Helicobacter pylori infection is a risk factor for constipation in patients with Parkinson's disease: A multicenter prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Constipation is one of the most common nonmotor symptoms (NMSs) of Parkinson's disease (PD). The infection rate of Helicobacter pylori (HP) is greater in PD patients. This study was a multicenter prospective cohort study in which propensity score matching (PSM) was used to determine whether HP infection was a risk factor for constipation in patients with PD. METHODS: A total of 932 PD patients with 13C-urea breath test for HP were included in the study. The PSM was estimated with the use of a nonparsimonious multivariate logistic regression model, with HP infection as the dependent variable and all the baseline characteristics as covariates. A total of 697 patients composed the study cohort, including 252 (36.2 %) patients in the HP-positive (HPP) group and 445 (63.8 %) patients in the HP-negative (HPN) group. Before PSM, there were differences in several of the baseline variables between the two groups. After PSM, 250 HPP patients were matched with 250 HPN patients and the standardized differences were less than 0.1 for all variables. RESULTS: The present results demonstrate that HP infection is a risk factor for constipation in patients with PD [RR (95 % CI) 1.412 (1.155-1.727), P < 0.001]. Subgroup analyses revealed that HP infection was both a risk factor for constipation in Hoehn-Yahr scale (1,1.5) group and Hoehn-Yahr scale (2-5) group [OR (95 % CI) 1.811 (1.079-3.038), P < 0.025; OR (95 % CI) 2.041 (1.177-3.541), P < 0.011]. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our prospective cohort study suggest that Helicobacter pylori infection is a risk factor for constipation in patients with PD. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR2300071631.

Orderly Arranged Dipoles Regulate Anion-Derived Solid-Electrolyte Interphase for Stable Lithium Metal Chemistry.

Lithium (Li) metal batteries are considered the most promising high-energy-density electrochemical energy storage devices of the next generation. However, the unstable solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) derived from electrolytes usually leads to high impedance, Li dendrites growth, and poor cyclability. Herein, the ferroelectric BaTiO3 with orderly arranged dipoles (BTOV) is integrated into the polypropylene separator as a functional layer. Detailed characterizations and theoretical calculations indicate that surface oxygen vacancies drive the phase transition of BaTiO3 materials and promote the ordered arrangement of dipoles. The strong dipole moments in BTOV can adsorb TFSI- and NO3 - anions selectively and promote their preferential reduction to form a SEI film enriched with inorganic LiF and LiNxOy species, thus facilitating the rapid transfer of Li+ and restraining the growth of Li dendrites. As a result, the Li-Li cell with the BTOV functional layer exhibits enhanced Li plating/stripping cycling with an ultra-long life of over 7000 h at 0.5 mA cm-2/1.0 mAh cm-2. The LiFePO4 || Li (50 µm) full cells display excellent cycling performance exceeding 1760 cycles and superior rate performance. This work provides a new perspective for regulating SEI chemistry by introducing ordered dipoles to control the distribution and reaction of anions.

Hydrogen Bond Boosted Ferroelectric Polarization Enables High Rate Capability Lithium Metal Batteries.

Lithium metal is considered as a promising anode material for next generation lithium-based batteries due to its highest specific capacity and lowest reduction potential. However, irreversible lithium stripping/depositing gives rise to severe dendritic growth and countless dead lithium, which lead to rapid electrochemical performance degradation and increased safety hazards, and thus limit its large-scale application. Herein, this work demonstrates a universal hydrogen-bond-induced strategy to in situ form a highly polarized ferroelectric polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) coating on the anode current collector. The localized electric field induced by the polarized ferroelectric PVDF can accelerate the migration of lithium ions and alleviate the shortage of lithium ions and uneven ion/electron distribution and transfer at the anode/electrolyte interface, thus promoting uniform deposition and stripping of Li+ at high-rate situations. As a result, the symmetrical Li || Li batteries with polarized PVDF coating exhibit a long cycling lifespan over 900 h under 2 mA cm-2 with marginal voltage polarization, and an ultra-high-rate performance up to 8.85 mA cm-2 . The full cells using LiFePO4 cathode also display enhanced electrochemical performance. The innovative strategy of ferroelectric polarization sheds light on interface engineering to circumvent Li dendrite growth in lithium metal batteries (LMBs).

