Serum neuronal pentraxin 2 is related to cognitive dysfunction and electroencephalogram slow wave/fast wave frequency ratio in epilepsy.

BACKGROUND: Cognitive dysfunction in epileptic patients is a high-incidence complication. Its mechanism is related to nervous system damage during seizures, but there is no effective diagnostic biomarker. Neuronal pentraxin 2 (NPTX2) is thought to play a vital role in neurotransmission and the maintenance of synaptic plasticity. This study explored how serum NPTX2 and electroencephalogram (EEG) slow wave/fast wave frequency ratio relate to cognitive dysfunction in patients with epilepsy. AIM: To determine if serum NPTX2 could serve as a potential biomarker for diagnosing cognitive impairment in epilepsy patients. METHODS: The participants of this study, conducted from January 2020 to December 2021, comprised 74 epilepsy patients with normal cognitive function (normal group), 37 epilepsy patients with cognitive dysfunction [epilepsy patients with cognitive dysfunction (ECD) group] and 30 healthy people (control group). The mini-mental state examination (MMSE) scale was used to evaluate cognitive function. We determined serum NPTX2 levels using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent kit and calculated the signal value of EEG regions according to the EEG recording. Pearson correlation coefficient was used to analyze the correlation between serum NPTX2 and the MMSE score. RESULTS: The serum NPTX2 level in the control group, normal group and ECD group were 240.00 ± 35.06 pg/mL, 235.80 ± 38.01 pg/mL and 193.80 ± 42.72 pg/mL, respectively. The MMSE score was lowest in the ECD group among the three, while no significant difference was observed between the control and normal groups. In epilepsy patients with cognitive dysfunction, NPTX2 level had a positive correlation with the MMSE score (r = 0.367, P = 0.0253) and a negative correlation with epilepsy duration (r = -0.443, P = 0.0061) and the EEG slow wave/fast wave frequency ratio value in the temporal region (r = -0.339, P = 0.039). CONCLUSION: Serum NPTX2 was found to be related to cognitive dysfunction and the EEG slow wave/fast wave frequency ratio in patients with epilepsy. It is thus a potential biomarker for the diagnosis of cognitive impairment in patients with epilepsy.

[Seasonal Pollution Characteristics and Source Identification of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Organochlorine Pesticides in Surface Water of Baiyangdian Lake].

Seasonal variations of 17 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs) and 15 persistent organochlorine pesticides(OCPs) were analyzed during spring and summer in surface water from 12 sampling sites of Baiyangdian lake to elucidate their seasonal pollution characteristics and sources. The results showed that total concentrations of PAHs in surface water of Baiyangdian lake ranged from 35.38 to 88.06 ng·L-1(46.57 ng·L-1 in average) in spring and 25.64 to 301.41 ng·L-1(76.23 ng·L-1 in average) in summer, respectively, and total concentrations of OCPs ranged from 0.69 to 4.50 ng·L-1(1.77 ng·L-1 in average) in spring and 0.11 to 3.20 ng·L-1(0.90 ng·L-1 in average) in summer, respectively. Seasonal pollution characteristics of PAHs in surface water during two different seasons showed that the total concentration of PAHs was much higher in summer than in spring at three sampling sites of Baiyangdian lake including Qiantang, Guancheng and Anxin bridge, and the level of PAHs in spring was much higher than that in summer at the other nine sites. While seasonal pollution characteristics of OCPs showed that the total concentration of OCPs was much higher in summer than in spring in samples of Guancheng sites, and the level of OCPs in spring was slightly higher than that in summer in the rest of samples. From the perspective of spatial and temporal variations in the composition patterns of PAHs and OCPs in surface water of Baiyangdian lake, PAHs were predominated by 3-ring PAHs with 45.92% and 61.36%(52.60% in average) of total PAHs in spring, while in summer Nap was the chief component of 2-ring PAHs in three sampling sites including Qiantang, Guancheng and Anxin bridge with 84.91%, 91.04% and 78.10% of the total, respectively, and 3-ring PAHs were primary pollutants in the other nine sites with 37.14% to 53.90%(48.94% in average) of the total. Residues of HCHs and DDTs were detected in different degrees and ß-HCH was the main pollutant at all sampling sites with 29.94% and 100%(59.87% in average) of total HCHs in spring, while ß-HCH was the predominant compounds at five sampling sites with 57.55% and 80.23%(61.98% in average) in summer and α-HCHs and δ-HCH were abundant at other sampling sites. Source analysis based on isomer ratios indicated that the main source of PAHs in Baiyangdian lake originated from combustion sources, and additional sources for several sampling sites could be petroleum processes. Ratios of HCH isomers and DDT congeners confirmed that environmental historical residues and long range atmospheric transport were the major sources of OCPs contamination in the study area. Compared with the water quality standard of China and other countries or organizations, concentrations of PAHs and OCPs in surface water of Baiyangdian lake did not exceed the target values of the standard. However, the concentrations of α-HCH and p,p'-DDD in Anxin bridge and Quantou sites exceeded the limit of human health ambient water quality criteria developed by EPA, which reflected that α-HCH and p,p'-DDD would have a potential hazards risk to the residents from Baiyangdian district.

