Sex-specific differences in the clinical profile among psychiatric patients with pulmonary Embolism: a hospital-based retrospective study.

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary embolism (PE) is a severe and life-threatening complication of venous thromboembolism. However, there is a lack of systematic studies on differences between female and male PE patients. This paper aimed to compare the sex-specific differences in clinical characteristics and laboratory indicators in psychotic patients with PE. METHODS: This retrospective study enrolled psychiatric patients with PE from June 2018 to June 2022 at Shenzhen Kangning Hospital (Shenzhen Mental Health Center). Demographic characteristics, factors associated with PE, and laboratory indices were collected to assess sex-specific differences. RESULTS: Of the 168 patients, 87 (51.8%) were female and 81 (48.2%) were male, with a mean age of 58 years for females and 46 years for male patients. The male group had higher ratio of hyperprolactinemia, more patients using antipsychotic medications, higher D-dimer levels at PE onset, greater D-dimer difference, and a higher rate of D-dimer elevation than the female group (p < 0.05). Female patients were significantly older, exhibited a higher prevalence of diabetes, and had a greater number of patients taking antidepressants and hypnotics/sedatives than male patients (p < 0.05). Schizophrenia spectrum disorders were more prevalent in male patients, while female patients had a higher incidence of mood disorders (p < 0.05). Among patients aged < 45 years, the male group had higher D-dimer levels at PE onset and greater D-dimer difference (p < 0.05). Among all 112 patients aged ≥ 45 years, male patients were more likely than female patients to have respiratory tract infections, higher D-dimer levels at PE onset, greater D-dimer difference, and a higher rate of D-dimer elevation (p < 0.05). The multiple linear regression analysis indicated that hyperprolactinemia and the use of first-generation antipsychotics (FGAs) were associated with D-dimer levels at PE onset in male patients, while the time of PE onset and protective restraints were associated with D-dimer levels at PE onset in female patients (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: PE-associated clinical features differ between male and female patients. These differences may imply that the processes and mechanisms of PE onset are sex specific. Male patients are more likely to have respiratory tract infections and higher D-dimer levels at PE onset than female patients. The use of FGAs may be associated with increased D-dimer in male psychiatric patients, while protective restraints may be associated with increased D-dimer in female psychiatric patients.

Effects of phototherapy on biopterin, neopterin, tryptophan, and behavioral neuroinflammatory reaction in patients with post-stroke depression.

The aim of this study was to investigate the overall effects of phototherapy on biopterin (BH4), neopterin (BH2), tryptophan (Trp), and behavioral neuroinflammatory reaction in patients with post-stroke depression. There involved a total of 100 hospitalized patients with post-stroke depression at our hospital from February 2021 to December 2022. The participants enrolled were randomly assigned to either the control group or the experimental group. The control group received routine treatment, including medication and psychological support, while the experimental group received 30 min of phototherapy daily for 8 weeks. All participantsvoluntarily participated in the study and provided informed consent. Baseline characteristics of the patients were statistically analyzed. The severity of depressive symptoms was evaluated using the hamilton depression scale (HAMD) and the beck depression inventory (BDI). Levels of amino acid neurotransmitters, including gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), aspartic acid (Asp), and glutamic acid (Glu), were measured using radioimmunoassay. Plasma levels of neuroinflammatory factors, such as TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1ß were, determined using ELISA. Plasma levels of BH4, BH2, and Trp were detected by HPLC. Levels of SOD, GPx, CAT, and MDA in plasma were measured using corresponding kits and colorimetry. Quality of life was assessed using the SF-36 scale. There were no differences in baseline characteristic between the two groups (P > 0.05). The HAMD and BDI scores in the experimental group were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05), indicating phototherapy could reduce the severity of post-stroke depression. The levels of GABA, Glu, and Asp in both groups significantly increased after treatment compared to their respective levels before treatment (P < 0.01).The levels of GABA in the experimental group were higher than those in the control group (P < 0.01),while the levels of Glu, and Asp were lower than those in the control group (P < 0.01). The plasma levels of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1ß in the experimental group were evidently lower than those in the control group (P < 0.05). Moreover, the levels of BH4 and Trp in experimental group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05), while the levelsof BH2 in the experimental group were significantly lower than the control group (P < 0.05). Additionally, the levels of SOD, GPx, and CAT in the experimental group were evidently higher than those in the control group (P < 0.05), whereas the levels of MDA in the experimental group were significantly lower than control group (P < 0.05). The experimental group showed higher scores in physical function, mental health, social function, and overall health compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Phototherapy exerted a profound impact on the metabolism of BH4, BH2, and Trp, as well as on behavioral neuroinflammatory reactions and the quality of life in patients suffering from post-stroke depression. Through its ability to optimize the secretion and synthesis of neurotransmitters, phototherapy effectively regulated neuroinflammatory reactions, improved biochemical parameters, enhancedantioxidant capacity, and alleviated depressive symptoms. As a result, phototherapy was considered a valuable adjuvant therapeutic approach for patients with post-stroke depression.

