Exogenous Indole-3-Acetic Acid Suppresses Rice Infection of Magnaporthe oryzae by Affecting Plant Resistance and Fungal Growth.

Auxin is an important phytohormone that regulates diverse biologic processes, including plant growth and immunity. Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), known as one of the main forms of auxin, is able to activate plant immunity. However, it is unknown whether IAA enhances plant resistance and/or suppresses the growth of the fungal pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae. Here, we found that IAA could induce expression levels of pathogenesis-related genes to enhance disease resistance and could control the development of blast disease through inhibiting M. oryzae infection. Exogenous IAA suppressed mycelial growth and delayed spore germination by inhibiting fungal endogenous IAA biosynthesis and impairing redox homeostasis, respectively. When applied to a field test, two IAA analogues, 1-naphthaleneacetic acid and 2,4-dichlorophenoxy acetic acid, can effectively control rice blast disease. Our study advances the understanding of IAA in controlling rice blast disease through suppressing pathogen growth and enhancing plant resistance.

Clinical characteristics and diagnostic confirmation of Internet addiction in secondary school students in Wuhan, China.

AIM: This study investigated the clinical characteristics of internet addiction using a cross-sectional survey and psychiatric interview. METHODS: A structured questionnaire consisted of demographics, Symptom Checklist 90, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale, Self-Rating Depression Scale, and Young's Internet Addiction Test (YIAT) was administered to students of two secondary schools in Wuhan, China. Students with a score of 5 or higher on the YIAT were classified as having Internet Addiction Disorder (IAD). Two psychiatrists interviewed students with IAD to confirm the diagnosis and evaluate their clinical characteristics. RESULTS: Of a total of 1076 respondents (mean age 15.4 ± 1.7 years; 54.1% boys), 12.6% (n = 136) met the YIAT criteria for IAD. Clinical interviews ascertained the Internet addiction of 136 pupils and also identified 20 students (14.7% of IAD group) with comorbid psychiatric disorders. Results from multinomial logistic regression indicated that being male, in grade 7-9, poor relationship between parents and higher self-reported depression scores were significantly associated with the diagnosis of IAD. CONCLUSION: These results advance our understanding of the clinical characteristics of Internet addiction in Chinese secondary school students and may help clinicians, teachers, and other stakeholders better manage this increasingly serious mental condition.

TT-10 may attenuate ibuprofen-induced ovarian injury in mice by activating COX2-PGE2 and inhibiting Hippo pathway.

Ibuprofen (IBU) is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug that has been found in recent years to cause ovarian damage. The aim of this study is to explore the molecular mechanisms of IBU damage to the ovary and drugs to combat it. We established in vivo (IBU doses of 50, 100 and 200 mg/kg-day) and in vitro (IBU concentrations of 50, 100 and 200 µM in culture medium) models of ovarian damage in mice simulating clinical doses and found that IBU not only caused ovarian damage in mice in a dose-response relationship, but also decreased estradiol (E2) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) levels in serum/media with increasing IBU doses. In damaged ovaries, the cyclooxygenase 2 (COX2)-PGE2 pathway is inhibited, the Hippo pathway is activated, circPVT1 is decreased, and miR-149 is elevated. TT-10 is an activator of YES-associated protein (YAP)-transcriptional enhancer factor domain activity. Then, 100 µM IBU-induced ovarian damage model was selected for YAP activation (Hippo pathway inhibition) experiment, and TT-10 was found to interfere with IBU-induced ovarian damage and increase E2 level in the medium, and 10 µM of TT-10 had the best protective effect. TT-10 also inhibited the Hippo pathway, activated the COX2-PGE2 pathway, elevated circPVT1 expression, and decreased miR-149 expression in the ovary. It has been hypothesized that clinical doses of IBU damage mouse ovaries by inhibiting COX2-PGE2 and activating the Hippo pathway, whereas TT-10 protects the ovaries through the inverse regulation of these two pathways.

[Clinical observation of aripiprazole in the treatment of autism].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect and safety of aripiprazole in the treatment of childhood autism. METHODS: Thirty-five children (aged from 4 to 16 years) with autism presenting as behavioral disorders were treated with aripiprazole for 8 weeks. They were evaluated according to the Clinical Global Impression (CGI) and the Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) before treatment and at the end of the 2nd, 4th and 8th weeks of treatment. Adverse reactions were observed. RESULTS: The CGI showed illness severity decreased from the second week of aripiprazole treatment (P<0.05) and more significantly decreased illness severity was observed at the end of the 8th week (P<0.01). The curative effect score significantly increased at the end of the 8th week (P<0.05). The ATEC total scores were significantly reduced at the end of the 8th week after aripiprazole treatment. Besides the social intercourse ability, great improvements were shown in verbal communication, apperception and behavioural symptoms after aripiprazole treatment (P<0.01). Self-harm, sleep disorders and psychiatric symptoms were greatly improved after treatment and attention deficit, excessive activities, impulse to attack behavior, stereotyped behaviors and irritability were also improved to some extent. No severe adverse effects were found. CONCLUSIONS: Aripiprazole is safe and effective for the treatment of childhood autism.

Primer-Engineered Transferase Enzyme for One-Pot and Amplified Detection of Cobalt Pollution and Peptide Remover Screening.

