Sex differences in depression, anxiety and health-promoting lifestyles among community residents: A network approach.

BACKGROUND: Researchers have studied sex differences in typical depressive and anxiety symptoms and their cooccurrence. The World Health Organization (WHO) proposed a mental health promotion objective that suggests considering protective health-promoting factors when developing strategies for preventing mental disorders between sexes. From a network perspective, psychopathology is viewed as a result of interacting symptoms and influential factors. This study adopted network approach to investigate sex differences in health-promoting lifestyles (HPL) and the cooccurrence symptoms of communities in Shanghai. The aim is to provide health-promoting suggestions on better enhancing the life quality for community members. METHODS: Depression, anxiety symptoms, and HPL were assessed with PHQ-9, GAD-7 and HPLP-II scales in 2420 adults (1411 females). Networks were constructed by Gaussian Graphical Models and the networks of two sexes using the Network Comparison Test. RESULTS: Females scored significantly higher on PHQ-9 (p < 0.001) and GAD-7 (p < 0.001), and no differences were found between the two sexes in HPL scores. Restlessness and low energy yielded the highest strength centrality in the female network, while suicide ideation and restlessness were central in male network. Regarding protective HPL, physical activity and stress management were identified as the central mental health-promoting behaviours in female and male network, respectively. However, stress management was positively related to suicide ideation in the male network. CONCLUSION: Communities should be aware of suicide ideation in males because of its high relationships with other symptoms and also provide stress management courses, especially for males. As for women, chronic energy deficiency deserves more attention for its high probability of cooccurrence with other symptoms in the network. Also, advocating physical activities may be particularly beneficial for the overall mental health among women. Future study should collect time-series data and analyze intraindividual networks to specify personalized health promoting strategies for each individual.

Efficacy of dynamic interpersonal therapy for major depressive disorder in China: results of a multicentered, three-arm, randomized, controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Dynamic interpersonal therapy (DIT) is a brief, structured psychodynamic psychotherapy with demonstrated efficacy in treating major depressive disorder (MDD). The aim of the study was to determine whether DIT is an acceptable and efficacious treatment for MDD patients in China. METHOD: Patients were randomized to 16-week treatments with either DIT plus antidepressant medication (DIT + ADM; n = 66), general supportive therapy plus antidepressant medication (GST + ADM; n = 75) or antidepressant medication alone (ADM; n = 70). The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD) administered by blind raters was the primary efficacy measure. Assessments were completed during the acute 16-week treatment and up to 12-month posttreatment. RESULTS: The group × time interaction was significant for the primary outcome HAMD (F = 2.900, df1 = 10, df2 = 774.72, p = 0.001) in the acute treatment phase. Pairwise comparisons showed a benefit of DIT + ADM over ADM at weeks 12 [least-squares (LS) mean difference = -3.161, p = 0.007] and 16 (LS mean difference = -3.237, p = 0.004). Because of the unexpected high attrition during the posttreatment follow-up phase, analyses of follow-up data were considered exploratory. Differences between DIT + ADM and ADM remained significant at the 1-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up (ps range from 0.001 to 0.027). DIT + ADM had no advantage over GST + ADM during the acute treatment phase. However, at the 12-month follow-up, patients who received DIT remained less depressed. CONCLUSIONS: Acute treatment with DIT or GST in combination with ADM was similarly efficacious in reducing depressive symptoms and yielded a better outcome than ADM alone. DIT may provide MDD patients with long-term benefits in symptom improvement but results must be viewed with caution.

Interaction between m6A and ncRNAs and Its Association with Diseases.

