Fronto-parietal white matter microstructural deficits are linked to performance IQ in a first-episode schizophrenia Han Chinese sample

BACKGROUND

Evidence shows that cognitive deficits and white matter (WM) dysconnectivity can independently be associated with clinical manifestations in schizophrenia. It is important to explore this triadic relationship in order to investigate whether the triplet could serve as potential extended endophenotypes of schizophrenia.

METHOD

Diffusion tensor images and clinical performances were evaluated in 122 individuals with first-episode schizophrenia and 122 age- and gender-matched controls. In addition, 65 of 122 of the patient group and 40 of 122 controls were measured using intelligence quotient (IQ) testing.

RESULTS

The schizophrenia group showed lower fractional anisotropy (FA) values than controls in the right cerebral frontal lobar sub-gyral (RFSG) WM. The schizophrenia group also showed a significant positive correlation between FA in the RFSG and performance IQ (PIQ) ; in turn, their PIQ score showed a significant negative correlation with negative syndromes.

CONCLUSIONS

Overall, these findings support the hypothesis that WM deficits may be a core deficit that contributes to cognitive deficits as well as to negative symptoms.

A risk score for predicting post-traumatic stress disorder in adults in a Chinese earthquake area

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to identify risk factors for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and develop a risk score model for predicting PTSD in adults in a Chinese earthquake area.

METHODS

Questionnaires covering demographic information, earthquake experience and social support were administered to subjects experiencing a major earthquake. The PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version questionnaire was used for PTSD diagnosis. Subjects were randomly assigned to training (70%) or validation (30%) subsets. A risk score model for predicting PTSD risk was established, based on logistic regression of PTSD risk factors that were significant on univariate analysis of the training data.

RESULTS

In total, 9556 subjects completed questionnaires; PTSD prevalence was 4.5%. Divorced or widowed status, various adverse earthquake events and low levels of social support were identified as risk factors for PTSD. When tested in the validation dataset, the risk score model had good discriminative power and a good fit between predicted and observed values.

CONCLUSIONS

The risk score shows an acceptable predictive value and may be useful for early prediction of PTSD, in Chinese earthquake areas.

Overexpression of 4EBP1, p70S6K, Akt1 or Akt2 differentially promotes Coxsackievirus B3-induced apoptosis in HeLa cells

Our previous studies have shown that the inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) or mTOR complex 1 can obviously promote the Coxsackievirus B3 (CVB3)-induced apoptosis of HeLa cells by regulating the expression of proapoptotic factors. To further illustrate it, Homo sapiens eIF4E-binding protein 1 (4EBP1), p70S6 kinase (p70S6K), Akt1 and Akt2 were transfected to HeLa cells, respectively. And then, we established the stable transfected cell lines. Next, after CVB3 infection, apoptosis in different groups was determined by flow cytometry; the expressions of Bim, Bax, caspase-9 and caspase-3 were examined by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR and western blot analysis; the expression of CVB3 mRNA and viral capsid protein VP1 were also analyzed by real-time fluorescence quantitative PCR, western blot analysis and immunofluorescence, respectively. At the meantime, CVB3 replication was observed by transmission electron microscope. We found that CVB3-induced cytopathic effect and apoptosis in transfected groups were more obvious than that in controls. Unexpectedly, apoptosis rate in Akt1 group was higher than others at the early stage after viral infection and decreased with the viral-infected time increasing, which was opposite to other groups. Compared with controls, the expression of CVB3 mRNA was increased at 3, 6, 12 and 24 h postinfection (p. i.) in all groups. At the meantime, VP1 expression in 4EBP1 group was higher than control during the process of infection, while the expressions in the other groups were change dynamically. Moreover, overexpression of 4EBP1 did not affect the mRNA expressions of Bim, Bax, caspase-9 and caspase-3; while protein expressions of Bim and Bax were decreased, the self-cleavages of caspase-9 and caspase-3 were stimulated. Meanwhile, overexpression of p70S6K blocked the CVB3-induced Bim, Bax and caspase-9 expressions but promoted the self-cleavage of caspase-9. In the Akt1 group, it is noteworthy that the expressions of Bim protein were higher than controls at 3 and 6 h p. i. but lower at 24 h p. i., and the expression of Bax protein were higher at 6 and 24 h p. i., while their mRNA expressions were all decreased. Furthermore, overexpression of Akt1 stimulated the procaspase-9 and procaspase-3 expression but blocked their self-cleavages. Overexpression of Akt2, however, had little effect on Bim, Bax and caspase-3, while prevented caspase-9 from self-cleavage at the late stage of CVB3 infection. As stated above, our results demonstrated that overexpression of 4EBP1, p70S6K, Akt1 or Akt2 could promote the CVB3-induced apoptosis in diverse degree via different mediating ways in viral replication and proapoptotic factors in BcL-2 and caspase families. As 4EBP1, p70S6K and Akt are the important substrates of PI3K and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), we further illustrated the role of PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway in the process of CVB3-induced apoptosis.

