Whole-Genome Sequencing Analyses Reveal the Evolution Mechanisms of Typical Biological Features of Decapterus maruadsi.

Decapterus maruadsi is a typical representative of small pelagic fish characterized by fast growth rate, small body size, and high fecundity. It is a high-quality marine commercial fish with high nutritional value. However, the underlying genetics and genomics research focused on D. maruadsi is not comprehensive. Herein, a high-quality chromosome-level genome of a male D. maruadsi was assembled. The assembled genome length was 716.13 Mb with contig N50 of 19.70 Mb. Notably, we successfully anchored 95.73% contig sequences into 23 chromosomes with a total length of 685.54 Mb and a scaffold N50 of 30.77 Mb. A total of 22,716 protein-coding genes, 274.90 Mb repeat sequences, and 10,060 ncRNAs were predicted, among which 22,037 (97%) genes were successfully functionally annotated. The comparative genome analysis identified 459 unique, 73 expanded, and 52 contracted gene families. Moreover, 2804 genes were identified as candidates for positive selection, of which some that were related to the growth and development of bone, muscle, cardioid, and ovaries, such as some members of the TGF-ß superfamily, were likely involved in the evolution of typical biological features in D. maruadsi. The study provides an accurate and complete chromosome-level reference genome for further genetic conservation, genomic-assisted breeding, and adaptive evolution research for D. maruadsi.

Mechanistic insights into DNA damage recognition and checkpoint control in plants.

The plant DNA damage response (DDR) pathway safeguards genomic integrity by rapid recognition and repair of DNA lesions that, if unrepaired, may cause genome instability. Most frequently, DNA repair goes hand in hand with a transient cell cycle arrest, which allows cells to repair the DNA lesions before engaging in a mitotic event, but consequently also affects plant growth and yield. Through the identification of DDR proteins and cell cycle regulators that react to DNA double-strand breaks or replication defects, it has become clear that these proteins and regulators form highly interconnected networks. These networks operate at both the transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels and include liquid-liquid phase separation and epigenetic mechanisms. Strikingly, whereas the upstream DDR sensors and signalling components are well conserved across eukaryotes, some of the more downstream effectors are diverged in plants, probably to suit unique lifestyle features. Additionally, DDR components display functional diversity across ancient plant species, dicots and monocots. The observed resistance of DDR mutants towards aluminium toxicity, phosphate limitation and seed ageing indicates that gaining knowledge about the plant DDR may offer solutions to combat the effects of climate change and the associated risk for food security.

Liver transcriptome analysis reveal the metabolic and apoptotic responses of Trachinotus ovatus under acute cold stress.

Trachinotus ovatus is an economically important fish and has been recommended as a high-quality aquaculture fish breed for the high-quality development of sea ranches in the South China Sea. However, T. ovatus shows intolerance to low temperature, greatly limiting the extension of farming scale, reducing production efficiency in winter, and increasing farming risks. In this study, liver transcriptome analysis was investigated in T. ovatus under acute low temperature conditions (20 and 15 °C) using RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) technology. Inter-groups differential expression analysis and trend analysis screened 1219 DEGs and four significant profiles (profiles 0, 3, 4, and 7), respectively. GO enrichment analysis showed that these DEGs were mainly related to metabolic process and cell growth and death process. KEGG enrichment analysis found that DEGs were mainly associated with lipid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, and cell growth and death, such as gluconeogenesis, glycolysis, fatty acid oxidation, cholesterol biosynthesis, p53 signaling pathway, cell cycle arrest, and apoptotic cell death. Moreover, protein-protein interaction networks identified two hub genes (FOS and JUNB) and some important genes related to metabolic process and cell growth and death process, that corresponding to enrichment analysis. Overall, gluconeogenesis, lipid mobilization, and fatty acid oxidation in metabolic process and cell cycle arrest and apoptotic cell death in cell growth and death process were enhanced, while glycolysis, liver glycogen synthesis and cholesterol biosynthesis in metabolic process were inhibited. The enhancement or attenuatment of metabolic process and cell growth and death process is conducive to maintain energy balance, normal fluidity of cell membrane, normal physiological functions of liver cell, enhancing the tolerance of T. ovatus to cold stress. These results suggested that metabolic process and cell growth and death process play important roles in response to acute cold stress in the liver of T. ovatus. Gene expreesion level analysis showed that acute cold stress at 15 °C was identified as a critical temperature point for T. ovatus in term of cellular metabolism alteration and apoptosis inducement, and rewarming intervention should be timely implemented above 15 °C. Our study can provide theoretical support for breeding cold-tolerant cultivars of T. ovatus, which is contributed to high-quality productions fish production.

