Irisin in thyroid diseases.

Irisin, a hormone-like adipo-myokine, has garnered considerable attention in recent years for its potential impact in metabolic diseases. Its physiological effects are similar to those of thyroid hormones, prompting numerous investigations into potential correlations and interactions between irisin and thyroid function through various in vitro and animal experiments. However, existing studies suggest that the relationship between irisin and thyroid diseases is highly complex and multifaceted. In this paper, we have summarized the research results on serum irisin and thyroid function, providing an overview of advancements and constraints in current research on irisin and thyroid hormones. The aim is to offer insights and directions for future clinical trials in this field.

Interpretable machine learning model for predicting the prognosis of antibody positive autoimmune encephalitis patients.

OBJECTIVE: The objective was to utilize nine machine learning (ML) methods to predict the prognosis of antibody positive autoimmune encephalitis (AE) patients. METHODS: The encephalitis data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study is analyzed to reflect the disease burden of encephalitis. This study included 187 patients with AE. 121 patients as training set and 67 patients as validation set. Decision trees (DT), random forest (RF), extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), k-nearest neighbor (KNN), support vector machine (SVM), naive bayes (NB), neural network (NN), light gradient boosting machine (LGBM), and logistic regression (LR) are ML methods used to construct predictive models. The constructed models were validated for discrimination, calibration and clinical applicability using validation set data. Shapley additive explanation (SHAP) analysis was used to explain the model. RESULTS: The number of encephalitis worldwide deaths, incidence and prevalence is increasing every year from 2010 to 2021. The training set included 121 patients with AE. Univariate analysis and LASSO screening identified six variables. The results of constructing models using 9 ML methods showed RF had the highest accuracy (0.860), followed by XGBoost (0.826), with F1 scores of 0.844 and 0.807, respectively. Validation set data showed good discrimination, calibration and clinical applicability of the model. The SHAP values of infection, CSF monocyte percentage, and prealbumin were 0.906, 0.790, and 0.644, respectively. LIMITATIONS: As a rare disease, the sample size of this study is relatively small. CONCLUSION: The model constructed using RF and XGBoost has good performance, good discrimination, calibration, clinical applicability, and interpretability.

Clinical characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 in pediatric patients with rheumatic diseases.

BACKGROUND: This study investigates the clinical characteristics and outcomes of pediatric patients with rheumatic diseases infected with COVID-19 in China. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of pediatric patients with rheumatic diseases who contracted COVID-19. Data were collected via a comprehensive questionnaire with a 14-day follow-up. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess severe outcomes, and network analyses evaluated symptom correlations. RESULTS: A total of 1070 cases were collected. Fever (88.05%) and cough (62.75%) were the most common symptoms. Cough, nasal congestion, and runny nose exhibited a stronger correlation with each other. A higher incidence of fever reduced the incidence of two single symptoms (nasal congestion [r = -0.833], runny nose [r = -0.762]). Vaccinated children showed a shorter time to negative COVID-19 conversion (7.21 days vs. 7.63 days, p < 0.05) and lower hospitalization rates (p = 0.025). Prolonged symptom duration was associated with older age (OR: 1.07 [1.04-1.11]; p < 0.001) and systemic lupus erythematosus (OR: 1.47 [1.01-2.12]; p = 0.046). CONCLUSIONS: Pediatric patients with rheumatic diseases exhibited a wide range of clinical symptoms after COVID-19 infection. The infection generally did not lead to severe outcomes in this study. COVID-19 vaccination was associated with reduced hospitalization risk and expediting the time to negativity for virus. IMPACTS: This manuscript demonstrates a comprehensive analysis of the clinical characteristics and outcomes of COVID-19 infection in pediatric patients with rheumatic diseases in China. It provides critical insights into the specific challenges faced by this vulnerable population and offers practical recommendations for improving patient management during periods of increased infectious risk.

Workplace aggression and employee performance: A meta-analytic investigation of mediating mechanisms and cultural contingencies.

