The Impact of Problematic Internet Use on Adolescent Loneliness-Chain Mediation Effects of Social Support and Family Communication.

Purpose: To explore the relationship between adolescents' problematic Internet use and loneliness and the mediating roles of social support and family communication. Methods: A questionnaire survey of 2483 adolescents aged 12-17 years in 148 cities in China was conducted using the Problematic Internet Use Scale, the Collaborative Social Support Scale, the Family Communication Scale, and the Loneliness Scale. The data were statistically analyzed by SPSS 26.0 and validated by AMOS 28.0. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was conducted to test the effects of problematic Internet use on adolescents' loneliness and the mediating effects of perceptions of social support and family communication. Results: There was a significant positive effect of adolescents' problematic Internet use on loneliness (B-0.471, P<0.001), and the mediating effects of perceptual social support (0.003, 0.012) and family communication (0.008, 0.019) were found to play a chain effect between adolescents' problematic Internet use and loneliness, respectively. Use and feelings of loneliness played a chain mediating role (0.002, 0.006). Conclusion: This study identified the effects of adolescent problematic Internet use on loneliness and its mechanism of action, emphasized the importance of social support and family communication, and provided practical insights for improving family parenting styles and preventing and intervening in adolescent loneliness problems.

Noncontact optical device for measuring blood glucose in aqueous humor: a pilot clinical study investigating correlation with blood glucose levels.

Significance: Monitoring blood glucose levels is crucial for individuals with diabetes. Noninvasive methods for measuring serum glucose levels have been explored to aid in blood glucose control for diabetes management. Aim: We introduced a noncontact optical glucometer (NCGM) for measuring glucose levels in the aqueous humor of the human eye. We also investigated the correlation between glucose levels in the NCGM and the aqueous humor, blood samples, and self-monitoring blood glucose devices. Approach: The optical system used in this study measured both the near-infrared absorption and polarized rotatory distribution of glucose molecules in the human aqueous humor. This prospective study's outcomes were eye aqueous glucose level, preoperative blood glucose level, intraoperative blood glucose level, and NCGM reading of patients in a single center in Taiwan. Results: The NCGM's measurements showed a strong correlation with blood glucose levels (intra-class correlation [ICC]: 0.95 to 0.98) and aqueous humor glucose levels (ICC: 0.76), indicating its ability to noninvasively measure blood glucose levels in human subjects. Conclusions: This NCGM may offer a convenient, pain-free, and rapid tool for measuring blood glucose levels in diabetic patients. The device could represent a significant advancement in noncontact hybrid optical glucose measurement systems.

Effect of respiratory muscle training in patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a prevalent respiratory disorder characterized by progressive airflow limitation. This meta-analysis aims to evaluate the effectiveness of respiratory muscle training (RMT) on key pulmonary function parameters, inspiratory muscle strength and quality of life in patients with stable COPD. Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted in the databases including PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science, Embase, and ClinicalTrials.gov, from their inception to June 12, 2023. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the impact of RMT on stable COPD were included for meta-analysis. Results: In total, 12 RCTs involving 453 participants were included in the meta-analysis. RMT demonstrated a significant increase in maximal inspiratory pressure (PImax, MD, 95% CI: 14.34, 8.17 to 20.51, P < 0.001) but not on maximal expiratory pressure (PEmax). No significant improvement was observed in 6-Min walk test (6MWT), dyspnea, forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity ratio (FVC) and quality of life between RMT and control groups. However, subgroup analysis revealed a significant negative effect of RMT alone on FEV1/FVC (MD, 95% CI: 2.59, -5.11 to -0.06, P = 0.04). When RMT was combined with other interventions, improvements in FEV1/FVC and FEV1 were found, although not statistically significant. Conclusion: RMT can effectively improve maximal inspiratory pressure in stable COPD patients, but the effect is slight in improving lung function, dyspnea and quality of life. It is recommended to combine with other treatment strategies to comprehensively improve the prognosis of COPD patients.

Research on factors influencing Chinese parents' support for death education: a cross-sectional survey.

