To explore the effects of celecoxib on pressure overload‐induced cardiac hypertrophy (CH), cardiac dysfunction and explore the possible protective mechanisms. We surgically created abdominal aortic constrictions (AAC) in rats to induce CH. Rats with CH symptoms at 4 weeks after surgery were treated with celecoxib [2 mg/100 g body‐weight(BW)] daily for either 2 or 4 weeks. Survival rate, blood pressure and cardiac function were evaluated after celecoxib treatment. Animals were killed, and cardiac tissue was examined for morphological changes, cardiomyocyte apoptosis, fibrosis, inflammation and oxidative stress. Four weeks after AAC, rats had significantly higher systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressure, greater heart weight and enlarged cardiomyocytes, which were associated with cardiac dysfunction. Thus, the CH model was successfully established. Two weeks later, animals had impaired cardiac function and histopathological abnormalities including enlarged cardiomyocytes and cardiac fibrosis, which were exacerbated 2 weeks later. However, these pathological changes were remarkably prevented by the treatment of celecoxib, independent of preventing hypertension. Mechanistic studies revealed that celecoxib‐induced cardiac protection against CH and cardiac dysfunction was due to inhibition of apoptosis via the murine double mimute 2/P53 pathway, inhibition of inflammation via the AKT/mTOR/NF‐κB pathway and inhibition of oxidative stress via increases in nuclear factor E2‐related factor‐2‐mediated gene expression of multiple antioxidants. Celecoxib suppresses pressure overload‐induced CH by reducing apoptosis, inflammation and oxidative stress.

Background: During an epidemic, both frontline and non-frontline medical staff endure stressful work circumstances that render their mental health a major public health concern. This study aims at investigating and comparing the prevalence and severity of mental health symptoms (i.e., anxiety, depression and insomnia) between frontline medical staff and non-frontline medical staff during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak. It also seeks to evaluate the association of their mental health with occupational stress.Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in Wenzhou, China from 2020 February 16th to 2020 March 2th. A total of 524 medical staff responded to the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale, the Patient Health Questionnaire, the Insomnia Severity Index, the Occupational stress Questionnaire, and a demographic data form. Data were principally analyzed with logistic regression.Results: Of the 524 participants, 31.3% reported depression, 41.2% reported anxiety, and 39.3% reported insomnia. Compared with the citizens during the COVID-19 epidemic, medical staff experienced higher level of anxiety, depression and insomnia, especially the frontline medical staff. Furthermore, male, married medical staff with poorer physical health reported lower mental health. Frontline medical staff endorsed higher self-reported occupational stress, especially higher occupational hazards, than non-frontline medical staff. In addition, four indicators on occupational stress (working intensity, working time, working difficulty and working risk) were correlated positively with mental health symptoms. Regression analyses found a significant association between occupational stress and mental health symptoms in both frontline and non-frontline medical staff during COVID-19 outbreak.Conclusion: The results indicated that during the COVID-19 epidemic, medical staff experienced higher levels of anxiety, depression and insomnia than citizens, and their occupational stress had positive effects on their psychological distress. These findings emphasize the importance of occupational stress management interventions to decrease the risk of developing mental health problems among the medical staff during a biological disaster.

Here, the aim was to evaluate the protective effect of Lactobacillus plantarum-derived postbiotics, i.e., LP-cs, on acute alcoholic liver injury (ALI). After preincubation with LP-cs, HL7702 human hepatocytes were treated with alcohol, and then the cell survival rate was measured. C57BL/6 male mice were presupplemented with or without LP-cs and LP-cs-loaded calcium alginate hydrogel (LP-cs-Gel) for 3 weeks and given 50% alcohol gavage to establish the mouse model of ALI, LP-cs presupplementation, and LP-cs-Gel presupplementation. The histomorphology of the liver and intestines; the levels of serum AST, ALT, lipid, and SOD activity; liver transcriptomics; and the metagenome of intestinal microbiota were detected in all mouse models. In vitro, LP-cs significantly increased the survival rate of alcohol-treated cells. In vivo, presupplementation with LP-cs and LP-cs-Gel restored the levels of serum AST, ALT, and SOD activity, as well as TC and TG, after acute alcohol intake. In the LP-cs-presupplemented mice, the genes involved in fatty acid metabolic processes were upregulated and the genes involved in steroid biosynthesis were downregulated significantly as compared with the ALI mice. LP-cs significantly increased the abundance of intestinal microbiota, especially Akkermansia muciniphila. In conclusion, LP-cs ameliorates ALI by protecting hepatocytes against oxidative damage, thereby, improving lipid metabolism and regulating the intestinal microbiota. The effect of LP-cs-Gel is similar to that of LP-cs.

The outbreak of COVID-19 epidemic has increased work demands for medical staff and has a certain impact on their mental health. The present study aimed to examine the role of perceived stress and social support in explaining the association between the occupational stressors and three mental health symptoms (i.e., anxiety, depression, and insomnia) of frontline medical staff. Five hundred twenty five frontline medical staff were investigated online after the outbreak of the COVID-19 (16 February, 2020–2 March, 2020) in China. The results found that the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and insomnia among frontline medical staff were 39.8, 29.9, and 37.9%, respectively. Occupational stressors were associated with anxiety, depression, and insomnia symptoms. Perceived stress significantly mediated this link. Social support moderated the second half of the indirect effect of occupational stressors on anxiety and depression symptoms. Under the epidemic situation of COVID-19, for frontline medical staff, high perceived stress and low social support may increase vulnerability for mental health symptoms triggered by occupational stressors. Thus, improving the social support and promoting the cognitive reappraisal of perceived stress may help to maintain mental health among medical staff.

Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2D) is a metabolic dysfunction disease that causes several complications. Liver injury is one of these that severely affects patients with diabetes. Fibroblast growth factor 1 (FGF1) has glucose-lowering activity and plays a role in modulation of several liver injuries. Nevertheless, the effects and potential mechanisms of FGF1 against diabetes-induced liver injury are unknown. Methods: To further investigate the effect of FGF1 on diabetic liver injury, we divided db/db mice into two groups and intraperitoneally (i.p.) injected either with FGF1 at 0.5 mg/kg body weight or saline every other day for 4 weeks. Then body weights were measured. Serum and liver tissues were collected for biochemical and molecular analyses. Results: FGF1 significantly reduced blood glucose and ameliorated diabetes-induced liver steatosis, fibrosis, and apoptosis. FGF1 also restored defective hepatic autophagy in db/db mice. Mechanistic investigations showed that diabetes markedly induced oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress and that FGF1 treatment significantly attenuated these effects. Conclusions: FGF1-associated glucose level reduction and amelioration of cellular stress are potential protective effects of FGF1 against diabetes-induced liver injury.

Objective: The study aimed to investigate the relationship between cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) metal ions and anxiety, depression, and insomnia among cigarette smokers.Methods: We measured CSF levels of various metal ions from 178 Chinese male subjects. Apart from sociodemographic and clinical characteristics data, the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND), Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), Self‐Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) were applied.Results: BDI and PSQI scores (all p < 0.001) were significantly higher in active smokers than nonsmokers. Active smokers have significantly higher CSF levels of magnesium, zinc, iron, lead, lithium, and aluminum (all p ≤ 0.002). Some metal ions, including zinc, iron, lead, and aluminum, were found to have a significant correlation with BDI scores, whereas metal ions, including zinc and lead, were found to have a significant correlation with PSQI scores in the general group. More interesting, mediation analysis showed that aluminum mediated the relationship between smoking and depression.Conclusions: Cigarette smoking was indeed associated with depression and insomnia. Active smokers had significantly higher CSF levels of magnesium, zinc, iron, lead, lithium, and aluminum. Furthermore, CSF aluminum played a mediating role in the relationship between smoking and depression, which further confirmed its neurotoxicity.