Associations of liver dysfunction with incident dementia, cognition, and brain structure: A prospective cohort study of 431 699 adults.

The relationship between liver dysfunction and dementia has been researched extensively but remains poorly understood. In this study, we investigate the longitudinal and cross-sectional associations between liver function and liver diseases and risk of incident dementia, impaired cognition, and brain structure abnormalities using Cox proportion hazard model and linear regression model. 431 699 participants with a mean of 8.65 (standard deviation [SD] 2.61) years of follow-up were included from the UK Biobank; 5542 all-cause dementia (ACD), 2427 Alzheimer's disease (AD), and 1282 vascular dementia (VaD) cases were documented. We observed that per SD decreases in alanine transaminase (ALT; hazard ratio [HR], 0.917; PFDR <0.001) and per SD increases in aspartate aminotransferase (AST; HR, 1.048; PFDR = 0.010), AST to ALT ratio (HR, 1.195; PFDR <0.001), gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT; HR, 1.066; PFDR <0.001), alcoholic liver disease (ALD; HR, 2.872; PFDR <0.001), and fibrosis and cirrhosis of liver (HR, 2.285; PFDR = 0.002), being significantly associated with a higher risk of incident ACD. Restricted cubic spline models identified a strong U-shaped association between Alb and AST and incident ACD (Pnonlinear <0.05). Worse cognition was positively correlated with AST, AST to ALT ratio, direct bilirubin (DBil), and GGT; negatively correlated with ALT, Alb, and total bilirubin (TBil); and ALD and fibrosis and cirrhosis of liver (PFDR <0.05). Moreover, changes in ALT, GGT, AST to ALT ratio, and ALD were significantly associated with altered cortical and subcortical regions, including hippocampus, amygdala, thalamus, pallidum, and fusiform (PFDR <0.05). In sensitivity analysis, metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) was associated with the risk of ACD and brain subcortical changes. Our findings provide substantial evidence that liver dysfunction may be an important factor for incident dementia. Early intervention in the unhealthy liver may help prevent cognitive impairment and dementia incidence.

Associations between liver function and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers of Alzheimer's disease pathology in non-demented adults: The CABLE study.

Liver function has been suggested as a possible factor in the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) development. However, the association between liver function and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) levels of AD biomarkers remains unclear. In this study, we analyzed the data from 1687 adults without dementia from the Chinese Alzheimer's Biomarker and LifestylE study to investigate differences in liver function between pathological and clinical AD groups, as defined by the 2018 National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer's Association Research Framework. We also examined the linear relationship between liver function, CSF AD biomarkers, and cognition using linear regression models. Furthermore, mediation analyses were applied to explore the potential mediation effects of AD pathological biomarkers on cognition. Our findings indicated that, with AD pathological and clinical progression, the concentrations of total protein (TP), globulin (GLO), and aspartate aminotransferase/alanine transaminase (ALT) increased, while albumin/globulin (A/G), adenosine deaminase, alpha-L-fucosidase, albumin, prealbumin, ALT, and glutamate dehydrogenase (GLDH) concentrations decreased. Furthermore, we also identified significant relationships between TP (ß = -0.115, pFDR < 0.001), GLO (ß = -0.184, pFDR < 0.001), and A/G (ß = 0.182, pFDR < 0.001) and CSF ß-amyloid1-42 (Aß1-42 ) (and its related CSF AD biomarkers). Moreover, after 10 000 bootstrapped iterations, we identified a potential mechanism by which TP and GLDH may affect cognition by mediating CSF AD biomarkers, with mediation effect sizes ranging from 3.91% to 16.44%. Overall, our results suggested that abnormal liver function might be involved in the clinical and pathological progression of AD. Amyloid and tau pathologies also might partially mediate the relationship between liver function and cognition. Future research is needed to fully understand the underlying mechanisms and causality to develop an approach to AD prevention and treatment approach.

