Chinese hospital staff in anxiety and depression: Not only comfort patients but also should be comforted - A nationwide cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Healthcare professionals are in short supply worldwide, especially in China, which can result in increased stress in the work environment and allostatic load for Chinese hospital staff. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms and their relationship with total stress, allostatic overload, sleep quality, and episodic memory among Chinese hospital staff. METHOD: In this cross-sectional study, self-assessments including Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7-item (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), PsychoSocial Index (PSI), Pittsburgh Sleeping Quality Index (PSQI), and MemTrax test were used to evaluate participants' anxiety symptoms, depressive symptoms, total stress, allostatic load/overload, sleep quality, and episodic memory. RESULTS: A total of 9433 hospital staff from 304 cities participated. Anxiety prevalence was 21.0 % (95 % confidential interval (CI) 20.2 %, 21.8 %), while the prevalence of depressive symptoms was at 21.4 % (95 % CI 20.5 %, 22.2 %). 79.8 % (95 % CI 79.0 %, 80.6 %) of the hospital staff had allostatic overload. Poor sleep quality affected 50.4 % of participants, and 32.1 % experienced poor episodic memory. LIMITATIONS: This study utilized a convenience sampling approach, relying on an online survey as its data collection method. CONCLUSIONS: Hospital staff in China are facing a stressful environment with a high prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms, significant allostatic overload, poor sleep quality, and compromised episodic memory. It is imperative that local management and community structures enhance their support and care for these essential workers, enabling them to manage and withstand the stresses of their professional roles effectively.

Using MemTrax memory test to screen for post-stroke cognitive impairment after ischemic stroke: a cross-sectional study.

Background: Whereas the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and Addenbrooke's cognitive examination-revised (ACE-R) are commonly used tests for the detection of post-stroke cognitive impairment (PSCI), these instruments take 10-30 min to administer and do not assess processing speed, which is a critical impairment in PSCI. MemTrax (MTx) is a continuous recognition test, which evaluates complex information processing, accuracy, speed, and attention, in 2 min. Aim: To evaluate whether MTx is an effective and practical tool for PSCI assessment. Methods: This study enrolled acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients who have assessed the cognitive status including MTx, clinical dementia rating (CDR), MoCA, Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI), Hamilton depression scale (HAMD), Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA), the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS), modified Rankin scale (mRS), and Barthel Index of activity of daily living (BI) combined with the physical examinations of the neurologic system at the 90-day (D90) after the AIS. The primary endpoint of this study was establishing MTx cut-offs for distinguishing PSCI from AIS. Results: Of the 104 participants, 60 were classified to the PSCI group. The optimized cut-off value of MTx-%C (percent correct) was 78%, with a sensitivity and specificity for detecting PSCI from Non-PSCI of 90.0 and 84.1%, respectively, and an AUC of 0.919. Regarding the MTx-Cp (Composite score = MTx-%C/MTx-RT), using 46.3 as a cut-off value, the sensitivity and specificity for detecting PSCI from Non-PSCI were 80.0 and 93.2%, with an AUC of 0.925. Multivariate linear regression showed that PSCI reduced the MTx-%C (Coef. -14.18, 95% CI -18.41∼-9.95, p < 0.001) and prolonged the MTx-RT (response time) (Coef. 0.29, 95% CI 0.16∼0.43, p < 0.001) and reduced the MTx-CP (Coef. -19.11, 95% CI -24.29∼-13.93, p < 0.001). Conclusion: MemTrax (MTx) is valid and effective for screening for PSCI among target patients and is a potentially valuable and practical tool in the clinical follow-up, monitoring, and case management of PSCI.

Case report: Anti-neurexin-3α-associated autoimmune encephalitis secondary to contrast-induced encephalopathy.

A 54-year-old man complained of episodic stinging in his left eye along with weakness and numbness in his right upper and lower extremities for 1 month. The neurological examination was negative. MRI showed bilateral paraventricular demyelination. CTA showed significant stenosis of the left internal carotid (60%) and vertebral arteries (70%). He underwent left internal carotid stenting and was intubated during the procedure. After the procedure, he did not wake up from anesthesia, and he developed flexion and spasticity in the right arm immediately. Thereafter, he was sent to the neurocritical unit (NCU). Anti-seizure treatment was adopted due to recurrent general tonic-clonic seizures. Two days later (day 15 of hospitalization), brain edema and meningitis appeared in MRI, and contrast-induced encephalopathy (CIE) was mainly considered, with the support of CSF results. After 18 days (day 21 of hospitalization), serum anti-neurexin-3α IgG was detected at a dilution of 1:10. Anti-neurexin-3α-associated encephalitis was diagnosed. The patient was fully recovered 7 months after taking immunoglobulin, steroids, mortimycophenate, and cyclophosphamide. Meanwhile, anti-neurexin-3α antibody IgG was negative in both CSF and serum. MRI was also normal. Although scarce evidence clarified the relationship between CIE and anti-neurexin-3α-associated encephalitis, we inferred that the BBB damaged by CIE may result in the anti-neurexin-3α antibody entrance into the CSF from serum, which led to autoimmune encephalitis (AIE).

