Termination of convulsion seizures by destabilizing and perturbing seizure memory engrams.

Epileptogenesis, arising from alterations in synaptic strength, shares mechanistic and phenotypic parallels with memory formation. However, direct evidence supporting the existence of seizure memory remains scarce. Leveraging a conditioned seizure memory (CSM) paradigm, we found that CSM enabled the environmental cue to trigger seizure repetitively, and activating cue-responding engram cells could generate CSM artificially. Moreover, cue exposure initiated an analogous process of memory reconsolidation driven by mammalian target of rapamycin-brain-derived neurotrophic factor signaling. Pharmacological targeting of the mammalian target of rapamycin pathway within a limited time window reduced seizures in animals and interictal epileptiform discharges in patients with refractory seizures. Our findings reveal a causal link between seizure memory engrams and seizures, which leads us to a deeper understanding of epileptogenesis and points to a promising direction for epilepsy treatment.

A controlled lumbar puncture procedure improves the safety of lumbar puncture.

Background: In order to improve the safety of lumbar puncture (LP), we designed a new type of LP needle, that is, an integrated and controlled LP needle, which can actively and accurately control the flow rate and retention of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) during puncture, so as to achieve a controlled LP procedure. Objective: To evaluate whether a controlled LP procedure can improve the comfort of LP and reduce the risk of complications associated with LP. Methods: Patients requiring LP (n = 63) were pierced with an integrated and controlled LP needle or a conventional LP needle. The differences in vital signs, symptom score, comfort, operation time, CSF loss, CSF pressure fluctuation and back pain before and after puncture were analyzed. Results: An integrated and controlled LP needle (n = 35) significantly improved patients' headache symptoms before and after puncture. In addition, a controlled LP procedure significantly reduced the amount of unnecessary CSF loss (p < 0.001), shortened the time of puncture (p < 0.001), improved patient comfort (p = 0.001) and reduced the incidence of back pain (p < 0.001). For patients with high intracranial pressure (HICP), the fluctuations in pressure of the CSF were also reduced while obtaining similar amounts of CSF (p = 0.009). Conclusion: A controlled LP procedure avoids unnecessary CSF loss, prevents rapid fluctuations in CSF pressure in patients with HICP, and reduces the risks associated with LP.

Adverse events and oncologic outcomes with combination lenvatinib and pembrolizumab for the treatment of recurrent endometrial cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate adverse events (AEs) of combination lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab for the treatment of recurrent endometrial cancer (EC) and to assess outcomes by lenvatinib starting dose. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patients with recurrent EC treated with lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab at our institution between 10/1/2019-11/30/2021. Starting dose of lenvatinib was defined as standard (20 mg) or reduced (10 mg/14 mg). AEs were manually extracted through chart review and graded using Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) version 5.0. PFS, overall survival (OS), and duration of response (DOR) were analyzed. RESULTS: Forty-three patients were identified; median age was 67 years (range, 54-85). The most common histologies were serous (35%), endometrioid (23%), and carcinosarcoma (21%). Starting lenvatinib doses were 10 mg (n = 10), 14 mg (n = 10), and 20 mg (n = 23). Median number of cycles received was 8 (range, 1-42). Twenty-four patients (56%) required ≥1 lenvatinib dose reduction; 3 (7%) discontinued lenvatinib, and 1 (2%) discontinued pembrolizumab for intolerance or AE. Thirty-six patients (84%) experienced grade ≥ 3 AEs; hypertension, weight loss, anemia, fatigue, and thrombocytopenia were most common. The standard dose group experienced significantly shorter observed PFS vs the reduced dose group (P = .02). There was no difference in DOR (P = .09) or OS (P = .27) between the groups. CONCLUSION: In clinical practice, AEs associated with combination lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab were common and comparable to Study 309/KEYNOTE-775 findings. AEs were similar regardless of starting lenvatinib dose. Further dose optimization studies of lenvatinib plus pembrolizumab may be indicated in recurrent EC. Clinical trial data remain the gold standard to guide starting lenvatinib dosing.

HER2 Genetic Intratumor Heterogeneity Is Associated With Resistance to Trastuzumab and Trastuzumab Emtansine Therapy in Recurrent High-Grade Endometrial Cancer.

