Identification of IGF-1 Effects on White Adipose Tissue and Hippocampus in Alzheimer's Disease Mice via Transcriptomic and Cellular Analysis.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) stands as the most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by a multitude of pathological manifestations, prominently marked by the aggregation of amyloid beta. Recent investigations have revealed a compelling association between excessive adiposity and glial activation, further correlating with cognitive impairments. Additionally, alterations in levels of insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) have been reported in individuals with metabolic conditions accompanied by memory dysfunction. Hence, our research endeavors to comprehensively explore the impact of IGF-1 on the hippocampus and adipose tissue in the context of Alzheimer's disease. To address this, we have conducted an in-depth analysis utilizing APP/PS2 transgenic mice, recognized as a well-established mouse model for Alzheimer's disease. Upon administering IGF-1 injections to the APP/PS2 mice, we observed notable alterations in their behavioral patterns, prompting us to undertake a comprehensive transcriptomic analysis of both the hippocampal and adipose tissues. Our data unveiled significant modifications in the functional profiles of these tissues. Specifically, in the hippocampus, we identified changes associated with synaptic activity and neuroinflammation. Concurrently, the adipose tissue displayed shifts in processes related to fat browning and cell death signaling. In addition to these findings, our analysis enabled the identification of a collection of long non-coding RNAs and circular RNAs that exhibited significant changes in expression subsequent to the administration of IGF-1 injections. Furthermore, we endeavored to predict the potential roles of these identified RNA molecules within the context of our study. In summary, our study offers valuable transcriptome data for hippocampal and adipose tissues within an Alzheimer's disease model and posits a significant role for IGF-1 within both the hippocampus and adipose tissue.

Comparison of the new-Poisoning Mortality Score and the Modified Early Warning Score for predicting in-hospital mortality in patients with acute poisoning.

INTRODUCTION: The evaluation of acute poisoning is challenging due to varied toxic substances and clinical presentations. The new-Poisoning Mortality Score was recently developed to assess patients with acute poisoning and showed good performance in predicting in-hospital mortality. The objective of this study is to externally validate the performance of the new-Poisoning Mortality Score and to compare it with the Modified Early Warning Score. METHODS: This retrospective analysis used data from the 2019-2020 Injury Surveillance Cohort, established by the Korea Center for Disease Control and Prevention, to perform external validation of the new-Poisoning Mortality Score. The statistical performances of the new-Poisoning Mortality and Modified Early Warning Scores were assessed and compared in terms of discrimination and calibration. Discrimination analysis involved metrics such as sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. For calibration analysis, the Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test was utilized and calibration curves for each score were generated to elucidate the relationship between observed and predicted mortalities. RESULTS: This study analysed 16,570 patients with acute poisoning. Significant differences were observed between survivors and those who died in-hospital, including age, sex, and vital signs. The new-Poisoning Mortality Score showed better performance over the Modified Early Warning Score in predicting in-hospital mortality, in terms of the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (0.947 versus 0.800), sensitivity (0.863 versus 0.667), specificity (0.912 versus 0.817), and accuracy (0.911 versus 0.814). When evaluated through calibration curves, the new-Poisoning Mortality Score showed better concordance between predicted and observed mortalities. In subgroup analyses, the score system consistently showed strong performance, excelling particularly in substances with high mortality indices and remaining superior in all substances as a group. CONCLUSIONS: Our study has helped to validate the new-Poisoning Mortality Score as an effective tool for predicting in-hospital mortality in patients with acute poisoning in the emergency department. The score system demonstrated superior performance over the Modified Early Warning Score in various metrics. Our findings suggest that the new-Poisoning Mortality Score can contribute to the enhancement of clinical decision-making and patient management.

Important roles of linoleic acid and α-linolenic acid in regulating cognitive impairment and neuropsychiatric issues in metabolic-related dementia.

