Traditional, complementary and integrative medicine for fatigue post COVID-19 infection: A systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

Background: Chronic fatigue is a predominant symptom of post COVID-19 condition, or long COVID. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Traditional, Complementary and Integrative Medicine (TCIM) for fatigue post COVID-19 infection. Methods: Ten English and Chinese language databases and grey literature were searched up to 12 April 2023 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Cochrane "Risk of bias" (RoB) tool was applied. Evidence certainty was assessed using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE). Effect estimates were presented as risk ratio (RR) or mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: Thirteen RCTs with 1632 participants were included. One RCT showed that Bufei Huoxue herbal capsules reduced fatigue (n=129, MD -14.90, 95%CI -24.53 to -5.27), one RCT reported that Ludangshen herbal liquid lowered fatigue (n=184, MD -1.90, 95%CI -2.38 to -1.42), and the other one RCT shown that fatigue disappearance rate was higher with Ludangshen herbal liquid (n=184, RR 4.19, 95%CI 2.06 to 8.53). Compared to traditional Chinese medicine rehabilitation (TCM-rahab) alone, one RCT showed that fatigue symptoms were lower following Qingjin Yiqi granules plus TCM-rehab (n=388, MD -0.48, 95%CI -0.50 to -0.46). Due to concerns with RoB and/or imprecision, the certainty in this evidence was low to very low. No serious adverse events was reported. Conclusions: Limited evidence suggests that various TCIM interventions might reduce post COVID-19 fatigue. Larger, high quality RCTs of longer duration are required to confirm these preliminary findings. Study Registration: The protocol of this review has been registered at PROSPERO: CRD42022384136.

Validation of mitochondrial biomarkers and immune dynamics in polycystic ovary syndrome.

PROBLEM: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), a prevalent endocrine-metabolic disorder, presents considerable therapeutic challenges due to its complex and elusive pathophysiology. METHOD OF STUDY: We employed three machine learning algorithms to identify potential biomarkers within a training dataset, comprising GSE138518, GSE155489, and GSE193123. The diagnostic accuracy of these biomarkers was rigorously evaluated using a validation dataset using area under the curve (AUC) metrics. Further validation in clinical samples was conducted using PCR and immunofluorescence techniques. Additionally, we investigate the complex interplay among immune cells in PCOS using CIBERSORT to uncover the relationships between the identified biomarkers and various immune cell types. RESULTS: Our analysis identified ACSS2, LPIN1, and NR4A1 as key mitochondria-related biomarkers associated with PCOS. A notable difference was observed in the immune microenvironment between PCOS patients and healthy controls. In particular, LPIN1 exhibited a positive correlation with resting mast cells, whereas NR4A1 demonstrated a negative correlation with monocytes in PCOS patients. CONCLUSION: ACSS2, LPIN1, and NR4A1 emerge as PCOS-related diagnostic biomarkers and potential intervention targets, opening new avenues for the diagnosis and management of PCOS.

Spectroscopic and Theoretical Identifications of Two Structural Motifs of (H2O)10 Cluster.

Precise characterization of archetypal systems of aqueous hydrogen-bonding networks is essential for developing accurate potential functions and universal models of water. The structures of water clusters (H2O)n (n = 2-9) have been verified recently through size-specific infrared spectroscopy with a vacuum ultraviolet free electron laser (VUV-FEL) and quantum chemical studies. For (H2O)10, the pentagonal prism and butterfly motifs were proposed to be important building blocks and were observed in previous experiments. Here we report the size-specific infrared spectra of (H2O)10 via a joint experimental and theoretical study. Well-resolved spectra provide a unique signature for the coexistence of pentagonal prism and butterfly motifs. These (H2O)10 motifs develop from the dominant structures of (H2O)n (n = 8, 9) clusters. This work provides an intriguing prelude to the diverse structure of liquid water and opens avenues for size-dependent measurement of larger systems to understand the stepwise formation mechanism of hydrogen-bonding networks.

Comprehensive analyses of solute carrier family members identify SLC12A2 as a novel therapy target for colorectal cancer.

