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Purpose. To evaluate the bioequivalence of two different tofacitinib citrate tablets formulations among healthy Chinese subjects under fasting and fed conditions and to observe the safety of test preparation and reference preparation in healthy subjects. Method. This randomized, open-label, 2-period, crossover, bioequivalence study included 64 healthy Chinese subjects (fasting: n = 32, fed: n = 32). The subjects were assigned to receive a single 5-mg dose of the test or a reference tofacitinib citrate tablets. Blood samples were collected at predose and up to 24 hours after dosing. Area under the plasma concentration time curve from zero to the last measurable concentration (AUC0-t), the area from time zero to infinite (AUC0-∞), and maximum plasma concentration ( C max ) were used for bioequivalence assessment. Safety assessment was conducted by vital signs, physical examination, laboratory examination, and 12-lead electrocardiogram during the study, from the time the subject receiving the test drug to the end of the last visit. Results. Under fed condition, the 90% CIs of the geometric mean ratios of the test/reference for tofacitinib citrate tablets were 98.40–104.16% for AUC0-t, 89.96–116.70% for C max , and 98.50–104.15% for AUC0-∞. Under fasting condition, the 90% CIs of the geometric mean ratios of the test/reference for tofacitinib citrate tablets were 93.65–101.60% for AUC0-t, 90.06–109.15% for C max , and 93.88–101.51% for AUC0-∞. There were no serious events. Conclusion. The 90% CI for the geometric mean ratio (test/reference) of C max , AUC0-t, and AUC0-∞ were within the range of 80.00%–125.00%, indicating that the test formulation was equivalent to the reference formulation in healthy Chinese subjects under both fasting and fed conditions. They are similar in terms of safety. This trial is registered with CTR20190366. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plastic pollution and its detrimental environmental effects have become a global concern. In this study, biodegradable packaging materials were developed by incorporating Tara pod extract (TPE) into soy protein isolate (SPI) films. TPE-SPI films exhibited improved mechanical properties, UV-blocking and heat-sealing performances, and barrier properties. The non-covalent interaction of SPI and Tara tannins enriched in TPE increased the films' tensile strength (TS). At 10% TPE content, the TS of the composite films increased by 56.4%, while the elongation at break (EB) reduced by 26.2%, in comparison to the pure SPI film. With 6% TPE, the composite film efficiently blocked UV lights. The oxygen permeability (OP) of 8TPE-SPI film (0.99 cm3 mm m−2 day−1 atm−1 × 10−9) was significantly lower than that of polyethylene (PE) film (59.5 cm3 mm m−2 day−1 atm−1 × 10−9). At heat-sealing conditions (120 °C, 2.0s, and 0.3Mpa), beef tallow packaged in 8TPE-SPI film showed an increase in POV from 0 to 0.002 g/100 g over 90 days, which was much lower than that of in PE pouches (0.0835 g/100 g). These findings highlight TPE-SPI films have potential to be applied in packaging oily foods. [Display omitted] • Tara pod extract-soy protein isolate (TPE-SPI) films were prepared. • TPE enhanced the films' UV-blocking, thermal stability and antioxidant properties. • TPE-SPI films exhibited better heat sealability than pure SPI film. • The prepared films greatly extended the shelf life of beef tallow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pure chitosan film is fragile and water-soluble, limiting its practical application in food packaging. In this study, adding glycerol and aloe emodin (AE) could simultaneously increase the flexibility of chitosan film. Meanwhile, glycerol also decreased its water solubility. When glycerol content was 40%, the elongation at break increased to 56.95% and the water solubility decreased to 37.01%. With AE addition increasing from 0% to 0.7%, the tensile strength reduced from 31.40 to 25.43 MPa, but elongation at break, water vapor permeability, and oxygen permeability rose from 60.50% to 74.35%, 1.01–1.62 g m−1 Pa−1 s−1*10−10, 0.06–4.81 cm3 mm−2 day−1 Pa−1*10−10, respectively. Besides, the total color change increased, and the light transmittance dropped, especially after adding 0.7% AE, it was near 0% in the ultraviolet region, exhibiting an excellent UV-blocking performance. The antibacterial ratio against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) could reach 94.99% and 96.56%, respectively. The pork packaged by the film containing 0.7% AE had lower malondialdehyde values (5.787 mg kg−1) and weight loss (54.15%) compared to the film without AE. Overall, this study figures out the mechanism of water insolubility of chitosan/glycerol film and provides a method for preparing chitosan-based film with UV-blocking and antibacterial properties. [Display omitted] • Glycerol and aloe emodin (AE) were added to modify chitosan films. • Glycerol increased the flexibility, but decreased the water solubility. • AE improved the flexibility, anti-ultraviolet and antibacterial properties. • Chitosan/glycerol/aloe emodin films exhibited excellent preservation effect on pork. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Films with high barrier, flame-retardant, and antibacterial properties are beneficial in terms of food and logistics safety. Herein, a polyelectrolyte complex (PEC) of N-(2-hydroxyl)-propyl-3-trimethylammonium chitosan chloride (HTCC, chitosan derivative) and phytic acid (PA) was successfully prepared and then incorporated into a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) matrix to fabricate a composite film with satisfactory barrier, fire-retardant, and antibacterial properties. The influence of HTCC/PA (HTPA) on the structural, physical and functional properties of the PVA matrix was investigated. Compared with the PVA film, PVA-HTPA 6 film exhibited 3.38 times of flexibility and 83.33 % and 80.64 % of water vapor permeability and oxygen permeability, respectively. Benefiting from HTPA, the PVA-HTPA 6 film exhibited outstanding flame-retardant capacity, with a high LOI value (33.30 %) and immediate self-extinguishing behaviour. Furthermore, the HTPA endowed the films with excellent antibacterial properties. Compared with other films, the PVA-HTPA 6 film effectively maintained the quality of pork during storage at 4 °C for 9 days. Our findings indicate that the films are promising for packaging and logistics safety with oil-containing foods. [Display omitted] • A complex (HTPA) was from chitosan quaternary ammonium salt and phytic acid. • HTPA was blended into polyvinyl alcohol film to possess high barrier properties. • HTPA endowed the film with excellent antibacterial and flame-retardant properties. • The film effectively maintained the quality of pork during the storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of edible packaging films to delay food spoilage has attracted widespread attention. In this study, partridge tea extract (PTE) was added to cassia gum (CG) to prepare CG/PTE films. The microstructure, optical, mechanical, barrier, and antioxidant properties of CG/PTE films were investigated, and the effect of PTE on CG films was shown. The films had high transparency and smooth surface structure. Additionally, PTE significantly improved the elongation at break and antioxidant activity of films. At 2.5% of PTE, the 2,2-Diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging rate of the film was 46.88% after diluting 50 times, indicating excellent antioxidant property, which could be applied to food preservation. After 9 days of storage, the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances values (TBARS) of chicken jerk packaged with films containing 0% and 2.5% PTE increased from 0.12% to 1.04% and 0.11% to 0.40%, respectively. This study suggests that CG/PTE films can be used to preserve cooked meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Starch and protein-derived films can be used as alternatives to plastics; however, the utilization of starch and proteins to this way might exacerbate the global food shortage. In this study, we used discarded acorns to prepare a glue- and heat-sealable packaging film. We evaluated the mechanical characteristics, thermal stability, transmittance, haze, and antibacterial properties of an acorn kernel meal/κ-carrageenan (AKM/κC) composite film. The results showed that the haze and transmittance decreased from 96.74% to 94.50% and from 3.50% to 2.25%, respectively, when glycerol increased from 30% to 50%. The AKM/κC film had excellent UV shielding properties (transmittance at 380–200 nm was 0). The 45 g-AKM/κC film had a maximum sealing strength of 5.09 ± 0.29 N/15 mm at 0.3 MPa for 1 s (115 °C). Beef tallow packaged in 45 g-AKM/κC exhibited an increased POV from 0.0187 to 0.0336 g/100 g after 75 days, which was lower than that in air (0.5209 g/100 g). Our developed film had high haze and UV shielding performance and can be used as a plastic packaging substitute for fat-rich foods. [Display omitted] • Acorn kernel meal/κ-carrageenan (AKM/κC) composite films were prepared. • The films exhibited glue and heat seal ability, UV shielding and high haze. • The 45 g-AKM/κC could effectively extend the shelf life to greasy foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional polysaccharide films are flammable and susceptible to bacterial growth, decreasing the potential in practical applications such as bio-based and active food packaging. In this study, the nontoxic naturally occurring compound phytic acid (PA) was introduced to a blended film of κ-carrageenan (κC) and carboxylated cellulose nanofibrils (CCNF) to overcome these disadvantages. Compared with the κC-CCNF-PA 0 film, the κC-CCNF-PA 24 film possessed improved elongation at break (41%), water vapor permeability (3.46 g m−1 Pa−1 s−1 × 10−8) and oxygen permeability (1.50 cm3 mm−2 Pa−1 day−1 × 10−12). Thermogravimetric analysis, limiting oxygen index and actual flame-burning behaviors revealed good flame retardancy of the prepared films with the increase in PA. When the PA content reached 18% and 9%, the antibacterial rate against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) reached 100%, respectively. The cooked pork samples packaged by κC-CCNF-PA 24 exhibited lower values of malondialdehyde (0.61 mg kg−1) and total viable count (8 CFU g−1) compared with those by κC-CCNF-PA 0 film (0.99 mg kg−1, 447 CFU g−1). On the basis of these results, we believe that the sustainable and clean strategy provides an opportunity to improve and functionalize very brittle and flammable polysaccharide-based films. [Display omitted] • The κ-carrageenan/carboxylated cellulose nanofibrils/phytic acid film was prepared. • Phytic acid weakened the gelation degree of κ-carrageenan. • The film showed improved water vapor and oxygen permeability. • The flame retardance and antibacterial properties were endowed by phytic acid. • The prepared film exhibited excellent preservation effect on cooked pork. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intelligent labels provide customers with food freshness information. However, the existing label response is limited and can only detect a single kind of food. Here, an intelligent cellulose-based label with highly antibacterial activity for a multi-range sensing freshness was developed to overcome the limitation. Cellulose fibers were modified using oxalic acid to graft -COO− followed by binding chitosan quaternary ammonium salt (CQAS), the remaining charges of which attached methylene red and bromothymol blue to form response fibers and to further self-assemble into the intelligent label. CQAS electrostatically gathered the dispersed fibers, resulting in an increase in TS and EB of 282 % and 16.2 %, respectively. After that, the rest positive charges fixed the anionic dyes to broaden pH response range of 3–9 effectively. More significantly, the intelligent label exhibited highly antimicrobial activity, killing 100 % of staphylococcus aureus. The rapid acid-base response revealed the potential for practical application in which the label color from green to orange represented the milk or spinach from fresh to close to spoiled, and from green to yellow, and to light green indicated the pork fresh, acceptable, and close to spoiled. This study paves a way for the preparation of intelligent labels in large-scale and promote the commercial application to improve food safety. [Display omitted] • BTB and MR were loaded onto CQAS bound to the anionic cellulose fibers. • The fibers self–assembled to form the intelligent label. • The label showed a wide-range response and antibacterial activity. • The label could give timely signals of the freshness of milk, pork and spinach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Late-life depression is a risk factor of dementia. It may increase the risk of reliable cognitive decline in the short term, and its associated risk factors remain unclear. Cortisol level may be one of the important predictors.Objectives: To estimate whether patients with late-life depression are at an increased risk for reliable global cognitive declines in 1 year, and explore associated risk factors predicting cognitive declines.Methods: This prospective 1-year follow-up study involved 148 participants (67 with late-life depression and 81 normal elderly). Global cognitive function was assessed by the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE). The reliable global cognitive decline was defined by the reliable change index (RCI) of the MMSE. Factors related to cognitive function (e.g., age, gender, education, duration of depression and severity of depression) were obtained. Serum cortisol levels were measured at baseline.Results: At the 1-year follow-up assessment, 19 patients with late-life depression (28.4%) showed reliable global cognitive declines, a risk that was 6.4 times (95% CIs = 1.3-31.1, p = 0.021) higher than that of normal elderly. Elevated serum cortisol levels and older age were associated with the risk of cognitive decline that was 1.6- and 1.2-times higher (95% CIs = 1.07-2.5, p = 0.02, and 95% CIs = 1.04-1.4, p = 0.01 respectively).Limitations: Serum cortisol levels were measured only in the morning.Conclusions: Late-life depression is associated with a greatly increased risk of reliable cognitive decline in short term. Cortisol dysregulation may contribute to the pathology of cognitive decline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: This study aimed to investigate the mediating pathway of 3 factors (psychotic symptoms, attitude toward medication, and cognitive processing speed) on the effect of insight on personal-social functioning in patients with schizophrenia. Methods: Chinese inpatients with schizophrenia (n = 168; mean age 18 ± 50 years) diagnosed according to the DSM-IV were randomly assigned to treatment with antipsychotic medication alone or combined treatment. Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Drug Attitude Inventory (DAI), Assessment of Insight (SAI), and Social-Personal Performance Scale (PSPS) scores were evaluated at baseline and at 3, 6, and 12 months. Cognitive function was assessed at baseline. Multiple mediation analyses were conducted with baseline data, end point data, and changes-in-scale scores between baseline and the end point, respectively. Results: At baseline and at 12 months, only psychotic symptoms mediated the effect of insight on personal-social functioning. For changes-in-scale scores over the 12-month follow-up, in patients receiving treatment with medication alone, the effect of improved insight on improved personal-social function was mediated by psychotic symptoms only; in patients receiving a combined treatment, the effect of improved insight on improved personal-social functioning was mediated by both psychotic symptoms and attitudes toward medication, independently. Conclusions: The link between insight and personal-social functions is mainly mediated by psychotic symptoms. Psychosocial intervention improves the predicting effect of insight on personal-social function by improving both the attitude toward medication and psychotic symptoms independently. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, an antibacterial, safer, and intelligent film based on dye-loaded rice straw composite was designed for tracking fish freshness. Rice straw was treated with NaOH to graft cations for linking pH-sensitive pigment without separation. Higher concentrations of NaOH removed more hemicellulose, lignin, ash and fat-soluble compounds from rice straw than that of the lower NaOH concentration, improving accessibility to cellulose. NaOH at 10 g/dL changed some of the cellulose crystals from type I to type II. Bromothymol blue molecules (BTBMs) were connected on cationic particles via ionic bonds to obtain porous TVB-N-responsive granules, which were encapsulated in a carboxymethyl cellulose/κ-carrageenan composite to monitor fish freshness. The static attraction and repulsion on BTBMs from cationic rice straw and the anionic polysaccharide composite increased leaching-resistance with a release ratio of 1.76% in 76 g/dL ethanol solution. The smart film had a UVC resistance of 64.48%, a Staphylococcus aureus inhibition rate of 92%, and an optimum TVB-responsive performance. The film turned yellow, green or blue to indicate fish was very fresh, fresh, or close to spoilage, respectively. Our study provides information on the utilization of rice straw and a methodology for the large-scale preparation of smart films for evaluating fish freshness. [Display omitted] • Rice straw was crashed by alkali and grafted with cations for anchoring BTBMs. • The film was prepared by embedding CRSP-BTBMs into an anionic matrix. • Cationic carrier and anionic matrix synergistically prevented BTBMs leaching. • The film possessed improved UV-resistant and antibacterial properties. • It could smartly indicate the freshness of fish via visible color changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel Mo/ZrSiN/ZrSiON/SiO 2 solar selective absorbing coating has been investigated, which was prepared by magnetron sputtering on stainless steel substrate. A high solar absorptance of 0.94 and a low thermal emittance of 0.06 at 25 °C were achieved. By proportionally decreasing the thicknesses of the ZrSiN, ZrSiON and SiO 2 layers, the thermal emittance at 500 °C was decreased significantly from 0.19 to 0.12 (Δ ε =0.07) while keeping the solar absorptance unchanged. The coating also showed high thermal stability at 500 °C in vacuum, implying that it is a promising candidate for high temperature concentrated solar power (CSP) applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reflectance spectra of the Al/double cermet Al-AlN/AlO x N y solar selective absorbing coating are simulated. Two methods have been found to effectively tune the position of reflectance transition of the Al-AlN cermet solar selective absorbing coating, which is crucial to obtain a low emittance at elevated temperature. The position of reflectance transition is mainly determined by the high metal volume fraction (HMVF) cermet layer. It is effectively tuned to shift to lower wavelength by reducing the metal volume fraction or the thickness of the HMVF layer. This provides easy ways to tune the position of reflectance transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caregiver burden may be especially high in China. However, there has been no empirical study comparing burden experienced by caregivers who live with their patient kin and caregivers live separately from their kin. This study compared caregiver burden in cohabiting and non-cohabiting families and examined characteristics that may account for observed differences ion experienced burden. Patients were evaluated on symptoms, insight, attitudes toward medication before discharge and their prime caregivers were evaluated on family burden shortly after admission. Bivariate analysis of covariance and multiple regression analyses were used to compare burden between these two groups and to identify factors that might account for observed differences between them. Of 243 schizophrenic patients, 4.9% lived with their primary caregivers. Caregiver burden was greater among caregivers living with patient kin on three factors, caregiver distress, disrupted routines and assistance provided by caregivers, but not on caregiver perceptions of behavioral problems or