Dielectric behavior of pulmonary edema induced in the rat lung

The dielectric properties (conductivity, kappa and relative permittivity, epsilon) of excised rat lung are modified by lung air and water content. The measurements of these quantities were made over the frequency range of 10 kHz to 100 MHz with an open-ended coaxial probe. The following relationships were analyzed in an oleic acid-induced pulmonary edema model using 18 animals: the spectra of kappa, epsilon and the loss tangent as a function of lung air and water content. Secondly, an isolated-perfused lung system was produced to induce a gradual increase in lung water. The time course of kappa, epsilon and the loss tangent for one excised lung was analyzed. The principal findings were: (i) a decrease in kappa and epsilon with increasing air content, (ii) an increase in kappa and epsilon with increasing water content, and (iii) a good correlation between lung water content and maximum loss tangent that was insensitive to changes in air content. We conclude that this technique could provide a quantitative assessment of lung water during pulmonary edema formation.     

Cartilage degradation products as markers for evaluation of patients with rheumatic disease

Markers of cartilage degradation hold a great, but so far underutilized potential in the research and clinical management of joint diseases such as osteoarthritis (OA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). With the rapid pace of development of such markers, they are likely to emerge as promising clinical tools for several uses. These roles may include: improving preclinical and clinical development in arthritis research; differentiation of patients with high and low turnover states at disease diagnosis; selection of optimal therapy and therapy dose for the individual patient; monitoring disease progression; and predicting disease outcome.This review focuses on the cartilage matrix components and the metabolites from this very special tissue that have been proposed as biochemical markers. Special attention is focused on the challenges facing the development of such markers to the standards required for widespread practical use. Examples are provided on the current use of cartilage derived biochemical markers and perspectives for the future use of markers and required clinical documentation are presented.     

The use of proteomics in biomarker discovery in neurodegenerative diseases

Biomarkers for neurodegenerative diseases should reflect the central pathogenic processes of the diseases. The field of clinical proteomics is especially well suited for discovery of biomarkers in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), which reflects the proteins in the brain under healthy conditions as well as in several neurodegenerative diseases. Known proteins involved in the pathology of neurodegenerative diseases are, respectively, normal tau protein, beta-amyloid (1-42), synaptic proteins, amyloid precursor protein (APP), apolipoprotein E (apoE), which previously have been studied by protein immunoassays. The objective of this paper was to summarize results from proteomic studies of differential protein patterns in neurodegenerative diseases with focus on Alzheimer's disease (AD). Today, discrimination of AD from controls and from other neurological diseases has been improved by simultaneous analysis of both beta-amyloid (1-42), total-tau, and phosphorylated tau, where a combination of low levels of CSF-beta-amyloid 1-42 and high levels of CSF-tau and CSF-phospho-tau is associated with an AD diagnosis. Detection of new biomarkers will further strengthen diagnosis and provide useful information in drug trials. The combination of immunoassays and proteomic methods show that the CSF proteins express differential protein patterns in AD, FTD, and PD patients, which reflect divergent underlying pathophysiological mechanisms and neuropathological changes in these diseases.     

Periodic breathing and genetics

The episodic waxing and waning of ventilation is a fundamental event in sleep apnea syndromes. Post-hypoxic frequency decline (PHFD) and periodic breathing (PB) are evoked by brief hypoxic exposures in unanaesthetized and unrestrained inbred C57BL/6J mice, but not in A/J mice; and expression of PHFD differs not only among these mice strains but in among rat strains as well. These observations along with the current literature on genetic factors that operate on ventilatory behavior at rest and with chemosensory drive lead to the hypothesis that genetic factors infer some proportion of risk for the ventilatory instability observed in human sleep apnea syndromes.     

Diagnostic challenges of using CSF assay of tau and beta-amyloid42 in atypical degenerative dementias of the Alzheimer type

This report presents three cases of atypical degenerative dementias in order to illustrate challenges associated with the use of biologic markers of Alzheimer's disease (AD) for diagnosis and management. Clinical diagnostic methods followed the NINCDS-ADRDA criteria for AD. Additional diagnostic studies included serial neurocognitive testing, MRI, neuroSPECT, ApoE genotyping, and a CSF assay of tau and beta-amyloid(42). For patient 1, both the clinical and biologic markers were consistent with AD. The patient was diagnosed with AD with a high degree of confidence, even though the base rate of nonfamilial AD at this age group (<55 years) is exceedingly rare. This case argues favorably for the use of biologic markers to aid in confirming a diagnosis in an atypical dementia. Patient 2 met the NINCDS-ADRDA criteria for AD, although with less confidence. Neurocognitive data indicated a progressive right hemispheric syndrome, insight was preserved, and ApoE was 3/3, but tau concentrations and beta-amyloid(42) were highly consistent with cut-offs for AD; the differential fell on the Pick's disease/frontotemporal degeneration spectrum. Patient 3 had no clinical evidence of the disease, even when evaluated via extensive neurocognitive testing over a 2-year interval. However, ApoE was 4/4, and CSF assay of tau and beta-amyloid(42) were within the AD range. Therefore, while the CSF assay of tau and beta-amyloid(42) markers was confirmatory of AD, each case was highly atypical. Results illustrate the lack of normative data available when using biologic markers for highly atypical cases, calling into question their usefulness for such patients. These cases illustrate the interplay between neuropsychological and biological markers in establishing neurodegenerative diagnoses.     

