Serum Metabolomic Analysis of Synchronous Estrus in Yaks Based on UPLC-Q-TOF MS Technology.

The yak is a unique species of livestock found in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and its surrounding areas. Due to factors such as late sexual maturity and a low rate of estrus, its reproductive efficiency is relatively low. The process of estrus synchronization in yaks plays a crucial role in enhancing their reproductive success and ensuring the continuation of their species. In order to clarify the characteristics of the serum metabolites of yak estrus synchronization, the yaks with inactive ovaries were compared with the estrus synchronization yaks. In this study, yaks were divided into the inactive ovaries group (IO), gonarelin-induced yak estrus group (GnRH), and chloprostenol sodium-induced yak estrus group (PGF). After the completion of the estrus synchronization treatment, blood samples were collected from the jugular veins of the non-estrus yaks in the control group and the yaks with obvious estrus characteristics in the GnRH and PGF groups. Metabolites were detected by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry, and differential metabolites were screened by multivariate statistical analysis. The results showed that a total of 70 significant differential metabolites were screened and identified in the GnRH vs. IO group, and 77 significant differential metabolites were screened and identified in the PGF vs. IO group. Compared with non-estrus yaks, 36 common significant differential metabolites were screened out after the induction of yak estrus by gonarelin (GnRH) and cloprostenol sodium (PGF), which were significantly enriched in signaling pathways such as the beta oxidation of very long chain fatty acids, bile acid biosynthesis, oxidation of branched chain fatty acids, steroidogenesis, steroid biosynthesis, and arginine and proline metabolism. This study analyzed the effects of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) and prostaglandin F (PGF) on the reproductive performance of yaks treated with estrus synchronization, which provides a theoretical basis for the optimization and application of yak estrus synchronization technology and promotes the healthy development of the yak industry.

[Randomized,double-blind,parallel controlled,multicenter clinical trial of effectiveness and safety of Shexiang Zhuifeng Zhitong Ointment in alleviating pain in knee osteoarthritis(syndrome of cold-dampness obstruction)].

The Shexiang Zhuifeng Zhitong Ointment with the effects of dispelling wind, removing dampness, dissipating cold, and relieving pain is used for treating arthralgia, muscular pain, and sprain pain caused by cold-dampness obstruction. To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Shexiang Zhuifeng Zhitong Ointment in relieving the pain due to knee osteoarthritis(syndrome of cold-dampness obstruction), a randomized, double-blind, parallel controlled, multicenter clinical trial was conducted. The stratified randomization method was used to randomize the 240 subjects into a treatment group and a control group in a ratio of 1∶1. In each group, 60 patients received external application for 12 h and the other 60 patients received external application for 6 h. The treatment group received external application of Shexiang Zhuifeng Zhitong Ointment, while the control group received external application of Shexiang Zhuifeng Ointment. The treatment lasted for 21 days in both groups. Follow-up was conducted on days 7, 14, and 21 of treatment. The results based on the full analysis set were as follows.(1)In visual analog scale(VAS) score, the mean difference in the VAS score between baseline and 12 h post-treatment was 3.02 in the treatment group and 2.31 in the control group, with a significant difference(P<0.05). The mean difference in the VAS score between baseline and 6 h post-treatment was 3.19 in the treatment group and 2.48 in the control group, with a significant difference(P<0.05).(2)Response rate in terms of VAS score, after treatment for 12 h, the response rate was 93.22% in the treatment group and 73.33% in the control group, with a significant difference(P<0.05). After treatment for 6 h, theresponse rate in the treatment group was 88.33%, which was higher than that(63.33%) in the control group(P<0.05).The results showed that Shexiang Zhuifeng Zhitong Ointment applied for 12 and 6 h effectively relieved the knee joint pain of patients with knee osteoarthritis due to cold-dampness obstruction, as demonstrated by the reduced VAS score, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index(WOMAC), stiffness, and joint function score. Moreover, Shexiang Zhuifeng Zhitong Ointment outperformed the positive control Shexiang Zhuifeng Ointment in terms of reducing the VAS score, demonstrating a definitetherapeutic effect on the pain due to knee osteoarthritis(syndrome of cold-dampness obstruction).In addition, Shexiang Zhuifeng Zhitong Ointment did not cause other adverse reactions except for mild allergic reactions, which were common in the external application of traditional Chinese medicine plasters on the skin, inseveral patients.Neither other adverse reactions nor abnormalities of liver and kidney functions and electrocardiogram were observed. This ointment had high safety and could be popularized in clinical application.

