Rice transformation treatments leave specific epigenome changes beyond tissue culture.

During transgenic plant production, tissue culture often carries epigenetic, and genetic changes that underlie somaclonal variations, leading to unpredictable phenotypes. Additionally, specific treatments for rice (Oryza sativa) transformation processes may individually or jointly contribute to somaclonal variations, but their specific impacts on rice epigenomes toward transcriptional variations remain unknown. Here, the impact of individual transformation treatments on genome-wide DNA methylation and the transcriptome were examined. In addition to activating stress-responsive genes, individual transformation components targeted different gene expression modules that were enriched in specific functional categories. The transformation treatments strongly impacted DNA methylation and expression; 75% were independent of tissue culture. Furthermore, our genome-wide analysis showed that the transformation treatments consistently resulted in global hypo-CHH methylation enriched at promoters highly associated with downregulation, particularly when the promoters were colocalized with miniature inverted-repeat transposable elements. Our results clearly highlight the specificity of impacts triggered by individual transformation treatments during rice transformation with the potential association between DNA methylation and gene expression. These changes in gene expression and DNA methylation resulting from rice transformation treatments explain a significant portion of somaclonal variations, that is, way beyond the tissue culture effect.

Exploring the therapeutic potential of rutin through investigating its inhibitory mechanism on lactate dehydrogenase: Multi-spectral methods and computer simulation.

Lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), a crucial enzyme in anaerobic glycolysis, plays a pivotal role in the energy metabolism of tumor cells, positioning it as a promising target for tumor treatment. Rutin, a plant-based flavonoid, offers benefits like antioxidant, antiapoptotic, and antineoplastic effects. This study employed diverse experiments to investigate the inhibitory mechanism of rutin on LDH through a binding perspective. The outcomes revealed that rutin underwent spontaneous binding within the coenzyme binding site of LDH, leading to the formation of a stable binary complex driven by hydrophobic forces, with hydrogen bonds also contributing significantly to sustaining the stability of the LDH-rutin complex. The binding constant (Ka) for the LDH-rutin system was 2.692 ± 0.015 × 104 M-1 at 298 K. Furthermore, rutin induced the alterations in the secondary structure conformation of LDH, characterized by a decrease in α-helix and an increase in antiparallel and parallel ß-sheet, and ß-turn. Rutin augmented the stability of coenzyme binding to LDH, which could potentially hinder the conversion process among coenzymes. Specifically, Arg98 in the active site loop of LDH provided essential binding energy contribution in the binding process. These outcomes might explain the dose-dependent inhibition of the catalytic activity of LDH by rutin. Interestingly, both the food additives ascorbic acid and tetrahydrocurcumin could reduce the binding stability of LDH and rutin. Meanwhile, these food additives did not produce positive synergism or antagonism on the rutin binding to LDH. Overall, this research could offer a unique insight into the therapeutic potential and medicinal worth of rutin.

