Electroencephalographic slowdowns during sleep are associated with cognitive impairment in patients who have obstructive sleep apnea but no dementia.

OBJECTIVES: To research the relationship between quantitative electroencephalogram (qEEG) and impaired cognitive function patients who have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) but no dementia. METHODS: Subjects who complained of snoring between March 2020 and April 2021 in the Sleep Medicine Center of Weihai Municipal Hospital were included. All subjects underwent overnight in-laboratory polysomnography (PSG) and were assessed using a neuropsychological scale. Standard fast fourier transform (FFT) was used to obtain the electroencephalogram (EEG) power spectral density curve, and to calculate the delta, theta, alpha, and beta relative power and the ratio between slow and fast frequencies. Binary logistic regression was used to assess the risk factors for cognitive impairment in patients who had OSA but no dementia. Correlation analysis was performed to determine the relationship between qEEG and cognitive impairment. RESULTS: A total of 175 participants without dementia who met the inclusion criteria were included in this study. There were 137 patients with OSA, including 76 with mild cognitive impairment (OSA + MCI), 61 without mild cognitive impairment (OSA-MCI), and 38 participants without OSA (non-OSA). The relative theta power in the frontal lobe in stage 2 of non-rapid eye movement sleep (NREM 2) in OSA + MCI was higher than that in OSA-MCI (P = 0.038) and non-OSA (P = 0.018). Pearson correlation analysis showed that the relative theta power in the frontal lobe in NREM 2 was negatively correlated with Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores, Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) Beijing version scores, and MoCA subdomains scores (visual executive function, naming, attention, language, abstraction, delayed recall and orientation) outside language. CONCLUSIONS: In patients who had OSA but no dementia, the EEG slower frequency power increased. The relative theta power in the frontal lobe in NREM 2 was associated with MCI of patients with OSA. These results suggest that the slowing of theta activity may be one of the neurophysiological changes in the early stage of cognitive impairment in patients with OSA.

Clinical effect of different maintenance doses of caffeine citrate in the treatment of preterm infants requiring assisted ventilation: a pilot multicenter study. / ä¸åŒç»´æŒå‰‚é‡æž¸æ©¼é ¸å’–å•¡å› å¯¹è¾ åŠ©é€šæ°”æ—©äº§å„¿çš„ç–—æ•ˆè¯„ä¼°ï¼šä¸€é¡¹åˆæ­¥å¤šä¸­å¿ƒç ”ç©¶.

OBJECTIVES: To explore the optimal maintenance dose of caffeine citrate for preterm infants requiring assisted ventilation and caffeine citrate treatment. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed on the medical data of 566 preterm infants (gestational age ≤34 weeks) who were treated and required assisted ventilation and caffeine citrate treatment in the neonatal intensive care unit of 30 tertiary hospitals in Jiangsu Province of China between January 1 and December 31, 2019. The 405 preterm infants receiving high-dose (10 mg/kg per day) caffeine citrate after a loading dose of 20 mg/kg within 24 hours after birth were enrolled as the high-dose group. The 161 preterm infants receiving low-dose (5 mg/kg per day) caffeine citrate were enrolled as the low-dose group. RESULTS: Compared with the low-dose group, the high-dose group had significant reductions in the need for high-concentration oxygen during assisted ventilation (P=0.044), the duration of oxygen inhalation after weaning from noninvasive ventilation (P<0.01), total oxygen inhalation time during hospitalization (P<0.01), the proportion of preterm infants requiring noninvasive ventilation again (P<0.01), the rate of use of pulmonary surfactant and budesonide (P<0.05), and the incidence rates of apnea and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (P<0.01), but the high-dose group had a significantly increased incidence rate of feeding intolerance (P=0.032). There were no significant differences between the two groups in the body weight change, the incidence rates of retinopathy of prematurity, intraventricular hemorrhage or necrotizing enterocolitis, the mortality rate, and the duration of caffeine use (P>0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This pilot multicenter study shows that the high maintenance dose (10 mg/kg per day) is generally beneficial to preterm infants in China and does not increase the incidence rate of common adverse reactions. For the risk of feeding intolerance, further research is needed to eliminate the interference of confounding factors as far as possible.

Early argatroban and antiplatelet combination therapy in acute non-lacunar single subcortical infarct associated with mild intracranial atherosclerosis.