Anti-HER2 targeted therapies have recently demonstrated clinical activity in the treatment of high-grade endometrial carcinomas (ECs), particularly serous carcinomas with HER2 amplification and/or overexpression. Intratumor heterogeneity of HER2 amplification or HER2 genetic intratumor heterogeneity (G-ITH) has been associated with resistance to anti-HER2 therapies in breast and gastroesophageal cancers; however, its clinical relevance in EC is unknown. To characterize HER2 G-ITH in EC, archival specimens from a clinically annotated cohort of 57 ECs treated with trastuzumab or trasutuzmab emtansine in the recurrent (n = 38) or adjuvant (n = 19) setting were subjected to central pathology review, HER2 assessment by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and next-generation sequencing. HER2 G-ITH, defined as HER2 amplification in 5% to 50% of tumor cells examined by FISH, was identified in 36% (19/53) of ECs and was associated with lower HER2 copy number and levels of protein expression. HER2 IHC revealed spatially distinct areas of strong expression juxtaposed with areas of low/absent expression in tumors with the "cluster" pattern of G-ITH, whereas the "mosaic" pattern was typically associated with a diffuse admixture of cells with variable levels of HER2 expression. HER2 G-ITH was frequently observed in cases with IHC/FISH or FISH/next-generation sequencing discrepancies and/or with an equivocal/negative FISH result (9/13, 69%). Although the objective response rate to anti-HER2 therapy in recurrent ECs was 52% (13/25) for tumors lacking HER2 G-ITH, none (0%, 0/10) of the patients with HER2 G-ITH achieved a complete or partial response (P = .005). HER2 G-ITH was significantly associated with worse progression-free survival (hazard ratio, 2.88; 95% CI, 1.33-6.27; P = .005) but not overall survival. HER2 IHC score, HER2/CEP17 ratio, HER2 copy number, histologic subtype, and other genetic alterations, including PIK3CA hotspot mutations, were not significantly associated with therapeutic response or survival outcomes. Treatment responses were not restricted to serous carcinomas, supporting consideration of anti-HER2 therapy in patients with HER2-positive high-grade ECs of non-serous histology. Our results demonstrate that HER2 G-ITH is an important determinant of response to trastuzumab and trastuzumab emtansine in EC, providing a rationale for the development of novel therapeutic strategies to target HER2-nonamplified resistant tumor subpopulations, such as HER2 antibody-drug conjugates with bystander effects.

Synoptic Reporting for Pretreatment CT Examination in Patients With Advanced Ovarian Cancer: Impact on Documentation of Disease Sites and Physician Satisfaction.

BACKGROUND. Imaging reports that consistently document all disease sites with a potential to increase surgical complexity or morbidity can facilitate ovarian cancer treatment planning. OBJECTIVE. The aims of this study were to compare simple structured reports and synoptic reports from pretreatment CT examinations in patients with advanced ovarian cancer in terms of completeness of documenting involvement of clinically relevant anatomic sites as well as to evaluate physician satisfaction with synoptic reports. METHODS. This retrospective study included 205 patients (median age, 65 years) who underwent contrast-enhanced abdominopelvic CT before primary treatment of advanced ovarian cancer from June 1, 2018, to January 31, 2022. A total of 128 reports generated on or before March 31, 2020, used a simple structured report (free text organized into sections); 77 reports generated on or after April 1, 2020, used a synoptic report (a list of 45 anatomic sites relevant to ovarian cancer management, each of which was classified in terms of disease absence versus presence). Reports were reviewed for completeness of documentation of involvement of the 45 sites. For patients who underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy based on diagnostic laparoscopy findings or underwent primary debulking surgery with suboptimal resection, the EMR was reviewed to identify surgically established sites of disease that were unresectable or challenging to resect. Gynecologic oncology surgeons were electronically surveyed. RESULTS. The mean report turnaround time was 29.8 minutes for simple structured reports versus 54.5 minutes for synoptic reports (p < .001). A mean of 17.6 of 45 sites (range, four to 43 sites) were mentioned by simple structured reports versus 44.5 of 45 sites (range, 39-45) for synoptic reports (p < .001). Forty-three patients had surgically established unresectable or challenging-to-resect disease; involvement of anatomic site(s) with such disease was mentioned in 37% (11/30) of simple structured reports versus 100% (13/13) of synoptic reports (p < .001). All eight surveyed gynecologic oncology surgeons completed the survey. CONCLUSION. A synoptic report improved completeness of pretreatment CT reports in patients with advanced ovarian cancer, including for established sites of unresectable or challenging-to-resect disease. CLINICAL IMPACT. The findings indicate the role of disease-specific synoptic reports in facilitating referrer communication and potentially guiding clinical decision-making.

