Linking Cognitive Impairment with Amyloid-β Accumulation in Alzheimer's Disease: Insights from Behavioral Tests and FTIR Spectroscopy

Background

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that progresses over time. Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis gives identification of the main metabolic changes that happen during neurodegeneration, by monitoring biochemical and molecular structure alterations that can help in AD diagnosis or treatment approach.

Objective

The aim of the present work is to assess AD hallmarks in molecular structure of retina and monitor accumulation of amyloid beta42(Aβ42) in brain and retina during disease progression.

Methods

AD induced in rats by Aluminum Chloride (AlCl3). Retinal molecular structure during disease progression for 2,4,6 and 8 weeks was assessed by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and the incidence of the disease was confirmed by a behavioural assessment; the Morris Water Maze test. Aβ42 levels in the brain and retina were also measured.

Results

The results indicated that cognitive impairment starting from 6 weeks of AlCl3 administration. Retinal concentration of Aβ42 was significant increase (p < 0.05) from 2 weeks that precedes the observed increase of Aβ42 in the brain which appeared after 4 weeks of AlCl3 administration. Multivariate principal component analysis discovers that the variance noticed in the infrared spectra due to AD condition and it is time dependent for progression of the disease.

Conclusions

The accumulation of Aβ42 is a sensitive early biomarker in retina for AD. FTIR analysis of the retina revealed changes in hydrogen bond formation or destruction, alterations in lipid chain length and branching accompanied by depleted lipid content and carbonization, as well as degeneration of the retinal tissue due to AD.

Prognosis of Biomarker of Alzheimer’s Disease in the Function of the Retina and Secondary Molecular Structure Variation of the Retina and Brain

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the most serious neurodegenerative diseases in the globe. As a result, there is an acute need to discover indications that allow for early disease detection. There is growing scientific data showing the similarities between the eye and other central nervous system components, suggesting that information obtained in ophthalmic research might be valuable in the study and diagnosis of AD. Fifty male albino Wistar rats were separated into five groups: the first group served as control, and the other four groups of animals were administrated aluminium chloride (AlCl3) in a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight (b.w.) for 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks, respectively. Insights into the function of the retina by electroretinogram (ERG) and the changes thought to have occurred in the molecular structure of the retina and brain using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) as a result of AD progression induced by AlCl3 in rats were done. Moreover, the measurement of acetylcholinesterase (AchE) was done. After 6 and 8 weeks of AlCl3 injection, there was a substantial reduction ( $p\le 0.05$ ) in a- and b-wave amplitudes and a significant rise ( $p\le 0.05$ ) in implicit time compared to controls. A significant elevation ( $p\le 0.05$ ) of AchE content was observed after 4, 6, and 8 weeks. FTIR revealed a significant increase ( $p\le 0.05$ ) of β-turn and β-sheet content associated with significant decrease ( $p\le 0.05$ ) of α-helix content for all groups administrated with AlCl3. Our findings suggest that retinal biomarkers such as ERG of the retina may be used as a screening tool for detection of AD. Secondary structural changes in the proteins of the retina and the brain were similar in AD rats’ model and precede retinal dysfunction.

2021 NATIONAL DIAGNOSTIC REFERENCE LEVELS FOR PAEDIATRIC COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY IN EGYPT

OBJECTIVE

To establish national diagnostic reference levels (NDRLs) for most common paediatric computed tomography (CT) examinations in Egypt.

METHODS

This was a prospective study that included all dedicated paediatric imaging centers in Egypt. Data from 1680 individual paediatric patients undergoing CT scanning of the head, chest and abdomen-pelvis were collected. Computed tomography dose indices were recorded, data were analysed and compared with the internationally published paediatric DRLs in14 countries.

RESULTS

The Egyptian NDRLs of the CTDIvol (mGy) for head, chest and abdomen-pelvis scans among four paediatric age groups were found to be (23, 27, 28, 32, 4, 5, 6, 8, 5, 6, 7, 9) mGy, respectively; and the corresponding NDRLs of the DLP (mGycm) for head, chest and abdomen-pelvis scans were found to be (345, 428, 499, 637, 67, 85, 145, 215, 97, 135, 240, 320) mGycm, respectively. There were variations in the radiation doses between CT centers and identical scanners indicating the need for dose optimization. The NDRLs of the CTDIvol (mGy) and the DLP (mGycm) values were similar to or lower than international DRLs.

