The amyloid-β protein (Aβ) protein plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). It is believed that Aβ deposited in the brain originates from the brain tissue itself. ...However, Aβ is generated in both brain and peripheral tissues. Whether circulating Aβ contributes to brain AD-type pathologies remains largely unknown. In this study, using a model of parabiosis between APPswe/PS1dE9 transgenic AD mice and their wild-type littermates, we observed that the human Aβ originated from transgenic AD model mice entered the circulation and accumulated in the brains of wild-type mice, and formed cerebral amyloid angiopathy and Aβ plaques after a 12-month period of parabiosis. AD-type pathologies related to the Aβ accumulation including tau hyperphosphorylation, neurodegeneration, neuroinflammation and microhemorrhage were found in the brains of the parabiotic wild-type mice. More importantly, hippocampal CA1 long-term potentiation was markedly impaired in parabiotic wild-type mice. To the best of our knowledge, our study is the first to reveal that blood-derived Aβ can enter the brain, form the Aβ-related pathologies and induce functional deficits of neurons. Our study provides novel insight into AD pathogenesis and provides evidence that supports the development of therapies for AD by targeting Aβ metabolism in both the brain and the periphery.
A new isotope 203Ac was produced in the reaction 40Ca + 169Tm at beam energy of 226 MeV. One correlated α-decay chain was attributed to 203Ac. The α-particle energy and half-life were determined to ...be 8217(16) keV and 56−26+269 μs, respectively. The reduced α-decay width (δ2) of 203Ac was deduced to be 1096−906+921 keV, which indicates a favored α decay. The systematics of δ2 and single-particle energy levels indicate that the new state probably arises from the intruder s1/2 configuration, which shows an onset of deformation in Ac isotopes. The proton separation energy Sp of 203Ac was extracted as −1214(22) keV and the systematics of Sp for odd-A isotopes beyond proton drip line were discussed.
Aim
Diabetes is a risk factor in infective endocarditis. However, few studies have focused on the prognostic value of prediabetes in infective endocarditis. This analysis aimed to explore the ...relationship between prediabetes and outcomes for people with infective endocarditis.
Methods
Diabetes and prediabetes definitions were based on the American Diabetes Association 2014 criteria. A total of 866 people who had been consecutively diagnosed with infective endocarditis between January 2009 and July 2015 were included in the analysis. They were divided into three groups: normoglycaemia (n = 469), prediabetes (n = 246) and diabetes (n = 151). Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to identify risk factors for adverse outcomes.
Results
Overall in‐hospital mortality was 8.5% (74 of 866), and differed significantly among the normoglycaemia, prediabetes and diabetes groups (3.4%, 12.6% and 17.9%, respectively; P < 0.001). Compared with the normoglycaemia group, the adjusted odds ratio for in‐hospital death was 2.42 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.11–5.31; P = 0.027) for prediabetes and 3.39 (95% CI 1.48–7.80; P = 0.004) for diabetes. The cumulative long‐term death rate was significantly higher in the prediabetes or diabetes groups than in the normoglycaemia group (log‐rank = 34.82; P < 0.001).
Conclusion
In addition to diabetes, prediabetes was also associated with a higher risk of in‐hospital and long‐term mortality among people with infective endocarditis. Therefore, attention should be paid to this population.
What's new
Compared with normoglycaemic people, those with infective endocarditis and diabetes demonstrated higher in‐hospital and long‐term mortality.
Prediabetes was also a significant risk factor for mortality in people with infective endocarditis.
Early identification and better monitoring and treatment is also suggested for people with prediabetes in order to improve their prognoses.
•Cellulose cleavage started at the temperature above 150°C.•Hemicelluloses removal could only reach to a certain level.•Severe degradation of cellulose occurred when hemicelluloses removal exceeded ...the certain level.•Allomorphs of cellulose conversion observed in the process of the pretreatment.
A systematic hydrothermal pretreatment of bamboo chips had been conducted with an aim to trace the cellulose degradation. The results showed that cellulose chain cleavage basically occurred when the temperature exceeded 150°C. A slightly higher DP (degree of polymerization) than starting material had been observed at low temperature pretreatment. Treatment at higher temperature (⩾170°C) caused severe cleavage of cellulose and therefore gave rise to low DP with more soluble species. DP of cellulose declined drastically without additional hemicelluloses dissolution when hemicelluloses removal reached to the limit level. Cellulose degradation under hydrothermal pretreatment generally followed the zero reaction kinetics with the activity energy of 121.0kJ/mol. Besides, the increase of cellulose crystalline index and the conversion of Iα–Iβ had also observed at the hydrothermal pretreatment.
Aims
Olive leaf residue feedstuff additives were prepared by solid‐state fermentation (SSF), and its feeding effects on broiler chickens were examined.
Methods and Results
The fermentation's nutrient ...value, that is, protein enrichment, cellulase activity, tannic acid degradation and amino acid enhancement, was determined. The effect of different strains, including molds (Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus oryzae and Trichoderma viride) and yeasts (Candida utilis, Candida tropicalis and Geotrichum candidum), and the fermentation time on the nutrient values of the feedstuff additives was investigated. The experimental results showed that the optimal parameters for best performance were A. niger and C. utilis in a 1 : 1 ratio (v/v) in co‐culture fermentation for 5 days. Under these conditions, the total content of amino acids in the fermented olive leaf residues increased by 22·0% in comparison with that in the raw leaf residues. Both Glutamic acid and Aspartic acid contents were increased by more than 25·4%. Broiler chickens fed with different amounts of feedstuff additives were assessed. The results demonstrated that the chicken weight gains increased by 120%, and normal serum biochemical parameters were improved significantly after 10% of the feedstuff additives were supplemented to the daily chicken feed for 28 days.
Conclusions
The co‐culture combination of A. niger and C. utilis with SSF for olive leaf residue had the best nutrient values. The addition of 10% fermented olive leaf residue facilitated the chicken growth and development.
Significance and Impact of the Study
This study reveals that olive leaf residues fermented by SSF exhibited considerable potential as feed additives for feeding poultry.
The process e+e- → Λ Λ ¯ is studied using data samples at √s = 2.2324, 2.400, 2.800 and 3.080 GeV collected with the BESIII detector operating at the BEPCII collider. The Born cross section is ...measured at √s=2.2324 GeV, which is 1.0 MeV above the Λ Λ ¯ mass threshold, to be 305±$45_{-36}^{+66}$ pb, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second systematic. The substantial cross section near threshold is significantly larger than that expected from theory, which predicts the cross section to vanish at threshold. The Born cross sections at √s=2.400, 2.800 and 3.080 GeV are measured and found to be consistent with previous experimental results, but with improved precision. Finally, the corresponding effective electromagnetic form factors of Λ are deduced.
The physical properties of 12 eclipsing binaries of M-type dwarfs with superflare activity are characterized by combining the ground-based spectroscopic measurements and the photometric light curves ...obtained by the Kepler Space Telescope. All of these binary systems have Algol-type orbital configurations. The primary components are mostly of the early M-type dwarfs (M0-M3). Even though the occurrence rate of large flares with energy >1034 erg of the EBs is less than the hyperflaring M dwarfs, the corresponding cumulative flare frequency is in general about a factor of 10 higher than the single M dwarfs with flare activity. This might be the consequence of magnetic interaction between the primary and secondary component of individual binaries. The slow rotators are not as active as the fast rotators, some of which display a possible eclipsing effect in their flare activity.
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