Novel allelic variations in Tannin1 and Tannin2 contribute to tannin absence in sorghum.

Sorghum is an important food crop commonly used for brewing, feed, and bioenergy. Certain genotypes of sorghum contain high concentrations of condensed tannins in seeds, which are beneficial, such as protecting grains from herbivore bird pests, but also impair grain quality and digestibility. Previously, we identified Tannin1 and Tannin2, each with three recessive causal alleles, regulate tannin absence in sorghum. In this study, via characterizing 421 sorghum accessions, we further identified three novel recessive alleles from these two genes. The tan1-d allele contains a 12-bp deletion at position 659 nt and the tan1-e allele contains a 10-bp deletion at position 771 nt in Tannin1. The tan2-d allele contains a C-to-T transition, which results in a premature stop codon before the bHLH domain in Tannin2, and was predominantly selected in China. We further developed KASP assays targeting these identified recessive alleles to efficiently genotype large populations. These studies provide new insights in sorghum domestication and convenient tools for breeding programs. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11032-024-01463-y.

Assessment of yield performances for grain sorghum varieties by AMMI and GGE biplot analyses.

Grain sorghum is an exceptional source of dietary nutrition with outstanding economic values. Breeding of grain sorghum can be slowed down by the occurrence of genotype × environment interactions (GEI) causing biased estimation of yield performance in multi-environments and therefore complicates direct phenotypic selection of superior genotypes. Multi-environment trials by randomized complete block design with three replications were performed on 13 newly developed grain sorghum varieties at seven test locations across China for two years. Additive main effects and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) and genotype + genotype × environment (GGE) biplot models were adopted to uncover GEI patterns and effectively identify high-yielding genotypes with stable performance across environments. Yield (YLD), plant height (PH), days to maturity (DTM), thousand seed weight (TSW), and panicle length (PL) were measured. Statistical analysis showed that target traits were influenced by significant GEI effects (p < 0.001), that broad-sense heritability estimates for these traits varied from 0.40 to 0.94 within the medium to high range, that AMMI and GGE biplot models captured more than 66.3% of total variance suggesting sufficient applicability of both analytic models, and that two genotypes, G3 (Liaoza No.52) and G10 (Jinza 110), were identified as the superior varieties while one genotype, G11 (Jinza 111), was the locally adapted variety. G3 was the most stable variety with highest yielding potential and G10 was second to G3 in average yield and stability whereas G11 had best adaptation only in one test location. We recommend G3 and G10 for the production in Shenyang, Chaoyang, Jinzhou, Jinzhong, Yulin, and Pingliang, while G11 for Yili.

Physiological and Transcriptomic Analysis Provides Insights into Low Nitrogen Stress in Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica L.).

Foxtail millet (Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv) is an important food and forage crop that is well adapted to nutrient-poor soils. However, our understanding of how different LN-tolerant foxtail millet varieties adapt to long-term low nitrogen (LN) stress at the physiological and molecular levels remains limited. In this study, two foxtail millet varieties with contrasting LN tolerance properties were investigated through analyses of physiological parameters and transcriptomics. The physiological results indicate that JG20 (high tolerance to LN) exhibited superior biomass accumulation both in its shoots and roots, and higher nitrogen content, soluble sugar concentration, soluble protein concentration, zeatin concentration in shoot, and lower soluble sugar and soluble protein concentration in its roots compared to JG22 (sensitive to LN) under LN, this indicated that the LN-tolerant foxtail millet variety can allocate more functional substance to its shoots to sustain aboveground growth and maintain high root activity by utilizing low soluble sugar and protein under LN conditions. In the transcriptomics analysis, JG20 exhibited a greater number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) compared to JG22 in both its shoots and roots in response to LN stress. These LN-responsive genes were enriched in glycolysis metabolism, photosynthesis, hormone metabolism, and nitrogen metabolism. Furthermore, in the shoots, the glutamine synthetase gene SiGS5, chlorophyll apoprotein of photosystem II gene SiPsbQ, ATP synthase subunit gene Sib, zeatin synthesis genes SiAHP1, and aldose 1-epimerase gene SiAEP, and, in the roots, the high-affinity nitrate transporter genes SiNRT2.3, SiNRT2.4, glutamate synthase gene SiGOGAT2, fructose-bisphosphate aldolase gene SiFBA5, were important genes involved in the LN tolerance of the foxtail millet variety. Hence, our study implies that the identified genes and metabolic pathways contribute valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying LN tolerance in foxtail millet.