CONCLUSION

This study summarizes the results of the first Egyptian Computed Tomography survey that provides national diagnostic reference levels for paediatric patients in Egypt. Despite the reasonable NDRLs values, the study depicted certain pros and cons concerning CT practice, and identified some problems that hinder the process of optimization as well as justification in children.

Development and bioevaluation of controlled release 5-aminoisoquinoline nanocomposite: a synergistic anticancer activity against human colon cancer

<abstract> <p>The current study presents a bimodal therapeutic platform for cancer treatment. Bimodal implies that the presented drug loaded core-shell structure is capable of elevating the tumor tissue temperature (hyperthermia) through the superparamagnetic iron oxide core and simultaneously release a Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase-1(PARP-1)-modifying agent from the thermoresponsive shell. Magnetic thermoresponsive nanocomposite MTN was synthesized via an in situ free radical polymerization of thermo-responsive (N-isopropylacrylamide) (NIPAAm) monomer in the presence of 11-nm monodisperse SPIONs. The composite was allowed to swell in various concentrations of the PARP inhibitor: 5-aminoisoquinoline (5-AIQ) forming drug-loaded magnetic thermoresponsive nanocomposite (MTN-5.AIQ). Structural characterization of the formed composite is studied via various experimental tools. To assess the coil to globule transition temperature, the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) is determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) method and the cloud point (Tp) is determined by turbidometry. Magnetic thermoresponsive nanocomposite (MTN) is formed with excellent potential for hyperthermia. A high drug loading efficiency (85.72%) is obtained with convenient temperature dependent drug release kinetics. Biocompatibility and cytotoxic efficacy are tested on an in vivo and in vitro colorectal-adenocarcinoma model, respectively. MTN.5-AIQ administration exhibits normal hepatic and renal functions as well as lower toxic effect on normal tissue. In addition, the composite effectively inhibits Caco-2 cells viability upon incubation. Based on the obtained results, the proposed therapeutic platform can be considered as a novel, promising candidate for dual therapy of colorectal adenocarcinoma exhibiting a PARP-1 overexpression. as well as increased the inhabiting efficacy of 5-AIQ.</p> </abstract>

Implementation of a wedged-dynamic arc therapy technique for head and neck cancer

INTRODUCTION

In this study, we designed and evaluated a wedged dynamic arc therapy (W-DAT) to provide the desirable concaved-shape dose distribution to cover the target in the treatment of head and neck sequence cell carcinoma.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Eight patients were treated using W-DAT. The dose prescriptions were 70 Gy and 54 Gy, in 35 fractions, to the sites of the gross planning target volume (PTV1) and the microscopic (PTV2) diseases respectively. This technique consists of four wedged half-arcs of moving multi-leaf collimator leaves to fit PTV1 and shield brain stem at all gantry rotations. These were combined with two anterior-posterior conformal fields of different weighing to improve the dose uniformity. Another two anterior-posterior conformal fields were designed to cover the PTV2. All of the eight fields were half blocked by the normal jaws so there is no dose overlap at the interface between the two targets.

RESULTS

Referring to radiation therapy oncology group protocol 0615, 95% of the PTV1 was covered by more than 95% (66.50 Gy) of the prescribed dose, with very low dose inhomogeneity index of 0.0670 ± 0.0007. The maximum dose to 1% of the planning organ at risk volumes-brainstem didn't exceed 56.10 ± 2.17 Gy while the two parotids were well spared as they received a mean dose of 21.97 ± 3.24 Gy. Isocentric ion chamber measurements showed good agreement with the treatment planning system calculated dose with the maximum deviation of 2.40% while film measurements yielded lesser than 4.20% of the pixels failed the acceptance gamma criteria of (3 mm, 3%).

CONCLUSION

W-DAT technique was approved in our department as the standard choice for the radical treatment of head and neck sequence cell carcinoma.

