Peripheral molecular and brain structural profile implicated stress activation and hyperoxidation in methamphetamine use disorder.

Aim: Methamphetamine use disorders (MUDs) cause widespread disruptions in metabolomic and immunologic processes, highlighting the need for new therapeutic approaches. The purpose of this study was to find molecular and neuroimaging biomarkers for methamphetamine addiction.

Methods: In this study, we recruited 231 patients with MUD at varying stages of withdrawal and 40 healthy controls to quantify the blood levels of 52 molecules using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Association between the frontoparietal network, clinical symptoms and treatment response in individuals with untreated anorexia nervosa.

Background: Anorexia nervosa (AN) has been characterised as a psychiatric disorder associated with increased control. Currently, it remains difficult to predict treatment response in patients with AN. Their cognitive abilities are known to be resistant to treatment.

New media facilitate adolescents' body dissatisfaction and eating disorders in Mainland China.

New media play a significant role in adolescents' body dissatisfaction and eating disorders in Mainland China, through shaping social standards, peers, and family dynamics. How to mitigate their adverse effects on adolescents, reduce body dissatisfaction, and prevent eating disorders is a significant social issue that demands serious consideration.

Microbiota-gut-brain axis drives overeating disorders.

Overeating disorders (ODs), usually stemming from dieting history and stress, remain a pervasive issue in contemporary society, with the pathological mechanisms largely unresolved. Here, we show that alterations in intestinal microbiota are responsible for the excessive intake of palatable foods in OD mice and patients with bulimia nervosa (BN). Stress combined with a history of dieting causes significant changes in the microbiota and the intestinal metabolism, which disinhibit the vagus nerve terminals in the gut and thereby lead to a subsequent hyperactivation of the gut-brain axis passing through the vagus, the solitary tract nucleus, and the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus.

Identification of two key UDP-glycosyltransferases responsible for the ocotillol-type ginsenoside majonside-R2 biosynthesis in Panax vietnamensis var. fuscidiscus.

Two UDP-glycosyltransferases from Panax vienamensis var. fuscidiscus involved in ocotillol-type ginsenoside MR2 (majonside-R2) biosynthesis were identified. PvfUGT1 and PvfUGT2 sequentially catalyzes 20S,24S-Protopanxatriol Oxide II and 20S,24R-Protopanxatriol Oxide I to pseudoginsenoside RT4/RT5 and RT4/RT5 to 20S, 24S-MR2/20S, 24S-MR2.

Comparative genomics reveals the diversification of triterpenoid biosynthesis and origin of ocotillol-type triterpenes in Panax.

Gene duplication is assumed to be the major force driving the evolution of metabolite biosynthesis in plants. Freed from functional burdens, duplicated genes can mutate toward novelties until fixed due to selective fitness. However, the extent to which this mechanism has driven the diversification of metabolite biosynthesis remains to be tested.

Hypermethylation of the serotonin transporter gene and paternal parenting styles in untreated anorexia nervosa patients: A pilot study.

Purpose: It has been reported that serotonergic systems and parenting styles are involved in the pathogenesis of anorexia nervosa (AN). The present study made attempts to examine the DNA methylation profiles in the promoter region of serotonin transporter (5-HTT) encoding gene SLC6A4, and explore the association between the methylation level and severity of symptoms, 5-HTT linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) genotypes and parenting styles in untreated Chinese Han AN patients.

Methods: Ninety-one untreated female AN patients (ANs) and eighty-seven matched healthy controls (HCs) were analyzed for DNA methylation status at CpG islands in the promoter region of SLC6A4 using MassARRY EpiTYPER, and genotypes of 5-HTTLPR using PCR-RFLP.

Anorexia nervosa and gut microbiome: implications for weight change and novel treatments.

Introduction: Host-microbiota interactions may be involved in many physical and psychological functions ranging from the digestion of food, maintenance of immune homeostasis, to the regulation of mood and cognition. Microbiome dysbiosis has been consistently described in many diseases. The pathogenesis and weight regulation mechanism in anorexia nervosa (AN) also seem to be implicated in the dynamic bidirectional adjustment of the microbiota-gut-brain axis.

