Adolescent neighborhood quality predicts adult dACC response to social exclusion

Neuroimaging studies using the social-exclusion paradigm Cyberball indicate increased dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) and right insula activity as a function of exclusion. However, comparatively less work has been done on how social status factors may moderate this finding. This study used the Cyberball paradigm with 85 (45 females) socio-economically diverse participants from a larger longitudinal sample. We tested whether neighborhood quality during adolescence would predict subsequent neural responding to social exclusion in young adulthood. Given previous behavioral studies indicating greater social vigilance and negative evaluation as a function of lower status, we expected that lower adolescent neighborhood quality would predict greater dACC activity during exclusion at young adulthood. Our findings indicate that young adults who lived in low-quality neighborhoods in adolescence showed greater dACC activity to social exclusion than those who lived in higher quality neighborhoods. Lower neighborhood quality also predicted greater prefrontal activation in the superior frontal gyrus, dorsal medial prefrontal cortex and the middle frontal gyrus, possibly indicating greater regulatory effort. Finally, this effect was not driven by subsequent ratings of distress during exclusion. In sum, adolescent neighborhood quality appears to potentiate neural responses to social exclusion in young adulthood, effects that are independent of felt distress.     

Ethyl lactate as a potential green solvent to extract hydrophilic (polar) and lipophilic (non-polar) phytonutrients simultaneously from fruit and vegetable by-products

Phytonutrients extracted from natural resources are receiving much attention among researchers due to their highly antioxidative characteristics which prevent several degenerative diseases including cardiovascular diseases and cancers. These nutraceutical compounds can be used in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic products as natural antioxidants, preservatives, colourants and functional foods. Huge volume of food wastes are generated from the processing industry and these low-value food residues are rich in various phytonutrients worth recovering. This approach of valorisation reduces the generation of food wastes and is cost-effective considering the cheap feedstock, reduced waste management expenses and high market value of extracted compounds. In light of the health and safety risks posed by commonly used organic extraction solvents derived from the petrochemical industry, there is a need to recover the phytonutrients using green, sustainable and efficient solvents that are safe for human consumption. This work discusses ethyl lactate as a safe, green, efficient and potentially cheap solvent to recover phytonutrients from fruit and vegetable by-products. Ethyl lactate is compared with other organic solvents commonly used from the aspects of safety, environmental impacts and efficiency. Current challenges when employing ethyl lactate are also discussed.     

Aloe‐emodin: A review of its pharmacology,toxicity, and pharmacokinetics

Aloe‐emodin is a naturally anthraquinone derivative and an active ingredient of Chinese herbs, such as Cassia occidentalis, Rheum palmatum L., Aloe vera, and Polygonum multiflorum Thunb. Emerging evidence suggests that aloe‐emodin exhibits many pharmacological effects, including anticancer, antivirus, anti‐inflammatory, antibacterial, antiparasitic, neuroprotective, and hepatoprotective activities. These pharmacological properties lay the foundation for the treatment of various diseases, including influenza virus, inflammation, sepsis, Alzheimer's disease, glaucoma, malaria, liver fibrosis, psoriasis, Type 2 diabetes, growth disorders, and several types of cancers. However, an increasing number of published studies have reported adverse effects of aloe‐emodin. The primary toxicity among these reports is hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity, which are of wide concern worldwide. Pharmacokinetic studies have demonstrated that aloe‐emodin has a poor intestinal absorption, short elimination half‐life, and low bioavailability. This review aims to provide a comprehensive summary of the pharmacology, toxicity, and pharmacokinetics of aloe‐emodin reported to date with an emphasis on its biological properties and mechanisms of action.     

临床医学专业“5+3”一体化本科全程导师制创新人才培养的实践与探索

以培养创新型人才为目标，大连医科大学制定实施了“5+3”创新人才培养改革方案，以导师制培养为载体，在医学本科教育全过程中，制定分阶段创新能力培养体系，涵盖课程、讲座、实验设计、论文等基本科研能力训练，强化本科生科研能力培养。通过对首届“5+3”学生阶段性培养成果的统计学分析发现，“5+3”学生发表中文期刊、SCI，主持国家级创新项目、省级创新项目的比例均显著高于普通5年制学生，差异具有统计学意义（P<0.05）。虽然实施过程中存在一些问题和不足，但以导师制为核心的科研基础训练对提高学生科研思维和创新能力效果显著，对培养医学创新型人才具有可实施性。     

硬膜外麻醉与椎旁神经阻滞非气管插管单孔胸腔镜手术效果比较

目的比较硬膜外麻醉与椎旁神经阻滞非气管插管单孔胸腔镜手术的效果。方法选择2017年11月至2019年6月锦州医科大学附属第一医院收治的45例采用非气管插管麻醉单孔胸腔镜手术的肺部良恶性肿瘤患者,采用随机数字表法分为椎旁神经阻滞组(22例)与硬膜外麻醉组(23例)。麻醉诱导前,椎旁神经阻滞组均于超声引导下阻滞胸3~6棘突旁神经根;硬膜外麻醉组均于胸6~7或7~8间隙行硬膜外穿刺置管麻醉。比较两组手术时间、术中出血量、术后定向力恢复时间、下床活动时间、带管时间、出院时间及相关并发症。结果两组患者手术时间、术中出血量差异均无统计学意义(均P>0.05)。与硬膜外麻醉组相比,椎旁神经阻滞组术后定向力恢复时间[(7.22±2.20)min比(18.80±5.06)min]、下床活动时间[(11.45±3.01)h比(21.90±4.61)h]、带管时间[(2.77±0.81)d比(5.47±1.31)d]、出院时间[(3.68±0.84)d比(6.17±1.03)d]均缩短,两组差异均有统计学意义(t值分别为-9.874、-8.763、-8.282、-7.594,均P<0.05)。椎旁神经阻滞组术后未发生低氧血症、低血压、肺部并发症、恶心、呕吐、尿潴留等相关并发症。结论非气管插管单孔胸腔镜手术中采用椎旁神经阻滞术后恢复快、并发症少,临床上可优先选择,有助于快速康复。