Highly efficient degradation of acetaminophen via nano zero-valent iron biochar with periodate system at low temperature.

The development of more efficient advanced oxidation systems for serving various advanced treatment of wastewater is quite necessary and urgent. In this study, a nano-zero valent iron/periodate (nZVI-BC/PI) advanced oxidation system has been constructed, achieving a rapid degradation of acetaminophen (ACT, 1 mg/L) within 1 min (100 % at pH = 11) at low temperature (5℃). This system shows a great degradation in a wide range of pH (1 âˆ¼ 11), improving the pH limitation of PI oxidation system. During the reaction process, ·OH as the main active species collaborate with 1O2, Fe (IV), ·O2- and electron transfer to degrade ACT. In this system, iron ion leaching is low (0.019 mg/L), ACT was effectively degraded (74.36 %∼97.32 %) under different water, moreover, the material has an expected recyclability. The research provides a significant guidance for the advanced treatment of wastewater especially in cold regions.

Hydrophilic 1T-WS2 Nanosheet Arrays toward Conductive Textiles for High-Efficient and Continuous Hydroelectric Generation and Storage.

Flexible hydroelectric generators (HEGs) are promising self-powered devices that spontaneously derive electrical power from moisture. However, achieving the desired compatibility between a continuous operating voltage and superior current density remains a significant challenge. Herein, a textile-based van der Waals heterostructure is rationally designed between conductive 1T phase tungsten disulfide@carbonized silk (1T-WS2@CSilk) and carbon black@cotton (CB@Cotton) fabrics with an asymmetric distribution of oxygen-containing functional groups, which enhances the proton concentration gradients toward high-performance wearable HEGs. The vertically staggered 1T-WS2 nanosheet arrays on the CSilk fabric provide abundant hydrophilic nanochannels for rapid carrier transport. Furthermore, the moisture-induced primary battery formed between the active aluminum (Al) electrode and the conductive textiles introduces the desired electric field to facilitate charge separation and compensate for the decreased streaming potential. These devices exhibit a power density of 21.6 µW cm-2, an open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.65 V sustained for over 10 000 s, and a current density of 0.17 mA cm-2. This performance makes them capable of supplying power to commercial electronics and human respiratory monitoring. This study presents a promising strategy for the refined design of wearable electronics.

Stretchable photothermal membrane of NIR-II charge-transfer cocrystal for wearable solar thermoelectric power generation.

Harvesting sunlight into cost-effective electricity presents an enticing prospect for self-powered wearable applications. The photothermal materials with an extensive absorption are fundamental to achieve optical and thermal concentration of the sunlight for efficiency output electricity of wearable solar thermoelectric generators (STEGs). Here, we synthesize an organic charge-transfer (CT) cocrystal with a flat absorption from ultraviolet to second near-infrared region (200 to 1950 nanometers) and a high photothermal conversion efficiency (PCE) of 80.5%, which is introduced into polyurethane toward large-area nanofiber membrane by electrospinning technology. These corresponding membranes demonstrate a high PCE of 73.7% under the strain more than 80%. Sandwiched with carbon nanotube-based thermoelectric fibers, the membranes as stretchable solar absorbers of STEGs could supply a notably increase temperature gradient, processing a maximum output voltage density of 23.4 volts per square meter at 1:00 p.m. under sunlight. This strategy presents an important insight in heat management for wearable STEGs with a desired electricity output.

2D/2D Cs0.32 WO3 /CuS Nano-Heterojunctions for Simultaneous High-Efficiency Solar Desalination, Photocatalytic Decontamination, and Electricity Generation.

Desalination and power generation through solar energy harvesting is a crucial technology that can effectively address freshwater shortages and energy crises. However, owing to the complexity of the actual water environment, the thermal output capability of the photothermal material and the functional integration of the evaporation system need urgent improvement, to obtain high-quality fresh water and sufficient electricity. Herein, a 2D/2D cesium tungsten bronze/copper sulfide (2D/2D Cs0.32 WO3 /CuS) nano-heterojunction is developed and it is loaded into a cellulose-based hybrid hydrogel to construct a multifunctional evaporator. Benefiting from the more nonradiative recombination centers from deep-level defects, as well as shorter carrier migration distances and higher redox potentials in the Cs0.32 WO3 /CuS nano-heterojunction, this evaporator has a significant improvement in thermal output capacity, enabling both super-efficient seawater evaporation (4.22 kg m-2 h-1 ) and photodegradation of organic pollutants (removal rate ≈ 99%). Moreover, the evaporator exhibits long-term stability and sustainable self-cleaning property against salt accumulation. Remarkably, the thermoelectric module based on the Cs0.32 WO3 /CuS nano-heterojunction shows promising electricity generation performance (4.85 W m-2 ), which can power small appliances durably and stably, exceeding previously reported similar devices. This 2D/2D heterojunction-based solar evaporation system will provide a more reliable solution for efficient and sustainable freshwater-electricity co-generation in resource-limited areas.