Apolipoprotein A-1 protected hepatic ischaemia-reperfusion injury through suppressing macrophage pyroptosis via TLR4-NF-κB pathway.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Apolipoprotein A-1 (ApoA-1), the major apolipoprotein of high-density lipoprotein, plays anti-atherogenic role in cardiovascular diseases and exerts anti-inflammation effect in various inflammatory and infectious diseases. However, the role and mechanism of ApoA-1 in hepatic ischaemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury is unknown. METHODS: In this study, we measured ApoA-1 expression in human liver grafts after transplantation. Mice partial hepatic I/R injury model was made in ApoA-1 knockout mice, ApoA-1 mimetic peptide D-4F treatment mice and corresponding control mice to examine the effect of ApoA-1 on liver damage, inflammation response and cell death. Primary hepatocytes and macrophages were isolated for in vitro study. RESULTS: The results showed that ApoA-1 expression was down-regulated in human liver grafts after transplantation and mice livers subjected to hepatic I/R injury. ApoA-1 deficiency aggravated liver damage and inflammation response induced by hepatic I/R injury. Interestingly, we found that ApoA-1 deficiency increased pyroptosis instead of apoptosis during acute phase of hepatic I/R injury, which mainly occurred in macrophages rather than hepatocytes. The inhibition of pyroptosis compensated for the adverse impact of ApoA-1 deficiency. Furthermore, the up-regulated pyroptosis process was testified to be mediated by ApoA-1 through TLR4-NF-κB pathway and TLR4 inhibition significantly improved hepatic I/R injury. In addition, we confirmed that D-4F ameliorated hepatic I/R injury. CONCLUSIONS: Our study has identified the protective role of ApoA-1 in hepatic I/R injury through inhibiting pyroptosis in macrophages via TLR4-NF-κB pathway. The effect of ApoA-1 may provide a novel therapeutic approach for hepatic I/R injury.

Associations of Life's Simple 7 with cerebral white matter hyperintensities and microstructural integrity: UK Biobank cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The American Heart Association Life's Simple 7 (LS7) metric was used to define optimal cardiovascular and brain health, but the associations with macrostructural hyperintensities and microstructural white matter damage are unclear. The objective was to determine the association of LS7 ideal cardiovascular health factors with macrostructural and microstructural integrity. METHOD: A total of 37,140 participants with available LS7 and imaging data from UK Biobank were included in this study. Linear associations were implemented to examine the associations of LS7 score and subscores with white matter hyperintensity load (WMH) (WMH volume normalized by total white matter volume and logit-transformed) and diffusion imaging indices (fractional anisotropy [FA], mean diffusivity, orientation dispersion index [OD], intracellular volume fraction, isotropic volume fraction [ISOVF]). RESULTS: In individuals (mean age 54.76 years; 19,697 females, 52.4%), higher LS7 score and subscores were strongly associated with lower WMH and microstructural white matter injury, including OD, ISOVF, FA. Both interaction analyses and stratified analyses of LS7 score and subscores with age and sex showed a strong association with microstructural damage markers, with remarkable age and sex differences. The association of OD was pronounced in females and populations younger than 50 years and FA, mean diffusivity and ISOVF were pronounced in males and populations older than 50 years. CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that healthier LS7 profiles are associated with better profiles of both macrostructural and microstructural markers of brain health, and indicate that ideal cardiovascular health is associated with improved brain health.

Associations of the A/T/N profiles in PET, CSF, and plasma biomarkers with Alzheimer's disease neuropathology at autopsy.

