Classifying mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease by constructing a 14-gene diagnostic model.

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are two neurodegenerative diseases. Most patients with MCI will develop AD. Early detection of AD and MCI is a crucial issue in terms of secondary prevention. Therefore, more diagnostic models need to be developed to distinguish AD patients from MCI patients. METHODS: In our research, the expression matrix and were screened from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases. A 14-gene diagnostic model was constructed with lasso logistic analysis. The efficiency and accuracy of diagnostic model have also been validated. In order to clarify the expression differences of 14 genes in health donor, AD and MCI, the blood samples of patients and healthy individuals were collected. The mRNA expression of the 14 genes in blood sample were detected. The SH-SY5Y cell injury model was constructed and biological function of POU2AF1 and ANKRD22 in SH-SY5Y have been proved. RESULTS: We obtained 16 genes which have an area under curve (AUC) ≥0.6. After that, a diagnostic model based on 14 genes was constructed. Validation in independent cohort showed that the diagnostic model has a good diagnostic efficiency. The expressions of 6 genes in AD patients were significantly lower than those in healthy individuals and MCI patients, while the expressions of 8 genes in AD patients were significantly higher than those in healthy individuals and MCI patients. In in vitro experiments, we found that two key genes POU2AF1 and ANKRD22 could regulate neuronal development by regulating cell viability and IL-6 expression. CONCLUSION: The diagnostic model established in this study has a good diagnose efficiency. Most of these genes in diagnostic model also showed diagnostic value in AD patients. This research also can help doctors make better diagnosis for the treatment and prevention of AD.

Study on effect of Polygonatum sibiricum on Yin deficiency model rats induced by long-term overload swimming / 中国中药杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To observe the effect of Polygonatum sibiricum on Yin deficiency model rats induced by long-term overload swimming.</p><p><b>METHOD</b>Except for the normal group, all of the remaining rats performed the long-term overload swimming for eight weeks, with five days every week and once every day, to establish the Yin deficiency model. The daily swimming time increased from 10 min to 180 min at the end of the 7th week, with the water depth of 60 cm and the water temperature at 30 degrees C. After the success of the modeling, the rats were orally administered with different doses of aqueous extracts from P. sibiricum (2.5, 10 g x kg(-1)) for eight weeks. After the final administration, their blood were collected from orbits to measure immunoglobulin A, G and M (IgA, IgG, IgM), interleukin 2 and 6 (IL-2, IL-6) and cAMP, cGMP contents in plasma General behavioral indicators (weight, facial temperature, pain threshold and holding power) of rats were observed during the drug administration.</p><p><b>RESULT</b>Compared with the model control group, aqueous extracts from P. sibiricum was given for eight weeks to significantly increase the rat weight and holding power of Yin deficiency model rats, decrease the facial temperature and the sensitivity of pain threshold, and increase IgA, IgG, IgM and IL-6 content and IgG content in serum, but without statistical difference. Aqueous extracts from P. sibiricum (10 g x kg(-1)) could also increase IL-2 content in serum, and decrease cAMP content and cAMP/cGMP ratio.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>P. sibiricum could improve the general behavioral indicators (weight, holding power, pain threshold and facial temperature), immunologic functions (IgA, IgG, IgM) and cyclic nucleotide (cAMP, cAMP/cGMP), so as to ameliorate such Yin deficiency symptoms as dysphoria in chestpalms-soles, weight loss, soreness and weakness of waist and knees, immunologic dysfunction and cyclic nucleotide system disorders.</p>

Use of wastewater and compost extracts as nutrient sources for growing nursery and turfgrass species.

Nutrient salts present in liquid by-products following waste treatment are lost resources if not effectively recycled, and can cause environmental problems if improperly disposed. This research compared the growth response and mineral nutrient status of two nursery and two turfgrass species, hydroponically supplied with nutritive by-product extracts derived from anaerobically digested municipal solid waste (MSW) and aerobically composted organic wastes from the mushroom and MSW industries. Forsythia (Forsythia x intermedia 'Lynwood') and weigela (Weigela florida 'Red Prince'), and creeping bentgrass (Agrostis palustris Huds.) and Kentucky bluegrass (Poa pratensis L.), were grown in nutrient solutions/extracts prepared from: (i) half-strength Hoagland's #2 solution (HH; control), (ii) Plant Products liquid fertilizer (PP; g kg(-1): 180 N; 39 P; 224 K), (iii) spent mushroom compost (SMC), (iv) MSW compost (GMC), and (v) intra-process wastewater from the anaerobic digestion of MSW (ADW). Additional nutrient solutions (SMC-A, GMC-A, and ADW-A) were prepared by amending the original solutions with N, P, and/or K to concentrations in HH (mg L(-1): 105 N; 15 P; 118 K). Plants receiving the SMC-A extract grew best or at least as well as those in HH, PP, and the amended GMC-A and ADW-A solutions. This study indicated that, with proper amendments of N, P, K and other nutrients, water-soluble constituents derived from organic waste treatment have potential for use as supplemental nutrient sources for plant production.