Neurogenesis is a dynamic process of neural precursor cel self-proliferation and differentiation into new neurons. Studies have confirmed that hippocampal neurogenesis may improve cognitive function, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) plays an important regulatory role in neurogenesis. This article reviews the mechanism of VEGF promoting neurogenesis and the role of neurogenesis in improving vascular cognitive impalrment.

In eukaryotic cells,endoplasmic reticulum (ER) is a locus where the proteins are modified,folded and the calcium is stored.When the harmful factors,such as ischemia/hypoxia,lack of nutrients,viral infections,and toxins cause the homeostasis damage in the endoplasmic reticulum,the accumulation of unfolded or misfolded proteins and the calcium imbalance may result in endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS).ERS induces the expression of endoplasmic reticulum chaperones and endoplasmic reticulum associated degradation components,and reduces the load of the endoplasmic retlculum by temporarily reducing protein synthesis.Studies have shown that many diseases that can induce cognitive impairment are all associated with ERS.

Objective To estimate relationship between the brain atrophy rate and percent corpus callosum area change in patients with cerebral vascular disease.Methods Forty-six patients with cerebral vascular disease underwent MR scanning twice,at the baseline and at the end of the follow-up period.T1W images at both time points were processed automatically with structural image evaluation using normalization of atrophy(SIENA) software to determine the percent brain volume change(PBVC).In addition,the corpus callosum and the inner table of the skull on the mid-sagittal images of two scans were outlined manually to measure their areas.The percent of corpus callosum area change(PCCAC) was calculated.Then,the relationship between PBVC,PCCAC and age was statistically analyzed.Results Significant correlation was found among the three variables: spearman rank correlation coefficient was-0.295 for PBVC and age(P=0.047),while it was-0.4 for PCCAC and age(P=0.006),and 0.538 for PBVC and PCCAC(P=0.000).Conclusion SIENA software identifies brain atrophy quantitatively in patients with cerebral vascular disease,which correlated with area reduction of the corpus callosum.

Objective To investigate prevalence and risk factors of peripheral artery disease (PAD), metabolic syndrome (MS) and peripheral artery disease complicated with metabolic syndrome among Kazakh adults lived in Xinjiang Yili prefecture. Methods Four-stage cluster sampling method was used to select adults aged 35 years and over for the study from six cities and prefectures of Xinjiang. All the participants were interviewed with questionnaire to collect their demographic characteristics. Physical checksup and blood biochemical measurements were performed for all of them, as well as blood pressure was measured in their lower legs and arms to calculate ankle brachial pressure index ( ABPI), a ratio of the blood pressure in the lower legs to that in the arms. Only data of Kazakh adults in Yili prefecture were analyzed in this paper, including prevalence and risk factors for PAD and MS, as well as their relationship.The patients with PAD were divided into two groups, one complicated with MS and the other without it Logistic regression analysis was used to identify potential risk factors for PAD and MS and their combination.Results A total of 1365 adult Kazakh people were surveyed. Prevalence of MS was 23.7 percent, 30.4 percent for men and 19.0 percent for women, respectively, and that of PAD was 9. 4 percent, 7.0 percent for men and 11.0 percent for women, respectively. Mean age in patients of PAD complicated with MS was older than that in those without MS (t=-5.348, P＜0.01). Risk of PAD complicated with MS in Kazakh people associated with gender ( men), age, systolic pressure, diastolic pressure and blood glucose level.(P＜0.05). Conclusions Both prevalence of PAD and MS are significantly higher among Kazakh people in Yili prefecture of Xinjiang, and increase with age. Prevalence of PAD is significantly higher in those with MS than that in those without MS. Risk factors of PAD complicated with MS include gender(men), age,systolic pressure, diastolic pressure and blood glucose level.

