Alexithymia and peer victimisation: interconnected pathways to adolescent non-suicidal self-injury.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) among adolescents underscores the importance of understanding the complex factors that drive this behaviour. Framed within broader constructs of emotional regulation theories, alexithymia and peer victimisation are thought to interact to influence NSSI behaviours. AIM: This research addresses whether alexithymia and peer victimisation serve as risk factors for NSSI and, if so, how these factors interact with each other. METHOD: This quantitative study analysed data from 605 adolescents, using a range of validated self-report measures including the Toronto Alexithymia Scale. Statistical analyses including one-way analysis of variance, multiple regression and structural equation modelling were employed to scrutinise the relationships among the variables. RESULTS: Alexithymia and peer victimisation significantly predicted NSSI behaviours. Specifically, the 'difficulty in identifying feelings' subscale of alexithymia emerged as a noteworthy predictor of NSSI (P < 0.001). Peer victimisation mediated the relationship between alexithymia and NSSI, explaining approximately 24.50% of alexithymia's total effect on NSSI. In addition, age was a significant predictor of NSSI, but gender and education years were not (P > 0.05). These relationships were found to be invariant across genders. CONCLUSIONS: This study enriches our understanding of the interplay between alexithymia, peer victimisation and NSSI, particularly within the Chinese context. Its findings have significant implications for a rethinking of alexithymia's theoretical construct and interventions targeting emotional literacy and peer dynamics among adolescents. Future research could benefit from a longitudinal design to establish causality.

Using functional near-infrared spectroscopy to study effects of virtual reality intervention for adolescents with depression in a clinical setting in China: study protocol for a prospective, randomised, controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION: Adolescent depression has been shown to be associated with many devastating psychosocial outcomes. However, there are many barriers that may prevent depressed individuals from receiving specialised treatment. Virtual reality (VR) technology has shown promise as one avenue for overcoming these challenges. This study first aims to evaluate the effectiveness of VR intervention on adolescent depression symptoms, and second, to determine the intervention's underlying mechanism of effect using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS). METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This is a single-centre, prospective, randomised controlled clinical trial. Sixty-six eligible adolescents aged 12-18 years with a diagnosis of depression will be randomised in a 1:1 ratio to either the VR treatment group or the conventional treatment group. All patients for both groups will receive usual treatment during a 4-week intervention period. In addition, patients randomised to VR treatment group (n=33) will complete three 20 min VR sessions including attention, executive function and relaxation training per week. Moreover, 33 healthy adolescents will be recruited as the general population. Primary outcome (ie, depressive symptoms) and secondary outcomes (ie, anxiety symptoms, executive function, treatment emergent symptoms, haemoglobin changes measured by fNIRS) will be collected at preintervention, immediately postintervention and at 4 weeks follow-up. The data assessor and analyst will be blinded to group membership. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval has been obtained from the Ethics Committee of Lishui Second People's Hospital. Written informed consent will be obtained for all participants. Results will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals, national or international conference presentations, media outlets, the internet and various community activities. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR2300067747.

Plasmonic Hydroxyl Radical-Driven Epoxidation of Fatty Acid Double Bonds in Nanoseconds for On-Tissue Mass-Spectrometric Analysis and Bioimaging.

Lipids represent a large family of compounds with highly diverse structures that are involved in complex biological processes. A photocatalytic technique of on-tissue epoxidation of C=C double bonds has been developed for in situ mass spectrometric identification and spatial imaging of positional isomers of lipids. It is based on the plasmonic hot-electron transfer from irradiated gold nanowires to redox-active organic matrix compounds that undergo bond cleavages and generate hydroxyl radicals in nanoseconds. Intermediate radical anions and negative fragment ions have been unambiguously identified. Under the irradiation of a pulsed laser of the third harmonic of Nd3+:YAG (355 nm), the hydroxyl radical-driven epoxidation of unsaturated lipids with different numbers of C=C bonds can be completed in nanoseconds with high yields of up to 95%. Locations of C=C bonds were recognized with diagnostic fragment ions that were produced by either collision with an inert gas or auto-fragmentation resulting from the impact of energetic hot electrons and vibrational excitation. This technique has been applied to the analysis of breast cancer tissues of mice models without extensive sample processes. It was experimentally demonstrated that C=C bonds may be formed at different positions of not only regular mono- or poly-unsaturated fatty acids but also other odd-numbered long-chain fatty acids.

Economical and Sustainable Synthesis of Small-Pore Chabazite Catalysts for NOx Abatement by Recycling Organic Structure-Directing Agents.

