Growth Stage-Dependent Variation in Soil Quality and Microbial Diversity of Ancient Gleditsia sinensis.

The environment monitoring of forest is vital for the ecosystem sustainable management, especially soil quality. Ancient Gleditsia sinensis is one of the most distributed ancient trees in Shaanxi. Comprehensive soil evaluate is important for the ancient tree protection. In this study, we selected the most distributed ancient tree Gleditsia sinensis and immature tree to compare the effect of growth stage to soil quality and soil bacteria. Most ancient tree soil nutrients were in good condition compared with immature tree. The bacterial community were composed with Proteobacteria (27.55%), Acidobacteriota (16.82%), Actinobacteriota (15.77%), Gemmatimonadota (6.82%), Crenarchaeota (4.61%), Bacteroidota (4.41%), Firmicutes (4.32%), Chloroflexi (4.28%), Planctomycetota (3.24%) and Verrucomicrobiota (3.04%). The level 2 ancient tree (300-400 years old) was different in bacterial community diversity. SOC and STN were important to level 2 (300-400 years old Gleditsia sinensis), and other levels were opposite. Our results suggested that the ancient tree management should not be lumped together.

Investigating retinal explant models cultured in static and perfused systems to test the performance of exosomes secreted from retinal organoids.

BACKGROUND: Ex vivo cultures of retinal explants are appropriate models for translational research. However, one of the difficult problems of retinal explants ex vivo culture is that their nutrient supply needs cannot be constantly met. NEW METHOD: This study evaluated the effect of perfused culture on the survival of retinal explants, addressing the challenge of insufficient nutrition in static culture. Furthermore, exosomes secreted from retinal organoids (RO-Exos) were stained with PKH26 to track their uptake in retinal explants to mimic the efficacy of exosomal drugs in vivo. RESULTS: We found that the retinal explants cultured with perfusion exhibited significantly higher viability, increased NeuN+ cells, and reduced apoptosis compared to the static culture group at Days Ex Vivo (DEV) 4, 7, and 14. The perfusion-cultured retinal explants exhibited reduced mRNA markers for gliosis and microglial activation, along with lower expression of GFAP and Iba1, as revealed by immunostaining. Additionally, RNA-sequencing analysis showed that perfusion culture mainly upregulated genes associated with visual perception and photoreceptor cell maintenance while downregulating the immune system process and immune response. RO-Exos promoted the uptake of PKH26-labelled exosomes and the growth of retinal explants in perfusion culture. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS: Our perfusion culture system can provide a continuous supply of culture medium to achieve steady-state equilibrium in retinal explant culture. Compared to traditional static culture, it better preserves the vitality, provides better neuroprotection, and reduces glial activation. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides a promising ex vivo model for further studies on degenerative retinal diseases and drug screening.

Proteomic Analysis of Idiopathic Nephrotic Syndrome Triggered by Primary Podocytopathies in Adults: Regulatory Mechanisms and Diagnostic Implications.

Idiopathic nephrotic syndrome (NS) is a heterogeneous group of glomerular disorders which includes two major phenotypes: minimal change disease (MCD) and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). MCD and FSGS are classic types of primary podocytopathies. We aimed to explore the molecular mechanisms in NS triggered by primary podocytopathies and evaluate diagnostic value of the selected proteomic signatures by analyzing blood proteome profiling. Totally, we recruited 90 participants in two cohorts. The first cohort was analyzed using label-free quantitative (LFQ) proteomics to discover differential expressed proteins and identify enriched biological process in NS which were further studied in relation to clinical markers of kidney injury. The second cohort was analyzed using parallel reaction monitoring-based quantitative proteomics to verify the data of LFQ proteomics and assess the diagnostic performance of the selected proteins using receiver-operating characteristic curve analysis. Several biological processes (such as immune response, cell adhesion, and response to hypoxia) were found to be associated with kidney injury during MCD and FSGS. Moreover, three proteins (CSF1, APOC3, and LDLR) had over 90% sensitivity and specificity in detecting adult NS triggered by primary podocytopathies. The identified biological processes may play a crucial role in MCD and FSGS pathogenesis. The three blood protein markers are promising for diagnosing adult NS triggered by primary podocytopathies.

