BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by the accumulation of amyloid-β proteins (Aβ). In this study we explored the correlation of plasma Aβ40 and Aβ42 concentrations with Aβ42, total tau (tTau) and phosphorylated tau 181 (pTau181) levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in AD and control subjects to further understand the characteristics of plasma Aβ proteins levels. METHODS: The consecutive subjects (44 AD and 47 controls) in this study were recruited. The plasma levels of Aβ40 and Aβ42 were measured using a commercially available sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. And the corresponding CSFs were analyzed in terms of Aβ42, tTau and pTau181 concentrations using INNOTEST ELISA kits. Further, the albumin levels were measured both in serum and CSF and albumin ratio was obtained to check the integrity of blood-brain barrier. RESULTS: CSF Aβ42 concentrations were significantly decreased while tTau and pTau181 levels were significantly increased in AD subjects. The plasma levels of Aβ42 were significantly lower (p=0.007), while the Aβ40/Aβ42 ratio was significantly higher (p<0.001) in AD patients than in controls. The overall plasma Aβ42 levels showed a positive correlation with those of CSF Aβ42 (p=0.001), but not with the others in CSF. In subgroup analysis, the CSF Aβ42 demonstrated positive correlation with not only plasma Aβ42 but also Aβ40 levels in controls. However, no significant relationship was noted between plasma and CSF Aβ proteins in AD group. CONCLUSIONS: The plasma Aβ42 and Aβ40 concentrations were shown to have a close relationship with CSF Aβ42 levels in controls, but not in AD subjects. Our results suggest that the correlation between plasma Aβ40 and CSF Aβ42 levels is perturbed in AD.
Alzheimer Disease* ; Biomarkers* ; Blood-Brain Barrier ; Cerebrospinal Fluid* ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Humans ; Plasma* ; Statistics as Topic*

Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is classified into agrammatic, semantic, and logopenic variants, but differential diagnosis is often challenging. There is accumulating evidence that the neuropathology of logopenic PPA is distinct from that of the other types. We report herein a woman with logopenic PPA who was diagnosed by clinical, neuropsychological, and radiologic data during 2 years of follow-up. Interestingly, her cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers were found to be similar to those found in Alzheimer's disease, with a decreased concentration of Abeta42 and an increased concentration of pTau181 (tTau).
Alzheimer Disease* ; Aphasia* ; Aphasia, Primary Progressive ; Biomarkers* ; Cerebrospinal Fluid* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Semantics

A recombinant hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (rHN) protein from Newcastle disease virus (NDV) with hemagglutination (HA) activity was expressed in Spodoptera frugiperda cells using a baculovirus expression system. The rHN protein extracted from infected cells was used as an antigen in a hemagglutination inhibition (HI) test for the detection and titration of NDV-specific antibodies present in chicken sera. The rHN antigen produced high HA titers of 2(13) per 25 microL, which were similar to those of the NDV antigen produced using chicken eggs, and it remained stable without significant loss of the HA activity for at least 12 weeks at 4degrees C. The rHN-based HI assay specifically detected NDV antibodies, but not the sera of other avian pathogens, with a specificity and sensitivity of 100% and 98.0%, respectively, in known positive and negative chicken sera (n = 430). Compared with an NDV-based HI assay, the rHN-based HI assay had a relative sensitivity and specificity of 96.1% and 95.5%, respectively, when applied to field chicken sera. The HI titers of the rHN-based HI assay were highly correlated with those in an NDV-based HI assay (r = 0.927). Overall, these results indicate that rHN protein provides a useful alternative to NDV antigen in HI assays.
Animals ; Antibodies, Viral/*blood ; Antigens, Viral/*diagnostic use/genetics/metabolism ; Baculoviridae/genetics ; Chickens ; HN Protein/*diagnostic use/genetics/metabolism ; Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests/*methods/veterinary ; Newcastle Disease/*diagnosis/immunology/virology ; Newcastle disease virus/genetics/*immunology/metabolism ; Poultry Diseases/*diagnosis/immunology/virology ; Recombinant Proteins/diagnostic use/genetics/metabolism ; Sf9 Cells ; Spodoptera

Background: Patients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) present challenges in dental treatment cooperation owing to deficits in communication skills and social interaction. Behavioral guidance, sedation, and general anesthesia may be employed to ensure the quality of dental care for individuals with ASD. This study aimed to examine the trends in dental treatment for patients with ASD who visited the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at Dankook University Jukjeon Dental Hospital, an oral health center for the disabled in the Gyeonggi region, over the past 10 years. Methods: This study utilized the order communication system to gather data on sex, age, cooperation level, number of quadrants treated, and administration of sedation or general anesthesia for patients with ASD who visited the Department of Pediatric Dentistry at Dankook University Jukjeon Dental Hospital between January 2013 and December 2022. Results: The total number of patients with ASD increased annually, possibly due to an increase in ASD prevalence and the hospital's designation as a center for disabled oral health. General anesthesia was predominant before 2017, with a shift towards N2O-O2 sedation. The most common age group for sedation or general anesthesia was 6–9 years, with a higher prevalence in males than in females. Notably, N2O-O2 and midazolam sedation resulted in better cooperation and fewer treated teeth than general anesthesia. Conclusion This study highlights the evolving trends in dental treatment for individuals with ASD, indicating a shift towards outpatient methods, particularly N2O-O2 sedation. The sex distribution aligns with national statistics, emphasizing a higher prevalence of ASD in males than in females. These findings underscore the need for further research to establish evidence-based guidelines for optimal dental care strategies tailored to the unique needs of individuals with ASD.

Background: Differential diagnosis of idiopathic Parkinson disease (IPD) and multiple system atrophy-Parkinson type (MSA-P) is challenging since they share clinical features with parkinsonism and autonomic dysfunction. To distinguish MSA-P from IPD when the symptoms are relatively mild, we investigated the usefulness of the quantitative fractionalized autonomic indexes and evaluated the correlations of autonomic test indexes and functional status. Methods: Thirty-six patients with parkinsonism (22 with IPD and 14 with MSA-P) in Soonchunhyang University Bucheon Hospital from February 2014 to June 2015 were prospectively enrolled in the study. We compared fractionalized autonomic indexes and composite autonomic scoring scale between patients with IPD and MSA-P with Hoehn and Yahr (H&Y) score ≤3. Parasympathetic indexes included expiratory/inspiratory ratio during deep breathing, Valsalva ratio (VR), and regression slope of systolic blood pressure (BP) in early phase II (vagal baroreflex sensitivity) during Valsalva maneuver. Sympathetic adrenergic indexes were pressure recovery time (PRT) and adrenergic baroreflex sensitivity (BRSa) (BP decrement associated with phase 3 divided by the PRT), sympathetic index 1, sympathetic index 3, early phase II mean BP drop, and pulse pressure reduction rate. Additionally, we compared the unified multiple system atrophy rating scale (UMSARS) and H&Y scores and the autonomic indexes in all patients. Results: PRT was significantly different between the IPD and MSA-P groups (P = 0.004) despite the similar BP drop during tilt. Cutoff value of PRT was 5.5 s (sensitivity, 71.4%; specificity, 72.7%). VR (r = -0.455, P = 0.009) and BRSa (r = -0.356, P = 0.036) demonstrated a significant correlation with UMSARS and H&Y scores. Conclusions Among the cardiovascular autonomic indexes, PRT can be a useful parameter in differentiating the early stage of MSAP from that of IPD. Moreover, VR, and BRSa may be the optimal indexes in determining functional symptom severity.