The Neurovascular Unit Dysfunction in Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common neurodegenerative disease worldwide. Histopathologically, AD presents with two hallmarks: neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), and aggregates of amyloid β peptide (Aβ) both in the brain parenchyma as neuritic plaques, and around blood vessels as cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA). According to the vascular hypothesis of AD, vascular risk factors can result in dysregulation of the neurovascular unit (NVU) and hypoxia. Hypoxia may reduce Aβ clearance from the brain and increase its production, leading to both parenchymal and vascular accumulation of Aβ. An increase in Aβ amplifies neuronal dysfunction, NFT formation, and accelerates neurodegeneration, resulting in dementia. In recent decades, therapeutic approaches have attempted to decrease the levels of abnormal Aβ or tau levels in the AD brain. However, several of these approaches have either been associated with an inappropriate immune response triggering inflammation, or have failed to improve cognition. Here, we review the pathogenesis and potential therapeutic targets associated with dysfunction of the NVU in AD.     

Biflavonoid-Induced Disruption of Hydrogen Bonds Leads to Amyloid-β Disaggregation

Deposition of amyloid β (Aβ) fibrils in the brain is a key pathologic hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. A class of polyphenolic biflavonoids is known to have anti-amyloidogenic effects by inhibiting aggregation of Aβ and promoting disaggregation of Aβ fibrils. In the present study, we further sought to investigate the structural basis of the Aβ disaggregating activity of biflavonoids and their interactions at the atomic level. A thioflavin T (ThT) fluorescence assay revealed that amentoflavone-type biflavonoids promote disaggregation of Aβ fibrils with varying potency due to specific structural differences. The computational analysis herein provides the first atomistic details for the mechanism of Aβ disaggregation by biflavonoids. Molecular docking analysis showed that biflavonoids preferentially bind to the aromatic-rich, partially ordered N-termini of Aβ fibril via the π–π interactions. Moreover, docking scores correlate well with the ThT EC₅₀ values. Molecular dynamic simulations revealed that biflavonoids decrease the content of β-sheet in Aβ fibril in a structure-dependent manner. Hydrogen bond analysis further supported that the substitution of hydroxyl groups capable of hydrogen bond formation at two positions on the biflavonoid scaffold leads to significantly disaggregation of Aβ fibrils. Taken together, our data indicate that biflavonoids promote disaggregation of Aβ fibrils due to their ability to disrupt the fibril structure, suggesting biflavonoids as a lead class of compounds to develop a therapeutic agent for Alzheimer’s disease.     

基于样本熵与时频分析的手部抓握运动意图预测

针对上肢外骨骼控制信号产生与外部设备响应存在时间滞后导致脑机接口(BCI)系统实时性差的问题,采集被试手部自主抓握前运动相关皮质电位(MRCP) ,提出基于非线性复杂度特征样本熵 (SampEn)与线性幅值特征融合算法的手部运动意图预测方法. 从时频、神经复杂度分析不同大脑状态之间存在的差异,通过特征融合实现对手部抓握运动意图的预测. 基于特征融合意图离线预测准确率最高可达88.46%,可以在人体手部自主运动发生时刻?1 400 ms实现对手部运动预测. 与平静时期手部静止状态相比,被试产生手部抓握运动意图时脑电信号的功率谱与复杂度均产生明显变化,为基于手部运动意图预测提前驱动机器人实现人机协同提供控制策略.     

高空作业平台臂架伸缩运动的横向振动特性

为了探究高空作业平台做伸缩运动时变幅平面内的横向振动动力学特性,针对臂架的实际搭接和支承情况,将臂架等效为根部铰接、中间弹性支承且带有集中参数的变截面变长度梁. 基于牛顿第二定律建立各臂段的运动微分方程,采用模态叠加法、结合边界条件求解臂架一系列时刻的瞬态振型函数,曲线拟合时变参数以近似表示梁的振型,并依据伽辽金截断方法,得到广义坐标下的状态空间方程. 在Matlab/Simulink环境下进行动态仿真,得到伸缩过程中臂架头部的变幅平面横向振动动态响应. 结果表明,就横向振动振幅而言,搭接简化会带来15.63%计算结果误差;支承简化会加大臂架整体刚度、减小臂架振动响应,不可取。     

断层破裂过程对减隔震桥梁地震反应的影响

为了研究断层破裂过程对减隔震桥梁地震反应的影响,提出利用相位特性模拟方向性效应的改进随机格林函数法. 以1994年美国北岭地震的断层条件为例,通过与实际地震记录对比验证模拟方法的有效性;应用改进的随机格林函数法模拟相同震中距离的4组地震动时程作为输入条件,比较断层破裂过程对相同震中距离、不同方位的减隔震桥梁地震反应影响. 结果表明,利用持时包络曲线与相位差分分布的相似性可以方便模拟随机格林函数的地震动加速度时程;在相同震中距离条件下,断层破裂方向的观测点地震动以及对应位置的桥梁结构地震反应明显大于非破裂方向位置的观测点;当破裂方向上地震动时程不具有脉冲特性时,断层周围的减隔震桥梁地震反应主要受地震动强度的影响,桥梁方位的影响不明显.     

