Different responses of Sinorhizobium sp. upon Pb and Zn exposure: Mineralization versus complexation.

Lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) have been discharged into environment and may negatively impact ecological security. Rhizobia has gained attention due to their involvement in the restoration of metal polluted soils. However, little is known about the responses of rhizobia under Pb and Zn stress, especially the roles played by extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) in the resistance of these two metals. Here, Sinorhizobium sp. C10 was isolated from soil around a mining area and was exposed to a series of Pb/Zn treatments. The cell morphology and surface mineral crystals, EPS content and fluorescent substances were determined. In addition, the extracellular polysaccharides and proteins were characterized by attenuated total reflection infrared spectroscopy (ATR-IR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results showed that Zn stress induced the synthesis of EPS by C10 cells. Functional groups of polysaccharides (CO) and proteins (C-O/C-N) were involved in complexation with Zn. In contrast, C10 resisted Pb stress by forming lead phosphate (Pb3(PO4)2) on the cell surface. Galactose (Gal) and tyrosine played key roles in resistance to the Zn toxicity, whereas glucosamine (N-Glc) was converted to glucose in large amounts during extracellular Pb precipitation. Together, this study demonstrated that C10 possessed different strategies to detoxify the two metals, and could provide basis for bioremediation of Pb and Zn polluted sites.

Copper and zinc interact significantly in their joint toxicity to Chlamydomonas reinhardtii: Insights from physiological and transcriptomic investigations.

Copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) often discharge simultaneously from industrial and agricultural sectors and cause stress to aquatic biota. Although microalgae have been extensively investigated for their responses to Cu or Zn exposure, how they cope with the mixtures of two metals, especially at transcriptomic level, remains largely unknown. In this study, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii was exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of two metals. It was found that Zn promoted the entry of Cu into the algal cells. With the increase of combined toxicity, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) and cell wall functional groups immobilized significant amounts of Cu and Zn. Furthermore, C. reinhardtii adjusted resistance strategies internally, including starch consumption and synthesis of chlorophyll and lipids. Upon high level of Cu and Zn coexistence, synergistic effects were observed in lipid peroxidation and catalase (CAT) activity. Under 1.05 mg/L Cu + 0.87 mg/L Zn, 256 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were mainly involved in oxidative phosphorylation, ribosome, nitrogen metabolism; while 4294 DEGs induced by 4.21 mg/L Cu + 3.48 mg/L Zn were mainly related to photosynthesis, citric acid cycle, etc. Together, this study revealed a more comprehensive understanding of mechanisms of Cu/Zn detoxification in C. reinhardtii, emphasizing critical roles of photosynthetic carbon sequestration and energy metabolism in the metal resistance.

A comparative study of the accumulation and detoxification of copper and zinc in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii: The role of extracellular polymeric substances.

Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) form an interface between microalgae and the surrounding water environment. Copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) are essential micronutrients but may negatively affect microbial growth when their concentrations reach toxic thresholds. However, how EPS affect the accumulation and resistance of Cu and Zn in microalgae remains largely unknown. Here, we investigated EPS production upon Cu/Zn exposure and compared the tolerance strategies to the two metals by Chlamydomonas reinhardtii with and without EPS. Microalgal EPS synthesis was induced by Cu/Zn treatments, and the functional groups of polysaccharides and proteins were involved in complexation with metal ions. The extraction of EPS aggravated the toxicity and reduced the removal of metals from solution, but the effect was more pronounced for Cu than for Zn. Copper bound on the cell surface accounted for 54.6 ± 2.0 % of the Cu accumulated by C. reinhardtii, whose EPS components strongly correlated with Cu adsorption. In contrast, 74.3 ± 3.0 % of accumulated Zn was absorbed in cells, and glutathione synthesis was significantly induced. Redundancy and linear correlation analyses showed that the polysaccharide, protein and DNA contents in EPS were significantly correlated with Cu accumulation, absorption and adsorption but not with Zn. Data fitted to a Michaelis-Menten model further showed that the EPS-intact cells had higher binding capacity for Cu2+ but not for Zn2+. These differential impacts of EPS on Cu/Zn sorption and detoxification contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the roles of microalgal EPS in the biogeochemical cycle of metals.

