The interplay between partisanship, risk perception, and mental distress during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States.

COVID-19 is a profoundly partisan issue in the U.S., with increasing polarization of the Republicans' and Democrats' responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and their precautionary actions to reduce virus transmission. Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether and how partisan gaps in many aspects of the pandemic are linked to mental health, which has increasingly been a major concern. This study examined the association between political partisanship and mental health by assessing the mediating and moderating relationships between risk perception, expected infection severity of COVID-19, and partisanship in terms of mental health during the early stages of the pandemic. The data were drawn from a cross-sectional web survey conducted between March 20 and 30, 2020, with a sample of U.S. adults (N = 4,327). Of those participants, 38.9% and 29.6% were Democrats and Republicans, respectively. The results indicate that Democrats were more likely to experience COVID-induced mental distress than Republicans, and higher risk perception and expected infection severity were associated with mental distress. Furthermore, risk perception and expected infection severity of COVID-19 mediated approximately 24%-34% of the associations between political partisanship and mental distress. Finally, the adverse mental health impact of risk perception and expected infection severity appeared to be much stronger for Republicans than Democrats. The findings suggest that political partisanship is a key factor to understanding mental health consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak in the U.S.

MELD-GRAIL-Na Is a Better Predictor of Mortality Than MELD in Korean Patients with Cirrhosis.

Background and Objectives: The Child-Pugh (CP) score and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) are classical systems for predicting mortality in patients with liver cirrhosis (LC). The MELD-GFR assessment in liver disease-sodium (MELD-GRAIL-Na) was designed to better reflect renal function and, therefore, provide better mortality predictions. This study aimed to compare the prediction accuracy of MELD-GRAIL-Na compared to CP and MELD in predicting short-term (1- and 3-month) mortality in Korean patients. Materials and Methods: Medical records of patients with LC admitted to the Konkuk University Hospital from 2015 to 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. Predictive values of the CP, MELD, and MELD-GRAIL-Na for 1-month and 3-month mortality were calculated using the area under the receiver operating curve (AUROC) and were compared using DeLong's test. Results: In total, 1249 patients were enrolled; 102 died within 1 month, and 146 within 3 months. AUROCs of CP, MELD, and MELD-GRAIL-Na were 0.831, 0.847, and 0.857 for 1-month mortality and 0.837, 0.827, and 0.835 for 3-month mortality, respectively, indicating no statistical significance. For patients with CP classes B and C, AUROCs of CP, MELD, and MELD-GRAIL-Na were 0.782, 0.809, and 0.825 for 1-month mortality and 0.775, 0.769, and 0.786 for 3-month mortality, respectively. There was a significant difference between CP and MELD-GRAIL-Na in predicting 1-month mortality (p = 0.0428) and between MELD and MELD-GRAIL-Na in predicting 1-month (p = 0.0493) and 3-month mortality (p = 0.0225). Conclusions: Compared to CP and MELD, MELD-GRAIL-Na was found to be a better and more useful system for evaluating short-term (1- and 3-month) mortality in Korean patients with cirrhosis, especially those with advanced cirrhosis (CP class B and C).

Bifurcation-enhanced ultrahigh sensitivity of a buckled cantilever.

Buckling, first introduced by Euler in 1744 [Euler L (1744) Opera Omnia I 24:231], a sudden mechanical sideways deflection of a structural member under compressive stress, represents a bifurcation in the solution to the equations of static equilibrium. Although it has been investigated in diverse research areas, such a common nonlinear phenomenon may be useful to devise a unique mechanical sensor that addresses the still-challenging features, such as the enhanced sensitivity and polarization-dependent detection capability. We demonstrate the bifurcation-enhanced sensitive measurement of mechanical vibrations using the nonlinear buckled cantilever tip in ambient conditions. The cantilever, initially buckled with its tip pinned, flips its buckling near the bifurcation point (BP), where the buckled tip becomes softened. The enhanced mechanical sensitivity results from the increasing fluctuations, unlike the typical linear sensors, which facilitate the noise-induced buckling-to-flipping transition of the softened cantilever. This allows the in situ continuous or repeated single-shot detection of the surface acoustic waves of different polarizations without any noticeable wear of the tip. We obtained the sensitivity above 106 V(m/s)-1, a 1,000-fold enhancement over the conventional seismometers. Our results lead to development of mechanical sensors of high sensitivity, reproducibility, and durability, which may be applied to detect, e.g., the directional surface waves on the laboratory as well as the geological scale.