Association between Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms of PRKD1 and KCNQ3 Gene and Milk Quality Traits in Gannan Yak (Bos grunniens).

Protein kinase D1 (PRKD1) functions primarily in normal mammary cells, and the potassium voltage-gated channel subfamily Q member 3 (KCNQ3) gene plays an important role in controlling membrane potential and neuronal excitability, it has been found that this particular gene is linked to the percentage of milk fat in dairy cows. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of PRKD1 and KCNQ3 genes and the milk quality of Gannan yak and to find molecular marker sites that may be used for milk quality breeding of Gannan yak. Three new SNPs were detected in the PRKD1 (g.283,619T>C, g.283,659C>A) and KCNQ3 gene (g.133,741T>C) of 172 Gannan lactating female yaks by Illumina yak cGPS 7K liquid-phase microarray technology. Milk composition was analyzed using a MilkoScanTM milk composition analyzer. We found that the mutations of these three loci significantly improved the lactose, milk fat, casein, protein, non-fat milk solid (SNF) content and acidity of Gannan yaks. The lactose content of the TC heterozygous genotype population at g.283,619T>C locus was significantly higher than that of the TT wild-type population (p < 0.05); the milk fat content of the CA heterozygous genotype population at g.283,659C>A locus was significantly higher than that of the CC wild-type and AA mutant populations (p < 0.05); the casein, protein and acidity of the CC mutant and TC heterozygous groups at the g.133,741T>C locus were significantly higher than those of the wild type (p < 0.05), and the SNF of the TC heterozygous group was significantly higher than that of the mutant group (p < 0.05). The results showed that PRKD1 and KCNQ3 genes could be used as candidate genes affecting the milk traits of Gannan yak.

Vitamin D, selenium, and antidiabetic drugs in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus with Hashimoto's thyroiditis.

BACKGROUND: Diabetes and thyroiditis are closely related. They occur in combination and cause significant damage to the body. There is no clear treatment for type-2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT). While single symptomatic drug treatment of the two diseases is less effective, combined drug treatment may improve efficacy. AIM: To investigate the effect of a combination of vitamin D, selenium, and hypo-glycemic agents in T2DM with HT. METHODS: This retrospective study included 150 patients with T2DM and HT treated at The Central Hospital of Shaoyang from March 2020 to February 2023. Fifty patients were assigned to the control group, test group A, and test group B according to different treatment methods. The control group received low-iodine diet guidance and hypoglycemic drug treatment. Test group A received the control treatment plus vitamin D treatment. Test group B received the group A treatment plus selenium. Blood levels of markers of thyroid function [free T3 (FT3), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), free T4 (FT4)], autoantibodies [thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAB) and thyroid globulin antibody (TGAB)], blood lipid index [low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerol (TG)], blood glucose index [fasting blood glucose (FBG), and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c)] were measured pre-treatment and 3 and 6 months after treatment. The relationships between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25 (OH) D3] level and each of these indices were analyzed. RESULTS: The levels of 25 (OH) D3, FT3, FT4, and LDL-C increased in the order of the control group, test group A, and test group B (all P < 0.05). The TPOAB, TGAB, TC, TG, FBG, HbA1c, and TSH levels increased in the order of test groups B, A, and the control group (all P < 0.05). All the above indices were compared after 3 and 6 months of treatment. Pre-treatment, there was no divergence in serum 25 (OH) D3 level, thyroid function-related indexes, autoantibodies level, blood glucose, and blood lipid index between the control group, test groups A and B (all P > 0.05). The 25 (OH) D3 levels in test groups A and B were negatively correlated with FT4 and TGAB (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The combination drug treatment for T2DM with HT significantly improved thyroid function, autoantibody, and blood glucose and lipid levels.

Whole-transcriptome analysis of longissimus dorsi muscle in cattle-yaks reveals the regulatory functions of ADAMTS6 gene in myoblasts.