Effect of acute levodopa challenge test on cerebral blood flow in Parkinson's disease with the supine-to-standing transcranial Doppler test.

BACKGROUND: Levodopa, a common drug that improves symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD), can induce a reduction in blood pressure (BP); however, the effect of levodopa on cerebral blood flow (CBF) remains unclear. OBJECTIVES: To observe the changes in BP and CBF during active standing before and after the acute levodopa challenge test (ALCT) and analyse the influencing factors of CBF in patients with PD. METHODS: BP and CBF velocity were simultaneously recorded by continuous beat-to-beat non-invasive BP monitoring and transcranial Doppler at supine and orthostatic positions twice, before and after ALCT. The patients were divided into two groups according to those with increased and decreased CBF at baseline after ALCT to analyse the influencing factors. RESULTS: We examined 64 patients with PD (59.2 ± 11.6 years, 33 males). BP decreased at all timepoints after ALCT, while there was no significant change in the magnitude of the drop in BP induced by standing. CBF was reduced after ALCT, especially within 15 s to 1 min of standing (15 s: 48.95 ± 13.50 vs. 44.93 ± 13.26, p < 0.001; 30 s: 52.46 ± 12.06 vs. 50.11 ± 12.56, p = 0.033; 1 min: 52.19 ± 11.83 vs. 50.17 ± 13.21, p = 0.044). Lower body mass index (ß = -0.280, p = 0.027) was an independent factor associated with CBF reduction after ALCT. CONCLUSIONS: Additional attention should be paid to changes in CBF and BP within 1 min after standing in patients with PD taking levodopa, especially in those with low bodyweight.

Ginkgolide attenuates memory impairment and neuroinflammation by suppressing the NLRP3/caspase-1 pathway in Alzheimer's disease.

The NLRP3 inflammasome is involved in the neuroinflammatory pathway of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The aim of this study is to explore the roles and underlying mechanisms of ginkgolide (Baiyu®) on amyloid precursor protein (APP)/presenilin 1 (PS1) transgenic mice and a murine microglial cell line, BV-2. In the present study, the APP/PS1 mice were administered with ginkgolide, followed by a Morris water maze test. The mice were then euthanized to obtain brain tissue for histological and Aß analysis. Additionally, BV-2 cells were pretreated with ginkgolide and then incubated with Aß1-42 peptide. NLRP3, ASC, and caspase-1 mRNA and protein expression in brain tissue of mice and BV-2 cells were quantified by real-time PCR and western blotting, as well as reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-18 levels by lucigenin technique and ELISA. Compared with the APP/PS1 mice, ginkgolide-treated mice demonstrated the shortened escape latency, reduced plaques, less inflammatory cell infiltration and neuron loss in the hippocampi of APP/PS1 mice. The levels of NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1, ROS, IL-1ß, and IL-18 were also decreased in the brain tissue of APP/PS1 mice or Aß1-42-treated BV-2 cells following ginkgolide treatment. Ginkgolide exerted protective effects on AD, at least partly by inactivating the NLRP3/caspase-1 pathway.

Age as a risk factor for orthostatic hypotension induced by the levodopa challenge test in patients with Parkinson's disease: Results from a single-center trial.