Effect of supersaturation on hillock of directional Growth of KDP crystals.

KDP single crystals were grown in aqueous solution by using "point seeds" with a defined crystallographic direction of 59° to the Z axis. When hillock slopes on the (100) face of KDP crystals were measured within the supersaturation (σ) range of 0 < σ ≤ 0.06, the slope of hillocks with hollow cores depended nonlinearly on supersaturation. Below σ = 0.02, the hillock slope depended on supersaturation, but when σ was ≥ 0.02, the hillock slope increased more gradually and was less dependent on supersaturation. Hollow funnel-shaped growth dislocation on the (100) face of KDP crystals was observed at σ = 0.04, characterized by large holes with micro-steps and step bunching inside, the formation of which were analyzed. The result verified that the reversed growth appears to occur within hollow channels found on growth hillocks.

[Structural modification of cyclovirobuxine D and their inhibition activity on lipid peroxidation].

AIM: To search for compounds through structural modification of cyclovirobuxine D, using 20 or 21-aminosteroids as lead compound for the treatment of cerebrovascular diseases with better lipid peroxidation inhibitory activity. METHODS: According to rational drug design principle, a series of cyclovirobuxine D analogues were prepared, and their bioactivities were tested. RESULTS: Four new compounds were obtained and confirmed by spectra. CONCLUSION: Lipid peroxidation inhibitory effects of cyclovirobuxine D analogues were tested by using TBA method. Some compounds showed better activity than that of cyclovirobuxine D.

[Prodrug structural modifications of cyclovirobuxine D and their biological activity].

AIM: To search for compounds for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases through prodrug structural modifications of cyclovirobuxine D, a single efficient composition distilled from Box plant in China, which was used to treat angina and myocardial infarction. METHODS: According to prodrug design principle, a series of cyclovirobuxine D analogues were prepared, suc as succinate, phosphate and amino acid ester, and their biological activities were tested. RESULTS: Seven new compounds were obtained and confirmed with 1H NMR, MS, and element analysis. CONCLUSION: In pharmacology experiment, for treating arrhythmia induced by aconitine, succinate and amino acid ester of cyclovirobuxine D (I and VII) showed better activities than that of cyclovirobuxine D. The normal rhythm of the heart duration of I and VII were ( 11.53 +/- 7.62) min and (12.68 +/- 9.25) min, compared with 0.9% NaCl solution and cyclovirobuxine D, (2.36 +/- 1.68) min and (10.25 +/- 6.59) min (P < 0.01), respectively. Another pharmacology experiment, for treating arrhythmia induced by chloroform, the negative ratio of I and VII were 80% and 82%, compared with 0.9% NaCl solution and cyclovirobuxine D, 43% and 52% (P < 0.05), respectively. The difference between new compounds and cyclovirobuxine D was distinct.

[Structural modification and bioactivity of cyclovirobuxine D].

AIM: To search for new compounds for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases by structural modification of cyclovirobuxine D. METHODS: According to rational drug design principle, a series of cyclovirobuxine D analogues were prepared, and their bioactivities were tested. RESULTS: Ten new compounds were syntheized and confirmed by spectra. CONCLUSION: Endurance lacking oxygen activity and antiarrhythmia effects of some analogues of cyclovirobuxine D were tested. Some compounds showed better activity than cyclovirobuxine D.

[Synthesis of novel antifungal triazoles and study on their activity].

AIM: Design, synthesis and activity study of novel antifungal triazoles. METHODS: The structures of two lead-compounds miconazole and itrconazole were modified on the basis of SAR studied by our group and reported in the literature and their antifungal activities in vitro were tested by standard program. RESULTS: Twelve 1-(1H-1, 2, 4-triazole-1-yl) -2-( 2, 4-difluorophenyl)-3-substituted amino-2-propanol compounds and thirteen 2-substituted phenyl-5-(1H-1, 2, 4-triazole-1-methyl ) 5-( 2, 4-difluorophenyl)-N-substituted oxazolidine compounds were synthesized and confirmed by 1HNMR and MS. In vitro inhibitory tests showed that most of them have more or less inhibitory effects on C. albicans and some inhibit S. cerevisiae also. Especially the effects of A10, A12 and A13 on C. albicans were more potent than (or equal to) that of fluconazole or itraconazole. CONCLUSION: Compounds A10, A12 and A13 are worthy to be intensively studied.