Predicting factors for acute encephalopathy in febrile seizure children with SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: SARS-CoV-2 posed a threat to children during the early phase of Omicron wave because many patients presented with febrile seizures. The study aimed to investigate predicting factors for acute encephalopathy of children infected by SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant presenting with febrile seizures. METHODS: The retrospective study analyzed data from pediatric patients who visited the emergency department of Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan between April and July 2022. We specifically focused on children with COVID-19 who presented with febrile seizures, collecting demographic, clinical, and laboratory data at the pediatric emergency department, as well as final discharge diagnoses. Subsequently, we conducted a comparative analysis of the clinical and laboratory characteristics between patients diagnosed with acute encephalopathy and those with other causes of febrile seizures. RESULTS: Overall, 10,878 children were included, of which 260 patients presented with febrile seizures. Among them, 116 individuals tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 and of them, 14 subsequently developed acute encephalopathy (12%). Those with acute encephalopathy displayed distinctive features, including older age (5.1 vs. 2.6 years old), longer fever duration preceding the first seizure (1.6 vs. 0.9 days), cluster seizure (50% vs. 16.7%), status epilepticus (50% vs. 13.7%) and occurrences of bradycardia (26.8% vs. 0%) and hypotension (14.3% vs. 0%) in the encephalopathy group. Besides, the laboratory findings in the encephalopathy group are characterized by hyperglycemia (mean (95% CI) 146 mg/dL (95% CI 109-157) vs. 108 mg/dL (95% CI 103-114) and metabolic acidosis (mean (95% CI) pH 7.29(95% CI 7.22-7.36) vs. 7.39 (95%CI 7.37-7.41)). CONCLUSIONS: In pediatric patients with COVID-19-related febrile seizures, the occurrence of seizures beyond the first day of fever, bradycardia, clustered seizures, status epilepticus, hyperglycemia, and metabolic acidosis should raise concerns about acute encephalitis/encephalopathy. However, the highest body temperature and the severity of leukocytosis or C-reactive protein levels were not associated with poor outcomes.

MRI of fatal course of acute hemorrhagic leukoencephalitis in a child with SARS-CoV-2 omicron BA 2.0 infection.

We present a pediatric case of acute hemorrhagic leukoencephalitis associated with SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA 2.0 infection. A previously healthy girl presented with ataxia and diplopia three weeks after the COVID-19 confirmation from a nasopharyngeal swab. Acute and symmetrical motor weakness and drowsiness ensued within the following 3 days. She then became spastic tetraplegic. MRI revealed multifocal lesions in the cerebral white matter, basal ganglia, and brainstem, with hemorrhagic changes confirmed with T1-hyperintensity and hypointensity on susceptibility-weighted images. Peripheral areas of decreased diffusion, increased blood flow, and rim contrast enhancement were noted in the majority of lesions. She was treated with a combination of intravenous immunoglobulin and methylprednisolone pulse therapy. Neurological deterioration ensued with coma, ataxic respiratory pattern and decerebrate posture. Repeated MRI performed on day 31 revealed progression of abnormalities, hemorrhages and brain herniation. Despite the administration of plasma exchange, she died two months after admission.

IMP3 promotes re-endothelialization after arterial injury via increasing stability of VEGF mRNAhv.

IMP3, an RNA-binding protein (RBP) that participates in the process of post-transcriptional modifications of mRNA transcripts, is capable of altering cellular functions, and in some cases, be involved in specific disease progression. We aimed to investigate whether IMP3 has the ability to regulate the functional properties of endothelial cells and re-endothelialization in response to arterial injury. Wire injury was introduced to the right carotid arteries of wildtype C57/BL6 mice. As a result, IMPs' expressions were up-regulated in the induced arterial lesions, and IMP3 was the most up-regulated RNA among other IMPs. We overexpressed IMP3 before the wire-injured surgery using adeno-associated virus AAV2-IMP3. In vivo studies confirmed that IMP3 overexpression accelerated the progress of re-endothelialization after arterial injury. In vitro, endothelial cells were transfected with either ad-IMP3 or Si-IMP3, cell functional studies showed that IMP3 could promote endothelial cell proliferation and migration, while reducing apoptosis. Mechanistic studies also revealed that IMP3 could enhance VEGF mRNA stability and therefore up-regulate activities of VEGF/PI3K/Akt signalling pathway. Our data indicated that IMP3 promotes re-endothelialization after arterial injury and regulates endothelial cell proliferation, migration and apoptosis via increasing stability of VEGF mRNA and activation of VEGF/PI3K/Akt signalling pathway.

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathies: Is prognosis related to different epileptic network dysfunctions?

