Kaiso (ZBTB33) Downregulation by Mirna-181a Inhibits Cell Proliferation, Invasion, and the Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition in Glioma Cells

Background/Aims: Kaiso (ZBTB33) expression is closely associated with the progression of many cancers and microRNA (miRNA) processing. MiR-181a plays critical roles in multiple cancers; however, its precise mechanisms in glioma have not been well clarified. The goal of this study was to evaluate the interaction between Kaiso and miR-181a in glioma. Methods: Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was performed to detect the levels of Kaiso and miR-181a in glioma tissues and cell lines. Cell proliferation, invasion, and the epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) were evaluated to analyze the biological functions of miR-181a and Kaiso in glioma cells. The mRNA and protein levels of Kaiso were measured by qRT-PCR and western blotting, respectively. Meanwhile, luciferase assays were performed to validate Kaiso as a miR-181a target in glioma cells. Results: We found that the level of miR-181a was the lowest among miR-181a–d in glioma tissues and cell lines, and the low level of miR-181a was closely associated with the increased expression of Kaiso in glioma tissues. Moreover, transfection of miR-181a significantly inhibited the proliferation, invasion, and EMT of glioma cells, whereas knockdown of miR-181a had the opposite effect. Bioinformatics analysis predicted that Kaiso was a potential target gene of miR-181a, and the luciferase reporter assay demonstrated that miR-181a could directly target Kaiso. In addition, Kaiso silencing had similar effects as miR-181a overexpression in glioma cells, whereas overexpression of Kaiso in glioma cells partially reversed the inhibitory effects of the miR-181a mimic. Conclusionss: miR-181a inhibited the proliferation, invasion, and EMT of glioma cells by directly targeting and downregulating Kaiso expression

The mechanism of pathological changes of intraventricular hemorrhage in dogs

Background: Intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) is an independent risk factor for both morbidity and mortality in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage and subarchnoid hemorrhage. The pathophysiological mechanisms by which blood within the ventricles causes brain damage are still poorly understood. Settings and Design : We developed a canine (dog) model with long-term survival. Aims : To study the mechanisms of pathological changes associated with IVH. Materials and Methods : The neurological status, cranial computed tomographic findings, and the pathological changes were studied in the dogs with IVH and also in the control dogs, intraventiricular saline injection. Results : In all the dogs in the control group there were no abnormalities in all the three parameters studied. The dogs in the IVH group developed neurological deficits after the blood injection. There was linear relationship between the ventricular volume and blood clot volume in the first week. After the first week, there was progressive enlargement of the ventricular volume, while the clots continued to shrink. There was complete lysis of the clots within 4 weeks. Pathological studies showed distruction of the ependymal lining of the ventricular system, subependymal gliosis and ischemia of the neurons in the subependymal areas, prominently around the aqueduct. Conclusion : Ventricular dilation was the prominent feature following intraventricular injection of the blood. The other pathological features included disruption of ependymal lining, subependymal gliosis, and ischemic necrosis of neurons in the periventricular tissue of the third ventricle, aqueduct, and the fourth ventricle. These pathological may have some role in the ventricular dilatation following IVH

Correlation between sarcopenia and esophageal cancer: a narrative review

Abstract Background In recent years, the research on the relationship between sarcopenia before and after the treatment of esophageal cancer, as well as its impact on prognosis of esophageal cancer, has increased rapidly, which has aroused people’s attention to the disease of patients with esophageal cancer complicated with sarcopenia. This review examines the prevalence of sarcopenia in patients with esophageal cancer, as well as the relationship between sarcopenia (before and after surgery or chemotherapy) and prognosis in patients with esophageal cancer. Moreover, we summarized the potential pathogenesis of sarcopenia and pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic therapies. Methods A narrative review was performed in PubMed and Web of Science using the keywords (“esophageal cancer” or “esophageal neoplasm” or “neoplasm, esophageal” or “esophagus neoplasm” or “esophagus neoplasms” or “neoplasm, esophagus” or “neoplasms, esophagus” or “neoplasms, esophageal” or “cancer of esophagus” or “cancer of the esophagus” or “esophagus cancer” or “cancer, esophagus” or “cancers, esophagus” or “esophagus cancers” or “esophageal cancer” or “cancer, esophageal” or “cancers, esophageal” or “esophageal cancers”) and (“sarcopenia” or “muscular atrophy” or “aging” or “senescence” or “biological aging” or “aging, biological” or “atrophies, muscular” or “atrophy, muscular” or “muscular atrophies” or “atrophy, muscle” or “atrophies, muscle” or “muscle atrophies”). Studies reporting relationship between sarcopenia and esophageal cancer were analyzed. Results The results of the review suggest that the average prevalence of sarcopenia in esophageal cancer was 46.3% ± 19.6% ranging from 14.4 to 81% and sarcopenia can be an important predictor of poor prognosis in patients with esophageal cancer. Patients with esophageal cancer can suffer from sarcopenia due to their nutritional deficiencies, reduced physical activity, chemotherapy, and the effects of certain inflammatory factors and pathways. When classic diagnostic values for sarcopenia such as skeletal muscle index (SMI) are not available clinically, it is also feasible to predict esophageal cancer prognosis using simpler metrics, such as calf circumference (CC), five-count sit-up test (5-CST), and six-minute walk distance (6MWD). Conclusions Identifying the potential mechanism of sarcopenia in patients with esophageal cancer and implementing appropriate interventions may hold the key to improving the prognosis of these patients

