Relationship between affiliate stigma and family quality of life among parents of children with autism spectrum disorders: The mediating role of parenting self-efficacy.

BACKGROUND: The parents of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are under great pressure and experience discrimination in their daily lives, which affects their family quality of life (FQOL). OBJECTIVE: METHODS: A total of 237 parents of children with ASD were recruited in a university-affiliated hospital in Guangzhou, China, from October 2020 to April 2021 by convenience sampling. The Affiliate Stigma Scale, Parenting Sense of Competence Scale and Beach Center Family Quality of Life Scale were employed for data collection. RESULTS: The results showed that affiliate stigma negatively predicts total FQOL and the dimensions of FQOL through both a direct effect and an indirect effect through parenting self-efficacy. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that affiliate stigma is an important predictor of FQOL, and interventions to reduce affiliate stigma and strengthen parenting self-efficacy might be effective in improving FQOL in the parents of children with ASD.

Inflammatory responses and barrier disruption in the trachea of chicks following Mycoplasma gallisepticum infection: a focus on the TNF-α-NF-κB/MLCK pathway.

Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) can induce persistent inflammatory damage to the tracheal mucosa of poultry and cause chronic respiratory diseases in chickens. To further investigate the mechanism of MG-induced injury to the tracheal mucosa, we used chick embryo tracheal organ culture (TOC) as a model to study the invasion and reproduction of MG, the effect of MG on tracheal morphology, and the potential factors that promote MG tissue invasion. The results showed that MG infection significantly damaged the tracheal epithelial structure and weakened tracheal epithelial barrier function; MG also increased the occurrence of bacterial displacement, with a significant (p < 0.05) increase in the bacterial load of the infected TOCs at 5 and 7 days post-infection. In addition, MG significantly (p < 0.05) increased the expression levels of inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α, interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), and IL-6, and activated the NF-κB signalling pathway, leading to increased nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65. Simultaneously, the map kinase pathway (MAPK) was activated. This activation might be associated with increased myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation, which could lead to actin-myosin contraction and disruption of tight junction (TJ) protein function, potentially compromising epithelial barrier integrity and further catalysing MG migration into tissues. Overall, our results contribute to a better understanding of the interaction between MG and the host, provide insight into the mechanisms of damage to the tracheal mucosa induced by MG infection, and provide new insights into the possible pathways involved in Mycoplasma gallisepticum infection in vivo.

The importance of parenting self-efficacy and social support for family quality of life in children newly diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder: A one-year follow-up study.

Improving the quality of family life (FQoL) is one of the ultimate goals for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) intervention, and parenting self-efficacy and social support are critical for the well-being of families. However, longitudinal studies focusing on FQoL and its predictors for families of children with ASD are scarce. This study aims to describe the characteristics of FQoL among parents of children newly diagnosed with ASD at two waves (newly diagnosed and diagnosed after one year) and to explore the predictors of FQoL at two waves. It was conducted at a tertiary hospital in Guangzhou, China. A total of 156 parents and their children were included in Wave 1, followed up with 110 in Wave 2 after 1 year. The overall satisfaction of FQoL improved (t = -2.128, p < 0.05), while satisfaction with physical/material well-being decreased (t = 5.972, p < 0.01). Additionally, the overall importance rating of FQoL improved but did not have statistical significance (p > 0.05). Parents with higher parenting self-efficacy (ß = 0.716, P < 0.01), and more subjective social support (ß = 1.127, p < 0.001) reported higher satisfaction with FQoL, and those with better social support utilization (ß = 1.066, p < 0.05) reported higher importance for FQoL. FQoL needs to be improved in the early stage of ASD diagnosis, and parental self-efficacy and social support can serve as the intervention targets.

Improving early detection, diagnosis and intervention for children with autism spectrum disorder: A cross-sectional survey in China.

BACKGROUND: Detection and diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are prerequisites for early interventions. However, few studies focused on this topic. AIM: This study aims to characterize the timing from symptom detection to intervention in children with ASD and identify predictors of age at ASD diagnosis, presence of intervention, and the time lag between detection and diagnosis. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 303 parents (111 fathers and 192 mothers, 21-54 years) of children with ASD in Guangzhou, China. OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: The median time from symptom observation to the first doctor visit was 3 months, while the time to ASD diagnosis averaged 6 months. Most children (76.24 %) were diagnosed within one year after detection, and 25.58 % had no intervention after diagnosis. Predictors of earlier ASD diagnosis included ASD-related symptoms identified at an older age, less serious symptoms, and initial symptoms with atypical motor development and sensory anomalies. ASD-related symptoms observed at an older age, initial symptoms with social deficits, sensory anomalies, and without language impairment, primary caregivers other than parents, families with lower income, and less social support utilization increased the odds of a time lag between detection and diagnosis. Children with fathers having lower education were less likely to receive interventions. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Earlier ASD identification and intervention might be facilitated by health education on typical symptoms of ASD for parents with young children and incorporating ASD screening during routine health examinations for children. For children whose primary caregivers are not their parents and from lower-income families, additional support may be required for timely diagnosis after reporting ASD-related symptoms. Moreover, more intervention supports are expected for children whose fathers have lower education levels. Helping families take full advantage of support is also important for early diagnosis and intervention.

