The dual facilitatory and inhibitory effects of social pain on physical pain perception

Pain is a multi-dimensional phenomenon that encompasses both physical pain experienced physiologically and social pain experienced emotionally. The interactions between them are thought to lead to increased pain load. However, the effect of social pain on physical pain perception during interactions remains unclear. Four experiments were conducted merging physical and social pains to examine the behavioral pattern and neural mechanism of the effect of social pain on physical pain perception. Seemingly paradoxical effects of social pain were observed, which both facilitated and inhibited physical pain perception under different attention orientations. Brain imaging revealed that the posterior insula encoded the facilitatory effect, whereas the frontal pole engaged in the inhibitory effect. At a higher level, the thalamus further modulated both processes, playing a switch-like role under different concern statuses of social pain. These results provide direct evidence for the dual-pathway mechanism of the effect of social pain on physical pain.

Improving food security and farmland carbon sequestration in China through enhanced rock weathering: Field evidence and potential assessment in different humid regions

Enhanced rock weathering (ERW) in farmland is an emerging carbon dioxide removal technology with crushed silicate rocks for soil improvement. However, due to climatic variability and field data limitations, uncertainties remain regarding the influence of ERW on food security and soil carbon pools in temperate regions. This study focused to evaluate the crop productivity and carbon sequestration potential of farmland ERW in China by conducting field monitoring in different humid regions and ERW performance model. Additionally, the contribution of climate, soil, and management factors to ERW-mediated yield and carbon sequestration changes was explored using random forest and correlation networks. Field monitoring indicated that farmland ERW significantly improved crop yield in humid region (13.5 ± 5.2 %), along with notable improvements in soil pH and available nutrients. Precipitation (10.4-16.7 %) and soil pH (9.7-16.8 %) had the highest contribution on ERW mediated yield and carbon sequestration changes, but the contribution of management factors (24-26.2 %), especially N input (2.7-7.0 %), should not be disregarded. The model evaluation demonstrated that the carbon sequestration rate of farmland ERW in China can reach 0.28-0.40 Gt yr-1, thereby presenting an opportunity to expand and accelerate the nationally determined contributions of China. The mean sequestration cost of farmland ERW was 633 ± 161 CNY ¥ t-CO2-1, which was an attractive sequestration price considering the positive benefits of rock powder on soil pH and nutrients. Deploying ERW in acidified and mineral nutrient deficient regions was able to serve as an alternative to lime and part chemical fertilizers to improve yield and maximize agricultural sustainability and resource co-benefits. Farmland ERW also has the potential to resource silicate waste to assist traditional, difficult-to-decarbonize industries to reduce carbon emissions. As a result, a comprehensive assessment of existing artificial silicate waste materials could further expand the application of farmland ERW.

Risk factors for delirium among hospitalized adults with COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies

OBJECTIVES

This study aims to systematically assess the risk factors, the overall strength of association, and evidence quality related to delirium among adults hospitalized with COVID-19.

METHODS

A comprehensive search was conducted in thirteen databases from inception to February 10, 2023. The included databases were thoroughly searched, including PubMed, Web of Science, Proquest, Ovid MEDLINE, CINAHL, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, FMRS, Wanfang Database, Chinese Biomedical Database (CBM), China Knowledge Resource Integrated Database (CNKI), Weipu Database (VIP), and Embase. The search was limited to articles published in English and Chinese. The selected studies were screened, data were extracted, and the quality was evaluated using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4 software. The certainty of the evidence was assessed using the GRADE criteria.

RESULTS

A total of 22 cohort studies with a sample size of 11,957 individuals were included in the analysis. Among these studies, 20 were of high quality, while the remaining 2 were of moderate quality. The risk factors that showed the strongest association with delirium were prior cognitive impairment (including dementia), mechanical ventilation, and ICU admission. Age, frailty (Clinical Frailty Scale score > 5), antipsychotic use, benzodiazepine use, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and vasopressor use were identified as moderate risk factors for delirium. According to the GRADE evaluation, ICU admission, benzodiazepine use, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, and vasopressor use had a high-quality body of evidence, while antipsychotic usage had an intermediate-quality body of evidence. All other risk factors had a low-quality body of evidence.

CONCLUSIONS

This systematic review and meta-analysis identified several medium- to high-intensity risk factors for delirium in hospitalized adults with COVID-19. ICU admission, benzodiazepine usage, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, antipsychotic use, and vasopressor use were associated with delirium and were supported by medium- to high-quality evidence. These findings provide healthcare professionals with an evidence-based basis for managing and treating delirium in hospitalized adults with COVID-19.

Occupational stress, respect, and the need for psychological counselling in Chinese nurses: a nationwide cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to explore occupational stress, perceived respect, and the need for psychological counselling among nurses in China.

STUDY DESIGN

This was a nationwide cross-sectional study.

METHODS

Chinese nurses from 311 cities were randomly selected through a simple random sampling method. Occupational stress, perceived respect, and psychological counselling need were assessed using an online questionnaire validated by experts. The underlying associated factors were analysed using multiple logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

We collected and analysed 51,406 valid online questionnaires. Family factors and low income were the most commonly cited sources of occupational stress, and 91.9% and 80.0% of nurses, respectively, perceived that individuals in society and patients did not give adequate respect. Furthermore, 75.5% and 79.7%, respectively, believed they were not respected by clinical managers and doctors. As a result, 64.7% nurses believed they had a moderate or high need for psychological counselling. However, 80.7% indicated that receiving adequate respect could decrease the need for stress-related psychological counselling. Indeed, multiple logistic regression analyses showed that lower respect perceived by nurses was associated with higher need for psychological counselling, particularly regarding criticism that nurses perceived from nursing managers (a little: odds ratio [OR], 1.597; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.176-2.170; P = 0.003; moderately: OR, 1.433; 95% CI, 1.180-1.741; P < 0.001) and the difficulty of receiving respect from patients and their families (a little: OR, 1.389; 95% CI, 1.044-1.850; P = 0.024).

CONCLUSIONS

Nurses in China perceive high levels of occupational stress and low levels of respect and often seek psychological counselling.

