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BackgroundAn increasing body of evidence suggests a profound interrelation between the microbiome and sleep-related concerns. Nevertheless, current observational studies can merely establish their correlation, leaving causality unexplored.Study objectivesTo ascertain whether specific gut microbiota are causally linked to seven sleep-related characteristics and propose potential strategies for insomnia prevention.MethodsThe study employed an extensive dataset of gut microbiota genetic variations from the MiBioGen alliance, encompassing 18,340 individuals. Taxonomic classification was conducted, identifying 131 genera and 196 bacterial taxa for analysis. Sleep-related phenotype (SRP) data were sourced from the IEU OpenGWAS project, covering traits such as insomnia, chronotype, and snoring. Instrumental variables (IVs) were selected based on specific criteria, including locus-wide significance, linkage disequilibrium calculations, and allele frequency thresholds. Statistical methods were employed to explore causal relationships, including inverse variance weighted (IVW), MR-Egger, weighted median, and weighted Mode. Sensitivity analyses, pleiotropy assessments, and Bonferroni corrections ensured result validity. Reverse causality analysis and adherence to STROBE-MR guidelines were conducted to bolster the study’s rigor.ResultsBidirectional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis reveals a causative interplay between selected gut microbiota and sleep-related phenotypes. Notably, outcomes from the rigorously Bonferroni-corrected examination illuminate profound correlations amid precise compositions of the intestinal microbiome and slumber-associated parameters. Elevated abundance within the taxonomic ranks of class Negativicutes and order Selenomonadales was markedly associated with heightened susceptibility to severe insomnia (OR = 1.03, 95% CI: 1.02–1.05, p = 0.0001). Conversely, the augmented representation of the phylum Lentisphaerae stands in concord with protracted sleep duration (OR = 1.02, 95% CI: 1.01–1.04, p = 0.0005). Furthermore, heightened exposure to the genus Senegalimassilia exhibits the potential to ameliorate the manifestation of snoring symptoms (OR = 0.98, 95% CI: 0.96–0.99, p = 0.0001).ConclusionThis study has unveiled the causal relationship between gut microbiota and SRPs, bestowing significant latent value upon future endeavors in both foundational research and clinical therapy.

Background: Shanghai reported more than 600,000 Omicron COVID-19 cases between March 1, 2022, and June 30, 2022. Omicron-infected patients with no, mild, or moderate symptoms were transferred to the nearest Fangcang hospital, buildings constructed exclusively for the isolation and treatment of COVID-19 patients, according to the protocol for COVID‐19 diagnosis in China during that period. Methods: This was a cohort study with data collected via online questionnaires and electronic medical records (EMR) from April 15, 2022, to May 7, 2022, from a block in a Shanghai Fangcang hospital. The Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) were used. Survival analysis techniques, including Kaplan–Meier (KM) curves and univariate and multivariate Cox regression models with time-varying coefficients, were used to analyze the association between sleep quality during SARS-CoV-2 infection and the duration of viral shedding (DVS). Results: Data from 688 participants were used in the data analysis. KM curves showed that COVID-19 patients with insomnia generally had a longer DVS than those without insomnia. Cox proportional hazards regression models suggested that the insomnia group was significantly less likely to recover from SARS-CoV-2 infection within 7 days after diagnosis than the noninsomnia group. A higher probability of rapid recovery from COVID-19 was also associated with younger age, higher HADS-A scores (i.e., increased anxiety), and lower HADS-D scores (i.e., lower depression). Conclusions: For COVID-19 patients, sleep status, anxiety and depression symptoms, and age merit greater attention. Future studies should investigate whether lifestyle interventions can reduce the risk of developing postinfection syndromes or mitigating such symptoms.