BACKGROUND: Patients with acute non-lacunar single subcortical infarct (SSI) associated with mild intracranial atherosclerosis (ICAS) have a relatively high incidence of early neurological deterioration (END), resulting in unfavorable functional outcomes. Whether the early administration of argatroban and aspirin or clopidogrel within 6-12 h after symptom onset is effective and safe in these patients is unknown. METHODS: A review of the stroke database of Weihai Municipal Hospital, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University and Qingdao Center Hospital, Qingdao University Medical College in China was undertaken from May 2017 to January 2020 to identify all patients with non-lacunar SSI caused by ICAS within 6-12 h of symptom onset based on MRI screening. Patients were divided into two groups, one comprising those who received argatroban and mono antiplatelet therapy with aspirin or clopidogrel on admission (argatroban group), and the other those who received dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) with aspirin and clopidogrel during hospitalization (DAPT group). The primary outcome was recovery by 90 days after stroke based on a modified Rankin scale (mRS) score (0 to 1). The secondary outcome was END incidence within 120 h of admission. Safety outcomes were intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) and major extracranial bleeding. The probability of clinical benefit (mRS score 0-1 at 90 days) was estimated using multivariable logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 304 acute non-lacunar SSI associated with mild ICAS patients were analyzed. At 90 days, 101 (74.2%) patients in the argatroban group and 80 (47.6%) in the DAPT group had an mRS score that improved from 0 to 1 (P < 0.001). The relative risk (95% credible interval) for an mRS score improving from 0 to 1 in the argatroban group was 1.50 (1.05-2.70). END occurred in 10 (7.3%) patients in the argatroban group compared with 37 (22.0%) in the DAPT group (P < 0.001). No patients experienced symptomatic hemorrhagic transformation. CONCLUSIONS: Early combined administration of argatroban and an antiplatelet agent (aspirin or clopidogrel) may be beneficial for patients with non-lacunar SSI associated with mild ICAS identified by MRI screening and may attenuate progressive neurological deficits. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Our study is a retrospectively registered trial.

Effects of orthostatic hypotension on cognition in type 2 diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of a decrease in blood pressure (BP) fulfilling the diagnostic criteria for orthostatic hypotension (OH) on performance in each domain of cognitive function in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus using a cross-sectional and within-group design. METHODS: Subjects were individuals without dementia and with type 2 diabetes mellitus, including 107 individuals without OH and 94 with OH (DMOH); 95 control participants were also included. BP was assessed in both the supine and standing positions. A detailed neuropsychological assessment was made in each posture for all subjects. RESULTS: There were statistically significant differences between the patients without OH and the DMOH group with regard to some cognitive measures while supine. Standing posture exacerbated and broadened cognitive deficits in the DMOH group for all measures in the different domains of cognition including executive functioning, memory, visuospatial skills, information processing speed, and attention. When group-specific supine scores were used as baseline anchors, both the patients without OH and the DMOH group showed cognitive changes when transitioning from a supine to a standing, upright position, with the DMOH group exhibiting a wider range of neuropsychological deficits in memory, visuospatial skills, executive function, and sustained attention, as well as significant changes in information processing speed. INTERPRETATION: These data demonstrate that type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with OH had transient, posture-mediated cognitive deficits in excess of those found in diabetes mellitus without OH. Understanding the effects of OH on cognition due to autonomic failure is important, particularly as clinical assessments and neuroimaging collect data only in the seated or supine positions. ANN NEUROL 2019;86:754-761.

Current views of complications associated with neonatal ventilation.

Infants born prematurely require external respiratory support device like ventilation for the purpose of life saving. However, these ventilation machines have complications that sometimes unfortunately result in morbidity. New ventilation techniques have been developed to prevent morbidity, but have yet to be fully evaluated. The present review article would discuss current aspects of this life saving gear especially for pediatric patients in clinical setting. Besides basic ventilation apparatus, advancements in the filed like proportional assist ventilation, volume targeted ventilation would be discussed.

Interleukin-7 gene polymorphism rs766736182 associates with the risk of asthma in children.

BACKGROUND: Recently studies uncovered associations between polymorphisms of interleukin genes and the risk of asthma. However, the relationship between polymorphisms of interleukin-7 gene and the risk of children asthma has not been discovered yet. This study aims to investigate the relationship between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) on interleukin-7 gene and the risk of children asthma. METHODS: We genotyped eight SNPs of interleukin-7 gene in blood samples from 437 asthma patients and 489 healthy controls to analyze potential associations of these SNPs with the risk of asthma in children. RESULTS: A missense SNP rs766736182 (odds ratio (OR) = 2.185, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.561-2.252, P-value = 8.69468E-19) of the interleukin-7 gene is associated with the risk of children asthma. CONCLUSIONS: This study reveals that SNP rs766736182 of interleukin-7 is the risk factor for children asthma and implies potential role of immune system in the pathogenesis of children asthma.