Developmental and epileptic encephalopathies are a group of rare, severe epilepsies, which are characterized by refractory seizures starting in infancy or childhood and developmental delay or regression. Developmental changes might be independent of epilepsy. However, interictal epileptic activity and seizures can further deteriorate cognition and behavior. Recently, the concept of developmental and epileptic encephalopathies has moved from the lesions associated with epileptic encephalopathies toward the epileptic network dysfunctions on the functioning of the brain. Early recognition and differentiation of patients with developmental and epileptic encephalopathies is important, as precision therapies need to be holistic to address the often devastating symptoms. In this review, we discuss the evolution of the concept of developmental and epileptic encephalopathies in recent years, as well as the current understanding of the genetic basis of developmental and epileptic encephalopathies. Finally, we will discuss the role of epileptic network dysfunctions on prognosis for these severe conditions.

Incidence and prevalence of Tourette syndrome and chronic tic disorders in Taiwan: a nationwide population-based study.

PURPOSE: The incidence of Tourette syndrome and chronic tic disorders has seldom been evaluated in Asia. METHODS: Using the National Taiwan Insurance Research Database, the annual standardized incidence and prevalence of Tourette syndrome (TS) and chronic tic disorders were estimated from 2007 to 2015. The pre-existing comorbidity at disease diagnosis was also evaluated. RESULTS: From 2007 to 2015, the age- and sex-standardized incidence increased from 5.34 (95% confidence interval [CI] 5.06-5.62) per 100,000 person-years to 6.87 (95% CI 6.53-7.21) per 100,000 person-years. In children and adolescents, the age- and sex-standardized incidence increased from 19.58 (95% CI 18.42-20.75) per 100,000 person-years to 31.79 (95% CI 30.09-33.49) per 100,000 person-years. In adults, the age- and sex-standardized incidence decreased from 2.01 (95% CI 1.79-2.23) per 100,000 person-years to 1.24 (95% CI 1.07-1.42) per 100,000 person-years. The incidence rate ratio (IRR) between males and females was 3.74 (95% CI 3.32-4.22). The age- and sex-standardized prevalence increased from 37.51 (95% CI 36.75-38.27) per 100,000 people in 2007 to 84.18 (95% CI 83.02-85.35) per 100,000 people in 2015. The rate risk (RR) between males and females was 3.65 (95% CI 3.53-3.78). CONCLUSION: The annual incidence rates of TS and chronic tic disorders increased in childhood and adolescence but decreased in adulthood from 2007 to 2015. The prevalence rates increased over the same period.

Secular Trends in the Incidence, Prevalence, and Medications for Epilepsy from 2007 to 2015 in Taiwan: A Nationwide Population-Based Study.

BACKGROUND: Patients with epilepsy have a higher mortality rate than the general population. Up-to-date estimates of epilepsy incidence, prevalence, and medication use are critical to assist policymaking. METHODS: Using the National Taiwan Insurance Research Database, the standardized incidence and prevalence of epilepsy were estimated in each calendar year from 2007 to 2015. We used the incident cases of epilepsy to analyze the change in prescribing patterns from 2007 to 2015. Joinpoint regression was used to estimate secular trends. RESULTS: From 2007 to 2015, the age- and sex-standardized incidence decreased from 0.72 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.70-0.73) to 0.54 (95% CI 0.53-0.55) per 1,000 person-years, giving an annual percentage change (APC) of -2.73 (p < 0.05). Among patients younger than 20 years, the incidence did not change significantly. The age- and sex-standardized prevalence decreased from 6.94 (95% CI 6.90-6.98) to 6.86 (95% CI, 6.82-6.89) per 1,000 people, giving an APC of -0.31 (p < 0.05). However, the prevalence increased in the 35- to 49- and 50- to 64-year age-groups. The most common first-line anticonvulsant was phenytoin in 2007 and valproate in 2015. The use of levetiracetam, clobazam, and valproate increased during the study period, with APCs of 25.48% (95% CI 19.97-31.24), 6.41 (3.09-9.85), and 2.83 (1.51-4.16), respectively. The use of carbamazepine, phenytoin, and topiramate decreased; the APCs were -23.86% (95% CI -25.25 to -22.44), -6.61 (-8.40 to -4.79), and -4.29% (-7.87 to -0.57), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The overall prevalence and incidence of epilepsy decreased slightly from 2007 to 2015. The prescribed first-line anticonvulsant also changed over time.

