The Longitudinal Relationships among Casual Sex and Psychological Well-Being in Chinese College Student

This study integrates the important psychological well-being indicators (i.e., life satisfaction, psychological distress, and self-esteem) into a model framework. We used a cross-lagged panel design (CLPD) to examine the bidirectional relationship between casual sex and psychological well-being among Chinese college students. Chinese college students (N = 833) completed self-report measures (i.e., hookup behavior, life satisfaction, psychological distress, and self-esteem) at six-month intervals. The results show that the ratio of college students who reported engaging in at least one hookup experience in the past year or half a year was lower than that of Western college students. We find that college students with hookup behavior had poorer psychological well-being in later six months than those who did not engage in hookup behavior. However, previous psychological well-being did not predict subsequent hookup behavior. We discuss these findings in terms of China's unique sexual culture to provide useful information for preventing and interfering with risky sexual behaviors and their negative consequences among Chinese college students. Specifically, this study could provide students with a more in-depth understanding of associated risks, assisting those engaged in or intending to engage in hookups to evaluate the advantages and drawbacks of such behavior. Furthermore, it underscores the importance of implementing targeted educational programs in China that address the psychological consequences of casual sex.

Understanding Perceived Problematic Pornography Use with the Differential Susceptibility to Media Effects Model

Problematic pornography use and its adverse consequences are prevalent, but little is known about its psychosocial contributors. Drawing on the Differential Susceptibility to Media Effects Model (DSMM), this study explores whether and how perceived problematic Internet pornography use is associated with psychological factors from three domains: social (i.e., family adaptability), dispositional (i.e., self-acceptance), and development factors (i.e., impulse control difficulties). Analysis of an anonymous survey of 1,483 Chinese emerging adults showed that family adaptability and self-acceptance were negatively correlated with perceived problematic pornography use, whereas impulse control difficulties were positively correlated with perceived problematic pornography use. Self-acceptance mediated the association between family adaptability and perceived problematic pornography use. Impulse control difficulties moderated such mediation effect, in which the protective effect of family adaptability on self-acceptance and that of self-acceptance on perceived problematic pornography use were attenuated by impulse control difficulties. These findings advance understanding of the complex underlying psychosocial mechanisms of perceived problematic pornography use by providing evidence to the applicability of DSMM on such problematic use and clarifying the direct, indirect, and/or moderating role(s) of family adaptability, self-acceptance, and impulse control difficulties in those mechanisms. They also provide insights for targeted approaches in future intervention programs among emerging adults.

Coronavirus Disease 2019-Related Stigma in China: A Descriptive Study

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) tremendously impacts the physical and mental health of humans worldwide. Consequently, studies on COVID-19 remain extensive. However, most of them were mainly focused on the pathological mechanisms and treatment methods from medical perspectives. Various reports have indicated that COVID-19 is closely related to stigma and discrimination, but little statistical information has been integrated quantitatively to describe the situation in China. Thus, this study investigated the COVID-19-related stigma of individuals. We collected the online survey data from 1,920 Chinese participants from October to December 2020. Findings showed that 306 (15.94%), 285 (14.84%), 265 (13.80%), and 100 (5.21%) participants endorsed stigma toward individuals in high-risk areas, recovered patients with COVID-19, families of recovered patients with COVID-19, and frontline healthcare providers, respectively. To understand the possible factors that could impact the COVID-19-related stigma, knowledge about COVID-19 was investigated. Generally, knowledge about COVID-19 was negatively associated with COVID-19-related stigma in general, while no significant relationship existed between the knowledge about COVID-19 and the COVID-19-related stigma in the groups who had held COVID-19-related stigma. Ultimately, individuals showed COVID-19-related stigma toward recovered patients and their families, individuals in high-risk areas, and frontline healthcare providers to some extent. The results of this study can provide reference to nations, governments, and organizations in addressing the stigma issues raised by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Induction of tumoricidal activity in mouse peritoneal macrophages by ginseng polysaccharide

This study examined the effects of ginseng polysaccharide (GPS) on mouse peritoneal macrophage (PM)-mediated cytotoxicity towards K562, HL-60, or KG1alpha cells. GPS had no direct effect on killing of tumor cells. However, when mouse PMs were treated with GPS, cytotoxic activity against K562, HL-60, or KG1alpha cells was significantly induced. In addition, phagocytic activity was enhanced in GPS-treated mouse PMs compared to the control. The expressions of CD(68), ACP and alpha-ANE in mouse PMs were increased by the treatment with GPS. Moreover, the levels of cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1 (IL-1), IL-6 were increased and the production of nitric oxide (NO) was enhanced. Taken together, these results suggest that GPS possess a potent antitumor activity by stimulating macrophage and a potentiality as an immunomodulator against diseases such as cancer.

