[Clinical study of ear keloids with surgical excision and intraoperative low-energy X-ray irradiation therapy].

Objective:To explore the clinical efficacy of surgical excision combined with low-energy X-ray irradiation in the treatment of ear keloids. Methods:Clinical data of 32 cases of ear keloid lesions that received surgical treatment alone or surgery combined with radiotherapy from March 2019 to November 2022 in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery of the Tianjin First Central Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 10 cases received radiotherapy and 22 cases did not receive radiotherapy. The radiotherapy group received irradiation with a large divided dose of 50 kV low-energy X-rays. The mode of fractionation radiotherapy was as follows: the first was 10 Gy of intraoperative radiation therapy and the second was 8 Gy on the 3rd postoperative day for a total of 18 Gy. The local efficacy and skin radiation reaction were observed at a follow-up of 8-52 months. Results:The median follow-up was 26 months, and as of the date of the last follow-up, 9 cases were cured and 1 case was ineffective in the radiotherapy group, with an effective rate of 90.0%, while 9 cases were cured and 13 cases were ineffective in the no-radiotherapy group, with an effective rate of 40.9%. The recurrence of ear keloids was not related to the side, site, or etiology of the patient's onset（P>0.05）. Recurrence was related to whether or not the patients received radiotherapy（χ²=4.885, P<0.05）, and the recurrence rate in the radiotherapy group（10.0%） was significantly lower than that in the non-radiotherapy group（59.1%）. Conclusion:Surgical excision combined with low-energy X-ray irradiation therapy is an effective method of treating keloids in the ear, especially with intraoperative radiation therapy can achieve more satisfactory results.

Polymerizable deep eutectic solvent treated lignocellulose: Green strategy for synergetic production of tough strain sensing elastomers and nanocellulose.

Liquid free ion-conductive elastomers (ICEs) have demonstrated promising potential in various advanced application scenarios including sensor, artificial skin, and human-machine interface. However, ICEs that synchronously possess toughness, adhesiveness, stability, and anti-bacterial capability are still difficult to achieve yet highly demanded. Here, a one-pot green and sustainable strategy was proposed to fabricate multifunctional ICEs by extracting non-cellulose components (mainly lignin and hemicellulose) from lignocellulose with polymerizable deep eutectic solvents (PDES) and the subsequent in-situ photo-polymerization process. Ascribing to the uniform dispersion of non-cellulose components in PDES, the resultant ICEs demonstrated promising mechanical strength (a tensile strength of ~1200 kPa), high toughness (~9.1 MJ m-3), favorable adhesion (a lap-shear strength up to ~61.5 kPa toward metal), conducive stabilities, and anti-bacterial capabilities. With the help of such advantages, the ICEs exhibited sensitive (a gauge factor of ~23.5) and stable (~4000 cycles) performances in human motion and physiological signal detection even under sub-zero temperatures (e.g., -20 °C). Besides, the residue cellulose can be mechanically isolated into nanoscale fibers, which matched the idea of green chemistry.

Lignin reinforced tough, adhesive, and recoverable protein organohydrogels for wearable strain sensing under sub-zero temperatures.

Protein-based hydrogels with promising biocompatibility and biodegradability have attracted considerable interest in areas of epidermal sensing, whereas, which are still difficult to synchronously possess high mechanical strength, self-adhesion, and recoverability. Hence, the bio-polymer lignosulfonate-reinforced gluten organohydrogels (GOHLx) are fabricated through green and simple food-making processes and the following solvent exchange with glycerol/water binary solution. Ascribing to the uniform distribution of lignosulfonate in gluten networks, as well as the noncovalent interactions (e.g., H-bond) between them, the resultant GOHLx exhibit favorable conductivity (∼14.3 × 10-4 S m-1), toughness (∼711.0 kJ m-3), self-adhesion (a maximal lap-shear strength of ∼33.5 kPa), high sensitivity (GF up to ∼3.04), and durability (∼3000 cycles) toward shape deformation, which are suitable for the detection of both drastic (e.g., elbow and wrist bending) and subtle (e.g., swallowing and speaking) human movements even under -20 °C. Furthermore, the GOHLx is also biocompatible, degradable, and recoverable (by a simple kneading process). Thus, this work may pave a simple, green, and cheap way to prepare all-biomass-based, tough, sticky, and recoverable protein-based organohydrogels for epidermal strain sensing even in harsh environments.

