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Studying individuals at increased genetic risk for schizophrenia may generate important theories regarding the emergence of the illness. In this investigation, genetic high-risk individuals (GHR, n = 37) were assessed with functional magnetic resonance imaging and compared to individuals in the first episode of schizophrenia (FESZ, n = 42) and healthy comparison subjects (HCS, n = 59). Measures of functional connectivity and the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) were obtained in a global, data-driven analysis. The functional connectivity measure, termed degree centrality, assessed each voxel's connectivity with all the other voxels in the brain. GHR and FESZ displayed increased degree centrality globally and locally. On ALFF measures, GHR were indistinguishable from HCS in the majority of areas but resembled FESZ in insula, basal ganglia and hippocampus. FESZ evidenced reduced amplitude of the global neural signal as compared to HCS and GHR. Results support the hypothesis that schizophrenia diathesis involves functional connectivity and ALFF abnormalities. In addition, they further an emerging theory suggesting that increased connectivity and metabolism may be involved in schizophrenia vulnerability and early stages of the illness.

Psychological status plays a vital role in the recovery in young ischemic stroke patients. However, few reports on the psychological symptoms in Chinese young ischemic stroke patients have been published. In the present study, we aimed to outline the psychological status of young ischemic stroke patients and its risk factors at three months after their stroke.364 patients with young ischemic stroke and 384 age-matched healthy controls were consecutively recruited from our study hospitals of the mainland of China between June 2018 and November 2020. Social demographic and clinical data were collected from all enrolled participants in the acute stage of their stroke, and their psychological variables were assessed via the Symptom Checklist 90 Revised (SCL-90-R) at three-month timepoint after their stroke. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were run to identify the independent factors for psychological variables in patients.Compared with healthy controls, patients with young ischemic stroke had significantly higher total score of SCL-90-R and all subscale total scores (At three months after their stroke, young ischemic stroke patients had psychological problems and risk factors for developing them.

Objective. Psychological status plays a vital role in the recovery in young ischemic stroke patients. However, few reports on the psychological symptoms in Chinese young ischemic stroke patients have been published. In the present study, we aimed to outline the psychological status of young ischemic stroke patients and its risk factors at three months after their stroke. Methods. 364 patients with young ischemic stroke and 384 age-matched healthy controls were consecutively recruited from our study hospitals of the mainland of China between June 2018 and November 2020. Social demographic and clinical data were collected from all enrolled participants in the acute stage of their stroke, and their psychological variables were assessed via the Symptom Checklist 90 Revised (SCL-90-R) at three-month timepoint after their stroke. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were run to identify the independent factors for psychological variables in patients. Results. Compared with healthy controls, patients with young ischemic stroke had significantly higher total score of SCL-90-R and all subscale total scores ( p < 0.01 or 0.05). 22.3% (81/364 cases) in young ischemic stroke patients had psychological abnormalities. Compared with young ischemic stroke patients without psychological symptoms ( n = 283 ), patients with psychological symptoms ( n = 81 ) had higher rate of married status ( p = 0.03 ), rate of hypertension ( p = 0.01 ), infarct size ( p = 0.01 ), and the family dysfunction ( p < 0.01 ). Multivariate logistic regression analyses revealed that the family dysfunction (odds ratio [OR], 2.50, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.71 to 3.54, p < 0.01 ), having hypertension (OR, 3.27, 95% CI: 1.92 to 4.27, p = 0.02 ), and ≥20mm3 infarct size (OR, 2.39, 95% CI: 1.53 to 3.45, p < 0.01 ) were independent factors for having psychological abnormalities in patients with young ischemic stroke at three months after their stroke. Single (OR, 1.23, 95% CI: 1.03 to 1.54, p = 0.01 ), poor family function (OR, 1.21, 95% CI: 1.05 to 1.45, p = 0.03 ), and ≥20mm3 infarct size (OR, 1.74, 95% CI: 1.14 to 3.13, p = 0.02 ) were independent factors for having depression in patents with psychological symptoms. The family dysfunction (OR, 2.32, 95% CI: 1.51 to 2.80, p < 0.01 ) and hypertension (OR, 2.41, 95% CI: 1.54 to 3.46, p = 0.03 ) were independent factors for emerging somatization and anxiety in patients with psychological symptoms, respectively. Conclusions. At three months after their stroke, young ischemic stroke patients had psychological problems and risk factors for developing them.

