Effects of positive psychological interventions on positive and negative emotions in depressed individuals: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Positive psychological interventions (PPIs) are known to be effective in alleviating depression. However, the effect of PPIs on positive and negative emotions in depressed participants is not unclear. AIMS: To systematically investigate the effects of PPIs on positive and negative emotions in depressed individuals. METHODS: 6 databases were searched for randomized controlled trials of PPIs in individuals with depressive disorders or depressive symptoms. Hedges' g value was computed using a random-effects model to determine effect sizes. RESULTS: 14 trials from 13 studies were included. Our meta-analysis showed that PPIs had significant but small effects on improving positive affect (g = 0.33, p = .02), life satisfaction (g = 0.26, p = .03), happiness (g = 0.62, p = .03) and depression (g = -0.32, p = .001), and negligible effects on improving well-being (g = 0.13, p = .24) and negative affect (g = -0.15, p = .31). Subgroup analyses of depression showed that PPIs have experienced benefits in improving depression in most subgroups. In addition, none of the subgroup analyses performed for outcomes other than depression found PPIs to be more effective than controls. CONCLUSION: PPIs can improve positive affect, life satisfaction, happiness and depression in depressed individuals, but further studies are needed to validate their effects on well-being, and negative affect.

Fibroblast-specific adipocyte enhancer binding protein 1 is a potential pathological trigger and prognostic marker for liver fibrosis independent of etiology.

OBJECTIVES: Aortic carboxypeptidase-like protein (ACLP) is an extracellular protein involved in adipogenesis, epithelial-mesenchymal transition, epithelial cell hyperplasia, and collagen fibrogenesis. This study mainly aimed to analyze the potential role of adipocyte enhancer binding protein 1 (AEBP1), the ACLP-encoding gene, as a pathological target or prognostic marker for liver fibrosis regardless of etiology. METHODS: Dysregulation pattern, clinical relevance, and biological significance of AEBP1 gene in liver fibrosis were analyzed using publicly available transcriptomic profiles, different liver fibrosis mouse models, biological databases, and AEBP1 gene silencing followed by RNA sequencing in human hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). RESULTS: AEBP1 gene expression was upregulated and positively correlated with liver fibrogenesis independent of etiology, the protein of which was further verified in liver fibrosis mouse models induced by different pathogenic factors. A higher expression of liver AEBP1 gene had the potential to predict poor prognosis in liver fibrosis. Systematic bioinformatic analyses revealed that AEBP1 expression was HSCs-specific and associated with extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling and its downstream mechanical-chemical signaling transition. AEBP1 knockdown by specific small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) in HSCs inhibited ECM-receptor interaction and immune-related pathways as well as HSC proliferation or activation. CONCLUSION: A high expression of AEBP1 was specifically associated with liver fibrosis and was related to a poor prognosis and predicted the role of AEBP1 in HSCs, providing a new insight for understanding AEBP1 in liver fibrosis.

Measurement properties of patient-reported outcome measures of mental help-seeking attitude: a systematic review of psychometric properties.

Background: At present, the phenomenon of patients with mental disorders not seeking mental help is very serious, and the mental help-seeking attitude is the central structure of the help process. However, there is no consensus on which patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) should be used to assess mental help-seeking attitudes. Objective: The systematic review aims to critically appraise, compare, and summarize the measurement quality of the all-available PROMs about mental help-seeking attitudes to provide evidence-based guidance and reference for clinical researchers. Methods: A systematic search was conducted in 9 databases (PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Medline, APA, CINAHL, Sinomed, CNKI, and WanFang) since the establishment of the database until November 30, 2022 to identify articles on the PROMs of mental help-seeking attitudes. We used the COSMIN guidelines to evaluate the methodological quality and measurement properties of all-available PROMs, and a modified Grading, Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system to evaluate the level of evidence supporting each rating. Finally, the recommendation level is given according to the overall quality of each PROM. Results: We identified 29 studies representing 13 PROMs out of 2,828 screening studies. The overall quality of the included PROMs varied, with 6 rated as class B, 6 as class C, and only the Mental Help Seeking Attitudes Scale (MHSAS) as class A. Conclusion: The measurement characteristics of MHSAS have been the most comprehensive evaluation, and it has good reliability and validity, and high feasibility for clinical application, so it can be temporarily recommended for use, but the above conclusions still need to be supported by more high-quality evidence.