We present a meta-analytic investigation of the theoretical mechanisms underlying why experienced workplace aggression is harmful to the three core performance outcomes (i.e., task performance, citizenship behavior, and deviant behavior). Through a comprehensive literature review of 405 empirical articles, we first extract and identify five prominent theoretical mechanisms: relationship quality, justice perception, psychological strain, negative affect, and state self-evaluation. By synthesizing evidence from these articles, which include 471 unique samples from 36 countries or regions (N = 149,341 participants), we reveal the incremental effects of the five mechanisms, compare their relative strengths for each performance outcome, and examine their cultural contingencies. We find that when the five mechanisms are examined simultaneously, only relationship quality and state self-evaluation show incremental effects across all performance outcomes in the predicted direction. Moreover, the comparative strengths of mechanisms vary across performance outcomes: The impact of workplace aggression on task performance is best explained by the negative affect and state self-evaluation mechanisms, its impact on citizenship behavior is best explained by the relationship quality mechanism, and its impact on deviant behavior is best explained by the negative affect mechanism. Finally, the prominence of some mechanisms is contingent on certain cultural dimensions: The relationship quality mechanism is strengthened by individualism and masculinity, while the state self-evaluation mechanism is strengthened by masculinity. We conclude with a discussion of the theoretical and practical implications of our research. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Integrative Analyses of Metabolites and Transcriptome Reveal the Metabolic Pattern of Glucosinolates in Potherb Mustard (Brassica juncea var. multiceps).

Potherb mustard (Brassica juncea var. multiceps) is one of the most commonly consumed leafy vegetable mustards, either fresh or in pickled form. It is rich in glucosinolates, whose hydrolyzed products confer potherb mustard's distinctive flavor and chemopreventive properties. In this study, the composition and content of glucosinolates, as well as the hydrolysis pattern of sinigrin were investigated in potherb mustard leaves of different varieties. Variations in the glucosinolate profile and accumulation were observed among the potherb mustard varieties studied, with sinigrin being the predominant one in all varieties, accounting for 81.55% to 97.27%. Sinigrin tended to be hydrolyzed to isothiocyanate (ITC) rather than epithionitrile (EPN) in potherb mustard, while 3-butenyl nitrile (SIN-NIT) could be hardly detected. Transcriptome analysis revealed a higher expression level of numerous genes involved in aliphatic glucosinolate biosynthesis in X11 compared to X57, corresponding to the higher aliphatic glucosinolate accumulation in X11 (91.07 µmol/g) and lower level in X57 (25.38 µmol/g). ESM1 is known to repress nitrile formation and favor isothiocyanate production during glucosinolate hydrolysis. In this study, all four ESM1s showed a higher expression level in X11 compared to X57, which may determine the hydrolysis pattern of sinigrin in potherb mustard. Altogether, our findings shed light on the glucosinolate metabolic pattern in potherb mustard, which will also facilitate the engineering of metabolic pathways at key checkpoints to enhance bioactive compounds for tailored flavor or pharmaceutical needs.

Improving an Alternative Glycerol Catabolism Pathway in Yarrowia lipolytica to Enhance Erythritol Production.

Engineering the glycerol-3-phosphate pathway could enhance erythritol production by accelerating glycerol uptake. However, little work has been conducted on the alternative dihydroxyacetone (DHA) pathway in Yarrowia lipolytica. Herein, this route was identified and characterized in Y. lipolytica by metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis. Moreover, the reaction catalyzed by dihydroxyacetone kinase encoded by dak2 was identified as the rate-limiting step. By combining NHEJ-mediated insertion mutagenesis with a push-and-pull strategy, Y. lipolytica strains with high-yield erythritol synthesis from glycerol were obtained. Screening of a library of insertion mutants allows the identification of a mutant with fourfold increased erythritol production. Overexpression of DAK2 and glycerol dehydrogenase GCY3 together with gene encoding transketolase and transaldolase from the nonoxidative part of the pentose phosphate pathway led to a strain with further increased productivity with a titer of 53.1 g/L and a yield 0.56 g/g glycerol, which were 8.1- and 4.2-fold of starting strain.

Proteomic and metabolomic analysis of plasma for pain at different labor stages.

