Effects of buccal acupuncture on postoperative analgesia in elderly patients undergoing laparoscopic radical gastrectomy: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of buccal acupuncture on postoperative analgesia, perioperative stress response and adverse events in elderly patients undergoing laparoscopic radical gastrectomy. Methods: It was a prospective, outcome assessor-blinded, randomized controlled trial, involving 90 patients aged 65-80 years who were treated with an elective laparoscopic radical gastrectomy. They were randomly assigned to buccal acupuncture group (Group B) and control group (Group C). Buccal acupuncture was applied to patients of Group B before the induction of general anesthesia, while no additional application was given to those in Group C. Patient-controlled intravenous analgesia (PCIA) with sufentanil was postoperatively performed in both groups. Sufentanil consumption and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score within 48 h postoperatively were assessed as primary outcomes. Secondary outcomes included peripheral levels of stress markers, intraoperative consumptions of anesthetic drugs and postoperative recovery. Results: Patients in Group B presented significantly lower VAS scores within 24 h and less consumption of sufentanil within 48 h postoperatively (both p < 0.01). The awaking time, time to extubation and length of stay were significantly shorter in Group B than in Group C (p = 0.005, 0.001 and 0.028, respectively). Compared with Group C, stress response and inflammatory response within 24 h postoperatively were also significantly milder in Group B. Conclusion: The use of buccal acupuncture before general anesthesia induction favors the postoperative analgesic effect and recovery in elderly patients undergoing laparoscopic radical gastrectomy, the mechanism of which involves relieving postoperative stress response and inflammatory response. Clinical trial registration: This study was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (www.chictr.org.cn) on 15/06/2023 (ChiCTR2300072500).

Peripheral CD4+ T helper lymphocytes alterations in major depressive disorder: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Previous research has shown that patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) develop immune dysfunction. However, the exact alterations of cluster of differentiation (CD)4+ T helper (Th) lymphocytes in MDD remains unclear. This meta-analysis aimed to examine the specific changes in CD4+ Th cells. A comprehensive search of PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and PsycINFO databases was conducted to identify studies investigating CD4+ Th, Th1, Th2, Th17, and T regulatory (Treg) cell counts in the peripheral blood of MDD patients and healthy controls (HCs), covering the period up to June 22, 2024. Our findings revealed that patients with MDD might exhibit higher CD4+ Th cells (SMD=0.26, 95 %CI, 0.02 to 0.50), CD4+/CD8+ cell ratios (SMD=0.51, 95 %CI, 0.14 to 0.89), Th1/Th2 cell ratios (SMD=0.15, 95 %CI, 0.01 to 0.30) and lower Th1 (SMD=-0.17, 95 %CI, -0.30 to -0.03), Th2 (SMD=-0.25, 95 %CI, -0.40 to -0.11), and Treg cells (SMD=-0.69, 95 %CI, -1.27 to -0.11). However, no significant difference was observed in terms of Th17 cells and Th17/Treg cell ratios between MDD patients and the HCs. Heterogeneity was large (I2:18.1-95.2 %), and possible sources of heterogeneity were explored (e.g., age, depression scale, country, and antidepressant use). Our findings indicate that peripheral CD4+ T cells in depressed patients exhibit features of adaptive immune dysfunction, as evidenced by increased CD4+ Th cells and CD4+/CD8+ and decreased Treg cells. These findings offer insights into the underlying mechanism of MDD.

Geochemical Characteristics and Origin of Sinian-Cambrian Natural Gas in Penglai Gas Area, Sichuan Basin.

The Sichuan Basin in southern China is well-known for its large natural gas resource potential stored in Sinian-Cambrian systems. Recently, high-yield industrial gas flow has been discovered from the Dengying Formation (Sinian System) and Canglangpu Formation (Cambrian System) in the Penglai gas area, preluding the multilayer stereoscopic exploration in Sichuan Basin. However, the origin of the natural gas and its preserving mechanics is still debated, and thus, in this study the geochemical characteristics of the natural gas are systematically analyzed, based on the data from gas composition and hydrocarbon isotope of a series of local wells. On this basis, the geochemical characteristics of natural gas in different regions and layers are compared, and the reasons for these differences from the origin and influencing factors are analyzed. The results show the following: (1) The natural gas of the Penglai gas field is dry gas dominated by CH4, and the Sinian Dengying Formation gas has lower C2H6 content, larger dryness coefficient, heavier δ13C, and lighter δ2HCH4 than the Cambrian gas, which is associated with the high proportion of hydrocarbons from the high-maturity Dengying source rocks. (2) The natural gas from some wells in the lower part of the structure is characterized by high H2S content and low CH4 content, and heavy δ13C in the components, which seems to be affected by the thermochemical sulfate reduction (TSR) effect. (3) The natural gas from the Penglai gas area has a relatively low maturity, which appears to be attributed to the continuous sealing ability of the caprock, which can preserve both the early generated gas and the late thermal-cracked gas.

