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• The spliceosome-associated protein CWC22 of the spinal dorsal horn modulates nociception bidirectionally in mice; • Spp1 is a downstream gene of CWC22-mediated alternative splicing in inflammatory pain; • Spp1 splicing variants are variably regulated by CWC22, and Spp1 V4 is involved in nociception. Increasing evidence suggests that alternative splicing plays a critical role in pain, but its underlying mechanism remains elusive. Herein, we employed complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) to induce inflammatory pain in mice. A combination of genomics research techniques, lentivirus-based genetic manipulations, behavioral tests, and molecular biological technologies confirmed that splicing factor Cwc22 mRNA and CWC22 protein were elevated in the spinal dorsal horn at 3 days after CFA injection. Knockdown of spinal CWC22 by lentivirus transfection (lenti-sh Cwc22) reversed CFA-induced thermal hyperalgesia and mechanical allodynia, whereas upregulation of spinal CWC22 (lenti- Cwc22) in naïve mice precipitated pain. Comprehensive transcriptome and genome analysis identified the secreted phosphoprotein 1 (Spp1) as a potential gene of CWC22-mediated alternative splicing, however, only Spp1 splicing variant 4 (Spp1 V4) was involved in thermal and mechanical nociceptive regulation. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that spinal CWC22 regulates Spp1 V4 to participate in CFA-induced inflammatory pain. Blocking CWC22 or CWC22-mediated alternative splicing may provide a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of persistent inflammatory pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Results suggest that a signaling cascade of brassinosteroids mediates signaling through cell surface receptors leading to inactivation of a GSK-3 and accumulation of a nuclear protein, which participates in the regulation of target gene expression. The phosphoprotein BES1 accumulates in the nucleus in response to BL hormone treatment.

Plants sense and respond to light by means of photoreceptors and circadian clocks. In the Arabidopsis, the CIRCADIAN CLOCK ASSOCIATED 1 (CCA1) gene have been isolated. This gene encodes a transcription factor necessary for phytochrome responsiveness. Efforts to further investigate its role in circadian regulation revealed that the CCA1 possess several characteristics expected of the central oscillator. Its constitutive expression was found to affect a number of circadian-regulated processes. In addition, a feedback repression mechanism was observed for its circadian oscillation.

Background: Stroke causes death and disability throughout the world and recurrent stroke events are more likely to be disabling or fatal. We conducted a hospital-based study to investigate the frequency and influence factors of stroke recurrence in China.Methods: Data from patients hospitalized with stroke between January 2007 and December 2010 of 109 tertiary hospitals in China were used. Stroke recurrence and associated factors were ascertained. The zero-inflated model was used to evaluate the factors of recurrence.Results: Of 101,926 discharged patients, the cumulative 2-year stroke recurrence rate was 3.80% for subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH), 5.31% for intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), and 8.71% for ischemic stroke (IS), respectively. Among patients with stroke recurrence, 54.11% with SAH, 60.42% with ICH, and 92.92% with IS relapsed for the same type of the first-onset stroke. For discharged patients with SAH with middle cerebral artery aneurysm clipping or artery aneurysm embolization, it was less likely to stroke relapse, but the times of recurrence would increase if 1 recurrence appeared. Cerebral artery aneurysms and hypertension were risk factors for recurrence frequency. For ICH, protective factors for recurrence were trepanation and drainage of intracranial hematoma, cerebral angiography, puncture and drainage of intracranial hematoma, and length of stay (LOS). But rheumatic heart disease and atrial fibrillation would further the relapse frequency. For IS, age and LOS were protective factors, but recurrence frequency would increase if the first recurrence happened. Cervical spondylopathy, male gender, and diabetes were risk factors for frequency of relapse.Conclusions: Associated factors were different for recurrence frequency among different stroke types. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose To investigate the distribution and clinical outcomes of tumor-infiltrating CD208 + mature dendritic cells (mDCs) in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Materials and Methods Using immunohistochemical analysis, the distribution of CD208 + mDCs in adjacent non-neoplastic tissues (NTs) and tumor tissue, including the tumor stroma (TS) and tumor nest (TN), of 79 patients with OSCC was evaluated. The analysis was quantitative, and the number of positive cells was counted in 5 microscopic high-power fields (×400). At the gene expression level, CD208 expression also was assessed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Kaplan Meier analyses were used to analyze the prognostic value of tumor-infiltrating CD208 + mDCs. Results The number of tumor-infiltrating CD208 + mDCs was larger in the TS and TN than in the NTs ( P < .0001) and the number of CD208 + mDCs in the TS was larger in patients with OSCC and lymph node positivity ( P < .05). At the gene expression level, CD208 also was upregulated in patients with lymph node positivity ( P < .05). The number of infiltrating CD208 + mDCs was not associated with a patient's survival time. Conclusions The number of tumor-infiltrating CD208 + mDCs in the TS was larger in patients with OSCC and lymph node positivity, but the accumulation of CD208 + mDCs did not correlate with survival time in patients with OSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: We sought to investigate the role and diagnostic value of microRNA 155 (miR-155) in OSCC patients. Study Design: Using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis, miR-155 expression levels were assessed in OSCC cell lines and a cancerous HB cell line. The correlation between miR-155 expression level and clinical parameters was analyzed in 46 patients with OSCC. In addition, the effects of miR-155 on OSCC cell proliferation were evaluated by modulating its expression using an miR-155 mimic and antisense miR-155. Results: Significant upregulation of miR-155 was found in OSCC cell lines and in tissues of patients with OSCC. The receiver operator characteristic analysis indicated fair-to-good predictability. Overexpression of miR-155 correlated with the histologic grade (P = .033), and the upregulation of miR-155 enhanced OSCC cell proliferation. Conclusions: In OSSC, upregulation of miR-155 correlated with the histologic grade and can be used as a potential prognostic biomarker. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Based on anisomerous double nanostructure, an electron-spin filter can be formed [M.W. Lu, Appl. Surf. Sci. 252 (2005) 1747]. To structurally manipulate the spin polarization in spin filter, we dope a tunable into the device by using modern material growth techniques such as molecular beam epitaxy. It is shown that the degree of electron-spin polarization depends greatly on the height and/or position of the . Thus, the device can be used as a tunable spin-polarized source by the . [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

