Effects of polyethylene microplastics occurrence on estrogens degradation in soil.

Growing focus has been drawn to the continuous detection of high estrogens levels in the soil environment. Additionally, microplastics (MPs) are also of growing concern worldwide, which may affect the environmental behavior of estrogens. However, little is known about effects of MPs occurrence on estrogens degradation in soil. In this study, polyethylene microplastics (PE-MPs) were chosen to examine the influence on six common estrogens (estrone (E1), 17α-estradiol (17α-E2), 17ß-estradiol (17ß-E2), estriol (E3), diethylstilbestrol (DES), and 17α-ethinylestradiol (17α-EE2)) degradation. The results indicated that PE-MPs had little effect on the degradation of E3 and DES, and slightly affected the degradation of 17α-E2, however, significantly inhibited the degradation of E1, 17α-EE2, and 17ß-E2. It was explained that (i) obvious oxidation reaction occurred on the surface of PE-MPs, indicating that PE-MPs might compete with estrogens for oxidation sites, such as redox and biological oxidation; (ii) PE-MPs significantly changed the bacterial community in soil, resulting in a decline in the abundance of some bacterial communities that biodegraded estrogens. Moreover, the rough surface of PE-MPs facilitated the estrogen-degrading bacterial species (especially for E1, E2, and EE2) to adhere, which decreased their reaction to estrogens. These findings are expected to deepen the understanding of the environmental behavior of typical estrogens in the coexisting system of MPs.

Exploring the experience of meaning-centered group psychotherapy among Chinese cancer patients during active treatment: a descriptive qualitative study.

Objective: Meaninglessness poses a significant psychological challenge for cancer patients, negatively affecting their quality of life and increasing the risk of suicide. Meaning-Centered Group Therapy (MCGP) is an intervention designed specifically to enhance the meaning of life of cancer patients. Extensive research has documented its effectiveness across various cultures and populations. However, limited research has been conducted on the subjective experiences and perspectives of participants engaged in MCGP. Thus, the purpose of this study was to employ a qualitative design to explore the experiences and viewpoints of Chinese cancer patients who have undergone MCGP. Methods: Within a two-week timeframe following the conclusion of MCGP, semi-structured interviews were administered to twenty-one participants who had engaged in the therapy. The interview data were transcribed and subjected to thematic analysis. Results: Four main themes were identified: (a) Self-perceived personal change, (b) Overall experience of group therapy, (c) Barriers to participation of MCGP, and (d) Suggestions for future interventions. Conclusion: Despite the barriers to participation in the MCGP process, the overall experience for Chinese cancer patients undergoing active treatment is valuable and positive, providing multiple benefits. Future studies could explore the adaptation of MCGP to a broader range of cancer populations and diverse study populations.

A qualitative exploration of fear of progression in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated with proton and heavy ion therapy.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate fear of progression (FOP) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients treated with proton and heavy ion therapy. METHODS: Thirty NPC patients were selected for face-to-face semistructured interviews through purposive sampling while using the phenomenological approach in qualitative research. The interviews were transcribed, organized, and analyzed by applying Colaizzi's seven-step analysis. RESULTS: Seven themes were summarized, namely, illness uncertainty, trapped into insecurity (including four categories: insecurity about the possibility of discrimination, insecurity about the possibility of the inability to tolerate the pain of retreatment, insecurity about the difficulty of retreatment after recurrence, and insecurity of waiting for test results), hopelessness, loss, guilt toward children, enhancing tolerance toward family, and self-emotional comfort. CONCLUSION: We found that women with children and patients who experienced their first episode underwent significant FOP. Patients at the postgraduate level and above were more inclined to feel loss. The finding that respondents expressed is intense FOP while waiting for test results, which provides a reference for the analysis of the trajectory of FOP. Health care professions should be cognitively aware the importance of eliminating patients' uncertainty and insecurity about disease to enhance their positive experience in coping with cancer.

Trajectories of fear of progression in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients receiving proton and heavy ion therapy.