Objective To identify the differences of 3D geometry of internal carotid artery (ICA)siphon between the controls and patients with ICA siphon stenosis. Methods The clinical and imaging data of the inpatients underwent carotid artery MRA in the past three years were collected. All patients were divided into the control group ( 17 males and 14 females with mean age of 67. 5 years) and ICA siphon stenosis group (20 males and 9 females with mean age of 58.6 years). There were 5 smokers and 9 smokers in two groups, respectively. The atherosclerotic predisposing factors were compared between the two groups using chi-square test and paired t-test. In order to extract the 3D geometry of ICA siphon, the MRA data were transferred to PC and processed with the software of Mimics. The average curvature radius (ACR) was calculated and paired t-test was applied to determine the bilateral differences in the controls. According to the stenotic site of ICA siphon, ICA siphon stenosis group was divided into C2 segment stenosis group and C4 segment stenosis group. The differences of ACR among the control group, C2 segment stenosis group and C4 segment stenosis group were compared. In addition, the values of ACR in the stenotic and normal sides were compared with paired t-test in patients with unilateral C2 segment stenosis. Results No significant differences were found in gender and smoker between the control group and the ICA siphon stenosis group ( χ2 = 1.63, P ＞ 0. 05; χ2 = 1.86, P ＞ 0. 05 ). The systolic blood pressure was ( 146. 6 ± 21.3 ) mm Hg ( 1 mm Hg =0. 133 kPa) and ( 140. 3 ± 17. 3) mm Hg respectively in the ICA siphon stenosis group and the control group. The serum glucose level was ( 5.94 ± 1.89 ) mmol/L and ( 6. 79 ± 3.57 ) mmol/L respectively in two groups. The serum cholesterol level and triglyceride level were (4. 57 ± 0. 87 ) mmol/L,( 1.34 ± 0. 63 ) mmol/L and (4. 75 ± 1.70) mmol/L, ( 1.54 ± 0. 72) mmol/L respectively in two groups.There were no differences in the atherosclerotic predisposing factors between two groups (t = 1.24, 1.16,0. 71 and 1.16 respectively,P＞ 0. 05). In the control group, the ACRs on the left and right were (3. 82 ±0. 69) mm and (4. 08 ± 1.04) mm respectively and no difference was found ( t = - 1.44, P ＞ 0. 05 ).Kruskal-Wallis test revealed that there were significant differences among the controls, C2 segment stenosis group and C4 segment stenosis group ( χ2 = 6. 67, P ＜ 0. 05 ). The ACR was significantly different only between the controls and C2 segment stenosis group ( t = 2. 63, P ＜ 0. 05 ). The stenotic side had a tendency to have less ACR than the normal side (t =2. 09, P =0. 05) in patients with unilateral C2 segment stenosis. Conclusion Patients with smaller ACR are more susceptible to have the stenosis of C2 segment in ICA siphon, and 3D geometry may be a possible reason for the development of the ICA stenosis.

Objective To analyze the dynamic evolution of brain MRI in patients with mitochondrial myopathy,encephalopathy,lactic acidosis,and stroke-like episodes (MELAS) syndrome.Methods A retrospective study was performed on 58 MELAS cases with pathologically and (or) molecularly confirmed diagnosis.MRI were repeated within 60 days after the onset of stroke-like episodes (SLE) and the evolution changes of cerebral lesions were accessed.Brain atrophy index (BAI) was calculated in the remission stage from 31 patients with MELAS,and the correlation between BAI,age and disease duration was analyzed.Results The proportion of lesions expansion,migration and shrink within 30 days after the onset of SLE was 64.1％ (25/39),10.2％ (4/39),17.9％ (7/39),respectively,and 13％ (3/23),21.7％ (5/23),56.5％ (13/23),between 30-60 days after the onset of SLE respectively.In the recovery stage of SLE,the BAI in 31 patients with MELAS was 15.2％ ±2.8％.The correlation coefficient between BAI and the age,total disease course and duration of encephalopathy was 0.329 (P =0.043),0.405 (P =0.012) and 0.649 (P =0.000).Conclusions Brain atrophy in the studied MELAS patients gradually develops and strokelike lesions shrink with progression of the disease.However,the migration of lesions is persistent.