INTRODUCTION: To examine the extent to which positron emission tomography (PET)-, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-, and plasma-related amyloid-ß/tau/neurodegeneration (A/T/N) biomarkers are associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) neuropathology at autopsy. METHODS: A total of 100 participants who respectively underwent antemortem biomarker measurements and postmortem neuropathology were included in the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). We examined the associations of PET-, CSF-, and plasma-related A/T/N biomarkers in combinations or alone with AD neuropathological changes (ADNC). RESULTS: PET- and CSF-related A/T/N biomarkers in combination showed high concordance with the ADNC stage and alone showed high accuracy in discriminating autopsy-confirmed AD. However, the plasma-related A/T/N biomarkers alone showed better discriminative performance only when combined with apolipoprotein E (APO)E ε4 genotype. DISCUSSION: This study supports that PET- and CSF-related A/T/N profiles can be used to predict accurately the stages of AD neuropathology. For diagnostic settings, PET-, CSF-, and plasma-related A/T/N biomarkers are all useful diagnostic tools to detect the presence of AD neuropathology. HIGHLIGHTS: PET- and CSF-related A/T/N biomarkers in combination can accurately predict the specific stages of AD neuropathology. PET- and CSF-related A/T/N biomarkers alone may serve as a precise diagnostic tool for detecting AD neuropathology at autopsy. Plasma-related A/T/N biomarkers may need combined risk factors when used as a diagnostic tool. Aß PET and CSF p-tau181/Aß42 were most consistent with Aß pathology, while tau PET and CSF p-tau181/Aß42 were most consistent with tau pathology.

Differences between ante mortem Alzheimer's disease biomarkers in predicting neuropathology at autopsy.

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to assess whether biomarkers related to amyloid, tau, and neurodegeneration can accurately predict Alzheimer's disease (AD) neuropathology at autopsy in early and late clinical stages. METHODS: We included 100 participants who had ante mortem biomarker measurements and underwent post mortem neuropathological examination. Based on ante mortem clinical diagnosis, participants were divided into non-dementia and dementia, as early or late clinical stages. RESULTS: Amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) amyloid beta (Aß)42/phosphorylated tau (p-tau)181 showed excellent performance in differentiating autopsy-confirmed AD and predicting the risk of neuropathological changes in early and late clinical stages. However, CSF Aß42 performed better in the early clinical stage, while CSF p-tau181, CSF t-tau, and plasma p-tau181 performed better in the late clinical stage. DISCUSSION: Our findings provide important clinical information that, if using PET, CSF, and plasma biomarkers to detect AD pathology, researchers must consider their differential performances at different clinical stages of AD. HIGHLIGHTS: Amyloid PET and CSF Aß42/p-tau181 were the most promising candidate biomarkers for predicting AD pathology. CSF Aß42 can serve as a candidate predictive biomarker in the early clinical stage of AD. CSF p-tau181, CSF t-tau, and plasma p-tau181 can serve as candidate predictive biomarkers in the late clinical stage of AD. Combining APOE ε4 genotypes can significantly improve the predictive accuracy of AD-related biomarkers for AD pathology.

Interleukin-3 is associated with sTREM2 and mediates the correlation between amyloid-ß and tau pathology in Alzheimer's disease.

BACKGROUND: Dysfunction of glial cell communication is involved in Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis, and the recent study reported that astrocytic secreted interleukin-3 (IL-3) participated in astrocyte-microglia crosstalk and restricted AD pathology in mice, but the effect of IL-3 on the pathological progression of AD in human is still unclear. METHODS: A total of 311 participants with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) IL-3, soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (sTREM2), and AD biomarkers were included from the Alzheimer's disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). We assessed the associations of IL-3 with sTREM2 and AD biomarkers at baseline, and with cognitive change in longitudinal study. The mediation models were used to explore the potential mechanism of how IL-3 affects AD pathology. RESULTS: We found that CSF IL-3 was significantly associated with CSF sTREM2 and CSF AD core biomarkers (Aß42, p-tau, and t-tau) at baseline, and was also markedly related to cognitive decline in longitudinal analysis. Moreover, mediation analysis revealed that CSF IL-3 modulated the level of CSF sTREM2 and contributed to tau pathology (as measured by CSF p-tau/t-tau) and subsequent cognitive decline. In addition, Aß pathology (as measured by CSF Aß42) affected the development of tau pathology partly by modifying the levels of CSF IL-3 and CSF sTREM2. Furthermore, the effect of Aß pathology on cognitive decline was partially mediated by the pathway from CSF IL-3 and CSF sTREM2 to tau pathology. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings provide evidence to suggest that IL-3 is linked to sTREM2 and mediates the correlation between Aß pathology to tau pathology. It indicates that IL-3 may be a major factor in the spreading from Aß pathology to tau pathology to cognitive impairment.

