Publications by authors named "Liu Xuechun"

Objectives: The current study aimed to investigate the structural and functional connectivity of the subregions of the amygdala in children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) only or comorbid with Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD).

Methods: A total of 354 children with ADHD-only, 161 children with ADHD and ODD (ADHD + ODD), and 100 healthy controls were enrolled. The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) were filled out by caregivers.

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The balance of mitochondrial fission and fusion plays an important role in maintaining the stability of cellular homeostasis. Abnormal mitochondrial fission and fragmentation have been shown to be associated with oxidative stress, which causes a variety of human diseases from neurodegeneration disease to cancer. Therefore, the induction of mitochondrial aggregation and fusion may provide an alternative approach to alleviate these conditions.

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Metabolomics provide a promising tool for understanding dementia pathogenesis and identifying novel biomarkers. This study aimed to identify amino acid biomarkers for Alzheimer's Disease (AD) and Vascular Dementia (VD). By amino acid metabolomics, the concentrations of amino acids were determined in the serum of AD and VD patients as well as age-matched healthy controls.

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Background: As the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) rises among older adults, the associated risks of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes significantly increase, and it is closely linked to various metabolic processes in the body. Dysregulation of tryptophan (TRP) metabolism, particularly alterations in the kynurenine (KYN) and serotonin pathways, has been linked to the onset of chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and insulin resistance, key contributors to the development of MetS. We aim to investigate the relationship between the TRP metabolites and the risk of MetS in older adults.

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Objectives: To investigate how post-traumatic growth (PTG) and moral sensitivity influence service behaviour among healthcare workers (HCWs) in mainland China post-COVID-19, with a focus on the mediating role of moral sensitivity.

Design: Cross- sectional survey design.

Setting: This study was conducted in 27 provinces across mainland China, from 16 March to 2 April 2023.

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Intermittent hypoxia (IH), a major pathophysiologic alteration in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), is an important contributor to cognitive impairment. Increasing research suggests that melatonin has anti-inflammatory properties and improves functions related to synaptic plasticity. However, it is unclear whether melatonin has a protective effect against OSAS-induced cognitive dysfunction in aged individuals and the involved mechanisms are also unclear.

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  • Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) are essential for biological functions and are linked to various human diseases, making them important targets for drug development.
  • The cGAS-STING pathway is crucial for regulating the immune system and is associated with several health issues, drawing significant research interest in its modulators.
  • This review highlights recent progress in drug discovery related to cGAS-STING PPIs and suggests new strategies for developing potential treatments targeting this pathway.
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Previous studies have related single toxic metals (TMs) to hyperuricemia (HUA) among the general population, however, the association of the TM mixture with HUA, especially in older adults, remains poorly understood. We aimed to examine the relationships between individual TMs and their mixture and HUA in Chinese rural older adults. This study consisted of 2075 rural older adults aged 60 years or over.

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  • STING is an innate immune sensor that activates pathways leading to inflammation and type I interferon production, which can enhance the immune response against tumors.
  • The article reviews various STING agonists (both CDN-like and non-nucleotide) developed as anticancer treatments from January 2021 to October 2023.
  • Recent discoveries of diverse STING agonists have garnered interest in their potential as immune enhancers for cancer immunotherapy, despite facing some challenges.
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  • - Maternal sleep deprivation (MSD) negatively impacts learning and memory in offspring by causing inflammation and synaptic issues in the hippocampus; melatonin (Mel) is proposed as a potential remedy.
  • - In a study, mice subjected to MSD received melatonin injections, and their cognitive abilities were assessed through the Morris water maze and inflammatory markers were measured.
  • - Results showed that melatonin improved learning and memory in the affected mice by reducing inflammation and restoring synaptic plasticity markers, suggesting it could be a beneficial treatment for MSD-induced cognitive impairments.
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  • - The study investigates the effects of Elamipretide (SS-31), a targeted antioxidant, on cognitive impairment caused by chronic sleep deprivation (CSD) in mice, highlighting its potential to address mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammation.
  • - Mice undergoing CSD for 21 days received SS-31 injections, and their cognitive functions were assessed through various tests, while biochemical assays analyzed the impact on mitochondrial and inflammatory markers.
  • - Results showed that SS-31 improved cognitive function by enhancing levels of proteins linked to synaptic function and reducing inflammation, suggesting it combats CSD-related cognitive issues by boosting SIRT1 expression.
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  • Children with ADHD show significant difficulties in basic academic skills, particularly in Chinese reading, such as word recognition and character recognition compared to healthy controls.
  • A study involving 302 ADHD children and 105 healthy controls revealed that ADHD affected reading performance, potentially linked to impaired sustained attention and lower IQ.
  • Brain imaging indicated that ADHD children rely more on the default mode network (DMN) to support their reading skills, whereas healthy controls use the dorsal attention network (DAN), suggesting different cognitive strategies in reading.
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  • A systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated the effects of using solid fuels on cognitive function in mid-elderly adults, revealing inconsistent results from previous studies.
  • The analysis included 17 studies and found that solid fuel use is linked to cognitive function decline and cognitive disorders, especially among those who do not use ventilated cooking methods.
  • Switching to cleaner fuels and utilizing improved ventilation can reduce risks associated with cognitive decline and disorders linked to the use of solid fuels.
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Objective: To examine associations of sleep duration and quality with cognitive impairment in older adults and the moderating role of gender and age in these associations.

