Impact of coexisting type 2 diabetes mellitus on the urinary microbiota of kidney stone patients.

Objectives: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) commonly complicates kidney stone disease (KSD). Our objective is to investigate the variations in the urinary microbiota between individuals with KSD alone and those with KSD plus T2DM. This exploration could have implications for disease diagnosis and treatment strategies. Methods: During lithotripsy, a ureterscope was employed, and 1 mL of urine was collected from the renal pelvis after bladder disinfection. Sequencing targeting the V3-V4 hypervariable region was performed using the 16S rRNA and Illumina Novaseq platform. Results: The Shannon index showed a significant decrease in the KSD plus T2DM group compared to the KSD-only group (false discovery rate = 0.041). Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoA) demonstrated a distinct bacterial community in the KSD plus T2DM group compared to the KSD-only group (false discovery rate = 0.027). The abundance of Sphingomonas, Corynebacterium, and Lactobacillus was significantly higher in the KSD plus T2DM group than in the KSD-only group (false discovery rate < 0.05). Furthermore, Enhydrobacter, Chryseobacterium, and Allobaculum were positively correlated with fasting blood glucose and HbA1c values (P < 0.05). Conclusions: The urinary microbiota in the renal pelvis exhibits differences between patients with KSD plus T2DM and those with KSD alone. Further studies employing animal models are necessary to validate these distinctions, potentially paving the way for therapeutic developments based on the urinary microbiota.

Aloperine Alleviates Myocardial Injury Induced by Myocardial Ischemia and Reperfusion by Activating the ERK1/2/ß-catenin Signaling Pathway.

OBJECTIVE: Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury can cause severe cardiac damage. Aloperine is a quinolizidine alkaloid found in the leaves and seeds of Sophora alopecuroides L. It has been recognized that aloperine has organ-protective properties; however, its role in cardioprotection is poorly characterized. This study aimed to evaluate the cardioprotective effects of aloperine against myocardial I/R injury in vivo. METHODS: Adult male Sprague‒Dawley rats were randomly divided into sham-operated, control, and aloperine groups. All rats except for the sham-operated rats were subjected to 45 min of myocardial ischemia (by left anterior descending ligation) followed by 3 h of reperfusion. Aloperine (10 mg/kg) was given intravenously at the onset of reperfusion. The cardioprotective effects of aloperine were evaluated by determining infarct size, hemodynamics, histological changes, cardiac biomarkers, and cardiac apoptosis. RESULTS: Aloperine limited infarct size; improved hemodynamics; attenuated myocardial I/R-induced histological deterioration; decreased serum LDH, CK-MB, and α-HBDH levels; and inhibited apoptosis after myocardial I/R injury. Moreover, aloperine stimulated the phosphorylation of ventricular ERK1/2, which is a major module of MAPK signaling pathways. Furthermore, aloperine increased the ventricular expression levels of ß-catenin. Pharmacological inhibition of ERK1/2 diminished aloperine-induced cardioprotection and blocked ERK1/2/ß-catenin signaling. CONCLUSIONS: These data support the cardioprotective effect of aloperine against myocardial I/R injury, which is mediated, at least in part, by the ERK1/2/ß-catenin signaling pathway.

Objective Sleep Duration and All-Cause Mortality Among People With Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Importance: The association between sleep duration and all-cause mortality remains unclear among people with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Objective: To explore whether there is an association between sleep duration and all-cause mortality among people with OSA. Design, Setting, and Participants: This cohort study investigated participants with OSA from the Sleep Heart Health Study (SHHS) in which participants were enrolled between 1995 and 1998 with questionnaires and polysomnography (PSG) assessment and followed up for a median of 11.8 years. SHHS was a multicenter community-based study; 2574 participants with OSA defined by apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) greater than or equal to 15 from SHHS were found; all of them had all-cause mortality data and were included in the study. Data were analyzed from November 2022 to October 2023. Exposures: Participants were divided into 4 groups with objective sleep duration of (1) at least 7 hours, (2) 6 to less than 7 hours, (3) 5 to less than 6 hours, and (4) less than 5 hours, which was determined by total sleep time on PSG at baseline. Main Outcomes and Measures: All-cause mortality was defined as deaths from any cause and its risk was compared among 4 OSA groups using Cox regression models. Results: A total of 2574 participants with OSA were included (1628 [63.2%] men and 946 [36.8%] women; mean [SD] age, 65.4 [10.7] years; 211 [8.2%] Black, 2230 [86.6%] White, 133 [5.2%] other race). Overall, 688 all-cause deaths were observed in participants. Compared with the group sleeping at least 7 hours, the groups sleeping 6 to less than 7 hours (hazard ratio [HR], 1.53 [95% CI, 1.13-2.07]), 5 to less than 6 hours (HR, 1.40 [95% CI, 1.03-1.90]), and less than 5 hours (HR, 1.64 [95% CI, 1.20-2.24]) had significantly higher risks of all-cause mortality independent of AHI. Sensitivity analyses were performed among participants with available data of positive airway pressure treatment during follow-up and the finding was mostly consistent, albeit the HR for the group of 5 to less than 6 hours was not statistically significant. Conclusions and Relevance: In this cohort study of 2574 participants with OSA, those with shorter objective sleep duration had higher risk of all-cause mortality independent of AHI compared with those sleeping at least 7 hours. Further studies would be needed to investigate health benefits of extending sleep length among people with OSA with short sleep duration.