Metabolic syndrome (MetS), which is characterized by insulin resistance, high blood glucose, obesity, and dyslipidemia, is known to increase the risk of dementia accompanied by memory loss and depression. The direct pathways and specific mechanisms in the central nervous system (CNS) for addressing fatty acid imbalances in MetS have not yet been fully elucidated. Among polyunsaturated acids, linoleic acid (LA, n6-PUFA) and α-linolenic acid (ALA, n3-PUFA), which are two essential fatty acids that should be provided by food sources (e.g., vegetable oils and seeds), have been reported to regulate various cellular mechanisms including apoptosis, inflammatory responses, mitochondrial biogenesis, and insulin signaling. Furthermore, inadequate intake of LA and ALA is reported to be involved in neuropathology and neuropsychiatric diseases as well as imbalanced metabolic conditions. Herein, we review the roles of LA and ALA on metabolic-related dementia focusing on insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, synaptic plasticity, cognitive function, and neuropsychiatric issues. This review suggests that LA and ALA are important fatty acids for concurrent treatment of both MetS and neurological problems.

Self-care Behavior Based on Integrated Behavioral Model in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: A Structural Equation Modeling Approach.

BACKGROUND: There is limited research exploring the behavioral intentions, beliefs, and application of theoretical models in relation to self-care in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to identify the factors that influence self-care behavior in patients with AF. METHODS: The study used an integrated behavioral model and collected data from 216 patients diagnosed with AF. Data were analyzed using SPSS 24.0 and AMOS/WIN 24.0 to verify the fit of the hypothesis model, confirm factor analysis, and the validity of the hypothesis itself. RESULTS: Self-care behavioral intention (ß = 0.433, p < .001) and habit (ß = 0.395, p = .005) had a significant direct effect, while instrumental attitude (ß = 0.077, p = .045), injunctive norm (ß = 0.084, p = .037), and self-efficacy (ß = 0.249, p = .011) had a significant indirect effect on self-care behavior, explaining 64.4% of the variance. CONCLUSION: The final model validated the factors that impact self-care behavior in patients with AF, highlighting the importance of fostering positive recognition of instrumental attitude, bolstering social influence and self-efficacy through significant individuals to improve self-care behavior. It is recommended to create an intervention program that encourages intentions and motivations for self-care behavior and incorporates tactics to make self-care behavior a habit. The study's path diagram can serve as a conceptual framework for designing strategies to enhance self-care behavior in patients with AF.

Oligonol ameliorates liver function and brain function in the 5 × FAD mouse model: transcriptional and cellular analysis.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a common neurodegenerative disease worldwide and is accompanied by memory deficits, personality changes, anxiety, depression, and social difficulties. For treatment of AD, many researchers have attempted to find medicinal resources with high effectiveness and without side effects. Oligonol is a low molecular weight polypeptide derived from lychee fruit extract. We investigated the effects of oligonol in 5 × FAD transgenic AD mice, which developed severe amyloid pathology, through behavioral tests (Barnes maze, marble burying, and nestle shredding) and molecular experiments. Oligonol treatment attenuated blood glucose levels and increased the antioxidant response in the livers of 5 × FAD mice. Moreover, the behavioral score data showed improvements in anxiety, depressive behavior, and cognitive impairment following a 2-month course of orally administered oligonol. Oligonol treatment not only altered the circulating levels of cytokines and adipokines in 5 × FAD mice, but also significantly enhanced the mRNA and protein levels of antioxidant enzymes and synaptic plasticity in the brain cortex and hippocampus. Therefore, we highlight the therapeutic potential of oligonol to attenuate neuropsychiatric problems and improve memory deficits in the early stage of AD.

Human lncRNA SUGCT-AS1 Regulates the Proinflammatory Response of Macrophage.