Labor pain has an important impact on maternal labor experience, mood, and postpartum depression. It is of great emotional significance to pay attention to the pain stress response of pregnant women and take necessary intervention measures in the labor process to weaken the sense of delivery experience and reduce the risk of complications. To better understand the molecular alteration of pain and stress changes during the delivery, we analyzed the metabolomic and proteomic of the plasma collected during the labor process at different stages, revealing the significant changes in metabolites and proteins and the key regulatory pathways. The KEGG enrichment analysis showed the differentially expressed metabolites and differentially expressed proteins were mainly enriched in glutamate metabolism, glutathione metabolism, oxidative phosphorylation, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis, and citrate cycle (TCA cycle). In particular, the glutathione metabolism played a major role in the metabolic pathway of the whole labor process. The result demonstrated the potential significance of the glutathione metabolic pathway in pain regulation.

Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharide promotes broiler health by regulating lipid metabolism, antioxidants, and intestinal microflora.

Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides (GLP) are the primary bioactive macromolecular compounds of Ganoderma lucidum, possessing antioxidant and immunomodulatory effects. Hot water extract of Juncao-substrate Ganoderma Lucidum residue (HWE-JGLR) is abundant in GLP. There are few research reports on the application of HWE-JGLR in animal husbandry. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the effects of HWE-JGLR supplementation on growth performance, serum biochemistry, the antioxidant function of serum and liver, and the intestinal microbiota of yellow-feathered broilers. The control group was fed a corn-soybean meal basal diet, while the HJ I, II, and III groups received diets supplemented with 0.25 %, 0.5 %, and 1 % of HWE-JGLR, respectively. Results showed that HWE-JGLR increased the serum HDL-C content and decreased the TG content in broilers. Moreover, HWE-JGLR enhanced the antioxidant function by the Keap1-Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway and the antioxidative enzyme in broilers. In addition, the cecum of the metagenomic analysis of 16S rRNA showed that the relative abundance of no-rank Ruminococcacea was increased in the HJ I group. Our findings indicate that HWE-JGLR has strong potential for development as a green feed additive based on its functions of lipid-lowering, antioxidation, and the modulation of gut microbiota composition.

Higher Platelet Count Mostly in Normal Range is Associated with First Episode of Peritonitis Risk in Incident Peritoneal Dialysis Patients.

BACKGROUND: Platelets play parts in infection and immune processes. However, the association between platelet count and the risk of peritoneal dialysis-associated peritonitis is unclear. METHODS: This was a retrospective, observational, single-center cohort study. A Cox regression analysis was used to evaluate the independent association of platelet count with the occurrence of first PD-associated peritonitis. Models were adjusted for gender, age, BMI, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, white blood cell count, neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio, hemoglobin level, albumin level, potassium level, and anti-platelet medication usage. RESULTS: A total of 2374 patients were enrolled in this study (59% men; mean age 47.40 ± 12.12). The average platelet count was 229.30±82.12 x 109/L. 467 (20%) patients suffered from PD-associated peritonitis at least once. In the multivariable model, the adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for quartiles 2, 3 and 4 versus quartile 1 were 1.428 (95% CI 1.060-1.924, P=0.019), 1.663 (95% CI 1.240-2.229, P<0.001) and 1.843 (95% CI 1.363-2.492, P<0.001) with baseline data. A nonlinear relationship between platelet count and first PD-associated peritonitis was observed. Further, the association between platelet and first PD-associated peritonitis was significant in the patients with hypokalemia (P for interaction=0.040). CONCLUSION: In PD patients, elevated platelet counts were significantly associated with an increased risk of the first onset of PD-associated peritonitis.

Photoinduced, Redox-Neutral Decyanative and Defluorinative Phosphination of (Hetero)Arenes.

Triarylphosphines play a crucial role in organic synthesis as versatile components serving as ligands, catalysts, and reactants. This study introduces a metal-free, visible-light-induced method for the cross-coupling of cyanopyridines or polyfluoroarenes with diarylphosphines. This approach facilitates the formation of C(sp2)-P bonds through redox-neutral decyanative or defluorinative process, enabling the convenient synthesis of diverse triarylphosphines.