suicidality. Multiple regression analysis showed that living with caregiver explained 6.7%, 8.3% and 6.7% of the variance in distress, disrupted routines and helpfulness. Living with a patient was by far the strongest correlate of increased burden experienced by schizophrenia caregivers in this study and these caregivers should be offered community-based support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal emittance of the Mo film, as an IR-reflector in solar selective absorbing coatings, is the most important property. The effects of the substrate material, the substrate surface roughness, the film thickness and the temperature on the thermal emittance of the Mo/substrate have been investigated. A series of Mo films with increasing film thickness were deposited on two types of substrate materials (glass and stainless steel). A saturated Mo thickness of 50 nm is found to produce the lowest thermal emittance. The thermal emittance of the Mo film is reduced by decreasing the substrate surface roughness. The emittance of the optimal Mo film remains 0.05 from 25 °C to 400 °C, which can meet the optical requirements for the IR-reflector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of Al films with different thicknesses were deposited on polished stainless steel by direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering as a metal IR-reflector layer in solar selective absorbing coating (SSAC). The effects of the film thickness and the temperature on the thermal emittance of the Al films are studied. An optimal thickness 78 nm of the Al film for the lowest total thermal emittance is obtained. The thermal emittance of the optimal Al film keeps close to 0.02 from 25 °C to 400 °C, which are low enough to satisfy the optical requirements in SSAC. The optical constants of the Al film are deduced by fitting the reflectance and transmission spectra using SCOUT software. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been difficult to identify relevant correlates of inpatient psychiatric length of stay (LOS), but few have examined family burden as a potential factor. The present study investigated the association of several dimensions of family burden with LOS net of other factors. Dimensions of burden experienced by primary caregivers were evaluated in a sample of 602 psychiatric inpatients in a large hospital in Guangzhou, China within 1 week of admission. Factor analysis reduced the burden data to five factors. Bivariate association and multiple linear regression analyzes were used to investigate burden and other factors associated with LOS (average LOS=58.8 days, SD=44.3). Multiple regression analysis showed that in addition to having health insurance coverage, being diagnosed with schizophrenia, being unmarried, and not being employed; being perceived by family members as showing more violent behavior and causing higher levels of caregiver distress were independently associated with longer LOS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction For many patients with psychiatric disorders, the course of illness is characterized by frequent relapses, resulting to re-hospitalization and high costs. While the correlates of readmission have been extensively studied in developed countries, few studies have examined readmission in low- and middle-income countries where bed supply is limited. Methods Using administrative data from the Guangzhou Psychiatric Hospital ( GPH), we used Cox regression models to evaluate the relationship among age, gender, index length of stay ( LOS), and the number of previous admissions to post-discharge readmission risk. Linear regression is used to evaluate predictors of total hospital days during the year after the index discharge. Results Between April 1, 2010 and March 31, 2011, 2,525 patients were discharged with International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision psychiatric diagnoses from GPH, with an average LOS of 64.2 (SD = 69.0), and 317 (12.4%) were readmitted in the following year. Survival analysis showed older age ( P < 0.05), and the number of previous hospitalizations ( P < 0.01) were significant predictors of the risk of readmission but not diagnosis or LOS. The number of previous admissions was the only predictor of total bed days of psychiatric care at GPH in the year following the initial discharge. Discussion Shortened LOS was not associated with increased readmission risk or post-discharge hospital days. Rather, the number of past hospitalizations was the major predictor of both readmission risk and post-discharge hospital days of psychiatric care, and such patients deserve special attention. Lowering LOS may be justified, allowing funds to be redeployed to outpatient or community-based care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two shapes of ZnO clusters constructed by the growth of spindle-like (I-ZnO) and sheet-like (II-ZnO) microparticles added to Locust bean gum/carboxycellulose nanocrystal (LBG/C-CNC) coating for improving properties as the enhancers and antibacterial agents. Subsequently, active LBG/C-CNC/ZnO (LCZ) coatings were evaluated to combat the fruits rot triggered by microorganisms aiming to extend their shelf life. The results showed that II-ZnO clusters with flower-shape enhanced the properties more obviously due to more interaction sites. The oxygen and water vapor permeability of the coating containing 5 % II-ZnO (LCZII-5) decreased from 2.00 and 5.98 × 10−11 to 0.6 cm3 mm m−2 day−1 atm−1 and 1.85 × 10−11 g m−1 s−1 Pa−1, respectively. And the antibacterial rate against E. coli and S. aureus could reach more than 75 %. Meanwhile, the tensile strength (TS) increased by 50.95 %. The inhibition rates on strawberries of weight and Vc loss by LCZII-5 coating were 30.64 % and 53.59 %, respectively. More importantly, the coatings could be easily washed off with water in spite of tightly being connected with the surface of the strawberries. As was expected, this study provides a feasible method for preparing novel fruit coatings with an effective preservation. [Display omitted] • ZnO clusters built by spindles (I-ZnO) or sheets (II-ZnO) were prepared. • Locust bean gum/carboxycellulose nanocrystal/ZnO coatings were prepared. • Effects of ZnO shape and addition on LBG/C-CNC coatings were studied. • II-ZnO addition obviously enhanced the comprehensive properties of the coating. • LBG/C-CNC/ZnO coatings significantly extended the shelf life of strawberries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] White-matter density abnormalities in IPL in depression with childhood neglect. [•] Abnormal white-matter densities in sub-lobar extra-nuclear in those without childhood neglect. [•] Dysfunctional attitudes are related to abnormal white-matter densities in IPL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of late-life schizophrenia is increasing with high burden. It is well-documented that schizophrenia affects men and women differently in terms of symptoms. Sex hormones, which play a role in the pathology and symptoms of schizophrenia, are greatly affected by aging. To the best of our knowledge, this is a study to examine the sex differences in psychiatric symptoms and their correlation with sex hormones in participants with late-life schizophrenia. Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) factors were evaluated. Testosterone, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), estradiol, progesterone, and prolactin were measured. Male participants with late-life schizophrenia had more severe negative symptoms than female participants (z = −2.56, P = 0.010), while female participants had more severe anxiety/depression compared to male participants (z = 2.64, P = 0.008). Testosterone levels in male participants were positively associated with negative symptoms (β = 0.23, t = 2.27, P = 0.025), while there was no significant association between sex hormones and symptoms in female participants. In conclusion, higher testosterone levels were associated with more severe negative symptoms in male participants with late-life schizophrenia, suggesting that attention should be paid to the sex differences in late-life schizophrenia in clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence indicates that patients with schizophrenia (SZ) experience significant changes in their functional connectivity during antipsychotic treatment. Despite previous reports of changes in brain network degree centrality (DC) in patients with schizophrenia, the relationship between brain DC changes and neurocognitive improvement in patients with SZ after antipsychotic treatment remains elusive. A total of 74 patients with acute episodes of chronic SZ and 53 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were recruited. The Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), Symbol Digit Modalities Test, digital span test (DST), and verbal fluency test were used to evaluate the clinical symptoms and cognitive performance of the patients with SZ. Patients with SZ were treated with antipsychotics for six weeks starting at baseline and underwent MRI and clinical interviews at baseline and after six weeks, respectively. We then divided the patients with SZ into responding (RS) and non-responding (NRS) groups based on the PANSS scores (reduction rate of PANSS ≥50%). DC was calculated and analyzed to determine its correlation with clinical symptoms and cognitive performance. After antipsychotic treatment, the patients with SZ showed significant improvements in clinical symptoms, semantic fluency performance. Correlation analysis revealed that the degree of DC increase in the left anterior inferior parietal lobe (aIPL) after treatment was negatively correlated with changes in the excitement score (r = −0.256, p = 0.048, adjusted p = 0.080), but this correlation failed the multiple test correction. Patients with SZ showed a significant negative correlation between DC values in the left aIPL and DST scores after treatment, which was not observed at the baseline (r = −0.359, p = 0.005, adjusted p = 0.047). In addition, we did not find a significant difference in DC between the RS and NRS groups, neither at baseline nor after treatment. The results suggested that DC changes in patients with SZ after