Macrophages are the major primary immune cells that mediate the inflammatory response. In this process, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play an important, yet largely unknown role. Therefore, utilizing several publicly available RNA sequencing datasets, we predicted and selected lncRNAs that are differentially expressed in M1 or M2 macrophages and involved in the inflammatory response. We identified SUGCT-AS1, which is a human macrophage-specific lncRNA whose expression is increased upon M1 macrophage stimulation. Conditioned media of SUGCT-AS1-depleted M1 macrophages induced an inflammatory phenotype of vascular smooth muscle cells, which included increased expression of inflammatory genes (IL1B and IL6), decreased contractile marker proteins (ACTA2 and SM22α), and increased cell migration. Depletion of SUGCT-AS1 promoted the expression and secretion of proinflammatory cytokines, such as TNF, IL1B, and IL6, in M1 macrophages, and transcriptomic analysis showed that SUGCT-AS1 has functions related to inflammatory responses and cytokines. Furthermore, we found that SUGCT-AS1 directly binds to hnRNPU and regulates its nuclear-cytoplasmic translocation. This translocation of hnRNPU altered the proportion of the MALT1 isoforms by regulating the alternative splicing of MALT1, a mediator of NF-κB signaling. Overall, our findings suggest that lncRNAs can be used for future studies on macrophage regulation. Moreover, they establish the SUGCT-AS1/hnRNPU/MALT1 axis, which is a novel inflammatory regulatory mechanism in macrophages.

The Synergistic Effect of Dietary Acid Load Levels and Cigarette Smoking Status on the Risk of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) in Healthy, Middle-Aged Korean Men.

We investigated whether cigarette smoking and dietary acid load (DAL) are associated with a risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in healthy, middle-aged Korean men. Healthy men without diagnosed chronic disease (aged 40-64 years) from the KNHANES-VI (2013-2015) were included in the analysis (n = 774) and were subdivided by smoking status and DAL levels, as estimated using the quartile of net endogenous acid production (NEAP). The current smokers tended to have a higher risk of COPD than the never-smokers before and after adjustment. When divided by the DAL quartile, the Q4 group tended to have a higher risk of COPD than the Q1 group. Additionally, the current smokers with lower (Q2), modest (Q3), and the highest NEAP scores (Q4) showed risks of COPD that were more than fourfold higher than those of the never-smokers with the lowest NEAP scores (Q1). The ex-smokers with higher NEAP scores (Q3 and Q4) showed risks of COPD that were more than fourfold higher than those of the Q1 group. Interestingly, the risk of COPD was also more than sixfold higher in the never-smokers with the highest NEAP scores compared to that in the Q1 group. The NEAP scores and smoking status synergistically increased the risk of COPD in healthy, middle-aged Korean men. This suggests that DAL levels are an important factor in the prevention and management of COPD.

Pharmacological and physiological roles of adipokines and myokines in metabolic-related dementia.

Dementia is a detrimental neuropathologic condition with considerable physical, mental, social, and financial impact on patients and society. Patients with metabolic syndrome (MetS), a group of diseases that occur in tandem and increase the risk of neurologic diseases, have a higher risk of dementia. The ratio between muscle and adipose tissue is crucial in MetS, as these contain many hormones, including myokines and adipokines, which are involved in crosstalk and local paracrine/autocrine interactions. Evidence suggests that abnormal adipokine and myokine synthesis and release may be implicated in various MetS, such as atherosclerosis, diabetic mellitus (DM), and dyslipidemia, but their precise role is unclear. Here we review the literature on adipokine and myokine involvement in MetS-induced dementia via glucose and insulin homeostasis regulation, neuroinflammation, vascular dysfunction, emotional changes, and cognitive function.

Lipocalin-2 Secreted by the Liver Regulates Neuronal Cell Function Through AKT-Dependent Signaling in Hepatic Encephalopathy Mouse Model.

