The impact of sleep disturbances on treatment efficacy and prognosis in patients with depressive and anxiety disorders.

Introduction: Little was known about the relationship between sleep disturbances and depressive and anxiety disorders, as well as the efficacy of treatment regimens.

Methods: During 2021 to 2023, a total of 417 participants were screened by Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17) and Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA-14) for psychological status, and Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI) assessment. 409 participants were finally enrolled, of which 188 (45.

REM Sleep Fragmentation in Patients With Short-Term Insomnia Is Associated With Higher BDI Scores.

To observe the changes in sleep characteristics and BDI scores in patients with short-term insomnia disorder (SID) using a longitudinal observational study. Fifty-four patients who met the criteria for SID of the International Classification of Sleep Disorders, third edition, were recruited. Depression levels were assessed using the Beck depression inventory (BDI) at enrollment and after 3 months of follow-up, respectively.

The Bioactive Substance Secreted by MSC Retards Mouse Aortic Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells Calcification.

Background: Vascular calcification, which is associated with low-level chronic inflammation, is a complication that occurs during aging, atherosclerosis, chronic kidney disease, diabetes mellitus, and hyperlipaemia. In this study, we used conditioned media from mesenchymal stem cells (MSC-CM), a source of autologous cytokines, to test the hypothesis that MSC-CM inhibits vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) calcification by suppressing inflammation and apoptosis.

Methods: VSMCs were treated with -glycerophosphate (-GP) to induce calcification and MSC-CM was used as a treatment.

Conditioned medium from bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells inhibits vascular calcification through blockade of the BMP2-Smad1/5/8 signaling pathway.

Background: Arterial calcification is associated with cardiovascular disease as a complication of advanced atherosclerosis and is a significant contributor to cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Osteoblastic differentiation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) plays an important role in arterial calcification and is characterized by cellular necrosis, inflammation, and lipoprotein and phospholipid complexes, especially in atherosclerotic calcification. The conditioned medium from bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (MSC-CM) is well known as a rich source of autologous cytokines and is universally used for tissue regeneration in current clinical medicine.

Mitochondrial C4375T mutation might be a molecular risk factor in a maternal Chinese hypertensive family under haplotype C.

Here, we reported a Han Chinese essential hypertensive pedigree based on clinical hereditary and molecular data. To know the molecular basis on this family, mitochondrial genome of one proband from the family was identified through direct sequencing analysis. The age of onset year and affected degree of patients are different in this family.

Effect of eicosapentaenoic acid and pitavastatin on electrophysiology and anticoagulant gene expression in mice with rapid atrial pacing.

Atrial remodeling is considered to be any persistent change in atrial structure or function, and is responsible for the development and perpetuation of atrial fibrillation (AF). Oxidative stress and intracellular pH regulation may also be linked to AF; however it remains unclear whether eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) or statins have beneficial therapeutic effects. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of EPA and pitavastatin on the electrophysiology of and gene expressions in mice with rapidly-paced atria.

The risk of clopidogrel resistance is associated with ABCB1 polymorphisms but not promoter methylation in a Chinese Han population.

The goal of our study was to investigate the contribution of ABCB1 expression to the risk of clopidogrel resistance (CR). Platelets functions were measured using the Verify-Now P2Y12 assay. Applying Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), the single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) was tested.

Knockdown of astrocyte elevated gene-1 inhibited cell growth and induced apoptosis and suppressed invasion in ovarian cancer cells.

Emerging evidence has demonstrated that AEG-1 (astrocyte elevated gene-1) plays a pivotal oncogenic role in tumorigenesis. However, the molecular mechanism by which AEG-1 exerts its oncogenic function is elusive in ovarian cancer. To explore the role and molecular insight on AEG-1-mediated tumorigenesis in ovarian cancer, multiple approaches are performed including MTT assay, flow cytometry for apoptosis and cell cycle assay, gene transfection, real-time RT-PCR, Western blotting, and Transwell assay.

Association of P2Y12 gene promoter DNA methylation with the risk of clopidogrel resistance in coronary artery disease patients.

Background: Clopidogrel inhibits the ADP receptor P2Y12 to keep down the platelet aggregation. The goal of our study is to investigate the contribution of P2Y12 promoter DNA methylation to the risk of clopidogrel resistance (CR).

Methods: The platelet functions were measured by the VerifyNow P2Y12 assay.

Two sequential cleavage reactions on cruciform DNA structures cause palindrome-mediated chromosomal translocations.

