The effect of sevoflurane exposure on cell-type-specific changes in the prefrontal cortex in young mice.

Sevoflurane, the predominant pediatric anesthetic, has been linked to neurotoxicity in young mice, although the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study focuses on investigating the impact of neonatal sevoflurane exposure on cell-type-specific alterations in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of young mice. Neonatal mice were subjected to either control treatment (60% oxygen balanced with nitrogen) or sevoflurane anesthesia (3% sevoflurane in 60% oxygen balanced with nitrogen) for 2 hours on postnatal days (PNDs) 6, 8, and 10. Behavioral tests and single-nucleus RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) of the PFC were conducted from PNDs 31 to 37. Mechanistic exploration included clustering analysis, identification of differentially expressed genes (DEGs), enrichment analyses, single-cell trajectory analysis, and genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Sevoflurane anesthesia resulted in sociability and cognition impairments in mice. Novel specific marker genes identified 8 distinct cell types in the PFC. Most DEGs between the control and sevoflurane groups were unique to specific cell types. Re-defining 15 glutamatergic neuron subclusters based on layer identity revealed their altered expression profiles. Notably, sevoflurane disrupted the trajectory from oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) to oligodendrocytes (OLs). Validation of disease-relevant candidate genes across the main cell types demonstrated their association with social dysfunction and working memory impairment. Behavioral results and snRNA-seq collectively elucidated the cellular atlas in the PFC of young male mice, providing a foundation for further mechanistic studies on developmental neurotoxicity induced by anesthesia.

Uterine decidual stromal cell-derived exosomes mediate the indirect effects of 1-nitropyrene on trophoblast biological behaviors.

1-nitropyrene (1-NP) is representative nitropolycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon pollutant widely present in exhaust particles of internal combustion engine, which is known for its carcinogenicity and mutagenicity. Previous studies have demonstrated that 1-NP has reproductive toxicity, but the specific mechanism is unknown. In this study, Human decidual stromal cells (HDSCs) were treated by 1-NP, exosomes were extracted from the conditioned medium of HDSCs, which were then used to treat human chorionic trophoblast cells (HTR8/SVneo) for 24 h. The findings showed that human decidual stromal cell-derived exosomes (HDSC-EXOs) can promote the proliferation, migration, invasion and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT; Vimentin and N-cadherin) of HTR8/SVneo by about 64%, 17%, 23%, 81% and 13%. The process of regulating the biological behaviors of embryonic trophoblast cells by maternal decidual stromal cells during pregnancy was simulated. Further investigations showed that HDSC-EXOs treatment activated the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway in HTR8/SVneo. Co-treatment by dickkopf-1 (DKK-1) significantly suppressed the activation of Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway in HTR8/SVneo, and inhibited the proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT (N-cadherin and E-cadherin) of HTR8/SVneo by about 60%, 22%, 42%, 25%, 55% and 21%. These findings indicated that 1-NP exposure could induce the secretion of HDSC-EXOs from HDSCs, which in turn activate the Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway and enhance the proliferation, migration, invasion and EMT of HTR8/SVneo.

Building a knowledge base for colorectal cancer patient care using formal concept analysis.

BACKGROUND: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a heterogeneous disease with different responses to targeted therapies due to various factors, and the treatment effect differs significantly between individuals. Personalize medical treatment (PMT) is a method that takes individual patient characteristics into consideration, making it the most effective way to deal with this issue. Patient similarity and clustering analysis is an important aspect of PMT. This paper describes how to build a knowledge base using formal concept analysis (FCA), which clusters patients based on their similarity and preserves the relations between clusters in hierarchical structural form. METHODS: Prognostic factors (attributes) of 2442 CRC patients, including patient age, cancer cell differentiation, lymphatic invasion and metastasis stages were used to build a formal context in FCA. A concept was defined as a set of patients with their shared attributes. The formal context was formed based on the similarity scores between each concept identified from the dataset, which can be used as a knowledge base. RESULTS: A hierarchical knowledge base was constructed along with the clinical records of the diagnosed CRC patients. For each new patient, a similarity score to each existing concept in the knowledge base can be retrieved with different similarity calculations. The ranked similarity scores that are associated with the concepts can offer references for treatment plans. CONCLUSIONS: Patients that share the same concept indicates the potential similar effect from same clinical procedures or treatments. In conjunction with a clinician's ability to undergo flexible analyses and apply appropriate judgement, the knowledge base allows faster and more effective decisions to be made for patient treatment and care.

