Cognitive Enhancer Donepezil Attenuates Heroin-Seeking Behavior Induced by Cues in Rats.

PURPOSE: Opioid use disorder is a significant global problem. Chronic heroin use is associated with impairment of cognitive function and conscious control ability. The cholinergic system can be disrupted following heroin administration, indicating that activation of the cholinergic system may prevent chronic heroin misuse. Donepezil as an inhibitor of cholinesterase has been reported to clinically improve cognition and attention. In this study, the inhibition of heroin self-administration and heroin-seeking behaviours by donepezil were evaluated in rats. METHODS: Rats were trained to self-administer heroin every four hours for 14 consecutive days under a fixed ratio 1 (FR1) reinforcement schedule, then underwent withdrawal for two weeks. A progressive ratio schedule was then used to evaluate the relative motivational value of heroin reinforcement. After withdrawal, a conditioned cue was introduced for the reinstatement of heroin-seeking behaviour. Donepezil (0.3-3 mg/kg, i.p.) was used during both the FR1 heroin self-administration and progressive ratio schedules. Immunohistochemistry was used to investigate the mechanism of action of donepezil in the rat brain. RESULTS: Pre-treatment with high dose donepezil (3 mg/kg) but not low doses (0.3-1 mg/kg) significantly inhibited heroin self-administration under the FR1 schedule. Donepezil decreased motivation values under the progressive ratio schedule in a dose-dependent manner. All doses of donepezil (1-3 mg/kg) decreased the reinstatement of heroin seeking induced by cues. Correlation analysis indicated that the inhibition of donepezil on heroin-seeking behaviour was positively correlated with an increased expression of dopamine receptor 1 (D1R) and dopamine receptor 2 (D2R) in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and increased expression of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) in the ventral tegmental area (VTA). CONCLUSIONS: The present study demonstrated that donepezil could inhibit heroin intake and heroin-seeking behaviour. Further, donepezil could regulate dopamine receptors in the NAc via an increase of acetylcholine. These results suggested that donepezil could be developed as a potential approach for the treatment of heroin misuse.

Effects of body positions and garment design on the performance of a personal air cooling/heating system.

Heating and cooling efficiencies of a personal air thermoregulatory system are not only determined by the physics of energy conversion efficiency but also influenced by the interactions between human body and clothing microenvironment. It was found that for a wearable air ventilating system, sedentary position can lead to higher heating and cooling power than standing position. Also, leaning on the chair backrest during sitting can further improve the air cooling performance in hot condition compared with a non-leaning position. These improvements are mainly attributed to the change of clothing microclimate at chest and back areas, where cooling/heating air is directed. It was also found locations of air outlets in a wearable air ventilating system can affect the cooling/heating performance. With the improved understanding of the influence of human and design factors, the study provides a guideline for the design of personal air thermoregulatory systems used for different body positions.

Edaravone at high concentrations attenuates cognitive dysfunctions induced by abdominal surgery under general anesthesia in aged mice.

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) is a common neurological disease affecting the elderly patients after surgery. Unfortunately, no effective treatment for this disease has been discovered. Edaravone, a clinical-used free radical scavenger, at 3 mg/kg has been reported to prevent neuroinflammation induced by the combination of surgery and lipopolysaccharide in adult rodents. However, we found that edaravone at such low concentration could not inhibit POCD in aged mice. Instead, edaravone at 33.2 mg/kg significantly prevented recognition and spatial cognitive dysfunctions in 14 month aged mice after abdominal surgery under general anesthesia with isoflurane. Furthermore, edaravone significantly prevented the increase of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) induced by abdominal surgery in aged mice. Edaravone could also decrease glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) and ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule-1 (Iba-1) positive areas in the hippocampal regions of surgery mice, suggesting that edaravone might inhibit surgery-induced over-activation of microglia and astrocytes. Moreover, edaravone substantially increased the expression of PSD-95 and pSer9-glycogen synthase kinase-3ß (pSer9-GSK3ß) as demonstrated by Western blotting assay. Furthermore, the activity of acetylcholinesterase (AChE) is decreased in the mice in edaravone group. All these results suggested that edaravone at high concentrations could inhibit surgery-induced cognitive impairments in aged animals, possibly via the attenuation of neuroinflammation, the increase of synaptic proteins, and the elevation of cholinergic transmission, providing a further support that edaravone might be developed as a treatment of POCD.

