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In this paper, a facile method was proposed to load CeO 2 nanoparticles (NPs) on anodic TiO 2 nanotube (NT) arrays, which leads to a formation of CeO 2 /TiO 2 heterojunctions. Highly ordered anatase phase TiO 2 NT arrays were fabricated by using anodic oxidation method, then these individual TiO 2 NTs were used as tiny "nano-containers" to load a small amount of Ce(NO 3 ) 3 solutions. The loaded anodic TiO 2 NTs were baked and heated to a high temperature of 450 °C, under which the Ce(NO 3 ) 3 would be thermally decomposed inside those nano-containers. After the thermal decomposition of Ce(NO 3 ) 3 , cubic crystal CeO 2 NPs were obtained and successfully loaded into the anodic TiO 2 NT arrays. The prepared CeO 2 /TiO 2 heterojunction structures were characterized by a variety of analytical technologies, including XRD, SEM, and Raman spectra. This study provides a facile approach to prepare CeO 2 /TiO 2 films, which could be very useful for environmental and energy-related areas.

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system mainly affecting the motor system. Presently, there is no effective and safe drug to treat patients with PD. Ginkgo biloba extract (GBE), obtained from leaves of the Ginkgo biloba tree, is a complex mixture of ingredients primarily containing two active components: flavonoids and terpenoids. In this study, we investigated the effects of GBE on A53T α-synuclein transgenic mice, a PD model that has better simulated the progression of PD patients than other models such as the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6 tetrahydropyridine-induced PD model., Methods: Fifty α-synuclein A53T transgenic mice were fed and treated with GBE, and locomotor activity was detected by pole test, forced swim test, and wire-hang test. The expression of tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine transporters was detected using immunohistochemistry. Superoxide dismutase activity, glutathione peroxidase activity, and malondialdehyde expression were detected using an assay kit., Results: Our results show that GBE treatment improved locomotor activity and that superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase inhibited the expression of methane dicarboxylic aldehyde and recovered the expression of tyrosine hydroxylase and dopamine transporters., Conclusions: The GBE treatment improved locomotor activity and inhibited the development of PD in the A53T α-synuclein transgenic mice, which may be partly responsible for decreased oxidative damage and maintain the normal dopamine homeostasis.

TiO 2 nanotubes (NTs) arrays prepared by anodic oxidation were modified with ZnO particles and their morphology and photocatalytic properties were investigated. A simple thermal decomposition process was involved in the modification method. Zinc acetate solution was filled into the TiO 2 NTs arrays, and ZnO@TiO 2 heterojunction films were formed after the thermal treatment. The morphology and catalytic properties of the heterojunction films could be manipulated by the concentration of zinc acetate solution. Compared to TiO 2 NTs arrays, the ZnO@TiO 2 heterojunction films with an optimized concentration of zinc acetate showed enhanced catalytic performances. Their photocatalytic activities were discussed with respect to the formation of ZnO@TiO 2 heterojunctions and enforced charge separation. This study demonstrates a simple method to prepare ZnO nanoparticles@TiO 2 NT heterojunction films, which is promising for other environmental and energy related applications., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Fe 3 O 4 nanoplates were fabricated by an anodic oxidation process and a subsequent water assisted crystallization process at low temperature, which was found to be very efficient and environmentally friendly. The as-prepared Fe 3 O 4 nanoplates have hexagonal outlines with a thickness of about 20 nm. Tremendous grooves were distributed on the entire surfaces of the nanoplates, making the two-dimension nanoplates have a unique 3D morphology. Transmission electron microscopy results confirmed that the single-crystalline nature of the nanoplates was well maintained. Owing to the unique structures and porous morphologies, the as-prepared 3D nanoplates show excellent ability for absorbing solar energy and absorbing organic pollutants, which can be utilized for cleaning up water. Moreover, the Fe 3 O 4 nanoplates show good magnetic properties that enable them to be easily collected and recycled. We believe this study will inspire the application of Fe 3 O 4 nanoplates with 3D structures in energy and environmental areas.

