Distribution patterns and co-occurrence network of eukaryotic algae in different salinity waters of Yuncheng Salt Lake, China.

The community structure and co-occurrence pattern of eukaryotic algae in Yuncheng Salt Lake were analyzed based on marker gene analysis of the 18S rRNA V4 region to understand the species composition and their synergistic adaptations to the environmental factors in different salinity waters. The results showed indicated that the overall algal composition of Yuncheng Salt Lake showed a Chlorophyta-Pyrrophyta-Bacillariophyta type structure. Chlorophyta showed an absolute advantage in all salinity waters. In addition, Cryptophyta dominated in the least saline waters; Pyrrophyta and Bacillariophyta were the dominant phyla in the waters with salinity ranging from 13.2 to 18%. Picochlorum, Nannochloris, Ulva, and Tetraselmis of Chlorophyta, Biecheleria and Oxyrrhis of Pyrrophyta, Halamphora, Psammothidium, and Navicula of Bacillariophyta, Guillardia and Rhodomonas of Cryptophyta were not observed in previous surveys of the Yuncheng Salt Lake, suggesting that the algae are undergoing a constant turnover as the water environment of the Salt Lake continues to change. The network diagram demonstrated that the algae were strongly influenced by salinity, NO3-, and pH, changes in these environmental factors would lead to changes in the algal community structure, thus affecting the stability of the network structure.

Stress Dissipation Driven by Multi-Interface Built-In Electric Fields and Desert-Rose-Like Structure for Ultrafast and Superior Long-Term Sodium Ion Storage.

The kinetics and durability of conversion-based anodes greatly depend on the intrinsic stress regulating ability of the electrode materials, which has been significantly neglected. Herein, a stress dissipation strategy driven by multi-interface built-in electric fields (BEFs) and architected structure, is innovatively proposed to design ultrafast and long-term sodium ion storage anodes. Binary Mo/Fe sulfide heterostructured nanorods with multi-interface BEFs and staggered cantilever configuration are fabricated to prove our concept. Multi-physics simulations and experimental results confirm that the inner stress in multiple directions can be dissipated by the multi-interface BEFs at the micro-scale, and by the staggered cantilever structure at the macro-scale, respectively. As a result, our designed heterostructured nanorods anode exhibits superb rate capability (332.8 mAh g-1 at 10.0 A g-1 ) and durable cyclic stability over 900 cycles at 5.0 A g-1 , outperforming other metal chalcogenides. This proposed stress dissipation strategy offers a new insight for developing stable structures for conversion-based anodes.

Morphological connectivity differences in Alzheimer's disease correlate with gene transcription and cell-type.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most prevalent forms of dementia in older individuals. Convergent evidence suggests structural connectome abnormalities in specific brain regions are linked to AD progression. The biological basis underpinnings of these connectome changes, however, have remained elusive. We utilized an individual regional mean connectivity strength (RMCS) derived from a regional radiomics similarity network to capture altered morphological connectivity in 1654 participants (605 normal controls, 766 mild cognitive impairment [MCI], and 283 AD). Then, we also explored the biological basis behind these morphological changes through gene enrichment analysis and cell-specific analysis. We found that RMCS probes of the hippocampus and medial temporal lobe were significantly altered in AD and MCI, with these differences being spatially related to the expression of AD-risk genes. In addition, gene enrichment analysis revealed that the modulation of chemical synaptic transmission is the most relevant biological process associated with the altered RMCS in AD. Notably, neuronal cells were found to be the most pertinent cells in the altered RMCS. Our findings shed light on understanding the biological basis of structural connectome changes in AD, which may ultimately lead to more effective diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for this devastating disease.

Predicting brain age gap with radiomics and automl: A Promising approach for age-Related brain degeneration biomarkers.

