ABSTRACT
Objective To explore the characteristics and significance of functional connectivity (FC) of affective network (AN) in patients with postpartum depression (PPD) under resting state. Methods A total of 23 patients with PPD (PPD group) and 28 healthy postpartum women (control group) were examined using resting-state fMRI. As two critical nodes of AN, amygdala (AMYG) and subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC) were selected as the regions of interest (ROI) to analyze the differences of functional connectivity strength (FCS) of two regions from other brain regions between two groups, followed by Pearson correlation analysis on the abnormal FCS and the Edinburgh postnatal depression scale (EPDS) score in PPD group. Results Compared to the control group, the patients in PPD group showed the extensively reduced FCS (P<0.05, Alphasim correction) between AMYG and frontal cortex, temporal cortex, hippocampus, cerebellum and orbitofrontal cortex, while there were enhanced FCS (P<0.05, Alphasim correction) between sgACC and parietal cortex, occipital cortex, thalamus, superior temporal gyrus and cingulate cortex. Moreover, in PPD group, the reduced FCS between left AMYG and left medial orbitofrontal cortex was negatively correlated with EPDS scores (r=-0.62, P=0.02). Conclusion Patients with PPD have dysfunctional connectivity of AN in multiple brain regions. The weaker FCS between left amygdala and left medial orbitofrontal cortex is, the more severe depression. The dysfunctional connectivity of AN may provide an effective mechanism-based biomarker underlying PPD.
ABSTRACT
Objective To study the association of the CAG repeat length polymorphism in exon 1 of the androgen receptor (AR) gene with metabolic syndrome (MS) and its components in men.Methods We used cluster sampling method to select 910 middle-and old-aged male subjects from the communities in Yinchuan and Wuzhong cities,Ningxia.Their body height,weight and blood pressure were measured;their testosterone (TT),serum lipids,fasting glucose (FBG) and fasting insulin (FINS) were assayed;and their body mass index (BMI) and free testosterone (FT) were calculated.Length of CAG repeats in exon 1 of the AR gene was determined by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and direct sequencing method.The subjects were divided into MS group (n =304) and normal control group (n=606) according to the diagnosis standards of MS.Results No obvious difference in the frequency distribution of CAG repeats in the AR gene was found between MS group and normal control group.The systolic blood pressure in the mcn with CAG repeat number of less than 22 was significantly higher than that in those with CAG repeat number of 22 or more,but HDL-C was significantly lower than men with CAG repeat number of 22 or more.However,the two groups did not significantly differ in diastolic blood pressure,other blood lipids level,FBG,FINS,BMI,TT or FT.The men with CAG repeat number of less than 22 had a higher prevalence of hypertension than those with CAG repeat number of 22 or more,but the prevalence of MS and other components of MS in the two groups had no significant difference,Conclusion The length of CAG repeats in exon 1 of the AR gene is related to the occurrence of hypertension and the dccreased level of HDL-C,but not to the incidence of MS.The number (less than 22) of CAG repeats of the AR gene may be a genetic factor of the occurrence of hypertension and reduced level of HDL-C.
ABSTRACT
Objective To investigate the subtle changes of the brain function at olfactory region of MD patients with olfactory dysfunction at resting state, through the application of fMRI-BOLD. Methods This study enrolled 28 MD patients with olfactory dysfunction(Case group) who had been treated from February 2016 to March 2017, and 23 healthy volunteers (Control group) with matching gender, age and education background to the Case group.All subjects were examined by Symptoms Checklists-90(SCL-90), Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-24 (HAMD-24), 70% isopropyl alcohol inhalation test, and fMRI at resting state. The two independent samples t test was used to compare the two groups' educational years, psychological scales and olfactory test scores.Regional homogeneity(ReHo)analysis was conducted for the whole brain of subjects.The ReHo values at some brain regions of both groups were compared through two independent sample t-test.The ReHo values,extracted from the case group's brain regions with differences, were run through by Pearson correlation analysis.Results There was a negative correlation between the HAMD-24 score(r=-0.413,P=0.029)and the severity of olfactory decline in the MD patients with olfactory dysfunction.In addition,it was found by fMRI that Case group,as compared to Control group,demonstrate declined ReHo values at left orbital frontal gyrus(cluster=80,t=3.27),bilateral cingulate gyrus(right cluster=204,t=4.34,left cluster=204,t=3.63),bilateral middle frontal gyrus(right cluster=56,t=3.67,left cluster=28, t=3.50),rightinsular(cluster=40,t=3.53),bilateral amygdala(right cluster=76,t=3.66,left cluster=86,t=2.93),but increased ReHo values at bilateral inferior frontal gyrus(right cluster=44,t=3.62,left cluster=33,t=3.25), right thalamus(cluster=34, t=3.21)and bilateral gyri rectus(right cluster=45,t=3.78,left cluster=24,t=3.01)(AlphaSim correction,P<0.001).Moreover,there was a positive correlation between the ReHo value at left orbital frontal gyrus and the olfactory test distance(r=0.628,P<0.05).But the ReHo value at left orbital frontal gyruswas negatively correlated with HAMD-24 (r=-0.414,P=0.029). There was no correlation with other clinical data.Conclusion The abnormal brain functional activities of left orbital frontal gyrus at resting state might be related to the olfactory dysfunction of patients with depression.
ABSTRACT
Objective To study the distribution of rs2234693 and rs9340799 of estrogen receptor (ER)gene and the relationship between them and lipid metabolism in the Ningxia Hui group,China.Methods We used cluster sampling method to select 5 3 3 cases of Ningxia Yinchuan communities of Hui. SNP genotyping was performed using the Sequenom MassARRAY platform.Results ① The frequencies of the distribution of each genotype of rs2234693 in Ningxia Hui population were the same as those in Chinese Han and Dai,Americans, Europeans,and Japanese (P>0.05).The distribution of each genotype of rs9340799,especially AA genotype,was different from that in Europeans (P0.05).Conclusion ER genes distribution in the Hui nationality of Ningxia is significantly different from that in other races;rs2234693 has no obvious relationship with the occurrence of dyslipidemia while GG genotype in SNP rs9340799 significantly increases the risk of lipid metabolism disorders.
ABSTRACT
Objective To develop a new method for establishing a temperature gradient field in the microchannel on a glass-polydimethylsiloxane ( PDMS ) microfluidic chip and to verify its applicability in the study of cellular thermal biological effect.Methods The establishment and control of the temperature gradient field in the microchannel were implemented by a peripheral indium tin oxide ( ITO) heater and a heating micro-wire embedded in the PDMS chip.The temperature gradient field established in the microchannel was represented by the finite element numerical analysis and temperature-dependent fluorescent dye rhodamine B.Finally, the thermal biological effect, which used cell survival rate of human prostate cancer cells T24 as an indicator, was investigated in the microchannel.Results The results of finite element numerical analysis proved that this method established a temperature gradient field along the length of the microchannel successfully.The distribution range of the temperature gradient field was controlled by the ITO heater, while the gradient of the temperature gradient field was controlled by the heating micro-wire.The measurement result of rhodamine B was identical with the result of the finite element numerical analysis.The thermal biological effect of T24 tumor cell research showed that the cell survival rate decreased with the rise of the regional temperature in the microchannel.Conclusion The method developed in this paper for establishing a temperature gradient field in the microchannel on a glass-PDMS microfluidic chip is simple and easy to implement, and it can be used for parallel study of the cellular thermal biological effect on the microfluidic chip in the future.