Objective: To explore the impact of sleep quality, experience of childhood maltreatment, and their interaction on depressive symptoms among middle school students, so as to provide the reference for early intervention of depressive symptoms among middle school students. Methods: From September to December 2023, a questionnaire survey was conducted among 1 231 students from two secondary schools in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province by a convenient sampling method. The survey included general demographic information, Childhood Trauma Questionnaire Short Form, Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Short Version of Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale. The Chi square test was used to analyze the differences in depressive symptom, sleep quality and childhood maltreatment among students with different demographic characteristics. Correlation analysis was conducted using Logistic regression, and interaction analysis was performed by both additive and multiplicative interaction models. Results: The detection rate of depressive symptoms among middle school students was 22.7%, and the rate for high school students (35.2%) was significantly higher than that for middle school students (17.0%) ( χ 2=50.35, P <0.01). The detection rates of depressive symptoms among middle school students with a history of childhood maltreatment and poor sleep quality were 45.8% and 44.0%, respectively. Multivariate Logistic regression analysis showed that compared to students without a history of childhood maltreatment, students with a history of childhood maltreatment had a higher risk of depressive symptoms ( OR =4.49，95% CI =3.31~ 6.09 , P <0.01);students with poor sleep quality had a higher risk of depressive symptoms than students with good sleep quality ( OR = 5.99，95% CI =4.37~8.22, P <0.01).The interaction results showed that the presence of childhood maltreatment and poor sleep quality had an additive interaction on the occurrence of depression in middle school students. Compared with students without childhood maltreatment and having good sleep quality, students with childhood maltreatment and poor sleep quality had a 22.49 times higher risk of developing depression ( OR =22.49，95% CI =14.22~35.59, P <0.01). Conclusion Depressive symptoms among middle school students are associated with childhood maltreatment and poor sleep quality, and there is an additive interaction between childhood maltreatment and poor sleep quality on the impact of depressive symptoms.

Emerging evidence suggests that dysbiosis of the gut microbiota is associated with the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD), a prevalent neurodegenerative disorder. The microbiota-gut-brain axis plays a crucial role in the development and progression of PD, and numerous studies have demonstrated the potential therapeutic benefits of modulations in the intestinal microbiota. This review provides insights into the characterization of the gut microbiota in patients with PD and highlights associations with clinical symptoms and underlying mechanisms. The discussion underscores the increased influence of the gut microbiota in the pathogenesis of PD. While the relationship is not fully elucidated, existing research demonstrates a strong correlation between changes in the composition of gut microbiota and disease development, and further investigation is warranted to explain the specific underlying mechanisms.
Humans ; Parkinson Disease/microbiology* ; Gastrointestinal Microbiome/physiology* ; Dysbiosis/microbiology*

BACKGROUND: Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by radical surgery has been a common practice for patients with locally advanced rectal cancer, but the response rate varies among patients. This study aimed to develop a ResNet-Vision Transformer based magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-endoscopy fusion model to precisely predict treatment response and provide personalized treatment. METHODS: In this multicenter study, 366 eligible patients who had undergone neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by radical surgery at eight Chinese tertiary hospitals between January 2017 and June 2024 were recruited, with 2928 pretreatment colonic endoscopic images and 366 pelvic MRI images. An MRI-endoscopy fusion model was constructed based on the ResNet backbone and Transformer network using pretreatment MRI and endoscopic images. Treatment response was defined as good response or non-good response based on the tumor regression grade. The Delong test and the Hanley-McNeil test were utilized to compare prediction performance among different models and different subgroups, respectively. The predictive performance of the MRI-endoscopy fusion model was comprehensively validated in the test sets and was further compared to that of the single-modal MRI model and single-modal endoscopy model. RESULTS: The MRI-endoscopy fusion model demonstrated favorable prediction performance. In the internal validation set, the area under the curve (AUC) and accuracy were 0.852 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.744-0.940) and 0.737 (95% CI: 0.712-0.844), respectively. Moreover, the AUC and accuracy reached 0.769 (95% CI: 0.678-0.861) and 0.729 (95% CI: 0.628-0.821), respectively, in the external test set. In addition, the MRI-endoscopy fusion model outperformed the single-modal MRI model (AUC: 0.692 [95% CI: 0.609-0.783], accuracy: 0.659 [95% CI: 0.565-0.775]) and the single-modal endoscopy model (AUC: 0.720 [95% CI: 0.617-0.823], accuracy: 0.713 [95% CI: 0.612-0.809]) in the external test set. CONCLUSION The MRI-endoscopy fusion model based on ResNet-Vision Transformer achieved favorable performance in predicting treatment response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy and holds tremendous potential for enabling personalized treatment regimens for locally advanced rectal cancer patients.
Humans ; Rectal Neoplasms/diagnostic imaging* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/methods* ; Male ; Female ; Middle Aged ; Neoadjuvant Therapy/methods* ; Aged ; Adult ; Chemoradiotherapy/methods* ; Endoscopy/methods* ; Treatment Outcome