As the largest transporter family impacting on tumor genesis and development, the prognostic value of solute carrier (SLC) members has not been elucidated in colorectal cancer (CRC). We aimed to identify a prognostic signature from the SLC members and comprehensively analyze their roles in CRC. Firstly, we downloaded transcriptome data and clinical information of CRC samples from GEO (GSE39582) and TCGA as training and testing dataset, respectively. We extracted the expression matrix of SLC genes and established a prognostic model by univariate and multivariate Cox regression. Afterwards, the low-risk and high-risk group were identified. Then, the differences of prognosis traits, transcriptome features, clinical characteristics, immune infiltration and drug sensitivity between the two groups were explored. Furthermore, molecular subtyping was also implemented by non-negative matrix factorization (NMF). Finally, we studied the expression of the screened SLC genes in CRC tumor tissues and normal tissues as well as investigated the role of SLC12A2 by loss of function and gain of function. As a result, we developed a prognostic risk model based on the screened 6-SLC genes (SLC39A8, SLC2A3, SLC39A13, SLC35B1, SLC4A3, SLC12A2). Both in the training and testing sets, CRC patients in the high-risk group had the poorer prognosis and were in the more advanced pathological stage. What's more, the high-risk group were enriched with CRC progression signatures and immune infiltration. Two groups showed different drug sensitivity. On the other hand, two distinct subclasses (C1 and C2) were identified based on the 6 SLC genes. CRC patients in the high-risk group and C1 subtype had a worse prognosis. Furthermore, we found and validated that SLC12A2 was steadily upregulated in CRC. A loss-of-function study showed that knockdown of SLC12A2 expression restrained proliferation and stemness of CRC cells while a gain-of-function study showed the contrary results. Hence, we provided a 6-SLC gene signature for prognosis prediction of CRC patients. At the same time, we identified that SLC12A2 could promote tumor progression in CRC, which may serve as a potential therapeutic target.

Chelating Effect of Siderophore Desferrioxamine-B on Uranyl Biomineralization Mediated by Shewanella putrefaciens.

In contaminated water and soil, little is known about the role and mechanism of the biometabolic molecule siderophore desferrioxamine-B (DFO) in the biogeochemical cycle of uranium due to complicated coordination and reaction networks. Here, a joint experimental and quantum chemical investigation is carried out to probe the biomineralization of uranyl (UO22+, referred to as U(VI) hereafter) induced by Shewanella putrefaciens (abbreviated as S. putrefaciens) in the presence of DFO and Fe3+ ion. The results show that the production of mineralized solids {hydrogen-uranium mica [H2(UO2)2(PO4)2·8H2O]} via S. putrefaciens binding with UO22+ is inhibited by DFO, which can both chelate preferentially UO22+ to form a U(VI)-DFO complex in solution and seize it from U(VI)-biominerals upon solvation. However, with Fe3+ ion introduced, the strong specificity of DFO binding with Fe3+ causes re-emergence of biomineralization of UO22+ {bassetite [Fe(UO2)2(PO4)2·8(H2O)]} by S. putrefaciens, owing to competitive complexation between Fe3+ and UO22+ for DFO. As DFO possesses three hydroxamic functional groups, it forms hexadentate coordination with Fe3+ and UO22+ ions via these functional groups. The stability of the Fe3+-DFO complex is much higher than that of U(VI)-DFO, resulting in some DFO-released UO22+ to be remobilized by S. putrefaciens. Our finding not only adds to the understanding of the fate of toxic U(VI)-containing substances in the environment and biogeochemical cycles in the future but also suggests the promising potential of utilizing functionalized DFO ligands for uranium processing.

Cross-catenation between position-isomeric metallacages.

The study of cross-catenated metallacages, which are complex self-assembly systems arising from multiple supramolecular interactions and hierarchical assembly processes, is currently lacking but could provide facile insights into achieving more precise control over low-symmetry/high-complexity hierarchical assembly systems. Here, we report a cross-catenane formed between two position-isomeric Pt(II) metallacages in the solid state. These two metallacages formed [2]catenanes in solution, whereas a 1:1 mixture selectively formed a cross-catenane in crystals. Varied temperature nuclear magnetic resonance experiments and time-of-flight mass spectra are employed to characterize the cross-catenation in solutions, and the dynamic library of [2]catenanes are shown. Additionally, we searched for the global-minimum structures of three [2]catenanes and re-optimized the low-lying structures using density functional theory calculations. Our results suggest that the binding energy of cross-catenanes is significantly larger than that of self-catenanes within the dynamic library, and the selectivity in crystallization of cross-catenanes is thermodynamic. This study presents a cross-catenated assembly from different metallacages, which may provide a facile insight for the development of low-symmetry/high-complexity self-assemble systems.

