Analysis of disulfidptosis- and cuproptosis-related LncRNAs in modulating the immune microenvironment and chemosensitivity in colon adenocarcinoma.

The main objective was to establish a prognostic model utilising long non-coding RNAs associated with disulfidptosis and cuproptosis. The data for RNA-Sequence and clinicopathological information of Colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) were acquired from The Cancer Genome Atlas. A prognostic model was constructed using Cox regression and the Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator method. The model's predictive ability was assessed through principal component analysis, Kaplan-Meier analysis, nomogram etc. The ability of identifying the rates of overall survival, infiltration of immune cells, and chemosensitivity was also explored. In vitro experiments were conducted for the validation of differential expression and function of lncRNAs. A disulfidptosis and cuproptosis-related lncRNA prognostic model was constructed. The prognostic model exhibits excellent independent predictive capability for patient outcomes. Based on the authors' model, the high-risk group exhibited higher tumour mutation burdened worse survival. Besides, differences in immune cell infiltration and responsiveness to chemotherapeutic medications exist among patients with different risk scores. Furthermore, aberrant expressions in certain lncRNAs have been validated in HCT116 cells. In particular, FENDRR and SNHG7 could affect the proliferation and migration of colorectal cancer cells. Our study developed a novel prognostic signature, providing valuable insights into prognosis, immune infiltration, and chemosensitivity in COAD patients.

Study on blasting fragmentation mechanism of burnt rock in open-pit coal mine.

A large number of burnt rocks in some open-pit mines in Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia and Ningxia have a great influence on the blasting effect. For this kind of rock, through the analysis of physical and chemical changes, combined with ANSYS/LS-DYNA and PFC 2D numerical simulation software, a burnt rock model with multiple joint cracks and irregular distribution is constructed to simulate the blasting process of burnt rock under the combined action of stress wave and detonation gas. The results show that the fracture of rock mass affects the propagation of blasting cracks in the fracture area, resulting in stress concentration and stress hindrance. The action time of stress wave is reduced, and the energy of blasting gas is partially absorbed by the fracture, resulting in uneven stress on the burnt rock bench and seriously affecting the bench blasting effect.

Clinical insomnia among elderly primary care attenders in Wuhan, China: A multicenter cross-sectional epidemiological study.

Background and objectives: Integrating sleep health into primary care is a promising approach to narrow the treatment gap for insomnia in older adults but data regarding the epidemiological characteristics of insomnia among elderly primary care attenders (EPCAs) are very limited. This study examined the prevalence and correlates of clinical insomnia among Chinese EPCAs. Methods: By using two-stage consecutive sampling method, a total of 757 EPCAs were recruited from seven urban and six rural primary care centers in Wuhan, China. The Insomnia Severity Index (ISI) and the Geriatric Depression Scale (15 item version) were administered to assess insomnia severity and depressive symptoms, respectively. Results: The two-week prevalence of clinical insomnia (ISI score ≥ 15) was 28.9%. Significant correlates of clinical insomnia were: female sex (vs. male, OR = 2.13, P < 0.001), fair and poor family relationship (vs. good, OR = 1.59, P = 0.028), hypertension (OR = 1.67, P = 0.004), heart disease (OR = 1.73, P = 0.048), arthritis (OR = 2.72, P = 0.001), and depressive symptoms (OR = 4.53, P < 0.001). Conclusion: The high prevalence of clinical insomnia among Chinese EPCAs suggests a high level of sleep health need in older patients in China's primary care settings. Considering the many negative outcomes associated with insomnia, it is necessary to integrate sleep health into primary care in China.

Identification and validation of a prognostic model of necroptosis-related lncRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Background: The study focused on establishing a prognostic survival model with six necroptosis-related lncRNAs to predict overall survival (OS) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: The data of gene expression and clinical information of HCC patients were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Cox regression with LASSO was used for constructing a necroptosis-related lncRNA survival model, which we further validated with qRT-PCR in vitro. The relative bioinformatics analysis and consensus cluster analysis were performed based on six differentially expressed lncRNAs. Results: The survival prognostic model was constructed by using data from TCGA. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves showed a good survival prediction by this model. GSEA showed that several signaling pathways were related to HCC progression. Immune-related functional analysis showed that aDCs, macrophages, Th2 cells, and Tregs have stronger correlation with the high-risk group. The consensus cluster analysis further validated the 6-lncRNA prognostic model. Conclusion: A novel 6-lncRNA (AL606489.1, NRAV, LINC02870, DUXAP8, "ZFPM2-AS1," and AL031985.3) prognostic model had an accurately predictive power in HCC prognosis, which might be worthy of clinical application.