Objective. The role of trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) in cardiovascular diseases has been highlighted. Nevertheless, the associations of large-artery atherosclerotic (LAA) stroke with TMAO and blood lipid-related indices are little investigated. Methods. A cross-sectional comparative study was performed on 50 patients with LAA stroke and 50 healthy controls. Basic demographic data, common vascular risk factors, and blood lipid-related indices were collected. Plasma TMAO was detected through liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. Multivariable unconditional logistic regression analyses were run to assess the associations of LAA stroke with plasma TMAO level and blood lipid-related indices. The area under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) was computed to assess the diagnostic performance of plasma TMAO level and blood lipid-related indices for LAA stroke. Results. Compared with healthy controls, the elevated plasma TMAO level (odds ratio [OR], 7.03; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.86, 17.25; p < 0.01 ) and Apo-B (OR, 1.74; 95% CI, 1.06, 2.85; p = 0.03 ) were observed in LAA stroke patients, while lower Apo-A1 (OR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.34, 0.91; p = 0.02 ), Apo-A1 to Apo-B ratio (OR, 0.29; 95% CI, 0.15, 0.56; p < 0.01 ), and HDL-C (OR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.35, 0.91; p = 0.02 ) were found in LAA stroke patients after adjusted for age and gender. Moreover, plasma TMAO (AUC, 0.89; 95% CI, 0.83, 0.95), Apo-A1 (AUC, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.72, 0.89), Apo-B (AUC, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.73, 0.90), Apo-A1 to Apo-B ratio (AUC, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.78, 0.93), and HDL-C (AUC, 0.81; 95% CI, 0.72, 0.89) showed good diagnostic values for LAA stroke in adjusted models. Conclusions. The plasma TMAO level, Apo-A1, Apo-B, and HDL-C are important biomarkers for LAA stroke patients.

BackgroundNo studies have reported on how to relieve distress or relax in medical health workers while wearing medical protective equipment in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The study aimed to establish which relaxation technique, among six, is the most feasible in first-line medical health workers wearing medical protective equipment.MethodsThis was a two-step study collecting data with online surveys. Step 1: 15 first-line medical health workers were trained to use six different relaxation techniques and reported the two most feasible techniques while wearing medical protective equipment. Step 2: the most two feasible relaxation techniques revealed by step 1 were quantitatively tested in a sample of 65 medical health workers in terms of efficacy, no space limitation, no time limitation, no body position requirement, no environment limitation to be done, easiness to learn, simplicity, convenience, practicality, and acceptance.ResultsKegel exercise and autogenic relaxation were the most feasible techniques according to step 1. In step 2, Kegel exercise outperformed autogenic relaxation on all the 10 dimensions among the 65 participants while wearing medical protective equipment (efficacy: 24 v. 15, no space limitation: 30 v. 4, no time limitation: 31 v. 4, no body position requirement: 26 v. 4, no environment limitation: 30 v. 11, easiness to learn: 28 v. 5, simplicity: 29 v. 7, convenience: 29 v. 4, practicality: 30 v. 14, acceptance: 32 v. 6).ConclusionKegel exercise seems a promising self-relaxation technique for first-line medical health workers while wearing medical protective equipment among COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The treatment of post-stroke depression (PSD) with anti-depressant drugs is partly practical. Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) offers the potential for a novel treatment modality for adult patients with PSD. In this study, we will assess the efficacy and safety of tACS for treating PSD and explore its effect on gamma and beta-oscillations involving in emotional regulation. Methods: The prospective study is an 8-week, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial. Seventy eligible participants with mild to moderate PSD aged between 18 years and 70 years will be recruited and randomly assigned to either active tACS intervention group or sham group. Daily 40-minute, 77.5-Hz, 15-mA sessions of active or sham tACS targeting the forehead and both mastoid areas on weekdays for 4 consecutive weeks (week 4), and an additional 4-week observational period (week 8) will be followed up. The primary outcome is the proportion of participants having an improvement at week 8 according to the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale 17-Item (HAMD-17) score, including the proportion of participants having a decrease of ≥ 50% in HAMD-17 score or clinical recovery (HAMD-17 score ≤ 7). Secondary outcomes include neurological function, independence level, activities of daily living, disease severity, anxiety, and cognitive function. The exploratory outcomes are gamma and beta-oscillations assessed at baseline, week 4, and week 8. Data will be analyzed by logistical regression analyses and mixed-effects models. Discussion: The study will be the first randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy and safety of tACS at a 77.5-Hz frequency and 15-mA current in reducing depressive severity in patients with PSD. The results of the study will present a base for future studies on the tACS in PSD and its possible mechanism. Trial registration number: NCT03903068, pre-results.