Psychological Benefits of Arts Participation for Emerging Adulthood: A Pathway to Flourishing.

This study examined 430 Chinese college students' engagement in arts activities and the psychological benefits derived from such activities. The research differentiated between various types of arts participation and ways of involvement and examined four potential positive psychological outcomes. The findings revealed correlations between (1) creative participation in the performing arts, 'flow', and aesthetic emotions; (2) consumptive participation in the visual arts and aesthetic emotions; and (3) creative participation in the literary arts and ego identity. Holistic arts participation demonstrated a significantly positive relationship with flourishing. A path analysis showed that flow experience and aesthetic emotions served as mediators in the mechanism through which holistic arts participation affected flourishing, with a chained mediation effect from flow experience to ego identity. This study confirms that arts participation is an effective pathway for individual flourishing and that more diverse and profound engagement in the arts can lead to sustained and widespread happiness.

Targeting SUMOylation with an injectable nanocomposite hydrogel to optimize radiofrequency ablation therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND: Incomplete radiofrequency ablation (iRFA) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) often leads to local recurrence and distant metastasis of the residual tumor. This is closely linked to the development of a tumor immunosuppressive environment (TIME). In this study, underlying mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets involved in the formation of TIME in residual tumors following iRFA were explored. Then, TAK-981-loaded nanocomposite hydrogel was constructed, and its therapeutic effects on residual tumors were investigated. RESULTS: This study reveals that the upregulation of small ubiquitin-like modifier 2 (Sumo2) and activated SUMOylation is intricately tied to immunosuppression in residual tumors post-iRFA. Both knockdown of Sumo2 and inhibiting SUMOylation with TAK-981 activate IFN-1 signaling in HCC cells, thereby promoting dendritic cell maturation. Herein, we propose an injectable PDLLA-PEG-PDLLA (PLEL) nanocomposite hydrogel which incorporates self-assembled TAK-981 and BSA nanoparticles for complementary localized treatment of residual tumor after iRFA. The sustained release of TAK-981 from this hydrogel curbs the expansion of residual tumors and notably stimulates the dendritic cell and cytotoxic lymphocyte-mediated antitumor immune response in residual tumors while maintaining biosafety. Furthermore, the treatment with TAK-981 nanocomposite hydrogel resulted in a widespread elevation in PD-L1 levels. Combining TAK-981 nanocomposite hydrogel with PD-L1 blockade therapy synergistically eradicates residual tumors and suppresses distant tumors. CONCLUSIONS: These findings underscore the potential of the TAK-981-based strategy as an effective therapy to enhance RFA therapy for HCC.

Associations between socioeconomic status and stroke in American adults: A population-based study.

Stroke is an acute cerebrovascular disease that can lead to disability and death. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between socioeconomic status (SES) and stroke. SES was evaluated by two variables: poverty to income ratio (PIR) and education level. In this multi-subject study, we collected data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database between 2009 and 2018, and finally 22,792 adults (≥20 years old) were included in the study. We proceeded with weighted multivariate logistic regression analysis as well as subgroup analysis. When analyzing the effect of PIR on stroke alone, the results showed that an increase in PIR levels was associated with a decrease in stroke incidence (OR = 0.764 95% CI: (0.711, 0.820), p < 0.001). The multivariate analysis presented a decline in stroke incidence in the highest quartile PIR group compared to the lowest quartile PIR group (OR = 0.296 95% CI: (0.214, 0.409), P＜0.001). Our results indicated that PIR is a protective factor for stroke, but there are exceptions in this relationship among different people. Hence, it is imperative that policymakers, healthcare providers, and clinicians take into account the inequality distribution of SES among adults while developing and executing stroke prevention and treatment strategies.

Association between urinary caffeine and caffeine metabolites and stroke in American adults: a cross-sectional study from the NHANES, 2009-2014.

This study investigates the potential correlation between urinary caffeine levels and the occurrence of stroke, a serious cerebrovascular disease that can lead to disability or death. The data used in this study was obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted between 2009 and 2014. The study analyzed a total of 5,339 individuals, divided into a control group (n = 5,135) and a stroke group (n = 162). The researchers utilized multiple logistic regression and smoothed curve fitting to examine the relationship between urinary caffeine and caffeine metabolites and the incidence of stroke. The study found that higher urinary caffeine levels were associated with a lower risk of stroke in Mexican American participants (odds ratio [OR] = 0.886, 95% confidence interval [CI]: (0.791, 0.993), P = 0.037). After adjusting for certain participant characteristics, it was also found that higher urinary paraxanthine levels were associated with a lower risk of stroke incidence (OR = 0.991, 95% CI (0.984, 0.999), P = 0.027). Meanwhile, the highest urinary paraxanthine levels group had 43.7% fewer strokes than the lowest level group (OR = 0.563, 95% CI (0.341, 0.929), P = 0.025). In this study, we showed a negative link between urine paraxanthine levels and the risk of stroke. Meanwhile, urinary caffeine levels were negatively associated with the incidence of stroke in Mexican Americans, but no correlation in other populations. Our findings may have predictive and diagnostic implications in clinical practice. Further extensive prospective investigations are still needed to validate our conclusions.

