[Construction of a diagnostic model for fatty liver using human body composition analysis]

Objective: To construct a diagnostic model for fatty liver using body composition analysis and further evaluate the diagnostic effect of the model on fatty liver. Methods: 726 cases with chronic liver disease who visited Tianjin Second People's Hospital from April 2019 to June 2022 and had body composition analysis tests were retrospectively enrolled and were divided into a fatty liver group (551 cases with fatty liver) and a control group (175 cases without fatty liver) according to the measured values of abdominal ultrasound and controlled attenuation parameter. An independent sample t-test and a non-parametric rank sum test were used for statistical processing. Logistic regression was used to construct a diagnostic model. Hosmer-Lemeshow was used to validate the fit of model. Receiver operating characteristic curve was used to confirm the diagnostic efficiency of the model. In addition, 341 cases of chronic liver disease who visited Tianjin Second People's Hospital were included to further verify the application effect of the model between July 2022 and February 2023. Results: Compared with the control group, the differences in various indicators of body composition analysis in the fatty liver group were statistically significant (P < 0.05). Basal metabolic rate (X1), visceral fat area (X2), and body fat (X3) were eventually included in the diagnostic model for BCA-FL (body composition analysis-fatty liver)= -7.771+0.002X1-0.035X2+0.456X3 with the Hosmer-Lemeshow test (P=0.059). The measured area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, the sensitivity, and the specificity were 0.888, 0.889, and 0.726, respectively, when the diagnostic threshold value was 0.615 with the Youden index and the receiver operating characteristic curve. In the validated model group, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, Youden index, sensitivity, and specificity were 0.875, 0.624, 0.799, and 0.825, respectively. Conclusion: The diagnostic model BCA-FL for fatty liver constructed using human body composition analysis has good diagnostic efficacy and is suitable for screening fatty liver in different basic liver disease populations.

RNA-Seq analysis and comparison of the enzymes involved in ionone synthesis of three cultivars of Osmanthus

To comprehend the molecular mechanisms that control the differences in the composition of Osmanthus essential oils, the RNA-seq data and differentially expressed genes in different cultivar Osmanthus were studied. cDNA libraries of "jinqiugui," "baijie," and "rixianggui" were sequenced using Illumina HiSeq ^TM 2000. All of the enzymes involved in ionone synthesis were verified. DEGs were revealed and their enriched pathways were analyzed. A total of 20 DEGsencoding four enzymes that were potential candidates involved in ionone biosynthesis, as well as ispH, GPPS, ZDS, and CCD. It provided a way for Osmanthus oil monomer material to be synthesized in vitro.

[Comparison of three different thermophilic beta-glucosidases for baicalin transformation]

Three different beta-glycosidase sequences of Ttebgl3, Tpebgl1 and Tpengl3 from Thermotoga thermarum DSM 5069 and Thermotoga petrophila RKU-1 were analyzed. Also, the influence of temperature, pH, concentration of DMSO, metal ions and kinetic constant on catalytic conversion of baicalin had been compared. The results indicated that the optimal pH and optimum temperature for transformation of baicalin was 4.5 85 °C, 5.0 80 °C and 5.5 80 °C, respectively. The family GH3 beta-glycosidase Ttebgl3 and Tpebgl3 had the better DMSO tolerance. The activation effect of the metal ions on the catalytic conversion of baicalin was not obvious, and the inhibition of the GH3 family beta glucosidase was significantly stronger than that of the GH1 family. The kinetic constants of three different beta-glucosidases catalyzed baicalin were significantly different. The Km and Vmax values of Tpebgl1, Tpebgl3 and Ttebgl3 were 0.029 2 mmol·L⁻¹ 4.85 U·mg⁻¹, 0.268 6 mmol·L⁻¹ 121.04 U·mg⁻¹ and 0.391 8 mmol·L⁻¹ 308.90 U·mg⁻¹, respectively. Family GH3 beta-glycosidase converted more baicalin than family GH1 with the optimal conditions, 0.02 g baicalin, and the conversion rate was 68%, 97.3%, 97.31% respectively. The results of the study provided a guarantee for the transformation of baicalin.