Objective: This study aims to explore the factors influencing Chinese parents' attitudes toward death education. Given the current lack of such education in China, this research is particularly significant. Death education is vital for shaping the values of young people and alleviating mental health issues, such as depression and suicidal tendencies. By identifying these influencing factors, this study seeks to provide guidance for policymakers and educators in promoting the development and widespread adoption of death education. Methods: To do so, a national cross-sectional quota sample of 12,435 Chinese parents was used. Borrowing from social-ecological theory, the researchers carried out multiple stepwise regression analyses to examine the individual, family, and social-level factors that shape the supportive attitudes of Chinese parents toward death education. Results: The findings revealed that at the individual level, parent (ß = 0.04, p < 0.001), education level (ß = 0.07, p < 0.001), and religious belief (ß = -0.02, p < 0.05) were significant predictors of Chinese parents' support for death education. Meanwhile, at the family and social level, average monthly household income (ß = 0.07, p < 0.001), family health (ß = 0.03, p < 0.05), family communication (ß = 0.02, p < 0.05), social support (ß = 0.15, p < 0.001), neighborhood relations (ß = 0.11, p < 0.001), and social network size (ß = 0.05, p < 0.001) were significant predictors of Chinese parents' supportive attitudes toward death education. Conclusion: Based on these findings, it is suggested that the relevant development, planning, publicity, and public welfare groups and government departments should promote death education, provide more social support, and encourage neighborhood harmony. As higher education and average monthly household income were found to significantly impact the support, the government should improve access to higher education and actively work to increase residents' income to facilitate the development of death education.

Near infrared luminescence properties and mechanism of high bismuth-doped SiO2-Al2O3-La2O3 glass.

This research investigated the wideband near-infrared spectroscopy characteristics of 60SiO2-25Al2O3-10La2O3 glass doped with high levels of bismuth up to 5 mol%. The near-infrared radiation range was explored under excitation wavelengths of 488 nm, 532 nm, 808 nm, and 980 nm, resulting in near-infrared radiation spanning from 1000 nm to 1800nm with Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM) values of 313.0 nm, 336.3 nm, 296.2 nm, and 262.9 nm, respectively. Notably, the sample exhibited a lifetime of 1.473 ms when pumped at 808 nm, corresponding to a stimulated cross-section of σe=3.35 × 10-21 cm2. Through an in-depth investigation of the luminescence properties, the underlying physical mechanism behind the near-infrared luminescence was revealed. The emissions observed at approximately 1150 nm and 1300 nm were attributed to the aluminum-related bismuth active center (BAC-Al) and the silicon-related bismuth active center (BAC-Si), respectively. Furthermore, it is postulated that the emission at the 1150 nm band originates from the 3P1, 3P2 →3P0 transition of Bi+ and the 2D3/2 → 4S3/2 transition of Bi°, while the emission at the 1300 nm band may be linked to mixed valence states of Bi3+. This work will find potential applications in broadband near-infrared optical devices.

Molecular Characteristics, Antimicrobial Susceptibility, Biofilm-Forming Ability of Clinically Invasive Staphylococcus aureus Isolates.

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the molecular characteristics, antimicrobial resistance, and biofilm-forming ability of Staphylococcus aureus isolates from invasive infections. Methods: A total of 92 non-repetitive S. aureus isolates from invasive infections were analyzed by Multi-locus Sequence Typing (MLST), spa typing, and chromosomal cassette mec (SCCmec) typing. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was performed using the disk diffusion and agar dilution methods. Biofilm-forming ability was assessed using crystal violet assay. The presence and expression of biofilm-associated genes were examined using PCR and RT-qPCR. Results: Among the 55 Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and 41 Methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (MSSA) isolates, ST59 (43.6%) predominated in MRSA, while ST7 (39.0%) was most common in MSSA. As expected, MRSA exhibited higher antibiotic resistance rates compared to MSSA isolates. Biofilm formation assays revealed that the majority of isolates (88.5%) produced biofilms, with 26.0% classified as strong producers (OD570 ≥ 1.0) and 62.5% as weak producers (0.2 ≤ OD570<1.0). MSSA exhibited a higher biofilm-forming ability than MRSA (P < 0.01), with variations across clones. Notably, ST7 isolates displayed greater biofilm-forming ability than other sequence types (ST59, ST5, and ST239). RT-qPCR results revealed that ST7 isolates exhibited higher expression levels of icaA compared to other sequence types. Conclusion: This study revealed significant molecular heterogeneity among invasive S. aureus isolates, with ST59 and ST7 as dominant clones. The strong biofilm-forming capacity of ST7 merits concern given its rising prevalence regionally. Continuous surveillance of emerging successful lineages is critical to help guide infection control strategies against invasive S. aureus infections.

