Functional Characterization of the Ryanodine Receptor Gene in Diaphorina citri.

The Asian citrus psyllid Diaphorina citri (Hemiptera: Liviidae) is a major citrus pest spread around the world. It is also a vector of the bacterium 'Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus', considered the cause of the fatal citrus disease huanglongbing (HLB). Insect ryanodine receptors (RyRs) are the primary target sites of diamide insecticides. In this study, full-length RyR cDNA from D. citri (named DcRyR) was isolated and identified. The 15,393 bp long open reading frame of DcRyR encoded a 5130 amino acid protein with a calculated molecular weight of 580,830 kDa. This protein had a high sequence identity (76-79%) with other insect homologs and a low sequence identity (43-46%) with mammals. An MIR domain, two RIH domains, three SPRY domains, four RyR repeat domains, an RIH-associated domain at the N-terminus, two consensus calcium-binding EF-hands, and six transmembrane domains were among the characteristics that DcRyR shared with insect and vertebrate RyRs. In expression analysis, the DcRyR gene displayed transcript abundance in all tissues and developmental stages as well as gene-differential and stage-specific patterns. In addition, diagnostic PCR experiments revealed that DcRyR had three potential alternative splice variants and that splicing events might have contributed to the various functions of DcRyR. However, diamide resistance-related amino acid residue mutations I4790M/K and G4946E were not found in DcRyR. These results can serve as the basis for further investigation into the target-based diamide pesticide resistance of D. citri.

[Comparative Energy Consumption Structure and Mode between China and Major Energy-Consuming Countries Under the Background of Carbon Emission Reduction].

The top 23 countries with energy consumption accounting for 80% of the worldwide total in 2020 were selected as the research objects for this study. The energy consumption structure of these countries has been compared and studied from the proportion of clean energy in primary energy, the clean utilization rate of fossil energy, and the proportion of electric energy in terminal energy consumption, and the characteristics of energy consumption intensity were also analyzed based on the energy consumption per unit GDP, capital, and unit land area. The energy consumption patterns of various countries in social-economic operation, production, and life were also discussed, combined with the characteristics of industrial structure and subsector energy consumption. The concept of natural carbon sink load ratio of energy consumption was put forward, and the advantages and challenges of energy consumption mode transformation under carbon peak and carbon neutralization goals in China were identified and analyzed. The results showed that:the proportion of clean energy in primary energy, the proportion of energy consumption for power generation, the clean utilization rate of fossil energy, and the proportion of electric energy in terminal energy consumption in China were 15.90%, 53.48%, 37.51%, and 26.54%,respectively,all of which were in the forefront among the major energy-consuming countries in the world. China has built a favorable structural foundation for energy-intensive and clean utilization and formed a green and low-carbon energy consumption model; the proportion of non-industrial and agricultural energy consumption, especially that of transportation energy consumption, were both the lowest among major energy-consuming countries, and there is still much room for improvement in overall energy productivity based on the optimization of industrial structure. However, the relatively short carbon peak and neutralization target period poses a great challenge to the development speed and scale of clean energy to China, and the international situation under the constraint of carbon emission also increases the difficulty for China to achieve the carbon reduction goal by optimizing and adjusting the industrial structure.