Machine Learning Spectroscopy Using a 2-Stage, Generalized Constituent Contribution Protocol.

A corrected group contribution (CGC)-molecule contribution (MC)-Bayesian neural network (BNN) protocol for accurate prediction of absorption spectra is presented. Upon combination of BNN with CGC methods, the full absorption spectra of various molecules are afforded accurately and efficiently-by using only a small dataset for training. Here, with a small training sample (<100), accurate prediction of maximum wavelength for single molecules is afforded with the first stage of the protocol; by contrast, previously reported machine learning (ML) methods require >1,000 samples to ensure the accuracy of prediction. Furthermore, with <500 samples, the mean square error in the prediction of full ultraviolet spectra reaches <2%; for comparison, ML models with molecular SMILES for training require a much larger dataset (>2,000) to achieve comparable accuracy. Moreover, by employing an MC method designed specifically for CGC that properly interprets the mixing rule, the spectra of mixtures are obtained with high accuracy. The logical origins of the good performance of the protocol are discussed in detail. Considering that such a constituent contribution protocol combines chemical principles and data-driven tools, most likely, it will be proven efficient to solve molecular-property-relevant problems in wider fields.

Parent-Child Discrepancies in Perceived Parental Emotion Socialization: Associations with Children's Internalizing and Externalizing Problems in Chinese Families.

Parental emotion socialization is highly associated with children's internalizing and externalizing problems. However, research on parent-child discrepancies in parental emotion socialization perceptions and their relationship with children's developmental outcomes remains limited. This study explores the relationship between parent-child discrepancies in their reports of parental emotion socialization and children's internalizing/externalizing problems in Chinese families. The participants were 390 children (55% girls, Mage = 11.70 years, SDage = 1.17) and their primary caregivers (68% mother, Mage = 39.52 years, SDage = 5.23). A latent profile analysis identified three profiles of parent-child discrepancies in supportive parental emotion socialization and four profiles in non-supportive parental emotion socialization. Children with more negative perceptions of parental emotion socialization than their parents exhibited the most internalizing and externalizing problems. The parent-child perception difference of the supportive dimension connected to internalizing and externalizing problems, while the perception difference of the non-supportive dimension connected only to internalizing problems. These findings advocate for the conceptualization of perceptions of parent-child discrepancies within family dynamics, which may predict children's developmental outcomes.

Factor Structure and Measurement Invariance of the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 Among Chinese Adults.

This study aimed to investigate the factor structure and measurement invariance of the Brief Symptom Inventory-18 (BSI-18) among Chinese adults. A sample comprising 1,839 adults from four cities in Shaanxi province completed the BSI-18 and background information. The best-fitting factor structure model of the BSI-18 was verified by confirmatory factor analyses, and multigroup confirmatory factor analyses were performed to test the measurement invariance. The results indicated that the three-factor bi-factor model fitted the current data best (χ 2 = 468.861, df = 117, CFI = 0.939, TLI = 0.920, RMSEA = 0.040, BIC = 47044.977). The configural, metric, scalar, and strict invariance models all had acceptable model fit indexes across genders, and the configural, metric, scalar invariance models with different living areas and educational levels were all acceptable. Overall, the three-factor bi-factor model of the BSI-18 shows a good fit for use with Chinese adults, making it a viable tool for effectively measuring the mental health of Chinese adults.

Comparative changes of health-promoting phytochemicals and sugar metabolism of two hardy kiwifruit (Actinidia arguta) cultivars during fruit development and maturity.

