Dual Strategy of Morphology Optimization and Interlayer Expansion in VS2 Cathode Toward High-Performance Mg-Li Hybrid Ion Batteries.

Combining the merits of the dendrite-free formation of a Mg anode and the fast kinetics of Li ions, the Mg-Li hybrid ion batteries (MLIBs) are considered an ideal energy storage system. However, the lack of advanced cathode materials limits their further practical application. Herein, we report a dual strategy of morphology optimization and interlayer expansion for the construction of hierarchical flower-like VS2 architecture coated by N-doped amorphous carbon layers. This tailored hierarchical flower-like structure coupled with homogeneous N-doped amorphous carbon layers cooperatively provide more active sites and buffer volume changes, thus realizing the enhancement of capacity and structural stability. Moreover, the enlarged interlayer spacing caused by the cointercalation of polyvinylpyrrolidone and ammonium ions can effectively promote the charge transfer rate and facilitate the rapid ion diffusion, as further demonstrated by electrochemical results and theoretical calculations. These features endow the hierarchical flower-like VS2 cathode with superior specific energy density (644.4 Wh kg-1, average voltage of 1.2 V vs Mg2+/Mg) and excellent rate capability (181.1 mAh g-1 at 2000 mA g-1). Systematic ex situ characterization measurements are employed to reveal the ion storage mechanism, which confirms that Li+ storage plays a leading role in the capacity contribution of MLIBs. Our strategy is in favor of providing useful insights to design and construct MLIBs with high energy density and excellent rate performance.

Model Selection for Exponential Power Mixture Regression Models.

Finite mixture of linear regression (FMLR) models are among the most exemplary statistical tools to deal with various heterogeneous data. In this paper, we introduce a new procedure to simultaneously determine the number of components and perform variable selection for the different regressions for FMLR models via an exponential power error distribution, which includes normal distributions and Laplace distributions as special cases. Under some regularity conditions, the consistency of order selection and the consistency of variable selection are established, and the asymptotic normality for the estimators of non-zero parameters is investigated. In addition, an efficient modified expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm and a majorization-maximization (MM) algorithm are proposed to implement the proposed optimization problem. Furthermore, we use the numerical simulations to demonstrate the finite sample performance of the proposed methodology. Finally, we apply the proposed approach to analyze a baseball salary data set. Results indicate that our proposed method obtains a smaller BIC value than the existing method.

Short-Range Nanoreaction Effect on the Hydrogen Desorption Behaviors of the MgH2-Ni@C Composite.

Doping a catalyst can efficiently improve the hydrogen reaction kinetics of MgH2. However, the hydrogen desorption behaviors are complicated in different MgH2-catalyst systems. Here, a carbon-encapsulated nickel (Ni@C) core-shell catalyst is synthesized to improve the hydrogen storage properties of MgH2. The complicated hydrogen desorption mechanism of the MgH2-Ni@C composite is elucidated. The experimental and theoretical calculation results indicate a short-range nanoreaction effect on the hydrogen desorption behaviors of the MgH2-Ni@C composite. The Ni@C catalysts and the adjacent MgH2 form nanoreaction sites along with preferential hydrogen desorption. The new interface between the in situ formed Mg and residual MgH2 contributes to the subsequent hydrogen desorption. With the nanoreaction sites increased via adding more catalyst, the short-range nanoreaction effect is more prominent; as a comparison, the interface effect becomes weaker or even disappears. In addition, the core-shell structure catalyst shows ultrahigh structural stability and catalytic activity, even after 50 hydrogen absorption and desorption cycles. Hence, this study provides new insights into the complicated hydrogen desorption behaviors and comes up with the short-range nanoreaction effect in the MgH2-catalyst system.

Supra Hydrolytic Catalysis of Ni3 Fe/rGO for Hydrogen Generation.