Quercetin supplementation prevents kidney damage and improves long-term prognosis in hypertensive patients.

Quercetin has shown potential antihypertensive-like activities in several studies. The present study aimed to test the effect of quercetin supplementation on kidney damage and long-term prognosis in hypertensive patients. The data of enrolled hypertensive patients were acquired from the NHANES dataset. The flavanol intake data was extracted from the FNDDS flavonoid database. Information regarding mortality was extracted from the NCHS. A total of 5801 hypertensive patients were included in this study. Preliminary analysis found that the total flavanols intake dosage was the independent influence factor of the kidney damage prevalence in hypertension, and it was found that only the quercetin supplementation was the protective factor for kidney damage after stratification analysis. For every 10 mg/d increase in quercetin intake, the kidney damage prevalence decreased by 8% [OR = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.85-0.99, p = 0.032]. The comprehensive analysis results suggested that hypertensive patients in the quercetin-high group had a lower kidney damage prevalence and a higher survival probability than those in the quercetin-low group. The urine microalbumin of hypertensive patients in the quercetin-high group was significantly lower than that of hypertensive patients in the quercetin-low group. In addition, at a median follow-up time of 122 months, the mortality decreased by 9% [HR = 0.91, 95% CI: 0.84-0.99, p = 0.031] for every 10 mg/d increase in quercetin intake. The findings suggested that high quercetin intake was associated with low kidney damage prevalence and high survival probability. Based on the existing evidence, promoting quercetin supplementation as a supplementary treatment for hypertensive patients was warranted.

Effect of the ten-year fishing ban on change of phytoplankton community structure: Insights from the Gan River.

The Yangtze River is one of the largest riverine ecosystems in the world and is a biodiversity hotspot. In recent years, this river ecosystem has undergone rapid habitat deterioration due to anthropogenic disturbances, leading to a decrease in freshwater biodiversity. Owing to these anthropogenic impacts, the Chinese government imposed a "Ten-year fishing ban" (TYFB) in the Yangtze River and its tributaries. Ecological changes associated with this decision have not been documented to evaluate the level of success. This study evaluates the success of the TYFB by analyzing the changes in phytoplankton communities and comparing them to periods before the TYFB was imposed. A total of 325 phytoplankton species belonging to 7 phyla and 103 genera dominated by Chlorophyceae and Bacillariophyceae were identified. Species diversity according to the Shannon-Wiener ranged between 1.19 and 3.00. The results indicated that phytoplankton diversity increased, while both density and biomass decreased after the TYFB. The health of the aquatic ecosystem appeared to have improved after the TYFB, as indicated by the phytoplankton-based index of biotic integrity. Significant seasonal and spatial differences were found among the number of species, density, and biomass of phytoplankton, where these differences were correlated with pH, water depth, chlorophyll-a, permanganate index, transparency, copper, ammonia nitrogen, and total phosphorus based on redundancy analysis. Results from this study indicate that the TYFB played an important role in the restoration of freshwater ecosystem in the Yangtze River and its tributaries.

Reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the selective control assessment of the lower extremity in children with spastic cerebral palsy.

Objective: To assess the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Selective Control Assessment of the Lower Extremity (SCALE) in children with spastic cerebral palsy (CP). Methods: Forty-five children with spastic CP (mean age 7.29 years, SD 2.87 years, rang 4-16 years) were recruited. Internal consistency was measured using Cronbach's α, while test-retest and inter-rater reliability were evaluated using intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC). Construct validity was established through correlation and confirmatory factor analyses. Discriminative validity was assessed by comparing SCALE scores across varying GMFCS levels. Results: The Chinese version of SCALE demonstrates high internal consistency (Cronbach's α = 0.91) and good reliability with ICCs exceeding 0.76 for test-retest and inter-rater assessments. It shows significant correlations with GMFCS (r = -0.76, p < 0.001) and Fugl-Meyer scales (r = 0.79, p < 0.001), confirming its validity. Confirmatory factor analysis supports a well-fitting model (χ 2/df = 1.58, RMSEA = 0.08, SRMR <0.001, GFI = 0.98, AGFI = 0.90, CFI = 0.99, TLI = 0.98), with the latent variable's AVE at 0.59 and CR at 0.88. Discriminative validity is evident in significant differences across GMFCS levels (p < 0.001), notably between levels I and II, I and III, and I and IV (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The Chinese version of SCALE shows good reliability and validity for assessing lower limb selective movement control in children with spastic cerebral palsy in China. Clinical trial registration: https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=205380, identifier ChiCTR2400083880.