Modification of STIM2 by m6A RNA methylation inhibits metastasis of cholangiocarcinoma.

Background: N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most frequent internal methylation of eukaryotic RNA (ribonucleic acid) transcripts and plays an important function in RNA processing. The current research aimed to investigate the role of m6A-STIM2 axis in cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) progression. Methods: The expression of STIM2 (Stromal Interaction Molecule 2) in CCA was measured using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunohistochemistry (IHC). STIM2 was examined in vivo for its effects on the malignant phenotypes of CCA cells. The m6A modification of STIM2 was assessed through MeRIP (methylated RNA Immunoprecipitation)-PCR. Results: Based on the GEPIA (Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis) 2 database findings, a low STIM2 mRNA (messenger RNA) level was related to a poor prognosis in individuals with CCA. Quantitative PCR and IHC assays indicated decreased protein satin in CCA tissues and were associated with extrahepatic metastasis. Vianude mice tail vein injection model indicated that increased STIM2 levels suppressed CCA cell metastasis in vivo, while KRT8 (keratin 8) was detected as the direct downstream target of STIM2-mediated CCA cell metastasis in vivo. Meanwhile, based on SRAMP database and MeRIP assays indicated that m6A alteration resulted in abnormal STIM2 expression in CCA via METTL14 and YTHDC2. Conclusions: Our findings revealed the epi-transcriptomic dysregulation in CCA and metastasis by proposing a complicated STIM2-KRT8 regulatory paradigm based on m6A alteration.

[Correlation analysis and breeding application of agronomic traits and quality indexes in Dendrobium nobile].

The present study aimed to explore the correlation between agronomic traits and quality indexes of Dendrobium nobile and its application value in agricultural breeding. The cultivated strains of D. nobile in Hejiang-Chishui producing areas were extensively collected,and the main agronomic traits and quality indexes were measured. The agronomic traits with significant correlation with quality indexes were screened out by the correlation analysis,and then the parental lines and self-bred F_1 generation plants were furtherverified. Among 96 lines of D. nobile,the content of soluble polysaccharides showed a significant negative correlation with dendrobine( P < 0. 01),and no significant correlation with agronomic traits in stems and leaves. The content of dendrobine exhibited a significant positive correlation with the stem width-thickness ratio( at the largest cross section; P < 0. 01),and no significant correlation with other agronomic traits. Regression analysis further verified the positive correlation between dendrobine content and stem width-thickness ratio( R2> 0. 9). Two lines,JC-10 and JC-35,with significant differences in stem width-thickness ratio were screened out( P <0. 05). The corresponding F1 generation plants by self-pollination both showed that the dendrobine content was higher with greater stem width-thickness ratio( P < 0. 01). The experimental results suggested that within a certain range,the dendrobine content was higher in D. nobile with flatter stem. Therefore,in the breeding of D. nobile,this specific trait could be used for screening plants with high content of quality indexes such as dendrobine.

A meta-analysis of active smoking and risk of meningioma.

INTRODUCTION: Cigarette smoking has been hypothesized to be a risk factor for meningioma. However, the results of studies exploring the relationship between smoking exposure and the occurrence of meningioma are inconsistent. METHODS: A search of PubMed, Medline, Embase, and Science Direct (up to June 2020) databases was performed. Two authors independently extracted the data. The Newcastle-Ottawa Scale was employed for judging the quality of articles. A random-effects model was utilized for meta-analysis. Association analysis between smoking and meningioma was based on the adjusted RR and the 95% CI, as reported by eligible studies. Subgroup and sensitivity analyses were performed and publication bias was assessed. Subgroup analysis was conducted by geographical region, study design, sex, study quality, and adjustments of RR score. Begg's and Egger's tests were employed for detecting publication bias. RESULTS: Twelve articles, including 2 cohort studies and 10 case-control studies, and a total of 1210167 participants were identified. The pooled relative risk (RR) with 95% confidence interval (95% CI) implied that smoking was not associated with increased risk of meningioma in men and women combined (RR=1.09; 95% CI: 0.90-1.33). From the sex-stratified subgroup analysis, the risk of meningioma was significant in men (RR=1.42; 95% CI: 1.16-1.74). Risk of meningioma in women did not remain significant (RR=0.92; 95% CI: 0.73-1.16). There was a high heterogeneity in the results (I2=58.4%, p=0.002). Sensitivity analyses showed stable results and there was no evidence of publication bias. CONCLUSIONS: Cigarette smoking is not associated with a significantly increased risk of meningioma in the whole population, but there is a positive association in men but not in women.