Golimumab administered subcutaneously every 4†weeks in ankylosing spondylitis: 5-year results of the GO-RAISE study.

OBJECTIVE: Assess golimumab efficacy/safety through 5 years in patients with active ankylosing spondylitis (AS). METHODS: 356 patients with AS were randomly assigned to placebo, golimumab 50 mg or 100 mg every 4 weeks. At week 16, patients with inadequate response early escaped with blinded dose adjustments (placebo to 50 mg, 50 mg to 100 mg). At week 24, all patients receiving placebo crossed over to 50 mg. Blinded active therapy continued through week 104; from week 104 to week 252, the golimumab dose could be adjusted. Intent-to-treat and observed efficacy data were assessed by randomised treatment groups. RESULTS: At week 256, and with >4.5 years of golimumab, overall intent-to-treat Assessment in SpondyloArthritis international Society criteria for 20% improvement (ASAS20) and ASAS40 response rates were 66.0% (235/356) and 57.0% (203/356), respectively; Bath AS Disease Activity Index 50% improvement response was 55.9% (199/356). Observed response rates among the 255 (72%) patients who continued golimumab through week 252 were consistent, albeit somewhat higher. Among patients who increased golimumab from 50 to 100 mg, 60.6% (20/33) and 44.7% (17/38) achieved ASAS20/ASAS40 responses, respectively, following ≥2 consecutive doses of golimumab 100 mg. Golimumab safety through week 268 was similar to that through week 24 regardless of dose. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical improvements observed in patients treated with golimumab through week 24 were sustained through week 256 (5 years). Long-term golimumab safety is consistent with that of other established tumour-necrosis-factor-antagonists. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT00265083.

Edaravone's free radical scavenging mechanisms of neuroprotection against cerebral ischemia: review of the literature.

Free radicals and oxidative stress play key roles in cerebral ischemic pathogenesis and represent pharmacological targets for treatment. Edaravone (Edv), one of antioxidant agents that have been used in acute ischemic stroke in both clinical settings and animal experiments, exerts neuroprotective effect on ischemic injured brains. This review is aimed to elaborate the latest molecular mechanisms of the neuroprotection of Edv on cerebral ischemia and provide reasonable evidence in its clinical application. It is found that Edv has neuroprotective influence on cerebral ischemia, which is closely related to the facets of scavenging reactive oxygen species (ROS), hydroxyl radical (cOH) and reactive nitrogen species (RNS). And it is a good antioxidant agent that can be safely used in the treatment of cerebral ischemia and chronic neurodegenerative disorders as well as other ischemia/reperfusion (I/R)-related diseases. The combination of Edv with thrombolytic therapy also can be applied in clinical settings and will be greatly beneficial to patients with stroke.

