Commercial Chinese polyherbal preparation Zao Ren An Shen prescription for primary insomnia: a systematic review with meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis.

Background: Natural products are widely used for primary insomnia (PI). This systematic review with trial sequential analysis (TSA) aimed to summarize evidence pertaining to the effectiveness and safety of Zao Ren An Shen (ZRAS) prescription, a commercial Chinese polyherbal preparation, for treating PI. Methods: Controlled clinical trials appraising ZRAS compared to controls or as an add-on treatment were systematically searched across seven databases until January 2024. Cochrane ROB 2.0 and ROBINS-I tools were adopted to determine risk of bias. Quality of evidence was assessed using the GRADE framework. Results: We analyzed 22 studies, involving 2,142 participants. The effect of ZRAS in reducing Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores was found to be comparable to benzodiazepines [MD = 0.39, 95%CI (-0.12, 0.91), p = 0.13] and superior to Z-drugs [MD = -1.31, 95%CI (-2.37, -0.24), p = 0.02]. The addition of ZRAS to hypnotics more significantly reduced polysomnographically-recorded sleep onset latency [MD = -4.44 min, 95%CI (-7.98, -0.91), p = 0.01] and number of awakenings [MD = -0.89 times, 95%CI (-1.67, -0.10), p = 0.03], and increased total sleep time [MD = 40.72 min, 95%CI (25.14, 56.30), p < 0.01], with fewer adverse events than hypnotics alone. TSA validated the robustness of these quantitative synthesis results. However, the quality of evidence ranged from very low to low. The limited data available for follow-up did not support meta-synthesis. Conclusion: While ZRAS prescription shows promising effectiveness in treating PI, the overall quality of evidence is limited. Rigorously-designed randomized control trials are warranted to confirm the short-term efficacy of ZRAS and explore its medium-to-long-term efficacy. Systematic Review Registration: (https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=471497), identifier (CRD42023471497).

Multi-gene phylogenetic analyses revealed two novel species and one new record of Trichobotrys (Pleosporales, Dictyosporiaceae) from China.

The rotting wood in freshwater is a unique eco-environment favoring various fungi. During our investigation of freshwater fungi on decaying wood, three hyphomycetes were collected from Jiangxi and Guangxi Provinces, China. Based on the morphological observations and phylogenetic analysis of a combined DNA data containing ITS, LSU, SSU and tef1-α sequences, two new Trichobotrys species, T.meilingensis and T.yunjushanensis, as well as a new record of T.effusa, were introduced. Additionally, a comprehensive description of the genus with both morphological and molecular data was first provided.

Career Considerations in Nurse-Led Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinics: a Two-Center Qualitative Study.

Background: Growing demand exists for high-quality Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) care, particularly through Nurse-led TCM clinics (TCM-NLCs). Nurses with extensive experience in TCM departments represent a potential workforce for this healthcare model. This qualitative study aims to investigate the willingness of these candidates to engage in TCM-NLCs, with a specific focus on their main concerns and apprehensions when facing new challenges. Methods: Individual semi-structured face to face interviews were conducted with senior nurses from two TCM hospitals in Shanghai. Each participant had a minimum of three years of work experience in a TCM related department. Conventional qualitative content analysis was utilized. Results: Fourteen participants were interviewed and data saturation was achieved. Nurses exhibited strong interest in practicing in TCM-NLCs. They believed that such innovative TCM nursing service model not only extends nursing role, provides greater empowerment and opportunities for professional development but also meets patients' diverse healthcare needs, reduces reliance on other healthcare providers such as doctors, and increases hospital revenue. However, challenges such as deficiencies in evidence-based TCM nursing education, the absence of standardized practice guidelines, and limited prescriptive privileges were identified as primary obstacles to engaging in TCM-NLCs practice, potentially undermining the specialization of this advanced nursing practice model. Conclusion: Although the nurses interviewed were highly motivated, they generally lacked confidence to practice independently in TCM-NLCs. A pressing priority is to address their concerns by providing appropriate resources as well as education and policy support to enhance their competency and ensure their practice autonomy, therefore building a more qualified pool of professionals for advanced TCM nursing practice.

Gustatory Receptor 206 Participates in the Foraging Behavior of Larvae of Polyphagous Pest Spodoptera litura.