New three-dimensional (3D) lanthanide framework compounds supported by bridging thiocyanate ligand and K+ cations, K4[Ln(NCS)4(H2O)4](NCS)3(H2O)2(1: Ln = Dy, 2: Ln = Tb, 3: Ln = Gd) have been synthesized. A single-crystal X-ray diffraction study showed that all three compounds were isostructural and crystallized in the I 2/a space group. The K+ ion form 2D layers with thiocyanates which are further linked by [Ln(NCS)4(H2O)4]- complexes and additional thiocyanate ions to generate an interesting 3D framework structure. Compound 1 shows slow magnetic relaxation behavior under a zero direct current (DC) field, indicating that 1 behaves as a single-ion magnet (SIM). As estimated from AC magnetic measurements, the effective energy barrier for spin reversal in 1 was Ueff = 42 cm–1. Slow relaxation of magnetization under a small external DC field was also detected for 2 and 3 at 1.8 K.

BackgroundThe aim of this study was to investigate the functional abnormalities between the nucleus accumbens (NAc) and the whole brain in individuals with Insomnia Disorder (ID) using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Additionally, the study aimed to explore the underlying neural mechanisms of ID.MethodsWe enrolled 18 participants with ID and 16 normal controls (NC). Resting-state functional connectivity (FC) between the NAc and the whole brain voxels was calculated and compared between the two groups to identify differential brain region. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was employed to assess the ability of differential features to distinguish between groups. Furthermore, Pearson correlation analysis was performed to examine the relationship between neurocognitive scores and differential features.ResultsThe ID group exhibited significantly reduced FC values in several brain regions, including the right supplementary motor area, the bilateral middle frontal gyrus, the bilateral median cingulate and paracingulate gyri and the left precuneus. The area under the curve (AUC) of the classification model based on FC in these brain regions was 83.3%. Additionally, the abnormal functional changes observed in ID patients were positively correlated with the Fatigue Severity Scale (R = 0.650, p = 0.004).ConclusionThese findings suggest that the NAc may play a crucial role in the diagnosis of ID and could serve as a potential imaging biomarker, providing insights into the underlying neural mechanisms of the disorder.

In the past decade, there have been significant advancements in the investigation of coherence-related phenomena in organic systems such as biological photosynthetic reaction centers. The d8 Pt(II) dinuclear complex or molecular aggregate with a metal–metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MMLCT) or metal-centered (MC) excited state was reported to show the vibrational coherence phenomenon in the intersystem crossing (ISC) process, due to the Metal–metal (M-M) interaction at excited state. In this study, we review the coherence effect in the Pt(II)-Pt(II) complexes which are speculated to be a coherent energy conversion system. The impacts of coherence on the photo-physics of Pt(II) dinuclear complexes have been discussed and reviewed, including the intersystem crossing process and vibrational wavepacket dynamics.

ObjectiveThe number of citations to a paper represents the weight of that work in a particular area of interest. Several highly cited papers are listed in the bibliometric analysis. This study aimed to identify and analyze the 100 most cited papers in insomnia research that might appeal to researchers and clinicians.MethodsWe reviewed the Web of Science (WOS) Core Collection database to identify articles from 1985 to 24 March 2022. The R bibliometric package was used to further analyze citation counts, authors, year of publication, source journal, geographical origin, subject, article type, and level of evidence. Word co-occurrence in 100 articles was visualized using VOS viewer software.ResultsA total of 44,654 manuscripts were searched on the Web of Science. Between 2001 and 2021, the top 100 influential manuscripts were published, with a total citation frequency of 38,463. The top countries and institutions contributing to the field were the U.S. and Duke University. Morin C.M. was the most productive author, ranking first in citations. Sleep had the highest number of manuscripts published in the top 100 (n = 31), followed by Sleep Medicine Reviews (n = 9). The most cited manuscript (Bastien et al., Sleep Medicine, 2001; 3,384 citations) reported clinical validation of the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) as a brief screening indicator for insomnia and as an outcome indicator for treatment studies. Co-occurrence analyses suggest that psychiatric disorders combined with insomnia and cognitive behavioral therapy remain future research trends.ConclusionThis study provides a detailed list of the most cited articles on insomnia. The analysis provides researchers and clinicians with a detailed overview of the most cited papers on insomnia over the past two decades. Notably, COVID-19, anxiety, depression, CBT, and sleep microstructure are potential areas of focus for future research.

