Microbial synergies drive simultaneous biodegradation of ethoxy and alkyl chains of Nonylphenol Ethoxylate in fluidized bed reactors.

The widely-used surfactant Nonylphenol Ethoxylate (NPEO) produces endocrine-disrupting compounds during biodegradation, with these byproducts being more harmful than untreated NPEO. This study investigates the effectiveness of a Fluidized Bed Reactor (FBR) in reducing the production of 4-Nonylphenol (4-NP) during the biodegradation of NPEO. Two identical FBR filled with sand were used to assess the NPEO degradation and to enhance the microbial consortia capable of breaking down the complex byproducts, ethanol and fumarate were introduced as co-substrates. Our findings demonstrate the significant potential of the FBR, especially when coupled with fumarate, for enhancing the surfactant degradation. It outperforms the efficiency achieved with ethanol as the primary electron donor, albeit with a higher rate of byproduct production. Microbial community taxonomy and metabolic prediction revealed the high abundance of Geobacter (1.51-31.71%) and Methanobacterium (1.08-13.81%) in non-conductive sand. This may hint a new metabolic interaction and expand our understanding of Direct Interspecies Electron Transfer (DIET) in bioreactors applied to micropollutants degradation. Such an intricate relationship between facultative and anaerobes working together to simultaneously biodegrade the ethoxy and alkyl chains presents a new perspective on NPEO degradation and can potentially be extended to other micropollutants.

Predicting human neurotoxicity of propylene glycol methyl ether (PGME) by implementing in vitro neurotoxicity results into toxicokinetic modelling.

Although organic solvents have been associated with CNS toxicity, neurotoxicity testing is rarely a regulatory requirement. We propose a strategy to assess the potential neurotoxicity of organic solvents and predict solvent air concentrations that will not likely produce neurotoxicity in exposed individuals. The strategy integrated an in vitro neurotoxicity, an in vitro blood-brain barrier (BBB), and an in silico toxicokinetic (TK) model. We illustrated the concept with propylene glycol methyl ether (PGME), widely used in industrial and consumer products. The positive control was ethylene glycol methyl ether (EGME) and negative control propylene glycol butyl ether (PGBE), a supposedly non-neurotoxic glycol ether. PGME, PGBE, and EGME had high passive permeation across the BBB (permeability coefficients (Pe) 11.0 × 10-3, 9.0 × 10-3, and 6.0 × 10-3 cm/min, respectively). PGBE was the most potent in in vitro repeated neurotoxicity assays. EGME's main metabolite, methoxyacetic acid (MAA) may be responsible for the neurotoxic effects reported in humans. No-observed adverse effect concentrations (NOAECs) for the neuronal biomarker were for PGME, PGBE, and EGME 10.2, 0.07, and 79.2 mM, respectively. All tested substances elicited a concentration-dependent increase in pro-inflammatory cytokine expressions. The TK model was used for in vitro-to-in vivo extrapolation from PGME NOAEC to corresponding air concentrations (684 ppm). In conclusion, we were able to predict air concentrations that would not likely result in neurotoxicity using our strategy. We confirmed that the Swiss PGME occupational exposure limit (100 ppm) will not likely produce immediate adverse effects on brain cells. However, we cannot exclude possible long-term neurodegenerative effects because inflammation was observed in vitro. Our simple TK model can be parameterized for other glycol ethers and used in parallel with in vitro data for systematically screening for neurotoxicity. If further developed, this approach could be adapted to predict brain neurotoxicity from exposure to organic solvents.

Nephro-protective effect of Daphnetin in hyperoxaluria-induced rat renal injury via alterations of the gut microbiota.