Drug-Induced Extrapyramidal Symptoms at the Pediatric Emergency Department.

OBJECTIVES: Extrapyramidal symptoms (EPS) induced by pharmacologic agents can cause patient discomfort and lead to emergency department visits. Analyzing these cases at a pediatric emergency department may help to elucidate the characteristic features of extrapyramidal syndrome in children. METHODS: This retrospective study was conducted at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Taiwan. Pediatric patients with drug-induced extrapyramidal syndrome seeking treatment at our emergency department from January 2001 to December 2010 were enrolled. The patients' clinical features, drug history, demographic data, and treatment data were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: One hundred nineteen patients (61 females, 58 males) were enrolled. Ninety-six patients could provide their drug history; all of whom took dopamine antagonists and 90% of whom took dopamine antagonists as antiemetic agents, with only 9 patients taking them for antipsychotic purposes. Metoclopramide syrup overdose was the main cause of extrapyramidal syndrome in patients under 2 years old. The average emergency room stay of the patients who could provide their drug history was shorter than that of those who could not. CONCLUSIONS: It is not uncommon for patients with drug-induced EPS to present to a pediatric emergency room owing to the use of dopamine antagonists as antiemetic agents. Clinical symptoms with a clear drug history are helpful for the diagnosis and management. Emphasizing the correct usage of liquid medications will reduce the risk of EPS.

REDUCING LENGTH OF STAY AND IMPROVING QUALITY OF CARE BY IMPLEMENTATION OF INFORMATICS SYSTEM AND CARE BUNDLE IN THE INTENSIVE CARE UNIT.

BACKGROUND: Clinical situations in intensive care units (ICUs) change rapidly, and many factors may prolong the length of stay (LOS) of patients. OBJECTIVES: The objectives of the study were to examine the effects of implementing an electronic-ICU (e-ICU) and an informatics system in an ICU on the LOS of patients and quality of care. METHODS: We evaluated the implementation of a technology electronic dashboard-ICU (TED-ICU) system to upload automatically physiological information and clinical data within the critical care unit for providing real-time information to the care team. Furthermore, TED-ICU software automatically performed Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) every 48 h. If a patient's SOFA score decreased by more than 2 points, there was an automatic reminder for transferring patients to the general ward. We prospectively collected data for this study from the ICU before and after implementing the e-ICU. RESULTS: In total, 2248 patients were admitted to our ICU during the study period (1147 and 1101 patients before and after TED-ICU implementation, respectively). Demographic characteristics and in-hospital mortality rates did not differ significantly between the two groups, and the LOS decreased from 7.26 to 5.53 days (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Implementing an informatics system (TED-ICU) and care bundle in ICUs can reduce the LOS.

Correlation of anti-acetylcholine receptor antibody levels and long-term outcomes of juvenile myasthenia gravis in Taiwan: a case control study.

