Obesity and its associations with autonomic and cognitive functions in the general population.

Background: Obesity poses a significant global health burden. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of obesity in Mongolia and its associations with autonomic and cognitive functions while considering potential psychosocial risk factors.

Methods: This population-based, cross-sectional study included 382 participants who underwent physical examinations, completed health-related questionnaires, and participated in heart rate variability (HRV) testing for autonomic assessment and the mini-mental state examination for cognitive evaluation.

Invasive laser acupuncture targeting muscle: a novel approach to protect dopaminergic neurons and reduce neuroinflammation in a brain of Parkinson's disease model.

Parkinson's disease (PD) affects 1-2% of the global population and presents significant therapeutic challenges. Due to the limitations of existing treatments, there is a pressing need for alternative approaches. This study investigated the effects of invasive laser acupuncture (ILA), which combines acupuncture and photobiomodulation.

Combining Multiplexed CRISPR/Cas9-Nickase and PARP Inhibitors Efficiently and Precisely Targets Cancer Cells.

Unlabelled: Triggering cancer cell death by inducing DNA damage is the primary aim of radiotherapy; however, normal cells are also damaged. In this study, we showed that delivery of only four synthetic guide RNAs with Cas9 endonuclease efficiently induced simultaneous DNA double-strand breaks, resulting in efficient cell death in a cell type-specific manner. Off-target effects of Cas9 endonuclease were prevented by using Cas9-nickase to induce DNA single-strand breaks and blocking their repair with PARP inhibitors (PARPi).

Fronto-occipital dyscommunication associates with brain hierarchy in schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia involves abnormal fronto-occipital interactions linked to hallucinations and cognitive impairments, but the neural mechanisms remain unclear. This work aims to provide an overview of the relationship between fronto-occipital dysfunction and symptoms using simultaneous EEG-fMRI data in schizophrenia. We measured the brain's functional separation and quantified bidirectional information transfer changes between the frontal and occipital regions.

3',4',7-trihydroxyflavone activates the CREB-BDNF axis and restores scopolamine-induced memory deficit in mice.

Alzheimer's disease is a major neurodegenerative disorder that leads to dementia, yet specific treatments remain elusive. Although Albizzia julibrissin has been used in traditional oriental medicine to treat insomnia and disorientation by its anti-inflammatory properties, there are currently no studies in animal models. This study aims to identify potential therapeutic candidates for Alzheimer's disease by examining how 3',4',7-trihydroxyflavone (THF), isolated from Albizzia julibrissin stem bark, as a potential therapeutic candidate for Alzheimer's disease by examining memory recovery in a scopolamine-induced memory deficit mouse model.

Normative structural connectome constrains spreading transient brain activity in generalized epilepsy.

Background: Genetic generalized epilepsy is characterized by transient episodes of spontaneous abnormal neural activity in anatomically distributed brain regions that ultimately propagate to wider areas. However, the connectome-based mechanisms shaping these abnormalities remain largely unknown. We aimed to investigate how the normative structural connectome constrains abnormal brain activity spread in genetic generalized epilepsy with generalized tonic-clonic seizure (GGE-GTCS).

Disrupted functional connectivity between visual and emotional networks in psychosis risk syndromes through representational similarity analysis.

Schizophrenic individuals experience a prolonged prodrome before their first episode, often referred to as Psychosis Risk Syndromes (PRS). The PRS is characterized by non-specific symptoms, yet the underlying neural mechanisms remain unclear. Representational similarity analysis (RSA) has proven effective in elucidating the relationships between different data modalities.

Neuronal STING-GAT1 signaling maintains paclitaxel-induced neuropathic pain in the spinal cord.

Stimulator of interferon genes (STING), a pivotal immune regulator, has emerged as a contributor to nociception, yet its role in chronic pains remains still unknown. Here, we demonstrate that STING plays a dual role in normal and neuropathic pain in mature male rodents. Stimulator of interferon genes maintains type I interferon (IFN-I) level restraining pain sensitivity in normal and sham control, while activated STING/interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) signaling increases the expression of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) transporter 1 (GAT1) in the spinal cord (SC), thus, generating paclitaxel (PTX)-induced peripheral neuropathy.

Long-range gating regulation by leaflet and autoinhibitory domains in mouse type 1 IP receptors.

The inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate receptor (IPR) is a calcium channel that mediates Ca release from the endoplasmic reticulum in response to IP. Structural studies have revealed that the IP-binding sites are located approximately 90 Å from the Ca-conducting pore within the transmembrane domain, suggesting a long-range force transmission mechanism between ligand binding and channel gating. However, the molecular basis of this mechanism remains poorly understood.

Association of core brain networks with antipsychotic therapeutic effects in first-episode schizophrenia.

Elucidating neurobiological mechanisms underlying the heterogeneity of antipsychotic treatment will be of great value for precision medicine in schizophrenia, yet there has been limited progress. We combined static and dynamic functional connectivity (FC) analysis to examine the abnormal communications among core brain networks [default-mode network (DMN), central executive network (CEN), salience network (SN), primary network (PN), and subcortical network (SCN) in clinical subtypes of schizophrenia (responders and nonresponders to antipsychotic monotherapy). Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data were collected from 79 first-episode schizophrenia and 90 healthy controls.

To Tame a Songbird: The Genomics of the Domestication Syndrome in a Songbird Model Species.

Many domesticated animals share a syndromic phenotype marked by a suite of traits that include more variable patterns of coloration, reduced stress, aggression, and altered risk-taking and exploratory behaviors relative to their wild counterparts. Roughly 150 years after Darwin's pioneering insight into this phenomenon, reasonable progress has been made in understanding the evolutionary and biological basis of the so-called domesticated phenotype in mammals. However, the extent to which these processes are paralleled in non-mammalian domesticates is scant.

[Illness duration-related developmental trajectory of progressive cerebral gray matter changes in schizophrenia].

In different stages of schizophrenia (SZ), alterations in gray matter volume (GMV) of patients are normally regulated by various pathological mechanisms. Instead of analyzing stage-specific changes, this study employed a multivariate structural covariance model and sliding-window approach to investigate the illness duration-related developmental trajectory of GMV in SZ. The trajectory is defined as a sequence of brain regions activated by illness duration, represented as a sparsely directed matrix.

Ultra-Sensitive Biosensor Based on Cell-Derived Nanovesicles for CB1 Receptor-Targeted Drug Development in a Live Cell-Free Platform.

The endocannabinoid system, particularly the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1), is essential for regulating numerous physiological processes, including pain, mood, appetite, and neurodegeneration. Given its crucial role, CB1 has become a target for therapeutic interventions with significant potential for treating various disorders. However, conventional methods such as calcium imaging and patch-clamp can only detect drug concentrations in the nanomolar to micromolar range, highlighting the need to develop more sensitive drug screening methods.

Electric Field-Induced Effects in Eukaryotic Cells: Current Progress and Limitations.

Electric fields (EFs) offer a powerful tool for manipulating cells and modulating their behavior, holding significant promise for regenerative medicine and cell biology. We provide a comprehensive overview of the effects of different types of EF on eukaryotic cells with the special focus on physical mechanisms and signaling pathways involved. Direct current EF induces electrophoresis and electroosmosis, influencing cell migration, proliferation, and differentiation.

Subclinical Psychiatric Symptomatology and a Proposed Diagnostic Criterion Separating Psychopathological Procrastinators From Trait Procrastinators.

Procrastination trait describes irrational delays of scheduled tasks despite clear awareness of the adverse consequences of doing so. Although procrastination is well-known to be linked to psychiatric or pathological processes, the criterion for "psychopathological procrastination" distinguishing from the procrastination trait is understudied. This is a 5-year longitudinal observational study.

Enhanced reciprocal connections of the prefrontoparietal-thalamo-hippocampal circuit in older adults.

Cognitive functions rely on specific brain circuits involving cortical and subcortical regions. However, how age-related changes in effective connectivity within the prefrontoparietal-thalamo-hippocampal circuit affect cognition remains unclear. This study included 143 healthy older adults (60 to 88 yrs) and 124 young adults (18 to 44 yrs), using regression dynamic causal modeling to analyze resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data.

Temporal Dynamics of Intrinsic Brain Activity in Older Women With Subclinical Depression.

Subclinical depression is common in older adults, especially in females, and may correlate with a higher likelihood of health events and poor prognosis. However, the underlying neurobiology remains unclear. This study, employing resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI), identified alterations in temporal dynamics of intrinsic brain activity in older women with subthreshold depression (OWSD) and their potential relationships to depressive symptoms.