Endophytic Bacillus velezensis XS142 is an efficient antagonist for Verticillium wilt of potato.

Potato Verticillium wilt (PVW) caused by Verticillium dahliae is a vascular disease, that seriously affects potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) yield and quality worldwide. V. dahliae occupies the vascular bundle and therefore it cannot efficiently be treated with fungicides. Further, the application of these pesticides causes serious environmental problems. Therefore, it is of great importance to find environmentally friendly biological control methods. In this study, bacterial strains were isolated from agricultural lands on which potato had been cultured for 5 years. Five strains with a broad-spectrum antagonistic activity were selected. Among these five strains, Bacillus velezensis XS142 showed the highest antagonistic activity. To study the mechanism of XS142, by which this strain might confer tolerance to V. dahliae in potato, the genome of strain XS142 was sequenced. This showed that its genome has a high level of sequence identity with the model strain B. velezensis FZB42 as the OrthoANI (Average Nucleotide Identity by Orthology) value is 98%. The fungal suppressing mechanisms of this model strain are well studied. Based on the genome comparison it can be predicted that XS142 has the potential to suppress the growth of V. dahliae by production of bacillomycin D, fengycin, and chitinase. Further, the transcriptomes of potatoes treated with XS142 were analyzed and this showed that XS142 does not induce ISR, but the expression of genes encoding peptides with antifungal activity. Here we showed that XS142 is an endophyte. Further, it is isolated from a field where potato had been cultured for several years. These properties give it a high potential to be used, in the future, as a biocontrol agent of PVW in agriculture.

Epidemiology, survival and new treatment modalities for intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma.

Background: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA) is a rare biliary tract cancer with increasing incidence and poor survival rates. This study aims to evaluate the incidence and survival trends of iCCA patients over 20 years using a national cancer database, and assess the temporal association between survival and landmark clinical trials. Methods: Data was extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Age-adjusted incidence rates (AAIRs) were calculated from 2000 to 2020. Overall survival was analyzed based on diagnosis time and disease stage. Subgroup analysis was performed for patients diagnosed between 2015 and 2020. Landmark clinical trials were reviewed to determine temporal changes in survival. Results: In this analysis of 28,918 iCCA patients, the AAIR increased from 0.49 per 100,000 in 2000 to 1.38 in 2020 [annual percent change (APC) 6.94, 95% confidence interval (CI): 6.32 to 7.56], with a notable decline from 2019 to 2020. Incidence rates overall displayed an uptrend course across subgroups divided by sex, race, age, and disease stage. The age-adjusted median overall survival (mOS) improved from 5.28 months in 2000 to 9.3 months in 2013, then stabilized between 8.0-9.0 months after 2013. Using 2010 as a cutoff, when the ABC-02 trial was published, the decade-based mOS increased from 6.55 months in 2000-2010 to 9.06 months in 2010-2020. During 2015-2020, the overall mOS was 8.8 months, with mOS of 24.3, 12.1, and 5.4 months for local, regional, and distant stages, respectively. Conclusions: The study indicates a steady rise in iCCA incidence since 2000 across all subgroups. Survival rates improved since 2000 but stabilized after 2013, following the ABC-02 trial publication in 2010. The impact of more recent clinical trials on survival rates requires further analysis in the coming years.

Interpretable Machine Learning Model for Predicting the Prognosis of Guillain-Barré Syndrome Patients.