The Brain Age Gap (BAG), which refers to the difference between chronological age and predicted neuroimaging age, is proposed as a potential biomarker for age-related brain degeneration. However, existing brain age prediction models usually rely on a single marker and can not discover meaningful hidden information in radiographic images. This study focuses on the application of radiomics, an advanced imaging analysis technique, combined with automated machine learning to predict BAG. Our methods achieve a promising result with a mean absolute error of 1.509 using the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative dataset. Furthermore, we find that the hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus play a significant role in predicting age with interpretable method called SHapley Additive exPlanations. Additionally, our investigation of age prediction discrepancies between patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) reveals a notable correlation with clinical cognitive assessment scale scores. This suggests that BAG has the potential to serve as a biomarker to support the diagnosis of AD and MCI. Overall, this study presents valuable insights into the application of neuroimaging models in the diagnosis of neurodegenerative diseases.

IL-1ß is involved in docetaxel chemoresistance by regulating the formation of polyploid giant cancer cells in non-small cell lung cancer.

Docetaxel (Doc) is a cornerstone of chemotherapy; however, treatment with Doc often and inevitably leads to drug resistance and the formation of polyploid giant cancer cells (PGCCs). In this study, we investigated the effect of Doc on non-small cell lung cancer to explore the role of PGCCs in drug resistance and the molecular mechanisms that regulate this resistance. We found that Doc induced G2/M cell cycle arrest and cell death in A549 and NCI-H1299 cells. However, many cells remained alive and became PGCCs by decreasing the expression of key regulatory proteins related to the cell cycle and proliferation. Notably, the PGCCs showed typical features of senescence, especially upregulation of p21 and p-histone H2A.X expression. Moreover, the mRNA level of IL-1ß in the senescence-associated secretory phenotype was increased significantly with the development of PGCCs. Inhibition of IL-1ß reduced the expression of p-histone H2A.X and promoted polyploidy to enhance the proapoptotic effect of Doc. Taken together, our results suggested that IL-1ß was involved in the formation of PGCCs and regulated the senescence of PGCCs, which contributed to drug resistance to Doc. Therefore, targeting IL-1ß in PGCCs may be a novel approach to overcome drug resistance.

Family functioning and suicidal ideation in college students: a moderated mediation model of depression and acceptance.

Objective: To explore the mediating role of depression in the relationship between family functioning and suicidal ideation (SI) in college students, and to explore whether acceptance (It is one of the core components of psychological flexibility) plays a moderating role in this mediating model. Methods: In a cross-sectional study, questionnaires were distributed to college students during November and December 2022. The sample of Chinese college students (n = 592, 43.07% male, 56.93% female, mean age 19.40 years, SD = 1.24 years) completed the Family Adaptability and Cohesion Evaluation Scale (FACES III), the Center for Epidemiological Depression Scale (CES-D), the Positive and Negative Suicide Ideation Inventory (PANSI), and the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-Second Edition (AAQ II). SPSS 25.0 for Windows and PROCESS 2.15 macros were used for data analysis. Results: There was a significant negative correlation between family functioning and SI, and depression played a mediating role in this relationship. Acceptance moderated the indirect effects of depression and SI in college students. In college students with a lower acceptance level (i.e., higher experiential avoidance level), depression had more influence on SI, while the influence of depression on SI was less in college students with a higher acceptance level (i.e., lower experiential avoidance level). Family functioning indirectly influenced SI through the moderation of acceptance. Conclusion: Mental health educators in colleges and universities should pay more attention to identifying and relieving depression in college students, thereby dealing with suicide risk more effectively. At the same time, college students should be discouraged from excessive use of experiential avoidance strategies, and instead taught to master effective emotional regulation strategies such as mindfulness, distress tolerance, and radical acceptance skills to improve their acceptance level and alleviate the influence of depression on SI.

Surface engineering of core-shell MoS2@N-doped carbon spheres as stable and ultra-long lifetime anode for sodium-ion batteries.

