UNASSIGNED: Although the negative impact of smoking and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) on depression has been confirmed in various studies, There has been little exploration of how HRQoL mediates the relationship between smoking and depression. The purpose of the current study was to examine the relationship between smoking and depression in the Chinese current smokers with nicotine dependence and the mediating role of HRQoL.
UNASSIGNED: A cross-sectional study named \"Psychology and Behavior Investigation of Chinese Residents\" was conducted from July 10 to September 15, 2021 in China. Nicotine dependence, HRQoL and depression were measured by Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND), the European Five Dimensional Five Level Health scale (EQ-5D-5L) and the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) respectively. Information on age, gender, place of residence, household registration, education level, marital status, employment status, average family monthly income, drinking frequency, living status, BMI, multiple chronic conditions were also collected. Pearson\'s correlation test and logistic regression analysis were conducted to explore the association between nicotine dependence, HRQoL and depression and a mediation analysis was applied to explore the mediating effect of the HRQoL on this relationship.
UNASSIGNED: A total of 1,381 current smokers were included in the study. The participants showed a moderate level of nicotine dependence with a mean of 1.36(SD=1.50), a relatively high level of HRQoL scores (Mean=0.94, SD=0.13), and a depression score with a mean of 6.48(SD=6.09). Approximately 22.74% (314/1,381) of the participants were considered to indicate depression. In the univariable regression model, it was found that nicotine dependence was positively associated with depression (OR:1.094, 95%CI: 1.008-1.187), while HRQoL was negatively associated with depression (OR:0.011, 95%CI: 0.004-0.033). In the multivariable regression model, HRQoL was still notably associated with depression (OR:0.008, 95%CI: 0.002-0.027), however, the positive association was not observed between nicotine dependence and depression. The Pearson\'s correlation test demonstrated that nicotine dependence was negatively correlated with HRQoL(rs= -0.147, P<0.001) and HRQoL was negatively correlated with depression(rs= -0.275, P<0.001). In contrast, nicotine dependence was positively correlated with depression(rs= 0.136, P<0.001). Mediation analysis found that HRQoL moderated the relationship between nicotine dependence and depression with a mediating effect of 26.49%.
UNASSIGNED: The findings support that nicotine dependence is positively associated with depression and HRQoL is negatively associated with depression in current smokers. HRQoL mediated the relationship between nicotine dependence and depression. The well-established imperative interventions aimed at promoting smoking cessation and improving quality of life may benefit for alleviation of depression in current smokers.

The Mediator complex is a multisubunit transcription coregulator that transfers regulatory signals from different transcription factors to RNA polymerase II (Pol II) to control Pol II-dependent transcription in eukaryotes. Studies on Arabidopsis Mediator subunits have revealed their unique or overlapping functions in various aspects of plant growth, stress adaptation and metabolite homeostasis. Therefore, the utilization of the plant Mediator complex for crop improvement has been of great interest. Advances in genome editing and sequencing techniques have expedited the characterization of Mediator subunits in economically important crops such as tomato, rice, wheat, soybean, sugarcane, pea, chickpea, rapeseed and hop. In this review, we summarize recent progress in understanding the molecular mechanisms of how the Mediator complex regulates crop growth, development and adaptation to environmental stress. We also discuss the conserved and diverse functions of the Mediator complex in different plant species. In addition, we propose several future research directions to deepen our understanding of the important roles of Mediator subunits and their interacting proteins, which would provide promising targets for genetic modification to develop new cultivars with desirable agronomic traits.

UNASSIGNED: The immune response regulates the severity of COVID-19 (sCOVID-19). This study examined the cause-and-effect relationship between immune cell traits (ICTs) and the risk of severe COVID-19. Additionally, we discovered the potential role of plasma metabolome in modulating this risk.
UNASSIGNED: Employing data from a genome-wide association study (GWAS), we conducted a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) assessment of 731 genetic ICTs and sCOVID-19 (5,101 cases, 1,383,241 controls) incidence. The MR analysis was utilized to further quantitate the degree of plasma metabolome-mediated regulation of immune traits in sCOVID-19.
UNASSIGNED: The inverse variance weighted method recognized 2 plasma metabolites (PMs) responsible for casual associations between immune cells and sCOVID-19 risk. These included Tridecenedioate (C13:1-DC) which regulated the association between CD27 on IgD- CD38br (OR 0.804, 95% CI 0.699-0.925, p = 0.002) and sCOVID-19 risk (mediated proportion: 18.7%); arginine to citrulline ratio which controlled the relationship of CD39 on monocyte (OR 1.053, 95% CI 1.013-1.094, p = 0.009) with sCOVID-19 risk (mediated proportion: -7.11%). No strong evidence that genetically predicted sCOVID-19 influenced the aforementioned immune traits.
UNASSIGNED: In this study, we have successfully identified a cause-and-effect relationship between certain ICTs, PMs, and the likelihood of contracting severe COVID-19. Our findings can potentially improve the accuracy of COVID-19 prognostic evaluation and provide valuable insights into the underlying mechanisms of the disease.