Stress and Coping in Nurses Taking Care of People Living with HIV in Hunan, China: A Descriptive Qualitative Study.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Nurses engaged in the care of people living with HIV (PLWH) are commonly exposed to workplace stress. This study aimed to explore the stress experiences and coping strategies among nurses taking care of PLWH in China. METHODS: Nurses were recruited from the AIDS department of a public, general, third-grade class-A hospital, which has the largest HIV care department in the Hunan Province of China. Thirty-three nurses working in the AIDS Department were recruited in this qualitative study. Eight nurses participated in a focus group and 25 nurses underwent in-depth individual interviews aimed at characterizing the nurse's feelings and struggles with stress during caregiving for PLWH. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, anonymized, and imported into NVivo 8.0 software. The data were coded and subjected to thematic analysis. RESULTS: Concerns about occupational exposure, heavy workload, mental health problems and risk behaviors of patients, and discrimination towards nurses caring for PLWH were the four main sources of stress. The negative impact of stress included problems with emotion regulation, somatic health and sleep, and work performance. Some participants also reported a positive impact of work stress on their mental health. Using personality strengths, problem-solving, help-seeking, concealing and avoiding/suppression were common coping strategies employed by nurses caring for PLWH. CONCLUSION: Our findings help characterize the stress experienced by nurses caring for PLWH in the Chinese cultural context, and may inform specific interventions to help manage stress and promote mental health of nurses.

Effects of algal-bacterial ratio on the growth and cadmium accumulation of Chlorella salina-Bacillus subtilis consortia.

Algae-bacteria consortia have been proven effective in the removal of metal pollutants, but the effects of algal-bacterial ratio in the metal accumulation and resistance by this symbiotic system have not been systematically investigated. In this study, we set up consortia with various ratios of Chlorella salina-Bacillus subtilis, determined their growth, Cd accumulation, levels of intracellular glutathione (GSH), extracellular polysaccharide, phosphorus (P) in the culture medium, and functional groups of consortia after Cd treatments (0.1, 0.5, 1 mg L-1 ) for 7 days. With the addition of B. subtilis in the C. salina culture, the dry weight and specific growth rate of the consortia significantly increased compared with C. salina alone, reaching 68.33 mg and 0.382 (mg L-1 ) d-1 respectively at the 1:4 algal-bacterial ratio with 1 mg L-1 Cd treatment. Maximum Cd removal (51.66%) was also observed upon the same Cd exposure and algal-bacterial ratio. Cadmium was mostly taken up into cells at 1 mg L-1 Cd whereas its adsorption dominated the accumulation when Cd was 0.1 and 0.5 mg L-1 . The amounts of extracellular polysaccharides, GSH, and P of the symbiotic system were also increased by the bacterial addition. Besides, Fouriertransform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy analysis showed that functional groups like N-H, O-H, and P-O-C were involved in the Cd complexation. Taken together, a higher bacterial ratio promoted the Cd accumulation and detoxification by the C. salina-B. subtilis consortia through intra- and extracellular processes.

Circ_0006404 Accelerates Prostate Cancer Progression Through Regulating miR-1299/CFL2 Signaling.