MoS2 is regarded as a hopeful anode candidate for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) due to their various merits such as high specific capacity, abundant raw material reserves and low cost. However, their practical application is impeded by unsatisfied cycling ability due to the intense mechanical stress and unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) during Na+ insertion/extraction process. Herein, spherical MoS2@polydopamine derived highly conductive N-doped carbon (NC) shell composites (MoS2@NC) are designed and synthesized to promote the cycling stability. The internal MoS2 core is optimized and restructured from the original micron-sized block to the ultra-fine nanosheets during initial 100-200 cycles, which not only improves the utilization of electrode materials but also shortens the ion transport distance. The outer flexible NC shell effectively maintains the original spherical structure of the overall electrode material and prevents the occurrence of large-scale agglomeration, which is conducive to form a stable SEI layer. Therefore, the core-shell MoS2@NC electrode presents a remarkable cyclic stability and a capable rate performance. Under a high rate of 20 A g-1, the high capacity of 428 mAh g-1 can be acquired after over ultra-long 10,000 cycles without obvious capacity loss. Moreover, the MoS2@NC‖Na3V2(PO4)3 full-cell assembled by employing commercial Na3V2(PO4)3 cathode can achieve a high capacity retention of 91.4% after 250 cycles at 0.4 A g-1. This work reveals the promising prospect of MoS2-based materials as anode of SIBs, and also has some inspirations on the structural design for conversion-type electrode materials.

CLEC5A mediates Zika virus-induced testicular damage.

BACKGROUND: Zika virus (ZIKV) infection is clinically known to induce testicular swelling, termed orchitis, and potentially impact male sterility, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Previous reports suggested that C-type lectins play important roles in mediating virus-induced inflammatory reactions and pathogenesis. We thus investigated whether C-type lectins modulate ZIKV-induced testicular damage. METHODS: C-type lectin domain family 5 member A (CLEC5A) knockout mice were generated in a STAT1-deficient immunocompromised background (denoted clec5a-/-stat1-/-) to enable testing of the role played by CLEC5A after ZIKV infection in a mosquito-to-mouse disease model. Following ZIKV infection, mice were subjected to an array of analyses to evaluate testicular damage, including ZIKV infectivity and neutrophil infiltration estimation via quantitative RT-PCR or histology and immunohistochemistry, inflammatory cytokine and testosterone detection, and spermatozoon counting. Furthermore, DNAX-activating proteins for 12 kDa (DAP12) knockout mice (dap12-/-stat1-/-) were generated and used to evaluate ZIKV infectivity, inflammation, and spermatozoa function in order to investigate the potential mechanisms engaged by CLEC5A. RESULTS: Compared to experiments conducted in ZIKV-infected stat1-/- mice, infected clec5a-/-stat1-/- mice showed reductions in testicular ZIKV titer, local inflammation and apoptosis in testis and epididymis, neutrophil invasion, and sperm count and motility. CLEC5A, a myeloid pattern recognition receptor, therefore appears involved in the pathogenesis of ZIKV-induced orchitis and oligospermia. Furthermore, DAP12 expression was found to be decreased in the testis and epididymis tissues of clec5a-/-stat1-/- mice. As for CLEC5A deficient mice, ZIKV-infected DAP12-deficient mice also showed reductions in testicular ZIKV titer and local inflammation, as well as improved spermatozoa function, as compared to controls. CLEC5A-associated DAP12 signaling appears to in part regulate ZIKV-induced testicular damage. CONCLUSIONS: Our analyses reveal a critical role for CLEC5A in ZIKV-induced proinflammatory responses, as CLEC5A enables leukocytes to infiltrate past the blood-testis barrier and induce testicular and epididymal tissue damage. CLEC5A is thus a potential therapeutic target for the prevention of injuries to male reproductive organs in ZIKV patients.

Screening and Identification of ESR1 as a Target of Icaritin in Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Evidence from Bibliometrics and Bioinformatic Analysis.

