Objective To observe any differences in motor cortex excitability between Parkinson's disease (PD)patients and patients with multiple system atrophy (MSA) and to explore whether motor evoked potentials (MEPs) can be used as an electrophysiological indicator for differentiating the 2 diseases.Methods Thirty-four PD patients, 22 MSA patients and 15 age- and sex-matched healthy control subjeets were included in this study. Relaxed motor thresholds (RMTs), central motor conduction time (CMCTs) and MEP amplitudes (AMPs) were recorded in all three groups. The relationships of RMT, CMCT and AMP with the severity of the disease were observed.Results Average RMT in the PD group was significantly lower than that in the MSA and control groups. Average RMT in the MSA group was also significantly lower than that in the control group. There was no significant difference among the three groups with regard to CMCT. AMP in the PD group was significantly higher on average than in the MSA and control groups, but there was no significant difference between the MSA and control groups. RMT decreased and CMCT shortened progressively with the severity of the disease in the PD group, but not in the MSA group.Conclusions There were differences in motor cortex excitability between PD patients and MSA patients. MEP RMTs and CMCTs may be valuable for identifying PD and MSAc but the clinical significance of the amplitude differences remains to be further explored.

Objective To study the effects of repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation(rTMS)on Parkinson's plus syndrome(PPS).Methods Fifteen in-patients with PPS were studied between 2005 and 2008.The patients received 1 Hz rTMS at an intensity 30%over the threshold.The rTMS was applied on the hand representive area of the bilateral first motor cortex,50 stimulations on each side,5 arrays,for 5 min,once daily for 15 d.Hamilton's depression scale(HAMD),Hamilton's anxiety scale(HAMA),the unified Parkinson's disease rating scale(UPDRS,which can be subdivided into UPDRS Ⅰ,UPDRS Ⅱ and UPDRS Ⅲ),an activities of daily living scale(ADL),the mini-mental state examination(MMSE)and motor evoked potential(MEP)were assessed before and immediately after 15 d of rTMS treatment. Results Average HAMD,HAMA,UPDRS,UPDRS Ⅱ and UPDRS Ⅲ scores all decreased,and ADL scores increased significantly after treatment,while UPDRSⅠand MMSE scores were unchanged before and after treatment.No significant changes in resting motor threshold or central motor conduction time of the MEP were observed after rTMS treatment. Conclusion Clinical symptoms of PPS patients improved after rTMS treatment and side effects were few.Depression,anxiety,motor function and ability in the activities of daily living improved greatly.Repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation is a potential treatment for PPS patients.There may be no correlation between the effective mechanism of rTMS and cortex excitation.

OBJECTIVETo study the whole body bone mineral changes in normal subjects.

METHODSBone mineral was measured by dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in 292 normal subjects aged 10-79 years, including 152 females and 140 males. They were divided into age-groups by decade.

RESULTSIn males, the ages with peak value of total bone mineral content (TBMC), total bone mineral density (TBMD), anteroposterior spine BMD (L2-4 BMD) were in the 30-39, 20-39, 20-29 age-groups respectively. In females, they were all in the 30-39 age-group. Peak values of TBMC, TBMD, L2-4 BMD were higher in males than those in females. Loss of bone mineral for females was more pronounced than that for males. Loss of L2-4 BMD was more pronounced than TBMD.

CONCLUSIONThis study provides the normal bone mineral data of whole body for males and females, and the characteristic of changes.

Absorptiometry, Photon ; Adolescent ; Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Bone Density ; Child ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Reference Values ; Sex Factors

OBJECTIVETo recognize relationship of protein related neurodegeneration abnormal aggregation in the aged brains with their cognitive and motor functions.

METHODSBrain tissues from the consecutive autopsy cases of the aged from January 2005 to December 2006 in PLA General Hospital were carried out for immunohistochemical staining with beta amyloid, tau, α-synuclein and ubiquitin antibodies. The consortium to establish a registry for Alzheimer's disease (CERAD) was used to semi-quantitatively analyze Aβ positive core plaques density and Braak staging for tau positive neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and α-synuclein positive Lewy bodies. In addition, Aβ positive cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA), neuritic plaques and various ubiquitin positive structures were also observed. The relationship of these protein abnormal depositions in the aged brains with cognitive and motor functions were analyzed.

