Influencing factors associated with mental workload among nurses: A latent profile analysis.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the latent profile of nurses' mental workload (MWL) and explore the influencing factors via a person-centred approach. Methods: From March to July 2023, a quantitative cross-sectional study was carried out to investigate 526 Chinese clinical nurses from five tertiary hospitals in Sichuan Province, China, by using demographic information, the Perceived Social Support Scale, Simplified Coping Skill Questionnaire, and NASA-Task Load Index. Latent profile analyses were performed using Mplus 7.3 software. Pearson's chi-squared and logistic regression analysis was done using SPSS 24.0 software. Results: Three profiles of mental workload were identified based on the nurses' responses to the mental workload assessment, designated as "low MWL-high self-rated (n = 70, 13.3%)", "moderate MWL (n = 273, 51.9%)", and "high MWL-low self-rated (n = 183, 34.8%)". Based on the analysis of the three subtypes, nurses with working years < 5 years (χ 2  = 12.135, P < 0.05), no children (χ 2  = 16.182, P < 0.01), monthly income < 6000 (χ 2  = 55.231, P < 0.001), poor health status (χ 2  = 39.658, P < 0.001), no psychological training in the past year (χ2 = 56.329, P < 0.001) and suffering from workplace violence (χ 2  = 19.803, P < 0.001) were significantly associated with MWL. Moreover, the multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that negative coping styles (OR = 1.146, 95% CI: 1.060-1.238, P = 0.001) were accompanied by higher MWL while negatively associated with perceived social support (OR = 0.927, 95% CI: 0.900-0.955, P < 0.001). Conclusion: Our results showed that the MWL of nurses could be classified into three subtypes. Monthly income, health status, psychological training, workplace violence, negative coping style, and perceived social support were the factors influencing MWL. Managers can employ personalised intervention strategies according to the individual characteristics of different subgroups to reduce nurses' MWL.

Correlation between physicochemical properties, flavor characteristics and microbial community structure in Dushan shrimp sour paste.

Dushan shrimp sour paste (DSSP), a traditional Guizhou condiment, and its unique flavor is determined by the fermentation microbiota. However, the relationship between the microbiota structure and its flavor remains unclear. This study identified 116 volatile flavor compounds using electronic nose and headspace solid-phase microextraction-gas chromatography mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS) techniques, of which 19 were considered as key flavor compounds, mainly consisting of 13 esters and 1 alcohol. High-throughput sequencing technique, the bacterial community structure of nine groups of DSSPs was determined. Further analysis revealed Vagococcus, Lactococcus, and Tepidimicrobium as key bacteria involved in flavor formation. This study contributes to our understanding of the relationship between bacterial communities and the flavor formation, and provides guidance for screening starter culture that enhance the flavor of DSSP in industrial production.

Quercetin alleviates kidney damage caused by mercury Chloride: The protective effects of quercetin on autophagy and inflammation were studied based on TRIM32/TLR4/LC3 pathway.

OBJECTIVE: Mercury is one of the heavy metal pollutants causing serious harm to human health. Quercetin was observed to repair kidney damage through the TLR4/TRIM32 pathway, and the detoxification effect of quercetin on heavy metal poisoning was observed. METHODS: For the study, the researchers divided 40 male mice from the KM strain into five groups: control, HgCl2, QU30, HgCl2+QU15, and HgCl2+QU30. The biological effects of those mice in each group were detected by the biochemical experiment, histopathology experiment and protein expression experiment respectively. RESULTS: HgCl2 had effects in increasing the level of malondialdehyde (MDA) and decreasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes (P < 0.05). HgCl2 induced inflammation by increasing tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) and Toll Like Receptor 4 (TLR-4) (P < 0.05). The expression of creatinine (CRE) and urea nitrogen (BUN) showed that HgCl2 promoted kidney injury. HgCl2 altered renal tissue integrity and TRIM32 expression which resulted in the increased autophagy associated protein levels of LC3. In contrast, quercetin reduced oxidative stress, autophagy, inflammation and histopathological changes (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Quercetin has the renal protection effects of anti-inflammation, anti-oxidation and anti-autophagy.

