Hydrochemical and isotopic characteristics of water sources for biological activity across a massive evaporite basin on the Tibetan Plateau: Implications for aquatic environments on early Mars.

Covered by vast eolian landforms, gravel deposits, and playas, the worldwide typical evaporite deposit land, Qaidam Basin, in northwestern China is analogous to early Mars when the aridification process had lasted for millions of years since the end of a wetter climate. This study aims to investigate the chemical and isotopic characteristics of waters in an evaporite-rich environment, as well as the habitable conditions therein, that have undergone a transformation similar to early Mars. In May 2023, a total of 26 water samples were collected across the representative central axis of a longitudinal aridity gradient in the Qaidam Basin, including categories of meteoric water, freshwater, standing water accumulated after precipitation, salty lacustrine water, and hypersaline brines to inspect compounds made up of carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, sulfur, halogen, and metallic elements. As evaporation intensified, the salt types transformed from HCO3-Ca·Na to Cl·SO4-Na or ClMg. The dominance of carbonate will gradually be replaced by sulfate and chloride, leaving much more dilute and less detectable contents. The presence of trace ClO4-, ClO3-, ClO2-, and BrO3- was confirmed in a few of the sampled Qaidam waters, indicating the preservation of oxyhalides in waters within an arid region and possibly the presence of relevant microbial enzymes. The isotopes of water, carbonaceous, and nitrogenous compounds provide valuable references for either abiogenic or biogenic signatures. With undetectable amount, phosphorus was found to be the limiting nutrient in evaporative aquatic environments but not necessarily antibiosignatures. Overall, these results suggest that the paleo-lacustrine environments on Mars are more likely to preserve biosignatures if they feature the dominance of carbonate minerals, bioavailable nitrate, phosphorus, and organic carbon, the presence of thermodynamically unstable oxyhalides, and isotope ratios that point to the involvement of biological activity.

Distinct effects of first-episode and recurrent major depressive disorder on brain changes related to suicidal ideation: Evidence from the REST-meta-MDD Project.

BACKGROUND: Significant differences in clinical manifestations between first-episode and recurrent major depression disorder (FE-MDD/R-MDD) have been demonstrated in previous studies, including the degree of suicide attempt. However, the potential brain mechanism underlying the effect of depressive episode frequency on suicidal ideation (SI) remains unclear. METHODS: In this study, 102 patients with FE-MDD (SI/non-SI: N = 70/32) and 71 matched normal controls (NCs), as well as 75 patients with R-MDD (SI/non-SI: N = 37/38) and 49 matched NCs were screened from the Chinese REST-meta-MDD consortium. T1-weighted and resting-state fMRI images were used to calculate gray matter volume (GMV) and fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF), respectively. RESULTS: Group comparisons revealed that FE-MDD showed changes only in GMV, while R-MDD showed changes in both GMV and fALFF compared to NCs. SI-specific GMV decreases were observed in the right cerebellum, superior marginal gyrus, and left middle temporal gyrus in FE-MDD patients, while SI-specific fALFF decreases in bilateral superior frontal gyrus and increases in bilateral cerebellum and left parahippocampal gyrus were obserevd in R-MDD patients. Moreover, a negative correlation was found between GMV value in right cerebellum and HAMD score. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that first-episode and recurrent MDD show different effects on brain structure and function in patients with SI, providing a potential explanation for the distinct clinical manifestations of MDD patients from a brain mechanisms perspective.

[Cu]/NFSI-Mediated Cascade Diels-Alder Radical Annulations Using Norbornene as H-Acceptor under Redox-Neutral Conditions.

An oxidative cascade [4 + 2] radical cycloaddition/dehydroaromatization reaction of aryl alkenes to access α-aryl substituted naphthalenes under redox-neutral conditions was achieved. This reaction was found to require the addition of [Cu] catalyst along with stoichiometric concentrations of NFSI as a trigger of radical series of steps. Norbornene (NBE), rather than the conventional oxidant, manifested optimal performances as a H-acceptor in this procedure. The results herein might shed encouraging insight into the transition-metal-catalyzed dehydrogenative C-H activation protocols.

Salinization of groundwater in shale gas extraction area in the Sichuan Basin, China: Implications for water protection in shale regions with well-developed faults.

