Convergent and divergent cognitive impairment of unipolar and bipolar depression: A magnetoencephalography resting-state study.

Background: Unipolar depression (UD) and bipolar depression (BD) showed convergent and divergent cognitive impairments. Neural oscillations are linked to the foundational cognitive processes. We aimed to investigate the underpinning spectral neuronal power patterns by magnetoencephalography (MEG), which combinates high spatial and temporal resolution.

Integrated risk scores from N6-methyladenosine-related lncRNAs are potential biomarkers for predicting the overall survival of bladder cancer patients.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most common form of mRNA- and long noncoding RNA (lncRNA)-specific internal modification encountered in eukaryotes, with important effects on mRNA stability, translation, and splicing. The role of m6A-modified lncRNAs (m6A-lncRNAs) in bladder cancer (BLCA) is rarely reported. This study aimed to evaluate an efficient prognostic model of BLCA in patients, based on m6A-lncRNAs, and to discover potential biological targets.

CD90 glioma-associated mesenchymal stromal/stem cells promote temozolomide resistance by activating FOXS1-mediated epithelial-mesenchymal transition in glioma cells.

Background: The tumour microenvironment contributes to chemotherapy resistance in gliomas, and glioma-associated mesenchymal stromal/stem cells (gaMSCs) are important stromal cell components that play multiple roles in tumour progression. However, whether gaMSCs affect chemotherapy resistance to the first-line agent temozolomide (TMZ) remains unclear. Herein, we explored the effect and mechanism of gaMSCs on resistance to TMZ in glioma cells.

Tumor-Microenvironment-on-a-Chip for Evaluating Nanoparticle-Loaded Macrophages for Drug Delivery.

Targeted drug delivery remains attractive but challenging for cancer therapy. Cell-mediated drug delivery has emerged as a promising strategy to improve targeted drug delivery to tumors due to the intrinsic ability of certain types of cells (., macrophage) to pass through physiological barriers and specifically home to tumors.

Defining Essential Enhancers for Pluripotent Stem Cells Using a Features-Oriented CRISPR-Cas9 Screen.

cis-regulatory elements (CREs) regulate the expression of genes in their genomic neighborhoods and influence cellular processes such as cell-fate maintenance and differentiation. To date, there remain major gaps in the functional characterization of CREs and the identification of their target genes in the cellular native environment. In this study, we perform a features-oriented CRISPR-utilized systematic (FOCUS) screen of OCT4-bound CREs using CRISPR-Cas9 to identify functional enhancers important for pluripotency maintenance in mESCs.

Connectivity of the Frontal Cortical Oscillatory Dynamics Underlying Inhibitory Control During a Go/No-Go Task as a Predictive Biomarker in Major Depression.

Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is characterized by core functional deficits in cognitive inhibition, which is crucial for emotion regulation. To assess the response to ruminative and negative mood states, it was hypothesized that MDD patients have prolonged disparities in the oscillatory dynamics of the frontal cortical regions across the life course of the disease.

Method: A "go/no-go" response inhibition paradigm was tested in 31 MDD patients and 19 age-matched healthy controls after magnetoencephalography (MEG) scanning.

A Microfluidic Tumor-on-a-Chip for Assessing Multifunctional Liposomes' Tumor Targeting and Anticancer Efficacy.

Two principal methods for cancer drug testing are widely used, namely, in vitro 2D cell monolayers and in vivo animal models. In vitro 2D culture systems are simple and convenient but are unable to capture the complexity of biological processes. Animal models are costly, time-consuming, and often fail to replicate human activity.

Tumor-Vasculature-on-a-Chip for Investigating Nanoparticle Extravasation and Tumor Accumulation.

Nanoparticle tumor accumulation relies on a key mechanism, the enhanced permeability and retention (EPR) effect, but it remains challenging to decipher the exact impact of the EPR effect. Animal models in combination with imaging modalities are useful, but it is impossible to delineate the roles of multiple biological barriers involved in nanoparticle tumor accumulation. Here we report a microfluidic tumor-vasculature-on-a-chip (TVOC) mimicking two key biological barriers, namely, tumor leaky vasculature and 3D tumor tissue with dense extracellular matrix (ECM), to study nanoparticle extravasation through leaky vasculature and the following accumulation in tumor tissues.

Synergetic Combinations of Dual-Targeting Ligands for Enhanced In Vitro and In Vivo Tumor Targeting.

The concept of dual-ligand targeting has been around for quite some time, but remains controversial due to the intricate interplay between so many different factors such as the choice of dual ligands, their densities, ratios and length matching, etc. Herein, the synthesis of a combinatorial library of single and dual-ligand nanoparticles with systematically varied properties (ligand densities, ligand ratios, and lengths) for tumor targeting is reported. Folic acid (FA) and hyaluronic acid (HA) are used as two model targeting ligands.

Understanding the Effects of Nanocapsular Mechanical Property on Passive and Active Tumor Targeting.

The physicochemical properties of nanoparticles (size, charge, and surface chemistry, etc.) influence their biological functions often in complex and poorly understood ways. This complexity is compounded when the nanostructures involved have variable mechanical properties.

Design of Modular Peptide Surfactants and Their Surface Activity.

Designed peptide surfactants offer a number of advanced properties over conventional petrochemical surfactants, including biocompatibility, sustainability, and tailorability of the chemical and physical properties through peptide design. Their biocompatibility and degradability make them attractive for various applications, particularly for food and pharmaceutical applications. In this work, two new peptide surfactants derived from an amphiphilic peptide surfactant (AM1) were designed (AM-S and C-AM) to better understand links between structure, interfacial activity, and emulsification.