Primary duodenal papilla lymphoma producing obstructive jaundice: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Obstructive jaundice caused by primary duodenal lymphoma is a rare disease. CASE PRESENTATION: We reported a 59-year-old man who underwent endoscopic ultrasonography for obstructive jaundice and found a duodenal papilla tumor. Light microscopy revealed a non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Immunohistochemical staining showed that the tumor was aggressive B-cell lymphoma. We carried out molecular targeted therapy combined with CHOP regimen chemotherapy. CONCLUSION: Surgery plays an important role in resolving obstructive jaundice when accurate histological diagnosis cannot be made. After diagnosis, chemotherapy should play a central role in treatment.

Neuropsychological tests are useful for predicting comorbidities of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus.

OBJECTIVES: Comorbidities of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH), such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Parkinson's spectrum (PS) disorder, can affect the long-term prognosis of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunting. Therefore, it is important to be able to predict comorbidities in the early stage of the disease. This study aimed to predict the comorbidities of iNPH using neuropsychological tests and cognitive performance evaluation. MATERIALS & METHODS: Forty-nine patients with possible iNPH were divided into three groups: iNPH without AD or PS comorbidity (group-1), iNPH with AD comorbidity (group-2), and iNPH with PS comorbidity (group-3), according to CSF biomarkers such as phosphorylated tau and dopamine transporter imaging. Scores on the new EU-iNPH-scale, which is based on 4 neuropsychological tests (Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, Grooved Pegboard test, Stroop colour-naming test and interference test), were compared for each group. In addition, the scores before and 12 months after CSF shunting for each group were compared. RESULTS: EU-iNPH-scale using 4 neuropsychological tests could distinguish group-1 from group-2 or group-3 by area under the curve values of 0.787 and 0.851, respectively. Patients in group-1 showed a remarkable increase in memory and learning ability after surgery. Group-2 performed significantly poorer than group-1 patients on memory testing, but otherwise showed improvements in most of the neuropsychological tests. Group-3 performed significantly worse than group-1 patients-especially on Stroop tests-but showed post-surgery improvement on only the Stroop colour-naming test. CONCLUSIONS: The 4 neuropsychological tests of the EU-iNPH-scale can help predict iNPH comorbidities and evaluate the prognosis of CSF shunting.

HDAC2 hyperexpression alters hippocampal neuronal transcription and microglial activity in neuroinflammation-induced cognitive dysfunction.

BACKGROUND: Inflammation can induce cognitive dysfunction in patients who undergo surgery. Previous studies have demonstrated that both acute peripheral inflammation and anaesthetic insults, especially isoflurane (ISO), are risk factors for memory impairment. Few studies are currently investigating the role of ISO under acute peri-inflammatory conditions, and it is difficult to predict whether ISO can aggravate inflammation-induced cognitive deficits. HDACs, which are essential for learning, participate in the deacetylation of lysine residues and the regulation of gene transcription. However, the cell-specific mechanism of HDACs in inflammation-induced cognitive impairment remains unknown. METHODS: Three-month-old C57BL/6 mice were treated with single versus combined exposure to LPS injected intraperitoneally (i.p.) to simulate acute abdominal inflammation and isoflurane to investigate the role of anaesthesia and acute peripheral inflammation in cognitive impairment. Behavioural tests, Western blotting, ELISA, immunofluorescence, qRT-PCR, and ChIP assays were performed to detect memory, the expressions of inflammatory cytokines, HDAC2, BDNF, c-Fos, acetyl-H3, microglial activity, Bdnf mRNA, c-fos mRNA, and Bdnf and c-fos transcription in the hippocampus. RESULTS: LPS, but not isoflurane, induced neuroinflammation-induced memory impairment and reduced histone acetylation by upregulating histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) in dorsal hippocampal CaMKII+ neurons. The hyperexpression of HDAC2 in neurons was mediated by the activation of microglia. The decreased level of histone acetylation suppressed the transcription of Bdnf and c-fos and the expressions of BDNF and c-Fos, which subsequently impaired memory. The adeno-associated virus ShHdac2, which suppresses Hdac2 after injection into the dorsal hippocampus, reversed microglial activation, hippocampal glutamatergic BDNF and c-Fos expressions, and memory deficits. CONCLUSIONS: Reversing HDAC2 in hippocampal CaMKII+ neurons exert a neuroprotective effect against neuroinflammation-induced memory deficits.