Perceived neighborhood disorder and psychological distress among Latino adults in the United States: Considering spousal/partner relationship.

It has been well-established that neighborhood disorder and disadvantage are detrimental to mental health and psychological well-being. There has been growing research interest in minority stress issues, however, less is known about how perceived neighborhood disorder matters for psychological well-being among Latino adults in the United States. Analyzing data from National Latino Asian American Study, 2002-2003, the present study investigates the relationships among perceived neighborhood disorder, spousal/partner relationships (i.e., spousal/partner strain and support), and psychological distress. The findings indicated that perceived neighborhood disorder and spousal/partner strain were positively associated with increased psychological distress, whereas spousal/partner support had no protective effect against psychological distress. Moreover, mediation analysis showed that the association between perceived neighborhood disorder and psychological distress was partially mediated by spousal/partner strain (i.e., 15.13%), not spousal support. Finally, moderation analysis revealed that the presence of spousal/partner strain exacerbated the relationship between perceived neighborhood disorder and psychological distress. Conversely, the absence of spousal/partner strain appeared to buffer the adverse impact of neighborhood disorder on psychological distress. These findings highlighted the ill effect of problematic neighborhood environments on the quality of the spousal/partner relationship and subsequently Latino's psychological well-being.

Neuronal Glutamate Transporters Control Dopaminergic Signaling and Compulsive Behaviors.

There is an ongoing debate on the contribution of the neuronal glutamate transporter EAAC1 to the onset of compulsive behaviors. Here, we used behavioral, electrophysiological, molecular, and viral approaches in male and female mice to identify the molecular and cellular mechanisms by which EAAC1 controls the execution of repeated motor behaviors. Our findings show that, in the striatum, a brain region implicated with movement execution, EAAC1 limits group I metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluRI) activation, facilitates D1 dopamine receptor (D1R) expression, and ensures long-term synaptic plasticity. Blocking mGluRI in slices from mice lacking EAAC1 restores D1R expression and synaptic plasticity. Conversely, activation of intracellular signaling pathways coupled to mGluRI in D1R-containing striatal neurons of mice expressing EAAC1 leads to reduced D1R protein level and increased stereotyped movement execution. These findings identify new molecular mechanisms by which EAAC1 can shape glutamatergic and dopaminergic signals and control repeated movement execution.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Genetic studies implicate Slc1a1, a gene encoding the neuronal glutamate transporter EAAC1, with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). EAAC1 is abundantly expressed in the striatum, a brain region that is hyperactive in OCD. What remains unknown is how EAAC1 shapes synaptic function in the striatum. Our findings show that EAAC1 limits activation of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRIs) in the striatum and, by doing so, promotes D1 dopamine receptor (D1R) expression. Targeted activation of signaling cascades coupled to mGluRIs in mice expressing EAAC1 reduces D1R expression and triggers repeated motor behaviors. These findings provide new information on the molecular basis of OCD and suggest new avenues for its treatment.

Probing nonlinear rheology layer-by-layer in interfacial hydration water.

Viscoelastic fluids exhibit rheological nonlinearity at a high shear rate. Although typical nonlinear effects, shear thinning and shear thickening, have been usually understood by variation of intrinsic quantities such as viscosity, one still requires a better understanding of the microscopic origins, currently under debate, especially on the shear-thickening mechanism. We present accurate measurements of shear stress in the bound hydration water layer using noncontact dynamic force microscopy. We find shear thickening occurs above ∼ 10(6) s(-1) shear rate beyond 0.3-nm layer thickness, which is attributed to the nonviscous, elasticity-associated fluidic instability via fluctuation correlation. Such a nonlinear fluidic transition is observed due to the long relaxation time (∼ 10(-6) s) of water available in the nanoconfined hydration layer, which indicates the onset of elastic turbulence at nanoscale, elucidating the interplay between relaxation and shear motion, which also indicates the onset of elastic turbulence at nanoscale above a universal shear velocity of ∼ 1 mm/s. This extensive layer-by-layer control paves the way for fundamental studies of nonlinear nanorheology and nanoscale hydrodynamics, as well as provides novel insights on viscoelastic dynamics of interfacial water.