Ferrous Sulfate-Mediated Control of Phytophthora capsici Pathogenesis and Its Impact on Pepper Plant.

Phytophthora capsici, a destructive fungal pathogen, poses a severe threat to pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) crops worldwide, causing blights that can result in substantial yield losses. Traditional control methods often come with environmental concerns or entail substantial time investments. In this research, we investigate an alternative approach involving ferrous sulfate (FeSO4) application to combat P. capsici and promote pepper growth. We found that FeSO4 effectively inhibits the growth of P. capsici in a dose-dependent manner, disrupting mycelial development and diminishing pathogenicity. Importantly, FeSO4 treatment enhances the biomass and resistance of pepper plants, mitigating P. capsici-induced damage. Microbiome analysis demonstrates that FeSO4 significantly influences soil microbial communities, particularly fungi, within the pepper root. Metabolomics data reveal extensive alterations in the redox metabolic processes of P. capsici under FeSO4 treatment, leading to compromised cell membrane permeability and oxidative stress in the pathogen. Our study presents FeSO4 as a promising and cost-effective solution for controlling P. capsici in pepper cultivation while simultaneously promoting plant growth. These findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the intricate interactions between iron, pathogen control, and plant health, offering a potential tool for sustainable pepper production.

Bioinformatics analysis and prediction of Alzheimer's disease and alcohol dependence based on Ferroptosis-related genes.

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease whose origins have not been universally accepted. Numerous studies have demonstrated the relationship between AD and alcohol dependence; however, few studies have combined the origins of AD, alcohol dependence, and programmed cell death (PCD) to analyze the mechanistic relationship between the development of this pair of diseases. We demonstrated in previous studies the relationship between psychiatric disorders and PCD, and in the same concerning neurodegeneration-related AD, we found an interesting link with the Ferroptosis pathway. In the present study, we explored the bioinformatic interactions between AD, alcohol dependence, and Ferroptosis and tried to elucidate and predict the development of AD from this aspect. Methods: We selected the Alzheimer's disease dataset GSE118553 and alcohol dependence dataset GSE44456 from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. Ferroptosis-related genes were gathered through Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and relevant literature, resulting in a total of 88 related genes. For the AD and alcohol dependence datasets, we conducted Limma analysis to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and performed functional enrichment analysis on the intersection set. Furthermore, we used ferroptosis-related genes and the DEGs to perform machine learning crossover analysis, employing Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression to identify candidate immune-related central genes. This analysis was also used to construct protein-protein interaction networks (PPI) and artificial neural networks (ANN), as well as to plot receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for diagnosing AD and alcohol dependence. We analyzed immune cell infiltration to explore the role of immune cell dysregulation in AD. Subsequently, we conducted consensus clustering analysis of AD using three relevant candidate gene models and examined the immune microenvironment and functional pathways between different subgroups. Finally, we generated a network of gene-gene interactions and miRNA-gene interactions using Networkanalyst. Results: The crossover of AD and alcohol dependence DEG contains 278 genes, and functional enrichment analysis showed that both AD and alcohol dependence were strongly correlated with Ferroptosis, and then crossed them with Ferroptosis-related genes to obtain seven genes. Three candidate genes were finally identified by machine learning to build a diagnostic prediction model. After validation by ANN and PPI analysis, ROC curves were plotted to assess the diagnostic value of AD and alcohol dependence. The results showed a high diagnostic value of the predictive model. In the immune infiltration analysis, functional metabolism and immune microenvironment of AD patients were significantly associated with Ferroptosis. Finally, analysis of target genes and miRNA-gene interaction networks showed that hsa-mir-34a-5p and has-mir-106b-5p could simultaneously regulate the expression of both CYBB and ACSL4. Conclusion: We obtained a diagnostic prediction model with good effect by comprehensive analysis, and validation of ROC in AD and alcohol dependence data sets showed good diagnostic, predictive value for both AD (AUC 0. 75, CI 0.91-0.60), and alcohol dependence (AUC 0.81, CI 0.95-0.68). In the consensus clustering grouping, we identified variability in the metabolic and immune microenvironment between subgroups as a likely cause of the different prognosis, which was all related to Ferroptosis function. Finally, we discovered that hsa-mir-34a-5p and has-mir-106b-5p could simultaneously regulate the expression of both CYBB and ACSL4.