TiO 2 nanotubes (TNTs) have drawn tremendous attention owing to their unique architectural and physical properties. Anodizing of titanium foil has proven to be the most efficient method to fabricate well-aligned TNTs, which, however, usually produces amorphous TNTs and needs further thermal annealing. Recently, a water-assisted crystallization strategy has been proposed and investigated by both science and engineering communities. This method is very efficient and energy saving, and it circumvents the drawbacks of thermal sintering approach. In this paper, we review the recent research progress in this kind of low-temperature crystallization approach. Here, various synthetic methods are summarized, and the mechanisms of the amorphous-crystalline transformation are analyzed. The fundamental properties and applications of the low-temperature products are also discussed. Furthermore, it is proved that the water-assisted crystallization approach is not only applicable to TNTs but also to crystallizing other metal oxides.

Ge-based alloys have drawn great interest as promising materials for their superior visible to infrared photoelectric performances. In this study, we report the preparation and optical properties of germanium-bismuth (Ge 1-x Bi x ) thin films by using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). GeBi thin films belong to the n-type conductivity semiconductors, which have been rarely reported. With the increasing Bi-doping content from 2 to 22.2%, a series of Ge 1-x Bi x thin film samples were obtained and characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and atomic force microscopy. With the increase of Bi content, the mismatch of lattice constants increases, and the GeBi film shifts from direct energy band-gaps to indirect band-gaps. The moderate increase of Bi content reduces optical reflectance and promotes the transmittance of extinction coefficient in infrared wavelengths. The absorption and transmittance of GeBi films in THz band increase with the increase of Bi contents.

Depression is a common mental disorder and a leading cause of disability. At its most severe, it can lead to suicide. Recently, there has been growing interest in the application of natural herbs for the prevention and treatment of depression. In this report, we found that the ginsenoside active component Rg3 has an apparent antidepressant effect. In N-methyl-d-aspartic acid (NMDA)-treated HT22 murine hippocampal neuronal cells, Rg3 recovered proliferation and inhibited apoptosis by altering the cell cycle. More interestingly, Rg3 led to apparent physiological behavior change in a chronic mild stress model as seen in forced swim, tail suspension, and sucrose preference tests. This effect was mediated by the phosphorylation of cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling. This study provides direct evidence to support the antidepressant effects of ginsenoside Rg3, potentially indicating its application in the treatment of clinical depression., (Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Abnormalities in white matter (WM) have previously been reported in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, there was some inconsistency in the results obtained for altered regions of WM. The aim of this study was to investigate fractional anisotropy (FA) in the WM of the whole brain in patients with OCD by using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)., Methods: In total, 28 unmedicated patients with OCD and 28 healthy volunteers underwent DTI scan. A voxel-based analysis was used to compare FA values in WM of the two groups at a voxel threshold of P <0.005 with an extent threshold of k >72 voxels ( P <0.05; Alphasim correction). Subsequently, correlation analysis was conducted in order to find the correlation between the mean FA values in significantly altered brain regions and Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) scores of the OCD patients., Results: Compared with healthy volunteers, the OCD patients had lower FA value in the left lingual gyrus, right midbrain, and right precuneus. There were no regions with significantly higher FA values in OCD patients compared with healthy volunteers. The mean FA values in the above regions (left lingual, r =0.019, P =0.923; right midbrain, r =-0.208, P =0.289; and right precuneus, r =-0.273, P =0.161) had no significant correlation with the Y-BOCS scores of the OCD patients., Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that alterations in WM of the left lingual gyrus, right midbrain, and right precuneus are associated with the pathophysiology mechanism of OCD, and these microstructural alterations do not correlate with symptom severity of OCD., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.

