Telomere length, in vivo Alzheimer's disease pathologies and cognitive decline in older adults.

Background: Whether telomere length (TL), an indicator of biological ageing, reflects Alzheimer's disease (AD)-related neuropathological change remains unclear. We investigated the relationships between TL, in vivo AD pathologies, including cerebral beta-amyloid and tau deposition, and cognitive outcomes in older adults.

Methods: A total of 458 older adults were included, encompassing both cognitively normal (CN) individuals and those cognitively impaired (CI), with the CI group consisting of individuals with mild cognitive impairment or AD dementia.

Locus coeruleus tau is linked to successive cortical tau accumulation.

Introduction: We investigated the hypothesis that tau burden in the locus coeruleus (LC) correlates with tau accumulation in cortical regions according to the Braak stages and examined whether the relationships differed according to cortical amyloid beta (Aβ) deposition.

Methods: One hundred and seventy well-characterized participants from an ongoing cohort were included. High-resolution T1, tau positron emission tomography (PET), and amyloid PET were obtained.

Tau pathway-based gene analysis on PET identifies CLU and FYN in a Korean cohort.

Introduction: The influence of genetic variation on tau protein aggregation, a key factor in Alzheimer's disease (AD), remains not fully understood. We aimed to identify novel genes associated with brain tau deposition using pathway-based candidate gene association analysis in a Korean cohort.

Methods: We analyzed data for 146 older adults from the well-established Korean AD continuum cohort (Korean Brain Aging Study for the Early Diagnosis and Prediction of Alzheimer's Disease; KBASE).

The Moderating Effect of Serum Vitamin D on the Relationship between Beta-amyloid Deposition and Neurodegeneration.

Objective: Previous studies have reported that vitamin D deficiency increased the risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia in older adults. However, little is known about how vitamin D is involved in the pathophysiology of AD. Thus, this study aimed to examine the association and interaction of serum vitamin D levels with AD pathologies including cerebral beta-amyloid (Aβ) deposition and neurodegeneration in nondemented older adults.

Prospective Comparison of [F]FDG and [F]AIF-FAPI-74 PET/CT in the Evaluation of Potentially Resectable Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma.

Purpose: Accurate clinical staging of potentially resectable pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is critical for establishing optimal treatment strategies. While the efficacy of fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose ([F]FDG) positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in clinical staging is unclear, PET/CT detecting fibroblast-activation protein (FAP) expression has recently received considerable attention for detecting various tumors, including PDAC, with high sensitivity. We explored the efficacy of [F]FDG and [F]AIF-FAPI-74 PET/CT in the initial evaluation of potentially resectable PDAC.

Evaluation of Fibroblast Activation Protein Expression Using Ga-FAPI46 PET in Hypertension-Induced Tissue Changes.

Chronic hypertension leads to injury and fibrosis in major organs. Fibroblast activation protein (FAP) is one of key molecules in tissue fibrosis, and Ga-labeled FAP inhibitor-46 (FAPI46) PET is a recently developed method for evaluating FAP. The aim of this study was to evaluate FAP expression and fibrosis in a hypertension model and to test the feasibility of Ga-FAPI46 PET in hypertension.

Development of Alginate-Based Biodegradable Radioactive Microspheres Labeled with Positron Emitter through Click Chemistry Reaction: Stability and PET Imaging Study.

Biodegradable radioactive microspheres labeled with positron emitters hold significant promise for diagnostic and therapeutic applications in cancers and other diseases, including arthritis. The alginate-based polymeric microspheres offer advantages such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, and improved stability, making them suitable for clinical applications. In this study, we developed novel positron emission tomography (PET) microspheres using alginate biopolymer radiolabeled with gallium-68 (Ga) through a straightforward conjugation reaction.

Moderation of Amyloid-β Deposition on the Effect of Cholinesterase Inhibitors on Cognition in Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Background: Clinical trial findings on cholinesterase inhibitors (ChEIs) for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) are inconclusive, offering limited support for their MCI treatment. Given that nearly half of amnestic MCI cases lack cerebral amyloid-β (Aβ) deposition, a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease; this Aβ heterogeneity may explain inconsistent results.

Objective: This study aimed to assess whether Aβ deposition moderates ChEI effects on amnestic MCI cognition.

Moderation of thyroid hormones for the relationship between amyloid and tau pathology.

Background: Altered thyroid hormone levels have been associated with increased risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia and related cognitive decline. However, the neuropathological substrates underlying the link between thyroid hormones and AD dementia are not yet fully understood. We first investigated the association between serum thyroid hormone levels and in vivo AD pathologies including both beta-amyloid (Aβ) and tau deposition measured by positron emission tomography (PET).

Optimization of micelle-encapsulated extremely small sized iron oxide nanoparticles as a T1 contrast imaging agent: biodistribution and safety profile.

Background: Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) have been cleared by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for various clinical applications, such as tumor-targeted imaging, hyperthermia therapy, drug delivery, and live-cell tracking. However, the application of IONPs as T1 contrast agents has been restricted due to their high r2 values and r2/r1 ratios, which limit their effectiveness in T1 contrast enhancement. Notably, IONPs with diameters smaller than 5 nm, referred to as extremely small-sized IONPs (ESIONs), have demonstrated potential in overcoming these limitations.

An epidermal growth factor receptor-targeting immunotoxin based on IgG shows potent antitumor activity against head and neck cancer.

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is an important target for cancer therapies. Many head and neck cancer (HNC) cells have been reported to overexpress EGFR; therefore, anti-EGFR therapies have been attempted in patients with HNC. However, its clinical efficacy is limited owing to the development of drug resistance.