Hypercholesterolemia is a significant risk factor for the development of atherosclerosis. 2',3',5'-Tri-O-acetyl-N ⁶-(3-hydroxyphenyl) adenosine (IMM-H007), a novel AMPK agonist, has shown protective effects in metabolic diseases. However, its impact on cholesterol and triglyceride metabolism in hypercholesterolemia remains unclear. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the effects and specific mechanisms by which IMM-H007 regulates cholesterol and triglyceride metabolism. To achieve this goal, we used Apoe ^-/- and Ldlr ^-/- mice to establish a hypercholesterolemia/atherosclerosis model. Additionally, hepatocyte-specific Ampka1/2 knockout mice were subjected to a 5-week high-cholesterol diet to establish hypercholesterolemia, while atherosclerosis was induced via AAV-PCSK9 injection combined with a 16-week high-cholesterol diet. Our results demonstrated that IMM-H007 improved cholesterol and triglyceride metabolism in mice with hypercholesterolemia. Mechanistically, IMM-H007 modulated the AMPKα1/2-LDLR signaling pathway, increasing cholesterol uptake in the liver. Furthermore, IMM-H007 activated the AMPKα1-FXR pathway, promoting the conversion of hepatic cholesterol to bile acids. Additionally, IMM-H007 prevented hepatic steatosis by activating the AMPKα1/2-ATGL pathway. In conclusion, our study suggests that IMM-H007 is a promising therapeutic agent for improving hypercholesterolemia and atherosclerosis through the activation of AMPKα.

Hippo signaling is a highly conserved pathway central to diverse cellular processes. Dysregulation of this pathway not only leads to developmental abnormalities but is also closely related to the occurrence and progression of various cancers. Recent studies have uncovered that, in addition to the classical signaling cascade regulation, biomolecular condensates formed via phase separation play a key role in the spatiotemporal regulation of Hippo signaling. In this review, we provide a summary of the latest research progress on the regulation of the Hippo signaling pathway by phase separation, with a particular focus on transcriptional activation mediated by Yes-associated protein (YAP)/transcriptional coactivator with post-synaptic density-95, disks-large, and zonula occludens-1 (PDZ)-binding domain (TAZ) condensates. Furthermore, we discuss the utility of chemical crosslinking combined with mass spectrometry to analyze the TAZ condensate interactome and examine the role of the protein fused in sarcoma (FUS) in modulating the biophysical properties of TAZ condensates, which in turn influence their transcriptional activity and pro-tumorigenic functions. These insights not only advance our understanding of Hippo signaling but also offer new perspectives for therapeutic interventions targeting diseases linked to dysregulated YAP/TAZ activity.
Humans ; Signal Transduction ; Hippo Signaling Pathway ; Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases/physiology* ; Animals ; Biomolecular Condensates/metabolism* ; Transcription Factors/metabolism* ; YAP-Signaling Proteins ; Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing/metabolism* ; Neoplasms ; Transcriptional Activation ; Intracellular Signaling Peptides and Proteins/metabolism*

This study aims at developing a dataset for determining the presence of carotid artery plaques in ultrasound images,composed of 1761 ultrasound images from 1165 participants.A deep learning architecture that combines bilinear convolutional neural networks with residual neural networks,known as the single-input BCNN-ResNet model,was utilized to aid clinical doctors in diagnosing plaques using carotid ultrasound images.Following training,internal validation,and external validation,the model yielded an ROC AUC of 0.99(95%confidence interval:0.91 to 0.84)in internal validation and 0.95(95%confidence interval:0.96 to 0.94)in external validation,surpassing the ResNet-34 network model,which achieved an AUC of 0.98(95%confidence interval:0.99 to 0.95)in internal validation and 0.94(95%confidence interval:0.95 to 0.92)in external validation.Consequently,the single-input BCNN-ResNet network model has shown remarkable diagnostic capabilities and offers an innovative solution for the automatic detection of carotid artery plaques.

Objective:This study introduces a novel approach utilizing a self-made drug delivery cannula implanted into the cerebellomedullary cistern(CMC)of rats to allow repeated administrations in conscious subjects.Methods:A self-made medication cannula is inserted through a drilled hole at the midpoint of the occipital crest of the rat's skull,de-scending along the inner wall of the occipital bone until reaching the CMC,and securing it in place with skull screws and self-curing resin.Lipopolysaccharide(LPS)is injected into the CMC to induce neuroinflammation,and the feasibility of this method is assessed using X-ray imaging,behavioral testing,and immunofluorescence staining.Results:The place-ment of the brain cannula was confirmed using X-ray film and pontamine sky blue staining.Rats in the LPS group exhib-ited a lower facial mechanical pain threshold compared to the Control group(P＜0.001),along with reduced residence time in the open field center(P＜0.01).Immunofluorescence staining revealed LPS-induced activation of caudal spinal trigeminal nucleus(SpVc)microglia.Conclusion:This method proves to be suitable for multiple administrations to the cerebellomedullary cistern of conscious rats,enabling the study of the SpVc's role in pain modulation.