antipsychotic treatment are correlated with neurocognitive performance. Our findings provide new insights into the neuropathological mechanisms underlying antipsychotic treatment of SZ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suicide is a major cause of death in adolescents with limited treatment options. Ketamine and its enantiomers have shown rapid anti-suicidal effects in adults with major depressive disorder (MDD), but their efficacy in adolescents is unknown. We conducted an active, placebo-controlled trial to determine the safety and efficacy of intravenous esketamine in this population. A total of 54 adolescents (aged 13-18 years) with MDD and suicidal ideation were included from an inpatient setting and randomly assigned (1:1) to receive 3 infusions of esketamine (0.25 mg/kg) or midazolam (0.02mg/kg) over 5 days, with routine inpatient care and treatment. Changes from baseline to 24 hours after the final infusion (day 6) in the scores of the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS) Ideation and Intensity (primary outcome) and the Montgomery–Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS, key secondary outcome) were analyzed using linear mixed models. In addition, the 4-week clinical treatment response was a key secondary outcome. The mean changes in C-SSRS Ideation and Intensity scores from baseline to day 6 were significantly greater in the esketamine group than in the midazolam group (Ideation, −2.6 [SD = 2.0] vs −1.7 [SD = 2.2], p =.007; Intensity, −10.6 [SD = 8.4] vs −5.0 [SD = 7.4], p =.002), and the changes in MADRS scores from baseline to day 6 were significantly greater in the esketamine group than in the midazolam group (−15.3 [SD = 11.2] vs −8.8 [SD = 9.4], p =.004). The rates of antisuicidal and antidepressant responses at 4 weeks posttreatment were 69.2% and 61.5% after esketamine, and were 52.5% and 52.5% after midazolam, respectively. The most common adverse events in the esketamine group were nausea, dissociation, dry mouth, sedation, headache, and dizziness. These preliminary findings indicate that 3-dose intravenous esketamine, added to routine inpatient care and treatment, was an effective and well-tolerated therapy for treating adolescents with MDD and suicidal ideation. A study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of Esketamine combined with oral antidepressants in the treatment of major depressive disorder with suicidal ideation; http://www.chictr.org.cn ; ChiCTR2000041232. We worked to ensure that the study questionnaires were prepared in an inclusive way. The author list of this paper includes contributors from the location and/or community where the research was conducted who participated in the data collection, design, analysis, and/or interpretation of the work. We actively worked to promote sex and gender balance in our author group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sleep disruption, particularly insomnia, is a notable characteristic of depression and is associated with an increased risk of suicide in patients diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD). Moreover, the pathophysiology of depression and suicide has been linked to inflammation, specifically proinflammatory cytokines. However, the complex interplay among these factors in individuals with MDD remains poorly understood. This study investigated the mediating role of inflammatory cytokines in the relationship between sleep disruption and suicidal ideation (SI), with a particular emphasis on gender differences. This study used a cross-sectional design in which 281 individuals diagnosed with MDD were recruited from psychiatric clinics. The main assessments included the evaluation of sleep disruption, inflammatory markers, and SI. The Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation (SSI) scores was employed to quantify SI, whereas HAMD-SLD, a component of the Hamilton Rating Scale (HAMD-17), was used to evaluate sleep disruption. Blood analysis was performed to measure inflammatory markers. For females diagnosed with MDD, significant associations between sleep disruption and the levels of IL-6 (B = 0.994, p = 0.013) and TNF-α (B = 1.986, p = 0.016) were found when IL-6 or TNF-α were considered as mediators in the regression model. In addition, IL-6 (B = 5.689, p < 0.001) and TNF-α (B = 9.916, p = 0.006) exhibited strong correlation with SSI scores. The primary results of this study indicate that IL-6 and TNF-α could function as potential mediators in the relationship between sleep disruption and SI among female patients diagnosed with MDD. Name of the registry: Zhejiang University Trial registration number: ChiCTR1800017626 Date of registration: 2018-08-07, 'Retrospectively registered' URL of trial registry record: https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=27321 • IL-6 and TNF-α partly mediates the relationship between sleep disruptions and suicidal ideation in major depressive disorder patients respectively. • Only females exhibit the mediation model's characteristics. • Intense suicidal ideation, elevated inflammatory cytokines, and sleep disruption are all more prevalent in females than in males. • Participants with suicidal ideation reported more severe depressive symptoms and sleep disruption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Childhood trauma (CT) is a major environmental risk factor for an adverse course and treatment outcome of major depressive disorder (MDD). Evidence suggests that an altered regional brain activity may play a crucial role in the relationship between CT and MDD. This study aimed to clarify the relationship between CT, regional brain activity, and depression severity. In this study, 96 patients with MDD and 82 healthy controls (HCs) participated. Regional brain activity was measured using the fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (fALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo). These measures were compared between the MDD and HC groups, and the values of different brain regions were extracted as moderators. Increased fALFF and ReHo values were observed in the left middle temporal gyrus in the MDD group compared with the HC group (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the fALFF and ReHo values moderated the positive correlation between the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) score, 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17) total score, and retardation factor score in the MDD group (all, p < 0.05). Finally, as the fALFF and ReHo values increased, the positive correlations between CTQ, HAMD-17 total, and retardation dimension scores became stronger. Our study highlighted the crucial role of altered brain function in connecting childhood maltreatment with depressive symptoms. Our findings indicate that an altered regional brain activity could explain the potential neurobiological mechanisms of MDD symptoms, offering the opportunity to function as a powerful diagnostic biomarker. • Our study clarifies the relationship among childhood trauma, regional brain activity and depressive symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Functional abnormalities of the habenula in patients with depression have been demonstrated in an increasing number of studies, and the habenula is involved in cognitive processing. However, whether patients with late‐life depression (LLD) exhibit disrupted habenular functional connectivity (FC) and whether habenular FC mediates the relationship between depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment remain unclear. Methods: Overall, 127 patients with LLD and 75 healthy controls were recruited. The static and dynamic FC between the habenula and the whole brain was compared between LLD patients and healthy controls, and the relationships of habenular FC with depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment were explored by correlation and mediation analyses. Results: Compared with the controls, patients with LLD exhibited decreased static FC between the right habenula and bilateral inferior frontal gyrus (IFG); there was no significant difference in dynamic FC of the habenula between the two groups. Additionally, the decreased static FC between the right habenula and IFG was associated with more severe depressive symptoms (especially psychomotor retardation) and cognitive impairment (language, memory, and visuospatial skills). Last, static FC between the right habenula and left IFG partially mediated the relationship between depressive symptoms (especially psychomotor retardation) and cognitive impairment (verbal fluency and working memory). Conclusions: Patients with LLD exhibited decreased static FC between the habenula and IFG but intact dynamic FC of the habenula. This decreased static FC mediated the relationship between depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) is a newer form of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) for depression. However, its efficacy and safety in adolescents and young adults with major depressive disorder (AYA-MDD) have not been well studied, especially when applied with a strategy that combines neuronavigation targeting and accelerated iTBS. In this study, ninety patients were randomly assigned to twice-daily (two 600-pulse sessions spaced out by 10 min, n = 31), once-daily (one 600-pulse session, n = 29) or sham iTBS (no pulses, n = 30) groups for 10 treatment days. The primary outcome measure was the change in depression scores on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD-17). Other clinical symptoms, such as anxiety, were also evaluated. Linear mixed model analysis found that scores on the HAMD-17 and its factors improved in all three groups, but these improvements did not significantly differ among groups. Other clinical symptoms such as anxiety also improved. Response and remission rates were relatively low and did not differ among groups at any time point. The most common adverse event was headache, and the proportion of participants who reported headache in the twice-daily and once-daily groups was significantly higher than that in the sham group. The current results indicated that twice-daily and once-daily iTBS under neuronavigation are safe and well tolerated in AYA-MDD, but the overall efficacy was not superior to that of sham treatment. We speculated several possible reasons such as the high placebo response of the young population, inadequate iTBS pulses and so on. • The parametric protocol specifically designed for AYA-MDD is still lacking. • We firstly compared the efficacy of twice-daily versus once-daily versus sham iTBS adjuvant antidepressants in AYA-MDD. • Twice-daily and once-daily iTBS under neuronavigation were safe, but not superior to that of sham iTBS refer to efficacy. • Several possible reasons, such as the high placebo response of the young population, were discussed in the text. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NiCrAlO/Al 2 O 3 solar selective coating prepared by direct current (DC) magnetron sputtering and water boiling is demonstrated in this paper. Firstly, the coating consisting of tandem layers of Au/NiCrAl/Al with different NiCr volume fractions in NiCrAl sublayers is deposited solely by DC magnetron sputtering. Then the coating is boiled by deionized water and dehydrated by vacuum heating. The surface morphology, the depth distributions and relative chemical states of elements of the coating are characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). It is found that Al in the coating is totally oxidized while most of NiCr and Au keep metallic after water boiling and vacuum dehydration, which forms the effective solar selective coating consisting of Au/NiCrAlO/Al 2 O 3 with different metallic NiCr volume fractions. High near normal solar absorptance of 0.964 and low near normal thermal emittance of 0.066 are demonstrated by the reflectance measured by UV-VIS-IR spectrometer. The combination of DC magnetron sputtering and water boiling is very promising for fabrication of solar selective coating based on the dielectric aluminum oxide, as it is environmentally friendly and circumvents the radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering which needs RF automatic matching. • NiCrAlO/Al 2 O 3 coating prepared by DC magnetron sputtering and water boiling. • Al is oxidized to dielectric while NiCr keep metallic after water boiling. • High solar absorptance of 0.964 and low thermal emittance of 0.066. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suicide is one of the most lethal complications of late-life depression (LLD), and habenular dysfunction may be involved in depression-related suicidality and may serve as a potential target for alleviating suicidal ideation. This study aimed to investigate abnormal functional connectivity of the habenula in LLD patients with suicidal ideation. One hundred twenty-seven patients with LLD (51 with suicidal ideation (LLD-S) and 76 without suicidal ideation (LLD-NS)) and 75 healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. The static functional connectivity (sFC) and dynamic functional connectivity (dFC) between the habenula and the whole brain were compared among the three groups, and correlation and moderation analyses were applied to investigate whether suicidal ideation moderated the relationships of habenular FC with depressive symptoms and cognitive impairment. The dFC between the right habenula and the left orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) increased in the following order: LLD-S > LLD-NS > control. No significant difference in the habenular sFC was found among the LLD-S, LLD-NS and control groups. The dFC between the right habenula and the left OFC was positively associated with global cognitive function and visuospatial skills, and the association between this dFC and visuospatial skills was moderated by suicidal ideation in patients with LLD. The increased variability in dFC between the right habenula and left OFC was more pronounced in the LLD-S group than in the LLD-NS group, and the association between habenular-OFC dFC and visuospatial skills was moderated by suicidal ideation in patients with LLD. • LLD-S exhibited increased dFC between habenula and OFC than LLD-NSl The association between dFC and cognition was moderated by suicidal ideation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NiCr–MgF 2 spectrally selective solar absorber, which consists of the tandem films of Au, high-metal-volume-fraction (HMVF) NiCr–MgF 2 , low-metal-volume-fraction (LMVF) NiCr–MgF 2 and MgF 2 , is designed and fabricated for ultra-high solar absorptance and low thermal emittance. The performance of Au/NiCr–MgF 2 (HMVF)/NiCr–MgF 2 (LMVF)/MgF 2 is simulated using the effective medium theory and film matrix method, and the optimized NiCr–MgF 2 spectrally selective solar absorber has a normal solar absorptance (α sn) of 0.981 and a normal thermal emittance (ε n) of 0.042 at 25 °C. The tandem films of Au/NiCr–MgF 2 (HMVF)/NiCr–MgF 2 (LMVF)/MgF 2 are fabricated by magnetron sputtering and measured by UV-VIS-IR spectrometer, and it has an ultra-high near normal solar absorptance of α sn = 0.976 and a low near normal thermal emittance of ε n = 0.045 at 25 °C, which approaches very closely to the simulated limit. Furthermore, NiCr–MgF 2 spectrally selective solar absorber allows a wide incident angle (θ) with its angular solar absorptance α s (θ)≥0.957 and angular thermal emittance ε (θ)≤0.054 if θ ≤ 50°. Such spectrally selective solar absorber is an outstanding candidate for solar thermal applications. • A novel NiCr–MgF 2 cermet based solar absorber are deposited. • Ultra-high solar absorptance of 0.976 and low thermal emittance of 0.045. • Wide incident angle of 50° with α s (θ)≥0.957 and ε (θ)≤0.054. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There have been many studies on the benefits of repeated ketamine infusions on patients' depression but few on the impact of ketamine on patients' long-term quality of life (QoL). This study investigated long-term QoL in individuals with depression, both anxious and nonanxious. A total of 107 individuals with a diagnosis of depression were included in the study. The patients were evaluated on Days 0, 13 and 26 and Months 6 and 9, and they received six ketamine infusions over the course of two weeks. The World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) Scale and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) Scale were used to measure depressive symptoms and QoL. Linear mixed models were used to evaluate depressive symptoms and QoL during ketamine treatment. A total of 67.2 % of patients were diagnosed with anxious depression. In the long term, there were no significant differences in the time-by-group interactions for general QoL (F = 0.510; P = 0.676), physical QoL (F = 2.092; P = 0.102), psychological QoL (F = 0.102; P = 0.959), social QoL (F = 2.180; P = 0.091), or environmental QoL (F = 1.849; P = 0.139) between the two groups. The main limitation of this study is its open-label design. The improvement in depression symptoms and QoL following ketamine treatment was not impacted by the presence or absence of anxiety in patients who were depressed prior to treatment. Only occasionally did depressed individuals with anxiety experience a worsening of their quality of life compared to those without anxiety. • we aimed to explore the long-term quality of life in anxious and non-anxious depression patients that was ignored in past years. • We included 107 patients with anxious and non-anxious depression who were given repeated ketamine infusions to evaluate the patients' outcomes and long-term quality. • Repeated ketamine infusions improved long-term QoL similarly between anxious and non-anxious depression patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive impairments are prevalent in late-life depression (LLD). However, it remains unclear whether there are concurrent brain oscillation alterations in resting condition across varying level of depression severity. This cross-sectional study aims to investigate the characteristics of altered resting-state oscillations, including power spectrum and functional connectivity, and their association with the cognitive impairments in LLD with different depression severity. A total of 65 patients with LLD and 40 elder participants without depression were recruited. Global cognition and subtle cognitive domains were evaluated. A five-minute resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) was conducted under eyes-closed conditions. Measurements included the ln-transformed absolute power for power spectrum analysis and the weighted phase lag index (wPLI) for functional connectivity analysis. Attentional and executive dysfunction were exhibited in Moderate-Severe LLD group. Enhanced posterior upper gamma power was observed in both LLD groups. Additionally, enhanced parietal and fronto-parietal/occipital theta connectivity were observed in Moderate-Severe LLD group, which were associated with the attentional impairment. Limitations include a small sample size, concomitant medication use, and a relatively higher proportion of females. Current study observed aberrant brain activity patterns in LLD across different levels of depression severity, which were linked to cognitive impairments. The altered posterior brain oscillations may be trait marker of LLD. Moreover, cognitive impairments and associated connectivity alterations were exhibited in moderate-severe group, which may be a state-like marker of moderate-to severe LLD. The study deepens understanding of cognitive impairments with the associated oscillation changes, carrying implications for neuromodulation targets in LLD. • Firstly explored altered brain oscillations in late-life depression (LLD) across severity, linking them to cognitive impairments. • Elevated posterior gamma power in LLD may be a trait marker. • Theta connectivity increased in LLD, serving as state-like marker linked to attentional impairments. • Highlights link between cognitive deficits and altered brain ocsillation in LLD, suggesting neuromodulation targets and interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Patients with depression, especially women, are associated with low bone mineral density (BMD). Traditional antidepressants are associated with negative effects on BMD. Few studies have examined the effect of ketamine on BMD, and it remains unclear whether there are sex differences in the