Total saponins of Panax ginseng (TSPG) promote erythroid differentiation of human CD34+ cells via EpoR-mediated JAK2/STAT5 signaling pathway

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

Total saponins of Panax ginseng (TSPG), main constituents extracted from Panax ginseng, a highly valued traditional Chinese medicine, have been shown to be an effective agent on hematopoiesis.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect and mechanism underlying in which TSPG promote human CD34(+) hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells to differentiate into erythroid-lineage cells.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The effect of TSPG on erythroid differentiation of purified CD34(+) cells derived from umbilical cord blood (UCB) was determined by methylcellulose assay system and colorimetry for hemoglobin content. The changes of EpoR expression in umbilical cord blood mononuclear cells (UCB-MNCs) and purified CD34(+) cells were detected with Western blotting and flow cytometry, respectively, and observed under laser scanning confocal microscope (LSCM). RT-PCR was performed to examine EpoR mRNA expression in CD34(+) cells. The effects of TSPG-pretreatment on Epo-induced JAK(2) and STAT(5) tyrosine phosphorylation were analyzed by immunoprecipitation.

RESULTS

The addition of TSPG (20-70 mg/L) increased the colony formation rate of BFU-E. TSPG (50 mg/L) alone used significantly increased the hemoglobin content, the addition of AG490 evidently reduced TSPG-induced elevation of hemoglobin content. TSPG increased the expression of EpoR on the surface membrane of CD34(+) cells but did not change the expression of EpoR in total UCB-MNCs. TSPG also increased the expression of EpoR mRNA in CD34(+) cells. TSPG markedly enhanced Epo-induced tyrosine phosphorylation of JAK(2) and STAT(5) in UCB-MNCs.

CONCLUSION

These findings suggest that TSPG may enhance the erythroid differentiation of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells via Epo/EpoR-mediated JAK(2)/STAT(5) signaling pathway.

Molecular assessment of salt-tolerant, perchlorate- and nitrate-reducing microbial cultures

The microbial ecology of enrichment cultures adapted to the removal of perchlorate and nitrate from high salt solutions and ion-exchange brines was examined over a period of four years using denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis and total DNA extraction with cloning and in each case partial sequencing of the 16S rDNA genes. The cultures studied were a result of enrichment from marine sediment inoculum initiated in 2001. The resulting enrichment cultures were fed perchlorate, or perchlorate and nitrate, in a 3% (w/v) NaCl defined medium or ion-exchange brines (5.6% NaCl) containing perchlorate and nitrate with acetate as the electron donor. All of the sequences' closest matches in the NCBI GenBank database were to marine or salt-tolerant organisms. Strains belonging to the genera Halomonas or Marinobacter were found to dominate in cultures that were fed nitrate in addition to perchlorate, but were effectively absent from cultures fed perchlorate alone. The cultures fed perchlorate as the sole electron acceptor were relatively diverse with the dominant sequences belonging to the genera Dechloromarinus and Denitromonas. A study examining the effects of growing the cultures on different electron acceptors to the cultures revealed that Denitromonas may be more dominant than Dechloromarinus as the salt-tolerant, perchlorate-reducing organism.

Fluidized bed reactor for the biological treatment of ion-exchange brine containing perchlorate and nitrate

The removal of perchlorate and nitrate from contaminated drinking water using regenerable ion-exchange processes produces a high salt brine (3-10% NaCl) laden with high concentrations of perchlorate and nitrate. This bench-scale research describes the operation of acetate-fed granular activated carbon (GAC) based fluidized bed reactors (FBR) for perchlorate-only, and combined nitrate and perchlorate removal from synthetic brine (6% NaCl). The GAC was inoculated with a salt-tolerant culture developed by the authors and used previously in batch systems. An FBR was an effective design for perchlorate reduction and exhibited first-order degradation kinetics with respect to perchlorate concentrations. Nitrate was also removed by the organisms in the column and had no negative effects on the removal of perchlorate using the FBR design. However, at higher concentrations of nitrate the FBR was more difficult to operate due to loss of carbon and biomass from the formation of nitrogen bubbles and the high recycle flow rates needed.

