Lack Of Reward Research Articles

Link Between Migration Status and Occupational Health and Safety of Filipino Migrant Workers in South Korea

With its offer of competitive compensation and attractive employment permit system (EPS), South Korea has recently experienced an influx of migrant workers. There has been a concomitant rise in the concerns about the health and safety of migrant (especially undocumented) workers as well. The purpose of this study was to identify the prevalence of work-related health and safety problems among Filipino migrant workers and determine the relationship between migration status and occupational health and safety (OHS) problems. We conducted a survey of 116 Filipino migrant workers, both legal and undocumented. We utilized the Korean Occupational Stress Scale (KOSS), Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ), and a validated health and safety questionnaire to assess the various forms of occupational health problems they face. A focus group discussion (FGD) was also conducted to cross-validate information from the questionnaire. Descriptive data were presented in percentages, mean, and standard deviation (SD). Chi-squares tests and logistic regression analyses were performed to estimate the degree of association between variables (P < 0.05). Among the eight subscales of KOSS, inadequate social support (2.48), organizational injustice (2.57), and lack of reward (2.52) were experienced by workers. There was a 44.83% prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) with the arm/elbow having the highest rate, followed by the shoulder and low back regions. Inadequate social support and discomfort in organizational climate and overall MSDs prevalence showed significant relationships with migration status (P < 0.05). A significant relationship between migration status and some of the OHS problems faced by Filipino migrant workers in Korea was observed. In this study, undocumented workers were seen to be more vulnerable to stressors as compared to those employed legally.

Molecular mechanism of reward treatment ameliorating chronic stress-induced depressive-like behavior assessed by sequencing miRNA and mRNA in medial prefrontal cortex

Chronic stress and lack of reward may reduce the function of the brain’s reward circuits, leading to major depressive disorder. The effect of reward treatment on chronic stress-induced depression-like behaviors and its molecular mechanism in the brain remain unclear. In this study, companion communication was used as a reward to study the effect of reward on CUMS-induced depression-like behaviors, and mRNA and miRNA profiles in the medial prefrontal cortex harvested from mice with depression-like and resilient behaviors were established by high-throughput sequencing. The results showed that accompanying with companion ameliorated CUMS-induced depression-like behaviors in mice. Furthermore, 45 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with depression-like behaviors, 8 DEGs associated with resilience and 59 DEGs associated with nature reward (companion) were identified, and 196 differentially expressed miRNAs were found to be associated with companion. Based on the differentially expressed miRNAs and DEGs data, miRNA-mRNA network was established to be associated with companion. Taken together, our data here provided a method to ameliorate depression-like behaviors, and numerous potential drug targets for the prevention or treatment of depression.

An Analysis of Students’ Difficulties in Listening Comprehension: A Descriptive Study at English Language and Literature Department FBS UNP

This research was aimed to find out the difficulties that mostly faced by students in listening comprehension and the factors which cause the difficulties at English language and literature department FBS UNP. This study employed descriptive qualitative research method. The subjects of this research were K-2 Class which consists of 32 students selected by using cluster sampling technique. The data was collected from questionnaire and interview. The researcher distributed the questionnaire to all members of the class. After that, the researcher chose six students to be interviewed. The results of this study showed that the difficulties that the students faced in listening comprehension were related into three categories, they were the listening material, the listener, and the physical setting. Besides, the factors which cause students’ difficulties in listening comprehension were depend on others, shame to ask the lecturer about the material, having emotional disturbances, the lecturer explains the material too quickly, lack of reward and reinforcement, and unfocused.

Pengaruh Asimetri Informasi Dan Ketaatan Aturan Akuntansi Terhadap Kecenderungan Kecurangan Akuntansi Di Pemerintahan Kota Payakumbuh

Accounting fraud occurred in the form of misstatement of financial statements, abuse of authority by rejecting information by accounting management in the government. This study aims to determine the effect of asymmetric information and compliance with accounting rules on accounting fraud in the Payakumbuh city government. The sample of 124 respondents was determined by proportional stratified random sampling consisting of direct or indirect Echelon II, III and IV accounting managers. Data were analyzed using multiple regression formulas with the help of the SPSS application for windows. This study concludes that information asymmetry and significant positive influence means increasing the likelihood of fraud. Whereas adherence to accounting rules does not affect accounting fraud due to lack of rewards and penalties for accounting managers from implementing the established rules.