It is well proved that hyperoxaluria induces the renal injury and finally causes the end stage kidney disease. Daphnetin (coumarin derivative) already confirmed renal protective effect in renal model, but hyperoxaluria protective effect still unexplore. The objective of this research was to scrutinize the renal protective effect of daphnetin against ethylene glycol (GC)-induced hyperoxaluria via altering the gut microbiota. GC (1% v/v) was used for the induction of hyperoxaluria in the rats and the rats were received the oral administration of daphnetin (5, 10 and 15 mg/kg). The body and renal weight were assessed. Urine, renal, inflammatory cytokines, antioxidant, inflammatory parameters, and gut microbiota were appraised. Daphnetin effectually improved the body weight and reduced the renal weight. Its also remarkably boosted the magnesium, calcium, citrate level and suppressed the level of uric acid and oxalate formation. Daphnetin significantly (p < .001) ameliorate the level of urinary kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM-1), blood urea nitrogen (BUN), urea, serum creatinine (Scr), neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) and uric acid along with inflammatory cytokines and inflammatory mediators. Daphnetin considerably repressed the malonaldehyde (MDA) level, protein carbonyl and improved the level of glutathione reductase (GR), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione (GSH) and catalase (CAT). Daphnetin treatment considerably altered the microbial composition of different bacteria at phylum, genus and family level. Daphnetin significantly suppressed the Firmicutes relative abundance and boosted the Bacteroidetes relative abundance. Our result clearly indicated that daphnetin remarkably ameliorates the GC induced hyperoxaluria in rats via altering the oxidative stress, inflammatory reaction and gut microbiota. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Nephrotoxicity is a serious health disease worldwide. We induce the renal toxicity in the experimental rats using the ethylene glycol and scrutinized the renal protective effect of daphnetin. Daphnetin considerably suppress the renal, urine parameters. For estimation the underlying mechanism, we estimated the gut microbiota in all group rats. Daphnetin remarkably altered the level of gut microbiota and suggesting the renal protective effect.

Effect of cell-permeable grouper Manganese Superoxide Dismutase on environmental stress in fish.

Nitrite levels are generally high in high-density aquaculture. Nitrite is a potential stress-inducing factor and can cause oxidative stress because excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation through nitrite induction cannot be scavenged by the endogenous antioxidant system, thus leading to cell damage or death. Manganese Superoxide Dismutase (MnSOD) is a highly efficient endogenous ROS scavenger that quenches mitochondrial ROS and protective against oxidative stress. To enhance the efficiency of MnSOD in removing ROS and reducing oxidative caused by nitrite, in this study, we cloned grouper MnSOD (gMnSOD) fused with a cell-penetrating peptide, TAT, to construct a TAT-gMnSOD fusion protein and assessed its potential to eliminate excess ROS induced by high nitrite concentrations and enhance the resistance of zebrafish to environmental stressors. Our results revealed that TAT-gMnSOD penetrated the grouper fin (GF-1) cells, scavenged nitrite-induced intracellular ROS, and enhanced cell viability on NaNO2 treatment. Furthermore, pretreatment of zebrafish with TAT-gMnSOD fusion protein reduced the MDA content and increased the survival rate. In addition, the TAT-gMnSOD fusion protein reduced 2-phenoxyethanol toxicity and attenuated excessive anesthesia among zebrafish. In conlusion, our cell-permeable TAT-gMnSOD fusion protein effectively counters oxidative stress, prevents environmental stress-induced damage, and increases aquaculture benefits.

Association Between Apolipoprotein E ε2 vs ε4, Age, and ß-Amyloid in Adults Without Cognitive Impairment.

Importance: Although the most common recent approach in Alzheimer disease drug discovery is to directly target the ß-amyloid (Aß) pathway, the high prevalence of apolipoprotein E ε4 (APOE ε4) in Alzheimer disease and the ease of identifying ε4 carriers make the APOE genotype and its corresponding protein (apoE) an appealing therapeutic target to slow Aß accumulation. Objective: To determine whether the ε2 allele is protective against Aß accumulation in the presence of the ε4 allele and evaluate how age and the APOE genotype are associated with emerging Aß accumulation and cognitive dysfunction. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study used screening data from the Anti-Amyloid Treatment in Asymptomatic Alzheimer Disease Study (A4 Study) collected from April 2014 to December 2017 and analyzed from November 2019 to July 2020. Of the 6943 participants who were a part of the multicenter clinical trial screening visit, 4432 were adults without cognitive impairment aged 65 to 85 years who completed a fluorine 18-labeled (18F)-florbetapir positron emission tomography scan, had APOE genotype information, and had a Clinical Dementia Rating of 0. Participants who were taking a prescription Alzheimer medication or had a current serious or unstable illness that could interfere with the study were excluded. Main Outcomes and Measures: Aß pathology, measured by 18F-florbetapir positron emission tomography and cognition, measured by the Preclinical Alzheimer Cognitive Composite. Results: A total of 4432 participants were included (mean [SD] age, 71.3 [4.7] years; 2634 women [59.4%]), with a mean (SD) of 16.6 (2.8) years of education and 1512 (34.1%) with a positive Aß level. APOE ε2 was associated with a reduction in both the overall (standardized uptake value ratio [SUVR], ε24, 1.11 [95% CI, 1.08-1.14]; ε34, 1.18 [95% CI, 1.17-1.19]) and the age-dependent level of Aß in the presence of ε4, with Aß levels in the APOE ε24 group (n = 115; ε24, 0.005 SUVR increase per year of age) increasing at less than half the rate with respect to increasing age compared with the APOE ε34 group (n = 1295; 0.012 SUVR increase per year of age; P = .04). The association between Aß and decreasing Preclinical Alzheimer Cognitive Composite scores did not differ by APOE genotype, and the reduced performance on the Preclinical Alzheimer Cognitive Composite in APOE ε4 carriers compared with noncarriers was completely mediated by Aß (unadjusted difference in composite scores between ε4 carriers and noncarriers = -0.084, P = .005; after adjusting for 18F-florbetapir = -0.006, P = .85; after adjusting for 18F-florbetapir and cardiovascular scores = -0.009, P = .78). Conclusions and Relevance: These findings suggest that the protective outcome of carrying an ε2 allele in the presence of an ε4 allele against Aß accumulation is important for potential treatments that attempt to biochemically mimic the function of the ε2 allele in order to facilitate Aß clearance in ε4 carriers. Such a treatment strategy is appealing, as ε4 carriers make up approximately two-thirds of patients with Alzheimer disease dementia. This strategy could represent an early treatment option, as many ε4 carriers begin to accumulate Aß in early middle age.

