Effects of ultrasound-assisted dry-curing on water holding capacity and tenderness of reduced‑sodium pork by modifying salt-soluble proteins

This study investigated the effects of ultrasound-assisted dry-curing (UADC) on water holding capacity (WHC) and tenderness of pork at different powers and times, and the mechanism was discussed by considering the functional and structural properties of salt-soluble proteins (SSP). The results showed the application of appropriate UADC treatments (300 W, 60 min) have disruptively affected the muscle structure and decreased the size of the SSP particles (P < 0.05), resulting in the increased concentration of active sulfhydryl and surface hydrophobicity (P < 0.05). These modifications facilitated the dissociation of the myofibrillar structure and the dissolution of more connected proteins, which in turn improved the WHC and tenderness of the pork (P < 0.05). Nevertheless, extended periods of high-power UADC treatments negatively affected the WHC and tenderness of dry-cured pork (P < 0.05). In general, using SSP modified by UADC provides a novel strategy for enhancing the WHC and tenderness of dry-cured products.

Aerobic exercise training engages the canonical wnt pathway to improve pulmonary function and inflammation in COPD

BACKGROUND

We studied whether the exercise improves cigarette smoke (CS) induced chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in mice through inhibition of inflammation mediated by Wnt/β-catenin-peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) γ signaling.

METHODS

Firstly, we observed the effect of exercise on pulmonary inflammation, lung function, and Wnt/β-catenin-PPARγ. A total of 30 male C57BL/6J mice were divided into the control group (CG), smoke group (SG), low-intensity exercise group (LEG), moderate-intensity exercise group (MEG), and high-intensity exercise group (HEG). All the groups, except for CG, underwent whole-body progressive exposure to CS for 25 weeks. Then, we assessed the maximal exercise capacity of mice from the LEG, MEG, and HEG, and performed an 8-week treadmill exercise intervention. Then, we used LiCl (Wnt/β-catenin agonist) and XAV939 (Wnt/β-catenin antagonist) to investigate whether Wnt/β-catenin-PPARγ pathway played a role in the improvement of COPD via exercise. Male C57BL/6J mice were randomly divided into six groups (n = 6 per group): CG, SG, LiCl group, LiCl and exercise group, XAV939 group, and XAV939 and exercise group. Mice except those in the CG were exposed to CS, and those in the exercise groups were subjected to moderate-intensity exercise training. All the mice were subjected to lung function test, lung histological assessment, and analysis of inflammatory markers in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, as well as detection of Wnt1, β-catenin and PPARγ proteins in the lung tissue.

RESULTS

Exercise of various intensities alleviated lung structural changes, pulmonary function and inflammation in COPD, with moderate-intensity exercise exhibiting significant and comprehensive effects on the alleviation of pulmonary inflammation and improvement of lung function. Low-, moderate-, and high-intensity exercise decreased β-catenin levels and increased those of PPARγ significantly, and only moderate-intensity exercise reduced the level of Wnt1 protein. Moderate-intensity exercise relieved the inflammation aggravated by Wnt agonist. Wnt antagonist combined with moderate-intensity exercise increased the levels of PPARγ, which may explain the highest improvement of pulmonary function observed in this group.

CONCLUSIONS

Exercise effectively decreases COPD pulmonary inflammation and improves pulmonary function. The beneficial role of exercise may be exerted through Wnt/β-catenin-PPARγ pathway.

Revisiting airway epithelial dysfunction and mechanisms in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Role of mitochondrial damage

Chronic exposure to environmental hazards causes airway epithelial dysfunction, primarily impaired physical barriers, immune dysfunction, and repair or regeneration. Impairment of airway epithelial function subsequently leads to exaggerated airway inflammation and remodeling, the main features of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Mitochondrial damage has been identified as one of the mechanisms of airway abnormalities in COPD, which is closely related to airway inflammation and airflow limitation. In this review, we evaluate updated evidence for airway epithelial mitochondrial damage in COPD and focus on the role of mitochondrial damage in airway epithelial dysfunction. In addition, the possible mechanism of airway epithelial dysfunction mediated by mitochondrial damage is discussed in detail, and recent strategies related to airway epithelial-targeted mitochondrial therapy are summarized. Results have shown that dysregulation of mitochondrial quality and oxidative stress may lead to airway epithelial dysfunction in COPD. This may result from mitochondrial damage as a central organelle mediating abnormalities in cellular metabolism. Mitochondrial damage mediates pro-cellular senescence effects due to mitochondrial reactive oxygen species, which effectively exacerbate different types of programmed cell death, participate in lipid metabolism abnormalities, and ultimately promote airway epithelial dysfunction and trigger COPD airway abnormalities. These can be prevented by targeting mitochondrial damage factors and mitochondrial transfer. Thus, because mitochondrial damage is involved in COPD progression as a central factor of homeostatic imbalance in airway epithelial cells, it may be a novel target for therapeutic intervention to restore airway epithelial integrity and function in COPD.

Catalpol alleviates hypoxia ischemia-induced brain damage by inhibiting ferroptosis through the PI3K/NRF2/system Xc-/GPX4 axis in neonatal rats

Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is a brain damage caused by perinatal hypoxia and blood flow reduction. Severe HIE leads to death. Available treatments remain limited. Oxidative stress and nerve damage are major factors in brain injury caused by HIE. Catalpol, an iridoid glucoside found in the root of Rehmannia glutinosa, has antioxidant and neuroprotective effects. This study examined the neuroprotective effects of catalpol using a neonatal rat HIE model and found that catalpol might protect the brain through inhibiting neuronal ferroptosis and ameliorating oxidative stress. Behavior tests suggested that catalpol treatment improved functions of motor, learning, and memory abilities after hypoxic-ischemic injury. Catalpol treatment inhibited changes to several ferroptosis-related proteins, including p-PI3K, p-AKT, NRF2, GPX4, SLC7A11, SLC3A2, GCLC, and GSS in HIE neonatal rats. Catalpol also prevented changes to several ferroptosis-related proteins in PC12 cells after oxygen-glucose deprivation. The ferroptosis inducer erastin reversed the protective effects of catalpol both in vitro and in vivo. We concluded that catalpol protects against hypoxic-ischemic brain damage (HIBD) by inhibiting ferroptosis through the PI3K/NRF2/system Xc-/GPX4 axis.

Clock knockout in inhibitory neurons reduces predisposition to epilepsy and influences anxiety-like behaviors in mice

Epilepsy is a brain disorder affecting up to 1 in 26 individuals. Despite its clinical importance, the molecular mechanisms of epileptogenesis are still far from clarified. Our previous study showed that disruption of Clock in excitatory neurons alters cortical circuits and leads to generation of focal epilepsy. In this study, a GAD-Cre;Clockflox/flox mouse line with conditional Clock gene knockout in inhibitory neurons was established. We observed that seizure latency was prolonged, the severity and mortality of pilocarpine-induced seizure were significantly reduced, and memory was improved in GAD-Cre;Clockflox/flox mice. We hypothesize that mice with CLOCK knockout in inhibitory neurons have increased threshold for seizure, opposite from mice with CLOCK knockout in excitatory neurons. Further investigation showed Clock knockout in inhibitory neurons upregulated the basal protein level of ARC, a synaptic plasticity-associated immediate-early gene product, likely through the BDNF-ERK pathway. Altered basal levels of ARC may play an important role in epileptogenesis after Clock deletion in inhibitory neurons. Although sEPSCs and intrinsic properties of layer 5 pyramidal neurons in the somatosensory cortex exhibit no changes, the spine density increased in apical dendrite of pyramidal neurons in CLOCK knockout group. Our results suggest an underlying mechanism by which the circadian protein CLOCK in inhibitory neurons participates in neuronal activity and regulates the predisposition to epilepsy.

Lung transcriptomics reveals the underlying mechanism by which aerobic training enhances pulmonary function in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

BACKGROUND

Aerobic training is the primary method of rehabilitation for improving respiratory function in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in remission. However, the mechanism underlying this improvement is not yet fully understood. The use of transcriptomics in rehabilitation medicine offers a promising strategy for uncovering the ways in which exercise training improves respiratory dysfunction in COPD patients. In this study, lung tissue was analyzed using transcriptomics to investigate the relationship between exercise and lung changes.

METHODS

Mice were exposed to cigarette smoke for 24 weeks, followed by nine weeks of moderate-intensity treadmill exercise, with a control group for comparison. Pulmonary function and structure were assessed at the end of the intervention and RNA sequencing was performed on the lung tissue.

RESULTS

Exercise training was found to improve airway resistance and lung ventilation indices in individuals exposed to cigarette smoke. However, the effect of this treatment on damaged alveoli was weak. The pair-to-pair comparison revealed numerous differentially expressed genes, that were closely linked to inflammation and metabolism.

