Plasma metabolites of aromatic amino acids associate with clinical severity and gut microbiota of Parkinson's disease.

Gut microbial proteolytic metabolism has been reportedly altered in Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the circulating aromatic amino acids (AAA) described in PD are inconsistent. Here we aimed to investigate plasma AAA profiles in a large cohort of PD patients, and examine their correlations with clinical severity and gut microbiota changes.

Observations on the kinematic characteristics of the healthy side of the knee in stroke patients: A cross-sectional study.

The abnormal gait of stroke patients not only severely limits the recovery of their walking ability, but also seriously affects their quality of daily life. Previous observational studies have focused too much on the observation of single degree of freedom and axial knee motion angles in stroke patients. Changes in the multi-degree of freedom and multi-axial joint angles of the knee have been less frequently observed, leading to somewhat limited conclusions.

Retrospective analysis of 23 Chinese children with congenital hyperinsulinism undergoing pancreatectomy.

Introduction: The aim of the study was to discuss therapeutic effect and prognosis of pancreatectomy in the treatment of congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI).

Material And Methods: A total of 23 Chinese children with CHI, who had undergone pancreatectomy, were selected as the study objects. The clinical data, the results of the ¹⁸Fluoro-L-3-4 dihydroxyphenylalanine positron emission tomography/computerized tomography (¹⁸F-DOPA PET/CT) scanning, and the diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up were analysed retrospectively.

Morphometric measurement of lower lumbar intervertebral foramina based on digital three-dimensional simulation.

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the morphology of the lower lumbar intervertebral foramina through use of a digital three-dimensional (3D) simulation model to guide the endoscope through the intervertebral foramina.

Material And Methods: Individuals without disease affecting the lumbar vertebrae underwent computed tomography (CT) scanning in the supine position. The CT images obtained were imported to medical software to reconstruct a 3D model of the lumbar vertebrae.

Analysis of clinical and genetic characteristics of Chinese children with congenital hyperinsulinemia that is spontaneously relieved.

Objective: This study aimed to analyze the clinical and genetic characteristics of Chinese children with congenital hyperinsulinemia (CHI) that is spontaneously relieved.

Methods: The patient group comprised 200 children with CHI that were treated at the Beijing Children's Hospital from January 2006 to December 2018. The patients were divided into two groups according to their prognosis: the spontaneous remission group (n = 92) and the nonspontaneous remission group (n = 108).

Analysis on the pathogenic genes of 60 Chinese children with congenital hyperinsulinemia.

This study aims to summarize and analyze the clinical manifestations, genetic characteristics, treatment modalities and long-term prognosis of congenital hyperinsulinemia (CHI) in Chinese children. Sixty children with CHI, who were treated at Beijing Children's Hospital from January 2014 to August 2017, and their families, were selected as subjects. The CHI-related causative genes in children were sequenced and analyzed using second-generation sequencing technology.

Novel Peroxides as Promising Anticancer Agents with Unexpected Depressed Antimalarial Activity.

Twenty six peroxides belonging to bridged 1,2,4,5-tetraoxanes, bridged 1,2,4-trioxolanes (ozonides), and tricyclic monoperoxides were evaluated for their in vitro antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum (3D7) and for their cytotoxic activities against immortalized human normal fibroblast (CCD19Lu), liver (LO ), and lung (BEAS-2B) cell lines as well as human liver (HepG2) and lung (A549) cancer-cell lines. Synthetic ozonides were shown to have the highest cytotoxicity on HepG2 (IC =0.19-0.

Impaired mitophagy in Fanconi anemia is dependent on mitochondrial fission.

Fanconi anemia (FA) is a rare genetic disorder associated with bone-marrow failure, genome instability and cancer predisposition. Recently, we and others have demonstrated dysfunctional mitochondria with morphological alterations in FA cells accompanied by high reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels. Mitochondrial morphology is regulated by continuous fusion and fission events and the misbalance between these two is often accompanied by autophagy.