BACKGROUND: Hypotension can occur in patients receiving levodopa (L-dopa) treatment for parkinsonism. However, only few studies have focused on the characteristics of orthostatic hypotension (OH) induced by the L-dopa challenge test (LCT). This study aimed to investigate the characteristics and influencing factors of LCT-induced OH in a relatively large sample of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD). METHODS: Seventy-eight patients with PD without a previous diagnosis of OH underwent the LCT. Blood pressure (BP) in the supine and standing positions was measured before and 2 hours after the LCT. If diagnosed with OH, the patients' BP was monitored again 3 hours after the LCT. The clinical features and demographics of the patients were analyzed. RESULTS: Eight patients were diagnosed with OH 2 hours after the LCT (median dose of 375 mg L-dopa/benserazide; incidence = 10.3%). One patient without symptoms had OH 3 hours after the LCT. Compared with patients without OH, patients with OH had lower 1- and 3-minutes standing systolic BP and 1-minute standing diastolic BP at baseline and 2 hours after the LCT. Patients in the OH group were of older age (65.31 ± 4.17 years vs 59.74 ± 5.55years) and had lower Montreal Cognitive Assessment scores (17.5 vs 24) and higher L-dopa/benserazide levels (375 [250, 500] mg vs 250 [125, 500] mg). Older age markedly increased the odds of having LCT-induced OH (odds ratio, 1.451; 95% confidence interval, 1.055-1.995; P = .022). CONCLUSIONS: LCT increased the odds of OH in non-OH PD, causing symptomatic OH in 10.3% of patients in our study, thereby raising safety concerns. Increase in age was observed to be a risk factor for LCT-induced OH in PD patients. A study with a larger sample size is warranted to confirm our results. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: Clinical Trials Registry under ChiCTR2200055707. DATE OF REGISTRATION: January 16, 2022.

The differences of orthostatic hypotension in patients with Parkinson's disease and multiple system atrophy.

Background: Multiple system atrophy (MSA) and Parkinson's disease (PD) have similar clinical presentations in their early stages. Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is a common autonomic dysfunction associated with MSA and PD. Heart rate (HR) and systolic blood pressure (SBP) changes are measured in response to the active standing test, which is widely used to screen for cardiovascular autonomic function. Objectives and methods: Overall, 255 patients (67 MSA, 188 PD) underwent continuous beat-to-beat non-invasive BP monitoring and active standing test. The total standing time was 10 min, and the BP differences between both groups were compared to determine whether the ΔHR/ΔSBP can differentiate both conditions. Results: Classical orthostatic hypotension (COH) (52%) and initial OH (19%) were most common in MSA and PD, respectively. MSA had a higher HR (75.0 ± 9.7 vs. 71.0 ± 10.7, P = 0.008) than PD in the supine position. SBP (135.70 ± 15.68 mmHg vs. 127.31 ± 15.14 mmHg, P = 0.106), diastolic BP (78.45 ± 12.36 mmHg vs. 67.15 ± 13.39 mmHg, P = 0.009) and HR (73.94 ± 8.39 bpm vs. 71.08 ± 13.52 bpm, P = 0.389) at baseline were higher in MSA-COH than in PD-COH. After adjusting for age and disease duration, the ΔHR/ΔSBP-10 min significantly discriminated MSA-COH from PD-COH (P = 0.031). An ΔHR/ΔSBP-10 min of 0.517 showed a sensitivity of 67% and specificity of 84% (AUC = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.63-0.91). Conclusion: The SBP, diastolic BP, and HR were higher in the supine position; however, ΔHR and ΔSBP were lower after standing in MSA patients than in PD patients. The ΔHR/ΔSBP-10 min discriminated between MSA-COH and PD-COH with quiet acceptable accuracy.

Validation of T-MoCA in the Screening of Mild Cognitive Impairment in Chinese Patients With Atrial Fibrillation.

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with a high risk of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia. However, feasible and simple instruments that facilitate the regular assessment of cognitive status in patients with AF remain underdeveloped. Methods: Cognitive function was first evaluated using telephone Montreal cognitive assessment (T-MoCA), and then patients were invited for an in-person interview for cognitive assessment using both Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) and mini-mental status evaluation (MMSE). Using CDR = 0.5 as a reference standard, the ability of T-MoCA and MMSE to discriminate cognitive dysfunction, stratified by education level, was tested by receiver-operating curve (ROC) analysis. The net reclassification index was calculated for comparison between the performance of T-MoCA and MMSE. Results: One hundred and one patients completed both telephone and in-person interview. Thirty-five MCI patients were identified as MCI using the criteria of CDR = 0.5. The areas under the ROC curve of T-MoCA were 0.80 (0.71-0.89), 0.83 (0.71-0.95), and 0.85 (0.64-0.92) for all patients, patients with high educational level, and patients with low education level, respectively. The optimal threshold was achieved at 16/17 with a sensitivity of 85.7% and a specificity of 69.7% in overall patients, 15/16 with a sensitivity of 88.2% and a specificity of 64.5% in the low educational level patients, and 16/17 with a sensitivity of 77.8% and a specificity of 87.9% in the high educational level patients. Compared to the criterion MMSE ≤ 27 and MMSE norms for the elderly Chinese community, the stratified T-MoCA threshold improves correct classification by 23.7% (p = 0.033) and 30.3% (p = 0.020), respectively. Conclusion: T-MoCA is a feasible and effective instrument for MCI screening in patients with AF.