Pretreatment with remote ischemic conditioning attenuates testicular damage after testicular ischemia and reperfusion injury in rats.

Testicular torsion is a urological emergency. However, surgical detorsion of the torsed spermatic cord can cause testicular reperfusion injury. Although remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) has been convincingly shown to protect organs against ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, little is known regarding the effect of RIPC on testicular torsion/detorsion-induced reperfusion injury. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the effect of RIPC on testes after testicular I/R injury in a rat model in vivo. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly classified into 4 groups: sham-operated (sham), testicular I/R (TI/R), or remote liver (RIPC liver) and limb (RIPC limb) ischemic preconditioning groups. Testis I/R was induced by 3 h of right spermatic cord torsion (720° clockwise), and reperfusion was allowed for 3 hours. In the RIPC group, four cycles of 5 min of ischemia and 5 min of reperfusion were completed 30 min prior to testicular torsion. The ERK1/2 inhibitor U0126 was administered intravenously at the beginning of reperfusion (1 mg/kg). The testes were taken for the oxidative stress evaluations, histology, apoptosis, immunohistochemical and western blotting analysis. Remote liver and limb ischemic preconditioning attenuated ipsilateral and contralateral testicular damage after testicular I/R injury. For example. RIPC reduced testicular swelling and oxidative stress, lessened structural damage, and inhibited the testicular inflammatory response and apoptosis. Furthermore, RIPC treatment enhanced testicular ERK1/2 phosphorylation postI/R. Inhibition of ERK1/2 activity using U0126 eliminated the protection offered by RIPC. Our data demonstrate for the first time that RIPC protects testes against testicular I/R injury via activation of the ERK1/2 signaling pathway.

Can antibiotics for enteritis or for urinary tract infection disrupt the urinary microbiota in rats?

Background: To establish antibiotic preregimes and administration routes for studies on urinary microbiota. Methods and materials: Antibiotics for enteritis (Abx-enteritis) and UTIs (Abx-UTI) were administered via gavage and/or urinary catheterisation (UC) for 1 and/or 2 weeks. The effects of these Abx on the urinary microbiota of rats were examined via 16S rRNA sequencing and urine culture, including anaerobic and aerobic culture. Additionally, the safety of the Abx was examined. Results: Abx-enteritis/Abx-UTI (0.5 g/L and 1 g/L) administered via gavage did not alter the microbial community and bacterial diversity in the urine of rats (FDR > 0.05); however, Abx-UTI (1 g/L) administered via UC for 1 and 2 weeks altered the urinary microbial community (FDR < 0.05). Rats administered Abx-UTI (1 g/L) via UC for 1 week demonstrated a distinct urinary microbiota in culture. Abx-enteritis/Abx-UTI administered via gavage disrupted the microbial community and reduced bacterial diversity in the faeces of rats (FDR < 0.05), and Abx-UTI administered via UC for 2 weeks (FDR < 0.05) altered the fecal microbiota. Abx-UTI (1 g/L) administered via UC did not alter safety considerations. In addition, we noticed that UC did not induce infections and injuries to the bladder and kidney tissues. Conclusions: Administration of Abx-UTI via UC for 1 week can be considered a pre-treatment option while investigating the urinary microbiota.

