Cortical activation for adolescent-onset minor depression and major depressive disorder: an fNIRS study

BACKGROUND

While depression is increasing worldwide, some patients are diagnosed as having Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), but others are diagnosed with minor depression, however, the potential neuro mechanism is unknown.

METHODS

Sixty-two patients with minor depression, 44 adolescents with MDD and 54 healthy adolescents participated in this study. Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), both HAMD and HAMA data were collected from all of the participants.

RESULTS

The result indicates the pervasively decreased activation of BA, 11, 21, 45 and 46 were observed in the MDD group and reduced activation of BA 45 was observed in the minor depression group. However, cortical activation was not observed between the minor depression or MDD groups. Cortical activation was also not correlated with the depressive/anxious score in the minor and MDD groups separately.

CONCLUSIONS

Cortical activation was pervasively decreased in the MDD group and slightly reduced in the minor depression group, which may be a potential neural mechanism. As reduced cortical activation in minor depression, interventions in the early stages of minor depression may help slow or even modify the development of the illness.

Acupuncture versus tricyclic antidepressants in the prophylactic treatment of tension-type headaches: an indirect treatment comparison meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Acupuncture showed better improvement than sham acupuncture in reducing attack frequency of tension-type headache (TTH), but its effectiveness relative to first-line drugs for TTH is unknown, which impedes the recommendation of acupuncture for patients who are intolerant to drugs for TTH. We aimed to estimate the relative effectiveness between acupuncture and tricyclic antidepressants (TCAs) through indirect treatment comparison (ITC) meta-analysis.

METHODS

We searched Ovid Medline, Embase, and Cochrane Library from database inception until April 13, 2023. Randomized controlled trials of TCAs or acupuncture in the prevention of TTH in adults were included. The primary outcome was headache frequency. The secondary outcomes were headache intensity, responder rate, and adverse event rate. Bayesian random-effect models were used to perform ITC meta-analysis, and confidence of evidence was evaluated by using the GRADE approach.

RESULTS

A total of 34 trials involving 4426 participants were included. Acupuncture had similar effect with TCAs in decreasing TTH frequency (amitriptyline: mean difference [MD] -1.29, 95% CI -5.28 to 3.02; amitriptylinoxide: MD -0.05, 95% CI -6.86 to 7.06) and reducing TTH intensity (amitriptyline: MD 2.35, 95% CI -1.20 to 5.78; clomipramine: MD 1.83, 95% CI -4.23 to 8.20). Amitriptyline had a higher rate of adverse events than acupuncture (OR 4.73, 95% CI 1.42 to 14.23).

CONCLUSION

Acupuncture had similar effect as TCAs in reducing headache frequency of TTH, and acupuncture had a lower adverse events rate than amitriptyline, as shown by very low certainty of evidence.

Fractal analysis of left ventricular trabeculae in post-STEMI: from acute to chronic phase

PURPOSE

The temporal evolution of ventricular trabecular complexity and its correlation with major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) remain indeterminate in patients presenting with acute ST elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI).

METHODS

This retrospective analysis enrolled patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) for acute STEMI, possessing cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) data in the acute (within 7 days), subacute (1 month after pPCI), and chronic phases (6 months after pPCI) from January 2015 to January 2020 at the three participating sites. Fractal dimensions (FD) were measured for the global, infarct, and remote regions of left ventricular trabeculae during each phase. The potential association of FD with MACE was analyzed using multivariate Cox regression.

RESULTS

Among the 200 analyzed patients (182 men; median age, 61 years; age range, 50-66 years), 37 (18.5%) encountered MACE during a median follow-up of 31.2 months. FD exhibited a gradual decrement (global FD at acute, subacute, and chronic phases: 1.253 ± 0.049, 1.239 ± 0.046, 1.230 ± 0.045, p < 0.0001), with a more pronounced decrease observed in patients subsequently experiencing MACE (p < 0.001). The global FD at the subacute phase correlated with MACE (hazard ratio 0.89 (0.82, 0.97), p = 0.01), and a global FD value below 1.26 was associated with a heightened risk.

CONCLUSION

In patients post-STEMI, the global FD, serving as an indicator of left ventricular trabeculae complexity, independently demonstrated an association with subsequent major adverse cardiovascular events, beyond factors encompassing left ventricular ejection fraction, indexed left ventricular end-diastolic volume, infarct size, heart rate, NYHA class, and post-pPCI TIMI flow.

CRITICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT

In patients who have had an ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction, global fractal dimension, as a measure of left ventricular trabeculae complexity, provided independent association with subsequent major adverse cardiovascular event.

KEY POINTS

• Global and regional FD decreased after STEMI, and more so in patients with subsequent MACE. • Lower global FD at the subacute phase and Δglobal FD from acute to subacute phase were associated with subsequent MACE besides clinical and CMR factors. • Global FD at the subacute phase independently correlated with MACE and global FD value below 1.26 was associated with higher risk.