Butyrate promotes the recovering of intestinal wound healing through its positive effect on the tight junctions

Postweaning diarrhea is one of the most common causes of morbidity and mortality in weanling piglets. Feeding sodium butyrate to weanling piglets decreased the incidence of diarrhea, but the mechanism has not been fully elucidated. The present study was to evaluate the effect of sodium butyrate on diarrhea in relation to wound healing of intestinal barrier using IPEC-J2 cell model. Cultured cells were scratched to induce wound and then were treated with 4 mM sodium butyrate. The results showed that supplementation of the cells with sodium butyrate significantly promoted the process of wound healing, indicating the protective effects of butyrate on the intestinal mucosa. Butyrate treatment enhanced mRNA expression of the intestinal mucosal tight junction proteins occludin and zonula occluden protein-1 (P < 0.05), which suggested that the promotion of wound healing by butyrate is related to the maintenance of the function of the intestinal barrier. In addition, in the butyrate-treated group, intestinal total superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase (P < 0.05), two of the main antioxidant enzymes, as well as glutathione (P < 0.05), one of the nonenzymatic antioxidant components, were enhanced whereas the malondialdehyde level, a marker of free radical mediated lipid peroxidation injury, was decreased (P < 0.05) compared with the control group. Collectively, these results indicate that dietary sodium butyrate might, at least partly, play an important role in recovering the intestinal tight junctions having a positive effect on maintaining the gut integrity.

Anthropometric measures and epithelial ovarian cancer risk among Chinese women: results from the Shanghai Women's Health Study

Background:

Studies of anthropometric measures and ovarian cancer risk have predominantly included women of European descent with mixed findings.

Methods:

Data from the prospective Shanghai Women's Health Study (SWHS) were used to evaluate associations between anthropometric measures and risk of epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC). Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by Cox proportional hazards regression.

Results:

A total of 152 EOC cases occurred among 70 258 women. Increasing quartiles of weight, hip circumference, and weight gain during adulthood were associated with significantly increased EOC risks. Body mass index (BMI) was also associated; overweight (25⩽BMI<29.99) and obese women (BMI⩾30.0) had significantly increased risks (HR: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.05, 2.13, and HR: 2.42, 95% CI: 1.37, 4.28, respectively). No significant associations were observed for height, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and waist-to-height ratio (WHER).

Conclusion:

Results from this large prospective study of Chinese women support the hypothesis that general adiposity contributes to the aetiology of ovarian cancer.

Genome-wide association study in a Chinese population identifies a susceptibility locus for type 2 diabetes at 7q32 near PAX4

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

Most genetic variants identified for type 2 diabetes have been discovered in European populations. We performed genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in a Chinese population with the aim of identifying novel variants for type 2 diabetes in Asians.

METHODS

We performed a meta-analysis of three GWAS comprising 684 patients with type 2 diabetes and 955 controls of Southern Han Chinese descent. We followed up the top signals in two independent Southern Han Chinese cohorts (totalling 10,383 cases and 6,974 controls), and performed in silico replication in multiple populations.

