Preliminary investigation and application of a modified objects memory test in perioperative cognitive evaluation.

Objective: To investigate the applicability of a modified verbal learning test redesigned from the memory subtest of the Syndrom Kurztest (SKT) in perioperative cognitive evaluation. Methods: Patients receiving elective herniorrhaphy and their accompanying family members (set as normal controls), 55-75 years old, were randomly divided into two groups. The two groups received the self-made objects memory test derived from the SKT (SMOT) SMOT or a traditional auditory verbal learning test (AVLT). The cognitive evaluation was administered at the bedside on the day before surgery and the second day after surgery. Results: The SMOT test was administered to 121 subjects, while 107 patients received the AVLT test. After confirming that there was no significant difference in cognitive function between patients and their family members, the results of the SMOT and AVLT tests were compared. The results showed that the "low-score" ratio of the SMOT was significantly lower than that of the AVLT test (P < 0.05), and the influencing factors of the SMOT were less than those of the AVLT test. However, the learning effect of the SMOT was more significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion: This study preliminarily confirms that the SMOT has better applicability to elderly Chinese individuals than AVLT in perioperative cognitive evaluation, but its learning effect should be noted.

Neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease mimicking progressive supranuclear palsy.

BACKGROUND: Given the variable nature of clinical manifestations, neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease (NIID) is regarded as a heterogeneous disease which is challenging to diagnose early. To the present, progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP)-like symptoms have never been listed in the performance of NIID. CASE PRESENTATION: A 58-year-old man presented with progressive Parkinsonism and postural instability for 3 years. Initially, he was considered as probable PSP due to vertical supranuclear gaze palsy, postural instability, and hummingbird sign. No high-intensity signal on diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) was revealed. Eventually, the diagnosis was revised to NIID by Notch 2 N-terminal like C (NOTCH2NLC) GGC repeat expansions and skin biopsy showing intranuclear eosinophilic inclusions in the vesicles and ductal epithelial cells of sweat glands. CONCLUSION: Even if the typical high-intensity along the corticomedullary junction (CMJ) on DWI is lacking, clinicians should be alert to the possibility of NIID when PSP-like symptoms develop. This case report offers new features of NIID and expands its clinical spectrum.

Identification of priority management areas for non-point source pollution based on critical source areas in an agricultural watershed of Northeast China.

Identification of critical source areas (CSAs) for non-point source (NPS) pollution is of great significance for environment governance and prevention. However, the CSAs are generally characterized as great spatial dispersion, and spatially heterogeneous precipitation has a great influence on the spatial distribution of nutrient yields. Therefore, we identify the CSAs for nutrient yields in an agricultural watershed of Northeast China at hydrological response units (HRUs) scale based on the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT), assess the impacts of spatially heterogeneity of precipitation on the identification of the CSAs, analyze the sensitivity of nutrient yields to precipitation by scenarios analysis method, and further identify priority management areas (PMAs) that have poor ability to retain nutrients. The results showed that the CSAs for nutrient yields identified by uniform precipitation showed greater fluctuation range and coverage area than actual precipitation; the major prevention areas of total nitrogen (TN) yield were mainly distributed in regions nearby main stem of lower reaches, while that of total phosphorus (TP) yield were mostly located in urban area nearby outlet of the watershed; the identification of the PMAs significantly decreased the CSAs for TN yield, whereas that for TP yield was no significant difference with the CSAs. This study could provide scientific guidance for the NPS pollution governance and prevention.

Response of macroinvertebrate community to water quality factors and aquatic ecosystem health assessment in a typical river in Beijing, China.

Healthy aquatic ecosystems can offer basic ecological services for the sustainable development of humans and society. Water quality greatly influences the macroinvertebrate community in aquatic ecosystems and can alter the aquatic ecosystem's health status. However, the quantitative relationship between macroinvertebrate community and water quality factors in rivers remains unclear, particularly in urban rivers, which are strongly affected by human activities. Therefore, a new framework for the quantitative analysis between macroinvertebrate community and key water quality driving factors was developed in the study, meanwhile, the aquatic ecosystem health conditions were evaluated and validated by different methods. The framework was applied to a typical urban river, the North Canal River, which is regarded as the "mother river" of Beijing. Combined with the redundancy analysis (RDA) and the threshold indicator taxa analysis (TITAN), the water quality driving factors and their indicator species were identified and the corresponding response threshold was determined. Based on the benthic index of biotic integrity (B-IBI), the multi-metric rapid bioassessment method, and the biological monitoring working party (BMWP) score, the aquatic ecosystem health condition in the basin was comprehensively evaluated. The results show that fluoride, biochemical oxygen demand, ammonia-nitrogen and total phosphorus were the key water quality driving factors influencing the community structure of macroinvertebrates. Four indicator species of ammonia-nitrogen were identified by the TITAN method with a threshold range of 1.09-6.94 mg L-1, and three indicator species of total phosphorus were identified with a threshold range of 0.48-1.27 mg L-1. According to the results of the aquatic ecosystem health assessment, the river ecosystem was generally unhealthy and the upstream was better than downstream; the health condition in the mountainous areas of Changping district was the best, while that in Chaoyang district and the central city area was the worst. The framework could provide a strong basis for ecological restoration and pollution control of the urban rivers and become an important tool for the rehabilitation of aquatic ecosystems.