The effect of two golimumab doses on radiographic progression in ankylosing spondylitis: results through 4 years of the GO-RAISE trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate radiographic progression in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) receiving two different doses of the tumour necrosis factor antagonist golimumab. METHODS: 356 patients with AS were randomly assigned to placebo, or golimumab 50 mg or 100 mg every 4 weeks (wks). At wk16, patients with inadequate response early escaped with blinded dose adjustments (placebo→golimumab 50 mg, 50 mg→100 mg). At wk24, patients still receiving placebo crossed over to golimumab 50 mg. Lateral view radiographs of the cervical/lumbar spine were obtained at wk0, wk104 and wk208, and scored (two blinded readers, modified Stoke AS Spine Score (mSASSS)). Observed data were used for wk104 analyses; missing wk208 scores were linearly extrapolated. RESULTS: Wk104 changes from baseline in mSASSS averaged 1.6±4.6 for placebo crossover, 0.9±2.7 for 50 mg and 0.9±3.9 for 100 mg. By wk208, following golimumab therapy for 3.5-4 years, mean changes in mSASSS were 2.1±5.2 for placebo crossover, 1.3±4.1 for 50 mg and 2.0±5.6 for 100 mg. Less than a third of patients (placebo crossover, 19/66 (28.8%); 50 mg, 29/111 (26.1%); 100 mg, 35/122 (28.7%)) had a definitive change from baseline mSASSS (>2). Less radiographic progression was observed through wk208 in patients without baseline syndesmophytes (0.2 vs 2.8 in patients with ≥1 syndesmophyte; p<0.0001) and with baseline C-reactive protein (CRP) levels ≤1.5 mg/dl (0.9 vs 2.9 with CRP >1.5 mg/dl; p=0.0004). CONCLUSIONS: No difference in mSASSS change was observed between golimumab 50 mg and 100 mg. The radiographic progression rate remained stable at years 2 and 4, suggesting no acceleration of new bone formation over time. Golimumab-treated AS patients with no syndesmophytes and less systemic inflammation at baseline had considerably less radiographic progression.

Insights into the efficacy of golimumab plus methotrexate in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis who discontinued prior anti-tumour necrosis factor therapy: post-hoc analyses from the GO-AFTER study.

OBJECTIVE: Evaluate golimumab in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and previous tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF) inhibitor use. METHODS: Patients (n=461) previously receiving ≥1 TNF inhibitor were randomised to subcutaneous injections of placebo, golimumab 50 mg or golimumab 100 mg q4 weeks. Primary endpoint (≥20% improvement in American College of Rheumatology (ACR20) criteria at week 14) findings have been reported for all patients in the trial. Reported herein are further assessments of efficacy/safety among patients receiving golimumab+methotrexate (MTX). RESULTS: Among efficacy-evaluable patients who received MTX at baseline, more receiving golimumab+MTX (n=201) than placebo+MTX (n=103) achieved ACR20 (40.8% vs 14.6%), ACR50 (20.9% vs 3.9%), and ACR70 (11.4% vs 2.9%) responses at week 24. Among the 137 patients who had received only one prior TNF inhibitor (adalimumab, n=33; etanercept, n=47; and infliximab, n=57), week 24 ACR20 rates were 30.3%, 46.8% and 50.9%, respectively, and thus lowest among those who previously used adalimumab. ACR20 response rates were 44.5% (61/137), 36.2% (17/47) and 23.5% (4/17) among patients who had received one, two or three TNF inhibitors, respectively. Adverse event (AE) rates were comparable across type/number of prior anti-TNF agents, but appeared somewhat higher among patients who discontinued previous TNF inhibitor(s) due to intolerance (37/49, 75.5%) versus lack of efficacy (LOE, 113/191, 59.2%). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with active RA previously treated with ≥1 TNF inhibitor had clinically relevant improvement with golimumab+MTX, which appeared somewhat enhanced among those who received only etanercept or infliximab as their prior TNF inhibitor. Golimumab+MTX safety appeared similar across patients, regardless of TNF inhibitor(s) previously used, with fewer AEs occurring among patients who discontinued prior therapy for LOE.

Clinical efficacy, radiographic and safety findings through 5†years of subcutaneous golimumab treatment in patients with active psoriatic arthritis: results from a long-term extension of a randomised, placebo-controlled trial (the GO-REVEAL study).