Construction of a density mutant collection in bitter gourd via new germplasms innovation and gene functional study.

Although a few studies have elucidated the creation of bitter gourd mutants, the suitable concentration and duration of ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) mutagenesis have not been determined. In this study, mutant collection was conducted to create new germplasms and widen genetic diversity. By employing the seeds of the inbred line Y52 as the mutagenic material, EMS as the mutagen, and the suitable mutagenic conditions for bitter gourd seeds (EMS concentration 0.2%, mutagenic time 10 h), we mutated 10,000 seeds and acquired 3223 independent M1 lines. For the randomly selected 1000 M2 lines, 199 M2 lines with visible phenotypes were found, and 167 M2 lines were mutants of fruit shape, size, and tubercles. Furthermore, fourteen dwarf, eleven leaf color, five leaf shape, and eight meristem defect mutants were discovered in this mutant collection. In addition, three lines of 1253, 2284, and 3269 represented recessive mutants crossed with Y52. Furthermore, the yellow leaf lines of 2284 and 3269 were not mutated at the same gene locus. This study constructed a mutant collection through innovative new germplasms and provided valuable resources for bitter gourd breeding and functional gene research.

Overexpression of VPS11 antagonizes the promoting effect of miR-542-3p on Mycobacterium tuberculosis survival in macrophages by regulating autophagy.

Impaired autophagy is an important cause of Mycobacterium tuberculosis survival in macrophages. VPS11 is an important regulator of autophagy; decreased VPS11 expression has been observed in macrophages after tuberculosis (TB) infection. Gene ontology data revealed that various miRNAs (for example, miR-542-3p) were upregulated in macrophages upon TB infection; thus, these miRNAs were likely to reduce VPS11 expression. In this study, both TB patients and healthy subjects were enrolled, and the levels of VPS11 and some miRNAs in their blood macrophages were measured. Moreover, various macrophages were cultured and infected with M. tuberculosis. Luciferase reporter, RNA pulldown, and RNA immunoprecipitation assays were performed to determine the regulatory effect of miR-542-3p on VPS11 expression. Results showed that VPS11 expression was downregulated, whereas miR-542-3p expression was upregulated in blood macrophages after TB infection. TB infection reduced VPS11 levels in two human macrophages in vitro, but not in mouse macrophages. This might be because the seed sequence exists in the VPS11 3' untranslated region in humans, but is absent in mice and rats. miR-542-3p promoted M. tuberculosis survival in human macrophages, but VPS11 overexpression antagonized the promoting effect of miR-542-3p. Further, VPS11 was confirmed as a target of miR-542-3p. Overexpression of VPS11 or depletion of miR-542-3p promoted autophagy, which was suppressed upon TB infection. In summary, VPS11 overexpression antagonized the promoting effect of miR-542-3p on M. tuberculosis survival in macrophages by regulating autophagy.

Gene expression and metabolic changes of Momordica charantia L. seedlings in response to low temperature stress.