Altered static and dynamic functional network connectivity in individuals with subthreshold depression: a large-scale resting-state fMRI study.

Dynamic functional network connectivity (dFNC) is an expansion of static FNC (sFNC) that reflects connectivity variations among brain networks. This study aimed to investigate changes in sFNC and dFNC strength and temporal properties in individuals with subthreshold depression (StD). Forty-two individuals with subthreshold depression and 38 healthy controls (HCs) were included in this study. Group independent component analysis (GICA) was used to determine target resting-state networks, namely, executive control network (ECN), default mode network (DMN), sensorimotor network (SMN) and dorsal attentional network (DAN). Sliding window and k-means clustering analyses were used to identify dFNC patterns and temporal properties in each subject. We compared sFNC and dFNC differences between the StD and HCs groups. Relationships between changes in FNC strength, temporal properties, and neurophysiological score were evaluated by Spearman's correlation analysis. The sFNC analysis revealed decreased FNC strength in StD individuals, including the DMN-CEN, DMN-SMN, SMN-CEN, and SMN-DAN. In the dFNC analysis, 4 reoccurring FNC patterns were identified. Compared to HCs, individuals with StD had increased mean dwell time and fraction time in a weakly connected state (state 4), which is associated with self-focused thinking status. In addition, the StD group demonstrated decreased dFNC strength between the DMN-DAN in state 2. sFNC strength (DMN-ECN) and temporal properties were correlated with HAMD-17 score in StD individuals (all p < 0.01). Our study provides new evidence on aberrant time-varying brain activity and large-scale network interaction disruptions in StD individuals, which may provide novel insight to better understand the underlying neuropathological mechanisms.

The mediating effect of coping styles between emergency capacity and mental workload among clinical nurses: A cross-sectional study.

AIMS: This study aimed to examine the relationship between emergency capacity, coping styles, and mental workload among nurses. BACKGROUND: Emergency capacity, coping styles, and mental workload are all variables associated with work. Identifying the relationship between these variables can facilitate administrators to implement tailored and effective intervention strategies to improve individual performance, quality of care, and medical safety. METHODS: A quantitative cross-sectional study was carried out to investigate 605 Chinese clinical nurses in seven tertiary hospitals by using personal information form, emergency capacity scale for nurses, simplified coping skill questionnaire, and the NASA-Task Load Index. RESULTS: Emergency capacity and mental workload were found at moderate levels. The multiple linear regression model suggested that spinsterhood, no children, high workload, always anxiety or nervousness, and lower monthly income were the influencing factors of mental workload. Positive coping style was positively correlated with emergency capacity and negatively correlated with mental workload. Negative coping style was negatively related to emergency capacity and positively related to mental workload. Additionally, coping styles played a partial mediating role in the relationship between emergency capacity and mental workload through constructing a structural equation model, but the effects of positive coping style and negative coping style are opposite. CONCLUSION: Our results showed that coping styles played a mediating role in the relationship between emergency capacity and mental workload. Managers can alleviate the mental workload of nurses by cultivating positive coping styles and improving emergency capacity. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND NURSING POLICY: Mental workload of nurses deserves more attention in medical institutions. The results of our study provide evidence for improving employee health, promoting positive behaviors, and optimizing organizational management. Nursing managers should take feasible measures to fulfill nurses' needs for emergency capacity and coping strategies to alleviate nurses' mental workload, so as to stimulate their intrinsic motivation and positive organizational behavior.

A feedback loop driven by H3K9 lactylation and HDAC2 in endothelial cells regulates VEGF-induced angiogenesis.