Role of LncMALAT1-miR-141-3p/200a-3p-NRXN1 Axis in the Impairment of Learning and Memory Capacity in ADHD

As a prevalent neurodevelopmental disease, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) impairs the learning and memory capacity, and so far, there has been no available treatment option for long-term efficacy. Alterations in gene regulation and synapse-related proteins influence learning and memory capacity; nevertheless, the regulatory mechanism of synapse-related protein synthesis is still unclear in ADHD. LncRNAs have been found participating in regulating genes in multiple disorders. For instance, lncRNA Metastasis Associated Lung Adenocarcinoma Transcript 1 (MALAT1) has an essential regulatory function in numerous psychiatric diseases. However, how MALAT1 influences synapse-related protein synthesis in ADHD remains largely unknown. Here, our study found that MALAT1 decreased in the hippocampus tissue of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) compared to the standard controls, Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats. Subsequent experiments revealed that MALAT1 enhanced the expression of neurexin 1 (NRXN1), which promoted the synapse-related genes (SYN1, PSD95, and GAP43) expression. Then, the bioinformatic analyses predicted that miR-141-3p and miR-200a-3p, microRNAs belonging to miR-200 family and sharing same seed sequence, could interact with MALAT1 and NRXN1 mRNA, which were further confirmed by luciferase report assays. Finally, rescue experiments indicated that MALAT1 influenced the expression of NRXN1 by sponging miR-141-3p/200a-3p. All data verified our hypothesis that MALAT1 regulated synapse-related proteins (SYN1, PSD95, and GAP43) through the MALAT1-miR-141-3p/200a-3p-NRXN1 axis in ADHD. Our research underscored a novel role of MALAT1 in the pathogenesis of impaired learning and memory capacity in ADHD and may shed more light on developing diagnostic biomarkers and more effective therapeutic interventions for individuals with ADHD.

Modeling and insights into the structural characteristics of endocrine-disrupting chemicals

Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can cause serious harm to human health and the environment; therefore, it is important to rapidly and correctly identify EDCs. Different computational models have been proposed for the prediction of EDCs over the past few decades, but the reported models are not always easily available, and few studies have investigated the structural characteristics of EDCs. In the present study, we have developed a series of artificial intelligence models targeting EDC receptors: the androgen receptor (AR); estrogen receptor (ER); and pregnane X receptor (PXR). The consensus models achieved good predictive results for validation sets with balanced accuracy values of 87.37%, 90.13%, and 79.21% for AR, ER, and PXR binding assays, respectively. Analysis of the physical-chemical properties suggested that several chemical properties were significantly (p < 0.05) different between EDCs and non-EDCs. We also identified structural alerts that can indicate an EDC, which were integrated into the web server SApredictor. These models and structural characteristics can provide useful tools and information in the discrimination and mechanistic understanding of EDCs in drug discovery and environmental risk assessment.

Modeling and Insights into the Structural Characteristics of Chemical Mitochondrial Toxicity

Mitochondria are the energy metabolism center of cells and are involved in a number of other processes, such as cell differentiation and apoptosis, signal transduction, and regulation of cell cycle and cell proliferation. It is of great significance to evaluate the mitochondrial toxicity of drugs and other chemicals. In the present study, we aimed to propose easily available artificial intelligence (AI) models for the prediction of chemical mitochondrial toxicity and investigate the structural characteristics with the analysis of molecular properties and structural alerts. The consensus model achieved good predictive results with high total accuracy at 87.21% for validation sets. The models can be accessed freely via https://ochem.eu/article/158582. Besides, several commonly used chemical properties were significantly different between chemicals with and without mitochondrial toxicity. We also detected the structural alerts (SAs) responsible for mitochondrial toxicity and integrated them into the web-server SApredictor (www.sapredictor.cn). The study may provide useful tools for in silico estimation of mitochondrial toxicity and be helpful to understand the mechanisms of mitochondrial toxicity.

Chronic social comparison elicits depression- and anxiety-like behaviors and alterations in brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression in male rats

Social comparison is a fundamental human characteristic; however, long-term social comparison may induce psychological stress and can lead to depression and anxiety. Recent studies have shown that nonhuman primates compare themselves with others; however, no studies have investigated whether social comparisons exist among rodents. In the present study, we established a rat model of social comparison. This model was subsequently used to examine the effects of the differential environment of a partner on depression- and anxiety-like behaviors in male rats, as well as to assess the changes in serum, medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and dorsal hippocampus brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels induced by long-term social comparison. Compared to rats whose partners were exposed to the same environment, rats whose partners were exposed to two combined enriched environmental stimuli for 14 days showed significantly decreased social novelty preference and sucrose consumption. No anxiety-like behaviors were observed. Rats whose partners were exposed to one enriched environment for 31 days showed significantly increased immobility time in the forced swimming test, and significantly decreased time spent in the center area in the open-field test. Further, rats whose partners were exposed to one enriched environment for 31 days showed lower BDNF levels in the mPFC and dorsal hippocampus, but not following partner exposure for 14 days. These results suggest that social comparisons exist in rats and can induce psychosocial stress and other negative affect. This model will not only provide the possibility to reveal the neurobiological basis of the emotional impact of social comparison, but could also be used to confirm the conservative evolutionary characteristics of social comparison as a behavioral attribute.

How we learn social norms: a three-stage model for social norm learning

As social animals, humans are unique to make the world function well by developing, maintaining, and enforcing social norms. As a prerequisite among these norm-related processes, learning social norms can act as a basis that helps us quickly coordinate with others, which is beneficial to social inclusion when people enter into a new environment or experience certain sociocultural changes. Given the positive effects of learning social norms on social order and sociocultural adaptability in daily life, there is an urgent need to understand the underlying mechanisms of social norm learning. In this article, we review a set of works regarding social norms and highlight the specificity of social norm learning. We then propose an integrated model of social norm learning containing three stages, i.e., pre-learning, reinforcement learning, and internalization, map a potential brain network in processing social norm learning, and further discuss the potential influencing factors that modulate social norm learning. Finally, we outline a couple of future directions along this line, including theoretical (i.e., societal and individual differences in social norm learning), methodological (i.e., longitudinal research, experimental methods, neuroimaging studies), and practical issues.

[Determination of 39 fatty acids in liver of rats by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry]

