APOE-ε4 synergizes with sleep disruption to accelerate Aβ deposition and Aβ-associated tau seeding and spreading

Alzheimer\u27s disease (AD) is the most common cause of dementia. The APOE-ε4 allele of the apolipoprotein E (APOE) gene is the strongest genetic risk factor for late-onset AD. The APOE genotype modulates the effect of sleep disruption on AD risk, suggesting a possible link between apoE and sleep in AD pathogenesis, which is relatively unexplored. We hypothesized that apoE modifies Aβ deposition and Aβ plaque-associated tau seeding and spreading in the form of neuritic plaque-tau (NP-tau) pathology in response to chronic sleep deprivation (SD) in an apoE isoform-dependent fashion. To test this hypothesis, we used APPPS1 mice expressing human APOE-ε3 or -ε4 with or without AD-tau injection. We found that SD in APPPS1 mice significantly increased Aβ deposition and peri-plaque NP-tau pathology in the presence of APOE4 but not APOE3. SD in APPPS1 mice significantly decreased microglial clustering around plaques and aquaporin-4 (AQP4) polarization around blood vessels in the presence of APOE4 but not APOE3. We also found that sleep-deprived APPPS1:E4 mice injected with AD-tau had significantly altered sleep behaviors compared with APPPS1:E3 mice. These findings suggest that the APOE-ε4 genotype is a critical modifier in the development of AD pathology in response to SD

Association between phthalate exposure and lower handgrip strength in an elderly population: a repeated-measures study

Background Decreased muscle strength can lead to adverse health outcomes in the elderly. A potential association between phthalate exposure and muscle strength was suggested previously, but has not been investigated directly. We hypothesized that phthalate exposure is associated with lower handgrip strength and that the association is modified by the dietary omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. Methods We analyzed 1,228 participants (≥60 years of age) recruited in Seoul and Asan, Republic of Korea. The study participants were surveyed up to three times between 2012 and 2015. At every survey, we collected urine samples and measured handgrip strength twice for each hand. The associations between urine phthalate metabolite concentrations and handgrip strength were evaluated using linear mixed models. Based on dietary information from 391 individuals who participated in the first survey in Seoul, we evaluated the heterogeneity of the association for those with high and low omega-6 to omega-3 ratios, using 8.81 (the 75th quantile) as a cutoff value. Results Log-transformed creatinine-adjusted concentrations of mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl phthalate (MEOHP), mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP), and mono-n-butyl phthalate (MnBP) were inversely associated with all measured handgrip strengths (β = −0.69 to −0.42, all p-values < 0.05). Associations between phthalate biomarkers and handgrip strength did not differ by sex. When the dietary subgroup was stratified by the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio, the associations were stronger among participants with high ratios. Conclusions We found inverse associations between phthalate biomarkers and handgrip strength in the elderly; this association was modified by the dietary omega-6 to omega-3 ratio

High Prevalence of Cefotaxime Resistant Bacteria in Grazing Beef Cattle: A Cross Sectional Study

Although the over-use of antibiotics during food animal production is a potential driver of antimicrobial resistant microorganisms (ARMs), a high prevalence of cefotaxime resistant bacteria (CRB) has been observed in grazing animals raised without antibiotic supplementation. In this cross-sectional study, the prevalence and concentration of CRB in beef cattle on grazing farms were investigated. Fecal samples from the recto-anal junction of cattle (n = 840) and environmental samples (n = 258) were collected from 17 farms in North and Central Florida in the United States, and a survey of farm characteristics, animal husbandry practices, and antibiotic usage was conducted. CRB were detected in fecal samples from 47.4% of all cattle, with the prevalence ranging from 21.1 to 87.5% on farms, and significantly higher (P &lt; 0.001) in calves compared to adult cows (54.1 vs. 41.8%). Environmental samples had a higher prevalence than fecal samples (P &lt; 0.001), with CRB detected in 88.6% of water, 98.7% of soil, and 95.7% of forage samples. Compared to the concentration (log CFU/g) of CRB in fecal samples (2.95, 95% CI: 2.89, 3.02), the concentration of CRB was higher (P &lt; 0.001) in soil and forage samples (5.37, 95% CI: 5.16, 5.57) and lower (P &lt; 0.001) in water samples (1.08, 95% CI: 0.82, 1.36). Soil microbiota from farms with high prevalence of CRB clustered closer together and the proportion of Phylum Proteobacteria was higher on farms with high prevalence of CRB resistance. Large farming operations were associated with a 58% higher likelihood of CRB detection in fecal samples. Regular cleaning of drinking troughs and the addition of ionophores to feed were associated with CRB reduction in fecal samples. Taken together, the widespread of CRB into both cattle seldom treated with cephalosporin antibiotics and the surrounding environment suggests the environment is a natural source of antimicrobial resistance in beef cattle

