Gene expression reversal toward pre-adult levels in the aging human brain and age-related loss of cellular identity

It was previously reported that mRNA expression levels in the prefrontal cortex at old age start to resemble pre-adult levels. Such expression reversals could imply loss of cellular identity in the aging brain, and provide a link between aging-related molecular changes and functional decline. Here we analyzed 19 brain transcriptome age-series datasets, comprising 17 diverse brain regions, to investigate the ubiquity and functional properties of expression reversal in the human brain. Across all 19 datasets, 25 genes were consistently up-regulated during postnatal development and down-regulated in aging, displaying an "up-down" pattern that was significant as determined by random permutations. In addition, 113 biological processes, including neuronal and synaptic functions, were consistently associated with genes showing an up-down tendency among all datasets. Genes up-regulated during in vitro neuronal differentiation also displayed a tendency for up-down reversal, although at levels comparable to other genes. We argue that reversals may not represent aging-related neuronal loss. Instead, expression reversals may be associated with aging-related accumulation of stochastic effects that lead to loss of functional and structural identity in neurons. © 2017 The Author(s)

Comparison of 3 T and 1.5 T for T2* magnetic resonance of tissue iron.

BACKGROUND: T2* magnetic resonance of tissue iron concentration has improved the outcome of transfusion dependant anaemia patients. Clinical evaluation is performed at 1.5 T but scanners operating at 3 T are increasing in numbers. There is a paucity of data on the relative merits of iron quantification at 3 T vs 1.5 T. METHODS: A total of 104 transfusion dependent anaemia patients and 20 normal volunteers were prospectively recruited to undergo cardiac and liver T2* assessment at both 1.5 T and 3 T. Intra-observer, inter-observer and inter-study reproducibility analysis were performed on 20 randomly selected patients for cardiac and liver T2*. RESULTS: Association between heart and liver T2* at 1.5 T and 3 T was non-linear with good fit (R (2) = 0.954, p < 0.001 for heart white-blood (WB) imaging; R (2) = 0.931, p < 0.001 for heart black-blood (BB) imaging; R (2) = 0.993, p < 0.001 for liver imaging). R2* approximately doubled between 1.5 T and 3 T with linear fits for both heart and liver (94, 94 and 105 % respectively). Coefficients of variation for intra- and inter-observer reproducibility, as well as inter-study reproducibility trended to be less good at 3 T (3.5 to 6.5 %) than at 1.5 T (1.4 to 5.7 %) for both heart and liver T2*. Artefact scores for the heart were significantly worse with the 3 T BB sequence (median 4, IQR 2-5) compared with the 1.5 T BB sequence (4 [3-5], p = 0.007). CONCLUSION: Heart and liver T2* and R2* at 3 T show close association with 1.5 T values, but there were more artefacts at 3 T and trends to lower reproducibility causing difficulty in quantifying low T2* values with high tissue iron. Therefore T2* imaging at 1.5 T remains the gold standard for clinical practice. However, in centres where only 3 T is available, equivalent values at 1.5 T may be approximated by halving the 3 T tissue R2* with subsequent conversion to T2*

Color Doppler imaging of retrobulbar circulation in glaucoma

Blood flow velocities and resistance indices of ophthalmic (OA), central retinal (CRA) and temporal short posterior ciliary arteries (TSPCA) were evaluated with color Doppler imaging (CDI) in patients with primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) and normotensive glaucoma (NTG). End-diastolic and peak systolic velocities of CRA and TSPCA were significantly lowered in both glaucoma groups (p < 0.05), and resistance indices significantly raised (p < 0.05). Impaired retrobulbar circulation seems to play an important role in the development of glaucomatous optic nerve damage, and CDI is an easy, non-invasive and reproducible method in evaluating such patients

Diode laser cyclophotocoagulation in refractory glaucoma: Comparison between pediatric and adult glaucomas

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the outcome of contact transscleral diode laser cyclophotocoagulation (CTDC) in eyes with advanced glaucoma and to compare the efficacy in pediatric and adult patients