Central-cell-produced attractants control fertilization recovery.

Animal fertilization relies on hundreds of sperm racing toward the egg, whereas, in angiosperms, only two sperm cells are delivered by a pollen tube to the female gametes (egg cell and central cell) for double fertilization. However, unsuccessful fertilization under this one-pollen-tube design can be detrimental to seed production and plant survival. To mitigate this risk, unfertilized-gamete-controlled extra pollen tube entry has been evolved to bring more sperm cells and salvage fertilization. Despite its importance, the underlying molecular mechanism of this phenomenon remains unclear. In this study, we report that, in Arabidopsis, the central cell secretes peptides SALVAGER1 and SALVAGER2 in a directional manner to attract pollen tubes when the synergid-dependent attraction fails or is terminated by pollen tubes carrying infertile sperm cells. Moreover, loss of SALs impairs the fertilization recovery capacity of the ovules. Therefore, this research uncovers a female gamete-attraction system that salvages seed production for reproductive assurance.

A randomized controlled trial of a nurse-led psychological pain solution-focused intervention for depressed inpatients: study protocol.

BACKGROUND: Depressed patients commonly experience psychological pain. Research pointed to positive psychological interventions as an effective means of ameliorating psychological pain, although the exact effect is unclear. Based on the hope theory and solution-focused brief therapy (SFBT), this study combines hope theory with solution-focused brief therapy to develop a nurse-led psychological pain solution-focused (PPSF) intervention in depressed patients. METHODS: This is an assessor-blinded randomized controlled trial following the SPIRIT guidance. A total of 84 depressed patients will be recruited from the inpatient wards of a psychiatric hospital and randomly assigned to the control and experimental groups. Patients in the control group will be treated as usual. In contrast, patients in the experimental group will receive 6 sessions of the PPSF intervention for two weeks on top of the routine care. Primary outcomes are psychological pain, hope, cognitive distortions. Secondary outcomes are depression and suicidal ideation. Data will be collected at 5-time points: baseline, 1 and 2 weeks (post-intervention), 1 month (follow up), and 6 months after baseline. Generalized equation evaluation will be used to assess the effectiveness of the PPSF intervention. DISCUSSION: From a positive psychology perspective, there remains much room for developing psychological pain interventions in depressed patients. SFBT and hope theory are both based on positive psychology. With hope theory as the general framework and SFBT questions as the practical guide, the PPSF intervention program is designed that nursing staff can implement. If the intervention is effective, it will advance the development of psychological pain interventions for patients with depression. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR2100048223.

Translation, cross-cultural adaptation, and psychometric investigation of Chinese version of the Orbach & Mikulincer Mental Pain Scale in patients with depressive disorder.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to translate, cross-culturally adapt, and preliminarily test the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the Orbach & Mikulincer Mental Pain Scale (OMMP). METHODS: Psychometric investigation was performed on 240 depressed patients. The reliability of the Chinese version of the OMMP scale was expressed by internal consistency reliability and test-retest reliability (2-week interval), and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on the 8-factor, 31-item OMMP was conducted to examine the construct validity. RESULTS: The CFA showed that the modified model with 31 items had good reliability (Cronbach's α range = 0.691-0.871; ICC = 0.818). Criterion-related validity was also supported by significant and positive correlations between the eight factors and worst-ever suicidal ideation as well as depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: The results indicated the usefulness of the OMMP-31 for Chinese depressed patients. It is necessary to estimate psychological pain to improve suicide management in the clinical setting.

