Sensory evoked potentials in patients with Rett syndrome through the lens of animal studies: Systematic review

ObjectiveSystematically review the abnormalities in event related potential (ERP) recorded in Rett Syndrome (RTT) patients and animals in search of translational biomarkers of deficits related to the particular neurophysiological processes of known genetic origin (MECP2 mutations).MethodsPubmed, ISI Web of Knowledge and BIORXIV were searched for the relevant articles according to PRISMA standards.ResultsERP components are generally delayed across all sensory modalities both in RTT patients and its animal model, while findings on ERPs amplitude strongly depend on stimulus properties and presentation rate. Studies on RTT animal models uncovered the abnormalities in the excitatory and inhibitory transmission as critical mechanisms underlying the ERPs changes, but showed that even similar ERP alterations in auditory and visual domains have a diverse neural basis. A range of novel approaches has been developed in animal studies bringing along the meaningful neurophysiological interpretation of ERP measures in RTT patients.ConclusionsWhile there is a clear evidence for sensory ERPs abnormalities in RTT, to further advance the field there is a need in a large-scale ERP studies with the functionally-relevant experimental paradigms.SignificanceThe review provides insights into domain-specific neural basis of the ERP abnormalities and promotes clinical application of the ERP measures as the non-invasive functional biomarkers of RTT pathophysiology.     

Peak C-reactive protein levels do not predict 30-day mortality for bacteremia: A retrospective cohort study

IntroductionAlthough peak C-reactive protein (CRP) levels are correlated with the prognosis of some diseases, there have been no reports regarding the association between peak CRP levels and mortality in patients with bacteremia. The present study aimed to determine the association between peak CRP levels and prognosis in patients with bacteremia.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study was conducted in a single tertiary hospital and included patients with bacteremia admitted to the emergency department from November 2012 to March 2017. Cox regression analysis was performed to examine the association between peak CRP levels and 30-day mortality. We also performed propensity score adjustment using potential confounding factors.ResultsOne hundred fifty-nine patients were included in the study. Peak CRP levels were significantly higher in the β-hemolytic streptococci (P = 0.001) and Streptococcus pneumoniae (P = 0.003) groups. The C-statistic of the multivariate logistic regression model for the propensity score was 0.88. For 30-day mortality, peak CRP levels >20 mg/dL did not show significance in the Cox regression analysis (hazard ratio, 0.866; 95% confidence interval, 0.489–1.537; P = 0.62). Even after propensity score adjustment, no significance was noted (hazard ratio, 0.865; 95% confidence interval, 0.399–1.876; P = 0.71).ConclusionsPeak CRP levels were not an independent predictor of mortality in patients with bacteremia in the emergency department. Clinicians should consider that patients with extremely high peak CRP levels do not necessarily have high mortality and vice versa.     

Emodin attenuates acute lung injury in Cecal-ligation and puncture rats

Acute lung injury (ALI) is a major cause of sepsis-induced acute respiratory failure. Emodin has been considered to play a protective role for acute lung edema in cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced sepsis model. In this study we aimed to investigate whether emodin could improve CLP-induced lung sepsis via regulating aquaporin (AQP) and tight junction (TJ), inflammatory factors, and pulmonary apoptosis. The results showed that sepsis-induced pulmonary pathological changes were significantly improved after emodin treatment. Emodin was found to upregulate AQP and TJ expression in the CLP model. Meanwhile, inflammatory cytokine release and pulmonary apoptosis was remarkably reduced after emodin treatment in lung sepsis. Our data demonstrated that emodin could suppresse inflammation, restore pulmonary epithelial barrier and reduce mortality in CLP-induced ALI, suggesting the potential therapeutic application of emodin in sepsis.     