Cattle-yak, which is the hybrid F1 generation of cattle and yak, demonstrates better production performance compared to yak. However, there is limited research on the molecular mechanisms responsible for the muscle development of cattle-yak. To address this knowledge gap, a comprehensive transcriptomic survey of the longissimus dorsi muscle in cattle-yak was conducted. Three transcript types, namely lncRNAs, miRNAs, and circRNAs, along with protein-coding genes were characterized at two developmental stages (6 m, 18 m) of cattle-yak. The results revealed significant enrichment of these transcripts into pathways related to myoblast differentiation and muscle development signaling. Additionally, the study identified the TCONS00024465/circHIPK3-bta-miR-499-ADAMTS6 regulatory network, which may play a crucial role in the muscle development of cattle-yak by combining the transcriptome data of yak and constructing the ceRNA co-expression network. HEK 293 T cells were used to validate that TCONS00024465 and circHIPK3 are located upstream of bta-miR-499, and can competitively bind to bta-miR-499 as ceRNA. The study also verified that ADAMTS6 regulates skeletal muscle development by inhibiting myoblast proliferation, promoting myoblast differentiation, and positively regulating the apoptosis of myoblasts. Taken together, this study provides new insights into the advantages of cattle-yak production performance and offers a molecular basis for further research on muscle development.

LncRNA CA12-AS1 targets miR-133a to promote LPS-induced inflammatory response in bovine mammary epithelial cells.

Bovine mastitis seriously affects milk production and quality and causes huge economic losses in the dairy industry. Recent studies have shown that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) may regulate bovine mastitis. In this study, the expression of lncRNA CA12-AS1 was significantly upregulated in LPS-induced bovine mammary epithelial cells (bMECs) but negatively correlated with the expression of miR-133a, suggesting that it may be related to the inflammatory response in bMECs. Dual luciferase reporter gene assay revealed that miR-133a is a downstream target gene of lncRNA CA12-AS1. Furthermore, lncRNA CA12-AS1 silencing negatively regulated the expression of miR-133a inhibited the secretion of inflammatory factors (IL-6, IL-8 and IL-1ß) and decreased the mRNA expression levels of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) (p65/p50) and apoptosis-related genes (BAX, caspase3 and caspase9). LncRNA CA12-AS1 silencing also promoted the mRNA expression levels of the Tight junction (TJ) signaling pathway-related genes (Claudin-1, Occludin and ZO-1), apoptotic gene BCL2, proliferation-related genes (CDK2, CDK4 and PCNA) and the viability of bMECs. However, overexpression of lncRNA CA12-AS1 reversed the above effects. These results revealed that lncRNA CA12-AS1 is a pro-inflammatory regulator, and its silencing can alleviate bovine mastitis by targeting miR-133a, providing a novel strategy for molecular therapy of cow mastitis.

Top-down and bottom-up alterations of connectivity patterns of the suprachiasmatic nucleus in chronic insomnia disorder.

The importance of the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN, also called the master circadian clock) in regulating sleep and wakefulness has been confirmed by multiple animal research. However, human studies of SCN in vivo are still nascent. Recently, the development of resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) has made it possible to study SCN-related connectivity changes in patients with chronic insomnia disorder (CID). Hence, this study aimed to explore whether sleep-wake circuitry (i.e., communication between the SCN and other brain regions) is disrupted in human insomnia. Forty-two patients with CID and 37 healthy controls (HCs) underwent fMRI scanning. Resting-state functional connectivity (rsFC) and Granger causality analysis (GCA) were performed to find abnormal functional and causal connectivity of the SCN in CID patients. In addition, correlation analyses were conducted to detect associations between features of disrupted connectivity and clinical symptoms. Compared to HCs, CID patients showed enhanced rsFC of the SCN-left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), as well as reduced rsFC of the SCN-bilateral medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC); these altered cortical regions belong to the "top-down" circuit. Moreover, CID patients exhibited disrupted functional and causal connectivity between the SCN and the locus coeruleus (LC) and the raphe nucleus (RN); these altered subcortical regions constitute the "bottom-up" pathway. Importantly, the decreased causal connectivity from the LC-to-SCN was associated with the duration of disease in CID patients. These findings suggest that the disruption of the SCN-centered "top-down" cognitive process and "bottom-up" wake-promoting pathway may be intimately tied to the neuropathology of CID.

Effects of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue on posttraumatic growth of psychiatric nurses: A cross-sectional study.