A proposed explanatory theory in digital media: Approach-avoidance media theory and direct evidence from three empirical studies

The new phenomenon (co-occurrence between digital stress and digital addiction) has become increasingly prominent. However, few theories can provide adequate explanations. This study developed a new theory, approach-avoidance media theory (AAMT), and designed three empirical studies to demonstrate it. This study proposes AAMT through analogical abduction to analogize approach-avoidance conflict theory in animal models and humans. The AAMT proposes 5 principles: (1) digital media use can lead to three phenomena: addictive use, avoidant use, and approach-avoidance conflict use; (2) people experience psychological tension when facing approach-avoidance conflict use; (3) they might choose different strategies to cope; (4) addictive and avoidant use can be mutually reinforcing; (5) addictive and avoidant use can only occur with the same type of digital media. Empirical studies confirmed that (1) for smartphone use, there were adolescents with only highly addictive smartphone use, adolescents with only highly avoidant use, and adolescents with approach-avoidance use; (2) in the present and future, high approach-avoidance use predicted low mental health and adolescents with high approach-avoidance use showed more maladaptive coping strategies; (3) smartphone addiction and stress predicted each other in the cross-lagged model. Besides, a psycho-behavioral-social model was proposed based on AAMT, implications and future directions are discussed

Does parental media mediation make a difference for adolescents? Evidence from an empirical cohort study of parent-adolescent dyads

Background and aims: Adolescents, who are undergoing brain changes, are vulnerable to many online risks in their use or overuse of digital technology. Parental media mediation (a set of practices parents use to guide children's media use and to reduce potential negative consequences of children from media) is considered an important way to help regulate and reduce adolescents' use or problematic use of digital media and protect them from online risks. However, previous studies have shown controversial results. These controversial results reflect a reproducibility crisis in psychological science due to selective reporting, selective analysis, and inadequate description of the conditions necessary to obtain results. Methods: To address this issue and reveal the authentic effect of parental media mediation strategies, this study presented the results of a specification curve analysis of 1176 combinations indicating the longitudinal effect of parental media mediation on adolescent smartphone use or problematic use. A total of 2154 parent-adolescent dyads (adolescents’ ages ranged from 9 to 18, the average age was 12.13 ± 2.20, and 817 of the adolescents were male) participated in two waves of measurements. Results: The results showed that of the 12 parental media mediations, joint parental use for learning had the greatest effect in reducing future smartphone use or problematic use among adolescents. Overall, none of the parental media mediations had a substantial effect in reducing future smartphone use or problematic use among adolescents. Discussion and conclusions: The ineffectiveness of parental media mediation poses a challenge for researchers, the public, and policy-makers. More exploration is needed in the search of effective parental media mediations for adolescents

Smartphone stress: concept, structure, and development of measurement among adolescents

Abstract: People suffer from stress or digital stress when using information communication technology. Smartphones are the most widely used smart device among adolescents. However, few tools have been developed to capture smartphone stress. This preregistered study aims to clarify and define the concept of smartphone stress based on previous literature regarding digital stress and to develop a smartphone stress scale for adolescents. This study integrated qualitative and quantitative approaches to explore the structure of smartphone stress and develop a smartphone stress scale. First, we theoretically proposed the smartphone stress item pool based on current theories of digital stress and the definition of smartphone stress. Then, we conducted focus groups and in-depth interviews (N=41) to revise the items in the item pool. Lastly, we finalized the scale based on the data collected from three independent samples of adolescents (Nsample1=1088, Nsample2=879, Nsample3=176). The results revealed six dimensions of smartphone stress among adolescents: unsatisfactory information and communication, unmet recreational motivation, online learning burden, social concerns, useless and overloaded notifications, and online verbal attacks. The content validity was confirmed and the scale showed robust reliability (Alpha=.851 to .959), stability (test-retest reliability =.717 to .681, p < .001), and validity (construct validity: Chi square=2811.967, df=399, CFI=.966, TLI=.963, RMSEA=.075; correlations with anxiety and depression were .431 to .462, p < .001). The developed scale is reliable in measuring smartphone stress in adolescents. Limitations, implications, and suggestions for future research are discussed

Smartphone stress: Concept, structure, and development of measurement among adolescents

People suffer from stress or digital stress when using information communication technology. Smartphones are the most widely used smart device among adolescents. However, few tools have been developed to capture smartphone stress. This preregistered study aims to clarify and define the concept of smartphone stress based on previous literature regarding digital stress and to develop a smartphone stress scale for adolescents. This study integrated qualitative and quantitative approaches to explore the structure of smartphone stress and develop a smartphone stress scale. First, we theoretically proposed the smartphone stress item pool based on current theories of digital stress and the definition of smartphone stress. Then, we conducted focus groups and in-depth interviews (N = 41) to revise the items in the item pool. Lastly, we finalized the scale based on the data collected from three independent samples of adolescents (Nsample1 = 1,088, Nsample2 = 879, Nsample3 = 176). The results revealed six dimensions of smartphone stress among adolescents: unsatisfactory information and communication, unmet recreational motivation, online learning burden, social concerns, useless and overloaded notifications, and online verbal attacks. The content validity was confirmed and the scale showed robust reliability (α = .851 to .959), stability (test-retest reliability = .717 to .681, p < .001), and validity (construct validity: χ2 = 2,811.967, df = 399, CFI = .966, TLI = .963, RMSEA = .075; correlations with anxiety and depression were .431 to .462, p < .001). The developed scale is reliable in measuring smartphone stress in adolescents. Limitations, implications, and suggestions for future research are discussed