BACKGROUND: Myasthenia gravis is the most common disease affecting the neuromuscular junction. The most common etiology among patients with juvenile myasthenia gravis is the production of antibodies against the acetylcholine receptor. However, the clinical outcome in relation to serum levels of anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies in juvenile myasthenia gravis has rarely been discussed. We aimed to analyze the correlation between the presence of anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies and outcome in juvenile myasthenia gravis. METHODS: Patients diagnosed with juvenile myasthenia gravis younger than of 20 years of age were retrospectively recruited from January 1995 to February 2017 in a tertiary referral medical center. According to the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America outcome scale, the primary outcome was complete symptom remission and cessation of medications for at least 1 year measured 2 years after diagnosis. Secondary outcome was complete symptom remission at the last outpatient clinic. RESULTS: A total of 54 patients were followed up for over 2 years. Nine patients (9/54, 16.7%) achieved complete remission without medication use at 2 years after diagnosis. Thirteen (24.1%) patients achieved complete remission during longer follow-up periods. Those with negative anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies were more likely to achieve complete remission at 2 years (6/15 [40%] vs. 3/39 [7.7%], 95% Confidence interval [CI] 1.670 to 38.323) and at the last outpatient clinic follow-up (8/15 [53.3%] vs. 5/39 [12.8%], 95% CI 2.367 to 20.704). Thirteen patients with comorbid autoimmune thyroid diseases were older than those without disease (11.8 ± 5.8 years old vs. 8.0 ± 6.3 years old, 95% CI 0.018 to 7.33). Moreover, patients negative for anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies were less likely comorbid with autoimmune thyroid disease (1/35 [2.9%] vs. 12/71 [16.9%], 95% CI 0.018 to 1.161). CONCLUSIONS: Juvenile myasthenia gravis patients without anti-acetylcholine antibodies exhibited significantly increased complete remission rates and a reduced likelihood of comorbid autoimmune thyroid diseases compared with those with anti-acetylcholine receptor antibodies among Chinese.

Efficacy and tolerability of perampanel in children and adolescents with pharmacoresistant epilepsy: The first real-world evaluation in Asian pediatric neurology clinics.

AIM: This study investigated the efficacy and safety of perampanel (PER) adjunctive therapy in pediatric patients with epilepsy whose seizures are pharmacoresistant to existing antiepileptic drugs. METHODS: A clinical retrospective study was conducted from 2016 to 2017 in the pediatric neurology clinic at a tertiary children's hospital. We reviewed the data obtained from 66 children whose seizures were pharmacoresistant to more than two antiepileptic drugs, and could be followed up for a minimum of 3 months after PER adjunctive therapy initiation. The efficacy was estimated by the PER response rate at 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up evaluations, and adverse events were also recorded. RESULTS: The rate of seizure reduction of >50% was 30.3%, 37.5%, and 34.7% for all seizure types at 3, 6, and 12 months, in which 7.6%, 8.9%, and 14.3% of the patients became seizure-free at these time points, respectively. No significant differences were found between enzyme-inducing and nonenzyme-inducing antiepileptic drugs in combination with PER with regard to the responder rate. Five patients with Dravet syndrome were included in the study. Four of them (80%) exhibited 50% seizure reduction at the last visit, at which point, two patients (40.0%) were seizure-free. The retention rate was 51% at 12 months. Adverse events were documented in 25 patients (35.7%) and led to PER discontinuation in eight patients (12.1%). The most common adverse events comprised irritability, skin rash, dizziness, and somnolence; however, all were transient and successfully managed after PER dose reduction or discontinuation. CONCLUSION: The current data support the value of adjunctive PER in child and adolescent patients with pharmacoresistant epilepsy in daily clinical practice. Perampanel was efficacious and generally well-tolerated as an add-on treatment for epilepsy.

Arterial spin-labeling perfusion imaging of childhood encephalitis: correlation with seizure and clinical outcome.

PURPOSE: In childhood encephalitis, perfusion abnormalities have been infrequently reported to associate with clinical status. We investigated whether perfusion abnormalities correlated with seizure and clinical outcome in encephalitis. METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the MR studies of 77 pediatric patients with encephalitis. Pseudo-continuous arterial spin-labeling (ASL) imaging was performed on a 3-T scanner. The patients were divided into five groups according to ASL perfusion imaging pattern: normal perfusion (NP), focal hypoperfusion (Lf), extreme global hypoperfusion (LE), focal hyperperfusion (Hf), and extreme global hyperperfusion (HE). Clinical outcome at 3 weeks was dichotomized to unfavorable or favorable outcome according to the Glasgow outcome scale. Multivariate logistic regression was conducted to predict unfavorable outcome and presence of seizure separately, based on explanatory variables including age, sex, and ASL pattern. RESULTS: Twenty-seven (35%) patients were designated as in group Hf, five (7%) in group Lf, 11 (14%) in group LE, none in group HE, and 34 (44%) in group NP. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that ASL pattern was significantly associated with unfavorable outcome (P = 0.005) and with presence of seizure (P = 0.005). For ASL pattern, group LE was 17.31 times as likely to have an unfavorable outcome as group NP (odds ratio confidence interval [CI] 3.084, 97.105; P = 0.001). Group Hf was 6.383 times as likely to have seizure as group NP (CI 1.765, 23.083; P = 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: In childhood encephalitis, patients with extreme global hypoperfusion had poor neurological outcome and those with focal hypoperfusion were more likely to have seizure.