Use of MRI and CT image indexing to assess cerebral injuries in neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study is to explore the application of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) image indexing in the assessment of cerebral injury of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) neonate. METHODS: The clinical data of 100 HIE children, who were admitted to the Department of Radiology, Xuzhou Children's Hospital, Jiangsu, from June 2013 to June 2014, were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: Among the imaging data of 100 HIE children, the detection rate and false negative rate were 91.4% and 8.6%, respectively. The MRI detection rate was 100%. There was significant correlation between clinical indexing and CT indexing and MRI indexing (coefficient of contingency 0.731 and 0.723, P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: MRI and CT image indexing could be used as important diagnostic indications in the assessment of cerebral injury of HIE neonate. MRI had a higher detection rate for abnormality than CT, it could detect the basal ganglia damage earlier, and CT could identify subarachnoid hemorrhage, both methods were valuable in clinical applications.

Ion-Conductive and Thermal Properties of a Synergistic Poly(ethylene carbonate)/Poly(trimethylene carbonate) Blend Electrolyte.

Electrolytes comprising poly(ethylene carbonate) (PEC)/poly(trimethylene carbonate) (PTM C) with lithium bis(trifluoromethane sulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI) are prepared by a simple solvent casting method. Although PEC and PTMC have similar chemical structures, they are immiscible and two glass transitions are present in the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements. Interestingly, these two polymers change to miscible blends with the addition of LiTFSI, and the ionic conductivity increases with increasing lithium salt concentration. The optimum composition of the blend electrolyte is achieved at PEC6 PTMC4 , with a conductivity as high as 10-6 S cm-1 at 50 °C. This value is greater than that for single PEC- and PTMC-based electrolytes. Moreover, the thermal stability of the blend-based electrolytes is improved as compared to PEC-based electrolytes. It is clear that the interaction between CO groups and Li+ gives rise to a compatible amorphous phase of PEC and PTMC.

Challenges in the pain assessment during neonatal transport: an update.

Neonatal transport is a highly specialized medical service that shifts critically ill neonates between hospitals for on-going care. In other words, it is an extension of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), which provides intensive care to critical ill neonates during transport. Furthermore, pain assessment and management is a crucial element during neonatal transport. However despite significant advances over the last 20 years in relation to our understanding of pain mechanisms in the neonates, the immediate long and short term consequences of neonatal pain along with proliferation of pain assessment measures, there continues to be reports of neonates in a variety of settings suffering needlessly from acute, prolonged, persistent and chronic pain. The central focus of the present review article is to put light on the existing challenges accompanying neonatal pain assessment during transport.

Recent perspectives of pediatric rhinitis.

Rhinitis is a common global disorder, which impacts on the quality of life of the sufferer and caregivers. We searched the electronic database PubMed for preclinical as well as clinical controlled trials reporting various outcomes, developments as well as latest perspectives with regard to management of pediatric rhinitis. It was observed clearly that multiple factors are responsible for its prevalence. The important ones are genetic factors, environmental factors, role of allergens, viral attacks and possible effects of nutrition. The present review article summarizes the current knowledge on the early childhood rhinitis; in particular, on the prevalence rates, phenotypes, associated co morbidities, and risk factors.

Clinical study on amplitude integrated electroencephalogram in cerebral injury caused by severe neonatal hyperbilirubinemia.