Causal associations between circulating cytokines and risk of sepsis and related outcomes: a two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

Introduction: Sepsis represents a critical medical condition that arises due to an imbalanced host reaction to infection. Central to its pathophysiology are cytokines. However, observational investigations that explore the interrelationships between circulating cytokines and susceptibility to sepsis frequently encounter challenges pertaining to confounding variables and reverse causality. Methods: To elucidate the potential causal impact of cytokines on the risk of sepsis, we conducted two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses. Genetic instruments tied to circulating cytokine concentrations were sourced from genome-wide association studies encompassing 8,293 Finnish participants. We then evaluated their links with sepsis and related outcomes using summary-level data acquired from the UK Biobank, a vast multicenter cohort study involving over 500,000 European participants. Specifically, our data spanned 11,643 sepsis cases and 474,841 controls, with subsets including specific age groups, 28-day mortality, and ICU-related outcomes. Results and Discussion: MR insights intimated that reduced genetically-predicted interleukin-10 (IL-10) levels causally correlated with a heightened sepsis risk (odds ratio [OR] 0.68, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.52-0.90, P=0.006). An inverse relationship emerged between monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) and sepsis-induced mortality. Conversely, elevated macrophage inflammatory protein 1 beta (MIP1B) concentrations were positively linked with both sepsis incidence and associated mortality. These revelations underscore the causal impact of certain circulating cytokines on sepsis susceptibility and its prognosis, hinting at the therapeutic potential of modulating these cytokine levels. Additional research is essential to corroborate these connections.

Six new species of Margattea Shelford, 1911 (Blaberoidea, Pseudophyllodromiidae, Neoblattellini) from China.

Six Margattea species are established and described: three are cryptic species, namely, M.parabisignata Li & Che, sp. nov., M.semicircularis Li & Che, sp. nov., and M.forcipata Li & Che, sp. nov. They are distinguished from known species M.bisignata, M.spinifera, and M.paratransversa by their male genitalia with the aid of molecular species delimitation method (ABGD) using COI as the molecular marker. The other three new species are M.pedata Li & Che, sp. nov., M.undulata Li & Che, sp. nov., and M.bisphaerica Li & Che, sp. nov. Morphological and genitalia photographs of these new species of Margattea, as well as a key to the species of Margattea from China, are provided.

Analysis of the correlations between the extracranial internal carotid artery and extracranial vertebral artery and mild cognitive impairment.

BACKGROUND: Vascular tortuosity is a prevalent morphological change that frequently occurs in arteries across different parts of the body. OBJECTIVE: To analyze the relationship between the tortuosities of the extracranial internal carotid artery (EICA) and extracranial vertebral artery (EVA) with mild cognitive impairment. METHODS: The tortuosity index (TI), vascular deviation degree, tortuosity degree, and angle number of the EICA and EVA were retrospectively analyzed and calculated in 160 patients who underwent computed tomography angiography (CTA) in this study's department, and the Montreal cognitive assessment was adopted to evaluate the cognitive function of the patients. RESULTS: The differences in age, gender, arterial hypertension (AH), and diabetes mellitus (DM) between the normal group and the mild cognitive impairment group were statistically significant (p< 0.01). The TI was negatively correlated with the score of cognitive function. The tortuosities of the EICA and EVA were correlated with mild cognitive impairment (p< 0.05). The reduction in visual-spatial ability was correlated with the right EICA tortuosity, and the reduction in memory was correlated with the EVA tortuosity. Age, gender, HP, DM, and coronary heart disease (CHD) were potential risk factors for carotid tortuosity (p< 0.05). CONCLUSION: There was a significant correlation observed between the TIs of both the EICA and EVA and the presence of mild cognitive impairment. Advanced age, female, HP, DM, and CHD were independent risk factors for EICA and EVA tortuosities.

Fuzzy Boundary Sampled-Data Control for Nonlinear Parabolic DPSs.

For a nonlinear parabolic distributed parameter system (DPS), a fuzzy boundary sampled-data (SD) control method is introduced in this article, where distributed SD measurement and boundary SD measurement are respected. Initially, this nonlinear parabolic DPS is represented precisely by a Takagi-Sugeno (T-S) fuzzy parabolic partial differential equation (PDE) model. Subsequently, under distributed SD measurement and boundary SD measurement, a fuzzy boundary SD control design is obtained via linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) on the basis of the T-S fuzzy parabolic PDE model to guarantee exponential stability for closed-loop parabolic DPS by using inequality techniques and a LF. Furthermore, respecting the property of membership functions, we present some LMI-based fuzzy boundary SD control design conditions. Finally, the effectiveness of the designed fuzzy boundary SD controller is demonstrated via two simulation examples.