Noncoding RNAs (ncRNA) are a kind of endogenous RNA that regulate many vital bioprocesses with limited ability to encode polypeptides. Most of them are involved in transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulations, thus showing some biological effects. N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA modification is a reversible modification that adjusts RNA's functions and stability. The enzymes that regulate m6A can be divided into "writers," "readers," and "erasers." Mechanically, m6A modification of microRNA is mainly identified by DGVR8, participating in the processing of primary micro-RNAs, while m6A modification on long noncoding RNA (lnc-RNA) can change its spatial structure and stability to regulate its RNA- or protein-binding ability. The m6A-modified lnc-RNA and circular RNA can act as competing endogenous RNAs, sponge downstream miRNA. Moreover, ncRNA can also regulate m6A level of downstream molecules. Here, we elaborate on recent advances about pathways and underlying molecular mechanisms of how the interaction between m6A and ncRNA is involved in the occurrence and development of various diseases, especially cancer.

Arecoline Is Associated With Inhibition of Cuproptosis and Proliferation of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Potential Mechanism for Tumor Metastasis.

Background: Metastatic disease remains the primary cause of death in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), especially those who use betel nut. The different steps of the metastatic cascade rely on reciprocal interactions between cancer cells and the tumor microenvironment (TME). Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are regarded as a significant component in the TME of OSCC. However, the precise mechanisms regulating CAFs in OSCC are poorly understood. Methods: Thirteen genes related to the arecoline were analyzed to explore the significant ones involved in arecoline-related OSCC metastasis. The GSE139869 (n = 10) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA)-OSCC data (n = 361) were mined for the identification of the differentially expressed genes. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression was performed to identify the independent prognostic signatures. Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses were conducted to explore the functional enrichment of selected genes, and gene set enrichment analysis of cuproptosis-related genes was completed. Spearman's analysis and Tumor Immune Estimation Resource (TIMER) were used to visualize the correlation between the infiltration of CAFs and the gene expression. The correlation analysis of the cells and different genes, including CAF infiltration and transcripts per million expression, was assessed. The relationship between arecoline and CAFs was confirmed by cell counting kit-8 assay (CCK-8). CancerSEA was searched to identify the single-cell phenotype. Result: Arecoline-associated fibrosis-related OSCC differentially expressed genes (AFOC-DEGs), namely, PLAU, IL1A, SPP1, CCL11, TERT, and COL1A2, were screened out and selected from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and TCGA database. AFOC-DEGs were highly expressed in OSCC, which led to poor survival of patients. Functional enrichment analysis, protein-protein interaction network construction, and Spearman's correlation analysis all suggested that AFOC-DEGs were closely associated with cuproptosis. Cellular experiments demonstrated that arecoline stimulation could significantly increase the cell viability of CAFs. Single-sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (ssGSEA) results showed that GLS and MTF1 were highly expressed when fibroblasts proliferated at high enrichment levels. In addition, analysis of single-cell sequencing results suggested that OSCC cells with high expression of AFOC-DEGs were associated with OSCC metastasis. Conclusion: We found a close association between arecoline, cuproptosis, and CAFs, which might play an important role in the metastasis of OSCC.

Characteristics of implicit schemas in patients with major depressive disorder.

