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Objective. The goals of this study are to assess the correlation between 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure (BP) variability and white matter lesions (WML) in patients with cerebral small vascular disease (CSVD) and to provide guidance for the prevention of WML. Methods. A total of 136 patients diagnosed with CSVD and essential hypertension were recruited and divided into two groups. The Fazekas scale was used to quantify the severity of WML. The basic information, BP levels, BP variability, and circadian rhythm changes across these groups were recorded and compared. Results. The control group consisted of 40 subjects without WML ( Fazekas score = 0 ), and the WML group was composed of 96 patients with WML ( Fazekas score ≥ 1 ). Patients in the WML group were then divided into three subgroups: mild WML ( n = 43 , Fazekas score = 1 ), moderate WML ( n = 24 , Fazekas score = 2 ), and severe WML ( n = 29 , Fazekas score = 3 – 4 ). Age, history of diabetes, and serum uric acid levels were significantly increased between the WML and control groups ( P < 0.05 ). The levels of 24-hour mean diastolic BP ( F = 3.158 , P = 0.026 ) and daytime mean systolic BP ( F = 3.526 , P = 0.017 ) were significantly increased between the control and WML groups. There was no significant difference in the rhythmic classification of BP among all groups ( P > 0.05 ). An ordered multinomial logistic regression analysis revealed that age, triglyceride levels, and nondipper BP were independent risk factors in WML. Conclusion. Age, history of diabetes, serum uric acid levels, 24-hour mean systolic level, and daily mean systolic BP level were significantly increased between the WML and control groups. Age, triglyceride levels, and nondipper BP were independent risk factors in WML in patients with CSVD, while the 24-hour dynamic blood pressure standard deviation and 24-hour dynamic blood pressure coefficient of variation were not associated with the occurrence of WML.

Objective. This study was designed to explore the characteristics of retinal microangiopathy in patients with cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) and clarify its interaction with the risk factors for CSVD. Methods. Sixty patients with CSVD and 15 healthy individuals were enrolled. Demographic data, risk factors, and medical history were recorded, and magnetic resonance imaging was performed to detect and analyze the characteristics of retinal microangiopathy in the two groups. The interaction among retinal microangiopathy, vascular risk factors, and total imaging load of CSVD was compared. Results. (1) Hypertension, standard deviation of systolic blood pressure (SBPSD), standard deviation of blood glucose (SDBG), and atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) were independent vascular risk factors for CSVD. (2) Statistically significant differences in hypertension, SBPSD, SDBG, and AIP were observed between the two groups in terms of the total imaging burden of CSVD (p

Objective. To explore the value of brain structure magnetic resonance imaging combined with APOE-ε4 genotype in the early diagnosis and disease progression of elderly patients with vascular cognitive impairment no dementia (VCIND). Methods. The first stroke patients admitted to our hospital from March 2017 to December 2018 were collected, including 130 cases of vascular cognitive impairment no dementia (VCIND group) and 50 cases of the control group (NC group). The basic information of all subjects was recorded, and APOE-ε4 alleles of all subjects were detected. The neuropsychological test scale evaluated the cognitive psychology of the subjects, and they were scanned by multi-parameter MRI. After follow-up, VCIND patients were divided into the dementia group and the nondementia group. MRI scans were again performed, and the risk factors of VCIND patients developing dementia were analyzed. Results. Compared with the NC group, patients in the VCIND group had shorter years of education, more patients with hypertension, higher levels of homocysteine (Hcy), and lower cognitive ability. Patients with White Matter Volume (WMV), White Matter Hyperintensity (WMH), Lacunar Infarction (LI), elevated Fazekas scores, and APOE-ε4 gene carriers are more likely to develop VCIND. After 12 months of follow-up, compared with the nondementia group, the number of WMV, WMH, Fazekas scores, and APOE-ε4 gene carriers in the dementia group was significantly increased. In addition, the progression-free survival rate of APOE-ε4 gene carriers was significantly lower than that of nonAPOE-ε4 gene carriers. Conclusion. Years of education, hypertension, high levels of Hcy, elevated WMV, WMH, LI, and Fazekas scores, and carrying the APOE-ε4 gene are risk factors for VCIND in stroke patients. Craniocerebral structural MRI combined with APOE-ε4 genotype has a diagnostic role in the early diagnosis and disease progression of elderly patients with VCIND.