Light metal hydrolysis for hydrogen supply is well suited for portable hydrogen fuel cells. The addition of catalysts can substantially aid Mg hydrolysis. However, there is a lack of clear catalytic mechanism to guide the design of efficient catalysts. In this work, the essential role of nanosized catalyst (Ni3 Fe/rGO) in activating micro-sized Mg with ultra-rapid hydrolysis process is investigated for the first time. Here, an unprecedented content of 0.2 wt% Ni3 Fe/rGO added Mg can release 812.4 mL g-1 hydrogen in just 60 s at 30 °C. Notably, an impressive performance with a hydrogen yield of 826.4 mL g-1 at 0 °C in only 30 s is achieved by the Mg-2 wt% Ni3 Fe/rGO, extending the temperature range for practical applications of hydrolysis. Moreover, the four catalysts (Ni3 Fe/rGO, Ni3 Fe, Ni/rGO, Fe/rGO) are designed to reveal the influence of composition, particle size, and dispersion on catalytic behavior. Theoretical studies corroborate that the addition of Ni3 Fe/rGO accelerates the electron transfer and coupling processes and further provides a lower energy barrier diffusion path for hydrogen. Thus, a mechanism concerning the catalyst as migration relay is proposed. This work offers guidelines designing high-performance catalysts especially for activating the hydrolysis of micro-sized light weight metals.

Photochemical vapor generation for germanium: synergistic effect from cobalt/chloride ions and air-liquid interfaces.

Photochemical vapor generation (PVG) of germanium (Ge) was first reported in this work. The synergistic effect from cobalt/chloride ions and air-liquid interfaces was found for the PVG of Ge. No obvious signal response was observed from the standard solution of Ge in 10% (v/v) formic acids (FAs) under UV irradiation. The addition of 300 mg L-1 of Co2+ and 30 mmol L-1 of Cl- resulted in enhanced photochemical reduction for Ge, and the introduction of air-liquid interfaces proceeding and succeeding the sample solution caused another 4.6 folds of enhancement in signal response of Ge. Under the selected condition, the limit of detection (LOD, 3σ, n = 11) was obtained to be 0.008 ng mL-1 with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP MS) measurement. A good precision, expressed as a relative standard deviation (RSD, n = 7) of 2.0%, was found from replicated measurements of 2 ng mL-1 of Ge. The generation efficiency was found to be no better than 9 ± 2%. The PVG mechanism of Ge was investigated in this work. The new finding is useful for understanding the principle of PVG, and further exploring the analytical and environmental application of PVG.

Source Apportionment and Geographic Distribution of Heavy Metals and as in Soils and Vegetables Using Kriging Interpolation and Positive Matrix Factorization Analysis.

Food security and cultivated land utilization can be seriously affected by heavy metal (HM) pollution of the soil. Therefore, identifying the pollution sources of farmland is the way to control soil pollution and enhance soil quality effectively. In this research, 95 surface soil samples, 34 vegetable samples, 27 irrigation water samples, and 20 fertilizer samples were collected from the Wuqing District of Tianjin City, China and was used to determine their HMs accumulation and potential ecological risks. Then, kriging interpolation and positive matrix factorization (PMF) were utilized to identify the sources of soil HMs. The results indicated that soil HMs in the study area were contaminated at a medium level, but that the pollution of Cd was more severe, and the Cd content in vegetables was slightly higher than the permissible threshold (0.02 mg·kg-1). Furthermore, a non-homogeneous distribution was observed, with higher concentrations of HM contaminants concentrated in the southwest of the study area, where many metal manufacturing industries are located. Our results suggest that the Cd originated from industrial activity; As and Pb from agricultural practices; Ni, Cu, Cr, and As mainly from natural sources; Zn and Cu from organic fertilizer; Pb and Cd mainly from traffic discharge; and Cr, Ni, and Pb from sewage irrigation. Obviously, the accumulation of soil HMs in the study area could be mainly attributed to industrial activities, implying the need for implementation of government strategies to reduce industrial point-source pollution.

A Collagen-Based Scaffold for Promoting Neural Plasticity in a Rat Model of Spinal Cord Injury.

