Aim:We utilized single-voxel 1 H magnetic resonance spectroscopy to determine biochemical abnormalities related to major depressive disorder (MDD) in the bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and cerebellar hemisphere before and after antidepressant treatment. Methods:Fifteen adult MDD patients and 15 ageand sex-matched healthy controls were involved. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy of the brain was conducted in all subjects at the beginning of the study and the depressed subjects were reassessed after 8 weeks of antidepressant treatment.Results: At baseline, N-acetyl aspartate (NAA), total glutamine plus glutamate (Glx) and myo-inositol (MI) levels in the bilateral ACC were significantly lower in MDD patients than in controls (P < 0.05/3). MI in the bilateral cerebellar hemisphere were also decreased in patients compared with controls. After the treatment, the lower NAA, Glx and MI in ACC were normalized in MDD patients and the NAA and Glx increased compared to baseline values. The MI levels in the bilateral cerebellar hemisphere were also normalized in patients. MI and choline levels in the right cerebellar hemisphere were elevated compared to those at baseline. Conclusion:Our study suggests that metabolic abnormalities in the ACC and cerebellar hemisphere are implicated in MDD. Antidepressants may alter the local metabolic abnormalities in these areas.

Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) has been used to provide useful information about the neurochemical changes reflecting early pathological alterations in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brain. In this study, we have longitudinally measured the hippocampal neurochemical profile in vitro in senescent mice induced with chronic injection of D-Galactose and NaNO2, at different time point from day 30 to day 70 with a 10-day interval. Pathological brain alterations induced by D-Galactose and NaNO2 were monitored through hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining, Congo red staining and bielschowsky silver staining, and the cognition deficits were assessed via Morris Water Maze (MWM) test. This D-galactose and NaNO2 treated mouse model, characterized by an early-onset memory dysfunction, a robust neuronal loss, amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles in hippocampal subdivision, well mimics a prodromal Alzheimer's phenotype. Consistent with previously published in vivo 1H MRS findings in human AD patients and AD transgenic mice, our in vitro 1H MRS on the perchloric acid extractions of hippocampus in senescent mice observed significant decreases of N-acetylaspartate (NAA) and Glutamate (Glu) but an increase in Myo-inositol (mIns). Elevated mIns occurred prior to the reduction of NAA and Glu during the progression of aging. In addition, changes in mIns, NAA and Glu were found to precede pathological abnormalities. Overall, our in vitro findings in senescent mice validated the concept that hippocampal neurochemical alternations preceded the pathological changes of the brain, and could serve as potential markers of AD progression. Reductions of NAA and Glu can be interpreted in terms of neuronal degeneration and dysfunctions in glutamatergic activity that may contribute to the pathophysiological mechanisms underlying AD. Elevated mIns might be related to glial activation. Further experiments are needed to explore the potential value of mIns in the early diagnosis of AD, to verify whether glial cell proliferation occurs earlier than neuronal changes.

The results suggest that EPO exerts a neuroprotective effect by influencing STAT3 and STAT1 expression in the area injured by cerebral ischemia-reperfusion.

We examined characteristics of chest CT during different time periods for patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia in Huizhou, China. This study included 56 COVID-19 patients having abnormal CT acquired between January 22 and March 3, 2020. Scans of 56 patients were classified into 4 groups (Group 1-Group 4) based on the date on which scan was obtained at the 1st, 2nd, 3rd week and longer than 3 weeks after illness onset. Forty-five patients with follow-up scans were categorized into 4 groups according to extents that lesions reduced. GGO was prevalent in Groups 1-4 (58.1-82.6%). Consolidation was the more common in Group 2 (26.2%) and then declined in Group 3 and 4 (20.0%; 9.7%). The highest frequency of fibrous stripes occurred in Group 3 (46.7%) and then decreased to 35.5% in Group 4. CT scores were higher for Group 2 than others. Among 45 follow-up patients, 11 (24.4%) of them recovered with lesions reducing ≥75% and had shorter hospital durations compared with others. There were temporal patterns of lung abnormalities in COVID-19 patients, with the highest extent of lesion involvement occurring in the 2nd week. Isolation and review are required for COVID-19 patients who have been discharged from hospital.

No abstract