Perceived Organizational Support Predicts Emotional Labor Among Nurses

Background: Nursing is among the various occupations that require management of emotions according to the job demands. Emotional labor and lack of reward are the main sources of mental health outcomes among the nurses. It is very important that more researches, which contemplate the emotional labor importance and unfavorable mental health effects, be carried out. 
 Aim: This study was aimed to investigate the effect of perceived organizational Support on emotional labor among nurses.
 Method: The present study was a correlational study, consist of 200 nurses both Male nurses (N=100) and Females nurses (N=100), from different hospitals and clinics. Age ranged from 20 to 51 years (M= 30.50; S.D= 4.40). Data of the study was collected through convenient sampling technique. Participants were assessed by Shorten Version of Survey of Perceived Organizational Support (Eisenberger et al, 1986) in order to measure perceived organizational support and Dutch Questionnaire on Emotional Labor (D-QEL) (Näring, Briët, & Brouwers, 2007) in order to assess emotional labor. 
 Results: The results revealed that perceived organizational support significantly predicts emotional labor. By improving the perception of organizational support among nurses, the experience of emotional labor can be reduced. 
 Conclusion: The purpose of the present study was to develop a health-care model of emotional labor which could help the organizations to understand the role of perceived organizational support on the reactions to the strain of the emotional labor. The present study revealed that perceived organizational support is a significant predictor of emotional labor. Informal types of organizational support (e.g., a perception that the organization is concerned with one's personal life) are important for expatriate success, and should be incorporated into expatriate programs.

A systematic review on the effect of work-related stressors on mental health of young workers.

There is no review on the effect of work-related stressors on mental health of young workers. We systematically reviewed epidemiological evidence on this relationship. The review searched eight databases: Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, Cinahl, Cochrane Library, Informit, PsycINFO, and Scopus from their respective start dates until May 2017. Studies that have examined a mental health outcome in relation to a work-related stressor as exposure in young workers were included. The review was reported based on the PRISMA statement. Three cross-sectional studies and six longitudinal cohort studies were included. Cross-sectional evidence showed that adverse work conditions including working overtime, job boredom, low skill variety, low autonomy, high job insecurity, and lack of reward were associated with poor mental health of young workers. Longitudinal evidence showed that high job demands, low job control, effort-reward imbalance, and low work support (men only) were associated with poor mental health. There was evidence on the contemporaneous relationship between two or more adverse work conditions and poor mental health. Although more research (particularly high-quality longitudinal studies) is warranted in this area, our review indicates that work-related stressors have a negative impact on the mental health of young workers. The current review suggests that workplace interventions and policy are required to improve the quality of work for young workers.

A study of job stress, suicidal ideation and suicide attempts in display manufacturing workers: a cross-sectional study.

BackgroundThis study aimed to investigate the association between job stress and suicide ideation/attempts among display manufacturing workers.MethodsData were collected from 836 workers in a display manufacturing company who participated in health screenings from May 22 to June 16, 2017. The data included general characteristics, night work, job tenure, previous physician-diagnosed chronic diseases, suicidal ideation/suicide attempts, and job stress. We investigated suicidal ideation/suicide attempts that covered the past year by using a self-reported questionnaire. Job stress was measured using the 43-item Korean Occupational Stress Scale. Multiple logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the association between job stress and suicidal ideation/suicide attempts. The mediator effect of depression on suicidal ideation/suicide attempts was tested using a series of logistic regression by applying Baron and Kenny's mediation method.ResultsIn the model adjusting for variables (e.g., age, body mass index, smoking, alcohol consumption, regular exercise, shift work, job tenure, chronic disease and depression), physical environment (OR: 3.60, 95% CI: 1.08–12.02), lack of reward (OR: 5.31, 95% CI: 1.54–18.34), and occupation climate (OR: 7.36, 95% CI: 2.28–23.72) were correlated with suicidal ideation/suicide attempts in women. However, all subscales of job stress were not significantly correlated with suicidal ideation/suicide attempts in men. In mediation analysis, job instability and occupational climate were correlated with suicidal ideation/suicide attempts and were mediated by depression in men workers.ConclusionsIn women workers, the experiences of suicidal ideation/suicide attempts were significantly correlated with the physical environment, lack of reward, and occupational climate that were subscales of job stress. In men workers, depression rather than job stress was correlated with experiences of suicidal ideation/suicide attempts.