Transcriptomic Response of the Liver Tissue in Trachinotus ovatus to Acute Heat Stress.

Trachinotus ovatus is a major economically important cultured marine fish in the South China Sea. However, extreme weather and increased culture density result in uncontrollable problems, such as increases in water temperature and a decline in dissolved oxygen (DO), hindering the high-quality development of aquaculture. In this study, liver transcriptional profiles of T. ovatus were investigated under acute high-temperature stress (31 °C and 34 °C) and normal water temperature (27 °C) using RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) technology. Differential expression analysis and STEM analysis showed that 1347 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and four significant profiles (profiles 0, 3, 4, and 7) were screened, respectively. Of these DEGs, some genes involved in heat shock protein (HSPs), hypoxic adaptation, and glycolysis were up-regulated, while some genes involved in the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) and fatty acid metabolism were down-regulated. Our results suggest that protein dynamic balance and function, hypoxia adaptation, and energy metabolism transformation are crucial in response to acute high-temperature stress. Our findings contribute to understanding the molecular response mechanism of T. ovatus under acute heat stress, which may provide some reference for studying the molecular mechanisms of other fish in response to heat stress.

[The role of cholesterol metabolism reprogramming in pancreatic cancer and the application of cholesterol-targeted metabolism drugs].

Pancreatic cancer has an insidious onset and lacks effective treatment methods, which is one of the tumors with the worst prognosis, so it is urgent to explore new treatment directions. Metabolic reprogramming is one of the important hallmarks of tumors. Pancreatic cancer cells in the harsh tumor microenvironment have comprehensively increased cholesterol metabolism in order to maintain strong metabolic needs, and cancer associated fibroblasts also provide cancer cells with a large amount of lipids. Cholesterol metabolism reprogramming involves the changes in the synthesis, uptake, esterification and metabolites of cholesterol, which are closely related to the proliferation, invasion, metastasis, drug resistance, and immunosuppression of pancreatic cancer. Inhibition of cholesterol metabolism has obvious anti-tumor effect. In this paper, the important effects and complexity of cholesterol metabolism in pancreatic cancer were comprehensively reviewed from perspectives of risk factors for pancreatic cancer, energy interaction between tumor-related cells, key targets of cholesterol metabolism and its targeted drugs. Cholesterol metabolism has a strict regulation and feedback mechanism, and the effect of single-target drugs in clinical application is not clear. Therefore, multi-target therapy of cholesterol metabolism is a new direction for pancreatic cancer treatment.

Redescription of Periplanetaarabica (Bey-Bienko, 1938) (Blattodea, Blattidae), with a comparative analysis of three species of Periplaneta Burmeister, 1838 (sensu stricto).

The blattid cockroach Periplanetaarabica (Bey-Bienko, 1938) has been poorly understood since its original description. In this study, male and female (including nymph) of P.arabica are paired using DNA barcoding, and their morphological characters (including both external characteristics and genitalia) are described. A detailed comparative morphological study of this species and the closely related Periplanetaamericana (Linnaeus, 1758) and Periplanetalateralis Walker, 1868 was carried out to explore phylogenetically relevant characters.

Autoimmunity associates with severity of illness in elderly patients with drug-induced liver injury.