Buckling-Based Non-Linear Mechanical Sensor.

Mechanical sensors provide core keys for high-end research in quantitative understanding of fundamental phenomena and practical applications such as the force or pressure sensor, accelerometer and gyroscope. In particular, in situ sensitive and reliable detection is essential for measurements of the mechanical vibration and displacement forces in inertial sensors or seismometers. However, enhancing sensitivity, reducing response time and equipping sensors with a measurement capability of bidirectional mechanical perturbations remains challenging. Here, we demonstrate the buckling cantilever-based non-linear dynamic mechanical sensor which addresses intrinsic limitations associated with high sensitivity, reliability and durability. The cantilever is attached on to a high-Q tuning fork and initially buckled by being pressed against a solid surface while a flexural stress is applied. Then, buckling instability occurs near the bifurcation region due to lateral movement, which allows high-sensitive detection of the lateral and perpendicular surface acoustic waves with bandwidth-limited temporal response of less than 1 ms.

Attention reorganizes connectivity across networks in a frequency specific manner.

Attention allows our brain to focus its limited resources on a given task. It does so by selective modulation of neural activity and of functional connectivity (FC) across brain-wide networks. While there is extensive literature on activity changes, surprisingly few studies examined brain-wide FC modulations that can be cleanly attributed to attention compared to matched visual processing. In contrast to prior approaches, we used an ultra-long trial design that avoided transients from trial onsets, included slow fluctuations (<0.1Hz) that carry important information on FC, and allowed for frequency-segregated analyses. We found that FC derived from long blocks had a nearly two-fold higher gain compared to FC derived from traditional (short) block designs. Second, attention enhanced intrinsic (negative or positive) correlations across networks, such as between the default-mode network (DMN), the dorsal attention network (DAN), and the visual system (VIS). In contrast attention de-correlated the intrinsically correlated visual regions. Third, the de-correlation within VIS was driven primarily by high frequencies, whereas the increase in DAN-VIS predominantly by low frequencies. These results pinpoint two fundamentally distinct effects of attention on connectivity. Information flow increases between distinct large-scale networks, and de-correlation within sensory cortex indicates decreased redundancy.

Effects of Dexmedetomidine Infusion on the Recovery Profiles of Patients Undergoing Transurethral Resection.

Transurethral resection has been the gold standard in the operative management of benign prostatic hyperplasia and bladder tumor; however, it is associated with several complications that may cause patient discomfort. We evaluated the usefulness of continuous infusion of dexmedetomidine on emergence agitation, hemodynamic status, and recovery profiles in patients undergoing elective surgery by a randomized clinical trial. Sixty patients aged 30 to 80 yr who were scheduled for elective transurethral resection under general anesthesia were included in this study. Participants were randomly assigned to two groups (control group, group C; dexmedetomidine group, group D). A total of 60 male patients were enrolled in this study and randomly assigned to group C (n=30) or group D (n=30). The quality of emergence in group D was marked by a significantly lower incidence of emergence agitation than in group C (P=0.015). Patients in group D therefore felt less discomfort induced by the indwelling Foley catheter than those in group C (P=0.022). No statistically significant differences were found between the two groups with respect to side effects including bradycardia (P=0.085), hypotension (P=0.640), and postoperative nausea and vomiting (P=0.389). Our study showed that intraoperative dexmedetomidine infusion effectively reduced the incidence and intensity of emergence agitation and catheter-induced bladder discomfort without delaying recovery time and discharge time, thus providing smooth emergence during the recovery period in patients undergoing transurethral resection (Clinical Trial Registry No. KT0001683).

Preexisting Mental Disorders and Mental Distress During the Pandemic : The Roles of Stress, Risk Perception, and Loneliness.

