The Effect of Short-Term Artificial Feed Domestication on the Expression of Oxidative-Stress-Related Genes and Antioxidant Capacity in the Liver and Gill Tissues of Mandarin Fish (Siniperca chuatsi).

To investigate whether Mandarin fish developed oxidative stress after being domesticated with artificial feed, we conducted a series of experiments. Oxidative stress is an important factor leading to diseases and aging in the body. The liver integrates functions such as digestion, metabolism, detoxification, coagulation, and immune regulation, while the gills are important respiratory organs that are sensitive to changes in the water environment. Therefore, we used the liver and gills of Mandarin fish as research materials. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of short-term artificial feed domestication on the expression of oxidative stress genes and the changes in oxidative-stress-related enzyme activity in the liver and gills of Mandarin fish. We divided the Mandarin fish into two groups for treatment. The control group was fed with live bait continuously for 14 days, while the experimental group was fed with half artificial feed and half live bait from 0 to 7 days (T-7 d), followed by solely artificial feed from 7 to 14 days (T-14 d). The experimental results showed that there was no difference in the body weight, length, and standard growth rate of the Mandarin fish between the two groups of treatments; after two treatments, there were differences in the expression of genes related to oxidative stress in the gills (keap1, kappa, gsta, gstt1, gstk1, SOD, and CAT) and in the liver (GPx, keap1, kappa, gsta, gstt1, gr, and SOD). In the liver, GPx activity and the content of MDA were significantly upregulated after 7 days of domestication, while in the gills, SOD activity was significantly upregulated after 7 days of domestication and GPx activity was significantly downregulated after 14 days of domestication. These results suggest that artificial feed domestication is associated with oxidative stress. Moreover, these results provide experimental basic data for increasing the production of aquaculture feed for Mandarin fish.

The effect of health quotient and time management skills on self-management behavior and glycemic control among individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the present status of self-management behavior and glycemic control in individuals diagnosed with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2D), as well as to examine the impact of health quotient (HQ) and time management skills on both self-management behavior and glycemic control. Methods: Between October 2022 and March 2023, a purposive sampling method had been utilized to select 215 participants with type T2D. The survey concluded a general information questionnaire, an HQ scale, a diabetes time management questionnaire and a self-management behavior questionnaire. The health quotient(HQ)encompasses the individuals' knowledge, attitude toward health, and the ability to maintain their own well-being. The diabetes time management questionnaire was reverse-scored, with higher scores indicating an enhanced competence in time management. The path among variables was analyzed using structural equation modeling(SEM). Results: SEM showed that the direct effect of HQ on time management was -0.566 (p < 0.05), the direct effect of time management on the effect of self-management was -0.617 (p < 0.05), the direct effect of HQ on self-management was 0.156, and the indirect effect was 0.349 (p < 0.05); the relationship between health quotient and self-management was partially mediated by time management, with a mediating effect size of 68.8%. In addition, self-management had a direct effect on HbAlc, with a size of -0.394 (p < 0.05); The impacts of both HQ and time management on HbAlc were found to be mediated by self-management, with HQ demonstrating an indirect effect of -0.199 (p < 0.05) and time management showing an indirect effect of 0.244 (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Health quotient and time management in patients with T2D serve as catalysts for self-management behavior. They affect HbAlc level indirectly through self-management practices. The suggestion is to prioritize the cultivation of rational time organization and management skills in T2D patients, as well as enhance their health quotient level. This can facilitate a more effective improvement in patients' self-management behaviors, ultimately achieving the objective of maintaining optimal glycemic control.

Reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the sunlight exposure questionnaire.