Effect of interpersonal psychotherapy on social functioning, overall functioning and negative emotions for depression: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) has been widely used for depression. However, current studies of IPT have been restricted to depressive symptoms, and the results for improving social functioning were controversial. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted through eleven databases. Data analysis was performed by RevMan5.3, and effects were summarized by using a random effects model of mean differences with 95 % confidence intervals. RESULTS: From 2443 records, eleven studies met inclusion and exclusion criteria were used for meta-analysis. The results showed that IPT had significant effects on improving social functioning (SMD: -0.53, 95 % CI: -0.80 to -0.26), reducing depression (SMD: -0.49, 95 % CI: -0.80 to -0.19) and anxiety (SMD: -0.90, 95 % CI: -1.28 to -0.52), but the effect on the overall functioning (SMD: -0.37, 95 % CI: -0.73 to -0.01) is not obvious. Moreover, subgroup analysis showed that IPT was effective in improving social functioning in adolescent depression (SMD: -0.35, 95 % CI: -0.58 to -0.13) and perinatal depression (SMD: -1.01, 95 % CI: -1.35 to -0.67), while there was no significant difference in the adult depression group (SMD: -0.39, 95 % CI: -1.05 to 0.27). LIMITATION: The blind method cannot be carried out in most studies due to the particularity of psychotherapy, heterogeneity in some results. CONCLUSION: IPT has a significant effect on improving social functioning and reducing depression and anxiety, while the effect on overall functioning requires further research. Overall, IPT is one of the effective nonpharmacological treatments for depression.

The mediating and moderating role of psychological resilience between occupational stress and mental health of psychiatric nurses: a multicenter cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The particular occupational stress of psychiatric nurses has a negative impact on their mental health. There is evidence that psychological resilience can promote mental health; however, the relationship between resilience in occupational stress and mental health of psychiatric nurses is unclear, and mental health was assessed from a psychopathological perspective, neglecting the role of positive psychology. Therefore, this study was based on a dual-factor model of mental health, describing mental health in terms of both positive well-being and psychiatric symptoms. We aimed to investigate the level of psychiatric nurses' mental health and whether resilience plays a mediating or moderating role between occupational stress and mental health in psychiatry nurses. METHODS: A cross sectional survey of 450 psychiatric nurses in five hospitals in Jiangsu Province was conducted using a convenience sampling method, of which 413 were valid questionnaires with an effective rate of 91.8%. The evaluation included the Chinese Nurses' Stress Scale, the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, the Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Well-being Scale, and the General Health Questionnaire. Descriptive and Spearman correlation analyses were performed using SPSS25.0 while mediating and moderating effects were performed using SmartPLS3.0. RESULTS: Based on a dual-factor model of mental health, this study found that psychiatric nurses had a low general state of mental health, with 54.5% positive mental health, 7% vulnerable, 21.8% symptomatic but content, and 16.7% completely troubled. In addition, we found that resilience plays a mediating role in stress and mental health [ß = -0.230, 95% CI of (-0.310, -0.150)] and does not play a moderating role [ß = -0.018, 95%CI (-0.091, 0.055)]. CONCLUSIONS: Psychiatric nurses are in a poor state of mental health, and psychological resilience partly mediates occupational stress and mental health. This study suggests that attention should be paid to both positive and negative aspects of psychiatric nurses' mental health, and strategies should be developed to reduce occupational stress and develop psychological resilience.

Osmoregulation determines sperm cell geometry and integrity for double fertilization in flowering plants.

Distinct from the motile flagellated sperm of animals and early land plants, the non-motile sperm cells of flowering plants are carried in the pollen grain to the female pistil. After pollination, a pair of sperm cells are delivered into the embryo sac by pollen tube growth and rupture. Unlike other walled plant cells with an equilibrium between internal turgor pressure and mechanical constraints of the cell walls, sperm cells wrapped inside the cytoplasm of a pollen vegetative cell have only thin and discontinuous cell walls. The sperm cells are uniquely ellipsoid in shape, although it is unclear how they maintain this shape within the pollen tubes and after release. In this study, we found that genetic disruption of three endomembrane-associated cation/H+ exchangers specifically causes sperm cells to become spheroidal in hydrated pollens of Arabidopsis. Moreover, the released mutant sperm cells are vulnerable and rupture before double fertilization, leading to failed seed set, which can be partially rescued by depletion of the sperm-expressed vacuolar water channel. These results suggest a critical role of cell-autonomous osmoregulation in adjusting the sperm cell shape for successful double fertilization in flowering plants.

Research on Psychache in Suicidal Population: A Bibliometric and Visual Analysis of Papers Published During 1994-2020.

