[Study on the changes of spontaneous brain activity in maintenance hemodialysis patients with end-stage renal disease based on three different resting state-functional magnetic resonance low-frequency amplitude algorithms].

Objective: To investigate the changes of spontaneous brain activity in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) by combining three different resting state functional magnetic resonance low frequency amplitude algorithms, including amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF), fractional amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (fALFF), and percent amplitude of fluctuation (PerAF), and to analyze the associations between spontaneous brain activity changes and clinical variables. Methods: The data of 31 ESRD patients treated with maintenance hemodialysis and 37 healthy volunteers in the Department of Nephrology and Renal Transplantation of the Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University from August 2018 to December 2019 were retrospectively collected. The resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) scan was performed to calculate the ALFF, fALFF, and PerAF values of the whole brain of the subjects in each group. Independent sample t test was used for comparison between groups, and Pearson correlation analysis was used to investigate the correlation between spontaneous brain activity changes in brain regions with significant differences and clinical variables. Results: Compared to healthy volunteers, patients with ESRD had decreased mean ALFF(mALFF) values of the right lingual gyrus, bilateral anterior precuneus, left inferior frontal gyrus, and right middle cingulate gyrus (FDR (false discovery rate) correction, all P<0.01); and decreased mean PerAF (mPerAF) values of the bilateral anterior precuneus, bilateral posterior cingulate cortex, right calcarine fissure and surrounding cortex, bilateral inferior parietal lobule/temporoparietal junction (including bilateral angular gyrus, middle temporal gyrus, left supramarginal gyrus), and bilateral inferior frontal gyrus (FDR (false discovery rate) correction, all P<0.01); but there was no significant difference in mean fALFF (mfALFF) value between the two groups. Correlation analysis showed that the mPerAF values of the right angular gyrus (r=-0.509, P=0.003) and the left supramarginal gyrus (r=-0.405, P=0.024) were negatively correlated with serum potassium concentration in ESRD patients, while mALFF values of the bilateral anterior precuneus (r=0.058, P=0.004) and mPerAF values of the left gyrus (r=0.415, P=0.020) were positively correlated with hemoglobin level. Conclusions: In ESRD patients, spontaneous brain activity was reduced in multiple brain regions, mainly located in default mode network(DMN), which might be the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of their brain damage. Controlling serum potassium and hemoglobin levels was essential to prevent the progression of brain damage in ESRD patients.

Propofol induces apoptosis of non-small cell lung cancer cells via ERK1/2-dependent upregulation of PUMA.

OBJECTIVE: Propofol is one of the most commonly used intravenous anesthetic agents used in cancer resections, but the effect of propofol on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains unclear. Previous researches have reported that propofol can inhibit extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 phosphorylation or activate p53-upregulated modulator of apoptosis (PUMA) signaling, resulting in apoptosis. In addition, PUMA is negatively regulated by ERK1/2 activation. In the present work, we determined the effect of propofol on NSCLC A549 cells and explored its signaling pathway. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A549 cells were treated with different concentrations of propofol (1-10 µg/mL) for 6 h. After washing, cells were cultured in Dulbecco's Modified Eagle Medium supplemented with 10% fetal bovine serum and antibiotics for another 72 h. Cell survival and apoptosis were determined by MTT, flow cytometry, and TUNEL analyses. To assess whether propofol functions via ERK1/2 and PUMA signaling pathways, A549 cells were transfected with small interfering RNA (siRNA) to target PUMA, or treated with human recombinant ERK1/2 (hrERK1/2) to activate ERK1/2. RESULTS: Propofol treatment inhibited viability and induced apoptosis of A549 cells in a dose-dependent manner in vitro. Propofol inhibited phosphorylation of ERK1/2 (pERK1/2) and increased ERK1/2-dependent PUMA expression. Knockdown of PUMA by siRNA or treatment with hrERK1/2 to activate ERK1/2 blocked propofol-induced apoptosis and cell viability. Upregulation of PUMA expression by propofol requires pERK1/2 inactivation. CONCLUSIONS: Propofol inhibits viability and induces apoptosis of A549 cells via an ERK1/2-dependent PUMA signaling.

[Prevalence of reproductive system diseases among female workers in a city and related occupational influencing factors: an analysis of 9944 cases].

