[Correlation between postoperative microstructural changes in cerebral white matter and early postoperative cognitive function in patients undergoing meningioma resection].

Objective: To analyze the correlation between microstructure changes in cerebral white matter before and after surgery and early postoperative cognitive function in patients undergoing meningioma resection. Methods: A total of 17 patients who underwent their first meningioma resection at Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University from April 2022 to April 2023 were prospectively included as observation group, with 5 males and 12 females, aged (56.4±7.3) years. Another 15 age- and education-matched patients with cerebral benign tumor were recruited as control group during the same period, with 5 males and 10 females, aged (55.2±8.0) years. Neuropsychological tests (NST), mainly including auditory verbal learning test of Huashan version (AVLT-H), the Montreal cognitive assessment-basic (MoCA-B), clock drawing task-30 (CDT-30), shape trails test-B (STT-B) and animal fluence test (AFT), were conducted at 1 day before surgery, 1 day and within 3-4 days after surgery in the observation group. Simultaneously, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were performed to collect diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) images at 1 day before surgery and within 3-4 days after surgery. The same NST were conducted at 1 day, 3 days and 6 days after admission in the control group to adjust for learning effects from repeated tests. The microstructure changes of the whole brain white matter were evaluated at the group level by using tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) technology, including changes of fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusion (MD), axial diffusion (AD), and radial diffusion (RD). Then, correlation was performed between DTI indicators with statistically significant and cognitive function. Results: After adjusting for the learning effects, the AVLT-H (R), MoCA-B, and CDT-30 scores decreased, and the evaluation time of STT-B prolonged after surgery in patients with meningioma. And their perioperative decreased values were -0.78 (95%CI:-3.28--0.28) points, -2.22 (95%CI:-4.22--0.72) points, -2.74 (95%CI:-5.29--0.19) points, and 61.49 (95%CI: 5.71-117.27) seconds, respectively, with statistically significant differences (all P<0.05). Group level analysis of TBSS based on DTI images showed decreased FA mainly in the right superior cerebellar peduncle, left posterior limb of internal capsule and genu of corpus callosum, and increased RD mainly in the left anterior corona radiata in patients undergoing meningioma resection, with statistically significant differences (all PFWE<0.05). Linear correlation showed that the perioperative decreased values of FA in genu of corpus callosum and right superior cerebellar peduncle were positively correlated with the perioperative decreased values of AVLT-H (L) after adjusting for learning effects (r=0.72, 0.52, all PFWE<0.05). Conclusions: Patients undergoing meningioma resection are at risk of postoperative cognitive decline. Perioperative decreased values of FA in genu of corpus callosum and right superior cerebellar peduncle based on DTI images are positively correlated with the perioperative decreased values of AVLT-H (L) after adjusting for learning effects.

Long non-coding RNA TUSC7 expression is independently predictive of outcome in glioma.

OBJECTIVE: Down-regulation of long non-coding RNA tumor suppressor candidate 7(TUSC7) contributes to tumorigenesis in several human cancers including glioma. However, the prognostic value of TUSC7 in glioma remains unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the clinicopathological and prognostic value of TUSC7. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The expression level of TUSC7 in glioma tissues and matched normal tissues were detected by qRT-PCR. Then, the association of serum TUSC7 expression level with various important clinicopathological parameters and survival rates was evaluated. The Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate the effect of independent prognostic factors on survival outcome. RESULTS: The relative level of TUSC7 was significantly lower in glioma tissues compared to the adjacent normal brain tissues (p < 0.01). In addition, a lower expression of TUSC7 was observed in high-grade glioma tissues than in low-grade glioma tissues (p < 0.01). Furthermore, the low expression of TUSC7 was associated with poor clinicopathological characteristics of glioma, including WHO grade (p = 0.002) and KPS (p = 0.026). Then, the low TUSC7 level was correlated with shorter disease free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) than low level (both p = 0.05). Finally, univariate and multivariate Cox analysis showed that TUSC7 was an independent prognostic indicator for OS and DFS. CONCLUSIONS: These results provided evidence that TUSC7 may be a potential biomarker in the prognosis of glioma.

[Establishment and evaluation of a rat model of diabetes comorbid depression and its expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein in the brain].