Microbial oversecretion of (R)-3-hydroxybutyrate oligomer with diethylene glycol terminal as a macromonomer for polyurethane synthesis.

Poly((R)-3-hydroxybutyrate) (P(3HB)) is a polyester that is synthesized and accumulated in many prokaryotic cells. Recently, a new culture method for the secretion of the intracellularly synthesized (R)-3-hydroxybutyrate oligomer (3HBO) from recombinant Escherichia coli cells was developed. In this study, we attempted to produce microbial 3HBO capped with a diethylene glycol terminal (3HBO-DEG) as a macromonomer for polymeric materials. First, we prepared recombinant E. coli strains harboring genes encoding various polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) synthases (PhaC, PhaEC or PhaRC) that can incorporate chain transfer (CT) agents such as DEG into the polymer's terminal and generate CT end-capped oligomers. To this end, each strain was cultivated under DEG supplemental conditions, and the synthesis of 3HBO-DEG was confirmed. As a result, the highest secretory production of 3HBO-DEG was observed for the PHA synthase derived from Bacillus cereus YB-4 (PhaRCYB4). To evaluate the usability of the secreted 3HBO-DEG as a macromonomer, 3HBO-DEG was purified from the culture medium and polymerized with 4,4'-diphenylmethane diisocyanate as a spacer compound. Characterization of the polymeric products revealed that 3HBO-based polyurethane was successfully obtained and was a flexible and transparent noncrystalline polymer, unlike P(3HB). These results suggested that microbial 3HBO-DEG is a promising platform building block for synthesizing polyurethane and various other polymers.

Associations Between Atrial Cardiopathy and Cerebral Amyloid: The ARIC-PET Study.

Background Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a risk factor for cognitive decline, possibly from silent brain infarction. Left atrial changes in structure or function (atrial cardiopathy) can lead to AF but may impact cognition independently. It is unknown if AF or atrial cardiopathy also acts on Alzheimer disease-specific mechanisms, such as deposition of ß-amyloid. Methods and Results A total of 316 dementia-free participants from the ARIC (Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities) study underwent florbetapir positron emission tomography, electrocardiography, and 2-dimensional echocardiography. Atrial cardiopathy was defined as ≥1: (1) left atrial volume index >34 mL/m2; (2) P-wave terminal force >5000 µV×ms; and (3) serum NT-proBNP (N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide) >250 pg/mL. Cross-sectional associations between global cortical ß-amyloid (>1.2 standardized uptake value ratio) and adjudicated history of AF and atrial cardiopathy, each, were evaluated using multivariable logistic regression. Participants (mean age, 76 years) were 56% women and 42% Black individuals. Odds of elevated florbetapir standardized uptake value ratio were significantly increased among those with atrial cardiopathy (odds ratio, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.02-3.22) and doubled for those with enlarged left atrial volume index after adjustment for demographics/risk factors (95% CI, 1.04-4.61). There was no association between P-wave terminal force or NT-proBNP and elevated florbetapir standardized uptake value ratio, nor between AF and elevated standardized uptake value ratio. Conclusions Among healthy, nondemented community-dwelling older individuals, we report an association between atrial cardiopathy, left atrial volume index, and elevated brain amyloid, by positron emission tomography, without a similar association in individuals with AF. Potential limitations include reverse causation and survival bias. Ongoing work will help determine if changes in cardiac structure and function precede or occur simultaneously with amyloid deposition.