BACKGROUND: In 2022, icaritin a Traditional Chinese Medicine with estrogen-like activities was recommended by the CSCO guidelines as a systematic treatment for patients with advanced HCC due to its clinical safety and efficacy. However the mechanism and targets of icaritin are unclear. In this study we aimed to reveal the target of icaritin in HCC. METHODS: First literature related to icaritin was downloaded from the Web of Science. The software programs "Rstudio" "VOSviewer" and "Mendeley Desktop" were used to analyze the distribution of icaritin publications and research hotspots. Meanwhile icaritin-related genes were obtained by combining them with the PubChem database. Second transcriptome data of HCC patients were obtained from the TCGA database. The proteinprotein interaction (PPI) analysis of icaritin-related genes was performed using the String data platform and the visualization and network topology analysis were performed using Cytoscape. Cox regression analyses were combined to screen the hub target and verified it through cell experiments. RESULTS: A total of 239 icaritin-related articles were obtained HCC is a new hotspot in the icaritin field. 292 icaritin-related genes were obtained and a core module containing 34 genes was obtained by module division. Among them ESR1 was an independent prognostic factor. Molecular docking showed that ESR1 and icaritin had a high affinity. Functional studies revealed that ESR1 inhibits HCC cell malignant proliferation and improves the sensitivity of HCC cells to icaritin. CONCLUSION: We propose that ESR1 as a target of icaritin may be conducive to improving icaritin therapy.

A novel cuproptosis-related immune checkpoint gene signature identification and experimental validation in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Copper-induced death, also termed cuproptosis, is a novel form of programmed cell death and is promising as a new strategy for cancer therapeutics. Elevated copper levels in tumor cells are positively associated with high PD-L1 expression. Nonetheless, the prognostic significance of cuproptosis-related immune checkpoint genes (CRICGs) in hepatocellular carcinoma remains to be further clarified. This study aimed to construct the prognostic CRICG signature to predict the immunotherapy response and outcomes of HCC patients. The co-expressed CRICGs were first screened through Pearson correlation analysis. Based on the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator-COX regression analyses, we identified a prognostic 5-CRICGs model, which closely correlates with poor outcomes, cancer development, and immune response to hepatocellular carcinoma. External validation was conducted using the GSE14520 dataset. Lastly, qRT-PCR was performed to determine the expression of the CRICGs in HCC. In summary, we developed and validated a novel prognostic CRICG model based on 5 CRICGs. This prognostic signature could effectively forecast the outcomes and immune response of HCC patients, which may serve as biomarkers for anticancer therapy.

Role of hepatitis B surface antibody in seroreversion of hepatitis B surface antigen in patients achieving hepatitis B surface antigen loss with pegylated interferon-based therapy.

It is unclear whether hepatitis B surface antibody (HBsAb) confers clinical benefits after HBsAg seroclearance, especially in hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) seroreversion and maintenance of HBsAb. We evaluated this in patients (n = 222) with HBsAg loss following treatment with pegylated interferon (PEG-IFN)-based therapy who completed a 48-week follow-up period. Serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers and biochemical indicators were evaluated every 3 months. The primary endpoint was HBsAg seroreversion. Factors associated with HBsAg seroreversion were also investigated. HBsAb ≥100 mIU/ml resulted in a lower HBsAg seroreversion rate than an HBsAb-negative status (5.5% vs. 29.5%, p < .001); however, the seroreversion rate was not significantly different between patients with HBsAb 10-100 mIU/ml and those in the HBsAb-negative group. Patients with HBsAb ≥100 mIU/ml had a lower HBsAb loss rate than those with HBsAb 10-100 mIU/ml (7.3% vs. 21.7%, p = .005). The final HBsAg seroreversion and HBV DNA relapse rates were 13.5% and 1.8%, respectively. HBsAb ≥100 mIU/ml at the off-treatment time (odds ratio [OR] 0.110, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.034-0.353, p < .001) and treatment time to attain HBsAg loss >28 weeks (OR 2.508, 95% CI: 1.068-5.890, p = .035) were predictors of HBsAg seroreversion. Consolidation therapy for 12-24 weeks resulted in higher HBsAb titres than consolidation therapy for ≤12 weeks in HBsAb-negative patients at the off-treatment time (p < .001). HBsAg seroconversion with HBsAb ≥100 mIU/ml decreases HBsAg seroreversion and provides an efficient maintenance rate of HBsAb. HBsAg seroconversion with high HBsAb titres may be clinically beneficial for chronic hepatitis B treated with PEG-IFN-based therapy.