BACKGROUND: This study was designed in order to assess the validity of the use of amplitude-integrated electroencephalogram (aEEG) in cerebral injury caused by severe neonatal hyperbilirubinemia. METHODS: A total of 56 full-term neonates diagnosed with severe neonatal hyperbilirubinemia and admitted to the NICU of our hospital from July 2013 to December 2014 were continuously selected for the study. The total serum bilirubin (TSB) was higher than 342 µmol/L and was dominated by a higher amount of unconjugated bilirubin. Each patient underwent aEEG monitoring upon admission. And according to the results of the test, they were assigned into an aEEG normal group (N.=38) or an aEEG abnormal group (N.=18). Dynamic monitoring of bilirubin and blood biochemistry was also conducted for all the children after admission. Patients were treated with blue light, anti-infection agents, acidosis correction measures, transfusion exchanges, intravenous drips of albumin or globulin and other specific treatments as needed in each particular case. Brainstem auditory evoked potential (BAEP), MRI examination and a behavioral neurological assessment (NBNA) with 20-item examinations were provided within 4-17 days after admission. Follow-up observations were conducted on growth level (physical development and Gesell scores) at 3, 6, 12 and 18 months. RESULTS: The results of all the diagnostic tests performed in the patients of both groups all yielded a significantly higher abnormality rate in the aEEG abnormal group compared to the results in the aEEG normal group. Furthermore, the results of follow-up tests showing growth and child development also showed higher abnormality rates in the aEEG abnormal group than in the aEEG normal group. CONCLUSIONS: Since the results of our aEEG monitoring were consistent with the findings of other diagnostic tests, we proved the convenience and effectivity of aEEG for guiding the treatment and prognosis of severe hyperbilirubinemia in neonates.

Suspension culture process for H9N2 avian influenza virus (strain Re-2).

H9N2 avian influenza virus has caused huge economic loss for the Chinese poultry industry since it was first identified. Vaccination is frequently used as a control method for the disease. Meanwhile suspension culture has become an important tool for the development of influenza vaccines. To optimize the suspension culture conditions for the avian influenza H9N2 virus (Re-2 strain) in Madin-Darby Canine Kidney (MDCK) cells, we studied the culture conditions for cell growth and proliferation parameters for H9N2 virus replication. MDCK cells were successfully cultured in suspension, from a small scale to industrial levels of production, with passage time and initial cell density being optimized. The influence of pH on the culture process in the reactor has been discussed and the process parameters for industrial production were explored via amplification of the 650L reactor. Subsequently, we cultivated cells at high cell density and harvested high amounts of virus, reaching 10log2 (1:1024). Furthermore an animal experiment was conducted to detect antibody. Compared to the chicken embryo virus vaccine, virus cultured from MDCK suspension cells can produce a higher amount of antibodies. The suspension culture process is simple and cost efficient, thus providing a solid foundation for the realization of large-scale avian influenza vaccine production.

Roles of reactive oxygen species in cell signaling pathways and immune responses to viral infections.

Several biological processes as well as infectious agents, physiological or environmental stress, and perturbed antioxidant response can promote oxidative stress. Oxidative stress usually happens when cells are exposed to more electrically charged reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as H2O2 or O2-. ROS are well known for being both beneficial and deleterious. Recent studies have indicated that ROS are deleterious to cells, leading to programmed cell death (PCD) at high concentrations. At low concentrations, however, ROS can act as signaling molecules in a variety of cellular processes. In this review, we present an update of our current understanding of the role and regulation of reactive oxygen species in various viral infections, cellular signaling pathways and immune responses. We then discuss how the antioxidant defense system acts as an antiviral effector to limit cell damage.

Association between platelet function and recurrent ischemic vascular events after TIA and minor stroke
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Platelet activation and aggregation play an important role in the pathological and physiological processes of recurrent ischemic vascular events in stroke patients. The purpose of this study is to determine the association between platelet function measured in the acute period and recurrent ischemic vascular events in patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA) or minor stroke. A total of 417 patients who were within the 24-hour period of clopidogrel-aspirin therapy after onset of a minor stroke or high-risk transient ischemic attack according to the Clopidogrel in High-risk patients with Acute Nondisabling Cerebrovascular Events (CHANCE) trial were included in this study. The platelet aggregation ratio was detected using a method of continuous platelet counting; patients underwent CYP2C19 genotyping, and the baseline data were recorded. The patients underwent a 6-month follow-up period during which the recurrent ischemic vascular events were observed. Logistic regression analysis was performed to obtain the risk factors for recurrent ischemic vascular events. The number of patients with recurrent ischemic events who had an arachidonic acid-induced maximum platelet aggregation ratio (MAR-AA) (aspirin 100 mg) (31.85 ± 12.86 vs. 26.71 ± 12.44, p = 0.007) and adenosine diphosphate-induced maximum platelet aggregation ratio (MAR-ADP) after the administration of 75 mg clopidogrel for 12 ± 2 days (65.82 ± 10.72 vs. 53.10 ± 12.98, p < 0.001) was significantly higher compared with the no ischemic vascular event group. Multivariate logistic regression analyses showed that being a carrier of the CYP2C19 loss-of-function (LOF) allele (OR = 2.308, 95% CI: 1.087 ~ 4.901, p = 0.029) as well as the MAR-AA (aspirin 100 mg) (OR = 1.028, 95% CI: 1.006  ~  1.052, p = 0.014) and MAR-ADP after the administration of 75 mg clopidogrel (OR = 1.067, 95% CI: 1.037 ~ 1.095, p < 0.001) were risk factors for ischemic vascular events. The MAR-ADP after the administration of 75 mg clopidogrel was significantly higher in patients who were carriers of the CYP2C19 (LOF) allele compared with non-carriers (57.53 ± 13.32 vs. 50.86 ± 12.55, p < 0.001), and no significant differences between the CYP2C19 LOF allele carriers and non-carriers in the MAR-ADP were detected after the administration of 300 mg clopidogrel (37.18 ± 11.36 vs. 35.86 ± 12.49, p = 0.264). Being a carrier of the CYP2C19 LOF allele has a significant influence on clopidogrel response. Platelet function is closely related to recurrent ischemic vascular events in acute minor stroke or TIA patients.
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LncRNA-HOTAIR promotes TNF-α production in cardiomyocytes of LPS-induced sepsis mice by activating NF-κB pathway.

