Divergent changes in social stress-induced motivation in male and female mice.

Exposure to stressors has been shown to dysregulate motivated behaviors in a bidirectional manner over time. The relationship between stress and motivation is relevant to psychological disorders, including depression, binge eating, and substance use disorder; however, this relationship is not well characterized, especially in females, despite their increased risk of these disorders. Social defeat stress is a common model to study stress-induced motivation changes, however, historically this model excluded females due to lack of female-to-female aggression and unreliable male-to-female aggression.

Modeling and biological evaluation of pegmolesatide, a novel and potent erythropoiesis-stimulating agent.

Pegmolesatide, a synthetic, polyethylene-glycolylated, peptide-based erythropoiesis-stimulating agent (ESA), has been recently approved in China. Pegmolesatide is derived from the structure of endogenous erythropoietin (EPO), a natural product in mammals. This study compared the effects and selectivity of pegmolesatide to those of recombinant EPO and carbamylated EPO (CEPO) through computer-aided analyses and biological tests.

Lesion of NPY Receptor-expressing Neurons in Perifornical Lateral Hypothalamus Attenuates Glucoprivic Feeding.

Glucoprivic feeding is one of several counterregulatory responses (CRRs) that facilitates restoration of euglycemia following acute glucose deficit (glucoprivation). Our previous work established that glucoprivic feeding requires ventrolateral medullary (VLM) catecholamine (CA) neurons that coexpress neuropeptide Y (NPY). However, the connections by which VLM CA/NPY neurons trigger increased feeding are uncertain.

Autologous bone marrow infusion portal vein combined with splenectomy for decompensated liver cirrhosis: A retrospective study.

Background: In a previous study, autologous bone marrow infusion (ABMI) was performed in patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis (DLC) and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome and achieved good results, but whether splenectomy affected outcome was unclear.

Aim: To investigate the efficacy of ABMI combined with splenectomy for treatment of DLC.

Methods: Eighty-three patients with DLC were divided into an intervention group (43 cases) and control group (40 cases) according to whether splenectomy was performed.

Anisodamine hydrobromide in the treatment of critically ill patients with septic shock: a multicenter randomized controlled trial.

Background: Septic shock is the development of sepsis to refractory circulatory collapse and metabolic derangements, characterized by persistent hypotension and increased lactate levels. Anisodamine hydrobromide (Ani HBr) is a Chinese medicine used to improve blood flow in circulatory disorders. The purpose of this study was to determine the therapeutic efficacy of Ani HBr in the treatment of patients with septic shock.

Chemogenetic activation of ventral medullary astrocytes enhances feeding and corticosterone release in response to mild glucoprivation.

To investigate the role of glial cells in the regulation of glucoprivic responses in rats, a chemogenetic approach was used to activate astrocytes neighboring catecholamine (CA) neurons in the ventromedial medulla (VLM) where A1 and C1 CA cell groups overlap (A1/C1). Previous results indicate that activation of CA neurons in this region is necessary and sufficient for feeding and corticosterone release in response to glucoprivation. However, it is not known whether astrocyte neighbors of CA neurons contribute to glucoregulatory responses.

GPR40 deficiency worsens metabolic syndrome-associated periodontitis in mice.

Background And Objective: G protein-coupled receptor 40 (GPR40) is a receptor for medium- and long-chain free fatty acids (FFAs). GPR40 activation improves type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), metabolic syndrome (MetS), and the complications of T2DM and MetS. Periodontitis, a common oral inflammatory disease initiated by periodontal pathogens, is another complication of T2DM and MetS.

Loss of GPR40 in LDL receptor-deficient mice exacerbates high-fat diet-induced hyperlipidemia and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis.

GPR40, a G protein-coupled receptor for free fatty acids (FFAs), is considered as a therapeutic target for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) since GPR40 activation in pancreatic beta cells enhances glucose-stimulated insulin secretion. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is a common complication of T2DM or metabolic syndrome (MetS). However, the role of GPR40 in NAFLD associated with T2DM or MetS has not been well established.

Cidan Capsule in Combination with Adjuvant Transarterial Chemoembolization Reduces Recurrence Rate after Curative Resection of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Multicenter, Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Cidan Capsule combined with adjuvant transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) in patients with a high risk of early recurrence after curative resection of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Methods: A multicenter, randomized controlled trial was conducted in patients with high-risk recurrence factors after curative resection of HCC from 9 medical centers between July 2014 and July 2018. Totally 249 patients were randomly assigned to TACE with or without Cidan Capsule administration groups by stratified block in a 1:1 ratio.

Overexpression of CENPF is associated with progression and poor prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma.

The molecular signatures of lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) are not well understood. Centromere protein F (CENPF) has been shown to promote oncogenesis in many cancers; however, its role in LUAD has not been illustrated. We explored the role of CENPF in LUAD.

GPR40 deficiency is associated with hepatic FAT/CD36 upregulation, steatosis, inflammation, and cell injury in C57BL/6 mice.

G-protein-coupled receptor 40 (GPR40) is highly expressed in pancreatic islets, and its activation increases glucose-stimulated insulin secretion from pancreas. Therefore, GPR40 is considered as a target for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Since nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with T2DM and GPR40 is also expressed by hepatocytes and macrophages, it is important to understand the role of GPR40 in NAFLD.