Cell spray printing combined with Lycium barbarum glycopeptide promotes repair of corneal epithelial injury.

The corneal epithelium, located as the outermost layer of the cornea, is inherently susceptible to injuries that may lead to corneal opacities and compromise visual acuity. Rapid restoration of corneal epithelial injury is crucial for maintaining the transparency and integrity of the cornea. Cell spray treatment emerges as an innovative and effective approach in the field of regenerative medicine. In our study, a cell spray printing platform was established, and the optimal printing parameters were determined to be a printing air pressure of 5 PSI (34.47 kPa) and a liquid flow rate of 30 ml/h. Under these conditions, the viability and phenotype of spray-printed corneal epithelial cells were preserved. Moreover, Lycium barbarum glycopeptide (LBGP), a glycoprotein purified from wolfberry, enhanced proliferation while simultaneously inhibiting apoptosis of the spray-printed corneal epithelial cells. We found that the combination of cell spray printing and LBGP facilitated the rapid construction of multilayered cell sheets on flat and curved collagen membranes in vitro. Furthermore, the combined cell spray printing and LBGP accelerated the recovery of the rat corneal epithelium in the mechanical injury model. Our findings offer a therapeutic avenue for addressing corneal epithelial injuries and regeneration.

A novel approach to evaluation of tumor response for advanced pulmonary adenocarcinoma using the intertumoral heterogeneity response score.

Treatment response and prognosis estimation in advanced pulmonary adenocarcinoma are challenged by the significant heterogeneity of the disease. The current Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST) criteria, despite providing a basis for solid tumor response evaluation, do not fully encompass this heterogeneity. To better represent these nuances, we introduce the intertumoral heterogeneity response score (THRscore), a measure built upon and expanding the RECIST criteria. This retrospective study included patients with 3-10 measurable advanced lung adenocarcinoma lesions who underwent first-line chemotherapy or targeted therapy. The THRscore, derived from the coefficient of variation in size for each measurable tumor before and 4-6 weeks posttreatment, unveiled a correlation with patient outcomes. Specifically, a high THRscore was associated with shorter progression-free survival, lower tumor response rate, and a higher tumor mutation burden. These associations were further validated in an external cohort, confirming THRscore's effectiveness in stratifying patients based on progression risk and treatment response, and enhancing the utility of RECIST in capturing complex tumor behaviors in lung adenocarcinoma. These findings affirm the promise of THRscore as an enhanced tool for tumor response assessment in advanced lung adenocarcinoma, extending the RECIST criteria's utility.

Key anti-freeze genes and pathways of Lanzhou lily (Lilium davidii, var. unicolor) during the seedling stage.

Temperature is one of the most important environmental factors for plant growth, as low-temperature freezing damage seriously affects the yield and distribution of plants. The Lanzhou lily (Lilium davidii, var. unicolor) is a famous ornamental plant with high ornamental value. Using an Illumina HiSeq transcriptome sequencing platform, sequencing was conducted on Lanzhou lilies exposed to two different temperature conditions: a normal temperature treatment at 20°C (A) and a cold treatment at -4°C (C). After being treated for 24 hours, a total of 5848 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, including 3478 significantly up regulated genes and 2370 significantly down regulated genes, accounting for 10.27% of the total number of DEGs. Quantitative real-time PCR (QRT-PCR) analysis showed that the expression trends of 10 randomly selected DEGs coincided with the results of high-throughput sequencing. In addition, genes responding to low-temperature stress were analyzed using the interaction regulatory network method. The anti-freeze pathway of Lanzhou lily was found to involve the photosynthetic and metabolic pathways, and the key freezing resistance genes were the OLEO3 gene, 9 CBF family genes, and C2H2 transcription factor c117817_g1 (ZFP). This lays the foundation for revealing the underlying mechanism of the molecular anti-freeze mechanism in Lanzhou lily.

What is the next step of ICT development? The changes of ICT use in promoting elderly healthcare access: A systematic literature review.

