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Background: Psychosocial interventions have emerged as an important component of a comprehensive therapeutic approach in early-onset schizophrenia, typically representing a more severe form of the disorder. Despite the feasibility and efficacy of Theory of Mind (ToM) psychotherapy for schizophrenia, relatively little is known regarding the neural mechanism underlying its effect on early-on-set schizophrenia. Methods: We performed a randomized, active controlled trial in patients with early-onset schizophrenia, who were randomly allocated into either an intervention (ToM psychotherapy) or an active control (health education) group. Diffusion tensor imaging data were collected to construct brain structural networks, with both global and regional topological properties measured using graph theory. Results: We enrolled 28 patients with early-onset schizophrenia in our study. After 5 weeks of treatment, both the intervention and active control groups showed significant improvement in psychotic symptoms, yet the improvement was greater in the intervention group. Importantly, in contrast with no brain structural network change after treatment in the active control group, the intervention group showed increased nodal centrality of the left insula that was associated with psychotic symptom improvement. Limitations: We did not collect important information concerning the participants' cognitive abilities, particularly ToM performance. Conclusion: These findings suggest a potential neural mechanism by which ToM psychotherapy exerts a beneficial effect on early-onset schizophrenia via strengthening the coordination capacity of the insula in brain structural networks, which may provide a clinically translatable biomarker for monitoring or predicting responses to ToM psychotherapy. Clinical trial registration: NCT05577338; ClinicalTrials.gov, Introduction Schizophrenia is a chronic mental disorder expressed as a complex behavioural syndrome with a heterogeneous combination of psychotic symptoms (e.g., delusions, hallucinations and disorganization) and cognitive dysfunctions, which may [...]

Background: Coronary artery disease (CAD) is a multifactorial immune disease, but research into the specific immune mechanism is still needed. The present study aimed to identify novel immune-related markers of CAD.Methods: Three CAD-related datasets (GSE12288, GSE98583, GSE113079) were downloaded from the Gene Expression Integrated Database. Gene ontology annotation, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis and weighted gene co-expression network analysis were performed on the common significantly differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of these three data sets, and the most relevant module genes for CAD obtained. The immune cell infiltration of module genes was evaluated with the CIBERSORT algorithm, and characteristic genes accompanied by their diagnostic effectiveness were screened by the machine-learning algorithm least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression analysis. The expression levels of characteristic genes were evaluated in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of CAD patients and healthy controls for verification.Results: A total of 204 upregulated and 339 downregulated DEGs were identified, which were mainly enriched in the following pathways: "Apoptosis", "Th17 cell differentiation", "Th1 and Th2 cell differentiation", "Glycerolipid metabolism", and "Fat digestion and absorption". Five characteristic genes, LMAN1L, DOK4, CHFR, CEL and CCDC28A, were identified by LASSO analysis, and the results of the immune cell infiltration analysis indicated that the proportion of immune infiltrating cells (activated CD8 T cells and CD56 DIM natural killer cells) in the CAD group was lower than that in the control group. The expressions of CHFR, CEL and CCDC28A in the peripheral blood of the healthy controls and CAD patients were significantly different.Conclusion: We identified CHFR, CEL and CCDC28A as potential biomarkers related to immune infiltration in CAD based on public data sets and clinical samples. This finding will contribute to providing a potential target for early noninvasive diagnosis and immunotherapy of CAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The angular gyrus (AG), given its rich connectivity and its location where multisensory information converges, is a functionally and anatomically heterogeneous structure. Using the state‐of‐the‐art functional gradient approach and transcription‐neuroimaging association analysis, we sought to determine whether there is an overarching hierarchical organization of the AG and if so, how it is modulated by the underlying genetic architecture. Resting‐state functional MRI data of 793 healthy subjects were obtained from discovery and validation datasets. Functional gradients of the AG were calculated based on the voxel‐wise AG‐to‐cerebrum functional connectivity patterns. Combined with the Allen Human Brain Atlas, we examined the spatial correlations between the AG functional gradient and gene expression. The dominant gradient topography showed a dorsoanterior–ventroposterior hierarchical organization of the AG, which was related to its intrinsic geometry. Concurrently, AG functional subdivisions corresponding to canonical functional networks (behavioral domains) were distributed along the dominant gradient in a hierarchical manner, that is, from the default mode network (abstract cognition) at one