Associations of executive function and age of first use of methamphetamine with methamphetamine relapse.

Background and aims: Methamphetamine (MA) is a psychostimulant associated with a high relapse rate among patients with MA use disorder (MUD). Long-term use of MA is associated with mental disorders, executive dysfunction, aggressive behaviors, and impulsivity among patients with MUD. However, identifying which factors may be more closely associated with relapse has not been investigated. Thus, we aimed to investigate the psychological factors and the history of MA use that may influence MA relapse. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 168 male MUD patients (MUD group) and 65 healthy male residents (control group). Each patient was evaluated with self-report measures of executive dysfunction, psychopathological symptoms, impulsiveness, aggressiveness, and history of MA use. Data were analyzed with t-tests, analyses of variance, and correlation and regression analyses. Results: The MUD group reported greater executive dysfunction, psychopathological symptoms, impulsivity, and aggression than the control group. Lower age of first MA use was associated both with having relapsed one or more times and with having relapsed two or more times; greater executive dysfunction was associated only with having relapsed two or more times. Conclusion: Patients with MUD reported worse executive function and mental health. Current results also suggest that lower age of first MA use may influence relapse rate in general, while executive dysfunction may influence repeated relapse in particular. The present results add to the literature concerning factors that may increase the risk of relapse in individuals with MUD.

Predictive Role of Executive Function in the Efficacy of Intermittent Theta Burst Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Modalities for Treating Methamphetamine Use Disorder-A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has therapeutic effects on craving in methamphetamine (METH) use disorder (MUD). The chronic abuse of METH causes impairments in executive function, and improving executive function reduces relapse and improves treatment outcomes for drug use disorder. The purpose of this study was to determine whether executive function helped predict patients' responses to rTMS treatment. Methods: This study employed intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) rTMS modalities and observed their therapeutic effects on executive function and craving in MUD patients. MUD patients from an isolated Drug Rehabilitation Institute in China were chosen and randomly allocated to the iTBS group and sham-stimulation group. All participants underwent the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function - Adult Version Scale (BRIEF-A) and Visual Analog Scales (VAS) measurements. Sixty-five healthy adults matched to the general condition of MUD patients were also recruited as healthy controls. Findings: Patients with MUD had significantly worse executive function. iTBS groups had better treatment effects on the MUD group than the sham-stimulation group. Further Spearman rank correlation and stepwise multivariate regression analysis revealed that reduction rates of the total score of the BRIEF-A and subscale scores of the inhibition factor and working memory factor in the iTBS group positively correlated with improvements in craving. ROC curve analysis showed that working memory (AUC = 87.4%; 95% CI = 0.220, 0.631) and GEC (AUC = 0.761%; 95% CI = 0.209, 0.659) had predictive power to iTBS therapeutic efficacy. The cutoff values are 13.393 and 59.804, respectively. Conclusions: The iTBS rTMS had a better therapeutic effect on the executive function of patients with MUD, and the improved executive function had the potential to become a predictor for the efficacy of iTBS modality for MUD treatment. Clinical Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, identifier: ChiCTR2100046954.

[Establishment of a SD rat model of vulvar lichen simplex chronicus and detection of the expression of protease activated receptor 2].

OBJECTIVE: To establish a SD rat model of vulvar lichen simplex chronicus (LSC) and investigate the expression of protease activated receptor 2 (PAR2) in the genital skin. METHODS: Seventy female SD rats were randomly divided into group A (blank control group, n=10), group B (with application of acetone solution 3 times per week for 10 weeks, n=10), group C (with chronic mechanical irritation 3 times per week for 10 weeks, n=10), and group D (with topical treatment with 0.5= 7,12-Dimethylbenzanthracene [DMBA] in acetone solution and chronic mechanical irritation 3 times per week for 10 weeks, n=40). The changes of the genital skin changes were observed regularly and the expression of PAR2 in groups A and D was detected with immunohistochemistry, Western blotting and qRT-PCR. RESULTS: In group D, LSC occurred in 23 rats (57.5=) at 8 weeks and in 38 rats (95=) at 10 weeks; 8 rats (20=) showed papilloma at 12 weeks. Acetone treatment or chronic mechanical irritation did not cause LSC in the rats. Immunohistochemistry, Western blotting and qRT-PCR showed significantly increased expressions of PAR2 in group D at both the protein and mRNA levels as compared with those in group A (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: 0.5= DMBA in acetone solution along with chronic mechanical irritation can induce LSC in female SD rats, and PAR2 is closely related with the occurrence and progression of LSC.