Objective: To establish a Parkinson's disease (PD) cell model of human neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y) induced by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), and to explore the possible mechanism of trehalose in PD. Methods: SH-SY5Y cells were cultured and divided into four groups: control group, trehalose group, MPTP group and trehalose +MPTP group.The trehalose was detected with MTT assay for its effect of on the viability of injured SH-SY5Y cells. The lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was detected by kit for its level in culture medium. The ROS was assessed by DCFH-DA for its average level in cells. Besides, Hoechst 33342 staining was used to detect apoptosis. The endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) related proteins GRP78, IRE1, PERK and ATF6 were also detected by Western blot for its expression levels. Results: The survival rate of MPTP group decreased significantly and the levels of LDH and ROS increased compared with the control group. In addition, the survival rate of cells in trehalose +MPTP group increased significantly and the levels of LDH and ROS decreased compared with MPTP group. The expressions of GRP78, IRE1, p- IRE1, PERK, p- PERK and ATF6 in MPTP group increased, but decreased in trehalose +MPTP group compared with the control group. Conclusion: Trehalose has a significant protective effect on MPTP-induced SH-SY5Y cells injury, and its mechanism may be related to the effect of trehalose on oxidative stress by inhibiting ER stress response.

This study used hydrogen proton magnetic resonance imaging to detect the changes of white matter and the medial cortex in the prefrontal cortex of patients with type 2 diabetes, analyzed its relationship with cognitive function and blood glucose level, and discussed the recognition of patients with type 2 diabetes from the perspective of brain metabolism. We discuss the neural mechanisms affected by the disorder. The experiment recruited 65 volunteers, including 32 control subjects and 33 patients with type 2 diabetes. All volunteers underwent clinical cognitive function and psychological evaluation, including a simple intelligent mental state examination scale, digital breadth test, Raven intelligence test, Flanker paradigm experiment, connection test, auditory word learning test, depression self-evaluation scale, and anxiety self-rating scale. All subjects underwent multivoxel proton magnetic resonance scanning, and the spectral data were processed and metabolite concentration analysis was completed by Functool software. The detected regions of interest included the bilateral prefrontal white matter and bilateral prefrontal cortex. This study found that the N-acetylaspartate (NAA) and NAA/myo-inositol (MI) of the right prefrontal cortex were reduced, the right prefrontal white matter choline-containing compounds increased, and the MI of the bilateral prefrontal cortex increased in the type 2 diabetes group compared with the control group. The NAA value of the right prefrontal cortex in the type 2 diabetes group was negatively correlated with the glycated hemoglobin concentration. The study found that the right prefrontal cortex NAA value of patients with type 2 diabetes was negatively correlated with the glycated hemoglobin concentration, reflecting that recent blood glucose levels can affect the changes of brain metabolites, and reasonable control of blood glucose can effectively delay brain neurons caused by diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Hypoplasia of the transverse sinus (TS) is a common anatomical variation. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of TS variation (i.e., TS hypoplasia) and no variation (i.e., TS symmetry) and their subgroups on the clinical outcomes of patients with atherosclerotic anterior circulation cerebral infarction (CI). METHODS: A total of 75 patients were included in the study and were divided into the no TS variation group and the TS variation group. The TS variation group was further divided into the following subgroups: the TS variation with ipsilateral CI group and the TS variation with contralateral CI group. We retrospectively analyzed the correlations of the endpoint events of patients with large atherosclerotic anterior circulation infarction and TS no variant, and subgroups of TS variants. RESULTS: We found that the diameter of the ipsilateral IJV in patients with TS variants were significantly smaller than those without TS variants, which was statistically significant (P0.05). We found statistically significant differences in the National Institute of Health stroke scale (NIHSS) and Modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores after 90 days of CI between the total anterior circulation infarct (TACI) TS variant group, the ipsilateral CI TS variant group, and the partial anterior circulation infarct (PACI) TS hypoplasia group and the ipsilateral CI TS variant group (P