Internal carotid artery stenosis: hemodynamics in the ipsilateral ACA affects CT angiography manifestations.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate whether CT angiography (CTA) manifestations in anterior cerebral artery a1 segment (A1) were related to the hemodynamics in patients with internal carotid artery stenosis (ICAS). Methods: A total of 97 cases were selected. The degree of ICAS and symmetry of A1 were evaluated by CTA examination. Hemodynamic indexes were detected by transcranial Doppler (TCD). The differences in CTA presentations of A1 and hemodynamics between the vessels on the stenotic and contralateral sides were analyzed according to the different degrees of stenosis. The degree of ICAS according to the different manifestations of A1 and the hemodynamics of A1's adjacent vessels were also analyzed. Results: In the case of unilateral ICAS, the difference in Vm of A1 between the stenotic and the contralateral side was the most significant relative to the stenosis degree. When unilateral ICAS was ≥70%, the presentation of A1 on the stenotic side was more slender or non-visualized compared to that on the contralateral side, while in cases with unilateral stenosis <70% or bilateral stenosis with a similar degree of stenosis, A1 were mainly symmetrical. When A1 on the side of ICAS was slender or non-visualized, the Vm of A1 was significantly slower than that on the contralateral side (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The CTA manifestations of A1 on the side of ICAS embodied the overall changes of the intracranial hemodynamics after ICAS. A combination of TCD and CTA examination of A1 can assist in judging the location and degree of ICAS.

Integrative pan-cancer analysis of cuproplasia-associated genes for the genomic and clinical characterization of 33 tumors.

BACKGROUND: The molecular mechanisms driving tumorigenesis have continually been the focus of researchers. Cuproplasia is defined as copper-dependent cell growth and proliferation, including its primary and secondary roles in tumor formation and proliferation through signaling pathways. In this study, we analyzed the differences in the expression of cuproplasia-associated genes (CAGs) in pan-cancerous tissues and investigated their role in immune-regulation and tumor prognostication. METHODS: Raw data from 11,057 cancer samples were acquired from multiple databases. Pan-cancer analysis was conducted to analyze the CAG expression, single-nucleotide variants, copy number variants, methylation signatures, and genomic signatures of micro RNA (miRNA)-messenger RNA (mRNA) interactions. The Genomics of Drug Sensitivity in Cancer and the Cancer Therapeutics Response Portal databases were used to evaluate drug sensitivity and resistance against CAGs. Using single-sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (ssGSEA) and Immune Cell Abundance Identifier database, immune cell infiltration was analyzed with the ssGSEA score as the standard. RESULTS: Aberrantly expressed CAGs were found in multiple cancers. The frequency of single-nucleotide variations in CAGs ranged from 1% to 54% among different cancers. Furthermore, the correlation between CAG expression in the tumor microenvironment and immune cell infiltration varied among different cancers. ATP7A and ATP7B were negatively correlated with macrophages in 16 tumors including breast invasive carcinoma and esophageal carcinoma, while the converse was true for MT1A and MT2A . In addition, we established cuproplasia scores and demonstrated their strong correlation with patient prognosis, immunotherapy responsiveness, and disease progression ( P  <0.05). Finally, we identified potential candidate drugs by matching gene targets with existing drugs. CONCLUSIONS: This study reports the genomic characterization and clinical features of CAGs in pan-cancers. It helps clarify the relationship between CAGs and tumorigenesis, and may be helpful in the development of biomarkers and new therapeutic agents.