Relationship between physical activity and job stress among public office workers.

[Purpose] This study investigated the relationship between physical activity and job stress among public office workers. [Participants and Methods] We examined the levels of physical activity and job stress of 488 male public officers in Seoul-city, Republic of Korea through self-reported questionnaires. The International Physical Activity Questionnaires and the Korean Occupational Stress Scale were used to evaluate physical activity and job stress, respectively. The level of physical activity was divided into three quantiles (low, moderate, high). [Results] We found no significant difference in job stress by physical activity level. Although a positive correlation between physical activity and job stress was found in the organizational system category, no significant difference was found in the categories of the physical environment, job demand, insufficient job control, interpersonal conflict, job insecurity, lack of reward, and occupational climate. [Conclusion] There was no apparent correlation between physical activity and job stress among public office workers.

Longitudinal associations between occupational stress and depressive symptoms.

BackgroundMost of the studies that have examined the association between the sub-factors of occupational stress and depressive symptoms have used cross-sectional data. However, our study has longitudinally measured the occupational stress and depressive symptoms of Korean workers of a semiconductor manufacturing company across six years to intending to investigate the associations between the sub-factors of occupational stress and depressive symptoms using longitudinal data.MethodsData collected from the workers of a semiconductor manufacturing company. Out of 1,013 recruited workers, 405 (40.0%) completed the survey questionnaires at 3 and 6-year follow-ups. Occupational stress was measured using a shorter version of the Korean Occupational Stress Scale (KOSS), whereas depressive symptoms were assessed using the Korean version of the Center for Epidemiological Studies-Depressive Symptoms Scale (CES-D). The data of male and female participants independently analyzed. Longitudinal associations were analyzed using panel data analysis with fixed effects.ResultsIn panel data analysis with fixed effects, job insecurity (B = 0.048, p-value = 0.004) was associated with depressive symptoms among male workers. In female workers, inadequate social support (B = 0.080, p-value < 0.001), job insecurity (B = 0.039, p-value = 0.004), lack of reward (B = 0.059, p-value = 0.004) and discomfort in occupational climate (B = 0.074, p-value < 0.001) were associated with depressive symptoms among female workers.ConclusionsTemporal changes in the sub-factors of occupational stress were associated with changes in depressive symptoms within the same period. There was a gender difference in occupational stress sub-factors related to depressive symptoms.

Gender and age differences in the association between work stress and incident depressive symptoms among Korean employees: a cohort study.

The aim of this study was to identify gender- and age-specific occupational stress associated with depressive symptoms among Korean employees. Data of 73,014 employees aged 18 and above who had undergone comprehensive health examinations at Kangbuk Samsung Hospital Health Screening Center, South Korea, in January 2012 and who were followed up until December 2017 were collected, and 63,959 (participation rate: 87.59%, men: 50,413, women: 13,546) were finally analyzed. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals of the relationship between occupational stress and depressive symptoms. In light of gender and age differences in the association between occupational stress and depressive symptoms, interaction and stratification by gender and age groups were tested. During 238,630 person-years of follow-up, case-level depressive symptoms developed in 4227 participants (an incident rate of 1.8%). There were gender differences in the relationship between job stress and incident depressive symptoms. For men, high job demand, job insecurity, lack of reward, and discomfort in their organizational climate were associated with incident depressive symptoms in all age groups. Insufficient job control was associated with the development of depressive symptoms only in midlife and organizational injustice only in early adulthood. For women, the results for high job demand, organizational injustice, and discomfort in an organizational climate were associated with the onset of depressive symptoms from early adulthood to the midlife decade. The results suggest gender and age differences in the relationship between occupational stress and incident depressive symptoms.