The expanding growth of shale gas development has sparked global concern over water-related environmental issues. However, research on groundwater contamination in shale gas areas in China remains limited, impeding environmentally friendly industry practices. To address this gap, we investigated the Wufeng-Longmaxi shale region in the Sichuan Basin, encompassing both operational and prospective shale gas extraction sites, to assess the effects of shale gas operations on shallow groundwater quality. We found there was no significant correlation between groundwater quality and the minimum distance from the shale gas well pads, and some groundwater samples located far from shale gas well pads, rather than those close to pads, were salinized. These findings suggest minimal impacts from shale gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing. The salinized groundwater samples are characterized by high salinity levels and ion concentrations, and are located near fault zones. The primary source of shallow groundwater salinization was derived from the Triassic formation brines confirmed through the assessment of the sensitivity and conservative mixing models. Faults in the study area were identified as pathways for the upward migration of Triassic brines, evidenced by the proximity of salinized samples to fault zones. However, further investigation is required to ascertain whether shale gas extraction activities have induced the migration of formation brines. The occurrence and reactivation of faults, induced by microseismic activities, may pose an increased risk of groundwater contamination in tectonically complex fault zones during shale gas extraction. Therefore, it is imperative to enhance extraction strategies and technologies, particularly in shale regions with well-developed faults, such as optimizing well placement regulation, controlling hydraulic fracturing scale, and strengthening environmental monitoring. By shedding light on potential environmental ramifications of shale gas extraction, especially in fault-rich regions, our study informs water protection strategies and the sustainable advancement of the shale gas industry.

Distinct resting-state effective connectivity of large-scale networks in first-episode and recurrent major depression disorder: evidence from the REST-meta-MDD consortium.

Introduction: Previous studies have shown disrupted effective connectivity in the large-scale brain networks of individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD). However, it is unclear whether these changes differ between first-episode drug-naive MDD (FEDN-MDD) and recurrent MDD (R-MDD). Methods: This study utilized resting-state fMRI data from 17 sites in the Chinese REST-meta-MDD project, consisting of 839 patients with MDD and 788 normal controls (NCs). All data was preprocessed using a standardized protocol. Then, we performed a granger causality analysis to calculate the effectivity connectivity (EC) within and between brain networks for each participant, and compared the differences between the groups. Results: Our findings revealed that R-MDD exhibited increased EC in the fronto-parietal network (FPN) and decreased EC in the cerebellum network, while FEDN-MDD demonstrated increased EC from the sensorimotor network (SMN) to the FPN compared with the NCs. Importantly, the two MDD subgroups displayed significant differences in EC within the FPN and between the SMN and visual network. Moreover, the EC from the cingulo-opercular network to the SMN showed a significant negative correlation with the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD) score in the FEDN-MDD group. Conclusion: These findings suggest that first-episode and recurrent MDD have distinct effects on the effective connectivity in large-scale brain networks, which could be potential neural mechanisms underlying their different clinical manifestations.

Non-line-of-sight optical camera communications based on CPWM and a convolutional neural network.

Non-line-of-sight (NLOS) optical camera communications (OCC) exhibit greater link availability and mobility than line-of-sight links, which are more susceptible to blocking and shadowing. In this work, we propose an NLOS OCC system, where the data signal is mapped into color pulse width modulation (CPWM) symbols prior to transmission using a red-, green-, and blue light-emitting diode. A convolutional-neural-network-based receiver is used to demodulate the CPWM signal. Based on experimental results, the proposed scheme effectively mitigates the effects of diffuse reflection induced intersymbol interference, resulting in an increased data transmission rate to 7.2 kbps over a link span of more than 2 m, which is typical for indoor applications.

Association of local solid mechanical, hemodynamic and morphological characteristics with ruptured intracranial aneurysm.

The rupture of intracranial aneurysms (IAs) is a complicated phenomenon of which the mechanism is not fully understood. The purpose of this study is to associate local solid mechanical, hemodynamic, and morphological characteristics with rupture regions through statistical means, in an attempt to identify the parameters that are indicative of rupture propensity for IAs. Twenty patient-specific ruptured IA models were reconstructed from digital subtraction angiography (DSA), and applied in the analysis of wall tension, wall shear stress (WSS) and curvature. The precise rupture locations were marked out through intraoperative videos. Pearson correlation analysis was employed to investigate the correlations of these three parameters with patient characteristics and global geometric features. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analysis were further performed on wall tension, WSS and curvature with regards to rupture and nonrupture regions. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis defining area under the curve (AUC) was performed on these three parameters. The univariate model of wall tension (AUC, 0.9750), WSS (AUC, 0.9300), curvature (0.8150) and their combined multivariate model (AUC, 0.9875) all present high AUC values. The wall tension, WSS and curvature are acceptable parameters relating to rupture regions. The rupture odd is more sensitive to the wall tension and WSS than curvature. Each logistic model is capable in discriminating ruptures from nonrupture regions, while the multivariate model is the most efficient.

