Label-free and ultrasensitive detection of environmental lead ions based on spatially localized DNA nanomachines driven by hyperbranched hybridization chain reaction.

A label-free fluorescent sensing strategy for the rapid and highly sensitive detection of Pb2+ was developed by integrating Pb2+ DNAzyme-specific cleavage activity and a tetrahedral DNA nanostructure (TDN)-enhanced hyperbranched hybridization chain reaction (hHCR). This strategy provides accelerated reaction rates because of the highly effective collision probability and enriched local concentrations from the spatial confinement of the TDN, thus showing a higher detection sensitivity and a more rapid detection process. Moreover, a hairpin probe based on a G-triplex instead of a G-quadruplex or chemical modification makes hybridization chain reaction more controlled and flexible, greatly improving signal amplification capacities and eliminating labeled DNA probes. The enhanced reaction rates and improved signal amplification efficiency endowed the biosensors with high sensitivity and a rapid response. The label-free detection of Pb2+ based on G-triplex combined with thioflavin T can be achieved with a detection limit as low as 1.8 pM in 25 min. The proposed Pb2+-sensing platform was also demonstrated to be applicable for Pb2+ detection in tap water, river water, shrimp, rice, and soil samples, thus showing great potential for food safety and environmental monitoring.

A scale for prediction of response to AEDs in patients with MRI-negative epilepsy.

OBJECTIVES: Antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are the first choice in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-negative patients with epilepsy, although the responses to AEDs are diverse. Preoperative evaluation and postoperative prognosis in MRI-negative epilepsy have been reported. However, there are few tools for predicting the response to AEDs. Herein, we developed an AED response scale based on clinical factors and video-electroencephalography (VEEG) in MRI-negative patients with epilepsy. METHODS: A total of 132 consecutive patients with MRI-negative epilepsy at the Epilepsy Center of Henan Provincial People's Hospital between August 2016 and August 2018 were included. Patients were further divided into drug-responsive epilepsy ([DSE-MRI (-)]; n = 101) and drug-resistant epilepsy ([DRE-MRI (-)]; n = 31) groups. The clinical and VEEG factors were evaluated in univariate analyses and multivariate logistic regression analyses. A scale was derived and the scores categorized into 3 risk levels of DRE-MRI (-). RESULTS: A scale was established based on 4 independent risk factors for DRE-MRI (-). The scale had a sensitivity of 83.87%, specificity of 80.20%, positive likelihood ratio of 4.24, negative likelihood ratio of 0.20, and showed good discrimination with the area under the curve (AUC) of 0.886 (0.826-0.946). The categorization of the risk score based on this scale was: low risk (0-3 points), medium risk (3-5 points), and high risk (>5 points). CONCLUSION: We established a DRE-MRI (-) scale with a good sensitivity and specificity, which may be useful for clinicians when making medical decisions in patients with MRI-negative epilepsy.

Administration of losartan improves aortic arterial stiffness and reduces the occurrence of acute coronary syndrome in aged patients with essential hypertension.

BACKGROUNDS AND AIMS: Increased arterial stiffness may increase cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker losartan is potentially useful in controlling the central blood pressure and arterial stiffness in mild to moderate essential hypertension, while the effects of losartan in aged patients with essential hypertension are not entirely investigated. METHODS: The carotid-femoral arterial pulse wave velocity (PWV) was measured in aged patients with essential hypertension. RESULTS: In a cross-sectional study, PWV value was significantly higher in these old patients with essential hypertension, compared with patients without essential hypertension. Logistic regression analysis indicated that age, hypertension duration, and losartan treatment are risk factors of arterial stiffness. In a perspective study, long-term administration of losartan (50 mg/d) remarkably reduced PWV in aged patients with essential hypertension. In a longitudinal study, PWV is an independent predictor of the occurrence of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) in elderly patients with essential hypertension by using multivariate analysis. Further, the ACS occurrence was reduced by long-term administration of losartan in aged patients with essential hypertension, compared with the old hypertensive patients without taking losartan. CONCLUSION: Losartan treatment is a negative risk factor of arterial stiffness and reduces the risk of ACS in aged patients with essential hypertension.