AIMS: This study aimed to explore the effects of compassion satisfaction and compassion fatigue on the posttraumatic growth of psychiatric nurses. BACKGROUND: Psychiatric nurses' prolonged and repeated exposure to trauma and complex situations in the work environment can lead to negative emotions such as compassion fatigue, but they also experience positive consequences such as posttraumatic growth, and the relationship between compassion fatigue and posttraumatic growth is not unclear. METHODS: A total of 336 nurses from psychiatry departments of seven tertiary hospitals in Sichuan Province, China, were administered an online questionnaire. Participants were recruited through convenience sampling. The posttraumatic growth level was measured with the Simplified Chinese version of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory. The Professional Quality of Life Scale-Chinese version was used to assess compassion satisfaction, burnout and secondary traumatic stress. T-test and one-way variance analysis, Pearson correlation analysis and hierarchical linear regression were used for data analysis. A STROBE checklist was used to guide the reporting of the research. RESULTS: Psychiatric nurses' posttraumatic growth is at a low level, influenced by demographic and occupational factors, whereas compassion satisfaction, burnout and secondary traumatic stress are at a moderate level. Hierarchical regression analysis suggested that compassion satisfaction and secondary traumatic stress had a positive impact on posttraumatic growth, whereas burnout had a negative impact on posttraumatic growth. CONCLUSIONS: Findings suggest that nursing managers should attach importance to the mental health of psychiatric nurses, improve compassion satisfaction, alleviate burnout and promote posttraumatic growth.

Psychological capital and organizational citizenship behavior among nurses during the COVID-19 epidemic: mediation of organizational commitment.

BACKGROUND: Nurses' organizational citizenship behavior, a spontaneous "altruistic work behavior", may be affected by psychological capital and organizational commitment, but its mechanism is not clear. The aim of this study was to investigate the characteristics and distribution of psychological capital, organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behavior among nurses during the COVID-19 epidemic, and explore the mediating role of organizational commitment in psychological capital and organizational citizenship behavior. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 746 nurses from 6 designated hospitals for COVID-19 treatment in China. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation analysis, and structural equation model were used in this study. RESULTS: Nurses' psychological capital, organizational commitment and organizational citizenship behavior scores were 103.12 ± 15.57, 46.53 ± 7.14 and 101.47 ± 12.14, respectively. Additionally, organizational commitment partially mediates between psychological capital and organizational citizenship behavior. CONCLUSIONS: During the COVID-19 pandemic, nurses' psychological capital, organizational commitment, and organizational citizenship behavior were found to be at an upper-middle level, influenced by various social-demographic factors. Furthermore, the results illustrated that psychological capital can affect organizational citizenship behavior through the mediating role of organizational commitment. Therefore, the findings emphasize the importance of nursing administration to monitor and prioritize the mental health and organizational behavior of nurses during the ongoing COVID-19 crisis. It is crucial to focus on developing and nurturing nurses' psychological capital, strengthening their organizational commitment, and ultimately promoting their organizational citizenship behavior.

RNA-seq reveals the role of miR-223 in alleviating inflammation of bovine mammary epithelial cells.

Bovine mammary epithelial cells (bMECs) are involved in the early defense against the invasion of intramammary pathogens and are essential for the health of bovine mammary gland. MicroRNA (MiRNA) is a key factor that regulates cell state and physiological function. In the present study, the transcriptome profiles of miR-223 inhibitor transfection group (miR-223_Inhibitor) and negative control inhibitor transfection group (NC_Inhibitor) within bMECs were detected via the RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) platform. Based on these experiments, the differentially expressed mRNAs (DE-mRNAs) of the miR-223_Inhibitor transfection group were screened, and the Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes functional analyses of DE-mRNAs were performed. The results revealed that compared with the NC_Inhibitor, 224 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the miR-223_Inhibitor, including 184 upregulated and 40 downregulated genes. The functional annotation of the above DEGs indicated that some of these genes are involved in the immune response generated by extracellular substance stimulation, regulation of the activity of cytokines and chemokines, and the immune signaling pathways of NF-κB and TNF. Meanwhile, miR-223_inhibitor upregulated the immune key genes IRF1 and NFκBIA, cytokines IL-6 and IL-24, as well as chemokines CXCL3, CXCL5, and CCR6, triggering a signaling cascade response that exacerbated inflammation in bMECs. These results suggested that miR-223 plays an important role in inhibiting the inflammatory response and maintaining the stability of bMECs, and is a potential target for treating mastitis in dairy cows.

