Transdiagnostic Sleep and Circadian Intervention in Youth: Long-Term Follow-Up of a Randomized Controlled Trial.

OBJECTIVE: This preregistered study compared the effects of the Transdiagnostic Sleep and Circadian Intervention (TranS-C) to Psychoeducation about sleep, health, yoga, meditation, and outdoor appreciation activities (PE) on sleep and circadian functioning, health risk, and sleep-health behaviors, at long-term follow-up (LTFU), an average of 8 years following treatment. We also examined if more sleep-health behaviors at LTFU were associated with better sleep and circadian functioning at LTFU and if better sleep and circadian functioning were associated with lower health risk at LTFU. METHOD: At baseline, we randomized adolescents with an eveningness chronotype to TranS-C (n=89) or PE (n=87). Of this sample, we assessed 106 young adults (mean age at follow-up=22.5 years; n=55 from TranS-C; n=51 from PE) an average of eight years following treatment. RESULTS: Despite TranS-C (vs. PE) sustaining improvement in circadian functioning through 12-month follow-up, at LTFU, there were no significant differences between the conditions on any outcome-including sleep and circadian functioning, risks in five health domains indexed by self-report and ecological momentary assessment, sleep-health behaviors, and physical measurements. Across both conditions, measures indicating poorer sleep and circadian functioning were associated with higher health risk across multiple domains, and more sleep-health behaviors were associated with lower levels of eveningness at LTFU. CONCLUSION: The results provide an important window into the influence of development on long-term outcomes for youth and raise the possibility that interventions for youth could be enhanced with a focus on habit formation.

Enhancing sleep health in urban American Indian/Alaska Native adolescents: Implications for culturally tailored interventions.

BACKGROUND: Urban American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) adolescents are vulnerable to sleep and other health-related disparities due to numerous social drivers, including historical trauma and relocation to urban areas. This study aims to identify strategies to increase protective factors and culturally tailor sleep health interventions for this population. METHODS: Using community-based participatory research, the NAYSHAW study conducted in-depth interviews with urban AI/AN adolescents aged 12-19 years to understand critical components needed for developing a culturally sensitive sleep health intervention. Data from two qualitative subsamples (N = 46) and parent surveys (N = 110) were analyzed, focusing on factors that affect sleep health behaviors, including parental involvement, technology, and traditional practices. RESULTS: Key findings include the detrimental impact of electronics use at night and protective effects of traditional practices on sleep. Parental involvement in sleep routines varied by adolescent's age. Adolescents desired sleep health education in interactive formats, whereas parents preferred workshops and digital applications for sleep health strategies. Findings suggest that interventions need to address electronics use and should also be culturally tailored to address the unique experiences of urban AI/AN adolescents. CONCLUSIONS: Results underscore the importance of utilizing community-based strategies to develop culturally tailored sleep interventions for underserved populations, specifically urban AI/AN adolescents. Integrating traditional practices with evidence-based sleep health strategies can provide a holistic approach to improving sleep and overall well-being. Parental education and involvement will be critical to the success of such interventions.