Purpose. The COVID-19 pandemic has imposed unprecedented stressors on individuals globally, leading to significant mental health challenges. This study examines the relationship between perceived adversities experienced during the pandemic-such as stress, risk perception, and loneliness-and the mental health outcomes of individuals with a specific focus on those already grappling with mental disorders. Methods. The study analyzed data from 8,259 adults who participated in surveys between waves 4 (April 2020) and 29 (June 2021) of the Understanding American Study. Participants self-reported their psychiatric diagnosis history and completed self-report measures of mental distress (PHQ-4), perceived stress, risk perception, and loneliness. Results . Those with preexisting comorbid mental disorders reported higher levels of mental distress, COVID-19 risk perception, perceived stress as well as more days experiencing loneliness during the pandemic. Perceived adversities-stress, risk perception, and loneliness-were all positively associated with increased mental distress, indicating the risk factors for mental distress during the pandemic. Among these factors, loneliness was identified as the primary contributor, accounting for 30%-40% of the mental health gap between individuals with and without preexisting mental diagnoses. Also, the detrimental impact of these adversities was more pronounced for those with preexisting mental disorders. Conclusion. The research highlights that those with preexisting mental disorders, particularly those with comorbidities, face an increased risk of experiencing mental distress during the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings underscore the critical importance of providing targeted support and interventions specifically designed for this vulnerable population, with a particular focus on addressing loneliness.

Effect of a Combination of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum KC3 and Leonurus japonicus Extracts in Respiratory Discomfort: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

The increased global prevalence of chronic respiratory diseases in recent years has caused a substantial public health burden. Lactiplantibacillus plantarum KC3 and Leonurus japonicus Houtt. (LJH) extracts can alleviate respiratory symptoms and improve lung function in vitro and in vivo. However, the clinical efficacy and safety profile of this combination in patients with respiratory diseases remain unclear. Therefore, this multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of L. plantarum KC3 and LJH extracts in adults with respiratory discomfort. This mixture was termed 'CKDB-315'. Participants, randomly assigned to the CKDB-315 or placebo groups, were treated for 12 weeks. Assessments included the St. George's Respiratory Questionnaire (SGRQ) and the Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Assessment Test (CAT). The CKDB-315 group showed considerably improved SGRQ and CAT scores compared with the placebo group. Secondary outcomes, including dyspnea, pulmonary function, total antioxidant status, and inflammatory cytokine levels, were consistent with the primary outcomes. Exploratory analyses of the gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acid contents revealed the potential mechanisms underlying the effects of CKDB-315. Finally, safety analysis indicated that CKDB-315 was well tolerated and caused few adverse events. Our findings indicate that CKDB-315 is a promising therapeutic option for respiratory discomfort in adults.

Unified stress tensor of the hydration water layer.

We present the general stress tensor of the ubiquitous hydration water layer (HWL), based on the empirical hydration force, by combining the elasticity and hydrodynamics theories. The tapping and shear component of the tensor describe the elastic and damping properties of the HWL, respectively, in good agreement with experiments. In particular, a unified understanding of HWL dynamics provides the otherwise unavailable intrinsic parameters of the HWL, which offer additional but unexplored aspects to the supercooled liquidity of the confined HWL. Our results may allow deeper insight on systems where the HWL is critical.

Disparities in TLR5 expression and responsiveness to flagellin in equine neutrophils and mononuclear phagocytes.

As sentinel cells of the innate immune system, neutrophils and mononuclear phagocytes use specific TLRs to recognize the conserved molecular patterns that characterize microbes. This study was performed to compare the responses of equine neutrophils and mononuclear phagocytes to LPS and flagellin, components of bacteria that are recognized by TLR4 and TLR5, respectively. Neutrophils and mononuclear phagocytes isolated from healthy horses were incubated in vitro with LPS, flagellin, or pronase-inactivated flagellin in the presence or absence of polymyxin B. Production of reactive oxygen species and expression of mRNA for proinflammatory cytokines were used as readouts for activation of neutrophils; production of TNF-α was used for the mononuclear cells. Western blot analysis and flow cytometry were used to detect TLR5 protein in both cell types. Although the neutrophils responded to both LPS and flagellin by producing reactive oxygen species and expressing mRNA for proinflammatory cytokines, flagellin had no stimulatory effect on monocytes or macrophages. Although both neutrophils and monocytes expressed mRNA for TLR5, it appeared to be translated into protein only by the neutrophils. Incubation with neither LPS nor IFN-γ altered TLR5 expression by the monocytes. These findings indicate that flagellin has disparate effects on neutrophils and mononuclear phagocytes isolated from horses, a species that is exquisitely sensitive to the TLR4 ligand, LPS, and that equine mononuclear phagocytes, unlike corresponding cells of other mammalian species, lack surface expression of TLR5 and do not respond to flagellin.