The application of small-pore chabazite-type SSZ-13 zeolites, key materials for the reduction of nitrogen oxides (NOx) in automotive exhausts and the selective conversion of methane, is limited by the use of expensive N,N,N-trimethyl-1-ammonium adamantine hydroxide (TMAdaOH) as an organic structure-directing agent (OSDA) during hydrothermal synthesis. Here, we report an economical and sustainable route for SSZ-13 synthesis by recycling and reusing the OSDA-containing waste liquids. The TMAdaOH concentration in waste liquids, determined by a bromocresol green colorimetric method, was found to be a key factor for SSZ-13 crystallization. The SSZ-13 zeolite synthesized under optimized conditions demonstrates similar physicochemical properties (surface area, porosity, crystallinity, Si/Al ratio, etc.) as that of the conventional synthetic approach. We then used the waste liquid-derived SSZ-13 as the parent zeolite to synthesize Cu ion-exchanged SSZ-13 (i.e., Cu-SSZ-13) for ammonia-mediated selective catalytic reduction of NOx (NH3-SCR) and observed a higher activity as well as better hydrothermal stability than Cu-SSZ-13 by conventional synthesis. In situ infrared and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy investigations revealed that the superior NH3-SCR performance of waste liquid-derived Cu-SSZ-13 results from a higher density of Cu2+ sites coordinated to paired Al centers on the zeolite framework. The technoeconomic analysis highlights that recycling OSDA-containing waste liquids could reduce the raw material cost of SSZ-13 synthesis by 49.4% (mainly because of the higher utilization efficiency of TMAdaOH) and, meanwhile, the discharging of wastewater by 45.7%.

Interaction between self-perceived disease control and self-management behaviours among Chinese middle-aged and older hypertensive patients: the role of subjective life expectancy.

BACKGROUND: One of the effective ways to control hypertension is long-term self-management, which is difficult to maintain. Therefore, understanding how people engage in the process of self-management behaviour change is necessary. In this study, we aimed to examine the dynamic relationship between self-perceived disease control and self-management behaviours in Chinese middle-aged and older hypertensive patients, namely, medication use, self-monitoring, physical activity, tobacco and alcohol avoidance, and to explore the mediating role of subjective life expectancy (SLE) on this relationship. METHODS: Data were obtained from a nationally representative sample of 508 middle-aged and older hypertensive patients (aged 45+) from the 2013, 2015, and 2018 waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey. A cross-lagged panel model combined with mediation analysis was used to determine the dynamic relationship between self-perceived disease control and self-management behaviours and to clarify the mediating effect of SLE on this ascertained relationship. RESULTS: Good self-perceived disease control subsequently predicted good medication use, self-monitoring and physical activity, and vice versa. Subjective life expectancy (SLE) partially mediated the prospective reciprocal relationships between self-perceived disease control and these self-management behaviours, which accounted for 37.11, 25.88, and 19.39% of the total effect of self-perceived disease control on medication use, self-monitoring and physical activity, respectively. These self-management behaviours had a significant and positive feedback effect on self-perceived disease control. However, neither the direct and indirect effects (via SLE) of self-perceived disease control on tobacco and alcohol avoidance were revealed. CONCLUSIONS: Positive feedback loops of present self-perceived disease control, future SLE and self-management behaviours (medication use, self-monitoring, and physical activity) help middle-aged and older hypertensive patients adhere to these behaviours but are useless for the avoidance of addictive behaviours. Interventions aimed at enhancing the effect perception of general self-management behaviours (e.g., medication use, self-monitoring and physical activity) on the present disease control perspective, and future lifespan perspective would be beneficial for the consistent self-management behaviours of middle-aged and older hypertensive patients. The utility of present disease control perception to these self-management behaviours was much higher than the utility of future expectations. Alternative stress relief strategies may be conducive to long-term changes in addictive behaviours.

Competitive CatSper Activators of Progesterone from Rhynchosia volubilis.

The root Rhynchosia volubilis was widely used for contraception in folk medicine, although its molecular mechanism on antifertility has not yet been revealed. In human sperm, it was reported that the cation channel of sperm, an indispensable cation channel for the fertilization process, could be regulated by various steroid-like compounds in plants. Interestingly, these nonphysiological ligands would also disturb the activation of the cation channel of sperm induced by progesterone. Therefore, this study aimed to explore whether the compounds in R. volubilis affect the physiological regulation of the cation channel of sperm. The bioguided isolation of the whole herb of R. volubilis has resulted in the novel discovery of five new prenylated isoflavonoids, rhynchones A - E (1:  - 5: ), a new natural product, 5'-O-methylphaseolinisoflavan (6: ) (1H and 13C NMR data, Supporting Information), together with twelve known compounds (7:  - 18: ). Their structures were established by extensive spectroscopic analyses and drawing a comparison with literature data, while their absolute configurations were determined by electronic circular dichroism calculations. The experiments of intracellular Ca2+ signals and patch clamping recordings showed that rhynchone A (1: ) significantly reduced cation channel of sperm activation by competing with progesterone. In conclusion, our findings indicat that rhynchone A might act as a contraceptive compound by impairing the activation of the cation channel of sperm and thus prevent fertilization.