A quinoline-coumarin near-infrared ratiometric fluorescent probe for detection of sulfur dioxide derivatives.

Sulfur dioxide derivatives (HSO3- and SO32-) play an important role in food preservative, antibacterial, antioxidant and other aspects, so it is urgent for us to develop more efficient detection methods to broaden their application in biochemical research and related disease diagnosis. Fluorescent probes are of particular interest because of their simplicity and high temporal and spatial resolution. Herein, we constructed a new near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence probe, CQC, composed of coumarin fluorophore and quinoline fluorophore, for detecting SO2 derivatives. The near-infrared emission probe CQC with a large Stokes shift (260 nm) not only kept the distance between the two emission peaks large enough (165 nm), but also had a particularly high energy transfer efficiency (99.5%), and was particularly sensitive to the detection of HSO3-/SO32- (LOD: 0.1 µM). The powerful probe CQC succeeded in real-time visualizing endogenous HSO3-/SO32- in living cells.

Isolation and Characterization of a Novel Lytic Halotolerant Phage from Yuncheng Saline Lake.

Halophilic phage are a type of virus that exist in salty environments within halophilic archaeal or bacterial hosts. However, relatively few reports on halophilic bacteriophages exist, and our overall understanding of halophilic bacteriophages is quite limited. We used SYBR Green I fluorescent staining to detect the abundance of viruses in Yuncheng Saline Lake, China. Using the double-layer plate method, a lytic phage that could infect halophilic bacterium Salinivibrio sp. YM-43 was isolated and named YXM43. We studied host range, optimal host, morphological characteristics, nucleic acid type, protein composition, and other biological characteristics of the virus. Results reveal a high abundance of this halophilic virus in Yuncheng Saline Lake. The newly isolated bacteriophage YXM43 has a narrow host range, with the most suitable host being Virgibacillus sp. SK39. After purification and enrichment, YXM43 is observed as a spherical particle with a diameter of approximately 30 nm, with no tail. No lipid envelope can be seen in YXM43. The capsid protein of the virus can be separated into seven proteins with molecular weights ranging from 62.0 to 13.0 kDa. YXM43 is a DNA virus with a genome approximately 23 kb. The virus is tolerant of low salinity, and its activity is highest at a temperature of 60 °C and a pH of 10. YXM43 is temperature and pH tolerant, and can adapt to environmental change, even withstanding chloroform treatment. The results indicate that bacteriophage YXM43 is a novel halophilic bacteriophage with broad tolerance to environmental change.

Mesenchymal Stem Cells and their Derived Exosomes Promote Malignant Phenotype of Polyploid Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Cells through AMPK Signaling Pathway.

Chemotherapy is an important method for the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but it can lead to side effects and polyploid cancer cells. The polyploid cancer cells can live and generate daughter cancer cells via budding. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are pluripotent stem cells with repair and regeneration functions and can resist tissue damage caused by tumor therapy. This study is aimed at investigating the effects of MSCs and their derived exosomes on the biological characteristics of polyploid NSCLC cells and the potential mechanisms. We found that MSC conditioned medium (CM), MSCs, and MSC-exosomes had no effect on cell proliferation of the polyploid A549 and H1299 cells. Compared with the control group, MSCs and MSC-exosomes significantly promoted epithelial mesenchymal transformation, cell migration, antiapoptosis, and autophagy in the polyploid A549 and H1299 by activating AMPK signaling pathway, but no significant changes were observed in MSC-CM treatment. These results revealed that MSCs and MSC-exosomes promoted malignant phenotype of polyploid NSCLC cells through the AMPK signaling pathway.

