Exploring the moderating roles of dispositional mindfulness and body image flexibility in the association between body dissatisfaction and disordered eating in Chinese adolescents.

OBJECTIVES: Previous research suggests potential moderating roles of dispositional mindfulness and body image flexibility in the association between body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. However, relevant research is mainly conducted on adult women from Western countries, and limited evidence exists for adolescent samples, especially from non-Western contexts (e.g., China). Thus, this study aimed to examine the moderating roles of dispositional mindfulness and body image flexibility in the relationship between body dissatisfaction and disordered eating in Chinese adolescents. METHOD: We recruited 545 Chinese adolescents (53.9% boys, aged 12-16 years) who completed measures of body dissatisfaction, dispositional mindfulness, body image flexibility, and disordered eating. Moderation analyses were examined with PROCESS macro on SPSS. RESULTS: In separate models, both higher dispositional mindfulness and body image flexibility weakened relationships between body dissatisfaction and disordered eating. However, when both dispositional mindfulness and body image flexibility were entered into the same moderation model, only body image flexibility showed a significant moderating effect. DISCUSSION: Both dispositional mindfulness and body image flexibility may weaken the association between body dissatisfaction and disordered eating in adolescents. However, body image flexibility might have a stronger effect than dispositional mindfulness. These findings suggest that interventions aimed at reducing body dissatisfaction to prevent disordered eating in adolescents may pay more attention to adolescents' body image flexibility.

Associations between screen use while eating and eating disorder symptomatology: Exploring the roles of mindfulness and intuitive eating.

Screen use while eating has been recently identified as a highly common and potentially important specific setting of screen use in relation to eating disorder symptomatology. However, given this area of research is still in its infancy, how screen use while eating may be related to eating disorder symptomatology remains largely unexplored. To fill this gap, the present study probed the potential roles of mindfulness and intuitive eating in the association between screen use while eating and eating disorder symptomatology. A large sample of Chinese adults (N = 800, aged 18-67 years old) recruited through a Chinese survey platform, Credamo, completed questionnaires assessing screen use while eating, eating disorder symptomatology, mindfulness, and intuitive eating. Structural equation modeling was used to test the proposed model. Results confirmed our hypotheses that the association between screen use while eating and eating disorder symptomatology was partially explained by mindfulness and intuitive eating, after adjusting for covariates (e.g., gender, age, body mass index, total screen time, and social media use). That said, higher screen use while eating was associated first with lower mindfulness and then with lower intuitive eating, which in turn were related to higher eating disorder symptomatology. The findings underline the importance of including eating-specific screen use for future research on eating disorder symptomatology and also have implications for an integrative intervention of mindfulness-based approaches and intuitive eating for mitigating the adverse effects of excessive screen use on eating behaviors.

Screen use while eating is associated with lower intuitive eating and higher disordered eating in Chinese adult men and women.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to explore the potential associations between screen use while eating and intuitive eating and disordered (thinness-oriented and muscularity-oriented) eating behaviors. METHODS: Analyses included 600 Chinese adults (50% women; Mage = 30.67, SD = 8.08) recruited online. The use of four major screen devices was captured, including cell phones, tablets, computers, and TVs. Three types of eating behaviors were examined, namely intuitive eating, thinness-oriented disordered eating, and muscularity-oriented disordered eating. Pearson correlation and hierarchical regression analyses were conducted separately for men and women to examine the sex-specific associations between screen use while eating and intuitive eating, thinness-oriented disordered eating, and muscularity-oriented disordered eating. RESULTS: In both men and women, more screen use while eating was significantly associated with lower intuitive eating, higher thinness-oriented disordered eating, and higher muscularity-oriented disordered eating, above and beyond total screen time and social media use. DISCUSSION: We found preliminary evidence for the significant links between screen use while eating and intuitive eating and disordered eating. Given the global increases in screen use, continued research is warranted to further explore the role of screen use while eating in the development and maintenance of intuitive eating and disordered eating. PUBLIC SIGNIFICANCE: Much remains unknown regarding screen use while eating and eating behaviors. We found that in both Chinese men and women, more screen use while eating was significantly and uniquely associated with lower intuitive eating, higher thinness-oriented disordered eating, and higher muscularity-oriented disordered eating. Findings highlight the importance of incorporating screen use while eating in future research on intuitive eating and disordered eating.

Repair of damaged intestinal mucosa in a mouse model of sepsis.

