Objective:This study aims to explore whether there are specific behavioral deficits of response inhibition and emotional processing in patients with checking obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and those with washing OCD.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2020 to December 2022, collecting clinical data from 75 OCD patients at the outpatient psychological consultation clinic of Xiangya Second Hospital and the clinical psychology department of Hunan Brain Hospital. The sample included 40 OCD patients with checking type (checking group, 24 males, 16 females, aged 14-34 years, mean age 22.1±5.0 years) and 35 OCD patients with washing type (washing group, 12 males, 23 females, aged 14-41 years, mean age 22.6±6.7 years). An age-matched healthy control group (control group) of 80 individuals (HCs, 37 males and 43 females, aged 14-25 years, mean age 20.8±1.9 years) was also recruited. All participants completed the Go/No-go task and Hariri task with behavioral data recorded. The Dimensional Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale was used to assess the severity of OCD symptoms. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and State Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were used to assess the severity of depression and anxiety. A 3 (group: checking OCD, washing OCD and HC)×2 (task type: Go vs. No-go/Shape vs. Face) repeated-measures ANOVA was conducted to compare the behavioral performance across tasks.Results:Compared with HC group, both checking OCD group and washing OCD group had significantly higher scores in depression and anxiety ( F=85.43, 32.33,both P<0.05). When performing Go/No-go task, a significant group×task interaction effect was observed ( F3(2, 152)=3.23, P3=0.042, partialη32=0.04). In the checking OCD group, No-go accuracy was significantly lower than Go accuracy (accuracy=0.821 vs. 0.893, P<0.001); the checking OCD had significantly lower accuracy than HC in the No-go task (accuracy=0.821 vs. 0.876, P=0.005); there were no significant group differences between the washing OCD and HC in the No-go task ( P>0.05). When performing Hariri task, a significant group×task interaction effect was found ( F3(2, 152)=4.91, P3=0.009, partial η32=0.06). The washing OCD group showed significantly lower accuracy in matching emotional faces than the control group (0.879 vs. 0.936, P=0.001), whereas the checking OCD group showed no significant difference from the HC ( P>0.05); there were no significant group differences in shape matching task ( P>0.05). The accuracy of shape matching task was significantly higher than face matching task in the three groups (shape: checking OCD=0.936,washing OCD=0.929,HC=0.943; face:checking OCD=0.877,washing OCD=0.844,HC=0.917;all P>0.05). Conclusions:Checking OCD and washing OCD exhibit distinct behavioral impairment patterns in response inhibition and emotional processing. Checking-type OCD is primarily characterized by impaired response inhibition, whereas washing-type OCD is mainly associated with deficits in emotion processing.

The aetiology of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) involves genetic, immunological and microbiological factors, and the specific mechanisms of which are not yet fully understood. Intestinal organoids have an important role to play in the study of IBD, particularly with regard to mechanical barrier damage to the intestinal epithelium, intestinal micro-ecological dysregulation and genetic mechanisms. Intestinal organoids can also be used for screening of IBD therapeutics and individualized treatment monitoring in IBD, and are expected to cure IBD by means of repairing the intestinal mucosa or by transplantation. The application of intestinal organoids faces standardization, ethical, legal and technical challenges. However, with the improvement of standardization and technological advancement, it is expected to be combined with technologies such as artificial intelligence to further elucidate the pathogenesis of IBD and promote treatment innovation.