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) associated with liver failure is accompanied by hyperammonemia, severe inflammation, depression, anxiety, and memory deficits as well as liver injury. Recent studies have focused on the liver-brain-inflammation axis to identify a therapeutic solution for patients with HE. Lipocalin-2 is an inflammation-related glycoprotein that is secreted by various organs and is involved in cellular mechanisms including iron homeostasis, glucose metabolism, cell death, neurite outgrowth, and neurogenesis. In this study, we investigated that the roles of lipocalin-2 both in the brain cortex of mice with HE and in Neuro-2a (N2A) cells. We detected elevated levels of lipocalin-2 both in the plasma and liver in a bile duct ligation mouse model of HE. We confirmed changes in cytokine expression, such as interleukin-1ß, cyclooxygenase 2 expression, and iron metabolism related to gene expression through AKT-mediated signaling both in the brain cortex of mice with HE and N2A cells. Our data showed negative effects of hepatic lipocalin-2 on cell survival, iron homeostasis, and neurite outgrowth in N2A cells. Thus, we suggest that regulation of lipocalin-2 in the brain in HE may be a critical therapeutic approach to alleviate neuropathological problems focused on the liver-brain axis.

Circular RNA Tmcc1 improves astrocytic glutamate metabolism and spatial memory via NF-κB and CREB signaling in a bile duct ligation mouse model: transcriptional and cellular analyses.

BACKGROUND: Hepatic encephalopathy-induced hyperammonemia alters astrocytic glutamate metabolism in the brain, which is involved in cognitive decline. To identify specific therapeutic strategies for the treatment of hepatic encephalopathy, various molecular signaling studies, such as non-coding RNA functional study, have been conducted. However, despite several reports of circular RNAs (circRNAs) in the brain, few studies of circRNAs in hepatic encephalopathy-induced neuropathophysiological diseases have been conducted. METHODS: In this study, we performed RNA sequencing to identify whether the candidate circRNA cirTmcc1 is specifically expressed in the brain cortex in a bile duct ligation (BDL) mouse model of hepatic encephalopathy. RESULTS: Based on transcriptional and cellular analysis, we investigated the circTmcc1-dysregulation-induced changes in the expression of several genes that are associated with intracellular metabolism and astrocyte function. We found that the circTmcc1 binds with the NF-κB p65-CREB transcriptional complex and regulates the expression of the astrocyte transporter EAAT2. Furthermore, circTmcc1 contributed to the secretion of proinflammatory mediators and glutamate metabolism in astrocytes and subsequently modulated an improvement in spatial memory by mediating neuronal synaptic plasticity. CONCLUSIONS: Thus, circTmcc1 may be a promising circRNA candidate for targeted interventions to prevent and treat the neuropathophysiological complications that occur due to hepatic encephalopathy.

Amygdala activity and amygdala-hippocampus connectivity: Metabolic diseases, dementia, and neuropsychiatric issues.

With rapid aging of the population worldwide, the number of people with dementia is dramatically increasing. Some studies have emphasized that metabolic syndrome, which includes obesity and diabetes, leads to increased risks of dementia and cognitive decline. Factors such as insulin resistance, hyperglycemia, high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, and central obesity in metabolic syndrome are associated with synaptic failure, neuroinflammation, and imbalanced neurotransmitter levels, leading to the progression of dementia. Due to the positive correlation between diabetes and dementia, some studies have called it "type 3 diabetes". Recently, the number of patients with cognitive decline due to metabolic imbalances has considerably increased. In addition, recent studies have reported that neuropsychiatric issues such as anxiety, depressive behavior, and impaired attention are common factors in patients with metabolic disease and those with dementia. In the central nervous system (CNS), the amygdala is a central region that regulates emotional memory, mood disorders, anxiety, attention, and cognitive function. The connectivity of the amygdala with other brain regions, such as the hippocampus, and the activity of the amygdala contribute to diverse neuropathological and neuropsychiatric issues. Thus, this review summarizes the significant consequences of the critical roles of amygdala connectivity in both metabolic syndromes and dementia. Further studies on amygdala function in metabolic imbalance-related dementia are needed to treat neuropsychiatric problems in patients with this type of dementia.

Profiling and Cellular Analyses of Obesity-Related circRNAs in Neurons and Glia under Obesity-like In Vitro Conditions.