Processed Multiparameter Electroencephalogram-Guided General Anesthesia Management Can Reduce Postoperative Delirium Following Carotid Endarterectomy: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: Patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA) for severe carotid stenosis are vulnerable to postoperative delirium, a complication frequently associated with poor outcome. This study investigated the impact of processed electroencephalogram (EEG)-guided anesthesia management on the incidence of postoperative delirium in patients undergoing CEA. Methods: This single-center, prospective, randomized clinical trial on 255 patients receiving CEA under general anesthesia compared the outcomes of patient state index (PSI) monitoring [SEDLine Brain Function Monitor (Masimo, Inc, Irvine, CA)] (standard group, n = 128) with PSI combined with density spectral array(DSA) -guided monitoring (intervention group, n = 127) to reduce the risk of intraoperative EEG burst suppression. All patients were monitored by continuous transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD) and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) to avoid perioperative cerebral hypoperfusion or hyperperfusion. According to the surgical process, EEG suppression time was calculated separately for three stages: S1 (from anesthesia induction to carotid artery clamping), S2 (from clamping to declamping), and S3 (from declamping to the end of surgery). The primary outcome was incidence of postoperative delirium according to the Confusion Assessment Method algorithm during the first 3 days post-surgery, and secondary outcomes were other neurologic complications and length of hospital stay. Results: There were no episodes of cerebral hypoperfusion or hyperperfusion according to TCD and NIRS monitoring in either group during surgery. The incidence of postoperative delirium within 3 days post-surgery was significantly lower in the intervention group than the standard group (7.87 vs. 28.91%, P < 0.01). In the intervention group, the total EEG suppression time and the EEG suppression time during S2 and S3 were shorter (Total, 0 "0" vs. 0 "1.17" min, P = 0.04; S2, 0 "0" vs. 0 "0.1" min, P < 0.01; S3, 0 "0" vs. 0 "0" min, P = 0.02). There were no group differences in incidence of neurologic complications and length of postoperative hospital stay. Conclusion: Processed electroencephalogram-guided general anesthesia management, consisting of PSI combined with DSA monitoring, can significantly reduce the risk of postoperative delirium in patients undergoing CEA. Patients, especially those exhibiting hemodynamic fluctuations or receiving surgical procedures that disrupt cerebral perfusion, may benefit from the monitoring of multiple EEG parameters during surgery. Clinical Trial Registration: www.ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: NCT03622515.

[Comparative Analysis of NOx Emission Characteristics of Non-Ultra-Low- and Ultra-Low-Emission Coal-Fired Power Units During the Start-Up Process].

Based on the NOx emission information of 671 coal-fired power units, the NOx emission characteristics of non-ultra-low-emission (non-ULE) and ultra-low-emission (ULE) coal-fired power units during the start-up process were compared and analyzed. The results showed that in the start-up stage of non-ULE units, the exceeding standard rate (ESR) of NOx emission concentration was 81.53%, the average exceeding standard hours (ESHs) was 2.64 h, and the average maximum emission hourly mean concentration (MEHC) was 284.06 mg·m-3. The NOx ESR of ULE units was 79.86%, the average ESHs was 2.52 h, and the average MEHC was 231.61 mg·m-3. There was no significant difference in the ESR and the average ESHs between non-ULE and ULE units, but the difference in the average MEHC was significant. There was no significant difference in the ESR, average ESHs, and average MEHC between different grades of non-ULE units, except that the average MEHC of 300 MW units was significantly lower than that of 200 MW units. There was statistical difference in the ESR, average ESHs, and average MEHC among different grades of ULE units, and 600 MW units performed best in the ESHs control, whereas 1000 MW units performed best in the emission concentration control.

Characterization of the complete chloroplast genome of Sanming wild banana (Musa itinerans) and phylogenetic relationships.

Sanming wild banana (Musa itinerans) is a cold resistant wild banana found in Fujian province of China. In this study, we characterized its complete chloroplast genome using BGISEQ-500 sequencing. The chloroplast genome is 171,815 bp in size, containing a pair of IR regions (35,142 bp), a large single copy region (89,995 bp), and a small single copy region (11,464 bp). The whole chloroplast genome contains 111 unique genes, including 78 protein-coding genes, 29 tRNAs, and 4 rRNAs. Phylogenetic maximum likelihood analysis revealed that Sanming wild banana showed the closest relationship with Musa itinerans that collected from Yunnan Province of China.

[Role of HPA and HPT Axis in Anxiety Disorder Complicated with Diabetes Mellitus].

