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Abstract Lead‐free halide perovskites possess excellent photoelectric properties, making them widely used in the photoelectric fields. Herein, lead‐free double perovskite crystals (PCs) doped with manganese (Cs2NaInCl6:Mn2+) are successfully prepared by the more energy‐efficient crystallization method. The crystals emit bright orange‐red light under the ultraviolet (UV) lamp, showing unique optical properties. They have the highest photoluminescence quantum yield of 42.91%. The white light‐emitting diodes (LEDs) are fabricated using these perovskite crystals, which show a color rendering index of 92 and external quantum efficiency (EQE) as high as 16.3%. Furtherly, perovskite‐modified fiber paper made of aramid chopped fibers (ACFs) and polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) exhibited fluorescent properties under different conditions. This paper combines fiber composite technology with PPS fiber filter bags, which are widely used in environmental protection, for the first time and demonstrates functional fiber filter bags with fluorescent characteristics. This filter bag provides an idea for the automatic detection of industrial filtration. Meanwhile, after being exposed to industrial waste gas for 60 h, the filter bag can maintain superior fluorescence performance. In this study, lead‐free double perovskites are synthesized using an efficient method for preparing high‐performance LEDs and high‐stability fluorescent fibers. Concurrently, the application of perovskites in environmental protection is expanded.

ABSTRACT Aims/Introduction This study investigated the roles of voltage‐dependent anion channel 1‐related differentially expressed genes (VRDEGs) in diabetic nephropathy (DN). Materials and Methods We downloaded two datasets from patients with DN, namely, GSE30122 and GSE30529, from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. VRDEGs associated with DN were obtained from the intersection of voltage‐dependent anion channel 1‐related genes from the GeneCards database, and differentially expressed genes were screened according to group (DN/healthy) in the two datasets. The enriched pathways of the VRDEGs were analyzed. Hub genes were selected using a protein–protein interaction network, and their predictive value was verified through receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. The CIBERSORTx software examined hub genes and immune cell infiltration associations. The protein expression of hub genes was verified through immunohistochemistry in 16‐week‐old db/db mice for experimentation as a model of type 2 DN. Finally, potential drugs targeting hub genes that inhibit DN development were identified. Results A total of 57 VRDEGs were identified. The two datasets showed high expression of the PI3K, Notch, transforming growth factor‐β, interleukin‐10 and interleukin‐17 pathways in DN. Five hub genes (ITGAM, B2M, LYZ, C3 and CASP1) associated with DN were identified and verified. Immunohistochemistry showed that the five hub genes were highly expressed in db/db mice, compared with db/m mice. The infiltration of immune cells was significantly correlated with the five hub genes. Conclusions Five hub genes were significantly correlated with immune cell infiltration and might be crucial to DN development. This study provides insight into the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of DN.

Abstract Background Complement component 3a and its receptor (C3a/C3aR) and the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein-3 (NLRP3) inflammasome contribute to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). However, the relationship between C3a/C3aR and the NLRP3 inflammasome in EMT remains unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the roles of C3a/C3aR and the NLRP3 inflammasome involved in TGF-β-induced EMT. Method Mouse renal tubular epithelial cells (TCMK-1) were exposed to C3a and TGF-β for 48 h. C3aR antagonist, MCC950, an inhibitor of the NLRP3 inflammasome and PD98059, an inhibitor of ERK signaling, were respectively applied to pretreat the cells at 30 min before C3a and TGF-β administration.The cells were collected for western blot, immunofluorescence staining and ELISA. Unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) models were established using male C57BL/6 wild-type (WT) mice and age-matched C3aR-deficient mice. MCC950 was intraperitoneally injected in UUO mice. Kidney samples were collected for immunohistochemistry staining. Results In vitro, C3a synergized with TGF-β to promote EMT and the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Inhibition of C3aR attenuated EMT and the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome alleviated EMT but didn’t affect the expression of C3aR. Inhibition of ERK signaling inhibited the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. In vivo, the expression of IL-1β was significantly higher in UUO mice compared to the sham-operated mice. C3aR deficiency and inhibition of the NLRP3 Inflammasome contributed to decreased IL-1β in UUO mice. Conclusion Our data revealed that C3a/C3aR synergies with TGF-β to activate the NLRP3 inflammasome to promote epithelial-mesenchymal transition of renal tubular epithelial cells through ERK signaling, and the way in which C3aR activates the inflammasome is to promote the assembly of the NLRP3 inflammasome.

