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Alzheimer's disease (AD) is rapidly becoming one of the most expensive, burdening, and deadly diseases of this century. Up to now, there is still a lack of pharmacotherapy with substantial efficacy, and physical exercise is a promising and low‐cost way to aid in delaying the process of AD. The aim of this review is to summarise the efficacy of different physical exercise approaches and doses in the management of AD, including aerobic exercise, resistance exercise and multicomponent exercise. A literature search using MeSH terms for each topic is undertaken using PubMed and the Web of Science Core Collection database, supplemented by hand searching for additional references. Retrieved articles were reviewed, synthesised, and summarised. This review shows that aerobic exercise has been almost unanimously recognised for the improvement of cognition, neuropsychiatric symptoms and activities of daily living. Resistance exercise also shows a good prospect in the above aspects and has a unique advantage in enhancing muscle strength, while multicomponent physical activity does not seen to significantly improve cognitive function. Each type of exercise has a dose effect, but for individuals with AD, the most appropriate exercise dose is still controversial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To reveal the relations between neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS), stages of cognitive impairment, sex, and daily function impairment in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Method: 1,154 patients with MCI and AD were enrolled from 2014 to 2021 from the Memory Clinic, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University. Mini‐mental State Examination (MMSE) was used to assess the cognitive function, and Clinical dementia rating scale (CDR) was used to evaluate the disease severity of patients. NPS and function of patients' daily life were evaluated by Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) and activities of daily living (ADL) respectively. Result: Psychosis symptoms displayed the highest prevalence in MCI (43.3%) and mild AD stage (62.2%), while in moderate and severe AD, behavior symptoms showed its dominance (86.7% and 96.4%, respectively). Delusion, apathy, AMB and sleep disturbance were the discriminant symptoms across the spectrum of cognitive decline (all P <0.05). Depression was more prominent in female (26.1% vs. 14.9% in MCI; 40.2% vs. 21.0% in AD, all P< 0.05) while male patients presented higher prevalence in apathy (27.0% vs. 18.6% in MCI; 54.1% vs. 42.8% in AD, all P< 0.05). Physical self‐maintenance was negatively impacted by apathy and sleep disturbance at mild AD stage, while instrumental activity of daily living was significantly influenced by aberrant motor behavior in MCI and mild AD (all P< 0.05). Conclusion: The prevalence of NPS is correlated with sex, the stage of cognitive impairment and daily living function. Revealing their relations can allow he development of better prevention and treatment strategies for patients with cognitive impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The excess accumulation of nonessential Al3+ in the human body can cause serious health problems, thus there is significant interest in the detection of Al3+. A new ratio fluorescent probe (RF‐probe) based on the mixing of red‐emitting D‐penicillamine (DPA) stabilized copper nanoclusters (DPA‐CuNCs) with pyridoxal 5'‐phosphate (PLP) was designed for sensitive and selective determination of Al3+. The −CHO group of PLP is expected to form an imine linkage with the free −NH2 group available of the DPA on the surface of DPA‐CuNCs. The content of Al3+ could be mensurated by the as‐prepared RF‐probe with a linear response in the range of 1.33–46.67 μmol ⋅ L−1, and corresponding limit of detection (LOD) was calculated to be 0.33 μmol ⋅ L−1. Moreover, the RF‐probe was successfully extended to the assay of Al3+ in aluminum carbonate chewing tablets, baking powder, pond water and drink water with satisfactory results compared to the standard atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Computerized cognitive training (CCT) has been recommended to delay cognitive decline in the healthy elderly. However, little studies have been involved in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and mild Alzheimer's disease (AD) to date. The present study thus aimed to investigate the efficacy of CCT intervention on patients with MCI and AD through multimodal evaluation. Method: A single‐blind active controlled design used multidomain, adaptive, computerized cognitive training. The training program was 40 minutes a day, at least 5 days per week for 24 weeks. Neuropsychological battery was used to assess cognitive function, neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPSs) and activities of daily living (ADL), and brain functional connectivity was also evaluated by functional near‐infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). Result: Forty patients were enrolled from the Memory Clinic, Department of Geriatrics, The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University. At the end of the intervention, 30 patients completed the trial, in which 20 patients were in training group (T‐MCI, n = 15; T‐mAD, n = 5), and 10 patients were in control group (C‐MCI, n = 6; C‐mAD, n = 4). Compared to C‐MCI group, T‐MCI showed significant improvement in Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale‐Cognition subscale (ADAS‐Cog) and Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI) at the end of intervention (all P<0.05) and presented with improved Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) at the first month(P<0.05), while T‐mAD group displayed improvement tendency in these scales but with no statistical significance. Importantly, significant increasements were analyzed upon functional connectivity between left primary somatosensory cortex (PSC.L), left supplementary motor area (SMA.L) cortex and right Broca's area (Broca's. R) (all P<0.001, FDR corrected) after CCT of 6 months in T‐MCI group (n = 11). Conclusion: Performances of Cognitive function and NPSs are significantly improved via CCT in patients with MCI, and the neuronal plasticity is enhanced. aging after age 90. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To intervene the insomnia symptoms of perimenopausal women by auricular point seed burying combined with fire dragon pot moxibustion, in order to improve the quality of sleep and life of the participants. Methods: Seventy female participants with perimenopausal insomnia who were treated with Chinese medicine techniques from January 2020 to October 2020 were randomly divided into a control group and an observation group, with 35 participants in each group. Participants in the control group were treated with the traditional Chinese medicine nursing intervention of burying seeds at auricular points. And participants in the observation group were additionally treated with fire dragon pot moxibustion. After 10 weeks of intervention, the Pittsburgh Sleepiness Index (PSQI), self‐assessment scores of anxiety (SAS) and depression (SDS), and treatment efficacy of the two groups were compared, respectively. Results: Before the intervention, there was no statistically significant difference in general information, sleep index scores, SAS, SDS scores between the two groups (p > 0.05). After the intervention, the SAS, SDS, and PSQI scores were significantly lower than the control group. Compared with the control group, the time to fall asleep was shorter and the duration of total sleep was longer in the observation group (p < 0.05). The treatment efficacy was better in the observation group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Auricular point seed burying combined with fire dragon pot moxibustion therapy can be more effect than auricular point seed burying alone in treating perimenopausal women with insomnia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, the studies focused on the immune response to hepatitis B vaccination in Chinese human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)‐positive patients are limited. In this study, the participants with an initial hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb) titer <10 mIU/ml were assigned to Cohort 1 to receive a standard dose of recombinant hepatitis B vaccine, and participants with an initial HBsAb titer between 10 and 100 mIU/ml were assigned to Cohort 2 to receive a single reinforced recombinant vaccine. In Cohort 1, the immune and high response rates in HIV‐positive patients were 93.4%/81.4%, 87.4%/51.5%, and 83.2%/40.7% at 1–3 months, 1 year, and 2 years postvaccination. Multivariate analysis showed that only age and HIV RNA status at baseline were independent factors related to sustained immune response at 2 years postvaccination. In Cohort 2, the high immune response rates in HIV‐positive patients were 78.8%, 60.6%, and 51.5% at 1–3 months, 1 year, and 2 years postvaccination. The immune or high response rates did not differ between HIV‐positive patients and healthy controls at 1–3 months postvaccination in these two cohorts; however, HBsAb titers were significantly lower in HIV‐positive patients. This study summarized the 2‐year data of immune response to hepatitis B vaccination and analyzed the factors related to sustained immune response at 2 years postvaccination in Chinese HIV‐positive patients. Highlights: Observation of the immune response to hepatitis B vaccination in Chinese HIV‐positive patientsTwo Cohorts were enrolled in this study: (1) the participants with an initial HBsAb titer < 10 mIU/ml were assigned to Cohort 1 to receive a standard dose of recombinant hepatitis B vaccine, (2) the participants with an HBsAb titer between 10 and 100 mIU/ml were assigned to Cohort 2 to receive a single reinforced recombinant vaccineTwo‐year immune response and high immune response rates in these 2 Cohorts were summarized.The factors related to sustained immune response at 2 years postvaccination in Chinese HIV‐positive patients were analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

T cell inhibitory receptors can regulate the proliferation or function of T cells by binding to their ligands and present a unique opportunity to manage destructive immune responses during porcine islet xenotransplantation. We applied ex vivo porcine islet xenotransplantation and in vitro mixed lymphocyte‐islet reaction models to assess immune checkpoint receptor expression profiles in recipient T cells, investigated whether CTLA4 or VISTA immunoglobulin (Ig) combination therapy alone could suppress porcine islet xenograft rejection and further analyzed its potential immune tolerance mechanism. Recipient T cells expressed moderate to high levels of CTLA4, PD‐1, TIGIT and VISTA, and the frequency of CTLA4+CD4+, TIGIT+CD4+, VISTA+CD4+ and VISTA+CD8+ T cells was positively correlated with porcine islet xenograft survival time in xenotransplant recipients. Combined treatment with CTLA4Ig and VISTAIg selectively inhibited recipient CD4+ T cell hyper‐responsiveness and proinflammatory cytokine production and significantly