RESULTSIn brain tissues of 16 consecutive autopsy cases of the aged from 78 to 95 years, there were 13 cases with Aβ positive core plaques, their density was 2 cases with sparse, 2 cases with moderate and 9 cases with frequent, respectively, according to CREAD.Eight cases with Aβ positive CAA were found, including 6 cases of mild CAA and 2 cases of severe CAA. There were 12 cases with tau positive NFTs, including 6 cases with Braak stageI-II, 4 cases with stage III-IV and 2 cases with stage V-VI. There were 5 cases with frequent Aβ core plaques, meanwhile existing numerous tau/ubiquitin positive neuritic plaques and Braak stage IV-VI of tau positive NFTs, all of them presented cognitive dysfunction. Among 4 other cases with frequent Aβ core plaques, only one case coexisted α-synuclein positive Lewy bodies showed moderate cognitive impairment, remaining 3 cases did not present cognitive dysfunction. There were 4 cases with α-synuclein positive Lewy bodies in the brainstem, and all of these cases presented parkinsonian motor dysfunction. 13 cases with ubiquitin positive structures were found.

CONCLUSIONSBeta amyloid protein positive deposit in the aged brain is an important marker of normal brain aging and cognitive impairment; frequent Aβ core plaques in the neocortex plus Braak IV and above tau positive NFTs are closely related to cognitive dysfunction of Alzheimer's disease; α-synuclein positive Lewy bodies in the brainstem is one of the important pathological markers of parkinsonian motor disorders; ubiquitin deposition involves the development of some characteristic structures of several neurodegenerative diseases.

Aged ; Alzheimer Disease ; metabolism ; pathology ; Amyloid beta-Peptides ; analysis ; Autopsy ; Brain ; pathology ; Brain Chemistry ; Cerebral Amyloid Angiopathy ; Humans ; Neurofibrillary Tangles ; chemistry ; pathology ; Plaque, Amyloid ; Ubiquitin ; analysis ; alpha-Synuclein ; analysis ; tau Proteins ; analysis

Objective To observe the effects of dredging collaterals and activating blood worm Chinese materia medica on angiogenesis related factors of lung cancer in hypoxic environment. Methods The lung cancer A549 cells were cultured in vitro to simulate tumor hypoxia microenvironment by the hypoxia workstation, and different concentrations of Scorpio, Scolopendra and Gecko medicated serum were added. MTT method was used to detect cell proliferation and screen the best medicine concentration and duration of action. Lung cancer A549 cells were administrated by the three kinds of medicated serum, and cells were collected and supernatant was cultured. Contents of VEGF, TGF-β1, and bFGF were detected by ELISA. Results Three kinds of medicated serum had the inhibitory effect on both added normoxia and hypoxia in cultured A549 lung cancer cells. 7.5% concentration of medicated serum was selected, and 24 h later were used in later experiments. Scorpio, Scolopendra and Gecko medicated serum can more reduce the contents of VEGF, TGF-β1 and bFGF in the supernatant of A549 cell compared with the control group (P<0.05, P<0.01). Conclusion Dredging collaterals and activating blood worm Chinese materia medica had inhibitory effect on cancer cells and the regulation of angiogenesis related cytokines in the condition of normoxia and hypoxia.

Objective To observe the effect of salidroside on the cognitive dysfunction of rats with diabetes induced by streptozotocin (STZ) and to explore its related mechanisms. Methods According to the random number table method, 45 Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into three groups: the normal control, diabetic model and salidroside groups, 15 rats in each group. The diabetic rat model was established by intra-peritoneal injection of 60 mg/kg STZ (72 hours after STZ injection, the caudal venous blood glucose was measured by a glucose meter, if the glucose level reached ＞16.7 mmol/L , the model was regarded as a successful one). The rats in the normal control group were injected with equal volume of citrate buffer. After model making, the salidroside group was treated with salidrosidec 15 mg/kg by intragastric administration; the normal control group and the diabetic model group were given the same volume of normal saline for gavage, 1 times a day. Morris water maze was used to test cognitive function in rats after consecutive four weeks of treatment, and the blood glucose levels of rats in various groups were detected at the onset and the end of the experiment; the protein expression and contents of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and intedeukin-6 (IL-6) in hippocampus were detected by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and Western Blot analysis. Results Compared with the normal control group, the escape latency in diabetic model group was significantly prolonged (seconds: 62.54±7.67 vs. 19.37±4.23), the time in target quadrant was shortened (seconds:18.76±4.75 vs. 43.09±8.09), the number of crossing platform was also obviously reduced (frequency: 2.26±0.57 vs. 6.84±1.56), blood glucose levels were significantly higher (mmol/L: 24.27±3.69 vs. 6.95±1.52), protein expressions and contents of TNF-α and IL-6 in hippocampus were markedly increased [TNF-α (μg/L): 482.09±45.72 vs. 92.53±14.84, IL-6 (μg/L): 8.26±1.14 vs. 3.03±0.48; TNF-α protein (A value): 0.61±0.15 vs. 0.25±0.04, IL-6 protein (A value): 0.53±0.11 vs. 0.12±0.03, all P ＜ 0.05]. Compared with the diabetic model group, the escape latency in salidroside group was significantly shortened (seconds: 38.07±5.84 vs. 62.54±7.67), the time in target quadrant was prolonged (seconds: 31.29±5.61 vs. 18.76±4.75), the number of crossing platform was also significantly increased (frequency: 4.72±1.24 vs. 2.26±0.57), blood glucose levels were obviously lowered (mmol/L: 18.34±2.75 vs. 24.27±3.69), protein content and expression of TNF-α and IL-6 in hippocampus were remarkably decreased [TNF-α (μg/L): 328.46±39.33 vs. 482.09±45.72, IL-6 (μg/L): 6.09±0.97 vs. 8.26±1.14; TNF-α protein (A value):0.47±0.09 vs. 0.61±0.15, IL-6 protein (A value): 0.28±0.06 vs. 0.53±0.11, all P ＜ 0.05]. Conclusion Salidroside can ameliorate the cognitive impairment in STZ-induced diabetic rats, and its mechanism may be closely related to the reduction of the hippocampal inflammatory response and blood glucose level of diabetic rats.