Enhancement of PPARα-Inhibited Leucine Metabolism-Stimulated ß-Casein Synthesis and Fatty Acid Synthesis in Primary Bovine Mammary Epithelial Cells.

Leucine, a kind of branched-chain amino acid, plays a regulatory role in the milk production of mammalian mammary glands, but its regulatory functions and underlying molecular mechanisms remain unknown. This work showed that a leucine-enriched mixture (LEUem) supplementation increased the levels of milk protein and milk fat synthesis in primary bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMECs). RNA-seq of leucine-treated BMECs indicated alterations in lipid metabolism, translation, ribosomal structure and biogenesis, and inflammatory response signaling pathways. Meanwhile, the supplementation of leucine resulted in mTOR activation and increased the expression of BCKDHA, FASN, ACC, and SCD1. Interestingly, the expression of PPARα was independently correlated with the leucine-supplemented dose. PPARα activated by WY-14643 caused significant suppression of lipogenic genes expression. Furthermore, WY-14643 attenuated leucine-induced ß-casein synthesis and enhanced the level of BCKDHA expression. Moreover, promoter analysis revealed a peroxisome-proliferator-response element (PPRE) site in the bovine BCKDHA promoter, and WY-14643 promoted the recruitment of PPARα onto the BCKDHA promoter. Together, the present data indicate that leucine promotes the synthesis of ß-casein and fatty acid and that PPARα-involved leucine catabolism is the key target.

SiNF-YC2 Regulates Early Maturity and Salt Tolerance in Setaria italica.

Early maturity is an important agronomic trait in most crops, because it can solve the problem of planting in stubble for multiple cropping as well as make full use of light and temperature resources in alpine regions, thereby avoiding damage from low temperatures in the early growth period and early frost damage in the late growth period to improve crop yield and quality. The expression of genes that determine flowering affects flowering time, which directly affects crop maturity and indirectly affects crop yield and quality. Therefore, it is important to analyze the regulatory network of flowering for the cultivation of early-maturing varieties. Foxtail millet (Setaria italica) is a reserve crop for future extreme weather and is also a model crop for functional gene research in C4 crops. However, there are few reports on the molecular mechanism regulating flowering in foxtail millet. A putative candidate gene, SiNF-YC2, was isolated based on quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping analysis. Bioinformatics analysis showed that SiNF-YC2 has a conserved HAP5 domain, which indicates that it is a member of the NF-YC transcription factor family. The promoter of SiNF-YC2 contains light-response-, hormone-, and stress-resistance-related elements. The expression of SiNF-YC2 was sensitive to the photoperiod and was related to the regulation of biological rhythm. Expression also varied in different tissues and in response to drought and salt stress. In a yeast two-hybrid assay, SiNF-YC2 interacted with SiCO in the nucleus. Functional analysis suggested that SiNF-YC2 promotes flowering and improves resistance to salt stress.

Reversal of neurovascular decoupling and cognitive impairment in patients with end-stage renal disease during a hemodialysis session: Evidence from a comprehensive fMRI analysis.

Neurovascular (NV) decoupling is a potential neuropathologic mechanism of cognitive impairment in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Hemodialysis improves cognitive impairment at 24 h post-dialysis, which suggests a potential neuroprotective effect of hemodialysis treatment on the brain. We investigated the effects of hemodialysis treatment on the reversal of NV decoupling associated with cognitive improvement. A total of 39 patients with ESRD and 39 healthy controls were enrolled. All patients were imaged twice during a dialysis session: before hemodialysis (T1pre-dialysis ) and at 24 h after dialysis (T2post-dialysis ). The healthy controls were imaged once. NV coupling was characterized based on correlation coefficients between four types of blood oxygen level-dependent signals and cerebral blood flow (CBF). A battery of neuropsychological and blood tests was performed before the imaging. Patients with ESRD showed improvements in memory and executive function at T2post-dialysis compared with that at T1pre-dialysis . At both T1pre-dialysis and T2post-dialysis , patients with ESRD had lower amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF)-CBF coupling than healthy controls. Additionally, patients with ESRD had higher ALFF-CBF coupling at T2post-dialysis than at T1pre-dialysis . Higher memory scores, higher hemoglobin level, lower total plasma homocysteine level, lower systolic blood pressure variance, and lower ultrafiltration volume were associated with higher ALFF-CBF coupling in patients with ESRD after a hemodialysis session. These findings indicate that partial correction of anemia and hyperhomocysteinemia, stable systolic blood pressure, and fluid restriction may be closely linked to the reversal of NV decoupling and improvement in cognition in patients with ESRD.

