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Background: Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is a neurodegenerative disease that progresses rapidly and has a poor prognosis. This study aimed to assess the value of video oculomotor evaluation (VOE) in the differential diagnosis of MSA and Parkinson's disease (PD). Methods: In total, 28 patients with MSA, 31 patients with PD, and 30 age‐ and sex‐matched healthy controls (HC) were screened and included in this study. The evaluation consisted of a gaze‐holding test, smooth pursuit eye movement (SPEM), random saccade, and optokinetic nystagmus (OKN). Results: The MSA and PD groups had more abnormalities and decreased SPEM gain than the HC group (64.29%, 35.48%, 10%, p <.001). The SPEM gain in the MSA group was significantly lower than that in the PD group at specific frequencies. Patients with MSA and PD showed prolonged latencies in all saccade directions compared with those with HC. However, the two diseases had no significant differences in the saccade parameters. The OKN gain gradually decreased from the HC to the PD and the MSA groups (p <.05). Compared with the PD group, the gain in the MSA group was further decreased in the OKN test at 30°/s (Left, p =.010; Right p =.016). Receiver operating characteristic curves showed that the combination of oculomotor parameters with age and course of disease could aid in the differential diagnosis of patients with MSA and PD, with a sensitivity of 89.29% and a specificity of 70.97%. Conclusions: The combination of oculomotor parameters and clinical data may aid in the differential diagnosis of MSA and PD. Furthermore, VOE is vital in the identification of neurodegenerative diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Overexpression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is considered the most critical factor in radiation-induced brain injury (RBI). To investigate the role of VEGF and the mechanism underlying microvascular damage in RBI, wild type mice, and transgenic mice overexpressing VEGF derived from astrocytes, were separately and randomly exposed to whole-brain or sham irradiation. Pathophysiologic changes in the brain tissue were detected 90 days after irradiation. Compared with wild type mice, the secretion of VEGF and angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) was up-regulated in transgenic mice, whether irradiated or not, while elevated expression of VEGF, Ang-2, and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) was detected after whole-brain irradiation using western blotting. Impairment of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) was demonstrated by the leakage of dyes observed using two-photon imaging and decreased expression of zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1) and Occludin. Hematoxylin–eosin (HE) staining revealed obvious structural damage in the irradiated brains. Furthermore, damage to the BBB and histopathology in the transgenic mice were worse than those of wild type mice in the irradiated groups. There was a positive correlation among VEGF and Ang-2 expression and RBI severity. These data reveal that VEGF and Ang-2 expression is closely associated with the microvascular injury in RBI. Further, overexpression of VEGF can cause up-regulation of Ang-2 and exacerbation of RBI. Therefore, Ang-2 might be the cytokine that acts as a mediator between VEGF and microvascular injury, and is likely a new intervention target for RBI. • Two-photon imaging and transgenic technology are used to study RBI; • Revealing the relation between astrocytes-derived VEGF and microvascular damage; • Ang-2 is put forward as the possible target in microvascular damage of RBI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: Autophagy receptor OsNBR1 modulates salt stress tolerance by affecting ROS accumulation in rice. The NBR1 (next to BRCA1 gene 1), as important selective receptors, whose functions have been reported in animals and plants. Although the function of NBR1 responses to abiotic stress has mostly been investigated in Arabidopsis thaliana, the role of NBR1 under salt stress conditions remains unclear in rice (Oryza sativa). In this study, by screening the previously generated activation-tagged line, we identified a mutant, activation tagging 10 (AC10), which exhibited salt stress-sensitive phenotypes. TAIL-PCR (thermal asymmetric interlaced PCR) showed that the AC10 line carried a loss-of-function mutation in the OsNBR1 gene. OsNBR1 was found to be a positive regulator of salt stress tolerance and was localized in aggregates. A loss-of-function mutation in OsNBR1 increased salt stress sensitivity, whereas overexpression of OsNBR1 enhanced salt stress resistance. The osnbr1 mutants showed higher ROS (reactive oxygen species) production, whereas the OsNBR1 overexpression (OsNBR1OE) lines showed lower ROS production, than Kitaake plants under normal and salt stress conditions. Furthermore, RNA-seq analysis revealed that expression of OsRBOH9 (respiratory burst oxidase homologue) was increased in osnbr1 mutants, resulting in increased ROS accumulation in osnbr1 mutants. Together our results established that OsNBR1 responds to salt stress by influencing accumulation of ROS rather than by regulating transport of Na+ and K+ in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Levels of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are decreased in the peripheral blood following irradiation exposure. • EPC transplantation may help to restore damage to the blood–brain barrier, tight junctions following irradiation exposure. • EPC transplantation may increase cerebral capillary density after irradiation exposure. Vascular damage plays an important