Multiple machine learning methods aided virtual screening of NaV 1.5 inhibitors.

Nav 1.5 sodium channels contribute to the generation of the rapid upstroke of the myocardial action potential and thereby play a central role in the excitability of myocardial cells. At present, the patch clamp method is the gold standard for ion channel inhibitor screening. However, this method has disadvantages such as high technical difficulty, high cost and low speed. In this study, novel machine learning models to screen chemical blockers were developed to overcome the above shortage. The data from the ChEMBL Database were employed to establish the machine learning models. Firstly, six molecular fingerprints together with five machine learning algorithms were used to develop 30 classification models to predict effective inhibitors. A validation and a test set were used to evaluate the performance of the models. Subsequently, the privileged substructures tightly associated with the inhibition of the Nav 1.5 ion channel were extracted using the bioalerts Python package. In the validation set, the RF-Graph model performed best. Similarly, RF-Graph produced the best result in the test set in which the Prediction Accuracy (Q) was 0.9309 and Matthew's correlation coefficient was 0.8627, further indicating the model had high classification ability. The results of the privileged substructures indicated Sulfa structures and fragments with large Steric hindrance tend to block Nav 1.5. In the unsupervised learning task of identifying sulfa drugs, MACCS and Graph fingerprints had good results. In summary, effective machine learning models have been constructed which help to screen potential inhibitors of the Nav 1.5 ion channel and key privileged substructures with high affinity were also extracted.

Microsatellite Instability-High Endometrial Cancers with MLH1 Promoter Hypermethylation Have Distinct Molecular and Clinical Profiles.

PURPOSE: Microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) endometrial carcinomas are underpinned by distinct mechanisms of DNA mismatch repair deficiency (MMR-D). We sought to characterize the clinical and genetic features of MSI-H endometrial cancers harboring germline or somatic mutations in MMR genes or MLH1 promoter hypermethylation (MLH1ph). EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN: Of > 1,100 patients with endometrial cancer that underwent clinical tumor-normal sequencing, 184 had MSI-H endometrial cancers due to somatic MMR mutations or MLH1ph, or harbored pathogenic germline MMR mutations. Clinicopathologic features, mutational landscape, and tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) scores were compared among MMR-D groups using nonparametric tests. Log-rank tests were used for categorical associations; Kaplan-Meier method and Wald test based on Cox proportional hazards models were employed for continuous variables and survival analyses. RESULTS: Compared with patients with germline (n = 25) and somatic (n = 39) mutations, patients with MLH1ph endometrial cancers (n = 120) were older (P < 0.001), more obese (P = 0.001) and had more advanced disease at diagnosis (P = 0.025). MLH1ph endometrial cancers were enriched for JAK1 somatic mutations as opposed to germline MMR-D endometrial cancers which showed enrichment for pathogenic ERBB2 mutations. MLH1ph endometrial cancers exhibited lower tumor mutational burden and TIL scores compared with endometrial cancers harboring germline or somatic MMR mutations (P < 0.01). MLH1ph endometrial cancer patients had shorter progression-free survival (PFS) on univariate analysis, but in multivariable models, stage at diagnosis remained the only predictor of survival. For stage I/II endometrial cancer, two-year PFS was inferior for patients with MLH1ph endometrial cancers compared with germline and somatic MMR groups (70% vs. 100%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: MLH1ph endometrial cancers likely constitute a distinct clinicopathologic entity compared with germline and somatic MMR-D ECs with potential treatment implications.

Association of Angiogenesis Gene Expression With Cancer Prognosis and Immunotherapy Efficacy.