Soil Column Experimental Study on the Effect of Soil Structure Disturbance on Water Chemistry.

The changes in soil/rock structure caused by engineering disturbance or earthquakes could affect water chemistry by increasing the reaction surface, enhancing the oxidation condition, or exposing soluble rocks. However, the details of the mechanisms of the disturbance of soil/rock are little known. Based on the soil column experiment, this study analyzed the concentrations of sulfate (SO4), sulfur, and oxygen isotopic composition of SO4 (δ34S-SO4 and δ18O-SO4) in effluent water. The water-rock interaction mechanisms in the disturbed soil and the contribution of this interaction to the SO4 in groundwater were studied. The results suggest that the concentration of SO4 in the first effluent water sample can reach up to 97 mg/L, much higher than that in natural groundwater (6.8 mg/L). The isotopic composition of SO4 further suggested that SO4 in the first effluent water sample was mainly derived from the dissolution of SO4-containing evaporites. The proportion was estimated to be 93%. SO4-containing evaporites accounted for 23% of the SO4 content in all effluent water samples during the experiment. The disturbance of soil structure led to the exposure and dissolution of SO4-containing evaporites, which were initially insoluble under natural conditions. This study is essential to the clarification of the water-rock interaction mechanisms following the changes in soil/rock structures.

Indoor 3D NLOS VLP using a binocular camera and a single LED.

In this paper, we propose a non-line of sight (NLOS) visible light positioning (VLP) system using a binocular camera and a single light emitting diode (LED) for the realization of 3D positioning of an arbitrary posture. The proposed system overcomes the challenges of the shadowing/blocking of the line of sight (LOS) transmission paths between transmitters and receivers (Rxs) and the need for a sufficient number of LEDs that can be captured within the limited field of view of the camera-based Rx. We have developed an experimental testbed to evaluate the performance of the proposed system with results showing that the lowest average error and the root mean square error (RMSE) are 26.10 and 31.02 cm following an error compensation algorithm. In addition, a label-based enhanced VLP scheme is proposed for the first time, which has a great improvement on the system performance with the average error and RMSE values of 7.31 and 7.74 cm and a 90th percentile accuracies of < 11 cm.

Dendritic cells modified by tumor associated antigen SMP30 have enhanced antitumor effect against mouse hepatocarcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo.

OBJECTIVES: Tumor immunotherapy based on dendritic cells (DC) is one of the most promising approaches to treat cancers. This therapy uses an immunogenic tumor antigen to present it to T cells. Senescence marker protein 30 (SMP30) is identified as a tumor associated antigen (TAA) with high immunogenicity and specificity for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). DCs are the most potent antigen presenting cells, and can be transduced with tumor antigens to enhance antitumor immune response. The purpose of this study was to investigate the antitumor effect of DCs transduced with a recombinant lentiviral vector (LV-SMP30) expressing SMP30. METHODS: A recombinant lentiviral vector (LV-SMP30) expressing SMP30 was constructed and transduced into DCs. The expression of SMP30 was detected by western blot. Mouse bone marrow-derived DCs were divided into four groups: LV-SMP30 group (transduced with LV-SMP30), Protein group (co-cultured with SMP30 protein), LV group (transduced with the empty vector) and Untreated group (the normal DCs). The effect of LV-SMP30 on DCs was detected through surface markers (CD123, CD11c, CD80 and CD86) and cytokine production. The activation and proliferation of CD3+CD8+ T cells were detected by CCK-8 kit. Flow cytometry was used to detect CD3+CD8+ T cell-mediated cytotoxicity. After construction of a mouse subcutaneous xenograft model, the volume and growth of tumors in different groups were observed. The changes in serum immune indexes in the treated groups were compared with those in the control group. RESULTS: The LV-SMP30 recombinant was constructed and transduced into DCs successfully, and LV-SMP30-transduced DCs stably expressed SMP30. The percentages of expression in the LV-SMP30 and Protein groups were significantly higher than those in the LV or Untreated groups (P<0.05). Meanwhile, after the DCs were cultured for 72 hours, the levels of IL-2, IL-6, IL-12, and IFN-γ were significantly higher in the LV-SMP30 and Protein groups than in the LV group or Untreated group (P<0.05). After the DCs were continuously cultured for one week, however, the cytokine levels in the LV-SMP30 group were significantly higher than those in the Protein group (P<0.05). In addition, CD3+CD8+ T cell proliferation and activation levels were substantially higher in the LV-SMP30 and Protein groups than in the LV or Untreated groups (P<0.05). Furthermore, as the ratio of effectors/target cells increasing in the LV-SMP30 group, CD3+CD8+ T cell-mediated cytotoxicity in H22 cells became higher (0:1, 10:1; 20:1; 40:1, respectively). In comparison to the control group, the cytotoxicity of the LV-SMP30 group was considerably increased at the ratios of 10:1, 20:1 and 40:1 (P<0.05). However, in the case of Hep1-6 cells, there was no significant difference in CD3+CD8+ T cell-mediated cytotoxicity among the groups. In addition, when compared with other groups, the mice in the LV-SMP30 group showed the most volume reduction, the slowest tumor growth, and the highest level of IL-2 and IFN-γ (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: DCs transduced with LV-SMP30 can dramatically enhance specific CD3+CD8+ T cell immune responses against mouse hepatocarcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo. These findings lend significant support to the development of the DC-based SMP30 antigen vaccine for hepatocarcinoma immunotherapy.