Background: Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) is a potentially serious adverse drug reaction. Due to the lack of definite etiology, specific clinical manifestations, and diagnostic methods, its prediction and diagnosis are challenging. Elderly individuals are deemed to be at high risk for DILI due to abnormal pharmacokinetics, aging tissue repair function, comorbidities, and taking multiple drugs. This study aimed to identify the clinical characteristics and explore the risk factors associated with the severity of illness in elderly patients with DILI. Methods: In the present study, the clinical characteristics at the time of liver biopsy of consecutive patients with biopsy-proven DILI who presented at our hospital from June 2005 to September 2022 were evaluated. Hepatic inflammation and fibrosis were assessed according to the Scheuer scoring system. The presence of autoimmunity was considered if IgG level >1.1 × ULN (1826 mg/dL), or high titer (>1:80) of ANA, or SMA. Results: In total, 441 patients were enrolled, and the median age was 63.3 years (IQR, 61.0-66.0); 122 (27.7%), 195 (44.2%), or 124 (28.1%) were classified as having minor, moderate, or severe hepatic inflammation, respectively; and 188 (42.6%), 210 (47.6%) or 43 (9.8%) patients presented minor, significant fibrosis or cirrhosis, respectively. Female sex (73.5%) and the cholestatic pattern (47.6%) were dominant in elderly DILI patients. Autoimmunity existed in 201 patients (45.6%). Comorbidities were not directly associated with the severity of DILI. PLT (OR: 0.994, 95% CI: 0.991-0.997; p < 0.001), AST (OR: 1.001, 95% CI: 1.000-1.003, p = 0.012), TBIL (OR: 1.006, 95% CI: 1.003-1.010, p < 0.001), and autoimmunity (OR: 1.831, 95% CI: 1.258-2.672, p = 0.002) were associated with the degree of hepatic inflammation. Meanwhile, PLT (OR: 0.990, 95% CI: 0.986-0.993, p < 0.001), TBIL (OR: 1.004, 95% CI: 1.000-1.007, p = 0.028), age (OR: 1.123, 95% CI: 1.067-1.183, p < 0.001), and autoimmunity (OR: 1.760, 95% CI: 1.191-2.608, p = 0.005) were associated with the stage of hepatic fibrosis. Conclusion: This study revealed that the presence of autoimmunity represents a more serious illness state of DILI, deserving more intensive monitoring and progressive treatment.

[Clinical application of virtual surgery combined with guide plate in reduction and fixation of condylar neck fracture in 7 patients].

PURPOSE: To explore the value of virtual surgery and 3D printing model combined with guide plate in treatment of mandibular condylar neck fracture. METHODS: Seven patients with mandibular condylar neck fracture were scanned by CT for original data. The data were exported in DICOM format. A three-dimensional model was reconstructed using software, the fracture was reduced by virtual surgery, and the 3D model was printed by a 3D printer. A prebent titanium plate was used to fabricate the guide plate, which was used for reduction and fixation of the fracture block during surgery. RESULTS: All the postoperative incisions revealed no signs of infection, the wounds were hidden and beautiful. The implanted titanium plates were highly compatible with the reduced fracture segments. The patients were followed up for 6 months after surgery, the condylar fracture healed well and there was no obvious displacement. The patient developed no mandibular deviation with a stable occlusion, and no occlusal pain was reported. No obvious temporomandibular joint disorder was present. CONCLUSIONS: Virtual surgery and 3D printing model combined with guide plate can ensure an accurate reduction of condylar neck fracture and simplify the operation process, which can be used as an accurate, efficient and predictable auxiliary method.

Pinning Spatiotemporal Sampled-Data Synchronization of Coupled Reaction-Diffusion Neural Networks Under Deception Attacks.

In this article, we investigate the pinning spatiotemporal sampled-data (SD) synchronization of coupled reaction-diffusion neural networks (CRDNNs), which are directed networks with SD in time and space communications under random deception attacks. In order to handle with the random deception attacks, we establish a directed CRDNN model, which respects the impacts of variable sampling and random deception attacks within a unified framework. Through the designed pinning spatiotemporal SD controller, sufficient conditions are obtained by linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) that guarantee the mean square exponential stability of the synchronization error system (SES) derived by utilizing inequality techniques, the stochastic analysis technique, and Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional (LKF). Finally, a numerical example is utilized to support the presented pinning spatiotemporal SD synchronization method.

Sorafenib triggers ferroptosis via inhibition of HBXIP/SCD axis in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Sorafenib, which inhibits multiple kinases, is an effective frontline therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Ferroptosis is a form of iron-dependent programmed cell death regulated by lipid peroxidation, which can be induced by sorafenib treatment. Oncoprotein hepatitis B X-interacting protein (HBXIP) participates in multiple biological pro-tumor processes, including growth, metastasis, drug resistance, and metabolic reprogramming. However, the role of HBXIP in sorafenib-induced ferroptotic cell death remains unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that HBXIP prevents sorafenib-induced ferroptosis in HCC cells. Sorafenib decreased HBXIP expression, and overexpression of HBXIP blocked sorafenib-induced HCC cell death. Interestingly, suppression of HBXIP increased malondialdehyde (MDA) production and glutathione (GSH) depletion to promote sorafenib-mediated ferroptosis and cell death. Ferrostatin-1, a ferroptosis inhibitor, reversed the enhanced anticancer effect of sorafenib caused by HBXIP silencing in HCC cells. Regarding the molecular mechanism, HBXIP transcriptionally induced the expression of stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD) via coactivating the transcriptional factor ZNF263, resulting in the accumulation of free fatty acids and suppression of ferroptosis. Functionally, activation of the HBXIP/SCD axis reduced the anticancer activity of sorafenib and suppressed ferroptotic cell death in vivo and in vitro. HBXIP/SCD axis-mediated ferroptosis can serve as a novel downstream effector of sorafenib. Our results provide new evidence for clinical decisions in HCC therapy.