Introduction: Hardy kiwifruit (Actinidia arguta) has an extensive range of nutritional and bioactive compounds and has been valued as a great resource for kiwifruit breeding. A better understanding of the dynamic changes of the composition and accumulation of nutritional compounds during fruit development and ripening is required before genetic or cultural improvements can be targeted. Methods: In the present study, the phytochemical analysis of two A. arguta cultivars 'Yilv' and 'Lvmi-1' showed that they comprised different morphology, with a higher fruit diameter while a lower vertical fruit diameter of 'Lvmi-1' compared with 'Yilv'. The antioxidant capacity of both cultivars decreased during the maturity time and showed no significant difference between them. Furthermore, although glucose gradually increased during the maturity time, the predominant sugar composition was speculated to be fructose in 'Lvmi-1' fruit while sucrose in 'Yilv' fruit at the early fruit developmental stages. Moreover, the predominant acids in 'Yilv' and 'Lvmi-1' were citric acid followed by quinic acid, malic acid, and oxalic acid. The expression of sugar- and starch-related genes encoding the crucial enzymes suggested different changes in 'Yilv' and 'Lvmi-1'. Notably, a subsequent correlation analysis showed a significant positive correlation between sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) expression and glucose in 'Yilv', fructokinase (FK) expression, and starch content in 'Lvmi-1', implying their vital roles in sugar and starch accumulation. By contrast, a significant negative correlation between FK expression and fructose in 'Lvmi-1' fruit was observed. Results and Discussion: In summary, our results provide supplementary information for the dynamic changes of nutritional compounds and antioxidant capacity during hardy kiwifruit maturity time and give a clue for exploring the mechanism of sugar and starch accumulation in hardy kiwifruit.

Contributions of Escherichia coli and Its Motility to the Formation of Dual-Species Biofilms with Vibrio cholerae.

Biofilm formation is important in both the environmental and intestinal phases of the Vibrio cholerae life cycle. Nevertheless, most studies of V. cholerae biofilm formation focus on monospecies cultures, whereas nearly all biofilm communities found in nature consist of a variety of microorganisms. Multispecies biofilms formed between V. cholerae and other bacteria in the environment and the interactions that exist between these species are still poorly understood. In this study, the influence of Escherichia coli on the biofilm formation of V. cholerae was studied in the context of both in vitro coculture and in vivo coinfection. To understand the underlying synergistic mechanisms between these two species and to investigate the role of E. coli in V. cholerae biofilm formation, different pathotypes of E. coli and corresponding deletion mutants lacking genes that influence flagellar motility, curli fibers, or type I pili were cocultured with V. cholerae. Our findings demonstrate that the presence of commensal E. coli increases biofilm formation at the air-liquid interface in vitro and the generation of biofilm-like multicellular clumps in mouse feces. Examination of laboratory E. coli flagellar-motility ΔfliC and ΔmotA mutants in dual-species biofilm formation suggests that flagellar motility plays an important role in the synergistic interaction and coaggregation formation between V. cholerae and E. coli. This study facilitates a better understanding of how V. cholerae resides in harsh environments and colonizes the intestine. IMPORTANCE Biofilms play an important role in the V. cholerae life cycle. Until now, only monospecies biofilm formation of V. cholerae has been well studied. However, in nature, bacteria live in complex microbial communities, where biofilm is mostly composed of multiple microbial species that interact to cooperate with or compete against each other. Uncovering how V. cholerae forms multispecies biofilms is critical for furthering our understanding of how V. cholerae survives in the environment and transitions to infecting the human host. In this work, the dual-species biofilm containing V. cholerae and Escherichia coli was investigated. We demonstrate that the presence of commensal E. coli increased overall biofilm formation. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the motility of E. coli flagella is important for V. cholerae and E. coli to form coaggregation clumps in a dual-species biofilm. These results shed light on a new mechanism for understanding the survival and pathogenesis of V. cholerae.

Utility of diffusion weighted imaging with the quantitative apparent diffusion coefficient in diagnosing residual or recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma after transarterial chemoembolization: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Accurate and early diagnosis of residual tumors or intrahepatic recurrences after TACE is critically needed for determining the success of treatments and for guiding subsequent therapeutic planning. This meta-analysis was performed to assess the efficacy of diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) with the quantitative apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value in diagnosing residual or recurrent hepatocellular carcinoma after transarterial chemoembolization (TACE). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A comprehensive literature search of PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus and the Cochrane Library database, from inception to July 2019, was conducted to select original studies on diagnosing residual or recurrent HCCs after TACE using DWI sequence with its ADC value. Two researchers independently chose study, extracted data, conducted meta-analysis, and evaluated methodological quality according to Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 (QUADAS-2) tool. RESULTS: Twelve studies comprising 624 patients and 712 tumors were finally included. The pooled sensitivity, specificity and AUC value of DWI in diagnosing residual or recurrent HCCs after TACE were 85% (95%CI: 74-92%), 83% (95%CI: 75-88%) and 0.90 (95%CI: 0.87-0.92), respectively. Residual or recurrent HCCs have significantly lower ADC value than necrotic tumors (MD = -0.48, 95%CI: - 0.69~ - 0.27, P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated that DWI performed better in diagnosing residual or recurrent HCCs after TACE, and ADC value may serve as alternatives for further evaluation of residual or recurrent leisions in HCC patients after TACE.

Syntheses of Benzofuranoquinolines and Analogues via Photoinduced Acceptorless Dehydrogenative Annulation of o-Phenylfuranylpyridines.

