Circular RNAs in early brain development and their influence and clinical significance in neuropsychiatric disorders

Neuropsychiatric disorders represent a set of severe and complex mental illnesses,and the exact etiologies of which are unknown.It has been well documented that impairments in the early development of the brain contribute to the pathogenesis of many neuropsychiatric disorders.Currently,the diagnosis of neuropsychiatric disorders largely relies on subjective cognitive assessment,because there are no widely accepted biochemical or genetic biomarkers for diagnosing mental illness.Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a novel class of endogenous non-coding RNA (ncRNA) with a closed-loop structure.In recent years,there have been tremendous advances in our understanding of the expression profiles and biological roles of circRNAs.In the brain,circRNAs are particularly enriched and are expressed more abundantly in contrast to linear counterpart transcripts.They are highly active at neuronal synapses.These features make circRNAs uniquely crucial for understanding brain health,disease,and neuropsychiatric disorders.This review focuses on the role of circRNAs in early brain development and other brain-related processes that have been associated with the development of neuropsychiatric disorders.In addition,we discuss the potential for blood or cerebrospinal fluid circRNAs to be used as novel biomarkers in the early diagnosis of neuropsychiatric disorders.The findings reviewed here may provide new insight into the pathological mechanisms underlying the onset and progression of neuropsychiatric disorders.

The Progression of Atrophic Gastritis to Gastric Cancer: A Retrospective Study in 61,810 Cases

Background and Aim: Chronic atrophic gastritis is a known precancerous lesion for gastric cancer, with an overall 5-year survival less than 20%. However, there is few new data describing the progression rate from atrophic gastritis (AG) to gastric cancer in China. We retrospectively analyzed the risk of gastric cancer among patients with AG and aimed to determine the accuracy of endoscopy diagnosis of AG in China. Methods: Clinical features and endoscopic profiles of chronic atrophic gastritis patients from Wenzhou People’s Hospital between January 2006 and December 2016 were analyzed retrospectively. Results: There were 61,810 cases analyzed retrospectively. 3641 cases of atopic gastritis were diagnosed by endoscopy, in which 1704 cases were confirmed by pathological biopsy;the diagnostic coincidence rate was 46.80%;2631 cases were diagnosed as atrophic gastritis by pathological biopsy, in which 927 cases were ignored by endoscopy;the miss diagnosis rate was 35.23%. The progression rate from chronic atrophic gastritis and non-atrophic gastritis to gastric cancer respectively was 0.79% and 0.43%. The rate of intestinal metaplasia in mild AG, moderate AG and severe AG respectively was 75.63%, 86.18% and 90.32%, 3.42%, 6.27% and 5.16% about dysplasia in three different degree atrophic gastritis. Conclusions: Endoscopy diagnosis and pathology diagnosis of AG were statistically different. Patients with atrophic gastritis have higher risk of developing into gastric cancer, but it needs further investigation. Different degrees of atrophic gastritis have the different proportions of intestinal metaplasia and dysplasia.

Study on Tongue Coating Microbiota in Patients with Atrophic Gastritis

Aims: To explore the tongue coating microbiota composition in patients with atrophic gastritis by using the 16S rRNA gene sequencing technology. Methods: The study included 29 atrophic gastritis patients and 29 age and gender-matched non-atrophic gastritis controls. By sequencing the V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA, we investigated the microbial community structure and diversity on the tongue coating. Results: There was no significant difference in the microbial diversity on the tongue coating between the two groups. However, compared with the control, the atrophic gastritis group had a smaller number of operational taxonomic units (OTUs). At the class level, patients with atrophic gastritis had lower relative abundances of Betaproteobacteria and Spirochaetia than the control group. At the gene level, the abundance of Neisseria and Aggregatibacter in atrophic gastritis group had significantly decreased compared with control ones. Furthermore, functional prediction revealed that 24 metabolic pathways significantly differed between the two groups. Conclusions: Our findings provide novel evidence that tongue coating microbiota may be a biomarker for characterizing patient with atrophic gastritis, but its mechanism needs to be further elaborated.

Different Concentrations of Notoginsenoside Rg1 Attenuate Hypoxic and Hypercapnia Pulmonary Hypertension by Reducing the Expression of ERK in Rat PASMCs

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a serious disease which is characterized by increased vascular resistance and pressure. We have previously hypothesized that panax notoginseng saponins (PNS) might attenuate pulmonary vasoconstriction under hypoxia and hypercapnia condition. This study aims to investigate the effect of notoginsenoside Rg1, a main ingredient of PNS, with various concentrations (8, 40, 100 mg/L, respectively) on extracellular signal regulated kinase (ERK1/2) signaling pathway in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PASMCs). In addition, PASMCs were randomly divided into six groups: SD rat under normoxic condition as control group (N group), hypoxia hypercapnia group (H group), DMSO control group (HD group), Rg1-treatment groups (RgLRgM and RgH group). Western-blot and RT-PCR were used to test the expression of p-ERK protein and the expression of ERK1 mRNA and ERK2 mRNA. This study provided the evidence that the expression of p-ERK protein and the expression of ERK1 mRNA and ERK2 mRNA in HD group and H group were obviously higher than that in N group (P < 0.01), Whereas the level of ERK1/2 mRNA in Rg1-treatment groups was significantly lower than that in HD group and H group (P < 0.01), and the proper concentration of Rg1 is 40 mg/L. These results suggested that notoginsenoside Rg1 can attenuate pulmonary vasoconstriction which may lead to HHPV through reducing the expression of ERK1/2.