The Moderating Effect of Gender on the Relationship Between Self-neglect and Suicidal Ideation in Older Adults of Korea.

OBJECTIVES: Previous studies have reported that self-neglect, which may be a sign of elder abuse, can result in suicide among older adults. The signs of self-neglect and its impact on the risk of suicide may differ by gender. Thus, this study explored the association between self-neglect and suicide risk in older Korean adults and examined the potential moderating effect of gender on this relationship. METHODS: Data were collected from 356 Korean adults aged 65 or older through an online survey. Multiple regression analysis was used to test the research hypothesis. First, the associations between 4 sub-dimensions of self-neglect (i.e., daily life management issues, personal hygiene issues, financial management issues, and relational issues) and suicidal ideation were examined. Then, the moderating effect of gender on these relationships was investigated by including interaction terms. RESULTS: Self-neglect was significantly associated with suicidal ideation in older adults. Aspects of self-neglect related to daily life management and relational factors were key predictors of suicidal ideation. Gender significantly moderated the effect of the relational dimension of self-neglect on suicidal ideation. The relational dimension of self-neglect was more strongly associated with suicidal ideation in older women than in older men. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest the importance of screening older adults with signs of self-neglect for suicide risk. Special attention should be paid to older women who experience relational issues as a high-risk group for suicidal ideation. Public programs and support systems should be established to improve daily life management and promote social relationships among older adults.

Nanoscale fluorescence imaging of biological ultrastructure via molecular anchoring and physical expansion.

Nanoscale imaging of biological samples can provide rich morphological and mechanistic information about biological functions and dysfunctions at the subcellular and molecular level. Expansion microscopy (ExM) is a recently developed nanoscale fluorescence imaging method that takes advantage of physical enlargement of biological samples. In ExM, preserved cells and tissues are embedded in a swellable hydrogel, to which the molecules and fluorescent tags in the samples are anchored. When the hydrogel swells several-fold, the effective resolution of the sample images can be improved accordingly via physical separation of the retained molecules and fluorescent tags. In this review, we focus on the early conception and development of ExM from a biochemical and materials perspective. We first examine the general workflow as well as the numerous variations of ExM developed to retain and visualize a broad range of biomolecules, such as proteins, nucleic acids, and membranous structures. We then describe a number of inherent challenges facing ExM, including those associated with expansion isotropy and labeling density, as well as the ongoing effort to address these limitations. Finally, we discuss the prospect and possibility of pushing the resolution and accuracy of ExM to the single-molecule scale and beyond.

Adenosine derivatives from Cordyceps exert antitumor effects against ovarian cancer cells through ENT1-mediated transport, induction of AMPK signaling, and consequent autophagic cell death.

Cordyceps militaris is rich in adenosine derivatives, including 3'-deoxyadenosine, also known as cordycepin. It has been reported for antitumor effects, but its underlying molecular mechanism has yet to be elucidated. We investigated how adenosine derivatives exerted antitumor effects against ovarian cancer using human ovarian cancer cells and a xenograft mouse model. Treatment with adenosine derivatives effectively resulted in cell death of ovarian cancer cells through AMPK activation and subsequently mTOR-mediated autophagic induction. Intriguingly, the effect required membrane transport of adenosine derivatives via ENT1, rather than ADORA-mediated cellular signaling. Our data suggest that adenosine derivatives may be an effective therapeutic intervention in ovarian cancer through induction of ENT1-AMPK-mTOR-mediated autophagic cell death.

