Publications by authors named "NH Chen"

Background: Depression is a leading chronic mental illness worldwide, characterized by anhedonia and pessimism. Connexin is a kind of widely distributed protein in the body. Connexin 43 (Cx43) plays an important role in the pathogenesis of depression.

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Nine new structurally diverse filicinic acid-based meroterpenoids (-) with four kinds of carbon skeletons were isolated from the rhizomes of . Their structures, including the absolute configurations, were elucidated by comprehensive analysis of spectroscopic data, quantum chemical calculations, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Structurally, compounds - feature an unprecedented 6/6/5/6/6/6 hexacyclic system with a rare oxaspiro[4.

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Despite decades of research, defining insomnia remains challenging due to its complex and variable nature. Various diagnostic systems emphasize the chronic nature of insomnia and its impact on daily functioning, relying heavily on patient self-reporting due to limitations in objective measures like polysomnography (PSG). Discrepancies between subjective experiences and objective PSG results highlight the need for more nuanced approaches, such as electroencephalogram (EEG) spectral analysis, which reveals distinct patterns of high-frequency activity in individuals with insomnia.

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The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of an adjusting lifestyle intervention with a smartphone application (app) in managing obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) among overweight and obese high-tech employees. A 6-months three-armed randomized controlled trial was employed. A total of 144 eligible participants were randomly allocated into the smartphone app 'MyFitnessPal' plus education (MFPE; n = 48), 'MyFitnessPal'-only (MFP-only; n = 50) and the control group (n = 46) at a 1:1:1 ratio.

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  • Dual bronchodilator therapy (LABA/LAMA) is effective for treating COPD, but the study investigates its differing effectiveness in current versus former smokers.
  • The TOReTO trial involved 967 patients and used statistical methods like propensity score matching to analyze lung function, symptoms, and exacerbation occurrences between the two groups.
  • Results showed significant differences in exacerbation rates for current smokers with specific LABA/LAMA therapies, while no significant differences were found among former smokers, indicating a need for further research.
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  • Understanding sleep's impact on the glymphatic system and brain networks is key to addressing memory decline in aging.
  • Researchers studied 72 older adults using MRI and sleep measurements, finding a link between glymphatic function (DTI-ALPS) and sleep quality.
  • Results indicated that poor sleepers had disrupted neural connections, implicating sleep quality in cognitive health and memory function.
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Emerging evidence shows that psychological stress promotes the progression of Parkinson's disease (PD) and the onset of dyskinesia in non-PD individuals, highlighting a potential avenue for therapeutic intervention. We previously reported that chronic restraint-induced psychological stress precipitated the onset of parkinsonism in 10-month-old transgenic mice expressing mutant human α-synuclein (αSyn) (hαSyn A53T). We refer to these as chronic stress-genetic susceptibility (CSGS) PD model mice.

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Miller Fisher syndrome (MFS) typically presents with acute development of ataxia, ophthalmoplegia, and areflexia. Bilateral vocal cord palsy (BVCP) is a rare manifestation of MFS. We present a case of a 66-year-old male diagnosed with MFS complicated by an unusually delayed onset of BVCP while undergoing inpatient rehabilitation.

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  • Esculetin (ESC) is a natural compound used in traditional Chinese medicine that helps protect the brain during strokes.
  • The study found that ESC helps reduce brain damage and improve behavior in mice after a stroke by affecting a protein called CKLF1.
  • Blocking CKLF1 with ESC also lowers the number of immune cells that can cause more damage, showing that it could be a good treatment for strokes in the future.
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Novel D-A-A-π-A organic sensitizers (FZ-sensitizer), utilizing spiro [fluorene-9,9'-phenanthren]-10'-one and benzo [c][1,2,5]thiadiazole moiety as two auxiliary acceptors, are synthesized and applied in dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) and hydrogen production. By incorporating a bulky spiro [fluorene-9,9'-phenanthrene]-10'-one (A) and benzo[c][1,2,5]thiadiazole (A) between the donor (D) and π-bridge moiety, structural modifications inhibit molecular aggregation, while the carbonyl group enhances the capture of Li ions, thereby delaying charge recombination. Furthermore, the extended π-conjugation broadens the light absorption range and enhances the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of FZ-2 under AM1.

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  • A study conducted by the Asian Society of Sleep Medicine aimed to assess the state of sleep medicine accreditation and training across 29 Asian countries and identified significant gaps in the current system.
  • The survey, which had an 86% response rate, revealed that only 36% of the regions recognize sleep medicine as an independent specialty, with disparities in training standards and a lack of formalized guidelines in many areas.
  • Recommendations include developing a standardized Asian Sleep Medicine Training Curriculum and accreditation guidelines to improve training and recognition of sleep medicine across Asia.
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  • The study investigates essential tremor (ET) by examining functional connectivity and brain network characteristics, using resting-state fMRI to identify differences between ET patients and normal controls.
  • Findings show reduced connectivity between key brain networks and altered functional activity in various regions associated with ET.
  • Analysis reveals that tremor features correlate with different connectivity metrics, suggesting that resting-state fMRI is a valuable tool for understanding brain changes in ET.
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  • - Depression is a common chronic mental illness that varies in response to stress among individuals, with some showing resilience while others display negative psychological effects, possibly linked to molecular mechanisms involving connexin 43 (Cx43) in the brain.
  • - Dysfunction of Cx43 in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) is associated with depressive behaviors, and stress exposure notably reduces Cx43 protein levels in susceptible mice but not in resilient ones, as observed in behavioral tests.
  • - The study indicates that inflammation is prevalent in central nervous system dysfunction and suggests that understanding the role of Cx43 and inflammatory signals may help develop therapeutic strategies to enhance resilience against stress-related disorders.
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  • The theory of kidney storing essence in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) emphasizes the kidney's role in managing bodily storage and essence (Jing), which is vital for human growth and development.
  • Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by harmful protein deposits and neurodegeneration leading to severe cognitive decline, and while TCM has made progress in treating AD, the complexity of the disease's causes complicates drug development.
  • Recent research highlights the potential of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and their exosomes in conjunction with TCM principles to address AD by promoting neuronal repair, reducing harmful protein accumulation, and mitigating neuroinflammation.
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  • - Celecoxib, a COX-2 inhibitor, shows promise as an anti-depressive treatment by targeting neuroinflammation and its effects on astrocytic gap junctions in the brain
  • - In experiments with mice, celecoxib reduced depressive behaviors and enhanced brain connectivity while improving the structure and function of astrocytic gap junctions after neuroinflammation was induced by lipopolysaccharide
  • - The findings suggest that celecoxib's effects are partly due to blocking inflammatory pathways, specifically through the inhibition of a protein called p65 that influences gap junction protein connexin 43, leading to improved mental health outcomes
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Astrocytes have countless links with neurons. Previously, astrocytes were only considered a scaffold of neurons; in fact, astrocytes perform a variety of functions, including providing support for neuronal structures and energy metabolism, offering isolation and protection and influencing the formation, function and elimination of synapses. Because of these functions, astrocytes play an critical role in central nervous system (CNS) diseases.

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