Background: Many psychotherapy theories emphasise the importance of self-schema and other-schema, but most previous studies focused on the explicit self-schema in major depressive disorder (MDD). However, the limited studies of implicit self-schema in MDD have shown inconsistencies in their findings. Furthermore, only a few studies have investigated the implicit other-schema, and the pathway illustrating how implicit schemas influence depression remains unclear. Aims: The primary aim of our study was to explore the characteristics of implicit self-schema and other-schema in patients with MDD. We also examine the chain-mediating effect of attachment relationships and interpersonal trust. Methods: The present study included 88 patients with MDD and 88 healthy controls (HCs). The Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-17, Experiences in Close Relationships Inventory-Revised Questionnaire, Trust Scale and the Extrinsic Affective Simon Task (EAST) were used to assess depressive symptoms, attachment relationships, interpersonal trust and implicit schemas, respectively. Paired sample t-test was used to compare the reaction time (RT) for positive and negative words within the two groups. Analysis of covariance was used to explore the difference between two groups from the perspective of implicit schemas and interpersonal patterns. The chain mediation model was verified by bootstrap. Results: (1) For interpersonal patterns, patients with MDD scored significantly higher on attachment anxiety (F=82.150, p<0.001) and attachment avoidance (F=23.192, p<0.001) and scored significantly lower on the predictability (F=30.297, p<0.001), dependence (F=39.728, p<0.001) and faith (F=60.997, p<0.001) dimensions of interpersonal trust. (2) As for implicit schemas, no significant difference was found between the RT for positive self-words and negative self-words in patients with MDD (t=-1.056, p=0.294). However, the HC responded faster to positive self-words than negative self-words (t=-3.286, p=0.001). The RT for positive other-words and negative other-words were significantly different in both patients with MDD (t=2.943, p=0.004) and HCs (t=-2.482, p=0.015), with opposite directions. The EAST effect of other-schema in patients with MDD was significantly different from that in HCs (F=13.051, p<0.001). (3) For the total sample, the EAST effect of other-schema significantly correlated with attachment avoidance, interpersonal trust and depressive symptoms. Attachment avoidance and interpersonal trust were the chain mediators between the EAST effect of other-schema and depressive symptoms (95% CI: -0.090 to -0.008). However, no significant results were found for the EAST effect of other-schema when correlation and mediation analyses were performed for HCs and patients with MDD separately. Conclusions: This study verified that patients with MDD have abnormal interpersonal patterns and negative implicit schemas. However, no mediating effect of attachment relationships and interpersonal trust was found.

Comparison of two teaching methods for stopping the bleed: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: The "Stop the Bleed" (STB) campaign has achieved remarkable results since it was launched in 2016, but there is no report on the teaching of an STB course combined with a trauma patient simulator. This study proposes the "problem-, team-, and evidence-based learning" (PTEBL) teaching method combined with Caesar (a trauma patient simulator) based on the STB course and compares its effect to that of the traditional teaching method among outstanding doctoral candidates training in haemostasis skills. METHOD: Seventy-eight outstanding doctoral candidate program students in five and eight-year programs were selected as the research subjects and were randomly divided into a control group (traditional teaching method, n = 34) and an experimental group (PTEBL teaching method combined with Caesar, n = 44). Their confidence in their haemostasis skills and willingness to rescue injured victims were investigated before and after the course in both groups. RESULT: Students' self-confidence in their STB skills and the willingness to rescue improved after the class in both groups. Compared with the control group, students in the experimental group were more confident in compressing with bandages and compressing with a tourniquet after a class (compressing with bandages: control group 3.9 ± 0.8 vs. experimental group 4.3 ± 0.7, P = 0.014; compressing with a tourniquet: control group 3.9 ± 0.4 vs. experimental group 4.5 ± 0.8, P = 0.001) More students in the experimental group than the control group thought that the use of Caesar for scenario simulation could improve learning (control group 55.9% vs. experimental group 81.8%, P = 0.024), and using this mannequin led to higher teacher-student interaction (control group 85.3% vs. experimental group 97.7%, P = 0.042). The overall effectiveness of the teaching was better in the experimental group than in the control group (control group 85.3% vs. experimental group 97.7%, P = 0.042). There was a significant positive correlation between teacher-student interactions and the overall effectiveness of teaching (R = 1.000; 95% CI, 1.000-1.000; P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: The PTEBL teaching method combined with Caesar can effectively improve student mastery of STB skills and overcome the shortcomings of traditional teaching methods, which has some promotional value in the training of outstanding doctoral candidates in STB skills.

The applicability and efficacy of Micro-Video Psychological Training Camp in groups with mild to moderate symptoms of depression and anxiety: A prospective and randomized controlled trial protocol.