Somaclonal variation does not preclude the use of rice transformants for genetic screening.

Rice (Oryza sativa) is one of the world's most important crops. Rice researchers make extensive use of insertional mutants for the study of gene function. Approximately half a million flanking sequence tags from rice insertional mutant libraries are publicly available. However, the relationship between genotype and phenotype is very weak. Transgenic plant assays have been used frequently for complementation, overexpression or antisense analysis, but sequence changes caused by callus growth, Agrobacterium incubation medium, virulence genes, transformation and selection conditions are unknown. We used high-throughput sequencing of DNA from rice lines derived from Tainung 67 to analyze non-transformed and transgenic rice plants for mutations caused by these parameters. For comparison, we also analyzed sequence changes for two additional rice varieties and four T-DNA tagged transformants from the Taiwan Rice Insertional Mutant resource. We identified single-nucleotide polymorphisms, small indels, large deletions, chromosome doubling and chromosome translocations in these lines. Using standard rice regeneration/transformation procedures, the mutation rates of regenerants and transformants were relatively low, with no significant differences among eight tested treatments in the Tainung 67 background and in the cultivars Taikeng 9 and IR64. Thus, we could not conclusively detect sequence changes resulting from Agrobacterium-mediated transformation in addition to those caused by tissue culture-induced somaclonal variation. However, the mutation frequencies within the two publically available tagged mutant populations, including TRIM transformants or Tos17 lines, were about 10-fold higher than the frequency of standard transformants, probably because mass production of embryogenic calli and longer callus growth periods were required to generate these large libraries.

Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal Axis in Aging Men and Women: Increasing Total Testosterone in Aging Men.

BACKGROUND: Aging is associated with variations in hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis hormones. However, it is not clear how aging changes these hormones. This study examined the natural alterations in the HPG axis in aging men and women in China. METHODS: Data were obtained from our cross-sectional study (SPECT-China) in 16 areas of three provinces in East China between February and June 2014. There were 6,825 subjects selected, including 2,908 men and 3,917 women aged 25-93 years who had no diseases affecting HPG hormones and did not take exogenous supplements. Total testosterone (TT), estradiol (E2), free testosterone, sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) were measured. RESULTS: In men, the ranges of the 10-90th percentiles for each hormone were as follows: TT, 9.9-23.4 nmol/l; SHBG, 20.6-79.54 nmol/l; E2, 34.84-187 pmol/l. TT values were higher in men aged 25-30 years than in those aged 31-35 years and began to increase progressively at the age of 41-50 years until men reached their eighties. The unadjusted annual age trend (ß) was 0.079 nmol/l/year (p < 0.001). A linear regression analysis, after full adjustment for demographic variables, metabolic factors, other hormones, lifestyle and co-morbidities, showed that higher TT levels were still associated with aging (p < 0.05). However, the ratio of TT to LH decreased with age (ß = -0.272/year, p < 0.001). E2 and SHBG increased with age (ß = 1.774 pmol/l/year and 1.118 nmol/l/year, respectively, p < 0.001). In women, the 10-90th percentile range of E2 was 32.79-565.8 pmol/l. E2 began to decrease at the age of 46-50 years, declined sharply at the age of 51-55 years (ß = -5.73 pmol/l/year, p < 0.001) and then stabilized at a low concentration after the age of 55 years. The 10-90th percentile ranges of LH and FSH in men were 2.4-9.2 and 3.4-15.5 IU/l, and in women they were 3-36.6 and 4-89.28 IU/l, respectively. FSH increased by 7.11% per annum in men and by 12.76% per annum in women, but LH increased by only approximately 4.00% per annum in both sexes. CONCLUSIONS: The influence of aging on the HPG axis is sex dependent. The pattern of age-related TT was different in Chinese Han men when compared with previous studies in Western populations. TT values increased in aging men, so it is not suitable to estimate the life quality of older Chinese men just based on TT.