BACKGROUND: Mounting studies have illustrated an important role of HOTAIR in cancer progress, but few studies have reported its function in cardiac disease, including cardiac-associated sepsis. This study aimed to investigate the function of HOTAIR in sepsis, involving its association with the level of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), an important inducer of myocardial dysfunction during LPS-induced sepsis. METHODS: Sepsis mice model was established by LPS administration, and myocardial dysfunction was evaluated with hemodynamic parameters. HOTAIR expression in isolated cardiomyocytes and TNF-α production in the circulation were detected, as well as the protein levels of phosphorylated p65. HL-1 cells were subjected to LPS treatment in vitro for functional studies, including luciferase report assays for NF-κB activity. RESULTS: HOTAIR expression was significantly upregulated in cardiomyocytes from sepsis mice, in line with increased TNF-α production and p65 phosphorylation, while similar results were also observed in LPS treated HL-1 cells, which was then reversed by HOTAIR interference. Functional studies demonstrated that HOTAIR showed positive regulation on p65 phosphorylation and NF-κB activation, while HOTAIR-induced TNF-α production was repressed by NF-κB inhibitor. Further in vivo studies confirmed that HOTAIR silence can improve cardiac function of sepsis mice, and markedly decreased TNF-α production in the circulation. CONCLUSION: HOTAIR upregulation in cardiomyocytes of LPS-induced sepsis mice promoted TNF-α production in the circulation by activating NF-κB, involving the phosphorylation of NF-κB p65 subunit. Moreover, HOTAIR silence preserved cardiac function of sepsis mice during LPS-induced sepsis.

Pathological and immunological characteristics of piglets infected experimentally with a HP-PRRSV TJ strain.

BACKGROUND: Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) remains a major threat to swine industry all over the world. The aim of this study was to investigate the mechanism of pathogenesis and immune responses caused by a highly pathogenic porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (HP-PRRSV). RESULTS: All piglets experimentally infected with a HP-PRRSV TJ strain virus developed typical clinical signs of PRRS. The percentages of CD3+, CD4+, and CD8+ lymphocytes significantly decreased in the infected group as compared to the uninfected control animals (p < 0.01). Total WBC dropped in the infected animals during the experiment. The level of ELISA antibody against PRRSV increased in 7-10 days after infection and then started to decline. Pathological observations demonstrated various degree lesions, bleeding and necrosis in the lungs of the infected piglets. CONCLUSIONS: These results clearly indicated that HP-PRRSV TJ strain infection would activate host humoral immune response at the early period post infection and cause severe pathological damages on lungs and inhibit cellular immune response after infection.