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of reproductive system diseases among female workers in a city and related occupational influencing factors. Methods: From June to September, 2016, a cross-sectional survey was used to select 9 944 female workers from six districts of Beijing and then a face-to-face questionnaire survey was performed. Univariate analysis using chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used to investigate the risk factors for reproductive system diseases. Results: The age of 9944 female workers ranged from 18 to 65 years (mean 35.53±9.52 years) , and among them, 7 351 (73.92%) were married. The overall prevalence rate of reproductive system diseases among these 9944 female workers during the past three months was 28.29%, and the prevalence rates of hyperplasia of mammary glands, vaginitis, and hysteromyoma were 15.54%, 11.25%, and 6.77%, respectively. After adjustment for age, marital status, education level, and annual family income, the multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that frequent overtime work (odds ratio[OR]=1.119, 95% confidence interval[CI]: 1.070-1.343) , frequent night shifts (OR=1.198, 95%CI: 1.054-1.361) , standing for a long time (OR=1.197, 95%CI: 1.063-1.347) , sitting for a long time (OR=1.327, 95%CI: 1.191-1.479) , heavy workload (OR=1.429, 95%CI: 1.262-1.615) , exposure to lead (OR=1.696, 95%CI: 1.307-2.201) , exposure to mercury (OR=1.452, 95%CI: 1.086-1.940) , and exposure to ionizing radiation (OR=1.679, 95%CI: 1.424-1.980) were associated with reproductive system diseases. Conclusion: The prevalence of reproductive system diseases among female workers in Beijing is not optimistic. Reproductive system diseases are associated with frequent overtime work, frequent night shifts, standing for a long time, sitting for a long time, heavy workload, and exposure to lead, mercury, and ionizing radiation.

Energy transfer rate and electron-phonon coupling properties in Eu3+ -doped nanophosphors.

A series of controllable emissions SrWO4 :Eu3+ and charge-compensated SrWO4 : Eum3+ (m = 0.01 or 0.20) phosphors was successfully prepared via a simple co-precipitation method. The energy transfer mechanism was studied based on the Huang's theory. A low magnitude of Huang-Rhys factor (10-2 ) was calculated using phonon sideband spectra. The Judd-Ofelt parameters Ωλ (λ = 2, 4 and 6) of Eu3+ -activated SrWO4 doped with charge compensation were obtained. The calculated Commission Internationale de l'Eclairage chromaticity coordinates were found to be about (0.67, 0.33) for SrWO4 : Eu0.203+ and charge-compensated SrWO4 : Eu0.203+ phosphors, which coincided with the National Television Standard Committee system standard values for red. A white light emission was obtained under 362 nm excitation. The correlated color temperature was computed by a simple equation to characterize light sources. Thus, warm white light-emitting diodes with higher Ra can be constructed by combining as-prepared high efficiency, low correlated color temperature and high color purity phosphor.

Clinical features of hepatic myelopathy in patients with chronic liver disease.

AIM: To determine the clinical features of hepatic myelopathy (HM), a rare condition associated with chronic liver disease (CLD), in patients in the city of Harbin, China. METHODS: The medical files of 13 patients with HM were selected from 500 randomly chosen files of CLD patients registered in four Harbin hospitals. General information on all cases was summarised and clinical features were compared between HM positive patients (HM group) and HM negative CLD patients (control group). Detailed analysis of the clinical characteristics of HM positive patients was undertaken. RESULTS: The patients in the HM group ranged in age from 41-50 years, which did not differ significantly from the control group. However, the sex ratio in the HM group (12 males/1 female) was significantly higher (p<0.05) than in the control group (342 males/145 females).The most frequent underlying aetiology was post type B hepatitis (12 cases). All cases in the HM group had a history of relapsing hepatic encephalopathy (HE) before or after HM onset, and showed electroencephalographic (EEG) abnormalities; however, the results of spinal cord magnetic resonance imaging were negative, and cerebrospinal fluid analysis findings were normal. Except for clinical manifestations of bilateral lower limb spastic paralysis, the two groups did not differ significantly in regard to other symptoms or signs. Hypoproteinaemia (positive predictive value (PPV) 5.69%, negative predictive value (NPV) 99.65%), blood ammonia elevation (PPV 5.29%, NPV, 99.32%) and abnormal EEG (PPV 5.00%, NPV 100.00%) were sensitive and specific for HM diagnosis. CONCLUSION: In Harbin, HM is found mainly among middle aged men with CLD caused by viral hepatitis and accompanied by relapsing onset of HE. Bilateral lower limb spastic paralysis with hypoproteinaemia, blood ammonia elevation and/or abnormal EEG are significant diagnostic indicators of HM.