The interplay of depressive symptoms and self-efficacy in adolescents: a network analysis approach.

Background: Self-efficacy, a critical psychological construct representing an individual's belief in their ability to control their motivation, behavior, and social environment. In adolescents, self-efficacy plays a crucial role in mental health, particularly concerning depressive symptoms. Despite substantial research, the complex interplay between self-efficacy and depressive symptoms in adolescents remains incompletely understood. Aims: The aim of this study is to investigate the complex interrelationships between self-efficacy and depressive symptoms in adolescents using psychological network analysis. Methods: The cross-sectional study involved 3,654 adolescents. Self-efficacy was assessed using the General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), and depressive symptoms were measured with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Network analysis, incorporating the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) technique and centrality analysis, constructed and compared self-efficacy networks between depressive symptoms and healthy control groups. Results: Of the 3,654 participants, 560 (15.32%) met criteria for moderate to severe depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 scores ≥10). Among those with depressive symptoms, 373 (66.61%) had moderate, 126 (22.50%) had moderate-severe, and 61 (10.89%) had severe symptoms. Bivariate correlation analyses revealed a significant negative correlation between depressive symptoms and self-efficacy (r = -0.41, p < 0.001). The results of the network analysis showed significant differences in self-efficacy networks between adolescents with and without depressive symptoms (global strength: S = 0.25, p < 0.05). Depressed participants showed a network with reduced global strength, suggesting diminished interconnectedness among self-efficacy items. Specific connections within the self-efficacy network were altered in the presence of depressive symptoms. Bridge analysis revealed that effort-based problem-solving (bridge strengths = 0.13) and suicidal ideation (bridge strengths = 0.09) were the key bridge nodes. Conclusion: Adolescent depressive symptoms significantly impacts the self-efficacy network, resulting in diminished integration of self-efficacy and highlighting the complex interplay between self-efficacy and depressive symptoms. These findings challenge the traditional unidimensional view of self-efficacy and emphasize the need for tailored interventions focusing on unique self-efficacy profiles in adolescents with depressive symptoms.

Clinical features and influencing factors of adolescent major depressive disorder with suicidal and self-injurious behaviour.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the related influencing factors of adolescent major depressive disorder (MDD) with suicidal and self-injurious behaviour (SSIB). METHODS: A total of 299 adolescents with MDD who were admitted to the psychiatric department of the hospital between February 2022 and July 2023 were selected using the convenience sampling method. The participants were divided into the SSIB group (n = 110) and the non-SSIB group (n = 189) according to whether SSIB was present, and related indicators were collected and compared. RESULTS: The patients' ages at the time of their first SSIB ranged from 10 to 18 years old, with a mean age of 13.30 ± 1.74 years. The most commonly injured parts were the lower arm and wrist (42.13%), and the most common injury was cutting, accounting for 40.00% of the total patients. The most common type of self-injury differed by sex (X2 = 17.798, P = 0.006); for men, hitting was the most common, and for women, cutting was the most common. In 51.41% of the patients, the period between the initial thought and the actual committing of the SSIB was less than 5 minutes. The scores of the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire, the Barratt Impulsivity Scale, the Buss-Perry Aggression Questionnaire, the Symptom Checklist-90 (all P < 0.001), and the health-risk behaviour scale (67.47 ± 12.59 vs. 41.58 ± 11.36, t = 9.587, P < 0.001) were significantly increased in the SSIB group compared with the non-SSIB group. In addition, the total score of quality of life (QOL) (11.36 ± 4.32 vs. 16.43 ± 5.64, t = 5.496, P < 0.001) was decreased in the SSIB group compared with the non-SSIB group. CONCLUSION: The SSIB of adolescent patients with MDD is related to various factors, including impulsiveness, aggressiveness, personality traits, QOL, and mental health level.

