Neuronally-derived tau is increased in experienced breachers and is associated with neurobehavioral symptoms

Military and law enforcement breachers are exposed to many low-level blasts during their training and occupational experiences in which they detonate explosives to force entry into secured structures. There is a concern that exposure to these repetitive blast events in career breachers could result in cumulative neurological effects. This study aimed to determine concentrations of neurofilament light (NF-L), tau, and amyloid-beta 42 (Aβ42) in serum and in neuronal-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) in an experienced breacher population, and to examine biomarker associations with neurobehavioral symptoms. Thirty-four participants enrolled in the study: 20 experienced breachers and 14 matched military or civilian law enforcement controls. EV tau concentrations were significantly elevated in experienced breachers (0.3301 ± 0.5225) compared to controls (−0.4279 ± 0.7557; F = 10.43, p = 0.003). No statistically significant changes were observed in EV levels of NF-L or Aβ42 or in serum levels of NF-L, tau, or Aβ42 (p’s > 0.05). Elevated EV tau concentrations correlated with increased Neurobehavioral Symptom Inventory (NSI) score in experienced breachers (r = 0.596, p = 0.015) and predicted higher NSI score (F(1,14) = 7.702, p = 0.015, R2 = 0.355). These findings show that neuronal-derived EV concentrations of tau are significantly elevated and associated with neurobehavioral symptoms in this sample of experienced breachers who have a history of many low-level blast exposures.

Serum amyloid beta-42 as a noninvasive biomarker for the prognosis and histologic features of glioma

PURPOSE Glioma is often refractory. Histopathologic examination is essential to establish an initial diagnosis, and multiple imaging studies are conducted to assess the treatment response. However, these conventional approaches are usually accompanied by high risks and costs during treatment. The purpose of this study was to identify a novel, noninvasive, candidate biomarker for the histological prediction and prognostic assessment of glioma. METHODS Serum was prepared from blood samples collected preoperatively from 65 patients with WHO grade II–IV glioma between October 2004 and December 2017 in a single tertiary-level institution. The concentration of amyloid beta-42 (Aβ42) was measured by SMCxPRO (Merck) immunoassay. The clinical characteristics and histologic features of the patients, including the molecular subtype, were reviewed. Progression-free survival was evaluated as the primary outcome. RESULTS The mean age of the patients was 53.7 ± 12.2 years. Thirty-seven (56.9%) patients were male, and 21 (32.3%) patients had primary tumors. In Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, the group with higher serum Aβ42 (> 5.7 pg/ml) showed a poorer outcome (p = 0.014). In multivariate regression analysis, the serum Aβ42 concentration showed a significant association with EGFR expression and the Ki-67 labeling index. A higher serum Aβ42 concentration was associated with wild-type EGFR expression (odds ratio 0.237, p = 0.022), increased cell proliferation (β = 0.339, p = 0.007) and a poor outcome (hazard ratio 0.339, p = 0.046). CONCLUSION The serum Aβ42 level would be a good, noninvasive, candidate biomarker for the prediction of histological features and prognosis in glioma patients. Further studies with large cohorts might be required for its clinical use.

Tear Liquid for Predictive Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease

The common approach of the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) is made with an analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid or the study of retinal fundus and the plaques formation through optical corneal tomography (OCT), or more simply with a fundus camera. Tears analysis is widely discussed in literature as an essential method to describe molecular and biochemical alterations in different diseases. The aim of our study was the identification with immunocytochemistry of Amyloid Beta-42 in tears from patients with or without familiarity for Alzheimer Disease, in order to make the diagnosis earlier and more accessible compared to other invasive methods. Our study was performed on tears from three phenotypically healthy subjects: two of them were Caucasian with Alzheimer familiarity (48 and 55 years old) and the other one was Asian without Alzheimer familiarity (45 years old) and affected by an adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis at the moment of withdrawal. Tear samples were collected from eye fornix and were examinated by immunocytochemistry (ICC) assay using anti-Amyloid Beta X-42 antibody. Two out of three tears samples showed positive Amyloid Beta-42. Considering that our patients were phenotypically healthy, the identification of Amyloid Beta-42 by ICC could be a candidable method to make the diagnosis of the disease earlier and more accessible and available then other current and invasive methods and it could be a candidate for a screening method too.

Case Report: Tear liquid for diagnosis of Alzheimer disease.

Introduction: The common approaches at the diagnosis of Alzheimer Disease(AD) is made with an analysis of the cerebrospinal fluid or the last techniques use the study of retinal fundus and the plaques formation, through OCT or more simply with a fundus camera. Tears’ analysis is widely discussed in literature as an essential method to describe molecular and biochemical alterations in different diseases. The aim of our study was the identification with Immunocytochemistry of Amyloid Beta-42 in tears from patients with or without familiarity for Alzheimer disease, in order to make the diagnosis earlier and more accessible compared to other invasive methods. Case presentation: Our study was performed on tears from three phenotypically healthy subjects: two of them were Caucasian with Alzheimer familiarity (48 and 55 years old) and the other one was Asian without Alzheimer familiarity ( 45 years old) and affected by an adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis at the moment of the withdrawal. Tears samples were collected from eye fornix and were examinated by immunocytochemistry (ICC) assay using anti-Amyloid Beta X-42 antibody. Two out of three tears samples showed positive Amyloid Beta-42. Conclusions: Considering that our patients were phenotypically healthy, the identification of Amyloid Beta-42 by ICC could be a candidable method to make the diagnosis of the disease earlier and more accessible and available then other current and invasive methods and it could be candidate to screening method too.