CircRNA PIP5K1A promotes the progression of glioma through upregulation of the TCF12/PI3K/AKT pathway by sponging miR-515-5p.

BACKGROUND: Increasing studies have revealed that circular RNAs (CircRNAs) make great contributions to regulating tumor progression. Therefore, we intended to explore the expression characteristics, function, and related mechanisms of a novel type of circRNA, PIP5K1A, in glioma. METHODS: Firstly, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was carried out to examine CircPIP5K1A expression in glioma tissues and adjacent normal tissues, and the correlation between CircPIP5K1A level and the clinical-pathological indicators of glioma was analyzed. Then, the CircPIP5K1A expression in various glioma cell lines was detected, and CircPIP5K1A overexpression and knockdown cell models were constructed. Subsequently, cell proliferation and viability were detected by the CCK8 method and BrdU staining. Cell apoptosis was detected by flow cytometry, and cell invasion was examined by Transwell assay. The expression of TCF12, PI3K/AKT pathway apoptotic related proteins (Caspase3, Bax, and Bcl2) and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers (E-cadherin, Vimentin, and N-cadherin) was determined by western blot or RT-PCR. RESULTS: The results manifested that CircPIP5K1A was upregulated in glioma tissues (compared with that in normal adjacent tissues), and overexpressed CircPIP5K1A was related to glioma volume and histopathological grade. Functionally, overexpressing CircPIP5K1A notably elevated glioma cell proliferation, invasion, and EMT and inhibited apoptosis both in vivo and in vitro. Besides, CircPIP5K1A upregulated TCF12 and PI3K/AKT activation. Bioinformatics analysis testified that miR-515-5p was a common target of CircPIP5K1A and TCF12, while the dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) experiment further confirmed that CircPIP5K1A targeted miR-515-5p, which bound the 3'-untranslated region (UTR) of TCF12. CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the study illustrated that CircPIP5K1A is a potential prognostic marker in glioma and regulates glioma evolvement by modulating the miR-515-5p-mediated TCF12/PI3K/AKT axis.

Utility of Trimethylamine Oxide (TMAO) in Predicting Early Neurological Deterioration after Acute Ischemic Stroke.

OBJECTIVE:  To investigate whether plasma trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) levels might predict early neurological deterioration (END) in individuals with acute ischemic stroke. STUDY DESIGN: Cohort study. Place and Duration of the Study: Jiulongpo District Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chongqing City, China, from January 2020 to December 2021. METHODOLOGY:  Patients presenting with ischemic stroke were classified into the END group and the non-END group. The National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) total increasing by 2 points or more within 72 hours of admission was the definition of the END. Plasma TMAO levels were determined by high-performance liquid chromatographic and tandem mass spectrometry. RESULTS:  Twenty-six (25%) of the 104 patients, diagnosed with END exhibited higher TMAO levels after admission (median 1.438 vs. 0.449 nmol/mL, p=0.001). Elevated plasma TMAO levels were significant predictors of END in univariate logistic analysis. After controlling for age, gender, and cardiovascular risk factors in the multivariate conditional logistic regression model, the plasma TMAO levels in the END group remained significantly higher than those in the non-END group (OR=6.646, 95% CI 2.434-18.147, p<0.001). In receiver operator characteristic (ROC) analysis, the sensitivity and specificity of TMAO in distinguishing the END group and the non-END group at 0.564 nmol/mL cutoff value were 0.885 and 0.679, respectively. CONCLUSION: According to this research, the development of END on admission in patients with acute ischemic stroke may be positively correlated with the elevation in plasma TMAO levels. KEY WORDS:  Trimethylamine N-oxide level, Acute ischemic stroke, Early neurological deterioration, NIHSS score.