The Simulation of Ester Lubricants and Their Application in Weak Gel Drilling Fluids

To enhance the performance and reduce the amount of ester-based lubricants used in weak gel drilling fluids, a shear dynamics simulation under extreme pressure conditions was employed to refine the formulation of the base oil and pressure additives. The simulation results were validated using fatty acid methyl, ethyl, and butyl esters. Fatty acid methyl ester demonstrated the lowest temperature increase and the highest load-bearing capacity post-shear. The four-ball friction test revealed that methyl oleate had a coefficient of friction of 0.0018, approximately a third of that for butyl oleate, confirming the simulation's accuracy. By using methyl oleate as the base oil and oleamide as the pressure-resistant component, the optimal shear stress was achieved with a 10% addition of oleamide. A lubricant composed of 90% methyl oleate and 10% oleamide was tested and showed a coefficient of friction of 0.03 when 0.5% was added to bentonite slurry, indicating a strong lubricating film. Adding 1% of this lubricant to a low gel drilling fluid system did not affect its rheological properties, and the gel structure remained stable after seven days of aging. Field tests at the Fu86-3 well in the Jiangsu Oilfield of Sinopec confirmed that adding 1% of the ester-based lubricant to the drilling fluid significantly improved drilling efficiency, reduced drag by an average of 33%, and increased the drilling rate to 22.12 m/h. This innovation effectively prevents drilling complications and successfully achieves the objectives of enhancing efficiency.

Challenges and strategies associated with CAR-T cell therapy in blood malignancies

Cellular immunotherapy, particularly CAR-T cells, has shown potential in the improvement of outcomes in patients with refractory and recurrent malignancies of the blood. However, achieving sustainable long-term complete remission for blood cancer remains a challenge, with resistance and relapse being expected outcomes for many patients. Although many studies have attempted to clarify the mechanisms of CAR-T cell therapy failure, the mechanism remains unclear. In this article, we discuss and describe the current state of knowledge regarding these factors, which include elements that influence the CAR-T cell, cancer cells as a whole, and the microenvironment surrounding the tumor. In addition, we propose prospective approaches to overcome these obstacles in an effort to decrease recurrence rates and extend patient survival subsequent to CAR-T cell therapy.

Will the central land inspection affect the intensity of local environmental protection? Evidence from China

Observing the impact and alienation of local government implementation of central policies is helpful for a comprehensive understanding of the effectiveness of central policy execution and the systematic formulation of central-local management policies. This paper takes the influence of land inspections on local government environmental behavior as the research object, based on the land inspection system initiated by the central government in 2006. It uses panel data from 30 provinces in China and a difference-in-differences method to assess the environmental protection crowding-out effect of land inspections for the first time and conducts an in-depth exploration of its mechanisms and heterogeneity. The study findings are as follows: (1) In a long-term sample spanning from 1997 to 2020, the establishment of land inspection bureaus did not significantly increase the level of environmental pollution in the host regions. (2) In a short-term sample spanning from 2000 to 2015, the establishment of land inspection bureaus significantly increased the level of environmental pollution in the host regions. (3) The environmental protection crowding-out effect of land inspections is mainly due to the restraint on local government fiscal revenue. (4) The larger the economic scale, the more significant the positive effect of land inspections on the level of environmental pollution in the host regions.

Identification of potential biological processes and key genes in diabetes-related stroke through weighted gene co-expression network analysis

BACKGROUND

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is an established risk factor for acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Although there are reports on the correlation of diabetes and stroke, data on its pathogenesis is limited. This study aimed to explore the underlying biological mechanisms and promising intervention targets of diabetes-related stroke.

METHODS

Diabetes-related datasets (GSE38642 and GSE44035) and stroke-related datasets (GSE16561 and GSE22255) were obtained from the Gene Expression omnibus (GEO) database. The key modules for stroke and diabetes were identified by weight gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes Genomes (KEGG) analyses were employed in the key module. Genes in stroke- and diabetes-related key modules were intersected to obtain common genes for T2DM-related stroke. In order to discover the key genes in T2DM-related stroke, the Cytoscape and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network were constructed. The key genes were functionally annotated in the Reactome database.

RESULTS

By intersecting the diabetes- and stroke-related crucial modules, 24 common genes for T2DM-related stroke were identified. Metascape showed that neutrophil extracellular trap formation was primarily enriched. The hub gene was granulin precursor (GRN), which had the highest connectivity among the common genes. In addition, functional enrichment analysis indicated that GRN was involved in neutrophil degranulation, thus regulating neutrophil extracellular trap formation.

CONCLUSIONS

This study firstly revealed that neutrophil extracellular trap formation may represent the common biological processes of diabetes and stroke, and GRN may be potential intervention targets for T2DM-related stroke.