BackgroundPrevious studies show that insomnia and hypertension are closely related. Currently, intervention for hypertension with insomnia has become a research hotspot. Acupuncture, as a representative non-pharmaceutical therapy of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has been widely used in improving insomnia and hypertension. However, there are few clinical studies on acupuncture for hypertension with insomnia.MethodsA single-center, subject-and-assessor-blind, randomized, sham-controlled trial has been designed for a study to be conducted in Jiangsu Province Hospital of Chinese Medicine. Sixty eligible patients will be randomly assigned to the treatment group and the control group in a 1:1 ratio. The treatment group will receive acupuncture treatment, while the control group will receive sham acupuncture treatment. Both groups will be treated three times per week for 4 weeks. Data will be collected at baseline and after 4 weeks of treatment and analyzed by using SPSS 25.0. The primary outcome measures are sleep parameters of portable polysomnography before and after treatment. Secondary outcomes are Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, Insomnia Severity Index, home blood pressure, and heart rate variability.DiscussionThis study aims to evaluate the efficacy of acupuncture using the portable polysomnography combined with sleep scales, and analyze heart rate variability to preliminarily explore the underlying mechanism of acupuncture on hypertension with insomnia. The trail, if proven to be effective, will provide strong scientific evidence to support acupuncture is effective to manage patients for hypertension with insomnia.Clinical trial registrationChiCTR2200059161.

BackgroundStudies on the efficacy of acupuncture and auricular acupressure on sleep disturbances in cancer patients have been growing, but there is no specific and comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis. This review aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture and auricular acupressure on sleep disturbances in cancer survivors based on existing randomized clinical trials (RCTs).MethodsFour English-language and four Chinese-language biomedical databases were searched for RCTs published from database inception to July 30, 2021. RCTs comparing acupuncture and auricular acupressure with sham control, drug therapy, behavior therapy, or usual care for managing cancer were included. The quality of RCTs was appraised with the Cochrane Collaboration risk of bias (ROB) tool. Mean differences (MDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated for the effect sizes.ResultsThirteen RCTs with 961 patients were included. The risk of performance bias or reporting bias for most of the included trials was high or unclear. Evidence was not found for short-term effects on sleep scales compared to sham control (MD, 1.98; 95% CI, 0.33–3.64; p = 0.02; I2 = 36%), wait list control (MD, 0.40; 95% CI, −0.87–1.68; p = 0.54; I2 = 49%), drug therapy (MD, 1.18; 95% CI, −3.09–5.46; p = 0.59; I2 = 98%). For long-term effect, two sham-controlled RCTs showed no significance of acupuncture on insomnia scale scores (MD, 1.71; 95% CI, −2.38–5.81; p = 0.41; I2 = 89%). Subgroup analyses suggested no evidence that auricular acupressure (MD, 3.14; 95% CI=1.52, 4.76; p = 0.0001; I2 = 0%) or acupuncture (MD, 0.54; 95% CI=−1.27, 2.34; p = 0.56; I2 = 0%) was associated with the reduction in insomnia scale scores.ConclusionsThis systematic review and meta-analysis found no evidence about acupuncture or auricular acupressure in the improvement of sleep disturbances in cancer survivors in terms of short- or long-term effect. Adverse events were minor. The finding was inconsistent with previous research and suggested that more well-designed and large-scale randomized controlled trials are needed to identify the efficacy of acupuncture and auricular acupressure for sleep disturbances in cancer survivors.Systematic Review Registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, CRD42020171612.