Insect gustatory receptors (GRs) aid in the precise identification of deterrent or stimulant compounds associated with food, mating, and egg-laying. Thus, they are promising targets for developing efficient insecticides. Here, 61 GRs in the chemosensory organs of Spodoptera litura larvae and adults were identified. Among them, SlitGR206 exhibited larval labium (LL)-specific expression characteristics. To explore the role of SlitGR206, a bacterial expression system was established to produce high-quality double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) and suppress SlitGR206 expression in LL. Subsequent behavioral assessments revealed that SlitGR206 silencing influenced larval feeding preferences and absorption. Moreover, it was found to reduce the ability of larvae to forage the five crucial host odorants. These findings demonstrate that SlitGR206 likely plays an indirect regulatory role in host recognition, consequently affecting foraging behavior. This provides a crucial foundation for the analysis of functional diversity among insect GRs and the precise development of nucleic acid pesticides in the future.

Acupuncture for primary insomnia: Effectiveness, safety, mechanisms and recommendations for clinical practice.

Primary insomnia (PI) is an increasing concern in modern society. Cognitive-behavioral therapy for insomnia is the first-line recommendation, yet limited availability and cost impede its widespread use. While hypnotics are frequently used, balancing their benefits against the risk of adverse events poses challenges. This review summarizes the clinical and preclinical evidence of acupuncture as a treatment for PI, discussing its potential mechanisms and role in reliving insomnia. Clinical trials show that acupuncture improves subjective sleep quality, fatigue, cognitive impairments, and emotional symptoms with minimal adverse events. It also positively impacts objective sleep processes, including prolonging total sleep time, improving sleep efficiency, reducing sleep onset latency and wake after sleep onset, and enhancing sleep architecture/structure, including increasing N3% and REM%, and decreasing N1%. However, methodological shortcomings in some trials diminish the overall quality of evidence. Animal studies suggest that acupuncture restores circadian rhythms in sleep-deprived rodents and improves their performance in behavioral tests, possibly mediated by various clinical variables and pathways. These may involve neurotransmitters, brain-derived neurotrophic factors, inflammatory cytokines, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, gut microbiota, and other cellular events. While the existing findings support acupuncture as a promising therapeutic strategy for PI, additional high-quality trials are required to validate its benefits.

A guided ion beam investigation of UO2+ thermodynamics and f orbital participation: Reactions of U+ + CO2, UO+ + O2, and UO+ + CO.

A guided ion beam tandem mass spectrometer was employed to study the reactions of U+ + CO2, UO+ + O2, and the reverse of the former, UO+ + CO. Reaction cross sections as a function of kinetic energy over about a three order of magnitude range were studied for all systems. The reaction of U+ + CO2 proceeds to form UO+ + CO with an efficiency of 118% ± 24% as well as generating UO2+ + C and UCO+ + O. The reaction of UO+ + O2 forms UO2+ in an exothermic, barrierless process and also results in the collision-induced dissociation of UO+ to yield U+. In the UO+ + CO reaction, the formation of UO2+ in an endothermic process is the dominant reaction, but minor products of UCO+ + O and U+ + (O + CO) are also observed. Analysis of the kinetic energy dependences observed provides the bond energies, D0(U+-O) = 7.98 ± 0.22 and 8.05 ± 0.14 eV, D0(U+-CO) = 0.73 ± 0.13 eV, and D0(OU+-O) = 7.56 ± 0.12 eV. The values obtained for D0(U+-O) and D0(OU+-O) agree well with the previously reported literature values. To our knowledge, this is the first experimental measurement of D0(U+-CO). An analysis of the oxide bond energies shows that participation of 5f orbitals leads to a substantial increase in the thermodynamic stability of UO2+ relative to ThO2+ and especially transition metal dioxide cations.

Identifying complementary and alternative medicine recommendations for anxiety treatment and care: a systematic review and critical assessment of comprehensive clinical practice guidelines.