Background: Several new blood vessels are formed during the process of tumor development. These new blood vessels provide nutrients and water for tumour growth, while spreading tumour cells to distant areas and forming new metastases in different parts of the body. The available evidence suggests that tumour angiogenesis is closely associated with the tumour microenvironment and is regulated by a variety of pro-angiogenic factors and/or angiogenic inhibitors. Methods: In the present study, a comprehensive characterization of angiogenesis genes expression was performed in a pan-cancer analysis across the 33 human cancer types. Further, genetic data from several public databases were also used in the current study. An angiogenesis score was assigned to The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) pan-cancer data, with one angiogenesis score as per sample for each tumour. Results: It was found that angiogenesis genes vary across cancer types, and are associated with a number of genomic and immunological features. Further, it was noted that macrophages and iTreg infiltration were generally higher in tumours with high angiogenesis scores, whereas lymphocytes and B cells showed the opposite trend. Notably, NK cells showed significantly different correlations among cancer types. Furthermore, results of the present study showed that a high angiogenesis score was associated with poor survival and aggressive types of cancer in most of the cancer types. Conclusion: In conclusion, the current study evidently showed that the expression of angiogenesis genes is a key feature of tumour biology that has a major impact on prognosis of patient with cancers.

Factors affecting interictal unilateral and bilateral discharges and ictal diffusion patterns of scalp electroencephalogram in temporal lobe epilepsy.

BACKGROUND: The interictal discharges of temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) can be unilateral or bilateral. In addition, the ictal electroencephalogram (EEG) showed the discharges also tend to spread to the contralateral brain in TLE. OBJECTIVE: The factors influencing unilateral and bilateral interictal discharges in TLE as well as ictal diffusion patterns in scalp EEG during onset of seizure were evaluated in the present study. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of 129 patients with TLE. Cases were classified into unilateral and bilateral discharge groups based on interictal discharge patterns in the EEG. Differences between the two groups in age, gender, disease duration, seizure frequency, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings, origin of TLE, antiepileptic drug (AED) administration, and ictal diffusion patterns during seizures were statistically analyzed. In addition, the differences in ictal diffusion patterns between left and right TLE were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were not observed in gender, disease duration, seizure frequency, MRI findings, administration of AEDs, and ictal diffusion patterns between interictal unilateral and bilateral discharge groups but with statistically significant differences in age and side of origin of the TLE. In addition, whether the EEG-recorded diffusion pattern was confined to the same hemisphere or spread to both hemispheres was investigated and shown statistically significant differences between the left and right temporal lobes. CONCLUSIONS: Age and side of origin of TLE affects the TLE interictal discharge patterns. Older patients are more prone to bilateral discharges. Bilateral discharges are more common in right TLE, and the onset of EEG more likely to bilateral diffusion in right TLE.

Improvements in Nerve Dissection Surgery Methodology for Spasmodic Torticollis Treatment.

Spasmodic torticollis is the most common focal dystonia and is characterized by aberrant involuntary contraction of muscles of the neck and shoulders, which greatly affects patients' quality of life. Consequently, patients with this condition often desire treatment to alleviate their symptoms. The common clinical treatments for spasmodic torticollis include interventions such as drug therapy, botulinum toxin injections, and surgery. Surgical treatment is feasible for patients who do not respond well to other treatments or who are resistant to drugs. The gradual improvement of surgeons' understanding of anatomy and the ongoing developments in surgical techniques since their advent in the 1640s have resulted in many innovative surgical approaches that have led to improvements in the treatment of spasmodic torticollis. Previously used surgical treatments that result in uncertain outcomes, various postoperative complications, and serious damage to motor functions of the head and neck have gradually been discontinued. Nerve dissection surgery is the most common surgical treatment for spasmodic torticollis. This article reviews existing research on nerve dissection surgery for the treatment of spasmodic torticollis and the history of its development, along with the advantages and disadvantages of various surgical improvements. This article aims to provide clinicians with practical advice.

Cerebral Hemodynamic Evaluation of Main Cerebral Vessels in Epileptic Patients Based on Transcranial Doppler.