delayed xenograft rejection. SOCS1 deficiency in CD4+ T cells stimulated by xenogeneic islets facilitated hyper‐responsiveness and abolished the suppressive effect of combination therapy on recipient T cell‐mediated porcine islet damage in vivo and in vitro. Further mechanistic studies revealed that combined treatment significantly induced SOCS1 expression and inhibited the Jak‐STAT signalling pathway in wild‐type recipient CD4+ T cells stimulated by xenogeneic islets, whereas SOCS1 deficiency resulted in Jak‐STAT signalling pathway activation in recipient CD4+ T cells. We demonstrated a major role for CTLA4 and VISTA as key targets in CD4+ T cell hyper‐responsiveness and porcine islet xenograft rejection. The selective inhibition of CD4+ T cell immunity by CTLA4Ig/VISTAIg is based on SOCS1‐dependent signalling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A water‐soluble and polyethyleneimine protected copper nanoclusters (CuNCs@PEI) was prepared by one‐step ultraviolet radiation (UVI) combined with microwave heating (MWH) method, and the influence of different energy suppliers on the CuNCs@PEI luminescence performance was investigated in detail. The as‐prepared CuNCs@PEI could be used as a viable fluorescent probe for sensitive and selective mensurating TCH (tetracycline hydrochloride)/VB12 (vitamin B12) with a linear response in the range of 0.33–66.67/0.33‐53.33 μmol L−1, and corresponding limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) were calculated to be 55.50/56.34 and 184.82/187.61 nmol L−1. The fluorescence (FL) quenching of CuNCs@PEI by TCH/VB12 came from the combination of FRET (Förster resonance energy transfer) and IFE (inner filter effect). Moreover, the probe was successfully extended to the assays of TCH in veterinary powder or TCH tablets and VB12 in oral liquid or VB12 tablets with satisfactory results compared to the standard HPLC method. Besides, the CuNCs@PEI probe exhibited a good temperature sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cognitive decline and neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) are main clinical manifestations in Alzheimer disease (AD). It is unclear whether the link between specific NPS and cognitive domains exists in AD or mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Our study aimed to examine the association between specific cognitive domain and NPS in AD and MCI, and to evaluate whether this association showed variety in different stages of cognitive impairment. Methods: A total of 458 patients diagnosed as AD or MCI were included in this study. Neuropsychological batteries were applied in the study. The association between NPS and cognitive function were evaluated by multiple linear regression, and its correlation was evaluated by Spearman correlation coefficient. Results: The prevalence of NPS increased with the severity of cognitive impairment, and there were significant differences between MCI and AD. NPS were predominantly associated with cognitive domains, including memory, language, attention, and executive function. Both regression liner analysis and correlation analysis showed delusion, hallucination, and aberrant motor behaviour (AMB) were linked to language and attention. In addition, regression liner analysis illustrated depression, anxiety, and apathy were related to learning and episodic memory. Generally, the delusion, hallucination, and AMB have the broadest impact on cognition. Conclusion: Specific NPS was predominantly associated with different cognitive domains. Symptoms of agitation, delusion and irritability indicate worse cognitive performance. Therefore, cognitive improvement should be a therapeutic strategy in managing NPS in AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel meta‐grounded planar bandpass filter is presented, facilitating much broader upper stopband. The proposed filter is comprised of a strip layer on the top, a dielectric laminate in the middle and a meta‐grounding layer on the bottom. The strip on the top consists of three cross‐shaped resonators in cascade. Instead of perfect conducting ground, a meta‐ground, composed by a group of metallic mushroom lattices with different characteristic dimensions, is proposed for broadening the upper stopband. In order to validate the proposed concept, we design and fabricate a prototype filter with a center frequency of 11.6 GHz, which exhibits an extremely broad upper stopband from 17.6 GHz to 72.2 GHz with a rejection level greater than 20 dB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aimed to elucidate whether malnutrition is associated with cognitive impairment in an older Chinese population. Methods: A cross‐sectional study was conducted in 2365 participants aged 60 years or older from January 2013 to September 2019. Nutritional status was measured by using the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form (MNA‐SF). Cognitive function was assessed with the Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE). The relationship between malnutrition or each Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form domain and cognitive impairment was examined with univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: The prevalence of malnutrition, risk of malnutrition, and cognitive impairment was 5.54%, 33.45%, and 36.74%, respectively. The prevalence was higher in those 80 years and older: 7.88%, 40.75%, and 53.65%, respectively. The Mini‐Mental State Examination score was positively correlated with the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form score (r = 0.364, P < 0.001). After adjustment for