[Comparison of the Persistence of a Combined Amendment Stabilizing Pb, Cd, Cu and Zn in Polluted Paddy Soil].

A three-year in-situ experiment was conducted in a paddy soil near a mining area in southern Hunan in order to study the persistence of combined amendment of limestone+sepiolite (marked as LS) stabilizing Pb, Cd, Cu and Zn in polluted paddy soil. LS with ratios of 0, 2, 4, and 8 g·kg was applied once to the paddy soil, and rice was subsequently planted for three consecutive years of 2012 (first season), 2013 (second season), and 2014 (third season). The experimental results indicated that:①LS significantly increased soil pH values for all three seasons, and the enhancement ranked as follows:first season > second season > third season.

A three-year in-situ study on the persistence of a combined amendment (limestone+sepiolite) for remedying paddy soil polluted with heavy metals.

In order to study the persistence of a combined amendment (LS, limestone+sepiolite) for remedying paddy soil polluted with the heavy metals Pb and Cd, a three-year in-situ experiment was conducted in a paddy soil near a mining area in southern Hunan, China. LS was applied at rates of 0, 2, 4, and 8g/kg (w/w); rice was subsequently planted for the three consecutive years of 2012 (first season), 2013 (second season), and 2014 (third season). Experimental results indicated that LS significantly increased soil pH values for all three seasons, and the enhancement ranked as follows: first season>second season>third season.

Identification of differentially expressed genes that potentially confer pest resistance in transgenic ChIFN-γ tobacco.

Chicken interferon-γ (ChIFN-γ) is both an inhibitor of viral replication and a regulator of numerous immunological functions. However, since little is known about the mechanisms underlying the insect-resistance of transgenic ChIFN-γ, a transgenic ChIFN-γ tobacco line was employed in the present study to explore this mechanism. A cDNA microarray (with 43,760 unigenes) was used to analyze the gene expression profiles of transgenic and wild-type (WT) tobacco leaves at two different growth stages.

[ABCC8, KCNJ11 and GLUD1 gene mutation analysis in congenital hyperinsulinism pedigree].

Objective: To explore the ABCC8, KCNJ11, and GLUD1 gene mutations of the 11 patients diagnosed as congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI).

Methods: A total of 11 CHI children hospitalized in Beijing Children's Hospital from November 2008 to February 2012 and their parents were chosen as the study subjects. Direct sequencing of PCR-DNA was used to analyze the 39 exons of ABCC8 gene, non-translational region and exon of KCNJ11 gene and 6, 7, 10, 11 and 12 exons of GLUD1 gene.

2-(3-Oxo-1,3-dihydro-isobenzofuran-1-yl)-phthalazin-1(2H)-one.

The reaction of 2-carboxy-benzaldehyde and hydrazine hydrate unexpectedly yielded the title compound, C(16)H(10)N(2)O(3), which comprises one phthalide ring, one phthalazine system and a chiral centre. The phthalide unit is almost perpendicular to the phthalazine system, forming a dihedral angle of 87.1 (3)°.

A new non-randomized model for analysing sensitive questions with binary outcomes.

We propose a new non-randomized model for assessing the association of two sensitive questions with binary outcomes. Under the new model, respondents only need to answer a non-sensitive question instead of the original two sensitive questions. As a result, it can protect a respondent's privacy, avoid the usage of any randomizing device, and be applied to both the face-to-face interview and mail questionnaire.

Preparation of macroporous biodegradable PLGA scaffolds for cell attachment with the use of mixed salts as porogen additives.

In the present study, a mixture of ammonium-bicarbonate (NH(4)HCO(3)) and sodium-chloride (NaCl) particles was used as a porogen additive to fabricate highly macroporous biodegradable poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) scaffolds. A two-step salt-leaching process was performed after the sample had become semisolidified. Compared to the standard solvent-casting/particulate-leaching (SC/PL) technique, the processing time of this approach was significantly shorter: Instead of several days, only half a day was required.