Effect of susceptibility-weighted imaging on preoperative evaluation of microvascular decompression in patients with trigeminal neuralgia.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) in displaying the superior petrosal vein complex (SPVC) and the role of venous three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction in visualizing the anatomical relationship in patients with trigeminal neuralgia (TN). METHODS: A total of 30 patients with primary TN who received treatment between September 2019 and December 2020 were enrolled prospectively in this study. All patients were examined with fast imaging employing steady-state acquisition (Fiesta), three-dimensional time of flight (3D-TOF) and SWI by the same technician. Image analysis was performed by 2 physicians. 3D reconstruction of nerves, arteries, and veins was performed with 3dslicer and compared with intraoperative findings. The general characteristics, vein description in MRI, and the composition of SPVC types were also compared. RESULTS: The display effect of SPVC in SWI was significantly better than that in Fiesta and 3D-TOF (P < 0.05). The display effect of phase images was found to be superior to magnitude images (P < 0.05). The superior petrosal vein, pontotrigeminal vein, transverse pontine vein, and vein of the cerebellopontine fissure were clearly displayed in SWI. The anatomical relationship between SPVC and trigeminal nerve shown by 3D reconstruction of the vein was consistent with the findings observed during the operation. CONCLUSION: The SPVC can be clearly displayed by SWI. 3D reconstruction of the vein can accurately display the anatomical relationship between the trigeminal nerve and SPVC.

TCM active ingredient oxoglaucine metal complexes: crystal structure, cytotoxicity, and interaction with DNA.

The alkaloid oxoglaucine (OG), which is a bioactive component from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), was synthesized by a two-step reaction and used as the ligand to react with transition metal salts to give four complexes: [OGH][AuCl(4)]·DMSO (1), [Zn(OG)(2)(H(2)O)(2)](NO(3))(2) (2), [Co(OG)(2)(H(2)O)(2)](ClO(4))(2) (3), and [Mn(OG)(2)(H(2)O)(2)](ClO(4))(2) (4). The crystal structures of the metal complexes were confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction. Complex 1 is an ionic compound consisting of a charged ligand [OGH](+) and a gold complex [AuCl(4)](-). Complexes 2-4 all have similar structures (inner-spheres), that is, octahedral geometry with two OG coordinating to one metal center and two aqua ligands occupying the two apical positions of the octahedron, and two NO(3)(-) or ClO(4)(-) as counteranions in the outer-sphere. The complexation of OG to metal ion was confirmed by ESI-MS, capillary electrophoresis and fluorescence polarization. The in vitro cytotoxicity of these complexes toward a various tumor cell lines was assayed by the MTT method. The results showed that most of these metal-oxoglaucine complexes exhibited enhanced cytotoxicity compared with oxoglaucine and the corresponding metal salts, with IC(50) values ranging from 1.4 to 32.7 µM for sensitive cancer cells, which clearly implied a positive synergistic effect. Moreover, these complexes appeared to be selectively active against certain cell lines. The interactions of oxoglaucine and its metal complexes with DNA and topoisomerase I were investigated by UV-vis, fluorescence, CD spectroscopy, viscosity, and agarose gel electrophoresis, and the results indicated that these OG-metal complexes interact with DNA mainly via intercalation. Complexes 2-4 are metallointercalators, but complex 1 is not. These metal complexes could effectively inhibit topoisomerase I even at low concentration. Cell cycle analysis revealed that 1-3 caused S-phase cell arrest.