Effects of Tai Chi Yunshou on upper-limb function and balance in stroke survivors: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Physical rehabilitation plays an important role in the recovery of motor function after a stroke. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Tai Chi Yunshou (TCY), a form of physical therapy, on upper-limb function and balance in stroke survivors. METHODS: MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL and five Chinese databases were retrieved from inception to July 1, 2020 (updated on March 31, 2022). Randomized controlled trials of TCY versus no-treatment for stroke were included. The RoB-2 was used to evaluate the quality of included studies. Upper-limb motor impairment, balance, and activities of daily living (ADLs) were measured by Fugl-Meyer Assessment Upper Extremity Scale (FMA-UE), Berg Balance Scale (BBS), and Barthel Index (BI), respectively. Data synthesis was performed using RevMan (v5.3), and expressed as mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). RESULTS: Seven studies with 529 participants were included. Compared with no-treatment, TCY improved FMA-UE (MD = 7.31, 95% CI: 5.86-8.77, minimal clinically important difference [MCID]: 9-10), BBS (MD = 4.68, 95% CI: 0.28-9.07, MCID: 4), and BI (MD = 4.12, 95% CI: 3.28-4.96, MCID: 1.85) in stroke survivors. CONCLUSION: TCY may benefit balance and ADLs in rehabilitation after a stroke, but it may not improve upper-limb function clinically.

The levels and related factors of mental workload among nurses: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIM: The aim was to determine the overall levels and related factors of mental workload assessed using the NASA-TLX tool among nurses. BACKGROUND: Mental workload is a key element that affects nursing performance. However, there exists no review regarding mental workload assessed using the NASA-TLX tool, focusing on nurses. DESIGN: A systematic review and meta-analysis. DATA SOURCES: PubMed, MEDLINE, Web of Science, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Scopus, CINAHL, CNKI, CBM, Weipu and WanFang databases were searched from 1 January 1998 to 30 February 2022. REVIEW METHODS: Following the PRISMA statement recommendations, review methods resulted in 31 quantitative studies retained for inclusion which were evaluated with the evaluation criteria for observational studies as recommended by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. The data were pooled and a random-effects meta-analysis conducted. RESULTS: Findings showed the pooled mental workload score was 65.24, and the pooled prevalence of high mental workload was 54%. Subgroup analysis indicated nurses in developing countries and emergency departments experienced higher mental workloads, and the mental workloads of front-line nurses increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSION: These findings highlight that nurses experience high mental workloads as assessed using the NASA-TLX tool and there is an urgent need to explore interventions to decrease their mental workloads.

Circ_0068087 Promotes High Glucose-Induced Human Renal Tubular Cell Injury through Regulating miR-106a-5p/ROCK2 Pathway.

BACKGROUND: Many studies have confirmed that circular RNA (circRNA) is an important target for regulating human disease progression. This study aimed to explore the role of circ_0068087 in diabetic nephropathy (DN) progression. METHODS: High glucose (HG)-induced renal tubular cells (HK2) were used to mimic DN cell models in vitro. The expression levels of circ_0068087, microRNA (miR)-106a-5p, and Rho-associated coiled-coil-containing kinase 2 (ROCK2) were detected by quantitative real-time PCR. Cell proliferation and apoptosis were examined by cell counting kit-8 assay, 5-ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine assay, colony formation assay, and flow cytometry. The protein levels were examined by Western blot analysis. Cell oxidative stress was assessed by measuring MDA level and SOD activity, and cell inflammation was evaluated by detecting the concentrations of inflammatory factors. RNA interaction was verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay and RNA pull-down assay. RESULTS: The present study showed that circ_0068087 was highly expressed in the serum of DN patients and HG-induced HK2 cells. Interference of circ_0068087 alleviated HG-induced apoptosis, oxidative stress, inflammation, and fibrosis in HK2 cells, while accelerated cell proliferation. miR-106a-5p could be sponged by circ_0068087, and its inhibitor eliminated the regulation of circ_0068087 knockdown on HG-induced HK2 cell injury. ROCK2 was a target of miR-106a-5p, and its expression was suppressed by circ_0068087 knockdown. miR-106a-5p overexpression suppressed HG-induced HK2 cell injury, and this effect was reversed by ROCK2 upregulation. CONCLUSION: Our data indicated that circ_0068087 downregulation mitigated HG-induced HK2 cell injury through the miR-106a-5p/ROCK2 axis, providing a potential circRNA-targeted therapy for DN.