Background: Psychache is a negative introspective experience, which is positively associated with the risk of suicide, independently of depression. It is undeniable that psychache is an important influencing factor to trigger suicide, which can also mediate the effect between depression and suicide variables. Nevertheless, the research tendency and current hotspots on psychache of suicide population have not been systematically investigated based on bibliometric analysis. Aim: The aim of the study was to analyze the research status, hotspots, and frontiers of psychological pain in the field of suicidology, so as to provide reference for domestic clinical research. Methods: The literature related to psychache in suicide individuals published from 1994 to 2020 was included and selected from the Web of Science Core Collection database on May 28, 2021. CiteSpace (version 5.7.R2) software was used to visualize and analyze highly cited journals, authors, and articles as well as co-occurrence analysis for countries, institution, authors, and keywords. Results: A total of 230 articles from the WoS database were included. The number of papers over the years showed an overall upward trend. The United States has made the largest contribution, with the majority of publications (89, 38.70%), followed by Canada (48, 20.87%), Israel (31, 13.48%), China (20, 8.80%), and Portugal (17, 7.39%). The most productive institution was Queen's University. Edwin S. Shneidman has the largest achievement and profound influence, and the most prolific author is Ronald R. Holden. However, the cooperation between institutions and authors was comparatively weak. The current hotspots in this field focus on the studies on the relationships between depression, despair, psychache, and suicide, the risk assessments of psychological pain, and the development of psychological pain scales. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior was the most frequently cited journal in this field. Conclusions: This analysis not only reveals the current research trend and hotspots but also provides some instructive suggestions on the development of psychache in the suicidology. Future work should pay more attention to develop effective psychological pain intervention programs for diverse suicide population. Additionally, longitudinal study can also be conducted to grasp the trajectory changes of psychological pain among suicide individuals.

Effects of dialectical behaviour therapy on reducing self-harming behaviours and negative emotions in patients with borderline personality disorder: A meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Dialectical behaviour therapy(DBT) has been widely used for borderline personality disorder(BPD). Existing studies are limited to behaviours such as self-harm, and the results for reducing self-harm were controversial. Few have systematically evaluated the effect of DBT on self-harming behaviours and negative emotions. AIM: This study aims to evaluate the effects of DBT on self-harming behaviours and negative emotions in patients with BPD. METHODS: RCTs on DBT for BPD were searched from PubMed, Embase, etc., and the results were performed by RevMan 5.3. RESULTS: The meta-analysis demonstrated that DBT reduced self-harming behaviours, and alleviated depression, but had a negligible effect on suicidal ideation and anger. One subgroup revealed that standard DBT improved depression significantly, but DBT skills training improved poorly. Another subgroup revealed that there was a significant reduction in depression among patients receiving DBT for 4 months to 14 months, but not at 4 months. DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Findings indicate that DBT can reduce self-harming behaviours and improve depression, but effects on suicidal ideation and anger are insignificant. Subgroup analysis suggests that standard DBT and DBT-ST lasting beyond 4 months benefits on BPD. Given the quality and quantity restrictions of RCTs, more high-quality RCTs need to verify these effects.

Regression of liver fibrosis: evidence and challenges.

It has been reported that liver fibrosis could be reversed after eliminating liver injuries. This article systematically summarizes the evidence of fibrosis regression based on histology, liver stiffness, and serum biomarkers, and discusses several clinically relevant challenges. Evidence from liver biopsy has been regarded as the gold standard in the assessment of fibrosis regression. Semi-quantitative staging and grading systems are traditionally and routinely used to define regression. Recently, the predominantly regressive, indeterminate, and predominantly progressive score was proposed, based on the regressive features from "hepatic repair complex", to provide additional information regarding the quality of fibrosis. For non-invasive assessment, although liver stiffness and serum biomarkers could be applied to reflect the dynamic changes of liver fibrosis, other confounding factors such as liver inflammation have to be considered. In conclusion, both histology and non-invasive methods can provide evidence regarding fibrosis regression. The predictive value of fibrosis regression in long-term prognosis warrants further investigation.

The efficacy of group cognitive-behavioural therapy plus duloxetine for generalised anxiety disorder versus duloxetine alone.