MEDICAL ENGINEERING COOPERATIVE STUDY OF EVENT-RELATED BRAIN POTENTIAL N400 IN PATIENTS WITH BIPOLAR DEPRESSION

Objective:To explore the difference and its clinical significance of event-related potential N400 in patients with bipolar depression,unipolar depression and schizophrenia Methods:It was N400 detection for 24 cases of bipolar depression,25 cases of unipolar depression,26 cases of schizophrenia and 28 healthy adults.All were tested with China Runjie WJ-1 ERP Instrument,congruent ending words of Chinese idioms(matching)and incongruent ending words of Chinese idioms(mismatching)mode.Results:(1)Compared with healthy adults in the control group,N400 latencies were prolonged in Cz brain regions and amplitudes were decreased period of three groups of patients before taking the medicine.(2)The delay in latencies and the decrease in amplitude of schizophrenia N400 were negatively correlated with the PANSS total score of the neuropsychological scale.(3)The abnormal degree of N400 in bipolar depression group was between unipolar depression group and schizophrenia group.Conclusions:We initially believe that(1)the bipolar depression group may be an intermediate state between unipolar depression and schizophrenia.(2)Bipolar depression with psychotic symptoms may have specific language barriers and N400 abnormalities.(3)After the next ERP follow-up,N400 can be used as a laboratory aid for identifying unipolar depression,bipolar depression and schizophrenia.

NEW ADVANCES OF SLEEP RESEARCH IN CHINA

It is a big topic on sleep research in China,current sleep research in China will be introduced from basic and clinic research in the paper.Basic researches Current sleep research in China began with the study on hybernation using urchin at Peking University in the early 1950s.During 1960-2017,lots of agencies such as Shanghai Institute of Physiology of Academia Sinica,Institute of Psychology of Academia Sinica,Henan Medical University have accumulated large investigative and experimental data on sleep,but the most of those data focused on the descriptive researches of animal assortment(feline,dog,goat,mouce,rat and macque)and sleep classicification[1].

THE EFFECTS OF COMBINING APPLICATION OF DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES OF ERP AND PSYCHIC REHABILITATION INTERVENTION ON REHABILITATION OF SCHIZOPHRENIA

Objective:To explore the effects of combining application of diagnosis and treatment technologies of Event Related Potentials(ERP)and Psychic Rehabilitation Intervention(PRI)on rehabilitation of schizophrenia.Methods:PRI and ERP were used in schizophrenia rehabilitation in this research.232 patients were divided into study group(SG)and control group(CG),and the rehabilitation effects were compared.Results:(1)After the implementation of the PRI,more score of the Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale(BPRS)was reduced on SG than the score on CG;more decreased scores of insight and on Social Disability Screening Schedule(SDSS),and more increased scores of treatment compliance questionnaire scores were observed on SG,comparing with CG(P<0.05 or 0.01).(2)After the implementation of the PRI,more decreased factor scores of Symptom Checklist 90 were observed on SG patients family members(P<0.05 or 0.01).(3)PRI significantly improved the patients’social functions,family members’relationship and prevented the recurrence of schizophrenia.(4)Improved P2,P3 amplitudes were also detected on SG compared with CG(P<0.05).Conclusions:(1)PRI interventions may improve schizophrenia patients’social function.(2)ERP may be used to evaluate the schizophrenia patients’rehabilitation,and is worth being popularized.

Optimal Gestational Weight Gain for Women with Gestational Diabetes Mellitus—China,2011–2021

Summary What is already known about this topic?Joint effects of gestational weight gain(GWG)and hyperglycemia on adverse pregnancy outcomes suggest that lower optimal GWG is optimal for women with gestational diabetes mellitus(GDM).However,there is still a lack of guidelines.What is added by this report?Optimal weekly GWG range after diagnosis of GDM for underweight,normal-weight,overweight,and obese women was 0.37–0.56 kg/week,0.26–0.48 kg/week,0.19–0.32 kg/week,and 0.12–0.23 kg/week,respectively.What are the implications for public health practice?The findings may be used to inform prenatal counseling regarding optimal gestational weight gain for women with gestational diabetes mellitus,and suggest the need for weight gain management.

