Bridging animal models and humans: neuroimaging as intermediate phenotypes linking genetic or stress factors to anhedonia.

Background: Intermediate phenotypes, such as characteristic neuroimaging patterns, offer unique insights into the genetic and stress-related underpinnings of neuropsychiatric disorders like depression. This study aimed to identify neuroimaging intermediate phenotypes associated with depression, bridging etiological factors to behavioral manifestations and connecting insights from animal models to diverse clinical populations.

Methods: We analyzed datasets from both rodents and humans.

Impact of Psychological Factors on Survival in Metastatic Esophagogastric Cancer: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Purpose: Early interdisciplinary supportive care (ESC), including psychological interventions, can improve the survival of patients with metastatic esophagogastric cancer (EGC). The purpose of the study was to evaluate the association between psychological factors and survival in patients with metastatic EGC.

Methods: A secondary analysis was conducted for an open-label randomized controlled trial of ESC, in which 246 patients with EGC completed a distress measure (the distress thermometer) and a depression symptom measure (the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 [PHQ-9]) at baseline before cancer treatments.

Predictors of treatment failure of tubal pregnancy with single-dose methotrexate regimen - a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Ectopic pregnancies represent a potentially life-threatening medical emergency, with 95% being tubal. This meta-analysis aimed to identify early predictors for single-dose methotrexate (MTX) treatment failure in tubal pregnancies.

Methods: A literature search was conducted across several databases from their inception to December 2023, with references in the selected studies manually reviewed.

Cognitive Remediation in Patients With Bipolar Disorder: A Randomized Trial by Sequential tDCS and Navigated rTMS Targeting the Primary Visual Cortex.

Background: Non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS), such as transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), has emerged as a promising alternative in the precise treatment of clinical symptoms, such as the cognitive impairment of bipolar disorder (BD). Optimizing the neurocognitive effects by combining tDCS and rTMS to strengthen the clinical outcome is a challenging research issue.

Objective: In this randomized, controlled trial, we first combined tDCS and neuronavigated rTMS targeting the V1 region to explore the efficacy on neurocognitive function in BD patients with depressive episodes.

Effectiveness of non-invasive brain stimulation on depressive symptoms targeting prefrontal cortex in functional magnetic resonance imaging studies: a combined systematic review and meta-analysis.

The prefrontal cortex (PFC) is a critical non-invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) target for treating depression. However, the alterations of brain activations post-intervention remain inconsistent and the clinical moderators that could improve symptomatic effectiveness are unclear. The study aim was to systematically review the effectiveness of NIBS on depressive symptoms targeting PFC in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies.

Effect of cadmium and fumonisin B co-exposure on mitochondrial dysfunction and ferroptosis pathway in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Fumonisin B (FB) is a typical mycotoxin that widely contaminates food crops and their products and is known to be neurotoxic. In diverse dietary patterns, organisms are at risk of co-exposure to FB and the heavy metal cadmium (Cd), but how Cd affects the toxic damaging effects of FB is unknown. Therefore, this study explored the potential mechanism of co-exposure of Cd and FB using a Caenorhabditis elegans (C.

Therapeutic potential of green tea catechins on the development of Parkinson's disease symptoms in a transgenic A53T mouse model.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of green tea catechins on the prevention of Parkinson's disease neurobehavioral symptoms and α-synuclein blood plasma concentration in a hemizygous transgenic A53T mouse model. Thirty 6-month-old male mice were randomly assigned to three groups ( = 10/group): control, low-dose, and high-dose, receiving green tea polyphenol (GTP) treatment in their drinking water at 0%, 0.5%, and 1.

[Research progress on the role of mitochondrial dynamics disorder in sepsis-associated acute kidney injury].

Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by the host's uncontrolled response to infection, and is one of the main causes of death in critically ill patients. Sepsis-associated acute kidney injury (SA-AKI) is associated with the poor prognosis of sepsis patients, and its pathogenesis is complex and still unclear to this day. Mitochondrial dynamics is crucial for maintaining the normal morphology, quantity, number and function of mitochondria, which is a new research hotspot in recent years.

Discovery of a Novel Macrocyclic Noncovalent CDK7 Inhibitor for Cancer Therapy.

Cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7) is a key regulator of the cell cycle and transcription, making it a promising target for cancer therapy. Although current CDK7 inhibitors have improved in their selectivity and druglike properties, CDK7 inhibitors have failed to progress through clinical development due to severe gastrointestinal and hematotoxic side effects. To mitigate these limitations, we have developed novel, macrocyclic, noncovalent CDK7 hit compounds and using a macrocyclization platform that has optimized these compounds from SY-5609, a leading clinical asset.