OBJECTIVE: To determine the mediating role of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA) and hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis (HPT) axis in anxiety disorder in patients with diabetes mellitus. METHODS: A total of 562 hospitalized patients with anxiety disorder participate in the study. Serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH),total triiodothyronine (TT3),free triiodothyronine (FT3),total tetraiodothyronine (TT4),free tetraiodothyronine (FT4) ,adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol (PTC) were measured. Glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was performed,estimating insulin resistance index (HOMA IR) and insulin sensitivity index (WBISI). RESULTS: Of the participants,83 (14.8%) had diabetes. In those who were younger than 40 yr.,the diabetic patients were more likely to have abnormal FT4 and HPT ( P<0.05). The patients with diabetes were more likely to be older (OR=1.067, 95%CI:1.041-1.094, P=0.000) and have higher FT4 (OR=1.104, 95%CI:1.022-1.193, P=0.012) and PTC (OR=1.001, 95%CI:1.000-1.003, P=0.025) . Insulin resistance index increased while insulin sensitivity index decreased ( P<0.05) with abnormal PTC and HPA axis. Insulin sensitivity index decreased ( P<0.05) when ACTH,HPT axis,FT4 and TT3 were abnormal. CONCLUSION: Abnormal HPA or HPT axis mediates diabetic complications in patients with anxiety disorder. Early interventions on neuroendocrine hormone abnormality may help prevent diabetes in patients with anxiety disorder.

Do some anxiety disorders belong to the prodrome of bipolar disorder? A clinical study combining retrospective and prospective methods to analyse the relationship between anxiety disorder and bipolar disorder from the perspective of biorhythms.

BACKGROUND: In clinical practice, some patients diagnosed with anxiety disorder (AD) may develop bipolar disorder (BD) many years later, and some cases of AD may be cured by the use of mood stabilizers. However, the relationship between AD and BD should be explored further. METHOD: To track how many cases of AD turned to BD and to discover the differences between them, we recruited 48 patients diagnosed with BD, who were assigned to the BD group for the retrospective analysis, and we also recruited 186 patients diagnosed with AD at enrolment; this latter group was asked to complete follow-up surveys conducted 3 months, 6 months, 12 months and 18 months after the primary stage of the study. We defined another two groups according to the usage of mood stabilizers, the rates of reduction in scores on the Hamilton Anxiety Scale and Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale, and the changes in Clinical Global Impression scores at different follow-up times: the anxiety group and the atypical BD group (who used mood stabilizers to treat AD). All subjects also completed the NEO Five-Factor Inventory and supplied blood samples to be tested for several endocrine indices (TSH, T3, FT3, T4, FT4, ACTH,PTC) and inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, TNF-α, CRP) at enrolment. RESULTS: In total, 14 subjects developed BD by the end of the study. One hundred eleven subjects were included in the anxiety group. Sixty-three subjects were assigned to the atypical BD group, and they had similar features to the 48 subjects in the BD group in terms of personality traits, abnormality rates of endocrine indices and levels of inflammatory cytokines. From the anxiety group to the atypical BD group and then the BD group, the age of first onset gradually decreased, while the frequency of onset and the score of suicidal ideation gradually increased. Furthermore, the atypical BD group showed markedly higher levels of TSH, IL-6, TNF-α and CRP than the other two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Some ADs with unique features might belong to the prodromal stage or the atypical presentation of BD, and recognizing these ADs early will economize many medical resources.

Diversity-Oriented One-Pot Synthesis to Construct Functionalized Chroman-2-one Derivatives and Other Heterocyclic Compounds.

The asymmetric organocatalyzed diversity-oriented one-pot synthesis has been developed to construct chroman-2-one derivatives and other heterocyclic compounds with excellent efficiency and stereoselectivity. The reactions represent a challenging issue, since it altered the inherent selectivity profiles exhibited by the substrates of 2-hydroxycinnamaldehyde 1 and trans-ß-nitrostyrene 2, which was previously reported as the asymmetric oxa-Michael-Michael cascade to generate chiral chromans. It should be noted that polycyclic O,O-acetal-containing compounds, which are found in numerous natural products and biologically interesting molecules, could also be achieved in good yields with excellent enantioselectivity as a single diastereoisomer with five continuous stereogenic centers.

