Objective: To investigate the effectiveness of a movable (with the distance between the temporal scalp and the detector being adjustable) array of optically pumped magnetometers for magnetoencephalography (OPM-MEG) in capturing auditory evoked response signals in healthy subjects living at low altitudes, and to provide a useful technical reference for subsequent exploration of the changes in brain functions in populations living at high altitudes on a long-term basis.
Methods: Forty healthy subjects living at a low altitude (470 m above sea level) were recruited. The distance between the scalp and the bilateral temporal lobe detector was adjusted, and the subjects' auditory responses in the temporal lobes were recorded at the distances of 0 mm, 5 mm, 10 mm, and 15 mm. For the different distances, the M100 peak signal strength, noise, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and latency were analyzed along with the corresponding auditory source localization maps. A single-factor analysis of variance was conducted to compare the differences in response signals at varying distances.
Results: As the distance between the scalp and the detector increased, the noise, the signal, and the SNR gradually weakened (P<0.001). The noise and signal showed a tendency of linear decline. On the other hand, the SNR reached its maximum at 5 mm and did not show a tendency of linear decline. Latency was not affected by the distance (P=0.72). The results of the auditory stimulus source reconstruction were generally consistent.
Conclusion: When the distance between the detector and the scalp is 5 mm, the SNR value is the highest, resulting in high sensitivity and high signal strength. On the other hand, even when the distance between the detector and the scalp reaches 15 mm, the SNR of the OPM-MEG is still higher than 16 dB, which meets the clinical signal acquisition requirements. Furthermore, the auditory stimulus source reconstruction results were generally consistent. Changing the scalp-to-detector distance does not affect the applicability of the source localization results, validating the device's effectiveness in signal acquisition.
Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) patients may develop cytomegalovirus encephalitis, a rare but life-threatening complication with a mortality rate exceeding 90%. Cytomegalovirus encephalitis is rare and does not have specific clinical manifestations, which makes clinical diagnosis more difficult. This article reports a pediatric case of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) with early onset (81 d after transplantation) cytomegalovirus encephalitis after HSCT, with palpitations presenting as the initial symptom. The patient exhibited rapid clinical progression and the treatment was ineffective. This case report can help clinicians gain further understanding of the high-risk factors and clinical features of central nervous system complications following HSCT. When encountering unexplained tachycardia, clinicians should still be vigilant for the possibility of intracranial infection even in the absence of typical neurological manifestations associated with encephalitis. Early recognition and management may help improve the outcomes of such patients.
Objective: To assess the reliability and validity of the Chinese version of the Beck Depression Inventory, Second Edition (BDI-Ⅱ-C) among Yi middle school students in Liangshan Prefecture.
Methods: A stratified cluster sampling method was used to select 466 Yi middle and high school students in Liangshan Prefecture to respond to the BDI-Ⅱ-C. The general demographic characteristics of the samples were described, and independent sample t-test, chi-square test, and reliability analysis were conducted to analyze the data. The sample was randomly divided into 2 halves for exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis.
Results: The Cronbach's alpha coefficient for BDI-Ⅱ-C was 0.925 for the sample of Yi middle school students in Liangshan Prefecture. The correlation coefficients between individual items ranged from 0.192 to 0.612, and those between individual items and total scores ranged from 0.492 to 0.761. Exploratory factor analysis found that the scale could be divided into three dimensions, including emotional symptoms, somatic symptoms, and negative symptoms. Confirmatory factor analysis results revealed that the various indicators of the three-factor model were χ 2/df=1.604, comparative fit index (CFI)=0.940, Tucker-Lewis index (TLI)=0.932, incremental fit index (IFI)=0.941, and root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA)=0.051.
Conclusion: BDI-Ⅱ-C exhibits good reliability and validity among Yi middle school students in Liangshan Prefecture, but the convergent validity of the structural validity is poor.
Objective: To determine the levels of arsenic in food in Chongqing city, and to assess the levels of dietary arsenic exposure and the associated potential health risks in residents of Chongqing city.