Objective:This study aims to explore whether there are specific behavioral deficits of response inhibition and emotional processing in patients with checking obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and those with washing OCD.Methods:A cross-sectional study was conducted from January 2020 to December 2022, collecting clinical data from 75 OCD patients at the outpatient psychological consultation clinic of Xiangya Second Hospital and the clinical psychology department of Hunan Brain Hospital. The sample included 40 OCD patients with checking type (checking group, 24 males, 16 females, aged 14-34 years, mean age 22.1±5.0 years) and 35 OCD patients with washing type (washing group, 12 males, 23 females, aged 14-41 years, mean age 22.6±6.7 years). An age-matched healthy control group (control group) of 80 individuals (HCs, 37 males and 43 females, aged 14-25 years, mean age 20.8±1.9 years) was also recruited. All participants completed the Go/No-go task and Hariri task with behavioral data recorded. The Dimensional Yale-Brown Obsessive-Compulsive Scale was used to assess the severity of OCD symptoms. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and State Anxiety Inventory (STAI) were used to assess the severity of depression and anxiety. A 3 (group: checking OCD, washing OCD and HC)×2 (task type: Go vs. No-go/Shape vs. Face) repeated-measures ANOVA was conducted to compare the behavioral performance across tasks.Results:Compared with HC group, both checking OCD group and washing OCD group had significantly higher scores in depression and anxiety ( F=85.43, 32.33,both P<0.05). When performing Go/No-go task, a significant group×task interaction effect was observed ( F3(2, 152)=3.23, P3=0.042, partialη32=0.04). In the checking OCD group, No-go accuracy was significantly lower than Go accuracy (accuracy=0.821 vs. 0.893, P<0.001); the checking OCD had significantly lower accuracy than HC in the No-go task (accuracy=0.821 vs. 0.876, P=0.005); there were no significant group differences between the washing OCD and HC in the No-go task ( P>0.05). When performing Hariri task, a significant group×task interaction effect was found ( F3(2, 152)=4.91, P3=0.009, partial η32=0.06). The washing OCD group showed significantly lower accuracy in matching emotional faces than the control group (0.879 vs. 0.936, P=0.001), whereas the checking OCD group showed no significant difference from the HC ( P>0.05); there were no significant group differences in shape matching task ( P>0.05). The accuracy of shape matching task was significantly higher than face matching task in the three groups (shape: checking OCD=0.936,washing OCD=0.929,HC=0.943; face:checking OCD=0.877,washing OCD=0.844,HC=0.917;all P>0.05). Conclusions:Checking OCD and washing OCD exhibit distinct behavioral impairment patterns in response inhibition and emotional processing. Checking-type OCD is primarily characterized by impaired response inhibition, whereas washing-type OCD is mainly associated with deficits in emotion processing.

Retrograde adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) are capable of infecting the axons of projection neurons and serve as a powerful tool for the anatomical and functional characterization of neural networks. However, few retrograde AAV capsids have been shown to offer access to cortical projection neurons across different species and enable the manipulation of neural function in non-human primates (NHPs). Here, we report the development of a novel retrograde AAV capsid, AAV-DJ8R, which efficiently labeled cortical projection neurons after local administration into the striatum of mice and macaques. In addition, intrastriatally injected AAV-DJ8R mediated opsin expression in the mouse motor cortex and induced robust behavioral alterations. Moreover, AAV-DJ8R markedly increased motor cortical neuron firing upon optogenetic light stimulation after viral delivery into the macaque putamen. These data demonstrate the usefulness of AAV-DJ8R as an efficient retrograde tracer for cortical projection neurons in rodents and NHPs and indicate its suitability for use in conducting functional interrogations.
Animals ; Haplorhini ; Axons ; Motor Neurons ; Interneurons ; Macaca ; Dependovirus/genetics* ; Genetic Vectors

Fucoidan is a kind of sulfated polysaccharide with various biological activities that mainly exists in the cell walls of brown algae. It is also found in marine invertebrates such as sea cucumbers and sea urchins. Fucoidan has received a lot of attention due to its tumor-killing and immune-boosting properties. Moreover, the combination of fucoidan with chemotherapeutic drugs not only improves antitumor efficacy but also reduces the side effects of these drugs. The function of fucoidan is closely correlated with its structure, molecular weight, degree of sulfation, monosaccharide component, algae source, and time of collection. In this review, the antitumor and immunomodulatory effects of fucoidan are reviewed from the aspects of promoting cell apoptosis, inducing cell cycle arrest, inhibiting angiogenesis and cell migration, and activating immune cells, to provide theoretical guidance for the development and clinical application of fucoidan.

Objective:To investigate the regulatory effects of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) on dendritic cell (DC) maturation and function through solute carrier family 1 member 2 (Slc1a2).Methods:Mouse bone marrow-derived DCs were transfected with Slc1a2-specific siRNA and an overexpression Slc1a2 eukaryotic expression vector. The real-time fluorescence quantitation (RT-PCR) and Western Blot methods were used to detect knockdown and overexpression efficiency. The expression of surface molecules (CD40, CD80) and major histocompatibility complex Ⅱ (MHCⅡ) of DCs was detected by flow cytometry. ELISA was used to detect the secretion of the cytokines interleukin (IL)-12, IL-6, and transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β). The effects of knockdown of Slc1a2 on DC maturation and function and the effects of overexpression of Slc1a2 on DC maturation and function were reflected by the above assay results. A mixed lymphocyte culture assay was used to investigate the effect of Slc1a2 on T cell proliferation, and an ELISA was used to detect the lavel of IL-17A. Changes in the relative fluorescence intensity of FITC in DCs were analyzed by flow cytometry to investigate the ability of Slc1a2 overexpression on antigen phagocytosis. Finally, DCs were pretreated with an NF-κB inhibitor, toluoylphenylalanine chloromethyl ketone (TPCK), and the effect of TPCK on the expression of Slc1a2 in DCs and DC maturation was examined.Results:Slc1a2 expression was found to be high in DC treated with lipopolysaccharides (LPS) ( P<0.001). The knockdown of Slc1a2 decreased DC maturation and ability to stimulate the proliferation of CD4 + T cells ( P<0.001) and inhibited IL-17 secretion ( P<0.01). Overexpression of Slc1a2 promoted DC maturation and ability to stimulate the proliferation of CD4 + T cells(all P<0.01) Pretreatment of DC with the NF-κB inhibitor TPCK inhibited the expression of Slc1a2 at mRNA and protein levels induced by LPS. Conclusions:NF-κB regulates Slc1a2 expression, which affects the maturation and function of DC.