GP96 and SMP30 Protein Priming of Dendritic Cell Vaccination Induces a More Potent CTL Response against Hepatoma.

Heat-shock protein (HSP) GP96 is a well-known adjuvant in immunotherapy. It belongs to the HSP90 family. Our previous study demonstrated that DC pulsed with recombinant senescence marker protein 30 (SMP30) could induce cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) against liver cancer cells in vitro. In this study, SMP30 and GP96 were subcloned into lentiviruses and transfected into DCs from healthy donors. We included six groups: the GP96-SMP30 group, GP96 group, SMP30 group, DC group, empty vector control group, and hepatoma extracted protein group. We used ELISA to detect cytokines and flow cytometry to assess CD80 and CD86 on DCs and the effect of CTLs. Our vector design was considered successful and further studied. In the SMP30 group, DC expresses more CCR7 and CD86 than the control group; in the SMP30+GP96 group, DC express more CCR7, CD86, and CD80 than the control group. Transfected DCs secreted more TNF-α and interferon-ß and induced more CTLs than control DCs. SMP30 + GP96 effectively stimulated the proliferation of T cells compared with control treatment (P < 0.01). We detected the cytokines TNF-α, TNF-ß, IL-12, and IFN (α, ß, and γ) via ELISA (Figure 5) and verified the killing effect via FCM. Four E : T ratios (0 : 1, 10 : 1, 20 : 1, and 40 : 1) were tested. The higher the ratio was, the better the effects were. We successfully constructed a liver cancer model and tested the CTL effect in each group. The GP96 + SMP30 group showed a better effect than the other groups. GP96 and SMP30 can stimulate DCs together and produce more potent antitumor effects. Our research may provide a new efficient way to improve the therapeutic effect of DC vaccines in liver cancer.

Upregulating KTN1 promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma progression.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) presents a common malignant tumor worldwide. Although kinectin 1 (KTN1) is the most frequently identified antigen in HCC tissues, the detailed roles of KTN1 in HCC remain unknown. This study seeks to clarify the expression status and clinical value of KTN1 in HCC and to explore the complicated biological functions of KTN1 and its underlying mechanisms. Methods: In-house reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to detect the expression of KTN1 in HCC tissues. External gene microarrays and RNA-sequencing datasets were downloaded to confirm the expression patterns of KTN1. The prognostic ability of KTN1 in HCC was assessed by a Kaplan-Meier curve and a hazard ratio forest plot. The CRISPR/Cas9 gene-editing system was used to knock out KTN1 in Huh7 cells, which was verified by PCR-Sanger sequencing and western blotting. Assays of cell migration, invasion, viability, cell cycle, and apoptosis were conducted to explore the biological functions. RNA sequencing was performed to quantitatively analyze the functional deregulation in KTN1-knockout cells compared to Huh7-wild-type cells. Upregulated genes that co-expressed with KTN1 were identified from HCC tissues and were functionally annotated. Results: KTN1 expression was increased in HCC tissues (standardized mean difference [SMD] = 0.20 [0.04, 0.37]). High KTN1 expression was significantly correlated with poorer prognosis of HCC patients, and KTN1 may be an independent risk factor for HCC (pooled HRs = 1.31 [1.05, 1.64]). After KTN1-knockout, the viability, migration, and invasion ability of HCC cells were inhibited. The proportion of HCC cells in the G0-G1 phases increased after KTN1 knockout, which also elevated the apoptosis rates in HCC cells. Several cascades, including innate immune response, chemical carcinogenesis, and positive regulation of transcription by RNA polymerase II, were dramatically changed after KTN1 knockout. KTN1 primarily participated in the cell cycle, DNA replication, and microRNAs in cancer pathways in HCC tissues. Conclusion: Upregulation of KTN1 served as a promising prognosticator in HCC patients. KTN1 promotes the occurrence and deterioration of HCC by mediating cell survival, migration, invasion, cell cycle activation, and apoptotic inhibition. KTN1 may be a therapeutic target in HCC patients.