Recent evidence indicates that the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, is associated with metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity. Various circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been found in brain tissues and recent studies have suggested that circRNAs are related to neuropathological mechanisms in the brain. However, there is a lack of interest in the involvement of circRNAs in metabolic imbalance-related neuropathological problems until now. Herein we profiled and analyzed diverse circRNAs in mouse brain cell lines (Neuro-2A neurons, BV-2 microglia, and C8-D1a astrocytes) exposed to obesity-related in vitro conditions (high glucose, high insulin, and high levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin 6, palmitic acid, linoleic acid, and cholesterol). We observed that various circRNAs were differentially expressed according to cell types with many of these circRNAs conserved in humans. After suppressing the expression of these circRNAs using siRNAs, we observed that these circRNAs regulate genes related to inflammatory responses, formation of synaptic vesicles, synaptic density, and fatty acid oxidation in neurons; scavenger receptors in microglia; and fatty acid signaling, inflammatory signaling cyto that may play important roles in metabolic disorders associated with neurodegenerative diseases.

Characteristics of rib fracture patients who require chest computed tomography in the emergency department.

BACKGROUND: The disadvantages and complications of computed tomography (CT) can be minimized if CT is performed in rib fracture patients with high probability of intra-thoracic and intra-abdominal injuries and CT is omitted in rib fracture patients with low probability of intra-thoracic and intra-abdominal injuries. This study aimed to evaluate the factors that can identify patients with rib fractures with intra-thoracic and intra-abdominal injuries in the emergency department among patients with rib fracture. METHODS: This retrospective observational study included adult patients (age ≥ 18 years) diagnosed with rib fracture on chest radiography prior to chest CT due to blunt chest trauma in the emergency department who underwent chest CT from January 2016 to February 2021. The primary outcomes were intra-thoracic and intra-abdominal injuries that could be identified on a chest CT. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed. RESULTS: Among the characteristics of rib fractures, the number of rib fractures was greater (5.0 [3.0-7.0] vs. 2.0 [1.0-3.0], p < 0.001), bilateral rib fractures were frequent (56 [20.1%] vs. 12 [9.8%], p = 0.018), and lateral and posterior rib fracture was more frequent (lateral rib fracture: 160 [57.3%] vs. 25 [20.5%], p < 0.001; posterior rib fracture: 129 [46.2%] vs. 21 [17.2%], p < 0.001), and displacement was more frequent (99 [35.5%] vs. 6 [6.6%], p < 0.001) in the group with intra-thoracic and intra-abdominal injuries than in the group with no injury. The number of rib fractures (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.44; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.16-1.78; p = 0.001), lateral rib fracture (aOR, 2.80; 95% CI, 1.32-5.95; p = 0.008), and posterior rib fracture (aOR, 3.18; 95% CI, 1.45-6.94; p = 0.004) were independently associated with intra-thoracic and intra-abdominal injuries. The optimal cut-off for the number of rib fractures on the outcome was three. The number of rib fractures ≥ 3 (aOR, 3.01; 95% CI, 1.35-6.71; p = 0.007) was independently associated with intra-thoracic and intra-abdominal injuries. CONCLUSION: In patients with rib fractures due to blunt trauma, those with lateral or posterior rib fractures, those with ≥ 3 rib fractures, and those requiring O2 supplementation require chest CT to identify significant intra-thoracic and intra-abdominal injuries in the emergency department.

Prediction of Mortality Among Patients With Isolated Traumatic Brain Injury Using Machine Learning Models in Asian Countries: An International Multi-Center Cohort Study.