CONCLUSIONS

Further research is necessary to confirm the cause-and-effect relationship between the identified biomarkers and the improvement in pulmonary function, as this was not examined in the present study.

microRNA profilings identify plasma biomarkers and targets associated with pediatric epilepsy patients

BACKGROUND

Although previous studies show that microRNAs (miRNAs) can potentially be used as diagnostic markers for epilepsy, there are very few analyses of pediatric epilepsy patients.

METHODS

miRNA profiles using miRNA-seq was performed on plasma samples from 14 pediatric epileptic patients and 14 healthy children. miRNA miR-27a-3p that were significantly changed between two groups were further evaluated. The potential target genes of miR-27a-3p were screened through unbiased mRNA-seq and further validated using Western blot and immunohistochemistry in HEK-293T cells and in the brains of mice with epilepsy induced by lithium chloride-pilocarpine.

RESULTS

We found 82 upregulated and 76 downregulated miRNAs in the plasma from pediatric patients compared with controls (p < 0.01), of which miR-27a-3p exhibited a very low p value (p < 0.0001) and validated in additional plasma samples. Two genes, GOLM1 and LIMK1, whose mRNA levels were decreased (p < 0.001) with the increase of miR-27a-3p were further validated in both HEK-293T cells and in epileptic mice.

CONCLUSIONS

MiR-27a-3p exhibits potential as a diagnostic and therapeutic marker for epilepsy. We postulate that additional studies on the downstream targets of miR-27a-3p will unravel its roles in epileptogenesis or disease progression.

IMPACT

A total of 158 differentially expressed miRNAs were detected in plasma between epileptic and control children. Plasma miR-27a-3p was one of the miRNAs with a low p value. GOLM1 and LIMK1 were validated as downstream target genes of miR-27a-3p. miR-27a-3p has potential as a diagnostic and therapeutic marker for epilepsy.

FGF9 is required for Purkinje cell development and function in the cerebellum

Fibroblast growth factor 9 (FGF9) is a member of the fibroblast growth factor family, which is widely expressed in the central nervous system (CNS). It has been reported that deletion of FGF9 leads to defects in cerebellum development, including Purkinje cell defect. However, it is not clear how FGF9 regulating cerebellar development remains to be determined. Our results showed that in addition to disrupt Bergmann fiber scaffold formation and granule neuron migration, deletion of neuronal FGF9 led to ataxia defects. It affected development and function of Purkinje cells, and also changed the action potential threshold and excitation frequency. Mechanistically, depletion of FGF9 significantly changed neurotransmitter contents in Purkinje cells and led to preferential increase in inflammation, even downregulation in ERK signaling. Together, the data demonstrate that neuronal FGF9 is required for the development and function of Purkinje cells in the cerebellum. Insufficient FGF9 during cerebellum development will cause ataxia defects.

L-ascorbyl-2-phosphate alleviates white matter injury caused by chronic hypoxia through the PRMT5/P53/NF-κB pathway

White matter injury (WMI) is one of the most serious complications associated with preterm births. Damage to oligodendrocytes, which are the key cells involved in WMI pathogenesis, can directly lead to myelin abnormalities. L-ascorbyl-2-phosphate (AS-2P) is a stable form of vitamin C. This study aimed to explore the protective effects of AS-2P against chronic hypoxia-induced WMI, and elucidate the underlying mechanisms. An in vivo chronic hypoxia model and in vitro oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) model were established to explore the effects of AS-2P on WMI using immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, western blotting, real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction, Morris water maze test, novel object recognition test, beaming-walking test, electron microscopy, and flow cytometry. The results showed that AS-2P resulted in the increased expression of MBP, Olig2, PDGFRα and CC1, improved thickness and density of the myelin sheath, and reduced TNF-α expression and microglial cell infiltration to alleviate inflammation in the brain after chronic hypoxia. Moreover, AS-2P improved the memory, learning and motor abilities of the mice with WMI. These protective effects of AS-2P may involve the upregulation of protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) and downregulation of P53 and NF-κB. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that AS-2P attenuated chronic hypoxia-induced WMI in vivo and OGD-induced oligodendrocyte injury in vitro possibly by regulating the PRMT5/P53/NF-κB pathway, suggesting that AS-2P may be a potential therapeutic option for WMI.

Neonatal di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate exposure induces permanent alterations in secretory CRH neuron characteristics in the hypothalamus paraventricular region of adult male rats

Corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) neurons in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus (PVN) play a critical role in the modulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Early-life exposure to di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) has been associated with an increased risk of developing psychiatric disorders in adulthood. The present work was designed to explore the impact of neonatal exposure to DEHP on adult PVN CRH neuronal activity. DEHP or vehicle was given to male rat pups from PND16 to PND22. Then, anxiety-like behaviors, serum corticosterone and testosterone, immunohistochemistry, western blotting, fluorescence in situ hybridization and acute ex vivo slice electrophysiological recordings were used to evaluate the influence of DEHP on adult PVN secretory CRH neurons. Neonatal DEHP-exposed rats exhibited enhanced anxiety-like behaviors in adults, with an increase in CORT. Secretory CRH neurons showed higher spontaneous firing activity but could be inhibited by GABAAR blockers. CRH neurons displayed fewer firing spikes, prolonged first-spike latency, depolarizing shifts in GABA reversal potential and strengthened GABAergic inputs, as indicated by increases in the frequency and amplitude of sIPSCs. Enhancement of GABAergic transmission was accompanied by upregulated expression of GAD67 and downregulated expression of GABABR1, KCC2 and GAT1. These findings suggest that neonatal exposure to DEHP permanently altered the characteristics of secretory CRH neurons in the PVN, which may contribute to the development of psychiatric disorders later in life.

A Case of Severe Rhabdomyolysis, Acute Myocardial Damage and Multi-Organ Dysfunction Syndrome in a Patient with Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia

In recent years, healthcare systems worldwide have faced the challenge of the severe COVID-19 pandemic. However, cases of severe rhabdomyolysis, acute myocardial damage, and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS) caused by COVID-19 are currently rare. This report presents a case of severe rhabdomyolysis, acute myocardial damage, and MODS caused by COVID-19. The patient was treated at The University of Hong Kong-Shenzhen Hospital. The purpose of this report is to aid clinicians in quickly identifying and treating similar cases, ultimately improving patient outcomes.

Revisiting Skeletal Muscle Dysfunction and Exercise in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Emerging Significance of Myokines

Skeletal muscle dysfunction (SMD) is the most significant extrapulmonary complication and an independent prognostic indicator in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Myokines, such as interleukin (IL)-6, IL-15, myostatin, irisin, and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, play important roles in skeletal muscle mitochondrial function, protein synthesis and breakdown balance, and regeneration of skeletal muscles in COPD. As the main component of pulmonary rehabilitation, exercise can improve muscle strength, muscle endurance, and exercise capacity in patients with COPD, as well as improve the prognosis of SMD and COPD by regulating the expression levels of myokines. The mechanisms by which exercise regulates myokine levels are related to microRNAs. IGF-1 expression is upregulated by decreasing the expression of miR-1 or miR-29b. Myostatin downregulation and irisin upregulation are associated with increased miR-27a expression and decreased miR-696 expression, respectively. These findings suggest that myokines are potential targets for the prevention and treatment of SMD in COPD. A comprehensive analysis of the role and regulatory mechanisms of myokines can facilitate the development of new exercise-based therapeutic approaches for patients with COPD.

Effects of pulmonary-based Qigong exercise in stable patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Physical exercise training is the central component of pulmonary rehabilitation. This study aimed to further investigate the rehabilitative effects of pulmonary-based Qigong exercise (PQE) in stable patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

METHODS

In this randomized, assessor-blinded clinical trial, 44 participants with stable COPD were randomly assigned to 2 groups in a 1:1 ratio. Participants in the control group received usual care for 3 months. Participants in the intervention group received usual care combined with PQE (60 min each time, 2 times per day, 7 days per week, for 3 months). The outcome included exercise capacity, lung function test, skeletal muscle strength, dyspnea, and quality of life were measured before and after intervention.

RESULTS

A total of 37 participants completed the trial. Compared to the control group, after 3 months of PQE, the mean change in exercise capacity, skeletal muscle strength, and quality of life were statistically significant (P < 0.05, for each), but no significant differences were observed in lung function (except for the forced expiratory volume in one second) and dyspnea (P > 0.05, for each).

CONCLUSION

The findings of study suggest that the proposed program of 3 months of PQE intervention has significant improvement in exercise capacity, skeletal muscle strength, and quality of life of COPD-stable patients.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (Trial ID: ChiCTR-1800017405 on 28 July 2018; available at https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=28343 ).