[Clinical research of anxiety and depression state among patients suffered from sudden deafness with vertigo]

Objective:To offer the objective evidences for the diagnosis by analyzing anxiety and depression among patients with sudden deafness and vertigo and their possible causes. Method:Eighty patients with sudden deafness and vertigo of single ear as the observation group; 80 patients with sudden deafness without vertigo and 60 healthy people as control group.Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA), Hamilton depression scale (HAMD) are used for quantitative analysis and compare the results of each group score. Result:①The HAMA score of the deafness group with vertigo was significantly higher than that of the group without vertigo and the healthy group (P<0.01). The HAMD score of the deafness group with vertigo was significantly higher than that of the group without vertigo and the healthy group (P<0.01). ②There was correlation between HAMA and sex, age, duration of dizziness, tinnitus, DHI and efficacy grading (P<0.05). There was no correlation between HAMA and the mean hearing threshold, urban and rural distribution, ear fullness (P> 0.05). There was a correlation between HAMD and sex, age, tinnitus, DHI and efficacy grading (P<0.05). There was no correlation between HAMD and the mean hearing threshold, duration of dizziness, urban and rural distribution, ear fullness (P>0.05). Conclusion:There are anxiety and depression in patients with deafness and vertigo. It is mainly related to sex, age, dizziness duration, tinnitus, DHI and grade of efficacy. It is necessary to pay attention to the mental state of patients in clinical treatment. Psychological counseling or treatment can be used to improve clinical efficacy.

[The value of CT in assessing the prognosis of sever acute pancreatitis: a report of 62 cases]

OBJECTIVE

To study the relationship between CT imaging classification criteria and the prognosis of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP).

METHODS

From January 2000 to December 2009, 62 cases with SAP were analyzed, retrospectively. They were all executed CT examination in 72 h after admission, and their CT imaging were classified as grade C (n = 13), grade D (n = 26), and grade E (n = 23) according to the Balthazar classification criteria and also classified as grade I (n = 11), grade II (n = 39), grade III (n = 12) according to the Balthazar CT severity index (CTSI) criteria, respectively. The values of these two different classification criteria in assessing the prognosis of SAP were studied, such as length of hospital stay, fever days, fasting days, white blood cell recovery days, serum amylase recovery days, pancreatic pseudocyst, organ failure, need for transit operations, and death. By studying the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, which were drawn by the area under cures, the values of the two different classification criteria were compared in assessing the prognosis of SAP.

RESULTS

The Balthazar classification criteria was valuable in assessing white blood cell recovery days (F = 4.035, P = 0.023) and pseudocyst (χ(2) = 8.066, P = 0.018). No statistical differences were found, however, between other clinicopathological parameters and the prognosis of SAP, according to the Balthazar classification criteria. The patients with low-grade of CTSI classification criteria enjoyed better prognosis, and patients in grade I or II got lower incidence of organ failure, need for transit operations and pseudocyst than that in grade III. The results above suggested that CTSI classification criteria, comparing with Balthazar CT classification criteria, was more valuable in predicting the incidence of organ failure, pseudocyst, need for transit operation, and mortality in SAP (P < 0.01).

CONCLUSION

The CTSI classification criteria has a great value in assessing the prognosis of SAP.

Multiple forms of phosphatase from human brain: isolation and partial characterization of affi-gel blue nonbinding phosphatase activities

Phosphatases extracted from a human brain were resolved into two main groups, namely affi-gel blue-binding phosphatases and affi-gel blue-nonbinding phosphatases. Affi-gel blue binding phosphatases were further separated into four different phosphatase activities, designated P1-P4, and described previously. In the present study we describe the affi-gel blue-nonbinding phosphatases which were separated into seven different phosphatase activities, designated P5-P11 by poly-(L-lysine)-agarose and aminohexyl Sepharose 4B chromatographies. These seven phosphatase activities were active toward nonprotein phosphoester. P7-P11 and to some extent P5 could also dephosphorylate a phosphoprotein. They displayed different enzyme kinetics. On the basis of activity peak, the apparent molecular mass as estimated by Sephadex G-200 column chromatography for P5 was 49 kDa; P6, 32 kDa; P7, 150 kDa; P8, 250 kDa; P9, 165 kDa; P10, 90 kDa and P11, 165 kDa. Immunoblot analysis indicated that P8-P11 may belong to PP2B family, whereas P7 may associate with PP2A. The phosphatases P7-P11 were found to be effective in the dephosphorylation of Alzheimer's disease abnormally hyperphosphorylated tau. The resulting dephosphorylated tau regained its activity in promoting the microtubule assembly, suggesting that P7-P11 might regulate the phosphorylation of tau protein in the brain.