Thermochromic Ni(II) Organometallics With High Optical Transparency and Low Phase-Transition Temperature for Energy-Saving Smart Windows.

Thermochromic smart windows with rational modulation in indoor temperature and brightness draw considerable interest in reducing building energy consumption, which remains a huge challenge to meet the comfortable responsive temperature and the wide transmittance modulation range from visible to near-infrared (NIR) light for their practical application. Herein, a novel thermochromic Ni(II) organometallic of [(C2 H5 )2 NH2 ]2 NiCl4 for smart windows is rationally designed and synthesized via an inexpensive mechanochemistry method, which processes a low phase-transition temperature of 46.3 °C for the reversible color evolution from transparent to blue with a tunable visible transmittance from 90.5% to 72.1%. Furthermore, cesium tungsten bronze (CWO) and antimony tin oxide (ATO) with excellent NIR absorption in 750-1500 and 1500-2600 nm are introduced in the [(C2 H5 )2 NH2 ]2 NiCl4 -based smart windows, realizing a broadband sunlight modulation of a 27% visible light modulation and more than 90% of NIR shielding ability. Impressively, these smart windows demonstrate stable and reversible thermochromic cycles at room temperature. Compared with the conventional windows in the field tests, these smart windows can significantly reduce the indoor temperature by 16.1 °C, which is promising for next-generation energy-saving buildings.

Can Epstein-Barr virus-deoxyribonucleic acid load after induction chemotherapy combined with American Joint Committee on Cancer stage determine the chemotherapy intensity of locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma?

BACKGROUND: Induction chemotherapy (IC) comprising docetaxel, cisplatin, and fluorouracil (TPF), combined with concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) effectively improves the survival rate of locally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (LA-NPC). Selecting patients whose risk of tumor recurrence and metastasis is high and the appropriate chemotherapy intensity is a concern. We combined tumor-node-metastasis staging with the load of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) after IC to select the individualized chemotherapy strength. METHODS: The clinical data and prognostic factors of patients with stage III-IV LA-NPC treated with TPF IC combined with CCRT were analyzed retrospectively. The conventional treatment group received the standard three cycles TPF IC combined with CCRT. For the new treatment group, the cycles of IC were determined according to whether the EBV-DNA disappeared completely after a certain course of IC, if so, subsequent IC was stopped and the chemoradiotherapy stage was entered. Propensity score matching (PSM) was performed at a ratio of 1:1 to balance baseline characteristics. Survival outcomes and adverse events between the conventional treatment group and the new method treatment group were compared. RESULTS: The study included 256 patients, among whom 192 were matched successfully into 96 pairs. The patients were followed up for a median of 51 months. The proportions of patients receiving three, two, and one cycle of IC after PSM in the routine and new treatment cohorts were 93.8%, 3.1%, 3.1% versus 21.9%, 49.0%, 24.0%, respectively. However, their 3-year distant metastasis-free survival, local recurrence-free survival, progression-free survival, and overall survival did not differ significantly. The incidence of grade 3-4 neutropenia toxicity in CCRT decreased significantly in patients receiving the new treatment method compared with that in the conventional treatment group (p = 0.026). CONCLUSION: Combining TNM stage and EBV-DNA load after IC to determine the courses of IC in patients with LA-NPC did not alter the curative effect but decreased toxicity.