Polymorphisms of CCSER1 Gene and Their Correlation with Milk Quality Traits in Gannan Yak (Bos grunniens).

Coiled-coil serine-rich protein 1 (CCSER 1) gene is a regulatory protein gene. This gene has been reported to be associated with various economic traits in large mammals in recent years. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between CCSER1 gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and Gannan yaks and to identify potential molecular marker loci for breeding milk quality in Gannan yaks. We genotyped 172 Gannan yaks using Illumina Yak cGPS 7K liquid microarrays and analyzed the correlation between the three SNPs loci of the CCSER1 gene and the milk qualities of Gannan yaks, including milk fat, protein and casein. It was found that mutations at the g.183,843A>G, g.222,717C>G and g.388,723G>T loci all affected the fat, protein, casein and lactose traits of Gannan yak milk to varying extents, and that the milk quality of individuals with mutant phenotypes was significantly improved. Among them, the milk fat content of AG heterozygous genotype population at g.183,843A>G locus was significantly higher than that of AA and GG genotype populations (p < 0.05); the casein and protein content of mutant GG and CG genotype populations at g.222,717C>G locus was significantly higher than that of wild-type CC genotype population (p < 0.05); and the g.388,723G>T locus of the casein and protein contents of the mutant TT genotype population were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than those of the wild-type GG genotype population. These results provide potential molecular marker sites for Gannan yak breeding.

Role of Long Noncoding RNAs in the Regulation of Cellular Immune Response and Inflammatory Diseases.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are recently discovered genetic regulatory molecules that regulate immune responses and are closely associated with the occurrence and development of various diseases, including inflammation, in humans and animals. Under specific physiological conditions, lncRNA expression varies at the cell or tissue level, and lncRNAs can bind to specific miRNAs, target mRNAs, and target proteins to participate in certain processes, such as cell differentiation and inflammatory responses, via the corresponding signaling pathways. This review article summarizes the regulatory role of lncRNAs in macrophage polarization, dendritic cell differentiation, T cell differentiation, and endothelial and epithelial inflammation. In addition, it describes the molecular mechanism of lncRNAs in acute kidney injury, hepatitis, inflammatory injury of the lung, osteoarthritis, mastitis, and neuroinflammation to provide a reference for the molecular regulatory network as well as the genetic diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory diseases in humans and animals.

Prevalence and factors of posttraumatic growth among Hubei residents during the COVID-19 pandemic: A cross-sectional study.

The adverse impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health has been widely concerned, but the research on positive psychological factors is insufficient, this study aims to investigate the prevalence and factors of posttraumatic growth (PTG) among residents in the worst-hit areas of China (Hubei Province). We were conducted in three disaster areas with different severity in Hubei Province three months after the outbreak, and the data were from 575 respondents. Instruments included the simplified Chinese version of the Posttraumatic Growth Inventory (C-PTGI) and the public health emergency psychological questionnaire. Nonparametric tests, Spearman correlation analyses, and multiple linear regression equations were used to analyze the data. The results showed that three months after the outbreak of COVID-19, the PTG of Hubei residents was at a low level, and their sense of fear was the most prominent, with a positive detection rate of 82.09%. According to the results of this study, high PTG levels were associated with high levels of fear, married and healthcare providers, while low levels of PTG were associated with serious chronic diseases, males, good economic status, and poor prevention and control measures. Government departments should strengthen social support for residents, carry out necessary stress management training to help them correctly deal with negative emotions and promote their personal growth.

The relationship between organizational commitment and work engagement among clinical nurses in China: A cross-sectional study.

