Plasma exosomal microRNAs are non-invasive biomarkers of moyamoya disease: A pilot study.

BACKGROUND: As a progressive cerebrovascular disease, Moyamoya Disease (MMD) is a common cause of stroke in children and adults. However, the early biomarkers and pathogenesis of MMD remain poorly understood. METHODS AND MATERIAL: This study was conducted using plasma exosome samples from MMD patients. Next-generation high-throughput sequencing, real-time quantitative PCR, gene ontology analysis, and Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis of ideal exosomal miRNAs that could be used as potential biomarkers of MMD were performed. The area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of biomarkers for predicting events. RESULTS: Exosomes were successfully isolated and miRNA-sequence analysis yielded 1,002 differentially expressed miRNAs. Functional analysis revealed that they were mainly enriched in axon guidance, regulation of the actin cytoskeleton and the MAPK signaling pathway. Furthermore, 10 miRNAs (miR-1306-5p, miR-196b-5p, miR-19a-3p, miR-22-3p, miR-320b, miR-34a-5p, miR-485-3p, miR-489-3p, miR-501-3p, and miR-487-3p) were found to be associated with the most sensitive and specific pathways for MMD prediction. CONCLUSIONS: Several plasma secretory miRNAs closely related to the development of MMD have been identified, which can be used as biomarkers of MMD and contribute to differentiating MMD from non-MMD patients before digital subtraction angiography.

Plasma exosomal microRNAs are non-invasive biomarkers of moyamoya disease: A pilot study

Abstract Background As a progressive cerebrovascular disease, Moyamoya Disease (MMD) is a common cause of stroke in children and adults. However, the early biomarkers and pathogenesis of MMD remain poorly understood. Methods and material This study was conducted using plasma exosome samples from MMD patients. Next-generation high-throughput sequencing, real-time quantitative PCR, gene ontology analysis, and Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis of ideal exosomal miRNAs that could be used as potential biomarkers of MMD were performed. The area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve was used to evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of biomarkers for predicting events. Results Exosomes were successfully isolated and miRNA-sequence analysis yielded 1,002 differentially expressed miRNAs. Functional analysis revealed that they were mainly enriched in axon guidance, regulation of the actin cytoskeleton and the MAPK signaling pathway. Furthermore, 10 miRNAs (miR-1306-5p, miR-196b-5p, miR-19a-3p, miR-22-3p, miR-320b, miR-34a-5p, miR-485-3p, miR-489-3p, miR-501-3p, and miR-487-3p) were found to be associated with the most sensitive and specific pathways for MMD prediction. Conclusions Several plasma secretory miRNAs closely related to the development of MMD have been identified, which can be used as biomarkers of MMD and contribute to differentiating MMD from non-MMD patients before digital subtraction angiography.

Quantification of Acute Myocardial Damage Secondary to Implantation of Electrodes for the Left Bundle Branch Area Pacing

ABSTRACT Background: Different from the traditional right ventricular pacing, the left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP) is accomplished with deeper lead implantation and more attempts. However, myocardial damage is unclear in LBBAP. Objective: The objective of the study was to observe the change of troponin T and explore possible factors associated with greater myocardial damage in LBBAP. Methods: Patients with an indication for pacemaker implantation underwent attempts for LBBAP by transventricular septal method. Levels of troponin T were determined before operation, 12 h and 1 week after the operation. Parameters of intraoperation and follow-up were recorded and analyzed. Results: In total, successful LBBAP was achieved in 126 patients. The levels of troponin T increased significantly at 12 h after the operation compared with those before operation (96.45 ± 11.07 [69.06] vs. 16.59 ± 1.84 [11.92] ng/L, p < 0.001), while there were no significant differences between pre- and post-operative levels at 1 week. Correlation and regression analysis showed that only the number of attempts was an independent factor related to the change of troponin T. During 1 year of follow-up, LBBAP was safe and feasible with few complications. Conclusions: Myocardial damage of LBBAP was clinically significant. The number of attempts was an independent factor related to the myocardial damage.

Quantification of Acute Myocardial Damage Secondary to Implantation of Electrodes for the Left Bundle Branch Area Pacing.

BACKGROUND: Different from the traditional right ventricular pacing, the left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP) is accomplished with deeper lead implantation and more attempts. However, myocardial damage is unclear in LBBAP. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to observe the change of troponin T and explore possible factors associated with greater myocardial damage in LBBAP. METHODS: Patients with an indication for pacemaker implantation underwent attempts for LBBAP by transventricular septal method. Levels of troponin T were determined before operation, 12 h and 1 week after the operation. Parameters of intraoperation and follow-up were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: In total, successful LBBAP was achieved in 126 patients. The levels of troponin T increased significantly at 12 h after the operation compared with those before operation (96.45 ± 11.07 [69.06] vs. 16.59 ± 1.84 [11.92] ng/L, p < 0.001), while there were no significant differences between pre- and post-operative levels at 1 week. Correlation and regression analysis showed that only the number of attempts was an independent factor related to the change of troponin T. During 1 year of follow-up, LBBAP was safe and feasible with few complications. CONCLUSIONS: Myocardial damage of LBBAP was clinically significant. The number of attempts was an independent factor related to the myocardial damage.

Locomotory adaptations in entoptychine gophers (Rodentia: Geomyidae) and the mosaic evolution of fossoriality.

Pocket gophers (family Geomyidae) are the dominant burrowing rodents in North America today. Their fossil record is also incredibly rich; in particular, entoptychine gophers, a diverse extinct subfamily of the Geomyidae, are known from countless teeth and jaws from Oligocene and Miocene-aged deposits of the western United States and Mexico. Their postcranial remains, however, are much rarer and little studied. Yet, they offer the opportunity to investigate the locomotion of fossil gophers, shed light on the evolution of fossoriality, and enable ecomorphological comparisons with contemporaneous rodents. We present herein a quantitative study of the cranial and postcranial remains of eight different species of entoptychine gophers as well as many contemporary rodent species. We find a range of burrowing capabilities within Entoptychinae, including semifossorial scratch-digging animals and fossorial taxa with cranial adaptations to burrowing. Our results suggest the repeated evolution of chisel-tooth digging across genera. Comparisons between entoptychine gophers and contemporaneous rodent taxa show little ecomorphological overlap and suggest that the succession of burrowing rodent taxa on the landscape may have had more to do with habitat partitioning than competition.

Activity of encapsulated Lactobacillus bulgaricus in alginate-whey protein microspheres

In this work, alginate-whey protein was used as wall materials for encapsulating Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus (L. bulgaricus). The characteristics of encapsulated and free L. bulgaricus showed that the free L. bulgaricus lost viability after 1 min exposure to simulated gastric fluid (SGF) at pH 2.0 and 2.5. However, the viability of encapsulated L. bulgaricus did not decrease in SGF at pH 2.5 for 2 h incubation. The viable numbers of encapsulated L. bulgaricus decreased less than 1.0 log unit for 2 h incubation in SGF at pH 2.0. For bile stability, only 1.2 log units and 2.0 log units viability of the encapsulated L. bulgaricus was lost in 1 and 2% bile for 1 h exposure, respectively, compared with no survival of free L. bulgaricus under the same conditions. Encapsulated L. bulgaricus was completely released from the microspheres in simulated intestinal fluid (SIF, pH 6.8) in 3 h. The viability of the encapsulated L. bulgaricus retained more 8.0 log CFU/g after stored at 4°C for four weeks. However, for free L. bulgaricus, only around 3.0 log CFU/mL was found at the same storage conditions. Results showed that the encapsulation could improve the stability of L. bulgaricus.