Multiple forms of phosphatase from human brain: isolation and partial characterization of affi-gel blue binding phosphatases

Implication of protein phosphatases in Alzheimer disease led us to a systemic investigation of the identification of these enzyme activities in human brain. Human brain phosphatases eluted from DEAE-Sephacel with 0.22 M NaCl were resolved into two main groups by affi-gel blue chromatography, namely affi-gel blue-binding phosphatases and affi-gel blue-nonbinding phosphatases. Affi-gel blue-binding phosphatases were further separated into four different phosphatases, designated P1, P2, P3, and P4 by calmodulin-Sepharose 4B and poly-(L-lysine)-agarose chromatographies. These four phosphatases exhibited activities towards nonprotein phosphoester and two of them, P1 and P4, could dephosphorylate phosphoproteins. The activities of the four phosphatases differed in pH optimum, divalent metal ion requirements, sensitivities to various inhibitors and substrate affinities. The apparent molecular masses as estimated by gel-filtration for P1, P2, P3, and P4 were 97, 45, 42, and 125 kDa, respectively. P1 is markedly similar to PP2B from bovine brain and rabbit skeletal muscle. P4 was labeled with anti-PP2A antibody and may represent a new subtype of PP2A. P1 and P4 were also effective in dephosphorylating Alzheimer disease abnormally hyperphosphorylated tau (AD P-tau). The resulting dephosphorylated AD P-tau had its activity restored in promoting assembly of microtubules in vitro. These results suggest that P1 and P4 might be involved in the regulation of phosphorylation of tau in human brain, especially in neurodegenerative conditions like Alzheimer's disease which are characterized by the abnormal hyperphosphorylation of this protein.

Distribution of active glycogen synthase kinase 3beta (GSK-3beta) in brains staged for Alzheimer disease neurofibrillary changes

Accumulation of paired helical filaments (PHFs) in neurofibrillary tangles, neuropil threads, and dystrophic neurites is one of the major neuropathological hallmarks of Alzheimer disease (AD). The principal protein subunit of PHFs is the abnormally hyperphosphorylated tau. Glycogen synthase kinase 3beta (GSK-3beta) is one of the candidate kinases involved in PHF-tau formation. To play a role in PHF-tau formation, it would be expected that GSK-3beta is active in tangle bearing neurons. In the present study, we investigated the regional and intracellular distributions of active and inactive forms of GSK-3beta in brains staged for neurofibrillary changes. We found that neurons with tangle-like inclusions positive for active, but not inactive, GSK-3beta appear initially in the Pre-alpha layer of the entorhinal cortex and extend to other brain regions, coincident with the sequence of the development of neurofibrillary changes. Active, but not inactive, GSK-3beta was found to initially accumulate in the cytoplasm of pretangle neurons. These data provide direct in situ evidence that is consistent with the involvement of GSK-3beta in PHF-tau formation.

The prevalence of functional disability in activities of daily living and instrumental activities of daily living among elderly Beijing Chinese

In order to assess the prevalence of the functional disability defined by activity of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activity of daily living (IADL) and associated factors in elderly Chinese, a population-based cross-sectional study was performed in urban, plain rural and mountain rural regions of Beijing. Of the 3440 subjects, 1707 are males and 1733 are females, with mean age of 71.4+/-7.7 years. Demographic, socio-economic and health aspects were obtained by trained interviewers. The results showed functional disability prevalence was 6.5% on ADL and 7.9% on IADL. Among the three representative areas in Beijing, the plain rural had the highest disability rate, increasing with the progression of age. Bathing and doing heavy housework were the two most difficult functional tasks. The functional disabilities were associated with gender and marital status. Our data suggest that plain rural elderly are most likely to generate functional disability, and bathing and doing heavy housework are two promising predictors to monitor the development of functional disability in the elderly.

