16S rRNA gene sequencing reveals altered gut microbiota in young adults with schizophrenia and prominent negative symptoms.

Background: Gut dysbiosis has been established as a characteristic of schizophrenia (SCH). However, the signatures regarding SCH patients with prominent negative symptoms (SCH-N) in young adults have been poorly elucidated.

Methods: Stool samples were obtained from 30 young adults with SCH-N, 32 SCH patients with prominent positive symptoms (SCH-P) along with 36 healthy controls (HCs).

miR-29a-5p rescues depressive-like behaviors in a CUMS-induced mouse model by facilitating microglia M2-polarization in the prefrontal cortex via TMEM33 suppression.

Background: Depression accounts for a high proportion of neuropsychiatric disorders and is associated with abnormal states of neurons in specific brain regions. Microglia play a pivotal role in the inflammatory state during depression development; however, the exact mechanism underlying chronic mood states remains unknown. Thus, the present study aimed to determine whether microRNAs (miRNAs) alleviate stress-induced depression-like behavior in mice by regulating the expression levels of their target genes, explore the role of neuroinflammation induced by microglial activation in the pathogenesis and progression of depression, and determine whether the role of the miR-29a-5p/transmembrane protein 33 (TMEM33) axis.

The gut microbiome from middle-aged women with depression modulates depressive-like behaviors and plasma fatty acid metabolism in female middle-aged mice.

Background: Intestinal dysbacteriosis has frequently been involved in the context of depression. Nonetheless, only scant information is available about the features and functional changes of gut microbiota in female middle-aged depression (MAD).

Objective: This study aims to explore whether there are characteristic changes in the gut microbes of female MAD and whether these changes are associated with depressive-like behaviors.

Emulating the Deutsch-Josza algorithm with an inverse-designed terahertz gradient-index lens.

An all-dielectric photonic metastructure is investigated for application as a quantum algorithm emulator (QAE) in the terahertz frequency regime; specifically, we show implementation of the Deustsh-Josza algorithm. The design for the QAE consists of a gradient-index (GRIN) lens as the Fourier transform subblock and patterned silicon as the oracle subblock. First, we detail optimization of the GRIN lens through numerical analysis.

Effects of low-frequency rTMS combined with risperidone on the gut microbiome in hospitalized patients with chronic schizophrenia.

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been widely used in treating schizophrenia (SCH). However, the effects of the low frequency of rTMS combined with antipsychotics on the gut microbiome in chronic SCH have been poorly investigated. In the present study, psychiatric symptoms were assessed and the stool samples obtained from 33 adult patients with chronic SCH (at baselinephase), 27 after 2 weeks of treatment (rTMS combined with risperidone, SCH-2W), and 37 healthy controls (HC) were analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

rTMS ameliorates depressive-like behaviors and regulates the gut microbiome and medium- and long-chain fatty acids in mice exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress.

Introduction: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a clinically useful therapy for depression. However, the effects of rTMS on the metabolism of fatty acids (FAs) and the composition of gut microbiota in depression are not well established.

Methods: Mice received rTMS (15 Hz, 1.

Prevalence and clinical correlates of abnormal glucose metabolism in young, first- episode and medication-naïve outpatients with major depressive disorder.

Backgrounds: The high co-morbidity of abnormal glucose metabolism in depressed patients has been extensively studied, but few studies have explored abnormal glucose metabolism in young patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). This study aimed to examine the prevalence and clinical correlates of abnormal glucose metabolism in young patients with first-episode medication-naïve (FEMN) MDD.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 1289 young Chinese outpatients with FEMN MDD.

High-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation regulates neural oscillations of the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex in mice by modulating endocannabinoid signalling.

Background: Neural oscillations play a role in the antidepressant effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). However, the effects of high-frequency rTMS on the neural oscillations of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and hippocampus (HPC) and its molecular mechanism have not been fully clarified.

Methods: The depressive-like behaviours, local field potentials (LFPs) of the ventral HPC (vHPC)-mPFC, and alternations of endocannabinoid system (ECS) in the HPC and mPFC were observed after rTMS treatment.

Gut microbial signatures and differences in bipolar disorder and schizophrenia of emerging adulthood.

Introduction: Gut microbial disturbance has been established as potential pathogenesis of mental disorders. However, the signatures and differences regarding patients with schizophrenia (SCH) or bipolar disorder (BD) in emerging adulthood as well as their subtypes have been poorly addressed.

Methods: In the present study, stool samples obtained from 63 emerging adult patients with schizophrenia (SCH), 50 with bipolar disorder (BD), and 40 healthy controls (HC) were analyzed by 16 S rRNA gene sequencing; psychiatric symptoms and psychological, social, and professional functioning were also assessed.

Alterations of Plasma Lipids in Adult Women With Major Depressive Disorder and Bipolar Depression.

Lipidomics has been established as a potential tool for the investigation of mental diseases. However, the composition analysis and the comparison of the peripheral lipids regarding adult women with major depressive depression (MDD) or bipolar depression (BPD) has been poorly addressed. In the present study, age-matched female individuals with MDD ( = 28), BPD ( = 22) and healthy controls (HC, = 25) were enrolled.

Identification of a 5-gene-risk score model for predicting luminal A-invasive lobular breast cancer survival.

Breast cancer is a devastating malignancy, among which the luminal A (LumA) breast cancer is the most common subtype. In the present study, we used a comprehensive bioinformatics approach in the hope of identifying novel prognostic biomarkers for LumA breast cancer patients. Transcriptomic profiling of 611 LumA breast cancer patients was downloaded from TCGA database.