A new molecular conductor of (TMTSF)5[Dy(NCS)4(NO3)2]CHCl3 was prepared using the electrochemical oxidation method. The complex crystallizes in the Cmc21 (36) space group, where the partially-oxidized TMTSF molecules form a 1D (one-dimensional) column structure. The crystal shows a semiconducting behavior with a room temperature conductivity of 0.2 S·cm−1 and an activation energy of 34 meV at ambient pressure.

Abstract Background Acupuncture, as an important component of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), has been widely applied in the treatment of chronic insomnia in China, while there is no clinical study related to its therapeutic mechanism. Methods/design A single-center, single-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial will be conducted at Jiangsu Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine. A total of 60 patients will be registered. Eligible participants will be randomly divided into acupuncture group and sham acupuncture group (n = 30 cases in each group). Patients in both groups will be treated once every other day, three times per week for 4 weeks. The primary outcome measures are Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and concentrations of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ATCH), corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH), and cortisol (CORT). Secondary outcome measures are Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). Discussion This study aims to evaluate the therapeutic effects of acupuncture on chronic insomnia by using PSQI, ISI, and FSS. The mechanism of acupuncture on CIPs will be preliminarily discussed by analyzing the changes in concentrations of CRH, ACTH, and CORT before and after treatment. Trial registration Chinese Clinical Trials Register, ChiCTR1800020298.

IntroductionAcute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) constitute myeloid malignancies, and allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) is considered as a potentially optimal approach for achieving a long term cure. However, post-allo-HSCT relapse remains a leading cause of mortality and therapeutic failure.MethodsTo evaluate the efficacy and safety of combining hypomethylating agents (HMAs) with Bcl-2 inhibitors in the treatment of AML/MDS relapse following allo-HSCT, we retrospectively collected data from 42 patients who experienced relapse between April 2012 and March 2022 at Peking University First Hospital. Among these patients, 21 underwent intensive chemotherapy (IC) alone, while the other 21 received treatment with HMAs after IC treatment, either alone or in combination with the Bcl-2 inhibitor venetoclax (VEN).ResultsThe median overall survival (OS) was 9 ± 2.153 months, and the one-year OS rate was 41.5%. The overall response rate (ORR) in the chemotherapy group and the IC+HMAs ± VEN group was 52.38% (11/21) and 76.19% (16/21), respectively, with no significant difference found (P=0.107). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed a significant difference in OS between the chemotherapy group and the IC+HMAs ± VEN group in our retrospective cohort study (P=0.041, χ2= 4.016). Additionally, a significant difference in overall survival (OS) rates was observed between the two groups for patients categorized as intermediate/high risk (P=0.008). The secondary relapse rate was 45.45% (5/11) in the IC cohort and 25% (4/16) in the IC+HMAs ± VEN group, respectively, with no significant difference identified between the two cohorts (P=0.268). Furthermore, upon assessing the risk of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD), infection, and agranulocytosis, no notable differences were observed with the use of HMAs, suggesting that HMAs did not increase the risk. In the IC+HMAs ± VEN group, 7 patients received VEN in addition to HMAs, and no significant statistical difference was found in OS when comparing patients who received HMAs alone and those who received HMA+VEN (P=0.183), also, a statistically significant difference in OS was noted between the two groups whenaccounting for competing risks (P=0.028).ConclusionsThis retrospective study highlights the efficacy of IC+HMAs ± VEN in treating AML/MDS patients experiencing relapse post allo-HSCT, improving survival rates, especially for those classified as intermediate/high risk, with favorable tolerability.

