Identification of a prefrontal cortex-to-amygdala pathway for chronic stress-induced anxiety.

Dysregulated prefrontal control over amygdala is engaged in the pathogenesis of psychiatric diseases including depression and anxiety disorders. Here we show that, in a rodent anxiety model induced by chronic restraint stress (CRS), the dysregulation occurs in basolateral amygdala projection neurons receiving mono-directional inputs from dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC→BLA PNs) rather than those reciprocally connected with dmPFC (dmPFC↔BLA PNs). Specifically, CRS shifts the dmPFC-driven excitatory-inhibitory balance towards excitation in the former, but not latter population.

Chronic Stress Oppositely Regulates Tonic Inhibition in Thy1-Expressing and Non-expressing Neurons in Amygdala.

Chronic or prolonged exposure to stress ranks among the most important socioenvironmental factors contributing to the development of neuropsychiatric diseases, a process generally associated with loss of inhibitory tone in amygdala. Recent studies have identified distinct neuronal circuits within the basolateral amygdala (BLA) engaged in different emotional processes. However, the potential circuit involved in stress-induced dysregulation of inhibitory tones in BLA remains elusive.

Human umbilical cord blood cells rescued traumatic brain injury-induced cardiac and neurological deficits.

Background: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) evokes neurological deficits and induces cardiac dysfunction. Treatment with human umbilical cord blood cells (HUCBCs) represents a potential therapeutic strategy for TBI-induced neurological deficits. The present study aimed to determine whether HUCBCs could ameliorate the cardiac dysfunction and neurological deficits induced by TBI.

Non-invasive Instrument-Based Tests for Quantifying Anterior Chamber Flare in Uveitis: A Systematic Review.

: Anterior chamber (AC) flare is a key sign for anterior uveitis. New instrument-based techniques for measuring AC flare can offer automation and objectivity. This review aims to identify objective instrument-based measures for AC flare.

Self-assembly of amphiphilic phospholipid peptide dendrimer-based nanovectors for effective delivery of siRNA therapeutics in prostate cancer therapy.

RNA interference (RNAi) holds great promise for therapeutic applications. However, safe and successful clinical translation essentially requires further advancement of developing efficient delivery systems. Herein, we report that amphiphilic phospholipid peptide dendrimers (AmPPDs) could mediated effective delivery of siRNA targeting Hsp27 for treating castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC).

Systematically transplanted human gingiva-derived mesenchymal stem cells regulate lipid metabolism and inflammation in hyperlipidemic mice with periodontitis.

Gingiva-derived mesenchymal stem cells (GMSCs) have been the focus of extensive research due to their numerous distinct properties, including their homing to injury sites and their contribution to tissue regeneration. However, the role of transplanted GMSCs in the regulation of lipid metabolism and inflammation in hyperlipidemic mice with periodontitis has not been demonstrated. In the present study, apolipoprotein E-deficient (ApoE) mice were used to establish a hyperlipidemia model with periodontitis and divided into two groups: Group B and Group C (n=20 per group), and wild-type C57BL/6J mice without any treatment were assigned to Group A (n=20).

Oral health of 12-year-old children in Jilin province, China: A population-based epidemiological survey.

There is a lack of population-based surveys on oral health in Jilin province. Accordingly, this study aimed to understand the oral health status of 12-year-old children in Jilin province, China, to demonstrate the prevalence of oral health-related diseases, as well as to identify the associated risk factors.From February to April 2017, a cross-sectional investigation was conducted among 2324 children aged 12 years from 63 public schools of 9 regions in Jilin province, China.

Instrument-based tests for quantifying aqueous humour protein levels in uveitis: a systematic review protocol.

Background: Inflammation in anterior uveitis is characterised by breakdown of the blood-ocular barrier, which allows leakage of blood constituents of higher molecular weight into the aqueous humour. In routine clinical care, increase in aqueous protein levels can be observed at the slit lamp as 'flare' and the severity can be graded using various clinical grading systems, of which the Standardization of Uveitis Nomenclature (SUN) grading system is most commonly used. Alternative instrument-based technologies are available, which can detect aqueous protein levels in an objective and quantifiable way.

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) in unconscious and systemically unwell patients using a mobile OCT device: a pilot study.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of retinal imaging in critical care using a novel mobile optical coherence tomography (OCT) device. The Heidelberg SPECTRALIS FLEX module (Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany) is an OCT unit with a boom arm, enabling ocular OCT assessment in less mobile patients.

Design: We undertook an evaluation of the feasibility of using the SPECTRALIS FLEX for undertaking ocular OCT images in unconscious and critically ill patients.

Thymopentin ameliorates dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis by triggering the production of IL-22 in both innate and adaptive lymphocytes.

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is a chronic inflammatory gastrointestinal disease, notoriously challenging to treat. Previous studies have found a positive correlation between thymic atrophy and colitis severity. It was, therefore, worthwhile to investigate the effect of thymopentin (TP5), a synthetic pentapeptide corresponding to the active domain of the thymopoietin, on colitis.