BACKGROUND: The intestine is not only the main target attacked by sepsis but also the vital organ which mediated sepsis. The recovery of the damaged intestinal barrier structure and function is related to the occurrence and outcome of multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). How to protect and reduce the damage of the intestinal mucosa and how to promote the reconstruction of the intestinal mucosa have been the important topics in sepsis for many years. This study aimed to investigate the influential factors of intestinal mucosal reconstruction after intestinal epithelial injury in vivo in a mouse model of sepsis. METHODS: Mice were subjected to cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) for induction of sepsis to assess intestinal mucosal damage, epithelial cell apoptosis, and transformed number of goblet cells, and to detect the concentration of TNF-α, IL-1 and TGF-ß1 and TFF3 (trefoil factor 3) expression in the small intestinal mucosa. All above were performed by HE staining, western blot, ELISA and immunohistochemistry respectively. The experimental animals were divided into a sepsis group and a sham-operation group. The animals with sepsis were separately killed at 6 (7 animals), 24 (7 animals) and 48 hours (7 animals) after CLP. RESULTS: Injured intestinal mucosa was observed in the 3 groups under a light microscope, in which damage scores in the 24-hour and 48-hour groups were higher than in the 6-hour group and no difference was found between the two groups. Moreover, less of goblet cells or other epithelial cells adjacent to the injured surface migrated into the wound to cover the denuded area. The number of goblet cells was substantially decreased in the three CLP groups compared with the sham-operation group. Protein levels of IL-1 and TNF-α were significantly increased by 3-4 fold at all time points when compared with the sham-operation group, and cleaved caspase-3 by 4 fold. Although TFF3 expression was modestly increased for 6 hours after the onset of CLP, it appeared to decline at 24 hours and 48 hours as shown by Western blot. A similar tendency was observed upon TGF-ß1, i.e. the protein level was not elevated at 24 hours and 48 hours, but increased modestly at 6 hours. CONCLUSIONS: Sepsis from CLP shows less restitution on the surface of injured intestinal mucosa. There is evidence that both constant inflammatory reaction and epithelial cell apoptosis may affect mucosal reestablishment of the intestine at the onset of sepsis. Mucosa after severe sepsis showed the state of high inflammation, and declined goblet cell function and mucosal reconstruction, which affected the repair of damaged intestinal barrier. Constant inflammatory reaction, and declined goblet cell function and mucosal reconstruction ability may affect the reestablishment of intestinal mucosa at the onset of sepsis.

In vitro comparison of the biological activity of alumina ceramic and titanium particles associated with aseptic loosening.

Prosthetic wear particles are thought to play a central role in the initiation and development of periprosthetic osteolysis, leading to aseptic loosening of prostheses. This study aimed to compare the biological activity of ceramic and titanium particles that are associated with particle-induced, aseptic joint loosening. Different sizes of alumina-ceramic particles and titanium particles were prepared to stimulate murine macrophage cells RAW 264.7, of which the expressions of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) were measured by qPCR and ELISA at various time points. In the presence of all particles, the expression of TNF-alpha increased in a time-dependent manner, whereas the expression of RANKL showed no regular expression patterns. Notably, particles of smaller sizes provoked significantly higher levels of TNF-alpha and RANKL than those of larger sizes. Compared to the titanium particles, the ceramic particles provoked a significantly lower production of TNF-alpha. Thus, the bioactivities of titanium and alumina ceramic particles were inversely proportional to the sizes of the particles, and the expression of RANKL was not parallel to that of TNF-alpha. The successful outcome of ceramic-on-ceramic artificial joint prostheses may be attributed to the low biological activity of ceramic particles, as evidenced here.

[Study on the tectology change of rectum wall above the hemorrhoids].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the histomorphological characteristics and its significance of rectum wall above hemorrhoids. METHODS: Tissues of rectum wall above hemorrhoids were obtained after stapled hemorrhoidopexy from 21 patients with grade III-IV internal hemorrhoids. Seven macroscopically normal rectal tissues collected from upper rectal cancer patients without a history of hemorrhoids served as control. Masson trichrome staining was performed for detecting smooth muscles and collagen in the tissues. The expression of type III collagen was detected by using immunohistochemical staining in the two groups. RESULTS: Morphological abnormalities, such as fragment, rupture, disorganization were found in smooth muscle of proximal rectal tissues above the piles, and it was statistically different from the distal rectal tissues above the piles and control tissues (all P < 0.05). Moreover, hyperplasia of type III collagen in both muscularis mucosa and rectum wall in tissues above hemorrhoids were observed, no such changes was found in the control tissues. CONCLUSIONS: The range of pathological changes in hemorrhoids is beyond the anal cushions. The pathological changes of the smooth muscle and the type III collagen in the tissues above the piles are the pathological basis of hemorrhoids.

[Toxicity of cationic liposome Lipofectamine 2000 in human pancreatic cancer Capan-2 cells].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the toxicity of cationic liposome Lipofectamine 2000 (Lipo) in human pancreatic cancer Capan-2 cells. METHODS: Capan-2 cells were cultured in the presence of Lipo at toxic concentrations, and the cell growth, apoptosis and cell cycle changes were evaluated by cell counting and flow cytometry. RESULTS: The concentrations of both Lipo and siRNA affected the transfection efficiency. In a transfection volume of 2 ml, the presence of 5 microl Lipo resulted in slowed growth of Capan-2 cells, which was especially obvious after 3 days (P<0.001). Prolonged culture of the transfected cells caused significant increases in early apoptotic cells (P<0.05) and in the damaged or necrotic cells (P<0.001), and resulted in reduced viable cells (P<0.01); these changes became obvious after a 48-hour culture, which also increased the ratio of G(0)/G(1) phase cells (P<0.05) and decreased those of G(2)/M phase cells (P<0.01), S phase cells (P<0.01), and the late apoptotic cells (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Toxic concentrations of Lipo can affect the growth, apoptosis and cell cycles of Capan-2 cells in vitro, and this urges careful concentration selection when using Lipo for gene transfer into different cells.

Protective effects of recombinant human growth hormone on cirrhotic rats.

AIM: To investigate the effects and molecular mechanisms of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) on protecting liver function and alleviating portal hypertension of liver cirrhotic rats. METHODS: Liver cirrhosis of male Sprague-Dawley rats was induced by administration of thioacetamide. The rats with or without liver cirrhosis were randomly divided into four groups. Group A consisted of the normal rats was treated with normal saline (NS), group B consisted of the normal rats was treated with rhGH, group C consisted of cirrhotic rats was treated with NS, and group D consisted of cirrhotic rats was treated with rhGH. The rats of different groups were subcutaneously injected with 0.5 mL of NS or 333 ng/kg of rhGH daily for 7 d. After treatments, the following parameters were examined, including GH-binding capacity (R(T)) by (125)I-hGH binding, growth hormone receptor mRNA(GHR mRNA) expression by RT-PCR, relative content of collagen (RCC) by histomorphomertry, and level of malon-dialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) in liver tissue by thiobarbituric acid reaction and pyrogallic acid self-oxidation, respectively. Serum albumin (ALB), alanine transaminase (ALT) and portal vein pressure (PVP) were also examined. RESULTS: rhGH up-regulated both the GH-binding capacity (R(T)) and the expression of GHR mRNA in vivo. R(T) in group A (72+/-12 fmol/mg protein) was significantly higher than that in group C (31+/-4 fmol/mg protein) (P<0.05). R(T) in group B (80+/-9 fmol/mg protein) increased markedly compared to group A (P<0.05). R(T) in group D (40+/-7 fmol/mg protein) raised remarkably compared with group C (P<0.05), but less than that in group A, and there was no significant GH binding affinity contrast (Kd) change. The GHR mRNA level (iOD, pixel) in group A (29+/-3) was significantly higher than that in group C (23+/-3) (P<0.05). GHR mRNA levels were significantly raised in group B (56+/-4) and group D (42+/-8) compared with groups A and C (29+/-3 and 23+/-3, respectively) (P<0.05). Compared with the normal liver, MDA level was higher and SOD level was lower in cirrhotic livers. After rhGH treatment, MDA level was significantly declined to 12.0+/-2.2 nmol/mg protein and SOD was raised to 1 029+/-76 U/mg protein in group D (P<0.05). ALB levels in groups B and D (42+/-7 g/L and 37+/-7 g/L, respectively) were significantly raised compared with those in groups A and C (35+/-5 g/L and 29+/-4 g/L, respectively) (P<0.05). ALT level was markedly lower in group D (69+/-7 U/L) compared to group C (89+/-15 U/L) (P<0.05), and close to group A (61+/-10 U/L). RCC in group C (22.30+/-3.86%) was significantly higher than that in group A (1.14+/-0.21%) and group D (14.70+/-2.07%) (P<0.05). In addition, rhGH markedly alleviated portal hypertension in liver cirrhotic rats (group D vs C, 9.3+/-1.5 cmH(2)O vs 14.4+/-2.0 cmH(2)O) (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Pharmacological doses of rhGH can increase R(T) and GHR mRNA expression, ameliorate liver functions, repress fibrosis and decline portal hypertension, suggesting it has potentially clinical usage as a hepatotropic factor.

[Study on morphological change in intestinal mucosa from injury to repair after hemorrhagic shock].

OBJECTIVE: To study on morphological changes in mucosa of the small and large intestine mucosa after resuscitation of hemorrhagic shock. METHODS: The morphological changes in intestinal mucosa were observed under light and electron microscope, including the histology of intestinal mucosa, determination of height of villi and evaluation of mucosa damage index in the different phases after traumatic-hemorrhagic shock. RESULTS: Mucosa epithelial injury was obvious in small intestine were even at 0 hour, becoming more serious in 1 hour up to 3 hours. The tissue repair began after 3 hours, though the injury was still serious. Most of the inJured mucosa began to repair after 6 hours, and completed in 24 hours. The condition of the large intestine was similar to that of the small intestine, but the injury was less severe. The mucosal thickness and the height of villi were diminished after 1 hour of shock, but there was no obvious change in the colon. CONCLUSION: In the early phase after hemorrhagic shock, intestinal mucosal barrier are subJected to damage, but it could repair and recover in a short time. Compare with small intestine, large intestine have stronger potentiality against injury.