Background: Machine learning (ML) is increasingly used in medical predictive modeling, but there are no studies applying ML to predict prognosis in Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS). Materials and Methods: The medical records of 223 patients with GBS were analyzed to construct predictive models that affect patient prognosis. Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) was used to filter the variables. Decision Trees (DT), Random Forest (RF), Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), k-nearest Neighbour (KNN), Naive Bayes (NB), Neural Network (NN). Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LGBM) and Logistic Regression (LR) were used to construct predictive models. Clinical data from 55 GBS patients were used to validate the model. SHapley additive explanation (SHAP) analysis was used to explain the model. Single sample gene set enrichment analysis (ssGSEA) was used for immune cell infiltration analysis. Results: The AUCs (area under the curves) of the 8 ML algorithms including DT, RF, XGBoost, KNN, NB, NN, LGBM and LR were as follows: 0.75, 0.896 0.874, 0.666, 0.742, 0.765, 0.869 and 0.744. The accuracy of XGBoost (0.852) was the highest, followed by LGBM (0.803) and RF (0.758), with F1 index of 0.832, 0.794, and 0.667, respectively. The results of the validation set data analysis showed AUCs of 0.839, 0.919, and 0.733 for RF, XGBoost, and LGBM, respectively. SHAP analysis showed that the SHAP values of blood neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio (NLR), age, mechanical ventilation, hyporeflexia and abnormal glossopharyngeal vagus nerve were 0.821, 0.645, 0.517, 0.401 and 0.109, respectively. Conclusion: The combination of NLR, age, mechanical ventilation, hyporeflexia and abnormal glossopharyngeal vagus used to predict short-term prognosis in patients with GBS has a good predictive value.

A 3R-MYB transcription factor is involved in Methyl Jasmonate-Induced disease resistance in Agaricus bisporus and has implications for disease resistance in Arabidopsis.

INTRODUCTION: Methyl jasmonate (MeJA) and MYB transcription factors (TFs) play important roles in pathogen resistance in several plants, but MYB TFs in conjunction with MeJA-induced defense against Pseudomonas tolaasii in edible mushrooms remain unknown. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the role of a novel 3R-MYB transcription factor (AbMYB11) in MeJA-induced disease resistance of Agaricus bisporus and in the resistance of transgenic Arabidopsis to P. tolaasii. METHODS: Mushrooms were treated with MeJA alone or in combination with phenylpropanoid pathway inhibitors, and the effects of the treatments on the disease-related and physiological indicators of the mushrooms were determined to assess the role of MeJA in inducing resistance and the importance of the phenylpropanoid pathway involved. Subcellular localization, gene expression analysis, dual-luciferase reporter assay, electrophoretic mobility shift assay, and transgenic Arabidopsis experiments were performed to elucidate the molecular mechanism of AbMYB11 in regulating disease resistance. RESULTS: MeJA application greatly improved mushroom resistance to P. tolaasii infection, and suppression of the phenylpropanoid pathway significantly weakened this effect. MeJA treatment stimulated the accumulation of phenylpropanoid metabolites, which was accompanied by increased the activities of biosynthetic enzymes and the expression of phenylpropanoid pathway-related genes (AbPAL1, Ab4CL1, AbC4H1) and an AbPR-like gene, further confirming the critical role of the phenylpropanoid pathway in MeJA-induced responses to P. tolaasii. Importantly, AbMYB11, localized in the nucleus, was rapidly induced by MeJA treatment under P. tolaasii infection; it transcriptionally activated the phenylpropanoid pathway-related and AbPR-like genes, and AbMYB11 overexpression in Arabidopsis significantly increased the transcription of phenylpropanoid-related genes, the accumulation of total phenolics and flavonoids, and improved resistance to P. tolaasii. CONCLUSION: This study clarified the pivotal role of AbMYB11 as a regulator in disease resistance by modulating the phenylpropanoid pathway, providing a novel idea for the breeding of highly disease-resistant edible mushrooms and plants.

Study on the involvement of microglial S100A8 in neuroinflammation and microglia activation during migraine attacks.