Contribution of iron and Aß to age differences in entorhinal and hippocampal subfield volume.

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis that the combination of elevated global ß-AMYLOID (Aß) burden and greater striatal iron content would be associated with smaller entorhinal cortex (ERC) volume, but not hippocampal subfield volumes, we measured volume and iron content using high-resolution MRI and Aß using PET imaging in a cross-sectional sample of 70 cognitively normal older adults. METHODS: Participants were scanned with florbetapir 18F PET to obtain Aß standardized uptake value ratios. Susceptibility-weighted MRI was collected and processed to yield R2* images, and striatal regions of interest (ROIs) were manually placed to obtain a measure of striatal iron burden. Ultra-high resolution T2/PD-weighted MRIs were segmented to measure medial temporal lobe (MTL) volumes. Analyses were conducted using mixed-effects models with MTL ROI as a within-participant factor; age, iron content, and Aß as between-participant factors; and MTL volumes (ERC and 3 hippocampal subfield regions) as the dependent variable. RESULTS: The model indicated a significant 4-way interaction among age, iron, Aß, and MTL region. Post hoc analyses indicated that the 3-way interaction among age, Aß, and iron content was selective to the ERC (ß = -3.34, standard error = 1.33, 95% confidence interval -5.95 to -0.72), whereas a significant negative association between age and ERC volume was present only in individuals with both elevated iron content and Aß. CONCLUSIONS: These findings highlight the importance of studying Aß in the context of other, potentially synergistic age-related brain factors such as iron accumulation and the potential role for iron as an important contributor to the earliest, preclinical stages of pathologic aging.

Association of CSF Aß, amyloid PET, and cognition in cognitively unimpaired elderly adults.

OBJECTIVE: To compare CSF ß-amyloid (Aß) and florbetapir PET measurements in cognitively unimpaired (CU) elderly adults in order to detect the earliest abnormalities and compare their predictive effect for cognitive decline. METHODS: A total of 259 CU individuals were categorized as abnormal (+) or normal (-) on CSF Aß1-42/Aß1-40 analyzed with mass spectrometry and Aß PET measured with 18F-florbetapir. Simultaneous longitudinal measurements of CSF and PET were compared for 39 individuals who were unambiguously Aß-negative at baseline (CSF-/PET-). We also examined the relationship between baseline CSF/PET group membership and longitudinal changes in CSF Aß, Aß PET, and cognition. RESULTS: The proportions of individuals in each discordant group were similar (8.1% CSF+/PET- and 7.7% CSF-/PET+). Among baseline Aß-negative (CSF-/PET-) individuals with longitudinal CSF and PET measurements, a larger proportion subsequently worsened on CSF Aß (odds ratio 4 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.1, 22.1], p = 0.035) than Aß PET over 3.5 ± 1.0 years. Compared to CSF-/PET- individuals, CSF+/PET- individuals had faster (estimate 0.009 [95% CI 0.005, 0.013], p < 0.001) rates of Aß PET accumulation over 4.4 ± 1.7 years, while CSF-/PET+ individuals had faster (estimate -0.492 [95% CI -0.861, -0.123], p = 0.01) rates of cognitive decline over 4.5 ± 1.9 years. CONCLUSIONS: The proportions of discordant PET and CSF Aß-positive individuals were similar cross-sectionally. However, unambiguously Aß-negative (CSF-/PET-) individuals are more likely to show subsequent worsening on CSF than PET, supporting the idea that CSF detects the earliest Aß changes. In discordant cases, only PET abnormality predicted cognitive decline, suggesting that abnormal Aß PET changes are a later phenomenon in cognitively normal individuals.

Pure tone audiometry and cerebral pathology in healthy older adults.