Protective Effects of Ginkgolide on a Cellular Model of Alzheimer's Disease via Suppression of the NF-κB Signaling Pathway.

SYNOPSIS: NF-κB signaling has been reported to play a key regulatory role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of ginkgolide on cell viability in an AD cellular model involving an APP/PS1 double gene-transfected HEK293 cell line (APP/PS1-HEK293) and further explore the mechanisms of action related to NF-κB signaling. The optimal time point and concentration of ginkgolide for cell proliferation were screened using a cell counting kit-8 assay. Based on the results, an in vitro study was performed by co-culture of APP/PS1-HEK293 with different dosages of ginkgolide, followed by an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay to measure the levels of supernatant tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1ß and IL-6, as well as western blotting and real-time polymerase chain reaction to detect intracellular protein and mRNA expression of NF-κB p65, IκBa, Bcl-2, and Bax. APP/PS1-HEK293 cells exhibited the highest cell viability at a concentration of 100 µg/ml after 48 h of treatment with ginkgolide. The supernatant levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6 in the high-dosage ginkgolide-treated groups were lower than those in the control group. Compared with the control group, there were decreased intracellular protein and mRNA expression of NF-κB p65 and Bax, but increased protein and mRNA expression of IκBa in both high-dosage and low-dosage groups. Ginkgolide may enhance cell viability, indicative of its neuroprotective effects on AD, at least partially via suppression of the NF-κB signaling pathway involving anti-apoptosis and anti-inflammation mechanisms. Therefore, ginkgolide might be a promising therapeutic agent against AD.

Feasibility and Validity of Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery in Mild Cognitive Impairment Screening for Patients with Atrial Fibrillation.

BACKGROUND: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is associated with the worsening of cognitive function. Strategies that are both convenient and reliable for cognitive screening of AF patients remain underdeveloped. We aimed to analyze the sensitivity and specificity of computerized cognitive screening strategies using subtests from Cambridge Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB) in AF patients. METHODS: The Multitasking Test (MTT), Rapid Visual Information Processing (RVP), and Paired Associates Learning (PAL) subtests from CANTAB were performed in 105 AF patients. Traditional standard neuropsychological tests were used as a reference standard. Cognitive screening models using different CANTAB subtests were established using multivariable logistic regression. Further stepwise regression using the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) was applied to optimize the models. Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses were used to study the sensitivity and specificity of these models. RESULTS: Fifty-eight (55%) patients were diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). MTT alone had reasonable sensitivity (82.8%) and specificity (74.5%) for MCI screening, while RVP (sensitivity 72.4%, specificity 70.2%) and PAL (sensitivity 70.7%, specificity 57.4%) were less effective. Stepwise regression of all available variables revealed that a combination of MTT and RVP brought about higher specificity (sensitivity 82.8%, specificity 85.8%), while PAL was not included in the optimal model. Moreover, adding education to the models did not result in improved validity for MCI screening. CONCLUSION: The CANTAB subtests are feasible and effective strategies for MCI screening among AF patients independent of patients' education levels. Hence, they are practical for cardiologists or general practitioners.

A preliminary study of association of cigarette smoking with risk of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder.

ABSTRACT: Various studies have revealed an association between cigarette smoking and increased risk for multiple sclerosis (MS). However, its role in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) remains elusive. Therefore, in the present case-control study, we aimed to assess the association of active and passive cigarette smoking with the risk of MS and NMOSD.Thirty-six patients with NMOSD, 46 patients with MS, and 122 healthy individuals were included in this study. Standardized questionnaires and telephone interviews were used to collect information regarding the active and passive cigarette smoking behaviors of the patients and normal controls.The risk of MS was significantly higher among smokers than among nonsmokers (odds ratio = 2.166, 95% confidence interval: 1.109-4.170; P = .027). Further analysis of the risk between active and passive smokers, male smokers and nonsmokers showed no statistical difference. However, neither smokers nor active smokers had a greater or lower risk of NMOSD than their nonsmoking counterparts.Our preliminary study showed no significant association between cigarette smoking and the risk of NMOSD, strongly suggesting that, unlike MS, cigarette smoking might not confer NMOSD susceptibility, at least in the Northern Han Chinese population.