age, gender, education, marital status, and living alone, malnutrition (odds ratio (OR) = 3.927, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.650–5.819), anorexia (OR = 1.454, 95%CI: 1.192–1.774), weight loss (OR = 1.697, 95%CI: 1.406–2.047), impaired mobility (OR = 4.156, 95%CI: 3.311–5.218), and psychological stress (OR = 1.414, 95%CI: 1.070–1.869) were significantly associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment. Conclusions: Our results suggest that the prevalence of malnutrition and cognitive impairment is relatively high and increases with age. Malnutrition, anorexia, weight loss, impaired mobility, and psychological stress are significantly associated with an increased risk of cognitive impairment. Therefore, clinicians should assess the nutritional and cognitive status of the elderly regularly to improve early detection and timely intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing evidence suggests that changes in the triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) is closely correlated with the pathological development of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the biological function and related role of this change remain poorly understood. Higher TREM2 expression has been reported in the brain of AD patients than in normal controls. Here, levels of TREM2 gene and protein levels were observed to be higher in both cortex and hippocampus of the Aβ1‐42‐induced AD mice than in those of the wild type mice. Together with in vitro experimental data, we found that the anti‐inflammatory role of TREM2 was, to some extent, limited and potentially counteracted by the hyperactive toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4) in the AD mice. In this context, Interleukin 4 (IL‐4), as an agonist of TREM2, was administered to the AD mice to persistently activate TREM2. Interestingly, TREM2 activation in IL‐4‐treated AD mice led to an elevation in lysosomes and microtubule‐associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3) II/I expression, demonstrating that the level of microglia autophagy was increased. Increased autophagy significantly downregulated the expression levels of caspase recruitment domain‐containing protein 9 (CARD9) and TLR4, potentially weakening the CARD9‐TLR4 pathway and suppressing the TLR4‐mediated pro‐inflammatory effect in IL‐4‐treated AD mice. Furthermore, data acquired from Morris water maze testing indicated that IL‐4 administration could ameliorate cognitive impairment in the AD mice. In conclusion, the findings from in vitro and in vivo experiments suggest that TREM2 might represent a potential drug target to treat neuroinflammation in AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To investigate the use and adherence of antidementia drugs in elderly patients with dementia from the Memory Clinic of The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University. Methods: Patients were recruited from the Memory Clinic of The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University from December 2010 to December 2018. Medical charts were reviewed, including diagnosis, dosage of antidementia medicines, neuropsychological testing scores, and the further questionnaires were conducted via face‐to‐face or telephone, included duration of treatment, types of antidementia drugs, and reasons for treatment discontinuation. Results: The data from 422 patients were analysed retrospectively for this study. Three hundred and fifteen were diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease (AD), 67 with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and 40 with other types of dementia. From the 422 patients, 26.8% were treated with original donepezil (n = 113), 11.6% with generic donepezil (n = 49), 24.6% with memantine (n = 104), 13.3% with huperzine A (n = 56), and 23.7% with a combination of drugs (n = 100). However, 73% of patients discontinued treatment within 1 year of initiation. Patients treated for more than 36 months (37.8%) were more likely to choose combined medication, as compared with patients treated for less than 36 months. Patients with less than 9 years of education (odds ratio (OR): 2.394; 95% CI: 1.508–3.801) were more likely to discontinue treatment than patients with more than 9 years of education. Patients with elevated physical self‐maintenance scale (PSMS) scores (OR: 1.195; 95% CI: 1.086–1.316) had a high risk of discontinuation. Conclusions: Overall treatment compliance is relatively poor in memory clinics in Chongqing. Our study demonstrates that higher education may lead to better treatment adherence in dementia care. Combination therapy may increase treatment time. However, poorer PSMS scores are a significant risk factor for treatment discontinuation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To develop and validate a prediction model for the 3‐year survival of patientwith cognitive impairment based on demographics, neuropsychological assessment data, and comorbidities. Method: Five‐hundred‐and‐eighty‐seven patients with cognitive impairment were included from our memory clinic. Demographic information, comorbidities, the Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE), Instrumental Activity of Daily Living (IADL) score, and Neuropsychiatric Inventory Questionnaire sub‐item scores were collected. Survival conditions were obtained by telephone from the caregivers in the third year after the neuropsychological tests. Patients were randomly divided into training set and validation set with a ratio of 7:3. Variables that achieved statistical significance (P < 0.05) in the