Background: Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) are used to guide decision-making, especially regarding complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies that are unfamiliar to orthodox healthcare providers. This systematic review aimed to critically review and summarise CAM recommendations associated with anxiety management included in the existing CPGs. Methods: Seven databases, websites of six international guidelines developing institutions, and the National Centre for Complementary and Integrative Health website were systematically searched. Their reporting and methodological quality were evaluated using the Reporting Items for practice Guidelines in Healthcare checklist and the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (2nd version) instrument, respectively. Results: Ten CPGs were included, with reporting rates between 51.4 and 88.6%. Seven of these were of moderate to high methodological quality. Seventeen CAM modalities were implicated, involving phytotherapeutics, mind-body practice, art therapy, and homeopathy. Applied relaxation was included in 70% CPGs, which varied in degree of support for its use in the treatment of generalised anxiety disorder. There were few recommendations for other therapies/products. Light therapy was not recommended for use in generalised anxiety disorder, and St John's wort and mindfulness were not recommended for use in social anxiety disorder in individual guidelines. Recommendations for the applicability of other therapies/products for treating a specific anxiety disorder were commonly graded as "unclear, unambiguous, or uncertain". No CAM recommendations were provided for separation anxiety disorder, specific phobia or selective mutism. Conclusion: Available guidelines are limited in providing logically explained graded CAM recommendations for anxiety treatment and care. A lack of high-quality evidence and multidisciplinary consultation during the guideline development are two major reasons. High quality and reliable clinical evidence and the engagement of a range of interdisciplinary stakeholders are needed for future CPG development and updating. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42022373694, identifier CRD42022373694.

Establishment of pseudorabies virus latency and reactivation model in mice dorsal root ganglia culture.

Pseudorabies virus (PRV) belongs to the alpha herpesvirus family and is responsible for Aujeszky's disease in pigs. Similar to other alpha herpesviruses, PRV establishes a lifelong latent infection in trigeminal ganglion. These latently infected pigs serve as a reservoir for recurrent infections when reactivation is triggered, making the eradication of PRV a challenging task. However, the molecular mechanism underlying PRV latency and reactivation in neurons is still poorly understood due to limitations in the in vitro model. To establish a pseudorabies virus latency and reactivation model in primary neuron cultures, we isolated dorsal root ganglion (DRG) from newborn Kunming mice using a method named epineurium-pulling for DRG collection (EPDC) and cultured primary neurons in vitro. A dual-colour recombinant PRV BAC mRuby-VP16 was constructed and 0.5 multiplicity of infection (MOI) was found as an appropriate dose in the presence of aciclovir to establish latency. Reactivation was induced using UV-inactivated herpesviruses or a series of chemical inhibitors. Interestingly, we found that not only UV-PRV, but also UV-HSV-1 and UV-BHoV-5 were able to induce rapid PRV reactivation. The efficiency of reactivation for LY294002, forskolin, etoposide, dexamethasone, and acetylcholine was found to be dependent on their concentration. In conclusion, we developed a valuable model of PRV latency and reactivation, which provides a basis for future mechanism research.

Effects of exogenous trehalose on filling characteristics and sugar component content of wheat under high temperature stress during the filling period.

Taking the heat-sensitive wheat variety 'Fanmai 5' (FM5) and the heat-tolerant variety 'Huaimai 33' (HM33), which were screened out in the previous experiments, as experimental materials, we conducted a field experiment with passive heat-enhancing shelters to simulate post-flowering high-temperature environment (average temperature increase of 5.13 ℃) during 2021-2022. During the filling period, we analyzed the effects of exogenous trehalose (10, 15 and 20 mmol·L-1) on the filling characteristics and sugar fraction under high temperature, with no spraying at ordinary temperature as control (CK). The results showed that treating without spraying exogenous trehalose at high temperature (H) significantly reduced wheat grain yield and grain weight during the filling period, and spraying exogenous trehalose alleviated the reduction of grain yield and grain weight at the filling stage under high temperature stress. Compared with the H treatment, grain yield and grain weight of HM33 and FM5 wheat varie-ties increased by 3.5%, 6.7% and 4.2%, 5.4%, respectively. High temperature stress significantly increased the trehalose content and trehalase (THL) activity in flag leaves of both wheat varieties, and decreased the fructose and glucose contents. Spraying exogenous trehalose increased the contents of trehalose, fructose, and glucose in flag leaves, and decreased the trehalase activity in flag leaves compared with H treatment, which could improve the glucose metabolism capacity of wheat at filling stage. The increasing effect of FM5 was higher than that of HM33. High temperature stress significantly reduced starch content of flag leaves and grains, while spraying exogenous trehalose alleviated the decrease of starch content of flag leaves and grains under high temperature stress, which was profit able for the substance accumulation of wheat grains under high temperature stress. Under the conditions of this experiment, spraying 15 mmol·L-1 trehalose at flowering stage was the best treatment for the two wheat varieties.