OBJECTIVES: Assess golimumab's long-term efficacy/safety in psoriatic arthritis (PsA). METHODS: Adults with active PsA (≥3 swollen and tender joints, active psoriasis) were randomly assigned to subcutaneous placebo, golimumab 50 mg, or golimumab 100 mg every 4 weeks (q4wks) through wk20. All patients received golimumab 50 mg or 100 mg q4wks from wk24 forward. Methotrexate was allowed and taken by approximately half the patients. Findings through 5 years are reported herein. Efficacy assessments included ≥20% improvement in American College of Rheumatology (ACR20) response, C-reactive-protein-based, 28-joint-count Disease Activity Score (DAS28-CRP) response, ≥75% improvement in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI75) scores, and PsA-modified Sharp/van der Heijde scores (SHSs). RESULTS: 126/405 (31%) randomised patients discontinued treatment through wk252. Golimumab was effective in maintaining clinical improvement through year-5 (ACR20: 62.8-69.9%, DAS28-CRP: 75.2-84.9% for randomised patients; PASI75: 60.8-72.2% among randomised patients with ≥3% body surface area involvement) and inhibiting radiographic progression (mean changes in PsA-modified SHS: 0.1-0.3) among patients with radiographic data. While concomitant methotrexate did not affect ACR20/PASI75, it appeared to reduce radiographic progression. No new safety signals were identified. Antibodies-to-golimumab occurred in 1.8%/10.0% of patients with/without methotrexate). CONCLUSIONS: Long-term golimumab safety/efficacy in PsA was demonstrated through 5 years. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT00265096.

Elucidating protonation pathways in CO2 photoreduction using the kinetic isotope effect.

The surge in anthropogenic CO2 emissions from fossil fuel dependence demands innovative solutions, such as artificial photosynthesis, to convert CO2 into value-added products. Unraveling the CO2 photoreduction mechanism at the molecular level is vital for developing high-performance photocatalysts. Here we show kinetic isotope effect evidence for the contested protonation pathway for CO2 photoreduction on TiO2 nanoparticles, which challenges the long-held assumption of electron-initiated activation. Employing isotopically labeled H2O/D2O and in-situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy, we observe H+/D+-protonated intermediates on TiO2 nanoparticles and capture their inverse decay kinetic isotope effect. Our findings significantly broaden our understanding of the CO2 uptake mechanism in semiconductor photocatalysts.

Antidepressant effects of activation of infralimbic cortex via upregulation of BDNF and ß-catenin in an estradiol withdrawal model.

RATIONALE: Clinical and preclinical studies have demonstrated that estradiol withdrawal after delivery is one of important factors involved in the pathogenesis of postpartum depression (PPD). The infralimbic cortex (IL) is related to anxiety and mood disorders. Whether IL neurons mediate PPD is still unclear. OBJECTIVES: This study was to observe the antidepressant effect and expression of BDNF and ß-catenin in IL by allopregnanolone (ALLO) treatment or the selective activation or inhibition of IL neurons using a chemogenetic approach in a pseudopregnancy model of PPD. METHODS: Administration of estradiol combined with progesterone and the abrupt withdrawal of estradiol simulated the pregnancy and early postpartum periods to induce depression in ovariectomized rats. The relative expression levels of ß-catenin and BDNF were observed by western blotting. RESULTS: Immobility time was significantly increased in the forced swim test and open-arm movement was reduced in the elevated plus maze test in the estradiol-withdrawn rats. After ALLO treatment, the immobility time were lower and open-arm traveling times higher than those of the estradiol-withdrawn rats. Meanwhile, the expression level of BDNF or ß-catenin in the IL was reduced significantly in estradiol-withdrawn rats, which was prevented by treatment with ALLO. The hM3Dq chemogenetic activation of pyramidal neurons in the IL reversed the immobility and open-arm travel time trends in the estradiol-withdrawal rat model, but chemogenetic inhibition of IL neurons failed to affect this. Upregulated BDNF and ß-catenin expression and increased c-Fos in the basolateral amygdala were found following IL neuron excitation in model rats. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrated that pseudopregnancy and estradiol withdrawal produced depressive-like behavior and anxiety. ALLO treatment or specific excitement of IL pyramidal neurons relieved abnormal behaviors and upregulated BDNF and ß-catenin expression in the IL in the PPD model, suggesting that hypofunction of IL neurons may be involved in the pathogenesis of PPD.

Adjunctive clozapine with bright light mitigates cognitive deficits by synaptic plasticity and neurogenesis in sub-chronic MK-801 treated mice.