The regulation of yes-associated protein/transcriptional coactivator with PDZ-binding motif and their roles in vascular endothelium.

Normal endothelial function plays a pivotal role in maintaining cardiovascular homeostasis, while endothelial dysfunction causes the occurrence and development of cardiovascular diseases. Yes-associated protein (YAP) and its homolog transcriptional co-activator with PDZ-binding motif (TAZ) serve as crucial nuclear effectors in the Hippo signaling pathway, which are regulated by mechanical stress, extracellular matrix stiffness, drugs, and other factors. Increasing evidence supports that YAP/TAZ play an important role in the regulation of endothelial-related functions, including oxidative stress, inflammation, and angiogenesis. Herein, we systematically review the factors affecting YAP/TAZ, downstream target genes regulated by YAP/TAZ and the roles of YAP/TAZ in regulating endothelial functions, in order to provide novel potential targets and effective approaches to prevent and treat cardiovascular diseases.

Synergistic Antibacterial Activity with Conventional Antibiotics and Mechanism of Action of Shikonin against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a troublesome pathogen that poses a global threat to public health. Shikonin (SKN) isolated from Lithospermum erythrorhizon (L. erythrorhizon) possesses a variety of biological activities. This study aims to explore the effect of the combined application of SKN and traditional antibiotics on the vitality of MRSA and the inherent antibacterial mechanism of SKN. The synergies between SKN and antibiotics against MRSA and its clinical strain have been demonstrated by the checkerboard assay and the time-kill assay. The effect of SKN on disrupting the integrity and permeability of bacterial cell membranes was verified by a nucleotide and protein leakage assay and a bacteriolysis assay. As determined by crystal violet staining, SKN inhibited the biofilm formation of clinical MRSA strains. The results of Western blot and qRT-PCR showed that SKN could inhibit the expression of proteins and genes related to drug resistance and S. aureus exotoxins. SKN inhibited the ability of RAW264.7 cells to release the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α and IL-6, as measured by ELISA. Our findings suggest that SKN has the potential to be developed as a promising alternative for the treatment of MRSA infections.

Validation of a Quantification Method for Curcumin Derivatives and Their Hepatoprotective Effects on Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease.

Curcumin (CM), demethoxycurcumin (DMC), and bisdemethoxycurcumin (BDMC) are major curcumin derivatives found in the rhizome of turmeric (Curcuma longa L.), and have yielded impressive properties to halt various diseases. In the present study, we carried out a method validation for curcumin derivatives and analyzed the contents simultaneously using HPLC with UV detection. For validation, HPLC was used to estimate linearity, range, specificity, accuracy, precision, limit of detection (LOD), and limit of quantification (LOQ). Results showed a high linearity of the calibration curve, with a coefficient of correlation (R2) for CM, DMC, and BDMC of 0.9999, 0.9999, and 0.9997, respectively. The LOD values for CM, DMC, and BDMC were 1.16, 1.03, and 2.53 ng/µL and LOQ values were 3.50, 3.11, and 7.67 ng/µL, respectively. Moreover, to evaluate the ability of curcumin derivatives to reduce liver lipogenesis and compare curcumin derivatives' therapeutic effects, a HepG2 cell model was established to analyze their hepatoprotective properties. Regarding the in vivo study, we investigated the effect of DMC, CM, and BDMC on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) caused by a methionine choline deficient (MCD)-diet in the C57BL/6J mice model. From the in vitro and in vivo results, curcumin derivatives alleviated MCD-diet-induced lipid accumulation as well as high triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) levels, and the protein and gene expression of the transcription factors related to liver adipogenesis were suppressed. Furthermore, in MCD-diet mice, curcumin derivatives suppressed the upregulation of toll-like receptors (TLRs) and the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines. In conclusion, our findings indicated that all of the three curcuminoids exerted a hepatoprotective effect in the HepG2 cell model and the MCD-diet-induced NAFLD model, suggesting a potential for curcuminoids derived from turmeric as novel therapeutic agents for NAFLD.