Chinese university students' preferences for physical activity incentive programs: a discrete choice experiment.

Purpose: This study aims to explore and compare Chinese university students' preferences for various physical activity motivation programs. Patients and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in China from February 25 to March 25, 2022. Participants anonymously completed an online questionnaire based on a DCE. A total of 1,358 university students participated in the survey. The conditional logit model (CLM), willingness to accept (WTA), and propensity score matching (PSM) were used to assess college students' preferences for different attributes and levels of physical activity incentive programs. Results: Respondents identified the number of bonus, exercise time, and academic rewards as the three most significant attributes of the athletic incentive program. The importance of each attribute varied based on individual characteristics such as gender and BMI. In CLM, college students displayed a preference for a "¥4" bonus amount (OR: 2.04, 95% CI 1.95-2.13), "20 min" of exercise time (OR: 1.85, 95% CI 1.79-1.92), and "bonus points for comprehensive test scores" as academic rewards (OR: 1.33, 95% CI 1.28-1.37). According to the WTA results, college students were willing to accept the highest cost to obtain academic rewards tied to composite test scores. Conclusion: The number of bonus, exercise time, and academic rewards emerge as the three most crucial attributes of physical activity incentive programs. Furthermore, college students with different characteristics exhibit heterogeneity in their preferences for such programs. These findings can guide the development of programs and policies aimed at motivating college students to engage in physical activities.

Virtual Reality Telepresence: 360-Degree Video Streaming with Edge-Compute Assisted Static Foveated Compression.

Real-time communication with immersive 360° video can enable users to be telepresent within a remotely streamed environment. Increasingly, users are shifting to mobile devices and connecting to the Internet via mobile-cellular networks. As the ideal media for 360° videos, some VR headsets now also come with cellular capacity, giving them potential for mobile applications. However, streaming high-quality 360° live video poses challenges for network bandwidth, particularly on cellular connections. To reduce bandwidth requirements, videos can be compressed using viewport-adaptive streaming or foveated rendering techniques. Such approaches require very low latency in order to be effective, which has previously limited their applications on traditional cellular networks. In this work, we demonstrate an end-to-end virtual reality telepresence system that streams ∼6K 360° video over 5G millimeter-wave (mmW) radio. Our use of 5G technologies, in conjunction with mobile edge compute nodes, substantially reduces latency when compared with existing 4G networks, enabling high-efficiency foveated compression over modern cellular networks on par with WiFi. We performed a technical evaluation of our system's visual quality post-compression with peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR) and FOVVideoVDP. We also conducted a user study to evaluate users' sensitivity to compressed video. Our findings demonstrate that our system achieves visually indistinguishable video streams while using up to 80% less data when compared with un-foveated video. We demonstrate our video compression system in the context of an immersive, telepresent video calling application.