Alterations in the Plasma Lipidome of Adult Women With Bipolar Disorder: A Mass Spectrometry-Based Lipidomics Research.

Lipidomics has become a pivotal tool in biomarker discovery for the diagnosis of psychiatric illnesses. However, the composition and quantitative analysis of peripheral lipids in female patients with bipolar disorder (BD) have been poorly addressed. In this study, plasma samples from 24 female patients with BD and 30 healthy controls (HCs) were analyzed by comprehensive lipid profiling and quantitative validation based on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry.

A Passive Smart Face Mask for Wireless Cough Monitoring: A Harmonic Detection Scheme With Clutter Rejection.

Cough detection has aroused great interest because the assessment of cough frequency may improve diagnosis accuracy for dealing with several diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and the recent COVID-19 global pandemic crisis. Here, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a wireless smart face mask based on a passive harmonic tag for real-time cough monitoring and alert. Our results show that the cough events can be successfully monitored through non-contact track of the received signal strength indicator (RSSI) at the harmonic frequency.

Degeneracy of light scattering and absorption by a single nanowire.

We theoretically and numerically prove that under an electromagnetic plane wave with linear polarization incident normally to a single nanowire, there exists a power diagram that could indicate scattering properties for any system configurations, material parameters, and operating wavelength. We demonstrate the distinct power distribution boundary in absorption, scattering, and extinction for a generalized nanowire with any partial wave modes dominant. In the boundary, each dominant scattering coefficients remain constant, and its energy performance would display superabsorbers or superscatterers.

The Feature of Sleep Spindle Deficits in Patients With Schizophrenia With and Without Auditory Verbal Hallucinations.

Background: Previous sleep electroencephalography studies have detected abnormalities in sleep architecture and sleep spindle deficits in schizophrenia (SCZ), but the consistency of these results was not robust, which might be due to the small sample size and the influence of clinical factors such as the various medication therapies and symptom heterogeneity. This study aimed to regard auditory verbal hallucinations (AVHs) as a pointcut to downscale the heterogeneity of SCZ and explore whether some sleep architecture and spindle parameters were more severely impaired in SCZ patients with AVHs compared with those without AVHs.

Methods: A total of 90 SCZ patients with AVHs, 92 SCZ patients without AVHs, and 91 healthy control subjects were recruited, and parameters of sleep architecture and spindle activities were compared between groups.

Gut microbiota dysbiosis in depressed women: The association of symptom severity and microbiota function.

Background: The association between abnormal gut microbiome composition and depression is well established. However, the composition and functional capacity of the gut microbiota regarding depressed women has been poorly addressed.

Methods: Stool samples from 62 female patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and 46 healthy controls (Con) were analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing; Twenty fecal samples from the patient group and 21 fecal samples from the Con group were further analyzed by shotgun metagenomic sequencing.

A double-blind, randomized, sham-controlled study of cranial electrotherapy stimulation as an add-on treatment for tic disorders in children and adolescents.

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy and safety of cranial electrotherapy stimulation (CES) as an add-on treatment for TD.

Methods: A randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial was conducted at an outpatient, single-center academic setting. A total of 62 patients aged 6-17 years with TD and lack of clinical response to 4 weeks' pharmacotherapy were enrolled.

Association between fecal microbiota and generalized anxiety disorder: Severity and early treatment response.

Background: Associations between abnormal gut microbiome compositions and anxiety-like behaviors are well established. However, it is unknown whether the gut microbiome composition is associated with the severity of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and relief from clinical symptoms in patients.

Methods: Stool samples from 36 patients with active GAD (A-GAD group) and 24 matched healthy control subjects (HC group) were analyzed by 16S rRNA gene sequencing.

A functional variant of enhances macrophage recruitment and inflammatory response via TGF-β signal activation in Thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection.

Thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection (TAAD) is the most fatal macro vascular disease. The mortality of 48h after diagnosis of dissection is up to approximately 50-68%. However, the genetic factors and potential mechanism underlying sporadic TAAD remain largely unknown.

Bhlhe40 differentially regulates the function and number of peroxisomes and mitochondria in myogenic cells.

PGC-1α is a key regulator of oxidative metabolism facilitating the expression of genes critical for the function and biogenesis of the two key oxidative organelles, mitochondria and peroxisomes, in skeletal muscle (SKM) and other organs. Our recent studies have found that the transcription factor Bhlhe40 negatively regulates PGC-1α gene expression and its coactivational activity, therefore, this factor should have profound influence on the biogenesis and metabolic activity of mitochondria and peroxisomes. Here we found that both the number and activity of peroxisomes were increased upon knockdown of Bhlhe40 expression but were repressed by its over-expression.

A novel functional polymorphism of GSTM3 reduces clear cell renal cell carcinoma risk through enhancing its expression by interfering miR-556 binding.

Dysregulation of glutathione-S-transferase M3 (GSTM3) has been related to clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) in our former study. GSTM3 plays a pivotal role of detoxification and clearance of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in tumour tissues. This study aimed to examine: (1) the associations between GSTM3 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and risk of ccRCC, and (2) the potential molecular mechanism accounting for its effects.

Disease Definition for Schizophrenia by Functional Connectivity Using Radiomics Strategy.

Specific biomarker reflecting neurobiological substrates of schizophrenia (SZ) is required for its diagnosis and treatment selection of SZ. Evidence from neuroimaging has implicated disrupted functional connectivity in the pathophysiology. We aimed to develop and validate a method of disease definition for SZ by resting-state functional connectivity using radiomics strategy.