Evolution of green leaf volatile profile and aroma potential during the berry development in five Vitis vinifera L. Cultivars.

Green leaf volatiles (GLVs), play important roles in the green and fresh aroma characteristics of grape berries. The evolution of GLV profiles regarding the varietal difference during grapevine phenological ripening is not well understood. This study generated the GLV profiles of five Vitis vinifera L. cultivars ('Cabernet Sauvignon,' 'Cabernet Franc,' 'Cabernet Gernischt,' 'Chardonnay,' and 'Sauvignon Blanc') at five ripening stages. GLVs were distinctive at different E-L stages for each grape variety. (E)-2-hexen-1-ol, 1-hexanol, and hexanal were the dominant components in all mature berries. In terms of total GLV content, all varieties reached the maximum at maturity in the 2019 vintage, and the total GLV content was higher in mature Sauvignon Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon grapes. In the 2020 vintage, the total GLV content in Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc berries rapidly accumulated at veraison and peaked before harvest. The present results could help winemakers create a good balance of wine aroma.

First case report of pustules associated with Escherichia fergusonii in the chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla aurita).

BACKGROUND: Escherichia fergusonii is a common conditionally pathogenic bacterium that infects humans and animals. E. fergusonii has been reported to cause diarrhea, respiratory disease, and septicemia, but it is rarely reported to cause skin infections in animals. E. fergusonii has been isolated from the skin and muscular tissue of Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla aurita). To date, there have been no reports of Chinese pangolins with clinical signs of skin diseases. CASE PRESENTATION: This case report describes the clinical case of a subadult (bodyweight: 1.1 kg) female Chinese pangolin from wild rescue with pustules and subcutaneous suppurative infection due to E. fergusonii in the abdominal skin. Bacterial culture, Biochemical analysis, PCR and histopathology were utilized to identify the bacteria in the pustule puncture fluid and infected tissue. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of E. fergusonii-related pustules on a Chinese pangolin. CONCLUSION: This case report presents the first observed skin infection in a Chinese pangolin. E. fergusonii infection should be considered as a possible differential diagnosis of pustules and subcutaneous suppurative skin conditions in Chinese pangolins, and we also provide several recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of this disease.

Local chronicles reveal the effect of anthropogenic and climatic impacts on local extinctions of Chinese pangolins (Manis pentadactyla) in mainland China.

Anthropogenic and climatic factors affect the survival of animal species. Chinese pangolin is a critically endangered species, and identifying which variables lead to local extinction events is essential for conservation management. Local chronicles in China serve as long-term monitoring data, providing a perspective to disentangle the roles of human impacts and climate changes in local extinctions. Therefore, we established generalized additive models to identify factors leading to local extinction with historical data from 1700-2000 AD in mainland China. Then we decreased the time scale and constructed extinction risk models using MaxEnt in a 30-year transect (1970-2000 AD) to further assess extinction probability of extant Chinese pangolin populations. Lastly, we used principal component analysis to assess variation of related anthropogenic and climatic variables. Our results showed that the extinction probability increased with global warming and human population growth. An extinction risk assessment indicated that the population and distribution range of Chinese pangolins had been persistently shrinking in response to highly intensive human activities (main cause) and climate change. PCA results indicated that variability of climatic variables is greater than anthropogenic variables. Overall, the factors causing local extinctions are intensive human interference and drastic climatic fluctuations which induced by the effect of global warming. Approximately 28.10% of extant Chinese pangolins populations are confronted with a notable extinction risk (0.37 ≤ extinction probability≤0.93), specifically those in Southeast China, including Guangdong, Jiangxi, Zhejiang, Hunan and Fujian Provinces. To rescue this critically endangered species, we suggest strengthening field investigations, identifying the exact distribution range and population density of Chinese pangolins and further optimizing the network of nature reserves to improve conservation coverage on the landscape scale and alleviate human interference. Conservation practices that concentrate on the viability assessment of scattered populations could help to improve restoration strategies of the Chinese pangolin.

Salivary microbiome in chronic kidney disease: what is its connection to diabetes, hypertension, and immunity?