The objective of this study was to undertake a comprehensive review of the evidence published, with a focus on understanding the experiences of the elderly in leveraging Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for their healthcare needs during the COVID-19 period. In compliance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, this review scrutinized all peer-reviewed articles in English sourced from PubMed, PsycINFO, Scopus, and Web of Science, targeting studies that focused exclusively on the elderly within the COVID-19 timeframe, incorporated ICT-based technology as intervention, and were associated with the assessment of the process of employing ICT for healthcare needs. The search strategy identified 1752 records, of which 34 studies met the inclusion criteria. The functionality of ICT was categorized, types of barriers were identified, and the subsequent changes that the elderly population underwent were synthesized and deliberated. This review offers valuable insights into the elderly's subjective experiences in utilizing ICT, which may offer guidance for future ICT development geared towards enhancing the well-being of the elderly. Future research should incorporate the perspectives of relevant healthcare providers in evaluating the effectiveness of ICT usage. Further studies are also needed on underserved elderly groups to provide a more holistic view.

Structure-activity characteristics of phenylalanine analogs selectively transported by L-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1).

L-type amino acid transporter 1 (LAT1) is a transmembrane protein responsible for transporting large neutral amino acids. While numerous LAT1-targeted compound delivery for the brain and tumors have been investigated, their LAT1 selectivity often remains ambiguous despite high LAT1 affinity. This study assessed the LAT1 selectivity of phenylalanine (Phe) analogs, focusing on their structure-activity characteristics. We discovered that 2-iodo-L-phenylalanine (2-I-Phe), with an iodine substituent at position 2 in the benzene ring, markedly improves LAT1 affinity and selectivity compared to parent amino acid Phe, albeit at the cost of reduced transport velocity. L-Phenylglycine (Phg), one carbon shorter than Phe, was found to be a substrate for LAT1 with a lower affinity, exhibiting a low level of selectivity for LAT1 equivalent to Phe. Notably, (R)-2-amino-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-2-naphthoic acid (bicyclic-Phe), with an α-methylene moiety akin to the α-methyl group in α-methyl-L-phenylalanine (α-methyl-Phe), a known LAT1-selective compound, showed similar LAT1 transport maximal velocity to α-methyl-Phe, but with higher LAT1 affinity and selectivity. In vivo studies revealed tumor-specific accumulation of bicyclic-Phe, underscoring the importance of LAT1-selectivity in targeted delivery. These findings emphasize the potential of bicyclic-Phe as a promising LAT1-selective component, providing a basis for the development of LAT1-targeting compounds based on its structural framework.

Integrated sentence-level speech perception evokes strengthened language networks and facilitates early speech development.

Natural poetic speeches (i.e., proverbs, nursery rhymes, and commercial ads) with strong prosodic regularities are easily memorized by children and the harmonious acoustic patterns are suggested to facilitate their integrated sentence processing. Do children have specific neural pathways for perceiving such poetic utterances, and does their speech development benefit from it? We recorded the task-induced hemodynamic changes of 94 children aged 2 to 12 years using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) while they listened to poetic and non-poetic natural sentences. Seventy-three adult as controls were recruited to investigate the developmental specificity of children group. The results indicated that poetic sentences perceiving is a highly integrated process featured by a lower brain workload in both groups. However, an early activated large-scale network was induced only in the child group, coordinated by hubs for connectivity diversity. Additionally, poetic speeches evoked activation in the phonological encoding regions in the children's group rather than adult controls which decreases with children's ages. The neural responses to poetic speeches were positively linked to children's speech communication performance, especially the fluency and semantic aspects. These results reveal children's neural sensitivity to integrated speech perception which facilitate early speech development by strengthening more sophisticated language networks and the perception-production circuit.

Tissue engineering RPE sheet derived from hiPSC-RPE cell spheroids supplemented with Y-27632 and RepSox.