Managing depression with complementary and alternative medicine therapies: a scientometric analysis and visualization of research activities.

Background: Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) interventions may prove to be an attractive option for the treatment of depression. The aim of this scientometric analysis is to determine the global scientific output of research regarding managing depression with CAM and identify the hotspots and frontiers within this theme. Methods: Publications regarding the utilization of CAM for treating depression were collected from the Web of Science Core Collection from 1993 to 2022, and analyzed and visualized by Bibliometrix R-package, VOSviewer, and CiteSpace. Results: A total of 1,710 publications were acquired. The number of annual publications showed an overall rapid upward trend, with the figure peaking at 179 in 2021. The USA was the leading research center. Totally 2,323 distinct institutions involving 7,638 scholars contributed to the research theme. However, most of the cooperation was limited to within the same country, institution or research team. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine was the most productive periodical. The CAM therapies of most interest to researchers were acupuncture and body-mind techniques, such as yoga, meditation and mindfulness. Systematic review and meta-analysis are commonly used methods. "Inflammation," "rating scale" and "psychological stress" were identified as the most studied trend topics recently. Conclusion: Managing depression with evidence-based CAM treatment is gaining attention globally. Body-mind techniques and acupuncture are growing research hotspots or emerging trending topics. Future studies are predicted to potentially investigate the possible mechanisms of action underlying CAM treatments in reducing depression in terms of modulation of psychological stress and inflammation levels. Cross-countries/institutes/team research collaborations should be encouraged and further enhanced.

Identifying complementary and alternative medicine recommendations for insomnia treatment and care: a systematic review and critical assessment of comprehensive clinical practice guidelines.

Background: There is a need for evidence-informed guidance on the use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for insomnia because of its widespread utilization and a lack of guidance on the balance of benefits and harms. This systematic review aimed to identify and summarize the CAM recommendations associated with insomnia treatment and care from existing comprehensive clinical practice guidelines (CPGs). The quality of the eligible guidelines was appraised to assess the credibility of these recommendations. Methods: Formally published CPGs incorporating CAM recommendations for insomnia management were searched for in seven databases from their inception to January 2023. The NCCIH website and six websites of international guideline developing institutions were also retrieved. The methodological and reporting quality of each included guideline was appraised using the AGREE II instrument and RIGHT statement, respectively. Results: Seventeen eligible GCPs were included, and 14 were judged to be of moderate to high methodological and reporting quality. The reporting rate of eligible CPGs ranged from 42.9 to 97.1%. Twenty-two CAM modalities were implicated, involving nutritional or natural products, physical CAM, psychological CAM, homeopathy, aromatherapy, and mindful movements. Recommendations for these modalities were mostly unclear, unambiguous, uncertain, or conflicting. Logically explained graded recommendations supporting the CAM use in the treatment and/or care of insomnia were scarce, with bibliotherapy, Tai Chi, Yoga, and auriculotherapy positively recommended based on little and weak evidence. The only consensus was that four phytotherapeutics including valerian, chamomile, kava, and aromatherapy were not recommended for insomnia management because of risk profile and/or limited benefits. Conclusions: Existing guidelines are generally limited in providing clear, evidence-informed recommendations for the use of CAM therapies for insomnia management due to a lack of high-quality evidence and multidisciplinary consultation in CPG development. More well-designed studies to provide reliable clinical evidence are therefore urgently needed. Allowing the engagement of a range of interdisciplinary stakeholders in future updates of CPGs is also warranted. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=369155, identifier: CRD42022369155.

Structurally Diverse Phenolic Amides from the Fruits of Lycium barbarum with Potent α-Glucosidase, Dipeptidyl Peptidase-4 Inhibitory, and PPAR-γ Agonistic Activities.