Study on the mechanism of Mycoplasma gallisepticum infection on chicken tracheal mucosa injury.

RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTSMG infection causes a persistent inflammatory response by increasing the expression of immune response genes.The ERK-MLCK signalling pathway activated by MG infection regulates tight junction proteins in the tracheal mucosa.These data provide a basis for future prevention and treatment studies to control MG infection.

Gastrodin improves preeclampsia-induced cell apoptosis by regulation of TLR4/NF-κB in rats.

To explain gastrodin improved cell apoptosis induced by preeclampsia in vivo and in vitro study. The PE and normal rats were injected with normal saline (Model), low-dose gastrodin (Gas-L), medium-dose gastrodin (Gas-M), and high-dose gastrodin (Gas-H) groups at 50, 100, or 200 mg/kg per day. The rat blood pressure and 24-hr urine protein level were measured at pregnant days 10, 16, and 20. Evaluating pathology by H&E staining, the cell apoptosis by TUNEL, and MyD88 and NF-κB (p65) proteins by IHC assay using H/R to simulate PE cell model. Measuring cell proliferation, apoptosis, and MyD88 and NF-κB (p65) protein expression by MTT, flow cytometry, and WB assay. The SBP, DBP, and 24-hr urine protein levels were significantly different in PE rats (p < .05). The SBP, DBP, and 24-hr urine protein levels were significantly improved (p < .05) in vivo and in vitro. The positive apoptosis cells and apoptosis rate were significantly increased with MyD88 and NF-κB (p65) proteins upregulation (p < .05). The positive apoptosis cells and apoptosis rate were significantly decreased with MyD88 and NF-κB (p65) proteins depressing in gastrodin-treated groups with dose-dependent (p < .05). Gastrodin improves PE-induced cell apoptosis and pathology changed via MyD88/NF-κB pathway in vitro and in vivo study.

Exploration of (3-benzyl-5-hydroxyphenyl)carbamates as new antibacterial agents against Gram-positive bacteria.

A series of (3-benzyl-5-hydroxyphenyl)carbamates were evaluated as new antibacterial agents. Several compounds showed potent inhibitory activity against sensitive and drug-resistant Gram-positive bacteria. The compounds are ineffective against all tested Gram-negative bacteria. The structure of the ester group exerted a profound effect on antibacterial activity. 4,4-Dimethylcyclohexanyl carbamate 6h exhibited the most potent inhibitory activity against the standard and clinically isolated Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Enterococcus faecalis (minimum inhibitory concentration = 4-8 µg/ml) strains. The preliminary experimental evidence indicated that these carbamates target the bacterial cell wall and share a similar mechanism of action with vancomycin.

Asymmetric Conjugate Addition of Ethylene Sulfonyl Fluorides to 3-Amido-2-oxindoles: Synthesis of Chiral Spirocyclic Oxindole Sultams.

An enantioselective conjugate addition of ethylene sulfonyl fluorides to 3-amido-2-oxindoles has been developed. Quinine-derived squaramides were identified as efficient catalysts. A series of spirocyclic oxindole sultams were prepared with excellent yields and enantioselectivities. A reaction mechanism via bifunctional activation was proposed.

Histone deacetylase 6 negatively regulated microRNA-199a-5p induces the occurrence of preeclampsia by targeting VEGFA in vitro.

BACKGROUND: Preeclampsia (PE) is a special complication during pregnancy, which can cause severe maternal complications and lead the cause of maternal and perinatal death. So far, the etiology and pathogenesis of the disease is still not very clear. Currently, microRNAs (miRNAs) are reported to be the key regulators in the development of PE. METHODS: The miR-199a-5p expression was detected by qRT-PCR. The expression of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGFA), placental growth factor (PLGF) and activating transcription factor 3 (ATF-3) were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot. Transwell-invasion assay wasused to assess the effects of miR-199a-5p, PLGF and ATF-3 on the invasion of HTR-8/SVneo and TEV-1cell lines. Western blot and qRT-PCR were used to assess the related molecular mechanisms. Dual luciferase reporter assay was used to detect the interaction between miR-199a-5p and VEGFA. RESULTS: Here, weinitially demonstrated that in PE tissues, miR-199a-5p expression was higher than that in normal tissues, while there was sharp reduction in VEGFA. In placental tissues of PE patients, miR-199a-5p exhibited a negatively correlation with VEGFA. The invasion of HTR-8/SVneo and TEV-1 cells was suppressed by miR-199a-5p through direct inhibition of VEGFA expression. In addition, PE tissues were associated with sharp reduction in the protein levels of PLGF, ATF-3 and histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) compared with the normal tissues. We further proved that over-expression of PLGF could also promote HTR-8/SVneo and TEV-1 cells invasion through up-regulating ATF-3 expression and down-regulating DNM3 opposite strand (DNM3os) and miR-199a-5p expression. Lastly, we also found that tubacin suppressed HTR-8/SVneo and TEV-1 cells invasion via regulation of miR-199a-5p and VEGFA expression. CONCLUSION: Our data demonstrated the role of miR-199a-5p in the preeclampsia, and proved that miR-199a-5p could act as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of PE.