High risk of anxiety and depression in caregivers of adult patients with epilepsy and its negative impact on patients' quality of life.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the anxiety and depression of caregivers of adult patients with epilepsy (PWE) and evaluate its effect on patient quality of life (QOL). METHOD: One hundred sixty pairs of adult PWE and their caregivers were enrolled in our study. Quality of life in adult PWE was evaluated with the Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory-31 scale (QOLIE-31). Symptoms of anxiety and depression in caregivers were assessed with the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A) and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D) respectively. Correlation and stepwise multiple liner regression analyses were used as statistical analysis. RESULTS: Of the caregivers, 41 (31.30%) had anxiety symptoms (HAM-A scores > 6) and 44 (33.59%) had depression symptoms (HAM-D scores > 6). Caregiver anxiety was significantly associated with poorer adult PWE QOL scores in four of the seven subscales and the QOLIE-31 total score. Caregiver depression was significantly associated with poorer adult PWE QOL in all seven subscales as well as the QOLIE-31 total score. Caregiver depression was an independent predictor of the QOLIE-31 total score and five subscales: seizure worry, emotional wellbeing, energy/fatigue, cognitive, and medication effects. CONCLUSION: Caregivers of adult PWE are at high risk of experiencing anxiety and depression. Caregiver psychological status, especially depression, was an independent predictor of poorer QOL for adult PWE.

PPARγ links maternal malnutrition and abnormal glucose and lipid metabolism in the offspring of mice.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are a group of nuclear receptor proteins that regulate gene transcription. PPARs play essential roles in modulating cell differentiation, development, and metabolism (carbohydrate, lipid, protein). Here, we investigated whether PPARγ plays a role in linking maternal malnutrition and aberrant metabolism in the offspring of mice. After feeding dams with high fat (HF) and low protein (LP) diet during pregnancy and lactation, we examined the effects on the offspring at weaning (age of 3-week). The results showed that the LP offspring had lower body weight and length than the control. The HF offspring had heavier body weight and longer body length than LP. The blood glucose levels in HF group were significantly higher at 30 min and 60 min after intraperitoneal glucose administration and the area under curve was also significantly larger than the control. The blood glucose levels in HF group were significantly higher at 30 min than LP. HF group had elevated total cholesterol levels and LP group had decreased total cholesterol levels compared with the control. All results were statistically significant as examined by t-test. More importantly, PPARγ expression levels detected by qRT-PCR were significantly increased in HF and LP groups compared with the control. In conclusion, maternal HF and LP diet during pregnancy and lactation can induce impaired glucose and lipid metabolism in the early life of mouse offspring, where PPARγ may play an important role.

Long-term effect of prophylactic laser treatment for bilateral soft drusen.

BACKGROUND: Large drusen is a known risk factor for the development of late complications of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and drusen reduction has been found by our previous study. To prospectively evaluate the efficacy and safety of prophylactic laser treatment in Chinese patients with bilateral soft drusen, we examined the structure and function of the macula 8 years after treatment. METHODS: Ten patients with more than 10 soft drusen (> 125 mm) and best corrected visual acuity ≥ 20/25 in each eye participated in the study. One eye, with relatively more drusen, was exposed to an argon laser (514 nm) to achieve a barely visible retinal lesion. The contralateral eye was used as a control. Fluorescein angiography, Amsler tests, Fourier-domain optical coherence tomography and visual evoked potential tests were carried out 8 years later. RESULTS: No choroidal neovascularization was seen in the laser-treated eyes or control eyes. There were no significant differences in visual acuity or P100 latency and amplitude between the laser treated eyes and contralateral eyes (t = 1.685, 1.184; P > 0.05). The thickness of the retinal pigment epithelium of the treated eyes was less than that of the contralateral eyes (t = -4.540; P < 0.05). The full retinal thickness in treated eyes was slightly, but insignificantly, reduced relative to contralateral eyes (t = -1.746; P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The treatment was associated with a reduction in retinal pigment epithelium thickness elevation compared with the contralateral eyes. Macular function was not impaired.