Inconsistency in psychological resilience and social support with mental health in early adolescents: A multilevel response surface analysis approach.

BACKGROUND: Given the high prevalence of adolescent mental health problems, promoting understanding and implementation of protective factors is crucial for prevention and intervention efforts addressing adolescent mental health problems. This study aims to investigate whether consistency and inconsistency in protective factors are associated with adolescent mental health problems and to inform adolescent mental health interventions that target the unique needs of adolescents and promote adolescent mental health. METHODS: We used multistage cluster sampling to conduct psychological resilience, social support, and mental health questionnaires from April to June 2023 among 10,653 Chinese adolescents (52.3 % were boys). Data were analyzed using polynomial regressions with response surface analysis. RESULTS: The higher levels of psychological resilience and social support in adolescents were associated with fewer mental health problems (anxiety: a1 = -1.83, P < 0.001; depression: a1 = -2.44, P < 0.001; and perceived stress: a1 = -1.20, P < 0.001). When the level of psychological resilience was greater than social support, the greater the discrepancy the higher the perceived stress among adolescents (a3 = 1.19, P < 0.001). Moreover, the consistency of psychological resilience and social support had a greater impact on girls' mental health (anxiety: a1 = -1.97, P < 0.001; depression: a1 = -2.71, P < 0.001; perceived stress: a1 = -1.23, P < 0.001). LIMITATIONS: The cross-sectional study design limited the inference of causal relationships between variables. CONCLUSIONS: These results emphasize that adolescents need a balanced development of protective factors and targeted intervention programs for different mental health problems.

Multi-level factors associated with psychological resilience in the face of adverse childhood experiences among Chinese early adolescents.

BACKGROUND: Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are pervasive and exert enduring negative effects on health throughout one's life. A better understanding of resilience among adolescents with ACEs exposure is crucial to enhance their mental health; however, comprehensive and multifaceted analyses of its associated factors are limited. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate multi-level correlates of psychological resilience in Chinese early adolescents exposed to ACEs. PARTICIPANTS AND SETTING: In a sample of 5724 middle school students, 65.5 % (n = 3749; 49.1 % females; Mage = 13.57, SD = 0.96) reported ACEs during their primary school period and were finally included in this study. METHOD: Both linear regression and network models were conducted to explore correlates of capacity- and outcome-oriented resilience at the individual (i.e., five personality traits, emotional release, and loneliness), family (i.e., family support and relationships with the mother and father), and school levels (i.e., peer support, teacher support, and relationships with classmates and teachers). RESULTS: Linear regression analysis revealed that all correlates were associated with capacity- (ß ranged from -0.271 to 0.503, PFDR < 0.001 for all) and outcome-oriented resilience (ß ranged from -0.516 to 0.229, PFDR < 0.001 for all). Similarly, network analysis revealed that neuroticism, conscientiousness, loneliness, emotional release, extraversion, and the relationship with the mother were directly associated with both capacity- (weights ranged from 0.029 to 0.179) and outcome-oriented resilience (weights ranged from 0.024 to 0.396). However, openness, peer and family support, and relationships with classmates and teachers were directly associated with capacity-oriented resilience (weights ranged from 0.020 to 0.201). CONCLUSIONS: This study identified the shared and unique associated factors for capacity- and outcome-oriented resilience in the face of ACEs and demonstrated the complex interactions between these factors, which can guide tailored interventions to enhance resilience among Chinese early adolescents with ACEs exposure. Further longitudinal studies may endeavor to confirm our results.

Longitudinal and Reciprocal Effects in the Association Between School Bullying and Homicidal Ideation During Early Adolescence.