OBJECTIVE: To explore whether and how group cognitive-behavioural therapy (GCBT) plus medication differs from medication alone for the treatment of generalised anxiety disorder (GAD). METHODS: Hundred and seventy patients were randomly assigned to the GCBT plus duloxetine (n=89) or duloxetine group (n=81). The primary outcomes were Hamilton Anxiety Scale (HAMA) response and remission rates. The explorative secondary measures included score reductions from baseline in the HAMA total, psychic, and somatic anxiety subscales (HAMA-PA, HAMA-SA), the Hamilton Depression Scale, the Severity Subscale of Clinical Global Impression Scale, Global Assessment of Functioning, and the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey. Assessments were conducted at baseline, 4-week, 8-week, and 3-month follow-up. RESULTS: At 4 weeks, HAMA response (GCBT group 57.0% vs. control group 24.4%, p=0.000, Cohen's d=0.90) and remission rates (GCBT group 21.5% vs. control group 6.2%, p=0.004; d=0.51), and most secondary outcomes (all p<0.05, d=0.36-0.77) showed that the combined therapy was superior. At 8 weeks, all the primary and secondary significant differences found at 4 weeks were maintained with smaller effect sizes (p<0.05, d=0.32-0.48). At 3-month follow-up, the combined therapy was only significantly superior in the HAMA total (p<0.045, d=0.43) and HAMA-PA score reductions (p<0.001, d=0.77). Logistic regression showed superiority of the combined therapy for HAMA response rates [odds ratio (OR)=2.12, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.02-4.42, p=0.04] and remission rates (OR=2.80, 95% CI 1.27-6.16, p=0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with duloxetine alone, GCBT plus duloxetine showed significant treatment response for GAD over a shorter period of time, particularly for psychic anxiety symptoms, which may suggest that GCBT was effective in changing cognitive style.

Efficacy and Safety of Policosanol Plus Fenofibrate Combination Therapy in Elderly Patients with Mixed Dyslipidemia: A Randomized, Controlled Clinical Study.

BACKGROUND: Policosanol is a mixture of long-chain alcohols isolated from sugar cane. This controlled, randomized clinical trial was designed to compare the efficacy and safety of fenofibrate, policosanol and a combination of these 2 in lowering low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) in elderly patients with mixed dyslipidemia. METHODS: A total of 102 patients aged ≥60years were randomly assigned into 3 groups: patients receiving a 24-week therapy of fenofibrate (200 mg/day), policosanol (20 mg/day) or fenofibrate + policosanol combination. Lipids were evaluated at baseline, after 16 and after 24 weeks of therapy. Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (ba-PWV) was performed, and SF-36 questionnaires were used to evaluate the patients' quality of life. The primary endpoint was the percentage reduction in LDL-C. The secondary end points included percentage change in nonhigh density lipoprotein cholesterol (non-HDL-C), total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride, high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), ba-PWV and SF-36 scores. Safety was assessed by adverse events and laboratory parameters. RESULTS: LDL-C, non-HDL-C and TC were decreased, respectively after treatment with policosanol for 24 weeks (P < 0.01). Treatment with policosanol + fenofibrate resulted in significantly greater reductions in TC, non-HDL-C and LDL-C compared to fenofibrate alone (P < 0.01, respectively). There were significant increases in SF-36 scores in the policosanol and policosanol + fenofibrate groups (P < 0.05), and significant improvements of ba-PWV in the 2 groups (P < 0.01). There were no serious adverse events or significant changes in laboratory variables after any of the treatment regimens. CONCLUSIONS: Policosanol + fenofibrate combination therapy significantly improved lipid parameters, arterial stiffness, and quality of life, with good tolerability.