Risk Factors for Maxillofacial Space Infection Complications: A Retrospective Analysis of 457 Patients

This study was performed to determine the risk factors associated with systemic complications of maxillofacial space infection (MSI), and to propose an objective evaluation index - severity score of MSI. 457 MSI patients from Jan 2010 to Dec 2020 were reviewed retrospectively. The predictor variables included demographic, origin of infection, underlying systemic disease, pre-hospital medication history, laboratory examinations and severity scores of space infection. The severity score of space infection was proposed to evaluate the airway compromise of anatomic spaces. The primary outcome variable was the complication. The impact factors of complications were analyzed using univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression. 457 patients were included (average age 46.3 y, male to female ratio 1.43:1). Among them, 39 patients developed postoperative complications. In the complication group, there were 18 patients (46.2%) with pulmonary infection, and two patients died. We found that the history of diabetes mellitus (OR=4.74, 95% confidence interval (CI)=2.22, 10.12), high temperature (≥39°C) (OR=4.16, 95% CI=1.43, 12.06), advanced age (≥65 y) (OR=2.88, 95% CI=1.37, 6.01), and severity score of space infection (OR=1.14, 95% CI=1.04, 1.25) were independent risk factors for complications of MSI. All the risk factors needed to be closely monitored. Severity score of MSI was an objective evaluation index to predict complications.

The modulatory effects on enterohepatic cholesterol metabolism of novel cholesterol-lowering peptides from gastrointestinal digestion of Xuanwei ham

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects and mechanism of in vitro protein digestive products of Xuanwei ham with different ripening periods on cholesterol metabolism and hypercholesterolemia. The results showed that compared with other gastrointestinal digestion (GID) groups, the GID group of Xuanwei ham with 3-year ripening period (XWH3-GID) inhibited the expression of Niemann-Pick C1-like 1 (NPC1L1) and acetyl-CoA acetyltransferase 2 (ACAT2) through hepatocyte nuclear factor 1-alpha (HNF-1α), which in turn effectively inhibited cholesterol absorption in Caco-2 cell monolayers. Following absorption by Caco-2 cell monolayers, the XWH3-GID group suppressed the expression and secretion of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) via HNF-1α, which enhanced the protein expression and fluorescence intensity of low density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) on the HepG2 cell membrane, and thus promoted the uptake of low density lipoprotein (LDL). Importantly, three novel peptides (LFP, PKF and VPFP) derived from titin were identified after intestinal epithelial transport in the XWH3-GID group, which could exert cholesterol-lowering effects through inhibiting intestinal cholesterol absorption and promoting peripheral hepatic LDL uptake, and effectively ameliorate western diet-induced hypercholesterolemia in ApoE-/- mice. These results suggest that Xuanwei ham with 3-year ripening period can be used as a source of cholesterol-lowering peptides and has potential to intervene in hypercholesterolemia.

[Alterations in erythrocytic oligomeric alpha-synuclein in patients with Parkinson's disease and multiple system atrophy]

Objective: To analyze the content of α-synuclein oligomer(O-α-Syn) in erythrocytes in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) and multiple system atrophy (MSA) and the correlation with clinical symptoms. Methods: Two hundred and ninety-six PD patients and 85 MSA patients were recruited from the Department of Functional Neurosurgery and Neurology of Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University from July 2020 to October 2021. Four hundred and three healthy controls (HC) were recruited from the Beijing Longitudinal Study of Aging community cohort during the same period. The levels of RBC-O-α-Syn were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Univariate linear regression model was used to analyze the correlation between the content of RBD-O-α-Syn and various motor and non-motor functional scores, such as Unified Parkinson Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) Ⅲ, Unified Multiple System Atrophy Rating Scale (UMSARS) Ⅲ, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), rapid eye movement sleep disorder questionnaire-HongKong(RBDQ-HK) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves was used to evaluate the specificity, sensitivity, and the area under the curve (AUC) of RBC-O-α-Syn in distinguishing PD and MSA patients from HC subjects. Results: The average age of HC subjects was (70±8) years old, the average age of PD patients was (64±9) years old, including 115 (38.9%) cases with tremor dominant PD (TD-PD), 132 cases (44.6%) of postural instability disorder predominant PD (PIGD-PD), and 142 cases (48.0%) of patients with H-Y stage 2. UPDRS Ⅲ score was 31.2±17.8. The mean age of MSA patients was (64±9) years, with the mean UMSARS Ⅱ score of 18.9±10.3. The non-motor symptoms of PD and MSA patients were significantly different from those of HC subjects (P<0.001). The levels of RBC-O-α-Syn in PD [(50±17) ng/mg] and MSA [(52±19) ng/mg] were significantly higher than those in HC subjects [(21±10) ng/mg] (P<0.001). The sensitivity and specificity of RBC-O-α-Syn in distinguishing PD patients and HC subjects were 87.16% (95%CI: 82.87%-90.50%) and 86.10% (95%CI: 82.38%-89.14%), with an AUC of 0.933 (95%CI: 0.914-0.951), and the sensitivity and specificity in distinguishing MSA patients and HC subjects were 85.88% (95%CI: 76.93%-91.74%) and 81.39% (95%CI: 77.30%-84.89%), with an AUC of 0.921 (95%CI: 0.884-0.957). The levels of RBC-O-α-Syn in PD patients with rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder (RBD) were higher than that in PD patients without RBD [(53±16) ng/mg vs (48±17) ng/mg, P=0.029].The content of RBC-O-α-Syn in female PD patients and HC subjects was higher than that in male, but there was no significant difference between subjects of different ages and disease duration (P>0.05). In addition, RBC-O-α-Syn content was positively correlated with UPDRS Ⅲ (r=0.18, P=0.002) and the score of rapid eye movement sleep behavior disorder questionnaire(Hong Kong) (RBDQ-HK)(r=0.19, P<0.001). But there was no correlation with H-Y stage, non-motor symptoms scale (NMSS), MMSE, Moca, Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) scores (all P>0.05). There was no correlation between RBC-O-α-Syn content and UMSARS Ⅱ, NMSS, MMSE, MoCA, HAMD, HAMA in patients with MSA (all P>0.05). Conclusions: Levels of RBC-O-α-Syn are significantly increased in PD and MSA patients. There are positive correlations between levels of RBC-O-α-Syn and scores of UPDRS Ⅲ and RBDQ-HK.

Inverse scattering of periodic surfaces with a superlens

We propose a scheme for imaging periodic surfaces using a superlens. By employing an inverse scattering model and the transformed field expansion method, we derive an approximate reconstruction formula for the surface profile, assuming small amplitude. This formula suggests that unlimited resolution can be achieved for the linearized inverse problem with perfectly matched parameters. Our method requires only a single incident wave at a fixed frequency and can be efficiently implemented using fast Fourier transform. Through numerical experiments, we demonstrate that our method achieves resolution significantly surpassing the resolution limit for both smooth and non-smooth surface profiles with either perfect or marginally imperfect parameters.

Neuronal and astrocytic CB1R signaling differentially modulates goal-directed behavior and working memory by distinct temporal mechanisms

Several cognitive processes, including instrumental behavior and working memory, are controlled by endocannabinoids acting on cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R) in the brain through retrograde and presynaptic inhibition of GABA or glutamate release. However, the temporal mechanisms underlying the control of these cognitive processes by CB1Rs remain largely unknown. Here, we have developed a light-sensitive CB1R chimera (optoCB1R) by replacing the intracellular domains of bovine rhodopsin with those of human CB1R. We demonstrated that light stimulation of optoCB1R triggered canonical CB1R signaling by inhibiting cAMP (but not cGMP or IP1) signaling and activating the MAPK pathway in vitro or in vivo. Moreover, light stimulation of optoCB1R in corticostriatal glutamatergic neurons could temporally inhibit excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) at the level of seconds. Importantly, transient (3 s) and "time-locked", but not random, activation of optoCB1R signaling in corticostriatal neurons at the time of reward affected animal sensitivity to outcome devaluation and inhibited goal-directed behavior. However, prolonged (~30 min) but not transient (10 or 30 s) activation of astrocytic CB1R signaling in the hippocampus impaired working memory. Consequently, neuronal and astrocytic CB1R signaling differentially regulate working memory and goal-directed behavior through distinct temporal and cellular mechanisms. Ultimately, the pharmacological blockade of adenosine A2AR improved the neuronal and astrocytic CB1R-induced impairments in goal-directed behavior and working memory, possibly through modulation of EPSCs and c-Fos, respectively. Therefore, A2AR may represent a promising target for managing cognitive dysfunction resulting from the use of CB1R drugs.

Analysis of the genetic contribution to thoracic aortic aneurysm or dissection in a prospective cohort of patients with familial and sporadic cases in East China

BACKGROUND

Thoracic aortic aneurysm or dissections (TAADs) represent a group of life-threatening diseases. Genetic aetiology can affect the age of onset, clinical phenotype, and timing of intervention. We conducted a prospective trial to determine the prevalence of pathogenic variants in TAAD patients and to elucidate the traits related to harbouring the pathogenic variants. One hundred and one unrelated TAAD patients underwent genetic sequencing and analysis for 23 TAAD-associated genes using a targeted PCR and next-generation sequencing-based panel.