The electrochemical hydrogenation (e-hydrogenation) of unsaturated compounds like imines or carbonyls presents a benign reduction method. It enables direct use of electrons as reducing agent, water as proton source, while bypassing the need for elevated temperatures or pressures. In this contribution, we discuss the nature of active sites in electrocatalytic reductive amination with the transformation of acetone and methylamine as model reaction. Surprisingly, lead impurities in the ppm-range proved to possess a significant effect in e-hydrogenation. Accordingly, the influence of applied potential and cathode material in presence of 1 ppm Pb was investigated. Finally, we transferred the insights to the reduction of acetone manifesting comparable observations as for imine reduction. The results suggest that previous studies on electrochemical reduction in the presence of lead electrodes should be re-evaluated.

BACKGROUND: Drug addiction is a significant public health concern, and aggression is common among people with drug addiction. Despite mounting evidence showing that the Dark Triad is a risk factor for aggression, the mediating and moderating mechanisms underlying this relationship are less known. This study tested the mediation effect of self-control in the association between the Dark Triad and aggression and whether this mediation was moderated by physical exercise.
METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in two compulsory drug rehabilitation centers in Nanning, China. A convenience sample of 564 drug abstainers completed a questionnaire to assess their Dark Triad, self-control, aggression, and physical exercise levels. Mediation and moderation analyses were carried out in SPSS macro-PROCESS.
RESULTS: Self-control partially mediated the positive association between the Dark Triad and aggression. Physical exercise moderated the indirect effect of the Dark Triad on aggression via self-control, with the effect decreasing with the increase in physical exercise levels.
CONCLUSIONS: This study offers fresh insights into the underlying mediating and moderating mechanisms between the Dark Triad and aggression. The findings provide important practical implications for future intervention and prevention programs to address aggression among drug abstainers, which may be realized through strengthening self-control and physical exercise.

UNASSIGNED: Diabetes complications are prevalent in people with diabetes, causing considerable individual suffering and increased health costs. However, the relationships of multidimensional, modifiable, and nonmodifiable factors to diabetes complications and the role of diabetes distress have been rarely examined.
UNASSIGNED: The aims of this study were to examine the associations of age, sex, knowledge, self-efficacy, self-compassion, resilience, self-esteem, depressive symptoms, diabetes distress, social support, and body mass index with diabetes complications and to investigate the mediating role of diabetes distress.
UNASSIGNED: In this cross-sectional, correlational study, data on all study variables were collected from 148 people with diabetes through REDCap in 2023. Multiple regression analysis and the PROCESS macro for SPSS were used to address the aims.
UNASSIGNED: Older age and higher levels of diabetes distress were associated with more diabetes complications. Depressive symptoms were associated with diabetes distress; and diabetes distress, but not depressive symptoms, was associated with diabetes complications, controlling for all other variables.
UNASSIGNED: Depressive symptoms and diabetes distress were directly or indirectly associated with diabetes complications, and diabetes distress was a mediator in the relationship between depressive symptoms and diabetes complications. Health care providers can target reduction of depressive symptoms and diabetes distress to reduce diabetes complications.

UNASSIGNED: Suicidal ideation is a pressing public health concern, particularly among adolescents. The objective of this study was to examine the prevalence of and factors associated with suicidal ideation in Chinese adolescents, addressing an important gap in current research.
UNASSIGNED: This study employed an online survey of 3443 adolescents in Lianyungang, using a cross-sectional design. The assessment included the use of the Patient Health Questionnaire-9, the seven-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder instrument, and the Perceived Social Support Scale to evaluate suicidal ideation, anxiety symptoms, and social support in adolescents, respectively.
UNASSIGNED: In adolescents, the prevalence of suicidal ideation was 22.1%, with a significantly higher proportion among female adolescents than among males (27.9% vs 16.9%, P < 0.001). Binary regression analysis identified (OR = 1.788, 95% CI: 1.467-2.177, P < 0.001), anxiety symptoms (OR = 10.035, 95% CI: 7.441-13.534, P < 0.001), total PHQ-9 scores of mothers (OR = 1.040, 95%CI: 1.003 - 1.078, P = 0.034), total GAD-7 scores of mothers (OR = 0.958, 95%CI: 0.919 - 0.998, P = 0.039), and moderate parental relationships (OR = 2.042, 95% CI: 1.630-2.557, P < 0.001) to be risk factors for suicidal ideation; family support was a protective factor (OR = 0.888, 95% CI: 0.859-0.918, P < 0.001). Furthermore, family support partially mediates the relationship between anxiety symptoms and suicidal ideation among adolescents (9.28%).
UNASSIGNED: This study highlights high adolescent suicidal ideation rates and recommends gender-specific interventions, anxiety management, and family support for improvement in mental health status.