Anteromedial cannulated screw fixation for Hawkins II/III talus fractures in children: a retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical effect of the anteromedial cannulated screw approach in the treatment of Hawkins II/III talus fractures in children. METHODS: A retrospective study was conducted on 20 children with talar fractures admitted to Renmin Hospital from September 2018 to February 2022. The fracture healing and functional recovery of the affected limb were strictly followed up after the operation. There were 14 males and 6 females. The average age was 9 years (range 6-12 years). According to the Hawkins classification, there were 12 cases of talar neck fracture type II and 8 cases of type III. All patients were fixed with cannulated compression screws via an anteromedial approach. According to the American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society ankle and hindfoot function scoring system, limb function was evaluated before and after the operation. A visual analog scale was used to evaluate the degree of postoperative pain. RESULTS: All 20 children were followed up for 12 months to 30 months, with an average of 15 months. We found that there was no significant difference in the excellent and good rate (76.9%) and necrosis rate (30.8%) between male children and female children (71.4%) and necrosis rate (28.6%) (P > 0.05). The excellent and good rates (92.9%) of children younger than 9 years old at the time of injury were higher than those of children older than 9 years old (33.3%), and the incidence of avascular necrosis of the talus was lower. The differences between the two groups were statistically significant (P < 0.05). The average prognosis score of children who underwent surgery within 5 days after injury was 89.2 ± 6.4, which was significantly higher than that of children who underwent surgery after 5 days (72.9 ± 13.1), and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05). There was no significant difference between patients who underwent surgery within 5 days after injury (15.4%) and those who underwent surgery after 5 days (51.7%) (P > 0.05). The excellent and good rates of talar neck fracture type II and talar neck fracture type III were 90.1% and 55.6%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The anteromedial approach combined with cannulated compression screws for the treatment of Hawkins II/III talus fractures in children not only has a clear surgical field, but the fracture can also be reduced and fixed under direct vision using this technique. It does not affect the stability of the ankle joint and is conducive to the recovery of ankle function. It can be used as a surgical scheme for the treatment of talar fractures in children.

A cross-sectional study: family communication, anxiety, and depression in adolescents: the mediating role of family violence and problematic internet use.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to explore the relationship between family communication, family violence, problematic internet use, anxiety, and depression and validate their potential mediating role. METHODS: The study population consisted of Chinese adolescents aged 12 to 18 years, and a cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2022. Structural equation models were constructed using AMOS 25.0 software to examine the factors that influence adolescent anxiety and depression and the mediating effects of problematic internet use and family violence. RESULTS: The results indicate that family communication was significantly and negatively related to family violence (ß = -.494, p < 0.001), problematic internet use (ß = -.056, p < .05), depression (ß = -.076, p < .01), and anxiety (ß = -.071, p < .05). And the finds also indicate that family violence mediated the relationships between family communication and depression (ß = -.143, CI: -.198 -.080), and between family communication and anxiety (ß = -.141; CI: -.198 -.074). Chain indirect effects between family communication and depression (ß = -.051; CI: -.081 -.030) or anxiety (ß = -.046; CI: -.080 -.043) via family violence and then through problematic internet use were also found in the present study. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, positive family communication is crucial in reducing anxiety and depression in adolescents. Moreover, problematic internet use and family violence mediate the effects of positive family communication on anxiety and depression. Therefore, improving family communication and promoting interventions aimed at reducing family violence and problematic internet use can help reduce anxiety and depression in adolescents, thus promoting their healthy development.

Reconstruction of medial patellofemoral ligament with adductor magnus tendon for recurrent patellar dislocation in children: a retrospective comparative cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of current retrospective study was to explore the outcomes of using the adductor magnus tendon to reconstruct the medial patellofemoral ligament in the treatment of recurrent patellar dislocation in children. METHOD: Thirty-two children with recurrent patellar dislocation were selected. Sixteen cases in the conservative group, seven males and nine females, with an average age of 11.81 ± 1.28 years; sixteen cases in the surgical group, eight males and eight females, with an average age of 11.56 ± 1.15 years. All patients had no surgery history. The IS index (> 1.2), Q angle (> 20°) and tibial tubercle-femoral trochlear groove (TT-TG) distance (> 20 mm) were measured by X-ray and MRI. The conservative group was treated with closed reduction and a brace, and the surgical group received surgical treatment. Two years after surgery, congruence angle (CA) (- 6° to 6°) and lateral patellofemoral angle (LPFA) (7.7°-18.7°) were measured by X-ray image and all children were evaluated based on Kujala and Lysholm scores. The re-dislocation rate was recorded. Analysis was performed by t test and chi-square with the statistical SPSS software. P < 0.05 was considered a statistically significant difference. Furthermore, we measured the length (mm) of the adductor tendon and MPFL in three knee cadaveric specimens, and also observed the positional relationship between the two structures. RESULT: There were no significant differences in sex, age, injury site between groups (P > 0.05). Patients in the two groups were followed up for 2 years in average. Among the 16 cases in the conservative group, 7 cases (43.75%) had recurrence of patellar dislocation, while none of recurrence in the surgical group (P < 0.05). The Lysholm score of the surgical group (94.63 ± 8.99) was significantly better than that of the conservative group (79.31 ± 18.90), and the Kujala score of the surgery group (95.25 ± 10.32) was also significantly better than that of the conservative group (77.06° ± 14.34°) (P < 0.05). The CA and LPFA of the two groups of patients after treatment were significantly recovered. The CA (- 5.81° ± 7.90°) in the surgical group was significantly better than that in the conservative group (20.94° ± 8.21°), and the LPFA (6.44° ± 3.22°) was also significantly better than that in the conservative group (- 9.18 ± 11.08), and the difference is statistically significant (P < 0.05). We found it through autopsy that adductor magnus tendon was 124.33 ± 1.53 mm long, MPFL was 48.67 ± 2.08 mm, and the femoral insertion of the adductor magnus tendon was adjacent to the MPFL femoral insertion. CONCLUSION: Reconstruction of Medial patellofemoral ligament with the adductor magnus tendon, fixing with PEEK suture anchors on the patellar side, can achieve satisfactory results in the treatment of children with recurrent patellar dislocation. Compared with conservative treatment, the rate of recurrence is lower and the stability of the patella is better.