single‐factor analysis were incorporated in the binary logistic regression model. A nomogram was established according to the multivariate analysis. The receiver operating characteristic curve, area under the curve, C‐index, calibration curve, and the Hosmer–Lemeshow test were performed to validate the nomogram. Result: Younger age, higher MMSE score, lower IADL score, no symptom of disinhibition, and Charlson Comorbidity Index score equal or less than 1 are associated with 3‐year survival. These predictors yielded good discrimination with C‐indexes of 0.80 (0.73–0.87) and 0.85 (0.77–0.94) in the training and validation cohorts, respectively. The Hosmer–Lemeshow test showed no statistical significance in either cohort, and calibration curves displayed a good consistency between the prediction and the actual observation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder that threatens the population health of older adults. However, the mechanisms of how altered metabolism involves AD pathology are poorly understood. This study intends to provide novel insights into the role of metabolic alteration in the pathology and identify potential metabolic biomarkers for AD diagnosis Method: The Gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry (GC‐MS) was used to measure the concentrations of serum metabolites in a cohort of subjects with AD (n = 88) and cognitively normal control (CN) (n = 85). The patients were classified as very mild (n = 25), mild (n = 27), moderate (n = 25), and severe (n = 11). Serum metabolic profiles were analyzed by multivariate (principal component analysis) and univariate approaches (t‐tests, false discovery, receiver operating characteristic curves, and correlation analysis). The artificial neural network model (ANN) was applied to identify potential biomarkers of AD. Biofunctional enrichment analysis was performed using the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes. Result: The results revealed considerable separation between the AD and CN patients. Edetic acid, (S)‐3,4‐Dihydroxybutyric acid, and arachidonic acid were identified as potential AD diagnostic biomarkers using an ANN model. And the classification model could predict the risk for AD with high accuracy (AUC = 0.93). The most significant changes in the metabolite's composition occur during the very mild to the mild stage. The metabolic enrichment analysis revealed that carbohydrate metabolism deficiency and disturbance of amino acids, fatty acids, and lipids metabolism are involved in AD progression. Especially, pathway analysis highlighted that l−glutamate participated in four crucial nervous system pathways (including GABAergic synapse, glutamatergic synapse, retrograde endocannabinoid signaling and synaptic vesicle cycle). Conclusion: Serum metabolomic analysis demonstrated that the metabolic alterations had already arisen at the very mild stages of dementia. Disrupt energy metabolism may be the core of the vicious cycle in AD, resulting in a wide range of metabolic disorders, including abnormal glucose metabolism, TCA cycle impairments, amino acids, fatty acids, and lipids dysregulation. Furthermore, a metabolic diagnostic model of AD was constructed using ANN, which could robustly differentiate AD patients from CN. Our study identified new markers for AD diagnosis and highlighted the roles of metabolic changes on the progression of AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large aperture membrane phased array antenna with an array antenna and transmit/receive (T/R) modules is presented for geosynchronous Earth orbit synthetic aperture radar applications. Its scanning beams can cover ±8° with ignorable grating lobes within its visible area. By utilising the coplanar reintegration technique of multichips, compact and light-weight T/R modules can be achieved. A scaled model is demonstrated and characterised experimentally. Measured results validate the feasibility and efficiency of the design method for the membrane phased array antenna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Insomnia is a major public health problem affecting older people. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and clinical risk factors of insomnia in a representative sample of Chinese elderly (≥ 60 years) in Chongqing. Methods: A cross‐sectional study based on comprehensive geriatric assessment was conducted from January 2013 to February 2014. A questionnaire on sleep status was provided to each patient and insomnia was assessed according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders 4th edition criteria. A multivariate logistic regression model was used to illustrate risk factors correlated with insomnia. Results: Of the total 597 participants, 55.4% suffered from insomnia. The prevalence of insomnia in men and women was 48.2% and 63.2%, respectively. Coronary heart disease, dizziness, chronic pain, anorexia, malnutrition, depression and cognitive decline were identified as risk factors associated with insomnia. Hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidaemia, headache, age and education level were not observed to be significantly associated with insomnia. Conclusions: Insomnia is highly prevalent among the elderly in Chongqing, and shows a positive correlation to coronary heart disease, dizziness, chronic pain, anorexia, malnutrition, depression, cognitive impairment. Moreover, women are more likely to experience insomnia than men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Smad anchor for receptor activation (SARA) is an important regulator of transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) signaling