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Objective:To investigate the changes in dynamic functional connectivity density (dFCD) and its relationship with Fagerstr?m test for nicotine dependence (FTND) scores in individuals with smoking addiction based on functional MR.Methods:The clinical and imaging data of 176 volunteers recruited through wechat and other online platforms from September 2019 to December 2020 in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University were retrospectively analyzed. The 176 volunteers were male, aged 20 to 55 years old, and were divided into light smoking addiction group (59 cases), heavy smoking addiction group (61 cases) and control group (56 cases). All subjects underwent resting state functional MR scanning and dFCD was calculated. The dFCD values of three groups were analyzed by ANOVA analysis (GRF corrected, voxel level P<0.005, cluster level P<0.01). Bonferroni correction was used for pairwise comparison. Pearson partial correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between dFCD values of brain regions with statistically significant differences and FTND scores. Results:Differences in dFCD among light smoking addiction group, heavy smoking addiction group and control group were mainly distributed in the right orbitofrontal cortex, left caudate nucleus, right putamen, bilateral calcarine sulcus cortex, right cuneus, left parahippocampal gyrus, left precuneus, left middle temporal gyrus and bilateral thalamus (GRF corrected, voxel level P<0.005, cluster level P<0.01). Compared with the control group, both the light and heavy smoking addiction groups showed decreased dFCD in the bilateral calcarine sulcus cortex, right cuneus and left precuneus, as well as increased dFCD in the right orbitofrontal cortex, right putamen, left caudate nucleus and left thalamus (Bonferroni corrected, P<0.05). Compared with the control group, the heavy smoking addiction group showed increased dFCD in the right thalamus, and the light smoking addiction group showed decreased dFCD in the left middle temporal gyrus (Bonferroni corrected, P<0.001). Compared with the light smoking addiction group, the heavy smoking addiction group showed increased dFCD in the left middle temporal gyrus and right thalamus, and decreased dFCD in the left parahippocampal gyrus (Bonferroni corrected, P<0.05). The mean value of dFCD in the right thalamus was positively correlated with FTND scores in smoking addiction patients ( r=0.227, P=0.014), and the mean value of dFCD in the right thalamus of the heavy smoking addiction subgroup was positively correlated with FTND scores ( r=0.323, P=0.013). There was no correlation between FTND scores and dFCD in the right thalamus of the light smoking addiction group ( P>0.05). Conclusion:There are changes of neural activity in brain regions related to smoking behaviors among people with different severity of smoking addiction, and smoking behaviors of people with heavy smoking addiction tend to be habitual compared with those with light smoking addiction.
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Objective:To investigate the alterations of resting-state functional connectivity (RSFC) in ventral tegmental area (VTA) and substantia nigra (SN) among male smokers, and its correlation with clinical characteristics of smoking.Methods:The resting-state functional magnetic resonance data of 131 subjects recruited from January 2014 to December 2018 were analyzed retrospectively, including 76 smokers (smoking group) and 55 non-smokers (control group). VTA/SN was selected as regions of interest (ROI), and then calculated RSFC between VTA/SN and the whole brain.Based on SPM12 software, independent sample t-test was conducted to compare the differences in RSFC between smoking group and control group.Based on SPSS 22.0 software, Pearson correlation analysis was used to investigate the relationships between the RSFC of brain regions with significant differences and Fagerstr?m test for nicotine dependence (FTND) score, pack-year of smokers. Results:Compared with control group, the results showed decreased RSFC between VTA and the brain regions related default mode network (DMN)(including posterior cingulate cortex, right anterior cuneiform lobe, bilateral superior temporal gyrus, right middle temporal gyrus and right inferior parietal lobule), and regions of limbic system(including right marginal lobe and right angular gyrus), right calcarine (MNI: x, y, z=24, -55, -14) and left insula(MNI: x, y, z=-35, -11, 9) in smoking group(GRF corrected, voxel level P<0.005, cluster level P<0.05). Taking SN as the seed, there was no significant difference between smoking group and control group ( P>0.05). RSFC of VTA-left superior temporal gyrus was positively correlated with pack-year( r=0.243, P=0.034) and FTND ( r=0.282, P=0.014). VTA-left insula RSFC was positively correlated with FTND ( r=0.316, P=0.006). Conclusion:The RSFC in the mesolimbic system and the VTA-DMN circuit exist abnormal changes in smokers.To some extent, it may explain the reward deficits and dysfunction of emotion regulation in smokers, which may provide clues for further understanding the mechanism of tobacco addiction.
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Objective To explore the function of gene phoN1 in Shigella flexneri.Method Using the λ-Red recombi-nant system, phoN1was knocked out from S.flexneri 2a strain 301.Comparative proteomics was performed to analyze the differences between mutant and wild-type strains in protein expression profiles .Sereny tests and competitive infection assays were carried out to compare the virulence of mutant and wild-type strains .Results The deletion mutant of phoN1 was suc-cessfully constructed .No significant difference between the two strains was found in the comparative proteomics analyses . The function of gene phoN1 might be unrelated to the invasion ability of S.flexneri according to the results of Sereny tests and competitive infection assays .Conclusion Gene phoN1 might be of no use for the in vitro survival and host cell invasion of S.flexneri.
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Purpose: To discuss the feasibility and effect of reserving fertility treatments for young patients with ovarian malignant tumors. Methods: Retrospective analysis of clinical data of 40 patients receiving conservative treatments. Results: Among the 40 cases, there were 25 cases of malignant ovarian germ cell tumors, 13 cases of epithelium carcinomas, 2 cases of sexual cord mesenchymal tumors. 34 patients have survived till now, among which there are 20 cases of malignant ovarian germ cell tumors, 12 cases of epithelium carcinomas, 2 cases of sexual cord mesenchymal tumors. 8 patients relapsed after the first operation, six of which had hysterectomy as second operation. Among the 32 surving patients who have preserved their uterus, 31 patients have normal menstruations. 11 patients married and 6 patients had successful pregnancies. Conclusions: We should try our best to preserve the fertility of young patients with ovarian malignant tumors.