[Pathologic features of ulegyria in refractory epilepsy by modified anatomic hemispherectomy: a clinicopathologic study of 39 cases].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinicopathologic features of the brain tissue diagnosed as ulegyria from modified anatomic hemispherectomy for refractory epilepsy. METHODS: The clinical and pathologic findings were reviewed in 39 patients who underwent modified anatomic hemispherectomy and diagnosed as ulegyria in the Epilepsy Center of Tsinghua University Yuquan Hospital from 2007 to 2011. RESULTS: All patients including 30 males and 9 females had medically intractable seizures, and the mean age of seizure onset and disease duration were 4.0 years and 7.3 years respectively. Significant history included febrile seizure in 14 patients (35.9%), cerebral hemorrhage in 8 patients (20.5%), fetal distress and surgical trauma each in 6 patients (15.4%), vascular malformation and cerebral hemorrhage in 1 patient (2.6%), and unclear history in 4 patients (10.2%). Histologically, all cases were characterized by cortical destruction, with neuronal loss and gliosis. All cases were accompanied by varying degree of cortical dysplasia, which were diagnosed as focal cortical dysplasia IIId. Hippocampus sclerosis was identified in 2 cases. Seizure outcome after surgery revealed 37 patients (94.9%) had an Engel grade I, two patients (5.1%) had an Engel grade II. CONCLUSIONS: Febrile seizure, cerebral hemorrhage, fetal distress and surgical trauma in childhood can lead to refractory epilepsy. Histopathological change in the brain is ulegyria accompanied by focal cortical dysplasia IIId. Modified anatomic hemispherectomy is an effective therapy to treat those patients with extensive changes of one hemisphere.

Distinct biological ages of organs and systems identified from a multi-omics study.

Biological age (BA) has been proposed to evaluate the aging status instead of chronological age (CA). Our study shows evidence that there might be multiple "clocks" within the whole-body system: systemic aging drivers/clocks overlaid with organ/tissue-specific counterparts. We utilize multi-omics data, including clinical tests, immune repertoire, targeted metabolomic molecules, gut microbiomes, physical fitness examinations, and facial skin examinations, to estimate the BA of different organs (e.g., liver, kidney) and systems (immune and metabolic system). The aging rates of organs/systems are diverse. People's aging patterns are different. We also demonstrate several applications of organs/systems BA in two independent datasets. Mortality predictions are compared among organs' BA in the dataset of the United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Polygenic risk score of BAs constructed in the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey cohort can predict the possibility of becoming centenarian.

Neurological abnormalities and neurocognitive functions in healthy elder people: a structural equation modeling analysis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Neurological abnormalities have been reported in normal aging population. However, most of them were limited to extrapyramidal signs and soft signs such as motor coordination and sensory integration have received much less attention. Very little is known about the relationship between neurological soft signs and neurocognitive function in healthy elder people. The current study aimed to examine the underlying relationships between neurological soft signs and neurocognition in a group of healthy elderly. METHODS: One hundred and eighty healthy elderly participated in the current study. Neurological soft signs were evaluated with the subscales of Cambridge Neurological Inventory. A set of neurocognitive tests was also administered to all the participants. Structural equation modeling was adopted to examine the underlying relationship between neurological soft signs and neurocognition. RESULTS: No significant differences were found between the male and female elder people in neurocognitive function performances and neurological soft signs. The model fitted well in the elderly and indicated the moderate associations between neurological soft signs and neurocognition, specifically verbal memory, visual memory and working memory. CONCLUSIONS: The neurological soft signs are more or less statistically equivalent to capture the similar information done by conventional neurocognitive function tests in the elderly. The implication of these findings may serve as a potential neurological marker for the early detection of pathological aging diseases or related mental status such as mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease.

Contribution of specific cognitive dysfunction to people with schizotypal personality.

The current study aimed to determine whether there is a specific neurocognitive deficit in individuals with schizotypal personality features. One hundred and fifty-nine healthy participants and 62 schizotypal individuals completed a comprehensive battery of cognitive tests. The cognitive functions captured by the battery could be reduced to 6 factors. Significant difference was found between participants with schizotypal features and healthy controls in allocation, verbal memory and marginally in working memory. Schizotypal traits tended to correlate with some of the cognitive factors, especially allocation, verbal memory and working memory.

Coping flexibility in college students with depressive symptoms.

