New Method for Insomnia Mongolian Mind-Body Interactive Psychotherapy in the Assessment of Chronic Insomnia: A Retrospective Study.

INTRODUCTION: Insomnia is a common clinical complaint, and if not addressed it can increase the risk of developing other underlying diseases such as hypertension, depression and anxiety. The use of Mongolian mind-body interactive therapy as a comprehensive psychotherapeutic approach in chronic insomnia has been shown in this retrospective study. METHODS: Subjects who had suffered insomnia for more than 1 month participated in the Mongolian mind-body interactive psychotherapy program between June 2012 and February 2014. They were interviewed by telephone at least 10 months before participating in the program. Their sleep was assessed using the Athens insomnia scale. Descriptive statistics, ANOVA and regression analysis were used for data analysis by SPSS software. RESULTS: Mongolian mind-body interactive psychotherapy significantly improved sleeping conditions. In ANOVA analysis, both short- and long-term outcomes were significantly affected by the treatment period. Patients who previously took medication and pre-treatment sleeping condition (ASI score) had a significant influence on long-term outcomes, as well as treatment time related to the duration of insomnia. CONCLUSION: Mongolian mind-body interactive psychotherapy is a new method for insomnia, and narrative therapy and hypnotic methods together improve the sleeping condition, However, a further controlled randomized clinical study is needed to understand the efficacy.

FK228 augmented temozolomide sensitivity in human glioma cells by blocking PI3K/AKT/mTOR signal pathways.

Temozolomide is a novel cytotoxic agent currently used as first-line chemotherapy for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Romidepsin (FK228), a histone deacetylase inhibitor, is a promising new class of antineoplastic agent with the capacity to induce growth arrest and/or apoptosis of cancer cells. However, combination of the two drugs in glioma remains largely unknown. In the present study, we evaluated the combinatory effects of FK228 with TMZ in glioma, and its molecular mechanisms responsible for these effects. Glioma cell lines were treated with TMZ, FK228 or the combination of drugs. The resistance effect including cytotoxicity and apoptosis was determined in glioma cells, respectively. We further evaluated the effects of FK228 in the PI3K/Akt-signaling pathway in vitro. Mice engrafted with 5×106 LN382 cells were treated with TMZ, FK228 or the combination of two drugs, and tumor weights and volumes were measured, respectively. FK228 enhanced the cytotoxic effects of TMZ in glioma cells compared to vehicle-treated controls or each drug alone. The combination of FK228 and TMZ-induced apoptosis was demonstrated by increased expression of cleaved-Caspase 3, Bax, cleaved-PARP, and decreased Bcl-2 expression. Furthermore, the expression of key components of the PI3K/Akt-signaling pathway showed that combination of FK228 and TMZ block PI3K/Akt pathways in vitro. This block effect was also confirmed in vivo in mice models. Mice treated with both FK228 and TMZ drugs showed significantly reduced tumor weights and volumes, compared to each drug alone. Our results suggested that FK228 augmented temozolomide sensitivity in human glioma cells partially by blocking PI3K/AKT/mTOR signal pathways. It thus may provide a promising target for improving the therapeutic outcome of TMZ-resistant gliomas, although further studies will be needed.

Donkey genome and insight into the imprinting of fast karyotype evolution.

The donkey, like the horse, is a promising model for exploring karyotypic instability. We report the de novo whole-genome assemblies of the donkey and the Asiatic wild ass. Our results reflect the distinct characteristics of donkeys, including more effective energy metabolism and better immunity than horses. The donkey shows a steady demographic trajectory. We detected abundant satellite sequences in some inactive centromere regions but not in neocentromere regions, while ribosomal RNAs frequently emerged in neocentromere regions but not in the obsolete centromere regions. Expanded miRNA families and five newly discovered miRNA target genes involved in meiosis may be associated with fast karyotype evolution. APC/C, controlling sister chromatid segregation, cytokinesis, and the establishment of the G1 cell cycle phase were identified by analysis of miRNA targets and rapidly evolving genes.