Low temperature is one of the abiotic factors limiting germination, growth and distribution of the plant in current plant-products industry, especially for the tropical vegetables in non-tropical area or other fields under cold temperature. Screening the plant with ability against cold temperature captured worldwide attention and exerted great importance. In our previous work, the anti-cold specie of Momordica Charantia L. seedlings was screened out. Yet, the molecular and physiological mechanisms underlying this adaptive process still remain unknown. This study was aimed to investigate adaption mechanism of anti-cold species of Momordica Charantia L. seedlings in genetical and metabolomics levels. Two species, cold-susceptible group (Y17) and cold-resistant group (Y54), were evaluated containing the indexes of malondialdehyde (MDA), hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), proline content, activities of antioxidant enzymes, metabolites changes and genes differentiation in plant tissues after cold treatment. It found that low temperature stress resulted in increased accumulation of MDA, H2O2 and proline content in two species, but less expressions in cold-resistant species Y54. As compared to Y17, cold-resistant species Y54 presented significantly enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities of POD (peroxidase), CAT (cataalase) and SOD (superoxide dismutase). Meanwhile, higher expressed genes encoded antioxidant enzymes and transcription factors when exposure to the low temperature were found in cold-resistant species Y54, and core genes were explored by Q-PCR validation, including McSOD1, McPDC1 and McCHS1. Moreover, plant metabolites containing amino acid, sugar, fatty acid and organic acid in Y54 were higher than Y17, indicating their important roles in cold acclimation. Meanwhile, initial metabolites, including amimo acids, polypeptides, sugars, organic acids and nucleobases, were apparently increased in cold resistant species Y54 than cold susceptible species Y17. Our results demonstrated that the Momordica Charantia L. seedlings achieved cold tolerance might be went through mobilization of antioxidant systems, adjustment of the transcription factors and accumulation of osmoregulation substance. This work presented meaning information for revealing the anti-cold mechanism of the Momordica Charantia L. seedlings and newsight for further screening of anti-cold species in other plant.

[Platelet-rich plasma injection for the treatment of atrophic fracture nonunion].

OBJECTIVE: To explore clinical effects of platelet rich plasma (PRP) injection in treating atrophic fracture nonunion. METHODS: From March 2015 to March 2017, 15 patients with atrophic fracture nonunion were treated with PRP injection, including 10 males and 5 females, aged from 23 to 56 years old with an average age of (40.0±9.1) years old, the time of fracture nonunion ranged from 6 to 14 months with an average of (8.87±2.45) months. Preparing PRP by extracting 60 to 100 ml peripheral blood. PRP platelet count ranged from 587 to 1 246 with an average of (947.13±158.58) ×10 9 /L. Under the perspective, 13 to 20 ml PRP were injected into the fracture end, and each injection was performed once on the first and the second week of the treatment. Complications such as whether the limb was shortened, angulation, and rotational deformity and radiological examination were observed. RESULTS: All patients were followed up from 6 to 12 months with an average of (6.8± 2.1) months. No shortening, angulation, and rotational deformity occurred. Thirteen patients had fracture healing, the time ranged from 4 to 6 months with an average of (4.8±0.7) months. Two patients had no completely porosis at 12 months during following up, and 1 patient occurred bolt loose. Other patients had no complications. CONCLUSION: The stability of fracture ends of atrophic fracture nonunion after internal fixation is an indication for local PRP injection. PRP treatment for atrophic fractures could completed under local anesthesia, and it has advantages of safe operation and reliable efficacy.

Nanostructure Nickel-Based Selenides as Cathode Materials for Hybrid Battery-Supercapacitors.

Supercapacitors (SCs) have attracted many attentions and already became part of some high-power derived devices such as Tesla's electric cars because of their higher power density. Among all types of electrical energy storage devices, battery-supercapacitors are the most promising for superior performance characteristics, including short charging time, high power density, safety, easy fabrication procedures, and long operational life. An SC usually consists of two foremost components, namely electrode materials, and electrolyte. The selection of appropriate electrode materials with rational nanostructured designs have resulted in improved electrochemical properties for high performance and has reduced the cost of SCs. In this review, we mainly spotlight the nickel-based selenides nanostructured which applied as high-performance cathode materials for SCs. Different nickel-based selenides materials are highlighted in various categories, such as nickel-cobalt-based bimetallic chalcogenides and nickel-M based selenides. Also, we mentioned material modification for this material type. Finally, the designing strategy and future improvements on nickel-based selenides materials for the application of SCs are also discussed.

Enhanced Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Corncob by Synthesized Enzyme-Mimetic Magnetic Solid Acid Pretreatment in an Aqueous Phase.