To understand the precipitates in Mg–Zn alloys, we perform first-principles calculations to investigate the stability and elastic properties of Laves MgZn2 and monoclinic Mg4Zn7. We find that the relative stability of MgZn2 and Mg4Zn7 is dependent on their compositions, implying that either one or both of the phases can exist within precipitates. The elastic moduli indicate that the strain resistance of MgZn2 and Mg4Zn7 is much greater than that of Mg. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We report a theoretical investigation on the Goos–Hänchen (GH) effect of spin electron beams in realistic magnetic-barrier (MB) nanostructures under an applied voltage, which can be experimentally created by lithographic patterning of ferromagnetic (FM) or superconducting films. GH shifts of spin electron beams are calculated numerically for the InAs material system, with the help of the stationary phase method. It is shown that a significant spin polarization effect can be induced by such MB nanostructures with symmetric magnetic field profiles. It also is shown that both magnitude and sign of the spin polarization is closely relative to the electric barrier (EB) produced by a constant voltage applied to the metallic FM stripe of system. These interesting properties may provide an alternative way to spin injection into the semiconductor, and such nanostructures can serve as voltage-tunable spin beam splitters. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Parkinson''s disease (PD) has been characterized by dopaminergic neuron degeneration in the substantia nigra (SN) accompanied by pathology of the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus (DMV). PD patients have often experienced gastrointestinal dysfunctions, such as gastroparesis. However, the mechanism underlying these symptoms in PD patients is not clear. In the present study, we investigated alterations of cholinergic and catecholaminergic neurons in the DMV and gastric motor function in rats microinjected with 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) bilaterally into the SN (referred to as 6-OHDA rats) and explored possible mechanisms. A strain gauge force transducer was used to record gastric motility in vivo. Expression of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) was evaluated by immunofluorescence and western blot analysis. Acetylcholine (Ach) content was measured using ultra-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC/MS/MS) analysis. After treatment with 6-OHDA for 6weeks, 6-OHDA rats exhibited decreased ChAT and enhanced TH expression in the DMV and decreased Ach content in the gastric muscular layer. Delayed gastric emptying and impaired gastric motility in vivo were observed in 6-OHDA rats. The results of the present study indicated that decreased ChAT and enhanced TH expression in the DMV may be correlated with the development of delayed gastric emptying and impaired gastric motility, which may be partly due to the decreased Ach release from the vagus. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]