by recruiting Smad2/3 to TGF-β receptors. Although TGF-β signaling is critically involved in epileptogenesis, whether SARA activation is sufficient to facilitate TGF-β pathway to regulate epilepsy remains unknown. Methods The expression of SARA and downstream Phospho-Smad3 (p-Smad3) was examined in rats with pilocarpine induced epilepsy. Additionally, knockdown of SARA was performed via recombinant lentiviral vector in the pilocarpine-induced rats. Results Here we show that expressions of SARA and p-Smad3 are increased in the hippocampus as rats subjected to pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus (SE). Both SARA and p-Smad3 are also upregulated in the temporal cortex of epileptic rats. Furthermore, SARA mRNA levels reach peak as early as 6 hr following SE onset and remain elevated in the chronic phase. Transfection of recombinant lentiviral shRNA targeting SARA knocks down SARA expression, attenuates TGF-β/p-Smad3 signaling in the hippocampus, and postpones the SE onset. Conclusion Our results demonstrate that SARA/Smad3 pathway contributes to mechanism of seizure and SARA in TGF-β signaling may be a potential therapeutic target for epilepsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel and efficient method has been developed for the synthesis of a series of 3,4-dihydroquinazoline-2( 1H)-thione derivatives in aqueous organic solvent starting from 3-(2-aminophenyl)acrylates with isothiocyanates via a tandem addition/intramolecular under mild conditions. A broad substrate scope has been demonstrated, which shows wide functional group tolerance and chemical specialization. The efficiency of the methodology could make this process available on gram-scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Purpose: Recent studies have shown that transforming growth factor β (TGFβ) signaling participates in the epileptogenesis. Serine-threonine kinase receptor-associated protein (STRAP) and Smad7 synergize in the inhibition of the TGFβ signaling. The aim of the present study was to determine the expression pattern of STRAP and Smad7 in the hippocampus and temporal lobe cortex of pilocarpine-induced rats models of epilepsy. Methods: Lithium chloride-pilocarpine-induced rats with status epilepticus (SE) were established. Total of 60 male Sprague-Dawley rats was used as control ( n = 10), 24 h ( n = 10), 72 h ( n = 10), 1 week ( n = 10), 1 month ( n = 10), and 2 months ( n = 10) after pilocarpine-induced SE, respectively. We detected the expression levels of STRAP and Smad7 in the hippocampus and temporal lobe cortex of rats at the aforementioned time points using western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Results: STRAP level was significantly decreased in 24 h, 72 h (acute stage), 1 week (latent stage), 1 month, 2 months (chronic stage), respectively, in the rat models compared with the control rats by using both western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Smad7 had similar reduced pattern as STRAP. Conclusions: Our results indicate that STRAP and Smad7 proteins might be involved in the development of temporal lobe epilepsy. Synapse 68:275-282, 2014. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose Retinoids, through their activation of retinoic acid receptors ( RARs) and retinoid X receptors, regulate diverse cellular processes, and pharmacological intervention in their actions has been successful in the treatment of skin disorders and cancers. Despite the many beneficial effects, administration of retinoids causes irritating side effects with unknown mechanisms. Here, we demonstrate that LE135 [4-(7,8,9,10-tetrahydro-5,7,7,10,10-pentamethyl-5 H-benzo[e]naphtho[2,3-b][1,4]diazepin-13-yl)benzoic acid], a selective antagonist of RARβ, is a potent activator of the capsaicin ( TRPV1) and wasabi ( TRPA1) receptors, two critical pain-initiating cation channels. Experimental Approach We performed to investigate the excitatory effects of LE135 on TRPV1 and TRPA1 channels expressed in HEK293T cells and in dorsal root ganglia neurons with calcium imaging and patch-clamp recordings. We also used site-directed mutagenesis of the channels to determine the structural basis of LE135-induced activation of TRPV1 and TRPA1 channels and behavioural testing to examine if pharmacological inhibition and genetic deletion of the channels affected LE135-evoked pain-related behaviours. Key Results LE135 activated both the capsaicin receptor ( TRPV1) and the allyl isothiocyanate receptor ( TRPA1) heterologously expressed in HEK293T cells and endogenously expressed by sensory nociceptors. Mutations disrupting the capsaicin-binding site attenuated LE135 activation of TRPV1 channels and a single mutation ( K170R) eliminated TRPA1 activity evoked by LE135. Intraplantar injection of LE135 evoked pain-related behaviours. Both TRPV1 and TRPA1 channels were involved in LE135-elicited pain-related responses, as shown by pharmacological and genetic ablation studies. Conclusions and Implications This blocker of retinoid acid signalling also exerted non-genomic effects through activating the pain-initiating TRPV1 and TRPA1 channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Natural populations of Trichogramma evanescens contribute to the control of lepidopterous pests. The toxic effects of insecticides have been extensively reported on trichogrammatids, but are largely unknown on T. evanescens. In this study, the toxicities of seven classes of chemicals against the parasitoid were investigated. RESULTS Among these classes, organophosphates and carbamates exhibited the highest