A cell-penetrating peptide-assisted nanovaccine promotes antigen cross-presentation and anti-tumor immune response.

Exogenous antigens processed in the cytosol and subsequently cross-presented on major histocompatibility complex class I (MHC-I) molecules activate cytotoxic CD8 lymphocytes (CTL), which are crucial in cancer immunotherapy. Here, we reported a nanovaccine, which was produced by encapsulating OVA (ovalbumin, a model antigen) chemically modified with MPG (MPG-OVA conjugate) into poly(lactide-co-glycolide) acid (PLGA) nanoparticles. We hypothesized that after the uptake of the nanovaccine into immune cells, MPG, a cell-penetrating peptide (CPP), would assist the escape of the antigens from lysosomes into the cytosol, increase the amount of antigens processed in the cytosol and subsequently enhance antigen cross-presentation via MHC-I molecules to elicit cytotoxic CD8 T cell responses.

Smart pH-Sensitive Nanogels for Enhancing Synergistic Anticancer Effects of Integrin αβ Specific Apoptotic Peptide and Therapeutic Nitric Oxide.

Apoptotic peptide (kla), which can trigger the mitochondria-mediated apoptotic programmed cell death, has been widely recognized as a potential anticancer agent. However, its therapeutic potential has been significantly impaired by its poor biostability, lack of tumor specificity, and particularly low cellular uptake. Herein, a linear peptide Arg-Trp-d-Arg-Asn-Arg (RWrNR) was identified as an integrin αβ specific ligand with a nanomolar dissociation constant ( = 0.

Automated deep learning design for medical image classification by health-care professionals with no coding experience: a feasibility study.

Background: Deep learning has the potential to transform health care; however, substantial expertise is required to train such models. We sought to evaluate the utility of automated deep learning software to develop medical image diagnostic classifiers by health-care professionals with no coding-and no deep learning-expertise.

Methods: We used five publicly available open-source datasets: retinal fundus images (MESSIDOR); optical coherence tomography (OCT) images (Guangzhou Medical University and Shiley Eye Institute, version 3); images of skin lesions (Human Against Machine [HAM] 10000), and both paediatric and adult chest x-ray (CXR) images (Guangzhou Medical University and Shiley Eye Institute, version 3 and the National Institute of Health [NIH] dataset, respectively) to separately feed into a neural architecture search framework, hosted through Google Cloud AutoML, that automatically developed a deep learning architecture to classify common diseases.

Instrument-based Tests for Measuring Anterior Chamber Cells in Uveitis: A Systematic Review.

Purpose: New instrument-based techniques for anterior chamber (AC) cell counting can offer automation and objectivity above clinician assessment. This review aims to identify such instruments and its correlation with clinician estimates.

Methods: Using standard systematic review methodology, we identified and tabulated the outcomes of studies reporting reliability and correlation between instrument-based measurements and clinician AC cell grading.

Long noncoding RNA HAS2-AS1 promotes tumor progression in glioblastoma via functioning as a competing endogenous RNA.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a refractory tumor with poor prognosis and requires more effective treatment regimens. It has been confirmed that long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) substantially regulate various human disease including GBM. However, the biological roles and its underlying molecular mechanisms still need to be further investigated.

Evaluating the Impact of Uveitis on Visual Field Progression Using Large-Scale Real-World Data.

Purpose: To compare rates of visual field (VF) loss in uveitis patients with glaucoma against patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and explore the association between intraocular pressure (IOP) and rate of VF loss.

Design: Retrospective cohort study.

Methods: Anonymized VFs and IOP measurements extracted from the electronic medical records of 5 regionally different glaucoma clinics in England.

Patient priorities in herpes simplex keratitis.

Objective: Herpes simplex keratitis (HSK) is a sight-threatening disease and a leading cause of infectious corneal blindness. Involving patients in setting the research agenda maximises patient benefit and minimises research waste. With no published patient involvement exercises, patients' priorities in HSK are unclear.

ReLayer: a Free, Online Tool for Extracting Retinal Thickness From Cross-Platform OCT Images.

Purpose: To describe and evaluate a free, online tool for automatically segmenting optical coherence tomography (OCT) images from different devices and computing summary measures such as retinal thickness.

Methods: ReLayer (https://relayer.online) is an online platform to which OCT scan images can be uploaded and analyzed.

Vestibular evoked myogenic potentials and their clinical utility in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic value of vestibular evoked myogenic potentials (VEMPs) in the assessment of brainstem function integrity in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).

Methods: This was a prospective case-control study including 30 definite or probable ALS patients divided into two groups (with or without brainstem involvement) and 30 healthy controls. Cervical (c-), masseter (m-) and ocular VEMP (o-VEMP) measurements were obtained for all the participants.