Endocannabinoid system unlocks the puzzle of autism treatment

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a serious neurodevelopmental disorder and characterized by early childhood-onset impairments in social interaction and communication, restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior or interests. So far there is no effective treatment for ASD, and the pathogenesis of ASD remains unclear. Genetic and epigenetic factors have been considered to be the main cause of ASD. It is known that endocannabinoid and its receptors are widely distributed in the central nervous system, and provide a positive and irreversible change toward a more physiological neurodevelopment. Recently, the endocannabinoid system (ECS) has been found to participate in the regulation of social reward behavior, which has attracted considerable attention from neuroscientists and neurologists. Both animal models and clinical studies have shown that the ECS is a potential target for the treatment of autism, but the mechanism is still unknown. In the brain, microglia express a complete ECS signaling system. Studies also have shown that modulating ECS signaling can regulate the functions of microglia. By comprehensively reviewing previous studies and combining with our recent work, this review addresses the effects of targeting ECS on microglia, and how this can contribute to maintain the positivity of the central nervous system, and thus improve the symptoms of autism. This will provide insights for revealing the mechanism and developing new treatment strategies for autism

Physical cue influences children’s empathy for pain: The role of attention allocation

Empathy for pain is evolutionally important and context-dependent. The current study explored the effect of physical cue on 4- to 5-year-old children’s empathy for pain with two experiments. Experiment 1 investigated the effect of valid and invalid physical cue as compared to baseline (without cue) in pain evaluation task (evaluating the pain intensity of a facial expression, N = 28). Experiment 2 employed eye-tracking to investigate the attentional process in valid and baseline conditions (evaluating the pain intensity of a body image with an apparently injured arm or leg, N = 65). We found the evaluation of pain intensity was the highest in the valid condition, and higher in baseline condition than invalid. As for eye-tracking results, children fixated more quickly, had more fixations and longer total fixation duration in valid-cue condition. Of attention allocation, compared with baseline condition, children fixated on arm/leg more quickly, more frequently and for longer time in valid condition. Additionally, eye-tracking results were significantly related to their evaluation of pain intensity

The decay property of the X(3842)X(3842) as the ψ3(13D3)\psi_{_3}(1^3D_{_3}) state

In this paper, the new particle $X(3842)$ discovered by the LHCb Collaboration is identified to be the $\psi_{_3}(1^3D_{_3})$ state. We study its strong decays with the combination of the Bethe-Salpeter method and the $^3P_{_0}$ model. Its electromagnetic (EM) decay is also calculated by the Bethe-Salpeter method within Mandelstam formalism. The strong decay widths are {$\Gamma[X(3842)\rightarrow D^{0}\bar{D}^{0}]=1.28$ MeV}, $\Gamma[X(3823)\rightarrow D^{+}D^{-}]=1.08$ MeV, and the ratio ${\cal B}[X(3842)\rightarrow D^{+}D^{-}]/{\cal B}[X(3823)\rightarrow D^{0}\bar{D}^{0}]=0.84$. The EM decay width is $\Gamma[X(3842)\rightarrow\chi_{_{c2}}\gamma]=0.29$ MeV. We also estimate the total width to be 2.87 MeV, which is in good agreement with the experimental data $2.79^{+0.86}_{-0.86}$ MeV. Since the used relativistic wave functions include different partial waves, we also study the contributions of different partial waves in electromagnetic decay.Comment: 17 pages, 3 figures, 3 table

Temperature effects of Mach-Zehnder interferometer using a liquid crystal-filled fiber

We demonstrated a simple and cost-effective method to fabricate all fiber Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) based on cascading a short section of liquid crystal (LC)-filled hollow-optic fiber (HOF) between two single mode fibers by using automatically splicing technique. The transmission spectra of the proposed MZI with different LC-infiltrated length were measured and the temperature-induced wavelength shifts of the interference fringes were recorded. Both blue shift and red shift were observed, depending the temperature range. Based on our experimental results, interference fringe was observed with a maximum interferometric contrast over 35dB. The temperature-induced resonant wavelength blue-shifts 70.4 nm for the MZI with an LC length of 9.79 mm and the wavelength temperature sensitivity of -1.55 nm/°C is easily achieved as the temperature increases from 25°C to 77°C