A novel magnetic carbon-based solid acid catalyst (C350-Cl) was synthesized through a simple impregnation-carbonization process and used for the pretreatment of corncob in an aqueous medium. Under the optimized pretreatment reaction conditions, the yield of pentose reached 91.6% with a hemicellulose removal rate of 91.7%, and the subsequent enzymatic digestibility of the pretreated corncob residue reached 90.0% at 48 h. C350-Cl is a magnetic enzyme-mimetic solid acid catalyst, and its catalytic behavior is similar to those of enzymes. In addition, the catalyst is also an excellent carrier for Fe and Cl in that the Fe3+ and Cl-can be released slowly in the pretreatment to assist the hydrolysis of lignocellulose. Compared with the traditional method with other catalysts, this hydrolysis process is suitable for the effective and sustainable saccharification of lignocellulose for producing fermentable sugar.

Association between carotid plaque and Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND: Epidemiological studies show that patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) are prone to have a reduced incidence of ischemic cerebrovascular disease. Previous studies show the correlation between PD and the lipids serum levels. The PD,s patients are found with a reduced serum level of triglyceride and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C); thus, the level of serum uric acid (UA) is closely related to the occurrence and development of PD. Patients with low serum UA levels have a higher chance of developing PD than the ones who do not. However, the relationship between carotid plaques and PD is still unknown. METHODS: Our study was based on 68 patients with PD (known as the PD group) and 81 people without PD (known as the control group). Patients in the PD group were of the same age and gender. Both groups were recorded and analyzed for UA, LDL-C, and carotid plaques or intima-media thickness (IMT). The PD group was then divided into three subgroups: the stable plaque group, the unstable plaque group, and the non-plaque group. RESULTS: In the present study, the PD group showed a significantly lower level of UA and LDL-C than the control group (P<0.01); somehow there were no statistically significant differences in the IMT and plaque incidence between the two groups (P>0.05). There were also no significant differences (P>0.05) in both the LDL-C and UA levels in all subgroups, but there was a close relation in both age and duration of disease to IMT. According to the Hoehn and Yahr staging scale, serum levels of LDL-C were inversely correlated in PD patients, while UA was related to the duration of the disease. CONCLUSIONS: Our study suggested that there were no differences in carotid artery arteriosclerosis plaque and IMT, but the PD progress was indeed correlated with IMT. Meanwhile, LDL-C and UA had different priorities in H&Y and disease progression.

Genome-Wide Analysis, Expression Profile, and Characterization of the Acid Invertase Gene Family in Pepper.

Catalytic decomposition of sucrose by acid invertases (AINVs) under acidic conditions plays an important role in the development of sink organs in plants. To reveal the function of AINVs in the development of pepper fruits, nine AINV genes of pepper were identified. Protein sequencing and phylogenetic analysis revealed that the CaAINV family may be divided into cell wall invertases (CaCWINV1⁻7) and vacuolar invertases (CaVINV1⁻2). CaAINVs contain conserved regions and protein structures typical of the AINVs in other plants. Gene expression profiling indicated that CaCWINV2 and CaVINV1 were highly expressed in reproductive organs but differed in expression pattern. CaCWINV2 was mainly expressed in buds and flowers, while CaVINV1 was expressed in developmental stages, such as the post-breaker stage. Furthermore, invertase activity of CaCWINV2 and CaVINV1 was identified via functional complementation in an invertase-deficient yeast. Optimum pH for CaCWINV2 and CaVINV1 was found to be 4.0 and 4.5, respectively. Gene expression and enzymatic activity of CaCWINV2 and CaVINV1 indicate that these AINV enzymes may be pivotal for sucrose hydrolysis in the reproductive organs of pepper.

Genome-Wide Identification, Expression, and Functional Analysis of the Alkaline/Neutral Invertase Gene Family in Pepper.

Alkaline/neutral invertase (NINV) proteins irreversibly cleave sucrose into fructose and glucose, and play important roles in carbohydrate metabolism and plant development. To investigate the role of NINVs in the development of pepper fruits, seven NINV genes (CaNINV1-7) were identified. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the CaNINV family could be divided into α and ß groups. CaNINV1-6 had typical conserved regions and similar protein structures to the NINVs of other plants, while CaNINV7 lacked amino acid sequences at the C-terminus and N-terminus ends. An expression analysis of the CaNINV genes in different tissues demonstrated that CaNINV5 is the dominant NINV in all the examined tissues (root, stem, leaf, bud, flower, and developmental pepper fruits stage). Notably, the expression of CaNINV5 was found to gradually increase at the pre-breaker stages, followed by a decrease at the breaker stages, while it maintained a low level at the post-breaker stages. Furthermore, the invertase activity of CaNINV5 was identified by functional complementation of the invertase-deficient yeast strain SEY2102, and the optimum pH of CaNINV5 was found to be ~7.5. The gene expression and enzymatic activity of CaNINV5 suggest that it might be the main NINV enzyme for hydrolysis of sucrose during pepper fruit development.