Abstract The pathological accumulation of α‐synuclein (α‐Syn) and the transmission of misfolded α‐Syn underlie α‐synucleinopathies. Increased plasma α‐Syn levels are associated with cognitive impairment in Parkinson's disease, multiple system atrophy, and dementia with Lewy bodies, but it is still unknown whether the cognitive deficits in α‐synucleinopathies have a common vascular pathological origin. Here, it is reported that combined injection of α‐Syn preformed fibrils (PFFs) in the unilateral substantia nigra pars compacta, hippocampus, and cerebral cortex results in impaired spatial learning and memory abilities at 6 months post‐injection and that this cognitive decline is related to cerebral microvascular injury. Moreover, insoluble α‐Syn inclusions are found to form in primary mouse brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMVECs) through lymphocyte‐activation gene 3 (Lag3)‐dependent α‐Syn PFFs endocytosis, causing poly(ADP‐ribose)‐driven cell death and reducing the expression of tight junction proteins in BMVECs. Knockout of Lag3 in vitro prevents α‐Syn PFFs from entering BMVECs, thereby reducing the abovementioned response induced by α‐Syn PFFs. Deletion of endothelial cell‐specific Lag3 in vivo reverses the negative effects of α‐Syn PFFs on cerebral microvessels and cognitive function. In short, this study reveals the effectiveness of targeting Lag3 to block the spread of α‐Syn fibrils to endothelial cells in order to improve cognition.

Summary: α-Synuclein preformed fibrils (α-syn PFF) in the blood can cross the blood–brain barrier and invade the central nervous system. Our previous study proved that α-syn PFF can be taken up by brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMVECs). Here, we found that α-syn PFF spread from BMVECs to pericytes with the highest transmission efficiency. We observed abundant tunneling nanotubes (TNTs) connecting BMVECs and pericytes, and α-syn PFF transmitted through these TNTs. Furthermore, α-syn PFF accumulation in BMVECs did not promote TNT formation, but activated the molecular motor Myo1d. Inhibition of Myo1d prevented α-syn PFF transfer from BMVECs to pericytes and decreased the colocalization of Myo1d and F-actin in BMVECs. In summary, we are the first to demonstrate that α-syn PFF spread from BMVECs to pericytes through a mechanism involving TNTs and myosin. Targeting Myo1d may be a promising approach to prevent α-syn spreading from the blood to the brain.

Background: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a potential treatment option for Parkinson’s disease patients with depression (DPD), but conflicting results in previous studies have questioned its efficacy. Method: To investigate the safety and efficacy of neuronavigated high-frequency rTMS at the left DLPFC in DPD patients, we conducted a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled study (NCT04707378). Sixty patients were randomly assigned to either a sham or active stimulation group and received rTMS for ten consecutive days. The primary outcome was HAMD, while secondary outcomes included HAMA, MMSE, MoCA and MDS-UPDRS-III. Assessments were performed at baseline, immediately after treatment, 2 weeks, and 4 weeks post-treatment. Results: The GEE analysis showed that the active stimulation group had significant improvements in depression, anxiety, and motor symptoms at various time points. Specifically, there were significant time-by-group interaction effects in depression immediately after treatment (β, −4.34 [95% CI, −6.90 to −1.74; P = 0.001]), at 2 weeks post-treatment (β, −3.66 [95% CI, −6.43 to −0.90; P = 0.010]), and at 4 weeks post-treatment (β, −4.94 [95% CI, −7.60 to −2.29; P

Changes in altitude have a long-term and profound impact on mountain forest ecosystems. However, there have been few reports on changes in soil carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus contents (SCNPC) along altitudinal gradients in subtropical karst mountain forests, as well as on the factors influencing such changes. We selected five Pinus massoniana forests with an altitudinal gradient in the karst mountain area of Southwest China as research objects and analyzed the changes in SCNPC along the altitudinal gradient, as well as the influencing factors behind these changes. Soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, and available nitrogen contents first increased and then decreased with increasing altitude, whereas the contents of total phosphorus and available phosphorus showed no obvious trend. In the karst mountain P. massoniana forest, SCNPC in the topsoil is most significantly affected by total glomalin-related soil protein (TG) and soil moisture content (SMC) (cumulative explanatory rate was 45.28–77.33%), indicating that TG and SMC are important factors that affect SCNPC in the karst mountain P. massoniana forest. In addition, the main environmental factors that affect SCNPC in the subsoil showed significant differences. These results may provide a better scientific reference for the sustainable management of the subtropical mountain P. massoniana forest.

