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This study examines the possible consequence of elder mistreatment on resilience and whether social support moderates this posited association, using a rural sample of 432 community-dwelling older Chinese adults aged 60 to 79 years. Elder abuse included verbal abuse, physical abuse, or financial exploitation. Social support was measured by The Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS). Resilience was represented by a seven-item scale. Hierarchical regression models indicated that mistreatment is significantly related to low levels of resilience when confounding factors are adjusted. A significant interaction term (abuse × social support) was also detected. Mistreated respondents who reported higher levels of social support were less likely to experience low resilience compared to those with lower levels of social support. Social support buffers against the undesirable effect of mistreatment on resilience, especially for those who were abused. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Efficacy and safety of perampanel monotherapy for treating focal‐onset seizures (FOS) has been barely studied in China. This observational study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of perampanel monotherapy in treating Chinese patients with FOS. Methods: This single‐center, prospective, real‐world observational study enrolled patients aged ≥4 years with FOS who visited the Epilepsy Out‐Patient Clinic of Nanjing Brain Hospital affiliated to Nanjing Medical University from January 2020 to December 2021. All patients were treated with perampanel monotherapy. Seizure‐freedom rates after 6 and 12 months of treatment were calculated. Adverse events (AEs) were recorded. Results: Seventy patients with FOS were enrolled. The mean maintenance perampanel dose was 4.64 ± 1.55 mg/day. The 6‐ and 12‐month retention rates of perampanel monotherapy were 78.6% (55/70) and 70.0% (49/70), respectively. The 6‐ and 12‐month seizure‐freedom rates were 69.84% (44/63) and 65.08% (41/63), respectively. Patients with focal to bilateral tonic–clonic seizures had significantly higher 6‐month and numerically higher 12‐month seizure freedom rates than patients with focal impaired awareness seizures (P = 0.046 and P = 0.204, respectively). Twenty‐six (37.1%) patients experienced treatment‐emergent AEs, and the most common AE was dizziness. Four (5.7%) patients withdrew from the study due to AEs. No new safety concern was observed. Significance: This is the first prospective study on the efficacy and safety of perampanel monotherapy in treating Chinese patients with FOS, and perampanel monotherapy was effective and safe in treating Chinese patients aged ≥4 years with FOS up to 12 months. More multicenter, real‐world studies with large sample sizes and longer follow‐ups are needed to further evaluate the long‐term efficacy and safety of perampanel monotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. This study is aimed at determining the prevalence and effects of periodic limb movements during sleep (PLMS) on nighttime sleep and daytime sleepiness in children/adolescents and adults with narcolepsy. Methods. A total of 94 patients with narcolepsy were recruited in this study. They were classified into two groups including children/adolescents (<18 years, n = 41) and adults (≥18 years, n = 53). All participants completed face-to-face interviews and underwent polysomnography assessment followed by multiple sleep latency test. Demographic, clinical, and sleep parameters were compared between narcoleptic patients with and without PLMS. Linear regression analysis was performed to determine the association between PLMS and sleep parameters. Results. Thirty-eight (40.4%) patients with narcolepsy were defined as having PLMS, and there was a higher prevalence of PLMS in the children/adolescents than in the adults with narcolepsy (56.1% vs. 28.3%, respectively, P = 0.006). Narcoleptic patients with PLMS had a significantly shorter total sleep time, lower sleep efficiency (SE), and more wakefulness after sleep onset (WASO) than those without PLMS in adults (all P < 0.05). After adjusting for the potential confounders, PLMS was significantly associated with lower SE (adjusted β = − 0.327 ; 95% CI: -0.608, 0.044; P = 0.025) and more WASO (adjusted β = 0.330 ; 95% CI: 0.038, 0.520; P = 0.028) in adults with narcolepsy. Conclusions. There is a high prevalence of PLMS in narcolepsy, especially in children and adolescent patients. PLMS is associated with nighttime sleep disturbance in adults with narcolepsy but is not a risk factor for daytime sleepiness both in children/adolescents and adults with narcolepsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indoor cases of Tetranychus cinnabarinus displaying resistance have been documented, but the resistance level in field populations remains unexplored in China. This study delves into the resistance dynamics of T. cinnabarinus to fenpropathrin in various field populations across China, a pressing concern in contemporary agricultural pest control. The conventional bioassay and amplicon sequencing reveal a notable absence of significant fenpropathrin resistance in field populations, contrasting with known resistance in indoor cases. Current study highlights the limitations of traditional bioassays in detecting early-stage resistance and underscores the nuanced