Case Report: Progressive Asymmetric Parkinsonism Secondary to CADASIL Without Dementia.

Parkinsonism is a rare phenotype of cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with subcortical infarction and leukoencephalopathy (CADASIL), all of which involve cognitive decline. Normal cognition has not been reported in previous disease studies. Here we report the case of a 60-year-old female patient with a 2-year history of progressive asymmetric parkinsonism. On examination, she showed severe parkinsonism featuring bradykinesia and axial and limb rigidity with preserved cognition. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed white matter hyperintensity in the external capsule and periventricular region. Dopaminergic response was limited. A missense mutation c.1630C>T (p.R544C) on the NOTCH3 gene was identified on whole-exome sequencing, which confirmed the diagnosis of vascular parkinsonism secondary to CADASIL. A diagnosis of CADASIL should be considered in asymmetric parkinsonism without dementia. Characteristic MRI findings support the diagnosis.

Increased Peripheral CD137 Expression in a Mouse Model of Permanent Focal Cerebral Ischemia.

Various studies demonstrate that CD137 (TNFRSF9, 4-1BB) promotes atherosclerosis and vascular inflammation in experimental models via interactions with the CD137 ligand (CD137L). However, the exact role of CD137 in ischemic stroke remains unclear. In this study, we analyzed dynamic changes of peripheral CD137 expression on T cells in a mouse model of cerebral ischemia-middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), as well as alternation of neurological function, infarct size and cerebral inflammatory status after inhibition of the CD137/CD137L pathway using an anti-CD137L monoclonal antibody. MCAO mice showed elevated surface expression of CD137 on T cells in both peripheral blood and lymphoid tissues during early cerebral ischemia. Remarkably, blockade of the CD137/CD137L pathway reduced the post-ischemic brain damage. Our findings indicate that enhanced CD137 costimulation occurs in early cerebral ischemia and promotes T cell activation, which in turn upregulates inflammatory immune response and possibly exerting deleterious effects on cerebral ischemia.

Resveratrol prevents high-calorie diet-induced learning and memory dysfunction in juvenile C57BL/6J mice.

OBJECTIVE: Because resveratrol (RSV) has been shown to improve learning and memory, so we investigated the potential benefit of RSV on learning and memory deficits in juvenile mice fed with a HC diet and explored the molecular mechanisms underlying this process. METHODS: Six-week-old C57BL/6J mice were divided into three different diet groups: control, HC diet, and HC + RSV diet. Serum insulin and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) levels were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Protein expression was examined by immunohistochemistry and western blotting. RESULTS: Administration of RSV daily (30 mg/kg) prevented the HC diet-induced increase in juvenile animal body weight but did not improve any other physiological conditions, including fasting blood glucose and serum cholesterol, triglyceride, insulin, and IGF-1 levels. However, RSV did prevent learning and memory deficits in the HC group. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) was downregulated in the CA1 region of the hippocampus in both the HC and HC + RSV groups, but the reduction was significantly greater in the HC + RSV group (P < .01 compared with the HC group). Moreover, although the HC diet reduced the number of p16-positive neurons, the HC + RSV diet significantly upregulated p16 expression in the CA1 region of the hippocampus (P < .01 compared with the HC group). CONCLUSIONS: RSV protected against learning and memory impairments in juvenile animals fed with a HC diet, possibly via upregulation of p16 or downregulation of PPARγ in the hippocampal CA1 region.

[Design and experiment of a multi-modal electroencephalogram-near infrared spectroscopy helmet for simultaneously acquiring at the same brain area].