Hierarchical feature extraction on functional brain networks for autism spectrum disorder identification with resting-state fMRI data.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a pervasive developmental disorder of the central nervous system, primarily manifesting in childhood. It is characterized by atypical and repetitive behaviors. Conventional diagnostic methods mainly rely on questionnaire surveys and behavioral observations, which are prone to misdiagnosis due to their subjective nature.

KF1601, a dual inhibitor of BCR::ABL1 and FLT3, overcomes drug resistance in FLT3 blast phase chronic myeloid leukemia.

Blast phase chronic myeloid leukemia (BP-CML) poses significant clinical challenges due to its drug resistance, resulting from BCR::ABL1-dependent mutations and BCR::ABL1-independent pathways. Previously, we reported that FLT3 pathway is activated in ~ 50% of BP-CML cases, indicating a potential avenue for therapeutic intervention via dual inhibition of BCR::ABL1 and FLT3. Here, we aimed to evaluate the efficacy of KF1601, a dual inhibitor of BCR::ABL1 and FLT3, in overcoming drug resistance in BP-CML while also comparing its thrombo-inflammatory responses with those of ponatinib, known to have severe cardiovascular adverse events in human.

Photomarking Relocalization Technique for Correlated Two-Photon and Electron Microscopy Imaging of Single Stimulated Synapses.

Synapses learn and remember by persistent modifications of their internal structures and composition but, due to their small size, it is difficult to observe these changes at the ultrastructural level in real time. Two-photon fluorescence microscopy (2PM) allows time-course live imaging of individual synapses but lacks ultrastructural resolution. Electron microscopy (EM) allows the ultrastructural imaging of subcellular components but cannot detect fluorescence and lacks temporal resolution.

Alternations in morphometric similarity network in mesial temporal epilepsy correlate to neuroinflammatory pathway gene transcriptions.

Background: Mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mTLE) is the most common form of focal epilepsy, often associated with hippocampal sclerosis. Increasing evidence suggests the pivotal role of neuroinflammation in mTLE onset and progression.

Methods: We used morphometric similarity network (MSN) analysis and the Allen Human Brain Atlas (AHBA) database to investigate structural changes between mTLE and healthy controls, as well as correlation with inflammation-related gene expression.

Role of phospholipase Cη1 in lateral habenula astrocytes in depressive-like behavior in mice.

Phospholipase C (PLC) enzymes play crucial roles in intracellular calcium-signaling transduction. Several brain PLC subtypes have been extensively studied, implicating them in psychiatric disorders such as depression, epilepsy and schizophrenia. However, the role of the recently identified PLCη remains largely unknown.

Disrupted default mode network connectivity and its role in negative symptoms of schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia is a complex mental disorder characterised by positive symptoms, negative symptoms, and cognitive deficits, with recent studies suggesting that disruptions in the default mode network (DMN) may underlie many of these symptoms. In this study, we used graph theory analysis of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data to investigate differences in the topological organisation and functional connectivity of the DMN in patients with schizophrenia, using two independent datasets of patients and healthy controls. The findings revealed significant group differences in the DMN of patients with schizophrenia, particularly within the core-medial temporal lobe (MTL) subsystem, characterised by lower shortest path length, clustering coefficient, and small-worldness, indicating less efficient network organisation.

Applications of gene pair methods in clinical research: advancing precision medicine.

The rapid evolution of high-throughput sequencing technologies has revolutionized biomedical research, producing vast amounts of gene expression data that hold immense potential for biological discovery and clinical applications. Effectively mining these large-scale, high-dimensional data is crucial for facilitating disease detection, subtype differentiation, and understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying disease progression. However, the conventional paradigm of single-gene profiling, measuring absolute expression levels of individual genes, faces critical limitations in clinical implementation.

PBertKla: a protein large language model for predicting human lysine lactylation sites.

Background: Lactylation is a newly discovered type of post-translational modification, primarily occurring on lysine (K) residues of both histones and non-histones to exert diverse effects on target proteins. Research has shown that lysine lactylation (Kla) modification is ubiquitous in different cells and participates in the determination of cell function and fate, as well as in the initiation and progression of various diseases. Precise identification of Kla sites is fundamental for elucidating their biological functions and uncovering their application potential.