Phytochrome-interacting factors orchestrate hypocotyl adventitious root initiation in Arabidopsis.

Adventitious roots (ARs) are an important type of plant root and display high phenotypic plasticity in response to different environmental stimuli. It is known that photoreceptors inhibit darkness-induced hypocotyl adventitious root (HAR) formation by directly stabilizing Aux/IAA proteins. In this study, we further report that phytochrome-interacting factors (PIFs) plays a central role in HAR initiation by simultaneously inducing the expression of genes involved in auxin biosynthesis, auxin transport and the transcriptional control of root primordium initiation. We found that, on the basis of their activity downstream of phytochrome, PIFs are required for darkness-induced HAR formation. Specifically, PIFs directly bind to the promoters of some genes involved in root formation, including auxin biosynthesis genes YUCCA2 (YUC2) and YUC6, the auxin influx carrier genes AUX1 and LAX3, and the transcription factors WOX5/7 and LBD16/29, to activate their expression. These findings reveal a previously uncharacterized transcriptional regulatory network underlying HAR formation.

Study on the pro-inflammatory mechanism of the HuD antibody in promoting M1 polarization and paraneoplastic neurological syndrome occurrence.

Paraneoplastic neurological syndrome (PNS) is a nonmetastatic complication of malignant tumors that may lead to immune-mediated neuronal dysfunction or death. The occurrence of PNS results from the binding of anti-neuronal antibodies to neuronal cell surface antigens or intracellular antigens, which hinders the function of target proteins and promotes cell death. The aim of this study is to research the effect and immune mechanism of the neuronal ELAV-like protein (HuD antibody) on PNS-related syndrome. Neuronal cells were co-cultured with monocyte macrophages with or without HuD antibody. Next, we detected the apoptosis of neuronal cells by flow cytometry. Meantime, macrophage M1/M2 polarization factors and the secretion of inflammatory factors in the co-culture system were also detected by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), Western blots and ELISA technologies. The results showed that after adding the HuD antibody in the co-culture system, the apoptosis level of the neuroma cells were significantly increased, and the apoptosis level were not significant changed when co-culture with monocytes without HuD antibody. In addition, the level of factors of M1 macrophages TNF-α, IL-12, TGF-ß and IFN-γ increased, while the level of factors of M2 macrophages IL-10, IL-4, and Arg-1 decreased. The outcomes demonstrated that absorption of the HuD antibody by cerebellar neuronal cells could promote the proliferation of M1 macrophages and stimulates macrophages to secrete inflammatory factors, further damage the neuronal cells, eventually resulting in the occurrence of PNS. This finding provided a theoretical basis for the subsequent treatment and prevention of PNS.

White matter damage in patients with mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease.

BACKGROUND: This study investigates the correlation between white matter structural damage and cognitive impairment in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). METHODS: A total of 40 patients with PD were divided into two groups, i.e., a mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI) and a normal cognitive (PDN) group, and 20 healthy patients were enrolled as the control group. Changes in the white matter structure of patients with PD were evaluated using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and cognitive function was evaluated using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) scale and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). Finally, the correlations between the two groups were analyzed. RESULTS: The Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale score was significantly higher in the PD-MCI than in the PDN group (P=0.008). The total MoCA and MMSE scores in the PD-MCI group were significantly lower than in the PDN and control groups (P<0.01). Patients in PDMCI group were tested by MMSE scale, and the abnormal score rate was 60.0%. Among them, 8 PD patients with normal MMSE total score were found to have mild cognitive impairment by MoCA evaluation. When compared with the PDN and control groups, the MoCA scores for visual space, which is assessed as part of the MoCA scale and generally represents bilateral parietal function; naming; memory; and attention were significantly lower in the PD-MCI group (P<0.001). When compared with the PDN group, the fractional anisotropy (FA) values for the right parietal and left occipital lobes were significantly lower in the PD-MCI group (P=0.005; P=0.018). The relationship between MoCA value and right parietal white matter and left occipital white matter was 0.555, 0.474, respectively. A Pearson's correlation test was conducted to compare the FA values and MoCA scores of the various brain areas in the PD-MCI group and revealed a significant positive correlation between the MoCA score and the white matter of the right parietal and left occipital lobes (P<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with PD experience early cognitive impairment, and the MoCA scale can be used for early screening. In addition, the DTI of white matter can highlight early white matter damage. In the current study, the damaged brain areas displayed by DTI were consistent with areas showing decreased MoCA scores and were positively correlated with the severity of PD.