Parkinson's disease with hyposmia and dysautonomia: does it represent a distinct subtype?

Background And Purpose: Olfactory dysfunction or dysautonomia is one of the earliest prodromal nonmotor symptoms of Parkinson's disease (PD). We aimed to investigate whether PD patients with dysautonomia and hyposmia at the de novo stage present different prognoses regarding PD dementia (PDD) conversion, motor complication development, and change in levodopa-equivalent doses (LED).

Methods: In this retrograde cohort study, we included 105 patients with newly diagnosed PD patients who underwent cross-cultural smell identification test (CC-SIT), autonomic function tests (AFT), and dopamine transporter (DAT) scan at the de novo stage.

Hyperglycemia enhances brain susceptibility to lipopolysaccharide-induced neuroinflammation via astrocyte reprogramming.

Hyperglycemia has been shown to modulate the immune response of peripheral immune cells and organs, but the impact of hyperglycemia on neuroinflammation within the brain remains elusive. In the present study, we provide evidences that streptozotocin (STZ)-induced hyperglycemic condition in mice drives a phenotypic switch of brain astrocytes to a proinflammatory state, and increases brain vulnerability to mild peripheral inflammation. In particular, we found that hyperglycemia led to a significant increase in the astrocyte proliferation as determined by flow cytometric and immunohistochemical analyses of mouse brain.

Advanced MRI techniques in abdominal imaging.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a crucial modality for abdominal imaging evaluation of focal lesions and tissue properties. However, several obstacles, such as prolonged scan times, limitations in patients' breath-hold capacity, and contrast agent-associated artifacts, remain in abdominal MR images. Recent techniques, including parallel imaging, three-dimensional acquisition, compressed sensing, and deep learning, have been developed to reduce the scan time while ensuring acceptable image quality or to achieve higher resolution without extending the scan duration.

Commemoration of body donors in a religiously diverse society: A tale of two Korean medical schools.

Although a diversity of religions exists in South Korea, with Buddhism and Christianity (Protestantism and Catholicism) being the two main faiths, Korean beliefs are deeply rooted in Confucianism. Despite the notion that the Confucian norm of filial piety discourages body donation to medical science, there has been a mindset shift in favor of body donation, driven by a heightened awareness of the body bequest programs and the care and dignity accorded to the altruistic body donors, together with the institution of commemorative services to honor them. As spirituality and religion are known to be factors that influence body donation, how religious- and non-religious-based memorial services are held to honor the donors as exemplified by two Korean medical schools-from a public university with no religious affiliation and from a Protestant-based university-are described here.

Disruption of early embryonic development in mice by polymethylmethacrylate nanoplastics in an oxidative stress mechanism.

Polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) has been used in many products, such as acrylic glass, and is estimated to reach 5.7 million tons of production per year by 2028. Thus, nano-sized PMMA particles in the environment are highly likely due to the weathering process.

Tumor-Intrinsic Enhancer of Zeste Homolog 2 Controls Immune Cell Infiltration, Tumor Growth, and Lung Metastasis in a Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Model.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive and highly metastatic type of tumor. TNBC is often enriched in tumor-infiltrating neutrophils (TINs), which support cancer growth in part by counteracting tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs). Prior studies identified the enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) as a pro-tumor methyltransferase in primary and metastatic TNBCs.

Deconstruction of Polymers through Olefin Metathesis.

The consumption of synthetic polymers has ballooned; so has the amount of post-consumer waste generated. The current polymer economy, however, is largely linear with most of the post-consumer waste being either landfilled or incinerated. The lack of recycling, together with the sizable carbon footprint of the polymer industry, has led to major negative environmental impacts.

Advancement in Cancer Vasculogenesis Modeling through 3D Bioprinting Technology.

Cancer vasculogenesis is a pivotal focus of cancer research and treatment given its critical role in tumor development, metastasis, and the formation of vasculogenic microenvironments. Traditional approaches to investigating cancer vasculogenesis face significant challenges in accurately modeling intricate microenvironments. Recent advancements in three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting technology present promising solutions to these challenges.

A Microphysiological Model to Mimic the Placental Remodeling during Early Stage of Pregnancy under Hypoxia-Induced Trophoblast Invasion.

Placental trophoblast invasion is critical for establishing the maternal-fetal interface, yet the mechanisms driving trophoblast-induced maternal arterial remodeling remain elusive. To address this gap, we developed a three-dimensional microfluidic placenta-on-chip model that mimics early pregnancy placentation in a hypoxic environment. By studying human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) under oxygen-deprived conditions upon trophoblast invasion, we observed significant HUVEC artery remodeling, suggesting the critical role of hypoxia in placentation.