Dynamic changes of CSF clusterin levels across the Alzheimer's disease continuum.

BACKGROUND: Clusterin is a multifunctional protein, which is associated with the pathogenesis and the development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Compared with normal controls, inconsistent results have yielded in previous studies for concentration of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) clusterin in AD patients. We explored CSF clusterin levels in different pathological processes of AD. METHODS: Following the National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer's Association (NIA-AA) criteria, we employed on the levels of CSF Aß42(A), phosphorylated-Tau (T), and total-tau (N). Based on previously published cutoffs and the close correlation between CSF p-tau and t-tau, 276 participants from the publicly available ADNI database with CSF biomarkers were divided into four groups: A-(TN)- (normal Aß42 and normal p-tau and t-tau; n = 50), A+(TN)- (abnormal Aß42 and normal p-tau and t-tau; n = 39), A+(TN) + (abnormal Aß42 and abnormal p-tau or t-tau; n = 147), A-(TN) + (normal Aß42 and abnormal p-tau or t-tau; n = 40). To assess CSF clusterin levels in AD continuum, intergroup differences in four groups were compared. Pairwise comparisons were conducted as appropriate followed by Bonferroni post hoc analyses. To further study the relationships between CSF clusterin levels and AD core pathological biomarkers, we employed multiple linear regression method in subgroups. RESULTS: Compared with the A-(TN)- group, CSF clusterin levels were decreased in A+ (TN)- group (P = 0.002 after Bonferroni correction), but increased in the A+(TN) + group and the A-(TN) + group (both P <  0.001 after Bonferroni correction). Moreover, we found CSF clusterin levels are positively associated with CSF Aß42 (ß = 0.040, P <  0. 001), CSF p-tau (ß = 0.325, P <  0.001) and CSF t-tau (ß = 0.346, P <  0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicated that there are differences levels of CSF clusterin in different stages of AD pathology. The CSF clusterin level decreased at the early stage are related to abnormal Aß pathology; and the increased levels are associated with tau pathology and neurodegeneration.

A rare case of bladder cancer that metastasized to brain, heart, and lung lymph nodes benefited from immunotherapy.

Bladder cancer is a common malignant tumor of the genitourinary system, with the primary cause of death being metastasis. The most common metastatic sites are the lymph nodes, liver, lung, bone, peritoneum, pleura, kidney, adrenal gland, and the intestine. Brain and heart metastases are rare. In this report, we describe a patient who had pulmonary lymph node metastases more than a year after being diagnosed with bladder cancer, followed by brain and cardiac metastases more than two years later. Following the failure of standard first-line chemotherapy, the patient accepted 6 cycles of tislelizumab immunotherapy. The re-examination revealed that the bilateral frontal brain metastases had vanished, the right temporal lobe metastases had been greatly decreased, the neurological symptoms had been alleviated, and the cardiac metastases had disappeared. This is a rare clinical case with encouraging effects of tislelizumab and can serve as a model for the treatment of similar patients.

The Impact of Weather and Air Pollution on Viral Infection and Disease Outcome Among Pediatric Pneumonia Patients in Chongqing, China, from 2009 to 2018: A Prospective Observational Study.