Ba2La2.85-xTb0.15Smx(SiO4)3F (BLSOF:0.15Tb3+,xSm3+) is a polychromatic phosphor with an apatite structure that was manufactured through a solid-state process. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and a scanning electron microscope (SEM) were utilized to examine the phosphor's phase and morphology. Using the Rietveld technique, the as-prepared phosphor structure was validated. By progressively raising the doping contents of the samarium, the phosphors emitted multicoloured luminescence from short to long wavelengths as indicated by analysis of the optical performance. Overall, the data provide strong evidence that the transfer of energy in BLSOF:0.15Tb3+,xSm3+ is responsible for the phosphor's colour-tunable property.

BackgroundsBile acid (BA) plays a crucial role in various neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson's disease (PD). However, no clinical evidence supports BA's potential role in patients with PD with mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI).ObjectivesThis study aimed at investigating the differential BA profile between patients with PD-MCI and those with normal cognitive function (PD-NC).MethodsUltra-high performance liquid chromatography-MS/MS was applied for BA quantitation. After between-group differences of the BA profile were addressed, orthogonal projections to latent structures—discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) and the area under the receiver-operating-characteristic curve (AUC-ROC) were implemented for further verification.ResultsLower levels of chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA), cholic acid (CA), and ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) were significantly associated with PD-MCI (p < 0.01 for both; VIP ≈ 2.67, 1.66, and 1.26, respectively). AUC-ROC were 78.1, 74.2, and 74.5% for CDCA, CA, and UDCA, respectively.ConclusionCA, CDCA, and UDCA might be distinct BA signatures for patients with PD-MCI.

ObjectiveTo investigate white matter microstructural alterations in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with depression using the whole-brain diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) method and to explore the DTI–based machine learning model in identifying depressed PD (dPD).MethodsThe DTI data were collected from 37 patients with dPD and 35 patients with non-depressed PD (ndPD), and 25 healthy control (HC) subjects were collected as the reference. An atlas-based analysis method was used to compare fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) among the three groups. A support vector machine (SVM) was trained to examine the probability of discriminating between dPD and ndPD.ResultsAs compared with ndPD, dPD group exhibited significantly decreased FA in the bilateral corticospinal tract, right cingulum (cingulate gyrus), left cingulum hippocampus, bilateral inferior longitudinal fasciculus, and bilateral superior longitudinal fasciculus, and increased MD in the right cingulum (cingulate gyrus) and left superior longitudinal fasciculus-temporal part. For discriminating between dPD and ndPD, the SVM model with DTI features exhibited an accuracy of 0.70 in the training set [area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was 0.78] and an accuracy of 0.73 in the test set (area under the ROC was 0.71).ConclusionDepression in PD is associated with white matter microstructural alterations. The SVM machine learning model based on DTI parameters could be valuable for the individualized diagnosis of dPD.

Livestream shopping has become the focus of current marketing practises, while theoretical research on it is still in initial stages. Thus, from the para-social interaction (PSI) theory perspective, this study draws on cognitive–affective system theory as an analytical framework to explore internal mechanisms of how anchors' characteristics influence consumer behavioural intentions in livestream shopping while considering the characteristics of consumer online interaction propensity. We conducted a survey questionnaire with a sample of 355 consumers who experienced livestream shopping and used structural equation modelling to assess their behavioural intentions. Our results reveal that anchors' physical attractiveness, social attractiveness, and professional ability influence consumers' intentions to follow the authors' suggestions and recommend anchors to others during live streams. PSI and affective trust in anchors are the chain-mediation mechanisms. Furthermore, consumers' online interaction propensity positively moderates the influence of anchors' characteristics on PSI and plays a moderating role on the whole chain mediation. However, this only affects anchors' physical attractiveness and social attractiveness while exert no effect on anchors' professional ability. This study advances the theoretical research on livestream shopping and provides practical inspiration for managers to develop more targeted livestream marketing strategies.