Potential Causal Association between Plasma Metabolites, Immunophenotypes, and Female Reproductive Disorders: A Two-Sample Mendelian Randomization Analysis.

BACKGROUND: While extensive research highlighted the involvement of metabolism and immune cells in female reproductive diseases, causality remains unestablished. METHODS: Instrumental variables for 486 circulating metabolites (N = 7824) and 731 immunophenotypes (N = 3757) were derived from a genome-wide association study (GWAS) meta-analysis. FinnGen contributed data on 14 female reproductive disorders. A bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization study was performed to determine the relationships between exposures and outcomes. The robustness of results, potential heterogeneity, and horizontal pleiotropy were examined through sensitivity analysis. RESULTS: High levels of mannose were found to be causally associated with increased risks of gestational diabetes (GDM) (OR [95% CI], 6.02 [2.85-12.73], p = 2.55 × 10-6). A genetically predicted elevation in the relative count of circulating CD28-CD25++CD8+ T cells was causally related to increased female infertility risk (OR [95% CI], 1.26 [1.14-1.40], p = 1.07 × 10-5), whereas a high absolute count of NKT cells reduced the risk of ectopic pregnancy (OR [95% CI], 0.87 [0.82-0.93], p = 5.94 × 10-6). These results remained consistent in sensitivity analyses. CONCLUSIONS: Our study supports mannose as a promising GDM biomarker and intervention target by integrating metabolomics and genomics.

Chitosan alleviates ovarian aging by enhancing macrophage phagocyte-mediated tissue homeostasis.

BACKGROUND: Age-related changes in the ovarian microenvironment are linked to impaired fertility in women. Macrophages play important roles in ovarian tissue homeostasis and immune surveillance. However, the impact of aging on ovarian macrophage function and ovarian homeostasis remains poorly understood. METHODS: Senescence-associated beta-galactosidase staining, immunohistochemistry, and TUNEL staining were used to assess senescence and apoptosis, respectively. Flow cytometry was employed to evaluate mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and apoptosis in granulosa cells lines (KGN), and macrophages phagocytosis. After a 2-month treatment with low molecular weight Chitosan (LMWC), ovarian tissues from mice were collected for comprehensive analysis. RESULTS: Compared with the liver and uterus, the ovary displayed accelerated aging in an age-dependent manner, which was accompanied by elevated levels of inflammatory factors and apoptotic cells, and impaired macrophage phagocytic activity. The aged KGN cells exhibited elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) and apoptotic levels alongside decreased MMP. H2O2-induced aging macrophages showed reduced phagocytosis function. Moreover, there were excessive aging macrophages with impaired phagocytosis in the follicular fluid of patients with diminished ovarian reserve (DOR). Notably, LMWC administration alleviated ovarian aging by enhancing macrophage phagocytosis and promoting tissue homeostasis. CONCLUSIONS: Aging ovarian is characterized by an accumulation of aging and apoptotic granulosa cells, an inflammatory response and macrophage phagocytosis dysfunction. In turn, impaired phagocytosis of macrophage contributes to insufficient clearance of aging and apoptotic granulosa cells and the increased risk of DOR. Additionally, LMWC emerges as a potential therapeutic strategy for age-related ovarian dysfunction.

Bacterial bioburden of duodenoscope elevator mechanism in different reprocessing stages.

Over the past decade, infections linked to duodenoscopes have become a significant concern, primarily due to the intricate design of the elevator mechanism. Currently, there is limited evidence regarding the bacterial contamination level of the elevator mechanism after clinical use and throughout its various reprocessing stages. This study utilized the swab culture technique to examine the bacterial contamination on the duodenoscope elevator mechanism after clinical use and after 3 reprocessing stages at a Center of tertiary hospital. Our findings revealed severe bacterial contamination after clinical usage, emphasizing that the effectiveness of manual cleaning greatly influences the subsequent high-level disinfection quality.

DNA methylation of promoter region inhibits galectin-1 expression in BMSCs of aged mice.