In spinal cord injury (SCI) therapy, glial scarring formed by activated astrocytes is a primary problem that needs to be solved to enhance axonal regeneration. In this study, we developed and used a collagen scaffold for glial scar replacement to create an appropriate environment in an SCI rat model and determined whether neural plasticity can be manipulated using this approach. We used four experimental groups, as follows: SCI-collagen scaffold, SCI control, normal spinal cord-collagen scaffold, and normal control. The collagen scaffold showed excellent in vitro and in vivo biocompatibility. Immunofluorescence staining revealed increased expression of neurofilament and fibronectin and reduced expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein and anti-chondroitin sulfate in the collagen scaffold-treated SCI rats at 1 and 4 weeks post-implantation compared with that in untreated SCI control. This indicates that the collagen scaffold implantation promoted neuronal survival and axonal growth within the injured site and prevented glial scar formation by controlling astrocyte production for their normal functioning. Our study highlights the feasibility of using the collagen scaffold in SCI repair. The collagen scaffold was found to exert beneficial effects on neuronal activity and may help in manipulating synaptic plasticity, implying its great potential for clinical application in SCI.

Effect of Few-Layer Ti3C2Tx Supported Nano-Ni via Self-Assembly Reduction on Hydrogen Storage Performance of MgH2.

For the first time, few-layer Ti3C2Tx (FL-Ti3C2Tx) supporting highly dispersed nano-Ni particles with an interconnected and interlaced structure was elaborated through a self-assembly reduction process. FL-Ti3C2Tx not only acts as a supporting material but also self-assembles with Ni2+ ions through the electrostatic interaction, assisting in the reduction of nano-Ni. After ball milling with MgH2, Ni30/FL-Ti3C2Tx (few-layer Ti3C2Tx supported 30 wt % nano-Ni via self-assembly reduction) shows superior catalytic activity for MgH2. For example, MgH2-5 wt % Ni30/FL-Ti3C2Tx can release approximately 5.83 wt % hydrogen within 1800 s at 250 °C and absorb 5 wt % hydrogen within 1700 s at 100 °C. The combined effects of finely dispersed nano-Ni in situ-grown on FL-Ti3C2Tx, large specific area of FL-Ti3C2Tx, multiple-valence Ti (Ti4+, Ti3+, Ti2+, and Ti0) derived from FL-Ti3C2Tx, and the electronic interaction between Ni and FL-Ti3C2Tx can explain the superb hydrogen storage performance. Our results will attract more attention to the elaboration of the metal/FL-Ti3C2Tx composite via self-assembly reduction and provide a guideline to design high-efficiency composite catalysts with MXene in hydrogen storage fields.

Correction to: Osteogenic prospective of deriving human dental stem cells in collagen matrix boost.

The original version of this article unfortunately contained a mistake. The country was incorrect in the authors affiliations. It should read as "ROC". The corrected affiliations are given below.

High correlation between skin color based on CIELAB color space, epidermal melanocyte ratio, and melanocyte melanin content.

BACKGROUND: To treat skin color disorders, such as vitiligo or burns, melanocytes are transplanted for tissue regeneration. However, melanocyte distribution in the human body varies with age and location, making it difficult to select the optimal donor skin to achieve a desired color match. Determining the correlations with the desired skin color measurement based on CIELAB color, epidermal melanocyte numbers, and melanin content of individual melanocytes is critical for clinical application. METHOD: Fifteen foreskin samples from Asian young adults were analyzed for skin color, melanocyte ratio (melanocyte proportion in the epidermis), and melanin concentration. Furthermore, an equation was developed based on CIELAB color with melanocyte ratio, melanin concentration, and the product of melanocyte ratio and melanin concentration. The equation was validated by seeding different ratios of keratinocytes and melanocytes in tissue-engineered skin substitutes, and the degree of fitness in expected skin color was confirmed. RESULTS: Linear regression analysis revealed a significant strong negative correlation (r =  - 0.847, R2 = 0.717) between CIELAB L* value and the product of the epidermal melanocyte ratio and cell-based melanin concentration. Furthermore, the results showed that an optimal skin color match was achieved by the formula. DISCUSSION: We found that L* value was correlated with the value obtained from multiplying the epidermal melanocyte ratio (R) and melanin content (M) and that this correlation was more significant than either L* vs M or L* vs R. This suggests that more accurate prediction of skin color can be achieved by considering both R and M. Therefore, precise skin color match in treating vitiligo or burn patients would be potentially achievable based on extensive collection of skin data from people of Asian descent.