Lab-scale characterization and semi-field trials of Wolbachia Strain wAlbB in a Taiwan Wolbachia introgressed Ae. aegypti strain.

Dengue fever is one of the most severe viral diseases transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, with traditional approaches of disease control proving insufficient to prevent significant disease burden. Release of Wolbachia-transinfected mosquitoes offers a promising alternative control methodologies; Wolbachia-transinfected female Aedes aegypti demonstrate reduced dengue virus transmission, whilst Wolbachia-transinfected males cause zygotic lethality when crossed with uninfected females, providing a method for suppressing mosquito populations. Although highly promising, the delicate nature of population control strategies and differences between local species populations means that controlled releases of Wolbachia-transinfected mosquitoes cannot be performed without extensive testing on specific local Ae. aegypti populations. In order to investigate the potential for using Wolbachia to suppress local Ae. aegypti populations in Taiwan, we performed lab-based and semi-field fitness trials. We first transinfected the Wolbachia strain wAlbB into a local Ae. aegypti population (wAlbB-Tw) and found no significant changes in lifespan, fecundity and fertility when compared to controls. In the laboratory, we found that as the proportion of released male mosquitoes carrying Wolbachia was increased, population suppression could reach up to 100%. Equivalent experiments in semi-field experiments found suppression rates of up to 70%. The release of different ratios of wAlbB-Tw males in the semi-field system provided an estimate of the optimal size of male releases. Our results indicate that wAlbB-Tw has significant potential for use in vector control strategies aimed at Ae. aegypti population suppression in Taiwan. Open field release trials are now necessary to confirm that wAlbB-Tw mediated suppression is feasible in natural environments.

Evaluation of Ecological Water Consumption in Yanhe River Basin Based on Big Data.

Starting from the main eco-environmental problems faced by water environment, taking Yanhe River Basin as an example, this paper discusses the theoretical connotation and evaluation calculation method of eco-environmental water consumption. In order to study the eco-environmental water consumption of Yanhe River Basin, a runoff driving factor mining method based on big data analysis is established in this paper. Aiming at the problem that the statistical law and genetic law of runoff change frequently in changing environment, the mining technology method of runoff key driving factors is proposed by combining traditional methods with big data analysis. The characteristic factors that have no significant impact on runoff change are removed, the implicit characteristic factors affecting runoff change are extracted, the driving relationship of hydrological, meteorological, and vegetation characteristic factors on ecological water consumption change is identified, and the key driving factors of ecological water consumption change are extracted, which lays a data foundation for ecological water consumption prediction based on machine learning. The economic water consumption based on eco-environmental water consumption in Yanhe River Basin in the future is predicted (including water demand in three aspects of industry, agriculture, and life); that is, the prediction is to meet the economic water demand on the basis of ensuring that the water consumption of ecological environment will not be occupied, which can effectively ensure the improvement of ecological environment function in Yanhe River Basin and is conducive to the sustainable utilization of water resources in Yanhe River Basin. The research is only based on a small watershed such as Yanhe River Basin, and the purpose of the research is to provide a reference for ecological environment protection and sustainable utilization of water resources in the Loess Plateau, even in the arid, semiarid, and semihumid areas of North China.

Parenting Style and Adolescent Mental Health: The Chain Mediating Effects of Self-Esteem and Psychological Inflexibility.