Testing an Intervention to Improve Health Care Worker Well-Being During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cluster Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance: Stress First Aid is an evidence-informed peer-to-peer support intervention to mitigate the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on the well-being of health care workers (HCWs). Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a tailored peer-to-peer support intervention compared with usual care to support HCWs' well-being at hospitals and federally qualified health centers (FQHCs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cluster randomized clinical trial comprised 3 cohorts of HCWs who were enrolled from March 2021 through July 2022 at 28 hospitals and FQHCs in the US. Participating sites were matched as pairs by type, size, and COVID-19 burden and then randomized to the intervention arm or usual care arm (any programs already in place to support HCW well-being). The HCWs were surveyed before and after peer-to-peer support intervention implementation. Intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis was used to evaluate the intervention's effect on outcomes, including general psychological distress and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Intervention: The peer-to-peer support intervention was delivered to HCWs by site champions who received training and subsequently trained the HCWs at their site. Recipients of the intervention were taught to respond to their own and their peers' stress reactions. Main Outcomes and Measures: Primary outcomes were general psychological distress and PTSD. General psychological distress was measured with the Kessler 6 instrument, and PTSD was measured with the PTSD Checklist. Results: A total of 28 hospitals and FQHCs with 2077 HCWs participated. Both preintervention and postintervention surveys were completed by 2077 HCWs, for an overall response rate of 28% (41% at FQHCs and 26% at hospitals). A total of 862 individuals (696 females [80.7%]) were from sites that were randomly assigned to the intervention arm; the baseline mean (SD) psychological distress score was 5.86 (5.70) and the baseline mean (SD) PTSD score was 16.11 (16.07). A total of 1215 individuals (947 females [78.2%]) were from sites assigned to the usual care arm; the baseline mean (SD) psychological distress score was 5.98 (5.62) and the baseline mean (SD) PTSD score was 16.40 (16.43). Adherence to the intervention was 70% for FQHCs and 32% for hospitals. The ITT analyses revealed no overall treatment effect for psychological distress score (0.238 [95% CI, -0.310 to 0.785] points) or PTSD symptom score (0.189 [95% CI, -1.068 to 1.446] points). Post hoc analyses examined the heterogeneity of treatment effect by age group with consistent age effects observed across primary outcomes (psychological distress and PTSD). Among HCWs in FQHCs, there were significant and clinically meaningful treatment effects for HCWs 30 years or younger: a more than 4-point reduction for psychological distress (-4.552 [95% CI, -8.067 to -1.037]) and a nearly 7-point reduction for PTSD symptom scores (-6.771 [95% CI, -13.224 to -0.318]). Conclusions and Relevance: This trial found that this peer-to-peer support intervention did not improve well-being outcomes for HCWs overall but had a protective effect against general psychological distress and PTSD in HCWs aged 30 years or younger in FQHCs, which had higher intervention adherence. Incorporating this peer-to-peer support intervention into medical training, with ongoing support over time, may yield beneficial results in both standard care and during public health crises. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT04723576.

The Interaction between Human Microbes and Advanced Glycation End Products: The Role of Klebsiella X15 on Advanced Glycation End Products' Degradation.

Previous studies have shown that advanced glycation end products (AGEs) are implicated in the occurrence and progression of numerous diseases, with dietary AGEs being particularly associated with intestinal disorders. In this study, methylglyoxal-beta-lactoglobulin AGEs (MGO-ß-LG AGEs) were utilized as the exclusive nitrogen source to investigate the interaction between protein-bound AGEs and human gut microbiota. The high-resolution mass spectrometry analysis of alterations in peptides containing AGEs within metabolites before and after fermentation elucidated the capacity of intestinal microorganisms to enzymatically hydrolyze long-chain AGEs into short-chain counterparts. The 16S rRNA sequencing revealed Klebsiella, Lactobacillus, Escherichia-Shigella, and other genera as dominant microbiota at different fermentation times. A total of 187 potential strains of AGE-metabolizing bacteria were isolated from the fermentation broth at various time points. Notably, one strain of Klebsiella exhibited the most robust growth capacity when AGEs served as the sole nitrogen source. Subsequently, proteomics was employed to compare the changes in protein levels of Klebsiella X15 following cultivation in unmodified proteins and proteins modified with AGEs. This analysis unveiled a remodeled amino acid and energy metabolism pathway in Klebsiella in response to AGEs, indicating that Klebsiella may possess a metabolic pathway specifically tailored to AGEs. This study found that fermenting AGEs in healthy human intestinal microbiota altered the bacterial microbiota structure, especially by increasing Klebsiella proliferation, which could be a key factor in AGEs' role in causing diseases, particularly intestinal inflammation.

Absolute Configuration of Oxabornyl Polyenes Prugosenes A1-A3 and Structural Revision of Prugosene A2.

Oxabornyl polyenes represent a unique group of polyketides characterized by a central polyene core flanked by a conserved oxabornyl moiety and a structurally diverse oxygen heterocyclic ring. They are widely distributed in fungi and possess a variety of biological activities. Due to the significant spatial separation between the two stereogenic ring systems, it is difficult to establish their overall relative configurations. Here, we isolated three oxabornyl polyenes, prugosenes A1-A3 (1-3), from Talaromyces sp. JNU18266-01. Although these compounds were first reported from Penicillium rugulosum, their overall relative and absolute configurations remained unassigned. By employing ozonolysis in combination with ECD calculations, we were able to establish their absolute configurations, and additionally obtained seven new chemical derivatives (4-10). Notably, through NMR data analysis and quantum chemical calculations, we achieved the structural revision of prugosene A2. Furthermore, prugosenes A1-A3 exhibited potent antiviral activity against the respiratory syncytial virus, with compound 1 displaying an IC50 value of 6.3 µM. Our study thus provides a valuable reference for absolute configuration assignment of oxabornyl polyene compounds.