Fatty acids not only form phospholipids that contribute to the formation of cell membranes but also participate in many metabolic activities, such as energy storage and cell signal transduction. The liver plays a key role in the synthesis and metabolism of fatty acids. The composition and contents of fatty acids in the liver are closely related to body health. Most fatty acid-detection methods require a large sample size and can detect only a small number of fatty acids. Therefore, a sensitive and efficient method to determine fatty acids in the liver is urgently required. Herein, a method based on gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) was established for the simultaneous determination of 39 fatty acids in 1.1 mg of liver tissue. Different extraction methods and derivatization conditions were compared to develop an optimal sample-treatment method. The performance of two different columns in separating the target fatty acids were also compared. A total of 10 mg of liver was added to 450 μL of normal saline and ground at -35 ℃ to obtain a homogenate. Next, 50 μL of the homogenate (equivalent to 1.1 mg of liver) was added with 750 μL of chloroform-methanol (1∶2, v/v) to extract total fatty acids. The fatty acid extracts were dried under nitrogen, and then derivatized at 100 ℃ for 90 min after being added with methanol containing 5% sulfuric acid. The fatty acid methyl esters were extracted with hexane and then separated on an SP-2560 capillary column (100 m×0.25 mm×0.2 μm; Supelco, USA) via GC-MS. The results revealed that all 39 fatty acid methyl esters detected had good linearities in the certain mass concentration ranges with correlation coefficients (R²) greater than 0.9940. The limits of detection (LOD) and quantification (LOQ) of these methyl esters in the liver were 2-272 ng/mg and 7-906 ng/mg, respectively. The accuracy and precision of the method were evaluated by spiking the liver homogenate with tridecylic acid and eicosanoic acid at low (0.09 μg/mg), moderate (0.90 μg/mg), and high (5.40 μg/mg) concentration levels. The recoveries ranged from 82.4% to 101.0% with an intraday relative standard deviations (RSDs) (n=5) of 3.2%-12.0% and interday RSDs (n=3) of 5.4%-13.4%. The method was successfully applied to detect fatty acids in the livers of four healthy male Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats and four male SD rats with abnormal liver function induced by perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS). PFOS is a persistent organic pollutant. Twenty-six fatty acids were detected in the livers of both groups. Among the fatty acids investigated, pentadecanoic acid (C15∶0), γ-linolenic acid (C18∶3n6), and elaidic acid (C18∶1n9t) cannot be detected by the methods reported in the literature. By contrast, the method developed in this study could separate the isomers of oleic acid (elaidic acid, C18∶1n9t; oleic acid, C18∶1n9c) and linolenic acid (linolelaidic acid, C18∶2n6t; linoleic acid, C18∶2n6c). In conclusion, the developed method is simple and can detect a large number of fatty acids using small sample amounts and few reagents. More importantly, it could successfully separate fatty acid isomers. These findings indicate that the developed method is suitable for the detection of fatty acid composition and contents in the liver in clinical and experimental research.

Policy analysis in the field of rare diseases in China: a combined study of content analysis and Bibliometrics analysis

Introduction

The Chinese government has made significant strides in addressing the needs of individuals affected by rare diseases in recent years. This paper aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of national rare disease policies in China from 2009 to 2022, using a mixed-methods approach.

Methods

A two-dimensional analytical framework, which includes policy tools and policy themes, is introduced to analyze the rare disease policies comprehensively. Drawing on the policy tools theory proposed by Rothwell and Zegveld, this paper evaluates the tools used in rare disease policies. Co-word analyses and network analyses are employed to identify key themes in rare disease policies and collaboration among government departments.

Results

The rare disease policy landscape in China is undergoing rapid growth, with an increasing number of government departments involved in policy formulation. However, further collaboration between departments is needed to strengthen these policies. Environment-based and supply-based tools are preferred in rare disease policies. The policy themes can be grouped into four categories: (1) Registration, Approval and Supply of Rare Disease Drugs, (2) Construction of Diagnosis and Treatment System for Rare Diseases, (3) Development and Genericization of Rare Disease Drugs, and (4) Social Security for Patients with Rare Diseases.

Discussion

The study provides valuable insights into the current state of rare disease policies in China and offers suggestions for policy improvement. The results show that the Chinese government has made efforts to address the needs of individuals affected by rare diseases, but there is still room for improvement. The collaboration between government departments needs to be strengthened to achieve better rare disease policies. The findings of this study have implications for other countries with similar healthcare systems and can contribute to a better understanding of the impact of rare disease policies on public health.

Indole acetylated high-amylose maize starch: Synthesis, characterization and application for amelioration of colitis

Tryptophan metabolites such as indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) are critical for gut health, through their binding to the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), and may be useful for treatment of gastrointestinal diseases. Delivery of IAA to the colon is necessary, and one strategy is use of esterified starches which get digested in the colon by gut microbes. High amylose maize starch (HAMS) resists digestion in the upper gastrointestinal tract and is fermented by gut microbiota to release short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which are also beneficial to intestinal homeostasis. IAA esterified to HAMS (HAMSIAA) was synthesized with different degrees of substitution (DSs) by controlling the ratio of IAA vs HAMS. Successful incorporation of indole acetyl group was verified by NMR and FTIR spectra. XRD revealed that the crystalline type of HAMSIAA changed from B to V-type. SEM showed the destroyed surface of the starch granules. HAMSIAA with DS ~ 0.3 effectively increased IAA in the colon, to levels unachievable by oral IAA delivery. HAMSIAA increased pathways downstream of AhR activation, including CYP1A1 mRNA expression and IL-22 protein levels, and greatly improved DSS-induced colitis. HAMSIAA could serve as an ideal means for colon-targeted delivery of IAA and a promising nutraceutical for amelioration of inflammatory conditions.

Risk factors for delirium in advanced cancer patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

To systematically collect published research in order to identify and quantify risk factors for delirium in advanced cancer patients.

METHODS

The Cochrane Library, PubMed, Proquest, CINAHL, Web of Science, Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Chinese Wanfang Data, Chinese Periodical Full-text Database (VIP), Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), and Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) were systematically searched for cohort or case-control studies reporting individual risk factors for delirium among advanced-stage cancer patients published prior to March 2022. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was used to assess the methodological quality of included studies. The pooled adjusted odds ratio (aOR) and its 95% confidence interval were calculated using the RevMan 5.4 software package.

RESULTS

A total of 15 studies with data from 3106 advanced cancer patients were included in our analysis. Nine studies were high-quality and six were of moderate quality. Pooled analyses revealed that 11 risk factors were statistically significant. High-intensity risk factors included sleep disturbance, infection, cachexia and the Palliative Prognostic Index; medium-intensity risk factors included male sex, renal failure, dehydration and drowsiness; low-intensity risk factors included age, total bilirubin and opioid use. Antibiotic use was found to have been a protective factor.

CONCLUSIONS

We identified 12 independent risk factors that were significantly associated with delirium in advanced cancer patients and provide an evidence-based foundation to implement appropriate preventive strategies.

[Differential diagnosis model of benign and malignant breast BI-RADS category 4 nodules based on serum SP70 and conventional laboratory indicators]