AIM: This study aims to investigate the levels of organizational commitment and work engagement among clinical nurses in tertiary hospitals and explore the relationship between them. BACKGROUND: The nursing literature supports the idea that organizational commitment plays an important role in positively influencing job performance. However, the relationship between organizational commitment and work engagement among clinical nurses remains unclear. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study. A convenience sample of clinical nurses (n = 621) was selected from five tertiary hospitals in Sichuan Province of China. Survey instruments included a general information questionnaire about organizational commitment and work engagement. Univariate analysis, correlation analyses and linear regression analysis were used to examine the association between organizational commitment and work engagement. RESULTS: The mean scores for organizational commitment and work engagement were 3.85 ± 0.59 and 4.58 ± 1.46, respectively. A moderate degree of positive correlation was found between them. Gender, monthly income and retention commitment were significantly associated with work engagement, and they accounted for 39.0% of the total variance. CONCLUSIONS: Clinical nurses had a moderate level of organizational commitment and a high level of work engagement. Organizational commitment positively influenced work engagement; that is, organizational commitment is a significant determinant of nurses' work engagement. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Hospital organizations should focus on assessing and strengthening nurses' organizational commitment to promote increased work engagement and, ultimately, improved quality of care. This may include, but is not limited to, increasing rest time for nurses, implementing a performance appraisal system and focusing on nurses' psychological state.

Value of Biochemical Indexes of Bone Metabolism in Predicting Osteoporotic Lumbar Fractures.

Objective: To investigate the value of bone metabolism indexes such as type I procollagen N-terminal propeptide (P1NP), 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D), osteocalcin (OSTEOC), and parathyroid hormone (PTH) in predicting osteoporotic lumbar fractures. Methods: 120 female patients with osteoporosis treated in our hospital were selected as research objects. There were 76 cases in the fracture group and 44 cases in the nonfracture group. The relationship between the levels of P1NP, 25(OH)D, OSTEOC, and PTH and the incidence of osteoporotic lumbar fractures were detected and compared between the two groups. The predictive value of biochemical indexes of bone metabolism in patients with osteoporosis was analyzed by ROC curve. Results: The levels of P1NP and PTH in the fracture group were significantly higher than those in the nonfracture group, while 25(OH)D and OSTEOC levels were lower than those in the nonfracture group. Moreover, the levels of P1NP, 25(OH)D, OSTEOC, and PTH are important factors affecting the pathogenesis of osteoporosis. The area under the curve (AUC) of fracture in patients with osteoporosis predicted by the combination of P1NP, 25(OH)D, OSTEOC, and PTH levels was 0.886, which was greater than the AUC predicted by each index (0.796, 0.753, 0.670, and 0.824). The best sensitivity and specificity of comprehensive prediction of each index were 78.95% and 79.10%, respectively. Conclusion: The abnormal changes of P1NP, 25(OH)D, OSTEOC, and PTH in female patients with osteoporotic lumbar fracture are closely related to the occurrence of the disease. The combination of these indicators has relatively significant application value in predicting the occurrence of fracture, which is helpful to formulate and guide relevant preventive measures for female patients with osteoporotic lumbar fracture and improve the prognosis.

Identification of APC Mutation as a Potential Predictor for Immunotherapy in Colorectal Cancer.

To date, anticancer immunotherapy has presented some clinical benefits to most of advanced mismatch repair deficient (dMMR)/microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. In addition to MSI status, we aimed to reveal the potential predictive value of adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) gene mutations in CRC patients. A total of 238 Chinese CRC patients was retrospectively identified and analyzed for clinical features and gene alternations in APC-mutant type (MT) and APC-wild-type (WT) groups. Clinical responses were then evaluated from the public TCGA database and MSKCC immunotherapy database. Although programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) level, MSI status, loss of heterogeneity at the human leukocyte antigen (HLA LOH), and tumor neoantigen burden (TNB) level were not statistically different between the APC-MT group and APC-WT group, tumor mutation burden (TMB) level was significantly higher in APC-MT patients (P < 0.05). Furthermore, comutation analysis for APC mutations revealed co-occurring genomic alterations of PCDHB7 and exclusive mutations of CTNNB1, BRAF, AFF3, and SNX25 (P < 0.05). Besides, overall survival from MSKCC-CRC cohort was longer in the APC-WT group than in the APC-MT group (HR 2.26 (95% CI 1.05-4.88), P < 0.05). Furthermore, most of patients in the APC-WT group were detected as high-grade immune subtypes (C2-C4) comparing with those in the APC-MT group. In addition, the percentages of NK T cells, Treg cells, and fibroblasts cells were higher in APC-WT patients than in APC-MT patients (P < 0.05). In summary, APC mutations might be associated with poor outcomes for immunotherapy in CRC patients regardless of MSI status. This study suggested APC gene mutations might be a potential predictor for immunotherapy in CRC.