Morphology and distribution of Alzheimer neuritic (senile) and amyloid plaques in striatum and diencephalon

Summary Mapping of striatal and diencephalic plaque distribution was conducted in 25 cases of dementia of the Alzheimer type. This analysis was carried out by fluorescence microscopy of paraffinembedded tissue sections treated with Thioflavine S as fluorochrome. Consistent differences in plaque morphology and density between nuclei and fiber tracts were observed. Striatal and pallidal distribution was uneven, with plaque aggregation near and within certain fiber tracts: capsules, medullary laminae, and radial fasciculi. Diencephalic plaques showed also preferred aggregation near and within fiber tracts and within the intralaminar nuclei.The different subcortical plaque morphologies observed according to the nuclear or fiber tract location of the amyloid plaque, indicates that the peripheral (halo) portion of the plaque is determined by the neuropil response to the primary event: the amyloid deposit.No correlation was observed between the distribution of plaques and any particular neurotransmitter system. In that respect, plaques were present within the nucleus basalis. Neurofibrillary tangle distribution was also seen to be dissociated from plaque distribution.     

降低终末期肾病患者动静脉内瘘成熟不良率

目的降低终末期肾病患者动静脉内瘘成熟不良率。方法成立品管圈圈组,通过现状调查、原因解析明确问题真因,从制定动静脉内瘘院前指导规范,建立多学科协作模式;实施“VAP”评估模式,制定围手术期标准化管理流程;构建“互联网 +”智能宣教模式,优化院外延伸服务三方面进行改进。结果终末期肾病患者动静脉内瘘成熟不良率由10.6%降低至3.3%。结论开展品管圈活动降低了终末期肾病患者动静脉内瘘成熟不良率。     

2014—2019年江西省伤害死亡情况及疾病负担分析

目的 了解江西省居民伤害死亡流行情况及其疾病负担,为科学制定本省伤害防制策略和措施提供依据。方法 利用中国死因登记报告信息系统2014—2019年江西死因监测数据,应用Excel 2007和SPSS 17.0软件进行数据整理和分析。采用死亡数、粗死亡率、标化死亡率、构成比、潜在减寿年数（PYLL）、减寿率（PYLLR）和平均潜在减寿年数(AYLL)等指标进行统计学描述,趋势变化采用年度变化百分比（APC）进行分析。结果 2014—2019年江西报告伤害死亡25 638人,年均粗死亡率为 50.81/10万,年均标化死亡率为 49.55/10万。男性死亡率高于女性、城市死亡率高于农村。伤害死亡前5位死因分别为道路交通事故、跌落、溺水、自杀和中毒。溺水、交通事故、跌落分别是0～14岁、15～44和45～64岁、≥65岁的首位伤害死因。2014—2019年江西省前5位伤害死因中,跌落粗死亡率呈上升趋势（APC = 8.22%）,中毒粗死亡率均呈下降趋势。2014—2019年伤害PYLL为692 196.73人年,PYLLR为14.24‰,AYLL 为 33.77年。PYLL及PYLLR 交通事故最高,AYLL最高的为溺水。15～44岁年龄组PYLL最高。结论 江西省伤害死亡负担较重,应根据不同人群的伤害死亡特征制定相应的防控策略和措施。     

1990—2019年中国高血清低密度脂蛋白胆固醇疾病负担趋势分析与预测

目的 描述和分析1990—2019年中国高血清低密度脂蛋白胆固醇（high LDL cholesterol,高LDL - C）疾病负担状况及变化趋势,并预测未来5年的疾病负担,为中国高LDL - C科学防控提供依据。方法 提取2019年全球疾病负担（GBD 2019）中因高LDL - C造成的死亡数、死亡率及DALYs等疾病负担指标,相关指标均采用GBD 2019全球标准人口进行年龄标准化,采用平均年度变化百分比（AAPC）分析率的变化趋势,并应用R 4.1.0对1990—2016年中国因高LDL - C造成的死亡率和DALYs率建立ARIMA模型和NNAR模型,用2017—2019年的数据来评价两模型的拟合效果,最后用拟合效果最好的模型预测2020—2024年中国高LDL - C死亡率和DALYs率。结果 1990—2019年中国高LDL - C造成的死亡率（AAPC = 3.1%,P＜0.05）和DALYs率（AAPC = 2.2%,P＜0.05）整体呈波动上升趋势;标化死亡率和DALYs率增长14.21%和0.56%,男女性别比范围分别为1.33～1.67和1.36～1.76,男性高于女性;年龄别疾病负担≥70岁人群远高于15～49岁和50～69岁群体;ARIMA（0,2,0）和NNAR（1,1）模型预测与实际趋势基本一致,前者预测值与实际值相对误差、均方根误差（RMSE）、平均绝对误差（MAE）以及平均绝对百分误差（MAPE）均较小,预测精度更好。 结论 中国高LDL - C造成的疾病负担呈逐渐上升趋势,在2020—2024年将继续上升。男性、高龄人群疾病负担更加沉重,应采取针对性措施进行干预。     

Influence of Imidazole-Dipeptides on Cognitive Status and Preservation in Elders: A Narrative Review

The worldwide increase in the number of patients with dementia is becoming a growing problem, while Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a primary neurodegenerative disorder, accounts for more than 70% of all dementia cases. Research on the prevention or reduction of AD occurrence through food ingredients has been widely conducted. In particular, histidine-containing dipeptides, also known as imidazole dipeptides derived from meat, have received much attention. Imidazole dipeptides are abundant in meats such as poultry, fish, and pork. As evidenced by data from recent human intervention trials conducted worldwide, daily supplementation of carnosine and anserine, which are both imidazole dipeptides, can improve memory loss in the elderly and reduce the risk of developing AD. This article also summarizes the latest researches on the biochemical properties of imidazole dipeptides and their effects on animal models associated with age-related cognitive decline. In this review, we focus on the results of human intervention studies using supplements of poultry-derived imidazole dipeptides, including anserine and carnosine, affecting the preservation of cognitive function in the elderly, and discuss how imidazole dipeptides act in the brain to prevent age-related cognitive decline and the onset of dementia.