Thymic Stromal Lymphopoietin Activates Mouse Dendritic Cells Through the JAK/SYK Pathway in Promoting Th17 Response in Psoriasis.

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that has no cure. While the specific cause of psoriasis is unknown, interactions between immune cells and inflammatory cytokines are believed to be important in its pathogenesis. Thymic stromal lymphopoietin (TSLP) is a cytokine produced by epithelial cells that profoundly affects dendritic cells (DCs) and is involved in allergy and inflammatory diseases. In some studies, its expression is higher in the skin of psoriasis patients, whereas it is increased in treated psoriasis patients when compared with untreated patients in others. Aims: To investigate the role of TSLP in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. Study Design: In vitro and in vivo study. Methods: To investigate the effect of TSLP on psoriasis in vivo, a mouse psoriasis model and shRNA targeting TSLP to reduce its expression were used. Mouse primary bone marrow dendritic cells (BMDCs) were cultured in vitro and used to investigate the signaling pathways activated by TSLP. Results: We found that reducing TSLP expression in psoriasis skin alleviated disease severity. TSLP activated the Janus kinase (JAK)/SYK pathway in psoriatic skin. In vitro studies with BMDCs demonstrated that TSLP increased DC maturation through the JAK/SYK pathway and activated DCs-secreted cytokines that stimulated CD4+ T cells to develop into T helper 17 (Th17) cells by activating STAT3 signaling. The JAK/SYK pathway inhibitor reduced the effect of TSLP on activating BMDCs and promoting Th17 differentiation by CD4+ T cells. Conclusion: These findings indicated that TSLP exerted its immune-modulating effect in psoriasis through the JAK/SYK pathway.

Mediating effect of psychological capital on the relationship between mental health literacy and coping styles among newly recruited nurses.

BACKGROUND: Newly recruited nurses face multiple sources of stress and their coping styles need to be focused on to ensure good mental health. This study aimed to examine the relationship among mental health literacy, psychological capital and coping styles in newly recruited nurses. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in August and September 2022. A total of 315 newly recruited nurses were recruited in a tertiary hospital in Henan Province, central China, employing the convenience sampling method. The self-reported questionnaires were sent through a QR code, including the Mental Health Literacy Scale for Healthcare Students, Psychological Capital Questionnaire, and Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire. Pearson correlation analysis was used to evaluate the relationships among the variables. Mediation analysis was performed to identify the mediating effect of psychological capital on the relationship between mental health literacy and coping styles. RESULTS: Positive coping showed a positive relationship with psychological capital and mental health literacy, while negative coping showed a negative relationship with psychological capital and mental health literacy. For positive coping, psychological capital was a partial mediator with an effect of 0.140, accounting for 62.8%. For negative coping, a full mediating effect was shown by psychological capital between mental health literacy and negative coping, with an indirect effect of -0.048. CONCLUSION: Psychological capital plays a partial and complete mediating role between mental health literacy and different coping styles among newly recruited nurses. Diversified training and personalized guidance in improving mental health literacy and increasing psychological capital simultaneously can be provided to newly recruited nurses continuously to adjust their coping styles.

Tracking tumor evolution during the first-line treatment in brain glioma via serial profiling of cell-free tumor DNA from tumor in situ fluid.

Objective: Tumor in situ fluid (TISF) refers to the fluid within surgical cavities of glioma. Several studies preliminarily proved the value of cell-free tumor DNA (cf-tDNA) from TISF in the dynamic characterization of the glioma genome. Here, we assessed the potential utility of TISF cf-tDNA in broad aspects of tumor evolution under therapeutic pressure. Methods: This study was conducted under an Institutional Review Board-approved protocol at Henan Provincial People's Hospital (China). Cf-tDNA samples were sequenced with a designed 68-gene panel. A total of 205 cf-tDNA samples from 107 patients were studied. The clinical relevance of serial cf-tDNA profiling during the postoperative course was analyzed. Results: At least one tumor mutations were detected in 179/205 (87.3%) TISF cf-tDNA samples. Serial cf-tDNA was complementary to molecular residual disease and to initial tumors. Serial cf-tDNA revealed the selection of pre-existing mismatch repair-deficient cells by temozolomide as a resistant mechanism. Cf-tDNA parameters during treatment were predictive of recurrence, and serial cf-tDNA monitoring had diagnostic value for early recurrence. A total of 223 potentially actionable genomic alterations were assessed in cf-tDNA samples, wherein 78% were not found in any tumor tissue. Conclusions: In conclusion, serial TISF cf-tDNA profiling is valuable in tracking the tumor evolution of glioma during treatment and may be a feasible non-invasive option for monitoring glioma in future prospective studies and clinical practice.

