Mapping the modulating effect of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation on voxel-based analyses in patients with first-episode major depressive disorder: a resting-state fMRI study

BACKGROUND

Seed-based analysis find that transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) can modulate the dysfunctional brain network in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD). The voxel-based neuro-psychological mechanism of taVNS on patients with first-episode MDD is poorly understood.

METHODS

Twenty-two first-episode MDD patients accepted 8-week taVNS treatment. Resting-state fMRI were scanned before and after the treatment. Voxel-based analyses were performed to characterize the spontaneous brain activity. Health controls (n = 23) were recruited to minimize the test-retest effects. The analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) was performed to determine the treatment-related changes. Then the correlations between the changes of the brain activity and the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) / Hamilton Anxiety Scale remission rate were estimated.

RESULTS

Significant group-by-time interactions on voxel-based analyses were observed in inferior ventral striatum (VSi) and precuneus. Post-hoc analyses showed that taVNS inhibited the higher brain activity in the VSi, while upregulated the precuneus. The functional connectivity (FC) between VSi and precuneus decreased. Positive correlations were found between the HAMD remission rate and the alterant brain activity in the VSi.

CONCLUSIONS

TaVNS reduced the functional connectivity between VSi and precuneus by normalizing the abnormal spontaneous brain activity of VSi in first-episode MDD patients.

Neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy plus surgery in the treatment of potentially resectable thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

BACKGROUND

In recent years, neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NCRT) combined with surgery has been gradually applied in patients with locally advanced thoracic esophageal cancer, but its effectiveness and safety remains unclear. In this clinical trial, we prospectively investigated the efficacy and safety of NCRT plus surgery in the treatment of thoracic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (TESCC).

AIM

To investigate the efficacy and safety of NCRT combined with surgery in the treatment of potentially resectable TESCC.

METHODS

Thirty patients with advanced TESCC hospitalized in our hospital from July 2016 to June 2019 were prospectively studied. All patients received NCRT, which included intensity modulated conformal radiotherapy (40-44 Gy/20-22f, 2 Gy/f) and chemotherapy (paclitaxel 150-175 mg/m²d1, 22 + lobaplatin 25-30 mg/m²d2, 23 for two cycles). Surgery was performed after radiotherapy and chemotherapy. The effectiveness and safety of these treatments were observed. 

RESULTS

Among these 30 patients, complete response was achieved in two cases (6.7%) and partial response in 26 cases (86.7%), yielding an objective response rate of 100%. All patients underwent radical surgery successfully. The R0 resection rate was 100%, and the pathologic complete response rate was 33.3%. The incidence of grade III- IV granulocytopenia was 10% during the NCRT, and anastomotic leakage occurred in one patient after surgery. 

CONCLUSION

For patients with potentially resectable TESCC, NCRT can effectively reduce the tumor size, increase R0 resection rate, and achieve obvious pathological degradation, with mild adverse reactions. Thus, it is worthy of wider clinical application.

Identification of nine microRNAs as potential biomarkers for lung adenocarcinoma

Lung cancer is a leading global cause of cancer‐related death, and lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) accounts for ~ 50% of lung cancer. Here, we screened for novel and specific biomarkers of LUAD by searching for differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs) and microRNAs (DEmiRNAs) in LUAD patient expression data within The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The identified optimal diagnostic miRNA biomarkers were used to establish classification models (including support vector machine, decision tree, and random forest) to distinguish between LUAD and adjacent tissues. We then predicted the targets of identified optimal diagnostic miRNA biomarkers, functionally annotated these target genes, and performed receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of the respective DEmiRNA biomarkers, their target DEmRNAs, and combinations of DEmiRNA biomarkers. We validated the expression of selected DEmiRNA biomarkers by quantitative real‐time PCR (qRT‐PCR). In all, we identified a total of 13 DEmiRNAs, 2301 DEmRNAs and 232 DEmiRNA–target DEmRNA pairs between LUAD and adjacent tissues and selected nine DEmiRNAs (hsa‐mir‐486‐1, hsa‐mir‐486‐2, hsa‐mir‐153, hsa‐mir‐210, hsa‐mir‐9‐1, hsa‐mir‐9‐2, hsa‐mir‐9‐3, hsa‐mir‐577, and hsa‐mir‐4732) as optimal LUAD‐specific biomarkers with great diagnostic value. The predicted targets of these nine DEmiRNAs were significantly enriched in transcriptional misregulation in cancer and central carbon metabolism. Our qRT‐PCR results were generally consistent with our integrated analysis. In summary, our study identified nine DEmiRNAs that may serve as potential diagnostic biomarkers of LUAD. Functional annotation of their target DEmRNAs may provide information on their roles in LUAD.

