ObjectiveTo detect the aberrant expression of circulating miRNAs and explore the potential early diagnostic biomarkers in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD).MethodsPlasma samples were collected from 25 treatment‐naïve PD‐diagnosed patients and 25 healthy controls followed by a real‐time PCR‐based miRNA screening analysis of neuron disease‐related miRNAs.ResultsA subset of miRNAs with aberrant expression levels in the plasma of PD‐diagnosed patients were identified including upregulation of miR‐27a and downregulation of let‐7a, let‐7f, miR‐142‐3p, and miR‐222 with the AUC values more than 0.8 derived from the receiver operating characteristic curves.ConclusionsThe high sensitivity and specificity of the circulating miRNAs may enable early diagnosis of PD. The study provides a group of novel miRNA candidates for detecting PD.

Background and Objective Parkinson's Disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, which is prevalent in people over 65 years old. PD reduces patients' quality of life and exerts a heavy economic burden on patients and their families. The purpose of this research is to identify the costs of PD and to evaluate the economic distribution of medical care for PD patients in China. Methods A professional survey was administered to 116 patients with PD. Records of medical cost were reviewed. Direct and indirect costs were analyzed. The main cost-driving factors of PD were identified using multivariate regression analysis. Results The average annual cost per PD patient in China is $3,225.94, with direct and indirect costs accounting for $2,503.46 and $722.48, respectively. Direct costs consist of $556.27 for surgery, $44.67 for appointment fees, $605.67 for prescription medication, $460.29 for hospitalization, $71.03 for auxiliary examination, $35.64 for transportation, $10.39 for special equipment, and $719.50 for formal care. The total cost is closely related to surgical treatment, dopamine agonist, and levodopa costs. Conclusion The cost of PD patients in China is considerable and exceeds average economic capacity, especially antiparkinson medication and caring costs. This study may provide a reference for PD healthcare optimization in the future.

Argatroban is effective and safe for the treatment of moderate AIS with similar efficacy to high-dose aspirin in the acute phase of AIS, although no additional benefit on short-term outcome was observed. For patients with mild AIS, argatroban may be inferior to high-dose aspirin.

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Wilson's disease (WD) is an autosomal recessive disorder of copper (Cu) metabolism, caused by mutations in the ATP7B gene, which encodes the Cu transporting ATPase expressed mainly in hepatocytes. ATP7B is a multifunctional membrane-spanning protein which contributes to the production of ceruloplasmin and expedites biliary excretion of copper when intracellular copper concentrations are elevated (Bandmann et al., 2015). The malfunction of the ATP7B leads to copper accumulating in the hepatocytes, leaking into circulation and ultimately affecting other organs, notably the central nervous system. As a result, WD can present with a variety of clinical patterns with the most prominent symptoms of cirrhosis, neurologic dysfunction and psychiatric features. Parkinsonism is a common manifestation in patients with WD (Członkowska et al., 2017).