RISK CULTURAL EVALUATION AS ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE IN THE TAX SERVICE OFFICE

The objectives to be achieved in this study are to evaluating risk management practices in the form of a risk awareness culture and identifying factors inhibiting the implementation of a risk awareness culture at the Pondok Aren Primary Tax Service Office. The research method used to obtain and analyze data that can support this writing is a qualitative method through interviews and document collection through library research. The implementation of the Risk Awareness Culture as a whole has been following the implementation guidelines namely Regulation of the Minister of Finance No. 12 / PMK.09 / 2016 namely leadership who is committed to considering risks in every decision making, ongoing communication to all levels of the organization regarding the importance of risk management, respect for those who can manage risk well, and integrate risk management in organizational processes. However, in practice, the implementation of the 2016 risk awareness culture at KPP Pratama Pondok Aren encountered several obstacles. The obstacles are in the form of a lack of reward (reward) at the Pondok Aren Primary KPP and the Human Resources aspect at Pondok Aren Pratama KPP

EFEKTIVITAS METODE TOKEN KIMIA TERHADAP HASIL DAN RETENSI BELAJAR SISWA PADA MATERI SISTEM PERIODIK UNSUR DI KELAS X MAN 3 PONTIANAK

Student learning results and retention is still low on periodic system learning elements caused by a lack of motivation students in the periodic table system memorize elements and lack of reward when students are already able to memorize the table Periodic system of such elements. So it requires a learning method that can motivate students in deleting periodic table system elements. The study aims to determine the difference in outcomes and retention of learning between students taught with and without using the chemical token method on the periodic element system material, knowing the great effectiveness of the chemical token method of the results and Student learning retention on periodic element system materials in class X MAN 3 Pontianak. This research uses the type of experimental Quasi research with the design of control group design. The sampling technique uses saturated sampling with the X-class of MIA as the experimental class and X-grade IIS 2 as the control class. Data collection techniques using measurement, observation and interview techniques, while the data collection tools are test results and learning retention, interpreters and observation sheets. Analysis Data Using Test-T shows that there are differences in learning outcomes while learning retention differences are known through the Mann-Whitney U test with the result that there is a difference in learning retention between students taught with and without Using a chemical token method. Learning with the chemical token method affects student learning outcomes by 22.91% by medium category, and 10-day student study retention of 36.86% with high category.

Is the effect of work-related psychosocial exposure on depressive and anxiety disorders short-term, lagged or cumulative?

To determine the short-term, lagged, and cumulative effects of psychosocial factors (PSF) on the incidence of depression and anxiety. Major depressive disorders (MDD) and generalized anxiety disorders (GAD) were diagnosed in 2006 and 2010 using the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview among 5684 workers from the French SIP cohort. The outcome considered here was diagnosis of MDD and/or GAD (MDD/GAD) in 2010. The frequency of 17 PSF, covering labour intensity and working time, emotional demand, autonomy, social relationships, conflict of values, and job insecurity, was self-reported in 2006 and 2010. For each PSF, four groups (A-D) were considered: exposed neither in 2006 nor in 2010 (A as the reference), exposed in 2010 but not in 2006 (B as a short-term association), exposed in 2006 but not in 2010 (C as a lagged association), exposed in both 2006 and 2010 (D as a cumulative association). In men, short-term and cumulative-and to a lesser extent lagged-associations of four labour-intensity factors with MDD/GAD occurrence were observed (high volume of work, pressure at work, high complexity, and long working hours). In women, the short-term and cumulative associations of five PSF were observed, mostly emotional demand factors, lack of reward and work-family imbalance. Job insecurity had strong, short-term, cumulative and lagged associations in both men and women. According to PSF and gender, the results suggest that the relationships between PSF exposure and MDD/GAD were mostly short-term and cumulative rather than lagged.