extreme to the visual and sensorimotor networks (perception and action) at the other extreme. Remarkably, we established a link between the AG dominant gradient and gene expression, with two gene sets strongly contributing to this link but diverging on their functional annotation and specific expression. Our findings represent a significant conceptual advance in AG functional organization, and may introduce novel approaches and testable questions to the investigation of AG function and anatomy in health and disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diverse functional roles of the insula may emerge from its heavy connectivity to an extensive network of cortical and subcortical areas. Despite several previous attempts to investigate the hierarchical organization of the insula by applying the recently developed gradient approach to insula‐to‐whole brain connectivity data, little is known about whether and how there is variability across connectivity gradients of the insula to different cerebral systems. Resting‐state functional MRI data from 793 healthy subjects were used to discover and validate functional connectivity gradients of the insula, which were computed based on its voxel‐wise functional connectivity profiles to distinct cerebral systems. We identified three primary patterns of functional connectivity gradients of the insula to distinct cerebral systems. The connectivity gradients to the higher‐order transmodal associative systems, including the prefrontal, posterior parietal, temporal cortices, and limbic lobule, showed a ventroanterior‐dorsal axis across the insula; those to the lower‐order unimodal primary systems, including the motor, somatosensory, and occipital cortices, displayed radiating transitions from dorsoanterior toward both ventroanterior and dorsoposterior parts of the insula; the connectivity gradient to the subcortical nuclei exhibited an organization along the anterior–posterior axis of the insula. Apart from complementing and extending previous literature on the heterogeneous connectivity patterns of insula subregions, the presented framework may offer ample opportunities to refine our understanding of the role of the insula in many brain disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human sensorimotor cortex has multiple subregions showing functional commonalities and differences, likely attributable to their connectivity profiles. However, the molecular substrates underlying such connectivity profiles are unclear. Here, transcriptome‐neuroimaging spatial correlation analyses were performed between transcriptomic data from the Allen human brain atlas and resting‐state functional connectivity (rsFC) of 24 fine‐grained sensorimotor subregions from 793 healthy subjects. Results showed that rsFC of six sensorimotor subregions were associated with expression measures of six gene sets that were specifically expressed in brain tissue. These sensorimotor subregions could be classified into the polygenic‐ and oligogenic‐modulated subregions, whose rsFC were related to gene sets diverging on their numbers (hundreds vs. dozens) and functional characteristics. First, the former were specifically expressed in multiple types of neurons and immune cells, yet the latter were not specifically expressed in any cortical cell types. Second, the former were preferentially expressed during the middle and late stages of cortical development, while the latter showed no preferential expression during any stages. Third, the former were prone to be enriched for general biological functions and pathways, but the latter for specialized biological functions and pathways. Fourth, the former were enriched for neuropsychiatric disorders, whereas this enrichment was absent for the latter. Finally, although the identified genes were commonly associated with sensorimotor behavioral processes, the polygenic‐modulated subregions associated genes were additionally related to vision and dementia. These findings may advance our understanding of the functional homogeneity and heterogeneity of the human sensorimotor cortex from the perspective of underlying genetic architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the flame retardancy of vinyl epoxy (VE) resins more effectively, a half‐cage and cage structure polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (P/N‐POSS) containing phosphorus and nitrogen was synthesized by a one‐step Kabachnik‐Fields reaction from paraformaldehyde, 9,10‐dihydro‐9‐oxa‐10‐phosphaphenanthrene‐10‐oxide (DOPO) and 3‐aminopropyltriethoxysilane. It was then blended with tetrabutyl titanate (TBT) in VE resins to construct a phosphorus‐nitrogen‐silicon‐titanium synergy flame retardant system. P/N‐POSS was well dispersed in the VE matrix at low loadings (≤4 wt%). With the addition of only 4 wt% P/N‐POSS and 0.2 wt% TBT, the LOI value reached 29.2 and the UL‐94 grade passed V‐1 rating. Moreover, compared with VE‐0, the peak heat release rate, total heat release, smoke production rate and total smoke production decreased significantly. The investigations on pyrolysis volatiles and char residue of cured VE composites revealed that the excellent flame retardancy of the VE composites were due to the superior free radical capturing ability, the dilution effect of P/N‐POSS in the gas phase, and the promoting the carbonation effect of P/N‐POSS, the catalyzing char formation ability of TBT in the condensed phase. Meanwhile, VE composites exhibited improved mechanical properties, thermal stabilities and retained the low viscosity and good processability of VE resins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing evidence indicates that gut microbiota can influence cognition via the gut–brain axis, and brain networks play a critical role during the process. However, little is known about how brain network topology and structural–functional connectivity (SC–FC) coupling contribute to gut microbiota-related cognition. Fecal samples were collected from 157 healthy young adults, and 16S amplicon sequencing was used to assess gut diversity and enterotypes. Topological properties of brain structural and functional networks were acquired by diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI data), and SC–FC coupling was further calculated. 