BACKGROUND: Hearing impairment may be a modifiable risk factor for dementia. However, it is unclear how hearing associates with pathologies relevant to dementia in preclinical populations. METHODS: Data from 368 cognitively healthy individuals born during 1 week in 1946 (age range 69.2-71.9 years), who underwent structural MRI, 18F-florbetapir positron emission tomography, pure tone audiometry and cognitive testing as part of a neuroscience substudy the MRC National Survey of Health and Development were analysed. The aim of the analysis was to investigate whether pure tone audiometry performance predicted a range of cognitive and imaging outcomes relevant to dementia in older adults. RESULTS: There was some evidence that poorer pure tone audiometry performance was associated with lower primary auditory cortex thickness, but no evidence that it predicted in vivo ß-amyloid deposition, white matter hyperintensity volume, hippocampal volume or Alzheimer's disease-pattern cortical thickness. A negative association between pure tone audiometry and mini-mental state examination score was observed, but this was no longer evident after excluding a test item assessing repetition of a single phrase. CONCLUSION: Pure tone audiometry performance did not predict concurrent ß-amyloid deposition, small vessel disease or Alzheimer's disease-pattern neurodegeneration, and had limited impact on cognitive function, in healthy adults aged approximately 70 years.

A pitfall of white matter reference regions used in [18F] florbetapir PET: a consideration of kinetics.

OBJECTIVE: Many studies have demonstrated the superiority of white matter (WM) reference regions (RR) in amyloid PET studies in comparison to cerebellar RR. However, the principle behind its improved measurement stability is yet to be elucidated. Our study aimed to determine the origin of WM stability; stability over cerebral blood flow and input function fluctuation or the greater statistical noise in the cerebellum due to its smaller size and its location in the axial periphery of the PET scanner bore. METHODS: We conducted simulations of [[Formula: see text]F] florbetapir using in-house program varying [Formula: see text] and input function, and adding statistical noise. RESULTS: Our simulations revealed that WM RR were more susceptible to CBF variation and input function fluctuation than cerebellar RR. WM RR did not gave superior measurement stability unless cerebellar statistical noise exceeded 4.55 times that in WM, a figure often surpassed in traditional amyloid PET studies. The greater statistical noise in cerebellum is likely the etiology for improved measurement stability of WM RR. CONCLUSION: A longitudinal [[Formula: see text]F] florbetapir PET study should be conducted with a long bore PET. It can also be hypothesized that a second scan with the cerebellum in the axial center of a 3D PET, using a cerebellar RR to calculate changes in tracer concentration may improve the measurement stability of longitudinal [[Formula: see text]F] florbetapir studies.

18F-FDG Is a Superior Indicator of Cognitive Performance Compared to 18F-Florbetapir in Alzheimer's Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment Evaluation: A Global Quantitative Analysis.

BACKGROUND: 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) and 18F-florbetapir PET are approved neuroimaging biomarkers for the Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI). OBJECTIVES: This study aims to compare the efficacy of 18F-FDG and 18F-florbetapir PET at evaluating the cognitive performance of patients with AD, MCI, and normal controls (NC). METHODS: 63 subjects (36 male/27 female, mean age = 68.3) including 19 AD, 23 MCI, and 21 NC underwent 18F-FDG and 18F-florbetapir PET imaging. A global quantification approach was applied on supra-tentorial, frontal, parieto-occipital, temporal, and cerebellar brain regions by calculating the global SUVmean ratios (GSUVr) as the weighted average of all regional SUVmean. 18F-FDG and 18F-florbetapir GSUVr of each region were subsequently correlated with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). RESULTS: Subjects were studied in five categories as NC, MCI patients, AD patients, MCI and AD patients grouped together (MCI/AD), and a group including all the subjects (NC/MCI/AD). Both 18F-FDG and 18F-florbetapir could successfully detect subjects with dementia (p < 0.001). Studied in all regions and groups, the correlation analysis of 18F-FDG GSUVr with MMSE scores was significant in more regions and groups compared to that of 18F-florbetapir. We also demonstrated that the correlation of 18F-FDG GSUVr with MMSE is stronger than that of 18F-florbetapir in the supra-tentorial and temporal regions. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals how 18F-FDG-PET global quantification is a superior indicator of cognitive performance in AD and MCI patients compared to 18F-florbetapir PET. Accordingly, we still recommend 18F-FDG-PET over amyloid imaging in the evaluation for AD and MCI.

Enlarged perivascular spaces and florbetapir uptake in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage.