Objective: This study aimed to translate and validate the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Philippines Sunlight Exposure Questionnaire. Methods: A total of 392 Chinese individuals aged at least 18 years, residing in various cities in Sichuan province for at least 1 year, were recruited. The reliability of the Chinese version of the questionnaire was measured through internal consistency, split-half reliability, and retest reliability, while validity was determined using the content validity index and the structure validity index. Results: The Chinese version of the Sunlight Exposure Questionnaire, which includes 19 items covering 5 factors, demonstrated McDonald's omega coefficient of 0.788. The split-half reliability of the questionnaire was 0.823, and the retest reliability was 0.940. The content validity index (S-CVI) was 0.952. The five-factor structure, supported by eigenvalues, explained 66.2% of the total variance. Confirmatory factor analysis indicated favorable model fit. Results: The chi-square value degrees of freedom ratio (χ2/df) = 1.852, the goodness-of-fit index (GFI) = 0.938, the normed fit index (NFI) = 0.922, the incremental fit index (IFI) = 0.962, the comparative fit index (CFI) = 0.962, the Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) = 0.952, and root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.047. The indicators of the fit of the model were within reasonable bounds. Conclusion: The Chinese version of the Sunlight Exposure Questionnaire shows validity and good reliability for assessing sun exposure among adults in a Chinese cultural context.

The association between variability of risk factors and complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus: a retrospective study.

The variability in diabetes risk factors, such as uric acid and lipids, may influence the development of complications. This study aimed to investigate the influence of such variability on the occurrence of diabetic complications. A retrospective analysis of electronic medical records was conducted with type 2 diabetic patients who received treatment at a tertiary care hospital in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, between 2013 and 2022. The risk factor variability is presented as the standard deviation (SD). The associations between the variability and complications were examined using a binary logistic regression model. The study included 369 patients with type 2 diabetes. The findings revealed that outpatient special disease management served as a protective factor against the development of complications [OR = 0.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) (0.29-0.10)], particularly for the prevention of diabetic peripheral neuropathy [OR = 0.51, 95% CI (0.30-0.86)]. Variability in total cholesterol (TC-SD) was found to be a risk factor for the development of complications [OR = 2.42, 95% CI (1.18-4.97)] and acted as a risk factor for diabetic peripheral vasculopathy [OR = 2.50, 95% CI (1.25-5.02)]. TC-SD is a risk factor for the occurrence of diabetic peripheral neuropathy and diabetic peripheral vasculopathy, whereas outpatient special disease management functions as a protective factor against complications and diabetic peripheral neuropathy. Thus, in addition to glycaemic control, the regulation of lipid levels should be emphasized, particularly among patients without outpatient special disease management, to delay the onset of complications.

Effects of light therapy on sleep and circadian rhythm in older type 2 diabetics living in long-term care facilities: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: Light influences the secretion of melatonin in the body and regulates circadian rhythms, which play an important role in sleep and mood. The light level of rooms in long-term care facilities is usually far below the threshold required to regulate the body's circadian rhythm, and insufficient light can easily lead to sleep and mood disturbances among older residents in nursing homes. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the effects of light therapy on sleep and circadian rhythm in older adults with type 2 diabetes residing in long-term care facilities. Methods: This study was a prospective, single-blind, randomized controlled trial. Participants were randomly assigned to either the light therapy (LT) group or the control group and received the intervention for four weeks. Primary outcomes included the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and objective sleep parameters recorded by a sleep monitoring bracelet, Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire (MEQ). The secondary outcome included glycated serum protein (GSP). Data was collected at three time points: at baseline (T0), immediate post-treatment (T1), and 4-week follow-up (T2). A linear mixed model analysis was used to analyzed the data. Results: We enrolled 45 long-term care residents. Compared with the control group, significant reductions in PSQI scores were observed at T1 and T2. At T2, the sleep score of objective sleep parameters was significantly higher in the LT group compared to the control group. Additionally, compared to the baseline T0, MEQ scores were significantly lower in the LT group at T1 and T2, with no significant difference in the control group. There was no significant difference between groups in glycated serum protein values at T1 and T2. However, compared to T0, glycated serum protein values decreased in the LT group while increased in the control group at T2. Conclusion: Light therapy had a positive effect on subjective sleep quality and circadian rhythm time type in long-term care residents with type 2 diabetes, and had a possible delayed effect on objective sleep. However, no discernible alterations in blood glucose levels were detected in this study.

