Glucocorticoid Regulates the Synthesis of Porcine Muscle Protein through m6A Modified Amino Acid Transporter SLC7A7

The occurrence of stress is unavoidable in the process of livestock production, and prolonged stress will cause the decrease of livestock productivity. The stress response is mainly regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPA axis), which produces a large amount of stress hormones, namely glucocorticoids (GCs), and generates a severe impact on the energy metabolism of the animal body. It is reported that m6A modification plays an important role in the regulation of stress response and also participates in the process of muscle growth and development. In this study, we explored the effect of GCs on the protein synthesis procession of porcine skeletal muscle cells (PSCs). We prove that dexamethasone affects the expression of SLC7A7, a main amino acid transporter for protein synthesis by affecting the level of m6A modification in PSCs. In addition, we find that SLC7A7 affects the level of PSC protein synthesis by regulating the conduction of the mTOR signaling pathway, which indicates that the reduction of SLC7A7 expression may alleviate the level of protein synthesis under stress conditions.

MicroRNA-124 Attenuates PTSD-like Behaviors and Reduces the Level of Inflammatory Cytokines by Downregulating the Expression of TRAF6 in the Hippocampus of Rats Following Single-prolonged Stress

BackgroundMicroRNA-124-3p (miR-124) plays an important role in neuroprotective functions in various neurological disorders, but whether miR-124 participates in the pathological progression of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) remains poorly understood. MethodsIn the present study, we evaluated the level of neuroinflammation in the hippocampus of rats exposed to single-prolonged stress (SPS) by western blot and immunofluorescence staining, while the effect of miR-124 on PTSD-like behaviors was evaluated by behavioral test. ResultsOur results demonstrated that the level of miR-124 in the hippocampus of rats exposed to SPS was downregulated and that the upregulation of miR-124 could alleviate the PTSD-like behaviors of SPS rats. This effect of miR-124 might be achieved through TNF receptor-associated Factor 6 (TRAF6), which is a target gene of miR-124 and plays an important role in the immune and inflammatory reaction by regulating nuclear factor kappa-B (NF-κB). Furthermore, we found that miR-124 not only decreased the level of proinflammatory cytokines but also increased the expression levels of synaptic proteins (PSD95 and synapsin I) and regulated the morphology of neurons. ConclusionThese results suggested that miR-124 might attenuate PTSD-like behaviors and decrease the level of proinflammatory cytokines by downregulating the expression of TRAF6 in the hippocampus of rats exposed to SPS.

Measuring the Impact of Operational Stress: The Relevance of Assessing Stress-related Health Across the Deployment Cycle

ABSTRACT Introduction Mental health issues from intense or prolonged stress are a common concern in regard to military deployment. Deployments can objectively vary in stress exposure, but it is the individuals’ perception of that stress that affects sustainability, mental health, and combat fitness, which calls for the need of a protocol to evaluate and maintain a current estimation of stress impact. So, how can we assess the impact of stressors during different phases of deployment? Materials and Methods We used three psychological self-rating forms, the PSS14—Perceived Stress Scale, SMBM—Shirom Melamed Burnout Measure, and KSQ—Karolinska Sleep Questionnaire, to measure the impact of stress before (T1), during (T2), and at homecoming (T3). We also wanted to see if T1 or T2 results could predict T3 results to be able to better prepare the homecoming program.The forms were handed out to Swedish soldiers deployed in Mali in 2017. The forms were collected as a way to assess the status of the mental health load at three timepoints based on the personnel function as a way to assess the current “psychological fitness level”. Results The results show that stress measured using PSS14 was high at homecoming. The same result was observed for SMBM. No measures from T1 or T2 could however predict the T3 results. Conclusions Taken together, we found that screening of all contingent staff is relatively easy and provides personnel with relevant data on mental health and stress at the current time. We also found that test results correlated between T1 and T2 but not with T3. This indicates that there might be different stressors that affect staff at different timepoints.

Daily Optogenetic Stimulation of the Left Infralimbic Cortex Reverses Extinction Impairments in Male Rats Exposed to Single Prolonged Stress

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is associated with decreased activity in the prefrontal cortex. PTSD-like pathophysiology and behaviors have been observed in rodents exposed to a single prolonged stress (SPS) procedure. When animals are left alone for 7 days after SPS treatment, they show increased anxiety-like behavior and impaired extinction of conditioned fear, and reduced activity in the prefrontal cortex. Here, we tested the hypothesis that daily optogenetic stimulation of the infralimbic region (IL) of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) during the 7 days after SPS would reverse SPS effects on anxiety and fear extinction. Male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent SPS and then received daily optogenetic stimulation (20 Hz, 2 s trains, every 10 s for 15 min/day) of glutamatergic neurons of the left or right IL for seven days. After this incubation period, rats were tested in the elevated plus-maze (EPM). Twenty-four hours after the EPM test, rats underwent auditory fear conditioning (AFC), extinction training and a retention test. SPS increased anxiety-like behavior in the EPM task and produced a profound impairment in extinction of AFC. Optogenetic stimulation of the left IL, but not right, during the 7-day incubation period reversed the extinction impairment. Optogenetic stimulation did not reverse the increased anxiety-like behavior, suggesting that the extinction effects are not due to a treatment-induced reduction in anxiety. Results indicate that increased activity of the left IL after traumatic experiences can prevent development of extinction impairments. These findings suggest that non-invasive brain stimulation may be a useful tool for preventing maladaptive responses to trauma.

