Abnormal sleep features in adolescent MDD and its potential in diagnosis and prediction of early efficacy.

INTRODUCTION: Previous studies have shown that abnormal sleep architectures are the important indicator for diagnosing MDD and predicting the efficacy of antidepressants. However, few studies have focused specifically on adolescents. OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship between abnormal sleep features, including PSG parameters and scale evaluation, and the onset of adolescent MDD, as well as early SSRIs efficacy. METHODS: 102 adolescent MDD patients (age 12 to 19-year-old) and 41 similarly age-marched controls were recruited. Demographic data, the HAMD24 and the PSQI scale assessment scores were collected at baseline, latter two were also collected at follow-up. Part of the participants underwent a minimum 7-d medication-free period, and two consecutive night polysomnography. In the follow-up study, MDD patients were treated with standardized SSRIs. Treatment response was assessed every two weeks. RESULTS: MDD subjects' parental marital status, REM-sleep latency, N2, N2%, N3, REM-sleep duration, REM % showed significant differences at baseline. REM-sleep latency showed significant prediction of the onset of MDD. The HAMD24 and PSQI scale assessment scores decreased over time in the follow-up study. Specifically, the sleep disorder factor score of HAMD24, the scores of PSQI sleep latency, sleep disorder, sleep efficiency and total score showed significantly differences between responder and non-responder groups. PSQI baseline moderate group showed significant prediction of the early efficacy of SSRIs. CONCLUSION: Abnormal sleep PSG parameters and self-evaluation could be predictors for the adolescent MDD onset and early SSRIs efficacy.

[Bacterial Community Structure and Antibiotic Resistance Gene Changes in IFAS+Magnetic Coagulation Process Wastewater Treatment Plant in Cold Regions].

The main objective of this study was to explore the changes in bacterial communities and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in an integrated fixed-film activated sludge (IFAS)+magnetic coagulation process wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Xinjiang. The bacterial communities and ARGs in the influent, suspended activated sludge, attached biofilm, and effluent were studied using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and metagenomic sequencing. The results showed that the average relative abundances of Chloroflexi and Nitrospirae in activated sludge were 3.50% and 0.03%, respectively, and their relative abundances in biofilm reached 10.02% and 2.12%, respectively. The average removal rates of NH4+-N and TN increased from 91.89% and 66.76% to 97.71% and 91.90% after the reformation of this wastewater treatment plant, respectively, indicating that IFAS enhanced the biological nitrogen removal capacity of wastewater treatment plants in cold regions. The average relative abundances of Ferruginibacter and Rhodoferax related to iron redox in the biological treatment section were 5.24% and 3.72%, respectively, and the relative abundance of Rhodoferax in effluent reached 9.48%, indicating that the magnetic powder had an impact on the bacterial community. The IFAS wastewater treatment plant had an obvious removal effect on ARGs, and the relative abundance of ARGs decreased from 191.08×10-3‰ in the influent to 32.58×10-3‰ in the effluent. The relative abundance of ARGs in activated sludge was 63.25×10-3‰-72.38×10-3‰, which was significantly higher than 41.31×10-3‰ in biofilm. However, the relative abundances of dominant subtypes of ARGs such as sul2, floR, and rpoB2 in biofilm were 5.77×10-3‰, 2.52×10-3‰, and 2.03×10-3‰, respectively, which were higher than the 3.15×10-3‰-3.57×10-3‰, 1.73×10-3‰-2.24×10-3‰, and 1.28×10-3‰-1.76×10-3‰ in activated sludge. The network analysis indicated that Caldilineaceae_norank and Trichococcus were respectively positively correlated with sul2 and floR. These results can provide theoretical reference for the optimal operation and ARGs control of WWTPs in cold regions.

The association study of CLOCK gene polymorphisms with antidepressant effect in Chinese with major depressive disorder.

AIM: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a common psychiatric disorder with a complicated pathogenesis and genetic predisposition. The objective of this article is to explore the relationship between the four SNPs of circadian locomotor output cycles kaput (CLOCK) gene (rs11932595, rs12504300, rs3805148, rs534654) and the efficacy of antidepressants. Materials & methods: This study enrolled a total of 600 patients, who met the DSM-V diagnostic criteria for MDD. All subjects were treated with single selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors. The HAMD17 and adverse reaction scale (TESS/UKU) were used to assess the efficacy of antidepressants and adverse effects. The PCR and DNA sequencing analysis were used to genotype loci of CLOCK gene. RESULTS: The antidepressants efficacy of subjects with rs11932595 AA genotype was significantly higher than those with GG+GA genotypes (p = 0.035). But this p-value was not significant after false discovery rate (FDR) adjustment. CONCLUSION: The variant of CLOCK gene may be associated with the efficacy of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in Chinese Han MDD patients.

Inflammatory microenvironment contributes to epithelial-mesenchymal transition in gastric cancer.

Gastric cancer (GC) is the fifth most common malignancy in the world. The major cause of GC is chronic infection with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). Infection with H. pylori leads to an active inflammatory microenvironment that is maintained by immune cells such as T cells, macrophages, natural killer cells, among other cells. Immune cell dysfunction allows the initiation and accumulation of mutations in GC cells, inducing aberrant proliferation and protection from apoptosis. Meanwhile, immune cells can secrete certain signals, including cytokines, and chemokines, to alter intracellular signaling pathways in GC cells. Thus, GC cells obtain the ability to metastasize to lymph nodes by undergoing the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), whereby epithelial cells lose their epithelial attributes and acquire a mesenchymal cell phenotype. Metastasis is a leading cause of death for GC patients, and the involved mechanisms are still under investigation. In this review, we summarize the current research on how the inflammatory environment affects GC initiation and metastasis via EMT.

Chemokines and their receptors play important roles in the development of hepatocellular carcinoma.

The chemokine system consists of four different subclasses with over 50 chemokines and 19 receptors. Their functions in the immune system have been well elucidated and research during the last decades unveils their new roles in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The chemokines and their receptors in the microenvironment influence the development of HCC by several aspects including: inflammation, effects on immune cells, angiogenesis, and direct effects on HCC cells. Regarding these aspects, pre-clinical research by targeting the chemokine system has yielded promising data, and these findings bring us new clues in the chemokine-based therapies for HCC.