PURPOSE: Enlarged perivascular spaces in the centrum semiovale (CSO-EPVS) have been linked to cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA). To get insight into the underlying mechanisms of this association, we investigated the relationship between amyloid-ß deposition assessed by 18F-florbetapir PET and CSO-EPVS in patients with acute intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). METHODS: We prospectively enrolled 18 patients with lobar ICH (suggesting CAA) and 20 with deep ICH (suggesting hypertensive angiopathy), who underwent brain MRI and 18F-florbetapir PET. EPVS were assessed on MRI using a validated 4-point visual rating scale in the centrum semiovale and the basal ganglia (BG-EPVS). PET images were visually assessed, blind to clinical and MRI data. We evaluated the association between florbetapir PET positivity and high degree (score> 2) of CSO-EPVS and BG-EPVS. RESULTS: High CSO-EPVS degree was more common in patients with lobar ICH than deep ICH (55.6% vs. 20.0%; p = 0.02). Eight (57.1%) patients with high CSO-EPVS degree had a positive florbetapir PET compared with 4 (16.7%) with low CSO-EPVS degree (p = 0.01). In contrast, prevalence of florbetapir PET positivity was similar between patients with high vs. low BG-EPVS. In multivariable analysis adjusted for age, hypertension, and MRI markers of CAA, florbetapir PET positivity (odds ratio (OR) 6.44, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.32-38.93; p = 0.03) was independently associated with high CSO-EPVS degree. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients with spontaneous ICH, high degree of CSO-EPVS but not BG-EPVS is associated with amyloid PET positivity. The findings provide further evidence that CSO-EPVS are markers of vascular amyloid burden that may be useful in diagnosing CAA.

Decorating the Outer Surface of Microbially Produced Protein Nanowires with Peptides.

The potential applications of electrically conductive protein nanowires (e-PNs) harvested from Geobacter sulfurreducens might be greatly expanded if the outer surface of the wires could be modified to confer novel sensing capabilities or to enhance binding to other materials. We developed a simple strategy for functionalizing e-PNs with surface-exposed peptides. The G. sulfurreducens gene for the monomer that assembles into e-PNs was modified to add peptide tags at the carboxyl terminus of the monomer. Strains of G. sulfurreducens were constructed that fabricated synthetic e-PNs with a six-histidine "His-tag" or both the His-tag and a nine-peptide "HA-tag" exposed on the outer surface. Addition of the peptide tags did not diminish e-PN conductivity. The abundance of HA-tag in e-PNs was controlled by placing expression of the gene for the synthetic monomer with the HA-tag under transcriptional regulation. These studies suggest broad possibilities for tailoring e-PN properties for diverse applications.

The relationship between domain-specific subjective cognitive decline and Alzheimer's pathology in normal elderly adults.

We evaluated the associations of subjective (self-reported everyday cognition [ECog]) and objective cognitive measures with regional amyloid-ß (Aß) and tau accumulation in 86 clinically normal elderly subjects from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. Regression analyses were conducted to identify whether individual ECog domains (Memory, Language, Organization, Planning, Visuospatial, and Divided Attention) were equally or differentially associated with regional [18F]florbetapir and [18F]flortaucipir uptake and how these associations compared to those obtained with objective cognitive measures. A texture analysis, the weighted 2-point correlation, was used as an additional approach for estimating the whole-brain tau burden without positron emission tomography intensity normalization. Although the strongest models for ECog domains included either tau (planning and visuospatial) or Aß (memory and organization), the strongest models for all objective measures included Aß. In Aß-negative participants, the strongest models for all ECog domains of executive functioning included tau. Our results indicate differential associations of individual subjective cognitive domains with Aß and tau in clinically normal adults. Detailed characterization of ECog may render a valuable prescreening tool for pathological prediction.

EEG evidence of compensatory mechanisms in preclinical Alzheimer's disease.