OBJECTIVE: The study examined the growth trajectory of fear of progression(FOP) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients. In addition, sociodemographic and clinical variables of each trajectory class were analyzed. METHOD: Two hundred sixteen NPC patients undergoing proton and heavy ion therapy were measured beginning (T0) and end of a 4-week proton and heavy ion therapy (T1), 3 months (T2) and 6 months (T3) after discharge. And data from the final 197 NPC patients were analyzed. NPC patients' FOP was investigated by the Fear of Progression Questionnaire-Short Form (FOP-Q-SF) form T0 to T3. SPSS and Mplus were used for statistical analysis. The LGMM was used to analyze the trajectory of FOP followed up over 6 months after proton and heavy ion therapy. The logistic regression was utilized to compare the differences in sociodemographic and clinical characteristics of patients in different trajectory groups of FOP. RESULTS: One hundred ninety-seven NPC patients were analyzed. LGMM analysis showed that three-group trajectory solution was the best fitting (low-fear decline FOP (14.21%), the moderate-fear stable FOP(43.15%), and high-fear rising FOP (42.64%). Significant positive associations were found between age < 30 years (ß = 3.399, p = 0.023), with or without children (ß = 3.1, p = 0.002), primary/recurrence (ß = -6.196, p < 0.001), diagnosis < 3 months (ß = 4.435, p = 0.031), high school education (ß = 2.98, p = 0.048), and high fear rising FOP. Patients who had moderate financial stress (ß = 2.51, p = 0.041), with or without children (ß = 1.564, p = 0.003), primary/recurrence (ß = -2.578, p = 0.005), less than 30 radiotherapy times (ß = 0.979, p = 0.046) tended to report significant moderate-fear stable FOP over time. CONCLUSION: 42.64% of the NPC patients showed high-fear rising FOP over the 6 months after treatment. Age 18-30 years, with or without children, relapsed, diagnosis < 3 months, and high school education and reporting being a pessimist predicts higher FOP scores. Early identification of age 18-30 years, with or without children, relapsed, diagnosis < 3 months, and high school education might help to identify populations experiencing long-term FOP. Clinical teams responsible to develop the target interventions for management of FCR in clinical practice.

Efficacy of meaning-centered group psychotherapy in Chinese patients with cancer: A randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: Meaninglessness is one of the most common psychological problems in cancer patients, which can lead to anxiety, depression and psychological distress, and diminished quality of life. Recent evidence indicates that meaning-centered group psychotherapy (MCGP) effectively enhances the meaning in life among cancer patients. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of MCGP on the meaning in life, post-traumatic growth, psychological distress, and fear of recurrence among Chinese cancer patients with a favorable prognosis. METHODS: Sixty-six cancer patients were randomly assigned to either the MCGP group (n = 33) or the control group (n = 33). Participants in the MCGP group underwent a 4-week, 8-session MCGP, while those in the control group received usual care. Meaning in life, post-traumatic growth, psychological distress, and fear of recurrence were assessed at both baseline and postintervention to evaluate the impact of the intervention. The intervention outcomes were analyzed using paired t-tests or analysis of covariance, as appropriate. RESULTS: Patients in the MCGP group demonstrated significant improvements in meaning in life, post-traumatic growth, and fear of recurrence from baseline to postintervention. In comparison to the control group, the MCGP group displayed positive effects on meaning in life and post-traumatic growth following the intervention. However, no significant effects were observed in terms of psychological distress and fear of recurrence. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: Our research offers evidence supporting the effectiveness of MCGP in enhancing meaning in life and post-traumatic growth among Chinese cancer patients with a favorable prognosis.

[Sorption Characteristics and Site Energy Distribution Theory of Typical Estrogens on Microplastics].

Microplastics (MPs) and estrogens are high-profile emerging contaminants at present, and MPs might become the carrier of estrogens in the environment and induce combined pollution. To study the adsorption behavior of polyethylene (PE) microplastics to typical estrogens, the adsorption isothermal properties of the six estrogens[estrone (E1), 17α-estradiol (17α-E2), 17ß-estradiol (17ß-E2), estriol (E3), diethylstilbestrol (DES), and ethinylestradiol (17α-EE2)] in single-solute and mixed-solute systems were studied through batch equilibrium adsorption experiments, in which the PE microplastics before and after adsorption were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Then, the site energy distribution theory of the adsorption of six estrogens on PE microplastics was further analyzed based on the Freundlich model. The results showed that the adsorption process of selected estrogens with two concentrations (100 µg·L-1 and 1000 µg·L-1) on PE were more consistent with the pseudo-second order kinetic model. The increase in initial concentration reduced the equilibrium time of adsorption and increased the adsorbing capacity of estrogens on PE. In the single system (one estrogen) or mixed system (six estrogens) with different concentrations (10 µg·L-1-2000 µg·L-1), the Freundlich model showed the best fitting effect for the adsorption isotherm data (R2>0.94). The results of isothermal adsorption experiments and XPS and FTIR spectra showed that the adsorption of estrogens on PE in the two systems was heterogeneous adsorption, and hydrophobic distribution and van der Waals forces were the principal factors in the process of adsorption. The occurrence of C-O-C (in only the DES and 17α-EE2 systems) and O-C[FY=,1]O (in only the 17α-EE2 system) indicated that the adsorption of synthetic estrogens on PE was affected slightly by chemical bonding function, but no obvious effects were observed for natural estrogens. The results of site energy distribution analysis showed that, compared with the single system, the adsorption site energy of each estrogen shifted to the high-energy region in its entirety in the mixed system, and the site energy increased by 2.15%-40.98%. The energy change in DES was the most significant among all of the estrogens, indicating its competitive advantage in the mixed system. The above results of this study can provide some reference for the study of adsorption behavior, mechanism of action, and environmental risks under the coexisting condition of organic pollutants and MPs.