BACKGROUND: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is one of the most powerful proangiogenic factors and plays an important role in multiple diseases. Increased glycolytic rates and lactate accumulation are associated with pathological angiogenesis. RESULTS: Here, we show that a feedback loop between H3K9 lactylation (H3K9la) and histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) in endothelial cells drives VEGF-induced angiogenesis. We find that the H3K9la levels are upregulated in endothelial cells in response to VEGF stimulation. Pharmacological inhibition of glycolysis decreases H3K9 lactylation and attenuates neovascularization. CUT& Tag analysis reveals that H3K9la is enriched at the promoters of a set of angiogenic genes and promotes their transcription. Interestingly, we find that hyperlactylation of H3K9 inhibits expression of the lactylation eraser HDAC2, whereas overexpression of HDAC2 decreases H3K9 lactylation and suppresses angiogenesis. CONCLUSIONS: Collectively, our study illustrates that H3K9la is important for VEGF-induced angiogenesis, and interruption of the H3K9la/HDAC2 feedback loop may represent a novel therapeutic method for treating pathological neovascularization.

Associations between whole grains intake and new-onset hypertension: a prospective cohort study.

IMPORTANCE: Epidemiological evidences regarding the association between whole grain intake and the risk of new-onset hypertension are still controversial. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the relationship between whole grain intake and new-onset hypertension and examine possible effect modifiers in the general population. METHODS: A total of 10,973 participants without hypertension from the China Health and Nutrition Survey were enrolled, with follow-up beginning in 1997 and ending in 2015. Whole grain intake was assessed by 3 consecutive 24-h dietary recalls combined with a household food inventory. Multivariable hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression model after adjusting for potential risk factors. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 7.0 years, 3,733 participants developed new-onset hypertension. The adjusted HRs (95% CIs) were as follows: for quartile 2 (HR: 0.52; 95% CI: 0.47-0.57), quartile 3 (HR: 0.46; 95% CI: 0.42-0.51), and quartile 4 (HR: 0.35; 95% CI: 0.31-0.38), compared with quartile 1. Different types of whole grain types, including wheat (adjusted HR, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.32-0.39), maize (adjusted HR, 0.50; 95% CI, 0.42-0.59), and millet (adjusted HR, 0.38; 95% CI, 0.30-0.48), showed significant associations with a reduced risk of hypertension. The association between whole grain intake and new-onset hypertension was stronger in individuals with older age (P for interaction < 0.001) and higher BMI (P for interaction < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Higher consumption of whole grains was significantly associated with a lower risk of new-onset hypertension. This study provides further evidence supporting the importance of increasing whole grain intake for hypertension prevention among Chinese adults.

Prevalence and Patterns of Insomnia Symptoms Among People Aged 65 and Above in Guangdong Province, China.

Objective: This survey investigated the prevalence, distribution, and correlative factors of insomnia symptoms among people aged 65 and above in Guangdong Province, China. Methods: The Guangdong Mental Health Survey was conducted on the elderly in all 21 cities of Guangdong Province from September to December 2021. Multistage stratified cluster sampling was adopted, and 16 377 adult residents were interviewed face-to-face, from which 4001 elderly participants aged 65 and above were included for this study. Complex weighted adjustment methods were applied to weight the data. Multinomial logistic regression was applied to test the independent associations of clinical insomnia symptoms (CIS) and subthreshold insomnia symptoms (SIS) with the factors. Results: The pooled estimate of insomnia symptoms was 13.44% [95% confidence interval (CI): 12.2 %-14.7%]. The 1-month weighted prevalence of SIS and CIS were 11.15% (95% CI: 10.05%-12.37%) and 2.28% (95%CI: 1.77%-2.94%), respectively. Multinomial logistic regression analysis revealed that urban residence, irregular diet, low body mass index, chronic disease, napping 3-4/week, early changes in dementia, symptoms of subthreshold depression, subthreshold generalized anxiety, and generalized anxiety disorder were positively associated with SIS. Additionally, living in urban areas, having chronic diseases, symptoms of subthreshold depression, major depressive disorder, subthreshold generalized anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder were positively associated with CIS. Conclusion: Insomnia symptoms, including CIS and SIS, were prevalent among the elderly in Guangdong Province. Given the high burden of CIS and SIS, policymakers and healthcare professionals must explore and treat the related factors accordingly.