Autoimmune encephalitis with posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a neuroimaging-based syndrome and is associated with multifocal vasogenic cerebral edema. Patients with PRES frequently demonstrate headache, seizure, encephalopathy, altered mental function, visual loss and so on. We here report a patient who showed persistent neurologic deficits after PRES and was ultimately diagnosed with autoimmune encephalitis (AE). CASE SUMMARY: This case exhibits a rare imaging manifestation of anti-casper 2 encephalitis which was initially well-matched with PRES and associated vasogenic edema. CONCLUSION: AE should be further considered when the etiology, clinical manifestations, and course of PRES are atypical.

Effect of n-octanol on impurity removal by reverse flotation of magnesite ore.

Dodecylamine is one of the most commonly used amine collectors for the reverse flotation of magnesite ore. Through a combination of experimental research and computational simulation, the effect of n-octanol on the removal of impurities by the reverse flotation of magnesite ore was studied. The test results show that when the dosage of dodecylamine was 60 mg/L, the flotation rates of magnesite and dolomite were 59.53% and 58.02%, respectively, and the flotation rate of quartz was 97.60%. In the presence of n-octanol, the flotation rate of magnesite decreased to 56.41%, and the flotation rates of dolomite and quartz increased to 61.30% and 99.59%, respectively. The test results show that the addition of n-octanol can improve the selectivity of minerals under the same amount of collector. The adsorption of dodecylamine (dodecylamine and n-octanol) on the surface of magnesite, dolomite and quartz was simulated using quantum chemical calculations based on density functional theory (DFT) and implemented in the CASTEP module of Materials Studio. The results show that dodecylamine can adsorb to magnesite, dolomite and quartz, and the adsorption effect was strongest on quartz. After adding n-octanol, the population value of the bond between the agent and magnesite decreased from 0.19 to 0.17, indicating that the adsorption effect of the agent on magnesite was weakened. The population value of the bond between the drug and dolomite increased from 0.19 to 0.23, indicating that the adsorption effect of the drug on dolomite was enhanced. H28, H29, and H2 in the drug form bonds with O12, O20, and O20 on the surface of quartz (101), respectively, and the population values were 0.43, 0.25, and 0.09, respectively. The adsorption sites of the drug and the quartz were increased, and the adsorption effect of the quartz was markedly improved. The test and simulation results show that the dosage of the agent can be reduced in the presence of n-octanol. N-octanol is not only beneficial to the removal of silicon by amine reverse flotation but also has a certain beneficial effect on the removal of calcium by reverse flotation.

Pearls & Oy-sters: Diagnosis and Subtyping of Listeria Ventriculitis in an Immunocompetent Host.

Listeria monocytogenes is a Gram-positive food-borne pathogen that causes gastrointestinal symptoms and CNS infection in susceptible hosts. Two lineages of Listeria cause the majority of neurolisteriosis in humans. In this report, we discuss a case of a 23-year-old previously healthy woman who presented with acute-onset rapidly progressive altered mental status after eating undercooked meats at a local restaurant. Given her age and lack of comorbidities, bacterial meningitis was suspected, and she was treated with ceftriaxone, vancomycin, and steroids. MRI of the brain was consistent with meningitis and ventriculitis; CSF analysis also suggested bacterial meningitis. Despite mechanical ventilation, pressors, and ventricular drain placement, she quickly decompensated and died 12 hours after arrival. CSF culture later returned positive for Listeria monocytogenes We used whole-genome sequencing and near-source comparison to identify the Listeria subtype that led to her unexpected presentation. The results suggest that her CSF isolate was consistent with a lineage II Listeria serotype, which is known to exhibit greater genetic variation than the more commonly isolated lineage I serotypes. We conclude the discussion with diagnostic and treatment approaches to neurolisteriosis. In susceptible hosts, namely immunocompromised, pregnant, neonatal, or elderly patients, Listeria infection may result in CNS invasion, causing meningoencephalitis and, rarely, ventriculitis and rhombencephalitis. Although neurolisteriosis most commonly affects individuals with known risk factors, CNS infection is nevertheless possible in otherwise healthy young patients. Suspicion should be raised in patients with an exposure history who do not improve with empiric antibiotics.