Heparin-Modified Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles Suppress Lithium Chloride/Pilocarpine-Induced Temporal Lobe Epilepsy in Rats through Attenuation of Inflammation and Oxidative Stress.

The development of antiepileptic drugs is still a long process. In this study, heparin-modified superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (UFH-SPIONs) were prepared, and their antiepileptic effect and underlying mechanism were investigated. UFH-SPIONs are stable, homogeneous nanosystems with antioxidant enzyme activity that are able to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and enriched in hippocampal epileptogenic foci. The pretreatment with UFH-SPIONs effectively prolonged the onset of seizures and reduced seizure severity after lithium/pilocarpine (LP)-induced seizures in rats. The pretreatment with UFH-SPIONs significantly decreased the expression of inflammatory factors in hippocampal tissues, including IL-6, IL-1ß, and TNF-α. LP-induced oxidative stress in hippocampal tissues was in turn reduced upon pretreatment with UFH-SPIONs, as evidenced by an increase in the levels of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) and a decrease in the level of lipid peroxidation (MDA). Moreover, the LP-induced upregulation of apoptotic cells was decreased upon pretreatment with UFH-SPIONs. Together, these observations suggest that the pretreatment with UFH-SPIONs ameliorates LP-induced seizures and downregulates the inflammatory response and oxidative stress, which exerts neuronal protection during epilepsy.

Full-thickness nasolabial facial artery flap: A modified surgical approach for reconstruction of lower lip defects.

OBJECTIVES: Reconstruction of large lower lip defects remains challenging in terms of aesthetics, function and safety. The aim of this study is to explore a modified nasolabial flap to repair large lower lip defects. METHODS: The full-thickness nasolabial facial artery flap was used for reconstruction of defects in lip squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) patients after tumor ablation. The postoperative recovery of patients was obtained through clinical review and follow-up in the first and sixth month. RESULTS: There were four LSCC patients who received tumor ablation at the Beijing Stomatological Hospital of Capital Medical University from November 2022 to March 2023, were included in our study. All patients did not suffer from postoperative infection, orocutaneous fistula, flap necrosis, and flap loss. One patient had the trapdoor deformity. These patients achieved better lip closure function. One patient developed cervical lymph node metastasis 2 months after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: The modified nasolabial flap could achieve good outcomes in terms of aesthetics, function, and safety. It provided a supplementary strategy for the using of nasolabial flap in larger defects of lower lip.

Impact of COVID-19 on football attacking players' match technical performance: a longitudinal study.