Metabolomics changes after rTMS intervention reveal potential peripheral biomarkers in methamphetamine dependence.

Methamphetamine is one of the most commonly used drugs around the world, leading to serious public health and psychiatric problems. Due to the lackness of objective laboratory evaluation indicators, the molecular mechanisms of methamphetamine dependence still remain unclear. Previous evidence demonstrated that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) may be useful in treating drug addiction.

The Potential Regulatory Network of Glutamate Metabolic Pathway Disturbance in Chinese Han Withdrawal Methamphetamine Abusers.

Objects: To explore the long-term influence of methamphetamine abuse on metabolomics character, with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GS-MS) technology, and the potential regulatory network using the bioinformatics method.

Methods: Forty withdrawal methamphetamine abusers (WMA) were recruited from Shanghai Gaojing Forced Isolation Detoxification Institute. Forty healthy controls (HC) were recruited from society.

Identification of two UDP-glycosyltransferases involved in the main oleanane-type ginsenosides in Panax japonicus var. major.

Two UDP-glycosyltransferases from Panax japonicus var. major were identified, and the biosynthetic pathways of three oleanane-type ginsenosides (chikusetsusaponin IVa, ginsenoside Ro, zingibroside R) were elucidated. Chikusetsusaponin IVa and ginsenoside Ro are primary active components formed by stepwise glycosylation of oleanolic acid in five medicinal plants of the genus Panax.

Effectiveness and influencing factors of online education for caregivers of patients with eating disorders during COVID-19 pandemic in China.

Objective: The goals were twofold: To estimate the depression and anxiety levels among caregivers of patients with eating disorders (ED) in China during the COVID-19 pandemic when compared with a control group, and to assess whether an online education program was effective in decreasing the anxiety and depression of the caregivers of patients with ED, and associated factors.

Method: Caregivers of patients with ED (n = 254) and a comparison group of non-ED caregivers (N = 254) were recruited at baseline. Additionally, caregivers of patients with ED were invited into a free 4-week online education program, with an additional online group as support.

Expression alteration of microRNAs in Nucleus Accumbens is associated with chronic stress and antidepressant treatment in rats.

Background: Nucleus Accumbens (NAc) is a vital brain region for the process of reward and stress, whereas microRNA plays a crucial role in depression pathology. However, the abnormality of NAc miRNA expression during the stress-induced depression and antidepressant treatment, as well as its biological significance, are still unknown.

Methods: We performed the small RNA-sequencing in NAc of rats from three groups: control, chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS), and CUMS with an antidepressant, Escitalopram.

Methadone Dosage and Plasma Levels, SNPs of OPRM1 Gene and Age of First Drug Use Were Associated With Outcomes of Methadone Maintenance Treatment.

To explore the association between methadone dosage, plasma drug concentration, SNPs of μ-opioid receptor gene (), ATP-binding cassette subfamily B member 1 gene (), and methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) response. A total of 240 Chinese Han participants receiving MMT were recruited from Shanghai. Nine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the gene and three SNPs of the gene were genotyped, plasma methadone concentration was detected, and a morphine urine test was taken from all subjects.

Variants in GABBR1 Gene Are Associated with Methamphetamine Dependence and Two Years' Relapse after Drug Rehabilitation.

Methamphetamine (MA) use disorder is a growing global health challenge marked by a steady increase worldwide. GABAergic system plays an important role in the mechanism of drug dependence, however few studies about the association between methamphetamine use disorder and genes in GABAergic system. Concerning GABBR1 gene which encoding the GABA receptor subunit 1 is an important regulator in the GABAergic system.

Dopamine receptor D2 and catechol-O-methyltransferase gene polymorphisms associated with anorexia nervosa in Chinese Han population: DRD2 and COMT gene polymorphisms were associated with AN.

Dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) and catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) are important in dopamine system which is proved to be associated with food-anticipatory behavior, food restriction, reward and motivation. This has made them good candidates for anorexia nervosa (AN). The aim of this work is to explore the roles of DRD2 (rs1800497) and COMT (rs4680, rs4633, rs4818) gene polymorphisms in the susceptibility of AN within the Chinese Han population.