Objective: To explore the significance of the relative proteins in thrombin sensitive protein(TSP-1) and nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) signal pathways by detecting their expressions in different phases of hemangioma and the relations between them and microvessel density(MVD)., Methods: Forty cases with hemangioma were randomly selected and divided into proliferative group(n =21) and involutional group(n =19) according to Mulliken standard.The expressions of TSP-1,CD36,p59fyn,Caspase-3,p38MAPK,NF-κBp65,p-IκBα,p-IKKβ,VEGF and CD34 in endothelial cells were detected by immunohistochemistry.The relevance between the proteins in TSP-1 and NF-κB signal pathways and MVD were compared and analyzed respectively., Results: The expressions of TSP-1,CD36,p59fyn,Caspase-3,p38MAPK in proliferative hemangioma were all lower than those in involutional hemangioma (F=32.582,47.575,11.645,18.824,13.140;P =0.000,0.000,0.002,0.000,0.001).Conversely, the expressions of NF-κBp65,p-IκBα,p-IKKβ,VEGF in proliferative hemangioma were higher than those in involutional hemangioma(F =7.807,6.323,5.988,4.216;P =0.009,0.018,0.021,0.049).Meanwhile,MVD were different between the two groups(F =7.256,P =0.012).The expressions of TSP-1, CD36, p59fyn and MVD showed a negative relationship(rs =-0.420,-0.519,-0.388;P =0.021,0.003,0.034). Conversely, the expressions of NF-κBp65,pvIκBα,VEGF and MVD showed a positive relationship(rs =0.666,0.611,0.515;P =0.000,0.000,0.004).The expression of TSP-1 and NF-κBp65 showed a negative relationship (rs =-0.413,P =0.023)., Conclusions: TSP-1 signal pathway and NF-κBp65 signal pathway may be interactive in evolution of infantile hemangioma, which has a potential role by effecting the progress of angiogenesis.

Chronic exposure to cadmium compounds (Cd(2+)) is one of the major public health problems facing humans in the 21st century. Cd(2+) in the human body accumulates primarily in the kidneys which leads to renal dysfunction and other adverse health effects. Efforts to find a safe and effective drug for removing Cd(2+) from the kidneys have largely failed. We developed and synthesized a new chemical, sodium (S)-2-(dithiocarboxylato((2S,3R,4R,5R)-2,3,4,5,6 pentahydroxyhexyl)amino)-4-(methylthio) butanoate (GMDTC). Here we report that GMDTC has a very low toxicity with an acute lethal dose (LD50) of more than 10,000mg/kg or 5000mg/kg body weight, respectively, via oral or intraperitoneal injection in mice and rats. In in vivo settings, up to 94% of Cd(2+) deposited in the kidneys of Cd(2+)-laden rabbits was removed and excreted via urine following a safe dose of GMDTC treatment for four weeks, and renal Cd(2+) level was reduced from 12.9μg/g to 1.3μg/g kidney weight. We observed similar results in the mouse and rat studies. Further, we demonstrated both in in vitro and in animal studies that the mechanism of transporting GMDTC and GMDTC-Cd complex into and out of renal tubular cells is likely assisted by two glucose transporters, sodium glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) and glucose transporter 2 (GLUT2). Collectively, our study reports that GMDTC is safe and highly efficient in removing deposited Cd(2+) from kidneys assisted by renal glucose reabsorption system, suggesting that GMDTC may be the long-pursued agent used for preventive and therapeutic purposes for both acute and chronic Cd(2+) exposure., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of brief behavioral treatment for insomnia (BBTI) in treating patients with treatment-resistant insomnia., Methods: Seventy-nine adults with treatment-resistant insomnia were randomly assigned to receive either individualized BBTI (delivered in two in-person sessions and two telephone "booster" sessions, n=40) or sleep hygiene education (n=39). The primary outcome was subjective (sleep diary) measures of self-report symptoms and questionnaire measures of Pittsburgh sleep quality index (PSQI), insomnia severity index (ISI), Epworth sleeping scale (ESS), and dysfunctional beliefs and attitudes about sleep scale (DBAS)., Results: The repeated-measures analysis of variance showed significant time effects between pretreatment and posttreatment in the scale ratings of PSQI, ESS, DBAS, ISI, sleep latency (SL), time in bed (TIB), sleep efficiency (SE), and wake after sleep onset (WASO) in both groups and group × time interaction (F PSQI =3.893, F ESS =4.500, F DBAS =5.530, F ISI =15.070, F SL =8.909, F TIB =7.895, F SE =2.926, and F WASO =2.595). The results indicated significant differences between BBTI and sleep hygiene in change scores of PSQI, ESS, DBAS, ISI, SL, TIB, SE, and WASO. Effect sizes were moderate to large., Conclusion: BBTI is a simple and efficacious intervention for chronic insomnia in adults.