Prevalence, causes and risk factors of hospital readmissions after acute stroke and transient ischemic attack: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Acute stroke and transient ischemic attack (TIA) is a great burden not only during hospitalization but also after hospital discharge. The objective of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the hospital readmissions, causes and risk factors after survival of acute stroke and TIA. Pubmed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, OVID and EMBASE databases were searched to identify studies reporting hospital readmissions after acute stroke and TIA. The primary outcomes were hospital readmission rates during 30 days and 1 year after discharge. The primary causes and risk factors of hospital readmissions were also identified. Ten studies with 253,680 patients were eligible for inclusion. The pooled 30-day and 1-year hospital readmission rates were 17.4 % (95 % CI, 12.7-23.5 %) and 42.5 % (95 % CI, 34.1-51.3 %), respectively. The three major causes of 30-day hospital readmissions were infection (19.9 %), coronary artery disease (CAD) (17.8 %) and recurrent stroke (16.0 %) successively, while the three major causes were recurrent stroke (19.4 %), infection (19.3 %) and CAD (16.3 %) during 1 year's follow-up. There were more patients with CAD in readmits group than that in control group (p = 0.030). The length of index admission, defined as any eligible admission to an acute care hospital assessed in the measure for the outcome, was longer (p = 0.000) and admission National Institutes of Health Stroke Score (NIHSS) was higher (p = 0.002) in readmits group than these in control group. In conclusion, there is high risk of early and long-term hospital readmissions after survival of acute stroke and TIA. These patients with coronary artery disease, longer length of index admission and higher NIHSS deserve deep attention after hospital discharge.

Effect of Nonstructural Protein 2 Hypervariable Regions in the Replication of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus in Marc-145 Cells.

BACKGROUND: Highly pathogenic (HP) porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) causes prolonged high fever, red discoloration of the body, blue ears and a high mortality. Previously, we found that the PRRSV vaccine strain TJM contained a deletion of 120 amino acids (aa 628-747) in nonstructural protein 2 (Nsp2). We aimed to explore the replication features of PRRSV after adding the transiently expressed product of these 120 aa in vitro. METHODS: We constructed seven eukaryotic expression plasmids containing different parts of the 120-aa sequence, transfected them into Marc-145 cells and then inoculated the cells with 103 TCID50 TJM per well. We detected virus replication at mRNA and protein level by real-time RT-PCR and Western blotting, respectively, and determined the virus titer. RESULTS: The transiently expressed 120 aa and one of its truncated polypeptides inhibited PRRSV TJM propagation on Marc-145 cells. The complete 120-aa sequence induced a remarkable decrease in PRRSV replication, causing a reduction in structural protein levels between 36 and 48 h after infection. Additionally, aa 628-727 partly reduced the replication of PRRSV on Marc-145 cells. CONCLUSIONS: The 120 aa from Nsp2, especially aa 628-727, play a negative role in PRRSV TJM proliferation.

Low Mitochondrial DNA Diversity in an Ancient Population from China: Insight into Social Organization at the Fujia Site.

To gain insight into the social organization of a population associated with the Dawenkou period, we performed ancient DNA analysis of 18 individuals from human remains from the Fujia site in Shandong Province, China. Directly radiocarbon dated to 4800-4500 cal BP, the Fujia site is assumed to be associated with a transitional phase from matrilineal clans to patrilineal monogamous families. Our results reveal a low mitochondrial DNA diversity from the site and population. Combined with Y chromosome data, the pattern observed at the Fujia site is most consistent with a matrilineal community. The patterns also suggest that the bond of marriage was de-emphasized compared with the bonds of descent at Fujia.

Impact of Rivastigmine on Cognitive Dysfunction and Falling in Parkinson's Disease Patients.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to observe the incidence of falls in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with different cognitive levels and to investigate the effect of the cholinesterase inhibitor Rivastigmine on cognitive dysfunction and falling in PD patients. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Data from 176 PD patients participating in the collaborative PD study between June 2010 and June 2014 were collected; the Chinese edition of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score was used to evaluate the cognitive function of patients, and falls were recorded. PD patients with cognitive dysfunction were randomly administered either a placebo or Rivastigmine. The cognitive function changes and difference in fall incidence were compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: The average number of falls per person in PD patients without cognitive impairment dysfunction was significantly lower than that in patients in the PD mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI) group and that in the PD dementia (PDD) group (p < 0.01, p < 0.001, respectively), and the incidence of falls was significantly lower than that in patients in the PD-MCI and PDD groups (p < 0.01, p < 0.01, respectively). Compared to the PD-MCI group, the incidence of falls of patients in the PDD group (OR 2.45, 95% CI 0.97-6.20, p < 0.01) and the number of falls per person were significantly increased (p < 0.01). After taking the placebo or Rivastigmine for 12 months, the MoCA scores of patients in the Rivastigmine treatment group were significantly higher than those of the control group (p = 0.002). The number of falls per person and the incidence of falls of patients in Rivastigmine treatment group were significantly lower than those in the placebo group (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: This study suggests that the degree of cognitive impairment is closely associated with the incidence of falls, and the cholinesterase inhibitor Rivastigmine can delay the deterioration of cognitive function and lower the incidence of falls in PD patients.