Schizophrenia impacts about 1 % of the global population, with clozapine (CLZ) being a critical treatment for refractory cases despite its limitations in effectiveness and adverse effects. Therefore, the search for more effective treatments remains urgent. Light treatment (LT) recognized for enhancing cognition and mood, presents a promising complementary approach. This study investigated the effects of CLZ and LT on cognitive impairments in a sub-chronic MK-801 induced schizophrenia mouse model. Results showed that both CLZ and CLZ + LT treatment elevate cognitive performance of sub-chronic MK-801 treated mice in serial behavioral tests over two months. Histological analysis revealed increased dendritic spine density and branching, and synaptic repair in the hippocampus with CLZ and CLZ + LT interventions. Furthermore, both treatments increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in the hippocampus, likely contributing to cognitive amelioration in MK-801 treated mice. Additionally, BrdU labeling revealed that CLZ + LT further enhances neurogenesis in the dentate gyrus (DG) and lateral ventricle (LV) of sub-chronic MK-801 treated mice. These findings may have implications for the development of noninvasive and adjunctive treatment strategies aimed at alleviating cognitive impairments and improving functional outcomes in individuals with schizophrenia.

Solar overall water-splitting by a spin-hybrid all-organic semiconductor.

Direct solar-to-hydrogen conversion from pure water using all-organic heterogeneous catalysts remains elusive. The challenges are twofold: (i) full-band low-frequent photons in the solar spectrum cannot be harnessed into a unified S1 excited state for water-splitting based on the common Kasha-allowed S0 → S1 excitation; (ii) the H+ → H2 evolution suffers the high overpotential on pristine organic surfaces. Here, we report an organic molecular crystal nanobelt through the self-assembly of spin-one open-shell perylene diimide diradical anions (:PDI2-) and their tautomeric spin-zero closed-shell quinoid isomers (PDI2-). The self-assembled :PDI2-/PDI2- crystal nanobelt alters the spin-dependent excitation evolution, leading to spin-allowed S0S1 → 1(TT) → T1 + T1 singlet fission under visible-light (420 nm~700 nm) and a spin-forbidden S0 → T1 transition under near-infrared (700 nm~1100 nm) within spin-hybrid chromophores. With a triplet-triplet annihilation upconversion, a newly formed S1 excited state on the diradical-quinoid hybrid induces the H+ reduction through a favorable hydrophilic diradical-mediated electron transfer, which enables simultaneous H2 and O2 production from pure water with an average apparent quantum yield over 1.5% under the visible to near-infrared solar spectrum.

Photo-to-Thermal Conversion Harnessing Low-Energy Photons Renders Efficient Solar CO2 Reduction.

Efficient photocatalytic solar CO2 reduction presents a challenge because visible-to-near-infrared (NIR) low-energy photons account for over 50% of solar energy. Consequently, they are unable to instigate the high-energy reaction necessary for dissociating C═O bonds in CO2. In this study, we present a novel methodology leveraging the often-underutilized photo-to-thermal (PTT) conversion. Our unique two-dimensional (2D) carbon layer-embedded Mo2C (Mo2C-Cx) MXene catalyst in black color showcases superior near-infrared (NIR) light absorption. This enables the efficient utilization of low-energy photons via the PTT conversion mechanism, thereby dramatically enhancing the rate of CO2 photoreduction. Under concentrated sunlight, the optimal Mo2C-C0.5 catalyst achieves CO2 reduction reaction rates of 12000-15000 µmol·g-1·h-1 to CO and 1000-3200 µmol·g-1·h-1 to CH4. Notably, the catalyst delivers solar-to-carbon fuel (STF) conversion efficiencies between 0.0108% to 0.0143% and the STFavg = 0.0123%, the highest recorded values under natural sunlight conditions. This innovative approach accentuates the exploitation of low-frequency, low-energy photons for the enhancement of photocatalytic CO2 reduction.

Enhancement of Water Productivity and Energy Efficiency in Sorption-based Atmospheric Water Harvesting Systems: From Material, Component to System Level.