3-Back, digit span, and Go/No-Go tasks were employed to assess cognition. Then, we tested for potential associations between gut microbiota, complex brain networks, and cognition. The results showed that gut microbiota could affect the global and regional topological properties of structural networks as well as node properties of functional networks. It is worthy of note that causal mediation analysis further validated that gut microbial diversity and enterotypes indirectly influence cognitive performance by mediating the small-worldness (Gamma and Sigma) of structural networks and some nodal metrics of functional networks (mainly distributed in the cingulate gyri and temporal lobe). Moreover, gut microbes could affect the degree of SC–FC coupling in the inferior occipital gyrus, fusiform gyrus, and medial superior frontal gyrus, which in turn influence cognition. Our findings revealed novel insights, which are essential to provide the foundation for previously unexplored network mechanisms in understanding cognitive impairment, particularly with respect to how brain connectivity participates in the complex crosstalk between gut microbiota and cognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a proof-of-concept that microbial metabolites provide a molecular connection between the gut and the brain. Extensive research has established a link between gut Bacteroides and human cognition, yet the metabolic and neural mechanisms underlying this association remain largely unknown. Here, we collected fecal samples, resting-state functional MRI, and cognitive data from a large and homogeneous sample of 157 healthy young adults. 16S rRNA gene sequencing was conducted with abundances of Bacteroides and metabolic pathways quantified by species annotation and functional prediction analyses, respectively. Large-scale intra- and internetwork functional connectivity was measured using independent component analysis. Results showed that gut Bacteroides were related to multiple metabolic pathways, which in turn were associated with widespread functional network connectivity. Furthermore, functional network connectivity mediated the associations between some Bacteroides- related metabolic pathways and cognition. Remarkably, arginine and proline metabolism, phenylalanine metabolism, and biosynthesis of unsaturated fatty acids act as the key metabolic pathways that are most contributive, and the executive control and sensorimotor systems contribute most strongly at the neural level. Our findings suggest complex poly-pathway and poly-network processes linking Bacteroides to cognition, more generally yielding a novel conceptualization of targeting gut Bacteroides as an intervention strategy for individuals with cognitive impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The thalamus is not only a key relay node of the thalamocortical circuit but also a hub in the regulation of gait. Previous studies of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) have shown static functional connectivity (FC) between the thalamus and the cortex are disrupted in Parkinson's disease (PD) patients with freezing of gait (FOG). However, temporal dynamic FC between the thalamus and the cortex has not yet been characterized in these patients. Methods: Fifty PD patients, including 25 PD patients with FOG (PD-FOG) and 25 PD patients without FOG (PD-NFOG), and 25 healthy controls (HC) underwent resting-state fMRI. Seed-voxel-wise static and dynamic FC were calculated between each thalamic nuclei and other voxels across the brain using the 14 thalamic nuclei in both hemispheres as regions of interest. Associations between altered thalamic FC based on significant inter-group differences and severity of FOG symptoms were also examined in PD-FOG. Results: Both PD-FOG and PD-NFOG showed lower static FC between the right lateral posterior thalamic nuclei and right inferior parietal lobule (IPL) compared with HC. Altered FC dynamics between the thalamic nuclei and several cortical areas were identified in PD-FOG, as shown by temporal dynamic FC analyses. Specifically, relative to PD-NFOG or HC, PD-FOG showed greater fluctuations in FC between the left intralaminar (IL) nuclei and right IPL and between the left medial geniculate and left postcentral gyrus. Furthermore, the dynamics of FC between the left pulvinar anterior nuclei and left inferior frontal gyrus were upregulated in both PD-FOG and PD-NFOG. The dynamics of FC between the right ventral lateral nuclei and left paracentral lobule were elevated in PD-NFOG but were maintained in PD-FOG and HC. The quantitative variability of FC between the left IL nuclei and right IPL was positively correlated with the clinical scales scores in PD-FOG. Conclusions: Dynamic FC between the thalamic nuclei and relevant