Network pharmacology analysis and experimental validation to explore the mechanism of Hanchuan Zupa Granule in asthma.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Hanchuan Zupa Granule (HCZP) is a classic prescription of Uyghur medicine, that is used for cough and abnormal mucinous asthma caused by a cold and "Nai-Zi-Lai". AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to explore the possible molecular mechanism of HCZP in the treatment of asthma, using a network pharmacology method and in vivo experiments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: First, we conducted qualitative analysis of the chemical composition of HCZP as a basis for network pharmacology analysis. Using network pharmacology tools, the possible signaling pathways of HCZP in the treatment of asthma were obtained. An OVA-sensitized asthma model was established, and HCZP was continuously administered for one week. BALF was collected for cell counting, and serum and lung tissues were collected to analyze the expression of IgE, IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 and IFN-γ. Hematoxylin & eosin (H&E) staining was performed to assess the pathological changes in the lung tissues. Related protein expression in the lung tissues was analyzed by Western blotting for molecular mechanism exploration. RESULTS: Fifty-six chemical compounds were identified by UPLC Q-TOF MS. According to the network pharmacology results, 18 active compounds were identified among the 56 compounds, and 68 target genes of HCZP in the treatment of asthma were obtained. A total of 19 pathways were responsible for asthma (P < 0.05) according to KEGG pathway analysis. In vivo results showed that OVA sensitivity induced increased respiratory system resistance and inflammatory responses, which included inflammatory cell infiltration and high levels of IgE, IL-4, IL-5 and IL-13 in serum and lung tissues. Furthermore, OVA upregulated p-PI3K, p-JNK and p-p38 expression in lung tissues. Moreover, HCZP treatment significantly downregulated respiratory system resistance, and the expression of IL-4, IL-5, IL-13 and IgE, as well as significantly improved inflammatory cell infiltration in lung tissues. Moreover, the protein expression of p-PI3K, p-JNK and p-p38 in lung tissues decreased after HCZP treatment. CONCLUSION: HCZP significantly inhibited the OVA-induced inflammatory response via the PI3K-Akt and Fc epsilon RI signaling pathways.

Social Engagement and Urban-Rural Disparity in Self-Management Behaviors: Study of Middle-Aged and Older Chinese Hypertension Patients.

BACKGROUND: This study examines the effect of social engagement on urban-rural disparities in self-management behaviors (medication use, self-monitoring, physical activity, and tobacco and alcohol avoidance) among middle-aged and older Chinese patients with hypertension. METHODS: Data from 2011 to 2018 were extracted from the four latest waves of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study. Chi-square tests and t-tests were performed to examine urban-rural gaps in self-management behaviors. Random-effects panel logit regression models were adopted to confirm the effect of social engagement on urban-rural disparity in self-management behaviors and to explore whether this effect has narrowed or widened with "bilateral flow" between urban and rural residents. A Fairlie decomposition technique was also used to calculate the extent to which social engagement reflects urban-rural disparities. RESULTS: There was significant urban-rural disparity in medication use and tobacco avoidance behaviors among the sampled patients. Medication use behavior (p < 0.001) among urban middle-aged and older patients was significantly better, whereas tobacco avoidance behavior (p < 0.05) was significantly lower compared with the rural population. Social engagement significantly enlarged the urban-rural gap in tobacco avoidance behavior (p < 0.01), but significantly narrowed the urban-rural gap in medication use behavior (p < 0.001). The Fairlie decomposition revealed that ~75.000% and 29.412% of the explained urban-rural gap in tobacco avoidance and medication use, respectively, could be attributed to social engagement. The negative effect of social engagement on urban-rural disparity in medication use increased when urban residents moved to rural areas (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The urban-rural disparities in self-management behaviors of middle-aged and older Chinese hypertensive patients were mainly manifested in medication use and tobacco avoidance behaviors. The gaps in these two behaviors partly changed with social engagement, while the migration of urban population to rural areas weakens the positive role of social engagement in narrowing the urban-rural gap in medication use behavior. The insights of this paper on social engagement and urban-rural disparity in self-management behaviors, and the effect of urban-rural migration thereof, deserve the attention of health policymakers and researchers.

HRD1 suppresses the growth and metastasis of breast cancer cells by promoting IGF-1R degradation.

HRD1 (3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl reductase degradation) is an E3 ubiquitin ligase. We found that HRD1 was significantly downregulated in 170 breast cancer tissues. Low tumoral HRD1 expression was correlated with clinicopathological characteristics and a shorter survival in breast cancer patients. P65 specifically bound to the HRD1 promoter and inhibited HRD1 expression. Suppression of NF-κB activity reversed IL-6-induced downregulation of HRD1 expression. HRD1 interacted with IGF-1R and promoted its ubiquitination and degradation by the proteasome. Overexpression of HRD1 resulted in the inhibition of growth, migration and invasion of breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, HRD1 attenuated IL-6-induced epithelial-mesenchymal transition in MCF10A cells. These findings uncover a novel role for HRD1 in breast cancer.