Ginsenoside Rb3 has been proved to have antidepressant-like effects, which possesses 1 xylose and 3 glucose moieties with 20(S)-protopanaxadiol (PPD) as the aglycone. However, it is commonly accepted that orally ingested ginsenosides can be deglycosylated or partially deglycosylated into active derivatives by the intestinal bacteria. To identify potential antidepressant drug candidates, we compared the antidepressant-like activities between ginsenoside Rb3 and its four deglycosylated derivatives, Rg3, Rh2, compound K (C-K), and PPD. Effects of acute (1-day), short chronic (7-days), and longer chronic treatments (14-days) with these ginsenosides (50 and 100mg/kg, p.o.) on the behavioral changes in the forced swim test (FST), tail suspension test (TST) and open field test were investigated. Serum corticosterone and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) levels and mouse brain monoamine neurotransmitters 5-HT, NA and DA levels were measured using commercially available competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kits. Interestingly, C-K showed antidepressant-like activities similar to that of Rb3, and Rg3 displayed antidepressant-like effects at lower dosage and faster time, indicating it has better effects than Rb3, whereas Rh2 and PPD failed to show any effect. Our results also showed, unlike the positive control fluoxetine, Rb3, Rg3 and C-K significantly increased the NA levels in the brain regions of mice exposed to FST but did not affect the 5-HT and DA levels. Moreover, treatment with Rg3 could reverse swim stress-induced increased levels of serum ACTH and corticosterone. These results suggest that C-K and Rg3 are the active deglycosylated derivatives, especially the latter compound, which is more potent than Rb3 and exerts antidepressant-like effects by regulating NA, ACTH and corticosterone levels., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the resting-state functional connectivity of the hypothalamus and its relationships with gonadal steroid hormones and depression symptoms in perimenopausal women., Methods: Total 66 perimenopausal women voluntarily participated in this study from October 2012 to June 2013. Zung Self-rating Depression Scale (ZSDS) was used to assess depression symptoms. Plasma gonadal steroid hormones including estradiol, testosterone, and progesterone were determined by the chemiluminescence immunoassay. A 3.0 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner was utilized to acquire resting-state functional MRI data. The z-value functional connectivity map of each participant was calculated voxel-wisely based on the seed region of the hypothalamus. One sample t test of Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) were used to determine the brain areas with statistically significant functional connectivity to the hypothalamus, then multiple regression of SPM was used to calculate the correlated areas with 3 gonadal steroid hormones, respectively. Finally, Pearson correlation was performed to analyze bivariate correlations between mean z-values and ZSDS scores., Results: Significant functional connectivity to the hypothalamus were found in brain areas as follows:the lateral inferior frontal gyrus, medial prefrontal cortex, dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex, orbitofrontal cortex, subgenual cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, cuneus and precuneus, hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus, and angular gyrus (False Discovery Rate q<0.05). Among these areas, the plasma testosterone level was positively related to the functional connectivity strength of the right angular gyrus, and negatively related to the strengths of the right subgenual cortex and bilateral medial superior frontal gyrus to the hypothalamus (PAlphaSim<0.05). Especially, mean z-value in the subgenual cortex was positively related to the ZSDS index score (r=0.279, P=0.023), and factor scores of the core depression symptoms (r=0.278, P=0.024) and somatic symptoms (r=0.357, P=0.003)., Conclusion: In perimenopausal women, the hypothalamus has resting-state functional connectivity with widespread areas involved in the brain depression-related network and default mode network, and the plasma androgen level may modulate the functional connectivity strengths of the hypothalamus and decrease the susceptibility of perimenopausal women to depression.

Inverted pyramid hole arrays were fabricated by photolithography and used as templates to direct the growth of colloidal nanoparticle assemblies. Cobalt ferrite nanoparticles deposit in the holes to yield high quality pyramid magnetic nanoparticle assembly arrays by carefully controlling the evaporation of the carrier fluid. Magnetic measurements indicate that the pyramid magnetic nanoparticle assembly arrays preferentially magnetize perpendicular to the substrate.

Background: Subsyndromal depression (SSD) is considered as a predictor for future depressive disorders, however whether white matter abnormalities are involved in the high-susceptibility of women to depressive disorders during perimenopause is unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate fractional anisotropy (FA) in the white matter of the whole brain in perimenopausal women with SSD using diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)., Methods: In a cross-sectional study, 24 perimenopausal women with SSD and 24 other age-, education-, and body mass index-matched healthy women underwent DTI. A voxel-based analysis was used to elucidate regional FA changes at a voxel threshold of p < 0.001 with an extent threshold of k > 127 voxels (p < 0.05, AlphaSim correction). Subsequently, correlation analyses were performed between mean FA values in significant brain regions and plasma estradiol level., Results: Compared to healthy controls, women with SSD exhibited significantly lower FA values in the left insula, while higher FA values were observed in the left ventral lateral thalamus and left and right brainstem in the midbrain. In subjects with SSD, the mean FA value in the left insula was positively correlated to plasma estradiol levels (r = 0.453, p = 0.026) (uncorrected)., Conclusions: Our findings indicate altered microstructures in white matter of the insula and subcortical regions may be associated with the high susceptibility of perimenopausal women to depressive disorders. Estrogen may modulate the white matter microstructure of the insula.