In Vivo Reactive Astrocyte Imaging in Patients With Schizophrenia Using Fluorine 18-Labeled THK5351.

Importance: In vivo imaging studies of reactive astrocytes are crucial for understanding the pathophysiology of schizophrenia because astrocytes play a critical role in glutamate imbalance and neuroinflammation.

Objective: To investigate in vivo reactive astrocytes in patients with schizophrenia associated with positive symptoms using monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B)-binding fluorine 18 ([18F])-labeled THK5351 positron emission tomography (PET).

Design, Setting, And Participants: In this case-control study, data were collected from October 1, 2021, to January 31, 2023, from the internet advertisement for the healthy control group and from the outpatient clinics of Seoul National University Hospital in Seoul, South Korea, for the schizophrenia group.

Plasma Leptin and Alzheimer Protein Pathologies Among Older Adults.

Importance: Many epidemiologic studies have suggested that low levels of plasma leptin, a major adipokine, are associated with increased risk of Alzheimer disease (AD) dementia and cognitive decline. Nevertheless, the mechanistic pathway linking plasma leptin and AD-related cognitive decline is not yet fully understood.

Objective: To examine the association of plasma leptin levels with in vivo AD pathologies, including amyloid-beta (Aβ) and tau deposition, through both cross-sectional and longitudinal approaches among cognitively unimpaired older adults.

Association between brain amyloid deposition and longitudinal changes of white matter hyperintensities.

Background: Growing evidence suggests that not only cerebrovascular disease but also Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathological process itself cause cerebral white matter degeneration, resulting in white matter hyperintensities (WMHs). Some preclinical evidence also indicates that white matter degeneration may precede or affect the development of AD pathology. This study aimed to clarify the direction of influence between in vivo AD pathologies, particularly beta-amyloid (Aβ) and tau deposition, and WMHs through longitudinal approach.

Preoperative evaluation of mediastinal lymph nodes in non-small cell lung cancer using [Ga]FAPI-46 PET/CT: a prospective pilot study.

Purpose: Mediastinal nodal staging is crucial for surgical candidate selection in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but conventional imaging has limitations often necessitating invasive staging. We investigated the additive clinical value of fibroblast activation protein inhibitor (FAPI) PET/CT, an imaging technique targeting fibroblast activation protein, for mediastinal nodal staging of NSCLC.

Methods: In this prospective pilot study, we enrolled patients scheduled for surgical resection of NSCLC based on specific criteria designed to align with indications for invasive staging procedures.

NLRP3 inflammasome activation and NETosis positively regulate each other and exacerbate proinflammatory responses: implications of NETosis inhibition for acne skin inflammation treatment.

Inflammasomes are multiprotein complexes involved in the host immune response to pathogen infections. Thus, inflammasomes participate in many conditions, such as acne. Recently, it was shown that NETosis, a type of neutrophil cell death, is induced by bacterial infection and is involved in inflammatory diseases such as delayed wound healing in patients with diabetes.

Liquid plasma promotes angiogenesis through upregulation of endothelial nitric oxide synthase-induced extracellular matrix metabolism: potential applications of liquid plasma for vascular injuries.

Background: Applications of nonthermal plasma have expanded beyond the biomedical field to include antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, wound healing, and tissue regeneration. Plasma enhances epithelial cell repair; however, the potential damage to deep tissues and vascular structures remains under investigation.

Result: This study assessed whether liquid plasma (LP) increased nitric oxide (NO) production in human umbilical vein endothelial cells by modulating endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) phosphorylation and potential signaling pathways.

Surface triggered stabilization of metastable charge-ordered phase in SrTiO.

Charge ordering (CO), characterized by a periodic modulation of electron density and lattice distortion, has been a fundamental topic in condensed matter physics, serving as a potential platform for inducing novel functional properties. The charge-ordered phase is known to occur in a doped system with high d-electron occupancy, rather than low occupancy. Here, we report the realization of the charge-ordered phase in electron-doped (100) SrTiO epitaxial thin films that have the lowest d-electron occupancy i.

Intrathecal [Cu]Cu-albumin PET reveals age-related decline of lymphatic drainage of cerebrospinal fluid.

Age-related cognitive decline is associated with dysfunctional lymphatic drainage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) through meningeal lymphatic vessels. In this study, intrathecal [Cu]Cu-albumin positron emission tomography (PET) was applied in mice to evaluate lymphatic drainage of CSF and its variation with age. [Cu]Cu-albumin PET was performed at multiple time points after intrathecal injection of [Cu]Cu-albumin at an infusion rate of 700 nl/min in adult and aged mice (15-25 months old).

Serum Adiponectin and In Vivo Brain Amyloid Deposition in Cognitively Normal Older Adults: A Cohort Study.

High blood adiponectin has been associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD) dementia and related cognitive decline. We aimed to investigate the association between serum adiponectin level and in vivo AD pathologies. Cross-sectional and longitudinal study designs for the data of the Korean Brain Aging Study for Early Diagnosis and Prediction of Alzheimer's Disease, an ongoing prospective cohort study that began in 2014.

Single-cell transcriptome profiling of the stepwise progression of head and neck cancer.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) undergoes stepwise progression from normal tissues to precancerous leukoplakia, primary HNSCC, and metastasized tumors. To delineate the heterogeneity of tumor cells and their interactions during the progression of HNSCC, we employ single-cell RNA-seq profiling for normal to metastasized tumors. We can identify the carcinoma in situ cells in leukoplakia lesions that are not detected by pathological examination.