Biological functions of Arabidopsis thaliana MBP-1-like protein encoded by ENO2 in the response to drought and salt stresses.

Arabidopsis thaliana ENO2 (AtENO2) plays an important role in plant growth and development. It encodes two proteins, a full-length AtENO2 and a truncated version, AtMBP-1, alternatively translated from the second start codon of the mRNA. The AtENO2 mutant (eno2- ) exhibited reduced leaf size, shortened siliques, a dwarf phenotype and higher sensitivity to abiotic stress. The objectives of this study were to analyze the regulatory network of the ENO2 gene in plant growth development and understand the function of AtENO2/AtMBP-1 to abiotic stresses. An eno2- /35S:AtENO2-GFP line and an eno2- /35S:AtMBP-1-GFP line of Arabidopsis were obtained. Results of sequencing by 454 GS FLX identified 578 upregulated and 720 downregulated differential expressed genes (DEGs) in a pairwise comparison (WT-VS-eno2- ). All the high-quality reads were annotated using the Gene Ontology (GO) terms. The DEGs with KEGG pathway annotations occurred in 110 pathways. The metabolic pathways and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites contained more DEGs. Moreover, the eno2- /35S:AtENO2-GFP line returned to the wild-type (WT) phenotype and was tolerant to drought and salt stresses. However, the eno2- /35S:AtMBP-1-GFP line was not able to recover the WT phenotype but it has a higher tolerance to drought and salt stresses. Results from this study demonstrate that AtENO2 is critical for the growth and development, and the AtMBP-1 coded by AtENO2 is important in tolerance of Arabidopsis to abiotic stresses.

Establishment and assessment of the hepatic venous pressure gradient using biofluid mechanics (HVPGBFM): protocol for a prospective, randomised, non-controlled, multicentre study.

INTRODUCTION: Portal hypertension (PH) is a severe disease with a poor outcome. Hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG), the current gold standard to detect PH, is available only in few hospitals due to its invasiveness and technical difficulty. This study aimed to establish and assess a novel model to calculate HVPG based on biofluid mechanics. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This is a prospective, randomised, non-controlled, multicentre trial. A total of 248 patients will be recruited in this study, and each patient will undergo CT, blood tests, Doppler ultrasound and HVPG measurement. The study consists of two independent and consecutive cohorts: original cohort (124 patients) and validation cohort (124 patients). The researchers will establish and improve the HVPG using biofluid mechanics (HVPGBFM)model in the original cohort and assess the model in the validation cohort. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study was approved by the Scientific Research Projects Approval Determination of Independent Ethics Committee of Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine (approval number 2017-430 T326). Study findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: NCT03470389.

[Effect of reducing N and regulated fertilization on N loss from wheat-maize rotation system of farmland in Chao soil region of North China Plain]. / 农田减氮调控施肥对华北潮土区小麦-çŽ‰ç±³è½®ä½œä½“ç³»æ°®ç´ æŸå¤±çš„å½±å“.

The application of large amounts of nitrogen (N) fertilizer can result in soil N accumulation and consequently N loss. To address these problems in a wheat-maize rotation area of the North China Plain, a two-year field experiment (2016-2017) was conducted to examine the effects of three different N fertilizer strategies on crop yield, N uptake, N loss and soil inorganic N content. The treatments were: controlled-release fertilizer, microbial fertilizer, nitrification inhibitor and farmer's practice (control). The results showed that the wheat yield from the microbial fertilizer treatment in 2016 was significantly lower than that from the controlled-release fertilizer treatment and the nitrification inhibitor treatment, but was not significantly different from conventional farmer fertilization. The N uptake of wheat and annual crops in the microbial fertilizer treatment was significantly reduced. There was no significant difference in crop yield and N uptake among the treatments in 2017. Soil fertility of the tillage layer was maintained or improved in all three treatments compared with the control, and the contents of alkali-hydrolyzed nitrogen, available potassium and organic matter increased with the increase of plant growth period in the microbial fertilizer treatment. Microbial fertilizer and nitrification inhibitor reduced the inorganic N content in the 40-100 cm soil profile, while controlled-release fertilizer increased the inorganic N content in the 0-40 cm soil layer. N loss through ammonia volatilization was higher than that through leaching, which was greater than the loss through N2O emission. Runoff loss was negligible. Among the treatments, N loss in farmer's practice treatment was the highest. Microbial fertilizer significantly reduced N loss through ammonia volatilization, but the loss through leaching was larger. In conclusion, with reduced N application compared with the farmer's practice, controlled release fertilizer and nitrification inhibitor could maintain crop yield and N uptake, and microbial fertilizer could ensure crop yield and N uptake for a longer plant growth period. The results suggested that inorganic N content in the 40-100 cm soil layer could be reduced in the soil by adding microbial fertilizer and nitrification inhibitors, and the amount of inorganic N was not reduced significantly by application of controlled release fertilizer. Several N reduction measures could reduce N loss. The microbial fertilizer treatment needed to be modified to reduce N leaching.