Fairness or benefit? The effect of power on distributive fairness

<p id="C2">Distributive fairness is a basic behavioral norm and an important pursuit in our daily life, and it plays an important role in our social interactions. In studies of distributive fairness, individuals' fairness perception and the factors affecting it have gathered much research attention. Previous research shows that the degree of fairness allocation can affect individuals' fairness perception. Based on the equity theory of fairness, equal allocation can be perceived as fairness for individuals if they have equal ability and equal contribution to the allocation; less than equal allocation may be perceived as disadvantageous inequality, and more than equal allocation as advantageous inequality. Previous studies also suggest that social situations, such as social hierarchy and social distance, can affect individuals' fairness perception. In real life, resource allocation often involves power situations, in which individuals may have different levels of power. How power influence individuals' fairness perception? Is the fairness perception power-dependent? So far, few studies have explored the effect of power on fairness perception directly. The present study aims to address this question through three experiments. <br/><p id="C70">Based on the approach-inhibition theory, the powerful usually expect themselves to be surrounded by rewards and lack of threats, while the powerless usually expect themselves to be surrounded by threats and lack of rewards. Previous research shows that individuals' cognition and behavior can be affected by their internal expectations, and they are often sensitive to outcomes that violate their own expectations. Equal allocation and advantageous inequality allocation mean reward, while disadvantageous inequality means threat. Thus, equal allocation and advantageous inequality allocation are the expectation of the powerful, and disadvantageous inequality allocation is the expectation of the powerless. Therefore, we hypothesize that the interaction between power and fairness degree can impact individuals' fairness perception. <br/><p id="C71">Three experiments were designed to test the hypothesis. To provide objective basis for the definitions of fairness, disadvantage inequality, and advantage inequality, we measured individuals' fairness ratings on different allocations in both the powerful and the powerless situations, after situation priming that manipulated power perception, in Experiment 1. In Experiment 2, we further investigated individuals' fairness ratings on three different allocations (i.e., disadvantageous unequal allocation, equal allocation, advantageous unequal allocation) in both the powerful and the powerless situations. We also recorded individuals' reaction times of fairness rating in Experiment 2 to gather extra evidence for fairness perception. In Experiment 3, a different manipulation method, role playing, was used to prime power. Same as in Experiment 2, we also recorded the fairness ratings and reaction times of the powerful and the powerless in Experiment 3. <br/><p id="C72">In terms of fairness rating scores, the powerful rated the fairness degree of equal allocation and advantageous unequal allocation higher than the powerless, and they rated the fairness degree of disadvantageous unequal allocation lower than the powerless. In reaction time, the powerful reacted faster than the powerless no matter what the allocation was. These results suggested that individuals' distributive fairness perception is power-dependent, supporting our hypothesis. The present findings provide experimental evidence for the approach-inhibition theory of power and the equity theory of fairness. They also improve our understanding of the relationship between power and fairness perception.

Regression Analysis of Knowledge Sharing Behavior

This paper aims to explore three predictors of Theory Planned Behaviour (attitude, subjective norm and Perceived Behaviors Control) towards the knowledge sharing behavior. Knowledge sharing behavior has become a major issue and is commonly highlighted in the study of knowledge management. Researchers have given serious attention to identify the determinants of knowledge sharing behavior. Employees have to be motivated to share their knowledge and experience in the workplace. In order to influence knowledge sharing behavior among employees, organizations need to understand the tools that drive employees to share their knowledge willingly with others. This paper discusses three predictors of Theory Planned Behavior which have significantly influenced knowledge sharing behavior. A questionnaire survey was administered to the selected group of employees from tourism and hospitality industries in Cyberjaya Malaysia. The 207 employees were participating in this research study. The instrument was adapted from previous study. The result reveals that an absence of attitude is not significantly related to knowledge sharing behavior. However, subjective norms and perceived behavior control relate significantly. This study implies that changes of attitude in individual promote and encourage knowledge sharing behavior positively. The findings of this study proposed to the organization to influence employee to embed the knowledge sharing culture to the employee. The organization needs to change the attitude of employee in term of willingness of them to share knowledge with co-workers. The possibilities of this circumstance happen because of lack awareness of knowledge sharing benefits, lack of rewards and recognition to their contribution and competition among themselves which need to do further study.