Multi-modal brain-computer interface and multi-modal brain function imaging are developing trends for the present and future. Aiming at multi-modal brain-computer interface based on electroencephalogram-near infrared spectroscopy (EEG-NIRS) and in order to simultaneously acquire the brain activity of motor area, an acquisition helmet by NIRS combined with EEG was designed and verified by the experiment. According to the 10-20 system or 10-20 extended system, the diameter and spacing of NIRS probe and EEG electrode, NIRS probes were aligned with C3 and C4 as the reference electrodes, and NIRS probes were placed in the middle position between EEG electrodes to simultaneously measure variations of NIRS and the corresponding variation of EEG in the same functional brain area. The clamp holder and near infrared probe were coupled by tightening a screw. To verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the multi-modal EEG-NIRS helmet, NIRS and EEG signals were collected from six healthy subjects during six mental tasks involving the right hand clenching force and speed motor imagery. These signals may reflect brain activity related to hand clenching force and speed motor imagery in a certain extent. The experiment showed that the EEG-NIRS helmet designed in the paper was feasible and effective. It not only could provide support for the multi-modal motor imagery brain-computer interface based on EEG-NIRS, but also was expected to provide support for multi-modal brain functional imaging based on EEG-NIRS.

Increased Soluble CD137 Levels and CD4+ T-Cell-Associated Expression of CD137 in Acute Atherothrombotic Stroke.

As a proinflammatory cytokine, CD137 (4-1BB, TNFRSF9) is present in membrane-bound and soluble forms. Increased expression of CD137 was recently found in T cells in human atherosclerotic plaques. However, the exact role of CD137 in ischemic stroke is not clear. In this study we analyzed the protein levels of soluble CD137 (sCD137) and the expression of CD137 on CD4+ T cells in the peripheral blood of patients with acute atherothrombotic stroke by using the cytometry beads array (CBA) and flow cytometry. Within 24 hours of onset, the stroke patients showed elevated levels of sCD137 (2.7 pg/ml) and CD137 expression on CD4+ T cells (4.9 ± 3.2%) compared with normal controls (1.1 pg/ml, P < 0.01; 1.3 ± 1.0%, P < 0.01). Alterations in CD137 expression may enhance ischemia-induced inflammatory responses via bidirectional signaling and, consequently, aggravate brain injury in early stages of this disorder.

CT perfusion in predicting the morbidity and prognosis of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy after off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the perfusion parameters of computed tomography (CT) in hypoxicischemic encephalopathy (HIE) after off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCABG), and its potential in predicting the occurrence and prognosis of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy. METHODS: We selected 830 patients. The patients were grouped into: HIE and no HIE. HIE patients were further divided into two groups: poor prognosis and better prognosis. RESULTS: (1) Patients with HIE, who had a history of stroke and hypertension, showed more severe stenosis on CTA and more perfusion abnormalities compared to non-HIE patients (p < 0.05). (2) The differences in frontal, temporal, occipital lobe rTTP, and occipital lobe rMTT in patients with or without HIE were statistically significant (p < 0.05). (3) Logistic regression analysis showed that the difference in occipital lobe rTTP was an independent risk factor for the morbidity in HIE. (4) HIE patients, if they had a history of an abnormal CT, showed poor prognosis (p < 0.05). Furthermore, in these patients, CT images showed significant differences in right frontal, occipital, basal ganglia rTTP, as well as left temporal, occipital, basal ganglia rTTP, as well as frontal lobe rMTT. (5) Three principal components (F1, F2, F3) can be used to generalize all indexes. CONCLUSION: The difference in occipital lobe rTTP on CTA perfusion may be a potential predictor of HIE. Furthermore, abnormal CT and rTTP may be used for predicting the prognosis in HIE patients. Three principal components (F1 as a reflection of CBF, F2 as reflection of TTP, F3 as a reflection of MTT) can be used to generally describe perfusion parameters.

Imagined Hand Clenching Force and Speed Modulate Brain Activity and Are Classified by NIRS Combined With EEG.

