William Winlow

Bio: William Winlow is an academic researcher from University of Naples Federico II. The author has contributed to research in topics: Lymnaea stagnalis & Lymnaea. The author has an hindex of 23, co-authored 79 publications receiving 2335 citations. Previous affiliations of William Winlow include University of Liverpool & University of Central Lancashire.

Pathogenic mechanisms following ischemic stroke

Abstract: Stroke is the second most common cause of death and the leading cause of disability worldwide. Brain injury following stroke results from a complex series of pathophysiological events including excitotoxicity, oxidative and nitrative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis. Moreover, there is a mechanistic link between brain ischemia, innate and adaptive immune cells, intracranial atherosclerosis, and also the gut microbiota in modifying the cerebral responses to ischemic insult. There are very few treatments for stroke injuries, partly owing to an incomplete understanding of the diverse cellular and molecular changes that occur following ischemic stroke and that are responsible for neuronal death. Experimental discoveries have begun to define the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in stroke injury, leading to the development of numerous agents that target various injury pathways. In the present article, we review the underlying pathophysiology of ischemic stroke and reveal the intertwined pathways that are promising therapeutic targets.

Nitric oxide activates buccal motor patterns in Lymnaea stagnalis

Abstract: The mollusc, Lymnaea stagnalis, has been used as a model to study the mechanisms of nitric oxide (NO)-dependent processes in the CNS. Putative NO-containing neurones in Lymnaea are localized in the buccal ganglia, predominantly in areas where sensory neurones known to regulate feeding are found. The

Emerging Roles of microRNAs in Ischemic Stroke: As Possible Therapeutic Agents.

Abstract: Stroke is one of the leading causes of death and physical disability worldwide. The consequences of stroke injuries are profound and persistent, causing in considerable burden to both the individual patient and society. Current treatments for ischemic stroke injuries have proved inadequate, partly owing to an incomplete understanding of the cellular and molecular changes that occur following ischemic stroke. MicroRNAs (miRNA) are endogenously expressed RNA molecules that function to inhibit mRNA translation and have key roles in the pathophysiological processes contributing to ischemic stroke injuries. Potential therapeutic areas to compensate these pathogenic processes include promoting angiogenesis, neurogenesis and neuroprotection. Several miRNAs, and their target genes, are recognized to be involved in these recoveries and repair mechanisms. The capacity of miRNAs to simultaneously regulate several target genes underlies their unique importance in ischemic stroke therapeutics. In this Review, we focus on the role of miRNAs as potential diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers, as well as promising therapeutic agents in cerebral ischemic stroke.

Nitric oxide signaling in the central nervous system.

Abstract: Nitric oxide (NO) was first recognized as a messenger molecule in the central nervous system (eNS) in 1988 (52), when it was identified as the unstable intercellular factor that had been hypothesized, a year earlier (53), to mediate the increased cyclic GMP (cGMP) levels that occur on activation of glutamate receptors, particularly those of the NMDA (N-methyl-D-aspartate) subtype. The presence of an NO-forming enzyme (NO synthase, or NOS) in the brain was later confirmed (74), and this enzyme was subsequently purified (14) and its cDNA cloned and sequenced (12). The discovery that NO functions as a signaling molecule in the brain opened a new dimension in our concept of neural communication, one overlaying the classical picture of chemical neurotransmission, where information is passed between neuronal elements at discrete loci (synapses), and in one direction, with a diffusive type of signal that disregards the spatial constraints on neu­ rotransmitter activity normally imposed by membranes, transporters, and in­ activating enzymes. In principle, NO could spread out from its site of produc­ tion to influence many different tissue elements (neuronal, glial, and vascular) that are not necessarily in close anatomical juxtaposition. During the past few years, much information on the enzymology and mo­ lecular characteristics of NO synthesis has accrued, as reviewed in other articles in this volume. Furthermore, data from immunocytochemistry, in situ hybridization, and NADPH diaphorase histochemistry have combined to give

Chaotic Neural Networks

Abstract: A model of a single neuron with chaotic dynamics is proposed by considering the following properties of biological neurons: (1) graded responses, (2) relative refractoriness and (3) spatio-temporal summation of inputs. The model includes some conventional models of a neuron as its special cases; namely, chaotic dynamics is introduced as a natural extension of the former models. Chaotic solutions of both the single chaotic neuron and the chaotic neural network composed of such neurons are numerically demonstrated.

Tyramine and octopamine: ruling behavior and metabolism.

Abstract: Octopamine (OA) and tyramine (TA) are the invertebrate counterparts of the vertebrate adrenergic transmitters They are decarboxylation products of the amino acid tyrosine, with TA as the biological precursor of OA Nevertheless, both compounds are independent neurotransmitters that act through G protein-coupled receptors OA modulates a plethora of behaviors and peripheral and sense organs, enabling the insect to respond correctly to external stimuli Because these two phenolamines are the only biogenic amines whose physiological significance is presumably restricted to invertebrates, pharmacologists have focused their attention on the corresponding receptors, which are still believed to represent promising targets for new insecticides Recent progress made on all levels of OA and TA research has enabled researchers to understand better the molecular events underlying the control of complex behaviors