Mapping the modulating effect of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation on voxel-based analyses in patients with first-episode major depressive disorder: a resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study

Introduction: Seed-based analysis has shown that transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) can modulate the dysfunctional brain network in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the voxel-based neuropsychological mechanism of taVNS on patients with first-episode MDD is poorly understood. The objective of this study was to assess the effects of an 8-week course of taVNS on patients with first-episode MDD. Methods: Twenty-two patients with first-episode MDD accepted an 8-week course of taVNS treatment. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) scans were performed before and after treatment. Voxel-based analyses were performed to characterize spontaneous brain activity. Healthy controls (n=23) were recruited to minimize test-retest effects. Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was performed to ascertain treatment-related changes. Then, correlations between changes in brain activity and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D)/Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAM-A) remission rate were estimated. Results: Significant group-by-time interactions on voxel-based analyses were observed in the inferior ventral striatum (VSi) and precuneus. Post-hoc analyses showed that taVNS inhibited higher brain activity in the VSi, while upregulating it in the precuneus. Functional connectivity (FC) between the VSi and precuneus decreased. Positive correlations were found between the HAM-D remission rate and changes in brain activity in the VSi. Conclusion: taVNS reduced the FC between VSi and precuneus by normalizing the abnormal spontaneous brain activity of VSi in first-episode MDD patients.

Novel PAX9 compound heterozygous variants in a Chinese family with non-syndromic oligodontia and genotype-phenotype analysis of PAX9 variants

Abstract Studies have reported that >91.9% of non-syndromic tooth agenesis cases are caused by seven pathogenic genes. Objective To report novel heterozygous PAX9 variants in a Chinese family with non-syndromic oligodontia and summarize the reported genotype-phenotype relationship of PAX9 variants. Methodology We recruited 28 patients with non-syndromic oligodontia who were admitted to the Hospital of Stomatology Hebei Medical University (China) from 2018 to 2021. Peripheral blood was collected from the probands and their core family members for whole-exome sequencing (WES) and variants were verified by Sanger sequencing. Bioinformatics tools were used to predict the pathogenicity of the variants. SWISS-MODEL homology modeling was used to analyze the three-dimensional structural changes of variant proteins. We also analyzed the genotype-phenotype relationships of PAX9 variants. Results We identified novel compound heterozygous PAX9 variants (reference sequence NM_001372076.1) in a Chinese family with non-syndromic oligodontia: a new missense variant c.1010C>A (p.T337K) in exon 4 and a new frameshift variant c.330_331insGT (p.D113Afs*9) in exon 2, which was identified as the pathogenic variant in this family. This discovery expands the known variant spectrum of PAX9; then, we summarized the phenotypes of non-syndromic oligodontia with PAX9 variants. Conclusion We found that PAX9 variants commonly lead to loss of the second molars.

Influence of small-group experiential learning of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine on the oral health knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors of elderly patients with diabetes

SUMMARY OBJECTIVE: This study aimed at the oral health problems of elderly patients with diabetes. A training course of integrated traditional Chinese and Western medicine was constructed, helping patients improve their oral health quality of life. METHODS: A randomized controlled prospective experimental study was conducted. A total of 190 elderly patients were divided randomly into an observation group and a control group with 95 cases in each. The control group received regular health education, while the observation group was based on the control group to implement the integrated experiential learning of traditional Chinese and Western medicine in small groups. The oral health knowledge, attitude, behavior, and blood glucose control status along with the oral health quality of life of the two groups were compared before the intervention and at 3-month postintervention. RESULTS: Three months after the intervention, the fasting blood glucose control and the 2-h postprandial blood glucose/glycosylated hemoglobin levels in the observation group were significantly better than in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.05). The oral health quality of life in the observation group was significantly better than in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant (p<0.05). CONCLUSION: The small-group experiential learning model of integrated Chinese and Western medicine can promote the transformation of knowledge-beliefs-behaviors in elderly patients with diabetes, which is conducive to controlling blood sugar levels and improving the quality of oral health.