Effect of food restriction on reproductive-related genes and reproductive hormones in adult female rats

OBJECTIVES

A number of factors involved in the control of energy balance and metabolism act as modulators of gonadal axis. Ghrelin, a peptide secreted from the stomach and hypothalamus, has emerged as an orexigenic food intake controlling signal acting upon hypothalamus. Recently, the potential reproductive role of ghrelin has received great attention. This study was designed to investigate the influence of food restriction and consequent metabolic hormone (ghrelin) on the level and gene expression of female reproductive hormones in adult rats.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

To study the effect of chronic food restriction on ghrelin level in adult female rats and its relation to female reproductive hormones, 32 adult female Sprague Dawley rats divided into 4 groups: Group I (control group) comprised 8 rats fed ad libitum for 30 days, Group II, III and IV (food-restricted groups for 10, 20 and 30 days respectively) each consisted of 8 rats fed 50% of ad libitum intake determined by the amount of food consumed by the control group.

RESULTS

Mean body weight of food restricted rats was observed to decrease during the period of the experiment. Food restriction produced significant increase of serum ghrelin with significant decrease of both gastric and hypothalamic ghrelin accompanied with significant increase in its gene expression in stomach and hypothalamus. Estradiol (E2), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) levels showed significant decrease correlated with down-regulation of gonadotropins, cyclin-dependent kinase (cdc2), cyclin B and kisspeptin (Kiss1) genes in food restricted rats compared with control group.

CONCLUSIONS

Ghrelin could be one of the hormones responsible for the suppression of female reproductive axis in case of negative energy balance. Thus, ghrelin may operate as an autocrine/paracrine regulator of ovarian function. Overall, ghrelin may represent an additional link between body weight homeostasis and reproductive function.

Comparison of intensity-modulated radiotherapy and forward-planning dynamic arc therapy techniques for prostate cancer

We compare an inverse‐planning intensity‐modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) technique with three previously published forward‐planning dynamic arc therapy techniques and a newly implemented technique for treatment of prostate only. The three previously published dynamic arc techniques are dynamic arc therapy (DAT), two‐axis dynamic arc therapy (2A‐DAT), and modified dynamic arc therapy (M‐DAT). The newly implemented technique is the bilateral wedged dynamic arc (BW‐DAT). In all dynamic arcs, the multileaf collimator is moving during rotation to fit the prostate, except that, in 2A‐DAT, it is fitting two separate symmetrical rhombi including the prostate. The rectum is shielded during rotation only in the cases of M‐DAT and BW‐DAT.

The results obtained indicate that the BW‐DAT, M‐DAT, and DAT techniques provide the intended dose coverage of the prescribed dose to the planning target volume (PTV)—that is, 95% of the PTV is covered by 100% of the dose. The maximum dose to a 3‐cm margin of healthy tissue that surrounds the PTV is lower by 2.5% in the case of IMRT than in both BW‐DAT and M‐DAT, but it is lower by 5.0% than that in both DAT and 2A‐DAT. The maximum dose to the rest of the healthy tissue in the case of BW‐DAT is 33.2Gy±2.2Gy. This dose covers percentage healthy body volumes of 8%±3.2% with IMRT, 4%±1.5% with DAT, and 6%±1.2% with both 2A‐DAT and M‐DAT. Also, this dose is much lower than the accepted maximum dose (52 Gy) to the femoral heads and necks according to Report 62 from the International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements. Accordingly, it would be possible to neglect delineation of the femoral heads and necks as organs at risk in cases of BW‐DAT.

Doses to 15%, 25%, 35%, and 50% (D15%, D25%, D35%, and D50%) of the rectum volume in the case of BW‐DAT were 43.5Gy±8.6Gy, 24.2Gy±8.7Gy, 13.2Gy±4.2Gy, and 5.7Gy±2.1Gy respectively. The D15% of rectum in the case of IMRT was lower than that in BW‐DAT, M‐DAT, 2A‐DAT, and DAT by 7.3%, 10.3%, 33.0%, and 17.6% of the prescribed dose (78 Gy in 39 fractions) respectively. The D25%, D35%, and D50% of the rectum volume in the cases of IMRT and DAT were comparable (with a maximum variation of 4.5%); they were similarly comparable in the cases of M‐DAT and BW‐DAT (with maximum variation of 1.5%). These same doses in BW‐DAT were lower than those in IMRT by 8.7%, 10.6%, and 6.2% respectively, but they were quite lower than those in 2A‐DAT, because the average variation was 41.6% (with a maximum of 44.0%).

