Confocal observation of senile plaques in Alzheimer's disease: Senile plaque morphology and relationship between senile plaques and astrocytes

Senile plaques In the brains of Alzheimer's disease (AD) were examined by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) with the following three findings. First, in sections stained with Congo red, the serial CLSM images of optical sections clearly revealed that a classic plaque is composed of a plaque core and a corona. Radially arranged process-like structures, corresponding to bundles of amyloid fibrils, formed amyloid cores and stronger signals were detected in the center of some cores. Second, in sections stained with Congo red and anti-gllal fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), reactive astrocytes were found around the senile plaques and many astrocytlc processes surrounded the plaque cores and some processes had penetrated into them. Third, three-dimensional reconstruction on classic plaque revealed that the surface of classic plaque showed a 'coral-like' appearance.     

Aberrant accrual of BIN1 near Alzheimer’s disease amyloid deposits in transgenic models

Bridging integrator 1 (BIN1) is the most significant late‐onset Alzheimer’s disease (AD) susceptibility locus identified via genome‐wide association studies. BIN1 is an adaptor protein that regulates membrane dynamics in the context of endocytosis and membrane remodeling. An increase in BIN1 expression and changes in the relative levels of alternatively spliced BIN1 isoforms have been reported in the brains of patients with AD. BIN1 can bind to Tau, and an increase in BIN1 expression correlates with Tau pathology. In contrast, the loss of BIN1 expression in cultured cells elevates Aβ production and Tau propagation by insfluencing endocytosis and recycling. Here, we show that BIN1 accumulates adjacent to amyloid deposits in vivo. We found an increase in insoluble BIN1 and a striking accrual of BIN1 within and near amyloid deposits in the brains of multiple transgenic models of AD. The peri‐deposit aberrant BIN1 localization was conspicuously different from the accumulation of APP and BACE1 within dystrophic neurites. Although BIN1 is highly expressed in mature oligodendrocytes, BIN1 association with amyloid deposits occurred in the absence of the accretion of other oligodendrocyte or myelin proteins. Finally, super‐resolution microscopy and immunogold electron microscopy analyses highlight the presence of BIN1 in proximity to amyloid fibrils at the edges of amyloid deposits. These results reveal the aberrant accumulation of BIN1 is a feature associated with AD amyloid pathology. Our findings suggest a potential role for BIN1 in extracellular Aβ deposition in vivo that is distinct from its well‐characterized function as an adaptor protein in endocytosis and membrane remodeling.     

Whether Fire-Needle Therapy Benefits Plaque Psoriasis: A Multicenter, Randomized, and Controlled Trial

Objective: To observe the clinical effectiveness and safety of fire-needle therapy, an external approach of Chinese medicine in treating plaque psoriasis. Methods: This study was a two-parallel-arm randomized controlled trial. A total of 151 participants with plaque psoriasis were randomly assigned to the fire-needle therapy group (treatment group, 76 cases) or the control group (75 cases) at a 1:1 allocation ratio using SAS software. All participants received Oral Huoxue Jiedu Decoction (活血解毒汤, HXJDD) and applied externally vaseline cream twice a day. Participants in the treatment group received fire-needle therapy once weekly for 4 weeks plus HXJDD and vaseline cream applied the same as the control group. The primary outcome measure was Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score, and the secondary outcomes were Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQL), and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA), as well as Chinese medicine (CM) syndrome score and photos of target lesions. The indices were evaluated before and after treatment. Results: Sixty-eight patients in each group completed the study. The treatment group has not yet achieved significant improvement in PASI score (P>0.05) compared to the control group. However, significant differences were found between the two groups in relieving CM syndrome (P<0.05) and improving quality of life (P<0.05). Conclusions: Fire-needle appears to be safe and may have benefit for psoriasis, the short-term treatment and small sample size limit the conclusions of this study. Further rigorous randomized controlled trials with longer treatment are recommended.     

