Functional brain activity in patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment: an rs-fMRI study.

Background: Amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) is an early stage of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Regional homogeneity (ReHo) and amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) are employed to explore spontaneous brain function in patients with aMCI. This study applied ALFF and ReHo indicators to analyze the neural mechanism of aMCI by resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). Methods: Twenty-six patients with aMCI were included and assigned to the aMCI group. The other 26 healthy subjects were included as a healthy control (HC) group. Rs-fMRI was performed for all participants in both groups. Between-group comparisons of demographic data and neuropsychological scores were analyzed using SPSS 25.0. Functional imaging data were analyzed using DPARSF and SPM12 software based on MATLAB 2017a. Gender, age, and years of education were used as covariates to obtain ALFF and ReHo indices. Results: Compared with HC group, ALFF decreased in the left fusiform gyrus, left superior temporal gyrus, and increased in the left cerebellum 8, left inferior temporal gyrus, left superior frontal gyrus (BA11), and right inferior temporal gyrus (BA20) in the aMCI group (p < 0.05, FWE correction). In addition, ReHo decreased in the right middle temporal gyrus and right anterior cuneiform lobe, while it increased in the left middle temporal gyrus, left inferior temporal gyrus, cerebellar vermis, right parahippocampal gyrus, left caudate nucleus, right thalamus, and left superior frontal gyrus (BA6) (p < 0.05, FWE correction). In the aMCI group, the ALFF of the left superior frontal gyrus was negatively correlated with Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score (r = -0.437, p = 0.026), and the ALFF of the left superior temporal gyrus was positively correlated with the MoCA score (r = 0.550, p = 0.004). The ReHo of the right hippocampus was negatively correlated with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) score (r = -0.434, p = 0.027), and the ReHo of the right middle temporal gyrus was positively correlated with MMSE score (r = 0.392, p = 0.048). Conclusion: Functional changes in multiple brain regions rather than in a single brain region have been observed in patients with aMCI. The abnormal activity of multiple specific brain regions may be a manifestation of impaired central function in patients with aMCI.

Structural and functional activities of brain in patients with vascular cognitive impairment: A case-controlled magnetic resonance imaging study.

This study aimed to identify abnormal brain regions and imaging indices of vascular cognitive impairment (VCI) and explore specific imaging diagnostic markers of VCI. In this study, 24 patients with VCI were allocated to the VCI group and 25 healthy subjects were assigned to the healthy control (HC) group. Demographic data and neuropsychological test scores were compared using SPSS 25.0. The structural and functional imaging data were post-processed and statistically analyzed using CAT12, DPARSF and SPM12 software, based on the MATLAB platform. The structural and functional indices of gray matter volume (GMV) and regional homogeneity (ReHo) were obtained, and inter-group data were analyzed using an independent-sample t test. Sex, age, years of education, and total brain volume were used as covariates. Compared to the HC group, the GMV of VCI in the VCI group decreased significantly in the rectus muscles of the bilateral gyrus, left superior temporal gyrus, left supplementary motor area (SMA), right insula, right superior temporal gyrus, right anterior cuneiform lobe, and right anterior central gyrus (PRECG) (P < .05, FWE correction), without GMV enlargement in the brain area. ReHo decreased in the right inferior temporal gyrus (ITG), right parahippocampal gyrus, and left temporal pole (middle temporal gyrus, right lingual gyrus, left posterior central gyrus, and right middle temporal gyrus), the areas of increased ReHo were the left caudate nucleus, left rectus gyrus, right anterior cingulate gyrus and lateral cingulate gyrus (P < .05, FWE correction). Correlation analysis showed that the GMV of the left superior temporal gyrus was positively correlated with the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score (P < .05), and the GMV of the right insula was positively correlated with the MESE and long delayed memory scores (P < .05). There was a significant positive correlation between the ReHo and short-term delayed memory scores in the middle temporal gyrus of the left temporal pole (P < .05). The volume of GMV and ReHo decreased in VCI patients, suggesting that impairment of brain structure and function in specific regions is the central mechanism of cognitive impairment in these patients. Meanwhile, the functional indices of some brain regions were increased, which may be a compensatory mechanism for the cognitive impairment associated with VCI.