Senile osteoporosis increases fracture risks. Bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) are sensitive to aging. Deep insights into BMSCs aging are vital to elucidate the mechanisms underlying age-related bone loss. Recent advances showed that osteoporosis is associated with aberrant DNA methylation of many susceptible genes. Galectin-1 (Gal-1) has been proposed as a mediator of BMSCs functions. In our previous study, we showed that Gal-1 was downregulated in aged BMSCs and global deletion of Gal-1 in mice caused bone loss via impaired osteogenesis potential of BMSCs. Gal-1 promoter is featured by CpG islands. However, there are no reports concerning the DNA methylation status in Gal-1 promoter during osteoporosis. In the current study, we sought to investigate the role of DNA methylation in Gal-1 downregulation in aged BMSCs. The potential for anti-bone loss therapy based on modulating DNA methylation is explored. Our results showed that Dnmt3b-mediated Gal-1 promoter DNA hypermethylation plays an important role in Gal-1 downregulation in aged BMSCs, which inhibited ß-catenin binding on Gal-1 promoter. Bone loss of aged mice was alleviated in response to in vivo deletion of Dnmt3b from BMSCs. Finally, when bone marrow of young wild-type (WT) mice or young Dnmt3bPrx1-Cre mice was transplanted into aged WT mice, Gal-1 level in serum and trabecular bone mass were elevated in recipient aged WT mice. Our study will benefit for deeper insights into the regulation mechanisms of Gal-1 expression in BMSCs during osteoporosis development, and for the discovery of new therapeutic targets for osteoporosis via modulating DNA methylation status.NEW & NOTEWORTHY There is Dnmt3b-mediated DNA methylation in Gal-1 promoter in aged bone marrow stromal cell (BMSC). DNA methylation causes Gal-1 downregulation and osteogenesis attenuation of aged BMSC. DNA methylation blocks ß-catenin binding on Gal-1 promoter. Bone loss of aged mice is alleviated by in vivo deletion of Dnmt3b from BMSC.

Correlation between changes in flavor compounds and microbial community ecological succession in the liquid fermentation of rice wine.

Microorganisms play an important role in regulating flavor compounds in rice wine, whereas we often don't understand how did they affect flavor compounds. Here, the relations between flavor compounds and microbial community ecological succession were investigated by monitoring flavor compounds and microbial community throughout the fermentation stage of rice wine. The composition of microbial community showed a dynamic change, but 13 dominant bacterial genera and 4 dominant fungal genera were detected throughout the fermentation stages. Saccharomyces presented a strong negative correlation with fungi genera but had positive associations with bacteria genera. Similarly, flavor compounds in rice wine were also showed the dynamic change, and 112 volatile compounds and 17 free amino acids were identified in the whole stages. The alcohol-ester ratio was decreased in the LTF stage, indicating that low temperature boosts ester formation. The potential correlation between flavor compounds and microbial community indicated that Delftia, Chryseobacterium, Rhizopus and Wickerhamomyces were the core functional microorganisms in rice wine. These findings clarified the correlation between changes in flavor compounds and in microbial community in the liquid fermentation of rice wine, and these results have some reference value for the quality improvement and technological optimization in liquid fermentation of rice wine.

Ginsenosides in endometrium-related diseases: Emerging roles and mechanisms.

Ginsenosides, agents extracted from an important herb (ginseng), are expected to provide new therapies for endometrium-related diseases. Based on the molecular types of ginsenosides, we reviewed the main pharmacological effects of ginsenosides against endometrium-related diseases (e.g., endometrial cancers, endometriosis, and endometritis). The mechanism of action of ginsenosides involves inducing apoptosis of endometrium-related cells, promoting autophagy of endometrium-related cells, regulating epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in endometrium-related cells, and activating the immune system to kill cells associated with endometrial diseases. We hope to provide a theoretical foundation for the treatment of endometrium-related diseases by ginsenosides.

Rh19-: A high-spin super-octahedron cluster.

Probing atomic clusters with magic numbers is of supreme importance but challenging in cluster science. Pronounced stability of a metal cluster often arises from coincident geometric and electronic shell closures. However, transition metal clusters do not simply abide by this constraint. Here, we report the finding of a magic-number cluster Rh19- with prominent inertness in the sufficient gas-collision reactions. Photoelectron spectroscopy experiments and global-minimum structure search have determined the geometry of Rh19- to be a regular Oh­[Rh@Rh12@Rh6]- with unusual high-spin electronic configuration. The distinct stability of such a strongly magnetic cluster Rh19- consisting of a nonmagnetic element is fully unveiled on the basis of its unique bonding nature and superatomic states. The 1-nanometer-sized Oh-Rh19- cluster corresponds to a fragment of the face-centered cubic lattice of bulk rhodium but with altered magnetism and electronic property. This cluster features exceptional electron-spin state isomers confirmed in photoelectron spectra and suggests potential applications in atomically precise manufacturing involving spintronics and quantum computing.