This study examined the impact of COVID-19 on 28 indicators of match technical performance (MTP) for football attacking players upon their return to play. Analyzing data from 100 players in the Big Five European football leagues, covering 1500 matches each before and after COVID-19 over 3 years (2020-2023), revealed significant differences in 76% of players' MTP indicators. Notably, 14 indicators, particularly the five indicators linked to scoring, significantly decreased post-COVID-19. On average, players needed 3.09 matches to regain pre-infection MTP levels. The impact varied across player groups, with those in the elite group showing a milder effect; they required an average of 2.64 matches for recovery, compared to the control group's 3.55 matches. We found that, with increasing age, the majority of players' MTP indicators did not exhibit significant changes, both before and after they contracted COVID-19. In conclusion, the study highlighted the negative impact of COVID-19 on football attacking players' MTP. Players in the elite group experienced fewer adverse effects than those in the control group. This insight assisted coaches and managers in evaluating the impact of COVID-19 and similar virus-induced illnesses on players' MTP, enabling them to formulate training regimens for recovery and specific match tactics upon players' return to play.

Complement C1q-mediated microglial synaptic elimination by enhancing desialylation underlies sevoflurane-induced developmental neurotoxicity.

BACKGROUND: Repeated neonatal sevoflurane exposures led to neurocognitive disorders in young mice. We aimed to assess the role of microglia and complement C1q in sevoflurane-induced neurotoxicity and explore the underlying mechanisms. METHODS: Neonatal mice were treated with sevoflurane on postnatal days 6, 8, and 10, and the Morris water maze was performed to assess cognitive functions. For mechanistic explorations, mice were treated with minocycline, C1q-antibody ANX005, and sialidase-inhibitor N-acetyl-2,3-dehydro-2-deoxyneuraminic acid (NADNA) before sevoflurane exposures. Western blotting, RT-qPCR, Golgi staining, 3D reconstruction and engulfment analysis, immunofluorescence, and microglial morphology analysis were performed. In vitro experiments were conducted in microglial cell line BV2 cells. RESULTS: Repeated neonatal sevoflurane exposures resulted in deficiencies in learning and cognition of young mice, accompanied by microglial activation and synapse loss. Sevoflurane enhanced microglia-mediated synapse elimination through C1q binding to synapses. Inhibition of microglial activation and phagocytosis with minocycline significantly reduced the loss of synapses. We further revealed the involvement of neuronal sialic acids in this process. The enhanced activity of sialidase by sevoflurane led to the loss of sialic acids, which facilitated C1q binding to synapses. Inhibition of C1q with ANX005 or inhibition of sialidase with NADNA significantly rescued microglia-mediated synapse loss and improved neurocognitive function. Sevoflurane enhanced the engulfment of BV2 cells, which was reversed by ANX005. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings demonstrated that C1q-mediated microglial synaptic elimination by enhancing desialylation contributed to sevoflurane-induced developmental neurotoxicity. Inhibition of C1q or sialidase may be a potential therapeutic strategy for this neurotoxicity.

Maternal atmospheric particulate matter exposure and risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes: A meta-analysis of cohort studies.

Ambient air particulate exposure not only capable of elevating the risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes, but also has profound implications for human health, but the results are discrepant. This meta-analysis aimed to provide higher grade evidence on the impacts of air particulate on specific pregnancy outcomes. A total of 81 eligible cohort studies were included in this meta-analysis, of which the outcomes included preterm birth (PTB), moderate PTB, very PTB, extreme PTB, term low birth weight (TLBW), term birth weight (TBW), stillbirth (SB) and small for gestational age (SGA). The results showed that every 10 µg/m3 increase of PM2.5 exposure associated with 2.7%-9.3% increase of PTB risk in entire pregnancy, 2nd and 3rd trimesters; 10.5%-19.3% increase of very PTB risk in entire pregnancy, 1st and 2nd trimesters; 8.3% and 10.1% increase of TLBW and SGA risk in entire pregnancy; 25.6% and 10.1% increase of SB in entire pregnancy and 3rd trimester; and -13.274 g and -4.916 g reduce of TBW during entire pregnancy and 2nd trimester, respectively. Every 10 µg/m3 increase of PM10 exposure associated with 12.1% and 2.6% increase of PTB risk in entire pregnancy and 3rd trimester; 48.9% and 5.0% increase of moderate PTB risk in entire pregnancy and 2nd trimester; 14.4% and 10.3% increase of very PTB risk in 1st and 3rd trimesters; 2.9% increase of extremely PTB risk in 2nd trimester; 1.5%-3.8% and 2.9%-3.7% increase of TLBW and SGA risk in entire pregnancy, 1st and 2nd trimesters; 7.0% increase of SB risk in 3rd trimesters; and -4.537 g and -5.263 g reduce of TBW in 1st and 2nd trimesters, respectively. High mean annual PM concentrations were associated with more extreme adverse pregnancy outcomes (PTBs, SGA and SB), while low mean annual PM concentrations were associated with decreased TBW and increased risk of TLBW.