The D15%, D25%, D35%, and D50% of the bladder volume in the case of BW‐DAT were 33.2Gy±10.9Gy, 17.4Gy±7.9Gy, 6.5Gy±4.3Gy, and 4.2Gy±3.5Gy respectively. The D15% and D25% of the bladder in the cases of IMRT, M‐DAT, and BW‐DAT were comparable (with a maximum variation of 2.2% and 3.6% respectively), and the mean values of each dose were lower in DAT by 14.3% and 11.7% respectively. However, the values of D35% and D50% in the four techniques were comparable, with maximum variations of 5.1% and 2.7% respectively. The D15%, D25%, D35%, and D50% of the bladder in the case of DAT were lower than those in 2A‐DAT by 20.1%, 26.9%, 16.0%, and 2.7% respectively.

Ion chamber measurements showed good agreement between the calculated and measured isocentric doses (maximum deviation: 3.2%). Accuracy of the dose distribution calculation for BW‐DAT was evaluated by film dosimetry using a gamma index, allowing 3% dose variation and 3 mm distance to agreement as the individual acceptance criteria. We found that fewer than 6.5% of the pixels in the dose distributions of the scanned and calculated area of 10×10 cm failed the acceptance criteria.

We conclude that, in addition to simplicity of the dose calculation, the BW‐DAT technique provides the intended concave dose distribution for treatment of the prostate only. Compared with IMRT, it produces better dose protection to the most of the rectum volume and to the healthy tissue outside the treatment volume. Also, as compared with the other forward planning dynamic arc techniques, it gives the most favorable isodose distributions to the prostate and rectum.

PACS number: 87.53.Tf

Forward-planning intensity-modulated radiotherapy technique for prostate cancer

In this study, we present an intensity‐modulated radiotherapy technique based on forward planning dose calculations to provide a concave dose distribution to the prostate and seminal vesicles by means of modified dynamic arc therapy (M‐DAT). Dynamic arcs (350 degrees) conforming to the beam's eye view of the prostate and seminal vesicles while shielding the rectum, combined with two lateral oblique conformal fields (15 degrees with respect to laterals) fitting the prostate only, were applied to deliver doses of 78 Gy and 61.23 Gy in 39 fractions to the prostate and seminal vesicles respectively. Dynamic wedges (45 degrees of thick end, anteriorly oriented) were used with conformal beams to adjust the dose homogeneity to the prostate, although in some cases, hard wedges (30 degrees of thick part, inferiorly oriented) were used with arcs to adjust the dose coverage to the seminal vesicles. The M‐DAT was applied to 10 patients in supine and 10 patients in prone positioning to determine the proper patient positioning for optimum protection of the rectum. The M‐DAT was compared with the simplified intensity‐modulated arc therapy (SIMAT) technique, composed of three phases of bilateral dynamic arcs. The mean rectal dose in M‐DAT for prone patients was 22.5±5.1 Gy; in M‐DAT and SIMAT for supine patients, it was 30.2±5.1 Gy and 39.4±6.0 Gy respectively. The doses to 15%, 25%, 35%, and 50% of the rectum volume in M‐DAT for prone patients were 44.5±10.2 Gy, 33.0±8.2 Gy, 25.3±6.4 Gy, and 16.3±5.6 Gy respectively. These values were lower than those in M‐DAT and in SIMAT for supine patients by 7.7%, 18.2%, 22.4%, and 28.5% and by 25.0%, 32.1%, 34.9%, and 41.9% of the prescribed dose (78 Gy) respectively. Ion chamber measurements showed good agreement of the calculated and measured isocentric dose (maximum deviation of 3.5%). Accuracy of the dose distribution calculation was evaluated by film dosimetry using a gamma index, allowing 3% dose variation and 4 mm distance to agreement as the individual acceptance criteria in prostate and seminal vesicle levels alike for all supine and prone patients. We found that fewer than 10% of the pixels in the dose distribution of the calculated area of 10×10−cm failed the acceptance criteria. These pixels were observed mainly in the low‐dose regions, particularly at the level of the seminal vesicles.

In conclusion, the single‐phase M‐DAT technique with patients in the prone position was found to provide the intended coverage of the prescribed doses to the prostate and seminal vesicles with improved protection for the rectum. Accordingly, M‐DAT has replaced non‐modulated conformal radiotherapy or SIMAT as the standard treatment for prostate cancer in our department.

PACS number: 87.53.Tf