Objective: To develop a nomogram model for the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant breast BI-RADS (Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System) category 4 nodules based on serum tumor specific protein 70 (SP70) and conventional laboratory indicators and validate its predictive efficacy. Methods: A case-control study design was used to retrospectively analyze the data of 429 female patients diagnosed with BI-RADS category 4 breast nodules by breast color doppler flow imaging at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University from January 2021 to April 2022 with an age range of 16 to 91 years and a median age of 50 years, and the patients were divided into a training cohort (314 patients) and a validation cohort (115 patients) according to the inclusion time successively. Using postoperative pathological findings as the"gold standard", univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify the predictor variables used for the model. The nomogram, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and calibration curves were drawn for the prediction model, and the discrimination and calibration of the model were evaluated using the consistency index (C-index) and calibration plots. Results: The postoperative pathological results showed that 286 (66.7%) were malignant nodules and 143 (33.3%) were benign nodules of 429 breast BI-RADS category 4 nodules. The serum SP70 (OR=1.227,95%CI: 1.033-1.458,P=0.020), NLR (OR=1.545,95%CI: 1.047-2.280,P=0.028), LDL-C (OR=2.215, 95%CI: 1.354-3.622, P=0.002), GLU (OR=2.050,95%CI:1.222-3.438,P=0.007), PT (OR=1.383,95%CI: 1.046-1.828,P=0.023), nodule diameter (OR=1.042, 95%CI: 1.008-1.076, P=0.015) and age (OR=1.062,95%CI: 1.011-1.116,P=0.016) were independent risk factors which could be used to distinguish benign and malignant breast BI-RADS category 4 nodules (P<0.05). The nomogram was plotted by the above seven independent variables, and the concordance index (C-index) for the training cohort and validation cohort were 0.842 (95%CI:0.786-0.898) and 0.787 (95%CI:0.687-0.886), respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of using this model to identify benign and malignant breast BI-RADS category 4 nodules in the training and validation cohort were 83.5%, 72.5% and 79.2%, 73.6%, respectively. The calibration curves showed good agreement between the predicted and actual values in the nomogram. Conclusions: This study combined serum SP70, conventional laboratory indicators and breast color doppler flow imaging to develop a nomogram model for the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant breast BI-RADS category 4 nodules. The model may have good predictive efficacy and may provide a basis for clinical treatment options, which is beneficial for guiding breast cancer screening and prevention.

Perception of strong social norms during the COVID-19 pandemic is linked to positive psychological outcomes

Social norms can coordinate individuals and groups during collective threats. Pandemic-related social norms (e.g., wearing masks, social distancing) emerged to curb the spread of COVID-19. However, little is known about the psychological consequences of the emerging norms. We conducted three experiments cross-culturally, during the early period of the COVID-19 pandemic in China (Study 1), the recovery period in China (Study 2), and the severe period in the United States and Canada (Study 3). Across the three studies, we first distinguished the opposite effects of social norms and risk perception on individuals’ psychological characteristics during the COVID-19 pandemic and further revealed that individuals who perceived stronger pandemic norms reported a lower level of COVID-19 risk perception, which in turn would be associated with fewer negative emotions, lower pressure, more positive emotions, higher levels of trusts, and more confidence in fighting against COVID-19. Our findings show that perceived tighter social norms are linked to beneficial psychological outcomes. This research helps governments, institutions, and individuals understand the mechanism and benefits of social norms during the pandemic, thereby facilitating policy formulation and better responses to social crises.

A Cross-Sectional Study of Price and Affordability of Drugs for Rare Diseases in Shandong Province, China

OBJECTIVE

The affordability of rare disease drugs has become a social issue that cannot be ignored. This study aims to evaluate the current price and affordability of rare disease drugs in China, with evidence from Shandong province.

METHODS

Data on prices and affordability of 50 drugs for 22 rare diseases were collected from secondary and tertiary public hospitals in Shandong Province, using an adaptation of the World Health Organization/Health Action International (WHO/HAI) methodology. Prices were measured as Median Price Ratios (MPRs). Affordability was measured as days of daily per capita disposable income required for the cost of one month's treatment.

RESULTS

Out of the 50 rare disease drugs, 11 drugs had MSH reference prices and 34 had PBS reference prices. Median prices of 11 drugs were higher than MSH reference prices (median 1.33), and median prices of 34 drugs were higher that Australian PBS prices (median 1.97). Thirty-six (72.00%) and forty-four (88.00%) drugs were unaffordable for urban and rural residents, respectively. Thirty-four (68.00%) and thirty-eight (76.00%) drugs were unaffordable for urban and rural residents even after reimbursement by the health insurance schemes of China, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The affordability of some rare disease drugs remained poor with their relatively high prices in Shandong Province. Sustainable mechanisms are needed to reduce the price of rare disease drugs and to improve the affordability of rare disease patients.

Common and unique neural mechanisms of social and nonsocial conflict resolving and adaptation

Humans often need to deal with various forms of information conflicts that arise when they receive inconsistent information. However, it remains unclear how we resolve them and whether the brain may recruit similar or distinct brain mechanisms to process different domains (e.g. social vs. nonsocial) of conflicts. To address this, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging and scanned 50 healthy participants when they were asked to perform 2 Stroop tasks with different forms of conflicts: social (i.e. face-gender incongruency) and nonsocial (i.e. color-word incongruency) conflicts. Neuroimaging results revealed that the ventral lateral prefrontal cortex was generally activated in processing incongruent versus congruent stimuli regardless of the task type, serving as a common mechanism for conflict resolving across domains. Notably, trial-based and model-based results jointly demonstrated that the dorsal and rostral medial prefrontal cortices were uniquely engaged in processing social incongruent stimuli, suggesting distinct neural substrates of social conflict resolving and adaptation. The findings uncover that the common but unique brain mechanisms are recruited when humans resolve and adapt to social conflicts.

Triphenyltin disrupts the testicular microenvironment and reduces sperm quality in adult male rats

Triphenyltin (TPT) is organotin that is widely used as an anti-fouling agent and has been determined to have male reproductive toxicity. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of TPT on the testicular microenvironment and sperm quality in male rats. Adult male Sprague Dawley rats were daily gavaged with TPT (0, 0.5, 1, and 2 mg/kg body weight) for 28 days. The results showed that TPT dose-dependently decreased sperm count and sperm motility, interfered with sperm histone-protamine replacement process, and significantly increased sperm deformity rate, but did not affect sperm DNA integrity. TPT at 2 mg/kg significantly decreased the gene and protein expressions of testis PCNA and Ki67, and dose-dependently decreased the number of PCNA-positive cells and Ki67-positive cells. TPT at 1 mg/kg and/or 2 mg/kg down-regulated the expression of StAR, SF1, P450scc, FSHR, WT1, DDX4 and PLZF, and up-regulated SOX9 expression. Simultaneously, TPT reduced serum testosterone levels at each dose and dose-dependently decreased the expression of Leydig cells regulators (INSL3, IGF1, inhibin B) and Sertoli cells regulators (GDNF, FGF2, CXCL12, ETV5), altered testicular microenvironment. Further, in vitro, we treated TM3 (Leydig cells), TM4 (Sertoli cells) and GC-1 (spermatogonia) cells with 1-100 nM TPT for 24 h. 100 nM TPT significantly down-regulated the expression of the above indicators in TM3 and TM4 cells but did not directly affect the cell proliferation ability of GC-1. However, after co-culturing TPT-treated TM3 or TM4 cells with GC-1 cells, it was found that TPT-treated TM3 or TM4 cells dose-dependently reduced the gene and protein expression levels of PCNA and Ki67 and increased cytotoxicity in GC-1 cells. In conclusion, TPT impairs the proliferative ability of spermatogonia by disrupting the microenvironment of Leydig cells and Sertoli cells, which in turn leads to low sperm quality in adult male rats.