BACKGROUND: The current study explored the prevalence of depressed mood among Chinese undergraduate students and examined the coping patterns and degree of flexibility of flexibility of such patterns associated with such mood. METHODS: A set of questionnaire assessing coping patterns, coping flexibility, and depressive symptoms were administered to 428 students (234 men and 194 women). RESULTS: A total of 266 participants both completed the entire set of questionnaires and reported a frequency of two or more stressful life events (the criterion needed to calculate variance in perceived controllability). Findings showed that higher levels of depressive symptoms were significantly associated with higher levels of both event frequency (r = .368, p < .001) and event impact (r = .245, p < .001) and lower levels of perceived controllability (r = -.261, p < .001), coping effectiveness (r = -.375, p < .001), and ratio of strategy to situation fit (r = -.108, p < .05). Depressive symptoms were not significantly associated with cognitive flexibility (variance of perceived controllability; r = .031, p = .527), Gender was not a significant moderator of any of the reported associations. CONCLUSIONS: Findings indicate that Chinese university students with depressive symptoms reported experiencing a greater number of negative events than did non-depressed university students. In addition, undergraduates with depressive symptoms were more likely than other undergraduates to utilize maladaptive coping methods. Such findings highlight the potential importance of interventions aimed at helping undergraduate students with a lower coping flexibility develop skills to cope with stressful life events.

Anticipatory and consummatory components of the experience of pleasure in schizophrenia: cross-cultural validation and extension.

This study examined anticipatory and consummatory pleasure in schizophrenia patients with and without negative symptoms. Negative symptom patients experienced less anticipatory pleasure than non-negative symptom patients; only one facet of consummatory pleasure was unaffected in negative schizophrenia. Greater pleasure deficits were correlated with more severe positive and negative symptoms.

catena-Poly[[triaqua-(pyridine-κN)nickel(II)]-µ-sulfato-κO:O'].

The title compound, [Ni(SO(4))(C(5)H(5)N)(H(2)O)(3)](n), was synthesized by the hydro-thermal reaction of NiSO(4)·6H(2)O, pyridine and water. The central Ni(II) atom is coordinated in a distorted octa-hedral environment by a pyridine N atom, three aqua O atoms and two O atoms of bridging sulfate anions, yielding a zigzag chain. A three-dimensional network is generated via complex hydrogen bonds involving the sulfate and aqua ligands and a pyridine C-H group.

Silencing LDHA inhibits proliferation, induces apoptosis and increases chemosensitivity to temozolomide in glioma cells.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is a prevalent and aggressive disease, and the development of a novel therapy to better treat advanced GBM is urgently required. Lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA), which functions as a key enzyme in transforming pyruvate into lactate, has attracted more attention in recent years due to its critical role in various types of advanced cancer. Previous data derived from the Oncomine database have shown that the expression of LDHA is higher in GBM tissues than that in corresponding normal control tissues. However, the association of LDHA levels with glioma clinical grades and the possible mechanisms of LDHA in GBM progression have not been investigated. The present study showed that there is a significant positive correlation between LDHA expression levels and tumor clinical stages. The knockdown of LDHA inhibited cell growth by inhibiting cell cycle progression and inducing apoptosis in glioma cell lines. Upon investigating the molecular mechanism, LDHA knockdown via siRNA treatment was associated with decreased cyclin D1 expression, increased cleavage of PARP, and altered B-cell lymphoma 2 and B-cell lymphoma 2-associated protein X expression. In addition, LDHA knockdown led to the marked downregulation of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-2, MMP-9, VE-Cadherin and vascular endothelial growth factor expression levels. Furthermore, knock down of LDHA enhanced the chemosensitivity of glioma cells to temozolomide (TMZ), a second-generation alkylating agent with activity against recurrent high-grade glioma. These findings support LDHA as a novel target for developing effective therapeutic strategies to treat GBM.

Serial EEG Monitoring in a Patient With Anti-NMDA Receptor Encephalitis.