BACKGROUND: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been proven to function as pivotal regulators in cancer occurrence and progression. However, the function of circ_0006404 (circRNA Forkhead box O3 (circFOXO3)in prostate cancer (PCa) is poorly understood. METHODS: The enrichment of circ_0006404, FOXO3, microRNA-1299 (miR-1299) and cofilin 2 (CFL2) was measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). The viability, metastasis and proliferation were determined by 3-(4,5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, transwell and colony formation assays, respectively. Flow cytometry was used to assess cell cycle progression and apoptosis. Circ_0006404/miRNAs interactions were explored using Circular RNA Interactome database, while TargetScan software was used for seeking the targets of miR-1299. Dual-luciferase reporter assay, RNA-pull down and RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays were conducted to verify the target interaction between miR-1299 and circ_0006404 or CFL2. CFL2 protein level was analyzed by Western blot assay. Animal experiments were performed to test the role of circ_0006404 in PCa tumor growth in vivo. RESULTS: Circ_0006404 level was notably elevated in PCa. Circ_0006404 contributed to the viability, metastasis and proliferation and impaired the apoptosis of PCa cells. Circ_0006404 directly targeted miR-1299, and miR-1299 silencing largely reversed circ_0006404 interference-induced influences in PCa cells. CFL2 directly bound to miR-1299, and miR-1299-induced effects in PCa cells were largely attenuated by CFL2 overexpression. CFL2 was regulated by circ_0006404/miR-1299 axis in PCa cells. Circ_0006404 promoted PCa progression via miR-1299/CFL2 axis in vivo. CONCLUSION: Circ_0006404 accelerated the survival, motility and proliferation while impeded the apoptosis of PCa cells via miR-1299/CFL2 axis. Circ_0006404 might be a stable potential bio-marker for PCa diagnosis and treatment.

Psychometric Properties of the Chinese Version of the Intolerance of Uncertainty Inventory in Chinese College Students.

BACKGROUND: Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is considered to be associated with emotional disorders, such as generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), depression, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and social anxiety. Therefore, a comprehensive instrument to measure IU is needed. The purposes of the present study were as follows: 1) developing a Chinese version of the Intolerance of Uncertainty Inventory (CIUI) and 2) measuring the reliability and validity of CIUI. METHODS: We translated the Intolerance of Uncertainty Inventory (IUI) into Chinese. A sample consisting of Chinese college students from three universities was used to evaluate the internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and validity of the CIUI. Participants answered the CIUI, IUS-12, GAD-7, BDI-II, and PSWQ. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were run to explore the factor structure of CIUI. RESULTS: The results demonstrated an acceptable internal consistency for CIUI (Part A of CIUI [CIUIA]: α = 0.920; Part B of CIUI [CIUIB]: α = 0.947) and test-retest reliability (CIUIA: ICC = 0.788; CIUIB: ICC = 0.859). The results of EFA and CFA all supported a two-factor structure for CIUIA (Intolerance of the unexpected and difficulty waiting in an uncertain situation and Intolerance of uncertainty and of uncertain situations) and a four-factor structure for CIUIB (Overestimation, Control, Uncertainty makes one feel stressful, and Reassurance), and acceptable validity was obtained. CONCLUSION: The CIUI is an appropriate instrument for measuring IU in Chinese populations. Future studies should confirm the psychometric properties using a comprehensive sample.

The Chinese Version of the Behavioral Emotion Regulation Questionnaire: Psychometric Properties Among University Students.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Maladaptive emotion regulation is a strong predictor of depression or anxiety. Behavioral emotion regulation has a direct influence on coping with negative emotion. Although it is interesting to explore more about the behavioral emotion regulation, most of the existing measures can not assess it separately. The Behavioral Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (BERQ) has made important gain in addressing conceptual confusion between cognitive and behavioral emotion regulation. As there is a lack of single and stable measure to assess behavioral emotion regulation in mainland China, we translated the BERQ into Chinese to fit this gap. METHODS: We evaluated the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the BERQ (BERQ-C) based on a sample of Chinese university students (n=816). Factor analysis was performed to assess the construct validity of the BERQ-C. To test its reliability and validity, all the participants were invited to complete BERQ-C, GAD-7, PHQ-9, and CERQ-C. Of the initial samples, 138 students participated in the second measurement with completing BERQ-C twice. RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analysis supported the five-factor model. The internal consistence (Cronbach's α = 0.71 ~ 0.85), the split-half reliability (Spearman-Brown coefficient = 0.66 ~ 0.85), and the test-retest stability (ICC = 0.55 ~ 0.67) are all acceptable. The criterion-related validity is good. CONCLUSION: The BERQ-C is a promising instrument to assess behavioral emotion regulation among the Chinese university students. Future studies are needed to explore the questionnaire's psychometric properties among wider range of population especially for patients.

Efficacy of mindfulness-based intervention ('mindfulness-based joyful sleep') in young and middle-aged individuals with insomnia using a biomarker of inflammatory responses: a prospective protocol of a randomised controlled trial in China.