The Impact of Niclosamide Exposure on the Activity of Antioxidant Enzymes and the Expression of Glucose and Lipid Metabolism Genes in Black Carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus).

Niclosamide (NIC, 2',5-dichloro-4'-nitrosalicylanilide) is a salicylanilide molluscicide, and the extensive utilization and environmental pollution associated with NIC engender a potential hazard to both human health and the wellbeing of aquatic organisms. However, the mechanism of the chronic toxicity of NIC at environmentally relevant concentrations in terms of oxidative stress, metabolic disorder, and barrier functions in black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus) is unknown. Therefore, healthy juvenile black carp (M. piceus) (average weight: 38.2 ± 2.5 g) were exposed to NIC at an environmentally realistic concentration (0, 10, and 50 µg/L) for 28 days. The findings of this study indicate that exposure to NIC resulted in reductions in weight gain, decreased activity of antioxidant enzymes, and increased expression of the Nrf2 gene. Furthermore, the liver demonstrated a greater accumulation of NIC than that in the gut and gills, as determined with a chemical analysis. Additionally, NIC exposure led to a significant reduction in ATP content and the activity of Na+/K+-ATPase and Ca2+/Mg2+-ATPase in the gut. Meanwhile, exposure to NIC resulted in a decrease in the liver glucose (Glu) level, gut cholesterol (CHO), and glycogen (Gln) and triglyceride (TG) content in all examined tissues. Conversely, it led to an increase in tissue lactic acid (LA) and acetyl-CoA levels, as well as LDH activity. Furthermore, NIC exposure at environmentally relevant concentrations demonstrated an upregulation in the expression of genes associated with glycolysis, such as PK and GK, while concurrently downregulating the gluconeogenesis gene G6Pase. Additionally, NIC exhibited an upregulation in the expression of genes related to ß-oxidation, such as CPT1 and ACOX, while downregulating genes involved in triglyceride synthesis, including SREBP1, GPAT, FAS, and ACC1. Moreover, NIC facilitated fatty acid transportation through the overexpression of FATP and Fat/cd36. These results suggest that chronic exposure to NIC is associated with oxidative stress, compromised barrier function, and metabolic disorder. Moreover, these results underscore the significance of assessing the potential consequences of NIC for black carp and aquatic environments for aquaculture.

Factors affecting the willingness of patients with type 2 diabetes to use digital disease management applications: a cross-sectional study.

Background: The global burden of type 2 diabetes has significantly increased, leading to a considerable impact on healthcare systems worldwide. While the advent of mobile healthcare has provided some relief by addressing the shortage of certain medical resources, its adoption among the Chinese population remains relatively low. To extend the benefits of mHealth to a greater number of Chinese diabetic patients, it is essential to investigate the factors that influence their willingness to utilize it and implement targeted interventions based on these influencing factors. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) is widely employed to examine users' ultimate usage behaviors, and previous studies have indicated the potential relevance of the Perceived Risk (PR) theory and the eHealth Literacy Theory to users' usage behaviors. Objective: Our objective was to investigate the determinants that affect the willingness of Chinese patients diagnosed with type 2 diabetes patients to utilize digital disease management applications (DDMAs). Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of patients with type 2 diabetes in three tertiary general hospitals in Chengdu using questionnaires designed by the investigators. Participants were sampled using a convenience sampling method. The questionnaire comprised three sections: socio-demographic profile and medical history; current awareness and willingness to use digital disease management applications; and the current level of e-health literacy. Structural equation modeling was employed to assess the impact of patient awareness of DDMAs and e-health literacy on the willingness to use such DDMAs. Results: (1) Patients' attitudes toward using DDMAs were significantly influenced by perceived ease of use (ß = 0.380, P < 0.001) and perceived usefulness (ß = 0.546, P < 0.001); (2) Electronic health literacy exerted a significant impact on patients' perceived usefulness (ß = 0.115, P = 0.018) and perceived ease of use (ß = 0.659, P < 0.001); (3) Patients' willingness to use was significantly influenced by perceived usefulness (ß = 0.137, P < 0.001) and use attitude (ß = 0.825, P < 0.001). Conclusions: The present research findings hold both theoretical and practical significance, and can serve as a guide for healthcare practitioners and researchers to gain a deeper comprehension of the acceptance of digital disease management applications (DDMAs) among type 2 diabetes patients.