Simultaneous acquisition of brain activity signals from the sensorimotor area using NIRS combined with EEG, imagined hand clenching force and speed modulation of brain activity, as well as 6-class classification of these imagined motor parameters by NIRS-EEG were explored. Near infrared probes were aligned with C3 and C4, and EEG electrodes were placed midway between the NIRS probes. NIRS and EEG signals were acquired from six healthy subjects during six imagined hand clenching force and speed tasks involving the right hand. The results showed that NIRS combined with EEG is effective for simultaneously measuring brain activity of the sensorimotor area. The study also showed that in the duration of (0, 10) s for imagined force and speed of hand clenching, HbO first exhibited a negative variation trend, which was followed by a negative peak. After the negative peak, it exhibited a positive variation trend with a positive peak about 6-8 s after termination of imagined movement. During (-2, 1) s, the EEG may have indicated neural processing during the preparation, execution, and monitoring of a given imagined force and speed of hand clenching. The instantaneous phase, frequency, and amplitude feature of the EEG were calculated by Hilbert transform; HbO and the difference between HbO and Hb concentrations were extracted. The features of NIRS and EEG were combined to classify three levels of imagined force [at 20/50/80% MVGF (maximum voluntary grip force)] and speed (at 0.5/1/2 Hz) of hand clenching by SVM. The average classification accuracy of the NIRS-EEG fusion feature was 0.74 ± 0.02. These results may provide increased control commands of force and speed for a brain-controlled robot based on NIRS-EEG.

Long-term caloric restriction in mice may prevent age-related learning impairment via suppression of apoptosis.

Caloric restriction (CR) is the most reliable intervention to extend lifespan and prevent age-related disorders in various species from yeast to rodents. However, the underlying mechanisms have not yet been clearly defined. Therefore, we aimed to identify the underlying mechanisms of long-term CR on age-related learning impairment in C57/BL mice. Thirty six-week-old male C57/BL mice were randomly divided into three groups: normal control group (NC group, n=10), high energy group (HE group, n=10), and CR group (n=10). After 10 months, the Morris water maze test was performed to monitor learning abilities. Western blotting, immunohistochemistry and real-time polymerase chain reaction were used to monitor changes in protein and mRNA levels associated with apoptosis-related proteins in the hippocampus. The average escape latency was lower in the CR group compared with the NC group, and the average time taken to first cross the platform in the CR group was significantly shorter than the HE group. Both Bcl-2 protein and mRNA expression levels in the CR group were significantly higher than those of the NC group and HE group. The expression of Bax, Caspase-3 and PARP protein in the CR group was significantly lower than the NC group. Our findings demonstrate that long-term CR may prevent age-related learning impairments via suppressing apoptosis in mice.

Influence of age-related learning and memory capacity of mice: different effects of a high and low caloric diet.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies indicate that consumption of the different calorie diet may be an important way to accelerate or slow the neurodegenerative disorder related to age. Long-term consumption of a high-calorie diet affects the brain and increase the risk of neurodegenerative disorders. And consumption of a low-calorie diet (caloric restriction, CR) could delay aging, and protect the central nervous system from neurodegenerative disorders. The underlying mechanisms have not yet been clearly defined. METHOD: Thirty 6-week-old C57/BL6 mice were randomly assigned to a NC group (fed standard diet, n = 10), a CR group (fed a low-calorie diet, n = 10) or a HC group (fed a high-calorie diet, n = 10) for 10 months. Body weight was measured monthly. Learning and memory capacity were determined by Morris water maze. Pathological changes of the hippocampus cells were detected with HE and Nissl staining. The expression of GFAP was determined by immunofluorescence and western blot. The expression of mTOR, S6K and LC3B in the hippocampus was determined by immunofluorescence. RESULTS: After feeding for 10 months, compared with mice in the NC group, mean body weight was significantly higher in the HC group and significantly lower in the CR group. The result of Morris water maze showed that compared with mice in the NC group, the learning and memory capacity was significantly increased in the CR group, and significantly decreased in the HC group. HE and Nissl staining of the hippocampus showed cells damaged obviously in the HC group. In the hippocampus, the expression of GFAP, mTOR and S6K was increased in the HC group, and decreased in the CR group. The expression of LC3B was decreased in the HC group, and increased in the CR group. CONCLUSIONS: Long-term consumption of a high-calorie diet could inhibit autophagy function, and facilitate neuronal loss in the hippocampus, which in turn aggravate age-related cognition impairment. And consumption of a low-calorie diet (caloric restriction, CR) could enhance the degree of autophagy, protect neurons effectively against aging and damage, and keep learning and memory capacity better.