Publications by authors named "Yun-Qing Hu"
DCC in the cerebral cortex is required for cognitive functions in mouse.
Brain Pathol
September 2024
Schizophrenia (SZ) is a highly heritable mental disorder, and genome-wide association studies have identified the association between deleted in colorectal cancer (DCC) and SZ. Previous study has shown a lowered expression of DCC in the cerebral cortex of SZ patient. In this study, we identified novel single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of DCC statistically correlated with SZ.
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- The corticospinal tract (CST) is crucial for voluntary movement in vertebrates, and Netrin-1 serves as a key guidance molecule for axons crossing the midline during embryonic development.
- Research using conditional knockout (CKO) mice revealed that the lack of Netrin-1 resulted in CST axons failing to cross over correctly and instead descending on the same side of the spinal cord.
- These findings suggest a significant role of Netrin-1 in CST formation and provide new insights into its involvement in congenital mirror movements (CMM) due to abnormal CST trajectories.
It is well understood that exposure to particulate matter (PM) can have adverse effects on the nervous system. When pregnant women are exposed to PM, their fetuses are also affected through the placenta. However, the mechanisms by which fetal brain development is regulated between mother and fetus remain unclear.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFNegative air ion exposure ameliorates depression-like behaviors induced by chronic mild stress in mice.
Environ Sci Pollut Res Int
September 2022
Article Synopsis
- Negative air ions (NAI) may help improve mood and treat depression, but more biological research is needed to understand how they work.
- In a study with mice subjected to chronic mild stress (CMS) to simulate depression, NAI exposure significantly reduced symptoms such as lower sucrose preference and less immobility in stress tests.
- The findings suggest that NAI could counteract the effects of stress on mood by normalizing cortisol levels and restoring the balance of immune cell cytokines associated with depression.
Genome-wide association studies uncovered the association of ZNF804A (Zinc-finger protein 804A) with schizophrenia (SZ). In vitro data have indicated that ZNF804A might exert its biological roles by regulating spine and neurite morphogenesis. However, no in vivo data are available for the role of ZNF804A in psychiatric disorders in general, SZ in particular.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFβ-Ionone is a carotenoid-derived flavor and fragrance compound with a complex fruity and woody scent, known for its violet aroma. Due to the low odor threshold, β-ionone dramatically affects the aroma and quality of tea. Previous studies have shown that β-ionone increases during tea withering; however, its formation and regulation during the withering process are far from being understood.
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- Schizophrenia involves various symptoms, including negative, positive, and cognitive aspects, making treatment difficult.
- Sodium nitroprusside (SNP) has shown potential in quickly reducing psychotic symptoms and enhancing cognitive functions in schizophrenia patients, suggesting a new treatment avenue.
- A study involving 42 patients tested SNP through a randomized, double-blind trial but found no significant improvement in psychotic symptoms or cognitive functions compared to a placebo, although SNP was generally well tolerated.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to measure urinary levels of nephrin and podocalyxin in adult nephrotic syndrome (NS) patients, standardizing these levels by aquaporin (AQP)-2 using the ELISA method.
- Involved 107 NS patients and 11 healthy controls, showing that both nephrin and podocalyxin levels were higher in NS patients, particularly in those with focal segmental glomerular sclerosis (FSGS).
- The findings suggest that measuring urinary podocalyxin/AQP may be more effective than nephrin/AQP for distinguishing between types of nephrotic syndrome, with FSGS patients exhibiting the highest levels.