Transcranial direct current stimulation over the right parietal cortex improves the depressive disorder: A preliminary study.

OBJECTIVE: The right posterior parietal cortex is the core brain region of emotional processing and executive control network in the human brain, and the function of the right posterior parietal cortex is decreased in patients with major depressive disorder. This study aims to preliminarily investigate whether the excitation of the right posterior parietal cortex by transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) could improve their clinical symptoms. METHODS: In this study, 12 patients with major depressive disorder were given tDCS treatment at Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University and the First Hospital of Hebei Medical University. The stimulating electrode (anode) was placed on the patients' right parietal cortex, whereas the reference electrode (cathode) was placed on the patients' left mastoid. The stimulation intensity was set as 2.0 mA. The patients with depressive disorder were treated for 20 min at a time twice a day for 14 consecutive days. The severity of the clinical symptoms was evaluated using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-17 (HDRS-17) and the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HARS) at before and right after treatment. RESULTS: The HDRS-17 scores of patients with depressive disorder decreased significantly following the tDCS treatment compared with those before treatment (p < .001). Further analysis revealed that the patients' anxiety/somatization, cognitive deficit, retardation, and sleep disorder scores all decreased significantly after the tDCS treatment (p < .05), although there was no significant change in their weight. Moreover, the patients' HARS scores decreased significantly after the tDCS treatment when compared with those before treatment (p < .01). CONCLUSION: The right parietal cortex may be another key stimulation targets to improving the efficacy of tDCS treatment to the patients with major depressive disorder.

Gut microbiota mediates the anti-inflammatory effects of supplemental infrared irradiation in mice.

In recent years, studies have shown that low-dose supplemental infrared (IR) irradiation exhibits systemic anti-inflammatory effects. The gut microbiota is increasingly recognized as a potential mediator of these effects due to its role in regulating host metabolism and inflammatory responses. To investigate the role of gut microbiota diversity and metabolite changes in the mechanism of light-emitting diodes (LED) infrared's anti-inflammatory action, we conducted IR irradiation on mice. Serum inflammatory cytokines were measured using ELISA, and fecal samples were subjected to metagenomic, untargeted, and targeted metabolomic analyses. Our results demonstrated a significant increase in the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 in the IR group, accompanied by a declining trend in pro-inflammatory cytokines. Gut microbiome analysis revealed distinct alterations in composition and functional genes between the groups, including the enrichment of beneficial bacteria like various species of Parabacteroides and Akkermansia muciniphila in the IR group. Notably, the IR group exhibited enrichment in carbohydrate metabolism pathways and a reduction in DNA damage and repair pathways. Furthermore, targeted metabolomic analysis highlighted a notable increase in short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), including butyric acid and isobutyric acid, which positively correlated with the abundance of several beneficial bacteria. These findings suggest a potential interplay between gut microbiota-derived SCFAs and the anti-inflammatory response. In conclusion, our study provides comprehensive insights into the changes in gut microbiota species and functions associated with IR irradiation. Moreover, we emphasize the significance of altered SCFAs levels in the IR group, which may contribute to the observed anti-inflammatory effects. Our findings contribute valuable evidence supporting the role of low-dose infrared light irradiation as an anti-inflammatory therapy.