A systematic bibliometric analysis on the clinical practice of CGM in diabetes mellitus from 2012 to 2022.

Background: Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) has revolutionized diabetes management, but a comprehensive analysis of its clinical implementation is lacking. This study aims to explore CGM in diabetes practice over the past decade using bibliometric analysis. It will identify trends, research focal points, and provide a framework for future investigations. Materials and methods: The Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC) was utilized to acquire literature pertaining to the employment of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) in diabetes that was published between the years 2012 and 2022, and to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the associated citation data. To achieve bibliometric visualization and analysis of the collated data, the bibliography package in the Rstudio(v.4.2.2), Citespace 6.2.R4, and VOS viewer were employed. Results: A total of 3024 eligible publications were extracted from 91 countries, with the United States being the leading country in terms of the number of issued articles. Furthermore, the annual publication rate has shown a gradual increase during the past decade. Among the various journals in this field, DIABETES TECHNOLOGY & THERAPEUTICS was identified as the most highly cited one. Keyword clustering analysis of the extracted publications indicates that the research hotspots in the past decade have primarily focused on "continuous glucose monitoring", "glycemic variability", "type 1 diabetes", "hypoglycemia", and "glycemic control". Moreover, the analysis of keyword emergence reveals that "Time In Range" and "Young Adult" represent the current research frontiers for the years 2012-2022. Conclusion: The concept of Time in Range (TIR) has garnered considerable attention as a significant area of inquiry and an emerging research trend in the clinical practice of Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) for Diabetes Mellitus. Moreover, recent investigations have demonstrated a growing focus on young adults with type 1 diabetes as the research population of interest. In the foreseeable future, research endeavors will persist in the pursuit of improving glycemic management among young adults through the utilization of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) technology, while also delving into the examination of the Time in Range metric via supplementary clinical investigations.

Conventional Anthelmintic Concentration of Deltamethrin Immersion Disorder in the Gill Immune Responses of Crucian Carp.

Current treatment strategies for parasitic infectious diseases in crucian carp primarily rely on chemotherapy. As a commonly used antiparasitic agent, deltamethrin (DEL) may have the potential adverse effects on external mucosa of fish such as gills. In this study, 180 healthy juvenile crucian carp (Carassius auratus) (average weight: 8.8 ± 1.0 g) were randomly divided into three groups for 28 days, which were immersed in 0 µg/L, 0.3 µg/L, and 0.6 µg/L of DEL, respectively. The results of histological analysis revealed that severe hyperplasia in the secondary lamellae of gills was observed, and the number of goblet (mucus-secreting) cells increased significantly after DEL immersion. TUNEL staining indicated that the number of apoptotic cells increased in crucian carp gill. At the molecular level, the mRNA expression analysis revealed significant upregulation of apoptosis (caspase 3, caspase 8, and bax), autophagy (atg5 and beclin-1), and immune response (lzm, muc5, il-6, il-8, il-10, tnfα, ifnγ, tgfß, tlr4, myd88, and nf-kb), whereas tight junction-related genes (occludin and claudin12) were downregulated after DEL immersion, suggesting that DEL immersion altered innate immunity responses and promoted mucus secretion. Moreover, tandem mass tag (TMT)-based proteomics revealed that a total of 428 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) contained 341 upregulated DEPs and 87 downregulated DEPs with function annotation were identified between the control and DEL groups. Functional analyses revealed that the DEPs were enriched in apoptotic process, phagosome, and lysosome pathways. Additionally, DEL immersion also drove gill microbiota to dysbiosis and an increase in potentially harmful bacteria such as Flavobacterium. Overall, this study showed that DEL elicited shifts in the immune response and changes in the surface microbiota of fish. These results provide new perspectives on the conventional anthelmintic concentration of DEL immersion disorder of the gill immune microenvironment in crucian carp and theoretical support for future optimization of their practical application.