BACKGROUND: Retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cell therapy is a promising way to treat many retinal diseases. However, obtaining transplantable RPE cells is time-consuming and less effective. This study aimed to develop novel strategies for generating engineered RPE patches with physiological characteristics. RESULTS: Our findings revealed that RPE cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) successfully self-assembled into spheroids. The RPE spheroids treated with Y27632 and Repsox had increased expression of epithelial markers and RPE-specific genes, along with improved cell viability and barrier function. Transcriptome analysis indicated enhanced cell adhesion and extracellular matrix (ECM) organization in RPE spheroids. These RPE spheroids could be seeded and bioprinted on collagen vitrigel (CV) membranes to construct engineered RPE sheets. Circular RPE patches, obtained by trephining a specific section of the RPE sheet, exhibited abundant microvilli and pigment particles, as well as reduced proliferative capacity and enhanced maturation. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggests that the supplementation of small molecules and 3D spheroid culture, as well as the bioprinting technique, can be effective methods to promote RPE cultivation and construct engineered RPE sheets, which may support future clinical RPE cell therapy and the development of RPE models for research applications.

Baseline C-reactive protein predicts efficacy of the first-line immune checkpoint inhibitors plus chemotherapy in advanced lung squamous cell carcinoma: a retrospective, multicenter study.

AIMS: To investigate the predictive value of baseline C-reactive protein (CRP) levels on the efficacy of chemotherapy plus immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in patients with advanced lung squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this retrospective multicenter study spanning from January 2016 to December 2020, advanced LSCC patients initially treated with chemotherapy or a combination of chemotherapy and ICI were categorized into normal and elevated CRP subgroups. The relationship between CRP levels and treatment outcomes was analyzed using multivariate Cox proportional hazards models and multivariate logistic regression, focusing primarily on the progression-free survival (PFS) endpoint, and secondarily on overall survival (OS) and objective response rate (ORR) endpoints. Survival curves were generated using the Kaplan-Meier method, with the log-rank test used for comparison between groups. RESULTS: Of the 245 patients evaluated, the 105 who received a combination of chemotherapy and ICI with elevated baseline CRP levels exhibited a significant reduction in PFS (median 6.5 months vs. 11.8 months, HR, 1.78; 95% CI: 1.12-2.81; p = 0.013) compared to those with normal CRP levels. Elevated CRP was identified as an independent risk factor for poor PFS through multivariate-adjusted analysis. However, among the 140 patients receiving chemotherapy alone, baseline CRP levels did not significantly influence PFS. Furthermore, within the combination therapy group, there was a notable decrease in the ORR (51% vs. 71%, p = 0.035), coupled with a significantly shorter OS (median 20.9 months vs. 31.5 months, HR, 2.24; 95% CI: 1.13-4.44; p = 0.033). CONCLUSION: In patients with advanced LSCC, elevated baseline CRP levels were identified as an independent predictive factor for the efficacy of combination therapy with chemotherapy and ICI, but not in chemotherapy alone. This suggests that CRP may be a valuable biomarker for guiding treatment strategies.

Investigation of the Relationship between Apolipoprotein E Alleles and Serum Lipids in Alzheimer's Disease: A Meta-Analysis.

Prior studies have yielded mixed findings concerning the association between apolipoprotein E(APOE)-ε4 and serum lipids in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and healthy individuals. Some studies suggested a relationship between APOEε4 and serum lipids in patients with AD and healthy individuals, whereas others proposed that the APOEε4 allele affects lipids only in patients with AD. Our study aimed to investigate whether APOE alleles have a distinct impact on lipids in AD. We conducted a comprehensive search of the PubMed and Embase databases for all related studies that investigate APOE and serum lipids of AD from the inception to 30 May 2022. Elevated total cholesterol (TC) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels were found in APOEε4 allele carriers compared with non-carriers. No significant differences were found for high-density lipoprotein (HDL) and triglyceride (TG) levels in APOEε4 allele carriers compared to non-carriers. Notably, elevated TC and LDL levels showed considerable heterogeneity between patients with AD and healthy controls. A network meta-analysis did not find a distinct effect of carrying one or two APOEε4 alleles on lipid profiles. Higher TC and LDL levels were found in APOEε4 allele carriers compared with non-carriers, and the difference was more significant in patients with AD than in healthy controls.