Osteogenic prospective of deriving human dental stem cells in collagen matrix boost.

Stem cells derived from oral tissue represent a highly attractive alternative source for clinical bone regeneration because they can be collected by non-invasive or minimally invasive procedures. Herein, we describe the human dental stem cells (DSCs) deriving from buccal fat pads (BFP), dental pulp (DP) of impacted teeth, and periodontal ligaments (PDL) to obtain BFPSCs, DPSCs, and PDLSCs, respectively. Cells were purified with selected medium and expanded through passages in stem cell culture medium. Purified cells were characterized for stemness by their growth rate, immunostaining, and multilineage differentiation ability. They showed plastic adherence, expression of stemness-specific markers, and multilineage differentiation potential. Immunocytochemistry analysis confirmed that DPSCs had more osteogenic potential than BFSCs and PDLSCs. Calcium-rich deposits, evaluated by von Kossa and Alizarin red staining, showed greater mineralization when DPSCs were cultured on collagen type I matrix than without collagen. Furthermore, DPSC-seeded collagen type I matrix maintained consistent osteogenesis and boosted mineral formation by 1-2 weeks over that in DPSCs cultured without collagen. Radiographic analysis of DPSC-seeded collagen type I matrix transplanted into rat cranial defects showed significant bone regeneration after 8 weeks. These results suggested that the redundant oral tissue can be used as a source of adult multipotent stem cells for clinical bone regeneration. Triple overlay images with biomarkers (red), nuclei (blue) and bright field morphology of DPSCs. The specifically osteo-differentiation shown by osteocalcin (left) expression and lack of sox9 (right) expressed in the images below which were cultured with collagen matrix, contrast with no collagen matrix group above.

Histochemical and functional improvement of adipose-derived stem cell-based tissue-engineered cartilage by hyperbaric oxygen/air treatment in a rabbit articular defect model.

Cartilage is exposed to compression forces during joint loading. Therefore, exogenous stimuli are frequently used in cartilage tissue engineering strategies to enhance chondrocyte differentiation and extracellular matrix (ECM) secretion. In this study, human adipose-derived stem cells were seeded on a gelatin/polycaprolactone scaffold to evaluate the histochemical and functional improvement of tissue-engineered cartilage after hyperbaric oxygen/air treatment in a rabbit articular defect model. Behavior tests showed beneficial effects on weight-bearing and rear leg-supporting capacities after treatment of tissue-engineered cartilage with 2.5 ATA oxygen or air. Moreover, positron emission tomography images and immunohistochemistry staining demonstrated hydroxyapatite formation and increased ECM synthesis, respectively, at the tissue-engineered cartilage graft site after high pressure oxygen/air treatment. Based on these results, we concluded that hyperbaric oxygen and air treatment can improve the quality of tissue-engineered cartilage in vivo by increasing the synthesis of ECM.

siRNA-targeting transforming growth factor-ß type I receptor reduces wound scarring and extracellular matrix deposition of scar tissue.