Association of Essential Tremor With Dementia and Affective Disorders: A Meta-Analysis.

Background: The dementia and affective disorders are common non-motor features in patients with essential tremor (ET). However, the relationship of ET with cognitive impairments and affective disorders remains controversial. This meta-analysis aimed to analyze the association of ET with dementia and affective disorders. Methods: Original studies published from January 1999 to October 2019 were systematically searched from the database of Medline (OvidSP), EMBASE (OvidSP), and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Pooled standard mean difference (SMD, random effect model), odds ratios (ORs), relative risk (RR), and 95% CI were calculated. Results: Compared with the Non-ET group, patients with ET had significantly lower Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score (SMD, -1.16; 95% CI, -1.75 to -0.58; p = 0.0001) and had significantly higher depressive and anxiety symptoms scale score (SMD, 0.55; 95% CI, 0.22-0.87; p = 0.0009). The OR for dementia and affective disorders in individuals with ET compared with individuals without ET was 2.49 (95% CI, 2.17-2.85, p < 0.00001). While there was no significant difference in Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score between ET and Non-ET groups (SMD, -0.52; 95% CI, -0.16 to 0.13; p = 0.23), there was a significant difference in the risk of mortality between ET and Non-ET groups (RR = 4.69, 95% CI, 2.18-10.07). Conclusion: The non-motor symptoms should not be neglected among patients with ET. However, the causal relationship between ET and dementia, depression, and anxiety is unclear.

An efficient removal mechanism for different hydrophilic antibiotics from aquatic environments by Cu-Al-Fe-Cr quasicrystals.

The work studied the adsorption properties and mechanism of Cu-Al-Fe-Cr quasicrystals (QCs) for the adsorption of ibuprofen (IBU), tedizolid phosphate (TZD), and sulbactam sodium (SAM) for the first time. The experimental results showed that quasicrystals were good adsorbents with great potential. The structure, surface morphology, and elemental composition of QCs were investigated by XPS, XRD, SEM, EDX, particle size, DSC-TG, and FTIR. The adsorption pH, kinetics, thermodynamics, and isotherms of IBU, TZD, and SAM in QCs were systematically studied. QCs had good adsorption performance for antibiotics, and the adsorption capacities of IBU, TZD, and SAM were 46.964, 49.206, and 35.292 mg g-1 at the concentration of 25 mg L-1, respectively. The surface charge and hydrophobicity of QCs were affected by changing pH, thereby affecting the adsorption performance of QCs. The main driving forces of adsorption included electrostatic force and hydrophobicity.

Dual-Mode Fluorescence and Visual Fluorescent Test Paper Detection of Copper Ions and EDTA.

In this study, blue-emission carbon dots were prepared from the legumes of the vegetable Pisum sativum Linn. by one-step carbonization. The fluorescence of a carbon dot (CDs) solution can be quenched by copper ions and recovered by ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). In addition, two kinds of visual fluorescent filter papers were prepared. Finally, a dual-mode fluorescence and visual fluorescent test paper was employed for the detection of copper ions and EDTA. The simple synthesis method and the high safety enable this material to have more application possibilities.

Study on regulators of purifying magnesite ore by cationic reverse flotation.

The floatability of magnesite, dolomite and quartz is a major factor affecting the removal of silicon and calcium from magnesite ore. The effect of the regulators sodium hexametaphosphate (SH), sodium silicate (SS), trisodium phosphate (TP), tannic acid (TN) and monoammonium oxalate (OA) on the floatability of magnesite, dolomite, and quartz under the ether amine (EAH) system was studied. The results show that the five regulators have relatively little influence on the floatability of quartz and magnesite. Dolomite can be activated when the dosage of SH is less than 40 mg/L; however, dolomite can be inhibited when the SH dosage is greater than 40 mg/L. The other four regulators have inhibitory effects on dolomite, and TN and TP have strong inhibitory effects on dolomite. Under the conditions of optimum grinding fineness, pH and collector dosage, a recovery of approximately 70% and a concentrate with a grade of over 47% were obtained by three stages of reverse flotation using sodium hexametaphosphate and water glass as regulators and Haicheng magnesite ore with an SiO2 content of 2.38% and a CaO content of 0.75%. Potentiometric measurements and infrared spectroscopy analysis show that physical adsorption occurs between the three minerals and collectors, while the interaction of magnesite and dolomite with SH and SS involves both physical adsorption and chemical adsorption.