Background: Mental health is a global issue requiring global attention. Depression and anxiety are two of the most common mental disorders (CMDs) and are characterized by high incidence and high comorbidity. In recent years, the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic and exacerbated social instability have posed significant challenges to the mental resilience and mental health outcomes of the global population. Now more than ever, with an increase in mental health needs, it has become even more crucial to find an effective solution to provide universal mental healthcare. Psychotherapy is of vital importance for those coping with symptoms of depression and anxiety and is used to enhance mental resilience. However, such therapy can be difficult to access in reality. In this context, the Micro-Video Psychological Training Camp (MVPTC) platform will be developed. Objectives: As an online self-help platform for psychological intervention, the MVPTC platform was developed for those who suffer from mild to moderate symptoms of depression and/or anxiety and is tasked with the goal of reducing depressive and anxious symptoms while improving mental resilience. Thus, this study will be carried out to verify its efficacy and applicability. Methods: In this parallel-group, randomized controlled trial, a total of 200 mild to moderately depressed and/or anxious adults seeking self-help will be randomly recruited and assigned to either the micro-video psychological intervention group or the wait list control group. Online measurements by self-assessment will be taken at baseline, post-intervention, 1-month, and 3-month follow-up. Results: The primary results will involve symptoms of depression and anxiety. The secondary results will involve mental resilience. An analysis will be conducted based on the intention-to-treat principle. Discussion: This trial will examine whether the MVPTC platform for the relief of symptoms and the enhancement of resilience in a population screened for depression and anxiety symptoms proves effective and applicable. Large-scale resilience enhancement may benefit public mental health in terms of preventive interventions, managing depressive and anxiety symptoms, and promoting mental health. With the MVPTC-based method being applied, a brief, efficient, and structured intervention model can potentially be established, having the potential to provide necessary and accessible mental support for an extensive target group. Clinical trial registration: http://www.chictr.org.cn/, identifier ChiCTR2100043725.

Cognitive mechanism of intimate interpersonal relationships and loneliness in internet-addicts: An ERP study.

Interpersonal relationship and loneliness are important factors affecting internet addictive behavior of individuals. In the present study, we investigated intimate interpersonal relationships and loneliness in internet-addicts. We recorded event-related potentials (ERPs) of 32 internet addicts and 32 non internet-addicts. Participants viewed intimate-/conflict-relationship, happy/lonely, and neutral images. Results concerning attention probes showed that the accuracy rate of attention probes of internet-addicts was significantly lower than that of non internet-addicts; whereas, there was no significant difference in the reaction time of attention probes. Moreover, the differences in the mean amplitude and latency of P1, N1, N2P3, and LPP between internet-addicts and non internet-addicts were insignificant. Then, we found that the P1 amplitude of conflict images was significantly higher than that of intimate images among non internet-addicts; whereas internet-addicts indicated an insignificant difference between the two types of images. The P1 amplitude of lonely images was significantly higher than that of happy images among internet-addicts, but non internet-addicts were insignificant. The questionnaire data also obtained similar conclusions based on the EEG data. Finally, internet-addicts reported significantly higher loneliness scores than those of non internet-addicts. These results suggested that the social cognitive function of internet-addicts was probably impaired, especially in the cognition of interpersonal conflict. Furthermore, internet-addicts are likely to keep poor interpersonal relationships, which may induce more loneliness.

Weibo or WeChat? Assessing Preference for Social Networking Sites and Role of Personality Traits and Psychological Factors.

Research trying to understand individual difference in the use of different social networking sites (SNSs) is minimal. In the present study, we collected data from 714 college students in China (273 males) to assess how personality traits and psychological factors relate to excessive use of WeChat and Weibo. We found that excessive use of Weibo and WeChat correlated positively with neuroticism, loneliness, and external locus of control and negatively with agreeableness, social support, and social interaction. Furthermore, people that scored high on loneliness, lack of social support, and poor social interaction skills excessively used Weibo more than WeChat. These results entail that by fulfilling different needs, WeChat and Weibo attract different kinds of people; significant lesson for future development of SNSs.