管线用钢氢致裂纹(HIC)影响因素分析

研究了管线用钢的化学成分和金相组织对钢的氢致裂纹(HIC)性能的影响。研究认为,带状组织和马氏体含量对HIC性能有很大影响,S含量及Cep对HIC有不同程度影响。含有少量Cu、Ni的钢更适合在酸性环境下使用。     

Insoluble Vascular Amyloid Deposits Trigger Disruption of the Neurovascular Unit in Alzheimer’s Disease Brains

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease, characterized histopathologically by intra-neuronal tau-related lesions and by the accumulation of amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) in the brain parenchyma and around cerebral blood vessels. According to the vascular hypothesis of AD, an alteration in the neurovascular unit (NVU) could lead to Aβ vascular accumulation and promote neuronal dysfunction, accelerating neurodegeneration and dementia. To date, the effects of insoluble vascular Aβ deposits on the NVU and the blood–brain barrier (BBB) are unknown. In this study, we analyze different Aβ species and their association with the cells that make up the NVU. We evaluated post-mortem AD brain tissue. Multiple immunofluorescence assays were performed against different species of Aβ and the main elements that constitute the NVU. Our results showed that there are insoluble vascular deposits of both full-length and truncated Aβ species. Besides, insoluble aggregates are associated with a decrease in the phenotype of the cellular components that constitute the NVU and with BBB disruption. This approach could help identify new therapeutic targets against key molecules and receptors in the NVU that can prevent the accumulation of vascular fibrillar Aβ in AD.     

Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate-Loaded Liposomes Favor Anti-Inflammation of Microglia Cells and Promote Neuroprotection

Microglia-mediated neuroinflammation is recognized to mainly contribute to the progression of neurodegenerative diseases. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), known as a natural antioxidant in green tea, can inhibit microglia-mediated inflammation and protect neurons but has disadvantages such as high instability and low bioavailability. We developed an EGCG liposomal formulation to improve its bioavailability and evaluated the neuroprotective activity in in vitro and in vivo neuroinflammation models. EGCG-loaded liposomes have been prepared from phosphatidylcholine (PC) or phosphatidylserine (PS) coated with or without vitamin E (VE) by hydration and membrane extrusion method. The anti-inflammatory effect has been evaluated against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced BV-2 microglial cells activation and the inflammation in the substantia nigra of Sprague Dawley rats. In the cellular inflammation model, murine BV-2 microglial cells changed their morphology from normal spheroid to activated spindle shape after 24 h of induction of LPS. In the in vitro free radical 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, EGCG scavenged 80% of DPPH within 3 min. EGCG-loaded liposomes could be phagocytized by BV-2 cells after 1 h of cell culture from cell uptake experiments. EGCG-loaded liposomes improved the production of BV-2 microglia-derived nitric oxide and TNF-α following LPS. In the in vivo Parkinsonian syndrome rat model, simultaneous intra-nigral injection of EGCG-loaded liposomes attenuated LPS-induced pro-inflammatory cytokines and restored motor impairment. We demonstrated that EGCG-loaded liposomes exert a neuroprotective effect by modulating microglia activation. EGCG extracted from green tea and loaded liposomes could be a valuable candidate for disease-modifying therapy for Parkinson’s disease (PD).     

Molecular Mechanisms Underlying the Beneficial Effects of Exercise on Brain Function and Neurological Disorders

As life expectancy has increased, particularly in developed countries, due to medical advances and increased prosperity, age-related neurological diseases and mental health disorders have become more prevalent health issues, reducing the well-being and quality of life of sufferers and their families. In recent decades, due to reduced work-related levels of physical activity, and key research insights, prescribing adequate exercise has become an innovative strategy to prevent or delay the onset of these pathologies and has been demonstrated to have therapeutic benefits when used as a sole or combination treatment. Recent evidence suggests that the beneficial effects of exercise on the brain are related to several underlying mechanisms related to muscle–brain, liver–brain and gut–brain crosstalk. Therefore, this review aims to summarize the most relevant current knowledge of the impact of exercise on mood disorders and neurodegenerative diseases, and to highlight the established and potential underlying mechanisms involved in exercise–brain communication and their benefits for physiology and brain function.