A mediation analysis of metabolic and inflammatory factors in the severe sleep apnea-coronary heart disease association

BACKGROUND

It is unclear whether metabolic and inflammatory factors mediate the association between severe sleep apnea and coronary heart disease (CHD) in observational studies based on the large-scale population. This study aims to assess the association between severe sleep apnea and CHD and to explore the extent to which this association is mediated by metabolic factors and C-reactive protein (CRP).

METHODS

In UK Biobank, 213 442 CHD-free (mean age: 55.00) adults were followed up for 15 years to detect incident CHD. Metabolic factors included hyperglycemia, hypertension, dyslipidemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and hyperuricemia. A higher CRP concentration level was defined as a cutoff point of >3.0 mg/l. Data were analyzed using Cox proportional hazards models and the generalized structural equation model.

RESULTS

During follow-up, 9278 participants developed incident CHD (4.3%). The multi-adjusted hazard ratio and 95% confidence interval of CHD related to severe sleep apnea were 1.76 (1.44-2.15). In the mediation analysis, the strongest indirect association was for dyslipidemia, accounting for 20.8% of the association between severe sleep apnea and CHD (β = 0.22, 95% confidence interval = 0.16-0.28), followed by hypertriglyceridemia (12.3%). The proportion of mediation increased to 29.1% when CRP was added to the metabolic mediators.

CONCLUSIONS

Severe sleep apnea was associated with an increased risk of CHD. Lipid factors might play an essential role in the severe sleep apnea-CHD relationship. CRP increased the magnitude of mediation effects of overall metabolic factors. What is already known on this topic It is unknown whether the association between severe sleep apnea and CHD among the large population-based cohort study. Evidence on the mediating effect of metabolic and inflammatory factors in the severe sleep apnea-CHD association remains unclear. What this study adds Lipid factors were the biggest mediation driver in the severe sleep apnea-CHD path. C-reactive protein increased the magnitude of mediation effects of overall metabolic factors. How this study might affect research, practice or policy Investigating mediation analyses not only enhances comprehension of the pathophysiological connection between severe sleep apnea and CHD but also offers valuable insights into preventing CHD.

An overview of pim kinase as a target in multiple myeloma

Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second common hematologic malignancy manifesting as a clonal proliferation of plasma cells in the bone marrow. In recent years, high expression and activity of pim kinase have been found to be associated with both the progression and prognosis of a significant proportion of malignant diseases. Therefore, pim kinase has become a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of MM and some pim kinase inhibitors have demonstrated good efficacy in clinical trials. Based on nearly the entire literature searched from PubMed in the field of pim kinase in MM, the paper concluded how pim kinase got involved in the proliferation of myeloma cells, the progression of bone disease infiltration, and even in the regulation of the immune microenvironment. Next as a very promising drug, the effectiveness of pim kinase inhibitors as single agents or in combination with other drugs in the treatment of MM was also summarized. Our analysis will guide the clinical use of pim kinase inhibitors for managing tumor load and bone disease in MM patients.

Immunogenic Cell Death in Hematological Malignancy Therapy

Although the curative effect of hematological malignancies has been improved in recent years, relapse or drug resistance of hematological malignancies will eventually recur. Furthermore, the microenvironment disorder is an important mechanism in the pathogenesis of hematological malignancies. Immunogenic cell death (ICD) is a unique mechanism of regulated cell death (RCD) that triggers an intact antigen-specific adaptive immune response by firing a set of danger signals or damage-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), which is an immunotherapeutic modality with the potential for the treatment of hematological malignancies. This review summarizes the existing knowledge about the induction of ICD in hematological malignancies and the current research on combining ICD inducers with other treatment strategies for hematological malignancies.

Transcriptomic Analysis of Trigeminal Ganglion and Spinal Trigeminal Nucleus Caudalis in Mice with Inflammatory Temporomandibular Joint Pain

Background

Persistent facial pain heavily impacts the quality of life in patients with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders. Previous studies have demonstrated that long non-coding ribonucleic acid (lncRNA) is an important regulator of pain. In this study, we aimed to analyze lncRNA expression in the whole transcriptome of trigeminal ganglia (TG) and spinal trigeminal nucleus caudalis (Sp5C) in a chronic inflammatory TMJ pain mouse model.

Methods

Chronic inflammatory TMJ pain was induced by intra-TMJ injection of complete Freund’s adjuvant (CFA). Mouse TG and Sp5C tissues were harvested on day 4 after CFA injection. The lncRNA expression patterns in the whole transcriptome of TG and Sp5C were profiled with RNA sequencing.

Results

We observed that 38 lncRNAs and 849 mRNAs were differentially expressed after CFA treatment. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis further revealed relationships among those differentially expressed lncRNAs and mRNAs and their potential functions. Specific categories of biological process, cellular processes, and molecular function of the differentially expressed transcripts were ascertained.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that lncRNA expression in the whole transcriptome of trigeminal nociceptive system could contribute to the molecular mechanisms that underlie chronic inflammatory TMJ pain.