The impact of anger and self-concealment on post-traumatic stress and psychiatric comorbid symptoms in Chinese prisoners: A longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: Research reported prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among prisoners varies between countries, with most studies based on Western samples. The trajectory of symptoms has also been controversial. Trauma can affect prisoners' emotions and their emotional regulation tends to be maladaptive. AIMS: To examine changes in PTSD and psychiatric comorbidity among prisoners in China over time and to determine whether anger and self-concealment predicts later distress. METHOD: In a longitudinal, prospective study, sentenced men in one prison in China were asked to complete a demographic page and several self-rating scales: the Post-traumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale, the General Health Questionnaire-28, the Clinical Anger Scale and the Self-Concealment Scale at baseline and at 6 and 12 months after the initial assessment. RESULTS: More than half of the 496 participating men were diagnosed with PTSD. For those completing the scales at each evaluation, PTSD-DS scores were significantly lower at baseline than at the 6-month and 1-year assessments. No significant differences were found between the two follow-up scores. There was no significant difference in psychiatric comorbidity between the three phases. At the cross-sectional level, after controlling for age and education level, PTSD, anger and self-concealment were associated with psychiatric comorbidity. At the prospective level, anger predicted PTSD 6 months and 1 year later. Self-concealment predicted psychiatric comorbidity over time. CONCLUSIONS: Among these prisoners the prevalence of chronic PTSD was far higher than in general population estimates. Early identification of aspects of coping styles is likely to help predict disorder trajectory and inform interventions. Early signs of anger were indicative of the chronic severity of trauma reactions, while the intention to hide distress was related to other later mental health problems.

Simultaneous adsorption of phosphate and tetracycline by calcium modified corn stover biochar: Performance and mechanism.

It is important to solve the problems of biomass treatment and combined contaminants removal in environmental remediation. In this study, a calcium (Ca) modified biochar (CaBC800) was fabricated using corn stover (CS) as a raw material to remove phosphate and tetracycline (TC). The experimental results indicate that CaBC800 can adsorb both inorganic phosphate and organic TC. The entire adsorption process corresponds to pseudo-second-order kinetics and Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The maximum adsorption capacities of phosphate and TC were 33.944 and 33.534 mg/g, respectively. The phosphate adsorption was demonstrated to mainly depend on the chemical precipitation by Ca2+ and ligand exchange by hydroxyl groups from CaBC800. Meanwhile, hydrogen bonding from oxygen functional groups and π-π interactions from aromatic rings are the main adsorption mechanisms of TC. This study provides a new adsorbent to efficiently remove phosphate and TC, and the simultaneous adsorption indicates the application potential of CaBC800 in wastewater remediation.

The Impact of Child Abuse and Dissociation on Psychiatric Comorbidity and Self-Concealment Among Prisoners in China.

Child abuse is a common experience among prisoners in China and associated with elevated psychiatric comorbidity. However, the association between child abuse profiles and dissociation is unclear. The extent to which the relationship between these profiles and dissociation might influence psychiatric comorbidity and self-concealment is also unclear. This study examined the impact of this relationship on the preceding outcomes among prisoners in China using Latent Class Analysis. Four hundred and ninety-six male prisoners from China completed questionnaires measuring child abuse, dissociation, self-concealment, and psychiatric comorbidity. A three-class solution was achieved: Class 1 (neglected with moderate dissociation) prisoners had a minimal level of abuse, the highest level of neglect experience, and a medium level of dissociation; Class 2 (low neglect with low dissociation) prisoners also had a minimal level of abuse but lower levels of neglect experience and dissociation; Class 3 (abused and neglected with high dissociation) prisoners had high levels of child abuse, neglect, and dissociation. Controlling for age, Class 3 reported significantly higher psychiatric comorbidity and self-concealment than the other two classes. Class 1 was more depressed than Class 2; Class 2 was more likely to engage in self-concealment than Class 1. To conclude, the kinds of childhood maltreatment experienced by prisoners and their readiness to detach from distressing emotions can influence the severity of current distress symptoms and the tendency to conceal things about themselves.

In situ utilization of biomass pretreatment liquor as a novel flocculant for anion dyes removal: Performance and mechanism.