To discuss the relevant studies about the structural and functional changes of the brain in patients with type-2 DM (T2DM) and white matter lesion (WML) in recent years, and to summarize them.T2DM is a common metabolic disease with increasing prevalence worldwide. This disease is closely related to central nervous system and vascular disease, and is considered a risk factor for white matter lesions in the brain. Compared to healthy individuals, WML patients with T2DM exhibit changes in brain perfusion, functional networks, nerve fiber structure, and brain tissue metabolism.We analyzed recent studies related to structural and functional changes in the brain of patients suffering from T2DM and WML and summarized them.Multimodal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) utilizes noninvasive and sensitive imaging techniques to provide multiparametric information in patients with T2DM to help in clinical practice. It features non-invasively and with high sensitivity assess the histomorphological and functional abnormalities of white matter in patients with T2DM using various parameters. We can use multimodal MRI methods to reflect the microscopic damage of neuromyelin structures and pathological changes of neuronal metabolic functions in WML in T2DM patients, and thus speculate the disease progression. This approach can be helpful for the early diagnosis and treatment of patients with such a disease who do not exhibit neurological deficit, to effectively improve their prognosis.

Background: Nitrous oxide is a colorless, aromatic, inert organic gas with low toxicity and is currently abused in many recreational areas.Nitrous oxide abuse can lead to vitamin B12 deficiency, which can lead to neurological damage such as spinal neuropathy and peripheral neuropathy. Its abuse has not been associated with syringomyelia.Case presentation: We described the case of a 21-year-old young girl who presented with progressive weakness in both legs and numbness in four limbs after excessive recreational inhalation of nitrous oxide and her imaging findings were considered syringomyelia.Conclusion: Nitrous oxide abuse may be associated with syringomyelia, and that patients with nitrous oxide abuse should be further performed cervical and thoracic MRI to determine whether they have syringomyelia and give timely treatment.

As an enrichment strategy supplemented by the diagnostic framework of subjective cognitive decline (SCD), SCD plus identifies features that may increase the likelihood of including future-Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients. This study aimed to identify the shared and distinct atrophy patterns between patients specified by SCD plus and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI, a prodromal stage of AD) and to investigate the extent that automated brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) volumetry can differentiate patients with SCD from normal control (NC) participants and patients with aMCI. We acquired structural MRI brain scans from 44 patients with aMCI, 40 patients with SCD (who met the major criteria of SCD plus), and 48 NC participants. Automatic brain segmentation was performed to quantify the volumetric measures of cognitive-relevant areas. These volumetric measures were compared across the 3 groups with analysis of variance. In addition, we performed support vector machine analyses using volumetric measures of single regions or multiple regions to further evaluate the sensitivity of automated brain volumetry in differentiating a specific group from another. The atrophy patterns in patients with aMCI and SCD were similar. Using the regional volumetric measures, we achieved high performance in differentiating aMCI and SCD from NCs (average classification accuracy [ACC] > 90%). However, the performance was not ideal when differentiating aMCI from SCD (ACC < 63%). In conclusion, patients with SCD specified by SCD plus presented similar atrophy patterns as patients with aMCI, which was distinguishable from NC participants. Future studies should aim to associate the atrophy patterns of SCD with possible conversion to aMCI or AD in a longitudinal design.

