Dynamic changes of CSF sPDGFRβ during ageing and AD progression and associations with CSF ATN biomarkers

Background Loss of brain capillary pericyte is involved in the pathologies and cognitive deficits in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The role of pericyte in early stage of AD pathogenesis remains unclear. Methods We investigated the dynamic changes of soluble platelet-derived growth factor receptor β (sPDGFRβ) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), a marker of brain pericyte injury, in transition from normal ageing to early AD in a cognitively unimpaired population aged 20 to 90 years. Association between sPDGFRβ and ATN biomarkers were analyzed. Results In lifetime, CSF sPDGFRβ continually increased since age of 20 years, followed by the increases of phosphorylated tau-181 (P-tau181) and total tau (T-tau) at the age of 22.2 years and 31.7 years, respectively; CSF Aβ42 began to decline since the age of 39.6 years, indicating Aβ deposition. The natural trajectories of biomarkers suggest that pericyte injury is an early event during transition from normal status to AD, even earlier than Aβ deposition. In AD spectrum, CSF sPDGFRβ was elevated in preclinical stage 2 and participants with suspected non-AD pathophysiologies. Additionally, CSF sPDGFRβ was positively associated with P-tau181 and T-tau independently of Aβ42, and significantly strengthened the effects of Aβ42 on P-tau181, suggesting that pericyte injury accelerates Aβ-mediated tau hyperphosphorylation. Conclusions Our results suggest that pericyte injury contributes to AD progression in the early stage in an Aβ-independent pathway. Recovery of pericyte function would be a target for prevention and early intervention of AD.

The Role of Selected Chemokines in the Peritoneal Fluid of Women with Endometriosis—Participation in the Pathogenesis of the Disease

Endometriosis is a disorder characterized by the presence of endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity, primarily into the peritoneal cavity. It is known as a complex, chronic inflammatory disease and it is strongly associated with immune dysregulation. Various soluble mediators of the immune and inflammatory responses, including chemokines, play an important role in these processes. The aim of the study was to understand the role of the chemokines MCP-1, MCP-2, MCP-3, MCP-4, MIP-1 α, MIP-1β, eotaxin 2, eotaxin 3, ENA-78, and fractalkine in the development of endometriosis through their assessment in the peritoneal fluid of women with endometriosis. The study group included 58 women with endometriosis who were diagnosed during laparoscopy and then confirmed by histopathology. In 15 women from the reference group, laparoscopic examination demonstrated a normal status of the pelvic organs without any evidence of endometriosis nor inflammation in the peritoneal cavity. The peritoneal fluid of women with endometriosis and of women from the reference group were examined. To determine the concentration of the studied chemokines, enzyme immunoassays for Luminex® platforms were used. In the peritoneal fluid of women with endometriosis, a statistically significant increase in the concentration of MIP-1β, eotaxin 2, eotaxin 3, ENA-78, and fractalkine and a decrease in the concentration of MCP-1, MCP-2, MCP-3, MCP-4, and MIP-1α were observed compared to the reference group. The concentration of these cytokines depended on the severity of the disease. Changes in the concentration of the studied chemokines in the peritoneal fluid of women with endometriosis suggest their participation in the pathogenesis of the disease. The differences in chemokines concentration observed in different stages of endometriosis may be associated with the presence of inflammation in the peritoneal cavity at each step of disease development.

Variation Trends of Fractal Dimension in Epileptic EEG Signals

Epileptic diseases take EEG as an important basis for clinical judgment, and fractal algorithms were often used to analyze electroencephalography (EEG) signals. However, the variation trends of fractal dimension (D) were opposite in the literature, i.e., both D decreasing and increasing were reported in previous studies during seizure status relative to the normal status, undermining the feasibility of fractal algorithms for EEG analysis to detect epileptic seizures. In this study, two algorithms with high accuracy in the D calculation, Higuchi and roughness scaling extraction (RSE), were used to study D variation of EEG signals with seizures. It was found that the denoising operation had an important influence on D variation trend. Moreover, the D variation obtained by RSE algorithm was larger than that by Higuchi algorithm, because the non-fractal nature of EEG signals during normal status could be detected and quantified by RSE algorithm. The above findings in this study could be promising to make more understandings of the nonlinear nature and scaling behaviors of EEG signals.