5-HTR1A and 5-HTR2A genetic polymorphisms and SSRI antidepressant response in depressive Chinese patients.

OBJECTIVE: Genetic variabilities within the serotoninergic system may predict response or remission to antidepressant drugs. Several serotonin receptor (5-HTR) gene polymorphisms have been associated with susceptibility to psychiatric diseases. In this study, we analyzed the correlation between 5-HTR1A and 5-HTR2A polymorphisms and response or remission to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) drugs. METHODS: Two hundred and ninety patients who met the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition criteria for major depressive disorder were involved in this study. SSRIs (fluoxetine, paroxetine, citalopram, or sertraline) were selected randomly for treatment. The Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression was used to evaluate the antidepressant effect. To assess 5-HTR gene variabilities, two single-nucleotide polymorphisms in 5-HTR1A (rs1364043 and rs10042486) and three in 5-HTR2A (rs6311, rs6313, and rs17289304) were genotyped by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry using the Sequenom MassARRAY Analyzer 4 system. RESULTS: There were 220 responders and 70 nonresponders (120 remissioners and 170 nonremissioners) after 6 weeks of treatment. We found no association between any of the five 5-HTR1A and 5-HTR2A gene polymorphisms and antidepressant drug response or remission (P>0.05). It is worth mentioning that TT genotype frequency of rs10042486 was significantly different from the CT genotype frequency between responders and nonresponders, although the significance was not maintained after correcting for multiple testing. CONCLUSION: Thus, 5-HTR1A and 5-HTR2A gene polymorphisms may not play an important role in antidepressant drug response or remission.

Substrate-Controlled, One-Pot Synthesis: Access to Chiral Chroman-2-one and Polycyclic Derivatives.

Based on the appropriate choice of electrophiles, one-pot, multicomponent, enantioselective domino reactions have been realized which contain a five-step sequence and provide highly efficient access to potentially bioactive chroman-2-one derivatives as a single diastereoisomer with excellent enantioselectivities and in high yields. This new strategy could significantly improve the previous protocol by directly starting from commercial 2-hydroxybenzaldehydes rather than preformed lactols, which have to be synthesized in several additional steps.

Efficacy of atropine combined with paroxetine in vagus nerve excitatory panic disorder.

Panic disorder is often associated with the autonomic nervous system pattern - sympathetic activation and parasympathetic (vagal) withdrawal. However, we present one special case here to show a totally reversed pathogenesis - vagal activation occupying the leading role, which requires atropine to cure the patient's symptoms. Through this report, it is reasonably proven that panic disorder may be a heterogeneous condition, whose mechanism might be the imbalance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic tone.