Electroencephalogram (EEG) abnormalities are very common in anti- N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (anti-NMDAR) encephalitis. Extreme delta brush (EDB) is a distinctive EEG pattern that is can be suggestive of the diagnosis; however, the etiology of the EDB remains unclear. Furthermore, there is question with regard to its ictal or interictal nature. We report a 20-year-old woman with anti-NMDAR encephalitis whose serial video-EEG monitoring was obtained at 2, 2.5, 4, and 6 months after admission. There was a long-standing EDB lasting up to several hours, with no evolution in frequency, amplitude, or morphology, and without clear association her frequent orofacial dyskinesia. Intravenous benzodiazepine administrations did not change the EDB pattern. As her clinical symptoms improved, the EDB gradually became less prominent and less frequent, with complete resolution at 6 months after admission. These findings suggest that EDB is more likely a marker of the severity of the disease in contrast to an epileptic seizure and is useful for diagnosis and monitoring of treatment response in conjunction with clinical improvement.

Field-amplified on-line sample stacking for separation and determination of cimaterol, clenbuterol and salbutamol using capillary electrophoresis.

A capillary electrophoresis method, using field-amplified sample injection (FASI), was developed for separation and determination of some beta 2-agonists, such as cimaterol, clenbuterol and salbutamol. The optimum conditions for this system had been investigated in detail. The precision of the migration time, peak height and accuracy were determined in both intra-day (n = 5) and inter-day (n = 15) assays. Under the optimum conditions, the detection limits (defined as S/N = 3) of this method were found to be lower than 2.0 ng/mL for all of these three beta 2-agonists, which were much lower than that of the conventional electro-migration injection method, the enhancement factors were greatly improved to be 30-40-fold. Such lower detection limit lets this method to be suitable for determination of above-mentioned beta 2-agonists in the urine sample. The mean recoveries in urine were higher than 96.2%, 95.6% and 95.3% for cimaterol, clenbuterol and salbutamol, respectively, with relative standard deviations lower than 3.5%.

Affective experience and motivated behavior in schizophrenia spectrum disorders: Evidence from clinical and nonclinical samples.

OBJECTIVE: Individuals with schizophrenia have been found to exhibit emotion-behavior decoupling, particularly with respect to anticipated, rather than experienced events. However, previous research has focused on how emotion valence translates into motivated behavior, ignoring the fact that emotion arousal should also modulate emotion-behavior coupling. Few studies have examined emotion-behavior coupling in prepsychotic conditions. This investigation aimed to examine the nature and extent of emotion valence- and arousal-behavior coupling across the schizophrenia spectrum. METHOD: We examine how emotional valence and arousal couple with behavior in 3 groups of individuals (25 individuals with chronic schizophrenia; 27 individuals early in the disease course, and 31 individuals reporting negative schizotypal symptoms). Participants completed a task using slides to elicit emotion and evoke motivated behavior. We compared participants with their respective matched control groups to determine differences in the correspondence between self-reported emotion valence/arousal and motivated behavior. RESULTS: Both groups with schizophrenia reported similar affective experiences as their controls, whereas individuals reporting negative schizotypal symptoms showed "in-the-moment" anhedonia but not emotion-behavior decoupling. In addition, the schizophrenia groups' affective experiences corresponded less well to their behavior relative to controls. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest emotion-behavior decoupling along both valence and arousal dimensions in schizophrenia but not in participants with high levels of schizotypal symptoms. Findings appear to support the idea that emotion-behavior decoupling differs in nature and extent across the schizophrenia spectrum. Interventions to recouple emotion and behavior may be particularly helpful in allowing people with schizophrenia to gain functional independence. (PsycINFO Database Record

[Expression of galectin-3 in invasive prolactinomas].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the expression of galectin-3 (Gal-3) in prolactinomas. METHODS: Expressions of Gal-3 were evaluated by immunohistochemistry using polyclonal antibody in 16 invasive prolactinomas and 16 prolactinomas. RESULTS: Gal-3 was expressed both in invasive prolactinomas and noninvasive prolactinomas while significantly higher expression seen in the invasive prolactinomas (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Gal-3 expression may be used as a useful indicator to determine the invasiveness and prognosis of prolactinomas.

[Clinical pathology, diagnosis, and treatment of mixed growth hormone-and prolactin cell adenoma].