Blended Counselling as a Solution for the Development of Mental Health and Understanding Herd immunity for Society

The Covid-19 (C-19) pandemic has had a significant impact on the mental health of individuals around the world. Society needs an end to the C-19 pandemic through the state of its herd immunity (HI). Significant roles counsellors in developing herd immunity and then mental health with a blended counselling strategy. This paper aims to design a counselling mix to create mental health and an understanding of herd immunity in the community. The results of the community data are fear, anxiety, anger, insomnia, and prolonged stress as a form of mental health of the community because it is socially and economically constrained. The length of time for the formation of herd immunity to prevent the C-19 pandemic is because people are worried and doubtful about vaccinations so that vaccines appear or do not trust. Significant roles counsellors in the formation of mental health through integrated counselling The implementation of face-to-face and online counselling allows the community to be more flexible and intensive according to conditions in the construction of mental health C-19 pandemic condition and post-C-19 preparations. Blended counselling as an intervention for the community in understanding herd immunity as a form supported the end of the C-19 pandemic. Integrated counselling requires the joint efforts of various relevant organizations for the science and practice of psychotherapy, psychiatry, and counsellor.

A case of catatonia in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic: does autism spectrum matter?

Background There is growing concern about the psychopathological consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. The prolonged stress due to the spreading fear of the contagion and to the enforced containment measures are deemed to trigger recurrences of preexisting mental disorders as well as the onset of new ones. From such perspective, clinical cases may be of primary ground to identify individual features and pandemic-related factors predisposing to the development of serious psychiatric symptoms. Case presentation Mr. R. is a 64-year-old, married, unemployed man, whose premorbid personality was characterized by relevant autistic traits. The patient developed catatonia in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed at discussing the role of both preexisting and precipitating factors. Conclusions Autism spectrum could represent a predisposing factor for severe psychopathological outcome and catatonia. Furthermore, the present clinical case highlights the role of COVID-19 pandemic in influencing physical and mental health.

Mental Health Support Measures for Medical Professionals in the Context of COVID-19 Pandemic: Global and Domestic Experience

A new coronavirus infection COVID-19 has been declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO). Medical professionals, who play the leading role in the fight against the spread of the dangerous virus, work under conditions of high and prolonged stress. There is an urgent need for psychologists to intervene and to develop support measures for medical professionals to maintain and to preserve their mental health. In connection with the need to determine the state of mental health of medical professionals and to assess international and domestic experience in the implementation of measures to support it, the analysis of scientific publications for 2020, devoted to the issue of mental health of medical workers in the pandemic COVID-19 was conducted. The conclusion is made that the organization of psychological help and psychological support as well as positive world experience of the realized measures of support will allow to keep mental health of medical professionals during the pandemic.

An Advanced Transcriptional Response to Corticosterone After Single Prolonged Stress in Male Rats

Stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders are often accompanied by dysfunction of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. In patients suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), increased sensitivity of glucocorticoid negative feedback has regularly been observed. The single prolonged stress (SPS) paradigm was developed to model increased negative feedback and other aspects of PTSD in rats. In this study, we used a setup that precluded the evaluation of negative feedback but rather served to test the hypothesis of the enhanced glucocorticoid receptor (GR) signaling in higher brain areas. We injected corticosterone or vehicle 7 days after SPS and evaluated plasma corticosterone, as well as gene expression in the dorsal hippocampus and amygdala. We observed a strikingly rapid change in the expression of established GR target genes (t = 30 min) only in the SPS group on exogenous corticosterone injection. Our results extend the notion of increased GR sensitivity in PTSD to include transcriptional responses in the hippocampus.

Menyoal Gangguan Kesehatan Mental Deviasi Seksual Fetish

This article aims to explain a dangerous form of sexual deviation where the perpetrator uses sexual gratification with sexually oriented inanimate or inanimate objects known as fetishes. Fetish behavior is a form of sexual deviation where the sexual activity carried out is carried out improperly to get sexual pleasure. This deviant behavior is very dangerous, because the perpetrators tend to use sexual objects that are unnatural or abnormal. Deviant sexual behavior if not above will lead to sexual behavior that is growing and even leads to prolonged stress. This is because the perpetrators cannot channel their deviant sexual desires and also have an impact on a person's mental health disorder. The research method used in writing this journal is a literature study based on case studies. The results of the analysis obtained data that fetish sexual deviation behavior in mental health can be treated through Islamic therapy to suppress deviations committed by perpetrators.