Outdoor air pollution exposure and the risk of asthma and wheezing in the offspring.

According to the "fetal origin of disease" hypothesis, air pollution exposure in pregnancy may play an important role in stimulating the early programming of asthma and allergies. However, previous studies reported inconsistent findings. The aim of this meta-analysis was to provide higher grade evidence and quantitatively analyze the link between prenatal exposure to outdoor air pollutants and childhood asthma and wheezing. Databases (Web of Science and PubMed) were extensively searched for articles published from the start of the database to September 15, 2021. Either random-effect model or fixed-effect model was used to estimate the disease-specific relative risks (RR) with the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs) to estimate the association. Newcastle-Ottawa Quality Score (NOS) was used to assess the quality of studies. This study finally included 13 cohort studies, and the findings showed that NO2 and SO2 exposure during entire pregnancy was significantly associated with wheezing (RR = 1.032, 95% CI: 1.000, 1.066) and asthma (RR = 1.114, 95% CI: 1.066, 1.164), respectively. Further analyses showed that PM2.5 were positively associated with asthma in the second (RR = 1.194, 95% CI: 1.143, 1.247) and third trimester (RR = 1.050, 95% CI: 1.007, 1.094), while NO2 (RR = 1.060, 95% CI: 1.021, 1.101) and SO2 (RR = 1.067, 95% CI: 1.013, 1.123) were shown positively associated with asthma only in the second trimester. The relationship between wheezing and outdoor air pollutants was not significant in any of the pregnancy subgroups. This study suggests that prenatal exposure of outdoor air pollution may increase the asthma and wheezing risk in the offspring and that the second trimester may be a sensitive period for air pollution exposure. But the interpretation of the causal association is hampered by limited number of studies on dose response.

"Needed but lacked": Exploring demand- and supply-side determinants of access to cardiopulmonary resuscitation training for the lay public in China.

Background: Despite years of public cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training efforts, the training rate and survival following out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) have increased modestly in China. Access is imperative to increase the public CPR training rate, which is determined by both demand- (e.g., the lay public) and supply-side (e.g., CPR trainers) factors. We aimed to explore the demand and supply determinants of access to CPR training for the lay public in China. Methods: Qualitative semi-structured interviews were conducted with 77 laypeople (demand side) and eight key stakeholders from CPR training institutions (supply side) in Shanghai, China. The interview guide was informed by Levesque et al. healthcare access framework. Data were transcribed, quantified, described, and analyzed through thematic content analysis. Results: On the demand side, the laypeople's ability to perceive their need and willingness for CPR training was strong. However, they failed to access CPR training mainly due to the lack of information on where to get trained. Overestimation of skills, optimism bias, and misconceptions impeded laypeople from attending training. On the supply side, trainers were able to meet the needs of the trainees with existing resources, but they relied on participants who actively sought out and registered for training and lacked an understanding of the needs of the public for marketing and encouraging participation in the training. Conclusion: Insufficient information and lack of initiative on the demand side, lack of motivation, and understanding of public needs on the supply side all contributed to the persistently low CPR training rate in China. Suppliers should integrate resources, take the initiative to increase the CPR training rate, innovate training modes, expand correct publicity, and establish whole-process management of training programs.

Can internet use change sport participation behavior among residents? Evidence from the 2017 Chinese General Social Survey.