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the clinical pathology and management of mixed growth hormone- and prolactin (GH-PRL) cell adenoma. METHOD: Eight patients (4 men and 4 women, with the mean age of 32.3 year old and duration of symptoms 12 months) underwent examination of serum endocrine and magnetic resonance imaging. Clinical manifestations included headache, physiognomy of acromegalic patient, large pudgy hands and foots, menstrual dysfunction, amenorrhea, galactorrhea, and descending vision. Patients underwent transsphenoidal microsurgery of mixed GH-PRL pituitary adenoma between 1986 and 2004. RESULTS: The hypersecretion of GH and PRL was relieved after operation. Headache was obviously improved in all patients. In 5 cases the menstrual dysfunction and amenorrhea were recovered. In 4 cases the galactorrhea and descending vision disappeared. CONCLUSIONS: The diagnosis of mixed GH-PRL pituitary adenoma can be made according to the results examination of serum endocrine, pathology and clinical manifestations. Its endocrine features are related to the invasion extent of the adenoma. The transsphenoidal approach is the preferred treatment for mixed GH-PRL pituitary adenoma.

Subjective pleasure experience in patients with recent-onset schizophrenia: A preliminary report.

Little is known about subjective pleasure experience in recent-onset schizophrenia, and its relationship with neurocognitive functions. Twenty-seven recent-onset schizophrenia people and 26 controls completed the TEPS and neuropsychological tests. The results showed that schizophrenia people self-reported less anticipatory pleasure than controls. Semantic verbal fluency was apparently correlated with anticipatory pleasure.

Oxoglaucine-lanthanide complexes: synthesis, crystal structure and cytotoxicity.

AIM: To evaluate the in vitro cytotoxicity of oxoglaucine (OG) complexes: [Sm(OG)2(NO3)3]•H2O (1), [Eu(OG)2(NO3)3]•1.5CH3OH (2) and [Er(OG)2(NO3)3]•H2O (3) through comparison to oxoglaucine and lanthanide salts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The reactions of OG with corresponding lanthanide salts gave rise to complexes 1-3. The crystal structures of complexes 1-3 were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The in vitro cytotoxicity of oxoglaucine and complexes 1-3 against five human cancer cell lines were evaluated by the 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium Bromide (MTT) method. RESULTS: Complexes 1-3 have similar mononuclear structures. The 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of complex 1 against SGC7901 cells was 32.1 µM; that of complex 2 against MCF-7 cells was 3.2 µM; those of complex 3 on HeLa and MCF-7 cells were 8.3 and 1.4 µM, respectively. CONCLUSION: The three OG-lanthanide complexes exhibited significantly enhanced cytotoxicity vs. OG and corresponding lanthanide salts.

Social functioning in Chinese college students with and without schizotypal personality traits: an exploratory study of the Chinese version of the First Episode Social Functioning Scale.

OBJECTIVES: The First Episode Social Functioning Scale (FESFS) was designed to measure social functioning of young individuals with schizophrenia. The aim of this study was to validate a Chinese version of the FESFS in a sample of young Chinese adults. METHOD: The FESFS was translated to Chinese prior to being administered to 1576 college students. The factor structure, reliability, and validity of the scale were examined. RESULTS: Two items were deleted after item analysis and the internal consistency of the whole scale was .89. A six-factor structure was derived by exploratory factor analysis. The factors were interpersonal, family and friends, school, living skills, intimacy, and balance. Estimates of the structural equation model supported this structure, with Goodness of Fit Chi-Square χ(2) = 1097.53 (p<0.0001), the root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.058, and the comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.93. Scale validity was supported by significant correlations between social functioning factors scores and schizophrenia personality questionnaire (SPQ) scores. Individuals with schizotypal personality features presented poorer social functioning than those without schizotypal personality features. CONCLUSIONS: The Chinese revised version of the FESFS was found to have good psychometric properties and could be used in the future to examine social functioning in Chinese college students.