BACKGROUND: The association between oral dysbiosis and chronic kidney disease (CKD) has gained increasing attention in recent years. Diabetes and hypertension are the most common conditions in CKD. However, a case-control study with matched confounding variables on the salivary microbiome in CKD and the influence of diabetes and hypertension on the microbiome has never been reported. METHODS: In our study, we compared the salivary microbiome profile between patients with CKD and healthy controls (HC) using 16S ribosomal DNA sequencing and examine its association with diabetes, hypertension, and immunity. RESULTS: We observed that the bacterial community was skewed in the saliva of CKD, with increased Lautropia and Pseudomonas, and decreased Actinomyces, Prevotella, Prevotella 7, and Trichococcus. No difference in the bacterial community between the CKD patients complicated with and without diabetes, and between those with and without hypertension. Prevotella 7 declined in CKD patients with/without hypertension with respect to HC, while Pseudomonas increased in CKD patients with/without hypertension. Pseudomonas was negatively associated with immunoglobin G in CKD patients. Both CKD patients with positive and negative antistreptolysin O had declined Prevotella 7 and Trichococcus compared to HC, whereas increased Pseudomonas. CONCLUSIONS: Our study identifies a distinct bacterial saliva microbiome in CKD patients characterized by alteration in composition. We unravel here that the co-occurrence diseases of diabetes and hypertension are not associated with specific bacterial alterations, suggesting that bacterial dysbiosis in saliva plays a role in renal damage regardless of the occurrence of diabetes and hypertension.

Sleep health and its related influencing factors in primary and middle school students in Fuzhou: A large multi-center cross-sectional study.

Background: This current study set out to investigate the status of sleep health in 7-20-year-old students in Fuzhou and explore the related influencing factors of sleep health. Methods: A total of 38,467 children and adolescents in Fuzhou were included in the study through a random stratified cluster sampling. Data were collected from May to June 2019, in 18 primary schools and 18 middle schools from nine districts, Fuzhou. Children's parents and adolescents of sampled classes were invited to fill out a series of questionnaires about the performance of the last 6 months (sociodemographic characteristics, sleep-related lifestyle behaviors, and electronic-products usage). Multiple linear regression was carried out to analyze data. Results: Of the total 40,888 questionnaires we released, 38,467 were valid and effective with the response rate was 94.08%. The age of the surveyed participants was 11.85 ± 3.1, including 20,013 boys and 18,454 girls. The multiple linear regression analysis identified factors associated with sleep health (p < 0.05): Boy (coef = 0.073, 95% CI: 0.030-0.115), age (coef = 1.797, 95% CI: 0.224-0.243), key school (coef = 2.069, 95% CI: 0.105-0.193), urban (coef = 0.096, 95% CI: 0.054-0.139), excessive daytime sleepiness (coef = 0.535, 95% CI: 0.432-0.639), unhealthy sleep habits (coef = 0.363, 95% CI: 0.307-0.419), eating before sleep (coef = 0.578, 95% CI: 0.527-0.630), using electronic products in bedroom (coef = 0.074, 95% CI: 0.028-0.121), screen time per day during school (coef = 0.260, 95% CI: 0.235-0.284), frequency of using electronics 30 min before bedtime (coef = 0.150, 95% CI: 0.134-0.166), strained relationship with parents (coef = 0.361, 95% CI: 0.270-0.452), strained relationship with peers (coef = 0.267, 95% CI: 0.171-0.363), excessive homework or learning (coef = 0.189, 95% CI: 0.141-0.237), time for doing homework (coef = 0.266, 95% CI: 0.245-0.287), and mood swings frequently (coef = 1.174, 95% CI: 1.127-1.221) negatively impact sleep health. Sleep alone (coef = -0.204, 95% CI: -0.262-0.147) were the risk factors for sleep health. Furthermore, frequent mood swings was considered the most influential factor on overall variables. Conclusions: Sleep health is associated with factors covered sociodemographic characteristics, family sleep habits, and routine activities before bedtime. Multiple measures should be taken to improve sleep quality in a targeted manner.

Gut Mycobiome in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease Was Altered and Associated With Immunological Profiles.