capabilities and constraints of amplicon sequencing in resistance gene frequency analysis. By employing an integrated approach, we combined dose-response bioassays, amplicon sequencing, and statistical modeling to assess resistance levels and investigate underlying genetic factors. The model with empirical data indicates that a 5% mutation frequency represents the threshold before resistance emerges. However, the detection of the kdr mutation in certain populations ranging from 0 to 1.2%, signals an early looming threat of future resistance emergence. Additionally, we further assessed a specific dsRNA targeting VGSC genes at two concentrations (10 ng/μL and 100 ng/μL), both inducing substantial mortality by silencing target genes effectively. The exploration of RNA interference (RNAi) as a novel, more environmentally friendly pest control measure opens new avenues, despite the ongoing challenge of resistance evolution. Overall, this study underscores the necessity for evolving pest management strategies, integrating advanced biotechnological approaches with traditional methods, to effectively counter pesticide resistance and ensure sustainable agricultural productivity. [Display omitted] • Current work identified a crucial 5% mutation threshold for resistance. • Novel RNAi method targeting on VGSC shows high pest mortality. • Urges combining biotech with traditional pesticide resistance monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little research has considered all children while investigating adult children's role in their older parents' health and well-being. In this study, we examine the effect of filial piety across all children on parental depressive symptoms. A sample of 432 older parents with 1,223 adult children in a rural county in northern China rated the filial piety level for each child individually. Ratings were then combined across multiple children and organized into an ordinal variable of filial piety including three levels: all children being filial, some of the children being filial, and none of the children being filial. Ordinary least squares linear regression analyses were performed. The results reveal a significant and negative relationship between adult children's filial piety levels and older parents' depressive symptoms after controlling for age, gender, marital status, financial strain, chronic conditions, and social support from family and friends, respectively. That is, one level lower in the adult children's filial piety corresponds to increase in level of older parents' depressive symptoms. Filial piety seems to benefit older Chinese parents' mental health net of social support from family and friends in this sample. Including information from all children in the analyses is informative for better understanding the psychological significance of filial piety for healthy aging in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the determinants of health information sharing behaviors of Chinese older adults living in rural areas. Drawing upon a widely used categorization of social support, we tested the effect of social embeddedness and perceived social support on health information sharing behavior, which is conceptualized as a type of enacted social support—informational support. Data were collected between June and August 2014 from 387 older Chinese adults aged 60–79 years in Linxi County of northern China. The results of hierarchical ordinary least squares regression analyses revealed that Chinese older adults' perceived social support from families and social embeddedness were positively associated with health information sharing behavior, net of the influence of social demographic controls and health information seeking and scanning behaviors. Furthermore, health information sharing behavior was also found to be positively associated with health information seeking and scanning behaviors. Overall, this study enriched the existing literature on health information sharing behavior by taking a social support perspective. A number of practical implications were also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little work has considered the relationship between parental dissatisfaction and health and well-being among older adults. This study investigates whether parental dissatisfaction is linked to four health and well-being outcomes and whether the proposed associations are partly mediated by self-esteem and feeling useless in a 2014 sample of 432 community-dwelling older Chinese parents aged 60 to 79 years. Results from logistic and ordinary least squares regression modeling show that parental dissatisfaction is significantly associated with the four outcomes (physical health, mental health, depression, and life satisfaction), net of age, gender, and financial hardship. Findings from mediation analyses reveal that these associations are attributable to self-esteem and feeling useless both independently and jointly (with varying effects on different outcomes). Parental satisfaction contributes to healthy aging in China. It is important to develop interventions that enhance self-esteem and reduce feeling useless among older adults who are dissatisfied with their parental roles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We recently reported that an S140G mutation in human KCNQ1, an alpha subunit of potassium channels, was involved in the pathogenesis of familial atrial fibrillation (AF), but