The influence of media use degree on public depressive symptoms: mediating role of big five personality.

BACKGROUND: Mixed results have been found regarding the relationship between media use degree and depressive symptoms. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between media use degree, big five personality and depressive symptoms with a mediation model. METHOD: This was a cross-sectional study. With 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), 10-item Big Five Inventory (BFI-10) and self-designed media usage scale, 11,031 participants aged 12 and above in 120 cities in China were collected. Pearson correlation analysis and regression analysis were performed on the data. The Process plug-in was used to construct the mediation model and explore the relationship among media use degree, big five personality and depressive symptoms. The nonparametric percentile Bootstrap method was used to test the mediating effect of personality traits. RESULTS: The degree of media use was positively correlated with depressive symptoms (r = 0.20, P < 0.001), and big five personality played a mediating role between the degree of media use and depressive symptoms. Among five traits, extroversion (r=-0.12, P < 0.001), conscientiousness (r=-0.23, P < 0.001), openness (r=-0.03, P < 0.01) and agreeableness (r=-0.22, P < 0.001) were negatively correlated with depressive symptoms, and neuroticism (r = 0.25, P < 0.001) were positively correlated with depressive symptoms. In addition, extraversion (-0.004, -0.001), conscientiousness (-0.015, -0.008), agreeableness (-0.008, -0.001) and neuroticism (-0.015, -0.007) in big five personality played a mediating role between media use and depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: The degree of media use positively predicted depressive symptoms, and excessive media use may bring risks to mental health. People with high neuroticism, low agreeableness, low conscientiousness and low extroversion are more likely to suffer from depressive symptoms.

The Effect of Teacher Discrimination Behavior on Adolescent Suicidal Ideation: A Cross-Sectional Survey.

Introduction:  Suicidal ideation and suicidal behavior, as the most severe psychological and behavioral problems among adolescents, bring not only significant damage to individual social functioning but also cause enormous economic and social pressure, which will ultimately be detrimental to social development and social stability. This paper aimed to explore the potential relationship between teacher discrimination behavior, peer bullying victimization, anxiety disorders, and adolescent suicidal ideation based on the Vulnerability-Stress Model. Methods:  From September to November 2022, our research team surveyed 21,017 junior high school students from 12 secondary schools in ten cities in China. Mplus 8.3 software was used to analyze the pathways of teacher discrimination behavior on adolescent suicidal ideation. Results:  The results showed that teacher preference had a significant negative effect on suicidal ideation, and teacher prejudice significantly positively affected suicidal ideation. Mediation test results indicated that there were significant independent mediating effects of peer bullying victimization and anxiety disorders between teacher discrimination behavior and adolescents' suicidal ideation, as well as significant chain mediating effects. Conclusion:  Secondary school teachers should improve their self-quality and pay more attention to adolescents' suicidal ideation. Teachers are expected to put love into their education, respect and trust each student, and attend to their emotional needs unbiasedly. Educators should develop targeted prevention and intervention measures according to the actual situation of school bullying and also strengthen adolescents' life-value education to improve the psychological quality of adolescents and create a healthy campus atmosphere.

