20-HETE Inhibition by HET0016 Decreases the Blood–Brain Barrier Permeability and Brain Edema After Traumatic Brain Injury

Recent studies have implicated 20-HETE as a vasoconstrictive mediator in trauma, the purpose of this study was to determine whether administration of HET0016, the 20-HETE inhibitor, could protect neurons from trauma and the effect of HET0016 on the blood–brain barrier (BBB) and brain edema in experimental traumatic brain injury (TBI). Rat models with TBI were established. Brain edema was measured according to the wet and dry weight method at 3, 24, and 72 h after injury. The BBB permeability was quantified by dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI). Superoxide production, the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and total antioxidative capability (T-AOC) in traumatic brain tissues were also measured. Western blot analysis was used to analyze the expression of the occludin, ZO-1, Matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), and c-Jun N-terminal protein kinase (JNK) pathways. At 24 and 72 h after administration of HET0016 following TBI, the BBB permeability and brain edema decreased. The decrease in superoxide production and the increase in the activity of SOD and T-AOC were measured in this study. Western blot analysis showed that the expression of MMP-9 and JNK pathways was suppressed, but the expression of ZO-1 and occludin was increased. These results suggest that the administration of HET0016 could protect the BBB function and decrease brain edema after experimental traumatic injury by suppressing the expression of MMP-9 and activating the expression of tight junction proteins via suppressing the JNK pathway and oxidative stress

MRI characteristics of lumbosacral dural arteriovenous fistulas

Background and purposeSpinal dural arteriovenous fistulas located in the lumbosacral region are rare and present with nonspecific clinical signs. The purpose of this study was to find out the specific radiologic features of these fistulas.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed the clinical and radiological data of 38 patients diagnosed with lumbosacral spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas in our institution from September 2016 to September 2021. All patients underwent time-resolved contrast-enhanced three-dimensional MRA and DSA examinations, and were treated with either endovascular or neurosurgical strategies.ResultsMost of the patients (89.5%) had motor or sensory disorders in both lower limbs as the first symptoms. On MRA, the dilated filum terminale vein or radicular vein was seen in 23/30 (76.7%) patients with lumbar spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas and 8/8 (100%) patients with sacral spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas. T2W intramedullary abnormally high signal intensity areas were found in all lumbosacral spinal dural arteriovenous fistula patients, with involvement of the conus present in 35/38 (92.1%) patients. The “missing piece sign” in the intramedullary enhancement area was seen in 29/38 (76.3%) patients.ConclusionDilatation of the filum terminale vein or radicular vein is powerful evidence for diagnosis of lumbosacral spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas, especially for sacral spinal dural arteriovenous fistulas. T2W intramedullary hyperintensity in the thoracic spinal cord and conus, and the missing-piece sign could be indicative of lumbosacral spinal dural arteriovenous fistula

Comparing the predictive value of quantitative magnetic resonance imaging parametric response mapping and conventional perfusion magnetic resonance imaging for clinical outcomes in patients with chronic ischemic stroke

Predicting clinical outcomes after stroke, using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures, remains a challenge. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prediction of long-term clinical outcomes after ischemic stroke using parametric response mapping (PRM) based on perfusion MRI data. Multiparametric perfusion MRI datasets from 30 patients with chronic ischemic stroke were acquired at four-time points ranging from V2 (6  weeks) to V5 (7  months) after stroke onset. All perfusion MR parameters were analyzed using the classic whole-lesion approach and voxel-based PRM at each time point. The imaging biomarkers from each acquired MRI metric that was predictive of both neurological and functional outcomes were prospectively investigated. For predicting clinical outcomes at V5, it was identified that PRMTmax-, PRMrCBV-, and PRMrCBV+ at V3 were superior to the mean values of the corresponding maps at V3. We identified correlations between the clinical prognosis after stroke and MRI parameters, emphasizing the superiority of the PRM over the whole-lesion approach for predicting long-term clinical outcomes. This indicates that complementary information for the predictive assessment of clinical outcomes can be obtained using PRM analysis. Moreover, new insights into the heterogeneity of stroke lesions revealed by PRM can help optimize the accurate stratification of patients with stroke and guide rehabilitation

Research on the influence of the nature of the weathered bedrock zone on the roof water bursting and sand bursting: taking Zhaogu No. 1 Mine as an example

Based on Zhaogu No. 1 Mine’s characters that are the overlying thick alluvium, multi-aquifers (groups) and thin bedrock, the water pressure of the gravel aquifer under the alluvial layer reaches 4.0 MPa, defined a high-pressure aquifer. To determine the influence of bedrock properties on roof water inrush and sand bursting, and ensure the normal mining around the thin bedrock area under groups, there were tests, point loading, dry saturated water absorption rate and indoor disintegration, of bedrock samples taken from hydrological survey holes to determine those properties and influence on retaining sand-proof pillars by analyzing the variation curves of various indexes of them with depth. The experiments’ results showed that the weathering depth of bedrock exceeds 20 m; the dry saturated water absorption rate of mudstone in the vertical depth ranging of 0−6.5 m from the bottom interface of the alluvial layer is greater than 15%. The mudstone exposed to water features muddy disintegration, broken rock fragments and mud blocks, which means it is good water-proof performance of effective bridging mining cracks and a protective layer for waterproof coal pillars; as the strength of weathered mudstone below the alluvial layer 0 to 11.4 m is lower than it of the fine gravel aquifer in the lower that of 4.0 MPa, the sand control coal pillar’s protective layer that is greater more than 11.4 m is cannot be entirely composed of weathered mudstone; due to strong resistance to disintegration and lower dry saturated water absorption rate of sandstone, the protective layer cannot be entirely composed of weathered sandstone. The compressive strength of weathered sandstone, when it is higher than 4.0 MPa, can effectively resist the overlying water head pressure