Gross chromosomal rearrangements (GCRs), such as translocations, deletions or inversions, are often generated by illegitimate repair between two DNA breakages at regions with nucleotide sequences that might potentially adopt a non-B DNA conformation. We previously established a plasmid-based model system that recapitulates palindrome-mediated recurrent chromosomal translocations in humans, and demonstrated that cruciform DNA conformation is required for the translocation-like rearrangements. Here we show that two sequential reactions that cleave the cruciform structures give rise to the translocation: GEN1-mediated resolution that cleaves diagonally at the four-way junction of the cruciform and Artemis-mediated opening of the subsequently formed hairpin ends.

Circadian expressions of cardiac ion channel genes in mouse might be associated with the central clock in the SCN but not the peripheral clock in the heart.

Significant circadian variations exist in the frequency of cardiac arrhythmia, but few studies have examined the relation between cardiac ion channels genes and biological clocks. We investigated this relation using suprachiasmatic nuclei lesion (SCNX) and pharmacological autonomic nervous system block (ANSB) mice. Significant 24-h variations were observed in the expression of clock genes Per2, Bmal1, and Dbp and ion channel genes KCNA5, KCND2, KCHIP2, and KCNK3 in the control mice hearts.

DNA secondary structure is influenced by genetic variation and alters susceptibility to de novo translocation.

Background: Cumulative evidence suggests that DNA secondary structures impact DNA replication, transcription and genomic rearrangements. One of the best studied examples is the recurrent constitutional t(11;22) in humans that is mediated by potentially cruciform-forming sequences at the breakpoints, palindromic AT-rich repeats (PATRRs). We previously demonstrated that polymorphisms of PATRR sequences affect the frequency of de novo t(11;22)s in sperm samples from normal healthy males.

Polymorphisms of the 22q11.2 breakpoint region influence the frequency of de novo constitutional t(11;22)s in sperm.

The constitutional t(11;22) is the most frequent recurrent non-Robertsonian translocation in humans, the breakpoints of which are located within palindromic AT-rich repeats on 11q23 and 22q11 (PATRR11 and PATRR22). Genetic variation of the PATRR11 was found to affect de novo t(11;22) translocation frequency in sperm derived from normal healthy males, suggesting the hypothesis that polymorphisms of the PATRR22 might also influence the translocation frequency. Although the complicated structure of the PATRR22 locus prevented determining the genotype of the PATRR22 in each individual, genotyping of flanking markers as well as identification of rare variants allowed us to demonstrate an association between the PATRR22 allele type and the translocation frequency.

Paternal origin of the de novo constitutional t(11;22)(q23;q11).

The constitutional t(11;22)(q23;q11) is a well-known recurrent non-Robertsonian translocation in humans. Although translocations generally occur in a random fashion, the break points of t(11;22)s are concentrated within several hundred base pairs on 11q23 and 22q11. These regions are characterized by palindromic AT-rich repeats (PATRRs), which appear to be responsible for the genomic instability.

Impaired DNA replication prompts deletions within palindromic sequences, but does not induce translocations in human cells.

Palindromic regions are unstable and susceptible to deletion in prokaryotes and eukaryotes possibly due to stalled or slow replication. In the human genome, they also appear to become partially or completely deleted, while two palindromic AT-rich repeats (PATRR) contribute to known recurrent constitutional translocations. To explore the mechanism that causes the development of palindrome instabilities in humans, we compared the incidence of de novo translocations and deletions at PATRRs in human cells.

Mutations of the SYCP3 gene in women with recurrent pregnancy loss.

Aneuploidy, a chromosomal numerical abnormality in the conceptus or fetus, occurs in at least 5% of all pregnancies and is the leading cause of early pregnancy loss in humans. Accumulating evidence now suggests that the correct segregation of chromosomes is affected by events occurring in prophase during meiosis I. These events include homologous chromosome pairing, sister-chromatid cohesion, and meiotic recombination.

Prognostic significance of circadian variability of RR and QT intervals and QT dynamicity in patients with chronic heart failure.

Background: In patients with chronic heart failure (CHF), circadian variability of RR and QT intervals may be altered because of neurohumoral activation and functional and structural remodeling of the heart.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the prognostic significance of circadian variability of the RR and QT intervals and QT dynamicity (QT/RR slope) in CHF patients.

Methods: We prospectively enrolled 121 patients with stable CHF in sinus rhythm (age 67 +/- 14 years, mean +/- SD; range 34 to 87 years).

Seasonal variation in paroxysmal atrial fibrillation documented by 24-hour Holter electrocardiogram.

Background: The incidence of various cardiovascular diseases is known to exhibit seasonal variations, but seasonal patterns of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF) have not been well characterized.

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine whether seasonal variation affects the incidence of paroxysmal AF and whether this pattern is affected by patient age.

Methods: We identified 258 paroxysmal AF episodes in 237 patients (age 65 +/- 14 years, mean +/- standard deviation; age range 16-95 years) among 12,390 consecutive 24-hour Holter electrocardiogram recordings obtained from 2001 to 2005 at our institute.