Diffusion-Weighted Imaging of Periventricular Leukomalacia in Very Young Children: Assessment of Peritrigonal Stripe of Restricted Diffusion.

Purpose In periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) reduction, normally shown as dark stripe in the peritrigonal (PT) white matter, may be incomplete. We assessed the PT dark stripe to differentiate between PVL patients and control subjects. Patients and Methods We reviewed the magnetic resonance studies of 27 neonates and young children with PVL and 67 control subjects to assess the PT dark stripe on ADC maps. In PVL patients, the assessment was referred to the location of PVL lesion on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) imaging. In the controls, the PT region or the location corresponding to FLAIR hyperintensity was evaluated for the dark stripe. We compared the prevalence of the dark stripe on ADC map and the PT FLAIR hyperintensity between the PVL and the control subjects. Results On ADC map, complete PT dark stripe was present in 67 (100%) of 67 controls but only in 4 (14.8%) of 27 PVL patients (p-value < 0.01), with sensitivity of 0.85, specificity of 1.0, and accuracy of 0.96. PT FLAIR hyperintensity was present in 44 (65.7%) of 67 controls and in 18 (66.7%) of 27 PVL patients (p = 0.920). Conclusion PVL patients can be differentiated from the control subjects with PT dark stripe on ADC map.

Arterial spin-labeling perfusion imaging of children with subdural hemorrhage: Perfusion abnormalities in abusive head trauma.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Perfusion abnormalities have not been well described in children with subdural hemorrhage (SDH). We investigated whether patients with abusive head trauma (AHT+) had more perfusion abnormalities than those without (AHT-). MATERIALS AND METHODS: We reviewed the perfusion MR studies of 12 infants with SDH and 21 controls. The perfusion images were obtained using a pseudo-continuous arterial spin-labeling sequence with volumetric fast spin-echo readout. An MR perfusion scoring system (0-6 points) was devised to facilitate appraisal of the extent of abnormalities. An asymmetry index (AI) was calculated for each region of perfusion abnormality. Comparison of perfusion scores across the AHT+, AHT-, and control groups was performed. The AIs of the hypoperfused lesions and hyperperfused lesions in patients were separately compared with those of the controls. The neurological outcomes of the patients were associated with imaging abnormalities. RESULTS: Perfusion abnormalities were found in five (83%) of six AHT+ patients and in one (17%) of six AHT- patients. The AHT+ group recorded a significantly higher perfusion score than did both the AHT- group and the controls. Four patients with hypoperfused lesions exhibited significantly lower AI (P=.002) than did the controls, and three patients with hyperperfused lesions had significantly higher AI (P=.006) than did the controls. Of the four patients with hypoperfused lesions, two expired and one experienced hemiparesis. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with AHT have higher perfusion abnormality scores than patients with other causes of SDH and controls. Moreover, hypoperfusion may suggest a poor clinical outcome.