This paper uses resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-FMRI) to construct a whole-brain binary functional network through a complex brain network analysis theory based on graph theory to explore the functional network of patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Changes in topological properties and their potential relationships with fasting blood glucose (FBG), glycated haemoglobin (HbAlc), and cognitive function scale, and further explore the diagnostic value of rs-FMRI technology for central nervous system damage in T2DM patients, for clinical diagnosis and treatment Provide objective radiological evidence. In the range of sparsity (Sp) of 0.05 to 0.50 and a step size of 0.01, compared with the random network, the resting brain functional networks in the T2DM group and the HC group have larger clustering coefficients and similar shortest paths. Length and small world index greater than 1, that is, both groups of resting brain functional networks have small world characteristics. The MoCA score of the T2DM group was positively correlated with the node degree (r = 0.400, p = 0.043) and the node efficiency (r = 0.452, p = 0.021) of the right straight back. FBG is positively correlated with the node degree of the left occipital gyrus (r = 0.422, p = 0.023); HbAlc is related to the node degree of the left occipital gyrus (r = 0.372, p = 0.043) and the node degree of the left occipital gyrus (r = 0.382, p = 0.037) was positively correlated with the node intermediary (r = 0.388, p = 0.034) at the back of the right cingulate gyrus. The topological properties of the resting brain function network of T2DM patients with negative MRI findings have changed compared with normal people, indicating that T2DM is an important factor leading to brain function damage, further explaining the rs-fMRI technology and complex brain networks based on graph theory Analysis theory can be used as an effective method to study the changes of brain function in T2DM patients.

The traditional medical image recognition methods are limited by image resolution, image brightness and color processing parameters, and image quality evaluation is low. In particular, the incomplete visual information of medical images and the disorder of color structure make the complexity of human visual perception and recognition significantly increased and the accuracy is poor. In order to solve the above problems, this paper is based on the mechanism of deep brain information perception and dementia induced brain magnetic resonance imaging (BMI-DVDI). On the one hand, based on the depth fusion of the visual information system, the medical image depth vision system and its perception model with high precision and low complexity are designed for the two damage of medical image quality and the perception of visual information. On the other hand, the dementia model is designed by means of matrix representation of dementia image signal, screening of dementia sensing brain signal and image reconstruction. The model is helpful to solve the problems of image signal deformation, measurement precision of signal degree and reconstruction of image enhancement in brain magnetic resonance imaging. This model enhances the accuracy of brain diseases such as dementia. Then, we combine the sensing algorithm with the degree of dementia in the brain, and apply it to the MRI of the brain. Finally, through simulation experiments and nuclear magnetic resonance imaging experiments, the space complexity, time complexity, system execution efficiency and image quality evaluation are compared. The result is that the proposed algorithm has excellent performance.

Whether insulin resistance (IR) predicts worse functional outcome in ischemic stroke is still a matter of debate. The aim of the present study is to determine the association between IR and risk of poor outcome in 173 Chinese nondiabetic patients with acute ischemic stroke. This is a prospective, population-based cohort study. Insulin sensitivity, expressed by the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) of insulin sensitivity (HOMA index = (fasting insulin × fasting glucose)/22.5). IR was defined by HOMA-IR index in the top quartile (Q4). Functional impairment was evaluated at discharge using the modified Rankin scale (mRS). The median (interquartile range) HOMA-IR was 2.14 (1.17–2.83), and Q4 was at least 2.83. There was a significantly positive correlation between HOMA-IR and National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (r = 0.408; P

The role of fatty acid-binding proteins (FABPs) in atherosclerosis has been investigated. The aim of this study was to verify the hypothesis that higher levels of serum fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) could be a prognostic factor in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and acute ischemic stroke (AIS). From September 2015 to August 2016, consecutive first-ever AIS patients combined with T2DM were included in this study. FABP4, NIH stroke scale (NIHSS), and conventional risk factors were evaluated to determine their value to predict functional outcomes within 3 months. Multivariate analyses were performed using logistic regression models. We measured FABP4 in 329 patients. The median age of patients included in this study was 63 (IQR, 56–72) years and 45.9% were women. FABP4 serum levels were obtained at a median of 8.5 h (IQR, 4.0–14.0 h) after the stroke onset with a median value of 21.4 ng/ml (IQR, 15.6–28.2 ng/ml). In multivariable models, FABP4 remained an independent stroke severity predictor with an adjusted OR of 1.05 (95% CI, 1.02–1.09). In multivariate models comparing the third (odd ratio (OR), 2.25; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.59–3.54) and fourth quartiles (OR, 3.75; 95% CI, 2.48–5.03) against the first quartile of the FABP4, levels of FABP4 were associated with poor functional outcome. At 3 months, 38 patients (11.6%; 95%CI, 8.1–15.0%) had died. The mortality distribution across the FABP4 quartiles ranged between 3.7% (first quartile) and 20.7% (fourth quartile). Elevation of FABP4 is associated with an increased risk of death and poor functional outcome events in patients with type 2 diabetes and acute ischemic stroke and is independent of other established clinical risk predictors and biomarkers.