The effect and mechanism of iodophors on the adhesion and virulence of Staphylococcus aureus biofilms attached to artificial joint materials.

BACKGROUND: Iodophors are known to be a treatment for biofilm-related periprosthetic joint infection. However, the efficacy and mechanism of eradicating biofilms from different artificial joint materials after iodophor treatment are unknown. This study was conducted to understand the effect and mechanism of iodophors with respect to the adhesion and virulence of Staphylococcus aureus biofilms attached to artificial joint materials. METHODS: Biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus strains were grown on titanium alloy, cobalt chromium molybdenum and polyethylene coupons, which are commonly used materials for artificial joints, for 24 h. Afterward, all coupons were divided into experimental and control groups: (1) exposed to a 0.5 ± 0.05% iodophor for 5 min and (2) exposed to phosphate-buffered saline for 5 min. To gauge the level of biofilm, colony forming units (CFU), live/dead staining confocal microscopy and crystal violet staining were used. Meanwhile, the expression of icaACDR and clfA, which are related to virulence and adhesion, was examined in both the experimental and control groups. RESULTS: A roughly three-log decrease in CFU/cm2 was seen in the viable plate count compared to the control group. Confocal imaging and crystal violet staining verified the CFU data. Moreover, the expression of icaACDR was reduced on three different orthopaedic implant materials, and the expression of clfA was also inhibited on titanium alloy coupons exposed to the iodophor. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicated that exposure to an iodophor for 5 min could significantly eliminate biofilms. When Staphylococcus aureus that had adhered to these three materials, which were used for artificial joints, was treated with an iodophor for 5 min, the expression of icaACDR was significantly reduced. This provides strong evidence for clinically clearing periprosthetic joint infections without removing the artificial joints.

The Complete Chloroplast Genome Sequence of Staphylea holocarpa (Staphyleaceae).

Staphylea holocarpa (Hemsley 1895) is an ornamental deciduous shrub or tree in the family Staphyleaceae. As the shortage of the wild resources, S. holocarpa is also a rare plant. The revelation of the species origin and evolution progress and the relation. Therefore, the S. holocarpa complete chloroplast genome sequence was completed and characterized by de novo assembly. The cp genome length of S. holocarpa was 160,461 bp and it has a typical quadripartite structure, consisted of an 89,760 bp large single-copy region and a 18,639 bp small single-copy region, which were divided by two inverted repeat regions of 26,031 bp. After genome annotation, it comes to 130 genes that were predicted, which includes 85, 8, and 37 encoded proteins, rRNA, and tRNA, respectively. A phylogenetic analysis has shown that the S. holocarpa cp genome is related to the Staphylea trifolia. This work will be useful for further population genomic and phylogenetic studies of S. holocarpa.

Genomic characterisation of de novo EGFR copy number gain and its impact on the efficacy of first-line EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors for EGFR mutated non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation generally respond well to epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs). However, genomic characterisation of de novo EGFR copy number gain (CNG) and its impact on the efficacy of first-line EGFR-TKIs remains unclear. METHODS: This multicenter, retrospective and real-world study included two cohorts that enroled EGFR mutant NSCLC patients. EGFR CNG was tested by next-generation sequencing of untreated tissue specimens. Cohort 1 detected the impact of EGFR CNG on first-line EGFR-TKIs treatment, and cohort 2 explored the genomic characterisation. RESULTS: Cohort 1 enroled 355 patients from four cancer centres between January 2013 and March 2022. The patients were divided into three groups, included the EGFR non-CNG, EGFR CNG, and EGFR uncertain-CNG. No significant difference in progression-free survival (PFS) was found between the three groups (10.0 months vs. 10.8 months vs. 9.9 months, respectively, p = 0.384). Furthermore, the overall response rate was not statistically significant in the EGFR CNG group compared to the EGFR non-CNG or uncertain arm (70.3% vs. 63.2% vs. 54.5%, respectively, p = 0.154). Cohort 2 included 7876 NSCLC patients with 16.4% showing EGFR CNG. Gene mutations such as TP53, IKZF1, RAC1, MYC, MET, CDKN2A/B and alterations of the metabolic-related and ERK signalling pathway were significantly associated with patients with EGFR CNG compared to those without. CONCLUSIONS: De novo EGFR CNG had no effect on the efficacy of first-line EGFR-TKI treatment in EGFR mutant NSCLC patients, and tumours with EGFR CNG had more complex genomic profiles than those without.