To address the increasingly serious water scarcity across the world, sorption-based atmospheric water harvesting (SAWH) continues to attract attention among various water production methods, due to it being less dependent on climatic and geographical conditions. Water productivity and energy efficiency are the two most important evaluation indicators. Therefore, this review aims to comprehensively and systematically summarize and discuss the water productivity and energy efficiency enhancement methods for SAWH systems based on three levels, from material to component to system. First, the material level covers the characteristics, categories, and mechanisms of different sorbents. Second, the component level focuses on the sorbent bed, regeneration energy, and condenser. Third, the system level encompasses the system design, operation, and synergetic effect generation with other mechanisms. Specifically, the key and promising improvement methods are: synthesizing composite sorbents with high water uptake, fast sorption kinetics, and low regeneration energy (material level); improving thermal insulation between the sorbent bed and condenser, utilizing renewable energy or electrical heating for desorption and multistage design (component level); achieving continuous system operation with a desired number of sorbent beds or rotational structure, and integrating with Peltier cooling or passive radiative cooling technologies (system level). In addition, applications and challenges of SAWH systems are explored, followed by potential outlooks and future perspectives. Overall, it is expected that this review article can provide promising directions and guidelines for the design and operation of SAWH systems with the aim of achieving high water productivity and energy efficiency.

PARP1 controls the transcription of CD24 by ADP-ribosylating the RNA helicase DDX5 in pancreatic cancer.

The PARP1 protein plays a key role in DNA damage repair and ADP-ribosylation to regulate gene expression. Strategies to target PARP1 have rapidly been developed for cancer treatment. However, the role of the innate immune response in targeted anti-PARP1 therapy remains poorly understood. In this work, we aimed to elucidate the regulatory mechanism underlying the immunogenicity of PARP1 and explore efficient therapeutic strategies to enhance the antitumor effect of PARP inhibitors. The relationships between PARP1 expression and immunosuppressive factors were examined by qRTPCR and immunoblot analysis. DNA pull-down, chromatin immunoprecipitation-quantitative PCR (ChIPqPCR) and luciferase reporter assays were employed to reveal the mechanism by which the expression of the immune checkpoint regulator CD24 is regulated by PARP1. Phagocytosis assays and pancreatic cancer animal models were applied to evaluate the therapeutic effect of simultaneous disruption of PARP1 and the antiphagocytic factor CD24. Upregulation of the innate immunosuppressive factor CD24 was observed in pancreatic cancer during PARP1 inhibition. The activating effect of targeting CD24 on macrophage phagocytosis was verified. Then, we showed that PARP1 attenuated the transcription of CD24 by ADP-ribosylating the transcription factor DDX5 in pancreatic cancer. Combined blockade of PARP1 and the antiphagocytic factor CD24 elicited a synergetic antitumor effect in pancreatic cancer. Our research provided evidence that combination treatment with PARP inhibitors and CD24 blocking monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) could be an effective strategy to improve the clinical therapeutic response in pancreatic cancer.

Social capital and loneliness among older adults in community dwellings and nursing homes in Zhejiang Province of China.

Background: Loneliness is an important problem afflicting the health of older adults, and has been proven to be associated with social capital. Previous research in China rarely investigated the differences of social capital and loneliness between older adults living in community dwellings and nursing homes. This study aims to examine the status of social capital and loneliness among older adults living in community dwellings and nursing homes, and analyze the relationship between them. Methods: A total of 1,278 older adults were recruited for the study from the cities of Hangzhou, Huzhou, and Lishui in Zhejiang Province of China from July to October 2021 by using multi-stage stratified random sampling. Questionnaires were used to collect data on the participants' sociodemographic characteristics, social capital, and loneliness. Hierarchical multiple regression was used to examine the relationship between social capital and loneliness. The interaction of social capital and institutionalization on loneliness was also explored. Results: Compared with community-dwelling older adults, institutionalized older adults had higher levels of loneliness and lower degrees of social support, social connection, trust, cohesion, and reciprocity. A further analysis of the social capital showed that low levels of social support, trust, and cohesion were related to high levels of loneliness among adults in both community dwellings and nursing homes. Social connection was negatively correlated with loneliness among older adults living in community dwellings. Institutionalization itself demonstrated a strong effect on loneliness. Conclusion: Health-related policies should help older adults gain more social support, trust and cohesion to alleviate their loneliness. This is particularly crucial for older adults living in nursing homes, as they have higher levels of loneliness and lower levels of social capital than noninstitutionalized older adults.