Large-scale growth of density-tunable aligned ZnO nanorods arrays on GaN QDs.

An effective approach for growing large-scale, uniformly aligned ZnO nanorods arrays is demonstrated. The synthesis uses a GaN quantum dot (QD) template produced by a self-assembled Stranski-Krastanow mode in metal organic chemical vapor deposition, which serves as a nucleation site for ZnO owing to the QD's high surface free energy. The resultant ZnO nanorods with uniform shape and length align vertically on the template, while their density is easily tunable by adjusting the density of GaN QDs, which can be adjusted by simply varying growth interruption. By controlling the density of ZnO nanorod arrays, their optical performance can also be improved. This approach opens the possibility of combining one-dimensional (1D) with 0D nanostructures for applications in sensor arrays, piezoelectric antenna arrays, optoelectronic devices, and interconnects.

Low defect concentration few-layer graphene using a two-step electrochemical exfoliation.

Low defect concentration few-layer graphene (FLG) sheets were fabricated by a two-step electrochemical intercalation exfoliation, including a graphite foil pretreatment in sodium hydroxide solution and a subsequent further exfoliation in sulfuric acid solution. During the process, the pretreatment results in the expansion of the graphite foil and in turn facilitates the final exfoliation in sulfuric acid solution. The results show that the I(D)/I(G) of the obtained FLG sheets is as low as 0.29 while maintaining relatively high yield, more than 56%. In addition, the oxygen content in the FLG sheets is 8.32% with the C/O ratio of 11.02.

[Study on changes of plasma levels of oxidative stress biomarkers and its relation with cognition function in patients with parkinson's disease].

OBJECTIVE: To study the changes of plasma levels of oxidative stress biomarkers in patients with parkinson's disease (PD), and to explore its association with cognition function. METHODS: Seventy-two PD patients from June 2013 to May 2012 were enrolled. All of them were outpatients or inpatients at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University. And forty-five age- and gender- matched healthy subjects were used as controls. The information including gender, age, illness duration, years of education and Hoehn & Yahr (H-Y) stage were recorded. Cognition function of all the patients with PD and the controls were measured by using Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scale. Plasma levels of catalase (CAT), total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), total glutathione (T-GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were measured by ELISA . Then we compared and analyzed the results. RESULTS: Plasma levels of CAT, T-SOD and T-GSH in PD group were significantly lower than the control group [(159 ± 9) kU/L vs (170 ± 5) kU/L, P< 0.01; (97 ± 24) kU/L vs (124 ± 25) kU/L, P<0.01; (17 ± 10) µmol/L vs (60 ± 51) µmol/L, P< 0.01]. Plasma levels of CAT, T-GSH, GSH-Px and MDA were no differences between early PD group (H-Y stage I-II) and middle-late PD group (H-Y stage III or higher) of patients (P>0.05). Plasma levels of T-GSH in PD group with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) were obviously lower than PD group without MCI [(14 ± 7) µmol/L vs (19 ± 11) µmol/L, P< 0.05]. In PD patients, MoCA scores were positively correlated with years of education (ß=0.634, P= 0.000) and plasma levels of T-GSH (ß= 0.204, P= 0.014), and were negatively correlated with H-Y stage (ß=-0.194, P=0.020). CONCLUSIONS: The damage of plasma antioxidant mechanism may be involved in the pathogenesis of patients with PD. Decrease in plasma levels of T-GSH may be associated with MCI in PD patients . Plasma levels of T-GSH may be a potential early predictive index in PD patients with cognitive dysfunction.

Change in plasma levels of amino acid neurotransmitters and its correlation with clinical heterogeneity in early Parkinson's disease patients.