Analyses of hospitalization in Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease in a tertiary hospital.

Background: To characterize the pattern of hospitalization in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) or Parkinson's disease (PD), and compare the differences to see whether AD patients and PD patients have a different picture of hospitalization. Methods: The clinical features of all consecutive patients from January 2017 to December 2020 were reviewed. We identified AD patients and PD patients from an electronic database in a tertiary medical center. Results: The study group comprised 995 AD patients and 2,298 PD patients who were admitted to the hospital for the first time, and re-hospitalized 231 AD patients and 371 PD patients were also included. AD patients were older than PD patients when they were hospitalized (p < 0.001). AD patients had longer lengths of stay, higher re-hospitalization rates, and higher intrahospital mortality rates than PD patients during hospitalization even after adjusting age and gender. PD patients had higher levels of total cost than AD patients due to the cost of the deep brain stimulation (DBS) insertion. Hospitalizations for AD patients occurred most often in the department of geriatrics, while most PD patients were admitted to the department of neurology. Hospitalization due to the presence of comorbid conditions was much higher in AD patients, but a larger proportion of PD patients were hospitalized due to PD disease itself. Conclusions: The present study found that AD patients and PD patients have a significantly different picture of hospitalization. It is important to implement different management for hospitalized AD and PD, and different emphasis should be given when establishing primary prevention strategies, informing care needs, and guiding healthcare resource planning.

A novel C19ORF12 mutation in two MPAN sisters treated with deferiprone.

BACKGROUND: Mitochondrial membrane protein-associated neurodegeneration (MPAN) is a rare and devastating disease caused by pathogenic mutations in C19orf12 gene. MPAN is characterized by pathological iron accumulation in the brain and fewer than 100 cases of MPAN have been described. Although the diagnosis of MPAN has achieved a great breakthrough with the application of the whole exome gene sequencing technology, the therapeutic effect of iron chelation therapy in MPAN remains controversial. CASE PRESENTATION: We reported that two sisters from the same family diagnosed with MPAN had dramatically different responses to deferiprone (DFP) treatment. The diagnosis of MPAN were established based on typical clinical manifestations, physical examination, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), cerebrospinal fluid analysis (CSF) and gene sequencing results. The clinical presentations of the two sisters with MPAN due to novel gene locus mutations were similar to those previously reported. There is no other difference in basic information except that the proband had a later onset age and fertility history. Both the proband and his second sister were treated with deferiprone (DFP), but they had dramatically different responses to the treatment. The proband's condition deteriorated sharply after treatment with DFP including psychiatric symptoms and movement disorders. However, the second sister of the proband became relatively stable after receiving the DFP treatment. After four years of follow-up, the patient still denies any new symptoms of neurological deficits. CONCLUSION: The findings of this study enriched the MPAN gene database and indicated that DFP might ameliorate symptom progression in patients without severe autonomic neuropsychiatric impairment at the early stage of the disease.

Serum inflammatory cytokines levels and the correlation analyses in Parkinson's disease.