Exploring the Link between Family Health and Health Literacy among College Students: The Mediating Role of Psychological Resilience.

Enhancing health literacy is of the utmost importance to enhance the physical and mental well-being of college students. Unfortunately, there has been limited research investigating the means of improving college students' health literacy through the perspective of families. Family health is an interdisciplinary and complex concept that involves multiple factors, and it provides a holistic perspective on the overall well-being of the family unit. Thus, this study aims to examine the relationship between family health and health literacy and scrutinize the mediating role of psychological resilience. A valid sample of 5473 students was collected from a university in November-December 2022 and was assessed using regression analysis. The findings reveal that family health has a positive association with the health literacy of college students (ß = 0.56, p < 0.001), with psychological resilience playing a critical mediating role (ß = 0.11, 95% CI: [0.09, 0.13]). Therefore, the family ought to be recognized as a fundamental mechanism to enhance college students' health literacy. Additionally, it is essential to emphasize the amelioration of psychological distress among college students and enhance their psychological resilience, which will be helpful for their overall health consciousness and proficiency.

Advances in flavor peptides with sodium-reducing ability: A review.

Condiments (such as sodium chloride and glutamate sodium) cause consumers to ingest too much sodium and may lead to a variety of diseases, thus decreasing their quality of life. Recently, a salt reduction strategy using flavor peptides has been established. However, the development of this strategy has not been well adopted by the food industry. There is an acute need to screen for peptides with salty and umami taste, and to understand their taste characteristic and taste mechanism. This review provides a thorough analysis of the literature on flavor peptides with sodium-reducing ability, involving their preparation, taste characteristic, taste mechanism and applications in the food industry. Flavor peptides come from a wide range of sources and can be sourced abundantly from natural foods. Flavor peptides with salty and umami tastes are mainly composed of umami amino acids. Differences in amino acid sequences, spatial structures and food matrices will cause different tastes in flavor peptides, mostly attributed to the interaction between peptides and taste receptors. In addition to being used in condiments, flavor peptides have also anti-hypertensive, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant abilities, offering the potential to be used as functional ingredients, thus making their future in the food industry extremely promising.

Diosgenin Glucoside Inhibits the Progression of Osteosarcoma MG-63 by Regulating the PI3K/AKT/mTOR Pathway.

BACKGROUND: Trillium tschonoskii Maxim (TTM) exerts antitumor effects on a variety of tumour cells. However, the antitumor mechanism of Diosgenin glucoside (DG) extracted from TTM is not clear. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the anti-tumour effects of DG-induced osteosarcoma MG-63 cells and their molecular mechanism. METHODS: CCK-8 assay, HE staining, and flow cytometry were used to detect the effects of DG on the proliferation, apoptosis, and cell cycle of osteosarcoma cells. Wound healing and Transwell invasion assays were used to observe the effect of DG on the migration and invasion of osteosarcoma cells. The anti-tumour mechanism of DG on osteosarcoma cells was investigated by immunohistochemistry, Western blot, and RT-PCR. RESULTS: DG significantly inhibited osteosarcoma cell activity and proliferation, promoted apoptosis and blocked the G2 phase of the cell cycle. Both wound healing and Transwell invasion assays showed that DG inhibited osteosarcoma cell migration and invasion. Immunohistochemical and western blot results showed that DG inhibited the activation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR. We found that DG also significantly downregulated the expression of S6K1 and eIF4F, which might be associated with the inhibition of protein synthesis. CONCLUSION: DG may inhibit proliferation, migration, invasion, and cell cycle G2 phase arrest of osteosarcoma MG-63 cells and promote apoptosis through the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signalling pathway.

Sex differences in factors influencing hospital-acquired pneumonia in schizophrenia patients receiving modified electroconvulsive therapy.

