inhibit their differentiation into adipocytes.

Protective effects of puerarin against myocardial injury in patients with hypertension during perioperational period / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the protective effects of puerarin against myocardial injury in patients with hypertension during perioperational period.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Thirty-four patients with hypertension underwent general anesthesia were randomly divided into the control group and the puerarin group, 500mg puerarin was given to the puerarin group 1hr before anesthesia induction by venoclysis and to the control group, normal saline was given instead. The concentration of serum cardiac troponin I (cTnI) and isoenzyme of creatine kinase containing M and B subunits (CK-MB) were measured before anesthesia induction and 2 hrs after operation respectively.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The serum concentration of cTnI and CK-MB were insignificantly different in the two groups before induction, the two indexes increased in different degrees (P <0.01) 2 hrs after operation in both groups, but the increments in the puerarin group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P< 0.01).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Stress of operation and anesthesia could induce myocardial injury in patients with hypertension, which can be prevented by puerarin medicated during perioperational period.</p>

The value of BCSG1 on evaluating the curative effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer / 中国普通外科杂志

Objective To study the value of BCSG1 on evaluating the curative effect of neoadjuvant chemotherapy(NC) for breast cancer.Methods The expression of BCSG1 in cancer tissue was assayed by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR in 36 cases of breast cancer patients before and after receiving NC of CEF(cyclophosphamide,epirubicin and fluorouracil) regimen.The therapeutic response of NC was evaluated by morphological and pathological observation.The relationship between expression of BCSG1 and morphological response to NC was analyzed.Results Among the studied cases,the diameter of tumor significantly decreased(P