Multilaboratory Collaborative Study of a Nontarget Data Acquisition for Target Analysis (nDATA) Workflow Using Liquid Chromatography-High-Resolution Accurate Mass Spectrometry for Pesticide Screening in Fruits and Vegetables.

Nontarget data acquisition for target analysis (nDATA) workflows using liquid chromatography-high-resolution accurate mass (LC-HRAM) spectrometry, spectral screening software, and a compound database have generated interest because of their potential for screening of pesticides in foods. However, these procedures and particularly the instrument processing software need to be thoroughly evaluated before implementation in routine analysis. In this work, 25 laboratories participated in a collaborative study to evaluate an nDATA workflow on high moisture produce (apple, banana, broccoli, carrot, grape, lettuce, orange, potato, strawberry, and tomato). Samples were extracted in each laboratory by quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS), and data were acquired by ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) coupled to a high-resolution quadrupole Orbitrap (QOrbitrap) or quadrupole time-of-flight (QTOF) mass spectrometer operating in full-scan mass spectrometry (MS) data-independent tandem mass spectrometry (LC-FS MS/DIA MS/MS) acquisition mode. The nDATA workflow was evaluated using a restricted compound database with 51 pesticides and vendor processing software. Pesticide identifications were determined by retention time (tR, ±0.5 min relative to the reference retention times used in the compound database) and mass errors (δM) of the precursor (RTP, δM ≤ ±5 ppm) and product ions (RTPI, δM ≤ ±10 ppm). The elution profiles of all 51 pesticides were within ±0.5 min among 24 of the participating laboratories. Successful screening was determined by false positive and false negative rates of <5% in unfortified (pesticide-free) and fortified (10 and 100 µg/kg) produce matrices. Pesticide responses were dependent on the pesticide, matrix, and instrument. The false negative rates were 0.7 and 0.1% at 10 and 100 µg/kg, respectively, and the false positive rate was 1.1% from results of the participating LC-HRAM platforms. Further evaluation was achieved by providing produce samples spiked with pesticides at concentrations blinded to the laboratories. Twenty-two of the 25 laboratories were successful in identifying all fortified pesticides (0-7 pesticides ranging from 5 to 50 µg/kg) for each produce sample (99.7% detection rate). These studies provide convincing evidence that the nDATA comprehensive approach broadens the screening capabilities of pesticide analyses and provide a platform with the potential to be easily extended to a larger number of other chemical residues and contaminants in foods.

Religious Heterogamy and Partnership Quality in Later Life.

OBJECTIVES: Prior research points to the importance of couple-level religious similarity for multiple dimensions of partnership quality and stability but few studies have investigated whether this association holds for older couples. METHOD: The current article uses dyadic data from the National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project (NSHAP), a representative sample of 953 individuals age 62-91 plus their marital or cohabiting partners. We use modified actor-partner interdependence models. RESULTS: Religious service heterogamy predicted lower relationship happiness and satisfaction. Both associations were partially explained by the fact that religiously dissimilar partners report relatively little free time in joint activity. Further, religiously heterogamous couples had less frequent sex and engaged in less nonsexual touch than their more similar counterparts. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, results attest to the ongoing importance of religious similarity-service attendance, in particular-for partnership quality in late life. Future research is needed to more fully examine which mechanisms account for these patterns.

Discrimination, Mental Disorders, and Suicidal Ideation in Latino Adults: Decomposing the Effects of Discrimination.

Experiences of discrimination and mental disorder have been recognized as risks for suicidality. Yet, few studies have examined the direct and indirect effects of discrimination on suicidal ideation through mental disorder among Latino adults in the U.S. This study aimed to examine whether everyday discrimination and racial/ethnic discrimination is associated with suicidal ideation and if mental disorder (i.e., DSM-IV depressive, anxiety, and substance use) mediates the association. Discrimination was operationalized with self-reported discriminatory experience. This study applied a mediation analysis to the data from National Latino and Asian American Survey, 2002-2003. The key findings are: (a) everyday discrimination had an independent association with suicidal ideation as well as exerted an indirect effect through anxiety disorder. (b) Racial/ethnic discrimination was not directly associated with suicidal ideation, but its adverse effect on suicidal ideation was mediated by the depressive disorder.