RESULTS

We identified CDKN2A/B and four novel type 2 diabetes association signals with p < 1 × 10(-5) from the meta-analysis. Thirteen variants within these four loci were followed up in two independent Chinese cohorts, and rs10229583 at 7q32 was found to be associated with type 2 diabetes in a combined analysis of 11,067 cases and 7,929 controls (p meta = 2.6 × 10(-8); OR [95% CI] 1.18 [1.11, 1.25]). In silico replication revealed consistent associations across multiethnic groups, including five East Asian populations (p meta = 2.3 × 10(-10)) and a population of European descent (p = 8.6 × 10(-3)). The rs10229583 risk variant was associated with elevated fasting plasma glucose, impaired beta cell function in controls, and an earlier age at diagnosis for the cases. The novel variant lies within an islet-selective cluster of open regulatory elements. There was significant heterogeneity of effect between Han Chinese and individuals of European descent, Malaysians and Indians.

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION

Our study identifies rs10229583 near PAX4 as a novel locus for type 2 diabetes in Chinese and other populations and provides new insights into the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes.

Mycoplasma fermentans MALP-2 induces heme oxygenase-1 expression via mitogen-activated protein kinases and Nrf2 pathways to modulate cyclooxygenase 2 expression in human monocytes

Heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) is a stress-inducible rate-limiting enzyme in heme degradation that confers cytoprotection against oxidative injury and performs a vital function in the maintenance of cell hemostasis. Increasing numbers of reports have indicated that mycoplasma-derived membrane lipoproteins/lipopeptides, such as macrophage-activating lipopeptide-2 (MALP-2), function as agents that stimulate the immune system by producing various inflammatory mediators, such as cytokines and cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2), which play roles in the pathogenesis of inflammatory responses during mycoplasma infection. Here, we report that MALP-2 induced HO-1 mRNA and protein expression and upregulated HO-1 enzyme activity in THP-1 cells. Specific inhibitors of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), SB203580, PD98059, and SP600125, significantly abolished HO-1 expression. In addition, MALP-2 also induced NF-E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) translocation, and the silencing of Nrf2 expression in THP-1 cells decreased the levels of MALP-2-mediated HO-1 expression. Furthermore, COX-2 protein expression levels were upregulated in THP-1 cells in response to MALP-2, and transfection with small interfering RNAs of HO-1 significantly increased COX-2 accumulation. These results demonstrate that MALP-2 induces HO-1 expression via MAPKs and Nrf2 pathways and, furthermore, that MALP-2-induced COX-2 expression was modulated by HO-1 in THP-1 cells.

The immune effects of multiple antigen peptides containing the mimic epitopes of the adhesion protein of Mycoplasma genitalium

The purpose of this study was to investigate the humoral and cellular immune responses stimulated by multiple antigen peptides (MAPs) containing the mimic epitopes of Mycoplasma genitalium adhesion protein (MgPa). Three MAPs containing the mimic epitopes of MgPa were synthesized on a branched polylysine matrix. After purification and characterization, these MAPs were used to immunize BALB/c mice. The immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody and the subtype of IgG antibody in the serum of the immunized mice were detected by indirect ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay). The proliferation of the spleen lymphocyte was detected using the MTT (3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide) assay. The gamma interferon (IFN-γ) and interleukin-4 (IL-4) levels in the cultured supernatant of spleen lymphocytes were measured by ELISA. The 3 different MAPs were prepared with high purity. Levels of IgG, IgG1, and IgG2a antibodies were elevated in the mice serum immunized by all 3 MAPs. The major antibody isotype was IgG2a. Importantly, mice immunized with a mixture of the 3 MAPs produced significantly more antibodies than those immunized with a single MAP (p < 0.05). Moreover, these MAPs could stimulate the proliferation of spleen lymphocytes of immunized mice and induce the production of IFN-γ and IL-4. The IFN-γ and IL-4 levels stimulated by the mixed MAPs were significantly higher than those stimulated by a single MAP (p < 0.01). The 3 different MAPs could induce strong cellular and humoral immune responses. The immunoreactivity of the mixed MAPs was stronger than that of the single MAP.