BACKGROUND: For pediatric pneumonia, the meteorological and air pollution indicators have been frequently investigated for their association with viral circulation but not for their impact on disease severity. METHODS: We performed a 10-year prospective, observational study in 1 hospital in Chongqing, China, to recruit children with pneumonia. Eight commonly seen respiratory viruses were tested. Autoregressive distributed lag (ADL) and random forest (RF) models were used to fit monthly detection rates of each virus at the population level and to predict the possibility of severe pneumonia at the individual level, respectively. RESULTS: Between 2009 and 2018, 6611 pediatric pneumonia patients were included, and 4846 (73.3%) tested positive for at least 1 respiratory virus. The patient median age was 9 months (interquartile range, 4‒20). ADL models demonstrated a decent fitting of detection rates of R2 > 0.7 for respiratory syncytial virus, human rhinovirus, parainfluenza virus, and human metapneumovirus. Based on the RF models, the area under the curve for host-related factors alone was 0.88 (95% confidence interval [CI], .87‒.89) and 0.86 (95% CI, .85‒.88) for meteorological and air pollution indicators alone and 0.62 (95% CI, .60‒.63) for viral infections alone. The final model indicated that 9 weather and air pollution indicators were important determinants of severe pneumonia, with a relative contribution of 62.53%, which is significantly higher than respiratory viral infections (7.36%). CONCLUSIONS: Meteorological and air pollution predictors contributed more to severe pneumonia in children than did respiratory viruses. These meteorological data could help predict times when children would be at increased risk for severe pneumonia and when interventions, such as reducing outdoor activities, may be warranted.

[Chronic heart failure due to Qi deficiency and blood stasis and intervention mechanism of Compound Renshen Buqi Granules:a proteomics-based study].

Compound Renshen Buqi Granules have been widely used to treat chronic heart failure(CHF) due to Qi deficiency and blood stasis, but the mechanism of action remains unclear. This paper explored the pathogenesis of CHF due to Qi deficiency and blood stasis and the intervention mechanism of Compound Renshen Buqi Granules based on quantitative proteomics for uncovering the biological basis. SD rats were divided into the normal control(N) group, normal+Compound Renshen Buqi Granules(ND) group, model(M) group, model+Compound Renshen Buqi Granules(D) group, and positive control(Y) group. The rat model of CHF due to Qi deficiency and blood stasis was established by ligation of the left anterior descending(LAD) coronary artery and chronic sleep deprivation. The rats in the ND group and D group were provided with Compound Renshen Buqi Granules, while those in the Y group received valsartan. Six weeks later, the serum was sampled and the data-dependent acquisition(DDA) was employed for the non-targeted quantitative proteomics analysis of the differences in protein expression among groups, followed by the targeted analysis of differentially expressed proteins(DEPs) generated by data-independent acquisition(DIA). Compared with the N group, the rats in the M group pre-sented with decreased body weight, grip strength, and pulse amplitude and increased RGB value on the tongue surface. The pathomorphological examination revealed inflammatory cell infiltration, cell degeneration and necrosis, tissue fibrosis, etc. After the intervention with Compound Renshen Buqi Granules, multiple indicators were reversed. As demonstrated by proteomics results, there were 144 and 111 DEPs found in the M group and ND group in comparison with the N group. Compared with the M group, 107 and 194 DEPs were found in the D group and the Y group, respectively. Compared with the ND group, 119 DEPs were detected in the D group. As illustrated by DIA-based verification, the quantitative results of six proteins in each group were consistent with those by DDA. The syndrome indicators and pathomorphological examination results demonstrated that the protein expression profile of rats with CHF due to Qi deficiency and blood stasis changed obviously. However, Compound Renshen Buqi Granules were able to reverse the differential expression of immune proteins to regulate CHF of Qi deficiency and blood stasis syndrome, which has provided clues for figuring out the pathogenesis of CHF due to Qi deficiency and blood stasis and the intervention mechanism of Compound Renshen Buqi Granules.

An Energy Efficient Synchronization Protocol for Target Tracking in Wireless Sensor Array Networks.