Trait Empathy Modulates Patterns of Personal and Social Emotions During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused profound consequences on people's personal and social feelings worldwide. However, little is known about whether individual differences in empathy, a prosocial trait, may affect the emotional feelings under such threat. To address this, we measured 345 Chinese participants' personal emotions (e.g., active, nervous), social emotions (i.e., fearful and empathetic feelings about various social groups), and their empathy traits during the COVID-19 pandemic. Using the representational similarity analysis (RSA), we calculated the pattern similarity of personal emotions and found the similarity between the positive and negative emotions was less in the high vs. low empathy groups. In addition, people with high (vs. low) empathy traits were more likely to have fearful and sympathetic feelings about the disease-related people (i.e., depression patients, suspected COVID-19 patients, COVID-19 patients, flu patients, SARS patients, AIDS patients, schizophrenic patients) and showed more pattern dissimilarity in the two social feelings toward the disease-related people. These findings suggest a prominent role of trait empathy in modulating emotions across different domains, strengthening the polarization of personal emotions as well as enlarging social feelings toward a set of stigmatized groups when facing a pandemic threat.

Propionate Ameliorates Alcohol-Induced Liver Injury in Mice via the Gut-Liver Axis: Focus on the Improvement of Intestinal Permeability

Alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) is a major cause of chronic liver disease worldwide with limited therapeutic options. Here, we first revealed the promising beneficial effect of gut microbiota-derived propionate on alcoholic liver injury in mice. This effect was dependent on the modulation of homeostasis of the gut-liver axis, especially the improvement of intestinal permeability. Dietary supplementation with propionate protected against ethanol-induced loss of hepatic function and hepatic steatosis in mice. Meanwhile, propionate treatment attenuated intestinal epithelial barrier dysfunction, restored the expression of intestinal mucus layer components, suppressed intestinal inflammation, and altered intestinal microbiota dysbiosis, which inhibited the intestinal hyperpermeability and subsequently reduced lipopolysaccharide leakage in ALD mice. Furthermore, as a consequence of endotoxemia amelioration, the liver inflammation-related TLR4-NF-κB pathway was inhibited. Collectively, our results suggested that propionate supplementation may be a promising option for the prevention and treatment of ALD.

Comparisons Between COVID-19 Stigma and Other Stigmas: Distinct in Explicit Attitudes and Similar in Implicit Process

Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the public stigma associated with COVID-19 has emerged. To better understand the COVID-19 stigma, the present research conducted three studies on 1,493 Chinese participants from the outbreak to the recovery period of the COVID-19 pandemic to examine the psychological mechanisms of COVID-19 stigma by comparing it with other disease-related stigmas in terms of their explicit and implicit processes. Study 1 and Study 2 jointly demonstrated that the public endorsed more stigma toward the COVID-19 related people (i.e., the COVID-19 patients) relative to the other disease-related people (i.e., the SARS patients, people with flu) in multiple explicit aspects, including emotional, motivational, cognitive, and social processing. Using the implicit association test (IAT), Study 3 found no significant difference in the implicit measures of the COVID-19 vs. the SARS groups, which further revealed that the pandemic stigmas (i.e., COVID-19 and SARS) were similar at the implicit level. These findings suggest common (implicit level) but distinct (explicit level) psychological processes of the pandemic-related stigmas, which provide reference to policymakers in formulating suitable interventions to deal with COVID-19 stigma and a newly generated potential stigma and provide psychological support for the public in the future.

[Effect of placenta previa attached to cesarean scar for adverse pregnant outcomes in patients with placenta accreta spectrum disorders]

Objective: To investigate the effect of placenta previa attached to cesarean scar for adverse pregnant outcomes in patients with or without placenta accreta spectrum disorders (PAS). Methods: The clinical information of patients with cesarean section history and placenta previa during the perioperative period at Peking University First Hospital from January 1st, 2015 to December 31st, 2020 were collected retrospectively. There were 53 cases without PAS and 172 cases with PAS, 153 cases with abnormally invasive placenta (containing placenta increta and placenta percreta) and 72 cases without PAS or with placenta accreta. The pregnant outcomes including rate of postpartum hemorrhage, transfusion, hysterectomy between the above groups were compared. Multivariate analysis was performed to study the factors significantly associated with PAS. Results: Pregnant women with PAS were at higher risk of adverse pregnant outcomes than those without PAS. Patients with PAS had higher incidences of hysterectomy [12.2% (21/172) vs 0(0/53); P=0.005], postpartum hemorrhage [60.5% (104/172) vs 5.7% (3/53); P<0.01] and blood transfusion [66.9% (115/172) vs 7.5% (4/53); P<0.01]. In the subgroup analysis stratified by the type of PAS, patients with abnormally invasive placenta were at higher risk of hysterectomy [13.7% (21/153) vs 0 (0/72); P<0.01], postpartum hemorrhage [66.7% (102/153) vs 6.9% (5/72); χ²=70.873, P<0.01] and blood transfusion [74.5% (114/153) vs 6.9% (5/72); χ²=90.869, P<0.01]. After multiple logistic regression, the type of creta had the positive relation with postpartum hemorrhage (OR=27.622, 95%CI:9.873~77.280; P<0.01) and blood transfusion (OR=36.912, 95%CI:13.239~102.922; P<0.01). There were no significant correlations between adverse pregnant outcomes and the type of placenta previa or the times of cesarean section (all P>0.01). Conclusions: Placenta previa attached to cesarean scar without PAS or with placenta accreta could not act as the factor of predicting adverse pregnant outcomes in clinic. Placenta previa attached to cesarean scar with placenta increta or placenta percreta could increase the risk of adverse pregnant outcomes.

Gender discrimination facilitates fMRI responses and connectivity to thermal pain

Gender discrimination is a serious social issue that has been shown to increase negative consequences, especially in females when accompanied by acute or chronic pain. Experiencing social pain through discrimination can increase an individual's evaluation of evoked physical pain. However, few studies have explored the mechanism underlying how gender discrimination modulates brain responses when individuals experience physical pain evoked by noxious stimuli. In this study, we addressed this issue using a gender discrimination fMRI paradigm with thermal pain stimulation. We found that discrimination indeed affected participants' own behavioral self-evaluation of noxious stimuli. Discrimination-encoded brain activations were identified in the temporopolar cortex, while brain activations to thermal stimuli after viewing pictures of discrimination were found in the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC). Brain activations in the temporopolar cortex and the dACC were correlated. Furthermore, pain perception-specific functional connectivity of the dACC-SII in the cue stage and the dACC-frontal in the pain stage were identified, suggesting a facilitative effect of gender discrimination on females' experience of physical pain. Our results indicate that the dACC may play a central role in mediating the affective aspect of physical pain after experiencing discrimination. These findings provide novel insights into the underlying mechanism of how gender discrimination facilitates females' experience of physical pain.