Recombinant disintegrin domain of ADAM15 inhibits the proliferation and migration of Bel-7402 cells

ADAM15 (A Disintegrin And Metalloproteinase 15), a transmembrane protein containing seven domains, interacts with some integrins via its disintegrin domain and overexpresses in many solid tumors. In this study, the effect of the recombinant human disintegrin domain (rhddADAM15) on the proliferation and migration of Bel-7402 cells was evaluated in vitro and in vivo in zebrafish xenografts. rhddADAM15 (4 μM) severely inhibited the proliferation and migration of Bel-7402 cells, inducing a partial G2/S arrest and morphological nucleus changes of apoptosis. Moreover, the activity of caspases 8, 9 and 3 in Bel-7402 cells was increased. In addition, the zebrafish was used as a model for apoptosis-induction and tumor-xenograft. rhddADAM15 (1 pM) inhibited the growth and metastasis of Bel-7402 cell xenografts in zebrafish and a lower concentration (0.1 pM) induced severe apoptosis in the somatic cells of zebrafish. In conclusion, our data identified rhddADAM15 as a potent inhibitor of tumor growth and metastasis, making it a promising tool for use in anticancer treatment.

Open reduction and internal fixation versus external fixation for unstable distal radial fractures: a meta-analysis

PURPOSE

To compare the clinical outcomes of open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF) versus the ones of closed reduction and external fixation (EF) in the treatment of distal radial fractures.

METHODS

We performed a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials that compared the clinical results of ORIF to EF in the treatment of distal radial fractures. A systemic retrieve from PubMed, EMBASE, OVID and Cochrane Collaboration CENTRAL database resulted in 11 studies with 824 patients. We thus performed data synthesis using RevMan (version 5.1).

RESULTS

Superior statistical differences were observed for DASH scores (at 3, 6 and 12 months follow-up) grip strength (at 3 months follow-up), volar tilt (at 12 months follow-up), flexion and supination (at 3 months follow-up), and extension (at 3 and 6 months follow-up) in ORIF patients group, compared with those in EF group. We also found a significantly higher risk of infection associated with EF. There was no significant difference in the incidence of malunion and median nerve dysfunction.

CONCLUSION

Regarding surgical fixation of unstable distal radius fractures, ORIF yields significantly better subjective outcome (DASH scores) the first year after operation, restoration of anatomic volar tilt, and forearm flexion and extension at the end of the follow-up period. However, EF results in higher incidence of infection compared to ORIF. ORIF is equal to EF for either grip strength, or range of motion of the injured wrist, or incidence of malunion or median nerve dysfunction at the end of the follow-up period.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level II. Therapeutic study.

High b-value diffusion tensor imaging of the remote white matter and white matter of obstructive unilateral cerebral arterial regions

AIM

To assess diffusion changes in the remote white matter and areas of white matter with cerebral artery obstruction without magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evidence of brain parenchymal abnormalities using high b-value diffusion tensor imaging (DTI).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 34 patients with severe unilateral stenosis (≥75%) or occlusion of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) without abnormal brain parenchymal signals at MRI underwent DTI with a b value of 2200 s/mm(2) at 3 T. Fractional anisotropy (FA), apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC), axial diffusivity (eigenvalue λ₁) and radial diffusivity (eigenvalue λ₂₃) were measured at the bilateral corona radiata, anterior and posterior limbs of the internal capsule, cerebral peduncle, and pons.

RESULTS

The mean FA was significantly lower at the ipsilateral corona radiata and anterior and posterior limbs of the internal capsule than at the contralateral corona radiata and anterior and posterior limbs of the internal capsule (p < 0.05). The mean ADC, λ₁ and λ₂₃ were significantly higher at the ipsilateral corona radiata than at the contralateral corona radiata (p < 0.01). The mean λ₂₃ were significantly higher at the ipsilateral anterior and posterior limb of the internal capsule than at the contralateral anterior and posterior limb of the internal capsule (p < 0.05). The mean ADC, λ₁ and λ₂ ₃were not significantly different between the ipsilateral cerebral peduncle and pons.

CONCLUSIONS

High b-value DTI could sensitively reveal diffusion changes in white matter in regions of cerebral artery obstruction without abnormal anisotropy and diffusivity of the remote white matter of patients with severe MCA stenosis or occlusion without MRI evidence of brain parenchymal abnormalities.