Physical Activity and Mental Health Among Physicians in Tertiary Psychiatric Hospitals: A National Crosssectional Survey in China

This study aimed to examine the level of mental health and its correlates, particularly physical activity (PA) frequency, among physicians in tertiary psychiatric hospitals. In a national crosssectional survey, 4,520 physicians nested in 41 tertiary psychiatric hospitals from 29 provinces completed the online questionnaire. Their mean age was 38.5 ± 8.6 years, and 41.86% of physicians were men. More than one-third (35.24%) of physicians reported no PA in the past month, and only 21.88% reported happiness. Only 55.15 and 58.10% of the physicians reported normal status of depression and anxiety, respectively. In the adjusted multivariable ordinal logistic regression, higher PA frequency was associated with depression, anxiety, and happiness, except those who reported PA almost every day. Programs that aim to increase PA may promote the mental health of physicians in tertiary psychiatric hospitals.

Rates of anxiety, depression and stress among high school students during the pandemic of COVID-19

Background: The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is begun in Wuhan, China, and has spread worldwide, resulting in a large number of hospitalizations and deaths. To the best of our knowledge, the study about the mental health status (depression, anxiety, and stress) among high school students during COVID- 19 has not been performed in Iran. Objective: This study was performed to investigate rates of anxiety, depression, and stress among high school students during the pandemic of COVID-19. Method: This cross-sectional study was performed among high school students (12-18 years) from 30 April until 1 June 2020, in Hamadan City, west of Iran. In total, 2852 students contributed to the present study. Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale 21 (DASS-21) was used in this study. Statistical analyses were conducted in STATA 14 with a significant level of 0.05. Results: The present study showed that although stress status was normal among most high school students (70.3%), but the status of anxiety and depression was high. The boys had reported a higher proportion of normal status of depression (51.62% vs. 44.97%), anxiety (31.71% vs. 26.91%), and stress (77.66% vs. 66.10%) compared to the girls. Also, students in grades 7-9 had reported more percentage of normal status in all three dimensions of stress, anxiety, and depression. Conclusion: These findings suggest that as rates of depression and anxiety are high, school-age children may benefit from policymakers and other authorities’ active role.

Adzuki Bean Alleviates Obesity and Insulin Resistance Induced by a High-Fat Diet and Modulates Gut Microbiota in Mice

Adzuki bean consumption has many health benefits, but its effects on obesity and regulating gut microbiota imbalances induced by a high-fat diet (HFD) have not been thoroughly studied. Mice were fed a low-fat diet, a HFD, and a HFD supplemented with 15% adzuki bean (HFD-AB) for 12 weeks. Adzuki bean supplementation significantly reduced obesity, lipid accumulation, and serum lipid and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels induced by HFD. It also mitigated liver function damage and hepatic steatosis. In particular, adzuki bean supplementation improved glucose homeostasis by increasing insulin sensitivity. In addition, it significantly reversed HFD-induced gut microbiota imbalances. Adzuki bean significantly reduced the ratio of Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes (F/B); enriched the occurrence of Bifidobacterium, Prevotellaceae, Ruminococcus_1, norank_f_Muribaculaceae, Alloprevotella, Muribaculum, Turicibacter, Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group, and Lachnoclostridium; and returned HFD-dependent taxa (Desulfovibrionaceae, Bilophila, Ruminiclostridium_9, Blautia, and Ruminiclostridium) back to normal status. PICRUSt2 analysis showed that the changes in gut microbiota induced by adzuki bean supplementation may be associated with the metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, sulfur, and cysteine and methionine; and LPS biosynthesis; and valine, leucine, and isoleucine degradation.

UPAYA PENINGKATAN PENGETAHUAN MASYARAKAT MELALUI KEGIATAN PENYULUHAN KESEHATAN MENGENAI MENGENALI OBESITAS & POTENSI PENYAKIT SERTA UPAYA PENGENDALIANNYA

Obesitas adalah suatu penyakit serius yang dapat mengakibatkan masalah emosional dan sosial. Seorang dikatakan overweight bila berat badannya 10% sampai dengan 20% berat badan normal, sedangkan seseorang disebut obesitas apabila kelebihan berat badan mencapai lebih 20% dari berat normal. status kesehatan mayoritas masyakat RT 33 sebagian besar dalam kondisi kesehatan baik, namun terdapat beberapa dari masyarakat RT 09 yang menderita penyakit yang diantaranya Hipertensi, Berat Badan Berlebih sampai dengan Obesitas, Asam Urat, Gastritis, ISPA, Dislipedmia, gangguan jantung, stroke dan DM. Masyarkat RT 33 dengan tingkat Pendidikan yang rata-rata Pendidikan dalam kategori Atas dan memiliki penghasilan menengah atas, Masyarakat RT 33 memiliki pola kebiasaan hidup sehat yang dapat ditunjukkan melalui perilaku kebiasaan melaksanakan kegiatan olahraga rutin seperti senam sehat maupun jalan santai, dan masyakat memiliki kebiasaan menggunakan sarana layanan kesehatan seperti praktek dokter, klinik maupun rumah sakit yang memfasilitasi masyarakat dalam mengatasi dan mencegah setiap penyakit yang berkembang di masyarakat. Kegiatan yang dilaksanakan meliputi Penjajakan, Perneriksaan Kesehatan, Konseling & Penyuluhan Kesehatan rnengenali Obesitas & Potensi Penyakit Serta Upaya Pengendaliannya ditujukan pada warga RT 33 Kelurahan Air Putih Kota Samarinda. Sebanyak kurang lebih 26 peserta yang dilaksanakan pada tanggal 14 sampai 16 November 2019. Kegiatan pengabdian kepada masyarakat mendapatkan respon yang antusias dari warga masyarakat RT 33 Kelurahan Air Putih. Hasil Pemeriksaan kesehatan terdapat 15 orang masyarakat mengalami Berat Badan Berlebih, 6 diantaranya mendekat obesitas bahkan obesitas, 13 peserta mengalami peningkatan kadar kolesterol, dan terdapat 3 diantaranya warga mengalai berat badan berlebih dan terkena penyakit jantung dan DM