A total of nine new phenolic amides (1-9), including four pairs of enantiomeric mixtures (3-5 and 8), along with ten known analogues (10-19) were identified from the fruits of Lycium barbarum using bioassay-guided chromatographic fractionation. Their structures were elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic and spectrometric analyses, chiral HPLC analyses, and quantum NMR, and electronic circular dichroism calculations. Compounds 5-7 are the first example of feruloyl tyramine dimers fused through a cyclobutane ring. The activity results indicated that compounds 1, 11, and 13-17 exhibited remarkable inhibition against α-glucosidase with IC50 of 1.11-33.53 µM, 5-150 times stronger than acarbose (IC50 = 169.78 µM). Meanwhile, compounds 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 13, and 14 exerted moderate agonistic activities for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR-γ), with EC50 values of 10.09-44.26 µM. Especially,compound 14 also presented inhibitory activity on dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPPIV), with an IC50 value of 47.13 µM. Furthermore, the banding manner of compounds 14 and 17 with the active site of α-glucosidase, DPPIV, and PPAR-γ was explored by employing molecular docking analysis.

The identification of AMZ2 as a candidate causative gene in a severe teratozoospermia patient characterized by vacuolated spermatozoa.

Teratozoospermia with cephalic defects is one of the most severe types of sperm defects known to date. While several monogenic factors are linked to cephalic abnormalities, such as globozoospermia and macrozoospermia, the genetic cause of vacuolated spermatozoa remains inadequately described. Here, we analyzed whole-exome sequencing (WES) data for an individual from a consanguineous family with severely vacuolated spermatozoa. The analysis revealed a novel homozygous c.520A>G (p.Thr174Ala) variant in the archaelysin family metallopeptidase 2 (AMZ2), a gene that encodes a zinc metalloprotease previously shown to be highly expressed in the testes and sperm. Multiple algorithms predicted this variant to be a damaging mutation. Consistent with an autosomal recessive mode of inheritance, this variant was inherited from heterozygous parental carriers. To investigate the potential pathogenicity of the identified variant, we compared the AMZ2 expression in sperm cells from the patient with the AMZ2 variant and from a healthy control. Immunoblot analysis revealed that the homozygous missense variant in AMZ2 abolished AMZ2 expression in the spermatozoa. Our findings reveal a candidate causative gene for vacuolated spermatozoa.

IL-10-dependent Effect of Chinese Medicine Abelmoschus manihot on Alleviating Intestinal Inflammation and Modulating Gut Microbiota.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a recurrent disease associated with a potential risk of colorectal cancer. Abelmoschus manihot (AM), a Chinese herbal medicine, is known to alleviate IBD. However, its mechanism of action requires further clarification. Here, we focused on the role of IL-10 and the gut microbiota in the mechanism of action of AM. The effects of AM on intestinal inflammation, mucus production, and gut microbes were evaluated in dextran sodium sulfate (DSS)-induced acute and chronic IBD models and in IL-10-deficient mice (IL-10[Formula: see text]). AM exhibited protective effects on acute and chronic models of IBD in wild-type mice by restoring body weight and colon length, promoting IL-10 secretion, and decreasing TNF-[Formula: see text] levels. Moreover, AM alleviated inflammatory infiltration, increased mucin 2 transcription, and increased the number of goblet cells in the colon. On the contrary, these effects were diminished in IL-10[Formula: see text] mice, which implied that the effect of AM on intestinal inflammation is IL-10-dependent. A gut microbial sequencing analysis showed that gut microbial dysbiosis was modulated by AM intervention. The regulatory effects of AM on Eggerthellaceae, Sutterellaceae, Erysipelotrichaceae, Burkholderiaceae, Desulfovibrionaceae, and Enterococcaceae were dependent on IL-10. These results revealed that AM ameliorated IBD and modulated gut microbes by promoting IL-10 secretion, indicating that AM has the potential to improve IBD and that AM is IL-10-dependent.

Novel 2-Amino-1,4-Naphthoquinone Derivatives Induce A549 Cell Death through Autophagy.

A series of 1,4-naphthoquinone derivatives containing were synthesized as anti-cancer agents and the crystal structure of compound 5a was confirmed by X-ray diffraction. In addition, the inhibitory activities against four cancer cell lines (HepG2, A549, K562, and PC-3) were tested, respectively, and compound 5i showed significant cytotoxicity on the A549 cell line with the IC50 of 6.15 µM. Surprisingly, in the following preliminary biological experiments, we found that compound 5i induced autophagy by promoting the recycling of EGFR and signal transduction in the A549 cell, resulting in the activation of the EGFR signal pathway. The potential binding pattern between compound 5i and EGFR tyrosine kinase (PDB ID: 1M17) was also identified by molecular docking. Our research paves the way for further studies and the development of novel and powerful anti-cancer drugs.