Introduction Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and vascular mild cognitive impairment (VaMCI) comprise the 2 main types of mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The first condition generally progresses to Alzheimer9s disease, whereas the second is likely to develop into vascular dementia (VD). The brain structure and function of patients with MCI differ from those of normal elderly individuals. However, whether brain structures or functions differ between these 2 MCI subtypes has not been studied. This study is designed to analyse neuroimages of brain in patients with VaMCI and aMCI using multimodality MRI (structural MRI (sMRI), functional MRI and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)). Methods and analysis In this study, 80 participants diagnosed with aMCI, 80 participants diagnosed with VaMCI, and 80 age-matched, gender-matched and education-matched normal controls (NCs) will be recruited to the Hongqi Hospital of Mudanjiang Medical University, Heilongjiang, China. All participants will undergo neuroimaging and neuropsychological evaluations. The primary outcome measures will be (1) microstructural alterations revealed by multimodal MRIs, including sMRI, resting-state functional MRI and DTI; and (2) a neuropsychological evaluation, including the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT), Memory and Executive Screening (MES), trail making test, Stroop colour naming condition and Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scale, to evaluate global cognition, memory function, attention, visuospatial skills, processing speed, executive function and emotion, respectively. Trial registration number NCT02706210; Pre-results.

Some polymorphisms in the fibroblast growth factor receptor 4 gene (FGFR-4) have been correlated with coronary artery disease, however, the role of polymorphisms in the FGFR-4 gene in ischemic stroke remain unknown. A total of 270 patients with ischemic stroke and 297 controls were recruited. Stroke subtype was classified and clinical severity of stroke in patients was evaluated. The polymorphisms in the FGFR-4 were genotyped. There were no significant differences of genotype distributions and allele frequencies of rs145302848C/G and rs147603016G/A between stroke patients and controls (all p > 0.05). However, genotype frequencies and allele frequencies at rs351855G/A (Gly388Arg) were significantly different between stroke patients and controls (both p < 0.001). With the rs351855GG genotype as a reference, the presence of rs351855AA homozygote had a significantly increased risk for stroke (adjusted odds ratio 2.663; 95% confidence interval 1.673–4.229, p < 0.001). The polymorphisms at rs145302848C/G and rs147603016G/A did not influence the susceptibility of stroke in this study. All FGFR-4 polymorphisms were not associated with clinical features such as Trial of Org 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment subtype or stroke severity as indicated by mean National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale scores. Our study suggests a positive association between FGFR-4 gene polymorphism at rs351855G/A and susceptibility to ischemic stroke.