A study of factors influencing long-term glycemic variability in patients with type 2 diabetes: a structural equation modeling approach.

Aim: The present study aims to utilize structural equation modeling (SEM) to investigate the factors impacting long-term glycemic variability among patients afflicted with type 2 diabetes. Method: The present investigation is a retrospective cohort study that involved the collection of data on patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus who received care at a hospital located in Chengdu, Sichuan Province, over a period spanning from January 1, 2013, to October 30, 2022. Inclusion criteria required patients to have had at least three laboratory test results available. Pertinent patient-related information encompassing general demographic characteristics and biochemical indicators was gathered. Variability in the dataset was defined by standard deviation (SD) and coefficient of variation (CV), with glycosylated hemoglobin variation also considering variability score (HVS). Linear regression analysis was employed to establish the structural equation models for statistically significant influences on long-term glycemic variability. Structural equation modeling was employed to analyze effects and pathways. Results: Diabetes outpatient special disease management, uric acid variability, mean triglyceride levels, mean total cholesterol levels, total cholesterol variability, LDL variability, baseline glycated hemoglobin, and recent glycated hemoglobin were identified as significant factors influencing long-term glycemic variability. The overall fit of the structural equation model was found to be satisfactory and it was able to capture the relationship between outpatient special disease management, biochemical indicators, and glycated hemoglobin variability. According to the total effect statistics, baseline glycated hemoglobin and total cholesterol levels exhibited the strongest impact on glycated hemoglobin variability. Conclusion: The factors that have a significant impact on the variation of glycosylated hemoglobin include glycosylated hemoglobin itself, lipids, uric acid, and outpatient special disease management for diabetes. The identification and management of these associated factors can potentially mitigate long-term glycemic variability, thereby delaying the onset of complications and enhancing patients' quality of life.

Efficacy of a smartphone application for helping individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus manage their blood glucose: a protocol for factorial design trial.

BACKGROUND: China has the largest number of individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in the world, and most lack knowledge about glycemic control and health management. This trial will examine whether a smartphone application can improve blood glucose management among individuals with T2DM. METHODS: This will be a 2-center, factorial design, equal proportional distribution, superiority trial conducted in outpatient endocrinology clinics at two tertiary hospitals in Chengdu, China. The trial will enroll smartphone-literature individuals at least 18 years old who have been diagnosed with T2DM based on glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) of at least 7.0%. Individuals will be randomly assigned to receive routine care with standard education about T2DM and glycemic control (Control), routine care as well as weekly telephone reminders to self-monitor blood glucose (Reminder), routine care and a smartphone application providing information about glycemic control and health management with T2DM (App), or the combination of routine care, the smartphone application, and weekly telephone reminders (App + Reminder). After 6 months of these interventions, participants will be analyzed for the primary outcome of HbA1c as well as the secondary outcomes of blood glucose monitoring frequency, body mass index, blood pressure, knowledge about diabetes, health beliefs related to diabetes, diabetes self-management behavior, and satisfaction with the smartphone application. DISCUSSION: This trial will determine whether a smartphone application can improve glycemic management among Chinese with T2DM. The findings may help guide the development of effective applications in China and elsewhere. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Registration in the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR) under registration number ChiCTR2100042297: https://www.chictr.org.cn/bin/userProject . 17 January 2021.

Tceal7 Regulates Skeletal Muscle Development through Its Interaction with Cdk1.