In this work, it was first found biomass pretreatment liquor (PL) produced from rice straw (RS) pretreatment with FeCl3 and polyethylene glycol 400 co-solvent can be used in situ as a new flocculant to remove anionic dyes from wastewater. The removal performance of nine dyes was investigated using various PL doses at different pH values. The experiment indicated that the PL had different flocculation effects on these dyes (color removal efficiency: 42.58-99.84%). Positive color removal results for the dyes were unachievable with six commercial coagulants. Among the nine dyes treated by PL flocculation, the best removal efficiencies for color, turbidity and suspended matter were obtained for Congo red. In the flocculation process, Fe3+ plays a role in charge neutralization, lignin nanoparticles (LNP) relies on hydroxyl groups to react instantaneously with the amino groups on the dye, and are bridged together by π-π interactions to promote the formation of floc clusters until they completely settle. Utilization of PL as a flocculant helps pave the way to simultaneously treat waste biomass, waste treatment liquor and dye wastewater. This research is of great significance for future water environment remediation and material development.

High Near-Infrared Reflective Zn1-xAxWO4 Pigments with Various Hues Facilely Fabricated by Tuning Doped Transition Metal Ions (A = Co, Mn, and Fe).

A series of novel transition metal ion-substituted Zn1-xAxWO4 (A = Co, Mn, and Fe, 0 < x ≤ 0.1) inorganic pigments with blue, yellow, brown, and pale green colors have been prepared by a solution combustion method and exhibit extremely high near-infrared reflectance (R > 85%). X-ray energy-dispersive spectroscopy analysis makes it clear that transition metal ions have already been incorporated into the host ZnWO4 lattice and do not change the lattice's initial wolframite structure. The optical absorption spectrum in the UV region of the ZnWO4 pigment calcined at 800 °C for 3 h is a ligand-to-metal charge transfer from O 2p nonbonding orbits to antibonding W 5d orbits. On account of the doping Co2+ (3d7), Mn2+ (3d5), and Fe3+ (3d5) transition metal ions, these chromophore ions have occupied the distorted octahedral site of Zn2+, leading to d-d transition and metal-to-metal charge transfer from the occupied 3d orbits of A2+ to unoccupied W 5d orbits in UV and visible ranges and generating some bright colors. Significantly, these inorganic pigments are also endowed with excellent thermal and chemical stability and are conducive to harsh working conditions. All of the analysis results have offered some design strategies for various colorful inorganic pigments with high near-infrared reflectance.

Explore the Usefulness of Concurrent Chemotherapy in Stage II Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma: A Retrospective Study.

Objective: This study aims to compare the treatment outcomes of concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) versus radiotherapy (RT) alone in stage II nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients. Methods: We retrospectively collected 601 stage II NPC patients treated in two hospitals between June 2003 to June 2016. All patients were divided into the CCRT group (n = 255) and the RT group (n = 346). Overall survival (OS), locoregional failure-free survival (LRFFS), progression-free survival (PFS), and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) were assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method. The log-rank test was used to compare the differences between the groups. The Cox-regression hazards model was performed to determine potential prognostic factors. Results: The median follow-up was 99 months. No significant difference was found in locoregional recurrence, distant metastasis, disease progression, and death between the two groups (all p > 0.05). In univariate analysis, the 5-years OS, PFS, LRFFS, and DMFS had no significant differences between the CCRT and RT groups (all p > 0.05). Two-dimensional radiotherapy (2DRT) sub-analysis showed that CCRT remarkably increased DMFS, PFS, and OS rates (all p < 0.05) but not LRFFS (p = 0.258) compared with RT alone. While intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) sub-analysis showed that the prognosis of the two groups had no significant differences (all p > 0.05). In multivariate analyses, age was significantly and inversely related to OS, PFS, LRFFS, and DMFS. IMRT was an independent favorable factor for improving LRFFS, PFS, and OS. Concurrent chemotherapy was an independent protective factor for DMFS. Conclusion: In the context of 2DRT, it is definite that concurrent chemotherapy provides survival benefits for patients with stage II NPC. While in the IMRT era, the impact of chemotherapy on survival in patients with stage II NPC is weakened. Prospective randomized controlled studies are required to confirm these results.

The Interrelationship Between Child Abuse, Emotional Processing Difficulties, Alexithymia And Psychological Symptoms Among Chinese Adolescents.

This study examined the interrelationship between child abuse, emotional processing difficulties, alexithymia, and psychological symptoms with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms from past traumas adjusted among Chinese adolescents. Eight hundred adolescents completed questionnaires measuring the preceding psychological constructs. After controlling for PTSD from past trauma, structural equation modeling showed that child abuse correlated with emotional processing difficulty which correlated with alexithymia. In turn, alexithymia correlated with psychological symptom severity. To conclude, child abuse can affect psychological health among Chinese adolescents. This relationship, however, is influenced by the degree to which processing distressing emotions and getting in touch with internal feelings is avoided.