RESULTS

A total of 47 variants were identified in 52 TAAD patients (51.5%), including 5 pathogenic, 1 likely pathogenic and 41 variants of uncertain significance. The pathogenic or likely pathogenic (P/LP) variants in 4 disease-causing genes were carried by 1 patient with familial and 5 patients with sporadic TAAD (5.9%). In addition to harbouring one variant causing familial TAAD, the FBN1 gene harboured half of the P/LP variants causing sporadic TAAD. Individuals with an age of onset less than 50 years or normotension had a significantly increased genetic risk.

CONCLUSIONS

TAAD patients with a younger age at diagnosis or normotension were more likely to carry a P/LP variant; thus, routine genetic testing will be beneficial to a better prognosis through genetically personalized care prior to acute rupture or dissection.

Mechanism of low-voltage electrostatic fields on the water-holding capacity in frozen beef steak: Insights from myofilament lattice arrays

This study investigated the impact of low-voltage electrostatic field-assisted freezing on the water-holding capacity of beef steaks. The enhances mechanism of water-holding capacity by electrostatic field was elucidated through the detection of dynamic changes in the myofilament lattice and the construction of an in vitro myosin filaments model. The findings demonstrated that the disorder of the myofilament array, resulted from the aggregation of myosin filaments during freezing, is a crucial factor responsible for the water loss. The intervention of the electrostatic field can effectively reduce the myofibril density by 18.7%, while maintaining a regular lattice array by modulating electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions between myofibrils. Moreover, the electrostatic field significantly inhibited the migration of immobilized water to free water, thus resulting in an increase in the water-holding capacity of myofibrils by 36%. This work provides insights into the underlying mechanisms of water loss in frozen steaks and its regulation.

Epigenome-wide DNA methylation analysis of myasthenia gravis

Myasthenia gravis (MG) is a common neuromuscular junction (NMJ) disorder and autoimmune disease mediated by several antibodies. Several studies have shown that genetic factors play an important role in MG pathogenesis. To gain insight into the epigenetic factors affecting MG, we report here genome-scale DNA methylation profiles of MG. DNA was extracted from 8 MG patients and 4 healthy controls for genome-wide DNA methylation analysis using the Illumina HumanMethylation 850K BeadChip. Verification of pyrosequencing was conducted based on differential methylation positions (DMPs). Subsequently, C2C12 and HT22 cell lines (derived from mouse) were treated with demethylation drugs. Transcribed mRNA of the screened differential genes were detected using quantitative Real-time PCR. The control and MG group were compared, and two key probe positions were selected. The corresponding genes were CAMK1D and CREB5 (P<0.05). Similarly, the myasthenic crisis (MC) and non-MC group were compared and four key probe positions were selected. The corresponding genes were SAV1, STK3, YAP1 and WWTR1 (P<0.05). Subsequently, pyrosequencing was performed for verification, revealing that hypomethylation of CAMK1D was significantly different between the MG and control group (P<0.001). Moreover, transcription of CREB5, PKD, YAP1 and STK3 genes in the C2C12 cells was downregulated (P<0.05) after drug treatment, but only YAP1 mRNA was downregulated in HT22 cells (P<0.05). This is the first study to investigate genome-scale DNA methylation profiles of MG using 850K BeadChip. The identified molecular markers of methylation may aid in the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of MG.

[Efficacy of alcohol septal ablation in mildly symptomatic or severely symptomatic patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy]

Objective: To compare the prognosis of mildly or severely symptomatic patients with obstructive hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (OHCM) who underwent alcohol septal ablation (ASA). Methods: This retrospective study cohort consisted of patients with OHCM who received ASA treatment in Beijing Anzhen Hospital, Capital Medical University from March 2001 to August 2021. These patients were divided into mildly and severely symptomatic groups according to the severity of clinical symptoms. Long-term follow-up was conducted, and the following data were collected: duration of follow-up, postoperatire treatment, New York Heart Association (NYHA) classification, arrhythmia events and pacemaker implantation, echocardiographic parameters, and cause of death. Overall survival and survival free from OHCM-related death were observed, and the improvement of clinical symptoms and resting left ventricular outflow tract gradient (LVOTG) and the incidence of new-onset atrial fibrillation were evaluated. The Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank test were used to determine and compare the cumulative survival rates of the different groups. Cox regression analysis models were used to determine predictors of clinical events. Results: A total of 189 OHCM patients were included in this study, including 68 in the mildly symptomatic group and 121 in the severely symptomatic group. The median follow-up of the study was 6.0 (2.7, 10.6) years. There was no statistical difference in overall survival between the mildly symptomatic group (5-year and 10-year overall survival were 97.0% and 94.4%, respectively) and the severely symptomatic group (5-year and 10-year overall survival were 94.2% and 83.9%, respectively, P=0.405); there was also no statistical difference in survival free from OHCM-related death between the mildly symptomatic group (5-year and 10-year survival free from HCM-related death were 97.0% and 94.4%, respectively) and the severely symptomatic group (5-year and 10-year survival free from HCM-related death were 95.2% and 92.6%, respectively, P=0.846). In the mildly symptomatic group, NYHA classification was improved after ASA (P<0.001), among which 37 patients (54.4%) were in NYHA class Ⅰ, and the resting left ventricular outflow tract gradient (LVOTG) decreased from 67.6 (42.7, 90.1) mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) to 24.4 (11.7, 35.6) mmHg (P<0.001). In severely symptomatic group, NYHA classification was also improved post ASA (P<0.001), among which 96 patients (79.3%) improved by at least one NYHA classification, and the resting LVOTG decreased from 69.6 (38.4, 96.1) mmHg to 19.0 (10.6, 39.8) mmHg (P<0.001). The incidence of new-onset atrial fibrillation was similar between the mildly and severely symptomatic groups (10.2% vs. 13.3%, P=0.565). Cox multivariate regression analysis showed that age was an independent predictor of all-cause mortality in OHCM patients post ASA (HR=1.068, 95%CI 1.002-1.139, P=0.042). Conclusions: Among patients with OHCM treated with ASA, overall survival and survival free from HCM-related death were similar between mildly symptomatic group and severely symptomatic group. ASA therapy can effectively relieve resting LVOTG and improve clinical symptoms in mildly or severely symptomatic patients with OHCM. Age was an independent predictor of all-cause mortality in OHCM patients post ASA.

Lateral septum adenosine A2A receptors control stress-induced depressive-like behaviors via signaling to the hypothalamus and habenula

Major depressive disorder ranks as a major burden of disease worldwide, yet the current antidepressant medications are limited by frequent non-responsiveness and significant side effects. The lateral septum (LS) is thought to control of depression, however, the cellular and circuit substrates are largely unknown. Here, we identified a subpopulation of LS GABAergic adenosine A_2A receptors (A_2AR)-positive neurons mediating depressive symptoms via direct projects to the lateral habenula (LHb) and the dorsomedial hypothalamus (DMH). Activation of A_2AR in the LS augmented the spiking frequency of A_2AR-positive neurons leading to a decreased activation of surrounding neurons and the bi-directional manipulation of LS-A_2AR activity demonstrated that LS-A_2ARs are necessary and sufficient to trigger depressive phenotypes. Thus, the optogenetic modulation (stimulation or inhibition) of LS-A_2AR-positive neuronal activity or LS-A_2AR-positive neurons projection terminals to the LHb or DMH, phenocopied depressive behaviors. Moreover, A_2AR are upregulated in the LS in two male mouse models of repeated stress-induced depression. This identification that aberrantly increased A_2AR signaling in the LS is a critical upstream regulator of repeated stress-induced depressive-like behaviors provides a neurophysiological and circuit-based justification of the antidepressant potential of A_2AR antagonists, prompting their clinical translation.

Anti-inflammatory role of extracellular l-arginine through calcium sensing receptor in human renal proximal tubular epithelial (HK-2) cells

Renal tubular epithelial cells are capable of synthesizing interleukins (IL) in response to a variety of proinflammatory cytokines. Moreover, elevated urinary levels of IL have been shown in patients with various forms of nephritic diseases. However, the underlying intracellular signaling mechanism is unclear. Here we show the immunological signaling role of l-Arginine (l-Arg) through Ca2+-sensing receptor (CaSR) in human kidney 2 (HK-2) renal proximal tubular epithelial cells, using Ca2+ imaging and patch clamp techniques and its mechanistic link to the downstream cellular function. Both pharmacological and siRNA inhibitors support the activation CaSR by extracellular l-Arg to induced Ca2+ entry via a Transient receptor potential canonical (TRPC) channel in HK-2 cells mainly through the receptor operated Ca2+ entry (ROCE). Activation of CaSR by l-Arg led to the rise in p-p38/p38 expression suggesting [Ca2+]i as a regulator for p38-signaling pathways. Notably, l-Arg activated CaSR-induced Ca2+ signaling reduced the expressions of key fibrotic, inflammatory, and apoptotic genes, suggesting its nephroprotective role via Ca2+ signaling through CaSR in HK-2 cells. Since we found that the IL-6 expressions were inversely proportional to the increasing concentrations of l-Arg in HK-2 cells, we measured the release of IL-6, which steadily decreased as the concentrations of l-Arg were elevated. Taken together, extracellular l-Arg is a negative regulator for IL-6-induced inflammatory process, through the activation of CaSR and TRPC channel by ROCE pathway and can have a potential to alleviate inflammatory renal diseases.