Methods: This community-based cross-sectional study included 4,837 participants aged 60 years and above. Cognitive function was assessed using the Chinese version of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), and the participants were grouped based on the presence of cognitive impairment.

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  • Early life stress from maternal sleep deprivation negatively impacts learning and memory in aged offspring mice, leading to cognitive decline and neuroinflammation.* -
  • Environmental enrichment (EE) was found to improve cognitive function and reduce harmful changes in brain protein levels and inflammation caused by maternal sleep deprivation.* -
  • The study suggests that EE may help counteract cognitive impairment in older offspring by activating the Sirt1/PGC-1α signaling pathway, indicating potential for clinical relevance.*
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Background: Microglia-mediated neuroinflammation in Alzheimer's disease (AD) is not only a response to pathophysiological events, but also plays a causative role in neurodegeneration. Cytoplasmic cysteinyl-tRNA synthetase (CARS) is considered to be a stimulant for immune responses to diseases; however, it remains unknown whether CARS is involved in the pathogenesis of AD.

Methods: Postmortem human temporal cortical tissues at different Braak stages and AD patient-derived serum samples were used to investigate the changes of CARS levels in AD by immunocytochemical staining, real-time PCR, western blotting and ELISA.

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  • The study aimed to determine if sarcopenia (muscle loss) can predict postoperative outcomes in patients with colorectal cancer who also have malnutrition defined by the Global Leadership Initiative on Malnutrition (GLIM).
  • Data from 310 colorectal cancer patients who underwent surgery showed that 46.77% had sarcopenia. Those with sarcopenia experienced higher rates of complications, longer hospital stays, and greater costs compared to those without.
  • The findings indicate that sarcopenia is a significant predictor for both postoperative complications and survival rates, highlighting the importance of assessing sarcopenia before surgery, even when nutritional status has been evaluated.
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The hydraulic resistance of biofilm layer on membranes impacts the filtration resistance significantly. The effect of predation by two model microfauna (i.e.

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. Accurate image registration is an important step in online image-guided adaptive radiotherapy. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different factors on registration accuracy in a magnetic resonance (MR)-guided adaptive radiotherapy workflow.

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  • Early-life stress and maternal sleep deprivation in rodents negatively impact the development of the central nervous system, leading to risks of neuropsychiatric disorders in their offspring, even into old age.
  • A study examined the effects of maternal sleep deprivation on depression and cognitive function in older CD-1 mice, finding that these mice displayed heightened depression-like behaviors and impaired cognition due to increased proinflammatory markers in the brain.
  • However, long-term exposure to an enriched environment was shown to reverse these negative effects, improving neuroinflammation and synaptic plasticity, suggesting that environmental enrichment can mitigate the adverse impacts of maternal sleep deprivation.
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Background: Sarcopenia leads to complications (infections, hepatic encephalopathy and ascites) and poor overall survival in patients with cirrhosis, in which the phenotypic presentation is loss of muscle mass. This study aimed to reveal the metabolic profile and identify potential biomarkers in cirrhotic patients with hepatitis B virus and muscle mass loss.

Method: Twenty decompensated cirrhotic patients with HBV and muscle mass loss were designated Group S; 20 decompensated cirrhotic patients with HBV and normal muscle mass were designated Group NS; and 20 healthy people were designated Group H.

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  • ABCB1 and ABCG2 are crucial transporters linked to multidrug resistance (MDR), and this study developed imidazo[1,2-]pyridine derivatives aimed at inhibiting both targets.
  • One of the compounds demonstrated significant inhibition of the efflux function of both transporters without causing noticeable cytotoxicity and improved the effects of antiproliferative drugs in the lab.
  • The compound worked by slightly reducing ATPase activity and not altering the expression of the transporters, suggesting it could be a useful addition to standard chemotherapy treatments in overcoming resistance.
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Background: Diastolic dysfunction (DD), one of the earliest signs of cirrhotic cardiomyopathy (CCM), is included in the revised 2019 CCM criteria. Nonetheless, relevant research regarding the effects of revised DD on post-liver transplantation (LT) outcomes remains limited.

Methods: This retrospective study enrolled patients who underwent LT for decompensated cirrhosis, from January 2018 to March 2021.

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Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of Qisexingtai hand diagnostic method in the diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD).

Methods: This was an investigator-initiated, prospective, multi-center, cross-sectional study. All the participants from three hospitals in China had been diagnosed by both Qisexingtai hand diagnostic method and coronary angiography.

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  • The systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) is an important predictor for cancer outcomes, but its specific role in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) patients was unclear, prompting a meta-analysis.
  • Researchers analyzed multiple studies to assess the relationship between preoperative SII levels and survival rates in CCA patients.
  • The findings revealed that higher preoperative SII scores are linked to poorer overall survival rates in CCA patients following surgery, confirming SII's value as a survival indicator.
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