Cordyceps guangdongensis T. H. Li, Q. Y. Lin & B. Song (Cordycipitaceae) is a novel food approved by the Ministry of Public Health of China in 2013. Preliminary studies revealed that this novel food has multiple pharmacological activities such as anti-fatigue effect, antioxidant ability, prolonging life, anti-avian influenza virus activity, and therapeutic effect on chronic renal failure. However, the anti-inflammatory effect on chronic bronchitis and the effective constituent are still unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate both the anti-inflammatory effect of the edible fungus on experimental rats with chronic bronchitis induced by tobacco smoking, and the pilot effective constituent. Test rats were intragastrically administered with 3 doses of hot-water extract from C. guangdongensis (0.325, 0.65 and 1.30 g kg(-1) bw daily for low, middle and high dose, respectively) for 26 days. Biochemical indices and histological examinations in rats with chronic bronchitis induced by tobacco smoking were determined. The content and molecular weights of the polysaccharide from the hot-water extract were detected by the phenol-sulfuric acid method and gel permeation chromatography, respectively. Biochemical indices in the low, middle and high-dose groups with the hot-water extract of C. guangdongensis were only 53.4%, 46.0% and 40.4% of those in the model control group (total leukocytes), respectively; 70.7%, 60.3% and 58.1% (macrophages); 33.0%, 26.8% and 16.1% (neutrophils); and 22.2%, 23.5% and 13.6% (lymphocytes) of those in the model control group. The bronchial lesions and inflammatory cell infiltration were significantly alleviated in all groups with hot-water extract of C. guangdongensis. This study indicates that the hot-water extract from C. guangdongensis has a significant anti-inflammatory effect on chronic bronchitis. The content of the polysaccharide was 6.92%; the molecular weights of the 3 polysaccharide components were respectively 1.28 × 10(6), 2.36 × 10(4) and 5.21 × 10(3) Da.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the effects of low-dose olanzapine on preventing occurrence and controlling the severity of nausea and vomiting related to duloxetine in treating major depressive disorder., Methods: Two hundred sixty-eight subjects with major depressive disorder were divided into control and trial groups. The control group had 165 subjects and was treated with duloxetine only, whereas the trial group had 103 subjects and received duloxetine combined with low-dose olanzapine. After the treatment for 2 weeks, both groups were evaluated for occurrence and severity of adverse effects on digestive tract using the Treatment Emergent Symptom Scale., Results: The trial group, scored at 13, showed significantly less occurrence and severity of nausea and vomiting than the control group, scored at 38 (P < 0.05). The occurrence of nausea and vomiting in the trial group is significantly lower compared with that in the control group, and the occurrence decreases as the dose of olanzapine increases (P < 0.05). The antiemetic effect of olanzapine is valid to all subjects who received it., Conclusions: Duloxetine combined with low-dose olanzapine can effectively reduce the occurrence and severity of duloxetine-related nausea and vomiting. With the increase of olanzapine dose, the antiemetic effect becomes stronger. Olanzapine is a safe and efficient drug for the prevention of duloxetine-related nausea and vomiting.

We studied spin waves excited by two or more excitation sources in a uniform nanostripe waveguide without periodic structures. Several distinct spectrum gaps formed by spin waves interference rather than by Bragg reflection were observed. We found the center frequency and the number of spectrum gaps of spin waves can be controlled by modulating the distance, number and width of the excitation sources. The results obtained by micromagnetic simulations agree well with that of analytical calculations. Our work therefore paves a new way to control the spectrum gaps of spin waves, which is promising for future spin wave-based devices.