Early biomarkers are needed to identify individuals at high risk of preclinical Alzheimer's disease and to better understand the pathophysiological processes of disease progression. Preclinical Alzheimer's disease EEG changes would be non-invasive and cheap screening tools and could also help to predict future progression to clinical Alzheimer's disease. However, the impact of amyloid-ß deposition and neurodegeneration on EEG biomarkers needs to be elucidated. We included participants from the INSIGHT-preAD cohort, which is an ongoing single-centre multimodal observational study that was designed to identify risk factors and markers of progression to clinical Alzheimer's disease in 318 cognitively normal individuals aged 70-85 years with a subjective memory complaint. We divided the subjects into four groups, according to their amyloid status (based on 18F-florbetapir PET) and neurodegeneration status (evidenced by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET brain metabolism in Alzheimer's disease signature regions). The first group was amyloid-positive and neurodegeneration-positive, which corresponds to stage 2 of preclinical Alzheimer's disease. The second group was amyloid-positive and neurodegeneration-negative, which corresponds to stage 1 of preclinical Alzheimer's disease. The third group was amyloid-negative and neurodegeneration-positive, which corresponds to 'suspected non-Alzheimer's pathophysiology'. The last group was the control group, defined by amyloid-negative and neurodegeneration-negative subjects. We analysed 314 baseline 256-channel high-density eyes closed 1-min resting state EEG recordings. EEG biomarkers included spectral measures, algorithmic complexity and functional connectivity assessed with a novel information-theoretic measure, weighted symbolic mutual information. The most prominent effects of neurodegeneration on EEG metrics were localized in frontocentral regions with an increase in high frequency oscillations (higher beta and gamma power) and a decrease in low frequency oscillations (lower delta power), higher spectral entropy, higher complexity and increased functional connectivity measured by weighted symbolic mutual information in theta band. Neurodegeneration was associated with a widespread increase of median spectral frequency. We found a non-linear relationship between amyloid burden and EEG metrics in neurodegeneration-positive subjects, either following a U-shape curve for delta power or an inverted U-shape curve for the other metrics, meaning that EEG patterns are modulated differently depending on the degree of amyloid burden. This finding suggests initial compensatory mechanisms that are overwhelmed for the highest amyloid load. Together, these results indicate that EEG metrics are useful biomarkers for the preclinical stage of Alzheimer's disease.

High total dissolved solids in shale gas wastewater inhibit biodegradation of alkyl and nonylphenol ethoxylate surfactants.

Hydraulic fracturing fluids are injected into unconventional oil and gas systems to stimulate hydrocarbon production, returning to the surface in flowback and produced waters containing a complex mixture of xenobiotic additives and geogenic compounds. Nonionic polyethoxylates are commonly added surfactants that act as weatherizers, emulsifiers, wetting agents, and corrosion inhibitors in hydraulic fracturing fluid formulations. Understanding the biodegradability of these ubiquitous additives is critical for produced water pre-treatment prior to reuse and for improving treatment trains for external beneficial reuse. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of produced water total dissolved solids (TDS) from an unconventional natural gas well on the aerobic biodegradation of alkyl ethoxylate and nonylphenol ethoxylate surfactants. Changes in surfactant concentrations, speciation and metabolites, as well as microbial community composition and activity were quantified over a 75-day aerobic incubation period. Alkyl ethoxylates (AEOs) were degraded faster than nonylphenol ethoxylates (NPEOs), and both compound classes and bulk organic carbon biodegraded slower in TDS treatments (10 g L-1, 40 g L-1) as compared to controls. Short-chain ethoxylates were more rapidly biodegraded than longer-chain ethoxylates, and changes in the relative abundance of metabolites including acetone, alcohols, and carboxylate and aldehyde intermediates of alkyl units indicated metabolic pathways may shift in the presence of higher produced water TDS. Our key finding that polyethoxylated alcohol surfactant additives are less labile at high TDS has important implications for produced water management, as these fluids are increasingly recycled for beneficial reuse in hydraulic fracturing fluids and other purposes.

Highly selective resolution of racemic 1-phenyl-1,2-ethanediol by a novel strain Kurthia gibsonii SC0312.

Chiral 1-phenyl-1,2-ethanediol (PED) performs vital effect for the preparation of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals and cosmetics. In the study, a newly isolated strain Kurthia gibsoniiSC0312 with the ability to selectively oxidize racemic PED to achieve (S)-PED was evaluated in the aqueous reaction system. The strain showed excellent catalytic performances within the range of pH 5·5-8·5, temperature 25-45°C and the amount of cell 15 mg ml-1 to 30 mg ml-1 . Besides, 2-hydroxyacetophenone (HAP) as the oxidation product displayed a stronger inhibition to the catalytic activity of cell, only remaining <63% of catalytic activity after incubation at 40 mmol l-1 HAP for 6 h. For various metal ions, Cu2+ can obviously improve 1·7 times of the catalytic activity of cell at the concentration of 0·2 mmol l-1 . Acetone can stimulate the catalytic capacity of cell to improve the optical purity of (S)-PED at the PED concentration of 80 mmol l-1 , up to appropriately 94% from 85·4%; compared to the resting cell, growing cell exerted no positive effect in the yield and optical purity. Finally, a highly effective kinetic resolution system of racemic PED by the new strain was obtained, with the (S)-PED yield of 41% and optical purity of 94%. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: Biocatalyst is a vital component in the process of biotransformation. There are a growing number of studies of biocatalyst reporting the preparation of enantiomer of 1-phenyl-1,2-ethanediol. And the performance of this preparation reaction is also gradually improving. This study is the first to demonstrate that Kurthia gibsonii can efficiently and selectively oxidize racemic 1-phenyl-1,2-ethanediol, and we assess the effect of various factors on the catalytic performance of the strain. The work adds to a growing body of evidence for using biocatalytic method in the synthesis of chiral 1-phenyl-1,2-ethanediol and provides a probable approach to mine excellent properties of enzymes.