Polypyrimidine tract binding protein knockdown reverses depression-like behaviors and cognition impairment in mice with lesioned cholinergic neurons.

Background and objectives: Depression is a common comorbidity of dementia and may be a risk factor for dementia. Accumulating evidence has suggested that the cholinergic system plays a central role in dementia and depression, and the loss of cholinergic neurons is associated with memory decline in aging and Alzheimer's patients. A specific loss of cholinergic neurons in the horizontal limb of the diagonal band of Broca (HDB) is correlated with depression and dysfunction of cognition in mice. In this study, we examined the potential regenerative mechanisms of knockdown the RNA-binding protein polypyrimidine tract binding protein (PTB) in reversing depression-like behaviors and cognition impairment in mice with lesioned cholinergic neurons. Methods: We lesioned cholinergic neurons in mice induced by injection of 192 IgG-saporin into HDB; then, we injected either antisense oligonucleotides or adeno-associated virus-shRNA (GFAP promoter) into the injured area of HDB to deplete PTB followed by a broad range of methodologies including behavioral examinations, Western blot, RT-qPCR and immunofluorescence. Results: We found that the conversion of astrocytes to newborn neurons by using antisense oligonucleotides on PTB in vitro, and depletion of PTB using either antisense oligonucleotides or adeno-associated virus-shRNA into the injured area of HDB could specifically transform astrocytes into cholinergic neurons. Meanwhile, knockdown of PTB by both approaches could relieve the depression-like behaviors shown by sucrose preference, forced swimming or tail-suspension tests, and alleviate cognitive impairment such as fear conditioning and novel object recognition in mice with lesioned cholinergic neurons. Conclusion: These findings suggest that supplementing cholinergic neurons after PTB knockdown may be a promising therapeutic strategy to revert depression-like behaviors and cognitive impairment.

Golimumab in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis who have previous experience with tumour necrosis factor inhibitors: results of a long-term extension of the randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled GO-AFTER study through week 160.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to assess long-term golimumab therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who discontinued previous tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) inhibitor(s) for any reason. METHODS: Results through week 24 of this multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of active RA (≥4 tender, ≥4 swollen joints) were previously reported. Patients received placebo (Group 1), 50 mg golimumab (Group 2) or 100 mg golimumab (Group 3) subcutaneous injections every 4 weeks. Patients from Groups 1 and 2 with <20% improvement in tender/swollen joints at week 16 early escaped to golimumab 50 mg and 100 mg, respectively. At week 24, Group 1 patients crossed over to golimumab 50 mg, Group 2 continued golimumab 50/100 mg per escape status and Group 3 maintained dosing. Data through week 160 are reported. RESULTS: 459 of the 461 randomised patients were treated; 236/459 (51%) continued treatment through week 160. From week 24 to week 100, ACR20 (≥20% improvement in American College of Rheumatology criteria) response and ≥0.25 unit HAQ (Health Assessment Questionnaire) improvement were sustained in 70-73% and 75-81% of responding patients, respectively. Overall at week 160, 63%, 67% and 57% of patients achieved ACR20 response and 59%, 65% and 64% had HAQ improvement ≥0.25 unit in Groups 1, 2 and 3, respectively. Adjusted for follow-up duration, adverse event incidences (95% CI) per 100 patient-years among patients treated with golimumab 50 mg and 100 mg were 4.70 (2.63 to 7.75) and 8.07 (6.02 to 10.58) for serious infection, 0.95 (0.20 to 2.77) and 2.04 (1.09 to 3.49) for malignancy and 0.00 (0.00 to 0.94) and 0.62 (0.17 to 1.59) for death, respectively. CONCLUSION: In patients with active RA who discontinued previous TNF-antagonist treatment, golimumab 50 and 100 mg injections every 4 weeks yielded sustained improvements in signs/symptoms and physical function in ∼57-67% of patients who continued treatment. Golimumab safety was consistent with other anti-TNF agents, although definitive conclusions regarding long-term safety require further monitoring.