Objective: To study whether there is a difference in peak and mean blood flow velocity between the left and right major cerebral vessels in patients with epilepsy. Methods: Sixteen patients with epilepsy underwent FDG18-PET-CT (PET) scan and electroencephalogram (EEG) examinations. Transcranial Doppler (TCD) was used to detect the peak flow velocity (PFV), mean flow velocity (MFV), and other hemodynamic indicators of bilateral anterior, middle, and posterior cerebral arteries in each patient. According to different patterns of the PET or interictal EEG, the differences in PFV, and MFV of corresponding vessels on both sides under different patterns were compared. Results: According to the PET of the low-metabolism region corresponding to the supplying artery, the PFV and MFV of the supplying artery in the low-metabolism region were lower than the value of the corresponding contralateral vessel. The PFV and MFV on the low metabolic side of PET were lower than that of the corresponding vessels on the opposite side. The PFV and MFV on the discharge side of interictal EEG were also lower than the PFV and MFV of the corresponding vessels on the opposite side. The MFV of posterior cerebral artery on the low metabolic side of PET or the interictal discharge side was significantly different from that of the contralateral vessels (P < 0.05). However, the other aforementioned differences in PFV and MFV did not achieve statistical significance. Conclusion: In epileptic patients, the PFV and MFV of main cerebral vessels on the PET hypometabolized side or the interictal discharge side was lower than that of corresponding vessels on the contralateral side. To some extent, the difference in the MFV of PCA between the bilateral sides can facilitate the lateral diagnosis of the epileptogenic zone.

Bevacizumab in advanced endometrial cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Prospective data have demonstrated the efficacy of bevacizumab monotherapy in the treatment of advanced endometrial cancer. Bevacizumab is used off-label, and real-world data regarding the role of bevacizumab in endometrial cancer treatment are scant. In this largest single-institution retrospective study of its kind, we report our experience with bevacizumab monotherapy in the treatment of advanced/recurrent endometrial cancer. METHODS: All eligible patients (n = 101) had histologically confirmed endometrial cancer and were treated with bevacizumab at our institution from 2004 to 2017. Demographic data and tumor characteristics were obtained through chart review. Primary objective was response to therapy determined by Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST v1.1). RESULTS: Analysis included 13 grade 1/2 endometrioid, 15 grade 3 endometrioid, 44 serous, 8 carcinosarcoma, and 21 other/mixed histologies. No patients achieved complete (CR) or partial (PR) responses; 19 achieved stable disease (SD). The clinical benefit rate (CBR; CR + PR + SD) was 19% (95% CI: 12-28%). The CBRs were 7%, 17%, 21%, and 23% for patients with 1, 2, 3, and ≥ 4 prior treatment lines. Median PFS ranged from 2.6 months (2 lines) to 4.9 months (≥4 lines). The 3-year OS rate was 58% (95% CI: 47-67%). The median OS was 3.4 years (95% CI: 2.9-4.2), ranging from 2.5 years (2 lines) to 4.5 years (≥4 lines). The most common treatment-related adverse event was hypertension; 35 (78%) of 45 were grade 1 or 2. CONCLUSIONS: In heavily pretreated advanced endometrial cancer, bevacizumab was associated with modest clinical efficacy and remains a viable palliative option in this setting.

Dynamic Curve Analysis of Indicators Related to Lumbar Cistern Drainage for Postoperative Meningitis.

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the dynamic curve of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-related indices in cases of postoperative meningitis after selective craniotomy and to provide reference data for the clinical treatment with lumbar cistern drainage (LCD). METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of LCD placement in 51 patients. Primary outcomes measured included dynamic changes of body temperature before and after intervention and cerebrospinal fluid biochemical parameters over the course of 13 days of catheter placement. We also assessed the bivariate correlation between white blood cell (WBC) count changes, polykaryocyte percentage, body temperature, and daily cerebrospinal fluid drainage volume. Finally, we analyzed the effect of average daily drainage volume, antibiotic choice, and surgical site on WBC count change curves. RESULTS: After LCD, there was a statistically significant difference (P < 0.01) between the WBC count before drainage and on the fourth day of drainage. There was a negative correlation between the change curve of the WBC count and the change curve of daily drainage volume (r = -0.56). When the daily drainage volume was 250-300 mL/day, the change curve pattern of the WBC count was consistent with the overall trend, and there was no significant difference in the curve of the WBC count between different surgical sites (P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The WBC count can decrease significantly by day 4 after drainage, and placement of the LCD for 6-7 days is ideal. An average drainage volume of 250-300 mL/day is safe and effective.

PKA-RIIß autophosphorylation modulates PKA activity and seizure phenotypes in mice.