it is not clear whether the mutation is associated with other cardiac arrhythmias.Objective: The purpose of this study was to further explore the association of the KCNQ1 S140G mutation with cardiac arrhythmias.Methods: We produced a transgenic mouse model with myocardium-specific expression of the human KCNQ1 S140G mutation under the control of an alpha-cardiac myosin heavy chain promoter by standard transgenic procedure and evaluated the relationship between the KCNQ1 mutation and its phenotypes in a human family.Results: Four lines of transgenic mice were established with a high level of human KCNQ1 S140G expression in the heart. Frequent episodes of first-, second-, advanced-, or third-degree atrioventricular block (AVB) occurred in at least 65% of transgenic descendants from the four lines. However, none of the five wild-type transgenic lines presented with AVBs. HMR1556, a KCNQ1-specific blocker, can terminate the AVBs. With the exception of at most three AF individuals, at least 13 AF patients were found to show obviously slow ventricular response, which may be one manifestation of AVBs. Interestingly, AF was not detected in these transgenic mice.Conclusion: The results suggest that human KCNQ1 S140G is also likely to be a causative mutation responsible for AVBs. The transgenic mouse model is a potential tool to explore mechanisms of AVBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ovarian cancer is the third leading cause of death among gynecological cancers in women in China. Chemotherapy is an important method for comprehensive treatment of ovarian cancer, but the curative effect is poor., Purpose: In this study, gemcitabine (GEM) -loaded RGD modified liposomes (LPs) were developed by the emulsification-solvent evaporation method and evaluated for their antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo., Methods: The physicochemical properties of LPs such as particle size, zeta potential and in vitro drug release were investigated. We also demonstrated the effect of RGD-GEM-PEG LPs in ovarian cancer., Results: RGD-PEG3500-DSPE GEM LPs had a uniform spherical morphology. The mean particle size and polydispersity index were determined to be 106.7 nm and 0.13 respectively. The ER% and DL% of the formulation were 79.6±3.1% and 6.1±1.4% respectively. Compared with the free drug, RGD modified GEM LPs had sustained-release properties in vitro. In vivo, compared with the DiD-RGD-PEG3500-DSPE GEM LPs group, free DiD-GEM and DiD-GEM LPs had no obvious fluorescence intensity in tumor of mice at all times, indicating that ordinary liposomes and drugs had no tumor targeting function. RGD-PEG3500-DSPE GEM LPs showed a superior antiproliferative effect on SKOV3 cells and had a better antitumor effect in vivo than non-modified LPs., Conclusion: These results indicated that RGD-PEG3500-DSPE GEM LPs were a promising candidate for antitumor drug delivery., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2019 Tang et al.)

Objectives: This study explores the influence of psychological resilience on the onset of activities of daily living (ADL) disability among Chinese older adults and examines whether this association varies by age., Method: Using a sample of 11,112 older adults from 2 waves of the Chinese Longitudinal Healthy Longevity Survey, collected in 2002 and 2005, this study examines whether higher levels of psychological resilience (measured by a 5-item scale) predict lower risk of ADL incidence during a 3-year follow-up and whether this effect varies by age., Results: Higher levels of resilience at the baseline are significantly associated with reduced risk of becoming ADL disabled during the 3-year follow-up period, independent of baseline sociodemographic characteristics, family support, and health. Moreover, resilience by age interaction is detected. Higher levels of resilience are more protective against the onset of disability for the younger old (aged 65-84) than the oldest old (aged 85 and older)., Discussion: Among older adults in China, psychological resilience is a protective factor against ADL disability, and the benefits are particularly significant for older adults younger than 85 years., (© The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Gerontological Society of America. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia encountered in clinical practice. We first reported an S140G mutation of KCNQ1, an alpha subunit of potassium channels, in one Chinese kindred with AF. However, the molecular defects and cellular mechanisms in most patients with AF remain to be identified. We evaluated 28 unrelated Chinese kindreds with AF and sequenced eight genes of potassium channels (KCNQ1, HERG, KCNE1, KCNE2, KCNE3, KCNE4, KCNE5, and KCNJ2). An arginine-to-cysteine mutation at position 27 (R27C) of KCNE2, the beta subunit of the KCNQ1-KCNE2 channel responsible for a background potassium current, was found in 2 of the 28 probands. The mutation was present in all affected members in the two kindreds and was absent in 462 healthy unrelated Chinese subjects. Similar to KCNQ1 S140G, the mutation had a gain-of-function effect on the KCNQ1-KCNE2 channel; unlike long QT syndrome-associated KCNE2 mutations, it did not alter HERG-KCNE2 current. The mutation did not alter the functions of the HCN channel family either. Thus, KCNE2 R27C is a gain-of-function mutation associated with the initiation and/or maintenance of AF.