Purpose: The popularization of the internet has promoted the implementation of China's national fitness strategy and created conditions for Chinese residents to participate in sports. The internet is an essential medium for disseminating sports knowledge, and the use of the internet can change sport participation behaviors. Therefore, the internet can be used to popularize sports knowledge and promote the participation of all people in sports and thus improve the health of the entire population. This study attempts to empirically analyse how the use of the internet changes sport participation behavior. Method: Utilizing data from the 2017 China General Social Survey, a probit model, ivprobit model, and bias-corrected non-parametric percentile bootstrap test were used to analyse the impact of internet use on sport participation behavior. Results: The empirical results show that internet use significantly increased the probability of participation in sports by Chinese residents. Heterogeneity test results showed that internet use was more effective in promoting sport participation in middle-aged groups, groups of older persons, unmarried groups, and groups with a high school education or above. The mediating effect test results showed that internet use influenced residents' participation in sports by promoting social interaction, leisure and entertainment, and learning and recharging. Conclusions: The internet has changed participation in sports; specifically, the use of the internet promotes sport participation. Additionally, internet use has a more obvious impact on improving the sport participation behavior of middle-aged, older, unmarried, and middle- and higher-educated individuals. Internet social interaction, internet entertainment and internet learning are effective channels to encourage Chinese residents to participate in sports and improve their health.

Effect of a Targeted Ambulance Treatment Quality Improvement Programme on Outcomes from Out-of-Hospital Cardiac Arrest: A Metropolitan Citywide Intervention Study.

The performance of ambulance crew affects the quality of pre-hospital treatment, which is vital to the survival for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) patients, yet remains suboptimal in China. In this retrospective analysis study, we aimed to examine the effect of a citywide quality improvement programme on provision of prehospital advanced life support (ALS) by emergency medical service (EMS) system. EMS-treated adult OHCA patients after the implementation of the programme (1 January 2021 to 30 June 2022) were compared with historical controls (1 June 2019 to 31 August 2020) in Suzhou. Multivariable logistic regression analysis and propensity score matching procedures were applied to compare the outcomes between two periods for total OHCA cases and subgroup of cases treated by fixed or non-fixed ambulance crews. A total of 1465 patients (pre-period/post-period: 610/855) were included. In the 1:1 matched analysis of 591 cases for each period, significant improvement (p < 0.05) was observed for the proportion of intravenous (IV) access (23.4% vs. 68.2%), advanced airway management (49.2% vs. 57.0%), and return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) at handover (5.4% vs. 9.0%). The fixed ambulance crews performed better than non-fixed group in IV access and advanced airway management for both periods. There were significant increases in IV access (AOR 12.66, 95%CI 9.02−18.10, p < 0.001), advanced airway management (AOR 1.67, 95% CI 1.30−2.16, p < 0.001) and ROSC at handover (AOR 2.37, 95%CI 1.38−4.23, p = 0.002) after intervention in unfixed group, while no significant improvement was observed in fixed group except for IV access (AOR 7.65, 95%CI 9.02−18.10, p < 0.001). In conclusion, the quality improvement program was positively associated with the provision of prehospital ALS interventions and prehospital ROSC following OHCA. The fixed ambulance crews performed better in critical care provision and prehospital outcome, yet increased protocol adherence and targeted training could fill the underperformance of non-fixed crews efficaciously.

Ptpn20 deletion in H-Tx rats enhances phosphorylation of the NKCC1 cotransporter in the choroid plexus: an evidence of genetic risk for hydrocephalus in an experimental study.