The effects of grass pollen allergoid immunotherapy on clinical and immunological parameters in children with allergic rhinitis

Allergoid immunotherapy is a new form of allergen immunotherapy allowing safe administration of high allergen doses. There is limited information on the effects of allergoid immunotherapy in children with allergic rhinitis. To investigate the immunological and clinical effects of allergoid immunotherapy in children with allergic rhinitis due to grass pollen allergy. Children with allergic rhinitis were assigned to allergoid immunotherapy (n = 27) or control (n = 26, no immunotherapy) groups. Children in the immunotherapy group received seven injections of grass pollen allergoid immunotherapy before grass pollen season and continued to receive maintenance immunotherapy for 27 months. All patients were offered a pharmacotherapy regimen to be used on demand during the pollen seasons. Clinical and laboratory parameters were compared between the immunotherapy and control groups. The rhinoconjunctivitis symptom-medication score and asthma symptom score were lower in the immunotherapy group after 1 yr of maintenance immunotherapy (p < 0.01 for both). Skin test reactivity and nasal reactivity as determined by nasal provocation testing for grass pollen were significantly decreased after 1 yr of immunotherapy (p < 0.001 for both). The seasonal increase in bronchial reactivity and nasal lavage eosinophil cationic protein levels were prevented after the first year of immunotherapy (p < 0.05 for both). The seasonal increase in immunoglobulin (Ig)E decreased (p < 0.05) and grass-specific IgG, IgG(1) and IgG(4) increased significantly already at the end of the seven-injection build-up therapy (p < 0.001, for all). Interleukin (IL)-4 levels in the culture supernatants showed a steady decline from baseline at first and second year of immunotherapy (p < 0.001) but remained unchanged in the control group. Allergoid immunotherapy is an effective method in the treatment of grass pollen-induced allergic rhinitis in children and prevents the seasonal increase in bronchial hyper-reactivity. Changes in specific IgE and IgG levels and decreased IL-4 production in peripheral blood mononuclear cell culture supernatants may account for the observed clinical effects.     

CORRELATIONS BETWEEN VIDEO CAPSULE ENDOSCOPIC FINDINGS AND CLINICAL ACTIVITY IN CROHN’S DISEASE

Background and Aims: Video capsule endoscopy (VCE) has become increasingly important as a simple method for observing the entire small intestine. The indications for VCE are obscure gastrointestinal bleeding and investigation of Crohn’s disease (CD). However, the correlation between endoscopic findings obtained by VCE and clinical findings in known cases of CD is not clear, and we therefore investigated this in the present study. Patients and methods: In 30 patients with known CD (Crohn’s disease activity index [CDAI] 0–420; median = 158.3), double contrast enteroclysis (ENT) was performed 1–3 weeks prior to VCE. The relationship between the VCE findings and hematological analysis/CDAI was examined. Results: In 17 of 30 patients, the entire small intestine could be investigated by VCE, whereas in the remaining 13 patients the terminal ileum could not be investigated. The following exhibited positive correlations: total lesions and CDAI (correlation coefficient values: r_s = 0.661, adjusted P < 0.0061), ulcers and C‐reactive protein (CRP) (r_s = 0.607, adjusted P < 0.0061), total lesions and CRP (r_s = 0.604, adjusted P < 0.0061). Conclusions: Analysis with VCE suggests that CDAI and CRP indicate the activity of intestinal lesions in patients with known CD, and that CRP, in particular, is associated with the activity of ulcerative lesions of the intestine. This may contribute to revised guidelines for VCE in the future.     

谷氨酰胺转移酶对大豆分离蛋白成膜性能的影响

研究了谷氨酰胺转移酶（TGase）对大豆蛋白膜特性的影响。研究表明：在成膜溶液中加入TGase（4U／g）可以使膜的抗拉强度增加16．79，6，表面疏水性增加39．2％，同时也明显降低了膜的断裂伸长率、水分含量、总可溶性物质量及透光率，但是对水蒸气转移速率几无影响。扫描电镜（SEM）显示，酶法交联膜的表面比对照膜略为粗糙，断面却更为均匀致密。SDS-PAGE分析表明，TGase催化SPI产生了共价交联。     

单侧液压脑损伤对大鼠双侧海马GFAP表达和CA1区突触传递的影响

目的研究单侧液压脑损伤(FPI)对大鼠双侧海马区胶质纤维酸性蛋白(GFAP)表达和CA1区突触传递的影响。方法建立大鼠单侧液压脑损伤模型,脑标本分为对照组(包括正常对照和假手术对照)、FPI损伤同侧组和FPI损伤对侧组。免疫组化法检测海马水平切片GFAP表达,对海马CA1区锥体神经元进行细胞内记录。结果FPI大鼠双侧海马齿状回门区和CA1区GFAP表达均比对照组明显增强。FPI损伤同侧组兴奋性输入-输出关系曲线的斜率比其他两组显著增大(P<0.05);FPI损伤同侧组和对侧组双脉冲易化(PPF)比值和抑制性突触后电位(IPSP)幅值均比对照组显著减小(P<0.05);FPI损伤同侧组和对侧组双脉冲抑制(PPD)比值均比对照组显著增大(P<0.05)。结论大鼠单侧液压脑损伤对双侧海马均可产生影响,导致双侧海马CA1区兴奋性突触传递增强,抑制性突触传递减弱。     

