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Objectives: This study aimed to determine whether the olfactory bulb height (OBH) measured using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has clinical utility as an imaging biomarker in the evaluation of patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease (iPD) through its correlation with movement impairment. Methods: This retrospective study included cognitively intact patients with suspected parkinsonism. All participants underwent T2-weighted imaging to measure OBH. Logistic regression was used to determine whether OBH was an independent risk factor for distinguishing iPD patients from disease controls, and its relation with clinical parameters related to motor impairment, including clinical laterality, modified Hoehn and Yahr (HY) stage, and Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) III score, was investigated. Results: Based on the final clinical diagnosis, 79 patients with iPD and 16 disease controls were included. The mean OBH was significantly smaller in iPD than in disease controls (p < 0.0001). OBH was a significant independent predictor of iPD, with a cutoff of 1.52 mm. In the comparison among the ipsilateral, contralateral side of iPD with clinical laterality, and disease control group, the OBH of the disease control group was significantly larger than both the ipsilateral and contralateral sides (P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in OBH between the ipsilateral and contralateral sides (p > 0.05). OBH according to HY stage was significantly smaller in HY stage 2–3 groups than in the disease control group (p < 0.001). The correlation analysis between UPDRS III and OBH showed a mild negative correlation (r = -0.32, p = 0.013). Conclusions: MRI-measured OBH is decreased in iPD regardless of age and sex and may be correlated with the progression of motor symptoms in the iPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agastache rugosa, a traditional Asian herbal medicine, is primarily used for digestive problems; yet, its cognitive benefits remain unexplored. This study evaluated the anti-amnesic effects of A. rugosa extract (ARE) on scopolamine (SCO)-induced memory impairment in mice. Mice received 100 or 200 mg/kg ARE orally for 5 days, followed by SCO injection. The ARE demonstrated significant antioxidant (DPPH IC50: 75.3 µg/mL) and anti-inflammatory effects (NO reduction). Furthermore, the ARE significantly improved memory performance in the passive avoidance test (escape latency: 157.2 s vs. 536.9 s), the novel object recognition test (novel object preference: 47.6% vs. 66.3%) and the Morris water maze (time spent in the target quadrant: 30.0% vs. 45.1%). The ARE reduced hippocampal acetylcholinesterase activity (1.8-fold vs. 1.1-fold) while increasing choline acetyltransferase (0.4-fold vs. 1.0-fold) and muscarinic acetylcholine receptor subtype I (0.3-fold vs. 1.6-fold) expression. The ARE improved hippocampal neurogenesis via doublecortin- (0.4-fold vs. 1.1-fold) and KI-67-positive (6.3 vs. 12.0) cells. Therefore, the ARE exerts protective effects against cognitive decline through cholinergic system modulation and antioxidant activity, supporting its potential use as a cognitive enhancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Longer follow-up after radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of benign thyroid nodules is needed to understand regrowth and other causes of delayed surgery and long-term complications. Methods: This retrospective study included consecutive patients treated with RFA for symptomatic benign nonfunctioning thyroid nodules between March 2007 and December 2010. RFA was performed according to the standard protocol. We followed up patients at 1, 6, and 12 months, then yearly, until August 2022, and calculated the volume reduction ratio (VRR) at each follow-up. We assessed the incidence of regrowth according to three published criteria, delayed surgery, and complications. The Kaplan–Meier method was used to evaluate the cumulative incidence of regrowth, and univariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors for regrowth. Results: This study included 421 patients (mean age, 47 ± 13 years; 372 women) with 456 nodules (mean volume, 21 ± 23 mL). The median follow-up period was 90 months (interquartile range, 24–143 months). The mean VRR was 81% at 2 years, 90% at 5 years, and 94% at ≥10 years. Overall regrowth was noted in 12% (53/456) of nodules and was treated with repeat RFA (n = 33) or surgery (n = 4) or left under observation (n = 16). Thyroid nodules with ≥20 mL initial volume had significantly higher risk of regrowth compared with nodules with <10 mL initial volume (hazard ratio, 2.315 [95% confidence interval, 1.183–4.530]; p = 0.014 on multivariable Cox regression analysis). Delayed surgery was performed in 6% (26/421) of patients because of regrowth and/or persistent symptoms (n = 4) or newly detected thyroid tumors (n = 22), one benign and 21 malignant. The overall complication rate was 2.4% (10/421), with no procedure-related deaths or long-term complications. Conclusion: RFA is safe and effective for treating benign thyroid nodules, with a high VRR at long-term follow-up. Regular follow-up after initial success is warranted because of the possibility of regrowth of ablated nodules and the need for delayed surgery in some patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive type of human brain tumor, with a poor prognosis and a median overall survival of fewer than 15 months. Glioma stem cells (GSCs) have recently been identified as a key player in tumor initiation and therapeutic resistance in GBM. ADAMTS family of metalloproteinases is known to cleave a wide range of extracellular matrix substrates and has been linked to tissue remodeling events in tumor development. Here, we investigate that ADAMTS3 regulates GSC proliferation and self‐renewal activities, and tumorigenesis in orthotopic xenograft models. Methods: ADAMTS3 mRNA expression levels in normal human astrocyte (NHA), glioma, and GSCs cell lines were compared. After knockdown of ADAMTS3, alamarBlue assay, in vitro limiting dilution, and orthotopic xenograft assays were performed. To investigate the tumor‐associated roles of ADAMTS3, several statistical assays were conducted using publicly available datasets. Results: ADAMTS3 level was remarkably higher in GSCs than in NHA, glioma cell lines, and their matched differentiated tumor cells. Interestingly, knockdown of ADAMTS3 disrupted GSC's proliferation, self‐renewal activity, and tumor formation in vivo. Furthermore, ADAMTS3 could be used as an independent predictor of malignancy progression in GBM. Conclusion: We identified ADAMTS3 as a potential therapeutic target for GBM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]