Skeletal Muscle Mitochondrial Dysfunction in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Underlying Mechanisms and Physical Therapy Perspectives

Skeletal muscle dysfunction (SMD) is a prevalent extrapulmonary complication and a significant independent prognostic factor in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Mitochondrial dysfunction is one of the core factors that damage structure and function in COPD skeletal muscle and is closely related to smoke exposure, hypoxia, and insufficient physical activity. The currently known phenotypes of mitochondrial dysfunction are reduced mitochondrial content and biogenesis, impaired activity of mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes, and increased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production. Significant progress has been made in research on physical therapy (PT), which has broad prospects for treating the abovementioned potential mitochondrial-function changes in COPD skeletal muscle. In terms of specific types of PT, exercise therapy can directly act on mitochondria and improve COPD SMD by increasing mitochondrial density, regulating mitochondrial biogenesis, upregulating mitochondrial respiratory function, and reducing oxidative stress. However, improvements in mitochondrial-dysfunction phenotype in COPD skeletal muscle due to different exercise strategies are not entirely consistent. Therefore, based on the elucidation of this phenotype, in this study, we analyzed the effect of exercise on mitochondrial dysfunction in COPD skeletal muscle and the regulatory mechanism thereof. We also provided a theoretical basis for exercise programs to rehabilitate this condition.

Role of Nrf2 and exercise in alleviating COPD-induced skeletal muscle dysfunction

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a complex chronic respiratory disease with cumulative impacts on multiple systems, exhibiting significant extrapulmonary impacts, and posing a serious public health problem. Skeletal muscle dysfunction is one of the most pronounced extrapulmonary effects in patients with COPD, which severely affects patient prognosis and mortality primarily through reduced productivity resulting from muscle structural and functional alterations. Although the detailed pathogenesis of COPD has not been fully determined, some researchers agree that oxidative stress plays a significant role. Oxidative stress not only catalyzes the progression of pulmonary symptoms but also drives the development of skeletal muscle dysfunction. Nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), is a key transcription factor that regulates the antioxidant response and plays an enormous role in combating oxidative stress. In this review, we have summarized current research on oxidative stress damage to COPD skeletal muscle and analyzed the role of Nrf2 in improving skeletal muscle dysfunction in COPD through exercise. The results suggest that oxidative stress drives the occurrence and development of skeletal muscle dysfunction in COPD. Exercise may improve skeletal muscle dysfunction in patients with COPD by promoting the dissociation of Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (Keap1) and Nrf2, inducing sequestosome1(p62) phosphorylation to bind with Keap1 competitively leading to Nrf2 stabilization and improving dynamin-related protein 1-dependent mitochondrial fission. Nrf2 may be a key target for exercise anti-oxidative stress to alleviate skeletal muscle dysfunction in COPD.

Effects of external diaphragm pacing combined with conventional rehabilitation therapies in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Numerous randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have reported the benefits of external diaphragm pacing combined with conventional rehabilitation therapies (EDP-CRTs) on pulmonary function and exercise capacity in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). However, evidence-based regarding its effects remains unclear.

OBJECTIVES

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the effects of EDP-CRTs versus CRTs on patients with COPD.

DESIGN

Systematic review and meta-analysis.

DATA SOURCES AND METHODS

We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis, searching PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Scopus, China Biology Medicine Disc, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wan-Fang Database, and Chinese Scientific Journal Database from inception to 10 September 2023. RCTs investigating the effects of EDP-CRTs versus CRTs on COPD patients were included. The primary outcome was pulmonary function, including forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), the percentage of predicted values of FEV1 (FEV1%pred), and FEV1/forced vital capacity (FVC)%. Secondary outcomes included arterial blood gas analysis [the partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO2) and the partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide (PaCO2)]; dyspnea [modified Medical Research Council Dyspnea Scale (mMRC)]; exercise capacity [6-min walking distance (6MWD)]; and quality of life [COPD assessment test (CAT)]. RevMan 5.3 software was used for meta-analysis. The quality of the included studies was assessed using the revised Cochrane Risk of Bias tool for randomized trials (RoB 2.0). The certainty of the evidence was evaluated with the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system.

RESULTS

In total, 13 studies/981 participants were included. The pooled results revealed significant benefits of EDP-CRTs versus CRTs on the FEV1 [standardized mean difference (SMD) = 1.07, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.58-1.56], FEV1%pred [weighted mean difference (WMD) = 6.67, 95% CI = 5.69-7.64], the FEV1/FVC% (SMD = 1.24, 95% CI = 0.48-2.00), PaO2 (SMD = 1.29, 95% CI = 0.74-1.84), PaCO2 (SMD = -1.88, 95% CI = -2.71 to -1.04), mMRC (WMD = -0.55, 95% CI = -0.65 to -0.45), 6MWD (SMD = 1.63, 95% CI = 0.85-2.42), and CAT (WMD = -1.75, 95% CI = -3.16 to -0.35), respectively. Planned subgroup analysis suggested that EDP-CRTs had a better effect on FEV1, FEV1/FVC%, 6MWD, and CAT in the duration of 2-4 weeks.

CONCLUSION

EDP-CRTs have better effects on pulmonary function, PaCO2, dyspnea, exercise capacity, and quality of life in COPD patients than CRTs, and the duration to achieve the most effective treatment is 2-4 weeks.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

This systematic review and meta-analysis protocol was prospectively registered with PROSPERO (No. CRD42022355964).

Extended p_{3/2} Neutron Orbital and the N=32 Shell Closure in ^{52}Ca

The one-neutron knockout from ^{52}Ca in inverse kinematics onto a proton target was performed at ∼230  MeV/nucleon combined with prompt γ spectroscopy. Exclusive quasifree scattering cross sections to bound states in ^{51}Ca and the momentum distributions corresponding to the removal of 1f_{7/2} and 2p_{3/2} neutrons were measured. The cross sections, interpreted within the distorted-wave impulse approximation reaction framework, are consistent with a shell closure at the neutron number N=32, found as strong as at N=28 and N=34 in Ca isotopes from the same observables. The analysis of the momentum distributions leads to a difference of the root-mean-square radii of the neutron 1f_{7/2} and 2p_{3/2} orbitals of 0.61(23) fm, in agreement with the modified-shell-model prediction of 0.7 fm suggesting that the large root-mean-square radius of the 2p_{3/2} orbital in neutron-rich Ca isotopes is responsible for the unexpected linear increase of the charge radius with the neutron number.

Observation of a Strongly Isospin-Mixed Doublet in ^{26}Si via β-Delayed Two-Proton Decay of ^{26}P

β decay of proton-rich nuclei plays an important role in exploring isospin mixing. The β decay of ^{26}P at the proton drip line is studied using double-sided silicon strip detectors operating in conjunction with high-purity germanium detectors. The T=2 isobaric analog state (IAS) at 13 055 keV and two new high-lying states at 13 380 and 11 912 keV in ^{26}Si are unambiguously identified through β-delayed two-proton emission (β2p). Angular correlations of two protons emitted from ^{26}Si excited states populated by ^{26}P β decay are measured, which suggests that the two protons are emitted mainly sequentially. We report the first observation of a strongly isospin-mixed doublet that deexcites mainly via two-proton decay. The isospin mixing matrix element between the ^{26}Si IAS and the nearby 13 380-keV state is determined to be 130(21) keV, and this result represents the strongest mixing, highest excitation energy, and largest level spacing of a doublet ever observed in β-decay experiments.

Analysis of flavor formation during the production of Jinhua dry-cured ham using headspace-gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (HS-GC-IMS)

This study aimed to clarify the formation process of flavor compounds and identify the volatile substances present during a continuous period of Jinhua dry-cured ham (JDH) making. Via headspace-gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (HS-GC-IMS), a total of 53 volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including 20 aldehydes, 16 alcohols, 11 ketones, 5 esters and 1 furan, were identified in JDH from seven sampling stages. The results showed that butanal, 3-methylbutanal, 2-methylbutanal, 2-hexanone, 2-pentanone and 2-butanone could be flavor markers in the evolution of aroma characteristics of JDH. Aldehydes (2-methylbutanal and 3-methylbutanal), alcohols (2-methylpropanol, 2-methylbutanol, 3-methylbutanol and 1-penten-3-ol), ketones (2-pentanone, 2-propanone, 2-butanone and 2-hexanone) and esters (ethyl acetate and ethyl 3-methylbutyrate) were considered the main VOCs in the mature JDH. Free fatty acid (FFA) analysis displayed the changes in intramuscular fat (IMF) of JDH. Additionally, principal component analysis (PCA) showed that drying-ripening was a critical stage in the flavor formation of JDH.