Based on interpersonal acceptance-rejection theory, family systems theory, and psychological inflexibility theory, this study aimed to examine the mediating roles of a protective factor (self-esteem) and a risk factor (psychological inflexibility) on the influence of parenting style on adolescent mental health. A sample of Chinese adolescents (n = 916, 46% male, mean age = 14.44 years, SD = 1.84 years) completed the Short Egna Minnen Barndoms Uppfostran, the Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale, the Avoidance and Fusion Questionnaire for Youth, the Satisfaction with Life Scale, and the Depression Subscale of the Youth Self-Report. Results show that the self-esteem and psychological inflexibility play a chain mediating role in the relationship between parenting style and adolescent mental health. Specifically, parental emotional warmth had a positive effect on adolescent mental health through the chain mediating effects of self-esteem and psychological inflexibility. Parental rejection and parental over-protection had negative effects on adolescent mental health by lowering self-esteem but increasing psychological inflexibility. These results provide further guidance in the prevention of and intervention in adolescent mental health problems.

Self-Support and Loneliness Among Chinese Primary School Students: A Moderated Mediation Model.

This study examined the effect of self-support on loneliness, the mediation effect of school belonging, and the moderation effect of self-esteem using a sample comprising 1,126 Chinese mainland primary school students, 621 are boys and 505 are girls, and their mean age was 10.51 years (SD = 1.63, range 8-13). Participants completed questionnaires regarding self-support, loneliness, school belonging and self-esteem. In the model hypothesis, self-support is an independent variable, loneliness is an outcome variable, school belonging is a mediating variable, and self-esteem is a regulatory variable. After controlling the demographic variables, the data were analyzed, and the results showed that: (1) self-support had a significantly negative predictive effect on loneliness; (2) the relation between self-support and loneliness was mediated by school belonging; and (3) the relation between school belonging and loneliness was moderated by self-esteem, supporting the moderated mediation model. Moderated mediation analysis further indicated that the mediated path make loneliness weaker for pupils with higher levels of self-esteem. These results revealed the formation mechanism of loneliness in primary school students and have certain enlightenment significance for the intervention of loneliness in primary school students. These results revealed the formation mechanism of loneliness among primary school students and have significant implications for interventions against loneliness in the primary school context.

The Mediational Role of Self-Support Personality in the Association of Family Function and School Belonging in Adolescents.

Some previous studies have explored the impact of family function on school belonging. However, little is known about the parallel mediating relationship underlying them. This study aims to investigate the formation mechanism of school beginning in a sample of Chinese adolescents and examined the parallel mediating role of interpersonal self-support and individual self-support in the link between family function and school belonging. A cross-sectional study was conducted in four schools of the district of Hunan province in China, and 741 students were surveyed using cluster sampling. Family cohesion and adaptability scale (FACES), Adolescent students self-supporting personality scale (SSPS-AS), School belonging scale were applied. The results indicated that interpersonal self-support and individual self-support, together, and uniquely, parallel mediated the relationship between family function and school belonging. It can be concluded that family function not only has direct effects on school belonging but also has indirect effects through interpersonal self-support and individual self-support.

Genome-wide association study identifies 7q11.22 and 7q36.3 associated with noise-induced hearing loss among Chinese population.

Noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) seriously affects the life quality of humans and causes huge economic losses to society. To identify novel genetic loci involved in NIHL, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) for this symptom in Chinese populations. GWAS scan was performed in 89 NIHL subjects (cases) and 209 subjects with normal hearing who have been exposed to a similar noise environment (controls), followed by a replication study consisting of 53 cases and 360 controls. We identified that four candidate pathways were nominally significantly associated with NIHL, including the Erbb, Wnt, hedgehog and intraflagellar transport pathways. In addition, two novel index single-nucleotide polymorphisms, rs35075890 in the intron of AUTS2 gene at 7q11.22 (combined P = 1.3 × 10-6 ) and rs10081191 in the intron of PTPRN2 gene at 7q36.3 (combined P = 2.1 × 10-6 ), were significantly associated with NIHL. Furthermore, the expression quantitative trait loci analyses revealed that in brain tissues, the genotypes of rs35075890 are significantly associated with the expression levels of AUTS2, and the genotypes of rs10081191 are significantly associated with the expressions of PTPRN2 and WDR60. In conclusion, our findings highlight two novel loci at 7q11.22 and 7q36.3 conferring susceptibility to NIHL.