We have previously reported Tceal7 as a muscle-specific gene that represses myoblast proliferation and promotes myogenic differentiation. The regulatory mechanism of Tceal7 gene expression has been well clarified recently. However, the underlying mechanism of Tceal7 function in skeletal muscle development remains to be elucidated. In the present study, we have generated an MCK 6.5 kb-HA-Tceal7 transgenic model. The transgenic mice are born normally, while they have displayed defects in the growth of body weight and skeletal muscle myofiber during postnatal development. Although four RxL motifs have been identified in the Tceal7 protein sequence, we have not detected any direct protein-protein interaction between Tceal7 and Cyclin A2, Cyclin B1, Cylin D1, or Cyclin E1. Further analysis has revealed the interaction between Tceal7 and Cdk1 instead of Cdk2, Cdk4, or Cdk6. Transgenic overexpression of Tceal7 reduces phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 Ser65, p70S6K1 Thr389, and Cdk substrates in skeletal muscle. In summary, these studies have revealed a novel mechanism of Tceal7 in skeletal muscle development.

Urease of Aspergillus fumigatus Is Required for Survival in Macrophages and Virulence.

The number of patients suffering from fungal diseases has constantly increased during the last decade. Among the fungal pathogens, the airborne filamentous fungus Aspergillus fumigatus can cause chronic and fatal invasive mold infections. So far, only three major classes of drugs (polyenes, azoles, and echinocandins) are available for the treatment of life-threatening fungal infections, and all present pharmacological drawbacks (e.g., low solubility or toxicity). Meanwhile, clinical antifungal-resistant isolates are continuously emerging. Therefore, there is a high demand for novel antifungal drugs, preferentially those that act on new targets. We studied urease and the accessory proteins in A. fumigatus to determine their biochemical roles and their influence on virulence. Urease is crucial for the growth on urea as the sole nitrogen source, and the transcript and protein levels are elevated on urea media. The urease deficient mutant displays attenuated virulence, and its spores are more susceptible to macrophage-mediated killing. We demonstrated that this observation is associated with an inability to prevent the acidification of the phagosome. Furthermore, we could show that a nickel-chelator inhibits growth on urea. The nickel chelator is also able to reverse the effects of urease on macrophage killing and phagosome acidification, thereby reducing virulence in systemic and trachea infection models. IMPORTANCE The development of antifungal drugs is an urgent task, but it has proven to be difficult due to many similarities between fungal and animal cells. Here, we characterized the urease system in A. fumigatus, which depends on nickel for activity. Notably, nickel is not a crucial element for humans. Therefore, we went further to explore the role of nickel-dependent urease in host-pathogen interactions. We were able to show that urease is important in preventing the acidification of the phagosome and therefore reduces the killing of conidia by macrophages. Furthermore, the deletion of urease shows reduced virulence in murine infection models. Taken together, we identified urease as an essential virulence factor of A. fumigatus. We were able to show that the application of the nickel-chelator dimethylglyoxime is effective in both in vitro and in vivo infection models. This suggests that nickel chelators or urease inhibitors are potential candidates for the development of novel antifungal drugs.

Light Therapy to Improve Sleep Quality in Older Adults Living in Residential Long-Term Care: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVES: Because light can regulate sleep rhythms, numerous studies have investigated whether light therapy can improve sleep disorders in older people, but its efficacy remains controversial. Therefore, this systematic review aimed to examine and summarize current evidence about the efficacy of light therapy to improve sleep for older people in residential long-term care. DESIGN: Systematic review. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: Older people living in long-term care settings. METHODS: Systematic searches were conducted in the databases PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane, EMBASE, CINAHL, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, China Science and Technology Journal Database, WanFang, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and in reference lists within relevant articles. Studies were eligible for inclusion if they evaluated light therapy for older people with sleep disorders in long-term care settings. RESULTS: This systematic review includes 21 articles, summarizing light therapy with different durations and intensities. The light intervention was typically administered between 7:00 and 12:00 am for 30-120 minutes. The interventions lasted from 1 week to several months, and the intensity of the light intervention usually ranged from 2500 to 10,000 lux. Short-term exposure (30-60 minutes) with high light levels (≥10,000 lux), relatively long-term exposure (1-2 hours) with moderate light levels (2500-10,000 lux), or long-term exposure (1-4 hours or full day) with low light levels (≤2500 lux) were associated with improved sleep indicators for older people in long-term care settings. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The efficacy of light therapy in long-term care settings may be affected by the duration of exposure, time and length of intervention, intensity of light, and equipment used to administer the therapy. Further research must be conducted to optimize light therapy parameters. Large, high-quality randomized controlled trials are needed to deepen our understanding of the effects of light therapy on sleep in older people living in long-term care settings.