Fabrication of Antimicrobial Multilayered Nanofibrous Scaffolds-Loaded Drug via Electrospinning for Biomedical Application

Nanofibers prepared by biobased materials are widely used in the field of biomedicine, owing to outstanding biocompatibility, biodegradable characters, and excellent mechanical behavior. Herein, we fabricated multilayered nanofibrous scaffolds in order to improve the performance of drug delivery. The composite layer-by-layer scaffolds were incorporated by hydrophobic poly(l-lactic acid) (PLA): polycaprolactone (PCL) and hydrophilic poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanofibers via multilayer electrospinning. Morphological and structural characteristics of the developed scaffolds measured by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) confirmed smooth and uniform fibers ranging in nanometer scale. The differences in contact angles and Fourier transform infrared spectrum (FTIR) between single-layered PVA nanofibers and multilayered scaffolds verified the existence of PLA: PCL surface. In vitro biodegradable and drug release analysis depicted multilayered scaffolds had good biodegradability and potential for medical application. Due to the model drug incorporation, scaffolds exhibited good antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus by the zone of inhibition test. These results revealed that the multilayered scaffolds were proved to be desirable antibacterial materials for biomedical application.

pH and Proton Sensor GPR65 Determine Susceptibility to Atopic Dermatitis

pH sensing by GPR65 regulates various inflammatory conditions, but its role in skin remains unknown. In this study, we performed a phenome-wide association study and report that the T allele of GPR65-intronic single-nucleotide polymorphism rs8005161, which reduces GPR65 signaling, showed a significant association with atopic dermatitis, in addition to inflammatory bowel diseases and asthma, as previously reported. Consistent with this genetic association in humans, we show that deficiency of GPR65 in mice resulted in markedly exacerbated disease in the MC903 experimental model of atopic dermatitis. Deficiency of GPR65 also increased neutrophil migration in vitro. Moreover, GPR65 deficiency in mice resulted in higher expression of the inflammatory cytokine TNF-α by T cells. In humans, CD4⁺ T cells from rs8005161 heterozygous individuals expressed higher levels of TNF-α after PMA/ionomycin stimulation, particularly under pH 6 conditions. pH sensing by GPR65 appears to be important for regulating the pathogenesis of atopic dermatitis.

Blocking VRK2 suppresses pulmonary adenocarcinoma progression via ERK1/2/AKT signal pathway by targeting miR-145-5p

OBJECTIVE

The incidence of pulmonary adenocarcinoma locates first in all the malignant tumors in the world. At present, there are many diagnostic methods for pulmonary adenocarcinoma, but there are a few methods that are mature or have ideal application prospects. We aim to explore the role of VRK2 in the occurrence and development of pulmonary adenocarcinoma and its possible regulatory mechanism.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Western blot and qRT-PCR were performed to assess the expression of VRK2. Flow cytometry, Western blot, and Caspase-3 colorimetric assay Kit were used to evaluate the apoptosis level. The proliferation, migration, and invasion ability were measured via cell cycle assay, wound healing, and transwell invasion assay. Luciferase assay verified the relationship between VRK2 and miR-145-5p. The effect of FGD5-AS1 on tumorigenesis of glioma was detected by the xenograft nude mice model.

RESULTS

VRK2 was significantly increased in tumor tissues and cell lines. Loss of VRK2 promoted apoptosis level and inhibited the proliferation, migration, and invasion in A549 cells via regulating the ERK1/2/AKT signal pathway. Luciferase assay reported that VRK2 could bind with miR-145-5p. The level of miR-145-5p was negatively correlated with the expression of VRK2 and involved in VRK2 regulating tumor progression. The tumor growth assay showed that the silencing of VRK2 inhibited tumorigenesis with the inactivating ERK1/2/AKT pathway.

CONCLUSIONS

Knockdown of VRK2 inhibited the development of pulmonary adenocarcinoma via regulating the ERK1/2/AKT signal pathway by targeting miR-145-5p, which providing some novel experimental basis for clinical treatment of pulmonary adenocarcinoma.

High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for the treatment of uterine fibroids: does HIFU significantly increase the risk of pelvic adhesions?

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the prevalence of pelvic adhesions in patients with uterine fibroids after high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) treatment, then analyze the influencing factors of pelvic adhesions.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

From October 2010 to March 2020, a total of 2619 patients with uterine fibroids underwent either hysterectomy, myomectomy, or cesarean section in Suining Central Hospital of Sichuan province. Of the 2619 patients, 810 were excluded because of a documented history of either pelvic infections, endometriosis, prior abdominopelvic surgery, or gynecological malignancies; 1809 patients were enrolled and the data were retrospectively assessed for the prevalence and patterns of pelvic adhesions. Among them, 96 patients with uterine fibroids had had prior HIFU treatment (HIFU group), 1713 patients had not had HIFU or surgical treatments (control group).

RESULTS

Among the 96 patients in the HIFU group, adhesions were detected in 42 patients, the incidence of pelvic adhesion being 43.75%; the 1713 patients in the control group, adhesions were detected in 619 patients, the prevalence of pelvic adhesion being 36.14%. No statistically significant difference in the incidence of adhesion between the two groups was observed (p = .132), no significant difference in location of pelvic adhesions between the two groups and no significant difference in the severity of adhesions between the two groups was observed (p > .05).

CONCLUSIONS

Based on our results with limited numbers, we concluded that HIFU treatment did not significantly increase the risk of pelvic adhesions.

[Evaluation of demand of resources for laboratory testing and prevention and control of COVID-19 in the context of global pandemic]

Objective: To rapidly evaluate the level of healthcare resource demand for laboratory testing and prevention and control of corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in different epidemic situation, and prepare for the capacity planning, stockpile distribution, and funding raising for infectious disease epidemic response. Methods: An susceptible, exposed, infectious, removed infectious disease dynamics model with confirmed asymptomatic infection cases and symptomatic hospitalized patients was introduced to simulate different COVID-19 epidemic situation and predict the numbers of hospitalized or isolated patients, and based on the current COVID-19 prevention and control measures in China, the demands of resources for laboratory testing and prevention and control of COVID-19 were evaluated. Results: When community or local transmission or outbreaks occur and total population nucleic acid testing is implemented, the need for human resources is 3.3-89.1 times higher than the reserved, and the current resources of medical personal protective equipment and instruments can meet the need. The surge in asymptomatic infections can also increase the human resource demand for laboratory testing and pose challenge to the prevention and control of the disease. When vaccine protection coverage reach ≥50%, appropriate adjustment of the prevention and control measures can reduce the need for laboratory and human resources. Conclusions: There is a great need in our country to reserve the human resources for laboratory testing and disease prevention and control for the response of the possible epidemic of COVID-19. Challenges to human resources resulted from total population nucleic acid testing and its necessity need to be considered. Conducting non-pharmaceutical interventions and encouraging more people to be vaccinated can mitigate the shock on healthcare resource demand in COVID-19 prevention and control.