effects of ketamine on BMD in patients with depression. Methods: A total of 102 patients with unipolar and bipolar depression were administered six infusions of intravenous ketamine over a 12-day period. Plasma levels of eight bone markers were examined at baseline, 24 h after the sixth infusion and again 2 weeks (Days 13 and 26). Results: Linear mixed models showed all bone markers had significant time main effect (all p < 0.05). Compared with baseline, the whole sample showed increased levels of leptin and osteoprotegerin at Days 13 and 26, as well as Dickkopf-related protein 1 at Day 13, and decreased levels of osteocalcin, sclerostin, osteopontin, parathyroid hormone and fibroblast growth factor 23 at Days 13 and 26 (all p < 0.05). Females had a higher level of leptin at Days 13 and 26, and lower levels of osteocalcin and sclerostin at Day 13 than males (all p < 0.05). Increases of leptin were associated with depressive symptom improvements at Day 13 and Day 26 in females (both p < 0.05). In males, higher baseline osteocalcin levels were associated with greater depressive symptom improvement at Day 26 (β = 0.414, p = 0.009). Conclusions: Our results suggest that repeated ketamine infusions may be associated with modulation of bone markers in patients with depression and present sex differences. Baseline osteocalcin level may be served as a predictor for the antidepressant effects of ketamine in males. Trial registration Data were derived from an open label clinical trial, which was registered at Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR-OOC-17012239). Registered 26 May 2017. http://www.chictr.org.cn Plain language summary: Depression and low bone mineral density (BMD) are epidemiologically linked and traditional antidepressants may act as a risk factor for BMD. However, it is unclear whether the novel antidepressant, ketamine, has effects on bone markers in patients with depression and whether there are sex differences on these effects. Ketamine infusions may be associated with modulation of bone markers and may exert a positive effect on BMD in patients with depression, which present sex differences. The study results may inform potential strategies for prevention of low BMD during the treatment of depression. Clinicians should be aware of the bone markers because some of them may be associated antidepressant response. Highlights: Depression is usually associated with low bone mineral density (BMD) and traditional antidepressants have negative effects on BMD. Ketamine, as a novel antidepressant, modulated multiple bone markers and might exert a positive effect on BMD in patients with depression, which present sex differences. Increases of leptin were positively associated with depressive symptom improvements in females across six ketamine infusions. Baseline osteocalcin level may be served as a predictor for the antidepressant effects of ketamine in males. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression is a widespread mental health disorder with complex neurobiological underpinnings. The habenula, known as the 'anti-reward center', is thought to play a pivotal role in the pathophysiology of depression. This study aims to elucidate the association between the functional connections of the habenula and depression severity and to explore the modulation of these connections by ketamine. We studied 177 participants from a 7-T resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging subset of the Human Connectome Project dataset to determine the associations between the functional connections of the habenula and depression. Additionally, we analyzed 60 depressed patients from our ketamine database to conduct a preliminary study on alterations in the functional connections of the habenula after ketamine infusions. We also investigated whether the baseline functional connectivity of the habenula is linked to subsequent improvement in depression. We found that functional connections between the habenula and the substantia nigra, as well as the ventral tegmental area were negatively correlated with depression scores and elevated after ketamine infusions. Furthermore, the connection between the right habenula and the right substantia nigra was negatively associated with the improvement of depression. The Human Connectome Project dataset primarily consists of data from healthy participants, with varying levels of depression scores. These results suggest that the habenula may facilitate depression by suppressing dopamine reward centers, and ketamine may relieve depression by disinhibiting these dopaminergic regions. This study may enhance our understanding of the neural underpinnings of depression and ketamine's antidepressant effects. • FCs of the habenula in relation to the depressive state. • FCs of the habenula in relation to the ketamine treatment. • Habenula-SN/VTA FCs were negatively correlated with depression scores and elevated after ketamine treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with bipolar disorder (BD) are at high risk of suicidal ideation (SI), and BD patients with suicidal ideation (BDSI) have shown marked abnormalities in spontaneous brain function. Cognitive impairment, on the other hand, is considered to be one of the core symptoms of BD. However, few studies have addressed the association between cognitive performance and abnormal spontaneous brain function in BDSI. In the current study, the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB) was used to assess cognitive performance in BDSI (n = 20), BD subjects without suicidal ideation (BDNSI) (n = 24) and healthy controls (HC) (n = 30). Their cognitive performance was then correlated with amplitude of low frequency fluctuation (ALFF) values obtained by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). We found that ALFF was significantly higher in the left precuneus and right posterior cingulate cortex in the BDSI group and significantly lower in the right precuneus in the BDNSI group than in the HC group. In addition, in the BDSI group, visual learning performance was positively correlated with ALFF values in the left precuneus. Our findings support the notion that BD patients present with ALFF abnormalities, which are associated with cognitive performance in BDSI. • BDSI had higher ALFF in the left precuneus and right cingulate, whereas BDNSI had lower ALFF in the right precuneus. • The ALFF value in the left precuneus of BDSI was associated with cognitive performance. • Precuneus hyperfunction may be a compensatory mechanism for well-preserved visual cognitive function in BDSI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a notably severe mood disorder with high suicidal risk. Transient effects of multi-infusion ketamine augmentation on treatment-resistant depressive symptoms in patients with treatment-resistant bipolar depression - an open-label three-week pilot study. However, this open-label, add-on ketamine design is unable to regress out the impact of concurrent mood stabilizers and antidepressants, which may affect the observed response to ketamine. [Extracted from the article]

Background: The ongoing global COVID-19 pandemic is caused by SARS-CoV-2, a novel coronavirus first discovered at the end of 2019. It has led to more than 50 million confirmed cases and more than 1 million deaths across 219 countries as of 11 November 2020, according to WHO statistics. SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV, and MERS-CoV are similar. They are highly pathogenic and threaten public health, impair the economy, and inflict long-term impacts on society. No drug or vaccine has been approved as a treatment for these viruses. Efforts to develop antiviral measures have been hampered by the insufficient understanding of how the human body responds to viral infections at the cellular and molecular levels. Results: In this study, journal articles and transcriptomic and proteomic data surveying coronavirus infections were collected. Response genes and proteins were then identified by differential analyses comparing gene/protein levels between infected and control samples. Finally, the H2V database was created to contain the human genes and proteins that respond to SARS-CoV-2, SARS-CoV, and MERS-CoV infection. Conclusions: H2V provides molecular information about the human response to infection. It can be a powerful tool to discover cellular pathways and processes relevant for viral pathogenesis to identify potential drug targets. It is expected to accelerate the process of antiviral agent development and to inform preparations for potential future coronavirus-related emergencies. The database is available at: http://www.zhounan.org/h2v. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) has a high incidence and an unknown mechanism. There are no objective and sensitive indicators for clinical diagnosis. Objective: This study explored specific electrophysiological indicators and their role in the clinical diagnosis of MDD using machine learning. Methods: Forty first-episode and drug-naïve patients with MDD and forty healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. EEG data were collected from all subjects in the resting state with eyes closed for 10 min. The severity of MDD was assessed by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17). Machine learning analysis was used to identify the patients with MDD. Results: Compared to the HC group, the relative power of the low delta and theta bands was significantly higher in the right occipital region, and the relative power of the alpha band in the entire posterior occipital region was significantly lower in the MDD group. In the MDD group, the alpha band scalp functional connectivity was overall lower, while the scalp functional connectivity in the gamma band was significantly higher than that in the HC group. In the feature set of the relative power of the ROI in each band, the highest accuracy of 88.2% was achieved using the KNN classifier while using PCA feature selection. In the explanatory model using SHAP values, the top-ranking influence feature is the relative power of the alpha band in the left parietal region. Conclusions: Our findings reveal that the abnormal EEG neural oscillations may reflect an