Background: Abnormal spontaneous neural activity is often found in patients with Parkinson’s disease with mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI). However, the frequency dependence of neuronal interaction activities, especially the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) and degree centrality (DC), in PD-MCI is still unclear. Thus, this study aimed to explore the frequency dependence of PD-MCI based on fALFF and DC maps.Methods: Twenty-four patients with PD-MCI, 42 PD patients with normal cognition (PD-NC), and 33 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled. Neuropsychological assessments and resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) were performed. The fALFF and DC values in the conventional, slow4 and slow5 frequency bands were compared among the groups.Results: In the conventional frequency band, the DC value in the left precentral area was decreased in PD-MCI patients, while that in the right fusiform area was increased in PD-NC patients compared with HCs. Regarding fALFFs, both the PD-MCI and PD-NC patients had decreased values in the right precentral area compared with those of the HCs. The fALFFs did not differ between PD-MCI and PD-NC patients. The fALFF results in the slow4 subfrequency band were consistent with those in the conventional frequency band. In the slow5 band, the DC value in the left middle temporal lobe was higher in PD-MCI patients than in PD-NC patients and was positively correlated with the performance of the PD-MCI patients on the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Additionally, both PD-MCI and PD-NC patients showed lower fALFF values in the bilateral putamen than the HCs, and the fALFF in the bilateral putamen was negatively correlated with the Hoehn and Yahr stages of PD-MCI. The fALFF in the left putamen was negatively correlated with the scores of PD-MCI patients on the Movement Disorder Society-Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale Part III (MDS-UPRDS-III).Conclusion: Our results suggested that abnormal neuronal activities, such as fALFF and DC, are dependent on frequency in PD-MCI. Some subfrequency bands could distinguish PD-MCI from PD. Our findings may be helpful for further revealing the frequency-dependent resting functional disruption in PD-MCI.

Abstract Background Dopamine agonists (DAs) are efficacious for the treatment of motor and nonmotor symptoms in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). The treatment of PD with DAs is often complicated by adverse drug reactions (ADRs) of dopaminergic and non-dopaminergic origins. The DA piribedil is widely used in Asian, European, and Latin American countries; therefore, its ADRs are pertinent to clinicians. Here we present a rare case of hypotension and bradycardia that is significantly related to the dosage of piribedil. Case presentation A middle-aged male, diagnosed with PD, received dopamine replacement with piribedil. When taking 50 mg piribedil daily dose, the patient didn’t feel any discomfort. Two hours after taking 100 mg piribedil he presented with serious concomitant hypotension and bradycardia with a blood pressure (BP) reading of 85/48 mmHg and a heart rate (HR) of 45 beats/min when sitting. After taking 75 mg piribedil, the patient showed the same symptoms with BP reading at 70/45 mmHg and HR of 47 beats/min in the same position. Upon replacing treatment with pramipexole 0.125 mg, 0.25 mg, and 0.375 mg three times a day, no further cardiovascular effects persisted. Conclusions No studies have previously reported the simultaneous observation of position-unrelated hypotension and bradycardia after taking small doses of piribedil. More studies are needed to explore the effects of DAs on BP and HR, especially piribedil. Piribedil is efficacious for the treatment of PD, but it is important to weigh the potential risk of hypotension and bradycardia against the clinical benefits of this drug.