Background: Although many studies have reported that glucose and lipid metabolism disorders are a significant side effect associated with the use of antipsychotic drugs, the characteristics of glucose and lipid metabolism disorders in patients with schizophrenia who are taking antipsychotic drugs remain poorly understood, and the possible effects that antipsychotic discontinuation may have on glucose and lipid metabolism remain unclear., Methods: The sample consisted of 131 Chinese patients with schizophrenia, including 70 first-episode, drug-naïve patients; 33 patients who had received continuous antipsychotic drug treatment for ≥1 year prior to the beginning of the study; and 28 patients who had discontinued antipsychotic drug treatment for ≥3 months prior to the beginning of study. We compared the glucose and lipid metabolic parameter levels among the three groups of patients with schizophrenia. All assessments were performed upon hospital admission., Results: The characteristics of glucose and lipid metabolism disorders in Chinese patients with schizophrenia who are taking antipsychotic drugs included significant augmentation of the body mass index and waist circumference, significantly higher levels of fasting plasma insulin and insulin resistance, and significantly lower plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Antipsychotic discontinuation appeared to not significantly improve any plasma glucose and lipid metabolic parameter levels., Conclusion: The results suggest that antipsychotic drugs aggravate glucose and lipid metabolism disorders and that antipsychotic discontinuation is generally not associated with improvements in the parameters that indicate glucose and lipid metabolism disorders in Chinese patients with schizophrenia.

Transgenic mouse has shown great advantages in the study of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and drug screening as AD develops rapidly resent years, while more detail information of these transgenic mice and experience of application are needed. To obtain the basic background information of the B6C3-Tg (APPswe/PSEN1dE9) double-transgenic mouse, which was reported with early onset AD, three- to ten-month-old B6C3-Tg AD mice and normal C57BL/6 mice were selected randomly to test the ability of learning memory by Morris water maze, the brain acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity by AChE kit, and beta amyloid protein level by immunohistochemistry staining. Compared with the control group, the escape latency time of B6C3-Tg AD mice at 9 and 10 months of age is significantly longer (P < 0.05) in Morris maze test, and the activity of brain AChE is higher. β-Amyloid plaques were observed at 3 months of age and developed rapidly. Statistical analysis showed a positive correlation between the area of these plaques and the ages of B6C3-Tg AD mouse (y = 0.0355e(0.5557x), R = 0.9557). The model's behavior is conformed to simulate behaviors of human Alzheimer's disease at the early stage and may provide detail background information a new choice when transgenic mice are needed in the research of AD.

This study was designed to explore the relationship between pituitary microadenoma and psychosis and to evaluate the role that prolactin plays in pituitary microadenoma and comorbid psychosis. In this study, the prolactin serum levels were compared between 74 first-episode drug-naive patients with a pituitary microadenoma with psychosis (PMP), and 58 patients with a pituitary microadenoma with no psychosis (PMNP). Patients with PMP had significantly higher prolactin serum levels; male patients with PMP had a mean [S.D.] prolactin level of 705.4 uIU/ml [226.1] vs. 433.1 uIU/ml [58.4] for male patients with PMNP, while female patients with PMP had a mean prolactin level of 1890.1 uIU/ml [1138.7] vs. 978.6 uIU/ml [657.9] for female patients with PMNP. The size of microadenoma in the patients with PMP was larger than those in the patients with PMNP, regardless of sex. Our data suggested that a higher prolactin serum level is a characteristic of first-episode neuroleptic-naive patients with PMP., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The fabrication and photocatalytic properties of visible-light driven CuInSe2/TiO2 heterojunction films are reported. CuInSe2 nanoparticles (NCs) were synthesized using a solvothermal method and then decorated onto self-organized anodic TiO2 nanotube (NT) arrays through an electrophoretic deposition process, forming a CuInSe2 NC/TiO2 NT hetero-structure film. An increase in deposition time produced an increased amount of CuInSe2 NCs loaded onto the TiO2 NT arrays, expanding the light-absorption range of the CuInSe2 NCs/TiO2 NTs film from 400 nm to 700 nm. Photocatalytic degradation results show that activities of the CuInSe2 NCs/TiO2 NTs films were significantly enhanced compared to that of pure TiO2 NTs (degradation rate constant k increased from 3 × 10(-3) min(-1) to >1 × 10(-2) min(-1)). Particularly, the CuInSe2 NCs/TiO2 NTs with 50 min electrophoretic deposition show the highest degradation rate, k = 1.6 × 10(-2) min(-1) (more than 5 times greater than that of the pure TiO2 NTs film), due to optimization of CuInSe2 NCs loading and a well-maintained open TiO2 tube-mouth configuration.