levels of intrinsic toxicity, with LC50 values ranging from 0.025 (0.023-0.028) to 2.20 (1.71-3.09) and from 0.040 (0.032-0.053) to 1.84 (1.53-2.30) mg AI L−1 respectively. Among the phenylpyrazoles, only ethiprole can be considered to be less toxic in the group. Avermectins, pyrethroids and neonicotinoids were less toxic, with LC50 values ranging from 1.29 to 2.57, from 2.26 to 14.03 and from 1.12 to 239.1 mg AI L−1 respectively. In contrast, insect growth regulators ( IGRs) showed the lowest toxicity to the parasitoid, with LC50 values ranging from 3383 (2406-5499) to 5650 (4228-8579) mg AI L−1. CONCLUSION The results of risk quotient analysis indicated that neonicotinoids, avermectins, pyrethroids and IGRs were less hazardous, but phenylpyrazoles (except for ethiprole), organophosphates and carbamates were slightly to moderately or dangerously toxic to T. evanescens. The present results provide informative data for implementing biological and chemical control strategies in integrated pest management of lepidopterans. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined 510 Chinese students' emotional intelligence (EI) and English classroom learning anxiety at three universities in Hangzhou, People's Republic of China. Results obtained from the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire-Short Form (TEIQue-SF) and the Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale (FLCAS) showed the following results: (a) More than half of the Chinese college students possessed a middle to high level of EI and at least one third experienced language anxiety in English class; (b) Moderate to relatively strong associations were found among students' EI, foreign language anxiety (FLA), English achievement, and self-rated English proficiency; (c) FLA had a significant and partial mediating effect on EI in predicting students' English achievement; and (d) FLA also significantly and partially mediated the relationship between EI and self-rated English proficiency. Results and implications are discussed in the context of the importance of emotional factors affecting the learning of English. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inositol polyphosphate phosphatase 4 A (INPP4A), a phosphoinositides phosphatase, is highly expressed in the central nervous system and plays a role in glutamate excitotoxicity and cell proliferation. Our aim was to investigate the expression of INPP4A in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) and in a rat model of epilepsy. We assessed the expression of INPP4A in the temporal neocortex from 20 TLE patients. The result showed that INPP4A expression was significantly lower in TLE patients than in controls. To validate the results found in TLE patients, we assessed the expression of INPP4A in rat model. Rat epilepsy was induced by lithium-pilocarpine. Expression of INPP4A of rat models was assessed by immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and Western blotting. INPP4A was expressed in the membrane and cytoplasm of neurons. In the hippocampus and neocortex of epileptic rats, INPP4A expression was first downregulated at the 24 h after seizures and maintained decreased levels at 72 h, 7 days, 14 days, 30 days, and 60 days, respectively. These results suggest that a decreased expression of INPP4A in the brain may be associated with TLE. Synapse, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This letter presents a quasioptical monolithic detector for Ka-band applications.It consists of an antenna-integrated planar Schottky diode and an extended semispherical lens. A three-dimensional electromagnetic model is built for evaluating its radiation performance. The responsivity of the detector ranges from 712 to 1483 mV mW over 26.5∼ 40 GHz under the bias voltage of 0.8 V, corresponding to the estimated noise equivalent power between 2.5E−11 and 5.2E−11 W Hz. The radiation patterns are measured and agree well with the simulated ones, showing the validity of the proposed model. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.26168 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A compact ultra-wideband bandpass filter is presented. The proposed UWB filter consists of a couple of folded parallel lines and a low-pass filter based on defected ground structure. Good bandpass performance and wide rejection characteristics can be achieved by this new structure. One prototype is fabricated to demonstrate the validity of the proposed strategies. The simulated and measured results indicated that the insertion loss is less than 1.5 dB between the 3.1 and 10.5 GHz with a sharp falling edge of 35 dB/GHz and its group delay is less than 0.5 ns in the pass band. The rejection is better than 20 dB from 12.5 to 25 GHz. The total size of the UWB BPF is 0.78 λ × 0.23 λ where λ is the guided wavelength at the center frequency of 7.4 GHz. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.26045 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The thymus provides a unique cellular and hormonic microenvironment for the development of immunocompetent T cells. Thymic polypeptides have been widely used clinically for the treatment of tumors, infectious diseases and immune deficiency diseases. They have already shown the ability to stimulate the maturation of hematopoietic stem cells towards the CD3+CD4+ T cell lineage. However, their effects on the thymopoiesis of embryonic stem cells are still unexplored. In this paper, we compared the effects of three thymic polypeptides, thymopentin (TP5), thymosin alpha-1 (Tα-1) and thymopeptides on the in vitro thymopoiesis of mouse embryonic stem (ES) cells. Using the embryoid body induction system, we found that both Tα-1 and thymopeptides effectively induced ES cells to differentiate sequentially into the CD3+ and CD4+/CD8+ T cells. These T cells had T cell receptor (TCR) Vβ gene rearrangement and most were TCRαβ T cells. We also found that the expression of the Notch receptor and its ligands Delta-like-1 and Delta-like-4 gradually increased during the induction. However, TP5 failed to induce the T cell differentiation of the ES cells. In summary, this is the first report to demonstrate that Tα-1 can stimulate the T cell early stage differentiation from ES cells using the embryoid body protocol. These findings provide a powerful model for studying T cell development and may open new venues for the clinical application of Tα-1. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: To investigate the use and adherence of anti‐dementia drugs in elderly patients with dementia from the Memory Clinic of The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University. Method: Patients were recruited from the Memory Clinic of The First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University between December 2010 and December 2018. The medical chart was reviewed, including diagnosis, dosage of antidementia medicine, neuropsychological testing scores, and the further questionnaires were conducted via face‐to‐face or telephone, included duration of treatment, types of anti‐dementia drugs, and reasons for treatment discontinuation. Result: The data from 422 patients were analyzed retrospectively for this study. 315 were diagnosed with AD, 67 with MCI, and 40 with other types of dementia. From the 422 patients, 26.8% were treated with original donepezil, 11.6% with generic donepezil, 24.6% with memantine, 13.3% with huperzine A, and 23.7% with a combination of drugs. However, 73% of patients discontinued treatment within one year of initiation. Patients with less than nine years of education were more likely to discontinue treatment than patients with more than nine years of education. Patients with elevated PSMS scores had a high risk of discontinuation. Patients had a higher risk of discontinuation when they had received treatment for less than 36 months. Conclusion: Overall treatment compliance is relatively poor in memory clinic in Chongqing. Our study demonstrates that high education, combined medication may lead to better treatment adherence in dementia care. However, poorer PSMS is a significant risk factor for treatment discontinuation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chitotriosidase (CHIT1, chitinase 1) is elevated in the cerebrospinal fluid and peripheral blood of Alzheimer's disease (AD) patients. Our previous study has shown that CHIT1 provides potential protection through microglial polarization and reduction of β‐amyloid (Aβ) oligomers on rats models of AD. Histone deacetylase 3 (HDAC3) plays an important regulatory role in the expression and regulation of proteins associated with AD pathophysiology. In addition, nuclear factor‐kappa B (NF‐κB) signaling pathway activation in neurons is involved in the development and progression of AD. NF‐κB activation is regulated by HDAC3 deacetylation. In this study, we investigated the role of CHIT1 in HDAC3/NF‐κB signaling in D‐galactose and aluminum‐induced rat model with cognitive impairments. Method: Rats in each group were euthanized and transcardial perfusion was performed with 0.9% saline. Brain tissues (cortex and hippocampus) from these rats were quickly removed. The prepared samples were used for western blotting (WB), and real‐time polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR). For paraffin sections, rats were anesthetized and perfused with 4% paraformaldehyde following normal saline infusion. Once the limbs became stiff, the brains were removed for dehydration, embedding and sectioning. Result: We found that the protein and mRNA levels of HDAC3 and NF‐κB were reduced after CHIT1 treatment, and the expression level of IκBα increased after CHIT1 treatment. Anti‐inflammatory factors (Arg‐1, IL‐10, and CD206) were increased while pro‐inflammatory factors (TNF‐a, IL‐1β, and iNOS) were decreased in D‐galactose/aluminum‐induced AD rats with CHIT1 treatment. Conclusion: These results indicate that CHIT1 can regulate microglial polarization via HDAC3/NF‐κB p65 pathway in D‐galactose and aluminum‐induced rat model with cognitive impairments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyaspartic acid (PASP) is a biodegradable green material with carboxyl groups (COOH) and amido groups (CONH). In the article, a novel urea‐formaldehyde (UF) resin modified by PASP and Ca‐montmorillonite (Ca‐Mt) was prepared by the alkaline‐acid‐alkaline method. The synthesized materials were characterized by X‐ray diffraction, Fourier transform‐infrared spectroscopy, thermal analysis (TG‐DTG), and scanning electron microscopy. The effects of viscosity, curing time, and free formaldehyde were investigated. The results showed that the layered structure of Ca‐Mt was exfoliated and dispersed in the bulk of UF. The thermal stability of the modified UF was much better than that of pure UF resin. The percentage of free formaldehyde was declined from 26 to 18%. Meanwhile, the UF composites showed the short curing time and the optimum viscosity. Finally, a synthetic process of UF modified by PASP and Ca‐Mt and a possible mechanism for immobilizing the free formaldehyde were suggested. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 48038. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]