Evodiamine inhibits high-fat diet-induced colitis-associated cancer in mice through regulating the gut microbiota

Objective:High-fat diet is one of the main risk factors that disrupt the balance of gut microbiota,which eventually will induce colorectal cancer(CRC).Evodiamine(EVO)is a wildly used multifunctional traditional Chinese medicine extract.In this study,we investigated the role of gut microbiota in high-fat dietpropelled CRC and the potential of EVO for CRC chemoprevention.Methods:Gut microbiota,serum D-lactic acid and endotoxin from 38 patients with colon cancer and 18 healthy subjects were detected by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA).In addition,body mass index,phospho-signal transducer and activator of transcription 3(p-STAT3)expression in cancer tissues and paracancerous tissues were detected by immunohistochemistry.A mouse intestinal inflammatory tumor model was established by azomethane/sodium dextran sulfate,followed by treatment with EVO and 5-aminosalicylic acid(ASA).Gut microbiota and inflammatory factors were detected by quantitative polymerase chain reaction,while serum D-lactic acid and endotoxin were detected by ELISA.Furthermore,cell proliferation,cell apoptosis,and interleukin(IL)-6/STAT3/P65 pathway were evaluated by 5-ethynyl-20-deoxyuridine,terminal-deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated nick-end labeling,and Western blot assays.Results:In patients with colon cancer,the numbers of Enterococcus faecalis and Escherichia coli were increased,while those of Bifidobacterium,Campylobacter and Lactobacillus were decreased.Serum endotoxin and D-lactic acid levels and p-STAT3 levels were significantly increased.In the mouse model,both EVO and ASA inhibited tumor formation,decreased the proliferation of tumor cells,and induced apoptosis of tumor cells.Compared with the control group,the numbers of E.faecalis and E.coli were decreased,while Bifidobacterium,Campylobacter and Lactobacillus numbers were increased.In the EVO group,serum endotoxin and D-lactic acid levels and inflammatory factors were significantly decreased.Further,the IL6/STAT3/P65 signaling pathway was inhibited in the EVO group.Conclusion:EVO may inhibit the occurrence of colon cancer by regulating gut microbiota and inhibiting intestinal inflammation.The potential mechanism involves inhibition of the IL6/STAT3/P65 signaling pathway,revealing its potential therapeutic significance in clinical applications.

The oral microbiome of pregnant women facilitates gestational diabetes discrimination

The oral microbiota plays an important role in the development of various diseases,whereas its association with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) remains largely unclear.The aim of this study is to identify biomarkers from the oral microbiota of GDM patients by analyzing the microbiome of the saliva and dental plaque samples of 111 pregnant women.We find that the microbiota of both types of oral samples in GDM patients exhibits differences and significantly varies from that of patients with periodontitis or dental caries.Using bacterial biomarkers from the oral microbiota,GDM classification models based on support vector machine and random forest algorithms are constructed.The area under curve (AUC) value of the classification model constructed by combination of Lautropia and Neisseria in dental plaque and Streptococcus in saliva reaches 0.83,and the value achieves a maximum value of 0.89 by adding clinical features.These findings suggest that certain bacteria in either saliva or dental plaque can effectively distinguish women with GDM from healthy pregnant women,which provides evidence of oral microbiome as an informative source for developing noninvasive biomarkers of GDM.

CRISPRs provide broad and robust protection to oral microbial flora of gingival health against bacteriophage challenge

Dear Editor,Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats （CRISPR）, which are widely present in prokaryotic genomes （Grissa et al., 2007）, belong to a family of DNA sequences characterized as short direct repeats （DR） separated by spacers （Jansen et al., 2002）. CRISPR and CRISPR-asso- ciated （cas） genes are involved in resistance against exogenous sequences, and recognition of infected bacte- riophages depends on the sequence similarity between spacers and targeted phage DNA segments （Barrangou et al., 2007）. CRISPRs exhibited diversity in different microbial communities, and that may be the response to different phaqe infections （Tyson and Banfield, 2008）.

Exploring neuroimaging-genetic co-alteration features of auditory verbal hallucinations in different subjects for the establishment of a predictive model

To the Editor: Auditory verbal hallucination (AVH) is defined as the hearing of voices in the absence of any external auditory stimulus.[1,2,3] Most AVH content is related to the experiencer, and these events usually cause serious distress. AVHs can occur in patients with a broad range of mental disorders and neurological diseases, such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder (BP), major depressive disorder (MDD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), borderline personality disorder (BPD), and in healthy individuals.[2,3,4]

2013~2017年中国空气质量改善与早产疾病负担改变

Preterm birth(PTB)is a leading cause of perinatal mortality and morbidity worldwide[1].Since maternal and fetal health protection has been included in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals,identification of modifiable risk factors for PTB is particularly crucial.The Global Burden of Disease(GBD)Study 2019 recognized fine particulate matter(PM2.5)pollution as a risk factor for decreased gestational age and low birth weight.