OBJECTIVE: Heart failure (HF) is a global health issue, with lipid metabolism and inflammation critically implicated in its progression. This study harnesses cutting-edge, expanded genetic information for lipid and inflammatory protein profiles, employing Mendelian randomization (MR) to uncover genetic risk factors for HF.
METHODS: We assessed genetic susceptibility to HF across 179 lipidomes and 91 inflammatory proteins using instrumental variables (IVs) from recent genome-wide association studies (GWASs) and proteome-wide quantitative trait loci (pQTL) studies. GWASs involving 47 309 HF cases and 930 014 controls were obtained from the Heart Failure Molecular Epidemiology for Therapeutic Targets (HERMES) Consortium. Data on 179 lipids from 7174 individuals in a Finnish cohort and 91 inflammatory proteins from a European pQTL study involving 14 824 individuals are available in the HGRI-EBI catalogue. A two-sample MR approach evaluated the associations, and a two-step mediation analysis explored the mediation role of inflammatory proteins in the lipid-HF pathway. Sensitivity analyses, including MR-RAPS (robust adjusted profile score) and MR-Egger, ensured result robustness.
RESULTS: Genetic IVs for 162 lipids and 74 inflammatory proteins were successfully identified. MR analysis revealed a genetic association between HF and 31 lipids. Among them, 18 lipids, including sterol ester (27:1/18:0), cholesterol, 9 phosphatidylcholines, phosphatidylinositol (16:0_20:4) and 6 triacylglycerols, were identified as HF risk factors [odds ratio (OR) = 1.037-1.368]. Cholesterol exhibited the most significant association with elevated HF risk [OR = 1.368, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.044-1.794, P = 0.023]. In the inflammatory proteome, leukaemia inhibitory factor receptor (OR = 0.841, 95% CI = 0.789-0.897, P = 1.08E-07), fibroblast growth factor 19 (OR = 0.905, 95% CI = 0.830-0.988, P = 0.025) and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (OR = 0.938, 95% CI = 0.886-0.994, P = 0.030) were causally negatively correlated with HF, whereas interleukin-20 receptor subunit alpha (OR = 1.333, 95% CI = 1.094-1.625, P = 0.004) was causally positively correlated with HF. Mediation analysis revealed leukaemia inhibitory factor receptor (mediation proportion: 23.5%-25.2%) and urokinase-type plasminogen activator (mediation proportion: 9.5%-10.7%) as intermediaries in the lipid-inflammation-HF pathway. No evidence of directional horizontal pleiotropy was observed (P > 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: This study identifies a genetic connection between certain lipids, particularly cholesterol, and HF, highlighting inflammatory proteins that influence HF risk and mediate this relationship, suggesting new therapeutic targets and insights into genetic drivers in HF.

We describe a time-resolved nascent single-cell RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) approach that measures gene-specific transcriptional noise and the fraction of active genes in S. cerevisiae. Most genes are expressed with near-constitutive behavior, while a subset of genes show high mRNA variance suggestive of transcription bursting. Transcriptional noise is highest in the cofactor/coactivator-redundant (CR) gene class (dependent on both SAGA and TFIID) and strongest in TATA-containing CR genes. Using this approach, we also find that histone gene transcription switches from a low-level, low-noise constitutive mode during M and M/G1 to an activated state in S phase that shows both an increase in the fraction of active promoters and a switch to a noisy and bursty transcription mode. Rapid depletion of cofactors SAGA and MED Tail indicates that both factors play an important role in stimulating the fraction of active promoters at CR genes, with a more modest role in transcriptional noise.

Research consistently demonstrates a positive association between dispositional optimism (DO) and subjective well-being (SWB). This study takes a step forward by exploring potential mechanisms underlying this relationship, with a specific focus on the mediating role of mindful self-care (MSC). We conducted a cross-sectional online survey involving 312 Singaporean adults. Participants completed questionnaires assessing their DO, MSC practices, and overall SWB. Our findings confirmed a significant link between DO and SWB, with individuals exhibiting higher optimism reporting greater well-being. Importantly, the relationship was mediated by MSC, suggesting that optimism motivates individuals to engage in MSC practices, which in turn, enhances SWB. Moreover, DO was linked to all SWB subcomponents, even after controlling for MSC as a mediator. Among the six MSC facets, self-compassion and purpose, supportive relationships, and mindful awareness emerged as significant mediators. This study adds to the growing body of evidence recognizing the positive role of DO and MSC in improving well-being outcomes. It highlights the potential of interventions aimed at cultivating optimism as a promising approach for enhancing mindful self-care practices and ultimately promoting well-being in adults.