Glial Cell-Mediated Neuroinflammation in Alzheimer’s Disease

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder; it is the most common cause of dementia and has no treatment. It is characterized by two pathological hallmarks, the extracellular deposits of amyloid beta (Aβ) and the intraneuronal deposits of Neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). Yet, those two hallmarks do not explain the full pathology seen with AD, suggesting the involvement of other mechanisms. Neuroinflammation could offer another explanation for the progression of the disease. This review provides an overview of recent advances on the role of the immune cells’ microglia and astrocytes in neuroinflammation. In AD, microglia and astrocytes become reactive by several mechanisms leading to the release of proinflammatory cytokines that cause further neuronal damage. We then provide updates on neuroinflammation diagnostic markers and investigational therapeutics currently in clinical trials to target neuroinflammation.     

An Ultra-Low Dose of ∆9-Tetrahydrocannabinol Alleviates Alzheimer’s Disease-Related Cognitive Impairments and Modulates TrkB Receptor Expression in a 5XFAD Mouse Model

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, but there is still no available treatment. Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is emerging as a promising therapeutic agent. Using THC in conventional high doses may have deleterious effects. Therefore, we propose to use an ultra-low dose of THC (ULD-THC). We previously published that a single injection of ULD-THC ameliorated cognitive functioning in several models of brain injuries as well as in naturally aging mice. Here, 5xFAD AD model mice received a single treatment of ULD-THC (0.002 mg/kg) after disease onset and were examined in two separate experiments for cognitive functions, neurotropic, and inflammatory factors in the hippocampus. We show that a single injection of ULD-THC alleviated cognitive impairments in 6- and 12-month-old 5xFAD mice. On the biochemical level, our results indicate an imbalance between the truncated TrkB receptor isoform and the full receptor, with AD mice showing a greater tendency to express the truncated receptor, and ULD-THC improved this imbalance. We also investigated the expression of three AD-related inflammatory markers and found an ameliorating effect of ULD-THC. The current research demonstrates for the first time the beneficial effects of a single ultra-low dose of THC in a mouse model of AD after disease onset.     

微结构薄膜望远镜研究进展分析

微结构薄膜望远镜通过表面微纳结构调制光波相位和传播方向,具有轻量化、公差容限大、易于折叠展开的特点,因此成为大口径轻量化空间光学成像技术中的颠覆性技术。本文通过对国内外微纳薄膜望远镜研究进展的调研和分析,概括了薄膜望远镜研制的关键技术和主要技术途径,重点分析了薄膜材料制备、微结构类型研究、系统光学设计理论等内容。微纳薄膜望远镜研制涉及材料、空间环境工程、微纳加工工艺、精密机械和二元光学等众多交叉学科,随着工程化程度要求的提高,会出现新的技术问题,而随着问题的解决很可能获得具有影响力的科技成果。

     

表面微结构金属干式电极制造及细菌粘附性能研究

为开发出高性能生物医用干式电极,提出了利用激光微铣-重铸加工方法,实现了表面具有微结构阵列特征的新型金属干式电极的制造成形。在分析电极表面微观形貌的基础上,研究了电极表面的润湿性能,并重点研究了扫描间距、扫描速度和扫描次数等加工参数对大肠杆菌粘附性能的影响规律。研究结果表明：在一定工艺参数条件下所加工出具有微结构阵列特征的电极的接触角可达150°以上,表现出超疏水的特性。在不同扫描间隙和扫描次数条件下加工出的电极对大肠杆菌的粘附性能具有较大影响,在选择0.1 mm扫描间隙时,电极表面粘附的大肠杆菌数量最少,适当增加扫描次数,也能够有效地减少电极表面大肠杆菌的粘结,从而发挥较好的抗菌效果。通过改变扫描速度加工出的电极则对大肠杆菌的粘附性能影响不大。     

丝材电弧增材制造TA15/TC11梯度结构材料的显微组织和力学性能

利用丝材电弧增材制造的方法制备从TA15过渡为TC11的梯度结构材料,并对该梯度结构材料的晶粒形态、化学成分、显微组织和力学性能沿沉积方向的变化情况进行表征和研究.结果表明,从TA15到TC11,晶粒尺寸减小,并且发生从柱状晶到等轴晶的转变.合金元素的含量在短距离内变化很大,突变区的宽度为800μm.TA15区域和TC...     

铸铁中开花状石墨的微观结构

用透射电子显微镜和扫描电镜研究了铸铁中开花状石墨的微观结构,结果表明,开花状石墨是石墨沿[0001]方向生长速率增大的过程。因而它是1种过球化石墨,而不是铸铁过程中球化不良造成的。     

Ti-12Co-5Al合金的β相α+Ti2Co时效相变与硬度

研究了超塑合金Ti-12Co-5Al非平衡态β相α+Ti₂Co共析转变的时效过程以及它的硬度变化。当温度为450℃时,随着时间的增长硬度随之增加,β相的转变也更加完全,转变产物之间以及转变产物与母相之间的相变也从完全共格到半共格再到完全非共格,而峰值发生在320min左右;当时间为20min时,随温度的升高也具有相同的规律,峰值发生在600℃左右。Al元素除了具有固溶强化的作用之外,还有提高共析相变温度,从而减缓了相转变动力学的进行。     

温度对喷射成形7075+TiC铝合金触变成形的影响

采用Gleeble-1500热模拟机,对原位反应喷射成形7075+TiC铝合金进行半固态压缩变形,通过扫描电镜观察其变形后纵横截面的组织,用Imagetool软件及平均截线法统计晶粒尺寸.研究表明,晶粒尺寸随着变形温度的升高而增大,对应580-620℃的变形温度,晶粒尺寸分布范围为10-21μm;当变形温度为610℃,变形速率为1 s^-1时,合金表现出良好的半固态触变成形性能.     

基于Monte Carlo Potts方法的三维大尺度晶粒组织仿真模型及定量表征

为改善三维晶粒组织可视化模型的统计性,采用Monte Carlo Potts方法建立了材料多晶体组织的一种大尺度三维数字化模型,并实现了其定量表征和三维可视化.逾万晶粒的统计结果表明,该模型的平均晶粒面数为13.8±0.1,晶粒尺寸分布和晶粒面数分布均可用Log-normal函数近似拟合,与实际材料晶粒组织情况相近.