Associations of Infarct Size and Regional Myocardial Function Examined by Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Feature Tracking Strain Analysis with the Infarct Location in Patients with Acute ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction / 中国医学科学杂志(英文版)

Objective To quantitatively evaluate the associations of infarct size, regional myocardial function examined by cardiac magnetic resonance feature tracking (CMR-FT) strain analysis with infarct location in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) treated by primary percutaneous coronary intervention.Methods Cardiac magnetic resonance images were retrospectively analyzed in 95 consecutive STEMI patients with successful reperfusion. The patients were divided into the anterior wall myocardial infarction (AWMI) and nonanterior wall myocardial infarction (NAWMI) groups. Infarct characteristics were assessed by late gadolinium enhancement. Global and regional strains and associated strain rates in the radial, circumferential and longitudinal directions were assessed by CMR-FT based on standard cine images. The associations of infarct size, regional myocardial function examined by CMR-FT strain analysis with infarct location in STEMI patients were evaluated by the Spearman or Pearsonmethod. Results There were 44 patients in the AWMI group and 51 in the NAWMI group. The extent of left ventricular enhanced mass was significantly larger in patients with AWMI compared with the NAWMI group (24.47±11.89, 21.06±12.08 %LV; t=3.928, P = 0.008). In infarct zone analysis, strains in the radial, circumferential and longitudinal directions were remarkably declined in the AWMI group compared with the NAWMI group (z=-20.873, -20.918, -10.357, all P < 0.001). The volume (end-systolic volume index), total enhanced mass and extent of enhanced mass of the left ventricular were correlated best with infarct zone strain in the AWMI group (all P < 0.001). Conclusion In STEMI patients treated by percutaneous coronary intervention, myocardial damage is more extensive and regional myocardial function in the infarct zone is lower in the AWMI group compared with the NAWMI group.

28-hydroxy-3-oxoolan-12-en-2-oic acid and miR-451 synergistically inhibit the proliferation and migration of gastric cancer AGS cells and its possible mechanism / 中国肿瘤生物治疗杂志

@#[摘 要] 目的：探索南蛇藤提取物齐墩果烷型五环三萜（28-hydroxy-3-oxoolean-12-en-2-oic acid）协同miR-451对人胃癌AGS细胞增殖、迁移的影响及其可能的分子机制。方法：用miR-451过表达慢病毒感染AGS细胞，并用盐酸多西环素（DOX）10或100 ng/ml诱导24 h，构建过表达miR-451的细胞AGS/miR-451+。采用10、20、40、80、160 μmol/L的齐墩果烷型五环三萜处理AGS/miR-451+细胞，MTT法、划痕实验分别检测细胞增殖和迁移能力的变化，WB法检测细胞中mTOR通路及凋亡相关蛋白表达水平的变化。结果：成功构建过表达miR-451的AGS/miR-451+细胞。与未加药对照组相比，齐墩果烷型五环三萜处理后AGS/miR-451+细胞的增殖抑制率均呈时间和浓度依赖性升高（P<0.05或P<0.01），细胞迁移率均显著降低（P<0.05或P<0.01）。齐墩果烷型五环三萜处理组细胞中，mTOR 信号通路相关蛋白的表达量均有所降低（P<0.05或P<0.01）；凋亡相关蛋白中，Bcl2的表达量下降，BAX、caspase-3、caspase-1及细胞色素c的表达量升高（P<0.05或P<0.01）。结论：齐墩果烷型五环三萜能够协同miR-451抑制人胃癌AGS细胞的增殖与迁移，其机制可能与影响凋亡和mTOR信号通路相关蛋白的表达有关。

MiR-20 Regulates Myocardiac Ischemia by Targeting KATP Subunit Kir6.1 / 华中科技大学学报（医学）（英德文版）