Objectives: Mounting evidence suggests that bacterial dysbiosis and immunity disorder are associated with patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD), but the mycobiome is beginning to gain recognition as a fundamental part of our microbiome. We aim to characterize the profile of the mycobiome in the gut of CKD patients and its correlation to serum immunological profiles. Methods and materials: Ninety-two CKD patients and sex-age-body mass index (BMI)-matched healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. Fresh samples were collected using sterile containers. ITS transcribed spacer ribosomal RNA gene sequencing was performed on the samples. An immunoturbidimetric test was used to assess the serum levels of immunological features. Results: The CKD cohort displayed a different microbial community from that in the HC cohort according to principal coordinate analysis (PCoA). (P=0.001). The comparison of the two cohorts showed that the CKD cohort had significantly higher gut microbial richness and diversity (P<0.05). The CKD cohort had lower abundances of Candida, Bjerkandera, Rhodotorula, and Ganoderma compared to the HC cohort, while it had higher Saccharomyces (P<0.05). However, the microbial community alteration was inconsistent with the severity of kidney damage in patients, as only patients in CKD stage 1~3 had differed microbial community concerning for HCs based on PCoA (P<0.05). The serum concentration of the kappa light chain in CKD patients was positively associated with Saccharomyces, whereas the it was negatively associated with Ganoderma (P<0.05). Conclusions: Not only was gut mycobiome dysbiosis observed in CKD patients, but the dysbiosis was also associated with the immunological disorder. These findings suggest that therapeutic strategies targeting gut mycobiome might be effective.

Influence of Pleistocene climate fluctuations on the demographic history and distribution of the critically endangered Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla).

BACKGROUND: Pleistocene climate fluctuations have strongly modified species genetic diversity and distributions. The Chinese pangolin (Manis pentadactyla) has been recognized as a critically endangered animal due to heavy poaching and trafficking. However, the effect of Pleistocene climate fluctuations on the genetic diversity and spatial distribution of the Chinese pangolin remains largely unknown. Here, we combined whole genome sequencing data, analysis of complete mitochondrial genomes, and a large amount of occurrence data from field surveys to infer the ancestral demographic history and predict the past spatial dynamics of the Chinese pangolin in Guangdong Province, China. RESULTS: Our results indicated that there were two subpopulations, which showed similar trends of population size change in response to past climatic changes. We estimated a peak effective population size (Ne) during the last interglacial (LIG), followed by a marked decrease (~ 0.5 to fivefold change) until the last glacial maximum (LGM) and a rebound to a small peak population size during the Mid-Holocene (MH). The estimated time of the separation event between two subpopulations was approximately 3,000-2,500 years ago (ka). We estimated that the distribution of suitable areas shrank by 14.4% from the LIG to LGM, followed by an expansion of 31.4% from the LGM to MH and has been stable since then. In addition, we identified an elevational shift and suitable area decreased significantly during the LGM, but that the geographic extent of suitable areas in the western region increased from the LIG to present. The eastern region of Guangdong Province had the highest habitat suitability across all the climate scenarios. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggested that Pleistocene climate fluctuations played an important role in shaping patterns of genetic diversity and spatial distribution, and that human stressors likely contributed to the recent divergence of two Chinese pangolin subpopulations sampled here. We argue that a key protected area should be established in the eastern region of Guangdong Province. As such, this study provides a more thorough understanding of the impacts of Pleistocene climate fluctuations impacts on a mammalian species in southern China and suggests more robust management and conservation plans for this Critically Endangered species of special interest.

Reliability and validity of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index among frontline COVID-19 health care workers using classical test theory and item response theory.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: The applicability of sleep-related scales to frontline medical staff for the COVID-19 pandemic has not been fully proved, so sleep survey results lack credibility and accuracy, creating difficulties for the guidance and treatment of frontline medical staff with sleep disorders, which is not conducive to the prevention and control of COVID-19. This study sought to analyze the reliability and validity of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) among frontline medical staff fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A network questionnaire survey was used to investigate the PSQI among frontline medical staff who fought COVID-19 in Wuhan, China from March 19 to April 15, 2020. Combined with classical test theory and item response theory, the content validity, internal consistency, construct validity, and other aspects of the PSQI were evaluated. RESULTS: According to classical test theory, content validity, criterion validity, and construct validity of the PSQI were good. But the internal consistency was better after the deletion of the "daytime dysfunction" subscale. With regard to item response theory, difficulty, the differential item function, and the Wright map performed well. CONCLUSIONS: The original PSQI showed acceptable applicability in frontline COVID-19 medical staff, and its characteristics moderately improved after the "daytime dysfunction" subscale was removed. CITATION: Wang L, Wu Y-X, Lin Y-Q, et al. Reliability and validity of the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index among frontline COVID-19 health care workers using classical test theory and item response theory. J Clin Sleep Med. 2022;18(2):541-551.