Expression of IL-26 predicts prognosis of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma after surgical resection.

BACKGROUND: There is no data regarding prognostic impact of interleukin (IL)-26 on outcomes of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The present study aimed to evaluate the prognostic impact of IL-26 on HCC patients undergoing liver resection. METHODS: From 2003 to 2008, 122 patients with HCC who received surgical curative resection were enrolled. Patients were stratified into IL-26-upper and -lower groups according to the median expression level from immunohistochemical staining of resected specimens. Prognostic impact of IL-26 was estimated using Kaplan-Meier curves. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to evaluate time-dependent prognostic impact and independency of IL-26. Demographic and clinical factors that were associated with IL-26 were comprehensively identified. RESULTS: Prognosis of the patients with high level of IL-26 revealed to be significantly unfavorable in both cumulative recurrence-free survival (P < 0.001) and overall survival (P = 0.002). Upper expression of IL-26 (HR: 1.643; 95% CI: 1.021 to 2.644; P = 0.041) and microvascular invasion (HR: 3.303; 95% CI: 1.255 to 8.696; P = 0.016) were identified as significant independent prognostic factors for overall survival in the multivariable analysis. CONCLUSIONS: IL-26 is a novel prognostic factor for HCC after resection. Evaluation of IL-26 expression may be potentially valuable in clinical therapy when planning individualized follow-up schedule and evaluating candidates for prophylactic adjuvant treatment to prevent recurrence.

Responses of soil active carbon and nitrogen to short-term warming in alpine treeline of west Sichuan, China.

Alpine treeline ecosystem is more sensitive to global warming under low temperature limitation with the aggravation of greenhouse effect, which may directly affect plant growth and soil carbon and nitrogen processes. We expected that climate warming would change soil active carbon and nitrogen content in alpine ecosystems. This experiment was conducted in long-term research station of alpine forest ecosystems, in Lixian County, Sichuan Province. The open top camber (OTC) was used to simulate warming, intact soil core (soil organic layer and mineral soil layer) of OTC and CK were collected in April, July and October 2017. Soil dissolved organic carbon (DOC), soil microbial biomass carbon (MBC), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) and soil microbial biomass nitrogen (MBN) were measured. The results showed that average temperature increased by 0.88 ℃ for air, 0.48 ℃ for soil organic layer and 0.23 ℃ for mineral soil layer. The simulated warming did not significantly change soil organic matter and water content, but significantly increased pH of mine-ral soil layer, and significantly reduced DOC and DON contents of mineral soil layer in non-growing season. There was significant seasonal variation for the contents of DOC, DON and MBN in the two layers, but not for MBC. The MBC and MBN contents of soil organic layer were significantly higher than that of mineral soil layer. There was a significant positive correlation between active carbon and nitrogen with soil organic matter and water content. There was a significant positive correlation between MBC, MBN and soil pH, whereas MBN was negatively correlated with soil temperature.

A meta-analysis on associations between vitamin D receptor genetic variants and tuberculosis.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to analyze potential associations between vitamin D receptor (VDR) genetic variants and tuberculosis (TB) through a meta-analysis. METHODS: Systematic literature research of PubMed, Web of Science, Embase and CNKI was performed to identify eligible articles. Statistical analyses were conducted by using Review Manager. RESULTS: Totally 54 studies were enrolled for analyses. Pooled overall analyses suggested that VDR rs1544410 (dominant model: p = 0.02; allele model: p = 0.04), rs2228570 (recessive model: p = 0.01; allele model: p = 0.03) and rs731236 (recessive model: p = 0.02; allele model: p = 0.02) variants were significantly associated with TB. Further subgroup analyses by ethnicity revealed that rs1544410 variant was significantly associated with TB in South Asians (dominant and allele models) and Caucasians (dominant, recessive and allele models), rs2228570 variant was significantly associated with TB in East Asians (recessive model), and rs731236 variant was significantly associated with TB in South Asians (dominant, recessive and allele models). CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis suggested that VDR rs1544410, rs2228570 and rs731236 variants might serve as genetic biomarkers of TB in certain populations.