Bacterial nitric oxide synthase in colorizing meat products: Current development and future directions

Nitrite has been widely used in meat products for its abilities including color formation, antimicrobial properties, flavor formation and preventing lipid oxidation. However, the possible generation of N-nitrosamines through reaction of nitrite with secondary amines arises many concerns in the usage of nitrite. For a long time, nitrite substitution is unsettled issue in the meat industry. Many attempts have been tried, however, the alternative solutions are often ephemeral and palliative. In recent years, bacterial nitric oxide synthase (bNOS) has received attention for its critical roles, especially in reddening meat products. This comprehensive background study summarizes the application of bNOS in colorizing meat products, its functions in bacteria, and methods of regulating the bNOS pathway. Based on this information, some strategies for promoting the nitric oxide yield for effectively substituting nitrite are presented, such as changing the environmental conditions for bacterial survival and adding substrate. Thus, bNOS is a promising nitrite substitute for color formation, and further research on its other roles in meat needs to be carried out to obtain the complete picture.

The role of muscle-specific MicroRNAs in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and skeletal muscle dysfunction

Skeletal muscle dysfunction is a systematic manifestation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), which is manifested through the changes in the respiratory and peripheral muscle fiber types, reducing muscle strength and endurance, and muscle atrophy. Muscle dysfunction limits the daily mobility, negatively affects the quality of life, and may increase the patient’s risk of mortality. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) as the regulators of gene expression, plays an important role in modulating skeletal muscle dysfunction in COPD by regulating skeletal muscle development (proliferation, differentiation), protein synthesis and degradation, inflammatory response, and metabolism. In particular, muscle-specific miRNAs (myomiRs) may play an important role in this process, although the different expression levels of myomiRs in COPD and skeletal muscle dysfunction and the mechanisms underlying their role remain unclear. In this paper, we review the differential expression of the myomiRs in COPD to identify myomiRs that play a role in skeletal muscle dysfunction in COPD. We further explore their possible mechanisms and action in order to provide new ideas for the prevention and treatment of the skeletal muscle dysfunction in COPD.

Association between plasma levels of BDNF and GDNF and the diagnosis, treatment response in first-episode MDD

INTRODUCTION

The aims of our study are: i) to explore whether plasma levels of BDNF/GDNF are valuable in the diagnosis of first-episode depression; ii) to discuss whether there is an association between peripheral plasma levels of BDNF/GDNF and patients' depression severity and cognitive dysfunction; iii) to explore the association between plasma levels of BDNF/GDNF and the effectiveness of antidepressant treatment.

METHODS

Ninety patients with first-episode unmedicated MDD and healthy controls were recruited. MDD patients were treated with antidepressant medication for 8 weeks. Patients were assessed for clinical symptoms using HDRS-17 and HAMA-14. Social and neurocognitive functioning of all subjects was assessed at baseline using the Functional Assessment Test Short Form (FAST) and the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB). At the same time, peripheral venous blood was drawn from all subjects for BDNF/GDNF peripheral plasma level analysis at baseline and after 8 weeks of treatment.

RESULTS

The baseline BDNF/GDNF levels in MDD patients were significantly lower than that in healthy controls. The area under ROC curve (AUC) of baseline plasma BDNF and GDNF levels predicting MDD was 0.776 (95 % CI: 0.705-0.846, p < 0.001) and 0.864 (95 % CI: 0.808-0.920, p < 0.001), respectively. The baseline GDNF level (beta = 0.425, p = 0.001), the autonomy score of FAST (beta = -0.247, p = 0.037) and BACS-SC score of MCCB (beta = 0.323, p = 0.039) were predictors of HDRS-17 reduction rate after 8 weeks' antidepressant treatment.

LIMITATIONS

A longer follow-up period than 8 weeks may make the results more convincing, and the sample size of this study is still insufficient.

CONCLUSION

The decreased plasma levels of BDNF and GDNF are strong indicators for predicting the occurrence of MDD. This preliminary finding highlighted the value of GDNF plasma concentrations in the diagnosis of MDD and the prognosis of antidepressant treatment.

11β-HSD1 participates in epileptogenesis and the associated cognitive impairment by inhibiting apoptosis in mice

Background

Glucocorticoid signalling is closely related to both epilepsy and associated cognitive impairment, possibly through mechanisms involving neuronal apoptosis. As a critical enzyme for glucocorticoid action, the role of 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 (11β-HSD1) in epileptogenesis and associated cognitive impairment has not previously been studied.

Methods

We first investigated the expression of 11β-HSD1 in the pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) kindling mouse model of epilepsy. We then observed the effect of overexpressing 11β-HSD1 on the excitability of primary cultured neurons in vitro using whole-cell patch clamp recordings. Further, we assessed the effects of adeno-associated virus (AAV)-induced hippocampal 11β-HSD1 knockdown in the PTZ model, conducting behavioural observations of seizures, assessment of spatial learning and memory using the Morris water maze, and biochemical and histopathological analyses.

Results

We found that 11β-HSD1 was primarily expressed in neurons but not astrocytes, and its expression was significantly (p < 0.05) increased in the hippocampus of PTZ epilepsy mice compared to sham controls. Whole-cell patch clamp recordings showed that overexpression of 11β-HSD1 significantly decreased the threshold voltage while increasing the frequency of action potential firing in cultured hippocampal neurons. Hippocampal knockdown of 11β-HSD1 significantly reduced the severity score of PTZ seizures and increased the latent period required to reach the fully kindled state compared to control knockdown. Knockdown of 11β-HSD1 also significantly mitigated the impairment of spatial learning and memory, attenuated hippocampal neuronal damage and increased the ratio of Bcl-2/Bax, while decreasing the expression of cleaved caspase-3.

Conclusions

11β-HSD1 participates in the pathogenesis of both epilepsy and the associated cognitive impairment by elevating neuronal excitability and contributing to apoptosis and subsequent hippocampal neuronal damage. Inhibition of 11β-HSD1, therefore, represents a promising strategy to treat epilepsy and cognitive comorbidity.

Radical footprinting and regularity revealing during the pyrolysis of technical lignins

Revealing radical-mediated reactions is conducive to illustrate lignin pyrolysis and achieve subsequent regulation. Three technical lignins (hot-water-extracted lignin, kraft lignin, and soda lignin) were selected in this study and pyrolyzed from 400 °C to 700 °C, and their pyrolysis radicals in both chars and bio-oils were monitored with the electron paramagnetic resonance spectrometer. Results showed that spin concentrations of char radicals had a volcanic trend against the pyrolysis temperature, and reached the maximum values at 550-600 °C. However, the contents of bio-oil radicals were low during pyrolysis at low and medium temperature, but their spin concentrations exploded abruptly over 600-650 °C. Meanwhile, the bio-oil yields were found to drop after 550-600 °C, and the three inflection temperatures for char radicals, bio-oil radicals, and bio-oil yields were perfectly matched. These findings systematically elucidated the radical regularity in technical lignin pyrolysis and fundamentally contributed to the development of radical-mediated lignin pyrolysis mechanisms.

Is there an association between recurrent spontaneous abortion and mycoplasma infection?

INTRODUCTION

Recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) is an important reproductive health issue with a serious adverse effect on patients and their families worldwide. The present study evaluated the association between mycoplasma infections and RSA in pregnant patients.

METHODOLOGY

This case-control study included 107 patients with RSA (study group) and 89 normal pregnant women who had planned abortions (control group) between March 2019 and February 2021. Cervical swabs were assessed for the presence of Mycoplasma hominis and Ureaplasma urealyticum by Microtiter Plate Hybridization assay.

RESULTS

A total of 52 (48.6%) patients from the study group and 13 (14.6%) patients from control group were positive for mycoplasmas. The presence of M. hominis (29.9% vs. 9%; p = 0.024), U. urealyticum (18.7% vs. 5.6%; p = 0.015) and the co-infection of M. hominis/U. urealyticum (14% vs. 1%; p = 0.032) were significantly higher in the study group. Multivariate analysis revealed that pelvic pain (Odds Ratio [OR] = 3.42; 95% CI = 0.40-3.65; p = 0.015), dysuria (OR = 4.12; 95% CI = 1.59-8.23; p = 0.021), and urinary tract infection (OR = 3.97; 95% CI = 1.52-4.17; p = 0.032) were independent predictors of RSA.

CONCLUSIONS

The high prevalence of M. hominis/U. urealyticum in this study reveals a significant association with RSA. Pelvic pain and Mycoplasma infections are independent predictors of RSA.

