Negative life events and sleep disturbance among adolescents: Intolerance of uncertainty as mediator and moderator.

BACKGROUND: While negative life events (NLEs) have been linked to an increased risk of sleep disturbance among adolescents, the mechanisms of this impact still lack further examination. The current study aimed to explore whether intolerance of uncertainty (IU), a dispositional transdiagnostic vulnerability factor for psychopathology, could act as a mediator and/or moderator in the link from NLEs to sleep disturbance. METHODS: A longitudinal nested subsample of 54,240 Chinese adolescents (aged 9-19) were surveyed at baseline (Timepoint 1) and six months later (Timepoint 2). They completed questionnaires to assess their IU, NLEs, sleep disturbance and sociodemographic characteristics. Mediation and moderation analyses were conducted to test our hypotheses. RESULTS: Upon adjusting for covariates, IU was found to mediate the relationship between NLEs and residual changes in sleep disturbance over a six-month period, with the mediation effect accounting for 31.8%. Additionally, the moderating role of IU in this relationship was also identified, suggesting that a high level of IU exacerbated the effect of NLEs on sleep disturbance. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, our findings shed light on the dual roles of IU in the link from NLEs to sleep disturbance, holding significant practical implications for preventing and intervening in sleep disturbance among adolescents. To mitigate the risk of sleep disturbance among adolescents experiencing NLEs, timely assessments of IU and tailored interventions to enhance uncertainty tolerance are necessary.

Broccoli Improves Lipid Metabolism and Intestinal Flora in Mice with Type 2 Diabetes Induced by HFD and STZ Diet.

Globally, type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is on the rise. Maintaining a healthy diet is crucial for both treating and preventing T2DM.As a common vegetable in daily diet, broccoli has antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anticarcoma physiological activities. We developed a mouse model of type 2 diabetes and carried out a systematic investigation to clarify the function of broccoli in reducing T2DM symptoms and controlling intestinal flora. The findings demonstrated that broccoli could successfully lower fasting blood glucose (FBG), lessen insulin resistance, regulate lipid metabolism, lower the levels of TC, TG, LDL-C, and MDA, stop the expression of IL-1ß and IL-6, and decrease the harm that diabetes causes to the pancreas, liver, fat, and other organs and tissues. Furthermore, broccoli altered the intestinal flora's makeup in mice with T2DM. At the genus level, the relative abundance of Allobaculum decreased, and that of Odoribacter and Oscillospira increased; At the family level, the relative abundances of Odoribacteraceae, Rikenellaceae and S24-7 decreased, while the relative abundances of Erysipelotrichaceae and Rikenellaceae increased.

Profiles of Intolerance of Uncertainty Among 108,540 Adolescents: Associations with Sociodemographic Variables and Mental Health.

Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is widely considered a transdiagnostic risk and maintaining factor for psychiatric disorders. However, little is known about the overall nature and profile of IU among adolescents. This study aims to investigate the profiles of IU among Chinese adolescents and explore their associations with sociodemographic characteristics and mental health problems. A sample of 108,540 adolescents provided data on IU, sociodemographic characteristics, and mental health via an online platform. Latent profile analysis revealed three profiles: Low IU, Medium IU, and High IU. Girls, older adolescents, and those with specific sociodemographics were more likely to belong to the "High IU" profile. Furthermore, the "High IU" profile was associated with the highest risk of several mental health problems. These findings provided valuable information for early prevention and intervention strategies targeting IU and highlighted the importance of IU-based interventions for mental health among adolescents.

Antiobesity effect of L-arabinose via ameliorating insulin resistance and modulating gut microbiota in obese mice.

OBJECTIVES: The global prevalence of obesity, a chronically trophic metabolic disease, has garnered significant attention. The aim of this study was to investigate L-arabinose, a unique functional sugar that improves insulin resistance and intestinal environment while promoting probiotic proliferation, for its potential in preventing obesity induced by a high-fat and high-sugar (HFHS) diet in mice. METHODS: The L-arabinose group was intragastrically administered with 0.4 mL 60 mg/(kg body weight) L-arabinose for 8 wk. The metformin group was intragastrically administered at 0.4 mL 300 mg/(kg body weight), as a positive control group. RESULTS: Treatment with L-arabinose resulted in a reduction of various obesity symptoms, such as prevented weight gain, increased liver-to-body ratio, decreased insulin, homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) index, and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) levels, as well as improved insulin resistance, reduced fat volume, inhibited hepatic steatosis, and repaired the pancreas. The L-arabinose treatment also improved lipid metabolism and inflammatory response, decreased the Firmicutes-to-Bacteroidetes ratio at the phylum level, and increased the relative abundance of Parabacteroides gordonii and Akkermansia muciniphila at the species level. CONCLUSION: Based on these results, L-arabinose could be a promising candidate for combating obesity and obesity-related diseases by regulating insulin resistance and gut microbiota.