Abstract Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a significant healthcare concern in several countries, accounting for a major burden of morbidity, mortality, disability, and socioeconomic losses. Although conventional prognostic models for patients with TBI have been validated, their performance has been limited. Therefore, we aimed to construct machine learning (ML) models to predict the clinical outcomes in adult patients with isolated TBI in Asian countries. The Pan-Asian Trauma Outcome Study registry was used in this study, and the data were prospectively collected from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2020. Among a total of 6540 patients (≥ 15 years) with isolated moderate and severe TBI, 3276 (50.1%) patients were randomly included with stratification by outcomes and subgrouping variables for model evaluation, and 3264 (49.9%) patients were included for model training and validation. Logistic regression was considered as a baseline, and ML models were constructed and evaluated using the area under the precision-recall curve (AUPRC) as the primary outcome metric, area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC), and precision at fixed levels of recall. The contribution of the variables to the model prediction was measured using the SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) method. The ML models outperformed logistic regression in predicting the in-hospital mortality. Among the tested models, the gradient-boosted decision tree showed the best performance (AUPRC, 0.746 [0.700-0.789]; AUROC, 0.940 [0.929-0.952]). The most powerful contributors to model prediction were the Glasgow Coma Scale, O2 saturation, transfusion, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, body temperature, and age. Our study suggests that ML techniques might perform better than conventional multi-variate models in predicting the outcomes among adult patients with isolated moderate and severe TBI.

Identification of the molecular mechanism of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1): a promising therapeutic target for neurodegenerative diseases associated with metabolic syndrome.

Neurodegenerative disorders are accompanied by neuronal degeneration and glial dysfunction, resulting in cognitive, psychomotor, and behavioral impairment. Multiple factors including genetic, environmental, metabolic, and oxidant overload contribute to disease progression. Recent evidences suggest that metabolic syndrome is linked to various neurodegenerative diseases. Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is known to be accompanied by symptoms such as hyperglycemia, abdominal obesity, hypertriglyceridemia, and hypertension. Despite advances in knowledge about the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative disorders, effective treatments to combat neurodegenerative disorders caused by MetS have not been developed to date. Insulin growth factor-1 (IGF-1) deficiency has been associated with MetS-related pathologies both in-vivo and in-vitro. IGF-1 is essential for embryonic and adult neurogenesis, neuronal plasticity, neurotropism, angiogenesis, metabolic function, and protein clearance in the brain. Here, we review the evidence for the potential therapeutic effects of IGF-1 in the neurodegeneration related to metabolic syndrome. We elucidate how IGF-1 may be involved in molecular signaling defects that occurs in MetS-related neurodegenerative disorders and highlight the importance of IGF-1 as a potential therapeutic target in MetS-related neurological diseases.

Association between metformin and survival outcomes in in-hospital cardiac arrest patients with diabetes.

INTRODUCTION: Metformin has shown cardioprotective and neuroprotective effects in cardiac arrest and ischemia-reperfusion injury animal models. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the association between diabetes medication and survival outcomes in in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) patients with type 2 DM (T2DM). METHODS: This retrospective observational study included adult IHCA patients with T2DM between April 2017 and March 2022. The variable of interest was administration of diabetes medications within 24 h before cardiac arrest. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was performed. RESULTS: In the 377 included patients, administration of metformin within 24 h before IHCA was associated with a higher rate of survival to discharge and good neurologic outcome (41.5% vs 11.7%, P < 0.001 and 18.9% vs 6.2%, P = 0.004, respectively). Administration of metformin within 24 h before IHCA was independently associated with survival to discharge and good neurologic outcome (aOR: 5.37, 95% CI: 2.13-13.53, P < 0.001 and aOR: 3.57, 95% CI: 1.14-11.17, P = 0.029). The rate of survival to discharge was the highest in patients who were administered 500-1000 mg/day metformin (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In IHCA patients with T2DM, administration of metformin within 24 h before IHCA was independently associated with survival to discharge.

Arcuate Nucleus of the Hypothalamus: Anatomy, Physiology, and Diseases.

The hypothalamus is part of the diencephalon and has several nuclei, one of which is the arcuate nucleus. The arcuate nucleus of hypothalamus (ARH) consists of neuroendocrine neurons and centrally-projecting neurons. The ARH is the center where the homeostasis of nutrition/metabolism and reproduction are maintained. As such, dysfunction of the ARH can lead to disorders of nutrition/metabolism and reproduction. Here, we review various types of neurons in the ARH and several genetic disorders caused by mutations in the ARH.

Being sensitive in their own way: parental ethnotheories of caregiver sensitivity and child emotion regulation across five countries.