Background: Sex differences may be presented in the clinical features or symptoms of schizophrenia patients but also affect the occurrence of hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP). Modified electroconvulsive therapy (mECT) is a common treatment method for schizophrenia, used in combination with antipsychotics. This retrospective research explores the sex difference in HAP affecting patients with schizophrenia who have received mECT treatment during hospitalization. Methods: We included schizophrenia inpatients treated with mECT and antipsychotics between January 2015 and April 2022. Blood-related and demographic data collected on admission were analyzed. Influencing factors of HAP in male and female groups were assessed separately. Results: A total of 951 schizophrenia patients treated with mECT were enrolled in the study, including 375 males and 576 females, of which 62 patients experienced HAP during hospitalization. The risk period of HAP in these patients was found to be the first day after each mECT treatment and the first three sessions of mECT treatment. Statistically significant differences in the incidence of HAP were identified in male vs. female groups, with an incidence in men about 2.3 times higher than that in women (P < 0.001). Lower total cholesterol (Z = -2.147, P = 0.032) and the use of anti-parkinsonian drugs (χ2 = 17.973, P < 0.001) were found to be independent risk factors of HAP in male patients, while lower lymphocyte count (Z = -2.408, P = 0.016), hypertension (χ2 = 9.096, P = 0.003), and use of sedative-hypnotic drugs (χ2 = 13.636, P < 0.001) were identified in female patients. Conclusion: Influencing factors of HAP in schizophrenia patients treated with mECT have gender differences. The first day after each mECT treatment and the first three sessions of mECT treatment were identified to have the greatest risk for HAP development. Therefore, it would be imperative to monitor clinical management and medications during this period according to these gender differences.

College Students' Degree of Support for Online Learning during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Associated Factors: A Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: Educational institutions worldwide have experienced the suspension of offline teaching activities in favor of online teaching due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, few studies have focused on the degree of support for online learning among college students in mainland China. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the degree of support for online learning among Chinese college students during the epidemic and whether depression, loneliness, family communication, and social support were associated factors. METHODS: A questionnaire was used to collect cross-sectional data from 9319 college students in mainland China, and a structural equation model was analyzed. RESULTS: The results of the study showed high degrees of support for online learning among Chinese college students during the COVID-19 pandemic, with more than half expressing support. The SEM (Structural Equation Modeling) results showed that depression had a negative and significant effect on college students' support for online learning (ß = -0.07; p < 0.001); family communication had a positive and significant effect on college students' support for online learning (ß = 0.09; p < 0.001); social support had a positive and significant effect on college students' support for online learning (ß = 0.11; p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Social support and family communication can alleviate the negative psychological status of college students, and depression plays a mediating role in the effect of social support and family communication on college students' degree of support for online learning. In addition, a significant chain-mediating effect was found of family communication, loneliness, and depression between social support and college students' degree of support for online learning. Government and education institutions must focus on college students' mental health issues and consider family interventions and general support that college students require.

Plastid Phylogenomics of Paeonia and the Evolution of Ten Flower Types in Tree Peony.

Paeonia suffruticosa Andr., a member of Paeoniaceae, is native to China. In its 1600 years' cultivation, more than 2000 cultivars for different purposes (ornamental, medicinal and oil use) have been inbred. However, there are still some controversies regarding the provenance of tree peony cultivars and the phylogenetic relationships between and within different cultivar groups. In this study, plastid genome sequencing was performed on 10 representative tree peony cultivars corresponding to 10 different flower types. Structure and comparative analyses of the plastid genomes showed that the total lengths of the chloroplast genome of the 10 cultivars ranged from 152,153 to 152,385 bp and encoded 84-88 protein-coding genes, 8 rRNAs and 31-40 tRNAs. The number of simple sequence repeats and interspersed repeat sequences of the 10 cultivars ranged from 65-68 and 40-42, respectively. Plastid phylogenetic relationships of Paeonia species/cultivars were reconstructed incorporating data from our newly sequenced plastid genomes and 15 published species, and results showed that subsect. Vaginatae was the closest relative to the central plains cultivar group with robust support, and that it may be involved in the formation of the group. Paeonia ostii was recovered as a successive sister group to this lineage. Additionally, eleven morphological characteristics of flowers were mapped to the phylogenetic skeleton to reconstruct the evolutionary trajectory of flower architecture in Paeoniaceae.