Effects of the visual-feedback-based force platform training with functional electric stimulation on the balance and prevention of falls in older adults: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Force platform training with functional electric stimulation aimed at improving balance may be effective in fall prevention for older adults. Aim of the study is to evaluate the effects of the visual-feedback-based force platform balance training with functional electric stimulation on balance and fall prevention in older adults. METHODS: A single-centre, unblinded, randomized controlled trial was conducted. One hundred and twenty older adults were randomly allocated to two groups: the control group (n = 60, one-leg standing balance exercise, 12 min/d) or the intervention group (n = 60, force platform training with functional electric stimulation, 12 min/d). The training was provided 15 days a month for 3 months by physical therapists. Medial-lateral and anterior-posterior maximal range of sway with eyes open and closed, the Berg Balance Scale, the Barthel Index, the Falls Efficacy scale-International were assessed at baseline and after the 3-month intervention. A fall diary was kept by each participant during the 6-month follow-up. RESULTS: On comparing the two groups, the intervention group showed significantly decreased (p < 0.01) medial-lateral and anterior-posterior maximal range of sway with eyes open and closed. There was significantly higher improvement in the Berg Balance Scale (p < 0.05), the Barthel Index (p < 0.05) and the Falls Efficacy Scale-International (p < 0.05), along with significantly lesser number of injurious fallers (p < 0.05), number of fallers (p < 0.05), and fall rates (p < 0.05) during the 6-month follow-up in the intervention group. CONCLUSION: This study showed that the visual feedback-based force platform training with functional electric stimulation improved balance and prevented falls in older adults.

Acute pulmonary embolism with electrocardiagraphic changes mimicking acute coronary syndrome: a case report and literature review.

Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) is potentially a life threatening emergency that needs prompt management to reduce preventable deaths. Symptoms like dyspnoea and chest discomfort often lack specificity and overlap with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). Importantly, electrocardiographic changes associated with PE are reported to be variable with some ECG patterns mimicking ACS, posing problems in the differential diagnosis. More recently, precordial T wave inversion has been described to be a clue to suggest PE. However, this ECG change is more likely to present in ACS. We herein reported a case of a 78-year-old man presenting with progressive shortness of breath on exertion secondary to submassive pulmonary embolism which was initially misdiagnosed as ACS due to diffuse T wave inversion in both precordial leads V1-6 and inferior Leads II, III and aVF. Here, we discussed the diagnosis of this case and reviewed the medical literature with an emphasis on the limitations of ECG for the differentiation between PE and ACS.

SIRT1 Protects Against Oxidative Stress-Induced Endothelial Progenitor Cells Apoptosis by Inhibiting FOXO3a via FOXO3a Ubiquitination and Degradation.

Cell loss due to apoptosis induced by oxidative stress is a major hurdle for endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs)-based therapy. Sirtuin 1 (SIRT1) plays important roles in many pathophysiological processes by deacetylating various substrates, including forkhead transcription factor (FOXO). However, after deacetylation, the fate of FOXO protein remains to be explored. In the present study, we investigated whether SIRT1 exerted a protective effect on hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2))-induced EPCs apoptosis and, if so, what the underlying mechanism might be. EPCs were isolated and obtained from human umbilical cord blood by density gradient centrifugation and identified by morphology, tube formation ability, cell surface markers, and the ability to take up acetylated low-density lipoprotein (Dil-Ac-LDL) and bind ulex europaeus agglutinin 1 (FITC-UEA-1). Immunofluorescence showed that SIRT1 is localized in the nucleus of EPCs in the presence or absence of H(2)O(2). SIRT1 protein level in EPCs was increased by the treatment with H(2)O(2) for 24 h. Incubation of EPCs with H(2)O(2) dose dependently induced EPCs apoptosis. SIRT1 overexpression reduced the rate of EPCs apoptosis induced by H(2)O(2), whereas SIRT1 downregulation and EX527, a specific SIRT1 inhibitor, exerted the opposite effect. SIRT1 overexpression decreased the total FOXO3a protein expression, whereas SIRT1 downregulation and EX527 increased the amount of FOXO3a protein. SIRT1 reduced FOXO3a transcriptional activity according to Bim expression. Co-immunoprecipitation assay showed that SIRT1 could bind to FOXO3a, reduce its acetylation level and increase its ubiquitination level. To sum up, our work demonstrated that SIRT1 had a pivotally protective role in the regulation of EPCs apoptosis induced by H(2)O(2) and that SIRT1 protected against apoptosis by inhibiting FOXO3a via FOXO3a ubiquitination and subsequent degradation.

The roles of spatial pattern and size variation in shaping height inequality of plant population.