Isolation and identification of SiCOL5, which is involved in photoperiod response, based on the quantitative trait locus mapping of Setaria italica.

Foxtail millet (Setaria italica) is a versatile grain and fodder crop grown in arid and semi-arid regions. It is an especially important crop for combating malnutrition in certain poverty-stricken areas of the world. Photoperiod sensitivity is a major constraint to the distribution and utilization of foxtail millet germplasm resources. Foxtail millet may be suitable as a model species for studying the photoperiod sensitivity of C4 crops. However, the genetic basis of the photoperiod response of foxtail millet remains poorly studied. To detect the genetic basis of photoperiod sensitivity-related traits, a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population consisting of 313 lines derived from a cross between the spring-sown cultivar "Longgu 3" and the summer-sown cultivar "Canggu 3" was established. The RIL population was genotyped using whole-genome re-sequencing and was phenotyped in four environments. A high-density genetic linkage map was constructed with an average distance between adjacent markers of 0.69 cM. A total of 21 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) were identified by composite interval mapping, and 116 candidate genes were predicted according to gene annotations and variations between parents, among which three genes were considered important candidate genes by the integration and overall consideration of the results from gene annotation, SNP and indel analysis, cis-element analysis, and the expression pattern of different genes in different varieties, which have different photoperiod sensitivities. A putative candidate gene, SiCOL5, was isolated based on QTL mapping analysis. The expression of SiCOL5 was sensitive to photoperiod and was regulated by biological rhythm-related genes. Function analysis suggested that SiCOL5 positively regulated flowering time. Yeast two-hybrid and bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays showed that SiCOL5 was capable of interacting with SiNF-YA1 in the nucleus.

FADS1 overexpression promotes fatty acid synthesis and triacylglycerol accumulation via inhibiting the AMPK/SREBP1 pathway in goat mammary epithelial cells.

Delta-5 desaturase (D5D), encoded by the fatty acid desaturase 1 (FADS1) gene, is a rate-limiting enzyme in polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) synthesis that influences the PUFA levels in milk fat. However, the function and molecular mechanism of FADS1 in milk fat metabolism remain largely unknown. The FADS1 overexpression increased the triglyceride content, lipid droplet size, and expression of genes related to fatty acid de novo synthesis (SREBP1 and ACC), intracellular fatty acid transporters (FABP3 and FABP4) and triacylglycerol synthesis gene (DGAT2). It also significantly promoted the SREBP1 nuclear translocation by inhibiting the AMPK activation. In addition, FADS1 overexpression inhibited cell proliferation and arrested cell cycle at the G1 phase. These findings reveal a novel FADS1-AMPK-SREBP1 pathway regulating milk fat production in the goat mammary gland.

Focal white matter microstructural alteration after anthracycline-based systemic treatment in long-term breast cancer survivors: a structural magnetic resonance imaging study.

Understanding the neural correlates of cognitive problems in patients with breast cancer (BC) after systemic treatment have been a topic of increasing investigation. The heterogeneity of the systemic treatment regimens may undermine our ability to identify brain microstructural alterations resulting from any given regimen. We investigated the detrimental effects of the anthracycline-based systemic treatment (AST) regimen (epirubicin and cyclophosphamide + docetaxel + tamoxifen) on brain gray matter (GM) and white matter (WM) microstructural alteration in long-term BC survivors. We performed a battery of neuropsychological tests and structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to 31 long-term BC survivors who had received the AST regimen (AST group) and 43 healthy controls (HC group). Voxel-based morphometry evaluated the whole-brain voxel-wise GM volume, while diffusion tensor imaging technique with tract-based spatial statistics analysis evaluated whole-brain WM microstructural alteration. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) was used to evaluate the relationship between cognitive impairment and brain microstructural alteration in BC survivors. Compared with the HC group, the AST group exhibited a significantly poorer performance in attention, as well as a marginal significantly poorer performance in verbal working memory and executive function. Significantly lower fractional anisotropy (FA), higher radial diffusivity (RD), and lower axial diffusivity (AD) in multiple brain WM regions were showed in AST group compared with the HC group. Overlap of lower FA and higher RD was found in the body of corpus callosum (CC) and bilateral superior corona radiata (SCR), whereas overlap of lower FA and AD was found in the body of CC and right SCR. The PLSR results showed that the WM regions with overlap of lower FA and AD were significantly associated with executive and verbal working memory decline. No significant difference was observed in the GM volume between groups. Our results suggest that microstructural abnormalities of certain vulnerable WM regions in the AST regimen-exposed brain may provide neuroimaging evidence for the identification of brain injury and cognitive impairment induced by specific chemotherapy regimens.