AIM:To analyze the compliance rate and possible influencing factors for blood concen-tration of meropenem in patients with central ner-vous system(CNS)infections,and to provide basis for optimizing the administration of meropenem in the patients.METHODS:A retrospective analysis was performed in patients who were treated with meropenem and monitored the concentration(Cmin)from January 2021 to December 2022.The basic clinical data of the patients were recorded,and the achievement of meropenem blood concentration was counted.Univariate and binary logistic regres-sion analysis were used to analyze the influencing factors for the e substandard steady-state blood trough concentration of meropenem.The ROC curve was drawn to predict the clinical characteris-tics.RESULTS:Forty-five cases were included.The median Cmin of meropenem was 4.14(0.82,16.29)mg/L,and 51.11％reached the target range with 4 mg/L.Binary logistic regression analysis showed that serum creatinine value and using mannitol were risk factors for the substandard steady-state blood trough concentration of meropenem(P＜0.05).When serum creatinine value was less than 84 μmol/L,the area under the ROC curve was the largest(0.916),the sensitivity was 0.783,the speci-ficity was 0.955,and the Youden index was 0.738.CONCLUSION:The Cmin compliance rate of merope-nem blood concentration in patients with CNS in-fection is low,especially in patients with hyperfunc-tion of kidney and those who using mannitol.It is necessary to conduct drug concentration monitor-ing to optimize the administration of meropenem in patients with CNS infection.

Objective:To identify the proteins differentially expressed in extraocular muscles between restrictive strabismus patients with thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) and concomitant esotropia patients by proteomic analysis using tandem mass tag (TMT).Methods:Extraocular muscles samples from 5 restrictive strabismus patients with TAO and 5 concomitant esotropia patients were collected at Peking University People's Hospital from August 2019 to December 2020.All the patients received strabismus surgery.Differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in extraocular muscles samples were identified by quantitative proteomic analysis and bioinformatic analysis based on TMT.Fold change≥1.2 or≤0.83 and P value<0.05 was regarded as the threshold to screen DEPs.GO annotation, KEGG pathways enrichment analysis and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network of DEPs were conducted through UniProtGOA and STRING.This study protocol was approved by the Ethics Committee of Peking University People's Hospital (No.2021PHB058-001). Results:A total of 53 DEPs were identified, 34 of which were up-regulated and 19 were down-regulated.The biological processes DEPs mainly participated included response to stimulation, multicellular organismal process, metabolism, developmental process, intracellular signal transduction, and positive regulation of biological process.DEPs were involved in pathways including focal adhesion, tight junction, regulation of action cytoskeleton, and apoptosis.Six key proteins identified using PPI network were myosin heavy chain 2, myosin heavy chain 7, myosin regulatory light chain, α-actinin-2, fibrinogen alpha chain and fibrinogen beta chain.Conclusions:There are DEPs in extraocular muscles between restrictive strabismus patients with TAO and concomitant esotropia patients.Myosin, actinin and filamin may be involved in the pathogenesis of TAO through regulation of actin cytoskeleton and focal adhesion.