[Alkaloids from fruit of Lycium chinense var. potaninii].

Ten alkaloids(1-10) were isolated from the ethyl acetate extract of the fruit of Lycium chinense var. potaninii by silica gel, ODS, and preparative high performance liquid chromatography(HPLC), and identified by NMR and MS as methyl(2S)-[2-formyl-5-(hydroxymethyl)-1H-pyrrol-1-yl]-3-(phenyl)propanoate(1), methyl(2R)-[2-formyl-5-(methoxymethyl)-1H-pyrrol-1-yl]-3-(phenyl)propanoate(2), 3-hydroxy-4-ethyl ketone pyridine(3), indolyl-3-carbaldehyde(4),(R)-4-isobutyl-3-oxo-3,4-dihydro-1H-pyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]oxazine-6-carbaldehyde(5),(R)-4-isopropyl-3-oxo-3,4-dihydro-1H-pyrrolo[2,1-c][1,4]oxazine-6-car-baldehyde(6), methyl(2R)-[2-formyl-5-(methoxymethyl)-1H-pyrrol-1-yl]-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propanoate(7), dimethyl(2R)-[2-formyl-5-(methoxymethyl)-1H-pyrrol-1-yl]butanedioate(8), 4-[formyl-5-(methoxymethyl)-1H-pyrrol-1-yl]butanoate(9), 4-[2-formyl-5-(methoxymethyl)-1H-pyrrol-1-yl]butanoic acid(10). All the compounds were isolated from the plant for the first time. Among them, compounds 1-3 were new compounds. Compounds 1-9 were evaluated for hypoglycemic activity in vitro with the palmitic acid-induced insulin resistance in HepG2 cells. At 10 µmol·L~(-1), compounds 4, 6, 7, and 9 can promote the glucose consumption of HepG2 cells with insulin resistance.

[Anatomic Abnormalities of Hippocampal Subfields in First-Episode Drug-Naïve Schizophrenia and Major Depressive Disorder: A Structural MRI Comparative Study].

Objective: To compare the structural changes along the longitudinal axis of hippocampus subfields between schizophrenia (SCZ) patients and major depressive disorder (MDD) patients in the early stage of their SCZ and MDD. Methods: Seventy-nine first-episode drug-naïve patients with SCZ, 48 first-episode drug-naïve patients with MDD, and 79 healthy controls (HC) were recruited and underwent assessment of clinical symptoms and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the head. Following the calculation of hippocampal and subfield volumes with FreeSurfer, the volume of longitudinal subfields were summed up. Inter-group comparison of these indicators was made with the data of different groups and the correlation between clinical symptoms and the volumes of longitudinal subfields was analyzed. Results: Compared with HC, SCZ patients had smaller bilateral posterior hippocampus (left: t=－2.69, P=0.01; right: t=－2.90, P=0.004), while MDD patients exhibited no changes along the longitudinal axis of hippocampal subfields. In SCZ patients, the volume of bilateral posterior hippocampus was negatively correlated with the negative symptom scores of Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (left: r=－0.29, P=0.01; right: r=－0.23, P=0.04). Conclusion: The smaller posterior hippocampus may be an imaging feature for distinguishing SCZ from MDD and may have contributed to the neuropathophysiological mechanism of SCZ in the early stage of the onset of the disease.

Acupuncture for comorbid depression and insomnia in perimenopause: A feasibility patient-assessor-blinded, randomized, and sham-controlled clinical trial.