Australobius polyspinipes sp. n., a new species of Australobius Chamberlin, 1920 (Lithobiomorpha: Lithobiidae) from China

Australobius polyspinipes sp. n. (Lithobiomorpha: Lithobiidae) was recently discovered from Tianheshan Mountain, Hebei Province, China, and it is described here. Morphologically the new species is similar to A. nodulus Ma, Song &Zhu, 2008 and A. magnus (Trozina, 1894), both recorded from China. The new species can be easily distinguished from those by having 7+7–8+8 coxosternal teeth, 10–12 ocelli on each side of the cephalic plate, 5+5 spurs on the first article of the female gonopods and differences in plectrotaxy of legs. The main morphological characters and a key to the known Chinese species of genus Australobius based on adult specimens is presented

Partial wave effects in the heavy quarkonium radiative electromagnetic decays

In a previous paper \cite{Bc}, it was pointed out that the wave functions of all particles are not pure waves, besides the main partial waves, they all contain {other partial waves}. It is very interesting to know what role these different partial waves play in particle transitions. Therefore, by using the Bethe-Salpeter equation method, we study the radiative electromagnetic decays $\psi\rightarrow\gamma\chi_{_{cJ}}$ and $\Upsilon\rightarrow\gamma\chi_{_{bJ}}$ ($J=0,1,2$). We find that for the $S$ and $P$ wave dominated states, like the $\psi(2S)$, $\Upsilon(2S)$, $\chi_{_{cJ}}(1P)$, and $\chi_{_{bJ}}(1P)$ etc., the dominant $S$ and $P$ waves provide main and nonrelativistic contrition to the decays; other partial waves mainly contribute to the relativistic correction. For the states like the $\psi(1D)$, $\Upsilon(2D)$, $\chi_{c2}(1F)$, and $\chi_{b2}(1F)$ etc., they are the $S-P-D$ mixing state dominated by $D$ wave or the $P-D-F$ mixing state dominated by $F$ wave. Large decay widths are found in the transitions $\psi(2D)\to \chi_{c2}(1F)$, $\Upsilon(1D)\to \chi_{bJ}(1P)$, and $\Upsilon(2D)\to \chi_{bJ}(2P)$ etc., which may be helpful to study the missing states $\chi_{c2}(1F)$, $\Upsilon(1D)$, and $\Upsilon(2D)$.Comment: 31 pages, 19 table

The electromagnetic decays of X(3823)X(3823) as the ψ2(13D2)\psi_2(1^{3}D_{2}) state and its radial excited states

We study the electromagnetic (EM) decays of $X(3823)$ as the $\psi_2(1^{3}D_{2})$ state by using the relativistic Bethe-Salpeter method. Our results are $\Gamma[X(3823)\rightarrow\chi_{_{c0}}\gamma]=1.6$ keV, $\Gamma[X(3823)\rightarrow\chi_{_{c1}}\gamma]=265$ keV, $\Gamma[X(3823)\rightarrow\chi_{_{c2}}\gamma]=57$ keV and $\Gamma[X(3823)\rightarrow\eta_{_c}\gamma]=1.3$ keV. The ratio ${\cal B}[X(3823)\rightarrow\chi_{_{c2}}\gamma]/{\cal B}[X(3823)\rightarrow\chi_{_{c1}}\gamma]=0.22$, agrees with the experimental data. Similarly, the EM decay widths of $\psi_{_2}(n^{3}D_{_2})$, $n=2,3$, are predicted, and we find the dominant decays channels are $\psi_{_2}(n^{3}D_{_2})\rightarrow\chi_{_{c1}}(nP)\gamma$, where $n=1,2,3$. The wave function include different partial waves, which means the relativistic effects are considered. We also study the contributions of different partial waves.Comment: 20 pages, 6 figures, 9 table