不同组织膜蛋白及二甲基亚砜对小脑颗粒细胞突起生长的影响

目的探讨不同组织膜蛋白提取物和二甲基亚砜对大鼠小脑颗粒细胞（CGC）突起生长的影响。方法提取成年大鼠肝、坐骨神经和脑白质的组织膜蛋白包被盖片，接种CGC于盖片上，同时将二甲基亚砜（DMSO）作为添加剂加入培养液，观察CGC突起的生长。结果①脑白质膜蛋白能明显抑制CGC突起的生长，随浓度增加抑制效应更加明显；坐骨神经膜蛋白对CGC突起生长抑制不明显，肝组织膜蛋白则能促进突起生长；②随DMSO浓度升高CGC突起生长逐渐受到抑制，当DMSO浓度小于1％时，CGC突起长度与对照对照差别不大。结论脑白质膜蛋白对CGC突起生长有明显抑制作用，而DMSO添加到培养液中在低浓度时不会显著影响神经元突起生长，可用于检测药物及疏水性分子对体外培养的神经细胞突起生长的作用。     

骨形成蛋白2基因修饰的老年大鼠骨髓间充质干细胞成骨分化能力的研究

目的观察年龄因素对骨髓间充质干细胞(marrow mesenchymal stem cells, MSCs)成骨分化能力的影响;了解基因治疗对老年大鼠MSCs成骨分化能力的影响. 方法 1月龄(幼年组)、9月龄(成年组)及24月龄(老年组)雄性Wistar大鼠各6只,取MSCs经体外分离、培养及携带骨形成蛋白2(bone morphogenetic protein 2,BMP-2)基因的腺病毒载体(Ad-BMP-2)转染后,定量检测BMP-2、碱性磷酸酶(alkaline phosphate,ALP)表达,以及成骨细胞标志性蛋白:Ⅰ型胶原、骨涎蛋白(bone sialoprotein,BSP)和骨桥素(osteopontin, OPN)的表达.将转染的各组MSCs分别与磷酸三钙(tricalcium phosphate, TCP)复合后植入裸鼠体内,3周后取材,比较各组诱导异位成骨能力. 结果 ELISA检测表明BMP-2基因修饰的MSCs可以有效表达BMP-2,且表达量在各年龄组间差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);各组ALP于诱导后第9天达高峰,但组间差异均无统计学意义(P＞0.05);诱导后第7天,RT-PCR半定量检测示各组均有成骨细胞特征性蛋白,即:Ⅰ型胶原、OPN及BSP的明显表达,表达量在各组间差异无统计学意义(P>0.05);BMP-2基因转染的MSCs与TCP复合后可诱导裸鼠体内异位成骨,各组成骨量差异无统计学意义(P>0.05). 结论 BMP-2基因修饰的老年大鼠MSCs可以恢复成骨分化能力,基因治疗可能为老年性骨骼疾病提供一种新的治疗途径.     

hs-CRP、TAS联合血脂检测在早老性痴呆症诊断中的应用研究

[目的]研究超敏C反应蛋白（hs-CRP）、总抗氧化状态（TAS）联合血脂检测在早老性痴呆症诊断中的应用价值：[方法]选择浦东新区精神卫生中心早老性痴呆专科门诊患者54例，作超敏C反应蛋白、总抗氧化状态与血脂检测。[结果]与对照组比较，实验组hs-CRP、TAS差异非常显著，t1=4．55，t2=2．79，P1〈0．001，P2〈0．01；血脂中甘油三酯、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇、载脂蛋白B、Lp（a）差异显著；t1=3.01，P1〈0．01，t2=2．21，P2〈0．05，t3=2．64，P3〈0．01，t4=1．91，P4〈0．05。[结论]超敏C反应蛋白、总抗氧化状态联合血脂（甘油三酯、低密度脂蛋白胆固醇、载脂蛋白B、Lp（a））检测对实验室诊断早老性痴呆症具有较好敏感性和特异性，临床应用前景乐观。