Methods: By using the monitoring data on arsenic levels in food in Chongqing between 2018 and 2023 in combination with the local dietary survey data for Chongqing from the 2018 China Nutrition and Health Survey Program, and adopting the 2-dimensional Monte Carlo simulation, we made an estimate of the dietary arsenic exposure levels of Chongqing residents. The margin of exposure (MOE) method was applied to assess both non-carcinogenic risks (skin damage) and carcinogenic risks (lung cancer and urinary system cancers) associated with dietary intake of arsenic.
Results: Out of 4900 food samples, the detection rate of arsenic was 36.40%, with the average levels ranging from the median bound (MB) of 0.0207 to the upper bound (UB) of 0.0234 mg/kg. The highest average levels were found in rice and its products, with an MB of 0.0981 and a UB of 0.0985 mg/kg. The daily average exposure to inorganic arsenic for residents of different ages, sexes, and places of residence was highest in individuals aged 3 to 6, with an MB of 1.046 μg/(kg·d) and a UB of 1.116 μg/(kg·d), and lowest among individuals aged 60 and older. Arsenic exposure was higher in males than that in females and higher in people living in rural areas compared to those in urban areas. In terms of non-carcinogenic risks, the MOE values for inorganic arsenic were always higher than 1 in various populations. As for carcinogenic risks, the MOE values were all less than 100 in various populations. Rice and its products were the main source of dietary arsenic exposure in Chongqing, accounting for 69.97% to 74.37% of the total exposure.
Conclusion: The non-carcinogenic risk caused by dietary arsenic exposure in Chongqing is relatively low, but there may be a certain level of carcinogenic risk. Continued attentions should be given to dietary arsenic exposure levels in young children.
Objective: To analyze the differences in computed tomography (CT) myocardial perfusion parameters between type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients and nondiabetic patients diagnosed with non-obstructive coronary artery disease (CAD), using a one-stop cardiac CT scanning protocol that combines coronary CT angiography (CCTA) with dynamic CT myocardial perfusion imaging (CT-MPI). In addition, we investigated the effect of T2DM on coronary microcirculatory ischemia.
Methods: After balancing the baseline levels with propensity score matching, 92 T2DM patients (the T2DM group) and 92 nondiabetic patients (the nondiabetic group) with non-obstructive CAD were enrolled eventually. The clinical characteristics and the CCTA and CT-MPI results of the two groups were compared. A directed acyclic graph was used to analyze the causal relationships between the variables and to identify key confounding factors. A multivariable regression model was established to evaluate the independent effect of T2DM on the occurrence of coronary microcirculatory ischemia after adjusting for confounding factors.
Results: There were no statistically significant differences between the T2DM group and the nondiabetic group in terms of age, sex, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, smoking history, body mass index, chest symptoms, calcium score, CAD-reporting and data system (CAD-RADS) score, and radiation dose. In the T2DM group, the mean values of myocardial blood flow (MBF) were significantly reduced both globally and in all myocardial segments (basal, mid, and apical segments) compared to those of the nondiabetic group (P<0.05). Furthermore, the incidence of coronary microcirculatory ischemia in the T2DM group was significantly higher than that in the nondiabetic group (21.7% [20/92] vs. 5.4% [5/92], P=0.01). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that T2DM was an important independent risk factor for coronary microcirculatory ischemia (odds ratio=5.095, 95% confidence interval: 1.753-14.805).
Conclusion: According to our assessment with a one-stop cardiac CT scanning protocol combining CCTA and dynamic CT-MPI, patients with non-obstructive CAD and T2DM have reduced global MBF, which makes them more prone to coronary microcirculatory ischemia. Furthermore, T2DM is independently associated with coronary microcirculatory ischemia.
Liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) is a process in which certain proteins or protein-RNA complexes form phase-separated droplets with different components and properties through multivalent interactions within a cell. In recent years, the role of LLPS in immunomodulation has received extensive attention. Compared with phase separation-related studies in other fields, limited research has been done on LLPS and the immune system. In this review, we first introduced the basic characteristics of LLPS associated with the immune system, and then explored the functions of LLPS in innate immune-related signaling pathways and adaptive immune cells. LLPS plays a crucial role in immune signal transduction, immune cell activation, and antigen presentation. It is involved in facilitating the aggregation of signaling molecules, regulating the intensity and duration of signal transduction, and influencing the functional state of immune cells. The discovery of LLPS provides a new theoretical basis for elucidating the activation mechanism of the immune system and is expected to bring new perspectives for understanding the cellular defense mechanisms. In-depth investigation of the role of LLPS in the immune system not only helps us gain a more comprehensive understanding of the immune response process, but also provides potential targets and strategies for the development of new immunotherapies and the treatment of autoimmune diseases.
Objective: To investigate the longitudinal changes in left ventricular (LV) structure and function after bariatric surgery in obese individuals and their relationship with preoperative left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging.
Methods: We prospectively enrolled 75 obese subjects scheduled for laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy and 46 age and sex-matched healthy controls (the control group). All subjects underwent CMR examination to obtain LV structural parameters, LVEF, and strain parameters. According to their preoperative LVEF, the obese subjects were divided into two obesity groups, including the group of patients with LVEF≥60% (n=43) and the group of patients with 50%≤LVEF<60% (n=32). LV structural and functional differences between the control group and the two obesity groups were compared. Eventually, 38 obese subjects completed the CMR follow-up at 1 month and 12 months after bariatric surgery. The longitudinal changes in LV structure and function after surgery in the LVEF≥60% (n=20) group and the 50%≤LVEF<60% group (n=18) were compared.
Results: Before bariatric surgery, the global longitudinal strain was significantly lower in the LVEF≥60% group than that in the control group ([－18.36±1.86]% vs. [－19.50±1.53]%, P<0.05). The global radial ([27.70±3.52]% vs. [34.44±4.11]%, P<0.05), circumferential ([－17.35±1.46]% vs. [－19.85±1.42]%, P<0.05), and longitudinal ([－16.22±1.81]% vs. [－19.50±1.53]%, P<0.05) strain in the 50%≤LVEF<60% group was significantly lower than that in the control group. At 12 months after bariatric surgery, the global radial ([32.52±7.84]% vs. [30.92±4.27]%, P>0.05), circumferential ([－19.02±2.42]% vs. [－18.63±1.49]%, P>0.05), and longitudinal ([－18.18±2.06]% vs. [－17.78±1.66]%, P>0.05) strain in the LVEF≥60% group showed no significant difference compared with the baseline findings. In the 50%≤LVEF<60% group, the global radial ([32.73±5.86]% vs. [26.83±4.85]%, P<0.05) and circumferential ([－19.10±2.00]% vs. [－16.91±2.09]%, P<0.05) strain was significantly higher than that before surgery.
Conclusion: LV remodeling is reversed after bariatric surgery in obese subjects, and the longitudinal changes in LV structure and function vary with the preoperative LVEF.
In high-altitude regions, the unique challenges posed by the low-oxygen environment exert significant stress on the physiological functions of the human body. Currently, there is an urgent need to develop a deeper understanding of the pathogenesis, prevention and treatment strategies, as well as effective interventions, of altitude sickness. In this paper, we explored the self-regulatory mechanisms of the human body in such extreme environments, elaborating on the adaptive mechanisms at the molecular level and the process of acclimatization to high altitudes. Furthermore, we summarized the historical background and distinctive advantages of hypoxic preconditioning in the prevention and treatment of altitude diseases. Additionally, we reviewed various adaptation strategies employed by populations in different high-altitude regions, along with the extensive use of Western medication, single-herb traditional Chinese medicine remedies, and compound formulas and composite formulations of traditional Chinese medicine in these regions. Through this paper, we intend to provide a theoretical foundation for the health maintenance of high-altitude populations and to improve survival strategies under extreme environmental conditions. Our goal is also to provide a theoretical reference for improving the physiological adaptability of newcomers to high altitude areas and for deepening our understanding of the mechanisms of human adaptation to high-altitude environments.
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