The agreement of low lean mass with obesity using different definitions and its correlation with hyperuricemia.

Background: The agreement on the identification of sarcopenic obesity remains elusive, and its association with hyperuricemia remains unestablished. This study sought to evaluate the agreement of low lean mass (LLM) with obesity and its correlation with hyperuricemia. Methods: A total of 25,252 study participants, comprising 4,597 individuals with hyperuricemia, were obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey spanning the years 1999-2006 and 2011-2018. LLM with obesity was characterized by the coexistence of LLM, determined by the ratio of appendicular lean mass to body mass index (BMI), and three categories of obesity including BMI, body fat percentage (BF%), and waist circumference (WC). We employed Cohen's kappa to evaluate the agreement among the different diagnostic criteria and implemented survey multiple logistic regression and stratified analyses to explicate the connection between LLM with obesity and the risk of hyperuricemia. Results: When defining obesity using BF%, BMI, and WC, the prevalence of LLM with obesity varied from 6.6 to 10.1%, with moderate-to-strong agreement. In the fully adjusted model, individuals with LLM or any of the three types of obesity exhibited notably elevated odds of developing hyperuricemia. Likewise, participants with LLM and obesity had 2.70 (LLM + BMI), 2.44 (LLM + BF%), and 3.12 (LLM + WC) times the risk of hyperuricemia, respectively, compared with healthy individuals. The association between LLM with obesity and hyperuricemia remained stable and significant across different age and sex subgroups. Conclusion: When employing the three definitions of obesity, the incidence of LLM with obesity was not high, and the diagnostic agreement was relatively good. The participants with LLM and obesity exhibited an increased risk of hyperuricemia.

Long-term air pollutants exposure and respiratory mortality: A large prospective cohort study.

Ambient air pollution is a major global health concern. Yet, no study has thoroughly assessed its link to respiratory mortality. Our research evaluated the combined and individual effects of air pollutants on respiratory mortality risks based on the UK Biobank. A total of 366,478 participants were studied. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the respiratory mortality risk from combined long-term exposure to five pollutants, summarized as a weighted air pollution score. During a median of 13.6 years of follow-up, 6113 deaths due to respiratory diseases were recorded. The hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) of respiratory diseases were 2.64 (2.05-3.39), 1.62 (1.23-2.12), 2.06 (1.73-2.45), 1.20 (1.16-1.25), and 1.07 (1.05-1.08) per 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5, PM2.5-10, PM10, NO2, and NOx, respectively. The air pollution score showed a dose-response association with an elevated respiratory mortality risk. The highest versus lowest quartile air pollution score was linked to a 44% increase in respiratory mortality risk (HR 1.44, 95% CI: 1.33-1.57), with consistent findings in subgroup and sensitivity analyses. Long-term individual and joint air-pollutant exposure showed a dose-response association with an increased respiratory mortality risk, highlighting the importance of a comprehensive air-pollutant assessment to protect public health.

Structural and functional basis of bacteriophage K64-ORF41 depolymerase for capsular polysaccharide degradation of Klebsiella pneumoniae K64.

Capsule polysaccharide is an important virulence factor of Klebsiella pneumoniae (K. pneumoniae), which protects bacteria against the host immune response. A promising therapeutic approach is using phage-derived depolymerases to degrade the capsular polysaccharide and expose and sensitize the bacteria to the host immune system. Here we determined the cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of a bacteriophage tail-spike protein against K. pneumoniae K64, ORF41 (K64-ORF41) and ORF41 in EDTA condition (K64-ORF41EDTA), at 2.37 Å and 2.50 Å resolution, respectively, for the first time. K64-ORF41 exists as a trimer and each protomer contains a ß-helix domain including a right-handed parallel ß-sheet helix fold capped at both ends, an insertion domain, and one ß-sheet jellyroll domain. Moreover, our structural comparison with other depolymerases of K. pneumoniae suggests that the catalytic residues (Tyr528, His574 and Arg628) are highly conserved although the substrate of capsule polysaccharide is variable. Besides that, we figured out the important residues involved in the substrate binding pocket including Arg405, Tyr526, Trp550 and Phe669. This study establishes the structural and functional basis for the promising phage-derived broad-spectrum activity depolymerase therapeutics and effective CPS-degrading agents for the treatment of carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae K64 infections.