BACKGROUND: The correlation between plasma amino acid (AA) neurotransmitters and clinical heterogeneity in early patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) is still poorly understood. AIMS: To examine the plasma levels of AA neurotransmitters in early patients with PD and to evaluate their correlation with PD subtypes. METHODS: Based on the predominant symptoms, fifty-one patients with PD were enrolled and divided into four subgroups: (1) akinetic-rigid type (ART), (2) tremor-dominant type (TDT), (3) postural instability/gait difficulty type (PIGD), and (4) mixed type (MT). Plasma levels of AA were measured by HPLC-RF, and their potential diagnostic practicality and their association with PD subtypes were evaluated by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and correlation analysis, respectively. RESULTS: Patients with PD exhibited markedly lower levels of Asp, Glu, Tau, L-ser, and lower values of Glu/GABA ratio than healthy controls. The ROC analysis revealed their high sensitivity (77.1-87.5%) and specificity (58.8-88.2%). Furthermore, the glutamic acid (Glu), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) level in the PIGD subtype was increased as compared with other subtypes and was negatively correlated with the ART/PIGD ratio. CONCLUSION: The decrease in plasma Asp, Glu, Tau, L-ser levels, and the value of Glu/GABA ratio may be helpful for early PD diagnosis. The elevated GABA level may be the biochemical basis for the specific symptoms of PIGD PD.

The association between glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta polymorphisms and Parkinson's disease susceptibility: a meta-analysis.

Previous studies on the association between glycogen synthase kinase 3 beta (GSK3-ß) polymorphisms (rs334558 and rs6438552) and Parkinson's disease (PD) susceptibility remained inconsistent. Thus, the goal of this study was to re-examine their exact association by a meta-analysis. All eligible studies were identified by a systematic literature search of multiple databases. Six studies (3105 cases and 4387 controls) on rs334558 and six studies (2579 cases and 4091 controls) on rs6438552 were included. The quality of these studies was generally good according to the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). The meta-analysis showed null association between the two variants and PD susceptibility in all genetic models from the overall or Caucasian population. However, the analysis of rs334558 revealed that the risk of PD decreased in heterozygote, dominant or additive models (OR=0.60, 95% CI: 0.48, 0.74; OR=0.63, 95% CI: 0.51, 0.78; OR=0.82, 95% CI: 0.71, 0.94, respectively) from the Eastern Asian population. Moreover, the analysis on the homozygote, heterozygote, dominant or additive models suggested that rs6438552 also reduced the PD risk (OR=0.45, 95% CI: 0.24, 0.84; OR=0.62, 95% CI: 0.39, 0.97; OR=0.57, 95% CI: 0.37, 0.87; OR=0.66, 95% CI: 0.49, 0.88, respectively) in the Eastern Asian population. Together, the findings suggest that the two variants both reduced the risk of PD in the Eastern Asian subgroup but not in the overall and Caucasian populations, which should be cautiously interpreted because of limited number of included studies.

[Effects of acupuncture on TCD and BAEP in the patient of vertebrobasilar insufficiency].

OBJECTIVE: To explore mechanisms of acupuncture in treatment of vertebrobasilar insufficiency. METHODS: Forty cases of vertebrobasilar insufficiency (VBI) were divided into an acupuncture group and a routine treatment group, 20 cases in each group. The acupuncture group were treated by routine treatment plus acupuncture. Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography and brain stem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP) before treatment and 2 weeks after treatment were determined to investigate the effects of acupuncture on blood flow velocity and brain electrophysiology in the patient of VBI. RESULTS: Before treatment, the blood velocity of vertebral artery and vertebrobasilar artery at bilateral sides in the patient of VBI decreased as compared with the control group, and the abnormal rate of TCD was 75.0% (30/40) and the abnormal rate of BAEP was 70.0% (28/40), characterized with brainstem abnormality type; after treatment, the blood velocity in the two groups was improved and the abnormal rate of TCD was 47.5% (19/40), and the abnormal rate of BEAP was 45.0% (18/40). The nerve conduction of the two groups was improved, the peak latency of V wave and interpeak latency of III-V and I -V in the acupuncture group were improved significantly as compared with the routine treatment group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture can improve the blood velocity of vertebrobasilar artery and the nerve conduction function of brainstem in the patient of vertebrobasilar insufficiency.