Follicle-stimulating hormone is associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in Chinese women over 55 years old.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Obesity and diabetes are related to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). A reduction in follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) is associated with obesity and diabetes in postmenopausal women. Thus, we aim to investigate whether FSH is associated with NAFLD in women over 55 who were postmenopausal with a high probability. METHODS: Our data were obtained from the 2014 Survey on Prevalence in East China for Metabolic Diseases and Risk Factors. A total of 1635 women at the age of 55-89 years were selected. The degrees of fatty liver were categorized into mild and moderate-severe hepatic steatosis groups by ultrasonography. FSH and other sex hormones were measured by chemiluminescence. RESULTS: A total of 366 (22.4%) and 417 (25.5%) women had mild and moderate-severe hepatic steatosis, respectively. FSH was negatively correlated with waist circumference, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and other metabolic factors (all P < 0.05). After adjusting for age, estradiol, and total testosterone, increased quartiles of FSH were associated with significantly decreased odds ratios of mild and moderate-severe groups (both P for trends <0.05). After further adjustment for waist circumference and HOMA-IR, FSH was no longer associated with mild hepatic steatosis. The association of FSH with moderate-severe hepatic steatosis was attenuated by waist circumference and HOMA-IR but persisted in the fully adjusted model (P for trend <0.01). CONCLUSION: Follicle-stimulating hormone was negatively associated with NAFLD in women over 55 years old. Adiposity and insulin resistance explained most of the association of mild hepatic steatosis and partially explained the association of moderate-severe hepatic steatosis with FSH.

Arterial spin-labeling perfusion imaging of childhood meningitis: a case series.

INTRODUCTION: Conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which is mainly used to detect complications, is ineffective in determining the neurological status of patients with meningitis. Hemodynamic change in the brain may be more indicative of the neurological status but few imaging studies have verified this. Arterial spin-labeling (ASL) perfusion, a noninvasive MR method requiring no contrast agent injection, can be used to measure cerebral blood flow (CBF). CASE REPORTS: We describe three pediatric patients with meningitis, who all showed regions of increased CBF on perfusion imaging. One patient, presenting with headache and conscious disturbance, had CBF changes in the frontal, temporal, and occipital regions. The other two patients, presenting with hallucinations, memory deficits, and seizures, had CBF changes in the frontal and temporal regions. CONCLUSION: ASL perfusion imaging may be helpful in assessing patients with meningitis, demonstrating CBF changes more strongly correlating with the neurological status, and detecting active brain abnormalities.

A positive feedback loop between HEAT SHOCK PROTEIN101 and HEAT STRESS-ASSOCIATED 32-KD PROTEIN modulates long-term acquired thermotolerance illustrating diverse heat stress responses in rice varieties.

Heat stress is an important factor that has a negative impact on rice (Oryza sativa) production. To alleviate this problem, it is necessary to extensively understand the genetic basis of heat tolerance and adaptability to heat stress in rice. Here, we report the molecular mechanism underlying heat acclimation memory that confers long-term acquired thermotolerance (LAT) in this monocot plant. Our results showed that a positive feedback loop formed by two heat-inducible genes, HEAT SHOCK PROTEIN101 (HSP101) and HEAT STRESS-ASSOCIATED 32-KD PROTEIN (HSA32), at the posttranscriptional level prolongs the effect of heat acclimation in rice seedlings. The interplay between HSP101 and HSA32 also affects basal thermotolerance of rice seeds. These findings are similar to those reported for the dicot plant Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana), suggesting a conserved function in plant heat stress response. Comparison between two rice cultivars, japonica Nipponbare and indica N22 showed opposite performance in basal thermotolerance and LAT assays. 'N22' seedlings have a higher basal thermotolerance level than cv Nipponbare and vice versa at the LAT level, indicating that these two types of thermotolerance can be decoupled. The HSP101 and HSA32 protein levels were substantially higher in cv Nipponbare than in cv N22 after a long recovery following heat acclimation treatment, at least partly explaining the difference in the LAT phenotype. Our results point out the complexity of thermotolerance diversity in rice cultivars, which may need to be taken into consideration when breeding for heat tolerance for different climate scenarios.