Background and objective: Whilst acupuncture is widely used for treating psychosomatic diseases, there is little high-quality evidence supporting its application in comorbid perimenopausal depression (PMD) and insomnia (PMI) which are common complaints during climacteric. This feasibility, patient-assessor-blinded, randomized, sham-controlled clinical trial addresses this gap by investigating the efficacy and safety of acupuncture on depressed mood and poor sleep in women with comorbid PMD and PMI. Methods: Seventy eligible participants were randomly assigned to either real-acupuncture (RA) or sham-acupuncture (SA) groups. Either RA or SA treatment were delivered in 17 sessions over 8 weeks. The primary outcomes for mood and sleep were changes on 17-items Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAM-D17) and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) scores, from baseline to 16-week follow-up. Secondary outcome measures involved anxiety symptoms, perimenopausal symptoms, quality of life, participants' experience of and satisfaction with the acupuncture treatment. Blood samples were taken to measure reproductive hormone levels. Intention-To-Treat and Per-Protocol analyses were conducted with linear mixed-effects models. The James' and Bang's blinding indices were used to assess the adequacy of blinding. Results: Sixty-five participants completed all treatment sessions, and 54 and 41 participants completed the eight- and 16-week follow-ups, respectively. At post-treatment and 8-week follow-up, the RA group showed a significantly greater reduction in PSQI scores than the SA group did; although the reduction of HAM-D17 scores in RA group was significant, the change was not statistically different from that of SA. There were no significant mean differences between baseline and 16-week follow-up in either HAM-D17 or PSQI in either group. There were no significant between-group differences in serum reproductive hormone levels. All treatments were tolerable and no serious adverse events were reported, and the blinding was successful. Conclusion: Acupuncture is safe and can contribute to clinically relevant improvements in comorbid PMD and PMI, with satisfactory short-and medium-term effects. Whether the anti-depressive benefit of acupuncture is specific or non-specific remains to be determined. No evidence was found for any longer-term benefit of acupuncture compared to sham at 16 weeks. Further research is required to elucidate mechanisms underlying the short to medium term effects of acupuncture.

Alzheimer's disease with sleep insufficiency: a cross-sectional study on correlations among clinical characteristics, orexin, its receptors, and the blood-brain barrier.

Previous studies have shown that reduced sleep duration, sleep fragmentation, and decreased sleep quality in patients with Alzheimer's disease are related to dysfunction in orexin signaling. At the same time, blood-brain barrier disruption is considered an early biomarker of Alzheimer's disease. However, currently no report has examined how changes in orexin signaling relate to changes in the blood-brain barrier of patients who have Alzheimer's disease with sleep insufficiency. This cross-sectional study included 50 patients with Alzheimer's disease who received treatment in 2019 at Beijing Tiantan Hospital. Patients were divided into two groups: those with insufficient sleep (sleep duration ≤ 6 hours, n = 19, age 61.58 ± 8.54 years, 10 men) and those with normal sleep durations (sleep duration > 6 hours, n = 31, age 63.19 ± 10.09 years, 18 men). Demographic variables were collected to evaluate cognitive function, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and activities of daily living. The levels of orexin, its receptor proteins, and several blood-brain barrier factors were measured in cerebrospinal fluid. Sleep insufficiency was associated with impaired overall cognitive function that spanned multiple cognitive domains. Furthermore, levels of orexin and its receptors were upregulated in the cerebrospinal fluid, and the blood-brain barrier was destroyed. Both these events precipitated each other and accelerated the progression of Alzheimer's disease. These findings describe the clinical characteristics and potential mechanism underlying Alzheimer's disease accompanied by sleep deprivation. Inhibiting the upregulation of elements within the orexin system or preventing the breakdown of the blood-brain barrier could thus be targets for treating Alzheimer's disease.

Emerging evidence on the effects of plant-derived microRNAs in colorectal cancer: a review.

Food nutrition and human health are still interesting international issues. Early detection, risk assessment and diet are vital to mitigate the load of intestinal diseases and enhance the quality of life. Plant-derived microRNAs could be transferred to mammalian organisms by cross-kingdom regulation which adjusts relevant target genes for their participation in the process of carcinogenesis. But the mechanism of plant-derived microRNAs in colorectal cancer is still unclear. This review aims to summarize the current pathways of plant-derived microRNAs in colorectal cancer including intestinal bacteria, the tumor microenvironment, plant active substances and protein, discuss the direct or indirect effects of plant-derived microRNAs on the occurrence and/or progression of colorectal cancer and explain why plant-derived microRNAs can be used as a potential anti-cancer agent. Moreover, the drawbacks of plant-derived microRNAs are also discussed in terms of both edible plants and synthetic delivery vectors for RNAi interference technology for human disease treatment. This review will provide a potential way for plant-derived microRNAs to target colorectal cancer.