Influence of Familiarity on Energy Intake and Plasma Gut Hormone Concentration in Lean and Overweight Young Male Students.

OBJECTIVE: This study is to examine the influence of familiarity on energy intake, eating behavior, and concentration of the plasma gut hormones in lean and overweight young male subjects. METHODS: Twenty-eight lean and twenty-eight overweight participants were recruited. Their food consumption was documented and analyzed when they had a test meal while they were paired with friends or strangers at the same weight stature. Their eating behavior was recorded with cameras hidden in the carton, and postprandial plasma gut hormone concentration were measured. RESULTS: Compared with overweight strangers (OS), overweight friends (OF) had increased food consumption, prolonged and decreased number of chews per 10 g food. Compared with OS, postprandial plasma concentration of cholecystokinin-8 was significantly lower in OF group at 30, 60, and 90 min, whereas the concentration of glucagon-like peptide 1 was significantly lower at 60 and 90 min. Plasma ghrelin concentration was significantly higher in the OF group than that in the OS group at 90 and 120 min. No significant differences in gut hormone concentration were observed between lean strangers (LS) and lean friends (LF) groups at all time points. CONCLUSION: Familiarity plays an important role in increasing energy intake and in changing of postprandial gut hormone concentration in overweight individuals.

Sexual life satisfaction of methadone-maintained Chinese patients: individuals with pain are dissatisfied with their sex lives.

PURPOSE: Pain is potentially associated with sexual dysfunction. Both sexual dysfunction and pain are common in methadone-maintained patients, but the association of pain with sexual dysfunction in methadone-maintained patients is rarely studied. This study examined the association between pain and sexual life satisfaction (SLS) in Chinese patients receiving methadone maintenance treatment (MMT). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 477 methadone-maintained patients who recently had sex with their sex partners were recruited from three MMT clinics in Wuhan, China. SLS was assessed with a single question, and the sociodemographic, psychological, and clinical data were collected with standardized questionnaires. Pain intensity was assessed with the 5-point verbal rating scale. Multiple ordinary logistic regression was used to control for potential confounders that may bias the pain-SLS relationship. RESULTS: The prevalence of self-reported dissatisfaction with one's sexual life was significantly higher in patients with clinically significant pain (CSP) than those without CSP (41.5% vs 19.4%, χ2 =23.567, P<0.001). After controlling for potential sociodemographic, psychological, and clinical confounders, CSP was still significantly and independently associated with an increase in sexual life dissatisfaction (OR =1.89, P=0.011). CONCLUSION: Pain is significantly associated with low SLS in methadone-maintained patients. Appropriate pain management might improve SLS of patients receiving MMT.

Complement depletion with cobra venom factor alleviates acute hepatic injury induced by ischemia­reperfusion.

Increasing evidence has demonstrated that complement activation is required for ischemia­reperfusion injury (IRI)­induced hepatic damage, and cobra venom factor (CVF) can deplete the complement components. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effect and intrinsic mechanism of CVF pretreatment on IRI­induced acute hepatic injury in rats. Acute hepatic injury in rats was induced by bone fracture to simulate trauma, followed by hemorrhage for 90 min, and then the rats were resuscitated for a period of 20 min of reperfusion. The survival times under different CVF treatment doses and schedules for rats with IRI were evaluated. Hepatic tissues and serum samples were analyzed for acute hepatic injury, complement activation, inflammatory mediator release and apoptosis at predetermined times and compared between the IRI group and the CVF pretreatment + IRI groups. Compared to the rats with IRI alone, the survival times were significantly improved among rats with IRI receiving a high­dose or low­dose CVF pretreatment (all P<0.01). Upon histological examination, severe hepatic damage was observed in the rats with IRI, accompanied by liver function deterioration, complement and membrane attack complex activation, inflammatory mediator release and hepatic cell apoptosis. CVF pretreatment significantly attenuated the hepatic injury through depletion of anaphylatoxic C5a and membrane attack complex C5b­9 activation, and subsequent inhibition of inflammatory mediator release and hepatic cell apoptosis (all P<0.05). The results indicated that CVF pretreatment ameliorates IRI­induced acute hepatic injury. However, further studies are required to determine whether this therapy could be a potential agent for the treatment of IRI injuries in clinical settings.