Application of machine learning in prediction of Pb2+ adsorption of biochar prepared by tube furnace and fluidized bed.

Data mining by machine learning (ML) has recently come into application in heavy metals purification from wastewater, especially in exploring lead removal by biochar that prepared using tube furnace (TF-C) and fluidized bed (FB-C) pyrolysis methods. In this study, six ML models including Random Forest Regression (RFR), Gradient Boosting Regression (GBR), Support Vector Regression (SVR), Kernel Ridge Regression (KRR), Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGB), and Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LGBM) were employed to predict lead adsorption based on a dataset of 1012 adsorption experiments, comprising 422 TF-C groups from our experiments and 590 FB-C groups from literatures. The XGB model showed superior accuracy and predictive performance for adsorption, achieving R2 values for TF-C (0.992) and FB-C (0.981), respectively. Contrasting inferior results were observed in other models, including RF (0.962 and 0.961), GBR (0.987 and 0.975), SVR (0.839 and 0.763), KRR (0.817 and 0.881), and LGBM (0.975 and 0.868). Additionally, a hybrid dataset combining both biochars in Pb adsorption also indicated high accuracy (0.972) as obtained from XGB model. The investigation revealed that the influence of char characteristics and adsorption conditions on Pb adsorption differs between the two biochar. Specific char characteristics, particularly nitrogen content, significantly influence lead adsorption in both biochar. Interestingly, the influence of pyrolysis temperature (PT) on lead adsorption is found to be greater for TF-C than for FB-C. Consequently, careful consideration of PT is crucial when preparing TF-C biochar. These findings offer practical guidance for optimizing biochar preparation conditions during heavy metal removal from wastewater.

RIOK3 sustains colorectal cancer cell survival under glucose deprivation via an HSP90α-dependent pathway.

Glucose oxidation via the pentose phosphate pathway serves as the primary cellular mechanism for generating nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH). The central regions of solid tumors typically experience glucose deficiency, emphasizing the need for sustained NADPH production crucial to tumor cell survival. This study highlights the crucial role of RIOK3 in maintaining NADPH production and colorectal cancer (CRC) cell survival during glucose deficiency. Our findings revealed upregulated RIOK3 expression upon glucose deprivation, with RIOK3 knockout significantly reducing cancer cell survival. Mechanistically, RIOK3 interacts with heat shock protein 90α (HSP90α), a chaperone integral to various cellular processes, thereby facilitating HSP90α binding to isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1). This interaction further upregulates IDH1 expression, enhancing NADPH production and preserving redox balance. Furthermore, RIOK3 inhibition had no discernible effect on intracellular NADPH levels and cell death rates in HSP90α-knockdown cells. Collectively, our findings suggest that RIOK3 sustains colon cancer cell survival in low-glucose environments through an HSP90α-dependent pathway. This highlights the significance of the RIOK3-HSP90α-IDH1 cascade, providing insights into potential targeted therapeutic strategies for CRC in metabolic stress conditions.

Synchrony of Bird Migration with Global Dispersal of Avian Influenza Reveals Exposed Bird Orders.

Highly pathogenic avian influenza virus (HPAIV) A H5, particularly clade 2.3.4.4, has caused worldwide outbreaks in domestic poultry, occasional spillover to humans, and increasing deaths of diverse species of wild birds since 2014. Wild bird migration is currently acknowledged as an important ecological process contributing to the global dispersal of HPAIV H5. However, this mechanism has not been quantified using bird movement data from different species, and the timing and location of exposure of different species is unclear. We sought to explore these questions through phylodynamic analyses based on empirical data of bird movement tracking and virus genome sequences of clade 2.3.4.4 and 2.3.2.1. First, we demonstrate that seasonal bird migration can explain salient features of the global dispersal of clade 2.3.4.4. Second, we detect synchrony between the seasonality of bird annual cycle phases and virus lineage movements. We reveal the differing exposed bird orders at geographical origins and destinations of HPAIV H5 clade 2.3.4.4 lineage movements, including relatively under-discussed orders. Our study provides a phylodynamic framework that links the bird movement ecology and genomic epidemiology of avian influenza; it highlights the importance of integrating bird behavior and life history in avian influenza studies.