Time synchronization is an important middleware function that supports the Quality of Service (QoS) of systems in wireless sensor array networks. Instead of providing high synchronization accuracy for all application scenarios, we argue that synchronization protocols should be application specific. In this paper, we exploit the synchronization requirements of target-tracking systems in wireless sensor array networks and propose an energy-efficient Sensor Array Synchronization Protocol (SASP), which provides the required synchronization accuracy to guarantee the QoS. Specifically, when no target appears, to guarantee system lifetime, coarse synchronization is achieved with little overhead by piggybacking time information onto periodical network maintenance packets. Once targets appear, SASP achieves high inter-array and relatively higher intra-array synchronization accuracy rather than the traditional network-wide high accuracy on average. In this way, it guarantees reliable communication and accurate data fusion, while reducing energy consumption. Theoretical analysis and extensive evaluations show the effectiveness of the proposed protocol.

The ARF2-ANT-COR15A gene cascade regulates ABA-signaling-mediated resistance of large seeds to drought in Arabidopsis.

Seedlings of large-seeded plants are considered to be able to withstand abiotic stresses efficiently. The molecular mechanisms that underlie the involved signaling crosstalk between the large-seeded trait and abiotic tolerance are, however, largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate the molecular link that integrates plant abscisic acid (ABA) responses to drought stress into the regulation of seed mass. Both loss-of-function mutants of the Auxin Response Factor 2 (ARF2 encoding a transcription factor) and lines overexpressing AINTEGUMENTA (ANT; a transcription factor) under the 35S promoter exhibited large seed and drought-tolerant phenotypes as a result of abnormal ABA-auxin crosstalk signaling pathways in Arabidopsis. The target gene COLD-REGULATED15A (COR15a) was identified as participating in the regulation of seed development with ABA signaling through a negative regulation mechanism that is mediated by ANT. The molecular and genetic evidence presented indicate that ARF2, ANT and COR15A form an ABA-mediated signaling pathway to link modulation of seed mass with drought tolerance. These observations indicate that the ARF2 transcription factor serves as a molecular link that integrates plant ABA responses to drought stress into the regulation of seed mass.

iNOS-derived peroxynitrite mediates high glucose-induced inflammatory gene expression in vascular smooth muscle cells through promoting KLF5 expression and nitration.

Inducible NO synthase (iNOS) expression and peroxynitrite formation are significantly increased in diabetic vascular tissues. Transcription factor KLF5 activates iNOS gene transcription and is involved in vascular inflammatory injury and remodeling. However, mutual regulation between KLF5, iNOS and peroxynitrite in diabetic vascular inflammation, as well as the underlying mechanisms, remain largely unknown. In this study, we found a marked increase in KLF5 and iNOS expression in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) of diabetic patients. High glucose-induced expression of KLF5 and iNOS was also observed in cultured mouse VSMCs. Further investigation showed that high glucose induced KLF5 nitration by iNOS-mediated peroxynitrite generation, and nitrated KLF5 increased its interaction with NF-κB p50 and thus cooperatively activated the expression of inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-1ß. Furthermore, we showed that the VSMC-specific knockout of KLF5 dramatically reduced inflammatory cytokine expression in the vascular tissues of diabetic mice. Moreover, 17ß-estradiol (E2) inhibited high glucose-mediated effects in VSMCs, and in the response to E2, estrogen receptor (ER) α competed with KLF5 for binding to NF-κB p50, which in turn leads to the suppression of inflammatory gene expression in VSMCs. Together, the present findings were the first to show that KLF5 expression and nitration by iNOS-mediated peroxynitrite are necessary for the induction of TNF-α and IL-1ß expression in VSMCs of diabetic vascular tissues.

Operation room nursing based on humanized nursing mode combined with nitric oxide on rehabilitation effect after lung surgery.