Analysis of Catecholamine and Their Metabolites in Mice Brain by Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Using Sulfonated Mixed-mode Copolymer Column.

In this study, a simultaneous assay for catecholamines and their metabolites in the brain was established using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). To achieve complete separation, a cation-exchange/reversed-phase mixed-mode copolymer resin column containing 0.81 wt% sulfo groups was used for the simultaneous LC-MS assay. The analyzed catecholamines were dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE), and epinephrine (E), while the metabolites lacking amino groups were 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), homovanillic acid (HVA), and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG). The metabolites were separated and detected using LC-MS, on columns with and without sulfo groups. However, we could not achieve adequate separation of catecholamines on both columns using a gradient elution of 0 - 50 (v/v)% methanol containing 0.1 (v/v)% formic acid (FA). When volatile ion-pairing reagents were added to the mobile phase, they improved the retention and detection of catecholamines on the sulfonated mixed-mode column. Under optimized elution conditions, which involved a linear gradient elution of water containing 0.1 (v/v)% FA to 50 (v/v)% acetonitrile in 50 mM ammonium formate at 40°C and a 0.20 mL/min rate, all six target molecules were simultaneously detected within 25 min, when using negative mode LC-MS on a sulfonated mixed-mode column. The limits of detection (LODs) for DA, NE, E, DOPCA, HVA, and MHPG were determined to be 20.7, 12.6, 74.6, 1110, 18.7, and 3196 nM, respectively. Moreover, the established LC-MS assay allowed the detection of endogenous DA, NE, and HVA, in normal mouse brain samples at concentrations higher than 20, 9, and 4 pmol/mg, respectively.

Association of Preclinical Alzheimer Disease With Optical Coherence Tomographic Angiography Findings.

Importance: Biomarker testing for asymptomatic, preclinical Alzheimer disease (AD) is invasive and expensive. Optical coherence tomographic angiography (OCTA) is a noninvasive technique that allows analysis of retinal and microvascular anatomy, which is altered in early-stage AD. Objective: To determine whether OCTA can detect early retinal alterations in cognitively normal study participants with preclinical AD diagnosed by criterion standard biomarker testing. Design, Setting, and Participants: This case-control study included 32 participants recruited from the Charles F. and Joanne Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center, Washington University in St Louis, St Louis, Missouri. Results of extensive neuropsychometric testing determined that all participants were cognitively normal. Participants underwent positron emission tomography and/or cerebral spinal fluid testing to determine biomarker status. Individuals with prior ophthalmic disease, media opacity, diabetes, or uncontrolled hypertension were excluded. Data were collected from July 1, 2016, through September 30, 2017, and analyzed from July 30, 2016, through December 31, 2017. Main Outcomes and Measures: Automated measurements of retinal nerve fiber layer thickness, ganglion cell layer thickness, inner and outer foveal thickness, vascular density, macular volume, and foveal avascular zone were collected using an OCTA system from both eyes of all participants. Separate model III analyses of covariance were used to analyze individual data outcome. Results: Fifty-eight eyes from 30 participants (53% female; mean [SD] age, 74.5 [5.6] years; age range, 62-92 years) were included in the analysis. One participant was African American and 29 were white. Fourteen participants had biomarkers positive for AD and thus a diagnosis of preclinical AD (mean [SD] age, 73.5 [4.7] years); 16 without biomarkers served as a control group (mean [SD] age, 75.4 [6.6] years). The foveal avascular zone was increased in the biomarker-positive group compared with controls (mean [SD], 0.364 [0.095] vs 0.275 [0.060] mm2; P = .002). Mean (SD) inner foveal thickness was decreased in the biomarker-positive group (66.0 [9.9] vs 75.4 [10.6] µm; P = .03). Conclusions and Relevance: This study suggests that cognitively healthy individuals with preclinical AD have retinal microvascular abnormalities in addition to architectural alterations and that these changes occur at earlier stages of AD than has previously been demonstrated. Longitudinal studies in larger cohorts are needed to determine whether this finding has value in identifying preclinical AD.