Comparative quantitative trait locus mapping of maize flowering-related traits in an F2:3 and recombinant inbred line population

Flowering-related traits in maize are affected by complex factors and are important for the improvement of cropping systems in the maize zone. Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) detected using different materials and methods usually vary. In the present study, 266 maize (Zea mays) F2:3 families and 301 recombinant inbred lines (RIL) derived from a cross between 08-641 (founding parent from southeast China) and Ye478 (founding parent from China) were evaluated for four flowering-related traits, including days to tasseling (DTT), days to pollen shedding (DPS), days to silking (DTS), and anthesis-silking interval. Sixty-six QTLs controlling the target traits were detected in the F2:3 and RIL populations via single environment analysis and joint analysis across all environments (JAAE). The QTLs explained 0.8-13.47% of the phenotypic variation, with 12 QTLs explaining more than 10%. The results of meta-QTL (MQTL) analysis indicated that 41 QTLs could be integrated into 14 MQTLs. One MQTL included 2.9 QTLs, ranging from two to ten QTLs for one to three traits. QTLs, including MQTL1-1 and MQTL9-1, were detected across the F2:3 and RIL populations via SAE and JAAE. Among the MQTLs, nine QTLs were integrated into MQTL9-1 and affected DTT, DPS, and DTS, with the favored allele being derived from 08-641. MQTL3-2 showed high phenotypic variation and was suitable for fine mapping to determine the genetic mechanisms of flowering. MQTL3-2 could be applied to improve inbred lines using marker-assisted selection.

[Time-related expression of IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-alpha following explosive injury to rabbit's chest]

OBJECTIVE

To explore the relationship between the expression changes of cytokines, interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-8(IL-8), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and the wound time following explosive injury to rabbit's chest.

METHODS

The rabbit's model of explosive injury was established. The expression levels of IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-alpha in the plasma were detected by ELISA method at different wound time (0.5-12h).

RESULTS

The level of IL-6 increased at 3h after wounding and reached peak at 6 h. The level of IL-8 increased at 1 h and reached peak at 6 h. The level of TNF-alpha increased at 0.5 h and reached peak at 3 h.

CONCLUSION

IL-6, IL-8 and TNF-alpha have a time-related expression after explosive injury.

A facile method for the synthesis of N-(α-aminoacyl) sulfonamides

N-Acylsulfonamide derivatives have important applications in organic synthesis and drug discovery. It was found that many problems occurred preparing amino acid derived N-acylsulfonamides with the commonly used coupling approach in our previous studies. In this paper, we report an efficient approach to synthesize various amino acids derived N-acylsulfonamides in high yields without any racemization.

Diagnostic values of SCC, CEA, Cyfra21-1 and NSE for lung cancer in patients with suspicious pulmonary masses: a single center analysis

We recruited 805 patients with suspicious pulmonary masses that were identified finally as lung cancer or benign pulmonary masses. The serum levels of four tumor markers, including squamous cell carcinoma antigen (SCC), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), cytokeratin 19 fragment antigen 21-1 (Cyfra21-1) and neuron specific enolase (NSE) were tested for every patient. Though receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves indicated unsatisfactory diagnostic power of those four tumor markers for lung cancer, 37.3% of early-staged lung cancer could be diagnosed just on the combination assays of the four tumor markers, under adjusted cut-off values through our statistical analysis retrospectively.

Biliary cystadenocarcinoma diagnosed with real-time contrast-enhanced ultrasonography: Report of a case with diagnostic features

Biliary cystadenocarcinoma is a very rare malignant cystic tumor of the liver, which is often misdiagnosed due to a poor recognition of it. We report a case of a 60-year-old man with biliary cystadenocarcinoma with his real time contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) characteristics compared to those of computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which were correlated with the surgical and pathologic findings. Cystic wall enhancement, internal septations and intra-cystic solid portions in the arterial phase were observed on CEUS after contrast agent injection. The enhancement was washed out progressively and depicted as hypo-enhancement in the portal and late phases. CT revealed a large irregular cystic lesion in the left liver lobe with no clear septations and solid components. MRI showed an irregular cystic occupying lesion with septations.

[Preparation and identification of polyclonal antibody to B cell epitope domain of TRP-1]

AIM

To prepare the polyclonal antibody to B cell epitope domain of TRP-1 and apply it to study the immunotherapy of vitiligo and melanoma.

METHODS

The fusion protein PRSETA/TRP-1 was expressed in E.coli, the polyclonal antibody was prepared by immunizing a rabbit with the protein. The qulity of the antibody was identified by ELISA and Western-blot.

RESULTS

(1)The pRSEA/TRP-1 fusion protein was correctly expressed;(2)the polyclonal antibodies to the B cell eoitope domain of TRP-1 were obtained; (3)the rabbit antiserum containing of polyclonal antibody showed high titer and possessed good binding activity to 6His-TRP1 expressed by Pichia pastoris.

CONCLUSION

The polyclonal antibody could be applied to the research on B cell epitope domain of TRP-1.