Hiccups induced by aripiprazole combined with sertraline in an adolescent with olfactory reference disorder: A case report.

Background: Hiccup can cause significant distress to patients and affect medication compliance. Individuals with olfactory reference disorder (ORD) who might develop persistent hiccups when treated with a combination of antidepressant and antipsychotic, leading to significant distress and impairment. Case summary: We report a rare case of an adolescent with ORD who was treated with aripiprazole combined with sertraline and who began to hiccup persistently after 6 days on this treatment. He stopped hiccupping after the aripiprazole had been suspended for 12 h. After discharge, the patient continued on sertraline alone and reported no hiccupping at 1-month follow-up. Conclusion: Clinicians should consider that the combination of aripiprazole and sertraline can induce hiccups during the acute administration period in adolescents with ORD.

Transcription Regulation of Tceal7 by the Triple Complex of Mef2c, Creb1 and Myod.

Tceal7 has been identified as a direct, downstream target gene of MRF in the skeletal muscle. The overexpression of Tceal7 represses myogenic proliferation and promotes cell differentiation. Previous studies have defined the 0.7 kb upstream fragment of the Tceal7 gene. In the present study, we have further determined two clusters of transcription factor-binding motifs in the 0.7 kb promoter: CRE#2-E#1-CRE#1 in the proximal region and Mef2#3-CRE#3-E#4 in the distal region. Utilizing transcription assays, we have also shown that the reporter containing the Mef2#3-CRE#3-E#4 motifs is synergistically transactivated by Mef2c and Creb1. Further studies have mapped out the protein-protein interaction between Mef2c and Creb1. In summary, our present studies support the notion that the triple complex of Mef2c, Creb1 and Myod interacts with the Mef2#3-CRE#3-E#4 motifs in the distal region of the Tceal7 promoter, thereby driving Tceal7 expression during skeletal muscle development and regeneration.

Psychological Distress, Social Support, Coping Style, and Perceived Stress Among Medical Staff and Medical Students in the Early Stages of the COVID-19 Epidemic in China.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had impact that may contribute to a rise in mental health problems. The present study was aimed to better understand psychological status among medical staff and medical students during the early epidemic and to explore the influence factors of psychological distress. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted online from February 2-14, 2020. We collected general information related to the COVID-19 outbreak. Respondents were assessed using the Kessler-6 Psychological Distress Scale (K6), Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ). Stepwise multiple linear regression was performed to identify factors influencing psychological distress. Results: Five hundred and twenty-eight respondents returned valid questionnaires. Medical staff and Medical students scored averages of 6.77 ± 5.04, 15.48 ± 8.66 on the K6, 37.22 ± 11.39, 22.62 ± 11.25 on the SSRS and 18.52 ± 7.54, 28.49 ± 11.17 on the PSS, respectively. Most medical staff (279, 91.77%) and 148 medical students (66.07%) showed a positive coping style. Social support, perceived stress, hours spent watching epidemic-related information per day and frequency of epidemic-related dreams were identified as factors influencing psychological distress among medical staff and medical students. Coping style emerged as a determinant of psychological distress among medical staff. Conclusions: In the early stages of the COVID-19 epidemic in China, medical staff and medical students were at moderate to high risk of psychological distress. Our results suggest that psychological interventions designed to strengthen social support, reduce perceived stress and adopt a positive coping style may be effective at improving the mental health of medical staff and medical students.

Perceived psychological stress and associated factors in the early stages of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic: Evidence from the general Chinese population.