Role of necroptosis in airflow limitation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: focus on small-airway disease and emphysema

Airflow limitation with intractable progressive mechanisms is the main disease feature of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The pathological process of airflow limitation in COPD involves necroptosis, a form of programmed necrotic cell death with pro-inflammatory properties. In this paper, the correlations of small-airway disease and emphysema with airflow limitation in COPD were firstly reviewed; then, based on this, the effects of necroptosis on small-airway disease and emphysema were analysed, and the possible mechanisms of necroptosis causing airflow limitation in COPD were explored. The results showed that airflow limitation is caused by a combination of small-airway disease and emphysema. In addition, toxic particulate matter stimulates epithelial cells to trigger necroptosis, and necroptosis promotes the expulsion of cell contents, the abnormal hyperplasia of pro-inflammatory mediators and the insufficient clearance of dead cells by macrophages; these processes, coupled with the interaction of necroptosis and oxidative stress, collectively result in small-airway disease and emphysema in COPD.

Effects of Adrenomedullin (ADM)-Modified Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells (BMSCs) Transplantation on Cardiac Function and Matrix Metalloproteinase Levels in Rats with Heart Failure

After ADM gene treatment, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) were transplanted into rats with heart failure to study its effect on rat heart function and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) expression. The rats were assigned into control group, BMSCs group and ADM group. 4 weeks after transplantation, the rats’ cardiac function indexes were detected and the levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 was measured by western blot. Echocardiography analysis showed significant differences between groups (except LVDd) (P < 0.05). BMSCs and ADM groups had significantly lower LVEF and LVFS levels than control group (P < 0.05) with a significantly higher level in ADM group than BMSCs group (P < 0.05). However, BMSCs and ADM groups presented a significantly higher LVDs (P < 0.05) without difference between them (P > 0.05). Interestingly, no difference of LVDd was found among groups (P > 0.05). MMP-2 and MMP-9 levels in BMSCs group were 0.389±0.021, 0.512±0.018, respectively, which were significantly elevated compared to control group (P < 0.05); MMP-2 and MMP-9 protein level in the ADM group was 0.440±0.018 and 0.539±0.032 respectively, which was significantly higher than control group (P < 0.05). Compared with BMSCs group, ADM group had significantly increased protein levels of MMP-2/9 (P < 0.05). In conclusion, ADM-modified BMSCs transplantation can significantly inhibit MMP-2 and MMP-9 level, thereby improving the heart function of rats with heart failure.

Diaphragm Dysfunction and Rehabilitation Strategy in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) affects the whole body and causes many extrapulmonary adverse effects, amongst which diaphragm dysfunction is one of the prominent manifestations. Diaphragm dysfunction in patients with COPD is manifested as structural changes, such as diaphragm atrophy, single-fibre dysfunction, sarcomere injury and fibre type transformation, and functional changes such as muscle strength decline, endurance change, diaphragm fatigue, decreased diaphragm mobility, etc. Diaphragm dysfunction directly affects the respiratory efficiency of patients and is one of the important pathological mechanisms leading to progressive exacerbation of COPD and respiratory failure, which is closely related to disease mortality. At present, the possible mechanisms of diaphragm dysfunction in patients with COPD include systemic inflammation, oxidative stress, hyperinflation, chronic hypoxia and malnutrition. However, the specific mechanism of diaphragm dysfunction in COPD is still unclear, which, to some extent, increases the difficulty of treatment and rehabilitation. Therefore, on the basis of the review of changes in the structure and function of COPD diaphragm, the potential mechanism of diaphragm dysfunction in COPD was discussed, the current effective rehabilitation methods were also summarised in this paper. In order to provide direction reference and new ideas for the mechanism research and rehabilitation treatment of diaphragm dysfunction in COPD.

[Therapeutic effects of alcohol septal ablation in mildly symptomatic patients with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy]

Objective: To observe the therapeutic effects of alcohol septal ablation (ASA) in mildly symptomatic patients (NYHA class Ⅱ) with hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy(HOCM). Methods: This retrospective study included 150 mildly symptomatic patients with HOCM hospitalized in Beijing Anzhen Hospital affiliated to Capital Medical University from March 2001 to December 2017, consisting of medical therapy group (n=102) and ASA group (n=48). Baseline clinical data were collected, patients were followed up to a mean of 6.0 (3.5, 8.1) years. Overall and HCM-related mortality events (including chronic heart failure, atrial fibrillation related stroke, sudden cardiac death) were observed in the two groups. Moreover, the improvement of NYHA function classification and left ventricular outflow tract gradient (LVOTG) were also evaluated. Survival analysis was performed by Kaplan-Meier method. Results: Age of this cohort was (52.9±14.5)years, 92 cases(61.3%) were male. In the follow-up, LVOTG was reduced from (85.8±35.4)mmHg (1 mmHg=0.133 kPa) to (27.7±19.8)mmHg (P<0.001) in the ASA group, and from (66.3±35.0)mmHg to (56.5±27.7)mmHg in medical therapy group(P<0.01). At the last clinical follow-up, there were 32 patients (66.7%) whose LVOTG were<30 mmHg, septal thickness decreased from (20.3±3.8)mm to (16.1±3.4)mm (P<0.001), NYHA classification was also remarkably improved (P<0.001). New-onset atrial fibrillation tended to be lower in the ASA group compared to medical therapy group (9.3%(4/43) vs. 20.8%(20/96),P=0.096). Eleven patients (10.8%) in the medical therapy group and 2 patients (4.2%) in the ASA group died during the follow-up. One patient received pacemaker during the peri-procedural period, 1 patient was implanted with two-chamber pacemaker due to Ⅲ° atrioventricular block at 10 years after operation in the ASA group. Survival free of all-cause mortality of ASA group at 5 and 10 years was 97.9% and 97.9%, respectively, which was comparable to the medical therapy group (P=0.231). Survival free of HCM-related mortality was similar between the two groups (P=0.397). Conclusions: Compared with medical therapy in mildly symptomatic patients with HOCM, long-term survival rate is similar after ASA. Meanwhile, ASA can remarkably reduce LVOTG and improve the clinical status of the patients. Therefore, ASA may be used as an alternative therapy for mildly symptomatic HOCM patients.

Disrupted myelination network in the cingulate cortex of Parkinson's disease

The cingulate cortex is part of the conserved limbic system, which is considered as a hub of emotional and cognitive control. Accumulating evidence suggested that involvement of the cingulate cortex is significant for cognitive impairment of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, mechanistic studies of the cingulate cortex in PD pathogenesis are limited. Here, transcriptomic and regulatory network analyses were conducted for the cingulate cortex in PD. Enrichment and clustering analyses showed that genes involved in regulation of membrane potential and glutamate receptor signalling pathway were upregulated. Importantly, myelin genes and the oligodendrocyte development pathways were markedly downregulated, indicating disrupted myelination in PD cingulate cortex. Cell‐type‐specific signatures revealed that myelinating oligodendrocytes were the major cell type damaged in the PD cingulate cortex. Furthermore, downregulation of myelination pathways in the cingulate cortex were shared and validated in another independent RNAseq cohort of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB). In combination with ATACseq data, gene regulatory networks (GRNs) were further constructed for 32 transcription factors (TFs) and 466 target genes among differentially expressed genes (DEGs) using a tree‐based machine learning algorithm. Several transcription factors, including Olig2, Sox8, Sox10, E2F1, and NKX6‐2, were highlighted as key nodes in a sub‐network, which control many overlapping downstream targets associated with myelin formation and gliogenesis. In addition, the authors have validated a subset of DEGs by qPCRs in two PD mouse models. Notably, seven of these genes,TOX3, NECAB2 NOS1, CAPN3, NR4A2, E2F1 and FOXP2, have been implicated previously in PD or neurodegeneration and are worthy of further studies as novel candidate genes. Together, our findings provide new insights into the role of remyelination as a promising new approach to treat PD after demyelination.

Assessments and Targeted Rehabilitation Therapies for Diaphragmatic Dysfunction in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Narrative Review

Purpose

This review summarizes the characteristics, assessment methods, and targeted rehabilitation therapies of diaphragm dysfunction in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Methods

Extensive literature was searched in PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure Database, Wanfang, and SinoMed.

Results

Under the influence of oxidative stress, inflammation, and other factors, the diaphragm function of patients with COPD changes in mobility, muscle strength, thickness, and thickening. In patients with COPD, diaphragm mobility can be assessed using ultrasound, X-ray fluoroscopy, and magnetic resonance imaging. Diaphragmatic strength can be measured by transdiaphragmatic pressure and maximal inspiratory pressure. Diaphragmatic thickness and thickening can be assessed using ultrasound. Rehabilitation therapies targeting the diaphragm include diaphragmatic breathing, diaphragm-related manual therapy, and phrenic nerve electrical stimulation. Diaphragmatic breathing is safe, simple, and not limited by places. Diaphragmatic manual therapies, which require patient cooperation and one-on-one operation by a professional therapist, are effective. Phrenic nerve electrical stimulation is suitable for patients with severe conditions. These therapies improve the diaphragmatic function, lung function, dyspnea, and exercise capacity of patients with COPD.