Transcriptomic and Metabolic Analyses Provide New Insights into the Effects of Exogenous Sucrose on Monoterpene Synthesis in "Muscat Hamburg" Grapes.

Monoterpenes provide strong floral and fruit aromas to grapes and wines. In the present study, the effects of exogenous sucrose on the monoterpenes metabolites were studied at the metabolomic and transcriptomic levels in "Muscat Hamburg" grape berries. 6% sucrose aqueous solution was used as treatment, applied at the berry color change stage and 8 days after the first application. Transcriptomics analysis was carried out on berries collected at three phenological stages (berries with intermediate Brix values, E-L 36; berries not quite ripe, E-L 37; and berries harvest-ripe, E-L 38). Our results showed that the sucrose application induced the accumulation of monoterpenes at harvest, especially geraniol and geranic acid. The summary of the number of differentially expressed genes between the control and treatment was 3465, 977, and 2843 at E-L 36, E-L 37, and E-L 38, respectively. Weighted gene correlation network analysis was constructed based on the RNA-seq data, and the MElightyellow module was probably correlated with monoterpene metabolism, comprising 131 unigenes. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain expression analysis of five key differentially expressed genes in terpenoid pathways validated the RNA-seq-derived expression profiles (R2 = 0.8143). Our findings provided new insights into the regulation of monoterpene biosynthesis in grape berries under exogenous sucrose.

High Genetic Diversity of an Invasive Alien Species: Comparison between Fur-Farmed and Feral American Mink (Neovison vison) in China.

Genetic characteristics play an important role in alien species for achieving high adaptation and rapid evolution in a new environment. The American mink (Neovison vison) is one of the best-known and most widespread invasive species that has successfully invaded the Eurasian mainland over quite a short period, including most parts of northeastern China. However, genetic information on farmed and feral American mink populations introduced in China is completely lacking. In this study, we combined mitochondrial DNA sequences and polymorphic microsatellites to examine the genetic divergence and genetic diversity of farmed and feral American mink populations. Our results suggest that there is admixture of individuals of different genetic characteristics between farmed and feral populations of mink. Furthermore, the genetic diversity of both farmed and feral American mink populations was high, and no bottleneck or population expansion was detected in most of the populations. These findings not only highlight the genetic characteristics of American mink in northeastern China but also contribute to the general understanding of the invasiveness of farmed species.

Weekday and weekend sleep deprivation are associated with recurrent nightmare in adolescents: a cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVE: Our study aimed to investigate the association between sleep deprivation and parasomnias including nightmare and sleepwalking in Chinese adolescents. METHODS: A total of 19,229 high school students aged 10-20 in Fuzhou were invited to complete questionnaires regarding sleep duration, parasomnias including nightmare and sleepwalking, and emotional problems. Subjects with sleep deprivation (SD) defined as sleeping less than 8 h either on weekdays or on weekends were categorized as three groups: weekday SD, weekend SD and habitual SD. RESULTS: The prevalence of recurrent nightmare was significantly higher for subjects with SD (SD vs non sleep deprivation (NSD): 7.6% vs 3.7%). In all subjects, habitual SD was associated with the highest risk of recurrent nightmare [Odds ratio (OR) = 2.19, 95% Confidential interval (95% CI) = 1.73-2.75, P < 0.001], followed by weekday SD (OR = 2.06, 95% CI = 1.64-2.61, P < 0.001) and weekend SD (OR = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.01-2.08, P = 0.045). No significant association was found between sleepwalking and sleep deprivation. In further age-based (10-13/14-17 years) and sex-based subgroup analyses, the findings were consistent except that association between weekend SD and recurrent nightmare disappeared among subjects aged 14-17 or among girls. CONCLUSIONS: Our study found a significant association between recurrent nightmare and sleep deprivation either on weekdays or on weekends in adolescents, which was stronger with more deprivation episodes. No significant association was found between sleepwalking and sleep deprivation. Association between weekend SD and recurrent nightmare disappeared among subjects aged 14-17 or among girls.

The roles of climate, geography and natural selection as drivers of genetic and phenotypic differentiation in a widespread amphibian Hyla annectans (Anura: Hylidae).