INTRODUCTION: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an acute respiratory infection caused by novel coronavirus 2019. Many individuals suffered psychological symptoms in the early stage when the epidemic was uncertain. We explored the perceived psychological stress and associated factors in the early stage of COVID-19 epidemic. METHOD: The Perceived Stress Scale, Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire, Social Support Rating Scale and a general information questionnaire were integrated in an on-line survey conducted from February 1, 2020 until February 4, 2020. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to explore whether coping style, social support or other factors contributed to psychological stress. RESULTS: A total of 1638 participants were included, of whom 44.3% showed moderate psychological stress. Individuals who were younger, female, unmarried, spent more time on the disease, felt more concern about it, reported lower social support (Subjective Social support; Objective social support; Utilization social support), or showed a negative coping style were more likely to suffer higher psychological stress in the early stages of the COVID-19 epidemic. CONCLUSION: Psychological interventions may be targeted to individuals with the risk characteristics identified in this study. It may be helpful to promote social support and positive coping style in the early stage of infectious disease epidemics. This initial evidence from the general Chinese population may be relevant to interventions in other countries for dealing with the COVID-19 and other epidemics.

The mental state and risk factors of Chinese medical staff and medical students in early stages of the COVID-19 epidemic.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the mental state of medical staff and medical students in the early stages of the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak, as well as analyze the risk factors of serious mental illness (SMI), so as to provide a scientific basis for further psychological intervention and management. METHOD: A cross-sectional survey was conducted from February 2-7, 2020. The Kessler 6 Psychological Distress Scale and a general information questionnaire were administered on-line to a convenience sample of 548 medical staff and medical students in China. Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis was used to screen the risk factors of SMI in medical staff and medical students. RESULTS: Of the 505 respondents in the final analysis, 188 (37.23%) were at high risk of SMI. Respondents were at significantly higher risk of SMI if they had been suspected of being infected with the SARS-CoV-2 (OR = 7.00, 95% CI: 1.19-41.14), had relatives suspected of being infected with the SARS-CoV-2 (OR = 23.60, 95% CI: 1.11-501.30), felt concerned towards media coverage of outbreak-related information (OR = 11.95, 95% CI: 3.07-46.57), recently dreamed related to SARS-CoV-2 (OR = 4.21, 95% CI: 2.22-8.01), experienced difficulty in controlling emotions during SARS-CoV-2 epidemic (OR = 3.25, 95% CI: 1.66-6.37), or spent hours watching outbreaks per day (OR = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.13-1.46). CONCLUSION: Our findings highlight that medical staff and medical students were vulnerable to SMI during the early stages of the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak and identify the factors associated with SMI which can be used to formulate psychological interventions to improve the mental health. The independent risk factors for SMI among them are suspicion that they or relatives were infected with the SARS-CoV-2, greater interest in media reports about the epidemic, frequency of recent dreams related to SARS-CoV-2, difficulty in controlling emotions during the epidemic, and hours spent watching outbreaks per day.

Coping style, social support and psychological distress in the general Chinese population in the early stages of the COVID-19 epidemic.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychological status of the general population in mainland China during the outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), and to explore the factors influencing psychological distress, in order to provide the basis for further psychological intervention programs. METHODS: We administered three questionnaires on-line to a convenience sample of the general population from different regions of mainland China from February 1 to February 4, 2020. We used the Mandarin versions of the six-item Kessler psychological distress scale (K6), the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ), and the Social Support Rating Scale (SSRS). We also collected demographic data and other information related to the COVID-19 outbreak. Multivariate binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify factors influencing psychological distress. RESULTS: Of 1607 respondents, 1588 returned valid questionnaires and were included in the analysis. Nearly one quarter (22.8%) had high levels of psychological distress (K6 score ≥ 13). Individuals with higher psychological distress were more likely to be unmarried, spend more than 6 h per day searching for information about COVID-19, more frequently adopt a passive coping style, and report less social support than those with lower psychological distress. CONCLUSIONS: The COVID-19 outbreak in China has a great impact on the mental health status of the general population. Active coping strategies and increased social support are significantly correlated with decreased psychological distress, and may serve as the basis for psychological interventions.