Analysis of spatiotemporal variations and influencing factors of soil erosion in the Jiangnan Hills red soil zone, China.

Soil erosion is an important environmental problem in China. The hilly region of Jiangnan is characterized by severe soil erosion due to its unique climate and intensive human activities. Therefore, assessing soil erosion in this area is of great significance for achieving regional sustainable development. Based on the spatial zoning of natural resources and the spatial differences in precipitation, land cover, topographic features, and soil texture, we estimated soil erosion from 2000 to 2020 using the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation (RUSLE) model. The study showed that micro-erosion dominates spatially in the subtropical forest subzone of the eastern hills, accounting for more than 60% of the total erosion area. Intense erosion was found in woodlands and grasslands and the erosion intensity tended to be lower in the plains. Erosion occurred mainly in areas with slopes >8°. The areas with significantly lower erosion were mainly distributed at the boundaries between forests, arable land, and artificial land surfaces. The areas where soil erosion significantly increased over the study period were mainly found in farmland areas (31.70%). Soil erosion occurred because of a combination of factors, among which vegetation cover played a prominent role. Elevation and slope were correlated with soil erosion intensity. Severe erosion in different parts of the study area showed two trends of spatial aggregation and discrete distribution. This analysis of soil erosion in the study area by the RUSLE model provides reference data for the eastern subtropical forest subregion including the Jiangnan Hills.

Moderating effect of organizational climate on the relationship between research motivation and learning engagement among nurses taking part-time master's program: A cross-sectional study.

AIMS: To investigate the moderating effects of perceived organizational climate on the relationship between research motivation and learning engagement in research among nurses pursuing a part-time master's degree. BACKGROUND: Research motivation positively affects learning engagement in research. However, the role of perceived organizational climate has not been explored in nurses taking part-time master's program in China. This study examined the relationships between various types of research motivation and learning engagement in research and whether the perceived organizational climate moderates the relationship between the other variables. METHODS: This cross-sectional one-center study was performed on 230 nurses by assessing learning engagement in research, research motivation and perceived organizational climate. RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 31.3 ± 3.5 years and 91.3% were female. Participants who had been assigned a supervisor showed higher learning engagement in research than those without a supervisor (3.65 ± 0.60 vs. 3.48 ± 0.61; P < 0.001). Participants who had experience conducting research reported higher learning engagement in research than those with no experience (3.30 ± 0.71 vs. 3.14 ± 0.83; P < 0.05). The mean score of learning engagement in research was 3.39 ± 0.63. The mean scores for intrinsic, extrinsic and failure-avoidance motivation were 3.72 ± 0.61, 3.71 ± 0.71 and 3.43 ± 0.70, respectively. As for perceived organizational climate, the mean score was 122.70 out of 148. Learning engagement in research was significantly positively correlated with intrinsic research motivation, extrinsic research motivation and perceived organizational climate scores (r = 0.441, 0.336, 0.307, p < 0.001, respectively). Perceived organizational climate moderated the correlation between intrinsic and extrinsic research motivation and learning engagement in research. CONCLUSION: Nurses taking the master's program perceived a higher level of perceived organizational climate could strengthen the relationship between intrinsic and extrinsic research motivation and learning engagement in research. More organizational support can enhance learning engagement in research by reinforcing intrinsic and extrinsic research motivation. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: Universities can assign supervisors promptly. Universities and hospitals can provide education about the importance of research in nursing and reinforce their intrinsic and extrinsic research motivation. Hospitals can adjust policies based on the needs of nurses taking the master's program to provide organizational support, to facilitate the research learning process.

Psychological Distress and Risk Factors in Frontline Nurses Confronting COVID-19 in Less Severely Affected Areas.

The current study investigated the prevalence and risk factors of somatization, depression, and anxiety among 374 frontline nurses in less severely affected areas during the initial period of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. The prevalence of somatization, depression, and anxiety among frontline nurses was 41.4%, 40.1%, and 37.4%, respectively. Nurses from provincial-level hospitals were less likely to report somatization (odds ratio [OR] = 0.50; p = 0.018), depression (OR = 0.52; p = 0.024), and anxiety (OR = 0.35; p < 0.001) than those from county-level hospitals. Longer service duration was significantly associated with a higher likelihood of reporting somatization (OR = 1.06; p = 0.008) and depression (OR = 1.06; p = 0.006). Psychological distress exists in frontline nurses in less severely affected areas, and hospital levels and service duration are independent risk factors for psychological stress in these nurses. Maintaining nurses' mental health is an important issue in addressing the COVID-19 pandemic in addition to sufficient distribution of medical resources between hospitals at different levels. [Journal of Psychosocial Nursing and Mental Health Services, 61(4), 37-44.].