Game-theoretic models predict that there is an ESS height for the plant population to which all individual plants should converge. To attain this conclusion, the neighborhood factors were assumed to be equal for all the individual plants, and the spatial pattern and size variation of population were left without consideration, which is clearly not right for the scenario of plant competition. We constructed a spatially-explicit, individual-based model to explore the impacts of spatial structure and size variation on individual plant's height and population's height hierarchies under the light competition. The monomorphic equilibrium of height that all the individual plants will converge to only exists for a population growing in a strictly uniform spatial pattern with no size variation. When the spatial pattern of the population is non-uniform or there's size variation among individual plants, the critical heights that individual plants will finally reach are different from each other, and the height inequality at the end of population growth will increase when the population's spatial pattern's degree of deviation from uniform and population's size variation increase. Our results argue strongly for the importance of spatial pattern and neighborhood effects in generating the diversity of population's height growth pattern.

Left ventricular noncompaction cardiomyopathy: a case report and literature review.

Left ventricular noncompaction cardiomyopathy (LVNC) is a relatively rare congenital disorder prominently characterized by prominent trabeculations and intertrabecular recesses that communicate with the ventricular cavity rather than the coronary circulation. LVNC can occur in isolation or coexist with other cardiac and/or systemic anomalies, in especial neuromuscular disorders. The clinical presentation varies ranging from asymptomatic patients to patients who develop ventricular arrhythmias, thromboembolism, heart failure and sudden cardiac death. Although LVNC is commonly diagnosed by echocardiography, there are also other useful diagnostic techniques, including contrast ventriculography, CT and MRI. Now, it is being diagnosed more frequently in patients of all ages because of increased awareness and improvements in imaging methods. We described the case of a woman who presented with heart failure for the first time at 62 years of age. The diagnosis was LVNC. Transthoracic echocardiography showed a trabeculated, sponge-like appearance of the ventricular apical and inferolateral segments. After medical management, the patient was asymptomatic at the 1-month follow-up examination. Now we discussed the diagnosis of this case and reviewed the medical literature that pertained to LVNC.

Association of dysglycemia and all-cause mortality across the spectrum of coronary artery disease.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and all-cause mortality across the spectrum of coronary artery disease (CAD). PATIENTS AND METHODS: The study included 18,999 patients during a study period of April 1, 2004, through October 31, 2010. The primary end points were in-hospital and follow-up all-cause mortality. According to the quartiles of FPG levels, patients were categorized into 4 groups: quartile 1, less than 5.1 mmol/L; quartile 2, 5.1 to less than 5.9 mmol/L; quartile 3, 5.9 to less than 7.5 mmol/L; and quartile 4, 7.5 mmol/L or greater. The conversion factor for units of plasma glucose is 1.00 mmol/L equals 18 mg/dL. Presented as mg/dL, the 4 quartile ranges of plasma glucose concentrations used in our data analysis are ≤90.0 mg/dL, 90.1-106.0 mg/dL, 106.1 mg/dL-135.0 mg/dL and ≥135.1 mg/dL. Quartile 1 was recognized as the lower glycemic group, quartiles 2 and 3 as the normoglycemic groups, and quartile 4 as the higher glycemic group. RESULTS: In patients with acute myocardial infarction, all-cause mortality for the dysglycemic groups was higher than for the normoglycemic groups: in-hospital mortality for quartiles 1, 2, 3, and 4 was 1.0%, 0.9%, 0.2%, and 1.5%, respectively (P=.001); follow-up mortality for quartiles 1, 2, 3, and 4 was 1.7%, 0.9%, 0.3%, and 1.8%, respectively (P<.001). In patients with stable CAD, no significant differences in mortality were found among groups. However, in patients with unstable angina pectoris, the normoglycemic groups had lower follow-up mortality and roughly equal in-hospital mortality compared with the dysglycemic groups. After adjusting for confounding factors, this observation persisted. CONCLUSION: The association between lower FPG level and mortality differed across the spectrum of CAD. In patients with acute myocardial infarction, there was a U-shaped relationship. In patients with stable CAD or unstable angina pectoris, mildly to moderately decreasing FPG level was associated with neither higher nor lower all-cause mortality.