Fate of sulfur and chlorine during co-incineration of municipal solid waste and industrial organic solid waste.

In China, the co-incineration of municipal solid waste (MSW) with industrial organic solid waste (IOSW) is increasingly adopted. Compared with MSW, IOSW contains higher levels of sulfur (S) and chlorine (Cl), presenting significant challenges for controlling S/Cl emissions in MSW incineration plants. In this study, the impact of co-incinerating IOSW was investigated in a 500 t/d incinerator grate, focusing on the emissions and transformation behaviors of S/Cl. IOSW, with a consistent sulfur content of about 0.22 wt% and a more variable chlorine content averaging 0.53 wt%, contains over 40 % organic sulfur and >90 % organic chlorine, higher than in MSW. The results of co-incineration experiments showed that the median SO2 concentration in the flue gas was stable at 50 mg/m3, while HCl concentration decreased initially and then increased as the co-incineration ratio of IOSW rose from 20 % to 40 %. Furthermore, the concentrations of SO2 and HCl were not significantly influenced by wind flow but were positively affected by the rising furnace temperatures. Besides, the co-incineration ratio had minimal impact on sulfur in fly ash before deacidification, primarily derived from the gas stream. However, the (Na + K)/Cl ratio in fly ash progressively increased from 1.5 to 1.9, and the Ca content decreased from 0.35 % to 0.15 % as the co-incineration ratio rose to 40 %, indicating more chlorine migration into the fly ash at higher co-incineration rates. This research offers essential guidance for effectively controlling pollutant emissions during the co-incineration of IOSW, specifically the S/Cl pollutants.

Crosstalk of HDAC4, PP1, and GSDMD in controlling pyroptosis.

Gasdermin D (GSDMD) functions as a pivotal executor of pyroptosis, eliciting cytokine secretion following cleavage by inflammatory caspases. However, the role of posttranslational modifications (PTMs) in GSDMD-mediated pyroptosis remains largely unexplored. In this study, we demonstrate that GSDMD can undergo acetylation at the Lysine 248 residue, and this acetylation enhances pyroptosis. We identify histone deacetylase 4 (HDAC4) as the specific deacetylase responsible for mediating GSDMD deacetylation, leading to the inhibition of pyroptosis both in vitro and in vivo. Deacetylation of GSDMD impairs its ubiquitination, resulting in the inhibition of pyroptosis. Intriguingly, phosphorylation of HDAC4 emerges as a critical regulatory mechanism promoting its ability to deacetylate GSDMD and suppress GSDMD-mediated pyroptosis. Additionally, we implicate Protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) catalytic subunits (PP1α and PP1γ) in the dephosphorylation of HDAC4, thereby nullifying its deacetylase activity on GSDMD. This study reveals a complex regulatory network involving HDAC4, PP1, and GSDMD. These findings provide valuable insights into the interplay among acetylation, ubiquitination, and phosphorylation in the regulation of pyroptosis, offering potential targets for further investigation in the field of inflammatory cell death.

Polysaccharides from Chinese herbal medicine: a review on the hepatoprotective and molecular mechanism.

Polysaccharides, predominantly extracted from traditional Chinese medicinal herbs such as Lycium barbarum, Angelica sinensis, Astragalus membranaceus, Dendrobium officinale, Ganoderma lucidum, and Poria cocos, represent principal bioactive constituents extensively utilized in Chinese medicine. These compounds have demonstrated significant anti-inflammatory capabilities, especially anti-liver injury activities, while exhibiting minimal adverse effects. This review summarized recent studies to elucidate the hepatoprotective efficacy and underlying molecular mechanisms of these herbal polysaccharides. It underscored the role of these polysaccharides in regulating hepatic function, enhancing immunological responses, and improving antioxidant capacities, thus contributing to the attenuation of hepatocyte apoptosis and liver protection. Analyses of molecular pathways in these studies revealed the intricate and indispensable functions of traditional Chinese herbal polysaccharides in liver injury management. Therefore, this review provides a thorough examination of the hepatoprotective attributes and molecular mechanisms of these medicinal polysaccharides, thereby offering valuable insights for the advancement of polysaccharide-based therapeutic research and their potential clinical applications in liver disease treatment.