Paclitaxel induces apoptosis through the TAK1-JNK activation pathway.

Paclitaxel (PTX) has previously been used to treat tumours of various tissue origins, such as lung, breast, ovarian, prostate cancers and leukemia. PTX-induced apoptosis is associated with p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (p38 MAPK), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) and c-Jun N-terminal kinase or stress-activated protein kinase (JNK/ SAPK) pathways. Transforming growth factor-beta-activated kinase 1 (TAK1) and TAK1-binding protein 1 (TAB1) play an important role in cell apoptosis through the p38, ERK, NF-κB and JNK signal transduction pathways. To investigate the role of TAK1 in PTX-induced cell apoptosis, we treated HEK293 and 8305C cells with 0-20 µM PTX for 6, 12 or 24 h. To investigate whether TAK1 can cooperate with PTX for cancer treatment, we transfected cells with TAK1, TAB1 or control plasmid and treated them with PTX (3-10 µM) for 9-24 h. Apoptosis rates were analysed by flow cytometry (Annexin V/PI). Endogenous TAK1 and TAB1, caspase-7 cleavage, poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) cleavage, Bcl-xL level, phospho-p44/42, phospho-JNK and phospho-p38 were detected by western blot. We show that in HEK293 and 8305C cells, PTX enhanced the endogenous TAK1/TAB1 level and induced cell apoptosis in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Upon TAK1 overexpression in HEK293 cells treated with PTX, apoptosis rate, JNK phosphorylation and PARP cleavage increased contrary to heat-shocked or untreated cells. CRISPR editing of the tak1 gene upon PTX treatment resulted in lower phospho-JNK and PARP cleavage levels than in cells transfected with the control or the TAK1- or TAB1 + TAK1-containing plasmids. TAK1-K63A could not induce JNK phosphorylation or PARP cleavage. We conclude that PTX induces HEK293 and 8305C cell apoptosis through the TAK1-JNK activation pathway, potentially highlighting TAK1's role in chemosensitivity.

Gender Differences in Child Abuse, Emotional Processing Difficulties, Alexithymia, Psychological Symptoms and Behavioural Problems among Chinese Adolescents.

Child abuse among adolescents in China has been documented and can lead to a whole range of psychological and behavioural problems. This study examined whether male and female adolescents would differ in level of child abuse, emotional processing difficulties, alexithymia, psychological symptoms and behavioural problems, and whether the pattern of association between these variables would vary depending on gender. Eight hundred adolescents were recruited from China and completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, Emotional Processing Scale, Toronto Alexithymia Scale, General Health Questionnaire, and Prediction Test of Problem Children. Male adolescents reported significantly higher levels of emotional and physical neglect, and external oriented thinking style than female adolescents. Females reported significantly more anxiety symptoms and problems with learning than males. For males, child abuse was associated with emotional processing difficulties which were associated with alexithymia. In turn, alexithymia was associated with both psychological and behavioural problems. For females, the same association was established for predicting behavioural problems but not psychological symptoms. Male and female adolescents differed in level of child abuse, alexithymia, psychological symptoms and behavioural problems. These psychological constructs were connected in a specific pattern to trigger psychological and behavioural problems for male adolescents whereas for females, different patterns were involved.

D-dimer >2.785 µg/ml and multiple infarcts ≥3 vascular territories are two characteristics of identifying cancer-associated ischemic stroke patients.

BACKGROUND: The patterns and mechanisms underlying stroke in cancer patients differ from those of the conventional etiology. In this study, we further investigated the characteristics distinguishing cancer-associated ischemic stroke (CAIS) and the relationship of D-dimer value with CAIS. METHODS: Sixty-one acute ischemic stroke patients with cancer (cancer group) and 76 stroke patients without cancer (control group) were recruited. Cerebrovascular distribution was divided into 3 circulations and 23 vascular territories, and acute multiple brain infarcts (AMBIs) were defined as discrete MRI diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) lesions in >1 vascular territory. RESULTS: Cancer patients had higher average D-dimer and fibrinogen degradation product values, and fewer stroke risk factors. The numbers of infarct-affected vascular territories, AMBIs, and AMBIs in multiple circulations were significantly higher in the cancer group. Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that the cutoff value of D-dimer was 2.785 µg/ml; and above features were particularly evident in cancer patients whose D-dimer values were >2.785 µg/ml, while those with D-dimer values ≤2.785 µg/ml were similar to controls. CONCLUSIONS: D-dimer >2.785 µg/ml may be an effective cutoff value and a sensitive index for identifying CAIS patients. AMBIs in ≥3 vascular territories and AMBIs in both the anterior and posterior circulations are two imaging characteristics of CAIS.