This study aimed to investigate the influence of serum folate, vitamin B12 (VitB12) levels, and inflammation-based scores on the motor performance status in Parkinson's disease (PD). We retrospectively collected data from 148 consecutive patients with idiopathic PD first admitted to our hospital. We measured whole blood count, albumin, lactate dehydrogenase, C-reactive protein, folate, and VitB12 levels and calculated the inflammation-based scores. The following scales were applied to assess the motor performance status: activity of daily living scale (ADL, the Barthel Index), the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part III (UPDRS-III), and Hoehn–Yahr (H–Y) classification. The geometric mean of folate and VitB12 levels were 11.87 (ng/ml) and 330.52 (pmol/L), respectively. Folate deficiency (serum level < 4.0 ng/ml) and VitB12 deficiency (serum level < 133 pg/ml) were present in 0.7 and 5.4% of the patients, respectively. The mean prognostic nutritional index (PNI) and systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) were 47.78 ± 4.42 and 470.81 ± 254.05, respectively. The multivariate analyses showed that serum VitB12 level (P = 0.002) and SII (P = 0.005) were significant factors for ADL score; serum folate (P = 0.027) and VitB12 (P = 0.037) levels for UPDRS-III score; and serum folate (P = 0.066) and VitB12 (P = 0.017) levels for H–Y classification. The elevated folate level did correlate with greater decline in UPDRS-III score (P = 0.023) and H–Y classification (P = 0.003), whereas there was an obvious increase in ADL score (P = 0.048). SII was negatively associated (P < 0.001) with the ADL score. The three-dimensional drawing, combined with the effect of folate and VitB12 levels, showed that the lowest level of folate was associated with the lowest ADL score and the highest UPDRS-III score and H–Y classification. This study indicates that serum folate, VitB12 levels, and SII are significant factors influencing the motor performance status in patients with PD. SII is negatively associated with ADL. Elevated serum folate level correlates with mild motor impairment in patients with PD.

Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disease worldwide and involves deficiencies in alpha-synuclein (α-Syn) degradation. Effective therapeutic strategies for PD are urgently needed. L-asparaginase (L-ASNase) has been developed for therapeutic applications in many fields because it catalyzes the hydrolysis of asparagine and glutamine in cancer cells, which may also activate autophagy and induce the degradation of accumulated α-Syn. However, the efficacy and related mechanism of L-ASNase in PD remain poorly understood.Methods: We determined the correlation between L-ASNase and autophagic degradation of α-Syn in a cell model of PD. Mitochondrial function and apoptosis were examined in the presence or absence of L-ASNase. Then, we applied GC-MS/MS targeted amino acid metabolomics analysis to validate the amino acid regulation induced by L-ASNase treatment. Glutamine was added to verify whether the neuroprotective effect was induced by deprivation of glutamine. α-Syn-related autophagy and mitochondrial fusion/fission dynamics were detected to explore the mechanism of L-ASNase-based therapy in PD.Results: L-ASNase activated the autophagic degradation of α-Syn in a cell model of PD without cytotoxicity at specific concentrations/times. Under these conditions, L-ASNase showed substantial neuroprotective effects, including improvements in mitochondrial function and decreased apoptosis. Through GC-MS/MS targeted analysis, glutamine metabolism was identified as the target of L-ASNase in PD treatment, and the neuroprotective effect of L-ASNase was reduced after glutamine supplementation.Conclusions: Our study demonstrated for the first time that L-ASNase had a neuroprotective effect on a cell model of PD through a moderate deprivation of glutamine, which induced autophagic activation and mitochondrial fusion. Therefore, we demonstrated that L-ASNase could be a promising and effective drug for PD treatment.

Summary: G3BP RNA-binding proteins are important components of stress granules (SGs). Here, we analyze the role of the Drosophila G3BP Rasputin (RIN) in unstressed cells, where RIN is not SG associated. Immunoprecipitation followed by microarray analysis identifies over 550 mRNAs that copurify with RIN. The mRNAs found in SGs are long and translationally silent. In contrast, we find that RIN-bound mRNAs, which encode core components of the transcription, splicing, and translation machinery, are short, stable, and highly translated. We show that RIN is associated with polysomes and provide evidence for a direct role for RIN and its human homologs in stabilizing and upregulating the translation of their target mRNAs. We propose that when cells are stressed, the resulting incorporation of RIN/G3BPs into SGs sequesters them away from their short target mRNAs. This would downregulate the expression of these transcripts, even though they are not incorporated into stress granules. : Laver et al. show that in early embryos, Rasputin, the Drosophila G3BP ortholog, binds short mRNAs and is associated with polysomes. They provide evidence for a direct role for Rasputin and its human homologs in stabilizing and upregulating the translation of their target mRNAs. Keywords: RNA-binding protein, post-transcriptional regulation, mRNA translation, mRNA stability, stress granule, Drosophila, embryo, G3BP, Rasputin