The Effect of Nitrogen Functional Groups on Pb0, PbO, and PbCl2 Adsorption over a Carbonaceous Surface.

Lead (Pb) pollution, especially from the incineration of municipal solid waste (MSW), poses a significant threat to the environment. Among all the effective methods, activated carbon (AC) injection serves as an effective approach for lead removal from flue gas, while the modification of ACs emerges as a crucial pathway for enhancing Pb adsorption capacities. Density functional theory (DFT) is employed in this study to investigate the mechanisms underlying the enhanced adsorption of Pb species (Pb0, PbO, and PbCl2) on nitrogen-functionalized carbonaceous surfaces. The results show that nitrogen-containing groups substantially enhance lead adsorption capacity, with adsorption energies ranging from -526.18 to -288.31 kJ/mol on nitrogen-decorated carbonaceous surfaces, much higher than those on unmodified surfaces (-310.35 to -260.96 kJ/mol). Additionally, electrostatic potential and density-of-states analyses evidence that pyridinic nitrogen atoms remarkably expand charge distribution and strengthen orbital hybridization, thereby augmenting lead capture. This research elucidates the role of nitrogen-containing functional groups in lead adsorption, offering valuable insights for the development of highly efficient biomass-derived activated carbon sorbents for lead removal.

Bidirectional Associations Between Daily Sleep and Wake Behaviors in Urban American Indian/Alaska Native Youth.

PURPOSE: This is the first study to examine daily, bidirectional associations between sleep and wake behaviors/mood in urban American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) adolescents. METHODS: Participants were 142 urban AI/AN adolescents (mean age = 14 years, 58% female). Sleep was measured with actigraphy (total sleep time [TST] and sleep efficiency) and daily diary (bedtime, wakeup time, and sleep quality) over seven consecutive days. Wake behaviors (caffeine consumption, physical activity, participation in cultural activities, and electronic use after 8p.m.) and mood upon awakening (higher rating indicates greater happiness) were measured via daily diary for seven consecutive days. Multilevel models examined the degree to which nightly sleep predicted next day's wake behaviors and, conversely, wake behaviors and mood predicted nightly sleep, controlling for age, gender, and weekday/weekend. RESULTS: Earlier bedtime and wakeup times predicted greater participation in physical activity the following day. Later bedtime and wakeup time, worse sleep quality, and shorter TST predicted greater electronic use the following night. Earlier bedtime and wakeup time and better sleep quality predicted higher mood ratings. Conversely, greater caffeine consumption during the day predicted both later bedtime and wakeup time. Participation in cultural activities is predicted later bedtime. More nighttime electronic use predicted both later bedtime and wakeup time, poorer sleep quality, and worse TST and sleep efficiency. Higher mood ratings in the morning predicted earlier bedtime and later wakeup time. DISCUSSION: Findings highlight dynamic associations between sleep and wake behaviors and mood in AI/AN adolescents and may elucidate novel pathways for intervention and future research.