Autophagy in ischemic aged livers

Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury inevitably occurs during liver resection and transplantation. Elderly patients poorly recover from these surgeries. This reduced reparative capacity with aging is causatively associated with decreased mitochondrial function after reperfusion. Mitochondrial autophagy (mitophagy) is a vital cellular process that timely clears abnormal and dysfunctional mitochondria. Impaired or insufficient autophagy can contribute to hepatocyte death after I/R. This review describes our current understanding of I/R injury and highlights new mechanistic correlation between sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), mitofusin 2 (MFN2), and autophagy in the pathogenesis of age-dependent hypersensitivity to reperfusion injury. The deacetylation of MFN2 by SIRT1 plays a pivotal role in the recovery from reperfusion injury by modulating the onset of autophagy. Targeting the SIRT1-MFN2 axis could be a new therapeutic target to reduce I/R injury in aged livers. Keywords: Hepatocytes, Autophagy, Mitochondrial autophagy (mitophagy), Aging, Ischemia/reperfusion (I/R), Sirtuin 1-mitofusin 2 (SIRT1-MFN2) axi

Early snapshot on exposure to environmental chemicals among Korean adults-results of the first Korean National Environmental Health Survey (2009-2011)

Background: Chemical exposure may cause serious adverse health effects. Under the Environmental Health Act in Korea, the first national survey, Korean National Environmental Health Survey (KoNHES), was conducted, and dozens of major environmental chemicals were measured among Korean adults between 2009 and 2011. Objectives: To understand the levels of exposure to environmental chemicals among general Korean adults population, and to identify factors that may influence the levels of exposure. Methods: The blood and urine samples were collected from Korean adults with 19 years of age and older (n = 6311), and were analyzed for a number of environmental chemicals including metals, bisphenol A (BPA), and metabolites of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), phthalates, a pyrethroid insecticide (3-PBA) and several volatile organic carbons (VOCs). Demographic and other behavioral factors were asked through questionnaire. Results: Among general Korean adults, mercury, arsenic, cadmium, and metabolite of DBP (MnBP) were higher than those reported in other nationwide surveys of Canada, Germany, and USA. Most target chemicals except for MEOHP and 3-PBA showed significant differences on the exposure levels by sex Conclusion: This is the first nationwide reconnaissance on exposure to environmental chemicals among general Korean population. Chemicals with high occurrence level will be further investigated to identify exposure sources and possible health outcomes, and eventually to develop measures to mitigate exposure. (C) 2016 Published by Elsevier GmbH.OAIID:RECH_ACHV_DSTSH_NO:T201635601RECH_ACHV_FG:RR00200001ADJUST_YN:EMP_ID:A002120CITE_RATE:4.643DEPT_NM:환경보건학과EMAIL:[email protected]_YN:YN

Association of urinary 3-phenoxybenzoic acid levels with self-reported depression symptoms in a rural elderly population in Asan, South Korea

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the association between presence of depression symptoms and the exposure level to insecticides among aged population in rural area, determined via measured levels of urinary 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA), after controlling for socioeconomic confounding factors. Methods: Using a cross-sectional study design, we randomly recruited participants for our study (161 male and 239 female) from rural areas of Asan, Chungnam, Korea. Environmental risk factor exposure was assessed using a questionnaire, and gas chromatography- mass spectrometry was used to analyze urinary 3-PBA levels. We used a logistic regression analysis to assess the association of urinary 3-PBA levels with the presence of self-reported depression symptoms. Results: After controlling for creatinine levels, the median (interquartile range) concentration of 3-PBA was approximately 1.5 times (p<0.05) higher among female (1.54 [0.90 to 2.35]) μg/g) than among male (1.06 [0.64 to 1.81] μg/g). Our study found that among female participants, the unit increase in 3-PBA levels exhibited a likely positive association (odds ratio, 1.12; 95% confidence interval, 1.00 to 1.25) with an increased risk of presence of self-reported depression symptoms, after adjusting for socioeconomic insurance type, daily physical condition, marital status, smoking status, and age. Conclusions: Given our finding of a potential association between the presence of selfreported depression symptoms and 3-PBA levels, precautions should be considered to minimize exposure to insecticides and thus protect the health of aged residents in rural areas