INTRODUCTION: Insomnia is a prevalent and significant public health concern. Insomnia can lead to increased inflammatory markers associated with chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. Studies suggest that mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) are more easily delivered within the community than cognitive behavioural therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) which was recommended as the preferred non-pharmacological treatment by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, are effective in insomnia treatment and can reduce inflammatory markers level in older individuals with insomnia. This study aims to compare the effectiveness of an MBI to CBT-I in young and middle-aged individuals with insomnia disorder and explore its effect on nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), a transcription factor that controls the expression of genes involved in inflammation. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This report describes a protocol for a randomised controlled trial. Seventy eligible participants will be assigned to mindfulness-based joyful sleep or CBT-I for 2-hour sessions weekly for 8 weeks. The primary outcome is sleep quality assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, severity of insomnia symptoms assessed by the Insomnia Severity Index and sleep parameters recorded using sleep diary and polysomnography. Secondary outcomes include perceived stress, anxiety and depression. The exploratory outcome is serum level of NF-κB. Outcomes will be evaluated at baseline, the end of the ntervention period and at a 3 month follow-up. Data will be analysed using general linear models, specifically analysis of covariance and analysis of variance will be used. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Full ethical approval for this study has been obtained from the Ethics Committee of the Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China (2018-S236). If Mindfulness-Based Joyful Sleep is proven effective, its dissemination will help bridge the gap between the unmet need and the demand for insomnia interventions in China. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03268629; Pre-results.

The Effect of Mind-Body Therapies on Insomnia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Sleep plays an important role in individuals' health. The functions of the brain, the cardiovascular system, the immune system, and the metabolic system are closely associated with sleep. As a prevalent sleep disorder, insomnia has been closely concerned, and it is necessary to find effective therapies. In recent years, a growing body of studies has shown that mind-body therapies (MBTs) can improve sleep quality and ameliorate insomnia severity. However, a comprehensive and overall systematic review has not been conducted. In order to examine the effect of MBTs on insomnia, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating the effects of MBTs on sleep quality in healthy adults and clinical populations. METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, and review of references were searched up to July 2018. English language studies of all designs evaluating the effect of MBTs on sleep outcomes in adults with or without diseases were examined. To calculate the SMDs and 95% CIs, we used a fixed effect model when heterogeneity was negligible and a random effect model when heterogeneity was significant. RESULTS: 49 studies covering 4506 participants published between 2004 and 2018 were identified. Interventions included meditation, tai chi, qigong, and yoga which lasted 4 to 24 weeks. The MBTs resulted in statistically significant improvement in sleep quality and reduction on insomnia severity but no significant effects on sleep quantity indices, which were measured by sleep diary or objective measures. We analyzed the effects of tai chi and qigong separately as two different MBTs for the first time and found that qigong had a slight advantage over tai chi in the improvement of sleep quality. Subgroup analyses revealed that the effect of MBTs on sleep quality in healthy individuals was larger than clinical populations. The effect of MBTs might be influenced by the intervention duration but not the frequency. CONCLUSIONS: MBTs can be effective in treating insomnia and improving sleep quality for healthy individuals and clinical patients. More high-quality and well-controlled RCTs are needed to make a better conclusion in further study.