The role of geological events and Pleistocene climatic fluctuations as drivers of current patterns of genetic variation in extant species has been a topic of continued interest among evolutionary biologists. Nevertheless, comprehensive studies of widely distributed species are still rare, especially from Asia. Using geographically extensive sampling of many individuals and a large number of nuclear single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), we studied the phylogeography and historical demography of Hyla annectans populations in southern China. Thirty-five sampled populations were grouped into seven clearly defined genetic clusters that closely match phenotype-based subspecies classification. These lineages diverged 2.32-5.23 million years ago (Ma), a timing that closely aligns with the rapid and drastic uplifting of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and adjacent southwest China. Demographic analyses and species distribution models indicate that different populations of this species have responded differently to past climatic changes. In the Hengduan Mountains, most populations experienced a bottleneck, whereas the populations located outside of the Hengduan Mountains have gradually declined in size since the end of the last glaciation. In addition, the levels of phenotypic and genetic divergence were strongly correlated across major clades. These results highlight the combined effects of geological events and past climatic fluctuations, as well as natural selection, as drivers of contemporary patterns of genetic and phenotypic variation in a widely distributed anuran in Asia.

Ceramization Mechanism of Ceramizable Silicone Rubber Composites with Nano Silica at Low Temperature.

Ceramizable composite is a kind of polymer matrix composite that can turn into ceramic material at a high temperature. It can be used for the ceramic insulation of a metal conductor because of its processability. However, poor low-temperature ceramization performance is a problem of ceramizable composites. In this paper, ceramizable composites were prepared by using silicone rubber as a matrix. Ceramic samples were sintered at different temperatures no more than 1000 °C, according to thermogravimetric analysis results of the composites. The linear contraction and flexural strength of the ceramics were measured. The microstructure and crystalline phase of ceramics were analyzed using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The results show that the composites turned into ceramics at 800 °C, and a new crystal and continuous microstructure formed in the samples. The flexural strength of ceramics was 46.76 MPa, which was more than twice that of similar materials reported in other research sintered at 1000 °C. The maximum flexural strength was 54.56 MPa, when the sintering temperature was no more than 1000 °C. Moreover, glass frit and nano silica played important roles in the formation of the ceramic phase in this research. A proper content of nano silica could increase the strength of the ceramic samples.

Reduced Sleep Duration and Sleep Efficiency Were Independently Associated With Frequent Nightmares in Chinese Frontline Medical Workers During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Outbreak.

OBJECTIVES: Nightmares were related to emotion and behavioral problems and also emerged as one of the core features of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Our study aimed to investigate the associations of frequent nightmares with sleep duration and sleep efficiency among frontline medical workers in Wuhan during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. METHODS: A total of 528 health-care workers from the province of Fujian providing medical aid in Wuhan completed the online questionnaires. There were 114 doctors and 414 nurses. The age, sex, marital status, and work situation were recorded. A battery of scales including the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) and the 12-item General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-12) were used to evaluate subjects' sleep and general mental health. Frequent nightmares were defined as the response of at least once a week in the item of "nightmare" of PSQI. RESULTS: Frequent nightmares were found in 27.3% of subjects. The frequent nightmare group had a higher score of PSQI-sleep duration and PSQI-habitual sleep efficiency (frequent nightmares vs. non-frequent nightmares: PSQI-sleep duration, 1.08 ± 0.97 vs. 0.74 ± 0.85, P < 0.001; PSQI-habitual sleep efficiency, 1.08 ± 1.10 vs. 0.62 ± 0.88, P < 0.001). Reduced sleep duration and reduced sleep efficiency were independently associated with frequent nightmares after adjustment for age, sex, poor mental health, and regular sleeping medication use (reduced sleep duration: OR = 1.96, 95% CI = 1.07-3.58, P = 0.029; reduced sleep efficiency: OR = 2.17, 95% CI = 1.09-4.32, P = 0.027). Subjects with both reduced sleep duration and sleep efficiency were also associated with frequent nightmares (OR = 2.70, 95% CI = 1.57-4.65, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The present study found that sleep duration and sleep efficiency were both independently associated with frequent nightmares among frontline medical workers in Wuhan during the COVID-19 pandemic. We should pay attention to nightmares and even the ensuing PTSD symptoms among subjects with reduced sleep duration or sleep efficiency facing potential traumatic exposure.