BACKGROUND: Congenital hydrocephalus occurs with some inheritable characteristics, but the mechanisms of its development remain poorly understood. Animal models provide the opportunity to identify potential genetic causes in this condition. The Hydrocephalus-Texas (H-Tx) rat strain is one of the most studied animal models for investigating the causative genetic alterations and analyzing downstream pathogenetic mechanisms of congenital hydrocephalus. METHODS: Comparative genomic hybridization (CGH) array on non-hydrocephalic and hydrocephalic H-Tx rats was used to identify causative genes of hydrocephalus. Targeted gene knockout mice were generated by CRISPR/Cas9 to study the role of this gene in hydrocephalus. RESULTS: CGH array revealed a copy number loss in chromosome 16p16 region in hydrocephalic H-Tx rats at 18 days gestation, encompassing the protein tyrosine phosphatase non-receptor type 20 (Ptpn20), a non-receptor tyrosine phosphatase, without change in most non-hydrocephalic H-Tx rats. Ptpn20-knockout (Ptpn20-/-) mice were generated and found to develop ventriculomegaly at 8 weeks. Furthermore, high expression of phosphorylated Na-K-Cl cotransporter 1 (pNKCC1) was identified in the choroid plexus (CP) epithelium of mice lacking Ptpn20 from 8 weeks until 72 weeks. CONCLUSIONS: This study determined the chromosomal location of the hydrocephalus-associated Ptpn20 gene in hydrocephalic H-Tx rats. The high level of pNKCC1 mediated by Ptpn20 deletion in CP epithelium may cause overproduction of cerebrospinal fluid and contribute to the formation of hydrocephalus in Ptpn20-/- mice. Ptpn20 may be a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of hydrocephalus.

Cerebrospinal Fluid Amyloid-ß Oligomer Levels in Patients with Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus.

BACKGROUND: The amyloid-ß oligomers, consisting of 10-20 monomers (AßO10-20), have strong neurotoxicity and are associated with cognitive impairment in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, their role in patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is poorly understood. OBJECTIVE: We hypothesized that cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) AßO10-20 accumulates in patients with iNPH, and its clearance after CSF shunting contributes to neurological improvement. We measured CSF AßO10-20 levels before and after CSF shunting in iNPH patients evaluating their diagnostic and prognostic role. METHODS: We evaluated two iNPH cohorts: "evaluation" (cohort-1) with 32 patients and "validation" (cohort-2) with 13 patients. Comparison cohorts included: 27 neurologically healthy controls (HCs), and 16 AD, 15 Parkinson's disease (PD), and 14 progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) patients. We assessed for all cohorts CSF AßO10-20 levels and their comprehensive clinical data. iNPH cohort-1 pre-shunting data were compared with those of comparison cohorts, using cohort-2 for validation. Next, we compared cohort-1's clinical and CSF data: 1) before and after CSF shunting, and 2) increased versus decreased AßO10-20 levels at baseline, 1 and 3 years after shunting. RESULTS: Cohort-1 had higher CSF AßO10-20 levels than the HCs, PD, and PSP cohorts. This result was validated with data from cohort-2. CSF AßO10-20 levels differentiated cohort-1 from the PD and PSP groups, with an area under receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.94. AßO10-20 levels in cohort-1 decreased after CSF shunting. Patients with AßO10-20 decrease showed better cognitive outcome than those without. CONCLUSION: AßO10-20 accumulates in patients with iNPH and is eliminated by CSF shunting. AßO10-20 can be an applicable diagnostic and prognostic biomarker.

Hygroscopicity of amino acids and their effect on the water uptake of ammonium sulfate in the mixed aerosol particles.

Amino acids are important water-soluble nitrogen-containing compounds in atmospheric aerosols. They can be involved in cloud formation due to their hygroscopicity and have significant influences on the hygroscopicity of inorganic compounds, which have not yet been well characterized. In this work, the hygroscopic properties of three amino acids, including aspartic acid, glutamine, and serine, as well as their mixtures with ammonium sulfate (AS) were investigated using a hygroscopicity tandem differential mobility analyzer (HTDMA) system. The gradual water uptake of aspartic acid, glutamine and serine particles indicates that they exist as liquid phase at low RH. When mixing either aspartic acid or glutamine with AS by mass ratio of 1:3, we observed a clear phase transition but with a lower deliquescence relative humidity (DRH) with respect to that of pure AS. This suggests the crystallization of AS in the presence of each of these two amino acids. However, as the mass fractions of these two amino acids increased in the mixed particles, the deliquescence transition process was not obvious. In contrast, the crystallization of AS was efficiently hampered even at low content (i.e., 25% by mass) of serine in the mixed particles. The Zdanovskii-Stokes-Robinson (ZSR) method in general underestimated the hygroscopic growth of any mixtures at RH below 79% (prior to AS deliquescence), suggesting both amino acid and the partially dissolved AS contributed the overall hygroscopicity at RH in this range. Relatively good agreements were reached between the measurements and model predictions using the Extended Aerosol Inorganic Model (E-AIM) assuming solid state AS in the mixed particles for 1:3 aspartic acid-AS and glutamine-AS systems. However, the model failed to simulate the water uptake behaviors of any other systems. It demonstrates that the interactions between components within the aerosols have a significant effect on the phase state of the mixed particles.

