线性法测量皮质下缺血性血管病患者脑萎缩及其与认知损害的相关性分析

目的通过线性法测量皮质下缺血性血管病(SIVD)患者脑萎缩,分析其与认知功能损害的相关性。方法共纳入SIVD组50例,健康对照组50例。所有入组对象均完成一般情况评定、Mo CA量表评估认知功能、头颅MRI检查,线性法进行脑萎缩测量。结果 SIVD组代表脑室系统横径的测量值及脑沟测量值,除桥池宽度外,均较对照组显著增大(P 0. 05)。SIVD组的脑萎缩测量相对值除脑干指数外,均显著高于对照组(P 0. 05)。SIVD组双侧侧脑室两额角间最宽距离、双侧侧脑室额角两侧尾状核头间最小距离、第三脑室宽度、双侧侧脑室腰部外侧壁最小距离与Mo CA评分呈显著负相关(P 0. 05)。SIVD组脑萎缩测量相对值中的额角指数、尾状核指数、哈氏值、第三脑室宽度与视空间能力、计算力、延迟记忆和定向力均呈负相关(P 0. 05)。结论 SIVD患者存在明显的皮质和皮质下萎缩,并与认知功能损害相关。哈氏值、额角指数、尾状核指数、第三脑室宽度可作为SIVD患者脑萎缩的预测指标,提示执行功能/视空间及计算力、记忆力的损害。     

Computer-Aided Diagnosis of Vertebral Compression Fractures Using Convolutional Neural Networks and Radiomics

Journal of Digital Imaging - Vertebral Compression Fracture (VCF) occurs when the vertebral body partially collapses under the action of compressive forces. Non-traumatic VCFs can be secondary to...     

Hyodeoxycholic acid protects the neurovascular unit against oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation-induced injury in vitro

Calculus bovis is commonly used for the treatment of stroke in traditional Chinese medicine. Hyodeoxycholic acid(HDCA) is a bioactive compound extracted from calculus bovis. When combined with cholic acid, baicalin and jas-minoidin, HDCA prevents hypoxia-reoxygenation-induced brain injury by suppressing endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated apoptotic signaling. However, the effects of HDCA in ischemic stroke injury have not yet been studied. Neurovascular unit(NVU) dysfunction occurs in ischemic stroke. Therefore, in this study, we investigated the effects of HDCA on the NVU under ischemic conditions in vitro. We co-cultured primary brain microvascular endothelial cells, neurons and astrocytes using a transwell chamber co-culture system. The NVU was pre-treated with 10.16 or 2.54 μg/mL HDCA for 24 hours before exposure to oxygen-glucose deprivation for 1 hour. The cell counting kit-8 assay was used to detect cell activity. Flow cytometry and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling were used to assess apoptosis. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure the expression levels of inflammatory cytokines, including interleukin-1β, interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-α, and neurotrophic factors, including brain-derived neurotrophic factor and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor. Oxidative stress-related factors, such as superoxide dismutase, nitric oxide, malondialdehyde and γ-glutamyltransferase, were measured using kits. Pretreatment with HDCA significantly decreased blood-brain barrier permeability and neuronal apoptosis, significantly increased transendothelial electrical resistance and γ-glutamyltransferase activity, attenuated oxidative stress damage and the release of inflammatory cytokines, and increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor and glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor expression. Our findings suggest that HDCA maintains NVU morphological integrity and function by modulating inflammation, oxidation stress, apoptosis, and the expression of neurotrophic factors. Therefore, HDCA may have therapeutic potential in the clinical management of ischemic stroke. This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Experimental Animals of Beijing University of Chinese Medicine(approval No. BUCM-3-2016040201-2003) in April 2016.     

Performance comparison of a flow cytometry immunoassay for intracellular cytokine staining and the QuantiFERON® SARS-CoV-2 test for detection and quantification of SARS-CoV-2-Spike-reactive-IFN-γ-producing T cells after COVID-19 vaccination

European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases - We compared the performance of an in-house-developed flow cytometry assay for intracellular cytokine staining (FC-ICS) and a...     

Safety profile of the adjuvanted recombinant zoster vaccine: Pooled analysis of two large randomised phase 3 trials

Background

The ZOE-50 (NCT01165177) and ZOE-70 (NCT01165229) phase 3 clinical trials showed that the adjuvanted recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) was ≥90% efficacious in preventing herpes zoster in adults. Here we present a comprehensive overview of the safety data from these studies.

Pinealectomy interferes with the circadian clock genes expression in white adipose tissue

Melatonin, the main hormone produced by the pineal gland, is secreted in a circadian manner (24‐hr period), and its oscillation influences several circadian biological rhythms, such as the regulation of clock genes expression (chronobiotic effect) and the modulation of several endocrine functions in peripheral tissues. Assuming that the circadian synchronization of clock genes can play a role in the regulation of energy metabolism and it is influenced by melatonin, our study was designed to assess possible alterations as a consequence of melatonin absence on the circadian expression of clock genes in the epididymal adipose tissue of male Wistar rats and the possible metabolic repercussions to this tissue. Our data show that pinealectomy indeed has impacts on molecular events: it abolishes the daily pattern of the expression of Clock, Per2, and Cry1 clock genes and Pparγ expression, significantly increases the amplitude of daily expression of Rev‐erbα, and affects the pattern of and impairs adipokine production, leading to a decrease in leptin levels. However, regarding some metabolic aspects of adipocyte functions, such as its ability to synthesize triacylglycerols from glucose along 24 hr, was not compromised by pinealectomy, although the daily profile of the lipogenic enzymes expression (ATP‐citrate lyase, malic enzyme, fatty acid synthase, and glucose‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase) was abolished in pinealectomized animals.