BACKGROUND: Microglia is the primary source of inflammatory factors during migraine attacks. This study aims to investigate the role of microglia related genes (MRGs) in migraine attacks. METHODS: The RNA sequencing results of migraineurs and the panglaodb database were used to obtain differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in migraine related to microglia. A migraine rat model was established for validating and localizing of the MRGs, and subsequent screening for target genes was conducted. A shRNA was designed to interference the expression of target genes and administered into the trigeminal ganglion (TG) of rats. Pain sensitivity in rats was evaluated via the hot water tail-flick (HWTF) and formalin-induced pain (FIP) experiments. ELISA was used to quantify the levels of inflammatory cytokines and CGRP. WB and immunofluorescence assays were applied to detect the activation of microglia. RESULTS: A total of five DEGs in migraine related to microglia were obtained from RNA sequencing and panglaodb database. Animal experiments showed that these genes expression were heightened in the TG and medulla oblongata (MO) of migraine rats. The gene S100A8 co-localized with microglia in both TG and MO. The HWTF and FIP experiments demonstrated that interference with S100A8 alleviated the sense of pain in migraine rats. Moreover, the levels of TNFα, IL-1ß, IL-6, and CGRP in the TG and MO of rats in the model rats were increased, and the expression of microglia markers IBA-1, M1 polarization markers CD86 and iNOS was upregulated. Significantly, interference with S100A8 reversed these indicators. CONCLUSION: Interference with S100A8 in microglia increased the pain threshold during migraine attacks, and inhibited neuroinflammation and microglia activation.

Novel insight into astrocyte-mediated gliotransmission modulates the synaptic plasticity in major depressive disorder.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a form of glial cell-based synaptic dysfunction disease in which glial cells interact closely with neuronal synapses and perform synaptic information processing. Glial cells, particularly astrocytes, are active components of the brain and are responsible for synaptic activity through the release gliotransmitters. A reduced density of astrocytes and astrocyte dysfunction have both been identified the brains of patients with MDD. Furthermore, gliotransmission, i.e., active information transfer mediated by gliotransmitters between astrocytes and neurons, is thought to be involved in the pathogenesis of MDD. However, the mechanism by which astrocyte-mediated gliotransmission contributes to depression remains unknown. This review therefore summarizes the alterations in astrocytes in MDD, including astrocyte marker, connexin 43 (Cx43) expression, Cx43 gap junctions, and Cx43 hemichannels, and describes the regulatory mechanisms of astrocytes involved in synaptic plasticity. Additionally, we investigate the mechanisms acting of the glutamatergic, gamma-aminobutyric acidergic, and purinergic systems that modulate synaptic function and the antidepressant mechanisms of the related receptor antagonists. Further, we summarize the roles of glutamate, gamma-aminobutyric acid, d-serine, and adenosine triphosphate in depression, providing a basis for the identification of diagnostic and therapeutic targets for MDD.

A single-centre study on abnormal antinuclear antibodies in children caused by intravenous infusion of gamma globulin.

Objective: To clarify the impact of intravenous infusion of gamma globulin (IVIg) on antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) in children. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on the data of children with nonspecific autoantibody-related diseases whose antinuclear antibody (ANA) and autoantibody profiles were detected in our hospital from January to March 2022. A total of 108 patients with a clear history of IVIg infusion within 28 days composed the IVIg group, and 1201 patients without a history of IVIg infusion composed the non-IVIg group. Results: All patients in the IVIg group had either positive ANAs or positive autoantibodies. Anti-SSA, anti-Ro52 and anti-AMA Mi2 were the top three autoantibodies in the IVIg group. The proportions of patients who were positive for either of these three autoantibodies in the IVIg group were significantly greater than those in the non-IVIg group (all P<0.5). Spearman correlation analysis revealed that the signal intensities of anti-SSA and anti-Ro52 were negatively correlated with the number of days of ANA detection after IVIg infusion (P<0.05). Multiple logistic analyses revealed that a greater total dosage of IVIg, greater IVIg per kilogram of body weight, and fewer ANA detection days after IVIg infusion were independent risk factors for positive anti-SSA and anti-Ro52 results. Conclusions: It is recommended that if rheumatic diseases are suspected, ANA detection should be carried out beforeIVIg infusion. But for patients who are positive for at least one of these three autoantibodies after IVIg infusion, doctors should first consider adoptive antibodies.