A strategy for the syntheses of benzofuranoquinolines and its analogues via the irradiation of o-phenylfuranyl/thienylpyridines/pyrimidines in DCM with UV light at rt under an argon atmosphere is described. The mechanism of this reaction through the process of 6π-electrocyclization, [1,5]-hydrogen shift, and 1,3-eneamine tautomerism leading to H2 evolution was elucidated. Notably, the syntheses of cis-8b-methyl-8b,13a-dihydrobenzo[f]benzofuro[3,2-h]quinolone via the photoinduced rearrangement of 2-(3-methylbenzofuran-2-yl)-3-phenylpyridine relevant to the mechanism of this reaction highlights the importance of the developed methodology.

The Fructose-Specific Phosphotransferase System of Klebsiella pneumoniae Is Regulated by Global Regulator CRP and Linked to Virulence and Growth.

Klebsiella pneumoniae is an opportunistic pathogen, and its hypervirulent variants cause serious invasive community-acquired infections. A genomic view of K. pneumoniae NTUH-2044 for the carbohydrate phosphotransferase system (PTS) found a putative fructose PTS, namely, the Frw PTS gene cluster. The deletion mutant and the complemented mutant of frwC (KP1_1992), which encodes the putative fructose-specific enzyme IIC, were constructed, and the phenotypes were characterized. This transmembrane PTS protein is responsible for fructose utilization. frwC deletion can enhance biofilm formation and capsular polysaccharide (CPS) biosynthesis but decreases the growth rate and lethality in mice. frwC expression was repressed in the cyclic AMP receptor protein (CRP) mutant. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay showed that CRP can directly bind to the promoter of frwC These results indicated that frwC expression is controlled by CRP directly and that such regulation contributes to bacterial growth, CPS synthesis, and the virulence of the Δcrp strain. The findings help elucidate fructose metabolism and the CRP regulatory mechanism in K. pneumoniae.

High Performance Clean Fracturing Fluid Using a New Tri-Cationic Surfactant.

In order to improve the heat resistance of current clean fracturing fluids, a novel cationic surfactant (VES-T), composed of three single-chains and a spacer group, was designed and synthesized as thickener for the fluids. Various performances of such VES-T fluid in the presence of NaSal were evaluated carefully. Study of the rheological properties demonstrated that the fluids with varying concentrations (3⁻5 wt %) of VES-T have excellent thermal stabilities under ultra-high temperatures ranging from 140 to 180 °C. Until now, this is the highest temperature that the VES fracturing fluid could bear. The VES-T/NaSal fluid exhibited good viscoelasticity and proppant-suspending capability, which was attributed to the three-dimensional network formed by entangled wormlike micelles. Furthermore, the VES fracturing fluids can be completely gel broken by standard brines within 2 h. Thus, the VES-T synthesized in this work has a good prospect for utilization during the development of ultra-high temperature reservoirs.

Synthesis of Benzoaryl-5-yl(2-hydroxyphenyl)methanones via Photoinduced Rearrangement of (E)-3-Arylvinyl-4H-chromen-4-ones.

A concise and efficient photoinduced rearrangement of (E)-3-arylvinyl-4H-chromen-4-ones for the synthesis of benzoaryl-5-yl(2-hydroxyphenyl)methanones is described. Benzoaryl-5-yl-(2-hydroxyphenyl)methanones were obtained in 77-95% yields via the irradiation of (E)-3-arylvinyl-chromones in the 95% EtOH with a high-pressure mercury lamp at room temperature under Ar atmosphere. The reported method provides a novel procedure for the synthesis of α,α'-diaryl ketone derivatives without addition of any transition metals and oxidants or other additives. A plausible mechanism was proposed, and the rearrangement product was characterized by NMR, HRMS, and X-ray.

Involvement of cAMP receptor protein in biofilm formation, fimbria production, capsular polysaccharide biosynthesis and lethality in mouse of Klebsiella pneumoniae serotype K1 causing pyogenic liver abscess.

The global regulator cAMP receptor protein (CRP) has been shown to be required for the full virulence and/or for the expression of virulence determinants in a wide set of bacterial pathogens. In this work, the crp mutant as well as the complemented mutant was constructed from a wild-type Klebsiella pneumoniae capsular serotype K1 strain causing the primary pyogenic liver abscess. The phenotypes of wild-type strain, crp mutant and complemented mutant were characterized systematically. It was disclosed that K. pneumoniae CRP was required for the in vitro growth, fimbria production, biofilm formation and lethality in mouse, but it inhibited the capsular polysaccharide biosynthesis. These indicated the important roles of CRP in regulating the expression of virulence and biofilm genes in K. pneumoniae.