An exploratory study into the role of miR-204-5p in pregnancy-induced hypertension.

The molecular mechanism that leads to pregnancy-induced hypertension (PIH), a pregnancy-specific syndrome, remains poorly understood. It has been suggested that microRNAs (miRNAs) may be potentially useful biomarkers for severe preeclampsia (PE), which is an important condition associated with PIH. The aim of the present study was to identify miR-204 by verifying differentially expressed serum miRNAs in patients with PIH during pregnancy compared with normal controls. Subsequently, the effects of miR-204 on proliferation and apoptosis of human choriocarcinoma (JAR) cells in hypoxic microenvironment were investigated. Previous studies indicated a number of miRNA candidates and the present study validated the expression of eight miRNAs in serum samples using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). A higher expression of miR-204 was identified in patients with PIH. To assess the impact of miR-204 inhibition on hypoxic JAR cells function in vitro, cell proliferation was detected using a Cell Counting Kit-8 assay. The rate of apoptosis and cell cycle progression was then examined by flow cytometry. RT-qPCR confirmed that serum miR-204-5p is more highly expressed in patients with PIH. Further statistical analysis indicated that the survival ratio of JAR cells in hypoxic microenvironments was increased in the miR-204-5p inhibitor group. However, the miR-204-5p inhibitor protected hypoxic JAR cells from apoptosis. The analysis of cell-cycle status demonstrated that the percentage of cells in the G2/G1 phase was larger compared with the control group. The results of the present study suggest that low levels of miR-204-5p may increase cell proliferation and reduce cell apoptosis with cell cycle changes in vitro. Therefore, serum miR-204-5p may be used as a notable biomarker for the diagnosis, prevention and treatment of PIH.

Proteomic identification of candidate plasma biomarkers for preeclampsia in women with pregnancy-induced hypertension.

Preeclampsia (PE), a complication of pregnancy, is the leading cause of maternal and perinatal morbidity and mortality and seriously impacts maternal and child health. This study aimed to characterize biomarkers for the early diagnosis of PE. We performed a comparative proteomic analysis on the plasma obtained from PE and healthy pregnant women. We analyzed the plasma samples using two-dimensional differential gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) coupled with Ultraflex III, a MALDI-TOF-TOF (matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization-time-of-flight) mass spectrometer and identified differentially expressed proteins (DEPs). We analyzed the abundance levels of these DEPs by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to further confirm their role as putative PE biomarkers. We identified a total of 56 DEPs, of which 48 were down-regulated and 8 were up-regulated in women with PE. The identities of 8 of these DEPs were characterized by mass spectrum analysis, including LG3BP (lectin, galactoside-binding, soluble, 3 binding protein), APOA1 (apolipoprotein A-I), FETUA (alpha-2-HS-glycoprotein), CFAI (complement factor I), CD5L (CD5 antigen-like), K2C6A (keratin, type II cytoskeletal 6A), PON1 (paraoxonase/arylesterase 1) and HP1 (haptoglobin). Finally, the differential expression of these 8 proteins was verified by ELISA. In summary, we applied the 2D-DIGE and Ultraflex III-TOF/TOF platform to identify potential plasma biomarkers of PE. Of these, plasma LG3BP, APOA1, FETUA, CFAI, CD5L, K2C6A, PON1 and HP1 were promising candidates for predicting PE.

Feasibility and efficacy study of weekly cisplatin with concurrent intensity-modulated radiation therapy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma: preliminary results.

The aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and efficacy of a weekly cisplatin 40 mg/m(2) regimen in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma treated concurrently with definitive intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT). The primary endpoints were treatment compliance and acute toxicities. Twenty-two patients with newly diagnosed NPC were recruited in this phase II trial. All patients received definitive IMRT concurrently with weekly cisplatin 40 mg/m(2) for six cycles. The treatment technique was split-field IMRT (SF-IMRT) before August 2009 and whole-field IMRT (WF-IMRT) thereafter. The median follow-up time was 15.1 months (range, 1.5-30 months). No patients experienced regional recurrence or distant metastasis. One patient developed local recurrence. One patient died of non-malignant disease. For all patients, the 1-year overall survival, local recurrence-free survival, regional recurrence-free survival, and distant metastasis-free survival were 95.5%, 95.5%, 100%, and 100%, respectively. All patients received the full dose of RT. Twenty-one patients (95.5%) completed all six cycles of chemotherapy (CHT). Three patients experienced treatment delay. Of them, one had CHT delay, and the other two had IMRT delay. No treatment-related death was found. Acute toxicities were generally mild or moderate. Grade 3 and 4 toxicities accounted for less than 10% of overall occurrence in each corresponding category except for a relatively higher rate in stomatitis (Grade 3, 27%). Renal function impairment was not found. Weekly cisplatin with concurrent IMRT appears to be feasible and effective in treating NPC patients and these findings warrant further investigation.