[Retrieving Dustfall Distribution in Beijing City Based on Ground Spectral Data and Remote Sensing].

Dust-fall distribution of vegetation leaves can indicate the degree of air pollution; therefore the analysis of spatial characteristics of urban vegetation dust-fall has important practical significance for making more effective air pollution control policy. Based on the data of weight of dust, spectral reflectance and leaf area of Euonymus japonicus, Sophora japonica, poplar and davidiana collected in the main area of Beijing city, we compared the curve of spectrum of four plants “dust leaves” to “clean leaves”; the correlation analysis between leaf spectral reflectance ratio (Dust/Clean) of narrow band and satellite band was processed with the weight of dust-fall respectively, with application of four plants leaf data. Then, we built the regression model of the satellite band reflectance and NDVI with dustfall weight respectively, and we used the best model to retrieve the dust-fall distribution of vegetation coverage area in Beijing city, furthermore, we obtained the dust distribution of the whole Beijing city through interpolation.

RNAi Reveals Phase-Specific Global Regulators of Human Somatic Cell Reprogramming.

Incomplete knowledge of the mechanisms at work continues to hamper efforts to maximize reprogramming efficiency. Here, we present a systematic genome-wide RNAi screen to determine the global regulators during the early stages of human reprogramming. Our screen identifies functional repressors and effectors that act to impede or promote the reprogramming process.

Systematic identification of factors for provirus silencing in embryonic stem cells.

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) repress the expression of exogenous proviruses and endogenous retroviruses (ERVs). Here, we systematically dissected the cellular factors involved in provirus repression in embryonic carcinomas (ECs) and ESCs by a genome-wide siRNA screen. Histone chaperones (Chaf1a/b), sumoylation factors (Sumo2/Ube2i/Sae1/Uba2/Senp6), and chromatin modifiers (Trim28/Eset/Atf7ip) are key determinants that establish provirus silencing.

Right-Crossed, Fused Renal Ectopia L-Shaped Kidney Type with Urinary Chyluria.

Crossed fused renal ectopia combined with chyluria is extremely rare. Here we report the case of a patient who was admitted to our institution since milky urine and was finally found to have an L-shaped fused kidney and renal pelvis fistula. The patient was cured by renal pelvic instillation sclerotherapy.

Retroperitoneal adrenal-sparing surgery for the treatment of Cushing's syndrome caused by adrenocortical adenoma: 8-year experience with 87 patients.

Background: The objective of this study was to present our 8-year experience with partial adrenalectomy via the retroperitoneal approach for the treatment of Cushing's adenoma.

Methods: A total of 93 patients who underwent adrenal surgery for Cushing's adenoma from March 2003 to December 2010 were enrolled in this study. Preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative variables were reviewed from the database.

[Therapeutic effect of tracheal anastomosis versus interventional bronchoscopy in the treatment of airway stenosis].

Objective: To compare the therapeutic effects of tracheal anastomosis and interventional bronchoscopy in the treatment of airway stenosis.

Methods: From February, 1990 to February 2008, 53 patients with airway stenosis including 32 male and 21 female patients aged 2 to 80 years (mean 38 years) received end-to-end anastomosis or bronchoscopic stent-graft treatment in our hospital. End-to-end anastomosis of the narrow sleeves resected was performed in 26 cases, balloon dilatation in 14 cases, and stent implantation in 13 cases.

[Clinical analysis of primary thymic lymphoma: a report of 27 cases].

Objective: To investigate clinicopathologic features and optimal treatment of primary thymic lymphoma.

Methods: Clinical records of 27 primary thymic lymphoma patients treated from 1990 to 2007 were reviewed.

Results: Of the 27 patients, 8 received mastectomy and chemotherapy, 12 received excision of the thymic lesion and chemotherapy, 5 received chemotherapy alone, and 2 received lesion excision alone.

Validation of VKORC1 and CYP2C9 genotypes on interindividual warfarin maintenance dose: a prospective study in Chinese patients.

Objectives: To develop a warfarin-dosing algorithm that could be combined with pharmacogenomic and demographic factors, and to evaluate its effectiveness in a randomized prospective controlled clinical trial.

Methods: A pharmacogenetics-based dosing model was derived using retrospective data from 266 Chinese patients and multiple linear regression analysis. To prospectively validate this model, 156 patients with an operation of heart valve replacement were enrolled and randomly assigned to the group of pharmacogenetics-guided or traditional dosing for warfarin therapy.

[Surgical treatment of 486 cases of adrenal gland diseases: a retrospective study].

Objective: To evaluate the roles of laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LA) and open adrenalectomy (GA) for treatment of adrenal gland diseases.

Methods: The data of 486 patients with adrenal gland diseases was analyzed retrospectively during 5 years. A total of 478 patients received surgical treatments including 318 GAs and 160 LAs.

[Experimental research on human spermatozoa membrane proteins by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis].

Objectives: To analyze human spermatozoa membrane proteins by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and to provide a basis for drawing the protein map of normal human spermatozoa membrane proteins.

Methods: Spermatozoa were purified by Percoll density centrifugation, and spermatozoa membrane proteins were analyzed by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis using isoelectric focusing and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis.

Results: About 800 protein spots could be identified by the imaging analysis system.