[Study the effects of neuroplasticity on major depression disorder in rTMS combined with antidepressant treatments].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the effects of neuroplasticity on major depression disorder (MDD) with event related potentials (ERPs) of mismatch negativity (MMN) and sensory gating potentials P50 for repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) combined with antidepressant treatments. METHODS: A total of 159 patients with MDD randomly divided into two groups: 75 patients in group A was administrated rTMS treatment for 2 weeks (15 days), and continues to give antidepressant of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) regularly. 84 patients in group B was consistently administered the similar antidepressant. The 24-item Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD-24), MMN latency, S1-P50 amplitude, S2-P50 amplitude and S2-P50/S1-P50 amplitude ratio, and the percentages of abnormal P50 (S2-P50/S1-P50 > or = 0.5) were assessed and measured before treatment, at the 2nd and the 10th weekend after treatment in two treatment groups. Meanwhile, 90 normal control cases was set up as control group (group C). Results At 2th and 10th week after treatment, the HAMD-24 scores were reduced remarkably than those before treatment in group A and B (P < 0.001), and the scores in group A was lower than that in group B (P < 0.001). MMN latencies and S-P50 amplitudes after treatment in group A were significant shorter and lower than those before treatment in group A and after treatment in group B (P < 0.05) (except for intergroup comparison of S2-P50, amplitude after treatment weeks). No significant difference was found in S2-P50/S1-P50 ratio ( except for after treatment 2 weeks ) and percentage of abnormal P50 between group A after treatment and group C (P > 0.05). There were no statistical significance difference of ERPs between after treatment 2 weeks and 10 weeks in group A (P > 0.05). No statistical differences of ERPs between before and after treatment in group B (P > 0.05) was observed. CONCLUSION: rTMS combined with antidepressant therapy was superior to single antidepressant treatment, and marked improved automatic processing and sensory gating of the brain senior functional electrical physiological index. rTMS might induce effects of long-term potentiation/long-term depression like plasticity on brain, and keep brain function in a dynamic stability and balance. MMN and P50 maybe become neuroplasticity index reflecting relevant the brain senior function.

Investigation of mental health and its influence on Chinese cancer patients using a multidisciplinary screening flow: an epidemiological survey in the west of China.

BACKGROUND: Despite psycho-oncological concerns and studies having thrived these past decades, sparse reports illustrate to what extent Chinese cancer patients are involved and influenced by comorbid mental health problems. To investigate the mental health condition of cancer patient, as well as its possible impacts on prognosis, the first large-scale survey was performed in the west of China. METHODS: For standardizing and facilitating the assessment of mental illness in inpatients with cancer, a multidisciplinary rating flow was designed and established. On the basis of this system, between May 1st and 31st 2009, 2279 cancer inpatients from nine medical centers received preliminarily screening executed by oncologists using screening scales Mental Health Screening Questionnaire (MHSQ), Zung self-rating depression scales (SDS), Zung self-rating anxiety scale (SAS), and posttraumatic stress disorder checklist-civilian version (PCL-C). Further analyses of the ones screened positively were conducted by psychiatrists applying corresponding symptom-rating scales (HAMA/HAMD/BPRS). We summarized the overall proportion of patients with impaired mental health based on the data acquired from preliminary screening, and then calculated occurrence rates of each clinical syndrome of mental disorder according to symptom conclusions. The impact of comorbid mental illness was evaluated through the follow-up scheduled 1 year later, by comparing the survival rate, progression of disease, and quality of life (QoL) between subgroup patients with or without clinical syndrome of mental disorder. RESULTS: In preliminary screenings, 26.1% (595/2279) yielded positive results. Further symptom conclusions confirmed 15.8% (359/2279) with clinical syndrome of mental disorder. Regarding specific type of syndrome, the occurrence rates of depression, anxiety, psychotic symptoms, and stress-related disorders were 13.3%, 10.2%, 2.8%, and 1.4%, respectively. Follow-up assessments were successfully performed in 1918 subjects (84.2%). Further analyses indicated that although insignificant influence was observed in terms of 1-year survival rate and disease progression, cancer patients with a clinical syndrome of mental disorder obtained significantly lower levels (P < 0.05) in five domains of QoL (scored by QLQ-C30). CONCLUSION: In China, at least 26% of cancer patients experienced impaired mental health, of which 60% already had a detectable clinical syndrome of mental disorder, which could significantly undermine their QoL.

Prevalence of PTSD and depression among junior middle school students in a rural town far from the epicenter of the Wenchuan earthquake in China.