A bibliometric analysis of neuroimaging biomarkers in Parkinson disease based on Web of Science.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to analyze and summarize the research hotspots and trends in neuroimaging biomarkers (NMBM) in Parkinson disease (PD) based on the Web of Science core collection database and provide new references for future studies. METHODS: Literature regarding NMBM in PD from 1998 to 2022 was analyzed using the Web of Science core collection database. We utilized CiteSpace software (6.1R2) for bibliometric analyses of countries/institutions/authors, keywords, keyword bursts, references, and their clusters. RESULTS: A total of 339 studies were identified with a continually increasing annual trend. The most productive country and collaboration was the United States. The top research hotspot is PD cognitive disorder. NMBM and artificial intelligence medical imaging have been applied in the clinical diagnosis, differential diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of PD. The trends in this field include research on T1 weighted structure magnetic resonance imaging in accordance with voxel-based morphometry, PD cognitive disorder, and neuroimaging features of Lewy body dementia and Alzheimer disease. CONCLUSION: The development of NMBM in PD will be effectively promoted by drawing on international research hotspots and cutting-edge technologies, emphasizing international collaboration and institutional cooperation at the national level, and strengthening interdisciplinary research.

[Prevalence of Human T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus Type 1 and 2 among Blood Donors in Jiangsu from 2016 to 2019].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of human T-cell lymphotropic virus (HTLV) type-I/II infection among voluntary blood donors in Jiangsu (Nanjing, Suzhou, Xuzhou). METHODS: From 2016 to 2019, 408 262 samples of voluntary blood donors from four blood stations in Jiangsu Province (Jiangsu Province Blood Center, Nanjing Red Cross Blood Center, Suzhou Central Blood Station, and Xuzhou Central Blood Station) were screened for HTLV-I/II antibody by ELISA. The positive samples were sent to National Center for Clinical Laboratories for confirmation by RT-PCR and Western blot. RESULTS: The positive rate of HTLV-I/II screened by ELISA was 0.20‰ (82/408 262), and three HTLV-I positive samples were confirmed. The prevalence of HTLV-1 infection was 0.74 per 100 000 (3/408 262). All three donors were female repeated blood donors of childbearing ages. CONCLUSION: Jiangsu is a low prevalence area of HTLV, and a reasonable blood screening strategy for HTLV can further reduce the risk of transfusion-transmitted virus infection.

Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis following varicella-zoster virus infection: Case report of effective treated both in clinical symptom and neuroimaging.

INTRODUCTION: Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is an idiopathic inflammatory demyelinating disorder of the central nervous system (CNS). Early treatment is the key for neurological recovery. METHODS: A case of ADEM associated with varicella-zoster virus infection was presented, in which magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examinations were included. RESULTS: Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain revealed multiple hyperintense lesions at the subcortical level on fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR), and MRI of the spinal cord revealed longitudinally segmented hyperintense lesions at the spinal cord on T2-weighted images. The patient was treated with methylprednisolone and gancyclovir, and had a favorable recovery. Subsequent MRI of the brain and cervical cord showed the previous abnormal hyperintensities had markedly disappeared. CONCLUSION: A rare case of ADEM with longitudinal segmented hyperintense lesions at the spinal cord on T2-weighted images was presented. Excellent response to ADEM treatment with high-dose steroids was reported resulting in a remarkable neurological recovery. A long-term follow-up is needed for prognosis.