A Class of

n -to-1 mappings have many applications in combinatorial design, coding theory and cryptography. In this paper, by using piecewise method and monomials on subsets of q+1-th roots of unity, we show a class of n-to-1 binomials having the form xr(a+xs(q-1)) over Fq2

Iron Deposition Is Positively Related to Cognitive Impairment in Patients with Chronic Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: Assessment with Susceptibility Weighted Imaging

Background. This study aimed to evaluate the usability of SWI in assessment of brain iron to detect cognitive dysfunction in patients with chronic mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). Methods. 39 patients with mTBI and 37 normal controls were given the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and underwent SWI scanning at least 6 months after injury. Angle radian values were calculated with phase images. The angle radian values were compared between groups using analysis of covariance, and their association with MMSE scores was analyzed using Spearman correlations. Results. Significantly higher angle radian values (p<0.05) were found in the head of the caudate nucleus, the lenticular nucleus, the hippocampus, the thalamus, the right substantia nigra, the red nucleus, and the splenium of the corpus callosum (SCC) in the mTBI group, compared to the control group. MMSE scores were negatively correlated with angle radian values in the right substantia nigra (r=-0.685, p<0.001). Conclusions. Patients with chronic mTBI might have abnormally high accumulations of iron, and their MMSE scores are negatively associated with angle radian values in the right substantia nigra, suggesting a role of SWI in the assessment of cognitive impairments of these patients

miR-22 suppresses tumorigenesis and improves radiosensitivity of breast cancer cells by targeting Sirt1

Abstract Background miR-22 has been shown to be frequently downregulated and act as a tumor suppressor in multiple cancers including breast cancers. However, the role of miR-22 in regulating the radioresistance of breast cancer cells, as well as its underlying mechanism is still not well understood. Methods The expressions of miR-22 and sirt1 at mRNA and protein levels were examined by qRT-PCR and Western Blot. The effects of miR-22 overexpression and sirt1 knockdown on cell viability, apoptosis, radiosensitivity, γ-H2AX foci formation were evaluated by CCK-8 assay, flow cytometry, colony formation assay, and γ-H2AX foci formation assay, respectively. Luciferase reporter assay and qRT-PCR analysis were performed to confirm the interaction between miR-22 and sirt1. Results miR-22 was downregulated and sirt1 was upregulated at both mRNA and protein levels in breast cancer cells. miR-22 overexpression or sirt1 knockdown significantly suppressed viability, induced apoptosis, reduced survival fraction, and increased the number of γ-H2AX foci in breast cancer cells. Sirt1 was identified as a target of miR-22 and miR-22 negatively regulated sirt1 expression. Ectopic expression of sirt1 dramatically reversed the inhibitory effect of miR-22 on cell viability and promotive effect on apoptotic rates and radiosensitivity in breast cancer cells. Conclusions miR-22 suppresses tumorigenesis and improves radiosensitivity of breast cancer cells by targeting sirt1, providing a promising therapeutic target for breast cancer

Prevalence and Risk Factors for Enlarged Perivascular Spaces in Young Adults from a Neurology Clinic-Based Cohort

(1) Background: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and risk factors for enlarged perivascular spaces (EPVS) in young adults from a neurology clinic-based cohort (≤45 years old) via unenhanced brain MRI. (2) Methods: A total of 931 young adults from a neurology clinic-based cohort who underwent unenhanced brain MRI between 1 January 2021 and 30 June 2021 were retrospectively included in this study. The EPVS were rated in the centrum semiovale (CSO-EPVS), basal ganglia (BG-EPVS), and midbrain (MB-EPVS) using a visual rating scale. The degrees of the CSO-EPVS, BG-EPVS, and MB-EPVS were all divided by a cutoff value of 1. Demographic factors, vascular risk factors, and symptoms were analyzed using the chi-square test and logistic regression to determine the risk factors of EPVS. (3) Results: The overall prevalence of EPVS was 99.8% (929/931). The CSO-EPVS, BG-EPVS, and MB-EPVS were predominantly scored as 1 (52.1%, 79.1%, and 58.3%, respectively). Logistic regression analysis identified age and hypertension as factors affecting the degrees of CSO-EPVS and BG-EPVS (p p p = 0.014) were revealed to be factors affecting the degree of BG-EPVS. Furthermore, patients with headache (OR = 1.807; p = 0.001) and dizziness (OR = 1.574; p = 0.025) were associated with MB-EPVS. (4) Conclusions: EPVS were frequently found in young adults and could be related to the symptoms. Age, hypertension, and diabetes were the risk factors for the severity of EPVS in the corresponding brain regions