Long-term exposure to air pollutants and new-onset migraine: A large prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUNDS: Short-term exposure to air pollutants increases the risk of migraine, but the long-term impacts of exposure to multiple pollutants on migraine have not been established. The aim of this large prospective cohort study was to explore these links. METHODS: A total of 458,664 participants who were free of migraine at baseline from the UK Biobank were studied. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the risk of new-onset migraine from combined long-term exposure to four pollutants, quantified as an air pollution score using principal component analysis. RESULTS: During a median (IQR) follow-up of 12.5 (11.8, 13.2) years, a total of 5417 new-onset migraine cases were documented. Long-term exposure to multiple air pollutants was associated with an increased risk of new-onset migraine, as indicated by an increased in the SDs of PM2.5 (hazard ratio (HR): 1.04, 95% CI: 1.01-1.06, P = 0.009), PM10 (HR: 1.07, 95% CI: 1.04-1.10, P < 0.001), NO2 (HR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.07-1.13, P < 0.001) and NOx (HR: 1.04, 95% CI: 1.01-1.07, P = 0.005) in the main model. The air pollution score showed a doseresponse association with an increased risk of new-onset migraine. Similarly, compared with those of the lowest tertile, the HRs (95% CI) of new-onset migraine were 1.11 (95% CI: 1.04-1.19, P = 0.002) and 1.17 (95% CI: 1.09-1.26, P < 0.001) in tertiles 2 and 3, respectively, according to the main model (P trend < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Long-term individual and joint exposure to multiple air pollutants is associated with an increased risk of new-onset migraine.

Up-regulation of RAN by MYBL2 maintains osteosarcoma cancer stem-like cells population during heterogeneous tumor generation.

Intratumor heterogeneity is one of the major features of cancers, leading to aggressive disease and treatment failure. Cancer stem-like cells (CSCs) are believed to give rise to the heterogeneous cell types within tumors. Hence, understanding the regulatory mechanism underlying the recurrence process of heterogeneous tumor by CSCs could facilitate the development of CSC-targeted therapies. Here, utilizing single-cell transcriptomics, we present the molecular profile of osteosarcoma CSCs-derived heterogeneous tumors consisting of CSC clusters, osteoprogenitor and differentiated cell types, such as pre-osteoblasts, osteoblasts and chondroblasts. Furthermore, by constructing the comprehensive map of modulated genes during CSCs self-renewal and differentiation, we identify RAN exhibiting specific peak expression in osteosarcoma CSCs clusters which is transcriptionally up-regulated by MYBL2. Functionality, MYBL2-RAN pathway promotes the CSCs self-renewal by enhancing the nuclear accumulation of MYC protein, which in turn boosts the overexpression of RAN as a positive feedback. Importantly, blockage of MYBL2-RAN pathway sensitizes CSCs to cisplatin treatment and synergistically enhanced the cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity. Both MYBL2 and RAN are highly expressed in clinical osteosarcoma tissues which indicate poor prognosis. Collectively, our study provides advanced insights into the regeneration process of heterogeneous tumor originating from CSCs and highlights the MYBL2-RAN pathway as a promising target for CSC-based therapy in osteosarcoma.