Hypertrophic scarring is related to persistent activation of transforming growth factor-ß (TGF-ß)/Smad signaling. In the TGF-ß/Smad signaling cascade, the TGF-ß type I receptor (TGFBRI) phosphorylates Smad proteins to induce fibroblast proliferation and extracellular matrix deposition. In this study, we inhibited TGFBRI gene expression via TGFBRI small interfering RNA (siRNA) to reduce fibroblast proliferation and extracellular matrix deposition. Our results demonstrate that downregulating TGFBRI expression in cultured human hypertrophic scar fibroblasts significantly suppressed cell proliferation and reduced type I collagen, type III collagen, fibronectin, and connective tissue growth factor (CTGF) mRNA, and type I collagen and fibronectin protein expression. In addition, we applied TGFBRI siRNA to wound granulation tissue in a rabbit model of hypertrophic scarring. Downregulating TGFBRI expression reduced wound scarring, the extracellular matrix deposition of scar tissue, and decreased CTGF and α-smooth muscle actin mRNA expression in vivo. These results suggest that TGFBRI siRNA could be applied clinically to prevent hypertrophic scarring.

The effects of microenvironment on wound healing by keratinocytes derived from mesenchymal stem cells.

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are pluripotent cells that can differentiate into various cell types, including keratinocyte-like cells, within suitable microniches. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of culture media, cell coculture, and a tissue-engineering biocomposite on the differentiation of mouse ESCs (MESCs) into keratinocyte-like cells and applied these cells to a surgical skin wound model. MESCs from BALB/c mice (ESC26GJ), which were transfected using pCX-EGFP expressing green fluorescence, were used to track MESC-derived keratinocytes. Weak expression of the keratinocyte early marker Cytokeratin 14 (CK-14) was observed up to 12 days when MESCs were cultured in a keratinocyte culture medium on tissue culture plastic and on a gelatin/collagen/polycaprolactone (GCP) biocomposite. MESCs cocultured with human keratinocyte cells (HKCs) also expressed CK-14, but did not express CK-14 when cocultured with human fibroblast cells (HFCs). Furthermore, CK-14 expression was observed when MESCs were cocultured by seeding HKCs or HFCs on the same or opposite side of the GCP biocomposite. The highest CK-14 expression was observed by seeding MESCs and HKCs on the same side of the GCP composite and with HFCs on the opposite side. To verify the effectiveness of wound healing in vivo, adipose-derived stem cells were applied to treat surgical wounds in nude mice. An obvious epidermis multilayer and better collagen deposition during wound healing were observed, as assessed by Masson staining. This study demonstrated the potential of keratinocyte-like differentiation from mesenchymal stem cells for use in promoting wound closure and skin regeneration.

IMP3 as a supplemental diagnostic marker for Hodgkin lymphoma.

Insulin-like growth factor II mRNA-binding protein 3 (IMP3) is ubiquitously expressed in embryos, mediating organogenesis, RNA trafficking, and cell growth, and is generally down-regulated in adult tissue. However, IMP3 has recently been shown to be overexpressed in some malignant epithelial neoplasms and to be a useful diagnostic and/or prognostic biomarker for several carcinomas. To determine whether IMP3 might also be an accurate biomarker of Hodgkin lymphoma, we examined 81 Hodgkin lymphomas for immunoreactivity to IMP3 as compared to commonly used markers such as CD30, CD15, PAX5, and MUM1. Consequently, in 98.8% (80/81) of Hodgkin lymphomas, the malignant Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg cells were selectively reactive for IMP3, with 72.8% (59/81) of the tumors showing strong, diffuse cytoplasmic staining. Positive staining of the Hodgkin lymphomas was also seen for CD30 (82.7%, 67/81), CD15 (65.4%, 53/81), PAX5 (84.0%, 68/81), and MUM1 85.2% (69/81), but significantly fewer cells showed strong staining intensity for CD30 (32.1%, 26/81), CD15 (17.3%, 14/81), PAX5 (12.3%, 10/81), and MUM1 (29.6%, 24/81). Furthermore, the IMP3 staining was selectively restricted to Hodgkin and Reed-Sternberg cells, with a clearly negative background, and complementary to CD30 staining. Our findings show that IMP3 may be a useful diagnostic marker of Hodgkin lymphoma, helping to improve diagnostic accuracy for this malignancy.

Adeno-associated virus-mediated human acidic fibroblast growth factor expression promotes functional recovery of spinal cord-contused rats.