Engineered biomimetic nanoreactor for synergistic photodynamic-chemotherapy against hypoxic tumor.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) can produce a large amount of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the radiation field to kill tumor cells. However, the sustainable anti-tumor efficacy of PDT is limited due to the hypoxic microenvironment of tumor. In this study, classic PDT agent indocyanine green (ICG) and hypoxia-activated chemotherapeutic drug tirapazamine (TPZ) were loaded on mesoporous polydopamine (PDA) to construct PDA@ICG-TPZ nanoparticles (PIT). Then, PIT was camouflaged with cyclic arginine-glycine-aspartate (cRGD) modified tumor cell membranes to obtain the engineered membrane-coated nanoreactor (cRGD-mPIT). The nanoreactor cRGD-mPIT could achieve the dual-targeting ability via tumor cell membrane mediated homologous targeting and cRGD mediated active targeting. With the enhanced tumor-targeting and penetrating delivery system, PIT could efficiently accumulate in hypoxic tumor cells and the loaded drugs were quickly released in response to near-infrared (NIR) laser. The nanoreactor might produce cytotoxic ROS under NIR and further enhance hypoxia within tumor to activate TPZ, which efficiently inhibited hypoxic tumor by synergistic photodynamic-chemotherapy. Mechanically, hypoxia-inhibitory factor-1α (HIF-1α) was down-regulated by the synergistic therapy. Accordingly, the cRGD-mPIT nanoreactor with sustainable and cascade anti-tumor effects and satisfied biosafety might be a promising strategy in hypoxic tumor therapy.

Recent advances in crosstalk between N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification and circular RNAs in cancer.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A), as the most common RNA modification, plays a vital role in the development of cancers. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of single-stranded covalently closed RNA molecules. Recently, m6A modification has been identified as performing biological functions for regulating circRNAs. Increasing evidence also shows that circRNAs are involved in cancer progression by targeting m6A regulators. In this review, we describe the functional crosstalk between m6A and circRNAs, and illustrate their roles in cancer development. m6A methylation mediates the biogenesis, stability, and cytoplasmic export of circRNAs in different cancer types. Moreover, circRNAs regulate the expression of m6A regulators, participate in the degradation of m6A regulators, and regulate the m6A modification of target mRNAs. Finally, we discuss the potential applications and future research directions of m6A modification and circRNAs in cancer. Further understanding of the biological roles of m6A and circRNAs will provide new insight into the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients.

Engineered exosome as targeted lncRNA MEG3 delivery vehicles for osteosarcoma therapy.

Exosomes as nanosized membrane vesicles, could targeted deliver therapeutic agents by modification with target ligands. Exosome-derived non-coding RNAs play a vital role in the development of tumors. Previous evidences reveal that long non-coding RNA maternally expressed gene 3 (lncRNA MEG3) has anti-tumor properties. Whereas, the inhibitory effects of exosome-derived lncRNA MEG3 in osteosarcoma (OS) remain largely unknown. In this study, we utilize the engineering technology to combine exosome and lncRNA for tumor-targeting therapy of OS. We elucidated the anti-OS effects of lncRNA MEG3, and then prepared the c(RGDyK)-modified and MEG3-loaded exosomes (cRGD-Exo-MEG3). The engineered exosomes cRGD-Exo-MEG3 could deliver more efficiently to OS cells both in vitro and in vivo. In this way, cRGD-Exo-MEG3 facilitate the anti-OS effects of MEG3 significantly, with the help of enhanced tumor-targeting therapy. This study elucidates that engineered exosomes as targeted lncRNA MEG3 delivery vehicles have potentially therapeutic effects for OS.

Exosomes as Efficient Nanocarriers in Osteosarcoma: Biological Functions and Potential Clinical Applications.

Osteosarcoma is the most common bone tumor affecting both adolescents and children. Although localized osteosarcoma has an overall survival of >70% in the clinic, metastatic, refractory, and recurrent osteosarcoma have poorer survival rates. Exosomes are extracellular vesicles released by cells and originally thought to be a way for cells to discard unwanted products. Currently, exosomes have been reported to be involved in intercellular cross-talk and induce changes in cellular behavior by transferring cargoes (proteins, DNA, RNA, and lipids) between cells. Exosomes regulate osteosarcoma progression, and processes such as tumorigenesis, proliferation, metastasis, angiogenesis, immune evasion, and drug resistance. Increasing evidences shows that exosomes have significant potential in promoting osteosarcoma progression and development. In this review, we describe the current research status of exosomes in osteosarcoma, focusing on the biological functions of osteosarcoma exosomes as well as their application in osteosarcoma as diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets.