Mindfulness-based intervention for hypertension patients with depression and/or anxiety in the community: a randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate mindfulness-based intervention for hypertension with depression and/or anxiety. METHODS: 10-week mindfulness-based intervention, including health education for hypertension, exclusively for the control group, was administered to the intervention group to assist sixty hypertension patients with depression/anxiety. Among them, the intervention group comprised 8 men and 22 women, with a mean age of 60.02 years and a mean duration of hypertension of 6.29 years. The control group consisted of 14 men and 16 women with a mean age of 57.68 years and a mean duration of hypertension of 6.32 years. The severity of depressive and/or anxiety symptoms was assessed using the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) and the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), along with blood pressure (BP) measurements taken twice daily. The study utilized a self-made self-efficacy scale and awareness of physical and mental health to evaluate mental health and state. RESULTS: The depression PHQ-9 or GAD-7 scores reduced by 21.1% or 17.8% in the mindfulness-based intervention group, compared to the control (Z = -2.040, P = 0.041) post 10-week period, suggesting significant reduction in anxiety/stress. These results were consistent with a reduction in systolic BP of 12.24 mm Hg (t = 6.041, P = 0.000). The self-efficacy score of the mindfulness intervention group significantly improved compared to the control (t = 7.818, P < 0.001), while the awareness of physical and mental health in the mindfulness intervention group significantly improved compared to the control (χ2 = 5.781, P = 0.016). CONCLUSION: Mindfulness-based, short-term focused interventions provide modest relief for depression and/or anxiety and are effective in lowering blood pressure and improving self-efficacy scores. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR1900028258. Registered 16 December 2019, https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=43627 .

Potential Benefits of Statin Therapy in Reducing Osteoarthritis Risk: A Mendelian Randomization Study.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to determine the causal effect of statins on osteoarthritis (OA) risk using Mendelian randomization (MR). METHODS: Single nucleotide polymorphism-based genome-wide association analyses of statins were collected from the UK Biobank and FinnGen dataset, and OA data were collected from the UK Biobank and Arthritis Research UK Osteoarthritis Genetics (arcOGEN) study. Two-sample MR analyses were performed using the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) technique. MR-Egger, weighted median, and weighted mode served as supplementary analyses. MR-Egger regression, Cochran's Q test, and Mendelian Randomization Pleiotropy Residual Sum and Outlier analysis were performed as sensitivity analyses. Hydroxymethylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMGCR) expression and OA risk were evaluated using summary data-based MR (SMR). RESULTS: MR analyses consistently supported a causal connection between statin use and OA risk. A causal effect was observed for atorvastatin (IVW: ß = -2.989, P = 0.003) and rosuvastatin (IVW: ß = -14.141, P = 0.006) treatment on hip OA. Meta-analysis showed the association between atorvastatin and knee OA was statistically significant (odds ratio 0.15; P = 0.004). Simvastatin use exhibited a protective effect against knee (IVW: ß = -1.056, P = 0.004) and hip OA (IVW: ß = -1.405, P = 0.001). Statin medication showed a protective effect on hip OA (IVW: ß = -0.054, P = 0.013). HMGCR correlated significantly with a reduced risk of knee OA (ß = -0.193, PSMR = 0.017), rather than hip OA (ß = 0.067, PSMR = 0.502), which suggested that statins' protective effect on OA may not be related to its lipid-lowering effect. CONCLUSION: This MR study provides compelling evidence that statin treatment may be a protective factor for OA. Further research is required to clarify its underlying mechanism.

A new modular framework for high-level application development at HEPS.

As a representative of the fourth-generation light sources, the High Energy Photon Source (HEPS) in Beijing, China, utilizes a multi-bend achromat lattice to obtain an approximately 100 times emittance reduction compared with third-generation light sources. New technologies bring new challenges to operate the storage ring. In order to meet the beam commissioning requirements of HEPS, a new framework for the development of high-level applications (HLAs) has been created. The key part of the new framework is a dual-layer physical module to facilitate the seamless fusion of physical simulation models with the real machine, allowing for fast switching between different simulation models to accommodate the various simulation scenarios. As a framework designed for development of physical applications, all variables are based on physical quantities. This allows physicists to analytically assess measurement parameters and optimize machine parameters in a more intuitive manner. To enhance both extensibility and adaptability, a modular design strategy is utilized, partitioning the entire framework into discrete modules in alignment with the requirements of HLA development. This strategy not only facilitates the independent development of each module but also minimizes inter-module coupling, thereby simplifying the maintenance and expansion of the entire framework. To simplify the development complexity, the design of the new framework is implemented using Python and is called Python-based Accelerator Physics Application Set (Pyapas). Taking advantage of Python's flexibility and robust library support, we are able to develop and iterate quickly, while also allowing for seamless integration with other scientific computing applications. HLAs for both the HEPS linac and booster have been successfully developed. During the beam commissioning process at the linac, Pyapas's ease of use and reliability have significantly reduced the time required for the beam commissioning operators. As a development framework for HLA designed for the new-generation light sources, Pyapas has the versatility to be employed with HEPS, as well as with other comparable light sources, due to its adaptability.

Effects of acupuncture therapy in diabetic neuropathic pain: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effectiveness of acupuncture in relieving diabetic neuropathic pain and to establish a more reliable and efficient foundation for acupuncture practice in diabetes care. METHODS: The Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang database, Chongqing Weipu, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library were all searched for a randomized controlled trial research of acupuncture for DNP. Two researchers independently performed literature screening, quality evaluation, and data extraction. After selecting studies and extracting data, we conducted the data analysis using RevMan 5.4 and Stata 14.0. The quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Assessment Tool. RESULTS: An extensive review of 19 studies involving 1276 patients up to April 29, 2023, found that acupuncture was successful in improving pain intensity [MD= -1.09; 95% CI (-1.28, -0.89), P < 0.00001], clinical efficacy indicating pain changes [RR= 1.22; 95% CI (1.15, 1.29), P < 0.00001], and clinical neuropathy [MD= -1.55; 95% CI ( -3.00, -0.09), P = 0.04] in DNP patients. Quality of life was also improved, with few side effects reported. CONCLUSION: According to this meta-analysis, acupuncture therapy significantly improved the clinical efficacy of pain intensity, pain changes, and clinical neuropathy in patients with DNP, improved the quality of life of patients to a certain extent, and had lower side effects. This discovery provides evidence-based and practical recommendations for the treatment of DNP patients.

Effect of MBSR, DBT and CBT on the hypertension patients with depression/anxiety: Protocol of a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Hypertension, one of the most common chronic diseases worldwide, usually requires lifetime managing blood pressure (BP) with medications. Due to quite large number of hypertension patients co-exist with depression and/or anxiety, and non-cooperated with medical instruction, consequently management of BP is impaired with serious complications, resulting in compromised quality of life. Consequently quality of life of such patients is impaired with serious complications. Therefore, management of depression and/or anxiety is equally important as the treatment of hypertension. Depression and/or anxiety are independent risk factors of hypertension, which is supported by the finding that there is close correlation between hypertension are depression/or anxiety. Psychotherapy (non-drug treatment) maybe useful for hypertensive patients with depression and/or anxiety to improve their negative emotions. We aim to quantify the effective of psychological therapies in the management of hypertension patients with depression or anxiety, by comparing and ranking a network meta-analysis (NMA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Literature search for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) will be performed in five electronic databases from inception to December 2021, including PubMed, the Cochrane library, Embase, Web of Science, and China Biology Medicine disc (CBM). The search terms mainly include "hypertension", "mindfulness-based stress reduction" (MBSR), "cognitive behavioral therapy" (CBT) and "dialectical behavior therapy" (DBT). Cochrane Collaboration quality assessment tool will be used for the risk of bias assessment. A Bayesian network meta-analysis will be performed, using WinBUGS 1.4.3, and Stata 14 will be applied to draw the network diagram, while RevMan 5.3.5 will be used to produce funnel plot for assessing the risk of publication bias. Recommended rating, development and grade methodology will also be utilized to assess the quality of evidence. RESULTS: Effect of MBSR, CBT and DBT will be evaluated by traditional meta-analysis directly and Bayesian network meta-analysis indirectly. Our study will provide the evidence on the efficacy and safety of psychological treatments in the hypertension patients with anxiety. There is no research ethical requirement because this is a systematic review of published literature. The results of this study will be published in a peer-reviewed journal. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Prospero registration number: CRD42021248566.

Micro-SPECT Imaging of Acute Ischemic Stroke with Radioiodinated Riboflavin in Rat MCAO Models via Riboflavin Transporter Targeting.

Riboflavin transporter-3 (RFVT3) is a recently discovered and novel biomarker for the theranostics of nervous system diseases. RFVT3 is significantly overexpressed in cerebral injury after ischemic stroke. Herein, we first reported an RFVT3-targeted tracer 131I-riboflavin (131I-RFLA) for SPECT imaging of ischemic stroke in vivo. 131I-RFLA was radiosynthesized by the iodogen-coating method. 131I-RFLA possessed a radiochemical yield of 69.2 ± 3.7% and greater than 95% radiochemical purity. The representative SPECT/CT images using 131I-RFLA demonstrated the conspicuously increased tracer uptake in the cerebral injury by comparison with the contralateral normal brain at 1 h and 3 and 7 d after stroke. Ex vivo autoradiography demonstrated that the ratio of infarcted to normal brain uptake was 3.63 and it was decreased to 1.98 after blocking, which reconfirmed the results of SPECT images. Importantly, a significant correlation was identified between RFVT3 expression and brain injury by H&E and immunohistochemistry staining. Therefore, RFVT3 is a new and potential biomarker for the early diagnosis of ischemic stroke. In addition, 131I-RFLA is a promising SPECT tracer for imaging RFVT3-related ischemic cerebral injury in vivo.

Structural and Functional Analysis of Nonheme Iron Enzymes BCMO-1 and BCMO-2 from Caenorhabditis elegans.

Carotenoid metabolism is critical for diverse physiological processes. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has two genes that are annotated as ß-carotene 15,15'-monooxygenase (BCMO) and are 17 centimorgan apart on chromosome II, but the function of BCMO-1 and BCMO-2 remains uncharacterized. Sequence homology indicates that the two enzymes belong to the carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase family that share a seven-bladed ß-propeller fold with a nonheme iron center. Here we determined crystal structures of BCMO-1 and BCMO-2 at resolutions of 1.8 and 1.9 Å, respectively. Structural analysis reveals that BCMO-1 and BCMO-2 are strikingly similar to each other. We also characterized their ß-carotene cleavage activity, but the results suggest that they may not act as ß-carotene 15,15'-oxygenases.

Development and Vertical Tests of CEPC 650-MHz Single-Cell Cavities with High Gradient.

A circular electron positron collider (CEPC) will adopt hundreds of 650-MHz superconducting cavities with high quality factor (Q) and accelerating gradient (Eacc). Two 650-MHz single-cell cavities made of fine-grain niobium were first treated via buffered chemical polishing (BCP), which was easy and convenient. However, the vertical test results could not meet the specification of the CEPC (4 × 1010 at 22 MV/m). Therefore, electro-polishing (EP) of 650-MHz single-cell cavities was conducted, which was complicated but remarkably effective. Both 650-MHz single-cell cavities achieved state-of-the-art gradients of 35 MV/m after the EP process, which is extremely high for large elliptical cavities (frequency < 1 GHz). One cavity achieved an intrinsic quality factor (Q0) of 4.5 × 1010 at 22.0 MV/m, which was higher than the CEPC spec. The other cavity obtained a lower Q0 of 3.4 × 1010 at 22.0 MV/m, which may have resulted from the cancellation of high-temperature annealing.

Cross-Sectional Study on Health Literacy and Internet Accessibility Among Patients With DM in Gansu, China.

Objective: To determine the relationship between the health literacy of patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and the accessibility of internet surfing for information concerning DM. Methods: A multistage stratified sampling method was utilized to conduct a questionnaire survey on DM health literacy and internet accessibility among 1,563 patients with DM in Gansu Province in 2020. Logistic regression was performed to analyze the factors that influence health literacy and internet accessibility; while the chi-square test was used to compare the differences in needs. Results: Among 1,563 valid questionnaires collected with an effective rate of 95.7%, there were 65.4, 66.3, or 51.1% of patients with DM were found to have good health knowledge, attitudes, or practice levels, respectively. Occupation, income, disease course of DM, and accessibility to the internet were the main factors influencing health literacy. Age, residency, occupation, education, income, and family history of DM were the factors influencing accessibility to internet surfing for DM. The expectations from patients with DM for the capacity to obtain DM information from traditional sources or through internet sources was 1,465 (93.7%) or 1,145 (73.3%), respectively. Patients with DM had a 2-fold higher desire to obtain DM health information from internet media if the patients had access to the internet than those without (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The socioeconomic status and access to the internet were the main contributing factors for health literacy, as socioeconomic status is closely related to access to the internet.

MicroSPECT Imaging-Guided Treatment of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis in Mice with a Vimentin-Targeting 99mTc-Labeled N-Acetylglucosamine-Polyethyleneimine.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive fibrotic disease with poor prognosis. Evidence has shown that vimentin is a key regulator of lung fibrogenesis. 99mTc-labeled N-acetylglucosamine-polyethyleneimine (NAG-PEI), a vimentin-targeting radiotracer, was used for the early diagnosis of IPF, and NAG-PEI was also used as a therapeutic small interfering RNA (siRNA) delivery vector for the treatment of IPF in this study. Single-photon emission-computed tomography (SPECT) imaging of bleomycin (BM)- and silica-induced IPF mice with 99mTc-labeled NAG-PEI was performed to visualize pulmonary fibrosis and monitor the treatment efficiency of siRNA-loaded NAG-PEI, lipopolysaccharide (LPS, a tolerogenic adjuvant), or zymosan (ZYM, an immunostimulant). The lung uptakes of 99mTc-NAG-PEI in the BM- and silica-induced IPF mice were clearly and directly correlated with IPF progression. The lung uptake of 99mTc-NAG-PEI in the NAG-PEI/TGF-ß1-siRNA treatment group or LPS treatment group was evidently lower than that in the control group, while the lung uptake of 99mTc-NAG-PEI was significantly higher in the ZYM treatment group compared to that in the control group. These results demonstrate that NAG-PEI is a potent MicroSPECT imaging-guided theranostic platform for IPF diagnosis and therapy.

Effect of comprehensive psychosomatic promotion in hypertension patients with anxiety and depression based on community: A randomized parallel controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Mental health is closely related to the occurrence of hypertension, particularly the prognosis of hypertension patients. The role of psychotherapy in the occurrence, development, prevention, and prognosis of hypertension, remains to be clarified. METHODS/DESIGN: We will conduct a prospective, double-blind, randomized, multiple-centers study. Eighty patients enrolled in this trial will be randomized at 1:1 ratio. The primary endpoint is will be the reduction of the patient psychological scale (PHQ-9) score. Secondary endpoints will be the drop in blood pressure, awareness of physical and mental health and self-efficacy scale. Measurements will be performed at baseline, 5-week (questionnaires only), 10-week (primary endpoint), using the Anxiety Screening Questionnaire (GAD-7) and Depression Scale (PHQ-9). Data analysis will be carried out using the SPSS v.25 software assuming a level of significance of 5%. Results will be analyzed using multilevel, regression analysis and hierarchical linear models. DISCUSSION: We hope to provide some insight in the understanding the underlying mechanism of the novel mindfulness in the management of hypertension related psychological stress/disturbance, and will enable us to develop novel approach to manage essential hypertension and its related psychological disorders. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRY:: http://www.chictr.org.cn (ChiCTR1900028258).

Development of fundamental power couplers for 166.6 MHz superconducting quarter-wave beta = 1 proof-of-principle cavities.

Superconducting 166.6 MHz ß = 1 cavities of quarter-wave geometry have been chosen for a high energy photon source, a 6 GeV diffraction-limited synchrotron light source currently under construction in Beijing. Five cavities will provide the required 5.4 MV radio frequency (rf) voltage and 900 kW beam power. Each cavity will be equipped with one fundamental power coupler (FPC), delivering a minimum rf power of 180 kW to the beam. A 50 Ω coaxial structure with one planar warm window was employed. Its location was carefully selected to avoid electron bombardments on the ceramic window due to potential cavity field emission while preserving the required strong coupling. Focusing on optimized heat loads, a compact geometry was pursued to allow assembly with the cavity in a class 10 clean room, thus minimizing contamination. Two prototype FPCs have been fabricated and examined with high power on room-temperature test stands. The couplers were tested up to 50 kW continuous wave (cw) limited by the available solid-state amplifier. The rf conditioning was conducted initially in travelling-wave mode and later in a standing-wave setup with the variable phase of the reverse wave. All rf surfaces were thus exposed to a high field equivalent to 200 kW cw traveling wave. Being the most critical component, the window-inner-conductor assembly was conditioned up to 150 kW at 650 MHz on a hybrid test stand. Multipacting barriers were encountered as predicted and can be processed by rf conditioning. The design, fabrication, and high-power tests of the first 166.6 MHz FPCs are presented.

Structural insight into the biological functions of Arabidopsis thaliana ACHT1.

The Arabidopsis thaliana atypical Cys His-rich thioredoxins (ACHTs) are a small class of atypical thioredoxins (TRXs) located in chloroplasts thylakoids and are characterized by a noncanonical motif at their redox active site, C (G/S)(S/G)C. Previous studies have reported that ACHT1 can interact with A. thaliana 2-Cys peroxiredoxins (2-Cys Prxs, including PrxA and PrxB) to transmit oxidation signals in response to illumination with normal light intensity. In this study, we reported the crystal structure of ACHT1 and show that ACHT1 adopts a canonical TRX fold. Comparison of the structures of ACHT1 in both reducing and oxidizing environments revealed that while the redox environment did not influence the overall structure of ACHT1, it did change the conformation of its catalytic residues. We found that the catalytic C125 of ACHT1 is the target residue for PrxA in vitro. In addition, we found that ACHT1 can reduce the peroxidase activity of PrxA, and further confirmed that the ability of ACHT1 to restore the peroxidase function of PrxA was due to the interaction between the two. Our results provide a structural basis for studying the function of atypical TRXs and the oxidative regulation mechanism of ACHT1 and 2-Cys Prxs in chloroplasts.

The epidemiology of reverse transmission of COVID-19 in Gansu Province, China.

Background: The transmission of COVID-19 is about to come under control within China, however, an emerging challenge to the Chinese authorities is reverse transmission due to COVID-19 patients/carriers evacuating from overseas to China. Methods: We analysed the epidemiological characteristics of 311 Chinese citizens evacuated from Iran. All confirmed COVID-19 cases amongst the returnees were displayed by the spatial distribution pattern of the extent of COVID-19 infection. Results: Characteristics that differed significantly amongst these returnees compared to the original infected cohorts in Gansu were mean age, occupation and sex. Differences observed between infected patients and non-patients amongst returnees were age, sex, race, occupation, the use of facemasks, and residential situation in Iran. The clinical features that were significantly related to infection were chill, shortness of breath, chest pain and nausea. Spatial distribution pattern analysis indicated that infected returnees had resided within Iranian provinces that had experienced high levels of COVID-19. The spatial distribution of the original homes of these returnees before departure for Iran demonstrated that returnees will largely return to northwest China, to regions that have only experienced low levels of infection within China. Conclusion: Blocking the reverse transmission of COVID-19 is critical in preventing a secondary outbreak of COVID-19.

Epidemiology of Coronavirus Disease in Gansu Province, China, 2020.

To determine the epidemiology of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in a remote region of China, far from Wuhan, we analyzed the epidemiology of COVID-19 in Gansu Province. From January 23 through February 3, 2020, a total of 35 (64.8%) of 54 reported cases were imported from COVID-19-epidemic areas. Characteristics that differed significantly during the first and second waves of illness in Gansu Province were mean patient age, occupation, having visited epidemic areas, and mode of transportation. Time from infection to illness onset for family clusters was shorter in Gansu Province than in Wuhan, consistent with shortened durations from onset to first medical visit or hospitalization. Spatial distribution pattern analysis indicated hot spots and spatial outliers in Gansu Province. As a result of adequate interventions, transmission of the COVID-19 virus in Gansu Province is decreasing.

Development and clinical application of a rapid IgM-IgG combined antibody test for SARS-CoV-2 infection diagnosis.

The outbreak of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) quickly spread all over China and to more than 20 other countries. Although the virus (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus [SARS-Cov-2]) nucleic acid real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test has become the standard method for diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection, these real-time PCR test kits have many limitations. In addition, high false-negative rates were reported. There is an urgent need for an accurate and rapid test method to quickly identify a large number of infected patients and asymptomatic carriers to prevent virus transmission and assure timely treatment of patients. We have developed a rapid and simple point-of-care lateral flow immunoassay that can detect immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG antibodies simultaneously against SARS-CoV-2 virus in human blood within 15 minutes which can detect patients at different infection stages. With this test kit, we carried out clinical studies to validate its clinical efficacy uses. The clinical detection sensitivity and specificity of this test were measured using blood samples collected from 397 PCR confirmed COVID-19 patients and 128 negative patients at eight different clinical sites. The overall testing sensitivity was 88.66% and specificity was 90.63%. In addition, we evaluated clinical diagnosis results obtained from different types of venous and fingerstick blood samples. The results indicated great detection consistency among samples from fingerstick blood, serum and plasma of venous blood. The IgM-IgG combined assay has better utility and sensitivity compared with a single IgM or IgG test. It can be used for the rapid screening of SARS-CoV-2 carriers, symptomatic or asymptomatic, in hospitals, clinics, and test laboratories.

Totally mechanical linear stapled anastomosis for minimally invasive Ivor Lewis esophagectomy: Operative technique and short-term outcomes.

BACKGROUND: Anastomosis is one of the important factors affecting anastomotic complications after esophagectomy, and multiple reports have compared anastomotic complications among various techniques. However, there is insufficient evidence in the literature to definitively recommend one anastomotic technique over another. METHOD: We retrospectively evaluated 34 consecutive patients who underwent an improved totally mechanical side-to-side: posterior-to-posterior linear stapled (TM-STS) technique for minimally invasive Ivor Lewis esophagogastric anastomosis, performed by a single surgeon between February 2015 to November 2017. The operative techniques and short-term outcomes are analyzed in this study. RESULTS: There were no conversions to an open approach and a complete resection was achieved in all patients undergoing this improved procedure. During the first half of the series, the median operation time was 355 minutes, ranging from 257 to 480 minutes. Over the second half of this series, the median operation time was reduced to 256 minutes. There were no mortalities or serious postoperative complications. Only one patient (2.9%) had an anastomotic leak, which resolved without intervention. Another patient (2.9%) experienced transient, delayed conduit emptying which upper gastrointestinal radiography determined was due to a mechanical obstruction caused by an abnormally long gastric tube in the chest cavity. CONCLUSIONS: The results of our study suggest that this improved TM-STS technique is safe and effective for minimally invasive Ivor Lewis esophagectomy, and can be considered as one of the alternative procedure for patients with lower esophageal as well as Siewert types I/II gastroesophageal junction carcinoma.

Unmedicated patients with schizophrenia in economically underdeveloped areas of China.

OBJECTIVES: Untreated schizophrenia commonly leads to poor prognosis. The medication treatment rate of schizophrenia patients in economically underdeveloped areas of China has not been well-studied. This study aimed to examine the pattern of unmedicated schizophrenia patients in economically underdeveloped rural and urban areas of China. METHOD: A total of 4240 schizophrenia patients in Lanzhou (1720 rural and 2520 urban patients) registered in the community mental-health service system in Lanzhou, Gansu province were included. Their socio-demographic and clinical characteristics including medication treatment status were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: The proportion of unmedicated schizophrenia patients was 22.5% (n = 953) in the whole sample, with 32.3% (556/1720) in rural and 15.8% (397/2520) in urban patients (X2=161.1, P < 0.001). Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed that unmedicated schizophrenia patients in rural area were more likely to be older (OR=1.02, 95%CI: 1.01-1.03), male (OR=1.35, 95%CI: 1.07-1.71), unmarried (OR=0.71, 95%CI: 0.55-0.91), and have lower educational level (OR=0.39, 95%CI: 0.24-0.65), longer illness duration (OR=1.01, 95%CI: 1.00-1.02) and less frequent admissions (OR=0.46, 95%CI: 0.38-0.54). In contrast, unmedicated patients in urban area were more likely to be older (OR=1.01, 95%CI: 1.00-1.02), unmarried (OR=0.77, 95%CI: 0.61-0.98), employed (OR=2.38, 95%CI: 1.87-3.04), and have lower educational level (OR=0.49, 95%CI: 0.37-0.65), better financial status (OR=0.60, 95%CI: 0.48-0.76) and less frequent admissions (OR=0.81, 95%CI: 0.75-0.87). CONCLUSIONS: The rate of unmedicated schizophrenia patients is high in economically underdeveloped areas of China, particularly in rural areas. Effective policies and measures should be implemented urgently to improve the treatment rate in this population.

Crystal structure of Arabidopsis thaliana peroxiredoxin A C119S mutant.

Peroxiredoxins (Prxs), a large family of antioxidant enzymes, are abundant in all living organisms. Peroxiredoxin A (PrxA) from Arabidopsis thaliana belongs to the typical 2-Cys Prx family and is localized in the chloroplast. This article reports the crystal structure of a PrxA C119S mutant refined to 2.6 Šresolution. The protein exists as a decamer both in the crystal structure and in solution. The structure is in the reduced state suitable for the approach of peroxide, though conformational changes are needed for the resolving process.

Multilayered Scaffold with a Compact Interfacial Layer Enhances Osteochondral Defect Repair.

Repairing osteochondral defect (OCD) using advanced biomaterials that structurally, biologically, and mechanically fulfill the criteria for stratified tissue regeneration remains a significant challenge for researchers. Here, a multilayered scaffold (MLS) with hierarchical organization and heterogeneous composition is developed to mimic the stratified structure and complex components of natural osteochondral tissues. Specifically, the intermediate compact interfacial layer within the MLS is designed to resemble the osteochondral interface to realize the closely integrated layered structure. Subsequently, macroscopic observations, histological evaluation, and biomechanical and biochemical assessments are performed to evaluate the ability of the MLS of repairing OCD in a goat model. By 48 weeks postimplantation, superior hyalinelike cartilage and sound subchondral bone are observed in the MLS group. Furthermore, the biomimetic MLS significantly enhances the biomechanical and biochemical properties of the neo-osteochondral tissue. Taken together, these results confirm the potential of this optimized MLS as an advanced strategy for OCD repair.