role in the pathogenesis of radiation-induced brain injury (RBI). Endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) are responsible for maintaining and repairing endothelial function, and have become a promising method for the treatment of cerebrovascular diseases. However, whether EPC transplantation plays a protective role in RBI has not been fully elucidated. Therefore, the present study investigated the effects of bone marrow-derived EPC transplantation in a whole-brain irradiation (WBI) mouse model. Mice were divided into the three groups: control group, irradiation group and EPCs group. Phosphate buffered saline or EPCs were intravenously injected into mice one week after irradiation, and brains were analyzed eight weeks after injection. Flow cytometry demonstrated that irradiation led to a significant reduction in the peripheral blood EPC count; however, EPC transplantation led to a significant increase in the circulating EPCs. Intravital two-photon imaging and western blotting demonstrated that EPC transplantation reversed the effects of irradiation by decreasing blood–brain barrier permeability and increasing the expression of tight junction proteins in the brain. Additionally, immunofluorescence staining revealed that the brain microvascular density was higher in the EPCs group than the irradiation group. Therefore, EPC transplantation may restore damage caused by WBI to the blood–brain barrier, tight junctions, and cerebral capillary density. These results highlight the potential beneficial effects of EPC transplantation on vascular damage induced by RBI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: Inflammatory reaction plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of late delayed radiation‐induced brain injury (RBI). Low vitamin D levels are closely associated with various immuno‐inflammatory diseases, but the relationship with late delayed RBI remains unknown. Here, we aimed to determine the association of serum vitamin D levels with clinical parameters in late delayed RBI patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. Methods: 25‐Hydroxyvitamin D3 levels and clinical and cerebrospinal fluid parameters were evaluated in 21 patients with RBI and compared with 90 age‐, sex‐, and season‐matched healthy controls. Results: 25‐(OH)D3 levels were lower in patients with RBI compared to controls (40.39 ± 22.11 vs. 64.54 ± 19.89 nmol/L, p <.001), especially for aged ≥60 years (vs. <60 years, p =.038), females (vs. males, p =.012), short latency (<5 years) (vs. ≥5 years, p =.015), and severe impairment (LENT/SOMA score ≥3) (vs. LENT/SOMA score <3, p =.010). Serum 25‐(OH)D3 levels were associated with age (r = −.464, p =.015), Latency of RBI (r =.416, p =.031) and LENT/SOMA Scale (r = −.488, p =.010). Conclusions: Our data showed that serum 25‐(OH)D3 levels were reduced in late delayed RBI patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concentrations of heavy metals Ba, Sc, V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Th, U, Cu, Pb, Zn, and Cd in sediments from the lower reaches of the Xiangjiang River were analyzed using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The results suggest that there are two metal distribution patterns in these sediments: (1) Ba, Sc, V, Cr, Mn, Th, and U are relatively homogeneously distributed and (2) Cd, Pb, Zn Cu, Co and Ni are heterogeneously distributed. The heterogeneously distributed metals are significantly enriched in these sediments and, thereby, contribute to contamination. Assessments of heavy metal contamination using the Geoaccumulation index, Pollution load index, and potential ecological risk index suggest that the levels of contamination from Cd and Mn are extremely high and moderately high, respectively, in all the sediments from the lower river. In comparison, the levels of contamination by Cu, Zn, and Pb varied spatially, decreasing progressively downriver. The level of contamination by Pb, Zn, and Cu in sediments from the Zhuzhou reach is extremely high, and is moderate to significant high for the Xiangtan, Changsha, and Xiangyin reaches. The ecological potential risks posed heavy metals are ranked, in descending order, as Cd > Pb > Cu > Zn > Cr > Ni > Co > Mn for sediments from the Zhuzhou reach and Cd > Pb > Cu > Ni > Cr > Co > Zn > Mn for sediments from the Xiangtan, Changsha, and Xiangyin reaches. Principal component analysis and enrichment factor calculations suggest that Ba, Sc, V, Cr, Th, and U mostly originate from natural processes. While, Cd, Pb, Zn, Cu, Co, Ni, and Mn are derived from both natural processes and anthropogenic activities. Therefore, strategies for environmental protection in this watershed should focus on contamination by Cd, Pb, Zn, and Cu, with Cd requiring particular attention. Unlabelled Image • There are two distributional patterns of heavy metals in the river sediments. • The sediments are contaminated by heavy metals Cd, Pb, Zn, Cu, and Mn. • Metals Cd, Pb, Cu, and Mn in the sediments are potential ecological risk. • The degree of contamination and risk decreases progressively downriver. • Cd, Pb, Zn, Cu, Mn, Co, and Ni are derived from anthropogenic and natural sources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solitary fibrous tumor (SFT) is a rare spindle cell soft tissue tumor which is rarely encountered in the clinical setting and imaging findings are nonspecific, mainly occurring in the tissue structure of the serosa. However, there is very little report on SFT originating in the kidney in the medical literature. We report a case of SFT with liver metastasis in an adult female and discuss the pathological features as it appears in our case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]