Background and Aim: Gut bacteria play an important role in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the alteration of fecal microbiota in PD with cognitive impairment remains unexplored. This study aimed to explore whether the gut microbiota of patients with PD having mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI) were different from those with PD having normal cognition (PD-NC) and from healthy controls (HC). Also, the study probed the association between altered gut microbiota and cognitive ability in patients with PD.Methods: The fecal bacteria composition and short-chain fatty acids of 13 patients with PD-MCI, 14 patients with PD-NC, and 13 healthy spouses were analyzed using 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry.Results: Compared with HC, the fecal microbial diversities increased in patients with PD-MCI and PD-NC. After adjusting the influence of age, sex, body mass index, education, and constipation using the statistical method, the relative abundances of two families (Rikenellaceae and Ruminococcaceae) and four genera (Alistipes, Barnesiella, Butyricimonas, and Odoribacter) were found to be higher in the feces of the PD-MCI group compared with the other two groups. Moreover, the abundance of genus Blautia and Ruminococcus decreased obviously in the PD-MCI group compared with the PD-NC group. Further, the abundance of genera Butyricimonas, Barnesiella, Alistipes, Odoribacter, and Ruminococcus negatively correlated with cognition ability.Conclusion: Compared with HC and patients with PD-NC, the gut microbiota of patients with PD-MCI was significantly altered, particularly manifesting in enriched genera from Porphyromonadaceae family and decreased the abundance of genera Blautia and Ruminococcus.

Abstract Background Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia. However, none of medical treatment can stop or reverse the underlying neurodegenerative of AD at present. Acupuncture has attracted more and more attention in recent years due to its efficacy and very few side effects. Lately, a systematic review has thought that the evidence on the effectiveness of acupuncture in improving the cognitive function of AD patients was not powerful enough. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the efficacy and safety of acupuncture in patients with mild to moderate AD. Methods This was a randomized, controlled, parallel-group, exploratory study with 4-week baseline (T0), 12-week treatment phase (T1) and 12-week follow-up period (T2). Patients with mild to moderate AD meeting the included criteria were randomly allocated into either acupuncture or donepezil hydrochloride groups. The acupuncture group(AG) was given acupuncture treatment three times per week and the donepezil hydrochloride group(DG) group was administered donepezil hydrochloride once daily (5 mg/day for the first 4 weeks and 10 mg/day thereafter). Primary efficacy was measured using Alzheimer’s disease Assessment Scale-Cognitive (ADAS-cog) and Clinician’s Interview-Based Impression of Change-Plus (CIBIC-Plus). The second outcomes were measured with 23-Item Alzheimer’s disease Cooperative Study Activities of Daily Living Scales (ADAS-ADL23) and Neuropsychiatric Index (NPI). Results Of 87 participants enrolled in the study, 79 patients finished their treatment and follow-up processes. The ADAS-cog scores for AG group showed obvious decreases at T2 and ∆(T2-T0)when compared with DG group, and significant between-group differences were detected (all p

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common progressive neurodegenerative disease and is mainly caused by dopamine neuron degeneration in the substantia nigra pars compacta of the human brain. It has become "the third killer" after tumor and cardio-cerebrovascular disease in middle-aged and elderly people at present. In recent years, the development of multimodal MRI [including structural MRI (sMRI), functional MRI (fMRI), diffusion tension imaging (DTI), etc.] and the introduction of complex network analysis based on graph theory provide a new and effective method for researchers to explore the changes of brain structure and function in PD patients. The article mainly reviews the research progress of structural and functional brain networks in PD patients that are established based on multimodal MRI and complex network analysis based on graph theory, so as to provide new imaging markers for the early diagnosis of PD. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-6731.2017.01.004