MicroRNA and mRNA profiles in the amygdala are associated with stress-induced depression and resilience in juvenile mice.

Major depressive disorder characterized as recurrent negative mood is one of the prevalent psychiatric diseases. Chronic stress plus lack of reward may induce long-term imbalance between reward and penalty circuits in the brain, leading to persistent negative mood. Numerous individuals demonstrate resilience to chronic mild stress. Molecular mechanisms for major depression and resilience in the brain remain unclear. After juvenile mice were treated by the chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) for 4weeks, they were screened by sucrose preference, Y-maze and forced swimming tests to examine whether their behaviors were depression-like or not. mRNA and miRNA profiles were quantified by high-throughput sequencing in amygdala tissues harvested from control, CUMS-susceptible, and CUMS-resilience mice. 1.5-fold ratio in reads per kilo-base per million reads was set to be the threshold to judge the involvement of mRNAs and miRNAs in the CUMS, major depression, or resilience. In the amygdala from CUMS-susceptible mice, the expression of genes relevant to GABAergic, cholinergic, glutamatergic, dopaminergic, and serotonergic synapses was changed, as well as the expression of genes that encoded signal pathways of PI3K-Akt, calcium, cAMP, MAPK, and drug addiction was imbalanced. The expression of these genes in the amygdala form CUMS-resilience mice was less changed. The downregulation of genes relevant to synaptic functions and the imbalance of intra-signaling pathway in the amygdala are associated with major depression. Consistent results through sequencing mRNA and miRNA and using different methods validate our finding and conclusion.

Stress at intellectual work and cardiovascular diseases in women at non-mobility working age.

Stress at the work place reduces efficiency, as well as increasing accidents and absences, which may cause various diseases, including cardiovascular diseases. The aim of the study is an analysis of the prevalence and causes of stress in intellectual work, and its correlation with the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases in women at non-mobility working age. The study was conducted in 2016-2017 in a group of 300 women aged 45-60 in non-manual employment. A questionnaire for subjective job evaluation was used. Logistic regression models for the occurrence of CVDs versus frequency of occurrence of individual causes of work stress among the respondents were estimated. Women at non-mobility working age with non-manual employment are especially exposed to stress, half of them experience high level of stress at work, most often caused by social contacts and lack of rewards and support. Cardiovascular diseases were found in 26.5% of the women studied who were also significantly higher exposed to the occurrence of health hazards due to exposure to harmful factors, or due to an accident at work, changes in the workplace, the need to compete with others,and the need to perform the task despite the lack of appropriate material resources, compared with women without such diseases. The study revealed a high prevalence of occupational stress in non-manual employment, indicated its main causes that correlated with the alence of cardiovascular diseases. Actions are needed to reduce the level of stress in the work of women at non-mobility working age, to maintain their work ability and quality of life.

Knowledge Sharing Practices Among Faculty Members in Institution of Higher Learning

Currently, the growth of knowledge management (KM) concept is rapidly increasing due to the importance of knowledge in organizations. Knowledge sharing is a key factor to ensure the successful implementation of KM in any organization. Knowledge sharing is a process of communicating, transmitting, and exchanging knowledge that involves individuals which benefits themselves and organizations. This paper investigates the knowledge sharing practices among faculty members in an institution of higher learning in the North region of Malaysia. In this pilot study, a questionnaire was used which included general demographic information of respondents, the techniques, benefits, hinders’ and motivating factors for knowledge sharing. The questionnaires were distributed to the selected twenty-eight faculty members of the institution of which twenty-three had responded. The results reveal that a majority of respondents are aware of KM and hundred percent supported the idea of implementing KM in their organization. The faculty members shared their knowledge, experiences, and ideas mostly through e-group. The variables of concerning factors (support from top management or organization; rewards and incentives schemes; trust; and information and communication technology (ICT)) for knowledge sharing have also been portrayed in this study. Lack of trust among colleagues, lack of reward and incentive schemes, and the reluctance of staff to share because of ‘knowledge is power’ are the major factors that obstruct knowledge sharing among them. The results also disclose monetary rewards, effective communication channels, and recognition are identified as the motivating factors to knowledge sharing. The faculty members believe that knowledge sharing brings benefits such as better decision making and improve employees’ knowledge, skills, and competencies. The results are useful to identify the strategies to promote knowledge sharing and its benefits in an institution of higher learning.