[Evaluation of Storage Performance of Preserving Bags for Manually Separated Platelets].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the storage performance of the domestically made platelet storage bags (experimental group) and the United States Trima set platelet storage bags (control group). METHODS: The manually separated platelets were divided in two equal parts, which was added to control blood bags and experimental blood bags respectively, all samples were stored at a 22 °C ± 2 °C. The platelet count, mean volume, aggregation activity (ADP, THR), pH, glucose, lactate concentration, lactate dehydrogenase concentration, hypotonic shock reaction, CD62P and phosphatidic acid serine content were detected at day 0, 3, 5 and 7 of storage. RESULTS: There was no significant difference of platelet quality at day 5 after storage between the experimental group and the control group (T-test, P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Two kinds of platelet storage bags have the similar storage performance.

The downregulation of OPN inhibits proliferation and migration and regulate activation of Erk1/2 in ECA-109 cells.

Osteopontin (OPN) involves in tumor formation, and strongly correlated with the tumor progression. It was overexpressed in human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). To study the molecular mechanisms of OPN in ESCC, we examined its roles in inhibiting proliferation and invasion of ECA-109 (esophageal squamous cell carcinoma) cells. The expression of OPN gene was knockdown by RNA interference (RNAi) in the Eca-109 cell. The transcription level of OPN was to detect by reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR). Western blot assay was performed to detect the expression of OPN, Caspase-3,Caspase-8, Caspase-9, ERK1/2, phospho-ERK1/2 and MMP2 after RNAi. The cell proliferation and apoptosis were detected by MTT and Hoechst33342 assay. Transwell inserts was used for detecting ECA-109 cell's migration ability. The results shown that the level of OPN mRNA and protein was significantly reduced after RNAi. Proliferation and migration of cell line (ECA-109) was significantly inhibited in vitro. The protein phosphorylation and activation of ERK1/2 in the OPN RNAi group reduced significantly than the negative control groups. In Conclusion, the proliferation and migration of human ESCC can be inhibited by RNAi-targeting OPN. OPN can promote the expression of MMP2 through the ERK signaling pathways. OPN could serve as a potential therapeutic target for human ESCC.

Impact of CYP2D6 Polymorphisms on Postoperative Fentanyl Analgesia in Gastric Cancer Patients.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the influence of human cytochrome P450 2D6 (CYP2D6) gene polymorphism in gastric cancer (GC) patients to understand the pharmacogenomic basis for patient response to postoperative fentanyl analgesia. METHODS: The prospective study design contained 212 patients recovering from radical gastrectomy. Peripheral blood samples were collected after general anesthesia, and CYP2D6 genotypes were analyzed using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method. After providing adequate instructions to operate the analgesia pump, patients self-administered fentanyl via patient controlled intravenous analgesia. The cumulative amount of fentanyl self-administered and the associated adverse effects were recorded at 6, 12, 24, and 48 h postoperatively. RESULTS: Five patients, out of the 212 patients recruited to this study, failed to complete the study. The remaining 207 patients were classified into three groups based on their genotypes: W/W group (n=44), M/W group (n=112), and M/M group (n=51). Our results demonstrated that the cumulative amount of fentanyl consumption significantly increased in the M/M group at 6, 12, and 24 h postoperatively, compared with the W/W group (p<0.05). In addition, visual analogue scale (VAS) score in the M/M group was significantly higher than the W/W group in the analepsia period after general anesthesia and at 6 h postoperatively (p<0.05). No significant adverse effects were observed in all the groups (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: CYP2D6 polymorphism influenced patient response to postoperative fentanyl analgesia in GC patients.

Comparison of primary breast cancer size by mammography and sonography.