Objective: To investigate the serum levels of inflammatory cytokines and the correlations with Parkinson's disease (PD) clinical symptoms. Methods: Serum levels of the cytokines, including IL-6, IL-8, and TNF-α, were measured in 273 PD patients and 91 healthy controls (HCs). The clinical manifestations of PD were assessed with nine different scales to evaluate the cognitive function, non-motor symptoms, motor symptoms, and disease severity. The differences in these inflammatory indicators were examined between PD patients and HCs, and the correlations of these inflammatory indicators with clinical variables were analyzed in PD patients. Results: Serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in PD patients were higher than those in HCs, but serum interleukin-8 (IL-8) level was not significantly different from that in HCs. In PD patients, serum IL-6 level was positively correlated with age of onset, the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), and the Non-Motor Symptom Scale (NMSS), UPDRS part I, part II, and part III, but it was inversely correlated with the Frontal Assessment Battery (FAB) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scores. Serum TNF-α level was positively correlated with age of onset and H&Y stage in PD patients (p = .037), but negatively correlated with FAB scores in PD patients (p = .010). However, no associations were found between all the clinical variables and the serum IL-8 level. The forward binary logistic regression model revealed that serum IL-6 level was associated with MoCA (p = .023) and UPDRS I scores (p = .023), but no associations was found with the remaining factors. The ROC curve of TNF-α for the diagnosis of PD showed the area under the curve (AUC) was .719 (p < .05, 95% CI: .655-.784), and the critical value of TNF-α was 5.380 pg/ml, with a diagnostic sensitivity of 76.0% and a specificity of 59.3%. Conclusion: Our results suggest increased serum levels of IL-6 and TNF-α in PD, we further found that IL-6 level was associated with non-motor symptoms and cognitive dysfunction, and IL-6 may play a role in the pathophysiology of non-motor symptoms in PD. At the same time, we also propose that TNF-α has a good diagnostic value for PD despite its irrelevance to clinical symptoms.

Meta-analysis and systematic review of peripheral platelet-associated biomarkers to explore the pathophysiology of alzheimer's disease.

INTRODUCTION: Platelets are the primary peripheral reserve of amyloid precursor protein (APP), providing more than 90% of blood amyloid-beta (Aß). Some oxidative stress markers and neurotransmitter markers were also differentially expressed in the peripheral platelets of AD. Therefore, the present study explored the differences in platelet-associated biomarkers between AD and healthy controls using meta-analysis and systematic review to reveal the value of platelet in the pathogenesis and development of AD. METHODS: We searched all the related studies that probed into the platelets in AD based on PubMed, Embase, and web of science databases from the establishment to November 04, 2021. RESULTS: Eighty-eight studies were included in the meta-analysis, and the platelets data of 702 AD and 710 controls were analyzed. The results of standardized mean difference (SMD) showed that platelets in AD had lower levels of APP ratio (SMD: -1.89; p < 0.05), ADAM10 (SMD: -1.16; p < 0.05), Na + -K + -ATPase (SMD: -7.23; p < 0.05), but higher levels of HMW/LMW tau (SMD: 0.92; p < 0.05), adenosine A2 receptor (SMD: 4.27; p < 0.05), MAO-B (SMD: 1.73; p < 0.05), NO (SMD: 4.25; p < 0.05) and ONOO- (SMD: 7.33; p < 0.05). In the systematic review, some other platelet markers seem to be meaningful in AD patients. CONCLUSION: The results of the present meta-analysis and systematic review demonstrated that the alterations of APP metabolic enzymes, oxidative stress markers, and neurotransmitter factors in platelets were similar to their changes in the central nervous system of AD, suggesting that platelet could be a good source of peripheral biomarkers and may play an important role in the pathophysiological development of AD.

Ultrafast materials synthesis and manufacturing techniques for emerging energy and environmental applications.

Energy and environmental issues have attracted increasing attention globally, where sustainability and low-carbon emissions are seriously considered and widely accepted by government officials. In response to this situation, the development of renewable energy and environmental technologies is urgently needed to complement the usage of traditional fossil fuels. While a big part of advancement in these technologies relies on materials innovations, new materials discovery is limited by sluggish conventional materials synthesis methods, greatly hindering the advancement of related technologies. To address this issue, this review introduces and comprehensively summarizes emerging ultrafast materials synthesis methods that could synthesize materials in times as short as nanoseconds, significantly improving research efficiency. We discuss the unique advantages of these methods, followed by how they benefit individual applications for renewable energy and the environment. We also highlight the scalability of ultrafast manufacturing towards their potential industrial utilization. Finally, we provide our perspectives on challenges and opportunities for the future development of ultrafast synthesis and manufacturing technologies. We anticipate that fertile opportunities exist not only for energy and the environment but also for many other applications.