Binocular Vision-Based Yarn Orientation Measurement of Biaxial Weft-Knitted Composites.

The mechanical properties of fiber-reinforced composites are highly dependent on the local fiber orientation. In this study, a low-cost yarn orientation reconstruction approach for the composite components' surface was built, utilizing binocular structured light detection technology to accomplish the effective fiber orientation detection of composite surfaces. It enables the quick acquisition of samples of the revolving body shape without blind spots with an electric turntable. Four collecting operations may completely cover the sample surface, the trajectory recognition coverage rate reached 80%, and the manual verification of the yarn space deviation showed good agreement with the automated technique. The results demonstrated that the developed system based on the proposed method can achieve the automatic recognition of yarn paths of views with different angles, which mostly satisfied quality control criteria in actual manufacturing processes.

Pooled safety results across phase 3 randomized trials of intravenous golimumab in rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis.

BACKGROUND: Intravenous (IV) golimumab, a TNFi, is approved for treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and ankylosing spondylitis (AS). We analyzed pooled safety results from three phase 3 IV golimumab trials in these rheumatologic diseases and hypothesized that the safety profile of IV golimumab would be similar to that established for other TNFi, including subcutaneous golimumab. METHODS: Data from three double-blind, randomized trials of IV golimumab in patients with RA, PsA, and AS, each with a placebo-controlled period and an extension of active treatment, were included. Golimumab 2 mg/kg was administered at weeks 0 and 4, then every 8 weeks through week 100 (RA) or week 52 (PsA, AS). Concomitant low-dose, oral corticosteroids were permitted. Concomitant methotrexate was required in the RA trial and permitted in the PsA and AS trials; placebo patients crossed over to golimumab at weeks 24 (RA, PsA) and 16 (AS), respectively. Adverse events (AEs), including infections, serious infections, malignancies, and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), were assessed through week 112 (RA) or week 60 (PsA, AS). RESULTS: In total, 539 patients were randomized to placebo, and 740 patients were randomized to golimumab; 1248 patients received ≥ 1 golimumab administration. Among the placebo and golimumab patients, respectively, during the placebo-controlled periods, 40.6% and 50.3% had an AE, 2.4% and 3.8% had a serious AE, and 0.4% and 0.8% had a serious infection. Among all golimumab-treated patients, the numbers of events/100 patient-years (95% CI) were as follows: AEs, 175.2 (169.0, 181.6); serious AEs, 12.7 (11.0, 14.5); serious infections, 3.4 (2.5, 4.4); active tuberculosis, 0.4 (0.1, 0.8); opportunistic infection, 0.2 (0.1, 0.6); malignancies, 0.4 (0.2, 0.9), and MACE, 0.5 (0.2, 1.0). There were no cases of lymphoma. Three (0.6%) placebo-treated patients and 6 (0.5%) golimumab-treated patients died during the studies. Concomitant methotrexate was associated with increased occurrence of elevated alanine transaminase levels and lower incidence of antibodies to golimumab. During the placebo-controlled periods, serious infections in the placebo and golimumab groups were more common in patients receiving concomitant low-dose oral corticosteroids vs. those not receiving corticosteroids. CONCLUSIONS: IV golimumab demonstrated a safety profile that was broadly consistent across these rheumatologic indications and with other TNFi, including subcutaneous golimumab. Concomitant methotrexate or corticosteroids were associated with an increase in specific AEs. TRIAL REGISTRATIONS: ClinicalTrials.gov , NCT00973479 . Registered on September 9, 2009. CLINICALTRIALS: gov , NCT02181673 . Registered on July 4, 2014. CLINICALTRIALS: gov , NCT02186873 . Registered on July 10, 2014.