BACKGROUND: With advancements in the diagnosis and treatment of lung diseases, lung segment surgery has become increasingly common. Postoperative rehabilitation is critical for patient recovery, yet challenges such as complications and adverse outcomes persist. Incorporating humanized nursing modes and novel treatments like nitric oxide inhalation may enhance recovery and reduce postoperative complications. AIM: To evaluate the effects of a humanized nursing mode combined with nitric oxide inhalation on the rehabilitation outcomes of patients undergoing lung surgery, focusing on pulmonary function, recovery speed, and overall treatment costs. METHODS: A total of 79 patients who underwent lung surgery at a tertiary hospital from March 2021 to December 2021 were divided into a control group (n = 39) receiving a routine nursing program and an experimental group (n = 40) receiving additional humanized nursing interventions and atomized inhalation of nitric oxide. Key indicators were compared between the two groups alongside an analysis of treatment costs. RESULTS: The experimental group demonstrated significant improvements in pulmonary function, reduced average recovery time, and lower total treatment costs compared to the control group. Moreover, the quality of life in the experimental group was significantly better in the 3 months post-surgery, indicating a more effective rehabilitation process. CONCLUSION: The combination of humanized nursing mode and nitric oxide inhalation in postoperative care for lung surgery patients significantly enhances pulmonary rehabilitation outcomes, accelerates recovery, and reduces economic burden. This approach offers a promising reference for improving patient care and rehabilitation efficiency following lung surgery.

Plasma Insulin Predicts Early Amyloid-ß Pathology Changes in Alzheimer's Disease.

Background: Evidence suggests that type 2 diabetes (T2D) is an independent risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD), sharing similar pathophysiological traits like impaired insulin signaling. Objective: To test the association between plasma insulin and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) AD pathology. Methods: A total of 304 participants were included in the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, assessing plasma insulin and CSF AD pathology. We explored the cross-sectional and longitudinal associations between plasma insulin and AD pathology and compared their associations across different AD clinical and pathological stages. Results: In the non-demented group, amyloid-ß (Aß)+ participants (e.g., as reflected by CSF Aß42) exhibited significantly lower plasma insulin levels compared to non-demented Aß-participants (p < 0.001). This reduction in plasma insulin was more evident in the A+T+ group (as shown by CSF Aß42 and pTau181 levels) when compared to the A-T- group within the non-dementia group (p = 0.002). Additionally, higher plasma insulin levels were consistently associated with more normal CSF Aß42 levels (p < 0.001) across all participants. This association was particularly significant in the Aß-group (p = 0.002) and among non-demented individuals (p < 0.001). Notably, baseline plasma insulin was significantly correlated with longitudinal changes in CSF Aß42 (p = 0.006), whereas baseline CSF Aß42 did not show a similar correlation with changes in plasma insulin over time. Conclusions: These findings suggest an association between plasma insulin and early Aß pathology in the early stages of AD, indicating that plasma insulin may be a potential predictor of changes in early Aß pathology.

Sex differences in the relationship between depression and Alzheimer's disease-mechanisms, genetics, and therapeutic opportunities.

Depression and Alzheimer's disease (AD) are prevalent neuropsychiatric disorders with intriguing epidemiological overlaps. Their interrelation has recently garnered widespread attention. Empirical evidence indicates that depressive disorders significantly contribute to AD risk, and approximately a quarter of AD patients have comorbid major depressive disorder, which underscores the bidirectional link between AD and depression. A growing body of evidence substantiates pervasive sex differences in both AD and depression: both conditions exhibit a higher incidence among women than among men. However, the available literature on this topic is somewhat fragmented, with no comprehensive review that delineates sex disparities in the depression-AD correlation. In this review, we bridge these gaps by summarizing recent progress in understanding sex-based differences in mechanisms, genetics, and therapeutic prospects for depression and AD. Additionally, we outline key challenges in the field, holding potential for improving treatment precision and efficacy tailored to male and female patients' distinct needs.

A novel lncRNA LOC105613571 binding with BDNF in pituitary promotes gonadotropin secretion by AKT/ERK-mTOR pathway in sheep associated with prolificacy.