A functional MRI study of deception among offenders with antisocial personality disorders

Deceit is a core feature of antisocial personality disorder (ASPD), and the study of deception in ASPD has important implications for identifying the underlying mechanism of ASPD. A great deal of functional neuroimaging literature has described the neural correlates of deception in healthy volunteers, but there have been few imaging studies examining people with ASPD. The neural correlates of lie-telling in ASPD, and which specific brain activities are related to the capacity to lie, are unclear. In this study, 32 offenders who satisfied the Personality Diagnostic Questionaire-4 and PDI-IV (Personality Disorder Interview) criteria for ASPD were divided into three groups based on their capacity for deception, which was evaluated based on the deceitfulness criterion of the PDI-IV ASPD. All offenders underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) while responding to questions in a truthful, inverse, or deceitful manner. We primarily created contrasts in the brain activities between truth-telling and lie-telling, and then computed the Pearson's correlation coefficients between activities contrasts of individual, i.e. BOLD (blood-oxygen-level-dependent) strength during deception minus that during truth-telling, and the capacity for deception. Our results indicated that the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex extending to the middle frontal gyrus, the left inferior parietal lobule, and the bilateral anterior cingulate gyrus/medial superior frontal gyrus were associated with deception among people with ASPD. As the capacity for deception increased, the contrasted brain activities of the above regions decreased. This study found that truthful and untruthful communications of ASPD subjects can be differentiated in terms of brain BOLD activities, and more importantly, this study is the first to use fMRI to discover that BOLD activities during deception are correlated with the capacity to lie. The latter finding might challenge the diagnostic accuracy of lie detection and may also caution that greater attention should be given to detecting untruths in individuals who are skilled at lying.

Aberrant intrinsic brain activity and cognitive deficit in first-episode treatment-naive patients with schizophrenia

BACKGROUND

Given the important role of the default mode network (DMN) in cognitive function and the well-known neurocognitive deficit in schizophrenia, it is intriguing to examine systematically the relationship between neurocognitive dysfunction and aberrant intrinsic activities, and also functional connectivity, of the DMN in patients with schizophrenia. Method First-episode, treatment-naive patients with schizophrenia (FES) (n = 115) and healthy controls (n = 113) underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans and neurocognitive tests. Intrinsic neural activities evaluated by using the fragment amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF) and the resting-state functional connectivity assessed by seed-based correlational analysis were compared between patients and controls. Aberrant intrinsic activities and DMN connectivity in patients were then correlated to neurocognitive performance and clinical symptoms.

RESULTS

Compared to controls, patients with FES showed decreased fALFF in the bilateral medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) and the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), and increased fALFF in the bilateral putamen. Increased functional connectivity with the DMN was observed in the left insula and bilateral dorsolateral PFC (DLPFC) in patients with FES. In patients, aberrant fALFF in the bilateral OFC were correlated with cognitive processing speed; fALFF in the left OFC and right putamen were correlated with the clinical factors excited/activation and disorganization; and increased DMN functional connectivity in the left insula was correlated with the clinical factors positive, excited/activation, disorganization and neurocognitive deficit in the domain of sustained attention.

CONCLUSIONS

These associations between neurocognitive dysfunction and aberrant intrinsic activities, and also functional connectivity, of the DMN in patients with schizophrenia may provide important insights into the neural mechanism of the disease.

Isolated cortical vein thrombosis: a widely variable clinicoradiological spectrum

BACKGROUND/AIMS

The aim of this study is to highlight the variable clincoradiological spectrum of isolated cortical vein thrombosis (ICoVT), which seems to remain a challenge to clinicians.

CASES REPORTS

We reported 3 patients with this diagnosis. One presented with only an epileptic seizure, one with worsening headache, seizures, mental disorder, speech disturbance and right-sided weakness, and the other with seizures and fluctuating paralysis in her left-sided limbs. Brain images were manifested with a strand-like abnormal signal, a large hemorrhagic infarction and a continuously enlarged space-occupying massive edema, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Neurologic features and brain imaging of ICoVT are highly variable, which might be partly responsible for the underestimation of ICoVT. Clinical diagnosis should probably be evoked more often.