纳米载药系统防治龋病和牙周病的研究进展

龋病和牙周病是严重危害口腔健康的常见慢性感染性疾病,菌斑生物膜中的细菌是其始动因子。由于口腔独特的生理、解剖等特点,化学药物作为牙菌斑控制方法之一在口腔应用中面临巨大挑战。纳米载药系统是运用纳米技术而产生的一系列粒径在纳米级的新型微小载药系统,具有靶向性、缓释性、生物降解等显著优点,在龋病和牙周病的防治中具有很多优势。本文就近年来纳米载药系统防治龋病和牙周病的研究进展作一综述。     

Correlation between cortical plaque count and neuronal loss in the nucleus basalis in Alzheimer's disease

In order to substantiate the hypothesis of a cholinergic matrix for neuritic plaque formation in Alzheimer's disease (AD), the relationship between the loss of cholinergic neurons in the basal forebrain and formation of neuritic plaques in the cerebral cortex was studied in 5 cases of neuropathologically verified AD. Quantitative evaluation of the number of neuritic plaques in the cerebral cortex as calculated from 6 areas showed a strong correlation with the loss of neurons in the nucleus basalis of Meynert (NbM). This finding indicates that changes in cortical cholinergic innervation which arise from the neurons of the NbM are an important feature in the pathogenesis of neuritic plaques.     

皮肤自发荧光与颈动脉粥样硬化斑块的关系研究

背景　颈动脉粥样硬化斑块是心脑血管疾病重要的危险因素,多用超声评价,但超声检查对设备、人员、经费要求较高。皮肤自发荧光（SAF）能够独立预测心脑血管事件发生及死亡等,操作简便、迅速、无创,因此探讨SAF与颈动脉粥样硬化斑块的关系对于颈动脉病变的预测有一定意义。目的　探讨在我国社区人群中SAF与颈动脉粥样硬化斑块病变的相关性。方法　2018年9-12月对北京某社区年龄>40岁的6 055例居民进行横断面调查研究,对所有受访者进行SAF检测、临床病史采集、体格检查、血液学检测及颈动脉B超检查。根据B超结果是否存在颈动脉粥样硬化斑块分为颈动脉粥样硬化斑块组和无颈动脉粥样硬化斑块组。以颈动脉粥样硬化斑块为因变量,以标准化性别、年龄、BMI、吸烟、糖尿病、高血压、脂代谢紊乱、高尿酸血症、慢性肾功能不全等传统心脑血管病变危险因素及SAF为自变量进行Logistic回归分析,探讨SAF对颈动脉粥样硬化斑块的影响。结果　6 055例调查对象B超提示存在颈动脉粥样硬化斑块者2 953例,无颈动脉粥样硬化斑块者3 102例。颈动脉粥样硬化斑块组SAF测量值为77.2（70.8,85.1） AU,明显高于无颈动脉粥样硬化斑块组SAF测量值73.4（68.0,80.1）AU （P<0.001）。Logistic回归分析结果显示,SAF是颈动脉粥样硬化斑块的影响因素〔OR=1.006,95%CI（1.000,1.012）,P=0.043〕。以SAF值的第25、50、75百分位值69.2、75.1、82.4 AU为界,分为SAF低、中、高、明显升高4组,SAF明显升高组颈动脉粥样硬化斑块风险是SAF低值组的1.200倍〔OR=1.200,95%CI（1.012,1.423）,P=0.036〕。亚组分析显示,校正传统心血管危险因素后,年龄<60岁人群中SAF明显升高组颈动脉粥样硬化斑块风险是SAF低值组的1.751倍〔OR=1.751,95%CI（1.270,2.415）,P=0.001〕;吸烟人群中SAF明显升高组颈动脉粥样硬化斑块风险是SAF低值组的1.903倍〔OR=1.903,95%CI（1.297,2.792）,P=0.001〕。结论　SAF与颈动脉粥样硬化斑块独立相关,在<60岁人群及吸烟人群中SAF明显升高者相比SAF低值者与颈动脉粥样硬化斑块相关性更明显。     

颈动脉粥样斑块及内中膜厚度与冠心病的相关性分析

目的 探讨颈动脉粥样斑块及内中膜厚度(IMT)与冠心病(CHD)发生的关系.方法 对145例疑诊CHD先后作颈动脉超声检查测量IMT和观察粥样斑块及冠状动脉造影.结果 非CHD 44例,CHD 101例,IMT为(0.75±0.10)mm和(0.99±0.29)mm;颈部斑块发生率25%(11/44)和77.22%(78/101).两组比较差异有统计学意义(P<0.005).硬斑块组发生CHD最高96.55%,软斑块组次之83.33%,无斑块组最低41.07%,各组间比较差异均有统计学意义(P<0.005).以IMT≥0.85mm或出现斑块来预测CHD,敏感性77.22%,特异性81.81%,阳性预测值83.72%.结论 颈动脉粥样斑块及内中膜厚度增加与CHD密切相关,采用颈动脉超声检查可预测CHD发生.