Objectives: This study was designed to explore changes in cortical thickness in patients with early Parkinson’s disease (PD) at different Hoehn and Yahr (H-Y) stages and to demonstrate the association of abnormally altered brain regions with part III of the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS-III).Materials and Methods: Sixty early PD patients and 29 age- and gender-matched healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled in this study. All PD patients underwent comprehensive clinical and neuropsychological evaluations and 3.0 T magnetic resonance scanning. Patients with H-Y stage ≤1.5 were included in the mild group, and all other patients were included in the moderate group. FreeSurfer software was used to calculate cortical thickness. We assessed the relationship between UPDRS-III and regional changes in cortical thinning, including the bilateral fusiform and the temporal lobe.Results: The average cortical thickness of the temporal pole, fusiform gyrus, insula of the left hemisphere and fusiform gyrus, isthmus cingulate cortex, inferior temporal gyrus, middle temporal cortex and posterior cingulate cortex of the right hemisphere exhibited significant decreasing trends in HCs group and PD groups (i.e., the mild group and moderate group). After controlling for the effects of age, gender, and disease duration, the UPDRS-III scores in patients with early PD were correlated with the cortical thickness of the left and right fusiform gyrus and the left temporal pole (p < 0.05).Conclusion: The average cortical thickness of specific brain regions reduced with increasing disease severity in early PD patients at different H-Y stages, and the UPDRS-III scores of early PD patients were correlated with cortical thickness of the bilateral fusiform gyrus and the left temporal pole.

A viable short FITC-peptide immobilization is the most essential step in the fabrication of multilayer films based on FITC-peptide. These functional multilayer films have potential applications in drug delivery, medical therapy, and so forth. These FITC-peptides films needed to be handled with a lot of care and precision due to their sensitive nature. In this study, a general immobilization method is reported for the purpose of stabilizing various kinds of peptides at the interfacial regions. Utilizing Mesoporous silica nanoparticles can help in the preservation of these FITC-peptides by embedding themselves into these covalently cross-linked multilayers. This basic outlook of the multilayer films is potent enough and could be reused as a positive substrate. The spatio-temporal retention property of peptides can be modulated by varying the number of capping layers. The release speed of guest molecules such as tyrosine within FITC-peptide or/and adamantane (Ad)-in short peptides could also be fine-tuned by the specific arrangements of the multilayers of mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) and hyaluronic acid- cyclodextrin (HA-CD) multilayer films.

The effects of temperature and wavelength choice on in-situ dissolution test instrument of Cimetidine were studied. Absorbance (A)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the hydrolyzation of aspirin during the process of dissolution testing for aspirin delayed-release tablets. Hydrolysis product of salicylic acid can result in adverse effects and affect the determination of dissolution rate assaying. In this study, the technique of differential spectra was employed, which made it possible to monitor the dissolution testing in situ. The results showed that the hydrolyzation of aspirin made the percentage of salicylic acid exceed the limit of free salicylic acid (4.0), and the hydrolyzation may affect the quality detection of aspirin delayed-release tablets. Keywords: Aspirin delayed-release tablets, Drug dissolution test, Fiber-optic dissolution system, UVâvis spectrum

The layer-by-layer technique was exploited to adjust the magnitude of the host–guest interactions between adamantane and cyclodextrin. The effect depends on numerous complex and changeable growth profiles of the films and the number of bilayers. These composite films of mesoporous silica nanoparticles and hyaluronic acid–cyclodextrin(HA-CD) were constructed to load the fluorescent dyes and peptides. The release rates of these molecules would decrease with an increase in the number of layers. A laser scanning confocal microscope was utilized to obtain the diffusion coefficient of fluorescein isothiocyanate. Hybrid films could be applied to increase the loading of different kinds of molecules and could also be integrated into the lamination to delay the rate of release.

Background. To diagnose Parkinson disease (PD) in an early stage and accurately evaluate severity, it is important to develop a sensitive method for detecting structural changes in the substantia nigra (SN). Method. Seventy-two untreated patients with early PD and 72 healthy controls underwent diffusion tensor and diffusion kurtosis imaging. Regions of interest were drawn in the rostral, middle, and caudal SN by two blinded and independent raters. Mean kurtosis (MK) and fractional anisotropy in the SN were compared between the groups. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and Spearman correlation analyses were used to compare the diagnostic accuracy and correlate imaging findings with Hoehn-Yahr (H-Y) staging and part III of the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS-III). Result. MK in the SN was increased significantly in PD patients compared with healthy controls. The area under the ROC curve was 0.976 for MK in the SN (sensitivity, 0.944; specificity, 0.917). MK in the SN had a positive correlation with H-Y staging and UPDRS-III scores. Conclusion. Diffusion kurtosis imaging is a sensitive method for PD diagnosis and severity evaluation. MK in the SN is a potential biomarker for imaging studies of early PD that can be widely used in clinic.