PURPOSE: To compare tumor size by mammography and sonography and align with pathological results in primary breast cancer cases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 95 primary breast cancer patients who underwent mammography and sonography from January 2011 to June 2012. The largest tumor diameter was chosen as sizing reference for each imaging modality. The measurements of mammography and sonography were considered concordant if they were within the measurement of pathological results±0.5 cm. Pearson's correlation coefficient was calculated for imaging results. RESULTS: The range of the maximum diameter was 0.6 cm-10.5 cm and mean value was 3.81±2.04 cm by pathological results, 0.7 cm-12.4 cm and 3.99±2.19 cm by mammography, and 0.9 cm-11.0 cm and 3.63±2.01 cm by sonography, respectively. Sonography (R: 0.754), underestimated tumor size, but had a better correlation with pathological tumor size compared to mammography (R: 0.676), which overestimated tumor size. CONCLUSIONS: Sonography is superior to mammography in assessment of primary breast cancer.

[Analysis on HIV infection status of voluntary blood donors in Chinese Nanjing area from 2003 to 2013].

This study was purposed to analyze HIV infections status among the unpaid blood donation population in Chinese Nanjing area from 2003 to 2013, to understand the HIV antibody positive and/or HIV-RNA positive population characteristics in order to provide evidence for recruiting strategy of blood donation without compensation. The whole blood samples of unpaid donors and the platelet donors were tested by ELISA, from June 2010 the NAT test was added for the samples that were ELISA test with unilateral negative. Every HIV reactive sample (HIV-antibody and/or HIV-RNA) was sent to confirm in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Nanjing, including 1 case of enzyme bilateral positive and HIV-RNA reactivity has been sentenced as indeterminacy; another 1 case of enzyme bilateral negative and HIV-RNA reactive was sent to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Jiangsu Province to test nucleic acid quantification to be positive; The unpaid donor HIV screening results from 2003 to 2013 in Chinese Nanjing area were analysed statistically. The results showed that from 2003 to 2013 years 641401 unpaid blood donors were tested,out of them 57 cases were contirmed to be HIV antibody positive (HIV-1),the total positive rate was 8.89/100 000. Since 2010 years, the HIV antibody positive rate increased significantly (P < 0.01), then it was stable until to 2012 years, the HIV antibody positive rate was 15.43/100 000. In the 2013 year, the HIV antibody positive rate was 10.03/100 000. The HIV antiboby positive rates in male and female were 13.25: 1. The years of male cases were 18-30 that accounted for 56.14%, and the years of male cases were 31-40 that accounted for 31.58%. The men who first time donated blood were 46 cases and accounted for 80.70%. The men who donated blood again were 11 cases and accounted for 19.30%. The men who donated blood on streets of blood donation accounted for 80.70% and their HIV antibody positive rate was 11.88/100 000. The men who donated blood in the plan organization of donators were 8.78%, and their HIV antibody possitive rate was 2.33/100 000. The HIV antibody positive rate were different in the different times and different donation types, and were statistical significance (P < 0.01). It is concluded that based on the present status of HIV antibldy positive rate in Chinese Nanjing area, the HIV antibody possitive donors are more observed in the first blood donation population, especially in the higher educated young men. This situation or tendency indicates that the voluntary blood donors should be organized or selected from low risk population, and should popularize the knowlege of unpaid blood donation, especiatly the knowlege of AIDS, strengthen cosulting work on the mobile donation points in streets before donating blood, and should establish the cyber-database to ensure blood safety.

[Infection status of HBV, HCV and HIV in voluntary blood donors of Chinese Nanjing area during 2010-2013].