Pneumatic-type surgical robot end-effector for laparoscopic surgical-operation-by-wire

Background Although minimally invasive surgery (MIS) affords several advantages compared to conventional open surgery, robotic MIS systems still have many limitations. One of the limitations is the non-uniform gripping force due to mechanical strings of the existing systems. To overcome this limitation, a surgical instrument with a pneumatic gripping system consisting of a compressor, catheter balloon, micro motor, and other parts is developed. Method This study aims to implement a surgical instrument with a pneumatic gripping system and pitching/yawing joints using micro motors and without mechanical strings based on the surgical-operation-by-wire (SOBW) concept. A 6-axis external arm for increasing degrees of freedom (DOFs) is integrated with the surgical instrument using LabVIEW® for laparoscopic procedures. The gripping force is measured over a wide range of pressures and compared with the simulated ideal step function. Furthermore, a kinematic analysis is conducted. To validate and evaluate the systems clinical applicability, a simple peg task experiment and workspace identification experiment are performed with five novice volunteers using the fundamentals of laparoscopic surgery (FLS) board kit. The master interface of the proposed system employs the hands-on-throttle-and-stick (HOTAS) controller used in aerospace engineering. To develop an improved HOTAS (iHOTAS) controller, 6-axis force/torque sensor was integrated in the special housing. Results The mean gripping force (after 1,000 repetitions) at a pressure of 0.3 MPa was measured to be 5.8 N. The reaction time was found to be 0.4 s, which is almost real-time. All novice volunteers could complete the simple peg task within a mean time of 176 s, and none of them exceeded the 300 s cut-off time. The systems workspace was calculated to be 11,157.0 cm3. Conclusions The proposed pneumatic gripping system provides a force consistent with that of other robotic MIS systems. It provides near real-time control. It is more durable than the existing other surgical robot systems. Its workspace is sufficient for clinical surgery. Therefore, the proposed system is expected to be widely used for laparoscopic robotic surgery. This research using iHOTAS will be applied to the tactile force feedback system for surgeons safe operation

Association between phthalate exposure and lower handgrip strength in an elderly population: a repeated-measures study

Background Decreased muscle strength can lead to adverse health outcomes in the elderly. A potential association between phthalate exposure and muscle strength was suggested previously, but has not been investigated directly. We hypothesized that phthalate exposure is associated with lower handgrip strength and that the association is modified by the dietary omega-6 to omega-3 ratio. Methods We analyzed 1,228 participants (≥60 years of age) recruited in Seoul and Asan, Republic of Korea. The study participants were surveyed up to three times between 2012 and 2015. At every survey, we collected urine samples and measured handgrip strength twice for each hand. The associations between urine phthalate metabolite concentrations and handgrip strength were evaluated using linear mixed models. Based on dietary information from 391 individuals who participated in the first survey in Seoul, we evaluated the heterogeneity of the association for those with high and low omega-6 to omega-3 ratios, using 8.81 (the 75th quantile) as a cutoff value. Results Log-transformed creatinine-adjusted concentrations of mono-(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl phthalate (MEOHP), mono-(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP), and mono-n-butyl phthalate (MnBP) were inversely associated with all measured handgrip strengths (β = −0.69 to −0.42, all p-values < 0.05). Associations between phthalate biomarkers and handgrip strength did not differ by sex. When the dietary subgroup was stratified by the omega-6 to omega-3 ratio, the associations were stronger among participants with high ratios. Conclusions We found inverse associations between phthalate biomarkers and handgrip strength in the elderly; this association was modified by the dietary omega-6 to omega-3 ratio

Case Study on the Changes in the Physical Environment in Forest Healing Spaces

This study was conducted to investigate changes in the physical environment in forest healing spaces by examining each of two tree species in a space within the Kasuya Research Forest, Kyushu University. At the study site, culmination and sunset showed high TNVOCs, low concentrations of particulate matter, and low PPD. Of the NVOCs, camphor was detected with the highest concentrations, 0.359 ng/m^3 and 0.142 ng/m^3, in C. camphora and M. thunbergii, respectively. Coniferous trees are generally used when creating an environment for healing purposes, as they are known to emit a large amount of NVOCs. However, according to our results, deciduous trees also emit NVOCs of sufficient concentrations. Therefore, if forest healing spaces are created with the appropriate components, it can have effective results