associative cortical areas involved in sensorimotor integration or cognitive function was disrupted in PD-FOG, which was reflected by greater temporal fluctuations. Abnormal dynamic FC between the left IL nuclei of the thalamus and right IPL was related to the severity of FOG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Network neuroscience has broadly conceptualized the functions of the brain as complex communication within and between large‐scale neural networks. Nevertheless, whether and how the gut microbiota influence functional network connectivity that in turn impact human behaviors has yet to be determined. We collected fecal samples from 157 healthy young adults and used 16S sequencing to assess gut microbial diversity and enterotypes. Large‐scale inter‐ and intranetwork functional connectivity was measured using a combination of resting‐state functional MRI data and independent component analysis. Sleep quality and core executive functions were also evaluated. Then, we tested for potential associations between gut microbiota, functional network connectivity and behaviors. We found significant associations of gut microbial diversity with internetwork functional connectivity between the executive control, default mode and sensorimotor systems, and intranetwork connectivity of the executive control system. Moreover, some internetwork functional connectivity mediated the relations of microbial diversity with sleep quality, working memory, and attention. In addition, there was a significant effect of enterotypes on intranetwork connectivity of the executive control system, which could mediate the link between enterotypes and executive function. Our findings not only may expand existing biological knowledge of the gut microbiota‐brain‐behavior relationships from the perspective of large‐scale functional network organization, but also may ultimately inform a translational conceptualization of how to improve sleep quality and executive functions through the regulation of gut microbiota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous neuroimaging studies have demonstrated brain abnormalities in patients with hepatic diseases. However, the identified liver–brain associations are largely limited to disease-affected populations, and the nature and extent of such relations in healthy subjects remain unclear. We hypothesized that serum liver function markers within a normal level would affect brain properties. Method: One hundred fifty-seven healthy young adults underwent structural, resting-state functional, and arterial spin labeling MRI scans. Gray matter volume (GMV), regional homogeneity (ReHo), and cerebral blood flow (CBF) analyses were performed to assess brain structure, function, and perfusion, respectively. Peripheral venous blood samples were collected to measure serum liver function markers. Correlation analyses were conducted to test potential associations between liver function markers and brain imaging parameters. Results: First, serum proteins showed relations to brain structure characterized by higher albumin associated with increased GMV in the parahippocampal gyrus and amygdala and lower globulin and a higher albumin/globulin ratio with increased GMV in the olfactory cortex and parahippocampal gyrus. Second, serum bilirubin was linked to brain function characterized by higher bilirubin associated with increased ReHo in the precuneus, middle cingulate gyrus, inferior parietal lobule, and supramarginal gyrus and decreased ReHo in the caudate nucleus. Third, serum alanine transaminase (ALT) was related to brain perfusion characterized by higher ALT associated with increased CBF in the superior frontal gyrus and decreased CBF in the middle occipital gyrus, angular gyrus, precuneus, and middle temporal gyrus. More importantly, we found that CBF in the superior frontal gyrus was a significant mediator of the association between serum ALT level and working memory performance. Conclusion: These findings may not only expand existing knowledge about the relationship between the liver and the brain but also have clinical implications for studying brain impairments secondary to liver diseases as well as providing potential neural targets for their diagnosis and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, Protaetia brevitarsis Lewis has gradually become an important pest of several crops including grape (Vitis vinifera L.) and peach (Amygdalus persica L.) in Xinjiang, China. Toward improving trapping efficacy as part of a management program, various colors, types, and placement of traps and the use of an attractant were evaluated in field and laboratory studies. Laboratory color-choice tests and field tests indicated that P. brevitarsis adults preferred red. In trap placement tests, more adults were captured on traps placed 1 or 1.5 m above the ground and on top of the horizontal grape canopy. Before grape ripening, more adults were captured in traps placed in a 0.5-m border around the outside edge of the vineyard; during grape ripening, more were caught within the vineyard. Newly designed traps that were red, with a triangular baffle and a landing plate, were more efficient than traditional bucket-shaped traps. When P. brevitarsis adults were trapped and killed from June to July 2018, the population of P. brevitarsis adults in August to early September 2018 was significantly lower than in August to early September 2017, when adults had not been trapped and killed in the prior 2 mo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]