CONTEXT: On May 12(th) 2008, a devastating earthquake measuring 8.0 on the Richter scale, struck Wenchuan county and surrounding areas in China. The prevalence of mental illness among children and adolescents in a rural town far from the earthquake epicenter is unknown. OBJECTIVE: To assess the prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression among junior middle school students in a rural town Ningqiang county, 327 km from the earthquake epicenter. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A population-based mental health survey was conducted in March, 2009. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Survey Self-designed General Condition Survey Scale, Children's Revised Impact of Event Scale (CRIES-13), and the Depression Self-rating Scale for Children (DSRSC) were used to sample 1,841 junior middle school students in Ningqiang county, ten months after the Wenchuan earthquake. RESULTS: The prevalence rate of a high-risk for PTSD was 28.4%, with 32.7% among females, 23.8% among males (female vs. male, p<0.001), 38.6% in the severe exposure group and 24.3% in the mild exposure group (severe vs. mild exposure, p<0.001). For depressive symptoms, the overall prevalence was 19.5%, with 24.0% among females, 14.7% among males, 24.5% in the severe exposure group and 17.5% in the mild exposure group (female vs. male, p<0.001; severe vs. mild exposure, p<0.001, respectively). In multivariate analysis, factors such as "having felt despair", or "danger" and "having own house destroyed or damaged" were significantly associated with PTSD symptoms. Female gender and delayed evacuation in females, and earthquake related experiences in males were significantly associated with depression. CONCLUSION: Traumatic events experienced during the earthquake were significantly associated with symptoms of PTSD and depression in children and adolescents, ten months after the Wenchuan earthquake. These data highlight a need for mental health services for children and adolescents in rural areas, far from earthquake epicenters.

Dnt1 acts as a mitotic inhibitor of the spindle checkpoint protein dma1 in fission yeast.

The Schizosaccharomyces pombe checkpoint protein Dma1 couples mitotic progression with cytokinesis and is important in delaying mitotic exit and cytokinesis when kinetochores are not properly attached to the mitotic spindle. Dma1 is a ubiquitin ligase and potential functional relative of the human tumor suppressor Chfr. Dma1 delays mitotic exit and cytokinesis by ubiquitinating a scaffold protein (Sid4) of the septation initiation network, which, in turn, antagonizes the ability of the Polo-like kinase Plo1 to promote cell division. Here we identify Dnt1 as a Dma1-binding protein. Several lines of evidence indicate that Dnt1 inhibits Dma1 function during metaphase. First, Dnt1 interacts preferentially with Dma1 during metaphase. Second, Dma1 ubiquitin ligase activity and Sid4 ubiquitination are elevated in dnt1 cells. Third, the enhanced mitotic defects in dnt1Δ plo1 double mutants are partially rescued by deletion of dma1(+), suggesting that the defects in dnt1 plo1 double mutants are attributable to excess Dma1 activity. Taken together, these data show that Dnt1 acts to restrain Dma1 activity in early mitosis to allow normal mitotic progression.

Abnormal neural activity of brain regions in treatment-resistant and treatment-sensitive major depressive disorder: a resting-state fMRI study.

BACKGROUND: Patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and those with treatment-sensitive depression (TSD) responded to antidepressants differently. Previous studies have commonly shown that patients with TRD or TSD had abnormal neural activity in different brain regions. In the present study, we used a coherence-based ReHo (Cohe-ReHo) approach to test the hypothesis that patients with TRD or TSD had abnormal neural activity in different brain regions. METHODS: Twenty-three patients with TRD, 22 with TSD, and 19 healthy subjects (HS) matched with gender, age, and education level participated in the study. RESULTS: ANOVA analysis revealed widespread differences in Cohe-ReHo values among the three groups in different brain regions which included bilateral superior frontal gyrus, bilateral cerebellum, left inferior temporal gyrus, left occipital cortex, and both sides of fusiform gyrus. Compared to HS, lower Cohe-ReHo values were observed in TRD group in bilateral superior frontal gyrus and left cerebellum; in contrast, in TSD group, lower Cohe-ReHo values were mainly found in bilateral superior frontal gyrus. Compared to TSD group, TRD group had lower Cohe-ReHo in bilateral cerebellum and higher Cohe-ReHo in left fusiform gyrus. There was a negative correlation between Cohe-ReHo values of the left fusiform gyrus and illness duration in the pooled patients (r = 0.480, p = 0.001). The sensitivity and specificity of cerebellar Cohe-ReHo values differentiating TRD from TSD were 83% and 86%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Compared to healthy controls, both TRD and TSD patients shared the majority of brain regions with abnormal neural activity. However, the lower Cohe-ReHo values in the cerebellum might be as a marker to differentiate TRD from TSD with high sensitivity and specificity.