The complete chloroplast genome of Hippeastrum vittatum (Amaryllidaceae).

Hippeastrum vittatum (L'Hér.) Herb. is a perennial herb in the Amaryllidaceae, which has been used as a medicinal and ornamental plant. Here, we assembled and characterized the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of H. vittatum by high throughput sequencing. As a result, the length of the complete cp genome is 158,082 bp with a canonical quadripartite structure, consists of a large single-copy region (LSC) of 86,165 bp, a small single-copy region (SSC) of 18,283 bp, and two inverted repeat (IR) regions of 26,817 bp, each. A total of 137 genes were identified, including 87 protein-coding genes, 42 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. The phylogenomic analysis was performed based on the complete cp genomes of 30 species, which revealed the closest relationship between H. vittatum and H. rutilum in the genus Hippeastrum.

Influence of aerosol hygroscopicity and mixing state on aerosol optical properties in the Pearl River Delta region, China.

Both the effects of aerosol hygroscopicity and mixing state on aerosol optical properties were analyzed using ground-based measurements and a Mie model in this study. The sized-resolved particle hygroscopic growth factor at RH = 90% (Gf(90%)) and the enhancement factor for the scattering coefficients (f(RH)sp) were measured by a self-constructed Hygroscopic Tandem Differential Mobility Analyzer (H-TDMA) and two nephelometers in parallel (PNEPs) respectively from 22nd February to 18th March 2014 in the Pearl River Delta, China. In addition, the particle number size distribution (PNSD) and BC mass concentration (MBC) were measured simultaneously. During the observation period, the f(RH)sp increased sharply along with increasing RH (40%-85%) and the value of f(80%)sp was 1.77 ±â€¯0.18. The mean Gf(90%) for all particles are 1.44 (80 nm), 1.48 (110 nm), 1.52 (150 nm) and 1.55 (200 nm), and the mean Gf(90%) for more-hygroscopic particles are 1.58 (80 nm), 1.63 (110 nm), 1.66 (150 nm) and 1.67 (200 nm) respectively. Based on Gf, PNSD and MBC, the enhancement factor of the aerosol optical properties (extinction (f(RH)ep), scattering (f(RH)sp), backscattering (f(RH)hbsp), absorption (f(RH)absp), and hemispheric backscatter fraction (f(RH)hbsp)) were calculated under three aerosol mixing state assumptions. The results show that the calculated f(80%)sp values agreed well with the ones measured by PNEPs, illustrating that the Gf size distribution fittings are reasonable. The f(RH)ep, f(RH)sp and f(RH)hbsp increased along with increasing RH for three mixtures, while f(RH)HBF decreased. The f(RH)absp increased for the homogenously internal mixture, but remained stable for the external mixture. For the core-shell mixture, the f(RH)absp increased from RH = 0 to 75% and then decreased, due to a decrease of light entering the BC core. The enhancement factor of aerosol direct radiative forcing (f(RH)Fr) increased sharply as the RH elevated for the external mixing state. However, f(RH)Fr increased or decreased along with the elevated RH for the homogenously internal mixture and the core-shell mixture depending on initial value of the aerosol direct radiative forcing (∆Fr) in a dry condition.