Association between autoimmune encephalitis and epilepsy: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Diverse neuronal antibodies are related to autoimmune encephalitis (AE) and AE-related epilepsy. However, the epidemiological characteristics of AE, AE-associated antibodies, and AE-related seizures are still unclear. AIMS: This research evaluated the relationship between AE, AE-related seizures, and neuronal antibodies, as well as the morbidity of AE with early incidence. METHODS: The PubMed, Embase, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases were searched. Pooled estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using a random-effects model. RESULTS: Of the 4,869 citations identified, 100 articles were reviewed in full, and 42 subgroups were analyzed. The overall incidence of AE patients with seizures was 42% (95% CI: 0.40-0.44), and among them, the incidence of epilepsy in anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) encephalitis patients was 73% (95% CI: 0.70-0.77). Subsequently, we found that the prevalence of AE as the cause of epilepsy within the pooled period was 1% (95% CI: 0.01-0.02), while the overall positive rate of neuronal antibodies in epilepsy patients was 4% (95% CI: 0.03-0.05). Additionally, the detection rates of different antibodies among epilepsy patients were as follows: anti-NMDAR, 1%; anti-leucine-rich glioma inactivated 1 (LGI1), 1%; anti-contactin-associated protein-like 2 (CASPR2), 2%. CONCLUSION: Based on our findings, neuronal antibodies may serve as a bridge to study AE and immune-related epilepsy. To further understand the differences in outcomes following different treatment measures, and to provide more information for public health policy and prevention, more research is needed to improve the accuracy of estimations.

Acute cerebral atrophy in autoimmune encephalitis complicated by haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

Autoimmune encephalitis is a disease characterised by neural-specific antibodies. This case report presents a 20-year-old young man with a recent history of suspected viral encephalitis who presented with recurrent fevers and episodes of confusion. He was found to have anti-N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid 1 receptor (AMPAR1) positive autoantibodies and was diagnosed with autoimmune encephalitis. He subsequently developed global cerebral atrophy and was found to meet diagnostic criteria for haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH). This patient's presentation was consistent with existing literature showing that autoimmune encephalitis may develop after an initial viral meningoencephalitis. However, concurrent anti-NMDAR and anti-AMPAR1 positive autoimmune encephalitis has not been reported in literature to date, and this case report represents one instance of its presentation. We speculate that multiple antibodies against neural surface antigens may increase the risk for systemic immune activation leading to HLH and acute cerebral atrophy.

Synthesis of blue fluorescent carbon dots and their application in detecting mercury and iodine based on "off-on" mode.

In this study, a type of blue-emission fluorescent carbon dot was synthesized using malic acid, urea, and water. This material demonstrates strong stability to heat, ionic strength, and time. It was found that mercury ions can quench the blue fluorescence of the material, and using iodine ions, the fluorescence can be recovered. Hence, we designed an "off-on" mode to detect mercury and iodine ions using the carbon dots. The results showed that this material exhibits good selectivity and recovery rate. Concurrently, imaging experiments showed that this material demonstrates low cytotoxicity and can be used in cell fluorescence imaging. The study concludes that this material has wider application prospects in the future.

Role of NDEL1 and VEGF/VEGFR-2 in Mouse Hippocampus After Status Epilepticus.

Nuclear-distribution element-like 1 (NDEL1) is associated with the proliferation and migration of neurons. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in combination with VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) regulates the proliferation and migration of neurons. This study was performed to explore undefined alterations in the expression levels of NDEL1 and VEGF/VEGFR-2 within the hippocampus after status epilepticus (SE). Following the creation of pilocarpine-induced epilepsy models using adolescent male C57BL/6 mice, Western blotting and reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction were applied to assess the levels of NDEL1, VEGF, and VEGFR-2 expression in whole hippocampi at 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks post-SE, respectively. Immunofluorescent labeling was also employed to detect the colocalization of NDEL1 and VEGF in the hippocampus. Our results indicated that NDEL1 and VEGF have similar patterns of upregulation throughout the hippocampus. Upregulation of VEGFR-2 occurred only in the early stages, and the expression decreased shortly afterward. NDEL1 and VEGF were coexpressed in the cornu ammonis 3 pyramidal cell, granular, and polymorph layers of the dentate gyrus in the hippocampus. This study revealed that NDEL1, VEGF, and VEGFR-2 may work together and are involved in the pathophysiology in the hippocampus after SE.

Genetic and molecular basis of epilepsy-related cognitive dysfunction.