Proteomics analysis identified TPI1 as a novel biomarker for predicting recurrence of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Background: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is the second most common tumor in primary liver cancer, but the prognostic factors associated with long-term outcomes after surgical resection remain poorly defined. This study aimed to develop a novel prognostic classifier for patients with ICC after surgery.

Methods: Using a proteomics approach, we screened tumor markers that up-regulated in ICC tissues, and narrowed down by bioinformatics analysis, western blot and immunohistochemistry.

Repeated Pharmacogenetic Catecholamine Neuron Activation in the Ventrolateral Medulla Attenuates Subsequent Glucoregulatory Responses.

Hindbrain catecholamine (CA) neurons are essential for elicitation of protective counterregulatory responses (CRRs) to glucose deficit, including increased feeding and elevation of circulating corticosterone, epinephrine, and glucose. Severe or repeated antecedent glucoprivation results in attenuation of these CRRs and failure to correct glucose deficit, constituting a potentially lethal condition known as hypoglycemia-associated autonomic failure (HAAF) that may occur in patients with diabetes on insulin therapy. Recently, we demonstrated that selective pharmacogenetic activation of CA neuron subpopulations in the ventrolateral medulla during normoglycemia elicits these CRRs in a site-specific manner.

Tumor mutation burden in Chinese cancer patients and the underlying driving pathways of high tumor mutation burden across different cancer types.

Background: Tumor mutation burden (TMB) has an important association with immunotherapy responses. TMB in the Chinese population has not been well established. Finding differences between the Chinese and Caucasian populations and elucidating the underlying biological mechanisms of high TMB might help develop more precise and effective means for TMB and immunotherapy response prediction.

MicroRNA let-7b inhibits cell proliferation via upregulation of p21 in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most malignant tumor types and has a high incidence and mortality. Many miRNAs play important roles in the development of HCC. Identification of these miRNAs and their targets is increasingly urgent for a better understandingof miRNA function in both physiological and pathological contexts.

[Spatial Distribution of Nitrogen Metabolism Functional Genes of Eubacteria and Archaebacteria in Dianchi Lake].

Nitrogen metabolism plays an important role in the nitrogen cycle and transformation in Dianchi Lake. Not only do eukaryotes participate in nitrogen transformation but prokaryotes, as the main drivers of the nitrogen cycle, also play an extremely important role in the nitrogen cycle. Based on 16S rDNA high-throughput sequencing technology, 13 sites in Caohai and Waihai of Dianchi Lake were monitored, and PICRUSt function analysis method was adopted to analyze the microbial community diversity and key genes of nitrogen metabolism in Dianchi Lake.

Leptin receptor-expressing neurons in ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus contribute to weight loss caused by fourth ventricle leptin infusions.

Leptin administration into the hindbrain, and specifically the nucleus of the solitary tract, increases phosphorylated signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (pSTAT3), a marker of leptin receptor activation, in hypothalamic nuclei known to express leptin receptors. The ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMH) shows the greatest response, with a threefold increase in pSTAT3. This experiment tested the importance of VMH leptin receptor-expressing neurons in mediating weight loss caused by fourth ventricle (4V) leptin infusion.

Hindbrain glucoregulatory mechanisms: Critical role of catecholamine neurons in the ventrolateral medulla.

Glucose is the required metabolic substrate for the brain. Yet the brain stores very little glucose. Therefore, the brain continuously monitors glucose availability to detect hypoglycemia and to mobilize system-wide responses to protect and restore euglycemia.

Rotation matrix based finite-time attitude synchronization control for spacecraft with external disturbances.

This paper investigates the anti-unwinding finite-time attitude synchronization control problem for Spacecraft formation flying with external disturbances. Two finite-time controllers are designed based on rotation matrix and terminal sliding mode method. By designing a novel sliding mode surface, the first controller is developed when the upper bound of the external disturbances can be exactly known.

Long noncoding RNA TUG1 promotes renal cell carcinoma cell proliferation, migration and invasion by downregulating microRNA‑196a.

Long noncoding RNA taurine upregulated gene 1 (lncRNA TUG1) and microRNA‑196a (miR‑196a) have been reported to serve important roles in the development of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). However, their potential mechanisms have not been completely elucidated. The aim of the present study was to clarify the biological functions of lncRNA‑TUG1 and miR‑196a, in addition to investigating the interaction between lncRNA‑TUG1 and microRNA‑196a, providing a novel insight into RCC tumorigenesis.

Decreased Expression of ZWINT is Associated With Poor Prognosis in Patients With HCC After Surgery.

Background: ZW10 interactor was recently reported to correlate with human cancers. However, the prognostic value of ZW10 interactor in hepatocellular carcinoma was not reported.

Methods: The expression level of ZW10 interactor was evaluated by Western blot and immunohistochemistry using tissue microarray.

Activation of catecholamine neurons in the ventral medulla reduces CCK-induced hypophagia and c-Fos activation in dorsal medullary catecholamine neurons.

Catecholamine (CA) neurons within the A1 and C1 cell groups in the ventrolateral medulla (VLM) potently increase food intake when activated by glucose deficit. In contrast, CA neurons in the A2 cell group of the dorsomedial medulla are required for reduction of food intake by cholecystokinin (CCK), a peptide that promotes satiation. Thus dorsal and ventral medullary CA neurons are activated by divergent metabolic conditions and mediate opposing behavioral responses.