OBJECTIVE: To establish and evaluate a rat model of diabetes comorbid depression, and observe alterations in expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) in several cerebral regions. METHODS: Eighteen Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups, the control group (group CON, n=6), the diabetes mellitus group (group DM, n=6), and the diabetes comorbid depression group (group DD, n=6). Rats of group DM and group DD were injected intraperitoneally with STZ (64 mg/kg), the control rats received sham injections of citrate buffer alone. Group DD was then exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress for 28 days. All rats were submitted to the open-field test and Morris water maze test immediately after the CUMS procedure. After brain tissue collection, the expression of GFAP in bilateral frontal cortex, hippocampus and hypothalamus were measured by immunohistochemistry. RESULTS: Rats of group DD and group DM exhibited classic diabetic signs of weight loss, hyperphagia, polydipia, gloomy hair and increasing urine and stool, group DD showed mental fatigue and slow response.The STZ-treated groups showed high blood glucose level (>33.3 mol/L) compared to the control group throughout the study. Group DD ((176± 11), (157±8), (154± 12)g)and group DM ((176±10), (161±8), (160±13)g)showed decline on body weight, whereas group CON ((245±14), (276±21), (314±25)g)showed continuously elevated body weight 0, 14, 28 days after CUMS.In behavioral tests, group DD ((4.1±3.1), (115±73), (26±13))showed reduced total traveling distance, activity time and times of locomotion compared to group CON ((9.3±3.2), (200±53), (40±11), P<0.05). Throughout the probe trial of Morris water maze test, group DD and group DM ((0.5±0.5), (0.5±0.6))performed less times of crossing the former platform area compared to group CON ((2.6±2.2), P<0.05). The mean optical density (MOD) of GFAP positive cells in frontal cortex, hippocampus and hypothalamus of group DD ((0.18±0.03), (0.19±0.02), (0.21±0.02)) were decreased compared with group DM ((0.26±0.03), (0.27±0.03), (0.30±0.04), P<0.01), but increased compared with group CON ((0.13±0.04), (0.15±0.02), (0.16±0.03), P<0.05 or P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Combination of intraperitoneally STZ injection and proper CUMS procedure can successfully build a rat model of diabetes comorbid depression. The expression of GFAP in bilateral frontal cortex, hippocampus and hypothalamus of group DD is significant different form group DM and group CON, which is helpful for understanding the pathogenesis of diabetes comorbid depression.

Effect of early intrajejunal nutrition on pancreatic pathological features and gut barrier function in dogs with acute pancreatitis.

BACKGROUND: In patients with major trauma and burns, total enteral nutrition (TEN) significantly decreases the acute phase response and incidence of septic complications when compared with total parenteral nutrition (TPN). Traditionally, it was believed that early intrajejunal nutrition (EIN) in severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) may exacerbate the clinical pathological features, lead to recurrence of symptoms and delay complications. OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of EIN vs TPN on the pancreatic pathological features and gut barrier function in dogs with acute pancreatitis (AP). METHODS: Fifteen dogs (surviving over 7 days, the death rate being 32%, 7/22) were divided into parenteral nutrition (PN) group (n=7) and EIN group (n=8). SAP model was induced by injecting 1 ml/kg of combined solution of 2.5% sodium taurocholate and 8000-10000 BAEE units trypsin/ml into the pancreas via the pancreatic duct. Nutrients were delivered to the EIN group by catheter via a jejunostomy feeding 24 h postoperatively. The two groups were isocaloric and isonitrogenous. Systemic blood samples were obtained before and 1, 4, 7 d following AP, and cultured by aerobic as well as anaerobic bacterial growth. Systemic plasma and portal vein endotoxin levels were quantified by the chromogenic limulus amebocyte lysate (LAL) technique. Portal vein blood and specimens of tissue from mesenteriolum and mesocolon lymph nodes, lung, pulmonary portal lymph nodes and pancreas were adopted before the experiment was finished. Aliquots of the homogenata were cultured as blood mentioned above. Serum glucose, calcium, amylase and lysosomal enzymes were determined. All dogs were injected with 50 microCi (125)I-BSA 4 h at the 7th day before being sacrificed. The (125)I-BSA indexes of the pancreas/muscle and pancreas/blood were measured, and pancreatitic pathological scores (PPSs) of the different partial pancreas were observed. The content of mucosa protein, DNA and the villi, the thickness of mucosa and the whole bowel wall of the ileum and transverse colon were measured. RESULTS: The study showed that serum glucose in the PN group was higher than in the EIN group after SAP 3 d; the levels of systemic plasma endotoxin and the magnitude of bacterial translocation to the portal and systemic blood and distant organ reduced significantly in the EIN group P<0.01. There were no differences between the two groups in the data of serum calcium, amylase and lysosomal enzymes, P>0.05; the (125)I-BSA index of pancreas/muscle and pancreas/blood, and PPS of the head, body, tail and total pancreas did not reach significant difference between the two groups, P>0.05. The contents of protein and DNA, the height of villi, the thickness of mucosa and the whole bowel wall of the ileum and transverse colon in the EIN group were higher than that in the PN group,P <0.01. CONCLUSION: Our results suggested that EIN was safe and effective to be adopted by intrajejunal delivery of nutrients in SAP dogs, did not make SAP clinical pathological features deteriorate, and decreased the occurrence rate of endotoxin and gut bacterial translocation.