Several cross-sectional studies indicated a positive association between school bullying and homicidal ideation during early adolescence. However, few longitudinal studies investigated this association. This study examined whether a bi-directional relationship exists within the longitudinal association between bullying victimization or bullying perpetration and homicidal ideation among early adolescents using a Random Intercept Cross-Lagged Panel Model. A total of 1611 early adolescents (39.5% girls; Mage = 12.50 years, SD = 0.50) were recruited from the Chinese Early Adolescents Cohort study. Data on bullying victimization, bullying perpetration, and homicidal ideation collected during three time points (September 2019, September 2020, and September 2021) were used. Bullying victimization showed a significant positive association with homicidal ideation at the between-person level. Bullying victimization and bullying perpetration had a bi-directional relationship with homicidal ideation at the within-person level. Additionally, this study considered the impact of biological sex-based differences and bullying types on adolescents' homicidal ideation. Based on these findings, school bullying might exhibit unique reciprocal associations with homicidal ideation.

Secretory Clusterin Inhibits Dopamine Neuron Apoptosis in MPTP Mice by Preserving Autophagy Activity.

Secretory clusterin (sCLU) plays an important role in the research progress of nervous system diseases. However, the physiological function of sCLU in Parkinson's disease (PD) are unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of sCLU-mediated autophagy on cell survival and apoptosis inhibition in a 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced mouse model of PD. We found that MPTP administration induced prolonged pole-climbing time, shortened traction time and rotarod time, significantly decreased TH protein expression in the SN tissue of mice. In contrast, sCLU -treated mice took less time to climb the pole and had an extended traction time and rotating rod time. Meanwhile, sCLU intervention induced increased expression of the TH protein in the SN of mice. These results indicated that sCLU intervention could reduce the loss of dopamine neurons in the SN area and alleviate dyskinesia in mice. Furthermore, MPTP led to suppressed viability, enhanced apoptosis, an increased Bax/Bcl-2 ratio, and cleaved caspase-3 in the SN of mice, and these effects were abrogated by sCLU intervention. In addition, MPTP increased the levels of P62 protein, decreased Beclin1 protein, decreased the ratio of LC3B-II/LC3B-I, and decreased the numbers of autophagosomes and autophagolysosomes in the SN tissues of mice. These effects were also abrogated by sCLU intervention. Activation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling with MPTP inhibited autophagy in the SN of MPTP mice; however, sCLU treatment activated autophagy in MPTP-induced PD mice by inhibiting PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling. These data indicated that sCLU treatment had a neuroprotective effect in an MPTP-induced model of PD.

Widely targeted metabolomics analysis reveals new biomarkers and mechanistic insights on chestnut (Castanea mollissima Bl.) calcification process.

Chestnut calcification is a quality deterioration due to fast water loss, which has been of deep concern for chestnut quality control because its mechanism is unclear. In order to find out the different key metabolites and metabolic pathways related to the occurrence of chestnut calcification, in this study, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) based widely targeted metabolomics analysis was performed on chestnuts that were stored at 50%-55% (low relative humidity, LRH) at 25 °C and 85%-90% (high relative humidity, HRH) at 25 °C. A total of 611 metabolites were detected, and 55 differentially accumulated metabolites were identified as key metabolites involved in chestnut calcification process. The decrease in some monosaccharides accompanied with the increase in some unsaturated fatty acids indicated the degradation of chestnut cell wall and cell membrane during calcification process. As a stress response, amino acid metabolism related to membrane stability was significantly activated. In addition, the enhancement of phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway and flavonoid biosynthesis pathway characterized by the accumulation of lignin precursors and antioxidants suggested that lignification process was triggered in calcified chestnut. Therefore, the degradation and hardening of the cell wall and membrane damage were proposed to be associated with the calcification occurrence of chestnut. The metabolic profile of chestnut characterized in this study provided new insights into chestnut calcification process and laid a foundation for further chestnut quality control.

Development and characterization of an edible chitosan-whey protein nano composite film for chestnut (Castanea mollissima Bl.) preservation.