Heat-killed ameliorates allergic airway inflammation in mice.

Allergic asthma (AA) is a common inflammatory airway disease characterized by increased airway hyper-responsiveness (AHR), inflammation, and remodeling. is a strictly anaerobic bacterium residing in the gut and is a promising next-generation probiotic to improve metabolic inflammatory syndrome. A recent study suggested the beneficial effect of live on allergic airway inflammation (AAI) in mice.

Identification and Dynamics of Microsecond Long-Lived Charge Carriers for CsPbBr Perovskite Quantum Dots, Featuring Ambient Long-Term Stability.

We analyze the stability and photophysical dynamics of CsPbBr perovskite quantum dots (PeQDs), fabricated under mild synthetic conditions and embedded in an amorphous silica (SiO) matrix (CsPbBr@SiO), underscoring their sustained performance in ambient conditions for over 300 days with minimal optical degradation. However, this stability comes at the cost of a reduced photoluminescence efficiency. Time-resolved spectroscopic analyses, including flash-photolysis time-resolved microwave conductivity and time-resolved photoluminescence, show that excitons in CsPbBr@SiO films decay within 2.

Contexts Matter in 'a Distress Shared Is a Distress Halved': A Meta-Analysis of Distress Sharing-Psychological Distress Relations.

Can 'a distress shared is a distress halved' be universally applied? The relationship between sharing distress with others and individuals' psychological health may oscillate depending on how and where it is shared. This meta-analysis aimed to examine (1) whether the relationship between sharing distress and psychological distress is moderated by the manner of sharing (i.e.

Beyond measurement: a deep dive into the commonly used pain scales for postoperative pain assessment.

This review explores the essential methodologies for effective postoperative pain management, focusing on the need for thorough pain assessment tools, as underscored in various existing guidelines. Herein, the strengths and weaknesses of commonly used pain scales for postoperative pain-the Visual Analog Scale, Numeric Rating Scale, Verbal Rating Scale, and Faces Pain Scale-are evaluated, highlighting the importance of selecting appropriate assessment tools based on factors influencing their effectiveness in surgical contexts. By emphasizing the need to comprehend the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for these scales in evaluating new analgesic interventions and monitoring pain trajectories over time, this review advocates recognizing the limitations of common pain scales to improve pain assessment strategies, ultimately enhancing postoperative pain management.

Two peptides LLRLTDL and GYALPCDCL inhibit foam cell formation through activating PPAR-γ/LXR-α signaling pathway in oxLDL-treated RAW264.7 macrophages.

Foam cell formation plays a pivotal role in atherosclerosis-associated cardiovascular diseases. Bioactive peptides generated from marine sources have been found to provide multifunctional health advantages. In the present study, we investigated the anti-atherosclerotic effects of LLRLTDL (Bu1) and GYALPCDCL (Bu2) peptides, isolated from ark shell protein hydrolysates by assessing their inhibitory effect on oxidized LDL (oxLDL)-induced foam cell formation.

Prevalence of Selected Ophthalmic Diseases Using a Smartphone-Based Fundus Imaging System in Quang Tri and Thai Nguyen, Vietnam.

Objectives: This study investigated the prevalence of ophthalmic diseases in Quang Tri and Thai Nguyen, Vietnam, utilizing a smartphone-based fundus imaging (SBFI) system.

Methods: This cross-sectional study included nearly 10,000 patients who visited community health centers between July and August 2019. All participants underwent visual acuity testing and fundus imaging.

Fermented Milk Containing SNU50430 Modulates Immune Responses and Gut Microbiota in Antibiotic-Treated Mice.

Antibiotics are used to control infectious diseases. However, adverse effects of antibiotics, such as devastation of the gut microbiota and enhancement of the inflammatory response, have been reported. Health benefits of fermented milk are established and can be enhanced by the addition of probiotic strains.

Comparative study on volatile compounds and taste components of various citrus cultivars using electronic sensors, GC-MS, and GC-olfactometry.

Various citrus fruits' flavor compounds were analyzed using an electronic sensor (E-sensor), and odor-active compounds were identified using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry-olfactometry (GC-MS-O). In the E-tongue analysis, the intensity of sweetness, saltiness, and bitterness was highest in , while sourness and umami were highest in C. .