Characteristics of bacterial community and ARG profiles in the surface and air environments in a spacecraft assembly cleanroom.

Understanding the microbial communities and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) in spacecraft assembly cleanrooms is crucial for spacecraft microbial control and astronaut safety. However, there have been few reports of ARG profiles and their relationship with microbiomes in such environments. In the present study, we assessed the bacterial community and ARGs in the air dust and surface environments of a typical spacecraft assembly cleanroom. Our results show a significant difference in bacterial composition between surfaces and air dust, as they belong to two distinct ecostates. Bacillus and Acinetobacter were significantly enriched in the air samples. Bacterial community network analysis revealed lower topological parameters and robustness of bacterial networks in the air samples. We also observed different distribution patterns of some typical ARGs between surface and air dust samples. Notably, the ermB gene exhibited a relatively high copy number and was enriched in the surface environment, compared to that in the air. Overall, our study provides insight into the complex microbial community and the distribution and transfer of ARGs in spacecraft assembly cleanrooms, and offers important input for developing control strategies against ARGs.

Combined effect of simulated microgravity and low-dose ionizing radiation on structure and antibiotic resistance of a synthetic community model of bacteria isolated from spacecraft assembly room.

Understanding the structural and antibiotic resistance changes of microbial communities in space environments is critical for identifying potential pathogens that may pose health risks to astronauts and for preventing and controlling microbial contamination. The research to date on microbes under simulated space factors has primarily been carried out on single bacterial species under the individual effects of microgravity or low-dose radiation. However, microgravity (MG) and low-dose ionizing radiation (LDIR) coexist in the actual spacecraft environment, and microorganisms coexist as communities in the spacecraft environment. Thus, the microbial response to the real changes present during space habitation has not been adequately explored. To address this knowledge gap, we compared the dynamics of community composition and antibiotic resistance of synthetic bacterial communities under simulated microgravit, low-dose ionizing radiation, and the conditions combined, as it occurs in spacecraft. To ensure representative bacteria were selected, we co-cultured of 12 bacterial strains isolated from spacecraft cleanrooms. We found that the weakened competition between communities increased the possibility of species coexistence, community diversity, and homogeneity. The number of Bacilli increased significantly, while different species under the combined conditions showed various changes in abundance compared to those under the individual conditions. The resistance of the synthetic community to penicillins increased significantly under low doses of ionizing radiation but did not change significantly under simulated microgravity or the combined conditions. The results of functional predictions revealed that antibiotic biosynthesis and resistance increased dramatically in the community under space environmental stress, which confirmed the results of the drug sensitivity assays. Our results show that combined space environmental factors exert different effects on the microbial community structure and antibiotic resistance, which provides new insights into our understanding of the mechanisms of evolution of microorganisms in spacecraft, and is relevant to effective microbial pollution prevention and control strategies.

Gut microbiome-mediated changes in bone metabolism upon infrared light exposure in rats.

Adequate sunlight exposure helps reduce bone loss and is important to bone health. Currently, about 90% of the world population spends a major portion of daily life under artificial lighting. Unlike sunlight, LED white light, the main source of artificial lighting, has no infrared radiation, which is known to be beneficial to human health. In artificial lighting environments, infrared supplementation may be used to simulate the effects of sunlight on bone metabolism. Here, we supplemented white LED exposure with infrared light in normal and ovariectomized rats for three consecutive months and examined bone turnover, bone mass, and bone density. We also analyzed the structure and function of gut microbiota in the rats. Infrared supplementation significantly reduced the abundance of Saccharibacteria and increased the abundance of Clostridiaceae 1 and Erysipelotrichaceae bacteria. Our results indicate that changes in the gut microbiome correlate well with bone mass and bone metabolism. Our work demonstrates that infrared supplementation can have a positive effect on rat bone metabolism by affecting gut microbiota. Our findings will be important considerations in the future design of healthy lighting environments that prevent or possibly ameliorate osteoporosis.