A Supramolecular Naphthalene Diimide Radical Anion with Efficient NIR-II Photothermal Conversion for E. coli-Responsive Photothermal Therapy.

We report a supramolecular naphthalene diimide (NDI) radical anion with efficient NIR-II photothermal conversion for E. coli-responsive photothermal therapy. The supramolecular radical anion (NDI-2CB[7])⋅- , which is obtained from the E. coli-induced in situ reduction of NDI-2CB[7] neutral complex, formed by the host-guest interaction between an NDI derivative and cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]), exhibits unexpectedly strong NIR-II absorption and remarkable photothermal conversion capacity in aqueous solution. The NIR-II absorption is caused by the self-assembly of NDI radical anions to form supramolecular dimer radicals in aqueous solution, which is supported by theoretically predicted spectra. The (NDI-2CB[7])⋅- demonstrates excellent NIR-II photothermal antimicrobial activity (>99 %). This work provides a new approach for constructing NIR-II photothermal agents and non-contact treatments for bacterial infections.

[Imaging measurement and analysis of related indexes of variation of femoral head rotation center].

OBJECTIVE: To provide guidance for hip replacement by analyzing the variation of femoral head rotation center in different hip diseases. METHODS: A total of 5 459 patients were collected from March 2016 to June 2021, who took positive and proportional plain films of both hips for various reasons. The relative position between the rotation center of the femoral head and the apex of the greater trochanter was measured. The positive variation is more than 2 mm above the top of the great trochanter, and the negative variation is more than 2 mm below the top of the great trochanter. A total of 831 patients with variation of femoral head rotation center were collected and were divided into 4 groups according to different diseases, and the variation was counted respectively. There were 15 cases in the normal group involving 10 cases of positive variation and 5 cases of negative variation. There were 145 cases of avascular necrosis of femoral head involving 25 cases of positive variation and 120 cases of negative variation. There were 346 cases of congenital hip dysplasia involving 225 cases of positive variation(including 25 cases of typeⅠ, 70 cases of type Ⅱ, 115 cases of type Ⅲ and 15 cases of type Ⅳ), and 121 cases of negative variation(including 50 cases of crowe typeⅠ, 60 cases of typeⅡ, 10 cases of type Ⅲ and 1 case of type Ⅳ). There were 325 cases of hip osteoarthritis group involving 45 cases of positive variation and 280 cases of negative variation. RESULTS: There was significant difference in variation of femoral head rotation center among the four groups(P<0.05). There was significant difference in variation of femoral head rotation center among different types of congenital hip dysplasia(P<0.05). There were significant differences in cervical trunk angle and eccentricity among different variations of femoral head rotation center(P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The variation of femoral head rotation center is related to cervical trunk angle and eccentricity. The variation of femoral head rotation center is an important factor in hip diseases. The variation of femoral head rotation center is different in different hip diseases. Avascular necrosis of the femoral head and osteoarthritis of the hip were mostly negative variations. With the aggravation of congenital hip dysplasia, the variation of femoral head rotation center gradually changed from negative variation to positive variation.The variation of femoral head rotation center should be paid attention to in the preoperative planning of hip arthroplasty. It is of great significance to select the appropriate prosthesis and place the prosthesis accurately.

A novel exposure mode based on UVA-LEDs for bacterial inactivation.

As an emerging UV source, ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UV-LEDs) are increasingly being used for disinfection purposes. UVA-LEDs have a higher output power, lower cost, and stronger penetration and cause less harm than UVC-LEDs. In this study, a novel exposure mode based on UVA was proposed and well demonstrated by various experiments using S. aureus as an indicator. Compared with single-dose exposure, fractionated exposure with a 15 min interval between treatments resulted in increased S. aureus inactivation. A longer interval or lower first irradiation dose was unfavorable for inactivation. Fractionated exposure changed the inactivation rate constant and eliminated the shoulder in the fluence-response curves. This resulted in changing the sensitivity of bacteria to UVA and improving bacterial inactivation. Moreover, the fractioned exposure mode has universality for various bacteria (including gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria). S. aureus was not reactivated by photoreactivation or dark repair after UVA treatment. As expected, the cells were damaged more seriously after fractionated exposure, further suggesting the advantages of this new exposure mode. In addition, the mechanism by which bacteria were inactivated after fractionated exposure was investigated, and it was found that •OH played an important role. A longer interval between treatments showed an adverse effect on inactivation, mainly due to the reduction of •OH and recovery of intracellular GSH. In summary, the current work provides novel ideas for the application of UVA-LEDs, which will give more choices for disinfection treatment.