Combination of Youhua Kuijie Prescription and sulfasalazine can alleviate experimental colitis via IL-6/JAK2/STAT3 pathway.

Introduction: Youhua Kuijie prescription (YHKJ) is a hospital preparation that is composed of nine kinds of herbs. Sulfasalazine (SASP) is widely used as a first-line clinical treatment for UC. Traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine have their own advantages in the treatment of UC, and the mechanism of YHKJ combined with SASP in the treatment of UC needs to be investigated.

Network pharmacology integrated with molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations to explore the mechanism of Tongxie Yaofang in the treatment of ulcerative colitis.

Tongxie Yaofang (TXYF), a classical traditional Chinese medicine, is commonly used in China to treat ulcerative colitis (UC). The aim of this study was to integrate network pharmacology with molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations to explore the mechanism of Tongxie Yaofang in the treatment of UC. The traditional Chinese medicine systems pharmacology database was used to retrieve the relevant chemical compositions of the herbs contained in TXYF.

Semaglutide Alleviates Ovary Inflammation via the AMPK/SIRT1/NF‑κB Signaling Pathway in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Mice.

Background: GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RA) have been proven to treat several metabolic diseases; however, the effects of GLP-1 RA on polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) remain unclear. Here, we aimed to investigate whether semaglutide, a novel GLP-1 RA, could alleviate ovarian inflammation in PCOS mice.

Methods: Female C57BL/6J mice were subcutaneously injected with dehydroepiandrosterone for 21 days to establish the PCOS model.

Unexpected antagonism of deoxynivalenol and enniatins in intestinal toxicity through the Ras/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a kind of widespread traditional Fusarium mycotoxins in the environment, and its intestinal toxicity has received considerable attention. Recently, the emerging Fusarium mycotoxin enniatins (ENNs) have also been shown to frequently coexist with DON in animal feed and food with large consumption. However, the mechanism of intestinal damage caused by the two mycotoxins co-exposure remains unclear.

Total flavonoids of litchi Seed alleviates schistosomiasis liver fibrosis in mice by suppressing hepatic stellate cells activation and modulating the gut microbiomes.

Infection with Schistosoma japonicum (S. japonicum) is an important zoonotic parasitic disease that causes liver fibrosis in both human and domestic animals. The activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) is a crucial phase in the development of liver fibrosis, and inhibiting their activation can alleviate this progression.

Efficacy of Traditional Chinese Medicine Combined Online Group Psychotherapy (TCM-eRhab) on improving quality of life and relieving psychological burden for colorectal cancer survivors: a study protocol for a phase-II randomized controlled trial.

Background: More than 50% of colorectal cancer(CRC) patients experience cancer-related psychological burden after radical surgery, which can seriously affect their physical wellness, quality of life and even survival outcomes. Our research team developed a six-week Traditional Chinese Medicine Combined Online Group Psychotherapy (TCM-eRhab) and proved its efficacy on relieving cancer-related anxiety, depression and fear of cancer recurrence though phase I single arm clinical trial (n = 40). Large sample size randomized controlled clinical trial(RCT) is necessary to further evaluate TCM-eRhab's role on improving quality of life and survival outcomes among this population.

Yeast Expression and Activity Assay of RVFV Polymerase.

Rift Valley fever (RVF) virus is widespread worldwide and poses a severe threat to human life and property. RVF viral polymerase plays a vital role in the replication and transcription of the virus. Here, we describe how to express and purify this polymerase and perform tests for its in vitro activity assays.

Gut-Brain Axis in Focus: Polyphenols, Microbiota, and Their Influence on α-Synuclein in Parkinson's Disease.

With the recognition of the importance of the gut-brain axis in Parkinson's disease (PD) etiology, there is increased interest in developing therapeutic strategies that target α-synuclein, the hallmark abhorrent protein of PD pathogenesis, which may originate in the gut. Research has demonstrated that inhibiting the aggregation, oligomerization, and fibrillation of α-synuclein are key strategies for disease modification. Polyphenols, which are rich in fruits and vegetables, are drawing attention for their potential role in this context.

Optimal dose and type of exercise to improve depressive symptoms in older adults: a systematic review and network meta-analysis.

Background: Depression is a prevalent issue among older adults, affecting their quality of life and overall well-being. Exercise is an effective means of relieving depressive symptoms in older adults, but the optimal dose for different exercise types remains unclear. As such, the aim of this meta-analysis was to examine the dose-response relationship between overall and specific types of exercise with depression symptoms in older adults.