Chitosan (CHI) and whey protein are usually used to prepare edible films for food preservation. However, the composite film composed of the two components does not yield satisfactory properties for chestnut preservation. In this study, nano-cellulose and cinnamaldehyde (CMA) were added to CHI and whey protein, creating a new composite film with strong water retention, bacteriostatic, and mechanical properties. The water vapor permeability (WVP) of the film decreased by 21.61% with the addition of 0.5% (w/v) nano-cellulose, and 23.02% with the addition of 0.3% (w/v) CMA. Furthermore, water solubility (WS) decreased 22.05%, and the density of the film was significantly improved with the addition of 0.3% (w/v) CMA. The optimized formula of the film was CHI 2.5% (w/v), whey protein 3.0% (w/v), nano-cellulose 0.5% (w/v), CMA 0.3% (w/v), and pH 3.8, as determined by orthogonal testing L9(34 ), with fuzzy comprehensive assessment, of WVP, WS, tensile strength, and elongation at break. The film clearly inhibited the growth of E. coli, S. aureus, and Chinese chestnut fungus, destroying the mycelial structure of the fungus. In addition, coating effectively reduced the weight loss, mildew rate, and calcification index during 16 days of storage of chestnuts at 25 °C.

Perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctane sulfonate co-exposure induced changes of metabolites and defense pathways in lettuce leaves.

Growing evidence shows plants are at risks of exposure to various per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), however the phytotoxicity induced by these compounds remains largely unknown on the molecular scale. Here, lettuce exposed to both perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) at different concentrations (500, 1000, 2000 and 5000 ng/L) in hydroponic media was investigated via metabolomics. Under the co-exposure conditions, the growth and biomass were not affected by PFOA and PFOS, but metabolic profiles of mineral elements and organic compounds in lettuce leaves were significantly altered. The contents of Na, Mg, Cu, Fe, Ca and Mo were decreased 1.8%-47.8%, but Zn was increased 7.4%-24.2%. The metabolisms of amino acids and peptides, fatty acids and lipids were down-regulated in a dose-dependent manner, while purine and purine nucleosides were up-regulated, exhibiting the stress response to PFOA and PFOS co-exposure. The reduced amounts of phytol (14.8%-77.0%) and abscisic acid (60.7%-73.8%) indicated the alterations in photosynthesis and signal transduction. The metabolism of (poly)phenol, involved in shikimate-phenylpropanoid pathway and flavonoid branch pathway, was strengthened, to cope with the stress of PFASs. As the final metabolites of (poly)phenol biosynthesis, the abundance of various antioxidants was changed. This study offers comprehensive insight of plant response to PFAS co-exposure and enhances the understanding in detoxifying mechanisms.

Low Density Lipoprotein Peptide-Conjugated Gold Nanorods for Combating Gastric Cancer.

As a potential drug carrier, the toxicity of gold nanorods (AuNRs) has been extensively studied to ensure their safety. Some of these studies reported that AuNRs caused a series of toxic cell responses and inspired the hypothesis that AuNRs may act as anti-cancer agents. In the present study, we synthesized AuNRs (72× 17 nm) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) peptide-RLT modified AuNRs to test this hypothesis. A tumor cell inhibition assay was conducted in five cell lines, and RLT-AuNRs demonstrated the most efficient inhibition of SGC-7901 cells. RLT-AuNRs inhibited SGC-7901 cells and increased SGC-7901 cell apoptosis more effectively than did AuNRs and DOX in vitro. Treatment with RLT-AuNRs reduced the tumor volume, decreased the tumor weight, and enhanced the tumor inhibition rates. RLT-AuNRs showed comparable anti-tumor efficacy with DOX but possessed higher in vivo safety than did DOX. Nude mice treated with RLT-AuNRs showed good health and gained weight during the ten-day anti-tumor therapy. Histological results showed no tissue toxicity of RLT-AuNRs. Therefore, RLT-AuNRs may be a viable anti-tumor agent for gastric cancer.

Ethosomes as delivery system for transdermal administration of vinpocetine.

The purpose of the present study was to develop a novel transdermal vinpocetine patch containing a stable formulation and with good entrapment efficiency, and percutaneous absorption which via ethosome. Ethosome was found to be a more efficient delivery carrier with high encapsulation capacities (79.5% +/- 1.8%) and nanometric size (180.7 +/- 1.5 nm). In vitro percutaneous permeation experiments demonstrated that the permeation of vinpocetine through abdominal skin of Sprague Dawley was significantly increased when ethosome was used. The vinpocetine transdermal fluxes from ethosome gel (3.56 +/- 0.13 microg/cm2/h) were 6.72 and 3.10 times higher than that of vinpocetine gel solution and vinpocetine aueous solution, respectively. Furthermore, the AUC(0 --> infinity), and eliminiation half-life by the transdermal administration were significantly higher than those by the intragastric administration (P < 0.01). The study demonstrated that ethosome is a promising vesicular carrier for enhancing percutaneous absorption of vinpocetine.