Extensive consumption of cobalt in the chemical field such as for battery materials, alloy, pigments, and dyes has aggravated the pollution of cobalt both in food and the environment, and assays for its on-site monitoring are urgently demanded. Herein, we utilized enzyme dependence on metal cofactors to develop terminal transferase (TdT) as a recognition element, achieving a one-pot sensitive and specific assay for detecting cobalt pollution. We engineered a 3'-OH terminus primer to improve the discrimination capacity of TdT for Co2+ from other bivalent cations. The TdT extension reaction amplified the recognition of Co2+ and yielded a limit of detection of 0.99 µM for Co2+ detection. Then, the TdT-based assay was designed to precisely detect cobalt in food and agricultural soil samples. By end-measurement of fluorescence using a microplate reader, the multiplexing assay enabled the rapid screening of the peptide remover for cobalt pollution. The TdT-based assay can be a promising tool for cobalt pollution monitoring and control.

The moderating effect of alexithymia on the relationship between stress and cyberchondria.

Objectives: The pandemic has increased the level of perceived stress and provided a fertile soil for Cyberchondria. This study aims to investigate the relationship between stress, cyberchondria, and alexithymia. Methods: This cross-sectional study used convenience sampling to carried out on a total 1,117 college students (female/male:536/581; mean age: 19.95 ± 1.32). Cyberchondria Severity Scale (CSS), Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS) and Short Depression Anxiety Stress Scales (DASS-21) were used to assessed the present study variables. Results: Significant differences emerged for CSS scores by gender (t = 3.74, p < 0.01) and had any comorbid disease (t = 2.47, p < 0.05), The Pearson correlation showed Cyberchondria has a significant positive correlation with stress and alexithymia (r = 0.50, p < 0.01, r = 0.36, p < 0.01). Furthermore, the regression analysis described that stress (ß = 0.50, p < 0.01) and alexithymia (ß = 0.36, p < 0.01) were the significant positive predictors of cyberchondria. Moreover, moderation analysis showed that alexithymia significantly strengthened the association between stress and cyberchondria (F = 107.20, p < 0.01). Conclusion: The study will help medical practitioners to understand how stress and alexithymia can cause an increase in cyberchondria. This will help them to elaborate operational indications for prevention and psychological support.

Effect of the TEACCH program on the rehabilitation of preschool children with autistic spectrum disorder: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to explore the effect of Treatment and Education of Autistic and Communication Handicapped Children (TEACCH) intervention on the rehabilitation of preschool children having autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in China. METHODS: Sixty children with ASD were randomly assigned to the intervention group (n = 30) or the control group (n = 30). The intervention group received TEACCH training plus Discrete Trial Teaching (DTT) for six months, while the control group received only DTT. The Chinese version of the Psycho-educational Profile (3rd ed.) (CPEP-3) was used to assess participants at baseline, posttest and at six-month follow-up. The results were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t test, χ2 or Fisher's exact test, and repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). RESULTS: No significant difference was found between the two groups at baseline (p > 0.05). Repeated-measures ANOVA showed that the CPEP-3 subscales had a significant time effect (p < 0.001). The two groups significantly differed in expressive language, affective expression, social reciprocity, problem behavior, and personal self-care at posttest and six-month follow-up (p < 0.05). They also significantly differed in receptive language, fine motor at posttest (p < 0.05), but not at follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that TEACCH-based group rehabilitation training effectively improved the development of children having ASD. It provided enhanced rehabilitation strategies that assisted children with ASD to learn, function, and reach their goals.

Effect of self-consistency group intervention for adolescents with schizophrenia: An inpatient randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to explore the efficacy of structural group therapy on the self-consistency and congruence of inpatient adolescents with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. METHOD: Sixty inpatient adolescents with schizophrenia were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 30) and a control group (n = 30). The intervention group was provided with a 12-session structural group therapy program for six weeks (1 h, two times per week), while the control group participated in a handicraft group. All patients were assessed with the Self-Consistency and Congruence Scale (SCCS) and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) at pretest, posttest, three-month and one-year follow-up. The results were analyzed using t-test and repeated measures ANOVA. FINDINGS: The two groups had no significant difference at the pre-test of outcome measures (p > 0.05). Significant differences existed between the two groups in ego-dystonic, self-flexibility, SCCS scores, positive syndrome, general psychopathology and PANSS scores after the intervention (p < 0.05). At the three-month follow-up, ego-dystonic, self-flexibility and PANSS scores were also found to be significantly different between the two groups (p < 0.05). But the outcome measures were not significantly different between the two groups at the one-year follow-up. CONCLUSION: Structural group therapy in a mental health setting had a positive effect on improving self-consistency and congruence, positive symptoms and general psychopathology of inpatient adolescents with a diagnosis of schizophrenia.

Receptor-free poly(phenylenevinylene) fibrous membranes for cation sensing: high sensitivity and good selectivity achieved by choosing the appropriate polymer matrix.

Poly(phenylenevinylene)/polyimide (PPV/PI) and poly(phenylenevinylene)/ polymethylmethacrylate (PPV/PMMA) fibrous membranes without any deliberately introduced receptors were prepared as fluorescence sensing materials through electrospinning, followed by thermal treatment. Both of these membranes displayed higher sensitivity toward most cations compared to the corresponding spin-coated films. PPV/PMMA membranes were more sensitive than PPV/PI membranes toward Cu(2+) and Fe(3+). About 4.5 fold of intensity enhancement upon 20 nM of Cu(2+), 80% of quenching upon 20 nM of Fe(3+) with fast response and simple regeneration were realized for PPV/PMMA membrane. The preliminary investigation into the mechanism revealed that the properties of the polymer matrix and thermal treatment of the membrane played important roles in the sensing performance.