This study was purposed to understand the infection of HBV, HCV, HIV among the voluntary blood donors and the epidemic trend in infectious population in Chinese Nanjing area, and to guide the mobilization and recruitment of blood donors. A total of 199777 whole blood samples of voluntary blood donors were tested by ELISA, the nucleic acid technology (NAT) combined detection (HBV-DNA, HCV-RNA, HIV-RNA) was added for detection of the samples with HBsAg,anti-HCV, anti-HIV at least unilateral negative donors from June 10, 2010 to June 9, 2013 years, and these statistic data were analyzed. Every HIV reactive sample(HIV-antibody and/or HIV-RNA) was sent to be confirmed in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Nanjing. The results showed that the voluntary donors' infection rate of HBsAg, anti-HCV, anti-HIV were 0.45%, 0.28%, 0.11% respectively; NAT positive rate was 0.07%, 32 cases were confirmed with anti-HIV positive, in which 30 cases were male (6 cases were repeated blood donors) and 2 cases were female, 3 cases were unconfirmed, in which 2 cases were males and 1 case was female. The statistical analysis demonstrated that the difference of unqualitative rate of HBsAg, anti-HCV, anti-HIV was statistically significant between the first-time and repeated blood donors.It is concluded that the positive rate of anti-HCV and anti-HIV displayed a declining trend year by year in Nanjing voluntary blood donation population from June 10,2010 to June 9, 2013 years. The unqualitative rate of HBsAg and NAT increased with the age increasing, while that of anti-HCV, anti-HIV decreased with age increasing. The unqualitative rate of the repeated blood donors is far lower than that of the first-time blood donors. The ELISA positive rate of anti-HIV testing in females is higher than that in males, but the confirmed positive rate of male is significantly higher than that of female. Therefore the consulting skills before donating should be improved, concerning the link of recruiting donors, focusing on strengthening the first-time donors' consultation, evaluating and developing the fixed voluntary blood donors, and vigorously popularizing NAT technology in blood screening to improve the blood safety effectively.

[Progress of improving blood donor screening by nucleic acid technology].

With increasing application of blood transfusion, the research of side-effects such as transfusion-transmitted infections (TTIs) became more and more important. Up to the 90's of the 20th century, the first blood donor screening for pathogens transfected from blood transfusion entirely depended on serological test. At this time, the detection of virus were performed mainly by using method of detecting antibody, except hepatitis B virus (HBV) can be detected by hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg). Now, the molecular technologies, such as the polymerase chain reaction (PCR), have been used in clinic. These technologic methods can provide capability of detection for blood donor screening and reduced possibility of infection from blood transfusion. This review summarises the development of nucleic acid amplification technology and describes its current state.

[Automobile tyre colloidal particle induced allergic damage of respiratory system in traffic policemen and its allergenicity].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the damage of respiratory system in the traffic policemen induced by automobile tyre colloidal particle and its allergenicity. METHODS: The respiratory system symptoms in 445 traffic policemen working outside their offices and 243 controls were investigated and their pulmonary ventilation function index such as FVC, FEV(1.0), MMF and V(50) were determined. The specific IgE antibody of automobile tyre colloidal particle of their serum was determined and the skin-prick test of automobile tyre colloidal particle antigen was performed. Sixty-six traffic policemen working outside their offices and 5 controls with the positive of IgE antibody among them were detected by nasal mucosa provocation test. Sixty-six traffic policemen working outside their offices with the positive of IgE antibody were determined by Terbutaline inhalation test. RESULTS: The positive rate of respiratory system symptoms of traffic policemen such as cough, stethocatharsis, short breath, nasal obstruction, sneeze and nose running was 38.02%, 27.03%, 20.00%, 23.08%, 27.47%, 32.09% and 34.95% respectively and significantly higher than those of the control with significant difference (P < 0.01) or (P < 0.05). The positive rate of specific IgE antibody of automobile tyre colloidal particle, skin- prick test and nasal mucosa provocation test was 14.51%, 23.73% and 54.55% respectively with significant difference (P < 0.01) and (P < 0.05). The percentage, the actual figure compared with the prediction figure, of the index of pulmonary ventilation function (FVC, FEV(1.0) MMF and V(50)) of traffic policemen were significantly lower than those of the control. Terbutaline inhalation test in 66 positive subjects of specific IgE antibody of automobile tyre colloidal particle was positive in 44 subjects, accounting for 9.67% in all policemen investigated. CONCLUSION: The automobile tyre colloidal particle is one of etiological factors that induce pulmonary ventilation function damage and could result in allergic asthma of traffic police.