Association between Whole Grain Intake and Chronic Kidney Disease.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between whole grain intake and chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains uncertain. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to evaluate the association between whole grain intake and risk of CKD in Chinese adults. METHODS: The present cross-sectional study used data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey conducted in 2009. Whole grain intake was measured using 3 consecutive 24-h dietary recalls and a household food inventory. A multivariable logistic regression model was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for risk of CKD. In addition, a restricted cubic spline was used to investigate the dose‒response relationship between whole grain and risk of CKD. RESULTS: A total of 6747 participants were included, 728 of whom had CKD. Compared with those in the lowest whole grain intake group, those in the higher grain intake group had an inverse association with risk of CKD (Q2: adjusted OR 0.70, 95% CI: 0.54, 0.89; Q3: adjusted OR 0.54, 95% CI: 0.42, 0.69; and Q4: adjusted OR 0.29, 95% CI: 0.21, 0.41). The association between whole grain intake and CKD seems to be stronger for individuals who were male (P for interaction = 0.008) or smokers (P for interaction = 0.013). In addition, the restricted cubic spline suggested an obvious L-shaped correlation. CONCLUSIONS: Increased whole grain intake was associated with a decreased risk of CKD in Chinese adults.

A single cell atlas of circulating immune cells involved in diabetic retinopathy.

This study focused on examining the exact role of circulating immune cells in the development of diabetic retinopathy (DR). In vitro co-culture experiments showed that peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients with type 1 DR crucially modulated the biological functions of human retinal microvascular endothelial cells (HRMECs), consequently disrupting their normal functionality. Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) study revealed unique differentially expressed genes and pathways in circulating immune cells among healthy controls, non-diabetic retinopathy (NDR) patients, and DR patients. Of significance was the observed upregulation of JUND in each subset of PBMCs in patients with type 1 DR. Further studies showed that downregulating JUND in DR patient-derived PBMCs led to the amelioration of HRMEC dysfunction. These findings highlighted the notable alterations in the transcriptomic patterns of circulating immune cells in type 1 DR patients and underscored the significance of JUND as a key factor for PBMCs in participating in the pathogenesis of DR.

The effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on the negative symptoms of chronic schizophrenia and serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor. / Wplyw powtarzalnej przezczaszkowej stymulacji magnetycznej na negatywne objawy schizofrenii i surowiczy neurotroficzny czynnik pochodzenia mózgowego.

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to investigate the therapeutic effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) on the negative symptoms of chronic schizophrenia and serum brainderived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). METHODS: A total of 86 patients with chronic schizophrenia hospitalised from March to October 2019 were randomly assigned to the active rTMS group or the sham rTMS group, with 43 patients in each group. All patients were administered paliperidone orally at a dose of 3-6 mg/d, and rTMS treatment was given to the active rTMS group. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) score and the serum BDNF concentration were calculated in both groups at baseline and after two and four weeks of treatment. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in the PANSS scores and serum BDNF concentrations between the two groups before treatment (p > 0.05). However, after four weeks of treatment, the change in the score on the negative symptom scale in the active rTMS group was greater than in the sham rTMS group (p < 0.05), and the serum BDNF levels in the active rTMS group were higher than in the sham rTMS group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Four weeks of continuous rTMS treatment can effectively improve the negative symptoms of schizophrenia, and the serum concentration of BDNF increases as the duration of rTMS treatment increases.

The role of s-palmitoylation in neurological diseases: implication for zDHHC family.

S-palmitoylation is a reversible posttranslational modification, and the palmitoylation reaction in human-derived cells is mediated by the zDHHC family, which is composed of S-acyltransferase enzymes that possess the DHHC (Asp-His-His-Cys) structural domain. zDHHC proteins form an autoacylation intermediate, which then attaches the fatty acid to cysteine a residue in the target protein. zDHHC proteins sublocalize in different neuronal structures and exert dif-ferential effects on neurons. In humans, many zDHHC proteins are closely related to human neu-rological disor-ders. This review focuses on a variety of neurological disorders, such as AD (Alz-heimer's disease), HD (Huntington's disease), SCZ (schizophrenia), XLID (X-linked intellectual disability), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and glioma. In this paper, we will discuss and summarize the research progress regarding the role of zDHHC proteins in these neu-rological disorders.