MicroRNA and mRNA profiles in nucleus accumbens underlying depression versus resilience in response to chronic stress.

Major depression in negative mood is presumably induced by chronic stress with lack of reward. However, most individuals who experience chronic stress demonstrate resilience. Molecular mechanisms underlying stress‐ induced depression versus resilience remain unknown, which are investigated in brain reward circuits. Mice were treated by chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) for 4 weeks. The tests of sucrose preference, Y‐maze, and forced swimming were used to identify depression‐like emotion behavior or resilience. High‐throughput sequencing was used to analyze mRNA and miRNA quantity in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) harvested from the mice in the groups of control, CUMS‐induced depression (CUMS‐MDD), and CUMS‐resistance to identify molecular profiles of CUMS‐MDD versus CUMS‐resilience. In data analyses and comparison among three groups, 1.5‐fold ratio in reads per kilo‐base per million reads (RPKM) was set to judge involvements of mRNA and miRNA in CUMS, MDD, or resilience. The downregulations of serotonergic/dopaminergic synapses, MAPK/calcium signaling pathways, and morphine addiction as well as the upregulations of cAMP/PI3K‐Akt signaling pathways and amino acid metabolism are associated with CUMS‐MDD. The downregulations of chemokine signaling pathway, synaptic vesicle cycle, and nicotine addiction as well as the upregulations of calcium signaling pathway and tyrosine metabolism are associated with CUMS‐resilience. The impairments of serotonergic/dopaminergic synapses and PI3K‐Akt/MAPK signaling pathways in the NAc are associated with depression. The upregulation of these entities is associated with resilience. Consistent results from analyzing mRNA/miRNA and using different methods validate our finding and conclusion.

MicroRNA and mRNA profiles in ventral tegmental area relevant to stress-induced depression and resilience

Chronic stress with lack of reward presumably may impair brain reward circuit, leading to major depressive disorder (MDD). Most individuals experiencing chronic stress do not suffer from MDD, i.e., resilience, implying the presence of endogenous anti-depression in the brain. Molecular mechanisms underlying stress-induced depression versus resilience were investigated. Mice were treated by chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) for four weeks. Their mood state was assessed by behavioral tasks, such as sucrose preference, Y-maze and forced swimming testes. To reveal comprehensive molecular profiles of major depression versus resilience, mRNA and microRNA profiles were analyzed by high-throughput sequencing in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) harvested from control, CUMS-susceptible and CUMS-resilience mice. In data analyses of control versus CUMS-susceptible mice as well as control versus CUMS-resilience mice, 1.5 fold ratio in reads per kilo-base per million reads was set as the threshold to judge the involvement of mRNAs and microRNAs in the CUMS, depression or resilience. The downregulation of synaptic vesicle cycle, neurotrophin, GABAergic synapse and morphine addiction as well as the upregulation of transmitter release, calcium signal and cAMP-dependent response element binding are associated to CUMS-susceptibility. The downregulation of tyrosine metabolism and protein process in endoplasmic reticulum as well as the upregulation of amino acid biosynthesis, neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction and dopaminergic synapse are associated to CUMS-resilience. Therefore, the impairment of neurons and GABA/dopaminergic synapses in the VTA is associated with major depression. The upregulation of these entities is associated with resilience. Consistent results obtained from analyzing mRNAs and microRNAs as well as using different approaches strengthen our finding and conclusion.