Decreased platelet 5-hydroxytryptamin (5-HT) levels: a response to antidepressants.

Background: Platelet 5-hydroxytryptamin (serotonin, 5-HT) has been examined for its use as a peripheral biomarker for depression or other mental disorders; however, it remains unclear whether blood 5-HT levels can reflect the brain's levels of serotonin.

Methods: Platelet 5-HT levels in 45 drug-naïve, 32 citalopram-treated patients with major depression and 32 healthy control were assayed, Hamilton Depression scale (HAMD) and Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) were assessed. We then measured 5-HT in platelet, in platelet-poor plasma and in the nuclei of brain tissues obtained from chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) rats with or without citalopram treatment, and from the controls rats that were treated with vehicle.

The dopamine receptor D1 gene is associated with the length of interval between first heroin use and onset of dependence in Chinese Han heroin addicts.

Previous researches showed that the dopamine receptor D1 (DRD1) may play a critical role in drug dependence. This research aimed to determine whether DRD1 played a role in development of heroin dependence in Chinese heroin-dependent patients. 465 Chinese Han heroin-dependent subjects and 379 healthy controls were recruited in the Shanghai region.

Stress-induced depressive behaviors are correlated with Par-4 and DRD2 expression in rat striatum.

Depression is a common mental disorder; however, its molecular mechanism has not been fully elucidated. In this study, we investigated the role of maternal deprivation (MD) and chronic mild stress (CMS) in the pathogenesis of depression in rat models. The mRNA levels of prostate apoptosis response-4 (Par-4) and dopamine receptor D2 (DRD2) genes in the striatum were measured by real-time PCR.

Maternal deprivation-caused behavioral abnormalities in adult rats relate to a non-methylation-regulated D2 receptor levels in the nucleus accumbens.

In this study we investigated the effects of maternal deprivation on adult rats' spatial learning and memory, exploratory, and limbic activity and their correlations with the gene expression of dopamine transporter (DAT) and dopamine D1, D2, D3 receptors (DRD1, DRD2, DRD3) in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). We further investigated whether DNA methylation is involved in the regulation of DRD2 gene expression. Results from our behavioral tests demonstrated that maternal deprivation significantly decreased the spatial learning and memory ability, exploratory ability, and limbic activity in adult rats, while results from our molecular analysis revealed that the mRNA levels of DAT, DRD1, DRD2, and DRD3 were significantly downregulated in maternally deprived rats in comparison to control animals.

[Effect of maternal deprivation on emotion and expression of dopamine transporter in adult rats].

Objective: To investigate the change of emotion and striatum dopamine transporter(DAT) expression in adult male rats experiencing maternal deprivation, and to explore whether DNA methylation is involved in the regulatory mechanism of DAT expression.

Methods: Newborn rats were randomly divided into 2 groups: a maternal separation group (n=16) and a control group (n=14). The maternal deprivation group were separated from their mother for 6 hours (09:00-15:00) per day from postnatal day 1 to 14, while the controls (n=14) without the deprivation.

Four novel resistance integron gene-cassette occurrences in bacterial isolates from zhenjiang, china.

Integrons, which are widely distributed among bacteria and are strongly associated with resistance, are specialized genetic elements that are capable of capturing, integrating, and mobilizing gene cassette. In this work, we investigated classes 1, 2, and 3 integrons associated integrases genes in 365 bacteria isolates, amplified and analyzed the structure of class 1 integron, detected 8 resistant gene cassettes [dfr17, aadA5, aadA1, aadA2, dhfrI, aadB, aac(6')-II, and pse-I], and found four novel gene-cassette arrays. We also found that commensal bacteria in the common microenvironment had the same integron gene cassette, which provided direct evidence that integron was an important horizontal transmission element.

Identification and characterization of class 1 integrons among Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates from patients in Zhenjiang, China.

Objectives: The role of integrons in the spread of antibiotic resistance has been well established. The aim of this study was to investigate the resistance profiles of Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolated from patients in Zhenjiang to 13 antibiotics, and to identify the structure and dissemination of class 1 integrons.

Methods: The Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion assay was used to determine the rate of P.