ANALYSIS OF THE NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF IAIN SALATIGA STUDENTS IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION LECTURES

<em>Nutritional status is a component that affects the level of health and fitness. The level of nutritional status is very important to monitor the condition. Nutritional status monitoring can be carried out during physical education learning because one of the learning objectives is to improve physical fitness and the level of nutritional status plays a role in it. Objective: Assessing the level of nutritional status of IAIN Salatiga students in physical education lectures. This study uses a quantitative method with a survey approach and is analyzed descriptively quantitatively. The population of this study was 127 students of IAIN Salatiga who attended physical education lectures. The sampling technique used is the Non Probability Sampling Technique with a census. The results were 10 severely underweight students, 22 underweight students, 75 normal students, 11 overweight students, and 9 obese students. Eight male students have normal status, 1 person is underweight, and 3 people are obese. Meanwhile, female students with normal status are 67 people, underweight are 21 people, severely underweight are 10 people, overweight are 11 people, and obese are 6 people. This study concludes that students of IAIN Salatiga who take physical education lectures generally have a normal nutritional status, but there are still some students who are severely underweight and obese who are at risk of disease.</em>

Withanolide D of Ashwagandha improves Apoptosis in the Bone Marrow of Leukemic Murine Model

Background: Leukemia is one of the most occurring haematological pathologies in the world which develops due to the impairment in the hematopoietic machinery. Cellular death via apoptosis is severely impaired in this pathophysiological condition and leads to the progression of the disease. Objective: We have tried to unearth the efficacy of Withanolide D, a steroidal lactone derived from Withania somnifera or Ashwagandha on some of the apoptotic machinery components, i.e. TERT, BCL2 and PUMA in the experimental leukemic mice. Materials and Methods: LD50 and EC50 values of Withanolide D were estimated. Three groups of animals were taken for experimental purpose i.e. Group I = Leukemic, (L); Group II = Control, (C); Group III = Leukemic treated with Withanolide D, (L + WD). Group III received Withanolide D via oral route and other two groups received equal volume of distilled water. Various cytological, immunofluorescence and flow cytometric studies were taken into consideration post administration. Result: Leukemic group showed increased cellular proliferation and decreased cellular death as compared to control. Post Withanolide D administration TERT, BCL2 and PUMA expression started to shift towards normal status. This shift in the expressional values of increased apoptosis rate and decreased cellular proliferation revealed by cytological, immunofluorescence studies and flow cytometric investigations. Conclusion: As Withanolide D decreased the suppression of apoptosis and impaired the progression of the disease, so, we can conclude that Withanolide D of Ashwagandha may hold a promise towards a new therapeutic strategy in leukemia.

Clinical approach to coma patients: tips and tricks

The reticular activating system (RAS) is responsible for wakefulness. The RAS projects activation to either side of the hemisphere. The dysfunction of the RAS or insufficiency of its activation results in impairment of consciousness. Physicians classify levels of awareness into four levels, from normal status to most severe unconsciousness, these being alert, drowsy, stupor, and coma, respectively. While the causes of unconsciousness are varied, physicians generally divide them into structural and metabolic etiologies upon the dominant approach. Surgical management is the primary treatment for the structural coma, while the metabolic coma requires predominantly medical treatment. The diagnosis and management of unconscious patients require extensive clinical assessment, consisting of a careful approach to history-taking and general medical and neurological examinations. Following immediate resuscitation by the ABCDE approach and proper management protocols, physicians should look for causes of loss of consciousness through clinical evidence and investigations. Appropriate management will help to avoid secondary complications related to the impairment of consciousness. The prognostication of a coma is also varied and primarily depends on its etiology. The algorithm for prognostication in a coma is helpful for poor outcome determinants.