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is one of the most common and intractable neurological disorders in adults. Dysfunctional PKA signaling is causally linked to the TLE. However, the mechanism underlying PKA involves in epileptogenesis is still poorly understood. In the present study, we found the autophosphorylation level at serine 114 site (serine 112 site in mice) of PKA-RIIß subunit was robustly decreased in the epileptic foci obtained from both surgical specimens of TLE patients and seizure model mice. The p-RIIß level was negatively correlated with the activities of PKA. Notably, by using a P-site mutant that cannot be autophosphorylated and thus results in the released catalytic subunit to exert persistent phosphorylation, an increase in PKA activities through transduction with AAV-RIIß-S112A in hippocampal DG granule cells decreased mIPSC frequency but not mEPSC, enhanced neuronal intrinsic excitability and seizure susceptibility. In contrast, a reduction of PKA activities by RIIß knockout led to an increased mIPSC frequency, a reduction in neuronal excitability, and mice less prone to experimental seizure onset. Collectively, our data demonstrated that the autophosphorylation of RIIß subunit plays a critical role in controlling neuronal and network excitabilities by regulating the activities of PKA, providing a potential therapeutic target for TLE.

Changes in the expression of endothelial monocyte­activating polypeptide II in the rat hippocampus following status epilepticus.

Endothelial monocyte­activating polypeptide II (EMAP II) is a sensitive marker of neurotoxic injury, the expression of which increases significantly under conditions of stress, such as hypoxia or apoptosis. Studies have confirmed the extensive apoptosis of nerve cells in the brain following status epilepticus (SE), and the occurrence of SE can confer a hypoxic state on cells. The purpose of the present study was to observe the changes in the expression of EMAP II, and in the numbers and tight junction protein levels of microvascular endothelial cells in the hippocampus of rats with pilocarpine­induced SE. The protein expression levels of EMAP II, CD31, zonula occludens 1 (ZO­1) and occludin in the hippocampus were determined by immunofluorescence and western blot analyses. It was found that almost 75.6% of the rats in the SE group developed Racine stage IV­V seizures at approximately 44.7±18.8 min after the pilocarpine administration, and the 24­h mortality rate was almost 10.4%. The weight of the rats in the SE group was significantly decreased within 24 h following SE. Immunofluorescence staining revealed a low EMAP II expression in the hippocampus of the rats in the control group; however, the numbers of EMAP II­positive cells were significantly increased in the SE group from 2 h to 21 days. The trend of EMAP II protein expression was consistent with that obtained with immunofluorescence staining. The numbers of CD31­positive microvascular endothelial cells were significantly increased from 24 h to 21 days compared with the levels in the control group. The protein expression of ZO­1 and occludin was most significantly decreased in the SE group. On the whole, the present study demonstrated that the expression of EMAP II in the rat hippocampus was upregulated in the SE model, which may promote angiogenesis and alter the TJ integrity of brain microvascular endothelial cells, with an increased number of CD31­positive microvascular endothelial cells and a decreased expression of ZO­1 and occludin.

Preparation and characterization of polydopamine/melamine microencapsulated red phosphorus and its flame retardance in epoxy resin.

Polydopamine/melamine composite microencapsulated red phosphorus (RP@PDA/MA) was prepared and applied as the flame retardant for epoxy resin (EP) in this work. For comparison, polydopamine (PDA) coated red phosphorus (RP@PDA) was also prepared. The microstructure, chemical composition and thermal decomposition of the as prepared samples were systematically characterized. The results showed that PDA and PDA/MA shell structures were fabricated successfully via convenient water-based processes at room temperature. The flame retardance of red phosphorus (RP), RP@PDA, and RP@PDA/MA on EP was evaluated. The results showed that EP blending with 7 wt% RP@PDA/MA passed V-0 degree in the vertical burning test (UL-94), reached a limited oxygen index (LOI) of 30.9% and decreased the peak heat release rate of EP by 65.1% in the cone calorimeter test. The satisfactory flame retardance can be attributed to the intumescent flame retardant system consisting of RP@PDA/MA. The PDA and PDA/MA shell structures also improved the compatibility between RP and EP, thus RP@PDA and RP@PDA/MA had less significant impact on the tensile-strain properties of EP.