Objective:To investigate the immunoregulatory effects of Glycyrrhiza uralensis ethanol extract(GUEE) on the maturation of dendritic cells (DCs) and the adjuvant effect of GUEE on OVA in na?ve BALB/c mice and an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced asthma mouse model. Methods:GUEE was prepared, and the effects of different concentrations of GUEE on the maturation of DCs and the secreted cytokines as well as the effects of GUEE on bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced DC maturation were examined in vitro. The effect of GUEE on the morphology of mouse bone marrow derived DCs was observed using microscopy. Molecular expression levels on the surface of DCs were detected using flow cytometry. The levels of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, IL-12, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the supernatant of DCs cultures were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The maturation status of DCs was detected by flow cytometry by injecting different concentrations of GUEE into the paws of mice and isolating the draining lymph nodes 24 h later. The naive BALB/c mice were co-immunized with OVA, and the changes in regulatory T cells (Treg) were detected by flow cytometry. An OVA-protein-induced mouse asthma model was established to investigate whether GUEE as a tolerogenic adjuvant has an antigen-specific therapeutic effect on asthmatic mice. Pulmonary pathological changes were analyzed by hematoxylin-eosin staining (HE) and PAS staining. OVA-specific antibodies in serum and the frequencies of Tregs, CD4 + IFN-γ + and CD4 + IL-4 + T cells in the spleen were detected by ELISA and flow cytometry, respectively. Results:GUEE suppressed DCs maturation induced by LPS both in vitro and in vivo (all P<0.05), and reduced proinflammatory cytokine production, including IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12 and TNF-α in the absence or presence of LPS (all P<0.05). Moreover, co-immunization with OVA and GUEE increased the amount of Tregs in na?ve BALB/c mice ( P<0.05). In OVA-induced asthmatic mice, OVA and GUEE co-immunization and GUEE alone treatment substantially ameliorated the inflammation of lung tissues, decreased the levels of IgG 1 and the amount of CD4 + IL-4 + T cells, and increased the amount of Tregs (all P<0.05). Conclusions:GUEE alone or as the tolerogenic adjuvant can ameliorate allergic diseases through inhibition of DC maturation and type 2 helper T cell responses and induction of Tregs.

Objective To explore the clinical significance of monitoring drainage fluid parathyroid hormone (dPTH) for estimating the in situ reserves and function of the parathyroid by analyzing the change of serum calcium,serum parathyroid hormone(sPTH) and dPTH after thyroid surgery.Methods According to the operative method,the total of 144 patients with thyroid disease were divided into five groups:unilateral lobectomy,unilateral lobectomy plus isthmectomy with unilateral lymph node dissection,total thyroidectomy,total thyroidectomy with unilateral lymph node dissection,and total thyroidectomy with bilateral lymph node dissection group.The blood calcium,sPTH and dPTH level of patients were tested before operation and on the 1st,2nd,3rd and 4th day after operation.The depression of serum calcium,hypocalcemia and hypoparathyroidism were observed after operation.The serum calcium,serum PTH and dPTH level were summarized and analyzed statistically in order to evaluate the in situ reserves and postoperative function of the parathyroid.Results Among the 114 cases,the decline of serum calcium level mostly happened on the 2nd day after operation(70 cases,61.4％).There were 36 patients with hypocalcemia (31.58％) and 34 patients with hypoparathyroidism (29.82％).Serum calcium level increased gradually in all of the patients.Although sPTH level swung,it had a rising trend on the whole.The level of serum calcium and sPTH was positively correlated.The level of dPTH was discrete and decreased along with time.The decline level of dPTH among different groups had statistical difference.Conclusions It is a promising method to evaluate the in situ reserves and function of the parathyroid by monitoring the level and changes of dPTH after thyroid surgery,and it is of value for preventive calcium supplementation after thyroid surgery.