Neighborhood determinants of sleep and the moderating role of cultural factors among native adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the association between neighborhood social environment and sleep among urban American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) adolescents as well as the moderating role of cultural factors in this association. METHOD: The analytic sample included 133 urban AI/AN adolescents (age 12-16, 57.1% female, Mage = 14.03, SDage = 1.35). Perceived neighborhood social environment included safety and cohesion. Cultural factors included AI/AN cultural identification and historical loss. Sleep duration, efficiency, and wake after sleep onset (WASO) were measured via actigraphy. Sleep disturbance was measured via a questionnaire. RESULTS: Greater neighborhood safety was significantly associated with lower sleep disturbance (b = -2.17, SE = 0.8, p = .008), higher sleep efficiency (b = 1.75, SE = 0.64, p = .006), and lower WASO (b = -8.60, SE = 3.34, p = .01). Neighborhood cohesion was not associated with any sleep outcomes. Cultural factors moderated the association between neighborhood social environment and sleep outcomes (p < .05). Specifically, both neighborhood safety and cohesion were associated with lower sleep disturbance, only among individuals reporting higher levels of AI/AN cultural identification. Further, neighborhood safety was associated with greater sleep efficiency and lower WASO (i.e., better sleep) only among adolescents with higher contemplation of historical loss. CONCLUSIONS: Findings highlight the importance of considering cultural factors in addressing sleep and health disparities. AI/AN cultural identification and a sense of historical loss may be important targets for identifying adolescents who might benefit the most from policies and interventions focused on improving the social environment in order to improve sleep and other health outcomes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Effects of Different Frying Oils Composed of Various Fatty Acids on the Formation of Multiple Hazards in Fried Pork Balls.

Oil oxidation products can react with food substrates to produce harmful substances, and oil saturation is closely related to oil oxidation in the process of frying. Therefore, the influence of the composition of fatty acids in oil on the formation of harmful substances in fried pork balls was explored. The five frying oils with the lowest unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) content, ranked in ascending order, were palm oil, peanut oil, soybean oil, corn oil, and colza oil (64.94%, 79.94%, 82.65%, 83.07%, and 92.26%, respectively). The overall levels of four harmful substances (acrylamide, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, heterocyclic amines, and trans fatty acids) found in the oil used to fry pork balls followed a descending order: canola oil, corn oil, peanut oil, soybean oil, and palm oil (33.66 µg/kg, 27.17 µg/kg, 23.45 µg/kg, 18.67 µg/kg, and 13.19 µg/kg, respectively). This order was generally consistent with the trend in the content of UFAs. Therefore, the formation of harmful substances is closely related to the saturation of oil. Compared with other frying oils, soybean oil as a household oil produces relatively low amounts of harmful substances and has less negative impact on the quality (oil content, moisture content, and higher protein digestibility) of fried products.

The Late Embryogenesis Abundant Proteins in Soybean: Identification, Expression Analysis, and the Roles of GmLEA4_19 in Drought Stress.

Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins play important roles in regulating plant growth and responses to various abiotic stresses. In this research, a genome-wide survey was conducted to recognize the LEA genes in Glycine max. A total of 74 GmLEA was identified and classified into nine subfamilies based on their conserved domains and the phylogenetic analysis. Subcellular localization, the duplication of genes, gene structure, the conserved motif, and the prediction of cis-regulatory elements and tissue expression pattern were then conducted to characterize GmLEAs. The expression profile analysis indicated that the expression of several GmLEAs was a response to drought and salt stress. The co-expression-based gene network analysis suggested that soybean LEA proteins may exert regulatory effects through the metabolic pathways. We further explored GnLEA4_19 function in Arabidopsis and the results suggests that overexpressed GmLEA4_19 in Arabidopsis increased plant height under mild or serious drought stress. Moreover, the overexpressed GmLEA4_19 soybean also showed a drought tolerance phenotype. These results indicated that GmLEA4_19 plays an important role in the tolerance to drought and will contribute to the development of the soybean transgenic with enhanced drought tolerance and better yield. Taken together, this study provided insight for better understanding the biological roles of LEA genes in soybean.

Cognitive Therapy-as-Usual versus Cognitive Therapy plus the Memory Support Intervention for adults with depression: 12-month outcomes and opportunities for improved efficacy in a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: Patient memory for treatment is emerging as an important transdiagnostic mechanism of treatment outcomes. However, patient memory for treatment is limited. The Memory Support Intervention was developed to improve patient memory for treatment and thereby strengthen treatment outcomes. In this secondary analysis, the primary, preregistered aim was to test the 12-month follow-up outcomes of the Memory Support Intervention when used with cognitive therapy (CT + MS) for major depressive disorder, relative to CT-as-usual. The secondary, exploratory aim was to investigate opportunities to improve efficacy of the Memory Support Intervention. METHOD: Adults (N = 178) with major depressive disorder were randomized to CT-as-usual or CT + MS. Therapist use of memory support and patient memory for treatment, depression symptoms, and overall functioning were measured in blind assessments. RESULTS: Findings did not support differences between treatment conditions at 12-month follow-up. Therapists used memory support strategies with a narrow subset of treatment contents, and similarly, patients recalled a narrow subset of treatment contents. CONCLUSIONS: The findings highlight ways to strengthen the efficacy of the Memory Support Intervention, such as applying memory support strategies across a wider variety of treatment contents, which in turn, may boost patient recall and outcomes.