[Low-intensity pulsed ultrasound promotes repair of cyclophosphamide?induced ovarian injury in rats].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of low?intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) in promoting repair of cyclophosphamide (CTX)?induced ovarian injury in female rats. METHODS: Fifty female SD rats were subjected to intraperitoneal injection of cyclophosphamide at 30 mg/kg for 5 consecutive days to induce premature ovarian failure. Successful modeling was achieved in 43 rats, which were then randomized into model group (21 rats) and treatment group (22 rats), with another 13 rats without any injections serving as the normal control group. The rats in the treatment group received low?intensity pulsed ultrasound treatment, and those in the other two groups received no interventions. The estrous cycle of the rats was monitored during the experiment, and all the rats were sacrificed 7 days after the treatment for analysis of serum estradiol (E2), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), anti?Mullerian hormone (AMH), morphological changes of the ovary and the number of follicles. RESULTS: Compared with those in the normal control group, the rats in the model group showed disorders in the estrous cycle, reduced number of follicles at all levels, significantly decreased serum E2 and AMH, and increased serum FSH following CTX injection (P=0.01). Ultrasound treatment obviously promoted the recovery of estrous cycle, significantly increased the number of follicles and serum E2 (P=0.01), and decreased FSH (P=0.01) in the rats with CTX?induced ovarian injury, but AMH showed no significant changes after ultrasound treatment (P=0.50). CONCLUSION: Low?intensity pulsed ultrasound can promote the repair of the CTX?induced ovarian injury in SD rats.

[LAI-based regional winter wheat yield estimation by remote sensing].

By using retrieved LAI from remotely-sensed imagery, this paper studied the regional winter wheat yield estimation in Huanghuaihai Plain of North China. In order to improve the quality of remotely sensed data for winter wheat yield estimation, a Savitzky-Golay filter was used to smooth the MODIS-NDVI time series data to reduce the cloud contamination and remove the abnormal data. Then, a Gaussian model was used to simulate the daily crop LAI which was corrected by interpolating the measured LAI to get the average LAI values for each phenological stage. Using these LAI data, the relationships between LAI and crop yield at the main phenological stages of winter wheat was established. After optimizing the yield estimation model, the optimal time period and the best model parameters for winter wheat yield estimation in the study area were selected out. Finally, the established model was applied to estimate winter wheat yield based on the retrieved LAI from MODIS-NDVI, and the model accuracy was tested. Through the comparison of the predicted yield with the measured yield in the field, the mean relative error was 1.21%, and the RMSE was 257.33 kg x hm(-2). The model and the method proposed in this study were promising, and could help to get the accurate estimated yield of winter wheat in about 20-30 days ahead of the harvest.

[Prediction of winter wheat yield based on crop biomass estimation at regional scale].

Based on the 2004 in situ data of crop yield, remote sensing inversed photosynthetically active radiation (PAR), fraction of photosynthetically active radiation (f(PAR)), climate, and soil moisture in 83 typical winter wheat sampling field of 45 counties in Shijiazhuang, Hengshui, and Xingtai of Hebei Province, a simplified model for calculating the light use efficiency (epsilon) of winter wheat in Huanghuaihai Plain was established. According to the crop accumulated biomass from March to May and corrected by harvest index, the quantitative relationship between crop biomass and crop yield for winter wheat was set up, and applied in the 235 counties in Huanghuaihai Plain region of Hebei Province and Shandong Province and validated by the official crop statistical data at county level in 2004. The results showed that the root mean square error (RMSE) of predicted winter wheat yield in study area was 238.5 kg x hm(-2), and the relative error was 4.28%, suggesting that it was feasible to predict winter wheat yield by crop biomass estimation based on remote sensing data.