BACKGROUND: Following spinal cord injury, the delivery of neurotrophic factors to the injured spinal cord has been shown to promote axonal regeneration and functional recovery. In previous studies, we showed that acidic fibroblast growth factor (aFGF) is a potent neurotrophic factor that promotes the regeneration of axotomized spinal cord or dorsal root ganglion neurones. METHODS: We constructed a recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV) vector to express human aFGF and evaluated aFGF expression and function in AAV-aFGF-infected PC12 cells. We analyzed AAV-green fluorescent protein (GFP) tropism and AAV-mediated aFGF expression in contused spinal cords. Animals received behavioural testing to evaluate the functional recovery. RESULTS: Overexpression of aFGF was shown in AAV-aFGF-infected PC12 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Concurrently, neurite extension and cell number were significantly increased in AAV-aFGF infected cells. AAV-mediated GFP expression persisted for at least 5 weeks in contused spinal cords, and the most prominently transduced cells were neurones. Contusive injury reduced endogenous aFGF expression in spinal cords. Overexpression of aFGF was demonstrated in AAV-aFGF transduced spinal cords compared to AAV-GFP transduced spinal cords at 3 and 14 days post-injury. Evaluation of motor function revealed that the improvement of AAV-aFGF-treated rats was prominent. Both AAV-aFGF- and recombinant human aFGF-treated rats revealed significantly better recovery at 5 weeks post-injury, compared to vehicle- and AAV-GFP-treated rats. CONCLUSIONS: These data suggest that supplement of aFGF improve the functional recovery of spinal cord-contused rats and that AAV-aFGF-mediated gene transfer could be a clinically feasible therapeutic approach for patients after nervous system injuries.

Gait analysis of spinal cord injured rats after delivery of chondroitinase ABC and adult olfactory mucosa progenitor cell transplantation.

Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan (CSPG) is a major component of glial scar to restrict axonal regeneration in the lesion site after spinal cord injury (SCI). Chondroitinase ABC (ChABC), a bacteria enzyme, which has been demonstrated to digest the glycosaminoglycan (GAG) side chain of CSPG to promote axonal re-growth across the injured site. Our previous study suggested that long-term delivery of ChABC (1U/ml, injection volume 0.6 microl for one animal) via intrathecal catheter could decrease the inhibitory effect of limiting axonal re-growth after SCI. The functional behavior has been shown to improve following ChABC treatment. Little axons re-grow across the lesion site of the spinal cord but not enough to support axon innervations to targets. In this article, we show that ChABC administration combining olfactory mucosa progenitor cell (OMPC) transplantation can promote axonal re-growth across the lesion site and enhance the consistency of stepping in spinally transected rats. These OMPCs generated NG2(+) cell lineages after transplanting into the spinal cord parenchyma, and OMPCs were found to spread and migrate toward the lesion region of spinal cord. Moreover, the spatial and temporal characteristics of the step cycle in rats that receive a complete spinal cord transaction following continuous ChABC supply and OMPC transplantation. The gait characteristics of treated rats on a treadmill were consistent and approached that of intact rats. In future, the mechanism of restoring the injured spinal cord will be further investigated.

Study on the neuroprotective effect of fluoxetine against MDMA-induced neurotoxicity on the serotonin transporter in rat brain using micro-PET.