To compare the difference in body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and glucose and lipid metabolism parameters between drug-naïve, first-episode schizophrenia patients and healthy controls matched for age, ethnicity and gender, we conducted a test including BMI, WHR, and fasting glucose and lipid metabolism parameters in both 70 drug-naïve, first-episode schizophrenia patients, having not a single day of cumulative exposure to antipsychotic medications and 44 normal healthy controls at baseline. Student's t tests (two tailed) were conducted to examine between group differences. We found that drug-naïve first-episode schizophrenia patients had higher insulin, insulin resistance and C-peptide levels, and had lower total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) and apolipoproteinA1 levels. Simultaneously, drug-naïve, first-episode schizophrenia patients show a potential tendency of WHR enlargement, although there were no statistically significant differences between groups (mean=0.82, SD=0.06, for the patients versus mean=0.79, SD=0.06, for the health subjects). These results suggest that drug-naïve, first-episode schizophrenia patients do differ from healthy controls in their fasting glycometabolism parameters and lipid profiles, including fasting plasma levels of insulin, C-peptide, TC, HDL-c, and apolipoproteinA1, and patients are more insulin resistant before the onset of antipsychotic medication treatment., (© 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

TiO2 films consisting of single-crystal anatase nanoparticles with exposed {001} facets were fabricated from anodized TiO2 nanotube arrays. The films' photocatalytic activities were further activated and then enhanced (∼2.5 times) by removing F(-) from the {001} facets. This study indicates that fluorine-free crystal surfaces are of great importance for the application of such kinds of single-crystal TiO2 nanoparticle films with exposed {001} facets in related areas.

Extensive uses of methyltin compounds in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) production have led to a dramatic increase of occupational-related methyltin poisoning accidents and the widespread contamination of methyltins in various environmental media. Here, we conducted studies to compare the acute toxicity induced by trimethyltin (TMT) and dimethyltin (DMT), and investigated the cumulative toxic effects of TMT in rats and mice. Neurobehavioral changes were observed in rats and mice treated with either DMT or TMT, but we also observed that both TMT and DMT exposure in rats significantly lowered the blood potassium level. Moreover, the cumulative toxic coefficient factor of TMT was 1.7 in rats versus 3.8 in mice, suggesting a high cumulative risk for rats and a moderate risk for mice. In summary, we demonstrated that acute and chronic exposure to methyltin compounds induced neurotoxicity and hypokalemia. Moreover, our study suggests that TMT can accumulate in the body and pose a risk for workers chronically exposed to a low dose of TMT.