Electron impact mass spectral fragmentation of 2a,4-disubstituted 2-chloro/2,2-dichloro-2,2a,3,4-tetrahydro-1H-azeto[2,1-d][1,5]benzothia zepin-1-ones

The mass spectrometric behaviour of nine 2a,4-disubstituted 2-chloro/2,2-dichloro-2,2a,3,4-tetrahydro-1H-azeto[2,1-d][1,5]b enzothiazepin-1-ones has been studied with the aid of mass-analysed ion kinetic energy spectrometry and accurate mass measurements under electron impact ionization. All compounds show a tendency to eliminate a neutral chlorine atom, or a chloroketene, or neutral propene, or styrene or substituted styrene molecule, plus Cl and/or H (or Cl) atom(s), to yield [M-Cl]+ ions, 2,3-dihydro-1,5-benzothiazepine derivative ions, 4,5-dihydro-5H-1,5-benzothiazepin-4-one ions which can further lose CO to give 1,4-benzothiazine ions. Both molecular ions and [M-Cl]+ ions show a tendency to eliminate an ethyl or benzyl/substituted benzyl radical to produce 2,2a-dihydro-1H-azeto[2,1-c][1,4]benzothiazin-1-one ions. The [M-Cl]+ ions could undergo rearrangement to yield 2,2a-dihydro-1H-azeto[2,1-d][1,5]benzothiazepin-1-one ions, 2,2a,3,4-tetrahydro-1H-azeto[1,2-a]quinoline ions or 1,1a,2,3-tetrahydro-azirino[2,1-d][1,5]benzothiazepine ions by loss of an ethane or a benzene/substituted benzene, a SH radical or a CO molecule. The molecular ions could also undergo rearrangement reactions to form other small fragment ions.

Electron impact mass spectral studies of 2a,4-disubstituted 2-phthalimido-2,2a,3,4-tetrahydro-1H-azeto[2,1-d][1, 5]benzothiazepin-1-ones

The mass spectrometric behaviour of seven 2a,4-disubstituted 2-phthalimido-2,2a,3,4-tetrahydro-1H-azeto[2,1-d][1, 5]benzothiazepin-1-ones has been studied with the aid of mass-analyzed ion kinetic energy spectrometry and accurate mass measurements under electron impact ionization. All compounds show a tendency to eliminate a CO molecule, a phthalimido (PhthN) radical, or a phthalimide (PhthNH) molecule. All of the resulting fragment ions could further lose a propene or (substituted) styrene molecule. The molecular ions could also undergo a reverse [2 + 2] cycloaddition reaction.

Electron impact mass spectral fragmentation patterns of 2a,4-disubstituted 5-benzoyl-2-chloro-2a,3,4,5-tetrahydroazeto[1,2-a][1,5]benzodiazepin-1( 2H)-ones

The mass spectrometric behaviour of six 2a,4-disubstituted 5-benzoyl-2-chloro-2a,3,4,5-tetrahydroazeto[1,2-a][1,5]benzodia zepin-1(2H)-ones has been studied with the aid of mass-analysed ion kinetic energy spectrometry and accurate mass measurements under electron impact ionization. All compounds show a tendency to eliminate a chlorine atom, a chlorine atom plus benzaldehyde, benzoyl radical, chloroketene or chlorine atom plus CO and H2O molecules to yield, respectively, [M-Cl]+ ions, 2a,4-disubstituted 2a,3-dihydroazeto[1,2-a][1,5]benzodiazepin-1(2H)-one ions, [M-PhCO]+ ions, 2,4-disubstituted 1-benzoyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-1,5-benzodiazepine ions, or 1,2,4-trisubstituted 1H-1,7-benzodiazonine ions, which could also be formed from [M-Cl]+ ions by loss of CO and H2O molecules simultaneously. The [M-Cl]+ ions could further lose benzoyl radical to form [M-Cl-PhCO]+ ions, or lose benzoyl amide and undergo a rearrangement to form 4,6-disubstituted 1-benzoazocine-2(1H)-one ions. The [M-PhCO]+ ions could eliminate NH to produce 2a,4-disubstituted 2,2a,3,4-tetrahydroazeto[1,2,-a]quinolin-1-one ions, which could further eliminate chloroketene, CO and/or HCl to produce some important ions, respectively. 2,4-Disubstituted 1-benzoyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-1,5-benzodiazepine ions could lose benzoyl radical to yield 2,4-disubstituted 2,3-dihydro-1H-1,5-benzodiazepine ions, which could further yield other small fragment ions by loss of propene/styrene or small fragments.

[The multi-channel VEPs topography in optic neuritis]

The multi-channel VEPs topographies of 20 normal persons and 22 patients suffered from optic neuritis were recorded. In normal subjects, the topography showed symmetric distribution by full-field stimulation and paradoxical lateralization by half-field stimulation. In patients with optic neuritis, it showed asymmetric distribution most on the temperal side, some on the nasal side and occasionally in the middle by full-field stimulation. The result suggests that the optic nerve may be damaged on either temperal or nasal. The effect of the early diagnosis and evaluating treatment using topography is also discussed.