When norm violations are spontaneously detected: an electrocortical investigation

One fundamental function of social norms is to promote social coordination. Moreover, greater social coordination may be called for when tight norms govern social relations with others. Hence, the sensitivity to social norm violations may be jointly modulated by relational goals and a belief that the social context is tight (vs loose). We tested this analysis using an electrocortical marker of norm-violation detection (N400). Ninety-one young American adults were subliminally primed with either relational or neutral goals. Then they saw behaviors that were either norm-violating or normal. In the relational priming condition, the norm-violation N400 increased as a function of the perceived tightness of societal norms. In the control priming condition, however, the norm-violation N400 was weak regardless of perceived tightness. Thus, normative tightness was associated with increased neural processing of norm violations only when relational goals were activated. Implications for norm psychology are discussed.

Separation and anti-inflammatory evaluation of phytochemical constituents from Pleurospermum candollei (Apiaceae) by high-speed countercurrent chromatography with continuous sample load

Pleurospermum (Apiaceae) species possess a wide range of biological properties viz. analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antimalarial, and so on. Pleurospermum candollei (DC.) Benth. Ex C. B. Clark. is reported to cure diarrhea, gastric, respiratory, stomach, abdominal, joint, and back pain problems. In addition, it is also used for both male and female infertility. The present study deals with an efficient technique using high-speed countercurrent chromatography for separation of chemical components from the methanol extract of P. candollei. Notably, nine main compounds namely luteolin 7-O-glucoside (1), oxypeucedanin hydrate (2), pabulenol (3), bergapten (4), heptadecanoic acid (5), (E)-isoelemicin (6), trans-asarone (7), α-linolenic acid (8), and isoimperatorin (9) were very efficiently separated and isolated in pure form. Multiple injections were applied followed by two off-line recycling high-speed countercurrent chromatography. The inhibitory effect of nitric oxide production of all compounds was tested in the presence of 200 ng/mL lipopolysaccharide in RAW264.7 mice macrophage cells. The results demonstrated that compounds 7 and 8 effectively inhibited nitric oxide production, with IC₅₀ values of 28.44 and 53.18 μM, respectively. This study thus validates the traditional claim of using P. candollei. Taken together, these findings will be useful in future research to find a potential candidate with anti-inflammatory properties.

Large-Scale Morphological Network Efficiency of Human Brain: Cognitive Intelligence and Emotional Intelligence

Network efficiency characterizes how information flows within a network, and it has been used to study the neural basis of cognitive intelligence in adolescence, young adults, and elderly adults, in terms of the white matter in the human brain and functional connectivity networks. However, there were few studies investigating whether the human brain at different ages exhibited different underpins of cognitive and emotional intelligence (EI) from young adults to the middle-aged group, especially in terms of the morphological similarity networks in the human brain. In this study, we used 65 datasets (aging 18–64), including sMRI and behavioral measurements, to study the associations of network efficiency with cognitive intelligence and EI in young adults and the middle-aged group. We proposed a new method of defining the human brain morphological networks using the morphological distribution similarity (including cortical volume, surface area, and thickness). Our results showed inverted age × network efficiency interactions in the relationship of surface-area network efficiency with cognitive intelligence and EI: a negative age × global efficiency (nodal efficiency) interaction in cognitive intelligence, while a positive age × global efficiency (nodal efficiency) interaction in EI. In summary, this study not only proposed a new method of morphological similarity network but also emphasized the developmental effects on the brain mechanisms of intelligence from young adult to middle-aged groups and may promote mental health study on the middle-aged group in the future.

Machine learning for early prediction of in-hospital cardiac arrest in patients with acute coronary syndromes

Background

Previous studies have used machine leaning to predict clinical deterioration to improve outcome prediction. However, no study has used machine learning to predict cardiac arrest in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Algorithms are required to generate high‐performance models for predicting cardiac arrest in ACS patients with multivariate features.

Hypothesis

Machine learning algorithms will significantly improve outcome prediction of cardiac arrest in ACS patients.

Methods

This retrospective cohort study reviewed 166 ACS patients who had in‐hospital cardiac arrest. Eight machine learning algorithms were trained using multivariate clinical features obtained 24 h prior to the onset of cardiac arrest. All machine learning models were compared to each other and to existing risk prediction scores (Global Registry of Acute Coronary Events, National Early Warning Score, and Modified Early Warning Score) using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC).

Results

The XGBoost model provided the best performance with regard to AUC (0.958 [95%CI: 0.938–0.978]), accuracy (88.9%), sensitivity (73%), negative predictive value (89%), and F1 score (80%) compared with other machine learning models. The K‐nearest neighbor model generated the best specificity (99.3%) and positive predictive value (93.8%) metrics, but had low and unacceptable values for sensitivity and AUC. Most, but not all, machine learning models outperformed the existing risk prediction scores.

Conclusions

The XGBoost model, which was generated based on a machine learning algorithm, has high potential to be used to predict cardiac arrest in ACS patients. This proposed model significantly improves outcome prediction compared to existing risk prediction scores.

[Long-term prognosis of drug eluting stents implantation in elderly patients with unprotected left main coronary artery disease]

Objective: To analyze the clinical characteristics and long-term prognosis of implantation of drug-eluting stents (DES) for elderly patients with unprotected left main artery (ULM) disease. Methods: A total of 414 patients (327 males and 87 females) who underwent DES implantation were enrolled in the Department of Cardiology, Beijing Anzhen Hospital from January 2005 to March 2010, with a mean age of (61.5±10.7) years old. The patients were divided into two groups according to age: 300 cases in the group of age <70 years old, and 114 cases in the group of age ≥70 years old. The clinical characteristics and long-term prognosis of two groups were compared. Results: In the group of age ≥ 70 years old, the proportion of female was higher (31.6% vs 17.0%, P=0.001) and the incidence of chronic total occlusion (CTO) (P=0.020), hypertension (P=0.018) and cerebrovascular disease (P=0.013) were higher than those in the group of <70 years old. All-cause mortality and cardiac mortality were also higher than those in the group of <70 years old (P=0.025, P=0.013). The follow-up period was (21.4±9.6) months. After adjusting for multiple clinical factors, there were no statistical differences of incidence of the total major adverse cardiac and cerebral events (MACCE), myocardial infarction, cerebrovascular events, and revascularization recurrence between the two groups. But all-cause mortality (HR=3.790, 95%CI: 1.271-11.298, P=0.017) and cardiac mortality (HR=17.424, 95%CI: 2.440-124.410, P=0.004) in the group of age ≥70 years old were still remarkably higher than those in the group of <70 years old. Conclusions: Age is an independent risk factor for increased mortality after DES stent implantation in ULM disease. DES stent implantation in age ≥70 years old patients with ULM disease is considered feasible, but it needs to be treated with caution.