Mechanisms of neurofibrillary degeneration and the formation of neurofibrillary tangles

Alzheimer disease (AD) has polyetiology. Independent of the etiology the disease is characterized histopathologically by the intraneuronal accumulation of paired helical filaments (PHF), forming neurofibrillary tangles, neuropil threads and dystrophic neurites surrounding the extracellular deposits of beta-amyloid in plaques, the second major lesion. The clincal expression of AD correlates with the presence of neurofibrillary degeneration; beta-amyloid alone does not produce the disease clinically. Thus arresting neurofibrillary degeneration offers a promising key target for therapeutic intervention of AD. The major protein subunit of PHF is the microtubule-associated protein tau. Tau in AD brain, especially PHF, is abnormally hyperphosphorylated and glycosylated. With maturation, the tangles are increasingly ubiquitinated. Levels of tau and conjugated ubiquitin are elevated both in AD brain and CSF. The AD abnormally phosphorylated tau (AD P-tau) does not promote microtubule assembly, but on dephosphorylation its microtubule promoting activity is restored to approximately that of the normal tau. The AD P-tau competes with tubulin in binding to normal tau, MAP1 and MAP2 and inhibits their microtubule assembly promoting activities. Furthermore, the AD P-tau sequesters normal MAPs from microtubules. The association of AD P-tau with normal tau but not with MAP1 or MAP2 results in the formation of tangles of 3.3 +/- 0.5 mm filaments. Deglycosylation of Alzheimer neurofibrillary tangles with endoglycosidase F/N-glycosidase F untwists the PHF resulting in tangles of thin filaments similar to those formed by association between the AD P-tau and normal tau. Dephosphorylation or deglycosylation plus dephosphorylation but not deglycosylation alone restores the microtubule assembly promoting activity of tau. In vitro AD P-tau can be dephosphorylated by protein phosphatases PP-2B, PP-2A and PP-1 but not PP-2C and all the three tau phosphatases are present in brain neurons. Tau phosphatase activity is decreased by approximately 30% in AD brain. Inhibition of PP-2A and PP-1 activities in SY5Y neuroblastoma by 10 nM okadaic acid causes breakdown of microtubules and the degeneration of these cells. It is suggested (I) that a defect(s) in the protein phosphorylation/dephosphorylation system(s) leads to a hyperphosphorylation of tau, (ii) that this altered tau causes disassembly of microtubules and consequently a retrograde neuronal degeneration; (iii) a pharmacological approach to AD is to enhance the tau phosphatase activity; and (iv) that CSF tau and conjugated ubiquitin levels are promising markers of AD brain pathology.

Accumulation of cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (cdk5) in neurons with early stages of Alzheimer's disease neurofibrillary degeneration

Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (cdk5) is one of the candidate kinases involved in the abnormal hyperphosphorylation of tau. To have a direct effect on tau hyperphosphorylation, cdk5 protein levels and enzyme activity should be upregulated in especially those neurons that develop neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs). We studied the distribution of cdk5 immunoreactivity in neurons with or without early- and late-stage NFTs in hippocampal, entorhinal, transentorhinal, temporal and frontal cortices, and cerebellum of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and control brain. The immunocytochemical localisation of cdk5 was compared with that obtained using antibodies to PHF-tau (tau in paired helical filaments of NFTs, mAb AT8) and ubiquitin as markers of early and late stage NFTs, respectively. Immunoreactivities of cdk5 and PHF-tau were found in neuronal perikarya and processes of hippocampal, entorhinal, transentorhinal, temporal and frontal, and cerebellar cortices. An apparent increase of cdk5 immunoreactivity was seen in pretangle neurons and in neurons bearing early stage NFTs. These findings suggest that this kinase might be involved in the formation of NFTs at a relatively early stage in the neocortex.

Subcellular distribution of protein phosphatases and abnormally phosphorylated tau in the temporal cortex from Alzheimer's disease and control brains

Microtubule-associated protein tau is abnormally hyperphosphorylated in the brain of patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD). In vitro studies have shown that protein phosphatases PP-2A and PP-2B can convert Alzheimer like tau to its normal state and that the activities of PP-1, PP-2A, and phosphotyrosyl-protein phosphatase (PTP) are reduced in AD brain. However, to have a direct effect on the regulation of phosphorylation on tau, these enzymes have to exist in neurons. Using specific polyclonal antibodies the levels of protein phosphatases PP-1, PP-2A, and PP-2B were determined by indirect ELISA in superior temporal cortical gray matter of AD and control brains. The protein levels of PP-2A and PP-2B were significantly increased in postsynaptosomal supernatant 2 (S2) of the AD group, and this alteration showed a significant linear correlation with levels of hyperphosphorylated tau. PP-1 and PTP-1B levels were not significantly changed in any of the AD fractions. Because of the large variation from case to case, the activity levels of none of the phosphatases investigated were significantly different between the AD and control groups. However, the PP-2B specific activity (activity/protein) showed a significant linear inverse correlation with hyperphosphorylated tau. These studies suggest that any attempt by the AD brain to compensate for the decreased tau phosphatase activity remains unsuccessful and that the decrease in phosphatase activity might contribute to increased levels of abnormally phosphorylated tau.