Effects of Dietary Supplementation of Bovine Lactoferricin on Rumen Microbiota, Lactation, and Health in Dairy Goats.

This study aimed to investigate the biological effects of supplementation of bovine lactoferricin (BLFc) at the rate of 100 mg/kg/day (LF-1) or 200 mg/kg/day (LF-2) in lactating dairy goats. Dietary BLFc supplementation increased the concentration of lactoferrin (LF) in the milk and serum (p < 0.05) without affecting the feed intake. In the LF-1 group, serum Fe, total antioxidant (T-AOC), and immunoglobulin A (IgA) were increased (p < 0.05), while malondialdehyde (MDA) was decreased (p < 0.05). In the LF-2 group, ruminal fluid pH value was decreased (p < 0.05), and the composition of ruminal microflora on day 42 was more diversified. Firmicutes phylum in the LF-2 group was the most abundant phyla. In contrast, Bacteroidetes phylum in the control group and the LF-1 group were the most abundant. Lower milk somatic cell count and higher IgA were observed in the LF-1 group and the LF-2 group than those in the control group (p < 0.05). These results suggested beneficial effects of supplementation of 100 mg/kg/day BLFc on reducing the oxidative stress and altering diversity of ruminal microflora.

Neurovascular coupling dysfunction in end-stage renal disease patients related to cognitive impairment.

We aimed to investigate the neurovascular coupling (NVC) dysfunction in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients related with cognitive impairment. Twenty-five ESRD patients and 22 healthy controls were enrolled. To assess the NVC dysfunctional pattern, resting-state functional MRI and arterial spin labeling were explored to estimate the coupling of spontaneous neuronal activity and cerebral blood perfusion based on amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF)-cerebral blood flow (CBF), fractional ALFF (fALFF)-CBF, regional homogeneity (ReHo)-CBF, and degree centrality (DC)-CBF correlation coefficients. Multivariate partial least-squares correlation and mediation analyses were used to evaluate the relationship among NVC dysfunctional pattern, cognitive impairment and clinical characteristics. The NVC dysfunctional patterns in ESRD patients were significantly decreased in 34 brain regions compared with healthy controls. The decreased fALFF-CBF coefficients in the cingulate gyrus (CG) were associated positively with lower kinetic transfer/volume urea (Kt/V) and lower short-term memory scores, and were negatively associated with higher serum urea. The relationship between Kt/V and memory deficits of ESRD patients was partially mediated by the fALFF-CBF alteration of the CG. These findings reveal the NVC dysfunction may be a potential neural mechanism for cognitive impairment in ESRD. The regional NVC dysfunction may mediate the impact of dialysis adequacy on memory function.

Genome-Wide Gene Expression Profiles Analysis Reveal Novel Insights into Drought Stress in Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica L.).

Foxtail millet (Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv) is an important food and forage crop because of its health benefits and adaptation to drought stress; however, reports of transcriptomic analysis of genes responding to re-watering after drought stress in foxtail millet are rare. The present study evaluated physiological parameters, such as proline content, p5cs enzyme activity, anti-oxidation enzyme activities, and investigated gene expression patterns using RNA sequencing of the drought-tolerant foxtail millet variety (Jigu 16) treated with drought stress and rehydration. The results indicated that drought stress-responsive genes were related to many multiple metabolic processes, such as photosynthesis, signal transduction, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, starch and sucrose metabolism, and osmotic adjustment. Furthermore, the Δ1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate synthetase genes, SiP5CS1 and SiP5CS2, were remarkably upregulated in foxtail millet under drought stress conditions. Foxtail millet can also recover well on rehydration after drought stress through gene regulation. Our data demonstrate that recovery on rehydration primarily involves proline metabolism, sugar metabolism, hormone signal transduction, water transport, and detoxification, plus reversal of the expression direction of most drought-responsive genes. Our results provided a detailed description of the comparative transcriptome response of foxtail millet variety Jigu 16 under drought and rehydration environments. Furthermore, we identify SiP5CS2 as an important gene likely involved in the drought tolerance of foxtail millet.