[Research progress in the mechanism of translation initiation of eukaryotic mRNAs].

The translation of mRNA is a complicated multi-step process, including initiation, elongation and termination. Among them, the regulation of the initial stage plays the key role. There are many ways to initiate mRNA translation, and the most classical way is the m 7G cap-dependent scanning mechanism that was also the first mechanism identified. When cells encounter adversity and the classical mechanism is inhibited, other types of translation initiation mechanisms will be activated. In this review, we summarize the translation initiation mechanisms of eukaryotic mRNAs, especially some alternative mechanisms. It will provide a reference for further understanding of the expression and regulation of eukaryotic genes at the translation levels.

Antiviral effect of lithium chloride on porcine epidemic diarrhea virus in vitro.

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), a member of the Coronaviridae family, causes acute diarrhea, vomiting, dehydration, and high mortality rates in neonatal piglets. Severe outbreaks of PEDV variants have re-emerged in Asia and North America since 2010, causing tremendous economic losses to the swine industry. The lack of effective therapeutic treatment promotes the research for new antivirals. Lithium chloride (LiCl) has been reported as a potential antiviral drug for certain viruses. In this study, the antiviral effect of LiCl on PEDV in Vero cells was evaluated. Real-time quantitative PCR and indirect immunofluorescence assay indicated that LiCl effectively inhibited the entry and replication of PEDV in Vero cells. The expression of viral RNA and protein of PEDV in Vero cells was suppressed in a dose-dependent manner by LiCl. Moreover, addition of LiCl inhibited both early and late cell apoptosis induced by PEDV. Our data implied that LiCl could be a potential antiviral drug against PEDV infection. Further studies are required to explore the antiviral effect of lithium chloride on PEDV infection in vivo.

Sleep in lonely heroin-dependent patients receiving methadone maintenance treatment: longer sleep latency, shorter sleep duration, lower sleep efficiency, and poorer sleep quality.

Given the socially isolated status of Chinese heroin-dependent patients (HDPs) and the significant association between loneliness and sleep problem in the general population, the impact of loneliness on sleep of HDPs is potentially substantial. The study aimed to test whether loneliness is associated with poor sleep in terms of quantity and quality in a consecutive sample of Chinese HDPs receiving methadone maintenance treatment (MMT). The study participants were 603 HDPs of three MMT clinics in Wuhan, China. Data on socio-demographic and clinical characteristics were collected by a standardized self-administered questionnaire. Sleep outcomes included sleep latency, sleep duration, sleep efficiency, and sleep quality. We measured depressive symptoms, loneliness, and sleep quality by using Zung's Self-rating Depression Scale, the single-item self-report of loneliness, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, respectively. Multiple linear regression was used to examine whether loneliness is independently associated with sleep measures. After controlling for the confounding effects of potential socio-demographic and clinical variables, loneliness was significantly associated with longer sleep latency, shorter sleep duration, lower sleep efficiency, and poorer sleep quality. Loneliness may exacerbate sleep disturbance in Chinese HDPs of MMT clinics. Psychosocial interventions aimed at reducing loneliness in MMT clinics would improve the sleep of HDPs.

Necroptosis regulated proteins expression is an early prognostic biomarker in patient with sepsis: a prospective observational study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Increasing researchers indicate that necroptosis is playing an important role in the regulation of systemic inflammatory response syndrome. The current study was to investigate the prognostic biomarker of the regulated proteins of necroptosis in sepsis patients. RESULTS: One hundred and twenty-four patients were divided into three groups: 43 patients (34.68%) with sepsis, 39 patients (31.45%) with severe sepsis, and 42 patients (33.87%) with septic shock. The RIPK3 levels in the severe sepsis and septic shock groups were notably higher than those in sepsis group at various time points (all p < 0.05), and the RIPK3 levels had positive association with the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score as well as procalcitonin (PCT) level (all p < 0.05). The RIPK3 level like the SOFA score and PCT level could be a prognostic biomarker of sepsis patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We prospectively recruited the eligible patients with sepsis, severe sepsis, or septic shock who were treated in our hospital from January 2014 to May 2016. The dynamic changes in infectious variables and blood plasma receptor interacting protein kinase 1 (RIPK1) and receptor interacting protein kinase 3 (RIPK3) levels were determined from measurements taken in a double-blinded fashion at 24, 48, 72, and 120 hours later. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggested that dynamic monitoring of RIPK3 levels can contribute to the prediction of outcome of sepsis and might be of particular value in identifying patients who would benefit from specific treatments.