Correction: Continuous Positive Airway Pressure Treatment Reduces Mortality in Elderly Patients with Moderate to Severe Obstructive Severe Sleep Apnea: A Cohort Study.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0127775.].

Child Abuse and Psychiatric Co-morbidity Among Chinese Adolescents: Emotional Processing as Mediator and PTSD from Past Trauma as Moderator.

This study investigated whether child abuse was associated with psychiatric co-morbidity in a group of Chinese adolescents, and whether this association would be mediated by emotional processing difficulties and moderated by the severity of PTSD from other traumas in the past. Four hundred seventy-four adolescents participated in the study. They completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire-Short Form, General Health Questionnaire-28, the Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale, and Emotional processing scale-25. The results showed that after adjusting for the total number of traumatic events and how long ago the most traumatic event occurred, child abuse was associated with psychiatric co-morbidity. This association was not moderated by the severity of PTSD from past traumas but mediated by emotion processing difficulties. To conclude, adolescents who experience child abuse can develop emotional processing difficulties which in turn impact on psychiatric symptoms. Experience of past trauma does not influence these psychological processes.

Increased plasma lactate level is associated with subclinical cardiovascular damage in patient with non-dipping hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the difference of plasma lactate level between dipping and non-dipping hypertension, and to investigate the effects of lactate on subclinical cardiovascular damages in dipping and non-dipping hypertension. METHODS: According to 24 h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, 236 patients with dipping and 152 with non-dipping hypertension were included. Clinical characteristics were collected and compared between dipping and non-dipping groups. Left ventricle hypertrophy (LVH) and N-terminal pro-B type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) level were used to evaluate subclinical cardiovascular damage. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to evaluate the relationship between lactate and LVH and NT-proBNP elevation. RESULTS: Compared to dipping hypertension, plasma levels of lactate and NT-proBNP in non-dipping hypertension group were significantly higher. Moreover, the value of left ventricle mass index to height (LVMI/height) was also significantly higher in non-dipping group, and the percentage of patient with LVH was also higher in non-dipping group (36.8% vs. 28.9%, P < 0.05). Multivariate regression analysis revealed that in non-dipping group, after fully adjustment, the associations between lactate with LVH and NT-proBNP remained significant, with odds ratio (OR) of 1.18 (95% confidence interval [CI] of 1.13-1.24) in LVH and OR of 1.16 in NT-proBNP (95% CI of 1.10-1.23), respectively. Nonetheless, the associations between lactate with LVH and NT-proBNP elevation in dipping group were diminished to statistical nonsignificance. CONCLUSION: Plasma lactate level in non-dipping hypertension is significantly higher than dipping hypertension, and this difference may be the potential mechanism non-dipping hypertension contributes to greater targeted organ damage.

The Relationship Between Gender, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder from Past Trauma, Alexithymia and Psychiatric Co-morbidity in Chinese Adolescents: A Moderated Mediational Analysis.

This study focused on a group of Chinese adolescents and examined whether the degree of alexithymia would mediate the effect of PTSD from past trauma onto psychiatric co-morbidities and whether gender differences would moderate the mediational effects of alexithymia. Three hundred and twenty-six adolescents were recruited from two schools and completed the Posttraumatic Stress Diagnostic Scale, General Health Questionnaire-28 and Toronto Alexithymia Scale-20. The results showed that 54 % had no trauma in their lives; 10, 21 and 15 % met the criteria for full, partial and no-PTSD respectively. After adjusting the number of traumatic events, difficulty identifying feelings mediated the path between PTSD from past trauma and psychiatric co-morbidity. Gender moderated the mediational effect of difficulty identifying feelings. To conclude, adolescents can develop PTSD symptoms and psychiatric co-morbidity following exposure to a traumatic event. For both males and females, difficulty getting in touch with feelings can influence the impact of PTSD onto psychiatric co-morbidity.