Elevated protein levels of protein phosphatases PP-2A and PP-2B in astrocytes of Alzheimer's disease temporal cortex

Previous studies have shown that activities of the protein phosphatases PP-2A and PP-2B towards the microtubule associated protein tau are reduced in Alzheimer's disease (AD) frontal cortex (Gong et al., 1993, 1995), suggesting that PP-2A and PP-2B are involved in the hyperphosphorylation of tau in AD. Most recently, we found that protein levels of PP-2A and PP-2B are elevated in postsynaptic supernatant (S2) fractions prepared from AD temporal cortex, and that the activities of these enzymes were not significantly different between AD and control cases (Pei et al., in press). In the present study, we found that astroglia positive for PP-2A and PP-2B immunoreactivities were greater in numbers in AD medial temporal cortex, compared to controls. GFAP levels, as determined by indirect ELISA, were approximately 1.5 times greater in the P1 (500 x g) fraction from AD temporal cortex, compared to controls. GFAP levels in the P1 fraction showed significant correlations with PP-2A and PP-2B levels in the postsynaptic S2 (20,000 x g) fraction from the same brains. These results suggest that astrogliosis probably accounts for the increased levels of PP-2A and PP-2B in the S2 fraction in AD brain and that the levels of these enzymes per neuron are likely to be decreased.

Distribution, levels, and activity of glycogen synthase kinase-3 in the Alzheimer disease brain

A number of studies have implicated a proline-directed protein kinase, glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) in the hyperphosphorylation of tau in Alzheimer's disease (AD). Toward understanding the role of GSK-3 in the abnormal hyperphosphorylation of tau in AD we have found that GSK-3 is prominently present in neuronal cell bodies and their processes and co-localizes with neurofibrillary changes in AD brain. Furthermore, the levels of GSK-3 as determined by indirect ELISA are approximately 50% increased in the postsynaptosomal supernatant from AD brains as compared to the controls. However, no increase in GSK-3 enzyme activity was detected. In AD brain, with its reduced phosphatase activity, even normal levels of GSK-3 activity might be sufficient for the hyperphosphorylation of tau.

Expression of protein phosphatases (PP-1, PP-2A, PP-2B and PTP-1B) and protein kinases (MAP kinase and P34cdc2) in the hippocampus of patients with Alzheimer disease and normal aged individuals

Microtubule-associated protein tau is abnormally hyperphosphorylated in the brain of patients with Alzheimer disease (AD). Previous studies have shown (i) that in vitro tau can be phosphorylated to an Alzheimer abnormally phosphorylated state-like protein by proline-directed protein kinases MAP kinase and p34cdc2, and (ii) that the AD abnormally phosphorylated tau can be in vitro dephosphorylated by protein phosphatases PP-2B, PP-2A and PP-1 and not by PP-2C. However, to have a direct effect on the regulation of phosphorylation of tau, these enzymes should be present in the affected neurons. In the present study immunocytochemical localization of protein phosphatases PP-1, PP-2A, PP-2B and PTP, and protein kinases MAP kinase and p34cdc2 were studied in the hippocampal formation of AD and as a control in non-demented elderly patients. All the protein phosphatases and protein kinases studied were localized to both granular and pyramidal neurons. In the pyramidal neurons, the enzymes staining was observed in neuronal soma and neurites. PTP-1B, PP-1 and PP-2A were also highly expressed in microglia. The topographical distributions of all the enzymes studied were similar, i.e. the intensity of immunostaining in hippocampus in end-plate (CA3 and CA4) > prosubiculum, subiculum > entorhinal cortex > dentate gyrus > CA2 > CA1. Furthermore, the expression of all the enzymes was also observed in the tangle-bearing neurons. The PP-2B staining of the tangle-bearing neurons was weaker than the unaffected neurons in the same tissue section field in AD cases.