Epilepsy is a common neurological disease characterized by recurrent seizures. About 70 million people were affected by epilepsy or epileptic seizures. Epilepsy is a complicated complex or symptomatic syndromes induced by structural, functional, and genetic causes. Meanwhile, several comorbidities are accompanied by epileptic seizures. Cognitive dysfunction is a long-standing complication associated with epileptic seizures, which severely impairs quality of life. Although the definitive pathogenic mechanisms underlying epilepsy-related cognitive dysfunction remain unclear, accumulating evidence indicates that multiple risk factors are probably involved in the development and progression of cognitive dysfunction in patients with epilepsy. These factors include the underlying etiology, recurrent seizures or status epilepticus, structural damage that induced secondary epilepsy, genetic variants, and molecular alterations. In this review, we summarize several theories that may explain the genetic and molecular basis of epilepsy-related cognitive dysfunction.

Single-component and competitive adsorption of tetracycline and Zn(ii) on an NH4Cl-induced magnetic ultra-fine buckwheat peel powder biochar from water: studies on the kinetics, isotherms, and mechanism.

Single-component and competitive adsorption of tetracycline (TC) and Zn(ii) on an NH4Cl-induced magnetic ultra-fine buckwheat peel powder biochar (NH4Cl-BHP-char/Fe3O4) was investigated in batch experiments. NH4Cl-BHP-char/Fe3O4 exhibited a large surface area of 1119.097 m2 g-1 and a total pore volume of 0.139 cm3 g-1 and was easily separated from aqueous solution using a magnet. Also, adsorption was endothermic, spontaneous, and highly pH-dependent. The optimum pH of the single-component adsorption of TC and Zn(ii) was 4.0 and 6.5, respectively, and the optimum pH of co-adsorption was 6.0. The kinetics studies showed the prepared biochar could be rapidly adsorbed within 60 min, and chemical adsorption was dominant. For single-component adsorption, the maximum adsorption capacities of TC and Zn(ii) were 106.38 and 151.52 mg g-1, respectively, and they underwent monolayer adsorption on the biochar surface. Moreover, for competitive adsorption, maximum TC and Zn(ii) adsorption capacities of 126.58 and 357.14 mg g-1 were achieved. Both film diffusion and intra-particle diffusion were found to be significant processes to facilitate adsorption. TC and Zn(ii) promoted the adsorption of each other. The proposed biochar could be used repeatedly for at least four cycles. All these results demonstrated that developed NH4Cl-BHP-char/Fe3O4 was regarded as a low-cost alternative adsorbent to remove the heavy metal ions and antibiotic pollutants from water or wastewater.

MicroRNA-93 regulates the neurological function, cerebral edema and neuronal apoptosis of rats with intracerebral hemorrhage through TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.

In recent years, many studies have unraveled the impact of microRNAs (miRNAs) in intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). This study aims to explore the role of miR-93 in modulating neurological function, cerebral edema and neuronal apoptosis of rats with ICH by regulating TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. ICH models were constructed using Ⅶ collagenase method. The successfully modeled rats were injected with miR-93 antagomir, TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway activator or inhibitor together with their controls. The expression of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The expression of human aquaporin 4 (AQP-4), Caspase-3, Bax, Bcl-2 and TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway-related proteins was also measured. MiR-93, TLR4 and NF-κB were all highly expressed in ICH, reduced miR-93 and inhibited TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway could improve neurological function and suppress inflammation in ICH rats. Moreover, down-regulated miR-93 and suppressed TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway were able to attenuate cerebral edema and abate pathological lesion. We have also found in this research that miR-93 knockdown as well as inhibited TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway could relieve neuronal apoptosis in ICH rats. This study suggests that reduced miR-93 alleviates the neurological function and cerebral edema as well as repressed neuronal apoptosis of ICH rats via the inhibited activation of TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway.

Phylogeny and global diversity of Porodaedalea, a genus of gymnosperm pathogens in the Hymenochaetales.

Porodaedalea is a polypore genus of the Hymenochaetales that encompasses pathogens of conifer trees. In this study, we conduct a comprehensive study of the phylogeny and diversity of Porodaedalea based on collections and isolates from Europe, North America, North Africa, and Asia. Phylogenetic analysis of a two-gene data set, nuc ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacers (ITS1-5.8S-ITS2 = ITS) and translation elongation factor 1-alpha (tef1), shows that 20 terminal clades that correspond to phylogenetic species well supported within Porodaedalea. Based on morphological evidence, five new species, P. alpicola, P. indica, P. kesiyae, P. microsperma, and P. yunnanensis, are described and illustrated. In addition, four still unnamed lineages are detected in North America and East Asia.