Latent profiles of resilience and associations with quality of life in head and neck cancer patients undergoing proton and heavy ion therapy.

Background: Psychological resilience is the most important psychological protection factor for cancer patients in the face of tumors and treatment. However, few studies have performed meaningful latent profile analyses of resilience to identify unobserved subgroups of head and neck cancer patients. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the characteristics of resilience in head and neck cancer patients using latent profile analysis (LPA) to determine the sociodemographic and disease characteristics of each profile. In particular, we examined the association of different resilience profiles with the quality of life of head and neck cancer patients. Methods: A total of 254 head and neck cancer patients completed a demographic questionnaire, the Resilience Scale Specific to Cancer and the EOTRC QLQ-C3O, used to assess their resilience and quality of life. Results: LPA identified three distinct profiles based on varying levels of resilience: "low resilience" group (n = 45; 17.72%), "moderate resilience" group (n = 113; 44.49%), and "high resilience" group (n = 96; 37.80%). Gender (χ2 = 6.20; p < 0.01), education level (χ2 = 1,812.59; p < 0.01), treatment regimen (χ2 = 6.32; p < 0.01), tumor stage (χ2 = 3.92; p ≤ 0.05), and initial recurrence (χ2 = 5.13; p < 0.05) were important predictors. High resilience was significantly related to higher quality of life (χ2 = 15.694; p < 0.001). Conclusions: Head and neck cancer patients' psychological resilience can be categorized as three resilience profiles; those who are female and have a low education level tend to have lower psychological resilience. Low resilience in patients is linked to poor role function and social function, low quality of life, and more severe pain symptoms, highlighting the need to address resilience in patient care for improved wellbeing.

Diet-Induced Obesity Disrupts Histamine-Dependent Oleoylethanolamide Signaling in the Mouse Liver.

INTRODUCTION: Previous work suggests the existence of a paracrine signaling mechanism in which histamine released from visceral mast cells into the portal circulation contributes to fasting-induced ketogenesis by stimulating biosynthesis of the endogenous high-affinity PPAR-α agonist oleoylethanolamide (OEA). METHODS: Male C57Bl/6J mice were rendered obese by exposure to a high-fat diet (HFD; 60% fat). We measured histamine, OEA, and other fatty-acid ethanolamides by liquid-chromatography/mass spectrometry, gene transcription by RT-PCR, protein expression by ELISA, neutral lipid accumulation in the liver using Red Oil O and BODIPY staining, and collagen levels using picrosirius red staining. RESULTS: Long-term exposure to HFD suppressed both fasting-induced histamine release into portal blood and histamine-dependent OEA production in the liver. Additionally, subchronic OEA administration reduced lipid accumulation, inflammatory responses, and fibrosis in the liver of HFD-exposed mice. DISCUSSION: The results suggest that disruption of histamine-dependent OEA signaling in the liver might contribute to pathology in obesity-associated liver steatosis.

The Correlation Between Radiotherapy and Patients' Fear of Cancer Recurrence: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

The purpose of this review was to explore the correlation between patients' fear of cancer recurrence (FCR) and radiotherapy. National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, China Science and Technology Journal Database, SinoMed, PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCO-CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and Ovid Embase were searched to identify relevant studies. Thirty-five eligible studies were included in the systematic review, and 22 of them were included in further meta-analysis. The results of the meta-analysis showed that the level of patients' FCR was positively correlated with radiotherapy, but the correlation was weak (overall r = 0.075; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.046-0.103; P = .000). In terms of subgroup analysis based on cancer site (breast cancer vs other types of cancer), the breast cancer group (r = 0.086; 95% CI, 0.027-0.143; P = .004), the mixed-type group (r = 0.073; 95% CI, 0.033-0.112; P = .000), and the other-type group (r = 0.071; 95% CI, 0.015-0.126; P = .013) have a positive correlation with radiotherapy. Patients' FCR positively correlated with the receipt of radiotherapy. However, because of the variability among the studies, the results have limitations. Therefore, longitudinal studies are needed to verify the trajectory of FCR over radiation therapy.