The pituitary is a vital endocrine organ for synthesis and secretion of gonadotropic hormones (FSH and LH), and the gonadotropin showed fluctuations in animals with different fecundity. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified as regulatory factors for the reproductive process. However, the profiles of lncRNAs and their roles involved in sheep fecundity remains unclear. In this study, we performed RNA-sequencing for the sheep pituitary gland associated with different fecundity, and identified a novel candidate lncRNA LOC105613571 targeting BDNF related to gonadotropin secretion. Our results showed that expression of lncRNA LOC105613571 and BDNF could be significantly upregulated by GnRH stimulation in sheep pituitary cells in vitro. Notably, either lncRNA LOC105613571 or BDNF silencing inhibited cell proliferation while promoted cell apoptosis. Moreover, lncRNA LOC105613571 knockdown could also downregulate gonadotropin secretion via inactivation AKT, ERK and mTOR pathway. In addition, co-treatment with GnRH stimulation and lncRNA LOC105613571 or BDNF knockdown showed the opposite effect on sheep pituitary cells in vitro. In summary, BDNF-binding lncRNA LOC105613571 in sheep regulates pituitary cell proliferation and gonadotropin secretion via the AKT/ERK-mTOR pathway, providing new ideas for the molecular mechanisms of pituitary functions.

Enhancing CO2 storage and marine carbon sink based on seawater mineral carbonation.

Human activities emitting carbon dioxide (CO2) have caused severe greenhouse effects and accelerated climate change, making carbon neutrality urgent. Seawater mineral carbonation technology offers a promising negative emission strategy. This work investigates current advancements in proposed seawater mineral carbonation technologies, including CO2 storage and ocean chemical carbon sequestration. CO2 storage technology relies on indirect mineral carbonation to fix CO2, involving CO2 dissolution, Ca/Mg extraction, and carbonate precipitation, optimized by adding alkaline substances or using electrochemical methods. Ocean chemical carbon sequestration uses natural seawater for direct mineral carbonation, enhanced by adding specific materials to promote carbonate precipitation and increase CO2 absorption, thus enhancing marine carbon sinks. This study evaluates these technologies' advantages and challenges, including reaction rates, costs, and ecological impacts, and analyzes representative materials' carbon fixation potential. Literature indicates that seawater mineral carbonation can play a significant role in CO2 storage and enhancing marine carbon sinks in the coming decades.

CAIDE Score, Alzheimer's Disease Pathology, and Cognition in Cognitively Normal Adults: The CABLE Study.

Background: Cardiovascular Risk Factors, Ageing and Dementia (CAIDE) risk score serves as a credible predictor of an individual's risk of dementia. However, studies on the link of the CAIDE score to Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology are scarce. Objective: To explore the links of CAIDE score to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers of AD as well as to cognitive performance. Methods: In the Chinese Alzheimer's Biomarker and LifestylE (CABLE) study, we recruited 600 cognitively normal participants. Correlations between the CAIDE score and CSF biomarkers of AD as well as cognitive performance were probed through multiple linear regression models. Whether the correlation between CAIDE score and cognitive performance was mediated by AD pathology was researched by means of mediation analyses. Results: Linear regression analyses illustrated that CAIDE score was positively associated with tau-related biomarkers, including pTau (p < 0.001), tTau (p < 0.001), as well as tTau/Aß42 (p = 0.008), while it was in negative association with cognitive scores, consisting of MMSE score (p < 0.001) as well as MoCA score (p < 0.001). The correlation from CAIDE score to cognitive scores was in part mediated by tau pathology, with a mediation rate varying from 3.2% to 13.2%. Conclusions: A higher CAIDE score, as demonstrated in our study, was linked to more severe tau pathology and poorer cognitive performance, and tau pathology mediated the link of CAIDE score to cognitive performance. Increased dementia risk will lead to cognitive decline through aggravating neurodegeneration.