Objective Exploring the mechanism of electroacupuncture's anti anxiety effect through methods such as hippocampal metabolomics and 16S rRNA sequencing.Methods Rats were randomly divided into normal group,model group,electroacupuncture group,and diazepam group.A rat model of anxiety disorder was prepared using chronic restraint stress method.During the modeling period of the electroacupuncture group,simultaneous"Zusanli"acupoint electroacupuncture intervention was performed for 30 minutes each time,once a day,for 21 days.The diazepam group received daily gavage of diazepam for a total of 21 days.After the completion of modeling,open field experiments and elevated cross maze experiments were conducted to observe the behavior of rats.Subsequently,pathological staining was performed to observe the pathological changes in the hippocampus and colon of rats.Metabolomics detection of changes in metabolites in the hippocampus of rats.16S rRNA and short chain fatty acid analysis were used to detect changes in gut microbiota and short chain fatty acids in rats.Western blot detection of Occludin in the colon and TLR4,NF-κB P65 and NLRP3 in the hippocampus of rats.Immunofluorescence detection of IBA-1,NLRP3,and IL-1β in the hippocampus Protein expression.Result The results of the open field experiment showed that compared with the normal group,the total activity distance(P<0.001),central area activity distance(P<0.01),and average velocity(P<0.01)of the model group decreased.Compared with the model group,the total activity distance(P<0.05,P<0.001),central area activity distance(P<0.05,P<0.01),and average velocity(P<0.05,P<0.01)of the electroacupuncture group and diazepam group all increased.The results of the elevated cross maze experiment showed that compared with the normal group,the model group had a decrease in OE%(P<0.001)and OT%(P<0.001).Compared with the model group,both the electroacupuncture group and the diazepam group could increase OE%(P<0.05,P<0.001)and OT%(P<0.01,P<0.001).The HE staining results of the hippocampus showed that the CA1 area of the hippocampus in the normal group rats showed clear and hierarchical structures in various regions of the hippocampus.In the hippocampus of the model group,a small amount of neural cell nuclei in the CA1 area were observed to be wrinkled and deeply stained,with unclear cell boundaries and irregular arrangement,and the cytoplasm was vacuolate.The intervention of electroacupuncture and diazepam can alleviate the above pathological phenomena to varying degrees,respectively;The results of hippocampal metabolomics showed that electroacupuncture can improve hippocampal metabolic disorders caused by modeling,mainly involving taurine and low taurine metabolism,cysteine and methionine metabolism,and regulation of glycine,serine,and threonine metabolic pathways;The results of 16S rRNA sequencing and short chain fatty acid detection showed that electroacupuncture can improve the disturbance of intestinal microbiota caused by modeling,and can regulate serum LPS and levels of butyric acid,caproic acid,and valeric acid.HE staining and Western blot results showed that the model group had pathological damage to the intestine,and compared with the normal group,the expression of Occludin in the colon of the model group decreased(P<0.05).However,the intervention of electroacupuncture and diazepam could improve the pathological damage of the colon and upregulate the expression of Occludin(P<0.05,P<0.05).The immunofluorescence results showed that compared with the normal group,the expression levels of IBA-1,NLRP3,and IL-1β in the hippocampus of the model group increased(P<0.05,P<0.01,P<0.01),while compared with the model group,the electroacupuncture group and diazepam group could reduce the expression levels of IBA-1(P<0.05,P<0.05),NLRP3(P<0.05,P<0.05),and IL-1β(P<0.05,P<0.05).Western blot results showed that compared with the normal group,the expression levels of TLR4,NF-κB P65,and NLRP3 proteins in the hippocampus of the model group increased(P<0.05,P<0.001,P<0.05).Compared with the model group,the electroacupuncture group and diazepam group were able to downregulate the expression levels of NF-κB P65(P<0.01,P<0.001)and NLRP3(P<0.05,P<0.05)proteins.Conclusion The anxiolytic of electroacupuncture involves the regulation of the"microbiota-gut-brain"axis.

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma(ATC)is the most aggressive malignancy with poor prognosis.The pathogenesis of ATC is complex,and there is no effective treatment at present.In recent years,with the deep understanding of the genetic(such as BRAF V600E,TP53,TERT,PIK3CA mutations,etc.)and epigenetic(such as histone methylation,histone deacetylation,microRNA regulatory pathways,etc.)changes driving ATC,molecular targeted therapy has brought new hope to ATC patients.This article reviews the molecular mechanisms of ATC and the latest achievements in targeted therapy and other therapies.