Spectroscopic snapshot for neutral water nonamer (H2O)9: Adding a H2O onto a hydrogen bond-unbroken edge of (H2O)8.

Structural characterization of neutral water clusters is crucial to understanding the structures and properties of water, but it has been proven to be a challenging experimental target due to the difficulty in size selection. Here, we report the size-specific infrared spectra of confinement-free neutral water nonamer (H2O)9 based on threshold photoionization, using a tunable vacuum ultraviolet free-electron laser. Distinct OH stretch vibrational fundamentals in the 3200-3350 cm-1 region are observed, providing unique spectral signatures for the formation of an unprecedented (H2O)9 structure evolved by adding a ninth water molecule onto a hydrogen bond-unbroken edge of the (H2O)8 octamer with D2d symmetry. This nonamer structure coexists with the five previously identified structures that can be viewed as derived by inserting a ninth water molecule into a hydrogen bond-broken edge of the D2d/S4 octamer. These findings provide key microscopic information for systematic understanding of the formation and growth mechanism of dynamical hydrogen-bonding networks that are responsible for the structure and properties of condensed-phase water.

Gut microbiota-derived nicotinamide mononucleotide alleviates acute pancreatitis by activating pancreatic SIRT3 signalling.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Gut microbiota dysbiosis induced by acute pancreatitis (AP) exacerbates pancreatic injury and systemic inflammatory responses. The alleviation of gut microbiota dysbiosis through faecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is considered a potential strategy to reduce tissue damage and inflammation in many clinical disorders. Here, we aim to investigate the effect of gut microbiota and microbiota-derived metabolites on AP and further clarify the mechanisms associated with pancreatic damage and inflammation. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: AP rat and mouse models were established by administration of caerulein or sodium taurocholate in vivo. Pancreatic acinar cells were exposed to caerulein and lipopolysaccharide in vitro to simulate AP. KEY RESULTS: Normobiotic FMT alleviated AP-induced gut microbiota dysbiosis and ameliorated the severity of AP, including mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative damage and inflammation. Normobiotic FMT induced higher levels of NAD+ (nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide)-associated metabolites, particularly nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN). NMN administration mitigated AP-mediated mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative damage and inflammation by increasing pancreatic NAD+ levels. Similarly, overexpression of the NAD+ -dependent mitochondrial deacetylase sirtuin 3 (SIRT3) alleviated the severity of AP. Furthermore, SIRT3 deacetylated peroxiredoxin 5 (PRDX5) and enhanced PRDX5 protein expression, thereby promoting its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities in AP. Importantly, normobiotic FMT-mediated NMN metabolism induced SIRT3-PRDX5 pathway activation during AP. CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS: Gut microbiota-derived NMN alleviates the severity of AP by activating the SIRT3-PRDX5 pathway. Normobiotic FMT could be served as a potential strategy for AP treatment.

Why are people 'Lying Flat'? Personal relative deprivation suppresses self-improvement motivation.

The 'Lying Flat' mindset refers to people's low intention to self-improvement. We hypothesized that personal relative deprivation (PRD), the negative consequence of social comparisons, is one of the reasons that might harm individuals' self-improvement motivations. In study 1 (N = 313), we found that PRD negatively predicted self-improvement after controlling for various confounding variables. This result is confirmed in study 2a (N = 3399) and 2b (N = 3219) by using a national representative sample. Furthermore, Study 2a found that the effect of PRD on self-improvement was mediated by the system-justifying belief (SJB). In study 3 (N = 160), we experimentally demonstrated that PRD harms self-improvement and persistence via its effect on SJB. The higher PRD people experienced, the less they endorsed the SJB, which thereby reduced self-improvement. Taken together, this research manifested that not only would PRD affect people's social beliefs (e.g. SJB) but also hinder self-improvement motivations.