Gene expression reversal toward pre-adult levels in the aging human brain and age-related loss of cellular identity

It was previously reported that mRNA expression levels in the prefrontal cortex at old age start to resemble pre-adult levels. Such expression reversals could imply loss of cellular identity in the aging brain, and provide a link between aging-related molecular changes and functional decline. Here we analyzed 19 brain transcriptome age-series datasets, comprising 17 diverse brain regions, to investigate the ubiquity and functional properties of expression reversal in the human brain. Across all 19 datasets, 25 genes were consistently up-regulated during postnatal development and down-regulated in aging, displaying an “up-down” pattern that was significant as determined by random permutations. In addition, 113 biological processes, including neuronal and synaptic functions, were consistently associated with genes showing an up-down tendency among all datasets. Genes up-regulated during in vitro neuronal differentiation also displayed a tendency for up-down reversal, although at levels comparable to other genes. We argue that reversals may not represent aging-related neuronal loss. Instead, expression reversals may be associated with aging-related accumulation of stochastic effects that lead to loss of functional and structural identity in neurons

Production of LaCaMnO3LaCaMnO_3 Composite by Ball Milling

$La_{0.67}Ca_{0.33}MnO_3$ perovskite-type manganite was synthesized by high-energy ball milling raw oxides of $La_2O_3$ (purity 99.9%), $CaCO_3$ (purity > 99%), and MnO (purity > 99%). The ratio of ball and powder weight was 10:1 and the rotating speed was set to 500 rpm. X-ray analysis indicated that $La_{0.67}Ca_{0.33}MnO_3$ single phase was formed completely when milling time is up to 4 h. The peak intensity of perovskite structure decreased and a hump-like peak appeared with further milling time. When the milling time is longer than 40 h, the perovskite structure disappeared and the amorphous phase was formed completely. Scanning electron microscopy picture of 24 h milled sample showed that the particle size generally varies in a broad range from nanometer scale to a few μm. The magnetic measurements showed that ball milling samples have an inhomogeneous magnetic state and exhibit spin-glass like behavior. The significantly small magnetic entropy change and a remarkably broad temperature interval in entropy change were attributed to high degree of structural and magnetic disorder and broadening of magnetic transition

Field Induced Unusual Magnetic Behavior at Low Temperature in Pr0.67Ca0.33MnO3Pr_{0.67}Ca_{0.33}MnO_3

In this study, magnetic properties of $Pr_{0.67}Ca_{0.33}MnO_3$ compound were investigated in detail. The magnetization versus temperature (M-T) curve showed that this material undergoes a charge order transition at 200 K. A more pronounced FM phase appeared below 56 K. At T = 5 K, a field induced sharp step like magnetisation transition associated with phase separation was observed. However, after application of 7 T magnetic field at 5 K, the magnetic behaviour of sample was changed completely and full FM behaviour was observed. The more interesting is that the sample remains in the FM state and does not retrieve the initial magnetic state until warmed up to charge order transition temperature. Large negative magnetic entropy change (- 26.18 J/(kg K) at 38 K and 5 T) was attributed to step like magnetisation transition

YIG Film for Magnetic Field Sensor

Single crystal $Y_3Fe_5O_{12}$ (YIG) film was grown onto (111) oriented gadolinium gallium garnet (GGG) substrate by the liquid phase epitaxy (PLD) technique. The X-ray diffraction measurements showed that epitaxial growth of the film along its (111) axis. The surface characteristic was investigated by atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurement. The magnetic field sensor consisted of a rectangular shape with 5 mm wide, 15 mm long and 5 μm thick YIG film and a pair of identical 50 μm wide microstrip copper transducers elements separated by 6 mm. The filter was tested by measuring reflection $S_{11}$ characteristic at various bias magnetic fields. The results have showed that when the bias field increased from 0 to 2.5 kOe, the frequency value corresponding to $S_{11}$ maxima increased from 1 GHz to 9 GHz. This suggests that the wide range magnetic field sensing and the highly sensitive field sensing are simultaneously fulfilled with the YIG film