Highly efficient phosphorous removal in constructed wetland with iron scrap: Insights into the microbial removal mechanism.

Excessive phosphorus (P) in surface water can lead to serious eutrophication and economic losses. Iron-based constructed wetland (CW) is considered as a promising solution to eliminate P effectively due to the advantage of low-cost. However, there is limited available information on the microbial removal mechanism of P in iron-based CW up to now. Therefore, CW with iron scrap was constructed to investigate the treatment performance and microbial removal mechanism in this study. Results showed that efficient and stable P removal (97.09 ± 1.90%) was achieved in iron scrap-based CW during the experiment period, which was attributed to the precipitation of iron and P and improved microbially mediated P removal. Metagenomic analysis showed that microbial diversity was enhanced and phosphate accumulating organisms (e.g., Dechloromonas and Tetrasphaera) were enriched in CW with iron scrap, which explained higher P removal reasonably. In addition, the abundance of genes involved in the P starvation (e.g., phoB), uptake and transport (e.g., pstB) were enhanced in iron scrap-based CW. Enrichment analysis demonstrated that phosphotransferase pathway was also significantly up-regulated in CW with iron scraps, indicating that the energy supply of microbial P removal was enhanced. These findings provide a better understanding of the microbial removal mechanism of P in iron-based CW.

The Extract of Pinellia Ternata-Induced Apoptosis of Leukemia Cells by Regulating the Expression of Bax, Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 Protein Expression in Mice.

The study aims to lessen the monetary burden on patients and society by decreasing the price of proprietary drugs used in leukemia therapy. Flow cytometry, reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction, western blot, and a patient-derived xenograft mouse model were used to confirm the therapeutic effect of Pinellia ternata extract on leukemia. Three types of leukemia cells (K562, HL-60, and C8166 cell lines) were found to undergo early apoptosis (P ≤ .05) after being exposed to P. ternata extract, as measured by flow cytometry. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction results showed that P. ternata extract at both middle (300 µg/mL) and high (500 µg/mL) concentrations was able to down-regulate Bcl-2 and upregulate mRNA expression of Bax and caspase-3. In the patient-derived xenograft mouse model formed by BALB/c-nu/nu nude mice, immunohistochemistry indicated that P. ternata extract effectively suppressed the proliferation of leukemia cells. Therefore, P. ternata extract at 300 µg/mL and 500 µg/mL could effectively inhibit myeloid and lymphocytic leukemia cell proliferation and promote leukemia cell apoptosis by regulating Bax/Bcl-2 and caspase-3.

Evaluation of Mental Health First Aid in New York City.

More than 155,000 New Yorkers were trained in Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) between 2016 and 2020. Free citywide trainings were made available to all New Yorkers and were disseminated through city agencies and community-based settings. RAND Corporation researchers conducted a mixed-methods study that included a web-based survey of past trainees and a series of focus groups with leaders of community-based organizations and city agency staff to assess the impact of the MHFA trainings and needs for future training. In this article, the authors describe the evaluation activities that took place; the methods behind them; and the results at the individual, agency, and community levels. They also offer recommendations for ways to improve future mental health education efforts. Respondents applied MHFA skills extensively and broadly across their social networks. Nine in ten respondents had contact with an individual with a mental health problem in the past six months. Among those who had contact, 84 percent indicated using their MHFA skills to help a friend or family member, and nearly half reported applying skills with a co-worker, neighbor, or acquaintance. Because MHFA was offered through city agency workplaces and community-based settings, tens of thousands of New Yorkers were given tools to come to the aid of individuals in their personal and professional lives. MHFA may be a promising approach to building supportive social networks, organizations, and communities that are primed to recognize and assist those experiencing mental health challenges.