BackgroundThe relationship between thiamine intake and risk for peripheral artery disease (PAD) is unknown. We aimed to clarify the role of thiamine intake on risk for PAD and the implications of this relationship. The secondary objective of this study is to explore the potential non-linear dose–response relationship between exposure to thiamine intake and outcome risk for PAD.MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional study involving 6,112 participants with US adults from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999–2004). Logistic regression and restricted cubic spline were utilized to substantiate the research objectives.ResultsThe overall prevalence of risk for PAD was 7.9, 51% in males and 49% in females. After multivariable adjustment, lower thiamine intake was significantly and nonlinearly associated with higher risks of PAD among participants. Furthermore, we discovered L-shaped associations (p = 0.082) between thiamine intake and the risk of PAD, with an inflection point at 0.66 mg/day. Accordingly, in the threshold effect analysis, there was an inverse association between dietary thiamine intake and the risk in participants with dietary thiamine intake 0.05).ConclusionA non-linear association was revealed, showing that low and high levels of thiamine intake were associated with an increased the risk of peripheral artery disease in American adults. The inflection point at 0.66 mg/day and lower risk of PAD at 0.65–1.13mg/day of dietary thiamine intake may represent intervention targets for lowering the risk of PAD. The findings of this study require further validation and confirmation.

BackgroundPeripheral Artery Disease (PAD) is a common vascular disorder typically caused by atherosclerosis, leading to impaired blood supply to the lower extremities, resulting in pain, necrosis, and even amputation. Despite extensive research into the pathogenesis of PAD, many mysteries remain, particularly regarding its association with human blood metabolites.MethodsTo explore the causal relationship between 1,400 serum metabolites and PAD, a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis was conducted. The Inverse Variance-Weighted (IVW) method was the primary technique used to estimate the causal impact of the metabolites on PAD. To enhance the analysis, several additional methods were employed: MR-Egger regression, weighted median, simple mode, and weighted mode. These methods provided a comprehensive evaluation beyond the primary IVW estimation. To ensure the validity of the MR findings, sensitivity analysis was performed. Furthermore, a bidirectional MR approach was applied to explore the possibility of a reverse causal effect between PAD and potential candidate metabolites.ResultsAfter rigorous selection, significant associations were found between 1-(1-enyl-stearoyl)-2-arachidonoyl-GPE (p-18:0/20:4) and X-17653 levels with PAD. 1-(1-enyl-stearoyl)-2-arachidonoyl-GPE (p-18:0/20:4) was positively associated with increased PAD risk (IVW OR = 1.13, 95% CI, 1.06–1.21; P

Biological experiments targeting the mammalian primary visual cortex have shown that neuronal response to a preferred orientation grating is cross-inhibited by an orthogonal orientation mask grating. The plaid formed by the overlap of the two gratings not only causes a decrease in the neuronal firing rate but also shifts the gamma oscillation to a weaker oscillation at a higher frequency. The mechanism for the above phenomena is unclarified. In this paper, a large-scale cortical neuronal network model with biological details is constructed. In this model, two modes of connectivity that may contribute to cross-inhibition are considered: the thalamo-cortical feedforward pathway and the push-pull organization of cortical layer 4. Based on this model, the modulation of firing rate and gamma oscillation by a plaid stimulation are successfully reproduced, which is consistent with biological experiments and suggests that it is the thalamo-cortical feedforward pathway that leads to cross-inhibition. Furthermore, our analysis of the neuronal spike clusters and current fluctuations suggests that the push-pull organization leads to an increase in gamma frequency during the transition of visual stimuli from grating to plaid by modulating the source of synaptic inhibition in local neuronal populations. Such results will help to understand the visual processing under multi-input integration.

Understanding the complex variations in water use efficiency (WUE) is critical for optimizing agricultural productivity and resource management. Traditional analytical methods often fail to capture the nonlinear and multiscale variations inherent in WUE, where multifractal theory offers distinct advantages. Given its limited application in WUE studies, this paper analyzes the spatiotemporal characteristics and influencing factors of the WUE in Anhui Province from 2001 to 2022 using a multifractal, multiscale approach. The results indicated that the WUE exhibited significant interannual variation, peaking in summer, especially in August (2.4552 gC·mm−1·m−2), with the monthly average showing an inverted “V” shape. Across different spatial and temporal scales, the WUE displayed clear multifractal characteristics. Temporally, the variation in fractal features between years was not prominent, while inter-seasonal variation was most complex in August during summer. Spatially, the most distinct multifractal patterns were observed in hilly and mountainous areas, particularly in regions with brown soil distribution. Rainfall was identified as the primary natural driver influencing regional WUE changes. This study aims to promote the sustainable use of water resources while ensuring the stability of agricultural production within protected farmlands.