3, 4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "ecstasy") has toxic effects on serotonergic neurons in the brain. Our aim was to determine whether N,N-dimethyl-2-(2-amino-4-[(18)F]-fluorophenylthio) benzylamine (4-[(18)F]-ADAM; a serotonin transporter imaging agent) and micropositron emission tomography (micro-PET) can be used to examine in vivo the effect of fluoxetine on MDMA-induced loss of serotonin transporters in rat brain. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with fluoxetine [1 dose, 5 mg/kg, subcutaneously (s.c.)] followed by MDMA (twice a day for 4 consecutive days, 10 mg/kg, s.c.). Micro-PET with 4-[(18)F]-ADAM was performed on days 4, 10, 17, 24, and 31. In addition, the time course of occupancy by fluoxetine at 4-[(18)F]-ADAM sites was measured. Specific 4-[(18)F]-ADAM uptake ratios (SURs) were calculated from the micro-PET imaging data for various brain regions. Immunohistochemistry was performed 7 days after the last micro-PET scan. From day 4 to day 31, SURs were markedly decreased (by approximately 55-75% compared to control values) in all brain regions in MDMA-treated rats. The effect of MDMA was markedly attenuated (approximately 30-50%) by fluoxetine. The fluoxetine-induced decrease in uptake in different brain regions was 40-75% at 90-min postinjection, and this decrease returned to baseline values in most brain regions by day 31. The distribution and intensity of serotonin transporter (SERT) immunostaining in the brain paralleled the PET imaging results, suggesting that a single dose of fluoxetine provides long-lasting protection against MDMA-induced loss of SERT and that such neuroprotection is detectable in vivo by 4-[(18)F]-ADAM micro-PET.

Effects of interleukin-15 on neuronal differentiation of neural stem cells.

Interleukin-15 (IL-15) signaling has pleiotropic actions in many cell types during development and has been best studied in cells of immune system lineage, where IL-15 stimulates proliferation of cytotoxic T cells and induces maturation of natural killer cells. A few reports have indicated that IL-15 and the IL-15 receptor are expressed in central nervous system tissues and neuronal cell lines. Because this aspect of IL-15 action is poorly studied, we used cultured rat neural stem cells (NSCs) to study IL-15 signal transduction and activity. Primary cultures of rat NSCs in culture will form neurospheres and will differentiate into neuron, astrocyte, and oligodendrocyte progenitors under permissive conditions. We found by immunofluorescence that the IL-15Ralpha subunit of the IL-15 receptor was expressed in NSCs and differentiating neurons, but not astrocyte or oligodendrocyte progenitors. We also showed that IL-15 treatment reduced MAP-2 protein levels in neurons and could reduce neurite outgrowth in differentiating neurons but did not affect NSC proliferation, and cell proportions and viability of the corresponding lineage cells. In the presence of a STAT3 inhibitor, Stattic, IL-15 no longer reduced MAP-2 protein levels. IL-15 treatment caused STAT3 phosphorylation. Furthermore, using anti-IL-15Ralpha antibody to block IL-15 signaling completely inhibited IL-15-induced phosphorylation of STAT3 and prevented IL-15 from decreasing neurite outgrowth. In conclusion, IL-15 may influence neural cell differentiation through a signal transduction pathway involving IL-15Ralpha and STAT3. This signal transduction modifies MAP-2 protein levels and, consequently, the differentiation of neurons from NSCs, as evidenced by reduced neurite outgrowth.

Dual-isotope single-photon emission computed tomography for dopamine and serotonin transporters in normal and Parkinsonian monkey brains.

INTRODUCTION: Parkinson's disease (PD) affects both dopaminergic and serotonergic systems. In this study, we simultaneously evaluated dopamine and serotonin transporters in primates using dual-isotope single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging and compared the results with traditional single-isotope imaging. METHODS: Four healthy and one 6-OHDA-induced PD monkeys were used for this study. SPECT was performed over 4 h after individual or simultaneous injection of [(99m)Tc]TRODAT-1 (a dopamine transporter imaging agent) and [(123)I]ADAM (a serotonin transporter imaging agent). RESULTS: The results showed that the image quality and uptake ratios in different brain regions were comparable between single- and dual-isotope studies. The striatal [(99m)Tc]TRODAT-1 uptake in the PD monkey was markedly lower than that in normal monkeys. The uptake of [(123)I]ADAM in the midbrain of the PD monkey was comparable to that in the normal monkeys, but there were decreased uptakes in the thalamus and striatum of the PD monkey. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that dual-isotope SPECT using [(99m)Tc]TRODAT-1 and [(123)I]ADAM can simultaneously evaluate changes in dopaminergic and serotonergic systems in a PD model.