// Yang Yu 1,* , Xinyu Liang 3,* , Haikuo Yu 5 , Weina Zhao 1 , Yan Lu 6 , Yue Huang 7 , Changhao Yin 1 , Gaolang Gong 3 , and Ying Han 2,4 1 Department of Neurology, Hongqi Hospital of Mudanjiang Medical University, Mudanjiang, Heilongjiang, China 2 Department of Neurology, XuanWu Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing, China 3 State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning & IDG/McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Beijing Normal University, Beijing, China 4 Center of Alzheimer’s Disease, Beijing Institute for Brain Disorders, China 5 Department of Rehabilitation, XuanWu Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing, China 6 Department of Ophthalmology, Xuan Wu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China 7 School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Australia, Sydney, Australia * These authors have contributed equally to this work Correspondence to: Ying Han, email: // Gaolang Gong, email: // Changhao Yin, email: // Keywords : mild cognitive impairment, neuroimage, Gerotarget Received : September 02, 2016 Accepted : December 07, 2016 Published : December 15, 2016 Abstract Changes in white matter (WM) microstructure may relate to the pathophysiology of cognitive impairment. Whether WM microstructure differs in two common pre-dementia subtypes, vascular mild cognitive impairment (VaMCI) and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI), is largely unknown. This study included 28 VaMCI (12 men, age: 46 ~ 77 years) and 34 aMCI patients (14 men, age: 51 ~ 79 years). All patients underwent a battery of neuropsychological tests and structural and diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanning. WM microstructure was quantified using diffusion MRI parameters: fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AxD) and radial diffusivity (RD). These parameters were compared between the two patient groups using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) after controlling for age, gender, and education. No significant differences in FA/MD/AxD/RD were observed between the VaMCI and aMCI groups, which suggests a similar pattern of WM microstructure in the early stage of cognitive impairment for different dementia types. However, the two groups exhibited significant differences in the relationship between FA and the Auditory Verbal Learning Test (AVLT), which were primarily located around the corona radiate and corpus callosum. Specifically, there were significant positive correlations (R = 0.64, P < 0.001) between the FA and AVLT in the VaMCI group, but the opposite trend was observed in the aMCI group (R = -0.34, P = 0.047). The differential relationship between WM and memory between VaMCI and aMCI indicates an independent neuropathology for specific memory deficits in different types of dementia.

Background: White matter (WM) damage could be observed in both vascular cognitive disorder predementia (VCD-P) and amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI). In the period of VCD-P, the degree of cognitive decline was similar to aMCI, but they are different in the specific cognitive domains. However whether the differences in cognitive domains are related to the pattern of WM impairment hasn’t been illustrated. Hypothesized: The region or degree of WM impairment differs from VCD-P to aMCI. Methods: All subjects include 28 patients with VCD-P, 34 aMCI and 39 normal controls (NC) underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment and DTI. We compared fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD) and axial diffusivity (AxD) of whole brain WM regions. Then the diffusion tensor was reconstructed, analyzed by tract-based spatial statistics. Results: Patient groups exhibited significant differences in FA, MD and AxD, the VCD-P group has a lower FA, higher MD and AxD. The different FA and MD region between VCD-P and aMCI was in left anterior limb of internal capsule, bilateral corona radiata, corpus callosum, cerebral peduncle, external capsule, posterior limb of internal capsule, fornix, inferior longitidinal fasciculus, inferior and superior fronto-occipital fasciculus, whereas in AxD it was showed in bilateral corona radiata, internal capsule, external capsule, corpus callosum, posterior thalamic radiation and superior longitudinal fasciculus. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that VCD-P and aMCI have divergent topography of WM microstructural changes in the degree and the region, the WM integrity was impaired more severe in VCD-P. The differences in regions may illustrate the clinical and neuropsychological features characterized by executive or memory deficit. These findings provide insights into the biological mechanism of cognitive disorders and highlight the potential of DTI as the imaging biomarker for diagnosis. All authors report no conflicts of interest. This work was supported by the National Natural Science Funds of China (Grant No. 81301188).

Neural stem cells (NSCs) are multipotent, self-renewing and undifferentiated cells that have the ability to differentiate to both glial and neuronal lineages. miRNAs act a key role in regulating neuronal fate and self-renewal of NSCs. In this study, we found that ectopic expression of miR-765 promoted NSCs proliferation. Moreover, miR-765 overexpression increased the ki-67 and β-tubulin-III expression inNSCs. Overexpression of miR-765 inhibited the expression of GFAP in NSCs. Furthermore, Hes1 was identified as a direct target gene of miR-765 in NSCs. Overexpression of Hes1 decreased miR-765-induced proliferation of NSCs and inhibited NSCs differentiation to neurons in miR-765-treated NSCs. These results demonstrated that miR-765 acted a crucial role in NSCs differentiation and proliferation by inhibiting Hes1 expression.