Temporal change in multimorbidity prevalence, clustering patterns, and the association with mortality: findings from the China Kadoorie Biobank study in Jiangsu Province

Objectives: The characteristics of multimorbidity in the Chinese population are currently unclear. We aimed to determine the temporal change in multimorbidity prevalence, clustering patterns, and the association of multimorbidity with mortality from all causes and four major chronic diseases. Methods: This study analyzed data from the China Kadoorie Biobank study performed in Wuzhong District, Jiangsu Province. A total of 53,269 participants aged 30–79 years were recruited between 2004 and 2008. New diagnoses of 15 chronic diseases and death events were collected during the mean follow-up of 10.9 years. Yule's Q cluster analysis method was used to determine the clustering patterns of multimorbidity. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the associations of multimorbidity with mortalities. Results: The overall multimorbidity prevalence rate was 21.1% at baseline and 27.7% at the end of follow-up. Multimorbidity increased more rapidly during the follow-up in individuals who had a higher risk at baseline. Three main multimorbidity patterns were identified: (i) cardiometabolic multimorbidity (diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, and hypertension), (ii) respiratory multimorbidity (tuberculosis, asthma, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), and (iii) mental, kidney and arthritis multimorbidity (neurasthenia, psychiatric disorders, chronic kidney disease, and rheumatoid arthritis). There were 3,433 deaths during the follow-up. The mortality risk increased by 24% with each additional disease [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.24, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.20–1.29]. Compared with those without multimorbidity at baseline, both cardiometabolic multimorbidity and respiratory multimorbidity were associated with increased mortality from all causes and four major chronic diseases. Cardiometabolic multimorbidity was additionally associated with mortality from cardiovascular diseases and diabetes, with HRs of 2.64 (95% CI = 2.19–3.19) and 28.19 (95% CI = 14.85–53.51), respectively. Respiratory multimorbidity was associated with respiratory disease mortality, with an HR of 9.76 (95% CI = 6.22–15.31). Conclusion: The prevalence of multimorbidity has increased substantially over the past decade. This study has revealed that cardiometabolic multimorbidity and respiratory multimorbidity have significantly increased mortality rates. These findings indicate the need to consider high-risk populations and to provide local evidence for intervention strategies and health management in economically developed regions

Association of healthy lifestyle with incident cardiovascular diseases among hypertensive and normotensive Chinese adults

Background: Whether lifestyle improvement benefits in reducing cardiovascular diseases (CVD) events extend to hypertensive patients and whether these benefits differ between hypertensive and normotensive individuals is unclear. This study aimed to investigate the associations of an overall healthy lifestyle with the subsequent development of CVD among participants with hypertension and normotension. Methods: Using data from the Suzhou subcohort of the China Kadoorie Biobank study of 51,929 participants, this study defined five healthy lifestyle factors as nonsmoking or quitting for reasons other than illness; nonexcessive alcohol intake; relatively higher physical activity level; a relatively healthy diet; and having a standard waist circumference and body mass index. We estimated the associations of these lifestyle factors with CVD, ischemic heart disease (IHD) and ischemic stroke (IS). Results: During a follow-up of 10.1 years, this study documented 6,151 CVD incidence events, 1,304 IHD incidence events, and 2,243 IS incidence events. Compared to those with 0–1 healthy lifestyle factors, HRs for those with 4–5 healthy factors were 0.71 (95% CI: 0.62, 0.81) for CVD, 0.56 (95% CI: 0.42, 0.75) for IHD, and 0.63 (95% CI: 0.51, 0.79) for IS among hypertensive participants. However, we did not observe this association among normotensive participants. Stratified analyses showed that the association between a healthy lifestyle and IHD risk was stronger among younger participants, and the association with IS risk was stronger among hypertensive individuals with lower household incomes. Conclusion: Adherence to a healthy lifestyle pattern is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular diseases among hypertensive patients, but this benefit is not as pronounced among normotensive patients