Cognitive control and emotional response in attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder comorbidity with disruptive, impulse-control, and conduct disorders.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated cognitive and emotional functioning in children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and disruptive, impulse-control, and conduct disorders (DICCD). METHODS: Thirty patients with ADHD, 26 with DICCD, 22 with ADHD+DICCD were recruited from the outpatient department of Shanghai Changning Mental Health Center, plus 20 healthy controls (HC). Differences between the groups in cognitive and emotional functioning were examined using Golden's Stroop and Emotional Stroop tests. For Emotional Stroop Mean reaction time (RT) of positive word (POS) and negative word (NEG) with color congruence (C) or incongruence (I) were recorded as POS-C, POS-I, NEG-C and NEG-I, respectively. RESULTS: For Golden's interference scores (IGs), both errors and RTs in the ADHD group were higher than in the other groups. Longer mean RTs of POS-C, POS-I, NEG-C and neural word (NEU) of the ADHD group, and NEG-I of ADHD+DICCD and DICCD groups were observed compared to HC. After 12 weeks of methylphenidate treatment, differences between ADHD subgroups and HC on Golden's Stroop RT disappeared, but differences in Golden's Stroop errors and Emotional Stroop mean RTs remained. The ADHD+DICCD group showed longer mean RTs in NEG-C, NEG-I and NEU of the Emotional Stroop test than the ADHD group. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that regardless of emotional responding, deficit in cognitive control is the core symptom of ADHD. However, emotionally biased stimuli may cause response inhibitory dysfunction among DICCD with callous-unemotional traits, and the comorbidity of ADHD and DICCD tends to account for the negative emotional response characteristic of DICCD. These deficits may be eliminated by medication treatment in ADHD, but not the ADHD with comorbid DICCD. Our results support the notion that ADHD with comorbid DICCD is more closely related to DICCD than to ADHD.

Nosocomial infections in psychiatric hospitals during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Since mid-December 2019, a new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has emerged in China. It was reported that Wuhan Mental Health Center in China was affected from the very beginning of the outbreak. Coincidentally, another large-scale nosocomial infection occurred at the psychiatric ward of the Daenam Hospital in South Korea. It is important for the policymakers to pay full attention on this aspect worldwide and corresponding prevention recommendations should be provided.

Laminarin from Seaweed (Laminaria japonica) Inhibits Hepatocellular Carcinoma Through Upregulating Senescence Marker Protein-30.

Objective: This study aimed at investigating the specific roles of laminarin from seaweed (Laminaria japonica) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its potential mechanisms related to senescence marker protein-30 (SMP-30). Materials and Methods: Human HCC cell lines, including Bel-7404 and HepG2, were incubated with different concentrations of laminarin (0, 5, 15, 25, 35, and 45 mg/mL). The cell viability and apoptosis rates were detected by WST-8 cell proliferation assay and flow cytometry, respectively. Hepa 1-6 tumor-bearing mice were injected with different concentrations of laminarin (400, 800, and 1200 mg/kg·d), and tumor volume and weight were measured. The expression of SMP-30 was detected in laminarin-treated Bel-7404 and HepG2 HCC cells and LO2 normal liver cells by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blotting. Results: The treatment with laminarin (48 h) significantly decreased the viability and increased the apoptosis rates of Bel-7404 and HepG2 cells in a dose-dependent manner. The injection of laminarin also significantly decreased the tumor volumes (beginning on the 10th day) and tumor weights (30 d post-injection) of mice in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, the treatment with laminarin (35 mg/mL for 48 h) significantly upregulated SMP-30 in Bel-7404 and HepG2 cells but not in LO2 cells. Conclusion: Laminarin inhibited the proliferation of Bel-7404 and HepG2 cells and inhibited the growth of tumors in Hepa 1-6 tumor-bearing mice by upregulating SMP-30.