Conclusion

The diaphragmatic function is commonly assessed in terms of mobility, strength, thickness, and thickening. Diaphragmatic targeted rehabilitation therapies have proven to be efficient, which are recommended to be included in the pulmonary rehabilitation strategy for patients with COPD.

Hengli® Chinese Botulinum Toxin Type A for Treatment of Patients With Overactive Bladder: A Multicenter, Prospective, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Hengli^® Chinese botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A; 100 U) in Chinese patients with overactive bladder.

Methods: This study was a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in Chinese patients who were inadequately managed with anticholinergic medications. Eligible patients were randomized 2:1 to receive intradetrusor injections of Hengli^® BTX-A (n = 144) or placebo (n = 72). The primary endpoint was the change in the number of daily micturition episodes at week 6 from baseline. The secondary efficacy endpoints included the average frequency of urgency and urinary incontinence (UI) episodes per day, urgency score, average micturition volume per day, OABSS, and QoL score.

Results: In the Hengli^® BTX-A group, there was a significantly greater reduction in the average number of micturition episodes per 24 h compared with the placebo group (3.28 vs. 1.43; p = 0.003). Moreover, there was a significantly greater improvement in the daily number of urgency episodes, micturition volume and OABSS score. An increased post-void residual urine volume, dysuria, and urinary tract infection represented adverse events (AEs) in the Hengli^® BTX-A group. Most AEs were mild or moderate in severity. One patient in the BTX-A group initiated clean intermittent catheterization (CIC) during treatment.

Conclusion: Hengli^® BTX-A treatment was well-tolerated and resulted in significant improvements in OAB symptoms among Chinese patients inadequately managed by anticholinergics.

Clinical Trial Registration:http://www.chinadrugtrials.org.cn/clinicaltrials.prosearch.dhtml, Identifier: CTR20131190.

Effect of Polysaccharides From Enteromorpha intestinalis on Intestinal Function in Sprague Dawley Rats

This study aims to determine the effect of polysaccharides extracted from Enteromorpha intestinalis (EI) on the intestinal function of Sprague Dawley (SD) rats. The polysaccharides were extracted from the green alga using water and alkaline solution, where these extracts were named WPEI and APEI, respectively. The dried powder of EI was labeled as DPEI. Proximate compositions, minerals, and amino acids of the DPEI, WPEI, and APEI were determined. The growth-promoting effect of the polysaccharides on selected intestinal microflora was determined based on the plate count method. In contrast, the in vivo effect of DPEI and its polysaccharides on the intestinal function of the SD rats was determined. These rats were fed with 1% WPEI, APEI, and DPEI. The result showed that APEI had lower total sugars and total proteins content than the WPEI. WPEI did not contain arabinose. The WPEI and APEI also had a better ability to promote microbial growth than the DPEI. The in vivo study showed that WPEI improved intestinal peristalsis and other intestinal functions compared with the other rat groups. The average final body weight of the experimental rats treated with DPEI was also lower than the other groups. The pH value of the feces of all treated rats was lower than the control rats, and the moisture content of the fecal samples of these experimental groups was higher than the control group. Also, the intestinal activated carbon propulsion of the WPEI, APEI, and DPEI fed rats increased. Among the short-chain fatty acids content determined in the fecal samples, the propionic acid content of the WPEI group was significantly highest. Therefore, WPEI had the best effect in improving intestinal digestion.

Screening for Mitochondrial tRNA Mutations in 318 Patients with Dilated Cardiomyopathy

OBJECTIVES

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a complex cardiovascular disease with unknown etiology. Although nuclear genes play active roles in DCM, mitochondrial dysfunction was believed to be involved in the pathogenesis of DCM. The objective of this study is to analysis the association between mitochondrial tRNA (mt-tRNA) mutations and DCM.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We performed a mutational analysis of mt-tRNA genes in a cohort of 318 patients with DCM and 200 age- and gender-matched control subjects. To further assess their pathogenicity, phylogenetic analysis and mitochondrial functions including mtDNA copy number, ATP and ROS were analyzed.

RESULTS

7 possible pathogenic mutations: MT-TL1 3302A>G, MT-TI 4295A>G, MT-TM 4435A>G, MT-TA 5655T>C, MT-TH 12201T>C, MT-TE 14692A>G and MT-TT 15927G>A were identified in DCM group but absent in controls. These mutations occurred at extremely conserved nucleotides of corresponding tRNAs, and led to the failure in tRNAs metabolism. Moreover, a significant reduction in ATP and mtDNA copy number, whereas a markedly increased in ROS level were observed in polymononuclear leukocytes (PMNs) derived from the DCM patients carrying these mt-tRNA mutations, suggesting that these mutations may cause mitochondrial dysfunction that was responsible for DCM.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data indicated that mt-tRNA mutations may be the molecular basis for DCM, which shaded novel insight into the pathophysiology of DCM that was manifestated by mitochondrial dysfunction.

Help-Seeking Behaviors and Related Factors in Chinese Patients With Major Depressive Disorder: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Although evidence-based and effective treatments are available for people with major depressive disorder (MDD), a substantial number do not seek or receive help. Therefore, this study aimed to (1) investigate the total help-seeking rate and first-time help-seeking choices; (2) explore the perceived helpfulness of 23 potential sources; and (3) evaluate the factors related to help-seeking behaviors among patients with MDD.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Data came from the Tianjin Mental Health Survey (TJMHS), which included a representative sample of adult community residents (n = 11,748) in the Chinese municipality of Tianjin. Of these, 439 individuals were diagnosed with lifetime MDD according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual-fourth edition (DSM-IV) and administered a help-seeking questionnaire.

RESULTS

In a survey, 28.2% of patients with MDD living community reported that they had ever sought any help during their entire lifetime before the interview, with 8.2% seeking help in mental healthcare settings, 8.0% only in other healthcare settings, and 12.0% only in non-healthcare sources (e.g., family, friends, and spiritual advisor). Among help-seekers, the first help mainly was sought in non-healthcare sources (61.3%), followed by healthcare settings (25.8%) and mental healthcare settings (12.9%). The majority of MDD individuals thought the non-healthcare sources were not helpful and mental healthcare settings were helpful or possibly helpful to solve mental problems. Female, having 10-12 or higher education years, comorbid anxiety disorders were associated with increased help-seeking.

CONCLUSION

A small percentage of individuals with MDD living in community of Tianjin sought help. They preferred non-healthcare sources to healthcare settings. Demographic and clinical features were associated with help-seeking behaviors.

Doublecortin and JIP3 are neural-specific counteracting regulators of dynein-mediated retrograde trafficking

Mutations in the microtubule (MT)-binding protein doublecortin (DCX) or in the MT-based molecular motor dynein result in lissencephaly. However, a functional link between DCX and dynein has not been defined. Here, we demonstrate that DCX negatively regulates dynein-mediated retrograde transport in neurons from Dcx^-/y or Dcx^-/y;Dclk1^-/- mice by reducing dynein's association with MTs and disrupting the composition of the dynein motor complex. Previous work showed an increased binding of the adaptor protein C-Jun-amino-terminal kinase-interacting protein 3 (JIP3) to dynein in the absence of DCX. Using purified components, we demonstrate that JIP3 forms an active motor complex with dynein and its cofactor dynactin with two dyneins per complex. DCX competes with the binding of the second dynein, resulting in a velocity reduction of the complex. We conclude that DCX negatively regulates dynein-mediated retrograde transport through two critical interactions by regulating dynein binding to MTs and regulating the composition of the dynein motor complex.

Effect of foliar application of the selenium-rich nutrient solution on the selenium accumulation in grains of Foxtail millet (Zhangzagu 10)

The foliar application of selenium (Se) is an effective method for biofortification of Se in crop grains in order to provide sufficient Se for human health. As a staple food in China, the foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.), which had been Se biofortification, would be helpful to overcome Se deficiency in the diet. The Se fertilizer and its application technology are vital for reducing environmental risk while enriching selenium. Hence, the Se-rich nutrient solution developed by ourselves was used, and the effect of its amount and growth stage applied on the accumulation of Se in grains of foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.) was studied in the present study. The results were as follows: (1) the Se concentration in grains increased with the Se application rate increasing, and the highest Se concentration in grains was 1.83 mg kg^-1 at the sprayed concentration of 61.5 gSe hm^-2; (2) the accumulation of Se sprayed in the grain-filling stage was 1.3-1.6 times higher than that in the joint stage; and (3) the organ damage could be found under low Se/S ratio, which happened in the rice leaves when the Se rate was higher than 76.875 gSe m^-2 with the low sulfate application compared with the formulation. This Se-rich nutrient solution could be used to produce the Se-rich millet grains and foliar application in the reproductive stage to produce qualified Se-rich millet.