ABSTRACT A dysfunction of human host genes and proteins in coronavirus infectious disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a key factor impacting clinical symptoms and outcomes. Yet, a detailed understanding of human host immune responses is still incomplete. Here, we applied RNA sequencing to 94 samples of COVID-19 patients with and without hematological tumors as well as COVID-19 uninfected non-tumor individuals to obtain a comprehensive transcriptome landscape of both hematological tumor patients and non-tumor individuals. In our analysis, we further accounted for the human-SARS-CoV-2 protein interactome, human protein interactome, and human protein complex subnetworks to understand the mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 infection and host immune responses. Our data sets enabled us to identify important SARS-CoV-2 (non-)targeted differentially expressed genes and complexes post-SARS-CoV-2 infection in both hematological tumor and non-tumor individuals. We found several unique differentially expressed genes, complexes, and functions/pathways such as blood coagulation (APOE, SERPINE1, SERPINE2, and TFPI), lipoprotein particle remodeling (APOC2, APOE, and CETP), and pro-B cell differentiation (IGHM, VPREB1, and IGLL1) during COVID-19 infection in patients with hematological tumors. In particular, APOE, a gene that is associated with both blood coagulation and lipoprotein particle remodeling, is not only upregulated in hematological tumor patients post-SARS-CoV-2 infection but also significantly expressed in acute dead patients with hematological tumors, providing clues for the design of future therapeutic strategies specifically targeting COVID-19 in patients with hematological tumors. Our data provide a rich resource for understanding the specific pathogenesis of COVID-19 in immunocompromised patients, such as those with hematological malignancies, and developing effective therapeutics for COVID-19.IMPORTANCEA majority of previous studies focused on the characterization of coronavirus infectious disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease severity in people with normal immunity, while the characterization of COVID-19 in immunocompromised populations is still limited. Our study profiles changes in the transcriptome landscape post-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in hematological tumor patients and non-tumor individuals. Furthermore, our integrative and comparative systems biology analysis of the interactome, complexome, and transcriptome provides new insights into the tumor-specific pathogenesis of COVID-19. Our findings confirm that SARS-CoV-2 potentially tends to target more non-functional host proteins to indirectly affect host immune responses in hematological tumor patients. The identified unique genes, complexes, functions/pathways, and expression patterns post-SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with hematological tumors increase our understanding of how SARS-CoV-2 manipulates the host molecular mechanism. Our observed differential genes/complexes and clinical indicators of normal/long infection and deceased COVID-19 patients provide clues for understanding the mechanism of COVID-19 progression in hematological tumors. Finally, our study provides an important data resource that supports the increasing value of the application of publicly accessible data sets to public health.

Based on a neural field network model with impulsive and random disturbances, a preview control method that makes full use of known future information is proposed to reduce the static error of the target signal and the transient oscillatory behavior of the controlled system when it receives random disturbance inputs. The preview controller for epileptic seizures is constructed, and the feasibility and effectiveness of clinical single-target and multi-target stimulation in epilepsy regulation are explored from a computational perspective. In addition, a performance index function is proposed to evaluate the energy consumption of controller with and without preview under different input (target) strategies. Suggestions for different strategies are given in terms of the individualized disease environment of patients. From the perspective of seizure control effectiveness and performance consumption, the results show that the preview controller has a greater advantage. The theory of preview control is applied to the control of epileptic seizures for the first time, and the conclusions of the multifaceted study provide some references for clinical trials and controller applications.