What Do You Think About Your Dreams? The Construction of a Belief About Dreams Questionnaire.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Nightmare distress (ND) is associated with a broad spectrum of psychopathological conditions such as anxiety, depression and bipolar disorder. Some studies have indicated that dream beliefs play an important role in the occurrence and treatment of nightmare distress. However, existing instruments used to assess dream beliefs either fail to satisfy the requirements of the psychometrics or fail to capture the essence of dream beliefs. This research pursued two objectives: (1) to develop a questionnaire, called the Beliefs About Dreams Questionnaire (BADQ), to measure beliefs people hold about their dreams and (2) to describe the dream beliefs of Chinese college students. METHODS: The structure and items on the BADQ were based on the previous literature and were the result of an open questionnaire. Some items were deleted through expert review and the result of predict test. To evaluate its validity and reliability, a sample of 1408 Chinese college students from two universities answered the BADQ, the Chinese version of Van Dream Anxiety Scale (CVDAS), the Dream Survey Questionnaire (DSQ), the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7(GAD-7) Questionnaire. After two weeks, 95 of them answered the BADQ again. Exploratory factor analysis (n=704) and confirmatory factor analysis (n=704) were conducted to explore and verify the structure of BADQ. The correlation between the CVDAS and the BADQ was calculated to evaluate the divergent validity. RESULTS: The BADQ contains 26 items. Exploratory factor analysis indicated a five-factor structure: Dream omen and health, Dream superstitions, Dream meaninglessness, Dream reality, and Dream attitude. The result of the confirmatory factor analysis also supported the five-factors structure. Acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach's α of all subscales exceeded 0.80) and ordinary to moderate test-retest reliability (the intraclass correlation coefficient of all subscales ranged from 0.467 to 0.713) of the BADQ were presented. Low degree correlation between the CVDAS and the BADQ (ranged from to -0.052 to 0.219) showed that they were two different variables, indicating a good divergent validity. CONCLUSION: The present investigation revealed moderate to high construct validity and reliability of the BADQ.

[Comparisons of therapeutic efficacy and safety of solifenacin versus tolterodine in patients with overactive bladder: a meta-analysis of outcomes].

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical efficacy and safety of solifenacin versus tolterodine in patients with overactive bladder (OAB). METHODS: Literature searches were performed with PubMed, EMBASE, Ovid and Google Scholar databases, Wanfang and CNKI from inception to October 2013 for comparative studies assessing solifenacin and tolterodine for OAB. The data were extracted and evaluated by two reviewers independently according to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews. Meta-analyses were conducted with RevMan 5.2. RESULTS: A total of 7 studies involving 1 805 patients were retrieved. Compared with tolterodine immediate release (IR), the number of urgency episodes and urge incontinence episodes in 24 h and the rate of dry mouth were significantly lower in patients on solifenacin (RR = -0.34, 95% CI: -0.50--0.18, P = 0.00; RR = -0.29, 95% CI:-0.55--0.04, P = 0.03; RR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.41-0.83, P = 0.00) and the rate of constipation was higher in those on solifenacin (RR = 2.72, 95% CI: 1.38-5.39, P = 0.00). No significant differences existed between tolterodine IR and solifenacin in mean micturition volume per voiding and micturitions episodes in 24 h (P = 0.05,0.08). Between solifenacin and tolterodine extended release (ER), the number of urgency episodes, micturition and urge incontinence episodes in 24 h and mean micturition volume per voiding were not statistically different (all P > 0.05). The incidence of major adverse events, such as dry mouth, constipation and blurred vision, was not significantly different (all P > 0.05). And most adverse events were mild. CONCLUSIONS: Solifenacin is superior to tolterodine IR in treating OAB symptoms. However the rate of constipation is higher for solifenacin. Both solifenacin and tolterodine ER have similar therapeutic efficacies and adverse events.

Prostate cancer antigen-1 as a potential novel marker for prostate cancer.

AIM: To examine the expression of prostate cancer antigen-1 (PCA-1) in prostate cancer (PCa) and to validate it as a potential marker for diagnosis of PCa. METHODS: In situ hybridization analysis of PCA-1 mRNA expression was performed on 40 benign prostate hyperplasia (BPH), 16 high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasm (HG-PIN), 74 PCa and 34 other malignant carcinoma specimens. The level of PCA-1 expression was semiquantitatively scored by assessing both the percentage and intensity of PCA-1 positive staining cells in the specimens. We then compared the PCA-1 expression between BPH, HG-PIN and PCa and evaluated the correlation of PCA-1 expression level with clinical parameters of PCa. RESULTS: PCA-1 mRNA was expressed in the majority of both PCa and HG-PIN specimens but not in BPH and other malignant carcinoma. The expression level of PCA-1 increased along with a high Gleason score (P < 0.05), and was unrelated to other clinical parameters of PCa (all P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: The data suggest that PCA-1 might be a novel diagnostic marker for PCa, and that increased PCA-1 expression might denote more aggressive variants of PCa.