Investigation of quantitative susceptibility mapping in diagnosis of tuberous sclerosis complex and assessment of associated brain injuries at 1.5 Tesla.

BACKGROUND AND AIM: Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is a rare disease with serious clinical consequences such as mental deficiency and epilepsy. The pathological changes of TSC include demyelination and subependymal calcified nodules. Quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) is a newly developed imaging technique which is capable of quantitatively measuring the susceptibility induced by iron deposition, calcification, and demyelination. The aim of this study was to investigate the use of QSM in detecting the subependymal nodules and assessing brain tissue injuries induced by cortical/subcortical tubers in TSC patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twelve clinically confirmed TSC patients and fifteen gender- and age-matched healthy subjects underwent measurement with conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and QSM. The TSC patients further underwent a computed tomography (CT) scan. Considering CT as the ground truth, the detection rates of subependymal nodules using conventional MRI and QSM were compared by the paired Chi-square test, and the sensitivity and specificity were computed. The Bland-Altman test and independent t-test were performed to compare the susceptibility of cortical/subcortical regions from QSM and fractional anisotropy (FA) values from DTI between the patient and control groups, Pearson correlation was performed to examine the correlation between the susceptibility and FA values. RESULTS: QSM was better in detecting subependymal calcified nodules compared to conventional MR sequences (X 2=40.18, P<0.001), QSM achieved a significantly higher sensitivity of 98.3% and a lower specificity of 50%, which was compared with conventional MR sequences (46.7% and 75%, respectively). The susceptibility value of cortical/subcortical tubers in TSC patients was significantly higher than those in the control group (t=9.855, P<0.001), while FA value was lower (t=-8.687, P<0.001). Pearson correlation test revealed a negative correlation between susceptibility and FA values in all participants (r=-0.65, P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS: QSM had a similar ability in TSC compared to CT and DTI. QSM may provide valuable complementary information to conventional MRI imaging and may simplicity imaging of patients with TSC. RELEVANCE FOR PATIENTS: This study shows the feasibility of QSM to detect subependymal calcified nodules. It may provide quantitative information of white matter damage of tuberous sclerosis patients.

A Review of Aberrant DNA Methylation and Epigenetic Agents Targeting DNA Methyltransferases in Endometriosis.

BACKGROUND: Endometriosis (EMS) is a gynecological disease defined by the translocation and growth of endometrial tissue in other tissues or organs outside the uterus. Its clinical manifestations are dysmenorrhea, irregular menstruation, and even infertility. Although EMS is a benign disease, it has the characteristics of malignant tumor and the potential of malignant transformation. Recent studies have found that EMS may involve epigenetic changes and that various epigenetic aberrations, especially aberrant DNA methylation may play an essential role in the pathogenesis of EMS. Previous studies have elucidated the epigenetic regulators of EMS and reported variations in epigenetic patterns of genes known to be associated with abnormal hormonal, immune, and inflammatory states of EMS. With the development of high-throughput sequencing and other biomolecular technologies, we have a better understanding of genome-wide methylation in EMS. OBJECTIVE: This article will discuss the potentiality of targeting DNA methylation as the therapeutic approach for EMS. RESULTS: This article reviews the role of DNA methylation in the pathophysiology of EMS and provides insight into a novel therapeutic approach for EMS by targeting DNA methylation modifiers. We also review the current progress in using DNA methylation inhibitors in EMS therapy and the potential promise and challenges ahead. CONCLUSION: Aberrant DNA methylation plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of EMS and epigenetic agents targeting DNA methyltransferases are expected to be the theoretical basis for the new treatment of EMS.

Heterogeneous root zone salinity mitigates salt injury to Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench in a split-root system.