Previous studies have demonstrated that amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) has disrupted properties of large-scale cortical networks based on cortical thickness and gray matter volume. However, it is largely unknown whether the topological properties of cortical networks based on geometric measures (i.e., sulcal depth, curvature, and metric distortion) change in aMCI patients compared with normal controls because these geometric features of cerebral cortex may be related to its intrinsic connectivity. Here, we compare properties in cortical networks constructed by six different morphological features in 36 aMCI participants and 36 normal controls. Six cortical features (3 volumetric and 3 geometric features) were extracted for each participant, and brain abnormities in aMCI were identified by cortical network based on graph theory method. All the cortical networks showed small-world properties. Regions showing significant differences mainly located in the medial temporal lobe and supramarginal and right inferior parietal lobe. In addition, we also found that the cortical networks constructed by cortical thickness and sulcal depth showed significant differences between the two groups. Our results indicated that geometric measure (i.e., sulcal depth) can be used to construct network to discriminate individuals with aMCI from controls besides volumetric measures.

Ligase detection reaction (LDR)–based methods are usually expensive procedures for detecting known single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Herein, we describe a novel and cost-effective genotyping method for detection of SNPs based on LDR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). PCR is used to amplify the region containing the site of the SNPs. In LDR, the 5′ end biotin-labeled allele specific discrimination probe and the 3′ end fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled detector probe will, when mediated by a thermal DNA ligase, link together. The LDR product will then be separated using streptavidin-coated nanoparticles and develop a blue color during ELISA. We used the LDR-ELISA method to detect SNPs for p53 gene codon 282 in 50 individuals. Our results showed 100% concordance between LDR-ELISA and DNA sequencing. Therefore, LDR-ELISA SNPs assay is a simple, accurate tool for SNP genotyping. * SNPs : single nucleotide polymorphisms ELISA : enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay LDR : ligase detection reaction FRET : fluorescence resonance energy transfer FITC : fluorescein isothiocyanate TMB : tetramethylbenzidine Tris : trisaminomethane dNTPs : deoxynucleotide triphosphates

Trace elements play a critical role in the pathogenesis of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The aim of this study was to investigate the serum levels of zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) in Chinese children with ASD. Sixty patients (48 males, 12 females) diagnosed with ASD and 60 healthy sex-matched and age-matched control participants were assessed for serum Zn and Cu content at admission. The severity of ASD was also evaluated using the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS) score. The results indicated that the mean serum Zn levels and Zn/Cu ratio were significantly lower in children with ASD compared with normal cases (P

Arsenic trioxide (As2O3) has been widely used in the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia and has been observed to exhibit therapeutic effects in various types of solid tumor. In a previous study by this group, it was shown that As2O3 induces the apoptosis of MCF-7 breast cancer cells through inhibition of the human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG) channel. The present study was designed to further investigate the effect of As2O3 on breast cancer cells and to examine the mechanism underlying the regulation of hERG expression. The present study confirmed that As2O3 inhibited tumor growth in vivo, following MCF-7 cell implantation into nude mice. Using computational prediction , it was identified that microRNA (miR)-328 had a binding site in the 3'-untranslated region of hERG mRNA. A luciferase activity assay demonstrated that hERG is a target gene of miR-328. Further investigation using western blot analysis and reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction revealed that As2O3 downregulated hERG expression via upregulation of miR-328 expression in MCF-7 cells. In conclusion, As2O3 was observed to inhibit breast cancer cell growth, at least in part, through the miR-328/hERG pathway.

Patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) are at an increased risk of further deterioration and eventually developing Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Therefore, the identification of specific markers for this disease such as radiological markers is of great diagnostic and clinical significance. Our previous work has shown that magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a powerful tool to identify unique imaging features in patients with aMCI. Herein, we calculated the gray matter volume by structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI), and spontaneous low frequency fluctuations (LFF) using resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) in 11 patients with aMCI and 22 normal control patients. Compared with the control group, patients with aMCI showed significant reduction of gray matter volume in the inferior frontal gyrus, inferior parietal lobule, anterior cingulated cortex, and insula and superior temporal gyrus. Patients with aMCI also showed significantly lower amplitudes of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) in the posterior cingulate cortex, precuneus, temporal gyrus and inferior parietal lobule when compared with the control group. However, in several other brain regions including the occipital lobe and cerebellum, the ALFF in patients with aMCI was significantly increased. The variation in ALFF between the two groups remained significant after adjustment for structural differences. Our results obtained in this pilot study are consistent with our previous finding and collectively show that patients with aMCI have abnormal MRI imaging findings. The pathological basis of these imaging features in patients with aMCI needs to be further explored.

AIM To explore the role of rs11053646 polymorphism of oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor 1 (OLR-1) gene in the susceptibility and prognosis of ischemic stoke (IS). METHODS A total of 304 IS patients and 377 age and sex-matched healthy controls were recruited. Patients were followed up for 6 months for recovery evaluation of stroke. Genotyping analyses of the rs11053646 G > C polymorphisms of OLR1 gene were performed. RESULTS The genotype frequencies and alleles frequencies at rs11053646 were significantly differed between stroke subjects and control subjects (both P < 0.001). The presence of CC genotype was significantly higher in IS subjects than in controls (38% vs. 25%, P = 0.001). Similarly, the C allele carriage in IS was significantly higher than controls (59% vs. 49%, P < 0.001). Regression analysis showed the CC homozygote had a significantly increased risk for stroke (adjusted OR = 2.080; P = 0.001). The genotype of rs11053646 were not associated with the IS subtype and severity at admission, but determine the clinical outcome at 6 months after discharge from hospital. CONCLUSION The rs11053646 polymorphism of OLR1 gene be used as a molecular marker for the susceptibility and prognosis of IS in Chinese population.

Compared to normal aging adults, individuals with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) have significantly increased risk for progressing into Alzheimer's disease (AD). Autopsy studies found that most of the brains of aMCI cases showed anatomical features associated with AD pathology. The recent development of non-invasive neuroimaging technique, such as diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), makes it possible to investigate the microstructures of the cerebral white matter in vivo. We hypothesized that disrupted white matter (WM) integrity existed in aMCI. So we used DTI technique, by measuring fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD), to test the brain structures involved in patients with aMCI. DTI scans were collected from 40 patients with aMCI, and 28 normal controls (NC). Tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) analyses of whole-brain FA and MD images in each individual and group comparisons were carried out. Compared to NC, aMCI patients showed significant FA reduction bilaterally, in the association and projection fibers of frontal, parietal, and temporal lobes, corpus callosum, bilateral corona radiation, right posterior thalamic radiation and right sagittal stratum. aMCI patients also showed significantly increased MD widespreadly in the association and projection fibers of frontal, parietal and temporal lobes, and corpus callosum. Assessment of the WM integrity of the frontal, parietal, temporal lobes, and corpus callosum by using DTI measures may aid early diagnosis of aMCI.

The rapidly increasing prevalence of cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease has the potential to create a major worldwide healthcare crisis. Structural MRI studies in patients with Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment are currently attracting considerable interest. It is extremely important to study early structural and metabolic changes, such as those in the hippocampus, entorhinal cortex, and gray matter structures in the medial temporal lobe, to allow the early detection of mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. The microstructural integrity of white matter can be studied with diffusion tensor imaging. Increased mean diffusivity and decreased fractional anisotropy are found in subjects with white matter damage. Functional imaging studies with positron emission tomography tracer compounds enable detection of amyloid plaques in the living brain in patients with Alzheimer's disease. In this review, we will focus on key findings from brain imaging studies in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease, including structural brain changes studied with MRI and white matter changes seen with diffusion tensor imaging, and other specific imaging methodologies will also be discussed.