imbalance of excitation, inhibition and hyperactivity in the cerebral cortex in first-episode and drug-naïve patients with MDD. The relative power of the alpha band in the left parietal region is expected to be an objective electrophysiological indicator of MDD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although cognition is known to impact clinical symptoms of schizophrenia, few studies investigate the potential mediators of this relationship. This study aimed to examine the relationship between cognitive deficits and negative symptoms in schizophrenia, considering the mediating role of alexithymia as an important psychological variable. Moreover, the prevalence of alexithymia in patients with schizophrenia was investigated. A total of 689 patients with schizophrenia were recruited from two psychiatric hospitals. All patients completed the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), 20-item Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20), and the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). We used structural equation modeling to examine the hypothesized mediated model. In total, 31.5 % of patients with schizophrenia were classified as alexithymia. The path analyses showed that two factors of alexithymia (i.e., the difficulty in identifying feelings and difficulty in describing feelings), played a mediating role in the pathway from cognitive deficits to negative symptoms (all p <.001). Self-reported measurement for alexithymia may not be sufficiently reliable due to response bias. Our findings demonstrated a high occurrence of alexithymia in patients with schizophrenia. Moreover, the mediating role of alexithymia suggests that targeting emotion processing and cognition may be a feasible way to mitigate negative symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sleep disturbances is common in young people with depression, and poor sleep quality affects the ability to learn. In this study, we examined possible resting-state functional connectivity abnormalities between regions of interest, and clarified the relationship with depressive symptoms, sleep quality, and cognitive function. Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was collected on 42 healthy controls (HCs), 82 youth depressive patients (44 without sleep disturbances (NSD), and 38 with sleep disturbances (SD)). Regions of interest were defined by using Brainnetome Atlas. Functional connectivity was calculated, and its associations with depressive symptoms, sleep quality, and cognitive function were examined using correlation analysis and mediation analysis. The left and right caudal of cingulate gyrus, tongue and larynx region of postcentral gyrus were significant brain regions in NSD versus SD. The average functional connectivity between these regions was associated with poor sleep quality (r = 0.368, p = 0.001) and worse working memory (r = −0.256, p = 0.023) and mediated the relationship between sleep quality and working memory (c = −0.738, c' = −0.500). Data consistency in this study was not good enough. This study did not monitor sleep rhythms to provide objective sleep-related data. The functional connectivity between the left and right caudal of cingulate gyrus with tongue and larynx region of postcentral gyrus may be the neural mechanism by which sleep disturbances affect working memory. This provides an intervention target for clinically improving cognitive function in young people with depression. • Functional connectivity was correlated to poor sleep quality and worse cognitive function. • Functional connectivity mediates the relationship between sleep quality and working memory. • This provides a potential intervention target for improving cognitive function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non‐invasive brain stimulation (NIBS) is increasingly used as a probe of function and therapeutics in experimental neuroscience and neurorehabilitation. Scalp‐to‐cortex distance (SCD), as a key parameter, has been shown to potentially impact on the electric field. This study aimed to examine the region‐specific SCD and its relationship with cognitive function in the context of age‐related brain atrophy. Methods: We analyzed the SCD and cortical thickness (CT) of left primary motor cortex (M1) in 164 cognitively normal (CN) adults and 43 dementia patients drawn from the Open Access Series of Imaging Studies (OASIS). The degree of brain atrophy was measured by the volume of ventricular system. Computational head model was developed to simulate the impact of SCD on the electric field. Results: Increased SCD of left M1 was only found in dementia patients (P < .001). When considering CT, the ratio of SCD to CT (F = 27.41, P < .001) showed better differential value than SCD. The SCD of left M1 was associated with worse global cognition (r = −.207, P = .011) and enlarged third ventricle (r = .241, P < .001). The electric field was consequently reduced with the increased SCD across cognitively normal elderly and dementia groups. Conclusions: Scalable distance measures, including SCD and CT, are markedly correlated with reduced electric field in dementia patients. The findings suggest that it is important to be aware of region‐specific distance measures when conducting NIBS‐based rehabilitation in individuals with brain atrophy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The role of childhood maltreatment (CM) is believed to be crucial in the aberrant function of reward circuit in adolescent-onset major depressive disorder (AO-MDD). Nevertheless, the impact of abnormalities in the GP-based reward circuit on the association between CM and the severity of AO-MDD remains largely unknown. Methods. The GP-based resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) was analyzed in a sample of 75 patients with AO-MDD and 80 healthy controls in order to identify potential abnormalities in the GP-based reward circuit in AO-MDD patients. Furthermore, we investigated the possible associations between aberrant GP-based reward circuit functioning, CM and its subtypes (namely, childhood abuse and childhood neglect), and the severity of AO-MDD. Results. Compared to the healthy control group, patients with AO-MDD demonstrated a reduction in RSFC between the left posterior GP and the right dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (DMPFC). Our moderation analysis revealed that the abnormal RSFC between the posterior GP and DMPFC had a moderating effect on the relationship between CM and the severity of AO-MDD. Furthermore, upon further interaction decomposition, we observed a positive correlation between CM and AO-MDD severity exclusively in patients with AO-MDD who exhibited lower RSFC between the posterior GP and DMPFC. For AO-MDD patients with higher RSFC between posterior GP and DMPFC, the relationship between CM and AO-MDD severity was not discernible. Conclusions. Our findings underscore the crucial role of anomalies in the reward circuit in AO-MDD and furnish novel leads for probing the relationship among CM, malfunctioning of the reward circuit, and AO-MDD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ketamine and its enantiomer have rapid and robust effects on depressive symptom and suicidal ideation. Little is known about their cognitive effects in adolescents. We aimed to evaluate the short-term effect of esketamine on cognition in adolescents with major depressive disorder (MDD) and suicidal ideation. Method: In this randomized-controlled trial, 51 participants aged 13–18 with MDD and suicidal ideation received three intravenous infusions of either esketamine (0.25 mg/kg) or midazolam (0.02 mg/kg). Four dimensions of the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB), including processing speed, working memory, verbal learning and visual learning, were assessed at Days 0, 6 and 12. Results: In the linear mixed model, a significant time main effect (F = 12.803, P < 0.001), drug main effect (F = 6.607, P = 0.013), and interaction effect (F = 3.315, P = 0.041) was found in processing speed. Other dimensions including working memory and verbal learning showed significant time main effect (all P < 0.05), but no significant drug or interaction effect (all P > 0.05). Esketamine group showed improvement in processing speed from baseline to Days 6 and 12, and working memory from baseline to Day 12 (all P < 0.05). The generalized estimation equation showed no significant association between baseline cognition and antidepressant or antisuicidal effect (both P > 0.05). Conclusions: The present study suggested that three-dose subanesthetic esketamine infusions did not harm cognition among adolescents with MDD and suicidal ideation. Instead, esketamine may be associated with improvement in processing speed. Trial registration: This trial was registered in the Chinese Clinical Trials Registry (http://www.chictr.org.cn, ChiCTR2000041232). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has shown that ketamine can improve social functions. In addition, evidence also suggests that ketamine can alleviate pain. Herein, we propose that ketamine-induced improvements in pain and depression are partially mediated by a reduction in pain. We aimed to determine whether improvements in pain-mediated changes in psychological function were associated with ketamine treatment. This trial included unipolar or bipolar patients (n = 103) who received 6 intravenous infusions (0.5 mg/kg) of ketamine over 2 weeks. The severity of current depressive symptoms and social function were evaluated by the Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Scale (MADRS), Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS) and Global Assessment Function (GAF), respectively, at baseline and on day 13 and day 26. At the same time points, the three dimensions of pain, including the sensory index, affective index and present pain intensity (PPI), were measured by the Simple McGill Pain Scale (SF-MPQ). The mixed model results showed that ketamine plays an important role in improving the psychosocial functioning of patients. There was a significant decrease from baseline to the day 13 and day 26, indicating that the pain index of the patient improved significantly. Mediation analysis showed that for SDS score (coef = −5.171, 95 % CI[−6.317, −4.025]) and GAF score (coef = 1.021, 95 % CI[0.848, 1.194]), the overall effect of ketamine was observable. The overall indirect and direct effects of ketamine on social functioning were significant (SDS: direct: coef = −1949 to −2114; total indirect: from 0.594 to 0.664; GAF: from 0.399 to 0.427; total indirect: coef = 0.593 to 0.664). The MADRS total score and emotional index were important mediators of the association between ketamine treatment and improvements in subjective and objective social functioning. Depressive symptom severity and the affective index of pain partially mediated improvements in social function after six repeated ketamine treatments among patients with bipolar or unipolar depressive disorder. • Injections of ketamine in patients were related to depressive symptoms and affective index of pain improvements. • The mixed model result showed that ketamine plays an important role in improving the psychosocial functions of patients. • The improvement on SDS and GAF were mediated in part by improving depression symptom and affective index of pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The number of elderly with mental disorders is increasing, but few studies have been concerned with the physical condition and activities of daily living (ADL) of these patients. This study aims to describe the physical condition and ADL of patients with mental illnesses (PMI) from different age groups, which provides evidence to improve mental health services for PMI. Methods: In this prospective cross‐sectional study, the samples were divided into three groups of less than 60 years old (group 1), 60–74 years old (group 2), and over 75 years old (group 3) for comparison. Participants' ADL and physical condition were measure by Barthel Index (BI), Functional Activities Questionnaire (FAQ), Standardised swallowing assessment (SSA) and Short Form of Mini Nutrition Assessment (MNA‐SF). The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and the Mini‐Mental State Examination (MMSE) were used to measure psychological condition. Results: Totally, 392 participants had been recruited, meanwhile 86% of them were diagnosed with at least one physical disease. There were statistically significant differences in the three groups of participants in BI (F = 50.603, P < 0.001), FAQ (F = 40.332, P < 0.001), SSA (F = 28.574, P < 0.001), and MNA‐SF (F = 18.366, P < 0.001). Group 2 and group 3 had significantly lower scores in BI and FAQ than group 1, and the SSA scores were significantly higher than the participants in group 1. In the negative symptoms subscale of BPRS, the mean score of group 3 was significantly higher than groups 1 and 2. Negative symptom subscale has different degrees of correlation with BI (r = −0.537), FAQ (r = 0.643), SSA (r = 0.480), MNA (r = −0.325) and MMSE (r = 0.607). In addition, the participants with comorbidities were related to BI (r = ‐0.364). Conclusion: Somatic comorbidities play a pivotal role in the clinical characteristics of elderly patients with mental illness, thus greater effort should be paid to elderly patients suffering from mental illness with dysphagia, malnutrition, and cognitive decline. Further, the negative symptoms of elderly patients with mental disorders also deserve attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depressive symptom and psychotic symptom have been identified as risk factors for impaired socio-occupational functioning in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), while neurocognitive functioning is considered to be a potential protective factor against socio-occupational functioning. Nevertheless, little is known about the complex relationship among these factors in patients with MDD. The purpose of this research was to explore whether the relationship between depressive symptom severity and social-occupational functioning is mediated by neurocognitive functioning and psychotic symptom severity in MDD patients. A total of 659 eligible MDD patients included male and female, and their depressive symptoms and psychotic symptoms at baseline were assessed by the 17-item Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD-17) and The Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) respectively. Cognitive domains were assessed by the MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB), and subjective and objective functioning were measured by the Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF). The analysis is cross-sectional, which limits causal inference. (1) The correlation between depressive symptoms and thought disturbance was positive (r = 0.125, p = 0.001), whereas the correlations with visual learning and memory (r = −0.146, p < 0.001) and socio-occupational functioning (r = −0.175, p < 0.001) were negative. (2) Depressive symptoms mainly affect the socio-occupational functioning of MDD patients via three indirect effects: the single mediating effect of psychotic symptoms and neurocognitive functioning, and the chain mediating effect of psychotic symptoms and neurocognitive functioning. The results suggest that the relationship between depressive symptom severity and socio-occupational functioning in MDD patients is partially mediated by psychotic symptom severity and neurocognitive functioning. • Focusing on depressive symptoms and socio-occupational functioning among patients • The relationship is mediated by neurocognition and psychotic symptom severity. • First study to explore the chained mediation model of the study variables [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Both late-life depression (LLD) and short sleep duration increase the risk of cognitive impairment. Increased insular resting-state functional connectivity (FC) has been reported in individuals with short sleep duration and dementia. Objective: This study aimed to investigate whether short sleep duration is associated with impaired cognition and higher insular FC in patients with LLD. Methods: This case– control study recruited 186 patients with LLD and 83 normal controls (NC), and comprehensive psychometric assessments, sleep duration reports and resting-state functional MRI scans (81 LLD patients and 54 NC) were conducted. Results: Patients with LLD and short sleep duration (LLD-SS patients) exhibited more severe depressive symptoms and worse cognitive function than those with normal sleep duration (LLD-NS patients) and NC. LLD-SS patients exhibited higher FC between the bilateral insula and inferior frontal gyrus (IFG) pars triangularis than LLD-NS patients and NC, while LLD-NS patients exhibited lower FC than NC. Increased insular FC was correlated with short sleep duration, severe depressive symptoms, and slower information processing speeds. Furthermore, an additive effect was found between sleep duration and LLD on global cognition and insular FC. Conclusion: LLD-SS patients exhibited impaired cognition and increased insular FC. Abnormal FC in LLD-SS patients may be a therapeutic target for neuromodulation to improve sleep and cognitive performance and thus decrease the risk of dementia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alexithymia is a common, but less-recognized affective deficit in patients with schizophrenia. To date, no definitive conclusions have been drawn about the relationship between alexithymia and the clinical symptoms or their clinical correlates, particularly in stable patients with schizophrenia. The purpose of this study was to investigate the link between alexithymia and psychopathological symptoms, as well as any associated correlates, in stable patients with schizophrenia. A total of 435 Chinese patients with schizophrenia were recruited. The Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale (PANSS) was used to evaluate each patient's psychopathological symptoms. The Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) was used to measure alexithymia. The percentage of alexithymia was 35.2% in stable patients with schizophrenia. Compared to non-alexithymia patients, patients with alexithymia had higher PANSS total scores, negative subscores, depressive subscores, and cognitive subscores (all p < 0.05). Multivariate regression analysis revealed that the following variables were positively associated with TAS-20 total scores: PANSS negative subscores (β = 0.274, t = 3.198, p = 0.001) and PANSS depressive subscores (β = 0.366, t = 2.500, p = 0.013). Education years (β = – 0.453, t = – 2.824, p = 0.005) was negatively associated with TAS-20 total scores. Our results suggest that the percentage of alexithymia was relatively higher in stable patients with schizophrenia. Education levels, negative symptoms, and depressive symptoms were independently associated with alexithymia in this specific population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: Growth factors play an important role in brain development. Whether epidermal growth factor (EGF) plays a role in the pathophysiology of ketamine related disorders is unexplored. In this study, we examined the serum levels of EGF in chronic ketamine users as compared with healthy controls. The possible correlation between serum EGF levels with the demographic, ketamine use characteristics and psychopathological symptoms were analyzed. Methods: Sixty‐seven chronic ketamine users and 40 healthy subjects were recruited. Serum EGF levels were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Psychopathological symptoms were assessed using Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, Beck Depression Inventory and Beck Anxiety Inventory. Results: The serum level of EGF in the chronic ketamine users was significantly lower than that of healthy subjects (22.34 ± 4.81 pg/ml vs. 87.10 ± 2.96 pg/ml, F = 15.169, p < 0.01). The serum EGF level was negatively correlated with the current average dose of ketamine consumption per day of use (p = 0.015), and positively associated with the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale positive symptom score (p = .022). Conclusions: Serum level of EGF decreased in chronic ketamine users compared with healthy subjects, which may play a role in the pathophysiology of ketamine related disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]