Gender and age differences in the association between sleep characteristics and fasting glucose levels in Chinese adults

AIM

The present study examined the associations between night-time sleep duration, midday napping duration and bedtime, and fasting glucose levels, and whether or not such associations are dependent on gender and age.

METHODS

This study was a cross-sectional analysis of 172,901 adults aged≥40 years living in mainland China. Sleep duration was obtained by self-reports of bedtime at night, waking-up time the next morning and average napping duration at midday. Fasting plasma glucose (FPG)≥7.0mmol/L was defined as hyperglycaemia. Independent associations between night-time sleep duration, midday naptime duration and bedtime with hyperglycaemia were evaluated using regression models.

RESULTS

Compared with night-time sleep durations of 6-7.9h, both short (<6h) and long (≥8h) night-time sleep durations were significantly associated with an increased risk of hyperglycaemia in women [odds ratio (OR): 1.12, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01-1.29 and OR: 1.14, 95% CI: 1.08-1.21, respectively], and revealed a U-shaped distribution of risk in women and no significant association in men. Long midday nap durations (≥1h) were significantly but weakly associated with hyperglycaemia (OR: 1.04, 95% CI: 1.01-1.09) compared with no napping without interactions from gender or age, whereas the association between bedtime and fasting glucose levels did vary according to gender and age.

CONCLUSION

Night-time sleep duration, midday napping duration and bedtime were all independently associated with the risk of hyperglycaemia, and some of the associations between these sleep characteristics and hyperglycaemia were gender- and age-dependent.

Gan Shen Fu Fang ameliorates liver fibrosis in vitro and in vivo by inhibiting the inflammatory response and extracellular signal-regulated kinase phosphorylation

BACKGROUND

Liver fibrosis is a common health problem worldwide and there is still a lack of effective medicines. The Chinese herbal medicine, Gan Shen Fu Fang (GSFF) is composed of salvianolic acid B and diammonium glycyrrhizinate. In this study, we observed the effects of GSFF on liver fibrosis in vivo and in vitro in an attempt to provide some hope for the treatment.

AIM

To observe the effects of GSFF on liver fibrosis in vivo and in vitro and investigate the mechanism from the perspective of the inflammatory response and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) phosphorylation.

METHODS

Common bile duct-ligated rats were used for in vivo experiments. Hepatic stellate cells-T6 (HSC-T6) cells were used for in vitro experiments. Hematoxylin and eosin staining and Masson staining, biochemical assays, hydroxyproline (Hyp) assays, enzyme-linked immunoasorbent assay and western blotting were performed to evaluate the degree of liver fibrosis, liver function, the inflammatory response and ERK phosphorylation. The CCK8 assay, immunofluorescence and western blotting were applied to test the effect of GSFF on HSC-T6 cell activation and determine whether GSFF had an effect on ERK phosphorylation in HSC-T6 cells.

RESULTS

GSFF improved liver function and inhibited liver fibrosis in common bile duct-ligated rats after 3 wk of treatment, as demonstrated by histological changes, hydroxyproline assays and collagen I concentrations. GSFF alleviated inflammatory cell infiltration and reduced the synthesis of pro-inflammatory cytokines [tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interlukin-1β] and NF-κB. In addition, GSFF decreased ERK phosphorylation. In vitro, GSFF inhibited the viability of HSC-T6 cells with and without transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1) stimulation and decreased the synthesis of collagen I. GSFF had the greatest effect at a concentration of 0.5 μmol/L. GSFF inhibited the expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), a marker of HSC activation, in HSC-T6 cells. Consistent with the in vivo results, GSFF also inhibited the phosphorylation of ERK and downregulated the expression of NF-κB.

CONCLUSION

GSFF inhibited liver fibrosis progression in vivo and HSC-T6 cell activation in vitro. These effects may be related to an alleviated inflammatory response and downregulated ERK phosphorylation.

1,1'-binaphthyl-2,2'-diamine as a novel MALDI matrix to enhance the in situ imaging of metabolic heterogeneity in lung cancer

Profile the spatial distributions of endogenous metabolites in heterogeneous tissues is critical to elucidate the complex metabolic mechanisms during pathological progression. Matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MALDI-MSI) is a label-free technique for tissue imaging that allows simultaneous localisation and quantification of metabolites in different histological regions of interest. In the present study, 1,1'-binaphthyl-2,2'-diamine (BNDM) was developed as a novel MALDI matrix for the detection and imaging of metabolites because of its low background interference, high sensitivity, and applicability in both positive and negative ion modes. 301 negative metabolite ions and 175 positive metabolite ions, including amino acids, organic acids, nucleosides, nucleotides, nitrogenous bases, cholesterols, peptides, fatty acids, cholines, carnitines, polyamines, creatine, phospholipids, etc., were imaged in rat brain when BDMN was used as matrix. Furthermore, BNDM-assisted MALDI-MSI of mouse lung cancer tissue successfully characterized the spatial features of numerous metabolites in viable, necrotic, and connective tissue areas. Importantly, our results demonstrate that the viable area of lung cancer tissue contained a higher abundance of K⁺ adducts, while the necrotic area showed a stronger Na⁺ adducts intensity. Data-driven segmentation analysis based on the in situ tissue metabolic fingerprints clearly visualized the underlying metabolic heterogeneity of lung cancer, which may provide new insights into the profiling of tumor microenvironment. All these results suggest that the newly developed matrix has great potential application in the field of biomedical research.

Alleviation of Pb2+ pollution-induced oxidative stress and toxicity in microglial cells and zebrafish larvae by chicoric acid

Pb²⁺ pollution and poisoning are serious environmental and pharmacological concerns. The World Health Organization reported that Pb has resulted in 540,000 deaths in 2016 alone. Therefore, effective drugs or supplements that can alleviate or offset Pb²⁺-induced toxicity are badly needed. Through screening biocompatible natural compounds, we discovered that chicoric acid exhibited potent protective activities against Pb²⁺-induced toxicity both in BV-2 microglial cells and in zebrafish from the first days of development. Chicoric acid was able to reduce Pb²⁺-induced increases in levels of reactive oxygen species and tumor necrosis factor alpha, restoring the cell cycle in BV-2 cells. In the zebrafish model, chicoric acid significantly alleviated the Pb²⁺-induced serious mortality and malformation of zebrafish larvae in a concentration-dependent manner. These protective activities of chicoric acid were mainly from its alleviation of Pb²⁺-induced dysregulation of oxidative response pathways, including key genes such as Aox1, Gclm, Hmox1, Nqo1, Scd1, and Srxn1, as well as HO-1 protein. Since Pb²⁺ is difficult to be completely eliminated from the body and chelating agents may cause serious adverse effects, chicoric acid is likely a potential supplement therapy, in addition to current clinical practices.