Altered white matter integrity of forebrain in treatment-resistant depression: a diffusion tensor imaging study with tract-based spatial statistics.

BACKGROUND: The association between alterations of the white matter (WM) integrity in brain regions and mood dysregulation has been reported in major depressive disorder (MDD). However, there has never been a neuroimaging study in patients who have treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and are in a current treatment-resistant state. In the present study, we used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) with tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) method to investigate the WM integrity of different brain regions in patients who had TRD and were in a current treatment-resistant state. METHODS: Twenty-three patients with TRD and Hamilton Rating Scale total score of ≥18 and 19 healthy controls matched with age, gender, and education level to patients were scanned with DTI. Thirty 4 mm thick, no gap, contiguous axial slices were acquired and fractional anisotropy (FA) images were generated for each participant. An automated TBSS approach was used to analyze the data. RESULTS: Voxel-wise statistics revealed that patients with TRD had lower FA values in the right anterior limb of internal capsule, the body of corpus callosum, and bilateral external capsule compared to healthy subjects. Patients with TRD did not have increased FA values in any brain regions compared to healthy subjects. There was no correlation between the FA values in any brain region and patients' demographics and the severity of illness. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest the abnormalities of the WM integrity of neuronal tracts connecting cortical and subcortical nuclei and two brain hemispheres may play a key role in the pathogenesis of TRD.

Alterations of the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations in treatment-resistant and treatment-response depression: a resting-state fMRI study.

BACKGROUND: Patients with treatment-resistant depression (TRD) and those with treatment-response depression (TSD) respond to antidepressants differently and previous studies have commonly reported different brain networks in resistant and nonresistant patients. Using the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) approach, we explored ALFF values of the brain regions in TRD and TSD patients at resting state to test the hypothesis of the different brain networks in TRD and TSD patients. METHODS: Eighteen TRD patients, 17 TSD patients and 17 gender-, age-, and education-matched healthy subjects participated in the resting-state fMRI scans. RESULTS: There are widespread differences in ALFF values among TRD patients, TSD patients and healthy subjects throughout the cerebellum, the visual recognition circuit (middle temporal gyrus, middle/inferior occipital gyrus and fusiform), the hate circuit (putamen), the default circuit (ACC and medial frontal gyrus) and the risk/action circuit (inferior frontal gyrus). The differences in brain circuits between the TRD and TSD patients are mainly in the cerebellum, the visual recognition circuit and the default circuit. CONCLUSIONS: The affected brain circuits of TRD patients might be partly different from those of TSD patients.

Abnormal neural activities in first-episode, treatment-naïve, short-illness-duration, and treatment-response patients with major depressive disorder: a resting-state fMRI study.

BACKGROUND: Abnormality of limbic-cortical networks was postulated in depression. Using a regional homogeneity (ReHo) approach, we explored the regional homogeneity (ReHo) of the brain regions in patients with first-episode, treatment-naïve, short-illness-duration, and treatment-response depression in resting state to test the abnormality hypothesis of limbic-cortical networks in major depressive disorder (MDD). METHODS: Seventeen patients with treatment-response MDD and 17 gender-, age-, and education-matched healthy subjects participated in the resting-state fMRI scans. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggested the abnormality of limbic-cortical networks in first-episode, treatment-naïve, short-illness-duration, and treatment-response MDD patients, and added an expanding literature to the abnormality hypothesis of limbic-cortical networks in MDD.