This study aimed to examine the functional role of microRNA-20 (miR-20) and its potential target,Kir6.1,in ischemic myocardiocytes.The expression of miR-20 was detected by real-time PCR.Myocardiocytes were stained with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL) reagent for apoptosis evaluation.Western blotting was used to detect the Kit6.1 protein in ischemic myocardiocytes transfected with miR-20 mimics or inhibitors.Luciferase reporter gene assay was performed to confirm the targeting effect of miR-20 on KCNJ8.The results showed that miR-20 was remarkably down-regulated,while the KATP subunit Kir6.1 was significantly up-regulated,during myocardial ischemia.The miR-20 overexpression promoted the apoptosis of ischemic myocardiocytes,but showed no such effect on normal cells.Under ischemic condition,myocardiocytes transfected with miR-20 mimics expressed less Kir6.1.On the contrary,inhibiting miR-20 increased the expression of Kir6.1 in the cells.Co-transfection of miR-20 mimics with the KCNJ8 3’-UTR plasmid into HEK293 cells consistently produced less luciferase activity than transfection of the plasmid alone.It was concluded that miR-20 may regulate myocardiac ischemia by targeting KATP subunit Kir6.1 to accelerate the cell apoptosis.Therefore miR-20 may serve as a therapeutic target for myocardial ischemic disease.

Neuroprotective effect of LSS on Aβ1-42-induced BV-2 microglial cells through the inhibition of neuroinflammation / 中国药理学与毒理学杂志

OBJECTIVE To investigate the effect of neuroprotective effect of lychee seed saponins (LSS) in BV-2. METHODS Aβ1-42 induced BV-2 cells were incubated with LSS for 12 h, the content of the inflammatory factors such as IL-1β, TNF-α, COX-2 and iNOS in the supernatant of BV-2 cell were measured by ELISA. The detection of the mRNA levels and the protein expression of the inflammatory factors including IL-1β, TNF-α, COX-2 and iNOS using real-time PCR and Western blotting, respectively. RESULTS The level of IL-1β, COX-2 and iNOS significantly increased with the treatment of Aβ1-42, and 0.117 mg·L-1-0.469 mg·L-1 LSS can inhibit these increased level. CONCLUSION LSS conferred neuroprotection via inhibiting the inflammatory factors expression.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of nitric oxide (NO)-hydrogen sulfide (HS) releasing derivatives of (S)-3-n-butylphthalide as potential antiplatelet agents / 中国天然药物

In the present study, a series of novel nitric oxide-hydrogen sulfide releasing derivatives of (S)-3-n-butylphthalide ((S)-NBP) were designed, synthesized, and evaluated as potential antiplatelet agents. Compound NOSH-NBP-5 displayed the strongest activity in inhibiting the arachidonic acid (AA)- and adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-induced platelet aggregation in vitro, with 3.8- and 7.0-fold more effectiveness than (S)-NBP, respectively. Furthermore, NOSH-NBP-5 could release moderate levels of NO and HS, which would be beneficial in improving cardiovascular and cerebral circulation. Moreover, NOSH-NBP-5 could release (S)-NBP when incubated with rat brain homogenate. In conclusion, these findings may provide new insights into the development of novel antiplatelet agents for the treatment of thrombosis-related ischemic stroke.

Advances in hydrogen sulfide and hydrogen sulfide-releasing drugs / 药学学报

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is considered as a new member of gasotransmitter family, following nitric oxide (NO) and carbon monoxide (CO). H2S exerts important biological effects in mammals, which has drawn more and more attention in recent years. It is proved that H2S has a role in the regulation of physiological and pathophysiological processes in the cardiovascular system and the nervous system. Several cardiovascular and nervous diseases are connected to H2S. H2S-releasing agents (also known as H2S donors) have been widely used not only as useful research tools but also potential therapeutic agents. In this review, we provide an overview of the chemistry and biology of H2S, and summarize the chemistry and biological activity of some natural and synthetic H2S donors. We introduce the developments of currently available H2S-releasing drugs including H2S-non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, H2S-nervous system drugs and NO-H2S-releasing drugs. We hope this review will be a value reference in the development of H2S-releasing drugs in the treatment of cardiovascular and nervous diseases.