Objective To study prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) , it's components and hyperuricemia (HUA) among Kazakh people in Xinjiang Uighur autonomous region, China. Methods A cross-sectional survey was conducted among Kazakh people aged 35 years and over in seven prefectures of Xinjiang, including Urumqi, Kelamayi (Karamay) , Fukang, Tulufan (Turpan), Hetian (Hotan) , Aletai (Altay) and Yili during October 2007 to March 2010, with a four-stage cluster sampling, the total sample size were 4094. Through the methods of questionnaire survey, physical examination, biochemical examination and so on, to study prevalence of MS in HUA and it's components by blood biochemical examinations. Results A total of 3915 Kazakh adult people, equal number of men and women, were surveyed, with a response rate of 95. 63 percent. Overall prevalence of HUA was 3. 96 percent( 155/3915 ) , 6.02 percent for men and 2. 03 percent for women(114/1894 and 41/2021) , respectively, with statistically significant difference ( P ＜ 0.05 ). Prevalence of MS was 39.47 percent in those with HUA and 22. 53 percent in those without HUA (45/114 and 401/1780), respectively (P ＜ 0.01). Among women, prevalence of MS was 46. 34 percent in those with HUA and 16. 11 percent in those without HUA( 19/41 and 319/1980), respectively (P＜0. 01). Prevalence of high blood pressure, hypertriglyceridemia, lower blood high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and central obesity were 59.65 percent, 42.11 percent,32.46 percent, 7. 89 percent and 79. 82 percent in those with HUA, respectively, with prevalence of hyperglyceridemia and central obesity significantly higher than in those of non-HUA ( P ＜ 0. 05 ). Among women, prevalence high blood pressure, hypertriglyceridemia, lower blood HDL-C and central obesity were 48.78 percent, 39.02 percent, 41.46 percent, 2.44 percent and 78.05 percent, respectively, in HUA group, with prevalence of hyperglyceridemia, lower blood HDL-cholesterol and central obesity significantly higher than in those of non-HUA ( P ＜ 0. 05 ). Conclusions Prevalence of MS was higher in Kazakh people suffered with HUA than those without HUA, as well as prevalence of components of MS, suggesting that prevention and treatment for HUA is necessary, which can reduce MS and its components in the region.

Microglia are the main innate immune cells in the central nervous system, which play a variety of roles in the development of the central nervous system and the occurrence of diseases. Recent studies have found that microglia play an important role in the occurrence and development of vascular cognitive impairment (VCI), which can lead to cognitive decline by activating neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and destroying the blood-brain barrier. This article reviews the role of microglia in the pathophysiology of VCI, aiming to provide a new basis for targeting microglia to treat VCI.

Background::The causal relationship between visceral adipose tissue (VAT) and gout is still unclear. We aimed to examine the potential association between them using observational and Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses.Methods::In the observational analyses, a total of 11,967 participants (aged 39.5 ± 11.5 years) were included from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Logistic regression models were used to investigate the association between VAT mass and the risk of gout. In two-sample MR analyses, 211 VAT mass-related independent genetic variants (derived from genome-wide association studies in 325,153 UK biobank participants) were used as instrumental variables. The random-effects inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method was used as the primary analysis. Additional sensitivity analyses were also performed to validate our results.Results::Observational analyses found that an increase in VAT mass (per standard deviation) was associated with a higher risk of gout after controlling for confounding factors (odds ratio [OR] = 1.27, 95% confidence intervals [CI] = 1.11–1.45). The two-sample MR analyses demonstrated a causal relationship between increased VAT mass and the risk of gout in primary analyses (OR = 1.78, 95% CI = 1.57–2.03). Sensitivity analyses also showed similar findings, including MR-Egger, weighted median, simple mode, weighted mode, and leave-one-out analyses.Conclusions::Observational analyses showed a robust association of VAT mass with the risk of gout. Meanwhile, MR analyses also provided evidence of a causal relationship between them. In summary, our findings suggested that targeted interventions for VAT mass may be beneficial to prevent gout.

This study assesses the causes and prevention measures of rabies through epidemiological investigation and analysis. A field epidemiological survey was conducted to investigate a case of rabies by fox bite. The onset of symptoms began 50 days after the bite. The patient did not receive standard treatment, rabies vaccination, or rabies immunoglobulin injection. The fox was killed on the spot. Saliva and pre-death blood samples were collected at different periods, and only blood RT-PCR tests yielded positive results. Wild fox bite is a major risk factor of rabies infection in Xinjiang Province, China.
Adult ; Animals ; Brain ; virology ; China ; epidemiology ; Fatal Outcome ; Foxes ; virology ; Humans ; Male ; Rabies ; epidemiology ; transmission ; Zoonoses