Nosocomial infections in psychiatric hospitals during the new coronavirus pneumonia outbreak

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A sinter-resistant catalyst using an alumina support recycled from AlP fumigation residue: trash to treasure.

Sintering is a long-standing issue especially in high temperature catalytic applications. In this paper, we report an effective method to slow down metal particle migration and coalescence (PMC) by using a thermally stable alumina support. Noteworthily, the alumina sample was developed from AlP fumigation residue, which is a very dangerous substance for living creatures and environment protection. By optimizing the heated hydrolysis and ball-milling conditions, we recycled a phosphate-stabilized alumina material that retained a 117 m2 g-1 surface area after 1050 °C hydrothermal aging. The catalyst using this newly developed alumina support had Pd dispersion 1.7 times higher than that using a commercial alumina support after aging. The kinetics and XPS experiments showed that phosphate neither participated in the catalytic reaction process nor changed the active sites. This catalyst also exhibited extraordinary water tolerance and durability, making it a promising material in automotive exhaust purification and other catalytic applications.

Altered resting-state intra- and inter- network functional connectivity in patients with persistent somatoform pain disorder.

Patients with persistent somatoform pain disorder (PSPD) usually experience various functional impairments in pain, emotion, and cognition, which cannot be fully explained by a physiological process or a physical disorder. However, it is still not clear for the mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of PSPD. The present study aimed to explore the intra- and inter-network functional connectivity (FC) differences between PSPD patients and healthy controls (HCs). Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was performed in 13 PSPD patients and 23 age- and gender-matched HCs. We used independent component analysis on resting-state fMRI data to calculate intra- and inter-network FCs, and we used the two-sample t-test to detect the FC differences between groups. Spearman correlation analysis was employed to evaluate the correlations between FCs and clinical assessments. As compared to HCs, PSPD patients showed decreased coactivations in the right superior temporal gyrus within the anterior default-mode network and the anterior cingulate cortex within the salience network, and increased coactivations in the bilateral supplementary motor areas within the sensorimotor network and both the left posterior cingulate cortex and the medial prefrontal cortex within the anterior default-mode network. In addition, we found that the PSPD patients showed decreased FNCs between sensorimotor network and audio network as well as visual network, between default-mode network and executive control network as well as audio network and between salience network and executive control network as well as right frontoparietal network, and increased FNCs between sensorimotor network and left frontoparietal network, salience network as well as cerebellum network, which were negatively correlated with the clinical assessments in PSPD patients. Our findings suggest that PSPD patients experience large-scale reorganization at the level of the functional networks, which suggests a possible mechanism underlying the pathogenesis of PSPD.

The Relationship between Neurocircuitry Dysfunctions and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: A Review.

The prefrontal cortex is the superlative structure of brain that needs the longest developmental and maturational duration that highlights the region of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in neuroimaging studies. Prefrontal cortex functions generate enormously complex and its abundant feedback neurocircuitries with subcortical structures such as striatum and thalamus established through dual neural fibers. These microneurocircuitries are called corticostriatothalamocortical (CSTC) circuits. The CSTC circuits paly an essential role in flexible behaviors. The impaired circuits increase the risk of behavioral and psychological symptoms. ADHD is an especial developmental stage of paediatric disease. It has been reported that the CSTC circuits dysfunctions in ADHD are related to homologous symptoms. This study aimed to review the symptoms of ADHD and discuss the recent advances on the effects of the disease as well as the new progress of treatments with each circuit.

Altered Neural Correlates of Emotion Associated Pain Processing in Persistent Somatoform Pain Disorder: An fMRI Study.

Patients with persistent somatoform pain disorder (PSPD) suffer from long-term pain and emotional conflicts. Recently, accumulating evidence indicated that emotion has a significant role in pain perception of somatoform pain disorder. To further understand the association between emotion and pain-related brain activities, functional activities of patients with PSPD fulfilling ICD-10 criteria and healthy controls were assessed using functional magnetic resonance imaging technology, while participants viewed a series of positive, neutral, or negative pictures with or without pinprick pain stimulation. Results showed that patients with PSPD had altered brain activities in the parietal gyrus, temporal gyrus, posterior cingulate cortex, prefrontal cortex, and parahippocampus in response to pinprick pain stimuli during different emotions compared with the healthy control group. Moreover, patients with PSPD consistently showed hyperactivities in the prefrontal, the fusiform gyrus and the insula in response to negative stimuli under pinprick pain vs. non-pain condition. The current findings provide some insights into the underlying relationship between emotion and pain-related brain activity in patients with PSPD, which is of both theoretical and clinical importance.