`The single-nucleotide polymorphism rs1344706 located in the ZNF804A zinc finger protein 804A gene is a well-established genome-wide significant variant for schizophrenia. The aim of this study was to investigate the potential association between this ZNF804A polymorphism and treatment response to atypical antipsychotic. Seventy-one first-episode inpatients with schizophrenia receiving olanzapine, aripiprazole, or quetiapine monotherapy were enrolled. Symptom response to treatment was assessed using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) on admission and reassessed after 4 weeks of treatment. Single-nucleotide polymorphism rs1344706 was genotyped by direct sequencing. There was substantial difference in treatment response among patients with 3 different genotypes regarding total PANSS score and positive subscore (for total PANSS score, F = 4.608, df = 2, P = .013; for positive subscore, F = 4.183, df = 2, P = .019). Compared with G homozygotes, T carriers showed significantly less improvement in total PANSS score as well as positive subscore (for total PANSS score, F = 8.724, df = 1, P = .004; for positive subscore, F = 9.392, df = 1, P = .005). Our results suggest that ZNF80A rs1344706 polymorphism may play a role in treatment response to atypical antipsychotic, although replication is required to confirm this finding., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: This study was designed to investigate the correlation between serum uric acid (UA) levels and the clinical characteristics of depression., Design and Methods: The serum UA levels were measured in 124 patients with depression, 660 patients with different types of other mental disorders (OMD) and 42 healthy subjects. Clinical characteristics of depression and OMD were also investigated., Results: Depressive patients (271.97 ± 77.50 μmol/L) had significantly lower UA levels than those with delirium, dementia, amnesia and other cognitive disorders (339.95 ± 141.74 μmol/L, P=0.004), substances related disorders (359.61 ± 125.02 μmol/L, P=0.022), schizophrenia (341.03 ± 106.84 μmol/L, P=0.000), schizoaffective disorder (336.78 ± 155.49 μmol/L, P=0.024), bipolar disorder (323.04 ± 108.70 μmol/L, P=0.008) and the healthy control group (315.76 ± 87.50 μmol/L, P=0.012). We also found that the UA levels of depressive patients normalised after a five week treatment with antidepressants., Conclusion: Our data suggested that a lowered UA level is another characteristic of depression., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background and Objective: Human achaete-scute homolog 1 (hASH1) gene plays a critical role in development of the central nervous system, automatic nervous system, adrenal medullary chromaffin cells, thyroid C cells and pulmonary neuroendocrine cells. The aim of this study is to determine hASH1 gene expression in the normal lung tissue and various types of lung tumors, to analyze whether its expression correlated with pulmonary neuroendocrine markers, and to explore the possibility of hASH1 as clinical pathological markers in the neuroendocrine tumors compared with previous neuroendocrine tumor markers., Methods: hASH1, Chromogranin A, Synaptophysin and CD56 expression were examined in lung tumor specimens (lung inflammatory pseudotumor, squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinomas, large cell carcinoma, typical carcinoids, atypical carcinoids, large cell neuroendocrine carcinomas and small cell lung carcinoma and corresponding normal lung specimens) using immunohistochemistry (S-P method). Western blot and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay were applied to detect the expressions of hASH1 protein and mRNA in lung cancer tissues., Results: hASH1 expression was positive in 2/16 (12.5%) typical carcinoids, 15/20 (75%) atypical carcinoids, 6/10 (60%) large cell neuroendocrine carcinomas and 31/40 (77.5%) small cell lung carcinoma, respectively, but not in any normal lung tissue (0/10), lung inflammatory pseudotumor (0/49), squamous cell carcinoma (0/30), adenocarcinomas (0/30) or large cell carcinoma (0/20). There was a significant difference in hASH1 expression between typical carcinoids and atypical carcinoids (P < 0.01), but not in large cell neuroendocrine carcinomas and small cell lung carcinoma (P > 0.05). hASH1 expression highly closely correlated with Chromogranin A, Synaptophysin and CD56 expression (P < 0.05)., Conclusion: hASH1 is a new kind of highly specific markers of pulmonary neuroendocrine tumours, and may be applied to clinical pathology diagnosis of the pulmonary neuroendocrine tumors.

Background: TSG101 protein is one of the key factors in Endosomal sorting pathway. The abnormality of this pathway could decrease degradation of Notch receptor which leads to disorder of cell differentiation and development in drosophila. In mammal, the Notch3 receptors correlate with lung tissue development and lung carcinogenesis. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between TSG101 protein and Notch3 receptor in human lung cancer., Methods: Immunohistochemical method (S-P method) and Western blot were applied to detect the expressions of TSG101 protein and Notch3 receptor in lung cancer tissues and cell lines, in comparison with the corresponding normal tissues and cell lines. Besides, the expression of Notch3 receptor was observed when TSG101 protein was blocked by its specific antibody., Results: The TSG101 protein expressions in tumor tissues were significantly lower than those in the neighboring noncancerous tissue, with higher expressions of Notch3 receptor in tumor tissues, which were correlated with the cellular differentiation and lymph node metastases. The expression of Notch3 receptor increased after blockage of TSG101 protein by its specific antibody., Conclusions: Down-regulation of TSG101 protein was correlated with the up- regulation of Notch 3 receptor in lung cancer.

Objective: To study the effect of exceed critical extracts from Radix Aucklandiae (MXY for short) on many kinds of experimental gastric ulcer model., Methods: The effect of MXY to the mice's gastric ulcer induced by hydrochloric acid-ethanol, reserpine, and chronic gastric ulcer induced by acetic acid were observed., Results: Compared with model group, MXY had remarkable inhibition activity on the hydrochloirc acid-ethanol type acute gastric ulcer (P < 0.01). It also could obviously reduce the index of gastric ulcer induced by reserpine and chronic gastric ulcer induced by acetic acid (P < 0.05 - 0.01).