Caregiver sensitivity builds a basis for children's sense of security and effective emotion regulation during their development. Applying a cross-cultural lens, caregiver sensitivity can be divided into two subtypes, reactive and proactive, and its prevalence and meaning may differ across cultures. Guided by the theoretical frameworks of developmental niche and parental ethnotheories, the current study examines culture-specific meanings of caregiver sensitivity across five countries: India, Nepal, Korea, the United States of America (USA), and Germany. We examine the prevalence of maternal reactive and proactive sensitivity, children's emotional lability and regulation, and how mothers' sensitivity types are related to children's emotional characteristics. Participants included 472 mothers from the five countries with children aged between 6 and 7 years. Mothers reported their sensitivity preference in multiple vignettes and completed an emotion regulation checklist to report their children's emotional lability and regulation. A set of analyses of covariance (ANCOVAs) found cultural differences in mothers' preference for proactive and reactive sensitivity. Mothers in India and Nepal reported the highest preference for proactive sensitivity followed by Korea and the USA, while German mothers reported the lowest preference for proactive sensitivity. Consequent regression analyses revealed varying associations between proactive sensitivity and child emotional characteristics in all five countries either directly or as moderated by child sex. These results evidence that parental ethnotheories are part of the developmental niche embedded in a larger cultural context. Findings on the differential links between the types of sensitivity and child emotion regulation provide cultural models of parental emotion socialization and children's emotional functioning.

Molecular Tuning of IR-786 for Improved Brown Adipose Tissue Imaging.

To overcome the limitations of brown adipose tissue (BAT) imaging with MRI and PET/CT, near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence imaging has been utilized in living animals because it is highly sensitive, noninvasive, nonradioactive, and cost-effective. To date, only a few NIR fluorescent dyes for detecting BAT have been reported based on the structure-inherent targeting strategy. Among them, IR-786, a commercial cyanine dye, was used firstly for quantitative NIR imaging of BAT perfusion in 2003. Owing to the high cytotoxicity, poor water solubility, and strong nonspecific background uptake of IR-786, the chemical structure of IR-786 should be redesigned to be more hydrophilic and less toxic so that it can show more BAT-specific accumulation. Here, we developed a BAT-specific NIR dye, BF800-AM, by incorporating the tyramine linker in the original structure of IR-786. After modifying the physicochemical properties of IR-786, in vivo results showed significant uptake of the newly designed BF800-AM in the BAT with improved signal-to-background ratio. Additional in vivo studies using mouse tumor models revealed that BF800-AM targeting to BAT is independent of tumor tissues, as distinct from IR-786 showing uptake in both tissues. Therefore, BF800-AM can be used for improved noninvasive visualization of BAT mass and activity in living animals.

Comparison of Cerebral Cortex Transcriptome Profiles in Ischemic Stroke and Alzheimer's Disease Models.

Ischemic stroke and Alzheimer's disease (AD) are representative geriatric diseases with a rapidly increasing prevalence worldwide. Recent studies have reported an association between ischemic stroke neuropathology and AD neuropathology. Ischemic stroke shares some similar characteristics with AD, such as glia activation-induced neuroinflammation, amyloid beta accumulation, and neuronal cell loss, as well as some common risk factors with AD progression. Although there are considerable similarities in neuropathology between ischemic stroke and AD, no studies have ever compared specific genetic changes of brain cortex between ischemic stroke and AD. Therefore, in this study, I compared the cerebral cortex transcriptome profile of 5xFAD mice, an AD mouse model, with those of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) mice, an ischemic stroke mouse model. The data showed that the expression of many genes with important functional implications in MCAO mouse brain cortex were related to synaptic dysfunction and neuronal cell death in 5xFAD mouse model. In addition, changes in various protein-coding RNAs involved in synaptic plasticity, amyloid beta accumulation, neurogenesis, neuronal differentiation, glial activation, inflammation and neurite outgrowth were observed. The findings could serve as an important basis for further studies to elucidate the pathophysiology of AD in patients with ischemic stroke.