The heterogeneous distribution of soil salinity across the rhizosphere can moderate salt injury and improve sorghum growth. However, the essential molecular mechanisms used by sorghum to adapt to such environmental conditions remain uncharacterized. The present study evaluated physiological parameters such as the photosynthetic rate, antioxidative enzyme activities, leaf Na+ and K+ contents, and osmolyte contents and investigated gene expression patterns via RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis under various conditions of nonuniformly distributed salt. Totals of 5691 and 2047 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the leaves and roots, respectively, were identified by RNA-seq under nonuniform (NaCl-free and 200 mmol·L-1 NaCl) and uniform (100 mmol·L-1 and 100 mmol·L-1 NaCl) salinity conditions. The expression of genes related to photosynthesis, Na+ compartmentalization, phytohormone metabolism, antioxidative enzymes, and transcription factors (TFs) was enhanced in leaves under nonuniform salinity stress compared with uniform salinity stress. Similarly, the expression of the majority of aquaporins and essential mineral transporters was upregulated in the NaCl-free root side in the nonuniform salinity treatment, whereas abscisic acid (ABA)-related and salt stress-responsive TF transcripts were more abundant in the high-saline root side in the nonuniform salinity treatment. In contrast, the expression of the DEGs identified in the nonuniform salinity treatment remained virtually unaffected and was even downregulated in the uniform salinity treatment. The transcriptome findings might be supportive of the increased photosynthetic rate, reduced Na+ levels, increased antioxidative capability in the leaves and, consequently, the growth recovery of sorghum under nonuniform salinity stress as well as the inhibited sorghum growth under uniform salinity conditions. The increased expression of salt resistance genes activated in response to the nonuniform salinity distribution implied that the cross-talk between the nonsaline and high-saline sides of the roots exposed to nonuniform salt stress is potentially regulated.

Altered intrinsic brain activity and memory performance improvement in patients with end-stage renal disease during a single dialysis session.

Memory deficits are considered to have a great influence on self-management, dietary restriction and therapeutic regimen for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients with dialysis treatment. This study was aim to investigate the spontaneous brain activity and its relationship with memory performance in ESRD patients before dialysis (T1) and after 24 h (T2) during a single dialysis session. 23 ESRD patients and 25 matched healthy controls (HCs) were scanned using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) at T1, and all patients were also scanned at T2. Amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo) methods were used to evaluate the spontaneous brain activity between two groups. The Auditory Verbal Learning Test-Huashan version (AVLT-H) was performed to assess memory function. Compared with HCs, ESRD group showed a significant decreases in the immediate recall total score (IR-S), short-term delayed recall score (SR-S), and long-term delayed recall score (LR-S) at T1. IR-S, SR-S, LR-S and recognition score (REC-S) were significantly increased at T2. Compared with HCs at T1, ESRD patients showed that the lower mean ALFF (mALFF) values were mainly located in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), medial frontal gyrus, and precuneus. Higher ReHo in the bilateral inferior temporal gyrus and left hippocampus and lower ReHo in the right precentral gyrus, anterior cingulate cortex were found at T1 too. The mALFF values of the DLPFC and precuneus were significantly increased during a dialysis session, while no significantly difference of ReHo region was found. Furthermore, the increased mALFF values of the DLPFC were significantly positively correlated with the improvement in the IR-S. Our results indicated that increased regional spontaneous activity of the DLPFC may reflect memory performance improvement after a single dialysis treatment, which may provide insight into the effect of hemodialysis on spontaneous brain function during a single dialysis session.

Abnormal white matter integrity during pain-free periovulation is associated with pain intensity in primary dysmenorrhea.

Neuroimaging studies have preliminarily described brain structural and functional differences that consist of the pain transmission and modulation systems in primary dysmenorrhea (PDM). However, whether PDM subjects have distinctive white matter (WM) alteration during the time when there is no painful menstruation is largely unknown. If that is the case, whether such specific variability is interconnected with the dysmenorrhic symptoms is unclear. In the current study, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) was performed on 24 PDM females and 24 healthy control subjects. Optimized tract-based spatial statistics was employed to examine the between group differences in DTI measures including fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD). Visual analogue scale (VAS) was used to rate the intensity of the abdominal pain at periovulation and menstruation. In our results, PDM had lower FA coupled with higher MD and RD in widespread WM fibers including the splenium part of the corpus callosum, the posterior limb of the internal capsule, the anterior, superior and posterior corona radiata, and the posterior thalamic radiation (P < 0.05, FWE corrected). Further correlation analyses revealed close correlations between these DTI measures and VAS of the menstrual phase when the PDM showed serious abdominal pain. In the current study, we found PDM females had abnormal WM integrity involving pain transmission and modulation systems when they were at periovulation. Additionally, these WM abnormalities may closely associate with the intensity of painful menstruation. These observations complement the brain microstructural investigations for the pathophysiology of PDM.